MacRumors

Facebook today invited members of the press to an Android-related event on April 4, and TechCrunch reports that the event will likely see the debut of the long-rumored Facebook phone. According to reports, the device would be an HTC handset running a Facebook-modified version of Android.

If true, the move would turn Facebook into an Amazon-style competitor in the smartphone market for Apple, as Amazon has heavily modified Android for its own Kindle Fire tablet devices.

There have been persistent rumors of Facebook working on a smartphone, with Bloomberg reporting in 2010 that the phone would be based on a "stripped-down" version of Android. Last year, the New York Times reported that Facebook was hiring former Apple iPhone and iPad engineers to work on a "Facebook phone."

TechCrunch highlights one of the key reasons why Facebook would want to create a smartphone device of its own:

With deeper control of a modified operating system would come huge opportunities to collect data on its users. Facebook knows that who you SMS and call are important indicators of who your closest friends are. Its own version of Android could give it that info, which could be used to refine everything from what content you’re shown in the news feed to which friends faces are used in ads you see.

Facebook currently has two of the more popular free apps in the App Store with Facebook and Facebook Messenger. Recently, the company has updated its main Facebook app to add free VoIP calling in a number of countries.

Apple today rolled out a new advertising theme for the iPad on its website, highlighting a number of reasons why people love their iPads. The campaign follows on a similar one for the iPhone that launched a couple of weeks ago.

The 'Why iPad' pages mention positive J.D. Power rankings for the device, percentages of companies and school districts using the iPad, the 300,000 apps available for the iPad, the quality of the materials used in building it, the Retina display for the iPad as well as the smaller size of the mini, 10-hour battery life, and the two cameras built into the devices.

It's unclear why Apple waited to launch the 'Why iPad' page rather than launching it simultaneously with the companion iPhone page. The campaigns seem to be in response to an advertising blitz from Samsung that has shown some gains for the company in the past year.

Alongside today's new marketing push to try to win back professional video editors, Apple has released updates for Final Cut Pro X, Motion, and Compressor. While Motion and Compressor have seen mostly minor tweaks and bug fixes, Final Cut Pro X has received a somewhat more substantial update including support for the new Sony XAVC codec up to 4K resolution.

- Final Cut Pro [Mac App Store]

What's New in Version 10.0.8

- Support for Sony XAVC codec up to 4K resolution
- Option to display ProRes Log C files from ARRI ALEXA cameras with standard Rec. 709 color and contrast levels
- Resolves an issue where some third-party effects generated green frames during render
- Resolves performance issues that could occur with certain titles and effects
- Time reversed clips render in the background
- Ability to use key commands to adjust Clip Appearance settings in the timeline
- Ability to view reel number metadata located in the timecode track of video files
- Mono audio files in a surround project export with correct volume levels
- Drop zones no longer reset to the first frame of video after application restart
- Fixes a performance issue which resulted from selecting multiple ranges on a single clip
- Fixes an issue where the Play Around function did not work properly on certain clips when viewed through external video devices

- Motion [Mac App Store]

What's New in Version 5.0.7

- Resolves an issue where some third-party effects generated green frames during render
- Resolves performance issues that could occur with certain titles and effects
- Fixes a stability issue when splitting layers in the timeline
- Fixes an issue where launching a plug-in with a check box could require multiple clicks
- Fixes a stability issue with CoreMelt plug-ins

- Compressor [Mac App Store]

What's New in Version 4.0.7

- Removes 1GB file size limit for uploads to Vimeo
- Fixes a stability issue when playing back certain MPEG-2 files
- Fixes a stability issue in Qmaster when processing multiple jobs

In addition to the updates for the core Final Cut apps, Apple has also released an updated set of ProApps QuickTime Codecs for Final Cut Pro X users.

Callet World is suing case-maker Hex over that company's Solo Wallet iPhone case and credit card holder. Callet alleges Hex's case is a direct copy of a case design that Callet holds a design patent for.

Callet has sued both Hex and Apple in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York for violating a design patent of Callet's design of a iPhone case and credit card holder. The company accuses Hex of manufacturing the infringing design, and Apple for selling it. Apple does not carry the Callet in its stores.

Defendants’ Solo Wallet Case and Pretty Sweet Solo Wallet Case products are exemplary. The copying is so pervasive, that the defendants’ products appear to be Callet World products with the same rectangular shape with rounded corners, integral card holder on the outwardly facing side of the phone cover, and gently curving edges on the back and side. Hex had many options in developing its products. Indeed, earlier Hex products did not embody the same Callet World designs. On information and belief, Hex chose to infringe Callet World’s patent rights through the design of its Solo Wallet Case, Pretty Sweet Solo Wallet Case and similar products and it did so willfully.

