Under the order, the government can collect information like originating phone number, the destination phone number, call duration, IMEI/IMSI, location information and more. This data does not include the content of the conversation. Information will be collected from all calls within the US and from those calls that originate inside the US and connect to a caller in a foreign country.

The US government has collected bulk call records without a warrant in the past, but this is the first case involving the Obama administration. This is also the first time Verizon Wireless has been identified publicly as a company that provides call records on all its customers to the government. According to the AP, the Obama Administration defended the collection of this data calling it “”a critical tool in protecting the nation from terrorist threats.”

[Via The Guardian and Associated Press]

• U.S. Patent No. 8,086,604 and U.S. Patent No. 6,847,959 on a “universal interface for retrieval of information in a computer system”
• Apple asserted the ’604 patent in a preliminary injunction motion. The Federal Circuit reversed a preliminary injunction against the Galaxy Nexus and, in addition to equitable reasons, overturned Judge Koh’s claim construction in a way that affects both “Siri” patents alike (for an excellent explanation of this claim construction issue, see Patently-O’s post). Apple claims that the ’604 and ’959 patents are infringed even under the appeals court’s construction.
• U.S. Patent No. 5,666,502 on a “graphical user interface using historical lists with field classes”
• U.S. Patent No. 5,946,647 on a “system and method for performing an action on a structure in computer-generated data” (which I dubbed the “data tapping” patent, a term many reporters have since adopted)
• Apple prevailed over HTC on this patent at the ITC. Apple claims that Android infringes this patent at the operating system level (the “linkify” library), as you can see in this infringement claim chart from the HTC case. Apple was enforcing an ITC import ban against HTC but ceased enforcement after a settlement (the parties stipulated to rescission of the exclusion order).
• U.S. Patent No. 7,761,414 on “asynchronous data synchronization amongst devices”

Interestingly enough, Apple has not yet mentioned the recently announced Samsung Galaxy S4 Google Edition in its claims, and it would not be surprising if they did in the future. How the battle turns out is now in the hands of the courts.

[Via: Droid Life , FOSS Patents] [Image: Techno Buffalo]

Even the ATF is having trouble, with CNET’s report saying that an ATF agent spent three months last summer trying to find a local, state or federal law enforcement agency with the skills needed to decrypt an iPhone 4S before calling on Apple.

Brute force password attacks are possible on iPhones, and can be cracked fairly easily if the pin is only four or five digits. Passwords that are nine or ten digits long however can take years to crack. Apple has the ability to crack passwords with ease, a method that the Cupertino company is keeping close to their chests.

Unlocking mobile phones by law enforcement is increasing in popularity, and raises privacy concerns. If done without a warrant, the process raises Fourth Amendment concerns.

Google has a process for helping law enforcement crack Android devices, by resetting the password of the device and then handing it over to authorities. If this process is initiated, Google also notifies the user that their device has been compromised.

[Via: Gizmodo , CNET] [Image: ArsTechnica]

According to Tracy MacCharles, Liberal Consumer Services Minister, the legislation hopes to “create new rights for cell phone and wireless contract consumers” and “help consumers understand exactly what they are contracting for.”

If everything goes as planned, consumers would get easier to understand contracts, clearer information on roaming charges, better insight into if a phone is locked or not, plus the costs associated to unlock it. Moreover, before a carrier makes any tweaks to the agreement, the customer would have to be notified about it and accept the changes.

Lost phones are also included in the legislation, requesting that “no charges billed to a customer for use of a lost or stolen phone after the reported lost or stolen date”…

Usually, we tend to dislike government interference, but this time – we like it. A lot, I would add.

[Via: MobileSyrup]

However judges seen it another way, by deciding to rule that the proximity sensor patent Motorola was asserting is invalid. After the court’s decision was laid out, a Google spokesperson said that the company was “disappointed with this outcome and are evaluating our options.”

So this means back to the drawing board for Google. The company’s acquisition of Motorola is puzzling because it hasn’t brought any real results to these legal squabbles with Apple. Google still seems vulnerable to patent trolling, and buying Motorola was supposed to be this maximum chip for defending itself. None of Google’s infringement cases against Apple seem effective. The only effect these patent cases have had is the wasting of time and resources.

Everyone should just kiss and makeup, and just license with one another already.

[via Reuters]

This frustration stems from a long drawn out case between the two companies that has gone on for almost three years. In that time, the state has had to parse through 180 claims. It’s taken such an absorbent amount of time that it’s gotten to the point that both companies have agreed to narrow things down. Of course, this sudden change in pace has pissed off the Miami Judge, he said to both parties “without a hint of irony, the parties now ask the court to mop up a mess that they made,” adding that he would “decline this invitation.”

Damn.

Judge Scola’s new proposal is for both Google and Apple to use four months to hash out their differences, going through the 100+ claims themselves. Judges are beginning to be increasingly annoyed with all these ridiculous patent disputes. It’s time consuming and petty. The simple solution for all of this is to license and compete with each other on innovation.

[Bloomberg; via Engadget]

Zhi Zhen Network Technologies is in use with over 100 million users in China, and is available on iOS, Android, Windows Phone, web and desktop. The Xiao i Robot technology is also utilized by China Mobile and China Telecom, as well as a handful of major Chinese banks.

Zhi Zhen claims that the suit is focused on stopping Apple from infringing on the patent, but that a monetary settlement may be a possibility as well. Apple goes to court today as a part of pre-trial proceedings, with the full case taking place in July.

[Via: Apple Insider] [Image: USA Today]