Apple adds Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, Galaxy Note 10.1 to Samsung lawsuit

Apple is trying to add Android 4.1, Jelly Bean, and the Galaxy Note 10.1 to yet another patent infringement court case against Samsung in California.

Apple argued yesterday that Samsung’s Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet and the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean operating system infringe on its patents and should be added to an existing California lawsuit against Samsung.

Appearing in a federal court in San Jose, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul S. Grewal, Apple’s lawyers sought to expand the lawsuit against Samsung with additional patent infringement claims. This follows Samsung’s attempt to add patent infringement claims against the new iPhone 5 back on October 1.

The judge has not issued a ruling yet.

Most notable among Apple’s claims is the inclusion of Google’s Android 4.1 operating system, also known as Jelly Bean. Apple insisted that the Galaxy Nexus is the only phone with Jelly Bean that it is seeking to add to the patent complaint, for now. The implications of this are serious for Google and it’s the first time that Apple has included the Android platform specifically in its cases against Samsung.

It seems the Cupertino-based company is also now looking to add devices with a stylus, such as the Galaxy Note 10.1, and Apple’s attorney mentioned adding a further 17 devices that could use a stylus, but don’t ship with one.

This case is not scheduled for trial until 2014.

We will find a resolution to the highest profile case so far sooner than that. The jury verdict saw Apple awarded $1.05 billion in damages. As we reported before, Apple is seeking more money while Samsung is claiming juror misconduct. Those arguments will be heard in December and there will also be a decision on Apple’s attempt to get eight Samsung smartphones banned from sale in the U.S.

We’ll keep you posted on all the news about Judge Grewal’s decision and the December hearing as it breaks.

Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/apple-adds-galaxy-note-10-1-and-android-4-1-jelly-bean-to-samsung-lawsuit/

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HTC DNA leaks in official photo

Is greatness in its DNA?

HTC is readying a 5-inch mobile-cum-tablet for the western market, and here's what appears to be its first official photo.

The HTC DNA is a repackaging of the HTC J Butterfly, a challenger to the Galaxy Note 2 that only launched in Japan.

The specs are said to be nigh-on identical to the J Butterfly, with a 5-inch screen that has a resolution equal to a 1080p HD TV. With 1,080x1,920 pixels, the screen resolution will be an eye-popping 440 pixels per inch (ppi). To put that in context, the iPhone 5's retina display only manages 326ppi. So the DNA should look amazing.

If the spec list is correct, it should be a real challenger to the Galaxy Note 2's phablet crown. It should have an 8-megapixel camera on the back, capable of shooting 1080p video, with 16GB storage and 2GB of RAM.

A Qualcomm Snapdragon processor should be inside, powering things, and it should come with Android Jelly Bean 4.1 straight out of the box.

December release

According to previous leaks, the DNA should be on sale in the US next month. There's no word of a European release as yet.

Samsung's Galaxy Note 2 has been a huge hit, selling 3 million units since it was announced in September. So the DNA could piggyback off some of that success.

HTC has been struggling of late, with profits down 79 per cent on the same time last year. October didn't prove any better for the Taiwanese company.

Via @evleaks

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/htc-dna-leaks-in-official-photo-1110764

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LG Optimus L9 arrives in Europe

Put with the Nexus 4 for company, who would buy it?

The LG Optimus L9 has touched down in Germany, where consumers can purchase the smartphone online SIM-free.

Available for €299 (around £240) on Amazon, LG has been slow to roll out the Optimus L9 to Europe, making it available in Asia and the US first.

It's the most powerful handset in the Korean firm's L-Style range, with the disappointing LG Optimus L7, and rather uninspiring Optimus L3 already on sale in Britain, while the Optimus L5 remains pretty anonymous.

Middle of the road

LG lifted the lid of the Optimus L9 at the end of August, revealing its 4.7-inch True IPS display, 1GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, 5MP camera and Android 4.0 innards.

There's nothing here to get the heart racing, but if LG keep the Optimus L9 at a competitively low price it could turn out to be a decent mid-range phone – we just hope it works better than the L7.

LG may have cannibalised the Optimus L9's sales though; with the Google Nexus 4 boasting far superior specifications and starting at just £239 SIM-free, we're not sure who would plump for the L9.

We have contacted LG to find out if the Optimus L9 will make it across the channel to Britain, and we'll update this article once we hear back.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/lg-optimus-l9-arrives-in-europe-1110729

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Super-sized ZTE Windows Phone 8 handset appears online

Would you like fries with that?

ZTE could be readying a huge Windows Phone 8 smartphone, after an employee posted a photo of a previously unseen handset online.

The picture appeared on China's version of Twitter, Weibo, and was posted by ZTE's head of market strategy Lu Qian Hao.

There are two handsets in the image, one white and one black, and according to the message which accompanied the post the phones boast a super-sized 5.9-inch display with a full HD resolution.

Phablet wars

If genuine this huge ZTE handset will have the likes of the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 and LG Optimus Vu 2 for company at the smartphone-tablet hybrid end of the mobile market.

Something which does raise our suspicious though is that Windows Phone 8 doesn't currently support full HD displays, so unless Microsoft has an update on the way, it's unlikely this ZTE handset will be able to boast such as high resolution screen.

There's no word on a name for this mega smartphone, nor is there any sign of a release date, but previous reports have suggested the Chinese manufacturer will look to launch its first Windows Phone 8 in early 2013 – so watch this (huge) space.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/super-sized-zte-windows-phone-8-handset-appears-online-1110711

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Motorola gives you the keys to its Atrix HD with the new Developer Edition

Motorola has announced a special Developer Edition of its Atrix HD Android phone. Designed for those who want to customize their Atrix HD, it comes with the option of unlocking the bootloader, allowing the installation of custom software.

