Engadget http://www.engadget.com Engadget http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif Engadget http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Amazon to collect sales tax, create 2,500 jobs in Texas]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/30/amazon-to-collect-sales-tax-create-2-500-jobs-in-texas/http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/30/amazon-to-collect-sales-tax-create-2-500-jobs-in-texas/http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/30/amazon-to-collect-sales-tax-create-2-500-jobs-in-texas/#comments Amazon to collect sales tax, create 2,500 jobs in Texas

If Amazon's been your internet safe haven from the ravages of sales tax, you may want to sit down. As part of a settlement with the great state of Texas, Bezos' baby will start collecting the state's requisite 6.25-percent sales tax on July 1st. The settlement resolves the online retailer's ongoing dispute with the Lone Star state, which claimed that Amazon owed $269 million in back taxes. In addition to taking up collection, Amazon has agreed to create at least 2,500 jobs and invest a minimum of $200 million in capital investments, though it admits no fault, and believes "the assessment was without merit," according to its latest SEC filing. Grouped in with Kansas, Kentucky, New York, North Dakota and Washington, this agreement makes Texas the sixth state to collect sales tax from Amazon -- and California, Nevada and Arizona will join the collection club in due time. Check out the source links below for the Texas Comptroller's official statement and more reading on Amazon's tax agreements across the nation.

Amazon to collect sales tax, create 2,500 jobs in Texas originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Apr 2012 06:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Amazonamazon taxesamazon.comAmazonTaxesminipostonline retailersOnlineRetailerssales taxSalesTaxsettlementshoppingtaxtaxestexasTexas ComptrollerTexasComptrollerMon, 30 Apr 2012 06:22:00 EST<![CDATA[AT&T lighting up three LTE markets on April 8th, Indiana and Texas feel the glow]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/03/att-lte-new-markets-april-8/http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/03/att-lte-new-markets-april-8/http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/03/att-lte-new-markets-april-8/#comments Image
Muncie. Bloomington. Bryan-College Station. If you're in one of these three markets, get ready to party hard, because AT&T LTE is officially lighting up in your neck of the woods on April 8th. If you recall, there are nine previously announced markets still on deck waiting for their turn to bathe in the faster network, but AT&T is holding strong to its promise of an arrival "by early summer." For all of you getting it on Sunday, just make sure you party responsibly Saturday night, kay?

Continue reading AT&T lighting up three LTE markets on April 8th, Indiana and Texas feel the glow

AT&T lighting up three LTE markets on April 8th, Indiana and Texas feel the glow originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 03 Apr 2012 16:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>4gattbloomingtonbryancollege stationCollegeStationdrawsomeindianaltemarketmobilepostcrossmoremarketsplzmuncierollouttexasTue, 03 Apr 2012 16:24:00 EST<![CDATA[TiVo sues Time Warner Cable, Motorola Mobility in fresh patent assault]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/26/tivo-sues-twc-motorola-mobility/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/26/tivo-sues-twc-motorola-mobility/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/26/tivo-sues-twc-motorola-mobility/#comments ImageFour days ago TiVo abandoned its protracted patent litigation against Microsoft and we sighed in relief at the idea that people were learning to just get along. Our respite was short lived, however, when the company revealed it was lobbing litigation-shaped grenades over the fence toward Motorola Mobility and Time Warner Cable. The lawsuit, filed in the Patent Troll haven of Texas' Eastern District, concerns patents 6,223,389, 7,529,465 and 6,792,195. The first of that trio is the contentious Time Warping patent that's been argued over so much we'd like to slice it in two, King Solomon style. Details beyond that are few and far between, but something tells us we'll be hearing more about the tiff in the future... whether we want to or not.

TiVo sues Time Warner Cable, Motorola Mobility in fresh patent assault originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 26 Mar 2012 12:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Eastern DistrictEastern District of TexasEasternDistrictEasternDistrictOfTexashdpostcrossLawsuitLitigationMotorola MobilityMotorolaMobilityPatent LitigationPatentLitigationSECSEC 8-KSec8-kTexasTime Warner CableTimeWarnerCableTiVoMon, 26 Mar 2012 12:42:00 EST<![CDATA[Mobile Miscellany: week of March 12th, 2012]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/17/mobile-miscellany-week-of-march-12th-2012/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/17/mobile-miscellany-week-of-march-12th-2012/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/17/mobile-miscellany-week-of-march-12th-2012/#comments Mobile Miscellany: week of March 12th, 2012Not all mobile news is destined for the front page, but if you're like us and really want to know what's going on, then you've come to the right place. This past week, we've seen T-Mobile expand its network coverage and take an argument to the FCC regarding interoperability requirements of the 700MHz band. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore the "best of the rest" for this week of March 12th, 2012.

Continue reading Mobile Miscellany: week of March 12th, 2012

Mobile Miscellany: week of March 12th, 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 17 Mar 2012 19:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>4g700mhzandroidandroid 4.0Android4.0bellbell mobilityBellMobilitycaliforniacanadacellular oneCellular One of Northeast PennsylvaniaCellularOneCellularOneOfNortheastPennsylvaniafccfloridagalaxy ace plusGalaxyAcePlusgooglehspahspa plusHspaPlushtchtc one vhtc one xHtcOneVHtcOneXice cream sandwichIceCreamSandwichiosltemissourimmmobile miscellanyMobileMiscellanymobilepostmininavigationnokianokia mapsNokiaMapso2one vone xOneVOneXpennsylvaniasamsungsamsung galaxy ace plusSamsungGalaxyAcePlussmartphonesmartphonesspectrumt-mobiletexastmobileukvirgin mobileVirginMobilewisconsinSat, 17 Mar 2012 19:06:00 EST<![CDATA[Apple building $304 million campus in Austin, Texas, Rick Perry approves this message]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/09/apple-building-304-million-campus-in-austin-texas/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/09/apple-building-304-million-campus-in-austin-texas/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/09/apple-building-304-million-campus-in-austin-texas/#comments Apple building $304 million campus in Austin, Texas, Rick Perry approves this message
Looks like SXSW isn't the only thing happening in Austin. The Apple machine is rolling in, but this time it's not the Cupertino outfit filling us in on the deets. Outspoken Texas Governor Rick Perry says that one of Apple's next creations will be a $304 million campus in his state's capital, which will include a $21 million investment over a decade from the Texas Enterprise Fund. Apple's not exactly a newcomer to the south, though, since it currently holds a customer support base in the area and, if all goes according to plan, the new addition could create up to 3600 more jobs. After all, bigger is better in Texas, right?

Apple building $304 million campus in Austin, Texas, Rick Perry approves this message originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Mar 2012 17:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appleapple campusapple campus austinapple campus texasAppleCampusAppleCampusAustinAppleCampusTexasaustinaustin texasAustinTexasperryrickrick perryRickPerrytexasFri, 09 Mar 2012 17:14:00 EST<![CDATA[Huawei R&D department gets new home, sets up shop in Silicon Valley]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/14/huawei-research-and-development-headquarters-in-silicon-valley/http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/14/huawei-research-and-development-headquarters-in-silicon-valley/http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/14/huawei-research-and-development-headquarters-in-silicon-valley/#comments Huawei R&D department gets new home, sets up shop in Silicon ValleyChinese manufacturing giant Huawei has been calling Plano, Texas its North American home since 2010, but now it seems the company's ready to explore a different business territory. Huawei's just announced its Research and Development squad -- in which it invested about $3.6 billion dollars last year -- is setting up shop in Silicon Valley in a move that could certainly be seen as an effort to rub elbows with the big players this side of the pond. According to the Dallas Business Journal, the company piled up $30 billion in sales last year, and while the new 600-plus human R&D operation will be calling California home, Huawei's Honorary headquarters won't be moving away from the state where "everything's bigger" anytime soon.

