By Aldo Panessidi 

Bloomberg reported that Google may have grounds to ask the International Trade Commission to block U.S. imports of the Apple iPhone and iPad  over 3G patents held by Motorola Mobility. This speculation is based upon Google’s accusations that Apple has violated 3G patents held by Motorola Mobility, one of Google’s latest acquisitions.

Here’s the quote from the Bloomberg report, “The U.S. International Trade Commission said it will review ITC Judge Thomas Pender’s findings that Apple was violating one Motorola Mobility patent. The commission is scheduled to issue a final decision on Aug. 24, and has the power to block devices made in Asia from entering the U.S.”

Google bought Motorola Mobility in part to gain access to Motorola’s stockpile of 17,000 patents, many on phone technology. Apple had already filed a complaint against Motorola Mobility at the European Union, accusing them of misusing patents that relate to industry standards.  When Google bought Motorola, that battle with Apple came as part of the deal.

Fans all over the world have been bombarded with speculation about this major update to Apple’s mobile platform, and now we all have a preliminary look.  Last week, Apple finally revealed the details for its iOS 6 with the low-down on over 200 new features, services and user interface upgrades.

Apple has less than three months to get iOS 6 ready for release.  Here’s the low-down on one of the first reviews.

First Impressions

The beta release is available to developers, getting the new code into the hands of those who produce the apps in the crowded App Store. This evaluation is based on testing with the iPhone 4S, so if you have a different mobile device, your results may be different.

Two hundred tweaks may sound like a lot (and it is), but there are a few key additions, updates and changes with iOS 6 that deserve a closer look. We’ll highlight the biggest upcoming changes that could have even Android, BlackBerry and Windows Phone loyalists thinking twice about Apple's iPhone.

Siri

Siri capability is added to the iPad 3 (but not older iPads or the iPhone 4 and earlier.) Siri has only been available on iPhone 4S until now.

• Siri answers sports questions that go beyond just game scores including history, stats, player bios, and records without switching over to the browser.
• Siri answers questions about movies like actors, directors, awards and movie stats, and shows status of premieres, reviews, trailers and tickets. It will bring up nearby listings and enable ticket purchases through Fandango.
• Siri understands more languages Canadian English and French, Spanish, Italian, the varieties of German, Italian and French spoken in Switzerland, Korean, Mandarin, Cantonese. These are also supported in the satellite navigation app.
• Siri finds the restaurant you are looking for and filters the results based on user reviews. It provides for detailed searches based on food type, location, outdoor, pool, price range, ratings, and more. (This feature is not available in every country.)
•  Nine automakers (BMW, GM, Mercedes, Land Rover, Jaguar, Audi, Toyota, Chrysler and Honda) have promised to integrate Siri. Hitting the voice button in your car will activate Siri if your iPhone is connected to your vehicle’s infotainment system.
• Siri launches apps by just saying their name.

Facebook integration in Siri

Twitter became integrated into iOS 5, and now Apple is doing the same with Facebook in iOS 6. Everything you can do now with Twitter, you'll be able to do with Facebook.

• Use Siri to post Facebook updates and tweets.
• With the link to Facebook you can update your contacts’ pictures, addresses, important dates, emails, phone numbers and websites. You will also get a new Facebook field with a shortcut to your contacts’ Facebook profile. It will load in the Safari browser, not the dedicated Facebook app.
• All Facebook events will appear in the Calendar.
• Facebook integration extends to the App Store and the iTunes Store. Whenever you tap on an app, song, movie, TV show, and more three tabs pop up: info, reviews and related.
• Share photos on Facebook from inside the Camera or Photo apps.
• Share addresses with a pin in Maps.

In another blow to Google, there’s no Google+ integration. Then again, there's no Google+ integration in Android either…

Apple Maps

Google has been providing an Apple version of its Google Maps since iOS was born. But iOS 6 kicks Google Maps to the curb. While the Google version may still be available in the App Store, Apple’s iOS 6 Maps provided by TomTom will have the default position. Here are a few of the highlights:

• iOS 6 Maps uses TomTom for all mapping and traffic data.
• Siri connects to these maps, and turn-by-turn voice navigation is included for free.
• You can access crowd-sourced traffic information for (almost) real-time traffic alerts.
• 3D "Flyover" maps are available on the iPhone 4S, iPad 2 and the New iPad/iPad 3 (older models won't support the advanced graphics.). Zoom, tilt and rotate the landscape to explore 3D landmarks in real time.
• Access local search and Yelp reviews.
• Navigation even works in the lock screen mode and behind other apps. This is ideal for use in car mounts.
• Offline mapping capability should be available in the coming weeks.

