Saturday, June 23, 2012

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Google Android News Android Forums

Samsung gets slapped with another patent infringement case and this time it’s not Apple

Posted: 22 Jun 2012 12:23 PM PDT

Samsung has been involved with numerous patent cases over the last year or so and of course the majority of them involve our favorite Cupertino company, Apple. We just got word of another case involving gesture recognition, but its not Apple. The company is called Flatworld Interactives, LLC and they specialize in commercialization of touchscreen technology.

Flatworld was founded by Dr. Salvko Milekic, a Professor of Cognitive Science & Digital Design at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA. Well he developed gesture recognition touch screens for children, which of course made it easier for them to interact with a computer. Flatworld alleges that Samsung’s Android smartphones, tablets, and their Galaxy Players infringe on U.S. Patent No. RE 43,318, which is titled, User Interface for Removing an Object From a Display.

Interestingly enough Apple is also a victim of Flatworld. A few months ago Flatworld hit them with this same infringement for all Apple touch devices including the iPhone, iPad, and Macs using a Magic Mouse or Magic Trackpad. Hit the break because things get even more interesting.

This alleged patent was originally granted as Patent No. 6,920,619 on July 19, 2005. Supposedly Dr Milekic developed this gesture recognition back in 1998, but didn’t receive the patent until then. He didn’t start Flatworld until 2007, nearly two years after the patent was issued. It turns out that Dr. Milekic assigned the patent to Flatworld and it was reissued to Flatworld as Patent No. RE 43,318 this past April when they went after Apple.

Seriously folks, this patent stuff is just way out of control.

Full Press Release:

Hagens Berman Lawsuit Alleges Samsung Devices Infringe Touchscreen Patent

SEATTLE – Hagens Berman, a nationwide intellectual property law firm specializing in prosecution of infringement claims, today announced that it has filed a patent lawsuit against Samsung Electronics Co. (KSE: 005930.KS) alleging that the company's line of Android-based smart phones and tablets infringe a patent covering the use of certain finger gestures on touchscreen devices.

The lawsuit, filed June 22, 2012, in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware, was filed by Hagens Berman on behalf of Flatworld Interactives, LLC, a company specializing in commercialization of touchscreen technology. The company was founded by Dr. Slavko Milekic, a Professor of Cognitive Science & Digital Design at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, Penn.

According to the complaint, Professor Milekic developed gesture recognition touch screens for use by children as an easier and more intuitive means of interacting with a computer.

The lawsuit alleges that Samsung's Android-based smartphones and tablets, as well as its Samsung Galaxy media player, infringe U.S. Patent No. RE 43,318, entitled User Interface for Removing an Object From a Display, which is registered to Flatworld.

The patent allegedly covers the use of certain finger gestures commonly used on Samsung devices, including a "flick" of the finger used to remove images from the display.

The lawsuit seeks a ruling from the court affirming that Samsung has infringed the patent, an injunction enjoining Samsung from continued infringement, and an award of damages to compensate Flatworld.

About Hagens Berman

Seattle-based Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP represents inventors, workers, whistleblowers, investors and consumers in complex litigation. The firm has offices in Boston, Chicago, Colorado Springs, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York, Phoenix, San Francisco and Washington, D.C.

added source for additional background: pcworld

Acer Iconia Tab A700 now in stock and ready to order at Acer Store

Posted: 22 Jun 2012 11:21 AM PDT

Last week Acer announced its new Iconia Tab A700 was available for pre-order at "national electronics retailers" in the U.S. If you don't want to wait for a retailer, you can now place an order at the Acer Store, which reports the units are "in stock" for the sum of $450.

The Iconia Tab A700 is a 10.1-inch screen tablet with a 1920 x 1200 resolution display. Which means you can get a full 1080p HD experience right on the tablet. Other features include the NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor, 32GB of storage onboard, Dolby Mobile 3+ technology with 5.1 channel surround sound, and the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system.

If you are ready to get your hands on the Iconia A700 now, head on over to the Acer Store and place your order.

source: Acer Store

Taptu now learns what you like to read with Taptu Magic

Posted: 22 Jun 2012 10:59 AM PDT

A lot of you are already familiar with Taptu, and if you aren’t, you might want to give it a try after this latest update. Taptu is a newsreader, but they just added a new feature in version 2.2 called Taptu Magic.

