In case you haven't been keeping up with World War Patents, Apple has successfully gotten the U.S. courts to impose an import ban on Samsung's Galaxy Nexus, and you can no longer buy it online, and stores likely can no longer stock it once U.S. supplies dry up. Google is apparently working on a software update to remove the parts of their search interface that infringe on Apple's Siri patents, but a better remedy might just have been to leave it on the shelves, allow the update, and up the damages owed Apple. That way Google pays, not consumers.

My counterpart over at Android Central, Phil Nickinson, has a fantastic editorial up on the matter. If you haven't already please stop reading this now, go read his editorial, and then come back here.

Okay, so now many Android enthusiasts are absolutely livid at Apple over this ban. They claim Apple is litigating instead of innovating. Unfortunately, Apple is doing both. Either way, that conveniently sidesteps something incredibly important:

A lot of Android's problems are Google's fault.

Sure, it's easy to cast Apple, Microsoft, Oracle et. al. as the bad guys. They're giant, nasty for-profit corporations, after all. And fair enough.

But so is Google.

Frankly, I'm flabbergasted Android enthusiasts aren't angriest -- Vader- and Hulk-level angriest -- at Google over all this.

Don't be evil cliches aside, Google had systematically and recklessly displayed such indifference to the intellectual property of others -- from huge corporations to private citizens, as to border on contempt.

While the courts might ultimately let Google get away with it, there's no good reason Google couldn't have made a licensing deal with Sun for Java. Given Google's then-CEO Eric Schmidt's previous ties to Sun and the Java team, it's almost unthinkable that they didn't go to pains to do make sure there wasn't even the hint of impropriety.

Likewise, with Eric Schmidt on Apple's board of directors when the iPhone was developed, there's absolutely no excuse for Google not to have done everything possible to avoid stepping on iPhone patents when re-engineering Android from a Blackberry-type device to an iPhone-type device. That's just smart business.

Google's not a bunch of kids anymore, and even if they were, there's no excuse for so big and powerful a company to act this way, let alone to act this way over and over again.

Stealing books, muscling partners off Skyhook, misappropriating Wi-Fi data, not protecting privacy with Buzz, suing/counter-suing competitors using FRAND patents -- by themselves they're worrying, taken as a business plan, they're disturbing as hell.

So yes, for Android customers it sucks when phones or tablets get taken off the market. For Android enthusiasts, it sucks that Apple doesn't want to license patents to make Android more expensive the way Microsoft does, but to force them to remove features to make it less attractive. Just like the no one can force you to rent out your car, no one can force Apple to license non-FRAND patents. (Would you really want to live in a country that could?)

It completely sucks. But Google has to take responsibility for part of that suckage as well. Otherwise, Google is powerless to do anything about it, and that's not the Google we want on the market.

Android manufacturers, retailers, users, etc. deserve a properly licensed, less legally exposed OS to build their businesses and run their devices on.

So fine, be angry at Apple. But if you really love Android, be angry at Google as well.

It's the Fourth of July which means it's time to roll out the grill, crack open the keg, hang up your American Flag, mix up some star-spangled cocktails, and watch the fireworks fly! And, of course, we should also spend a moment or two recognizing what this holiday is all about and reflect on this important part of American history. To help celebrate this Independence Day, we have rounded up some of the best apps to help you reflect on the day, plan your party, and even put on your own little fireworks show.

Happy 4th of July!

US Charters of Freedom

In the excitement of barbecues, parties, fireworks, and vacation, it's easy to forget what the 4th of July is all about -- celebrating Independence Day, the day that that United States adopted the Declaration of Independence and freedom from Great Britain. Many of us haven't read this important document since high school or college, and I'm sure there are even many Americans who have never read the Declaration of Independence. With the U.S. Charters of Freedom for iPhone, you can read the Declaration of Independence (it's not very long!) as well as a detailed analysis of the text. US Charter of Freedom also includes the Constitution and Bill of Rights.

• $4.99 - Download Now

Grill-It!

Now that we know why we're celebrating this day, it's time to start preparing for the big party. Grill-It! will help you perfect that delicious food you're throwing on the grill. Whether you're cooking steak, pork chops, hot dogs, burgers, or even veggies, Grill-It! will give you all the tips and pointers you need to make it absolutely delectable.

