Mobile Devices - Page 180

If the current estimated BOM (bill of materials) from UBM TechInsights is anything to go by, we're looking at Apple cutting their profit margins ever-so-slightly for the new iPad when compared to the previous two models.

UBM TechInsights estimate shows a BOM of $310 for the new iPad - the 4G LTE 16GB model. The retail pricing on this model is $629, which gives Apple a very nice margin of 51-percent. Compared to previous models, this is down 6-percent or so.

The firm does note that a proper teardown is required to get their numbers more refined, but preliminary estimates typically match more accurate teardowns to within just a few dollars. More precise number should be available by the end of the week when the new iPad ships.

Corsair have just released a new range of SSD series today, the Accelerator. The drive is aimed for caching purposes, and even comes bundled with NVELO's DataPlex caching software. Corsair had shown off the Accelerator series at CES 2012, but the drive has not been made available until today.

The Corsair Accelerator series is available in three sizes: 30, 45 and 60GB. The drive doesn't need to be super-large, as its only used as a cache drive, so it only stores the most frequently accessed data. Caching is aimed toward average users as utilizing two separate drives can be a bit hard for the novice user, whereas advanced users want total control over their data.

Keeping the price of the drive down is important, as it will attract more buyers, especially those who don't yet own an SSD drive. The new drive sports a SATA 3Gbps interface, which Corsair chose to keep the price down. The drives come in two different specs, with two different controllers between the 30GB (SandForce SF-2141 controller) and the 45/60GB drives with the SandForce SF-2181 controllers.

Apple aren't wasting any time with this event and not boring us with facts and figures. We already saw that the new iPad will get Retina Display, but it will also get 4G LTE high-speed internet access.

For comparison, the iPad 2 has 3.1Mbps on EV-DO and 7.2 Mbps on HSPA and the new iPad will get 21Mbps on HSPA+, 42Mbps on HSDPA and a massive 73Mbps on supported LTE networks. According to Engadget, Verizon, Rogers, Bell, Telus and AT&T will be the LTE partners.

In addition the new iPad can be a personal hotspot like the iPhone 4, but it will still depend on if your carrier supports it or not.

VentureBeat has heard the rumbles from reliable sources, and are reporting that the next iPad to hit, won't be called the iPad 3, and will actually be dubbed 'iPad HD'. iPad HD would make sense, as the new iPad sports a high-resolution Retina Display with a 2048x1536-pixel display.

Right now, the current iPads feature 1024x768-pixel screens, so the iPad HD will blow them out of the water. Apple aren't the first ones to hit a homerun in terms of screen resolution for a tablet, but are the first ones to go over 1080p. ASUS' Transformer Prime features a 1080p display, but of course, in the usual Apple tradition, we should expect the high-res display to be a world first somehow. Hopefully we see iTunes HD debut at the same time, or else it will [mostly] be for nothing.

The iPad HD name would also make more sense, considering it will most likely ship with a suped up version of Apple's dual-core A5 processor, dubbed A5X. No quad-core A6 for you, iPad fans! Whilst ASUS and other companies are releasing quad-core tablets, Apple will behind the eight ball this time with a slower dual-core. Yes, most apps and games don't use it, but bragging rights are bragging rights at the end of the day. Other companies will be able to use this against Apple when pushing their products.

We've had a few rumors and posts about Samsung's upcoming sure-to-kick-ass Galaxy S III smartphone, but the closer we get to an actual in-our-hands unit, the more rumors float out from the underbelly of the Internet itself.

Android Authority is now reporting from sources that this time, aren't industry, up-channel, down-channel, up-stream, down-stream, but the advertising company that Samsung has reportedly employed for its Galaxy S III campaign for the summer Olympics in the UK. The UK is also said to be one of the first markets to receive the GSIII and is apparently where the first advertising campaign will be. There are also signs that the same scenario that happened last year, could happen again, where Americans have to wait a few months before receiving the phone ahead of the UK launch.

If the next-gen iPhone does indeed launch in the summer, Samsung only have a small window to gain a head start for this handset, in order to sell as many units as possible. If the phone is indeed a quad-core, Full HD-sporting phone, with a near edge-to-edge display, it could launch at the same time as the iPhone 5 and still get some seriously huge numbers.

