Samsung tipped to lean towards Microsoft after Apple trial

A report today suggests that Samsung is doing two things after their Apple trial verdict left them in an irritable legal situation: speaking with carriers and shaking hands with Microsoft. This report comes from The Korea Times where they suggest that Samsung will be partnering closely with Microsoft in the near future to cut their dependency on Google’s mobile operating system Android. This report should be taken with a grain of salt, of course, since Android runs the vast majority of Samsung’s wildly popular mobile line of devices.

According to what the Korean Times notes is an official from Samsung’s telecommunications division, “Samsung has been in talks with major U.S. carriers to jointly develop modified design technology. This will be effective, though we can’t unveil more details for the time being.” This of course means that Samsung will update the software they’ve got on devices affected by their recent court case with Apple. They’re also hoping to avoid any and all sale bans on their devices in the United States (and abroad, too, but most notably inside the USA.)

You’ll notice this week that Samsung has released a couple of devices running Microsoft’s newest mobile operating system Windows Phone 8 as well as their tablet-based PC software Windows RT. Have a peek at our Samsung ATIV Tab hands-on as well as our Samsung ATIV S original announcement to see what these devices are all about. The ATIV S has not yet been shown off with Windows Phone 8 running on it, but will be out very soon – it’s also the first Windows Phone 8 device to be officially announced for the market – that’s big news!

Samsung also spoke up at IFA 2012 on the situation via their CEO who noted:”“Regardless of any hindrance, we will continue to provide the best product in the industry”” Another comment recently appeared coming from Samsung on the possible banning of their devices in the USA as well: “We will take all necessary measures to ensure the availability of our products on the U.S. market.”

Have a peek at recent post-trial events in the timeline below and let us know what you think Samsung should do with their US-based mobile device lineup at this time. It’s not going to be a pretty picture for them when it comes to legal battles with Apple from here on out, that’s for certain – but they’re resilient!


Samsung tipped to lean towards Microsoft after Apple trial is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.


Tim Cook and Larry Page reportedly chat about patent war

Tim Cook and Larry Page reportedly chat about patent wars

According to Reuters, Tim Cook and Larry Page have been having behind the scenes chats over the last week or so, most notably about the ongoing patent proxy war between the two companies. According to sources, the Apple and Google CEOs spoke last week over the phone and are planning a meeting where, hopefully, they can hash out some of their differences. Discussions are also apparently taking place at lower levels, which could indicate this is a concerted effort to put to rest the tiresome battles over intellectual property. Unfortunately, details about what exactly the two talked about, and how broad those conversations were are unknown. But, it’s definitely a good sign that the two sides are talking. Perhaps the relatively new corporate heads can avoid going completely “thermonuclear,” as Cook’s predecessor infamously threatened.

Update: All Things D has gotten confirmation from its own sources, and points out that Google is “wearing several hats here,” including one as the owner of Motorola Mobility, which is currently suing Apple. However, we’re still holding out hope that the licensing deal struck between those two companies is a sign of better days to come.

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Tim Cook and Larry Page reportedly chat about patent war originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Aug 2012 14:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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How Porno Downloaders Are Shamed into Paying Cash to Keep Their Names Clean [Porn]

You don’t pay for porn. That’s a problem for pornographers, but aces for porno copyright trolls like John Steele, attorney at law. Buzzfeed took a deep look into how they squeeze money out of porn torrenting cases, whether you downloaded anything or not. More »

Mophie Outride ruggedized action case for iPhone hands-on

Mophie Outride ruggedized action case for iPhone handson

Sure, you’ve been tempted to strap your iPhone to that ski helmet for a homemade action cam solution, but ultimately, you respect Apple’s warranty, as limited as it may be. Mophie’s new Outride ruggedized case equips your fragile smartphone with a ruggedized shell, protecting the device while also serving as a helmet / bicycle / flat-surface mount. The thick plastic case includes a raised lens module, and is available in both water-resistant and above ground flavors. That first version is still undergoing testing, according to Mophie reps, so we don’t know just how far it can dunk with letting down its guard to condensation, but we do know that it will retail for $149. A land-only version will also be available for $129, and unlike the sealed model, your iPhone’s display will still be exposed, giving you full access to the device. Both cases include a dedicated shutter release, which works in camera mode, letting you snap away under the sea. They also ship with a trio of mounts for your helmet, handle bars or a flat surface. Catch a closer look at Outride in the gallery below.

