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Apple To Ship 'iPad 3' in March, 'iPad 4' In October, Say Taiwan Component Makers
Rumored March Launch Of High-res 'iPad 3' Portrayed As 'Completely Accurate'
iOS 5.1 Includes Support For iPads, iPhones With Quad-Core Chips
Software Rather Than Virtual Keyboard Cause Of Most iPad Typing Errors
Apple Bought 23% Of The World's NAND Flash Memory Last Quarter
Foxconn Cuts Prices to Retain OEM Orders for iPhones and iPads
Sanho CloudFTP Makes Any USB Device: Camera, USB Hard Drive, Or Flash Drive, Wireless
Fast Car Zone Offers Automotive App That Joins Social Media Communities
SolarFocus Announces SolarKindle Solar Powered E-Reader Cover
Belkin Screen Guard Screen Protectors For Smartphones and Tablets
As Tablets Compete And Flourish, Component Suppliers May Benefit - Turner Investments Commentary
OLED Display Technology Moving to Compete in the TV Market
Apple To Ship 'iPad 3' in March, 'iPad 4' In October, Say Taiwan Component Makers
Digitimes' Monica Chen and Steve Shen report that according to industry sources in Taiwan, Apple will ship the iPad 3 with a full HD display in March and then an iPad 4 - at least so-called by its component suppliers - with killer applications in October.
Chen and Shen say iPad 3 will come with a QXGA (1,536x2,048 pixels) display and feature longer battery life although its other hardware specifications may not be much changed from iPad 2, according to the sources. However, they suggest that Apple will take the advantage of the iPad 3 launch to slash the price of iPad 2 to US$399, enablling Apple to fend off competition from non-iPad vendors who are currently pricing their tablet PCs at US$359 or above.
For the full report visit here:
http://bit.ly/yMggUl
Rumored March Launch Of High-res 'iPad 3' Portrayed As 'Completely Accurate'
AppleInsider Staff reports:
Rumors of a March launch for Apple's third-generation iPad with a high-resolution Retina Display have been deemed "completely accurate," though a claim that Apple will launch an "iPad 4" this October was written off as "completely made-up nonsense."
For the full report visit here:
http://bit.ly/AdoN08
iOS 5.1 Includes Support For iPads, iPhones With Quad-Core Chips
9To5Mac's Mark Gurman notes that the original iPad was powered by a 1GHz (or so) single-core A4 processor, then a year later Apple bumped the iPad's chip spec to the dual-core A5 processor, and that while not quite having confirmed that a quad-core processor will power Apple's third-generation iPad, Gurman says 9To5Mac has obtained evidence suggesting that Apple is currently working on quad-core iOS devices.
He notes that the latest iOS 5.1 beta includes updated processing-core management software that not only supports the dual-core processing enabled by the A5 iPhone and iPad chip, but also quad-core processing.
[Editor's note: The operative conundrum is probably whether Apple will choose to introduce the A6 quad-core chip in the iPad 3, which is expected to land sometime in March, or in the iPhone 5 - presumed to be in the pipeline for later this year. Digitimes' Taiwanese industry sources (see item above) are suggesting that we won't see the A6 in an iPad until fall, in what they're calling an iPad 4. I'm inclined to think that a March iPAd 3 with quad-core silicon is a bit optimistic, but we'll have to see. Ed.]
For the full report, visit here:
http://bit.ly/wq0MeW
Software Rather Than Virtual Keyboard Cause Of Most iPad Typing Errors
tmik.co.uk blogger Dave says
The iPad has a reputation for being difficult to type on. It's generally accepted that the iPad is okay for short emails and notes, but is not suited to longer documents. The anecdotal consensus seems to be that an on-screen keyboard, with no tactile feedback, leads to more errors than a physical keyboard with real keys. Based on my research today, this simply isnt the case. Instead, its the iPad's software thats causing the majority of typing errors.
For the full report visit here:
http://tmik.co.uk/?p=734
Apple Bought 23% Of The World's NAND Flash Memory Last Quarter
Fortune's Philip Elmer-DeWitt reports that Apple bought 23% of the world's NAND Flash memory last quarter and re-sold it to consumers for billions more than it paid, according to Bernstein Research's Toni Sacconaghi, who notes that the only difference between a 16 GB iPhone 4S and the 32 GB model is 16 GB of NAND flash memory, for which Apple charges customers $100, but Apple buys that memory for a heavily discounted price of $0.67 per gigabyte, which works out to $10.72 for 16 GB. Nice Markup, that.
