In today’s NewsDesk roundup: There’s a new, rugged Samsung Galaxy S4 in the works; Nokia’s Asha 210 attempts to dethrone BlackBerry in the QWERTY category; Huawei dropping out of the US mobile market; NYT videos no longer part of paywall; BitTorrent releases cloud-less storage app; Senate puts CISPA on hold; Netflix’s new Family Plan; iPad users get Fiber app; and iPad sales helped Apple earn profits.

Rugged Samsung Galaxy S4 in the works

The next iteration of the Samsung Galaxy S4 may already be on the way. A ruggedized S4 will be released in the coming months. The new variant would be water-proof and dust-proof. The Galaxy S4 is thought to be one of the most advanced mobile phones on the market, but some analysts noted that it lacked the durability seen in phones like Sony’s waterproof Xperia Z.

Nokia’s Asha 210 attempts to dethrone BlackBerry in the QWERTY category

The Asha 210, Nokia’s attempt at a BlackBerry, will come with a physical keyboard and a hardware key on the front. Continuing the BlackBerry comparison, long-pressing the front hardware key results in the phone launching a messaging app, just as a BlackBerry launches BBM. Though the 210 won’t compete directly with BlackBerry’s Z10, Nokia hopes that some features, including a 46 day battery life, and unique data compression technology could win-over customers who feel the BlackBerry Z10 is too expensive.

Huawei dropping out of the US mobile market

Huawei says they’re no longer interested in the US market. Tempers seem to have reached a boiling point after accusations of cyber-espionage data breaches, regarding their ties with the Chinese government and military. A recent report cites China as being behind as much as 96% of all data breaches, which doesn’t exactly keep its working relationship with the U.S. very strong. Sprint and Softbank are limiting their use of Huawei telecom products, for fear that they would help aid China in their common phishing scams.

NYT videos no longer part of paywall

In an effort to expand their brand, and develop video franchises around its writers, The New York Times will no longer be counting videos as part of their notorious paywall. Instead, the new free video service will be provided thanks to corporate sponsorship. One executive was even quoted as saying, “part of the reason we’re doing this is because we’re already distributing on other channels like YouTube.”

BitTorrent releases cloud-less storage app

BitTorrent’s cloudless Dropbox alternative has been released from its closed alpha test. Sync App competes with file-storage and backup services like Google Drive, Skydrive, and Mega, but with an important distinction. Unlike those services, which host the personal and confidential files of its users in the cloud, BitTorrent’s solution synchronizes the files between a users computers. The free service, has no storage or transfer limits, is available for Windows, OSX, and Linux.

Senate puts CISPA on hold

The Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act, the controversial security bill that recently passed in the U.S. House of Representatives, has stalled in the Senate. With the Senate’s focus on major legislation to address gun control and immigration, CISPA isn’t seen as a priority. In the unlikely event that the bill makes it to the floor for debate, and passes a vote in the Senate, President Obama’s promise to veto the bill over security concerns means that it may be stuck in limbo for quite some time.

Netflix’s new Family Plan

In the recent shareholders announcement, Netflix wants to provide a better service for families who could use four simultaneous video streams, rather than the current maximum of two. In addition to families, this serves as a fair solution for people who already share their account information with all their friends. Netflix is showing they are aware of their audience and will likely continue to offer a range of packages to suit different needs.

iPad users get Fiber app

Though Google’s Fiber may be out of reach for most Americans, a new Fiber app on Apple’s store can be downloaded by anyone with an iPad. A similar app has already been available on Android devices for some time, but the approval system by Apple has delayed the product’s release on the iPad. Analysts are saying this release is coming at the perfect time, considering Google’s plans for expansion into the Provo, Utah and Austin, Texas markets, but as for now, Google heads say their priority is making the Fiber experience better for their current customers in Kansas City.

iPad sales helped Apple earn profits

Apple announced earnings for its second fiscal quarter of 2013. Analysts had predicted close to $42 billion in revenue, with earnings just under $10/share. A significant increase in iPad sales helped propel Apple to revenues just shy of $44 billion. As expected, iPod sales were down. The company plans to introduce a new range of product categories in the future. Launching new devices, like the rumored Apple Television and iWatch, could help renew investor excitement and halt the company’s declining stock.