Linux patent protection network gets boost from Facebook, HP…as others Intensify Linux war

Facebook, HP, and the OpenStack project have joined the Open Invention Network (OIN), a consortium of organizations intent on protecting Linux and related open-source software from legal attack.

On Wednesday, the OIN announced that in the first quarter, 74 new organizations joined its "community" as licensees, including Fujitsu, Rackspace, and Juniper as well as Facebook, HP, and OpenStack, the latter of which is an open source "build-your-own-cloud" group co-founded by Rackspace. Licensees agree not to use their Linux-related patents against each other, and they receive free access to a collection of additional patents purchased by the consortium as a whole.

The OIN was founded in 2005 by IBM, NEC, Novell, Phillips, Red Hat, and Sony. It now owns 300 Linux-related patents, and through its licenses, it has access to more than 2,000 others. The idea is to allow its members to continue to "innovate" atop Linux without worrying about the threat of patent-related lawsuits. Google is also an OIN member. In 2007, it became the organization's first "end-user licensee", meaning it didn't sell, distribute, or develop Linux code. At the time, it only used Linux within the company. But it has since launched Linux-based products such as Android and Chrome OS.

The irony here is that Oracle is a member as well. In signing the OIN's royalty free licensing agreement, members vow not to assert their patents against what's called "the Linux System". But this didn't stop Oracle from suing Google over its use of Java in Android, which is built on the Linux kernel.

Even before Oracle's suit, patent watcher Florian Muller and others criticized the organization, saying it doesn't really provide the type of protection you might assume that it does. "I've always said that there's no evidence it has ever helped any company (the latest example is Salesforce, which apparently pays royalties to Microsoft for a variety of patents including some that rely on Linux)...The OIN doesn't truly protect all of FOSS but only an arbitrarily defined list of program files," Muller said when Oracle's suit arrived.

"Oracle's lawsuit against Google is the strongest evidence that my concerns about the Open Invention Network are well-founded. Both Oracle and Google are OIN licensees, so in theory there is a non-aggression pact in place between them, but everyone can see that Oracle sues Google anyway because the OIN's scope of protection is too narrow."

Paradoxically, Google -- which is fighting lawsuits against Linux-based Android -- is moving up from licensee status to an associate membership, joining Canonical of Ubuntu Linux fame as the only companies with the second-highest level of OIN membership. Yahoo also joined as a licensee late last year. One major threat to Linux -- the SCO vs. Novell case -- has gone by the boards since the Open Invention Network was founded, but threats remain, according to OIN CEO Keith Bergelt.

Microsoft hasn't pursued its claim that Linux and open source software violate 235 Microsoft patents, but "behind the scenes, they're still very active," Bergelt said. If Windows desktop market share ever erodes, Microsoft could become more lawsuit-happy. "They will continue to represent a potential source of antagonism toward Linux," he said.

But Microsoft is not the only company that potentially threatens Linux, according to Bergelt. "It's really just anybody who supports proprietary platforms and has a large [patent] portfolio that it likes to continue to use to be able to discourage choice," he said. "There will always be those who will be looking at Linux potentially threatening their livelihood, their way of life."

The OIN's goal is not to prevent legitimate use of patents to secure royalties when others infringe upon inventions, Bergelt said. The goal is to foster an open environment in which people can innovate without being subjected to frivolous claims, and prevent the tech industry form being dominated by "incremental innovation, which is a euphemism for mediocrity," he said.

Make way for new ACER Tablet – Iconia Tab W500

The tablet space is as hot as a Roman candle, but few of the new designs run Windows 7. Acer is changing all of that with the release of the unique Iconia Tab W500 tablet that has a detachable keyboard that turns the thin slate into a full-fledged Windows notebook. The Iconia Tab W500 starts at N85,000 and includes the keyboard dock.

The Acer's 10 inch Iconia Tab features an innovative hybrid design that allows the user to use it as a multi-touch tablet or, when docked into the keyboard, have its function as a laptop computer. Under its hood, the device is powered by a 1GHz dual-core C50 AMD Fusion processor, with a Radeon HD 6250 graphics core built into the processor, 2GB of expandable RAM and up to six hours of battery life.

The HP tc1100 is a hybrid design of a slate with detachable keyboard. The tc1100 was the end of the useful hybrid designs, until now. The Acer Iconia Tab W500 provides the best of both worlds: a Windows tablet that is thin and light (2.14 lbs.) and a full notebook with the keyboard attached. The keyboard dock (1.34 lbs.) attaches to the slate with a magnetic linking mechanism designed for easy operation.