For the full report, visit here:
http://bit.ly/zrE2SJ
Foxconn Cuts Prices to Retain OEM Orders for iPhones and iPads
M.I.C. Gadget's Star Chang reports that it looks like the manufacturing cost of Apple i-products is getting cheaper, with Apple's profit margins widening at the expense of its main supplier, as Foxconn cuts prices to retain orders for the iPhone and iPad.
For the full report, visit here:
http://bit.ly/A0X7SJ
Sanho CloudFTP Makes Any USB Device: Camera, USB Hard Drive, Or Flash Drive, Wireless
Sanho Corporation ( http://www.hypershop.com ) creators of the Hyper Line of Apple accessories, portable power and storage products, have announced CloudFTP, a small pocket-sized portable adapter that enables wireless transfer of movies, music, photos, documents, and other files to the iPad, iPhone, and other WiFi-enabled devices from USB storage devices (cameras, USB hard drives, flash drives, card readers, and other USB mass storage devices, etc.) without using a computer.
Small Enough to Bring Everywhere
Finally there's a way to share USB files with iPads, iPhones, the Cloud and other devices that don't have a USB port without accessing a computer. Small enough to bring anywhere, even in your pocket, CloudFTP creates a WiFi hotspot to stream and transfer data from the most commonly used USB storage devices, turning these devices into a wireless file server. CloudFTP can also automatically connect to the Internet to backup and synchronize USB data with popular online Cloud storage services, like iCloud, Dropbox and box.net, or it can join an existing WiFi network to share files with other devices on the same network.
CloudFTP Winner of the CES Innovations Award
CloudFTP received an International CES Innovations 2012 Design and Engineering Awards at the Consumer Electronics Show
"We are honored to win the CES Innovations Honoree award for CloudFTP," said Daniel Chin, President of Sanho Corporation and Inventor of CloudFTP. "Almost everyone owns some form of USB storage device, from flash drives to portable hard drives. With CloudFTP, you can combine the advantages of traditional USB storage with the convenience of the most popular portable consumer electronics products, like the iPad, and the Cloud computing storage."
CloudFTP Features:
Streams movies or music from USB devices to iPads and iPhones (up to 3 different movies on 3 different iPads at the same time).
Browses pictures stored on digital cameras and memory cards on iPads and iPhones. Users can choose to save the pictures on iPad/iPhone and upload to Facebook.
Opens files (PDF, Microsoft Office documents, iWork documents, photos, audio, and videos) stored on the USB device with any iPad/iPhone application.
Transfers files between iPad/iPhone and USB devices.
Backs up and syncs data on USB devices with online Cloud storage services (including iCloud, Dropbox, and Box.net) by automatically connecting to the Internet in infrastructure WiFi mode.
USB port connects to any USB mass storage device (USB hard drives, USB flash drives, USB memory card readers, digital cameras, etc.).
5 hours battery life with Lithium-ion rechargeable batteries powers USB port and devices.
High performance, low power consumption ARM9 microprocessor.
USB data can be shared over a WiFi Network: secure wireless IEEE 802.11b/g/n.
Creates its own wireless network to share and stream media for up to 3 WiFi-enabled devices (iPad, iPhone, & computer, etc.) at the same time.
Able to join an existing WiFi network to share files with other devices on the same network.
Dimensions: 2.95" x 2.28" x 0.87" / 75 x 58 x 22mm and weight: 3.8oz / 109g.
Available in February 2012, CloudFTP is priced at $99.95 through Sanho at: http://www.hypershop.com and major online and retail locations.
For more information, visit:
http://www.hypershop.com
Fast Car Zone Offers Automotive App That Joins Social Media Communities
Automotive website, Fast Car Zone has launched what it claims to be the first automotive mobile social network app. Fast Car Zone owned by Mark Holloway, is a web based community for car news and spotting. Spread across all social networks, Fast Car Zone has launched its first app, capable of bridging the gap between the different communities making it the one place to go for all automotive information and entertainment.
The Fast Car Zone application has many features from predominantly supercar news, to a photo gallery of the recent car spots from Mark and from the rest of the Fast Car Zone community. Some of the spots from 2011 have been very rare, including a Aston Martin DB7 Zagato, UKs first Koenigsegg Agera, a one-off Pagani Zonda PS and thousands more spots.
With the functionality of following other users and messaging them directly, the Fast Car Zone app is touted as the first automotive-themed application that offers this kind of interaction. With complete integration with Facebook, Twitter, Flickr & YouTube it makes it even easier for users to extend the community outside of the app itself.
