Perytons Launches ZigBee protocol analyzer for Tablet PCs
Perytons Ltd. announced today the release of its new Tablet PC analyzer models for sniffing 802.15.4, ZigBee and 6LoWPAN networks. The PeryTAB combines the Perytons Protocol Analyzer suite features with an optimized Tablet PC touch interface for a superior user experience. During the market introduction phase the PeryTAB will be provided together with a Tablet PC such as ACER Iconia W500 or Skytex Skytab S-series, running the Microsoft Windows 7 OS. -- Posted Wednesday, May 16, 2012 by chb

Gartner releases Q1 2012 smartphone numbers
According to a press release by Gartner, 144 million smartphones were sold to end users in Q1 2012, which means that over a third of all cellphones sold are now smartphones. In smartphones, Android commanded a 56.1% marketshare (up from 36.4% a year ago), with Apple's iOS second with 22.9% (up from 16.9%). The big losers were Symbian with 8.6% (down from 27.7%) and RIM with 6.9% (down from 13.0%). Microsoft came in 6th with 1.9%, down from 2.6%. [See Gartner press release] -- Posted Wednesday, May 16, 2012 by chb

Foxconn scores US$34 billion sales in Q1 2012
It's stunning how big electronics contract manufacturing companies have gotten. Hardly anyone knows their name, but in terms of sales they pass and dwarf some of the world's most recognizable brands. Foxconn, for example, makes a lot of the electronics products sold by Apple, Sony, Microsoft and Amazon. The company just announced Q1 2012 revenues of US$34 billion, up almost 40% from Q1 2011. In annuals sales, Foxconn is bigger then IBM, Sony, Toshiba, Microsoft, Hyundai or BMW. -- Posted Tuesday, May 15, 2012 by chb

RIM announces approval of BlackBerry 7 smartphones for U.S. DoD networks
In a piece of good news, RIM announced DoD-wide approval for the use of BlackBerry 7 smartphones. Working with U.S. Army and Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) sponsors and partners, BlackBerry 7 smartphones have undergone successful testing through Army labs leading to a listing on DISA's Unified Communications Approved Product List (UCAPL). -- Posted Monday, May 14, 2012 by chb

Thailand buys 400,000 educational tablets
According to Digital Trends, Thailand has signed the world's largest educational tablet purchase to-date. The US$33 million deal covers the first 400,000 tablets, with a second deal for over half a million more anticipated. The ScoPad SP0712 tablets are made by Shenzhen Scope Scientific Development Co. in China, and run Android 4.0 on a 1.5GHz ARM Cortex A8 processor. The 7-inch display features 1024 x 600 pixel resolution and capacitive multi-touch. While specs are modest, they'll certainly help speed Thailand's 6-8 year olds towards becoming Post PC-savvy. -- Posted Monday, May 14, 2012 by chb

Juniper Systems Mesa torture test video on YouTube


Juniper Systems posted a new video compilation of outrageous torture testing of its Mesa Rugged Notepad on YouTube. You have to see this to believe it. [See Juniper Systems Mesa torture test video] -- Posted Wednesday, May 9, 2012 by chb

Moprise announces new version of Coaxion
Moprise, a provider of mobile software for accessing and organizing enterprise documents from mobile devices, announced its newest version of Coaxion with a re-designed user interface is available for download from iTunes for iPads and iPhones. Coaxion, allows seamless navigation between enterprise-hosted and personal document storage, and organizes documents related to specific meetings. Mobile users can view and share Office documents in their original form on iPads - including embedded charts, graphics, annotations, and security watermarks - features that consumer document reader applications are unable to support. -- Posted Tuesday, May 8, 2012 by chb

Evernote buys Penultimate
Evernote, the company whose very popular software lets you take and archive notes, has bought the Penultimate digital handwriting app for the iPad. The Evernote blog describes the transaction and how everyone feels about it. Evernote, which has just raised another US$70 million, is clearly thinking big. Now if they could only come up with a stylus that really works on projected capacitive screens, and apps that include palm rejection smarts. -- Posted Monday, May 7, 2012 by chb

Rugged Computing Industry Discussion -- Part 2
Rugged Tablet PC company executives answer RuggedPCReview's questions about opportunities in the rugged and semi-rugged tablet market as a result of the iPad's popularity. In Part 2, the Handheld Group and Motion Computing answer the questions. [Read Rugged Computing Industry Discussion - Part 2] -- Posted Monday, May 7, 2012 by chb

Who makes the most tablets?
Well, Apple, of course, and then Amazon and Samsung. But the picture looks quite different in terms of who actually builds those tablets. iPads are made by Foxconn, and the Taiwan Economic News just reported that Quanta will be the leader among non-iPad tablets in 2012. That's because Quanta scored a number of new contracts to build Android tablets, over six million this year. [See CENS.com article] -- Posted Monday, May 7, 2012 by chb

IDC on Q1/2012 tablet sales: Apple shines, Android struggles
According to IDC, a steep drop in Android-based tablet shipments offset a strong quarter by Apple. A total of 17.4 million media tablets were sold worldwide in Q1 2012, 1.2 million below IDC's estimates. Of those 17.4 million, Apple shipped 11.8 million, for a 68% marketshare, up from 54.7% in Q4, 2011. Amazon, which had sold 4.8 million tablets in Q4, 2011, fell sharply and is now in 3rd place behind Samsung. Our take: Given Android's stellar performance in smartphones, the platform's struggle in tablets clearly represents a missed opportunity. Android's platform fragmentation seems a much bigger issue in tablets than in smartphones. And soon there will be further fragmentation when Windows 8/RT arrives. [See IDC release] -- Posted Friday, May 4, 2012 by chb

