Vaidehi

Daily news: Ban lifted on Samsung Galaxy tablet... but did Apple mislead court with 'squashed' photo of rival device?

Samsung can sell its latest iPad rival in most of Europe again after a German court yesterday lifted most of an injunction it had imposed at Apple's request.

But just hours after the ban was lifted, Apple faced accusations of misrepresenting the Galaxy Tab's similarity to its iPad in a legal document that helped gain the original injunction.

A comparison image taken from page 28 of a filing made by Apple's lawyers featured a 'squashed' picture of the Galaxy Tab that looks identical in size and shape to the iPad.

In reality, the Galaxy Tab is far narrower than the iPad.

Misleading? This comparison image taken from legal papers filed by Apple's lawyers featured a 'squashed' picture of the Galaxy Tab that looks identical in size and shape to the iPad

Apple had said Samsung's Galaxy line of mobile phones and tablets 'slavishly' copied the iPhone and iPad. It has sued in the U.S., Australia and elsewhere.

But a Dusseldorf regional court yesterday said it was questionable whether its authority extended to international companies operating outside Germany, so it restricted a preliminary ban imposed last week on Samsung Electronics to Germany.

Samsung's Galaxy Tab line of tablet computers is considered the most credible alternative to Apple's iPad, which has taken the market by storm, selling about 30million since its launch a year and a half ago.

Apple and others have moved aggressively to defend their intellectual property in maturing markets, especially against Google's Android software platform, on which the new Samsung Galaxy 10.1 tablet is built.

Android, a latecomer to the mobile market, has become a target by rapidly turning into the world's most popular smartphone platform.
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Google is relatively defenceless because it owns few wireless patents, in contrast to older rivals.

However, Google yesterday announced a deal to buy Motorola Mobility, the descendant company of cellular phone pioneer Motorola, for $12.5billion, largely for its vast patent library.

The Dusseldorf court said its ban still applied to Germany, and also to the German unit of Samsung, Samsung GmbH, throughout the European Union.

A hearing in the case is now due next week.

Samsung said in a statement: 'We look forward to the opportunity to reassert our intellectual property rights at the hearing scheduled on August 25.'
Samsung has been locked in a battle with Apple over smartphone and tablet patents since April.

The Galaxy gadgets are seen as among the biggest challengers to Apple's mobile devices, which have achieved runaway success.

In Australia, Samsung has agreed to show Apple an Australian version of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 one week before its launch there, a Samsung spokesman said.

2G Scam hot news : Raja opposes hearing of arguments from July 21

NEW DELHI: Former Telecom Minister A Raja and former Telecom secretary Siddhartha Behura , arrested for their alleged roles in the 2G spectrum allocation scam, today opposed a Delhi court's schedule to begin hearing arguments on framing of charges against them from tomorrow.

The duo opposed the scheduled commencement of arguments by Special CBI Judge O P Saini from July 21, saying it should be slated to a later date after filing of the third chargesheet in the case.

They sought the postponement contending that completion of the probe is a pre-requisite for beginning of arguments on the charges.

Contending that Raja and other accused allegedly involved in the 2G scam were questioned by the CBI on July 18 in Patiala House court complex, the former minister's counsel argued this shows the probe is still on.

"Raja was illegally interrogated by CBI which shows investigation is on. Under what provision did the court allow CBI to quiz him if the probe had been completed?" asked senior counsel Ramesh Gupta appearing for Raja.

Gupta said before commencing arguments on framing of charges prosecution must make a specific statement before the court that their investigation is complete.

Counsel for Behura submitted that hearing of arguments on charges should begin only after CBI files its third charge sheet.

The court had yesterday decided to commence arguments on framing of charges in the case from July 21 after the agency and the defence counsel had submitted that the supply of documents, annexed with the two charge sheets in the case, has been completed.

Earthquake in New Delhi Today. 6.0 Magnitude Earthquake hit the India-Nepal border.

New Delhi: An earthquake of magnitude 6.0 hit the India-Nepal border today.

The tremors were also felt in Delhi.

More details are awaited.

SNAP SHOT - Developments after major Japan earthquake- video

(Reuters) - Following are main developments after a massive earthquake struck northeast Japan on Friday and set off a tsunami.

Death toll expected to exceed 10,000 from the quake and tsunami, public broadcaster NHK says. About 2,000 bodies found on two shores of Miyagi prefecture, Kyodo news agency reports.
Japan battles to prevent nuclear catastrophe. A hydrogen explosion jolts the No. 3 reactor of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, 240 km (150 miles) north of Tokyo. Operator Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) (9501.T) says 11 people were injured.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano says the core container at the reactor is intact and the explosion is unlikely to have produced a large escape of radioactivity.

Before the blast, officials said 22 people had suffered radiation contamination. Up to 190 may have been exposed.

Experts pursue efforts to cool down three reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi plant. Experts say the use of seawater in this operation is unprecedented.

Nuclear safety agency rates the incident a 4 on the 1 to 7 International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale, less serious than Three Mile Island, a 5, and Chernobyl at 7.

U.S. warships and planes helping relief efforts have moved away from Japan's Pacific coast temporarily because of low-level radiation.

Authorities have set up a 20-km (12-mile) exclusion zone around the Fukushima Daiichi plant and a 10-km (6 mile) zone around Fukushima Daini.

Strong aftershocks persist in the stricken area.
About 450,000 people evacuated nationwide in addition to 80,000 from the exclusion zone around the nuclear power plants. Almost 2 million households are without power in the freezing north and about 1.4 million households have no running water.

Reactor operator says rolling blackout to affect 3 million customers, including large factories, buildings and households.

Japan's Nikkei share index falls more than 6 percent, dragging European stocks to their lowest in three months.

The Bank of Japan (BoJ) offers to pump a record $85 billion into the banking system.
Credit Suisse estimates the loss at between 14 trillion yen and 15 trillion yen just to the quake region.

Hot Bollywood News: Now Priyanka's sister to enter Bollywood

Priyanka Chopra's first cousin, Parineeti Chopra couldn't have asked for more. She has been signed in Yash Raj Films' next LADIES V/S RICKY BAHL, to be directed by BAND BAAJA BAARAAT fame Maneesh Sharma. Parineeti has been a part of the marketing team of Yash Raj Films.

Priyanka is ecstatic with the news. "Yes, Parineeti Chopra is my sister. This is the first time Yash Raj Films has launched someone in such a way. I am very happy YRF has signed her. She is a part of YRF's marketing department. In fact, she had worked on my own film PYAAR IMPOSSIBLE. I think it was one of her first films."

Being one of the leading actress, does Priyanka have any tips for the newcomer? "I think I will call her and do that," says Priyanka with a wry smile.

Parineeti will be one of the "ladies" who falls prey to the smooth talking guile of Ricky Bahl. LADIES V/S RICKY BAHL stars Ranveer Singh and Anushka Sharma in lead roles. The shooting starts early-April and plans to be in theatres on 9th Dec 2011, the same weekend BAND BAAJA BAARAAT released.