Following up on the sales injunction of the Galaxy Tab 10.1, Apple has also won another preliminary injunction against Samsung, this time regarding unified voice search patents (i.e. Siri) and will affect the Galaxy Nexus.

Yes, Google just lost a case about search patents.

For the time being, it will cost them the sales of one of the top Android phones out there. Judge Lucy Koh has ruled that "Apple has articulated a plausible theory of irreperable harm" due to "long-term loss of market share and losses of downstream sales" from the infringement. Apple needs to post a bond of $96 million to offset potential loss from Samsung, which is likely to happen very soon; they posted bond on the Galaxy Tab 10.1 injunction within hours.  Three other patents were dismissed from Apple's complaints since Judge Koh was unconvinced that they played a role in consumer purchasing (slide-to-unlock, data tapping, and autocorrect). Siri, on the other hand, is a different story. Here's are a few key sections of the ruling.

• "In sum, Apple has shown that claims 6 and 19 of the '604 [Siri] Patent are likely both valid and infringed. Apple has therefore shown a likelihood of prevailing on the merits of the '604 Patent."

• "In sum, Apple has shown a likelihood of establishing both infringement and validity."

• "Accordingly, Apple has shown a likelihood of success on the merits of its '647 [data tapping] Patent claim."

• "Accordingly, Apple has met its burden of establishing that the '721 [slide-to-unlock] Patent is likely infringed by the Galaxy Nexus, and that the '721 Patent will likely withstand a validity challenge at trial."

• "Accordingly, Apple has shown that it is likely to succeed on the merits at trial in its claims that the Samsung Galaxy Nexus infringes claims 18, 19, and 27 of the '172 [autocorrect] Patent."

• "The Court finds that the full extent of these losses would likely be unascertainable, difficult to calculate, and irreparable."

"The Court is persuaded by the evidence in the record that the '604 unified search functionality drives consumer demand in a way that affects substantial market share. Even accepting Samsung's argument that the intelligent voice-recognition aspect of Siri, as advertised, also contributes to consumer interest in the iPhone 4S, Apple has shown that the '604 Patented feature is core to Siri's functionality and is thus a but-for driver of demand for Siri. Accordingly, the Court finds that Apple has adequately established the requisite causal nexus between Samsung's alleged infringement of the '604 Patent and Apple's risk of suffering irreparable harm."

"The Court finds that the full extent of these losses would likely be unascertainable, difficult to calculate, and irreparable."

"The Court is persuaded by the evidence in the record that the '604 unified search functionality drives consumer demand in a way that affects substantial market share. Even accepting Samsung's argument that the intelligent voice-recognition aspect of Siri, as advertised, also contributes to consumer interest in the iPhone 4S, Apple has shown that the '604 Patented feature is core to Siri's functionality and is thus a but-for driver of demand for Siri. Accordingly, the Court finds that Apple has adequately established the requisite causal nexus between Samsung's alleged infringement of the '604 Patent and Apple's risk of suffering irreparable harm."

This is preliminary, and Samsung will have a chance to appeal, beyond the defense against the injunction they had made in April.

Still, this is a massive win for Apple, and a giant blow to Android. The Samsung Galaxy Nexus is the figurehead for the whole platform, and stopping it from being sold in the U.S. is a huge symbolic victory, if nothing else. The big question is, how long will this injunction stick? Will Samsung be able to win their appeal, or will Google have to make some big changes to how it handles voice search in order to convince the judge that they're not just copying Siri patents?

Source: FOSS Patents, @FedcourtJunkie via TNW

CaseApp for iPhone is an app that lets you order a case for your iPhone that features one of your own photos on the back. It's super easy to use, the cases are less than $30, and they arrive at your front door in a week or less.

Before I jump into the case as an accessory, let's take a look at the CaseApp iPhone app.

When creating your case, you are shown a template that includes the part of your photo that will end up on the sides of the case. You can move and scale your photo to fit exactly how you want.

