CNETAnalysis: The HTC Evo 4G LTE Android smartphone is being treated like an expatriate fugitive, held at the U.S. border by officials while they investigate whether HTC complied with a court order from December. A note from Best Buy to customers who pre-ordered the HTC Evo 4G LTE reportedly confirmed that they won’t be getting the phone any time soon. HTC lost a patent dispute with Apple last year, and in December the International Trade Commission issued a limited exclusion order against HTC and two of its subsidiaries. The company was ordered to alter minor functionality in some of its phones, including the Evo 4G LTE and One X , by April 19 of this year. HTC was presumed to have complied, but earlier this week the HTC Evo 4G LTE and HTC One X were delayed indefinitely at U.S. Customs. The HTC Evo 4G LTE’s troubled release The HTC Evo 4G LTE was slated to be released this week, but Best Buy previously moved the date up to next week. Now the retailer announced to pre-order customers that Nokia has officially notified them of delayed, confirming the news from earlier this week. “The U.S. availability of the HTC One X and HTC Evo 4G LTE has been delayed due to a standard U.S. Customs review of shipments that is required after an ITC exclusion order,” HTC said in a previous statement. “We believe we are in compliance with the ruling and HTC is working closely with Customs to secure approval. The HTC One X and HTC Evo 4G LTE have been received enthusiastically by customers and we appreciate their patience as we work to get these products into their hands as soon as possible.” The patent dispute The patent in question has to do with the way the phone interprets phone numbers and email address within emails, websites and other text, allowing users to simply tap them to dial the number or send an email to the address. The functionality in HTC’s phones was deemed to be infringing on Apple’s patent, and HTC was ordered to alter it. Hopefully HTC’s claims of compliance are accurate, as further delays due to this patent dispute could potentially cause a major chilling effect for Android. Related Stories Apple patent suggests iPhone 5 will bring iTunes Gifting via NFC Apple grappling for iPhone 5 domain name Buying Guide: Best iPhone apps for organising your social life Updated: 60 best free iPhone apps 2012 Apple wins dispute over iPhone 5 domain name

CNETAnalysis: Starting May 20, Microsoft will offer students purchasing a PC of $699 or more a free 4GB Xbox 360 , presumably to aid in their studies. Microsoft offered a similar deal last summer, and apparently it was successful enough to warrant a return. With Windows 8 just around the corner, it may seem wise to wait to buy a new PC, but a free $200 gaming console is a particularly delicious carrot to dangle in front of college-aged teens and adults. The deal won’t be limited to the U.S., as Canadian students will be able to nab a free 4GB Xbox 360 as well with the purchase of a PC at $599 and up starting May 18. Participating U.S. retailers include Best Buy, Dell.com, Fry’s Electronics, HPDirect.com, Microsoft Stores, and NewEgg.com. Canadians can head to Best Buy, Dell.ca, Future Shop, Staples and The Source. End dates for the promotion vary by retailer, a Microsoft spokesperson confirmed to TechRadar. Students are important to Microsoft Despite the well-known popularity of Apple’s Mac computers with college students, the demographic is important to Microsoft, Microsoft’s spokesperson told TechRadar in an email. “Supporting students and education has always been important to Microsoft and each year we create student offers to make technology affordable and accessible,” the spokesperson said. “Every year during back to school season, millions of college students choose Windows PCs because they want technology that allows them to manage their school work and personal life with ease.” “With all the hard work students put in for their classes in college, they need some downtime, right?” reads a post on the Windows Team Blog . Will Sony offer a similar deal? Logically it seems Sony is in a position to benefit equally from a similar promotion, but it’s unknown at this time whether the company plans to offer students any special deals for the summer. Giving away a PS3 with a Sony laptop could provide the same draw as Microsoft’s Xbox 360 offer. But a Sony spokesperson told TechRadar that the company has nothing to announce at this time. Posted by: Maryum

CNETAnalysis: The popular Amazon Kindle Fire may be about to get even cheaper if plans to introduce an ad-supported model are implemented. According to AdAge, the online retail giant is exploring the possibility of placing ads onto the welcome screen of the Kindle Fire, with the ad income subsidising the cost of the hardware. The Kindle Fire is Amazon.com’s best selling product, but that’s clearly not enough, as the company looks to cash in further with ad packages on the tablet rumoured to start at $600,000 (around £380,000) for companies looking for Fire-based promotion. Nothing new here This is by no means a new direction for Amazon, which already offers cheaper versions of its popular Kindle e-readers in the US, which sport full-screen adverts in the form of sponsored screensavers. You have to put up with a few ads but it saves you a few bucks on the hardware. There’s no word on how much an ad-enabled Kindle Fire would retail for, but the Kindle Touch with “Special Offers”, as Amazon likes to call it, is $40 (around £25) cheaper than its ad-free counterpart. This could mean we see a Kindle Fire available for $150 (around £95) – which would be very reasonable for an Android tablet – although none of the ad-supported models have made it to any countries other than the US so far. Speaking of which, the Amazon Kindle Fire is currently only available in the US too, but we expect the upcoming Kindle Fire 2 tablet to roll out to other markets around the world if it’s released later this year. Related Stories Android-powered Matsunichi MarquisPad hits the US Rumor: Intel Windows 8 tablets to arrive in November Apple given opportunity to block Samsung tablets Amazon Kindle Fire 2 landing just in time for Christmas? Sony Tablet P Ice Cream Sandwich update incoming May 24 Posted by: Maryum

