Dutch treat: A later date, another patent ruling in Apple v. Samsung

Dutch treat: A later date, another patent ruling in Apple v. Samsung Let's begin again.

A Dutch court ruled today that Samsung will not violate a patent Apple holds regarding the so-called pinch-to-zoom feature in mobile software. The feature, that allows users in order to their two fingers to focus or out, can be described as central component in mobile os's today.

Today's ruling comes down just months after Apple lost similar battles in Dutch and British courts to enforce the pinch-to-zoom patent against competitors HTC and Google-owned Motorola Mobility. Apple had hoped in each case to ban things that it believed infringe its patents banned from sale.

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So far, neither Apple nor Samsung might have been free to deal a decisive blow within their patent battles. Apple is closest which also has a victory a few months ago on a San Jose, Calif., court in which a jury found Samsung to always be violating most of the iPhone maker's patents. The jury paved the way that for Apple to acquire $1.05 billion in damages and the capacity to ban Samsung products. However, there's still a long shot to spend -- and who is familiar with what case for nexus 4 amount of appeals -- before that case for nexus 4 happen.

Today's ruling is usually by no means the long run inside the battle between Apple and Samsung. If history will be our guide, certain setbacks in some places mean not the businesses whilst they fight for patent dominance.

CNET has contacted both Apple and Samsung for inquire into the ruling. We can update this story whenever you have more information.

(Via Reuters)

Estimates peg App Store at 500,000 apps

Estimates peg App Store at 500,000 apps Apple's App Store has crossed a very important benchmark, jumping past 500,000 apps contained in the App Store when combining apps for this iPhone,itouch, andiPad. That's as documented in Chomp, 148apps and Chillingo, which use arrange an infographic of examples of milestones and trends along the way for that nexus 4 bumper case number.

The infographic pulls out some interesting data points with regards to continuing development of the App Store, specially the price and makeup with the store's volume. Paid apps, for example, cause 63 percent about the App Store's overall library, and average out at $3.64 an app. Altogether that are going to are priced at $891,982.24 whenever you were interested in buying the library of paid apps.

Individual applications are undoubtedly broken out for both news significance, and chart-topping prowess. Together with Rovio's Angry Birds, that steadily claimed the pinnacle spot in your paid apps category for one cumulative 275 days, followed distantly as a result of Moron Test, which held the area for 38 days. And then there are titles like Texas Hold 'em, creation only iOS game from Apple, how the infographic notes isn't updated in nearly two and a half years.

Apple first launched the App Store in 2008 alongside the release associated with the iPhone 3G, send out second-generation handset. In case the iPhone was first introduced, it has no software development kit for doing it, with Apple pushing developers to work with the world-wide-web instead. Since launching, the App Store's gone to bring developers over nexus 4 wallet case a $2 billion in revenue, with Apple looking for Thirty percent cut of app sold.

The way to 500,000 appears to have been brisk. In January, Apple announced rrt had been significantly 350,000 applications, meaning it's taken more than four months to add another 150,000. Impart that in perspective, the jump from 10,000 to 100,000 fast within your store's lifetime took a couple of year. Competitor Microsoft today announced it had just reached 17,000 apps in its Windows Phone Marketplace, which created close to the end of 2010.

Apple's lead around the battle over who has got the largest app volume are usually nearing a stop though. A report released by analytics firm Distimo near the end of April estimated that Google's Android Market would surpass Apple's in volume sometime in July. That estimate is fashioned based on a few months of growth tracking on multiple platforms.Android's split approach, allowing multiple application stores case for nexus 4 and also side-loading of applications, was singled out for examining the possibility for everybody numbers to develop even faster than others of Apple, which must approve each application.

Apple has never yet made any official reference to hitting 500,000 apps, and AppShopper--another third-party app tracking service--says Apple is approximately 5,000 shy of the number. Apple is expected to allow more precise specifics about overall volume, and then for any changes as of this year's Worldwide Developers Conference, which kicks off in several weeks.

A portion of the infographic. Click to witness all the image.

(Credit:Chomp, 148apps and Chillingo)

Apple brief: Samsung was warned of similarities to iPad, iPhone

Apple brief: Samsung was warned of similarities to iPad, iPhone Samsung was repeatedly warned the reason is smartphones andtablets were too a lot like Apple's counterparts and discussed that issue internally, the iPhone maker claims inside an unredacted court filing.

The brief, which had been revealed by Every item and fixture D, emerges as the companies move closer their high-stakes patent trial around the U.S., that is as a begin on Monday.

"Samsung's documents show the similarity of Samsung's products 's no accident or, as Samsung would have it, a 'natural evolution,'" Apple argued in brief. "Rather, it results from Samsung's deliberate arrange to free-ride with the iPhone's andiPad's extraordinary success by copying their iconic designs and intuitive program. Apple will use Samsung's own documents, which tell an best nexus 4 case unambiguous story."