Diversity to add to growth in tablet market
Shipments of tablet PCs are expected to grow from 81.6 million units in 2011 to 424.9 million units by 2017, according to the latest NPD DisplaySearch Tablet Quarterly report. The forecast for 2013 shipments has increased from 168.9 million to 184.2 million. This forecast estimates that in 2016 more tablet PCs will be shipped than notebook PCs. A growing diversity of operating systems is driving the increase in demand for tablets, as well as rapidly evolving features. At the same time, the capacity of component manufacturing is being increased to meet new market demand. [See NPD DisplaySearch release] -- Posted Thursday, May 3, 2012 by chb

RIM launches BlackBerry 10 platform
Research In Motion unveiled its vision for the BlackBerry 10 platform at the BlackBerry World conference in Orlando, Florida and released the initial developer toolkit for native and HTML5 software development. The toolkit is available in beta as a free download from http://developer.blackberry.com. [See RIM press release] -- Posted Tuesday, May 1, 2012 by chb

ecom and Intermec announce intrinsically safe rugged handheld
ecom instruments Inc. and Intermec announced a new intrinsically safe handheld mobile computer for use in hazardous environments that include oil refineries and drilling platforms, petrochemical, pharmaceutical production, agriculture processing and other explosion-classified environments. The new i.roc Ci70 -Ex, which is based on the Intermec 70 series platform, is the first product offering resulting from the partnership between Intermec and ecom announced in late 2011. The i.roc Ci70 -Ex will be exclusively sold and distributed by ecom. -- Posted Tuesday, May 1, 2012 by chb

IBM introduces new foundation for mobile computing
IBM unveiled its first ever Mobile Foundation, a comprehensive portfolio of software and services designed to help organizations capitalize on the proliferation of mobile environments including laptops, smartphones and tablets. IBM's Mobile Foundation offers capabilities in a) connecting mobile and cloud environments, b) building mobile apps for various platforms just once, c) secure management of all mobile devices, and d) extending existing enterprise capabilities to mobile devices. [See IBM press release] -- Posted Monday, April 30, 2012 by chb

Microsoft invests US$300 million in new partnership with Barnes & Nobile
Barnes & Noble and Microsoft announced a strategic partnership in a new Barnes & Noble subsidiary that will bring together the digital and College businesses of Barnes & Noble. Microsoft will make a $300 million investment for an approximately 17.6% equity stake. An initial product will be a NOOK application for Windows 8 that will extend the reach of Barnes & Noble's digital bookstore to hundreds of millions of Windows users. [See press release] -- Posted Monday, April 30, 2012 by chb

Motorola Solutions survey shows 66% of retailers interested in Mobile Point of Sale
Motorola Solutions released the findings of a survey that shows increasing interest from retail, hospitality and field service industries for mobile Point of Sale (mPOS) solutions for improving customer service. Retailers in particular (66% of those surveyed) showed a strong interest in deploying mPOS over the next couple years. In terms of equipment, retailers and field service responders saw big increases in rugged handhelds and tablets, a modest increase in smartphones, but stagnation or decline in walkie-talkies and kiosks. [See Mobile POS Study results] -- Posted Monday, April 30, 2012 by chb

Nokia loses cellphone crown after 14 years, Apple and Samsung tops in smartphones
Cellphone and smartphone sales numbers for Q1 2012 are in, and it looks like for the first time in 14 years, someone other than Nokia is holding the #1 overall cellphone spot. That'd be Samsung with, according to iSuppli, 92 million shipped versus Nokia with 83 million. In the smartphone segment, iSuppli has Apple #1 with 35 million shipped versus Samsung with 32 million. The definition of "smartphone," though, is somewhat fluid, and so another research firm, Strategy Analytics, has Samsung ahead with 44 million versus Apple with 35 million. [See IHS iSuppli release and Strategy Analytics release] -- Posted Monday, April 30, 2012 by chb

Samsung introduces 1.4GHz quad-core 32nm Exynos 4 Quad ARM processor
Samsung introduced a new quad-core application processor built on 32nm High-k Metal Gate low-power process technology. The 1.4GHz ARM CORTEX A9 based Exynos 4 Quad is expected to double processing power in smartphones and tablets, yet use about 20% less power than the 45nm predecessor Exynos 4 dual-core chip. The Exynos 4 Quad can drive up to 1366 x 768 (WXGA) displays and incorporates a full 1080p video recording and play-back, an embedded image signal processor, and an HDMI 1.4 interface. [See Samsung press release] -- Posted Friday, April 27, 2012 by chb

In Ticketing launches InHand Mobile Box Office for mobile ticketing at live events
In the early days of PDAs, expanded functionality (such as storage, wireless, scanning, etc.) was often provided in the form of a sleeve or caddy that accommodated the handheld. Now we're starting the same approach again with sleeve and and caddies for smartphones. An example is the iAPS sled from Daily Systems, an all-in-one mobile POS solution for iPhone and iPod touch that adds bar code scanning, credit card reading and receipt printing to those Apple handhelds. Using the iAPS, In Ticketing has now introduced the InHand Mobile Box Office, enabling sale-to-receipt ticket sales transactions. -- Posted Thursday, April 26, 2012 by chb

Almost 80% of all smartphones sold by AT&T Q1 2012 iPhones
In Q11 of 2012, AT&T sold 5.5 million smartphones, and of those 4.3 million were iPhones. Off the cuff, that seems surprising as Android devices have a larger overall marketshare than the iPhone, and a trip to the local AT&T store shows the displays filled with dozens of different Android smartphones. The report also said that Verizon sold 3.2 million iPhones the same quarter, out of a total of 6.3 million smartphones sold. -- Posted Wednesday, April 25, 2012 by chb

e-con Systems executive explains the reality of cameras in rugged computers
e-con Systems is an embedded product development specialist with significant expertise in camera solutions in the Windows CE and Windows Embedded space. We asked Mr. Hari Shankkar, co-founder of e-con Systems, why at a time when every new smartphone includes a superb camera capable of full HD 720p or 1080p video, cameras built into rugged devices generally lag far behind. [Read more] -- Posted Tuesday, April 24, 2012 by chb

