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Despite Lawsuit Asus Continue Transformer Prime Production

admin — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 17:44:20 +0000

Representative from ASUS has revealed recently that the outfit has no plans to discontinue the production of tablets in the Transformer line, including the recently released Transformer Prime, despite the lawsuit started against the company by Hasbro. After the trademark infringement lawsuit was filed by the US-based toy maker, Asus has conducted a series of internal assessments and found that no patents are infringed by its tablet line, said Chang Wei-Ming, an Asus spokesperson. Chang continued by adding that the lawsuit is unlikely to affect production, reports the Focus Taiwan publication.

According to Hasbro, the Transformer Prime label might cause confusion among consumers, so the toy maker has decided to sue Asus for trademark infringement, unfair competition and trademark dilution. Hasbro, also asked the Los Angeles court to stop the Taiwanese company from using the Transformer name in current and future products.

Officially announced in mid-November, the 10.1-inch Transformer Prime is powered by Nvidia’s quad-core Tegra 3 SoC that is paired together with 1GB of RAM, a GPS, a gyroscope, SonicMaster audio and a 1.2 megapixel front-facing camera. The rear 8MP resolution camera comes with auto-focus support, an f/2.4 lens, a back-illuminated CMOS sensor, and is capable of recording 1080p video. The basic Transformer Prime model comes with 32GB of storage space and can be upgraded via a microSD slot, but users also have the option of going for a beefier 64GB Prime.

Together with the tablet, Asus will also release a keyboard dock (the original Asus Transformer dock isn’t compatible with the Prime) which adds another six hours of running time to the tablet’s 12 hours battery life estimate. The first Prime tablets to reach customers run the 3.2 version of Google’s mobile operating system, but Asus said that in January it will start pushing out an over-the-air Android 4.0, aka Ice Cream Sandwich, firmware update.

Acer chairman welcomes HP decision to keep PC business

admin — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 22:16:12 +0000

From the time when HP finally said clearly and loudly that it had reconsidered its PC spin-off plans, it is only natural that other PC companies would pipe up and say what they thought about it, and Acer is definitely one of the companies that approves of the move. Last week, we mentioned that HP had finally reached a decision as to what it will do about Leo Apotheker’s decision to try and spin off the PC segment. The final word was that the PC business was there to stay and, apparently, Acer completely approves of the choice.

“As part of HP, PSG will continue to give customers and partners the advantages of product innovation and global scale across the industry’s broadest portfolio of PCs, workstations and more,” said Todd Bradley, executive vice president, Personal Systems Group, HP. According to Digitimes, Acer’s chairman J.T. Wang welcomed the news since, as he believes, HP’s continued activity in the PC market will help expand Windows’ market share. Ordinarily, one would think Acer would be pleased that such a big rival on the PC market was leaving.

Then again, the company’s isn’t really near the first or even second spots anymore, so there is some logic in relying on HP to hold the line against the tablet and mobile onslaught, even if this entire debacle won’t go by without consequences. Predictably, Apple got a mention in the report, being labeled the main reason for how PCs in general and laptops in particular, have been either slowing down in sales or losing ground. The iOS has obviously grown a lot over the past few years, and Android-loaded mobile devices have also gained a significant share. Now, with even Ultrabooks proving to be rather underwhelming as far as sales are concerned, the PC industry does give the impression that it needs a united front.

Google TV Failure, Intel Off to Smart TV Market

admin — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 21:41:01 +0000

Intel wasn’t doing great in the field of Smart TVs when it dropped Boxee Box support, this is the first real signs and, now, iSuppli found that the Google TV project is another venture that the chip giant is backing out of. To give some context, Intel has, for some time, been trying to expand its business into other areas than computer CPUs. The SSD business seems to be doing well enough, but Intel’s attempts at making mobile or Smart TV chips haven’t been very spectacular yet.

