Dutch judge says Apple's patent on "slide to unlock" is probably invalid

As we reported, the gallery application on the Samsung Galaxy S II, the Galaxy S and the Galaxy S Ace were found by a Dutch judge to have infringed on a patent relating to the "bouncing" or "flicking" of pictures. And while that was only one out of ten patent that Apple claimed Samsung had used without permission, the judge did issue a preliminary injunction against the sales of those three Samsung smartphones. 

One of the patents that Apple claimed that Samsung had infringed upon was U.S. Patent No. 7,657,849 which related to the "slide to unlock" feature used on smartphones. In fact, Apple has legal issues with HTC and Motorola relating to this patent. But Florian Mueller of FOSS Patents says that the European version of this patent has been found to be "obvious" and the same Dutch judge that rules against Samsung yesterday says that the "slide to unlock" patent in Europe is probably not valid.

Australian retailer Myer still plans on launching the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 on September 1st

Samsung showed the court a phone with a European Windows CE handset design, the Neonode N1m, which was manufactured before the December 23rd 2005 date of Apple's patent filing. According to Mueller, the Neonode N1m already had the "slide to unlock" feature before Apple had even asked for a patent on it. The judge was not convinced that Apple earned a patent on the feature even when it was pointed out that there was a difference between the two unlocking mechanisms. Apple's "slide to unlock" features an image on the screen that moves along with the finger, something that the Neonade N1m did not have. Samsung also brought along evidence of other phones that use sliders that move "along a pre-defined path to a particular position in order to have the effect of an on/off switch (as in the slide-to-unlock case)."

According to patent expert Mueller, both Apple and Samsung will have a chance in the near future to have to have this past week's rulings overturned in a main proceeding.

In other related news, today a court in Germany made a similar ruling to one in Australia, which upholds a preliminary ban on sales of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet. A ruling is set to be made on September 9th. Even though the court ruled against Samsung in Australia, photos show that Australian retailer Myer still plans on launching the tablet in that country on September 1st, priced at $579 USD.

All three Samsung Galaxy S II variants for the US pose together in a leaked shot

With Hurricane Irene bent on making its way towards the Big Apple, where Samsung expects to hold a media event on Monday to disrobe the veil from its upcoming line of Galaxy S II smartphones, we’re getting our first look at them all.

In the leaked image below, we can plainly see the specific Samsung Galaxy S II variants coming to AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile – with Verizon obviously out of the mix.  Looking at them, they don’t appear to drastically differ in design from the international version that’s been available for some time – albeit, they shed the physical home button found with the original. For the most part, the three handsets appear to have the same looking design on the surface.

Now that’s out of the way, the only thing left going forward is to know each of their respective release dates and pricing. Unless the hurricane spells doom for the Big Apple, we’ll know that information hopefully soon enough.

White HTC Evo 3D hitting RadioShack at September 9th

The HTC Evo 3D is one of the best devices you can buy in the U.S. these days. However if you want to further differentiate yourself from other users, you may want to have your 3D smartphone in some other color. How about white? Yep the white Evo 3D will be available soon, with RadioShack snapping the exclusive launch rights. The first such devices are set to be released on September 9th, which is like two weeks from now. Price was not unveiled, but I see no reason why the white Evo 3D would cost more than the original black version ($199). Of course, the same two-year contract with Sprint will also be required but that’s like given these days.

As a reminder, the Evo 3D is HTC’s first Android smartphone with glasses-free 3D screen and the first such device released in the U.S. In addition, it also comes with WiMAX, EV-DO Rev. A (where WiMAX is not available) and Wi-Fi connectivity, two 5-megapixel cameras, fast dual-core processor and other “standard for Android” goodies like sensors, Bluetooth and so on…

Verizon may not be getting a version of the Galaxy S II after all

According to several anonymous sources cited by the Wall Street Journal, Verizon wireless will not be adding a version of the popular Samsung Galaxy S II to their lineup after all. 

Verizon Wireless attended the party for the original Samsung Galaxy S when they launched the Samsung Fascinate last year. All four networks had a version of the original and it was believed that would be the same case for the four major networks this year. 

Sprint is said to be launching the Galaxy S II under the name Epic Touch 4G, AT&T is going to be calling their version the Attain and T-Mobile’s will be called the Hercules. It was rumored that Verizon would be calling their own version the Samsung Function, but now it appears that will not be the case.

It isn’t official just yet that Verizon will not be launching a variation of the Samsung Galaxy S II. Sources have been wrong before so we will just have to wait and see what happens at next week’s Samsung event. There are plenty of other worthy devices available for Verizon now and there will be even more in the future. That being said, are any of you Verizon customers going to be disappointed if this turns out to be true? Tell us what you think in the comments below.


BUT, don't worry, you can buy the official unlocked Galaxy S II on http://www.m2cmobile.com 

UPDATE: Apparently, the I has questioned Verizon, and they have confirmed the rumors - Big Red will not be carrying the Samsung Galaxy S II. Here's what Verizon's spokesperson said: "We have an extensive portfolio that offers customers a great variety of devices, including the Samsung Droid Charge.”Oh well, at least there are some other rumors going that Samsung and Verizon are working on another phone, which will reportedly feature specs that are very, very similar to what the Galaxy S II offers. Looking forward to that then!

