Smartphone Wars 2012: Who will survive?

by THE GUARDIAN

04:45 AM Jan 26, 2012

LONDON - Smartphones are becoming pervasive: Ninety per cent of Singaporeans have phones that can browse the Internet and run apps, and nearly half of American mobile users do too.

Yet smartphone brands can rise and fall in the commercial blink of an eye. Five years ago, Apple had not sold a single smartphone, and Microsoft and BlackBerry-maker Research in Motion doubted that the iPhone could work. Finland's Nokia dominated the (tiny) market with its Symbian platform. Barely anyone outside Google had ever heard of "Android", a company started by ex-Apple employee Andy Rubin and bought in 2005 by Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, who made the deal without telling then-chief executive Eric Schmidt.

All that has changed. The iPhone, launched in 2007, has redefined smartphone design and interaction; Microsoft and Nokia have pensioned off the mobile software they then used (Windows Mobile and Symbian) to form an alliance of Nokia's hardware and Microsoft's software as they struggle for market share. RIM has seen profits peak and decline - leading it this week to boot out its two hapless co-chief executives and founders, Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie.

Android, meanwhile, drives all before it, operating more than 50 per cent of smartphones sold today.

Mr Horace Dediu, an ex-Nokia analyst who follows the smartphone market, has a theory that any smartphone company that falls into loss, even once, can never recover. As evidence he cites a long list: Alcatel, Siemens, BenQ, Ericsson, Sony, Motorola, Casio, NEC, Hitachi, Fujitsu, Toshiba, Palm and Handspring, none of which has recovered its former position (and some of which do not exist any more).

"Profitability is the canary in the coalmine," he warns. "A loss-maker is seen as a maker of damaged goods."

Since he wrote that last June, Nokia has joined the list - and questions linger over whether glory days lie ahead or behind.

So how can one handicap the runners and riders? Here's your guide to the phone in your pocket, and what may happen to it.

APPLE

BEST BRAINWAVE: Making the iPhone a completely touchscreen-based device, with a really good Web browser, that could also run apps. Despite being relatively expensive, the iPhone has attracted a growing market in the US and China. European buyers tend to prefer less expensive Android phones.

WORST DECISION: According to financial analyst Richard Windsor of Nomura Securities, Apple should have released two phones last year: A new high-end one, and a new mid-range one. With that, he thinks, it would have cleaned up. Instead Android took over.

BIGGEST STRENGTH: Internally, its focus on design and quality, allied to a huge cash pile for hiring factories and marketing; externally, continually loyal buyers.

BIGGEST WEAKNESS: All the eggs are in the iPhone basket, where there's only a single new model per year (so far). That hasn't served it badly - it makes more profit than any other smartphone maker - but if a new design misses, it could be left hanging

WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD? Either huge success in China, or a gradual erosion of its world share as people defect to Android (and perhaps Windows Phone) devices.

RISING OR FALLING? Finely poised. Stunning Q4 sales, but now has to keep that momentum going into global economic headwinds, while Android phones keep getting cheaper.



GOOGLE

BEST BRAINWAVE: Making Android free for mobile handset makers, and tying Google services into it - a far simpler model than Microsoft's "pay per handset" version.

WORST DECISION: Putting Android into the market without getting adequate patent cover. Google is buying Motorola for US$12.5 billion (S$15.8 billion) solely for its mobile patents, just to ward rivals off.

BIGGEST STRENGTH: The number of handset companies using Android, which point back to Google search and YouTube, from which it makes its money.

BIGGEST WEAKNESS: Lack of patent cover; unclear path to actually make money from Android. So far it's mostly been expense.

WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD? Further growth, especially in China - though handset makers there aren't using "official" Android, so Google doesn't benefit.

RISING OR FALLING? Still rising.



MICROSOFT

BEST BRAINWAVE: Tearing up Windows Mobile in favour of Windows Phone in 2008. Windows Mobile was a 20th-century product.

WORST DECISION: Thinking that touchscreen interaction would not be the important way of interacting with smartphones.

BIGGEST STRENGTH: The skills of its engineers, and its huge cash pile for marketing.

BIGGEST WEAKNESS: Tarnished brand in smartphones due to Windows Mobile, and some people's dislike of using Windows on PCs.

WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD? Nokia is a strong partner, and Microsoft is a very determined company: Expect more business sales in the coming couple of years, and more consumer promotions such as free Xboxes with handsets

RISING OR FALLING? Rising - because it can't fall any lower than it has.



SAMSUNG

BEST BRAINWAVE: Deciding to focus on Android rather than its own Bada mobile OS.

WORST DECISION: Getting too close to Apple's designs for its phones and tablets. It has a huge design department that produces innovative designs in other fields; in phones, it seems content to mimic Apple's.

BIGGEST STRENGTH: Vertical integration - it's the world's largest semiconductor maker, and makes the screens used in mobile phones, so it can get every part first, and cheaply.

BIGGEST WEAKNESS: Brand name isn't as strong in the West as it is in Korea, so it can't rely on buyers in the way that Apple can.

WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD? Samsung now sells about half of all "official" Android phones. In theory, it should be telling Google how to run it, and even dictating terms. But it's probably content with the profits.

RISING OR FALLING? Rising.



RIM

BEST BRAINWAVE: Devising both encrypted email and free device-to-device communications (BlackBerry Messenger) in the past decade.

WORST DECISION: Aping Apple's iPad with the PlayBook and ordering two million of them. After a year, has shipped about half of them, had to write off US$485 million in the unsold ones, and spent US$1 billion promoting them.

BIGGEST STRENGTH: Commercial customers who rely on BBM and encrypted email; teenagers who love the free BBM service.

BIGGEST WEAKNESS: Cracks have shown up in the system that keeps BBM and email running: Last October there was a days-long outage which hurt business.

WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD? Unless new CEO Thorsten Heins creates a radical shakeup, a decline into invisibility or purchase by someone looking for a new corporate customer base - Microsoft maybe?

RISING OR FALLING? Falling, and with no bottom in sight.



NOKIA

BEST BRAINWAVE: Sacking CEO Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo in September 2010 and replacing him with Mr Stephen Elop.

WORST DECISION: Ignoring the iPhone and its touchscreen capabilities: Executives were convinced Symbian could do it better.

BIGGEST STRENGTH: Enormous flexibility and agility in manufacturing: First Windows Phones were developed in less than a year. Most handset makers would struggle with twice that time. "Survival is in our DNA," one of its press officers once said.

