Samsung got a reduction on the $1.05 billion of damages it was ordered to pay Apple last year. Judge Lucy Koh, who presided over the mega trial ordered a reevaluation of $450.5 million of the initial damages awarded to Apple to take place in a new trial with a different jury.
The new trial will involve 14 Samsung devices whose per-product damages from the first trial were found to be questionable. Some of the notable Korean devices include the Samsung Nexus S 4G, Infuse 4G, AT&T Galaxy S II, and the Galaxy Tab.
Having a new trial means that, depending on which way deliberations swing, Apple could receive a larger amount awarded in a judgment, or Samsung might get a break in the amount it owes its rival.
The new trial will not take place until appeals of the current verdict have ended. We honestly can't see an end to the saga in the near future.
The Apple vs. Samsung lawsuit settlement that had Samsung paying more than $1 billion for patent infringement has been halved by the case's federal judge today.
The reason for the reduced settlement is that the August jury awarded damages improperly and excessively for the Samsung devices that infringed upon Apple's patents, according to Northern District of California Judge Lucy Koh.
As software patent blog Foss Patents explains it more indepthly, "the jury set only one damages figure per product, but half a dozen different intellectual property rights were found infringed."
The 14 infringing Samsung devices are the Galaxy S2, Galaxy Prevail, Gem, Indulge, Infuse 4G, Captivate, Continuum, Droid Charge, Epic 4G, Exhibit 4G, Galaxy Tab, Nexus S 4G, Replenish, and Transform.
This leaves Apple with about $598.9 million from the $1.05 billion in damages the jury had originally awarded the company.
Apple vs. Samsung retrial
In addition to halving the Apple vs. Samsung settlement, Judge Koh ordered a new trial to sort out the improperly calculated damages.
The case has the potential to move Washington D.C. to the U.S. Federal Circuit Court of Appeals, which handles patent appeals, surmises the Mercury News' Howard Mintz, covering on the legal affairs beat.
There's also a second Apple vs. Samsung legal battle going on over Samsung's newest phones, and Siri is front and center of that spring 2014-set case.
Judge Koh, however, wants the two warring companies to go one lawsuit at a time, urging Apple and Samsung to finish the appeals process before moving onto this new court case.
We're imagining a van stalking behind you to provide coverage
As more and more users adopt cell phones and smartphones using 4G networks, the bandwith is becoming more and more clogged.
Anticipating the next leap in network coverage, Japan's NTT DoCoMo mobile operator teamed with the Tokyo Institute of Technology (TIT) to conduct the first 10Gbps wireless test.
The study went down in December, and used a mobile station (i.e. - a van loaded with equipment) to attempt transmission in the 400MHz bandwidth of the 11GHz spectrum.
Using some two dozen different antennas, NTT and TIT were able to maintain an uplink rate of 10Gbps while traveling at a consistent speed on the road.
Like a 5G
NTT DoCoMo is hoping to run more tests uploading at 10Gbps on the 5Ghz (5G) "superhigh frequency band," despite that wavelength being troublesome for wireless transmissions.
Superhigh frequency bands don't typically allow signals to travel over long distances, and become even more unreliable when trying to transmit in and around buildings.
Lower frequencies (like 3G, 4G, and 4G LTE) have been the preferred method for mobile carriers to this point precisely for that reason, but NTT has reason to suspect it will be able to find a solution.
It's unlikely 5G will become readily available any time soon, so those of you who just upgraded to 4G or 4G LTE networks won't have to worry about being outpaced just yet.
The future applications remain a mystery pending further testing, but NTT's research could provide insight into a whole new way for data to be transmitted from mobile devices in a few years.
Google Glass could hypothetically display flight status
It's easy to imagine using Google Glass for hands-free directions, phone calls, video recording and more, but JetBlue took it one step further in a Google+ post this week.
The airline piggybacked the #ifihadglass social media campaign to remind its fans that it's the coolest airline around, publishing several pictures of imaginative ways to use Google Glass in and around an airport.
If that sounds a little twisted to you, JetBlue's hypothetical Google Glass uses might just make you feel better.
An end to futile parking spot searches? Yes, please
And that's why we want Google Glass
Hypothetically speaking, of course.
