Judge Lucy H. Koh of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, San Jose division, has ruled that a patent infringement lawsuit between Apple and Samsung may continue, reports "AllThingsD" (http://tinyurl.com/b6lnwax). Last Friday she had said she might consider putting the case on hold pending resolution of an appeal in another lawsuit. Evidently, Koh decided there’s little to gain by postponing Apple’s second suit against Samsung until an appeals court renders a decision on the first, notes "AllThingsD." However, she decided that the case would benefit from a little streamlining, and Koh told both companies to "significantly" reduce the scope of the case by trimming down its claims and expert witness testimony. This is all part of the ongoing, global legal battle. Apple and Samsung have filed more than 30 lawsuits against each other across four continents. For example, Apple alleges that Samsung copied the slide-to-unlock technology of its iPhone and iPad...

Microsoft has changed the license agreement for Office for Mac 2011, Office Home & Student 2013, Office Home & Business 2013 and Office Professional 2013 and standalone applications purchased through retail/resellers. Based "on feedback from our customers who asked for additional flexibility," the company says the changes allow customers who have already purchased, or newly purchase, the WinOffice 2013 or MacOffice 2011 suites to transfer the software from one computer to another, effective immediately, says Microsoft. For the last several months, users were previously able to install on one computer, but not transfer to another. Customers can now transfer their license and activate it on a new or different computer as many times as they want but not more than once every 90 days. In the event of a computer failure within 90-day period, the customer should call Microsoft customer support. Also, Office can be reinstalled on the same computer, as needed. To transfer a Office...

SilverWiz (http://silverwiz.com), creator of the personal finance software, MoneyWiz for iPhone, iPad and Mac, has announced update 1.4, which adds than 50 new features and is a free upgrade for existing customers. MoneyWiz allows people to manage accounts, budgets and bills, generate reports and more. It also features a custom made cloud syncing solution that allows people to automatically synchronize their financial data across multiple devices. Among the new features in version 1.4 is the: ° Ability to auto-pay scheduled transactions; ° Ability to convert normal transaction to a scheduled transaction; ° Ability to split income transactions; ° Ability to make Scheduled split transactions (expenses & incomes); ° Ability to duplicate scheduled transactions; ° Ability to hide an account from the list of accounts; ° Ability to set the language of MoneyWiz within the app itself. For new users MoneyWiz costs US$4.99. It's available in the Apple App Store (for iOS) and the Mac App...

ATTO Technology will showcase its line of high-performance storage and network connectivity products in interactive workflow demonstrations at the 2013 NAB Show in Las Vegas, Nevada, April 8 through April 11. Wayne Arvidson, vice president of marketing at ATTO Technology, says ATTO’s booth will feature the industry’s only complete line of 16Gb/s Fibre Channel solutions, including Celerity Host Bus Adapters (HBAs), FastStream RAID Storage Controllers, and FibreConnect Switches. Also on display will be ATTO’s ExpressSAS/SATA HBA and RAID Adapter family, including exciting next-generation SAS technology. Additionally, ATTO will exhibit their FastFrame line of Network Interface Cards (NICs) and Converged Network Adapters (CNAs) that leverage ATTO’s expertise in FibreChannel and Ethernet technologies to support the increasing demands of network and storage bandwidth. ATTO is also showcasing their Thunderbolt technology-enabled Desklink devices, ThunderLink and ThunderStream, that enable...

Trakdot is now taking pre-orders for the Trakdot Lugage device. Created by GlobaTrac, fits into a checked bag, and reports city/airport location in real time to any cellular telephone. Those early adopters who place an order on Trakdot.com before April 27, 2013 will have their activation fee waived and will be among the first to receive the device. Trakdot Luggage was designed to provide peace of mind over one’s valuables and take the stress out of travel. Once the tracker is registered, turned on, and placed in a piece of luggage, the technology takes over the rest of the work.  Rather than utilizing GPS technology, Trakdot operates on cell technology to triangulate an active device’s location.  It will turn itself off just before takeoff, and then turn back on upon landing to confirm which city the bag is currently in and text the owner that information.  Alternatively, users can visit the website to locate their luggage. The product will be available in late June at a manufacturer...