• $0.99 - Download Now

Cocktail Flow

Every meal needs a delicious drink, and Cocktail Flow will transform you into the perfect bartender. My favorite feature of Cocktail Flow is that it will generate a list of recipes based on the ingredients you have on hand. You can also filter by color, so if you really want to get in the 4th of July spirit, you can create a menu consisting of only red and blue drinks.

• Free - Download Now

Fireworks!

Unfortunately, there are many counties, like mine, who will not be having a professional fireworks show, leaving their citizens only to experience the small-time fireworks (again if their city allows it) or seek other methods to see a fireworks show. One such alternative is Fireworks!, a little iPhone app that lets you put on your own personal fireworks show in the palm of your hand.

• $0.99 - Download Now

Today in American History

We're going to end with an app that, again, brings the focus to what Independence Day is all about -- The United States of America. Today in American History is a simple little app that gives you facts in U.S. history that are related to the current day. For example, on July 4, Louis Armstrong, Calvin Coolidge, and Nathaniel Hawthorn were born, the Siege of Vicksburg ended during the Civil War, and in 1776, The Second Continental Congress unanimously adopted the Declaration of Independence. Today in American History is a great way to learn random facts about the U.S.

• $0.99 - Download Now

Photo credit: The photo of the fireworks, seen at the top of this article and as the image for the app Fireworks!, is the work of tsuacctnt on Flickr. We edited the iPhone into the photo ourselves.

The iMore Show returns for part 2 of our big iOS 6 Q&A. Special guests tonight are Mark Gurman of 9to5mac and Matthew Panzarino of The Next Web of so get your questions in now!

(We'll also have a fresh ZEN and TECH for you tonight immediately after, so stay tuned!)

Want to go full screen? Head to iMore.com/live. Want to watch via iPhone or iPad? Grab the Ustream app and search for "mobilenations"!

DancePad grooved on over to the iPad last week, introducing a new twist on the usual rhythm game. The current breed of rhythm games on iOS tend to revolve around instrument simulation, but this game puts your fingertips on the dance floor, where you have to master a whole swathe of techniques, including slides, holds, and perfectly-timed taps. The closest thing you might have seen to DancePad is a DanceDance Revolution S+, and even that classic pales in comparison. As it turns out, finger-dancing is actually A Thing, so this game is an homage to those who are really into it and a fine introduction for those that know nothing about it.

DancePad has all of the trappings of a classic rhythm game. Targets appear on the iPad that you have to tap with left and right fingers in time to the music. Outer concentric circles gradually close in on the target to identify which ones are coming up, but often you'll have a bunch of targets popping up at once, and some targets require different interactions. There's a hold target, which spawns a timer after your first tap, and a drag motion which provides a dotted line and a ghost of the path you have to follow. That second one can be particularly tricky, and every once in awhile, you might end up mixing your left and right fingers, but on the whole the gameplay proper is a lot of fun.

The game is set up for play in portrait orientation which is an interesting and welcome change of pace. Targets will take you all of the dance floor, and you're ultimately rated out of three stars based on the accuracy of your moves. After earning a certain number of stars, you unlock new chapters with additional songs. You also earn experience points as you play, and are awarded XP bonuses for completing mission challenges. Leveling up feels a little extraneous, seeing as new levels are unlocked through stars, and there isn't really anything that leveling up achieves. There are a total of ten chapters, each one with ten tracks each - the first two are available for free, but if you want the rest, you've gotta pay up $2.99 (currently on promotional pricing of $0.99). The difficulty ramps up fairly quickly, with real challenges cropping up as early as the end of the second volume.

Though I don't recognize any of the artists in the soundtrack, they all tend to be pretty stylish, and the gameplay falls very nicely in time with each song. You can pick  songs from unlocked volumes, or browse through a list sorted by artist, genre, or difficulty. On top of the in-app upgrade, DancePad earns its way by referring players on to iTunes to buy full tracks. This is an unobtrusive, natural revenue model that avoids the usual crap-shoot of ads and in-app purchases that tend to litter iOS games. TapTap Radiation has managed to make its way entirely based on these kinds of referrals, and I wouldn't be surprised if the free offering of DancePad was expanded in the future to do do the same. On the downside, most levels are just limited samples of songs, cutting off just once you start really getting into it.

