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Nokia Apple Patent Tussel

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Wednesday, June 15, 2011
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The technological biggies, Nokia Corp. and Apple Inc. signed a license agreement, thereby putting an end to the patent tussle, which has been on since long.
The end..
The end.. (Image credit: ubergizmo.com)


The two companies doused the last flames by withdrawing their individual set of complaints to the U.S. International Trade Commission. As per the latest developments, it has been decided that Apple will have to pay a one-time fee and ongoing royalties to Nokia for the term of the agreement, however, financial details of the same weren’t disclosed. The tussle that was on since the past two years or so, saw the iPhone maker caught in the web of patent litigations. Popular handset manufacturer, Nokia had accused Apple of violating over 10 patents, to begin with which pertained to the GSM, 3G, and Wi-Fi functionalities, as also those of wireless data, speech coding, security and encryption.


is likely to be paid millions of dollars by Apple after the Finnish handset makers won apatent dispute that is nearly two years old. Nokia says the settlement will help boost its second-quarter earnings. Analysts have also welcomed the move and say that the settlement will help Nokia focus on its core business at a time when it is grappling with multiple challenges.
Though the settlement amount has not been yet disclosed, analysts believe Nokia may be given 1% to 2% of iPhone revenues that is nearly USD 40 billion. Nokia, once a dominating name in the handset industry, is presently facing an uphill task to compete with Apple and Android devices in the smartphone segment. An embattled Nokia recently hinted at missing targets in its second quarters, sparking rumors of its slump in the industry. Speedy settlement, however, has indicated that Nokia had a robust case.

Analysts believe Nokia's next target could be Google Android phones as the Finnish handmakers are in strong position to collect royalties from other players in the industry. The victory has certainly given an extra edge to Nokia but analysts think it may not be enough. They are of the opinion that the company has a long way to go before regaining its dominance in the industry. With the new Nokia handsets based on the Windows Phone 7 platform expected soon, this win over Apple might just give Nokia a bit of a moral boost to fight the heavily contested smartphone battle.
Nokia and Apple were locked in the legal tussle since October 2009, when Nokia dragged Apple to the court claiming that the iPhone makers had infringed on its patented technologies. After clinching the victory over its arch rival, Nokia now aims to further intensify its legal battles. "We are very pleased to have Apple join the growing number of Nokia licensees," says Stephen Elop, president and chief executive officer of Nokia. "This settlement demonstrates Nokia's industry leading patent portfolio and enables us to focus on further licensing opportunities in the mobile communications market."

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Indian Army Hacking Scandal

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Hackers claiming to be from the infamous hackers group Anonymous recently hacked Indian government website to express solidarity with the anti-graft movement in the country. It's hard to understand how hacking the government websites will help the cause. Now, after having seen a spate of attacks on Indian websites, and promises for more, India seems to be a big target on the hit-list of hackers of global noteriety. Though none of the hacks have so far proved to be too damaging, concerns on level of Internet security in the country have grown sharply.
The 'Anonymous' hackers group also hacked the Indian Army website but quickly retracted after a lot of outraged Indians flooded the Facebook and Twitter pages of Operation India with angry questions on the motive of the step. Soon after the event, the Facebook and Twitter pages for Anonymous India were removed – a move that took everyone by surprise. It is also not clear whether the move was taken by the hackers group or the social networking sites were too involved into it.


Here's excerpt of the message:Things became more confusing after a message posted on PasteBin said that it was not Anonymous that hacked the government sites but someone else misusing its name.

“It has come to our notice that some of the Indian hackers and there groups are taking the undue advantage of the situation and the name and platform of Anonymous”

“You targeted organizations and other Indian Government properties to settle your own issues and you used the name Anonymous for personal benefits. By doing all this activities, you have not only hampered the image of Anonymous but you all are responsible for the damage caused to #OpIndia.”

Other than the blame game and discussing who is responsible for the menace, focus should remain on the factors leading to such events. The recent breach of computer networks of International Monetary Fund (IMF) apparently shows the vulnerability of Internet communication across the world. Even after intensification of security, such hacking events are the on rise. Famously, companies like Sony and Citigroup were not spared either.

Many will agree increasing cyber attacks have raised the risks of critical and private data getting out in public. Anonymous India or whosoever it was justified hacking government website in the name of anti-graft movement. And soon after it indulges in hacking the Indian Army website. It is very hard to relate the two acts, as they don't seem to have been done with same intentions.