As everyone anticipates the arrival of the Motorola Xoom, the 10 inch Samsung Galaxy Tab and the BlackBerry Playbook as alternative tablet devices to the iPad, Acer's Iconia Tab W500's that debuted last week is set to fill that much needed spot in competing with Apple's mighty slate.

The Iconia Tab W500 made its debut last week during a product launch by Acer. "The device runs a full Windows 7 Home Premium operating system instead of a modified mobile OS found on Android tablets and the iPad. Simply put, its a full computer that enables users to perform all the tasks they normally would on a normal computer without much fuss," said an Acer official.

"In addition, attaching the tablet onto its keyboard dock allows the Iconia Tab to function just like a normal laptop computer, so you have a tablet and a notebook for the price of one. When you get an iPad for instance, you will still need a real computer in order to do real computer tasks. With the Iconia Tab, you get the best of both worlds," he added.

Concepts Computers will also begin selling the Acer Iconia 484G64 dual touchscreen laptop computer, which also made its debut last week with the Iconia Tab. The Iconia 484G64 will be priced at $1,688 and will be sold alongside the Iconia Tab. "We are waiting for the first shipment of stock to arrive sometime this week, and we will tie in with a promotion for the first 100 customers who purchase the Iconia computers," they added.

Fujitsu develops world’s smallest vein authentication sensor

Fujitsu claims to have designed the smallest contact-free palm print authentication sensor which can be used for biometric authentication in PCs. Existing palm print authentication technology requires a person’s palm to be held motionless over device in order to capture an image of the palm.Fujitsu said that its high-speed image-capture function can continuously capture up to 20 frames per second, as well as a feature that can instantly pick out the best image for authentication and automatically verify it. The result is that users do not need to hold their hand motionless over the sensor, as before, but can instead perform authentication by simply placing their palm lightly over the sensor.

The sensor is 29.0 mm wide, 11.2 mm tall, and 29.0 mm thick. The design is based on a photographic optical system that is half as thick as previous models. “This smaller size greatly increases the range of devices into which the sensor can be incorporated,” said Fujitsu.

Biometric authentication is increasingly being used in ID cards and passports to identify individuals based on their biological characteristics. The authentication system reads the pattern of veins in the palm or finger. It can be accurate and is more difficult to forge or impersonate.

Relying just on a password to keep the data secure on a laptop is not a great idea, especially if it contains very sensitive information. Drive encryption, and the ability to remotely wipe your machine are both becoming popular security options. If you want a uniqie way to identify yourself at login, though, the best choice at the moment is a fingerprint reader which some laptops ship with.

Fujitsu has actually improved upon fingerprint identification, however, and is pushing ahead with vein authentication sensors. These senors look at the palm of your hand and identify your vein pattern which is unique. The benefit of such a system is it requires no contact with the hand. The problems are various, though, with sensors being too big to deploy in a mobile device, and not being able to cope with any movement of your hand meaning lots of bad reads and an extended authentication process for the user. Those problems seem to have been solved now as Fujitsu has just unveiled its smallest and slimmest ever vein sensor, thought to be the smallest in the world. With its size,, it is small enough to be incorporated into a laptop or other portable gadgets.

Fujitsu managed to slim down the sensor significantly by using a new lighting system that fits into half the space of previous models. The result is a sensor that could be an option on your next laptop.

Fujitsu didn’t just stop at miniaturization, though. The other big problem was handling movement, so the new sensor was made capable of capturing multiple images at 20fps. That means it can pick the best image from a sample and get a clearer reading with a vastly improved success rate. It also means a faster authentication process for the user.

Vein authentication is desirable because it relies on an invisible pattern of veins making it very secure. It also requires no contact with the user’s hand making it hygienic for high-traffic authentication, and with Fujitsu’s new sensor it is now very fast and error free too.

Yahoo set to shutdown Buzz…to start keeping records for 18months

At last Yahoo! Buzz is shutting down. Yahoo! recently told Buzz users that the site service will not be available after April 21. "Yahoo! Buzz will be discontinued as of April 21, 2011. As of this date, you will be unable to access the Yahoo! Buzz site," a note posted on Yahoo! said. "This was a hard decision. However this will help us focus on our core strengths and new innovations."

Yahoo had launched Buzz in 2008, giving users a community platform where they could share news stories. It was supposed to be a competitor to website like Digg and Reddit. But for some strange reasons, never endeared itself to users.

Yahoo's decision to pull plug on Buzz was first reported in December last year when a confidential slide got leaked on twitter. The same slide claimed that Yahoo would also shut down Delicious, Yahoo Picks and Yahoo Bookmarks. Of these services, Buzz is the first one to close down officially. The slide claimed that shutting down of aforementioned services was necessary for the company to return to profit after 2011.