The graphics in DancePad are really smooth and well-done, both in-game and through DancePad's menus.  There's a nice variety of dance floors, some with a few color variations, and some really nice spotlight effects that can make familiar ones seem new. The visual effects of the targets strike a balance of color and animation without being too distracting from gameplay. I experienced a few slight performance glitches throughout my experience; after finishing the tutorial, the game froze and crashed. Upgrading to the full version took a couple of attempts, and only registered after restarting the app. Those are minor quibbles though - overall, DancePad plays as smooth as butter.

DancePad is amply social with Game Center achievements and leaderboards, plus high score sharing to Twitter and Facebook if you're feeling showy. Given the ample screen real estate on the iPad, I wouldn't mind a local split-screen version for dorky finger dance-offs with friends.

The good

• Innovative, challenging gameplay
• Smooth, colorful graphics
• Sensible, unobtrusive in-app purchases

The bad

• Short playtime per level
• Slight stability issues

The conclusion

DancePad is a fresh idea with cute branding and lots of replayability. You'll hear a lot of new music along the way, and no doubt the selection will only improve over time. DancePad becomes challenging very quickly, but not to any frustrating degree - the broad selection of music kept me coming back for another round. The free option is a great introduction to gameplay, and a fine time-waster for casual players. However, I think most folks will quickly get sucked in and find themselves dishing out for the full version, even before they've plowed through the first two volumes.

$2.99 $0.99 (free trial) - Download Now

Independence Day games sales started creeping into the App Store yesterday, and today they're in full swing. We're going to keep rounding up big discounts on the best games available for iPad and iPhone on the 4th of July, so check back in regularly!

First up is EA. Their sales are running until July 9.

• BATTLESHIP for iPad - $4.99 $0.99
• Burnout CRASH! - $4.99 $0.99 (our review)
• Mirror's Edge for iPad - $9.99 $0.99
• Monopoly Here & Now: The World Edition for iPad - $9.99 $0.99
• Monopoly for iPad - $9.99 $0.99
• Need for Speed Hot Pursuit for iPad - $4.99 $0.99
• NBA Jam for iPad - $4.99 $0.99
• RISK for iPad - $6.99 $0.99
• Scrabble for iPad - $9.99 $0.99
• Sim City Deluxe for iPad - $6.99 $0.99
• The Game of Life for iPad - $6.99 $0.99
• The Sims Medieval for iPad - $4.99 $0.99
• The Sims 3 - $6.99 $0.99
• The Sims 3: Ambitions - $4.99 $0.99
• The Sims 3: World Adventures - $2.99 $0.99
• FIFA SOCCER 12 - $4.99 $0.99
• FIFA SOCCER 12 for iPad - $9.99 $0.99
• Tetris for iPad - $2.99 $0.99
• Dead Space for iPad - $4.99 $0.99
• Mass Effect Infiltrator - $4.99 $0.99 (our review)
• Battlefield: Bad Company 2 - $9.99 $0.99
• Battlefield: Bad Company 2 for iPad - $9.99 $0.99
• Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 12 for iPad - $4.99 $0.99
• Madden NFL 12 - $6.99 $0.99
• Yahtzee HD - $4.99 $0.99
• Command & Conquer: Red Alert for iPad - $4.99 $0.99
• Real Racing 2 - $4.99 $0.99
• Real Racing 2 HD - $6.99 $0.99
• Mortal Kombat 3 for iPad - $4.99 $0.99
• Trivial Pursuit: Master Edition - $4.99 $0.99
• Flight Control HD - $4.99 $0.99
• Snood for iPad - $4.99 $0.99
• Fight Night Champion - $4.99 $0.99

Back in May, iMore reported that $200 7-inch iPad Mini was coming this October, and now the big mainstream publications like Bloomberg and The Wall Street Journal are repeating those reports. Their sources indicate suppliers are ramping up for production as well.

We've already gone over the reasons why Apple would release a 7-inch iPad, especially now that the Google Nexus 7 is on the market and a Kindle Fire refresh is almost certainly on the horizon.

