http://mobilepcworld/index.php/site/index/ {Latest News and Reviews about Mobile Computing} en terri@buzzcorps.com Copyright 2012 2012-01-12T02:09:33+00:00 http://www.mobilepcworld.net/index.php?/site/were_changing_programs/ http://www.mobilepcworld.net/index.php?/site/were_changing_programs/#When:22:46:10Z Please bear with us as we port our site over to Wordpress.  After a few years using Expression Engine, and our predecessor, The Tablet PC using Front Page (remember that?) our site is moving completely to Wordpress.  The site may be a little flaky as things are moved. We apologize for any inconvenience. Due to massive spam, we’ve temporarily shut down our tech forums.  Our apologies to our members. We hope to get them back up with the new program so that we can continue to help you with your mobile computers, tablets and other devices. We’re hoping to have all the news from CES posted in both formats to keep you in the loop. 2011-12-23T22:46:10+00:00 http://www.mobilepcworld.net/index.php?/site/techbird_allows_parents_to_monitor_computer_activity_using_a_smartphone_or_/ http://www.mobilepcworld.net/index.php?/site/techbird_allows_parents_to_monitor_computer_activity_using_a_smartphone_or_/#When:02:09:33Z Parents and employers will now have access to the best in remote computer monitoring with the launch of TechBird’s PC Monitoring Software. The company, based in Georgia, offers software for Windows computers that allows users to monitor a child’s or employee’s computer screen in real time from any smartphone, tablet or other computer. The software also lets the user control the computer remotely. “We are very excited to launch this new software and provide both parents and employers with the remote monitoring safety and security they need,” said Craig Thompson, spokesperson for TechBird. “Never before has it been so easy and so affordable to get top-quality computer monitoring for your home or small business.” At just $59.99 per year, TechBird is the most affordable option currently on the market, as its competitors’ software often costs twice as much. The company provides a free seven-day trial at no cost before a user buys, ensuring that its product is the right solution for them. Featuring an Online Control Panel that allows users to monitor a computer remotely from anywhere, TechBird is truly the most flexible software in the world. It has an Instant Screen Viewer, which means users can view a remote computer’s screen in real time, just like they would a television set. It also allows users to browse files remotely, launch applications, send messages and conduct restarts and shut-downs. “If you have a child at home, you want to be sure that they don’t have access to the millions of inappropriate web pages out there,” said Thompson. “TechBird can help you ensure that your kids are staying away from harmful content, providing you with the ultimate peace of mind.” TechBird offers a 24/7 online ticket and live support seven days a week between 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. EST. To learn more about the software, visit http://www.techbird.com http://www.marketwatch.com/story/techbird-allows-parents-to-monitor-computer-activity-using-a-smartphone-or-tablet-2012-01-11 2012-01-12T02:09:33+00:00 http://www.mobilepcworld.net/index.php?/site/dell_plots_late-2012_consumer_tablet_launch_-_jan_10/ http://www.mobilepcworld.net/index.php?/site/dell_plots_late-2012_consumer_tablet_launch_-_jan_10/#When:02:07:22Z Dell Inc intends to launch its first consumer tablet computer in late 2012, marking its entry into a hotly contested and increasingly crowded arena that has already claimed arch-foe Hewlett Packard.The once-dominant corporation founded by Michael Dell has seen a growing crop of tablets and smartphones entice consumers away from PCs. But Dell learned from the hastiness of some of its peers and understands better now how consumers value the “ecosystem” of a tablet as much as the hardware, chief commercial officer Steve Felice said. The Texas company, which has slipped steadily in the global PC sales rankings, had dipped its toe in the waters with an enterprise-focused, “Streak” tablet. It now plans a bigger push into the consumer arena, Felice told Reuters at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. While rivals from HP to Research in Motion introduced a spate of gadgets with much fanfare and went toe-to-toe with the still-dominant Apple Inc iPad, Dell kept a low profile with good reason, Felice said. “We have been taking our time. The