Samsung Waves Hello to Windows 8 With New All-in-One PCs

Samsung on Tuesday announced its new Series 7 and Series 5 All-in-One (AIO) PCs designed to run Windows 8 when the OS is launched later this year.  The PCs have high-resolution, 10-point touchscreens, as well as slim bezel displays, metal bases, and third-generation Intel Core processors.  The displays also have five hand gesture recognition features that work when the user is up to three feet away.  Samsung's new AIO PCs will be available in late October for between US$750 and $1,700.  Samsung "builds nice-looking products, but they have never been much of a force in [the PC] market," Rob Enderle, principal analyst at the Enderle Group, told TechNewsWorld. 

 The AIO Devices' Specs  Samsung's Series 5 AIO PCs have 21-inch screens, 500 GB hard drives and Intel Core i3-3220T CPUs, as well as Intel HD Graphics 4000 graphics processing units (GPUs).  The Series 7 AIO PC comes with a 23-inch or a 27-inch screen. The former has an Intel Core i5-3470T CPU and an Intel HD Graphics 4000 GPU, and the latter an Intel Core i7-3770T CPU and an AMD Radeon HD 7850M GPU. Both have a 1 TB hard drive.  All the AIO PCs have screens with 1,920 by 1,080 pixel resolution. For connectivity, they all support Gbit Ethernet, WiFi and Bluetooth. All three have three USB 2.0 ports, two USB 3.0 ports, an HDMI in/out port, an Ethernet port, and a 3-in-1 multicard slot. In addition to gesture recognition and touchscreen, they accept input from a wireless keyboard and mouse.  Hand gestures include a flick of the wrist from up to three feet away, swipes in either direction from a distance, rotating the palm clockwise or anticlockwise, closing the hand, and waving the hand.  The Series 5 AIO PC was designed to serve as a kitchen PC, Samsung said. It has a keyboard and mouse that fit in between the legs of its base so it takes up less counter space, and its screen is slightly smaller than that of its Series 7 counterparts. Another Nibble of the Apple  The Samsung AIO PCs will come preloaded with the company's own S Launcher widget, according to Mashable.  This replicates the functions of the old start button in Microsoft Windows, which Windows 8 did away with.  However, the widget looks a lot like the dock that Apple has used in its Mac OS X operating system for years, according to Boy Genius Report.  "They look almost identical," Enderle agreed.  Although Samsung was recently ruled to have infringed Apple's patents with its smartphones, it's "doubtful" that Samsung will pull the widget because "Microsoft backs them up on Windows, and Microsoft is both cross-licensed with Apple and has a significant patent portfolio," Enderle opined. "Still, I doubt even Microsoft will be that comfortable with how close this looks to a Mac."  A Samsung spokesperson was not immediately available to provide further details.

Apple/Samsung Feud Will Stay Burning Long After Calif. Verdict

A federal jury found Samsung guilty of infringing on several Apple patents Friday in a high-profile patent case that could mean a US$1 billion payout for Cupertino.  Jurors in the San Jose, Calif., court decided that Samsung copied certain design and utility patents, siding with Apple in the majority of the iPhone maker's complaints. As a penalty, Samsung must pay $1.05 billion in damages to Apple -- less than half of the more than $2.5 billion Apple sought.  However, that payout could be tripled since the jury found some instances in which Samsung willfully infringed Apple's patents.  The jury did not find Apple guilty of infringing on some of Samsung's patents.

 Speedy Verdict  The nine-person jury came to its conclusion after 21 hours of deliberation. The decision arrived sooner than generally expected, given the complexity of the court-issued verdict form, which had more than 700 points to discuss.  "The jury foreman spoke in great detail about the deliberations, and it was somewhat unusual to get a decision like that so quickly," Chris Rourk, partner at Jackson Walker, told MacNewsWorld. "Whether or not that may have resulted in any error or problems, it's hard to say, but that's one area where the verdict could really be attacked in an appeal."  Samsung expressed its disapproval at the decision, calling the verdict a loss not for the company, but for the "American consumer." The company said it would lead to "fewer choices, less innovation and potentially higher prices," according to a company statement provided to MacNewsWorld by Mira Jang, communications for Samsung.  AAPL soared in after-hours trading following Friday's decision. Its rise continued Monday, with the stock up about 2 percent to $677 around mid-day. Google, which makes the Android operating system that runs on many of Samsung's smartphones, dipped about 2 percent on Monday.  Apple did not respond to our request for comment. Not Over Yet  "At the end of the day, this is the jury verdict, but it's not the end of the story," said  Rourk.

Apple needs to file paperwork that could determine which Samsung products it hopes to ban, and another hearing on Sept. 20 will determine which smartphones and tablets can be kept off U.S. shelves.

In addition to cleaning up loose ends, though, another large-scale fight could ensue. Samsung indicated it will appeal the decision, which likely will lead to a flurry of additional legal wrangling.

"This may just be episode one in the drama that is this case," said Panzer. "Certainly Samsung will appeal. Almost as certain is that Apple will make a motion to enjoin Samsung from selling the infringing products in the U.S. Samsung will, of course, oppose that motion and -- if they lose their opposition -- make another motion asking the court to stay the injunction pending the outcome of the appeal."

In short, said Panzer, the two companies can keep throwing legal punches at each other in the U.S., including Apple's move for an award of its attorneys' fees in the instances of willful infringement. But if one court case couldn't force a settlement out of the two warring parties, the ongoing legal battle might, said Panzer.

"The most likely form is that the parties would agree on a payment from Samsung to Apple in exchange for a license to the infringed patents," he said. "Of course, because it would be a settlement, there would be no admission of infringement, but that's a footnote in the story."

Too Early to Call for Consumers

The range of potential outcomes makes it impossible to call how this could play out for consumers, said Panzer.

"If the parties don't agree on a settlement, Apple would essentially be fighting for the death of Samsung's tablet and smartphones as the market knows them," he said. "A full-blown win for Apple on appeal could very well lead to an injunction preventing Samsung from bringing the infringing devices into the U.S. as they currently stand. Samsung would still be allowed to import its devices if it took out all of the infringing features, but what would that do to their ability to compete with the iPad and iPhone?"

If the companies settle, though, the product offerings wouldn't differ, said Panzer, and it's possible consumers might not notice a slight price increase to cover licensing fees, he added.

However that plays out, the high-profile case -- along with the media coverage and stock highs and lows that accompany it -- might make all of the telecom industry even more cautious, said Rourk.

"It's possible it will make competitor versus competitor litigation perhaps something that parties consider more seriously," he said. "It's always risky when you assert your core patents, because that opens the door to allow a lot of competitors. And every party that's accused of infringement can defend their patents. When you've got a lot of competitors, you could win in one courtroom and feel like you can go down that road with each competitor. That's not unusual, but with two big competitors in a big market displaying that, it's a big verdict."

 

Apple Vs Samsung: South Korean Court Rules

A South Korean court has ruled that Samsung did not copy Apple's iPhone - but awarded damages to both technology companies for infringing patents.

The judgement, which only affects the South Korean market, is part of a bitter global battle over patents and innovation between the two rivals.

The court denied Apple's claim that its competitor had illegally copied its design, ruling that rectangular screens with corners existed before the iPhone and iPad.

There was "no possibility" that consumers would confuse smartphones made by the companies, the judges in Seoul said.

Samsung was ordered to pay compensation of 25m won (£13,909) to its competitor for infringing Apple's so-called bounce-back technology, used when scrolling on touch screens.

While Apple must pay its rival 40m won (£22,255) for breaching two of the Korean company's technology patents

The amounts awarded were significantly less than the 100m won (£55,638) sought by each side.

The court also imposed a partial ban on some product sales in South Korea, although the ruling did not affect either company's latest generation phones: the Apple iPhone 4S and Samsung Galaxy S3.

Samsung launched the case after Apple filed a lawsuit in a US court in April 2011, kicking off the legal tussle.

Apple accuses Samsung of copying designs and infringing other patents, and Samsung says Apple breached its patent for wireless communication.

Jurors began deliberating on Wednesday in the US, following a three week federal trial in San Jose, California.

Samsung Unveils Galaxy Note II 'Phablet'

 Samsung unveiled the second generation of its popular Galaxy Note "phablet" at Europe's biggest electronics show in Berlin on Wednesday.  The South Korean firm is under heavy pressure to innovate after losing a US patent battle with Apple Inc last week.  A US federal jury found Samsung had copied critical features of the iPhone and awarded Apple $1.05bn in damages.  The new Galaxy Note - the company's second most popular smartphone after its flagship Galaxy S - is not included in a potential list of eight Samsung phones that could face sales bans in the US.  JK Shin, Samsung's chief of mobile business, said at the company's Mobile Unpacked event at the IFA: "I am pretty confident it will even outsell its predecessor."  Simon Stanford, vice president of telecommunications and networks at Samsung UK and Ireland, said: "With an unbeatable viewing experience and unique features, our customers can capture their ideas faster, express thoughts freely and manage tasks more efficiently.

