Hang in there, American BlackBerry fans - your wait for a new device is nearly over. Engadget reports that the Federal Communications Commission has granted approval to what looks like RIM's (RIMM) BlackBerry Z10 smartphone for use on AT&T's (T) LTE and HSPA networks. The Z10, which will be the first device released with the new BlackBerry 10 operating system, is rumored to include a Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8960 1.5GHz dual core processor, a 4.2-inch display with a resolution of 1,280 x 768 pixels, 2GB of RAM, up to 32GB expandable of storage and an 8-megapixel camera. RIM plans to unveil the BlackBerry Z10 along with the finished version of the BlackBerry 10 OS on January 30th.
[More from BGR: Can Samsung survive without Android?]
This article was originally published by BGR
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Monday, December 31, 2012
Unreleased 'BlackBerry X10' QWERTY phone appears again in new photos
As Research In Motion's (RIMM) January 30th BlackBerry 10 unveiling draws closer, nearly every last detail surrounding RIM's first two BlackBerry 10-powered smartphones will likely soon emerge. The vendor has a long history of leaks leading up to its new device announcements, and this time around RIM reps toured the world showing the phones to every carrier that would meet with them. Pictured once again over the weekend by N4BB is RIM's first new QWERTY phone, which is code-named "N-Seriers" and expected to bear the name "BlackBerry X10" at launch. No fresh details accompany the newly leaked photos, but rumored specs from earlier reports include a 720 x 720-pixel display with a pixel density of 330 ppi and integrated NFC. Additional images of the BlackBerry X10 follow below.
[More from BGR: RIM teases BlackBerry 10 launch with image of first BB10 smartphone]
[More from BGR: Christmas SMS volume growth shocks industry watchers]
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[More from BGR: RIM teases BlackBerry 10 launch with image of first BB10 smartphone]
[More from BGR: Christmas SMS volume growth shocks industry watchers]
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Saturday, December 29, 2012
iPad mini met with 'insatiable' demand in China
Despite a "soft" launch with few lines and seemingly abundant availability, China is going crazy for the iPad mini according Topeka Capital Markets analyst Brian White. His checks in China and Hong Kong reveal consumers are snapping up iPad minis at rapid rates, causing short supply, even with Apple (AAPL) opening two new retail stores in Hong Kong and three in China. White wrote in a research note on Friday that the iPad mini was sold-out at virtually all Apple Stores in both regions this week and is already more popular than the fourth-generation iPad thanks to the tablet's smaller size and lower price.
[More from BGR: The Boy Genius Report: The Wii U is Nintendo's last console]
[More from BGR: Samsung could face $15 billion fine for trying to ban iPhone, other Apple devices]
Additionally, White's research shows iPhone 5 supply has improved to the point where anyone can walk into an Apple Store and buy one on the spot.
"After the Galaxy S III and Galaxy Note I/II became more popular than the iPhone 4S in recent months, our discussions now indicate that the iPhone 5 has recently become the most popular high-end smartphone at the resellers that we spoke with," White in his note.
This article was originally published by BGR
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[More from BGR: The Boy Genius Report: The Wii U is Nintendo's last console]
[More from BGR: Samsung could face $15 billion fine for trying to ban iPhone, other Apple devices]
Additionally, White's research shows iPhone 5 supply has improved to the point where anyone can walk into an Apple Store and buy one on the spot.
"After the Galaxy S III and Galaxy Note I/II became more popular than the iPhone 4S in recent months, our discussions now indicate that the iPhone 5 has recently become the most popular high-end smartphone at the resellers that we spoke with," White in his note.
This article was originally published by BGR
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Thursday, December 27, 2012
Leaked BlackBerry 10 slides show video calling and screen sharing for BBM
Research in Motion (RIMM) recently updated its BlackBerry Messenger application to include free Wi-Fi calling. With the release of BlackBerry 10 just around the corner, RIM is looking to add even more features to its flagship messaging app. Slides from a purported internal BlackBerry 10 presentation that were originally posted on the CrackBerry forums suggest that the company is planning to update BBM to include video calling and screen-sharing capabilities. A second slide highlights a task manager application called BlackBerry Remember, which is believed to be the replacement for RIM's native Tasks app. Additional slides from the presentation can be viewed below.
[More from BGR: Google names 12 best Android apps of 2012]
[More from BGR: Samsung looks to address its biggest weakness in 2013]
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[More from BGR: Google names 12 best Android apps of 2012]
[More from BGR: Samsung looks to address its biggest weakness in 2013]
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iOS apps see Christmas sales spike shrink in 2012
Distimo just released its statistics on Christmas Day app downloads and revenue growth. and the download spike is far smaller than it was last year. Back in 2011, Christmas Day iOS app download volume spiked 230% above the December average. This year, the increase was just 87% - far below industry expectations. The revenue spike came in at 70%.
[More from BGR: Google names 12 best Android apps of 2012]
Interestingly, iPad downloads increased by 140% this Christmas, implying that the iPhone download bounce was really modest.
[More from BGR: New purported BlackBerry Z10 specs emerge: 1.5GHz processor, 2GB RAM, 8MP camera]
A few weeks ago, AppAnnie released statistics showing that iOS app revenue growth had stalled over the summer of 2012, whereas Android app revenue growth was relatively strong at 48% over a five month period. Both Distimo and Appannie are respected companies and their analytics are closely followed by app industry professionals. Could it be that the pace of iPhone app revenue growth has slowed down sharply from 2011 levels, even if Distimo and AppAnnie numbers aren't entirely accurate?
This article was originally published by BGR
This news article is brought to you by MUSIC UNITED 1 - where latest news are our top priority.
[More from BGR: Google names 12 best Android apps of 2012]
Interestingly, iPad downloads increased by 140% this Christmas, implying that the iPhone download bounce was really modest.
[More from BGR: New purported BlackBerry Z10 specs emerge: 1.5GHz processor, 2GB RAM, 8MP camera]
A few weeks ago, AppAnnie released statistics showing that iOS app revenue growth had stalled over the summer of 2012, whereas Android app revenue growth was relatively strong at 48% over a five month period. Both Distimo and Appannie are respected companies and their analytics are closely followed by app industry professionals. Could it be that the pace of iPhone app revenue growth has slowed down sharply from 2011 levels, even if Distimo and AppAnnie numbers aren't entirely accurate?
This article was originally published by BGR
This news article is brought to you by MUSIC UNITED 1 - where latest news are our top priority.
Apple still said to account for 87% of North American tablet traffic as Kindle Fire, Nexus 7 gain
Apple's (AAPL) share of the global tablet market is in decline now that low-cost Android slates are proliferating, but the iPad still appears to be the most used tablet by a huge margin. Ad firm Chitika regularly monitors tablet traffic in the United States and Canada and in its latest report, Apple's iPad was responsible for almost 90% of all tablet traffic across the company's massive network.
[More from BGR: Samsung looks to address its biggest weakness in 2013]
Using a sample of tens of millions of impressions served to tablets between December 8th and December 14th this year, Chitika determined that various iPad models collectively accounted for 87% of tablet traffic in North America. That figure is down a point from the prior month but still represents a commanding lead in the space.
[More from BGR: New purported BlackBerry Z10 specs emerge: 1.5GHz processor, 2GB RAM, 8MP camera]
The next closest device line, Amazon's (AMZN) Kindle Fire tablet family, had a 4.25% share of tablet traffic during that period, up from 3.57% in November. Samsung's (005930) Galaxy tablets made up 2.65% of traffic, up from 2.36%, and Google's (GOOG) Nexus 7 and Nexus 10 tablets combined to account for 1.06% of tablet traffic in early December.
"Despite these gains by some of the bigger players in the tablet marketplace, there has been a negligible impact to Apple's dominant usage share," Chitika wrote in a post on its blog.
This article was originally published by BGR
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[More from BGR: Samsung looks to address its biggest weakness in 2013]
Using a sample of tens of millions of impressions served to tablets between December 8th and December 14th this year, Chitika determined that various iPad models collectively accounted for 87% of tablet traffic in North America. That figure is down a point from the prior month but still represents a commanding lead in the space.
[More from BGR: New purported BlackBerry Z10 specs emerge: 1.5GHz processor, 2GB RAM, 8MP camera]
The next closest device line, Amazon's (AMZN) Kindle Fire tablet family, had a 4.25% share of tablet traffic during that period, up from 3.57% in November. Samsung's (005930) Galaxy tablets made up 2.65% of traffic, up from 2.36%, and Google's (GOOG) Nexus 7 and Nexus 10 tablets combined to account for 1.06% of tablet traffic in early December.
"Despite these gains by some of the bigger players in the tablet marketplace, there has been a negligible impact to Apple's dominant usage share," Chitika wrote in a post on its blog.
This article was originally published by BGR
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Lack of low-end BlackBerry 10 phone could be a serious stumbling block in RIM comeback bid
South Africa is one of Research In Motion's (RIMM) top five markets in the world, and it is a decent proxy for the entire African market. Leading regional carrier Vodacom's November smartphone statistics illustrate exactly why BlackBerry 10 cannot arrive soon enough. and why RIM badly needs a cheap new BlackBerry 10 model by spring.
[More from BGR: Apple CEO Tim Cook sees pay drop 99% in 2012]
Vodacom holds more than 50% of the South African handset market and South Africa is the largest mobile phone market in the continent.
[More from BGR: Microsoft Surface trampled at the bottom of the tablet pile this Christmas]
On November 12th, Vodacom announced that it had 2.7 million BlackBerry users on its South African network, a number that increased by 300,000 in three months. The number of Android users grew by 200,000 to 700,000 subscribers. The number of iPhone users grew by 250,000 to 500,000.
Of course, there are many ways at looking at these trends but it's striking that the growth of the BlackBerry user base has slowed down to 12% in a quarter while Android growth is now at 40% and iPhone growth is 100%. Even though the pool of BlackBerry users is still expanding in the most important African market, we are now close to the tip-off point where the absolute number of both Android and iPhone users added each quarter is going to be larger than the number of new BlackBerry subs.
RIM announced last week that its global customer base has finally started shrinking - the BlackBerry subscriber pool dropped from 80 million to 79 million between the August and November quarters.
During the August quarter, RIM still managed to add 2 million BlackBerry subscribers. The non-U.S. BlackBerry subscriber base is still growing, but too slowly to offset the U.S. erosion. This is the trend that the Vodacom November numbers also reflect. In Africa and Asia, that BlackBerry growth slowdown is unlikely to reverse until RIM launches a cheap, sub-$250 model with the new BlackBerry 10 OS.
In South Africa, affluent buyers are now flocking under the iPhone banner, while Samsung (005930) and Chinese vendors are mopping up middle class consumers with cheap Android models. New high-end phones in the $600 range are not going to change this equation.
RIM must strike hard in the low-end market to regain its African momentum. By Easter, Android and iPhone camps will have pulled ahead of RIM in new subscriber additions at Vodacom. Next spring, South Africa could well be the most important global bellwether of RIM's struggle to recapture subscriber growth.
This article was originally published by BGR
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[More from BGR: Apple CEO Tim Cook sees pay drop 99% in 2012]
Vodacom holds more than 50% of the South African handset market and South Africa is the largest mobile phone market in the continent.
[More from BGR: Microsoft Surface trampled at the bottom of the tablet pile this Christmas]
On November 12th, Vodacom announced that it had 2.7 million BlackBerry users on its South African network, a number that increased by 300,000 in three months. The number of Android users grew by 200,000 to 700,000 subscribers. The number of iPhone users grew by 250,000 to 500,000.
Of course, there are many ways at looking at these trends but it's striking that the growth of the BlackBerry user base has slowed down to 12% in a quarter while Android growth is now at 40% and iPhone growth is 100%. Even though the pool of BlackBerry users is still expanding in the most important African market, we are now close to the tip-off point where the absolute number of both Android and iPhone users added each quarter is going to be larger than the number of new BlackBerry subs.
RIM announced last week that its global customer base has finally started shrinking - the BlackBerry subscriber pool dropped from 80 million to 79 million between the August and November quarters.
During the August quarter, RIM still managed to add 2 million BlackBerry subscribers. The non-U.S. BlackBerry subscriber base is still growing, but too slowly to offset the U.S. erosion. This is the trend that the Vodacom November numbers also reflect. In Africa and Asia, that BlackBerry growth slowdown is unlikely to reverse until RIM launches a cheap, sub-$250 model with the new BlackBerry 10 OS.
In South Africa, affluent buyers are now flocking under the iPhone banner, while Samsung (005930) and Chinese vendors are mopping up middle class consumers with cheap Android models. New high-end phones in the $600 range are not going to change this equation.
