Nokia Sues Apple?

My first thought: WTF nokia?! You see someone trying to compete in you market and you sue em? Why didn't you do this when the first Iphone came out? You probably didn't think it would steal some of your market share and eventually take a sizable chunk.

If the suit goes on Apple will continue to sell their phones. What about the rest of the smart phone competitors? Motorola's Droid and Palm Pre isn't infringing on your patents? Hhmmm, I hope the suit gets thrown out. NOKIA - please innovate rather than crying foul. I digress.

Apple this week vowed to "vigorously" defend itself against an iPhone-related patent infringement suit from Nokia, the world's largest handset maker.

In its annual Form 10-K (PDF) with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for the fiscal year 2009, Apple noted the lawsuit with Nokia, which alleges that the iPhone infringes on ten wireless technology related patents owned by the Finnish company. The suit was officially filed by Nokia in a U.S. District Court in Delaware last week.

"The complaint alleges that these patents are essential to one or more of the GSM, UMTS and 802.11 wireless communication standards, and that the Company has the right to license these patents from plaintiff on fair, reasonable, and non-descriminatory ("FRAND") terms and conditions," Apple said. "Plaintiff seeks unspecified FRAND compensation and other relief. The Company's response to the complaint is not yet due. The Company intends to defend the case vigorously."

Analyst Gene Munster with Piper Jaffray said he believes that Nokia seeks a 1 percent to 2 percent royalty on every iPhone sold, which would amount to $6 to $12 per phone. Nokia's patents are related to GSM, 3G and Wi-Fi, and cover wireless data, speech coding, security and encryption. Nokia has alleged that all iPhone models released since 2007 infringe on these patents.

Given the size of the two companies involved, Bill Merritt, head of mobile licensing firm InterDigital, told Reuters that he believes the patent infringement case is likely to last for more than a year. If Apple chooses to defend itself or countersue, he said, the case would likely last two or three years.

"It's not a David versus Goliath story," he said. "These are two Goliaths."

In a statement last week, Nokia accused Apple of "attempting to get a free ride" off of the company's 40 billion Euros in research and development over the past two decades.

As the iPhone has grown in popularity, Nokia has retained its status as market leader, but has lost significant share of the market it has dominated. As recently as August, Nokia's Symbian mobile platform was said to have a 50 percent market share, well down from the 72 percent the platform had in 2006. In the second quarter of 2009, the iPhone represented 14 percent of global smartphone sales.

The Nokia suit is among a number of legal proceedings noted in Apple's Form 10-K filed with the SEC. The company said that it is currently defending itself from more than 47 patent infringement cases, 27 of which were filed during the 2009 fiscal year.

"Regardless of merit," Apple said, "responding to such claims can consume significant time and expense."

Update: November 14, 2009

It's official, Apple surpassed Nokia in handset sales. I'm not surprise, although ecstatic, of Apples success as they have been innovating and improving the user experience. With the recent launch of Verizon's Droid, it wouldn't take long for Google to grab some more of the market.

From the Chicago Tribune:

Apple Inc. surpassed rival Nokia Oyj, the world's biggest maker of mobile phones, to become the most profitable handset vendor for the first time on the strength of its popular iPhone, according to Strategy Analytics.

Apple's third-quarter operating profit from iPhone sales was $1.6 billion, while Nokia had operating profit of $1.1 billion from its handset unit, Neil Mawston and Alex Spektor, analysts for the Boston-based research firm, wrote in a report.

Nokia is struggling to hang on to its leading position in smart phones as competition increases from Apple, Research in Motion Ltd.'s BlackBerry and Motorola Inc.'s Droid. Nokia lost 6 points of smart-phone market share in the third quarter as it posted its first-ever quarterly loss.

“Nokia's profit margin for its handset division has been shrinking during the global economic downturn in 2009,” Mawston said in an e-mailed release today. “We believe the United States, where Nokia now trails Apple in market share, is the key to Nokia's recovery in 2010.”

Espoo, Finland-based Nokia's market share in smart phones with advanced features such as Internet browsers fell in the third quarter to 35 percent from 41 percent, as it posted a $834 million loss, the company said Oct. 15. Nokia the next day replaced Chief Financial Officer Rick Simonson with sales chief Timo Ihamuotila, who had previously worked for Nokia in the U.S.

