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Law & Apple: Samsung Strikes Out, While Motorola Chokes

Adrian Hoppel — Wed, 16 May 2012 19:26:03 +0000

Apple won three significant courtroom battles against Samsung this past week in California and down in Florida, it seems Motorola's eyes were bigger than its stomach. Also, Cupertino lawyers have a prett-ay, prett-ay, prett-ay good week as they prep for some major upcoming U.S. lawsuits. Join us for another week of Law & Apple as we will lay the law happenings.

Apple vs. Samsung

As the super summer blockbuster trial between Apple and Samsung, scheduled for July 30, creeps toward us, the pre-trial manueverings of the two companies is getting even more interesting. A series of developments over the last few days seem to significantly favor Cupertino, and the lawyers must be excited about Apple's chances in the courtroom.

Strike three! But we are still going to trial.

Judge Lucy Koh ordered Apple and Samsung to narrow the scope of the trial, and last Thursday issued a ruling on those attempts to slim down. Although Judge Koh agreed with Samsung that still more narrowing is required, she made a few points that were very favorable to Apple. Primarily, Judge Koh granted that if Apple removes claims from the case in order to keep things on schedule, those claims can be reasserted in a later trial. Samsung was hoping for dimissal with prejudice that would have basically killed the claims forever. Score one for Cupertino.

Last December, Judge Koh denied Apple's request for a preliminary injunction against four Samsung products. Cupertino immediately appealed to the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC), and on Monday a ruling was issued. The CAFC agreed with Judge Koh regarding two iPhone design patents as well as a software patent, but agreed with Apple that one design patent (U.S. Patent No. D504,889) is valid. This patent was specifically targeting the Galaxy Tab 10.1, and it seems likely now that an injunction will be issued against this device. Samsung should be able to modify the device quickly to keep in on the shelves, but a differentation between Apple and Samsung products is what this lawsuit is all about, so score two for Cupertino.

Finally, Judge Koh ruled this past Monday on a motion Samsung filed to dismiss Apple's antitrust counterclaims. Samsung got Judge Koh to toss out a couple of the unlikely claims, but for the most part, Apple's claims were upheld. These FRAND claims by Apple are the rock solid defense Cupertino needs to combat any success Samsung has in the upcoming trial; they basically say that if Apple did infringe on any Samsung products, it was because Samsung did not uphold contract obligations to disclose and license those patents to Apple. As Florian Mueller of FOSS Patents put it, "I'm sure Samsung was hoping for a much better outcome. It won nothing against Apple's antitrust claims, and very little against the breach-of-contract claims."

It will be extremely unlikely now that Samsung will succeed with any infringement claims against Apple in this trial, and you can score a third huge win for Cupertino right there.

Apple vs. Motorola

Down in Florida, Motorola is learning an expensive lesson the local alligators could have taught them for free: don't bite off more than you can chew.

In November of 2010, Motorola filed a lawsuit against Apple that was scheduled to go to trial later this year. Motorola, with its pending sale to Google, would like this trial to happen as soon as possible. However, after the lawsuit was filed, Motorola wanted to add six additional claims against Apple regarding the iPhone 4S and the iCloud. The original judge in the case, Judge Ursula Ungaro, ruled it was too late to add the claims, so in January of this year Motorola filed a second lawsuit against apple.

Dude. You need to chew your food before you take another bite!

That may not have been the best move. Judge Robert N. Scola, the federal judge now presiding over both of these cases, ruled that "the parties have shown a complete inability to agree upon anything and it is frustrating the progress of these cases" and decided to consolidate both cases and move the trial to April of 2014. The case is now terribly bloated with 12 Apple patents, 12 Motorola patents and the addition of a third defendant (HTC), and the new trial date is later than even Apple wanted. This is a win for Apple, and now Motorola has lost any realistic chance to enforce any of its high-priced patents against Apple in the near future.

Hello, Motorola? Google is on the line -- they have some questions about this $12.5 billion they were planning to pay for your patents...