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Iphone 5 Rumor : Iphone 4 Unlocked

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While it is evident the iPhone 5, expected earlier this year, has been delayed, new reports say the device is in its final testing stages, and is even being carried around by a few Apple and carrier officials. For now, it seems a September launch is on the cards.


In the meanwhile, there are reports of the iPhone 4 becoming available in its unlocked form in the U.S., at Apple Stores, something that should interest more than just U.S. citizens. Both 16GB and 32GB models should be available in black and white.Other reports indicate the iPhone 5 will be retaining the same 5MP camera sensor as the iPhone 4, despite rumours of an 8MP offering instead.

 

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Samsung Galaxy S II versus HTC Sensation Dual Core Mobiles

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Two dual-core super-phones are currently in the India market, the flagships of Samsung and HTC– the Galaxy S II, and the Sensation. While the Sensation is not here officially, we expect it to arrive very soon, as it is already available on online retailers such as Letsbuy.com. What makes the phones even more comparable, is that the prices are about the same as well – roughly Rs. 30,500.
We’ve reviewed the Galaxy S II, and found it to be a solid device with nary a flaw. We wonder how well HTC’s flagship will compare, and you’ll have to wait for a detailed review for that. In the meanwhile, we’ve compared the salient features, and identified some inadequacies that might just make or break the device. Take a look:
Phone
Samsung Galaxy S II
HTC Sensation
Dimensions
125.3 x 66.1 x 8.5 mm
126.1 x 65.4 x 11.3 mm
Weight
116 g
148 g
Display Size
4.3-inch
4.3-inch
Display Type
 Super AMOLED Plus, 16M colors
Super-LCD, 16M colors
Resolution
480x800
540x960
OS version
Android 2.3.3
Android 2.3.3
CPU
Dual-core 1.2GHz Orion (ARM Cortex-A9) processor
Dual-core 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor
GPU
Mali-400MP
Adreno 220
Memory
1GB
768MB
Storage
16GB/32GB (not available in India), expandable via microSD (32GB)
1GB internal, expandable via microSD (32GB)
Camera
8 MP, 3264x2448 pixels, autofocus, LED flash, 1080p@30fps, 2MP front facing camera
8 MP, 3264x2448 pixels, autofocus, dual-LED flash, 1080p@30fps, VGA front facing camera
Ports
microUSB v2.0 (MHL / AV link), USB On-the-go, 3.5 mm jack
microUSB v2.0 (MHL / AV link), 3.5 mm jack
Sensors
Ambient light sensor, accelerometer, proximity sensor, gyroscope,
Ambient light sensor, accelerometer, proximity sensor, gyroscope,
3G
HSDPA, 21 Mbps; HSUPA, 5.76 Mbps
HSDPA 14.4 Mbps, HSUPA 5.76 Mbps
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, DLNA, Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi hotspot
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, DLNA, Wi-Fi hotspot
Bluetooth
Yes, v3.0+HS
Yes, v3.0 with A2DP
Infrared
No
No
NFC
Option available
No
Radio
Stereo FM radio with RDS
Stereo FM radio with RDS
Flash 10.2 compatible
Yes
Yes
Document editor
Yes
No, only viewer
Battery
Standard battery, Li-Ion 1650 mAh
Standard battery, Li-Ion 1520 mAh
Standby
Up to 710 h (2G) / Up to 610 h (3G)
Up to 350 h (2G) / Up to 400 h (3G)
Talktime
Up to 18 h 20 min (2G) / Up to 8 h 40 min (3G)
Up to 8 h 20 min (2G) / Up to 6 h 40 min (3G)
The screen resolutions and display types of the two phones differ, with the Galaxy S II featuring a 480x800 pixel Super AMOLED Plus display, while the Sensation has a 540x960 pixel Super-LCD screen. Until we see the two screens first hand, our opinion will be guarded about the display type – colour accuracy, brightness, sunlight legibility – however, the higher 540x960 pixel resolution might just improve the media and web browsing experience.

The same things applies to the processors and graphics chipsets, until benchmarks are run, it's anybody's guess whether Samsung's Orion-Exynos chipset will rule, or the Qualcomm Snapdragon of the Sensation.
Other differences are glaringly obvious - the Galaxy S II comes with 16GB of built-in storage, while the HTC Sensation has 1GB built-in storage. It does come with an 8GB microSD card bundled – but that has its own disadvantages, and advantages. Apart from having a bigger battery, it looks like the AMOLED is the main reason for the S II's comparatively massive battery life.
The weight of the two phones are also worlds apart, and while the Galaxy S II has drawn some flak for almost feeling cheap in its lightness, the difference in pocket weight will be a big deal for the user.
The Sensation's front-facing VGA camera is also of lower quality than the 2MP sensor of the Galaxy S II, making a difference to those wanting to use the devices for tele-conferencing.
In the meanwhile, not everything is so cut and dry in the smartphone segment, with few reports of a death grip Wi-Fi connectivity issue with the HTC Sensation, and a few AMOLED issues with the Samsung Galaxy S II. 