Ihamuotila this year helped convince AT&T Inc. to offer one of the Finnish company's most-expensive handsets, letting the device share shelf-space with the iPhone at Apple's exclusive U.S. carrier. In his sales job, he focused on making Nokia more open to changes from carriers, who have complained that Nokia was unwilling to let them customize phones with their own logos and software.

“A successful fight on Apple's high-profit home turf can simultaneously help to revitalize Nokia's margins and help put a check on Apple's surging growth,” Mawston said.

Apple had a 25 percent increase in revenue last quarter, compared with a 20 percent drop at Nokia. Apple was helped in the third quarter by high wholesale prices and good cost control, the analysts said.

The iPhone is sold in about 80 countries and last month went on sale in China, Nokia's biggest market by revenue. Nokia's handsets are available in more than 150 countries. In the third quarter, Nokia sold about 16.4 million smart phones, the most expensive category of mobile handset. Nokia also sells cheaper phones, down to a 20-euro model for emerging markets.

Nokia last month sued Apple in a U.S. court, claiming infringement of 10 patents and seeking royalties on the 33.7 million iPhones sold since its 2007 introduction.

Citi Promotion

I was at the citicards.com website and found their promotion for payment match up!

Basically they will help you lower your balance. They will match up to 20% of any finance charges you may have! Wow what a deal. Here is citi's conditions:

Earn up to $550 just for paying your credit card bill on time.

Lowering your balance makes good financial sense – and the Citi Payment Partner Program can help you achieve it. Citi will match a percentage of the finance charges you pay and apply it as a statement credit to help you reduce your balance faster.

Here’s how it works:

The program lasts for 8 billing periods after enrollment. Each billing period we will compare your total payment amount to your minimum amount due to calculate our matching amount:

* If you pay at least twice the minimum amount due, we’ll match 20% of the purchase finance charges you paid
* If you pay less than twice your minimum amount due, but at least equal to your minimum amount due, we’ll match 10% of the amount you pay

The total amount we match over the 8 billing periods will be posted to your account in one lump sum statement credit within 3 billing cycles of successfully completing the program. You can earn up to $550 in statement credit

Keep in mind:

* Earnings do not include cash advance finance charges paid
* In order to earn the statement credit, you must pay at least the minimum amount due on time for each billing period before the statement credit is posted to your account

Call 1-800-603-0692 now and start reducing your balance today. Offer ends 10/31/09.


It's not very much, but if you are paying high finance charges on your bill then this will definitely help. The offer ends 10/31/09.


Every little counts.

7 Quick Tips For a More Smarter Consumer

As a consumer I always try to read as much as I can about things I want to buy. I do extensive research online and try to compare other similar products. Preferably I try to find complaints and see if a product or a service has negative feedback. This way I can make a sound decision. Here are other few ways to keep things in mind:

1. If a deal sounds too good to be true then it might be. Be wary of work at home jobs, get rich online businesses, risk-free investments or offers for free travels. Most of this investments or work-at-home business are only out there to sell you a boxed product that you will forget and loose interest after a while. This is what they want and expect. The TV infomercials are well known for this tactics.

2. Don't share information, online or on the phone, with someone you don't trust. Ask lots of questions and always do research. If you are doing a web purchase make sure it's from a trusty website. When making a transaction look for the "s" in "http" in the address of the website.

3. Get a second opinion if you feel unsure. Do not fall into pressure tactics. Remember everyone is after your money. Ones it's off your hands it will be three times as hard to get back. Keep receipts and emails. You will need them if something goes wrong or when you need to dispute charges or simply want a refund.

4. Google is your best friend because it will be your one "product review." Research a company online for negative practices. Truth comes out online because people who are not satisfied or felt "burned" by a company will try to send out a warning and most of the time they will attest their experience. It's a wealth of information and it will help you make a wise decision. Try including "negative keywords" along with the company name for a more narrow result.

5. Try to use paypal as a payment processor. At the time this blog was written, they have updated they website interface and have streamlined the transaction between buyer and seller. Disputing a transaction is now much easier. Sign up for account. Make sure to check the return fees. More companies now are beefing up their return policies by applying fees.

6. The deal is only good "for today" or offers you a discount for buying now. I've seen furniture stores who claim that they are going out of business but never close at all. This is clearly a salesman tactic.

7. Watch for credit card charges. Review your bill at the end of a every billing period. Scrutinize anything that looks suspicious. Mark it with a highlighter and do a research. If you don't remember the transaction then it's time to pickup the phone.

