Tech and Gadgets

Nov 28 2011

Ultrabooks could save the PC

By David Goldman @CNNMoneyTech November 28, 2011

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) — As the iPad eats away at personal computer sales, the PC appears to have found a potential savior in … Apple?

It”s an unlikely source, but it”s true. Ultrabooks, the ultra-thin notebook computers with no hard disk drive or slot for a DVD, are a category of PC that was essentially invented by Apple with its MacBook Air, which debuted in 2008. Now, PC makers are scrambling in their attempts to replicate Apple”s secret sauce.

Market analysts expect them to succeed: Sales of Ultrabooks are forecast to boom over the next few years in the same way that netbooks took off in 2007 — until the iPad debuted. Ultrabook sales will reach 136.5 million in 2015, making up 43% of notebook sales, according to IHS iSuppli.

The rise of the Ultrabook is expected to happen quickly. This year, IHS predicts fewer than 1 million Ultrabook sales, making up just 2% of all notebook sales. But next year, the thin notebooks will rise to 13% of all laptop sales, then 28% in 2013 and 38% by 2014.

The PC is in need of a white knight. Consumer demand for PCs is slumping badly, particularly in the United States, Canada and Europe. Industry consultancy Gartner has repeatedly slashed its PC shipment forecasts over the course of the year.

The iPad isn”t going to kill the PC entirely, but experts say it”s slowing purchases of laptops, particularly small notebook PCs like netbooks. When Hewlett-Packard said it was considering getting out of the PC business in August, then-CEO Leo Apotheker cited as a prime reason that “the tablet effect is real.”

“To compete with media tablets, notebook PCs must become sexier and more appealing to consumers,” said Matthew Wilkins, principal analyst at IHS. “Enter the Ultrabook, which borrows some of the form-factor and user-interface advantages of the media tablet.”

Does Intel”s ultrabook stand a chance?

In May, Intel first unveiled the Ultrabook — a name it trademarked. Intel describes an Ultrabook as a notebook PC that is thinner than 0.8 inches, has Flash memory, can be turned on instantly, is always connected and has a battery life of longer than eight hours.

That list rivals the features found in the iPad and similar tablets — and, of course, the MacBook Air.

Unlike netbooks — which typically have cramped keyboards, sluggish processors and stripped-down versions of Windows XP — Ultrabooks have full-sized keyboards, run the latest version of Microsoft Windows and will feature Intel”s newest chipsets.

Down the road, analysts believe Ultrabooks will have touch screens and will be detachable from their keyboards, further blurring the line between the PC and tablet.

That”s right on time for Windows 8, Microsoft”s completely redesigned next version of its PC operating system, which will run on both traditional PCs and tablets.

“With the introduction of the Ultrabook, the computing industry is poised for yet another paradigm shift,” said Len Jelinek, research director and analyst, semiconductor manufacturing at IHS. “The technology now exists that actually could bring about a convergence of major mobile devices.”

But as with all consumer electronics, price is going to be the critical make-or-break factor.

The small handful of Ultrabooks currently on the market are quite expensive, with most priced above $1,000. Next year, however, Intel says Ultrabooks will begin sporting next-generation 3-D “Ivy Bridge” processors that are designed for high-performance yet power-sipping notebooks and tablets. Intel expects that thin notebooks will then drop well below $1,000.

The PC keeps on finding new ways to stay relevant. First there was the laptop. Then netbooks. Now Ultrabooks.

And it”s got Apple to thank for it.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) — As the iPad eats away at personal computer sales, the PC appears to have found a potential savior in … Apple?

It”s an unlikely source, but it”s true. Ultrabooks, the ultra-thin notebook computers with no hard disk drive or slot for a DVD, are a category of PC that was essentially invented by Apple (AAPL, Fortune 500) with its MacBook Air, which debuted in 2008. Now, PC makers are scrambling in their attempts to replicate Apple”s secret sauce.

The iPad isn”t going to kill the PC entirely, but experts say it”s slowing purchases of laptops, particularly small notebook PCs like netbooks. When Hewlett-Packard (HPQ, Fortune 500) said it was considering getting out of the PC business in August, then-CEO Leo Apotheker cited as a prime reason that “the tablet effect is real.”

Does Intel”s ultrabook stand a chance?

In May, Intel (INTC, Fortune 500) first unveiled the Ultrabook — a name it trademarked. Intel describes an Ultrabook as a notebook PC that is thinner than 0.8 inches, has Flash memory, can be turned on instantly, is always connected and has a battery life of longer than eight hours.

That list rivals the features found in the iPad and similar tablets — and, of course, the MacBook Air.

Unlike netbooks — which typically have cramped keyboards, sluggish processors and stripped-down versions of Windows XP — Ultrabooks have full-sized keyboards, run the latest version of Microsoft (MSFT, Fortune 500) Windows and will feature Intel”s newest chipsets.

Down the road, analysts believe Ultrabooks will have touch screens and will be detachable from their keyboards, further blurring the line between the PC and tablet.

That”s right on time for Windows 8, Microsoft”s completely redesigned next version of its PC operating system, which will run on both traditional PCs and tablets.

But as with all consumer electronics, price is going to be the critical make-or-break factor.

The PC keeps on finding new ways to stay relevant. First there was the laptop. Then netbooks. Now Ultrabooks.

And it”s got Apple to thank for it.