Intel formally introduces high end "Ivy Bridge" quad-core 3rd Generation Core processors
After much discussion of the "Ivy Bridge" platform of next-gen Intel Core processors, Intel officially introduced a number of higher end quad-core versions of the platform. Called "3rd generation Intel Core processors," the new chips are based on 22 nanometer manufacturing process, have much more powerful integrated graphics with DirectX 11, OpenGL 3.1 and OpenCL 1.1 support, and also come with the new "Panther Point" chipset family with native USB 3.0 and PCIe 3.0 support, as well as new Centrino wireless modules. As usual, there is a dizzying variety of desktop and mobile versions that all promise to be about 20% faster and twice as powerful in graphics than corresponding 2nd generation chips. The new 22nm process, for the first time, employs 3D tri-gate transistor design, perpetuating Moore's Law (doubling transistor count every 18 months) for years to come. The new processors, which do not yet include low and ultra low voltage versions of special interest to vertical market mobile/rugged systems, also benefit from a variety of security and power conservation enhancements. [See Intel press release and 3rd Gen Core Processor presentation] -- Posted Tuesday, April 24, 2012 by chb

Neonode reports 17 design wins for Q1 of 2012
Optical touch technology provider Neonode reported that, all in all, they accumulated a total of 17 new design wins in the first quarter of 2012 where the company integrates its hardware-independent touch technology into existing or new product categories for their customers. -- Posted Friday, April 20, 2012 by chb

Media tablet era medical tablet: Cybernet CyberMed T10
Cybernet Manufacturing has developed the CyberMed T10 tablet designed for use in clinical environments. The Intel Atom N2600-based tablet, which has about the same footprint and display as the original iPad, runs Windows 7 or the upcoming Windows 8. The aluminum and glass enclosure is easy to clean, has antimicrobial coating, and sports a fanless design. The 2-pound device, which starts at US$999, has dual cameras, WiFi/Bluetooth, USB and HDMI, and also optional RFID and barcode scanner. [See description and specs of the Cybernet CyberMed T10 medical tablet] -- Posted Thursday, April 19, 2012 by chb

The nature and potential of Windows 8 for ARM devices
By announcing the upcoming versions of Windows 8 and what role the separate ARM version will play, Microsoft has clarified the situation a bit. And a thorough prior Microsoft blog post on building Windows for ARM had already added a lot more detail. So what IS the nature of Windows 8 for ARM devices, and what do we consider its outlook and potential? [Read The nature and outlook for Windows 8 for ARM devices] -- Posted Wednesday, April 18, 2012 by chb

Microsoft announces Windows 8 editions
In a post on the Windows Blog, Microsoft announced that there will be three versions of the upcoming Windows 8. For PCs and tablets based on x86 processors, there will be plain Windows 8 and and the more business-oriented Windows 8 Pro that adds features for encryption, virtualization, PC management and domain connectivity. Windows Media Center will be available as a "media pack" add-on to Windows 8 Pro. A third version, Windows RT, will be available pre-installed on ARM-based PCs and tablets. Windows RT will include touch-optimized desktop versions of a new Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote. [See Announcing the Windows 8 Editions. Also interesting: Building Windows for the ARM processor architecture] -- Posted Wednesday, April 18, 2012 by chb

Top medical apps
The folks at iMedicalApps.com present a terrific resource with their attractively designed "Top Apps" section where healthcare professionals can find lineups and reviews of medical apps. [See iMedcialApps.com's Top Apps} -- Posted Friday, April 13, 2012 by chb

Windows Phone screenshot app, where are you?
With Microsoft and Nokia making a big push for smartphones running Windows Phone, one important thing still isn't available: an app that lets you do screen shots. That seems a no-brainer and something easy to do on iOS (and also on older Windows Mobile devices), but it's just not available on Windows phone. So no quick screen snaps to capture important stuff, and no way for reviewers to illustrate articles and news. -- Posted Thursday, April 12, 2012 by chb

Toshiba unveils three new Excite tablets
Toshiba's Digital Products Division (DPD), a division of Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., announced the expansion of its Excite family of Android 4.0/Tegra 3-powered tablets with three new display sizes – 13.3-inch, 10.1-inch and 7.7-inch. The Excite 7.7 (starting at US$499) is just 0.3 inches thick and has a AMOLED display. The Excite 10 (starting at US$449) is also very thin (0.35 inches) and has a 1280 x 800 display. The 0.4 inch-thick Excite 13 (starting at US$649) breaks through the tablet display size barrier with a 1600 x 900 pixel 13.3-inch screen. All models have a durable aluminum housing, use Gorilla Glass, have 5mp document cameras and 2mp front cameras, and will be available around June. -- Posted Wednesday, April 11, 2012 by chb

Wacom to release Bamboo Stylus duo iPad pen
Wacom is launching the Bamboo Stylus duo, a dual-purpose stylus for the iPad and Android tablets that combines a capacitive pen tip for on-screen input at one end of the Stylus, with a ball-point ink pen on the other end for use on paper. With the Bamboo Stylus duo, which costs US$39.95 and will be available April 24, Wacom attempts to address one of the weak points of capacitive multi-touch displays, the inability to write on them. [See Bamboo Stylus duo page] -- Posted Tuesday, April 10, 2012 by chb

Intel reveals studybook Learning Series tablet reference design
Intel introduced another interesting reference design, the Intel studbook. Part of the Intel Learning Series, the studybook concentrates on classroom features and educational software. The reference tablet measures 8.2 x 5.3 x 0.65 inches, weighs 1.15 pounds, has a 7-inch capacitive multi-touch screen with 1024 x 600 (i.e. early netbook class) resolution, is powered by a single-core 1.2GHz Intel Atom Z650 processor, can have up to 32GB of SSD storage, and optional 0.3mp front and 2mp rear cameras. There's 802.11b/g/n WiFi, optional Bluetooth and 3G WWAN, a micro-SD card slot, USB, mini-HDMI, and battery life up to 5.5 hours. The device is said to be able to run either Windows 7 or Android Honeycomb. While the Intel press release refers to "ultra rugged design," we're really only talking a 2.5 foot drop and IP41 sealing, enough perhaps for a classroom. Intel expects pricing of US$200-300, depending on installed options. Intel claims that over 7 millions of its earlier Classmate PC are in use, and that the hardware and software elements of an Intel studybook have been piloted in more than 2,000 classrooms in 36 countries. 9See ] -- Posted Tuesday, April 10, 2012 by chb