Huawei R&D department gets new home, sets up shop in Silicon Valley originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 14 Feb 2012 03:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>departmentdevelopmenthuaweihuawei north americahuawei silicon valleyHuaweiNorthAmericaHuaweiSiliconValleyminipostplanordresearchSilicon ValleySiliconValleytexasTue, 14 Feb 2012 03:32:00 EST<![CDATA[Samsung looks to borrow $1 billion to expand production capacity in Austin, Texas]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/16/samsung-looks-to-borrow-1-billion-to-expand-production-capacity/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/16/samsung-looks-to-borrow-1-billion-to-expand-production-capacity/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/16/samsung-looks-to-borrow-1-billion-to-expand-production-capacity/#commentsWhen you're producing chips for the iPad and iPhone, you need a serious facility to meet those demands. And evidently, Samsung's not foreseeing its legal battles with Apple to cause any wrinkles in said plans. In fact, Bloomberg is reporting that Sammy has "sent requests for proposals to banks to borrow as much as $1 billion to expand production capacity at its factory in Austin, Texas," with the bonds to be issued by Samsung's US unit. It's bruited that the company -- which has around $19.2 billion in cash -- may sell its first overseas bonds since 1997 due to the impossibly low cost of borrowing money these days, and in a time where positive economic news is tough to come by, it's quite the relief to see a bit of forward progress come from historically low interest rates. Reuters is reporting that the investment will mostly be used to "boost production of mobile chips and next-generation OLED (organic light-emitting diode) display panels," but specific details beyond that remain murky.

Samsung looks to borrow $1 billion to expand production capacity in Austin, Texas originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Jan 2012 20:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>austinbusinesschicpudebteconomyexpansionindustrymicroprocessorprocessorproductionsamsungsamsung semiconductorSamsungSemiconductorsemiconductorsilicontexasMon, 16 Jan 2012 20:24:00 EST<![CDATA[Sprint encroaches on AT&T markets for first LTE upgrades: Atlanta, Dallas, Houston and San Antonio]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/05/sprint-first-lte-markets-2012-atlanta-houston-dallas-san-antonio/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/05/sprint-first-lte-markets-2012-atlanta-houston-dallas-san-antonio/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/05/sprint-first-lte-markets-2012-atlanta-houston-dallas-san-antonio/#comments We knew good and well that Sprint was placing its future network bets on LTE, but up until now, we had no idea who would get first dibs. Sprint's own Dan Hesse just cleared up a quip that he gave to us back in July of 2011, noting that Atlanta, Dallas, Houston and San Antonio would be first to get "4G LTE and 3G network upgrades by mid-2012," just in time for the first Sprint LTE phones to take advantage. If you're thinking those cities sound familiar, you're right; AT&T Mobility is headquartered in the ATL, and all three of those Texas communities were high on AT&T's list of launch markets, too. Here's hoping we hear of a few more markets in the run-up to Mobile World Congress in February....

Update: Sprint has just issued a proper release on the news (it's embedded after the break), with the key snippet as follows: "The launch of these metropolitan areas marks the next step in the company's overall network strategy, also known as Network Vision. Sprint customers can expect to enjoy ultra-fast data speeds, improved 3G voice and data quality, and stronger in-building signal penetration providing a more reliable wireless experience."

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Continue reading Sprint encroaches on AT&T markets for first LTE upgrades: Atlanta, Dallas, Houston and San Antonio

Sprint encroaches on AT&T markets for first LTE upgrades: Atlanta, Dallas, Houston and San Antonio originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 05 Jan 2012 16:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>4g4g lte4gLteatlantabreaking newsdallasgeorgiahoustonltemobilepostcrosssan antonioSanAntoniotexaswimaxThu, 05 Jan 2012 16:11:00 EST<![CDATA[Texas judge says warrantless cellphone tracking violates Fourth Amendment, saga continues]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/18/texas-judge-says-warrantless-cellphone-tracking-violates-fourth/http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/18/texas-judge-says-warrantless-cellphone-tracking-violates-fourth/http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/18/texas-judge-says-warrantless-cellphone-tracking-violates-fourth/#comments
Rev up the bureaucratic turbines, because a judge in Texas has determined that warrantless cellphone tracking is indeed unconstitutional. In a brief decision issued earlier this month, US District Judge Lynn N. Hughes of the Southern District of Texas argued that seizing cellphone records without a search warrant constitutes a violation of the Fourth Amendment. "The records would show the date, time, called number, and location of the telephone when the call was made," Judge Hughes wrote in the ruling, linked below. "These data are constitutionally protected from this intrusion." The decision comes in response to an earlier ruling issued last year by Magistrate Judge Stephen Smith, also of the Southern District of Texas. In that case, Judge Smith argued against unwarranted wiretapping on similarly constitutional grounds, pointing out that with today's tracking technology, every aspect of a suspect's life could be "imperceptibly captured, compiled, and retrieved from a digital dossier somewhere in a computer cloud."

The federal government appealed Judge Smith's ruling on the grounds that the Fourth Amendment would not apply to cellphone tracking, because "a customer has no privacy interest in business records held by a cell phone provider, as they are not the customer's private papers." Judge Hughes' decision, however, effectively overrules this appeal. "When the government requests records from cellular services, data disclosing the location of the telephone at the time of particular calls may be acquired only by a warrant issued on probable cause," Judge Hughes wrote. "The standard under [today's law] is below that required by the Constitution." The law in question, of course, is the Stored Communications Act -- a law bundled under the Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986, which allows investigators to obtain electronic records without a warrant. This month's decision implicitly calls for this law to be reconsidered or revised, though it's certainly not the only ruling to challenge it, and it likely won't be the last, either.

Texas judge says warrantless cellphone tracking violates Fourth Amendment, saga continues originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 Nov 2011 10:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cellphone trackingCellphoneTrackingconstitutioncourtelectronic communications privacy actElectronicCommunicationsPrivacyActfourth amendmentFourthAmendmentillegaljudgelawlaw enforcementLawEnforcementmobilepostcrosspoliticsprovidersearchsearch warrantSearchWarrantseizureTexastrackingUS District CourtUS District Judge Lynn HughesUsDistrictCourtUsDistrictJudgeLynnHugheswarrantwiretapFri, 18 Nov 2011 10:58:00 EST<![CDATA[Texas Instruments wraps up purchase of National Semiconductor]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/25/texas-instruments-wraps-up-purchase-of-national-semiconductor/http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/25/texas-instruments-wraps-up-purchase-of-national-semiconductor/http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/25/texas-instruments-wraps-up-purchase-of-national-semiconductor/#commentsTI <3's National SemiconductorIn April, Texas Instruments announced its intention to snatch up National Semiconductor for a cool $6.5 billion. Now, almost six months later, the acquisition is complete and TI can tack another few percentage points on to its already market-leading chunk of the analog chip market. At least for now, National will operate as a branch of TI's analog division, which now accounts for over 50-percent of the company's revenue, and keep its (reasonably) well known brand name alive. For a few more details on the deal, check out the PR after the break.

Continue reading Texas Instruments wraps up purchase of National Semiconductor

Texas Instruments wraps up purchase of National Semiconductor originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 25 Sep 2011 00:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acquireacquiredacquisitionanalog semiconductorAnalogSemiconductorboulderbuyminipostNationalNational SemiconductorNationalSemiconductorsemiconductorsemiconductorstexasTexas InstrumentsTexasInstrumentstiSun, 25 Sep 2011 00:49:00 EST<![CDATA[AT&T flips 4G LTE live, nearly 97 percent of America wonders where the party is]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/18/atandt-flips-lte-live-nearly-97-percent-of-america-wonders-where/http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/18/atandt-flips-lte-live-nearly-97-percent-of-america-wonders-where/http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/18/atandt-flips-lte-live-nearly-97-percent-of-america-wonders-where/#comments According to Ma Bell, AT&T covers 97 percent of all Americans. Of course, that's including those "one bar of EDGE" places that are uncovered so far as reality's concerned, but regardless of all that -- there's no denying that AT&T's LTE launch is on the subdued side. With Verizon rolling out five times more LTE markets this month than AT&T is even launching with, the country's largest GSM carrier definitely has some catching up to do. Regardless of the standings, the company appears to have (quietly) gone live with five LTE markets as of today, with Chicago, Atlanta, San Antonio, Dallas / Fort Worth and Houston getting first dibs. The source link below takes you to the new coverage map, as well as to a promise from the carrier to expand "4G LTE" (not to be confused with the other 4G, more accurately known as HSPA+) to 15 major metropolitan areas by the year's end. Notice how rural areas aren't mentioned, despite plenty of grandstanding near D.C.? Don't worry, guys -- it's just Rethinking Possible.

