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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.

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.

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.

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.

busy fixing computer

admin — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 03:05:04 +0000

Even if sissy did not say it, I felt obliged to fix their PC. I just want to bring a smile to my nephew’s faces. They love computer games a lot especially the eldest. But, their dad isn’t around to fix their ordis. Since, I’m around town; I did not hesitate to spare my vacation time for them. I’m not wrong at all because the eldest even forget to say his thanks due to his excitement to play the game.

Of course, the entire thing saps my energy. Now, here I am again waiting for a new fixing job. This time it would be wifey’s sister laptop. I already told her to purchase new one with better specs and the latest in the market. Her laptop is way too outdated to handle newer software applications. But, she said she is still saving money for that. In that case, I have little choice, but to do some fixing. If I have money I will just buy her one at the Source for me to avoid fixing this device. I have seen lots of great deals on their laptop, which is really tempting.

Intel to Delay Release of Next-Gen “Ivy Bridge” Processors

admin — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 14:58:15 +0000

The situation may appears that the successor to the existing line of desktop and notebook Intel central processing units will allow itself to be waited upon for longer than originally anticipated. When it comes to the central processing unit industry, Intel definitely has the largest stake there is, even though AMD has been steadily growing thanks to Fusion. At present, Intel’s desktop and notebook strategy mostly relies on the Sandy Bridge series of CPUs.

Meanwhile, the Santa Clara, California-based chip maker is developing the successor to this line, one that was supposed to debut before this year’s end (late 2011). Turns out that this might not happen after all, provided reports that recently surfaced on the Internet are actually true. Users will remember the unfortunate debacle involving a design flaw with the Cougar Point chipset, flaw that got all motherboards and notebooks base on it recalled back in Q1.

Turns out that, whether because of this or not, Intel no longer believes it will be able to exhaust its Sandy Bridge inventories in time for the original launch date of the Ivy Bridge. The fact that tablets have been eating away at the market share of mobile computers definitely could not have helped much either. As such, it is now said that the next-generation processor platform has been pushed back to 2012, March 2012 to be more specific. Until that time, the outfit will probably focus more on projects of urgency, like the exascale supercomputing project recently discovered.

Of course, finishing the newest mobile processors, like the Medfield, is something that the IT giant will also focus on, since the way things have been going on the slate and smartphone market more or less dictate swift action if any result is to be met. As for the mid to long term, Intel is bound to follow on its plan to start developing custom SoCs for non-competing corporations (Cisco, Motorola, EMC, etc.).

Cedar Trail Atom Intel’s NextGen

admin — Sun, 01 May 2011 13:54:36 +0000

Likely to launch sometime in the forth quarter of 2011, Intel’s next-generation Atom platform, code named Cedar Trail, has just been detailed and the initial launch will include two chips that feature a dual-core design and an improved IGP. This platform comprises the Cedarview-D processor and the NM10 chipset, which is the same controller logic used by Pine Trail.

Unlike the current Atom processors, however, the CPU used by Cedar Trail will be built using the 32nm fabrication process and features a unified architecture that packs both the processing cores and the GPU on the same die. The processing cores remain unchanged from the current Atom chips, but the operating frequencies will be increased to allow for better performance.

It’s interesting to note that both CPUs will use a dual-core design, with the faster D2700 even featuring support for the Hyper-Threading technology. Both D2500 and D2700 Cedar Trail processors will pack a built-in DDR3 memory controller and their TDP is estimated at 10W, 3W lower than that of the Intel Atom D525.

The most worthwhile addition brought to these processors will be the inclusion of a new IGP that is fully compatible with DirectX 10.1 and features HD decoding (MPEG2, VC1, AVC, and H.264) with Blu-Ray 2.0 support. Intel has also added support for more display options, including HDMI 1.3a, DisplayPort 1.1, eDP (embedded DisplayPort), LVDS, and VGA. In addition, the IGP will be able to drive two displays simultaneously.

New Convertible Tablet from Dell

admin — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 12:27:40 +0000

According to the recent talk, Dell Company might not have meant for it to happen but a roadmap for its tablets has been leaked to the web, revealing not just two 10-inch media tablets but also a convertible one, set to come soon after the Streak Pro. Dell seems to be well on its way to making use of pretty much every sort of platform out there suited in the making of mobile devices.

One of those three is the Latitude ST, a 10-inch media tablet that will come in October and which uses the Oak Trail Atom platform (it was covered in more detail here). Apparently, the roadmap which revealed that particular product also had info on a convertible model, one whose name is Latitude XT-3 and which runs Windows 7.

Being a convertible tablet, a physical keyboard half is present and users will be able to twist and turn the display, so as to switch between the tablet and the laptop form factors. A second generation Intel CPU lies at its heart, either a Core i3, Core i5 or Core i7 unit, while up to 4 GB of RAM (random access memory) complement whichever is selected.

Like the Latitude ST, the XT-3 has a multitouch panel with both finger and active pen support, plus the ability to play videos in up to 1,080p quality. It is unknown just what resolution the display has, but its size makes it unlikely to cope with 1,920 x 1,080 pixels. That said, the device most likely has an HDMI output, in addition to other likely elements, like USB, Ethernet, WiFi, Bluetooth, etc.

Fortunately, the roadmap does mention a few extras, like the smart card reader and several security features, those being an encrypted HDD (storage space not mentioned), a fingerprint reader and a Bit Locker. Dell plans to start shipping this mobile PC sometime during the month of July, 2011.