design

mobile
March 23, 2012
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Samsung design boss responds to Apple’s copycat claims

By on March 23, 2012 at 9:30 AM.

Samsung design boss responds to Apple’s copycat claims

Apple and Samsung have met in court dozens of times over designs, patents and more over the past few years. Among Apple’s numerous complaints was the repeated allegation that Samsung smartphones and tablets are copycat devices that stole numerous elements from the iPhone and iPad’s designs. While similarities between rival gadgets are sometimes bound to appear from time to time — Apple’s own iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S feature a design that is quite familiar — the Samsung executive responsible for the Galaxy S II design has finally spoken out in response to claims that the device is an iPhone clone. More →

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Tablets
February 9, 2012
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iPad 3 design revealed as new wave of parts leak; Retina Display possibly pictured

By on February 9, 2012 at 8:25 AM.

iPad 3 design revealed as new wave of parts leak; Retina Display possibly pictured

More details surrounding the design of Apple’s upcoming iPad 3 have been revealed as images of a variety of internal components have been published online along with new images of the tablet’s rear shell and possibly Apple’s new Retina Display as well. Following reports on Wednesday that emerged surrounding a purported image of the iPad 3′s rear case, Cult of Mac has published higher-quality images of the same component along with a number of additional internal parts. While the various components pictured in the new leak show significant differences in many instances compared to their counterparts in the iPad 2, the external design of the upcoming iPad 3 looks like it will only offer a few minor differences compared to the current model, in line with earlier reports. Read on for more. More →

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Legal
October 19, 2011
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Samsung’s Galaxy Nexus reportedly built to avoid Apple patent lawsuits

By on October 19, 2011 at 3:47 PM.

Samsung’s Galaxy Nexus reportedly built to avoid Apple patent lawsuits

Samsung specifically designed the Galaxy Nexus to avoid patent lawsuits from Apple, Samsung’s mobile chief Shin Jong-kyun told Yonhap News Agency Wednesday. “We will see if it will be 100 percent free” from patent infringement lawsuits, he explained, noting that the current ongoing patent war with Apple is in its fledgling stages. “I think it is just a start and [the battle] will last for a considerable time,” Shin explained. “I don’t think there is much gain. What we are losing is the pride in our brand. We will avoid everything we can and take patents very seriously.” Samsung originally said it had postponed its San Diego press conference, during which it was supposed to launch the Galaxy Nexus alongside Google’s Ice Cream Sandwich, due to Steve Jobs’ recent passing. However, one report suggested the true reason the phone was delayed was due to last-minute tweaks needed to avoid patent lawsuits from Apple. Shin’s comments don’t suggest Samsung was lying about the event cancelation, but they do confirm that patents were a focus for the company as it built the device. Samsung and Apple are currently locked in legal battles around the globe with lawsuits filed in France, Japan, the United States, Australia and the Netherlands, among other countries. More →

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Featured
September 12, 2011
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‘Other designs are possible’

By on September 12, 2011 at 10:10 AM.

‘Other designs are possible’

Apple and Samsung are at odds over patents. You might have read about it. In numerous courts, in numerous states, in numerous countries on numerous continents, the pair continue to file complaint after complaint. Apple says Samsung builds copycat devices that steal design elements from its iPad tablet and iPhone smartphone. Samsung says Apple’s mobile devices violate multiple Samsung patents covering communications standards. And round and round we go. More →

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mobile
August 2, 2011
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Chinese 'clone' may show off iPhone 5 design on video

By on August 2, 2011 at 4:10 PM.

Chinese 'clone' may show off iPhone 5 design on video

A new video showcasing the iPhone 5 “clone” we saw yesterday has emerged and it may give us a good idea of the basic design we can expect from Apple’s upcoming fifth-generation iPhone. As we reported yesterday, this device is absolutely, positively a fake. That goes without saying. It is possible that Chinese knockoff builders have obtained Apple’s iPhone 5 design, or even an actual device, from one of Apple’s manufacturing partners or component suppliers in order to copy it before their competition gets the chance. For that reason, it’s worth taking a look at this design, as we just might see it in the hands of millions of smartphone users around the globe later this fall. The video showcasing this Chinese iPhone 5 knockoff follows below. More →

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mobile
May 31, 2011
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Apple could launch 8-megapixel iPhone sans SIM card in August

By on May 31, 2011 at 4:39 PM.

Apple could launch 8-megapixel iPhone sans SIM card in August

According to Macotakara, Apple is scheduled to launch its new iPhone in late July or August — not September as many other reports have claimed. Apple’s new device will offer a Cortex-A9 processor as well as an 8-megapixel camera. It may also have a SIM-free design and support for both GSM and CDMA networks, allowing it to run on Verizon and AT&T in the U.S. and on global networks abroad. The rumor also suggests that Apple will maintain the iPhone 4 form factor, which doesn’t match earlier a number of earlier reports that suggest the next generation iPhone will have a 4-inch screen, but it fits perfectly in line with the unreleased iPhone we posted pictures of back in April. Similarly, the rumor says Apple may veer further from its standard course and launch a new iPhone, dubbed “iPhone 6″ in the spring of next year. More →

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Hardware
May 5, 2011
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Intel intros ‘Ivy Bridge’ processors with 3D transistors

By on May 5, 2011 at 9:58 PM.