BIGGEST WEAKNESS: Perception that it is "yesterday's brand", having defined the mobile phone business in the 20th century and dominated it from 2000 to 2009.

WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD? Has tied itself to Microsoft for the smartphone business, so will fly or flop together. As it's Nokia, a flop is unlikely. But there's a lot of competition from Chinese low-cost handset companies making cheap Android phones.

RISING OR FALLING? Rising, after bumping along for a couple of quarters. But its finances may still be rocky for a while to come.

Source:  www.todayonline.com/TechandDigital/Digital/EDC120126-0000012/Smartphone-Wars-2012--Who-will-survive?

Read more...

iPhone 5 will have bigger screen

Next-gen iPhone 'out in summer'

 

iPhone 5 will have bigger screen, says Foxconn source

09:05 AM Jan 26, 2012

 

SAN FRANCISCO - The next iPhone will be released sometime in the summer, and will come equipped with a bigger 4-inch screen, but will not closely resemble the iPhone 4 or 4S, according to sources who claim to have seen samples of Apple's next-generation smartphone.

The 9 to 5 Mac blog reported yesterday that an unnamed employee at Foxconn - the Taiwanese manufacturer of the iPhone - has said that there are "various sample devices" for the next iteration, informally dubbed the iPhone 5, already floating around.

Mr Seth Weintraub, a writer on the blog, said that, given Apple's normal habits, and a typical five-month lead time to put a prototype into production, that puts a new iPhone launch on track for a summer release.

Apple traditionally timed its annual launch of new versions of the iPhone for the summer, but bucked the trend last year with an October release of the iPhone 4S.

The Foxconn source said the sample devices, all of which vary slightly, have some things in common: 4-inch displays, larger than the current 3.5-inch screen; none have the familiar iPhone 4/4S form factor; and none are "teardrop-shaped", like the Macbook Air. Instead, all of the samples are "symmetrical", and possibly longer and wider than the current iPhone.

The source had previously correctly predicted that last year would not see an iPhone 5 launch, but rather the launch of the tweaked iPhone 4S.

Apple sold 37.04 million iPhones in the last quarter of 2011, and has sold 183 million iPhones since the product went on sale in 2007. AGENCIES

Source:  www.todayonline.com/TechandDigital/EDC120126-0000095/Next-gen-iPhone-out-in-summer

Read more...

Review: Fuji Xerox DocuPrint CM205 fw

I print from my iPhone

 

Send images from iOS device direct to printer, thanks to the Fuji Xerox DocuPrint CM205 fw - if you can get it installed ...

by Edric Sng

04:45 AM Jan 25, 2012

 

The Fuji Xerox DocuPrint CM205 fw.

 

 

HAVE you ever wished you could print a website you were browsing on your iPhone or iPad? With the Fuji Xerox DocuPrint CM205 fw, now you can.

This is a 4-in-1 multifunction device that includes colour printing, scanning, photocopying and fax functions, all in a 410x389x337.5mm body. No, the printer is not the smallest around, but it's compact enough given its features and quality.

Hooking up the printer to a computer via USB is straightforward - no different from installing any other printer - but I found installing the printer for wireless use a hassle. You need to first connect the printer to a PC or laptop via USB to set up wireless printing. For users who bought a wireless printer just so their computers aren't tethered to the printer, this just doesn't make sense.

That's not all. Setting up your wireless network on the printer requires you to manually key in your wireless network's information during installation as the machine is unable to automatically detect available networks. Users also have to recall the type of encryption their network uses, which can overwhelm the less informed user.

Post-installation, I ended up with four new printers to select from, all with similar names, and only two of the four options allowed me to print wirelessly.

Installation aside, I found using the DocuPrint CM205 fw simple enough. Text was rendered crisp and clear, and colour prints came out impressively vibrant and detailed thanks to the printers' 1200x2400 dpi print resolution and Fuji Xerox's S-LED Printing technology. Scans and photocopies are also quick and detailed. For your office purposes you can't go wrong with the DocuPrint CM205 fw, but for its size the lack of auto-duplexing seems peculiar.

The Fuji Xerox DocuPrint CM205 fw also has an app for iOS, the Fuji Xerox Print & Scan Utility (Small Office). Available for free on iTunes, this app allows you to use your iOS devices to print from the DocuPrint CM295 fw as long as they are both on the same wireless network.

Sending photos from my iPhone 4s to the printer took slightly more than 80 seconds, and print quality was the same as normal printing, but you only have a few output sizes to choose from. You can also print contacts from your contact list, which comes out in a pre-formatted table. Webpages can be printed too, but you need to manually enter the URL of the website into the app.

Strangely, there is no way to print email attachments like word documents or PDF files.

With the app, you can also scan images to be sent directly to your phone. No more scanning an image to your computer to email to yourself! The data transfer here is almost instantaneous and the scans are detailed, going up to 300dpi.

On paper, the DocuPrint CM295 fw sounds like a great idea, especially with the great print and scan quality. However, the quirks during installation and the inability to print anything other than photos, contacts and webpages limit the uses for the printer.

The Fuji Xerox DocuPrint CM295 fw is available at major retailers for S$649. Edric Sng

Source: www.todayonline.com/TechandDigital/EDC120125-0000009/I-print-from-my-iPhone

Read more...

There's a kind of hush

Noise-cancelling headphones can be a lifesaver for frequent flyers. Here are 8 things to check out when choosing a set

04:45 AM Jan 25, 2012

Sony MDR-NC500DM3

IN THE olden days, you didn't need much to enjoy air travel: A pair of goggles, a trusty biplane and a song in your heart. These days, the equipment list is slightly longer: A roll-on bag, a neck pillow, an eye mask, a fold-out laptop case and a belt with a plastic buckle.

And noise-cancelling headphones.

Regular headphones deliver music directly to your ears. Noise-cancelling models also reduce any dull, consistent roar around you, like aircraft engines, vacuum cleaners and campaign speeches.

Okay, that last one was a joke. Noise-cancelling (NC) headphones don't actually reduce irregular noises like speech and crying babies in the row behind you. Even so, cutting down aircraft roar is supposed to cut down on "noise fatigue", an edgy tiredness that comes from hours-long exposure to loud noise. They also let you listen to music or videos on the train or plane at a much lower (and safer) volume.

