Colorful (back) pictures of Sony Xperia J leaked

We first learnt and got a glimpse of the Sony Xperia J – known also as the ST26i – about two weeks ago. If the first round of leaked pictures of the J wasn’t good enough in satisfying your Xperia craving, we have more photos of Sony’s upcoming mid-range phone out in the open.
Bringing the goodies this time is ePrice, where several pictures of the phone – albeit only its backside – has been posted there. But no biggie, since we’ve already seen what the front of the Xperia J looks like anyway.

It looks like the Xperia J will come in white, pink and black colors. It might be the lighting, but the phone appears to have a soft, matte finish on the back.  As previously noted, Sony has finally shed the green liquid energy ball that adorns its past phones, as we now see a much cleaner look on the back.
Specs-wise, the Sony Xperia J comes with a 4-inch display of 854 x480 resolution, single-core 1GHz MSM7627A processor, and possibly a 5MP rear camera with LED flash. This time around, it looks like there won’t be any dedicated camera button. The mid-ranger is expected to ship with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.
If the specs of the Xperia J fail to take your breath away, your best bet is to go with the Sony Xperia Mint. We suspect all these new crops of Xperia phones will all be officially announced on August 29 just before IFA 2012 starts.

SOURCE: View the original article here

Read More

Ourcast: Community-driven weather forecast app for Android

It’s always wonderful to spend time with your loved one but a mild drizzle can definitely spoil the moment. If you’ve been in situations when you’re forced to delay or cancel important appointments because of bad weather, then you might want to check out this new weather forecast app for Android. With the Ourcast app available on both Android and iOS devices, you’re already a step ahead of  unpredictable weather changes.
Never fall prey to inconvenient weather changes again. Simply download the app from the Google Play Store and check your area’s weather forecast and prepare yourself for potential rain, sun, or clouds.

One great thing about Ourcast is that it doesn’t only provide you with weekly or daily weather forecasts, it also provides 10-minute split forecasts for the next two hours, making it easier to track whether or not a drizzle could turn into a downpour. With this, you don’t need to worry about being caught in a heavy rain while on your way home or to an important event.
The app is also equipped with an interactive map, which helps you track weather conditions in certain places. For instance, if you’re on vacation but want to check how the weather is at home, all you need to do is to locate the area on the app’s interactive map. The selected region’s weather condition, complete with graphic indicators, will appear on your phone screen.

This app encourages interactivity among users through its crowdsourcing tools. It lets you post weather-based status updates anonymously or through your Facebook profile. This way, you’ll be able to help other Ourcast users who are looking for the latest weather updates in a certain place.
For you to track the weather conditions of a certain location, all you have to do is to tap the Forecast button at the top of your phone screen. If you want to check on the weather forecast for the last 10 minutes, you just need to tap the left or right arrow keys and the information you want will appear on the screen.
Aside from the app’s interactive map, Ourcast also offers another easy way of looking into the weather updates of a location. Ourcast has its built-in search utility which allows you to go directly to the location of your choice. You can also bookmark your favorite location and share weather information with your friends via Facebook, Twitter, and email.

Ourcast pulls the latest weather information from Wunderground.com. You can get by-the-minute reports on temperature, precipitation levels, and rain changes, including the relevant icon for the interpretations.
The app has an Ourcast community, which allows users to interact and share their weather experiences with other Ourcast users. With the app’s community, you can verify weather information directly from people living in the same area.
With the Ourcast app, bad weather conditions will be a worry no more.

SOURCE: View the original article here

Read More

Simplify Wi-Fi Manager: Simplifies management of Wi-Fi and mobile network connections on Android

An easier way of connecting to the Internet is now available for Android devices. Armed with an Internet connection management interface, the Simplify Wi-Fi Manager app makes it easier for you to connect to the best network anywhere. Be it a Wi-Fi connection or cellular data connection, the app provides you ease by automatically switching to the available connections.
The app has built-in Zero Touch and Eco Surf technologies, making it not only a great connectivity companion but also an eco-friendly app. Zero Touch remembers your connection preference at a certain place, so every time you’re there, it automatically connects to the Internet without the need for extra fiddling.

Eco Surf, on the other hand, eliminates unnecessary networks and allows you to connect to the Internet on the first try. Do you want to check for Wi-Fi hotspots near your location? Simplify’s Discovery toggle will be of great help in showing such places via Google Map.
Topping it all is the app’s Drag to Connect feature which allows you to drag any available network in order to connect to the Internet. This will save you time in switching from mobile data to Wi-Fi. With this feature, everything happens in a single place.
Simplify is not the only app of its kind. In fact, several apps off the same type, like WiFi Booster Easy Connect, are available on the Google Play Store. What makes Simplify unique and interesting is the fact that it’s one of the most comprehensive apps of its type. It offers a simple interface matched with handy options for free.
With Simplify, you don’t need to worry about fiddling with options to manage your Internet connectivity. With a tap on your preferred connection, everything will be as smooth as butter.

If you want instant Wi-Fi profile sharing with your friends on Facebook, all you need to do is to tap your phone against your friend’s phone using NFC Beam and you’ll be able to securely transmit your Wi-Fi settings. This will save you time writing down or reading your passwords aloud when sharing your connection settings.
Simplify’s amazing feature, Circular Dial, provides users direct view of and access to all connectivity toggles of their device. Toggles, such as Offline, Always On, Wi-Fi- Only, Eco Surf, and Discovery, are all presented on the Simplify homescreen widget. This way, you don’t need to shift to different menus and tap on many buttons to select your connectivity choice. In fact, once you set up your connectivity preference, you will need no more than the Simplify widget to get the best connection for you.

Feeling hyped up to try this app? Visit the Google Play Store and install Simplify Smart Wi-Fi Manager app for free. Connecting to the Internet will be a breeze.

