Friday 10 August 2012
Samsung Galaxy Prevail leads the way for Samsung in the U.S. from June 2010-2012
During the two year period from June 2010 to June 2012, Samsung's number one seller in the States based on units sold was the Samsung Galaxy Prevail which rang up 2.25 million handsets. That was followed by the 1.89 million units of the Samsung Epic 4G that were purchased, and the 1.67 million units sold of the Sprint version of the Samsung Galaxy S II (Samsung Epic 4G Touch). When talking dollars, it was the Samsung Epic 4G that ruled the roost in those 24 months, lining Samsung's coffers with $855 million. Because many Samsung models were exclusive to one U.S. carrier, like the Epic 4G, the bottom line is that many of them did quite well.
Internal Samsung sales document
Apple's figures revealed that from 2007 through the second quarter of 2012, the Cupertino based firm sold 85 million Apple iPhone units in the States which brought in $50 billion in revenue. During the same period, 46 million Apple iPod touches were sold worth $10.3 billion in revenue. Since the product's launch in 2010, Apple has sold 34 million Apple iPad tablets, adding $19 billion in sales.
Both sides have had to release information that they normally would jealously guard. Apple has turned over internal customer surveys for the Apple iPhone and Apple iPad and has asked the court to keep the information private. So far, Judge Lucy Koh has denied that request and Apple is appealing. Giant tech firms like Ericsson, Intel, RIM, Nokia and Microsoft have asked the court to keep certain information sealed that they provided the court, although Reuters America is trying to get that information publicly revealed.
After two days of recess on Wednesday and Thursday, the trial resumes Friday with more testimony from Apple's expert witnesses.
Alleged iPhone 5 battery leaks, capacity barely changed
However, something does not seem quite right. If rumors are to be trusted, the next iPhone will have LTE connectivity. We all know that LTE smartphones tend to be battery hogs, which is why their makers put bigger batteries in them. But this alleged iPhone 5 battery has a capacity of only 10mAh more when compared to the one inside the iPhone 4S. Moreover, all those leaked iPhone 5 components suggest that the smartphone will be taller, which would theoretically leave more room for a bigger battery pack to be installed.
Of course, Apple could have used its witchcraft to make the LTE radio inside the iPhone 5 less power-hungry than we might think, which could potentially eliminate the need for a bigger battery. Besides, this is just a rumor we are dealing with here, and this battery pack could not be meant for the next iPhone at all. It might be a revised version of the iPhone 4S battery, so the iPhone 5's pack could be bigger after all. We will probably know with certainty sooner than later, since the iPhone 5 announcement is likely scheduled for September.
Friday 3 August 2012
Apple iPad Mini releasing Sept 15. Price US $249
All you need to know about Apple's tiny tablet
The new iPad has been and gone, sporting a chunkier and heavier build than the iPad 2, which left some wondering: what's with all the extra weight?
However, it looks like Apple may be about to aid those conscious of extra grams in their bags, as rumours hot up about a potential iPad Mini (or iPad nano, if you prefer) arriving later this year.
As the Amazon Kindle Fire steals the budget tablet show and with more small, cheap tablets on the horizon, such as the Google Nexus tablet, Apple may well want a bite of the, well, apple.
Back in 2010, former Apple CEO Steve Jobs said that smaller screened tablets were not "sufficient to create great tablet apps" and would be "dead on arrival", so rumours suggesting a new iPad mini is in the works reveals a potentially new direction for the firm in its post-Jobs era. Believe it or not, there's certainly a lot of chat surrounding the iPad Mini, so we've scooped it all up, mushed it all together and expelled it into a handy round up, allowing you to keep track of every twist and turn.
Update: A new report has examined the prospects for an iPad Mini - and how it might contribute to the company's bottom line, particularly with gamers and the educational market.
According to analyst Ben A. Reitzes, the iPad Mini would not be a threat to Apple's current domination with the New iPad, and is likely to be a favourite among gamers as well as educational institutes, particularly with the electronic textbooks introduced earlier this year.
iPad Mini release date
There's not even an official sign from Apple that the iPad Mini/iPad nano is even in the works, so a release date for the tablet is even more up in the air.
Although if the rumours turn out to be true, we can expect Apple to start rolling out the iPad Mini very soon after a extraordinarily over-hyped launch event.
According to a Digitimes source the iPad Mini/nano could start production in the third quarter of 2012.
Analyst Shaw Wu says the "exact timing" for an iPad mini release date "is difficult to predict", but said its launch is a "question of when, not if." Pretty confident then, are we, Shaw?
A report straight out of China suggests that key Apple manufactures Foxconn and Pegatron have started to receive orders for the new iPad mini. It goes on to say the factories will have 6 million units ready for a launch in Q3 of 2012.
When Apple announced its annual WWDC event running from June 11-15, which sold out in just two hours, there was some speculation that we could see the Cupertino firm announce the iPad mini there, but no new iPad broke cover at WWDC.
Update: A iMore source claims that the iPad Mini will be ready by October 2012. Hold on to your hats people!
Update: A Taiwanese source has claimed that the mini iPad will be in the hands of consumers before Christmas, with a third quater launch on the cards.
Update:According to Bloomberg an unnamed source said a tablet with a screen size of "7 to 8 inches diagonally" will arrive before 2012 reaches its close.
Update: The Wall Street Journal reports that sources in Apple's Asian supply chain have revealed the iPad Mini will go into production from September.
Update: The latest rumour in the mill of iPad Mini release dates comes from an unknown source (*sigh*) - which claims we'll see Apple take to the stage on September 12 to show off the next handset, alongside theiPhone 5.
Update: Or... the iPad Mini may be getting its own launch event in November, as stock of the tablet won't be ready for a September release.
iPad Mini price
Apple is known for its extravagant products, launch events and pricing policies, but the iPad Mini may herald a new era for those who long for an Apple device, but simply can't part with an arm and a leg to buy one.
It's thought that Apple's idea behind the iPad nano is to tackle the budget end of the market, where the Amazon Kindle Fire is currently king, and a Digitimes source predicts it could land with a very reasonable sub £200 ($249-$299) price tag.
Update: Could the iPad Mini be a super cheap tablet contender? It can according to one source, who claims it will land with a price tag between $200 and $250 (around £150) - we certainly hope this turns out to be true!
Update: Those famous "various analysts" and "industry sources" havespoken out again, confirming that the iPad Mini should arrive on the market for $249-$299 (around £159-£190).
Update: On 9 July, we covered a report from Japanese blog Macotakara which said that the iPad Mini price would be in the region of $250-$350 (around £160-£230).
Update:The New York Times has spoken to people "with knowledge of the project" - who claim the iPad Mini will be significantly cheaper than the current iPad.
iPad Mini display
As the name suggests, we're looking at an iPad which will be sporting a screen smaller than the stock 9.7-inch display found on the first three Apple tablets.
In February we saw a report from the Wall Street Journal claiming a source from an Apple component supplier had confirmed it was testing a smaller screen for Apple, in the region of 8-inches with a similar resolution to the iPad 2.
At the start of March, Digitimes reported that the new iPad Mini would actually come with a 7.85-inch display – a tad bigger than the 7-inch screen found on the Kindle Fire.
April saw Sterne Agee analyst Shaw Wu reveal that Apple had been testing devices with screens ranging from 4 to 12-inches and highlighted that the 7.85-inch format would be most likely "when, not if" the iPad mini is launched.
Wu also predicted the iPad nano would sport the same resolution as the original iPad and iPad 2, at 1,024 x 768 – meaning developers wouldn't have to tweak their apps.
Update: According to an iMore source, the mini iPad will sport a 7-inch screen with the same retina display as the iPhone 4S and new iPad.
Update: The 7.85-inch screen rumour gets ever stronger as industry sources claim the iPad Mini will sport IGZO display panels, which are capable of delivering a retina-quality display.
Update: According to Bloomberg's sources, the iPad Mini will not arrive packing the Retina Display featured on the new iPad 3.
Update: According to sources "with knowledge of the project", the iPad Miniwill indeed sport a 7.85-inch display.
Other iPad Mini specs
To help keep the cost of the iPad Mini down, one source reckons it will ship with just 8GB of internal storage - the same amount as the Amazon Kindle Fire.
In terms of thickness, Japanese blog Macotakara cites an unknown source, claiming the iPad Mini will be a 7.2mm thick.