Callet is asking the court for a judgement that the defendants have willfully infringed on the patent, an order enjoining them from continuing to infringe on it, and a judgment award to compensate Callet for financial damages.

It appears that Callet's claim is primarily with Hex and that Apple is being targeted here because it has deep corporate pockets. Like many major corporations, Apple is sued numerous times each year over a wide variety of matters.

MacRumors has uploaded the full initial filing on Scribd.

Back in June 2011, Apple launched Final Cut Pro X, a complete reworking of the company's video editing software aimed at professional users, but the new software was met with significant criticism over missing features. Professional users in particular were upset over what seemed to be a "dumbing down" of Final Cut Pro in order to reach more mainstream users.

Apple responded to the controversy by offering refunds to dissatisfied customers and promising updates to improve Final Cut Pro X, and a number of those updates have been delivered over the past 21 months.

The Los Angeles Times now reports that Apple is launching a new marketing campaign today intended to try to win back some of the professional users who may have abandoned the platform.

Now, after updating the software seven times since its release in 2011, Apple is launching a campaign Thursday aimed at winning back skeptical professional users.

That campaign, timed to coincide with the National Assn. of Broadcasters convention that starts April 6 in Las Vegas, will feature users like Julian Liurette, who followed the firestorm from his video editing desk in Toronto at the Globe and Mail newspaper.

After waiting a year as Apple gradually released updates, Liurette finally gave it a try and was surprised. So Liurette began moving the newspaper's video operations from the old version to Final Cut Pro X.

The campaign will also feature Hong Kong cinema icon Tsui Hark and Mexican television conglomerate TV Azteca.

The report notes that Apple has won points for its FAQ posted soon after launch outlining the company's improvement plans, as well as for a free trial offer for Final Pro X, but that many users remain skeptical of Apple's commitment to professional customers. But with professionals becoming increasingly uneasy about the future of Apple's main competitor Avid and concerned over how long Final Cut Pro 7 will remain supported, Apple is hoping that they will take a fresh look at Final Cut Pro X.

Update 11:42 AM: Apple's new features on Tsui Hark and The Globe and Mail have gone live on Apple's "In Action" page, but we haven't yet spotted a feature on TV Azteca.

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office today published an Apple patent application (via AppleInsider) offering an interesting glimpse at the possibility of an iPhone or other mobile device using a flexible display contained within a transparent body body such as a glass tube or other shape. The display would be able to wraparound the sides and even rear of the device as needed in order to provide more viewable area.

This paper describes various embodiments that relate to an apparatus, method, and computer readable medium for creating a portable electronic device with a wraparound display.

In one embodiment, a consumer electronic product is described. The consumer electronic product includes at least a transparent housing and a flexible display assembly enclosed within the transparent housing. In the described embodiment, the flexible display assembly is configured to present visual content at any portion of the transparent housing.

As part of the patent application, Apple explores a variety of options for such devices, including multiple form factors and the potential use of a second inner display underneath a transparent outer display to provide the illusion of 3D content. Apple also suggests the possibility of interchangeable end caps to fit specific situations, including joining multiple devices together to make a single larger screen.

The patent application, which was filed in September 2011, is credited solely to Apple product design engineer Scott Myers. The concept of a flexible wraparound display for the iPhone or other mobile device is reminiscent of another Apple patent application which surfaced last month showing a slap bracelet accessory with a wraparound display that could clearly serve as a smart watch. Myers was one of three Apple engineers credited on that patent application, which was filed in August 2011.

Digitimes is reporting that Apple is set to cut shipments of iPad mini in the second quarter of 2013, according to its industry sources.

The cut is said to be a 20% reduction for the month of April, with steeper cuts potentially following in the remainder of the quarter, although the report does not specify whether the cuts are relative to previous production plans or to current-quarter output.

Apple has reportedly cut its shipments of the iPad mini to between 10-12 million units for the second quarter of 2013, according to industry sources. The figure is based on shipment information given from multiple sources who provide various components for Apple's iPad mini.

The decrease may be as high as 20% on month during April, the sources noted, and may continue to slightly decrease throughout the quarter to bring total shipments of the iPad mini to as low as 10 million units during the quarter.

The move comes two weeks after Apple started offering refurbished iPad minis on sale for the first time and may be tied to Apple devoting resources to the production of the next-generation iPad mini. The report claims, however, that competition from 7-inch tablets may also be playing a role.

