Apple has won a preliminary injunction in a Dutch court on Wednesday which prevents the sale of Samsung’s Galaxy line of smartphones in the Netherlands, and could affect sales across the E.U. It’s a clear sign that Samsung’s patent headaches won’t be limited to tablet devices. Read more »
At GigaOM and GigaOM Pro, we provide our readers with information and insights that can guide their business decisions. GigaOM RoadMap will do that as a one-day conference, focusing on broader technology trends, how they impact businesses, and what opportunities they can create. Read more »
The Nook Color gains new magazines with enhanced interactivity, along with performance updates, in a software update today. At $249, many iPad competitors could learn from the “tablet that’s not a tablet” approach: Focus on key features at a reasonable price and customers will see value. Read more »
Group messaging and conversation apps are everywhere these days. But despite all the competition, a new entrant with a less-is-more approach and emphasis on privacy might be just what some users are looking for. That’s exactly what the new iPhone app Glassboard offers. Read more »
McAfee said Android took the top spot in mobile malware attacks in the second quarter, growing 76 percent from last quarter, moving past Symbian OS and J2ME. Android had 44 attacks last quarter, compared to 14 for J2ME and 4 each for Symbian and Blackberry. Read more »
When thinking of social photo apps, iOS comes to mind with strong offerings like Instagram. But it doesn’t do panoramic images like 360 for Android does: the beta app doesn’t require a ton of processing power to produce a seamless 360-degree image that can be shared. Read more »
When it comes to mobile advertising at least, men and women tend to differ. According to a new infographic from mobile advertising and marketing firm inneractive released Monday, men are more likely to click on mobile ads, and also more likely to be Android users. Read more »
For companies trying to convince customers that mobile payments are a viable alternative to options like cash and credit cards, the iPhone could be key. A new mobile device study reveals that iPhone owners are the most open to the prospect of paying with their devices. Read more »
Thanks to content and applications, iOS and Android will remain at the top of the tablet heap until at least 2017, a new report claimed Monday. Trends indicate that iOS and Android tablet devices will make up 90 percent of the market six years from now. Read more »
The blockbuster deal between Motorola and Google is forcing many of the smaller handset makers to rethink their reliance on Google’s Android operating system. INQ, the company that came up with a Skype phone and a Facebook phone, is now looking at supporting Windows Phone 7. Read more »
Apple’s latest transformation is complete. By delivering its first firmware over-the-air (FOTA) iOS 5 beta update in July, Apple freed its wireless consumers from being tethered to a PC or Mac to receive firmware updates. And it’s helped made wireless updates mainstream. Read more »
One of Apple’s tablet challengers, one that many initially thought might eventually become a force to be reckoned with, revealed Thursday that it would be leaving the field. HP will stop making webOS tablets or smartphones, which takes one potential iPad competitor out of the equation. Read more »
Battles in the mobile ecosystem used to be fought for developers, but now that clear leaders have emerged with Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android operating system, with Windows Phone 7 showing promise for no. 3, the battle has switched to patents. So who has them? Read more »
Android users have about 250,000 apps to choose from but most have little use for any of them outside the top 50. New data from Nielsen found that 61 percent of the time spent on apps by Android users are in the top 50 apps. Read more »
Google’s acquisition of Motorola was largely a defensive move to protect itself from the patent-litigation feeding frenzy. But it also provides an opportunity for Google to increase Android’s presence in a tablet market that is currently dominated by ... Read more at GigaOM Pro »
Dell’s stock took a dive this morning after it said it lowered its revenue estimates of the year citing weak consumer demand, but while it’s server business remained strong there’s no doubt that Michael Dell, the company’s CEO is navigating a fine line Read more »
Most of the money people spend within mobile games is on “consumable” items that have no lasting value once used. The most popular form of that is “premium” currency, which allows users to buy their way into advancing faster in a game, according to Flurry. Read more »
Microsoft continues to push its game service on Windows Phone 7 as a key differentiator from other platforms. In addition to the Mango improvements hitting Microsoft phones soon, the Xbox Live experience is gaining four new functions, including Parental Controls and in-game add-ons available for purchase. Read more »
Google rocked the mobile world on Monday, August 15, with the news that it will buy Motorola Mobility for $12.5 billion, marking a 63-percent premium for the handset manufacturer. It’s a move that ushers Google into the exclusive club of companies that control both the hardware and software elements of their smartphone offerings, and it will enable Google to design handsets that are more closely integrated with Android. However, the deal doesn’t come without its risks, and it remains to be seen just how it will affect other handset makers, competition from Microsoft and the crucial patent issues currently surrounding Google. Companies mentioned in this report include Apple, Research In Motion and Samsung. For a full list of companies, and to read the full report, sign up for a free trial. Read more at GigaOM Pro »