Do research. Google is on your side. Do not be intimidated by what you see. There's usually a hook. If you don't feel right walk away...

UPS Delivery Pickup Fail

A second delivery attempt will probably not work because they keep coming at a time frame when no one is home. A pickup is the only option. I go to UPS.com to track my package and enter the tracking number just above the barcode.



UPS states that it is on hold and will deliver again to do a second attempt. I look for a pickup option. Sure enough I was able to change the delivery method. My next step is to find the pickup location.

Nowhere on the sticker of any locations. I have never picked up a package from UPS. I check the UPS website and find only locations for UPS stores, which I know will not have my package. What I'm looking for is a distribution center.

AHA! The number at the back of the sticker should tell me! UPS Phone Number: 18008339943. I hop on the phone and call.

The lady is American, I know this because she sounds like a black person. She gets my tracking number and boom tells me where to pickup my package. Isn't that easy!

I should have called the number first before doing anything else.

UPS you are doing a great job. Keep up the good work.

Argh! They are only open Monday-Friday 8:30am 7pm

Update October 29, 2009: The package I was suppose to pickup was sent back to the sender/merchant. Reason? UPS tracking website shows that it wasn't picked up. They have a very small time allowance for pickup option, 6 DAYS.

I forgot to mention, I bought the mentioned package item from NEWEGG HANS G 28" LCD for $279 dollars after discounts and promotions. I couldn't pass the deal since this certain size of LCD's are sold for well over $400.

I emailed newegg about the problem:

Customer #:774378
Sales Order #:8341344
Invoice #:5253812
RMA # (if applicable):

Message: I received a slip that stated my package was sent but wasn't able to get a signature. The package was held at a UPS warehouse. I was was not able to pick it up on time due to schedule problems. The package seems to have been returned to California. Please send it back or send another one ASAP. Thanks

Newegg's answer:

Dear Customer,



Thank you for contacting Newegg.


We humbly apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you. UPS is unable to deliver the package since you were unavailable to sign or pick up the package. Now it is returning back to us. Once it arrives, it will automatically generate an RMA (Return Merchandise Authorization) number. At that point you will receive email updates as to the status of your refund, which will generally take place 3-5 business days after the return arrives. You will be refunded the full amount (as long as everything gets back to us) including shipping. Once the package is on the way to us, we are unable to have it re-ship to you. If you still need the item, please reorder it online. Thank you for your understanding.


Thank you,
Duncan Xu
Newegg.com

To which I replied:

Hi,

I bought the item with a coupon. I would like to use this coupon to reorder the item.

Thanks

Newegg's Answer:

Dear Customer,



Thank you for contacting Newegg.



We show that you applied the promo code discount of $20.00 for this item # 24-254-026 in sales order # 83413442. Please reorder this item at full price and once it is delivered, please reply to this email with the new sales order # and we will refund you the discount of $20.00 as well as the price difference of $10.00. Thank you for your understanding.



If you have any further questions or concerns, please visit our FAQs page. If you still need assistance, please feel free to email me directly and I will be happy to assist you.


Thank you,
Duncan Xu
Newegg.com

Now the package is in California.

I was suppose to get a package from UPS a few weeks ago but it never came. Instead I get a yellow sticker that says they came but no one was home to sign the delivery confirmation. Ok fine but what do I do next?

For a fragile item, I hope it arrives back intact.

Update: November 14, 2009

All is well. The product arrived at Newegg safe and sound. They have issued refunds to my account and credit card minus the discounts and rebates.

Free Credit Report Charges

Wow those commercials work! Some are funny and some are amusing. Like the pirate commercial. That one shows pirates singing about identity theft. In any case, I still got tricked by this guys.

I wanted to check my credit report because I know I've been late with some of my bills and credit card. Then BAM! it hit me, I need to check freecreditreport.com.

I hop on the website and the first thing I see is the familiar band. So right off the bat I feel giddy and jolly and so I sign up for the report and enter all my pertinent required information. Everything went smooth. I did see my score. From what I understand you get three score from three major credit score trackers, Experian, TransUnion and Equifax. Only one gave me a score and that is Experian.

I'm glad to see a GOOD green bar of 701!

WOW ok so all was well until I get my credit card bill from Bank of America.

