Yesterday was the first day of the Microsoft v. Motorola Mobility FRAND rate-setting trial in the Western District of Washington. I did a post on the relevance of the underlying issue to startups.While I can't attend this one physically, I have been following this case closely ever since it started two years ago and there are great online resources to find out about developments in Seattle. I have set up a public Twitter list named MicrosoftMotoFRANDtrial, replicating the tweets from several reporters who reported from the courtroom. Here are links to several media reports on the first day (in alphabetical order):Geekwire (1): Microsoft vs. Motorola patent trial begins, with brief Xbox 'Durango' mentionGeekwire (2): Motorola wants to collect royalties on Microsoft Surface, tooSeattle Times: Microsoft, Motorola patent trial startsTechflash: Motorola/Google patent trial starts with testimony from Microsoft execsWall Street Journal (subscription may be required)...

Both iOS and Android have voice-controlled assistants that can hook into the main apps and help the user out. Who has the technological advantage in the long term: Apple's Siri or Google Now? I think the answer is simply "Yes."
Kontra, a pseudonymous tech thinker, published a compelling post on the question Monday, pointing to some of Apple's advantages. For an artificially intelligent assistant, context is everything. Kontra argues that Apple's ecosystem of native apps has the potential to provide more context about the user than Google's Web-backed environment can.
Siri has access to much more sensitive, personal information than Google, because Apple is directly involved in all kinds of transactions. As Siri gains more access to third-party applications, it will be able to fine tune the context of what you're asking because ambient information about who you are and what you do is right there on the phone.
Kontra's example of what one means by "nice restaurant" is instructive...

La bataille des brevets se poursuit. Après la défaite retentissante de Samsung contre Apple - le coréen a fait appel -, Microsoft et Google vont maintenant s'opposer aussi dans un procès aux Etats-Unis. Le géant du Net avait racheté Motorola Mobility pour garnir son portefeuille de brevets et ainsi rivaliser avec ses concurrents. Apple accuse Google d'avoir entièrement pompé iOS avec Android, tandis que Microsoft a porté le fer aussi contre les fabricants de mobiles qui utilisent l'OS de Google, avec un certain succès. Cette fois, c'est Google qui demande via Motorola qu'une part des brevets utilisés Microsoft lui soit payé via une licence. Le fabricant aux ailes d'argent réclame 4 milliards de dollars par an pour l'utilisation de technologie de video et de communication sans fil. Microsoft estime que cela mérite 1 million de dollars par an...

Google a donné le coup d'envoi mardi matin, peu après 9 heures, des commandes pour ses terminaux Nexus 4 et Nexus 10, par l'intermédiaire du Play Store. Embouteillages et stocks limités font que l'off...

Contrary to the expectations of some, and the fears of many, Windows 8 has not tripped out of the gate. While its sales will likely not blow the doors off...

Internet-fax and cloud-services company J2 Global just acquired tech trade magazine publisher Ziff-Davis for $167 million in cash. As part of the deal, J2 will take control of sites like PCMag.com, ComputerShopper, ExtremeTech, and Geek.com.  J2 expects that the deal will add to its earnings per share and bring in an additional $60 million in 2013 revenues.  Back in the '90s, Ziff-Davis was a force to be reckoned with, with a wide range of print titles, Internet investments, and tech conferences. But it took on too much debt, got traded from owner to owner, and sold off its enterprise division to Insight Venture Partners in 2007 and its collection of video-game sites to Hearst in 2009, which in turn sold them to IGN. Now, J2 has bought the remnants of the once-dominant empire. FBR Capital's Daniel Ives, who has a Market Perform rating on J2's stock, wrote in a note to clients today that the acquisition gives J2 a significant growth opportunity. ...

In December, Apple will begin “trial” production of their seventh-generation iPhone. The so-called “iPhone 5S,” begins production with an initial run of 50,000 to 100,000 units, according to DigiTimes.
According to the report, Apple has “accelerated” the certification process for parts and materials in the new handset. Because of this, full production is expected to begin in the first quarter of 2013.
If this is true, Apple may be signaling that the iPhone 5S will debut in June, which would be a return to normal of sorts for the company. Prior to 2011, Apple released iPhones in June or July. However, beginning with the iPhone 4S, Cupertino’s ...

L'accord passé entre Apple et HTC soulève bien des interrogations (notamment sur le contenu exact du deal passé entre les deux sociétés), mais entérine aussi quelques certitudes. Car malgré les dénégations de Google concernant la nécessité à devoir payer des licences en contrepartie ...

