Archive for December, 2010

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Manufacture of New Generation AMD Mobile Video Cards to Be Launched in 2012

amdAMD plans to launch the manufacture of new generation graphic processors under a code name of Wimbledon for portable computers, web sources report.

The chips will be made according to a 28-nm technology. Video cards based on this processor will have 2 Gbyte of GDDR5 memory with a 256-byte channel. The maximum index of thermal dispersed power (TDP) is likely to be higher than 65 W.

It is also reported that Wimbledon accelerators will be fitted in high-end class laptops and mobile workstations. The new generation video cards will outstrip Mobile Radeon HD 6000 (Blackcomb) solutions in terms of their productivity. It is speculated that that AMD will announce the cards at the beginning of the following year.

The start of mass production of Wimbledon graphic chips is scheduled for the 2nd quarter of 2012. AMD hasn’t confirmed this as of yet.

Posted in IT News, Mobile platforms at 05:12

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Skype to Offer Video Calls for iPhone and iPod Owners

skypeWeb sources report that Skype has prepared several announcements for CES 2011, which will take place in Las Vegas (USA) at the beginning of January.

As reported, Skype plans to introduce a client app version for Apple iOS with a functional analogous to Face Time program. The latter allows video calls using Wi-Fi.

Skype software is to appear in devices with iOS 4 and latter versions. iPod Touch and iPhone owners will be able to install the program. It is likely that Skype’s client will also work with the 2nd generation iPad which is said to be introduced in the next quarter.

It is still unclear if Skype video calls through Wi-Fi will be available for owners of smartphones based on other operation systems, like Android.

At CES 2011 Skype is supposed to announce enhancements to its IP telephony ing system.

Posted in IT News, Mobile platforms at 05:12

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HTC Develops Android-Smartphone with a 3D Display

htcBy the end of 2011 HTC is to release a Googlephone with a 3D display, reports TechRadar, quoting a source within the Taiwanese company.

Furthermore, HTC is considering the possibility of using matrices based on EInk and AMOLED-screens in their products.

The company’s new research center located in Research Triangle Park in North Carolina (USA) is mainly involved in “screen” issues. HTC has recently opened a vacancy for an engineer who specialized in technologies of stereoscopic displays and cameras. In addition, the specialist must be familiar with specific features of all other modern screen types, such as TFT, PMOLED, AMOLED, E Ink, etc.

According to one source, the smartphones with a 3D display are developed by Acer and Motorola. Sharpe has already released several Googlephones with such screens. They are currently sold in Japan only.

Posted in IT News, Mobile platforms at 04:12

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Oak Trail-Based Tablets to Appear in January

Oak Trail-Based Tablets to Appear in JanuaryThe first tablets to be launched via Intel’s platform, Oak Trail may be introduced towards the end of the month, web sources report.

Oak Trail, whose release is announced for the beginning of the coming year, will operate using energy-efficient processors Atom Z670 and a set of system logic SM 35. The new chips will substitute the Atom Z5xx ones and will be applied in embedded devices, entertainment systems and mini-computers. The Oak Trail platform allows gadgets to work offline for longer and will ensure valid support of high-definition video.
According to reports, , Oak Trail tablets will be provided by such companies as ASUS, Acer, Dell, Samsung and Toshiba. The first devices will be showcased at CES 2011 Exhibition (January 6-9, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA), and will hit stores between February and March.

Moreover, it is reported that ASUS will introduce high-end tablets with 12-inch displays built on a Core I processor towards the New Year.. They will cost around $1000 and 1300 USD, sold on the US and European markets.

Posted in IT News at 04:12

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Around 300000 Android Smartphones Activated Daily

androidzAndy Rubin, Google’s Vice President, has announced on Twitter that the number of daily Android smartphones activations has reached 300,000.

This figure has grown by 50% since August. At that time, Eric Schmidt, Google’s General Director, announced that 200,000 Android smartphones were activated daily.

Therefore, Google Android smartphones have managed to overtake all of Apple’s portable devices put together, in sales. In October, Apple reported activating 230 thousand iOS based devices. Among the devices are the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch.

If Android goes on selling its devices at the same rate, various manufacturers will distribute over 9 million devices globally. The figure will exceed 27 million for the quarter. By comparison, in the 3rd quarter of 2010 Apple managed to sell 14 million iPhones.

The largest smartphone manufacturer in the world, Finnish Nokia, previously reported selling 300 thousand Symbian smartphones daily. Therefore, Google OS has succeeded in matching its competitor.

Posted in IT News, Mobile platforms at 03:12

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Firefox 4 Beta-Version is Available for Android and Maemo Platforms

The 3rd beta-version of Firefox 4 for Android and Maemo based mobile devices is currently being tested. Firefox for Android can now be installed via Android Market.

