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Samsung 'likely to add' the iPhone 5 to its Apple lawsuit
The Wall Street Journal reports that Samsung is "likely" to add Apple's new iPhone 5 to its ongoing patent lawsuit against the company from Cupertino because, well, why not, right? Apple demolished Samsung in the recent ruling, and Samsung is now carrying out a second lawsuit against eight more patents, so the iPhone 5 may be thrown in there as well. A Samsung representative tells the WSJ that it will need to "analyze" the device first, but if it finds any evidence of infringement, it'll get thrown on the pile of evidence already set up for the case. This new case will be tried by the same judge, Lucy Koh, and there's a hearing next Wednesday for the three parties to figure out how the case should proceed. Right now, the actual trial is tenatively scheduled for sometime in March of next year, so Samsung should have plenty of time to do its "analysis" and get the iPhone 5 in the casework, too.
WSJ gets early, slightly uncomfortable look at Google's Project Glass
It's about time someone got the chance to test-drive Google's $1,500 smart-glasses independently, without any rose-colored lenses getting in the way. The Wall Street Journal's Spencer E. Ante just became that lucky person -- he played with prototype specs for 10 minutes and described them as a "wearable smartphone" that weighs just "a few ounces" and is smoothly controlled by voice commands. Saying "OK, Glass" brought up a menu in front of his right eye that made it "easy" to record stills or video, although unfortunately the device wasn't quite ready to show off any phone, messaging or navigation functions. Overall, Ante acknowledged the "long-term potential" of Project Glass, but in its current form he found the HUD to be "disorienting" and "uncomfortable" -- partly because he instinctively kept closing his left eye to make it all work. Clearly Google still has some work to do if the device is to make a better first impression, but no doubt there's also room for acclimatization on the wearer's part. If the military can get along with this type of eyewear, then hopefully so can everyone else.
WSJ: Apple developing competitor to Pandora, could launch within 'a matter of months'
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Apple is engaged in talks with record labels to create a Pandora-like music streaming service. According to the outlet's sources, the service will be ad-supported and will be accessible from Apple's wide array of hardware -- there's even hope that PC users may be able to catch some of the action. However, it's said that Android devices will be left out in the cold. The sources also say that the company had previously toyed with the idea of a service similar to Spotify with a monthly fee, but that this effort appears more serious. Licenses supposedly being sought by the House that Jobs Built could let them air songs more frequently than competitors and allow for additional interactivity. Since Apple's negotiations are at an early stage, it's expected to take months before the service materializes. At any rate, if you're still jonesin' for something fresh from Cupertino, we hear that something's been cooked up for next week. Update: The New York Times is now chiming in with a similar report citing three sources of its own.
MMO Family: Lessons from an MMO-light summer
Ever find yourself telling your kids to log off while you're holding your smartphone in one hand and have one eye on your email/Facebook/Twitter/browser/game of Angry Birds or Plants vs. Zombies? I admit it, I caught myself doing that back at the beginning of summer, and it happened to be around the time I stumbled on an article from David Gelernter titled Make it a Summer Without iStuff. Around the house, we stay on top of gaming time and try to stick to hard limits so that it doesn't dominate the day. But summers in New England are fleeting, and having been inspired by Gelernter's article, we decided to cut back on gaming even more. What I noticed during our dialed-down summer is that there's a lot more to it than just shutting off the iStuff and that MMOs might not be the "mental purgatory" that Gelernter says is created by iToys. Let's take a look in this week's MMO Family!
WSJ: Samsung to fight ban
After a guilty verdict was handed down in its trial with Apple, Samsung now faces a possible injunction that could ban eight of its smartphones from being sold in the US. According to a Wall Street Journal report, the company responded to Apple's injunction request with a simple statement that said, "We will take all necessary measures to ensure the availability of our products in the U.S. market." Samsung will try to overturn the original guilty verdict by filing post-trial motions with Judge Lucy Koh. If this legal maneuver fails, then Samsung will file an appeal which could make its way to the Supreme Court. As a last resort, the company said it will change its products and already has workarounds for two of the software-related patents. In this post-verdict phase of the trial, Samsung has until September 12 to file a response to Apple's injunction request. Both sides will meet again in court on September 20 for a formal injunction hearing.
