News Archive for 12/05/15
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The same California jury that couldn't decide on the "fair use" aspects of the Google versus Oracle is now debating Oracle's patent claims. Oracle began this suit in 2010, claiming that Android infringes on its Java patents. Google says that it has not infringed and furthermore, Oracle can't copyright certain parts of Java, an open source language. Closing arguments were made today in phase two of the three-phase, multi-year trial.
Apple has filed to dismiss a range of lawsuits filed against it over the performance of Siri, the digital assistant featured on the iPhone 4S. Apple contends in its motion that the plaintiffs in the case lack standing to pursue their case, have improperly interpreted Apple's advertising of Siri, and have failed to pursue other means of redress beyond litigation.
Google slipped a new feature into its Google Docs online productivity suite today, adding the ability to conduct Google searches within the document. In addition to making it easier to search for additional information, the new tool incorporates a number of other features, streamlining the construction of a research document. This marks the second major feature addition to Google Docs in as many weeks.
Fresh off the announcement of its new mobile phone, Chinese search company Baidu has told TechCrunch that it has big plans the Baidu Cloud Smart Terminal system that runs its new phone. Baidu wants to see Baidu Cloud make an appearance on all major mobile operating systems, including Windows Phone and iOS.
An unnamed app developer informed 9to5Mac earlier today that users accessing its software had been identified as running iOS 6 by analytics. Other unidentified developers polled have also been seeing the hallmarks of the new iOS version since late April. Versions of iOS 5 appeared prior to the 2011 Apple World Wide Developer's Conference in the same manner.
The Walt Disney Company's network executive Sean Bratches said in an interview today that Disney would consider allowing the WatchESPN service application on the Apple TV set top device. Prior authentication of cable access would be required to view. No deal is imminent.
Google is reportedly preparing to shift its Android strategy away from exclusive partnerships that have resulted in the existing Nexus-branded devices. The search giant is said to be embracing multiple hardware makers that will simultaneously develop different devices powered by the next major Android release, referred to as Jelly Bean, unnamed sources have told The Wall Street Journal (sub. required).
Chinese search giant Baidu has released its first smartphone, as it was rumored to be preparing to do last week. The Changhong H5018 is built by Foxconn and is powered by Baidu's own mobile platform, Baidu Cloud.
Netgear has released its first 802.11ac router using the new Wi-Fi specification. The R6300 router, which is said to be capable of combined Wi-Fi speeds of up to 1750Mbps, ships at the same time as announcements for a more budget-conscious R6200 router and the A6200 Wi-Fi dongle, aiming to be the first 802.11ac dual-band USB adapter to market.
T-Mobile CEO Philip Humm has reportedly distributed a memo to employees warning of "difficult decisions" as the company prepares to announce further restructuring plans. The note does not detail the extent of such cuts, though the executive suggests it is forced to find a new strategy that "aligns our costs with our revenue realities" to help the company "return to growth."
Apple will also announce Retina display-equipped MacBook Airs at this year's WWDC, supply chain sources for 9to5Mac say. The company is already believed to be preparing news of Retina MacBook Pros and iMacs, and an Air would complete the lineup of Macs with built-in displays. 9to5 claims that unlike the Pro, though, the Air's update will be almost entirely about the display, rather than incorporating any major design changes.
Google has announced that Chrome 19 is now available as a stable build, enabling users to try out the new features that were announced early last month. The latest overhaul to the company's browser broadens sync capabilities between devices and platforms. Users can open multiple tabs on the desktop browser, then pick up their Android 4.0 phone and access the same content from the mobile Chrome beta.
A company called Open Mobile has been demoing a method that allows devices running Tizen, Samsung and Intel's in-house mobile OS, to run apps intended for use on Android devices. As a video from The Handheld Blog shows, the technology could allow for future Tizen devices to circumvent the dearth of apps that typically plagues devices based on alternate operating systems.
The BBC has explained how it will cover the London 2012 Olympic Games. The home-nation broadcaster will stream 24 live feeds in HD to cover every event, matching the increase in video feeds for digital broadcasts in the UK during the event.
A US Tax Court judge has ruled against HP in a lengthy legal case that centers around $190 million in tax payouts to the Internal Revenue Service. The agency years ago disputed the company's tax returns, accusing the company of exaggerating deductions through a complex series of international investments, known as foreign tax credit generation, to slash tax payouts in the US.
AT&T has stopped sales of the U-verse bundle for Xbox 360, citing work to “improve and enhance” the functionality, according to a message on its website. The bundle will not be up for sale again until the new functionality is added, a representative has told Multichannel.
Environmental activist group Greenpeace has staged a protest at Apple's Cupertino headquarters, notes AppleInsider. Images were projected onto the main building overnight, including supportive messages from users on Twitter and Facebook. Activists also secured themselves inside a so-called "survival device," measuring 8 feet tall and 10 feet wide. Four activists dressed themselves as iPhones, complete with screens again displaying messages from Twitter and Facebook.
Sony and Panasonic are rumored to be in talks on teaming up to produce OLED panels for HDTVs, the Wall Street Journal revealed on Tuesday. This will help the two companies share the hefty production costs related to the manufacturing of the advanced panels. The negotiations are still in the early stage, the unnamed sources said, and may end up falling apart altogether or see other potential partners jump onboard the partnership.
Samsung has expanded its Android 4.0 update list to include several devices sold through T-Mobile. The carrier appears to have committed to Ice Cream Sandwich for several Galaxy handsets and two Galaxy Tabs.
Two new reports may reinforce claims that Apple is switching back to NVIDIA GPUs for the new MacBook Pro. The Verge cites a "trusted source" as saying Apple is migrating away from AMD video. ABC News is echoing the same view from its own sources, but further suggesting that Apple will use the GeForce GT 650M.
When T-Mobile releases the Android 4.0 update for the HTC Sensation 4G tomorrow, it will bring with it a mandatory $15 per month charge for the wireless hotspot feature. According to PCMag, some users have thus far got the feature for free. Some other handsets due to get the latest OS soon at the carrier do not carry such a provision, however, including the Amaze 4G.
Google is likely to launch a version of its Chrome browser for Apple's iOS line of devices in the coming months, according to analysts at Macquarie Capital. Macquarie sees the iOS Chrome launch as the opening salvo in a new round of Browser Wars, the likes of which the Internet hasn't seen since the late 1990s.
Today's deals from DealNN include discounted keyboards, headphones, and more. Newegg.com has recently lowered the cost of the SteelSeries Shift Gaming Keyboard with eight programmable hotkeys, two USB 2.0 ports, multiple media controls, and on-the-fly macro recording. Currently featured at DealNN, the gaming keyboard is now available for the discounted price of $34.99 and offers savings of up to $55.
Voyager Mobile, the new prepaid carrier that was due to launch on Tuesday, has announced it needs to delay the debut due to a malicious network attack on its website. Instead, the service and site will launch in the "very near future," though exactly when this will be remains to be seen. The carrier promises to bring contract-free, all-in plans that start at just $19 per month when users bring their own hardware.
Apple's often-reported 7/7.85-inch iPad will use "G/F2" thin-film touch technology, a rumor from DigiTimes claims. The site says that Nitto will supply thin-film materials, while Nissha Printing and TPK will produce touchscreens. For Apple the advantage should not only be a thinner display, but also reduced costs, which may be essential if the tablet has a $200-250 pricetag rumored elsewhere.
Japanese hardware maker KDDI announced this week it will begin consumer testing of a new Smart TV Box this summer. The device will run on Android 4.0 and connect to HDTVs and enable sharing of content between Android smartphones and tablets. Other details are scarce, though some form of web access is more than likely.
