iPhone 5, iPad 4 and iPad mini headed to China in December

Today Apple announced the China launch details for its latest iOS-based gadgets - the iPhone 5, the iPad mini and the 4th generation iPad. The iPad 2 will be also available for purchase.

The Wi-Fi versions of the three slates hit the shelves on December 7, while the iPhone 5 sales kick off a week later - on December 16. There is no info on the availability of cellular iPad models.

All devices will cost the same as their US siblings. They will be sold via the Apple Online Store, the Authorized Retailers and Apple's Retail Stores. The latter will start taking reservations for pickups a day earlier before the launch.

With China being the biggest market in the world and the iPhone 5, we expect smashing sales and record-breaking numbers in Apple's Q4 financial results.

Source | Via

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/apple_iphone_5_ipad_4_and_ipad_mini_headed_to_china_in_december-news-5145.php

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Oracle appeals ruling in Google case, drops patent infringement

Following the ruling in its case against Google's infringement of the Java API in Android, Oracle has decided to drop its patent case, and focus solely on copyright infringement.

This is most likely due to the fact that the infringed patents in question would be less profitable should the ruling go in Oracle's favor, and that the legal team would have less time to devote to the copyright infringement appeal, which is considered far more significant.

During this past summer, the presiding judge ruled that Oracle's copyrights regarding Java were not infringed by Google, and that the Oracle's APIs were not copyrightable in the way they themselves said they were.

Oracle continues to claim that Google has created an API that is functionally equivalent to Java, despite the fact that most of Google's code is original (97%, to be exact).

The problem with that, however, is that copyright is meant to protect form rather than function, and as such can be difficult to apply to Oracle's claim of functional equivalency. AndroidPolice summed it up rather well in saying "you can't copyright an idea, fact, or a system - you can only copyright a particular expression of those things."

Whichever way this case turns out, we may finally get a more wide-reaching ruling regarding the copyrightability of APIs, which is what made this case so high profile in the first place.

Source | Via

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/oracle_appeals_ruling_in_google_case_drops_patent_infringement-news-5143.php

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iPhone 5 and iPad hitting China in December, Apple confirms

Bound for China

The iPhone 5, latest iPad, and iPad mini are coming to China.

Apple announced this morning its mobile and tablets will go on sale in China in just a few days. The iPad mini and Retina display-toting iPad will hit shelves on December 7, with the iPhone 5 following a week later on December 14.

The downside? It's the Wi-Fi-only versions of the iPad and iPad mini. So anyone in China looking forward to getting online on an Apple tablet while out and about will have to hope the cellular models make it there at some point.

Mr Operator

There's no word which operators will be offering the iPhone 5. We've contacted Apple and will update this story if we hear back.

Previous rumours said China's biggest network, China Mobile, wouldn't be offering the handset. Which would be a bit of a blow for Apple, considering the network has around 700 million mobile subscribers.

But the second and third biggest operators, China Unicom and China Telecom respectively, confirmed earlier this month that they would offer the iPhone 5.

Anyone in China looking to pick up an iPad or iPhone should head to their nearest Apple Store, Apple reseller, or online. Pre-orders begin on December 6.

Via Apple

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/iphone-5-and-ipad-hitting-china-in-december-apple-confirms-1116445

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RIM’s latest anxious preparations for BlackBerry 10′s launch in January

Research in Motion has renamed its BlackBerry App World store, launched a new development phone named the Dev Alpha C, and promised to produce one last music video for the grand BB 10 launch in January.

With little more than two months to go until BlackBerry 10 and its hardware are set to be revealed, Research in Motion is continuing to revamp its services and encourage developers to build apps for the new platform. RIM recently added a Skype-style call system to its popular BlackBerry Messenger service, which has been given the name of BBM Voice, and at this week’s BlackBerry Jam Asia conference, it has revealed a small change to its application store’s name too.