PassBook

Passbook is a single app that collects and intelligently displays boarding passes, movie tickets, retail coupons, and loyalty cards.

• Any travel changes (like gate changes and fee differences) are displayed in Passbook in real-time as long as you have a data connection. This is a airline carrier partnership deal. So far the only airline to sign up is United. A lot more carriers will have to join to make this one worthwhile.
• The location-aware app makes the right coupon available in the right place and at the right time.
• The PassBook will report the balance on coupons and cards, let you check your ticket seats and can even show you relevant notifications (e.g. gate or terminal change for a flight).

Safari browser

The Safari browser has gotten a few minor updates:

• It’s faster than it was on the iOS 5. Its benchmark scores for SunSpider, BrowserMark and HTML5test.com show significant improvement over iOS 5.1.1.
• A full-screen view option is available from a dedicated button on the taskbar. It works only in landscape mode.
• iCloud tab syncing is enabled, along with offline reading.
• You can access to your multimedia content without exiting the browser.

Email

Good old email got some updates too:

• Set up friends’ emails in a dedicated VIP mailbox, and it will appear highlighted in the regular inbox. Designate where you want to be notified of VIP emails (for example, put them on the lockscreen.)
• Flag important emails and they’ll be placed in a Flagged mailbox.
• Use different mail signatures for multiple email accounts.
• Insert pictures or videos in emails just by tapping and holding on an empty space and accessing them from a pop-up menu.
• The update button is now gone and there's a pull to refresh instead.

Phone app

Apple is adding some much needed calling features:

• When you decline an incoming call, you can reply to it with a text message or set a callback reminder.
• Use the Do Not Disturb setting to bypass calls and texts, except those from callers on your VIP list.
• If the Repeated calls feature is activated a second call from the same contact within less than three minutes will not be silenced (it might be an emergency.)

App Store and iTunes Store

With iOS 6 Apple has updated the App Store and iTunes Store and content handling:

• Featured pages have scrollable rows rather than lists.
• The App Store won't prompt you to enter your password when you’re just updating apps.
• You can see the change log in the Updates screen without opening the info screen.
• After you buy or update apps you can continue browsing the store. You can also launch apps you've already installed from within the store.
• The Game Center gets Facebook integration and supports challenges.

FaceTime

FaceTime for 3G is finally here, allowing FaceTime to work over cellular networks, not just Wi-Fi.

• FaceTime now supports video chatting on data networks, but be warned; these chats run through around 3MB per minute and will chew through your LTE data plan in short order.
• The unified FaceTime/iMessages ID lets you receive calls on an iPad using your phone number.
• Other FaceTime improvements include updated Stores and system apps, new icons, and revised settings.

Guided Access and Lost Mode

Apple is working hard to bring iOS to people with disabilities through its Guided Access.

• It helps students with disabilities remain on task and focused on content.
• It allows a parent, teacher, or administrator to limit an iOS device to one app by disabling the Home button as well as restrict touch input on certain areas of the screen.
• VoiceOver, a screen reader technology for blind and low-vision users, is now integrated with Maps, AssistiveTouch, and Zoom.
• Guided Access could be useful as a kid- or test- mode. Loan your Apple device to your kids without being worried that they will access inappropriate content or change your settings and apps.

Lost Mode is part of the former Find My iPhone service. If you lose your gadget, you can lock it remotely and send a message with your contact information. Lost Mode doesn’t have data wiping capability.

Miscellaneous mentions

Right inside the Photo app is a sub-social network for pictures called Shared Photo Stream. By choosing what pictures to share and which people to share them with, those you send them to will be able to like them and post comments.

The Bluetooth toggle has more prominence with placement next to the Wi-Fi toggle.

The Camera UI is now black.

In the settings menu brightness is now in the wallpaper screen.

In the auto brightness mode, your device will be in full control of the brightness and will move the slider above the toggle to show the currently selected setting.  You’ll be able to see exactly how bright the screen is, but you won’t be able to adjust it in auto-mode like you could in past iOS versions.

