Tech Industry

Samsung dropped its lawsuit in Germany seeking to ban the sale of Apple’s iPhone 4S.

The South Korea-based company had focused its complaint against a patent covering 3G communications tech. According to patent expert Florian Mueller of FOSS Patents, Samsung recently discovered a Qualcomm licensing agreement protects the technology.

“Other news from Mannheim: Samsung has formally given up attacking the iPhone 4S with 3G patents. Recognizes Apple is licensed thru Qualcomm,” tweeted Mueller on Dec. 16.

Samsung recently lost a preliminary bid to ban iPhone 4S sales in France; although, the case can progress as a patent trial:

Expand
Expanding
Close

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=vnhzuKcDo6A]

According to Winrumors, you can take out a Windows Phone 7 device (they say various Windows Phone 7s on any carrier) with a single, solitary SMS message with a [redacted at request of Winrumors].  Worse (or better?) yet, it doesn’t have to be a text, it can be a Facebook message or Windows Live chat.

The flaw works simply by sending an SMS to a Windows Phone user. If the SMS contains a particular string of text then Windows Phone 7.5 devices will reboot and the messaging hub will not open despite repeat attempts. We have tested the attack on a range of Windows Phone devices, including HTC’s TITAN and Samsung’s Focus Flash. The attack is not device specific and appears to be an issue with the way the Windows Phone messaging hub handles particular characters. The bug is also triggered if a user sends a Facebook chat message or Windows Live Messenger message to a recipient.

And you don’t just get a reboot.  When your phone comes hobbling back to life, the Messaging hub no longer works.  And other parts of the OS are wonky.

If a user has pinned a friend as a live tile on their device and the friend posts a particular string of text on Facebook then the live tile will update and causes the device to lock up.

The fix? Hard reset of the device.  Ouch.

In a totally unrelated note, the head of the Windows Phone 7 division was fired today. 
Expand
Expanding
Close

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=5LOcUkm8m9w]

As we reported over on the sister blog, Google just launched Currents, their Flipboard/Pulse style reader for iPhone and iPad (and I guess Android too).  Head over for the details.  (Yes, 9to5Mac is a launch partner so look for us on the App!)

Google Currents is now available for download in Android Market and the Apple App Store for US users.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Conventional wisdom once was that as Apple expanded its retail footprint, Apple resellers would fall by the wayside.  And that has happened to a certain extent, plus stores like CompUSA and Circuit City have folded.

Fortunately, other retailers have been able to succeed alongside Apple by offering differentiated services.

One of our favorite Apple resellers, MacMall, is expanding their retail stores to Huntington Beach, California this Saturday and Chicago, Illinois in the coming months. Currently, the retailer has a booming online store coupled with two retail stores in Santa Monica and Torrance that are also seeing success, the company said in a press release sent out today. The Huntington Beach store opens this Saturday, December 10th with some pretty killer deals (seen after the break). MacMall’s Chicago store, located 321 West Grand Avenue, will be seeing a later January/February opening.

We hear that MacMall is even shopping for some space in Manhattan, alongside one of our other favorite resellers, Tekserve.

MacMall, naturally can offer more to customers than Apple Stores with their unscheduled technical support, broader range of accessories (even a few PCs and Android tablets), and most importantly “online prices in a retail store”. We often tip you guys on MacMall’s awesome deals, so we’re certainly familiar with some of the deals they carry.  As you can see below, they offer so many more accessories than an Apple Store (iPhone Alarm Clocks, standalone GPS, Photoframes, Cameras, etc, etc).

MacMall says Apple has encouraged them to keep expanding to more stores and with over $100 million in Apple product sales this year, that isn’t hard to believe.

At the Huntington Beach store’s grand-opening on Saturday, the first 300 people to visit the store will be entered to win free Apple TVs, MacBook Airs, iPod touchs, and iPod Nanos. Early shoppers will have a 1 in 22 chance of taking home some free holiday gifts.

Press release and circular follow:

Expand
Expanding
Close

.

With Apple deciding not to include support for T-Mobile’s bands in the US, T-Mobile has turned into an Android wasteland with over 90% of the smartphones sold on the network running on Google’s OS. Looking for some diversification (besides the over million legacy iPhones), T-Mobile looks to be one of the first in the US to roll out one of the new Nokia Windows Phone 7 devices which they plan to announce on Dec 14th, a little late for the holidays.