RIM must strike hard in the low-end market to regain its African momentum. By Easter, Android and iPhone camps will have pulled ahead of RIM in new subscriber additions at Vodacom. Next spring, South Africa could well be the most important global bellwether of RIM's struggle to recapture subscriber growth.
This article was originally published by BGR
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Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Apple still can't build enough iPad minis
A common issue often presents itself when Apple (AAPL) launches new products: it can't build them fast enough. We've seen it time and time again, most recently when Apple launched the iPhone 5 and 150,000 dedicated factory workers still couldn't keep up with demand. Now, a report has surfaced claiming that Apple's manufacturing partners in the Far East can't build units fast enough to keep pace with Apple's iPad mini orders.
[More from BGR: Microsoft Surface trampled at the bottom of the tablet pile this Christmas]
According to Digitimes' supply chain sources, Apple's parts suppliers have prepared enough components to build between 10 million and 12 million iPad mini tablets in the fourth quarter to accomodate heavy demand. Apple's manufacturing partners are only expected to ship 8 million assembled units, however.
[More from BGR: Mark Cuban: Nokia Lumia 920 'crushes' the iPhone 5]
The report states that yield rates are improving though, and Apple is expected to ship 13 million iPad mini tablets in the first quarter of 2013.
This article was originally published by BGR
This news article is brought to you by STOCK MARKET BLOG - where latest news are our top priority.
[More from BGR: Microsoft Surface trampled at the bottom of the tablet pile this Christmas]
According to Digitimes' supply chain sources, Apple's parts suppliers have prepared enough components to build between 10 million and 12 million iPad mini tablets in the fourth quarter to accomodate heavy demand. Apple's manufacturing partners are only expected to ship 8 million assembled units, however.
[More from BGR: Mark Cuban: Nokia Lumia 920 'crushes' the iPhone 5]
The report states that yield rates are improving though, and Apple is expected to ship 13 million iPad mini tablets in the first quarter of 2013.
This article was originally published by BGR
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iPad is a Christmas graveyard for 'Grand Theft Auto' and 'Modern Combat'
At the beginning of December, the traditional video game industry attempted another iPad invasion. New versions of "Grand Theft Auto," "Modern Combat" and "Baldur's Gate" hit the iOS app market priced between $5 and $10. Over the past years, we have seen repeated attempts by major console and PC industry franchises to tailor their blockbuster games for iPhone and iPad platforms. None have succeeded. As the iOS app market increasingly favors free games with in-app purchases, the old-timers have started failing spectacularly.
[More from BGR: Microsoft Surface trampled at the bottom of the tablet pile this Christmas]
December is the most important month of the year for the iOS app market and the days around Christmas are the hottest period. As consumers upgrade their iPhones or receive their very first iOS devices, they tend to go on mobile app buying binges. That is why mega franchises like GTA and "Modern Combat" launched their latest iOS products at the beginning of the month. The games were supposed to stay alive for at least three weeks. They did not.
[More from BGR: Mark Cuban: Nokia Lumia 920 'crushes' the iPhone 5]
The lavishly marketed "Grand Theft Auto: Vice City" peaked on iPhone app chart at No.2 on December 8th and plunged to No.36 by December 22nd. It rebounded to No.25 on December 25th. On the iPad, the game plummeted to a shocking No.52 by the all-important Christmas Day, when new iPad owners go berserk on iTunes.
Here is the kicker: on the revenue chart for U.S. iPad apps, the new GTA game had tanked to No.75 by December 25th. This is even worse than the No.52 position on the download chart. I find that genuinely fascinating, because it means that a game with a very stiff download price of $5 is showing weaker revenue performance than on raw download volume.
The GTA title is priced at $5 at a time when 80% of the top-grossing iPad games are free downloads. The top free apps have compelling in-game purchase strategies - "Grand Theft Auto: Vice City" does not. As a result, it is getting beaten by titles such as "Fairway Solitaire" and "My Little Pony" in revenue generation. Having massive name recognition and hundreds of millions of units in console game sales helps very little in the brutally competitive iOS game market.
"Modern Combat 4? has also plunged out of top-50 on the iPad revenue chart just three weeks after its high-profile debut. The $10 update of "Baldur's Gate" is out of top-200, brought low by its ridiculously high sticker price.
The proud console and PC game champions keep repeating the same gambit in the iOS market: price 'em high and ignore the in-app purchase angle. They keep failing. When are we going to see a major console game franchise finally adapt to the Apple (AAPL) ecosystem and create an iOS game that is free to download but lures users into an in-app purchase trap effectively?
This article was originally published by BGR
This news article is brought to you by MOVIE CRITIC NEWS - where latest news are our top priority.
[More from BGR: Microsoft Surface trampled at the bottom of the tablet pile this Christmas]
December is the most important month of the year for the iOS app market and the days around Christmas are the hottest period. As consumers upgrade their iPhones or receive their very first iOS devices, they tend to go on mobile app buying binges. That is why mega franchises like GTA and "Modern Combat" launched their latest iOS products at the beginning of the month. The games were supposed to stay alive for at least three weeks. They did not.
[More from BGR: Mark Cuban: Nokia Lumia 920 'crushes' the iPhone 5]
The lavishly marketed "Grand Theft Auto: Vice City" peaked on iPhone app chart at No.2 on December 8th and plunged to No.36 by December 22nd. It rebounded to No.25 on December 25th. On the iPad, the game plummeted to a shocking No.52 by the all-important Christmas Day, when new iPad owners go berserk on iTunes.
Here is the kicker: on the revenue chart for U.S. iPad apps, the new GTA game had tanked to No.75 by December 25th. This is even worse than the No.52 position on the download chart. I find that genuinely fascinating, because it means that a game with a very stiff download price of $5 is showing weaker revenue performance than on raw download volume.
The GTA title is priced at $5 at a time when 80% of the top-grossing iPad games are free downloads. The top free apps have compelling in-game purchase strategies - "Grand Theft Auto: Vice City" does not. As a result, it is getting beaten by titles such as "Fairway Solitaire" and "My Little Pony" in revenue generation. Having massive name recognition and hundreds of millions of units in console game sales helps very little in the brutally competitive iOS game market.
"Modern Combat 4? has also plunged out of top-50 on the iPad revenue chart just three weeks after its high-profile debut. The $10 update of "Baldur's Gate" is out of top-200, brought low by its ridiculously high sticker price.
The proud console and PC game champions keep repeating the same gambit in the iOS market: price 'em high and ignore the in-app purchase angle. They keep failing. When are we going to see a major console game franchise finally adapt to the Apple (AAPL) ecosystem and create an iOS game that is free to download but lures users into an in-app purchase trap effectively?
This article was originally published by BGR
This news article is brought to you by MOVIE CRITIC NEWS - where latest news are our top priority.
Microsoft Surface trampled at the bottom of the tablet pile this Christmas
While it does have drawbacks just like anything else, Microsoft's (MSFT) Surface is a great slate for those looking for a fresh new take on the modern tablet. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like very many people were looking for a fresh new take on the modern tablet this holiday season. In a recent note to investors, R.W. Baird analyst William Power recounted recent conversations had at retailers including Best Buy (BBY) and Staples (SPLS). While speaking with sales reps at the stores, Apple's (AAPL) iPad was the most highly recommended tablet while Amazon's (AMZN) Kindle Fire line and Samsung's (005930) Galaxy Tab line were both recommended as alternatives. Microsoft's Surface tablet, on the other hand, was not pushed by reps at either chain.
[More from BGR: Purported photo of new BlackBerry phone with QWERTY keyboard leaks]
From Power's note, as picked up by Barron's:
[More from BGR: Sprint salesman refuses to sell iPhone to customer, says his 'fingers are too fat' to use it]
Based on his data, 1,795 people tweeted about getting a new iPad during that time span while 250 tweeted about their new Kindle Fires, 100 mentioned their new Nexus 10 tablets and just 36 tweets were posted by users who had received a new Surface.
This article was originally published by BGR
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[More from BGR: Purported photo of new BlackBerry phone with QWERTY keyboard leaks]
From Power's note, as picked up by Barron's:
[More from BGR: Sprint salesman refuses to sell iPhone to customer, says his 'fingers are too fat' to use it]
Microsoft's Surface, which Best Buy just recently started carrying, was not recommended to us by reps without us asking about it specifically. When asked about sales to date, reps noted that the device was new and indicated that early demand has been modest relative to the iPad and Kindle Fire. We would also note that the device was in stock at every store we contacted [.] We contacted Staples stores in an effort to further gauge Microsoft Surface sales, though our impression from speaking with reps was tablets are not a major seller at Staples. Tellingly, Staples doesn't currently carry the iPad. When pressed for details, Staples reps indicated that Surface volumes have been modest to date. Most reps told us that the primary appeal to Surface buyers is the ability to run Microsoft Office. Consistent with our Best Buy checks, the Surface was also in stock at all Staples stores we contacted. Outside of the Surface, the Google Nexus 10 was cited as another strong tablet option.Further supporting the idea that Microsoft's debut tablet wasn't a big seller this holiday season, Twitter user A.X. Ian did a quick analysis of tweets discussing new tablets during a 24-hour period around Christmas Eve.
Based on his data, 1,795 people tweeted about getting a new iPad during that time span while 250 tweeted about their new Kindle Fires, 100 mentioned their new Nexus 10 tablets and just 36 tweets were posted by users who had received a new Surface.
This article was originally published by BGR
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Tuesday, December 25, 2012
Just got a new iPhone, iPad or Android device for Christmas? Gameloft cuts popular iOS and Android games to 99¢
Smartphones and tablets running Apple's (AAPL) iOS platform and Google's (GOOG) Android OS are big this year - so big that traditional toy makers are terrified they might soon be obsolete. If you're one of the tens of thousands of people young and old who just unwrapped a brand new iPad, Android device, iPod touch or iPhone, Gameloft has made figuring out where to start fairly easy for you by putting dozens of mobile games on sale for just $0.99 each. Popular titles include "Asphalt 7: Heat," "The Dark Knight Rises," "The Amazing Spider-Man," "Where's Waldo Now?," "Modern Combat 4: Zero Hour" and more. Dozens of other Gameloft games are free and you can browse through all the company's titles via the source links below.
[More from BGR: LG unveils gorgeous new HDTV models with Google TV 3.0]
This article was originally published by BGR
This news article is brought to you by TAXES BLOG - where latest news are our top priority.
[More from BGR: LG unveils gorgeous new HDTV models with Google TV 3.0]
This article was originally published by BGR
This news article is brought to you by TAXES BLOG - where latest news are our top priority.
Monday, December 24, 2012
Find room for God in fast-paced world, pope says on Christmas eve
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Benedict, leading the world's Roman Catholics into Christmas, on Monday urged people to find room for God in their fast-paced lives filled with the latest technological gadgets.
The 85-year-old pope, marking the eighth Christmas season of his pontificate, celebrated a solemn Christmas Eve mass in St Peter's Basilica, during which he appealed for a solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict and an end to the civil war in Syria.
At the mass for some 10,000 people in the basilica and broadcast to millions of others on television, the pope wove his homily around the theme of God's place in today's modern world.
'Do we have time and space for him? Do we not actually turn away God himself? We begin to do so when we have no time for him,' said the pope, wearing gold and white vestments.
'The faster we can move, the more efficient our time-saving appliances become, the less time we have. And God? The question of God never seems urgent. Our time is already completely full,' he said.
The leader of the world's some 1.2 billion Roman Catholics said societies had reached the point where many people's thinking processes did not leave any room even for the existence of God.
'Even if he seems to knock at the door of our thinking, he has to be explained away. If thinking is to be taken seriously, it must be structured in such a way that the 'God hypothesis' becomes superfluous,' he said.
'There is no room for him. Not even in our feelings and desires is there any room for him. We want ourselves. We want what we can seize hold of, we want happiness that is within our reach, we want our plans and purposes to succeed. We are so 'full' of ourselves that there is no room left for God.'
PEACE CANDLE
Bells inside and outside the basilica chimed when the pope said 'Glory to God in the Highest,' the words the gospels say the angels sang at the moment of Jesus' birth.
Earlier on Monday the pope appeared at the window of his apartments in the apostolic palace and lit a peace candle, as a larger-than-life nativity scene was unveiled in St Peter's Square below.
Reflecting on the gospel account of Jesus born in a stable because there was no room for Mary and Joseph in the inn, he said when people find no room for God in their lives, they will soon find no room for others.
'Let us ask the Lord that we may become vigilant for his presence, that we may hear how softly yet insistently he knocks at the door of our being and willing.
'Let us ask that we may make room for him within ourselves, that we may recognise him also in those through whom he speaks to us: children, the suffering, the abandoned, those who are excluded and the poor of this world,' he said.