The Settings and Clock apps have updated icons. The Clock app now allows you to access the iPod music library and assign any song as an alarm tone.

Compatibility

Not all Apple iPhone and iPad generations will get the upgrade. iOS 6 is compatible with iPhone 3GS, 4 and 4S; iPad 2 and 3; and the fourth-generation iPod Touch. The first iPad has been left behind.

Siri access is expanded beyond the iPhone 4S, but only as far as iPad 3. The turn-by-turn navigation and the Flyover mode in Maps is only possible with the dual-core devices - iPhone 4S, iPad 2 and iPad 3.

Wrap up

The iOS 6 changes will make a difference for every Apple device that it’s made for.

The big deal is Maps. While much of Maps looks similar to Google Maps, it integrates 3D and voice navigation. The integration with Siri is most of what will make Apple’s Maps a winner with most users.

iOS 6 won’t inspire a mob of new customers, but we’ll see if the new iPhone 5 package makes the iOS 6 greater than the sum of its parts.

By Adhurim Murtezai

Google is finally ready to show what it can do with its own brand of tablet. It’s called the “Nexus 7. ” We hear we’ll get a first look at it at next week’s Google I/O developer conference.

DigiTimes just reported a number of details about the Nexus 7 slate that seem to ring true. The DigiTimes source in the tablet’s supply chain claimed that Google’s next major Android release - Jelly Bean - would come in the second quarter. They also reported that Nexus tablet shipments would begin in June in preparation for a July launch.

Microsoft’s unveiling of its “Surface” tablet seems to be the start of a major effort by software wizards to become hardware masters. Google seems to be right behind. Google also has a few Android partners that help on the device building side. Some are developing their own software expertise. Just when we thought the only entertainment was going to be Apple against the rest of the world, it seems the natives have gotten restless.

Google I/O begins on June 27th.

By Aldo Panessidi

Apple has extended its deal for exclusive access to Liquidmetal (for use in consumer electronics equipment) for two more years. This could mean the rumors are true that this incredibly tough metal alloy might be used as the casing material for the iPhone 5.

So far, Apple has only used Liquidmetal for the SIM ejector tool for their iPhones and iPads. It could be that this is Apple’s way of testing the material and the manufacturing process together before committing to its use in a component as critical as the iPhone’s case.

It could also mean that we are seriously over-thinking this one, and Apple just likes the Liquidmetal ejector tools.

By Aldo Panessidi

Great news for Apple iPad users that have been disappointed with their browsing experience...  they will  soon have a Safari alternative from Mozilla.

Mozilla just revealed a new version of its Firefox browser designed to give Apple iPad users an alternative to Safari. Mozilla calls its mini-browser “Junior.” As a Mozilla foundation representative describes Junior, “It makes browsing more fun, more ergonomic and re-thinks browser user experience from the ground up.”

Junior only provides two buttons on screen. These are placed where the iPad user’s thumbs go. The “back” button performs the standard back function. Pressing the “plus” button opens a new screen that lets users input a URL.

Mozilla is looking to provide a simplified browsing experience for the tablet environment. They’ve designed Junior to use the entire screen without cluttering it up with tabs and search bars.  Some iPad users may miss the on-screen tabs that are a staple of web browsers, but Mozilla has had to eliminate them to accommodate the tablet’s smaller screen size.

It looks like Junior really is a browser that’s designed for tablets, not just a stripped down version of its desktop or mobile browser. No word yet on when Mozilla will release Junior to iPad users.

By Aldo Panessidi

Due in part to the fact that Apple commands the lion's share of the worldwide tablet market  coupled with their lack of success with their Optimus Pad,  LG has decided to put their tablet development efforts to the side, and focus on producing Android smartphones that can stand a chance against some very serious rivals.

Currently LG markets a very competitive line of smartphones including the Optimus 4G LTE, Gossip Pro and the Optimus L7 

LG’s Optimus Pad LTE hit the market earlier this year but it didn’t get anyone too excited. There’s a lot of competition in the tablet market, but Apple owns it. Even older versions of iPads outsell some competitor tablets. It’s good to see LG say “why bother?”

According to a spokesperson from LG, the company is going to concentrate on developing Android smartphones that are more technologically competitive with the products like the Samsung Galaxy S3 and the HTC One X.