There has been no shortage of analyst reports regarding an Apple branded HDTV that the company is rumored to have already started work on. Some are calling for a late 2012 launch, but up until now, all have imagined the device as a standalone HDTV. Wedge Partners analyst Brian Blair offers up another concept, claiming Apple will introduce a next-gen iMac with TV capabilities that will act as a transitional device before jumping head first into the TV business. The device would essentially integrate iCloud and Apple TV features, in addition to traditional TV hardware, into the larger 27-inch iMac design. Blair explains (via Forbes):

We think this makes sense because while we typically think about the newest TV’s hanging on the wall in large form factors, Apple could effectively start with what they already have on the manufacturing line and slowly push their offering from 27 inches and scale up from there to 32 inches and then move on to the 42, 50 and 55 inch market. In short, we believe the initial Apple TV is their iMac computer that can function as a TV, over the iCloud platform.

While this appears to be entirely speculation at this point, he makes much of his case based on the fact Apple already has the 27-inch iMac in production. We know Apple killed Front Row in Lion, while at the same time introducing iOS-like functionality like Launchpad. The 27-inch iMac is already an excellent display for consuming video content, but how conventional TV features might be baked into Lion is yet to be seen.

We’re pretty sure the Apple HDTV, if it comes to pass, will be based in iOS.  It will also be a living room experience unlike the up-close experience of an iMac.  Also, Apple seems to be going away from using its Mac Hardware as a TV device killing both Front Row and the included remote on many of its products.  Therefore we think this speculation is off.
Expand
Expanding
Close

Yesterday we told you that Apple’s lawsuit against Proview regarding the “iPad” trademark was rejected by a court in Shenzhen, which would make Proview the rightful owner until Apple decides to appeal the decision or settle with the company outside of court.

At the time we weren’t sure what exactly would be the next course of action for either company, but according to a new report from Financial Times, it appears Proview is attempting to block iPad sales by suing resellers in Southern China. Starting with the cities of Huizhou and Shenzhen, if the company is successful at blocking sales of the iPad there, they will then go after other Apple resellers throughout China.

Xie Xianghui, a lawyer presenting Proview, discussed the company’s new course of action:

We are starting with these two cities, and if we are successful in getting iPad sales stopped, we will consider going after Apple resellers elsewhere in China.

The Shenzhen Futian District Court will begin hearing one case on December 30, with another slated for January 7. There’s always the possibility that Apple will settle outside of the courts before then, as Proview’s financial troubles are clearly a motivating factor.

Expand
Expanding
Close

We already know what Intel has in store for their new Ivy Bridge desktop lineup, but now we’re getting a look into exactly what they have planned for their mobile CPU lineup as well. Documents leaked by VR-Zone indicate that Intel will do away with the Low Voltage processors rated at 25W and instead adopt Ultra Low Voltage processors rated at 17W known as as Ultra or U-series CPUs. The new standard voltage processors, known as the “M-series”, will be introduced as well and rated at 35, 45, and 55W variants.

The new M-Series or standard voltage processors will range from 2.6GHz dual-core i5 to a 2.9Ghz quad-core i7. Most of these processors mark a significant jump over current Sandy Bridge models, and the 3820QM and 3720QM i7 CPUs a 400MHz increase in comparison to the original Sandy Bridge CPUs. These are also the processors which will most likely find their way into a MacBook Pro, opposed to the U-Series lineup (detailed below), which could replace current Sandy Bridge low voltage CPUs in devices like the MacBook Air. Before we break down the U-Series models, here’s the full M-Series lineup:

2.9GHz Core i7-3920XM “Extreme” (200MHz faster than current Core i7-2960XM)

2.7GHz Quad-Core i7-3820QM

2.6GHz Quad-Core i7-3720QM

2.9GH Dual-Core i7-3520M

2.8 GHz Core i5 3360M

2.6 GHz Core i5 3320M

As for the Ultra or U-Series product line, which will more than likely debut in MacBook Air-like devices, at launch Intel plans on making a 2GHz core i7 and a 1.8GHz core i5. The i7 will be able to turbo to 3GHz in dual core mode, while single core mode will get you 3.2GHz. The i5, on the other hand, will provide 2.6GHz in dual core mode, and 2.8GHz in single core mode. Here’s what we know about release dates, DDR3 memory support, multiple external displays, and supported graphics…

Expand
Expanding
Close

In October, Taiwanese company Proview Electronics accused Apple of trademark infringement regarding the “iPad” moniker, with the company’s chairman promising to sue Apple for damages in both the US and China. Apple quietly purchased the global rights to the trademark, but also launched a lawsuit to gain the rights in China, which weren’t included in the agreement. Shenzhen-based Intermediate People’s Court today rejected Apple’s lawsuit to gain ownership over the Chinese trademark, according to a report from Reuters.