Sonnet Technologies has announced the launch of its Presto 10GbE 1-Port and Presto 10GbE Server 2-Port 10-Gigabit Ethernet (10GbE) PCIe cards. These Sonnet adapter cards enable users to connect their computers and servers to high-speed infrastructure and storage systems using the 10GbE standard, which offers up to 10 times the performance of Gigabit Ethernet. Both Presto 10GbE network adapters are low-profile x8 PCIe adapter cards that install easily into the PCIe slot of a computer or Thunderbolt™-to-PCIe expansion chassis. Both cards connect to a switch or other 10GbE interface via fiber-optic or copper cable (sold separately). The Presto 10GbE 1-Port (part number G10E-SFP-E) and Presto 10GbE Server 2-Port (part number G10E-SFP-2X-E2) cards, and the 10GBase-SR SFP+ (part number G10E-SFP-SR) and 10Base-LR SFP+ (part number G10E-SFP-LR) transceivers are available now. More information on these products and pricing is available at www.sonnettech.com/product/computercards/index.html. 

St. Clair Software has released Default Folder X 4.5.5, an update to their utility for Mac OS X. The new version corrects reliability issues with two features and adds QuickLook previews to Save dialogs. Default Folder X enhances the file dialogs in all Mac OS X applications. Its custom keyboard shortcuts put your favorite and recent folders at your fingertips. It provides fast navigation to your files, convenient previews, integrated Spotlight tagging, and more. Default Folder X 4.5.5 requiresMac OS X 10.5 or higher. It's a free update for existing version 4 users. The price is $14.95 or users who bought licenses before June 1, 2007, and costs $34.95 for new users. For more info go to http://www.stclairsoft.com/DefaultFolderX/index.html .

Apple has updated its Supplier Responsibility webpage to reflect a change in how manufacturers deal with the company's 60-hour work week limit, noting that a 99% rate of compliance was achieved in January, reports "AppleInsider" (www.appleinsider.com) According to Apple's Supplier Work-Hour Compliance study, which as of January 2013 tracks over one million employees, the 99% compliance rate factors into a 92% average of suppliers that adhered to the company's Code of Conduct over all work weeks. Over the same period, the average time an employee worked per week was under 50 hours.

The PandaWare Company has updated TimeCache, its comprehensive Macintosh time and expense billing application, to version 9.0.5. The update includes improvements to report and invoice display, and some bug fixes. TimeCache is available as a free download from The PandaWare Company's Web site (www.pandaware.com/downloads.htm)l, and can be used to save up to 20 days' worth of data in trial mode. An US$70 license unlocks it for unlimited use. Registered users of TimeCache 9.0 can update to version 9.0.5 for free automatically from within the application, or by downloading it from The PandaWare Company Web site. Other Mac OS X users can try PandaWare TimeCache 9.0.5 for free. Registered users of TimeCache 8.0 can upgrade for $40.

Noise Industries, developer of visual effects tools for the post-production and broadcast markets, has brought XEffects Camera Transitions for FCP X to FxFactory. An US$49 plugin package from idustrial revolution, XEffects Camera Transitions offers 28 different effects that reproduce still and movie camera film effects as well as still and movie projector effects. From a simple iris to a frame grabbing motordrive to a full "sprockets on show" projector film slip, this pack contains a collection of popular film and camera effects that will give footage an interesting vintage look. Effects are customizable with direction changes, frame width, sharpness and roundness control, and adjustable blur. For more info go to www.idustrialrevolution.com .

In a note to clients -- as reported by "CNET" (http://tinyurl.com/aj59llz) -- Citi analyst Glen Yeung thinks consumer interest in the iPhone 5 and iPad may be waning. He bases his assumption on a lower demand for parts. "In conducting our regular field work with the hardware supply chain, we again find evidence of reduced demand to Apple's suppliers for iPhone 5 related components," Yeung says. "While production does not directly translate to sales (for example, we estimate Apple finished 1Q13 (Dec) with [around] 10M iPhone units in inventory), we suspect this is an indication of softer demand for iPhone 5 and iPhone 4S." As a result, Yeung has lowered his iPhone unit sales estimates for the current quarter to 34 million from 35 million. Wall Street is eyeing around 37 million in sales, notes "CNET." Yeung's June quarter estimate remains the same at 25 million, which is below Wall Street's consensus of 32 million. The Citi analyst does hint that the reduced supplier orders could be a...

MacUpdate's newest bundle packs 10 top Mac apps together for a savings of over US$550. You can find it at http://deals.macupdate.com/affil/6603 for just US$49.99. The titles include Parallels Desktop 8, which lets you run Windows apps on your Mac; DEVONthink Pro 2, an information organizer; MotionComposer, for creating professional Web animations; Prizmo 2, which lets you scan/OCR any document or photo;1000 OpenTypeFonts Collection, which is complete with commercial-use and WebFont licenses; iStat Menus 4, which lets you monitor your Mac from the menubar; PhotoStyler 6, which allows you to add effects and personalize your photos; DiskAid 6, an utility for iPhone, iPad, and iPod owners; Intego Mac Internet Security 2013 (3-Pack), the malware solution, rebuilt for 2013; and MacUpdate Desktop (six months), which lets you keep all your apps up-to-date As with all MacUpdate bundles, the apps included represent the newest versions. They're identical to individually purchased versions,...

