Samsung Staying One Step Ahead of the Apple Patent Troll!!

I have been covering the ongoing Patent battle in Europe between Samsung and Apple here on our blog and today Apple got a major push. A judge in the Netherlands has ruled that Samsung as violated one of the patents that Apple is claiming, namely patent 2,059,868. This patent has to do with the photo management system and gallery scrolling. The judge has hereby banned sales of the Galaxy S, Galaxy S II and Ace phones. The good news in all of this madness is that the judge did not feel that the Galaxy Tab 10.1 violated any of the patents Apple claimed it did and the sales of this device will not be blocked. Now this sounds like the end of sales of the Galaxy phones right? Wrong! Unlike the ban in Germany the Netherlands court ruling gives Samsung a chance to respond. Sammy is going to keep selling phones just as fast as they have been and will simply push out a software update that will change the photo gallery scolling system just enough to stay ahead of the Apple Patent Troll. I am sure that Apple will come up with something else but with the Dutch judge declaring that a large number of their patent claims are invalid they will have to think up another plan for attack.

Picture Credit-Funnyjunk.com

JKeene AndroREV Writer

We are AndroREV, WE ARE!!!!!

The Hits Keep Coming for Apple!

Apple has made it a point to strike back against its Android rivals recently with the biggest blow being against Samsung. The Samsung 10" Galaxy Tab has been blocked from being sold in Europe due to a court filing by Apple in German courts. This filing was not without controversy. A Dutch website soon reveled that Apple may have falsified the sizes of the Galaxy Tab in the court filing to make it appear closer to the size of the Ipad. This would mislead the judge to believe that Samsung may have ripped off the Apple design, hence the tablet blockade. It seems Apple just hasnt learned their lesson!

Apple=Dimensions Troll???

Once again the Dutch website Webwereld has released pictures of the Apple filing with the dimensions of a Samsung device not matching real world specs. Apple as filed to have sales of Samsung Galaxy S phones stopped and in the documents the Iphone is pictured side by side with the Galaxy S. If you look at the picture something might strike you as funny. Yes both of these phones are the same size in the picture. In real life however the Galaxy S has a 4" screen compared to the iphone's 3.5. The Galaxy S is also 7mm taller and 2mm wider then the iphone. Yet somehow in Apple's pictures they are exactly the same. Also one more thing to point out, the Iphone is shown with its homescreen while the Galaxy S is shown with its app drawer open. This once again makes the phones look more similar then they are. If this leak is correct Apple is filing misleading documents to get a leg up against competitors. Using patents to slow up other companies is one thing but this should really get Sammy fired up. Stay tuned for who strikes the next blow in this heavyweight bout!!

JKeene

AndroREV Writer

http://www.facebook.com/AndroREV

HTC Strikes Back, Sues And More on Apple's Bad Week

Well if you don't know I got a lot of props for saying that Google should buy Motorola and their patent issues would then effectively end only to wake a few mornings letter to the news that Google had indeed bought Motorola. I'm not psychic I just watch what's going on and make assessments. Well trust me there is no coincidence that HTC has now sued Apple for patent infringement (cue laughter here) in the wake of the Motorola deal. HTC is seeking triple damages for willful infringement of three of their patents. No big deal right?, this is just part of the game I sue you you sue me back. WRONG. HTC has a very good claim here that not just the iphone but the iphone, ipad, and MacBook all infringe on existing HTC patents. Since the Apple claim against HTC is just bologna it looks like Apple might have serious issues here. Especially with Google poised to defend HTC and other Android manufacturers against Apple's bogus claims.

Truth of the matter is in the dispute between these two companies in July, HTC was granted a win on two graphics related patents and Apple was granted a win on two patents for data detection and transmission.
HTC then said, lets talk about this. Google said, let's buy Motorola. HTC says, lets sue the crap out of them (Apple). HTC is suing now for Integrated Interface on PDA and Wireless Systems and Multi-Point Communication and Method for Orderwire Modulation . Keep in mind HTC is no spring chicken and actually created some of the first touch screen devices (Palm Treo 650 anyone?). So Apple may actually end up paying some of that hard earned cash they are taking from zombies who buy their products. Has anyone considered that Microsoft may be actually laughing at their so called partners in Cupertino. What do you guys think about this? I'm sure there are some Apple people trolling around who would like to comment as well. The comment box is below have at it.


Kidromulous
Editor in Chief AndroREV
We are AndroREV WE are! (like us on facebook www.facebook.com/AnroREV)

Rotten Apple?? Jobs And Company Lie Through Their Teeth

Has Apple changed Court Documents to Shut Down sales of Galaxy Tab??

We have been covering the case of Apple and its patent war against Samsung on our site here. Now a Dutch site Webwereld has potentially uncovered evidence that may blow this case wide open!