Among others, Yahoo! Picks and Yahoo! Bookmarks were touted as the weak pawns for Yahoo!, and that the axe would fall on them, too. However, at the end, it is the Buzz that has been silenced.

Yahoo has also stated that it will now extend the length of time it keeps search data to 18 months, bringing it in line with rivals and marking a significant backtrack on its privacy promises. Yahoo previously kept search information for only 90 days after a decision in late 2008 to take the lead as the most privacy-conscious search engine. Now it rejoins Google and Microsoft, both of which keep search logs for 18 months.

Yahoo used to anonymise data after roughly three months by cutting out parts of users' IP addresses, altering cookies, and deleting other personal information that could lead to identification of a user. It's not certain if Yahoo will continue to do this after 18 months, but even if it does the move marks a six-fold increase in the time Yahoo will keep records on file. More worryingly, Yahoo indicated that it might also keep other kinds of user information for longer periods.

"Yahoo is absolutely backtracking from what had been an industry-leading position," Erica Newland, a policy analyst at privacy watchdog group Center for Democracy & Technology, told Associated Press.

It's not entirely clear why Yahoo decided to reverse its earlier promises, but the deal last year with Microsoft to combine their search engine efforts might have had something to do with it. Since Bing operates on an 18-month cycle before deleting logs Microsoft might have asked Yahoo to fall in line if it's using its search algorithms.

Sagem Wireless now MobiWire...Launches Android UI For Smartphones

MobiWire, formerly Sagem Wireless, has announced its open OS user interface software, Surface, as part of a strategic transition to focus on user experience and connected services integrated into branded consumer electronics (CE) devices and professional industrial applications.  MobiWire combines user interface software connected to cloud-based content with its award winning device design to take global and luxury brands mobile. From design to delivery, MobiWire connects brands’ customers to services through customized connected CE devices.

Building on the company’s 15-year heritage of mobile operator relationships and handset development, MobiWire delivers brand-customized wireless devices based on advanced open and standard compliant technology.  MobiWire enables its customers and partners to deliver connected CE devices that quickly and economically allow them to engage with their consumers in a new way. MobiWire works with retail and luxury brands like FNAC and Porsche Design, device OEMs, and industrial device systems integrators to design, develop and deliver connected CE devices based on industry standard reference platforms.

A key part of this focus on connected CE devices is the MobiWire Design Lab and its most recent patented invention, Surface, an enhanced Android user experience.  Surface simplifies the complexities of Android by surfacing content and applications so they are easy to access and use. “With our increasingly powerful handset and tablet devices, the user interface, both physical and digital, can open or limit the potential of the device and the services it delivers.  Using intelligence to improve experience, Surface presents content from applications and the web, removing the need to navigate between them and simplifying access to a connected experience,” said Jerome Nadel, EVP User Experience at MobiWire.

MobiWire works with brands to deliver connected CE devices with a distinctive and customised user experience that is highly differentiated and customized for the requirements of specific user micro-segments.   System integrators work with MobiWire to develop smart connected devices for professional and industrial vertical markets based on a proven 2G/3G and forthcoming LTE core platforms.

MobiWire has also launched Surface UXTM, a surface user interface for Android smartphones that simplifies usage and encourages exploration and conversion. Surface UX builds on the full potential of the open Android platform to create a rich and intuitive user experience that combines personalization with a deeply branded and connected experience. MobiWire integrates user interface software connected to cloud-based content with its award winning device design to take global brands mobile.

Surface UX enhances the standard Android user interface (UI) to create a consumer-ready and engaging user experience by aggregating content and presenting it in a contextualized and easily navigable and surfaced UI. MobiWire has made both general usability improvements to the basic Android UI and developed a series of patented Surface Apps which act as ‘super widgets’, aggregating relevant content into a series of UI panes that can be defined and branded by the service provider. By providing a direct connection into a back-end infrastructure, MobiWire’s Surface UX helps drive users’ discovery, consumption and engagement with a brand’s digital assets, leading to service and mCommerce conversion.

“We are already in a post-app world where silos of data are being superseded by an aggregated, real-time, multi-tasking user experience,” said Jerome Nadel, EVP User Experience at MobiWire. “As we look beyond apps, the user interface is a dynamic environment where multiple feeds of data, content and services come together to create a definable experience. By bringing the principles of relevance, context and intuition to the UI design process, Surface UX delivers a connected user experience that is unmatched in the way it takes full advantage of the power and flexibility of the Android platform, creating a UI that encourages usage and exploration, and simplifies conversion to buy services and products.”

“An optimized Android UI simplifies the out-of-the box experience, encourages usage and device mastery” said Sylvain Gommier, director of User Experience at MobiWire. “The general improvements to the Android UI, together with the patented Surface Apps, mean the content that matters most can be aggregated, surfaced and presented in a way that is consistent, easy to navigate and contextualized.”

