Fast Technology: Netbook

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What Can Tablets Learn from Netbooks?

High tech’s fickle nature is clearly illustrated in the life of netbooks. The devices emerged with a great deal of hoopla a handful of years ago. But once tablets took off with the introduction of the Apple iPad, the hype died down, so why would a businessperson turn to a netbook now?

Netbooks emerged as lower cost, highly functional laptops. “Initially, netbook sales were buoyed by the recession; buyers were looking to spend as little as possible,” noted says Jeff Orr, group director, mobile devices at ABI Research Inc., which found the average sales price for a netbook to be $290.

The devices are based on the standard WinTel architecture (Intel Corp. microprocessors and Microsoft Windows operating system). “Netbooks provide users with lots of headroom,” explained Rob Enderle, Principal Analyst at the Enderle Group. Users have lots of RAM and storage space, for instance, the HP Mini 1104 features up to 2GB of main memory and 320GB of disk storage. Consequently, the devices are compatible with standard corporate Windows applications.

The keyboards are a plus. “A person would feel comfortable entering a lot of information - say a report or term paper, on a netbook,” noted ABI Research’s Orr.

Long battery life is another attractive feature. ASUS claims that its Eee PC 1011CX operates for 11 hours a day -- although users typically experience less functionality than benchmarks touted in vendors’ ads. In sum, they are a good fit for road warriors who spend a lot of time away from the office and work with business apps.

Consumers Choose Tablets

While netbooks have had a business feel, tablets are clearly geared to consumers. The slick marketing and coolness factor of the iPad created buzz about these products.”Tablets are trendy at the moment,” stated Enderle Group’s Enderle.

Ease-of-use has been a major plus for tablets. “Consumers find touchscreens much simpler to manipulate than keyboards and mice,” stated Sarah Rotman Epps, a senior analyst at Forrester Research Inc. Recent movement to speech recognition technology has made their use even easier.

Convenience is a factor also found with tablets. In today’s busy world, consumers sometimes have to access the internet when they are standing. They can hold a tablet in one hand and use the other hand to surf.

And tablets are great for watching video content. The third-generation iPad features a 2048 x 1536 resolution with 3.1 million pixels, a million pixels more than an HDTV.

While the devices are great at displaying content, they do not mesh well with content creation. “A tablet still isn’t as good as netbook for tasks, such as video editing,” said Enderle Group’s Enderle. They often lack the storage space needed to manipulate content: the HTC Flyer tablet comes with 1GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. Estimates on any given day, content creation only takes up 25% of users’ time while content viewing usurps 75% of the day.

Tablets can be expensive though. ABI Research found that the average tablet sold for $480, 65% more than a netbook.

Market Killer

Despite the limitations, tablets have had a chilling impact on the netbook marketplace. “In developed markets, netbooks are seen as crippled systems and devices that should be avoided,” said Enderle at Enderle Group.

In December of 2009, netbook sales were flying high. Sales increased by 70% year over year, according to NPD, and Acer chairman J.T Wang predicted that unit sales would reach 50 million by the end of 2010. That did not happen. The Apple iPad was announced in January 2010, and by August of that year, netbook sales fell by 4%, according to NPD.

The decline continued in 2011. In the fall quarter of 2011, tablet shipments surpassed netbook sales for the first time, reaching 13.6 million tablets compared to just 7.3 million netbooks.

Blurred Lines

So what does the future hold? Well, it may be murkier than those who view netbooks as dead end technology. Increasingly, the dividing lines between netbooks and tablets have been blurring. While Apple has been slow to add USB features to its iPad, Google Inc. adopted USB hosting in Android 3.1, so devices, like the Toshiba Thrive feature full-sized USB inputs. Tablet vendors are adding functions so their devices are better able to create content. ASUS offers a keyboard dock for its Transformer tablet, and Windows 8 on ARM will bring a near full version of Office to tablets along with other productivity features.

Suppliers are bringing their product lines together, Apple is moving to meld the features of its Mac and iPad systems and Microsoft plans to do the same with Windows 8. “Windows 8 will largely shine on a hybrid configuration of a notebook/tablet that could eclipse not only these two device classes, but much of the notebook market as well over time, if it is successful” concluded Enderle Group’s Enderle. So while there are significant design differences between the two now, that may not be the case moving forward.

source: http://www.tabletpcreview.com/default.asp?newsID=3222&news=apple+ipad+netbook+tablet
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Small tablets threaten Apple iPad dominance - analyst

Labels: Netbook

There are currently more than 220 tablet PCs in the market, with Apple’s new iPad and iPad 2 dominating. However, analysts at ABI Research claim the trend is for less expensive, sub-$400 (£250) tablets at display sizes between seven and nine inches – as smaller-sized media tablets provide better portability options for end-users.

While the iPad (from £329 for the older iPad 2, and £399 for the iPad 3) remains the market leader in the media tablet segment, the buzz created by iPad has paved the way for more and more Android tablets and Windows tablets to join the race, especially in the lower price segment, says ABI.

The market for sub-$400 media tablets is expected to see significant growth over the next five years, occupying more than 60 percent of the market share by 2016, while the market for the over $400 segment is expected to shrink.

According to Jeff Orr, group director, consumer research, “The majority of new entrant media tablet models have been in the sub-$400 segment that focuses on growth markets like India and China.

“The strong wave of growth in this segment over the next few years is expected to be driven by the adoption in emerging markets.”

Wide-aspect display media tablets (nine inches and above) are still favoured in the market and accounted for more than 75 percent of the total media tablet volume in 2011, which is mostly attributed to the Apple iPad 2.

No longer considered the unprivileged elder cousin of media tablets, eReaders are also on an accelerated growth track, with more than 30 models currently available by major vendors.

2011 has seen a healthy 33 percent growth in the eReader market and the market for total shipments is projected to grow over 20 percent in 2012.

“Availability of competing models increases options for consumers and will help to boost eReader adoption,” says research analyst Aishwarya Singh.

“However, the slower pace of digitization of local content will be the key market inhibitor for adoption of eBook Readers, as well as media tablets, in the emerging markets.”

Source: http://www.macworld.co.uk/ipad-iphone/news/?newsid=3347461&pagtype=allchandate
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Charity provides netbooks, solar power to Zambian schools

Labels: Netbook

A local Kanata-based charity is helping teachers in rural Africa by providing computer training and access to solar-powered technology to be used in classrooms.

