MobileCrunch |  |
- Skype Adds Video Calling Support For 17 More Android Smartphones
- Google Threw A Punch, Microsoft Fires Back With A Missile
- HTC Explains Android Bootloader Unlock Process, Warranty-Voiding Tool Coming Later This Month
- Clearwire Adopts LTE, Not Ditching WiMax Just Yet
- Google Rips Into Microsoft, Apple, Oracle For “Bogus Patents” And Trying To “Strangle” Android
- The Latest Crazy Instagram Stats: 150 Million Photos, 15 Per Second, 80% Filtered
- Augmented Reality Provides Glimpse At A United Korea
- Facebook “Don’t Share This” Button Makes Brief Appearance In Netflix iOS App
- Skype Job Listings Mean Video On Windows Phone Devices
- Samsung Considers InterDigital’s Patent Trove Along With Apple, Google
- Time Inc. Announces Plans To Offer Tablet Apps For All Its 21 U.S. Titles In 2011
- Qualcomm Overhauls The Snapdragon Brand, Ditches The Confusing Chipset Names
- Huawei Announces The Vision Smartphone With New “3D” User Interface
| Skype Adds Video Calling Support For 17 More Android Smartphones Posted: 04 Aug 2011 02:44 AM PDT  At the end of June 2011, Skype added the ability to make one-to-one video calls over both WiFi and 3G connections to its Android application. However, very few handsets were supported at the time, but now the company has released an update that brings two-way video calling to 17 more smartphones, including the HTC Desire and Desire HD, the Samsung Galaxy S and S II and Sony Ericsson Xperia devices. As usual, you can download the updated Skype 2.1 for Android app from the Android Market or point your browser to Skype.com/m from your phone. Once installed, you can have video calls from your Android phone with your Skype contacts on iPhone, Mac, Windows PCs and even a number of TVs. The full list of supported phones can be found here. If you’re using a phone that runs Android 2.2 (Froyo) or above, Skype says you should be able to enable video calling in your settings. If you can’t find it, that probably means you’re out of luck. Besides, if your phone runs Froyo you’ll only be able to use the back camera of the device anyway.
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| Google Threw A Punch, Microsoft Fires Back With A Missile Posted: 03 Aug 2011 10:18 PM PDT  Earlier today, Google came out swinging. Seemingly sick of being continuously slapped in the face by the patent issue, Google’s SVP and Chief Legal Officer, David Drummond, wrote a blog post calling out several of Google’s rivals for attempting to use “bogus patents” to destroy Android. Chief among the rivals called out was Microsoft. Drummond noted that the software giant had been getting in bed with other rivals to hurt Google. Among the accusations was that Microsoft teamed up with Apple to buy Novell’s old patents, implying that they did so in order to keep them away from Google. Microsoft didn’t take too kindly to that remark. “Google says we bought Novell patents to keep them from Google. Really? We asked them to bid jointly with us. They said no,” Brad Smith, Microsoft General Counsel tweeted out in response. Damn. Shit just got real. Just in case that wasn’t enough, Frank Shaw, Microsoft Head of Communications, followed up with the real heat-seeker. “Free advice for David Drummond – next time check with Kent Walker before you blog. ,” Shaw tweeted, referring to another Google SVP and General Counsel. Attached to that tweet was the picture of an email Walker apparently sent to Smith on October 28, 2010. It reads as follows:
While it’s only one instance, this really does undercut Google’s entire argument. Google was attempting to set up a pattern of Microsoft teaming up with other Google rivals to damage them. But the first instance listed was actually the result of Google turning Microsoft down, as the email shows. That doesn’t not look good for Google. Does that mean Google’s totally wrong and Microsoft is totally right? Of course not. But it sure makes Google look pretty stupid. And it reinforces something that many observers think about Google’s position here: that they simply weren’t taking the patent situation too seriously until recently, and now they’re all up in arms about it. God I love it when Google and Microsoft take these fights to the streets. Follow @BradSmi@BradSmi Brad Smith Google says we bought Novell patents to keep them from Google. Really? We asked them to bid jointly with us. They said no. Follow @fxshaw@fxshaw Frank X. Shaw Free advice for David Drummond – next time check with Kent Walker before you blog. http://t.co/PfKle9H More: Why Did Google Blog About Patents Today? Because The Nortel Loss Was Just The Beginning. [image: flickr/official u.s. navy]
