Sponsored
Engadget News |
- Nikkei, Reuters claim Panasonic may quit European cellphones after its second bruising
- Google Nexus 10 leaks: Android 4.2, Exynos 5250 (1.7GHz), 2,560 x 1,600 resolution
- Surface pre-order deliveries delayed in the UK and Canada, Microsoft offers coupon for the inconvenience
- AUO develops IGZO-based, 65-inch 4K TV screen, vows high resolution without the high power
- Get Your Google Back: a hilarious video meant for Windows 8 converts
- The Engadget Show 37: Halloween Spooktacular with Wayne Coyne, movie monsters and ghost hunting!
- Pantech Flex review
- Samsung Galaxy Premier shows at Taiwan regulator, carries few traces of its Nexus roots
- HTC to launch Best Deals coupon app for discount-chasing Europeans
- Engadget Podcast 315 - 10.26.2012
- Samsung launches $250 Exynos 5-based Arndale community board for app developers
- Researchers create video game that monitors heart rate to keep children's anger in check
- Neo Geo X hands-on
- Distro Issue 63: Will Microsoft's Surface tablet rise to the occasion?
- Motorola scales back ITC case against Xbox, drops WiFi patent complaints
- Panasonic introduces new Toughbook C2 convertible tablet with Windows 8 Pro for $2,949
- ASUS VivoTab RT review: everything you loved about the Transformer tablets, but with Windows
- Vic Gundotra posts Nexus 10 photos to Google +
- iFixit opens up new Mac Mini, has no trouble putting it all back together again
- DMCA update shuts down new phone unlocking next year, allows rooting (but not for tablets)
- Clearwire sees wholesale revenues dip, LTE delays as it posts a $41.3 million net loss in Q3
- AccuWeather launches for Windows 8, lets you know if it's dry outside the Metro
- Apple adds Rubles and other currencies to App Store, bumps minimum price to €0.89 in Europe
- Telus plans LG Optimus G launch on November 13th, other carriers remain shy
- Apple publishes 'Samsung did not copy' statement through gritted teeth
- IDC: Samsung and Apple still kings of the smartphone market, Nokia loses top five spot to RIM
- Apple starts taking pre-orders for fourth gen iPad, iPad mini with delivery as soon as 11/2
- Visualized: GigaPan circa 2006
- Nintendo Wii U to be sold at a loss, 3DS starts to turn a profit
- LG's 84-inch 4K TV goes on sale in the US for $19,999, home mortgage optional
- Xiaomi Phone 2 officially launching in China on October 30th, 16GB and 32GB flavors offered
- TiVo teases long-awaited HD guide upgrades for fall DVR update
- The Engadget Mobile Podcast, live at 11:30pm ET!
- AirBot and WaterBot help localize pollution data collection (video)
- Samsung Galaxy Note II now available from Sprint for $300 on a two-year contract
- Strategy Analytics claims Android reached 41 percent of tablets in Q3, iPad may have felt the heat
- Samsung makes $7.4 billion in Q3 profits, surpasses expectations
- Hands-on with MSI's S20 Slidebook, a $1,099 Windows 8 convertible Ultrabook (update: video)
- Tip has Mobilicity's 21Mbps HSPA+ network going live next week with throttling after 6GB
- Auto-tune this! Research team restores 134 year-old audio recording (update: audio links)
| Nikkei, Reuters claim Panasonic may quit European cellphones after its second bruising Posted: 26 Oct 2012 10:58 AM PDT
Once bitten, twice shy. Panasonic backed out of the European cellphone market in 2005 and gave it a second chance with its Eluga smartphone this spring, but both Nikkei and Reuters hear that the company is already considering its second withdrawal. A tough economy and a presently successful cost-cutting initiative (not to mention an uninspiring product, if we're honest) could have Panasonic exiting Europe before its fiscal year winds down at the end of March. Of the two as yet unconfirmed sources, Nikkei is going even further -- it believes that Panasonic is considering either a partnership to justify its Japanese business or else waving goodbye to cellphones altogether. Nothing's certain until Panasonic says so. If there's any truth to the story, though, we could see one more casualty in a rapidly thinning smartphone market. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Google Nexus 10 leaks: Android 4.2, Exynos 5250 (1.7GHz), 2,560 x 1,600 resolution Posted: 26 Oct 2012 10:25 AM PDT
Unless we're looking at one of the most elaborately photographed fakes in the world, this is the Nexus 10. With the Nexus 7 apparently going over quite well at just $199, it was only ever a matter of time before the Nexus family expanded to house a 10-incher. With Google's own Vic Gundotra posting images from a unit that he's using at some exotic locale, it seems that another unit has slipped beneath the camera at BriefMobile. The site has managed to apprehend one of the 10.1-inch slates, and in turn has discovered quite the bounty of information. Internally, there's (reportedly) a dual-core 1.7GHz Samsung Exynos 5250, a Mali-T604 GPU, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage (though no microSD expansion slot), a 5 megapixel rear-facing camera, NFC / WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0 and a Super AMOLED panel with a drool-worthy 2,560 x 1,600 screen resolution -- yeah, that's well into "Retina" territory at 298.9 pixels per inch. You may recognize that Exynos 5250 from Google's recently released $249 Chromebook, but here, it's being used to push Android 4.2. Those hungry for more can visit the source link, but don't go in hoping to extract an asking price. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Posted: 26 Oct 2012 10:09 AM PDT
We began hearing grumblings of delayed Surface deliveries in the very early hours of this morning, and it seems it's not an unlucky few that are suffering, but an unlucky many. There were reports of delays to shipments in the UK and Canada less than a week ago, but Microsoft was quick to dismiss the claims as an error and put minds at rest. Now, it seems, the white flag has been waved and blame acknowledged. Eager to appease disgruntled customers, the company is offering a £50 or $50 Canadian coupon (depending on your accent) to spend in the Windows Store as recompense. While it provides little relief to those who had a shut-in weekend planned, at least you can trick out your new toy when it finally arrives, at Microsoft's expense. And, if you've received neither a Surface nor a coupon, we suggest you reach out for the freebie -- if your fingers aren't hitting tiles, they might as well be hitting keys instead. [Thanks to Daniel and all others who sent this in] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| AUO develops IGZO-based, 65-inch 4K TV screen, vows high resolution without the high power Posted: 26 Oct 2012 09:32 AM PDT
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Get Your Google Back: a hilarious video meant for Windows 8 converts Posted: 26 Oct 2012 09:25 AM PDT
For those unaware, Windows 8 went on sale today. If all goes well, millions upon millions of Wintel users will be switching the latest OS in the coming months, and there's a giant in Mountain View that's severely concerned about the future of your searches. You see, Microsoft has done a fine job of pushing Internet Explorer and Bing into Windows 8, leaving Google loyalists nowhere to turn. Until now. After the break, you'll enjoy a lighthearted video from the masterminds at Google, explaining precisely how to Get Your Google Back. It's as simple as visiting getyourgoogleback.com on your Windows 8 machine, and then installing both Chrome and the Google Search app. Oh, and bonus points for "Aw yeah." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The Engadget Show 37: Halloween Spooktacular with Wayne Coyne, movie monsters and ghost hunting! Posted: 26 Oct 2012 09:00 AM PDT
Welcome boys and ghouls, to a very spooky episode of The Engadget Show. We've got plenty of tricks and treats for you in this Halloweentastic October episode. We kick things off with a trip to Oklahoma City, to the home of Flaming Lips frontman, Wayne Coyne, who talks Parking Lot Experiments, Halloween displays and why if your phone screen isn't broken, you aren't living your life. Next up, we'll show you all the necessary tools for a proper ghost hunt, with a little help from author Mary Roach, Ghost Hunters' Adam Berry and the crew of the Central NY Ghost Hunters. In Vermont, we have a conversation with robot head Bina48 to find out what it really means to be alive and we travel to Los Angeles to talk to movie makeup Wizard Kevin Yagher and the costume experts at Global Effects Inc. And when the Engadget Van breaks down outside of an electronics store, it's up to Tim, Brian and rock band, Free Energy, to solve a very spooky mystery. All that plus a new Ask @hodgman and a gadget table featuring the new iPod touch, Kindle Paperwhite and Galaxy Note II from Dapper Cadaver, our favorite place to buy prop corpses in the Southern California area. Jump on in after the break -- if you dare! Hosts: Brian Heater, Jordan Morris, Tim Stevens Download the Show: The Engadget Show - 037 (HD) / The Engadget Show - 037 (iPod / iPhone / Zune formatted) / The Engadget Show - 037 (Small) Subscribe to the Show: [iTunes] Subscribe to the Show directly in iTunes (MP4).
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Posted: 26 Oct 2012 09:00 AM PDT
Pantech is known for producing budget Android smartphones that punch above their weight, and the Flex is no exception. Available now on AT&T for $50 with a two-year contract, it delivers a dual-core Snapdragon S4 -- the same chip that lurks within mightier phones such as the Galaxy S III and One X -- along with a qHD display and LTE connectivity. The phone certainly hits a number of the check boxes for value seekers, but there's something that makes the Flex very different from other smartphones on the market: it has a dual personality. Folks, prepare for memories of At Ease, Microsoft Bob and Packard Bell Navigator to come rushing back. The Pantech Flex features a unique launcher known as Easy Experience, which caters to those who might find Ice Cream Sandwich overwhelming. Fortunately, there's also a standard launcher for experts. In that regard, the Flex is deserving of its name. Unlike most handsets on the market, it's targeting both broke college students and technophobes just the same. Of course, we're here to answer a greater question: is the Pantech Flex worthy of being your next smartphone? Join us after the break for the answer. Hardware
We've teased a bit of the Pantech Flex's internals already, but now it's time to discover what it's all about. The smartphone wields a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 SoC (MSM8960), which combines a 1.5GHz dual-core Krait CPU, an Adreno 225 GPU and a plethora of connectivity options. This includes LTE support across the 700, 850, 1700 / AWS and 1900MHz bands, alongside HSPA+ support for the 850, 1900 and 2100MHz bands. For times when you're out in the boonies, there's also quad-band GSM / EDGE access. Keep in mind, however, that you'll need to unlock the Flex to use networks outside of AT&T's reach, and even then, the phone would only be of much interest to T-Mobile's US subscribers in areas where the carrier has repurposed its 1900MHz network for 3G access. As you might expect, the phone also offers 802.11a/b/g/n and WiFi Direct, Bluetooth 4.0, along with both GPS and its Russian equivalent, GLONASS. Unfortunately, the Flex lacks NFC, which means no support for Android Beam or NFC-based payment systems such as Google Wallet or Isis. While the Pantech Flex is no doubt a budget smartphone, its 4.3-inch qHD (960 x 540) display is among the best in its category. It offers excellent touch response, fantastic viewing angles and higher-than-average resolution. That said, even though the individual pixels are packed a bit more tightly than WVGA (800 x 480) alternatives, the Super AMOLED display features a PenTile matrix, which causes text to appear slightly blurry. Naturally, advantages of Super AMOLED displays include deep blacks, increased color saturation and better vibrancy. Unfortunately, the screen is less than ideal for use in direct sunlight. It's also worth mentioning that if you're not an AMOLED fan, the LG Escape for AT&T ($50) offers a similar 4.3-inch qHD display, albeit with an IPS screen for better sharpness. The Pantech Flex arrives at AT&T as a natural successor to the Burst. While its older sibling succeeded in its effort to bring dual-core processing and LTE speeds to the masses, its thick, plasticky enclosure made it difficult to ignore its budget status. In that regard, it's easy to understand what Pantech hoped to accomplish this time around. With the Flex, Pantech has eschewed the all-plastic enclosure in favor of a more industrial design that sports a hybrid of plastic and metallic finishes. It's also larger and slimmer than before, measuring 5.1 x 2.6 x 0.32 inches (130 x 66 x 8mm). The Flex's design is best described as haphazard -- imagine if the Samsung Focus and Droid Incredible 2 had met in one regrettable late-night tryst. Above all, its design is manic and lacks cohesion; almost a split personality that's symbolic of the two software environments. Both the volume rocker and power button sport textured finishes that make it easier to locate the controls by feel. Unfortunately, this smart move is completely negated by the poor location of the power button: it's positioned in the middle on the right side. Right-handed folks will discover that their thumb naturally covers the exposed microUSB port, which is exactly where the power button should be. Instead, not only does this make it more difficult to wake the device or put it to sleep, but it also means that the microUSB port will eventually collect gunk from your fingers, which could lead to hardware issues. This isn't so much of an problem for left-handed folk, but the majority of people will likely loathe the layout. There's also no notification light, which is unfortunate, but a relatively minor sacrifice. One of our primary complaints with the Pantech Burst was its set of unresponsive capacitive buttons. That's a non-issue this time around, as the navigation keys of the Flex are completely software-based -- just like the Galaxy Nexus. The end result is a cleaner look up front, in addition to the elimination of wasted space. For every battle that the Flex wins, however, the smartphone loses another. In this case, it's the raised edge of the frame that surrounds the display. Needless to say, it causes an unsettling feeling every time your thumb crosses the harsh edge, and your only hope is that you'll eventually wear down the plastic to make it flush with the display -- by that time, however, you'll probably be looking at a new smartphone. Removal of the Flex's rear cover is relatively painless, which is a good thing, considering that the phone will be sold in part to the elderly. Underneath, you'll find a substantial 1,830mAh battery, in addition to slots for the micro-SIM and microSD cards. The phone includes 1GB of RAM, along with 8GB of built-in storage with approximately 5.5GB available for use. Eco-minded shoppers should know that the Flex ranks relatively low on AT&T's sustainability scale, with only two out of a possible five stars. For a more complete overview of the Pantech Flex, we've included a spec sheet for quick reference.