Lenovo has introduced a range of revised ThinkPad notebooks, each equipped with Intel's latest Ivy Bridge processors. Aside from the 14-inch ThinkPad X1 Carbon—dubbed the "lightest 14-inch ultrabook in the industry"—the company also added new models to its L, T, W, and X series.
The FCC has posted a filing for the Samsung Galaxy S III without LTE onboard. The tested handset seems to be the global release version, which is limited to HSPA+ and EDGE, with the filing more a formality for handset imports to the US before the LTE variant is released.
The FTC-imposed transfer of assets by hard drive maker Western Digital (WD) to Toshiba is now completed, the company announced on Tuesday. The move was required by regulatory bodies due to monopoly concerns after WD revealed its intention to purchase Hitachi's Viviti hard drive maker. Previously, Viviti was known as Hitachi Global Storage Technologies.
Nokia's Lumia 900 represents the pinnacle of the company's new smartphone strategy, pairing premium components with a unique design and Microsoft's Windows Phone operating system. In our full review, we try to determine if the LTE radio, large display and other high-end features will help Nokia and Microsoft fulfill their dream of finally reestablishing themselves in the US smartphone market.
Apple is not only working on Retina MacBook Pros, but also Retina-equipped iMacs, says ABC News. The site quotes "its own sources," which also back up the upgraded MacBook Pros, but offer no other details. It's generally believed that Apple will introduce one or more upgraded systems at this year's WWDC, which starts June 11th.
Sony has rolled out revamped VAIO S and Z models with revised internals and external tweaks. The VAIO S is available in two models, a 13- and 15-inch variants. The 15-inch VAIO S is the powerhouse of the two and incorporates an 3rd generation Intel Core i7-3612QM quad-core processor clocked at 2.1GHz matched with 8GB of RAM. The notebook also includes Nvidia’s latest discrete GeForce GT 640M LE GPU that will work in conjunction with the integrated Intel HD 4000 GPU to either boost performance or save power depending on use.
The HTC Desire C prematurely spoiled by Vodafone Portugal is now official. The entry-level Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) handset offers users similar styling to the HTC One X and Beats Audio processing for between $200 and $250 off-contract. The Wildfire S successor will be powered by a 600MHz processor and will also offer NFC capabilities.
AMD has formally launched its next-generation Trinity Accelerated Processing Units (APUs). The company says that the improvements in architecture and Piledriver core has resulted in a chip that is twice as efficient per watt as its predecessor the Llano, despite sticking with a 32nm fabrication process. AMD says that based on price, its chips offer superior performance for each dollar spent against Intel’s latest 22nm Ivy Bridge (3rd generation Core series) processors.
Lenovo has taken the wraps off what it is calling the ‘world’s lightest 14-inch ultrabook.’ As the name implies, the ThinkPad X1 Carbon utilizes a carbon fiber chassis endowing the ultrabook with exceptional, lightness and torsional rigidity. Powered by the latest 3rd generation Intel Core series processors, the X1 Carbon weighs just 3 pounds and measures just 0.71-inches (18mm) thin at its leading edge.
In a case that many thought long-settled, the US Supreme Court today closed the final chapter in the winding saga of would-be legal "hackintosh" seller Psystar. The court refused a request to review the lower court decision, which granted a permanent injunction preventing the company from selling any previous or future versions of Mac OS X along with its "Rebel EFI" hack to allow installation on non-Apple PCs.
Peter Thiel and his Northbridge Venture Partners fund have injected $50 million into Quora, the crowd-sourced question and answer website. During the initial funding the company was valued at $86 million. Now, Quora is valued at $400 million following this round of funding. No financial plan for growth has been publicly announced for the second round of funding.
The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has reversed a previous judge's ruling that there was no merit to Apple's copyright complaint against Samsung. Prior judgements on iPhone versus the Galaxy Nexus phone were left untouched. The original ruling against the Galaxy Tab 10.1 was that Apple's patent was "obvious", meaning that the original patent should never have been granted.
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