Aviat Networks Advance Synchronization Over Microwave Backhaul

Aviat Networks, Inc., a leader in wireless transmission solutions, has announced it is among the first companies to join the Symmetricom®, Inc, SyncWorld™ Ecosystem Program for delivering tested solutions for mobile backhaul synchronization over packet microwave networks. Collaborating with Symmetricom strengthens Aviat Networks' solution portfolio for IP network migration by adding IEEE 1588v2 synchronization capability, which enables the smooth introduction of 4G/LTE. This solution capability is in addition to Synchronous Ethernet (SyncE), which was added to Aviat's Eclipse platform in late 2010.

Maintaining accurate timing and synchronization in mobile networks is critical for successful call "hand off" when mobile users are traveling between cell sites and to ensure overall voice quality and performance is maintained. As mobile operators migrate their backhaul networks to Ethernet to efficiently handle the vast amounts of growing data and video traffic, a reliable method of maintaining synchronization over packet network is required. Precision Time Protocol, standardized as IEEE 1588v2, has become the de facto standard for packet timing.

Aviat Networks and Symmetricom jointly completed extensive performance and interoperability tests to verify the performance of 1588v2 timing over various complex microwave backhaul network configurations under real-world deployment scenarios, including a 10-hop microwave backhaul network supporting Adaptive Coding and Modulation (ACM).

"As networks migrate to Ethernet backhaul for LTE deployments, Symmetricom is committed to developing industry-leading carrier grade timing and synchronization solutions that ensure a smoother transition to packet based services," says Manish Gupta, vice president of marketing at Symmetricom. "We're delighted to have Aviat Networks join the SyncWorld Ecosystem Program and look forward to further collaboration."

Symmetricom also announced the launch of its SyncWorld™ Ecosystem Program to support precise timing and synchronization requirements for 4G/LTE deployments that ensure seamless integration for service provider networks. The SyncWorld™ Ecosystem Program represents all elements of the mobile value chain from embedded to network equipment manufacturers.

"Our relationship with Symmetricom enriches the solution options available to our customers globally, allowing Aviat Networks to combine a mix of superior wireless and timing technologies with professional support services and end-to-end management to deliver a cost-effective and versatile backhaul solution," says Shaun McFall, senior vice president and chief marketing officer of Aviat Networks.

While praising the collaboration, the country manager of Aviat Networks Nigeria Olawale Osimosu, restated the commitment of the wireless solutions provider to advance the penetration of 4G/LTE telecommunications networks in Nigeria as the fastest growing telecommunications market in the world. According to Mr. Osimosu, “The success that resulted from the collaboration between Aviat Networks and SyncWorld provides assurance to mobile operators even in Nigeria, which are currently deploying or planning to deploy IEEE 1588v2 timing over packet microwave”. He expressed confidence that Aviat Networks Nigeria has the technical capability to support the local telecommunications industry.

LG Show Off Social Networking TV and 3D Capabilities At NAB 2011

As mobile digital television broadcasts ramp up this year, the television receiver of the future will fit in the palm of your hand and do much more than just deliver breaking news, weather alerts, and favorite shows. In fact, the very digital TV broadcasting system used to deliver today’s information and entertainment programming to mobile devices can also deliver up-to-the second social networking updates, engaging three-dimensional (3D) telecasts, and electronic coupons that would help eliminate the need to clip or print out coupons.

The first mobile digital TV that displays 3D images broadcast via the ATSC Mobile DTV Standard is being demonstrated by LG Electronics at the 2011 NAB Show here this week. The prototype 7-inch receiver is designed with auto-stereoscopic capability that eliminates the need for special viewing glasses to see stunning 3D TV images. LG also will show an innovative social network services application for the first time. Viewers engaged with Tweet-TV would be able to interact with program content and submit their comments on programs. The broadcaster consolidates the real-time comments and transmits those short messages with the video and audio, enabling a transparent conversational overlay. The application enables viewers to carry on an open discussion of program content or reply to questions that could be part of an audience quiz.

In addition, to show how local TV broadcasters can now offer more than just linear TV channels, LG Electronics is showing its first Android-enabled smartphone prototype equipped with Mobile Digital TV (MDTV) reception, which offers conditional access functionality for future subscription broadcasts and the capability of receiving “non-real time” data such as electronic coupons or “real-time” data reception with applications like Tweet-TV.

“The ATSC Mobile DTV standard offers broadcasters remarkable flexibility to address the changing demands of consumers and advertisers,” said Dr. Skott Ahn, president and chief technology officer, LG Electronics, Inc. “As broadcasters continue their national rollout of Mobile DTV, LG is proud to lead the transition with the latest innovations in mobile DTV services like 3D and applications like Tweet-TV and Electronic Coupons.”

The demonstrations are made possible through a cooperative effort with Harris Corporation, which has developed the necessary MDTV transmission equipment, and local DTV broadcasters KLAS-TV, 8 News NOW in Las Vegas. Roundbox, a leading mobile software provider, is providing non-real time data services that power the Smartphone coupon application, as well as the Electronic Services Guide (ESG) for all three of the innovative applications for ATSC MDTV.

In collaboration with Roundbox, LG is demonstrating the new “Tweet-TV” mobile DTV application that will allow viewer “tweets” to be displayed interactively on a mobile DTV receiver while a program is airing. A Harris MDTV transmitter will deliver viewer tweets that are received as data files and displayed in a transparent panel over a portion of the LG mobile DTV screen, a prototype version of an LG Android smartphone.

In the Las Vegas demonstration, the 3D signals are being internally transmitted at the Convention Center to receivers throughout the North Hall. Receiving the signal is LG’s prototype receiver built around the LG2161 demodulator chip and LG-exclusive 3D formatting circuitry that combines the side-by-side left and right images for seamless viewing without the need for 3D eyewear commonly used for 3D TVs. The seven-inch barrier-type LCD display shows lifelike 3D images that appear to jump right off the screen. With its built-in antenna, the device also receives conventional 2D 416x240 resolution MDTV broadcasts and scales images up to 800x480 resolution. It also functions as an attractive digital photo frame when not being used as a Mobile DTV receiver.

New Apple hybrid Thunderbolt connector could signal faster syncing

Apple has been awarded a patent for a new hybrid connector that combines several high-speed data technologies onto a single 30-pin connector. Uncovered by Patently Apple, the connector would support USB 2.0, USB 3.0, and Dual-lane DisplayPort -- now being referred to as "Thunderbolt."

Thunderbolt is an effort between Intel and Apple, and is said to deliver transfer speeds of up to 10Gbps. USB 3.0 could be seen as a competing technology, but the Cupertino company seems to be preparing itself by developing a connector that could support both.

 It should be noted that the said connector would be on the device itself. The ports for USB 3.0 and Thunderbolt are different: this means devices that wish to connect to either port would have to obviously ship with a separate cable for each.

Aiming to support both technologies from the beginning could be a smart move. Apple was out ahead of competitors when it worked to push FireWire as a next generation successor to the original USB standard. However, peripheral manufacturers instead chose USB 2.0, and FireWire was relegated to a small subset of devices, mainly intended for use with the Mac platform.

The patent images show the connector as part of an iOS device, which seems to be the most logical use for such a technology. With Apple's focus seemingly now being in these accessory devices, having a system that allows syncing in a matter of seconds seems to make a lot of sense.

While USB 2.0 has sped up syncing, in the case of iOS devices the process can take upwards of a minute or more depending on the amount of data being transferred between the device and the computer.

However, it does appear as if Apple has much bigger plans for this new connector: the patent documents state that this would be an option on "future Mac hardware" as well. Indeed, Apple's quite serious about Thunderbolt: it's currently looking for a "Software Quality Engineer" that would be tasked with ensuring the quality of its hardware and software solutions that include the technology.

HTC Posts Record Sales, overtakes Nokia, debuts iPhone-killer – Thunderbolt!

HTC Corp., the Taiwanese mobile device company which overtook Nokia Oyj this week as the world’s third-largest phonemaker by market value, posted record quarterly profit and sales on demand for smartphones.

Net income almost tripled to NT$14.8 billion ($513 million) in the first quarter from NT$5 billion a year earlier, the Taoyuan, Taiwan-based company said in a statement recently. That was higher than the NT$12.8 billion average of 18 analyst estimates compiled by Bloomberg.

Sales more than doubled as HTC benefited from rising demand for smartphones that use Google’s Android system and models that offer higher connection speeds. Profits may gain further this quarter as the company begins selling new devices including its first tablet computer, according to analyst estimates compiled by Bloomberg.

“We expect HTC’s new model launches in the second quarter to drive stronger shipment growth than peers in the next two quarters,” Jeff Pu, an analyst at Fubon Financial Holding Co. in Taipei who recommends investors “buy” the stock, wrote in a report.

HTC said mid January that it expected to ship 8.5 million units for the quarter, more than double that of a year earlier and its second-highest following the 9.1 million sold in the fourth quarter. Net income may climb in the second quarter to NT$16.4 billion, according to the median of three analyst estimates compiled by Bloomberg in the past 28 days.

