It’s not the first time that RIM’s security measures have caused a bit of an inferiority complex, but the Indonesian government now is threatening to ban BIS and BBM services within the nation if it doesn’t get its way.

Partially, it seems that Indonesian officials are upset that Research in Motion will be building its new data centers in Singapore, rather than in the homeland. Additionally, as is, the government is unable to monitor these communications, which it sees as a security risk. As you likely know, all data is currently processed in RIM’s Canadian facilities.

Heru Sutadi, a member of the Indonesian Telecommunication Regulation Body, had the following to say: “With the condition as it is now, we warn that the country’s users to be cautious about using BlackBerry because the data exchanged is not safe or cannot be guaranteed of its safety.” Sounds creepy, right? We always feel safer when knowing the government is monitoring our messages, too. Right…

SOURCE via The Jakarta Post

The latest development in the patent skirmish between Samsung and Apple is a decision in Australia’s Federal Court to overturn a ban on Galaxy Tab 10.1 sales that was placed in October. The Sunday Morning Herald reports local retailers are still unsure when they may be able to sell Samsung’s slate, as Justice Lindsay Foster ruled the ban will remain until 4PM Friday, giving Apple time to appeal the case to the High Court first. Like its battle over the redesigned slate just introduced in Germany, this war between the electronics giants will continue on — we’ll let you know when there’s another decision of consequence.

SOURCE via Samsung Electronics Co. Limited vs. Apple Inc.

A Samsung executive revealed to Korean Newspaper The Chosun Ilbo today that it will drop its plans to pursue Apple for patent violations in Korea, instead focusing efforts on cases overseas. The anonymous exec cited performance in his company’s home country, saying “we concluded that we should engage in legal battles with Apple only in the global market, but not in order to gain more market share in Korea.” The move seems logical given the company’s existing share, and will allow Samsung to maintain a positive image at home, where it dominates in categories ranging from televisions to refrigerators. So Apple may be in the clear in Sammyland, but the battle will likely continue beyond Korean shores for some time to come.

SOURCE via The Chosun Ilbo

There’s still no further word on Samsung’s recent attempt to block sales of the iPhone 4S in France and Italy, but the company’s now been dealt a blow in its similar efforts in the Netherlands. According to Reuters, a Dutch court has turned down Samsung’s request for a ban on certain Apple products, and rejected claims that they infringe on Samsung’s patents (it’s also rejected Apple’s counterclaims in the case). The particular patents in question here are not related to software or the design of the devices, as in other cases, but rather their 3G capabilities, which Samsung had claimed Apple was infringing on with the various iterations of the iPhone and iPad.

SOURCE via Reuters

Well, since Samsung couldn’t get an early peek at the iPhone 5 and iPad 3, the company has simply decided to take a page from Apple’s playbook. A senior exec told The Korea Times it plans to file a request to block the sale of the upcoming iOS handset in its Korean homeland the moment the device is announced. According to the Times, the anonymous exec said it would leverage its wireless technology patents and demand that Apple either remove the telecommunications features — turning the iPhone into an iPod touch — or simply be banished from the Korean market. The knock-down-drag-out war between the two companies has only seemed to escalate in recent weeks, as Sammy has taken a much more combative and offensive approach. We can only hope the two get tired of divvying up the globe and declare a draw in this game of patent Risk.

SOURCE via The Korea Times

A German court has weighed in on Apple’s seemingly interminable patent battle against Samsung, and it isn’t looking good for Galaxy Tab users. In a ruling issued yesterday, a Düsseldorf Higher Regional Court upheld last month’s preliminary injunction, banning the sale of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 within Germany.

Citing the slate’s “minimalist, modern form,” presiding judge Johanna Brueckner-Hoffmann determined that Samsung’s tablet bears a “clear impression of similarity” with the iPad 2, thereby meriting a nationwide ban. “The court is of the opinion that Apple’s minimalistic design isn’t the only technical solution to make a tablet computer,” Brueckner-Hoffmann explained, “other designs are possible.”

Earlier this week, as you may recall, Apple won a separate injunction against the Galaxy Tab 7.7 in Düsseldorf, though Samsung can still appeal that decision in a lower court. The court stopped short, however, of calling for an EU-wide injunction against the 10.1-inch slate, arguing that “it could only be competent to order a Europe-wide ban for a firm headquartered outside the European Union if this firm has a German subsidiary.”

Samsung, meanwhile, plans to appeal the ruling in a higher court, with a company spokesman issuing a now all-too familiar statement: “We are disappointed with this ruling and believe it severely limits consumer choice in Germany.”

SOURCE via AFP

It seemed that Nokia is receiving the same faith that RIM faced last year over at India. Remember when India and many Arabic countries blocked RIM’s BBM service and even their products until RIM reluctantly give them access to monitor their BBM service? Well, Nokia is also facing a similar situation.

As if abandoning their dear Symbian and comforting their fans on the jump to Microsoft’s platform isn’t enough, now India is going to block the launch of the company’s new push email service until a monitoring system can be put in place.

According to The Economic Times, the Department of Telecommunications is being asked to hold back the service until the intelligence community has a way to spy on messages being sent. Looks like the two companies share more in common than just their slip from the top of the smartphone heap.

SOURCE via India Times

I’m not sure how this happened, but apparently the Kuwait government has banned the recreational sue of Digital Single-Lens Reflex cameras. According to the Kuwait Times, The Ministries of Information, Social Affairs and Finance have collectively decided to ban the use of the chunky shooters in public places, except where it can be shown that it’s for journalistic purposes. This decision has left a lot of people scratching their heads, not least because every self-respecting smartphone nowadays can pump out screen-filling images. And then there’s also the matter of determining where the line between compact cameras, which are still allowed, and DSLRs resides. No love for photography as a hobby there. The person in charge must be awful in taking photography.

Now, what about those Canon G11s and Lumix G2?

SOURCE via Kuwait Times

There has been some update to the ban on BlackBerry services over at Saudi Arabia. According to MSNBC, RIM has handed over user codes that will let the country track individual users. A BlackBerry server had also been placed inside Saudi Arabia for testing purpose. But what exactly are the government getting access to? The unique pin number and code for each registered BlackBerry. That would give Saudi-authorities access to BBMs.

This seemed to be the only solution for RIM, if they want their services till still being aired up in these case-sensitive countries. Though I am nobody to judge the security flaws of these unmonitored services, but if they were to monitor terrorist activities through such means, surely other sensitive information will also be leaked out through such means if it was monitored by unethical personals. I supposed we would be seeing similar solutions over at UAE and other countries that have similar concern over this security issue.

[via Msnbc]

RIM has somehow come in terms with the government of Saudi Arabia regarding the ban on BlackBerry services in the country. Saudi Arabia was about to ban the BlackBerry Service and some other Internet related features of the BlackBerry smartphones due to security reasons, given that they are worried terrorists would coordinate their activities through the means of RIM’s services which wasn’t monitored by the government. Read more…