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MORNING PREP - MORNING PREP - MORNING PREP - MORNING PREP

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! CYBER CORNER !

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IN THE NEWS: CELLPHONE KILL SWITCH

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A trade group for wireless providers says the country's biggest smartphone makers and carriers will soon put anti-theft tools on the devices to try to deter rampant theft.

CTIA-The Wireless Association announced Tuesday that under a "Smartphone Anti-Theft Voluntary Commitment," the providers agree to install a free preloaded or downloadable anti-theft tool on smartphones sold in the U.S. after July 2015.

The wireless industry has said putting a permanent "kill switch" on phones has serious risks, including potential vulnerability to hackers.

San Francisco District Attorney George Gascon and New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman have demanded that the wireless industry create kill switches. They say CTIA's plan still falls short of effectively ending smartphone theft because the measures will rely on consumers to seek out and turn on the technology.

IN THE NEWS: DISH DEAL

SEATTLE (AP) — The state attorney general's office says Dish Network Corp. will reimburse Washington state customers about $2 million for what it calls a deceptive surcharge, but the satellite TV provider denies any wrongdoing.

Dish general counsel Stanton Dodge said Tuesday that the surcharge was not deceptive or illegal. He says it was imposed after Washington increased a business tax.

Dodge says the company decided to settle with the state to avoid a court fight.

Under the agreement, the Colorado-based company will also give existing customers cash credits or free programming and pay the state nearly $570,000.

Dish charged its Washington customers a dollar fee between May and December 2012.

The attorney general says the company didn't accurately advertise the total cost of TV packages because it listed the surcharge separately.

ON THE WEB: NHL PLAYOFFS

CYBERSPACE (AP) — The NHL playoffs get underway tonight. You find background on the teams and players, and links to the contending teams on the NHL's website.

Many fans will be waiting until next season because their teams are now out of it. But you'll also find information about the NHL's June draft and the top prospects.

Online: http://www.nhl.com/

IN STORES NOW: WINDOWS PHONE 8.1

NEW YORK (AP) — Now, you can talk to your Windows phone, not just on it.

Microsoft's new Windows system for smartphones has Cortana. It's a voice search which combines Siri's personality with Google Now's knack for anticipating what you need before you even ask.

The new Windows Phone 8.1 OS also has tools to simplify connecting to Wi-Fi hotspots, save battery life and block non-emergency calls overnight.

There aren't as many apps for Windows smartphones compared with iPhones and Android phones. The Windows store is getting better and has many popular apps such as Facebook and Netflix. But now and then, you'll encounter something that only your iPhone and Android friends have.

New phone models will ship with Windows Phone 8.1 next month, while existing phones will get free updates over the next few months.

Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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