Vendor News

Sell a Samsung Android, Give Microsoft Cash

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Microsoft announces a patent portfolio cross-licensing agreement with Samsung covering mobile devices from each company-- simply put, Microsoft will receive unspecified royalties for each Android device Samsung sells. 

Microsoft SamsungMicrosoft and Samsung now also have a cooperation agreement in Windows Phone development and marketing. 

Samsung is hardly the first company to pay out royalties to Microsoft-- HTC reportedly pays Microsoft $5 for every Android it sells. 

Will the Microsoft-Samsung deal "open a new chapter of collaboration" building up to the Windows Phone "Mango" launch? We can't tell, but we do know Motorola is the only major phone maker without Microsoft patent licenses...

Go Microsoft and Samsung Broaden Smartphone Partnership

Buying Patents as Smartphone Lawsuit Defence

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Google buys 1023 patents from IBM in a bid to bolster "its strategy of defending against smartphone lawsuits", according to Bloomberg. 

Google IBM]Confirming the patent sale are records from the US patent and Trademark Office website. 

This is hardly the first time Google buys patents-- last July Google bought 1030 other patents from IBM, while recent acquisition Motorola provides more than 17000 patents. 

Android is open source and depends on a number of features not created by Google itself-- resulting in a system vulnerable to lawsuits. 

HTC, Samsung and Motorola are all going through lawsuits by Apple while Microsoft and Motorola exchange patent-infringement allegations, as vendors appear to prefer settling their differences in patents courts-- rather than the market. 

Go Google Buys 1023 IBM Patents (Bloomberg)

Go US Patent and Trademark Office Records

Galaxy Tab 10.1 Banned in Germany

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Apple wins one against Samsung-- the Düsseldorf court bans the sale of Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablets across Germany (but not in other EU countries), Bloomberg reports.

Galaxy TabThe court order follows the ban of sales and marketing of the new Galaxy Tab 7.7, as well upholds part of the earlier preliminary injunctions ordering the temporary ban on Samsung tablet sales across the EU. 

Presiding Judge Johanna Brueckner-Hofman says “The court is of the opinion that Apple’s minimalistic design isn’t the only technical solution to make a tablet computer, other designs are possible,” continuing that the case has "nothing to do with trademarks or patents" but whether the Samsung tablet looks like registered Apple designs. 

Samsung says it will appeal, in a statement following the ruling. 

Go Apple Wins German Ban on Samsung Tablet (Bloomberg)

Amazon's Future Tablet "Is Very Real"

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If one is to believe TechCrunch, the much rumoured Amazon tablet "is very real," bears the name "Amazon Kindle" and is a 7" Android-based device.

Amazon resizeWe've been hearing Amazon tablet rumours for a while now-- most recently saying the company put orders for touch panel displays for 2 different devices codenamed "Coyote" and "Hollywood."

TechCrunch speaks of a 7" tablet with a capacitative touchscreen (not e-ink) running a custom Android version that "looks nothing like the Android you're used to seeing".

Amazon integrates its services in the devices-- with a Kindle app serving as ebook reader and Amazon Android Appstore handling app store duties (with Android Market "nowhere to be found").

The device itself apprently comes in rubbery black (similar to the PlayBook) and lacks cameras. It will be wifi-only-- at least until launch.

The 7" Amazon tablet should come out soon (in October) with a 10" version following next year.

TechCrunch concludes by saying Amazon is also working on a multi-touch screen/e-ink hybrid device "that's nowhere completion". More news will surely be available, as soon as it leaks out.

Go Amazon's Kindle Tablet is Very Real (TechCrunch)

Go Amazon's Future Tablet Plans?

Arise from the Grave: The TouchPad is (sort of) Back

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HP will produce one last TouchPad run to "meet unfulfilled demand" sometime in the near future-- despite recently announcing the end to webOS hardware manufacture.

TouchPadsHow come? Very simple, actually. We all know there's one thing customers really like-- and that's a good bargain. And following the announcement, HP slashed remaining TouchPad inventory prices to $100 (16G model) and $150 (32GB)...

Now retailers report cases of TouchPads (mysteriously?) vanishing from their shelves, with Best Buy selling 350000 TouchPads in just 24 hours.

Will HP resell the newly manufactured tablets at the same low, low price? Probably... not-- iSuppli estimates a 32GB Touchpad costs HP $318 to make, while the 16GB model costs $296.

Either way, HP got one of its wishes fulfilled-- the TouchPad is now the no. 2 best selling tablet on the US market  following the iPad (what else?) according to Fast Company.

Go More TouchPads on the Way Announcement

Go The Strange Case of the Disappearing TouchPads

Go Out of the PC Business: HP's Garage Sale

Go HP TouchPad Carries $318 Bill of Materials (IHS iSuppli)

Go HP's Dead TouchPad Claims no. 2 Best-Selling Tablet Spot (Fast Company)