The PC is dying, but very, very slowly

Thailand floods could create laptop shortage

Windows 8 opens door to new chipmakers

Join the Conversation (20 of 211 comments)

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Ken Oberle, 2 seconds ago

Another CNN – Apple lovefest. The PC is not dying. A $250 netbook can outperform an iPad. It”s two separate pieces of the market. A laptop will never replace my home PC. I would also never touch an Apple product.

nyma11, 10 seconds ago

Maybe if they say the pc is dieing it might come true!.. LOL
venusiansky, 2 minutes ago

Just because you say that PC”s are dying doesn”t make it true.

JimmyNelson and 1 more liked this
JimmyNelson, 4 minutes ago

Apple is still an overpriced PC..

b0r3d, 5 minutes ago

I don”t need my products to be a fashion accessory. When I work remotely, I need them to get the job done.

The laptop isn”t going anywhere. CNN needs to find new tech writers.

iamthfredman and 1 more liked this

GlueSniffer, 5 minutes ago

Laptops are in the “Disposable” realm and PCs are an investment for a long duration of use. The way the economy has been I don”t see many people out there throwing money at laptops.

iamthfredman liked this

NJNCPS, 6 minutes ago

I don”t understand this attraction of all these ”little” books, pads, etc. Do these do anything but amuse? I guess most people spend all their time on the net. I do spend a fair time on it, but for information.
I write. I do transcriptions. I use Excel and Access. I watch DVD”s on the computer because my screen is bigger than the one on my little TV. I buy DVD”s because…

nyma11 liked this

Nengal, 7 minutes ago

I hug my desktop every night before I go to sleep. Why would I want a crummy laptop when I can have a monster PC with a liquid cooling system I built myself for the same price? Being a college student, I see people taking notes on laptops and such and I don”t get it. How do you even take notes on a laptop in Differential Equations? Nothing will ever beat a notebook and pencil.

iamthfredman and 2 more liked this

Jonny, 7 minutes ago

Save the PC from what? lol They are in no danger of going anywhere anytime soon.

iamthfredman liked this

Meedily, 14 minutes ago

They”re going to continue to fail as they”ve been failing. They see a good idea by apple and try to clone it while missing the entire point of the device. They”ve been doing it with the iphone, the ipad, the imac, everything.

1 person liked this.

JimmyNelson, 9 minutes ago in reply to Meedily

its easy for you to sit there and say that, but Steve Jobs ripped of his ideas from someone else..

Nstein liked this

Nstein, 5 minutes ago in reply to JimmyNelson

You don”t have to invent the gold mine, but if you see one and don”t post a claim on it, and don”t start digging in it, someone else will.

Blondeagent9, 14 minutes ago

I will never give up my desktop pc – laptops just don”t cut it for the long haul. If the desk top disappears it will be because the industry knows you will have to replace your laptop every 3-4 years. And of course they would make more money.

herbatious, 15 minutes ago

I love how this article says that ultra thins don”t have a hard drive. They do not have an old fashioned spinning drive, they DO however have a solid state HD. I really wish that these articles were written by people who actually understand tech.

My own desktop doesn”t even use an old fashioned hard drive for anything other than storing media at this point, and it”s a desktop lol. Solid state drives are…

2 people liked this.

GlueSniffer, 9 minutes ago in reply to herbatious

How can you call SSDs a “hard drive” when there are no moving parts in an SSD? I still will stay with my PC because of speed and storage cap.

HighlanderNH, 17 minutes ago

I”m sorry, but please…blah,blah,blah…”Save the PC”…yeah right. PC sales have been flat/dropping long before the original iPad came out (4/3/2010) and even before the Asus Eee PC Netbook (late 2007). The drop has alot more to do with just pure saturation of the market.

Having said that..(for the most part) a Tablet is designed to be an easy to use highly mobile content display device. While of course you could create content with a Tablet,…

tyldak01, 11 minutes ago in reply to HighlanderNH

Actually, the only year PC Sales have dropped in the past 20 years was in 2008 just after the crash. Even this year, PC sales have grown over 5% as reported by Dell, HP and Gateway.

deetroyt, 25 minutes ago

Seriously, CNN, will you at least write a disclaimer that your article is an advertisement for Apple?

1 person liked this.
tyldak01, 28 minutes ago

The PC doesn”t need to be “saved”. Its not going anywhere. Wish CNN would stop dropping to its knees in front of Apple every day.

deetroyt and 4 more liked this

herbatious, 29 minutes ago

Save the PC from what? As PCs become more and more powerful, their effective lifespan is significantly increased, slowing their sales. 15 years ago, I upgraded my computer once a year to stay relevant. Now I do the same thing every 5 years.

Ipads, and Android pads are a new category and will not replace desktops anytime soon. I purchased a pad because I wanted a pad, not as a replacement for a full computer….

JWolf_PDX and 7 more liked this

iPad 2, iPhone 4S top holiday wish lists

By Athima Chansanchai

In a recent poll, Apple comes out on top with the most desired gifts of the holiday season: the iPad 2 and the Siri-hyped iPhone 4S, though the recent response to Amazon”s Kindle Fire could prove to make more than a dent on many a wish list.

SodaHead.com, a discussion community with more than 10 million unique visitors a month, polled its users during the week of Nov. 7 to ask about holiday gift giving. Over 3,000 votes were recorded. Over 70,000 votes per day are cast across all of the site”s polls.

Of the 638 who responded to the question about which tablet they”d want to unwrap the most, 65 percent said they”d love the iPad 2. Twenty-four percent of respondents lust after the Kindle Fire and 11 percent said they”d want Barnes & Nobles” Nook Tablet.

