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The patent system is ridiculous, but let's not get angry about it

2/11/2012 8:45:00 PM

It took a lot longer to start this piece than usual, and it has everything to do with the point tied to the title. I normally try to stay away from this patent dispute nonsense. I obviously have an opinion on it (who doesn't?), but it ultimately comes down to the fact that I'm not a lawyer, nor do I ever intend on trying to be one. Because I've admitted that, some of you have probably already moved on, and that's perfectly fine. So instead of dealing with this as a lawyer-want-to-be, or...

T-Mobile Valentine's Day Sale extended through tomorrow

2/11/2012 8:40:00 PM

Today's the day that T-Mobile is holding its big Valentine's Day Sale, and it sounds like the promotion was a pretty big hit for the Magenta carrier. In fact, the sale drew so much attention that T-Mobile's point of sale systems have been having issues keeping up with all of the activations, leaving some customers unable to take advantage of the deals on offer. The good news is that after being contacted by several folks trying to find out what's going on, the carrier has responded by saying...

Should RIM focus on the Bold series with BlackBerry 10 at launch?

2/11/2012 4:05:00 PM

As we move closer and closer to the "end of 2012," we get closer and closer to the inexorable "BlackBerry Day." What's BlackBerry Day? No, it isn't a special event that the company is getting ready to announce, and now it isn't even a Canadian holiday, either. (Though, it probably should be.) BlackBerry Day is the day that I'm coining as the final unveiling of the official BlackBerry 10-equipped devices. This is a day that not only BlackBerry fans are looking forward to, but the entire...

Apple requests preliminary injunction against Samsung Galaxy Nexus in U.S.

2/11/2012 1:00:00 AM

Looks like the steady stream of legal news that we saw yesterday is continuing on into Saturday. According to a report out from Florian Mueller of FOSS Patents, Apple has filed for a preliminary injunction against the Samsung Galaxy Nexus in a U.S. court, alleging that the Android 4.0-powered handset infringes on four patents. Three of the four patents were recently granted to Apple while the fourth is the same patent that the Cupertino firm used in the ITC's decision against HTC back in...

Motorola DROID 4 First Impressions

2/10/2012 8:40:00 PM

The Motorola DROID 4 is the latest iteration of the "original DROID" line - that is, the line that arguably started the Android revolution in the United States. While it offers some similar features to the now-old DROID 3 like a 1.2 GHz dual-core TI OMAP processor, 4-inch qHD display (with 540x960 pixels), an 8-megapixel camera with 1080p HD recording, and Android 2.3, DROID 4 adds 4G LTE connectivity and a non-removable 1,785 mAh battery. Perhaps best of all, it joins the...

LG Optimus Vu caught posing next to the Samsung Galaxy Note in the wild

2/10/2012 8:05:00 PM

Want a better idea of how big the LG Optimus Vu and its 5-inch, 4:3 display is? Then check out the photo above, which shows the Vu resting next to a Samsung Galaxy Note in the wild. The Vu is a tad shorter and wider thanks to the 4:3 aspect ratio of its screen, but obviously both devices have a fairly large footprint. For those wondering, the Galaxy Note officially measures 146.85 millimeters (5.781 inches) tall and 82.95 millimeters (3.266 inches) wide. Besides the 5-inch display...

What is your preferred method of communication with your phone?

2/10/2012 7:05:00 PM

From the very beginning, cell phones redefined how we communicate with others. No longer are we tied to a land line if we want to talk to our family without actually paying a visit. With a cell phone, you can talk to almost anyone from anywhere at any time. But it didn't stop there. More recent changes have turned cell phones into mobile offices, giving us the ability to text message, email, browse the Web and virtually anything you can do from a standard computer from anywhere that has decent...

BlackBerry Torch Challenge: Day 5

2/10/2012 6:38:00 PM

It's day five of my BlackBerry Challenge and things are starting to ease into some semblance of normalcy. I'm getting used to the OS and the way it functions, but there are still some things that bother me. Why can't I use the Silent button to silence the ringer? Why can't I set a default panel instead of it always sliding back to the All panel? Why is there no ESPN app in the App World? Okay, maybe the last one is a trivial thing, but the app selection seriously is limited, and that's...