[Thanks, Marcus]

AT&T flips 4G LTE live, nearly 97 percent of America wonders where the party is originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 18 Sep 2011 12:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>4g4g lte4gLteatlantaattcarrierchicagodallasdfwexpansionfort worthFortWorthgeorgiahoustonltemobilepostcrosssan antonioSanAntoniotexasSun, 18 Sep 2011 12:29:00 EST<![CDATA[Flying cops board gyroplane for Big Brother-style eyes in the sky]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/13/flying-cops-board-gyroplane-for-big-brother-style-eyes-in-the-sk/http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/13/flying-cops-board-gyroplane-for-big-brother-style-eyes-in-the-sk/http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/13/flying-cops-board-gyroplane-for-big-brother-style-eyes-in-the-sk/#comments "Get to tha choppa!" is probably the first thing the Tromball, Texas cops will be shouting now that they're the proud owners of America's first police gyroplane. This type of aircraft is nothing new, but for the 5-0 testing the Auto-Gyro MTOsport, it's a cheaper and simpler alternative to a helicopter -- and way sweeter looking. For the price of two high-end squad cars (around $75,000), the heat can go air-bound, compared to $1-4.5 million for a standard whirlybird. The machine also requires far less pre-flight prep before soaring 13 feet per second into the sky only to max out at a face-melting speed of 115 mph. With a rotax motor, pilots can dip from the air quickly and easily since the copter's already in autorotation, unlike a standard helicopter, which requires some heavy maneuvering. The downside? It's horrible at night and in bad weather, meaning the cops will have to keep those Crown Vics in the garage, just in case.

Flying cops board gyroplane for Big Brother-style eyes in the sky originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 Sep 2011 19:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Auto-Gyro MTOsportAuto-gyroMtosportAutoRotationcopcopsgyroplanehelicopterhelicopterslaw enforcementLawEnforcementpolicepolice surveillancePoliceSurveillancerotaxtexastromballTue, 13 Sep 2011 19:53:00 EST<![CDATA[Space radar captures echoes of Perseid meteor shower (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/17/space-radar-captures-echoes-of-perseid-meteor-shower-video/http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/17/space-radar-captures-echoes-of-perseid-meteor-shower-video/http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/17/space-radar-captures-echoes-of-perseid-meteor-shower-video/#comments We all know lasers make a "pew pew" sound, but shouldn't there be a sound effect button for high-speed burning meteors? Well, the US Air Force Space Surveillance Radar in Texas just recorded its own, capturing echoes of the Perseid meteor shower last Friday night. Every year, the Earth orbits directly into a cloud of debris from the Swift-Tuttle comet, which burn up as they fly through the atmosphere at a staggering 133,200 mph. Similar to the sound of a lightsaber slicing through the air, they make some pretty sweet sound effects -- perfect for your next auto-tune experiment. Check out the audio with some ISS pics thrown in for good measure after the break.

Continue reading Space radar captures echoes of Perseid meteor shower (video)

Space radar captures echoes of Perseid meteor shower (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 17 Aug 2011 01:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>audiocometearthinternational space stationInternationalSpaceStationmeteormeteor showermeteorsMeteorShowerperseid 2010perseid meteor showerPerseid2010PerseidMeteorShowerradarrockrockssatellitespaceswift-tuttle cometSwift-tuttleCometTexasvideoWed, 17 Aug 2011 01:54:00 EST<![CDATA[Judge shoots down Personal Audio's second Apple infringement case]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/31/judge-shoots-down-personal-audios-second-apple-infringement-cas/http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/31/judge-shoots-down-personal-audios-second-apple-infringement-cas/http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/31/judge-shoots-down-personal-audios-second-apple-infringement-cas/#comments Talk about swift justice. It's been less than a week since we reported on Personal Audio's second infringement suit against Apple, and an East Texas judge has already put an end to the litigation. In a statement regarding the company's complaint that the iPad 2, iPhone 4, and latest generation iPods infringed on the same patents put forth in its initial suit, Judge Ron Clark said the $8 million already awarded to the plaintiff should do just fine. He went on to deny the company's request for a second trial. It may not be the last we hear of Personal Audio, but it is a refreshing change of pace from the usual goings on in Eastern District courtrooms.

Judge shoots down Personal Audio's second Apple infringement case originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 31 Jul 2011 03:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>applecourtdeniedeastern texasEasternTexasinfringementiPad 2Ipad2iPhoneiPhone 4Iphone4iPodlawsuitlegalpatentpatent infringementpatent lawsuitpatent trollpatent trollsPatentInfringementPatentLawsuitPatentTrollPatentTrollspersonal audioPersonalAudiosuesuittexastrollSun, 31 Jul 2011 03:57:00 EST<![CDATA[Personal Audio sues Apple again, targets iPhone 4, iPad 2 and newer iPods]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/24/personal-audio-sues-apple-again-targets-iphone-4-ipad-2-and-ne/http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/24/personal-audio-sues-apple-again-targets-iphone-4-ipad-2-and-ne/http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/24/personal-audio-sues-apple-again-targets-iphone-4-ipad-2-and-ne/#comments
Thought the Personal Audio / Apple brouhaha was over? Think again, because everyone's favorite patent licensing company is back, hitting Cupertino with another suit. You'll recall an earlier ruling by a federal jury in Eastern Texas found the CE maker guilty of infringing upon PA's playlist-related IP with an assortment of older iPods. This new filing alleges that newer Apple devices, like the iPhone 4, iPad 2 and modern day iPods -- which weren't part of the original 2009 case -- also violate that same IP, in a move we'd surmise serves to pad Personal Audio's coffers. Not like Apple's apt to feel the pinch should Personal Audio snag another victory, but hey....

Personal Audio sues Apple again, targets iPhone 4, iPad 2 and newer iPods originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 24 Jul 2011 01:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>applecourteastern texasEasternTexasinfringementiPad 2Ipad2iPhoneiPhone 4Iphone4iPodlawsuitlegalpatentpatent lawsuitPatentLawsuitpersonal audioPersonalAudiosuesuittexasSun, 24 Jul 2011 01:36:00 EST<![CDATA[Apple coughing up $8 million to Personal Audio in iPod playlist settlement]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/09/apple-coughing-up-8-million-to-personal-audio-in-ipod-playlist/http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/09/apple-coughing-up-8-million-to-personal-audio-in-ipod-playlist/http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/09/apple-coughing-up-8-million-to-personal-audio-in-ipod-playlist/#commentsAh, the Eastern District of Texas. Home to tumbleweeds, free range cattle and boatloads of patent trolls. Personal Audio, a patent licensing company with a highfalutin' facility in Beaumont, Texas has become the latest outfit to claim victory over a major CE company, with Apple being asked to hand over $8 million to settle a tiff involving iPod playlists. Bloomberg reports that a federal jury in the Lonestar state found that Cupertino's iPod players infringed on patents for "downloadable playlists," right around two years after Personal Audio initially filed the claim for a staggering $84 million. We're told that the inventions cover "an audio player that can receive navigable playlists and can skip forward or backward through the downloaded list," and while Apple unsurprisingly stated that it wasn't actually using those very inventions, that hasn't stopped the courts from disagreeing just a wee bit. Now, the real question: are Sirius XM, Coby and Archos -- also named in the original suit -- going to be facing similar circumstances?

Apple coughing up $8 million to Personal Audio in iPod playlist settlement originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 09 Jul 2011 16:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>applecourteastern district of texasEasternDistrictOfTexasinfringmentipodlawsuitlegalpatentpatent infringmentpatent trollPatentInfringmentPatentTrollpersonal audioPersonalAudioplaylistssuesuittexasSat, 09 Jul 2011 16:35:00 EST<![CDATA[Isis mobile payments coming to Austin in 2012]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/24/isis-mobile-payments-coming-to-austin-in-2012/http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/24/isis-mobile-payments-coming-to-austin-in-2012/http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/24/isis-mobile-payments-coming-to-austin-in-2012/#comments Certain to "Keep Austin Weird," Isis has selected the home of SXSW as its second market for a mobile payment tryout. The joint-venture backed by AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon Wireless (with help from MasterCard and Visa), will work with local merchants and the Chamber of Commerce to deliver what it calls a "comprehensive mobile experience" by mid-2012. Isis' latest metropolitan recruit joins Salt Lake City in this experiment that will compete with Google Wallet (which is endorsed by Sprint). Quick advice to Austinites: when out-of-towners begin gawking at you for getting "free" lattes and concert tickets by waving your phone about, be sure to explain the wonders of NFC -- it'd be a shame for them to attempt the same -- only to be taken into custody by the Austin PD. Jump the break for the PR.

