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Next up for Oracle v. Google -- the US Supreme Court?
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Google petitions the highest court in the country to overturn a previous appeals court ruling favoring Oracle, which in itself overturned a mixed bag of earlier district court rulings.
Oracle sued Google in 2010, alleging that Google's use of 37 Java APIs in its mobile OS constituted patent and copyright infringement. CNET
The United States Supreme Court term opened on Monday, and one of the most prominent patent battles in recent memory could end up on the docket in the near future.
That would be the case of Oracle v. Google, which first launched back in 2011 and seems to have no end in sight. This, presumably, would be the end of the road if the Supreme Court decides to hear the case or not.
Google has petitioned the highest court in the country to overturn a previous appeals court ruling in May favoring Oracle, which in itself overturned a mixed bag of district court rulings back in 2012 that primarily sided with Google.
To recall, Oracle initially sued Google over copyright and patent infringement allegations related to the implementation of the Java programming language on Google's Android mobile operating system. Oracle obtained the rights to Java through its 2010 acquisition of Sun Microsystems.
Oracle argues that Google willingly infringed upon its intellectual property without a license. Google insists that it didn't need a license under fair use laws for the open-source software.
Since then, the tech world and many federal courts have played witness to a long, drawn out legal war involving the aforementioned back-and-forth decisions, constantly changing assessments and assignments of legal fees and damages, and a who's-who of Silicon Valley brought into testify.
The most recent ruling, issued by the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington, found parts of the code were in fact allowed to be protected by copyright law. That gave the nod to Oracle -- contrary to what was decided by a jury at the US District Court of the Northern District of California in San Francisco two years ago.
For now, the case will continue to hang in the balance. A response from the Supreme Court isn't due until November 7.
This story originally appeared as "Oracle v. Google could end up in the U.S. Supreme Court" on ZDNet.
Rachel King Rachel King is a staff writer for ZDNet, SmartPlanet, and CNET. She is based in San Francisco. See full bio Real-time, real-world captioning comes to Google Glass
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A new app for Google Glass captions conversations in real-time.
Screenshot by Michelle Starr/CNET
Google Glass is fitted with a microphone and installed with speech-recognition software, which allows the wearer to talk to the device to give it instructions. This software has been refined to a point where it is now reasonable to expect very few errors -- but what Google Glass is not so good at is picking up sounds from farther away.
The wearable head-up display's potential for the hearing impaired, though, did not go unnoticed by a team of researchers at Georgia Institute of Technology. They found a way to circumvent the limitation's of Glass' microphone to create an app that captions conversations in real-time.
Captioning on Glass adds an Android smartphone to the mix. The speaker talks directly into the smartphone's microphone; the free CoG Android app translates the speech into text using Google's own speech recognition software and sends it to the free Captioning on Glass Glassware.
The app was developed by the team when School of Interactive Computing Professor Jim Foley found he was having trouble hearing -- and thought that Google Glass might be able to help.
"This system allows wearers like me to focus on the speaker's lips and facial gestures," Professor Foley said. "If hard-of-hearing people understand the speech, the conversation can continue immediately without waiting for the caption. However, if I miss a word, I can glance at the transcription, get the word or two I need and get back into the conversation."
Although the added smartphone might seem unwieldy to some, the project's leader, Professor Thad Starner, said that it was actually helpful in that holding a physical object made people think more carefully about what they were saying and how, reducing the number of speech disfluencies. He also noted that it was far superior than relying on the Google Glass microphone in terms of sound quality.
"Glass has its own microphone, but it's designed for the wearer," Professor Starner said. "The mobile phone puts a microphone directly next to the speaker's mouth, reducing background noise and helping to eliminate errors."
The team is working on a similar app designed to translate spoken language using an Android app on a smartphone, sending the translation to Google Glass. So far, the project has two-way translations for English, Spanish, French, Russian, Korean and Japanese. This app will be launched in the near future.
"For both uses, the person wearing Glass has to hand their smartphone to someone else to begin a conversation," said Professor Starner. "It's not ideal for strangers, but we designed the program to be used among friends, trusted acquaintances or while making purchases."
You can grab Captioning on Glass for Android on Google Play, and Captioning on Glass for Google Glass from the MyGlass marketplace.
Michelle Starr Michelle Starr is the tiger force at the core of all things. She also writes about cool stuff and apps as CNET Australia's Crave editor. But mostly the tiger force thing. See full bio Celebs threaten to sue Google over response to nude image hack
The attorney for the celebrities claims the search giant did not "act expeditiously and responsibly to remove the images."