According to Financial Times, Proview apparently had the iPad trademark registered in several regions including the EU, South Korea, Singapore, China, Vietnam, Thailand, and Indonesia. The report claims the company unsuccessfully tried to market a tablet computer known as I-PAD roughly ten years ago. Although courts are said to have not yet reached a final decision on ownership, Apple has reportedly already won preliminary injunctions for the trademark in Shenzhen and Hong Kong.

In 2006 Proview agreed to sell the global iPad trademark to US-based IP Application Development (IPAD) for £35,000 ($55,104), at which time Proview didn’t know had connections to Apple. The Chinese trademarks, filed as far back as 2000, were apparently not included in that agreement, leading Apple and IP Application Development to sue Proview.

In October, Proview chairman Yang Rongshan had this to say about the case:

Expand
Expanding
Close

Speaking at the UBS 39th Annual Global Media and Communications Conference, TDS  (parent to US Cellular) CEO Ted Carlson said:

“We’re never going to say never about the iPhone. The iPhone for us would need to be at the cutting edge of where we’re going, and then there might be an opportunity to consider it.” U.S. Cellular revealed last month that it had the opportunity to sell the current, non-LTE iteration of the iPhone but decided against it because it was not the right economic fit for the regional carrier.

In context, US Cellular is in a drive to migrate its 26-state customer base to LTE.  Previously, it was revealed that the terms of the agreement for the iPhone  were reportedly “unacceptable”.

The Chicago, Illinois-headquartered company is the nation’s sixth-largest wireless carrier, serving about 6.1 million customers in half the country’s states.  Competitor C-spire, another regional carrier, was able to get the iPhone and is currently selling it.
Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple has been no stranger to patenting innovative methods and implementations of ID verification and recognition technologies, most recently highlighting a system for advanced 3D object recognition. Perhaps the most interesting patent to emerge is one for digital handshakes using advanced camera systems and invisible ink published by the US Patent & Trademark Office earlier today (via PatentlyApple). The patent essentially details a system in which advanced, next-generation cameras could read invisible inks and optical coatings, which contain unique identifiers, integrated into another device or object. In its most basic embodiment, this would allow one device (or person) to identify and establish a connection with another quickly and securely. PatentlyApple explains:

The devices could share the keys using any suitable approach, including for example providing the keys in a manner that an image captured by each device could include the other device’s key. For example, devices could be placed opposite each other (e.g., face-to-face, face-to-back, or back-to-back) such that a camera of the device includes the other device in its field of view… In one implementation, one or more cameras of the first device could capture images of the device environment. The first device could process the captured images to detect a second device in the field of view, and to identify one or more cameras of the second device.

When it comes to potential applications, Apple outlines sharing data– videos, photos, contacts, etc.– as well as determining network information, bandwidth, and security levels. The patent specifically mentions social networking aspects. For example, Twitter sharing could be integrated, while multiplayer gaming could benefit from connecting multiple devices available for a specific game and sharing data like in-game stats. However, the patent also details a number of other notable potential applications as well including logging into a secondary device and using the tech as identification at retailers…
Expand
Expanding
Close

The bad news is that yes, Carrier IQ is running on iPhones right now, as we speak.  Carrier IQ, you’ll recall is the rootkit that Carriers put on many of their phones to monitor customer usage.  As a security researcher found out, Carrier IQ monitors keystrokes and sends that back to its own servers.  On Apple’s devices, it appears to have been cut off from such activities.  Developer chpwn breaks it down:

Carrier IQ, the now infamous “rootkit” or “keylogger”, is not just for Android, Symbian,BlackBerry, and even webOS. In fact, up through and including iOS 5, Apple has included a copy of Carrier IQ on the iPhone. However, it does appears to be disabled along with diagnostics enabled on iOS 5; older versions may send back information in more cases. Because of that, if you want to disable Carrier IQ on your iOS 5 device, turning off “Diagnostics and Usage” in Settings appears to be enough.

So it appears that on iOS it stores less information, and it doesn’t seem to be sending anything as long as ‘Diagnostics and Usage’ (iOS 5) is turned off – which is the default (you are asked to enable it during the iOS5 setup). On older versions of iOS, especially v3, it appears to be sending data without a toggle.

Verizon representatives have said that they do not run Carrier IQ on their devices which include iPhones, iPads, and Android, Blackberry and other devices.  Other carriers have yet to make a statement on the matter but Carrier IQ brags on its homepage that it tracks information on 141 million devices (and counting) which is about half of the US population.