CNETAnalysis: Why is Flash video so awful? Can we have Flash now? So went the tasteless internet meme just moments after he who was once known as his Jobsness passed from 1 Infinite Loop, Cupertino California to, well, the infinite loop. As a pretty PC-centric computing enthusiast it would be all too easy to sneer knowingly at Jobs’ fundamental refusal to allow Flash video onto his iPads and iPhones. It’s certainly hard to square Jobs’ claim that the iPad offered the best possible browsing experience with the fact that he’d locked users out a massive chunk of the web. As it happens, the lack of Flash video support is the only reason why I don’t own an iPad. But I don’t want to get into an argument about that. Instead, I’m going to contradict myself and say that Jobs had it right. In fact, I’d like Flash banned on PCs with immediate effect. Because Flash video is by far and away and without a shadow of a doubt the worst thing about using a modern PC. At this point I probably need to qualify things a little. Casual PC users probably won’t have a major issue with Flash. Light web browsing with one or two browser windows or tabs open isn’t enough to out Flash’s awfulness. Not most of the time, anyway. Per-tab threading As a proper web junky, however, I’ve finally and comprehensively lost my rag with Flash. For the record I’m a Chrome user. It ain’t perfect, but for better or worse it’s my favourite browser. But it pretty much perfectly showcases how awful Flash video is. Chrome is threaded, of course, which should mean that your general browsing session just keeps on trucking, no matter what. But Flash isn’t threaded. So when it bombs out, it’s brings your entire browsing world down, all 68 tabs of it. You could argue it’s my tendency to have a ton of tabs open that causes a lot of the problem. But even if that were true and it wasn’t the case that it’s about time Adobe coded it for efficient per-tab threading, Flash has plenty of other problems. Can HTML5 save the day? As I sit and write this, the Daily Show stream on 4oD I’m half watching has just hung. For the third time. If I want to pick up where I left off, I’m going to have to sit through no fewer than five full length ads. Again, for the third time. Meanwhile, over on my laptop, the video turns green after five seconds in iPlayer. I can fix that by turning off hardware acceleration, but then my CPU gets hammered and my battery life goes south. A graphics driver update might do the trick, but why should I have to bother when I rarely going on never have any issues with other video formats? It’s just Flash. I used to think Jobs was being a bit of a bully in his dealings with Adobe regards Flash. But I’ve had enough now and as far as I’m concerned Adobe got no more than it deserved for allowing Flash to remain so shonky. Of course, HTML5 is coming to save the day. But it’s taking its sweet time. Until it has entirely taken over, Flash will be my number one computing enemy.

CNETAnalysis: As the father of a young girl, the last thing I want her to encounter online is East Dulwich. The very idea of it, the thought of her innocent little eyes seeing uncensored East Dulwich content… I don’t mind admitting that it makes me want to punch somebody in the face. Thank God, then, for the mobile network operators. Thanks to them, I can let my daughter use the mobile web without supervision, safe in the knowledge that anything to do with East Dulwich will be filtered long before it reaches my phone. If you’re wondering what on earth I’m on about, I’m looking at the latest report on internet filtering from the Open Rights Group . It’s been asking people to report sites that their mobile operators block, and the results – surprise! – show that some sites are being blocked that shouldn’t be. I’ve encountered this myself: when I moved to Orange, I had to call to get their smut filter lifted because I wanted to look at BoingBoing. But it’s not the only innocuous site blocked by a filth filter. There’s Coadec.com, a tech startup site; lrug.org, a site for Ruby developers; Ethicalhacker.net, GigaOM, sites about exploring abandoned buildings, sites about video games, sites about wine and a site about East Dulwich. East Dulwich! Grrrrrr! This matters, not just to the sites being blocked for no good reason, but to all of us: if moves to filter our broadband connections by default to protect kids are successful, there’ll be many, many more sites falling foul of the filters – and they won’t all be blocked because of human error. It’s not just sex, it’s speech too I’d always assumed that my mobile operator’s filter was there to block donkey porn and midget wrestling, but it’s wider than that: as ORG reports, many sites are blocked because they’re “hate sites”. The list includes angry blogs, but it also includes the BNP, and that’s interesting: while I’d happily give the BNP and its supporters their own idiot island, far from the shores of sanity, the fact remains that they’re a legitimate political party in the UK. Anybody else worried that we’re blocking perfectly legal organisations because we don’t like their views? There is a big difference between blocking pornography and blocking speech, no matter how odious it may be, but filters brought in to block the former inevitably end up blocking the latter. Today it’s the BNP, and extremism, and The Pirate Bay . What will we have to protect our children from tomorrow? There are loads of things online I don’t want my daughter to see when she’s older. It’s a long list, but it includes anti-vaccine hysterics, mobile phone scaremongerers, medical woo-pushers and anything designed to make people hate and fear other people or themselves. But keeping her away from Mail Online is my responsibility, not my ISP’s – and protecting her from adult content is my job, not yours. Posted by: Maryum

