Samsung concept shows off transparent, flexible, 3D AMOLED displays

Jordan Kahn

Samsung today released the video above showing off a flexible, transparent, concept device that might be the company’s own take on Microsoft’s recently released Productivity Future Vision 2011 concept video.

Judging by a rough translation of the Korean video, the device would be a flexible, foldable, 3D capable sheet of glass (approximately 10-inches) with context sensitive UIs. Of course we’re not likely to see anything close to Samsung’s concept in the first batch of flexible displays, which are expected from the company sometime in 2012. However, the concept is yet more proof that Samsung is, at the very least, strongly considering bringing a flexible device to market. Samsung originally showed off their flexible AMOLED tech at CES 2011 with the 4.5-inch displays seen in the clip below:
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Google wins the Guinness World Records for the largest human beatbox ensemble

9to5 Staff

Google won the Guinness World Records last month for the largest human beatbox ensemble. The news was revealed in a Google+ post by Jason Mayes from Google’s innovation services custom solutions engineer Jason Mayes. The unusual record was set at the beatboxing competition at the Convention Center in Dublin, Ireland on November 14, 2011. An image of the certificate follows right after the break. Oh, and looks like Googlers are heavily into beatboxing, if the below Galaxy Nexus advert is anything to go by.


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AT&T slashes original Motorola Atrix Lapdock to $49

Seth Weintraub

If you’ve got a Motorola Atrix 4G, you might want to hit up AT&T this weekend because they are offering the ability to turn your Atrix into a Laptop for $49.  The Motorola Lapdock lets you put your Atrix into the back and run a “Webtop OS with Firefox as the browser)/

I reviewed the Atrix 4G at Fortune last year and loved the phone but didn’t find the Lapdock system all that impressive at the time.  Since then, Motorola has put out some updates.  At $50, I think it is a no-brainer accessory if you have this phone. Read more

Judge rejects Apple’s request to block Samsung smartphone and tablet sales in the U.S.

Jake Smith

While the legal drama continues to hash out in other countries, a U.S. judge has rejected Apple’s request to block some Samsung smartphone and tablet sales in the U.S., Reuters reports. The ruling occurred Friday afternoon in a California court, bringing an end to this part of the case. The legal proceedings began in April, after Apple claimed Samsung was misusing Apple’s patents for three smartphones and the Galaxy Tab 10.1. But don’t think this is the end of the war on the U.S. front. Apple will most likely file more lawsuits over more patent infringements. The judge ruled today:

It is not clear that an injunction on Samsung’s accused devices would prevent Apple from being irreparably harmed.

Apple has been pressing courts around the world to put injunctions on Samsung’s apparent infringing products. On November 30th an Australian judge lifted the preliminary injunction on the Galaxy Tab 10.1 that was originally granted earlier in the year. In a statement on the matter, Samsung said this: Read more

Apple provides Samsung with work-arounds for design patents

Jake Smith

While the documents were never submitted in court, The Verge has uncovered documents Apple was going to provide to highlight the work-arounds for their iPhone and iPad patents that Samsung could have utilized. The reason these were thought up is because Samsung claimed there was no way they could create their devices without the required elements of a smartphone or tablet today. Apple, however, said there were plenty of work arounds. For Samsung smartphones, Apple explained in the redacted documents:

  • Front surface that isn’t black.
  • Overall shape that isn’t rectangular, or doesn’t have rounded corners.
  • Display screens that aren’t centered on the front face and have substantial lateral borders.
  • Non-horizontal speaker slots.
  • Front surfaces with substantial adornment.
  • No front bezel at all.

Just this afternoon, a judge has decided to not grant the U.S. preliminary injunction Apple was pressing for against Samsung.

The list goes on for tablets:

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Verizon shows off the upcoming Droid 4 and Xyboard tablets, shipping this month

Jake Smith

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Verizon Wireless allowed CNET to photograph the carrier’s upcoming Droid 4 and Xyboard tablet designed by Motorola. The Droid 4 looks very similar to the current Droid RAZR — a device we loved — and also in a way represents the Droid 3. CNET calls the Droid 4, “essentially the Droid 3, but with an LTE connection.” Verizon wouldn’t go into details over specs, but Droid-Life has leaked plenty over the past few weeks. The device will reportedly have a 4-inch touchscreen, 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, 5-row slide-out keyboard, front camera (specs unknown,) and an 8MP rear camera. Count on this device being a Droid RAZR with a keyboard.

Next, Verzion’s next tablet offering, the Xyboard has also been in the rumor-mill these past couple of months. The tablet, offered in both an 8- and 10-inch variant, is a successor to Motorola’s Xoom, which was the first to device to ship with Google’s Android Honeycomb. Verizon once again wouldn’t go into details about the tablet, but here’s what we know so far..

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