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| HTC Explains Android Bootloader Unlock Process, Warranty-Voiding Tool Coming Later This Month Posted: 03 Aug 2011 04:04 PM PDT  It's been a few months now since HTC CEO Peter Chou announced that the company will no longer be locking bootloaders on their devices, and enthusiasts have had nothing to show for it. Many of HTC's recent devices are still locked up tight, prompting many to wonder when they would deliver on their promise. Thanks to an updated Facebook post and a well-timed tweet, though, we now have the answers we've been waiting for. The process will begin with a web tool (due out later this month) through which you register an account and waive all liability in the event things go horribly wrong. That’s right folks, since unlocking the bootloader gives you a much greater level of control over how the device operates, you can kiss parts (or all) of your warranty goodbye. Once that's done, you connect the Android device in question to computer with the SDK installed, and you'll receive a "device identifier token" which gets plugged into the web tool to generate a unique unlock code. Sounds simple enough, right? The first devices that are set to benefit from the unlocking treatment are the global version of the HTC Sensation, followed buy T-Mobile's version of the device and the Sprint Evo 3D. Since unlocking the bootloader is one the of the first steps to running a custom ROM and really having some fun with your Android device, it's heartening to see them focus on getting newer hardware opened up. Hopefully the floodgates will soon open, and we can start messing with our HTC toys with reckless abandon.
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| Clearwire Adopts LTE, Not Ditching WiMax Just Yet Posted: 03 Aug 2011 02:58 PM PDT  Wow. Clearwire has just dropped a bit of a bombshell today, so I'll spare you my usual theatrics: the operators of the nation's first 4G network, having sensed the momentum that its LTE rival is gaining, has announced that they will add "LTE Advanced-ready" technology to its previously WiMax-only 4G service. Of course Clearwire is quick to reassert their commitment to their existing WiMax network (and customers), but with Clearwire CTO Dr. John Saw referring to their execution of LTE as the "future of mobile broadband", one can certainly smell the change in the air. Their LTE rollout is supposed to center around major urban areas in their existing WiMax markets, in an effort to meet high demand for 4G service. Don't expect their LTE offerings to go live any time soon, though: they're still waiting on some much-need funding before their implementation plans come to fruition. Hopefully, it happens sooner rather than later — with LTE Advanced potentially offering "peak download mobile speeds of at least 100 Mbps", it should be able to satiate even the hungriest of data fiends whenever it lights up. It's definitely a big (and potentially very gainful) leap for Clearwire. They and partner company Sprint stand to pick up quite a bit of market share by offering more competitive 4G performance, all while flying under the banner of "the nation's first 4G network." The fact that the same 4G branding will continue for the foreseeable future actually strikes at the heart of a deeper question: does it really matter if LTE is better than WiMax? Most customers, as much as I love them, will see 4G and decline to press the issue any further; the rest of us network nerds will continue to argue about real v. advertised data speeds, while Mr. Joe On-the-go will benefit all the same.
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| Google Rips Into Microsoft, Apple, Oracle For “Bogus Patents” And Trying To “Strangle” Android Posted: 03 Aug 2011 01:07 PM PDT  In the past, I’ve been critical of Google for trying to dance around directly calling out their competitors who are actively attempting to screw them. Today, they’re no longer dancing. In a post just put up on the main Google Blog, Google SVP and Chief Legal Officer David Drummond takes shot after shot at Google’s competitors. By name, he calls out Microsoft, Apple, and Oracle. What’s this all about? What else? Patents. “I have worked in the tech sector for over two decades. Microsoft and Apple have always been at each other's throats, so when they get into bed together you have to start wondering what’s going on,” is the way Drummond kicks off his post. He goes on to lay out what he believes is a “hostile, organized campaign against Android by Microsoft, Oracle, Apple and other companies, waged through bogus patents.” He talks about not only the recent Nortel patent auction (which Google lost while a group of rivals including Apple and Microsoft won), but also the Novell patent sale (which was also bought by a group including Microsoft and Apple), Microsoft’s insistance that Android OEMs pay them a $15 licensing fee for each device, and the lawsuits against Barnes & Noble, HTC, Motorola, and Samsung. “Patents were meant to encourage innovation, but lately they are being used as a weapon to stop it,” Drummond writes. While Drummond says that their rival’s “anti-competitive strategy” is driving up the price of patents on the market to insane levels, he believes the law will eventually prevail and “this patent bubble will pop”. “In this instance we thought it was important to speak out and make it clear that we're determined to preserve Android as a competitive choice for consumers, by stopping those who are trying to strangle it,” he notes, going on to say that the Department of Justice is currently looking into if Apple and Microsoft’s acquisition of the Nortel patents was for anti-competitive means. “We're also looking at other ways to reduce the anti-competitive threats against Android by strengthening our own patent portfolio. Unless we act, consumers could face rising costs for Android devices — and fewer choices for their next phone,” is how the post ends. Damn. Them’s fighting words.
Update: Google Threw A Punch, Microsoft Fires Back With A Missile
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| The Latest Crazy Instagram Stats: 150 Million Photos, 15 Per Second, 80% Filtered Posted: 03 Aug 2011 11:59 AM PDT  This past June, we noted that Instagram hit a big milestone: 5 million users. At the time, the total number of photos shared on the service was at 95 million, and given the rate of growth, they expected to pass 100 million shortly. Well, they missed pointing out that milestone, but today, not even two months later, they’re pointing out another one: 150 million photos. That’s 150 million photos uploaded to Instagram in just the 9 months since the app launched. For comparison’s sake, it took Flickr nearly two years to hit 100 million total photos on their service. Incredibly, Instagram is now seeing 1.3 million photos uploaded each day — that’s a rate of 15 photos per second. The service is now well past 7 million users, Instagram co-founder Kevin Systrom tells us. Again, that’s up over 2 million in under 2 months. Without any sort of strategic promotions, they’re grown to become a mainstay in the top 25 free app in Apple’s App Store. Yes, Flickr may now be well past 5 billion photos, and Facebook can see 750 million photos uploaded in one crazy weekend, but remember that Instagram is still only available on one platform: iOS. Every single one of those 150 million photos has been uploaded from an iPhone (and to a much lesser extent, iPod touches and iPads). You can’t yet use Instagram from any other devices, and you can’t even upload photos from your computer. And while Android support will come, the experience is going to remain predominantly a mobile one, Systrom says. One more crazy stat: Systrom says that of the 150 million photos, 80 percent have had filters applied to them. And of the remaining 20 percent, plenty of those originate from other iPhone camera apps with their own filters. Oh, and don’t forget Bieber. Above, find the 150 millionth photo from user janefot.
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| Augmented Reality Provides Glimpse At A United Korea Posted: 03 Aug 2011 11:47 AM PDT  While the idea of a reunited Korea is one that never dies, it’s also one that seems rather unlikely in the short term. Well thanks to the work of augmented reality artist Mark Skwarek, tourists and South Korean nationals are afforded a glimpse of what was, and someday may be. Mark’s Layar-powered Korean Unification Project “tries to heal the scars left by years of conflict in the Korean peninsula by removing the Korean Demilitarized Zone [DMZ] and returning it to its natural state before Korea was divided.” Smartphone and tablet users can go to one of two (for now) viewing locations and fire up the application for a look around. They’ll be treated to images of a landscape that, thanks to its use of erasAR, erases the signs of separation (think barriers, walls, weapons, the works) between the two countries. That it only works at a few locations along the North/South border is lamentable, but it’s a truly novel idea. I imagine (or at least hope) that it will get a lot of mileage out of the younger set, not because of any particular political leanings but because it illustrates a part of history that otherwise wouldn’t have existed outside of textbooks. At the very least, I hope it inspires some intrepid youth to write some decent alternate history fiction. In case you aren’t due to fly out to South Korea any time soon, here’s a video that should approximate the experience:
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| Facebook “Don’t Share This” Button Makes Brief Appearance In Netflix iOS App Posted: 03 Aug 2011 10:44 AM PDT  Now this is what we call weird. It would be one thing if Netflix accidentally activated its (currently illegal) Facebook "Share" button. But it's looking like Netflix accidentally posted a "Don't Share This" Facebook button. Curious? Entirely. Let's delve deeper. So there are a few pieces of key information we need to evaluate in our investigation here. One happens to be a little law from back in 1988 called the Video Privacy Protection Act (VPPA), which makes it illegal to share someone's video rental information. The law came about after Supreme Court nominee Robert Bork's video rental history was leaked to a newspaper by someone at his video store. This was back when movies were all on these things called video tapes, not Blu-Rays. Anyways, the law made a bit more sense back then than it does now. We "share" things more often than people in the 80's could come up with ridiculous hair styles. With Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, Google +, and whatever other new social network has sprouted up in the last five minutes, people are now sharing what they want when they want. Except for their Netflix choices, of course. It's unclear whether or not the law actually includes Netflix and its service based on the language. The law calls out to "video tape service providers," not "video streaming/DVD rental services." In any case, Netflix is treading lightly, launching Facebook integration in Canada and Latin America where the U.S. Congress can't get involved. Just a week or so ago, Netflix promised those two regions would have a Facebook button "before our next earnings report," or in three months. In that case, Netflix is definitely working on how its Facebook integration will work even as we blog. Like every other site and service that implements Facebook, a button is expected. It'll probably either be a "Like" button, a "Share" button, or both. So then what is the deal with this "Don't Share This" button? Seriously. It was discovered by the site iSmashPhone, which reports that this "Don't Share This" button popped up on both the iPad and iPhone Netflix app (though only an iPad screen grab was provided). I really have no idea what this is about. It's no longer popping up in either app, so it's tough to investigate what happens when it's tapped. My only guess is a bit far-fetched, but maybe Netflix is protecting itself as it builds in Facebook. Accidental posts and activations happen all the time when companies make adjustments to their sites, and since a nasty antiquated law could cost the company up to $2,500 in penalties per each violation, Netflix may be using a "Don't Share This" button just in case something like this accidental posting were to happen. In truth, it doesn't really matter what Netflix puts on their Facebook button unless this stupid VPPA law gets thrown into the trash. That's where Pop Vox and Representative Bob Goodlatte (pronounced "good lat" as in "cat," not "good latte" as in "this latte is delicious") come into play. Goodlatte proposed an amendment to the VPPA, impressively in under 70 words, stating that video rental histories can be shared as long as the consumer gives consent over the web. The amendment is titled H.R. 2471 and was filed on July 8. The mysterious "Don't Share This" button may be in preparation for the passing of this amendment, even though it seems to assert the VPPA more than fight it. H.R. 2471 is currently awaiting a vote in the House Judiciary Committee that could send it right back to the House floor. So far, there's no telling how this'll pan out. But if Facebook is the missing link in your Netflix experience, Pop Vox can help. It's a new start-up based out of Washington D.C. and it works by crowd sourcing the public's responses to certain proposed bills and amendments, including H.R. 2471, through social networks and its own site. In other words, Pop Vox makes commenting on legislation as easy as commenting on TechCrunch. So far H.R. 2471 hasn't gotten much traction on Pop Vox, but Netflix CEO Reed Hastings hopes that somehow, some way the amendment will pass. “The VPPA discourages us from launching our Facebook integration domestically,” wrote Hastings in a letter to shareholders. “Under the VPPA, it is ambiguous when and how a user can give permission for his or her video viewing data to be shared. A bipartisan group of lawmakers has introduced a simple clarification, H.R. 2471, which says when and how a user can give such permission. We're hoping H.R. 2471 passes, enabling us to offer our Facebook integration to our U.S. subscribers who desire it.” We're hoping the same thing, Hastings. Just make sure you switch that button back to "Share" before it goes live.