 "This device provides creativity for all, with an extraordinary experience."  The new Note features a thinner and slightly bigger 5.5-inch screen, quad-core processor, the latest version of Google's Android operating system called Jellybean and an improved stylus function.  It comes just three months after Samsung released the third generation of the Galaxy S smartphone - 10 million of which have already been sold.  The original 5.3-inch Note was a surprise hit, selling more than 10 million within nine months.  Shares in the company rose 2.9% in Seoul on Wednesday, leaving them just 3.5% down on their level before last Friday's legal ruling.  The shares slumped 7.5% on Monday, wiping $12bn off the company's market value.  On Tuesday, a US judge set a December 6 date to hear Apple's request for a permanent injunction against Samsung smartphones.  Apple identified eight devices it will seek preliminary injunctions against and said it would file for a permanent sales ban.

Motorola's Intel phone set for September launch

Google's Motorola unit has confirmed plans to release its first smartphone powered by an Intel chip.

The firm will unveil the device in London on 18 September.

Intel chips are already used in phones made by Lava, Lenovo and Gigabyte. But the news marks a significant step in efforts by Google, which also makes the bestselling Android system, to crack the smartphone market.

The unveiling follows a string of announcements from other tech firms.

Earlier this week LG announced its new top-end model, the Optimus G.

The South Korean firm was the first company to show off a prototype handset powered by an Intel chip, but it never released the model.
Continue reading the main story   
Tech diary

29 Aug: Samsung(Berlin)

Expected to unveil the Galaxy Note 2 tablet/phone-hybrid

5 Sept: Nokia/Microsoft (New York)

Likely to reveal first Windows 8 handset

5 Sept: Motorola/Verizon (New York)

Android device for the US market

6 Sept: Amazon (Santa Monica)

Possibly the Kindle Fire 2 tablet and new e-book readers

12 Sept: Apple? (San Francisco)

Rumoured unveiling of a new iPhone

13 Sept: Nintendo (New York)

May reveal release date and price of the Wii U games console

18 Sept: Motorola (London)

Details of firm's first Intel-powered smartphone

Its latest device is instead the first to feature Qualcomm's new Snapdragon S4 Pro processor, which promises improved performance and better battery life over previous versions.

LG's new handset also features a 13-megapixel camera, but is only being released in South Korea and Japan at this time.

Looking ahead, the coming month includes a separate US launch by Motorola as well as separate announcements by Amazon, Apple, Nokia, Samsung and Nintendo.

Chip wars

Intel first announced its partnership with Google at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January.

Analysts said the effort could prove critical to the chip-maker's prospects because of the fast growth of the smartphone and tablet markets compared with the PC sector.

Intel itself has described smartphone chips as "a big part of the company's future".

But it told the BBC its efforts would not be solely focused on trying to offer faster processors.

"Faster speeds only get you so far," Mike Bell, Intel's vice president for mobile, told the BBC.

"It's really all about user experience and the responsiveness of the device and less about speeds and feeds.

"What we are trying to do is work out what the next user experience should be on these hand-held devices and then work backwards to build into the silicon the hooks we need to create that experience, because it's software and hardware that do it, not just one or the other."

One tech analyst said the move could have significant ramifications for the wider market in Android devices.

"This is still new territory for Intel, but is a natural progression given that PC sales are slowing and it needs to find new outlets for its semiconductor technology," said Chris Green, principal technology analyst at Davies Murphy Group.

"The advances it has made at trying to get power consumption down means that for the first time its products are viable in mobile phones.

"But the potential risk for Android is that you could see some developers release apps that run on Intel chips but not other ones which could lead to further fragmentation of the platform."