SOURCE: View the original article here

Read More

Analysis: Apple sounds warning bell for smartphone industry

If Apple Inc's weaker-than-expected quarterly result is anything to go by, the global smartphone industry is a lot more vulnerable to economic shocks these days than during the 2008-2009 financial crisis.In developed markets, every other person already owns a smartphone. In emerging markets, penetration rates are much lower, but cheaper phones that cost under $100 are squeezing profit margins.
That was not the case during the last recession, when Apple's iPhone and Google Inc's Android were still in their infancy. Smartphone demand remained strong even as sales of other electronics declined because consumers felt it was worthwhile to upgrade to a device with so much to more to give - touchscreens, email and full Web browsers.
Without a technology breakthrough such as touchscreen - made popular by the first iPhone in 2007 - people are in far less of a hurry to upgrade their phones this time around, analysts said.
That was evident from Apple's June quarterly results, which showed a much bigger hit from the European debt crisis than Wall Street expected.
"The economy is having an impact on all electronic goods. Even Apple, which did defy gravity in the last recession, is not escaping now," said Hudson Square Research analyst Daniel Ernst.
Smartphone users, who typically upgrade their phones every 18 to 24 months, are now holding on for three months longer than usual, according to Gartner analyst Carolina Milanesi.
"The reason to upgrade is less urgent" she said.
PRICE PRESSURE
Overall smartphone shipments rose 32 percent in the second quarter, their slowest pace since 2009's 16 percent increase, according to Strategy Analytics. The research firm forecast annual smartphone shipment growth would slow to 40 percent in 2012 from 68 percent in 2011 and ease further to 23 percent in 2013.
Analysts say demand from emerging markets will support smartphone shipments even if the global economy takes a turn for the worse, but a growing supply of lower price devices from vendors such as Huawei Technologies Co Ltd and ZTE Corp will pressure prices even if the economy improves.
"We're forecasting ASPs (average selling prices) to dip in 2013 and accelerate from there on," said Strategy Analytics analyst Neil Mawston. "If the economy continues to flat line or dip that will accelerate the move to lower cost models."
The popularity of Apple's iPhone and Samsung Electronics Co Ltd's Galaxy S will give these companies some pricing insulation, analysts said.
But there could be much more pressure for price cuts at already struggling smartphone vendors, such as LG Electronics Inc, HTC Corp, Nokia Oyj and BlackBerry maker Research In Motion Ltd.
"Apple and Samsung's ownership of the high-tier and intense price erosion means the fight among others will be cutthroat," said CCS Insight analyst Geoff Blaber.
The tough road ahead for smaller vendors became more apparent this week, when market leader Samsung reported its best quarterly smartphone sales in history as it outsold Apple and won customers from smaller rivals. Samsung's bigger size allowed it to drive down costs and still make a profit on phones that would generate a loss for smaller rivals.
Some of Apple's earnings miss was attributed to consumers postponing purchases in anticipation of a new iPhone model hitting store shelves this fall. LG did not have that excuse - its cellphone division, which accounts for around one-fifth of sales, posted a quarterly loss as competition forced LG to spend more on marketing for cheaper phones.
LESS PURCHASING POWER
According to Gartner, about 35 percent of an estimated 1.9 billion cellphones sold this year will be smartphones. Between 20 percent and 25 percent of people in the world already own smartphones, with the penetration rate rising to 50 percent to 55 percent in the United States.
"The first wave is selling expensive models to affluent buyers. The second wave is selling lower cost models to less affluent buyers," Strategy Analytic's Mawston said.
Gartner's Milanesi said Huawei and ZTE are in the best position among the lower-tier smartphone vendors.
"If price is the first driver I'm going to pick the Chinese," said Milanesi, who said LG and HTC are most vulnerable to price declines as they "need more to stand out."
Also putting pressure on handset makers are the wireless service providers on which they are heavily dependent in many regions such as Europe and the United States for promotions. Carriers often subsidize phones to encourage their customers to commit to long term contracts.
In Europe, some operators such as Telefonica have been dropping subsidies entirely. The top three U.S. operators, Verizon Wireless, AT&T Inc and Sprint Nextel Corp have all been improving profit margins because they cut down on their subsidy costs by offering customers upgrades less frequently.
If consumers do have to cut spending because if the weak economy, IDC analyst Ramon Llamas said: "There's smartphone available for just about every single budget out there."

SOURCE: View the original article here

Read More

Smartphones power record Samsung profit of $5.9 billion during Apple lull

Samsung Electronics Co, the world's top technology firm by revenue, reported on Friday a record operating profit of $5.9 billion for the June quarter, as rampant Galaxy S handset sales helped stretch its lead over Apple Inc.September quarter mobile profits are expected to forge further ahead as the latest Galaxy model enjoys a sales boom before the next iPhone launch, widely expected in October, driving Samsung's profit to a record of nearly 8 trillion won ($7 billion). The mobile business brings in around 60 percent of Samsung's earnings.
Profits of the handset division more than doubled from a year earlier and the flat-screen business swung to a profit as LCD prices stabilized.
Shares in Samsung, which also makes TVs and other appliances, flat-screens, and chips, jumped as much as 4.7 percent to a five-week high after the results, outperforming the wider market.
"Solid results from the TV division show its resilience to the euro zone crisis, while the mobile division has become a strong cash cow on the back of strong Galaxy sales," said Seo Won-seok, an analyst at Korea Investment & Securities.
"Weak memory chip prices remain the biggest concern for Samsung in the third quarter, but it will again fare better than rivals as its reliance on Apple, which tends to squeeze suppliers quite a bit, is small compared to the likes of Hynix and Toshiba. It'll have less margin pressure."
JK Shin, head of Samsung's telecoms business, told Reuters on Sunday that sales of the Galaxy S III, the most aggressive competitor to the iPhone, were better than his initial forecast of at least 10 million units in the first two months after its launch in late May.
It is also preparing a sequel to the popular phone-cum-tablet Galaxy Note later this year to counter Apple's new product releases.
Samsung, which earlier this year ended Nokia's 14-year reign as the top global handset maker, is estimated to have increased smartphone shipments to 50.5 million in the June quarter, nearly double the 26 million iPhones sold.
Apple shipments in the June quarter tumbled 26 percent sequentially as the European economy sagged and consumers held off on buying ahead of the release of the iPhone 5.
"Regardless of Apple's performance, Samsung will be strong in the third quarter," said Byun Han-joon, an analyst at KB Investment & Securities. "Actually, for Samsung, Apple's stumble is a chance."
Analysts estimated that Samsung, which now controls more than a third of the global smartphone market, will sell 15 million to 20 million of its Galaxy S III in the September quarter.
PATENT BATTLE
Samsung, valued at $160 billion and the world's leading maker of TVs, said April-June operating profit totaled 6.72 trillion won ($5.9 billion), in line with guidance it issued earlier this month.
That is up 79 percent from a year ago and 15 percent from the previous record - 5.85 trillion won in the March quarter.
Still, its net profit of 5.2 trillion won ($4.5 billion) is only half of the $8.8 billion Apple returned in the last quarter from its iPhone, iPad and Mac computer sales.
Samsung's gross margin of 37 percent also lags Apple's 43 percent.
The two technology giants, locked in bruising patent battle globally, will begin a jury trial in federal court in San Jose, California on Monday. Apple seeks roughly $2.5 billion in damages, plus permanent injunctions on some Samsung phones and tablets, while Samsung is demanding patent royalty payments.
Samsung said it expected its third quarter - July to September - to be marginally positive as demand for consumer electronic goods, including smartphones and tablets remains strong.
However, it said it expected weak demand for PC DRAM to continue in the third quarter.
Song Myung-sub, a senior analyst at HI Investment & Securities, said chip earnings might pull back slightly in the third quarter.
"But the increase in demand for its products from Microsoft Windows 8 release in September and the iPhone in October will bring demand higher than supply," Song said.
Profit from the telecoms division more than doubled to 4.19 trillion won from a year earlier 1.71 trillion won, with sales of 50.5 million smartphones - or 380 every minute.
Its semiconductor business showed a small decline in profit to 1.1 trillion won from 1.79 trillion won, following weak demand for NAND memory chips and computer memory chips.
Prices of NAND flash memory chips tumbled 46 percent in the first half of this year following a 34 percent plunge last year, forcing Toshiba Corp to cut output by 30 percent.
The flat screen division swung to a small profit of 750 billion won from a year earlier loss of 210 billion won after a global fall in LCD (liquid crystal display) prices stabilized.
The TV and home appliances business returned 760 billion won, up from 470 billion won. Analysts have said the business has been buoyed by solid sales of high-end TV models with 3D and Internet connectivity features.
While the next iPhone will likely slow Samsung's handset earnings growth, it will boost the Korean firm's semiconductor earnings as Samsung is the sole producer of processing chips used to power the iPhone and iPad, and also supplies Apple with mobile memory chips, NAND flash and display screens.