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| Skype Job Listings Mean Video On Windows Phone Devices Posted: 03 Aug 2011 10:27 AM PDT  Skype's been popping up in headlines recently, mostly because of their "will they/won't they” iPad app release. While it's true that Apple's iOS is a huge priority for companies looking to expand into the mobile space, let's not forget that Microsoft paid out a cool $8.5 billion to pick up the communication juggernaut this past May. The big question, then, is where is the love for Windows devices? Skype's move into Windows Phone 7 seems to have been on the backburner for a while, but if the new positions popping up on Skype Careers are any indication, they may finally be getting a move on. Everyone knew that Skype would eventually make its way to the market’s #4 mobile OS even before the official acquisition, but the company has remained mum about anything resembling specific detail. The new listings indicate a definite focus on Windows platforms, and Windows Phone 7 in particular — the responsibilities of their Software Engineer position involve being “responsible for building and optimizing the Skype Video Engine solution for Microsoft Windows and Windows Phone platforms.” It’s a development a long time in the making, but it’s sort of gratifying to see Microsoft finally getting some benefit out of a terribly pricey purchase. Readers fond of connecting the dots may notice that Skype’s “Fall” release window happens to coincide with Microsoft’s (also vague) Mango timeline. With Skype now an official part of Microsoft, it would seem logical to assume that a new Skype app that supports video calling would be released side-by-side with the software update we’ve all been waiting for, but it’s impossible to say for sure at this point. The one thing this announcement just about solidifies is the appearance of front-facing cameras on new WinPho hardware, a welcome addition, if not the most surprising.
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| Samsung Considers InterDigital’s Patent Trove Along With Apple, Google Posted: 03 Aug 2011 08:00 AM PDT  Last we heard it was Google who was eyeing out InterDigital's 8,800-strong patent trove. Now, Google is still in the mix along with Apple, but according to people familiar with the matter, Samsung has also entered into talks with InterDigital. The South Korea based company has expressed interest in possibly placing a bid on this gem of a patent portfolio, reports Bloomberg. I'm not quite sure how to put this in perspective, but if you aren't caught up with all the patent fights and the Nortel saga, it's necessary that I stress just how crucial this is. InterDigital's patent porfolio eats Nortel's for breakfast. In fact, many believe that Google only tinkered around with Nortel to drive up the price for its competitors while it waited in the wings for something bigger and better. Well, here it is. Bigger and better has arrived, but there just so happens to be a little competition heating up over this patent treasure chest. Mostly related to the transfer of information over mobile technology, InterDigital's patent portfolio is basically a gold mine in the eyes of these phone makers. And we know a sale is most definitely on its way, as InterDigital recently hired a few bankers to handle the transaction. If Samsung chooses to move forward with a bid, it could take some or all of the portfolio from Google and Apple. This would be a huge boost to the South Korea-based company who is currently entangled in a massive patent war with Apple. InterDigital's patents cover inventions used in devices like the iPhone, Google's Android OS and even RIM's BlackBerries. Scooping up the rights to that technology has the potential to swing the entire litigation in Samsung's favor. However, if Apple snags the portfolio, Samsung is in a really risky situation. Though no game-changing legal rulings have been issued, this lawsuit has reached critical mass, with both companies trying to ban imports of the others' products. InterDigital's portfolio will most definitely influence this case, although in whose favor has yet to be decided.
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| Time Inc. Announces Plans To Offer Tablet Apps For All Its 21 U.S. Titles In 2011 Posted: 03 Aug 2011 07:00 AM PDT  Time Inc. this morning announced that every one of its 21 U.S. titles, including Entertainment Weekly and Instyle, will be available as tablet editions by the end of this year. Time Inc. says this will make it the first major U.S. magazine publisher to make its entire portfolio available on all leading tablet platforms, with products designed specifically for this particular category of personal computers. In addition, the company says it has reached an agreement with Barnes & Noble to sell digital subscriptions and single-copy issues of four of its most popular titles on the NOOK Color starting later this month, with the rest of the portfolio to follow by the end of 2011. To date, Time Inc. says its digital magazine and other content apps such as Time, Sports Illustrated, People and Fortune have been downloaded more than 11 million times. The publishers says it has also sold more than 600,000 digital single copies of the aforementioned four titles. Time Inc. offers apps for the iPad, Android tablets, the HP TouchPad and Next Issue Media's store. Interestingly, each of Time Inc.'s (28 million) print subscribers will have the option to upgrade their subscription to include the digital edition at no additional charge. The company has introduced such an “All Access” subscription plan for Sports Illustrated in February 2011, and recently for TIME Magazine content.