Adrian writes the weekly Law & Apple column for MacLife.com. Follow him on Twitter, or subscribe to him on Facebook.

How to Stream Audio from your Mac via AirPlay

Cory Bohon — Wed, 16 May 2012 18:18:43 +0000

With AirPlay, Apple allowed iOS devices and iTunes on the Mac and Windows PCs to stream audio (and video) to AirPlay-enabled devices.. However, Apple has yet to include a feature in OS X that would allow you to stream all system audio to an AirPlay-compatible device. Luckily, the folks at Rogue Amoeba have stepped up to the plate with the Airfoil application. Read on to learn how to use it!

What You’ll Need:

>> Airfoil (Rogue Amoeba; $25; free demo available)
>> iOS Device with Airfoil Speakers Touch
>> AirPlay speakers, Apple TV, or AirPort Express

1. Install and Set Up Airfoil

A free demo of Airfoil can be downloaded from the Rogue Amoeba website, but if you plan to utilize it you should pay the $25 for the full license. To begin, download and install the application to your Applications folder on your Mac.

When you first launch the application, you may be prompted to install an “Instant On” feature. This feature allows the application to capture and redirect the audio in applications without having to restart the applications. If you don’t get this option to install, you can navigate to Airfoil > Install Extras. After installing, you will be prompted to restart your Mac.

2. Install Airfoil Speakers Touch

If you don’t have an AirPlay-capable device, you can stream your Mac’s audio to an iOS device, such as an iPhone connected to a speaker dock, over your wireless network.

To do this, you’ll need to download Airfoil Speakers Touch from the iTunes App Store. Once installed, you can change the name of your “speakers” by tapping on the gear button in the upper, right-hand corner of the app. Here, you can also set a password to access the Airfoil speaker functionality on your device.

3. Redirect Your Mac’s Audio

We’re now ready to redirect the audio on our Mac to AirPlay devices, or to iOS devices. Launch Airfoil on your Mac, and on your iOS devices. Airfoil will automatically detect all devices that it can stream audio to and display them in the window.

Select “System Audio” from the drop-down menu at the top of the Airfoil window, and then click the small wireless music note icon beside the devices you wish to stream to. You can independently adjust the volume allocated to devices under the icon. The status of the device will turn from “Available” to “Active.”

When you’re ready to start streaming, begin playing audio in any application on your computer, and the audio will begin streaming to the selected devices. Because this is wireless streaming, there will be a slight delay from the time you start playing something to when you begin hearing the audio. If you are on a slower or congested wireless network, this delay may be longer than usual. Typically the delay is under 5 seconds.

Cory Bohon is a freelance technology writer, indie Mac and iOS developer, and amateur photographer. Follow this article's author, Cory Bohon on Twitter.

N.O.V.A. 3 - Near Orbit Vanguard Alliance Review

Andrew Hayward — Wed, 16 May 2012 17:15:22 +0000

Showing a bit more ambition than its predecessors, N.O.V.A. 3 aims to be slightly more than a shameless clone of Microsoft's Halo, adding in mechs and jetpacks to the sci-fi shooter along with a bit more personality and environmental variety. It's also quite the looker, with the universal app's gloss shining through brightly, especially on the new iPad.

But like most of Gameloft's shooters, it hasn't quite nailed the solo experience. While visually impressive and certainly lengthy for an App Store adventure, the campaign frequently drags thanks to repetitive objectives and enemy encounters, plus missions that stretch on and on. Curiously, the levels also feature irritating bugs, such as botched aiming, faulty grenade buttons, and enemies stuck in walls. It looks nice, but the campaign just isn't much fun, and the bugs don't help matters.

Luckily, as with last year's Modern Combat 3, Gameloft's latest comes alive online, as the 12-player battles capture the essence of a console or PC shooter on a much smaller screen. Whether on-foot, in a mech, or manning a jeep with teammates in tow, N.O.V.A. 3's tense deathmatches and objective-based battles overcome the clumsy controls and occasional spots of lag. Multiplayer combat easily outclasses the campaign, and for $7, you'll get a whole lot of action for very little.