Once you've fitted your photo, you can choose from several different design styles and textures to add to your photo. To see a 3D preview of the design, just tap the one you want to see, wait a few seconds for CaseApp to "build" your case, and take a look at the 3D sample of your case. The graphics on the 3D previews are great and rotating it around is buttery smooth.

Once you're happy with your case, tap order, where you'll be prompted to enter your information. The case is $27.99 and you can pay with PayPal or credit card.

That's CaseApp in a nutshell. Now what about the actual case?

The case I ordered didn't take very long to arrive -- less than a week. However, I will admit to being disappointed when first opening the box. If you look at the previous screenshots of the photo I used for my case, it's a picture of a white flower. On my case, however, the flower looks more pink than white. So the color settings on the printer that CaseApp uses is definitely off. This made me sad.

With that said, there are a lot of people who don't care as much about the colors being perfect as they do about having a personalized photo of their kid or pet on their case. If that weren't true, all the printing companies out there that print photos on just about anything imaginable wouldn't exist.

If I were to order another case, I would choose a photo that didn't have a lot of white (as this is one of the most obviously colors to tell is off), as well as choose one of the fun effects that are available. Many of these textures include artistic changes in color, so the misprinted colors will not be obvious.

Regarding the fit and design of the case -- I'm satisfied. It fits perfectly and is very snug. It's nice and thin and doesn't add much bulk to your iPhone. Of course, the tradeoff is that a CaseApp case doesn't offer the greatest amount of protection against drops and falls. But for the minimalists, a personalized CaseApp case may be a great choice.

The good

• App is easy to use
• Case is well built and gives easy access to all ports and button
• Case fits perfectly

The bad

• The printed colors do not match the original colors
• Only available for iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S

The conclusion

For people looking for the ultimate personalized iPhone case, CaseApp for iPhone is a great app that lets you create fun cases from your own photos. Those who are picky about print quality, however, may not be satisfied with a case from CaseApp since the printed colors on the case do not match the original colors of the photo you chose. For those who aren't so picky and just want an easy and affordable case that features a photo of their favorite pet, CaseApp is the way to go.

Free - Download Now

Found an interesting article you want to share with iMore? Have a burning question about that feature you just can't figure out? There is ALWAYS more happening just a click away in the forums. You can always head over and join in the conversation, search for answers, or lend your expertise to other members of our community. You check out some of the threads below:

• How to set up my school email on my 4s?
• Sudden problems with iPhone app downloads
• App incompatibility with iOS 6 (beta): post your findings
• A couple simple iPad questions..
• Why iPhone?
• Siri sounds more human?

If you're not already a member of the iMore Forums, register now!

Soon Flipboard won't be the only app to plug into Google+; Google has recently opened up an early preview to their social network's SDK for mobile developers. With these APIs, developers will be able to implement sign-up and sign-in with Google+, share and +1 buttons, and add social elements such as profiles, posts and comments. Unfortunately, end users will have to wait to enjoy these features, as the preview nature means devs can test and run their apps, but can't publish the final products just yet.

Google+ was just announced for iPad this week at the I/O developer conference, though it has yet to hit the App Store. Meanwhile, Facebook is gearing up for a big performance update, which could further cement their lead in mobile social networking.  On the developer side, Facebook has recently allowed mobile devs to add Like buttons throughout their apps - something that is just a teeny bit more popular than Google's +1.

iOS developers, for a full breakdown on how to get started with Google+, head on over to Google's documentation page. Hey, now that apps can actually start sharing to Google+, I might actually start using it. Anyone else?

Source: Google+ Developers Blog

Let's keep this short and sweet -- iOS 6 is coming this fall and iMore wants to make sure you have the latest and greatest device(s) possible to load it on, so you get the absolute best experience possible. So we're giving you the chance to win the iOS 6 device(s) of your dreams!

The prize

Well, technically iMore is giving away a $600 U.S. Apple Store gift certificate so you can buy, or put it towards, any Apple gear you want. A new iPhone 4S or shiny new iPad just for you. A couple of iPod touches or a handful of Apple TVs for friends and family. Maybe even an iPhone 5 or mythical iPad mini if and when they're released. Whatever you choose!

