Surface issues? Splitting Touch Covers and audio glitches reported

While at this stage the problems aren't being reported in any great number, Microsoft are bound to be concerned about reports of a number of issues regarding its new Surface tablet its accompanying Touch Cover keyboard.

With any new gadget or device you buy, you expect that over time it’ll begin showing up marks and nicks. But when things start to look a bit shoddy after just a couple of weeks – usually a time when you’re still carrying it around like you would a newborn baby – then of course it’s cause for concern, as much as for the manufacturer as for the owner.

So no doubt Microsoft will be studying with interest a number of comments that have started to appear on a Surface forum in recent days regarding its Touch Cover accessory, the new ultra-thin keyboard/cover which can be used with the company’s recently launched Surface tablet.

Accounts of the edge of the cover “peeling” and “ruffling up” along the magnetic edge where the Touch Cover connects with the tablet have been reported in the forum, while a piece in The Verge claims that a split in the same place exposes a wire.

Currently, there are only a few Touch Cover owners in the forum remarking on the issue, but if it turns out the keyboard/cover has a design fault, it could become more of a problem for the Redmond-based computer giant in the coming weeks.

Commenting on the issue in a statement issued on Friday, a company spokesperson said, “Microsoft makes every effort to ensure our customers receive a high quality product. We are in active contact with our customer support operations and are aware of a small number of instances of material separation.”

Meanwhile, The Next Web has reported a number of Surface owners experiencing “random mute events” where the audio switches off for no apparent reason. According to PocketNow, the culprit may be the Touch/Type Cover keyboards, which are “misreporting a press of their ‘mute’ keys.”

While this is certainly no ‘Antennagate‘ moment for Microsoft (for a start, the problem is with an accessory and not the main device), the company will doubtless be examining these early reports carefully in an effort to ascertain what action, if any, needs to be taken to eradicate future instances of these problems occurring.

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

The power of three: BorgWarner builds world’s first three-stage turbo system for diesels

BorgWarner has developed a high-performance three-stage turbo system for BMW's diesel M cars. The system has given the engine a big gain in both power and fuel economy.

Turbocharging technology has come a long way in recent years, doing much to improve the power output of smaller engines and generally helping to keep fleet fuel economy numbers up. But now BorWarner has introduced a new turbocharging system which represents a major leap forward for the world of turbocharging. Making its first appearance in the BMW M550d xDrive Sedan and Touring, the X5 M50d Touring and the X6 M50d is a 3.0-liter inline-six using the world’s first three-stage turbo system for diesels.

The system uses two smaller high-pressure BV45 variable turbine geometry turbochargers and one large B2 low-pressure water-cooled turbocharger. The idea is for each turbocharger to spool up at a different engine speed, and therefore more effectively keep a high volume of air flowing into the engine at all times. Compressed air allows for a better burn from the fuel, effectively getting more power out of the same amount of fuel.

The problem which many early turbo systems suffered from was that a single turbo can provide compressed air across only so much of the power band. This meant that engines would either bog down at higher revs or (more usually) suffer from “turbo lag” when revs were low and the turbo wasn’t yet up to speed. Much of this has been improved in recent years as twin turbos operating in sequence made for a more progressive application of boost, as opposed to the on/off nature of older single-turbo systems. A three-stage system is an evolution of this same idea, all three turbos keeping air flowing at whatever the engine speed.

BorgWarner says the system provides almost 25 percent more power and eight percent better fuel economy when compared to the older two-stage system used in cars like the BMW 740d (125.5 horsepower per liter of displacement versus 100.5 horsepower per liter of displacement for the old system). The engine produces 381 horsepower and 546lb-ft of torque, more than enough to do justice to the M badges on the cars. Diesels haven’t been very popular with road-going performance cars in years past, but as companies like Audi and Peugeot continue to look to diesel for their motorsports applications, the idea of a diesel in a high-end performance machine makes more sense. Where this technology will go next isn’t specifically known yet, but if the benefits are as good as BorgWarner claim, we’re sure to see a lot more of it.

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Microsoft officially releases Windows 8 and Windows RT

Today Microsoft stepped on stage and released its Windows 8 and Windows RT to the tech world in what was largely conceived as the biggest Windows release ever. Availability starts today and active Windows 7 customers can upgrade starting from $39.99.

Microsoft talked OS features, integration along a wide variety of devices, the services that are launching alongside the OS and demoed all of them.

Windows 8 is released with a couple of services in tow. Those are Xbox Music, Videos, Games and also Skype. All Windows 8 users will get unlimited streaming of music via Xbox Music free of charge.

Microsoft’s speakers (CEO Steve Ballmer included) were keen tp repeating that the Windows 8 PCs are the “Best PCs Ever”. There are around 670 million PCs currently, which are compatible with Windows 8 and Ballmer expects around 400 million to come out with Windows 8 out of box.

The Windows 8/RT store was also a big part of the event. Currently there are around 7000 apps available, which isn’t as good as Apple’s numbers but Steven Sinofsky pointed out that the Windows Store has the most number of apps for an app store on its launch day.