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Facebook rolls out facial recognition feature; faces fire from privacy advocates

Posted by Unknown
Sunday, June 12, 2011
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Many people including Sophos’ Graham Cluley are making a big deal about the quiet way in which Facebook rolled-out its facial recognition system, which the social networking giant enabled to help speed up the process of tagging photographs, by autosuggesting the relevant person.

If this seems like a minor issue to you, you’d be absolutely right, it is piddling – but Facebook has been in the privacy frying pan for a while now, and should have wised up and realised that only explicit, opt-in (for all parties) features will be accepted on face value, no matter how useful they are. Facebook has now acknowledged that it should have explicitly informed users when it was rolling-out the feature, but so far, no news of the autosuggestion becoming an opt-in feature.Right now, the service is opt-out, where users will have to visit privacy settings, and disable “Suggest photos of me to friends.” Without this step, users will find that their contacts who have tagged them before, will be able to tag them in the future much more easily, forcing them to untag themselves from a greater number of photos, if they so choose.
Sophos' Graham Cluley warned users in a press release:

“Now might be a good time to check your Facebook privacy settings as many Facebook users are reporting that the site has enabled the option in the last few days without giving users any notice…Remember, Facebook does not give you any right to pre-approve tags. Instead the onus is on you to untag yourself in any photo a friend has tagged you in. After the fact….”

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Dell launches updated Inspiron 14R and 15R laptops, with interchangeable ethnic lids

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Dell India has launched the latest versions of its popular Inspiron 14R and 15R home-use laptops, featuring 10 ‘Change is Easy’ interchangeable lids with ethnic Indian designs, part of the Switch by Design Studio range.
A spokesperson from Dell India commented about the launch of the new products, saying: "At Dell, our promise has been to provide a refreshingly different experience to our fast-growing customer base to help them match their lifestyle with the latest technology, and this time it is in irresistible designs and colours to enable users to have a unique experience. We are indeed delighted to launch the 'Change is Easy' Inspiron R laptops equipped with 2nd gen Intel Core processors with interchangeable designer lids including four Eastern-inspired designs from the India collection".
Both laptops come loaded with Windows 7 Home Premium. The 15R has a 15-inch widescreen WLED glossy display with a resolution of 1366x768 pixels, while the 14R offers a 14-inch screen of the same resolution and type. Other specifications include a choice of Sandy Bridge Intel Core i3 or i5 processors, up to 4GB of DDR3 RAM, up to a 500GB 5,400 RPM drive, optional DVR-writer/Blu-ray drives (writer/reader), a chiclet style keyboard, an 8-in-1 media card reader, 2 USB 3.0 ports and 2 USB 2.0 ports (1 combination E-SATA), HDMI 1.4 port, 1MP HD webcam, SRS Premium Audio, and 6-cell battery packs, with the option of going in for a 9-cell pack. For graphics, users can choose from AMD Radeon HD 6470M 1GB or NVIDIA GeForce GT 525M 1GB GPUs, apart from settling with Intel HD 3000 graphics.
Dell Inspiron starts at Rs.34,300, while the Inspiron 15R starts at Rs.35,300. Extra lids are to be bought separately, for Rs.1,999 each. No news as to when the updated 17R will arrive in India.

 
 

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Twitter rolls-out new automatic link shortening service on its website

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Twitter has rolled out an automatic version of its t.co URL shortening service, which will allow its users to paste a URL of any length in their tweets via the company’s website, without worrying that it will exceed the tweet’s 140-character limit.
According to a Twitter's support page:
“After you've composed your Tweet and you hit the "Tweet" button, we'll shorten the link so that it only takes up 19 characters…You no longer have to worry about fitting a long link into the 140 character limit.”

After entering 13 characters of a URL, the user will be prompted that the URL will be shortened, and even after the 140-character limit is reached, users can continue to insert URL text. After the tweet button is pressed, the URL will be given the t.co link shortened ID, but, will appear as a shortened but recognizable version of the original URL, so that readers can look before they leap.
Twitter will also check any inserted URL against a database of dangerous sites, and, if detected, warn the user when they are adding it to their message.
Initially, the service will be available in only a few territories, but will be rolled out globally soon.

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