How to enter

Simply head on over to our YouTube channel, http://www.youtube.com/imorevideo and subscribe, then leave a comment on the video for the iMore show 300. Make it something sassy, something sweet, something funny, something insightful, something daring, something delightful -- make it something uniquely you.

Details

The giveaway starts now and the winner will be announced live on the iMore show on July 11, 2012.

Enter now. Heck, get everyone you know signed up and entered now!

Remember those stories about BlackBerry maker RIM working on what they internally referred to as an "Apple Killer"? Remember how that turned out for them with the BlackBerry Storm and BlackBerry Torch? Well, it turns out everyone has Verizon and AT&T to thank for that. Shocking, right?

A new round of interviews with former RIM employees has revealed that AT&T and Verizon had recruited RIM to make an iPhone competitor. We all know how that panned out. Verizon's earlier efforts resulted in the BlackBerry Storm, while AT&T's created the BlackBerry Torch. Vodafone had also collaborated with RIM to specifically launch something that could give iPhone a decent fight. Why would AT&T, which at the time had an exclusive lockdownon the iPhone, and Verizon, who had been clamoring for it, want to go out of their way to create a competitor? Supposedly carriers were worried that "the wild popularity of the iPhone could give Apple outsize influence in the market," which I take to mean Apple was throwing its weight around a little too liberally for the new guy on the block, and service providers needed to prove they had alternatives in order to maintain any bargaining leverage against Apple.

At the time, AT&T's network was in shambles, and maybe they hoped to offset some of the load with a device that offered efficient data compression. Verizon had some time to kill before AT&T's exclusive ended, so any phone (BlackBerry, Android, or otherwise) that would be an asset to keeping subscribers from drifting away. Apparently co-CEO Jim Balsillie saw and ignored a report in 2010 that warned virtual keyboards made popular by the iPhone would pose a serious threat. Balsillie also wasn't worried about the bring-your-own-device trend in businesses after seeing another similar internal report. Now RIM's device management solution supports iPhone and Android, and Balsillie's later plans to license usage of RIM services to other manufacturers were cut when Heins took up the CEO position.

Things are looking grim for RIM now that their next generation smartphones won't see the light of day until next year. Considering Heins is fully investigating licensing and acquisition deals, BlackBerry probably won't have another chance to compete against the iPhone or iPad. Can they finally nail it with BlackBerry 10?

Source: WSJ

Virgin Mobile USA owned by Sprint Nextel Corp, will start selling the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S on its pre-paid network starting from today. Announced earlier this month, Virgin Mobile will become the second pre-paid network to offer the iPhone on its network after Cricket also announced that it would carry the iPhone starting on June 22^nd.

Virgin Mobile will carry the iPhone 4 8GB version for an upfront cost of $549. The iPhone 4S is the entry level 16GB version with a price point of $649. You then have a choice of three plans with varying talk minutes from $30 - $50. All plans include unlimited SMS messaging and unlimited data with a fair usage allowance set at 2.5 GB.

"We think there's good demand for high-end devices like the iPhone in the prepaid market," Sprint Chief Executive Officer Dan Hesse said in an interview. "There's a misperception that the prepaid market is only for people that are economically challenged. That's not the case. Our expectation, based on preorders, is that the iPhone will do very well on Virgin."

Virgin Mobile will use the interest generated by the iPhone to promote the opening of ten retail stores, starting in Chicago tomorrow. The stores signify a change in direction for Virgin Mobile who previously relied upon other stores like RadioShack and Best Buy to promote its offerings.

Source: Bloomberg, Virgin Mobile

For today only, the iMore iPad Accessory Store has the Incipio tek-nical Carrying Case for iPad on sale for only $22.95! That's a big 34% off! Get yours before they're gone!

Shop Incipio tek-nical Carrying Case for iPad now!

