The Asus Zenfone 2 which launched in 2015 has pretty great hardware for a mid-range phone, but I was a little taken aback by amount of unnecessary apps that come pre-installed: I counted 36. Now Asus is outlining plans for the next major software update for the Zenfone 2 and a bunch of other phones… and […]
Asus says Android 6.0 will replace (some) bloatware from its phones is a post from: Liliputing
The Asus Zenfone 2 which launched in 2015 has pretty great hardware for a mid-range phone, but I was a little taken aback by amount of unnecessary apps that come pre-installed: I counted 36. Now Asus is outlining plans for the next major software update for the Zenfone 2 and a bunch of other phones… and […]
Asus says Android 6.0 will replace (some) bloatware from its phones is a post from: Liliputing
Apple’s autocorrect and “slide to unlock” are invalid in light of prior art.
(credit: Aurich Lawson)
Apple's second high-profile patent win against Samsung was appealed, just as the first was. In an opinion (PDF) published today, a panel of appeals judges entirely wiped out Apple's victory, along with its $120 million verdict.
The decision found that out of three different patent Apple became famous for winning with, one wasn't infringed, and two of them are invalid.
The '647 patent described how to turn phone numbers and other software "structures" into links, allowing users to take actions like calling a number with one "click" rather than copying and pasting. The jury awarded Apple $98.7 million based on that patent, but the appeals judges today held that the patent wasn't infringed at all. They held that "Apple failed to prove, as a matter of law, that the accused Samsung products use an 'analyzer server' as we have previously construed that term."
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Der durch die Redtube-Abmahnwelle bekannt gewordene Thomas Urmann sei unbekannt verzogen, wird aus Regensburg berichtet. Er soll sich aber weiter in der Stadt aufhalten. (Abmahnung, Streaming)
With 3DS sales declining rapidly, Nintendo needs NX to succeed fast.
With annualized 3DS sales peaking low and early, Nintendo no longer has the financial cushion it once did.
No matter how its console business is doing, Nintendo has always been able to lean on healthy portable system sales to prop up its finances. With the Wii U continuing to severely underperform sales expectations, though, it looks like the Nintendo 3DS is failing to pick up the slack as its predecessors once did.
A new revision to Nintendo's projected earnings, released today, sees Nintendo reducing its expectations of Nintendo 3DS sales for the full fiscal year, which ends in March. Nintendo now expects to sell 6.6 million 3DS units during the 12-month period, a 13 percent drop from previous projections and a 24 percent decline from the year before. That drop (and the accompanying drop in 3DS software sales projections) is a big reason why Nintendo is now also saying that its annual profits will be 50 percent lower than it had projected, though the company blames some of that decline on the weakening Japanese yen.
You might think this kind of decline is natural for a system like the 3DS, which is, after all, approaching its fifth birthday. But previous Nintendo handhelds have looked much more robust at this point in their lifecycles. The Nintendo DS was still near the peak of its hardware sales dominance in its fifth and sixth years, selling a whopping 31.18 million units in the 2009 fiscal year (and a healthy 27.11 million the next year). Game Boy Advance sales were still near a steady peak in the 2005-2006 period, bouncing up and down in the 15 million to 18 million annual sales range, thanks in part to the successful Game Boy Advance SP hardware refresh.
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The entry-level LG Nexus 5X smartphone sells for $349 if you buy it from the Google Store… but it’s been on sale a number of times since Google and LG launched the phone in late 2015. Right now Yapper Wireless is running one of the better deals I’ve seen: you can pick up a model with 16GB […]
Deals of the Day (2-26-2016) is a post from: Liliputing
The entry-level LG Nexus 5X smartphone sells for $349 if you buy it from the Google Store… but it’s been on sale a number of times since Google and LG launched the phone in late 2015. Right now Yapper Wireless is running one of the better deals I’ve seen: you can pick up a model with 16GB […]
Deals of the Day (2-26-2016) is a post from: Liliputing
Amazon darf Kunden wegen zu vieler Rücksendungen nicht mehr beliefern. Der Zugang für bereits gekaufte digitale Gütern kann aber nicht blockiert werden. (Onlineshop, Amazon) 
Amazon darf Kunden wegen zu vieler Rücksendungen nicht mehr beliefern. Der Zugang für bereits gekaufte digitale Gütern kann aber nicht blockiert werden. (Onlineshop, Amazon) RIAA: “The modern Internet landscape has no room for this blatantly illicit site.”
