Amazon Prime Instant Video is set to gain Paramount Pictures content

Good news to any Amazon Kindle Fire owners out there, that’s because Amazon’s Prime Instant Video service will be adding some lovable content in the near future to make good use out of the Kindle Fire.

Netflix might be the undisputed indomitable king right now when it comes to video streaming services, but retailing giant Amazon isn’t backing down whatsoever, as they announced a partnership to bring forth Paramount Pictures content to its service. Essentially, Amazon Prime members will now have access to the huge library of Paramount Pictures movies – such as Mission Impossible 3, Braveheart, Forrest Gump, Mean Girls, Nacho Libre, Clueless, and much more.

If you’re not an Amazon Prime subscriber, you’re in luck right now because there’s a one month free trial for the service – and honestly, it’s a wonderful way to check it all out. Right now, it’s only Amazon’s Kindle Fire that can stream content from the service, but as an alternative, you can obviously go on your computer.

“We are continuing to invest in building a vast selection for Prime Instant Video and are excited to bring Prime customers some of the most renowned and popular films in cinema history under this new agreement with Paramount,” said Brad Beale, director of digital video content acquisition for Amazon. “This deal will bring Prime Instant Video customers hundreds of new movies to enjoy on their Kindle Fire or any device connected to Amazon Instant Video, including titles such as Star Trek, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Top Gun, The Italian Job and The Truman Show, and we will remain committed to adding even more great movies and TV shows to Prime Instant Video in the future.”

source: Amazon via Android Central

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LG Optimus L7 Review

Introduction:

Coming with the latest Android Ice Cream Sandwich out of the box, the LG Optimus L7 is the top shelf representative of the company's new line of affordable handsets with supposedly more appealing L-Style design.

Top shelf in the L line doesn't mean much in terms of specs, as the Optimus L7 still rocks single-core processor, WVGA screen resolution and 5MP camera, but it won't break the bank either.

Now LG promised to introduce a new design paradigm with the new L series at rock-bottom prices, but did it succeed in achieving that goal with the Optimus L7? Read on to find out...

In the box: Travel chargermicroUSB cableIn-ear stereo headphonesSleep Mode, Car Mode and Office Mode NFC tagsWarranty and information leaflets
Design:

Despite LG's ruminations on the new L-Style design for the handsets of this series, the chassis of the Optimus L7 seems like your regular rectangular slab of black plastic. Still, all of the five elements that  LG envisioned for this design are here: "Modern Square Style for a comfortable grip, Floating Mass Technology for a slimmer look, Seamless Layout for a more intuitive arrangement of keys, Harmonized Design Contrast utilizing metallic accents and Sensuous Slim Shape that naturally draws one’s attention".

You can compare the LG Optimus L7 with many other phones using our Size Visualization Tool.

“Modern Square Style”? Check – the phone is rectangular and with sharp edges, but that is fairly neutral for holding it more comfortably. “Floating Mass” and “Sensuous Slim Shape”? Well, the handset is indeed very thin at 8.7mm, but those sub-10mm slim profiles are not sight unseen nowadays, even on flagship handsets. The “Seamless Layout” of the keys is an acquired taste – the power/lock key at the top requires moving your finger from the side to the top, whereas if it was on the right under your thumb it would have been more “intuitive”.

We can agree on the “Harmonized Design Contrast” part, as there are indeed some metallic elements in the design, like the lock key and the 5MP camera module plate on the back, but the rest of it is really just black plastic. The plastic is at least patterned on the back for better grip and a slightly more interesting look.

We found the volume rocker on the left and the power key too small and flush with the surface to be comfortable for finding and pressing, and with a shallow travel to boot. The home key underneath the display is well-positioned, for that matter, and very comfortable to press. The phone feels solid overall, and it is fairly easy to operate it with one hand, especially if you have larger palms.
Display: The “Floating Mass” technology for the 4.3” IPS-LCD “NOVA” display that LG utilizes in the Optimus L7, means that the screen is closer to the protective glass, allowing for a slimmer device and a brighter display. Still, it comes with 480x800 pixels of resolution, and 217ppi pixel density is about the bare minimum we expect from this screen size now.

The display sports decent viewing angles and vivid colors, plus its brightness is above average at 450 nits, so outside visibility is decent. Of notable absence is an ambient light sensor to adjust the brightness automatically, so you'll have to make do with the handy toggle in the notification bar.

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Giveaway: Asus Transfomer Pad 300 with keyboard dock, Jambox Speaker and Logitech game controller #3

In case you didn't know, NVIDIA's TegraZone has been quite popular lately among mobile gamers lucky enough to own a Tegra-powered phone or tablet. Because of that, NVIDIA is celebrating its app's success by organizing the 1st ever TegraZone Player's Choice Awards - a sweet initiative that allows you to vote for your favorite Tegra-optimized game and win a brand new ASUS Transformer Pad 300, as well as some other game-centric gadgets, in the process. The ASUS Transformer Pad is a value packed tablet that comes with multi-color style, and enhances productivity with expandability when connected to the mobile dock. With a 1.2MP front and 8MP rear auto-focus camera with large F/2.2 aperture and exclusive office software, staying connected and productive has never been easier. We're now entering the final week of this giveaway promotion. If you've ever wanted a Tegra-powered Transformer tablet, it's now your last chance to win one of our three sweet prize packs, or one of NVIDIA's seven prize packs. This week we're giving away our third and final prize, which includes:

- ASUS Transformer Pad 300
- Keyboard dock
- Jambox Speaker
- Logitech game controller

Obviously, it's a complete mobile gaming solution that will let you play every cool game the way it's meant to be played.

Let's take a look at what you have to do in order to enter the TegraZone Player's Choice Awards and have a chance to win:

1. Post a comment below, telling us which is your favorite Tegra game!

1.1. Congratulations, you're now participating in our giveaway.

2. Go vote for your favorite Tegra game for another chance to win!

2.1. Head this way to vote (link for mobile devices), or simply scan the following QR code with your device to go to the voting page. You'll notice that there are three categories for votes: Best Gameplay, Best Graphics and Overall Fun. Voting is open until May 31, and the winning games will be announced at E3. We encourage you to give it a try, since NVIDIA will be giving a total of 7 of those lovely price packs away!

We'll draw the third lucky winner next Thursday (May 31) and contact them via the email address that they used to register on PhoneArena. By entering this promotion, participants agree to be bound by these terms and that the decision of Phone Arena is final and binding in all matters relating to this promotion.The draw is open only to USA residents aged 18 or over, other than employees of phonearena.com, its agencies or their families.Phone Arena reserves the right to substitute a prize of equal or greater value if this is necessary for reasons beyond its control. No cash alternative to the prize will be offered.Phone Arena reserves the right to re-draw the prize if the prize-winner does not reply within three days after being contacted.Phone Arena accepts no responsibility for any loss, damage, injury or disappointment suffered by any entrant resulting from entering this prize draw or by the entrant's acceptance of the prize.Phone Arena reserves the right to alter, amend or foreclose this Free Prize Draw without prior notice in the event of unforeseen circumstances, which make this unavoidable.

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Samsung Galaxy Ace 2 is upgradable to Ice Cream Sandwich, video reveals

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Juror in Android lawsuit: "Oracle didn't come close"

With the jury portion of Oracle’s epic lawsuit against Android concluded, jurors are allowed to speak with the media. So far only the jury foreman has agreed to be interviewed, but his comments shed quite a bit of light on how well the trial went for both sides, and how close either side came to winning different portions of the trail.

In the copyright portion of the trial, the big item that Oracle hoped to win was demonstrating that Google copied the sequence and structure of 37 java APIs. Google didn’t deny that they had – they instead made two defenses; first the claimed that you simply cannot copyright APIs, a claim that the judge will be ruling on as early as next week. But since the jurors were instructed to assume APIs can be copyright for the sake of rendering a verdict, Google also claimed that their use of 37 APIs should be construed as Fair Use, a clause in copyright law that allows for the use of certain portions of copyrighted works under specific circumstances (two of the most commonly used exemptions are for educational purposes, and for media references).

The jury found that Google had copied the sequence and structure of the APIs (which wasn’t contested) but hung on the issue of Fair Use. How close was the vote? Not very. According to the foreman he was Oracle's biggest supporter, and for a long time he was the sole hold out as the rest of the jurors thought Android’s use of the APIs should be construed as Fair Use. Eventually he managed to convince two other jurors to side with him, leaving the jury hung in a 9-3 split.

In the week long deliberations on the patent phase, the foreman was again the only hold out, and he who sent several questions to the judge for clarification of how broadly the term “symbolic” could be applied on one of Oracle’s patents. In the end he did not get the supporting definition he was looking for and voted with the rest of the jurors to acquit Google of any form of patent infringement.

What does this mean going forward? It means that Oracle didn’t even come close to convincing a jury that using parts of a software interface isn’t Fair Use. It also means that from the jurors point of view Google was never in any serious danger of being found to have infringed on Oracles patents. This must weigh heavily on Oracle’s executives and legal team as they consider an appeal; even if they can get another trial, they would have to come up with far more convincing arguments to stand a chance of getting a favorable ruling.

Our best guess is that these revelations will constrain the choices Oracle makes going forward; we have been expecting Oracle to automatically challenge Judge Alsup’s ruling if he finds that API’s cannot be copyrighted, yet even the best-case scenario they can get by challenging that ruling is getting a retrial on the issue of Fair Use…an issue we now know the jury mostly didn’t agree with them on.

If Oracle feels confident that they can rejigger their legal strategy to be more convincing, then perhaps they will follow that route. Otherwise we suspect that Oracle mighty only appeal parts of the ruling that could be overturned by an appellate judge without another jury trial. Or perhaps they will see the long odds that their most supportive juror indicated Oracle was up against, and decide that settling for an “undisclosed amount” might be the better part of valor in this situation.

source: Law.com

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Sony replacing Sharp to supply the in-cell touch panels for the next iPhone, TPK shares slide

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Two versions of the Apple iPhone being tested says report, both with 3.999 inch screen

According to 9to5Mac, at Apple HQ, testing is taking place on a couple of prototype handsets, one of which will probably become the next Apple iPhone 5. The prototypes are disguised by being put in thick black shells which are designed to hide the true identity of the phone inside. Two of the models being tested have larger screens than the current 3.5 inches that used to be considered generously sized when the first Apple iPhone was launched in 2007. Since then, we have seen the envelope widen from the 4.3 inches that seemed so large on the HTC HD2 to the 5.3 inches on the Samsung GALAXY Note. The two Apple iPhone prototypes with the larger screen are internally called the iPhone 5,1 and the iPhone 5,2. Both the iPhone 5,1 and the iPhone 5,2 are in the PreEVT stage of testing and go by the code names N41AP  and N42AP respectively. The pair both sport a 3.999 inch screen, measured diagonally. Besides increasing the size of the display, Apple is also adding pixels to the screen as the new models have a resolution of 640 x 1136. That's an extra 176 pixels added down. The width of the screen will remain 1.9632 but will now be 3.484 inches tall and the aspect ratio will be close to 16:9.

There is also speculation that Apple will be working to maximize the extra real estate on iOS 6 by adding a fifth row of icons (not including the stationary icons, of course) and this is where the extra pixels come in to keep the screen a Retina display. Both of these models are said to have a home button and a smaller dock connector. The new dock connector is said to be a smaller version of the current 30-pin one and is said to be in between a micro USB connector and a mini one.

Considering that the last two Apple iPhone models ended up on the floor of a bar, we would imagine that the Cupertino based firm has tightened up security in terms of who can test a unit off-campus and who gets to take a prototype home.

source: 9to5Mac via Forbes

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John Malkovich laughs at Siri jokes, asks about the meaning of life in new iPhone ads

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LG Nitro HD gets a leaked build of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich

When 720p displays are no longer deemed as unique, we sometimes forget that the LG Nitro HD was actually the first AT&T smartphone to offer one – then again, it’s still sporting Gingerbread. So yeah, some people have probably tried looking at other things to quench their thirst for the latest and greatest Android build.

Well, if you’re still in possession of the LG Nitro HD and fancy having Ice Cream Sandwich running on your device, you’ll be interested to know that a leaked build of it is now available. Sure, it’s an early build and might not be one-hundred percent, but for the most part, people are reporting that it’s stable enough to warrant checking out – according to the responses over at xda-developers.

In fact, it seems as though a bunch of the handset’s variants were tested to ensure things would be smooth – like the ones from AT&T, Bell, and Fido. Although some have reported the IMEI going missing with the leaked build, others have mentioned no change whatsoever with it. Nevertheless, since this is a leaked build we’re talking about, you might want to exercise some caution before proceeding to operate with your own device.

source: RootzWiki via xda-developers & Android Central

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Facebook for Windows Phone sees some tasty new additions with its latest software update

Some people might not know, but the Facebook app for Windows Phone is quite polished on its own, but more importantly, it utilizes a very distinctive design presentation that’s not found with other platforms. Well, after teasing it last month, the newest software update for the Facebook app for Windows Phone is now available for download.

Call it a major overhaul, but version 2.5 of the Facebook app for Windows Phones packs an extensive amount of new features and functionality that easily bridges the desktop and mobile experiences. However, before you go ahead installing this newest update, it’s detailed that you’ll need to have Windows Phone 7.5 installed on your device.

Already presented with a unique experience, version 2.5 of the Facebook app features the following new items:

Threaded messaging: Full Facebook threaded messaging, including group messaging.Better tagging: Now you can tag friends and locations in your posts in the “with” and “at” format.Wall cleanup: Use tap and hold to delete posts and comments from your Wall.Hot links: Links in posts are now tappable.More to “Like”: You can now Like comments,
So there you go Windows Phone owners out there, as you’re given yet more love with the popular app. Indeed, Windows Phone has built-in Facebook functionality with things like the People Hub, but it’s quite apparent that the standalone app is still going to be the preferred method for most people.

source: Microsoft & Windows Phone Marketplace via Mobileburn

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Yahoo launches Axis, it's new mobile browser that is also a search tool

Yahoo is entering the crowded and competitive world of mobile browsing on Wednesday night when it launches Yahoo Axis on the Apple App Store. The browser can also be used as a plug-in for IE, Safari, Chrome and Firefox. Obviously, with the Yahoo name, search is a major function and instead of  a list in blue print you get visual responses to a query. For example, search for a web site and you will get a visual representation of the site. Yahoo says it has images representing 85% of all web sites. Bing will still be used for algorithmic search, but Yahoo will present results based on its long database of user history.

While searching with the browser, users will be able to see what's trending, answers and thumbnails of the top search results. Click on one of the thumbnails and Axis becomes a browser. Swipe from the top and you're back in search mode using what Yahoo calls "elastic refresh" to navigate results pages. Searches, recently visited sites and bookmarks stay constant across multiple platforms. Yahoo Axis will be part of a toolbar bundling deal with Firefox and Internet Explorer which resulted in the company shipping more than 80 million browsers last year

Yahoo will not look to make money with this, at least at first, with paid listing showing up in search results eventually. Built on HTML5, Yahoo Axis does not do Flash, nor will it show inline video although the latter is expected to change. Versions for Android and Windows Phone are expected and BlackBerry users will be shut out. Yahoo is also working on a Metro version, possibly for Windows Phone 8. The search engine can do basic web searches and image searches. And those who use social networks will be happy to know that Yahoo Axis has a tool for easily sharing web pages via Twitter, email or Pinterest (no Facebook, for some reason).

