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Federal Court sides with RIM, says the use of BBM doesn’t infringe on any trademarks

Ian Hardy — Thu, 31 May 2012 22:18:58 +0000

Last December Jim MacLeod, president and CEO of BBM Canada, said “We want our name back.” He was speaking about RIM’s use of BBM with their popular BlackBerry Messenger service. BBM Canada kicked RIM hard when they were down and decided to take them to court for infringing on their trademark. MacLeod was seeking RIM to stop using the BBM acronym, plus pay for the ongoing damages to their brand.

Today the Federal Court has ruled in favour of RIM, stating the companies operate in different industries. RIM in wireless telecom and BBM canada in the broadcast industry. RIM spokeswoman Tenille Kennedy stated that “We are pleased that the Federal Court of Canada sided with RIM and confirmed that RIM’s use of BBM does not infringe the trademark rights of BBM Canada as they had alleged.”

RIM revealed a couple days ago that they have over 59 million BBM subscribers worldwide. They are expected to launch their new BlackBerry 10 OS and devices in the coming months.

Finally some good news.

Source: Globe

Full pricing of the TELUS Samsung Galaxy S III revealed online

Ian Hardy — Thu, 31 May 2012 20:52:00 +0000

It can’t get anymore official than this. TELUS is one of many carriers that will be releasing the anticipated Samsung Galaxy S III on June 20th. Pre-orders went live yesterday and they declared the 3-year contract price 16GB version will be $159.99 and the 32GB version will be $209.99. Missing from the announcement was the no-term and all the other contract prices. However, TELUS’ website, specifically their business site, lists all the details. Of course, the release is still 3-weeks away and could potentially change, but here’s what you can expect:

Samsung Galaxy S III 16GB LTE (Pebble Blue or Marble White)
3-year contract: $159.99
2-year contract: $579.99
1-year contract: $629.99
No-Term: $679.99

Samsung Galaxy S III 32GB LTE (Pebble Blue or Marble White)
3-year contract: $209.99
2-year contract: $649.99
1-year contract: $699.99
No-Term: $749.99

TELUS will also have a promo that waives the $35 activation fee.
We’ll have more info on this release soon.

Source: TELUS

BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.1 Beta now available to download

Ian Hardy — Thu, 31 May 2012 20:18:31 +0000

For all the BlackBerry PlayBook developers out there who want to give OS 2.1 a try before it’s officially released to the public can do so today. RIM promised and has followed through by pushing out OS 2.1 in beta. This brings the following updates:

- 3 major enhancements to the Android Runtime in 2.1.0:
> Each Android app will now run in its own window.
> Access to the Camera hardware is now supported for Android apps
> In-App Payment is now supported through the BlackBerry Payment SDK
- Full device encryption is now supported
- Screenshots are now saved in PNG format
- Portrait support for Email, Calendar and Contacts
- Improved folder support including IMAP folder support

RIM states that “The other 2.1 features will come full steam when the new OS is commercially released. The 2.1 Android SDK will be released in beta coinciding with the OS release.” No word on when this will leave beta, but you can check out all the details and download it here via RIM.

Alleged iPhone 5 display pops up in video, gets compared to the iPhone 4S. It’s bigger.

Ian Hardy — Thu, 31 May 2012 19:37:00 +0000

Pictures and engineering designs have all pointed towards Apple releasing the next iPhone, possibly called the iPhone 5, with a larger display. This is of course still considered a rumour as Apple hasn’t made any comment, nor would they. WWDC is coming up in a couple weeks and everything will most likely be revealed there. A video has surfaced online that was uploaded by Macotakara that states the display will be 4.07-inches, which lines up with all the previous rumours. Check it out below – Real? Fake?

Source: Macotakara
Via: 9to5mac

ASUS set to debut dual-booting Android/Windows 8 tablet (Teaser Video)

Daniel Bader — Thu, 31 May 2012 19:15:50 +0000

Asus, like any technology company, loves a good teaser video. The Taiwanese OEM is set to expand its Transformer series of tablets by introducing a dual-booting Android/Windows 8 tablet at Computex this week. The Asus Showcase is regularly a treat for the eyes, as they have unveiled some pretty great products there previously.