Between ThunderBolt and Iphone, revenue rose to NT$104.2 billion, beating HTC’s own forecast for NT$94 billion, and surpassing the NT$95 billion average of 20 analyst estimates compiled by Bloomberg. That figure may climb to NT$112 billion this quarter, according to analyst estimates from the past 28 days.

The company’s ThunderBolt handset, using fourth-generation high speed networks, equaled sales of Apple’s iPhone in 61 percent of the 150 Verizon Wireless stores surveyed by New York- based BTIG LLC, analyst Walter Piecyk wrote in a March 31 report. ThunderBolt outsold iPhone in 28 percent of stores, according to the survey.

“Several respondents indicated that the store lines were longer for the first day of the ThunderBolt launch than they were for the iPhone,” Piecyk wrote. “Verizon sales people indicated that sales of the iPhone were still strong but they simply noted that the ThunderBolt was as strong if not stronger.”

The Taiwanese company’s first tablet, HTC Flyer, was unveiled on Feb. 15. Sales will begin in the second quarter, rivaling Apple’s iPad and Samsung’s Galaxy. Flyer has a smaller screen and higher-resolution camera than Apple’s iPad2.

So far, HTC’s stock, which has tripled in the past year, fell 3.3 percent to NT$1,160 at the 1:30 p.m. close of Taipei trading before the earnings were announced. Its market value surpassed that of Nokia on April 6, putting it behind only Apple and Samsung, before dropping back below the Finnish rival in trading.

Global shipments of smartphones climbed 72 percent last year, more than double the 32 percent growth in the wider mobile devices market, researcher Gartner Inc. said in a Feb. 9 statement. Smartphones, the only type of phone HTC makes, accounted for 19 percent of market shipments last year, it said.

Google’s Android operating system, which HTC uses for its handsets and tablets, will run on 49 percent of smartphones sold globally next year, from 39 percent this year and 23 percent last year, Stamford, Connecticut-based Gartner said in a statement. The software platform will stay ahead of Research in Motion Inc.’s BlackBerry, and Apple’s iOS, it said.

The HTC ThunderBolt 4G Smartphone had Verizon put out a first sample in January but the launch and availability in stores is only now expected. One feature many are eager to see and experience is this Android OS generously sized 4.3-inch WVGA display, that 840 by 480 in the unique shape of a bar with a hind kickstand. The 8-megapixel rear-facing camera and another front-facing one that facilitates video conferencing will be another marvel. It will however not come pre-loaded with any conferencing software. It was expected that Skype would be released for Android use but this has taken more time than was expected.

Being among the first 4G Smartphone’s, it is expected to have data transfer speeds of between 5 to 12 Mbps and upload speeds of 2 to 5 Mbps.

Ericsson, ZTE in patency legal battle

Ericsson has filed three patent infringement lawsuits against Chinese company ZTE. The Swedish telecoms equipment maker filed the suits in the UK, Italy and Germany after trying to reach an agreement with ZTE about licensing the patents. The development is the latest of an increasingly aggressive set of moves being taken by a number of vendors in the industry, with patent disputes erupting among Apple, Nokia, Motorola and Huawei among others.

In the latest case, Ericsson has accused ZTE of infringing some of its patents relating to GSM and WCDMA technologies. According to Ericsson, ZTE uses the patents in its handsets, its network infrastructure, or both, in the three European countries. Ericsson is planning to ask the courts to stop sales of ZTE products that use technology in which the Swedish group’s patents have allegedly been infringed. But ZTE denied the allegations and accused Ericsson of abandoning the negotiations that had been under way between the companies saying it will initiate “patent invalidation procedures” against Ericsson.

“For several years, Ericsson has made numerous attempts to sign license agreements with ZTE on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory (FRAND) terms,” the company said. “Such attempts have unfortunately been unfruitful, and we have now, as a last resort, decided to exercise our legal rights to enforce our patents against ZTE's infringing products,” the company said, noting it has signed licensing deals with more than 90 vendors.

ZTE, which said it plans to take its case to the patent re-examination board of China's State Intellectual Property Organization, said it also has been able to reach cross-licensing agreements in most cases and seldom has to resort to third-party negotiations, let alone lawsuits.

Intellectual property rights (IPR) are the lifeblood of infrastructure, chip and device manufacturers, which spend billions developing new technology and can recoup research-and-development expenses through licensing the technology to competitors. However, because the financial stakes are so huge, companies look to the courts system if they feel they are not being paid fairly for their innovations. On the other hand, because patent dispute claims can take years to resolve, companies sometimes won't level patent-infringement charges until the market or company has traction.