He asked for prayers for the people who 'live and suffer' in the Holy Land today.
The pope called for peace among Israelis and Palestinians and for the people of Syria, Lebanon and Iraq and prayed that 'Christians in those lands where our faith was born may be able to continue living there, that Christians and Muslims may build up their countries side-by-side in God's peace.'
The Vatican is concerned about the exodus from the Middle East of Christians, many of whom leave because they fear for their safety. Christians now comprise five percent of the population of the region, down from 20 percent a century ago.
According to some estimates, the current population of 12 million Christians in the Middle East could halve by 2020 if security and birth rates continue to decline.
At noon (1100 GMT/6 AM ET) the pope will deliver his twice-yearly 'Urbi et Orbi' (to the city and the world) blessing and message from the central balcony of St Peter's Basilica.
(Reporting By Philip Pullella; Editing by Myra MacDonald)
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The 85-year-old pope, marking the eighth Christmas season of his pontificate, celebrated a solemn Christmas Eve mass in St Peter's Basilica, during which he appealed for a solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict and an end to the civil war in Syria.
At the mass for some 10,000 people in the basilica and broadcast to millions of others on television, the pope wove his homily around the theme of God's place in today's modern world.
'Do we have time and space for him? Do we not actually turn away God himself? We begin to do so when we have no time for him,' said the pope, wearing gold and white vestments.
'The faster we can move, the more efficient our time-saving appliances become, the less time we have. And God? The question of God never seems urgent. Our time is already completely full,' he said.
The leader of the world's some 1.2 billion Roman Catholics said societies had reached the point where many people's thinking processes did not leave any room even for the existence of God.
'Even if he seems to knock at the door of our thinking, he has to be explained away. If thinking is to be taken seriously, it must be structured in such a way that the 'God hypothesis' becomes superfluous,' he said.
'There is no room for him. Not even in our feelings and desires is there any room for him. We want ourselves. We want what we can seize hold of, we want happiness that is within our reach, we want our plans and purposes to succeed. We are so 'full' of ourselves that there is no room left for God.'
PEACE CANDLE
Bells inside and outside the basilica chimed when the pope said 'Glory to God in the Highest,' the words the gospels say the angels sang at the moment of Jesus' birth.
Earlier on Monday the pope appeared at the window of his apartments in the apostolic palace and lit a peace candle, as a larger-than-life nativity scene was unveiled in St Peter's Square below.
Reflecting on the gospel account of Jesus born in a stable because there was no room for Mary and Joseph in the inn, he said when people find no room for God in their lives, they will soon find no room for others.
'Let us ask the Lord that we may become vigilant for his presence, that we may hear how softly yet insistently he knocks at the door of our being and willing.
'Let us ask that we may make room for him within ourselves, that we may recognise him also in those through whom he speaks to us: children, the suffering, the abandoned, those who are excluded and the poor of this world,' he said.
He asked for prayers for the people who 'live and suffer' in the Holy Land today.
The pope called for peace among Israelis and Palestinians and for the people of Syria, Lebanon and Iraq and prayed that 'Christians in those lands where our faith was born may be able to continue living there, that Christians and Muslims may build up their countries side-by-side in God's peace.'
The Vatican is concerned about the exodus from the Middle East of Christians, many of whom leave because they fear for their safety. Christians now comprise five percent of the population of the region, down from 20 percent a century ago.
According to some estimates, the current population of 12 million Christians in the Middle East could halve by 2020 if security and birth rates continue to decline.
At noon (1100 GMT/6 AM ET) the pope will deliver his twice-yearly 'Urbi et Orbi' (to the city and the world) blessing and message from the central balcony of St Peter's Basilica.
(Reporting By Philip Pullella; Editing by Myra MacDonald)
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Fifth-gen iPad reportedly due in March along with Retina iPad mini
Rumors that a second-generation iPad mini with a Retina display is set to launch ahead of Apple's typical annual schedule next year have been swirling, and now it appears Apple's (AAPL) full-size iPad may be sticking to its new semiannual release schedule. According to a report from Japanese blog Makotakra that cites an anonymous "inside source," Apple plans to launch a new thinner, lighter 9.7-inch iPad as soon as March 2013. The fourth iPad model was just released last month alongside the iPad mini, but March was also suggested in recent Retina iPad mini rumors. Makotakra states that the new iPad will adopt styling queues from the current iPad mini model, unifying the look of Apple's larger tablet with the iPad mini and iPhone 5.
[More from BGR: First photos of BlackBerry 10 'N-Series' QWERTY smartphone leak]
This article was originally published by BGR
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[More from BGR: First photos of BlackBerry 10 'N-Series' QWERTY smartphone leak]
This article was originally published by BGR
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First photos of BlackBerry 10 'N-Series' QWERTY smartphone leak
As Research In Motion (RIMM) begins its attempt to mount a comeback for the ages in 2013, it will place its early hopes on two high-end smartphones. The first is the BlackBerry Z10, and we've already seen it in a number of leaks. The second is a QWERTY-equipped touchscreen phone similar to the current BlackBerry Bold 9900, and it has just been pictured for the first time in photos published by Chinese blog cnBeta.com. No additional information accompanied the photos, however earlier reports stated that the smartphone will include a 720 x 720-pixel display with a pixel density of 330 ppi. Another image of the BlackBerry 10-powered N-Series phone follows below.
[More from BGR: Proper jailbreak for iOS 6 reportedly coming December 22nd [updated]]
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[More from BGR: Proper jailbreak for iOS 6 reportedly coming December 22nd [updated]]
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Friday, December 21, 2012
TSX ends flat as RIM buckles, gold miners bounce
TORONTO (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index ended little changed on Friday as gold miners gained on safe-haven buying amid U.S. budget uncertainty, while BlackBerry maker Research In Motion Ltd plunged more than 20 percent.
The index's materials sector, which includes miners, rose 0.4 percent. Even though the price of gold was near its lowest level in four months, the gold-mining sub-sector added 0.9 percent as investors fretted over stalled U.S. budget talks that could throw Canada's largest trading partner back into recession.
'As our tiptoes are over the (U.S.) fiscal cliff and we're looking over the abyss, the markets are upset obviously, and this is sort of putting a damper on the stocks,' said John Ing, president of Maison Placements Canada.
'But we've had a mixed reaction in Canada, mainly because the resources have been much better, like gold for example, which is hedging into the uncertainty (around the budget talks),' he said, noting gold miners had been under pressure for the last two weeks.
Miner Barrick Gold Corp edged up 0.2 percent to C$33.29. Centerra Gold Inc jumped more than 3 percent to C$9.10.
Gold miners are playing catch-up after underperforming throughout the year and could rise further in 2013, said Gavin Graham, president at Graham Investment Strategy.
Shares of RIM dropped 22.2 percent to C$10.86 on fears that a new fee structure for its high-margin services segment could put pressure on the business that has set the company apart from its competitors.
The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index <.gsptse> fell 3.01 points, or 0.02 percent, to end at 12,385.70. It gained 0.7 percent for the week.
Efforts to avoid the looming U.S. 'fiscal cliff' were thrown into disarray on Friday with finger-pointing lawmakers fleeing Washington for Christmas vacations even as the year-end deadline for action edged ever closer.
Graham said that until a deal is reached in the U.S. budget talks, investors will avoid economically sensitive Canadian stocks and those most closely tied to the U.S. economy: auto parts manufacturers, forestry companies and resource stocks generally.
'The resource sectors in Canada, which is half of the index, is going to be adversely affected, correctly or not,' he said.
'Chinese demand is likely to pick up somewhat now with the new leadership there but people will be focused on the U.S. given that it is still by far the most important export market for Canada.'
($1=$0.99 Canadian)
(Additional reporting by Claire Sibonney, Julie Gordon and Jeffrey Hodgson; Editing by Peter Galloway)
This news article is brought to you by PERSONAL FINANCE BLOG - where latest news are our top priority.
The index's materials sector, which includes miners, rose 0.4 percent. Even though the price of gold was near its lowest level in four months, the gold-mining sub-sector added 0.9 percent as investors fretted over stalled U.S. budget talks that could throw Canada's largest trading partner back into recession.
'As our tiptoes are over the (U.S.) fiscal cliff and we're looking over the abyss, the markets are upset obviously, and this is sort of putting a damper on the stocks,' said John Ing, president of Maison Placements Canada.
'But we've had a mixed reaction in Canada, mainly because the resources have been much better, like gold for example, which is hedging into the uncertainty (around the budget talks),' he said, noting gold miners had been under pressure for the last two weeks.
Miner Barrick Gold Corp
Gold miners are playing catch-up after underperforming throughout the year and could rise further in 2013, said Gavin Graham, president at Graham Investment Strategy.
Shares of RIM dropped 22.2 percent to C$10.86 on fears that a new fee structure for its high-margin services segment could put pressure on the business that has set the company apart from its competitors.
The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index <.gsptse> fell 3.01 points, or 0.02 percent, to end at 12,385.70. It gained 0.7 percent for the week.
Efforts to avoid the looming U.S. 'fiscal cliff' were thrown into disarray on Friday with finger-pointing lawmakers fleeing Washington for Christmas vacations even as the year-end deadline for action edged ever closer.
Graham said that until a deal is reached in the U.S. budget talks, investors will avoid economically sensitive Canadian stocks and those most closely tied to the U.S. economy: auto parts manufacturers, forestry companies and resource stocks generally.
'The resource sectors in Canada, which is half of the index, is going to be adversely affected, correctly or not,' he said.
'Chinese demand is likely to pick up somewhat now with the new leadership there but people will be focused on the U.S. given that it is still by far the most important export market for Canada.'
($1=$0.99 Canadian)
(Additional reporting by Claire Sibonney, Julie Gordon and Jeffrey Hodgson; Editing by Peter Galloway)
This news article is brought to you by PERSONAL FINANCE BLOG - where latest news are our top priority.
RIM shares dive as fee changes catch market off guard
(Reuters) - Shares of BlackBerry maker Research In Motion Ltd dropped 20 percent on Friday on fears that a new fee structure for its high-margin services segment could put pressure on the business that has set the company apart from its competitors.
The shares were still more than 80 percent above the year's low, which was hit in September. They started to rally in November as investors began to bet that RIM's long-awaited new BlackBerry 10 phones, to be launched in January, would turn the company around.
The services segment has long been RIM's most profitable and accounts for about a third of total revenue. Some analysts said there was a risk that the fee changes could endanger its service ecosystem and leave the Canadian company as just another handset maker.
The fee changes, which RIM announced on Thursday after the close, overshadowed stronger-than-expected quarterly results. The company said the new pricing structure would be introduced with the BlackBerry 10 launch, expected on January 30.
RIM said some subscribers would continue to pay for enhanced services such as advanced security. But under the new structure, some other services would account for less revenue, or even none at all.
Chief Executive Thorsten Heins tried to reassure investors in a television interview with CNBC on Friday, saying RIM's 'service revenue isn't going away'.
He added: 'We're not stopping. We're not halting. We're transitioning.'
Since taking over at RIM in January, Heins has focused on shrinking the company and getting it ready to introduce its new BB10 devices, which RIM says will help it claw back ground it has lost to competitors such as Apple Inc and Samsung Electronics.
But the news of the new services pricing strategy came as a shock to markets, and some analysts cut their price targets on RIM stock.
RIM will not be able to sustain profitability by relying on its hardware business alone, said National Bank Financial analyst Kris Thompson, whom Thomson Reuters StarMine has rated the top RIM analyst based on the accuracy of his estimates of the company's earnings.
Thompson downgraded RIM's stock to 'underperform' from 'sector perform' and cut his price target to $10 from $15.
Forrester Research analyst Charles Golvin said the move was likely about stabilizing market share: 'At the moment, they need to stem the bleeding.'
He said the tiered pricing might line up better with RIM's subscriber base as it expands in emerging economies.
RIM's Nasdaq-listed shares were down 19.8 percent at $11.32 on Friday afternoon. The stock was down 19.6 percent to C$11.21 on the Toronto Stock Exchange.
COUNTDOWN TO LAUNCH
The success of the BB10 will be crucial to the future of RIM, which on Thursday posted its first-ever decline in total subscribers. Heins said on CNBC that the company expected to ship millions of the new devices.
He cautioned that this will require heavy investment, which will reduce RIM's cash position in its fourth and first quarters from $2.9 billion in its fiscal third quarter. He said, however, it would not go below $2 billion.
Still, doubts remain about whether RIM can pull off the transformation. Needham analyst Charlie Wolf said the BB10 would have to look meaningfully superior to its competitors for RIM to stage a comeback.