Although the company continues in its drive to finally start to give ARM trouble on the mobile front (smartphones, tablets, etc.), the Smart TV segment has proven a bit hard to handle. Back in the first half of October, 2011, Intel dropped support for the Boxee Box. Now, Intel is starting to move away from Google’s Smart TV as well, as its SoC (system-on-chip) offerings barely gained any market share to speak of. To make things clear, Intel didn’t even secure 2% of the worldwide TV SoC market.

“In a television semiconductor market characterized by entrenched suppliers and weak near-term growth prospects, Intel was facing enormous challenges in trying to establish itself as a competitor. And with the first-generation Google TV products proving unsatisfactory given their slow sales, it’s no surprise that Intel is moving away from the television SoC market,” said Randy Lawson, principal analyst for display and consumer electronics at HIS.

For those wishing for a clarification, Smart TVs are TVs that have Internet connectivity and other interactive features, basically the ability to function, to some extent, as a PC (play video off HDDs/flash drives, use widgets, record broadcasts, that sort of thing). Google TV was supposed to skyrocket and pull Intel’s SoC market share along, but this, alas, has failed to happen so far.

Apple Manages to Ban Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 in Australia

admin — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 09:17:40 +0000

For legal reasons invoked by Apple, Samsung’s tablet had already been delayed in Australia and the court has finally reached a temporary decision, not at all fortuitous for the former. People may have thought that Samsung had a good chance of scoring big on the tablet market when it created the Galaxy tab 10.1. Apple probably felt the same, because it immediately sued the company for patent infringement, first in Australia and then in Europe.

Samsung had only delayed the sales of the Tab 10.1 in Australia and even approached Apple for a quick settlement outside the courts. Apple rejected it quite swiftly, hoping for a victory which, apparently, it got. The Australian Federal Court basically granted a temporary injunction against the launch and sale of the Galaxy Tab 10.1. The Judge, Annabelle Bennett, ruled that the slate does, indeed, infringe two of Apple’s patents (alas, the patent system shows its fangs again).

The court even offered to expedite the final hearing, but Samsung declined, saying that it needs time to “prepare a proper defense against Apple’s case” as the report put it. The speeding up of the final proceedings may have been a way to act in Samsung’s benefit, since winning there would mean the lifting of this injunction in time for the holiday season.

After all, since the Galaxy Tab 10.1 was already pushed back for months, having it on sale during the holiday shopping sprees would have done it good. As it is, though, the Tab 10.1 has been banned in Australia, something that doesn’t set a favorable precedent for its maker if (more like when) Apple takes the issue to South Korean and US judges as well. The fact that the tablet is also banned in Germany definitely doesn’t paint a pretty picture for Samsung either.

New iPhone 4s uncovers, faster and more powerful

admin — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 08:18:40 +0000

Recent technology news, Apple Inc. unveiled a new iPhone on Tuesday that is faster and more powerful but stops short of a more radical upgrade. It said Sprint customers will now be able to use one. The new iPhone 4S has an improved camera with a higher-resolution sensor. The processor is faster, which helps run smoother, more realistic action games. It’s also a “world phone”, which means that Verizon iPhones will be able to useable overseas, just as AT&T iPhones already are.

There had been speculation that Apple would reveal a more radical revision of the phone, an iPhone 5. The no-show leaves room for speculation that Apple will reveal a new model in less than a year, perhaps one equipped to take advantage of Verizon’s and AT&T’s new high-speed data networks. Apple is including a “personal assistant” application called Siri in the iPhone 4S. It responds to spoken questions and commands such as “Do I need an umbrella today?” It’s an advanced version of speech-recognition apps found on other phones.

New iPhone also comes with new mobile software that includes such features as the ability to sync content wirelessly, without having to plug the device to a Mac or Windows machine. The iPhone announcement came during Apple’s first major product event in years without Steve Jobs presiding. New CEO Tim Cook led the show after Jobs, who has been battling health problems, resigned from the post in August.

Apple’s new mobile software, iOS 5, will also be available on October 12 for existing devices – the iPhone 4 and 3GS, both iPad models and later versions of the iPod Touch. Apple said October 12 will also mark the launch of its new iCloud service, which will store content such as music, documents, apps and photos on Apple’s servers and let people access them wirelessly on numerous devices.