The documents highlight instances wherein organizations, including Google, and Samsung's own employees warned the Korean electronics giant what has product designs bore a striking resemblance to Apple's, the Cupertino, Calif., company's brief said.

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In one case, Google told Designer Nexus 4 nexus 4 bumper case Case Samsung truly that its "P1" and "P2" tablets, which became the Galaxy Tab and Galaxy Tab 10.1, were "too similar" about the iPad and requested "distinguishable design vis-a-vis the iPad towards P3." Samsung's own product design team remarked recently that running barefoot was "regrettable" where the Samsung galaxy s "looks similar" into your iPhone.

CNET has contacted Samsung for comment that will update this report when you research more information.

Apple initiated the action plus a 2011 lawsuit in California accusing Samsung of copying "the look and feel" from the iPad tablet and iPhone smartphone, and Samsung quickly responded accompanied by a countersuit against Apple.

Apple applies for patent to kill jailbroken devices

Apple applies for patent to kill jailbroken devices Apple is apparently ramping up its battle to not have iPhone andiPod owners from jailbreaking their devices.

The company has created a patent, titled "Systems and Methods Identifying Unauthorized Users for the Digital camera," that covers some safety measures to automatically protect devices from thieves together with other "unauthorized users." Unauthorized users apparently links with people go jailbreaking, allowing devices to try apps not approved by the company producing the operating system--such as Apple, the main target of these bypasses.

The application, that was filed in February 2009 and published Thursday, describes measures for "particular activities which can indicate suspicious behavior," make certain "safety measures" will be transported to restrict the device's functions. Them add "hacking, jailbreaking, unlocking, or eliminating a Sim," by the application. Apple also offers to send warnings to owners via e-mail or text message when such activity is detected.

The application also describes several different measures which might be would once help identify the unauthorized user, such as the activation from a camera that would capture and geotag the device's surroundings, along with perhaps current user, and transmit that information with a remote device:

In some embodiments, an unauthorized user tend to be detected by comparing the identity of an current user in to the identities of authorized people that use electronic device. In particular, an image of a current user tend to be taken, a recording of a current best nexus 4 case user's voice might recorded, the heartbeat among the current user is generally recorded, or any complete the. The photograph, recording, or heartbeat could be compared, respectively, to a new photograph, recording, or heartbeat of authorized users of the computer to work out whether match. Assuming they may not match, the modern user might be detected for an unauthorized user.

When unauthorized use has actually been detected, "access to particular applications is generally restricted, use of sensitive information is often restricted, sensitive information could nexus 4 bumper case possibly be erased coming from the electronic device...," the necessary paperwork states, effectively wiping and bricking the rii.

Apple representatives to be able to immediately answer to a request comment.

In July, U.S. Copyright Office ruled that bypassing a manufacturer's protection custom nexus 4 case mechanisms to get "handsets to complete software applications" no longer violates federal copyright law. However, though U.S. Copyright Office has declared the software legal, Apple has repeatedly discouraged users from loading an enormously bypass, reminding them that carrying this out will void their device's warranty.

"As we've said before, lot's of customers you should never jailbreak their iPhones simply because this can violate the warranty that will result in the iPhone in becoming unstable without having it be work reliably," Apple had said within a statement in reply toward the ruling.

Apple: Five predictions for 2012

Apple: Five predictions for 2012 Expecting something from Apple may be a dangerous game, but that doesn't mean that isn't fun to attempt to look at the tea leaves every once in a while.

Below are five things I think expect from Apple this year. Examples of these are based on a hard ramp-up of rumors and telltale signs out of this year, online websites outright speculation from trends and also company's product release habits.

It's worth mentioning that Apple's usual inadequate predictability cause it this sort of interesting company to see. Nowhere was more clear than happened with theiPhone 4S. While many among the press and rumor blogs were anticipating a full overhaul of a iPhone's hardware, we have got a souped upiPhone 4 instead. Sure, Siri grown into pretty cool, but some were expecting something more important.

Now, without further ado...

1. No Tv, yet
The rumored product that's spent many of 2011 as a possible abstraction of info points is practically certainly on its way to as being a the real guy, but likely will never be seen next season.

In the recently released biography lately Apple co-founder Jobs, author Walter Isaacson noted Jobs' efforts on making an easy-to-use Telly that could be integrated with company's various expert services. "I'd like to create an internal television set which happens to be completely ease-of-use," Jobs told Isaacson. "It will likely be seamlessly synched along with your google nexus 4 case devices along with iCloud. It's going to have the right screen that you might imagine. I finally cracked it."

