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

Modular Psion XT15: tougher, faster, more versatile
A while ago Psion began making its rugged handhelds modular so that users could configure them exactly as they liked. The company now introduced their new Omnii XT15 rugged handheld that's not only faster, tougher and more modern, but also offers more display, communication, scanning and general configuration modules and options than ever before. [See description and specs of the Psion Omnii XT15 -- Posted Tuesday, January 17, 2012 by chb

DT Research's 430 POS handheld updated
DT Research announced that their DT430 POS handheld was updated to improve overall performance with a new ARM 11 core processor running at 800MHz, more RAM (512MB instead of 128), and 4GB flash instead of the original 128MB. 802.11a/b/g/n support provides faster network connection as well as support for Cisco CCX 4.0 for enterprise applications. A more powerful barcode scanner has a faster scan rate, better motion tolerance, and higher optical resolution -- Posted Monday, January 16, 2012 by chb

Sony SmartWatch
Sony's latest attempts to get back into the game include the SmartWatch, an iPod Nano-sized Android-based OLED touch screen watch with iPhone 4 styling, app icons and all. Texts and social network status is available via Bluetooth from the wearer's (SonyEricsson) smartphone, style comes via different color rubber wristbands, and there are theoretically no limits as to what can be run on the watch. Expected to be available this spring for around US$149. [See Sony SmartWatch] -- Posted Saturday, January 14, 2012 by chb

Review: Acer Iconia Tab A500
Contributing editor Dan Rasmus felt it was a little strange to be writing a review of a shipping tablet just as CES 2012 is over. But unlike much of the gear touted in blogs, endless television coverage and various radio shows, the Acer Iconia Tab A500 is shipping, and at a reasonable price. [See Dan Rasmus' review of the Acer Iconia Tab A500] -- Posted Friday, January 13, 2012 by chb

3M introduces 3M SmartPen
Capacitive touch screens have taken the world by storm, but unless they are combined with some sort of active pen technology, they rely on finger input, and that may not always be enough. You can buy pens, but none that we have tried work very well. Well, 3M Touch Systems has now introduced the 3M Smart Pen that's supposed to provide the accuracy other capacitive pens are lacking. [See 3M Smart Pen] -- Posted Friday, January 13, 2012 by chb

Aceeca shipping RFID handheld evaluation units
In Aceeca's latest newsletter, the New Zealand-based company says that RFID continues to gain momentum as RFID improves and prices decrease, with some tags now available for less than 10 cents. As a result, Aceeca is now shipping evaluation units of their first IP67-sealed Windows CE OR Palm OS Garnet based handheld. -- Posted Friday, January 13, 2012 by chb

Staples media tablet stats
Staples, from a variety of statistical sources, compiled the following tablet statistics: The average tablet user spends 90 minutes per day on their tablet. 88% use their tablet on the road. 54% of tablet users are 34 or older. The most common tablet display size is 10 inches. The average tablet user spends US$34 on apps. 80% of tablet users say tablets have improved their work/life balance. [See Staples tablet stats summary] -- Posted Thursday, January 12, 2012 by chb

Trend seen at 2012 CES: Gigabit WiFi
Every CES has its number of major trends, and his year one of them is gigabit WiFi. Over the years we've seen a progression from 802.11b to 802.11g to 802.11n, with most organizations and individuals now using a mix of those standards, with the slowest link often determining overall network speed. That wasn't a major problem in the past, but by now even 802.11n is not really equipped to handle the emerging infrastructure of streaming video and connectivity. The answer is the 802.11ac standard that promises real world gigabit WiFi. At CES, companies such as Trendnet (see release), Buffalo (see release), Broadcom (see release), NetGear (see tech primer), D-Link (see release), etc., are all showing 802.11ac products. -- Posted Tuesday, January 10, 2012 by chb

Synaptics announces single ASIC large touchscreen ClearPad solution for tablets
Synaptics announced the latest addition to its single ASIC ClearPad Series 7 touchscreen family, the single ASIC ClearPad 7300 solution. Supporting up to 12-inch touchscreens with tracking of 10 or more fingers, the ClearPad 7300 is designed for the tablet market. [See ClearPad Series 7 Product Brief (PDF)] -- Posted Tuesday, January 10, 2012 by chb

RIM previews BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 at CES
RIM is previewing the BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 at CES in Las Vegas. The software upgrade, which will be available for free download to all BlackBerry Playbook users in February, includes a large number of enhancements to make the OS more integrated and connected. [See RIM press release] -- Posted Tuesday, January 10, 2012 by chb