A big part of the Windows 8/RT release was the emphasis on touch – the fact it can support a mouse and hardware keyboard but that it was ultimately designed to work as a touch-only OS. pre-Win8 ultrabooks as well as post-Win8 tablets and notebooks were used to demonstrate that.

Source : blog[dot]gsmarena[dot]com

Watch yesterday’s Apple keynote right here

The new iPhone announcement is certainly an exciting industry events. As usual, Apple didn’t allow any live video streaming, so if you want to appreciate the whole demo on stage in its original glamor, please, join in.

I’ve certainly seen better quality clips from past year keynotes, but perhaps it’s just my connection to blame. See for yourselves.

Source : blog[dot]gsmarena[dot]com

Android activations surpass 500 million, growth rate keeps increasing

Exactly one week ago, Google’s Eric Schmidt stepped on stage during Motorola’s On Display event and announced that Android activations had surpassed 480 million. He also confirmed that there were 1.3 million daily activations of new Android devices.

Yesterday, the director of product management for Android, Hugo Barra, confirmed that the platform has shot past the 500 million mark. This means that about 20 million new Android devices have been purchased over the past six days alone, or about 3.3 million per day.

Of course, this tripling of daily activations is highly unlikely and we’d guess Eric Schmidt’s data wasn’t current at the time of his announcement, but the growth rate is certainly increasing. And that’s even before all the new launches that are expected to happen over the next couple of months (Motorola’s lineup, the Note II, HTC’s new flagship etc.).

The Android platform is obviously in as good a shape as ever, but we have yet to see how it will fare once smartphones running the upcoming WP8 and iOS 6 arrive to the market.

Source : blog[dot]gsmarena[dot]com

Confirmed: Built-in screenshot capabilities coming with Windows Phone 8

Today, Microsoft’s Corporate VP for Windows Phone, Joe Belfiore, stepped on stage to demo some never before released features of the upcoming Windows Phone 8 in honor of the unveiling of the new generation of Nokia Lumia phones. One of the first features he was to quick to show, was the new built-in screenshot feature in the new iteration of the mobile OS.

Now built-in screenshots are really not a make-or-break feature for any mobile OS, but we guess the presentation stated with that as an ice-breaker. To make a screenshot, you press the power and home keys simultaneously. It’s the same shortcut as on the Apple’s iPhone, but I hope Apple won’t go on and sue Nokia and Microsoft about this now.

Source : blog[dot]gsmarena[dot]com

Life’s Good at LG: How it could make a smartphone comeback

HTC is in a slump, Samsung has just been dealt a blow by Apple, the stage is set for a new smartphone player. Could it be LG?

The news that LG is launching a new line of Android smartphones wasn’t a huge surprise, but the specifics definitely were. The new LG Optimus G looks like the most powerful Android smartphone on the horizon right now. The South Korean company also announced the Optimus L9, which looks like a nice update to the L-Series. That follows the reported success of the “phablet” (it’s a 5-inch phone and tablet crossover), the LG Optimus Vu in Korea, which is due to launch in the U.S. soon.

The exciting news extends beyond the hardware. Features like live zooming on video, the ability to stream content to your TV and simultaneously have something different on your phone’s screen, a voice activated camera, and an easy note system called QMemo all look promising. On the back of those announcements, LG Electronics stock rose 4.5 percent. Could LG step out from the shadow of its compatriot Samsung and grab a larger share of the smartphone market?

Changing focus

In the second quarter of 2012 mobile handset shipment charts, LG ranked number five with a 3.6 percent share. Shipments actually declined and the company posted a loss, which it attributed to the collapsing feature phone market and increased marketing expenses.

Going forward, LG’s focus appears to be on high-end 4G LTE smartphones. That means going up against Samsung, HTC, and Motorola on the Android platform, and there will be stiff competition from Apple’s new iPhone and possibly Nokia’s Windows Phone 8 line-up. Can LG compete in this space?

Big plans

There is no doubt that LG Chairman, Koo Bon-moo, is determined to push the company to greater heights. According to the Korea Times, he ordered the divisions of the LG group to “actively create synergy together to develop new products that will lead the market in the future.”

The first fruit of their labor was the new LG Optimus G, but that’s only the beginning. Spending on research and development has been increased, more mergers are being pursued, and the company is planning to focus greater effort on green innovations.

A pooling of knowledge by the various LG divisions – LG Electronics, LG Chem, LG Display, and LG Innotek – has real potential to produce quality devices. As Park Jong-seok, head of LG Electronics’ mobile division, optimistically suggested, “(The launch of the Optimus G) will give a certain momentum to our smartphone business and be an opportune turning point for LG to secure leadership in the world market.”