As compared with the previous beta-version, the system has been enhanced in the following way:

  • Changes typical of Android platform assembly:
    • enhanced support of screen and hardware Android keyboards;
    • menu reformatted in a typical Android style;
    • links from external apps can now be opened.
    • support of loading sites from a local system onto a server has been added;
    • “Save as PDF” command has been added to the contextual menu of the site to record PDF-format pages;
  • Firefox 4 Beta-Version is Available for Android and Maemo PlatformsInterface for adjusting Firefox Sync has been simplified. The possibility of specifying synchronization services for Firefox Sync has been added;
  • Supports video in full-screen mode;
  • Enhancement of the productivity of the code, responsible for the sound output;
  • The clipboard (Copy/Paste) browser function has been added to the user interface;
  • Support of API for developers has been added for working with a local storage API. Android will now have, event processors connected with changing the screen orientation.

Posted in IT News at 01:12

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The Hybrid of Telephone and PlayStation to be Released in March 2011

somy ericssonSony Ericsson is to release the PlayStation Phone which will hit stores in March 2011, reports ITProPortal quoting an anonymous source in the company. So far, no other source has confirmed this information.
Sony Ericsson’s new development, under a code name of Zeus Z1, is a hybrid of Sony Ericsson’s Android based smartphone and a the portable game console PSP Go. It is expected that the official presentation of the PlayStation Phone will take place in February 2011 at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

The telephone will be designed as a slider; a four way navigation button will appear under the top sensor panel in place of a QWERTY keyboard. The smartphone’s back panel will have shift-buttons characteristic of all Sony’s game devices.

As reported previously, the device is likely to have a 3,7-inch screen, ARM-processor, with a clock speed of 1 GHz, 512 megabytes of RAM and a 5-megapixel camera. Digital versions of PSP-games will be able to be can be downloaded by means of a special PlayStation app.

The rumors of Sony Ericsson preparing a hybrid of a portable PSP console and a telephone appeared in spring 2008. Any further developments remained secret until the appearance on the Internet of numerous photos and video clips featuring the “new” device. Sony Ericsson hasn’t yet officially confirmed the development of the smartphone.

Posted in IT News, Mobile platforms at 03:12

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Apple iOS May Soon Have Enhanced Speech Recognition Tools

Apple iOS May Soon Have Enhanced Speech Recognition ToolsApple is recruiting specialists to be involved in the development of new analysis and voice command recognition tools.

There are several vacancies on the company website for engineers in the area of speech technologies. The company is also looking for a manager in a related department. The description of one of the offered positions mentions the iOS mobile platform used in the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad.

Specialists believe that Apple intends to use enhanced speech recognition tools in the subsequent versions of iOS. Consequently, users will be able to, manage, search and navigate the Web by means of voice commands. As of yet, Apple is declining to comment on any of the aforementioned developments.

As a matter of fact, the voice management system Google Voice Actions is already available on the Android platform. It allows users to send text messages, play video files, carry out search queries and give various other voice commands.

Posted in IT News at 02:12

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Apple Releases the First iAd for iPad

Apple is introducing the first iAd format advertisement created specifically for the iPad, according to reports published on Advertising Age’s website.

Apple iAdThe advertisement for “Throne: Legacy”, which was released by the Disney studio and lasts 10 minutes, is soon to appear in special apps for the iPad and will contain a video and screenshots from the movie, names of movie theatres and showing times. In addition, the ad will also feature an extract from the soundtrack which can later be purchased via iTunes.

The iAd format advertisement for the iPad is planned to be launched in 2011. Initially, it will be promoted in the US.

The creation of the iAd advertising system was announced this April. The first ad for the iPhone and iPad was introduced in July. The iAd format was particularly developed for iOS based devices (the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch).

The movie “Throne: Legacy” is a sci-fi movie, a reproduction of the original “Throne” of 1982. The world premiere took place in London on December 5, 2010.

Posted in IT News, Mobile platforms at 10:12

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Nokia to Significantly Improve Symbian OS in 2011

Symbian OSNokia is to introduce around five major updates of Symbian’s interface and function during 2011, ComputerWorld reported on Tuesday.

News of this imminent development emerged at a presentation delivered by Nokia’s Senior Manager, Mr. Gunther Kottzieper, at the International Mobile Conference in Beijing. The first update of Symbian is scheduled for the first quarter of 2011 and will contain about 50 modifications, mainly centred around refining the interface.

Symbian’s main screen is to be updated by October next year. The system will also receive a new browser with HTML5 support and a more streamlined software update system.

Nokia’s representative also spoke about the planned integration of new firmware solutions into Nokia’s smartphones. They will be equipped with a 1 GHz processor and a more powerful video card. By the end of 2011 (or at the beginning of 2012) models with 2-nuclei processors will also appear.

Gartner agency reports that in the 3rd quarter of 2010 Nokia still retains first place in the world in terms of smartphone sales (28.2 % of the market) with Symbian, the most popular smartphone OS (36.6 % of the market). However, these figures are considerably worse than the previous ones: in the 3rd quarter of the previous year Nokia sold 36.7 % of all the world’s smartphones, with Symbian being used in 44.6 % of smartphones.

Many experts link the company’s problems with Symbian’s technological underdevelopment and complicated development of apps for it. To eliminate this drawback, Nokia took control over the development of this platform (previously, Symbian was developed by non-commercial organization, the Symbian Foundation).

Posted in Mobile platforms at 10:12

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