Again, Yahoo Axis will be available for free from the Apple App Store later Wednesday night. In the meantime, check out the three ads Yahoo produced, one each for the Apple iPhone, Apple iPad and for desktop users.

source: Yahoo via Forbes

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T-Mobile looking to pair up with a carrier rather than sell itself off

It appears that the AT&T acquisition shenanigans of last year have left a bad taste in the mouth of Deutsche Telekom, T-Mobile’s parent company. As a result they are no longer looking to sell the company outright, according to Rene Obermann, the CEO of Deutsche Telekom.

Speaking at an annual meaning in Germany, Obermann went on to elaborate, saying “We do not exclude any option for the T-Mobile unit in the U.S., also not a merger, (but) a complete sale is unlikely. You understand that I can’t say more in public on T- Mobile USA.”

In the past Dish has expressed an interest in pairing up with T-Mobile to build out an LTE network, while other analysts have speculated that T-Mobile’s network could be paired up with either MetroPCS or even Sprint. In the meantime, T-Mobile has responded to its current uncertainty by undergoing an internal restructuring, including the elimination of 2,800 jobs.

According to “people familiar with the matter” speaking to Bloomberg, the most likely outcome will be a stock-swap between Deutsche Telekom and MetroPCS that would still leave Deutsche Telekom with a controlling share in T-Mobile as a publicly traded entity. This would allow MetroPCS to build out its LTE offerings more rapidly, and could meet Deutsche Telekom’s goals of increasing their return on their investment in T-Mobile.

What do you T-Mobile and MetroPCS customers think of sharing a network? Sound off in the comments below.

source: Bloomberg via The Verge

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Five Nexus devices rumored to hit the market on November 5th, Android's 5th birthday

A reliable source for TalkAndroid says that Google is going to celebrate the 5th birthday of Android on November 5th by releasing five different Nexus devices from 5 different manufacturers. There is also speculation that by Thanksgiving (November 22nd), Google will be selling the devices in the Google Play Market. What makes this fascinating is the earlier speculation that the next Nexus would be powered by Android 5.0, Jelly Bean. There also has been some talk about a Nexus tablet to be released this year. This is one of those times when we clearly need to wait to hear from Google itself.

We've already passed on much of this information to you already, but now we have a better handle on when to expect the five Nexus devices to launch. Google I/O is going to be on June 27th which means we will probably learn a lot more then about what Google has in mind  in terms of the Nexus devices and Android 5.0. In case you're wondering when the last Nexus was released, it was October 18th when the Samsung GALAXY Nexus was launched after a one week delay. That's certainly close enough to November 5th for any conspiracy buff to believe the rumors.

source: TalkAndroid via MobileSyrup

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Here's why Project Glass could be a gamechanger for photography (sample images, video)

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Stolen iPhone records thief's cruise-ship adventures for all to see

First and foremost, don’t steal peoples’ stuff. It’s just not nice. But if you are the sort of person who would steal and keep say…someone’s iPhone… here’s a pro-tip for you: Wipe the damned phone! Otherwise the camera roll may share the images with the original owner and they could end up places you'd rather not see them, like say posted to a social networking site.

As you may have guessed, this isn’t some hypothetical discussion: Disney cruise passenger Katy McCaffrey had her iPhone stolen by an employee while she was on a Disney Wonder Cruise. The employee's name was apparently Nelson. How does she know? Because she can read his name tag in the photos he continued to snap using her iPhone, and those photos are now available on her Facebook account in a public album labeled “Stolen iPhone Adventures”. In it you can see Nelson, his apparent love interest, and the crew of the ship living it up. All that and more was recorded by the thief’s own hands.