Atmel announces next-gen maXTouch S Series
Touch technology specialist Atmel Corporation announced the availability of its new maXTouch S Series family of touchscreen controllers, the next gen of their unlimited touch plus stylus technology with systems supporting touch screens from 3.5 inches all the way to 17 inches. The S Series facilitates thinner and lighter devices without sacrificing responsiveness, touch fidelity or battery life. [See maXTouch S Series YouTube video and white paper] -- Posted Monday, January 9, 2012 by chb

TI to demo Windows 8 on OMAP 4 platform at C ES
Texas Instruments will be showing an OMAP4470 processor-based tablet running on a pre-release version of Windows 8 at the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, demonstrating how the latest OMAP 4 platform supports Microsoft's upcoming next version of its operating system. [See TI press release] -- Posted Monday, January 9, 2012 by chb

DTResearch DT410/415: no-nonsense POS handhelds
We have added product pages on the DT410 and DT415 handhelds by DTResearch. DTResearch designed them as point-of-sale/point-of-service handheld terminals weighing about ten ounces. Both models run either Windows CE or Windows Mobile on a 533MHz Samsung processor and 3.5-inch resistive touch screen. Both are rugged enough for POS jobs and both have an integrated magnetic stripe reader. The DT415 adds a 1D/2D imager. [Read description and specs of the DTResearch DT410 and DT415] -- Posted Friday, January 6, 2012 by chb

Ambarella announces wireless streaming technology for HD cameras
Those crafty folks at Ambarella, the company that brought the world the video compression technology that makes inexpensive high-definition cameras possible, now introduced the Ambarella Wireless Camera Developer's Kit. The kit, in essence, makes it possible to stream video, via Atheros WiFi technology, from one of those tiny cameras (which sometimes don't have their own displays) to a smartphone. The smartphone can then also act as a remote control device for the camera, and it can be used to upload video to YouTube and similar video sharing sites. The kit will work with Ambarella's recently introduced A7 solution that can capture 1080p video at 60 frames per second (see A7 PDF). What all this means is that high definition cameras will take a big step closer to becoming fully internet-integrated devices. [See Ambarella press release] -- Posted Thursday, January 5, 2012 by chb

Growing influence of tablets
According to NPD DisplaySearch, the tablet category expanded its role in the mobile PC market, with shipments of 72.7 million units, accounting for 25.5% of mobile PC shipments in 2011. By 2017, notebook PC shipments are forecast to reach 432 million units, and tablet shipments are projected to reach 383.3 million units. DisplaySearch also projects that of the 432 million notebooks, ultrabooks, with their sleek design and convenience like instant-on and long battery life, will contribute about 40%. -- Posted Thursday, January 5, 2012 by chb

Neonode announces single chip optical touch controller
Neonode is the company that offered touch and swipe-controlled smartphones years before Apple, but simply was ahead of its time (see our review of the Neonode N2) and the phones are long gone. Neonode, however, marched on as a provider and licensor of its innovative optical touch technology that uses an infrared grid to detect the position of the finger or pen. Now they announced what they claim is the world's first ultra-low power single-chip optical touch controller, developed in conjunction with Texas Instruments. Suitable for handheld and small to midsize devices, Neonode's touch technology combines elements of resistive and capacitive digitizers, and the new single chip solution makes for a lower chip count and lower cost. The technology has some issues, but is attractive and usable enough to score a number of high-profile licensees. -- Posted Wednesday, January 4, 2012 by chb

Juniper System's Mesa fully secure via Apriva Authentication Suite
Juniper Systems announced that its Mesa Rugged Notepad has completed extensive testing and validation procedures to achieve full integration with the Apriva Authentication Suite that combines ISO 7816 based ID card reading via Bluetooth, lock-down without positive read, and AES 256 encryption of data transmitted outside the Mesa to deliver a secure access environment. [Read press release] -- Posted Wednesday, January 4, 2012 by chb

Added: full lineup of Janam rugged handhelds
Janam is a new York-based provider of an interesting lineup of rugged handheld computers that all aim to supply tried-and-true functionality in handy, durable packages and employing mature technology, both on the hardware and the software side. On the Windows side of things, Janam offers the Windows CE-based XM60+ and Windows Mobile-based XM66 (see here), and the XG100 with a gun-style handle that includes the unit's battery (see here). For those who seek to continue using Palm OS-based applications, Janam has the XP20 (160 x 160 mono) and XP30 (240 x 320 color) using the Palm 5.4.9 Garnet OS (see here). -- Posted Thursday, December 29, 2011 by chb