Sprint to release Samsung Galaxy S2 September 9?

Not too long ago we reported that Samsung Galaxy S2 would be coming to T-Mobile as the Samsung Hercules. Now, there are rumors floating around to an imminent launch date for Sprint’s version of the Galaxy S2, thanks to a teaser video Samsung released yesterday which shows the GS2’s stateside release and a few distinct software features like The Now Network’s very own Visual Voicemail icon.

In the video, it’s hard to make out what the screen on the phone reads, but if you look closely at the end of the video around the 47 seconds mark, it shows what clearly is a different phone, and a date of 9/9 with a Kansas City site. If you know anything about Sprint, you’d know that its headquarters is in the Kansas City area. Maybe it’s just a coincidence, maybe not.

With leaks of the Samsung Galaxy S2 landing stateside heating up, this should probably make Samsung’s press event on the 29th pretty interesting. But before we all begin to salivate, we must keep in mind that this is all speculation until we hear an official announcement from both Samsung and/or Sprint. So for now, you can chalk this up as a rumor.

Latest report mentions that T-Mobile will also be getting the iPhone 5 in October

With Apple believed to unveil the next-generation iPhone very soon, we’ve been hearing an abundant amount of rumors regarding its availability with some of the major domestic carriers in the country. Just yesterday, we heard a report that mentions Sprint finally being blessed with an iPhone come October.

Well, the fun doesn’t end there as yet a totally new report throws some fire to the already established rumors about T-Mobile getting the iPhone as well. This time around, the news comes from a source of MacTrast that’s cited as being “a contact within T-Mobile who claims to have been briefed on the matter.”

In fact, they claim that the handset will very well arrive approximately  in early to mid-October, which so happens to line up with previous rumors. Moreover, it’s believed that the handset will be available in 3G form with no indication if it’ll be supporting the carrier’s HSPA+ network. 

Obviously, the rumor mill is really starting to heat up as we get closer to September – where Apple is expected to hold an event of some sort to disrobe all the information regarding its plans. Clearly, it’s looking like good news for customers all around.

South Korea to develop its own... smartphone OS, aims to rival iOS, Android

Some nations have their own drinks, some stand out with their local customs, but South Korea might be the first one taking pride not only in its kimchi and K-POP, but a government sponsored mobile OS, rivaling Google’s Android platform and Apple’s iOS. The nation houses tech giants Samsung and LG, which will drive development of the new operating system. The project is expected to kick off by the end of the year.

"We will forge ahead in developing a new kind of operating system, which is being seen as a next-generation product, in order to build the kind of advantage we do not enjoy in the market for smartphones and tablet PCs, which is dominated by Google and Apple," Kim Jae-hong, deputy minister at the Ministry of Knowledge Economy announced at a press conference.

He also clarified that Google’s Motorola deal may protect Android in the short term, but he also worriedly mentioned that in the long term the search behemoth might enter the smartphone business. He admitted that the company can’t just switch an open-source system like Android to a closed one overnight.

The Korean OS will be an open project, accessible by the general community in a way similar to Android’s open source nature.

Now, what this means for the industry is not yet clear, but some revealing details from Korea have surfaced. Even though most Android phone makers greeted the Google-Motorola deal, the Korean official hinted that the actual sentiment within companies actually differs from their official statements. Samsung for once, swiftly changed its position on a jointly developed new OS from negative to positive after Google announced the Moto deal.

Could this also translate into the death of Samsung’s own bada platform in the long term? Developing two platforms at the same time seems controversial and if the Korean phone maker takes the government project seriously, the bada project might quietly fade away, but currently that's just a speculation.

Along with the upcoming smartphone platform, the a consortium of Korean companies will jointly develop an open-source cloud-based OS. Such an OS also reiterates a massive move to the cloud, shifting the focus from the narrow margins of the hardware business to the possibly wider possibility of software profits. Finally, that’s a big fat answer to other companies’ claims (cough, Apple) that Asian manufacturers don’t innovate, isn’t it? We’re yet to see the final result, though, but in the meantime you can share your expectations in the comments below.

Nokia N8 beta software update makes the industry’s best camera phone even better

Last week, after much anticipation, Nokia released Symbian Anna, their update to Symbian^3 that packs features such as a portrait QWERTY keyboard, faster web browser, and an overall easier to use interface. Owners of the Nokia C7 were also given near field communication (NFC) capabilities; the NFC chip that was inside the C7 since it first started shipping was disabled because the software to make it work simply wasn’t ready on time. Nokia N8 owners also have something to be happy about with Anna, an updated camera interface and improved red eye reduction. Further tweaks to the Nokia N8 have just been announced on Nokia’s official corporate blog Nokia Conversations, and they’re available to users in the form of a 1.7 MB downloadable update that for now is labeled a beta, but it promises to increase the video recording capabilities from a maximum 720p resolution at 24 frames per second to 720p at 30 frames per second. Continuous autofocus has also been added, along with a grid overlay you can now use while recording video so you can make your clips look all the more professional.