The bottom line. N.O.V.A. 3's campaign is a buggy bore, but excellent online multiplayer saves this slick shooter.

Review Synopsis

Product:

N.O.V.A. 3 - Near Orbit Vanguard Alliance 1.0.0

Company:

Gameloft

Contact:

http://www.gameloft.com

Price:

Requirements:

iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch running iOS 4.0 or later

Positives:

Online 12-player battles capture the feel and flow of big console and PC shooters. Looks fantastic, especially on the new iPad. Plenty to play on both solo and online sides for a $7 app.

Negatives:

Repetitive campaign with dull, overlong missions and a surprising array of bugs. Controls prove a bit cumbersome on the touchscreen. In-app purchases more prevalent than in past versions.

Score:

3.5 Good

Best Case Scenario: Cygnett Alumni Case for iPad

Florence Ion — Wed, 16 May 2012 17:02:04 +0000

Remember when hardcover books had canvas covers? Well, they don't make them like that anymore, and with ebooks rising in popularity you might as well outfit your iPad as an old book. Right? That seems to be the trend. Cygnett's Alumni canvas case for iPad feels exactly like one of those books, and protects your tablet, too.

I like the Alumni because of its bright, vibrant colors. I outfitted my iPad with the magenta-pink one, but there's also cyan-blue, jade-green, and straight-forward black. These are all color names that I made up because the colors are clearly more flamboyant than Cygnett suggests. The Alumni case also has a magnet on the inside flap that automatically activates the sleep and wake function, and a pocket on the inside for loose paper.

Like a hardcover book, there's a bit of bulk to a case like this. While it's not as thin as other iPad folios that we've reviewed, it covers the entire iPad--and then some. I appreciate that I don't have to worry about scuffing up my tablet, but the extra few centimeters of bulk doesn't bode well if you're carrying your laptop and iPad with you on a daily basis.

Another caveat of the case is that it does not prop up for typing or watching LOST. If you use your iPad case for more than business, you may want to consider another alternative.

The bottom line. Cygnett's Alumni case gives your iPad the look and feel of a old-timey hardcover book, but if your concern is bulk and function you may want to skip the aesthetic and go for something else.

Cygnett Alumni Case for iPad
$49.99

3.5/5

How to Make Animated Transitions in Keynote

Ben Harvell — Wed, 16 May 2012 15:16:10 +0000

Make Keynote presentations more interesting with text transformation effects

Keynote makes creating presentations fun and the presentations themselves more interesting and engaging. Sometimes, however, the content of your slideshow tests even Apple’s powerful presentation tool when it comes to an aesthetically pleasing product. For example, if your slideshow doesn’t include many images (or none at all) and needs to display a lot of facts and figures, the Keynote templates, attractive as they are, will be hard pressed to keep your slides monotony-free.

Fortunately, there is a way to make even text more interesting in a Keynote slideshow. Like Magic Move for images, the Text Effects transitions in Keynote make it possible to dynamically shift between text-heavy slides in a visually engaging way.

Keynote text transitions enhance image-less slideshows.

In this tutorial we’ll be using the Anagram text effect that analyses text on the two slides you are switching between and finds similar letters on each. As the transition takes place, the text on the first and second slide are merged with letters disappearing and new letters appearing until the second slide is completely shown. Obviously, having a source slide and target slide with a similar layout and similar words will enhance this effect, but it can be used as a transition between almost any two slides that both include text.

With these text effects in place, slideshows that would have once been dull affairs packed with blocks of text appearing one after another now become more exciting. Even without images in your slideshow, switching between text in an interesting way will focus attention on the information. With each text effect transition being unique to the two slides you are moving between, you can be sure that your presentation will impress.

Altec Lansing A3 Custom In-Ear Headphones Review

Ray Aguilera — Wed, 16 May 2012 14:29:53 +0000

Custom earbuds offer sweet sounds--for a price.

