Apple’s billion dollar patent victory over Samsung gets partially overturned
Apple and Samsung’s legal back-and-forth has been going on for years, with the original case resulting in Apple winning over 1 billion dollars in damages. Over multiple appeals and retrials, the settlement has been notched down just over $900, but according to the most recent ruling, it looks like Apple will only end up winning it’s design patent claim, but not the trade dress claim. That ruling should knock the total damages down nearly $400 million for Samsung.
Apple originally argued that many of Samsung’s devices, including the Galaxy S and Nexus S, copied the iPhone design by having rounded corners and a rectangular shape. It was a miracle that Apple managed to convince anyone that they owned the rights to rectangle smartphones at the time, so maybe having that ruling overturned shouldn’t come as a surprise. It’s good news for Samsung, but they’re still likely going to be on the hook for the design patent infringement.
However things eventually end up playing out, Samsung and Apple’s legal teams are the real winners here.
source: Reuters
via: Engadget
Come comment on this article: Apple’s billion dollar patent victory over Samsung gets partially overturned
The top 15 smartphones you can buy right now
It’s been a while since we took time out to list our favorite smartphones, which means we’ve had to make more than a few updates to our buyer’s guide. Big players like LG, HTC, Samsung and Motorola have unleashed a flurry of updates to their previous lines, and in most cases the devices are better for it. The G Flex2 has restored our confidence in LG’s curvacious form factor, piling on strong internals and improved specs. Samsung stepped up its game for the with the gorgeous Galaxy S6, while HTC built on the success of its One line to bring us the M9. Motorola added LTE to the Moto E for 2015 and partnered with Google to launch the super-sized Nexus 6. There are plenty of options for all budgets and power requirements, so cruise through the gallery or head over to our buyer’s guide for help picking out your next daily driver.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Apple, Samsung, Sony, Microsoft, HTC, Nokia, Google, LG
Samsung rumored to release the Galaxy Note 5 earlier than normal to beat the iPhone 6s
Samsung continues to enjoy tremendous success with the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge, but things will change dramatically when Apple announces the iPhone 6s in the fall. Samsung usually announces their newest edition of the Note line in early September when IFA takes place, but they might change it up this year in order to get bigger head start.
According to the latest report, they will announce the new Galaxy Note 5 by the end of July, which is just a little over a month earlier than normal. If everything goes according to plan, they will have a completed prototype by the middle of June. Supposedly they have confirmed the final specifications to global carriers with the instruction to take pre-orders before the end of July.
The carriers might know about those specs, but we can only guess. Based on the latest rumors, the Note 5 could have a 5.89-inch display, which is .20 inches bigger than the Note 4. There is also the belief that Samsung will offer a 4K (3840 x 2160) display, but I am not buying that one. You can also expect an Exynos processor similar to what is on the Galaxy S6. The Note series generally sports a much bigger battery, which is expected to be 4,100 mAh. Pack all of this in a rumored 7.9 mm body, and you have a winner. Of course, if you like to be edgy, Samsung will more than likely offer an Edge version of the phone too.
There is no question the Note 5 will will be cutting edge, but I am interested to see if they can improve upon the Galaxy S6’s camera? The other big question surrounds storage and the battery. Will Samsung drop the microSD card and battery swapping support? I guess we don’t have to wait for too long if this report is true. Let’s hope it is.
source: whowired
via: Phone Arena
Come comment on this article: Samsung rumored to release the Galaxy Note 5 earlier than normal to beat the iPhone 6s
Court reverses a portion of Apple’s $930 million win in patent case against Samsung
Although Samsung was forced to pay Apple almost $1 billion for infringing on design and utility patents found in early iPhones, that large sum of money will soon be greatly reduced. In a filing posted earlier today, the U.S. Court of Appeals has reestablished that Samsung did indeed infringe on a number of design patents held by Apple. However, out of the $930 million Apple was supposed to receive, the court has just ruled that $382 million will be reversed due to “trade dress dilution”.