Apple said the new phone will come in black or white. It will cost $199 for a 16 gigabyte-version, $299 for 32 GB and $399 for 64 GB – all with a two-year service contract requirement. The previous version, iPhone 4, will now cost $99 for 8 GB. The 2009 model, the iPhone 3GS, will be given away for free with 8 GB. Both also require a two-year service contract. Apple also touted the popularity of its products and unveiled a new line of iPods, including a Nano model with a multi-touch display that promises to be easier to navigate. Apple made no mention of its Classic model, which many people had speculated the company might discontinue.

Indian Tablet Costs Just $35

admin — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 09:59:29 +0000

A number of us may have dismissed the idea of a super-cheap tablet as a good but impossible dream, but the Indian government begs to differ, as it has gone through with the plans to launch a $35 (25.69 Euro) tablet. Going by what the slate industry looks like at the moment, tablets don’t exactly make the top of the list in terms of affordability. After all, with the standard price point being $500, tablets that approach the $300 and even $400 mark are seen as a marvel.

It is unclear where exactly this puts the tablet that the Indian government decided to make a fairly long time ago, and which is now nearing availability. The slate is still wrapped up in mystery, especially in regards to the insides, but the price makes that more or less mandatory. Then again, any tablet with a selling point of $35 (25.69 Euro) is bound to leave people slackjawed, even if its features don’t turn out to be top notch. Indeed, it is unlikely that, performance-wise, the item will rival the iPad or any Android slate out there.

Nevertheless, the simple fact is that the electronic is the most affordable of its kind to ever surface and will reach students starting next month, on October 5, 2011, or so it is said. Of course, it is unclear what the supply levels are, but it is still a good thing to know that the product has surmounted whatever manufacturing problems prevented it from arriving sooner. Spec-wise, only the size, or sizes, are known: five inches, seven inches and nine inches, respectively.

Wintel Card Plays by ASUS Eee Tablet

admin — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 06:01:58 +0000

Mostly nowadays it is dominated by the ARM architecture and the Android OS but, ASUS released one of those so-called Wintel tablets, complete with a larger form factor and matching price. Many tablets of today have similar specifications, especially those loaded with the Android OS and running ARM chips.

While there is some variety to the hardware, the end result is, usually, the same sort of product that strives to stick to the $500 price mark set by the Apple iPad. ASUS decided to play the other card available, that of an Intel-Windows hardware-software combo. Such tablets have actually existed since well before the media slate even appeared, though they were usually specialized, for medical, industrial and professional use, etc.

The device that ASUS created is called Eee Slate EP121 and is powered by an Intel Core i5-470UM central processing unit. This CPU is backed up by 4 GB of DDR3 RAM (random access memory) and has its own integrated graphics, like any other Core series chip.

In the meantime, storage space is provided by a solid state drive (SSD), whose exact capacity is 64 GB. All of the above, along with Bluetooth 3.0, 802/11 b/g/n WiFi, a 2-in-1 card reader, a 2 megapixel webcam, USB 2.0 and HDMI are packed inside a frame measuring 312 (W) x 207.2 (D) x 16.95 (H) mm. This means that the display is larger than the so-called standard of 10.1 inches, going to 12.1 inches and the 1280 x 800 resolution. Finally, everything is kept operational, including said panel and the inherent multitouch capabilities (both pend and finger) for up to 4.5 hours, by the 34W/hr battery.

Software Kit for 3D Release by AMD

admin — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 03:11:31 +0000

AMD certainly left no doubt as to whether or not it wants 3D to flourish, seeing as how it officially announced software kit developed with this very purpose in mind. They have been anything but passive recently, even if half, or more, of the news regarding its activities came from rumors and reports. Still, now that the primarily indirectly discovered details on its CPUs, APUs and video cards have found their way to the web, the outfit closes the week with a formal press release.