Education Without Boundaries, founded by Beaverbrook’s Bob and Beth Carson, is helping village schools by providing solar-powered netbooks. The project – called Ukumfwana, which means working together – aims to help the classrooms move away from the exclusive use of a paper-based curriculum.

“The project will draw village schools into the 21st century with technology powered by solar power, giving teachers, then students, access to electronic textbooks, reading material and educational videos,” said the Carsons in an email. “As time progresses, schools will gain access to email and the Internet.”

Bob recently returned from Lusaka, Zambia, where he helped instruct 11 teachers from eight schools the fundamentals of computer use.

“The teachers are getting comfortable with using the netbooks,” said Beth. “We’re working on PDFs of teachers’ manuals. So instead of having the entire manual in paper form, they will be able to refer to the day’s lessons on the netbook.”

The Carsons said many of the classrooms are in remote areas with little to no security for classroom supplies.

“In remote villages, teachers often have to walk many kilometres to the school,” said Beth. Many classrooms have no doors, and animals can often be found roaming around inside, possibly making a snack of paper supplies, she added.

“The netbooks seems like an ideal solution for teachers in these situations,” she said.

As well, prices kept increasing for paper shipments for delivery of the curriculum.

“It occurred to us that the laptop has some capability,” said Bob.

The Carsons said they chose to use the netbook because it’s light-weight and holds a battery charge.

The Carsons presented the idea to the Juniper Networks Foundation Fund, a corporate fund of Community Foundation Silicon Valley, which manages philanthropic funds.

“They surprised us,” said Bob. “All of a sudden there was complete support for our project.”

Education Without Boundaries was able to provide 20 netbooks to the chosen eight schools. A community in the Chisamba area was the first to receive a solar panel, which helps to power the netbooks.

“There’s no shortage of sunshine in Zambia,” said Beth.

Once the teachers are familiar with how to use the netbooks, they will be able to introduce them in the classroom.

“When they’re doing a lesson about ants for instance, the teacher will be able to pull up a video clip,” said Beth, adding they are working on building a library of information, including video clips, for the computers. “(The teachers are) excited to be able to use them.”

The charity is working on attaining more grant money so the project can be expanded.

“Zambia is the primary focus and there are a total of 38 schools,” said Bob. “We want the schools to have more computers.”

Education Without Boundaries was founded by the Carsons in 2000 to assist African schools by providing training for teachers, curriculum development and classroom supplies.

Source: http://www.yourottawaregion.com/news/local/article/1325203--charity-provides-netbooks-solar-power-to-zambian-schools

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Use 1Malaysia netbook wisely — Fadillah

Labels: Netbook

KUCHING: Students given 1Malaysia netbook are urged to use them wisely and not just for Facebook.

Deputy Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Fadillah Yusof reminded students to use their netbooks to gather and share information to improve themselves and to be successful.

He had received reports of students using Facebook until the wee hours of the morning.

“Don’t just use the netbooks for Facebook until 1am or 3am, and when they arrive in school the next morning, a fist fight breaks out as they have been fighting on Facebook all night long,” lamented the Petra Jaya MP.

He suggested that students form discussion groups so they could use Facebook to share information on their studies instead.

Fadillah said this at the closing of a motivational course for students sitting for UPSR, PMR and SPM this year at Surau Darul Falah in Semariang Batu Phase 3 yesterday.

At the event attended by 70 students, Fadillah announced a RM3,000 grant for the surau’s committee to hold events.

Source: http://www.theborneopost.com/2012/03/25/use-1malaysia-netbook-wisely-fadillah/

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Netbook vs iPad – Portable, Personal Computing Comparison

Labels: Netbook, Tablets

Computing demands of today have leaned towards the personal and the portable, and in this field, contenders such as a netbook or tablet are the leaders in the compact personal computing device market.

Although, it could be argued that the popularity of a netbook has already begun to wain with the focal point of innovation seemingly on tablets. In addition, in just a few short years, the iPad has taken the world by storm with the latest iPad selling millions over the course of a weekend. So, when comparing a netbook to an iPad, where do they stack up?

The netbook was Intel’s attempt to put the power of a PC into a very portable design and package. So far, though it might not be as much eye candy as an iPad, the current series of netbooks has its fans.

Though the netbook is a laptop in design and the iPad is a tablet, we can still compare aspects of the devices that matter most when it comes to portable, personal computing; aspects such as internet connectivity, battery longevity, processing power, and overall usability.

Internet Connectivity

Despite the release of the new iPad, the iPad 2 remains the most widely used iPad. The iPad 2 can offer Wi-Fi or Wi-Fi and 3G, the same as leading Netbooks that can also hook up nicely to wired connections through standard hi-speed Ethernet. The Netbook, however, has the advantage of being a fully capable PC, which provides versatile browsing experience not just with several browser options, but also full support for a bunch of plug-ins and other browser tools. Take note though, that the new iPad sports 4G LTE – and as soon as the technology spreads, the new iPad will be the fastest on the market.

Battery Longevity

An inherent weakness of current lines of netbooks is Intel’s PC-based microchip, which is incredibly power-hungry. The iPad 2 can go over its advertised 8 hour battery life even ion moderate use, which the Netbook can only futilely hope to accomplish. Intel, however, will soon release the new Z2460 Atom chip, which matches iPad 2′s ARM-based A5 chip in terms of power consumption. By then, it might just be anybody’s game.

Processing Power

Intel’s chip combined with typically 1 to 2 GB of RAM and over 250 GB of storage is more or less equal to Apple’s A5 chip with the iPad 2′s 1GB of RAM and up to 64GB of storage. The iPad might be on the low end in terms of storage, but its touch-based design makes it ideal for some tasks such as scribbling or drawing with a light pen. By overall design, however – even in the architecture of the file system – Netbooks make more productive devices over iPads, especially when it comes to multitasking.

Overall Usability

iPads are great as a personal computing tool that you can take with you and use as a portal to Web connectivity. Netbooks, however, though far from laptops and PCs in terms of usability as a work machine or terminal, are still better than the iPad with a full keyboard and inherent features of its software. Of course, in terms of cost, the netbooks are far cheaper (staring from $250 or even lower) than the iPad 2′s almost $500 price tag.

Given that new generations of netbooks will soon follow the new iPad, we would probably see more Netbook vs iPad comparisons and changes in the way the devices measure up, but so far, the iPad leans towards personal, enjoyable computing while the netbook leans toward productive, processing-central use.