CNETAnalysis: If you were brave enough to splash the cash on a Sony Tablet P , then you’ll be glad to hear that the Android 4.0 update will be landing on May 24. Sony’s other slate, the Tablet S , got its Ice Cream Sandwich update a few weeks ago, which has left Tablet P owners feeling a little envious. A Sony press release in Japan has now confirmed that Ice Cream Sandwich is on its way to the Tablet P, and although it doesn’t make it clear if it’s a worldwide release or not, we saw the upgrade roll out to the Tablet S on the same day worldwide so here’s hoping. A game of two halves The impending update will allow Tablet P owners to do things such as accessing the camera app direct from the lock screen, take panoramic photos, new home screen actions including folder creation and more. The Tablet P was an interesting addition to the tablet market, with its unique clamshell and dual-screen design offering customers something very different to the standard tablet experience. It managed to score a respectable 3.5/5 in our in-depth review , which shows the Tablet P certainly has some potential. Check out Sony’s handy video below, showing you all the additions which come with the Ice Cream Sandwich update. Although it’s a Tablet S in the video, we expect pretty much the same features to appear on the Tablet P. YouTube : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sRl7Ki0Ecw Related Stories iPad Mini could be same price as Kindle Fire Android-powered Matsunichi MarquisPad hits the US Rumor: Intel Windows 8 tablets to arrive in November Apple given opportunity to block Samsung tablets Amazon Kindle Fire 2 landing just in time for Christmas? Posted by: Maryum

CNETAnalysis: Samsung reckons its Ultrabooks justify the hefty price tags they carry, even if the competition is cheaper. Speaking to LaptopMag, Won Park, vice president of sales and marketing at Samsung, said the firm believes consumers will happily pay more for the right features, even though Ultrabook prices have reportedly taken a dip in recent times. Park does admit “it’s kind of an audacious move to go beyond the Ultrabook in terms of price”, but Samsung clearly has confidence in its range of thin and lights, and the aggressive pricing strategy it has implemented. Oh you show off According to Samsung’s senior vice president of PC sales and marketing Sungwon Song, the company is asking itself, “How can we deliver a product to consumers that they’ll be proud to show off in public?” Song goes on to explain that Samsung thinks it beats the competition when it comes to the design and manufacturing process, resulting in more expensive Ultrabooks. All said and done, we were impressed with the Samsung Series 9 ultrabook when we reviewed it, even if it does carry an eye-watering price tag. Some believe the Ultrabook is nothing more than a fad which will fade in time in much the same way as netbooks fell away, only to open the door to tablet boom we see before us today. Related Stories HP refreshes Pavilion range, adds Pavilion m6 Ultrabook prices take a dip…for now In pictures: HP EliteBook Folio MacBook Pro rumor: thinner 15-inch coming with retina display AMD Trinity processor hopes to take on Ultrabook market Posted by: Maryum