But, the recent release of the Kindle Fire has fueled speculation that it might be the go-to tablet gift this season, with one analyst predicting Amazon could sell 5 million by the end of the year. And, another recent survey by Retrovo found that 44 percent of those who responded positively to buying a tablet this holiday season would choose the Kindle Fire instead of the iPad 2. But again, the iPad is a behemoth to beat, selling 11 million of both the first and second-gen models in the third quarter.

But overall in terms of tech gift giving, the iPad 2 is topped by its smaller cousin, the iPhone 4S, when 507 people answered the question, “What will the hottest tech gadget of the season be?” Thirty-nine percent of respondents are hoping to get the iPhone 4S, while 31 percent hope an iPad 2 appears under their trees. The Kindle Fire received 17 percent of the votes and the Xbox Kinect, 13 percent.

The 290 consumers who responded to what they thought kids want most for the holidays put videogames at the top of wish lists with 51 percent, followed by computers at 32 percent, toys and games at 10 percent and movies and music at 8 percent.

Apps also seem to be cropping up as a gift idea, with 41 percent of 773 respondents answering in the affirmative to the question of if apps would make good Christmas presents. But they were the minority, with 59 percent saying they wouldn”t make good gifts.

And in general, tech gifts fall below money/gift cards and vacations as expected gifts, according to the 1,152 who responded to Sodahead.

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Nov 11 2011

Like Siri? 10 other gadgets you can boss aroundBy Sean Fallon

By Sean Fallon

Nerd Approved

Have you been enjoying Siri on your iPhone 4S? Having a machine that you can boss around is great, isn”t it? Now that you”re drunk with power, you”ll be happy to know that there are other gadgets out there that you can force to do your bidding. Plus, if Siri goes down again, you”ll always have another machine to yell at.

Karotz
Karotz is the robotic rabbit assistant that you can rule like a king. Based on either voice commands or RFID input, Karotz will read information from the web, such as your email, RSS feeds, status updates and local weather forecast. It can also make calls, watch over the house with its integrated webcam (and alert you via a smartphone when someone enters), stream online music, wake you up in the morning and more. It also responds to your requests with speech, ear wiggles, and lights. For only $129.99 it”s a pretty sweet deal — especially if you don”t have an iPhone 4S to boss around. — Karotz

Interactive R2-D2
This R2-D2 robot is about as close as most Star Wars fans will come to having their own companion Droid — and this one actually does what it”s told! Artoo responds to more than 40 voice commands, reacts to questions based on “moods” and even humiliates itself by dancing for your twisted amusement when set to “Game Mode.” Just don”t go smacking it on the head, because Artoo won”t stand for physical abuse. He”ll make “irritated beeping sounds” and try to move away from you. After that, he may or may not try to kill you in the night. I would sleep with one eye open. $149 — Amazon

RCA voice control remote
Rumor has it that Apple is working on a Siri-enabled television, but if that”s true, it probably won”t be released for at least a year or so. In the meantime, one of your best options is to use a voice-controlled remote like this RCA model. It allows you to turn your home theater devices on and off, surf through channels, start a movie and more with only your voice. Plus, when a terrible reality show comes on it will actually help get you out of trouble — unlike my wife, who insists on watching “The Bachelor” despite my desperate pleas for mercy. $23.50 — Amazon

Voice control helicopter
Using the included microphone set, you can command this little two-channel helicopter to ”start its engines,” “go higher and lower,” “hold” and “stop.” There”s also a remote control that you can use to direct it to the left or right. Impressive, but I won”t be satisfied until I can send it off on a mission to “go into the kitchen and get me a beer”. $64 — iWoot

Kelvin voice activated thermostat
Do you have someone in your household that”s perpetually freezing? My wife is the kind of person that sleeps with heavy blankets in the summer and puts a jacket on when it”s 80 degrees. Meanwhile, I”m wearing shorts and a T-shirt in December. That”s where having this voice-activated Kelvin thermostat might be problematic. It allows you to raise and lower the temperature with a hand clap or button press and simple voice commands. Picture two people clapping and yelling in a thermostat shouting match. Yeah, I”m not picking this up anytime soon — especially since I”m the only one who knows how to operate our current thermostat. Bwahahaha! $59.86 — Smarthome

Voice activated Dalek
Doctor Who fans will undoubtedly enjoy commanding their very own 18-inch Dalek robot. You can ask it about specific Doctor Who characters, tell it to follow you around or even guard a location. Indeed, if anyone approaches the Dalek in guard mode it will first issue a verbal warning. If that warning isn”t heeded, it will yell “Exterminate!” and commence firing with its death ray. You can also command it to play a game with your friends in which it identifies one member of your group as the Doctor and tries to exterminate them with extreme prejudice. It”s like your own little cyborg assassin. Needless to say, technology like this could be devastating in the wrong hands. $159 — Forbidden Planet

Voice activated coffee maker
I”m holding out hope that one day I will own a mustachioed butler robot named C.A.D.B.U.R.Y (Cybernetic Artificial Droid Butler for Ultimate Repair and Yelling at) that I can order to serve me coffee in the morning. Until then, I will have to make due with this Hamilton Beach 12-cup coffeemaker that will set the clock or brew time with the push of a button and a voice command. $44.08 — Amazon

Moshi alarm clock
If you”re anything like me, you”ve been talking to your alarm clock for years. Unfortunately, it never responds when I tell it to “shut the hell up.” The Moshi alarm clock, on the other hand, allows you to set the time and the alarm using only your voice. You can also ask what the temperature is and tell it to turn off the alarm when you want to sleep in (but you”ll have to ask nicely). $34.99 — ThinkGeek

