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Legal
January 11, 2012
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Kodak files patent infringement lawsuits against HTC and Apple

By on January 11, 2012 at 12:12 PM.

Kodak files patent infringement lawsuits against HTC and Apple

Kodak is going through a financial nightmare, with reports claiming the camera company is preparing to file for bankruptcy. In what seems like a last effort to license the company’s patents, Kodak has filed patent lawsuits against HTC and Apple. Kodak claims that both smartphone manufacturers are infringing upon some of the company’s digital imaging patents. The complaint targets the iPad 2, iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, and the iPod touch (4th generation), claiming Apple’s devices infringe upon four patents. Obviously, the patents all relate to digital images, ranging from capturing them, to transferring photos over email, cellular networks, or wireless LAN networks.

HTC is being sued for the same four patents as Apple, with the addition of  a patent that covers capturing still images while previewing motion images — the same patent is being asserted against Apple and RIM in a concurrent ITC investigation. Florian Mueller of FOSS Patents speculates that the lawsuit is part of a last effort sales and marketing strategy to sell the company’s patent portfolio. Lastly, Mueller believes that even though Apple and HTC are suing each other, they will most likely team up to fight off Kodak. At the very least, the two companies could conduct a joint prior art search, or look to narrow the scope of patent claims to avoid liability for infringement. More →

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mobile
December 29, 2011
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Apple applies for iOS face and presence detection patent

By on December 29, 2011 at 1:25 PM.

Apple applies for iOS face and presence detection patent

The United States Patent and Trademark Office on Thursday published an Apple patent application related to face and presence detection that could be used to help keep iOS devices secure. Patently Apple said the company’s application describes a technology that could allow a user to unlock his or her device by simply looking at it. Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) already features face detection, but it can easily be tricked according to reports, and doesn’t always work. Apple’s solution details a way to analyze a user’s mouth, the tip of a nose and eyes, and the distances between each of those facial features to determine whether or not a person is is the owner of the iOS device. The reliance on 2D facial feature locations might mean Apple’s solution will be vulnerable to the same flaw that allows anyone to access a locked Android 4.0 device using a photo of a face, instead of a real face, but we won’t know if that’s a real issue until the technology is implemented. The patent also describes support for multiple users, though it is unclear when, if ever, Apple will implement this technology in its iOS platform. More →

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mobile
December 27, 2011
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Free, legal Siri port now available for iPhone 4 and other iOS 5 devices

By on December 27, 2011 at 3:15 PM.

Free, legal Siri port now available for iPhone 4 and other iOS 5 devices

News of a new untethered jailbreak solution for all iOS 5.0.1 devices other than Apple’s iPhone 4S and iPad 2 emerged this morning, and iOS users now have another reason to take advantage of the hack. IOS developer chpwn announced on his blog on Tuesday that a free Siri port dubbed “Spire” that does not violate any copyright laws is now available for jailbroken iOS 5 devices. This is not the first Siri port available for the iPhone 4 and other devices, but it is the first legal option and it also allows users to input their own proxy server since Apple’s servers cannot be used by devices other than the iPhone 4S. Spire is now available for the iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, iPad and third and fourth-generation iPod touch devices, and it can be downloaded from Cydia. More →

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mobile
December 27, 2011
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iOS 5.0.1 untethered jailbreak available now, iPhone 4S and iPad 2 still in development

By on December 27, 2011 at 9:00 AM.

iOS 5.0.1 untethered jailbreak available now, iPhone 4S and iPad 2 still in development

Hackers on Tuesday released an untethered iOS 5.0.1 jailbreak solution for all iOS devices but the iPhone 4S and the iPad 2. In a post on his blog, iOS hacker pod2g announced that the Chronic Dev Team and the iPhone Dev Team have jointly released a tool that will allow iOS device owners to jailbreak their devices running iOS 5.0.1 without having to boot while tethered to a computer. The new version of “redsn0w” is compatible with the iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, iPad and third and fourth-generation iPod touch devices, and users currently running a tethered jailbreak can update to untethered using a utility called “Corona” now available in Cydia. An untethered jailbreak for Apple’s iPhone 4S and iPad 2 is not yet available. The new version of redsn0w is available for download immediately for both Windows and Mac computers. More →

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mobile
December 26, 2011
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Apple’s ’12 Days of Christmas’ app brings 12 days of iTunes freebies

By on December 26, 2011 at 11:05 AM.