Incipio's tek-nical case for The new iPad, iPad 2, or iPad incorporates a micro-suede, non-abrasive lining to further protect your digital investment.

The tek-nical has a soft, cushiony memory foam that blankets your device in pillowy protection. Two pockets on either side of the case act as convenient handles. The pockets can be used for additional storage for your chargers and extra cables while you're on the go as well as red accent stitching.

Focused on low-profile protection, the tek-nical is a slim and lightweight protective solution for your The new iPad, iPad 2, or iPad.

Features:

• Soft memory foam interior
• Professional look
• Lightweight protection
• Side pockets double as handles
• Micro-suede, non abrasive lining

Magical Weather isn't feature heavy, but it looks great, provides 24-hr and 6-day forecasts, and includes beautiful background animations to help you tell your rain from your shine. Unlike the iPhone and iPod touch, the iPad doesn't include a stock weather app. Apple reportedly didn't think weather looked good on the bigger screen. Magical Weather is one of a very small handful of App Store apps that shows Apple they were wrong. But is Magical Weather the right weather app for you?

Magical Weather is by Apple Design Award winning developer Sophia Teutschler of Sophiestication, whose catalog includes X-Trail, Articles, Groceries, and Cover Sutra, among others. All of her apps share two things in common -- they're incredibly focused, and they're delightfully realized. Magical Weather is no exception.

The home screen of Magical Weather displays up to nine thumbnails, each representing a different location. Each thumbnail displays the current temperature, an icon that represents the conditions (like a raincloud for rain), and the background is an image that also describes the current conditions.

When viewing the weather for a city, the background is more than just a photograph -- it's an animation that represents the current conditions at that location. For example, if there's a thunderstorm, the background will include moving clouds and rain with an occasional lightning bolt (yes, it took me a million attempts to time my screenshot just perfectly to get the above screenshot).

On the righthand side, you will see up to two columns of information. The top of the first column gives the temperature, today's high and low, humidity, chance of rain, atmospheric pressure, wind speed, change from yesterday, and the UV index. Underneath this cluster of information is a 6-day forecast.

The second column is a 24 hour forecast that can be scrolled through. For each hour, Magical Weather provides the anticipated temperature and chance of rain.

To hide the 24-hr forecast simply swipe to the right. With only one column displayed, swiping it down will hide the 6-day forecast, letting you enjoy the background animations in all their glory.

The good

• Pretty
• 6-day and 24-hour forecasts
• Gives all the general, basic information
• Both landscape and portrait support

The bad

• Limited in features

The conclusion

Although Magical Weather isn't the most feature-filled weather app in the App Store, it's a pretty app that will be enjoyed by users looking for something that can also play the role of a docking app. When your iPad is not in use, leaving your iPad docked on your desk with Magical Weather is a great way to enjoy your iPad even though you aren't directly interacting with it.

Note: Magical Weather is currently on sale at 50% off for a limited time.

$0.99 - Download Now

Happy birthday original iPhone! 5 years ago you went on sale with nothing but a 2G radio, full capacitive touchscreen, and dream. Now look at you. You brought a world of tic-tac keyboarded Treos and BlackBerrys kicking and screaming into the 21st century.

Half a decade ago I had a Treo 680 and was waiting desperately for an iPhone to hit Canada. (Ultimately I had to smuggle one in to Canada, and fight an ongoing battle to keep it jailbroken and unlocked so it would work on my local -- and back then insanely, like $200/100MB -- carriers.

It had no third party apps. It had an aluminum back. It cost a bloody fortune. And it was utterly amazing.

Even now, looking at my original iPhone side by side with my iPhone 4S, while the iPhone 4S is better in every way, I still love the original. Everything from Steve Jobs' introduction to the first time I used the iOS (then iPhone OS) interface, made it such a memorable year and experience.

Did you get an original iPhone when it came out in 2007? Did you line up? What phone did you have before, and what was the transition like? And how do the memories of the original compare to what you have now?

