HTC One
Smartphones have become the favoured web and social media tool for the “post-PC generation”. As well as being great communications devices, the latest crop boasts features designed to please the most discerning consumers – including better battery life, advanced digital photo apps and high-quality audio.
Apple could face product bans in Germany
Apple had a bad week in its multi-front patent war, capped by the real possibility of an iPhone and iPad import ban in Germany. Read more
Tech news from around the web:
Facebook is expected to unveil a revamp of its ‘Like’ button at next week’s developers’ conference, according to TechCrunch. Sources have told the blog that the social network will add ‘Read’, ‘Listened’, ‘Watched’, and ‘Want’ buttons. These buttons are designed to fine-tune profile information and could replace or augment the ‘Like’ button. Read more
Android patent war hurts Gemalto
The disruption suffered by companies in the recent spate of technology patent wars became apparent last week when Gemalto, the French smartcard company, revealed a €13.5m shortfall in its patents revenue, following a dispute with makers of Android smartphones.
The Paris-based company launched a suit against Google, Motorola, HTC and Samsung last October, alledging that they had used Gemalto’s smartcard technology in Android devices without a licence. Read more
Android partners’ paradox over Google-Moto deal
Google’s press package for its $12.5bn acquisition of Motorola Mobility included a surprising accompaniment: a list of supportive quotes from HTC, Samsung, Sony Ericsson and LG. Read more
Google-Motorola conference call live-blogged
Google is entering the mobile handset manufacturing business with the $12.5bn acquisition of Motorola Mobility. Larry Page, Google’s chief executive of all of four months, has already penned a blog post hailing the potential for the deal to “supercharge the entire Android ecosystem”.
From 1.30pm London time (8.30am New York time) I was live-blogging the conference call between Motorola and Google executives to hear the full rationale behind this blockbuster deal. Read more
Motorola Photon takes 4G honours
I felt a bit of a simpleton for loving the kickstand on the HTC Evo 4G more than many of its far more sophisticated features, but such love is more justified with the new Motorola Photon. You see, rather than just propping up the device to watch video on an airline tray table, this 4G Android smartphone has an “intelligent” kickstand, which means it can do rather more. Read more
Tech news from around the web:
Amazon plans to release its own tablet computer by October, according to the Wall Street Journal. The online retailer hopes customers will use the tablet to rent and buy the company’s content, the WSJ believes. Read more
Smartphones infused with superpowers
The Samsung Infuse is the thinnest 4G phone to appear, with the biggest screen and deserves membership of this year’s superphone category of more advanced smartphones. Qualifications for entry into those ranks can be 4G, dual-core processors, bigger, better screens or the debut of major new features. This week’s Personal Technology column in the FT’s Business Life section looks at the Infuse’s qualities and those of Sony Ericsson’s Xperia Play and the Motorola Atrix 4G. Read more
| About this blog | Blog guide |
Richard Waters has headed the FT's San Francisco bureau since 2002 and covers Google and Microsoft, among other things. A former New York bureau chief for the FT, he is intrigued by Silicon Valley's unique financial and business culture, and is looking forward to covering his second Tech Bust.
Chris Nuttall has been online and messing around with computers for more than 20 years and since 2004 has reported from the FT's San Francisco bureau on semiconductors, video games, consumer electronics and all things interwebby.
Maija Palmer has been writing about technology for the FT since 1999 and is fascinated by cybercrime, privacy and all the other issues of the information society. Based in London, she covers European tech companies and hopes that they won't all get acquired by American rivals.
Robin Kwong is the FT's technology, media and telecoms page editor in London. Formerly he was the Taipei correspondent and wrote about the companies that manufacture the vast majority of the world's computers and gadgets. He is interested in the intricacies of the technology supply chain and how China is increasingly changing the tech landscape.
Tim Bradshaw is the FT's digital media correspondent, and has just moved from London to join our team in San Francisco. He has covered start-ups such as Twitter and Spotify, as well as the online ambitions of more established media companies, such as the BBC iPlayer. He also covers the advertising, marketing and video-game industries. Tim has been writing about technology, business and finance since 2003.
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