Fast Car Zone are currently looking for more partners to include in the app to offer even more exclusive content whilst adding another community to the app. Current partners include car website GT Spirit and photo sharing site Razzi. Each of these sites have their own community based on their own dedicates websites, but they extend into the Fast Car Zone application with user friendly integration.
Device Requirements:
(*) iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad
(*) Requires iOS 4.3 or later
(*) 10.7 MB
Fast Car Zone 3.6.1 is Free (or equivalent amount in other currencies) and available worldwide exclusively through the App Store in the Entertainment category. There is also an Android version available.
Fast Car Zone 3.6.1:
http://www.fastcarzone.co.uk/fast-car-zone-app/
Download From iTunes:
http://bit.ly/z3oc7l
SolarFocus Announces SolarKindle Solar Powered E-Reader Cover
SolarFocus Technology Company Ltd. ( http://www.solarmio.com ), winner of the CES 2012 Innovation Award, will introduce at CES the first practical solar gadget - SolarKindle, the world’s first solar powered e-reader cover.
The first product in SolarFocus’ innovative new solar gadget line, SolarKindle features a unique eco-friendly design with a flexible, lightweight high performance solar panel built right into the cover and a dual-charging (USB/solar) reserve battery that greatly extend reading time -- with a guarantee of three-months of unplugged Kindle use under normal sunlight environment. In addition, the built-in LED reading lamp can be powered continuously for up to 50 hours without using the Kindle’s main battery for the best illumination and coverage, allowing you to use your Kindle comfortably as long as you wish -- day or night, indoors or outdoors.
First in Line of Solar Gadgets - Solar Patented Technology Wins CES Award
Based on years of solar research resulting in numerous patents and winning a 2012 International CES Innovations Design & Engineering Awards Honoree, SolarKindle was introduced at a Consumer Electronics Show Official Press Event on Sunday, January 8
Makes Unplugged E-Reading Come True
The first practical solar gadget that makes unplugged e-reading come true, SolarKindle is designed with the utmost attention to detail with premium leather offering protection and functionality. SolarKindle’s renewable solar energy panel and integrated reserve battery provide superior lighting and extended reading time, especially useful when conventional power sources are not available, such as while traveling, camping, or away from home or office - a perfect solution for readers on the go. SolarKindle’s custom-designed solar panel and integrated solar charging circuitry deliver high charging efficiency, making the best use of the clean, green, and renewable energy of the sun.
SolarKindle Features:
- Solar powered e-reader cover with flexible, lightweight solar panel built into the cover.
- Dual-charging (USB/solar) reserve battery greatly extends reading time.
- 3-month guarantee for unplugged Kindle use under normal sunlight environment.
- LED reading lamp turns on with one touch release.
- Integrated reserve battery runs the LED lamp for up to 50 hours continuously without using the Kindle’s main battery.
- Integrated reserve battery can also transfer energy to the Kindle’s main battery to extend reading time.
- Integrated solar panel collects and converts solar energy “on the go” -- one hour under direct sunlight can provide up to 3 days reading time.
- Premium leather cover
“For the past six years, SolarFocus has been dedicated to developing the most technologically advanced portable solar powered solutions for consumers,” said Dick Lu, Executive Vice President at SolarFocus. “From starting the company in a brand new and undeveloped market, to establishing the SolarFocus brand of outdoor solar powered products, we are very happy to see our SolarKindle Lighted Cover receive such honorable recognition from the International CES Innovations 2012 Design and Engineering Awards. We will continuously improve the price/performance ratio of our solar powered solutions on even more consumer electronic products to reduce carbon emissions.”
SolarKindle Lighted Cover will be available Jan. 15, 2012, priced at $79.99 from http://www.solarmio.com and other retailers.
For more information, see:
http://www.solarmio.com
Belkin Screen Guard Screen Protectors For Smartphones and Tablets
Belkin has announced the launch of a new Screen Guard collection of screen protectors designed to protect a wide range of smartphones and tablets from every day wear and tear at home, in the car, or on the go. Easy-to-install Screen Guard products offer maximum scratch resistance and feature Belkin’s Tru Clear technology for optimal visibility and touch sensitivity.
“Everybody wants invisible protection,” says Jamie Elgie, senior director of product management for mobility. “We built Screen Guard screen protectors so you are able to use your phone or your tablet as if there is nothing on it, with the security of knowing that there is.”
Smartphones and tablets have become indispensible to our daily routine, so Belkin’s Screen Guard collection includes solutions for common issues like anti-smudge for fingerprints, and a 2-Way privacy guard to protect your device from onlookers.
“Our goal is to provide maximum protection from everyday issues without decreasing your device’s aesthetics or functionality,” says Elgie. “Screen Guard helps devices look, feel, and perform like new, longer.”