But, there really is no reason to enjoy the best of both worlds if you are willing to spend the $500 for an iPad, simply add the Zaggmate case or some other keyboard case if you prefer and your iPad instantly becomes a netbook.

Source: http://www.pdfdevices.com/netbook-vs-ipad-portable-personal-computing-comparison/
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Asus Eee PC netbook gets unofficial Ice Cream Sandwich

Labels: Netbook

Around Android circles Asus is known for its Transformer series of tablets. But in the computer world, one of their most notable accomplishments of recent years is the Eee PC line, which basically invented the netbook segment and (formerly) lent its name to everything from all-in-one computers to tablets. Appropriately, the PC machines are now capable of running Android 4.0, or at least the Eee PC X101 is. The capability comes from the Android x86 project, which allows the open-source OS to run on hardware designed for desktop operating systems. The X101 is designed to run Intel and Nokia’s Meego operating system, but is capable of running pretty much any x86-based OS.

This build is a long way from official – it’s not endorsed by Google or Asus, though the latter has extensive experience in making Android behave for a laptop form factor. Based on the video posted by Asus Campus Life, it’s also a little sluggish. Touching and dragging are emulated by the standard mouse buttons and touchpad on the laptop, with a few user interface tweaks added to the home screen for easier manipulation. The 10-inch screen is, interestingly, far less dense than most tablets (including both current Transformers) at 1024×600. WiFi and the input devices seem to be working well enough, including the volume buttons and the Escape key subbing for Android’s Back button.

There’s very little utility in running Android on a laptop that already has Windows, but it’s got a definite edge over MeeGo in the apps department. It’s possible that the more powerful hardware may be able to last longer on a battery charge running Android, but it’s a lot of trouble to go to for that. Still, if you’re hankering for a free OS, beggars can’t be choosers. Android 4.0 x86 is only demonstrated on the Asus Eee PC X101, but similar models (most of which share chipsets or graphics) should be able to use the same ISO image. Happy flashing!

Source: http://androidcommunity.com/asus-eee-pc-netbook-gets-unofficial-ice-cream-sandwich-20120315/
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RIM sort-of enters the netbook market

Labels: Netbook

RIM has, in a bizarre attempt to save its Playbook, entered the netbook market - announcing a mini keyboard that users can dock to the tablet.

Useful enough for giving the user more screen space and a quicker way to type up longer documents, as this RIM employee explains in a demo video.

As you can see, along with a Citrix case, the Playbook's mini-keyboard turns the ill-received tablet into something resembling a laptop that you have to put together yourself. It even comes equipped with a touchpad. RIM's demo, in which the Playbook runs Windows as a virtual OS, highlights exhilarating 'new' features like:

We asked RIM what, specifically, makes the device any better than a laptop. We have heard nothing yet, but can tell you the official lines are:

- "Powerful multi-touch control" because the touchpad supports PlayBook gestures.

- "Ultimate portability" because it's less than 6mm thick.

- "Security", because, well, it's RIM.

The keyboard also bridges to a Blackberry handset, which can then be used as a remote control device. RIM says this is handy for powerpoint demonstrations.

To turn your Playbook into a laptop only costs $119.99, and it's available for pre-order at shopblackberry.com.

Source: http://news.techeye.net/hardware/rim-sort-of-enters-the-netbook-market
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Faster, sharper iPad coming March 16 with better camera

Labels: Cameras, Mobile Phones, Netbook

In Apple’s first major product announcement in the post-Steve Jobs era, the company on Wednesday introduced the latest version of its best-selling iPad tablet, which sports a higher-resolution display, better cameras and faster wireless connectivity.

The product, dubbed simply "the new iPad," will go on sale March 16 at the same $499 to $699 prices as earlier versions. Pre-orders began Wednesday through Apple’s website.

In a media presentation in San Francisco, Chief of Marketing Phil Schiller announced that the new iPad will have an updated LCD display that is four times the resolution of the iPad 2. Called "a retina display" for its density of pixels, its dots on the screen will not be distinguishable by a user viewing from distance of 15 inches.

The new device also will be compatible with faster 4G wireless cellular networks offered by AT&T and Verizon. With the new networks, users will be able to stream video or download apps at much faster speeds than with the older, slower 3G networks. Verizon’s 4G network has been deployed and turned on in Utah, while AT&T’s has not.

The iPad will also be equipped with a new 5-megapixel back camera similar to the one used in the latest iPhone 4S. The earlier iPad 2 was widely criticized for its weaker set of back- and front-facing cameras.

The new iPad will be powered with a faster A5X quad-core graphics processor in order to meet the demands of the higher-resolution screen. Schiller said the device will have the same 10-hour battery life as the older iPad versions.

In order to take advantage of the tablet’s new 2048-by-1536-pixel screen, developers will have to program their apps to run in the new native resolution, though Schiller said older apps will be scaled up and should look better.

Reaction to the announcement was mixed.

Source: http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/money/53663146-79/ipad-apple-wednesday-faster.html.csp
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Tablets Topple Netbooks

Labels: Netbook, Tablets

A netbook is often referred to as a mini laptop computer with a slender price tag as low as 2,000 yuan ($317), as opposed to a normal notebook PC that sells for around 6,000 yuan.

Computer fight moves on to portability and touch screen

Technology leaps occur almost on a daily basis. That is why you can be forgiven if you have forgotten the last big thing in computing: netbooks.

A netbook is often referred to as a mini laptop computer with a slender price tag as low as 2,000 yuan ($317), as opposed to a normal notebook PC that sells for around 6,000 yuan.

There are arguments over whether it was ASUSTeK Computer Inc or Samsung Group that manufactured the first such gadget, but the term "netbook" was coined by computer chip maker Intel in 2008 as a new category of personal computers separate from its more profitable notebook PC businesses.

Customers looking at netbooks at a Gome Group store in Beijing. Cheap, portable and document-processing friendly, netbooks seemed to meet all the needs of professionals. But today they are losing out as touch screen tablets including the iPad and many of its clones prove to be more popular. [Photo: China Daily]

Cheap, portable and document-processing friendly, netbooks seemed to meet all the needs of professionals. But today they are losing out as touch screen tablets including the iPad and many of its clones prove to be more popular.

Netbook vendors have started to feel the pinch in their changed fortunes. For Liu Qi, a salesman for Acer Inc in Shanghai, the notable change started with the uniform style and color of netbooks.