JetBlue posted on Google+, "#ifihadglass we would continue to help the world view air travel through a whole new lens," and included several mock-ups of Google Glass being used around an airport.
First, Google Glass could display in real-time how much space is left in a parking structure when you're driving up.
It could display your flight status without you having to search frantically for a TV screen in the airport, then point out available power outlets while you're waiting to board.
After the flight, Google Glass could tell you where your baggage will be and when it will arrive.
Know how much you owe before you step in the cab
Finally, JetBlue contends that Google Glass could estimate your cab fare outside the airport.
We have a winner
JetBlue stands a respectable chance of taking the crown in the #ifihadglass campaign with these ideas, though no doubt if it really wanted a prototype Google would probably supply it one regardless - especially with applications like these in mind.
In related news, the airline posted a comment response to a request that it adds these features to smartphone apps before looking to future tech like Google Glass.
"We're always looking at features to add to our Android and iOS apps," JetBlue wrote, "and love the idea of streamlining the experience, not just from gate to gate, but from door to door."
It added that mobile boarding passes for Android are "nearly here."
Google Glass could hypothetically display flight status
It's easy to imagine using Google Glass for hands-free directions, phone calls, video recording and more, but JetBlue took it one step further in a Google+ post this week.
The airline piggybacked the #ifihadglass social media campaign to remind its fans that it's the coolest airline around, publishing several pictures of imaginative ways to use Google Glass in and around an airport.
If that sounds a little twisted to you, JetBlue's hypothetical Google Glass uses might just make you feel better.
An end to futile parking spot searches? Yes, please
And that's why we want Google Glass
Hypothetically speaking, of course.
JetBlue posted on Google+, "#ifihadglass we would continue to help the world view air travel through a whole new lens," and included several mock-ups of Google Glass being used around an airport.
First, Google Glass could display in real-time how much space is left in a parking structure when you're driving up.
It could display your flight status without you having to search frantically for a TV screen in the airport, then point out available power outlets while you're waiting to board.
After the flight, Google Glass could tell you where your baggage will be and when it will arrive.
Know how much you owe before you step in the cab
Finally, JetBlue contends that Google Glass could estimate your cab fare outside the airport.
We have a winner
JetBlue stands a respectable chance of taking the crown in the #ifihadglass campaign with these ideas, though no doubt if it really wanted a prototype Google would probably supply it one regardless - especially with applications like these in mind.
In related news, the airline posted a comment response to a request that it adds these features to smartphone apps before looking to future tech like Google Glass.
"We're always looking at features to add to our Android and iOS apps," JetBlue wrote, "and love the idea of streamlining the experience, not just from gate to gate, but from door to door."
It added that mobile boarding passes for Android are "nearly here."
The HTC One features an aluminium body, 4.7-inch HD screen and intriguing camera tech
The HTC One is set to hit the UK's streets on March 15, and networks are rushing to stake a claim on the company's new flagship Android phone.
However, there's far more to the story than that: what about pre-orders? Prices? Thoughts about whether it's worth buying a phone that you've not held properly?
Don't worry - we've spent some time browsing the relevant catalogues and come up with the prices, plans and pontifications you need to worry about before thinking about shelling out your hard-earned.
EE
The first network to decide it's worth bringing you the new HTC handset, this network is also one of the most pricey. It's offering the One from 'mid-March' and will cost you the princely sum of £69.99 up front and £41 a month from then on - and that's on a 24 month deal.
On the plus side you get mega speeds, movies and other assorted treats - but they may not be enough to make up for the lack of food in your life given the amounts you'll be spending.
Launch date: Mid-March
Greatest data allowance plan cost: 3GB allowance on 4G: £69.99 for phone, £41 a month
Vodafone
The red network has decided you can get this handset on a pretty good deal - if you think a free phone from £42 a month is such a thing.
The good news is that you can get this handset in BLACK rather than just boring ol' aluminium / silver - and apparently our eyes are deceiving us when we argue it looks heaps like the BlackBerry Z10.
The phone is being badged as '4G-ready' too, something that many manufacturers are doing given they're getting ready to make, you know, 4G ready.
Launch date: March 15
Greatest data allowance plan cost: 2GB of data: free phone, £42 a month
Three
Three was another early one to chat about its HTC One aspirations - dubbing it 'Ultrafast ready' rather than 4G, although that incorporates the next-gen network.
You can pre-order the phone right now, and it even comes on PAYG for £479.99 - that's if you've got that much spare change just sitting around. It comes in black on the numerical network, which is a plus if you want one to match your Batman outfit.
Launch date: March 15
Greatest data allowance plan cost: £69.99 for phone, £36 a month for the One Plan
Orange and T-Mobile
The two EE sub-brands are still fighting for customers below their EE overlord, and are offering the HTC One on some lower contracts as they look to nab those that aren't overly fussed about 4G.
It's interesting to note that neither offer a delivery date, and vary pretty dramatically in terms of cost, simply because Orange doesn't offer an unlimited plan.
Launch date: Unknown
Greatest data allowance plan cost: £29.99 for phone, £41 a month for 3GB data on Orange / £69.99 for phone, £36 a month for unlimited data on T-Mobile
O2
The bubbly network isn't going to be left out when it comes to the HTC One, but it's not going to be the cheapest if you're desperate to get your hands on the new phone with this supplier.
You do get the normal amount of treats though, such as O2 Priority, but many will see other networks as massively cheaper. And it doesn't even come with a charger - although this is a pretty eco-friendly move, and you've probably already got one.
Launch date: March 15
Greatest data allowance plan cost: £29.99 for phone, £47 a month for 4GB of data
Phones 4U
If you toddle down to one of 11 Phones4U stores now, you can be among the first in the world to have a go on the HTC One (which we already have, no big deal). You'll also be able to pre-order the handset with a few freebies for early orderers helping to sweeten the deal.
You'll be able to get the HTC One handset from Phones4U for free on a £36 per month contract on several networks from March 15. Want it in silver? Want it in black? Want it in gold? You can't get it in gold. Sorry. But there are headphones on offer as well - Dr Dre will be happy.
Launch date: March 15
Greatest data allowance plan cost: Free phone, £41 a month for 3GB of data on Orange
The Carphone Warehouse
As for Carphone Warehouse, the first 1000 people to pre-order the HTC One will get a free pair of Beats headphones, as well as being offered in black and silver.
You'll have to make like it's 1996 and call up to do that (the number is 0800 925 925), or you can hang on until March 15 when the handset will be available in-store and online.
Launch date: March 15
Greatest data allowance plan cost: Free phone, £40 a month for unlimted data on Three. (But no Beats headphones).
HTC One features
Of course, there's more to life than how much something costs - the HTC One comes with a whole host of new features that we've rounded up in a lovely and efficient manner below:
HTC One makes its debut with snap-happy Zoe on its arm
HTC's newest flagship Android phone: the HTC One has finally landed in all its aluminium uni-body, feature-packed glory. It's a good looking phone, slim with rounded corners and a premium look.
It's rocking a 4.7-inch Full HD display with a quad-core 1.7GHz Snapdragon processor on the inside. There's also 2GB of DDR2 RAM to play with and the handset will be available in 32GB and 64GB models.
It's well-documented that HTC hasn't had the best of it recently, with the profits slumping and market share down. So the HTC One is the firm's new attempt at a market-leading handset, and with an all-aluminium body, super-high-res 4.7-inch HD screen and futuristic camera technology hint that this could be something of a winner. So how does it stack up?
HTC One vs Samsung Galaxy S3 vs Sony Xperia Z vs iPhone 5
A few years ago, if you weren't on an iPhone or a BlackBerry, chances were you were rocking an HTC Android device with a big clock on the homescreen. But times change - and Samsung got busy with its Galaxy line, ultimately stealing the top Android spot from HTC and making HTC wince. We've compared the HTC One against the S3, the Xperia Z and the iPhone 5 to see how it fares.
Acer had a modest showing at the MWC - the Liquid E1 was there, but it was announced a month earlier. In fact, the company didn’t announce anything new, though the president of Acer's Smartphone Business left some clues about a new device – a phablet - in an interview for the official MWC paper.
The phablet is called Acer Liquid S. There are no specific specs mentioned, here’s what the president of the group had to say in this advertorial:
Acer currently does not have a quad-core phone (or phablets), only its tablets have quad-core processors. So, this phablet, the Acer Liquid S, will be their first non-tablet quad-core device.