Apple’s ’12 Days of Christmas’ app brings 12 days of iTunes freebies

Apple on Monday released the 2012 edition of its “12 Days of Christmas” application for iOS devices. From December 26th through January 6th, Apple is giving away free iTunes content including songs, music videos, apps and books to iOS device owners. New content is accessible through the app each day and free downloads will expire after 24 hours. Monday kicks things off with several Coldplay songs and videos, which can be downloaded for free until new downloads are made available on Tuesday. Apple’s 12 Days of Christmas app is compatible with the iPhone 4S, iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, iPad 2 and iPad as well as the third and fourth-generation iPod touch devices, so users of older iOS device models are out of luck this holiday season. The app is currently available in the U.K. with U.S. availability expected at a later point in time. More →

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Gaming
December 22, 2011
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Capcom releases Mega Man X for iPhone and iPod touch

By on December 22, 2011 at 10:15 PM.

Capcom releases Mega Man X for iPhone and iPod touch

We were huge Mega Man fans back when the game made its debut on the NES — and later on the Game Boy — and now we can finally relive some of those amazing gaming days by playing Mega Man X on the iPhone and iPod touch. Capcom released the title in the iTunes App Store recently and, while it’s a bit expensive at $4.99, it should be worth the purchase. Mega Man X features Game Center support and 60 different levels following a 20-level opening “Story Mode” campaign. It currently has a 4.5 rating in the iTunes App Store, with just a few complaints from users who aren’t fans of the controls. Unfortunately, the game does not currently support the iPad. More →

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mobile
December 22, 2011
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Kindle for iOS updated with PDF, newspaper and magazine support

By on December 22, 2011 at 2:00 AM.

Kindle for iOS updated with PDF, newspaper and magazine support

Amazon updated its Kindle application for iOS devices on Wednesday with support for PDF files as well as newspaper and magazine subscriptions. A Kindle user can now email a file to his or her Send-to-Kindle address and then access it from within the application, and the app will open Adobe PDF files sent to a computer through iTunes, from Safari or directly from an email account. Amazon also added support for viewing more than 400 newspaper and magazine subscriptions inside the application. The UI for reading periodicals was completely redesigned for the iPad, and it allows users to read newspapers, magazines and print replica text books the way they were meant to be read. The iPhone and iPod touch app also features a redesigned library for quick access to the Newsstand, Kindle Books and Docs. Ars Technica noticed however, that The New York Times currently limits its subscriptions to hardware Kindle devices only, which means anyone who pays for a subscription to that newspaper may have trouble loading it on an iOS device. The update is live now and is available for free from the iTunes App Store. More →

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Business
December 16, 2011
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Apple’s A5 chip reportedly now manufactured by Samsung in Texas

By on December 16, 2011 at 10:30 PM.

Apple’s A5 chip reportedly now manufactured by Samsung in Texas

Apple and other consumer electronics companies typically look to the Far East for components, but a new report suggests that the production of Apple’s current mobile processors has now moved to the United States. Reuters on Friday reported that the chip powering Apple’s current iPhone, iPad and iPod touch models is now manufactured in a new 1.6 million square foot Samsung factory located in Austin, Texas. The report cites unnamed people familiar with Samsung’s operations. Samsung’s new Austin facility — which is the size of nine football fields — reportedly reached full production earlier this month, and it was built to manufacture non-memory chips. The South Korea-based company confirmed that its Texas plant was recently expanded to manufacture logic chips, though it would not comment specifically on Apple or its A5 processor. Reuters reported earlier this year that Samsung lost the contract to build Apple’s next-generation A6 processor, which will instead be manufactured by Taiwan-based chip maker TSMC. More →

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Gaming
December 16, 2011
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Grand Theft Auto III now available on iOS and Android for $4.99

By on December 16, 2011 at 12:00 AM.