"You can find only one type of netbook under one particular brand now. But two years ago, there were at least three to four styles with varying colors for you to choose from," Liu said.

Liu was in the industry for only three years, but that was long enough to witness the meteoric rise of the mini notebook. Netbooks were then seen as an earth-shattering force in the industry, Liu said, reducing sales of normal notebooks by 20 percent.

"During the peak in 2009, one booth alone could sell 40 to 50 devices a month," Liu recalled. "Most customers were girls who were picky about color and weight but they all went home satisfied."

Global sales of netbooks hit an historical high in that year, reaching 34 million units, according to research firm IDC. But the torrid growth soon ceased, partly due to the fact that tablet PCs hit the market the following year.

The trend became even more evident in 2011 when Liu sold only one-third of the number of netbooks a month than he was managing two years previously. "To some degree, the likes of iPads supplanted netbooks. They appear more stylish and provide a new form of computing," Liu said.

Currently, only a handful of PC makers bother to mass-produce netbooks, said Jiang Xiaokun, a sales manager with Shanghai Lankun Information Technology Co Ltd, a company that sells franchised computers from Lenovo and Samsung.

According to Jiang, 40 percent of the market share is occupied by Samsung, followed by two Taiwan-based companies, Acer and ASUS, which take the second 40 percent. A range of other companies account for the final 20 percent.

Prices range from 1,500 yuan to up to 3,000 yuan, with distinctions in battery life and screen performances. But netbooks almost unanimously use the Intel Atom processor, making the market largely homogenized.

Lower margins deter PC manufacturers from innovating and upgrading netbooks.

Jiang said the average profit for one unit is 50 percent lower than for a normal laptop. Liu said he got 20 yuan as a kickback for every netbook he sold and 50 yuan for every notebook PC.

Despite decelerating sales, the netbook business is far from dead. Touch-screen tablets are hardly substitutes for the mini notebook, considering their price and functionality, said Sun Peilin, an analyst from IT research firm Analysys International.

Unlike netbooks, tablets are largely regarded as an appealing luxury, Sun said. But more importantly, netbooks allow portable surfing under a security framework, while tablets, even though portable, fail to ensure a safe operating system.

"Most online transactions and futures trading software are coded in compliance with the Windows operating system. So businessmen cannot rely on a tablet to do all those important things," Sun said, adding that a netbook's battery performance is an asset over tablets and ordinary laptop PCs.

But it is too early to say what the future holds for netbooks.

"For manufacturers, there are multiple approaches to realize a portable and secure surfing experience. You can make a laptop ultra thin or turn it into a touch screen and a keyboard. Reducing its size is only one option," Sun said.

The real challenge lies in a web-based future where everything can be delivered through the Internet. A case in point is Google's Chromebook, which has a browser through which applications and data can be used.

"In the era of the cloud, the value of any form of terminal will be watered down," he said.

Source: http://english.cri.cn/6826/2012/03/05/191s684926.htm
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Asus peddles three-in-one smartphone, tablet, netbook

Labels: Laptops, Mobile Phones, Netbook, Tablets

Asus has officially launched its anticipated Padfone at MWC 2012, the all-in-one smartphone, tablet and netbook it announced almost a year ago.

The phone itself features a 4.3in display with the choice of either 16GB or 32GB of storage. There's also an 8Mp camera and 1GB of memory, with the dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processor powering Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, and not Nvidia's Tegra 3, as rumoured last year.

It's accessories that make the Padfone stand out, with the option to take the device into the tablet and netbook domains.

Dock the phone into the 10.1in Padfone Station and users not only have a tablet that extends battery power, but reconfigures the ICS platform for a larger screen at a resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels. It also shares data and 3G internet access over a single Sim, not unlike the Motorola Atrix and its Laptop Dock.

Add the optional keyboard dock and voila - you get a netbook as well.

The Asus Padfone will hit shelves this April. Prices have yet to be revealed. ®

Source: http://www.reghardware.com/2012/02/27/asus_unveils_three_in_one_padfone/
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Dell misses estimates amid sluggish PC sales

Labels: Netbook, PC

Dell Inc. forecast fiscal first-quarter revenue that missed analysts’ estimates as lackluster demand from consumers and governments eroded growth at the world’s third-largest maker of personal computers.

Revenue for the period ending in April will decrease 7 percent to $14.9 billion, Round Rock, Texas-based Dell said today in a statement. That missed the average $15.1 billion estimate of analysts, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The shares fell in late trading after the report was released.

The sluggish sales -- coupled with shrinking profit last quarter -- have raised concerns about Dell’s comeback plan, which has relied on streamlining operations to boost earnings. After an almost 25 percent gain in Dell’s shares this year, some investors may have been overly optimistic about the company’s ability to turn around its operations, said Brian Marshall, an analyst at ISI Group Inc. in San Francisco.

“The ship is so big that to move the needle is a herculean feat,” said Marshall, who has a “neutral” rating on the shares. “Expectations are way too high.”

Dell declined as much as 5 percent to $17.30 in extended trading. Until now, the stock has outperformed the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index, which has climbed 8.3 percent this year.

Fourth-quarter net income declined 18 percent to $764 million, or 43 cents a share, from $927 million, or 48 cents, a year earlier. Sales rose 2 percent to $16 billion, in line with analysts’ estimates. Excluding some items, earnings will be at least $2.13 a share this fiscal year, Dell said.

Sales in the consumer division fell 2 percent last quarter, evidence that Apple Inc. is winning over buyers with its Mac and iPad devices. Revenue in the business that caters to governments slipped 1 percent amid “weakness” in purchasing by U.S. federal agencies and governments in Western Europe, Dell said.

“When do we see revenue growth for the company start to show up?” said Abhey Lamba, an analyst at Mizuho Securities USA Inc. in New York, who initiated coverage of Dell this month with a “buy” rating. “They’ve been able to grow earnings because of cost management and supply-chain improvements. But you can do that for only so long. At a certain point, revenue needs to start growing or else earnings will come down.”

Tight Purse Strings

Dell is suffering from competition with Apple at the high end of the market and Lenovo Group Inc. and Acer Inc. at the low end, Shaw Wu, an analyst at Sterne Agee & Leach Inc., wrote in a research note earlier this month.

Consumers are keeping their wallets closed as they cope with a slow economic recovery, and some are opting for iPads instead of traditional notebook computers. U.S. PC shipments declined 4.9 percent last year, the worst performance since 2001, according to research firm IDC.

