Judge throws out Proview's iPad suit vs Apple

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - A California judge tossed out a lawsuit in which the Chinese firm Proview Electronics Co Ltd accused Apple Inc of tricking them into selling the "iPad" name for less than it might have.

Proview, which is also suing Apple in China over alleged illegal use of the iPad name, filed a lawsuit in California superior court in February, saying the U.S. consumer electronics company deceived it by purchasing the rights to the name through a special-purpose vehicle.

Last week, judge Mark Pierce dismissed the case, agreeing with Apple's argument that the two parties had agreed to settle any disagreements in Hong Kong.

Apple says it bought ownership of the trademark in various countries from Proview, once a global monitor maker, but the Chinese company argues that the U.S. firm dealt with only one unit of Proview and it retains rights to the iPad name in China.

An Apple spokeswoman reiterated the company's previous statement that Proview is "unfairly trying to get more from Apple for a trademark we already paid for."

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Lenovo takes big gamble on mobile market

PC manufacturer Lenovo is set to dive head-first into the mobile market after investing £495 million ($800 million) in a new facility in Wuhan, China.

Lenovo is the world's second largest PC manufacturer and now looks ready to take on the lucrative smartphone and tablet sectors.
Yang Yuanqing, Lenovo Group chairman and CEO said: "we are accelerating development in smartphones, tablets, and other mobile internet terminal markets."
Windows 8 tablet and Intel smartphone?The new base is expected to generate 10,000 job opportunities and will be focussed on "the R&D, production and sales of smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices that will cover the Chinese and global markets".
Lenovo revealed its Android-toting K800 handset at CES 2012, the first phone powered by Intel's Atom chip. The K800 is due to arrive later this month and we could see the handset manufactured at the new plant.
The Wuhan factory could also produce Lenovo's Windows 8 tablet, which could be the first Windows 8 tablet to hit the market in October.
Can Lenovo cut it in the already crowded mobile market, or is it arriving too late to the party? Let us know your thoughts in the comment box below.

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Google+ rolls out 'Hangouts On Air' worldwide

Google began letting members of its social network worldwide broadcast "hangouts" live to Internet titan's growing online community.

Hangouts On Air were introduced last year at Google+ with select high-profile members testing the service that lets as many as ten people at a time take part in virtual roundtable style video chats broadcast for anyone to see.

"This small community has grown the feature in lots of creative ways," said Google+ engineering director Chee Chew.

"And they've made one thing crystal clear: when groups of passionate individuals can broadcast live, together, they results are truly remarkable.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moo, the US president, musician Will.i.am, Desmond Tutu and even the Dalai Lama have taken part in "On Air" hangouts in which intimate online gatherings can be openly viewed at the social network.

"Today we're excited to launch Hangouts On Air to Google+ users worldwide," Chew said.

"So if you have something to say-as an aspiring artist, a global celebrity, or a concerned citizen-you can now go live in front of a global audience."

The "On Air" option for Google+ hangouts is being rolled out gradually because "launching millions of live stations takes some doing."

The unique Hangouts feature has been a huge draw at the online community.

Hangouts can be limited to invited friends or opened to anyone.

"We think looking somebody in the eye and communicating in the normal social way we've learned to do over millennia is important," Google+ vice president Bradley Horowitz told AFP in a recent interview.

"We wanted to bring that authenticity back into the equation."
Hangouts have surprised the Google+ team. They have been used for language and music lessons. A stutterers' support group uses them for group meetings, and let bedridden people virtually explore the world.
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New malware exploits flaw in old versions of Office for Mac

Microsoft researchers recently discovered a piece of Mac OS X malware that exploits a three-year-old flaw in old versions of Office for Mac. The threat uses a multi-stage attack, just like a Windows virus would. While Microsoft did fix the problem in 2009, the software giant notes that not every machine is up-to-date. The company’s data indicates, however, that the malware is not widespread. “No operating system that exists outside a laboratory is entirely immune to malware,” Microsoft stated on its blog. “As different operating systems continue to gain in popularity they attract more attention from would-be attackers – especially since, as we see in the example analysis above, the techniques and understanding needed to do so may be much the same as those used against other platforms. And even though an operating system may include many risk-reducing mitigation technologies, any machine’s defenses against vulnerabilities are directly related to how current its security updates for applications are kept.” Microsoft concludes by warning users of Office 2004 for Mac, Office 2008 for Mac or Open XML File Format Converter for Mac to update their software in order to protect themselves from possible threats.

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Android lost money in 2010

During Google’s ongoing legal dispute with Oracle, the judge presiding over the case revealed the Internet giant’s Android mobile operating system was not profitable in 2010, Reuters reported. Google does not publicly report financial information regarding its Android operating system, however the judge did not disclose specific figures, but instead said it lost money in each quarter of 2010. “That adds up to a big loss for the whole year,” he said. Oracle argued that Google should not be able to deduct certain Android expenses for the purposes of copyright damages related to the case.
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New iPhone to feature 4-inch display, metal case, smaller dock connector, fall release

Apple’s new iPhone, which is currently rumored to launch in September or October, is reportedly going to be the first iPhone to have a larger display. Multiple reports have suggested that the new iPhone will feature a 4-inch screen, and iLounge’s Jeremy Horowitz is throwing his weight behind it as well. Additionally, he’s reporting that the device will be taller and 20% thinner than the current iPhone 4S. The back of the device will have a metal panel according to the report, though it won’t cover the entire back of the phone. This seems a little strange, especially with iLounge’s rendering. What about the white version? Lastly, there will indeed be a new dock connector to make room for the thinner case, so no doubt third-party accessory manufacturers are going to be thrilled about that, but Apple’s move to introduce a thinner and smaller dock connector is likely a necessary step toward making the iPhone insanely thin. One barrier that Apple has not yet tackled is the 3.5 mm headset jack, which some day might disappear completely in favor of Bluetooth and AirPlay streaming. One more mockup of the new iPhone from iLounge is after the break.
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