Star Trek light dimmer
You”ve got a little wine and some soft music, now it”s time to spark up a little romance. Set the mood by speaking commands like “Computer, Low” and “Computer, Off” to your Star Trek light dimmer. It will respond with the voice of Majel Roddenberry, widow of Gene Roddenberry and the voice behind the ship”s computer in most of the Trek TV shows and movies. Incidentally, she will also be your date for the evening. Pricing not available. — VOS Systems via Nerd Approved

Emotive Robotic Avatar
It costs a whopping $65,000, but this 4.5-foot-tall Emotive Robotic Avatar can express feelings through animated movement and can be controlled using an included tablet computer with a 30-foot range. You can”t command the robot with your voice directly, but you can pitch-shift your voice through the robot and get a live video feed to see what it sees. In other words, you can command others to obey their new robot overlords by becoming a robot yourself. — Hammacher Schlemmer via Nerd Approved

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Oct 31 2011

Nook Color sequel likely to be announced next Monday

By Wilson Rothman

We just got an invitation from Barnes & Noble to attend “a very special announcement” on Monday, Nov. 7. Our best guess? An ambitious yet competitively priced update to the Nook Color.

Nook Color surprised the world by becoming the best selling Android tablet to date — even though neither Barnes & Noble nor Android”s keeper, Google, will attest to this widely acknowledged fact. By running a modified version of the OS, it doesn”t behave like Android phones or official Android tablets, but it does offer books, games and email, for a reasonable price.

Now that Amazon”s Kindle Fire tablet is on its way, for an even better price, it”s time for B&N to up their ante. Since the bookstore chain already updated its e-ink line — putting it ahead of Amazon”s (see video below) — Nook Color 2 is the only logical move.

We”re predicting the same 7-inch screen but a faster (perhaps dual-core) processor and some kind of streaming video deal — for the same $250 price or even cheaper, at $199. Perhaps it will ship with Netflix. The video service is already available on Android devices, and a team-up with B&N would be good synergy, as both companies are trying their darnedest to compete with the Amazon juggernaut.

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Oct 19 2011

Motorola revives Razr brand to take on iPhone 4S

by Marguerite Reardon October 18, 2011

NEW YORK–Motorola”s ultrathin Droid Razr may be just the device to take on the Apple”s latest iPhone 4S.

Motorola today took the wraps off the new Droid Razr, the thinnest smartphone ever made, in a move that revives what some would call an iconic brand, the Razr. Motorola”s Razr, introduced in 2004, was the hottest-selling cell phone for years. It”s super-thin design was the envy of industry and helped push Motorola to a top spot in the world cell phone market.

The company is hoping to strike gold once again with the brand and with the innovative thin design.

“Our mission was to create a true object of desire, incredibly thin, that delivers features without compromise,” Motorola CEO Sanjay Jha said during the presentation here introducing the new Droid Razr.

Indeed, not only has Motorola built a thin and light smartphone with a width of only 7.1 millimeters and a weight of 4.48 ounces, but the company has also managed to pack in fast 4G LTE network technology and a larger high-resolution screen.

The sleek, thin design, larger screen, and faster network capability, make the Motorola Droid Razr a much bigger leap in terms of new product design than the newly released iPhone 4S from Apple. (The iPhone 4S uses the same design as the iPhone 4 introduced more than a year ago.) While there is no question that the iPhone 4S has already become a hit–selling more than 4 million devices in its first weekend–the Motorola Droid Razr could give the device a run for its money.

In terms of specifications and design, the Motorla Droid Razr has the iPhone 4S beat in some important areas. And it could be the device for wireless subscribers who were disappointed by Apple”s lack of new hardware design and network functionality in the iPhone 4S.

“Getting LTE into a 7.1mm device is most impressive,” said Ross Rubin, an analyst with NPD Group.

Indeed, Motorola has managed to pack in a lot of functionality in a thinner and lighter device, while also expanding the screen size. At its thinnest point, the iPhone 4S is 9.3mm wide. By comparison, the Droid Razr is 7.1mm thick. While the iPhone 4S sports a 3.5-in Retina display with 960×640-pixel resolution, the Droid Razr has a bigger 4.3-inch display with a 960×540-pixel resolution.

The Motorola Droid Razr also weighs less than the iPhone 4S. The Droid Razr weighs in at 4.48 ounces (127 grams) compared with the iPhone 4S” 4.9 ounces (140 grams).

Both smartphones also come with 8-megapixel front-facing cameras with 1080p video recording capability.

And of course this light and thin phone also supports Verizon”s 4G LTE technology, something that Apple”s CEO Tim Cook said would have “forced too many design compromises” to be included in the Apple iPhone just yet.

But clearly 4G is the next generation of wireless. And now that Verizon has more than half the country covered with its new network, the feature will soon become table stakes for any new device. Unfortunately for iPhone fans, they”ll have to wait until at least the next release of the device. Even the 4G-enabled version of the iPhone 4S for AT&T is not truly 4G. It supports a version of HSPA+. That said, it doesn”t even support the fastest version of the HSPA+ technology.

Meanwhile, Motorola was able to overcome those design challenges. Alain Mutricy, senior vice president of product and portfolio management at Motorola, said the company is using LTE technology that is similar to what has been included in other LTE-enabled Motorola phones. The difference between the Droid Razr and the Droid Bionic, another Motorola LTE-smartphone, is simply how the components are put together. The Droid Razr uses a stainless steal frame and Kevlar casing to build a thin and lightweight device that is still strong enough to sustain day-to-day use.

The Droid Razr”s 4G LTE support is a big advantage over the iPhone 4S, because for people who can access Verizon”s 4G network, the network speeds are much faster. But there is a chance that LTE functionality could degrade the battery life on the Droid Razr.

