Hasta La Gadget!

The Apple v. Samsung patent war that will seemingly never end has taken another turn today, as Apple is asking the court to add newer Samsung Galaxy hardware, including the Galaxy S III, Verizon Galaxy S III, Galaxy Note and Galaxy Note 10.1 to its complaint against the Galaxy Nexus and other related devices. If you thought updated software and designs would keep these newer smartphones and tablets out of the fight — you were wrong. Just to help you keep things straight, remember this is a separate case from the one that ended exactly a week ago with a decision in Apple’s favor to the tune of more than $1 billion in damages.

At issue here are eight of Apple’s utility patents that it says Samsung has infringed upon. The headliner patents at issue are ‘721 which covers slide to unlock, and ‘604, which could apply to the universal search feature Samsung has been pulling from its phones recently. Another familiar entry is the ‘647 patent Apple slapped HTC with in 2010, which has a vague description but applies to clicking on a phone number in an email, for example, to call it. You can read the details on each and every one in the PDF linked below, we’ll be doing… anything else.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

Apple adds Samsung’s Galaxy S III, Galaxy Note and Galaxy Note 10.1 to ongoing patent lawsuit originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 31 Aug 2012 21:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung may have lost a billion dollar round here in the US, but it appears to have scored a victory in its patent battle against Apple in Japan today. Reuters and Bloomberg report a judge there decided its Galaxy smartphones and tablets did not infringe on an Apple patent. Apple sued Samsung there in September of last year, however the Tokyo District Court has ruled Samsung did not violate a patent that covered syncing music and video data with a PC. According to The Yomiuri Shinbun, presiding judge Tamotsu Shoji dismissed the claim, saying Samsung’s implementation of this specific technology was not covered by the scope of Apple’s patent and, Bloomberg reports, ordered Apple to pay the costs of the lawsuit. Just as we’re seeing in US District Court in California however, one judgement doesn’t mean the seemingly never-ending battle is over however because Apple may be able to appeal this decision to a higher court. There are also other cases ongoing, which The Sankei Shimbun reports includes one focusing on the infamous bounce-back patent, so as usual, stay tuned for further updates.

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Mobile

Japan court rules Samsung’s Galaxy phones, tablet do not infringe on an Apple patent originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 31 Aug 2012 00:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Today at its IFA 2012 press conference, Samsung confirmed that the newly announced Galaxy Note II will make use of a new, redesigned S Pen. In addition to boasting an improved 8mm grip, it has a rubber tip. It also recognizes 1,024 levels of pressure sensitivity, which is already true of the Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet. Other than that, Samsung hasn’t shared much in the way of specifics, but if you’d like to see video of the new Note in action, we can at least offer that.

Filed under: Tablets

Samsung Galaxy Note II getting redesigned S Pen with rubber tip, improved grip originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Aug 2012 13:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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While we can’t say it was a shock, Samsung’s latest superphone has arrived — and it’s got a new stylus. The Galaxy Note II pushes the screen frontier to 5.5 inches wide, with another HD Super AMOLED display, this time at 1,280 x 720. Despite that expansion the phone is a mere 9.4mm thick, while it now houses a larger capacity (faster charging) 3,100mAh battery and a quad-core Exynos processor clocked at 1.6GHz. As the Galaxy Note was to the Galaxy S II, so the Note II takes some design riffs from the Galaxy S III, with the same rounded edges, glossy finish and extra software piled atop its Android base. There’s also Samsung’s reliable 8-megapixel camera sensor on the back, capable of 1080p video-recording.

The great news is that the Galaxy Note II will be launching on Jelly Bean — no laborious waiting for those over-the-air updates for Google’s very latest. Software additions are understandably heavily weighted towards the phablet’s S Pen advances. The stylus itself now has a rubber nib, which Samsung reckons will offer an experience closer to pen and paper. User can add “Quick Commands” to their stylus gestures, while “Air View” allows you to peruse galleries and folders by floating the stylus just above the screen. Samsung’s also added an Easy Clip ability to crop and share from anything beaming out from the Note II’s 16:9 screen. Stylus functionality has been gifted to the calendar (S Planner) and the native email app, while the S Pen itself will now notify your phone if it’s left behind. The device will launch in Titanium Grey and Marble White, arriving internationally before the end of the year. We’ve just managed to handle both the Galaxy Note II and that reformed stylus — check out our hands-on here.

Continue reading Samsung Galaxy Note II unveiled: 5.5-inch HD Super AMOLED display, Android Jelly Bean and more S Pen functionality

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

Samsung Galaxy Note II unveiled: 5.5-inch HD Super AMOLED display, Android Jelly Bean and more S Pen functionality originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Aug 2012 13:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung just couldn’t relegate itself to a two-tone, blue and white Galaxy S III universe — the company is using the run-up to IFA 2012 to triple the size of its smartphone’s palette. We’ve seen the Garnet Red model arrive early at AT&T, but it now looks to be spreading abroad; the previously leaked Sapphire Black is equally official for those who don’t think the original blue is dark enough. We’re also seeing two more colors that have been relatively undiscovered, including a Titanium Gray and an unconventional Amber Brown. No, not that kind of brown, although it may be the first time in awhile that earthy hue has claimed such a high profile. Color choices will vary depending on the carrier or store, which leaves a distinct chance that you’ll be switching networks or hunting down importers if you’ve got to have just the right shade of Hyperglaze in your life.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

Samsung expands Galaxy S III colors: yes, you can get brown originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Aug 2012 10:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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