HTC will pay Apple $6-$8 for each Android phone it sells, which could add up to as much as $280 million in 2013, as part of a patent settlement.
More About: apple, htc, iphone, patents ...

C'est donc officiel : le nouvel OS du canadien ainsi que les deux premiers smartphones équipés seront dévoilés dans deux mois et demi...

Voilà qui aura le mérite de clarifier la position de chacun au sein de la Commission pour Copie privée. Les industriels et représentants du secteur informatique, en grande majorité il s'agit de filiales de grands groupes internationaux, ont donc décidé de démissionner. Depuis longtemps déjà, souvent de façon assez maladroite, ces représentants mènent une guerre contre les ayants droit au sein de la commission. Bien que parfois, certains assurent être favorables à une rémunération pour copie privée, mais à leurs conditions bien entendu, le sentiment général est surtout la volonté de faire obstacle à ce qui est un droit confirmé par le Conseil d'Etat. Cependant, la bataille a été depuis déplacée sur le terrain de la régulation européenne, où les lobbys s'affrontent plus durement encore. Au final, la situation est ubuesque avec des firmes comme Apple qui engrangent des centaines de milliards de dollars en banque, mais dont la filiale française refuse de payer 3 ans de copie privée (soit 12 millions d'euros), certainement pour faire bonne figure dans les comptes consolidés du géant.

L'Alliance pour la Culture et le Numérique présentait ce matin ses propositions pour l'aide à l'évolution de la filière culturelle à l'heure digitale. Propositions constructives et mesurées, mais longues à faire émerger...

HTC has just confirmed that it's settled all of its ongoing patent disputes with Apple, opting into a 10-year licensing agreement. To refresh your memory, this particular saga begin back on March 2nd, 2010, when Apple filed lawsuits with the International Trade Commission and US District Court. That initial filing covered 20 patents related to iOS, which it accused HTC of infringing upon, and since then it has only been an ever-expanding battle. Essentially all the juicy details of the settlement between the companies are completely under wraps, but both HTC's CEO, Peter Chou and Apple's man-in-charge, Tim Cook have issued brief words for the official joint statement (the whole of which can be seen after the break): "HTC is pleased to have resolved its dispute with Apple, so HTC can focus on innovation instead of litigation," said Peter Chou, CEO of HTC. "We are glad to have reached a settlement with HTC," said Tim Cook, CEO of Apple. "We will continue to stay laser focused on...

Tech pundits exploded the other day when they learned Apple received a patent for the "rounded corner" design of the iPad. The problem, they said, is that it would cause other tablet manufacturers to rethink their product design for fear of being sued by Apple for using such a common form factor. But Apple's patent isn't as absurd as it sounds. In fact, it's very common for companies to patent their iconic product designs. Coca-Cola has a patent for its Coke bottle, for example. And Ray Ban has a patent for its Wayfarer sunglasses. Does that mean other soda companies can't put drinks in a glass bottle? Does that mean other eyewear companies can't make sunglasses with pointed tips at the top of the lenses? Nope.  And it doesn't mean other tablet manufacturers can't make tablets with rounded corners for fear of being sued out the nose by Apple. Apple's newly-minted design patent will only protect it from blatant copies, according to Florian  Mueller, who runs the popular patent...

As IDC announce Android's 75% market share, where does Google's dominance of the smartphone market leave the handset manufacturers...

Une Toolbox d?aide à la configuration de votre mobile Android et Blackberry. Permet de changer votre code PIN, de débloquer votre téléphone ou encore de vérifier et de paramétrer tous vos renvois d?appel...

Apple aurait versé 20 millions de francs pour obtenir les droits d'utilisation de la fameuse horloge des Chemins de fer fédéraux suisses (16,5 millions d'euros). Ce chiffre, qui n'avait ...

Bought yourself a shiny new Nexus 7 just before the priced dropped on October 29th and feel a bit slighted? ASUS and Google want to turn your frown upside down, each offering their own compensation. Folks in Europe who purchased any variant of the tablet from ASUS prior to October 30th are eligible to a redeem a 25-pound or 30-euro coupon for its online shop. Apparently, the deal has been in place since October 30th, and you'll have until the 30th of this month to submit your proof of purchase (from sanctioned dealers, naturally) and apply. Sure, it may not be as nice as a Google Play credit for apps or cash in-pocket, but at least ASUS is showing it can share at least some love for early adopters. Europeans should move their cursors over to the ASUS source link below for all the details. Tracking back to Google, Droid-Life notes that Google's price protection policy might have you covered for some cash-back, as well. If you purchased the 16GB model from Google Play between the 14th...