It”s hard to say how the two phones will stack up against each other in terms of battery life in the real world, but in general, LTE devices tend to drain batteries quicker than devices, such as the iPhone 4S, which only supports 3G technology. But Motorola has said that the Droid Razr is not expected to eat through the battery any faster than other LTE devices. And there is reason to believe it might perform slightly better than previous LTE smartphones, because the components are integrated more tightly.

In terms of battery life specifications, Motorola claims its 1780mAh battery can sustain 12.5 hours of talk time, and 8.9 hours of video. By contrast, the iPhone 4S is expected to offer up to 8 hours of talk time on a 3G network, as well as up to 6 hours of Internet use and up to 10 hours of video playback, according to Apple.

The one thing that could hold back the Motorola Droid Razr from winning some customers is the fact that it”s priced slightly higher than the iPhone and other smartphones. Motorola said the device will sell for $300 with a two-year contract from Verizon. The iPhone 4S 16GB model sells for $200.

But considering that the Droid Razr comes with 16GB of internal memory in addition to a pre-installed 16GB microSD memory card, the device is comparable in price to the 64GB version of the iPhone 4S, which also sells for $300.

Of course, there are some things still missing from the Droid Razr. The phone does not have an NFC or near field communications chip, which would allow the device to be used as digital wallet for payments. While the iPhone 4S also doesn”t include this technology, other Google Android smartphones will be coming out with this capability.

In fact, Samsung is set to announce a new device at an event in Hong Kong tonight. The new Galaxy Nexus is expected to have NFC built into it as well as support for Google”s latest version of Android, Ice Cream Sandwich. Meanwhile, the Droid Razr supports the Gingerbread version of Android. Motorola”s Mutricy said that Droid Razr users can expect the Ice Cream Sandwich Android update in the first half of 2012.

In addition to LTE, Motorola has added some of its own software capabilities to make the device more attractive. The new Droid Razr can connect to a Lapdock (sold separately) to allow users to view documents stored on the phone on a full screen. The Lapdock is already available for the Droid Bionic.

The Droid Razr also supports the Smart Actions app, which allows users to customize the phone to automate tasks and optimize battery life. For example, the app can turn Wi-Fi on and off at certain times or dim the screen brightness according to certain rules. And Motorola has also included the free MotoCast app that allows users to stream or download music, pictures and other files from a PC to the Droid Razr.

In the end, it will likely be the thin design of the device and its support for LTE that will make the Droid Razr attractive to potential iPhone 4S users, I predict.

“This is definitely the best phone you can buy today,” Mutricy said during an interview. “It offers faster performance on a faster network. And it brings back that iconic Razr brand that still stands for thin and innovative packaging, without sacrificing performance of functionality.”

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Sep 23 2011

Amazon”s Next Kindle Threatens to Challenge IPad”s Dominance

Sept. 23 (Bloomberg) — Amazon.com Inc.”s next Kindle device, expected in the coming months, is poised to become the biggest threat to Apple Inc.”s iPad this holiday season.

The latest iteration of its Kindle e-book reader will have an improved interface and double as a tablet computer, with a touch screen in full color, said Anupam Palit, an analyst at GreenCrest Capital Management in New York. The device should arrive by Thanksgiving, he said.

By taking advantage of its ties with media and publishing companies to pack the Kindle tablet with songs, books and videos, Amazon may succeed where companies such as Research In Motion Ltd. and Hewlett-Packard Co. have failed. Amazon Chief Executive Officer Jeff Bezos will probably set a price that”s near the cost of production, Palit said. That way, the company can attract users who balk at the $499 to $829 cost of the iPad.

“You”re going to get the first tablet that functions as well as the iPad,” Palit said. “You”re going to get the first major competitor for the iPad that has a full media and e- commerce platform.”

Amazon hasn”t discussed its Kindle plans, leaving analysts to try to fill in the gaps. Mary Osako, a spokeswoman for the Seattle-based company, didn”t immediately respond to a request for comment.

Sarah Epps, an analyst at Forrester Research Inc. in Cambridge, Massachusetts, predicts that Amazon will “easily” sell 3 million to 5 million tablets in the fourth quarter. That assumes a price of $299, she said in a report last month.

Revenue Source

Apple shipped 9.25 million iPads in its most recent quarter, which ended June 25. Though the product is less than two years old, it”s already the company”s biggest source of revenue after the iPhone. Apple also leads the market for mobile applications, with more than 425,000. Over 100,000 of those apps are custom-designed for the iPad.

Trudy Muller, a spokeswoman for Cupertino, California-based Apple, declined to comment on competition with Amazon.

The Amazon tablet will probably run Google Inc.”s Android operating platform, which already supports Amazon”s application store, said Ken Sena, an analyst at Evercore Partners Inc. in New York. Amazon will have 5 percent of the total tablet market and about 16 percent of the Android tablet market this year, based on units sold, Sena said in July.

Even if it makes rapid gains, Amazon will have a fraction of Apple”s market share. The iPad accounted for 68 percent of all tablets shipped worldwide in the second quarter, according to Framingham, Massachusetts-based research firm IDC. Android tablets, including models from Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co., accounted for 27 percent.

Slow Start

Two other tablets have failed to make a dent so far. RIM”s PlayBook, introduced in the second quarter, sold 200,000 units, less than half of what analysts predicted. Analysts had already cut estimates for full-year PlayBook shipments to an average of 2.2 million, according to a Bloomberg survey.

