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Samsung Tablet Ban Lifted For Most of EU
jkcity writes "The ban on sales of Samsung's 10.1 tablet in the EU has been lifted everywhere except Germany. The new ruling is in effect until August 25th while it is decided whether the original court had the power to enforce an EU wide ban. With allegations that submitted evidence was not 100% accurate, the case could be bogged down in the court for years."
So they accidentally resized the image of the 10.1 so that it looked identical to the iPad for a side-by-side comparison, it's a mistake anyone could have made on a key page of court-submitted legal documents...
this is the kind off behavior that makes me really hate apple i haven't bought an apple product since the patent trolling began, just leave android alone OK?
so good apple tried to ban it!
you can't buy advertising that good!
disclaimer-very happy with the 7" tab
Europe has treaties that allow any European to buy goods and services in any other country. So all the Germans have to do is buy through a webshop in another country..
To Terminate, or not to Terminate, that's the question - SCSIROB
Really? I've got a Xoom and it's been awesome. The only app I'm missing so far is Minecraft Pocket Edition, but not even the iPad has that.
It pays to be obvious, especially if you have a reputation for being subtle.
The problem with Android tablets is that they really aren't up to par with iPad. They look and feel clumsy, they don't have the same app economy that iPad has and most of all Android devices suffer from fragmentation. I really wish someone would come up with a better device. Microsoft's Courier looked great, so I hope they work on similar concept with Nokia.
Where have I heard that before?
Oh yeah.
Is there any other more natural feeling tablet? It would be much better than the usual ones. Since all the Android devices are quite much clones of each other, I hope someone uses this to their advantage and makes a device like Courier. Or Microsoft should continue their project. It's really interesting anyway.
I'm looking forward to discovering your next top-posting account, dumbass. How many new accounts is that now... 35?
And then - explain why Apple really felt the need to attack Samsung using a lawsuit?
If a product is bad it will just result in the situation where nobody buys it.
If builders built buildings the way programmers wrote programs, then the first woodpecker would destroy civilization.
The following article has some very interesting information about Community Designs, which were used for getting the original injunction.
Community designs are basically unreviewed sketches of products which can be used to silently get an injunction for your competitors product.
No checks are done for obviousness, nor for prior art.
Apple is actually seeking a ban on all of the Galaxy products, including the original tab and the Galaxy S2 smartphone, in The Netherlands.
This is not just a ban from Samsung importing them. It's a ban on retailers to sell them (i.e. they need to recall them) and distributors distributing them (to other countries). So that 'good advertising' would only last for as long as they're still allowed to sell it - which might be until mid October if they're unlucky.
In addition Apple demand that in Samsung's recall notice to distributors and retailers, they make note that the product infringes on Apple IP.
It seems very much a "Let's demand the ridiculous - any toning down by the judge will then fall in our favor" type move, but I'm sure they're actually quite serious.
Source: http://webwereld.nl/nieuws/107630/apple--gehele-galaxy-lijn-moet-uit-de-schappen.html
Apple isn't scoring any brownie points with these demands, that's for sure. One major online news site's (nu.nl) comments are replete with negative comments toward Apple, even from avid Apple fans, and they're not doing much better over at the #1 tech news site for NL/BE (tweakers.net).
Not that I think it'll impact Apple's bottom line in any way. ha.
I have no doubt that they would extend this to the EU.
The problem with Android tablets is that they really aren't up to par with iPad. They look and feel clumsy, they don't have the same app economy that iPad has and most of all Android devices suffer from fragmentation. I really wish someone would come up with a better device. Microsoft's Courier looked great, so I hope they work on similar concept with Nokia.
Most of the top end Android tablets (i.e. those running Android 3.0) are easily on par with the iPad. The OS is far better thought out than the iPad and multitasking isn't some afterthought. The apps some way to go and from experience writing apps this is probably due to the greater diversity of form factors and the layout models you need to produce to make them work properly.
I think a larger problem is that their price is on par with the iPad and the iPad is expensive. Once tablet manufacturers start dropping their prices they're going to sell a lot better.
There is absolutely no reason at all that a 9-10" tablet with capacitive screen, wifi, 16GB flash, 1GB ram, dual core couldn't retail for less than €300 and still make a profit. Stuff like 3G, compass, GPS, even rear facing camera could all be jettisoned if necessary since it's largely superfluous for what most tablets will be used for in the first place.
Rectangular, rounded corners... wait a minute!
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/72/LifeDrive.jpg
Let's go, HP!
Indeed.
If the customer actually had that ability all of the iPads in the world would be collecting dust on a shelf somewhere - unsold.
3G is already gone on the base models of both the iPad and Xoom (and probably others).
GPS is still nice (it means it can still be useful while on the move sans 3G, so long as you've cached your maps beforehand)
I agree that 2 cameras is a bit overkill, and lugging a tablet about to take pictures is very very awkward and the user-facing camera is all that's really needed (for video chat ofc). I've only used it once or twice, and that was for impromptu baby videos.