But what exactly does “phablet” mean nowadays anyway? We don’t agree with the 4.7” and above screen size definition by Acer. Recently announced 5-inch screens are pushing the boundaries of the definition. It was last year's flagships that first hit the 4.7” mark - phones such as the Samsung Galaxy S III, HTC One X and others.
The Galaxy Note II and the Optimus G Pro with 5.5” screens might be the lower-end of the phablet range, while the Asus Fonepad puts the maximum at 7”. So the Acer Liquid S can be anything in between.
Well, this was as vague as an announcement can get, while still counting as an announcement. You can bet we’ll be on the lookout for more specific info on the Acer Liquid S.
Like Hz0 which we saw last year, P2i protects your phone on a molecular level making liquid substances bounce off the motherboard and various other internals. The advantage of this type of protection is that it doesn't involve the vacuum caps and lids, which some devices feature (the Xperia Z comes to mind) and the phone has all the usual open spots like a headphone jack, micro USB port, etc.
According to sources, Nokia is working with P2i on a water-repelling phone for 2013. The two companies reportedly struck a deal at the Mobile World Congress a couple of days ago but there's no word on what phone (perhaps plural?) will have the coating.
P2i has reportedly worked with Alcatel One Touch devices, the new Huawei Ascend D2, Motorola, etc.
Rumor has it that the upcoming Lumia 1000 EOS with the PureView sensor on board could be the pioneer Guinea pig.
The Apple iWatch is far from confirmed but the sheer number of rumours relating to this mythical gadget have our curiosity well and truly piqued.
Since it's Friday, we pored over all the rumours, speculation and wish lists that have emerged so far and put together this 3D render to show what the device could look like.
As well as showing off the looks, we've speculated about functionality; we reckon there'll be a dinky Lightning connector port for charging as well as super-speedy data transfer.
Getting Siri-ous
We'd also be surprised if Siri didn't get involved somehow, and would expect connectivity to your iPhone so you can make and receive calls from the watch's interface as standard.
Have a butcher's at the video for yourself and let us know if you think we're spot on or hilariously wide of the mark in the comments below.
BlackBerry has just released the first update for its latest BlackBerry 10 operating system. The only available smartphone powered by the BB10 - the BlackBerry Z10 can get the update over-the-air.
The 10.0.10.85 update weighs in at 150MB and boosts the smartphone performance, battery life, low-light camera capabilities, etc.
Here are the Top 5 changes in the official changelog.
3rd Party App Performance - We’ve improved performance for 3rd party applications, so developers can build apps that run fast and smooth for you. With this update, you might want to keep an eye out for some fresh new app launches in March, like WhatsApp.
Phone, Calendar, and Contacts - Among the top improvements and features are fixes for Gmail calendars on BlackBerry 10. You’ll also find improvements in the BlackBerry Hub for logging calls log and how conversations are handled. We’ve also made general improvements to importing contacts from online sources.
Camera - We’ve optimized the camera for better photos in low-light situations. You’ll love the difference this makes for photos where you don’t use a flash – like the Time Shift Camera feature.
Browser and Media - With more and more of you using the gorgeous screen on the BlackBerry Z10 to consume online videos and media, we’ve made a number of improvements to the software in the way the browser handles video playback to provide a fantastic experience.
Battery Life - The software team has included a number of battery life optimizations with over 60 battery saving improvements since launch to keep you moving. These combined improvements are designed so that you see improvements in battery life and heavy users especially should see a longer average usage per charge cycle.
The update comes shortly after the official BlackBerry 10 launch, so it seems BlackBerry is working hard on constantly improving the new operating system. The next BB10 device - the QWERTY-fied BlackBerry Q10 - is to be released around April.
In case you own a Z10 smartphone and you didn't get the OTA notification, you can manually check for the update from the Software Update settings. The update rolls out gradually, so it might take a few days until it appears for you. Our test Z10 device, for example, is still on the waiting list.
According to SamMobile, the Galaxy S4 will launch in two colour variants: the rather uninspiring black and white with no fancy blue option in sight.
Of course, even if the Galaxy S4 only launches in black and white, that doesn't mean a blue hue won't arrive at a later date. The Galaxy S3 picked up various additional finishes after launch including red, grey, amber and black.