AT&T to double its upgrade fee on Sunday

2/10/2012 6:30:00 PM

Thinking about picking up a new AT&T device in the near future? If you're planning on making the purchase this Sunday or anytime after, be prepared to face a higher upgrade fee than you would've been hit with in the past. Documents have been leaked showing that AT&T will be doubling its upgrade fee from $18 to $36 effective this Sunday, February 12th. AT&T responded to the leak with a statement confirming the decision, explaining that the move is due to an increase in the costs associated with...

How does Windows Phone's growth compare to Android?

2/10/2012 5:40:00 PM

It's been a rough road for Windows Phone , at least that's the way it seems. Despite Microsoft's best efforts to push its new OS, we're still hearing reports of 1% market share, biased sales reps, and an overall lack of respect for the operating system. But how bad is Windows Phone really doing? Obviously, we know what the numbers are - 1% market share and only a million devices sold worldwide - but are they really that bad for a young OS? Are we simply expecting too much from Windows...

Apple sues Motorola over Qualcomm patent licensing agreement

2/10/2012 5:40:00 PM

Boy, it's beginning to look like February 10th, 2012, could become known as Legal Friday going forward. After a result in a German case between Motorola and Apple and then news of a new suit between Apple and Samsung, it's now been revealed that Apple has filed suit against Motorola in a San Diego court. Apple claims that Motorola has broken a patent licensing agreement that it has with Qualcomm by bringing a lawsuit against the Cupertino firm in Germany. The iDevice-maker goes on to explain...

Acer CloudMobile Android smartphone breaks cover ahead of MWC

2/10/2012 4:00:00 PM

See that Acer Android handset up there? It's not set to actually be unveiled until Mobile World Congress rolls around later this month, but today Acer announced that the device has won an iF design award and teased the hardware a tad early. There's not much known about what makes the phone tick, but Acer does say that it's packing a 4.3-inch HD display, a Dolby speaker plate on its backside and a body that measures less than 10mm thick and features a "Sleeve DNA design" that it says will...

Apple hits Samsung with new patent suit in California

2/10/2012 3:05:00 PM

Shortly after legal news involving Apple and Motorola surfaced this morning, some more headlines concerning another legal battle between two mobile firms are being made, but this time it's Apple and Samsung that are tangled up. It's been revealed that Apple has brought a new patent lawsuit against Samsung in San Jose. The complaint was filed earlier this week and focuses on a pair of patents held by the Cupertino firm that it received in December. The first, patent number 8,074,172, is said to...

Should carriers do more to keep customers coming back?

2/10/2012 12:50:00 PM

Every time the topic of cell phones comes up in casual conversation with my friends and family (as if that ever happens), it seems like one of them is upset for one reason or another. There is constant banter about how "Verizon's customer service sucks!" or "I'm eligible for upgrade but AT&T doesn't have any phones I like." If there is a will, people will find any and all reasons to complain, especially about their carrier. And in my experience, they all have been about the same when...

Motorola DROID Bionic software update begins pushing out to users

2/10/2012 12:40:00 PM

Last weekend we got wind of a new Motorola DROID Bionic soak test that was incoming, and then a few days later Verizon announced the full details of the update. Now Bionic owners are reporting that the new software has begun rolling out to users everywhere, completing the last step of an update's life cycle. The update will bump the Bionic up to version 5.9.902 and weighs in at 57.6MB. Once you get it up and running, Verizon says that you can expect to find better battery life, improvements to...

German court dismisses Motorola 3G patent suit against Apple

2/10/2012 10:55:00 AM

More news out of the legal war between Apple and Motorola has emerged today, as a German court has dismissed Motorola's lawsuit against Apple that alleged that the Cupertino firm had infringed a 3G-related patent. The patent in question focused on a "method and system for generating a complex pseudonoise sequence for processing a code division multiple access [CDMA] signal," and Motorola claimed that it was a standards essential patent. However, the judge in the case felt that Motorola didn't...