We imagine the publicity will lead to Disney cruise management acting on poor Ms. McCaffrey’s behalf, but we hope the album doesn't disappear to quickly; as far as amusing public embarrassment for thievery (and stupidity) go, this has to take the cake. Check out some more images below, or click on the source link to see the entire album (and some cheeky narration).

source: Stolen iPhone Adventures via The Verge

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Google Play gets in-app subscriptions

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Nokia working on slimmer PureView smartphones, Windows Phone model hinted

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Redesigned Google+ finally makes its way to Android

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Switching from Android to Windows Phone Part 2: Oddities and Stock Apps

I don't know if you saw this, so:

Android Vs iOS The Truth about Apple and Google's OS

Part 1:http://youtu.be/NMiY1kSTHZw
Part 2:http://youtu.be/Ayx4XsBaJBI
Part 3:http://youtu.be/fsGQ_xts_Gw
Part 4:http://youtu.be/jlPKVWv1WxU
Part 5:http://youtu.be/q5A4k1bDV0s

**BONUS FAQ Video**
http://youtu.be/vJRoGfvztaw

P.S.
I don't know if author of those videos was biased or not, but he is talking about the facts.

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Samsung unveils new Galaxy Ace Duos

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FCC filing mentions the Samsung Omnia M will be packing GSM and 3G radios

It was a mere 10 days ago when we first reported about pre-orders for the Windows Phone powered Samsung Omnia M, as an Italian online retailer started accepting them, but now it’s been spotted hanging out over at the FCC.

Looking into the filing, we find that the Samsung Omnia M will be sporting GSM and 3G radios only, so if you’re looking for next-generation LTE connectivity, you’ll want to check out AT&T’s Samsung Focus 2 instead, which so happens to pack somewhat similar specs. Just to jog you memory, the Samsung Omnia M features a 4” Super AMOLED display, single-core 1GHz processor, 5-megapixel rear camera, front-facing VAG camera, and Windows Phone 7.5 Mango.

As it currently stands, there’s no word regarding carrier availability, but it could also possibly end up becoming nothing more than an unlocked model, which should no doubt appease those weary global travelers out there. Nevertheless, there are quite a few North American operators where this smartphone can potentially call home – even with one of the several carriers north of the border.

source: FCC via UberGizmo

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T-Mobile Prism can now be snagged at T-Mobile stores and online for $20

Sure it’s not the highest regarded Android smartphone on the scene, but nevertheless, the T-Mobile Prism has finally made its way to the carrier’s retail stores and online – albeit, it’s been made available since early May at places like Best Buy and Walmart.

You heard that right people, the T-Mobile Prism can now be purchased at your local T-Mobile store, which is something a bit different seeing carrier own stores normally get first dibs on new devices. Then again, exclusive deals can make other things happen in the process.

Surely, its $19.99 on-contract price point is more than affordable on any budget, but strangely enough, it’s sporting a $219.99 no-contract price as opposed to the initial $149.99 mentioned in its official press release a few weeks  back. Doing the math, that’s a $70 difference, which is pretty substantial when you think about it. Nonetheless, the contract route might be the better option at this point.

Quickly jolting your mind, the Huawei manufactured  T-Mobile Prism features a 3.5” HVGA display, single-core processor, 3.2-megapixel rear camera, 1,400 mAh battery, microSD card slot, Bluetooth 2.1 with EDR, aGPS, Wi-Fi, and Android 2.3 Gingerbread.

source: T-Mobile via TmoNews

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Customers receiving HTC EVO 4G LTE shipping notifications

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FCC filing reveals the Kyocera Hydro - looks to be Sprint bound

Not too long ago, we managed to get some hands-on time with the rugged type Kyocera Hydro – an entry-level spec’d  Android powered smartphone that’s waterproof to a certain extent. Interestingly enough, it’s made its way over to the FCC, where we’re given some interesting insights about its potential carrier availability.

Looking over the FCC filing, the Kyocera Hydro is attached with the familiar C5170 model number, but it seems that tests show that it’s packing a CDMA 1900MHz radio, which alludes to the distinct possibility that it’ll be coming to Sprint’s lineup. Of course, it shouldn’t be that much of a surprise considering that they offer plenty of Kyocera-made devices.