The labels sued MP3Skull in April 2015, calling it a "very popular rogue website" devoted to "the massive, brazen, and egregious theft of millions of copyrighted sound recordings." They didn't know who owned the site, but a summons was issued to Monica Vasilenko of Petrozavodsk, Russia, the name last listed as the site owner.
According to the complaint (PDF), MP3Skull operators helped users acquire "obviously infringing files," offering tips via Facebook and Twitter telling users to be "very creative when you are searching our site" to avoid copyright notices and get their files. MP3Skull had already been banned in the United Kingdom at the time of filing.
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Toshiba introduced a set of smart wearable glasses in January, promising to deliver the Toshiba WearVue on February 29th. Now, just days ahead of the expected launch date, Toshiba has canceled the product altogether. Smart glasses had a bit of a moment when Google first introduced its Google Glass platform in 2012, promising a future […]
Toshiba introduces, then quickly cancels smart eyeglass product is a post from: Liliputing
Toshiba introduced a set of smart wearable glasses in January, promising to deliver the Toshiba WearVue on February 29th. Now, just days ahead of the expected launch date, Toshiba has canceled the product altogether. Smart glasses had a bit of a moment when Google first introduced its Google Glass platform in 2012, promising a future […]
Toshiba introduces, then quickly cancels smart eyeglass product is a post from: Liliputing
A new study has shown that music piracy is still rampant in the United States with 57 million people between the ages of 13 and 50 accessing music through unauthorized sources. Interestingly, however, these pirates also spend significantly more money on CDs and paid downloads, more than their counterparts who only consume legally.
Source: TF, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, torrent sites and ANONYMOUS VPN services.
Over the past several years numerous studies have looked at the effects of piracy on the music industry.
One very consistent result seems to be that pirates are not by definition cheapskates. On the contrary, they tend to spend more money on merchandise, theater visits and concerts.
This week a new study conducted by the entertainment industry research firm MusicWatch confirmed this trend.
First off, the results of the survey debunk a popular belief that the number of music pirates is falling. While P2P sharing appears to be down, the use of popular alternatives including mobile apps and direct download sites has increased.
Overall, the study estimates that 57 million Americans between the ages of 13 and 50 admit to acquiring music through unauthorized sources. That’s a very significant number which will undoubtedly cause concern among music industry executives.
In part people turn to piracy because they don’t want to pay. However, there’s also a large group of legal music consumers who pirate tracks in addition to buying CDs or paying for legal downloads.
More than one-third of all music buyers (35%) pirate tracks on the side. Interestingly, this group appears to consist of the music industry’s most valuable customers.
The results show that average Americans (pirates included) spend $19 on CDs and music downloads per year, a number that goes up to $33 among pirates alone.
Similarly, the study finds that the average music buyer (pirates included) spend an average of $45 per year, compared to $61 for the subgroup of pirating music buyers. Extra data which MusicWatch kindly shared shows that non-pirates spent just $36 on average.
In addition, the results also show that pirates are more likely to use paid streaming services.
The findings clearly show that pirates spend more money on legal music than those who only consume music through authorized sites and services. So how can this be?
The most logical explanation for this finding is that “pirates” are more engaged than those who don’t share, and that they complement their legal purchases with unauthorized downloads.
Of course, none of the above says anything about the effect of piracy on legal consumption. The people who are now classified as pirates may pay even more if piracy disappeared overnight, or less because they can’t sample any music.
What it does show is that half of all music pirates are paying customers and these people are bringing in a lot of money. If anything, the music industry should be cautious to brand these pirates as thieves, because they are their most valuable consumers.
Source: TF, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, torrent sites and ANONYMOUS VPN services.
Die Kritik aus Politik und Öffentlichkeit am Umgang von Facebook mit Hasskommentaren ist berechtigt: Das hat Firmenchef Mark Zuckerberg bei einem Treffen mit Studenten und Schülern in Berlin gesagt. (Mark Zuckerberg, Soziales Netz) 
Die Kritik aus Politik und Öffentlichkeit am Umgang von Facebook mit Hasskommentaren ist berechtigt: Das hat Firmenchef Mark Zuckerberg bei einem Treffen mit Studenten und Schülern in Berlin gesagt. (Mark Zuckerberg, Soziales Netz) 
Der durch die Redtube-Abmahnwelle bekannt gewordene Thomas Urmann sei unbekannt verzogen, wird aus Regensburg berichtet. Er soll sich aber weiter in der Stadt aufhalten. (