general failure of everyone that’s tried to introduce a tablet outside of Apple” suggested Dell made a prudent choice, Felice said in an interview. “You will see us enter this market in a bigger way toward the end of the year. So we are not really deemphasizing it, we are really being very careful how we enter it. “When you are talking about PC, people are more focused on the hardware itself. When you are talking about the tablet or the smartphone, people are interested in the overall environment its operating in,” he added. “As we have matured in this, we are spending a lot more time in the overall ecosystem.” CARDS CLOSE TO VEST Felice was coy about which non-Apple operating system Dell might adopt—Microsoft Corp’s upcoming Windows 8 or Google Inc’s popular Android—saying both were viable options. But Felice did say he liked the feel of Microsoft’s touch-enabled operating system, which would be well-timed when it emerges later this year in light of recent high-profile product failures, from HP’s now-defunct TouchPad to RIM’s Playbook. “There hasn’t been a lot of advancement and it’s given Microsoft a good window to come into the market with Windows 8. I like the touch Windows 8 feature,” said Felice, who previously headed Dell’s large enterprise division. “We like Windows 8 but we continue to develop with Android as well. We are still going to be more choice-driven, based on the feedback we get from customers.” Dell’s maiden foray into consumer tablets comes as the iPad and other well-received gadgets such as Samsung’s Galaxy eat into PC sales. Some industry executives maintain that tablets do not cannibalize to the extent imagined. On Monday, Michael Dell said at an event in the southern Indian city of Bangalore that tablets were an “additional device.” Others warn that clunky laptops are coming increasingly under threat as tablets grow more powerful and take on a plethora of tasks from Web surfing to sophisticated graphics and video manipulation. “When we introduce the products, they will be consumer products, but we are going to make sure that they are very compatible with the business marketplace, which we don’t think Apple has addressed,” Felice said. “There’s lot of use in the commercial sector that requires security and more compatibility, and I think we will be able to address that in a better way.” http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/01/11/us-ces-dell-idUSTRE80A07S20120111 2012-01-12T02:07:22+00:00 http://www.mobilepcworld.net/index.php?/site/lenovo_ceo_keeps_focus_on_hardware_eyes_pc_market_crown_-_jan_10/ http://www.mobilepcworld.net/index.php?/site/lenovo_ceo_keeps_focus_on_hardware_eyes_pc_market_crown_-_jan_10/#When:02:03:19Z The plethora of Lenovo device announcements at this week’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES), including a buzzed-about “yoga” laptop that flips inside out to become a touchscreen tablet, points to a company still fascinated with producing consumer PC hardware.That mindset sets Lenovo apart from other PC giants (HP, Dell) that have moved towards selling higher-margin services and cloud computing. “Our strategy is to focus on product,” confirmed Lenovo Chief Executive Yang Yuanqing in an interview at CES. This year, those Lenovo products range from more than a dozen PCs to tablets to the company’s first Smart TV. Yang is hoping the devices, especially the ones in newer, faster-growing categories, will help it maintain its growth streak. Lenovo has been the fastest-growing PC vendor among the industry’s top 5 companies for the last eight quarters. After passing Dell last year to become the No. 2 seller of PCs globally, Lenovo is eying the top spot. “In 2012, we will become No. 1, hopefully,” said Yang. “That is our aspiration.” The PC business is known for its brutal margins. While acknowledging that challenge, Yang said he still believes a product-focused Lenovo can “make a decent amount of money.” Scale matters. “If you can reach a leadership position where you have double-digit market share, you will shift to profitability,” said Yang. “In every industry, somebody will make money and someone will lose money. It depends on your competitiveness and focus.” At the same time, Lenovo would like to improve its margins outside China. In its home market, Lenovo enjoys margins of more than 5-6%. Outside China, that figure is lower. “We want to reach a similar level [to China] over time,” said Yang. To keep growing faster than competitors Lenovo has been seeking out new product categories where it