Macotakara also wrote that the iPad Mini would come with 3G functionality.
iPad Mini early verdict
Well, we're still unsure whether Apple will go down the iPad Mini route. Steve Jobs made his stance on smaller tablets quite clear and it would be a daring move by the Cupertino-firm to go against its popular former boss.
The budget tablet market is one which is definitely growing, and one which Apple is currently not part of, so it won't be too much of a surprise if the firm does decide to go down this route.
We'd love to see a new iPad Mini come to market, as it would certainly give Amazon and co a run for their money... plus it would be intriguing to see what Apple would do with the smaller format.
Thursday 2 August 2012
iPad Mini release date, news and rumours
The new iPad has been and gone, sporting a chunkier and heavier build than the iPad 2, which left some wondering: what's with all the extra weight?
However, it looks like Apple may be about to aid those conscious of extra grams in their bags, as rumours hot up about a potential iPad Mini (or iPad nano, if you prefer) arriving later this year.
As the Amazon Kindle Fire steals the budget tablet show and with more small, cheap tablets on the horizon, such as the Google Nexus tablet, Apple may well want a bite of the, well, apple.
Monday 30 July 2012
Wednesday 4 July 2012
BlackBerry PlayBook 4G 10.1
Experience the BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablet, the world's first professional-grade tablet. High performance at every turn -- small enough to take anywhere, powerful enough to take you everywhere. This is the one you've been waiting for.
NOKIA's Android 4.1 Tablet HD !!!EXCLUSIVE!!!
Nokia is going to connect with Google Android.
While, about a year ago, it was hard to conceive that anyone could threaten iPad's dominance over the tablet market anytime soon, we are now faced with what could be called the "NOKIA AIR". This video is Rumor now and nokia announced anytime soon.
Tuesday 3 July 2012
Nokia to Launch Android Device in end of 2012
If rumor mills are to be believed, Nokia is all set to join hands with Google's Android OS , to make a new range of devices starting end of 2012, We all know how Nokia has managed to stay aloof from Android and stick to Symbian OS, which eventually led to there sales figures coming down like the elevator in Burf Khalifa! Then we know the story of what went wrong with the MeeGo and MeeMo OS and how Nokia finally turned to Windows Mango to salvage the situation. That hasnt helped much either. So if we keep a count, Nokia has launched devices in almost four OSes till date, so frankly this news doesn't come as a surprise. The device is called the Nokia AIR.
Saturday 30 June 2012
Monday 25 June 2012
Sony Xperia Ion launched in China with Android 4.0 ICS, brings Xperia Acro S and Xperia Go along
Sony has announced the launch of three new Xperia smartphones in China: the Xperia Ion (HSPA version – LT28h), Xperia Acros S, and Xperia Go.
Unlike in the US, where AT&T will start selling the Xperia Ion on June 24, with Android 2.3 Gingerbread on board, the handset is running Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich from day one in China. Of course, AT&T’s Ion will be updated to ICS at some point, but we don’t know exactly when.
(from left to right: Xperia Ion, Xperia Acro S, Xperia Go)
Both the Xperia Acro S and Xperia Go are running Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. They’re water and dust-proof, and should become available in China after the Xperia Ion (sometime in the third quarter of the year).
LG Optimus L3 E405 Dual SIM smartphone announced
LG has announced the Optimus L3 Dual E405, Dual SIM version of the Optimus L3. LG showcased the Optimus L3 and other L-Style series of smartphones at MWC 2012 earlier this February and the Optimus L3 went on sale in India last month. LG announced earlier this week that Optimus L5 would come with Dual SIM capabilities in select markets.
The LG Optimus L3 Dual has SIM switch button similar to the Optimus Net Dual, to switch between the SIM cards quickly. Other features are similar to the single SIM version such as, 3.2-inch (320×240 pixels) display, 800MHz Processor, 3MP camera. It runs on Android 2.3.6 (Gingerbread).
Other features include, 384MB RAM, 1GB internal memory and expandable memory up to 32GB with MicroSD. The connectivity features include, 3G HSDPA 3.6Mbps, Bluetooth 3.0 and Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n. It has 1,500 mAh battery.
The LG Optimus L3 Dual would go on sale in Ukraine in July for about 1500 Ukrainian grivnas (~US$ 185). It would also be available in Russia.