Hewlett-Packard, meanwhile, discontinued its TouchPad in August — only about a month after its debut. And Microsoft Corp. may not have its Windows operating system for tablets ready until next year.

Amazon”s store attracts millions of customers a month, which would help it promote a new tablet, said Colin Sebastian, an analyst at Robert W. Baird & Co. in San Francisco. Total revenue is projected to rise 32 percent next year to $64.4 billion, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

The company”s tablet “has a pretty good chance at emerging as a leader,” Sebastian said. “Amazon is likely the only one that”s going to produce something that”s close to the iPad that you would get with Android.”

Keep It Simple

The company can outpace other iPad competitors if it simplifies the tablet and makes the device intuitive to users, he said.

While price competition may take a toll on Amazon”s profit margins, the company hasn”t shied away from that in the past, Palit said. To challenge Apple”s iTunes music service, Amazon sold Lady Gaga”s album in its MP3 store for 99 cents.

Apple relies on hardware for most of its sales. That may leave it vulnerable to an assault from Amazon, which could lose money on the device and then try to recoup the cost by selling more books and media.

The tablet also could set the stage for another source of revenue. Amazon has approached book publishers about starting a rental service for digital libraries that would require an annual fee, Palit said. Amazon would pay publishers a fee to participate, he said.

Amazon Prime

The retailer also may use video and book rentals on its tablet to promote its Prime membership program, which gives subscribers discounts on shipping and lets them watch movies for $79 a year, Sebastian said.

“It”s a way of enticing the content owners to leverage Amazon”s customer base,” he said. “They hope that there”s a payoff in terms of more velocity.”

Making it easy to get their books, movies and music will help Amazon stand out from failed tablet offerings, said Michael Norris, an analyst for Simba Information, a consulting firm based in Stamford, Connecticut.

“The thing that Amazon has done really, really well is they understand the relationship a consumer has with entertainment and content,” he said. “It”s all about the content that Amazon hopes to deliver with the tablet. If it”s seamless and easy, it could be attractive to a whole lot of people.”

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Sep 12 2011

Top 8 expected features of Windows 8

Never has so much been at stake for Microsoft in a single product release. After the successful launch of Windows 7 in 2009, the company continues to rule the desktop, but has faltered in the emerging tablet space. The next version of its popular operating system, codenamed Windows 8, is designed to bridge the gap between PCs and slates, but will it be enough to help the world’s leading software company catch up to its competitors in the mobile space when it launches sometime in 2012?

Just as important, will Windows 8 have the kind of compelling features that made Windows 7 a must-have upgrade for consumers and businesses alike? We’ve gathered together the top 8 announced or rumored features of Microsoft’s upcoming OS so you can decide for yourself. (Msnbc.com is a Microsoft-NBC Universal joint venture.)

Touch-friendly user interface
Say goodbye to the Start Menu, at least when it comes to the main desktop. Microsoft has demoed a flashy new user interface filled with touch-friendly live tiles that show everything from the news to your social media updates. Windows 8 also supports full-screen HTML 5 applications on the desktop and the ability to switch between apps with a single swipe to the left or right.

“Tiles are better than icons,” Jensen Harris, director of PM: Windows User Experience, said in a demo video. “They have a little more space for the app to show its personality. Like the weather app can just show you the temperature without you having to open it.”

Despite the slickness of the new OS, Microsoft may have a hard time convincing users that an interface that looks more like Windows Phone 7 than Windows 7 will work well on non-touch devices.

“On a PC where you are still using a keyboard and mouse, or a laptop, where you don’t necessarily want to touch your screen, or only rely on a touch pad, I think it’s a harder sell,” said ZDNet”s Mary Jo Foley. “I just can’t see myself — the way I work, and the way that I know a lot of other people work — having to click through those tiled boxes on the screen in order to find a program.”

Fortunately, a traditional-style Windows desktop will be available for apps that require it. However, it”s not clear whether users will be able to disable tile mode entirely.

Snap for multi-tasking
By default, Windows 8 won”t even have traditional windows as native apps will run full screen without title bars or minimize/maximize widgets. To see more than one program at a time, you”ll be able to “snap” one app to the left while another sits on the right. You can then adjust the dividing line between the programs to show more or less of each. Microsoft”s Harris demoed Snap in this Microsoft video.

Improved file copy feature
Windows” obtuse file copying function has been a minor annoyance for years. Every copy operation has its own dialog box that shows you a single progress bar which may or may not provide an accurate estimate of how long the operation will take to complete.

With Windows 8, Microsoft puts all current copy operations into a single dialog box where you can check their progress and pause/resume them. You”ll also have access to a more detailed report that shows the file transfer rate of each file copy and a more transparent warning when you try to copy one version of a file over another.

Unfortunately, the estimates won”t be more precise. In a blog post, Microsoft says that “estimating the time remaining to complete a copy is nearly impossible to do with any precision because there are many unpredictable and uncontrollable variables involved.”

ARM processor support
Windows 8 will be the first Microsoft operating system to run on ARM-based processors in addition to traditional x86 chips from Intel and AMD. ARM processors such as Nvidia’s Tegra, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon and TI’s OMAP have dominated the smartphone and tablet space because they’re great at low-power, connected computing.

Windows 8 for ARM will support a new mode called “always on, always connected” that allows any device to act like a phone, remaining in standby mode for hours without disconnecting from the Internet, then waking instantly the minute you need them to.