ASUS have unveiled their superhero-like Padfone at Mobile World Congress, and what a phone it is. ASUS' Padfone sports a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED qHD display, Snapdragon's new dual-core S4 processor, an Adreno 225 GPU, Android 4.x Ice Cream Sandwich, an 8-megapixel rear-facing with an LED flash and f/2.2, autofocusing lens.

This is all backed up with between 16 and 64GB of internal storage which can be expanded through microSD cards, Bluetooth 4.0, HDMI, GPS, A-GPS, a gyroscope, 1,520mAh battery and a compass. Connectivity-wise we're looking at WCDMA (900, 2100MHz), EDGE/GPRS/GSM (850, 1800 and 1900MHz) and HSPA+, with theoretical download speeds of 42Mbps.

This all slides into a beautiful 9.2mm frame, and that's not all. Apart from a set of steak knives, it does everything, including the near-exclusive way of sliding into a tablet-like device. This will let you use the device like a 10.1-inch tablet, and also extends the battery by, oh, just 9-fold. Yes, 9-fold. ASUS will also be selling a keyboard dock, so you can slide that 10-inch phone-tablet into an actual physical keyboard. In the shot above, you can also see a stylus. Say what!

The smartphone industry is one of the toughest to stand out in, and HTC hope to stand proud with their latest and greatest handset, One. HTC CEO Peter Chou, said in an event in Barcelona:

Chou took a minute to note that taking photos is the second thing that people do on their phones, after making phone calls, and that HTC One will be good enough to replace your standard camera. He continued "it is the one phone you will need, it is the one camera you will need".

HTC's flagship One X device sports a 4.7-inch screen, as well as NVIDIA's Tegra 3 system-on-a-chip, in the LTE-powered models, it will feature a Qualcomm chip. Chou says "HTC One is a speed and performance beast", and that it is. HTC One will come in different sizes and flavors, including a thinner HTC One S that sports a 4.3-inch screen and the HTC One V that is set to be aimed at the broader mass-market audience.

We teased of this last week, but ahead of Mobile World Congress next week, Samsung have just announced two new handsets to their mid- and low-end lineup: Galaxy Ace 2 and Galaxy Mini 2. Both of the original phones were among Samsung's most successful phones in 2011, and now each phone gets an increased chunk in power.

First up we have the Galaxy Ace 2, which is a mid-range Android phone sporting a 3.8-inch 800x480-pixel PLS display, which should be powered by an unspecified 800MHz dual-core processor. 4GB of internal storage is to be had, as well as expansion through a microSD slot, it also has 768MB of RAM. Filling the phone out is a 5-megapixel rear-facing snapper, as well as a front-facing 0.3-megapixel camera, a 1500mAh battery, and weighs in at just 122 grams and is 10.5mm thin. Optional NFC support will be made available and it will sport Android 2.3 Gingerbread at launch, and possibly receiving Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich later this year.

The low-end lineup gets a refreshment course found in the form of the Galaxy Mini 2, which sports a 3.27-inch 480x320-pixel display. Processor-wise, we have an 800MHz chip, 512MB of RAM, 4GB of internal storage with expansion available through MicroSD, a 3-megapixel rear-facing camera, and will have two models: one with, and one without NFC support. The NFC-enabled Mini 2 will be 0.3mm thicker, and 1.5 grams heavier. Filling out the specs we have a 1300mAh battery, and Android 2.3 Gingerbread.

Even though Samsung and Apple are duking it out in courts across the world when it comes to patents, it is still business as usual when it comes to contracts for displays. Samsung-contracted Apple iPad 3 displays have reportedly been caught on camera, with some shots below as proof.

The shots are from a WePost.me forum contribution, where it shows photos from contractor Radiant Opto-Electronics' plant as it shipped a bunch of new screens. The plant is located in Wujiang, near Shanghai, with the displays labeled and boxed as Samsung displays, and are reportedly shipped to Samsung in Korea, before being sent to Apple.

As usual, blurrycam shots are the only ones available, as security is air-tight. The iPad 3 displays may have been developed by Sharp, but the construction and manufacturing of the displays are being outsourced to Korean-based companies who are able to cope with the type of volume that Apple requires. Samsung and LG both outsource, although they have domestic production and usually try to create an image of most of their factory output being local.

Mobile World Congress 2012 is just over a week away, and Qualcomm are out of the gate with a tease of their Snapdragon S4 SoC which is the world's first mobile processor built on the 28nm process, as well as the first to integrate 4G LTE which is made possible as Qualcomm's chips are custom-designed from the ground up using an ARM instruction set.

Some details on the smaller things found in the S4 have now been revealed by the company, such as the S4's camera, more specifically, the Image Signal Processor (ISP). The ISP sports advanced features that will allow any smartphone or tablet powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon S4 to double as a high-end digital camera.

With the S4 chip, any device can shoot up to 20-megapixel stills, or 1080p @ 30fps video capture. Up to three cameras could be placed on the device, with the third capable of taking 3D shots. The S4's ISP also includes Qualcomm's proprietary 3A camera technology (Autofocus, Auto Exposure and Auto White Balance), which enables practical camera applications such as blink detection, smile degree, and gaze estimation.

Samsung have avoided more lawsuits when it comes to their Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus N, where it has now launched in Germany on Tuesday, albeit, quietly. The changes in the new tablet are the telltale top and bottom borders that German courts have allowed for release, as they aren't "copying" Apple's "technology".

The new Tab 7.0 Plus N 16GB Wi-Fi version is quite expensive, rolling in at 499 euros ($656) with tax, as well as it's 3G brother at 569 euros ($748) with HSPA+ inside. The new 7-inch Galaxy Tab's are the first Samsung 7-inch tablets to arrive in Germany since the original Galaxy Tab launched nearly 18 months ago now. Samsung did unveil the Galaxy Tab 7.7 in Germany, but were forced to rip it away from the IFA floor because Apple objected to the similarity before it had even had time to hit retail shelves.

Samsung's designs sold everywhere else, bar Germany, until final verdicts in relevant trials. Apple successfully argued that the all-black, all-flat front design was too close to design rights for the iPad, and needed to change.

We reported nearly a week ago now that the iPad 3 would launch in the first week of March, but there are some more details leaking out now, that we could expect much, much more from Apple. It seems that the new iPad 3 will sport the high-res 2048x1536 Retina Display, which exceeds the 1080p resolution that high-def content comes in.

Right now, Apple's iTunes Store has a limit of 720p for their video content, and 720p is also the maximum resolution that the current-generation Apple TV supports. Apple have reportedly been asking movie studios to start submitting 1080p content to the iTunes Store, and with the new iPad 3 sporting a higher-than-1080p display, we could finally see a move into years-old technology from Apple.

This means we could, or could not see, 1080p content on the iTunes Store, as well as a 1080p-capable Apple TV. Whatever it is, you can bet your bottom dollar that 1080p from Apple will be pushed as the Second Coming of Jesus Christ himself, and that they'll make the normal users feel like they simply can't get 1080p anywhere else. I'll just be happy that Apple are finally entering into the 1080p era.

We've reported a few times now that the upcoming next-generation Apple iPad 3 would launch in "Q1 2012", or "early-March" or "the first week of March". It now seems that we could expect an announcement of the iPad 3 on March 7th, 2012, to be specific. It was also reported that it would sport a quad-core chip, and LTE support.

This new information comes from iMore, where they've reported that Apple will hold their iPad 3 announcement on March 7th. iMore also reports that the iPad 3 will feature the 2048x1536 Retina Display, as well as the quad-core A6 processor and possibly, 4G LTE support. They cite sources "who have been reliable in the past".

iMore seems certain of LTE support in the iPad 3:

It seems as though Samsung have just announced their first line-up of tablets for 2012, by announcing the Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0). Samsung have said that this is the perfect "personal on-the-go device" and will be made in both 3G and Wi-Fi variants. The Galaxy Tab 2 will launch in the U.K. and then globally in March.

JK Shin, President of IT & Mobile Communications Division at Samsung Electronics has said:

Samsung's Galaxy Tab 2 sports a 1GHz dual-core processor, 7-inch WSVGA PLS TFT display with a resolution of 1024x600, a 3-megapixel rear-facing cam, and VGA front-facer for video calls, HSPA+ connectivity, the usual Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and USB2.0 host is also included. It will come in sizes of 8, 16 and 32GB, with microSD to expand this storage, too. It also sports 1GB of RAM, and a standard Li-on 4,000mAh battery.

Here we go, again. Apple don't even let the dust settle on previous lawsuits against not only Samsung, but others, and today is no different. Apple are bringing a motion for preliminary injunction against Samsung's Ice Cream Sandwich-powered Galaxy Nexus smartphone in the U.S.