The court originally ruled that Samsung basically copied the way Apple packaged and presented its iPhones, as well as a few aesthetic features like the smartphones’ rounded rectangle shape and rows of square application icons. But in the new ruling today, the court says that the trademarks are invalid because they relate too much to the functioning of the phone. The court says that granting these trademarks to Apple would essentially give the company a monopoly over these features forever.
Apple vs. Samsung
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The legal fight between the two companies has been going on since 2011, and Apple was originally awarded the $930 million one year later. Apple ultimately failed to convince the U.S. District Judge to ban all sales of infringing Galaxy S products in the United States, which are not on the market anymore.
What are your thoughts? Do you have any strong feelings on the never-ending Samsung vs. Apple wars?
Recent price drops for Boost Mobile
Is it time for a new smartphone for you or someone you know? We’re here to help you out in whatever way possible. Be it in the form of covering major announcements, creating buyer’s guides or something else, we aim to please.
Today we’re compiling a list of devices that have been discounted in the last few days. Specifically, we’re looking at Boost Mobile. We have been keeping our eyes open, bouncing around between the official carrier sites, Amazon, and Best Buy.
Here are some of the models that have seen a decent price drop ($10+) in the last couple of days. Perhaps your next phone is among these.
- LG Optimus F3 Black dropped $24.00 to $58.99 (Boost Mobile)
- Samsung Galaxy S5 White 16GB dropped $37 to $494.86 (Boost Mobile)
- ZTE Boost Warp 4G dropped $12 to $87.99 (Boost Mobile)
- HTC Desire 510 dropped $0 to $69.99 (Boost Mobile)
The post Recent price drops for Boost Mobile appeared first on AndroidGuys.
LG G4 v Galaxy S6 Edge v Huawei P8: Ask Us Anything!
Choosing a new smartphone can be difficult, especially when some are available to buy and others are yet to launch and while you can read and watch reviews of all the latest handsets, sometimes you have questions that aren’t quite answered. Maybe you’ve had a past device from the manufacturer or are thinking of switching and have some questions?
If you’re looking to buy a new smartphone right now, chances are the LG G4, Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge or Huawei P8 have come to your attention; not sure about something, want to see how these handsets compare or just want to know more about a specific feature? You’re in luck as today, we’re holding our first Ask Us Anything session.
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So if you’ve got a question on these latest devices or you want to ask about some specifics that weren’t covered in our reviews, simply leave the question in the comments below. We’ll keep this open until midnight on Saturday 23rd May and then we’ll pick the best questions and answer them for you!
Seen a question you’d also like answered? Hit the upvote button and we’ll keep it in consideration; while we’ll do our best to answer your questions, we can’t promise we’ll answer them all.
For more info on each of the three devices, check out our LG G4 review, Huawei P8 review and Galaxy S6 Edge review and also check out these useful comparisons below.
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Apple’s $930 million legal win over Samsung gets partially reversed
The Great Apple/Samsung Legal Throwdown of 2012 ultimately resulted in the Korean company having to pay a whopping $930 million in damages for violating Apple intellectual property… or it did, until this morning. A Federal Circuit Court of Appeals ruled earlier today that while Samsung did indeed violate Apple’s design patents, it didn’t do the with same Apple’s trade dress – broader elements of design and aesthetic that dictate the presentation of Apple’s gadgets. With that bombshell dropped, the court has asked for an update on the damages to be awarded sans the trade dress stuff, which should work out to a roughly $382 million discount for Samsung.
Let’s flash back to the heady days of 2012 for a moment. During the heat of the trial, Apple presented a handful of examples of (unregistered) trade dress that it believed Samsung had infringed upon with devices like the Galaxy S and Nexus S. While some of Apple’s examples – “a rectangular product with four evenly rounded corners,” “a flat, clear surface covering the front of the product” – the company tried to argue that they were just for show and had no impact on usability. After some further investigation, the appeals court disagreed with the argument, saying that “the requirement that the unregistered trade dress ‘serves no purpose other than identification’ cannot be reasonably inferred from the evidence”. That is to say, since trade dress protection only applies to design elements that are nonfunctional and these design choices were seemingly made for the sake of customer comfort, Apple’s argument is out.
If you’re itching for some juicy documents to kick off your Monday, the full decision (courtesy of AppleInsider) can be found below.
