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Judge rules that Samsung did not ‘willfully’ infringe on Apple’s patents

Cody Lee ∙ January 29, 2013

Last August, a California jury found Samsung guilty of infringing on several Apple patents in a high-profile trial. The initial damages awarded to Apple totaled $1.05 billion, but since Samsung was found to have 'willfully' infringed, that amount was expected to multiply.

Not so fast. The two companies have been attending post-trial hearings with Judge Lucy Koh over the past few months to plead their cases for appeals and other motions. And tonight, Judge Koh has issued a ruling overturning the jury's willful infringement finding...

The Daily Recap – Jan 29, 2013 edition

Jeff Benjamin ∙ January 29, 2013

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7ngFg3vYgM

Welcome to The Daily Recap for January 29th, 2013. Watch our video for a quick look at some of the top stories from the day in less than two minutes. If you missed out on any of today's big news, this is a great way for you to get caught up fast.

For your convenience, you'll also find links to all of the stories listed in today's recap inside...

FCC filing reveals new, slightly smaller Apple TV

Cody Lee ∙ January 29, 2013

This is pretty interesting. Hot on the heels of yesterday's discovery of an unknown AppleTV3,2 device in the new iOS 6.1 firmware comes evidence that Apple is indeed planning to refresh the set-top box sometime in the near future.

The proof comes by way of a new FCC (Federal Communications Commission) filing, published today, from the Cupertino company. The documents out an unreleased Apple TV, model A1469, with slightly smaller dimensions...

6 tweaks that don’t require a jailbreak

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated June 21, 2024

Yes, the iOS 6.1 untethered jailbreak is almost here, and from the looks of things it will support nearly every recent iOS device. But until that time, why not take a look at some of the cool "non-jailbreak" that have been recognized over the last few weeks and months.

As its name alludes to, a non-jailbreak tweak is a method for tweaking your iPhone even though the device is not jailbroken. These so-called tweaks usually, but not always, rely on simple glitches present within stock iOS firmware. Take a look inside for a brief overview of some of our favorites...

Worried that Cydia will be too slow after the jailbreak? Don’t worry too much

Jeff Benjamin ∙ January 29, 2013

It's the same story with almost every jailbreak. The new jailbreak is released, and folks rush to download all of their favorite jailbreak apps and tweaks. The result is a less than primed experience due to the stress that this places on Cydia and the repos hosting the various packages. After a new jailbreak is released, it usually takes a few days for everything to calm down to somewhat normal levels.

This time around, though, Saurik, and the repo managers appear to be taking preemptive actions to ensure a smoother experience immediately post jailbreak release. While nothing is assured until the inevitable deluge of user requests places stress on the system, you should look forward to a much better experience than in times past.

Apple confirms 128GB iPad 4, coming February 5

Christian Zibreg ∙ January 29, 2013

Just days after a new 'Ultimate' iPad SKU was discovered in iOS code strings, Apple on Tuesday launched the rumored 128GB fourth-generation iPad with Retina display. Corroborating retail sources, Apple said that the new storage option carries a $100 premium over the 64GB full-size iPad, which starts at $699 for the Wi-Fi-only version. In other words, a 128GB Wi-Fi-only iPad 4 will set you back $799, or $929 for the Wi-Fi + Cellular model. Both are available in black or white starting Tuesday, February 5, via Apple's online and brick-and-mortar stores as well as through select Apple Authorized Resellers...

The EFF clarifies legality of jailbreaking and unlocking in the US

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 10, 2018

The big news this week, aside from the new 128GB iPad and the impending jailbreak, has been that unlocking your phone became illegal in the US on Saturday. Law-breakers face a fine of up to $500,000 and/or 5 years in jail.

Well today, the folks over at the EFF (the Electronic Frontier Foundation) commented on the new regulations and have broken down what they really mean for us end-users. There's both good news and bad news...

iOS 6.1 patches Smart App Banner JavaScript bug

Cody Lee ∙ January 29, 2013

Last month, we reported that a JavaScript bug had been discovered involving Smart App Banners. Apple added the feature in iOS 6 as a way to help developers promote their apps and provide users with a direct link to download them.

Well as it turned out, these Smart Banners were enabling JavaScript in the iOS Settings app without user consent or knowledge. And this was considered to be a fairly serious security threat. But it looks like Apple has fixed it in iOS 6.1...

White House petition goes up to make unlocking phones legal again

Cody Lee ∙ January 29, 2013

By now, you've likely heard of the recent change in DMCA policy that makes the act of unlocking newer cell phones illegal. And even though the EFF clarified some things for us earlier today, it still sounds like we're getting screwed.

In fact, some folks feel so strongly about the new law that they've started a White House petition calling for the Obama administration to either rescind the decision, or create a new bill making unlocking permanently legal...

Why Apple rallying so much against plastic foreshadows a low-end iPhone

Ed Sutherland ∙ January 29, 2013

In the ongoing speculation surrounding Apple's intention to sell a low-cost iPhone, the word of the day is 'plastic'. Yes, the rumor is that the company will wrap iPhone 5 components and iPod design features in a plastic body. The report by iLounge is the second in two weeks suggesting an inexpensive iPhone may use plastic to keep costs down.

The blog cites only "reliable sources" to claim a low-cost iPhone would offer a four-inch Retina Display protected by the latest Gorilla Glass (see how strong it really is), among other features borrowed from the Apple smartphone, the fifth-gen iPod touch and the iPod classic.

Along with including the firm's new Lightning connector, the remainder of the device's features would follow the iPod touch design. The device's outer shape would appear like an iPod classic, the body composed of plastic...

Carriers watching closely as T-Mobile preps to offer iPhone on monthly installments

Christian Zibreg ∙ January 29, 2013

T-Mobile will officially sell the iconic iPhone in three to four months and when it does, the Deutsche Telekom-owned wireless carrier, the fourth-largest in the United States, will be offering Apple's handset on monthly installments. The struggling telco won't have to bet the farm by spending billions in upfront iPhone subsidy to Apple and would-be customers will get more bang for their buck in terms of voice and data.

It should be a win-win. Matter of fact, T-Mobile USA's strategy is "very intriguing" to Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam and AT&T boss Randall Stephenson applauds the idea and says that's something his company is "going to be watching" going forward.

Should the T-Mobile experiment pays off, it's entirely conceivable that the US market could finally catch up with the rest of the world by offering non-subsidized hardware and instead focus on more affordable wireless services...

Meanwhile, 128GB Surface Pro has only 83GB free storage (23GB on 64GB model)

Christian Zibreg ∙ January 29, 2013

So roughly two out of each three respondents in our poll say the new 128GB iPad 4 is going to be a tough sell when it arrives on February 5.

Some folks say there's no point in shelling out $929 for a top-of-the-line 128GB cellular iPad when a $70 more buys you an 11-inch MacBook Air.

And even though the entry-level Air has only half as much storage as the new 128GB iPad, it's a real computer, critics argue.

Comparing apples to oranges doesn't make sense, but what does is how Microsoft admitted - and on the day Apple announced the new 128GB iPad 4 offering, of all days - that the 128GB Surface Pro has only 83 gigabytes of free storage out of the box.

It ain't just a serious rounding error: a whopping 45GB is consumed by the Surface OS and bundled apps, Microsoft confirms...