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Of course how long along Apple was actually in that particular endeavor remains an enormous question. Using an interview with CNET, Isaacson said Apple wasn't "close the least bit," and the "it was very theoretical." In late October, Bloomberg claimed that the company had already turned into significant founding business friends about the iPod andiTunes Music Store to really get a TV set outside. Lately, Jefferies & Company analyst Peter Misek claimed that Apple was tapping Sharp for display panels to help make a TV for one mid-2012 release.

But that estimate seems awfully bullish, especially given where Apple's entertainment landscape currently sits. For better or worse, the Apple TV box remains an interest product for ones company. Surely rrt is going to become a little more capable in the future iterations, but what many are expecting by using a Tv may be something which leapfrogs that effort. Will Apple deliver that in 2012? My guess is very little.

2. Siri opened to developers
The sassy voice assistant has become a breakout hit for Apple since its introduction on the iPhone 4S in October, yet it's missing something big. Apple's current implementation is bound to Web queries from partners like Wolfram Alpha and Yelp, as well as Apple's own apps. What's missing may be a method to hook it to qualify for the half a million possibly even apps which happen to be inside the App Store.

Much as those very same apps helped expand what you are able to do aided by the iPhone itself, creating voice plug-ins for apps has become now you have to to create Siri a much more useful service.

It took Apple rather less than four months bash launch through the original iPhone to announce a software developer kit, a move that led to the App Store in 2008. In Siri's case, the apps are there, just as the various tools and have. However Siri does most of its magic on Apple's servers, is currently on a the iPhone 4S.

Would developers choose work for just one device? They actually did by investing in the apple iphone 4g and relocate to a Retina Display, beyond the iPad and it is bigger resolution.

3. The final of an Mac Pro
Desktop sales just weren't what we had been in comparison when Apple introduced your initial kind of the Mac Pro (the Power Mac G5) in mid-2003. While Mac hardware sales have raised considerably ever since, notebooks continues to be the belle of an ball simply because they surpassed their sales of personal computers in 2004. Those same notebook units now face cannibalization from Apple's iPad, which itself blew past Mac sales just last year.

So why as possible . Mac Pro around? It certainly backlinks to Apple's roots in providing designers and professionals with beefy workstations. Nevertheless it's said to be the only products in Apple's lineup that just doesn't easily fit into anymore. Apple's Macs are basically sealed up, and wish grow to be come to a repair professional for anything aside from swapping out of custom nexus 4 case the RAM. Electrical systems, the Mac Pro enables you to receptive the inside and fiddle around using inside bits. That is the standard for PC manufacturers, but Apple's developed a hefty business with doing things the opposite.

An anonymously sourced report from AppleInsider in October suggested that Apple's seen a sharp decline in sales inside the workstations, which begin at $2,499 for the U.S., feeling that the drop has led executives to reconsider whether or not it's worth continuing to advance the system. Lending further credence to it idea is usually that Apple hasn't due to the line a correct overhaul since before it made the go on to Intel processors, instead putting its care about updates to its Mac Mini, iMac and MacBook portable lines.

The question for you is what sort of Mac Pro uses its bow. Will Apple announce its demise, or perhaps replace that spot in their production with physical exercise?

4. Apple ditches Google for Maps
Google's been closely stuck just using Apple's iOS simply because the first iPhone was unveiled, but that change the coming year in case your company concluded on introducing an mapping service. Why would Apple make it happen? Tensions inside the Apple and Google have increased in recent years on the rise of Android, Google's mobile computer.

Making matters more interesting was Apple's acknowledgement that this was collecting traffic data "to complete a crowd-sourced traffic database because of the goal of providing iPhone users an improved traffic service within the next three years." That sounds a lot more like a layer on top of a current mapping service when compared with a standalone service of their own. Yet, Apple acquired C3 Technologies in 2010, the last such mapping company it's bought up, and something that specializes in eye-popping 3D imagery.

Something that throws some cold water on the prediction is Apple renewed its have to cope with Google to make use of its mapping service captured, but we do not know long that's beneficial to.

5. A truly new iPhone
Apple's released an iphone 4g for this reason since its introduction, creating this one somewhat of a no-brainer. A long way that cycle's was comprised of a steady stream of internal tweaks, with various other year including a full-scale overhaul. The iphone4 was the such big switch the signal from Apple's iPhone design formula, of your 4S getting speedier guts.

Yet vendor 4S launched, the rumors were hot and high with Apple pushing out a drastic design change. That device never materialized, putting all bets on there arriving batch that we get.

So what features did it have? The important thing Nexus 4 Leather Case it's about could be a larger screen. Then, the materials 3.5-inch displays have served Apple well, but other manufacturers have bumped roughly the 4-inch range, with a going bigger. Other things that to wear that list are jump to 4G networking, near-field communications (NFC) for transferring information between devices, as well as gambling tweaks in to the camera and processor.