Allscripts introduces iPad app for EHRs
Allscripts announced the release of Allscripts Wand, which provides users of Allscripts Electronic Health Records a unique, native iPad application that extends the most commonly used functions of Allscripts Professional and Enterprise solutions. -- Posted Thursday, April 5, 2012 by chb

Smartphone OS marketshare by OS platform
FierceMobileContent published a most informative chart that shows the rising and falling US marketshare of the different smartphone OS platforms since September of 2009. The composite graph, which is based on monthly data released by comScore shows how quickly a platform can rise to dominance, or fall from favor. [See FierceMobileContent's US monthly smartphone OS marketshare] -- Posted Thursday, April 5, 2012 by chb

Socket Mobile turns 20!
Socket Mobile is celebrating its 20th anniversary as a provider of mobile computing productivity solutions. Since 1992, Socket has offered portable computing, data collection and remote networking hardware that have helped healthcare, hospitality, retail, and other industries worldwide meet the demands of a growing mobile workforce while eliminating manual processes and maximizing efficiency in mission-critical business applications. For the milestones in this admirably innovative company's history, check here! And here's our description of the latest Socket SoMo 655 handheld. -- Posted Thursday, April 5, 2012 by chb

Blast from the past: Scriptel
Scriptel, a global provider of electronic pen and sensor technology, announced the launch of the ST1501 LCD Electronic Signature Pad for Web Environments. The name Scriptel also brought back memories of the ScripTel WriteTouch digitizer of the mid-1990s that was briefly used in Xplore GeneSys rugged tablets. In the meantime, Scriptel apparently has an installed base of almost 3 million units. -- Posted Saturday, March 31, 2012 by chb

Red Hat now a billion dollar company
There was a time when Linux was seen as the next big thing and Red Hat was seemingly everywhere (we had our servers and many notebooks running Red Hat). But a number of years ago, Red Hat turned away from consumers/enthusiasts and to business customers. Then Android happened, and further pushed Linux away from public view. All this seemed to have worked out for Red Hat as the company had US$1 billion sales for the first time. [See Red Hat press release] -- Posted Friday, March 30, 2012 by chb

Garmin launches iOS/Android Garmin Pilot aviation app
Garmin announced Garmin Pilot, a new aviation app for iOS and Android-based mobile devices. The app brings Garmin's aviation features to tablets and smart phones, offering pilots complete navigation, trip planning, DUAT(S) filing, weather and electronic flight bag capabilities. It's free for 30 days, then pilots can pay $9.99/month or an annual subscription of $99.99. Geo-referenced FliteCharts are available for an additional $49.99 annually. Geo-referenced SafeTaxi diagrams are available for an additional $29.99 annually.[See Garmin Pilot product page] -- Posted Thursday, March 29, 2012 by chb

AT&T plans major launch for Nokia Lumina 900 Windows Phone
According to c|net, AT&T will go all out to launch the Nokia Lumina 900 early April, with a massive campaign and a major presence in AT&T stores. The success or failure of Nokia may make or break the Windows Phone platform that's been having a hard time to gain traction against Apple and Android. (At our visit to an AT&T store on March 28, the salesperson was indeed carrying a Lumina 900 and praising it as a major hit) [See c|net article] -- Posted Thursday, March 29, 2012 by chb

Mobile processor market to reach almost 2 billion by 2016
According to a new research report by NPD In-Stat, for 2011 ARM is the dominant processor architecture with over 73% of all units shipped and is growing. Thanks to the iPhone and iPad, Apple is second place for the entire mobile processor market just behind industry leader Intel, and in 2012, Apple will likely capture the top spot in terms of unit shipments. In-Stat also says that the release of Windows 8 later this year will be a pivotal point in the competition between the ARM and x86 processor architectures. -- Posted Wednesday, March 28, 2012 by chb

New: Opticon H22 rugged WinMo handheld
Opticon has released the H22, a rugged handheld computer running Windows 6.5.3 on a 806MHz Marvell PXA320 processor. The 12-ounce rugged handheld (IP65, 5-foot drop, 14-122F) has a 3.7-inch full VGA touch screen, a numeric or QWERTY keypad, extensive data capture capabilities (1D/2D scanner, RFID, camera, AGPS) and also includes WiFi, Bluetooth, 3G/3.5G WWAN and even an IrDA port. [See description and specs of the Opticon H22] -- Posted Monday, March 26, 2012 by chb

Hillcrest Labs unveils next "movement" for smartphones and tablets
Hillcrest Labs announced that its natural motion control technology, Freespace, is now available for manufacturers and component suppliers of smartphones and tablets. Hillcrest's new Freespace MotionEngine for Mobile is an embedded software solution that manages and enhances the performance of motion sensors found in smartphones and tablets -- accelerometers, magnetometers, and gyroscopes -- to enable today's motion-based applications and provide the foundation for next-generation user experiences. -- Posted Monday, March 26, 2012 by chb

HP combines Imaging/Printing and Personal Systems Groups
Hewlett Packard announced an organizational realignment that will combine HP's Imaging and Printing Group (IPG) and its Personal Systems Group (PSG) to create the Printing and Personal Systems Group. -- Posted Wednesday, March 21, 2012 by chb