For years, Bose has ruled the NC headphones roost. They're incredibly good, but incredibly expensive; the latest model, the QuietComfort 15, costs US$300 (S$380; all retail prices listed are for the US market). They've now been on the market for more than two years; surely, in that time, somebody must have introduced some less-expensive or better-featured rivals.

To test that theory, I rounded up the latest models from 10 companies. In alphabetical order: Able Planet NC1100B (US$250), AKG K495 NC from Harman (US$350), Audio Technica ATH-ANC7B (US$125), Bose QuietComfort 15 (US$300), Creative HN-900 (US$100), JVC HANC250 (US$103), Monster Beats by Dr Dre (US$300), Panasonic RP-HC720 (US$90), Sennheiser PXC 310 (US$300), Sony MDR-NC200D (US$200) and Sony MDR-NC500DM3 (US$400).

I managed to stuff all of them, including their black carrying cases, into a bulging canvas tote bag. I tried them out on four trans-American flights, constantly swapping pairs, testing each for its NC ability and music fidelity (and utterly baffling those seated beside me).

I discovered that when you're shopping for NC headphones, only eight things matter.



1. NOISE CANCELLING

They all work the same way: An external microphone samples the ambient sound, and then pumps out the opposite sound waves, thereby cancelling out some of that external roar.

But there's an enormous range of NC effectiveness. For example, the Monster Beats may be the coolest-looking headphones on the market, but you'd get better noise cancelling by stuffing Kleenex in your ears. There's practically no difference at all between On and Off.

The Audio-Technica, Creative, Able Planet and JVC headphones do best at cancelling low or medium frequencies, but they leave plenty of roar. The Panasonic, Sony and AKG models do better. (The Panasonic's well-designed seal starts blocking sound even before you turn on the NC switch.)

But not one comes close to the Bose. Putting these things on makes the world go away. It's the difference between being at a rock concert and being a couple of miles away from the stadium.

(On my ears, the 15s create a weird, slightly uncomfortable pressure, as you sometimes feel in a descending aircraft. But the customer reviews online suggest that I'm a tiny minority.)



2. BATTERY

NC headphones require power. Some have built-in rechargeable batteries, including the Sennheiser 310 (20 hours) and AKG (10 hours).

Others require AA or AAA batteries: The Audio Technica (40 hours), Panasonic (34 hours), Bose (35 hours), Creative (40 hours), Sony MDR-NC200D (22 hours), Able Planet (50 hours), JVC (50 hours) and Monster Beats (12 hours)

One pair - the Sony NC500DM3 - has both: A rechargeable battery (16 hours) and a compartment on the cord for AA batteries (12 hours more), just in case.



3. PLAYBACK WHILE OFF

Most of these headphones can pass along music even when they're not powered on; that is, you use up battery power only when you need noise cancellation. Some, though, are utterly silent when they're switched off, which is an unhappy surprise. These laggards include the Bose, the Beats and the Sony NC500DM3.



4. ON-EAR, OVER-EAR

There are two kinds of NC headphones: Those with big cups that rest on your head, enclosing your entire ear, and those with smaller cups that rest on your ears themselves.

(Lots of people also swear by the in-ear types - not headphones at all, but something like custom-fitted earbuds that plug your ear opening completely, although I find those uncomfortable for long flights. Then again, some people also swear by plain foam earplugs from the drugstore. They're not much good for music playback, but for less than a dollar, they do a great job at noise cancellation, and you can't beat the battery life.)

The beauty of on-ear headphones, like the Sony NC200D, AKG and JVC models, is that they're tiny. They pack down small and don't bulk up your carry-on. But after a few hours, they can give you sore ear cartilage, which is such a weird ailment you're almost embarrassed to mention it.

The over-ear models don't have that problem, but of course they're huge and come in even huger carrying cases.

The brilliant exceptions are those Beats headphones. Even though they're over-ear, their cups fold back 180 degrees into the headband. (Imagine your hand folding completely flat against the inside of your wrist, and you'll have the idea.) The result: Full-size cups in a much smaller carrying case.



5. MONITOR BUTTON

When you're in flight, sometimes your ears are required for other duties, like answering questions from flight attendants or seatmates. Most headphone wearers address these situations by simply removing the headphones.

The Sony and Beats headphones, though, offer a Monitor button that simultaneously mutes your music and patches the outside world through to the inside. You can hear what people are saying without having to remove the headphones.



6. MUSIC FIDELITY

Cutting out unwanted sound is one goal; doing a great job of delivering the sound you do want is the other.

Now, you won't get audiophile sound quality from US$200 or US$300 headphones. But the Bose, AKG, JVC and Sony models delivered good power, solid and distinct bass, clear midtones and crisp highs. The Beats, as you'd guess from their rapper heritage, specialise in thuddy bass. The Sennheisers sound great, but don't offer much power; subtle classical-music passages disappear completely on the plane.

The sound from the Audio Technica and Able Planets is nothing to write home about. The Creative sound is clear and balanced, but soft passages are lost in flight. The Panasonic set doesn't have much power, but its noise cancelling is so good, you can listen at a lower volume and still hear everything.



7. SPECIAL FEATURES

The Bose and Beats have a microphone on the cord, so you leave them on for smartphone calls. The Able Planets have a volume control on the cord.

The Sennheiser is the only Bluetooth model here, meaning that you don't need a cord at all to listen to the music on your phone. The experience can be wireless.



8. PRICE

In general, there's never been a better illustration of the rule that you get what you pay for. The costly AKG K495 (US$350), for example, is the Lexus of headphones: Gorgeous brushed-metal design, luxury materials, tangle-free cloth-covered cord, extremely comfy. They sound great and completely eliminate low- and mid-aircraft noise.

Even they can't touch the Bose (US$300) for noise cancellation, though. Bose's technology is still a couple of years ahead of the competition.

The compact, on-ear Sony MDR-NC200D (US$200) also stands out for excellent noise cancelling and resonant, clear sound. Among over-ear models, the Panasonic RP-HC720 is a steal: US$90 for noise cancellation and sound quality that ought to cost US$250.



Good NC headphones make a huge difference in the stress of flying. Now, with fares already high, it may seem crazy to suggest spending another few hundred on accessories like these. But your alternative may be even worse: Someday paying for massage therapists, hearing aids and nerve therapy. THE NEW YORK TIMES

Source:  www.todayonline.com/TechandDigital/EDC120125-0000008/Theres-a-kind-of-hush

Read more...