Unstoppable Fist by Ragtag Studio delivered a ridiculous, over-the-top haymaker to the App Store today. This button-mashing endless defense game puts you in the well-worn loafers of a hero named Fist who has come to Earth to deliver flawless roundhouse kicks and precise jabs to eclipse-crazed piranhas, armadillos, bats, chickens, various aquatic life, and any other rabid creature that happens to enter his personal space. Despite his extra-terrestrial origins, Fist is deeply patriotic and drapes himself in the stars and stripes between battles. Whether or not he is related to Chuck Norris is uncertain, but not out of the question.

Gameplay in Unstoppable Fist is relatively simple, and relies primarily on twitch reflexes. Fist stands in the middle of the screen, and to either side are tap zones for low, middle, and high attacks. Enemies come drifting in at various speeds and with varying toughness, depending on the type. You can tap the same level on both sides to deliver deadly scissor kicks in either direction. If there's more than one coming from any given side, you can swipe down to execute an axe kick, or up for a devastating hammer fist. You're scored based on how long you last, and earn multipliers for strings of successful combos. If you don't take the baddies before they get to you, they will take a bite out of your health.

There are three stages total to chew on for as long as you can survive. Every once in awhile, pies will float into view and fill your Unstoppability bar should Fist be injured and you don't accidentally demolish it with his limbs of fury. There are the standard three difficulty levels available, though I found even medium was pretty intense.  There are Game Center leaderboards and achievements, though the pop-up every time you get a new high score can get a little annoying. Unfortuntely, climbing the leaderboard is just about the only progression you'll see in Unstoppable Fist.

Unstoppable Fist is animated very smoothly in pixel art style. There are at least two animations for every attack type, which is enough to keep movements from going stale. It's a little weird watching piranhas floating through the air in a straight line and cycling through the same animation, but the ridiculous premise lets you forgive a whole lot. The music is very much in line with the arcade feel, and is available for your downloading pleasure over here. Sound effects are crisp, clear, and the little variety keeps them from being too repetitive.

The good

• Excellent style
• Fast action

The bad

• Limited gameplay variety
• Few levels

The conclusion

For what Unstoppable Fist lacks in gameplay depth, it more than makes up for in style. It would be great to see the game extended with new play modes, new levels, unlockable outfits, and hey, maybe even new characters. I doubt Unstoppable Fist could get away with charging more than a buck, but at that price, you get what you pay for: fast, fun, random violence.

$0.99 - Download Now

Google Chrome for iOS was released today -- and also reviewed -- but we still had to put it up against Apple's default browser, Safari, in a good, old fashioned Mobile Nations browser shootout!

Now we all know the deal here -- it's not a fair fight. Chrome on iOS is restricted to using Apple's embedded HTML renderer (UIWebView), and doesn't get access to Apple's speedier, just-in-time JavaScript engine (Nitro). And there's nothing to be done about that unless and until Apple changes their policies.

Still, if you love Chrome and really want to use it on iOS, it's worthwhile knowing what exactly you'll be gaining and what you'll be giving up by going all in.

So we conducted some basic tests, such as load times (which revealed a slight lead for Chrome in two tests -- go UIWebView!), JavaScript (where Safari had a significant lead, of course), HTML5, and CSS (roughly equivalent).

One test that didn't make the video was BrowserMark, in which Google Chrome scored 49248 and Safari scored way higher with 101631.

Overall, I didn't find there was much discernable performance difference. The slightly speedier load time in Chrome caught me by surprise at first, but in the long haul, the difference is negligible since Safari and Chrome run essentially the same rendering engine.

The real clincher for most folks will be Chrome's features, such as cloud syncing with desktop Chrome and Incognito mode. iOS 6 promises more than a few updates to the Safari browser, including iCloud Tabs, at which point Chrome will have a hard fight ahead of itself.

It will likely come down to whether you use Safari on the desktop and iCloud for sync, or prefer Chrome on the desktop and live in Google services. At least now, if you're the latter, Chrome for iOS will make you complete.

How has your experience been with Chrome? Had it replaced Safari on your dock?