SOURCE: View the original article here

Read More

Samsung unveils limited edition Team GB Galaxy S3 phones, to start selling on August 1

Right as we fervently waited for the official kick off of the 2012 Summer Olympic Games, Samsung made our day even brighter by unveiling two special edition Galaxy S3 phones. These will be available for sale in the UK soon and target British tech users who want to show their support for their Olympian heroes.
The Games’ grand opening ceremony might start in just a few hours, but the Olympic fever won’t be easily quenchable across England for the next 17 days. That’s why, even if the two limited edition Galaxy S3 models won’t actually start selling until August 1, they should still prove fairly successful all around Great Britain.
The two special S3 versions look very similar to the Olympics-branded Notes released some time ago – they have the same hardware and software as the “normal” phones, but come with a different casing. You can go for either the Pebble Blue model with UK’s flag slapped on the back, or the Marble White version with the beautiful Team GB lion on it.

Either way, you’ll be offered both the special Team GB cover and a regular S3 one, so as to choose when or for how long to show your passion for sports and support for your nation’s athletes. The best thing about Sammy’s special phone is that you have the liberty to bundle it with your carrier of choice (Vodafone, Orange – T-Mobile, O2, Talk Mobile, or Three), and you can get the handheld for free by signing up for new two-year contracts starting at £28 a month.
More details about specific plans and network offers will be made available on August 1, when the special S3 should start selling from Carphone Warehouse, both online and in retail stores across the UK. Look for the phone then, or get back to our website to find out more.
In the meantime, tell us your bets for the Games. How many medals will Team GB bring home? How about Team USA? And who will be the biggest star of them all? Could it be GB’s Andy Murray? Michael Phelps? Usain Bolt?

SOURCE: View the original article here

Read More

MetroPCS-bound Samsung Galaxy S Lightray 4G leaks, to be released in August

Dominating the high-end part of the smartphone world doesn’t seem to be enough for Samsung, which is constantly looking to strengthen its presence in the low-end and mid-range niches as well. One phone that could place itself right between these sectors is the Galaxy S Lightray 4G, supposedly headed to MetroPCS in August.
The information comes via a Howard Forums leak and is not yet confirmed, but the fistful of high-quality “spilled” photos and the almost complete spec sheet guarantee that we’re not dealing with a bogus rumor.
That said, the Galaxy S Lightray 4G seems like a pretty bizarre device, starting with its name. I’m sure that most of you tuned in to this article because of the “S” branding in the phone’s title, which made you hope the phone might have something to do with the Galaxy S2 or S3. Well, it doesn’t, as far as we can tell, neither in terms of design, nor in hardware.

The exterior is actually very similar to that of Verizon’s Samsung Droid Charge, a 2011 LTE-enabled phone which hasn’t exactly been a winner. As far as specs go, we don’t know all of them just yet, but the ones we do know place the Lightray ages behind the Galaxy S3 and quite significantly behind the S2, too.
Sporting a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Plus display with an unknown resolution, the Galaxy S Lightray 4G is set to come with an 8 MP rear-facing camera with flash, an 1.3 MP front-facing webcam and 4G LTE connectivity, which ain’t too shabby. However, the phone is rumored to be only packing a 1.3 GHz single-core processor and that’s clearly below par even for mid-rangers these days.

Furthermore, based on the leaked photos, the 4.3-incher might only run Android 2.3 Gingebread upon its release, which would be terribly disappointing. An included 16GB microSD card, HDMI port, TV antenna for “Mobile TV”, and mobile hotspot capability complete the rumored spec sheet of the Lightray, making it one tough nut to crack. Will it be a low-end device? A mid-range one? Something in between?
We should find that out pretty soon, considering that MetroPCS has supposedly scheduled the new Samsung handheld for a mid-August release. If that’s true, an official unveiling is quite imminent. Is anyone excited about the Lightray?

SOURCE: View the original article here

Read More

Mark Zuckerberg: No Facebook phone from us

Over the past few years we’ve been hearing rumors every now and then about a possible Facebook phone. However, Mark Zuckerberg has just crushed that idea in Facebook’s recent earnings call saying: “Building out a whole phone really wouldn’t make much sense for us to do.”
And indeed it doesn’t. There are now close to 800 million Android and iOS devices in the market, and Android phones are now growing at a rate of 1 million per day, or 365+ million per year. Plus, there’s a Facebook  app for these devices, that does a pretty good job, or at least it should (if it’s horrible, it’s Facebook’s own fault) at delivering the Facebook service to anyone using such a device.
So why would Facebook go into the hardware business, to build a phone around a single app? There’s not that much more they could offer to users to warrant buying a “Facebook phone” instead of any other phone from another company that also has access to Facebook.