The whole case against the Galaxy Tab rides on the fact that Apple claims Samsung has copied their ipad 2 design. In German court this allows the plaintiff in the case to hold up sales until a hearing has taken place without the defendant even knowing about the case filing. The evidence that Webwereld has unveiled is that Apple's lawyers have changed the dimensions of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet in court filings in order to make it seem more identical in shape to the ipad. In the papers submitted the Galaxy Tab's aspect ratio is listed as 1.36 which is very similar to the Ipads 1.30. However in reality the Galaxy Tab 10.1 is much narrower with a aspect ratio of 1.46. This means a difference of 8% and would make the Galaxy Tab 10.1 look much wider then it actually is. If this evidence is true that Apple and its legal team will have some serious questions to answer and Sammy may have just caught a serious break!!

Jkeene

AndroREV

The Revolution will NOT be Televised!

Back Off Apple! HTC Recognized For Global Design Leadership

So with the lawsuits and mud slinging going around right now when i saw this I had to recognize that it was pretty big news. HTC has just been recognized for global design leadership. I have articulated many times why HTC is my favorite manufacturer and the fact that all my daily use phones will be HTC's for the foreseeable future. The awards that HTC brought home at the International Design Excellence Awards or IDEA were:

HTC Droid Incredible was given a Gold Award
My beloved HTC EVO 4G was given a Silver Design award despite being about 2 years old
and the HTC Legend was given a Bronze Award,

HTC you guys absolutely deserve it. Even if you can't stand the HTC design then you have to recognize what the EVO 4G did to change the way smartphones are made. While Apple is suing everybody aren't they about to release an iphone with a "hummer" screen? Lets sue em!

Kidromulous
Editor Guy or Something Like That
We Are AndroREV WE Are

Where's Your Market Share? Android That's Where!

Ok so we have covered the recent patent trolling of Apple quite closely of late. First we released a real popular article about Samsung Galaxy Tab in Europe HERE then we put out a wonderful opinion piece letting you guys know just what the Revolution thinks about the likes of Steve Job's HERE in a Patent Troll Named Apple. I think it's time we took a hard look at the reasons for these things. Why suddenly have companies with more money on hand than the federal government begun teaming up with the oldest monopoly known to man Microsoft to come after an open source platform like Android. The answer is simple, Android is destroying them. Last year this time Android had a mere 17.2 % share of the market. I was still using a Palm Pre for my daily use phone and was eyeing Android after having one on the side. I myself has recently decided the iphone sucked and tossed it in the trash can. (true story). So when you consider that in 12 months that market share has ballooned to 43.4 % it becomes more obvious what's going on here.

RIM (research in motion) is being decimated by Android. Nokia has almost been wiped out by Android. Apple has actually seen a slight increase in overall market share but it does not take a genius to see that this is because of the increased popularity of the smartphone due in part to Android. If you go into these stores what are they likely to try to sell your grandma.... an iphone. 40.9 was Nokia's market share this time last year it is now 22.1 %. RIM had 18.7 % this time last year and were top dog. They now have slid to 11.7% and are struggling for relevance with iphone 5 on the way. Together the Windows Mobile and Windows Phone 7 only have 2.5 % of the market.

So there it is in the numbers folks and those numbers are not likely to change. Forget iphone 5 for a moment. How long will it be before we see iphone 6. Probably a year. So consider that in that years time we will likely see over a dozen new quad core Android phones. Yes I said quad core. 3-D display will be probably on half of them. The problem with the competition is their development life cycles are too long to make a product that will only be outclassed by new Android devices within a month of release. This is why Apple has long ago given up trying to have phones with superior specs. Now they want to use price point as a bludgeon. This is why Apple and their nefarious consortium are trying to tack a 65 $ tax on all Android handsets using patents. I will go on the record saying that this will fail. The justice department is already looking into this patent thing. Odds are it wont even succeed in Europe where it is far easier to get this sort of thing to work. Android is dominant simple as that. It's a shame the competition just doesn't put their heads together and come up with something new instead of trying to patent the rectangle touch screen device or even patent the patent and I'm not making that up. They are actually trying to patent the way they file patents.... I've said it once I'll say it again. The competition should innovate not litigate..... That's my rant. More to Come folks.

Excelsior
Kidromulous
I Got This And I brought Android With Me

Motorola Patent Portfolio vs The World??!!

I just wrote a piece on the Apple Vs Samsung patent debacle yesterday and mentioned that Apple was now pursuing an injuction against Motorola over the Xoom tablet. Apple is seeking to have sales of the Xoom halted due to patent violations. Apple has come on strong against Android products and it was only a matter of time before Motorola was in the crosshairs. Moto is seem is definitely not defenseless in this matter however.

