Watchdog relieves iPhone 5 scammers of £10k
Dodgy adverts earns fine from premium-rate line regulator
Posted in Crime, 8th June 2012 07:01 GMT
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A British company who offered "iPhone 5s" to punters has been slapped with a £10,000 fine by regulator PhonePayPlus, which ruled that the adverts for the non-existent phone were misleading.
According to the judgment published today, the Bumbalee service run by Mobile Minded BV used "prizes" such as the iPhone 5 to lure punters into signing up to a premium subscription service that charged them £2 every time they received a message.
In the adverts investigated by PhonePayPlus, the regulator for the UK's premium phone line industry, Mobile Minded offered £150 of "free" Morrisons vouchers in adverts put on Facebook in September/October 2011 – which turned out to be as illusory as the iPhone 5.
Morrisons disclaimed any knowledge of a vouchers deal with Bumbalee and the monitors found that it was impossible to claim the vouchers. Punters clicking on the offer were asked to fill in a survey, before being taken to the subscription site and offered the opportunity to win an iPhone 5.
Entrants paid to do surveys or quizzes and were charged £2 a message with five messages sent a week.
PhonePayPlus estimated that the scammers made between £50,000 and £100,000 out of the service.
As well as the £10,000 fine, the company have two weeks to make all their advertising compliant and have been commanded to refund all complainants for the full amount of money spent by them on the service.
Mobile Minded BV have not responded to our request for comment. ®
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Nokia, HP, Verizon back FTC against import bans over standards patents - PC Advisor
Tech companies including Nokia and Hewlett-Packard and industry associations have backed a submission by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, warning that exclusions based on standards-essential patents could stifle innovation and competition.
In a statement on Wednesday in the public interest before the U.S. International Trade Commission, the FTC said that ITC's issuance of an exclusion or cease and desist order in matters involving implementation of standards-essential patents, that were committed to be licensed on FRAND (fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory) terms, has the potential to cause substantial harm to U.S. competition, consumers and innovation.
FTC made the submission in the context of the ITC investigation into Motorola Mobility's charges of patent infringement against Apple and Microsoft. ITC administrative law judge David Shaw has recommended a ban on Xbox consoles in the U.S.
The FTC said it was concerned that a patent owner can make a FRAND commitment as part of the standard setting process, and then seek an exclusion order for infringement of the RAND-encumbered standards-essential patent as a way of securing royalties that may be inconsistent with the FRAND commitment.
Holders of declared-essential patents are entitled to fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory compensation and terms from implementers of the standard, but they are not entitled to keep a willing licensee from bringing standards-compliant products to market, Nokia said on Wednesday in response to a request for statements in the public interest from the ITC.
If exclusion orders against willing licensees were permitted for infringement of valid, enforceable and essential patents, companies selling standards-compliant products likely would be forced to pay artificially high prices, which are non-FRAND, to license the asserted patents, and avoid an exclusion order, it added.
Given that standards-essential patents are at issue, the only dispute at this stage should be whether the royalties demanded by the complainant are fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory, HP said. That dispute, however, should be resolved in the federal courts, and not the ITC, as the federal courts have the authority to provide a monetary remedy that adequately compensates the complainant, HP said in its submission.
Verizon Wireless also recommended that the ITC should direct the patent holder to remedies in federal court, where it should be limited to monetary damages as measured by the value of the patented invention before it was incorporated into the industry standard. The company said it is concerned that an exclusion order regarding smartphones would harm consumers, wireless carriers, and the national interest.
Microsoft put the blame squarely on Motorola which it said in a blog post had "decided to break the system by using its standard essential patents to block other companies from selling their products." It had hoped that Google would break the practice. Google last month completed the acquisition of Motorola.
In November, Apple sent a letter to ETSI (European Telecommunications Standards Institute), asking for more consistency in the licensing of essential patents. Apple's suggested terms include the promise to not try to block the sale of products when negotiations have failed.
Motorola was not immediately available for comment.
John Ribeiro covers outsourcing and general technology breaking news from India for The IDG News Service. Follow John on Twitter at @Johnribeiro. John's e-mail address is john_ribeiro@idg.com
Samsung Galaxy S3 blue 16GB version out today on Vodafone - Crave
Vodafone has managed to get hold of the elusive pebble blue Samsung Galaxy S3, sending the ocean-hued blower out to customers who pre-ordered the phone today.
A Vodafone quote spotted by Eurodroid that originated on the network's forum relays the jolly news, which I've since confirmed with Vodafone. The network says, "Pre-orders for white 16GB and 32GB and blue 16GB S3 handsets are either delivered or being delivered to customers from today."