Canaccord Genuity analyst Michael Walkley said it was highly unlikely that the market would support RIM's new mobile computing ecosystem, and he remained skeptical about the company's ability to survive on its own.
'We believe RIM will eventually need to sell the company,' said Walkley, who cut his price target on RIM shares to $9 from $10.
Baird Equity Research analysts said BB10 faced a daunting uphill battle against products from Apple, as well as those using Google Inc's Android operating system, and, increasingly, phones with Microsoft Corp's Windows 8 operating system.
Baird maintained its 'underperform' rating on the stock, while Paradigm Capital downgraded the shares to 'hold' from 'buy' on uncertainty around the services revenue model.
'RIM has gone from having one major aspect of uncertainty - BlackBerry 10 adoption - to two, given an uncertain floor on services revenue,' William Blair analyst Anil Doradla said.
RIM will have to discount BB10 devices significantly to maintain demand, Bernstein analyst Pierre Ferragu said.
The BlackBerry, however, still offers the security features that helped it build its reputation with big business and government, a selling point with some key customers.
Credit Suisse maintained its 'neutral' rating on the stock, but not because it expected BB10 to be a big success.
'Only the potential for an outright sale of the company or a breakup keeps us at a neutral,' Credit Suisse analysts said.
Separately on Friday, ailing Finnish mobile phone maker Nokia said it had settled its patent dispute with RIM in return for payments. Nokia did not disclose detailed terms, but said the deal included a one-time payment to be booked in the fourth quarter, as well as ongoing fees, all to be paid by RIM. [ID:nL5E8NL22K]
($1=$0.98 Canadian)
(Reporting by Chandni Doulatramani in Bangalore and Allison Martell in Toronto. Additional reporting by Sinead Carew in New York; Editing by Ted Kerr, Dale Hudson, Janet Guttsman,; Lisa Von Ahn and Peter Galloway)
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The shares were still more than 80 percent above the year's low, which was hit in September. They started to rally in November as investors began to bet that RIM's long-awaited new BlackBerry 10 phones, to be launched in January, would turn the company around.
The services segment has long been RIM's most profitable and accounts for about a third of total revenue. Some analysts said there was a risk that the fee changes could endanger its service ecosystem and leave the Canadian company as just another handset maker.
The fee changes, which RIM announced on Thursday after the close, overshadowed stronger-than-expected quarterly results. The company said the new pricing structure would be introduced with the BlackBerry 10 launch, expected on January 30.
RIM said some subscribers would continue to pay for enhanced services such as advanced security. But under the new structure, some other services would account for less revenue, or even none at all.
Chief Executive Thorsten Heins tried to reassure investors in a television interview with CNBC on Friday, saying RIM's 'service revenue isn't going away'.
He added: 'We're not stopping. We're not halting. We're transitioning.'
Since taking over at RIM in January, Heins has focused on shrinking the company and getting it ready to introduce its new BB10 devices, which RIM says will help it claw back ground it has lost to competitors such as Apple Inc and Samsung Electronics.
But the news of the new services pricing strategy came as a shock to markets, and some analysts cut their price targets on RIM stock.
RIM will not be able to sustain profitability by relying on its hardware business alone, said National Bank Financial analyst Kris Thompson, whom Thomson Reuters StarMine has rated the top RIM analyst based on the accuracy of his estimates of the company's earnings.
Thompson downgraded RIM's stock to 'underperform' from 'sector perform' and cut his price target to $10 from $15.
Forrester Research analyst Charles Golvin said the move was likely about stabilizing market share: 'At the moment, they need to stem the bleeding.'
He said the tiered pricing might line up better with RIM's subscriber base as it expands in emerging economies.
RIM's Nasdaq-listed shares were down 19.8 percent at $11.32 on Friday afternoon. The stock was down 19.6 percent to C$11.21 on the Toronto Stock Exchange.
COUNTDOWN TO LAUNCH
The success of the BB10 will be crucial to the future of RIM, which on Thursday posted its first-ever decline in total subscribers. Heins said on CNBC that the company expected to ship millions of the new devices.
He cautioned that this will require heavy investment, which will reduce RIM's cash position in its fourth and first quarters from $2.9 billion in its fiscal third quarter. He said, however, it would not go below $2 billion.
Still, doubts remain about whether RIM can pull off the transformation. Needham analyst Charlie Wolf said the BB10 would have to look meaningfully superior to its competitors for RIM to stage a comeback.
Canaccord Genuity analyst Michael Walkley said it was highly unlikely that the market would support RIM's new mobile computing ecosystem, and he remained skeptical about the company's ability to survive on its own.
'We believe RIM will eventually need to sell the company,' said Walkley, who cut his price target on RIM shares to $9 from $10.
Baird Equity Research analysts said BB10 faced a daunting uphill battle against products from Apple, as well as those using Google Inc's Android operating system, and, increasingly, phones with Microsoft Corp's Windows 8 operating system.
Baird maintained its 'underperform' rating on the stock, while Paradigm Capital downgraded the shares to 'hold' from 'buy' on uncertainty around the services revenue model.
'RIM has gone from having one major aspect of uncertainty - BlackBerry 10 adoption - to two, given an uncertain floor on services revenue,' William Blair analyst Anil Doradla said.
RIM will have to discount BB10 devices significantly to maintain demand, Bernstein analyst Pierre Ferragu said.
The BlackBerry, however, still offers the security features that helped it build its reputation with big business and government, a selling point with some key customers.
Credit Suisse maintained its 'neutral' rating on the stock, but not because it expected BB10 to be a big success.
'Only the potential for an outright sale of the company or a breakup keeps us at a neutral,' Credit Suisse analysts said.
Separately on Friday, ailing Finnish mobile phone maker Nokia said it had settled its patent dispute with RIM in return for payments. Nokia did not disclose detailed terms, but said the deal included a one-time payment to be booked in the fourth quarter, as well as ongoing fees, all to be paid by RIM. [ID:nL5E8NL22K]
($1=$0.98 Canadian)
(Reporting by Chandni Doulatramani in Bangalore and Allison Martell in Toronto. Additional reporting by Sinead Carew in New York; Editing by Ted Kerr, Dale Hudson, Janet Guttsman,; Lisa Von Ahn and Peter Galloway)
This article is brought to you by COMPUTERS.
Windows already threatening iPhone in Southern Europe
Kantar Worldpanel's report for November came out and much has been made of the iPhone market share surge in the United States. What I find interesting in the November numbers is just how ice cold the iPhone has gone in so many international markets, from Australia to Brazil to Southern Europe. The iOS market share showed hefty declines outside in many major markets: down 5.4 percentage points in Australia to 35.9% and down 1.6 points in Brazil to 1.6%. That's right - the iPhone market share has halved in the most important South American market over the past year. And this happened while BlackBerry and Symbian market shares absolutely caved in. This should have been the period for Apple (AAPL) to pick up points while RIM (RIMM) and Nokia (NOK) floundered. Instead, the sky-high pricing of the iPhone models has effectively started reversing Apple's market share gains across several major markets.
[More from BGR: Fan-made tweak gives Apple a blueprint for better multitasking in iOS 7 [video]]
In November, the burden of the stiff iPhone pricing was highlighted by how rapidly Windows has started closing the market share gap in Spain, Italy and France. Because Nokia has had trouble ramping up the production of the new Lumia 920 and 820 Windows models, it chose to crank out older Windows models like 800 and 610 for remarkably aggressive Christmas promotions. As European markets are now hitting 50% smartphone market penetration, consumer demand is shifting towards cheap models, and Apple cannot compete in the budget category. The new first-time smartphone buyers have a lot lower household income than the consumers who bought smartphones in 2010. In the recession-ravaged Europe, the upgrade cycle is lengthening and prepaid smartphones are a more important part of the overall product mix.
[More from BGR: RIM's biggest problem: It's still scrambling to catch yesterday's hottest mobile app]
As a result, Windows market share in Italy hit a stunning 11.8% in November despite the razor thin availability of the Lumia 920. Windows has already erased most of the market share lead iPhone had in Italy. The iOS market share slipped to 20.6% during the last month. In Spain, Windows market share vaulted to 3% from 0.4% a year earlier while iOS share faded to 4.4%. As the affordable HTC (2498) 8S ramps up and the even cheaper Lumia 620 launches at the end of January, Windows may overtake iPhone in Spain already in February.
The strong performance Apple had in France and the United Kingdom kept its overall European market share climbing by 2.5 percentage points in November. But in Southern Europe, Latin America and parts of Asia, iPhone is slipping badly due to the lack of a low-end version. This is what is driving the Google (GOOG) Play revenue surge globally as Android apps now narrow the huge lead Apple built in the app market before the year 2012. Apple may well have to reconsider its iPhone pricing strategy in a fundamental way. Maintaining $620 ASP level globally could lead to a scenario where Android has 10-to-1 volume lead outside the United States and Northern Europe, and Windows actually has a shot at pulling well ahead of Apple in lower income countries from Spain to Brazil to South-East Asia.
This article was originally published by BGR
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[More from BGR: Fan-made tweak gives Apple a blueprint for better multitasking in iOS 7 [video]]
In November, the burden of the stiff iPhone pricing was highlighted by how rapidly Windows has started closing the market share gap in Spain, Italy and France. Because Nokia has had trouble ramping up the production of the new Lumia 920 and 820 Windows models, it chose to crank out older Windows models like 800 and 610 for remarkably aggressive Christmas promotions. As European markets are now hitting 50% smartphone market penetration, consumer demand is shifting towards cheap models, and Apple cannot compete in the budget category. The new first-time smartphone buyers have a lot lower household income than the consumers who bought smartphones in 2010. In the recession-ravaged Europe, the upgrade cycle is lengthening and prepaid smartphones are a more important part of the overall product mix.
[More from BGR: RIM's biggest problem: It's still scrambling to catch yesterday's hottest mobile app]
As a result, Windows market share in Italy hit a stunning 11.8% in November despite the razor thin availability of the Lumia 920. Windows has already erased most of the market share lead iPhone had in Italy. The iOS market share slipped to 20.6% during the last month. In Spain, Windows market share vaulted to 3% from 0.4% a year earlier while iOS share faded to 4.4%. As the affordable HTC (2498) 8S ramps up and the even cheaper Lumia 620 launches at the end of January, Windows may overtake iPhone in Spain already in February.
The strong performance Apple had in France and the United Kingdom kept its overall European market share climbing by 2.5 percentage points in November. But in Southern Europe, Latin America and parts of Asia, iPhone is slipping badly due to the lack of a low-end version. This is what is driving the Google (GOOG) Play revenue surge globally as Android apps now narrow the huge lead Apple built in the app market before the year 2012. Apple may well have to reconsider its iPhone pricing strategy in a fundamental way. Maintaining $620 ASP level globally could lead to a scenario where Android has 10-to-1 volume lead outside the United States and Northern Europe, and Windows actually has a shot at pulling well ahead of Apple in lower income countries from Spain to Brazil to South-East Asia.
This article was originally published by BGR
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Without an 'iTV,' Apple's growth could shrink to the single digits by 2015
Another analyst believes that Apple is losing its shine. Toni Sacconaghi of Bernstein Research on Thursday trimmed his price target for the company, citing concerns that growth may be slowing. The analyst believes that iPhone sales will remain strong for at least the next two years, however Apple (AAPL) is expected to lose overall market share "if it does not bring out a lower-price device" in the wake of a changing industry. Sacconaghi notes that the iPad should continue to see success in a tablet market that is "a rocket.an absolute juggernaut," with tablet PC shipments estimated to more than triple over the next five years. It is believed, however, that Apple will likely become a single digit growth company by 2015, unless it releases a new major product such as an HDTV.
[More from BGR: RIM's biggest problem: It's still scrambling to catch yesterday's hottest mobile app]
"That said, it will have a pristine balance sheet, and be generating a mind-boggling $49 billion in free cash flow a year after paying its current dividend," Sacconaghi wrote in a note to investors, according to Forbes. "More importantly, we believe that Apple's innovation offers significant option value, which is not in our forecast. Three years ago, the iPad did not exist. Today it generates $32 billon in annual revenues, and as a standalone business would be the 11th biggest U.S. tech company. Potential 'options' for Apple investors include a lower-end iPhone, a television 'solution,' a larger iPad or converged device and monetizing advertising, e-commerce and search from its iOS platform (and credit card database) of 435 million users."
[More from BGR: WhatsApp goes free for iPhone for a limited time]
The analyst kept his Outperform rating on shares of Apple, although he trimmed his price target from $800 to $750 and lowered his 2013 fiscal year EPS forecast to $49.41 per share, from $50.57.
This article was originally published by BGR
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[More from BGR: RIM's biggest problem: It's still scrambling to catch yesterday's hottest mobile app]
"That said, it will have a pristine balance sheet, and be generating a mind-boggling $49 billion in free cash flow a year after paying its current dividend," Sacconaghi wrote in a note to investors, according to Forbes. "More importantly, we believe that Apple's innovation offers significant option value, which is not in our forecast. Three years ago, the iPad did not exist. Today it generates $32 billon in annual revenues, and as a standalone business would be the 11th biggest U.S. tech company. Potential 'options' for Apple investors include a lower-end iPhone, a television 'solution,' a larger iPad or converged device and monetizing advertising, e-commerce and search from its iOS platform (and credit card database) of 435 million users."
[More from BGR: WhatsApp goes free for iPhone for a limited time]
The analyst kept his Outperform rating on shares of Apple, although he trimmed his price target from $800 to $750 and lowered his 2013 fiscal year EPS forecast to $49.41 per share, from $50.57.
This article was originally published by BGR
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RIM's biggest problem: It's still scrambling to catch yesterday's hottest mobile app
The moment I first realized that RIM (RIMM) was truly in enormous trouble was back in 2010 when I heard then co-CEO Jim Balsillie downplay the importance of apps. Yes, you read that correctly. Balsillie actually told attendees at a Web 2.0 summit in 2010 that the Internet itself was the most important "app" for mobile devices and contended that the "Web needs a platform that allows you to use your existing Web content, not apps." My feelings on this matter were only solidified when I attended the BlackBerry World conference in May 2011 and watched RIM executives proudly announce that the Playbook tablet would soon get its own version of Angry Birds sometime in the near future. In reality, Angry Birds didn't release for BlackBerry until late December of that year, or two full years after it was originally released for iOS.
[More from BGR: WhatsApp goes free for iPhone for a limited time]
All of which brings me back to RIM's current state: Despite the great looking hardware and user interface pictures we've seen from new BlackBerry 10 smartphones so far, the company still has an app problem. I was reminded of this when I read a post over at CrackBerry titled, "There's still a chance for WhatsApp on BlackBerry 10." The issue here isn't whether RIM eventually does or doesn't get WhatsApp on its platform - the issue is that RIM always seems to be one step behind when it comes to getting the hottest apps of the day on its devices.
[More from BGR: BlackBerry 10 browser smokes iOS 6 and Windows Phone 8 in comparison test [video]]
The most absurd example of this, of course, is Instagram. Yes, it's very likely that BlackBerry 10 will support the popular photo-sharing app right out of the gate given the company's partnership with Instagram owner Facebook (FB). But we still have no official confirmation that Instagram will be a BlackBerry 10 app just over a month before the new platform launches, and this is symbolic of the fact that RIM is always stuck at the back of line when it comes to app developers' priorities.
Simply put, RIM can't possibly hope to compete with Android, iOS or even Windows Phone 8 if its users will always wonder if they'll be able to do all the cool things with their phones that their friends can do. In the unpredictable Wild West of today's app market, where new apps seemingly go viral overnight to become global powerhouses, platform developers need to make sure they have quick and simple ways for app developers to port over their software. And until RIM figures out a way to get this done, it still has no shot in the long term.
This article was originally published by BGR
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[More from BGR: WhatsApp goes free for iPhone for a limited time]
All of which brings me back to RIM's current state: Despite the great looking hardware and user interface pictures we've seen from new BlackBerry 10 smartphones so far, the company still has an app problem. I was reminded of this when I read a post over at CrackBerry titled, "There's still a chance for WhatsApp on BlackBerry 10." The issue here isn't whether RIM eventually does or doesn't get WhatsApp on its platform - the issue is that RIM always seems to be one step behind when it comes to getting the hottest apps of the day on its devices.
[More from BGR: BlackBerry 10 browser smokes iOS 6 and Windows Phone 8 in comparison test [video]]
The most absurd example of this, of course, is Instagram. Yes, it's very likely that BlackBerry 10 will support the popular photo-sharing app right out of the gate given the company's partnership with Instagram owner Facebook (FB). But we still have no official confirmation that Instagram will be a BlackBerry 10 app just over a month before the new platform launches, and this is symbolic of the fact that RIM is always stuck at the back of line when it comes to app developers' priorities.
Simply put, RIM can't possibly hope to compete with Android, iOS or even Windows Phone 8 if its users will always wonder if they'll be able to do all the cool things with their phones that their friends can do. In the unpredictable Wild West of today's app market, where new apps seemingly go viral overnight to become global powerhouses, platform developers need to make sure they have quick and simple ways for app developers to port over their software. And until RIM figures out a way to get this done, it still has no shot in the long term.
This article was originally published by BGR
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Investors shed shares of Blackberry maker
NEW YORK (AP) - Shares of Blackberry maker Research in Motion slumped more than 16 percent Friday with future revenue coming into question and a declining number of subscribers.
RIM's stock jumped initially Thursday when the Canadian company released better-than-expected third-quarter results and a stronger cash position.
Shares reversed course during a conference call later, when executives said that the company won't generate as much revenue from telecommunications carriers once it releases the new BlackBerry 10.
RIM's stock had been on a three-month rally in which the stock more than doubled from levels not previously seen since 2003.
'Despite a solid quarter, the stock is trading down due to the introduction of a lower enterprise service tier and fears that RIM will not receive monthly services revenues for consumer BB10 subscribers,' said Jefferies analyst Peter Misek. He thinks RIM has offered carriers a lower-priced option in exchange for a bigger purchase commitment for the new device. He kept his 'Hold' rating.
Sterne Agee analyst Shaw Wu kept maintained a 'Neutral' rating on the stock, but lowered his earnings estimates, saying he continued to be concerned about RIM's ability to compete with Apple and Google.
Shares of Research in Motion Ltd. fell $2.29 to $11.83 in morning trading.
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RIM's stock jumped initially Thursday when the Canadian company released better-than-expected third-quarter results and a stronger cash position.
Shares reversed course during a conference call later, when executives said that the company won't generate as much revenue from telecommunications carriers once it releases the new BlackBerry 10.
RIM's stock had been on a three-month rally in which the stock more than doubled from levels not previously seen since 2003.
'Despite a solid quarter, the stock is trading down due to the introduction of a lower enterprise service tier and fears that RIM will not receive monthly services revenues for consumer BB10 subscribers,' said Jefferies analyst Peter Misek. He thinks RIM has offered carriers a lower-priced option in exchange for a bigger purchase commitment for the new device. He kept his 'Hold' rating.
Sterne Agee analyst Shaw Wu kept maintained a 'Neutral' rating on the stock, but lowered his earnings estimates, saying he continued to be concerned about RIM's ability to compete with Apple and Google.
Shares of Research in Motion Ltd. fell $2.29 to $11.83 in morning trading.
This news article is brought to you by ANIMALS AND PETS - where latest news are our top priority.
RIM's new services model to pressure margins: analysts
(Reuters) - BlackBerry maker Research In Motion Ltd's plan to revamp its services revenue model will put pressure on its high-margin services business, which accounts for about a third of the struggling company's revenue, analysts said.
RIM's Nasdaq-listed shares were down 11 percent before the bell after stronger-than-expected earnings on Thursday were overshadowed by news that subscriber numbers had dropped for the first time and that the company planned a 'tiered' model that would charge advanced users more for services.
At least two brokerages cut their price targets on RIM's Nasdaq-listed stock.
Some analysts said there was a danger that RIM, which plans to launch its BlackBerry 10 smartphones on January 30, would become just another handset company without a service ecosystem.
RIM will not be able to sustain profitability by relying on its hardware business alone, said National Bank Financial analyst Kris Thompson, who is rated the top analyst by Thomson Reuters StarMine for the accuracy of his RIM earnings estimates.
Thompson downgraded RIM's stock to 'underperform' from 'sector perform' and cut his price target to $10 from $15.
Canaccord Genuity analyst Michael Walkley said there was a very low probability that the market would support RIM's new mobile computing ecosystem, and he remained skeptical about the company's ability to survive on its own.
'... We believe RIM will eventually need to sell the company,' said Walkley, who cut his price target on RIM's stock to $9 from $10.
Baird Equity Research analysts said BlackBerry 10 faced a daunting uphill battle against products from Apple Inc, as well as those using Google Inc's Android operating system and, increasingly, phones using Microsoft Corp's Windows 8 operating system.
Baird maintained its underperform rating on the stock.
Credit Suisse maintained its 'neutral' rating on the stock, but not because it expected BlackBerry 10 to be a big success.
'Only the potential for an outright sale of the company or a break-up keeps us at a neutral,' Credit Suisse analysts said.
Positive early feedback on BlackBerry 10 devices has helped RIM's stock more than double in value over the last three months. RIM shares fell about 9 percent after the bell on Thursday. They closed at $14.12 on the Nasdaq.
(Reporting by Chandni Doulatramani in Bangalore; Editing by Roshni Menon and Ted Kerr)
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RIM's Nasdaq-listed shares were down 11 percent before the bell after stronger-than-expected earnings on Thursday were overshadowed by news that subscriber numbers had dropped for the first time and that the company planned a 'tiered' model that would charge advanced users more for services.
At least two brokerages cut their price targets on RIM's Nasdaq-listed stock.
Some analysts said there was a danger that RIM, which plans to launch its BlackBerry 10 smartphones on January 30, would become just another handset company without a service ecosystem.
RIM will not be able to sustain profitability by relying on its hardware business alone, said National Bank Financial analyst Kris Thompson, who is rated the top analyst by Thomson Reuters StarMine for the accuracy of his RIM earnings estimates.
Thompson downgraded RIM's stock to 'underperform' from 'sector perform' and cut his price target to $10 from $15.
Canaccord Genuity analyst Michael Walkley said there was a very low probability that the market would support RIM's new mobile computing ecosystem, and he remained skeptical about the company's ability to survive on its own.
'... We believe RIM will eventually need to sell the company,' said Walkley, who cut his price target on RIM's stock to $9 from $10.
Baird Equity Research analysts said BlackBerry 10 faced a daunting uphill battle against products from Apple Inc, as well as those using Google Inc's Android operating system and, increasingly, phones using Microsoft Corp's Windows 8 operating system.
Baird maintained its underperform rating on the stock.
Credit Suisse maintained its 'neutral' rating on the stock, but not because it expected BlackBerry 10 to be a big success.
'Only the potential for an outright sale of the company or a break-up keeps us at a neutral,' Credit Suisse analysts said.
Positive early feedback on BlackBerry 10 devices has helped RIM's stock more than double in value over the last three months. RIM shares fell about 9 percent after the bell on Thursday. They closed at $14.12 on the Nasdaq.
(Reporting by Chandni Doulatramani in Bangalore; Editing by Roshni Menon and Ted Kerr)
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Nokia to get payments in patent deal with RIM
HELSINKI (Reuters) - Struggling Finnish mobile phone maker Nokia has settled its patent dispute with BlackBerry maker Research in Motion in return for payments, as it tries to exploit its trove of technology patents to boost its finances.
Terms of the agreement were confidential, but Nokia said on Friday it included a one-time payment to be booked in the fourth quarter, as well as ongoing fees, all to be paid by RIM.
Nokia is one of the industry's top patent holders, having invested 45 billion euros ($60 billion) in mobile research and development over the past two decades.
It has been trying to make use of that legacy to ensure its survival, amid a fall in sales as well as cash. The Finnish firm is battling to recover lost ground in the lucrative smartphone market to the likes of Apple and Samsung.
The agreement with RIM settles all existing patent litigation between the two companies, Nokia said, adding similar disputes with HTC Corp and ViewSonic still stood.
'This agreement demonstrates Nokia's industry leading patent portfolio and enables us to focus on further licensing opportunities in the mobile communications market,' said Paul Melin, Nokia's chief intellectual property officer.
Nokia has earned around 500 million euros a year from patent royalties in key areas of mobile telephony.
Some analysts have said it could earn hundreds of millions more if it can negotiate with more companies successfully.
Analysts estimated its June 2011 settlement with Apple was worth hundreds of millions of euros.
($1 = 0.7555 euros)
(Reporting by Ritsuko Ando; Editing by Hans-Juergen Peters and Mark Potter)
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Terms of the agreement were confidential, but Nokia said on Friday it included a one-time payment to be booked in the fourth quarter, as well as ongoing fees, all to be paid by RIM.
Nokia is one of the industry's top patent holders, having invested 45 billion euros ($60 billion) in mobile research and development over the past two decades.
It has been trying to make use of that legacy to ensure its survival, amid a fall in sales as well as cash. The Finnish firm is battling to recover lost ground in the lucrative smartphone market to the likes of Apple and Samsung.
