Daily News Courier

Brazil rules Apple doesn’t have exclusive rights to iPhone trademark

It's a slightly bizarre feeling, but in Brazil, this Android smartphone is the iPhone. And, thanks to a ruling by Brazilian regulators, it can continue to be called the iPhone, as Apple has been ruled not to have exclusive rights to the trademark in the country. The key item involved in the dispute — local company Gradiente registered the iPhone trademark there in 2000, some 7 years before the first Apple iPhone. Apple's argument centered on the fact that while the trademark may have been filed, Gradiente failed to release a handset under the moniker until 2012.

Speaking to the BBC, the Institute of Industrial Property (INPI) said they expect an appeal to the decision from Apple. They also went on to declare that the decision only applies to handsets, and that Apple still has exclusive rights to the iPhone term on clothing, in publications and in software. Apple can still sell the iPhone in Brazil, but as it stands Gradiente has the option to sue for exclusivity. 

The iPhone Neo One is available for 599 reals ($304/£196.) 

Source: BBC

This week’s sidebar poll: Who will be Android’s top OEM in 2013?

In 2012, it was hard to compete with Samsung's $12 Billion electronics marketing budget. Even Apple has felt the pinch from Samsung's marketing department. They figured out that building the products that people like wasn't enough — you had to make sure they knew about their existence. And they did a hell of an advertising job on "old" media like magazines and newspaper, TV, and the Internet. It paid off pretty well, as they are the undisputed top dog in Android, and sell the most smartphones world-wide. The only issue with their plan is that other OEMs can copy it.

That brings us to 2013, where we've yet to see the real advertising push for the next round of Android devices. You can bet every manufacturer is studying what Samsung has done in 2012, and tweaking those plans to better suit the needs of their own massive ad assault. Some will be successful, some won't, but they all have to try. They have the devices down — every company builds great Android phones, now they just need to figure out how to sell them.

The one sure bet is that things will be interesting. One small flounder by Samsung is all it would take, and fickle users will switch loyalties to the next company in short order. Or maybe LG will decide to open their coffers and spend a few more Billion on marketing. Or maybe HTC can reorganize and wow us at the cash register. Stranger things have happened, and a turnover at the top is best for the consumer — it keeps everyone making our phones and tablets fighting for our business. 

Here's your chance to play smart phone analyst. Spend a few minutes thinking of the different scenarios that could happen, decide which is the most likely, and vote in the poll. You'll find it over to the right in the sidebar, and we've embedded it after the break to make it easy. I've marked my calendar, and we'll revisit this in December to see how we all did.

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Get a free flip cover and tectiles from Samsung for registering your device

Samsung is running a promotion on its official Facebook page that lets Galaxy Note 2 and Galaxy SIII (S3) users get their hands on a free flip cover and set of 6 TecTiles for registering their device. All you have to do is head to the Samsung Facebook page, click the "Holiday Offers" button and then follow through to register your device. While quantities last, you can get some free swag for giving Samsung a little information about yourself. You'll need an active Facebook account and authorize the Samsung "app" for your page, but that's about it.

Registering your phone with the manufacturer may already be something you want to do, so might as well get something free for it, right? Head to the source links below to get your own.

Source: Samsung Galaxy Note 2 Forums; Samsung (Facebook)

Testing the Google Now ‘what’s this song’ feature

With the big update to Google Search today, there were a few really cool features dropped into Google Now. They're all pretty useful, but the "what's this song" feature is one we can have some fun with. Since Phil and I like really cool hipster stuff you've probably never heard of pretty crappy music, we decided to give it a test.

You might not know it to look at us, but Phil is a headbanger at heart, and I'm that guy from high school with the blue mohawk and leather boots. We like music that most well-adjusted people don't and decided to see what Google could do with it. The results were a mixed bag.

To get started on an experiment of your own, just fire up Google Now (yes, you need Jelly Bean) and tap the voice search button. Lean into the mic and ask "What's this song?" It will register for a sec, then tell you it's listening. Let it hear the music for a few, and it will come back with either an answer or tell you it has no clue what you're listening to.