Grand Theft Auto III now available on iOS and Android for $4.99

The hit game Grand Theft Auto III is now available for Android and iOS devices. Gamers will take to the streets of Liberty City to complete a variety of missions with a large cast of seedy characters, just like in the original version released 10 years ago on PlayStation 2. Rockstar Games promises hours of gameplay, updated graphics, HD quality and gameplay that has been optimized for touchscreen devices. Grand Theft Auto III is available in the Android Market and in the iTunes App Store now for $4.99.

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Legal
December 9, 2011
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Sales of Apple’s iPhone, iPad banned by German court [updated]

By on December 9, 2011 at 8:45 AM.

Sales of Apple’s iPhone, iPad banned by German court [updated]

A ruling handed down on Friday by the Mannheim Regional Court in Germany could see sales of Apple’s iOS devices banned across Europe. The judgement relates to a patent infringement complaint filed by Motorola last April, when the company accused Apple of infringing a Motorola-owned patent covering ”a method for performing a countdown function during a mobile-originated transfer for a packet radio system.” Friday’s ruling is preliminary, however, and according to Florian Mueller of FOSS Patents, it is only enforceable against Ireland-based Apple subsidiary Apple Sales International. The injunction formally pertains to the iPhone, iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPad and iPad 2, though the iPhone 4S is likely covered as well. Apple must now remove the infringing functionality from its iOS devices or successfully appeal to Karlsruhe Higher Regional Court in order to avoid the ban.

UPDATE: A press release from Motorola Mobility has been added below.
More →

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mobile
December 6, 2011
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Top-3 connected devices in U.S. made by Apple, tablet market continues to balloon in Q3

By on December 6, 2011 at 8:00 AM.

Top-3 connected devices in U.S. made by Apple, tablet market continues to balloon in Q3

As connected devices continue to proliferate in the United States and around the world, a new study suggests Apple’s iOS products are the three most widely used mobile devices in two key markets: the United States and the United Kingdom. Mobile ad network JiWire on Tuesday released its latest Mobile Audience Insights Report, which offers data on various market trends in the third quarter of 2011. In both the U.S. and U.K., JiWire found that the most widely used connected devices between July and September were Apple’s iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. Smartphones powered by Microsoft’s Windows Phone platform following in the No.4 spot in both regions, but they are oddly all lumped together whereas other entries in JiWire’s top-10 charts are listed by device, not platform. Read on for more. More →

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mobile
December 5, 2011
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Hackers port Siri to iPhone 4, iPod touch; how-to guide now available [video]

By on December 5, 2011 at 9:30 AM.

Hackers port Siri to iPhone 4, iPod touch; how-to guide now available [video]

A group of iOS hackers have managed to successfully port Apple’s virtual assistant software Siri to the iPhone 4 and fourth-generation iPod touch, and the software needed to perform the port is now available to the public. Tech blog InTech-BB posted the necessary links on Sunday along with a how-to guide, and a number of users have reported successfully installing Siri on their devices using the tools and steps provided within the guide. Several users note problems with their cameras after installing the ported Siri software, but a fix is apparently now available. IPhone 4 and fourth-generation iPod touch owners who understand the risks involved with jailbreaking and installing unauthorized software can follow the read link below for a step-by-step tutorial along with a video of Siri in action on an iPhone 4. More →

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Computers
November 23, 2011
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Apple’s big Black Friday sale brings little discounts, leak reveals

By on November 23, 2011 at 8:05 AM.

Apple’s big Black Friday sale brings little discounts, leak reveals

Details surrounding Apple’s Black Friday sale have reportedly been revealed and as has been the case in the past, the discounts afforded are minimal. 9to5Mac on Wednesday published what appear to be images of a pamphlet outlining all of the deals Apple has in store this coming Friday, November 25th. Sale items this year include the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro and iMac, all available for $101 off retail pricing. Discounts on Apple’s iPad 2 will range from $41 for the less expensive models to $61 for the high-end tablets, and Apple is lowering the iPod nano’s price by $11 during its one-day sale. The iPod touch will also see discounts ranging from $21 to $41 depending on capacity, and Apple Stores will offer sale pricing on a host of accessories. Two images of the leaked pamphlet follow below. More →

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