Wall Street Journal to offer free WiFi hotspots in NYC and San Francisco during September
Oh New Yorkers and their marvelous, no-cost WiFi access points. Only a few days after Google Offers and Boingo happily announced they'd brought gratis wireless connectivity to additional underground locations within the city, The Wall Street Journal is now let it be known it too will be kind enough to gift the NYC crowd with some WiFi hotspots of its own. The nice gesture will bring around 1,300 network units to areas such as SoHo, Greenwich Village, Union Square, Chelsea and, naturally, the renowned Times Square during the month of September -- all in hopes of giving "people the opportunity to sample The Wall Street Journal." Meanwhile, folks in San Francisco can also grab the internet-friendly freebies in a couple of different places, including Nob Hill and Fisherman's Wharf. And don't worry, there won't be any donkeys involved here.
Subway iPad theft leaves reporter with broken jaw
A new iPad, iPhone or other shiny electronic device is an attractive target for thieves, as Wall Street Journal reporter Rolfe Winkler now knows first-hand. But there are a few simple tactics to reduce your chances of having a device stolen from you, and the mobile industry is looking at further ways to make electronic devices less attractive targets for thieves. Winkler and a date were on a NYC subway train looking at an ebook while the train slowed and stopped at the Bergen Street station in Brooklyn. When a thief ripped the iPad out of his date's hands, Winkler instinctively chased after him, only to run into the thief's backup team on the platform. "Instead of winning back the iPad, I found myself lying on the platform bleeding, my jaw split in half," said Winkler. While Winkler ended up eating through a straw for a month, it could have been much worse; in 2011 a Chicago woman died after an iPhone thief caused her to fall down the stairs of a commuter rail station. Winkler is one of many victims of "Apple picking." With used iPads and iPhones picking up as much as $400 on the secondhand market, electronics thefts are climbing. Winkler's story in the Wall Street Journal notes that in Washington, D.C. alone, cellphone-related robberies climbed 54 percent between 2007 and 2011, and over 26,000 thefts were reported in New York in the first 10 months of 2011. Device blacklists are one way that the mobile industry is planning to fight theft. When a phone or tablet is reported stolen, the device's ID number can be entered into a carrier database. If someone tries to activate the device later, the blacklist would show that it is stolen and the carrier denies service. At present, only Sprint and Verizon have a blacklist in place, and AT&T and T-Mobile are planning to join up next year. In fact, by October of 2013, the four largest U.S. cellular carriers plan to have a unified blacklist up and running. In the meantime, there are other common-sense steps iPad and iPhone owners can take to keep their equipment -- and themselves -- safe. First, don't become so absorbed in what you're reading or doing that you aren't aware of the people around you. Many criminals are looking for victims who are totally unaware of them; occasionally peeking up from behind the screen and making eye contact with others in the area is a good idea. Next, don't make a big deal about showing off your device when you don't know the area. If you're in an unfamiliar part of town traveling on foot, waving an iPhone around is inadvisable. Finally, if you end up being a victim of electronics theft, be sure to report the theft to the authorities immediately, and then follow up to safeguard your personal information. You did set a passcode on your device, didn't you? And did you turn on Find My iPhone/iPad, so that you can give police an indication of the location of your stolen device and force a wipe of your personal info? While a determined criminal may be impossible to deter, some common sense about showing off high-priced electronics in public places might be just the thing to keep yourself from monetary loss or, in Winkler's case, injury.
US Senator says DOJ should drop Apple ebook lawsuit
Senator Charles Schumer of New York (right) appealed to the U.S. Department of Justice yesterday in the Wall Street Journal to drop its lawsuit against Apple and a number of major publishers. The DOJ alleges that Apple and the publishers colluded to raise prices in the ebook market. Schumer states that "the suit will restore Amazon to the dominant position atop the e-books market it occupied for years before competition arrived in the form of Apple. If that happens, consumers will be forced to accept whatever prices Amazon sets." Schumer points out in his guest editorial that after Apple entered the market with iBooks, competition increased. Amazon's market share fell from 90 percent to 60 percent, and as a result the company had to "expand its catalog, invest in innovation, and reduce the prices of its Kindle reading devices" -- all things that are good for consumers. He notes that the average price for ebooks fell from US$9 to $7, while the DOJ looked at the fact that prices on a very few new releases have gone up. Whether Schumer's printed entreaty will make a difference to the Department of Justice is unknown, but it's interesting to see an influential member of the Senate come to the defense of Apple and the publishing industry in this case.
