UPDATED 08:20 EDT / AUGUST 21 2012

Apple-Samsung Deliver Closing Arguments Today

Today’s mobile news roundup features: Apple and Samsung preparing to deliver their closing arguments in a high-profile court case; Ofcom favoring Everything Everywhere for 4G LTE; Panasonic tying smart appliances to the cloud; and a new way to feed the hungry with your smartphones.

Apple and Samsung to deliver closing arguments

The Apple-Samsung trial is nearing the end as the two parties are set to deliver their closing arguments in court today.  After which, jury deliberations will start wherein members of the jury will have to answer a 22-page questionnaire containing 36 main questions.  Since there are a lot of patents and companies involved, the total number of questions exceed 700.  Answering 700+ questions will certainly take its toll on the jury, so presiding Judge Lucy Koh asked the two parties to try and settle the dispute before jury deliberations begin.  CEOs from both companies, Apple’s Tim Cook and Samsung’s Kwon Oh Hyun talked, but once again failed to settle.

Judge Koh also ruled that the jury will not be informed that both parties inadvertently or purposefully destroyed e-mails that may have been pertinent to the case.  The new ruling came after Judge Koh overruled Magistrate Judge Paul Grewal’s ruling, which denied Samsung’s motion to hold Apple to similar evidence destruction claims.  Judge Koh sided with Samsung stating that Samsung’s filing required her to inform the jury that both parties destroyed evidences.  So instead of informing the jury that they both deleted e-mails, they’re going with not informing the jury of their actions.

Ofcom gives Everything Everywhere 4G LTE head start


The government-approved regulatory and competition authority for the broadcasting, telecommunications and postal industries of the UK, Ofcom, approved Everything Everywhere’s plan to use their old spectrum for their 4G LTE offering.  Everything Everywhere will have an edge over other networks as rivals will only start offering 4G next year.

Ofcom’s approval did not go well with other networks, stating that this move shows a “careless disregard” for consumers and the economy, fostering anti-competitive practices.  Everything Everywhere is Brittain’s largest network which runs Orange and T-Mobile.

Panasonic’s Android app for smart appliances

Coming this September, the Panasonic Smart App will be available to consumers.  The app will allow users to remotely operate their compatible Panasonic home appliances so they can see their program settings, see energy savings data of each appliance by using their Android smartphones.

Panasonic will also launch the X Series room air conditioners, a top-mount refrigerator (NR-F557XV), drum-type washer-dryers (NA-VX8200/NA-VT8200), as well as healthcare products such as the EW-FA43 body composition monitor, the EW-NK63 calorie meter and EW-BW53 blood pressure monitor on September 25 in Japan.  If you want Panasonic’s new range of smart appliances and you’re not in Japan, you’ll just have to wait.

Feed the hungry with your mobile phone

From August 20 to 26 Forgo.it and the Children’s Hunger Fund will enable people to skip meals and allow them to convert that into food to be given to hungry children in Zimbabwe.

“We believe people want to do something radical with their resources,” said Scott Pentzer, cofounder of Forgo.it. “Now we’re giving them the opportunity to fast for a meal to help feed hungry kids in Zimbabwe.”

It will work like this: forgoers, people who skip meals. are going to raise funds to help CHF ship a sea-container filled with food aid to Zimbabwe. Every dollar is equivalent to six meals so if I’m a forgoer and I skip a $10 meal dinner, 6 meals will be shipped.  So the more people skipping meals, the more people will be fed.  Doesn’t that sound more effective than Facebook “likes”?


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