Google is next in line to face the wrath of celebrities that were victims of last month's nude image hacking scandal.
In a broad indictment of the search giant, Martin Singer, an attorney at Lavely & Singer in Los Angeles, said that Google's conduct was "despicable [and] reprehensible" when, his clients believe, the company did not "act expeditiously and responsibly to remove" images stolen in a broad celebrity hack of Apple iCloud accounts. Singer is representing "over a dozen female celebrities, actresses, models, and athletes" whose images were stolen from their iCloud accounts.
"Google is making millions and profiting from the victimization of women," the attorney wrote in a letter to Google's top executives, including CEO Larry Page and Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt. "As a result of your blatantly unethical behavior, Google is expected to significant liability and both compensatory and punitive damages that could well exceed $100 million."
Google did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Last month, several nude images of celebrities were posted to image-based bulletin board 4chan. The images were apparently taken from iCloud accounts owned by actress Jennifer Lawrence, model Kate Upton, recording artist Ariana Grande and others. Before long, the images quickly spread across the Internet and hit both search engines and social media.
Most major websites, including Google, acted to remove the images from their sites. Google, the attorney for the celebrities claimed, was less-than-expeditious in removing the images. In September, The Hollywood Reporter said that 51 percent of the URLs containing the nude images were scrubbed from Google's search results. As of this writing, CNET was able to find some of the nude images on Google's Image search, though they were few and far between.
In the letter written to Google, the attorney said takedown notices were sent to Google four weeks ago, but the nude images can still be accessed on Google, as well at its other services, YouTube and Blogspot.
"This is unconscionable, especially for a company that boasts that its conduct should be 'measured against the highest possible standards of ethical business conduct,'" the attorney wrote. He went on to laud Twitter for "immediately removing the images and suspending the offending user accounts."
The letter to Google appears at this point to simply be a warning shot, but the attorney left open the possibility of the celebrities suing Google. The letter ended with three demands, telling Google to: remove the images from its sites, terminate user accounts that are hosting the images and remove accounts on Blogspot that are displaying the photos. The attorney also asked for data preservation on all alleged offenders for possible litigation at a later time.
"The seriousness of this matter cannot be overstated," Singer said. "If Google continues to thumb its nost at my clients' rights -- and continues to both allow and facilitate the further victimization of these women -- and disregards the demands of this letter, it does so as its own peril."
(Via Hollywood Reporter)
Don Reisinger Don Reisinger is a technology columnist who has covered everything from HDTVs to computers to Flowbee Haircut Systems. Besides his work with CNET, Don's work has been featured in a variety of other publications including PC World and a host of Ziff-Davis publications. See full bio Google to offer schools, students unlimited storage for free
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Currying favor with educators and the next generation of workers, Google lifts the 30GB limit on its free Google Apps service for education customers.
Google Apps includes tools for word processing, spreadsheets and presentations. Google
Google will soon offer a big perk -- unlimited data storage -- to lure schools and their students to its Google Apps suite of online services.
The Google Drive for Education is an upgrade from the earlier Google Apps for Education service, and like the predecessor, it's free. It will launch "in coming weeks," Ben Schrom, a Google product manager, said in a blog post Tuesday.
Google Apps combines Gmail and Google Calendar with productivity tools including Docs, Slides and Sheets. Files are synchronized across devices with Google Drive, a brand name that seems to be subsuming Google Apps itself. The products are reached via the Web or apps for iOS and Android, and they're closely linked to Chromebook laptops that run Google's Chrome OS operating system.
Currying favor with schools and their students by offering free or discounted products is an age-old practice for technology companies. Today's students become tomorrow's corporate employees, executives, and IT administrators.
Under the current Google Apps for Education, each user gets 30GB of space, with an upgrade to 100GB costing $5 per month per user. Now Google is waiving both the fee and the storage limit.
This matches the unlimited storage in Google Drive for Work, announced in June, which -- by contrast -- isn't free at $10 per user per month.
Offering the free, unlimited storage for students through their schools is a good deal for those students. It's also not a bad idea for Google: since those students eventually will graduate, the unlimited storage isn't something Google has to offer forever.
Google Apps' biggest competitor is Microsoft's Office, which grew to power in the 1990s and still maintains a powerful presence in the market. Google is trying to get along better with the incumbent by letting people open and edit Office-format documents -- something that eases sharing with people who aren't Google Docs users.