Senator Schumer calls on DOJ to drop e-book price-fixing suit
Believe it or not, but that whole e-book price fixing fiasco is still an ongoing issue for the Justice Department. New York's senior senator, Chuck Schumer wishes it wasn't however, he simply wants the DOJ to drop the case and walk away. In a lengthy (factually questionable) op-ed in the Wall Street Journal the distinguished gentleman from the great state of New York said that a successful suit against Apple (he didn't bother to call out the others involved) would set the e-book industry back several years and allow Amazon to dominate the market unchallenged. He also makes a broader call for the administration to develop more clear guidelines for deciding what non-merger cases to pursue. Unfortunately, we have to point out, that his argument is undercut by some questionable data referenced in the editorial. According to Schumer Amazon once owned 90 percent of the e-book market -- a number that, if true, most certainly predates the release of the Nook. This is followed by an insinuation that Apple all but single-handedly toppled the retail giant with the launch of iBooks, cutting Amazons market share to just 60 percent. While the latter number sounds about right we'd hesitate to lay responsibility for that 30 point drop entirely at Apple's feet. To dig into Schumers op-ed yourself hit up the source link.
WSJ: Next iPhone to have even thinner screen
Apple's next smartphone iteration will reportedly pack new screen technology that shaves a small amount from the screen thickness. According to the Wall Street Journal's sources, the new in-cell technology integrates the touch sensor into the screen, shedding around half a millimeter and due to the reduced space between screen and user, could well improve image quality. Although a mere 0.5 mm reduction may not mean much for the phone's frame, it could help offset any weight added by a larger screen. The Wall Street Journal also reports that the still-LCD screens will be made by joint venture Japan Display, LG Display and Sharp. Manufacturers are apparently battling to maintain high-yield rates on the new screen technology, which until now has been limited to bigger displays. Hit up the source for the full report.
WSJ chimes in on Amazon smartphone rumors, says 4- to 5-inch device is in testing
Whether the possibility of an Amazon smartphone is growing any stronger or the Wall Street Journal just wants to prove it has sources too, the paper is saying parts suppliers are gearing up to build just such a device. According to the always informative unnamed sources, testing of a phone is underway, and mass production could start late this year or early next year. There's still no revelations on what the software might be like or how the device could be sold, but the report does expand on Bloomberg's initial revelations from last week by narrowing the possible size down to between 4- and 5-inches. Of course, if the rumors are correct then we'll probably see a new Kindle Fire hit the streets first anyway, if it has any updated software to bring along then maybe we'll have a better idea of what an Amazon phone could look like.
Archive of Jobs videos makes iTunes go all things Steve
The mark that Steve Jobs left on the industry is a deep one, indeed. But aside from regular product announcements, we didn't see all that much of the Apple founder. Jobs's appearances at the All Things Digital conference certainly do a little to remedy the late-executive's notoriously private nature, and now you can watch them all from the comfort of your own Apple-branded media player. All Things D has released Jobs's six lengthy interviews in video and audio format via iTunes.
WSJ: Apple moving towards larger iPhone screens
The idea of a smaller iPad has been rattling around the tech rumor mill for many a month now, but the iPhone's 3.5-inch screen? That's sacred surely? Well, according to the Wall Street Journal, apparently not. It's reporting that those ever-famous "people familiar with the situation" have told it that Apple has ordered screens that are larger that the ones used in the flagship phone so far. There's no specifics on size, with the sources only going as far to say they are "at least" four inches. Apple, however, has declined to comment -- no surprises there -- but perhaps now is the time to start the office pool. Just hope you don't land on the "4-inch iPad" square.
US carriers agree to national stolen phone database
According to a Wall Street Journal report, four of the largest wireless carriers in the US are working with the US government to create a national stolen phone database. Verizon Wireless, AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile will develop their own databases and then merge them into a centralized server within the next 18 months. Eventually, regional carriers will also participate in this initiative. The database will help carriers and law enforcement track lost and stolen phones. Besides tracking phones, carriers have agreed to block both calling and data services for these blacklisted phones. This will be an easy task for Verizon and Sprint, but not so simple for T-Mobile and AT&T. Verizon Wireless and Sprint already track each subscriber's phone using the phone's unique electronic serial number. This lets them easily block any phone that's been reported lost or stolen. AT&T and T-Mobile do not have a similar service in place, because their GSM phones use SIM cards. As long as you have a valid SIM card, you can use any phone, regardless of whether it is lost or stolen. These two GSM carriers are working on new technology that would let them track and block a phone using a unique ID.