Tablet PC redux at Acer?
Mobile computing historians will recall that Acer was one of the early adopters of the Tablet PC back in 2001/2002 when Bill Gates/Microsoft made another push to establish the platform. The Acer TM100 (see our 2002 report), in fact, almost singlehandedly established the convertible notebook concept that remains quite popular in vertical markets (Panasonic, Getac, Twinhead, etc. all offer them) and was the early Tablet PC leader, but Acer never seemed to fully mature the concept, and quickly dropped it. Now history seems to repeat itself with Acer on another rollercoaster ride in media tablets with aggressive claims and predictions of leadership alternating with dismissals of the tablet market. The latest news, as reported by the Taiwan Economic News, now is that Acer is likely to withdraw from the tablet market entirely. [See article] -- Posted Wednesday, December 28, 2011 by chb

iPad continues to dominate in Q3 of 2011
It's almost two years after the iPad's introduction, and Apple's blockbuster tablet continues to rule. According to IDC, Apple sold 11.1 million iPads in Q3 of 2011 for a 61% market share. That's compared to a combined total of just six million for all Android tablets combined, for a 32.4% share, down from 33.2% in Q3 of 2010. Android, though, seems poised to benefit from the new generation of hybrid tablet/book readers such as the Kindle Fire and Barnes and Noble Nook that may boost Android market share over 40%. -- Posted Tuesday, December 27, 2011 by chb

Review: Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet
The original IBM ThinkPad of the early 1990s was a tablet and ran PenPoint, so it's only fitting that the new Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet should explore Android for business. Dan Rasmus analyzes the new Lenovo Tablet and finds much to like (superior keyboard and case), but it comes at the cost of extra weight. And Android still seeks to find an identity, in business at least. [See Dan Rasmus' review of the Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet] -- Posted Sunday, December 18, 2011 by chb

Need to speed bodes well for LTE
According to a report from Juniper Research, worldwide service revenues generated by speedy LTE mobile networks are forecast to grow rapidly once networks are launched, exceeding US$265 billion by 2016. [See Juniper Research press release] -- Posted Sunday, December 18, 2011 by chb

Tablet survey says connection speed is everything
European network solutions provider Brocade research suggests that while 85% of consumers in their survey use their smartphones or tablets to do their holiday shopping, almost 70% were only prepared to wait a maximum of 20 seconds for a web page to load before going to another retailer. And 13% said they'd only wait a maximum of five seconds for a retailer's web page to load before giving up and trying another site. [See Brocade press release] -- Posted Sunday, December 18, 2011 by chb

Winmate introduces hybrid 4.3-inch rugged handheld with capacitive touch
While most consumer smartphones run Android or the iOS and have capacitive touch screens, most rugged industrial handhelds still use resistive screens and Windows CE/Mobile. Winmate has now introduced the S430T hybrid device, a rugged industrial handheld with a conventional form factor, but equipped with projected capacitive touch and capable of running either Android 2.3.4, Windows CE 6.0 or Windows Mobile 6.5. The IP67-sealed device includes u-blox GPS, and can be equipped with optional WWAN, scanner or RFID. [See description and specs of the Winmate S430T] -- Posted Friday, December 16, 2011 by chb

Motorola Solution introduces MC2100 mobile computer
Motorola Solutions introduced the MC2100, a value-conscious enterprise mobile handheld computer for inventory management and similar tasks. Weighing just 8.5 ounces, the rugged MC2100 runs Windows Embedded CE 6.0 on a 624MHz Marvell PXA320 processor, has a 2.8-inch QVGA display, offers the choice of 1D laser, 1D imager, or 1D/2D imager, and includes push-to-talk. [See description and specs of the Motorola Solutions MC2100] -- Posted Tuesday, December 13, 2011 by chb

Jon Peddie Research sees big boost in stereo cameras in smartphones
Jon Peddie Research released a new study on mobile devices. Among the findings: 80% of smartphones will have stereo 3D cameras by 2015, not just for 3D viewing, but also for gesture based controls, advanced augmented reality applications, and visualization with depth. Peddie also forecasts shipment of over 750 million smartphones in 2016, as well as almost 300 million tablets. -- Posted Thursday, December 1, 2011 by chb

Apple's efficiency hurts chip vendors
Bloomberg reports that the iPad's low chip count (about 75% fewer than in a standard notebook) is hurting chipmakers, especially those specializing in memory chips. [See Bloomberg article] -- Posted Thursday, December 1, 2011 by chb

MobileIron 4.5 to offer comprehensive Android security platform
MobileIron announced global availability of MobileIron 4.5, which provides a deep set of security features to Android devices. With support for Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich), MobileIron 4.5 includes encryption enforcement, secure SSL VPN, Exchange account configuration with certificates, a single MobileIron client for all Android devices, hardware lockdown and more. -- Posted Thursday, December 1, 2011 by chb

