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Pin, Pinner, Pinterest!

Sat, 19 May 2012 00:30:56 EDT

Pinterest is the newest members of today’s top social media websites. What makes it different and exciting to use is that instead of focussing on written content as a means of communication, it allows users to ‘pin’ images and videos onto virtual bulletin ‘boards’ and share them with other ‘pinners’. To help make this process [...]Looking For A Social Media Agency?? - Contact WATConsult - India's Leading Social Media Agency

A Google-a-Day Puzzle for May 19

Sat, 19 May 2012 00:01:00 EDT

Google's daily brainteaser helps hone your search skills.

FCC Fridays: May 18, 2012

Fri, 18 May 2012 23:52:00 EDT

We here at Engadget tend to spend a lot of way too much time poring over the latest FCC filings, be it on the net or directly on the ol' Federal Communications Commission's site. Since we couldn't possibly (want to) cover all the stuff that goes down there individually, we've gathered up an exhaustive listing of every phone and / or tablet getting the stamp of approval over the last week. Enjoy!Continue reading FCC Fridays: May 18, 2012FCC Fridays: May 18, 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 May 2012 23:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | | Email this | Comments

Microsoft patent application outlines system to recommend and transfer apps across devices

Fri, 18 May 2012 22:35:00 EDT

Ready for your latest tour through the dense and meandering wording of patent applications? Well, dig in, because it's Microsoft's turn to confuse lawyers the world over with this latest USPTO doc, submitted in November of 2010. The filing describes a computer-based program that would, essentially, analyze a primary device's installed applications, cross-reference it with a different device and then either migrate that software batch or suggest similar apps to download on a secondary unit. Sounds a lot like a potential Windows Phone Marketplace recommendation / app transfer engine to us, but what exactly Redmond intends to use this pending patent for is anyone's guess. As always, if you care to sacrifice a few minutes of your life to mind-numbing legal jargon, then by all means hit up the source link below.Microsoft patent application outlines system to recommend and transfer apps across devices originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 May 2012 22:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | USPTO | Email this | Comments

Oracle Versus Google: The Database Kingpin Gets Desperate

Fri, 18 May 2012 22:20:31 EDT

Oracle’s lawsuit against Google over alleged infringement of Java slipped from epic battle to soap opera this week: The relationships between the judge, jury, plaintiff and defendant have become a tangle of legal ambiguity and financial suffering — or is it avarice? The jury deferred to the judge on the extent of Oracle’s intellectual property protections. The judge, in turn, wrested from the jury control over the lion’s share of damages, yanking Oracle’s prize another few inches out of reach. With major issues still to be decided, it is becoming clear that Judge William Alsup holds the high cards - and that he has the tech smarts to play them intelligently and mercilessly.

The trial is unfolding in three phases: Copyright, patent and damages. The copyright phase ended last week with the jury convicting Google on one of three counts, namely infringement of nine lines of Java code known as rangeCheck. In a separate issue, the jury couldn’t agree on the question of whether Google’s use of the Java API was a so-called fair use, and thus allowable under copyright law. That question went to the judge, who hasn't decided yet. His decision could have a big impact on the size of Oracle’s payoff, as we'll explain in below.

Phase Two, the patent phase, consumed the past several days, focusing on two Oracle patents that Google allegedly violated. The jury was still deliberating at the time of writing. However, one of Oracle’s claims was thoroughly debunked by Google’s lawyers, who showed that Android does not even use the technology in question. Although anything can still happen, it looks unlikely that the jury will accept that claim. The other claim is a closer call.

Oracle Seeks to Cover the Cost of Acquiring Sun

But never mind about whether or not Google is guilty of infringing Oracle’s patents. The big money won’t come from damages for patent infringement, but for copyright infringement. That’s where Oracle has pinned its hopes.

You can’t blame Oracle for kicking and scratching for anything it can get at this point. Oracle spent $7.38 billion to acquire Java creator Sun Microsystems in 2009 with the thought that it could leverage Java to recoup the cost. Taking Google to court (which it did shortly after the acquisition was formally approved in 2010) could recover most of that money. It’s no coincidence that Oracle’s initial damage estimate was in the $6 billion range.

It's Up to Judge Alsup

Here’s the rub: The fate of Oracle’s prospective payoff now rests entirely with Alsup. When the fair use decision passed to him, with it went control over damages in the copyright phase. If Alsup awards statutory damages, Oracle's reward would be $150,000. And if the judge rules that Google’s appropriation of the Java API was a fair use, that might be all Oracle gets. On the other hand, if the judge decides against fair use, he still might not award Oracle anything close to the billions of dollars it seeks.

Alsup won't be hoodwinked. He has proven that he is willing to learn about the technological issues at the heart of the case. And learn he has. This week, he revealed that he has not only learned how to program, but has used the nine lines of rangeCheck code more than a hundred times. He found it simple to do, he says. Will he find an infringement of a mere nine lines, out of the entire corpus of Java, worth $1 billion? Or even $1 million?

Oracle's desperation hasn’t been lost on Alsup. During the discussion of copyright damages, he called Oracle’s effort to gain significant revenue from Google "a fishing expedition."

If the developer community agrees, Oracle stands to damage not only its bottom line but also its credibility. Sun created Java to be open source and free. It developed the language more as a steward than as an outright owner. By attempting to copyright the API despite the impact that would have on the entire software ecosystem, Oracle is calling into question the legal nature of computer languages and programming. Its soap opera risks the good will of the developer community at large.

ClarityRay Battles Ad Blockers With $500K In Funding

Fri, 18 May 2012 22:06:31 EDT

Some of you are probably reading this post with ad blocker right now — and to be honest, I don't blame you. Sure, there's the occasional amusing or genuinely useful ad, but not terribly often, so why not install a plugin and avoid the whole mess? Of course, those ads make money, so if ad blockers become widespread enough, it could be a real problem for online publishers (who have enough problems already).

Israeli startup ClarityRay says it's not something looming in the misty future — it's happening now, and it's only going to get worse.

Ebay a Hassle? Check Out This Platform for Secondhand Fashion

Fri, 18 May 2012 21:55:51 EDT

The Spark of Genius Series highlights a unique feature of startups and is made possible by Microsoft BizSpark. If you would like to have your st…

English Premier League: The Social Media Season

Fri, 18 May 2012 21:40:19 EDT

The English Premier League is arguably the world’s most popular sports organization, and this season saw explosive growth off the pitch in…

Hey Space Geeks: Help This Guy Build a Real Starship Enterprise [VIDEO]

Fri, 18 May 2012 21:22:59 EDT

There are those who look up at the stars and decide to become astronomers, while others want to be astronauts. Then there are those who want to build…

Facebook’s IPO: Who Got Rich

Fri, 18 May 2012 21:06:10 EDT

OK, so Facebook’s IPO may have seemed like a lot of sound and fury for 23 cents, but there will still doubtlessly be some celebrating in Menlo P…