What companies often forget to consider when adopting tablets
In the past year, companies have adopted the iPad in large numbers, but, as the Wall Street Journal points out, it's not always an easy process. The article points out five pitfalls that many companies experience when they buy tablets for their employees without any foresight or concrete plans. For example, companies are often surprised when the final bill for a tablet and all its accessories is more expensive than a typical laptop. They are also taken aback when they can't find the software they need to use the iPad as a notebook replacement. Businesses are also at a loss when they try to secure the tablets and realize the tools to lock down a device and encrypt its data are not as robust as the Windows tools they are accustomed to using. If you work for a small or large business that's considering iPads, then you should add this Wall Street Journal report to your must-read list. You could avoid the costly mistakes mentioned above and help ensure that your tablet strategy is sound and your deployment smooth.
WSJ: Google to sell ASUS, Samsung tablets from its own online store
In a move that would be reminiscent of its initial plans for the Nexus handsets, the Wall Street Journal suggests Google will open its own online store this year, but stocked with tablets instead of phones. The Android tablets would be built by Samsung and ASUS who already offer the well received Galaxy Tab and Transformer lines, but have been unable to make a dent in marketshare comparable to that of Apple or even Amazon. Other details seem to be less clear, including the possibility of the lineup including Google branded tablets -- like the one hinted at by Eric Schmidt in December -- or that the store could offer a new tablet from ASUS (maybe running Jelly Bean, maybe not), or the chance that Google will follow Amazon's approach by subsidizing the upfront cost. Right now it seems that all possibilities are still in Play, but if the rumor is right we'll see the store launch this year -- any suggestions for the folks at Mountain View?
Video eats 4G LTE data plans fast
Verizon's and AT&T's LTE networks are so fast and so convenient that iPad owners are blowing through their data cap in a matter of hours, says a Wall Street Journal report. iPad broadband plans start at 250 MB for US$14.99 on AT&T and 1 GB for $20 on Verizon. Plans go up in increments and top out with a 5 GB plan for $50. Users watching video on their iPad can easily blow through those lower caps in a matter of minutes. Carriers advise users to switch to WiFi when possible, but many customers find the carrier's LTE network is faster and more reliable than public hotspots. Instead of struggling on a public WiFi connection, customers are abandoning WiFi and switching to LTE. Right now, there's no solution to this problem that would appease all parties. AT&T and Verizon could make customers happy by increasing broadband data buckets, but carriers are hesitant to trim their data revenue when they are trying to build out their 4G network. Customers could also pay more for a bigger plan, but most already feel they are paying enough when they shell out $30 a month for data.
New iPad parts cost more than its predecessors
Hot on the heels of iFixit's wonderful tear down of the new iPad is a component analysis from the Wall Street Journal. According to their calculations, parts for the new iPad with 4G total US$309. That's about $30 more than the iPad 2 which costs $276.27 and the original iPad 3G which totals $270.86. This extra cost is likely due to the retina display and the 4G LTE chipset, both of which are unique to the new iPad. Which leads us to the question - was Apple wise to up the cost of components and cut its margin in order to give consumers a tablet with a faster wireless internet connection and a gorgeous display?
WSJ: Next iPad will have LTE, land on Verizon Wireless
The Wall Street Journal chimed in with a last minute report on the iPad that'll make Verizon Wireless customers happy. Spencer E. Ante of the Journal writes, "The new iPad will support a wireless broadband technology called LTE, people familiar with the matter have said," and Credit Suisse analyst Jonathan Chaplin further adds, "It is great news for Verizon. They have a great LTE network that is empty, so they can afford to fill it up." Chaplin may end up eating those words as more and more customers join Verizon's relatively new LTE network, but, until then, most people will be pleased to see Apple adopting the next generation mobile broadband technology. You can learn more about the iPad on Verizon's LTE network at verizonwireless.com.
WSJ: Walmart to offer in-store disc to digital UltraViolet service
Hollywood's latest digital ecosystem offers lots of promise, but in the five months since its release, it couldn't be further from delivering on it. The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Walmart will finally make use of its membership to the Digital Entertainment Content Ecosystem by offering in-store disc to digital UltraViolet upgrade opportunities, for a small price of course. No doubt UltraViolet can use all the help it can get, but this is far from what we were hoping for when we learned Walmart would be in the mix -- we were hoping for the ability to buy and watch UltraViolet movies via Walmart's Vudu. Beyond our personal wishes, this no where near the big revelation that most consumers would actually find interesting: the release of the Common File Format which promises universal offline playback of our movie collection.