Essay on wearable computing
Corey Christiansen posted an interesting essay on the history and status of wearable computing on mcdm.washington.edu. See Getting Schooled in Wearables). -- Posted Thursday, December 1, 2011 by chb

Neonode scores another zForce license win
Neonode announced that ultra-rigged phonemaker Sonim Technologies has signed a worldwide license for Neonode's zForce optical touch technology. zForce uses an infrared beam grid to detect touch and finger location, meaning there is no need for a digitizer overlay. The signing of a number of high-profile technology licences over the past couple of years represents a remarkable turn-around for Neonode, a company which initially attempted to sell its own ahead-of-their-time N1 and N2 smartphones (see our 2005 and 2007 reviews of the Neonode N1 and Neonode N2). [See Neonode press release] -- Posted Thursday, December 1, 2011 by chb

DisplaySearch forecasts much higher resolution in tablets
The NPD DisplaySearch shipment forecast indicates that the average resolution of tablet PC displays will grow to more than 200 pixels per inch (ppi) in Q2'12. Expect the launch of higher resolution displays in tablets, such as 10.1' 1920 × 1200 and 9.7' 2048 × 1536. -- Posted Tuesday, November 29, 2011 by chb

Autodesk ForceEffect app for iPad
Autodesk announced the Autodesk ForceEffect iPad app. ForceEffect allows engineers to quickly simulate design options during the conceptual phase by tapping objects to select, move, rotate and scale for immediate feedback on the performance of a design. ForceEffect, which is free, is one of Autodesk's growing collection of very inexpensive or even free tablet apps. Our take: ForceEffect is also an example of software companies using the large media tablet market to cleverly and inexpensively promote their brands with limited but very useful products that can lead to sales of their primary products. [See ForceEffect on iTunes] -- Posted Tuesday, November 22, 2011 by chb

Ruggedized Android Devices -- Status and Outlook
As far as operating system platforms go, the rugged mobile computing industry is in a bit of a holding pattern these days. Thanks to the massive success of the iPhone and iPad there is a big opportunity for more durable handhelds and tablets that can handle a drop and a bit of rain, yet are as handy and easy to use as an iPhone or iPad-style media tablet. So why don't we see more Android-based handhelds and tablets? RuggedPCReview analyzed the situation. [... read more] -- Posted Monday, November 21, 2011 by chb

Qualcomm unveils next-gen Snapdragon S4 processors
Qualcomm announced the expansion of its Snapdragon S4 class of next-generation mobile processors (and enhancements to its Snapdragon S1 for entry-level smartphones). The new S4s, using Qualcomm's Krait CPU micro architecture, seek to lower design, engineering and inventory costs while bringing leading-edge 3G/4G connection speeds to next-gen mobile devices from smartphones to tablets. Qualcomm announced several new S4 chipsets, including the MSM8660A, MSM8260A, MSM8630, MSM8230, MSM8627, MSM8227, APQ8060A and APQ8030. These are in addition to the previously announced MSM8960, MSM8930 and APQ8064. [See Snapdragon S4 Processors white paper (PDF)] -- Posted Monday, November 21, 2011 by chb

Added: Adlink TIOT Windows CE and Android rugged handhelds
Adlink Technology offers two rugged handhelds that at first sight look identical, the TIOT2000 and the TIOT9000. They are conventional, albeit well equipped, handhelds with 3.5-inch QVGA resistive displays, IP65 sealing, a 5-foot drop spec, and plenty of data capture functionality (1D/2D scanning, RFID, cameras, etc.). What's interesting is that one runs Windows CE 6.0 R3 whereas the other runs Andrid 2.3, with slight but significant differences in underlying technology and specs. [See Adlink TIOT2000 (Android) and TIOT9000 (Windows CE)] -- Posted Sunday, November 20, 2011 by chb

Next gen of Microsoft Surface available for pre-order
Samsung and Microsoft announced that the next generation of Microsoft Surface is now available for pre-order through Samsung resellers via the Samsung Electronics website. Initially unveiled earlier in 2011, the Samsung SUR40 for Microsoft Surface features PixelSense technology that allows LCD panels to see without the use of cameras. The SUR40 looks like a 40-inch HDTV with four legs to make it a table and, in conjunction with Microsoft Surface, is intended to allow users to manipulate screen content with hands and gestures. -- Posted Saturday, November 19, 2011 by chb

iData Partners with Audatex to supply Motion Tablet PCs
iData Distribution, a distributor of automated ID and mobile technologies for the reseller market in southern Africa, reports it has supplied Audatex (the world's leading supplier of vehicle repair data) with 160 Motion Computing Tablet PCs. The Motion "Audapad" tablets are loaded with the Abuntex motor vehicle assessing software and deployed for accurate customer information gathering on the road, simplified results tracking and reporting, while eliminating duplicate efforts, such as re-keying data. [See iData press release] -- Posted Saturday, November 19, 2011 by chb