Nakamichi's My Mini Plus

Cubic volume

 

by Ryhan Bte Mohd Yazid

04:45 AM Jan 25, 2012

 

 

FINDING a small set of speakers is easy enough. Finding a small set of speakers which sounds like a big set of speakers is the challenge.

It was a bit of a surprise to find Nakamichi's My Mini Plus on my desk. Given the Japanese brand's reputation for high-quality, well-built products, with an emphasis on home theatre and car audio, a metallic 5cm cube weighing just 139g wasn't what we were expecting.

The possibility of bringing home a Nakamichi product for a shade under S$70 seems almost too good to be true - My Mini Plus, which comes in eight colours, retails for S$69.90 at Technobay, on the third level of CK Tang - so we were keen to put it through the paces to see if it lived up to that famous marque's high standards.

It's portable for sure, but for a wee little thing, it sure can carry a tune. Like Snooki, it's small and loud. Very loud. We threw the speakers in a conference room, closed the door behind us, turned the volume up to the maximum, and were nearly deafened. Across the newsroom, we got weird stares from folks wondering who brought the disco to work. Proof that you don't need volume to produce volume; the My Mini Plus is perfect for house parties.

(As long as your party doesn't go on all night - when fully charged, the speakers can play music for up to five hours straight.)

So how do you get the boom into the box? Three ways: Via a MircoSD card slot, a USB line-in cable to your PC or laptop, or, if you like your parties interrupted by on-air deejays, using its built-in radio.

A minor complaint about that last option - the line-in cable doubles as a radio antenna, but we wish the antenna had been built into the Nakamichi's housing, much like the metal strip around the iPhone 4. But it seems pretty harsh to fault a S$70 gizmo for that. By the way, you'll also need that cable to charge your speakers, sucking power off your PC or laptop's USB jack.

My Mini Plus, in eight words: Small cube, big noise, nice price, why not? Ryhan Bte Mohd Yazid

Source:  www.todayonline.com/TechandDigital/EDC120125-0000001/Cubic-volume

Read more...

There is life in digital cameras yet ...

While more opt to use smartphones as cameras, there's still a market for dedicated imaging devices

04:45 AM Jan 25, 2012

 

LONDON - Smartphones are tempting more people away from cameras but digital compacts still have a few tricks that phones cannot match.

Kodak filed for bankruptcy protection in the United States last week, in what seems like a symbolic moment for the photography industry. Though Kodak is credited with building the first digital camera, in 1975, it never really capitalised on the digital revolution. Meanwhile, the cameramakers are facing another threat, this time from smartphones.

Sales of point-and-shoot cameras fell by 30 per cent in value last year as people opted instead to use the camera on their phone. "We see the decline coming into the bottom end of the market," said Ms Zhelya Dancheva, senior account manager for photography at GfK Retail and Technology. "The threat from smartphones seems real and people do take more pictures than they have ever done."

When Apple launched the iPhone 4S last autumn, the company emphasised the improvements to the camera. It has an 8-megapixel camera compared to the 5-megapixel version in the iPhone 4 and Apple has made considerable improvements in its lenses and photo software.

The Samsung Galaxy S II and the Nokia Lumia 800 offer 8-megapixel cameras too, while the flagship BlackBerry handset - the Torch 9860 - offers 5-megapixels. The iPhone 4S and the Galaxy S II both shoot full 1080p HD video, while the Lumia and the Torch offer 720p.

Having decent cameras on hand is increasing people's appetite for photography. They are not rejecting digital cameras, just low-end digital cameras.

Ms Dancheva adds: "The fact that people are exposed to more pictures is making them want better quality cameras."

While digital SLRs offer photo quality that is better than that of a smartphone or a digital compact, they also come at a price. At around S$1,000 for an entry-level digital SLR, these are products for serious photographers, not casual snappers.

However, quality compact digital cameras still offer plenty of features to set them apart from even the best smartphone camera. Digital cameras that offer more than 10-megapixels are still seeing sales growth and some of the top digital compacts offer as many as 16-megapixels.

Though counting megapixels is not a perfect way to measure image quality, these cameras will provide more flexibility if you plan on printing images out. Smartphone images are more likely to end up in a Facebook album than in a frame.

In video too, digital compacts can outperform smartphones. The iPhone 4S shoots highly impressive full-HD videos at 30 frames-per-second, but there are digital compacts that will shoot HD videos at 50 or 60 frames-per-second. That means sharper-looking, clearer videos.

A good digital compact will perform better in low light than a smartphone, which means you will notice the difference if you regularly take pictures. They also tend to offer better zoom and wider angle pictures too, which makes them more versatile than the average smartphone camera.

Mr Richard Trestain, of Canon Europe, says: "We welcome any devices that make people more passionate about photography. Smartphones are helping to do this, but good quality compacts do offer added benefits that contribute to higher levels of image quality. For example, our compact range features the HS System for enhanced performance in low light, and Canon lens technology, which has been developed over decades to offer the highest levels of accuracy."

The manufacturers are constantly adding new features in the race to stay ahead of smartphones. Most quality cameras will now have facial recognition, for example, which means better group shots. Some cameras are even offering "smile" recognition. The next must-have feature could well be Wi-Fi, allowing you to upload directly from your camera to a social network site such as Facebook. This is an area where smartphones lead. However, Ms Dancheva says Wi-Fi enabled cameras "have not had a huge impact on the market".

Despite the benefits that compact digital cameras can offer over smartphones, the handset makers are catching up every year. The challenge for manufacturers is to convince consumers that the extra features they offer make it worth buying - and carrying - an additional gadget. The Daily Telegraph

Source: www.todayonline.com/TechandDigital/Digital/EDC120125-0000010/There-is-life-in-digital-cameras-yet-,,,

Read more...

Roku 2 XS 1080p Streaming Player

Roku 2 XS 1080p Streaming Player

The flagship Roku 2 XS delivers hands-down the best experience in 1080p HD streaming to your TV—plus motion-based gaming for an extra dose of great entertainment.

It keeps getting better, with over 350 entertainment channels, including Netflix, Hulu Plus, HBO GO, and Amazon Instant Video.