In addition, last year’s flooding in Thailand crimped disk-drive production. The supply disruption will continue into the quarter that ends in October, the company said.

Microsoft Corp.’s Windows 8 operating system, due later this year, may provide a lift to consumer PC sales, Chief Executive Officer Michael Dell said today on a conference call with analysts. It also will entice business customers that want to buy tablets running Windows, he said. Until now, most tablets have run software from Apple or Google Inc.

“With Windows 8, there’s great excitement in the corporate space for us,” Dell said. “There’s pretty strong appetite for Windows 8 tablets in the enterprise.”

Dell also is selling more of its own data-storage and networking gear, instead of relying on products made by such companies as EMC Corp. Business computing demand is “pretty strong,” Chief Financial Officer Brian Gladden said in an interview. Sales to large corporations rose 5 percent last quarter, while the unit that sells to small and midsize businesses got a 6 percent boost, the company said.

Dell and rival Hewlett-Packard Co. (HPQ) are counting on sales of thin, lightweight laptops called “ultrabooks” to spur sales. Dell’s new ultrabook, called the XPS 13, starts at $999. It’s made of aluminum, carbon fiber and glass, sports a 13.3-inch screen, and will go on sale later this month.

Dell also is diversifying beyond PCs. It bought computer networking company Force 10 Networks Inc. last August for an undisclosed price and storage maker Compellent Technologies a year ago for about $856 million. On Feb. 2, it hired former CA Inc. CEO John Swainson to head a new software group.

Dell may be scouting for a software acquisition worth $1 billion to $3 billion, said Peter Misek, an analyst at Jefferies& Co. Misek has a “hold” rating on Dell shares.

Computer and data-management software makers Quest Software Inc. and CommVault Systems Inc. are possible targets, he said. BMC Software Inc., which makes tools to manage servers, may be too large, considering its $6.4 billion market value.

Dell plans to hold a Feb. 27 event in San Francisco with Michael Dell to discuss its data-center products. The company will continue to acquire software companies, he said today on the conference call.

“There’s significant opportunity for us to build a big business here,” he said. (Bloomberg)

Source: http://www.koreaherald.com/national/Detail.jsp?newsMLId=20120222000839
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Labels: Netbook

Review Now that everyone and their dog has or wants a smartphone or tablet, the recent drop in netbook sales can hardly be a surprise. Yet does this mean there is no space for a small, cheap laptop? Of course not and HP’s recently refreshed Pavilion dm1 is a fine example of why I hope the breed never dies.

Down from a RRP of £549, HP’s on-line store asks for a perfectly reasonably £350 and in return you get a smart little machine with an 11.6in 1366 x 768 screen. It features proper graphics card that can easily handle 1080p video, a spacious and solid if unlit chiclet keyboard, Gigabit Ethernet and an full-sized HDMI port.

Eschewing the wholly plastic construction of many netbooks, HP has gone for a metal banding around the Pavilion dm1 which helps make the body and everything else – the lid, the keyboard, the nicely responsive trackpad – feel reassuringly solid.

At 1.5Kg and 292mm x 215mm, the Pavilion dm1 is petite enough to go into even the smallest rucksack without a problem. Admittedly, 32mm is twice the thickness of some Ultrabooks, but I’ll happily forgo the difference in order to get a decent selection of ports and a profile I can hold onto with a human hand.

Driving everything is the latest version of AMD’s E-series Fusion APU which pairs the E450 1.65GHz dual-core chip with an AMD Radeon HD6320M graphics card. This combo supports 1333MHz rather than just 1066MHz DDR3 memory on the slower and older E350 chip.

It’s a marriage that delivers the sort of performance Intel Atom netbooks can only dream about. For the sake of comparison with Windows Starter-running netbooks, I ran the PCMark05 benchmark test and got a score of 3,320 which is nearly double the best score I have ever seen from an Atom netbook.

Source: http://www.reghardware.com/2012/02/15/review_hp_pavilion_dm1_4125ea_amd_cpu_netbook/
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Acer Aspire One D270 netbook arrives with 32nm Intel Atom CPU

Labels: Netbook

Intel's making so much noise about Ultrabooks that the company's 32nm Atom refresh for low-cost netbooks almost went unnoticed.

But here we are in the first quarter of 2012 and netbooks are continuing to trickle out, and they're doing so with new CPUs at the helm. We've seen HP get the ball rolling with the Mini 1104, and now Acer is getting in on the act with the Aspire One D270.

We appreciated what the Aspire One D260 had to offer back in 2010, but the upgraded model pictured above arrives with an Intel Atom N2600 processor acting as the new brains of the operation.

The dual-core, four-thread Atom chip, part of Intel's latest Cedar Trail architecture, operates at 1.6GHz while keeping within a 3.5W TDP. Users shouldn't expect any significant increase in terms of CPU performance, but the shift to a 32nm process and improved power-saving features should result in greater battery life.

Graphics are provided by the chip's integrated Intel GMA 3600 processor - which itself is said to offer a 2x performance boost over the previous generation, as well as a built-in hardware-accelerated decoder that enables full-HD video playback.

Ideal for entry-level computing? Perhaps, and Acer's system attempts to meet those simple needs with a 10.1in display that offers a basic 1,024x600 resolution, a couple of USB ports, HDMI output, integrated webcam, 1GB of memory and a 320GB hard disk.

The quoted eight hours of battery life sounds promising, and if the US pre-order price of $280 really does translate to £215 inc. VAT, then the Aspire One D270 could become interesting as a highly-portable companion that isn't as limited as a tablet.

Source: http://hexus.net/tech/news/laptop/35165-acer-aspire-one-d270-netbook-arrives-32nm-intel-atom-cpu/
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Apple admits it has a human rights problem

Labels: Mobile Phones, Netbook, Others

Thousands of Chinese factory workers will be given the chance to detail the punishing conditions on assembly lines producing Apple iPads and iPhones, after the US company bowed to criticism and agreed to allow independent inspections of its supply chain.

Facing a growing scandal over the working conditions of those making its best-selling gadgets, Apple has called in assessors from the same organisation that was set up to stamp out sweatshops in the clothing industry more than a decade ago. The move is an admission that Apple's own system of monitoring suppliers has failed to stamp out abuses, and that the negative publicity surrounding its Chinese operations threatens to cause a consumer backlash against its products.