I was browsing through the bill and something stops my tracks. I see a $14.95 charge from info.freecreditreport.irvine ca . Flood of thoughts came rushing in.

1. Yes I signed up a FREE credit report. I thought it was free
2. Why is there a charge? I didn't sign for any extra service at all!
3. I hope this is not a monthly subscription or one of those companies that just keeping on charging
4. Time to cancel!

I hop on to free credit report website and check to see if they have anything about cancellation. The front page has Nothing about cancellation(of course not why would day)? So I log in and right of the bat it directs me to the experian website. It was getting annoying because there wasn't any place to find anything about cancellation. So I hopped on to google and typed free credit report charges. Bam! A bunch of people had the same experience.

You have to call the company to cancel! wow... To find the phone you have to scroll down the FAQ page and there you will find membership cancellation.

Contact number of Freecreditreport: 1888 829 6560

I check the website again and saw that it does state there on the frontpage about automatically signing up:

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

When you order your free report here, you will begin your free trial membership in Triple AdvantageSM. If you don't cancel your membership within the 7-day trial period**, you will be billed $14.95 for each month that you continue your membership.

So I called them with Skype. The first thing you hear is a voice offering more credit report products. Then after about 5 minutes of ads it finally takes you to the customer service. I was surprise it wasn't an overseas person. Anyway she asks my name, my mom's maiden name, and my social security number. Here's the conversation after:

me: i signed up for a free credit report online on your website and i see charges on my credit card... i thought it was free

o: well sir you are automatically signed up for free monitoring service when you sign for a free credit report with us. there is a trial period of 7 days and if you don't cancel a charge of 14.95 will be assesed on your credit card.

me: well ok i want a refund and cancel my subcription.

o: i'm sorry to hear that sir we will go ahead and cancel your subscription. as for the refund i'll have to see what i can do. you might need to check back with us within 10 days. ok?

me: ok make sure you cancel that and i'll check again to see if i got the refund.

o: and is there anything else i can help you with?

me: no. that's all thanks ... click


I was surprise she didn't hesitate to cancel or offer me other products. I don't think I will see the refund. I'm sure they say the same thing with other people trying to cancel. "I'll have to see what I can do about the refund" means I won't see the money forever. Well at least I got it canceled.

Further research tells me that the company has not connection what so ever with experian, TransUnion or Equifax.

ConsumerInfo.com, Inc. and Freecreditreport.com are not affiliated with the annual free credit report program. Under a new Federal law, you have the right to receive a free copy of your credit report once every 12 months from each of the three nationwide consumer reporting companies. To request your free annual report under that law, you must go to www.annualcreditreport.com.

Check next time: Annualcreditreport.com

No more freecreditreport.com for me.

Do you have similar experience? Please comment!

Hotel Job Scam

Some of you may have received on your email posting for a job offer in Canada. More specifically the Hotel De Chat Lodge in Quebec. Here is the email I got:

Hello Friend,

Welcome to Hotel De Chat Lodge, Quebec.

I am Miss Smith the Asst. Human Res. Officer of Hotel De Chat Lodge.
Our Hotel is currently in need of Qualified Men and Women, who can work and live in our Hotel for a period of 3 years under contract basic.

Our Hotel will pay for Applicants Air ticket and the processing of his visa in his or her country. We are still in need of 85 more both men and women from any part of the country for immediate employments.

Candidates who are interested, should contact our coordinator on this email address below:
E- mail: hotels_coordinator@yahoo.ca

NOTE: Only candidates that contacted us via our E-mail address shall be answered.

Miss Smith
The Asst. Human Res. Officer
36 Porte Rue Quebec, QC G1R-1S3 Canada
Tel : + 1 32 3 8 56 1 142

As I read this few things came to my mind.

1. Wow how convenient! I don't have a job right now and here comes a job offer!
2. It doesn't feel right and it's too good to be true.
3. This has to be a scam similar to the Nigerian scam.
4. Time to research

I googled that sucker and surprise! It is a scam.

According to TripAdvisor, similar people have received such email and look there is no such hotel in Canada. They are targeting the gullible ones here and wants you to send money. It seems they are also targeting Filipinos who will almost to almost anything to get a visa overseas.

Then there's the time table here. It takes at least 6 months to get a working visa and that's a fast visa already.

I check the address on google and there is NO hotel mentioned.

If it's too good to be true then it might be. Protect your self - be informed