BSkyB vient de gagner une grande bataille contre la VOD, en signant cette semaine un accord d'exclusivité sur les contenus NBC Universal. Cette accord prolonge celui qui avait été conclu auparavant, ce qui est très embarrassant pour Lovefilm et Netflix, services de VOD très actifs au Royaume-Uni. Sky continuera donc non seulement de distribuer les chaines NBC Universal, dont font parties E!, Universal UK et Movies24, mais aussi de louer exclusivement les films du studio américain, dont les productions récentes Blanche Neige et The Bourne Legacy, et ce après leur sortie cinéma.

Dans le cadre de la première édition de son « Tour de France du numérique« , l’Usine nouvelle publie une infographie reprenant les principaux chiffres de son panorama de l’économie numérique.

Recevoir un smartphone ou une tablette à Noël? De plus en plus de Français en rêvent, mais de moins en moins vont en offrir. La faute à la crise. Le budget total consacré aux fêtes ne devrait cependant pas diminuer, selon une étude de Deloitte.

Reuters évoquait mardi la possibilité d'une sortie du CAC40 pour Alcatel Lucent, dont les sous-performances  et les vagues de licenciements à répétitions ont largement fragilisé le statut. Mais dans ce classement des 40 entreprises cotées les plus solides, la sortie des uns fait l'entrée des autres, et si Alcatel venait effectivement à être rétrogradé, une autre entreprise prendrait sa place. Pour nos collègues de PC Inpact, deux candidats seraient alors à examiner de près : Gemalto, société spécialiste de la sécurité numérique et de la carte à puce qui vaut 5,77 milliards d'euros en bourse, mais aussi, pourquoi pas, Iliad, la maison mère de Free, qui pèse, elle 7 milliards d'euros. Cette seconde option ne serait évidemment pas pour déplaire à Xavier Niel, qui tempête souvent contre l’ordre établi du CAC40, où des entreprises peu performantes mais "anciennes" s'accrochent comme des moules à un rocher. Et il est vrai que les entreprises récentes ont moins de chance d'entrer dans ce classement, mais pour prétendre à sa place au soleil, il est probable que le patron d'Iliad doive aussi se délester d'une partie de ses actions, ses 64% représentant un frein à la circulation massive de titres qu'implique une place au CAC40.

08:12 De son propre aveu, le groupe chinois aurait dépassé le leader HP sur le marché des ordinateurs personnels au dernier trimestre....

On ne gagne pas toujours contre les patent trolls. Apple en a fait l'amère expérience face à VirnetX. La cour du Texas -réputée pour prêter une oreille attentive aux détenteurs de brevets- a ordonné que Cupertino devait reverser une rondelette amende de 368,2 millions de dollars

Obama's agenda for technology is loaded with proposals

Apple's mobile software leader, Scott Forstall, was a miracle worker, according to former employee Andy Miller. When Apple fired Scott Forstall, the immediate spin was that it was good news for Apple. Forstall, according to reports, was a polarizing executive, who couldn't work with Jony Ive or Bob Mansfield, two executives who got promotions when Forstall was pushed out. And while there is plenty to be gained by removing an executive who makes other people unhappy, Apple is still going to lose one of its most important employees, a fact that was somewhat brushed over last week. Some people like John Gruber were spinning Forstall leaving as a good thing. Miller's response was, "let's see Gruber pull off the miracles that Forstall made routine." We reached out to Miller to hear more about what it was like working with Forstall. Miller joined Apple after it acquired his mobile ad network, Quattro in 2010 for $275 million. He was in charge of the iAd group before leaving to be a VC...

Le californien ne déclare en France que 257 millions d'euros de chiffre d'affaires, alors, qu'en réalité, il engrange dans l'Hexagone près de 3,5 milliards d'euros de revenus.

France's antitrust authority will decide whether Illiad's Free Mobile is benefiting from a sweetheart roaming agreement, potentially giving ammunition to incumbent companies that have argued the deal is forcing them to cut jobs.

Apple is ‘exploring’ moving away from Intel processors for its Macs, according to a report from Bloomberg. This isn’t the first rumor that we’ve heard of a potential transition in...