Bigmouthmedia Search Engine News: /telecoms/

Samsung wins court ruling to access detail of Apple-HTC patent deal

Thu, 22 Nov 2012 04:00:00 GMT

An American court has ordered that Apple must disclose details of a recent patent agreement with HTC to their bitter rivals Samsung.

The ruling by the judge means Apple will have to share the specifics of their 10 year license agreement, although the information will not be publicly available.

Samsung's lawyers were able to convince the court that the Apple-HTC deal related to at least some of their own patent disputes, that they are currently locked in worldwide litigation with the Californian company over.

Andrew Milroy, vice president of ICT research at Frost & Sullivan, commented to the BBC about Samsung's actions, saying, "It is clearly a very smart move from Samsung - because the general feeling is that a lot of its patent disputes with Apple are very likely to be similar to those between HTC and Apple.

"And if there are similarities, it gives Samsung an advantage in any future legal issues and negotiations with Apple. Apple has been having a really bad time of late in its legal battles. They are going to have to re-examine the legal approach they take from here on."

Apple's deal with HTC is thought to have ended legal disputes in around 20 countries that dated from March 2010. Samsung is currently fighting 10 patent battles with Apple, with the two companies suing and counter-suing each other over alleged design infringements.

This latest loss comes amid a string of other recent legal defeats for Apple. The South Korean company has appealed Apple's award of £662 million compensation for patent infringement in the US whilst also winning a case in the UK and defeating an attempted American sales ban.

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First 4G tests show coverage is patchy

Wed, 21 Nov 2012 03:36:00 GMT

Following the first large scale test of EE's 4G network in Manchester, it has been revealed less than half of the city centre has access to the high speed network.

Mobile coverage firm RootMetrics conducted the study, which found just 40.2 per cent of test locations in the English city had access to the 4G network and outside the city centre there was no 4G access at all. However, the study did find faster 4G speeds indoors, reported the BBC.

In Manchester city centre where 4G was available, the average speed recorded was 17Mbps (megabits per second), and over all areas EE averaged a download speed of 7.6Mbps. The recorded speed still doubled that of Vodafone - the next fastest operator - which in other tests recorded an average speed of 3.1Mbps. In everyday use, this equates to a song taking 15-25 seconds to download, as opposed to a minute on a 3G network.

"Although EE's 4G service is much faster than any network currently available in the UK, our testing shows that 4G connections are not consistent even within a nominated area," Bill Moore, chief executive of RootMetric, told the BBC.

"Customers need to be aware of this as there will be an expectation of blistering fast mobile internet speeds whenever they use their phones."

Moore added 4G has offered an uplift to typical indoor speeds: "You would never get the indoor speeds we have seen without 4G. The figures are far in excess of what 3G is capable of on average."

A spokesperson from EE told the BBC 4G rollout was ongoing, that "every day we expand coverage."

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Web blocking's a no-go following Ofcom Report

Wed, 03 Aug 2011 08:25:00 GMT

Following a new report from Ofcom, the government has scrapped plans for widespread website blocking, a decision that poses "far-reaching implications for every UK internet user," according to The Register.

The move surprised many in the blogosphere and creative industries alike, particularly following the result of last week's Newzbin hearing.

Courts ruled that BT had to block the Newzbin website, which provides links to pirated material such as movies, books and games. This is the first ruling of its kind, with BT being the first service provider instructed to block this type of website, and the move has been hailed as a victory for the creative industries.

The Motion Picture Association (MPA), which brought the case to court, represents several major production studios such as Warner, Fox and Disney and praised the result.

"This ruling from Justice Arnold is a victory for millions of people working in the UK creative industries and demonstrates that the law of the land must apply online," MPA representative Chris Marcich told the BBC.

Many online sources, including the BBC, suggested this may be the first of many such cases.

"The government is also considering the feasibility of more widespread site blocking, including looking at the possibility of a voluntary scheme between ISPs and rightsholders," the news source reported just last week.

