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Thursday 23 June 2011

Apple Secures Touchscreen Patent [ 23-06-2011 15:47 ]

Author: Ivanov Konstantin Source: PCMag Translation by: Paul Smith

Apple have finally secured a patent on capacitive touchscreen technology and gives Apple control over the sort of multitouch display and accompanying gestures as found in devices like the iPhone and iPad. The reason this is news worthy is because of the potential for Apple to use this newly granted patent to affect its competitors.

Florian Mueller, a commentator on patent law, summed the situation up: "This patent covers a kind of functionality without which it will be hard to build a competitive smartphone. Unless this patent becomes invalidated, it would allow Apple to stifle innovation and bully competitors".

That's a pretty serious assessment and one that should worry Apple's competition, as well as any one interested in competition in the smartphone space. For example, pinch to zoom features are pretty much covered by this patent so could this mean an end to this feature on non-Apple devices? Well perhaps not because there is some light at the end of the tunnel for the competition.

Mueller expalins that the copyright would only likely be considered infringed if the interface is copied in its entirety. In other words a competitor would have to copy Apple's implementation exactly, down to the very last finger gesture, for it to be considered a patent violation. Even so much of what will happen next depends upon Apple themselves; they have just been handed a not inconsequential amount of power over the smartphone landscape and for good or bad the competition will have to deal with that.

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Infographic: Apple vs Microsoft [ 23-06-2011 15:04 ]

Author: Serge Novikov Source: via BGR Translation by: Paul Smith

For anyone interested in the history of either Apple or Microsoft, both,or even just computing in general this inforgraphic should prove highly interesting. It's a pretty big infographic, but that just goes to show how much history these two companies have together. Click on the image below for the infographic.

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Apple Hit 'Stumbling Block' In Amazon Case [ 23-06-2011 14:32 ]

Author: Irina Turina Source: Reuters Translation by: Paul Smith

Apple have been rather protective of their 'App Store' monicker, going so far as to sue Amazon for trying to use that name for their own app store (oops looks like I just used it there too). Apple's position is essentially that Amazon's use of the name 'app store' would be confusing since that's what Apple's app store is called. Amazon obviously don't agree and it seems as if the judge in the case might be ready to side with Amazon.

At a hearing on Wednesday the judge said that she would be reviewing some of the supporting papers, but crucially the judge commented that Apple had run into a 'stumbling block' in terms of proving that customers would be confused that Amazon's use of the term would confuse people. It's not a final ruling so the case is still ongoing, but it certainly doesn't bode well for Apple's case.

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Nokia First Windows Phone Handset: Sea Ray [ 23-06-2011 14:22 ]

Author: Irina Turina Source: via Engadget Translation by: Paul Smith

The one constant in the mobile business is paradoxically the fleeting nature of it. Just 48 hours ago everyone's tongues were wagging over the Nokia N9 and MeeGo. Today the topic has changed to Nokia's first Windows Phone handset, codenamed 'Sea Ray'.

The device bears a resemblance to the afore mentioned N9 although the LED placement is different on the back of the handset and there are some additional hardware buttons on the side.

Once you've check that out in the pictures take a look at the videos below. The first video is the condensed version, showing Nokia CEO Stephen Elop showing off the device with an apparently vain preface to shut off recording devices. The second video is the much longer (over 20 minutes) version showing off the full shebang.