Tech manufacturer Toshiba is to build a new factory in Ishikawa tasked with producing high-res LCD panels for Apple�s upcoming ranges of iPhone and iPod Touch devices.
Reports by the Nikkei Business Daily have announced the new Japanese based factory, set to cost 100 billion Yen (�757 million) and be constructed during 2011, will double Toshiba�s current monthly production capacity of 8.5 million units.
Part funded by Apple, the new factory will begin production next year with the mooted Apple iPhone 5 expected to be one of the first devices catered for.
The reports, which have yet to be confirmed or denied by either Apple or Toshiba would seemingly mark the end of Toshiba�s current low-temperature polysilicon LCD panels production facility in the Ishikawa area.
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Sabtu, 01 Januari 2011
Android still affected by months-old random text message bug
Google still hasn't patched a bug in Android that sends text messages to random recipients, users have complained as recently as Friday. The flaw will often take a message intended for one recipient but send it to another person in the contact list, often without letting the sender know until afterwards. Messages will often show as part of a conversation thread for the intended person even when the flaw occurs.
The problem has persisted up to and including Android 2.3 and isn't limited to any one device, ranging from the related Desire and Nexus One to the Samsung Galaxy S. It can even happen with custom firmware from Cyanogen and other unofficial sources.
Google is aware of the issue and has been trying to patch it for much of 2010, but the issue so far hasn't been resolved. The issue doesn't have an identified cause and has no estimated fix in sight.
"This has not been addressed in Gingerbread, although it is not for a lack of trying," one Android user wrote. "They're very interested in fixing this [at Google], but can't figure out the problem. I've been feeding them as much info as possible and they are aware of this issue number as well as the old thread on the (now closed) Nexus One google help forum."
Caris: iPad to hold on to 67% of tablet field in 2011
A new analyst note from Caris & Co. analyst Robert Cihra has forecast that Apple will hold on to its majority market share of tablets in 2011. He expected the iPad to keep 67 percent of the market owing both to the rapid early adoption but also to lag time for rivals, who were sent "back to the drawing board." Like with an iSuppli estimate, Cihra saw the delay giving Apple a head start, even as the tablet market tripled in size to 54 million next year, 36 million of which would be iPads.
Most Android tablet designers are likely waiting until a few months in before releasing their devices, as Google hasn't necessarily finished Honeycomb, or Android 2.4, and thus doesn't have a fully optimized tablet OS. With the exception of the Samsung Galaxy Tab, most pre-Honeycomb tablets have been relegated to niche status or faced teething problems from a lack of optimization. Windows tablets are still a minority and weren't considered a significant factor.
All tablets would have a braking effect on growth not just for netbooks but for the wider computer market, AllThingsD's copy of the note read. With growth estimated at 14 percent this year, it would slow down to nine percent as iPads would not only curb netbook sales but also the tendency to buy multiple computers in some households. Smartphones would remain largely untouched and grow rapidly.
Cihra also guessed that Apple would release the new iPad in March, a month earlier than in 2010. The timing would be deliberate, to establish three-month intervals between iPad releases, new iPhones in June and iPods in September. Apple has usually previewed iOS releases in March or April and might use the timing to preview its software plans along with each new hardware release.
Olympus E-PL2 leaked again, shows macro spotlight add-on
Olympus' E-PL2 has surfaced again in a second scoop that also gives it an uncharacteristic accessory. A hot shoe mount will give it two snake lights to illuminate macro subjects with shorter ranges. The add-on seen by 4/3 Rumors is LED-powered and will power entirely off the hot shoe.
The camera itself is known to be focusing on a jump to ISO 6,400 peak sensitivity, easier movie capture and a custom Bluetooth peripheral that will give Android and Windows Mobile users a way of pulling camera footage while sidestepping a computer. A higher resolution LCD and more video-friendly behavior should be additional focuses.
Olympus is expected to show the E-PL2 next week, but it might not ship at the same time. Lens converters for fisheye, macro and wide angle shooting are due to arrive in February or March and could be signs of when the camera in question will be in stores.
Korean carriers turn down Nexus S, say iPhone not at risk
Korean cell carriers are turning down the Nexus S both because of Google's control but also because of Apple, insider tips said late Thursday. Both KT and SK Telecom are reportedly upset that Google's insistence on a pure Android experience won't let them promote their own proprietary apps and services. Google's control of the marketing for the Android 2.3 flagship also wouldn't give them the marketing angle they would like, Korea Times had heard.
The iPhone is also cited as a reason for the lack of any plans. Even SK Telecom, which has often had Nexus S maker Samsung's blessing as the anti-iPhone carrier, reportedly doesn't believe that the official Google phone would have any effect. "The Nexus S won't make a huge impact enough to break the current iPhone stronghold," an anonymous official from the carrier said.
KT has still said it has "no plans," but its position may be mixed. Most of its smartphone performance is based on the iPhone, but it was the only carrier to sell the Nexus One in Korea. The Android device has sold at much lower levels, at 50,000 units since July, but KT is believed willing to keep talking with Google to "recover ailing corporate ties" with Samsung. The local electronics giant has allegedly been abusing its dominant position to retaliate against KT for iPhone competition, such as by withholding better phones and dictating harsh marketing requirements.
The absence of HDMI video out and a microSDHC slot were similarly cited as factors in a Korean market that often favors feature-heavy devices, but it's not certain how likely this might be given that the iPhone has thrived without either. Samsung's Galaxy S has sold very well in the country despite the absence of HDMI.
The similarity between the Nexus S and the Galaxy S may ultimately be the main factor, as the Nexus S' primary advantages are mostly limited to its newer, unmodified OS, its front-facing camera and its support for NFC wireless.
Samsung aims to outsell Nokia within 3 years
Following several significant smartphone launches in 2010, Samsung has set a goal of outpacing Nokia through the next several years. The company is preparing to accelerate cellphone production and distribution in China and Vietnam, as both markets are expected to help bring a 20-percent increase in shipments next year.
Samsung executives are reportedly eager to outsell rival Nokia within three years, according to a Korea Times report. Analysts expect market performance in the next 12 months to be a determining factor in reaching the target.
Separate reports suggest Nokia's Symbian platform has continued its steep decline in market share through the third quarter, as iPhone and Android continue to climb. In the broader market for all types of cellphones, Nokia's share slid to 28 percent as Samsung held the second position with 17.2 percent.
Galaxy S sales numbers have reportedly boosted Samsung's confidence in the handset arena, leading the company to focus on smartphones for 2011 production. Macquarie Securities analysts are expecting Samsung's smartphone sales to reach 7 million units next year, up from 2.5 million in 2010.
LG readying 8.9-inch Android tablet for CES?
LG is reportedly readying one of the many Android-based tablets that will appear in January at CES. Corroborating earlier reports, sources have told Korea Times the device will be based on Google's tablet-optimized Android release, v2.4 Honeycomb, which will be displayed on an 8.9-inch display.
The LCD size will place LG's upcoming tablet as a closer competitor to the iPad in terms of overall size, as both tablets offer a considerable jump from smaller alternatives such as the seven-inch Galaxy Tab. If the reports are accurate, LG is among several companies waiting for the next major Android revision rather than launching tablets based on current builds.
Details surrounding LG's tablet remain unclear, although separate leaks suggest the device may be powered by NVIDIA's dual-core Tegra 2 processor and carry the name Optimus Pad.
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