Motorola is sure to please developers and those amongst us who like to customize our Android phones with its latest device, the Atrix HD. “Hold on,” you’re probably thinking, “that’s already been announced once.” Indeed it has, but this time it’s a special Developer Edition.

What makes the phone special is its unlockable bootloader, which in English, means once Motorola has provided a unique code to unlock the handset, owners are free to install their own custom versions of Android, run test versions of apps, and generally customize the phone to their heart’s content.

This isn’t the first time Motorola has offered such a phone either, with both the Razr, Razr M and the Razr HD all receiving Developer Editions in the past. Being given the keys to the Android kingdom isn’t without its price though, as once you’ve started fiddling with the bootloader, you can say goodbye to your warranty. Our advice is, be sure you know what you’re doing before you start.

Motorola’s Atrix HD was announced in July this year, and we gave it an impressive 8/10 in our review, highlighting in particular the excellent $100 price tag with AT&T. For that you get a 4.5-inch touchscreen with a 1280 x 720 pixel resolution, a 1.5GHz Snapdragon processor and an 8-megapixel camera. A relatively untouched version of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich is installed as standard, but there’s no word on when 4.1 Jelly Bean will arrive.

Don’t expect to pick up the Developer Edition as cheaply as AT&T’s deal though, as it’s not available on contract. It won’t be priced as low as the new Nexus 4 either — a phone that’s also easily unlocked.

Motorola hasn’t provided a release date or a price for the Atrix HD Developer Edition, and suggests those interested should register for updates on its website.

Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/motorola-releases-unlocked-developer-edition-of-its-atrix-hd/

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AT&T to sell off-contract Nokia Lumia 920 for $450, 820 for $400

Yesterday, AT&T announced the on-contract pricing of three of its incoming Windows Phone 8 handsets, including the Nokia Lumia 920 (they have exclusivity on this one in the US) and the Lumia 820.

Today they put those two up for pre-order and revealed the off-contract prices of these phones. The Lumia 920 will set you back $450 (or $100 with a 2-year contract), while the Nokia Lumia 820 is a bit cheaper at $400 ($50 with a 2-year contract).

The HTC Windows Phone 8X is not available for pre-order for now, so we don't know its off-contract pricing just yet.

Here's a quick comparison table of other AT&T prices:

Phone	with 2-year contract	Off contract
Google Nexus 4 (16GB)	-	$350
Nokia Lumia 900 (16GB)	$1	$400
Nokia Lumia 820 (8GB, microSD)	$50	$400
Nokia Lumia 920 (32GB)	$100	$450
Sony Xperia TL (16GB, microSD)	$100	$450
HTC One X (32GB)	$100	$500
HTC WP 8X (16GB)	$200	TBA
LG Optimus G (32GB)	$200	$550
Samsung Galaxy S III (16GB, microSD)	$200	$550
Apple iPhone 5 (16GB)	$200	$650

If you pre-order now, the Nokia Lumia duo can be at your doorstep in two days' time.

Source | Via

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/at_t_to_sell_offcontract_nokia_lumia_920_for_450_820_for_400-news-5051.php

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1080p Droid DNA tipped for launch at Verizon and HTC’s November 13 event

HTC and Verizon have sent out invitations to a press event on November 13, where it's rumored to be announcing the Droid DNA, the US version of Japan's J Butterfly smartphone that's equipped with a 5-inch, 1080p display.

Phone fans could be in for a treat next week, as HTC and Verizon have sent out invitations to a press event to be held in New York on November 13, where we could get the first 1080p smartphone/tablet hybrid launched outside Japan.

The invite doesn’t appear to contain any hidden messages, showing nothing more than a lens-flared light on a dark background, but a few leaked press pictures could give us a better idea what these long-time partners are preparing for us.

The images popped up on @evleaks’ Twitter account this week, and show a big-screen, Verizon-branded HTC smartphone that bears a striking resemblance to the HTC J Butterfly.

Quite how such a bizarrely named phone could slip you memory, we’re not sure; but just in case it has, here’s what it’s all about. Announced last month in Japan, the J Butterfly has a 5-inch display with a headline-grabbing 1080p resolution. It seemed inevitable that HTC would let the Butterfly spread its wings at some point, and the Verizon event seems like the ideal launchpad.

Five-inch, full HD touchscreens are set to be the next big thing in the world of the smartphone display, with Sharp’s 1080p IGZO screen making its debut this week, and LG confirming recently that it’s also working on a similar panel.

It’s highly unlikely the J Butterfly name will remain on the US version though, and instead it’s likely to be another “Droid” device, this time the Droid DNA. That name has appeared on both the FCC’s website and a leaked Verizon price list, and has superseded other possible names including the HTC DLX and the HTC X5. Neither of those names are dead though, and could be used for a GSM version of the phone.

If the 5-inch, 1080p screen isn’t enough to get your pulse racing, then should the Droid DNA share the J Butterfly’s other features, it will also have Qualcomm’s high performance, 1.5GHz, quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro processor, plus Android 4.1 Jelly Bean as its operating system.

Previous leaks have suggested a December 6 release date for the phone, but we’ll have to wait for the November 13 event to confirm this, and all the other details concerning HTC and Verizon’s new device.

Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/verizon-and-htc-call-november-13-press-event/

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