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Mophie Outride ruggedized action case for iPhone hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Aug 2012 14:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Barrel Lamp Holds Nothing But Glorious Light [Beautiful]

In their most unkempt forms, wood, concrete and steel are sturdy and raw materials. And when you can manage to combine the qualities of those materials with an aesthetic form, the results are often gorgeous. Such is the case with New Duivendrecht’s Barrel Lamp. More »

Western Digital Announces MyBook VelociRaptor Duo with Thunderbolt and 2TB

If you’re a fan of Western Digital and their popular VelociRaptor line we might have something for you. All those folks with a spare Thunderbolt port on their Mac might just want to check out this new release from WD. It’s called the Western Digital MyBook VelociRaptor Duo and offers Thunderbolt speeds and 2TB of capacity. Oh and it’ll cost an arm and a leg.

This new MyBook from Western Digital uses two blazing fast 1TB 10,000 RPM VelociRaptor drives in a RAID configuration to bring you some top notch speeds, and tons of storage. I want one already! Toss in the new Thunderbolt standard to help you achieve top read/write and in/out speeds and you’ll be cruising along in no time.

The new WD storage device offers speeds topping 400MB/sec and both RAID 0 and RAID 1 configurations. That is near SSD performance only you’re getting 2TB of space instead of say 512GB. What is the price your wondering? This impressive new MyBook isn’t cheap with those speeds and performance. It will run you a pretty penny of about $900. All that precious HD video now has a fast, safe, and easy to access storage option.

WD details that the new VelociRapter Duo comes with dual Thunderbolt ports so you can daisy chain should you have a spare $1800 to pick up two. Then as you see above the device is user-serviceable and accessible should the unlikely event of a drive failure. You can easily pop her open and replace a drive. You can even boot your Mac right from this external storage drive. If you’ve got the cash to spend or the need for speed head to WD.com to get started today.

Thunder-wd
wdfmbvelociraptorduo
30-08-2012-16-00-35

[via ZDNet]


Western Digital Announces MyBook VelociRaptor Duo with Thunderbolt and 2TB is written by Cory Gunther & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.


Sony HMZ-T2 3D display, heads-in (video)

Sony HMZT2 3D display, headsin

Sony didn’t exactly go out of its way to talk up the new HMZ-T2 during its press conference the other day at IFA, never actually mentioning it on stage. The device did, however, pop up in a small corner of the company’s show booth. The reason for the silence is pretty clear, when you get down to it — not a lot has changed here. Really, the T2 is just a minor update to a first generation product, most of its changes revolving around making the admittedly slightly uncomfortable wearable a bit easier on your head. It’s 100 grams lighter than its predecessor and features improvements to its adjustable parts.

The head pad is larger and can be moved to better fit your head, the strap can be adjusted at a number of points and the sliders beneath the 0.7-inch OLED monitors can be adjusted independently from one another. Oh, and while there are Virtualphone built-in, there’s also a headphone jack, so you can bring your own pair. All in all, we have to say it did feel a bit more comfortable than the set we tried on for the first time roughly this time last year. The headset also features different viewing modes, including 24p True Cinema for slower paced movies and Clear mode for action scenes, as well as Auto Color Temperature to help improve the picture.

All told, however, it’s not much to write home about — if you were thinking of picking up the T1, this guy is certainly an improvement. If you’ve already got one to call your own, however, it’s probably not worth the upgrade when it hits later this year.