Samsung Wins Japan Court Battle Over Apple

Samsung has won the latest stage of its patent saga with rival technology giant Apple after a Tokyo court ruled in favour of the South Korean company.  The Japanese court case addressed only the synchronising technology that allows media players to share data with personal computers.  The victory was therefore not comparable in scope to the much larger case won by Apple in the US last week.  In the California trial, the court ruled that Samsung had illegally used Apple creations such as the 'bounce-back' feature when a user scrolls to an end image, and the ability to zoom text with a tap of a finger, in its products.  The jury awarded Apple $1bn (£630m) in damages, and a judge is now evaluating Apple's request to have eight Samsung products pulled from shelves and banned from the US market, including popular Galaxy model smartphones.  Samsung's latest model, the Galaxy S3, was not part of the US ruling.  Judge Tamotsu Shoji took just a few minutes to reach his decision on Friday in Japan. He said he did not think Samsung's technology that allows media players and personal computers to share music files and other content infringed on Apple patents.  The South Korean firm welcomed the ruling, saying it confirmed their "long-held position".  The Apple lawyer present in the court declined to comment. Later on the company also said it had no comment, including on whether or not it intended to appeal.  It is the latest of several lawsuits filed around the world involving the two tech giants battling it out over whether Samsung smartphones, which rely on Google Android technology, illegally used Apple designs, ideas or technology.  Seo Won-seok, an analyst at Seoul-based Korea Investment & Securities, said the Tokyo verdict showed that the various cases may not be affected by Apple's major victory in California.

IPhone struggles to gain ground in China

Apple may be ecstatic about the landmark $1 billion patent war it won against Samsung, but a recent report shows that Apple is a lightweight contender in a much more crucial battleground.

Apple's share of the Chinese smartphone market was just a measly 7.5% during the first half of 2012, according to IHS iSuppli. That put the company in seventh place, behind Samsung (No. 1), Nokia (NOK) (No. 5) and a host of native brands, including Lenovo, Coolpad, Huawei and ZTE.

That's not a position Apple (AAPL, Fortune 500) is accustomed to -- in nearly every other region of the world where it sells iPhones, Apple is in either first or second place.

Seventh certainly not where the company wants to be in the critical Chinese market. China is set to become the largest smartphone market in the world later this year, after more than doubling the number of devices sold in 2011, IHS iSuppli says.

If Apple wants to grab a larger slice of that rapidly growing pie, it may have to make some concessions to Chinese consumers.

Related story: 4 ways the Apple-Samsung verdict affects you

Price is a big issue -- the iPhone is a big-ticket item by Chinese standards. Phones aren't commonly subsidized by wireless carriers in China like they are in the United States, putting a top-tier device like the iPhone outside the price range of many Chinese consumers.

For those customers who would have to save up months of paychecks to purchase an iPhone, many instead opt for an array of pre-owned devices and knock-offs, which are widely popular in China.

But Apple CEO Tim Cook has said that the company has no plans to offer a less feature-rich device to compete with lower-cost smartphone manufacturers in the country.

"I firmly believe that people in the emerging markets want great products like they do in developed markets," Cook told analysts on a conference call in July. "And so we're going to stick to our knitting and make the best products. And we think that if we do that, we've got a very, very good business ahead of us."

Another strategy could be to develop an iPhone compatible with China Mobile's network, which has nearly 700 million subscribers.

"Among all the international smartphone brands competing in China, Apple is the only one not offering a product that complies with [China Mobile's] air standard," said Kevin Wang, the IHS report's author, in a press release. "For Apple, this is a huge disadvantage."

There have been rumblings and rumors of negotiations between China Mobile and Apple for years, but nothing has come of those talks yet.

Still, it's not an insurmountable problem for Apple. No single smartphone maker has a dominant lead in China -- No. 1 Samsung controls only 21% of the market.

Another research firm, IDC, is reporting somewhat rosier numbers for Apple. IDC puts Apple in fourth place -- not seventh -- with 10.1% of the Chinese smartphone market. That's still far behind Samsung (19%), but much closer to Lenovo (11%) and ZTE (10.4%).

"When you get right down to it, China is a gigantic freaking market," said Ramon Llamas, analyst at IDC. "And to have double-digit market share is a testament to the strength of your brand and your devices. It's something that's not born overnight."

In such a huge market, even 7.5% market share, he noted, is worth billions.

"Apple is in a very golden position right now, in that it's a hot brand and a lot of people want it," said Llamas. "There are a ton of vendors who don't even have one percent market share. They would love to have 10.1% market share."

Apple sue us next? Not a chance.

Apple sue us next? Not a chance.

That's the gist of Google's message following Apple's $1 billion victory over Samsung in a California patent suit. The search giant is doing its best to quell fears that its Android operating system could be the next target for Apple's lawyers. And you can't blame them.

Google has to do something to keep its partners in the smartphone and tablet world from panicking, to say nothing of investors. But experts say that while the Apple v. Samsung suit didn't describe a legal route that leads directly to Mountain View, Google had better watch its back.