HTC says nearly all Apple product lines infringe on patents it owns, and it wants compensation. On Tuesday, the Taiwan-based Android smartphone maker filed a lawsuit against Apple, saying that Macs, iPads, iPhones, iPods, AirPort, Time Capsule and Apple TV infringe on three patents it owns. Read more »
A German court has temporarily lifted a restriction that was preventing Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 10.1 from being sold throughout most of Europe. The timing of this action coincides with news that Apple submitted inaccurate images of Samsung’s tablet, making it look more similar to Apple’s iPad. Read more »
Google could hold more patents than Apple, according to intellectual property investment bank MDB group. On paper at least, it looks like it could put Google and Apple on equal legal footing. But in reality, there are a few reasons why that won’t happen. Read more »
Google’s planned buy of Motorola Mobility is about the patents and the war of mutual destruction in the mobile space. We get that, but it’s also about TV and carriers and the convergence of broadband, data and action in ways that change our lives. Read more »
How about that for some big news on a Monday morning? The $12.5 billion deal for Motorola Mobility has huge implications across the mobile and living room markets and could signal a stronger position for Android as it fends off patent infringement claims from Google rivals. Read more »
Since 2007, Apple has led the way in a tightly integrated mobile product, combining hardware, software, ecosystem and IP. Competitors have taken notice because four of the six main mobile platforms have followed; the latest is Google’s purchase of Motorola. So where does this leave Microsoft? Read more »
Google wants to “supercharge” Android with its acquisition of Motorola Mobility, but what exactly does that mean? Some think we’ll see Google try to provide a hardware/software platform combo to rival Apple, but there are a few big reasons why that won’t happen anytime soon. Read more »
Google’s $12.5 billion bid for Motorola is about a lot of things, but one of the biggest assets in the deal is Motorola’s patent portfolio. UBS has put together a chart looking at some of the biggest patent-related deals recently and how much they’re worth. Read more »
Google’s $12.5 billion purchase of Motorola Mobility today shows that the company is all-in with Android, paying a 63-percent premium to acquire Motorola. But what does it show to hardware partners now that Google essentially will be a smartphone and tablet hardware competitor? Read more »
Monday morning, Google announced plans to acquire Motorola Mobility. Google cites Motorola’s commitment to Android as one reason, but it also briefly mentions the hardware company’s extensive mobile patent portfolio, which is the real driving force behind the $12.5 billion deal. Read more »
Google is delving into the Android hardware business and is buying Motorola Mobility for $12.5 billion. The news is a shocking turn for the fast-growing Android ecosystem, which was built on Google’s platform but didn’t include any actual hardware built by the company. Read more »
Acer’s 7-inch tablet, the A100, launched this week with an attractive starting price of $330, but battery life could be a concern. Samsung added a new Galaxy smartphone using a few cheaper components. I also found a free task app that smartly leverages your handset’s GPS. Read more »
The escalating patent battle provides a moment to reflect on how the implementation of patents have strayed from their intended use. Mark Shuttleworth, who leads the Ubuntu Foundation, had some thoughts on the matter, saying that patents are misunderstood, misused and are outdated in many ways. Read more »
Acer’s new 7-inch Honeycomb tablet, the A100, launches today with a compelling $330 price tag. Helping to add appeal to the small slate is support for the compatibility zoom mode in Google Android 3.2 that better supports the many available smartphone apps on the small tablet. Read more »
Plenty of web entrepreneurs share the same dream: build a great company and then cash in by selling it to Google, Facebook or another technology giant. But being successful is complicated affair, according to those who have seen those deals from the inside. Read more »
The non-iPad tablet market is relatively young, but the iPad is still running away with the lion’s share of the tablet market. Aside from the iPad, consumers and enterprises can choose from tablets running on Android, BlackBerry and webOS. But are they buying? Here are a ... Read more at GigaOM Pro »
HTC spent $300 million to buy majority of Beats Electronics, a lifestyle brand that makes headphones. That deal might buy the company coolness but it might not be enough for a company fighting a tough fight with well funded and more motivated rivals like Samsung. Read more »
As we increasingly become more mobile, not all of our to-dos are based on due-dates or times. Location is key to really getting things done. Location Aware, a free app, is a simple but effective tool for creating location-based task reminders on Google Android smartphones. Read more »
Smartphones were up 74 percent in the second quarter of 2011, accounting for a fourth of all mobile device sales, versus just 17 percent last year. The companies benefiting most from increasing smartphone sales are clearly Apple and Google, but which is benefitting the most? Read more »