Continue reading Isis mobile payments coming to Austin in 2012

Isis mobile payments coming to Austin in 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 24 Jun 2011 18:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2012attaustincommercecontactlesscontactless paymentcontactless paymentsContactlessPaymentContactlessPaymentsisisisis mobile walletIsisMobileWalletlaunchmarketmarketsmastercardmobilemobile commercemobile paymentmobile paymentsmobile walletMobileCommerceMobilePaymentMobilePaymentsMobileWalletnear field communicationNearFieldCommunicationnfcofficialpaymentpayment systempaymentsPaymentSystempilotplansroadmapschedulet-mobiletexasverizonverizon wirelessVerizonWirelessvisavzwwirelessFri, 24 Jun 2011 18:04:00 EST<![CDATA[Batcopter UAV observes anti-collision bat behavior, crashes into ground (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/14/batcopter-uav-observes-anti-collision-bat-behavior-crashes-into/http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/14/batcopter-uav-observes-anti-collision-bat-behavior-crashes-into/http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/14/batcopter-uav-observes-anti-collision-bat-behavior-crashes-into/#comments
If you wander out into a gaggle of fellow humans in total darkness, chances are you're going to bump into one or two. Such is not the case for bats, which do much of their hunting after the sun sets. Boston University's Intelligent Mechatronics Lab launched operation Batcopter to better understand how bats can fly in clusters large enough to be detected by radar without colliding. Equipped with a GoPro 3D HD camera, GPS, and OpenPilot's CopterControl system, the 1.8-pound quadcopter UAV joined Brazilian free-tailed bats in the skies of South Texas, capturing some pretty cool footage along the way. A trio of high-speed infrared cameras positioned on the ground photographed the aircraft's interactions with the flying mammals, which seemed to maneuver around the man-made intruder without incident, until a rotor failure resulted in a Batcopter inversion and subsequent ground collision. Even so, the craft still managed to take to the skies. Jump past the break to see the crippled UAV in action, and hit up the source link for some awesome infrared footage and stills.

Continue reading Batcopter UAV observes anti-collision bat behavior, crashes into ground (video)

Batcopter UAV observes anti-collision bat behavior, crashes into ground (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 14 Jun 2011 10:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aircraftbatbatcopterbatsboston universityBostonUniversitybubu intelligent mechatronics labBuIntelligentMechatronicsLabcameraflyinginfrared camerainfrared camerasInfraredCameraInfraredCamerasintelligent mechatronics labIntelligentMechatronicsLabrobotsciencetexasvideoTue, 14 Jun 2011 10:07:00 EST<![CDATA[Google ordered to pay $5 million in Linux patent infringement suit (updated)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/21/google-ordered-to-pay-5-million-in-linux-patent-infringement-su/http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/21/google-ordered-to-pay-5-million-in-linux-patent-infringement-su/http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/21/google-ordered-to-pay-5-million-in-linux-patent-infringement-su/#comments An East Texas jury recently awarded a relatively small computer firm patent troll a pretty hefty settlement (in you and me dollars) in a patent infringement suit that named Google, Yahoo, Amazon, AOL, and Myspace as defendants. The jury awarded Bedrock Computer Technologies LLC $5 million for a patent concerning the Linux kernel found in the software behind Google's servers. The patent in question is described as a "method and apparatus for information storage and retrieval using a hashing technique with external chaining and on-the-fly removal of expired data." It appears Google is the first of the defendants to face a judgement, but we have a feeling this decision might have set a precedent. Of course, no infringement suit would be complete without a healthy helping of appeals -- and considering the decision came from a district court, we can almost guarantee this case is no exception. You didn't expect the big guys to stay down for the count, did you?

Update: As it turns out, the plaintiff in question here, Bedrock Computer Technologies, is actually owned by David Garrod, a lawyer and patent reform activist. Ars Technica profiled Garrod following the initial suit, pointing to the clear contradiction between his trolling and reform efforts. What's more, Bedrock sued Google and the rest of the defendants in June 2009. Just six months later, Bedrock was back in the courtroom, but this time it was on the receiving end. Red Hat, the company supplying the OS behind Google's search engine services, was suing Bedrock for patent invalidity.

Google ordered to pay $5 million in Linux patent infringement suit (updated) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Apr 2011 22:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BedrockBedrock Computer Technologies LLCBedrockComputerTechnologiesLlcdistrict courtDistrictCourtgoogleGoogle vs. BedrockGoogleVs.Bedrockguiltyinfringementlawlawsuitlinuxlinux patentLinuxPatentpatentpatent infringementpatent lawpatent lawsuitPatentInfringementPatentLawPatentLawsuitpatentssuittexastexas courtTexasCourtThu, 21 Apr 2011 22:43:00 EST<![CDATA[Texas Instruments to acquire National Semiconductor for $6.5 billion in cash money]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/05/texas-instruments-to-acquire-national-semiconductor-for-6-5-bi/http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/05/texas-instruments-to-acquire-national-semiconductor-for-6-5-bi/http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/05/texas-instruments-to-acquire-national-semiconductor-for-6-5-bi/#commentsAs the saying goes, everything's bigger in Texas, and that includes Texas Instruments' (TI) share of the semiconductor market. The Dallas-based firm announced today that it will pay $6.5 billion for National Semiconductor. With the acquisition complete, National will become a branch of TI's analog segment, which is now positioned to make up 50 percent of the company's revenue. According to a joint press release, TI held the biggest chunk of the analog semiconductor market in 2010 at 14 percent, and with the new addition that number's bound to get even bigger. Full PR after the break.

Continue reading Texas Instruments to acquire National Semiconductor for $6.5 billion in cash money

Texas Instruments to acquire National Semiconductor for $6.5 billion in cash money originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 05 Apr 2011 03:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acquireacquiredacquisitionanalog semiconductorAnalogSemiconductorboulderbuyNationalNational SemiconductorNationalSemiconductorsemiconductorsemiconductorstexasTexas InstrumentsTexasInstrumentstiTue, 05 Apr 2011 03:09:00 EST<![CDATA[Watch-controlled robo-tot grasps small objects, the meaning of life (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/30/watch-controlled-robo-tot-grasps-small-objects-the-meaning-of-l/http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/30/watch-controlled-robo-tot-grasps-small-objects-the-meaning-of-l/http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/30/watch-controlled-robo-tot-grasps-small-objects-the-meaning-of-l/#comments It may seem like there's an abundance of robot news lately, but we're just trying to please our mechanical overlords deliver the latest in gadget and technology news. What we've got here is an Arduino-based robo-gripper that serves only to move around and use its 3D printed claws to grab tiny objects that we'd otherwise be too lazy to pick up ourselves. The robot, infused with a Texas Instruments CC1110 dev kit, is controlled using an accelerometer-based Chronos watch and can move in all directions by simply tilting the timepiece. If you want to take a gander at this little guy in action, check out the video past the break -- it's always warming to see humans having the upper hand against the machine.

Continue reading Watch-controlled robo-tot grasps small objects, the meaning of life (video)

Watch-controlled robo-tot grasps small objects, the meaning of life (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 Mar 2011 18:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3d printer3dPrinteraccelerometerarduinocc1110chronosclawscontrollergrabgraspgripinstrumentsprintrobotrobotapocalypsetexasTexas InstrumentsTexasInstrumentstitiltvideowatchwirelesswristwatchWed, 30 Mar 2011 18:53:00 EST<![CDATA[Texas researchers aim to solve wireless bandwidth bottleneck, hopefully before SXSW 2012]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/21/texas-researchers-aim-to-solve-wireless-bandwidth-bottleneck-ho/http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/21/texas-researchers-aim-to-solve-wireless-bandwidth-bottleneck-ho/http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/21/texas-researchers-aim-to-solve-wireless-bandwidth-bottleneck-ho/#comments As anyone attempting to stream high-quality video on any major metropolitan subway has likely found, doing so often requires the patience of Job and a willingness to spend more time 'buffering' and less time 'enjoying.' It's a problem that's particularly evident at crowded events like the never-ending South by Southwest, and it's probably no coincidence that a team from The University of Texas at Austin are now spending their waking hours attempting to solve the looming wireless bandwidth crisis. Five faculty in the school's Electrical and Computer Engineering Department have been selected to receive a $900,000 gift from Intel and Cisco to "develop innovative and novel algorithms that could improve the wireless networks ability to store, stream and share mobile videos more efficiently." Their work is part of a five university tie-up, seeking to solve quandaries such as tower interference, selective compression (read: pixelating the areas you don't pay attention to in order to squeeze more out of the existing infrastructure), cell tower intelligence and data output redundancy. Hard to say if any of the major carriers will be implementing proposed solutions in the near future, but we can think of at least one company that's crossing its fingers in hopes of that very outcome.

Texas researchers aim to solve wireless bandwidth bottleneck, hopefully before SXSW 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 21 Mar 2011 16:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>austinbandwidthcardan samplesCardanSamplesciscocontentintelmediastreamingstreaming videoStreamingVideosxswsxsw 2012Sxsw2012texasuniversityUniversity of Texas at AustinUniversityOfTexasAtAustinvideoMon, 21 Mar 2011 16:09:00 EST<![CDATA[Mosaid gets into WiFi patent game, sues 17 companies including Dell, Canon, Asus, and RIM]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/18/mosaid-gets-into-wifi-patent-game-sues-17-companies-including-d/http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/18/mosaid-gets-into-wifi-patent-game-sues-17-companies-including-d/http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/18/mosaid-gets-into-wifi-patent-game-sues-17-companies-including-d/#commentsMOSAID Files Wireless Patent Infringement Litigation OTTAWA, Ontario - March 17, 2011 - MOSAID Technologies Inc. (TSX:MSD) today announced that it has initiated wireless patent infringement litigation against the following companies: AsusTek Computer Inc.; Atheros Communications, Inc.; Canon U.S.A., Inc.; CSR plc; Dell, Inc.; Digi International Inc.; Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.; Intel Corporation; Lexmark International, Inc.; Marvell Semiconductor, Inc.; Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.; Ralink Technology Corporation; Realtek Semiconductor; Research in Motion Corporation; Wasp Barcode Technologies, Ltd.; Wistron Corporation; and Venture Research, Inc. The suit was filed on March 16, 2011 in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, Marshall Division. MOSAID believes that the companies have infringed and continue to infringe MOSAID's patents by making and selling products that comply with or implement the IEEE 802.11 family of communications standards, known as Wi-Fi. The standards-essential patents in suit are MOSAID's U.S. Patent Nos. 5,131,006; 5,151,920; 5,422,887; 5,706,428; 6,563,786 B1; and 6,992,972. Whether or not you agree with their tactics, lots of companies are finding it quite lucrative business to spend more time in the courts than in the research labs. CSIRO got some tasty settlements back in 2009, while just a few months ago Wi-LAN received "a significant amount" in a settlement from Intel. Now it's Mosaid's turn, a Kanata, Ontario-based company that bills itself as "one of the world's leading intellectual property (IP) companies, focused on the licensing and development of semiconductor and communications technologies." Indeed it just licensed some of those properties to LG on the 15th, but the very next day it filed suit against a 17 defendants for infringing on six of the company's patents, relating to network discovery, multiplexing, and other wireless techniques. Among those companies is RIM; which has its Torch, Style, Curve, Pearl, Bold, Storm handsets called out; and Asus, which has a long line of motherboards, routers, and other products said to be in jeopardy. As ever it's hard to draw the line between the patent trolls and the legitimately infringed, but that the lawsuit was filed in litigation-friendly Marshall, Texas doesn't leave us with a particularly good feeling.

Continue reading Mosaid gets into WiFi patent game, sues 17 companies including Dell, Canon, Asus, and RIM

Mosaid gets into WiFi patent game, sues 17 companies including Dell, Canon, Asus, and RIM originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AsusAtherosCanonCSRDellDigiHuaweiIntellawsuitLexmarkmarshallMarvellmosaidMuratapatentpatent infringementPatentInfringementRalinkRealtekResearch in MotionResearchInMotionrimtexasVenture ResearchVentureResearchWaspwifiWistronFri, 18 Mar 2011 13:19:00 EST<![CDATA[TI-Nspire calculator: yes, it plays Doom]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/21/ti-nspire-calculator-yes-it-plays-doom/http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/21/ti-nspire-calculator-yes-it-plays-doom/http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/21/ti-nspire-calculator-yes-it-plays-doom/#comments
Sure, folks have ported games over to the good ol' number cruncher for ages, but getting a fully rendered classic like Doom to run on a calculator is a different feat altogether. The folks over at omnimaga have successfully moved a beta version of nDoom (a reworked version of the original id Software's FPS) over to a Texas Instruments TI-Nspire and -- with all things considered -- the game runs shockingly smooth. As of right now, the only proof of concept is the video you see above, with a tragic crash bringing all things dangerous to a dismal halt. We're looking forward to a fully working version of nDoom because, you know, video games and calculators are two things close to our nerdy hearts.

TI-Nspire calculator: yes, it plays Doom originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 21 Feb 2011 02:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>betabugcalculatorcalculatorscrashdoomgamegame portGamePortgaminggraphing calculatorGraphingCalculatorinstrumentsndoomnspirenspire calculatorNspireCalculatoromnimagaporttexastexas instrumentsTexasInstrumentstiti inspireti-inspireTiInspirevideovideo gamevideogamevideogamesMon, 21 Feb 2011 02:02:00 EST<![CDATA[CHAdeMO EV quick-chargers to get wider tests across US, 80% capacity in 30 mins or less]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/02/chademo-ev-quick-chargers-to-get-wider-tests-across-us-80-capa/http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/02/chademo-ev-quick-chargers-to-get-wider-tests-across-us-80-capa/http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/02/chademo-ev-quick-chargers-to-get-wider-tests-across-us-80-capa/#commentsCHAdeMO EV quick-chargers to get wider tests across US, 80% capacity in 30 minutes or less The idea of waiting around for hours for your EV to recharge is soon to become a thing of the past -- or rather it already is in Japan, where the CHAdeMO-style chargers are enabling cars like the Nissan Leaf to get to 80 percent battery capacity in just 30 minutes. Now they're properly starting their US invasion. The first assault came in Portland a few months back, with 310 more stations lining up for deployment in Arizona, California, Texas, Tennessee, Oregon, and elsewhere in Washington according to Yomiuri. The move will cost about $230 million total, though there's no word on whether they'll be publically available like the one in Portland is. CHAdeMO, which is a play on the Japanese "O cha demo ikaga desuka" ("let's have tea while charging"), works by handling the AC to DC conversion externally and providing power at up to 500VDC and 125 Amps, much higher than on-board AC/DC converters can handle. This drives down recharging time massively -- even if you don't like tea.

CHAdeMO EV quick-chargers to get wider tests across US, 80% capacity in 30 mins or less originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 02 Jan 2011 06:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arizonacaliforniachademochargingelectric vehicleElectricVehicleevleaflevel 3 chargerlevel 3 chargingLevel3ChargerLevel3Chargingnissannissan leafNissanLeaforegonquick chargerQuickChargertexaswashingtonSun, 02 Jan 2011 06:02:00 EST<![CDATA[El Paso resident finds Mexican Orbiter Mini drone in his front yard]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/21/el-paso-resident-finds-mexican-orbiter-mini-drone-in-his-front-y/http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/21/el-paso-resident-finds-mexican-orbiter-mini-drone-in-his-front-y/http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/21/el-paso-resident-finds-mexican-orbiter-mini-drone-in-his-front-y/#comments
When discussing drones, we usually think of the Af-Pak theater (or perhaps joy ridin' UK teens), so it was with some amusement that we heard about a little border excursion that a Mexican UAV made into American airspace a few days ago. According to reports, the device -- believed to be an Israeli-made Orbiter Mini -- was being operated by the Mexican government (on its side of the border) when it experienced some sort of "mechanical malfunction" and crossed over to El Paso, Texas, where it was discovered on a resident's front lawn last Tuesday. The Orbiter Mini, manufactured by Aeronautics Defense Systems, has a six foot wingspan and will stay in the air up to four hours.

El Paso resident finds Mexican Orbiter Mini drone in his front yard originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 21 Dec 2010 17:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Aeronautics Defense SystemsAeronauticsDefenseSystemsborderdefensedroneel pasoElPasoisraelmexicoOrbiterOrbiter MiniOrbiterMinirobotsurveillancetexasuavwargadgetTue, 21 Dec 2010 17:44:00 EST<![CDATA[Houston will be home to America's largest car charging network, identity crisis]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/11/22/houston-will-be-home-to-americas-largest-car-charging-network/http://www.engadget.com/2010/11/22/houston-will-be-home-to-americas-largest-car-charging-network/http://www.engadget.com/2010/11/22/houston-will-be-home-to-americas-largest-car-charging-network/#comments Everything is somewhat more gargantuan in Texas, so its only natural that Houston has its eye on having the largest network of electric vehicle chargers in the country. The plan is a privately funded brain-child of power plant operator NRG Energy, which hopes to install 150 charging stations in the 25 mile vicinity of downtown Houston starting in February. Chargers will be placed at common retail locations such as Walgreens and Best Buy, but given that 80 to 90 percent of charging will occur in homes, an $89 all-you-can-juice monthly plan will also include the installation of 240-volt charging systems in residences. NRG doesn't expect to turn a profit on its $10 million investment for several years, but hopes that taking the proactive step will create a lucrative business in the future as electric vehicle prices (hopefully) hit the skids. The company also wants to build a similar network in Dallas in early 2011, and perhaps San Antonio and Austin in the future as well. Still, while the plans are admirable for the home of big-oil, compared to London's government-backed 1,300 station plan, NRG's Houston aspirations still seem positively Rhode Island-sized.

Houston will be home to America's largest car charging network, identity crisis originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 22 Nov 2010 10:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>austinbest buyBestBuycharging networkcharging stationcharging stationscharging stations texasChargingNetworkChargingStationChargingStationsChargingStationsTexasdallas texasDallasTexasElectric carelectric carselectric vehicleelectric-carElectricCarElectricCarsElectricVehicleEVhoustonhouston texasHoustonTexaslondonNRGNRG EnergyNrgEnergytexasWalgreenwalgreensMon, 22 Nov 2010 10:24:00 EST<![CDATA[Apple loses, challenges patent verdict surrounding Cover Flow and Time Machine]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/04/apple-loses-challenges-patent-verdict-surrounding-cover-flow-an/http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/04/apple-loses-challenges-patent-verdict-surrounding-cover-flow-an/http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/04/apple-loses-challenges-patent-verdict-surrounding-cover-flow-an/#comments Remember that one random company who sued Apple back in March of 2008 for ripping off its display interface patents? Turns out it was filed in the Eastern District of Texas, a hotbed for patent trolls who know that they stand a better-than-average chance of winning simply because of where their issues are being taken up. Sure enough, Cupertino's stock of lawyers is today being forced to challenge a loss after a jury verdict led to Apple being ordered to pay "as much as $625.5 million to Mirror Worlds for infringing patents related to how documents are displayed digitally." Ouch. Naturally, Apple has asked U.S. District Judge Leonard Davis for an emergency stay, noting that there are issues on two of the three; furthermore, Apple has claimed that Mirror Worlds would be "triple dipping" if it were to collect $208.5 million on each patent. In related news, the Judge is also considering a separate Apple request (one filed prior to the verdict) to "rule the company doesn't infringe two of the patents" -- if granted, that would "strike the amount of damages attributed to those two patents." In other words, this whole ordeal is far from over. We can't say we're thrilled at the thought of following the play-by-play here, but this could definitely put a mild dent in Apple's monstrous $45.8 billion pile of cash and securities. Or as some would say, "a drop in the bucket."

Apple loses, challenges patent verdict surrounding Cover Flow and Time Machine originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 04 Oct 2010 14:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>applecourtcover flowCoverFlowEastern District of TexasEasternDistrictOfTexasGUIinfringementinterfacelawsuitlegalmirror worldsMirrorWorldspatentpatent infringementpatent trollPatentInfringementPatentTrollsoftwaresuittexastime machineTimeMachineUIuser interfaceUserInterfaceMon, 04 Oct 2010 14:14:00 EST<![CDATA[MetroPCS fires up another LTE market: Dallas / Fort Worth, Texas]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/29/metropcs-fires-up-another-lte-market-dallas-fort-worth-texas/http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/29/metropcs-fires-up-another-lte-market-dallas-fort-worth-texas/http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/29/metropcs-fires-up-another-lte-market-dallas-fort-worth-texas/#commentsLook out, WiMAX -- LTE is blazing a path, and it's one that leads directly to the market you're aiming for. Shortly after launching its first commercial LTE market in Sin City, MetroPCS has just lit up its second in the Dallas / Fort Worth area of Texas. Monthly plans start at $55 per month (including all taxes and fees), and as with customers in Vegas, DFW users will also be looking at the dual-mode Samsung Craft ($299 in contract-free form) in order to take advantage. The carrier has reiterated that it hopes to launch even more LTE markets "later this year and in early 2011," which means that your 3G phone is getting more antediluvian by the minute.

Continue reading MetroPCS fires up another LTE market: Dallas / Fort Worth, Texas

MetroPCS fires up another LTE market: Dallas / Fort Worth, Texas originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Sep 2010 14:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dallasDFWfort worthFortWorthltemetroPCSmobile broadbandmobile internetMobileBroadbandMobileInternettexaswwanWed, 29 Sep 2010 14:47:00 EST<![CDATA[UTexas researchers develop organic battery, aim for week-long use in smartphones]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/22/utexas-researchers-develop-organic-battery-aim-for-week-long-us/http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/22/utexas-researchers-develop-organic-battery-aim-for-week-long-us/http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/22/utexas-researchers-develop-organic-battery-aim-for-week-long-us/#commentsChristopher Bielawski, a brilliant mind working at the University of Texas at Austin, had this to say about his newest discovery: "I would love it if my iPhone was thinner and lighter, and the battery lasted a month or even a week instead of a day; with an organic battery, it may be possible." Anyone that has ever owned an iPhone (or a smartphone or any sort, really) can grok just how bold those words are, but according to Mr. Bielawski, "we're now starting to get a handle on the fundamental chemistry needed to make this dream a commercial reality." At the center of this potential revolution is a newfangled organic battery recently detailed in the journal Science, but just as important is the artificial photosynthesis that the research also touches on. Bielawski and colleague Jonathan Sessler have seemingly figured out how to create an electron transfer process that can proceed in the opposite direction, with this forward and backward switching of electron flow opening up new avenues for the historically stagnant battery innovation market. Granted, these guys have yet to demonstrate that the process can occur in a condensed phase, so actual commercialization is probably a century millennium or two out, but hey -- at least our list of "awesome thing that'll probably never happen" has grown by one.

UTexas researchers develop organic battery, aim for week-long use in smartphones originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 22 Sep 2010 17:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>artificial photosynthesisArtificialPhotosynthesisbatteriesbatterychemistryeco-friendlyelectronElectron SwitchElectronSwitchenergyenergy storageEnergyStoragegreenmoleculesorganicorganic batteryOrganicBatteryresearchsciencetexasuniversityuniversity of texasUniversityOfTexasWed, 22 Sep 2010 17:11:00 EST<![CDATA[Oncor's 'Take a Load Off, Texas' campaign offers Dallas residents smarter thermostats]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/09/oncors-take-a-load-off-texas-campaign-offers-dallas-resident/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/09/oncors-take-a-load-off-texas-campaign-offers-dallas-resident/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/09/oncors-take-a-load-off-texas-campaign-offers-dallas-resident/#commentsOncor's 'Take a Load Off, Texas' campaign offers Dallas residents smarter thermostats, for a price Heating and cooling costs make up half of your average home's utility bills. A smarter thermostat, then, could save you big bucks, and so we're glad to see Texas utility company Oncor rolling out EcoFactor software and compatible thermostats to subscribers. These units look straightforward enough, but connect to the interwebs to download weather reports, meaning they can anticipate heatwaves and cool spells and plan accordingly. They can also figure out just how long it takes to get your home to a certain temperature, so if you want it 74 degrees at your pad by the time you arrive from work at 5:30 this thing can figure out the last possible minute it needs to spin up the AC. That's great, and a $19.95 installation fee is similarly encouraging, but we're not so keen on the $8.99 "monitoring" fee Oncor will be charging monthly. For that kind of cash this thing should track us on Latitude figure out our schedule by itself.

Update: We got a note from EcoFactor who wanted to clarify a few things, primarily that they don't actually do the thermostats, just software. Its their software that tells the otherwise absent-minded thermostats what to do, which is where the subscription fee comes from (erroneously called a "monitoring" fee by our initial source). The first six months are free, but after that you're on the hook for nine bucks every lunar cycle or so. We still think that's a bit steep, but we've certainly spent more on less worthwhile things.

Oncor's 'Take a Load Off, Texas' campaign offers Dallas residents smarter thermostats originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Jul 2010 10:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dallasdallas fort worthDallasFortWorthEcoFactorenvironmentenvironmentally friendlyEnvironmentallyFriendlyoncorsmart thermostatSmartThermostattexasthermostatFri, 09 Jul 2010 10:16:00 EST<![CDATA[TWC rebadges Sprint Overdrive, offers it as IntelliGo mobile 3G / 4G hotspot]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/07/twc-rebadges-sprint-overdrive-offers-it-as-intelligo-mobile-3g/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/07/twc-rebadges-sprint-overdrive-offers-it-as-intelligo-mobile-3g/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/07/twc-rebadges-sprint-overdrive-offers-it-as-intelligo-mobile-3g/#commentsAnd then, there were three. Three ways to snag an Overdrive, that is. Months after Sprint issued the original 3G / 4G mobile hotspot, Clear came along and introduced a rebadged version of the same thing. Now, Time Warner Cable (who is also in cahoots with Sprint and Clear) is following suit by tossing its logo on the all-too-familiar device and christening it the IntelliGo. Functionally, it's the same as ever -- there's a built-in battery that'll provide 3G / 4G mobile internet to a smattering (read: five) of nearby devices via WiFi, a microSD slot and USB connectivity. The difference here, though, is that it'll run you $49.99 on a two-year contract, and the fee will "vary by region." Speaking of regions, it'll be available wherever Road Runner Mobile is offered, which means Texas, North Carolina, Hawaii and Kansas City for now.

Continue reading TWC rebadges Sprint Overdrive, offers it as IntelliGo mobile 3G / 4G hotspot

TWC rebadges Sprint Overdrive, offers it as IntelliGo mobile 3G / 4G hotspot originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 07 Jul 2010 09:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>4gclearclearwirehawaiiintelligointernetkansas cityKansasCitymobile broadbandmobile hotspotmobile internetmobile routerMobileBroadbandMobileHotspotMobileInternetMobileRouternorth carolinaNorthCarolinaoverdriverebadgerebadgedrebrandroad runnerroad runner mobileRoadRunnerRoadRunnerMobilesprinttexastime warner cableTimeWarnerCabletwcwimaxwwanWed, 07 Jul 2010 09:14:00 EST<![CDATA[Chevrolet bringing 10,000 Volts in 2011, but it's the current of change that will kill you]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/02/chevrolet-bringing-10-000-volts-in-2011-but-its-the-current-of/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/02/chevrolet-bringing-10-000-volts-in-2011-but-its-the-current-of/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/02/chevrolet-bringing-10-000-volts-in-2011-but-its-the-current-of/#comments Good news for all electric heads out there: "intense interest" in the Chevy Volt has led General Motors to expand its launch markets to now include Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, and Texas. They join California, Michigan and Washington DC, although only Austin in Texas and New York City will have the honor of retail Volts before 2010 is through; the rest of the new markets will get their fill in 2011. Though Chevy still hasn't set down a final date and price for its electric car, late 2010 availability seems to mesh well with a November 1 rumor we heard earlier. Beyond this year, 10,000 units are planned to be built in 2011, with 30,000 more coming up in 2012. So it's gonna be a pretty exclusive club however you look at it, now can we get a cheesy music video going for this car or what? Oh wait...

Continue reading Chevrolet bringing 10,000 Volts in 2011, but it's the current of change that will kill you

Chevrolet bringing 10,000 Volts in 2011, but it's the current of change that will kill you originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 02 Jul 2010 07:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>20112012chevroletchevyconnecticutelectricelectric carelectric vehicleElectricCarElectricVehicleevforecastgeneral motorsGeneralMotorsgmmanufacturingnew jerseynew yorkNewJerseyNewYorkplansproductionroadmapscheduletexasvideovoltFri, 02 Jul 2010 07:36:00 EST<![CDATA[Disgruntled auto salesman bricks cars with remote kill-switch]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/18/disgruntled-auto-salesman-bricks-cars-with-remote-kill-switch/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/18/disgruntled-auto-salesman-bricks-cars-with-remote-kill-switch/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/18/disgruntled-auto-salesman-bricks-cars-with-remote-kill-switch/#commentsOver the years, a number of optional technologies have allowed new auto buyers to remotely disable and / or recover their vehicles after purchase, but these devices aren't always optional, and it might not even be the buyer who activates them. According to Threat Level, a man has been charged in Austin, Texas for allegedly hacking into the computer of his employer, Texas Auto Center, and activating WebTeck remote horn triggers and kill devices installed in over 100 cars owned by the company's customers -- all from the comfort of home. After Texas Auto Center reset the offending software's passwords and figured out what's what, the Austin High Tech Crime Unit quickly traced access back to one Omar Ramos-Lopez and made an arrest -- but for many, the damage (in terms of missed work, school and tow-truck calls) had already been done. Care to form an opinion? Read more about the crime, and WebTeck, at our source links.

Disgruntled auto salesman bricks cars with remote kill-switch originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Mar 2010 06:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Austin High Tech Crime UnitAustinHighTechCrimeUnitautocarcopscrimecrimescriminalhackhackerhackinghacksimmobilizerkill switchKillSwitchlaw enforcementLawEnforcementprivacysecuritytexasTexas Auto CenterTexasAutoCenterWebTeckThu, 18 Mar 2010 06:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Clearwire's WiMAX rollout rolls on: NC, WA, TX, IL and HI get lit]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/clearwires-wimax-rollout-rolls-on-nc-wa-tx-il-and-hi-get-li/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/clearwires-wimax-rollout-rolls-on-nc-wa-tx-il-and-hi-get-li/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/clearwires-wimax-rollout-rolls-on-nc-wa-tx-il-and-hi-get-li/#commentsThink LTE is the future? How's about the present? Clearwire is expanding its national footprint in a big, big way today by announcing WiMAX services in a slew of regions in a smattering of states. Starting today, 4G access can be found in both Honolulu and Maui, Hawaii, which effectively removes the last sane reason to not visit and / or relocate there. In fact, CLEAR is now available to 800,000 citizens of America's finest state, with service extending 1,759 square miles over Oahu, Maui, and Lanai. Moving on, residents of Charlotte, Greensboro and Raleigh, North Carolina can also buy in, right along with those folks in Dallas/Ft. Worth, San Antonio and Austin, Texas who mistakenly think their BBQ is superior. Closing things out, we've got new access throughout the Puget Sound area (including Seattle and King County, Pierce County, Kitsap County, and Snohomish County), not to mention a green light to hop on the 4G superhighway in the Chicago region. If you're anxious to ditch 3G, you'll find plans starting at just $30 per month.

Clearwire's WiMAX rollout rolls on: NC, WA, TX, IL and HI get lit originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 Dec 2009 10:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>4gchicagoclearClearwireexpansionhawaiihonolulumauincnorth carolinaNorthCarolinarolloutseattlesprinttexaswashingtonwimaxxohmTue, 01 Dec 2009 10:36:00 EST<![CDATA[Robots perform in 'A Midsummer Night's Dream,' said to outdo the cast of New Moon]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/20/robots-perform-in-a-midsummer-nights-dream-said-to-outdo-the/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/20/robots-perform-in-a-midsummer-nights-dream-said-to-outdo-the/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/20/robots-perform-in-a-midsummer-nights-dream-said-to-outdo-the/#comments Shakespeare's plays have a long, long history of being modded to fit the times. We've seen Macbeths do the running man, and Cordelias dressed like Susie Sioux -- and we've also seen Forbidden Planet, so we know that Robby was just a tinned up Ariel. So robots in Shakespeare? Sure, we've seen that before, but what haven't we seen intertwined into bad theatre? Well, Texas A&M's just staged A Midsummer Night's Dream to include robotic cast members. Working with Professor Robin Murphy, who heads up the Center for Robot-Assisted Search and Rescue, director Amy Hopper hacked the script a bit to include an air robot -- which is about the size of a pizza, and has been used in military operations -- playing a fairy, and six small radio controlled helicopters. The robotics team used the opportunity to observe how cast and audience members reacted to the robots, and we're pretty sure the audience warmed to them far more quickly than they would to Christian Bale or Sean Penn.

Robots perform in 'A Midsummer Night's Dream,' said to outdo the cast of New Moon originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fairiesfairyplayplaysrobotrobotsshakespearetexastexas aandmtexas amTexasAandmTexasAmtheatretheatresFri, 20 Nov 2009 12:28:00 EST<![CDATA[Sprint lights up WiMAX in NC, Chicago and Dallas, launches subsidized Mini 10]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/02/sprint-lights-up-wimax-in-nc-chicago-and-dallas-launches-subsi/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/02/sprint-lights-up-wimax-in-nc-chicago-and-dallas-launches-subsi/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/02/sprint-lights-up-wimax-in-nc-chicago-and-dallas-launches-subsi/#comments Don't you just love it when a plan comes together? Or better yet, when a leaked roadmap doesn't get delayed in the slightest? After months upon months of waiting, broadband-lovin' citizens in the North Carolina Triangle and Triad will be celebrating alongside DFW residents and Chicago natives as Sprint's 4G WiMAX service rolls into town. As of right now (that's today, junior), consumers in Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Cary, Greensboro, Winston-Salem, High Point and Charlotte, NC; Dallas-Ft. Worth, Texas and Chicago, Illinois can roll into a Sprint store and snag a U300 3G / 4G WWAN modem on a $69.99 monthly data plan. We're told that San Antonio and Austin will get lit up later this month, while Honolulu and Maui, Hawaii; Salem, Oregon and Seattle, Washington will join the fray before 2010. Oh, and did we mention that Palm's favorite carrier finally snagged itself a WWAN-equipped netbook? 'Cause the Dell Mini 10 is available starting today for $199.99 at select Sprint stores in the metropolitan Baltimore area.

Update: Looks like Sprint changed "Baltimore" to "Bay Area." Odd.

Read - Sprint WiMAX in the Triangle
Read - Sprint WiMAX in the Triad
Read - Sprint WiMAX in Charlotte, NC
Read - Sprint WiMAX in Dallas-Ft. Worth, TX
Read - Sprint WiMAX in Chicago, IL
Read - Sprint's first netbook is Dell Mini 10

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Sprint lights up WiMAX in NC, Chicago and Dallas, launches subsidized Mini 10 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>4gbroadbandcdmacharlottechicagodallasdelldell mini 10DellMini10ev doevdoexpansionillinoisinternetmini 10Mini10mobilemobile broadbandmobile internetMobileBroadbandMobileInternetncnetbooknorth carolinaNorthCarolinaperipheralsraleighrolloutsprintSprint 4GSprint4gtexaswimaxwirelessxohmMon, 02 Nov 2009 09:44:00 EST<![CDATA[Sprint lights up WiMAX in NC, Chicago and Dallas, launches subsidized Mini 10]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/02/sprint-lights-up-wimax-in-nc-chicago-and-dallas-launches-subsi/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/02/sprint-lights-up-wimax-in-nc-chicago-and-dallas-launches-subsi/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/02/sprint-lights-up-wimax-in-nc-chicago-and-dallas-launches-subsi/#comments Don't you just love it when a plan comes together? Or better yet, when a leaked roadmap doesn't get delayed in the slightest? After months upon months of waiting, broadband-lovin' citizens in the North Carolina Triangle and Triad will be celebrating alongside DFW residents and Chicago natives as Sprint's 4G WiMAX service rolls into town. As of right now (that's today, junior), consumers in Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Cary, Greensboro, Winston-Salem, High Point and Charlotte, NC; Dallas-Ft. Worth, Texas and Chicago, Illinois can roll into a Sprint store and snag a U300 3G / 4G WWAN modem on a $69.99 monthly data plan. We're told that San Antonio and Austin will get lit up later this month, while Honolulu and Maui, Hawaii; Salem, Oregon and Seattle, Washington will join the fray before 2010. Oh, and did we mention that Palm's favorite carrier finally snagged itself a WWAN-equipped netbook? 'Cause the Dell Mini 10 is available starting today for $199.99 at select Sprint stores in the metropolitan Baltimore area.

Update: Looks like Sprint changed "Baltimore" to "Bay Area." Odd.

Read - Sprint WiMAX in the Triangle
Read - Sprint WiMAX in the Triad
Read - Sprint WiMAX in Charlotte, NC
Read - Sprint WiMAX in Dallas-Ft. Worth, TX
Read - Sprint WiMAX in Chicago, IL
Read - Sprint's first netbook is Dell Mini 10

Filed under:

Sprint lights up WiMAX in NC, Chicago and Dallas, launches subsidized Mini 10 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>4gbroadbandcharlottechicagodallasdelldell mini 10DellMini10expansionillinoisinternetmini 10Mini10mobile broadbandmobile internetMobileBroadbandMobileInternetncnetbooknorth carolinaNorthCarolinaraleighrolloutsprintSprint 4GSprint4gtexaswimaxwirelessxohmMon, 02 Nov 2009 09:44:00 EST<![CDATA[Clearwire and Sprint slinging WiMAX to NC, HI and TX in November / December]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/23/clearwire-and-sprint-slinging-wimax-to-nc-hi-and-tx-in-november/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/23/clearwire-and-sprint-slinging-wimax-to-nc-hi-and-tx-in-november/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/23/clearwire-and-sprint-slinging-wimax-to-nc-hi-and-tx-in-november/#comments We knew Clearwire would be snaking its 4G services to select markets in North Carolina, Hawaii and Texas before the year's end, but it's always reassuring to hear a corporation come right out and affirm that those leaked dates are still solid. What's interesting about the latest announcement is that both Clearwire and Sprint will be offering 4G in these same cities under their own brands, even though the signals and towers used will be the same. Starting next month, WiMAX will officially land in Greensboro and Raleigh, North Carolina (Charlotte is already lit up, despite these companies' claims) and Austin; Dallas/Fort Worth; San Antonio, Texas. In December, the companies will get things fired up in Honolulu and Maui, two areas where we're certain techs from Sprint / Clearwire are more than eager to go "test things out." So, now that this has all panned out, how's about another leak sheet for 2010 rollouts?

Filed under: ,

Clearwire and Sprint slinging WiMAX to NC, HI and TX in November / December originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Oct 2009 16:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>4gbroadbandclearClearwireHawaiiFive-oInternetTvmobilemobile broadbandmobile internetMobileBroadbandMobileInternetnorth carolinaNorthCarolinarolloutsprintTexaswimaxwindowsxohmFri, 23 Oct 2009 16:27:00 EST<![CDATA[Clearwire and Sprint slinging WiMAX to NC, HI and TX in November / December]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/23/clearwire-and-sprint-slinging-wimax-to-nc-hi-and-tx-in-november/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/23/clearwire-and-sprint-slinging-wimax-to-nc-hi-and-tx-in-november/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/23/clearwire-and-sprint-slinging-wimax-to-nc-hi-and-tx-in-november/#comments We knew Clearwire would be snaking its 4G services to select markets in North Carolina, Hawaii and Texas before the year's end, but it's always reassuring to hear a corporation come right out and affirm that those leaked dates are still solid. What's interesting about the latest announcement is that both Clearwire and Sprint will be offering 4G in these same cities under their own brands, even though the signals and towers used will be the same. Starting next month, WiMAX will officially land in Greensboro and Raleigh, North Carolina (Charlotte is already lit up, despite these companies' claims) and Austin; Dallas/Fort Worth; San Antonio, Texas. In December, the companies will get things fired up in Honolulu and Maui, two areas where we're certain techs from Sprint / Clearwire are more than eager to go "test things out." So, now that this has all panned out, how's about another leak sheet for 2010 rollouts?

Filed under:

Clearwire and Sprint slinging WiMAX to NC, HI and TX in November / December originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Oct 2009 16:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>4gbroadbandclearClearwireHawaiiFive-oInternetTvmobile broadbandmobile internetMobileBroadbandMobileInternetnorth carolinaNorthCarolinarolloutsprintTexaswindowsxohmFri, 23 Oct 2009 16:27:00 EST