Friday, August 12, 2011
HTC SEEKS NEGOTIATIONS WITH APPLE OVER DUAL PATENT RULINGS
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HTC SEEKS NEGOTIATIONS WITH APPLE OVER DUAL PATENT RULINGSTechnology — 26 July 2011
HTC’s legal wrangle with Apple took a turn today, when the Taiwanese mobile phone maker said it was willing to negotiate with its Californian counterpart in the ensuing patent fight.As we reported two week ago, the US International Trade Commission ruled that HTC had violated two of Apple’s patents, relating to data-detection and data-transmission technologies.
In a twist, HTC bought out S3 Graphics Co. for $300m earlier this month, just after S3 Graphics had won a similar patent infringement case against Apple, and this buy-out was viewed as HTC beefing up its patent arsenal in its ensuing war with Apple.
And today, as reported on Bloomberg, Winston Yung, Chief Financial Officer at HTC suggested that his company is open to discussing matters with Apple. He says:
“We have to sit down and figure it out. We’re open to having discussions. We are open to all sorts of solutions, as long as the solution and the terms are fair and reasonable. On and off we’ve had discussions with Apple, even before the initial determination came out.”
Whilst it’s thought that there hasn’t been any formal talks between the companies following the two separate patent rulings this month, HTC will have to come out all guns blazing if its to protect its share of the mobile phone market.
As we reported earlier this month, HTC hit record revenues for the third month running in June, but as Bloomberg notes today its shares fell 8.2% after it announced it was buying 3S Graphics on July 6th, from a fund controlled by HTC Chairwoman Cher Wang and VIA Technologies Inc. (2388), which is also chaired by Wang.
HTC is currently paying Microsoft $5 in patent fees for every handset it releases with the Android operating system on it, so the Taiwanese firm will be keen to avoid paying any more in patent fees. But given that the ITC ruled against Apple at the start of the month, finding that it violates two 3S Graphics patents relating to compression technology, HTC will now be in a stronger bargaining position with the iPhone makers.
bloomberg.com
Friday, July 22, 2011
Apple Mac OS X Lion released
Apple Mac OS X Lion released
by Edwin - on July 21st, 2011
Do you want to experience “the world’s most advanced operating system”? Well, surely you would have heard Apple “roar” when it came to the release of their latest version of the Mac operating system – OS X Lion. This is the 8th iteration of the operating system, bringing to the table (or rather Mac) over 250 new features. You can easily download it from the Mac App Store for $29.99 a pop, with the physical version coming your way in due time just in case you prefer having something physical in your hand for the amount of money exchanged.
Among the features that are found inside OS X Lion would include new Multi-Touch gestures, system-wide support for full screen apps, Mission Control which is an innovative view of everything that runs on your Mac, the Mac App Store that has been built straight into the OS, alongside Launchpad – a new home for all your apps, not to mention an overhauled Mail app.
The goodies do not stop there – how about the Resume feature that is smart enough to bring your apps back just like how you left them when you restarted your Mac, or quit and relaunched an app? This might also help you catch the more careless person who used your Mac while you were away and messed up the desktop icon arrangement, as you can tell right away when you get back.
Ah, the all important Auto Save feature that says it all – it will automatically and continuously save your documents as you work so that in the event of a brownout, you need not bawl like a baby simply because you forgot to save your work for the past 5 hours. Not only that, Versions will help you record the history of your document the moment you create it – reminds me of Google Docs and their version history.
AirDrop is another way to get more social at the office, since it will find nearby Macs and set up a peer-to-peer wireless connection automatically to enable quick and easy file transfer. Anyone going to give Lion a go?
Press Release
by Edwin - on July 21st, 2011
Do you want to experience “the world’s most advanced operating system”? Well, surely you would have heard Apple “roar” when it came to the release of their latest version of the Mac operating system – OS X Lion. This is the 8th iteration of the operating system, bringing to the table (or rather Mac) over 250 new features. You can easily download it from the Mac App Store for $29.99 a pop, with the physical version coming your way in due time just in case you prefer having something physical in your hand for the amount of money exchanged.
Among the features that are found inside OS X Lion would include new Multi-Touch gestures, system-wide support for full screen apps, Mission Control which is an innovative view of everything that runs on your Mac, the Mac App Store that has been built straight into the OS, alongside Launchpad – a new home for all your apps, not to mention an overhauled Mail app.
The goodies do not stop there – how about the Resume feature that is smart enough to bring your apps back just like how you left them when you restarted your Mac, or quit and relaunched an app? This might also help you catch the more careless person who used your Mac while you were away and messed up the desktop icon arrangement, as you can tell right away when you get back.
Ah, the all important Auto Save feature that says it all – it will automatically and continuously save your documents as you work so that in the event of a brownout, you need not bawl like a baby simply because you forgot to save your work for the past 5 hours. Not only that, Versions will help you record the history of your document the moment you create it – reminds me of Google Docs and their version history.
AirDrop is another way to get more social at the office, since it will find nearby Macs and set up a peer-to-peer wireless connection automatically to enable quick and easy file transfer. Anyone going to give Lion a go?
Press Release
http://www.coolest-gadgets.com/20110721/apple-thunderbolt-display-unveiled/#more-59086
Apple Thunderbolt Display unveiled
by Edwin - on July 21st, 2011
Apple scores another first with their latest Apple Thunderbolt Display, where it is said to be the first of any display in the world that sports Thunderbolt I/O technology (hence its name, of course), making it the ultimate docking station for your Mac notebook. All it takes is a solitary cable so that you are able to hook up a Thunderbolt-enabled Mac to the new 27” Apple Thunderbolt Display, giving you access to a plethora of ports and connectivity options to boot which you will see in the extended post.
Sporting a beautiful 16:9 edge-to-edge glass design, the Thunderbolt Display will rely on IPS technology which your eyes will definitely appreciate – in fact, I am thinking that looking into this display might be the same as the first experience you ever had with the iPhone 4’s screen. Correct me if I am wrong for early adopters of the Thunderbolt Display, where you can do so by leaving a comment.
With an ultra wide 178 degree viewing angle, you can create a full desktop solution with this display after hooking up your Thunderbolt-enabled Mac. Features include an integrated FaceTime HD video camera that delivers crisp video conferencing, a 2.1 speaker system for high quality audio, an integrated MagSafe charger to keep Mac notebooks charged, a trio of USB 2.0 ports (although I would have liked to see USB 3.0 in action here), one FireWire 800 port, one Gigabit Ethernet port and a Thunderbolt port that allows you to daisy chain up to five additional Thunderbolt devices.
With the two bi-directional channels, you are able to enjoy transfer speeds up to an amazing 10Gbps each, now how about that? The built-in ambient light sensor also will help you conserve energy even more as it automatically adjusts the display brightness based on external lighting conditions. Expect the new Thunderbolt Display to arrive within a couple of months’ time via the Apple Store, Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers. It will go for $999, so that gives you 60 days or so to work out your finances to own one.
Press Release
by Edwin - on July 21st, 2011
Apple scores another first with their latest Apple Thunderbolt Display, where it is said to be the first of any display in the world that sports Thunderbolt I/O technology (hence its name, of course), making it the ultimate docking station for your Mac notebook. All it takes is a solitary cable so that you are able to hook up a Thunderbolt-enabled Mac to the new 27” Apple Thunderbolt Display, giving you access to a plethora of ports and connectivity options to boot which you will see in the extended post.
Sporting a beautiful 16:9 edge-to-edge glass design, the Thunderbolt Display will rely on IPS technology which your eyes will definitely appreciate – in fact, I am thinking that looking into this display might be the same as the first experience you ever had with the iPhone 4’s screen. Correct me if I am wrong for early adopters of the Thunderbolt Display, where you can do so by leaving a comment.
With an ultra wide 178 degree viewing angle, you can create a full desktop solution with this display after hooking up your Thunderbolt-enabled Mac. Features include an integrated FaceTime HD video camera that delivers crisp video conferencing, a 2.1 speaker system for high quality audio, an integrated MagSafe charger to keep Mac notebooks charged, a trio of USB 2.0 ports (although I would have liked to see USB 3.0 in action here), one FireWire 800 port, one Gigabit Ethernet port and a Thunderbolt port that allows you to daisy chain up to five additional Thunderbolt devices.
With the two bi-directional channels, you are able to enjoy transfer speeds up to an amazing 10Gbps each, now how about that? The built-in ambient light sensor also will help you conserve energy even more as it automatically adjusts the display brightness based on external lighting conditions. Expect the new Thunderbolt Display to arrive within a couple of months’ time via the Apple Store, Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers. It will go for $999, so that gives you 60 days or so to work out your finances to own one.