For some reason HTC got the crazy idea last year to make a “Facebook phone”, the HTC Cha Cha, which was basically just  a regular Android phone, with a special hardware button for Facebook. But that’s hardly a reason for anyone who uses Facebook to want to get that phone over other ones.
There are now rumors of HTC working with Facebook yet again for a new “Facebook phone”, which implies some kind of a successor to the HTC Cha Cha, rather than a phone made by Facebook. I doubt this new phone will be any more successful than the HTC Cha Cha, unless HTC makes it one of their flagship devices. But then, people would simply buy it because it would be such a great overall phone, rather than because it would be a “Facebook phone”.

SOURCE: View the original article here

Read More

Rumors: AT&T to cut HTC One X price by half, red Galaxy S3 to start selling

Although it was hailed as HTC’s comeback and it supposedly started off more than decently, the One X couldn’t stand the Galaxy S3 charge and saw its sales rapidly drop. No, that’s not an official story, but earlier rumors, combined with a new one, certainly make the scenario trustworthy.
The new rumor comes from an XDA-Developers forum user, who supposedly got his hands on an AT&T e-mail announcing the upcoming price slashing of the One X. “Surflamj”, a junior member of the forum, has stated that he works “for AT&T as a sales rep”, and says that the One X’s discount won’t be part of a temporary “special or deal”.
That means that, starting this Sunday, July 29, anyone with a passion for high-end Android technology will be able to get a spanking new HTC One X for just $99.99 with a two-year contract, and no (other) strings attached.
AT&T’s discount, if it proves to be real, will reduce One X’s price by half (from the current $199.99 price tag), which would be one of the most generous offers made by the carrier in… probably ever. Sure, it wouldn’t be the first time to see a high-end phone discounted this way, but HTC’s flagship is not even three months old.

The rumor should be taken with one large grain of salt, as it’s almost impossible to check if Surflamj is in fact an AT&T employee, but fortunately we will learn about its accuracy fairly soon. One thing is certain, nevertheless, and that is if you’re considering getting a One X from AT&T, you should wait for a few more days.
The supposed internal e-mail makes some light on the red Galaxy S3’s coming, too, which will be scheduled on the exact same day as the One X’s price slashing. The “beast” will be available for some sort of “special order” on Sunday, which is not exactly news and has been confirmed by AT&T officials a while back. However, it remains to be seen what will that “special order” mean. Could it possibly be another discount?
Which one of these two deals sounds more tempting to you? Would you rather go for a $99 HTC One X or a likely $199 snazzy red Samsung Galaxy S3?

SOURCES: View the original article here

Read More

Bolls: Android strategy game of cute, algae-eating balls

Bolls is a turn-based Android strategy game that not only involves fighting off your opponent’s own Bolls but also gathering resources for them. That isn’t a typo you’re looking at. Bolls are the eponymous creatures of this online multiplayer strategy game. These creatures are circles with faces, mouths, and occasionally, hands, fangs, wings, or gills.
The aim of the game is to pit these cute creatures against your enemy’s own army of Bolls. Don’t forget that you’ll need to make sure that your troops have sufficient nourishment. They eat Algae which can be collected in the river. Each Boll in your army can consume 1 algae a month so make sure that you can feed your troops.

Though you receive a Boll from your Queen Boll each month, these critters can also breed. To produce one baby Boll, you’ll need one light Boll, one dark Boll, and three Twigs. What makes breeding the more preferable choice of producing Bolls is that baby Bolls can inherit characteristics from each of its parents. Say you mate a light Boll with hands (or call it light hand-Boll) with a dark Boll with fur (or call it dark fur-Boll). The resulting offspring will have both fur and hands.


The Boll you receive from your Boll Queen, on the other hand, is only one of the 6 types available. Though you can choose, their attributes are pretty limited. You can choose from a fur-Boll or a hand-Boll.
There are two more types you can choose from: a Boll with gills which can swim and collect Algae and a Boll with wings which can fly to gather Twigs. Both these Boll types can also reach the island in the middle of the river to collect Shrooms.
You can also choose a Boll with fangs that may help you out in battles with its strength or a Boll with a shell whose defenses will protect it against Bolls with fangs. Each Boll is vital to your winning against your opponent.
Why are these Shrooms so vital? Shrooms are used for buying upgrades such as increasing the defense of your Queen’s den. This is especially important because if your Boll Queen dies, then you lose. Though the Queen is higher ranked than most Bolls, if she’s attacked enough, her health will be whittled away and she’ll eventually die.
To win the game, you must place your Bolls on the hill in front of your enemy’s den to directly attack their Queen. But, don’t be lax in your defenses. There are two other places where battle can take place.

The island in the middle of the river where Shrooms can be found is a battleground, because your enemies will also want to purchase their own upgrades. Your enemy will also want to attack your Queen so make sure that the hill in front of your den is well-protected.
Once you’ve put all your Bolls in their positions, from gathering resources, to mating, and to defending your den, the month will end and so will your turn. You’ll then have to wait for your enemy’s turn before the game can continue. When your Bolls face off and there are more than 2 Bolls facing off your enemy’s troops at a single spot, you’ll need to decide which ones of the Bolls will fight on the front line.
If you get bored waiting for your opponent’s turn, you can engage another opponent, either a friend or a random Bolls player, to a match. You can have several matches going on at the same time.
Bolls certainly keeps players busy and makes them consider their fighting force and the resources necessary to sustain it. The battle field is also subject to change, such as the water levels rising or dropping. If the water levels are high, only Bolls with gills can collect Algae, but if the water levels are low, even Bolls without gills can collect Algae.

If it’s all so confusing for you, you can tap on the Singleplayer Tutorial. The game will then guide you on what you need to do and will have you fight against enemy Bolls to get a feel of the controls.
Because Bolls is free, it’s also ad-supported. While normally I don’t mind ads, the ads in Bolls can sometimes show up at the bottom of the screen, right over the settings icon. Ads also appear in the middle of the screen. Bolls also frequently shows the loading screen, although, in my test, it doesn’t take long to load.
I found the music actually rather catchy, easily immersing me into the vast fields of green and it really connects to nature when you start hearing the birds tweeting. When your Bolls face off in battle, the battle music plays. I highly appreciated that it sounded tense, giving you a sense of some serious business about to go down.
You can get Bolls Free from the Google Play Store. The pro version of this Android strategy game is still on the way, promising features such as world ranking, monthly rewards, and changeable Boll color.
 