The agreement with RIM settles all existing patent litigation between the two companies, Nokia said, adding similar disputes with HTC Corp and ViewSonic still stood.
'This agreement demonstrates Nokia's industry leading patent portfolio and enables us to focus on further licensing opportunities in the mobile communications market,' said Paul Melin, Nokia's chief intellectual property officer.
Nokia has earned around 500 million euros a year from patent royalties in key areas of mobile telephony.
Some analysts have said it could earn hundreds of millions more if it can negotiate with more companies successfully.
Analysts estimated its June 2011 settlement with Apple was worth hundreds of millions of euros.
($1 = 0.7555 euros)
(Reporting by Ritsuko Ando; Editing by Hans-Juergen Peters and Mark Potter)
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Thursday, December 20, 2012
RIM loses BlackBerry subscribers for first time
TORONTO (AP) - Research In Motion's stock plunged in after-hours trading Thursday after the BlackBerry maker said it plans to change the way it charges fees.
RIM also announced that it lost subscribers for the first time in the latest quarter, as the global number of BlackBerry users dipped to 79 million.
In a rare positive sign, the Canadian company added to its cash position during the quarter as it prepared to launch new smartphones on Jan. 30. The new devices are deemed critical to the company's survival.
RIM's stock initially jumped more than 8 percent in after-hours trading on that news, but then fell $1.48, or 10.4 percent, to $12.65 after RIM said on a conference call that it won't generate as much revenue from telecommunications carriers once it releases the new BlackBerry 10 platform.
RIM is changing the way it charges service fees, putting an important source of revenue at risk. RIM CEO Thorsten Heins said only subscribers who want enhanced security will pay fees under the new system.
'Other subscribers who do not utilize such services are expected to generate less or no service revenue,' Heins said. 'The mix in level of service fees revenue will change going forward and will be under pressure over the next year during this transition.'
RIM's stock had been on a three-month rally that has seen the stock more than double from its lowest level since 2003.
But Mike Walkley, an analyst with Canaccord Genuity, said BlackBerry 10 will change RIM's services revenue model dramatically. He said that instead of getting about $6 per device each month from carriers and users RIM could get as little as zero.
'That's what turned the stock from being up 10 percent to being down 10 percent,' Walkley said. 'That's been part of our worry. How do they come back with a new platform and get carriers to continue to share the higher revenue -which sounds like they are not going to- and then subsidize the phone to make it affordable for consumers and enterprises.'
'People are seeing that the services revenue has a lot of risk to it now with the BlackBerry 10 migration.'
Three months ago, RIM had 80 million subscribers. Analysts said the loss of 1 million subscribers was expected. Once coveted symbols of an always-connected lifestyle, BlackBerry phones have lost their luster to Apple's iPhone and phones that run on Google's Android software.
RIM is banking its future on its much-delayed BlackBerry 10 platform, which is meant to offer the multimedia, Internet browsing and apps experience that customers now demand.
'We believe the company has stabilized and will turn the corner in the next year,' Heins said. He noted that the company's cash holdings grew by $600 million in the quarter to $2.9 billion, even after the funding of all its restructuring costs. RIM previously announced 5,000 layoffs this year.
Heins said subscribers in North America showed the largest decline, but said there is growth overseas.
Colin Gillis, an analyst with BGC Financial, said before the conference call that the company bought itself more time.
'It doesn't mean (BlackBerry) 10 will gain traction. A lot of people said 10 would be DOA, but I don't think that's going to be the case,' he said.
Jefferies analyst Peter Misek also earlier called the results better than expected, noting that RIM added a significant amount of cash. RIM will need the money to advertise the new BlackBerrys and operating system.
Misek also called it a positive development that RIM said there would not be another delay to BlackBerry 10.
'The success or failure of this company will be on BlackBerry 10,' Misek said.
RIM posted net income of $14 million, or 3 cents per share for its fiscal third quarter, which ended Dec. 1. That compares with a profit of $265 million, or 51 cents per share, in the same quarter a year ago.
The latest figure includes a favorable tax settlement. Excluding that adjustment, RIM lost 22 cents per share. Analysts polled by FactSet were expecting a wider loss of 27 cents.
RIM reported revenue of $2.7 billion, down 47 percent from a year ago.
This news article is brought to you by SPACE AND ASTRONOMY NEWS - where latest news are our top priority.
RIM also announced that it lost subscribers for the first time in the latest quarter, as the global number of BlackBerry users dipped to 79 million.
In a rare positive sign, the Canadian company added to its cash position during the quarter as it prepared to launch new smartphones on Jan. 30. The new devices are deemed critical to the company's survival.
RIM's stock initially jumped more than 8 percent in after-hours trading on that news, but then fell $1.48, or 10.4 percent, to $12.65 after RIM said on a conference call that it won't generate as much revenue from telecommunications carriers once it releases the new BlackBerry 10 platform.
RIM is changing the way it charges service fees, putting an important source of revenue at risk. RIM CEO Thorsten Heins said only subscribers who want enhanced security will pay fees under the new system.
'Other subscribers who do not utilize such services are expected to generate less or no service revenue,' Heins said. 'The mix in level of service fees revenue will change going forward and will be under pressure over the next year during this transition.'
RIM's stock had been on a three-month rally that has seen the stock more than double from its lowest level since 2003.
But Mike Walkley, an analyst with Canaccord Genuity, said BlackBerry 10 will change RIM's services revenue model dramatically. He said that instead of getting about $6 per device each month from carriers and users RIM could get as little as zero.
'That's what turned the stock from being up 10 percent to being down 10 percent,' Walkley said. 'That's been part of our worry. How do they come back with a new platform and get carriers to continue to share the higher revenue -which sounds like they are not going to- and then subsidize the phone to make it affordable for consumers and enterprises.'
'People are seeing that the services revenue has a lot of risk to it now with the BlackBerry 10 migration.'
Three months ago, RIM had 80 million subscribers. Analysts said the loss of 1 million subscribers was expected. Once coveted symbols of an always-connected lifestyle, BlackBerry phones have lost their luster to Apple's iPhone and phones that run on Google's Android software.
RIM is banking its future on its much-delayed BlackBerry 10 platform, which is meant to offer the multimedia, Internet browsing and apps experience that customers now demand.
'We believe the company has stabilized and will turn the corner in the next year,' Heins said. He noted that the company's cash holdings grew by $600 million in the quarter to $2.9 billion, even after the funding of all its restructuring costs. RIM previously announced 5,000 layoffs this year.
Heins said subscribers in North America showed the largest decline, but said there is growth overseas.
Colin Gillis, an analyst with BGC Financial, said before the conference call that the company bought itself more time.
'It doesn't mean (BlackBerry) 10 will gain traction. A lot of people said 10 would be DOA, but I don't think that's going to be the case,' he said.
Jefferies analyst Peter Misek also earlier called the results better than expected, noting that RIM added a significant amount of cash. RIM will need the money to advertise the new BlackBerrys and operating system.
Misek also called it a positive development that RIM said there would not be another delay to BlackBerry 10.
'The success or failure of this company will be on BlackBerry 10,' Misek said.
RIM posted net income of $14 million, or 3 cents per share for its fiscal third quarter, which ended Dec. 1. That compares with a profit of $265 million, or 51 cents per share, in the same quarter a year ago.
The latest figure includes a favorable tax settlement. Excluding that adjustment, RIM lost 22 cents per share. Analysts polled by FactSet were expecting a wider loss of 27 cents.
RIM reported revenue of $2.7 billion, down 47 percent from a year ago.
This news article is brought to you by SPACE AND ASTRONOMY NEWS - where latest news are our top priority.
This subscriber loss may haunt RIM in coming months
RIM's (RIMM) share price popped by 8% soon after it released its earnings, buoyed by positive sales and earnings surprises. The fact that RIM managed to beat expectations on both fronts is a real achievement. The company has been able to manage the 50% annualized decline in device volume a lot more gracefully than most investors expected. The adjusted EPS loss of $0.22 was much smaller than the $0.36 loss Wall Street expected. However, there is a fly in the ointment the size of a hamster - for the first time ever, the base of BlackBerry subscribers has started shrinking globally. Wall Street expected RIM to add 300,000 new subscribers. Instead, the company lost about a million, with the number of total subscribers dipping from 80 million to 79 million in three months.
[More from BGR: RIM's first BlackBerry 10 smartphone to be called the 'Z10']
The key surprise in RIM's summer quarter was the company's ability to expand its subscriber base even as its sales in the United States and the United Kingdom markets tanked. That was one of the factors that underpinned the strong share price rebound during the autumn. And the key surprise in RIM's November quarter is the new trend of subscriber base decline. What has been crucially important for RIM over the past dark year is the rock solid loyalty of its emerging market customers in South Africa, Nigeria, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Brazil. Those markets have enabled RIM to beat subscriber base estimates for four quarters running, even as American and British consumers abandoned the brand.
[More from BGR: RIM beats estimates in Q3, but subscriber base shrinks]
That loyalty may now be wobbling. Nokia (NOK) launched a broad range of very cheap Asha QWERTY models in the beginning of 2012 and has been pushing these models aggressively into Africa and Asia over the past two quarters. Samsung (005930) has moved into bargain basement level with its own Android QWERTY devices dropping to the 5,000 rupee level and below in India. This pincer move may have started to take its toll on RIM.
RIM added 2 million subscribers during the August quarter and then lost 1 million in the November quarter. It's hard to estimate precise rates, because RIM refuses to give out detailed information but this could represent a swing from 9% annualized growth to 4% annualized decline in just three months.
In a couple of months, RIM will launch a new range of Blackberry models with a spanking new OS and appealing revamp of the Blackberry Messenger software. But the first models coming out will be expensive and aimed at business users. The low-end erosion that the autumn subscriber loss indicates may bite deep during the February and May quarters. What RIM really needs badly is a range of appealing new QWERTY devices priced well below $200 in retail. It is not clear when these devices will arrive. Much hinges now on whether RIM has an aggressive low-end strategy in place or whether the company will chase the dream of reconquering its high-end prominence.
Messaging apps like 2go and WhatsApp are growing at breakneck speed in Africa and Asia - they knit together users of various platforms from iOS to Android to S40 to Blackberry. The subscriber contraction of the November quarter indicates that RIM needs to somehow revive the emerging market interest in BBM very soon. The short squeeze that started in October is still driving RIM's share price higher. But over the coming weeks we may well see investors begin to ponder the year 2013 subscriber trajectory.
This article was originally published by BGR
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[More from BGR: RIM's first BlackBerry 10 smartphone to be called the 'Z10']
The key surprise in RIM's summer quarter was the company's ability to expand its subscriber base even as its sales in the United States and the United Kingdom markets tanked. That was one of the factors that underpinned the strong share price rebound during the autumn. And the key surprise in RIM's November quarter is the new trend of subscriber base decline. What has been crucially important for RIM over the past dark year is the rock solid loyalty of its emerging market customers in South Africa, Nigeria, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Brazil. Those markets have enabled RIM to beat subscriber base estimates for four quarters running, even as American and British consumers abandoned the brand.
[More from BGR: RIM beats estimates in Q3, but subscriber base shrinks]
That loyalty may now be wobbling. Nokia (NOK) launched a broad range of very cheap Asha QWERTY models in the beginning of 2012 and has been pushing these models aggressively into Africa and Asia over the past two quarters. Samsung (005930) has moved into bargain basement level with its own Android QWERTY devices dropping to the 5,000 rupee level and below in India. This pincer move may have started to take its toll on RIM.
RIM added 2 million subscribers during the August quarter and then lost 1 million in the November quarter. It's hard to estimate precise rates, because RIM refuses to give out detailed information but this could represent a swing from 9% annualized growth to 4% annualized decline in just three months.
In a couple of months, RIM will launch a new range of Blackberry models with a spanking new OS and appealing revamp of the Blackberry Messenger software. But the first models coming out will be expensive and aimed at business users. The low-end erosion that the autumn subscriber loss indicates may bite deep during the February and May quarters. What RIM really needs badly is a range of appealing new QWERTY devices priced well below $200 in retail. It is not clear when these devices will arrive. Much hinges now on whether RIM has an aggressive low-end strategy in place or whether the company will chase the dream of reconquering its high-end prominence.
Messaging apps like 2go and WhatsApp are growing at breakneck speed in Africa and Asia - they knit together users of various platforms from iOS to Android to S40 to Blackberry. The subscriber contraction of the November quarter indicates that RIM needs to somehow revive the emerging market interest in BBM very soon. The short squeeze that started in October is still driving RIM's share price higher. But over the coming weeks we may well see investors begin to ponder the year 2013 subscriber trajectory.
