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French court fines Google France 500,000 euros for gratis Maps

admin — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 04:22:00 +0000

A Parisian commercial court has upheld a lower court's ruling against Google France, ordering the company to pay a fine of €500,000 for giving away its maps services. The plaintiff, Bottin Cartographes, claims that Google leveraged the market share of its Maps platform -- and the fact that it's free -- to undercut and stifle competition attempting to sell their topographical wares to businesses. "We proved the illegality of [Google's] strategy," said Bottin's counsel, noting that this was the first time Google has been convicted of malfeasance for this particular piece of software in the country. A representative from the search giant said it plans to appeal the decision, and reiterated the company's belief that competition exists in the space. Personally, we think the court got it right. Why should people get an awesome product for free when they can pay for an inferior one, right?

French court fines Google France 500,000 euros for gratis Maps originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Feb 2012 00:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink PhysOrg | AFP | Email this | Comments

HTC Ville gets hands-on en Francais, is presumably practicing its Spanish for MWC (video)

admin — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 14:13:00 +0000

While we're still a few weeks away from annual phone festival, MWC, it's these weeks in the run-up that often draw out blurrycam appetizers of what we'll see over in Barcelona. This time, it's no other than the HTC ~~Edge~~ Ville, that rumored divergent mix of quad-core processing bulk and slimline form-factor: something we don't typically see the unibody-armored HTC family. In the leaked video, you'll be getting a look at a heavily disguised version of Ice Cream Sandwich, covered in contentious (but new!) Sense sauce. The mysterious handset mole is also kind enough to pay a visit to the phone's specification list, confirming, at least if this is the finished article, an eight megapixel camera, 4.3-inch qHD display and a 1.5GHz dual-core processor. Alas, it looks like this isn't going to be the rumored quad-core debut from the Taiwanese phone maker, although going on past form, it won't shock us if the company reveals a whole line-up of handsets for us to meddle with next month. Take the tour yourself -- it's right after the break.

Update: Looks like the original video has been unceremoniously switched to private. Fortunately, we managed to grab a copy beforehand.

Continue reading HTC Ville gets hands-on en Francais, is presumably practicing its Spanish for MWC (video)

HTC Ville gets hands-on en Francais, is presumably practicing its Spanish for MWC (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink SlashGear | HTC-Hub | Email this | Comments

Stat Alert: More connected phones than computers in key markets, says Google (updated)

admin — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:56:00 +0000

There are obvious stats, bizarre ones, and then the good old informative ones. New data from Google revealed by Ad Age, falls into the latter category. According to Goog's numbers, more people have a mobile internet-capable device than a PC or laptop in the five key markets it tested (US, UK, Germany, France and Japan). In the US, this figure is nearly 10% more, some 76% against 68%. The numbers were taken in September and October last year, which means any impact Christmas may have had won't be taken into account. The trend away from feature phones towards smartphones is also drilled home, but that won't be news to many people 'round these parts. No matter how you connect these days, any savvy netizen will tell you: it's quality, not quantity that counts anyway.

Update: The complete report is now up online and, while smartphone and tablet use is skyrocketing, it doesn't appear to be eating into PC sales. Check out the more coverage link for all the slides.

Stat Alert: More connected phones than computers in key markets, says Google (updated) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 Jan 2012 09:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Textually | Adage | Email this | Comments

EU online spending estimated to grow 16 percent, reach €232 billion in 2012

admin — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 01:45:00 +0000

Pardon us Americans as we act surprised, but it turns out that we have one more thing in common with our Euro brethren: a growing number of us dislike shopping in stores. According to Kelkoo estimates, online spending in the European Union is projected to continue its upward trend, which is said to reach somewhere in the neighborhood of €232 billion before year's end. If the estimate holds, this would be a 16 percent increase over the €200 billion raked by e-tailers during 2011, and is naturally assumed to come at the expense of traditional brick and mortar outfits, whose growth is projected to increase by a mere 1.8 percent.

The data gathered also suggest there's significant room for expansion, however, as online spending accounted for just 7.8 percent of all EU retail sales in 2011, with the UK, Germany and France being responsible for a whopping 71 percent of that tally. The 16 percent projected growth is a slight decline from 2011, which saw EU online spending grow by 18 percent -- although, Europe's growing habit for click-and-ship continues to outpace the US, which grew by only 12.8 percent in 2011. Now, since you've crammed all these numbers, why not check the funny pages?

[Shopping button via Shutterstock]

EU online spending estimated to grow 16 percent, reach €232 billion in 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Jan 2012 21:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink The Register | Kelkoo | Email this | Comments

France ISP Free builds its own cellular network, offers free service to subscribers

admin — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 11:52:00 +0000

The fact that French ISP Free just began offering its own cellular service is pretty nice, but the realization that it did so by building its very own prepaid network -- rather than simply hopping on a dedicated cellular provider's towers -- is a noteworthy feat. Even more impressive, Free is offering the service, appropriately called Free Mobile, to subscribers at a price that matches the name of the company. Sure, you're not getting a ton of minutes with the basic free plan (60 minutes and 60 SMS / MMS messages), but you can get a load more (unlimited calls and texts, 3GB of data and unlimited access to the ISP's WiFi hotspots) for €15.99. If you're not a subscriber, fear not: you can grab the basic plan for €2 / month or the advanced option for €20. Free Mobile is still in the process of building out the network, which means that customers may find themselves occasionally roaming on Orange for a while. But hey, you can't go wrong with free, eh? Check out the source to see the selection of phones available for purchase.