Performance and battery life With a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 running the show, it should come as no surprise that the Pantech Flex can run with the big dogs. The phone offers a dual-core 1.5GHz Krait CPU, and it's immediately apparent that the Flex offers the same level of performance and responsiveness that keeps One X and Galaxy S III owners grinning. Outside of the poky camera app, mainstay titles such as Chrome, Gmail, Maps and YouTube all pop open without hesitation, and switching between apps is a similarly breezy affair. Within the browser, web pages render quickly, and actions like panning, scrolling and zooming are all buttery smooth. The same can be said for animations and transitions within Pantech's launcher, which is wonderfully responsive. From a cold boot, the Flex delivers you to the lock screen and then straight into the launcher in just under 30 seconds. Benchmarks reinforce our real-world impressions, which suggest the Flex performs roughly in line with the One X for AT&T. Call quality is a similar strong point, which was consistently clear and free of distortion.
Aboard AT&T's LTE network in Portland, Ore., the Flex averaged 10.7 Mbps down and 6.3 Mbps up. That's more than sufficient for most needs, but it's roughly one-third of the chart-topping speeds we've seen for the carrier. Even with LTE enabled, we averaged between 36 and 42 hours of battery life with moderate use. Meanwhile, in our standard battery rundown test, the Flex was able to squeeze out eight hours and 34 minutes of uptime before calling it a day, which is on the better side of average and just short of the One X. Camera As an upgrade over the Burst, the Flex now features an 8-megapixel rear camera that's paired with a 2MP front-facing shooter. Even with the new setup, however, Pantech's implementation continues to disappoint. To its credit, the camera now captures a greater amount of detail than before, and under a narrow set of conditions, it delivers very nice photos. That said, you'll consistently find overblown highlights that are impossible to eliminate within the EV settings, an issue that holds true even in ideal lighting. The camera performs poorly in the shade, where highlights are overexposed, shadows are underexposed and colors appear washed out and muted. Fiddling with the white balance can sometimes prove helpful, but even then, colors are far from accurate. Meanwhile, 1080p video capture is smooth and fluid, but the camcorder suffers from the very same weaknesses as the still camera. In an ironic twist, the Flex performs quite well at nighttime in HDR mode, but that small victory isn't enough to salvage an otherwise forgettable camera. Despite the fast Snapdragon S4 internals, the camera app is slow to load and you'll find significant shutter delay. Even in burst capture mode, the shutter speed is far from quick -- about one shot per second -- and while photos remain at 8MP in this mode, detail and file size is roughly halved. Worse yet, it's impossible to focus in burst mode, even initially. The camera software is also on the weak side, and those who want to tweak the settings will find only EV and pre-set white balance controls. Unfortunately, there's an even a greater problem: the camera app is incredibly buggy. As is, whenever you want to take a picture, you risk locking up the phone and forcing it to restart. Even worse, if the phone crashes, whatever photo you've taken will be corrupt. This problem is exacerbated when you attempt to import the pictures to your computer, as any broken files may cause the transfer to lock up completely. This is completely unacceptable, especially when you consider the Flex's positioning as a smartphone for the technologically averse. Yes, the Flex's camera must be judged in the context of the phone's budget status, but it's so unpredictable and so underwhelming that you're likely to give up on taking photos almost completely, which is a shame. Given its buggy software, the camera may not even come through in a pinch when you need to snap the license plate of some jerk that rear-ends you. Granted, Pantech may improve the situation with a software update, but the fact that it delivered the Flex in this broken state -- and that AT&T agreed to sell it -- reflects poorly on both companies.
Software As you're now aware, the Pantech Flex has two personalities. Its core software is based on Android 4.0.4 (Ice Cream Sandwich), but unlike most smartphones on the market, the Flex offers two software environments: one that boasts an abundance of customization options, and another that's designed for utter simplicity. During the phone's initial setup, users will find an explanation and visual overview of both environments and must choose between the two. As a nice touch, an introductory video is provided for the Pantech Easy Experience, which guides users through the home screen and explains how to add both quick contacts and app shortcuts. Oddly enough, the Flex also seems to have a bit of an identity disorder. On a few occasions, the wrong environment would appear after pressing the home button. In a broad sense, Pantech's bare-bones launcher should appeal to anyone who might feel overwhelmed by traditional smartphone interfaces. That said, it's impossible to ignore that the Flex is partially geared toward the elderly. In addition to the jumbo type within Easy Experience, the phone also includes an aptly named Pill Reminder app -- we'll let you decide whether this is helpful or insulting. In a very wise move, users are given a single home screen that can't be modified. Despite its simplicity, you'll find all the essential functionality that one could hope for. This includes access to the phone, camera, web browser and text message apps. Three large widgets show the time, date and weather, which can be used to launch the alarm clock, calendar and weather apps, respectively. The home screen also features a quick contacts list, which offers access to voicemail and up to five contacts, along with a shortcut button that displays a 3 x 3 grid of frequently used apps. The rationale behind these limits is to eliminate the need for scrolling, which also applies to the menu-based launcher and the settings screen. Another nice touch within Easy Experience is the notification drawer that provides WiFi, Bluetooth, alarm and vibrate toggles, along with huge battery life and network signal indicators. It also displays the current date and time in large type, in addition to the owner's mobile phone number. Even the lock screen is self-explanatory -- it's depicted as a light switch. In all, the Pantech Easy Experience is excellent. It provides much of the same functionality that advanced smartphone users have come to expect, yet with a simple interface that novices should find much less daunting. In fact, our only suggestion is to strip down the Easy Experience even further. For example, configuration options that appeal only to power users -- device administrators, security credentials and USB debugging -- are still accessible from the Easy Experience settings menu, which add needless complexity to an otherwise simplistic interface. Fortunately, if you're the type that likes tons of customization options, Pantech has you covered with its standard launcher. Most importantly, the interface is quite reminiscent of stock Ice Cream Sandwich, but with a number of tweaks that should make power users smile. For instance, Pantech designers have added the ability to place up to 10 additional apps within the app drawer, which you can access by scrolling either left or right. You'll also find a wealth of toggles within the notification drawer -- two sets in all -- which you can switch between by flicking left or right. The company has included a variety of attractive widgets for the desktop, which exist alongside the stock Android options from Google. The launcher is also remarkably similar to Ice Cream Sandwich, albeit with the ability to create groups and rearrange icons. Within the launcher's edit mode, users can easily hide apps or delve into its detailed information. In another twist, users can even choose between two visual sets of icons. Seven different lock screens are also on the menu, which range from secure options such as Face Unlock, PIN and password to a rotary style screen that offers up to six apps for quick launch access. The Flex is configured to use SwiftKey by default, but if that's not your thing, you'll also find Swype and the stock Ice Cream Sandwich keyboard on board. Even the majority of Pantech's apps are quite nice, which were clearly designed with Ice Cream Sandwich in mind. This is true for mainstays such as the address book, alarm clock, calendar, phone and SMS apps, but also extends to unique offerings like a unit converter, file manager, tip calculator and voice recorder. Unfortunately, we're not terribly fond of the teal color scheme that Pantech chose for its apps, and given the customization available elsewhere, it's a shame that users can't select other options from a color palette. Pantech has also customized its web browser with tie-ins for Facebook and Twitter, along with pre-configured news categories that are powered by Yahoo. The additions are of dubious benefit, and because the browser lacks synchronization with Chrome, we suspect that most users will simply install Google's own offering. While the Flex isn't exactly littered with bloatware, there are a number of redundant apps that are simply unnecessary. It's easy to pick off the obvious ones like AT&T Navigator, which is a costly and cumbersome mess in comparison to Google Navigation, but you'll also find greater travesties such as AT&T's Messages app, which sits alongside Pantech's Messages app -- two apps with the same name that do the same thing. Utterly brilliant. As for video, you'll find AT&T Live TV, mSpot Movies, Google Play Movies, Video Player and YouTube. There's also a separate DLNA app called Net Media. While each app arguably has a different function, a well-designed video hub app would have been more elegant. The same is true for music, where you'll find AT&T Radio, Pantech's Music Player and Google Play Music. The level of redundancy is asinine no matter who your target audience may be, but on a phone intended for novices, there's no excuse to introduce such nonsensical complexity into the equation. Wrap-up Even with the Pantech Flex's low price of $50 on contract, the question of the day is whether it's worth a two-year commitment. To its credit, the phone offers the same level of performance that you'll find in top-tier smartphones, along with a quality display, admirable battery life and access to AT&T's LTE network. Jokes about multiple personalities aside, the Flex includes two excellent software environments that should appeal to experts and novices alike. Pantech's Easy Experience mode is particularly well-suited to the elderly, thanks to its use of large type and its straightforward UI. Meanwhile, Pantech's traditional software environment combines the best elements of Ice Cream Sandwich and adds greater customization options and a number of useful apps. As with any budget smartphone, it should come as no surprise that Pantech has cut a few corners in order to hit the $50 price point. In the case of the Flex, the camera is a casualty. Put simply, the camera is completely inappropriate for those even remotely interested in casual photography. To confound matters, the camera app is currently prone to crashes, which forces the phone to restart and causes corrupt files. With this in mind, if imaging quality is important, you'll need to look elsewhere for your next smartphone. If, on the other hand, you're willing to accept that the camera is an afterthought, then the Pantech Flex is a worthwhile purchase and an excellent value. Brad Molen contributed to this review. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Samsung Galaxy Premier shows at Taiwan regulator, carries few traces of its Nexus roots Posted: 26 Oct 2012 08:47 AM PDT
The Galaxy Premier has so far existed only on the fringes; we've seen unconfirmed benchmarks, model name mentions and press renders, but virtually nothing tangible. Taiwan's NCC regulatory body has made Samsung's phone much more corporeal with several photos of the device under its GT-i9260 badge. While the live look only confirms 3G and short-range wireless on the outside, it proves that there's very little of that claimed Galaxy Nexus DNA left on the outside -- other than the possible 4.65-inch screen, the Premier has fallen completely in line with the Galaxy S III's design language. It's safe to presume that we won't be using stock Android on this handset, then. We're just left waiting on Samsung for confirmation of the mid-range smartphone's details and exactly when we can give it a try. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| HTC to launch Best Deals coupon app for discount-chasing Europeans Posted: 26 Oct 2012 08:28 AM PDT
In a curious move by smartphone maker HTC, it's announced it'll be launching a new coupon service called "Best Deals." The app / widget combo will aggregate offers from 12 pushers, including familiar names like LivingSocial and Trip Advisor, although HTC hopes to add more categories in the future with further partnerships. The service will show you local deals tailored to your tastes, as well as exclusive offers on HTC products, which you can sort, review, bookmark and share from within the app. Discount-hunters from the UK, Italy, Germany, France and Spain will get first access to a catalogue of 1,700 initial deals on the 8X / 8S Windows phones and Android One X+. OG One X and One S owners will find themselves that little bit richer shortly after, snagging the app via a software update. There's no word on plans to bring the deal aggregator to North American shores, but for Europeans, it's time to start thinking about which spa treatment you want first. HTC LAUNCHES BEST DEALS SERVICE UK, 26th October - HTC, a global leader in mobile design and innovation, today announced Best Deals, a new service that delivers personalised money-saving deals direct to your HTC smartphone. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Engadget Podcast 315 - 10.26.2012 Posted: 26 Oct 2012 08:07 AM PDT  We've stopped calling weeks like these "big" because that gives them too much credit for essentially trying to destroy us, from a journalistic perspective, without actually destroying us. From now on we're only calling weeks "big" if they include the singularity or a human massacre in Pittsburgh, thank you very much. Hosts: Brian Heater 02:57 - Microsoft Surface with Windows RT review Subscribe to the podcast Download the podcast Follow us on Twitter: @bheater, @realbengilbert, @terrenceobrien This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Samsung launches $250 Exynos 5-based Arndale community board for app developers Posted: 26 Oct 2012 07:52 AM PDT
If you're looking to create that perfect multi-threaded, NFC, GPS-based OpenCL app (and who isn't?), but found your development board options too limited, Samsung has good news. It's just launched the Arndale community development board around its Exynos 5 Dual SoC, with the ARM Cortex-A15 dual-core CPU and ARM Mali T604 GPU. Those specs give the board "an order of magnitude lift in performance" from the last model and full profile OpenCL capability, according to Samsung, on top of NFC, GPS and camera sensor features. That'll let developers go to town on new games, security and multimedia apps next month for $250 -- if that's you, check the PR after the break or coverage below. Samsung Opens New Opportunities for Mobile App Development With the Arndale Community Development Board Arndale enables next generation of mobile applications development with the Exynos 5 Dual SoC, the world's first production solution based on the ARM Cortex-A15 MPCore processor SEOUL, Korea--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., a global leader in advanced semiconductor solutions, announced today the immediate availability of Arndale, a new community development board designed around its Exynos 5 Dual system-on-chip (SoC). The Exynos 5 Dual features the implementation of both the world's first dual-core ARM® Cortex™-A15 MPCore™ processor and the world's first quad-core ARM Mali™-T604 GPU based on 32nm High-K Metal Gate (HKMG) process technology. Priced at an affordable $249.00, the newest board offers the open source developer community a rich environment for producing the highest caliber of mobile applications, including in the areas of gaming, security, multimedia and user interface on multiple operating systems. "Consumer expectations for an engaging experience are now based on what the mobile world provides: the latest applications on a device that is always on, always connected and always ready" "Imagination is the only barrier to the next era of mobile applications," stated TH Kim, vice president of System LSI marketing, Device Solutions, Samsung Electronics. "The latest community development board powered by the Exynos 5 Dual gives developers access to a complete dual-core Cortex-A15 processor and Mali-T604 GPU platform with features not usually found on other community platforms, including NFC, GPS and a camera sensor. This inexpensive solution paves the way for an entirely new generation of middleware software and applications to be developed in an open source environment." Samsung's Exynos 5 Dual processor delivers an order of magnitude lift in performance over current generation processors and leads the way in GPU compute as the first SoC capable of full profile OpenCL. The Exynos 5 Dual also incorporates the latest in security and multimedia technologies to meet the needs of the next generation of mobile products. The initial version of the Arndale board will ship with the Android Jellybean OS. "Consumer expectations for an engaging experience are now based on what the mobile world provides: the latest applications on a device that is always on, always connected and always ready," said Ian Drew, executive vice president, marketing and business development, ARM. "ARM Partners, such as Samsung, are driving innovation in the mobile market and enabling innovation with the developer community by introducing platforms like the Arndale Community Development Board. By providing broad access to solutions based on the latest ARM technology on a single platform, Samsung will enable the next generation of engaging applications." Arndale Board Specifications, Availability, and More The Arndale community board is available for pre-order today. Further details include: Specifications: www.arndaleboard.org or www.insignal.co.kr For more information about Samsung's Eyxnos family of application processors, visit www.samsung.com/exynos. About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in semiconductor, telecommunication, digital media and digital convergence technologies with 2011 consolidated sales of US$143.1 billion. Employing approximately 206,000 people in 197 offices across 72 countries, the company operates two separate organizations to coordinate its nine independent business units: Digital Media & Communications, comprising Visual Display, Mobile Communications, Telecommunication Systems, Digital Appliances, IT Solutions, and Digital Imaging; and Device Solutions, consisting of Memory, System LSI and LED. Recognized for its industry-leading performance across a range of economic, environmental and social criteria, Samsung Electronics was named the world's most sustainable technology company in the 2011 Dow Jones Sustainability Index. For more information, please visit www.samsung.com. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Researchers create video game that monitors heart rate to keep children's anger in check Posted: 26 Oct 2012 07:28 AM PDT
Nintendo may have left its Vitality Sensor by the wayside, but researchers at Boston Children's Hospital are using heart rate monitoring in a video game to teach children with anger issues how to temper their emotions. Dubbed RAGE (Regulate and Gain Emotional) Control, the game tasks players with blasting hostile spaceships while keeping their heart rate from exceeding a predefined limit. If a gamer's pulse rises above the ceiling, they'll lose the ability to shoot until they can ease their pulse back down. A group of 18 kids who received standard treatments and played the game for five, 15-minute-long sessions had better control of their heart rate and lower anger levels than a group that only used traditional treatments. Currently, a controlled clinical trial of RAGE Control is underway and there are plans to take the concept a step further with toys and games suited for younger children. Look out below for the full press release or tap the second source link for the team's paper in the Journal of Adolescent Psychiatry. [Image credit: Thirteen of Clubs, Flickr] Video game with biofeedback teaches children to curb their anger Children with anger issues show a drop in anger after playing "RAGE Control" Oct. 24, 2012 Noticing that children with anger control problems are often uninterested in psychotherapy, but very eager to play video games, Jason Kahn, PhD, and Joseph Gonzalez-Heydrich, MD, at Boston Children's Hospital developed "RAGE Control" to motivate children to practice emotional control skills that they can later use in challenging life situations. The fast-paced game involves shooting at enemy spaceships while avoiding shooting at friendly ones. As children play, a monitor on one finger tracks their heart rate and displays it on the computer screen. When heart rate goes above a certain level, players lose their ability to shoot at the enemy spaceships. To improve their game, they must learn to keep calm. "The connections between the brain's executive control centers and emotional centers are weak in people with severe anger problems," explains Gonzalez-Heydrich, chief of Psychopharmacology at Boston Children's and senior investigator on the study. "However, to succeed at RAGE Control, players have to learn to use these centers at the same time to score points." The study, led by first author Peter Ducharme, MSW, a clinical social worker at Boston Children's, compared two groups of 9- to 17-year-old children admitted to the hospital's Psychiatry Inpatient Service who had high levels of anger. To qualify for the study, the children had to have a normal IQ and not need a medication change during the five-day study period. One group, with 19 children, received standard treatments for anger including cognitive-behavioral therapy, presentation of relaxation techniques and social skills training for five consecutive business days. The second group, with 18 children, got these same treatments, but spent the last 15 minutes of their psychotherapy session playing RAGE Control. After five sessions, the video gamers were significantly better at keeping their heart rate down. They showed clinically significant decreases in anger scores on the State Trait Anger Expression Inventory-Child and Adolescent (STAXI-CA), and specifically on:
The gamers also had a decrease in suppressed, internalized anger that reached marginal statistical significance. In contrast, the standard-treatment group showed no significant change from baseline on any of the above measures. The video gamers gave their therapy experience high marks for helpfulness (5 to 6 on a scale of 7). "Kids reported feeling better control of their emotions when encountering day to day frustrations on the unit," says Ducharme. "While this was a pilot study, and we weren't able to follow the kids after they were discharged, we think the game will help them control their emotions in other environments." The investigators are now conducting a randomized, controlled clinical trial of RAGE Control in the outpatient clinic at Boston Children's that adds a cooperative component. The children team up with a parent for 10 game sessions at the clinic; if either the parent's or the child's heart rate goes up, neither of them can shoot, forcing them to help calm each other. (Click here for more information.) The research team plans another clinical trial to test whether letting children take RAGE Control home, to play with parents and siblings, will increase its effect. In addition, Kahn is spearheading a team effort to develop toys to enhance emotional regulation skills in children too young for RAGE Control. These toys include racing cars that stop if a child gets too excited and, for even younger children, a cooperative game where children try to help each other stack blocks (if heart rate goes up, the table becomes wobbly and the blocks topple). The current study was supported by Boston Children's Hospital and a Milton Grant through Harvard University. Co-authors, all in the Department of Psychiatry at Boston Children's, were: Peter Ducharme, MSW; Elizabeth Wharff, PhD; Jason Kahn, PhD; Eliza Hutchinson, BA; Grace Logan, BA; Deborah Waber, PhD; Jennifer Holland, BA and Gary Gosselin, MD. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Posted: 26 Oct 2012 07:00 AM PDT
When the Neo Geo AES hit the scene 20 years ago, it was one of the largest, most powerful and most expensive game consoles the market had to offer, ringing in at a steep $650. Used AES machines aren't much cheaper, and modernized slim variations don't cost a penny less than the original hardware, either. A full home console might be a bit outside of the average gamer's budget, but SNK's 20th anniversary Neo Geo X hits a little closer to home: $200 for a portable handheld, 20 pre-loaded games, a faithful recreation of the original console arcade stick and an AES-shaped charging / controller dock that pipes video and audio out to a proper television. The end result? A handheld dressed up in a home console's skin. This is something we needed to see -- we spent some time with the setup to give it a once over. The Neo Geo X Gold bundle consists of a handheld, a dock, an arcade stick and a Neo Geo X game card -- a package that's certainly greater than than sum of its parts. Combined, these pieces create a functional facsimile of a home game console, but the brain of the operation lives in the portable Neo Geo X itself. It's a handsome piece of kit, featuring a 4.3-inch LCD screen flanked by four face buttons on the right, and an 8-direction d-pad on the left. A menu and start toggle sit on either side of the screen, too, as do a pair of speakers. More controls line the device's metallic edge, including brightness and volume controls, four shoulder buttons, power, a headphone jack and a game card slot. A rubberized back pad tops the hardware off, spelling out SNK in metallic letters. The device is a bit too long to fit comfortably in a pocket, but sat nicely in this editor's large hands. The machine takes a minute to boot up, as do each of its games -- slowly running through the classic Neo Geo start up animation before popping up simple game menu. The machine's d-pad is a bit of an odd input. It looks like analog thumbstick, but isn't -- each of its eight directions registers with a physical and audible click. At first, navigating the handheld's menu, this feels awkward and clunky, but the very second you get into a game, it feels right. It doesn't take long to realize this light tactile response is mimicking the feel of the classic SNK arcade stick. It's satisfying, but can feel a bit strange to gamers who've grown accustomed to the smooth analog nubs that modern handhelds have to offer. The face buttons are nice, too, featuring a soft landing that's still firm enough to avoid being called "mushy." The Gold bundle also comes with an AES-style arcade stick, albeit a smaller, USB connected one. We were told the miniaturized controller is being built with the same parts as the original, and it certainly felt like it -- featuring the same 8-switch Joystick and large, friendly buttons as the classic model. It felt nice under our palms, but sadly, we didn't have a chance to use it in a game. We spent a few minutes storming through the first level of Metal Slug, and felt right at home. Games seem to run flawlessly, featuring no obvious compatibility issues -- though the firmware on the device leaves a little to be desired. Clicking the menu in game gives you the option to return to the title select screen, but the handheld won't save your place. Closing out any one game is like hitting the reset button -- there is no multitasking on the Neo Geo X. Then again, it's just a glorified file selector. It's hard to complain. Perhaps we're just spoiled by contemporary portables. The complete Neo Geo X Gold limited edition will cost $200 when it lands this December, but the standalone handheld can be had for $130. It isn't the cheapest handheld on the market today, or even the most technically capable in its price range -- but as a trip down memory lane for Neo Geo fans, it's hard to beat. The complete set offers not only a solid collection of classic games, but a novel and modular retro experience. If Neo Geo continues to release additional game cards, they could have a winner on their hands, at least for gamers with fond memories of the 90s. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Distro Issue 63: Will Microsoft's Surface tablet rise to the occasion? Posted: 26 Oct 2012 06:30 AM PDT
As Windows 8 arrives on the tech scene, Microsoft's retooled operating system carries a truckload of new devices in tow. While the Ultrabooks and All-in-ones are on their way, a lot of attention is being given to the Redmond outfit's Surface slate. The Windows RT-wielding tablet slides into the spotlight in this week's issue of our e-magazine and we give it a thorough review to see just how it stacks up against the current contenders. We also spend some quality time with Dell's XPS 12 Windows 8 convertible and the LG Optimus G handset while the all of the recently announced Apple gadgets occupy Hands-On. Weekly Stat tallies worldwide mobile subscriptions, Visualized steps inside Google's Douglas County, Georgia data center and Time Machines recalls the origins of digital photography. As always, there's quite a bit to take in, so consult your usual download sources to take a gander at the goods. Distro Issue 63 PDF This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Motorola scales back ITC case against Xbox, drops WiFi patent complaints Posted: 26 Oct 2012 06:17 AM PDT
Since taking over Motorola Mobility, Google has started to rein in some of the manufacturer's legal adventures. First, it struck a licensing deal with Apple in Germany, then it withdrew an ITC complaint against the company in early October. Now Microsoft is benefiting from its new, seemingly less lawsuit-happy adversary. Moto has decided to pull its WiFi-related patent claims from a complaint against the Xbox 360. That still leaves its H.264 patents on the docket, though, we wouldn't be surprised to see the case disappear completely before the two companies go to trial in December. Microsoft claims it's entitled to a reciprocal license from Google due to an existing agreement between Mountain View and MPEG LA. German courts have already ruled that Motorola's claims regarding its H.264 patents are strong enough to issue injunctions against the Xbox 360 and Windows 7, however the company has been unable to enforce those sales bans due to ongoing investigations in the US. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Panasonic introduces new Toughbook C2 convertible tablet with Windows 8 Pro for $2,949 Posted: 26 Oct 2012 06:00 AM PDT
The Wire's Lester Freamon was never too far away from his Panasonic Toughbook, and we'd bet he'd be able to handle plenty more wiretaps with one of these. This is the Toughbook C2, the company's latest 12.5-inch convertible notebook for Windows 8 Pro that's designed for healthcare professionals and daring explorer types. On the hardware side, there's an Intel Core i5-3427U vPro CPU, 11 hours of battery life and a pair of USB 3.0 ports. You'll be staring into a 500 nit, LCD IPS display (and a 720p webcam) that offers five-point multitouch and a digitizer so you can scrawl down your notes with a stylus. Connectivity options include 802.11 a/b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth and a choice of either LTE or Gobi global 3G. As you might have guessed from the name, it'll withstand a 30-inch drop and can take up to six ounces of freshly-brewed coffee being spilled over its magnesium alloy body. The Toughbook C2 starts shipping from December, with the base model setting you, and the Baltimore PD, back $2,949 with a three-year warranty. Panasonic Introduces the Toughbook® C2 – Semi-rugged Convertible Tablet PC Built for Windows 8 Pro All-new, intuitive user interface, bridge battery and trusted semi-rugged durability ideal for healthcare professionals and other mobile workers Secaucus, NJ, October 26, 2012 – Panasonic, an industry leader in rugged, reliable mobile computers since 1996, today announced the Toughbook C2 – a semi-rugged convertible tablet PC that is Panasonic's first Toughbook model optimized for the new Microsoft® Windows 8 Pro operating system. The new device includes a third-generation Intel® CoreTM processor, delivers approximately 11 hours of battery life and offers the industry-leading reliability that is synonymous with the Toughbook brand. For highly mobile workers in markets like healthcare, education and field sales – as well as the IT departments that support them – the Toughbook C2 will deliver the performance and reliability needed to drive improved productivity. Panasonic Toughbook C2: Key Features Microsoft® Windows 8 Pro 64-bit operating system with Microsoft® Windows 7 professional option available For a full list of Toughbook C2 specifications, visit http://www.Toughbook.com. "The way we use technology on the job is evolving – today's mobile professional demands flexibility and durability in addition to power and full functionality," said Kyp Walls, director of product management, Panasonic System Communications Company of North America. "We engineered the Toughbook C2 to go where our customers go and to do whatever they need it to do, without the concerns that are inherent with a less reliable notebook or tablet." Semi-Rugged Durability Offering improved ruggedness over previous models of its type, the Toughbook C2 is designed to withstand a wide variety of work environments. Its magnesium alloy case and shock-mounted flex-connect hard drive allow it to handle up to a 30-inch drop to six sides, as well as a 12-inch drop from 26 angles. The computer also features a spill-resistant keyboard (up 6 ounces). Specialized Features for Healthcare Users The Toughbook C2 is built to be the ideal mobile point-of-care solution for nurses, doctors and other healthcare professionals. Its long battery life is designed for a full work shift without the need for recharging or docking, while its combination of bridge battery and optional lightweight battery offers professionals an even lighter alternative while still allowing for continuous uninterrupted use. The redesigned hand strap allows it to be carried comfortably for long periods of time. Its fanless design means no air is drawn in or out of the device, minimizing the spread of airborne pathogens. Pricing and Availability The Panasonic Toughbook C2 is available this December from authorized Panasonic resellers starting at $2949. The Toughbook C2 includes a standard three-year limited warranty. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ASUS VivoTab RT review: everything you loved about the Transformer tablets, but with Windows Posted: 26 Oct 2012 06:00 AM PDT
More InfoRead the comments on any of our ASUS Transformer Pad reviews. It doesn't matter if you pick the mid-range TF300 or the high-end Infinity. You'll invariably find someone saying, "That's nice, but can't it run Windows 8?" It's a perfectly sane request: sure, a tablet and optional keyboard dock make for a convenient setup, but how great would it be if you could use that keyboard to get work done in Microsoft Office? Ditto for the dock's USB port: being able to plug in a thumb drive is a good start, but it'd be even sweeter if you could drag and drop files, as you would on a PC. Well, ladies and gents, you can quit your fantasizing. ASUS is ready to start shipping the VivoTab RT (TF600), and we're guessing it's pretty darn close to whatever Franken-tablet you've been dreaming up. Which is to say, it takes everything we loved about ASUS' Transformer Pads, and adds Windows RT. Like other tablets in ASUS' lineup, it has a 10-inch Super IPS+ display with claimed 178-degree viewing angles and a 600-nit brightness rating. Other tried-and-true specs include a quad-core Tegra 3 chip; an 8-megapixel, autofocusing rear camera capable of recording 1080p video; SonicMaster audio; and long battery life -- in this case, up to nine hours for the tablet and up to seven for the keyboard dock. At 8.3mm thick and 1.2 pounds, it's also about as thin and light as any Transformer Pad. Lastly, the VivoTab has NFC -- something you won't find on any of ASUS' older slates. The VivoTab RT should be available beginning today, starting at $599 for the 32GB tablet with a keyboard dock included. A 64GB tablet-and-dock bundle will retail for $699. So is this as good a buy as ASUS' earlier tablets. And how does it compare to other Windows RT devices being offered at a similar price? Let's find out. Hardware What does your OS of choice say about you? Ask ASUS' design team. While the VivoTab RT borrows heavily from the Infinity's spec sheet, it has a more serious, buttoned-up look than any of ASUS' Android-based tablets. Whereas the Infinity and original Prime have bold-looking spun-metal backs, the VivoTab sports a subtle, brushed-metal finish, with a rubberized strip stretching across the top. All told, that plastic band cheapens the look ever-so slightly, but if it means there won't be any signal issues this time around, then that's a trade-off we can get behind. The good news, as we said, is that the VivoTab is about as thin and light as any Android-based Transformer Pad we've seen recently (which is to say, it's quite thin and quite light). Just as important, it's considerably easier to hold than Microsoft's Surface for Windows RT, which weighs 1.5 pounds and has a thicker, sharper-edged shape. Some things to keep in mind: though the Surface is heavier, it has a built-in kickstand and finer build quality. Plus, its Touch Cover keyboard is only about 3mm thick, so if we're talking about the thickness of the tablet plus the keyboard dock, Microsoft does manage to make up for some lost ground. Taking a tour around the device, you'll find the power / lock button up top, and a volume rocker on the right side -- it's placed high enough that you won't accidentally hit it with your fingers while you're watching a movie in landscape mode. On the bottom, of course, are the connectors necessary to plug the tablet into its accompanying keyboard. On the left edge is a covered micro-HDMI socket, along with a microSD slot. Soon, AT&T will start selling an LTE-capable model, and presumably that one will include a dedicated SIM slot, but the tablet we tested is WiFi-enabled only. As ever, the speakers are located on the rear. There, you'll also find the 8-megapixel camera module, along with an LED flash. Up front is a lower-res, 2-megapixel camera for video chatting. Keyboard dock Though the VivoTab mostly follows in the footsteps of the Transformer line, it does introduce one important, and very odd, design change. Here, there's a latch on the lower-left edge, allowing you to disconnect from the keyboard dock. That's a stark departure from the old design, in which the latch was located on the dock itself, above the keyboard. According to ASUS, its design team made this change to make the dock look more visually pleasing, and to generally improve the docking experience. While the connection is indeed as sturdy as ever, we have to say we prefer the old way of doing things: it was easier to put one hand on the dock to release the latch, while pulling the tablet out with the other. This new setup feels clumsier and less intuitive. Other than that, the dock itself looks very similar to the ones made for ASUS's Transformer tablets (save, of course, for the Start button, but you could've guessed that). As ever, the dock is made of metal, providing a sturdy base for the keys -- you won't suffer any keyboard flex here. The problem is the whole layout is a tad crowded. It's more convenient than using a touchscreen keyboard, that's for sure, but the buttons are small and tightly spaced. Even those of you with dainty hands might feel your fingers brushing up against adjacent keys you didn't mean to press. In contrast, as we noted following a tour of Microsoft's design labs last week, the Surface's pressure-sensitive Touch Cover keyboard is surprisingly spacious -- you just might experience a steeper learning curve as you get the hang of its flat keys. On the plus side, the trackpad is a little bigger than what you'll find on other tablet keyboard docks, and responds pretty well to single-finger navigation. The built-in button is easy to press too. You won't be using it much, what with the touchscreen and all, but it comes in handy when you're using desktop apps like Word or Explorer and need the precision of a mouse. As we've said with previous Transformer tablets, the weight distribution is stacked so that the tablet is a bit heavier than the dock. Holding it in your lap, the dock won't feel terribly grounded, but the weight does seem to be distributed a bit more evenly than in the past. If we had to choose, we'd say the Surface is sturdier, but only because it has a kickstand propping up the tablet from behind. That doesn't mean we'd want a kickstand planted in our lap; on the contrary, ASUS' solution seems to be more comfortable. Display and sound The VivoTab's Gorilla Glass screen has a resolution of 1,366 x 768 -- typical for a $500 Windows RT tablet (see: Microsoft Surface). As on recent Transformer tablets, it's a Super IPS+ display, which, marketing lingo aside, means the brightness can go all the way up to 600 nits. That's a higher rating than you'll find on most laptops, let alone tablets -- to give you a comparison, even the Surface tops out at 400 nits, and that's already pretty vibrant. Even if you're not clued into on feeds and speeds, a 600-nit screen definitely has its advantages. What we've always loved about ASUS tablets is that, on the one hand, the display is bright enough that you could easily use the tablet outdoors. On the other, the battery life is so good that you can feel free to crank the brightness once in a while without fear of polishing off the remaining juice. It's a really nice display, but all things considered, we still prefer the Surface's, whose optically bonded screen is less reflective than the VivoTab's. Once again, ASUS went with SonicMaster audio for its flagship tablet but, say company reps, the speaker chambers are larger than the ones on the Transformer Pad Infinity. The good news is that the bass quality is actually quite pleasant, especially compared to the sound coming out of other tablets. Despite the larger speaker chambers, the volume is on the weak side, but if you're hanging out in a quiet space it should more than suffice. Performance and battery lifeLike other Windows RT tablets hitting the market, the VivoTab runs on a new NVIDIA Tegra 3 T30 SoC, clocked at up to 1.3GHz, along with 2GB of RAM. In the case of this particular tablet, all that amounts to some hit-or-miss performance. On the one hand, we were able to zoom in on web pages with little tiling or stuttering, and the tablet was also quick to respond as we launched apps. Sometimes, we opened an app and changed our mind, hitting the Start key or flipping to another program before that application finished loading. In those cases, the VivoTab responded without hesitation, moving swiftly to whatever app we chose last. As with the Surface, though, we did see some performance hiccups, like when we swiped in from the left to toggle between open applications. So far, we've seen this on two of two Tegra-powered Windows RT tablets we've tested, though this stuttering was more pronounced on the VivoTab: here, the open apps tiled a bit as we paged through them. On the Surface, the swiping just felt a bit slow at times. Also, we often found ourselves tapping onscreen items (a "buy" button in the Windows Store, a backward arrow) only to be met with no response. And though it's a more minor point, it's worth noting that cold-boot times are slower on the VivoTab: about 30 seconds, compared to 25 or less on the Surface.
Epic battery life has always been one of the best reasons to buy an ASUS tablet: they last a long time on their own, and the optional keyboard docks have built-in cells of their own. In this case, the tablet has a 25Wh battery, rated for up to nine hours of runtime, while the dock has a 22Wh capacity and is rated for up to seven hours. In practice, the tablet lasted quite a bit longer for us: 10 hours and 40 minutes with video looping, WiFi on and the screen brightness fixed at 50 percent. We're still in the process of testing the dock's battery life, but will update this review with a final score result as soon as we can. Camera We're grading on a curve here -- tablet cameras just aren't that sophisticated -- but ASUS has consistently delivered some of the best image quality we've seen in this category. The VivoTab RT gets off to a good start with the same 8-megapixel, f/2.2 module used on the Infinity. All told, we were really impressed by the level of detail, and our low-light shots don't look half bad, either. That's not to say this should take the place of your smartphone or point-and-shoot camera, though: many of our photos look a bit oversaturated (check out those New Mexican skies, for instance -- they weren't that blue at 5PM). We also noticed some shutter lag on our shots, which meant we had to hold still for a few seconds while taking a shot. Though the native Windows RT / Windows 8 also doesn't offer anything in the way of photo-enhancing features like HDR mode, ASUS bundled its own camera app, which looks similar to Windows', but offers filters like grayscale and sepia. Unfortunately, neither native app has tap-to-focus, but this particular camera, at least, does a good job of eventually homing in on the right subject. Software We keep saying "Windows RT" as if it's a known entity, but until this week, no tablets running this OS had shipped. And we're still not sure consumers will understand the difference between this and regular Windows 8. It doesn't help that they look the same: both have the same redesigned Start Menu, comprised of Live Tiles and native apps like Mail, Calendar, Photos and IE 10, among others. The same gestures apply -- swiping in from the right to expose the Charms Bar, swiping from the left to toggle through open programs and swiping the bottom or top of the display to expose settings specific to a certain application. As you'll hear us say many times in our early Win-8-related reviews, it takes a little time to get comfortable with this new interface, particularly because many of these controls are hidden from view. But once you master them you'll find most of these options are easy to access with just a tap or two. Even better, the Charms Bar and toggle-trigger on the left side of the screen are both within thumbs reach, so it's easy to move through the OS while still cradling your tablet in a natural position. Another similarity: both Windows RT and Windows 8 have the traditional Windows desktop. Well, mostly traditional. As always, you've got the Taskbar at the ready for pinning apps and files; it's just that the windows are two-dimensional now (no more transparent bordering) and, as you may have heard, there's no Start button in the lower-left corner. Wonderfully, too, every Windows RT comes with Office 2013 Home & Student, with Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote pinned to the Taskbar. These apps are very, very similar to the desktop versions we previewed earlier this year; they've just been modified slightly to accommodate some under-the-hood differences between RT and Window 8. Other than that, though, you won't be spending too much time here, given the fact that you can't run legacy programs written for traditional x86-based Windows systems. Really, though, we imagine the only x86 app many consumers want is Office, which comes installed on every Windows RT tablet, anyway. Despite the fact that you'll almost exclusively be using apps purchased in the Windows Store, we'd add that the traditional Windows desktop on a tablet-type device can be enormously useful. Case in point: if ever you use the VivoTab dock's built-in USB port, you'll be glad to drag and drop folders in Explorer, just like you're used to. In addition to Office 2013 and all those native Windows apps we alluded to, ASUS threw in some apps of its own choosing, These include: Amazon Kindle, SuperNote, MyDictionary, MyLibrary, asus@vibe Fun Center and Guide -- a tutorial designed to make people more at home in the new Windows interface. Additionally, the tablet comes with 8GB of ASUS WebStorage, free for three years. NVIDIA has also brought its TegraZone gaming portal over to Windows RT, matching the experience offered on Tegra-powered Android tablets. Configuration options and the competition You'll have to decide if you'd rather buy early and hope for the best, or hold off until more of your favorite apps become available. To recap, ASUS will sell the 32GB tablet and keyboard dock as a bundle, for $599. If you want the 64GB version instead, that will be offered along with the docking station for a kit price of $699. The keyboard will sell on its own for $199. Soon enough, there will be a handful of Windows RT systems to choose from, with the Dell XPS 10 ($499 and up) and Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 11 ($799, December) set to go on sale later this season. For now, though, ASUS has the advantage of being first out of the gate. First along with Microsoft, anyway. The VivoTab lands the same day as the Surface for Windows RT, which also costs $599 if you want to get the 32GB tablet and keyboard as a bundle. (Note that we're talking about Microsoft's flat, pressure-sensitive Touch Cover keyboard, not the more traditional-looking Type Cover.) To recap everything we've been saying all along, the Surface is heavier, and not as comfortable to hold, but the build quality and display are nicer, and the typing experience is more enjoyable. Either way, performance and battery life are comparable. Outside the Windows ecosystem, tablets like the VivoTab find competition from the new iPad, as well as high-end Android tablets -- yes, even ASUS' own Transformer Pad Infinity. It already seems clear to us that Windows RT is the better choice for people who want to use their tablet to get real work done. So far, with the Windows Store still in its infancy, you'll find a much wider selection of apps on iOS and Android. As of this writing, Windows 8 is still missing biggies like Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, Dropbox, Mint, PageOnce, TripIt, NPR, Draw Something, Words with Friends, Temple Run, Spotify, Springpad, Remember the Milk, Instapaper, Pocket (formerly Read it Later), Flipboard, Steam, Instagram, Nook, Zinio and Rdio. That will change, though, we're sure: heavy hitters like Netflix, HuluPlus and The New York Times have recently joined the platform, while others, like Pandora, Slacker Radio, Box.net and the Associated Press have been on board for some time already. Given that this is Windows we're talking about -- a major franchise if ever there was one -- we suspect companies like Facebook and Twitter would be crazy not to develop apps for the Windows Store. We just don't know when, exactly, certain holdouts will make their way onto the platform, so you'll have to decide if you'd rather buy early and hope for the best, or hold off for a few months until more of your favorite apps become available. Wrap-up For better and worse, the VivoTab RT replicated everything we loved and didn't love about the company's Android-based Transformer tablets. This, too, is exceptionally thin, light and easy to hold, with long battery life and a good camera. Still, the fact that ASUS hasn't changed the layout on its keyboard dock means you'll have to brace yourself for a cramped typing experience -- which is a shame since Microsoft's own Surface tablet is offered with not one, but two comfortable keyboards. The performance also feels far more buggy than on the competing Surface tablet. Finally, too, we'd caution prospective buyers that the selection of Windows RT-compatible apps is far from complete, though the fact that Netflix, HuluPlus, Angry Birds, Fruit Ninja and The New York Times were all added within the past two weeks gives us reason to believe that Microsoft fans won't be left hanging -- at least not when it comes to the important stuff. If you have faith that Windows RT will eventually run every app you could need or want, the VivoTab RT is one of at least two promising choices -- or at least it will be, if ASUS and Microsoft can manage to iron out the software glitches. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vic Gundotra posts Nexus 10 photos to Google + Posted: 26 Oct 2012 05:47 AM PDT
If anyone is going to get their hands on new Nexus hardware first, it's going to be Google top-brass. So when photos from Senior Vice President of Engineering, Vic Gundotra, show up on his Google + with "Nexus 10" in the details, we pay attention. The pictures show some idyllic scenes from the beach, but what we're all interested in is the EXIF data. So, 2,046 by 1,536 you say? That's 3-megapixel by our calculations, which may not be the true original resolution of the image of course. With a big Google event just around the corner, though, we imagine we won't have to wait long to find out more. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| iFixit opens up new Mac Mini, has no trouble putting it all back together again Posted: 26 Oct 2012 05:25 AM PDT
iFixit's been on something of an Apple tear lately -- just a day after ripping into the barely-repairable new 13-inch MacBook Pro (not to mention the new nano and touch), the site has gotten its hands on -- and into -- the new Mac Mini. Unlike like the shiny new notebook, however, the diminutive desktop was apparently a pleasure to open up and put back together again, scoring an eight out of 10 on the repairability front and altogether forgoing the site's use of adorable kittens. The Mini gets good marks for upgradable RAM and drives and a general lack of glue and proprietary screws. Click on through the source link below to see the Intel 2.5 GHz dual-core i5 in all its glory. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| DMCA update shuts down new phone unlocking next year, allows rooting (but not for tablets) Posted: 26 Oct 2012 05:01 AM PDT
And so it passed that Congress didst layeth its blessing on the jailbreaking and rooting of all manner of devices; the hacking community saw the miracle and rejoiced. But that amendment to the DMCA two years ago was just a temporary exemption and the Electronic Frontier Foundation has been vigorously lobbying to get it reinstated. The Library of Congress has now done just that through a new three year extension, but with some serious caveats: After 90 days, unlocking of new phones will be verboten and all tablet mods will still be illegal. This differs from the 2010 decision which did allow unlocking, because the Librarian decided that a recent copyright ruling means fair use rules no longer apply to a handset's OS. It also said the exception isn't needed anymore because carrier rules regarding unlocking are now more liberal -- although the lawmaker may be confounding chicken with egg by that reasoning. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Clearwire sees wholesale revenues dip, LTE delays as it posts a $41.3 million net loss in Q3 Posted: 26 Oct 2012 04:23 AM PDT
Clearwire's figures show that the network it isn't cool to love will be making placating faces at its bank manager for yet another quarter. It pulled in revenues of $313.9 million for the three month period, but with business costs (and depreciation) clocking in at $646.7 million, the company posted an operating loss of $332 million and a net loss of $41.3 million. If that wasn't bad enough, it's also hacked back a target to add TD-LTE to 5,000 sites before mid-2013 to just 2,000. A similar problem has occurred over at newly-minted majority owner Sprint, which has found itself a quarter behind its own LTE timetable thanks to parts shortages -- so let's hope the folks over at Softbank can help both companies improve their estimating skills. Clearwire Reports Third Quarter 2012 Results Raises Guidance for 2012 Adjusted EBITDA; Lowers 2012 Capex Guidance BELLEVUE, Wash., Oct. 25, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Clearwire Corporation (Nasdaq:CLWR), a leading provider of 4G wireless broadband services in the U.S., today reported its financial and operating results for third quarter 2012. "Recent developments in the U.S. wireless industry serve as a direct reminder of the key strategic role deep spectrum resources and a global LTE ecosystem will play in the long-term success of any 4G mobile broadband operator," said Erik Prusch, President and CEO of Clearwire. "Clearwire's unmatched spectrum assets and focus on serving major population centers will be the foundation on which we will build a critical 4G LTE network positioned to serve the needs of the industry and the rapidly growing base of 4G customers across the country." "Globally, our ecosystem choices continue to gain traction with a growing list of TDD-LTE deployments and we believe the recent decision in China to allocate 190 MHz of 2.5GHz spectrum to our preferred spectrum band, 3GPP Band 41, to deploy TDD-LTE networks will generate even greater interest from chipset, device and infrastructure vendors. The rising tide of TDD-LTE networks globally in the 2.5GHz band will ultimately allow Clearwire to realize significant economies of scale and provide a valuable competitive advantage." Third quarter 2012 revenue declined slightly year over year to $313.9 million primarily due to a year over year decline in wholesale revenue. Third quarter 2012 wholesale revenue of $116.5 million, was relatively flat as compared to second quarter 2012 wholesale revenue of $117.6 million, and down (15)% year over year reflecting the fixed wholesale WiMAX revenue terms of the November 2011 Sprint agreement which took effect in 2012. Retail and other revenue increased 1% year over year to $197.4 million in third quarter 2012. Retail ARPU for third quarter 2012 was $45.06, representing a decrease of $(1.99) year over year as compared to $47.05 in third quarter 2011 primarily due to lower equipment lease and activation revenue under the new no-contract offering. Clearwire ended third quarter 2012 with approximately 10.5 million total subscribers, up 10% from 9.5 million subscribers in third quarter 2011. The subscriber base consists of 1.4 million retail subscribers and 9.1 million wholesale subscribers, reflecting 21,000 retail net subscriber adds and 489,000 wholesale net subscriber losses during third quarter 2012. Wholesale subscribers consist primarily of Sprint 3G/4G smartphone customers. Retail cost per gross addition (CPGA) was $191 in third quarter 2012 compared to $288 in third quarter 2011. The year over year improvement is primarily due to lower retail selling expenses associated with our no-contract offering as well as a lower cost structure resulting from our cost cutting initiatives in 2011. Retail churn was 5.1% in third quarter 2012, up from 4.2% in third quarter 2011. The increase in churn is primarily due to an increase in subscribers on no-contract plans, which were fully launched in first quarter 2012. Adjusted EBITDA in third quarter 2012 was a loss of $(38.3) million, representing an $8.2 million improvement when compared to third quarter 2011 Adjusted EBITDA loss of $(46.4) million. The company ended third quarter 2012 with cash, cash equivalents and investments of approximately $1.2 billion invested primarily in U.S. Treasury securities, reflecting a sequential decrease of $26 million from second quarter 2012. As compared to the prior year period, cash, cash equivalents and investments increased by $336 million. Third quarter 2012 capex of $34 million related primarily to ongoing maintenance of Clearwire's mobile WiMAX network and the deployment of our LTE network, and increased $10 million and $17 million, respectively, as compared to $24 million in second quarter 2012 and $17 million of capex in third quarter 2011. At the end of third quarter 2012, Clearwire operated networks in the U.S. covering areas where approximately 135 million people reside, including approximately 133 million people in markets where we provide 4G services, relatively flat as compared to the prior year period. TDD-LTE and 2.5GHz Ecosystem Developments Clearwire, as a founding member of the Global TDD-LTE Initiative (GTI), has continued to work closely with wireless infrastructure and carrier partners around the world to promote and develop the TDD-LTE ecosystem with an emphasis on expanding use of the 2.5GHz band we have established with standards bodies (Band 41) around the globe. The TDD-LTE ecosystem continues to grow with commercial or planned deployments in major population centers, and ABI Research recently estimated that continued rollouts of TDD-LTE networks would reach as many as 4.4 billion people worldwide by 2015. Significant progress was recently made on this front with the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology's (China's telecom regulator), announced plans to release the entire 190MHz of their 2.5GHz spectrum for TDD-LTE deployments in China and their adoption of the same Band 41 format advocated by Clearwire and other GTI members around the globe including Softbank Mobile (Softbank). Additionally, Softbank, who launched their TDD-LTE network in Japan in February 2012, broke new ground with their recent introduction of six TDD-LTE smartphones that also support the 2.5GHz band. We believe these developments further position Clearwire and our LTE wholesale partners to leverage significant economies of scale and innovation commensurate with a large global ecosystem of chipsets, devices and infrastructure equipment. 2012 Outlook Clearwire continues to expect total revenue of $1.20 to $1.30 billion for full year 2012. The company expects 2012 Adjusted EBITDA loss of approximately $(150) to $(200) million, representing a $25 million improvement (at the midpoints) to previous guidance of $(175) to $(225) million. Clearwire plans to have 2,000 LTE sites on air by the end of June 2013 and expects to start receiving Sprint prepayment installments in June 2013. Full year 2012 capital expenditures (capex) are now expected to total $125 to $175 million as compared to most recently provided guidance of $350 to $400 million. The decline in capex guidance is primarily due to the company's decision to defer a portion of its LTE build in order to better align capex with the expected receipt of LTE revenues. Results of Operations Cost of goods and services and network costs (COGS) in third quarter 2012 decreased 25% to $211.5 million compared to $282.5 million for third quarter 2011. These amounts include non-cash charges for network equipment reserves and other write-downs of $5.9 million and $38.7 million in third quarters 2012 and 2011, respectively, and other non-cash network-related charges of $19.7 million and $65.2 million in third quarters 2012 and 2011, respectively. The year over year decrease in non-cash charges for network equipment reserves is primarily due to a decline in write-downs of network equipment no longer required for deployment or sparing as we solidified our LTE network plans. The year over year decrease in other non-cash network related charges is primarily due to a higher provision for unused tower-related leases and other network agreements in third quarter 2011. Excluding non-cash expenses, COGS increased 4% year over year primarily due to an increase in customer premise equipment sales since the launch of our no contract retail model, which requires customers to purchase rather than lease devices, at the beginning of 2012. Selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expense in third quarter 2012 decreased 21% to $139.4 million compared to $176.5 million in third quarter 2011. The decrease is primarily attributable to the continuing effects of actions taken in conjunction with Clearwire's cost cutting initiatives in 2011 including lower employee-related expenses resulting from headcount reductions and outsourcing of the customer care function, reduced marketing spend, as well as decreased selling commission expense associated with our no-contract product offering which was launched at the beginning of 2012. Third quarter 2012 reported net loss from continuing operations attributable to Clearwire was $(41.3) million, or $(0.07) per basic share as compared to $(83.5) million, or $(0.34) per basic share, respectively in the prior year period. Including the effects of discontinued operations, third quarter 2012 reported net loss attributable to Clearwire was $(213.8) million, or $(0.38) per basic share, which increased as compared to $(84.8) million or $(0.35), respectively in the prior year period primarily due to a decrease in the loss allocated to non-controlling interests which resulted from the conversion of Class B common shares to Class A common shares by Time Warner Cable and Comcast during the period. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| AccuWeather launches for Windows 8, lets you know if it's dry outside the Metro Posted: 26 Oct 2012 04:00 AM PDT
So you're finally getting that Surface tablet (or a Windows 8 PC of choice) and have decided that a basic weather app just won't do it justice. AccuWeather agrees with you -- after months of supporting the Windows 8 preview editions, it's formally launching a weather app that takes advantage of Microsoft's completed New AccuWeather App for Windows 8 Takes Users on a Journey Richly animated and immersive weather app developed for Windows 8 user interface STATE COLLEGE, PA – October 26, 2012 – The highly immersive, richly animated AccuWeather app for Windows 8 with accurate and local forecasts for 2.7 million locations worldwide is now available. Designed using the new Windows user interface, this brand new app features powerful weather animations that illustrate the forecast as the user navigates through time, and My AccuWeather custom lifestyle forecasts that show how the forecast impacts the way the user plans to spend their day. "The AccuWeather app is a great example of the new Windows experience," said John Richards, senior director, Windows Apps Marketing for Microsoft Corp. "The AccuWeather app was designed to engage users with features such as tiles for your favorite locations and beautiful weather animations. The tiles automatically refresh with current forecasts, weather maps, and the My AccuWeather custom lifestyle forecasts." AccuWeather worked directly with Microsoft in developing the app and the app was selected to be part of the Windows Store on Windows 8 Consumer and Release Preview. "When we started developing the app, we set out to take our users on a journey throughout their day as they check their hourly, daily, and future forecasts," said Pascal Racheneur, Vice President of Interactive Media for AccuWeather. "As the forecasts for their favorite locations and their My AccuWeather custom lifestyle forecasts change from day to night, hourly to 25-day and so on, so too do the richly animated backgrounds which clearly illustrate the forecasted weather conditions." "The Windows 8 platform has a clean, elegant, and fluid interface," he continued. "AccuWeather for Windows 8 truly represents what the platform has to offer." More features include: • My AccuWeather custom lifestyle forecasts that show how weather conditions affect specific health risks and outdoor activities for current conditions, each of the next 24 hours, and the next 25 days. • Current weather conditions updated every 15 minutes with the very latest humidity percentages, visibility, UV index, wind direction, wind and wind gust speed, and AccuWeather's patented RealFeel Temperature® that analyzes multiple weather conditions to determine how the local temperature actually feels. • A quick look at weather conditions for the next 24 hours, and a calendar view of the next 25 days with the ability to open up any day for more weather detail. • Interactive, full-screen Bing Maps overlaid with AccuWeather's precise weather data. • Current weather news and broadcast-quality weather videos with many available in both English and Spanish. • An easy-to-use and fun weather comparison between each of your saved locations. • Cross compatibility across Windows 8 PCs and tablets. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Apple adds Rubles and other currencies to App Store, bumps minimum price to €0.89 in Europe Posted: 26 Oct 2012 03:32 AM PDT
After announcing slightly under par financials, Apple has added more ways it can be paid for apps, though it also bumped the minimum freight to get one across Europe. The new lowest price users in France, Germany, Italy and other nations "over there" can pay for an app is now €0.89, a euro-dime bump from before -- apparently due to the weak euro and local tax hikes. On the other hand, Cupertino also added more currencies accepted at its store: South African Rand, Turkish Lira, Russian Rubles, Indian Rupees, Isreali New Shekel's, Saudi Arabian Riyal, Indonesian Rupish and UAE Dirham can all now be used to pay. Apple has tinkered with its prices before in varying amounts overseas depending on the nation, so you may want to check your own country's App Store for the news -- bad or good. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Telus plans LG Optimus G launch on November 13th, other carriers remain shy Posted: 26 Oct 2012 02:16 AM PDT
LG committed to launching its mostly superb Optimus G to the three major carriers in Canada sometime in November. Just which day the phone would arrive was left a mystery, though, even when Rogers started taking pre-orders. It's taking another provider to sort things out: Telus has gone on the record with plans to carry the quad-core smartphone starting November 13th, right at the height of what could be a busy month. That's all that the future-is-friendly network can say for now, although Rogers may have provided the remaining piece of the puzzle when it gave out $130 contract and $600 outright prices. We have a hunch Telus wouldn't want to be the exception to the rule. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Apple publishes 'Samsung did not copy' statement through gritted teeth Posted: 26 Oct 2012 01:28 AM PDT
Whatever you think of the continual legal tussles between Apple and Samsung, a UK court's decision to force the former into publicly acknowledging that the latter did not copy its design will have seemed a little egregious even to the most ardent sammy-sympathiser. Well, that post is now live -- on Apple's site at least -- and as you might expect, is studiously manicured to almost not feel like an acknowledgement at all. The opening legalese notes that Samsung did not infringe "registered design No. 0000181607-0001," before going on to point out in perfect lay-terms the positive comments Judge Colin Birss made about its own slates. While Apple does confirm that the UK decision was further upheld by the court of appeal, it is also keen to remind you that other European legal jurisdictions (namely Germany) don't share this opinion. Head to source to read the statement in full. Samsung / Apple UK judgment On 9th July 2012 the High Court of Justice of England and Wales ruled that Samsung Electronic (UK) Limited's Galaxy Tablet Computer, namely the Galaxy Tab 10.1, Tab 8.9 and Tab 7.7 do not infringe Apple's registered design No. 0000181607-0001. A copy of the full judgment of the High court is available on the following link www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Patents/2012/1882.html. In the ruling, the judge made several important points comparing the designs of the Apple and Samsung products: "The extreme simplicity of the Apple design is striking. Overall it has undecorated flat surfaces with a plate of glass on the front all the way out to a very thin rim and a blank back. There is a crisp edge around the rim and a combination of curves, both at the corners and the sides. The design looks like an object the informed user would want to pick up and hold. It is an understated, smooth and simple product. It is a cool design." "The informed user's overall impression of each of the Samsung Galaxy Tablets is the following. From the front they belong to the family which includes the Apple design; but the Samsung products are very thin, almost insubstantial members of that family with unusual details on the back. They do not have the same understated and extreme simplicity which is possessed by the Apple design. They are not as cool." That Judgment has effect throughout the European Union and was upheld by the Court of Appeal on 18 October 2012. A copy of the Court of Appeal's judgment is available on the following link www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Civ/2012/1339.html. There is no injunction in respect of the registered design in force anywhere in Europe. However, in a case tried in Germany regarding the same patent, the court found that Samsung engaged in unfair competition by copying the iPad design. A U.S. jury also found Samsung guilty of infringing on Apple's design and utility patents, awarding over one billion U.S. dollars in damages to Apple Inc. So while the U.K. court did not find Samsung guilty of infringement, other courts have recognized that in the course of creating its Galaxy tablet, Samsung willfully copied Apple's far more popular iPad. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| IDC: Samsung and Apple still kings of the smartphone market, Nokia loses top five spot to RIM Posted: 26 Oct 2012 12:56 AM PDT
IDC's third quarter figures are in, complete with a few unexpected shake-ups. The entire cellphone market grew 2.4% over the same time last year, but smartphones drove the majority of that, showing growth of 45.3% and beating the analysts' expectations. Of the 179.7 million smartphones shipped, Samsung and Apple devices accounted for almost half of them, with the companies retaining their number one and two positions in the market, respectively. IDC notes that iPhone shipments didn't increase, but this is somewhat expected given the latest iteration was released only a short time before the end of the quarter. What we find particularly interesting is that Nokia was ousted from the top five smartphone players and replaced by RIM. Whether Nokia's upcoming Windows Phone 8 devices will put it back in contention remains to be seen, as does the effect BB10 and RIM's new handsets will have on the market. ZTE finished fourth in the list thanks to increased sales in North America , with HTC rounding up the top five vendors with continued uptake of its power devices. With a bunch of new handsets coming to the table and the holiday season fast approaching, look out for even more surprises in the fourth quarter numbers, due early next year. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Apple starts taking pre-orders for fourth gen iPad, iPad mini with delivery as soon as 11/2 Posted: 26 Oct 2012 12:17 AM PDT
Assuming you were suitably impressed by Apple's show earlier this week, you can now begin queuing for one of its new iPads, whether regular or mini-sized. The WiFi-only versions start shipping November 2nd, with cellular equipped models due mid-month. If you need to see all the specs lined up next to each other we have comparisons between models old and new right here. Of course, if you need an alternative, Microsoft's Surface should start showing up on doorsteps today, and we're expecting to see some refreshed competition at Google's event next week. The choice is yours, hit the link below to see all of your options. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Visualized: GigaPan circa 2006 Posted: 26 Oct 2012 12:00 AM PDT
GigaPan sure has come a long way in a few short years. Sure, it's no Epic Pro, but this old device marked S/N 15 is a pretty cool piece of history for those who love really hi-res images. We spotted it on the shelf of an office here at Carnegie Mellon, clutching on to an old PowerShot point-and-shoot. According to its owner, the tangled device dates back to around 2006. We knew it looked familiar.... | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nintendo Wii U to be sold at a loss, 3DS starts to turn a profit Posted: 25 Oct 2012 11:37 PM PDT
Mario's alma mater may be looking at its next big console to bolster its stumbling net income, but it won't be raising its bottom line on hardware alone: Nintendo says the Wii U is going to be sold at a loss. While this is par for the course for most game consoles, loss leader products are somewhat of a new trend for Nintendo, which only started selling hardware at a loss recently. On the upside, company CEO Satoru Iwata says the 3DS is back in the black, finally selling for a tidy (though unspecified) profit after dropping its price late last year. Nintendo expects business to pick up down the road, but says circumstances will keep it from attaining "Nintendo-like" profits in this fiscal year. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| LG's 84-inch 4K TV goes on sale in the US for $19,999, home mortgage optional Posted: 25 Oct 2012 11:07 PM PDT
Sony might have beaten LG to the punch in the 84-inch 4K TV wars with its XBR-84X900 pre-orders, but you've got to be on the field to win -- and the first to show up for battle is LG's 84LM9600, which is officially on sale and in stores as of today. Anyone who can find a retailer carrying the Ultra High-Definition LCD can drop $19,999 to get what will undoubtedly be the centerpiece of the room, even if there's hardly any content to fully exploit those six million extra pixels. LG does have a $5,000 price advantage over the Sony 4K set shipping next month, although we won't kid ourselves here. Anyone who can see themselves spending five digits on bleeding-edge TV technology is either wealthy enough not to mind or busy explaining to the family why home refinancing is totally worth it. LG Electronics Launches First 'Ultra-High-Definition' 4K TVs In U.S. LOS ANGELES, Oct. 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Ushering in a new era in home entertainment, the first "Ultra High Definition" flat-panel TV – with four times the resolution of today's HDTVs – went on sale today to consumers in the United States. LG Electronics USA chose Southern California, the epicenter of entertainment and innovation, as the consumer launchpad for this groundbreaking technology. Teaming up with high-end retailer Video & Audio Center, LG hosted hundreds of consumers eager to be among the first in the United States to have an opportunity to see and purchase LG's new Ultra HD TV. The LG 84-inch class (84-inch diagonal) LED TV, with a native Ultra High Def screen resolution of 3840 x 2160 to match its impressive size*, has an MSRP of $19,999.99. Model 84LM9600 quadruples the level of detail from full 1080p HD resolution to a massive 8 million pixels. Even before so-called "4K" content is available, LG's powerful up-conversion engine, the proprietary "LG Resolution Upscaler Plus," delivers higher detail from current HD/SD external sources. On hand at Video & Audio Center's Lawndale/Torrance, Calif. store today to discuss the importance of Ultra HD's development and its expected market adoption were industry luminaries, including Jeff Joseph of the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA); Randall Dark, an award winning director and 4K content pioneer; and industry insider and technologist Tom Campbell. * Joseph, CEA's senior vice president of communications and strategic relationships and passionate advocate for 4K technology, said, "Innovation drives our industry, and Ultra High Definition is the latest innovation that will transform home entertainment. This milestone is a pivotal moment in TV history because Ultra HD 4K technology will make it possible for consumers to purchase huge TVs with crystal clear picture quality." * Dark, CEO of Randall Dark Productions, and one of the world's first directors/ cinematographers to advance high-definition programming, said, "Content is always a major factor when new hardware technologies are introduced on the market. The LG Ultra HD TV's upscaling capability is crucial so consumers can enjoy the benefits of higher resolution now, while the rest of the industry, myself included, work on ways to advance this new format with native 4K content." * Campbell, widely quoted technologist and futurist who serves on the CEA Ultra HD Working Group, said, "I liken the dawn of Ultra HD technology to the switch from standard-definition analog TV to digital high-definition TV in the late 1990s. It's going to be big, and not just because it's key for big screens. I can already see consumers calling for more models, more sizes and more content." "Picture quality has always been LG's foremost priority, one that's especially important now as manufacturers scale TVs to meet the trend line pointing toward larger and larger class sizes," said Jay Vandenbree, senior vice president, LG Electronics USA, and head of LG's U.S. home entertainment business. "We were instrumental in developing the HD standard and, similarly, our goal now is to pioneer Ultra High Def technology to create the crisp and immersive viewing experience consumers are currently missing with large-screen TVs." Joseph Akhtarzad, vice president and co-owner of Video & Audio Center's three LA-area stores, said, "Ultra High Definition is a very significant development, a high-end product catering to a high-end consumer who demands the ultimate home entertainment experience. We are proud to be the first retailer in the nation to sell this cutting-edge LG technology to consumers." In addition to its excellent picture quality, LG's 84LM9600 boasts a growing Smart TV ecosystem, which is composed of over 1,000 apps and gives users access to a growing range of premium content services**. Users can easily browse and navigate through the Smart TV ecosystem using LG's Magic Remote, which allows users to make commands using the control modes of Voice Recognition, Wheel, Magic Gesture and Point. It also features LG's CINEMA 3D technology and an imbedded 2D to 3D conversion engine expanding 3D content availability. For more information on LG's Ultra HD TV please visit, http://www.lg.com/us/tvs/lg-84LM9600-led-tv. *No "ultra high definition" or "4K" video content is currently available. No broadcast or other standard currently exists for "4K" or "ultra high definition" television, and the 84LM9600 may or may not be compatible with such standards if and when developed. **Internet connection and certain subscriptions required and sold separately. Content and services vary by product and are subject to change without notice. For a small percentage of the population, the viewing of stereoscopic 3D video may cause discomfort such as dizziness or nausea. If you experience any of these symptoms, discontinue using the 3D functionality and contact your health care provider. Designs, features and specifications subject to change without notice. LG LED TVs are LCD TVs with LED backlighting. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Xiaomi Phone 2 officially launching in China on October 30th, 16GB and 32GB flavors offered Posted: 25 Oct 2012 10:06 PM PDT
With all these Snapdragon S4 Pro phones popping up here and there, Xiaomi's finally announcing its launch plan for the retail version of its very own Xiaomi Phone 2 aka MI-Two, which is also powered by Qualcomm's APQ8064 SoC. Here's what's going to happen: on October 30th, the company's online store will release the first 50,000 units, followed by another 250,000 units (approximately) in mid-November. Additionally, the device will be offered in both 16GB and 32GB flavors, which are priced at ¥1,999 (about $320) and ¥2,299 (about $370), respectively. Folks who reside in China can now register online for a quota, but it'll probably be just a matter of time before we see these on eBay in the US, anyway. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| TiVo teases long-awaited HD guide upgrades for fall DVR update Posted: 25 Oct 2012 09:06 PM PDT
When we originally reviewed the TiVo Premiere DVR back in 2010, one of our laments was that its revamped HD guide style didn't cover all of the screens in its menu system, and the issue still existed when we reviewed the XL4 earlier this year. Finally, that's being addressed, as TiVo VP Margret Schmidt has confirmed the upcoming fall update will bring reworked screens for the To Do List, Season Pass Manager and My Shows (for networked DVRs), and tweeted screenshots. Also of note are a number of Comcast areas recently added to the list of places that support Xfinity VOD via TiVo, so check your zip code to be sure. As far as the update goes, as usual, if you'd like to be first on the list to try it out, go ahead and sign up on the Priority list right away. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The Engadget Mobile Podcast, live at 11:30pm ET! Posted: 25 Oct 2012 07:53 PM PDT
Ready for a fireside chat? We are, and we're delighted to have a special guest with us: it's Richard Lai, Editor-in-Chief of Engadget Chinese and the main character involved in the now-infamous (and slightly viral) NSFW ASUS Padfone 2 video! Don't let your imaginations run wild -- check it out here, while you're waiting for the podcast to start. But open up a new tab to do so, because we want you meet us right back here after you're done. October 25, 2012 11:30 PM EDT | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| AirBot and WaterBot help localize pollution data collection (video) Posted: 25 Oct 2012 07:17 PM PDT
Want to do something about pollution in our water and air? Carnegie Mellon's CREATE Lab is working on a few interesting solutions to the problem of localizing pollution data with a trio of devices aimed at making the process accessible and affordable for regular people. First up is AirBot, a "particle counting robot" that monitors pollutants that can contribute to breathing problems like asthma. Aimed at a $99 price point, the little black boxes are portable enough to bring around with you, so you can, say, compare the air quality in areas when apartment hunting. The lab has made six prototype devices (one of which was on-hand during our visit), and is aiming to bring them to market next year. WaterBot, meanwhile, is set to bring the solution to streams near you. Stick one end in a body of water near your home and it will upload water purity information to the web via a built-in ZigBee module. CREATE's also cooked up the CATTFish, a method for recording such information in your home via, yes, your toilet. Dip one end in the reservoir and the box on top of the tank, and it will give you a reading of the cleanliness of the water being used to refill. That information can then be uploaded to the web via a USB port. The lab is shooting for a $50 price tag on the device. The big thing here is the ability to let the community take its own readings to build a bigger picture of water and are purity levels through online applications. More information on all of the above devices can be found in the video below.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Samsung Galaxy Note II now available from Sprint for $300 on a two-year contract Posted: 25 Oct 2012 06:22 PM PDT
Whether you're an existing or prospecting Sprint customer, the carrier's new big thing is now on sale. Priced at a whopping $300 with a two-year service agreement, the Samsung Galaxy Note II is the biggest smartphone to hit Sprint since the Hitachi G1000. As a reminder, the Now Network's Note II features an unbranded home button, a 5.5-inch 1,280 x 720 HD Super AMOLED display, a 1.6GHz quad-core Exynos processor, an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera, a 1.9-megapixel front-facing shooter, Android 4.1 and international voice and data compatibility with GSM / UMTS / CDMA networks. If the aforementioned sounds pleasing to your mobile palate, then the only thing left to decide is marble white or titanium gray? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Strategy Analytics claims Android reached 41 percent of tablets in Q3, iPad may have felt the heat Posted: 25 Oct 2012 05:38 PM PDT
Three months can make all the difference, at least if you're drafting estimates at Strategy Analytics. Now that we know 14 million iPads shipped in the third quarter, the analyst group believes that Apple's tablet market share dropped from 68.3 percent in the spring to 56.7 percent in the summer. All of the shift is attributed to Android -- researchers think that shipments of Google-based tablets surged from 7.3 million to 10.2 million, handing the platform 41 percent of an increasingly crowded space. It's the "collective weight" of so many Android-reliant companies leaping into the market rather than any one of them pulling ahead, Strategy Analytics says. We wouldn't be shocked if a few Kindle Fire HD sales played a part. More than a few wildcards still surround the figures and their long-term impact. First is that these are estimates, not concrete results: companies like Amazon steadfastly refuse to provide shipment numbers and leave most of the final tally beyond Apple to educated guesswork. It's also an understatement to say that the market will change dramatically before 2012 is over. Between Windows 8's launch, possible Nexus 7 upgrades and two new iPads, there are a lot of pieces moving on the chessboard. Strategy Analytics: Android Captures Record 41 Percent Share of Global Tablet Shipments in Q3 2012 BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--According to the latest research from Strategy Analytics, global tablet shipments reached 25 million units in the third quarter of 2012. Apple iOS slipped to 57 percent global market share, allowing Android to capture a record 41 percent share. Peter King, Director at Strategy Analytics, said, "Global tablet shipments reached 24.7 million units in Q3 2012, rising a sluggish 43 percent from 17.2 million in Q3 2011. Demand for tablets slowed due to ongoing economic uncertainty and consumers holding off purchases in anticipation of multiple new models, like the iPad Mini, during the upcoming Q4 holiday season. Apple shipped a disappointing 14.0 million iPads worldwide and captured 57 percent share in the third quarter of 2012, dipping from 64 percent a year ago. Apple's slowdown allowed the Android community to make gains and Android's global share of the tablet market now stands at a record 41 percent." Neil Mawston, Executive Director at Strategy Analytics, added, "Android captured a record 41 percent share of global tablet shipments in Q3 2012, jumping from 29 percent a year earlier. Global Android tablet shipments doubled annually to 10.2 million units. No single Android vendor comes close to Apple in volume terms at the moment, but the collective weight of dozens of hardware partners, such as Asus, Samsung and Nook, is helping Google's Android platform to register a growing presence in tablets." Other findings from the research include: * Global tablet shipments grew just 43 percent annually in Q3 2012, compared with 289 percent annually in Q2 2011. This was the weakest growth rate since the modern tablet industry began in Q2 2010; * Microsoft captured a niche 2 percent global tablet share in Q3 2012. The imminent release of the new Windows 8 operating system will likely drive Microsoft tablet volumes higher during the Q4 2012 holiday season. Exhibit 1: Global Tablet Operating System Shipments and Market Share in Q3 2012 1