can make an impact. At CES, the company introduced several new thin and light ultrabook laptops, including the hybrid tablet “yoga” model. After introducing the idea late last year, chipmaker Intel is trying to make ultrabooks the mobile computing trend of 2012. At CES, Lenovo also introduced a 55-inch Smart TV, the K91, based on the Ice Cream Sandwich version of Google‘s Android operating system. Though Lenovo does not have experience with TVs, Yang said the move was a “very natural expansion,” similar to the company’s expansion into smartphones and tablets several years ago. Several of the TV’s components, such as its chip, hard drive and operating system, are similar to the parts Lenovo has used in its computers. “It’s just a different-sized PC,” said Yang. Lenovo still needs to better establish itself in the U.S. where it is ranked No. 5 in PCs. The company believes its new products and continuing “For Those Who Do” ad campaign will help build brand equity. Certain products, like its LePhone smartphone line, won’t come to the U.S. until progress is made in this area, according to Yang. “We are definitely exploring that kind of opportunity, but I don’t think everything is ready yet,” said Yang. In addition to establishing stronger consumer brand awareness, Yang would like Lenovo to build more sophisticated retail channel networks in the U.S. and forge closer relationships with wireless carriers, he said. “Smartphones and tablets must connect to certain ecosystems,” he said. “In China, it’s easy for us to partner with content providers and app developers. Outside China we don’t have such a strong capability.” Lenovo is establishing those ties now through its consumer PCs, said Yang. “It takes time,” he added. http://www.forbes.com/sites/elizabethwoyke/2012/01/10/lenovo-ceo-keeps-focus-on-hardware-eyes-pc-market-crown/ 2012-01-12T02:03:19+00:00 http://www.mobilepcworld.net/index.php?/site/nvidia_touts_7-inch_asus_tablet_packing_android_4_quad-core_cpu_for_249_-_j/ http://www.mobilepcworld.net/index.php?/site/nvidia_touts_7-inch_asus_tablet_packing_android_4_quad-core_cpu_for_249_-_j/#When:02:00:08Z Touting the benefits of an increasingly fractured tablet marketplace, Nvidia cofounder and CEO Jen-Hsun Huang unveiled a new Asus 7-inch tablet that runs on the company’s next-generation Tegra 3 chipset and costs $249, half as much as an entry-level Apple iPad. “One size doesn’t fit all,” Huang said to a crowd of attendees at the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show on Monday. “Different strokes for different folks.” It’s an incredibly ambitious, space-disrupting tablet launch on Asus’ behalf. Not only does the new 7-incher come within $50 of the similarly sized Kindle Fire, it also packs the two features that hardcore tablet nerds are anticipating most: quad-core processor power, and Google’s latest, greatest mobile operating system in Ice Cream Sandwich. Likening the tablet PC industry to the automobile industry — some drivers prefer a Toyota Corolla while others opt for a minivan or Lamborghini — Huang not only talked up the raw computing power of Tegra 3 but showed it off in several ways, including an extended sequence involving the remote-computing Splashtop app on Android’s Ice Cream Sandwich platform. At one point, Huang even brought on stage the acclaimed gamer Johnathan “Fatal1ty” Wendel (a longtime Nvidia supporter) to play a brief sequence of Skyrim that ran remotely from a nearby PC. Despite all the ancillary sideshows — including an extended demonstration from Manuel Wille, the creator of the popular photo-editing app Snapseed — the focus was consistently on Tegra 3, which Nvidia is hoping will separate those optimized laptops and tablets from its rivals. To that end, the company is leaning on its Nvidia Tegra Zone, where Android users can single out games and apps that are designed to utilize the power and capabilities of the Tegra architecture, to stand out from the pack. Huang was eager to point out that while Nvidia essentially considers Tegra 3 as another member of the quad-core processing class, the chipset actually contains a fifth “ninja core” that increases the Tegra 3’s ultimate potential. One of those applications, he said, will be linked to Nvidia’s forthcoming Direct Touch tech, which increases tactility and response on touch screens by three times, making Tegra 3-enabled devices “much more responsive and buttery smooth.” And while Huang extolled the continued promise of Ice Cream Sandwich for much of the presentation — especially how it will “turn all of the Android devices into one single platform” — he took time to preview how Tegra 3 will impact new Windows 8-enabled devices down the line, with the assistance of Microsoft’s Aidan Marcuss. Huang addressed how consumers felt frustrated by the release in recent years of substandard netbooks that promised full computing functionality in a smaller package. The buying public, Huang contended, wasn’t ready to be burned again: “How do we prevent a repeat of the netbook experience?” While there was no immediate answer to that, with any stable release of Windows 8 still months away, Huang maintained that his company, a longtime player in high-end processors, was as well positioned as any in the marketplace, no matter how the hardware manufacturers maneuvered to gain a foothold. Beyond personal electronics and computers, Huang also hinted at Tegra 3-related partnerships with automakers like Audi that will be announced in the coming weeks and months. Cars, he said, have now evolved into “the latest consumer device.” http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2012/01/asus-nvidia-tegra-3/ 2012-01-12T02:00:08+00:00 http://www.mobilepcworld.net/index.php?/site/xplore_launches_xplorer_partner_program_-_jan_10/ http://www.mobilepcworld.net/index.php?/site/xplore_launches_xplorer_partner_program_-_jan_10/#When:01:59:11Z Xplore Technologies Corp. (otcqb:XLRT) (“Xplore” or the “Company”), developer of one of the most rugged tablet computers available in the marketplace today, announced the launch of its World Class Channel Partner Program “Xplore seeks to solidify our channel network by augmenting online resources, offering sales and technical training as well as providing leads from our active marketing campaigns to our partners as we continue to successfully roll out the new iX104C5 line of tablet PCs,” said Mark Holleran, President and Chief Operating Officer of Xplore. The iX104C5 line is recognized as one of the most rugged lines of tablet PCs developed and is being widely accepted among industries looking for the right solution for their employees whose jobs take place in rough, tough environments where normal computers simply are not tough enough to survive. Holleran noted that Xplore recognizes the importance of their channel partners in the marketplace and is providing them unlimited access to product information and continued product support for their activities. “The new Xplorer Partner Program will focus on our specialized rugged technology providers whose customer appeal is based on complete services, training and other special value-added capability,” Holleran noted. He highlighted some of the benefits to partners that include: —Dedicated live and online technical support for Partners —Pre-qualified sales leads and inclusion in the Xplore reseller locator —Deal registration for pre-sale discounts and protected accounts —Free product and market training, competitive analysis and Q&As —Select early release units for testing and integration —Not-for-Resale evaluation units for internal and employee use —Joint promotions participation —Invitations to annual partner conference —Opportunities to attend and utilize free online webinars hosted by the company —Access to sales tools, success stories and reviews from top rated publications “We’re counting on our channel partners to assist us as we get the word out about our superior ultra rugged tablet family of products,” Holleran said. “This program makes it easier for them to get the resources they need to best serve their customers who are seeking technology that will function reliably in very rough, harsh environments where most other technologies and computers fail. Dan Morris, Channel Management, at Xplore added: “We’ve launched an incredible new real-world rugged PC based on the needs expressed by our largest customers. Our customers are interested in solutions: solutions that provide peak performance while standing up to brutal conditions. The Xplorer Channel Partner is the one who brings solutions to their customers. We are investing in our Channel Partners so that our customers’ experience is the best it can be as we make our resources readily available, provide technical and sales support and reduce the cost and effort that can be associated with vendor relations.” About Xplore Technologies(R) Xplore Technologies is engaged in the business of developing, integrating and marketing mobile wireless Tablet PC computing systems. The Company’s products enable the extension of traditional computing systems to a range of field and on-site personnel, regardless of location or environment. Using these wireless communication mediums together with the Company’s rugged computing products, the Company’s end-users are able to receive, collect, analyze, manipulate and transmit information in a variety of environments not suited to traditional non-rugged computing devices. The Company’s end-users are in markets that include utility, warehousing/logistics, public safety, field service, transportation, manufacturing, route delivery, military and homeland security. 