[Thanks, Mohamed]

France ISP Free builds its own cellular network, offers free service to subscribers originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Jan 2012 07:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink PCWorld Australia, TheVerge | Free Mobile (translated) | Email this | Comments

Nintendo 3DS tour guides might make the Mona Lisa less underwhelming

admin — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 12:32:00 +0000

Other than wine, cheese and overwhelming apathy, the Louvre stands alone as France's most prized national treasure. It's enormous, it's teeming with art, and it's really old. Starting in March, though, the museum will get an infusion of comparatively new technology, thanks to the Nintendo 3DS. As the AFP reports, Nintendo has agreed to provide the Louvre with some 5,000 pocket consoles, to be offered as digital tour guides for museum patrons. With these devices tucked securely inside their fanny packs, wandering tourists will be able to pinpoint their location within the museum, select themed itineraries, and listen to audio commentary available in seven different languages. The consoles will eventually replace the museum's more traditional audio guides, as part of a wider campaign to bring 21st century technology to the Louvre's 12th century confines. "We are the first museum in the world to do this," Agnes Alfandari, the Louvre's head of multimedia, told the AFP, adding that a slate of dedicated smartphone and tablet apps is also in the works.

[Image courtesy of TrendHunter]

Nintendo 3DS tour guides might make the Mona Lisa less underwhelming originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 16 Dec 2011 08:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink The Wall Street Journal | AFP (PhysOrg) | Email this | Comments

iTunes Match rolls out to international community, makes music lovers flinch

admin — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 05:18:00 +0000

Thought you'd have to wait until 2012 to snag an international iTunes Match account? Think again. It seems Apple ended its negotiations with British record companies earlier than expected, as the outfit prematurely launched the music matching service on Wednesday, pulled it and refunded early subscribers, and finally relaunched a fully functional Match to the international community on Thursday. Users from the UK, Australia, Canada, France, the Czech Republic and other countries are now reporting that the service is live, appearing in the iTunes Store and fully functional. If the US rollout was a little late, we certainly don't mind the international debuting a tad early.

iTunes Match rolls out to international community, makes music lovers flinch originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 16 Dec 2011 01:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink TUAW, Apple Insider | | Email this | Comments

Archos G9 tablets to receive Ice Cream Sandwich by ‘first trimester’ of 2012

admin — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 11:35:00 +0000

Archos' duo of G9 tablets have been on the market for a few months now, but the French manufacturer has already made plans for the slates' next major update, announcing today that the devices will receive an update to Android 4.0 by the "first trimester" of 2012. Archos didn't offer anything more specific than that, but it's certainly an encouraging sign for those looking to take a bite of Ice Cream Sandwich on a budget. Read the full press release at the source link below, but be warned that it's in French.

[Thanks, Wewewi]

Archos G9 tablets to receive Ice Cream Sandwich by 'first trimester' of 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Dec 2011 07:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Archos (PDF) (French) | Email this | Comments

Deezer announces ambitious global rollout, ignores US and Japan

admin — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 20:04:00 +0000

Deezer added a few notches to its music streaming belt yesterday, with the announcement of its long awaited rollout to (nearly) every corner of the globe. The launch, confirmed at Le Web in Paris yesterday, has already brought the service to both Ireland and the Netherlands, with plans to expand across Europe by the end of this month. Users in Canada and Latin America can expect to receive the French service by the end of January, Australia and Africa should see it by the end of February, and everyone else by the middle of next year. Conspicuously absent from that list are the US and Japanese markets, both of which have been passed over "due to market saturation and low growth forecasts," as well as the fact that the two countries comprise "only" 25 percent of worldwide music consumption. Le sigh.

[Thanks, Paulo]

Deezer announces ambitious global rollout, ignores US and Japan originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Dec 2011 16:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | The Wall Street Journal | Email this | Comments

French court squashes Samsung’s quest for iPhone 4S ban

admin — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 15:38:00 +0000

Apparently it's time for the French to deliver Apple's tit for Samsung's tat won in US courts last week. Sammy's request for an injunction against the sale of the iPhone 4S was rejected by a court in France, which called the reaction out of proportion with its claims of intellectual property theft. And, as if to rub salt in the wound, the judge ordered Samsung to pay €100,000 (about $134,000) to cover Cupertino's legal fees. Of course, €100,000 is mere pocket change for these companies which probably spend more than that every day just to keep each other tied up in protracted legal battles.

French court squashes Samsung's quest for iPhone 4S ban originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Dec 2011 11:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Reuters | Email this | Comments