This article was originally published by BGR
This article is brought to you by AFFORDABLE COMPUTERS.
RIM shares jump after hours following results
NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S.-traded shares Research In Motion rallied in after-hours trading on Thursday after the BlackBerry maker posted a smaller-than-expected quarterly loss excluding one-time items.
The company's Nasdaq-listed shares were last up 8 percent at $15.25, extending a 3.6-percent gain in regular trading hours. They are also on track to close with a fourth straight month of gains.
The stock has more than doubled since the start of September, including a more than 46 percent gain in November, but was still negative for the year at the close on Thursday.
(Reporting by Rodrigo Campos)
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The company's Nasdaq-listed shares were last up 8 percent at $15.25, extending a 3.6-percent gain in regular trading hours. They are also on track to close with a fourth straight month of gains.
The stock has more than doubled since the start of September, including a more than 46 percent gain in November, but was still negative for the year at the close on Thursday.
(Reporting by Rodrigo Campos)
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Finnish vendors had 4 of the top 10 highest-grossing iOS apps in November
AppAnnie just published its November statistics about global app sales and the results indicate that the Finnish surge in the app market continues. Supercell's Clash of Clans and Hay Day were the top two iOS games in revenue generation during the month of November. Rovio grabbed the #7 slot with Angry Birds Star Wars and #10 with Angry Birds Star Wars HD. This is fairly fascinating, because it demonstrates that the $3 iPad version of Angry Birds is generating nearly as much revenue as the $1 iPhone version.
[More from BGR: Acer will beat Google to market with its own $99 tablet]
This is the first month in which Finland spawned the most titles in the global list of the biggest iOS revenue generators. Finnish companies Rovio and Supercell had four titles in the top 10 game chart. American companies Electronic Arts, Kabam and Zynga held three slots. Japan, Israel and the United Kingdom each had one top 10 iOS game in November.
[More from BGR: iPhone 5, iPad mini users report iOS 6.0.2 is a big drain on battery life]
Japan dominates the Google Play top 10 list of biggest money makers - it has seven games in the top 10 list, while South Korea had three. The iOS game market is turning into Finland-America slugfest, while the Android game market is currently a Japan-Korea battle.
As the Google Play market grows in importance, it will be interesting to see whether the iOS and Android game markets begin to converge - or whether they remain as two very different industries.
This article was originally published by BGR
This article is brought to you by AFFORDABLE COMPUTERS.
[More from BGR: Acer will beat Google to market with its own $99 tablet]
This is the first month in which Finland spawned the most titles in the global list of the biggest iOS revenue generators. Finnish companies Rovio and Supercell had four titles in the top 10 game chart. American companies Electronic Arts, Kabam and Zynga held three slots. Japan, Israel and the United Kingdom each had one top 10 iOS game in November.
[More from BGR: iPhone 5, iPad mini users report iOS 6.0.2 is a big drain on battery life]
Japan dominates the Google Play top 10 list of biggest money makers - it has seven games in the top 10 list, while South Korea had three. The iOS game market is turning into Finland-America slugfest, while the Android game market is currently a Japan-Korea battle.
As the Google Play market grows in importance, it will be interesting to see whether the iOS and Android game markets begin to converge - or whether they remain as two very different industries.
This article was originally published by BGR
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iPhone 5, iPad mini users report iOS 6.0.2 is a big drain on battery life
Apple's (AAPL) recent iOS 6.0.2 release had one major purpose: to fix Wi-Fi connection issues. But according to TidBITs and many other iPhone 5 and iPad mini users on Apple's discussion forums, the update is draining battery life quicker than usual. According to TidBIT's Michael Cohen and Adam C. Engst, the issue may be related to the updated devices now working harder to scan for Wi-Fi access points. It's unclear how widespread the battery drain issue is. BGR didn't notice any unusual battery drainage on one of our iPhone 5s running iOS 6.0.2. This also isn't the first time Apple's iOS devices have suffered from battery issues after a software update, and likely won't be the last.
[More from BGR: Nintendo's amazing triumph in Japan may doom the company internationally]
This article was originally published by BGR
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[More from BGR: Nintendo's amazing triumph in Japan may doom the company internationally]
This article was originally published by BGR
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How times have changed: Microsoft now eagerly courting Apple developers for Windows Phone 8
A decade or so ago, Apple (AAPL) was the company that had to work its tail off trying to get developers to port their Windows-based games and applications over to its desktop operating system. But with the rise of mobile computing, it seems that the tables have turned and Microsoft (MSFT) finds itself in the same place with Windows Phone 8 that Apple once did with OS X back in the days when it was still codenamed "Jaguar." Technology Review reports that Microsoft last week invited several iOS app developers over to its Mountain View campus in an effort to persuade them to port their iPhone and iPad apps over to Windows Phone 8 and Windows RT devices.
[More from BGR: RIM, HTC and Nokia could all be headed the way of Palm]
The good news, Technology Review reports, is that developers at the conference seemed quite receptive to Microsoft's courtship. Tim Burks, who founded the iOS app development and consulting company Radtastical and who helped organize the Silicon Valley iOS Developers' Meetup group, told the publication that he was particularly impressed with how Microsoft organized its mobile developer tools, which he said were cleanly designed and intuitive to use.
[More from BGR: BlackBerry 10 browser smokes iOS 6 and Windows Phone 8 in comparison test [video]]
"If you're a professional dancer, would you want to dance on a stage with broken boards and holes on the floor?" he said. "No, you want to dance on a stage that's clean and organized. That's what these guys - especially Apple, and it looks like Microsoft - are like."
This article was originally published by BGR
This news article is brought to you by SEXUAL HEALTH NEWS - where latest news are our top priority.
[More from BGR: RIM, HTC and Nokia could all be headed the way of Palm]
The good news, Technology Review reports, is that developers at the conference seemed quite receptive to Microsoft's courtship. Tim Burks, who founded the iOS app development and consulting company Radtastical and who helped organize the Silicon Valley iOS Developers' Meetup group, told the publication that he was particularly impressed with how Microsoft organized its mobile developer tools, which he said were cleanly designed and intuitive to use.
[More from BGR: BlackBerry 10 browser smokes iOS 6 and Windows Phone 8 in comparison test [video]]
"If you're a professional dancer, would you want to dance on a stage with broken boards and holes on the floor?" he said. "No, you want to dance on a stage that's clean and organized. That's what these guys - especially Apple, and it looks like Microsoft - are like."
This article was originally published by BGR
This news article is brought to you by SEXUAL HEALTH NEWS - where latest news are our top priority.
Patent agency rejects Apple "pinch-to-zoom" patent in initial ruling
(Reuters) - U.S. patent authorities rejected Apple Inc's key 'pinch-to-zoom' patent in an initial ruling, the second setback in less than two months for the iPhone maker in its patent battle with Samsung Electronics Co Ltd.
Apple's shares have taken a beating recently, with investors worried about rising competition from Samsung and other mobile device makers using Google Inc's Android platform.
Apple scored a sweeping legal victory over its South Korean competitor in August when a U.S. jury found Samsung had copied critical features of the hugely popular iPhone and iPad and awarded Apple $1.05 billion in damages.
Samsung and Apple, the world's top two smartphone makers, are locked in patent disputes in at least 10 countries as they vie to dominate the lucrative mobile market and win over customers with their latest gadgets.
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Wednesday temporarily invalidated the 'pinch-to-zoom' patent, which had been contested at the trial in August. The jury had ruled that Samsung had infringed six of seven Apple patents.
The 'pinch-to-zoom' feature distinguishes between single-touch and multitouch gestures on a mobile device screen and allows the user to zoom in or out by moving two fingers apart or closer together while touching the display.
A U.S. judge denied on Monday Apple's request for a permanent injunction against Samsung's smartphones.
Samsung won a preliminary invalidation of Apple's 'rubber-banding' patent in October that had the 'bounce' feature. The patent allows a user with a touch screen to bounce back to the image on the screen if the user goes beyond the edge.
When the U.S. patent office rules against a patent, the full process involves multiple steps and can take years. It can also often be appealed in court, further tying up the process.
The ruling by the U.S. patent office after Samsung requested an examination of the patent was included in documents filed by Samsung in a federal court in San Jose, California.
Apple's claims were rejected on the grounds that prior patents covered the inventions.
Representatives for Apple and Samsung were not immediately available for comment.
A Dutch court ruled in October that Samsung did not infringe on Apple's patent by using certain multi-touch techniques on some of the Samsung Galaxy smartphones and tablet computers.
(Reporting by Balaji Sridharan and Sayantani Ghosh in Bangalore; Editing by Edwina Gibbs and Don Sebastian)
This news article is brought to you by GOING GREEN NEWS - where latest news are our top priority.
Apple's shares have taken a beating recently, with investors worried about rising competition from Samsung and other mobile device makers using Google Inc's Android platform.
Apple scored a sweeping legal victory over its South Korean competitor in August when a U.S. jury found Samsung had copied critical features of the hugely popular iPhone and iPad and awarded Apple $1.05 billion in damages.
Samsung and Apple, the world's top two smartphone makers, are locked in patent disputes in at least 10 countries as they vie to dominate the lucrative mobile market and win over customers with their latest gadgets.
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Wednesday temporarily invalidated the 'pinch-to-zoom' patent, which had been contested at the trial in August. The jury had ruled that Samsung had infringed six of seven Apple patents.
The 'pinch-to-zoom' feature distinguishes between single-touch and multitouch gestures on a mobile device screen and allows the user to zoom in or out by moving two fingers apart or closer together while touching the display.
A U.S. judge denied on Monday Apple's request for a permanent injunction against Samsung's smartphones.
Samsung won a preliminary invalidation of Apple's 'rubber-banding' patent in October that had the 'bounce' feature. The patent allows a user with a touch screen to bounce back to the image on the screen if the user goes beyond the edge.
When the U.S. patent office rules against a patent, the full process involves multiple steps and can take years. It can also often be appealed in court, further tying up the process.
The ruling by the U.S. patent office after Samsung requested an examination of the patent was included in documents filed by Samsung in a federal court in San Jose, California.
Apple's claims were rejected on the grounds that prior patents covered the inventions.
Representatives for Apple and Samsung were not immediately available for comment.
A Dutch court ruled in October that Samsung did not infringe on Apple's patent by using certain multi-touch techniques on some of the Samsung Galaxy smartphones and tablet computers.
(Reporting by Balaji Sridharan and Sayantani Ghosh in Bangalore; Editing by Edwina Gibbs and Don Sebastian)
This news article is brought to you by GOING GREEN NEWS - where latest news are our top priority.
ITC judge sides with Apple, rules Motorola's patent is invalid
The United States International Trade Commission on Tuesday ruled in favor of Apple (AAPL) in its ongoing legal dispute with Motorola. Judge Thomas Pender found that Motorola's patent for a proximity sensor that prevents accidental hang-ups was invalid, Reuters reported. Pender's ruling is the latest blow to the company, however the judge's decision is subject to a review by the full commission.
[More from BGR: BlackBerry 10 browser smokes iOS 6 and Windows Phone 8 in comparison test [video]]
Motorola alleged this past summer that Apple had infringed upon several of its patents concerning location reminders, e-mail notification and video players, and had asked the ITC to implement an import ban in the United States against the iPhone, iPad and various Mac computers. In August, however, the commission found that the Cupertino, California-based company had not violated three of Motorola's patents.
This article was originally published by BGR
[More from BGR: BlackBerry 10 browser smokes iOS 6 and Windows Phone 8 in comparison test [video]]
Motorola alleged this past summer that Apple had infringed upon several of its patents concerning location reminders, e-mail notification and video players, and had asked the ITC to implement an import ban in the United States against the iPhone, iPad and various Mac computers. In August, however, the commission found that the Cupertino, California-based company had not violated three of Motorola's patents.
This article was originally published by BGR
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Apple is dominating the small and medium business market in Q4
Small and medium businesses looking to deploy smartphones and tablets to their workforces are overwhelmingly going with Apple (AAPL) at the moment. AppleInsider points us to some new data from Intermedia, a company that "manages more than 500,000 premium-hosted e-mail accounts with Microsoft Exchange." Overall, Intermedia found that the iPhone accounted for 68.2% of all smartphone activations for small and medium businesses between September and November this year, while Android devices accounted for just over 25% and BlackBerry devices accounted for just over 4%. The disparity between Apple and its competitors in the SMB space is even larger when it comes to tablets: Intermedia found that 92.6% of all tablets activated by small and medium businesses between September and November were iPads, while 5.3% were BlackBerry Playbooks and 2.1% were Microsoft (MSFT) Surfaces.
