Apple finally granted patent for iPhone’s hardware likeness
Every device maker is plagued by lookalikes mass-produced in the far east, and Apple is no exception. The fakes themselves, while always pretty terrible, often have looked mighty close to the real thing as far as hardware design. It only takes a single rogue iPhone to spawn a thousand exact replicas as far as dimensions, shape, and materials. Well, Apple’s taking steps to prevent this, though I somehow doubt they’ll prove too effective. They’ve been granted a patent covering the “ornamental design” of the iPhone and its pals — it better be a very specific design they’ve patented, since most phones are lozenge-shaped with big screens now.
The patents were filed in 2007 (for the iPod Touch) and 2009 (likely after the 3GS design was finalized and on the market). That’s not such a long wait, really. I’ve been waiting on a patent for my iPhone heart-replacement chest-dock for like five years now. I know, since before the iPhone came out! What can I say, I just think ahead!
What does this mean for you? Well, the chances of having your phone switched out for a fake by some sleight of hand at a bar is greatly reduced. Also, you’ll need to shut down that Apple knock-off sweatshop you’ve been running in the sub-basement of your office building. Yeah, you’ll just have to find some way to make do without it, I’m afraid.
[via MacStories]
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HTC exec mulls possibilities of a proprietary OS
Amid Palm buyout rumors, HTC’s chief financial officer, Cheng Hui-ming, recently told Bloomberg that his company is considering owning its own operating system.
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Categories: Mobile News Tags: exec, HTC, mulls, possibilities, proprietary
LG’s Snapdragon-powered LU2300 Android handset gets official
This one’s been floating around for a while now and just spotted in the wild last week, but LG has finally come clean with its new LU2300 Android handset, albeit in a somewhat roundabout way on its official UK blog. The biggest news is that LG has confirmed that the phone does indeed pack a 1GHz Snapdragon processor and Android 2.1, along with some other fairly impressive specs to match, including a 3.5-inch AMOLED capacitive display, a 5-megapixel camera, built-in WiFi, DivX support and a DMB TV tuner — that last feature of which likely indicates that this one won’t be available over here anytime soon. There’s also still no indication of a price or a firm release date, although it will apparently be available in Korea sometime this month or next.
LG’s Snapdragon-powered LU2300 Android handset gets official originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 Apr 2010 14:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Categories: Mobile News Tags: Android, droid 2, gets, handset, LG's, LU2300, official, Snapdragonpowered
Dev variant Kin has a cooler color scheme
I just popped into a local pub and ran smack into into a variant of the just-announced (but long-rumored) Kin 2 being tested by a Microsoft associate of mine. It’s not really major news, but I have to say that I think it looks a lot better with this red-and-white keyboard — it helps set it apart from all the other sliders out there. I don’t know, maybe it attracts dirt or something, so they went all-black.
Although I grilled the man, he had nothing to add RE secret specs and unannounced features. Curse you, Microsoft, and your corporate compartmentalization!
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Microsoft’s KIN TWO hands-on – a phone with a focus on social networking
We sat down with Microsoft today to check out the KIN TWO that is bound for Verizon Wireless in the United States and Vodafone in Europe. We’ve included some live images and hands-on impressions.
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Categories: Mobile News Tags: focus, handson, Microsofts, networking, Phone, social