Taptu Magic will analyze what articles you read and then recommend other similar articles. For example, if you follow the Politics Stream and you spend more time on Democratic candidates, Taptu will realize this and will give you more stories on Democratic candidates as opposed to Republican candidates. It works by analyzing how much time you spend on certain stories. So if you actually spend a few minutes on a page reading the article, Taptu Magic will assume you like the topic. If you quickly scan an article for only a few seconds, Taptu will assume it doesn’t interest you so much.

There’s no shortage of newsreader apps out there so Taptu is hoping features like this will give it differentiation. Hit the break for download links and the full presser:

QRCode

Play Store Download Link

Full Press Release:

Announcing Taptu Magic, a New Way to Get News On Your Android Device Based On What You Read and How Engrossed You Become in Particular Articles

The more your read, the more relevant articles you receive. Magic.

CAMBRIDGE, England & DENVER (June 21, 2012) – Today Taptu, the mobile search and technology company that gives users the power to "DJ their news", announces Taptu Magic, a new feature that effortlessly delivers even more relevant news around all of readers' favorite topics.

Taptu Magic analyzes the type of articles you read and recommends others directly into your customized stream for a slick 'flick-based' tablet and smartphone reading experience. Taptu Magic takes into account the time you spend reading each article, recommending articles similar to the ones you spend extensive time on versus those you simply scan. For example, if a user has added the Politics Stream to their feed and is reading mostly news about Democratic candidates, Taptuwill instinctively give them more stories about Democratic election candidates and less about Republicans. Users can also turn Taptu Magic off if they want more general news around a topic.

"Taptu has always distinguished itself from the crowd with its powerful search and aggregation technology which takes any keyword or source and transforms it into a beautiful stream of relevant content," said Taptu CEO Mitch Lazar. "Today, Taptu Magic makes it absolutely effortless for readers to discover the news that will resonate most with them. It really is like magic."

Taptu recently expanded onto the Web with its beta HTML5 site, allowing users to create and share their custom news feeds with anyone even if they don't have the Taptu app installed on their phone or tablet. With the recent addition of user accounts as well, the HTML5 site now lets users bring their content full circle with synchronization across all of their devices.

Sony Xperia Go hits the FCC

Posted: 22 Jun 2012 10:38 AM PDT

Last month Sony announced the Xperia Go, which is an extra durable mid-level phone. It’s scratch proof and resists water and dust. It has a 3.5-inch display, a 1 GHz dual-core processor, a 5MP camera, and Android 2.3 Gingerbread. Well it just hit the FCC, but it most likely won’t be carrier-branded anytime soon. It’s compatible with 3G and Edge here in the U.S., but the HSPA bands aren’t compatible. This certificate is probably only for those that want to import one. I can’t imagine there will be too many of you chomping at the bit to do that, but it’s always nice to have the choice.

source: fcc
via: engadget

 

Gameloft to Release Asphalt 7: Heat on June 25th

Posted: 22 Jun 2012 07:08 AM PDT

As if there wasn’t enough racing games in the Play Store to keep your need for speed at bay for at least a year, Gameloft is gearing up to add yet another one to the mix. Asphalt 7: Heat will be available for download on June 25th and should provide you race fans another outlet to get your fix. This 7th installment in the Asphalt series will have 15 licensed tracks, 60 cars, and looks to have some improved graphics as well. Unfortunately, you will have to wait until next week to get in on the action but in the meantime you can check out the official trailer below to see what’s to come. Anyone interested?

Click here to view the embedded video.

 

Droid RAZR and RAZR MAXX ICS Update Drops Today

Posted: 22 Jun 2012 06:59 AM PDT

RAZR and RAZR MAXX users: After much speculation, your day has finally come.  According to that leaked document up there, the ICS update that you’ve been waiting way too long for is finally coming today.  So charge up that battery and connect to some wifi, because this thing’s coming to you over-the-air soon.

Expect to see a new lockscreen, new widgets, updated Smart Actions, Face unlock, camera improvements, and all the other goodness that comes with ICS.

source: Motorola

via: Engadget

 

Sprint Guardian helps parents keep teens and children safe

Posted: 22 Jun 2012 06:53 AM PDT

If you are a parent of a teenager – someone between 12 and 17 years old –  the odds are pretty good that they have a cell phone or smartphone.  Ensuring safe and responsible use of those mobile devices is a challenge for any parent. Sprint hopes to help with that with the availability of the previously announced Sprint Guardian solution. According to Fared Adib, vice president – Product Development, Sprint, "With Sprint Guardian, Sprint is giving families and individuals tools and information to better manage their wireless experience."  Sprint Guardian is a collection of bundles of services – a Family Safety Bundle and a Mobile Security Bundle.  Sprint Guardian should now be available to customers with many Android powered devices via the Sprint Zone application on their smartphone.

