| Microsoft licensed design patents at issue in Apple v. Samsung, Surface lovers breathe sigh of relief Aug 13th 2012, 17:46  Last week, we found out about Apple's offer to license a bundle of IP -- including its iPhone and iPad design patents -- to Samsung back in 2010. Today, Reuters reports that Apple proposed a similar deal to Microsoft, and the folks in Redmond took them up on the offer. Details of the license itself are scarce, but the deal did, naturally, include an provision expressly prohibiting iDevice copies. So, for folks figuring that Microsoft might face a litigious future similar to Samsung's, think again. Looks like Ballmer and friends had the foresight to buy the rights to those rounded corners, edge-to-edge glass and black bezels on their forthcoming Surface tablets. Filed under: Cellphones, Tablet PCs Microsoft licensed design patents at issue in Apple v. Samsung, Surface lovers breathe sigh of relief originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 13 Aug 2012 13:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink |  Reuters | Email this | Comments | | Microsoft trumpets Windows RT OEM partners, lists ASUS, Dell, Lenovo and Samsung Aug 13th 2012, 17:25  Following sharp comments from Acer's JT Wang surrounding Microsoft's decision to compete with vital OEM partners in the tablet space, Mike Angiulo -- the vice president of Microsoft's Ecosystem and Planning team -- has stepped to the plate with a resounding "thank you" to those very associates. Aside from praising those who will be helping to make Windows RT more than a passing fad, the company affirmed that ASUS, Dell, Samsung and Lenovo will all be shipping ARM-based products with the aforementioned operating system onboard. This pretty much confirms that the Yoga will indeed ship as a WinRT variant, and it also makes clear that Dell's hard work for a spot in the lineup paid off. Exact model details aren't being disclosed, nor are ship dates, but it's becoming abundantly clear that Microsoft is working overtime behind the scenes to give its allies equal footing come October 26th. Filed under: Tablet PCs Microsoft trumpets Windows RT OEM partners, lists ASUS, Dell, Lenovo and Samsung originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 13 Aug 2012 13:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | MSDN Blogs | Email this | Comments | | Life on Mars: One week of Curiosity Aug 13th 2012, 17:00  Is there life on Mars? NASA's latest mission to the red planet might well answer that question, or perhaps the more pertinent question, was there life on Mars. At 10:02 AM EST on November 26th last year, the space agency's Mars Science Laboratory (to give the mission its full name) set off on its eight-month journey to the red planet. The most advanced equipment ever sent to the planet -- and the biggest-ever rover -- should allow exploration of some of the most interesting regions, over far larger distances than ever previously covered. On arrival, after negotiating a tricky landing, the mobile laboratory (that's Curiosity) will spend a Martian year (687 Earth days) analyzing rock samples and seeking evidence of conditions suitable for microbial life or -- we can live in hope -- actual evidence of the same. After the break, we take a look at some of the key events over the first seven days on the planet's surface. Continue reading Life on Mars: One week of Curiosity Filed under: Science Life on Mars: One week of Curiosity originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 13 Aug 2012 13:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | NASA | Email this | Comments | | LG Optimus Vu coming to wide-minded Americans by summer's end Aug 13th 2012, 16:35  If you're enamored with the 4:3 ratio of the Optimus Vu but remain disappointed that there isn't an American model to call your own, LG is bringing some sunshine to your day. The Korean company has confirmed plans to port the LTE-equipped version of the extra-wide phablet to the US sometime during the third quarter of the year -- in other words, anytime between now and the end of September. Thanks to our friends at the FCC, we even know that it's headed to Verizon first, if not exclusively. Most of the other details are scant. The timing makes it likely that Android 4.0 will ship with Big Red's edition as a matter of course; LG's me-too Q Voice interface won't speak English until 2013, however. We mostly know that, between LG's American plans and Samsung's next Galaxy Note, the Great PDA Revival of 2012 is still very much in full swing. [Thanks, FT] Filed under: Cellphones LG Optimus Vu coming to wide-minded Americans by summer's end originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 13 Aug 2012 12:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink  Unwired View | LG Newsroom (translated) | Email this | Comments | | Engadget's back to school guide 2012: gaming Aug 13th 2012, 16:00 Welcome to Engadget's back to school guide! The end of summer vacation isn't nearly as much fun as the weeks that come before, but a chance to update your tech tools likely helps to ease the pain. Today, we're getting our game on -- and you can head to the back to school hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the month. Be sure to keep checking back -- at the end of the month we'll be giving away a ton of the gear featured in our guides -- and hit up the hub page right here!  It's time to balance out that daily grind at school with some well-deserved leisure. Fortunately, many of our choices walk that fine line between work and play -- if you're willing to stump up some more cash beyond a normal laptop, you could get something capable of handling the latest PC titles. Some of our other choices may be a harder sell in the education stakes, but we all need some stress relief, right? And with bigger consoles nearing the end of their life cycles, there's never been a more wallet-friendly time to get involved. Jump in after the break for our favorite gaming choices. If all your money's been earmarked for learnin', then you should certainly enter our sweepstakes. Leave a comment after the break for a chance to win, and visit our giveaway page for all the details.  Continue reading Engadget's back to school guide 2012: gaming Filed under: Gaming Engadget's back to school guide 2012: gaming originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 13 Aug 2012 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | |
