Tech Addicted

Apple has LTE patent war chest prepped for Samsung's iPhone 5 threat

2012-09-04T16:01:00.001-07:00

Apple has pulled together 434 LTE patents in order to counter a legal threat from Samsung, according to reports on Tuesday.

Samsung has vowed to sue the bejesus out of Apple if, as expected, if unveils an LTE-enabled iPhone 5 during the launch event now confirmed for September 12.

Anticipating this, Apple has been acquiring and developing enough LTE patents to combat the legal challenge, according to the Chosun Ilbo website.

The company had no such patents last year, but now owns 318, according to the site, 44 of which it developed itself.

Patent enforcers

Apple also owns a majority stake in the 'patent enforcement firm' Rockstar Bidco, which has another 116 at its disposal. That brings Apple's total to 434.

Samsung, on the other hand, has a whopping 819 LTE patents and we're pretty sure the company's lawyers are sharpening their claws as we speak, following last month's legal mauling.

Are y'all ready for the next round of Apple vs. Samsung? Coming to a courtroom near California.

In techradar

Case manufacturers building iPad 3 cases, sans specs

2012-01-19T14:35:00.000-08:00

in Cnet

Rumors are a funny thing.

In one instance they create a whole culture of fodder for bloggers and their readers. In another, they cause whole factories to produce cases for products that neither exist, nor have official specifications. Such was the story before the iPhone 4S release and has now returned as the rumored iPad 3 launch looms.

The iPhone 4S launch should have proven to be a great lesson learned as several case manufacturers rushed to create case solutions for the rumored iPhone 5, which turned out to be pure fiction.

So now, according to 9to5Mac, instead of simply waiting for Apple's official announcement for the iPad 3 (or 2S as many believe it may be called), Chinese manufacturer Chinee is trying to get a jump on the competition by producing cases that take into account the most popular rumors about the next generation iPad's design--namely that it will be nearly identical to the iPad 2, but slightly thicker to accommodate some of the rumored internal upgrades.

Of course, Chinee claims it has a source inside Apple who has confirmed the 1mm difference in thickness, but I have to remain skeptical. The teardrop design for the iPhone 5 that never came to be was all but confirmed as well.

The only detail that may make this manufacturing switch legit is that next-gen iPad production has begun and it is very likely that documentation on the specs have been shared. Still, if it's my money, I'm waiting for those official numbers from Apple.

Would you start building cases for Apple products based on rumors? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

Sony Tablet S price cut by $100

2012-01-04T02:55:00.000-08:00

In Techradar

Sony has become the latest manufacturer to slash the price of its tablet, after the Japanese giant knocked $100 off the cost of its Tablet S.

The 16GB Android Honeycomb device is now permanently down to $399.99, while the larger 32GB model has also been cut to $499.99.

Sony is also sweetening the deal by throwing in some great free content for those who take advantage of the new lower pricepoint.

Buyers will receive ten free PlayStation Classic games, a 180 day subscription to the Music Unlimited streaming service, five free movie rentals and an $8 voucher to purchase more.

Another Sony failure?

The uniquely shaped Tablet S, along with its twin touchscreen sibling the Tablet P, was only launched in September.

A permanent price drop at such an early point in its lifespan suggests that the Tablet S has struggled to capture the imagination of tablet buyers.

It also follows the launch, and runaway success of the the $199 Amazon Kindle Fire and massive price cuts to tablets like the BlackBerry PlayBook, Motorola Xoom and HP TouchPad tablets.

Samsung Galaxy Ace Plus launches

2012-01-04T02:52:00.000-08:00

In Techradar

Why bother with a new name?

Mobile phones News

By Kate Solomon

New year, new phone, old name – Samsung has unleashed the Galaxy Ace Plus which comes with all the features of the original Galaxy Ace with just a little more oomph.

So where the Galaxy Ace offered Android 2.2, a 3.5-inch screen and an 800MHz processor, the Galaxy Ace Plus comes with Gingerbread (Android 2.3), a 3.65-inch screen and a 1GHz processor - and the resolution of the screen has stayed the same at HVGA (320 x 480) meaning a slight drop in screen clarity.

Other goodies include a 5MP autofocus camera complete with LED flash, Bluetooth 3.0, 512MB RAM and 3GB of memory with microSD support to boot.

Touch Wizadora

It also comes with Samsung's TouchWiz overlay, with all the social, music and ChatOn goodness that brings.

Like the Galaxy Ace before it, the Plus is intended for 'trendy and sociable young professionals', says Samsung - so if you're sartorially-challenged, a recluse, old or unemployed then move along, nothing to see here.

Continuing the elitist theme, Samsung has also added the ability to black-list text messages and calls from contacts you're not too keen on – those that are sartorially-challenged, recluses, old or unemployed, presumably.

The Samsung Galaxy Ace Plus release date is set for Russia this month and hitting the rest of Europe, Latin America, parts of Asia, the Middle East, Africa and China throughout the rest of the year.

No word on an official Samsung Galaxy Ace Plus UK price yet, but we wouldn't have thought it'd be too much more than the Galaxy Ace, which is currently available for around £170 SIM-free, or free on a £15 a month contract.

iPhone 5 coming this fall, says analyst

2012-01-04T02:37:00.000-08:00

In Cnet

A research note from an investment bank today sees an iPhone 5 coming this fall and sees strong growth for Apple's popular phone in the coming quarter.

The iPhone will comprise roughly 50 percent of Apple's total revenue in the next reported quarter, wrote Tavis McCourt of Morgan Keegan.

"We expect iPhone revenues to represent 47.5% of Apple's total revenues in [the December quarter], up from 38.8% in the Sep. quarter, and up from 39.1% in the year ago period," he wrote.

And he is upping his iPhone shipment estimate for the quarter to 29 million from the previous estimate of 27 million.

The iPhone 5 and Apple TV will be significant growth drivers later in the year. "We expect iPhone 5 in fall 2012 to be a significant revenue and earnings growth driver, and a potential Apple TV as upside to our model if it comes to fruition this year," he wrote.

What else can we expect on the iPhone 5 front? Instead of going through a litany of rumors, suffice to cite one of the most recent rumors about its physical construction. A combination of aluminum on the back and a "rubber or plastic material" along the sides that will bridge the front and back of the device.

Sony Ericsson Nozomi surfaces again

2011-12-09T10:17:00.000-08:00

In Techradar

Anyone who's been desperately awaiting further news of the Sony Ericsson Nozomi is in luck – another sneaky double agent has scored some pictures of it and this time they've even managed to turn the handset on.

It's been barely two days since we last caught sight of this upcoming Xperia handset, which looked rather impressive when off, not much more than a massive expanse of black screen area with a slender silver bar running along the base.

Sadly, when switched on, the screen size shrinks down and the dreaded bezel makes itself known – it's not too bad at the sides, but the base of the handset suddenly becomes huge.

Sony phone

Still, the quality of the screen looks good, and the Perspex bar is quite smart (if a little reminiscent of the horrible Pureness) so it's not all bad.

We can also more easily discern the front-facing camera now, and the source who provided the image claims it comes with a dual-core processor and a 720p LCD screen.

Engadget reports that a Hong Kong carrier is already testing the handset so look out for it in the next few months – although we're still expecting a trade show launch, most likely CES 2012.

Hi-res iPad 3 release date now February 2012?

2011-12-09T10:15:00.000-08:00

In Techradar

Not just one but 'several' anonymous sources have colluded to come up with the latest in iPad 3 speculation today, pegging the new Apple tablet's release date as February 2012.

Analyst Richard Gardner of Citi has penned a note based on these sources, saying that a new iPad with a higher resolution display is good to go.

"There do not appear to be any significant technical hurdles remaining," he wrote in a note, which should allay any fears of any white paint issues or battery draining bugs.

Theoretically, anyway

His elusive sources reckon the resolution of the iPad 3 will be double the resolution of the iPad 2's.

Past rumours have indicated this super-high-res display has proven problematic, giving Apple headaches over backlighting and potentially even adding a bit of extra bulk to the currently-slim slate.

The timing isn't far off; Apple launched the iPad in January 2010 and the iPad 2 in March 2011, so February 2012 for the iPad 3 seems feasible.

But with not much more to go on than the word of an analyst and his secret sources, we can't rate this rumour any higher than 'it's possible'.

China overtakes US as world's largest smartphone market

2011-11-27T14:19:00.000-08:00

In BBC

Smartphone shipments to China rose to a record 24m during the period, compared with 23m for the US, according to research done by Strategy Analytics.

The consultancy said shipments to China were boosted by "a wave of low-cost Android models from local Chinese brands".

This is the first time that China has overtaken the US in smartphone market.

"China's rapid growth has been driven by an increasing availability of smartphones in the retail channels," said Tom Kang, of Strategy Analytics.

The company said that while shipments to China grew by 58% sequentially during the period, those to the US fell by 7%.

'Mobile computing boom'

China is the world's biggest market for mobile phones with almost 952m users, and continues to grow at a fast pace.

At the same time, there has been a push by mobile phone operators to get more users to sign up for 3G services.

Analysts said that as consumers take up these services, the demand for gadgets such as smartphones is likely to rise further.

"China is now at the forefront of the worldwide mobile computing boom," said Neil Mawston, Executive Director of Strategy Analytics.

"China has become a large and growing smartphone market that no hardware vendor, component maker or content developer can afford to ignore," he added.

‘Black Friday’ iTunes credit scam

2011-11-27T14:15:00.000-08:00

In The Telegraph

An email claiming to be from Apple’s iTunes store contains a compressed ZIP file, which security experts say could allow hackers to gain access to computers.

The German Eleven security blog suggests that the attack is timed to coincide with the start of the American holiday shopping season, called Black Friday.

The email offers credit for iTunes music, games and video, and is just one of a huge number of scams that try to lure people in with offers that seem plausible in the context of other Black Friday discounts.

The email apparently offers recipients $50 (£32) and claims they need to open an attached file to access their certificate code. In fact the attachment is a file called Mal/BredoZp-B. It opens a security loophole on Windows PCs and allows hackers to remotely capture passwords and other information. It also slows down the computer and hides some files.

Although such malware can be removed with the use of widely available anti-malware tools, damage can be done in the meantime.

Motorola to launch Droid 4 in December?

2011-11-27T13:52:00.000-08:00

In Cnet

Less than six months after launching the Droid 3, Motorola is apparently ready to give us its successor.

The Droid 4 will launch December 8, according to purported promotional materials obtained by Droid Life, which reports it has confirmed that employee training is already in progress at some Verizon Wireless stores.

The Droid 4 will reportedly have Droid Razr styling and run on Verizon's 4G LTE network, but like the previous Droids, it will feature a five-row, slide-out keyboard. It will also sport a four-inch touch screen, a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 1 gigabyte of RAM, a front-facing camera for video chatting, and an 8MP back-facing camera.

There's no indication in the materials which Android version it will run, but if Droid Life's report is accurate, the new smartphone will launch the same day as Samsung's Galaxy Nexus, the new flagship phone for Google's Android 4.0, aka Ice Cream Sandwich.

A Motorola representative declined to comment, and Verizon representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Apple's Siri 'hacked'

2011-11-19T01:16:00.000-08:00

In The Telegraph

Apple's new voice-controlled personal assistant software, Siri, could be adapted to run on Android handsets after developers discovered a way around restrictions designed to limit it to iPhone 4S users.

The hack means that the servers that process the questions users ask Siri could be accessed by devices other than the iPhone 4S.

It was discovered by Applidium, a French mobile software company that reverse-engineered the protocol Siri uses to communicate with its servers. The firm found a way to intercept and decrypt the data by forging security certificates, allowing a detailed examination of the data format.

However, the requests include a unique "key" for each iPhone 4S. To exploit the flaw, each Android device would have to find a way to to impersonate Apple's new smartphone, Applidium said.

So any third party app offering unauthorised access to the Siri server could be quite easily blocked by Apple because all its users would probably have to use the same key.

Apple has restricted Siri to the iPhone 4S. Technical analysis has indicated that older versions are equally capable of running the service, since the hardest computing is carried out by the servers, but it seems Siri is being used to differentiate the latest iPhone.

Taste the future with Windows 8 simulator

2011-11-11T15:32:00.000-08:00

In betanews

you’re keen to try out Windows 8 before it officially hits the shops, your craving can be satiated by turning to the Developer Preview. While this is handy, the process of setting up a dual boot system, configuring a virtual machine or setting aside a dedicated computer to run the operating system is enough to put most people off. If you’d prefer not to go to these lengths, Windows 8 Simulator may be just what you have been looking for.

As the name suggests, this is a simulation tool rather than a replacement for your existing operating system, and it can be used without there being any danger of damaging the copy of Windows you work with. Windows 8 Simulator is not even a transformation pack as it runs in its own sandboxed window that cannot affect any other part of your system.

Realistically, this is not a tool that will enable you to explore Windows 8 to its fullest extent, but if you are yet to take a look at the next version of Microsoft’s operating system, it provides a quick and easy way to not only see how things are going to look, but also to get hands on so you can test drive how things are going to work.

For Windows 8 virgins, the simulator gives the opportunity to try out the Metro interface to see how the new desktop is going to look and feel. Restricted to a small, non-resizable window, the simulator is more a curiosity than a serious preview of Windows 8, but it is interesting nonetheless.

You can find out more and download a free copy of the application by paying a visit to the Windows 8 Simulator review page.

Android dock unveiled by Philips

2011-11-11T15:26:00.000-08:00

In Techradar

Philips has introduced a new Android dock, using Bluetooth pairing and an app to come up with an elegant speaker solution.

Android docks are a more difficult proposition than iOS devices because the devices do not conform to a standard setup.

Usefully, Philips has come up with a dock that allows you to charge your phone and take advantage of Bluetooth pairing, rather than relying on a line in method.

Launching with three different versions, the flagship £200 Philips Fidelio AS851 boasts a 30-watt output and Philips' proprietary digital sound processing.

Google Music event to reveal MP3 download store?

2011-11-11T15:23:00.000-08:00

In Techradar

Google has issued an invite to the media for an event on 16 November, which may see the company finally introduce a Google Music MP3 download store.

The company has channelled legendary British rock band Spinal Tap with a tag-line teasing "These go up to eleven." for the event, which will be streamed live on YouTube.

The reference is, of course, an homage to the guitar amps of Nigel Tufnel that were "one louder" than ten, but aside from a possible Spinal Tap concert at the event, we're not really sure what it means.

Google has been teasing "a twist" from the normal music download stores for a while now, so it's entirely possible that this will be revealed at Wednesday's event.

Primitive

Google Music currently exists in a rather primitive form, with account holders able to upload their music to the cloud and then access it from a range of devices.

It is presently a free service, but uploading music to the platform takes an absolute age, and Apple's $24.99 iTunes Match service looks a better alternative at present.

Whatever happens at Google's event, it's likely that the service will, at least, come out of Beta.

The "These go to eleven" event at 10pm UK time on Wednesday and we'll be on-hand to bring you all of the news. You can also follow the event at YouYube.com/Android

Apple releases iPhone battery drain software fix

2011-11-11T15:10:00.000-08:00

In Reuters

Apple Inc on Thursday released a software update for its iOS 5 operating system to fix complaints on the performance of the new iPhone 4S battery.

Apple, after facing a rash of complaints on the new phone's short battery life, had promised earlier to release an update to address the issue.

The software update also addresses some security issues, including a flaw in the operating system that may allow hackers to build apps that secretly install programs to steal data. (Reporting by Poornima Gupta in San Francisco)

iPad 3 could launch in March, with connector issues, report says

2011-10-24T14:56:00.000-07:00

In Cnet

The iPad 3 could debut as early as next March, but will come with a smaller dock connector that could cause compatibility issues with existing products, claims Macotakara.

Citing "a reliable Asian source," the Japanese blog site said that the next generationtablet is being rushed into production due to Chinese New Year celebrations running from January 22-28. Factories in China are gearing up to produce theiPad 3 by the end of January.

Assuming Macotakara's source is reliable, the new iPad will also include a redesigned dock connector that features the same number of pins but a smaller shape than the one on the current iPad. As a result, the new connector could pose a problem with existing products that plug into the dock. The tablet's screen will also remain the same size, though the source didn't know if Apple would bump up it up to Retina Display levels or stick with the current

The report from Macotakara joins a so-far small number of previous iPad 3 rumors. Different sites and sources have debated whether the new iPad would offer a 2,048x1,536 Retina Display. Such a move would give the tablet the same resolution now found on theiPhone 4 and 4S and the iPod Touch 4G.

As for launch timing, March 2012 is probably a safe bet since Apple unveiled the original iPad in April 2010 and the iPad 2 in March 2011. But the Linley Group, a chip consulting firm, believes Apple will outfit the next iPad with an A6 processor, which could potentially push the launch back until next June or later.

Anonymous hacktivists target child abuse websites

2011-10-24T14:54:00.000-07:00

In The Telegraph

The website, “Lolita City”, was accessed via Tor, a global network of computers that allows internet users to obscure their identity.

Anonymous members disrupted and hacked into systems at the company accused of hosting Lolita City and obtained the login details of more than 1,500 users, which they then published online.

The website was "enabling paedophiles to view innocent children, fuelling their issues and putting children at risk of abduction, molestation, rape, and death” according to a statement attributed to Anonymous.

“We are eliminating 40+ child pornography websites, among these is Lolita City, one of the largest child pornography websites to date containing more than 100GB of child pornography,” it added.

The statement said Anonymous had discovered Lolita City via the Hidden Wiki, another underground website accessed via the Tor network, which offers links to a host of other illegal services. Tor itself was created by the US government, however, and is often used by dissidents in countries such as Iran and China to circumvent government censorship and surveillance.

The collective said it asked company accused of hosting Lolita City to remove the child abuse material before launching its attack, to no avail.

It represents a shift of focus for Anonymous, which has previously targeted government organisations and corporations such as MasterCard and Visa for perceived violations of free speech online. Anonymous supporters have also recently joined the protests on Wall Street and outside St Paul’s Cathedral.

The Anonymous attack on paedophile websites was welcomed by some observers, but also raised questions about online vigilantism.

Graham Cluley of the British security firm Sophos said: “Their intentions may have been good, but take-downs of illegal websites and sharing networks should be done by the authorities, not internet vigilantes.”

“When 'amateurs' attack there is always the risk that they are compromising an existing investigation, preventing the police from gathering the necessary evidence they require for a successful prosecution, or making it difficult to argue that evidence has not been corrupted by hackers.”

Anonymous has pledged to continue its attacks on child abuse websites as part of a campaign it is calling “Operation Darknet”.

“It does not matter who you are, if we find you to be hosting, promoting, or supporting child pornography, you will become a target,” it said.

Ice Cream Sandwich coming to 'as many HTC devices as possible'

2011-10-24T14:43:00.000-07:00

In Techradar

Having been burnt by Android upgrades in the past, HTC has had a good look at Ice Cream Sandwich, aka Android 4.0, before committing to upgrading as many handsets as it can.

The company's latest statement speaks of its caution in promising too much Android 4.0 action too soon.

It reads: "Since Google unveiled Ice Cream Sandwich earlier this week, HTC has been looking closely at the new OS's features and functionality to determine our upgrade plans.

"We're a recognised industry leader in providing fast and consistent upgrades to our Android devices, and Ice Cream Sandwich will be no different."

Upgrade slave
"Upgrades require a careful balance of hardware and software to ensure the best possible performance and usability, so please stay tuned as we assess our product portfolio," it continues.

"Our goal is to upgrade as many HTC devices as possible and we'll be sharing details on specific devices and timing in the coming weeks!"

Not sure what that exclamation mark is about, but we're not about to let it distract us from the memory of the HTC Desire Gingerbread palaver which gave Android updates in general a bit of a bad name.

No doubt HTC has learned from past mistakes, which will mean that only devices that can actually handle the software upgrade will get it – so expect that to mean the higher-end handsets, possibly the HTC Flyer and probably not the original HTC Desire.

Foreign hackers 'putting UK firms out of business'

2011-10-24T14:41:00.000-07:00

In The Telegraph

Maj Gen Jonathan Shaw told The Daily Telegraph that cyber attacks represent the biggest threat to national security and that British firms are routinely having valuable commercial information stolen from them by overseas rivals.

In a recent instance, a firm in Warrington, Cheshire, that designed a revolutionary blade for wind turbines went bust after hackers stole the blueprint and produced a cheaper version.

Maj Gen Shaw, the head of the Ministry of Defence’s cyber security programme, said that Britain will lose its position as one of the world’s leading hi-tech manufacturers unless companies improve cyber security.

“The biggest threat to this country by cyber is not military, it is economic,” said Maj Gen Shaw, a veteran of the Falklands War and Iraq.

“The cyber threat could affect anyone, and we all need to take measures to protect ourselves against the threat it poses.

Microsoft Youtube Channel Hacked

2011-10-24T13:54:00.000-07:00

In Cnet

The background on the channel has been changed to one that includes the title "Predator Cinema," and a message has been posted that says: "I DID NOTHING WRONG I SIMPLY SIGNED INTO MY ACCOUNT THAT I MADE IN 2006 :/"

The channel's archived videos have been removed and replaced with short clips titled "We are sponsoring!" and "Make us a background to get a Subbox!!!"

Microsoft confirmed the hacking of the channel this afternoon.

"We have regained control of the Microsoft channel on YouTube, and we are working to restore all of the original content," a Microsoft representative told CNET. " We will continue to work with YouTube to ensure safeguards are in place for the future."

This is the second high-profile YouTube channel to be hacked in the past week. Sesame Street's YouTube channel was hacked last weekend, leaving its normally family-friendly content replaced with pornographic content.

Apple sells 4 million iPhone 4S units in first weekend

2011-10-17T15:23:00.000-07:00

In Cnet

Apple said today that it sold 4 million iPhone 4S units worldwide between Friday and Sunday. According to Apple senior vice president for worldwide product marketing, Phil Schiller, that figure is "more than double the iPhone 4 launch during its first three days." Last year, Apple announced that it sold 1.7 million iPhone 4 units in the smartphone's first weekend of availability.

That said, it's worth noting that at least in the U.S., the iPhone 4S had a bit of an advantage over the iPhone 4. When Apple shipped the iPhone 4 last year, the device was available only to AT&T customers. The handset then came to Verizon Wireless earlier this year and Sprint last week. The iPhone 4S, however, launched with availability on Sprint's and Verizon's networks, in addition to AT&T's service.

Apple's iPhone 4S, which launched on Friday, features the same design as the iPhone 4, but adds several improvements, including a dual-core processor, 8-megapixel camera, and full 1080p HD video recording. The device also ships with support for virtual personal assistant application, Siri.

Last week, several analysts chimed in on how many unit sales they expected Apple to sell over the weekend. The majority of those folks said that sales would likely hit between 2 million units and 3 million units. However, the Yankee Group thought sales could hit 4 million units.

"The biggest factor driving this is the huge loyalty associated with Apple phones," Yankee Group analyst Carl Howe said. "They have the highest loyalty of any of the smartphone OSes."

For the first time, Sprint was a beneficiary of that. The company reported on Friday that as of 10 a.m. PT, it had witnessed a record sales day. But it wasn't alone: by 1:30 p.m. PT, AT&T said that it had activated a record number of iPhones.

The success of the iPhone 4S in its first weekend of availability seems to eliminate all doubt over consumer reactions to the device. Earlier this month, when Apple unveiled the new iPhone, the company was expected to show off the iPhone 5, as well. That device, rumors suggested, would be the major update consumers were expecting. After it wasn't revealed, however, many called the event a disappointment. But the smartphone's early sales figures seem to prove that many consumers had a much different reaction to the smartphone.

It also appears that some folks are moving to the iPhone 4S from other platforms. In a small, informal poll Reuters conducted on Friday, the news service found that nearly 25 percent of iPhone 4S buyers were ditching a BlackBerry, Symbian, or Android smartphone for Apple's latest device.

Aside from the iPhone 4S, Apple also said that 25 million users have already started using its new mobile operating system version, iOS 5, and 20 million folks have signed up for iCloud.

Although 20 million iCloud users is impressive in its own right, some analysts believe the service will grow to much greater heights in the future. Over the summer, RBC Capital Markets released a study that found 76 percent of the 1,500 iPhone users it polled planned to sign up for iCloud. By applying that percentage to the entire market, the firm said that it believes as many as 150 million users could sign up for iCloud eventually.

Following its announcement, Apple's shares are trading up $1.10 to $423.10 as of this writing.

iPad 3 production starting before the end of the year?

2011-10-17T15:20:00.000-07:00

In techradar

Analysts are reporting that Apple has scheduled production of the iPad 3 to begin before the year is out.

Jeffrey Fidacaro, analyst at Susquehanna Financial Group, reports in a note that manufacturers have orders to build at least one million iPad 3s in the fourth quarter of the year.

This latest note echoes Fidacaro's colleague Christopher Caso's intel from late last week. He claims that "iPad 3 has now shown up on AAPL's production forecast for a late-4Q start. We believe 0.6 million to 1 million units are forecasted for 4Q production."

And just what can we expect from the iPad 3 when it launches? Check out our video below for a comprehensive rumour round-up:

Open season for analysts

Not one to be left out of the pontificating fun, Ticonderoga Securities analyst Brian White threw in his two cents last week too:

"Our research is pointing to the unveiling of a lower priced iPad in the first few months of 2012 that is aimed at expanding the company's market potential by tapping into a more price sensitive consumer segment.

"Essentially, this 'iPad mini' will also fend off the recently announced Amazon Kindle Fire that addresses the low-end tablet market with a $199 price tag but could lead to bigger tablet ambitions from the online retailer in the future."

No sooner has Apple got one much-lusted-after iGadget out of the door do the rumours about the next one begin to surface. We'll be expecting to see an iPad 3 announcement made around March-April 2012.

Apple vs samsung war: Apple wins battle to block Samsung tablets in Australia

2011-10-17T15:12:00.000-07:00

in BBCnews

Apple has accused Samsung of copying its touch-screen technology for its Galaxy Tab 10.1.

The two companies are embroiled in legal battles in nine countries.

Samsung is one of Apple's biggest challengers in the smartphone and tablet industry.

The decision by the federal court threatens to hurt Samsung's position in the Australian market, as it could miss the lucrative Christmas season.

The two companies have been locked in patent disputes since April, with each accusing the other of infringing patents.

Apple has already won a victory in Germany, Europe's biggest economy, banning the sale of the Galaxy Tab 10.1. An appeal hearing is expected in that case.

Last week, Samsung said it would try to stop the sale of Apple's iPhone 4S in France and Italy, accusing the company of infringing 3G transmission patents.

Nexus Prime rumours: what you need to know

2011-10-17T15:04:00.000-07:00

In techradar

Google's third Nexus Android phone, officially announced back in May, is expected to be manufactured by Samsung, with many, many recent rumours claiming a model known as the "Nexus Prime" - or the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, also known as the Samsung GT-I9250, as some outlets have speculated - will be the new flagship Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich phone.

Samsung itself has already confirmed that a phone under the name "Nexus Prime" exists, thanks to a list of settings discovered on its own site - but the odd mixture of specifications it contained led some to believe it was simply a placeholder.

And whether it'll actually launch under the name Nexus Prime is still debatable (the Samsung Galaxy Nexus is gaining traction as the likely name), but the Nexus Prime UK release date will be late October or early November 2011. On 11 October it was rumoured that the Nexus Prime UK release date is 3 November.

As for an announcement, Samsung pulled its Unpacked event from an 11 October slot at CTIA, said to be due to the death of Steve Jobs though other rumours are suggesting that a patent dispute over Android 4.0 could be to blame with other rumours now pointing toward a Nexus Prime announcement on 18 October, along with Google's latest Android operating system, known as Ice Cream Sandwich.

Here's what else we know about the Nexus Prime handset itself.

Will the Nexus Prime be the Samsung Galaxy Nexus?

With the impending launch of Google's Ice Cream Sandwich Android OS seemingly confirming that the new phone will be launched too, some are starting to believe the name will actually be the Galaxy Nexus rather than the Nexus Prime.

Boy Genius Reports is... reporting that the phone will be announced as the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, complete with the undoctored Google OS, despite the Samsung moniker.

Like the way the Motorola Xoom and the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 both were seen as the flagship models for Android Honeycomb, it's therefore possible Google is looking to ditch its name from the phone in order to make it appeal more to the mass market.

Nexus Prime specs

It's no surprise to learn the Nexus Prime will offer a decent leap above current Android phone specs. We're expecting it to be the first to arrive with a 720p resolution display (unless LG beats everyone to it with its HD LU6200).

New app uses brainwaves to track sleep quality

2011-10-17T15:00:00.000-07:00

In Reuters

A new app that aims to improve both the quantity and quality of sleep uses brainwaves to track the amount of time spent in different stages of sleep.

Called Sleep Manager, the app synchronizes with a headset that measures brain activity, eye movement and other signals in light, deep and REM (rapid eye movement) sleep.

"The thing about sleep is that it's not just about how much you get - it's about the quality of your sleep," said Ben Rubin, co-founder of Zeo, which makes the app.

"In general, you want to optimize to get as much REM and deep sleep as possible."

A soft-sensor headband measures brainwave activity, muscle tone and eye movements, the same signals that would be taken by a professional sleep lab, but at a consumer level.

The signals are relayed through Bluetooth to the user's iPhone, iPad, or Android smartphone and uploaded to Zeo's website.

Rubin said that sleep tracking is only the beginning. After benchmarking sleep quality, Zeo uses this information to coach the user's sleep habits.

Studies have shown that when people wake up during the light sleep phase they are more refreshed, so the app has the ability to rouse users while in this state.

It also syncs with other apps such as RunKeeper, a running application, and DailyBurn, a nutrition planning app, to allow users to see how their sleep quality relates to their fitness and diets.

But not everyone is convinced that Zeo can provide accurate sleep data.

Rubin agrees there are limitations to the measurements that can be done but he said the app comes close to replicating a sleep lab.

"If you have two experts in a sleep lab scoring the same record, they agree with each other about 83 percent of the time," said Rubin. "Zeo agrees with those guys about 75 percent of the time. So we're about 7/8th as accurate as a full sleep lab," he added.

The company has an in-house sleep expert on their team, as well as an advisory board made up of sleep experts from Harvard University and the University of Colorado Bolder