All OEMs need to convert to micro SIM technology already

2/10/2012 10:25:00 AM

One of the largest benefits of using GSM technology over, say, CDMA, has always been the portability of devices, or the hassle-free method of swapping devices around. If you have two different phones for AT&T, simply removing the SIM from one phone and popping it in another would switch service between the phones. To swap phones on Verizon's CDMA network before they instituted a web client, you would either have to call customer service from a phone other than the two you wanted to...

Mystery HTC handset surfaces in leaked photos with Ice Cream Sandwich, 4G LTE

2/10/2012 9:50:00 AM

Well what do we have here? It seems that several photos of an unannounced HTC smartphone have surfaced, depicting a handset that features a DROID Incredible-like raised backside. There's no carrier branding to be found on this mystery phone's body, but one of the images shows what looks exactly like Verizon's 4G LTE logo, hinting that this handset is likely Big Red-bound. Another photo shows that the device is running Android 4.0.1 beneath Sense 4.0 and is also packing a 1.2GHz dual-core...

Motorola DROID 4 to Verizon

2/10/2012 9:32:00 AM

The Motorola DROID 4 is available at Verizon Wireless as of February 10, 2012. The 4" qHD touchscreen display slides open for you to find a 5-row QWERTY keyboard. Release Date: Friday February 10, 2012 Carrier: Verizon Wireless Retail Price: $549.99 Phone Price: $199.99 with 2-Year contract Hot Features: 4G LTE capable, 1.2 GHz dual-core processor, front-facing HD camera with 1080p video capture

White Samsung Galaxy Nexus put up for sale online

2/9/2012 11:35:00 PM

Been dreaming of picking up a white Samsung Galaxy Nexus ever since we got a peek at one in the flesh plastic a month ago ? Now's your chance to pick one up of your very own, as the snowy GSM Galaxy Nexus is available for purchase from online retailer Negri Electronics. As far as pricing goes, the white Galaxy Nexus will set you back $659.50, which is a bit of a premium over the regular titanium and silver model. Although the pricing between the two models of the Galaxy Nexus is...

Samsung Galaxy Note Challenge: Day 7

2/9/2012 8:50:00 PM

It's day seven with the Samsung Galaxy Note , and while the device isn't getting any smaller, I'm finally getting somewhat adjusted to it. Don't get me wrong, it's still huge, and somewhat awkward to hold. It's a great conversation starter, with several people over the week asking me questions like "what is that...is that a tablet?" It's a unique device that bridges the gap between phone and tablet, and you realize that when you're carrying it out and about in...

Motorola DROID 4 1080p HD Video Sample

2/9/2012 8:15:00 PM

Aaron takes the new Motorola DROID 4 into the streets of uptown Charlotte to test the 1080p HD video recording capabilities. Like other high-end Motorola devices, audio and video look good, with little to no distortion. This could be a decent replacement to the classic point and shoot camera.

LG Phoenix Gingerbread update now available for download

2/9/2012 8:15:00 PM

AT&T said last year that all of its 2011 postpaid Android handsets would be updated to Gingerbread, and today we can cross another device off that list. Today LG announced on its official Facebook page that the Android 2.3 upgrade for the Phoenix is now available for download. LG's announcement doesn't mention any kind of over the air install option, instead directing users to the company's support page for the Phoenix. There owners of the Phoenix can find instructions on how to get Gingerbread...

Google Wallet security bug affects all users, Google says it's working on a fix

2/9/2012 5:40:00 PM

Heads up, Google Wallet users: It seems a security bug has been found with the Wallet app that can allow a person access to your Google prepaid card. The issue arrises when someone gets a hold of your handset and then clicks the "Clear data" button in Google Wallet's app settings. Doing so will then allow the person to setup Google Wallet once again, which includes setting a new PIN and attaching Wallet to a Google Account, and then the Google Wallet prepaid card will be added to that new...

Samsung Focus S Written Review by Sydney

2/9/2012 5:05:00 PM

In the smartphone race, everything is measured by market share. There's a constant battle between Android and iOS to see which one has the largest market share at any given moment. Microsoft used to be a big part of the market share competition, with Windows Mobile. Now Microsoft's OS is nearly at the bottom, with about one percent market share. One percent market share may not seem like a lot. Actually, to be honest, it's not a lot. But Microsoft is working to change that. We're...