Getac PS236 now available with Android in Europe
European offices of Getac announced that the Getac PS236 rugged handheld will now also be available with Android, a move that follows, according to Getac, the manufacturer's collaboration with Android developers across the globe. The hardware (806MHz PXA310, 3.5-inch VGA screen, 3.5G WWAN, IP67, etc.) remains largely the same as for the Windows Mobile version, with the exception of the Android version's larger 256MB RAM and use of USB client 2.0 instead of USB OTG. The Android version may become available in the US as Android gains more traction in vertical markets. [See PS236-Android spec sheet and Getac UK press release] -- Posted Tuesday, March 20, 2012 by chb

Apple sells 3 million new iPads in 3 days!
Apple announced it has sold three million new iPads in the first three days of its official release on March 16, 2012. That's roughly ten times as many as Apple sold of the original iPad during its first few days. [See Apple press release] -- Posted Tuesday, March 20, 2012 by chb

Poundland boosts warehouse productivity with Motion Tablet PCs
Motion Computing reports that Europe's biggest single price discount retailer, Poundland, has gone live with a deployment of Motion F5 Tablet PCs in two warehouse hubs in the Midlands. The tablets replace legacy data collection equipment and improve the productivity of Poundland QA teams in both locations and ensure Poundland's supply chain keeps pace with demand. -- Posted Monday, March 19, 2012 by chb

The new iPad -- First impressions
On Friday, March 16, 2012, at 9:30AM, Fedex delivered our two new iPads. The Fedex guy actually gave us three packages by mistake. We get a lot of stuff via Fedex, but since all three looked the same, I checked and saw that this was probably a third iPad. I called after the departing Fedex guy. "You saved me life," he told me as I handed him the third package back. [read more] -- Posted Sunday, March 18, 2012 by chb

Socket Mobile launches Apple-certified 1D barcode scanner
Socket Mobile announced that the Socket Bluetooth Cordless Hand Scanner (CHS) 7Ci barcode scanner has been certified by Apple for the iPad, iPhone and iPod touch. The pocket-size, lightweight CHS 7Ci uses long-range Bluetooth to connect to the Apple devices, creating a general purpose data collection solution for the mobile workforce. [See 7Ci scanner product page] -- Posted Sunday, March 18, 2012 by chb

When our new iPads shipped
We ordered two new iPads (one black, one white, both 64k and AT&T) on March 7, 2012, the day the new iPad was announced. The black one shipped March 10 and the white one on March 12, both marked for delivery on March 16. -- Posted Wednesday, March 14, 2012 by chb

Edelman PR refuses review
Edelman PR refuses to let us review Adobe Lightroom. Talk about alienating the media. -- Posted Monday, March 12, 2012 by chb

Windows Marketplace for Mobile to shut down
On March 8, 2012, Microsoft announced that the Windows Marketplace for Mobile will shut down on May 9, 2012. Starting on that date, Windows Mobile users will no longer be able to browse, buy or download applications directly on a Windows Mobile 6.x device using the Windows Mobile 6.x Marketplace application and service. That's too bad as we found the Windows Mobile Marketplace to be very useful. [See Microsoft announcement] -- Posted Friday, March 9, 2012 by chb

Getac Europe announces Android-based rugged Z710 tablet
Getac's European operations have issued press releases inviting Getac customers to try out their new rugged and Android-based Getac Z710 tablet. The ruggedized Z710 has a 7-inch capacitive touch screen, measures 8.8 x 5.75 inches, runs up to 10 hours on a charge, has dual cameras and 16GB of onboard storage (expandable via microSD), and can be equipped with RFID, scanners and WWLAN. A 10-inch Android model will also be available. [See description and specs of the Getac Z710 tablet] -- Posted Thursday, March 8, 2012 by chb

New Apple iPad: dual/quad-core, retina display, 4G, 1080p video, iSight cameras, voice dictation
Apple announced the new iPad with a 2048 x 1536 pixel "retina" display, a A5X quad-core processor, iSight camera technology similar to the iPhone 4s, 1080p video, voice dictation, Bluetooth 4.0, and 4G LTE. The new iPad looks very much like current models, but weighs a bit more than the iPad 2 (1.4 lbs). Battery life will remain at 10 hours for general use and, amazingly, 9 hours on 4G. Pricing remains at the same level (i.e. US$499 ($629 with 4G) for 16GB models; US$599 ($729 with 4G) for 16GB models; and US$699 ($829 with 4G) for 64GB models). The iPad 2 remans available with lowered prices. Apple also introduced iPhoto for iPad and a new 1080p-capable Apple TV (US$99). -- Posted Wednesday, March 7, 2012 by chb

Over 1,000 GameStop stores now sell refurbished iPods, iPhones and iPads
GameStop reports that it sells refurbished iPods, iPhones or iPads in more than 1,000 U.S. stores and online at www.GameStop.com. In 2011, GameStop began providing immediate in-store credit and cash for trade-ins of the popular Apple products. [See GameStop's refurbished iPod, iPhone and iPad page] -- Posted Monday, March 5, 2012 by chb

UPS begins deployment of 100,000 Windows Mobile-based DIAD V rugged handhelds
While consumers use tens of millions of iPhones and Android smartphones, Windows Mobile (or Windows Embedded Handheld as it's now called) continues to rule the vertical markets. Case in point: UPS announced on February 29, 2012, that it has begun to equip its drivers worldwide with the 5th generation DIAD (Delivery Information Acquisition Device) V handheld computers (4th generation handhelds came from Symbol/Motorola Solutions (see here)). How many of these Honeywell-made handhelds will UPS deploy? That'd be approximately 100,000 by 2013. And what is the DIAD V? A 1.3 pound flashlight-style Windows Mobile 6.5-based handheld with a 1GHz processor, 1GB of storage, a micro-SD card slot, a 50-key physical keypad, color touch display, 2D imager, 3mp camera for proof-of-delivery pics, WWAN (possibly GOBI), GPS, and, of course, a very rugged design. [See UPS DIAD-V press release and the evolution of the DIADs] -- Posted Monday, March 5, 2012 by chb