Sure, you could buy the same celeb-endorsed headphones that everyone else has. But for the ultimate in quality and personalization, a pair of custom-made in-ear earbuds is hard to beat. Custom buds used to be the exclusive province of musicians and sound engineers, but they’re becoming more affordable.

The shell of the A3 is made from soft silicone. As such, they fit comfortably, and are ideal for extended listening sessions. But the silicone material isn’t perfect. It’s a bit tacky, so you’ll inevitably find bits of pocket lint, dust--and yes, earwax--adhering to the outside. Our advice: use one of the included cases, and clean them frequently.

Getting molds made only takes about five minutes. An audiologist injects molding material into your ears, you wait a few minutes for the mixture to harden, and then they pull out the molds, which precisely match your ears. It’s not as creepy as it sounds, honest.

When it comes to sound, Altec Lansing’s A3 delivers the goods. With 27 decibels of passive noise reduction, background noise fades away, without the annoying hiss of active noise-cancellation. What you have left is crisp, clean audio from three separate drivers in each ear. Bass is tight, and the sound is well balanced. Of course, a grand is a lot to drop on a pair of earbuds, but Altec also offers single- and dual- driver models for $499.95 and $749.95.

The bottom line. Custom in-ear headphones are the ultimate portable media experience. They’re not cheap (or as expensive as they used to be), but the sound is definitely rich.

Review Synopsis

Product:

Company:

Altec Lansing

Contact:

alteclansing.com

Price:

$999.95

Requirements:

Audio device, deep pockets.

Positives:

Comfortable custom fit. Excellent sound quality. Includes hard and soft cases, cleaning tool, and quarter-inch adapter.

Negatives:

Silicone material attracts dust, lint, and debris. Non-replaceable cables. Not easy to insert or remove quickly.

Score:

4 Great

WSJ Confirms Larger Screen for Next iPhone

J.R. Bookwalter — Wed, 16 May 2012 13:19:35 +0000

Still refuse to believe that the next iPhone will come with a larger screen? It may be time to cast aside your doubts, with a new report confirming that Apple will jump on current trends and increase the next iPhone screen to “at least four inches.”

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Apple is poised to finally release a bigger iPhone this year, a first since the iconic handset debuted in 2007. In keeping with current speculation, the report claims Cupertino’s next handset will “measure at least four inches diagonally compared with 3.5 inches on the iPhone 4S.”

There’s little doubt that the current trend leans toward larger smartphones, with Samsung leading the charge. The Korean manufacturer recently debuted its upcoming Galaxy S III handset with a massive 4.8-inch display, which could be putting pressure on Apple to do the same with the iPhone.

Apple is expected to only slightly increase the length of the next iPhone, which would be enough to squeeze a taller, four-inch display onto the front of the handset. While still dwarfed by giant Android screens, such a move would also allow HD videos to play back at proper 16:9 aspect ratio, without the black bars that currently fill in the top and bottom of the frame.

The report is light on further details, but claims “production is set to begin next month” for the new display, which likely puts the handset on target for a fall release.

Follow this article’s author, J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter

It’s Official: Aaron Sorkin Writing Steve Jobs Biopic Adaptation for Sony

J.R. Bookwalter — Wed, 16 May 2012 12:57:52 +0000

Chalk one up for the rumor mill once again! It appears West Wing creator Aaron Sorkin will indeed be writing the screenplay for Sony’s official adaptation of Steve Jobs' biography after all.

Variety is reporting that Sony Pictures has confirmed the hiring of Aaron Sorkin to adapt the bestselling biography Steve Jobs into a major motion picture. While Sorkin may be better known to television viewers as the creator of The West Wing, more recently he wrote the Oscar-winning screenplay for The Social Network, a dramatic interpretation of how Facebook’s meteoric rise based on the book The Accidental Billionaires.

Unlike the independent feature starring Ashton Kutcher currently before the cameras, Sony’s biopic comes with the blessing of official Jobs biographer Walter Isaacson, whose bestselling book Sorkin will adapt for the big screen.

"Steve Jobs' story is unique: He was one of the most revolutionary and influential men not just of our time, but of all time," said Amy Pascal, co-chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment. "There is no writer working in Hollywood today who is more capable of capturing such an extraordinary life for the screen than Aaron Sorkin; in his hands, we're confident that the film will be everything that Jobs himself was: captivating, entertaining, and polarizing."

As if Mark Zuckerberg and Steve Jobs weren’t enough for Sorkin, the screenwriter is also hard at work adapting Andrew Young’s bestselling book The Politician, which chronicles the rise and fall of Senator John Edwards, which he will also direct.

Follow this article’s author, J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter

New HTC Smartphones Face Import Delay with U.S. Customs Over Apple Patent

J.R. Bookwalter — Wed, 16 May 2012 12:43:08 +0000

We’ve been reporting on International Trade Commission decisions for what seems like forever, but it appears that one of them is finally making an impact -- two of HTC’s latest handsets are being “indefinitely delayed” by U.S. customs as the result of an ITC ban Apple won against the handset manufacturer late last year.

The Verge is reporting that the HTC One X and HTC Evo 4G LTE have both fallen victim to an import delay by U.S. Customs “for potentially infringing an Apple patent.” As a result, the new handsets have been “indefinitely delayed” until Customs can investigate the situation further.

The move is likely to come as bad news to Android lovers ready to wrap their fingers around these handsets -- the One X is currently out of stock from AT&T’s website and the situation appears grim as to when further units may arrive in retail stores.

The import delay is the result of a “wide-ranging exclusion order” won by Apple last December by the International Trade Commission (ITC), who found that “Android's messaging app and browser infringed upon Apple patent #5,946,647, which covers automatically converting things like phone numbers and email addresses into actionable links that open a menu of options.”

Although a ban of infringing devices was delayed while HTC could figure out a workaround, that delay ended on April 19. HTC has likely fixed the problem with the One X and Evo 4G LTE, but the ITC order is fairly broad and prohibits importation of any “personal data and mobile communications devices” made by HTC.

Needless to say, HTC isn’t very happy about the delay, but appears confident that Customs will move quickly to clear the blockade.

“The US availability of the HTC One X and HTC EVO 4G LTE has been delayed due to a standard U.S. Customs review of shipments that is required after an ITC exclusion order,” the company said in an official statement. “We believe we are in compliance with the ruling and HTC is working closely with Customs to secure approval. The HTC One X and HTC Evo 4G LTE have been received enthusiastically by customers and we appreciate their patience as we work to get these products into their hands as soon as possible.”

Follow this article’s author, J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter

Tuesday Recap: Apple on Siri Lawsuit, Adobe DPS Updates, Google Chrome on iOS

J.R. Bookwalter — Tue, 15 May 2012 22:04:11 +0000

Could Google’s Chrome browser ever come to iOS? At least one analyst seems to think so today, and they seem confident that the search giant may even have a final version of the app waiting for Apple’s approval in the App Store. There’s not much to dislike about Mobile Safari, but choice is always a good thing -- even though Apple isn’t likely to ever voluntarily let us change the default browser on our iOS devices. Meanwhile, here’s a look at everything else making news for Tuesday, May 15, 2012.

Apple Responds to Siri Lawsuit, Claims She’s “Cutting Edge”

The Wall Street Journal has published a followup report on the recent smattering of lawsuits attempting to get class action status against Apple over claims that Siri “doesn’t perform as advertised.” Today, Apple is fighting back with a motion to dismiss that claims the Siri technology may only be a beta, but she’s still cutting edge. “They offer only general descriptions of Apple’s advertisements, incomplete summaries of Apple’s website materials, and vague descriptions of their alleged -- and highly individualized -- disappointment with Siri,” Apple’s motion argues. “Tellingly, although Plaintiffs claim they became dissatisfied with Siri’s performance ‘soon after’ purchasing their iPhones, they made no attempt to avail themselves of Apple’s 30-day return policy or one-year warranty -- which remains in effect. Instead, they seek to take an alleged personal grievance about the purported performance of a popular product and turn it into a nationwide class action under California’s consumer protection statutes. The Complaint does not come close to meeting the heavy burden necessary to sustain such claims.” Your move, Siri users.

