Hasta La Gadget!

If you’re feenin’ for some action on an unlocked iPhone 5, Apple has announced the prices for them: It’ll be $649 for 16GB, $749 for 32GB and $849 for 64GB. That’s the same unlocked price as the unlocked iPhone 4S when it released last year. More »

With Google’s mobile OS claiming a whopping 68 percent of the world’s total smartphone marketshare, it’s almost a requirement for companies to expand outside of that other well-known platform. Naturally, the Kickstarter-funded Triggertrap has taken note of this and is now announcing that its automatic shutter release creation will be available on Android starting today. Unlike on iOS, however, the Triggertrap Mobile application won’t have a free version on Google Play (or Amazon’s app store), so users will have to shell out $5 for the app in order to get started — of course, that’s on top of the $30 for the must-have dongle and matching cable. Triggertrap’s expected to be showing off the new Android app at Photokina next week, and you know we’ll be sure to bring you a demo to help you decide if it’s indeed worth pulling the trigger.

Continue reading Triggertrap brings its auto shutter release powers to Android with new application

Filed under: Cellphones, Software, Mobile

Triggertrap brings its auto shutter release powers to Android with new application originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Sep 2012 20:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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While Apple and Samsung were going at it over here in the States, Apple was in the middle of another patent suit with Motorola across the Atlantic. Apple’s patent suit against Motorola has been going back and forth for weeks now, but today FOSS Patents is reporting that the iPhone maker can chalk up another win. Multiple Motorola devices have been found to be infringing on the EP2126678 patent, which is the same as Apple’s ’381 patent in the United States. The patent, as some of you likely already know, is for the “rubber-banding” effect that occurs when users reach the end of a page – instead of having the page just stop scrolling when a user reaches the end, the page bounces back, indicating to users that they can scroll no further.

Most of us are familiar with the effect, but thanks to this decision, it may not be long before Motorola users have to go without. Since Apple has won this case, it can post a €25 million bond to gain an injunction against the infringing devices. You can bet that Apple will put up the money for such an injunction, but if Apple posts another €10 million, it can force Motorola to destroy the infringing devices. It doesn’t stop there though, as Apple can force Motorola to recall the infringing devices with another €10 million. This is all on top of the damages that Motorola will be obligated to pay.

Since Apple can be pretty aggressive when it comes to patents, it wouldn’t surprise to see the company pay the full €45 million. Then again, since Motorola’s market share isn’t all that big in Germany, it may choose to go with just the injunction. The injunction is permanent, but Google (Motorola’s owner) does have the ability to appeal the decision, something that will definitely happen. Naturally, this decision only applies to Germany, but with Apple recently winning a similar claim against Samsung here in the United States, it could eventually spell bad news for Android and the rubber-banding effect.

This is the third Apple patent that Motorola has been found to be infringing. The first was Apple’s slide-to-unlock patent, while the second was its flip-to-navigate photo gallery patent. Luckily, Motorola has something it can fall back on now that it can no longer use the rubber-banding effect in its phones – base versions of Android come with a special glow effect which alerts users that they’ve scrolled as far as they can possibly scroll. Have a look at our timeline below for the latest on Apple’s courtroom battles.

Apple comes out on top in Motorola rubber-banding patent suit is written by Eric Abent & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Ready to hop on the iPhone 5 bandwagon after tuning into yesterday’s unveiling? Keep an eye on the clock and pull out a credit card, because Apple, AT&T, Sprint and Verizon will kick off online pre-orders tomorrow at 3:01AM (or at 12:01AM PT for folks on the West Coast). Sixth generation iPhones begin shipping on September 21st and start at $199.99 for 16GB models bound to two-year contracts. Those who relish a healthy dose of suspense can always test the hand of fate — and retail availability — by visiting Apple’s brick-and-mortar establishments at 8AM on launch day.

Continue reading PSA: iPhone 5 pre-orders kick off on September 14th at 3:01AM ET

Filed under: Cellphones

PSA: iPhone 5 pre-orders kick off on September 14th at 3:01AM ET originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Sep 2012 19:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Last we heard Sprint was prepping to launch its LTE network in 100 cities in the “coming months.” Well, a tipster just sent along a some info that seems to indicate that Chicago and Boston will be online before September is out. According to the leaked memo, towers in the areas surrounding those cities should start lighting up soon, with both metropolitan centers set to become “discoverable” on September 21st. Now, that doesn’t mean LTE will officially launch in those cities on that Friday, merely that 4G capable devices may start picking up the signals. From that day forward Sprint will be in pre-launch mode in Boston and Chicago, as they build out infrastructure to support the shift to a new wireless platform.

[Thanks, anonymous]

Filed under: Mobile

Sprint flipping the LTE switch in Boston and Chicago on September 21st? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Sep 2012 18:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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