Wacom introduces signature capture solution for business
Wacom announced sign&save and sign & safe mobile, plug-and-play signature capture solutions for small to medium size businesses that are seeking to implement or improve customer-facing digital transaction processes. The baseline US$299 sign&save features the STU-500 LCD signature tablet with sign | pro PDF software whereas sign&save | mobile combines a the smaller US$229 STU-300 LCD signature tablet with sign | pro PDF software, creating the ideal solution for people on-the-go. -- Posted Saturday, November 19, 2011 by chb

Entertaining Intel site helps with picking the right Core processor
While Intel kind of designates its Core i3/i5/i7 processors as "good," "better," "best," it's notoriously difficult to make the case for one processor line over the other, unless there are very specific requirements (such as the use of some specific Intel technology that may be available in one line but not the others). Apparently Intel is aware of this confusion and predicament and has created a special multimedia website where users can figure out which Core processor is right for them. It's not very scientific, but quite entertaining. [See the visibly smart Intel Core processor family site] -- Posted Tuesday, November 15, 2011 by chb

Panasonic launches the Toughpad at Dallas Cowboy Stadium
With the stated goal of providing the first tablet designed for business, Panasonic introduced their new Toughpad in grand style at Dallas Cowboy Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Available early 2012, the 10.1-inch Marvell/Android-based Toughpad A1 offers IP65 sealing, a 4-foot drop spec, dual cameras, 10 hour battery life, daylight viewability, and enterprise level security. A smaller 7-inch B1 version will be available later in 2012. [See full coverage of the Panasonic Toughpad launch event] -- Posted Friday, November 11, 2011 by chb

Amazon orders 5 million Kindle Fire tablets
According to Digitimes, Amazon has increased its Kindle Fire tablet order to a cool five million, based on strong pre-orders of the 7-inch US$199 device that comes with 8GB of storage, WiFi, measures 7.5 x 4.7 x 0.45 inches, and weighs less than a pound. -- Posted Thursday, November 10, 2011 by chb

Windows 8: a bit of fear, uncertainty and doubt
In mid-September 2011, Microsoft showcased a preview of the next release of Windows at the BUILD developer conference. After reading up on it, I wrote down my impressions in the days following the preview, but held off putting it in the RuggedPCReview blog until I had a bit more time to let it sink in and contemplate the likely impact on rugged mobile computing manufacturers and users. My thinking hasn't changed, so below is pretty much what were my first impressions about Windows 8 and what it will mean for mobile computing... [Read more] -- Posted Thursday, November 10, 2011 by chb

Analysis: Fujitsu Lifebook T731 and Styistic Q550
What should you get if you want business-class tablet functionality? A pure tablet? Or a notebook that can be converted into a tablet? Dan Rasmus analyzes two Windows 7-based devices from Fujitsu, the Intel Core i5 or i7 powered Lifebook T731 and the light and sleek Stylistic Q550. [See analysis of the Fujitsu Lifebook T731 and Stylistic Q550] -- Posted Friday, November 4, 2011 by chb

GameStop now selling several media tablets with games pre-installed
GameStop is now selling media tablets as well, and they all come with six free games already installed. Initial tablets sold are the Acer Iconia (US$325), the Asus Eee Pad Transformer (US$399) and the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 (US$499). GameStop now also issues store credit to customers who trade in their iPod, iPhone or iPad. GameStop's move doesn't necessarily signal the end of dedicated consoles, but many gamers may start balking at expensive console games (usually US$60) in favor of less expensive downloadable games. [See GameStop tablet offers] -- Posted Friday, November 4, 2011 by chb

ARM acquires IC design software company Prolific, Inc.
ARM has acquired privately-owned, California-based Prolific, a developer of IC design optimization software, to address the increasing complexity of 20nm and below process technologies needed for the implementation of highly integrated, low-power system-on-chip solutions. [See press release] -- Posted Friday, November 4, 2011 by chb