Unfortunately there's no word on when the blue 32GB blue version -- which is exclusive to Vodafone -- is going to be ready. Vodafone says it's "working with Samsung to secure stock of the blue 32GB as soon as possible for pre-order customers".
By the sounds of it, if you didn't pre-order your blue Galaxy S3, you might have longer to wait. This is good news for those who did throw down their cash early, however.
The launch of Samsung's hotly anticipated 4.8-inch mobile has been marred by news that there's a shortage of blue models in the UK, thanks to severe manufacturing problems.
An insider told CNET UK that less than 5 per cent of total Galaxy S3 stock arriving for sale would be the blue option. Samsung later confirmed that the blue version would be delayed by 2-3 weeks.
It looks like the wait may be over for Vodafone customers, however. If you're on Vodafone and pre-ordered the blue Galaxy S3 before the date stated above, let me know if it's arrived yet in the comments, or on our Facebook wall.
Early indicators point to the Galaxy S3 being another success for Samsung, following on from the hugely popular Galaxy S2. Carphone Warehouse pegged the Android-powered phone as the fastest selling pre-order phone so far this year.
Samsung Galaxy S3 vs. Pantech Burst: Innovation Meets Budget in Interesting Showdown - ibtimes.co.uk
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Here is a rundown of how the two smartphones stack up:
Dimension
Pantech's Burst measures 126.5 x 62.5 x 11.4mm and weighs 122.5g, while the Galaxy S3 has a dimension of 136.6 x 70.6 x 8.6mm and weighs 133g.
Display
The Pantech Burst comes with a 4.0in Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen with a resolution of 800 x 480 pixels at 233 pixel per inch (ppi).
The Galaxy S3, on the other hand features a 4.8in Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen with a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels at 306 ppi. It is covered with a Corning Gorilla glass 2 and TouchWiz 4.0 UI.
Processor
The Pantech Burst is powered by the Qualcomm MSM8660 Snapdragon chipset with a 1.5GHz Scorpion dual-core processor.
In contrast, the Galaxy S3 is powered by the quad-core Exynos 4212 processor, which was clocked at 1.4GHz. Both smartphones house 1GB of RAM.
Camera
The Pantech Burst packs a five megapixel rear-facing camera which features auto-focus, LED flash and geo-tagging. It allows user to record video of 720p at 30 frames per second (fps). It comes with a front-facing VGA camera.
The Galaxy S3 comes with a whopping eight megapixel rear-facing camera. The sporting features are auto-focus, LED flash, geo-tagging, face and smile detection, image stabilisation, touch focus and simultaneous HD video and image recording. It offers video recording of 1080p at 30fps as well as a secondary camera of 1.9 megapixel.
Operating System
The Pantech Burst runs on Android 2.3 (Gingerbread), while the Galaxy S3 runs on Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS).
Storage
The Pantech smartphone includes internal storage of 16GB and a microSD card slot with an additional memory space of 32GB.
The Samsung smartphone comprises of three internal storage variants -16/32/64GB (the 64GB will be available at a later date). It comes with a microSD card slot with an additional memory space of 64GB.
Connectivity
The Pantech Burst offers Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Wi-Fi hotspot and Bluetooth 3.0 with A2DP. In comparison, the Galaxy S3 features Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, DLNA, Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi hotspot and Bluetooth 4.0 with A2DP and EDR.
Battery
The Pantech Burst includes Li-Ion 1650mAh standard battery which allows for talk time of up to four hours 30 minutes and standby time of up to 240 hours.
The Galaxy S3 packs Li-Ion 2100mAh standard battery which allows for talk time of up to 21 hours 40 minutes on 2G and 11 hours 40 minutes on 3G networks. It offers for standby time of up to 590 hours on 2G and 790 hours on 3G networks.
iPhone 5 pressure well & truly on - Phones Review
The buzz around the Apple iPhone 5 appears to be building in much the same way as for previous iPhone launches, maybe even more as many of us are expecting something extra special this time around. Although we could still be months away from a release there has been speculation about a possible reveal or further details at WWDC 2012 next week and for Apple, the iPhone 5 pressure is now on.
We’ve heard so many leaks and rumors about the next iPhone, as always happens before any iPhone launch and only in the last few days we’ve had some camera news, details of a higher resolution display and given a wish list of features for iOS 6. It’s fair to say though that with the launch of Samsung’s Galaxy S3 as very credible Android competition, Apple needs to step up its game and that’s what most of us are expecting of course. Apart from top-end specs and big improvements there will be major disappointment if Apple don’t come up with a completely fresh look for the iPhone 5, especially as the current iPhone 4S looked exactly the same as its predecessor.