Also, the FCC filing confirms that it’ll be packing 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. However, the main attraction about the handset is the fact that it’s waterproof up to a depth of three feet for up to 30 minutes. As for the rest, its specs sheet make it a fitting entry-level model with its 3.5” HVGA display, 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, and 512MB of RAM,

So far, there isn’t any information known about its pricing, release date, or carrier availability, but then again, it’s looking like Sprint will more than likely be getting this one – time will tell obviously.

source: FCC via Electronista

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Next iPhone concept render hints what Apple could do with that extra screen space in a new design

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LG LS860 "Cayenne" surfaces, possibly a QWERTY keyboard Android headed to Sprint

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Jury finds that Android does not infringe on Oracle's patents

After a week of deliberations on the second phase of the Oracle v Google trial (this one covering patents), a jury has ruled decisively in favor of Google and the little green robot, acquitting Big G of infringing on any of the patents that Oracle asserted against them. Given the finding the judge has dismissed the jury and the trial is basically over.

The trial was scheduled to have a third phase where the jury would assess damages to be awarded to Oracle, but Oracle won nothing in the copyright phase that would be worth more than statutory damages (that’s about $150,000 for those of you keeping track), and nothing at all in the patent phase, so there is no longer a reason to have a damages portion of the trial. Judge Alsup still needs to write up his ruling on whether or not APIs can even be copyrighted – if he finds that they can’t be then Oracle will lose most or all of that $150 grand; either way it’s a far cry from the billions of dollars that Oracle had claimed they were going to win last year.

There is already spin coming from both sides. Google released a statement stating:

 “Today’s jury verdict that Android does not infringe Oracle’s patents was a victory not just for Google but the entire Android ecosystem.”

Oracle, who is trying to maintain appearances in the face of such a clear legal defeat, released the following statement: "Oracle presented overwhelming evidence at trial that Google knew it would fragment and damage Java. We plan to continue to defend and uphold Java's core write once run anywhere principle and ensure it is protected for the nine million Java developers and the community that depend on Java compatibility."

We're sure to see many more "experts" weigh in on the subject in coming days. Oracle-sponsored patent blogger Florian Mueller has already written a long post about how the issue is “far from over”, and while his write up is predictably skewed, in general he is almost certainly correct; Oracle will undoubtedly appeal the findings on both the patent and copyright phase (especially if Judge Alsup rules that APIs cannot be copyrighted), and we can expect this to go on for another year or two – in fact the issue of software interface copyrights is so important to the entire industry we wouldn’t be surprised if the issue eventually lands before the U.S. Supreme Court.

That doesn’t make this a meaningless verdict however; a loss could have opened Google up to major damages and at least the threat of an injunction. Perhaps more importantly, it would have given Android a presumption of guilt and thrown some uncertainty about its future into the plans of OEMs looking to make smartphones. Instead Android will now enjoy an enhanced presumption of stability and legal independence. It will also give Google the upper hand in any further attempts to reach a settlement between them and Oracle.

sources: Ginny LaRoe, Groklaw, FOSS Patents

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Sony Xperia S Android 4.0 update on video

Last week, we told you that Sony would be updating the Sony Xperia S with Android 4.0 in the second part of this quarter. As Sony explained, it had mistakenly announced earlier updates for the model because the manufacturer inexplicably included this newly launched handset with its 2011 models when it wasn't until earlier this year that the phone was launched. It seems that some video of the Android 4.0 update for The Sony Xperia S has been found on YouTube and covers just about all aspects of the updated OS except for the browser. You will note that the camera is now accessible from the lock screen and the new OS includes the Walkman player that Sony earlier said was coming on the Sony Xperia GX and Sony Xperia SX. Sony has also added re-sizable widgets.

Even if you know only English, it still doesn't hurt to watch the video of the Sony Xperia S with Android 4.0. After all, the Ice Cream Sandwich build of Android goes beyond any mere human created method of communication, like voice, for example. In other words, you can learn plenty about Ice Cream Sandwich for the Sony Xperia S by turning off the sound and closely watching the video.

source: se-nseV5 via Phandroid

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App deal: most popular iOS games are now cheaper, EA discounts tons of iOS titles by up to 85%

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Another high level RIM executive jumps ship

Research in Motion suffered another setback today, as Patrick Spence, their executive VP that was in charge of international sales is leaving the company after 14 years. The move was confirmed by RIM spokeswoman Rebecca Freiburger. Freiburger indicated that Spence was not leaving to a competitor, but instead planned to take a job in an unrelated field.