Apple finally refreshes Mac Mini with updated specs

Apple finally refreshes Mac Mini with updated specs The updated Mac Mini has new default configurations, even though the prices remain the same, at $599 for that low-end model and $799 on the step-up version. The $599 system receives a new 2GHz Core 2 Duo processor, identical nexus 4 wallet case 1GB of RAM, having a larger 120GB challenging. The $799 model also retains its 2GB of RAM plus the same 2.0GHz Core 2 Duo chip, nevertheless with an even greater 320GB hard disc drive.

An Nvidia MCP79 chipset drives both new Mac Minis, in accordance with the MacBook Pro which came out with Nvidia circuitry just a couple of weeks ago, but devoid of the second 9600M GPU. It means each Mac Mini comes with a Nvidia GeForce 9400M graphics chip driving its display, which improves the Mac Mini's outlook for video and photo editing and in order to the particular extent gaming. We found theMacBook Pro of your 9400M chip was at are able of at the least playable frame rates in Quake IV.

(Credit:Apple)

With the specs are available new ports along the rear within the Mac Mini, you now obtain the same inputs and outputs at either price range. So five USB 2.0 ports, Gigabit Ethernet, and upgrades to FireWire 800 along with Mini DVI and Mini DisplayPort for monitor connections. Mini DisplayPort is made for now only one feature of Apple systems and monitors, but that should grow case for nexus 4 as Apple also has offered the spec to VESA for incorporation into its official DisplayPort standard.

We would not have a Mac Mini in hand to utilise (yet), but we have a few queries about its bang in the buck. Comparing raw hardware of your $480 Vista-based Acer Aspire X1700, the Mac arises short on core processor clock speed (2.4GHz vs. 2.0GHz), RAM allotment (4GB vs. 1GB), and especially hard-drive size (640GB vs. 120GB). The Acer lacks the Mac Mini's wireless networking, and Bluetooth, but instead of DisplayPort and FireWire 800 it gets you HDMI and eSATA jacks--essentially a wash, if he doesn't an outright Acer win for eSATA's faster data throughput.

We'd agree that your particular Mac Mini includes a more pleasing design than all of its Windows competitors, as well as prefer Apple's OS X to Vista, in which particular case your decision is already made. We're less sure within the new Mac Mini's value proposition, that is tricky for earlier models. Hopefully capable to run one throughout the lab soon.

Apple appeal in Japan is turning the tables

Apple appeal in Japan is turning the tables That attitude manifested itself on Japanese TV in person-on-the-street interviews--a ruse asia media liked to perform: "Can you consider an American supplement that you must buy?" People is stumped, and so the appeal--and superiority--of Japanese products will be affirmed.

Conveniently not mentioned--even in thoughtful analysis of the respective strengths of these two countries' industries beyond consumer electronics--were tiny problems like Boeing aircraft, U.S. medical equipment, U.S. networking and telecommunications equipment, workstations (e.g., those from Sun Microsystems and SGI), while the Intel chips populating Japanese PCs, among a lot of all the other might be able to U.S. products or licensed U.S. technology.

Japan just saw itself as invincible.

Of course, those heady days for Japan are gone. We have seen the increase of The philipines as a thoughtful high-tech consumer giant it's companies as leaders in memory/flash chips, LCDs, and TVs. And we have seen companies in China and Taiwan like Foxconn making everything in the sun, including Apple devices.

Japanese companies, most a times, are also-rans.

Now to my point. The good thing about the Apple brand in Japan cannot be overstated. The iPhone andiPod strike in the center of traditional Chanel iPad Mini Case Japanese strengths: small, high-quality consumer gadgets (recall the original Sony Walkman? the Panasonic portable CD player?). This is a segment where U.S. companies had never been players.

And now theiPad comes along. It was subsequently released Friday in Japan.

The Japanese-language media has responded, since it usually does, with references to "black ships," or "kurofune". The phrase originally noted U.S. vessels that come to Japan in 1853 under Commodore Matthew Perry. The superior military hardware on those ships coerced asia to invest America and ended "Sakoku," the Two centuries wherein Japan limited trading utilizing rest of the world within the Chinese and Dutch.

The term "black ships" has since visit mean products or technologies coming (typically) coming from a U.S. that threaten Japanese companies somewhat. For the iPad, such as, traditional Japanese publishers in order to mind.

After surviving an era when it seemed utterly impossible the U.S. electronics brand would succeed in Japan, Apple's appeal now's truly surreal for me--and a total turning with the tables. A lot of the your Cute iphone Gucci iphone 5 case 5 case outcome because Apple is trumping erstwhile gadgets king Sony on its home turf. Getting that Akio Morita--Sony's co-founder--would feel dismay but, it's immediately and innately are aware of the selling point of the iPhone, iPod, and after this the iPad.