Adobe Announces Next Generation of Digital Publishing Suite

Adobe kicked off their annual Digital Publishing Summit on Tuesday by announcing a series of new features for the Adobe Digital Publishing Suite (DPS). “Among the new features are Content Viewer for iPhone, social sharing, expanded font licensing and enhanced integration with Adobe Creative Suite 6, a milestone release, creating an unbeatable combination for media and corporate organizations,” the company revealed in a press release. “As readers voraciously consume mobile content, they’re demanding dynamic, shareable reading experiences across tablet and mobile phones,” explains Jim Guerard, vice president and general manager of Creative and Media Solutions, Adobe. “Adobe’s digital publishing innovations propel the industry forward by allowing publishers to reach and monetize an unprecedented number of consumers hungry for dynamic, one-of-a-kind mobile reading experiences.” For more details on Adobe’s DPS improvements and how the company’s customers plan to implement them, check out a live blog of the Digital Publishing Summit on the Adobe website.

Rumor: Google Chrome Browser Coming to iOS?

Business Insider is reporting that Google’s Chrome browser may soon make the leap to iOS, where Apple currently makes 50 to 60 percent in revenue sharing from Google on searches made with Mobile Safari. According to Macquarie analyst Ben Schacter, Google Chrome may arrive sooner than we expect. “Apple may already be reviewing Google’s submitted code for a Chrome browser for iOS,” the analyst says, and expects the app to be released in the second quarter if not “definitely this year.” Of course, for Google, a Chrome browser would help level the playing field where search revenue is concerned -- although Apple doesn’t currently allow third-party apps to act as a default browser on its iPhones, iPod touches and iPads. Schacter notes the tide could turn, however, should the Federal government go after Apple in the same way they did with Microsoft, who made Internet Explorer the default browser on its Windows PCs. “All that said, the most important thing to consider is whether or not Google's Chrome will be better than mobile Safari,” the report concludes. “Google has failed to deliver solid applications for iOS in the past.” No kidding...

General Motors Goes Into Reverse on $10 Million Facebook Account

Facebook may be on the verge of a historic stock offering, but that doesn’t mean diddly squat to automaker General Motors, who’s pulling the plug on $10 million worth of paid advertisements with the social network. According to Forbes, GM “is definitely reassessing our advertising on Facebook, although the content is effective and important.” The company will continue to “post relevant content about the company and its brands on GM’s Facebook pages” -- and why not, since that kind of advertising is pretty much free? “In terms of Facebook specifically, while we currently do not plan to continue with advertising, we remain committed to an aggressive content strategy through all of our products and brands, as it continues to be a very effective tool for engaging with our customers,” GM explained in a statement. Of course, that doesn’t exactly look good for Facebook, whose $105 billion IPO is coming at the end of the week.

Rumor: 7-Inch iPad Could Use Thin-Film Technology

Let’s take a break from all these crazy MacBook Pro rumors and turn our attention back to the fabled seven-inch iPad, shall we? AppleInsider is reporting that the fabled 7.85-inch junior iPad will launch in Q4 2012, complete with “G/F2” thin-film touch technology. According to DigiTimes, “the G/F2 structure places the electrode on the top and bottom ends of the ITO film, which will then be laminated onto the cover glass. The iPad Mini will also be more transparent and will have good sensitivity despite current skepticism with thin-film touch panels in the industry." Since we only yesterday reported that DigiTimes tends to have a spotty track record when it comes to Apple rumors, we’d say readers would do well to approach this one with a big ol’ grain of salt as usual...

Follow this article’s author, J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter