Google's Eric Schmidt: Motorola deal isn't just about patents

$12.1bn splurge to pull once-mighty mobile giant Motorola under its digital umbrella ranks as the big-money deal of the year so far.
The popular opinion is that Motorola's treasure trove of patents was the key to opening up Google's rather fat wallet, but the search giant's former CEO Eric Schmidt says the patents are less of a factor in the deal than everyone thinks.

Schmidt currently holds the title of Google Executive Chairman after sitting in the CEO hotseat for most of the Android era (he also sat on Apple's board for a while back in the days when the companies were more chummy).
And speaking at a business conference in San Francisco over the weekend, he played down the notion that the chance to arm itself with thousands of new patents was the biggest factor that drew Google into the Motorola acquisition, a notion that has led to some observers calling the move "a mistake".
“We actually believe that the Motorola team has some amazing products coming,” Schmidt is reported by TechCrunch as saying. “We’re excited to have the product line, to use the Motorola brand, the product architecture, the engineers. having at least one area where we can do integrated hardware and software.”
The event also saw Schmidt put a different spin on the very public frustrations various Android stakeholders have been expressing lately about the current culture of “patent bullying”.
He revealed, for example, that in the case of a bunch of Nortel Networks patents that some Google staffers have claimed the company's rivals grouped together to buy just to sabotage Android's process, Google was actually active deep into the bidding process, and only pulled out because it felt the price had gone too high.
Schmidt also let slip that just about all of the US patent fights “that are interesting” are settled specifically in the East District Court of Texas. We haven't the slightest clue what to make of that, to be honest, but it's something we didn't know yesterday.

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Pantech Breakout Verizon 4G LTE Smartphone Revealed

Verizon has a pretty big lineup over the next few weeks and months, but now we are starting to see some 4G LTE phones show up with a more moderate price tag. We all know plenty about the Bionic and other 4G superphones but not everyone needs the best. It appears Verizon is now starting to prep some great mid-range offerings on their 4G LTE network and one of those is the Pantech Breakout.

A few weeks ago details on the Pantech Breakout were leaked showing us almost all the specs as well as revealing it would be a 4G LTE device but now we are seeing actual press images. The Breakout will have a 1 Ghz processor, Android 2.3 Gingerbread, 4.0″ display, 512MB of RAM, a 5MP camera on the rear and a few other decent mid-range specs.
This could very well be the Pantech Apache we saw clear the FCC recently, unless that is another LTE phone on the way. Today we also saw the Samsung Stratosphere, another 4G LTE mid-range phone headed to Verizon so this is just one more indication that they are ready to start rolling out phones for the masses with LTE on board.
[via PocketNow]

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Samsung Stratosphere 4G LTE Slider Press Shots Leak

Well guys, what we have here is Verizon’s first 4G LTE QWERTY Slider smartphone. This is the Samsung Stratosphere we first heard about at the beginning of August and the name being Stratosphere made us all think it would be something big, or tall, but I guess it will be fat and a slider instead. This is basically a Epic 4G turned Verizon with some 4G LTE radios inside.

We still don’t have much regarding details or full specs at the moment but we have seen the Stratosphere on a few leaked Verizon roadmaps in the past. Unless the internals were given a little boost to Galaxy S II type specs we can expect this to be a mid-range single-core processor device just like the original Epic 4G Slider.
While we continue to fish for details all signs are pointing to this being the first mid-range (and decently priced) 4G LTE device for Verizon. If we do see a Galaxy S level device rather than Galaxy S II hardware we should be seeing this hit the market with an aggressive $149 or maybe even $99 price tag. As soon as we find out more details we will update as I’m sure there are many users wanting 4G LTE but don’t need a top tier $299 phone.
[via PocketNow]

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Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 up for sale at Vodafone UK

IT appears that one of the only carriers in the entirety of Europe to get their Galaxy Tab 10.1 shipment before the massive Euro ban of the tablet, Vodafone UK, has now got their stock up for sale, thanks to the courts suspension of said ruling outside of Germany. This device of course is also for sale in some other bits of the world including the USA and Australia, but has certainly suffered some losses in potential sales due to the court ruling. Meanwhile the rest of the UK is more than likely awaiting shipment of their Tabs so that sales may resume across the English side of the ocean.



In related news, we’re still reeling over the complete disappearance of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7  from IFA 2011 as another court case appeared like a wild Snorlax. The folks at Samsung are truly going to need to get their Pokeflute out to move this wild beast from their path soon or they’ll take what can only be described as a Charizard-sized hit in sales in Deutschland.

Also meanwhile, you can check out some app reviews we’ve got on the Galaxy Tab 10.1 right here in the USA as well, including Cranky Cat and Cat Dance Club LWP, the racing game Reckless Getaway, everyone’s favorite Google Reader, water intensive Sprinkle, airplanes ahoy with SteamBirds, and of course all your favorite feeds with News360.
And of course you could check out our review of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 LTE from Verizon as well, complete with TouchWiz UX straight outta the developer halls of Samsung.

Device Specifications and Information

Device Info

Device Name : Galaxy Tab 10.1

Manufactuer : Samsung

Carrier :

Announced Date : March 22, 2011

Release Date : June 08, 2011

Also Known As : Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, Galaxy Tab 10.1, Galaxy Tab 10.1 Limited Edition, Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 Limited Edition, Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 Google I/O Limited Edition

Display

• Screen Size : 10.1 Inch
• Resolution : 1280x800
• Screen Type : TFT

Dimension & Weight

• Height : 10.09 Inch
• Width : 6.81 Inch
• Depth : 0.34 Inch
• Weight : 595 Grams

Battery & Power

• Battery Type:
• Lithium Ion

• Battery Capacity : 7000 mAh
• Talk Time : NA
• Stand By Time : 120 hours

Software

• Android OS:
• 3.1.x

• Audio Playback:
• AAC
• AAC+
• AMR
• MP3

• Video Playback:
• h.263
• h.264 / AVC

• Messaging:
• SMS
• MMS
• IM

Hardware

CPU : Tegra 2

CPU Clock Speed : 1000 Mhz

Core : 2

Ram : 1000 MB

Internal Storage : 32 GB

Front Facing Camera :

Camera Resolution :3.2 MP

• Camera Features:
• Auto focus
• Flash
• 1080p Video Recording
• 720p Video Recording

• Sensors:
• Accelerometer
• Ambient light
• Proximity

QWERTY :

Cellular Network

• Network Technology:
• GSM

• GSM Band:
• 850
• 900
• 1800
• 1900

• CDMA Band:
• 850
• 900
• 1900
• 2100

Device Connectivity

• Wi-Fi:
• 802.11a
• 802.11b
• 802.11g
• 802.11n

• Bluetooth:
• Bluetooth 2.0

• Location Features:
• Compass
• GPS
• Cellular location
• Wi-Fi location

FM Radio :

)

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Samsung Galaxy M Pro

If you're searching for a phone that's high-performance at an economic price-point and happens to have a full QWERTY keyboard, then according to Samsung, this is the mobile for you.

Meet the Samsung Galaxy M Pro and what the promise seems to translate to is a handset that still boasts the latest version of Android, and very respectable 5-megapixel camera with LED flash, but without any super speedy insides or any of that top end Samsung screen technology.



All the same, the outer of this phone is ok. Actually, it's more than ok. It's pretty damn good. The keyboard is well laid out and, while there's none of the nobbles you get on BlackBerry devices to make things easier, it's still a decent enough mobile type. The phone also looks good. The grey brushed metal finish with splashes of orange here and there really make it stand out among the other Galaxy devices and no one's going to accuse you of being cheap if you pull one out.

The four Android hard keys make you wonder why manufacturers seem to have switched to the touch-sensitive type and the optical trackpad in the middle is everything you need it to be. We're also glad that Samsung didn't try to make it any more by keeping the home key separate.

One place you do take a hit, that's quite tough to stomach on Android, is on the size of the screen itself. With the QWERTY taking up precious real estate, all the user ends up with is a 2.7-inch HVGA and, seeing as this isn't a premium Samsung device, it's only backed by straight LCD technology; but that's perhaps not such a loss as it's not that big anyway.



While you can get your e-mailing done, browsing the web and playing Angry Birds isn't quite what it could be but, then, that's the full keyboard trade-off. To combat this, Samsung has added a side dock to the TouchWiz interface and that was simple and intuitive enough to get used to in the 10 minutes that we had it in our hands. It's also good to see that the company hasn't ditched the accelerometer at this level, unlike with the Galaxy Ys

There's no price or date on the Samsung Galaxy M Pro yet but we shouldn't have to hold our breath for too long.
                 

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Samsung Galaxy Note landing Q1 2012?

Is the 5.3in Samsung Galaxy Note a smartphone? Is it a tablet? Who cares? We want one! We reckon the Samsung Galaxy Note is one of the sexiest devices to get the official check-me-out treatment in a long time, and Samsung tells SlashGear it should be landing in the UK in Q1 2012.

We’re slightly disappointed that Santa won’t be dishing out Samsung Galaxy Notes, but spare a thought for our transatlantic cousins; a Samsung Galaxy S II-esque delay is anticipated.
On top of its gargantuan Super AMOLED 1280 x 800 display, the Samsung Galaxy Note promises a 1.4GHz dual-core processor, 8MP/2MP camera combo, and removable 2,500mAh battery.
In keeping with the trend for super-slim devices, the Samsung Galaxy Note is just 9.65mm thick.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I really want one.

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Why could the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 get banned in the United States?

According to Apple, Samsung and their Galaxy Tab 10.1 Tablet PC should have listened to the old radio serials and Lamar Cranston of The Shadow. Popular in the 1930s, Lamar Cranston was a wealthy man about town who kept his secret identity as The Shadow hidden from the criminals he foiled. With an ESP-like quality to read minds, the tagline opening every radio broadcast was, “What evil lurks in the minds of men? The Shadow knows!” Evidently the boys and girls at Apple believe they have Lamar Cranston’s mind reading ability when it comes to the design of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 Tablet PC.
After a successful victory earning an injunction on all sales of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 Tablet in Germany until September 9, at which time the judge will reveal her final ruling in the matter after both sides present their arguments, an Australian court recently received a similar lawsuit by Apple. In Australia, Samsung voluntarily withdrew their product while the judges hash out an outcome. In both cases, Apple claims that the insidious execs at Samsung created a product intentionally close to identical to that of their massive runaway Tablet hit, the iPad 2.

And certainly, if any company wanted to guarantee sales, copying what is the best Tablet by far would not be a bad idea, were it not for copyright infringement. And that is exactly what Apple is claiming. Do the two tablets appear similar? Yes, but so do several 10 inch tablets. And whether you side with one manufacturer or the other, the inevitable question remains. If Germany and Australia outlaw the sale of Samsung Galaxy 10.1 Tab tablets, can filing of an American lawsuit by Apple be very far behind.
While there is no current injunction on sales in the US, an Apple victory in that regards would be a win of mammoth proportions, and would no doubt be the first of a string of allegations by consumer-electronics firms everywhere. With the final German ruling less than a week away, the Australian judge ruling in that venue will certainly no doubt be taking notice of the German outcome. And that means that any future US judges would no doubt use those two courts as precedents for their decision. Return here regularly for daily updates as we receive them.

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Acer W4 vs Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S

We compare the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S with a rumoured Windows Phone 7 Mango known as the Acer W4

As we near the release of Windows Phone 7's Mango update, interest in the platform is rightfully increasing. Many people are keen to see exactly what the operating system has matured into and one device which looks set to show-off the update's capabilities is Acer's Mango powered Acer W4.
In the interest of impartiality we've chosen to pitch the Acer W4 against a little Android competition in the shape of Sony Ericsson's up and coming Xperia Arc S – a device that is looking to build on the solid reputation of its predecessor.
We're operating within the confines of speculation again this week, folks, so do remember that what we're discussing isn't the finished, or even confirmed, article.

Power
If the rumours circulating can be trusted we can expect the Acer W4 to launch with a 1GHz Qualcomm CPU and at least 512MB RAM which, although sufficient for most tasks, isn't going to set the world alight in a market that is anxiously awaiting its first quad-core powered smartphones.
The Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S has a little bit more muscle though, with a 1.4GHz Scorpion CPU, Adreno 205 GPU and 512MB RAM, giving it victory in this opening round.
Winner - Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S

Display
Acer's W4 looks set to include a 3.6-inch WVGA  touchscreen, which will operate at a resolution of 480 x 800 and offer a fairly impressive pixel density of 259ppi.
Sony Ericsson's Xperia Arc S features a 4.2-inch LED-backlit LCD screen that operates at a resolution of 480 x 854 and offers a pixel density of 233ppi, making it a decent choice for those that enjoy watching movies or TV shows on their device.
There's plenty to be said for high quality, smaller screens though and we think people will appreciate the Acer W4 irrespective of it lacking a few millimetres in the screen department.

Winner - Draw

Camera
The Xperia Arc S offers an 8-megapixel primary camera with auto-focus, LED flash, face & smile detection, 3D sweep panorama and Geo-tagging, making it a pretty well rounded package for those that snap a lot of photos on the go.
The device will also feature a secondary, front-facing camera, though we aren't sure what size yet.
The Acer W4 looks set to be outfitted with the bare minimum required of Windows Phone 7 devices, which, of course, is a 5-megapixel sensor with autofocus and LED flash.
There's no word yet on what other camera functionality the device will have, or whether it will feature a secondary video-call camera.
Winner - Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S

Operating System
Sony Ericsson's Xperia Arc S will ship with version 2.3.4 of Google's Android OS, otherwise known as Gingerbread – a pretty well rounded, stable and secure release of the software.
Users can also expect to find Sony Ericsson's own TimeScape UI included too, which brings custom widgets, apps and social networking integration along with a neat timeline driven user interface.

Acer's W4 will launch with the newest iteration of Microsoft's Windows Phone 7 platform, which brings a lot of new features to the platform, such as a new unified inbox for all communications, new and improved multi-tasking and Internet Explorer 9.
Naturally both platforms offer tons of apps and games for download, but Windows Phone 7 has a way to go before it catches up with Android in this respect, giving the Xperia Arc S the edge.
Winner - Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S

Form & Build
There's no word on dimensions for the Acer W4 yet, but we're expecting a device that doesn't deviate terribly from the path set by previous Windows Phone 7 devices.
In terms of materials we're expecting lightweight plastics and a decent build quality, but again it doesn't look anything special.
The Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S measures up at 125 x 63 x 8.7 mm and weighs a modest 117g, making it a fairly pocket-friendly smartphone.
We hope Sony Ericsson has put a little bit more effort into the build quality of the Arc S though, as its predecessor exuded a pound-shop feel which belied the device's underlying quality.
Winner - Draw
And there you have it. A pretty resounding victory for the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S.
The device looks to be a solid addition to the Xperia stable, and a decent upgrade on the previous device. The improved power on offer will make the lag that afflicted the original Arc a thing of the past.
Thankfully the specs for the Acer W4 aren't written in stone. We might see a device that has been nipped, tweaked and updated by the time it reaches market, and we hope that this is the case.
As it stands though, the Acer W4 is a device that looks dated by today's standards and has little of note under the bonnet.
Unless Acer is planning to price the device very aggressively we can't see it making much of a splash.

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HTC Flyer Honeycomb Screenshots and Instructions Appear

In case you were all busy preparing for this holiday weekend, Friday we brought news regarding Honeycomb on the HTC Flyer. What happened is a RUU build of Honeycomb 3.2 with Sense UI for tablets was leaked for the HTC Flyer, a device we still weren’t sure would even get the update to Honeycomb in the first place. MoDaCo’s Paul O’Brien and many others have been working hard and things are developing already.


While the developers are still hard at work getting this safely and easily flashable for users to enjoy we are now starting to at least see some screenshots as well as instructions for those that dare take the early plunge. The developers at xda globatron posted a few screenshots seen above and was nice enough to also provide instructions for flashing Honeycomb on your own Flyer. I wont give details here as the process is very involved and not very stable at the moment but Paul O’Brien and other devs should have things running in no time.
So far things looks great and according to globatron, most apps and games work fine but the device would rather be in portrait mode and a few apps are being cut off in landscape. Remember this is a leaked development build and in no way the final product from HTC although things look very similar to the recently released HTC Jetstream.

It appears we will have a flashable zip for users to try soon enough, and the update will probably be coming from HTC here in the next month or two, we hope. Stay tuned for more details as this all gets uncovered.
[via XDA]

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