That’s already one area of pressure then and we do feel that Apple has an awful lot to live up to when it does finally choose to unveil the iPhone 5 (or new iPhone or whatever else it may be called). An article on MarketWatch also discusses mounting pressure on Apple to really come up with the goods for the next iPhone and outlines a few interesting points that all add to the burden.
With all the build-up and hype surrounding the next iPhone, one thing that many will be waiting to see if whether Apple CEO Tim Cook can finally step out of the shadow of Steve Jobs. For years people have talked about how Apple has revolutionized the tech industry and the whole way that we think about our gadgets and devices. Cook must know that the company has to keep that innovative edge it is so famous for, or many may start to write him off.
The “supreme buzz” surrounding the Apple brand is also pointed out and the question asked, “Will Cook’s Apple inspire the same sort of awestruck envy?” The success of the iPhone 5 will be pivotal to this and the top dogs at Apple will no doubt be feeling the pressure. One thing that Apple really has to get a grip on to avoid consumer letdown is its Siri voice recognition. Many of us were pulled in to the iPhone 4S because of the promise of Siri but it’s fair to say that it has not lived up to the expectations of many of us just yet. If Apple makes major improvements in time for the iPhone 5 though, that will go a long way to inspiring consumer confidence.
Cook and the rest of Apple’s supremo’s do have a big factor in their favor though, that might alleviate some of the pressure in the build up to the next iPhone. In the time between the sad death of Steve Jobs last October to June 6, Apple stock has rocketed by 51% so certainly on the face of it Apple has nothing major to worry about. Nevertheless we still feel the launch of the iPhone 5 will be extremely important as that momentum has to be maintained to avoid pointing fingers if stock begins to fall.
Ultimately then, the pressure is on for Apple to deliver an outstanding iPhone 5. This will need to have a new design, high-end specs and maybe some new groundbreaking feature not yet rumored or even thought of, but is Apple up to the challenge? We’d like to hear your thoughts on this. Do you agree that the iPhone 5 needs to be something really special for Apple to stay on top of its game? Maybe you disagree and think that by previous reputation alone Apple can’t go wrong with the next iPhone? Let us have your comments on this.
Samsung Galaxy S3 or HTC One X the superior argument - Phones Review
When it comes to the Samsung Galaxy S3 there are some that would say another smartphone is better, and today the latest news covers a document that compares this handset with the HTC One X. Looks like HTC really wants to grab the attention and point out that its phone is best, but would you agree.
We visited The Next Web and they show a few documents obtained by PriceBaba (A shopping site who we have never heard of), the documents clearly show that the HTC is better than the SGS3 and they want staff to know this. The pamphlet shows specs comparisons of the HTC One X and the Samsung Galaxy S3 side-by-side, and even though they do compare fairly with some biased thinking you can see that they think the One X is more superior to the Galaxy S3.
The specs sheet shows the following: HTC One X has quad-core 1.5Ghz, Camera is 70% better quality with f2.0/faster 4fps/99 shot and faster startup 0.7s, Beats Audio sound, Brighter and clearer high density screen, polycarbonate for better durability and world acclaimed design.
The Samsung Galaxy S3 on the sheet says: Quad-core 1.4Ghz processor, camera with poor light with f2.6/slower 3fps/20 shots and slower startup at 0.99secs. The sound column has “None” in it, the screen sections for the SGS3 on the sheet says dull bluish and lower density; design is plastic and disappointing design.
On another sheet it says the GS3 is slimmer, has a removable battery, has a SD card slot and comes with a bigger display, but then on the HTC One X side it says that the One X is lighter, feels slimmer and looks way better. The One X battery can last a full day, the HTC one X has a 32GB internal storage plus 25GB of dropbox, also says that it has a total 57GB storage = 30,000 8MP photos or 20,000 songs, which is equal to 41 days of continuous music playback.
After looking at what the pamphlet mentions we have to laugh a little, a removable battery is bad because it needs an external charger to charge with it, we have to point out that what the sheets (shown below) says is a little mad really because having a removable battery means you can change and swap spare ones when it suits you, or buy an extended battery for more battery life, which you cannot use on a fixed battery.
They talk about the SD card slot and that the HTC One X has 32GB of internal storage, which comes with 25GB Dropbox storage, we here at Phones Review are not taking sides here but do come on, the Samsung Galaxy S3 comes with 32GB internal storage, support for 64GB cards thanks to its card slot, and Samsung offers 50GB of Dropbox storage.