It pays to be obvious, especially if you have a reputation for being subtle.
3G is a waste anyway IMHO - I got an Asus Transformer (which is really great, the most fun toy I've had in ages) knowing very well it didn't have 3G. I already carry a smartphone with me, pay for unlimited data, why would I want to pay for unlimited data for another device as well? If your contract prevents tethering, blame your operator. Or switch it even.
(Having said that, somewhat offtopic, it's really unbelievable that Android still doesn't support Bluetooth DUN - with PDANet it is possible, apparently, to tether for example a computer _to_ an Android phone, but one can't tether an Android tablet to a phone via DUN. And by the looks of it this won't be changed any time soon, so make sure your phone supports Bluetooth PAN if you intend to tether your tablet)
Aside from the lack of apps, which is true, I'd have to say, I find my Toshiba Thrive much less clunky than an iPad. Yes it's larger, but it has a higher screen resolution, USB (which works with a hub) that can connect to a keyboard and mouse if I like, I believe it can do the same with bluetooth, DVI, audio, and storage can be expanded both with USB drives and a /SD([XH]C)?/ card.
I have access to an excellent email client, good web browsers, flash (actually, I'd uninstall it if I could, for security reasons), quite a few excellent games, good calendar apps... This is without resorting to apps that I have to pay for.
It has also been stable, and high performance.
Self proclaimed typo king, and inventor of the bear destroying coffee table (patent not pending).
If a product is bad it will just result in the situation where nobody buys it.
Then why do people buy Apple?
Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
So which is more logical. Some 80 million iPad's sold to date, and none of those 80 million people knew what they were buying?
Or perhaps, it's well designed, with a good app selection, and really is targeted for someone other than /.?
Occam's razor: "The simplest explanation is most likely the correct one."
So you tend be on the move without your phone? I don't. And for me tethering always works great. Perhaps you should have invested in a device that just works ;)
No warranty on the blue pixels though.
"Stuff like 3G, compass, GPS, even rear facing camera could all be jettisoned if necessary since it's largely superfluous for what most tablets will be used for in the first place."
Would it need to be? The Orange San Francisco aka ZTE Blade has all these things and costs £90 off contract and both Orange, and ZTE each still make a profit on that. The handset isn't dual core but does have some decent hardware acceleration. I think you could still keep all this. Does it really cost say £150 - £200 more just to make a bigger screen, stick in a bigger battery, and a slightly better processor/memory at the manufacturer keeping in mind you could subtract from the original £90 the cost of the smaller battery, GSM stuff, and the cell phone sized AMOLED screen which you'd no longer need.
NetBooks packed much of the same hardware for similarly low prices 3 years ago so you're right, it's definitely doable now.
If a product is bad it will just result in the situation where nobody buys it.
Then why do people buy Apple?
Because Apple makes good stuff, and their designs are hot. I have Linux running on a 17" MacBook Pro (My boss gave it to me.) It's a nice puter.
I think a larger problem is that their price is on par with the iPad and the iPad is expensive. Once tablet manufacturers start dropping their prices they're going to sell a lot bette.
A tablet is not a serious puter in most scenarios, it's an accessory.
I'd have a tablet if the price wasn't so outrageous.
Well, I guess that's better than being down on the Count for years. I hear his dick tastes like cocoa puffs.
Cool post bro, highfive \o
You've only one choice: The Nokia N900. It's cheap enough used, fast enough for most things(including slashdot browsing), and runs a full Linux-based OS, including X11. Which means you can easily run a stock Debian or Ubuntu chroot on top of the native apps.
How about countries that don't have wide spread WiFi?
Here my mates with a tablet use 3G a lot more than WiFi.
For a usual computer user, it makes perfect sense to just try out the two products and arrive at a conclusion whether they are similar or not. Why do Judges rely on printed testimony? But if you think about what a Judge really is responsible for, paper makes more sense than actual devices:
Let's look at an imperfect analogy: For a normal computer user, it makes perfect sense just to use a binary program --- it just works. But for a programmer or a systems administrator, having GPL and getting the source makes a big difference. Why? Because the programmer and the systems administrator are responsible for more than just running the program. They may need to fix bugs, add features, install the program on other machines; port it to other hardware etc. You can do this if you have the source and the GPL. With just the binary, you are often out-of-luck.
A similar argument applies to judges: They are not only responsible to get a personal opinion "I think the products are similar". They need to be able to justify, explain and analyze the details of this decision in the light of the arguments of each party. And here, testimony on paper has big advantages: You can easily copy the testimony (publicize and review it outside the court). The opposing party may check what the judge was actually looking at. The testimony doesn't change after the court session. You can easily store hundreds of pages of such testimony in folders etc.
Let's illustrate this with some hypothetical examples:
Apple claims that Android is identical to the iPhone. Apple and HTC provide two phones to let the judge try it out. The judge swears that they are **exactly** identical (not similar but identical). What happened?
Prior to the trial Apple ported the Android to run on the iPhone and installed both systems. So, when the judge compared the two phones, they indeed acted identically --- running Android. At this point of investigation, this was all that mattered. At the end of the test, an Apple engineer remotely instructs the modified phone to remove the Android install and thus remove any traces of cheating. (Of course, this thought example is exaggerated. But it highlights the point that inspecting actual products gives each party uncontrollable powers to game the cards).
On printed testimony, it is open what the judge sees: You can distribute copies of all documents to all parties --- and any cases of tampering can be brought out to the open --- just as it happened in this case. Thus for the purpose of a court case where each piece of evidence may need to be challenged and investigated, paper is far superior to actual products.
I'll see your Occam's Razor and raise you one: Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extraordinary_Popular_Delusions_and_the_Madness_of_Crowds
Given that Apple products have been found to spark a religious response in those that trumpet their benefits, I believe that Occam's Razor says that they're buying them due to a large delusional crowd movement.
Lets not forget that even with much proof to the opposite of what they claimed, snake oil salesmen could generally find someone local in a town to help them hawk their wares. These people often weren't in on the take. There is a reason selling odd concoctions was profitable.
in cases where iphones, or ipads are involved, all bets about consumer sanity are off. occam's razor cowers in terror before the rdf!
Wealth is the gift that keeps on giving.
that is stupid. osx>>>linux
Wealth is the gift that keeps on giving.
that is stupid. osx>>>linux
Shuddup! Your stupider.
How about countries that don't have wide spread WiFi?
Here my mates with a tablet use 3G a lot more than WiFi.
Parent already told that he has 3G enabled smartphone. So what stops you from creating Wi-Fi hotspot on phone and connect tablet to it?
Might look at Archos' 9th generation tablets coming out next month. 8 or 10.1", 16GB flash (or 250GB hard drive), dual core (TI's OMAP4 SoC at 1.5 GHz), GPS, front camera, compass, etc.
Expected to retail for €256 for the little one or €278 for the big one.
upon the advice of my lawyer, i have no sig at this time
>Not that I think it'll impact Apple's bottom line in any way. ha.
Half of Apple's income is from the iPhone. The Galaxy S phone is arguably cutting into the iPhone marketshare, as its one of the better Android phones out there and is a little cheaper and can be had on multiple carriers. I have a Vibrant on T-mobile and its a really neat piece of technology, so I can see why Apple is afraid of it.
Apple's take, imho, is that they'red damned if they don't do a patent attack and damned if they do, so why not? They don't give two shits about upsetting their loudmouth superfans nor about setting off a patent war that could potentially cripple the industry. They just need to worry about next quarters earning report.
I suspect these desperate measures are signs that Apple's massive growth is beginning to stagnate. Everyone who wants an iPhone probably has one and if Android continues to move in, then you won't have the growth you had in the past.
that is stupid. osx>>>linux
Indeed, your assertion is quite stupid.
Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. - Voltaire
I don't think you understand Occam's Razor.
I hate to defend Apple but from a consumer perspective the iPod/iPad/iPhone product lines are well made, the selection of apps in iTunes is quite extensive and their marketing is excellent.
Your explanation of a "large delusional crowd movement" that crosses cultural, economic and age boundaries seems a less likely explanation for Apple's success. The success of improved Android devices that have eroded Apple's share in the last couple of years further disproves your theory.
Some of what I say is fact, some is conjecture, the rest I'm just blowing out my ass...you guess.
A tablet is not a serious puter in most scenarios, it's an accessory.
Not so. It really depends on what you consider "serious." For most people, simply reading their friend's posts of, "Just drank coffee - mmmm", followed by, "just had my second sip - mmmm - even better - yummy", is about as serious as it gets.
Apple doesn't care if it wins or looses, they know they could wait out any competitor legally in this situation so the BEST result apple wants is a long drawn out legal battle where it's on again off again ruled that the competing product is either not sold or sold in too short of a supply.
They are doing this because they know that left alone the galaxy tab will eat alive their cash cow that has at the 'least' a 100% market up of what it's actually worth with a lower price and better features while not being locked down in job's pre-school garden.
Maybe jobs will eventually learn that the best way to get your tech adopted by the masses is to allow the porn industry in, it seems to have worked for vhs, dvd, blue-ray, streaming, and the internet in general.
I was using the common understanding of it, and have been for years. That argument works under the common definition of it but doesn't under the full one.
Also, you should read the wikipedia article I linked. Large delusional crowd movements are one of the few things that can cross cultural, economic, and age boundaries. Very similarly, so can religion.
And that's easy to do while you're carrying around your Courier(tm) tablet, right?
--Jeremy
Jesus was a liberal