The full report, Global Tablet OS Market Share: Q3 2012, is published by the Strategy Analytics Tablet & Touchscreen (TTS) service, details of which can be found here: http://tinyurl.com/bpqpnbs. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Samsung makes $7.4 billion in Q3 profits, surpasses expectations Posted: 25 Oct 2012 05:02 PM PDT
Samsung set the bar a little lower than the final mark when it told investors its expectations earlier this month, posting $7.4 billion in operating profits for Q3 and $5.97 billion in net income. This handily bests the $7.28 billion profit it told investors to expect, nearly doubling what it made over the same period last year. Why the jump? You can blame the Galaxy S III, which increased shipments "significantly due to global expansion," the company says. Indeed, smartphone sales are credited to Sammy's quarter over quarter leap in revenue. Consumer electronics sales also boosted profits a fair deal, achieving "industry leading profitability" in the TV market, according to Samsung, who cited growth both in the consumer space, and in the sales of OLED panels for televisions, tablets and high-end smartphones. The company's semiconductor sales, on the other hand, dropped by eight-percent in the face of weak PC demands. Samsung expects demand for PC DRAM and other high value-added chip products to remain weak, but optimistically notes that the sector is still profitable, and may pick up as new devices come to market. Got the basics? Great -- dive into the details and charts at the source link below, or read on for Sammy's official Q3 press release. Samsung Electronics Announces Third Quarter 2012 Earnings Results Posts record operating profit of 8.12 trillion won on consolidated revenues of 52.18 trillion won SEOUL, Korea – October 26, 2012 – Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. today announced revenues of 52.18 trillion Korean won on a consolidated basis for the third quarter ended September 30, 2012, a 26-percent increase year-on-year. For the quarter, the company's consolidated operating profit reached an all-time high of 8.12 trillion won, representing a 91-percent increase year-on-year. Consolidated net profit for the July-September period was 6.56 trillion won. In its earnings guidance disclosed on October 5, Samsung estimated third quarter consolidated revenues would reach approximately 52 trillion won with consolidated operating profit of approximately 8.1 trillion won. Samsung's solid performance is mainly attributed to increased sales of handheld phones and stronger demand for display panels. The Mobile Communications Business posted 26.25 trillion won in revenue for the quarter, accounting for more than half of Samsung's total revenue. As for the display panel segment, increased shipments of Organic Light-Emitting Diode (OLED) and Liquid Crystal Display panels used in tablets and smartphones, as well as TVs drove up profitability. Despite global economic uncertainties, Samsung's end-product and components business units saw sales climb compared with the same quarter last year. Digital Media & Communications – comprising the Consumer Electronics and IT & Mobile Communications business sectors – accounted for 41.90 trillion won in sales, up 41 percent year-on-year. For Device Solutions, operating profits reached 2.29 trillion won on revenue of 17.40 trillion won. The Display Panel segment outperformed the Semiconductor Business, in terms of on-year revenue growth On the currency market front, the depreciation of the euro and local currencies in emerging markets chipped away Samsung's bottom line by 570 billion won for the quarter. "The business environment remained difficult with global economic uncertainties persisting amid the fiscal concerns in the US and Europe. However, we continued to break our quarterly profit records," said Robert Yi, Senior Vice President and Head of Investor Relations. Mr. Yi said he expects market competition to intensify but "we will do our best to sustain our earnings momentum throughout the fourth quarter by implementing strategies we have developed for our businesses." Looking ahead, for the remaining quarter, year-end seasonality will push up demand for mobile devices including tablet PCs, as new products make their way into markets with more competitive pricing. Year-end holiday promotions, robust demand in emerging markets and China's New Year holiday effect are expected to shore up global demand for IT products. Demand for PC DRAM will be weak due to oversupply, and sales of digital appliances will slow down due to unfavorable market conditions in developed economies. Capex 18.5 Trillion Won To Date Capital expenditure in the third quarter totaled 4.5 trillion won; 2.1 trillion won was invested in the Semiconductor Business, while 1.1 trillion won went to strengthening the Display Panel segment. All told, the total capex for the first nine months of this year amounted to 18.5 trillion won or 73 percent of the annual capex budget of 25 trillion won planned for 2012. High Value-Added Chips Remain Profitable Samsung's Semiconductor segment – including the Memory and System LSI businesses – posted an operating profit of 1.15 trillion won on revenue of 8.72 trillion won for the quarter, which equates to an 8-percent year-on-year drop in sales. Weak demand compounded by an oversupply of PC DRAM chips in the global market pulled down Samsung's sales of memory chips, which slid to 5.22 trillion won from 5.5 trillion won recorded the previous year. Samsung's concentration on high value-added products such as server and mobile DRAM products, a more competitive mix of NAND products including Solid State Drives (SSDs) for notebook PCs and Embedded Multimedia Cards (eMMC), and logic chips softened wider losses. For the October-December quarter, demand for PC DRAM is expected to stay weak, but a flurry of new mobile devices hitting the market will prop up sales of application processors (AP) and image sensors that power smartphones and tablet PCs. Orders for mobile DRAMs are forecast to be high. We anticipate global demand for PC DRAM to remain stagnant, but seasonal growth of value-added chips will continue. Panel Profit Driven by Demand for TV and Mobile Devices The Display Panel segment achieved an operating profit of 1.09 trillion won on revenue of 8.46 trillion won. This represented a 19-percent increase in year-on-year sales for the quarter and a swing into profitability compared with the same period last year. The overall panel market exhibited quarter-on-quarter growth with demand rising 2 percent on the back of new tablet products and emerging market growth, despite delayed demand recovery in developed markets. Shipments of TV panels enjoyed a steady 9-percent increase compared with the second quarter as manufacturers prepared for the year-end peak season, although sales of panels for notebook PCs and monitors remained weak. Samsung saw strong growth momentum in the OLED panel segment due to demand for high-end smartphones. Sales of high value-added products, such as LED panels for TVs and LCD panels for tablets, continued to rise. Overall, Samsung's third quarter TV panel shipments saw year-on-year growth in the mid 10-percent range. Increased demand for TV panels, buoyed by year-end seasonality and the Chinese New Year holidays, is expected in the fourth quarter while the effect of an energy saving subsidy in China is also forecast to lift sales of large-size LED TV panels. Meanwhile, forthcoming launches of new tablet devices will help maintain positive growth for tablet displays and the strong demand for OLED smartphone panels is set to continue into the next quarter. Bellwether Mobile Business The IT & Mobile Communications division, comprising Mobile Communications, Telecommunication Systems, IT Solutions and Digital Imaging, ended the third quarter with operating profits of 5.63 trillion won on 29.92 trillion won in revenue. Operating profits for the division saw 132 percent year-on-year growth. The mobile unit alone was responsible for 26.25 trillion won in revenue, resulting in an 82-percent spurt in growth compared with the same quarter a year ago. The global market for smartphones increased in the low 10-percent range on-quarter, while that of feature phones saw growth of around 10 percent on-quarter. Samsung's flagship GALAXY S III smartphone, along with diverse smart device offerings which encompass high- to low-end products, have been the key drivers in raising profit margins. Improvements in the product mix also led to a more competitive average selling price (ASP). Also in the third quarter, orders for GALAXY Tab variants were strong, as well as the GALAXY Note 10.1, which redefined functionality through its S Pen stylus and split screen feature. Sales of Long Term Evolution (LTE) wireless broadband technology equipment picked up in the third quarter but tougher price competition has dampened profit margins. In the fourth quarter, the smartphone market is expected to continue its growth momentum with increased demand, especially in emerging markets. Samsung plans to further cement its leadership in the smartphone market with premium products, including GALAXY S III, and by ramping up sales of GALAXY Note II. Premium TV Strategy Ensures Stability amid Strong Price Competition The Consumer Electronics division – encompassing the Visual Display and Digital Appliances businesses – posted revenue of 11.60 trillion won for the third quarter. The operating profit of 430 billion won amounted to an increase of 38 percent compared with the corresponding period last year but was down on the previous quarter. Due to slowing TV demand during the summer vacation season and economic uncertainty in developed markets, price competition among manufacturers intensified. To deal with these conditions, Samsung maintained profitability by expanding sales of both premium and region-specific LED TV models in developed and emerging markets, respectively. With peak season demand for TV products in the fourth quarter expected to stimulate on-quarter growth in the mid 20-percent range, the proportion of LED TV sales is also likely to expand. Although competition will intensify, Samsung will continue to focus on improving profitability by increasing its portions of premium products such as large-sized TVs of over 60 inches, strengthening its Smart TV leadership with expanded content service offerings, and growing its sales of localized LED TV models. For the Digital Appliances Business, sluggish demand in developed markets and weak seasonality for air conditioners resulted in an earnings decline for the quarter. Looking ahead, the company is targeting sales growth in emerging markets with region-specific products and improved profitability in developed markets through high value-added products. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hands-on with MSI's S20 Slidebook, a $1,099 Windows 8 convertible Ultrabook (update: video) Posted: 25 Oct 2012 04:12 PM PDT
We just got more hands-on time with MSI's S20 Slidebook, which we first spotted at Computex 2012. This ultra light (2.3 pounds / 1kg) and thin (0.78-inches / 19.8mm) convertible Ultrabook runs Windows 8 (naturally) and packs an Intel Core i5 processor (Ivy Bridge), 4GB RAM and a 128GB mSATA SSD. In front, there's a gorgeous 11.6-inch 1920x1080-pixel IPS display with a 10-point capacitive multitouch layer plus an HD front-facing camera. A glossy white plastic bezel surrounds the glass panel and incorporates the MSI logo and the Windows button. The back cover is made of a silver magnesium alloy with matching plastic antenna covers for the built-in WiFi b/g/n, WiDi and Bluetooth 4.0 radios. Most of the ports are on the right edge along with the power / lock key and LED indicators -- this includes the power input, a standard 3.5mm headphone jack, a mini-HDMI output and a pair of USB 3.0 connectors. You'll find a gigabit Ethernet port on the left side plus an SD card reader, orientation lock button and volume rocker in back. Of course, what sets the S20 apart is its ability to switch instantly from a tablet into a usable laptop. The screen slides up and tilts forward to reveal a chiclet keyboard with excellent key travel and decent spacing. You're not limited to any specific angle here -- the display is fully adjustable from flat to almost perpendicular with the keyboard. The sealed 3-cell 3900mAh battery is rated for 7 hours of continuous operation. We spent several minutes using the Slidebook and came away pretty impressed -- it's incredibly light for its size, the screen is bright and crisp, and the keyboard is comfortable. Even in prototype form, performance and build-quality are top-notch. MSI plans to make its convertible Ultrabook available late November for $1,099 through major US retailers both online and in stores. The company expects to sell other configurations in other markets as well. Take a look at our gallery below and hit the break for our hands-on video.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tip has Mobilicity's 21Mbps HSPA+ network going live next week with throttling after 6GB Posted: 25 Oct 2012 04:03 PM PDT
Mobilicity's much-needed 21Mbps network upgrade may be almost at hand... with a catch. A leak to MobileSyrup reportedly has the HSPA+ network arriving sometime next week in tandem with an $80 Huawei E366 USB modem to exploit the new speeds. However, the Canadian carrier might just slap an asterisk on the end of that "unlimited" tag it's been using so far. Current customers may be relegated to a Basic Unlimited Data tier where any use past 6GB is potentially throttled; anyone needing full speed beyond that would have to either slap on a $20 Premium Data add-on or switch outright to a comprehensive $50 data plan, with both plans bumping the ceiling to 20GB. The two could remain better deals than for the major carriers, at least if you don't mind eschewing LTE. Nonetheless, any truth to the offerings might take away one more choice for truly unlimited data in the True North. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Auto-tune this! Research team restores 134 year-old audio recording (update: audio links) Posted: 25 Oct 2012 03:14 PM PDT
A Berkeley Lab research team in California has successfully restored a 134 year-old audio recording. The historic audio was originally captured in 1878 by a phonograph designed by Thomas Edison, which consisted of a cylinder wrapped in tinfoil that used a stylus to record sound on the surface of the material. Due to the foil's frailty, recordings were only good for a few playbacks on Edison's phonograph. To restore this century-old mixtape, the research team created a 3D model of the grooves in the foil and ran it through a software that recreated the original audio track. As for the great mystery of the recording's contents, it's a 23-second horn instrumental followed by what is believed to be political writer Thomas Mason reciting Mary Had a Little Lamb and Old Mother Hubbard. Using modern technology for playback, the restored recording is set to have a listening party this week at the Museum of Innovation and Science in New York. Update: For audio samples from the project, hit the coverage link below. [Image courtesy of the Library of Congress, Brady-Handy Photograph Collection] |
| You are subscribed to email updates from Engadget News To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
No comments:
Post a Comment