Apple : Week in Tech: Tablet battles and phone fights

Week in Tech: Tablet battles and phone fights
Cheaper iPhone 5 Lightning cable adaptors not coming any time soon
Google's Schmidt says patent wars are bad for innovation

Week in Tech: Tablet battles and phone fights

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Sometimes we wish tech firms would compete using music and dance - imagine Steve Ballmer doing Gangnam Style.

But then reality comes crashing in and we find ourselves watching people sing about BlackBerry apps.

The video, starring several senior RIM execs, puts us in mind of the captain of the Titanic: "An iceberg, you say? Time for some soft rock!"

YouTube : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlsahuZ_4oM

We're very grateful, then, that other tech firms are competing the old-fashioned way, by trying to make better products - and this week's line-up includes brand new entries in the form of the Nook HD and HD+ from Barnes and Noble.

We have to admit, we're impressed: the Nook HD is a seven-inch, heavily customised Ice Cream Sandwich tablet with a stunning screen, while its bigger brother, the HD+, is a rather nice nine-incher with a similarly pretty display.

The best bit is the price tag, though: at just £229 for the 16GB version, if the Nook HD+ is as good as it looks it could turn out to be a big seller.

While the HD+ is clearly gunning for the iPad and the ten-inch Kindle Fire, the £159 Nook HD is going for the jugular of Google's and Amazon's seven-inchers. Google for one doesn't seem to be scared of a fight: just hours after the Nook HD was announced, rumours of a super-cheap sixty quid Nexus began to circulate.

The Maps debacle rumbles on

While Google's fighting off rivals in the tablet space, it's also having a good old barney with Apple: in the wake of the iOS 6 maps debacle, it's emerged that all of the problems are Google's fault. Well, something like that anyway: Apple wanted Google to provide turn-by-turn navigation, Google demanded conditions Apple wouldn't meet, and so Apple gave Google Maps the boot long before its mapping contract had actually expired.

To Apple, Google was saving the best mapping features for Android, putting Apple at a disadvantage, but in the short term at least that means the iPhone's maps aren't as good as they could be - and the Maps app isn't the only problem being reported. We're hearing tales of a "purple halo" camera glitch, scratches and light leaks, and while some concerns are the usual griping you get with any new gadget release there's no doubt that Apple's getting a much rougher ride than it usually does, especially over the iPhone 5's lack of NFC.

We asked for your suggestions for the iPhone 6, and the results make interesting reading - especially if you're Samsung, whose Galaxy S3 phone just happens to have many of the features you've been suggesting.

Samsung's got its own problems

However, while Samsung's been placing attack ads targeting potential iPhone 5 customers, it hasn't had the easiest week itself: this week it emerged that multiple Samsung handsets including the Galaxy S3, S2 and S Advance were vulnerable to "killer code" that could remotely wipe their handsets. Samsung has identified a solution and made it available as a software update.

So is the iPhone 5 better than sliced bread, or is it worse than an RIM rock video? There was only one way to find out: give it to our very own Gareth Beavis and force him to write the most exhaustive review imaginable. "Is the iPhone 5 a good phone?" he asks.

"Of course it is… a smart evolution of a decent handset is always going to be a quality device. But is it enough to warrant the fervour of the claims of record sales and 'the best thing to happen to iPhone since iPhone'?" It's a good question, and the answer is "er...". It's the best iPhone ever, but it comes with flaws: an ageing OS, the problematic Maps and a hefty price tag.

It's good, then, but is it good enough to take the top spot in our chart of the best mobile phones in the world today? We'd hate to spoil the ending, so here's just a little clue: no. You'll have to read the article to find out why - and what two phones we think are even better.

Cheaper iPhone 5 Lightning cable adaptors not coming any time soon

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Third-party manufacturers in China are still attempting to clone Apple's new Lightning cable, but supplies are unlikely to hit before Christmas, according to reports.

The new reversible syncing and charging solution for the iPhone 5, iPod touch, and iPod nano has replaced the tried and tested 30-pin cable used with legacy devices, such as the iPhone 4S.

However, the 8-pin accessory now features an integrated chip, which it won't work without. This makes copying the connector and creating less expensive solutions more difficult.

The true function of the chip is unknown, but it's thought that Apple may have introduced it simply to ensure outside companies will need to enter into official licensing agreements order to manufacturer accessories.

Unrealistic deadlines

AppleInsider found that Chinese companies are still offering delivery of cloned Lightning cables within 30 days, but that deadline is said to be unrealistic.

One U.S. cable supplier, Double Helix Cables, contacted a supplier in China, which told the stateside company that work won't start on unravelling the mysterious chip until after a Chinese national holiday is observed this weekend.

That, according to Peter, owner of Double Helix, means it's unlikely any products will be ready to ship in the next two months, at least.

"People should be very surprised if this cable can be cloned by Christmas," Peter told AppleInsider. "This is a serious undertaking and the Chinese know it."

Peter spoke with TechRadar earlier this week about the mysterious chip and asked that, for privacy reasons, his last name not be printed.

Apple is currently charging £15 ($19.99) for new Lightning connectors. For those unconcerned with owning the official accessories, much cheaper, third-party solutions were always available on eBay or Amazon, but it looks like those will still be a while coming.

Google's Schmidt says patent wars are bad for innovation

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Though a recent patent battle between Apple and Samsung ended with the court declaring Samsung would have to pay more than $1 billion (UK£630 million,AU$959 million) as a result of infringements, that may not have been the last word in the case.

Samsung is still trying to avoid paying out the huge settlement by asking for a new trial to take place, claiming juror misconduct should nullify the previous decision in Apple's favor.

While the battle between Apple and Samsung continues on, Google has been watching from the sidelines as two of the biggest cellular manufacturers go toe-to-toe over their innovations.

Current Google executive Eric Schmidt will likely be disappointed by further court proceedings, as he recently shared his opinions on patent wars, and they definitely don't align with Apple or Samsung's ideas.

Patent wars are bad, mmkay?

While in Korea to help promote the launch of the Nexus 7, Schmidt opened up to the public about where Google stood on the matters of patent wars.

According to the Korea Times, Schmidt said, "Literally, patent wars prevent choice, prevent innovation and I think that is very bad."

"[Google is] obviously working through that and trying to make sure we stay on the right side of these issues," he added.

Schmidt also told the crowd he believes better products, not legal wrangling, should be the driving force behind the battle for marketshare.

One happy family

Despite Apple and Samsung's reluctance to let up on one another, Google still has a solid relationship with both companies.

As Schmidt stated, Apple is a "very good company," and Google and Apple are "literally talking all the time about everything."

Samsung is apparently in Google's good graces, according to Schmidt.

He revealed that he will meet with Samsung, which he called one of Google's "most important partners."

Apple and Samsung don't appear to be quite done with their patent duel just yet, but at least Google isn't picking favorites, despite Samsung utilizing Google's Android OS.

Yahuui Blog

Friday, September 28, 2012