We got to admit that the HTC One X looks stunning, and of course HTC will do everything in their power to sell its smartphone to the masses, always good to give the handset the big hey ho to bring the money and followers in.
So! What will your decision be and why, will you choose the Samsung galaxy S3, or will you pick the HTC One X? Let the superior argument begin in the commenting area below.
iPhone 5 will have NFC inside, reckons Orange - Crave
Apple's iPhone 5 is likely to include contactless NFC technology, according to mobile network Orange.
NFC, or near field communications technology, allows phones to be used to make tap-to-pay transactions by swiping the phone over a compatible reader. It can also be used to share data between two NFC phones or grab data by tapping on an NFC tag.
Apple's biggest concern about including NFC in the next generation of its super phone is ensuring the technology lives up to the hype, says Orange.
"There is a question about Apple [adopting NFC for the iPhone 5]," said Jean-Paul Cottet, executive VP of group marketing and innovation, at Orange, speaking during a press lunch in Paris. "I think, seen from Apple['s perspective], the market is not yet enough mature."
Cottet, who recently met with Apple CEO Tim Cook and marketing chief Phil Schiller to discuss NFC, said Apple's priority is "the customer journey" -- or, in other words, how easy is it to do useful stuff with the technology.
To be practically useful, NFC needs to be accepted by the vast majority of shops and retail outlets where you want to use your phone to pay -- in the same way that London's Oyster travelcards let you tap in and out of ticket gates and pay for trips on buses.
In France, there are currently around 10,000 retail outlets accepting NFC mobile payments, according to Orange, but the operator believes most French shops will be accepting contactless payments by next year. Mobile users in France who bank with BNP Paribas can already use an app called KIX to make payments with an NFC phone.
In the UK, NFC has been held back by a lack of contactless phones but also by banks being slow to create and support NFC payment apps. Instead, Barclays and Barclaycard have championed contactless debit and credit cards and swipe-to-pay plastic now sits in millions of wallets.
More mobile makers are now adding NFC to phones. Nokia has included NFC in an Orange-flavoured variant of the Lumia 610, for example, its cheapest Windows Phone device to date. Cottet, who met with Nokia CEO Stephen Elop this week, described NFC as a "no brainer" for the once-mighty Finn.
"For Nokia, [NFC] is a no brainer. It changes the game," he said. "And we have the good support of Microsoft, even for Windows Phone 8... They work on NFC from day one on the new Windows Phone operating system."
In France, Orange started rolling out NFC-enabled SIMs to its customers last year -- in an attempt to kick-start the NFC market. These SIMs are only a part of the picture and still have to be used in conjunction with an NFC-enabled phone -- or with a phone that's been fitted with an NFC-enabled battery.
"All our SIM cards are now NFC-enabled," said Cottet. "We decided to put that on all post-pay SIMs, not for pre-pay -- but 90 per cent of the business is post-paid in France... We are betting on the future."
With so many pieces in the NFC puzzle it's little wonder Apple is thinking long and hard about whether now is the right time to get involved with this it'll-be-really-useful-at-some-future-point technology.
Apple has often taken its time when incorporating new hardware features -- the original iPhone famously lacked 3G, for example -- so while NFC is certainly on Apple's radar it remains to be seen whether the Californian company will stick it inside the iPhone 5.
What do you think? Should Apple futureproof the iPhone 5 by putting NFC inside? Or would a disappointing contactless experience be too upsetting for iCustomers? Let me know by posting a comment below or by tapping up our Facebook page.
Editor's note: Natasha Lomas saw Orange demoing NFC at an Orange event in Paris. Her train tickets were paid for by Orange, but the company had no input into the content of this article.
iPhone 5 rumours visualised in concept video - Pocket-lint.com
Some creative type has gathered together a horde of iPhone 5 rumours and supposed leaked images, pieced them altogether and constructed a video of what we might expect.
The video shows both a black and white version (complete with aluminium back panel) in 3D as they swivel around 360 degrees.
It’s all the work of Bryce Haymond of Blackpool Creative, who must have had to shelve through countless amounts of online speculation in order to conjure up his high-resolution iPhone 5 renderings.
“Many of the biggest media outlets have already published photos and videos of ‘leaked’ parts that are supposedly from the iPhone 5 as it makes its way into the manufacturing phase at Apple’s suppliers,” said Haymond.
“I thought it would be fun to piece together these fragments to see what the iPhone 5 might look like when Apple makes the big announcement.”
So how many leaked parts has Haymond included? Well we’ve spotted the taller display, the aluminium back, the centre facing camera, the 4G connectivity. Anymore?
How close do you think this iPhone 5 rendering might prove to be? Let us know what you think.
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