The full Screen Guard collection includes:
Screen Guard Anti-Glare Protector
- Matte finish minimizes glare and harsh reflections, even in bright conditions
- Strong, thin, and lightweight material protects from scratches and scuffs to keep device looking new
- Tru Clear technology ensures optimal screen visibility and is the most transparent protector available on the market
- Ultrathin design helps keep the sensitivity of a naked screen
- Fast and easy installation
Screen Guard Anti-Smudge Protector
- Prevents the build-up of dirt from daily use and resists fingerprints and smudges
- Strong, thin, and lightweight material protects from scratches and scuffs to keep device looking new
- Tru Clear technology ensures optimal screen visibility and is the most transparent protector available on the market
- Ultrathin design helps keep the sensitivity of a naked screen
- Fast and easy installation
Screen Guard Mirror Protector
- High-quality mirror effect turns screen into a mirror in stand-by mode
- Strong, thin, and lightweight material protects from scratches and scuffs to keep device looking new
- Tru Clear technology ensures optimal screen visibility and is the most transparent protector available on the market
- Ultrathin design helps keep the sensitivity of a naked screen
- Fast and easy installation
Screen Guard 4-Way Privacy Protector
- Keeps data on your screen private by blocking the view from a horizontal or vertical angle
- Strong, thin, and lightweight material protects from scratches and scuffs to keep device looking new
- Tru Clear technology ensures optimal screen visibility and is the most transparent protector available on the market
- Ultrathin design helps keep the sensitivity of a naked screen
- Fast and easy installation
Screen Guard Transparent Protector
- Completely transparent to keep screen safe without altering its appearance
- Strong, thin, and lightweight material protects from scratches and scuffs to keep device looking new
- Tru Clear technology ensures optimal screen visibility and is the most transparent protector available on the market
- Ultrathin design helps keep the sensitivity of a naked screen
- Fast and easy installation
Screen Guard screen protectors are available now on Amazon.com and major retailers in the United States, Canada, and Europe.
To see the full line-up, visit:
http://www.Belkin.com
Compatibility
Screen Guard screen protectors offer tailored protection for the following devices:
Smart Phones:
Apple: iPhone 3G/3GS/4/4S
Samsung: Illusion, Infuse 4G, 9100 Galaxy SII 16G, 9000 Galaxy S 8G, S5570 Galaxy Mini, Galaxy S II, Galaxy Viper, Galaxy Seine, Galaxy Nexus, Galaxy Note, Galaxy Ace S5830
BlackBerry: 9300 Curve 3G, Curve 8520, Torch 9800, Torch 9860
LG: P990
Nokia: N9
HTC: Wildfire, Wildfire S, Inspire, EVO 4G, Hero, Sensation, Desire HD, Kingdom
Motorola: Pasteur
Tablets:
Apple: iPad/iPad2
Samsung: Galaxy Tab 10.1/8.9/7.0
Motorola: Xoom
ASUS: EE Pad Transformer
Archos: 10.1 Internet
BlackBerry: Playbook
HTC: Flyer
eReaders
Amazon: Kindle, Kindle Fire, Kindle Touch/3G, Kindle Keyboard/3G
iRiver: Stover HD
MP3 Players
Apple: iPod Touch 2G/4G, iPod Nano 6G/5G/4G, iPod Classic/2G
For more information, visit:
http://www.Belkin.com
As Tablets Compete And Flourish, Component Suppliers May Benefit - Turner Investments Commentary
The tablet computer represents a fast-growing business for three staunch competitors, Apple, Amazon.com, and Samsung Electronics. And according to the latest Sector Focus commentary by Turner Investments, the growth in tablets that the three competitors are generating may also benefit seven companies that make components for them.
Turner, an investment firm based in Berwyn, Pennsylvania, publishes Sector Focus commentaries monthly as part of the continuing efforts of its five teams of security analysts to monitor market sectors for its growth-stock portfolios.
Titled "As Competition And Innovation Heat Up, The Tablet Comes Of Age," the piece was written by Tara Hedlund, portfolio manager/global security analyst; Dan Hirsch, global security analyst; Mike Lozano, global security analyst; Chris McHugh, vice chairman and senior portfolio manager; and Bob Turner, chairman and chief investment officer, who cover the technology sector.
The technology analysts note that tablets have become the most sought-after consumer device around, as “former holiday-shopping favorites like laptops, big-screen televisions, and video-game consoles have been pushed aside like so much leftover holiday fruitcake in favor of tablet computers.” Apple’s iPad enjoys a dominant market share, 65%, in the tablet market currently, but that share may be eroded by Amazon.com and Samsung Electronics over time.