But campaigners for Chinese workers immediately criticised the company for conducting a public relations exercise instead of actually alleviating the long hours, harsh management and safety problems which have driven some workers to suicide and led to fatal accidents at a number of plants.

Inspectors from the Fair Labour Association started work yesterday at the Foxconn factory near the booming southern city of Shenzhen, where iPads are made. In 2010, a spate of 13 suicides or attempted suicides at that factory, known as Foxconn City, first turned a spotlight on the companies Apple uses to build its devices. Another Foxconn factory in Chengdu will also be inspected, Apple said, with the first findings to be published by the FLA next month. Apple said all of its suppliers had agreed to co-operate with the FLA and to let their workers speak freely.

Apple has come under fire for building a consumer electronics powerhouse on the backs of exploited workers, many of whom earn as little as 30p an hour. Employees of some suppliers complain of 10-hour shifts with only one permitted break, and of being forced to stand for so long that their legs swell. Last year, there were two fatal explosions at plants producing Apple goods, including one caused by the ignition of dust released by the polishing of new iPads.

The FLA will ask employees about working and living conditions, including health and safety, pay and hours. Its team will inspect manufacturing areas, dormitories and other facilities.

"We believe workers everywhere have the right to a safe and fair work environment, which is why we have asked the FLA to independently assess the performance of our largest suppliers," said Apple's chief executive, Tim Cook. "The inspections now under way are unprecedented in the electronics industry."

Apple's decision to call in the FLA comes after a new round of exposés of conditions at its suppliers. Last week, the campaign group China Labour Watch wrote an open letter to Mr Cook demanding that Apple accept lower profits so suppliers can raise wages, employ more staff and invest in improving safety.

Yesterday, the organisation dismissed Apple's commitment to independent inspections as a publicity stunt. "We already know what the conditions are like in the factories," said Fan Yuan, a China Labour Watch activist. "What Apple needs to do right now is take action to solve the problems. This move is not really about solving the problems, but rather about Apple getting publicity and rebuilding its positive image."

The FLA was set up in 1998 to monitor a code of practice introduced by clothing manufacturers that aimed to stamp out sweatshop conditions among their suppliers, following a similar public outcry and the success of consumer boycotts of offending companies.

Its work comes in addition to the audits conducted every year by Apple itself, which introduced a code of practice limiting the length of workers' shifts and demanded proper overtime pay. The company's spot-checks, though, reveal scores of violations at most suppliers.

Mr Cook, who took over the leadership of Apple last year from the late Steve Jobs, is fêted as the architect of its lean and flexible supply chain, which has been central to its ability to turn devices from concept to mass production in a matter of months. He has also focused on getting products produced at the lowest possible costs, which is one of the reasons that Apple's profits are among the fattest in the technology industry.

Yesterday, Apple's share price passed $500 for the first time in its history, just seven months after it first topped $400. The company is now the most valuable in the world, at $460bn.

Apple in China: The allegations

In July 2009, a Foxconn employee fell from an apartment building after losing an iPhone prototype. Over the next two years, at least 18 more of the company's workers have attempted suicide or have fallen from buildings in ways that suggested suicide.

In 2010, 137 workers at the Suzhou facility owned by Apple suppliers Wintek were injured after being ordered to use a poisonous chemical, n-hexane, to clean iPhone screens because it dried faster. Although Apple claims to have contacted all the employees affected, many say they have heard nothing.

In May 2011, four employees were killed and 18 were injured in a dust explosion at a Foxconn factory in Chengdu, which produces iPad parts. Chinese campaigners claim they warned Apple of hazardous conditions at the plant.

In December 2011, another 61 workers were injured in a gas explosion at the Riteng Computer Accessory Co factory in Shanghai, which was trialling aluminium iPad 2 back panels.

Employees allege that many of Foxconn's dormitories, where 70,000 workers live, are overcrowded, with reports of 20 workers being housed in a three-room apartment.

Jenny Stevens

Source: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/apple-admits-it-has-a-human-rights-problem-6898617.html
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Netbooks plummet while tablets and smartphones soar, says Canalys

Labels: Netbook

Smartphones outsold PCs and tablets combined, says research company – but netbooks have had their day as sales fall by 25% year-on-year

An HP netbook model in the computer market in Taipei, 2009. An endangered species? Photograph: Dan Chung

Stick a fork in it: the netbook is done, with sales falling by 25% in the past year while smartphones and tablets are invading the computing space, according to new figures from the research company Canalys.

In 2011, tablets overtook netbooks in total sales while smartphone shipments exceeded those of tablets and PCs combined, at 487.7m against 414.6m.

Netbook shipments in particular fell from 39.4m in 2010 to 29.4m in 2011, a 25% fall, as the total number of tablets shipped rose almost threefold from 23m to 63m by Canalys's calculations.

Excluding tablets, the PC market barely grew overall, with 351.4m, or just 2% more, machines shipped. Even as shipments of notebooks, the largest segment, grew by 8% and desktops, the next biggest, by 2%, the drop in netbooks took the wind out of the business.

It was a different story in September 2009, when Canalys reported that "netbooks reshape the PC industry" after saying that 13.5m had been sold in the first half of 2009 as mobile phone and other companies began selling them. Sales grew substantially in the second half of that year to 33.3m in 2009, according to another research company, DisplaySearch.

Netbooks' brief lifespan, which began in late 2007 and peaked in 2010 with the 39.4m figure - about 11% of the total PC market that year - included a brief period early on when it looked as though they would mark the advent of desktop Linux. But Microsoft instead began offering Windows XP and then Windows 7, heading off the threat to its business.

By contrast shipments of media tablets such as the iPad are already equivalent to 18% of the PC market, and the share is expected to grow with the release in the autumn of Microsoft's Windows 8 for both desktop and tablets.

Smartphone sales have been booming, and grew by 63% in the year, with a slight slowdown in the fourth quarter when the sales of 158.5m were up 56% on the same period in 2010.

The figures for PC shipments excluding tablets agree closely with those from rival research companies Gartner and IDC, which put the total number of PCs shipped excluding tablets in 2011 at 353.5m and 349.6m, compared to Canalys's 351.4m.

Smartphones first outsold PCs (excluding tablets) in the fourth quarter of 2010, according to IDC and Gartner.

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/blog/2012/feb/03/netbooks-pc-canalys-tablet?newsfeed=true
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Refurbished Moto Xoom tablets being sold with previous owners' data

Labels: Netbook

A small number of refurbished Motorola Xoom tablets sold on flash sale site Woot.com late last year might still contain data from the devices' previous owners, Motorola Mobility said.