On the surface, it looks like indy metal music and 1970s hardcore punk really trips up the service. We went about 50-50 with the less-that-socially acceptable stuff. After further investigation, it seems like it only finds music that Google sells in the Play Store. Makes sense, as they have all those tracks digitized for the "coming" music match style service.

We had a little fun with it, but really for the most part it's gonna find what you're listening to. Hit the break and see just how deep it can go if it needs to. Find a failure? Sing out in the comments.

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Apple launches iOS 6.1 beta build 2 to devs

In the first days kickstarting November, Apple was busy releasing iOS build 6.0.1 but also sending the beta version of iOS 6.1 off to the developer community for inspection. This week, however, Cupertino produced a second beta version of iOS 6.1 which is currently on its way to devs. A beta update for Xcode and the Apple TV was also launched.

The build number for this version is 10B5105c and is described by the mother company as containing essential bug fixes and other enhancements compared with the previous version. For example the latest beta features a brand new design for the Passport card that will walk new users through all the features of the app. Panorama support gains functionality again with this build and there are rumors that users will be able to download individual tracks when using iTunes Match.

iOS Developers who are currently registered in the Apple database can download the new iOS version from the Apple Dev Center. The build is compatible with the iPad 2, iPad 3, iPad 4, iPad mini, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 5, iPod touch of the 4th and 5thgeneration.

Devices that already have iOS 6.1 Beta 1 can easily be upgraded to the current version by accessing these settings: General->Software Update (found in the Settings app).

By Radu

Source – Apple Seeds Second iOS 6.1 Beta to Developers – Mac Rumors

UK appeals court orders Apple to pay Samsung’s legal fees

Previously on Patent Wars — Apple sues Samsung in the UK over alleged copying of its iPad design, loses, appeals, loses again, and is ordered to publish statements in leading publications and its on own website indicating that Samsung didn't infringe upon its registered design. Only Apple's initial (and rather passive-aggressive) statement, referencing legal victories in other countries, saw it falling foul of the British judiciary. In recent weeks, a revised statement appeared on Apple's site and in some UK newspapers.

Now the Court of Appeals of England and Wales has ordered Apple to pay all of the costs of Samsung's legal defense on an indemnity basis, on account of the court's "disapproval of [Apple's] conduct." Today's judgment reads –

As to the costs (lawyers' fees) to be awarded against Apple, we concluded that they should be on an indemnity basis. Such a basis (which is higher than the normal, "standard" basis) can be awarded as a mark of the court's disapproval of a party's conduct, particularly in relation to its respect for an order of the court. Apple's conduct warranted such an order.

The judgment also deconstructs Apple's original statement line-by-line, variously describing it as "false and misleading" and "calculated to produce huge confusion," and taking particular issue with references to rulings in Apple's favor in Germany and the U.S. As such, Apple must now open its wallet, in addition to continuing to display the legally-mandated statement on its UK site.

The revised statement must remain on Apple's site for one month.

Source: Balilii; via: The Verge

Groupon Will Take Your Order

With its iPad-based point-of-sale service, can it become an “operating system for local commerce”?

This week, Groupon launches a point-of-sale service for restaurants across the country, reports Reuters. (A point-of-sale service, in essence, replaces a cash register.) The service, called Breadcrumb, had been tested in some 100 New York restaurants, bars, and cafes before the wider launch. The service runs on the iPad—it

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Microlatch and Apple Said to be Working on Fingerprint Security

AppleInsider reports today that according to The Australian, start-up company Microlatch has inked a deal with Apple to develop fingerprint ID technology. The information comes from David Murray, who is a lead investor for the company, although unfortunately he was not prepared to divulge much more on the matter. AppleInsider explains that Microlatch is the owner of a patent for ?self-registering? fingerprint biometrics that fulfil banking security standards and do not require processing or storage. AppleInsider posits that Apple seems to be looking into a biometric security solution to work alongside NFC to enable secure digital payments. This follows on from Apple?s acquisition of fingerprint sensor maker AuthenTec in July for $356 million, presumably so that Apple would now have access to AuthenTec?s Smart Sensor fingerprint reader. It seems that Apple is still a long way off implementing such technology, however, as people are understandably wary of such payment methods unless they know that they are completely secure.

Source: Rumor: Apple strikes deal with Australian start-up Microlatch for fingerprint security tech

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