Attracting and retaining talent has been a growing problem as their stock price tumbles and BlackBerry handsets continue to hemorrhage market share. While several executives have jumped ship from RIM in the past year, this one is notable because Spence was in charge of international sales – the one area that had seen growth for them over the last 18 months. Spence had become becomes something of a BlackBerry evangelist, and reportedly was in line for continued rapid promotion due to the performance of the divisions under his supervision.

Does this portend a coming slowdown in developing markets for RIM as well? With several months remaining before the launch of their next-gen BB10 device, RIM could ill afford to see their growth in international markets slow, but we know that there is increasing competition on the low end from so-called “white phone” makers of Android handsets in Asia, a problem that Nokia has cited as one of the reasons why Symbian’s market share has collapsed so rapidly.

Of course it could be that Mr. Spence is just looking for a new challenge, but his departure will surely leave RIM scrambling to replace him at a time when they are dependent on international markets.

source: San Francisco Chronicle

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Lumia 900 arriving on O2 Germany next week

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Toshiba launches new Regza tablets in Japan ranging in sizes 7 to 13 inch

Toshiba announced the launch of its new four-model line of Regza tablets, ranging from 7 inch all the way up to a gigantic 13 inch model. While the model launches are initially only available in Japan, it will be interesting to see if the unfamiliar sizes will take hold and spread around the world.

Many of the specs of the new tablets are the same among the devices. They all sport Android 4.0, a 5 megapixel rear camera, 2 megapixel front camera, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, SD card reader, and USB 2.0 port, they vary in processors, resolution, and screen size.

The Regza AT830 sports an NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor clocking in at 1.4GHz. Its display measures 13.3 inches with a resolution of 1600x900. The AT830 comes with a $1000 price tag. The Regza AT700 has a 1.2GHz Texas Instruments OMAP processor with a 10.1-inch 1280x800 display. Both models are now on sale with 64GB of internal storage.

The Regza AT570 touts a 1.3GHz NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor, a 7.7-inch 1280x800 organic EL display, and can be yours for $883 for a 64GB version, or $744 for the 32GB version.

The Regza AT500 also comes with a 1.3GHz NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor and is on the shelf now in 64GB and 32GB versions, with a 10.1-inch 1280x800 display. We can't find a published price for the 32GB model, but the 64GB model retails for $643.

Are you confused yet? Toshiba hopes consumers will be excited about having the ability to select just the right size and specs their device will sport. We like the idea, but can't imagine it'll be easy for retailers to manage so many SKUs for the entire line.

Do you like the idea of being able to chose between so many sizes and configurations, or do you think the better business model is that of Apple or Samsung where there are only one or two sizes, and minimal configuration customizations available?

source: Electronista

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Android 4.0.4 update hits Verizon owners of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus

Five month ago, Verizon released the Samsung Galaxy Nexus. It is Verizon's first (and still their only) Ice Cream Sandwich smartphone, which came with Android 4.0.2 on-board. Though the HTC DROID Incredible 4G LTE will also come with ICS once it is released.

It's hard to believe that it has took this long, but it appears that the anticipated update to Android 4.0.4 has now started to hit Verizon customers with the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, though it was rumored that it was going to start earlier this week. The official Build Number is IMM76K and should be available for over-the-air update on your Galaxy Nexus starting today.  But often times updates are rolling, which means it may not hit every phone at once. If you are looking to update the device manually, or happen to be rooted, you can check this Droid-Life link for instructions.

Let us know in the comment section if you get the Android 4.0.4 update on your Galaxy Nexus - and what changes you notice on the device.

source: Droid-Life and AndroidCommunity

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Panasonic ELUGA Power release date moved to next quarter

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Obama orders Government to optimize websites for mobile

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