On iPhones where Carrier IQ is activated, it appears to send the following information back to the servers:
Expand
Expanding
Close

An Apple television mockup is for illustrative purposes only – don’t read too much into it.

More iTV rumors are starting to emerge today, this time once again originating from analyst Gene Munster who took the stage at this morning’s IGNITION: Future of Media event (via BusinessInsider). Munster has been saying ‘next year’ for an Apple HDTV for years, but with the revelation in the Walter Isaacson ‘Steve Jobs’ bio, his claims today might worth taking a look at.

Munster is quite certain in an Apple HDTV being launched before the 2012 holiday season, approximately a year from now. He seemed confident on some of the intricacies of the device as well. So confident he apparently told audience members to hold off on purchasing a TV from another manufacturer. This is what he claims (most of which we’ve heard before)…

The Apple HDTV will be fully-capable, standalone television and not an accessory or Apple TV-like set-top box. The TV will come in a range of sizes to appeal to a wide variety of consumers at different price points, although will apparently come in at twice the average cost of HDTVs from other vendors. Cable tv and cable boxes will still be supported via a single coaxial cable, but navigation will be done using an iPad, iPhone, or Siri. There was also, not so surprisingly, mention of iTunes, App Store, and iCloud integration.  
Expand
Expanding
Close

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHKMUHvb2iE&start=335]

After former Microsoft Business Unit head Stephen Elop (now CEO of Nokia) strongly hinted at it (above on the iPhone) and told T3 they were considering it, a report from The Daily claims sources have confirmed Microsoft has an iPad version of its Office app in the works alongside a new Lion compatible version of the desktop suite. Up until now the iWork suite of apps– Keynote, Numbers, and Pages– have arguably been the go to productivity apps on iOS and the counterpart to Microsoft Office’s dominance on OS X and Windows PCs. If implemented well, we could theoretically see Office for iOS eating into some of Apple’s and the iWork suite’s user base. Microsoft is expected to introduce the app(s) at a similar price point as well. The Daily reports:

It’s assumed that both of these would work with Office 365 as well as mobile versions, such as Windows Phone’s Office Hub. Because it would be compatible with these full suites rather than as stand-alone apps, the pricing will most likely be significantly lower than existing Office products. In fact, it’s likely the cost will be around the $10 price point that Apple has established for its Pages, Numbers and Keynote products.

There has, however, been some conflicting reports regarding whether or not Microsoft is actively developing the app. In April 2010,Elop  said they would take the “wait and see” approach when it comes to supporting iPad telling Bloomberg, “We never say never, but we have no current plans”.

An iPad edition of Office would likely be built by a unit within Microsoft’s consumer business that creates versions of Office that work with Apple’s Macintosh personal computers. Kristen Woody, a spokesman for that unit, says it “doesn’t have anything to share at this time.”

Microsoft has an important decision to make: Do they “bless” the iPad with the critical business software that businesses need but at the same time risk hurting  their Windows PC business by making them replacable?

We’ll keep you updated when we learn more.

Expand
Expanding
Close

A couple more recently granted Apple patents are emerging today (via PatentlyApple), one of which details an interesting new docking station with intelligent accessory power management, while once again providing hints at a secondary 30-pin connector for landscape orientation. The idea is to be able to provide various devices–  portable media players(iPod), cell phones (iPhone), monitors (iTV?)– with the ideal power source through a single accessory. It would also allow Apple to safely power larger devices such as a monitor through the same accessory. For example, as noted in the graphic above, the accessory could do things like “SetMaxCurrent”, allowing a device to charge at maximum available current level while still allowing proper current for operation of the device. The “GetPrefPower” command would allow the accessory to determine which power line it should utilize, while “SetBatteryCharging” would force a device’s internal battery to begin or stop charging.

PatentlyApple walks us through a few other aspects of the invention:

Another aspect of the invention may help prevent a portable computing device from drawing a high level of current that could be detrimental to an accessory, such as a cable. Another aspect of the invention may allow a battery pack or other accessory to instruct a portable computing device to not charge its internal battery…Another aspect of the invention may allow a portable computing device to determine which power supply among multiple power supplies should be used to power an accessory. Yet another aspect of the invention may allow an accessory to get charging current parameters from a portable computing device.

In the graphic below we see that Apple is once again hinting at a possible secondary 30-pin dock connector on a next-gen iPad to facilitate landscape docking. The patent also suspiciously describes docking a monitor, which of course will lead to endless speculation regarding some type of dockable, portable iTV or Apple Display. If you can’t wait to get your hands on whatever comes of the tech detailed in today’s patent, you may want to take a look at the AT&T Zero USB wall charger. Available for $20 right now, that device will allow you to use “almost any power cable” to charge your devices and is compatible with just about every quality smartphone on the market.