We still haven't seen the type of hardware leaks for a smaller iPad that we've seen for the iPhone 5), but the consistency of these rumors  at least provides a rough idea of what to expect in the medium-term from Apple. There are a lot of great 7-inch tablets out there, and Apple will probably blow them out of the water so long as they're willing to offer a more accessible price point.

Personally, I'm a fan of the size, but I'm not sure it's worth sacrificing a Retina-quality display. How often do you wish your iPad was just a little bit smaller? Is portability really a huge issue, or was Jobs right in saying the 7-inch size is a joke?

Source: WSJ, Bloomberg

Seth Clifford of Nickelfish, Marc Edwards of Bjango, Gedeon Maheux of the Iconfactory, and Neven Mrgan of Panic talk designing for Retina Macs and the Web, and the future of HiDPI design. This is Iterate!

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Hosts

• Seth Clifford (@sethclifford) of Nickelfish
• Marc Edwards (@marcedwards) of Bjango
• Gedeon Maheux (@gedeon) of the Iconfactory
• Neven Mrgan (@mrgan) of Panic
• Rene Ritchie (@reneritchie) of iMore.com

Feedback

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If you're one of the best-of-the-best-of-the-best in mobile design for Android, BlackBerry, iOS, webOS, or Windows Phone, we'd love to get you on the show, or if you've found a drop-dead gorgeous app on any platform and really want us to talk about it, contact us and let us know.

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Celebrate Independence Day with 15% off all iMore Store iPhone and iPad accessories, including all iPhone and iPad accessories -- cases, batteries, chargers, Bluetooth, everything! -- all you need to do is use coupon code j412 at checkout.

Offer ends midnight PST on Thursday, July 5th. That's all there is to it. Jump over to the iMore Accessory Store let the star-spangled savings begin!

Take me to iMore Accessory Store so I can take advantage of the savings! NOW!

A new analyst report has revealed that Wintek, the current supply chain partner for Apple's touch panels is experiencing a steep decline in sales. The report states that Wintek has experienced one of its steepest declines on record. The report also states that the decline is certainly not down to poor demand for Apple products but more likely a sign that Apple has changed technology for its panels; most likely to in-cell panels for the next iPhone.

This morning, Wintek reported consolidated June sales of NT$5.22 billion, down 33.6% MoM and much worse than the average MoM June sales increase of 1% over the past seven years. Based on our records, this appears to be the biggest MoM sales drop for Wintek since the later part of 2008 and one of the most significant drops we have on record (back to 2005). We would not overreact to the weakness at Wintek as it relates to Apple because we believe Wintek may be losing market share in key next generation Apple products and therefore ramping down certain programs.

It has been rumored before that Apple would be switching its touch panels to the new in-cell display panel technology. Current iPhone capacitive screens require a touchscreen to be fitted outside of the LCD, this means an additional layer of sensing glass which of course increases the thickness but also adds an extra step in the lamination process. Should Apple choose to use this new in-cell technology, it would offer better yield rates, reduced manufacturing costs as well as produce slimmer and lighter devices. That additional space could help Apple to increase its battery capacity and add in that much desired LTE radio.

Source: MacRumors

For today only the iMore iPhone Accessory Store has the Aduro Slider Keyboard Case on sale for only $38.95. That's a whopping 57% off! Get them before they're gone!

• Shop Aduro Slider Keyboard Case now!

If you're looking for an easier way to type your notes, emails, and texts while providing sufficient protection for your iPhone at the same time, look no further than the Aduro Slider Keyboard Case.

The Aduro Slider Keyboard Case combines convenience with protection in this all-in-one case. Featuring a slide-out backlit keyboard along with a hardshell plastic case, this combo allows you to easily manage your busy lifestyle without carrying around a separate keyboard.

The keyboard utilizes a built-in rechargeable battery that can be powered with the included USB charging cable. There's access to the iPhone camera and all ports of the device.

Features:

• Slide out backlit keyboard
• Hardshell plastic case
• Built-in rechargeable battery
• Includes USB charging cable
• Access to camera and ports
• Convenient for emails, texts, and notes