The Libertyville-based company said about 100 out of 6,200 refurbished Xoom Wi-Fi tablets were potentially affected. Woot.com sold the devices between October and December, Motorola Mobility said in a statement. The old data that could be accessed by new owners may include photos, documents and user names and passwords for e-mail and social media accounts.

To protect consumers whose tablets might have been resold on Woot.com, Motorola Mobility said it is providing a free two-year membership to an Experian credit monitoring service to people who purchased and returned a Xoom Wi-Fi tablet to Amazon.com, Best Buy, BJ's Wholesale, eBay, Office Max, Radio Shack, Sam's Club or Staples between March and October 2011. The company is recommending that original owners change their passwords to e-mail accounts and social media sites. Previous owners that performed a factory data reset on their tablet before returning the device should be safe.

Motorola Mobility said it is "actively pursuing the return of the impacted refurbished units." Consumers that bought a Xoom from Woot.com between October and December 2011 can also visit motorola.com/xoomreturn or call customer support at 1-800-734-5870.

"Motorola has confirmed that any refurbished units sold outside the time period in question were properly refurbished," the company said.

Motorola Mobility has struggled to get the Xoom to catch on with consumers. It sold 1 million tablets in 2011. Apple, which dominates the tablet market, sold 15.4 million iPads in the fourth quarter of 2011 alone.

Source: http://www.hindustantimes.com/technology/PersonalTech-Updates/Refurbished-Moto-Xoom-tablets-being-sold-with-previous-owners-data/SP-Article1-807348.aspx
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The netbook lives!

Labels: Laptops, Netbook

Sales may be down, but don't write off the netbook yet. It's still a viable form factor for Windows PCs. Netbooks have a few key advantages going for them, and computer manufacturers should just stop and take a moment to consider them.

The three mobile PC form factors are netbook, notebook and tablet. I own all three now, and I like each one for different reasons. As a software developer, I saw the need to move away from the desktop and to finally get mobile. Since mobile PCs are the future, I felt this was the year for me to get some portable Windows computers so I could better test my software on these form factors. It's not rocket science: There's a big difference between laptop and desktop user experiences (there will be even more so with Windows 8). I needed to see how my software feels on these devices.

I tend to be a bit on the thrifty side, so I spent months researching my purchases. I didn't want anything that was "bleeding edge" technology, but instead wanted low-cost, mass-market computers (which reaches broader audience of people using my software). I wanted a netbook first, but instead I opted for a slightly bigger netbookish laptop with an 11.6 inch screen, 1366 x 768 resolution and dual-core CPU, which I picked up on sale for only $299. I really like this computer, especially the screen size. Because I wanted to have some experience testing software on a real netbook with an Atom CPU, I shopped around. Walmart offered a tempting Acer model, but it wasn't until the newer ones came out with dual-core Atom CPU's that I finally decided it may be worth it. Finally I found a great deal on the ExoPC Windows tablet.

Being able to actually own and compare these three different form factors for some time now, I've reached some startling conclusions about netbooks.

Tablets Are Great, But Will Never Replace Laptops!

I like the Tablet PC and touch is quite interesting when you get used to it, but a Tablet PC will never replace a well-designed laptop computer. Why? First the keyboard is integrated into a laptop, while a tablet it is external (or soft touch). Let's face it, typing on a tablet will never be the same as on a laptop. On a tablet your keyboard has to take up screen space and the feel will never be the same as real keys. Also your finger gets in the way (view) on a tablet, unlike a touchpad on a laptop. So while tablets have their use, if I want a more complete Windows experience, a laptop wins hands down.

Netbooks Can Sub for Notebooks

So which form factor is better for the notebook category? Each has its uses and benefits. If you need the larger screen and a powerhouse CPU, of course a laptop is going to be better. That's why my first choice for a moble computer was larger and better than a netbook. Yet, there is just something about that little netbook which draws a person. What is it? Price and small form factor.

I have elderly friends on budgets and the low price at Walmart was just irresistible -- they love their netbooks! The netbook I bought is primarily for my wife to use, and she loves it. Now that Netbooks come with dual-core CPU's. They're powerful enough. Manufacturers like Acer and Asus would be better off keeping the specs as they are and instead make lower pricing the priority. Acer's D257 Netbook sells for $249 at Walmart -- at $199, netbook sales could possibly improve. Go for the price point, not features, I say. Stores like Walmart also need to display more models of netbooks. One netbook for every ten laptops on display isn't enough.

Low price, with small size and weight, is appealing. Even if a tablet weighs less than a netbook it will likely cost more -- certainly on a screen-size comparison basis. So netbooks win the prize for lightweight mobility.

I love my little Acer Netbook! It is so small and lightweight and it has a great keyboard. I don't need a special stand for it, like I do with the tablet to hold the screen at the right angle to work with it. The netbook is so inexpensive and so small, it is the first choice when one may want to grab a computer and take it on the road. Sure if you plan on some serious work, the larger laptop may be preferable, but if you only need the computer for simpler stuff, watching a movie, web browsing, reading using the Nook freeware application, the netbook is the better choice. The size and weight are just right, and it has the physical keyboard a tablet doesn't.

Now I know everyone is looking to ultrabooks as the future of mobile computing, but consider this: For the price of one ultrabook one could buy a Netbook for every person in a family of four. The price of a netbook is so low, that parents who want to buy mobile computers for their kids are more likely to be able to afford them.

Manufacturers Should Look At Netbooks Differently

What would I do if I was a Netbook manufacturer?

Lower selling prices as much as possible on netbooks, without totally killing margins

Turn the netbook into a consumer device just like our television sets are

Drop hard drive sizes down to 100GB

Drop the external VGA connector

Drop the Ethernet connector

Have one USB port

Keep the HDMI port and SD slot

Design them to use rechargeable AA batteries

Offer some models without WiFi

Offer Windows 8 Starter Edition

Manufacturers' goals should be to create the ultimate, tiny Windows PC that would be just as common as televisions and priced in the $150 to $199 range. Windows tablet computers currently cannot reach a goal like this, but a redesigned netbook computer could.

Source: http://betanews.com/2012/01/30/the-netbook-lives/
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Microsoft extending Kinect to netbooks?

Labels: Netbook

Microsoft revealed some months ago that it has been developing Kinect software for the PC, but now it seems as though it is to be introduced to portable devices also.