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| Qualcomm Overhauls The Snapdragon Brand, Ditches The Confusing Chipset Names Posted: 03 Aug 2011 06:58 AM PDT  If you’ve got any smartphone made in the last year or so that isn’t made by Apple or Samsung, chances are preeeetty good that it’s powered by one of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chipsets. Now, as for the chances that you could actually name which Snapdragon chipset it has… yeah, pretty much zilch. The problem: outside of the overarching “Snapdragon” brand, Qualcomm hasn’t done the best job in differentiating which chipset is which. MSM8260? MSM855T? MSM8930? OMGWTFBBQ? I do this for my job, and I still wouldn’t be able to tell you which one is which without a cheat sheet. This morning, Qualcomm is announcing a bit of an overhaul involving the Snapdragon brand. It should make things a bit less confusing. In a nutshell, they’re moving away from the nearly impossible to remember model numbers and toward a tiered system. They’ll have four tiers (or “Systems” as they call them) to begin with: S1, S2, S3, and S4. The higher the number, the better the specs. S1, for example, is for “Mass Market” phones — things on the lower end of what Qualcomm powers (anything 1Ghz or below). Things like the HTC Status, or the Droid Incredible. S2 is for “High Performance Smart Phones & Tablets” (up to 1.4 Ghz) like the HTC Thunderbolt, while S3 is for the current highest-end stuff (up to 1.5Ghz) like the EVO 3D. S4 encapsulates everything between 1.6 Ghz and 2.5 Ghz — which, as you may know, doesn’t actually include anything just yet. The first devices in this range won’t start hitting the shelves until next year at the earliest. Interestingly, Qualcomm notes that an S2 device will always be considered an S2 device — S2 won’t become S1, S3 won’t become S2, etc. As I’m understanding it, it sounds like Qualcomm plans to just keep adding new System tiers as time goes on. Man, S10 is going to be ridiculous. Qualcomm will almost certainly still have big ol’ ugly model numbers in some way or another for the mega geeks among us to differentiate between similar chipsets — they just won’t expect anyone to actually remember them. Here’s a look at what’s changed: Old and Busted: New Hotness:
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| Huawei Announces The Vision Smartphone With New “3D” User Interface Posted: 03 Aug 2011 06:10 AM PDT  Huawei has taken a note from the big boys like Samsung and HTC and decided to build a UI of its own. Unlike TouchWiz or Sense, Huawei’s UI has something different to bring to the table: 3D. Now don’t get too excited, or too peeved either (if you’re an anti-3D kinda fella), because this isn’t “3D” in the annoying, in-your-face, makes-you-kinda-nauseous sense. It’s just a 3D interface running on a 2D screen. Does a flashy 3D interface really bring more to than its traditional counterpart? I can’t imagine it’ll be all that revolutionary. Hopefully, it only enhances the user experience with a little beauty and doesn’t clutter or jumble things unnecessarily. On the other hand, the specs and the design of the Vision tell me that Huawei's got high hopes for this one. Its 1GHz Snapdragon processor is bundled nicely in a unibody contoured design. The phone measures in at .39 inches at its thinnest point and weighs a little over a quarter of a pound (.27 lb), with a 5-megapixel camera (capable of 720p video) strapped to the back. The phone also sports a microUSB 2.0 port, 512MB of RAM, and 2GB of ROM with support for up to a 32GB memory card. The Vision will launch in three color flavors: silver, rose gold, and charcoal. In terms of bloatware, you're actually getting some pretty good apps with the Vision — Angry Birds, Asphalt 6: Adrenaline, Order & Chaos Online, and Guerrilla Bob HD. Huawei wasn't super forthcoming about pricing and availability, but we do know the phone will hit shelves sometime in September.
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