At Computex Taipei, Microsoft VP of Windows Planning Mike Angiulo showed that both an ARM device and a standard x86 PC could run the same piano playing application. He also demoed a notebook based Nvidia’s quad core Kal El CPU that could run Microsoft Office and print documents to a standard printer

Web apps on the desktop
Like HP with its WebOS and RIM with BlackBerry Tablet OS, Microsoft plans to support a new class of programs called “Tailored Apps” that will use standard web languages such as HTML 5 and JavaScript, but be able to interact with the hardware and file system. By supporting these well-known languages, Microsoft can attract an army of additional developers and, since these they run through a browser engine, compatibility across both ARM and x86 hardware platforms is assured.

However, we don’t know exactly how developers using Microsoft’s .NET framework and other popular programming languages will be able to build apps that work on both the ARM and x86 flavors of Windows 8. Will they be able to code once, run everywhere?

“At the highest level, people hear, oh it’s just the same code and it can run in both places, but we don’t really know that that is true,” ZDNet”s Mary Jo Foley said. “And in fact, some of the things Microsoft said about having to rework office so that it works on Windows on ARM make me think it isn’t true.”

Windows 8 app store
With Apple adding a Mac App Store for to OS X and everyone from Amazon to Lenovo getting into the app store game on mobile, a Windows 8 app store seems like a no-brainer. We don”t know much about the look, feel, pricing or selection of the store because Microsoft”s only official word on it comes in a blog post from Windows Division President Steven Sinofsky where he simple lists “App Store” as one of the many teams working on Windows 8.

However, in April, Chinese site CnBeta posted the picture above, claiming that it came from a leaked build of Windows 8. Given the windowed appearance of this picture, we can only guess that this is either a fake, an early version or a version designed for Windows 7 users. We suspect that the final Windows 8 app store will have the same kind of tiled interface as other native Win 8 apps.

Native USB 3.0 support
With speeds up to 10 times as fast as USB 2.0 and the ability to carry more voltage for charging, USB 3.0 offers a whole new world of speed and convenience. Though USB 3.0 controllers and devices will work under Windows 7 with third-party drivers, Microsoft is building native drivers into Windows 8 and developing an efficient new USB software stack. Your blazing fast external SSD should work better than ever!

Kinect gesture control and other input methods
Microsoft hasn”t announced support for Kinect-style gesture control, but long-time observers feel confident that when Windows 8 launches in 2012, it will be there. Given Kinect”s popularity on Xbox, we tend to agree.

Windows Supersite”s Paul Thurott told us he expects Microsoft to not only support gestures but all kinds of new input methods, including voice control and facial recognition.

“This doesn’t get a lot of press, but one of the big advantages, one of the big deals about kinect, even now in this early version is the voice-control stuff,” he said. “People stand there and they wave their arms around in the air, and it’s interesting and it makes for a good demo, but the truth is, when you’re watching TV, it’s actually kind of nice to control the playback and the navigation with your voice.”

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Aug 29 2011

Jackson Electronics announces iRoc sales programs with Colleges and Universities

iRoc® is now available through the Campus Computer Store at the University of Texas and through the Campus Book Store at Texas State University. Additionally, Jackson Electronics is offering a Student & Faculty discount with email address verification for website purchases at http://www.iRocOnline.com.

Austin, TX (PRWEB) August 27, 2011

Jackson Electronics announced today that the iRoc product line is being sold at the University of Texas and Texas State University.

“Universities and Colleges are a major focus for our company,” stated Michael Gagliardi, President & CEO, Jackson Electronics, LLC, “ To student users, their iPhone is their 24/7 window to the world and iRoc® is quickly becoming “THE MUST BUY” accessory for the millions of student iPhone users that demand a multi-media experience in their vehicles.”

Craig Jackson, founder & CTO, Jackson Electronics, LLC, stated, “Students are on the cutting edge of Smartphone technology and they are demanding improved connectivity between their vehicle audio/video systems and their Smartphones and portable media players (PMPs). By using the Smartphone as the hub of the infotainment system, we are insuring that our offerings will always be light years ahead of the head unit manufacturers in terms of technology.”

iRoc® is a revolutionary product line providing a low cost alternative to OEM factory installed infotainment systems for the motor vehicle audio market, enabling in-vehicle Internet connectivity. iRoc® replaces the existing radio and provides a unique customer experience, utilizing the iPhone as the hub of the information ecosystem … a completely integrated motor vehicle audio, video, navigation, and hands-free communications system, retaining access to over 350,000 iPhone Apps, in a compact single or double DIN package with a sleek factory installed appearance, safely eliminating the need for bulky cables or hidden compartments.

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Aug 2 2011

Apple iCloud: What it is, and What it Costs

With Apple revealing iCloud price details along with the beta version of iCloud.com, now seems like a good time to explain what the service is to anyone who missed Apple”s announcement in June.

iCloud basics

iCloud does not replace local storage on iPhones, iPads and iPod Touches. What it does is keep your data in sync between any Apple device or PC that you own. For example, if you”re writing a document in Pages on an iPad, that document will automatically be available for editing on your iPhone or a PC, with no need to transfer files by e-mail or USB.

iCloud also remembers your device”s settings, apps, home screen layouts, ring tones and text messages, so all of that information is available if you upgrade or replace your iPhone or iPad. Think of it like the backup function in iTunes, but through the Internet instead.

Which apps use iCloud?

Apple”s iWork productivity software — Pages, Numbers and Keynote — can sync documents through iCloud. Contacts, Calendar and Mail will also be updated automatically across multiple devices. A new service called Photo Stream allows you to download your 1,000 most recent photos to a computer or other iOS device for 30 days. You can also store a device”s entire camera roll in iCloud for longer.