The analysts say that as the three competitors vie for market supremacy, substantial financial rewards may be lavished on seven innovative companies that supply them with tablet components such as microchips, semiconductors, and glass displays: ARM Holdings, Atmel, Broadcom, Cirrus Logic, Corning, Qualcomm, and SanDisk.
To read this December 2011 Sector Focus in its entirety, click on this link to the Turner Investments Web site:
http://www.turnerinvestments.com/SectorFocus.
Or call 484.329.2407 for a free copy of the piece.
OLED Display Technology Moving to Compete in the TV Market
According to the recently-released NPD DisplaySearch OLED Technology Report ( http://bit.ly/Ar3FZm ), organic light emitting diodes (OLED) technology advanced rapidly in 2011, a trend that NPD DisplaySearch forecasts will continue through this decade. OLED technology has progressed in areas including organic materials, color patterning, electronic driving methods, and encapsulation. However, the ability to scale OLED display manufacturing to fabs larger than the current Gen 5.5 has yet to be demonstrated, and the cost of larger panels is not yet clear.
OLED emerged in the 1980s from laboratories at Eastman Kodak in the US and Cambridge University in the UK, and was first commercialized in the late 1990s. Enthusiasm has increased recently as Samsung Mobile Displays has started manufacturing active matrix OLED (AMOLED) displays in a Gen 5.5 fab and announced plans to build a Gen 8 fab (as did LG Display), and several other suppliers entered or re-entered OLED display manufacturing, including AUO, CMI, IRICO, Tianma, and BOE.
The NPD DisplaySearch OLED Technology Report ( http://bit.ly/Ar3FZm ) details how OLEDs offer a solid-state solution for displays, lighting, and organic electronics. OLED displays can provide high contrast ratio, fast response time, wide color gamut, and wide viewing angle, while operating in a broad temperature range at low power consumption. In addition, OLED technology enables thin devices that can be both flexible and transparent.
OLED display revenues are estimated to exceed $4 billion in 2011 (approximately 4% of flat panel display revenues), and are forecast to reach more than $20 billion (approximately 16% of the total display industry by 2018. In addition, OLED lighting gained momentum in 2011, and is forecast to reach revenues of approximately $6 billion by 2018.
"OLED displays operate through direct emission, as opposed to transmissive LCD or reflective displays, which enables area lighting, says Jennifer Colegrove ( http://bit.ly/xzIQkO ), PhD, Vice President of Emerging Display Technologies for NPD DisplaySearch. The technology has made good progress and is ready to enter large-size applications, but low cost manufacturing for large sizes is still a challenge.
OLED is now a mass-market technology in small/medium displays, particularly in smart phone applications. Investments in Gen 8 (2200 2500 mm) fabs indicate that AMOLED will compete in larger size applications, such as in TV and mobile PCs, within two years. Samsung released a 7.7 AMOLED tablet PC in December 2011, and more tablet and other mobile PCs are expected in 2012. LG is expected to enter the market in 2012 with a 55 AMOLED TV. With technology improvements, NPD DisplaySearch forecasts AMOLED will enter other applications as well.
While nearly all AMOLEDs on the market are currently based on LTPS, several companies are developing AMOLEDs using oxide or a-Si TFT backplanes, and are likely to start production in 2012.
The NPD DisplaySearch OLED Technology Report includes some other key findings:
(*) Organic materials of all types have efficacies ranging from less than 10 to nearly 100 cd/A. Large increases in efficiency have been obtained with phosphorescent materials, especially in red and green.
(*) Nearly all AMOLED displays are made using thermal evaporation through a fine metal mask (FMM) for color patterning. However, this method has low material utilization and is limited to small substrate sizes. Manufacturing processes with higher material utilization and better uniformity, such as linear and area sources, are likely to be adopted.
(*) Other color patterning methods, such as white with color filter and solution-processed materials, are also evolving and ready to be adopted for mass production in larger generation fabs.
The 500+ page NPD DisplaySearch OLED Technology Report provides a detailed discussion on the rapid growth and adoption of OLED technology, and provides historical data on OLED technology, organic material development, electronic driving types (passive matrix, LTPS TFT, a-Si TFT, Oxide TFT, organic TFT, etc.), color patterning methods, capacity analysis and a market forecast through 2018. The report provides detailed analysis on different solutions for the bottleneck in mass production for OLED color patterning. This report also discusses the current status of the OLED industry, developers in each region, and new opportunities.
For more information, visit:
http://bit.ly/Ar3FZm
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