Microsoft Signs Android Patent Agreements With
Acer, ViewSonic

post from Daring Fireball on 08 September 2011 11:03:52 PM. © Daring Fireball

Janet I. Tu:

In news releases issued today, Microsoft announced agreements withAcer and ViewSonic.
The agreement with Acer covers Microsoft’s patent portfolio forAcer’s tablets and smartphones running the Android platform. Theagreement with ViewSonic covers Microsoft’s patent portfolio forViewSonic’s tablets and mobile phones running the Android orChrome platforms.

Which major Android handset makers haven’t yet made such an agreement with Microsoft? Samsung and Motorola, I think. And they’ve already started their court case against Motorola.

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Read The Full Article:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/microsoftpri0/2016144500_microsoft_signs_an
droid_patent_agreements_with_ace.html

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Google Gets Its Hands Dirty

post from Daring Fireball on 08 September 2011 11:03:52 PM. © Daring Fireball

Philip Elmer-DeWitt:

The difference is that Apple actually invented the technology itaccused HTC — and by proxy, Google — of “stealing” (to use SteveJobs’ verb). One of the patents Apple cited in its 2010 suit — Patent No. 7479949 — is a 358-page document signed byJobs himself that covers everything from the way a finger touchesthe screen of a smartphone to the heuristics that turn thosetouches into commands.
HTC and Google, by contrast, are accusing Apple (whose smartphonedesigns they have plainly copied) of violating patents they boughtfourth or fifth hand.

But Google’s slogan is “Don’t be evil”, thus, this must be OK. Duh.

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Read The Full Article:
http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2011/09/08/google-gets-its-hands-dirty/

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These People Fucked Me Over

post from Daring Fireball on 08 September 2011 02:03:46 PM. © Daring Fireball

Say what you want about Carol Bartz’s performance as Yahoo CEO, but I love her straight-talking attitude:

“The board was so spooked by being cast as the worst board in thecountry,” Bartz says. “Now they’re trying to show that they’re notthe doofuses that they are.”

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Read The Full Article:
http://postcards.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2011/09/08/carol-bartz-fired-yahoo/

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International Business Times: 10 Reasons Why
iPhone 5 Doesnt Stand a Chance Against Motorola Droid Bionic

post from Daring Fireball on 08 September 2011 02:03:46 PM. © Daring Fireball

Ignore the hyperbolic headline. Forget about just how jackasstic it is to compare a just-released Android phone against an iPhone that is nothing more than a rumor. The whole thing is click-bait, sure. But what I think is interesting is that if you just took this list of 10 items, you could use those same items to write a real article headlined, “Things Tech Nerds Believe Make the iPhone Inferior But Which in Reality Don’t Matter in the Mass Market”. Flash Player, Google-style “openness”, RAM, expansion card slots. Come on.

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Read The Full Article:
http://img.ibtimes.com/www/articles/20110904/208282_apple-iphone-5-motorola-droid
-bionic.htm

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Google Acquires Zagat

post from Daring Fireball on 08 September 2011 02:03:46 PM. © Daring Fireball

Just what every restaurant wants, to be more dependent upon Google.

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Read The Full Article:
http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2011/09/google-just-got-zagat-rated.html

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Carol Bartz, a Year Ago, on Apples iAd: Thats
Going to Fall Apart for Them

post from Daring Fireball on 08 September 2011 02:03:46 PM. © Daring Fireball

I said we should check back in a year, and here we are. Bartz may well be proven right eventually — it doesn’t seem like iAd is doing great — but as of today iAd is still here and Bartz is out.

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Read The Full Article:
http://daringfireball.net/linked/2010/09/16/bartz-iad

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Tapsteroids Free Monday: 17,000 freebies reaching
the Top 50 App Stores

post from prMac on 08 September 2011 01:15:00 PM. © prMac

Unagames is pleased to share the progress made in the "FREE Monday": with more than 17000 copies downloaded, Tapsteroids reached the Top 50 in many App Stores. The positive feedback obtained by players and reviewers have strengthened the pride in seeing Tapsteroids appearing in the Top 100 overall in Taiwan, the Top 100 of all games in 8 different App Stores including China and Italy and in the Top 50 for both arcade and action games sections in 16 markets including the U.S.

Read The Full Article:
http://prmac.com/release-id-30600.htm

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Tapsteroids FREE Monday: 17,000 freebies
reaching the Top 50 App Stores

Unagames is pleased to share the progress made in the "FREE Monday": with more than 17000 copies downloaded, Tapsteroids reached the Top 50 in many App Stores. The positive feedback obtained by players and reviewers have strengthened the pride in seeing Tapsteroids appearing in the Top 100 overall in Taiwan, the Top 100 of all games in 8 different App Stores including China and Italy and in the Top 50 for both arcade and action games sections in 16 markets including the U.S.

Read The Full Article:
http://prmac.com/release-id-30600.htm

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Aspiring DJs, Listen Up! Skillz: The DJ Game
Released for iPad

Hong Kong base Playpen studios today announced the launch of Skillz: The DJ Game for the iPad. This musically minded game puts players into the shoes of a DJ, challenging them to tap & scratch their way to superstardom. Skillz includes original remixes of popular songs by everyone from Kid Cudi to Diplo, with the promise of more songs to come. Skillz: The DJ Game is now available on the Apple App Store as a Full version or as a Lite version for free.

Read The Full Article:
http://prmac.com/release-id-30599.htm

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Aperio Lux releases iClock for Desktop 1.0 for
Mac OS X

iClock isn't just an ordinary clock. It's a magnificent decoration for any desktop. iClock doesn't burden the desktop with unnecessary information. The program just displays a beautiful and unique clock on your Mac's desktop. This is so little and so much at the same time! Among the program combines, there still exist some small ones which perform only one or two functions but do that on a high level. iClock is one of them! The program offers six clock styles for you to choose from.

Read The Full Article:
http://prmac.com/release-id-30594.htm

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