Socket offers updated SoMo 655 handheld computer for conventional Pocket PC/PDA applications
Socket Communications announced that an updated version of its SoMo 650 handheld computer will be available in Q2/2012. The new Windows Embedded Handheld 6.5 based SoMo 655 model remains a slightly ruggedized traditional Pocket PC/PDA for those who don't want or need a smartphone or need to replace discontinued or aging Pocket PCs such as HP's iPAQs. Socket will also make available special healthcare and high-security versions of the 655. [See description and specs of the Socket SoMo 655] -- Posted Saturday, March 3, 2012 by chb

Toshiba to deliver Excite 10 LE tablet
Toshiba Digital Products Division announced that heir Excite 10 LE tablet is now available in the US. Previously introduced as the Excite X10, the Excite 10 LE Toshiba describes the Excite 10 LE as the world's thinnest (0.3 inches) and lightest (1.18 pounds) 10-inch tablet. The Excite tablet has micro-USB, HDMI, a micro-SD card slot, WiFi, Bluetooth, dual speakers, dual cameras for video chat (2,p) and 1080p HD video recording (5mp), and 1280 x 800 pixel resolution on its Gorilla Glass protected screen. The Excite is powered by a 1.2GHz TI OMAP 4430 processor, comes with either 16GB (US$529) or 32GB (US$599), and runs Android 3.2. No mention of WWAN, though. [See Toshiba Excite 10 LE YouTube video] -- Posted Saturday, March 3, 2012 by chb

Wacom introduces multi-touch Intuos5 tablets
Wacom announced Intuos5, the next generation of pen tablets for professional photographers, designers and artists. New features include multi-touch gesture support, Express View to quickly see settings, a multi-function touch ring, programmable keys, a more ergonomic design, the possibility to connect the tablet wirelessly, and an even better pressure-sensitive (2,048 levels) pen. The Intuos5 comes in small (active area 6.2 x 3.9 inches, US$229), medium (8.8 x 5.5, US$349), and large (12.8 x 8, US$469). [See Wacom Intuos5 tablets overview]
-- Posted Thursday, March 1, 2012 by chb

Panasonic shows 5-inch IP57-rated smartphone
After prolonged silence from Panasonic in the smartphone space, the company showed the Panasonic Eluga Power at the World Mobile Congress in Barcelona. There's plenty of power with a 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor, Android 4.0, as well as the obligatory 8mp camera, 1080p video, secondary front camera, speedy wireless and microSD card slot. What's interesting is the giant, for a phone, 5-inch 1280 x 720 pixel screen, larger than many automotive GPS units, and as large as "tweener" devices between phones and tablets were just a year ago. Time for bigger pockets. The other interesting thing is that the Eluga Power is IP57 rated, which the press release considers dust and waterproof (IP67 would be much better, as IP57 still permits limited dust ingress, which could not possibly make it waterproof). [See Panasonic press release] -- Posted Wednesday, February 29, 2012 by chb

Huawei 10-inch quad-core 1920 x 1200 tablet
Also interesting in Barcelona: the very elegant Android 4.0 based Huawei MediaPad 10 that the company calls the world's first 10-inch quad-core tablet. The speedy proprietary Huawei K3 1.5GHz chip is complemented by 1920 x 1200 pixel resolution (current iPad 2 1024 x 768), 4G support, dual cameras (8mp and 1.3mp) and svelte design (0.35 inches thick, 1.3 lbs.). Huawei promises global availability in Q2, 2012. [See Huawei press release] -- Posted Wednesday, February 29, 2012 by chb

Review: Logitech iPad 2 Keyboard Case and Fold-Up Keyboard

Keyboards of tablets are always a compromise if they are built for the tablet (vs. using a full external Bluetooth or USB keyboard). Dan Rasmus reviewed two Logitech keyboards, and they are no different, but each offers a unique reason for being. The Logitech Keyboard Case for iPad 2 is a precision-machined aluminum keyboard that also doubles as a travel case, and it is amazingly thin. The Logitech Fold-Up Keyboard for iPad 2 offers a much wider typing surface, but one that isn't as well integrated as the Keyboard Case and key travel is a bit shallow. Neither is ideal as a day-to-day case, but they could be a good addition to your travel bag. [See Dan Rasmus' reviews of the Logitech iPAd 2 Keyboard Case and Fold-Up Keyboard] -- Posted Tuesday, February 28, 2012 by chb

Review: Ful Brooklyn and Joint Venture bags
The folks at Ful pride themselves at making quality bags with a certain fashion edge, and Dan Rasmus has been giving two of them a workout. The "Brooklyn" backpack (left) sports good airflow over the back, a cross-chest clip to ensure that the backpack doesn't slip as backpacks occasionally do, and a hidden water bottle net that folds unsnaggingly away on the side. The more traditional and more egalitarian "Joint Venture" (right) is aptly named with its notebook and tablet personality. This messenger bag is more traditional and more egalitarian than the Brooklyn backpack. The bag is smart looking with clean lines for the nearly-purely-digital. [See Dan Rasmus' reviews of the Ful Brooklyn and Joint Venture] -- Posted Tuesday, February 28, 2012 by chb

NVIDIA announces first Tegra 3-based "super phones"
NVIDIA announced at the Barcelona Mobile World Congress the world's first NVIDIA Tegra 3 "super phones," including the HTC One X, LG Optimus 4X HD, ZTE Era, Fujitsu's Ultra High Spec Smartphone and the K-Touch Treasure V8. The new version of Tegra 3 for super phones runs at speeds up to 1.5 GHz. At the heart of Tegra 3 is its 4-PLUS-1 quad-core CPU architecture that delivers increased performance and battery life, plus a 12-core GPU, to deliver up to 5x the performance of the dual-core Tegra 2. [See Tegra 3 processor page] -- Posted Tuesday, February 28, 2012 by chb