Includes games: The XS remote features motion sensors so you can play games with a flick of a wrist, like the included full Angry Birds game

Easy Setup: Works with virtually any TV, includes built-in wireless, and sets up in minutes

More power: Up to 1080p HD video and inncludes Ethernet for wired connection plus USB port

More and More Streaming Choices

With over 350 entertainment channels and counting, Roku 2 has something for virtually everyone, including:

• Over 150,000 movies and TV shows at your fingertips from Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon Instant Video, HBO GO and more.
• Unlimited music from Pandora, MOG, Rdio, and Live365
• Live sports packages including NBA League Pass, NHL GameCenter Live, MLS Matchday, UFC, and MLB.TV
• Photo and video sharing via Facebook, Flickr, and Picasa
• The top news sources, including NBC, FoxNews.com, and CNN, plus channels featuring international and lifestyle programming, tech news, podcasts, cartoons, clips, and more

Game On

Need a break from the movies? Roku 2 also brings some of the most popular casual games to your TV:

• Roku 2 XS features a Bluetooth remote with sensors to support motion-based game play, as well as game-ready buttons to support furious button action.
• Hit games available include the Angry Birds series, PAC-MAN Championship Edition, Galaga, and Storm in a Teacup.
• Every Roku 2 XS includes a FREE full version of the Angry Birds game.
• With the built-in MicroSD slot, you can always add additional storage for hundreds more games in the future.

Plus, more games are added all the time.

Included with the Roku 2 XS

• Enhanced remote with motion control for games
• Angry Birds game
• Remote control
• Two AA batteries
• HDMI video output (for high-definition)
• Composite A/V combo output (for standard-definition; works with included A/V cable)
• Wireless (Wi-Fi b/g/n)
• Bluetooth (for using Roku Game Remote, sold separately)
• MicroSD memory card slot (for adding extra storage for channels and games)
• A/V cable (red/white/yellow)
• Power adapter
• Get Started guide
• 90-day manufacturer warranty

What you need

• A TV
• High-speed Internet service with a speed of at least 1.2 Mbps (such as mid-level DSL). For HD video, 5 Mbps is recommended (if you’re not sure what your broadband speed is, go to www.speedtest.net and run the simple test)
• A wireless router

Product Description

Hands-down the best experience in 1080p HD streaming to your TV-plus motion-based gaming for an extra dose of great entertainment. Enjoy 300+ channels featuring the best movies, TV shows, live sports, music, games, and more, including Netflix, Hulu Plus, and Amazon Instant Video. Angry Birds included FREE!

Read more...

TCL L40FHDF12TA 40-Inch 1080p 60 Hz LCD HDTV with 2-Year Warranty

 


TCL L40FHDF12TA 40-Inch 1080p 60 Hz LCD HDTV with 2-Year Warranty


Enjoy the ultimate viewing experience with the TCL 40-Inch 1080p 60-Hz LCD HDTV. This LCD television offers ample HD connections, premium sound, as well as 1080p high-definition picture quality with incredible contrast and vibrancy. Whether you're hosting movie night, cheering on a favorite team, or sharing your latest vacation photos, you'll love how this high-definition LCD television brings your media to life.

40-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV At a Glance: High-definition picture quality with incredible contrast and brightness 3-D Y/C digital comb filter for enhanced color and detail 178-degree viewing angles ensure optimum enjoyment from multiple vantage points Ample HD connections; 3 HDMI, compatible with mp3, WMA, M4A (AAC), JPEG, and more Two-year limited warranty

Plug-and-Play Compatibility for More Entertainment Options
The TCL 40-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV is more than a television--it's an entertainment system that lets you access your favorite media files. Compatible with multiple file formats--including mp3, WMA, M4A (AAC), JPEG, BMP, and PNG--this LCD television makes it easy to watch a photo slideshow in brilliant color with a customized soundtrack, or play a personalized mix of songs for a party.
Numerous Inputs and Outputs
This LCD HDTV has output options for headphones, analog audio output, and coaxial digital audio output. It includes inputs for: three HDMI (two rear and one side), two composite (one rear and one side), one rear component video, one rear RF, one rear PC video, one rear PC audio, and a side USB 2.0 port.
The PC video input lets you see your computer's digital media on the big screen, while the USB port allows for quick connection of a digital camera or other USB device. Additionally, you can connect the latest Blu-ray players, DVD players, camcorders, and game consoles using either the two composite video inputs or the three HDMI (version 1.3) inputs. The HDMI inputs provide an uncompressed, all-digital audio/video link for the highest quality connection, and they also support copy-protected HD broadcast content.

Enhanced Picture and Sound Quality
You'll enjoy crisp, vibrant images thanks to this TCL television's brightness capability of 430 cd/m2. The 3-D Y/C digital comb filter also provides enhanced color and picture detail, and the 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution supports 1080p signals for stunning image clarity.
For a fully immersive experience, this HDTV also includes two built-in 8-watt speakers. Additionally, 178-degree viewing angles ensure optimum enjoyment from multiple vantage points--a great feature for large spaces or social gatherings.

Channel Labeling and Sleep Timer for Ease of Use
Designed with you in mind, this LCD television features a channel labeling option, which allows you to put station call letters (e.g. ABC, HBO, etc.) on the screen along with the channel numbers, so you always know which station you're watching. Additionally, a sleep timer feature lets you set the television to automatically turn off after a preset amount of time has passed.

Who is TCL?
Established in 1981, TCL Corporation is a global leader and technology innovator in consumer electronics, mobile communications and home appliances. TCL employs more than 50,000 people in over 80 operations, including 18 R&D centers, 20 manufacturing bases, and more than 40 sales offices around the world

TCL Corporation is comprised of four business divisions -- Multimedia, Communications, Home Appliances and Electronics. It also has two affiliated business areas: Real Estate & Investment and Logistics & Services. TCL is one of the world's leading producers of flat panel TVs, DVD players, air conditioners, and GSM, CDMA mobile phones.

Backed by a 2-Year Warranty
The TCL 40-inch 1080p 60-Hz LCD HDTV is backed by a two-year manufacturer's warranty. To view the User's Guide, click here. Or, to find the nearest TCL tech support center near you, please visit TCL's website.

What's in the Box
40-inch 1080p 60-Hz LCD HDTV; stand with screws; remote control with batteries; multi- language instruction booklet; and quick-start guide.

Read more...

Kindle Fire Full Color 7" Multi-touch Display, Wi-Fi Kindle Fire, Full Color 7" Multi-touch Display, Wi-Fi   Features

	Stunning Color Touchscreen Movies, magazines and children's books come alive on a 7" vibrant color touchscreen that delivers 16 million colors in high resolution. Kindle Fire uses IPS (in-plane switching) technology - similar technology to that used on the iPad - for an extra-wide viewing angle, perfect for sharing your screen with others.		Magazines in Rich Color Enjoy your favorite magazines with glossy, full-color layouts, photographs and illustrations. Choose from hundreds of titles, such as Bon Appetit, Elle, and Oprah. Special editions of titles like Vanity Fair, Wired, and GQ come with built-in video, audio and other interactive features.
	Beautifully Simple and Easy to Use Designed from the ground up, Kindle Fire's simple, intuitive interface puts the content you love at your fingertips - spin effortlessly through your recent titles and websites straight from the home screen. Whether you are in the mood to watch, read, listen, play or browse, you can get to all your favorite content with a single touch. It's that simple.		100,000 Movies and TV Shows Over 100,000 movies and TV shows, including thousands of new releases and your favorite TV shows, are available to stream or download, purchase or rent - all just one tap away. Amazon Prime members enjoy unlimited, commercial-free streaming of over 10,000 popular movies and TV shows.
	Fast Dual-Core Processor Kindle Fire features a state-of-the-art dual-core processor for fast, powerful performance. Stream music while browsing the web or read books while downloading videos.		Your Favorite Apps and Games Thousands of the most popular apps, including Netflix, Hulu Plus, Pandora, ESPN ScoreCenter, Comics by comiXology and more, plus you'll get a great paid app for free every day. Enjoy the best games, including Words with Friends, Angry Birds, Plants vs. Zombies and more, from top developers like Zynga, EA, Gameloft, PopCap, Rovio and more. All apps are Amazon-tested on Kindle Fire for the best experience possible.
	Ultra-fast web browsing - Amazon Silk Amazon Silk is a revolutionary, cloud-accelerated browser that uses a "split browser" architecture to leverage the computing speed and power of the Amazon Web Services cloud. Supports Adobe® Flash® Player. Learn why it's so fast.		Millions of Books Read bestsellers, children's books, comic books, and cookbooks in vibrant color. The Kindle Store offers over 1 million books, including 800,000 titles at $9.99 or less. In addition, over 2 million free, out-of-copyright, pre-1923 books are also available such as Pride and Prejudice. Learn More
	Free Cloud Storage Forget about memory - Kindle Fire gives you free storage for all your Amazon digital content in the Amazon Cloud. Your books, movies, music and apps are available instantly to stream or download for free, at a touch of your finger.		Your Favorite Children's Books Kindle Fire is great for parents and kids. Stir your child's imagination with over 1000 beautifully-illustrated children's books, including favorites like Brown Bear, Curious George, and Circus Ship.
	Easy to hold in one hand Designed to travel with you wherever you go. Small enough to fit in your purse and light enough to hold in just one hand, Kindle Fire is perfect for browsing, playing, reading and shopping on-the-go.		18 Million Songs Stream your music library from Amazon Cloud Drive or download to your device and listen offline. Looking for new music? Discover over 18 million songs in the Amazon MP3 Store.
	Extra Durable Display Our state-of-the art Kindle Fire display is chemically strengthened to be 20 times stiffer and 30 times harder than plastic, making it extra durable and resistant to accidental bumps and scrapes.		Kindle Owners' Lending Library With an Amazon Prime membership, Kindle owners can choose from thousands of books to borrow for free - including over 100 New York Times Bestsellers - as frequently as a book a month, with no due dates. Learn More
	Amazon Whispersync Like Kindle e-readers, Kindle Fire uses Amazon's Whispersync technology to automatically sync your library, last page read, bookmarks, notes, and highlights across your devices. On Kindle Fire, Whispersync extends to video. Start streaming a movie on Kindle Fire, then pick up right where you left off on your TV - avoid the frustration of having to find your spot. Learn more		Free Month of Amazon Prime Experience the benefits that millions of Amazon Prime members already enjoy, including unlimited, instant streaming of over 10,000 popular movies and TV shows, Free Two-Day Shipping on millions of items, and now, access to thousands of popular Kindle books through the Kindle Owners' Lending Library. If you haven't used Prime in the past, we'll automatically give you a free month to try it out. Learn more
	Read Your Documents Kindle makes it easy to take your documents with you. You can e-mail documents - including Word, PDF and more - directly to your Kindle so you can read them anytime, anywhere.		Email Stay in touch using our built-in email app that gets your webmail (Gmail, Yahoo!, Hotmail, AOL etc.) into a single inbox. Import your messages and contact lists from other email accounts. Additional email apps are available in our Amazon Appstore for Android.

Technical Details

Display 7" multi-touch display with IPS (in-plane switching) technology and anti-reflective treatment, 1024 x 600 pixel resolution at 169 ppi, 16 million colors. Size (in inches) 7.5" x 4.7" x 0.45" (190 mm x 120 mm x 11.4 mm). Weight 14.6 ounces (413 grams). System Requirements None, because it's wireless and doesn't require a computer. On-device Storage 8GB internal (approximately 6GB available for user content). That's enough for 80 apps, plus 10 movies or 800 songs or 6,000 books. Cloud Storage Free cloud storage for all Amazon content Battery Life Up to 8 hours of continuous reading or 7.5 hours of video playback, with wireless off. Battery life will vary based on wireless usage, such as web browsing and downloading content. Charge Time Fully charges in approximately 4 hours via included U.S. power adapter. Also supports charging from your computer via USB. Wi-Fi Connectivity Supports public and private Wi-Fi networks or hotspots that use 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n, or enterprise networks with support for WEP, WPA and WPA2 security using password authentication; does not support connecting to ad-hoc (or peer-to-peer) Wi-Fi networks. USB Port USB 2.0 (micro-B connector) Audio 3.5 mm stereo audio jack, top-mounted stereo speakers. Content Formats Supported Kindle (AZW), TXT, PDF, unprotected MOBI, PRC natively, Audible (Audible Enhanced (AA, AAX)), DOC, DOCX, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, non-DRM AAC, MP3, MIDI, OGG, WAV, MP4, VP8. Documentation Quick Start Guide (included in box); Kindle Fire User's Guide (pre-installed on device). Additional information available online. Warranty and Service 1-year limited warranty and service included. Optional 2-year Extended Warranty available for U.S. customers sold separately. Use of Kindle is subject to the terms found here. Included in the Box Kindle Fire device, U.S. power adapter (supports 100-240V), and Quick Start Guide.