Press Release
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Apple iPad Wi-Fi+3G with Extra USB Slot
In the past iPhone guru Steve Jobs intimated that Apple had during the tablets development stage tested numerous designs for the Apple iPad, and now one of those previous designs looks to have hit the net showing the Apple iPad Wi-Fi+3G sporting an extra USB slot.
According to an article over on TUAW, the guys over at Patently Apple have come up with a bundle of Apple patents, one of which shows that Apple was at one point considering an extra USB port on the W-Fi+3G Apple iPad for horizontal connectivity.
Apparently the extra slot would have allowed the user to put their iOS tablet in a dedicated landscape dock and simultaneously sync utilising the two USB ports.
Apple now holds the patent for this particular iPad design, but that doesn’t mean Apple will ever deliver that extra USB slot in future models as they may choose to go with wireless syncing and charging, which could be the reason Apple decided not to go with the design in the first place.
But what do the iOS faithful think, would you prefer to have that extra USB slot on your Apple iPad?
http://static.phonesreview.co.uk/wp-content/phoneimages/2011/05/6a0120a5580826970c014e885a4bba970d-800wi.jpg
According to an article over on TUAW, the guys over at Patently Apple have come up with a bundle of Apple patents, one of which shows that Apple was at one point considering an extra USB port on the W-Fi+3G Apple iPad for horizontal connectivity.
Apparently the extra slot would have allowed the user to put their iOS tablet in a dedicated landscape dock and simultaneously sync utilising the two USB ports.
Apple now holds the patent for this particular iPad design, but that doesn’t mean Apple will ever deliver that extra USB slot in future models as they may choose to go with wireless syncing and charging, which could be the reason Apple decided not to go with the design in the first place.
But what do the iOS faithful think, would you prefer to have that extra USB slot on your Apple iPad?
http://static.phonesreview.co.uk/wp-content/phoneimages/2011/05/6a0120a5580826970c014e885a4bba970d-800wi.jpg
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Now You Can Check In to Events on Facebook’s iPhone App
As promised, Facebook has released a new version of its iPhone application that gives users the ability to check in to events. Version 3.4, released Monday, also now includes a map view for Places and the ability to unfriend Facebook friends in-app.
The new features, along with subtle news feed improvements and a user interface refresh for notifications, have been worked into the existing Facebook iPhone experience. Only the “Unfriend” button, a new, extended option when viewing a friend’s profile in the app, is explicitly called out with a noticeable red button.
The new event check-in functionality is housed within the events portion of the app. The app user can check in to nearby, upcoming events and tag their friends should they so choose.
Likewise, the map view for Places has been added to the Places section. Here users can toggle between “Activity” and “Map” options to view checkins in the standard list view or switch to see them on a map.
The updates make for a slightly enhanced overall application experience that pushes the user to check in to Facebook events and gives them the ability to unfriend their no-longer-wanted social network buddies.
Mobile continues to be an important priority for the company. Facebook revealed last week that 250 million people are actively using Facebook via mobile devices on a monthly basis. It released a new mobile website for all phones to better accommodate those users. Event checkins, for now, are isolated to the iPhone app.
As promised, Facebook has released a new version of its iPhone application that gives users the ability to check in to events. Version 3.4, released Monday, also now includes a map view for Places and the ability to unfriend Facebook friends in-app.
The new features, along with subtle news feed improvements and a user interface refresh for notifications, have been worked into the existing Facebook iPhone experience. Only the “Unfriend” button, a new, extended option when viewing a friend’s profile in the app, is explicitly called out with a noticeable red button.
The new event check-in functionality is housed within the events portion of the app. The app user can check in to nearby, upcoming events and tag their friends should they so choose.
Likewise, the map view for Places has been added to the Places section. Here users can toggle between “Activity” and “Map” options to view checkins in the standard list view or switch to see them on a map.
The updates make for a slightly enhanced overall application experience that pushes the user to check in to Facebook events and gives them the ability to unfriend their no-longer-wanted social network buddies.
Mobile continues to be an important priority for the company. Facebook revealed last week that 250 million people are actively using Facebook via mobile devices on a monthly basis. It released a new mobile website for all phones to better accommodate those users. Event checkins, for now, are isolated to the iPhone app.
Twitter has started rolling out a new version of its homepage, simplifying the interface and refining its pitch to potential new users.
The social media service has changed the color scheme from its traditional shades of light blue in favor of a metallic chrome look. The new homepage also no longer features top tweets or trending topics. Instead, Twitter has opted for a simple bar halfway down the screen that features the avatars of its most popular users.