Slashgear demo of Neonode's 3D touch technology
SlashGear ran interesting coverage of the Neonode 3D touch technology, including a video that demonstrates some of the potential and anticipated 3D uses. [See Slashgear's Neonode 3D touch headed to tablets and phones: Hands-on] -- Posted Tuesday, February 28, 2012 by chb

Neonode announces "swipe" patent it received in January
Neonode, which invented the unique optical sForce touch screen technology, just now announced that a user interface patent filed back in December of 2002, almost ten years ago, finally received approval from the US Patent Office on January 10, 2012. The patent covers, among other user interface issues, activating and escaping from things via swiping. One interesting note: Likely not anticipating that phones would grow ever larger instead of smaller, in the the patent Neonode refers to touch-sensitive areas just 2-3 inches diagonally. [See Neonode's patent 8,095,879] -- Posted Monday, February 27, 2012 by chb

TI shows off OMAP 5 platform in Barcelona
Texas Instruments is displaying its new OMAP 5 platform at the Mobile World Congress 2012 in Barcelona. For a detailed overview of the multi-core OMAP 5 platform, check TI's OMAP 5 page. -- Posted Monday, February 27, 2012 by chb

Huawei introduces quad-core 4.5-inch Android 4.0 smartphone
At the Mobile World Congress 2012, Huawei introduced what they call the world's fastest quad-core smartphone. The Ascend D quad phone likely represents the way of things to come with its own-brand 1.2/1.5GHz K3V2 quad-core processor, Android 4.0, full 1080p video capture, and a very large 720p (likely 1366 x 768 or 1280 x 720 pixel) 4.5-inch display. Expected to be available in the US end of April. [See press release] -- Posted Monday, February 27, 2012 by chb

Harris introduces rugged 7-inch Android-based tablet for mission-critical defense and public safety deployments
Harris Corporation introduced the Harris RF-3590 Ruggedized Tablet, an Android-based 2-pound tablet with a 7-inch 1024 x 600 pixel sunlight-readable multi-touch display. According to Harris, the tablet was designed to provide a "smartphone-like experience to military personnel and first responders who require secure real-time information at their fingertips to execute their missions." Designed with numerous sensors, extensive wired and wireless communications technologies (including BT 4.0, GPS and 4G LTE), the RF-3590 certainly looks like a very interesting attempt to meet mission-critical information needs out there in the field. [See description and specs of the Harris RF-3590 rugged tablet] -- Posted Saturday, February 25, 2012 by chb

Motorola Solutions launches a remarkable Mission Critical Handheld for first responders
Motorola Solutions introduced the LEX 700 Mission Critical Handheld that's hardly bigger than a consumer smartphone but is an entirely different class of device that connects to public safety LTE broadband, is tough as nails, and was designed from the ground up to give public safety personnel a tool for the job. The dual core OMAP 4470-powered device has a 4-inch capacitive display with 800 x 480 resolution, extensive voice and data connectivity, currently runs Windows Embedded Handheld, but will likely be upgradeable to Android Open Source 4.0. [See description and specs of the Motorola LEX 700] -- Posted Friday, February 24, 2012 by chb

e-con Systems licenses Windows CE camera driver to MilDef CReTE
e-con Systems Inc., which specializes in developing advanced customized camera solutions and related services, has licensed its Windows CE camera driver source code to MilDef CReTE of Taiwan, a manufacturer of rugged handheld computing devices (and also the supplier of AMREL Rocky rugged computers) that contain e-con’s camera modules and drivers with Omni Vision image sensors. e-con Systems says it's been working with Omni Vision on specialty sensors (High Dynamic Range, 720p/1080p HD, etc.) for applications in security and surveillance and low-light conditions. [See e-con camera modules and camera boards] -- Posted Friday, February 24, 2012 by chb

Socket Mobile introduces low-cost barcode scanner for Apple devices
Socket Mobile announced the upcoming availability of the Socket Bluetooth Cordless Hand Scanner (CHS) 7Ci, a low-cost barcode scanner for the Apple iPad, iPhone and iPod touch. The CHS 7Ci expands upon Socket Mobile's CHS Series 7 line of barcode scanners by providing an affordable option for reading 1D barcodes into Apple devices that is also backed by an optional software development kit. The CHS 7Ci is expected to be available in Q2 2012 following certification by Apple at an MSRP of US$260. [See Socket Mobile scanners] -- Posted Tuesday, February 21, 2012 by chb

Synaptics to show its latest capacitive touch technologies in Barcelone
Synaptics announced it will show its latest capacitive touch solutions at the 2012 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain. This include these ClearPad Series 2, ClearPad Series 3 sensor-on-lens, in-cell and on-cell solutions, as well as the ClearPad Series 4 integrated Touch and Display Driver IC solution. In addition, the Design Studio 4 ClearPad development tool will be on display along with the ClearPad 7300, the industry's first high-performance, single-ASIC solution for the tablet market. -- Posted Tuesday, February 21, 2012 by chb

Global tablet shipments reach 15 million Q1 2012
According to Digitimes, vendors will ship 15 million tablets in Q1 of 2012, dropping 30.6% from Q4 2011, but rising 77.6% from Q1 2011. Shipments will consist of 11 million iPads as well as 4 million non-iPad tablets which will decrease by 50.8% on quarter and include 1.5 million Kindle Fires and 300,000 Nook tablets. Digitimes also pointed out that Taiwan-based ODMs will ship 13.51 million tablets for a global share of 90.25% in Q1 of 2012. -- Posted Monday, February 20, 2012 by chb

MediaTek delivers MT6575 Android 4.0 smartphone platform
Taiwanese IC design firm MediaTek announced the availability of the MT6575, its 3rd generation platform for mid and entry‐level Android smartphones. The MT6575, using 40nm CMOS technology, includes a 1GHz ARM CortexTM‐A9 processer, a 3G/HSPA modem and runs "Ice‐Cream Sandwich" Android 4.0. It supports 720p HD video playback and recording with an 8MP camera and qHD (960x540) high‐resolution displays. [See press release] -- Posted Monday, February 13, 2012 by chb