Patent lawsuits can take years to reach resolution. Qualcomm Inc. (QCOM) and Nokia Corp. (NOK) battled back and forth for two years before settling IPR claims. In perhaps one of the most infamous patent disputes, Research In Motion Ltd. (RIM) paid $612.5 million to NTP, a tiny Virginia-based company, to settle a five-year battle over patent claims that had been rejected by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, leading to calls for patent reform in the United States.

The case highlights growing competition between Ericsson, the world’s biggest network infrastructure maker by sales, and fast-growing Chinese rivals such as ZTE and Huawei. It also underlines the intensifying battle over intellectual property in the telecoms industry.

While smaller than Huawei, ZTE has become one of the world’s top five mobile network equipment makers and is enjoying strong growth in the handset market. The Hong Kong-listed company insisted it was committed to respecting intellectual property rights, pointing out that it filed more international patent applications last year than any other telecoms group.

In addition to seeking damages, Ericsson plans to ask courts in the UK, Italy and Germany to halt sales of ZTE products that use technology in which the Swedish group’s patents have allegedly been infringed. ZTE said it would “fight any action that intends to involve our customers in patent lawsuits”.

In the technology-intensive telecommunications industry, ZTE sees innovation as the core of the company and attaches great importance to patent strategy. The company has consistently invested 10 percent of its income on R&D including the development of an international patent strategy. As of December 31, 2010, ZTE held a total of 33,000 patents, among which, 1863 were international patent applications in 2010 as registered with WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organisation), making ZTE No.1 in the telecommunications industry and No. 2 across all industries worldwide.

When disputes over patents occur, ZTE always follows the rules of mutual respect and mutual benefits to seek reasonable solutions. To date, through negotiation and cross-licensing, ZTE has reached a consensus with most telecommunications systems and components vendors on the majority of products and has been seldom needed to resort to third party adjudication, let alone legal action.

IDC to Hold New Roadshow for Datacenter and Cloud Computing

More than 35% of Middle East CIOs are weighing up the implementation of cloud computing projects for 2011, according to International Data Corporation (IDC) as it marked the launch of its inaugural Cloud Computing and Datacenter Roadshow series on 3rd April at Jeddah's Hilton Hotel.

The latest research from the world's premier IT and communications market intelligence and events firm shows that a further 19% plan to implement cloud services, such as infrastructure as a service (IaaS), platform as a service (PaaS), and software as a service (SaaS) during 2011, with collaboration applications, email, and IT helpdesk proving to be the most popular functionalities for deployment via the cloud.

This all points to a rapid acceleration in the adoption of cloud computing as it reshapes the IT marketplace, creates new opportunities, and catalyzes changes in traditional IT offerings. Indeed, IDC expects spending on public IT cloud services worldwide to grow at five times the projected rate for traditional IT products, reaching $55.5 billion by 2014.

"With cloud computing undoubtedly becoming a market force, it is now widely recognized as one of the most important transformation processes for today's organizations, enabling new businesses to start life unimpeded by the traditional burden of IT and helping existing organizations improve their agility, reduce costs, and closely align their IT functions with the wider business goals," says Margaret Adam, research director for IT services at IDC Middle East, Africa, and Turkey. "With the increasing pressure placed on budgets, the need to consolidate and rationalize infrastructure, and the growing desire to economically and quickly provide services to a mobile, widely distributed workforce, it comes as no surprise that cloud computing is becoming a major consideration in the region."

It is against this backdrop of intense interest and staggering growth that IDC adds the Cloud Computing and Datacenter Roadshow to its portfolio of cutting-edge industry events. Hosting more than 1,400 of the region's most prominent IT decision makers as it travels across the Middle East, Africa, and Turkey over the next six months, the conference series will feature senior industry thought leaders from the world's most pioneering vendors addressing a wide array of critical issues in the field of cloud computing and datacenter adoption, including:

• The benefits and perils of moving beyond virtualization and into the cloud
• Process management and getting the most out of server virtualization
• Desktop virtualization and the compatibility of mobility and business continuity
• The ability of storage virtualization to tame data growth
• Managed datacenter services and the adoption of private cloud technologies
• Security and its impact on the selection of cloud suppliers
• The provision of a secure power supply to the datacenter

IDC is teaming up with a host of leading vendors for the Cloud Computing and Datacenter Roadshow 2011, ensuring that the conference series covers all the very latest technology developments. APC by Schneider Electric, Accenture, Dell, HP, IBM, Microsoft, Mobily, NetApp, with Trend Micro as Platinum Partners, while BMC Software, Cisco, Oracle, and Devoteam are all Gold Partners. Global Knowledge has signed up as a Silver Partner, and the Exhibition Partners are made up of Brocade, SquareOne Technologies, and Open Text. The full tour train is scheduled for Lagos Nigeria on the 18th of May 2011 at the Eko Hotels Victoria Island.