There’s nothing really bad to say about this and we congratulate Nokia for not only keeping the N8 up to date, but also taking imaging incredibly seriously. We’ve yet to see one of their competitors match them in the camera department, which is saying a lot, but at the same time everyone else has moved to Android, so there’s one less reason to stick with a Symbian device. That being said, if taking pictures and capturing video is what you need out of your smartphone, and you use the smartphone portion of your handset for mainly talking and texting, then it’s impossible for us to recommend anything other than the N8.

We’re all curious though to see how the next generation iPhone will compete with what’s been the uncontested champion of camera phones since it first hit the market in the fall of 2010.

Sony Ericsson Introduces "Live" Walkman Phone

Sony Ericsson today announced its latest smartphone, "Live with Walkman," which runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread and features Qriocity support with deep Facebook integration.

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The handset features a 3.2-inch mineral glass display and contains a 1-gigahertz processor with 380-megabytes of RAM, which buyers can upgrade to 32-gigabytes by purchasing a microSD card. The device also comes equipped with a front-facing, Skype-enabled video camera and a 5-megapixel rear camera that can record 720p films.

The phone targets entertainment-oriented consumers and includes a 3G radio, Sony's xLOUD to enhance audio output, and TrackID to help people identify and share currently playing music. The handset also includes a dedicated "Infinite" button that pulls up users' Qriocity music library and enables them to share songs on Facebook.

Nikolaus Scheurer, Sony Ericsson's head of product marketing, describes the rationale behind Live, which is designed with entertainment in mind.

"Consumers want smartphones to deliver a rich and social entertainment experience," Scheurer said. "Rather than a one dimensional music experience, they want instant and seamless access to new content, combined with the ability to share and connect with their friends."

No word yet on a release date or price, but reports suggest Live will hit shelves during the fourth quarter, possibly in October.

If it debuts this fall, Live will face competition from the long-awaited iPhone 5. Apple plans to release its iCloud service at that time too, providing an alternative to Sony's Qriocity music service.

Sony Ericsson's new device will also have to compete with the popular iPod, which makes up one-third of Apple's mobile sales.

Sony Ericsson may not beat out the competition in its Live debut, but it leverages the company's deep ties in the entertainment industry and may find an audience with music-oriented customers. And given Sony Ericsson's recent business slide following the Japan earthquake and massive data breach, the company could use whatever boost the device can give it.

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BlackBerry Torch 9810 now on sale at AT&T

As expected, the BlackBerry Torch 9810 went on sale yesterday all on its lonesome. Pricing sits at $49.99 on a two-year contract, which is a totally reasonable ask for an iterative upgrade that looks at first glance identical to the BlackBerry Torch launched last year. On top of the classic black/silver look, you can also pick up the white version pictured above.

Despite it looking and feeling a lot like an older phone, there are a few key difference under the hood, for example the 1.2 GHz processor, 768 MB of RAM, and vastly improved 640 x 480 touchscreen. Augmented reality apps are finally enabled thanks to a magnetic compass, and 3D graphics are enabled thanks to a new GPU and graphics rendering engine. Overall, it’s very responsive, and as always with BlackBerry, a good choice if you spend a lot of time chewing through e-mails. Check out our hands-on video over here, and stick around for our full review.

AT&T might not get the Bold 9900 until November, which would be downright silly considering at that point, QNX BlackBerry smartphones would be just around the corner. That said, if the 9810 is the only new BlackBerry being offered on AT&T until then, anyone looking for a variety will most likely drift towards one of the other major U.S. service providers. Of course, AT&T’s not hurting for other smartphones for buyers to chose from,  and will likely have their hands full with an iPhone 5 launch all the way until next year.

Best Buy does a 180 degree change, will sell HP TouchPad in U.S. stores at fire sale prices

Perhaps Best Buy's U.S. managers saw all those HP TouchPads being sold around them and decided to join in the fun, too. After saying that its U.S. stores would not partake in the fire sale of the webOS tablet, deciding instead to send the unsold inventory to HP, the big box retailer has made a U-turn and starting immediately it will offer the heavily discounted device at stores and online. A message on the Best Buy online forum says that due to HP's decision to discontinue producing the tablets, it is now offering the tablets at clearance prices regardless of any other promotion or advertisement.

Just to reiterate the pricing laid out by HP, the 16GB TouchPad (SKU 2842056) now sells for $99.99, down from $399.99. The 32GB (SKU 2842092) version has a $149.99 price tag, down from $499.99. There is alimit of one of each SKU for each customer, which is a fancy way of saying that a customer can buy no more than one of each model. As of Saturday night, the tablets have yet to show up on Best Buy's web site. The good news is that those who were unable to find an HP TouchPad on Saturday just might find some inventory at their local Best Buy on Sunday. The company says that inventory might be low for the online store.

By the way, if you bought the HP TouchPad from Best Buy after June 19th, you can receive the difference between what you paid for the tablet and the new sales price. If you bought it at a Best Buy store, you simply need to return to the store you bought it at. Those who bought it online need to call Best Buy.com support at 888BestBuy (888-237-8289).