With the Release Preview of Windows 8 today, vendors such as Asus are hurrying to bring tablet devices to market with the new Windows RT operating system. Due to the early nature of the software and lack of apps, the company is being very shrewd in releasing a tablet that can run Android as well.

We’ll see what they have to offer in the coming days, so stay tuned. Check after the break for a preview video called, appropriately, “All in One is no longer One.”

Source: AndroidandMe

TELUS to release the Nokia Lumia 610

Ian Hardy — Thu, 31 May 2012 18:32:28 +0000

Back in March TELUS’ Brent Johnston, VP of Mobility Solutions, stated to us that they “are very pleased with the sales performance thus far, with Lumia sales meeting our expectations.” He was speaking about the Nokia Lumia 800, a Windows Phone powered device. The Lumia 800 was TELUS’ 3rd Windows Phone device, previously they released the LG Optimus 7 and the HTC Surround. Now, according to a tip we received, it looks like TELUS has plans to continue supporting the platform by adding the Nokia Lumia 610.

This pic shows the Lumia 610 as being a prototype device with some sort of brochure that sports the familiar TELUS leaf. We’ve been informed the 610, which is very much an entry-level device, is scheduled to launch sometime this Summer, probably in time for the back-to-school season. There’s no word on a price point, but we could speculate it to be around the Lumia 710 pricing of $200 – $250 outright.

Specs of the Lumia 610 runs Windows Phone 7.5 Mango OS, 3.7-inch display (400×800), 800 MHz processor, 5MP camera that shoots 720p HD videos, Wi-Fi, possibly even coming with NFC capabilities.

We’ll have more info on this shortly.
(Thanks tipster!)

New iPhone schematics seem to confirm 4-inch screen size, relocated FaceTime camera

Daniel Bader — Thu, 31 May 2012 17:51:07 +0000

Another new iPhone leak today suggests the the rumoured casings we saw earlier were indeed either real, or on the right path, when it comes to the upcoming phone’s design. Supposed schematics of the device suggest that a 4-inch display is all but guaranteed, and that it will be some 7mm taller than the current version, owing to the “wider” 1136×640 display resolution.

We’re also looking at a relocated FaceTime camera slot, aligning it dead centre above the headpiece. This would likely allow for a slightly larger sensor, likely a 720p-capable front-facing camera, and would made the front a bit more symmetrical.

Overall nothing really new here, just confirming what we already know: the next iPhone will be slightly bigger, though not big enough for most hardcore Android lovers. Apple, however, isn’t appealing to those users, but to the hundreds of millions of iPhone 3GS, 4 and 4S users who are looking to upgrade.

Source: Cydia Blog
Via: PhoneArena

TELUS will now unlock your iPhone for $50 (starts June 1st)

Ian Hardy — Thu, 31 May 2012 17:11:47 +0000

TELUS started to unlock customers phones last year for a fee of $50. The list was extensive and included almost every manufacturer on various platforms, including BlackBerry and Android. However, there was one major manufacturer and device missing: Apple’s iPhone. TELUS noted on their site that they are “unable to unlock any version of the Apple iPhone” and gave no clue of when this would be possible.

Today, we bring TELUS iPhone users news. Effective June 1st TELUS will begin to unlock iPhones for $50. According to an internal doc we received it states this “is a service that TELUS offers its customers to enhance their experience by providing more flexibility and freedom in the use of their device.” Of course there’s a bit of fine print. TELUS will only unlock your iPhone if you meet the following criteria:

- The iPhone must operate on the TELUS’ HSPA network.
- Client must have an iPhone registered for a postpaid account with TELUS for at least 90 days.
- The customer’s account must be current and in good standing.
- The last three consecutive bills must have been paid in full.
- Available for Consumer, Business, and Corporate accounts

Happy unlocking.
(Thanks tipsters!)