It's hard to compare Google Apps' success to that of Microsoft Office since Google doesn't release revenue or user figures. Microsoft has had a bit more to say. Its closest competitor to Google Apps, the Office 365 subscription that includes PC apps and online versions, had more than 5.6 million subscribers for consumer segments in the second quarter. That was an increase of 1 million subscribers from the previous quarter. Microsoft didn't release figures for traditional licensed software sales or for business subscriptions.
Annual subscriptions cost between $70 for Office 365 Personal and $180 for Office 365 Business Premium.
Stephen Shankland Stephen Shankland has been a reporter at CNET since 1998 and covers browsers, Web development, digital photography and new technology. In the past he has been CNET's beat reporter for Google, Yahoo, Linux, open-source software, servers and supercomputers. He has a soft spot in his heart for standards groups and I/O interfaces. See full bio Key players in Internet of Things promote Thread protocol at Google campus
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Google's Nest Labs, Samsung, Big Ass Fans and others came together to tout the burgeoning Thread standard that allows smart home devices to communicate with one another.
Chris Boross, president of Thread Group and project manager at Nest Labs, during the Thread keynote. James Martin/CNET
Mountain View, California -- Inside a large grey room, which doubles as one of the many cafes on the Google Campus, Nest Labs project manager Chris Boross uses a Nest thermostat to activate two pole-mounted ceiling fans that stand on either side of him. The fans are manufactured by Big Ass Fans, and after a few seconds, they slowly begin to spin.
Both the smart thermostat and ceiling fans communicate with one another not through Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, but via Thread, a new wireless protocol specifically engineered for smart appliances, home automation devices, and other Internet of Things (IoT) products.
Launched in July, Thread was founded by seven companies including Samsung, Nest (which Google bought earlier this year), Silicon Labs and Big Ass Fans (yes, that's actually its name). Unlike Open Interconnect Consortium and AllSeen Alliance, Thread Group does not consider itself another IoT framework co-op. Instead, its aim is to create and promote its single networking standard for the connected home.
"Wi-Fi is not perfect for all devices in the home and it's not perfect for all use cases," said Boross in front of a 300-member audience. "We feel there should be a second network in the home."
Some advantages of the Thread mesh network include its low energy consumption, its secure infrastructure and the fact that it is IP-based, meaning it uses existing IPv6 technology to connect devices together. Thread can also support over 250 products per network, be managed by your smartphone or tablet, and has a low latency period of less than 100 milliseconds for each typical interaction.
A Thread-enabled ceiling fan that can communicate with a smart Nest thermostat. James Martin/CNET
Its deep integration with sleep sensor nodes also translates to long-term interconnectivity -- especially with battery-operated devices that are expected to function for years, such as door locks and security sensors.
Thread isn't the only network protocol, however. Its competitor, Zigbee Pro, is also trying to grab a stronghold as the language IoT devices speak with. With two standards, this can be a headache for consumers -- a problem that Skip Ashton, vice president of technology at Thread and vice president of software at Silicon Labs, recognizes.
During the Q&A portion of the event, Ashton said it would be "advantageous for the market to provide seamless duo-capability" so that users do not have to choose one or the other.
Until that time comes, however, Thread Group is doing all it can to expand its presence. Today, October 1, it will open membership to any company who wishes to join -- 90 days after its initial July launch, the group has already netted over 800 companies expressing interest. As for its product roadmap, it plans to make available its final technical documentation as early as the end of May 2015, and begin its certification program for manufacturers the following June.
Lynn La Lynn La is CNET's associate editor for cell phone and smartphone news and reviews. Prior to coming to CNET, she wrote for the Sacramento Bee and was a staff editor at Macworld. In addition to covering technology, she has reported on health, science, and politics. See full bio Cómo corregir los errores Google Play
20 consejos de Google ahora que deben saber todos los usuarios de Android
Capture 360-degree panoramas with Google Photo Sphere for iOS
Google Chrome ist jetzt surfable in Kuba
Google Chrome kann jetzt auf minimalsten Computer oder mobile Geräte heruntergeladen werden. GoogleGoogle Chrome ist jetzt in Kuba--ein Land bekannt für den begrenzten Internetzugang zum herunterladen. Die Web-Riese teilte am Mittwoch, dass es den Browser speziell für Kubaner über google.com.cu zur Verfügung gestellt.
"Wir sind froh, dass Internet-Nutzer in Kuba jetzt Chrome benutzen können," schrieb ein Google Google
Use the Google Cardboard VR headset with an iPhone
Google Cardboard does work with iPhones, provided you have the right apps. Photo by Rick Broida/CNET Calling all iOS app developers! It's time to get cracking on 3D.
You see, last month Google unveiled an odd, unexpected, and thoroughly entertaining proof-of-concept: Google Cardboard, a homemade virtual-reality headset which pairs with your smartphone for a pretty sweet VR experience.
Of course, this being a Google product, it's exclusively for Android devices, right? Wrong! There are at least five iOS apps that work with Cardboard, all of them proof-positive that app developers may want to consider supporting the platform.
Want to see for yourself? For starters, you'll need the "hardware." Google's plans for a DIY Cardboard are readily available online, but you can also buy a readymade kit for as little as $20. For purposes of testing, I used one of Unofficial's Cardboard kits with my iPhone 5S. It worked fine, but I suspect a smaller iPhone (like the 4 or 4S) might actually prove a bit too small. If you're building a kit yourself, you can customize the dimensions to better fit a smaller screen.
From there, it's just a matter of finding compatible apps. So far, I've found five:
Rechnungen, die ein Verbot von Google Glass während der Fahrt zahnlos sind, sagt professor
CNETEine Handvoll Staaten haben versucht, die Verwendung von Google Glass--der Suchriese ehrgeizige angeschlossenen Headset--während der Fahrt bar, aber ein Professor sagt, dass die vorgeschlagene Regelung wäre unwirksam, auch wenn die Rechnungen übergeben werden.
Adam Gershowitz, Rechtsprofessor an der Hochschule von William und Mary, schrieb in einem Papier veröffentlichte diese Woche, dass die Gesetze, die versuchen, Glas und anderen Wearables beschränken "" von der Polizei nicht durchsetzbar wäre. Das Wall Street Journal berichtete zuerst News des Papiers.
Der Grund ist, dass die meisten der Rechnungen nur verbieten "mit" Glas oder insbesondere ein Head-mounted Gerät während der Fahrt. Trägt das Gerät ist in Ordnung, aber ein Polizist würde haben keine Möglichkeit zu wissen, dass Wetter das Gerät tatsächlich im Einsatz war, oder nur auf dem Kopf ruht. Vorschläge in Delaware, New Jersey, Wyoming, New York, Missouri und West Virginia alle diese Art der Sprache nutzen, sagte die Zeitschrift.
In Maryland und Illinois Vorschläge speziell verbieten sogar eine Headset tragen, während der Fahrt, aber das berücksichtigt nicht für andere Wearables wie Smartwatches, die können auch störend sein. Alle aktuellen vorgeschlagenen Rechnungen haben in den Gesetzgebungsprozess ins Stocken geraten.
Ähnliche Geschichten Google Glass Schöpfer Köpfe Amazon Google Glass Schöpfer: Glas nicht nur Antwort auf Leben nach Smartphones Frau Ticket für das Tragen von Google Glass während der Fahrt Ruft
Noch in den Prototyp Tagen--hat aber für die breite Öffentlichkeit--Glas bereits seinen Anteil an Hindernisse gesehen. Das Unternehmen hat langsam rollte das Produkt seit der Einführung von Google Developer Conference im Jahr 2012.
Es wurde in der Mitte der Kontroverse, einschließlich einige Bars in den USA verboten und untersagt Filme Theater im Vereinigten Königreich wegen der Privatsphäre und Piraterie Besorgnis. Im vergangenen Monat liess Babak Parviz, der einst führte das Glas-Team und wird gutgeschrieben, wobei das Gerät Erfinder, Google für Amazon. Im Oktober letzten Jahres wurde eine Frau in Kalifornien ticketed, für das fahren bei der Verwendung von Glas, obwohl die Anklage wurde später rausgeworfen.
Gershowitz gesagt während mehr als zwei Dutzend Staaten Gesetze, die Freisprech-Handy haben während der Fahrt, der Sprache, um diese Gesetze erlauben "Schlupflöcher" für Glas zu erstellen.
Statt den Wortlaut des aktuellen Vorschläge schlägt Gershowitz, dass Rechnungen nicht zulassen eine Person fahren "während des Tragens ein drahtlose elektronische Kommunikation-Gerät" oder "beim Verwenden von drahtlosen elektronischen Kommunikationsgerät."
Tags: Tech Industrie Google Glas Google über den Autor