However, the government's latest decision indicates blocking illegal filesharing websites may not be the way forward.

The Digital Economy Act, released by regulatory body Ofcom last year, proposed a move to tackle piracy by blocking such websites, yet today the decision was revoked, and The Register reported Ofcom will likely defend this by saying "no website blocking can be 100 per cent effective."

Also, The Guardian reported communications minister Ed Vaizey indicated a specialised investigation into web blocking deemed it too complicated to work effectively.

Government voices maintain that whilst a web blocking policy may not be coming into place, the MPA victory should encourage rights holders that they still have the right to take court action against anything they perceive as illegal activity.

"Last week's landmark high court ruling, which forced BT to cut off access to mass-piracy site Newzbin2, showed that there is a route forward if rights holders want to take it," Vaizey said.

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Facebook expands its empire to include digital publisher Push Pop Press

Wed, 03 Aug 2011 08:13:00 GMT

Social media giant Facebook announced that it has acquired digital book publisher Push Pop Press for an undisclosed sum.

Push Pop, the press responsible for publishing Our Choice, an interactive digital book by Al Gore is known for its innovative technology in converting physical books to digital formats users can access on their tablets and smart phones.

Rather than expanding into digital publishing, Facebook intends to integrate Push Pop's technology into the social media tool to enhance user experience.

On its website, Push Pop said of the deal: "the ideas and technology behind Push Pop Press will be integrated with Facebook, giving people even richer ways to share their stories. With millions of people publishing to Facebook each day, we think it's going to be a great home for Push Pop Press."

Moving forward, Push Pop will cease publishing books and turn its talent and technology to focus on improving Facebook for users with their extensive design and engineering talent.

Speaking at a press conference last month, CEO Mark Zuckerberg promised a number of new product announcements during a period he referred to as Launching Season 2011, which kicked off with video chatting powered by Skype.

The acquisition of Push Pop Press adds to speculation that Facebook is working hard to counter the innovations of new kid on the block Google+ in an effort to keep users on its site.

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YouTube wants better content from users

Mon, 01 Aug 2011 07:01:00 GMT

Video portal YouTube has released a Creator Playbook to help users build their audiences and drive traffic to their channels, and discussed the guide at a conference over the weekend.

The 70-page guide compiles a list of tips and strategies designed to help users maximise the potential of their online videos - from pre-production all the way to post-publication.

The Creator Playbook is an incredibly detailed guide aimed at developing the quality of content available to users, and promises regular updates to help with optimisation as the video-sharing website continues to evolve.

Structured into three distinct sections, the Creator Playbook will help users not only to create better, more effective content, but the guide also provides useful tips about how to promote this content via other social media platforms.

Each section offers step-by-step guidelines broken down into straightforward instructions and visual guides that will make it both valuable and accessible to users. Additionally, the Playbook includes a number of checklists to help users further optimise their content each step of the way.

Speaking at the VidCon Conference in Los Angeles, YouTube director of Content Operations Tom Pickett said, "There is a lot of money coming into the online video space and the creativity emerging is amazing."

The Creator Playbook is an integral step if YouTube expects to erode cable TV's viewers, according to TechCrunch's Jason Kincaid and by encouraging better content and helping partners grow, YouTube could draw audiences away from their television screens and onto the internet.

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Google set to miff Microsoft with Skype-like software

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 00:25:00 GMT

Mountain View and Microsoft could be set to rumble as Google seems to be building Skype-like software into its Chrome browser just weeks after Microsoft bought the video conferencing firm for $8.5 billion.

According to CNet.com, Google's quietly begun to add real-time chat software to its Chrome browsers using technology acquired from its 2010 take-over of Global IP Solutions - a firm specialising in internet telephony and video conferencing.

Google recently used the same technology when releasing software for audio and video chat as an open-source project code-named WebRTC.

CNet.com's Stephen Shankland reported WebRTC will be likely used to improve Gmail integration, as users currently need to install a plug-in before using Gmail's audio and video capabilities.