Third-party apps will be able to use iCloud as well. Rovio, for instance, could make Angry Birds data available across devices so your iPhone and iPad will show the same progress through the game. It”s up to developers to implement these kinds of features.

What”s included for free, and what costs extra?

Apple will provide 5 GB of iCloud storage for free, but iTunes music, apps, books and Photo Stream don”t count against that total. iCloud storage is consumed by documents, mail, app data, your full camera roll, settings and other device information. Additional storage costs $20 per year for 10 GB, $40 per year for 20 GB and $100 per year for 50 GB.

Apple suggests that 5 GB of storage should suffice, but that depends largely on whether you”re storing lots of photos and videos on your Camera Roll, and how much app data you”re backing up. The former should be easy to determine — you can already see in iTunes how much data is used by photos and video — but the latter will be harder to pin down until we see how many developers adopt the service.

Who is this for?

People who own multiple iOS devices will get the most out of iCloud, because it saves the hassle of manually transferring data between iPhones, iPads and so on. Owners of a single Apple device may still appreciate iCloud”s automatic backup function, which makes replacing hardware easier.

iTunes is separate

Apple iCloud: What it is, and What it CostsOne possible point of confusion with iCloud is how iTunes purchases factor into the service. When you buy music from iTunes, it can be automatically synced to all of your iOS devices, and it won”t count against your free storage. A paid service called iTunes Match is completely separate from iCloud, and syncs any music you haven”t purchased from iTunes for $25 per year.

When will this be available?

iCloud arrives this fall, alongside iOS 5.

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Jul 29 2011

10 terrific apps to help out high school students

Get a head start on the upcoming school year with these brain-building offerings

It”s almost August, and that means the beginning of a new school year is just around the corner. Maybe you”re thrilled; more likely, though, all those lazy days of summer vacation have left you feeling like you don”t know much about history, biology, or that foreign language you took. So we”ve assembled a motley collection of educational apps to give you a head start on the school year. Heck, even parents (who are, of course, already expert on all subjects) could probably find some interesting tidbits among these apps.

1. World Atlas HD
Price: $1.99
Download:World Atlas HD

If you think free maps on the Internet leave something to be desired, the National Geographic Society”s World Atlas HD app might be the app for you. It lets you search high-resolution world maps; you choose whether to view them in classic style, with an antique look, or in satellite form. Consult details for specific countries, including land area, population, languages spoken, major religions, type of government, and natural resources. World Atlas HD is available for iPad.

2. Wikipanion
Price: Free
Download:Wikipanion

This app is designed to provide easy access to Wikipedia from your smartphone or tablet. You can bookmark individual entries and sections within an entry, or perform a dictionary search within Wikipedia without leaving the page you”re consulting. Wikipanion is available for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.

3. Math Formulas — Reference Guide
Price: $0.99
Download:Math Formulas — Reference Guide

No more scrawling down mathematical formulas on little scraps of paper; this app remembers them all for you. Formulas are sorted by mathematical discipline (geometry, calculus, algebra and so on), and most are accompanied by examples of how they”re used. This app is available for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.

4. PocketCas Lite Free
Price: Free
Download:PocketCas Lite Free

The developers of this app promise that with its help, “you will be able to solve almost every mathematical problem you can imagine.” We”re drooling already. Essentially, the app turns your device into a sophisticated graphing calculator. You can solve complex equations using the embedded functions from calculus, algebra, linear algebra and applied mathematics. PocketCas Lite Free is available for iPhone and iPad.

5. AccelaStudies “Essentials” series
Price: Free
Download: Spanish, French, German, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic

This foreign language app is available for learners of more than a dozen languages, including Spanish, French, German, Chinese, Japanese, and Arabic. Its features include flash cards, quizzes, and audio clips of a native speaker pronouncing vocabulary words. The app”s available for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.

6. Frog Dissection
Price: $3.99
Download:Frog Dissection

Frog dissection is a classic high school biology experience. To practice for the big day (or to allow parents to relive their own frog dissections without the smell of formaldehyde), check out this award-winning app. Besides virtually dissecting a frog using the proper tools, you can learn about different types of frogs and their life cycles. There”s also an interactive quiz. This app is available for iPad.

7. Shakespeare
Price: Free
Download:Shakespeare

As the name implies, this app contains the complete works of Shakespeare — 41 plays, 154 sonnets and six poems — all fully searchable for the words of your choice. There”s also a glossary of Shakespearean terms, a section devoted to notable quotes, and a gallery of portraits of the Bard. The Shakespeare app is available for iPhone and iPad.

8. The Chemical Touch
Price: $0.99
Download: The Chemical Touch

The Chemical Touch app offers an interactive periodic table and detailed information on each element”s properties, as well as more technical chemistry topics that we, quite frankly, don”t totally understand. But we imagine it would be fascinating to budding chemists. The Chemical Touch is available for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.

9. Skrambler X
Price: $2.99
Download:Skrambler X

A solid option for art history buffs is the Skrambler X game. The app helps you unscramble paintings by more than 30 famous artists including Degas, Rembrandt and Van Eyck. It”s a good mental workout, and poring over the images provides a painless way to learn about each artist”s signature subjects, colors and brushstrokes. Skrambler X is available for iPad.

10. Easel SAT Prep Lite
Price: Free
Download:Easel SAT Prep Lite

If you”re studying for the SAT, this prep app could come in handy. It consists of a sample workbook with three sections, just like the real SAT. Each section has 25 questions which you can answer by scribbling on the blank space provided. If you find yourself stuck, a limited number of questions have a ShowMe feature that lets you watch a step-by-step demo of how to tackle that item. Easel SAT Prep Lite is available for iPad.

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