HP announces Windows 7-based Slate 2
HP introduced the HP Slate 2, which is very much like the unloved HP Slate 500 except for a switch from an 1.86GHz Intel Atom Z540 to a 1.5GHz Atom Z670 processor and a few minor changes. Microsoft's preview of Windows 8, however, makes the HP Slate 2 a more attractive proposition, but for now it's Windows 7 on a 8.9-inch multitouch/pen display with first-gen netbook resolution (1024 x 600). Pricing is US$699 for a WiFi-enabled 32GB version and US$799 for a 64GB version. [See HP Slate 2 on HP website] -- Posted Thursday, November 3, 2011 by chb

Datalogic releases new rugged 10.4-inch vehicle-mount panel computer
Datalogic Mobile launched the Datalogic Rhino 10, a rugged Microsoft Windows Embedded 6.0 R3-powered Vehicle Mount Computer designed for warehousing management in distribution centers, warehouses and manufacturing shop floors. The IP65-sealed panel has a bright 10.4-inch VGA touch screen, good connectivity, and can be ordered with an extended -22 to 140F temperature range. [See description and specs of the Datalogic Rhino 10] -- Posted Wednesday, November 2, 2011 by chb

New Norton Tablet Security protects Android tablets against loss, theft and online threats
Symantec released Norton Tablet Security and new updates for Norton Mobile Security, including a new "Scream" feature that helps users find a lost or stolen phone quickly. Both offerings for the Android platform further support the Norton Everywhere initiative, which extends Norton's security expertise and technologies to protect consumers everywhere they go, regardless of device or platform. -- Posted Wednesday, November 2, 2011 by chb

TI introduces low-cost Sitara AM335x ARM Cortex-A8 processors
We're increasingly seeing Texas Instruments Sitara chips in products, and now TI introduced the new Sitara AM335x line of low cost but high performance ARM Cortex-A8 chips. The new line was designed specifically to provide low power consumption and reduced heat emissions to enable portable, pocket-sized, fanless applications. [See TI Sitara AN335x page -- Posted Tuesday, November 1, 2011 by chb

Atmel maXStylus/maXTouch demo video
Atmel uploaded an interesting video demonstrating and explaining its maXStylus technology that combines a very precise stylus with a 1mm stylus tip with the company's maXTouch multi-touch touchscreen technology. [See Atmel maXTylus demo video on YouTube] -- Posted Monday, October 31, 2011 by chb

Dell Latitude ST Windows 7 tablet
Dell's upcoming Windows 7-based and Intel Atom Z670-powered Latitude ST tablet offers both capacitive multi-touch and an active pen (using N-Trig technology). The 10.1-inch 1280 x 800 pixel display has Gorilla Glass protection, and there are rubberized bumpers to help survive use in the field. There are USB and HDMI ports, WiFi/BT4, dual cameras (720p front, 5mp rear), up to 128GB SSD, and up to 6 hours of battery life. Measuring 10.6 x 7.3 x 0.6 inches and weighing just under two pounds, the Latitude ST reminds a lot of the Fujitsu Q550. The Latitude ST will cost around US$1,000 and become available early November, 2011. [See Dell Latitude ST product page] -- Posted Friday, October 28, 2011 by chb

Whitman: HP will keep the PC division
HP announced that it has completed its evaluation of strategic alternatives for its Personal Systems Group (PSG) and has decided the unit will remain part of the company. “HP objectively evaluated the strategic, financial and operational impact of spinning off PSG. It’s clear after our analysis that keeping PSG within HP is right for customers and partners, right for shareholders, and right for employees," said Meg Whitman, HP president and chief executive officer. "HP is committed to PSG, and together we are stronger." -- Our take: Good move. But how can customers trust HP? [See HP press release] -- Posted Friday, October 28, 2011 by chb

One Xoom sold for every 130 iPads
Motorola Mobility revealed it had shipped just 100,000 Motorola XOOM Android tablets in Q3 2011. That compares to 13 million iPads. Honestly, this has us baffled. Media tablets are super-hot, the XOOM is a very good product, so what's the problem? Perhaps Motorola Mobility, which concentrates on consumer phones, should pass the Xoom on to the vertical market oriented Motorola Solutions. [See Motorola Mobility Q3 Financials] -- Posted Friday, October 28, 2011 by chb

DisplaySearch predicts curved cover glass on high-end touch screens
DisplaySearch predicts that curved cover glass on projected capacitive touch screens will become a differentiating feature in high-end models. Curved or shaped cover glass--referred to as 2.5D if along one axis and 3D if along both axes--is a new design trend. Due to its more complicated processes and costs, the ability to handle cover glass finishing will be an increasingly strategic issue for the industry. This and other findings are described in the DisplaySearch 2011 Touch Panel Market Analysis. -- Posted Thursday, October 27, 2011 by chb