Chameleon promises a better homescreen for your Android tablet (Kickstarter)

Daniel Bader — Thu, 31 May 2012 16:10:36 +0000

The Android tablet is an interesting conundrum. An OS as versatile and productivity-focused as Google’s with a large screen deserves a homescreen that isn’t devoid of life. Sure, there are scrolling widgets and live wallpapers, but for a surface with so much potential a tablet’s background can be pretty bare.

Chameleon from Teknision promises to do away with that, by making available an array of useful, connected widgets for any Android tablet. The project, which is currently some $8000 away from being funded on Kickstarter with two weeks remaining, is essentially a replacement for your widget framework, allowing you to still choose a static or live wallpaper.

As you can see above, the widgets vary from services like Twitter, Netflix and Facebook, to apps on your device like Music and Feeds. Editing and resizing the widgets is simple, providing for a very quick setup process. Gabor Vida, Teknision’s President, told me that Chameleon was born out of a lack of context in the tablet space; people use their devices at different times for disparate things.

To that end, he envisioned Chameleon to adapt to his surroundings (see what he did there?) by changing the form of the widgets depending on the the time of day, or where you are. For example, when the app ships (and it will be a downloadable app at some point) there will be three contexts: Morning, Work (afternoon), Evening. You can set each one of these to display a specific set of widgets. You may want your various RSS feeds in the morning, plus Twitter and Facebook; at night, your Netflix queue, Twitter and Rdio. The company is preparing specific widgets to fit each roll, but hopes to grow Chameleon with a public API for third-party devs to potentially sell their own specialty widgets directly to customers.

Context also boils down to location: are you connected to a specific WiFi network? If you’re at work and connected to the company’s wireless, Chameleon can be programmed to open up a spreadsheet app, or display a certain email account. The beauty is in the choice; the appeal is in the simplicity.

Vida says that the app is in a usable state, but will be far more functional when it ships later this year. The Kickstarter project was done for two reasons: obviously, to get a certain amount of guaranteed funding, ensuring the app’s immediate future; and to gain it some much-needed publicity. Kickstarter has been a great jumping-off point for projects such as Pebble, and Chameleon is attempting to capture a bit of that momentum, especially since it’s a piece of software.

Chameleon was initially meant to be sold directly to OEMs; a company like Samsung or Toshiba would use it as a homescreen/launcher combo. Teknision shopped the project around to various parties but few showed sufficient interest at the time, so Vida and his Ottawa-based team decided to forge ahead anyway. Because Chameleon is entirely self-funded — there is no VC money to be found, at least for the time being — Kickstarter seemed like the obvious choice.

The app should work on all Android tablets running Android 3.0+ by the time it is released. Vida assured me that, despite its initial 1280×800 screen resolution limitation it will work across all screen sizes and form factors. And while he’d still love to partner with a hardware manufacturer, Chameleon looks like it will be a success in its own right.

If you’re interested in supporting Chameleon hit its $50,000 goal on Kickstarter, head on over to its page. A pledge of $5 will get you the app; more will have you supporting a growing Canadian company.

Microsoft SkyDrive app for Android rumoured to be coming soon

Daniel Bader — Thu, 31 May 2012 15:26:55 +0000

Microsoft hasn’t really taken to supporting Google’s Android OS. While it has created various apps for the platform, including a decent Hotmail client, its support has been tentative at best compared to iOS.

But Microsoft knows that in order to achieve its cloud storage goals, it must extend SkyDrive availability to all. While companies like HTC current tap into the SkyDrive API on its One Series devices, the company is rumoured to be creating a dedicated Android app, following up its iOS and Windows Phone releases from earlier this year.

According to internal documents received by The Verge, the Android release will coincide with SkyDrive Milestone 4, expected sometime in August. With all these expansion plans, it’s becoming difficult to choose a cloud storage provider between Microsoft, Google’s Drive, Dropbox, Sugarsync and others.

What’s your cloud storage provider of choice? Would an official Android app be incentive enough to go Microsoft?

Source: The Verge