Expand
Expanding
Close

.

Some are saying that just because the Kindle sits atop the BestBuy.com “Best Selling” tablets category, it is outselling the iPad 2.

Not so fast.

There is exactly one model of Kindle Fire, while there are about 16 models of iPad, two of which are second and third on the list and iPads make up a majority of the top 15 list.  Did number 1 outnumber #2+#3+#5+#6…?

Could the Fire be the top selling tablet at Best Buy still?  Sure (unlikely), but there is no way to tell from the data provided.

And that’s before you get the to the whole $199, making money on the razor blades business model.
Expand
Expanding
Close

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHoukZpMhDE]

Microsoft’s Craig Mundie shoved his foot knee deep in his mouth this week when he said that Siri was nothing special, and Microsoft’s own voice capabilities have been around for over a year.  The reason for Siri’s success?  Marketing, of course.

People are infatuated with Apple announcing it. It’s good marketing, but at least as the technological capability you could argue that Microsoft has had a similar capability in Windows Phones for more than a year, since Windows Phone 7 was introduced.

To be fair, Siri isn’t even about the Voice Recognition, it is what the iPhone does with it.  The voice recognition is outsourced to Nuance’s engine. The Microsoft Phone barely made it to the point where you could make sense out of what its engine produced.

If you were Microsoft, would you rather Mundie be so out of touch with the technology he is talking about that he can’t tell the difference, or that he’s just flat out shamelessly lying?

Expand
Expanding
Close

The US Patent & Trademark Office has published an Apple patent application today (via PatentlyApple) revealing a brand new method of interacting with content on your iOS devices. Referred to as a “Persistent Overlay”, the concept essentially aims to provide users with single tap access to photos, songs, files,etc. from an always accessible, persistent UI. The patent also introduces us to a new social networking app, and Trackpad and Magic Mouse support for iPad.

The “Persistent Overlay” feature would act as a customizable dashboard, allowing you to add snippets or links to web content, individual songs or albums from iTunes, photos, etc. It’s unclear exactly how this “Persistent Overlay” would be incorporated into the current iOS UI. However, from the information in the patent, it appears to be completely separate from the iOS homepage. PatentlyApple says in some embodiments Apple’s description sounds like the UI could actually be part of the current multitasking feature, potentially allowing you to place items such as a photo or song next to recent apps or the iPod controls in a portion of the multitasking tray. We can also imagine the UI fitting in nicely in the empty space right above the multitasking tray.

Read about Apple’s new IDME social networking feature after the break.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Image via ARS

Big news today (surprisingly on a 4 day US weekend).  The AT&T and T-Mobile merger was withdrawn from the FCC today.

 On November 23, 2011, AT&T Inc. and Deutsche Telekom AG electronically withdrew without prejudice, as of that date, the pending applications listed in the Public Notice released by the Federal Communications Commission on April 28, 2011 in that proceeding. Associated manual notification of withdrawal filings also are being made.

The two companies look to be pursuing an alternative plan…
Expand
Expanding
Close

A few months ago Analyst Peter Misek reported that iOS and OSX would become one in 2012.  That kind of flies in the face of Mac OS 10.8 that’s been hitting everyone’s Web logs. He’s also talked about Apple opening up super data centers all over the world for a confusing Netflix service that mostly already exists.

With that boulder of salt consumed, AllThingsD quotes Misek as saying that Apple has selected Sharp specifically to manufacture new TFT LCD panels for the upcoming iTV, an Apple-branded television set rumored to boast Siri as the flagship feature (here and here).

The analyst speculates the iTV could ship mid-2012:

Over at Jeffries, analyst Peter Misek suggests that Sharp is retooling a production line at its factory in Sakai specifically to manufacture modified amorphous TFT LCD panels that will be used in the so-called iTV. If all goes well, the line should be ready for commercial production by February of 2012, which means we could see Apple’s take on the TV by midyear.

The report also mentions some manufacturers of current televisions are becoming nervous of what exactly iTV might be (we know Sony is one of them) and hope to adapt quickly so they don’t suffer the same fate vendors in other  industries face, such as the smartphone folks. It should be noted that Misek has been wrong one too many times, so you’re cautioned to apply skepticism to his thinking. The iTV reportedly isn’t the only thing Sharp will be supplying displays for…

Expand
Expanding
Close

Well, he’s made at least one good decision in the past few years.
Expand
Expanding
Close