Omatek to use StyleMe concept to kick-start market

Despite its current poor form in the local PC industry of late, one of the earliest indigenous PC brands in Nigeria, Omatek® is set to make an aggressive comeback in a market that is currently dominated by its more successful rival, Zinox. In its new strategy to win back the market, Omatek has announced the launch of its StyleMe laptop design concept in Lagos.

The company has introduced ‘Style Me’ as a new range of artistic cover designs for its Smartbook and desktop casings, explaining that it complements their e-learning initiative that has been existing. The new cover designs makes it possible to customize smartbooks covers and desktop casings from a wide array of choices. At the introduction, done in Lagos Nigeria and Accra Ghana, Omatek also introduced other products including the new 11.6 inch notebook with Pine processor for fast booting and the 15.6 inch laptops with a sleek and glossy cover finishing.

“Style Me is suitable for students, teachers, lecturers and distant learning studies as well as top executives who wish to express a unique style will also find the colourful Omatek style me computer designs attractive,” Mrs. Florence Seriki, Group Managing Director and Founder of the company, stated at a media launch for the concept. Her words: “With the new Omatek ‘Style Me’ concept, Omatek smartbooks and desktops now have a unique outlook and can identify with the lifestyle of individual customers who had the opportunity to choose different characters ranging from sports-favourite football clubs, love symbols, cartoon characters for children, music icons, personal photographs or whatever gives them pleasure as cover designs on the Omatek eight and 10 inch smart books as well as desktop casings.”

Although Omatek has been known across the west African region because of their aggressive marketing drive, the brand is still an unknown quantity when it comes to verifiable sales data. As confirmed by IDC, Zinox remains the number one PC brand in Nigeria based on the sales data released to the public. Stakeholders have continued to wonder why Omatek cannot release the true state of its PC shipments as is obtainable in the industry globally. This attitude is probably one of the reasons why the company, which went public three years ago, has been faced with suspensions from the Nigerian Stock Exchange due to poor corporate governance.

With its current new marketing approach, which is supposed to appeal to the young and young at heart users, Omatek may have woken from its self-induced slumber that made it to lose out in the recent hotly contested race for the Nigerian Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) direct-data-capturing (DDC) machine contract. 

Sharp Electronics acquires IOT Holdings...launch TDM interface

Sharp Electronics has announced that it has acquired IOT (Holdings), which will operate as a subsidiary of Sharp Electronics UK with immediate effect. The acquisition will significantly increase the size of Sharp's copier business, as well as offering an opportunity to increase market share through upgrading current competing MIF to Sharp's award-winning multifunction products.

Founded in 1964, IOT has grown into a highly successful company in its sector, with an excellent reputation for high quality service and a strong capability in managed print services and solutions-led business.

The company has developed a nationwide in-house servicing capability which, combined with Sharp's existing national service operation, will give Sharp greater scope to tender for public-sector contracts.

In addition to Sharp's range of colour and mono hardware, awarded BLI Line of the Year twice in the last four years, the breadth of the company's portfolio will also allow opportunities for cross-selling of other products, including EPoS systems and digital signage solutions throughout IOT's sales network.

IOT will continue to trade under its current name, and remain under the current management team, headquartered in Wakefield.

Paul Molyneux, Sharp UK managing director, commented: "We are very pleased to announce the acquisition of IOT, which signals the beginning of a period of exciting growth for both businesses going forward.

"IOT's position as a very stable, profit-focused business with a strong service-based culture is the result of an approach Sharp are keen to learn from and pursue aggressively. We bring the strength of a global brand and an ongoing commitment to product development that will deliver future market opportunities."

Martin McCarney, IOT chief executive, said: "I am delighted that IOT will now be part of the internationally recognised and trusted Sharp brand. Clients will benefit from the best of both worlds; IOT's outstanding service-led expertise supplemented with the resources and backing of a major global manufacturer."

Sharp Electronics has also introduced a dazzling new touch document management (TDM) interface that lets users manage scanned documents as though it were on an iPhone or iPad, changing the way people interact with multi-function printers. The new interface is displayed on a large, bright 10.1-inch color LCD touchscreen and allows users to interact directly with the documents in a way that's just not possible with a conventional keyboard/mouse driven approach.

After scanning a document, users can interact with the touch screen to manipulate the documents with a flick of the finger, a tap, a slide and so forth. Sharp is justifiably proud of this approach. Ed McLaughlin, president, Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America calls the new interface a game changer. "Our new user interface is perhaps the most significant leap we have made as a company in more than a decade," he said.This intuitive approach should reduce the learning curve for users and make it easier to interact with and find more advanced functions. The new approach also includes a personalization module that enables users to customize the product with personal shortcuts, workflow and language.