[More from BGR: BlackBerry 10 browser smokes iOS 6 and Windows Phone 8 in comparison test [video]]
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[More from BGR: BlackBerry 10 browser smokes iOS 6 and Windows Phone 8 in comparison test [video]]
This article was originally published by BGR
This news article is brought to you by ANIMALS AND PETS - where latest news are our top priority.
Review: High-res music player ups the audio ante
ATLANTA (AP) - It's hard to make headlines with a portable music player these days. It's old hat by now to carry around thousands of songs in your hip pocket, whether on an iPod or a smartphone.
But there's been a price for portability. You are listening to your favorite music delivered only after a host of technology has diminished the resolution of the audio, by necessity, so that it can exist in a small digital file and make its way to your ears. It sounds fine, but the makers of a new portable music player are betting there are still some people out there who want even better quality.
Astell & Kern's new portable music player, the AK100, delivers. About half the size of a pack of cigarettes, the AK100 boasts the ability to play music files with more than six times the information on your standard CD, and several times beyond that of a popular but lowly MP3 file. At $699, it's also nearly five times the price of an iPod Nano.
The AK100's magic rests primarily in its Wolfsen 24-bit DAC, or digital-to-analog-convertor, which is a small piece of technology that converts the binary code of a digital music file into an analog signal your ears can hear. It just does it better than anything else in your briefcase or pocket.
MP3 files and a related format called AAC are the most common in digital music players such as the iPod. But converting your CDs to these formats or buying your music through iTunes results in a library of music with moderate sound quality. The sound is good, but music would sound better if it weren't so digitally compressed after it's mastered in the studio. These formats are often described as lossy, because you lose some data in the compression process.
By contrast, the higher-quality, FLAC format used in the AK100 is lossless, meaning no shortcuts are taken for the sake of file size. Files of this type can't be purchased over the counter or ripped from your existing CDs. The high-definition albums have been mastered to perfection and are sold online through retailers such as HDtracks.com.
For perspective, CDs contain only 16-bit resolution after the re-mastering process, and MP3 files are several rungs down the quality ladder. Why is that so-called bit-depth important? Because it helps determine how much actual information is contained in the recording. There is a lot more data to define the sound in a 24-bit mastered audio file than a 16-bit standard CD file.
And given the right speakers or headphones, you'll hear that difference.
The AK100 sounds better than anything I've ever listened to while walking around in public. It was truly that impressive. I tried the AK100 with a variety of stylish headphones in the $100 to $400 range.
When paired with high-quality, reference-grade studio headphones from Shure, John Coltrane never sounded so sweet. It's one thing to listen to jazz in your car or on your phone and hear the magical cadence of a solid quartet. It's quite another to hear the very breaths as a master musician attacks a reed instrument. There is nuance to be appreciated in a finely recorded jazz session, and the AK100 is able to replicate those important relationships between signal and silence.
The same songs played on several other digital devices failed to deliver anywhere near the same audio experience, even when using the same headphones. The AK100 delivers the type of quality typically reserved for custom listening rooms filled with high-end audio components and expensive speakers.
Other genres also benefited from the 24-bit recordings that the AK100 can play. The rich guitar work on Led Zeppelin's 'Ramble On' gave way to Robert Plant's crystal clear vocals. When John Bonham's drums take full stage, it's like thunder rolling in from the distance and finally crashing before you.
Even listening to Simon & Garfunkel perform 'Cecelia' in 24-bit clarity is an eye-opener. A pleasing song with a peppy gallop suddenly became a true force, with the echo and sizzle of percussion instruments building to a fine frenzy that I could, at last, discern in detail.
There were only a couple of hiccups in my experience with the AK100.
Several of the Pat Metheny Group songs took a lot longer to load and play than all the others, which started instantly. I don't know the reason for the delay, but it was frustrating.
Also, the on-screen equalizer is a bit confusing. There are dots to drag, and on-screen dials with frequency numbers to spin. A simpler design to access those adjustments, which are important, might have helped.
The physical design of the device is very polished and professional. It has a black metal finish with a nicely knurled volume knob along the right side. The screen offers touch control for basic playback and music library duties. Three buttons along the left side allow you to play, pause and advance tracks forward and backward without relying on the touch screen.
The high-definition audio world made possible by this product won't be for everyone. Beyond its own hefty price tag, the audiophile-grade album downloads are also more expensive than their iTunes counterparts. For instance, Green Day's '21st Century Breakdown' costs $17.98 for the full 24-bit album download at HDtracks.com. The same album costs $11.99 at iTunes.
In addition, you won't find as robust a selection at online high-definition audio retailers as you would on iTunes. Songs must be specially mastered in the studio to deliver the true 24-bit sound experience. There is a nice range of music from classical to heavy metal, but it remains a fraction of what is available at lower quality from other outlets.
Those highest-quality audio files take up more storage space as well. Your typical MP3 file weighs in at about four megabytes for a four-minute song. The same song in a lossless format for the AK100 takes up about 200 megabytes.
The AK100 comes with 32 gigabytes of storage built in. That's enough room for roughly 160 four-minute songs if each of them is encoded at the highest quality the AK100 can play. By contrast, a 16-gigabyte iPod Nano can hold roughly 4,000 songs in MP3. The AK100's memory can be expanded to 96 gigabytes with additional memory cards, but you'll have to be judicious about it when filling it up with audio of this quality.
The AK100 does play the lesser-quality formats, including MP3, OGG and WAV. If you only fill it up with standard MP3s, it will hold thousands of songs, like most traditional digital music players.
The AK100 player also has built-in Bluetooth technology, allowing it to stream audio wirelessly to connected devices such as Bluetooth-enabled speakers. It worked fine, but the high-definition audio fidelity is better experienced with proper headphones.
With the AK100, you won't be able to view photos or video or make phone calls, as the iPod Touch offers. The AK100 does one thing - play music - and does it really well.
Is the difference worth it? For some, maybe. Others won't care about that difference, can't hear it, or would decide it's not worth the additional cost it even if they can hear it.
But for those who truly appreciate a good recording, and would like to hear something as close to the original as possible, the Astell & Kern player is a refreshing device they'll likely embrace.
___
Follow Ron Harris on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/Journorati
___
About the AK100:
The $699 portable music device from iRiver's Astell & Kern can play high-quality audio files, producing better sound than iPods and other digital music players. It comes with 32 gigabytes of storage, enough for about 160 songs at highest quality. The memory can be expanded to 96 gigabytes.
Supported audio formats are WAV, FLAC, WMA, MP3, OGG and APE.
___
Online:
http://www.astellnkern.com
http://www.iriver.com
This news article is brought to you by CELEBRITY GOSSIP NEWS - where latest news are our top priority.
But there's been a price for portability. You are listening to your favorite music delivered only after a host of technology has diminished the resolution of the audio, by necessity, so that it can exist in a small digital file and make its way to your ears. It sounds fine, but the makers of a new portable music player are betting there are still some people out there who want even better quality.
Astell & Kern's new portable music player, the AK100, delivers. About half the size of a pack of cigarettes, the AK100 boasts the ability to play music files with more than six times the information on your standard CD, and several times beyond that of a popular but lowly MP3 file. At $699, it's also nearly five times the price of an iPod Nano.
The AK100's magic rests primarily in its Wolfsen 24-bit DAC, or digital-to-analog-convertor, which is a small piece of technology that converts the binary code of a digital music file into an analog signal your ears can hear. It just does it better than anything else in your briefcase or pocket.
MP3 files and a related format called AAC are the most common in digital music players such as the iPod. But converting your CDs to these formats or buying your music through iTunes results in a library of music with moderate sound quality. The sound is good, but music would sound better if it weren't so digitally compressed after it's mastered in the studio. These formats are often described as lossy, because you lose some data in the compression process.
By contrast, the higher-quality, FLAC format used in the AK100 is lossless, meaning no shortcuts are taken for the sake of file size. Files of this type can't be purchased over the counter or ripped from your existing CDs. The high-definition albums have been mastered to perfection and are sold online through retailers such as HDtracks.com.
For perspective, CDs contain only 16-bit resolution after the re-mastering process, and MP3 files are several rungs down the quality ladder. Why is that so-called bit-depth important? Because it helps determine how much actual information is contained in the recording. There is a lot more data to define the sound in a 24-bit mastered audio file than a 16-bit standard CD file.
And given the right speakers or headphones, you'll hear that difference.
The AK100 sounds better than anything I've ever listened to while walking around in public. It was truly that impressive. I tried the AK100 with a variety of stylish headphones in the $100 to $400 range.
When paired with high-quality, reference-grade studio headphones from Shure, John Coltrane never sounded so sweet. It's one thing to listen to jazz in your car or on your phone and hear the magical cadence of a solid quartet. It's quite another to hear the very breaths as a master musician attacks a reed instrument. There is nuance to be appreciated in a finely recorded jazz session, and the AK100 is able to replicate those important relationships between signal and silence.
The same songs played on several other digital devices failed to deliver anywhere near the same audio experience, even when using the same headphones. The AK100 delivers the type of quality typically reserved for custom listening rooms filled with high-end audio components and expensive speakers.
Other genres also benefited from the 24-bit recordings that the AK100 can play. The rich guitar work on Led Zeppelin's 'Ramble On' gave way to Robert Plant's crystal clear vocals. When John Bonham's drums take full stage, it's like thunder rolling in from the distance and finally crashing before you.
Even listening to Simon & Garfunkel perform 'Cecelia' in 24-bit clarity is an eye-opener. A pleasing song with a peppy gallop suddenly became a true force, with the echo and sizzle of percussion instruments building to a fine frenzy that I could, at last, discern in detail.
There were only a couple of hiccups in my experience with the AK100.
Several of the Pat Metheny Group songs took a lot longer to load and play than all the others, which started instantly. I don't know the reason for the delay, but it was frustrating.
Also, the on-screen equalizer is a bit confusing. There are dots to drag, and on-screen dials with frequency numbers to spin. A simpler design to access those adjustments, which are important, might have helped.
The physical design of the device is very polished and professional. It has a black metal finish with a nicely knurled volume knob along the right side. The screen offers touch control for basic playback and music library duties. Three buttons along the left side allow you to play, pause and advance tracks forward and backward without relying on the touch screen.
The high-definition audio world made possible by this product won't be for everyone. Beyond its own hefty price tag, the audiophile-grade album downloads are also more expensive than their iTunes counterparts. For instance, Green Day's '21st Century Breakdown' costs $17.98 for the full 24-bit album download at HDtracks.com. The same album costs $11.99 at iTunes.
In addition, you won't find as robust a selection at online high-definition audio retailers as you would on iTunes. Songs must be specially mastered in the studio to deliver the true 24-bit sound experience. There is a nice range of music from classical to heavy metal, but it remains a fraction of what is available at lower quality from other outlets.
Those highest-quality audio files take up more storage space as well. Your typical MP3 file weighs in at about four megabytes for a four-minute song. The same song in a lossless format for the AK100 takes up about 200 megabytes.
The AK100 comes with 32 gigabytes of storage built in. That's enough room for roughly 160 four-minute songs if each of them is encoded at the highest quality the AK100 can play. By contrast, a 16-gigabyte iPod Nano can hold roughly 4,000 songs in MP3. The AK100's memory can be expanded to 96 gigabytes with additional memory cards, but you'll have to be judicious about it when filling it up with audio of this quality.
The AK100 does play the lesser-quality formats, including MP3, OGG and WAV. If you only fill it up with standard MP3s, it will hold thousands of songs, like most traditional digital music players.
The AK100 player also has built-in Bluetooth technology, allowing it to stream audio wirelessly to connected devices such as Bluetooth-enabled speakers. It worked fine, but the high-definition audio fidelity is better experienced with proper headphones.
With the AK100, you won't be able to view photos or video or make phone calls, as the iPod Touch offers. The AK100 does one thing - play music - and does it really well.
Is the difference worth it? For some, maybe. Others won't care about that difference, can't hear it, or would decide it's not worth the additional cost it even if they can hear it.
But for those who truly appreciate a good recording, and would like to hear something as close to the original as possible, the Astell & Kern player is a refreshing device they'll likely embrace.
___
Follow Ron Harris on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/Journorati
___
About the AK100:
The $699 portable music device from iRiver's Astell & Kern can play high-quality audio files, producing better sound than iPods and other digital music players. It comes with 32 gigabytes of storage, enough for about 160 songs at highest quality. The memory can be expanded to 96 gigabytes.
Supported audio formats are WAV, FLAC, WMA, MP3, OGG and APE.
___
Online:
http://www.astellnkern.com
http://www.iriver.com
This news article is brought to you by CELEBRITY GOSSIP NEWS - where latest news are our top priority.
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