The Daily reports it has had the chance to test out a few prototype versions of portable devices involving Kinect sensors.

They are Asus Netbooks running on Windows 8 with an array of small sensors across the top of the screen, where a webcam would normally be placed.

LED lights running across the bottom are the only other discernable difference between the Kinect device and any other typical netbook.

The Daily, which has confirmed with Microsoft that these netbooks are genuine prototypes of a Kinect-powered device, says there are numerous interesting possibilities for using this technology on a portable computer.

Gaming is an obvious benefit, as this was the primary reason for the Kinect's inception as an Xbox add-on.

However, users should be able to toggle between programmes on their netbook with the wave of a hand, while also pausing and skipping digital media without needing a remote.

It also provides a real opportunity for disabled persons to interact with technology in a more effective fashion.

The Daily suggests that, much like Windows 8, Microsoft will most likely licence this technology to original equipment manufacturers, allowing the innovative firms to develop the software into a range of different avenues.

Craig Eisler, general manager of Kinect for Windows, explained Microsoft's position with this type of technology in November, saying: "Last year the Interactive Entertainment Business at Microsoft showed the world how to re-imagine gaming.

"This year, we're showing the world how to re-imagine entertainment. Next year, with Kinect for Windows, we will help the world re-imagine everything else."

Source: http://www.cclonline.com/article/801278711/News/NoCat/Microsoft-extending-Kinect-to-netbooks-/
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Read E-Books on Your Netbook, Laptop, or PC With Kindle for PC

Labels: Laptops, Netbook, PC

When you hear the word Kindle, what's the first thing that comes to mind? For most people, this would be Amazon's smash hit e-book device, with its svelte looks and crisp e-ink display. But even if you don't want to shell out for a separate device, you can still enjoy many of the Kindle's benefits for no charge, thanks to Kindle for PC.

With its range of powerful, dedicated hardware device, Amazon could almost be expected to neglect its Windows application. Instead, it has continued developing it, added compelling features, and made it into one of the best e-book reader applications available for Windows today.

When you first launch Kindle for PC, it prompts you to log on to your Amazon account. Once you do, your books are displayed with beautiful cover images. Double-click a book, and it instantly downloads to your computer.

Once on your computer, double-click the book again to start reading. If it is a book you bought on Amazon and started reading on another device, Kindle for PC will ask if you want to go to the last page you've read. It will also show any notes and highlights you've made in the book, even when reading it on another device, making for a seamless cross-device reading experience. Much like with Kindle devices, you can opt to ready our book in one of several fonts and font sizes. You can also control the color scheme (black, white, or sepia background), and its brightness. This is a very helpful feature when reading in the dark--and combined with the application's full screen mode, it goes a long way towards reducing eyestrain from monitor glare.

Modern computer monitors tend to be wide, and lines can stretch on and on. While you can increase the margin size (much like with a physical Kindle), Kindle for PC also lets you reflow the text into two columns. This makes for a beautiful layout, almost reminiscent of a physical book spread out for reading.

There is another feature Kindle for PC provides, which is something I can't do with my "real" Kindle 3 device. This is something called Shelfari Extras, and it provides instant context for the book you are currently reading. Shelfari is a community website owned by Amazon since August 2008. It is essentially a large catalog of books, where users are invited to tell the world about what they've read and fill in particular bits of information about every book, such as key characters, places, and even define special words used in the book.

With Kindle for PC, you can simply click the name of a character in the book, select More, and click Shelfari Extras. If it's a well-known book, a definition for that particular character will pop up ("John's brother, separated at birth"). This worked for the book I was testing Kindle for PC with, and frankly, it blew me away. It is a brilliant use of crowd-sourced information: The more people read the book and talk about it, the better the database gets.

When all is said and done, Kindle for PC still runs on a PC. It can be a small notebook computer, but it's no physical Kindle. That is not necessarily bad, but it certainly makes for a different reading experience.

Note: The Download button takes you to the developer's site, where you can download the latest version of the software.

Source: http://news.idg.no/cw/art.cfm?id=1FC86892-04F2-2CF6-37A9A1C6EBCE6A0D
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Tablet PC to fuel semiconductor market by 2015: Gartner

Labels: Netbook, PC, Tablets

Taipei, Jan. 24 (CNA) Tablet computers will contribute enormously to the worldwide semiconductor market by 2015 as different platforms compete to interest consumers, according to market intelligence firm Gartner Inc.

Gartner forecasted that tablet semiconductor revenue will amount to US$20 billion (NT$604.5 billion) in 2015, compared with US$6 billion in 2011, ranking fourth behind semiconductor revenue in laptops, smartphones and desktop computers.

NAND flash memory, wireless connectivity and sensor devices will benefit from the emergence of tablet PCs, while processors with mixed impact and dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) will suffer, the research firm said.

"Software compatibility, design flexibility and cost of development will determine the winner," Taiwan-based Gartner analyst Ben Lee said at a recent press conference.

"Chip vendors should focus on evolving usage patterns while choosing processor architecture," he added.

Lee said major processor architectures for tablets, including ARM Holdings Plc, Intel Corp. and MIPS Technologies Inc., will level out on power efficiency and performance by 2015.

He believed that ARM will still dominate the market by that time due to the almost 100 percent share in smartphones and tablets it currently owns.

Speaking on the overall tablet market, Lee expected the total tablet shipments to increase to 316 million units in 2015 from 63.6 million last year with a compound annual growth rate of 77 percent, much higher than the 14 percent forecast for laptops.

Lee added that shipments of Apple Inc.'s iPad reached 49 million units in 2011, taking 73 percent of the overall market, while shipments of tablets running on Google Inc.'s Android open platform totaled 11 million units last year with only a 17 percent share.

However, the market share of Android tablets will gear up to 35 percent by 2015 with a compound annual growth rate of 114 percent, while the share of Apple's iPad will dr

Source: http://focustaiwan.tw/ShowNews/WebNews_Detail.aspx?Type=aALL&ID=201201240004

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Acer Aspire One D270 netbook arrives with 32nm Intel Atom CPU

Apple admits it has a human rights problem

Netbooks plummet while tablets and smartphones soar, says Canalys

Refurbished Moto Xoom tablets being sold with previous owners' data

The netbook lives!

Microsoft extending Kinect to netbooks?

Read E-Books on Your Netbook, Laptop, or PC With Kindle for PC

Tablet PC to fuel semiconductor market by 2015: Gartner