CNETAnalysis: Apple appears to have emerged victorious from a dispute regarding the domain name iPhone5.com, a possible name for its new iPhone that could be named iPhone 5 . The domain was previously being used as a message board for iPhone-related discussions, but was not affiliated with Apple. Apple filed a complaint with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) to have ownership of the domain transferred to them earlier this month. It’s no secret that the unwritten laws of “first come, first served” don’t apply in these cases. Apple has won previous WIPO disputes regarding domain names for iPhone4s.com and even iPhonesex4s.com. WIPO’s case filing lists the dispute as “terminated,” and iPhone5.com has apparently been taken down, as the site now shows a blank white page. What’s next for iPhone5.com? WhoIs lists iPhone5.com’s current owner as Corporation Service Company, a Delaware company that’s apparently taken over control of the site for Apple. Presumably, the domain will eventually redirect straight to Apple’s new iPhone site when the next iPhone is announced. For now, it remains empty. A Google cache of the iPhone 5 site before it was taken down reveals a brief and desultory farewell message from “Alex”: “Important iPhone5.com case update: So, the iPhone5.com domain name goes to Apple for free,” the note reads, adding that PayPal donations “are welcome” and that he (or she) will “see everyone at iPhoners.com.” At least until Apple sets their gaze on that site as well. Will the new iPhone be called the iPhone 5? Apple’s desire to lock down the iPhone5.com domain seems to indicate that the new iPhone will be called the iPhone 5, but that’s not necessarily the case. Previous iPhones have been labelled with sequential numbers indicating the chronology of their release, more or less. But the new iPad , which was expected to be called the iPad 3, was simply called the iPad, and the new iPhone could follow suit. On the other hand, Wedbush analyst Scott Sutherland commented to TechRadar earlier this month that “the new iPad has created some confusion with the name,” and that Apple “may be smart to go to iPhone 5 especially after doing the [iPhone] 4S .” Apple could reveal the new iPhone at WWDC next month, but until then they’re not likely to announce anything. Related Stories Updated: iPhone 5 release date, news and rumours Apple patent suggests iPhone 5 will bring iTunes Gifting via NFC Apple grappling for iPhone 5 domain name Buying Guide: Best iPhone apps for organising your social life Updated: 60 best free iPhone apps 2012

CNETAnalysis: Week in tech There’s been so much happening this week that we’ve been moved to rhyme. We discovered that the Galaxy S3 is perfect for stalking, New Jersey’s banned people texting while walking, we’ve seen new phones from ZTE and LG and the Beeb says we’ll all get Olympics in HD. iPhone 5 rumours are awfully trendy, Samsung’s screens are going all bendy, Sony’s got new lenses and a new camera too, Facebook fraud was a blunder by Yahoo. Lenovo’s new ultrabook is awfully thin, and we test the HP Envy to see if it will win. Okay, we’ll stop now — which is what we hope Samsung will do with its creepy ads for the Galaxy S3 . According to Kate Solomon it “”shares what’s in your heart”, “keeps track of loved ones”, “recognises who you are” and “waits till you’re asleep”. “Before what, Samsung?” she types in terror. “BEFORE WHAT?” Meanwhile in America, a New Jersey town has responded to the menace of people walking and texting simultaneously by digging bear traps in sidewalks and covering lamposts and other street furniture in broken glass. Not really, but it has introduced $85 fines for the offence. It’s no joke: as Scott Nichols reports , the town in question, Fort Lee, has “suffered three fatal texting accidents so far this year”. When it comes to testing phones we prefer to stay in the office rather than walk under buses, and this week we’ve looked at loads of new devices including the ZTE Tania Windows Phone, which is pretty good, and the LG Optimus L3 Android phone, which isn’t. Still, you’ll be able to use it to watch the Olympics, which the BBC promises to stream in up to 24 channels of glorious HD via phone, tablet and mobile device apps. You’ll even be able to watch it on TV! We’re hardly into summer time and already tech watcher’s thoughts are turning to autumn, when the iPhone 5 is due to appear . With months to go the rumour factory’s throwing out all kinds of ideas, but the rumours of a bigger screen are becoming deafening — and they’ve reached the Wall Street Journal , Apple’s favourite leak-receiver. You just know that “sources familiar with the situation” work for a firm whose name begins with A. And we don’t mean Argos. Could the iPhone 5 have a bendy screen? We very much doubt it, but screen supplier Samsung says it’s received “huge” orders for its bendy OLED displays , which it’ll be manufacturing in bulk from the second half of this year. A bendy iPhone isn’t out of the question, but we think it’s still some way off. Remember Sony, the Apple of the 70s and 80s? It’s still going, we’re told, and its camera division has unveiled some tasty new kit. There’s the new Sony NEX-F3 compact system camera, a new DSLT (Digital Single Lens Translucent) called the Sony Alpha a37 , and a bunch of new lenses for both NEX and A-mount cameras. There’s been lots of red hot ultrabook action this week, with Lenovo launching the super-thin and super-desirable Thinkpad X1 Carbon and HP letting us get up close and personal with the HP Envy 6 . Our man Dan Grabham was impressed, suggesting that “these will be among the very best value Ultrabooks on the market when they go on sale”. Last but not least, the patent wars between rival tech firms continued in all their tedium this week — but Yahoo livened things up with an almighty cock-up when it wrongly accused Facebook of fraud . To be honest, we’re only including it in Week in Tech so we can say YAHOOPS! Posted by: Maryum