2012-01-12T01:59:11+00:00 http://www.mobilepcworld.net/index.php?/site/pepcoms_digital_experience_2012_-_jan_10/ http://www.mobilepcworld.net/index.php?/site/pepcoms_digital_experience_2012_-_jan_10/#When:17:50:35Z Digital Experience has always been one of my two favorite events around CES.  Last night’s was no exception. After the mob scene at CES Unveiled the night before, where it was almost impossible to get around and chat with vendors, Digital Experience was a pleasant way to see new products, talk with vendor reps who knew what they were talking about and enjoy the fun western theme. Lenovo’s new products were quite popular, but there wasn’t the traffic jam around them that there had been the night before.  Folks weren’t pushing and shoving to get closer.  Lots of new products deserve further exploration, so I’ll be doing a lot of follow ups with the companies and reporting on them. One of the new companies that has a great idea is Polkast Of course Lenovo’s expanding ‘connected’ product line is exciting. HP has business model ultrabooks and computers to make life easier. Energizer has some new products that make mobility easier and always charged. Yurbuds earbuds offer a product for athletes where the buds stay in your ears without popping out. There was so much more and I’ll report on many of them throughout the week. 2012-01-10T17:50:35+00:00 http://www.mobilepcworld.net/index.php?/site/ces_exclusive_-_hsti_to_unveil_moboplay_the_worlds_smallest_pocket_media_pl/ http://www.mobilepcworld.net/index.php?/site/ces_exclusive_-_hsti_to_unveil_moboplay_the_worlds_smallest_pocket_media_pl/#When:17:41:53Z HSTi will unveil at the CES show moboplay™ the world’s smallest Full-HD 1080p Pocket Media Player HSTi will unveil at the Consumer Electronic Show moboplay™ the world’s smallest Full-HD 1080p Pocket Media Player. Small in size, Big in features! The moboplay™ media player makes it easy for anyone to play media files stored on USB drives on any television anywhere. Instantly play your entire digital media library on your big screen TV in stunning Full HD. With dimensions of 63mm x 60mm x 13mm and weighing only 50 grams moboplay™ can follow you anywhere. At home, on the road, in the office, in the dorm room, at a hotel. A true pocket media player! All is needed is a moboplay™ a tv and a storage device loaded with your media content like a thumb drive, SD/SDHC card or USB Hard drive. With an MSRP bellow $50US, small dimensions of 63mm x 60mm x 13mm and weighing only 50 grams fits in the palm of your hand and it is destined to change how and where people enjoy their media. Tired of copying files and running out of space on your thumb drives and portable USB Hard Drives? Combine Moboplay™ with the Wireless Media Stick™ and play files directly from your networked PC, Mac™, NAS, Blackberry™ playbook and Android™ Smartphones and Tablets. You direct your life while Moboplay™ + Wireless Media Stick™ delivers it! Where YOU want it! In HD, without limitations of other solutions. Music, photos and videos streamed wirelessly in the home, in your friend’s place, at work, at the party, the hotel, in the cabin. Beam your life to new HD heights. “During the 2011 CES show the Wireless Media Stick™ was recognized as a revolutionary accessory for Android phones and tablets winning awards from several technology publications. in 2012 we aspire to showcase an inexpensive portable solution for media content producing devices like Android smartphones and tablets. Now sharing holiday videos and photos, music and movies streamed directly from the Android device to the television set wirelessly can be a breeze, further integrating mobile devices with new and older Home Theater technologies.” said Harry Diamantopoulos Managing Director at HSTi. moboplay™ is readily available through HSTi’s online store with international shipping and fine retailers and e-tailers shortly. 2012-01-10T17:41:53+00:00 http://www.mobilepcworld.net/index.php?