Rumors of production cuts for Apple products are always difficult to put much stock into, as Apple's internal build plans are fluid as the company manages its nimble supply chain to adjust for demand and product transitions.

Apple CEO Tim Cook has also cautioned against reading too much into supply chain reports, noting that the company has multiple sources for many components and that yield rates may vary over time, meaning that supply chain reports typically offer incomplete pictures of Apple's production situation.

DisplaySearch analyst Paul Semenza speculated that, based on supply chain data, the next-generation iPad mini would be released in the third or fourth quarter of 2013. Reliable KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has also predicted a third-quarter release for the next iPad mini.

The next iPad mini has been rumored to include a Retina display with a resolution of 2048 x 1536, which would give it the same number of pixels as the full-sized iPad but with a higher-density 324 pixels per inch. However, iMore's Rene Ritchie, who has also been relatively accurate, has predicted earlier this month that an interim spec-bumped iPad mini could launch in April and claimed that a Retina display iPad mini doesn't "sound imminent."

Apple has expanded its postings for Maps Ground Truth jobs to the rest of the world, after initially hiring for similar positions only in Australia. 'Ground Truth' refers to information collected on location versus data collected remotely, such as satellite imagery.

The jobs, for 'Maps Ground Truth Manager' positions, have been posted for the U.S., The Americas, Western Europe, Japan, Asia Pacific, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East & Africa.

The Maps team is searching for a manager for the team responsible for regional map quality and ground truth in the U.S.. Each of our regional teams is responsible for the quality of our maps in their region. This team's responsibilities include:

• Testing new releases of map code and data around the U.S.
• Collecting ground truth data to allow for analysis of the impact of potential map code or data changes relative to known truth
• Utilizing local expertise to provide feedback about U.S.-specific mapping details
• Evaluating competing products in-region relative to our maps

As the manager of this team, you will be expected to drive all of this team's work, determine where and how to allocate resources, and clearly communicate test results and other feedback to teams in Cupertino. The U.S. regional team is also responsible for driving communication between engineering teams in Cupertino and our other regional teams, as well as evaluating new regional testing initiatives in close coordination with the rest of the Maps quality team before those initiatives are rolled out to the other regional teams.

Apple has been working to improve its maps after criticism led CEO Tim Cook to publicly apologize for issues customers had. Google's Maps app for iOS was downloaded more than 10 million times in two days after it became available several months after Apple's maps were released.

In the middle of 2012, it was reported that Apple was looking at investing up to $1 billion over 10 years to build a new data center and other facilities near Reno, Nevada. Today, AppleInsider reports that Apple's first small data center project in Reno appears ready to go online.

The initial Reno facility is surround by black lamp posts outfitted with cameras, and is staffed with security personnel, although has only basic fencing in place. The simple initial structure is now apparently finished and, according to a person familiar with Apple's plans, is set to go online in the coming weeks.

It is possible that Apple started work on the initial building to serve as a testing center to help in planning the full deployment, including optimization of the site's connection with local power, water and data networks.

The company has 345 acres of land surrounding the building, nearly twice the area of its Prineville project, allowing for vast expansion of both data center buildings and supporting structures, including solar fields.

Apple has two other major data center projects in the works, with the 500,000 square foot Maiden, North Carolina center firmly established and powered by a massive field of solar panels. Construction at the 338,000 square foot Prineville, Oregon center is well underway.

Shanghai Daily reports that Apple is facing a lawsuit in China over Siri, with a company there claiming that Siri infringes upon its patent rights.

The Shanghai No.1 Intermediate People's Court will hold a pre-hearing at 2pm today to let Apple and Shanghai Zhi Zhen Internet Technology Co Ltd exchange evidence. [...]

"Siri is very similar to Xiaoi, a chat robot system we have been developing since 2003," said Mei Li, a spokeswoman of Shanghai Zhi Zhen which filed the lawsuit.

Mei said her company applied for patent rights for Xiaoi in 2004 in China and the patent right went into effect in 2006.

While the Xiaoi bot began life as a chat bot for MSN and similar networks, it has since migrated to a number of platforms including Android and iOS, and has evolved to look quite similar to Siri, although the iOS version of the app [App Store] uses a different style for the microphone icon and button.

AFP reports that Zhi Zhen, which has over 100 million users of Xiaoi, is seeking a halt to sales of infringing products, as well as reserving the right to seek compensation in the future.

"The company will ask Apple to stop manufacturing and selling products using its patent rights, once Apple's infringement is confirmed," Si Weijiang, a lawyer representing Zhizhen, told AFP.

"We don't exclude the possibility of demanding compensation in the future," he added.