The Family Safety Bundle is a set of services to manage family members' wireless experience. The bundle  includes Mobile Controls, Drive First and Family Locator.  These services enable parents to oversee and control phone use, limiting texting while driving, and locate a child on an interactive map.

The Mobile Security Bundle helps manage phone security by backing up certain data so it can be restored to a new phone, locating lost phones, and even locking and wiping phones. These tools can help protect against identity theft, fraud, and the loss of other data.

The services do come at a cost though. The Family Safety Bundle runs $9.99 per month and the Mobile Security Bundle runs $4.99 per month (also available for $49.99 per year). For parents trying to keep their kids safe and using their mobile devices in a responsible manner, the cost may be well worth it.

More details about pricing and specific services are included in the Sprint press release. Hit the break to read it.

19 June 2012

Sprint Offers Parents a Solution to Help Keep Teens and Children Safe and Use Mobile Devices Responsibly

Sprint Guardian Now Available, Bringing Together Mobile Security and Safety Applications for Families and Individuals

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (BUSINESS WIRE), June 19, 2012 – Among teenagers, smartphones are a lifeline. According to Pew Internet Research, 75 percent of 12- to 17-year-olds now own cell phones, up from 45 percent in 2004.1 To help parents ensure their teens are using smartphones responsibly, Sprint (NYSE: S) announced today the availability of Sprint Guardian, a collection of mobile family safety and device security bundles that provide families tools to help keep their smartphones – and their families — safe and secure. Sprint Guardian is available on many Sprint Android™-powered devices through Sprint Zone. Customers can find Sprint Zone as an icon on their device.2

Sprint Guardian features leading mobile applications from Safely, a division of Location Labs, and Lookout. The family safety bundle from Safely enables families to protect their phone-carrying children through location checks and limits on texting while driving or at school. The device security bundle from Lookout helps customers protect their mobile devices from loss and malware.

"With Sprint Guardian, Sprint is giving families and individuals tools and information to better manage their wireless experience," said Fared Adib, vice president-Product Development, Sprint. "For example, parents can set parameters for when and where their children can text; a Sprint phone can be programmed to stop calls and text messages while driving; and lost phones may be found more easily."

Inside Sprint Guardian: Safely and Lookout

The family safety tools from Safely bring together three applications to help parents keep their kids safe and focused on what matters whether they are at home, at school or on-the-go. Sprint Mobile Controls, Sprint Drive First and Sprint Family Locator are available as a Family Safety bundle for $9.99 per month for up to five lines on the same account.

Lookout Family enables Sprint customers to manage their phone security by protecting against identity theft and fraud, find a family member's missing device when it is lost or stolen, and back up their precious data. Lookout Family bundle is $4.99 per month, or $49.99 per year, for up to five lines on the same account.

In addition to simplicity and convenience for families, Sprint Guardian offers significant cost savings.

Sprint Guardian helps families stay safe and secure
Family Safety BundleManage and monitor your family's wireless experienceSprint Mobile Controls   Sprint Family Locator

Sprint Drive First

 

$9.99 per month (15 day free trial)

Mobile Security Bundle

Protect your family's phones from malware,

phishing, loss and theft

Lookout Mobile Security

$4.99 per month*
  • Locate your child on an interactive map
  • Oversee and control your child's phone use to encourage responsibility
  • Lock your child's phone during family time
  • Help reduce risks of driving distracted
  • Back up contacts, call history and photos and restore them to a new phone
  • Find lost phones
  • Lock and wipe phones to protect personal information

               *Also available for $49.99 per year
Choose both bundles for $14.98 per monthFor a family of five, that offers a 73 percent savings – more than $39 per month – over purchasing each application in the family safety and device security bundles separately

Sprint's Mobile Security and Safety Leadership

Sprint is a leader in mobile security and safety, and Sprint Guardian is just the latest in a series of valuable services Sprint offers to help consumer and enterprise customers manage and protect their devices. For business customers, Sprint announced on May 3 the expansion of the Sprint Professional Mobility Servicesportfolio, a suite of managed and professional solutions designed to help businesses simplify management and security across an increasingly complex mix of devices in the workplace. On an industry-wide level, Sprint launched the Mobile Security Council in 2011 to bring together key players in the mobile ecosystem to address protection, safety and security needs important to consumers and businesses. Charter members of the council are Lookout, Cisco, IBM, Juniper Networks, Motorola Mobility along with its subsidiary 3LM, and Samsung.

About Sprint Nextel

Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint Nextel served more than 56 million customers at the end of the first quarter of 2012 and is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including the first wireless 4G service from a national carrier in the United States; offering industry-leading mobile data services, leading prepaid brands including Virgin Mobile USA, Boost Mobile, and Assurance Wireless; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. The American Customer Satisfaction Index rated Sprint No. 1 among all national carriers and most improved in customer satisfaction across all industries during the last four years. Newsweekranked Sprint No. 3 in its 2011 Green Rankings, listing it as one of the nation's greenest companies, the highest of any telecommunications company. You can learn more and visit Sprint at www.sprint.com orwww.facebook.com/sprint and www.twitter.com/sprint.

1According to a 2010 Pew Internet Research study.

2The Sprint Zone application currently is not available on the Nexus S 4G or Samsung Moment devices.

 

 

Poweramp Gets Updated And Brings Action Bar Support To ICS Devices, While Officially Supporting The HTC One X Smartphone

Posted: 22 Jun 2012 06:46 AM PDT

Audio aficionados rejoice as the Poweramp music player app has just been updated to bring a mostly modern and fresh look to ICS-based devices in addition to several other noteworthy features. In addition to support for the HTC One X line of smartphones, the new update brings action bar support to both ICS and Honeycomb devices, an improved music folder selection, a full settings revamp and full support for the German, Italian, Spanish, Chinese Traditional languages among other things.

The newly updated app is available in the Play Store now, so be sure to hit the Play Store link or scan the QR code to grab yourself app today.

Play Store link

 

Could the HTC One XXL with 2GB of RAM and quad-core Snapdragon be on the way?

Posted: 22 Jun 2012 06:38 AM PDT

As everyone knows, the international HTC One X has the NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core processor and to make things work with LTE, they created the HTC One XL that is essentially the same phone, but with the dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4. This is essentially what is available on AT&T, but marketed as the One X, a little confusing I know. Now Samsung did the same thing with their Galaxy S III. In their international version, they included an Exynos quad-core processor, but the LTE versions have the dual-core Snapdragon S4 as well. There is one other difference in that Samsung threw in 2GB of RAM as opposed to 1GB. So they one upped HTC, but do you think HTC is going to sit back and do nothing?

A leaked screenshot shows us that the One XXL will add that additional 1GB of RAM to make it 2GB total. HTC didn’t stop there though. Supposedly it will also sport a quad-core Snapdragon S4 (APQ8064 at 1.6GHz ). It will still be LTE so it could essentially be available here in the USA and in Canada. What is puzzling is the GPU. The original has the Adreno 350, but supposedly this one has the Andreno 320 so we don’t know what to say there. Either way, I would surely welcome this beast with open arms. Stay tuned and hit the break for a short video showing the screenshot.

Click here to view the embedded video.

 

source: smartdroid
via: phandroid

 

Motorola DROID Bionic Software Update Version 6.7.2233 Leaks Out, Includes Android 4.0.4 Glory

Posted: 22 Jun 2012 06:27 AM PDT

 

Good news for you Motorola DROID Bionic owners. While Motorola and Verizon has owners of the device playing the waiting game for the official ICS update due later in the year, a leaked software version 6.7.2233 update has leaked for the smartphone which includes the latest Android 4.0.4 version and is ready for those who are fearless and ready to get a taste of that Holo goodness. The phone is already smooth with Gingerbread 2.3, but while this leaked is not official— reports are coming in that it’s super smooth and amazing.

While the update seems to be working fine for those who’ve successfully flashed the update to their devices, actually flashing the update certainly looks rather intimidating for beginners and is probably not for the faint of heart. Still, having ICS on the Bionic is definitely worth it in the end. If you’re an owner and are interested in getting a bite out of the 4.0.4 sandwich, hit the break in order to see the source link as well as video of the update in action.

 

Click here to view the embedded video.

source: Droid Hive
Posted by at 5:54 AM

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