Digging deeper

This all sounds great, but can LG keep up with Samsung and Apple? In terms of research and development, estimates vary and the waters are muddied by the fact that most big tech companies are working on a range of products, not just mobile. Samsung is spending billions of dollars annually while Apple actually doesn’t spend that much. However, LG is certainly devoting enough resources to its mobile division to make a real difference. This Fierce Wireless article suggests a major refocus and investment on its smartphone business.

Does it need an image change?

LG is a well-known brand. This comScore report reveals that LG devices accounted for 19.4 percent of US mobile subscribers in February 2012 and that fell to a still impressive 19.1 percent by May 2012. The trouble is that the bulk of those devices were feature phones or smartphones in the budget or mid-range category and so LG may need to do some work to get people to see them in a new, premium light.

The fact that LG has always ranked well in consumer satisfaction surveys (generally above Samsung) bodes well for them. There’s also the fact that LG Display manufactures touchscreens for Apple’s iPhone and iPad range.

Is quality enough?

Benchmark tests of the new Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro processors at AnandTech rank the chip that LG is using in its Optimus G way ahead of its Android rivals. In theory it should outperform current market leaders like the Samsung Galaxy S3. How many people are swayed by specs though? As we know from HTC’s decline, it’s not enough to have a top class product, you also need some marketing muscle and that’s where Samsung and Apple are ahead of the game.

Much will depend on the early reviews, the carriers, and the all-important pricing. There’s certainly room for LG to make a splash and capitalize on Samsung’s war with Apple and HTC’s rough patch.

Staying out of the patent war

LG signed a licensing deal with Microsoft back at the start of the year which covered its use of the Android platform and also the Chrome OS. While Apple has sued a number of Android manufacturers it seems to have steered clear of LG so far.

When it comes to patents, LG apparently has a decent portfolio, and it doesn’t shy away from litigation. There has been a patent battle with Sony in the past, but no fight with Apple. In fact, Woo-Young Kwak, head of LG Mobile’s Handset R&D Center, famously said at a press conference back in 2007, “We consider that Apple copied the Prada phone after the design was unveiled when it was presented in the iF Design Award and won the prize in September 2006.”

There was talk of LG suing Apple at the time, but it never happened. Evidence presented by Samsung at the trial included photos of the LG Prada. The LG Prada was definitely no iPhone, but it does make you wonder. In any case staying out of the current patent war could be good for LG.

Shooting for third

A hands-on with the Optimus G will help decide if the company’s prospects are truly rosy. Taking on Samsung and Apple at the premium end of the smartphone market may be beyond it, but there’s no reason LG can’t shoot for third. What do you think? Do you fancy LG’s chances?

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Apple in talks with cable providers about new live-tv, set-top box

Currently in the negotiation stage, Apple representatives are chatting up cable providers about an improved set-top box.

Mentioned on the Wall Street Journal earlier today, Apple is currently having discussions with the major providers in the cable industry in regards to streaming live television to an Apple set-top box similar to the Apple TV. While Apple hasn’t made any official deals with any cable provider yet, company officials have discussed plans for live television streaming with representatives of Time Warner. However, the Apple device may be something completely different from the current Apple TV. It could be similar to a typical cable set-top box, but would be manufactured by Apple or at least be powered by Apple’s software. The device could be sold by Apple directly to replace a cable customer’s regular set-top box or simply rented from a cable provider.

Hypothetically, Apple could significantly broaden the amount of people using a device like the Apple TV if distributed through at least one cable company. This would allow a much larger number of Apple consumers to take advantage of Airplay in order to stream content off the Web as well as use popular apps like Angry Birds within the home theater.

However, it’s unlikely that cable companies would be interested in allowing customers to access iTunes through the device and cut into the profits of premium video-on-demand from rentals of movies and television shows. It’s likely that Apple would have to agree to some form of revenue sharing for all purchases made through iTunes on a new, live TV compatible device.

This report could also be related to recent Apple patents approved by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office this week. According to Wired, Apple was granted a patent for a DVR-menu function that’s designed to record and store live television for future viewing. However, the current Apple TV does not contain a hard drive and wouldn’t be able to store recorded content. If the current Apple TV hardware is updated with DVR functions, consumers would have to add an external hard drive or Apple would have to provide cloud storage for recorded content.

However, the menu functions outlined in the patent documentation could easily be found in a new Apple set-top box that’s compatible with at least one major cable provider. In addition, these functions could also be found within the menu of an Apple-branded television set; a long-rumored device that could be released during 2013 according to the Wall Street Journal.

While Apple has sold approximately four million Apple TV set-top boxes during 2012 according to CEO Tim Cook, the number of units sold pales in comparison to the number of iPhones or iPads sold to consumers this year. Apple has had a difficult time attracting consumers due to stiff competition from Roku and the lineup of less expensive Roku 2 set-top boxes. Apple is also competing with Microsoft and Sony as both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 work with the major streaming video applications and both companies sell high definition movies and television shows. In addition, Apple has been slow to add all the popular streaming video services to the Apple TV device. For instance, Apple didn’t add Hulu Plus as another option for streaming content until the end of July 2012.

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com