Nokia introduces first Windows Phone-based models
At Nokia World in London, the beleaguered phone maker introduced its first two Windows Phone 7.5-based products. The basic Nokia Lumia 710 and the fancy Lumia 800 both have 3.7-inch displays, a 1.4GHz Qualcomm MSM8255 CPU, WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1, and 512MB of RAM. The Lumia 800 is less than a quarter inch thick, has an AMOLED display, an 8mp camera with Carl Zeiss optics and HD video, and 16GB of storage. The Lumia 710 has a 5mp camera and 8GB of storage. Both phones have turn-by-turn navigation and will be available in the US early 2012. No contract pricing is US$595 for the Lumia 800 and US$380 for the Lumia 710. -- Posted Thursday, October 27, 2011 by chb

A peculiar Apple patent award
On October 25, 2011, Apple was awarded US patent #8,046,721 (see here for "A device with a touch-sensitive display may be unlocked via gestures performed on the touch-sensitive display. The device is unlocked if contact with the display corresponds to a predefined gesture for unlocking the device. The device displays one or more unlock images with respect to which the predefined gesture is to be performed in order to unlock the device." It's peculiar because Neonode used swiping and that unlock feature in its Neonode N1 that came out in 2002. We did a full review of the N1 in early 2006 (see here) and described the unlock feature like this: "To give you an idea of how this works, once you turn the phone on, you'll be greeted by the "locked" symbol. After all, you wouldn't want random touch to generate commands or calls. A set of small triangle arrows show where and in what direction to swipe to unlock the phone." So on the surface it looks like Neonode used the swiping before Apple even applied for the patent in December of 2005. -- Posted Wednesday, October 26, 2011 by chb

Aceeca to retire Palm-based handheld, switch to multi-OS version
Aceeca reports that after a production life of almost ten years the MEZ1000, essentially a ruggedized implementation of the original Palm, is nearing end-of-life. This means Aceeca will phase in their new MEZ1500 which replaces the MEZ1000. The MEZ1500 offers both Garnet and WinCE operating systems, with various Linux options along with Android coming in future months. -- Posted Tuesday, October 25, 2011 by chb

Samsung adds Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus
Samsung announced the upcoming availability of the US$399 Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus that runs Google Android "Honeycomb" on a 1.2GHz dual core CPU. The device has an IR interface to control home theater setups via its Peel Smart Remote TV application. -- Posted Saturday, October 22, 2011 by chb

Motion introduces SlateMate add-on modules for its CL900 tablet
Motion Computing introduced the Motion CL900 SlateMate snap-on module technology that extends the functionality of the ruggedized CL900 Tablet PC. Securely attached to the tablet's internal frame, the first CL900 SlateMate module provides a 1, 2 and 3 track magnetic stripe reader and a 1D/2D barcode scanner for mobile data acquisition and transaction processing. [See Motion CL900 SlateMate page] -- Posted Wednesday, October 19, 2011 by chb

Global tablet shipments 18.7 million in Q3 of 2011
According to Digitimes Research, gobal tablet PC shipments reached 18.7 million units in the third quarter, with Apple iPad shipments accounting for 13 million units of that. Non-iPad tablet PCs suffered from high inventory issues in the third quarter and many new tablet PC product launches have been delayed. In terms of components, for tablet PC CPUs, Nvidia has become the second-largest supplier in terms of shipments with Texas Instruments dropping to fourth. As for ODMs, Inventec is currently the second-largest with Quanta Computer dropping to fifth. -- Posted Wednesday, October 19, 2011 by chb

Review: BAP Precision S-Series rugged handheld
Despite consumer smartphones increasingly being used in applications that were once the exclusive domain of purpose-designed ruggedized handheld terminals, there are still numerous deployments where environmental conditions, potential abuse, IT security requirements, etc., make a traditional ruggedized PDA-style mobile computer a better choice. The Windows Mobile-based BAP Precision S-Series, offered by Florida-based F4 Tech, is such a device. [See review of the BAP Precision S-Series] -- Posted Monday, October 17, 2011 by chb

Jon Peddie Research: Over two billion mobile processors to ship by 2016
According to Jon Peddie Research, over three quarters of a billion smartphones will ship in 2016, as well as 869 million feature and other phones and almost 300 million tablets. More than 16 processor companies and 4 IP suppliers will be chasing this market, compared to the four or five processor companies today. Peddie wonders there too many suppliers chasing the same customers. [See Jon Peddie press release] -- Posted Tuesday, October 11, 2011 by chb

Motorola Solutions introduces enterprise-class 7-inch capacitive multi-touch Android tablet
Seeking to provide the familiarity and popularity of a consumer-class user experience to a true enterprise-class device, Motorola Solutions introduced the Android-based ET1 ruggedized 7-inch tablet. The TI OMAP 4-powered capacitive multi-touch 1.4 pound ET1 brings enhanced durability (4-foot drop, IP54, etc.), an optional barcode scanner and magnetic stripe reader, hot-swappable battery packs, and secure system software. [See description and specs of the Motorola Solutions ET1 tablet] -- Posted Monday, October 10, 2011 by chb

Casio IT-300: rugged Windows Mobile handheld with capacitive multi-touch
Leave it to Casio Business Solutions to introduce one elegant, innovative industrial PDA after the other without ever letting anyone know. They did it again with the Casio IT-300, a unique new implementation of the industrial handheld, and the first we know of with capacitive multi-touch. The 7.6-ounce T300 runs Windows Embedded Handheld on a 624MHz Marvell PXA320 processor, has a 3.7-inch full-VGA screen, a CMOS 1D/2D imager, a 10-hour battery, IP54 sealing, and enough ruggedness to survive 5-foot drops. [See description and specs of the Casio IT-300] -- Posted Friday, October 7, 2011 by chb

Should I get the new iPhone 4S?
We write about technology for a living, and so it behooves us to stay up-to-date and always carry around the latest and greatest. Yet, I still have my old iPhone 3GS. Does upgrading to the new iPhone 4S make sense? [Read more...] -- Posted Friday, October 7, 2011 by chb

BlackBerry DevCon Americas: October 18 to 20, 2011 in San Francisco
RIM will host the BlackBerry DevCon Americas from October 18 to 20, 2011 in San Francisco, offering BlackBerry application developers an opportunity to interact, learn about the latest development technologies for the BlackBerry platform, and hopefully have their spirits lifted about their beleaguered platform. -- Posted Thursday, October 6, 2011 by chb

Goodbye, Steve. Thanks for everything!
Steve Jobs has died at the far-too-young age of 56. There will never be another like him. The impact Steve had not only on technology, but on our lives in general, was monumental. Thanks for everything, Steve. We'll miss you more than you'll ever know. -- Posted Wednesday, October 5, 2011 by chb

GD-Itronix introduces fully-rugged GD3080 tablet
General Dynamics Itronix introduced the GD3080 fully-rugged tablet computer as a next-gen version of its Duo-Touch II tablet. The 4.0 pound fanless tablet now features higher XGA resolution on its 8.4-inch DynaVue display that has an auto-switching resistive touchscreen/active digitizer combo. The GD3080 runs Windows 7 and offers more memory as well as higher capacity hard disk and SSD options. Up to three RF modems and GPS can be integrated in a unit at one time. Sealing is at the IP54 level and the machine, which starts at US$3,250, can handle significant abuse. [See description and specs of the General Dynamics Itronix GD3080] -- Posted Wednesday, October 5, 2011 by chb

Apple announces iPhone 4S
Apple ended months of speculation by introducing the iPhone 4S. It looks virtually identical to the iPhone 4, but has a faster Apple A5 dual core chip, up to 8 hours talk time (6 hours browsing), an 8mp camera with a wide angle F2.4 lens with five elements and digital image stabilization that can also do 1080p video. A new "Siri" voice assistant acts as sort of an intelligent agent, conjuring up memories of Newton Intelligence. The iPhone 4S can handle GSM or CDMA networks and auto-switches between two antennas for better voice quality. Pre-orders begin October 7 for a October 14 release on AT&T, Verizon and, new, Sprint. With the usual 2-year contracts, the iPhone 4S will be available with 16GB (US$199), 32GB (US$299), and 64GB (US$399). [See iPhone 4S tech specs] -- Posted Tuesday, October 4, 2011 by chb

Full review: Winmate 3.7" Rugged Handheld
There are still jobs where consumer-style smartphones, even sturdier ones, just won't do. That's why Taiwanese industrial computer manufacturer Winmate introduced their own industrial strength and size handheld that's simply called the Winmate 3.7" Rugged Handheld Device, also listed as the R03TACH. RuggedPCReview.com did a detailed analysis of the OMAP 3530/Windows CE 6.0 powered, IP67-sealed rugged, eminently practical device with a full VGA 3.7-inch touch screen and the ability to also run Android. [See full review of the Winmate 3.7" Rugged Handheld] -- Posted Monday, October 3, 2011 by chb

Socket Mobile ships 50,000th SoMo handheld
Socket Mobile announced it has shipped its 50,000th SoMo 650 handheld computer. Sales are being driven by the needs of the hospitality and healthcare market segments for a durable and lightweight device and continue to show growth. -- Posted Friday, September 30, 2011 by chb

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