Six to choose from
As well as two choices of colour, SamMobile also claims the Galaxy S4 will offer customers three different volumes of internal storage - 16GB, 32GB and 64GB - giving a total of six different combinations.
According to this report it doesn't look as though Samsung is going to try and match the huge 128GB of storage you can get in an iPhone 5, but the Galaxy SIV will more than likely have a microSD slot allowing you to build on the internal offering anyway.
We won't know for sure until the Samsung Galaxy S4 launch event, but luckily that's only two weeks away with a date set on March 14 in New York and TechRadar will be there to bring you all the news as it happens.
Samsung Galaxy Note 8: almost indistinguishable from Cheryl Cole
MWC 2013 really reminded us of Girls Aloud, the pop phenomenon that's reunited for one last tour: while the girls are officially equals, Cheryl Cole is a much bigger star than all the others combined. MWC's Cheryl was Samsung.
Samsung might not have turned up in a frighteningly tight corset and towering heels, but it managed to be part of the event while eclipsing it altogether: it showed off the Galaxy Note 8.0 and some mid-range phones such as the Galaxy Young, and then it dropped an S4-shaped bomb. "Hey everyone!" Samsung said. "We'll unveil the Galaxy S4 in a fortnight!"
In the spotlight
Samsung, like many other tech giants, has decided that it'll shine more brightly if it goes solo. Big shows such as MWC (and CES, and GDC and E3) are rather like crowded market squares, everyone competing for attention. Standalone launch events do a much better job of attracting headlines, which is why Samsung's doing the S4 launch separately, Microsoft's stopped doing CES and Sony chose to unveil the PS4 at its own event. Trade shows are increasingly being left to the mid-market players, with the big stars doing their own separate shows.
If Samsung is Cheryl Cole, that makes Sony the MWC Nadine Coyle, smiling through gritted teeth as everybody tells Samsung how talented and gorgeous it is. "The Xperia Z should be the star!" Sony probably muttered in a Northern Irish accent. "And the Xperia Tablet Z too!"
Elsewhere on the floor we had some new Nokias. The Nokia Lumia 720 "doesn't have the high end features we've come to expect from the more expensive Lumias but it does have a decent spec sheet for something that's bound to be available on next-to-nothing contracts," says Dan Grabham, while the budget Lumia 520 is "low end but not low rent". "It's not a handset for those who really want a Windows Phone, but rather it's one for those who want a budget smartphone. For that type of purchaser, the cheap and cheerful nature of the 520 will surely appeal." There's also an incredibly cheap feature phone, the fun and funky Nokia 105.
Big star
Have you ever held your phone and thought, "This is all well and good, but it's far too comfortable and portable"? If you have then there's good news from ZTE, whose Grand Memo is quite ridiculously large. The screen is a massive 5.7 inches, which makes it bigger than Sarah Harding. That means Motorola's Razr HD must be MWC's Kimberley Walsh: good-looking, perfectly lovely and completely eclipsed by more ambitious rivals. James Rivington says it's "nice".
While LG and Fujitsu had plenty of phones to show off, Huawei was the manufacturer with something kinda ooh: its Ascend P2 claims to be the world's fastest smartphone thanks to some sparkly new LTE technology and high-speed Wi-Fi.
That leaves Asus, the Nicola Roberts of this year's MWC: while everyone else was perfectly professional and, let's be honest, a little bit dull, Asus went a bit brilliantly mad. First up there was the Padfone Infinity, a tablet with a detachable phone, and then there was the Fonepad, a tablet that's also a phone.
Last but not least we had HP, a firm with a whole lotta history: according to Head of Mobility Alberto Torres, HP is going to be "a leader in the tablet space and eventually smartphones." We can't help thinking that HP's tablet adventures so far rather resemble Nadine Coyle's solo album, Insatiable, described by reviewers as "homogenised" with a "by-the-numbers approach" that lacked "the individuality to stand out in a [saturated] marketplace". Maybe we'll live to see the day when HP calls the shots once more.
BlackBerry Z10 users rejoice, the first software update for your shiny new smartphone has arrived bringing with it battery and camera joy.
Some have bemoaned the fact that the battery on the Z10 wasn't lasting a full day, but BlackBerry claims it has made more than 60 battery-saving improvements which will especially benefit power users.
The camera gets some treatment in version 10.0.10.85 of the BlackBery 10 update, as it is now optimised to perform better in low light.
App attack
The new software will also hopefully see a new influx of applications to BlackBerry World, as apparently performance has now been improved for 3rd party apps allowing them to deliver a faster and smoother experience to users.
BlackBerry has confirmed that WhatsApp will finally arrive on the handset in March, something we hoped would be available from day one after the Canadian firm made a big deal out of WhatsApp being "fully behind BB 10" during its launch event.
Things such as the phone, calendar, contacts and browser have also been given a tweak by BlackBerry and the 150MB download is available over the air (OTA).
We checked for the new software on our BlackBerry Z10 but it currently wasn't showing up. These things tend to take a couple of weeks to hit every handset, so you may need to be patient.
Sony showed off the Xperia ZL and the Xperia Tablet Z at the MWC, but no unannounced models. But unannounced models are starting to pile up in the rumor mill, the latest is the Sony Xperia C670X.
As a comparison, the Xperia ZL model name is the C650X, while the Xperia Z is the C660X. Recently we saw some browser info on the Sony C680X and wondered if there will be a C670X. Well, most probably, yes – at least that's what a tipster told XperiaBlog.net.
The C670X sounds like an HTC One competitor, judging by its rumored specs. It will reportedly have a 4.8” 1080p screen, a Snapdragon 600 chipset with a quad-core Krait 300 CPU at 1.8GHz, a 13MP camera Exmore RS camera and will run Android 4.2 Jelly Bean.
The tip was accompanied by a rendered frontal image of the Sony Xperia C670X, which may not be legit. Still, if it's real, judging by 4.8” diagonal of the screen, we estimate the phone will measure 133.7 x 70.1mm. That’s slightly shorter but wider than the HTC One (137.4 x 68.2 mm). The Sony C670X has no hardware buttons on the front, which accounts for the height difference.
Will the C670X/C680X duo relate to each other as the Xperia Z / ZL (C650X/C660X)? We are yet to see. Well, this rumor doesn’t have a lot of evidence behind it (we checked the usual benchmarks scores sites and such, nothing yet), so keep your salt shaker around while reading this.
Corning, the company that makes Gorilla Glass, doesn't think that phone makers will be able to take advantage of flexible screens for at least three more years.
Gorilla Glass is a robust screen material already found in handsets ranging from iPhones to the Samsung Galaxy S3 and beyond.
Not content with strength, Corning has also gone after bend-ability with its latest iteration, known as Willow, which is a glass that can be bent and rolled up like newspaper.
Flexiglass
But therein lies the problem, according to Corning president James Clappin.
"People are not accustomed to glass you roll up, " he said in an interview with Bloomberg. "The ability of people to take it and use it to make a product is limited."
That doesn't mean a three-year wait before we see any Willow-toting products; rather that some simple gadgets may start using it (solar panels, for example) before it makes its way to the complex computational beast you keep in your pocket.
The wait is finally over for the AT&T owners of the Sony Xperia TL smartphone as the Jelly Bean update for your droids is now available.
The Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean is said to have a much smoother UI and also has an extended battery mode option. The update also brings the built-in HDR camera capability and the Wi-Fi connection appears to be more stable than before.
Furthermore, the browser quick commands wheel in the labs section is well organized and responsive. The keyboard too is more sensible now and the update will surely refresh the Xperia TL user experience.
The Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean update is currently available through the PC Companion and there seems to be no over-the-air option for now.
Microsoft's Windows Phone 8 powered smartphones will be in line for the future OS upgrades and the users of the WP 8 will not be left high and dry unlike the Windows Phone 7.x owners, who weren't able to update to Windows Phone 8.
The good news for all the folks with WP8 is that the platform might be upgraded to the next major OS release in the coming future, according to Greg Sullivan, a senior marketing manager at Microsoft.
The fact that Microsoft did not offer OS future upgrades to their initial WP 7.x smartphones resulted in the poor sales of the WP smartphones. Of course, the next iteration of Windows Phone 8 OS has been a star performer for the company and has helped the company achieve new heights.
The upcoming Windows Phone operating system upgrade is rumored to be codenamed as "Windows Phone Blue". Let's all hope that the upgrades would arrive sooner than later.