Motorola has been around since 1928 and has been a major player in the cell phone world since it pioneered the flip phone with StarTAC in the mid 1990's. Over all that time the company has acquired an extensive patent portfolio. Sanjay Jha the chairman and CEO of Motorola's Mobility division hinted to the size of this portfolio during a financial conference on Thursday. Jha hinted to both the amount patents they possess the lack of fear at using them during his talk,

"I would bring up IP as a very important for differentiation (among Android vendors). We have a very large IP portfolio, and I think in the long term, as things settle down, you will see a meaningful difference in positions of many different Android players. Both, in terms of avoidance of royalties, as well as potentially being able to collect royalties. And that will make a big difference to people who have very strong IP positions."

Motorola has shown before that they are not afraid to go after other companies over patent issues and this Patent portfolio they possess may just be their secret weapon. Microsoft has been suing Android phone manufacturers systematically and winning alot of money( ask HTC how much of every Android phone they sell goes to Microsoft!). Moto is not only not giving in to Microsoft but fighting back and the sheer amount of patents it has in its arsenal may just be the tipping point here. However if you sit back and really read the quote above it seems to allude to Motorola being ready willing and able to take a look at fellow Android manufacturers too. Maybe the best defense is a good offense? It could be that Jha wants everyone out there eying a patent war with Motorola to know that it could very well end up paying Moto themselves(much like Apple is now paying Nokia after losing in court earlier this year). Here's to hoping some preventive medicine is enough to prevent an Android vs Android patent war.

Picture- Sam Spratt/Gizmodo

A Patent Troll Named Apple

Apple Successfully Blocks Sales of Samsung Galaxy Tab in Europe.

Apple has always been a company that is not afraid to go after anyone they feel is infringing on their products. However recent actions have put the entire electronics world on edge. Between January 2008 and May 2010 Apple filed 350 cases with the US Trademark office alone. They sued HTC in 2010 for 20 patent infringements, Amazon in 2011 for the use of the term "App Store", even New York City in 2008 for attempting to file a trademark for a "stylized apple logo". Now its Samsung's turn.

The Apple vs. Samsung battle began in April of this year when Apple filed a complaint that a range of Samsung products from the Nexus S to the Galaxy Tab copied the shapes and designs of Apple products. This was of course followed swiftly by a countersuit from Samsung. Over the next few months litigation has been traded back and forth between the two technology giants. Earlier in the week Apple struck a major blow by getting a German court to block sales of its Galaxy Tab 10.1 to the ENTIRE continent of Europe with the exception of the Netherlands, all without Samsung defending itself. In Germany a plaintiff must only prove that an infringement occured to begin an injunction, with no requirement to inform the other party so Sammy woke up to find itself behind the 8-Ball. Samsung is now not allowed to import any more Galaxy Tabs into Europe or it will face fines of $350,000 and the imprisonment of its management team! Samsung quickly responded in its defense:

"Samsung is disappointed with the court’s decision and we intend to act immediately to defend our intellectual property rights through the ongoing legal proceedings in Germany and will continue to actively defend these rights throughout the world. The request for injunction was filed with no notice to Samsung, and the order was issued without any hearing or presentation of evidence from Samsung.

We will take all necessary measures to ensure Samsung’s innovative mobile communications devices are available to customers in Europe and around the world. This decision by the court in Germany in no way influences other legal proceedings filed with the courts in Europe and elsewhere."

I for one understand Apple's need to defend its products. Mobile electronics is a fast moving and cut throat field, a company needs to defend their technology. However this might be a case of biting the hand that feeds you, Apple procures screens, electronic componants, and memory from Samsung. Yes they are suing the company that makes the parts for the devices Apple sells. Patents were invented to keep other companies from stealing technology and ideas not to be used to slow down competitors and waste time and energy in useless court proceedings. I am sure this is not the last we have heard from this battle and whether or not this ruling will affect sales of the Galaxy Tab in other areas of the world is not known yet. What is known is Apple is now moving on to other competitors, namely Motorola and their Xoom tablet. At this rate every company that makes a square shaped mobile device with a touch screen had better watch their back, Apple is coming for you!

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 Pulled Across Europe

The Samsung Galaxy Tab has been pulled in every European country except the Netherlands. The ban from  Marketing the Tablet has come after the Regional Court of Dusseldorf in Germany found that Sammy had indeed violated Apple's patents and infringed on the design of the Apple ipad 2. The bad news for Samsung is that it only takes one European court to find in favor of Apple for the ruling to apply all across that continent. It has also been reported that Samsung will have to pay heavy fines in the amount of 220,000 Euros for each violation. With that kind of bread on the table you can expect Samsung to be fast about the appeals process.


Is this just the next step in the ongoing dispute between Apple and Google's Open Handset Alliance partners. Keep in mind that this battle is really beginning to heat up in the handset arena as well with suits and counter suits galore. What do you guys think? When will this thing end and isn't it that Apple is just upset their latest innovations are being trumped by Google's partners. I for one think they are wrong to fight this battle in court but should fight in retailers like Best Buy where they are losing the battle. They should innovate not litigate. More to come on this subject. 


Excelsior
Kidromulous