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With over two million applications in the Play Store, there are bound to be a few bad apples here and there. However, the creatively named "QR Code Reader-Barcode scanner & QR Code Scanner" might be one of the absolute worst apps in the entire marketplace. At over one million installs, there's a lot of dirty money in play if even a small fraction of people were defrauded out of roughly $100 each.
Samsung and Apple have come to an agreement in a patent dispute so protracted it's become a running joke. Following seven years of verdicts and appeals, a California judge has filed a motion stating the case has been settled, and any further claims will be dismissed. The sum of the settlement hasn't been disclosed.
Here's a new development in the patent case that absolutely will not die: a California jury has ruled in favor of Apple, and Samsung is to pay damages to the tune of $538 million for violations primarily of Apple's design patents. Apple had been seeking more than $1 billion.
Apple is seeking about $1 billion in damages from Samsung for the violation of five separate patents, three of which are design-related. Samsung isn't arguing that it didn't infringe on Apple's patents, but it is asking for a much smaller penalty: $28 million.
AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson surprise-announced the company's upcoming streaming service, called Watch, during his testimony at AT&T's ongoing antitrust trial this week. The service will be free for AT&T unlimited wireless subscribers, a spokesperson later said, and cost $15 per month for everyone else. The service won't include sports programming.
Google started fiddling with app streaming about a year ago via searches in the Google app, but only for a few specific apps. Then, we spotted some evidence of app streaming in a Play Store teardown a couple months ago. It looks like this feature has started rolling out today, allowing you to stream games to try before you buy. One AP staffer in addition to our tipster has this option available already, but it's a little buggy.
It's hard to justify an ongoing subscription for content that, for the most part, is already free with advertising. In the hope of convincing a few more people to pony up for the premium tiers of its digital media services, Google is offering a sweet deal to new subscribers: four months of free, no-strings-attached access to both Google Play Music Unlimited and YouTube Red (which are already bundled for paying customers). That's a $40 value at today's subscription price.
Got a Chromebook and an itch to broaden your musical horizons? Then check out this promotional page. According to a new post on Google+, Chromebook owners now have access to an exclusive deal for Google Play Music. Owners of (almost) any Chromebook can get a full 60 days of All Access, with unlimited streaming and radio playlists, for free. That's double the length of the standard trial.
Last year, Apple won what was perhaps the largest legal victory in its war on Android when a court ruled that Samsung infringed its patents on a significant number of devices and owed the Cupertino company in excess of a billion dollars. Today, however, that same judge is vacating $450m from that total until a second damages trial with a new jury can commence.
Google Voice is a great service burdened by a lack of support, integration, and easy way to sign up (unless you're on Sprint, of course). Those who do decide to jump the hurdles and either get a brand new number—or port their existing one to Google—will find themselves in an uncomfortable paradise. On the one hand, you can text from your desktop, tablet, or phone completely for free which is awesome. On the other hand, you have to use the Google Voice app, which is not that great. 'Messaging + Google Voice', however aims to alleviate that problem a bit.
Solid Explorer's Beta Period Comes To An End, Final Version Brings Many New Features - As Well As A $1.99 Price Tag
Solid Explorer's Beta Period Comes To An End, Final Version Brings Many New Features - As Well As A $1.99 Price Tag
We all knew this day was coming, and now it's here: Solid Explorer has graduated from beta. As one normally expects, the final version of the application brings several new features to the table:
Just when you thought this whole Samsung vs. Apple case couldn't get any weirder, we're now hearing that Vel Hogan, the jury foreman on the case who helped guide the jurors on patent law and owns some patents himself, was once sued into bankruptcy by Seagate. Samsung, as it turns out, just happens to be the largest single investor in Seagate, owning 9.6 percent of the hard drive company's stock. While it doesn't guarantee that a juror's judgment could be clouded, it is the kind of information one would expect to be volunteered to a courtroom. Mr. Hogan, however, did not disclose this information.
Most Patent Claims 'Don't Relate To The Core Android OS' Says Google, Samsung Releases Own Memo
Most Patent Claims 'Don't Relate To The Core Android OS' Says Google, Samsung Releases Own Memo
The reading of Friday's verdict was no doubt an intense moment for just about everyone interested in the mobile tech world. Apple swept up decisions for $1.049 Billion in damages, Samsung was denied its claims against Apple across the board by the nine-person California jury, and both sides immediately released impassioned responses to the decision, calling on the feelings of spectators and case-long mantras that kept onlookers from both sides in rapt attention.
The biggest story in the tech world this weekend is undoubtedly the Apple vs. Samsung trial. While it may be a sore spot for Android fans around the globe, the evidence has been weighed and measured, and the jury has spoken.
There's no question – today's verdict dealt Samsung a heavy blow. The massive $1.04 billion sum Samsung will now be responsible for paying Apple in damages aside, the trial will undoubtedly have an effect on the rest of the industry.
If you're anything like us, you've been closely eyeing the Apple v. Samsung verdict as it was just read (a bit sooner than expected). While Apple won just under half its requested sum in damages, and swept up a handful of patent infringement victories, Samsung had some patent-related bones to pick with Cupertino.
Apple Claims 2 Million Lost Device Sales, Judge Koh Removes Three Samsung Devices From Trial
Apple's trial against Samsung, which resumed today, has hit another milestone – Apple rested its case against Samsung today after a somewhat shocking
Apple's trial against Samsung, which resumed today, has hit another milestone – Apple rested its case against Samsung today after a somewhat shocking testimony from a financial expert who indicated that the Cupertino manufacturer may have lost up to 2 Million device sales (including both iPhones and iPads) because of Samsung's alleged infringement. This testimony came after last week's revelation that Apple asked Samsung for up to $30 per smartphone and $40 per tablet device for patent licensing.
Spotify App Updates With Radio Support For Mobile Users, Free Radio For All Users
The Spotify Android app typically lags behind not only its counterpart on other platforms, but even its own desktop app. One of the nicest features that
The Spotify Android app typically lags behind not only its counterpart on other platforms, but even its own desktop app. One of the nicest features that the streaming service offers on the desktop is its Radio services. Using your own selections as a starting point, Spotify will put together automated playlists based on your taste. You know, like Pandora. As of today's update, the Radio functions are not only available on mobile but are even accessible even if you don't have Spotify Premium.
You've probably already read headlines in the last hour or two proclaiming that Google has "lost" its copyright case against Oracle, and in the strictest sense of the word, it has. Google lost on a number of counts, including the most important one, question one in the jury instructions. It also lost on a count involving nine lines of code that have long-since been removed from Android.
It looks like there's finally been a new development in the Oracle vs. Google fight. For those who may be out of the loop, Oracle (who owns Sun and the Java programming language) have had patent infringement and copyright lawsuits boiling against Google for quite some time now. The patent claims are essentially related to Google's use of Java in the Android platform. Oracle claims that Android includes code which violates patents gained through the acquisition of Sun Microsystems.