Google previously indicated it would work with Mozilla, Opera and other browser makers to help establish WebRTC as a web standard for video conferencing and peer-to-peer communications.

Henrik Andreassson, a Google programmer, told the tech news site that WebRTC software should soon feature in Chrome.

"Our goal is to enable Chrome with Real-Time Communications [RTC] capabilities via simple Javascript APIs [application programming interfaces]," he said. "We are working hard to provide full RTC support in Chrome all the way from WebKit [the open-source browser engine on which Chrome is based] down to the native audio and video parts."

And Google's not stopping with Skype-alike software. In another move that's bound to rile Redmond, Google's released a new version of Chrome Frame - the IE plug-in that turns Microsoft browsers into Google browsers.

According to The Register, the latest version of Chrome Frame deploys a "helper process" which allows users to install the plug-in even when they don't have administrator privileges on their machines - despite objections from Microsoft.

Commenting on the release of the latest version of Chrome Frame, Microsoft said: "We believe we deliver the best out-of-the-box browsing experience enabling users to get the best of the web without needing additional plug-ins or add-ons."

Google, meanwhile, downplayed the rivalry between the two firms.

"Google Chrome Frame... is a bridge of sorts," Mountain View man Alex Russell said last month at Google's developer conference. "Instead of asking users to replace their browser - or asking IT organisations to run two browsers side-by-side - Google Chrome Frame puts the power of Google Chrome inside Internet Explorer."

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Global mobile ad sales to hit $3.3 billion this year

Fri, 17 Jun 2011 08:25:00 GMT

Just days after comScore published data showing mobile advertising's doubled stateside in just two short years; number crunchers at Gartner Research have tipped global mobile ad sales will double to total $3.3 billion this year and could top $20 billion by 2015.

According to CNet.com, revenue forecasts released by Gartner show mobile ad sales are expected to grow exponentially as smart phone and tablet adoption levels soar worldwide, and advertisers attempt to reach and target mobile audiences.

The analysts also forecasted that companies will up their mobile ad spend so the platform will account for 4 per cent of corporate ad budgets by 2014. Mobile advertising currently makes up 0.5 per cent of corporate ad budgets.

Gartner also said advertising budgets will increase most in North America and Western Europe - so much so that North American budgets will account for 28 per cent of the world's total mobile ad spend by 2015. Western European budgets are expected to account for 25 per cent of the global market by 2015.

In the meantime, Asia-Pacific and Japan are expected to continue to lead worldwide mobile advertising spending, with Asian and Japanese budgets accounting for 49 per cent of this year's mobile ad spend.

Andrew Frank, Gartner's research vice president, told CNet.com: "As the adoption of smart phones and media tablets extends to more consumers, the audience of mobile advertising will increase and become easier to segment and target, driving the growth of mobile advertising spend[ing] for brands and advertisers."

Mr Frank added that user experience would also become of greater importance as mobile revenues rocket.

"In 2011," he said, "we are finally seeing some important drivers fall into place, so that we can expect the market to more than double year over year in the coming two years.

"This doesn't mean, by any stretch, that the experience delivered by mobile advertising will reach its optimum point in that time frame. We expect that targeting and contextualisation, especially in social sites and applications, will carry on improving throughout the forecast period and beyond."

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Steve Jobs will return to launch the Apple iCloud service

Tue, 31 May 2011 02:01:00 GMT

Apple is about to strike up the fanfare for its newest product and it's bringing Steve Jobs back from sick leave to give it the big push as he did for the iPad 2.

According to an official Apple press release: "Steve Jobs and a team of Apple executives will kick off the company's annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) with a keynote address on Monday, June 6."

The press release does not give any details about iCloud, but recent reports in the media have suggested Apple has closed deals with major record companies to provide what looks to be a cloud-based music service.

If rumours surrounding iCloud prove true, it would be a means for users to stream their music collections from Apple's internet servers instead of storing them on their mp3 players or phones.

