Apple ordered to pay damages to Samsung by Dutch court

Apple has been ordered to pay damages to rival Samsung Electronics by a court in the Netherlands.

The court said that Apple had infringed a patent held by Samsung relating to the way phones and tablet PCs connect to the internet.
Apple, which recently became the world's most valuable firm, has been facing various legal issues.
In a separate case, it was fined $2.3m (£1.5m) in Australia for its claims on 4G capabilities of the iPad.And it is still not clear how much it may have to pay to Samsung in damages.
The Dutch court did not specify any amount, but the damages will be calculated based on sales of Apple's iPhone and iPad in the Netherlands.

Apple and Samsung are two of the biggest manufacturers of smartphones and tablet PCs in the world.

However, the two firms have been involved in dozens of patent cases and disputes relating to designs of their respective products.
Analysts said that with so many cases being fought by the two firms in different countries, neither of the parties may emerge as the overall winner.
"Both these companies need to understand that some cases will be won by Samsung and some by Apple," Manoj Menon, Managing Director of the consultancy firm Frost & Sullivan, told the BBC.
"This will put an increased pressure on both parties to figure out an amicable business solution, rather than prolong these battles."
Last month, a judge in the US ordered the chief executives of both the firms to meet to try to settle their legal differences.
But the talks did not lead to any agreement and Apple has since sought a ban on sales of one of Samsung's tablet computers and the latest range of its Galaxy smartphones. Delaying tactic?
Apple had enjoyed an early lead in the smartphone and tablet PC market with the launch of its iPhone and iPad devices.
However, Samsung has been steadily increasing its market share in the sector with the introduction of new gadgets.

Apple has been facing legal trouble over its claims on the iPad's 4G capabilities

Analysts said that given the increased competition, the two firms had been using the legal battles as a way to stop each other from increasing their market shares.
"Given that they are number one and two in the market right now, they are going to use any possible tool to slow down each other and patents could be one of those tools," said Melissa Chau of IDC Asia Pacific.
However, she said that given the amount of time, money and energy that the two firms have spent on fighting these cases, they were likely to find a solution in the long run.
"In the past, when we look at how these things have evolved, they get settled in due course of time and businesses move on."
"Samsung welcomes the court's ruling, which reaffirmed Apple's free-riding of our technological innovation," the South Korean manufacturer said in an emailed statement to the BBC.
"In accordance with the ruling, we will seek adequate compensation for the damages Apple and its products have caused."
Samsung had claimed that Apple had infringed four of its patents. However, the Dutch court said that only one of those had been breached

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Google TV service launches in UK with Sony tie-up

Sony and Google have announced a tie-up that will see Google's interactive TV service made available outside the US for the first time.

The set-top box allows users to browse the internet through their television, as well as access a range of specially designed applications.
The device, which will cost around £200 when it is released in July, will compete with Apple's own TV box.
Apple TV is already available in the UK, currently priced at £99.
In a press release, Sony said their Google TV product, the NSZ-GS7, will also soon be made available in Canada, Australia, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Brazil and Mexico.
Dual-sided remote "Entertainment content is available through so many channels and sites, and Google TV helps consumers easily find what they want to watch, listen to or play with the freedom of the internet and using the familiar Chrome search engine technology," said Gildas Pelliet, Sony's European head of marketing.
The device will be followed with a Blu-ray version expected to cost around £300 when it is launched later in the year.
The box will be controlled by a dual-sided remote control with a full QWERTY keyboard.
Like Apple's offering, Google TV can be controlled via a smartphone.
Google's foray into television has faced some hiccups since it first launched Google TV in the US in 2010.
Its devices were criticised for being too expensive, and several TV networks blocked the US-only service from accessing their web content.

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Congress Working Committee meets to bid farewell to Pranab Mukherjee

New Delhi: The Congress bid farewell today to one of its most crucial and longstanding members, Pranab Mukherjee, when the party's highest decision-making body, its working committee (CWC), met this morning at party President Sonia Gandhi's 10 Janpath residence.

Mr Mukherjee, who is the ruling UPA's candidate for President, is expected to resign from primary membership of the Congress tomorrow, ending an almost 50-year association. Tomorrow, he is also expected to quit office as the country's Finance Minister.  His party hopes he is smoothly headed to the Rashtrapati Bhawan. 

33 of the CWC's 36 members attended today's meeting, where Mrs Gandhi felicitated Mr Mukherjee for his nomination and thanked the other parties that are supporting Mr Mukherjee's candidacy. Mr Mukherjee is one of the longest serving members of the CWC. He has been the Congress' chief troubleshooter for a while now, parachuting into political conflict zones and tackling difficult allies and an aggressive opposition. He became a member of the CWC 34 years ago, in 1978.

The veteran leader's chances of becoming President are bright - apart from the UPA and friends, opposition parties like the CPM, Shiv Sena and JD(U) have said they support him. His main opponent is Purno Sangma, who is supported by a majority of the BJP-ruled NDA, and parties like J Jayalalithaa's AIADMK and Naveen Patnaik's BJD.

UPA ally Mamata Banerjee is yet to endorse Mr Mukherjee's candidacy.

Mr Mukherjee first entered the Indian Parliament in 1969, elected to the Rajya Sabha and was a member of the Upper House for years. He was first elected to the Lok Sabha in 2004 from Jangipur in West Bengal. He was re-elected in 2009.

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MUMBAI TERROR ATTACK HANDLER ARRESTED IN NEW DELHI

NEW DELHI:AFTER TRACKING HIM FOR MORE THEN THREE YEARS, SECURITY AGENCIES HAVE ARRESTED SAYED ZABIUDDIN ALIAS ABU HAMZA.ALLEGED LASHKER-E-TAIBA ULTTRA AND THE TUTOR OF10 TERRORISTS WHO CARRIED OUT THE AUDACIOUS ATTACK IN MUMBAI IN 2008.                                                                                                                                               

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