Apple has been granted a preliminary injunction against Samsung's Android-based Galaxy Tab 10.1, which will bar the distribution of the tablet device throughout most of Europe, in the latest escalation of the two companies' legal feud.

Germany's district court in Dusseldorf granted Apple's request as part of its consideration of the Cupertino, Calif.-based company's case against Samsung.

The court...

It was only a matter of time before waterproof cases were made to protect those expensive smartphones.

Grace Digital Audio developed the "Eco Pod" to protect any Apple or Android smartphone, as well as any MP3 player, from sand, salt and even water. It even comes with a set of waterproof earbuds.

Smartphone owners can't use their touch screens while the phone is in the case, but they can still plug in their earbuds and enjoy some music while they're swimming.

The Eco Pod is...

Rovio is planning new Angry Birds merchandise for babies, as the popular mobile game continues to expand its brand into a full-fledged entertainment franchise.

The developer of the top-selling app has partnered with SwaddleDesigns to put out new apparel for babies. The products will include blankets and clothes adorned with the characters from the famous game. There is no news yet on how much the products will cost or where they will be sold.

Rovio's new baby clothing and...

Microsoft is losing the manager of its Windows Phone project, leaving the company with questions about the future of its mobile operating system.

Charlie Kindel, a 21-year veteran of the Redmond, Wash.-based company, said he is leaving the software giant to start his own company. Kindel stressed that he is leaving the Microsoft amicably, and he believes the Windows Phone team is in excellent shape, calling it a well-oiled machine.

Kindel and his team launched Windows Phone 7 late...

Technology that allows banks to accept mobile check deposits may soon play a role in helping the medical and insurance industries streamline their record-keeping needs.

Mitek Systems' Mobile Capture technology, which handles one-third of the checks banks process over smartphones each year, will be used in a cloud-based mobile document capture service for the healthcare and insurance industries, the company said.

The technology doesn't just work by taking photos to send to...

A new mobile payments solution has launched right in Google's hometown, as the field of competitors grows a little more crowded.

Pago Mobile launched its mobile payments services today in Mountain View, Calif., which enables customers to pay for goods and services at brick-and-mortar establishments using an app on their phone. Fifty-three local merchants are participating in Pago's service, secured with the help of Mountain View's chamber of commerce.

Consumers use Pago's mobile...

The U.S. International Trade Commission said today it will review yet another Apple patent infringement complaint against HTC as the two companies continue to try to block each other from using disputed technology in their mobile devices.

Apple now claims the Taiwanese company violated five more of its patents in about a dozen Android-based smartphones and its Flyer tablet. The patents in question concern features like scrolling, programmable touchscreen displays and a double-sided,...