This move was meant to announce the existence of a specially-created development kit known as AMD Quad Buffer SDK for AMD HD3D technology. Basically, it is a tool for companies that make immersive 3D games, as well as those IT players that make monitors (Acer, LG, Samsung, Viewsonic, etc.).

“AMD HD3D technology has reached critical mass, with more games, more movies, and supporting hardware and software from many of the industry’s leading vendors. The addition of the Quad Buffer SDK can help our many developer partners make stereo 3D a standard part of future game titles,” stated Matt Skynner, corporate vice president and general manager, AMD Graphics Division.

In order to use the software, end-users need a system equipped with an AMD A-Series APU or an AMD Radeon HD 5000 or HD 6000 HD3D-capable graphics card.

“As one of the world’s leading manufacturers of quality eyewear, we are paving the way with our innovative patented lens technology and excellent HD 3D optics. By working with partners like AMD, we are delivering an exceptional stereo 3D experience to our customers,” said Mark McNabb VP Entertainment and Sports for MARCHON 3D.

German court lifted ban on Samsung Galaxy Tab

admin — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 01:56:42 +0000

Recent events involving irregularities with court filings have concluded with a preliminary lifting of the ban imposed on the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 in Europe. By now, at least part of the worldwide consumer base would have learned that Apple and Samsung got into a fairly heated scuffle over supposed IP violation. It started off with the former claiming that the latter copied the iPad when it developed the Galaxy Tab 10.1. It continued with a ban in Australia and, not much time later, a similar block issued by a German court which, being in the EU, meant that the slate was no longer allowed to be sold in any European country save the Netherlands.

Samsung vowed to fight, however, and as it waited to file an appeal, another interesting tidbit was uncovered. As spread to the masses via the Internet, the photos included by Apple’s lawyers in the suit appear to have been modified to make the Galaxy Tab look more like the iPad than it is in reality. More specifically, the photos had the Galaxy Tab changed to boast an aspect ratio of 1.46 instead of 1.36, leading to a width larger by about 8 percent.

The response of the legal system in Germany (though it was not precisely advertised as such) was swift and, as announced now by a certain report, a regional court in Dusseldorf has partially lifted the preliminary injunction. Samsung is, now, allowed to again sell the Tab in Europe, at least until Samsung’s Appeal, scheduled for August 25 (this month), comes around.

Ironically, there is one area where the Tab may still not sell, Germany itself, despite this newest ruling originating in that very country. What remains is to wait and see how this whole fight over tablet design ideas concludes and if Samsung starts any class action of its own should it become victorious.

Finally AMD Unveiled Eight-Core FX-Series Bulldozer

admin — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 11:01:28 +0000

Following a various rumors and assumptions, AMD has finally revealed the approximate retail price of their upcoming high-performance eight-core FX-Series processors. Just as expected, these will cost around $300, which is about the same as the pricing set by Intel for its Sandy Bridge flagship, the Core i7-2600K. This information was found in the “Terms and Regulations” section of AMD’s recent FX Giveaway competition that offers five eight-core FX-Series CPUs as prizes.

In comparison, Intel’s fastest desktop processor based on the Sandy Bridge architecture, the Core i7-2600K, also retails for just a bit over $300, which seems to suggest that performance should be about equal. From what we do know at this point in time, the FX-8150P should be AMD’s most powerful FX-series chip as it features four Bulldozer processor modules for a total of eight computing cores, 8MB of Level 2 cache as well as 8MB of Level 3 cache. The chip will sport a base frequency of 3.6GHz, which can be increased up to 4.2GHz thanks to the Turbo Core technology, and its TDP is set at 125W.

AMD plans to launch this processor together with three other chips, including another eight-core model that is known as the FX-8100, which packs similar specifications with the FX-8150P. However, the FX-8100 will feature lower clock speeds, 2.8GHz base and 3.7GHz maximum Turbo, to allow AMD to drop its TDP to 95W. Two other AMD Bulldozer CPUs expected to launch are the FX-6100 and FX-4100, which sport six and four processing cores, respectively. Both of these include 8MB of L3 cache as their older siblings, but featureless L2 cache and lower clock speeds.