SOURCE: View the original article here

Read More

Sony might unveil new smartphones in Berlin on August 29, Hayabusa and Mint could lead the line-up

The CES, MWC and IFA electronics tradeshows used to be the events where new trends were made and products were unveiled. But lately some of the big manufacturers have shifted their strategies. Samsung, Sony, and Asus have all started to hold exclusive events of their own, to ensure that all the spotlight is on their products.
The Samsung Unpacked event from May, when the Galaxy S3 was unveiled, was probably more popular than both this year’s CES and MWC together, and now Sony is trying to do something similar with an exclusive Berlin press conference and “booth unveiling”.
Sony’s special announcement will take place just two days before the beginning of IFA 2012 (also set to be held in Berlin), and, while we haven’t yet got an invitation from the Japan-based tech giant, we’ll cover the event extensively, right from the “crime scene”.

The guys over at GSM Arena have received one of the first invitations from Sony, but unfortunately it doesn’t say much about what products are to be revealed in Berlin. The invite doesn’t specifically mention the company’s mobile division, but the fact that it was first sent to a website like GSM Arena is a clear indicator that we’ll see one or several new Android smartphones.
There are only a few likely suspects for the headline title of the event, but Sony might also be prepping a surprise. The LT29i, a.k.a. Hayabusa, a.k.a. the global version of the Japanese Xperia GX, could well be made official on August 29, although we frankly expect it to come much sooner.

The LT30 Mint is another high-end Sony smartphone expected to be launched quite soon, with rumors from January stating that it could start selling in September. That possibility seems pretty slim right now, but it’s not impossible that we’ll see the Mint unveiled in Berlin and made available a few weeks later.
Towards the lower end of the range, there are two other Sony smartphones leaked in that launch schedule from January, but both of them are still wrapped in mystery. We haven’t heard a thing about the “AFFM” or the “Atlas” over the last six months, so there’s a good chance they have been either postponed or canceled altogether.
The August 29 event, which is set to start at 16:15 and end at 17:00 (CET), could also be the perfect occasion for the unveiling of  a non-smartphone Sony product. We might see a new Walkman or even the much awaited Playstation 4 get some attention.
No matter what devices Sony is planning to unveil next month in Berlin, it’s pretty clear that we’re all in for a treat, so don’t forget to check back to our website to find out what this event is all about.


 SOURCE: View the original article here

Read More

Box partners with Qualcomm to preload app on Snapdragon devices, users to get free 50GB storage

The cloud storage competition on mobile devices is heating up, as Box goes on the offense against other established players in the market. The cloud storage company has struck a deal with Qualcomm, one of biggest SoC makers in the Android ecosystem, as well as with Microsoft for its Windows Phone devices. We figure you’ll be more interested in the former, so here are the deets.
The Qualcomm partnership means that select devices powered by Snapdragon processors will come preloaded with the Box Android app. The main perk for users is that they will get 50GB of free Box storage. The deal doesn’t necessarily mean that the Box service is mandatory, but phone manufacturers will be given the opportunity to opt in on the offer.
Qualcomm’s Snapdragon processors are prominently featured in recent top offerings from major Android manufacturers. The North American variant of the Samsung Galaxy S3 and the HTC One X, for example, are powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon S4 chip. Both Samsung and HTC, interestingly, have already inked deals of their own with Box’s rival Dropbox. Sony Mobile, on the other hand, has taken Box’s side — the Xperia Ion LTE comes with a free 50GB Box storage.
According to the company, the Box Android application has been downloaded 2.2 million times since it was made available back in September 2010. With Qualcomm on its side, the annual number of downloads is expected to triple.

SOURCE: View the original article here

Read More

Logic Labyrinth: Android game app for strategic thinking and logic

Puzzle games and brain teasers are a great way to spend your breaks between classes or at work. Some people play solitaire on their computers or with real cards, others try to make as many words as they can with word boardgames.
Logic Labyrinth, developed by eetayo, looks deceptively easy. The goal of the game is to get one of the two balls you’re provided into the hole in the labyrinth.
The balls you’re given each stage are random but I highly enjoyed the balls’ 3D look against the level’s wooden background. On the HTC Sensation that I played this on, the balls in the first world have a beautiful marble texture.
To navigate the balls around the labyrinth, you’ll need to make use of the directional arrows located on the labyrinth. The balls move together, so when you tap up, both balls will move up. Tap right and to the right both these balls will go.
What makes this game challenging is that you can’t really control where the balls go. Whenever you tap on a direction, the balls will keep moving in that direction but won’t stop until they hit an obstacle, such as the wall or each other. This also means that if the hole is located near a wall but not actually next to it, the balls will roll over the hole.

When you first launch Logic Labyrinth, you’ll see a window with a number 1. This is the first world you’ll be visiting, consisting of 20 levels. There are five levels all in all, with 20 levels each, making a grand total of 100 levels to keep your mind working.
The first level looks simple enough and you only need to move your ball to the right of the screen. When you get to the second level, however, you’ll see obstacles. Rather than seeing them as hindrances, you can use these obstacles to your advantage. Remember that balls won’t stop moving until they hit something? Use the second ball you have and the obstacles to get a ball into the hole within as few moves as possible.


At the top of the screen, you’ll see the buttons for Pause, Restart, and Exit. You can also see the Movements counter. Below it is Record and a specified number. Your goal is to get the ball into the hole in the same number of moves specified. If you get the ball into the hole in the specified number of moves, you get three stars. If you go over the number of moves, you get two stars. The more unnecessary moves you make, the fewer stars you get until you get no stars at all.


Logic Labyrinth has sound effects, such as when the balls move across the labyrinth, when a ball falls into the hole, and when you open the window for a level, but the levels do not have any background music. Some players may find this disappointing but personally, I was thankful. You can focus on accomplishing the level without having to turn the sounds off.
You can listen to the sounds that matter without being bugged by background music. Accessing the menu on the main screen lets you toggle the sound and music, so if you want to play Logic Labyrinth and you don’t have headphones with you, you can just switch the sound and music off.


While doing this Android app review, I initially had some trouble installing Logic Labyrinth on our stock Galaxy S2 and rooted HTC Sensation. The game went smoothly until I played the first level. Once the ball fell into the hole, the game stopped responding and force closed. It did, however, work on a Galaxy Note, a Galaxy Y, and a stock HTC Sensation. We’re not sure what this could mean, but it may have been a snag on our end.