The latest motion is based on a handful of very powerful patents, which FOSS Patents have dubbed "the patent equivalent of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse". Quite the title considering it's 2012 and all. FOSS' breakdown:

Really, Apple? Are you that scared of the Galaxy Nexus and Samsung's future, most likely, quad-core phones? That scared that all you can do is patent slap the competition instead of releasing actual ground-breaking new devices instead of "S" variants of 18-month-old smartphones? Release something magical, revolutionary, and I hope with all the power in the universe that the people you've pissed off with patents come back to haunt you.

Everyone is going to want to combat the upcoming slaughterhouse that will be the iPad 3, but Amazon has enjoyed great success with their Kindle Fire tablet. Pacific Crest analyst Char Bartley said this week that:

Amazon have already said they're making more Kindle Fire's to meet demand, as well as reports of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich rocking on the Fire. It seems that the fire the Kindle has burning, just can't be put out.

That's just a little bit interesting, isn't it? Amazon are one of the biggest competitors of the iPad, and they have enough power and influence to make it happen. Amazon could start releasing slightly changed versions of their popular Fire tablet, albeit in different sizes. We should have more information as it comes, until then, keep your eyes pealed for more 9-inch Kindle Fire news.

We started the day off with a RumorTT about the iPod Nano, and toward the end of the news posting day, another RumorTT is here, about the iPad 3. I did originally say that it was weird posting a RumorTT piece about an Apple product that wasn't an iPhone or iPad... but mere hours later, here we are.

A "source claiming to be in possession of an iPad 3 prototype" provided BGR with images that contained juicy details on Apple's next-generation iPad. From the above photo, which contains the output from an iPad 3 using a development and debug tool called iBoot, we can see tonnes of information on the iPad 3.

First, J1 and J2 (iPad3,1 and iPad3,2) are two different models, not different devices. A single iPad 3, available in Wi-Fi-only and another that sports GSM/CDMA/LTE for all carriers. Also spotted in the photo is the first news of the chip being slapped into the iPad 3: an A6 processor with the model number S5L8945X. To compare this to previous Apple chips, the Apple A4 model was S5L8930X and the Apple A5 is the S5L8940X.

Samsung has confirmed with TechRadar, that the successor to the super-awesome Galaxy S II, the Galaxy S III won't be seen at Mobile World Congress this year. The Galaxy S II was announced at last year's MWC, but the successor will miss the show. Boo.

It was revealed that the Galaxy S III will receive its own separate event to show off the new phone:

What are your thoughts? As a GSII owner, I can't wait. I think it'll kick the iPhone 5's arse, all over the floor. The iPhone will have more hype, and sell more... but it will have to be a seriously huge jump over the lacklustre iPhone 4S, which wasn't that much better than a suped-up iPhone 4. Plagued with issues, too. Samsung's next-gen Galaxy S III will most likely sport a quad-core CPU, which will already catapult it way beyond the current iPhone 4S/Galaxy S II's dual-core CPUs.

A RumorTT post about an Apple product that isn't the iPhone or iPad? What's going on! The latest news from Apple.pro claims that the seventh-generation iPod Nano is set to sport a camera. Not only a camera, but it will bring sexy the camera back.

The picture above is just a leak, so the usual salt application and over-the-shoulder-throwing is required. The next-gen iPod Nano pictured is a prototype, so things could change. This prototype is said to have a paltry 1.3-megapixel camera, but is a non-final version.

Rumor has it that the next-gen iPod Nano is just two months away from release, so if you're after a new iPod Nano in the coming weeks, months, we would suggest waiting so you can grab one of these ultra-small, camera-equipped, clip-equipped iPod Nano's.

Lenovo have unveiled plans to upgrade its ThinkPad Tablet to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich in Q2 of this year. Lenovo will release the ICS-based upgrade over-the-air (OTA) but has not giving specific timing on when this will happen.

The Ice Cream Sandwich update won't enable some hardware-specific features such as Android Beam, which uses NFC (near-field communications) technology to share Web content, maps and directions between devices simply by tapping them together. The ThinkPad doesn't have NFC capabilities.

The update will give Lenovo an edge over the competition, that is, until the competition unleash the power of Ice Cream Sandwich on their respective tablets.