United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruling on Apple v. Samsung by appleinsider
Developing…
Filed under: Mobile
Source: Reuters
Samsung rumored to release the Galaxy Note 5 earlier than normal to beat the iPhone 6s
Samsung continues to enjoy tremendous success with the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge, but things will change dramatically when Apple announces the iPhone 6s in the fall. Samsung usually announces their newest edition of the Note line in early September when IFA takes place, but they might change it up this year in order to get bigger head start.
According to the latest report, they will announce the new Galaxy Note 5 by the end of July, which is just a little over a month earlier than normal. If everything goes according to plan, they will have a completed prototype by the middle of June. Supposedly they have confirmed the final specifications to global carriers with the instruction to take pre-orders before the end of July.
The carriers might know about those specs, but we can only guess. Based on the latest rumors, the Note 5 could have a 5.89-inch display, which is .20 inches bigger than the Note 4. There is also the belief that Samsung will offer a 4K (3840 x 2160) display, but I am not buying that one. You can also expect an Exynos processor similar to what is on the Galaxy S6. The Note series generally sports a much bigger battery, which is expected to be 4,100 mAh. Pack all of this in a rumored 7.9 mm body, and you have a winner. Of course, if you like to be edgy, Samsung will more than likely offer an Edge version of the phone too.
There is no question the Note 5 will will be cutting edge, but I am interested to see if they can improve upon the Galaxy S6’s camera? The other big question surrounds storage and the battery. Will Samsung drop the microSD card and battery swapping support? I guess we don’t have to wait for too long if this report is true. Let’s hope it is.
source: whowired
via: Phone Arena
Come comment on this article: Samsung rumored to release the Galaxy Note 5 earlier than normal to beat the iPhone 6s
Official Galaxy S6 Avengers accessories launched
Samsung worked with Marvel to give its devices pride of place in the Avengers: Age Of Ultron movie and the partnership looks set to continue. Alongside the previously-teased Galaxy S6 Edge Iron Man Edition handset, the two companies have teamed up to launch official Avengers-themed accessories for the Galaxy S6.
Launched through UK retailer MobileFun, the accessories include cases themed on Avengers characters and a Captain America themed wireless charger (which looks super cool!). The problem is – as you might expect from any official merchandise – the prices are certainly a little steep, but if you’re an Avengers fan, these might be worth paying.
The accessories available are:
- Captain America Case – £34.99
- Captain America Galaxy S6 / S6 Edge Wireless Charger – £44.99
- Iron Man Case – £34.99
- Hulk case – £34.99
- Thor case – £34.99
The accessories are expected to launch later today and MobileFun ships to several countries around the world. At the moment, the retailer is the only one to have listed the accessories and its unclear whether they will be available from other retailers. The only question now is – will Samsung and Marvel release special edition handsets for each of the Avengers characters and if so, will they look as good as that fan render?
Deal: Galaxy Tab S 8.4 WiFi available for $279 on Amazon and Newegg
If you’re looking for a sleek Android tablet, you can’t go wrong with Samsung’s excellent Galaxy Tab S 8.4. The tablet is now available for just $279, the lowest we’ve seen so far.
The Tab S 8.4 (WiFi only) features a beautiful 8.4-inch AMOLED screen of Quad HD resolution, an octa-core Exynos processor, 3GB of RAM, 16GB of expandable storage, an 8MP rear camera with LED flash, and a 4,900 mAh battery. The device runs Android 4.4 KitKat out of the box, but an OTA for Lollipop should greet you when you start it up for the first time. This is the WiFi only model – the LTE model currently goes for around $400 on Amazon. The Tab S 8.4 is available in white or bronze (gold).
Read our Galaxy Tab S 8.4 review.
At $279, the Tab S 8.4 WiFi 16GB is $70 cheaper than Amazon’s previous price and $30 lower than the previous best.
We’ve spotted the deal on Amazon and Newegg, with free shipping on both retailers.
Best Buy or other retailers that offer price matching should follow the lead, though you may have to jump through a hook or two to get the deal.
Happy shopping!
AIVAnet 