LG knows its stuff when it comes to home appliances and other types of electronics, but you don’t see people lining up to buy the latest in refrigerator technology. It’s time for LG t decide whether they’re in or they’re out.

By Aldo Panessidi

The MacBook Pro is less than a week old (in the public’s view) and the devices are already being sacrificed in the name of curiosity.

The folks at iFixit took apart MacBook Pro’s 2880 x 1800 Retina display panel, and what they discovered is making them rethink LCD construction. It’s incredible what Apple engineers have done to make that kind of resolution work in a laptop screen that's thinner than anything seen in its geneology.

The unibody aluminum casing is the frame for the display. The LCD is its own front glass. Even the wireless antennas are threaded through the hinges to maximize use of even the tiniest of spaces.

Guard the Retina display with your life. This kind of parts layout means you can probably forget about repairs. Even the masters of the teardown at iFixit cracked the display’s glass during their dissection.

If you’re willing to forgive the disposability problem, the MacBook Pro’s Retina display is a high-resolution engineering marvel.  Just don’t drop it.

By Aldo Panessidi

The opinions are flying around the internet about how Microsoft’s Surface stacks up against the Apple iPad 3. Some of the loudest Microsoft critics are insisting that Surface is just an iPad imitation, and not the tablet with the heart of a PC Microsoft that proclaimed it to be just hours ago.

According to Topeka Capital Markets analyst Brian White in a note to investors on Tuesday, Microsoft’s debut tablet amounts to an iPad clone. He said, “Last night, Microsoft announced Surface, a ‘new family of PCs for Windows’ that are tablets with some of the functionality of a PC. If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, the compliments from Microsoft poured down like a torrential storm on Apple last night. At the same time, this event indicates to us that Microsoft is still searching for its own identity in the post-PC era, something that has come naturally for Apple with the rise of the mobile Internet.”

White said there are enterprise niches that the new Microsoft tablets can fill, but he doesn’t see Surface appealing to the masses. “On the surface, we believe Microsoft’s tablet-related products may have a place in certain parts of the enterprise world that require Windows-based solutions; however, we found little in yesterday’s presentation that would convince us that a consumer would prefer Surface over an iPad.”

Just competing on price with the iPad is going to be a challenge for Surface. White said Surface will have to come in at a price point that offers a “healthy discount” compared to Apple’s tablets.  He doesn’t see how Microsoft can beat the iPad 2′s $399 price or even the new iPad’s $499. Then there’s the iPad “mini” that’s due to arrive later this year with a price point of somewhere between $250 and $300. As White put it, “that will provide a more cost competitive product for Apple and [open] up a new market segment.”

By Aldo Panessidi 

Google regularly updates its transparency report that details thousands of requests from governments around the world to censor search results, drop YouTube videos or review user data.   A sample snapshot of this report is shown below.

Google doesn’t just bend to government’s will either. While Google did agree to cooperate on blogs promoting hate speech and violence, it refused to censor a video where a Canadian citizen creatively destroyed his passport.

Google did however, comply and remove a tweaked iPhone 4S parts video after Apple threatened legal action.

Google logs and details every request. Their numbers indicate that the only comply with about half of the requests, indicating Google’s fundamental respect for the right to free speech in a great majority of cases.

Most filings come from the US, UK and India. The list makes for interesting reading.

By Aldo Panessidi

Expectations for tablet sales keep increasing. The market research firm IDC just released a new study that shows a higher demand for tablets than they expected by the end of 2012 and beyond. IDC expects tablet shipments to reach 107.4 million this year, up from 106.1 million units.

By year end, the Apple iPad is expected to account for 62.5% of total global shipments, up from 58.2% in 2011. Android tablet market share looks like it will decline from 38.7% in 2011 to 36.5% in 2012.

In the longer term, IDC upped its 2013 tablet forecast from 137.4 million to 142.8 million units. The research firm expects 2016 worldwide shipments to reach 222.1 million units.

Tom Mainelli, research director for Mobile Connected Devices at IDC explained the increases this way: “Demand for media tablets remains robust, and we see an increasing interest in the category from the commercial side. We expect pending new products from major players, increasingly affordable mainstream devices, and a huge marketing blitz from Microsoft around Windows 8 to drive increased consumer interest in the category through the end of the year.”