Apple v. Samsung ripped apart both the hardware and software used in Samsung's very popular smartphones and tablets. Arguments hinged on whether certain hardware features -- like a bezeled display and a lozenge-shaped earpiece -- had been ripped off from Apple by Samsung's designers. A jury decided that in multiple instances they had.

Apple also filed claims that Samsung developed operating system features that violated Apple patents. Samsung licenses Google's Android operating system for its tablets and phones, and makes changes to personalize the user experience. Those small changes include pinch-to-zoom, tap-to-zoom, and bounce-back features, which fall under Apple-owned utility patents.

Google, which has stayed silent about the case until now, said Monday that these utility patent features aren't part of the core Android operating system, which runs underneath Samsung's and other device manufacturer's modifications. Google gives its licensees a plain, stock version of the Android operating system, which by itself does not violate Apple's patents. However, licensees can modify the Android system and build any feature they like, and those features could violate other patented technologies.

Here's Google's full statement in reaction to the verdict:

"The court of appeals will review both infringement and the validity of the patent claims. Most of these don't relate to the core Android operating system, and several are being re-examined by the US Patent Office. The mobile industry is moving fast and all players -- including newcomers -- are building upon ideas that have been around for decades. We work with our partners to give consumers innovative and affordable products, and we don't want anything to limit that."

Phillip Philbin, an intellectual property attorney with national law firm Haynes and Boone, says Google's statement is a message to its partners that the verdict only applies to Samsung's products, and not the entire Android ecosystem. "It's essentially Google saying that the patent issues apply to Samsung's software changes and Samsung's hardware, but not to 'core' Android or other Android products," says Philbin.

Looking at the case, Purdue law professor Mark McKenna says Google is focusing on distancing itself from the pinch-to-zoom, the tap-to-zoom, and the bounce-back features that Samsung created, saying they aren't included in its base Android code. "Google's claim is that those features are part of the modified experience from other companies that license the Android operating system," says McKenna.

Analysts agree with Google's stance, saying there is no evidence out there that the core Android operating system has infringed on Apple or any other company's patents. But Google has yet to endure the scrutiny of a full-blown patent suit. The California jury was looking at what Samsung did or didn't do, not what Google did or didn't do. That's a key distinction. But if Google has its way, no jury will ever test its claims.

Google has gone to great lengths to keep its operating system distinct from iOS with widgets, rotary and pull-tab lock screens, and an applications menu separate from the home screen. All very un-Apple-like design flourishes. Even Google's Nexus hardware line, made with Samsung, HTC, and Asus, includes designs with rounded corners, curved screens, and textured battery covers that could never be mistaken for an Apple device.

Still Google is not immune to a patent lawsuit, even though it wouldn't be easy for Apple -- or anyone else -- to bring a case. One of the chief reasons Apple hasn't yet gone after Google, McKenna says, is because Google doesn't make any money from selling the Android operating system (it makes money from mobile ads). Since Google is giving away Android, it makes it hard for Apple to prove that the operating system harms its market share.

"That doesn't mean Apple couldn't sue Google, it just makes it more challenging to prove the direct impact," says McKenna. "That's why Apple's gone the indirect route, by suing device manufacturers that can modify Android."

And it's not inconceivable that Apple eventually decides to go directly after Google, McKenna says. If it gets on a winning streak in U.S. courts against the rest of the handset makers, it might take a shot. "This is Act 1 in a multi-act play," says McKenna. "Apple is on the record saying they want to destroy the Android ecosystem, and to do that it's either going have to go after the all the software makers, or every single hardware manufacturer that sells these things."

Whether its Apple going after its next victim, or the Samsung case going to appeal, Philbin agrees there is a long way to go. "Patent litigation takes place on at least three fronts — the district court, the patent office and the federal circuit," he says. "What we've had so far is just the district court's ruling and we haven't even heard from the District Judge on this yet. So this process is far from over."

The legal process perhaps, but as is the case in the fast-moving tech world, the design process has already moved on. Pick up the latest Samsung smartphone and you won't see the hardware or software features that the jury found violated Apple's patents. Samsung has learned its lesson, albeit in a very expensive way. Google already has a tight grip on Android, and you're likely to see that grip tighten as it looks to avoid any of its own patent litigation woes.

The good news for consumers is that rather than waiting for jury verdicts in the future, there's a good chance we'll be waiting for the next crop of smartphones and tablets with forms and features that are distinct -- not just a bunch of Apple copycats.