Continue reading Sony HMZ-T2 3D display, heads-in (video)

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Sony HMZ-T2 3D display, heads-in (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Aug 2012 13:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dell IFA 2012 Wrap-Up

Today’s the second major day of news from IFA 2012, and while Samsung and Sony both got their time in the spotlight yesterday (Samsung in particular had a lot to talk about, but Sony had some big announcements as well), today it’s Dell’s turn. It seems that everyone is jumping on the Windows 8 and Windows RT train lately, and Dell is no exception. Today it revealed a handful of new devices that will be making friends with Windows 8 and Windows RT.


There are three new products from Dell for you to take a look at today. The first is the refresh of the Dell XPS One 27, an all-in-one PC that has been given a touchscreen and support for Windows 8. It also comes packing a sexy resolution, running at Quad HD 2560 x 1440 and being able to boast 3.7 million pixels. We were able to spend some time with that 27-inch screen, and you can see what we thought of it in our hands-on with the Dell XPS One 27.

Next up we have the Dell XPS Duo 12 ultrabook. This announcement is significant not only because it’s seemingly reviving the Inspiron Duo, but also because the XPS Duo 12 comes with a swiveling touchscreen, putting an interesting spin on the tablet/notebook hybrid. Dell kept the XPS Duo 12 behind glass after making its announcement, but we were still able to get some eyes-on time with the convertible ultrabook and have a look its full HD screen.

Finally, we come to the Dell XPS 10 tablet. The 10-inch slimline tablet is rocking Windows RT and comes with a removable keyboard dock. That’s all well and good, but what really surprised us were Dell’s claims about the battery. This bad boy can apparently run for 20 hours on a single charge, so if you need a tablet that has a long lasting battery, this sounds like the one for you. Just like the Duo 12, we have an eyes-on with the XPS 10, giving you an up-close look at the tablet. As an added bonus, we also found out that Qualcomm’s Snapdragon S4 processor line will be powering this new tablet, so that’s something to get excited about.

That about does it for our Dell wrap-up, but keep it right here at SlashGear for more news straight from the floor of IFA 2012!


Dell IFA 2012 Wrap-Up is written by Eric Abent & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.


Plantronics GameCom Commander headset hands-on

Plantronics GameCom Commander headset handson

Serious PC gamers require serious gaming kit and here at IFA 2012, Plantronics is showcasing a product built precisely for that segment. Announced at Gamescom, the limited edition (not to be confused) GameCom Commander headset bakes Dolby 7.1 ProLogic sound and noise isolation tech into a ruggedized form factor — so it’ll survive your late night Max Payne-related tantrums. We tried the headset on for size and were delighted with just how light it actually is — definitely a plus for marathon gaming sessions. As for that mic, it’s placed a good distance from your mouth and, of course, adjusts to suit your needs. If you’re looking for a wireless option, then this set’s not for you, given it features breakaway wires, but it does feature an adapter to connect you with a mobile phone. All told, it’s an understated set that might be worth your while. Take a look at our associated gallery below.

Continue reading Plantronics GameCom Commander headset hands-on

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Plantronics GameCom Commander headset hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Aug 2012 13:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pantech Magnus pictured en route to AT&T

Pantech Magnum gets pictured en route to AT&T

Pantech has been steadily building its relationship with AT&T over the past few years by supplying the carrier with a healthy dose of budget-friendly handsets. Could it be that the OEM has finally earned the opportunity to add a higher-end device to the GSM giant’s lineup? It may very well be the case with the P9090, aka the Magnus. Our source has hooked us up with the first images of the smartphone, which confirms an 8MP camera with LED flash, front-facing cam and at least Ice Cream Sandwich (if not Jelly Bean). While the image doesn’t reveal any other specs, we’re expecting to see a 720p display, LTE connectivity and a Qualcomm MSM8960 dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor. We’re still not sure what to think about the bumpy design on its back, though it does remind us a little bit of what Verizon has done on the HTC Incredible series. The specs may be quite similar to the Vega Racer 2, though the phone itself doesn’t look anywhere close to the manufacturer’s Korean flagship. AT&T still hasn’t announced the Magnus, but we’ll let you know pricing and availability as soon as we have it.

[Thanks, Anonymous!]

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Pantech Magnus pictured en route to AT&T originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Aug 2012 13:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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