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What might appear as evident for you at present most certainly was not that at the time when this was filed. How many computer-to-phone interactions did you have back in 1997, when owning a mobile phone in and of itself was not a given. Even though SMS were already then ubiquitous, they were by no means used daily to have information passed on them to improve your access to online services. For example, internet had only 118 million users in 1997 and there was a grand total of 215 million mobile phones — globally.

1 day ago on Kim Dotcom accuses Google, Facebook, and Twitter of violating his two-step security patent 1 recommend

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I don’t fully compute what you are assuming here - the violation is there and he has no reason to prove any damages at this point. Furthermore, he can show a going value for his patented technology as it provides a veneer of security for the services using it, which is-by many—deemed a relatively important aspect of modern internet use. Would he have this case brought before a court he most certainly would have a rather good case and lucrative one for that.

1 day ago on Kim Dotcom accuses Google, Facebook, and Twitter of violating his two-step security patent 2 replies 2 recommends

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But the thing is, that it does not really matter whether it is a “backup” or the main frame when it comes to violating IPRs. There is no denying that, even if somewhat on the broad side, the patent clearly describes a method used by these companies, which do constitute a violation of his patent if there is no licensing agreement.

1 day ago on Kim Dotcom accuses Google, Facebook, and Twitter of violating his two-step security patent 2 recommends

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These tax evasion news have reached also the regulators in Europe; just last (or was it this week?) ECOFIN had a meeting on these issues and OECD pushed out a recommendation agreed by 42 stated. Then US is about to reach a deal concerning bank secrecy with Switzerland, etc.

In Europe alone, it is claimed, one trillion of taxable revenue and assets are moved outside the reach of taxation. It is sad to follow all the austerity debates and cuts in services, whilst companies raking billions in profits simply decide not to pay anything from all the benefits the taxes give to them (eg educated workers, infrastructure, etc.)

5 days ago on Former Google UK exec alleges company misrepresented sales to avoid paying taxes 1 recommend

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I think that the fact that you have not heard those arguments has more to do with Nokia market share in US (I presume you are from there, sorry if I am wrong) than the desirability or relevance of the service. I could equally well state that I have heard said argument a number of times, whereby people say that there is an added value they gain from Nokia Music, which was one reason why they decided to purchase a Nokia device.

Your argument is somewhat vacuous when you first state that the essential feature is the presence in simply on a single brand of mobile phones, for which you were rebutted with not only one but two facts: Apple’s service will most certainly also be limited to a single brand AND Nokia Music is available also on Windows 8. You did not heed either of these arguments but rather claimed that there is a demand for Apple product whereas there is not for Nokia product, which to your very own statement, was not in question here.

Thus, it is somewhat difficult to understand why you belittle others and argue that they fail to see the logic of your arguments, when you simply ignore all the evidence contradicting your very own claim. Moreover, I have never heard anyone say “I wish I had a music streaming service provided by Apple”, does that now signify that your argument is not-real (does it become surreal?) and such an argument is backed up with equal force as that of yours, i.e., my personal experiences that are in no fashion illustrative of anything apart my subjectivity.

6 days ago on How Google beat Apple to a streaming music service 2 replies 2 recommends

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I think that you are in minority when buying music without a “service” tag attached to it. At least in Europe a number of studies have shown that people spend now more money in music that they are using the streaming services. When the lowest tier of Spotify e.g. costs you all of 5€ it means that people used to use less than 60 euros a year to music. With the prices in iTunes, for example, you would not get 6 full CDs worth of music a year.

Obviously, people have different needs when it comes to music, but I think that most value the access to countless records that they might listen just once. I value e.g. the chance that I can listen to early Bruce Springsteen that one single time to know that his old nor new production is to my liking. Or I can listen some world music that I would have never stumbled upon otherwise — it might not please me any more than Mr Springsteen’s music, but at least I know that now.

7 days ago on How Google beat Apple to a streaming music service

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This runs on android devices in US. There is a slight difference there.

7 days ago on How Google beat Apple to a streaming music service

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I would say that quite a few people do listen music at home (and at work) through their PCs. For example, there are 24 million users of Spotify out of which only 6 million subscribe to the service. And not even all subscribers can use Spotify on a mobile device. There is a 5$/€ tier and 10$/€ tier, where only the latter provides you with access to mobile streaming. Thus, it seems that majority of users of Spotify at least are listening to their music through their PCs, which would counter your argument that “most listening is done on mobile”.

Furthermore, I cannot be the only person alive who has linked computer to all media gadgets at home so even when at home I tend to use my desktop to listen to music rather than any mobile devices. People might have loads of mobile devices and they might listen loads of music through them, but it does not mean that there would not be even larger heap of PCs through which even more music is listened through.

7 days ago on How Google beat Apple to a streaming music service 1 recommend

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I think that the silliest hole in all but Apple’s service is the Beatles. It just makes no sense that there is a monopoly to Beatles on all services, and, thus, there are no streaming services currently with any Beatles songs (at least none that I could use).

7 days ago on How Google beat Apple to a streaming music service

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The situation might be made easier now after the General Court held the licensing companies liable from antitrust measures, even though it is likely that the companies will try to challenge the findings in the Court of Justice. Thus, for the time being the situation will likely remain at a standstill, which essentially means that they will have to negotiate the terms individually in each country.

7 days ago on How Google beat Apple to a streaming music service

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As a matter of fact there is a Windows 8 app for Nokia Music. I don’t know does anyone use it or anything, but I just find it silly that when you are writing of something you disregard the most obvious examples of similar service. I can understand it being a U.S. based site and all that, but e.g. Pandora is entirely irrelevant for the majority of music lovers which makes Nokia Music a much more comparable product to aspirations of both Apple and Google as they will with quite some certainty seek to have a global reach with their services.

7 days ago on How Google beat Apple to a streaming music service

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I think that you sort-of forgot the business model that most closely resembles what Apple is offering (based on your writing), namely, that of Nokia Music. They are providing streaming service akin to Pandora but with access to buy all the music you are playing as well.

7 days ago on How Google beat Apple to a streaming music service 1 reply 9 recommends

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They are embryos, just not capable of becoming a human being. Obviously, if the very definition of embryo entails human potential, then they are not embryos, but if embryos are defined as a melange of genetic material of ovum with another cells, then they are embryos in the very sense. I guess that they refer to these embryos as pluripotent (capable of becoming a number of things) rather than totipotent (capable of becoming everything, i.e. a complete organism) like “ordinary” embryos. For definition of embryo, there is at least legal authority in Europe in form of so-called Brüstle decision.

8 days ago on Human stem cells cloned for the first time 1 recommend

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You can sadly never see the future as you can only live in the present. Even if you could travel to the future (aka time machine) you would still be present in the future. Therefore, I’d argue that irrespective of how old you live, you will not see the future.

8 days ago on Human stem cells cloned for the first time 1 reply

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The controversy is because of a number of reasons. First, the process of getting ovum is not simply “waiting a month” but it involves hormonal treatment that can be harmful to the women involved, resulting to e.g. their infertility. Second, the fact that donors were paid leads to a problem of people as something that can be sold (people as means rather than as ends), even if in the very rudimentary form. The amount of ova in woman is limited and there are no replenishment like there is for men. Additionally, most legislatures the world over have made it illegal to sell any germ cells or to cover any other costs than those specially related to expenses. The reason for this is the particular idea of selling humans.

Thus, it has hardly any aspect of the pro-choice / pro-life debate, as that is mostly one of American origin. Here the questions are maybe more common to the very rights liberalism predominant in the whole of Occident. Behind these are some of the most fundamental ideas of our society, e.g. relevant to liberty in its various forms. Moreover, many feminists would argue that it is once more turning women into second-grade citizens as all of these techniques require egg donors. It has also a likely connection to the whole commencement of life question as most of the eggs donated to research actually derive from IVF treatments or the like where their original, purported use was to procreate.

I would say that there are, thus, more than enough ethical issues that will likely result to controversy.

8 days ago on Human stem cells cloned for the first time 2 replies 4 recommends

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As I have understood it, such are not supported by the OS at the moment; Microsoft will eventually add support to 1080p displays and new SoCs, but as it stands they have limited the choice to same components that were readily available already at the launch of the platform. Or that is at least what the people on the internet say.

11 days ago on Lumia 928: first impressions of Verizon's Nokia flagship (hands-on) 1 reply

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I think it might have something to do with the fact that the review unit is held by Tom Warren, who, to my understanding resides in Europe. Maybe said prototype supports such bands that are not to be found from the retail version (or something else related to exclusivity with Verizon?)

11 days ago on Lumia 928: first impressions of Verizon's Nokia flagship (hands-on)

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I think that you are playing it a bit too far. There are sensible reasons for having a significantly lower overall score for the application ecosystem in Windows Phone than for iOS or Android. If you actually do read the reviews, e.g. the most recent one for WP8 devices (L720), it is evident that reviewers do state there are most apps a regular user would need and if having all the latest apps is not your thing, there is no reason to disregard WP.

Disregarding the significant difference there still is when it comes to e.g. games and utility applications between WP and, say, iOS would be much more dishonest than to belittle what Microsoft and co. have achieved. Further, there is significant variation nationally also when it comes to essential services being available on given application store. For example, it was just a month or so back when the Finnish railway company released first the Windows Phone app with other versions in the pipeline; it merely goes to reflect the fact that in Finland Nokia Lumia devices are extremely popular and, thus, they will get the applications early on, whereas in US where iOS dominates applications come first there and trickle to other platforms eventually.

It is for this very reason that games and certain globally available services are a good measuring stick for an app ecosystem as those are the only constant factors that you will find and consider usable the world over. And on this front WP is still a long haul from other popular platforms. I think that uniform SoCs from a single provider etc. will eventually convert into more and more games as the products are rather similar in terms of their performance, but before that happens WP needs the volumes, which is why Nokia has likely been releasing dirt cheap Lumia devices of late (130$ Lumia 521 for one, etc.)

18 days ago on Hulu Plus arrives on Windows Phone as Microsoft's game of app catch-up continues 2 recommends