Previously known as the BlackBerry App World, a name introduced at its launch back in April 2009, from this point forward it will drop the word “app” and simply be known as BlackBerry World. The reason appears to be simple, the store now contains music, movies and television shows to download, rather than simply mobile applications. There will be some other alterations to go with the new name, but they won’t be revealed until the January 30 event.

Dev Alpha C and a musical reprise

In addition to the store name change, RIM has also launched a new development phone, named the Dev Alpha C, and this time rather than a facsimile of its touchscreen BB10 phone, it has a QWERTY keyboard. That’s right, it’s to help developers adapt their apps for use on the N Series QWERTY BlackBerry 10 phone, which will be released alongside the L Series full-touchscreen handset next year.

While us mere mortals have no chance of getting one, even developers are going to find it difficult, as RIM says it will be giving just 1,500 out. Interested developers will have to submit an application to be in with a chance, and need to meet a certain criteria too. Research in Motion will pay special attention to BlackBerry Elite Members, plus those who already have the Dev Alpha A or B phones, along with any developers who have converted an Android app over to BlackBerry 10.

Finally, you may remember RIM pledged to Keep on Lovin’ its developers in a cheesy but highly enjoyable music video released during BlackBerry Jam Americas. Well, the team is planning a follow-up for the big BlackBerry 10 launch event, but is unsure of what song to cover. It’s therefore asking your help to decide, for what it says will be the very last BlackBerry Jam music video. You can let them know through Twitter using the #BB10Song hashtag. Go on, you know you want too.

BlackBerry 10 will launch on January 30 2013, and less than a month afterwards, the new hardware will go on sale.

Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/rim-renames-blackberry-world-launches-dev-alpha-c-phone/

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Kik Messenger update introduces Cards to easily share videos, images and sketches

It's been a while since users of instant messaging app Kik saw any new features introduced. However, the company has just rolled out multimedia-related Cards, apparently the result of "many hours of brainstorming, heated discussions, and late night coding sessions."

When a software company knows users love its app for its simplicity and speed, it must be something of a challenge to roll out updates with new features without complicating matters and clogging up the interface. Kik, which until Thursday hadn’t introduced any changes to its multi-platform instant messaging smartphone app since March 2011 when it included group chat for iOS and Android users, appears to have found a way, however.

With Kik Cards, users can now easily send YouTube videos to their Kik contacts, as well as images and simple sketches drawn by your own fair hand (or more accurately, finger).

To maintain the app’s simple interface, however, developers have introduced a small tab on the left of the screen to gain access to the new features, creating something like an app within an app. If you don’t want the new features, ignore the tab and continue with Kik as you did before.

To get started with Cards, you need to drag the tab across the screen and then hit ‘more’. This pull up the three Cards (YouTube, Images and Sketches) – simply tap on the ones you want to use. This pulls them into your Cards menu on the left of the screen.

With the YouTube Card, for example, you can search videos on the streaming site and watch them within the app. When you find one you like, tap on the Kik icon on the top right of the screen, choose who you want to receive it from among your contacts, add some text and send it on its merry way. The Cards improve Kik’s overall functionality and serve to keep users within the app, helping to make the experience more fluid.

It’s expected that Kik will add more Cards in the future, with sponsored Cards also likely as the company seeks to secure a revenue stream. But before you roll your eyes thinking that your instant messaging app of choice is about to be flooded by a slew of businesses pushing their wares, remember – if you’re not interested in the Card being offered, simply don’t add it to your list.

Kik Messenger, which launched in 2010, now has 30 million users, with some 100,000 people signing up daily.

Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/kik-messenger-update-introduces-cards-to-easily-share-videos-images-and-sketches/

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Battery blow: Surface Pro has ‘approximately half the battery life’ of Surface RT

If you were thinking about picking up a Surface Pro when the tablet hits stores in January, does news that it has around 4.5 hours battery life mean you might decide to spend the money on a decent laptop instead?