Logic Labyrinth is a straightforward game that will definitely challenge you. You’ll spend levels figuring out how to get the ball into the hole and once you succeed, you’ll want to play the level again and get the ball in using fewer moves. The levels are short enough that you can play a few during your breaks to stimulate your brain.
You can download Logic Labyrinth Lite for free from the Google Play Store but it only gives you access to two of the five 20-level worlds available. You can also purchase the Logic Labyrinth pro version if you want to play all 100 levels.


Source: View the original article here

Read More

Next-gen Xiaomi phone to have quad-core S4 Pro chip and 720p display

Xiaomi is the Chinese company behind the popular MIUI ROM.
Last year, they launched their own Xiaomi phone with the MIUI ROM on top, and it seems they’ve been fairly successful with it, as they’ve just announced a $216 million investment in their company. Moreover, leaks are pointing out to a next-gen quad-core smartphone with a 720p display, coming soon from them.
The chip on the rumored phone comes from Qualcomm, and since the only quad-core processor they’ve announced for this year is the S4 Pro with the Adreno 320 GPU, that’s most likely what the high-end Xiaomi will have. The device doesn’t seem to have a front-facing camera, but the pricing might make up for it. The rumored price is just $300, which would be significantly cheaper than Meizu’s $480 quad-core phone (Exynos 4 Quad chip), Meizu being Xiaomi’s main local rival.
The OS version will most likely be Android 4.0, but if they won’t release the new quad-core device soon, it’s possible that Xiaomi will be able to upgrade it to Android 4.1. Even if it’s released with Android 4.0, i’m sure Xiaomi will release the Jelly Bean upgrade soon after, because they just love playing with custom ROMs and the latest versions of Android.
From the pictures, we can see that Xiaomi is following a trend that not many manufacturers have adopted yet – making stylish, yet colorful phones. I think that people want to have different colors on their phones, but so far, most manufacturers are still only choosing the safest colors, like black or white. Actually, not too long ago they probably thought the white color is pretty “daring”, but now it almost seems necessary for all phone models.


Source: View the original article here

Read More

Samsung gets another hit – Galaxy Tab 10.1 injunction remains in place

While some laughed at Apple’s patent attacks against Samsung, which seemed like losing battles from the get-go, the joke is starting to be on Sammy. After some relatively insignificant wins in Europe and Australia some time ago, Tim Cook’s giant knocked it off the park in the past month or so, with a couple of US injunctions against two popular Samsung devices.
The Galaxy Nexus sales ban might have been lifted for the time being, but Sammy still has some splitting headaches with the Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet. The 10-incher has been banned for sale in the US last month, and, after the denial of Samsung’s first appeal on the decision, the Koreans have been hit hard again by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.
The Federal Circuit denied Samsung’s motion to stay Judge Koh’s preliminary injunction for the duration of the appellate proceedings and also refused to grant a motion to expedite the appeal. That means Sammy is now officially out of tricks up its sleeve. The Koreans will have to confront Apple in court starting on July 30 regarding a design patent allegedly infringed by the Korean mammoth.

Furthermore, Samsung’s chances for a win in court are not too good, considering that the temporary lifting of the Tab 10.1 sales ban has been denied exactly because the “movant hasn’t established a strong likelihood of success on the merits or demonstrated that it has a substantial case on the merits and that the harm factors militate in its favor.” In other words, the Federal Circuit thought Sammy’s chances for a victory in court were slim, as they didn’t provide enough evidence to contradict Apple’s accusations.
For the time being, Samsung doesn’t have much to lose due to the preliminary injunction against the Tab 10.1, as the 10-incher is not very popular in the US. Then again, in a few short weeks the ban might be made definitive, which would allow Apple to ask for consistent financial compensation, but also to go against other more popular Samsung devices (including the Galaxy S3).
The future looks pretty bleak for Samsung in this exhausting patent war with Apple, but things might still change in Sammy’s favor. Stay tuned on our website to find out if that’ll happen!


Source: View the original article here

Read More

Best Android apps for ZIP and RAR files

Thanks to compression, sending a number of files in one go is easy. If you need to send a batch of files, like pictures, documents or song files, to someone, you can kiss the tedious process of waiting goodbye. No more waiting for each item to finish attaching to your e-mail and hoping that each one of them can be successfully downloaded by your recipient. Simply compress your files into a ZIP or a RAR file and you’re good to go.
Sending ZIP and RAR files is one thing, but what about when we receive them on our Android phone or tablet? Do we have to wait until we get home to our desktops? Of course not. Thanks to newer and more powerful apps, our phones can easily unpack ZIP and RAR files to reveal their contents.
What’s even better is that these same apps can also pack several files into one neat ZIP or RAR file. Get any file, whether a music file, a video file, a picture or a document to other people in a snap. For people who need to send and receive files on the go, we’ve put together a list of the best Android apps for ZIP and RAR files.


Winzip
It’s only natural that we start this list with the official WinZip application for Android devices. The app recently landed on Android a few weeks back, but it’s steadily making its way on to users’ phones. You can receive a file and view supported image, text, and web files directly within the WinZip app. You can even open AES128- or AES256-encrypted ZIP files to view sensitive material safely while you’re on the go.
After you’ve unzipped content, you can copy it to the clipboard and paste it into an e-mail or another application. WinZip can automatically unzip and install APK files delivered as ZIP files from the Google Play Store or the Amazon Appstore. WinZip lets you view a variety of formats and lets you open popular file types such as Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations, and PDF files in third party apps. Unfortunately, you can only compress files into the ZIP format using WinZip.


Blackmoon File Browser
Like it says on the tin, Blackmoon File Browser is more than just a ZIP and RAR application. It also lets you browse, open, rename, manage, copy and delete files on your phone. This file browser will let you easily do a little housekeeping on your Android device. It’s also able to recognize more than 100 file extensions and has multiple file support.
You can rename your files without having to be confused. Blackmoon File Browser lets you view image thumbnails so you can easily tell your image files apart. That certainly makes it easier to decide which photos you’d like to package into a ZIP file.
If someone sent you a ZIP file, you can also use Blackmoon File Browser to extract ZIP file contents. That’s not all; Blackmoon File Browser also lets you create music playlists using the Send Marked feature and you can create jump points to any file or folder.


Zipper
Here’s another app that will let you easily select multiple files and give you an easier time to tidy up your files. Zipper, developed by Polar Soft, can also copy and move several files and folders. If you’re spring cleaning, you can open, rename, and delete files and folders.
Creating a ZIP file with Zipper is easy, as well. Drag several files into one folder and long press on the folder to bring up a menu. From here, you can choose the ZIP file’s name, whether you want it to have the same name as the files’ original folder or you want to give it a new name.
You can also create split archives using Zipper, which can make sending extremely large files easy. Break down a large file into more manageable sizes so that the recipient can unzip the split archives and enjoy the complete file without having to fear intermittent connection.
Zipper also comes with an image viewer, a text viewer and an SWF (Flash) viewer. You can also manage the files on your phone using Zipper’s FTP and HTTP server.
This app is free and is ad-supported but we think it’s a good compromise for such a powerful app.