Revolutionary Cloud-Accelerated “Split Browser” Modern websites are complex. A typical web page requires 80 files served from 13 different domains. This takes a regular browser hundreds of round trips, and adds seconds to page load times.
Amazon Silk is different in a radical new way. When you use Silk, without thinking about it or doing anything explicit, you’re calling on the computing speed and power of the Amazon Web Services cloud (AWS). We've refactored and rebuilt the browser software stack to push pieces of the computation into the AWS cloud. This lets Silk do more work, more quickly, and all at once. We call this “split browser” architecture.
Silk browser software resides both on Kindle Fire and on the massive server fleet that comprises the Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (Amazon EC2). With each page request, Silk dynamically determines a division of labor between the mobile hardware and Amazon EC2 (i.e. which browser sub-components run where) that takes into consideration factors like network conditions, page complexity and the location of any cached content.
Shorter Transit Times
Amazon EC2 is always connected to the backbone of the Internet where round-trip latency is 5 milliseconds or less to most web sites rather than the 100 milliseconds that’s typical over wireless connections. AWS also has peering relationships with major internet service providers, and many top sites are hosted on EC2. This means that many web requests will never leave the extended infrastructure of AWS, reducing transit times to only a few milliseconds.
Computing Power in the Cloud
EC2 servers have massive computational power. On EC2, available CPU, storage, and available memory can be orders of magnitudes larger than on mobile devices. Silk uses the power and speed of the EC2 server fleet to retrieve all of the components of a website simultaneously, and delivers them to Kindle Fire in a single, fast stream. Transferring computing-intensive tasks to EC2 helps to conserve your Kindle Fire battery life.
Persistent Connections
A typical web request begins with resolving the domain names associated with the server and establishing a TCP connection to issue the http request. Establishing TCP connections for each request consumes time and resources that slow down traditional browsers. Silk keeps a persistent connection open to the backend server on the AWS cloud so that there is always a connection at the ready to start loading the next page. In addition, the Silk backend server keeps persistent connections open to the top sites on the web. This approach further reduces latency that would otherwise result from constantly establishing connections. Further, the connection between Silk and the backend infrastructure uses a pipelined, multiplexing protocol that can send all the content over a single connection.
Page Indexes
Traditional browsers must wait to receive the HTML file in order to begin downloading the other page assets. Silk is different because it learns these page characteristics automatically by aggregating the results of millions of page loads and maintaining this knowledge on EC2. While another browser might still be setting up a connection with the host server, Silk has already pushed content that it knows is associated with the page to Kindle Fire before the site has even instructed the browser where to find it.
Machine Learning
Finally, Silk leverages the collaborative filtering techniques and machine learning algorithms Amazon has built over the last 15 years to power features such as “customers who bought this also bought…” As Silk serves up millions of page views every day, it learns more about the individual sites it renders and where users go next. By observing the aggregate traffic patterns on various web sites, it refines its heuristics, allowing for accurate predictions of the next page request. For example, Silk might observe that 85 percent of visitors to a leading news site next click on that site’s top headline. With that knowledge, EC2 and Silk together make intelligent decisions about pre-pushing content to the Kindle Fire. As a result, the next page a Kindle Fire customer is likely to visit will already be available locally in the device cache, enabling instant rendering to the screen.

Read more...

Review: The Jabra Supreme

All the better to hear you with

Be a better conversationalist with Jabra's new Supreme bluetooth headset

by Ryhan Bte Mohd Yazid

04:45 AM Dec 28, 2011

 

Set to silently take the world by storm, Jabra's latest Bluetooth mono headset, the Supreme, combines Active Noise Cancellation technology with cutting-edge Noise Blackout technology and the patent-pending Wind-Noise Reduction technology so you can better hear the person at the other end of the line.

The Active Noise Cancellation technology and Noise Blackout technology work in tandem to cancel ambient noise and deliver crisp audio, while the Wind-Noise Reduction feature was created for speech under windy conditions.

You can connect up to two bluetooth devices to the Supreme simultaneously, thanks to its Advanced Multiuse feature.

When you're behind the wheel, the Voice Control and Voice Guidance features offer hands-free operation that will keep the traffic police off your backs.

You can also have multimedia content and GPS application data streamed from your phone while you drive. Ryhan Yazid



The Jabra Supreme retails at S$198.

Source:  www.todayonline.com/TechandDigital/EDC111228-0000005/All-the-better-to-hear-you-with

Read more...

Review: Sony Ericsson's LiveSound hi-fi headset

A sound buy

Never miss what's said with Sony Ericsson's LiveSound hi-fi headset

by Hiranand Sunny Naresh

04:45 AM Dec 28, 2011

 

SmartExtras, by Sony Ericsson, is a new range of accessories designed to provide users with the most complete mobile phone experience.

Part of that range is the LiveSound hi-fi headset that is said to bring the best aural experience to your ears.

This pair of headphones comes with flat, tangle-free wires which will surely be welcomed by users who have spent countless hours (well, it feels like it) untangling stubborn knots before they can listen to their favourite tunes.

It is also built on a new generation of speaker drivers which promise a breakthrough in audio quality despite the smaller size.

But what makes LiveSound different from ordinary headphones is its LiveKey control. This nifty feature makes it possible for the user to access applications in the phone with a simple push of a button on the headset.

This function is great for fitness buffs, for example, who might want regular updates on how many calories they have burnt. Once the Sporty Pal application on the device is activated, users can just press the LiveKey button during their workout to get information such as their current heart rate or distance covered. Best part of this is that you can do all of that without having to remove the phone from your pocket, so there's no disruption to your workout.

The LiveKey also works with the TrackID application. Once again, with a simple push of a button, users can get the name, artist and album of any tune being blasted from a nearby speaker or playing on the radio. HIRANAND SUNNY



The Sony Ericsson LiveSound headset, which is compatible with the latest range of Sony Ericsson phones, comes in both black and white, and currently retails at the recommended price of S$128.

Source:  www.todayonline.com/TechandDigital/EDC111228-0000006/A-sound-buy

Read more...

Ultrabooks to headline CES 2012

Ultrabooks to headline CES 2012: Source

02:37 PM Jan 04, 2012

LONDON - Up to 60 new slimline 'ultrabook' computers could be launched at CES 2012, according to manufacturers and analysts.

The new 'ultrabook' format builds on the success of Apple's Macbook Air, although the term itself has been trademarked by Intel for its slim but powerful laptops that run Windows.

Asus, Lenovo, Dell and HP have already launched some products, including the Asus Zenbook, but research director of the Consumer Electronics Association Shawn DuBravac told a London event last month that "30 to 50" ultrabooks could launch at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2012 in Las Vegas next week. Analysts now believe the figure could be even higher as less well-known manufacturers add ultrabooks to their ranges.

IHS iSuppli claims that ultrabooks will make up 43 per cent of global PC shipments in 2015, up from 13 per cent in 2012. Intel itself is predicting 40 per cent, driven in large part by a fall in American prices to below US$850 (S$1,094). The Asus Zenbook currently retails for S$1,498 in Singapore.

Principal analyst of computer platforms at consultancy IHS Matthew Wilkins told business technology news site InformationWeek that "notebook PCs must go on a diet to match the appeal of media tablets, not to mention the MacBook Air".

He said that "With media tablets having already reversed the expansion of the previously fast-growing netbook platform, PC makers now are keenly aware that the notebook must evolve to maintain market growth and relevance. The ultrabook, which borrows some of the form-factor and user-interface advantages of the media tablet, will enhance the allure of the venerable notebook."

Intel chairman Paul Otellini is also expected to announce the company's latest generation of chips, to be called 'Ivy Bridge', which will allow even faster devices that will use less power than their predecessors.

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH

Source: www.todayonline.com/TechandDigital/Digital/EDC120104-0000106/Ultrabooks-to-headline-CES-2012--Source

Read more...

Nintendo 'plans Wii U app store'

Nintendo is building an app store for its next console, the Wii U, according to reports. The app store will go "far beyond" the current online stores that Nintendo provides for its DSi and Wii consoles.

"Wii U owners will be able to use apps that operate on the Wii U itself, such as MLB, TV and others that run independently on the Wii U's controller," The Daily Telegraph reported.

The Wii U, which launches in the second half of this year, has a tablet-style controller with a 6.2-inch screen, raising the possibility that it could run a variety of independent apps.

The report, citing "a person familiar with the matter" said it was "unknown whether Nintendo plans to monetise its app store with a points system, which it currently uses for WiiWare and DSiWare, or with a more Apple-like pay-to-play system".

It was not confirmed if the app store would permit third-party developers to submit their own apps, as Apple and Google currently do with their app stores. The Daily Telegraph

Source:  www.todayonline.com/TechandDigital/Digital/EDC120104-0000016/Nintendo-plans-Wii-U-app-store

Read more...

A better iPad keyboard

Device attempts to make typing on the iPad easier

04:45 AM Dec 23, 2011

SAN FRANCISCO - Even if you love the iPad, you are probably not keen to write your next novel using its on-screen virtual keyboard. You may not be thrilled to type up a lengthy email with it, either.

A Seattle-based software designer Steve Isaac who worked on an early tablet at computing startup Go in the '90s felt the same way. Mr Isaac was delighted when the iPad came out last year. Though its touch-screen keyboard was miles ahead of what he had seen on past tablets, he felt it still was not great for typing. And wireless keyboards that work via Bluetooth seemed too bulky.

So he got to work on a way to make the iPad easier to type on - a stretchy silicone keyboard called the TouchFire that sits atop the tablet's on-screen keyboard when the device is turned on its side.

Mr Isaac is not unique in coming up with this type of device, but his invention has garnered an intense amount of support through Kickstarter - a website where entrepreneurs and artists solicit funding for their projects and often give rewards in exchange.

In Mr Isaac's case, he turned to the site to raise money to turn his prototype into a real device, offering the first run of TouchFires to Kickstarter backers. His effort raised US$201,400 (S$260,633) by the time it ended last week. That was more than 20 times the US$10,000 that he and his business partner had hoped to snag.

A TouchFire will be offered to anyone who pledged at least US$45 on Kickstarter - about the same price it will sell in stores. Its birth as a consumer product shows the growing importance of sites such as Kickstarter. They offer a new way to finance bright ideas and usher them to the masses. About 45 per cent of the projects meet or exceed their goals, Kickstarter said. This year, site visitors pledged about US$79 million to projects.

The response to the TouchFire in particular indicates that, despite the tough economy, people are interested in shelling out for ideas they believe in - something that benefits both consumers and entrepreneurs.

The TouchFire looks deceptively simple. On the surface, it appeared to be just a flexible keyboard cover with some rigid plastic on the sides. But a closer look revealed small bumps on the underside of the keypad's silicone keys - bumps that provide typing fingers with the proper amount of resistance. Magnets on the sides and the bottom adhere it to the magnetic portions of the face of the iPad 2, allowing it to sit right on top of the on-screen virtual keyboard without sliding around. If you use the original iPad, a non-slip layer on the bottom of the TouchFire helps keep it in place.

Gartner Research analyst Ken Dulaney is sceptical that the TouchFire will appeal to the masses, saying it does not really seem different from the scads of wireless keyboards already available for the tablet.

Indeed, there are tons of options available to iPad users, from cases with built-in keyboards to stand-alone keyboards that sit next to the iPad. Isaac is optimistic.

The TouchFires will be shipped to donors next month. After that, he hopes to make the devices available for sale as soon as possible. AP

Source:  www.todayonline.com/TechandDigital/Digital/EDC111223-0000038/A-better-iPad-keyboard

Read more...

Google to launch tablet to take on the iPad in 6 months

Google will release a flagship Android tablet in the next six months to challenge Apple's iPad, its chairman Eric Schmidt has revealed.

In an echo of the firm's smartphone strategy, whereby its own Nexus range forms the vanguard of the Android attack on the iPhone, Mr Schmidt said Google is developing a tablet.

"In the next six months we plan to market a tablet of the highest quality," he told an Italian newspaper.

Google has already had a hand in the development of the Motorola Xoom but, like other Android tablets, it suffered disappointing sales in a market dominated by the iPad.

Since then, however, Google has itself become a major hardware manufacturer via its US$12.5-billion (S$16.2-billion) acquisition of Motorola's devices division, which is currently under consideration by competition authorities. The deal would give it much more control over Android tablet development.

Amazon's Kindle Fire has presented the strongest challenge to Apple so far, mostly based on its relatively low price, but has faced criticism over the usability of its software.

Mr Schmidt paid tribute to Steve Jobs' role in kickstarting the tablet market: "Steve realised the revolutionary potential of the tablet and created an amazing product like the iPad," he said. THE DAILY TELEGRAPH

Source: www.todayonline.com/TechandDigital/Digital/EDC111222-0000020/Google-to-launch-tablet-to-take-on-the-iPad-in-6-months

Read more...