Walter Isaacson -- the author of "Steve Jobs," the bestselling book about the late Apple founder -- won't have to share his notes or testify in a case about alleged price-fixing between Apple and book publishers, reports "paidContent" (http://tinyurl.com/af66t6v). Class action lawyers had earlier demanded that Isaacson provide evidence, based on his interviews with Steve Jobs, about why Jobs asked publishers to sell books on the iPad. However, the author refused to hand over his notes and invoked a New York law that allows journalists to shield their sources in many situations. The lawyers, who want Apple to pay for allegedly fixing book prices, had subpoenaed Isaacson and said the reporters’ shield didn't apply. However, court documents show the parties agreed to drop Isaacson from the case, notes "paidContent."

Stock configurations of the latest gen iMac are now available within 24 hours, at last in North America, according to the shipping times listed at the Apple online store. However, custom built-to-order options take longer. Also, as noted by "MacRumors" (www.macrumors.com) Apple's online stores in other countries still show some lag in availability. Australia is seeing quotes of 3-5 business days for all models while Europe is generally seeing 5-7 business days for 21.5-inch models and 1-2 weeks for 27-inch models.

Yesterday Apple patched Java 6 for OS X, following Oracle's lead and quashing a browser plug-in vulnerability that hackers have been exploiting. Oracle issued the "out-of-band," or emergency, update for Java 6 and Java 7 to patch two critical vulnerabilities, notes "Computerworld" (http://tinyurl.com/addkpz4). Because Apple maintains Java 6 for OS X -- unlike Java 7, which Oracle handles -- it followed with its own update, as usual. However, Oracle also said that Monday's update would be the final for the aging software, says "Computerworld.. "This release is the last of publicly available JDK 6 Updates," Oracle said in its release notes. "Oracle recommends that users migrate to JDK 7 in order to continue receiving public updates and security enhancements."

Samsung will seek a further review of patent damages awarded to Apple even after a reduction of about 45 percent of the original $1.05 billion award, reporst "Korea Joongang Daily" (http://tinyurl.com/b2mbeya). On March 1, U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh in San Jose, California, cut the damages award after finding the jury didn't follow her instructions. “We are pleased that the court decided to strike $450,514,650 from the jury’s award,” Samsung spokesman Nam Ki-yung said in an e-mailed statement yesterday. “Samsung intends to seek further review of the remaining award.” This is all part of the ongoing, global legal battle. Apple and Samsung have filed more than 30 lawsuits against each other across four continents. For example, Apple alleges that Samsung copied the slide-to-unlock technology of its iPhone and iPad devices.

Bundleecious has announces its first 2013 bundle, including five Mac apps and a three-month license of Backblaze. For a limited time, you can grab a full license of MacPilot, Speedy, Clipbuddy and CollageFactory Pro for Mac at 90% off. Anyone can tweet to get a full free license of Ondesoft Audio Recorder and the first 1,000 customers will also get a three-month license of the Backblaze online backup system. You can get the deal for US$$9.99 from the Bundleecious website (http://www.bundleecious.com). The offer will expire March 17.

Shiftoption Software has announced rubiTrack 3.1 (www.rubitrack.com) for Mac OS X (10.7 or later), an update to its app that provides an activity tracking and exercise journal for running, cycling, swimming, hiking, lifting weights, or doing yoga. It supports most GPS enabled fitness devices including iPhone, and displays at a glance: distance, duration, speed, pace, ascent, power, heart rate, calories, laps, equipment, sport, weather, track, and street maps. rubiTrack features extensive analysis, comparison charts, and statistics. RubiTrack reads most file formats that contain fitness related data or GPS tracks, including: GPX, TCX, FIT, Sporttracks FITLOG, Sporttracks LOGBOOK, Nike+iPod XML, NMEA GPS Log, Polar HRM, Suunto SDF/XML, Trainingpeaks/Peaksware PWX, and MotoACTV CSV formats. The rubiTrack 3.1 activity chart shows diagrams of data such as speed, pace, heart rate, elevation, and many other values. The layout is freely configurable, and users can split the chart up into...

Responding to a citizen petition, the Obama administration has called for the legalization of cell phone unlocking, reports "TechHive" (http://tinyurl.com/c85qx4g). "The White House agrees with the 114,000+ of you who believe that consumers should be able to unlock their cell phones without risking criminal or other penalties,” R. David Edelman, the president’s senior adviser for Internet, innovation, and piracy, wrote in an official response released by the White House. Edelman was responding to a petition started by 27-year-old app developer Sina Khanifar, opposing the Librarian of Congress’s decision to making unlocking a mobile phone a violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. That decision went into effect in January. You can find the petition at the We The People site (http://tinyurl.com/a7khf24).

Cortado has announced its Cortado Corporate Server protects local data with its mobile device management (MDM) capabilities on the new 128GB version of the iPad. Cortado Corporate Server’s multi-level security options include: complete encryption of local documents, offline password prompts and flexible remote wipes. According to Carsten Mickeleit, CEO of Cortado AG, the on-premise solution, Cortado Corporate Server, supports the secure use of iPads, including the recently launched 128GB version, in corporate environments. The MDM system, with desktop functions, supports the local encryption of data on iOS devices and subsequently prevents unauthorized access to the data. In addition, the Cortado Client on the device is able to authenticate the user without an internet connection, enabling local files to be password-protected without connecting to the server. Any attempt to manipulate the locally stored password in the offline state triggers an immediate deletion of the data. Using...

Days after Adobe released a patch for flaws being exploited in Flash Player, Apple has begun blocking older versions of the software in an effort to encourage users to update their systems, reports "ZDNet" (http://tinyurl.com/c9yhjjq). "To help protect users from a recent vulnerability, Apple has updated the web plug-in-blocking mechanism to disable older versions of the web plug-in: Adobe Flash Player," Apple says in a support document. If you try to run an outdated version of Flash you'll see a "Blocked Plug-in" if you attempt to view Flash content in Safari and a pop-up window prompting them to "Download Flash." For info go to http://tinyurl.com/bmqw6y5 .

Drylab R&D has introduced Dailies Creator 1.0 for Mac OS X. The app "ingests" newly created digital video files, transcodes them into H.264, organizes footage into Shots, Scenes, and Takes, embeds Camera Report metadata, and performs encrypted distribution of the resulting iPad-ready dailies via WiFi or Dropbox. Tailored to the needs of professional DITs working on-set or in post, Dailies Creator interfaces with two iOS apps, Dailies Viewer and Cam Report, to form a complete system. You can import all common QuickTime files and export H.264 (640 pixels wide) Dailies Creator requires Mac OS X 10.7.3. It costs US$69.99 and available exclusively through the Mac App Store in the Video category (http://tinyurl.com/blsvz8z). Dailies Viewer 1.0 for iOS is $69.99 in the Photo & Video category of the Apple App Store, and Cam Report for iOS is $29.99. Creator can be extended with an in-app purchase to support up to 50 paired iPads per production.

Houdah Software (www.houdah.com) has announced Type2Phone 2.0, a new version of the app that turns your Mac into a Bluetooth keyboard for your iPhone, iPad or Apple TV. The upgrade adds dictation support, enhances keyboard shortcut support, expands AppleScript support and more. On the Mac, Type2Phone shows every character it has sent to the iOS device. An animated display of key tiles serves as typing history. Type2Phone supports the following 2.0 iOS keyboard layouts: U.S American, Arabic, Belgian, Brazilian, British, Canadian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Dvorak, French, German, Hebrew, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Norwegian, Polish, Polish Pro, Portuguese, Serbian, Slovenian, Spanish, Swedish, Swiss-French, Swiss-German, Turkish, and Turkish QWERTZ. Type2Phone 2.0 is priced at US$4.99. A free upgrade for current customers, it's available exclusively from the Mac App Store (http://tinyurl.com/botkuto).

Hedge fund magnate David Einhorn has dropped his lawsuit against the company in which he holds some 1.3 million shares, reports "AllThingsD" (http://tinyurl.com/ch79fr4). Einhorn’s Greenlight Capital has withdrawn the suit it brought against Apple over a proxy proposal that would have allowed shareholders to vote on eliminating preferred stock from the company charter. Greenlight has been urging Apple to share its cash with investors by issuing high-yielding preferred shares, alleged in the now-dropped lawsuit that the company unfairly lumped a stock restriction with two other corporate governance matters set for a vote by investors at the Feb. 27 shareholders meeting (the proposal was then yanked). Lawyers for Greenlight Capital argued that putting into one proposition three separate items -- two of which Einhorn supported and one (which barred Apple's board from issuing preferred shares without a shareholder vote) he vehemently opposed -- was a clear violation of SEC regulations...