Xplore turns profitable
When the folks at Xplore Technologies excitedly discussed their plans of creating the ultimate rugged tablet computer with us back in 1996, good thing they didn't know they'd have to wait a full 15 years for their first profitable quarter. But it's finally happened: Xplore announced record revenues of US$8.9 million for Q4 of 2011 (up from US$4.3 million for Q4 of 2010) based on the momentum of their iX104 C5 family of rugged tablets (see our full review), and income of US$284,000. [See press release] -- Posted Monday, February 13, 2012 by chb

New rugged Trimble Juno GIS handhelds
GPS/GIS specialist Trimble introduced a new generation of its Juno line of handhelds that combine Windows Mobile computing power with exceptional GPS/GIS performance in a rugged 11 ounce package. The new Juno 3B and 3D (the latter with 3.75 WWAN) run Windows Embedded Handheld 6.5 on an 800MHz Samsung processor, have 3.5-inch QVGA touch screens, and GPS receivers specifically designed to maximize position yields in challenging GPS environments, such as under forest canopies and near buildings in urban areas. [See description and specs of the Trimble Juno 3B and 3D] -- Posted Monday, February 13, 2012 by chb

New: Intermec CV41 rugged Windows CE-based forklift vehicle-mount computer
Intermec introduced the CV41 vehicle-mount computer designed primarily for fork lifts and similar warehouse operations vehicles. The handy Intel Atom-powered 3-pound device runs Windows CE, has an 8-inch WVGA touch screen with 900-nit option, a very complete 64-key keyboard, comprehensive wired and wireless connectivity, IP66 sealing, and it's also Vocollect voice-ready. [See description and specs of the Intermec CV41] -- Posted Thursday, February 2, 2012 by chb

Are keyboards dead?
With all the emphasis on tablets, are keyboards dead? The folks at rugged computer maker AMREL just posted a very interesting essay entitled "The Death of Keyboards & the Japanese Experience" -- Posted Thursday, February 2, 2012 by chb

Psion joins Sprint's Open Device Initiative
Psion announced it has joined Sprint's Open Device Initiative to provide its customers with access to the strength of Sprint's 3G network in the U.S. This agreement helps to meet the need for rugged mobile devices and Psion is already shipping Sprint-certified versions of its EP10 rugged handheld to customers. Sprint says its Open Device Initiative is the product of more than a decade of experience certifying non-Sprint-branded devices on its networks. The Open Device Initiative accelerates the process of identifying, testing and deploying devices. -- Posted Wednesday, February 1, 2012 by chb

Added: Bluebird Pidion mobile computers

RuggedPCReview.com has added the complete lineup of Bluebird's Pidion rugged and semi-rugged mobile computers. These include the BIP-5000 and BIP-6000 enterprise handhelds, the flashlight-style BIP-7000 industrial handheld, and the BM-170 enterprise PDA/smartphone. All are based on the 806MHz Marvel PXA320 processor and run either versions of Windows CE or Windows Mobile, with the BIP-6000 and BM-170 also announced as capable of running Android. -- Posted Tuesday, January 31, 2012 by chb

Apple posts record results
Apple's Q4 2011 financials may well go down in history. Apple's stock is at US$450 (as of January 25, 2012), Apple's market value is US$420 billion, highest in the world. Q4 2011 revenue was at US$46.3 billion, with a record profit of US$13.06 billion. Apple sold 37 million iPhones, up 128% from a year ago. Apple also sold 15.4 million iPads, up 111%, and Mac sales also rose 26% to 5.2 million units. On top, Apple has no debts and almost US$98 billion in cash. -- Posted Wednesday, January 25, 2012 by chb

Full review: Winmate G570Z 5.7-inch rugged handheld device
The Winmate G570Z may look like a large PDA, but it's actually a small Windows tablet. With a very bright 5.7-inch resistive touch screen and running embedded Windows XP on an Intel Atom Z510 processor, the 8 x 4.7 inch G570 weighs around two pounds, considerably less than larger rugged tablets. The device is highly configurable (1D/2D scanner, RFID, 3.5G WWAN), runs a full shift on dual batteries, and with a 4-foot drop spec and IP65 sealing can be deployed almost anywhere. [See review of the Winmate G570Z rugged tablet] -- Posted Tuesday, January 24, 2012 by chb

Intermec: new processor and Gobi 3000 for 70 Series rugged handhelds
Intermec announced two enhancements to its 70 Series of rugged handhelds. The first is a switch from the 600MHz TI OMAP 3530 processor, an older 65nm design, to a 1GHz TI Sitara 3715 chip, a newer 45nm design that is fully OMAP architecture compatible. While still using an ARM Cortex A8 core and a POWERVR SGX Graphics Accelerator, the 3715's faster clock speed, up to 2X graphics performance, and lower power consumption mean a considerable step up in performance. The second is that three of the four 70 Series models -- the CN70, CN70e, and CK70 -- can now be ordered with what Intermec calls its "Flexible Network radio" module based on Qualcomm's Gobi 3000 technology and usable on both CDMA and UMTS wireless networks, enabling automatic and seamless "in route" switching between different carrier networks. [See Intermec press release] -- Posted Monday, January 23, 2012 by chb

NDP DisplaySearch: Wide viewing angle LCDs on the move
We've been preaching the virtues of wide viewing angle displays for many years and marveled at the fantastic viewing experiences on Hydis and other IPS (in-plane switching) and FFS (fringe-field switching) displays (HP used Hydis displays already in their 2003/2004 TC1100 Tablet PC). Well, according to NDP DisplaySearch, with the increasing use of tablet PCs and smart phones to view and share video, wide viewing angle performance is finally becoming a requirement in TFT LCDs. In our opinion, wide viewing angle displays are so much better as to make them virtually mandatory on most mobile computing devices. [See NDP DisplaySearch release on wide viewing angle LCD technologies] -- Posted Thursday, January 19, 2012 by chb

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