Total Commander
With an overwhelming 4.9 rating on the Google Play Store, Total Commander is a total crowd favorite. This Android app is the mobile version of the desktop file manager of the same name.
It shows list of all your installed apps built in and a number of plugins if you want to buff it up. These plugins include an FTP client, WebDAV folder, and LAN access. Total Commander also has root support for its main functions.
Total Commander gets to the chase; if you’re deleting something, it skips the Recycle Bin phase and jumps straight to erasing your data. You can ZIP files up easily, as well as unzip or unrar them whenever you like.
Looking for something? You can use Total Commander’s Search function that works even for text files. If you don’t want to rummage through your image files, Total Commander makes it easy with thumbnails for your pictures. Once you’ve found what you were looking for, you can send files via Bluetooth (OBEX).
Perhaps the best part is that Total Commander is free to download from the Google Play Store.


AndroZip File Manager
Organizing your files on your phone is a little difficult, especially when you’ve only started learning how to navigate it. If you feel frustrated about making mistakes when you try to tidy your phone’s files, then AndroZip File Manager might just be the application for you.
AndroZip File Manager helps you copy, delete, move, search, and organize your files and folders, just like you could on your computer. We haven’t forgotten that this app list is all about apps for ZIP and RAR files. AndroZip File Manager supports ZIP, encrypted ZIP, RAR, TAR, GZIP and BZIP2 files. It also lets you send files via e-mail.
Don’t worry if you have a larger Android device because AndroZip File Manager has been optimized for both phones and tablets.
The app comes with drag and drop functionality, which means that you can easily organize your files without having to fiddle too much with the app’s tools. You can use this app to backup your applications and install application APK files to your phone. You can also manage phone memory and resources via AndroZip File Manager’s task manager.
For those of you who want to play it safe and install your apps on your SD card, AndroZip File Manager can be installed on your SD card with no problem.

ArchiDroid
ArchiDroid calls itself the easy to use archive manager and based on user reviews, it certainly lives up to its name. ArchiDroid can unpack more than just RAR and ZIP files; it can also unpack TAR, GZIP (gz), BZIP2 (bz2), tar.bz2, tar.gz, and 7ZIP (7z) file archives. You can also unpack encrypted ZIP and RAR password protected files.
Do you have a RAR file that’s been split up into several smaller and lighter archives? No problem, because ArchiDroid supports that, too. Let ArchiDroid have a go at it and it can correctly unzip multi-part archives.
You can also easily create simple and encrypted ZIP archives on your phone. The interface may not be too pretty too look at, but ArchiDroid does its job with no frills to distract users.
If you want an app that’s simple and effective, ArchiDroid might be the the app for you. You can download ArchiDroid from the Google Play Store for free.


Fx File Explorer
The downside of trying to keep your phone tidy is that the screen is too small. You might spend an hour or so squinting at your Android device’s screen as you order, rename, and delete files. Thankfully, there is an app that makes navigating and organizing our phone’s files a breeze.
FX File Explorer, developed by NextApp, Inc. has features likes multiple windows so you can quickly switch between different locations. It’s easy to manage multiple items with File Explorer’s intuitive swipe-to-gesture. Select more than one file by swiping your finger across the file icon, either left to right or right to left. You can also use this swiping gesture to deselect files. You can cut, copy, paste and delete using the clipboard. You can also use the Text File Viewer, Text Editor, Binary (Hex)
Viewer. What kind of file explorer and manager would Fx File Explorer be without a Zip, Tar, GZip, and BZip Archive Extractor and Creator. Fx File Explorer also comes with a RAR Extractor.


Explore+ File Manager
Here’s another file manager that’s no-frills and easy to navigate. Explorer+ File Manager is a practical, no-nonsense file manager for your Android device. You can browse your device’s files and folders, and if you’ve got root privileges, then you can also browse root and hidden system files available on rooted devices under su privileges.
Of course you can do the standard operations such as cut, copy and paste files to keep your files in order. You can also rename, delete, or make a new folder.
Browsing through files is easy because Explorer+ File Manager can show you the file’s thumbnail, its file name, and size.
Is the font too small for you? Instead of reaching for your glasses or a magnifying glass, you can easily set the font size and row size for file listings. If you need to send something to someone, you can easily ZIP files. Did someone send you a ZIP file? No problem. You can easily decompress, ZIP, GZIP, and RAR files.
 

ES File Explorer File Manager

Hailed as one of the best tools on the Android market and supporting 23 languages, ES File Explorer File Manager just had to make it on our list. You can multi-select several files to move them around, as well as perform the basic functions of copying, cutting, pasting, deleting, renaming, and sharing.
The app lets you view different file formats for photos, documents and videos, and supports third-party applications like Document To Go to open document files. Viewing APK images is now easier thanks to thumbnails.
Root users can enjoy the root explorer feature which gives users access to the whole file system and date directories as well as to change permissions.
ES File Explorer File Manager also lets you compress your files into a tidy ZIP file and create encrypted (AES 256-bit) ZIP files. Naturally, you can decompress ZIP archives and unpack RAR files, as well.
Get ES File Explorer File Manager free from the Google Play Store today.

ASTRO File Manager / Browser

Developed by Metago, ASTRO File Manager / Browser not only lets you easily select several files you want to combine into one ZIP but it also lets you browse and organize all your files easily. After you’ve extracted the contents of a ZIP or RAR file, you can easily put those files in the right places by dragging and dropping them.

All the functions you’ll ever need are located at the top of the screen in portrait mode or at the left side of the screen in landscape mode. Simply cycle through them to access the functions that you need. If you have a tablet and you haven’t updated to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich or Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, then you’ll be delighted to know that ASTRO File Manager / Browser packs Honeycomb support.
ASTRO File Manager / Browser is free to download from the Google Play Store but is ad-supported. If you like to support the developers and remove the ads, you can purchase ASTRO File Manager / Browser’s pro version.
You’ll no longer have to wait until you get to your desktop to send and receive ZIP and RAR files. You can easily extract them right on your Android device. Does someone need an album of pictures or a number of songs from your device? Simply select the files they want and package them into a ZIP or RAR file using any of the apps on this list. If your favorite ZIP and RAR app did not make it to our list, let us know what it is by leaving a comment below.

