Microsoft recalls 2.3 million power cords sold with Surface Pro tablets

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said Microsoft Corp was recalling about 2.25 million AC power cords, less than a week after Apple Inc said it was recalling AC wall plug adapters due to a shock hazard.

Microsoft has received 56 reports of the AC cords overheating and emitting flames and five reports of electrical shock to consumers, the U.S. CPSC said on Tuesday.

The recall involves power cords sold with some models of the Microsoft Surface Pro convertible tablet devices before March 15.

Last week, Apple said it was voluntarily recalling AC wall plug adapters designed for use in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Continental Europe, New Zealand and South Korea.

source: interaksyon.com

Google making 3D tablet: report

SAN FRANCISCO — Google next month will start cranking out prototypes of a 3-D tablet designed to give users immersive experiences that could include virtual reality, according to US media reports.

The tablet will have a 7-inch display and an array of sophisticated cameras, sensors and software, the Wall Street Journal said in a story citing unnamed sources.

Google on Friday said they had nothing to announce.

The tablet was reported to be part of a Project Tango worked on by a special team at the California-based technology firm.

The project was said to involve giving advanced mapping and virtual reality capabilities to mobile devices powered by Google’s free Android software.

Nearly 42 percent of people in the United States used tablets at least once a month last year and that figure was expected to top 46 percent this year, according to industry tracker eMarketer

source: interaksyon.com

Microsoft’s new Surface tablet takes aim at Apple’s MacBook

NEW YORK — Microsoft Corp unveiled a larger but lighter version of its Surface Pro tablet on Tuesday, hoping that the company’s expertise in business software will help it take on Apple Inc in mobile devices.

At a presentation in New York, new Chief Executive Officer Satya Nadella made it clear that Microsoft, which recently acquired Nokia’s handset business, is committed fully to making its own devices, despite a lack of success for its phones and tablets so far.

“We are not building hardware for hardware’s sake,” said Nadella, at the event. “We want to build experiences that bring together all the capabilities of our company.

The Surface Pro 3 tablet, which comes in three models starting from $799 and costing up to $1,949, features a 12-inch screen, much larger than Apple iPad’s 9.7 inches. It also comes with access to Microsoft’s Office software suite, employed in businesses around the world.


Microsoft executives made frequent comparisons with the MacBook Air at Tuesday’s launch, making it clear that Apple’s lightest laptop, which starts at $899, was the device to beat.

The same executives, highlighting a focus on the enterprise segment of the market, also talked up the limitations of existing tablets in a full office environment.

Microsoft “has concentrated on its key strength – business users who look at tablets as extensions and/or replacements for full laptop capability,” Jack Gold of J. Gold Associates wrote. “Microsoft finally seems to understand it cannot go head to head with Apple’s iPad, and must offer a superior business device.”

Microsoft, which is recasting itself as a ‘devices and services’ company, has not made much headway on the devices side, except for its Xbox game console.


The Surface, launched in October 2012 and updated last year, has about 2 percent of the tablet market, failing to make a dent on Apple’s iPad. Microsoft has only 3 percent global share in smartphones, chiefly through Nokia.

(A look at the global tablet market: link.reuters.com/ker49v)

The Surface Pro 3 runs the full Windows operating system, and Microsoft hopes it will be the device consumers and companies go to when they are replacing laptops.

Initial reaction was positive, but analysts have doubts that Microsoft can easily haul itself into a meaningful position in the hardware business.

“This is Microsoft’s best shot yet to move the needle in the right direction on market share gains,” said Daniel Ives, an analyst at FBR Capital Markets. “The odds are stacked against Microsoft, although we have to credit Nadella with putting his pedal to the metal to go after tablet market share, which remains key going forward.”

The new device, which like previous versions uses Intel Corp processors, will be available to order this week.

source: interaksyon.com

Nokia launches tablet to join Microsoft gadget push

ABU DHABI — Nokia has unveiled its first tablet and large-screen smartphones, which will form part of Microsoft’s global push to become a leading player in consumer devices when it takes over the Finnish company’s handset business.

The Lumia 2520 tablet, along with the Lumia 1320 and 1520 phones are among the last products Nokia developed before deciding to sell the devices unit to Microsoft in a deal that is due to close in the first quarter of next year.

Nokia, once the global leader in mobile phones, arrived late to the smartphone race and has struggled to catch up with Apple and Samsung, who dominate the increasingly crowded market for large-screen smartphones, known as phablets.

The Lumia tablet, which has a 10-inch screen, will also face tough competition from the likes of Apple, which is expected to unveil slimmer, faster iPads on Tuesday. The phablets, which both have 6-inch screens, will take on a multitude of similar devices from Samsung.

Analysts said the new products, which will retain the Nokia brand after the Microsoft handover, are priced low enough to attract interest.

The Lumia 2520, which comes in glossy red and white as well as matt cyan and black versions, is expected to start shipping in the fourth quarter for about $499.

“The tablet is a nice design, it’s a good-value proposition,” Gartner analyst Annette Zimmermann said, though she doubts that Nokia’s first foray into the tablet market will bring billions in sales.

Possible clash

Others also questioned whether the new launch is enough to lure consumers back to Nokia and Microsoft, while Forrester analyst Thomas Husson said the Lumia 2520′s position for Microsoft is unclear, particularly after the software giant launched its own tablets.

At midnight on Monday, Microsoft started selling its Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2 tablets. Still feeling its way in the computer hardware business, the company is banking on the lighter and faster models boosting the lackluster sales of its touch-screen devices.

“Despite a more affordable price, the respective positioning of Nokia’s tablet versus the Surface 2 is not obvious and will have to be dealt with after the Nokia acquisition,” Husson said.

The new devices will help Microsoft to increase the number of Windows users, but Husson said he expects it to remain a long way from “a significant installed base of consumers”.

Nokia’s former chief executive Stephen Elop, hired in 2010 to turn round the company, decided in early 2011 to drop Nokia’s own operating system in favor of the Microsoft’s untested Windows Phone software.

The Lumia devices have been well received by technology blogs and critics, but sales have been slow to pick up, partly because of a lack of Windows Phone apps and a limited marketing budget.

source: interaksyon.com

Apple expected to rev up iPad line as tablet market heats

SAN FRANCISCO — Apple is expected to rev up its iPad line Tuesday as the tablet market heats up with competition from devices powered by software from Google and Microsoft.

Analysts agree that iPads will star at an invitation-only event being held in San Francisco on the cusp of the prime year-end holiday shopping season.

“Job One for Apple is to get something out there on the large-size iPad that gets people excited, then obviously from a specification focus, the Mini needs to catch up with what everybody else has done,” NPD analyst Stephen Baker told AFP.


“There are a lot of other things happening in that large-size tablet space and there is a huge amount of choices in smaller devices.”

Tablets face mounting competition from touch-screen notebook computers powered by Microsoft Windows software and priced between $350 and $500, according to the analyst.

“Apple will… be number one in large-size tablets probably for a long time, but the definition of competition will change,” Baker said.

Apple is also under pressure to adapt to the popularity of premium tablets with high-quality screens in the seven- to eight-inch (18- to 20-centimeter) range where the Mini competes.

Online retail titan Amazon.com on Friday began shipping new seven-inch Kindle Fire HDX tablets with boosted display quality and computing power at the starting price of $229.

“We can’t wait to get this tablet into our customers’ hands,” said Amazon Kindle vice president Peter Larsen.

Google’s latest Nexus 7 tablet powered by its Android software has been a hot seller at a similarly tempting price.

Emailed invitations to the Apple event revealed little other than the time and place, and bore the message: “We still have a lot to cover.”

A graphic in the shape of an iPad showed Apple’s iconic logo under a shower of colorful leaves.

Unconfirmed reports are that Apple will show off a new version of its full-size iPad that will be thinner than its predecessor and boast improved camera capabilities.

Scrutiny of Apple’s supply chain has industry trackers thinking the new iPad will get “narrower, thinner, and lighter” and possibly be built with processors at least as powerful as those used in the freshly-launched iPhone 5S, according to Gartner analyst Van Baker.

An upgraded version of the iPad mini with an improved screen is also expected.

Gartner’s Baker will be watching whether new iPad models have 64-bit processors as engines in a significant boost that would enable tablets to handle more heavy weight programs and games.

“It has the potential to make tablets much more compelling devices in terms of content creation; making devices more sophisticated with more horsepower-hungry applications,” the analyst said.

“It will increase the likelihood that tablets will displace PCs (personal computers).”

Analysts agreed that top-end, full-size iPads may get a fingerprint recognition security feature that has been a hit in the iPhone 5S.

Such upgrades would promise to entice buyers to pay a bit more for full-size tablets from Apple instead of choosing lower-priced Mini models, boding well for the company’s bottom line.

The iPad remains the largest-selling tablet, according to surveys, but its market share is being eroded by rivals using the Google Android operating system.

“Mobile connectivity continues to grow and its impact is much broader than business stories about which computer makers are selling the most units,” said Kristen Purcell, associate director for research at the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project.

“We see mobile connectivity affecting everything from the way people get news and learn to the way they take care of their health and the way they share their lives through social media.”

Apple was also expected to discuss its computer operating system and its MacBook laptop line at the event.

The company is coming off a wildly successful launch of two new iPhone models last month. It estimates selling a record nine million iPhones in the three days after launching two new versions of the smartphone.

source: interaksyon.com

October 22: Launch of new Apple iPads

SAN FRANCISCO — Apple Inc next Tuesday is expected to introduce a new line-up of iPads that will compete with the latest tablets from Amazon.com Inc and Samsung Electronics, amid pressure to preserve market share.

The company sent out invitations to media on Tuesday for the October 22 event that read, “We still have a lot to cover” and sported a close-up, half-view of Apple’s logo. The usual stylized, elliptical apple-stalk is replicated and scattered throughout an attached image in multiple hues.

New versions of the iPad, which will go up against Amazon.com’s latest Kindle Fires and gadgets made by Samsung, are expected to feature lighter, thinner designs and more powerful processors. The iPhone maker has come under pressure over the past year to preserve market share and bolster sales against rivals that are rapidly raising capabilities and lowering prices.

News of the October 22 event was first reported by AllThingsD last week.

source: interaksyon.com

New Apple iPad Mini faces delay: sources

TAIPEI/TOKYO — Apple Inc will be unable to widely roll out a new version of the iPad Mini with a high-resolution “retina” display this month, people who work in the company’s supply chain said, leaving the gadget without the sharper screen found on rival tablets from Google Inc and Amazon.com Inc.

Apple’s supply chain is only now gearing up to make retina displays for the iPad Mini, which means the gadgets could be available in only limited quantities this year, if at all, and the company may miss the chance to cash in on the year-end holiday shopping season, the sources said.

Cupertino, California-based Apple has come under pressure to preserve market share and bolster sales against rivals that are rapidly raising specifications and lowering prices.

It remains unclear exactly what new features and modifications could find their way into the next iPad Mini, which the sources said was due to be unveiled this month.

But higher-resolution screens and cameras, as well as thinner and lighter dimensions, are among the improvements users have come to expect with updated smartphones and tablets.

“If they don’t put in retina … there will be howls,” said Frank Gillett, an analyst with Forrester.

Apple declined to comment about any product launches and the sources at companies in Apple’s supply chain declined to be identified due to the confidentiality of the matter.

Display disappointment

Apple defines retina display as resolution that is detailed enough that the human eye can’t detect pixelation.

The feature is available on some full-sized iPads, and similar resolutions are available on iPad Mini competitors such as Google’s Nexus 7, as well as Amazon’s seven-inch Kindle Fire HDX due to go on sale this month.

The reason behind the delays in manufacturing the retina display screens for the iPad Mini were unclear. One source at a supplier said there were delays in Apple’s certification of panel producers, which were given strict power-saving requirements.

LG Display Co Ltd, Samsung Electronics Co Ltd’s display unit and Sharp Corp all vied to manufacture the panels, supply chain sources said.

The three display makers declined to comment.

Given the time required to ramp up screen production, a retina display-equipped iPad Mini would not be available in large volumes until early next year, the sources said.

The sources expected Apple to either wait until early next year for a full-fledged launch of a retina display iPad Mini, or to make a retina version only available in limited quantities before the end of the year.

Apple has also told suppliers to reduce costs, two of the sources said, with one person saying the U.S. firm is looking at rolling out an iPad Mini with a smaller 8 gigabytes of memory.

Less memory may allow Apple to lower the price of the Mini to boost sales in emerging markets like China where cheaper tablets, many of them running Google’s Android operating system, are gaining market share.

“Right now the iPad Mini is more expensive than everyone else in the 7- to 8-inch tablet segment,” said Arthur Liao, an analyst for Fubon Securities in Taipei. “If it could reduce its price by even just $50, it would appeal to more consumers.”

The iPad’s total market share almost halved to 32.5 percent in the second quarter from a year ago, while Android devices, including Samsung’s Galaxy series, gained nearly a quarter to 62.6 percent, a survey by tech research company IDC showed.

Amazon’s new 7-inch Kindle Fire is priced from $229 for 16GB wifi-only models, while Google’s second-generation Nexus 7 offers a similar screen size and storage capacity at the same price. By comparison, the cheapest model in Apple’s current 7.9-inch iPad Mini lineup with 16GB storage size starts at $329.

Anyone expecting Apple to dramatically cut prices is likely to be disappointed, analysts said, pointing to the higher-than-expected price tag for the iPhone 5C unveiled this month.

“Don’t expect the prices to be significantly lower,” said one of the sources. “Even though Apple aims to cut down on component costs, it still ends up around the same as the current Mini because the new Mini will have upgraded specifications.”

source: interaksyon.com

Tablets to outpace total PC shipments in last quarter of 2013 — IDC

MANILA, Philippines — For the first time since their re-introduction to the market, tablets will outship PCs worldwide during the last quarter of the year, signifying a continuous decline for the PC industry as consumers opt for more portable devices.

But though this is the case, PC unit shipments will remain to be larger than the tablet category for the entirety of 2013, as the latter settles with just 227.3 million units shipped around the world compared with the former’s combined unit shipments of 315.3 million for both desktop and laptop devices.





“PCs shipments are still expected to be greater than tablet shipments for the full year, but IDC forecasts tablet shipments will surpass total PC shipments on an annual basis by the end of 2015,” IDC said in a recent statement.

Though both the smartphone and tablet markets are showing early signs of saturation, IDC said it believes the introduction of lower-priced devices in more markets will be a “game changer” for both categories.

These low-cost tablet devices will spark more interest and uptake among first-time buyers in several commercial sectors around the world such as education, it added. This view is reinforced by a recent report by research firm GfK, which stressed that the “strong showing of tablet sales in early 2013 could be attributed to the decline in average pricing for most tablet models, which are now being sold at around P13,000, compared to the P24,373 average pricing recorded last year.”

GfK also pointed out that as much as P3.6 billion worth of tablet devices were sold locally during the first five months of the year, led by 7-inch tablets that have become the sweet spot for size and affordability for consumers.

“Introducing new handsets and tablet devices at cheaper price points along with special initiatives like trade-in programs from Apple and BestBuy will accelerate the upgrade cycle and expand the total addressable market overnight,” said Megha Saini, Research Analyst with IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly Smart Connected Device Tracker.

Phablets eating tablets

Despite the glowing growth forecasts for the tablet segment, IDC said some form of cannibalization is in the horizon: smartphones are slowly encroaching on the space safely held by 7-inch tablets as manufacturers like Huawei, ZTE, and Samsung produce mobile devices with sizes exceeding six inches.

“The device world has seen several iterations of cannibalization impacting different categories, with the last few years focused on tablets cannibalizing PC sales,” said Bob O’Donnell, Program Vice President, Clients and Displays. “Over the next 12-18 months, however, we believe the larger smartphones, commonly called ‘phablets’, will start to eat into the smaller-size tablet market, contributing to a slower growth rate for tablets.”

Looking forward, IDC said the worldwide smart connected device space — which includes PCs, tablets, and smartphones — will continue to surge, with overall shipments surpassing 2 billion units by the end of 2015 with a market value of $735.1 billion.

In terms of device mix, total PC shipments accounted for 28.7 percent of the smart connected device market in 2012 while tablets accounted for 11.8 percent and smartphones for 59.5percent.

By 2017, total PCs are expected to drop their share to 13 percent, while tablets and smartphones will contribute 16.5 percent and 70.5 percent respectively to the overall market. The shift in demand from the more expensive PC category to more reasonably priced smartphones and tablets will drive the average selling price (ASP) for the collective market from $462 in 2012 to $323 in 2017, IDC added.

source: interaksyon.com

Phablets overtake tablet and PC shipments in Asia — IDC

MANILA, Philippines — They’re too big to be a phone but too small to be a tablet, but “phablets” are slowly finding a way out of their identity crises as IDC reported a steep climb in phablet shipments for the second quarter of the year, outstripping even traditional performers such as tablets and laptops.

Coined early on by Korean technology firm Samsung, phablets strike the middle ground between smartphones and tablets that have made them ideal mobile devices for people who want to view more of their content without having to lug around a big-screen device.

According to IDC’s quarterly trackers for mobile phones, tablets, and PCs, phablets emerged as one of the most coveted devices for the second quarter of the year, with device vendors shipping a total of 25.2 million phablets during the period — or almost the same number of tablet and laptop shipments combined.

“Samsung was the first to succeed in phablets with the Galaxy Note launched in APEJ in 2011 Q4, capturing 90 percent of the phablet market. Fast forward to 2013 Q2, and Samsung’s Note series counts for less than 50 percent,” says Melissa Chau, Senior Research Manager with IDC Asia/Pacific’s Client Devices team.

IDC further noted that the number of phablet shipments doubled since the first quarter of the year, and jumped by 620 percent for the same quarter in 2012. It is worth noting that manufacturers such as Samsung, Huawei, ZTE, HTC, and LG have simultaneously launched their phablet offerings during the Mobile World Congress in February, and shipping the models in the months after.

Though phablets started out as a trend, IDC noted that these devices measuring anywhere from five to seven inches are slowly going mainstream as manufacturers such as Samsung and Huawei elevate the category to flagship status.

Samsung latest flagship phone — the Galaxy S4 — for instance measures a full five inches, with other manufacturers following suit and pushing the literal boundaries of their phone models to accommodate more screen real-estate.

But it’s not just multinational device makers that are making a killing on phablets, said IDC.

“What’s changed now is the added pick up of phablets in emerging markets like China and India, not just the plethora of big-name vendors competing head-to-head with Samsung, but instead the low-cost local players who have swooped in to offer big screens for less money – averaging a retail price of US$220 versus Samsung’s US$557,” Chau added.

In the Philippine setting, for example, local brands such as Cherry Mobile and MyPhone have made a killing out of big-screen phones such as the Cherry Mobile Blaze 2.0 and the recently launched MyPhone Iceberg, which both retail for just below P12,000 and have already made a killing in the local market.

“Phablets have proven to be more than just a short blip of a fad and will drive the region. Over the long term however, this does not mean that one size fits all. As tablets get more productive, and new categories such as smart watches evolve, IDC expects continued diversity among smart connected devices,” the research firm added.

source: interaksyon.com

US mobile shopping revenues top $10 billion in 2013

WASHINGTON DC - US mobile shoppers spent more than $10 billion in the first half of 2013, in a segment making strong inroads in retailing, a survey showed Tuesday.

The comScore survey showed retail sales from consumers using smartphones or tablets in the first half rose more than 25 percent from the same period a year ago and now account for 9.5 percent of all digital ecommerce sales.

"While mobile devices are already extremely influential in the overall buying process, they are also beginning to drive a meaningful percentage of digital commerce," said comScore chairman Gian Fulgoni.

"One out of every ten consumer e-commerce dollars is now spent using either a smartphone or a tablet, and growth in this segment of the market is outpacing that of traditional e-commerce by a factor of 2x, which itself is growing at rates in the mid-teens."

The report showed "m-commerce" revenues, which are highly seasonal, at $5.9 billion in the first quarter and $4.7 billion in the second quarter. With the largest spending likely in the fourth quarter, sales are on track to top last year's pace of $20 billion.

The report said smartphones accounted for some six percent of e-commerce sales in the first half of 2013 and tablets for 3.5 percent.

The biggest categories for m-commerce were apparel and accessories, computer hardware, and event tickets. Video game, consoles, and accessories showed the highest percentage of digital commerce spending via m-commerce at 23.7 percent, according to comScore.

More than half of US adults own a smartphone, and about one-third have a tablet computer, according to recent surveys.

source: interaksyon.com

Smartphone life shakes up website world

SAN FRANCISCO — Internet giants from Google and Facebook to Yahoo and Zynga are scrambling to adapt to an online world where people reach for smartphones or tablets instead of traditional computers.

Social games pioneer Zynga, which rose to stardom making titles played at Facebook’s website, is cutting nearly a fifth of its staff as part of a move to focus on titles for mobile gadgets.

After taking over as chief executive at Yahoo last year, former Google executive Marissa Mayer laid out a turn-around strategy that made a priority of tailoring offerings to smartphones and tablets.

The dismal performance of Facebook’s freshly-launched stock last year was blamed in large part on fears that it lacked tools to cash in on members who are increasingly accessing the social network from mobile devices.

Google has proved prescient by creating and giving away an Android mobile operating system that showcases its software and services on smartphones and tablets.

Even the Mountain View, California-based technology titan’s seemingly offbeat “big bets” on Internet-linked Glass eyewear and Web-connected self-driving cars are seen by some analysts as shrewd moves to remain anchored in lifestyles.

“The head-mounted display makes the mobile user much more valuable because you can serve ads as they are walking and make them location-based,” independent Silicon Valley analyst Rob Enderle said of Glass.

“With self-driving cars, the dashboard is a huge tablet; if the car is driving and someone is bored, you can serve up whatever you want.”

Companies that staked claims with websites visited by people using desktop or laptop computers risk obsolescence if they don’t adapt to Internet users switching to apps on smartphones or tablets.

Industry data shows that people are moving “aggressively” to apps and away from traditional websites, according to Gartner analyst Van Baker.

“It is important to cater to that mobile user,” Baker told AFP. “That is the driving force in the market right now; the one device a person carries everywhere — the smartphone.”

Not only are the devices preferred by Internet users changing, so is their behavior.

Gartner research shows that people using smartphones access the Internet an average of 20 times a day with sessions lasting about a minute, compared with four times daily for about 35 minutes a pop on traditional computers.

“It is a big challenge, because the behavior associated with a smartphone is dramatically different from a notebook computer,” Baker said.

“Your experience needs to be two clicks deep and be done in a minute,” he continued. “If it takes any longer, they are gone.”

Smartphones in particular have small screens, raising the risk of people being annoyed by advertising.

Mobile devices also allow location, calendar information and other contextual data to be woven into services to win people over with desirable information at just the right moments and places.

“The opportunity to be relevant or helpful is much greater because of the contextual information,” said Forrester analyst Charles Golvin.

“If you interrupt me and adopt the old get-in-your-face approach of many marketers, you are much more likely to sour any potential relationship.”

Internet companies don’t have the luxury of focusing on either mobile devices or traditional computers; they must tailor offerings for both, according to analysts.

“Mobile first is correct, but it is not mobile only,” Golvin said.

“You need to enable your customers to reach you where and when they choose to and on the device that happens to be in their hand at that moment.”

Established Internet companies tend to be well-positioned to adapt to engaging people on mobile devices.

“The fundamentals of delivering your experience digitally are still there at the core whether it is going to a PC or a browser or to a mobile device,” Golvin said, referring to established operations such as Facebook and Yahoo.

“It is less of a disruption than it is a transition.”

However, the ability to bypass running websites makes it easier for startups to blaze into the market with mobile apps.

Zynga faces the added challenge of being in a hits-drive business in a world where loyalty to apps is fleeting.

Most of the people who download a mobile app at launch abandon it within three months, according to Gartner.

“The life of ‘Draw Something’ or ‘Farmville’ can be even more compressed in the mobile world,” Golvin said, referring to Zynga titles.

“A game is a hit, people engage and then the next hit comes along and takes up their time.”

source: interaksyon.com

Portable power packs keep mobile devices juiced at all times

Small enough to fit in any backpack, briefcase, luggage or purse, making it the ideal solution for keeping most smartphones and tablets charged anytime, anywhere, the New Trent portable battery packs — iTorch, Easypak and iCarrier — are perfect mobile accessories for people on the go.


Boasting 5200mAh of power, the iTorch is perfect for a quick charge while on the go. Compatible with both iOS and Android devices, the iTorch ensures users have enough juice to carry them through a full day of talking, texting and browsing the internet. As an additional bonus, the iTorch also features a LED flash light and laser pointer. 







New Trent’s Easypak charger packs a 7000mAh battery in a small, compact design able to charge three devices simultaneously, ideal for the busy professional on the go. The Easypack has one 2.1A USB port alllowing users to charge tablets and portable gaming consoles. It also has one 1A USB port compatible with most smartphones, and a built in micro-USB 1A output cable compatible with many Android devices and Blackberry smartphones.



The iCarrier, New Trent’s most powerful portable battery pack yet, is the ideal solution for extended traveling or overnight outdoor adventures. Featuring an impressive 12000mAh battery and two USB ports (1A and 2.1A), the iCarrier is able to charge most smartphones between 4-6 times depending on the model. Slightly larger than the size of an iPhone and weighing only 10oz., the powerful iCarrier fits easily into any carry-on luggage or hiking backpack to ensure tablets and smartphones are juiced at all times.
The New Trent battery power packs are available at NewTrent.com.

source: interaksyon.com

Google to sell second-gen Nexus 7 tablet from July: sources

TAIPEI — Google Inc will launch a new version of its Nexus 7 tablet powered by Qualcomm Inc’s Snapdragon processor around July, two sources told Reuters, as the software giant pushes deeper into the cut-price mobile hardware market.

Google is aiming to ship as many as eight million of the Asustek-made tablets in the second half of the year, throwing down the gauntlet to other low-end tablets such as Amazon.com Inc’s Kindle Fire and Apple Inc’s iPad mini, the sources with knowledge of the new product said.

This is the first time details about the timing and sales targets for Google’s new tablet have been unveiled, although the company has not publicly released any information.

Google, which gets almost all of its revenue from online advertising, wants the aggressively priced Nexus tablets to be a hit as more Nexus users would mean more exposure for Google’s ads.

The latest version will have a higher screen resolution, a thinner bezel design and adopt Qualcomm’s chip in place of Nvidia Corp’s Tegra 3, which was used in the first Nexus 7s released last year, the sources said, declining to be identified because they are not authorized to speak to the media.

In a blow to Nvidia, Google weighed both U.S. chipmakers’ processors but finally decided on Qualcomm’s for power reasons, one of the sources added.

Qualcomm and Nvidia are competing aggressively in the tablet market as they seek to expand from their traditional strongholds of cellphones and PCs respectively.

A Google spokesman declined to comment on its new tablet. Qualcomm and Nvidia also declined to respond to questions.

Google and other traditionally non-hardware companies like Amazon and Microsoft Corp have begun making inroads into mobile devices as consumers increasingly access the Web on the go.

Google introduced its first tablet last June, hoping to replicate its smartphone success in a hotly contested market now dominated by Kindle Fire and iPad.

The Nexus 7 joined the ranks of smaller, 7-inch tablets popularized by Amazon and Samsung Electronics, among others.

Pricing is yet to be determined and Google’s plans are fluid, the sources said. Market leader Apple is expected to launch new iPads this year as well, possibly forcing its competitors to change their assumptions.

Google may choose to sell the new gadget for $199, the same as the first generation rolled out last June, while the old model may be discounted, one of the sources said. Alternatively, the new tablet could be priced more competitively at $149 and the previous model discontinued, the source added.

The cheapest iPad mini goes for more than $300.

Core strengths

Though pricing has not been finalized, discounting could play to Google’s and Amazon’s strengths by getting cheaper hardware into more consumers’ hands to drive revenue from their core Internet-based businesses.

“This is the ‘zero margin strategy’,” said Fubon Securities analyst Arthur Liao. “Ninety-seven percent of Google’s revenue comes from advertisement, so it needs to sell more mobile devices in order to reach more consumers.”

The Internet search giant, which has never disclosed tablet sales, plans to ship six to eight million of the new Nexus 7s in the second half of this year, the sources said. That compares to an estimated 4.6 million Nexus 7s sold in the same period last year, according to Enders Analysis mobile industry analyst Benedict Evans.

The large volume could help to accelerate development of tablet-specific applications for its Android operating software.

Asustek, a netbook PC pioneer, will continue to co-brand with Google on the new Nexus 7. The Taiwanese company has said it aims to ship over 12 million tablets this year, almost double last year’s shipments.

Asustek could not be reached for comment.

source: interaksyon.com

6 Superb Retro Gaming Accessories for the iPad

There are a megacrapton load of really great retro games available for the iPad, but playing them on the tablet's sophisticated touchscreen can feel a little, well, wrong.

To add an authentic dose of vintage goodness to your iPad game-playing, we've found six superb gaming accessories that will bring some arcade action to your Apple tablet.

source: mashable.com

Fun tablet ideal for children

The FunTab from Ematic is a 7” Android 4.0 tablet for children. It is an intuitive, touchscreen device that teaches your child about various subjects, sparks their creativity, and simply keeps them entertained for hours with access to thousands of popular, parent-approved apps and features.

Designed for comfort, the FunTab sports a durable and rubberized texture for easy gripping. This impressive tablet is the result of a collaboration between Ematic and Zoodles, an award-winning app for kids.

It guarantees a safe online environment, and offers parents peace of mind with total access to the content available for their child, and a parent dashboard to track educational progress.




Preloaded with today’s most popular apps, the FunTab bundles an assortment of fun games such as Angry Birds, Where’s My Water, Cut the Rope, Fruit Ninja and more.

Child-specific features include Art Studio which is a creative platform that allows your child to trigger their inner artist. Parents can view the child’s art in the program gallery, and use gold stars to mark their favorite designs.

Also, Video Mail is a unique, interactive way for children to keep in touch with their family and classmates from Zoodles.com. Users can record short video messages with the FunTab’s front camera.

By joining forces with Zoodles, parents have the ability to monitor the online content their child is exposed to, and even customize lists of “safe” websites. Adults can access Zoodles.com from any computer to track their child’s activities, and read detailed reports showcasing educational progress, artwork, video messages and more.

Specifications:

• Android 4.0 Operating System
• 7” 800×480 capacitive multi-touch screen
• 1.2 GHz Processor with 400MHz GPU
• 512MB RAM
• MicroSD card slot adds an extra 32GB of storage
• Built-in 3-axis gyroscope for advanced motion sensing
• Ematic Kids App Mall
• Front and back cameras
• Battery allows 5 hours of continuous playtime
• The FunTab is available in blue/green and pink/purple

source: interaksyon.com

Lenovo bends over backwards in bid to claim top PC spot with ‘Yoga’

MANILA, Philippines — Lenovo is proving to be a strong contender willing to do everything to gain the coveted top spot in the PC market as it headlines its efforts with the local release of the IdeaPad Yoga, a 13-inch ultrabook that bends over backwards – literally — to become a tablet.

Lenovo Philippines Country Manager Vicky Agorrilla said the IdeaPad Yoga will be the company’s ticket to finally and officially claiming the number one spot in global PC sales, stealing the throne from erstwhile market leader Hewlett-Packard.

“Our claim to being number one is marked by 12 consecutive quarters of growth in an industry that has, for the last quarter, fallen by about 8 percent,” Agorrilla told the local technology press during the launch of the IdeaPad Yoga in the Philippines.

In October, research firm Gartner already declared China’s Lenovo as the number one vendor of PCs in the world with 15.7 percent market share from shipping an estimated 13.77 million units globally during the third quarter of the year, beating, HP’s 15.5 percent share.

Rival research house IDC has yet to award the top spot to Lenovo, but in the same quarter noted that the company is just 0.2 percentage points away from the US’s HP.

Agorrilla admitted that the overall PC industry outlook has been quite dim in the past year, overshadowed by newer devices such as smartphones and tablets as exasperated consumers quit holding off for the coming of Windows 8.

“We all know there’s a temporary slowdown in the market, but we also know that the PC is revolutionizing, and it is turning into many different things,” she said.




Chief of these transformations is the introduction of “transformable” PCs, or notebooks that can be used both as a PC and a tablet, thanks to the update to Microsoft’s operating system that allows for better touch input during usage.

In this front, Lenovo is pitting the 13-incher IdeaPad Yoga against similarly positioned notebooks by other vendors, including the XPS 12 from Dell and the Taichi from Asus, as it jockeys for the top PC crown.

Unique about the IdeaPad Yoga is its “revolutionary hinge,” which allows the display to move up to 360 degrees, turning the whole unit into a handy tablet computer.

Powered by Intel’s Core i5 processor, the IdeaPad Yoga runs the latest version of Windows 8 in a slim 16.9-millimeter frame and a battery life that lasts for as much as eight hours.

“With the launch of Windows 8 and Intel’s ultrabook technology, now is the right time for the convertible form factor to take off,” Agorrilla said. “Our convertibles are the perfect ‘do’ machines that users can seamlessly integrate into every aspect of their lifestyle.”

The IdeaPad Yoga will be available locally by the end of December and will retail for P60,995 in stores, while a high-end version running Intel’s Core i7 chip is due for release next year.

source: interaksyon.com

Mobile Internet forcing computers to evolve

SAN FRANCISCO — The shift to smartphones and tablets became a landslide this year, crushing desire for laptop computers and pressuring manufacturers to adapt to the mobile Internet era.

The trend promised to gain momentum in 2013, with people using handheld gadgets to remain connected to the Web on the go and switching to sophisticated systems in homes or offices.

“Tablets will not kill PCs (personal computers),” Forrester Research analyst Frank Gillett told AFP. “Tablets will force them to evolve.”

Signs that the evolution is underway include Microsoft overhauling Windows to synch the world’s most widely used computer operating system with tablets and smartphones as well as desktops and laptops.

Microsoft is even selling its own Surface tablet based on the Windows 8 software released in October.

“I don’t think the PC is going away,” said analyst Rob Enderle of Enderle Group in Silicon Valley.

“What is clear is we are going through some turmoil; the market is resetting itself around new products.”

While people opt for tablets instead of laptops for computing on the move, they will yearn for bigger screens and more processing power when they settle down for “real work,” according to analysts.

“Your tablet can do so much that fewer people need laptops, but when you get to your desktop you want something that contrasts significantly from your tablet,” Gillett said.

“I think we will ultimately see the reinvention of PCs.”

Gillett described a future in which people go seamlessly from working on mobile devices to desktop stations where tablets can be docked and augmented with sensors, processors, bigger screens and more.

He refers to the concept as “frames” for computing.

The analyst contends that the limping economy is among factors behind a temporary lull in PC purchases destined to end as people “go through this illusion they will do it all on a tablet and realize they can’t.”

“Tablets will substitute for some, even many, laptops but because a tablet can’t do as much as a laptop it will eventually stimulate PC sales,” Gillett reasoned.

“What ultimately happens here is that the laptop and desktop get rethought and re-invented for a tablet world.”

The market for tablets and smartphones is red-hot, leaving the PC as an afterthought for many. Microsoft, which was the biggest tech firm in 2009 because of its dominant Windows operating system for PCs, has fallen behind Apple and is struggling to remain a major force amid gains by Google and Amazon.

Onetime giants like Hewlett-Packard and Dell are struggling amid sluggish demand as sales of tablet computers and other devices surge.

However, Enderle pointed out, China-based Lenovo is thriving by selling the gamut of computing devices.

“Lenovo is showing success in all categories, supporting the notion that while the market has more products it is all still personal computing,” Enderle said.

“Before we were buying a laptop or desktop computer,” he continued. “Now, we are increasingly carrying many products.”

Research firm IDC projects global PC sales this year of 367 million, up just a fraction of a percent from 2011 and marking the second consecutive year of growth below two percent. ABI Research predicts tablet computers will overtake notebook PCs by 2016.

Roger Kay of Endpoint Technologies Associates said that the PC “still is pretty relevant” but “not the center of the computing universe.”

“I think people are going to choose a pantheon of devices, and all of these are connected through the cloud… so the user is now the center of the tech universe.”

More than 32 million tablets were shipped worldwide in the third quarter of 2012, a 75 percent increase from the same period a year earlier, according to Futuresource Consulting.

Futuresource projected that global tablet shipments this year would hit 137 million units and nearly triple during the coming five years.

“We’re seeing significant industry growth across all key world territories, with the majority of tablet market activity still originating from consumer purchases,” said Simon Bryant of Futuresource.

Part of the success of tablets was attributed to the average price dropping below $400, due in large part to competition between device makers using free Android operating software from Google.

“Tablets continue to captivate consumers,” said Tom Mainelli, research director for tablets at IDC.

source: interaksyon.com

Samsung to ship 19 million Windows 8 computers this year: executive

NEW DELHI — Samsung Electronics Co Ltd will ship 19 million laptop computers and tablets operating on Microsoft Corp’s new Windows 8 operating system this year, said Jin Park, vice president of the IT solutions business at Samsung.

Microsoft, the world’s largest software company, launched its new-look, touch-friendly Windows 8 earlier this year to grip customers’ imagination, as it looks to regain ground lost to Apple Inc and Google Inc in mobile computing and shake up the moribund PC market.

source: interaksyon.com

iPad Mini production may hit 4M per month – DigiTimes

Apple Inc. may be manufacturing up to four million units of a seven-inch version of its iPad tablet starting September, a Taiwan-based tech site reported.

DigiTimes cited sources in the supply chain who said the supply volume for the 7.85-inch iPad is in preparation for the holiday buying season.

"The sources pointed out that the supply chain already started supplying a small volume of 7.85-inch iPad in June with a monthly volume at around several hundreds of thousand," it said.

Apple has been rumored to be making the smaller iPads to compete with smaller and cheaper tablets like the Kindle Fire.

DigiTimes noted rumors in the IT market showing Apple will launch its 7.85-inch iPad in October with a thinner screen frame.

This will allow the new iPad to have a bigger display area than other competing products.

Also, the mini iPad is expected to have a resolution similar to that of the iPad 2.

DigiTimes also said the device is being priced at $299, way above the $199 of Amazon and Google's 7-inch tablet PCs, but added its sources expect the smaller iPad to "create a strong impact on the two devices." — TJD, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

Amazon takes on Apple with larger, cheaper Kindle Fires

SANTA MONICA, California — Amazon.com Inc unveiled larger Kindle Fire tablets on Thursday, challenging Apple Inc’s dominant iPad with lower prices and a trove of digital content that Amazon hopes will win it a bigger share of the booming tablet market.

The world’s largest Internet retailer lifted the lid on devices with price tags ranging from $159 to $599. The new tablets come with ads known as “special offers” that appear when screens are locked and in the corner of the home screen, helping Amazon keep prices low.

Last year, Amazon debuted a 7-inch tablet at roughly half the price of the $499 iPad. In just 10 months, it became the No. 2 tablet in the United States, after the iPad.

Amazon’s expanding lineup also intensifies a battle with Google Inc and Microsoft Corp, who this year entered their own competitors in the booming tablet arena.

The latest aggressive pricing move, and Amazon’s variety of gadgets, furthers its goal of getting Kindle tablets into the hands of as many buyers of its online content — from games and books to video — as possible.

Apple, by contrast, makes much of its profit from hardware sales. It sells a single-sized iPad often touted as best-in-breed, at costs ranging from $399 to $829, depending on storage capacity, screen resolution and wireless connectivity.

Amazon, which began as an Internet bookstore, will begin shipping on November 20 an 8.9-inch version with a high-definition screen, that works off either Wi-Fi or fourth-generation wireless broadband, known as 4G. The costliest version, at $599 for 64 gigabytes of storage, undercuts the top-of-the-line $829 iPad.

“Their first Kindle Fire tablet was a device that said ‘See, we can tie all this together,” but it wasn’t a strong enough device,” said Forrester Research analyst James McQuivey.

“Now they’ve really come ready to show that their device line-up is going to be as good as their service line-up. They’re tying those two things together, and at a price that is very, very hard to compete with. It’s going to push everybody’s else’s price buttons — including Apple’s.”

The premium Kindle Fire HD has a 1920-by-1200 resolution screen, lagging Apple’s so-called “retina” display. At 8.9 inches, it is also slightly smaller than the iPad’s screen.

At the other end of the spectrum, the cheapest 7-inch WiFi-only Fire goes for $159. Apple’s lowest iPad price tag is $499.

“Amazon is able to sell these products at or close to cost, while Apple has 40 to 50 percent gross profit margins and has always been very cautious with their product margins,” said Scott Tilghman, an analyst at Caris & Company.

“As Amazon is able to upgrade their products and have competitive hardware it may become more worrisome for Apple,” he added.

Shares in Amazon closed on Nasdaq up 2.1 percent at $251.38, after hitting an all-time high of $252.70 during the session.

Global combat

Amazon competes with Apple, Google Inc and other technology companies in the booming market for mobile devices, fast becoming the preferred tools for consumers to access media over the Internet.

Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 5 next week, and Microsoft and Nokia launched their powerful Windows phone on Wednesday. Some analysts also expect Apple to launch a smaller iPad Mini tablet this year to compete with the 7-inch Kindle Fire.

Amazon Chief Executive Jeff Bezos, taking the stage in Santa Monica, California, said the company wants to make money when people use its devices, not when they initially buy them.

While Bezos did not mention Apple by name during his presentation, the company compared its new tablets to the iPad several times in its press release describing the devices.

Amazon also showed a comparison of the Kindle Fire HD 32GB 4G tablet versus the iPad 3 wireless device on a big screen at the Santa Monica event. The purchase price, plus the data plan, came to a one-year cost of $549 for the Amazon tablet and $959 for the iPad.

Bezos also described the Kindle as a service, with hardware critical to its digital content business.

Amazon touted a $50 annual fee on 250 megabytes of data via AT&T Inc as the world’s most-affordable tablet-wireless plan. While that would suffice for very light usage — a user would not be able to download an entire movie — heavier consumers would have to pay for more data.

Amazon said users will be able to upgrade to more expensive 3- and 5-gigabyte data plans directly from AT&T via the devices.

The new Kindle Fire HD tablets come with a front-facing camera, paired with a customized, pre-installed application from Skype that allows users to video chat for free, Amazon said.

The company also unveiled several new services to support the tablets, such as X-Ray for movies and Kindle FreeTime.

X-Ray allows users to look up information on actors in scenes without leaving the flick.

FreeTime is a new parental control system that lets parents set limits on how their kids use the tablets. For instance, a 30-minute limit can be put on games, while read time is unlimited.

New e-readers

Amazon also showed off its new family of “paperwhite” e-readers, with sharper screens and longer battery life. Like the Kindle Fire, they too will hit store shelves in time for the crucial holiday season.

The 3G wireless version that made digital readers mainstream will sell for $179 starting in October, in time for the crucial holiday season. A Wi-Fi-only version will go for $119, and the cheapest will carry a $69 price tag — undercutting the cheapest Barnes and Noble Nook.

source: interaksyon.com