If you were planning to use your new Surface Pro tablet indoors most of the time – in other words, close to a power point – then news via one of Microsoft’s official Twitter accounts that the device’s battery has half the strength of the Surface RT’s may not bother you too much. But if you were planning to take it out and about with you, on planes, trains and automobiles, it may give pause for thought.

Sure, if the Surface RT’s battery life was around 20 hours, then 10 hours on the Pro device would still be more than good enough for most users. But it’s not. When DT’s mobile expert Jeffrey Van Camp put the Surface RT through its paces for his review last month, he found he was getting between 8 and 9 hours before it needed juicing up. Even the mathematically challenged will not have taken too long to work out that that translates to between 4 and 4.5 hours of battery life on a Surface Pro. Pretty measly, huh?

Incidentally, in his review, written well before news of the Pro’s battery life broke, Jeffrey wrote: “Microsoft isn’t going for the gold on the battery life.” Prescient words, indeed, Jeffrey. By the looks of it, it’s not even on the podium, with competitors like the 9.7-inch iPad, Amazon’s 8.9-inch Kindle Fire HD and Google’s Nexus 10 claiming battery time upwards of 8 hours.

News that the Pro version of Surface has “approximately half the battery life of the Surface RT” was posted on Thursday on Microsoft’s Surface Twitter account in response to a question from another Twitter user.

This came just hours after pricing details for the tablet – which launches in January – were released by Microsoft: $900 for the 64GB model and $1,000 for the 128GB model. Both versions feature Windows 8 Pro, an Intel Core i5 processor and a 10.1-inch 1080p HD display.

Are you considering picking up a Surface Pro? If the information in the tweet proves accurate and the battery is indeed more laptop than tablet, are you going to look elsewhere, or is it not too much of an issue for you?

 [via engadget]

Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/battery-blow-surface-pro-has-approximately-half-the-battery-life-of-surface-rt/

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Unlocked iPhone 5 now available in U.S. Apple Store, but contract-free heaven comes at a price

Apple has started selling an unlocked version of the iPhone 5 through its U.S. online Apple Store. The phone comes without a commitment to a network, but the initial cost is higher than those with a contract.

Apple has begun selling unlocked iPhone 5 handsets through its U.S. online store, allowing prospective owners to purchase the phone without signing a lengthy and expensive contract. This hasn’t come as a complete surprise, as unlocked versions of the phone were discovered hidden away on Apple’s site yesterday, indicating a release was imminent.

Choosing an unlocked, SIM-free phone is an excellent way to avoid being tied down to a contract, neatly avoiding the disappointment of not being able to indulge in the annual product refresh due to being locked into a 24-month contract. This also means the cost of ownership may fall, as you won’t be limited to certain plans, and can leave if an improved option arrives with another carrier. This contract-free heaven comes at a price though, and it’s by no means cheap.

The 16GB iPhone 5 is yours for $650, rising to $750 for the 32GB and a heady $850 for the top-of-the-range 64GB model. These are GSM phones, so you’ll need to select a relevant carrier — AT&T and T-Mobile being the obvious choices, but there are others out there — and are happy to work with international networks too, another benefit of owning an unlocked phone.

Apple is well known for ignoring international currency exchange rates when it comes to pricing its products, and the unlocked iPhone 5 is no exception. In the UK, a 16GB phone costs £530, while in Germany it’s 680 euros, these equate to $850 and $880 respectively. Canada is one of the lucky ones, as its 16GB iPhone 5 is $699CAD unlocked, or a touch over $700USD.

Both black and white iPhone 5 handsets are available through the online Apple Store, and they both have shipping dates of one week. It’s expected that unlocked iPhones should filter through to Apple retail stores soon too. According to Apple analyst Gene Munster, stock levels of the iPhone 5 in stores have stabilized, and he told investors this week “the iPhone 5 has finally reached a point where consumers can walk into an Apple Store and walk out with a phone.”

Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/unlocked-iphone-5-now-on-sale-through-apples-online-store/

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