Intel intros ‘Ivy Bridge’ processors with 3D transistors

Intel recently took the wraps off of its new “Ivy Bridge” platform that includes new 22nm 3D “Tri-Gate” transistors, as opposed to a traditional flat-circuit design. The new transistors will help chips run more efficiently at lower voltages, and Intel says the platform should offer up to a 37% increase in performance compared to its 32nm transistors. Ivy Bridge will make its debut in PCs and servers by the end of this year, Reuters said, although Intel also has plans to use 3D Tri-Gate transistors in mobile chips, too. More →

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General
April 5, 2011
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Apple dock-connector patent tips USB 3.0 for future computers, iDevices

By on April 5, 2011 at 8:38 PM.

Apple dock-connector patent tips USB 3.0 for future computers, iDevices

Patently Apple reports that its Cupertino-based namesake has been granted a new patent for an improved 30-pin dock connector. The interface, which is used by Apple’s iPhone, iPad and iPods, is slightly thinner and will be able to sherpa data over USB 3.0 and 2.0, and contain a dual-lane display port channel. The patents suggest that future versions of the company’s laptops, desktops, and mobile devices will utilize the new USB technologies — and that future mobile devices may be able to output to HDMI without the need for an adapter. There is an additional patent schematic after the break. More →

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mobile
March 19, 2011
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HTC designers talk up Verizon ThunderBolt [video]

By on March 19, 2011 at 2:21 AM.

HTC designers talk up Verizon ThunderBolt [video]

It’s rare that we get a glimpse into the thoughts and processes it takes to make a smartphone like the HTC ThunderBolt, which launched on Verizon Wireless as its first 4G LTE device yesterday, but HTC has posted a great 4-minute video where some HTC designers and employees discuss the ThunderBolt, the Sense UI, and what excites them about both. The clip doesn’t necessarily share anything new about the ThunderBolt, but we did enjoy checking out the HTC designer sketchbooks at the 0:27 mark and listening to HTC Sense UI designer Drew Bamford talk about the challenges of creating a product that appeals to the masses. If you want more ThunderBolt action, be sure to check out our unboxing, too — video after the jump. More →

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Rumor
February 27, 2011
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Is Apple’s Jony Ive cashing out and moving to England?

By on February 27, 2011 at 3:25 PM.

Is Apple’s Jony Ive cashing out and moving to England?

The Times of London is reporting that Jonathan Ive, Apple’s senior vice president of product design, could be itching to cash out his Apple’s option grant from 2008 and move with his wife and two kids to the UK. If the article is accurate, Ive’s options are worth about $30 million and would ring up his net worth to around $128 million. The paper quotes a friend of the Ives as saying:

Unfortunately he is just too valuable to Apple and they told him in no uncertain terms that if he headed back to England he would not be able to sustain his position with them … It’s a shame. We hardly ever see anyone at the house.

An Apple spokesperson wouldn’t comment on the option grant part of the story and deemed Jonathan Ive’s desire to move to England as “speculation.” More →

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Business
February 1, 2011
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PayPal hires Apple VP of Global Design

By on February 1, 2011 at 10:01 AM.

PayPal hires Apple VP of Global Design

AllThingsD is reporting, by way of LinkedIn, that PayPal has just snatched up the VP of Global Design from Apple. The lucky lady is said to be Sarah Brody who has worked on the original iPhone, original iPod nano and was a “critical aspect in the design of” MobileMe. In addition to working on the aforementioned projects, she’s also responsible for the design of the product packaging boxes that are pictured above. Maybe PayPal’s website won’t look so sketchy anymore with this new hire? More →

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General
January 11, 2011
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Facebook paid $8.5 million for fb.com; pushing new profile layout to all users

By on January 11, 2011 at 10:20 PM.

Facebook paid $8.5 million for fb.com; pushing new profile layout to all users

Just a few tidbits of Facebook news to report here. Reuters is reporting that the social networking site paid a hefty $8.5 million to acquire the domain fb.com from the American Farm Bureau Federation. Last year, Facebook launched its revamped messaging service, offering its users facebook.com email address in the process. The alternate domain fb.com was purchased by the company for internal employee email addressing. The Farm Bureau now calls fb.org as its home.

In conjunction with this new messaging service, Facebook also announced a new profile layout designed to easily present and share more information with friends. For the past month, users have been able to voluntarily opt-in to the new design by visiting http://www.facebook.com/about/profile. Now, it seems as though the update will be pushed out to all users over the next several days, like it or not. More →

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