Source: View the original article here

Read More

5.5-inch Samsung Galaxy Note 2 phablet coming on August 15, release date not available yet

A few days ago, we told you that Samsung sent out press invites to members of the media for a special event scheduled to take place on August 15. At the time, we wondered whether the company would announce the Galaxy Note 2, its second-generation smartphone/tablet during the presser, especially since Samsung was said a few weeks ago to unveil the new phablet on August 30 in Berlin, a day ahead of the start of the German IFA 2012 tech show.
However, an even more distant report suggested that Samsung is interested in launching the Galaxy Note 2 as fast as possible, in order to beat the sixth-generation iPhone to market.
BGR now says that Galaxy Note 2 is going to be unveiled on August 15, according to a “source close to Samsung.” The same source seems to have confirmed that the device will come with a thinner and taller 5.5-inch display, which sounds familiar since it’s a spec we’ve seen in various reports so far.
However, the source did not reveal an actual release date for the device just yet. We’re also curious about Jelly Bean-friendliness for the Galaxy Note 2, not to mention the rest of its specs and features, but we’ll just have to wait and see whether the South Korean company does indeed announce its next-gen phablet in mid-August.
We have already showed you all we think we know about the Galaxy Note 2, and we used that info to offer you a preview comparison between the Note 2 and the Galaxy S3 well ahead of the actual launch of the phablet.
Are you buying a high-end Samsung smartphone this year? Is it the Galaxy S3 or the Note 2?

Source: View the original article here

Read More

Galaxy Nexus Jelly Bean update brings unexpected, but fixable, GPS bug

In addition to the Google Nexus 7 tablet that runs Android 4.1 out of the box, other Nexus devices including the Galaxy Nexus and Nexus S smartphones have also received their taste of Jelly Bean, at least in certain markets. But it looks like it’s not a flaw-free roll out for Google’s latest mobile operating system.
A few days ago we heard that Vodafone had to postpone the Nexus S Jelly Bean upgrade in Australia, as the ROM did not mean certain local regulations and now new reports suggest that the Galaxy Nexus Android 4.1 build comes with an unexpected GPS bug.
Apparently Galaxy Nexus users are unable to get a “precise GPS fix” after installing Jelly Bean, and this leads to the inability of the phone to track their location. Talk Android says the bug doesn’t affect all users, but that those that suffer from such GPS issues can easily fix it.
To check whether the problem affects your Galaxy Nexus device you should open an app that uses GPS to track you, preferably Google Maps, and then see whether you get a flashing icon with your “Searching for GPS…” notification. In case the icon is absent then your GPS is not functioning properly and needs to be manually fixed.
To do that, you’ll have to go to Settings > Location services and then “uncheck and re-check ‘Google’s location service.’” It should be as simple as that, but let us know in the comments section whether you have any GPS problem on your Galaxy Nexus freshly adorned with Jelly Bean.


Sources: View the original article here

Read More

Battery-saving: Auto Data app helps toggle mobile data on and off when screen is off

Those who are constantly on the road know how much of an annoyance it is to have your phone die on you in the middle of a packed day. In many cases, one of the main battery-guzzling culprits are mobile data connections. While the best solution is to only turn data on when you need it, it can be quite a chore to manually flick the switch back and forth on a regular basis. We know what you’re thinking – if only there’s a less tedious way to conserve your phone’s battery life – but still let you fetch those important mails from work easily when you’re out and about.
Solutions are actually aplenty, but if you’re looking for something simple and light, and one that’s not bogged down by too many features – consider what providence, a member of XDA, has developed.  The battery-saving app Auto Data helps your smartphone become smarter in hitting the sweet balance between mobility and usability.

What the app does is it automate the process of turning on and off  Mobile Data on your phone. Once it is set up, the app will automatically toggle Mobile Data on and off in a 5-minute interval when the screen is off, which should help conserve the phone’s battery. You won’t have to worry about the app cutting off your Internet connection when you’re actively using the phone, though. Other feature includes the ability to automatically switch to WiFi when Auto Data is on and the phone is being charged.
Check out the thread to download the Auto Data app and see what others are saying. We’re sure the developer doesn’t mind you giving some input and feedback as well.


Sources:View the original article here

Read More

Exclusive: Apple, Samsung chiefs disagree on patent values: source

 Apple Inc Chief Executive Tim Cook and top Samsung Electronic Co Ltd executives disagreed last week on the value of each other's patents at a settlement conference ahead of a high profile U.S. trial, according to a source familiar with the matter.
Apple and Samsung, the world's largest consumer electronics corporations, are waging legal war in several countries, accusing each other of patent violations as they vie for supremacy in the fast-growing market for mobile devices.
The trial is scheduled to begin July 30 in a San Jose, Calif. federal court. Cook participated in mediation with Samsung's Vice Chairman Choi Gee-sung and mobile chief Shin Jong-Kyun last Monday in the San Francisco area to see if the two sides could resolve the dispute, several separate sources said.
All sources could not be identified because they were not authorized to speak publicly.
The executives from Apple and Samsung participated as part of the court directed mediation process, these sources said. While a settlement is always possible, it is unlikely to come ahead of the California trial, they said.
Apple on Monday declined to comment on the case. A Samsung spokesman declined to provide details on any discussions, saying "this is an ongoing legal matter."
The U.S. case, taking place a few miles away from Apple's headquarters in Cupertino, California, is being closely-watched given the lucrative American smartphone and tablet market.
Among the major issues in dispute between Apple and Samsung is how to value so-called standard essential patents. These are patents which Samsung agreed to license to competitors on fair and reasonable terms, in exchange for having the technology be adopted as an industry standard.
Some judges are reluctant to issue injunctions over such patents.
Apple believes those patents should be valued lower due to those dynamics, one of the sources said. Additionally, Samsung believes it has a stronger patent portfolio than Apple when it comes to next-generation technology like 4G, the source said.
The mediation last week was at least the second between top executives. A previous session in May did not produce any settlements.
While both the companies are arch-rivals in the smartphone and tablet marketplace, the case is complicated by the fact that Apple is one of Samsung's largest component customers.
The trial will feature both utility and design patents. Apple utility patents in the case include those that cover how touch-screen devices discriminate between one finger on the screen, or more, and respond accordingly. Apple design patents include those that relate to the black front surface of a phone.


Source: View the original article here

Read More