There are a couple of other changes to the interface that focuses on how users interact with the homepage. The search box has been moved down, but a bigger change is that Twitter has made it easier for users to sign up or log in to its website. The “New to Twitter?” section lets users kick start the process of signing up, right from the homepage. The “sign in” area has been expanded as well.
The biggest change, though, may be the homepage’s new language. The old Twitter.com led with “Discover what’s happening right now, anywhere in the world.” The new homepage has a different pitch to prospective users: “Follow your interests: Instant updates from your friends, industry experts, favorite celebrities, and what’s happening around the world.”
It’s a subtle but potentially big difference, as millions of people visit Twitter.com every day. It’s an adjustment to Twitter’s philosophy that it hopes will help it register and retain new users. Twitter is known for constantly updating its homepage in an attempt to refine its message and draw in new users.
What do you think of Twitter’s homepage? We want to hear your thoughts in the comments.
The social media service has changed the color scheme from its traditional shades of light blue in favor of a metallic chrome look. The new homepage also no longer features top tweets or trending topics. Instead, Twitter has opted for a simple bar halfway down the screen that features the avatars of its most popular users.
There are a couple of other changes to the interface that focuses on how users interact with the homepage. The search box has been moved down, but a bigger change is that Twitter has made it easier for users to sign up or log in to its website. The “New to Twitter?” section lets users kick start the process of signing up, right from the homepage. The “sign in” area has been expanded as well.
The biggest change, though, may be the homepage’s new language. The old Twitter.com led with “Discover what’s happening right now, anywhere in the world.” The new homepage has a different pitch to prospective users: “Follow your interests: Instant updates from your friends, industry experts, favorite celebrities, and what’s happening around the world.”
It’s a subtle but potentially big difference, as millions of people visit Twitter.com every day. It’s an adjustment to Twitter’s philosophy that it hopes will help it register and retain new users. Twitter is known for constantly updating its homepage in an attempt to refine its message and draw in new users.
What do you think of Twitter’s homepage? We want to hear your thoughts in the comments.
http://mashable.com/2011/03/30/google-plus-one-button/
Google is making a big new push into social with a feature called “+1” that is similar in purpose to the Facebook “Like” button, but integrated directly into the world’s biggest search engine.
Starting Wednesday, users who opt into the +1 button experiment (and soon everyone else) in Google Labs will start seeing a +1 icon next to each link in Google search results.
Google defines this action as a “public stamp of approval,” and it is exactly that. When you +1 something, your name becomes associated with that link “in search, on ads, and across the web,” according to the company. It also shows up in a feed on your Google Profile, which is required to use the product.
The move builds on a number of social features that Google introduced in search earlier this year, such as the ability to see which friends have tweeted a given link in search results. Today’s move, however, is clearly something much bigger.
Beyond showing up in search results, Google plans to offer to publishers a +1 button that lets readers +1 something without leaving the publisher’s site. Facebook has a big head start here with its Like button — some 2 million sites and counting have it installed — but Google’s button will instantly have a lot of appeal, given the company says +1 data will directly influence its market share dominating search rankings. Similarly, we have to imagine that +1 is more bad news for content farms, whose content is less likely to be shared.
In another twist, users will also be able to +1 ad, which essentially adds a “recommended by friends” component to AdWords and AdSense. as the company explains on the AdWords blog.
Google is making a big new push into social with a feature called “+1” that is similar in purpose to the Facebook “Like” button, but integrated directly into the world’s biggest search engine.
Starting Wednesday, users who opt into the +1 button experiment (and soon everyone else) in Google Labs will start seeing a +1 icon next to each link in Google search results.
Google defines this action as a “public stamp of approval,” and it is exactly that. When you +1 something, your name becomes associated with that link “in search, on ads, and across the web,” according to the company. It also shows up in a feed on your Google Profile, which is required to use the product.
The move builds on a number of social features that Google introduced in search earlier this year, such as the ability to see which friends have tweeted a given link in search results. Today’s move, however, is clearly something much bigger.
Beyond showing up in search results, Google plans to offer to publishers a +1 button that lets readers +1 something without leaving the publisher’s site. Facebook has a big head start here with its Like button — some 2 million sites and counting have it installed — but Google’s button will instantly have a lot of appeal, given the company says +1 data will directly influence its market share dominating search rankings. Similarly, we have to imagine that +1 is more bad news for content farms, whose content is less likely to be shared.
In another twist, users will also be able to +1 ad, which essentially adds a “recommended by friends” component to AdWords and AdSense. as the company explains on the AdWords blog.
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