/site/kinect_for_windows_new_hardware_and_software_due_february_1_-_jan_10/ http://www.mobilepcworld.net/index.php?/site/kinect_for_windows_new_hardware_and_software_due_february_1_-_jan_10/#When:17:37:58Z The promised Kinect sensor for PCs and accompanying software will be out as of February 1 in 12 countries, Microsoft announced at CES on January 9. There was next-to-no news during Microsoft’s final keynote at the Consumer Electronics Show on January 9 until the absolute end of CEO Steve Ballmer’s hour-plus address. The one tidbit: The Kinect for Windows sensor and software development kit which the Softies said late last year would be out in early 2012 is, indeed, on its way. On February 1, both the new Kinect sensor for Windows PCs and the accompanying SDK (under a commercial license, not a hobbyist license) will be available. From a post on the Kinect for Windows blog:   “Today, we are announcing that the new Kinect for Windows hardware and accompanying software will be available on February 1st, 2012 in 12 countries (United States, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Spain, United Kingdom), at a suggested retail price of US $249. Kinect for Windows hardware will be available, in limited quantities at first, through a variety of resellers and distributors.  The price includes a one-year warranty, access to ongoing software updates for both speech and human tracking, and our continued investment in Kinect for Windows-based software advancements.  Later this year, we will offer special academic pricing (planned at US $149) for Qualified Educational Users.” The new sensor also is available for pre-order via Amazon.com. The Kinect for Windows sensor looks (from pictures) almost identical to the Kinect for Xbox. But it is designed to work at closer range and to work with Windows 7/8 PCs. In addition to making firmware adjustments in the new Windows Kinect sensor, Microsoft also is shortening the USB cable and including of a “small dongle” to improve coexistence with other USB peripherals. The Windows version will modify the Kinect depth camera to see objects that are “as close as 50 centimeters in front of the device” without sacrificing accuracy or precision. Microsoft execs also said on January 9 that the company has sold 18 million Kinects to date. Source - http://www.zdnet.com/blog/microsoft/kinect-for-windows-new-hardware-and-software-due-february-1/11609?tag=nl.e539 2012-01-10T17:37:58+00:00 http://www.mobilepcworld.net/index.php?/site/sequans_powers_new_aaeon_wimax_tablet_for_kddi_in_japan_-_jan_10/ http://www.mobilepcworld.net/index.php?/site/sequans_powers_new_aaeon_wimax_tablet_for_kddi_in_japan_-_jan_10/#When:17:35:15Z 4G chipmaker Sequans Communications S.A. SQNS +3.97% announced that it is the provider of the WiMAX chip inside the new AAEON (an Asus company) TOUGH tablet PC recently unveiled by KDDI. The TOUGH business tablet, which recently became available to KDDI customers, is dual-mode, WiMAX and EVDO, incorporating AAEON’s advanced technology, Google’s Android 3.2 (Honeycomb) operating system and featuring a seven-inch display. The tablet is dust, water, and impact-resistant, suitable for the tough business environment. AAEON, an Asus company, is a leading manufacturer of industrial PCs. “AAEON has delivered a powerful WiMAX tablet and we are very pleased to collaborate with them on this project,” said Georges Karam, Sequans CEO. “The TOUGH tablet gives KDDI customers super high speed internet access with a beautiful display in a strong and sleek package.” “We chose to integrate Sequans’ WiMAX chip in the TOUGH tablet because of Sequans’ excellent track record in WiMAX semiconductor technology,” said Dr. I.J. Lee, vice chairman, AAEON. “Sequans is inside some of the world’s leading WiMAX devices and Sequans’ chip is highly optimized for mobile tablets and handsets.” The WiMAX chip inside the AAEON TOUGH tablet is Sequans’ SQN1210, one of the most highly integrated semiconductor solutions in the industry. The SQN1210 delivers baseband and triple band RF integrated in a single, 65 nm die for ultra low power consumption and ultra high performance at a very low cost. These innovations enable users to enjoy faster web browsing and smoother streaming media playback. The chip also features Sequans’ patented dual transmit uplink technology, a technology pioneered by Sequans that can greatly improve coverage and performance. The TOUGH tablet is the third Sequans-powered WiMAX device to launch on KDDI’s network. 2012-01-10T17:35:15+00:00