Apple also already offers a service called Mobile Me, which lets the user store photos, contacts lists, documents and photos to a server, but anticipation mounted when Cupertino purchased the iCloud domain name in April from the Swedish company Xcerion. Jobs' return has also piqued the tech world's curiousity.

According to Shane Richmond of the Telegraph, the Apple chief's return is unexpected: "The other part of the announcement that is somewhat surprising is the presence of Steve Jobs. Apple's CEO has officially been on medical leave since the beginning of the year but he returned to announce the iPad2 and he recently took part in an earnings call with analysts."

Apple has not commented on whether Jobs would be returning to the company on a permanent basis.

The conference will also see the launch of the Apple OS X Lion operating system, designed to bring iPad-style functionality to Apple laptops and desktops. The system will feature a 'Launchpad' interface for managing programmes.

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Best practice guides for mobile marketing and digital measurement launched by ISBA

Thu, 26 May 2011 00:25:00 GMT

The Advertising Association ISBA has published two best practice guides for the industry, boosting resources for digital reporting and mobile campaigns.

The Mobile Marketing Guide describes the current state of play for marketing in the mobile industry. Created with the assistance of Simon Andrews at Addictive Mobile, the guide includes tips for advertisers running mobile campaigns. For clients, the guide provides important questions to ask agencies who pitch them mobile advertising.

Help on how to report and measure mobile and digital activity is provided by the Digital Measurement and Analytics guide. This guide informs clients on just what they should be measuring and how to report their findings in an effective manner.

"The guide undoubtedly will help marketers position mobile within their advertising campaigns and clearly demonstrates how mobile binds channels together," said Charlie Hunter Schyff, head of media planning at O2, who contributed to the mobile marketing guide's creation.

"It tackles the sheer scale of the mobile ecosystem from the instancy of messaging, the innovation of location-based services and social media, and the power of search right through to understanding how to close the loop with mobile redemption, m-commerce and the rising adoption of near field communication."

The release of these two documents follows on from the Briefing an Agency Guide produced in March in conjunction with the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising, the PR agency body PRCA and the Marketing Agencies Association.

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Mountain View's mad men take 53 per cent of mobile ad impressions

Fri, 20 May 2011 08:25:00 GMT

Apple and Microsoft may be challenging Google's smart phone mantle, but the latest stats show Android's still firmly atop the smart phone summit - with Mountain View's mad men securing an impressive 53 per cent of mobile ad impressions.

According to Millennial Media's April MobileMix report, Android grew its mobile ad impressions by 10 per cent over the last month to rank as the top mobile platform tracked by the advertising network.

Google has also ranked as the top mobile advertising platform in the four months previous, but Mountain View can now lay claim to over half of all mobile ad impressions tracked by Millennial - dwarfing Apple's 28 per cent and RIM Blackberry's 16 per cent respective ad shares.

Google's growth over the month also seems to have come directly at the expense of its rivals, with Apple and RIM losing 3 and 2 per cent market shares respectively between March and April.

"Since April 2010, smart phone impressions on our network have grown 51 per cent," the MobileMix report read. "Android maintained its position as the leading smart phone OS on our network for the fifth consecutive month, with a 53 per cent impression share - a 10 per cent increase month-over-month - stealing impression share from iOS and RIM."

The news of its rivals' withering mobile ad shares surely comes as sweet news for the search giant, given Apple recently outpipped Google to become the world's most valuable brand while RIM announced plans to pair with Microsoft in a deal that will see Bing become the default search engine on Blackberry devices.

However, Android's lead could soon come under threat as Microsoft has revealed it plans to up the mobile ad ante and grow its minuscule mobile ad impression share after snapping up two rich media start-ups.

The move will see Microsoft offer innovative mobile ad formats such as floating ads, in-banner polling, mobile couponing and social media extensions across popular mobile devices and smart phone platforms including the Windows Phone 7, iOS, Android and Blackberry.

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