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Samsung Galaxy S IV screenshots support Smart scroll rumors, add Smart pause (update)
Samsung made a big deal out of its new "Smart" UI tweaks when it launched the Galaxy S III, so the suggestion that it might have its digital tool box out for the next iteration wouldn't surprise us at all. The Smart scroll mooted by the New York Times would appear to be corroborated in the above leaked images. If they are the real-deal, then it's joined by Smart pause, a similar eye-tracking feature that stops any playing video if you glance away. Sammobile also states that the images they received back up claims of a 1080p display, but with sources shrouded in secrecy, and Jeremy earning his keep, the real Smart money suggests you wait a little longer to find out. Update: Sammobile has since added more info from its source, advising that these are shots from another ROM, intended for the GS III, but still insists its intel confirms these features are coming. Update 2: Well, Sammobile isn't the only site claiming to have exclusive access to screenshots of upcoming Samsung ROMs. The difference is GSM-Israel isn't claiming to have a GS III update, it believes it has legit screenshots from the Galaxy S IV. There are some notable differences between the two sets of images, implying they're from different devices. The specs betrayed by the various settings apps are right in line with what we're expecting: 1080p screen, quad-core CPU, 13-megapixel camera, etc... We've stuck one image after the break, but you'll find a whole lot more at the source. [Thanks, Alex]
Intellectual Ventures takes aim at Motorola over alleged patent infringement
When Nathan Mhyrvold's Intellectual Ventures firm isn't striking licensing deals with technology companies, it's usually suing them, and you can now add one more big name to that latter group. This time it's Motorola, which IV says it has been in discussions with for "some time," but which it has ultimately been unable to come to an agreement with on a license. A total of six patents covering a fairly wide variety of functions are included in the suit, which was filed in a Delaware federal court, although that's just a small fraction of the more than 35,000 total intellectual property assets owned by the company. For its part, Motorola is remaining mum on the matter, while IV said in a statement that while its "goal continues to be to provide companies with access to our portfolio through licensing and sales," it will "not tolerate ongoing infringement of our patents to the detriment of our current customers and our business."
RIM strikes licensing deal with Intellectual Ventures for 30,000 IP assets
We still haven't heard much out of Intellectual Ventures' latest patent offensive against no less than nine tech companies, but the company founded by former Microsoft CTO Nathan Mhyrvold is now making some news on another front. It just announced today that RIM has followed HTC and Samsung and entered a licensing agreement that gives it full access to Intellectual Ventures' patent portfolio of more than 30,000 IP assets. Details are expectedly light beyond that, but it certainly seems like Intellectual Ventures is doing alright for itself these days -- it was recently reported that it hauled in $700 million in licensing revenue in 2010 alone, and that its total revenue to date is around $2 billion. Full press release is after the break.
iPhone gains battery life, camera flash, loses sex appeal with FastMac's iV
Why yes, FastMac -- we want 24 hours of talk time, 72 of audio, 20 of video, and 31 days of standby on our iPhones and iPhone 3Gs. Throw in a camera flash that doubles as a flashlight, and the ability to charge a USB device like a Bluetooth headset right off the phone, and you've got a deal on this iV charging kit of yours! Oh, there's a catch? It's a wee bit bulky, with an aesthetic similar to that of mophie's Juice Pack? Hey, it could be worse. This largification -- along with $79.50 -- is apparently the price you pay for digital endurance.[Via Macworld]
T2 report omits PS3 GTA IV episodic content, 360 listed
It seems that Grand Theft Auto IV's downloadable content is shrouded in as much mystery as its hush-hush storyline. While Rockstar North once said that the PS3 would be getting "exclusive episodes" of the game, they weren't listed among a recent Take 2 investors report, while a listing for Xbox 360 episodes of GTA IV is sitting smack dab in the middle of the 2008 fiscal year. Of course, this doesn't necessarily mean a death knell for GTA IV PS3 content, perhaps it was unintentionally omitted or maybe the content wont come to Sony's box until late 2008. Either way, this is still pretty muddy. We hope things will clear up by the time gamers are asked to plunk down their cash.
New GTA IV trailer coming June 28
Sure, you could get excited about a new Grand Theft Auto IV trailer, "Looking For That Special Someone," being released later this month, but you won't see us smiling. It's nice to know and all, but we can't help but wonder ... where's the countdown? Do you remember the hours, days we all shared, as a nation, watching the seconds peel away? Where does Rockstar get the right to rob us all of that?Worse still, how do we know exactly how long it is until the thing drops? See, for all our charm and wit, we here at Joystiq are genuinely terrible at math. Ask us how many "q"s are in our name and we'll stare at you blankly for a few seconds before sheepishly replying "...blue?". Ah well, maybe it will keep us math-challenged folks from making the internet explode whenever the trailer actually is released. Enjoy it, Einsteins.[Thanks, Lavin L.]