Friday 22 June 2012
Saturday 26 May 2012
Apple Strikes Back at Government E-Book Lawsuit
A few days ago, Apple filed a formal response to the antitrust lawsuit filedby the Department of Justice in April against it and several book publishers.
The gist of the 31-page filing is the same as Apple’s previous comments on the case: the company denies that it conspired with book publishers to raise e-book prices in a bid to give Apple’s new iPad a boost and to thwart the low e-book pricing of Amazon. But Apple put its objections to the case in somewhat sharper terms in the new filing, accusing the government of siding with “monopoly, rather than competition,” a reference to Amazon, the leader in e-book retailing.
“The government starts from the false premise that an e-books ‘market’ was characterized by ‘robust price competition’ prior to Apple’s entry,” Apple said in its filing. “This ignores a simple and incontrovertible fact: before 2010, there was no real competition, there was only Amazon.”
One noteworthy part of Apple’s response is a denial of one of the more juicy accusations in the government’s suit: namely, that in 2009 Apple “contemplated illegally dividing the digital content world with Amazon, allowing each to ‘own the category’ of its choice — audio/video to Apple and e-books to Amazon.” The government did not say in its filing exactly what evidence it had to prove that accusation.
Apple, for its part, said it never acted on or even contemplated any such plan to divide up the digital content market with Amazon.
Throughout its filing, Apple also seeks to undermine one of the government’s more curious claims about Apple’s business motivations. In the lawsuit against Apple and the publishers, the government refers several times to Apple’s “30 percent margins” on e-book sales, describing it as a “highly profitable model.”
In response, Apple clarified that the 30 percent is not a profit margin. That figure represents the portion of an e-book sale that goes to Apple, but it does not take into account the costs involved in running its online book retailing business. “Apple denies that it sought or earned a 30% profit margin, as it incurred substantial costs in running and marketing the iBookstore,” Apple said in the filing.
Apple does not say what its actual profit margin is on iBooks, or any other material that it sells through iTunes. Apple executives have long said that, after expenses for credit card processing, bandwidth and other costs are subtracted, there isn’t a lot of profit from the iTunes Store. Apple makes nearly all of its profits from the sale of devices like the iPad and iPhone.
Mark Zuckerberg Facebook’s Royal Wedding
POWER COUPLE Part of Priscilla Chan’s Facebook page, where she updated her marriage status.
THE wedding of Mark Zuckerberg to Priscilla Chan last weekend here in the backyard of their $7 million home had all the staging of a carefully orchestrated celebrity event. A publicist for Facebook eagerly offered photos afterward of the beaming couple, who met at Harvard and have dated for much of the last nine years. Well-placed anonymous sources leaked to reporters the dinner menu, which included sushi and Mexican food, and the fact that Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong performed.
Even the date, May 19, was significant: it was a mere day after Facebook’s initial public stock offering, the culmination of Mr. Zuckerberg’s life work since founding the social network in his Harvard dorm room in 2004. But the curiosity that lingered was not just about what designer’s dress the bride chose to wear (Claire Pettibone) or how long it would take shareholders to sue Facebook for bungling its IPO (six days). Instead, people wanted to know: who was that princess bride who married Silicon Valley’s crown prince?
Indeed, to anyone who still confuses Mr. Zuckerberg with the portrayal of him in “The Social Network,” particularly the scene where his former girlfriend brushes him off (and the prospects of any future romance for young Mark seem dim), the very fact that he even had a longtime girlfriend must have come as something of a shock.
Ms. Chan, 27, unlike some of her equals in social status here (among them Mr. Zuckerberg’s colorful sister Randi), eschews the Silicon Valley limelight. Recently graduated from the medical school at the University of California, San Francisco, she plans to become a pediatrician. (In that, she seems to be following in the path of other notable Silicon Valley spouses who have their own established careers, like Laurene Powell Jobs, the widow of Steve Jobs and an entrepreneur in her own right, and Anne Wojcicki, the wife of Google’s Sergey Brin and a founder of 23andMe, a genetic testing firm.)
Ms. Chan guards her privacy and, so far, avoids speaking to the media unless it serves Mr. Zuckerberg’s career. Though she has an active Facebook page (where her “interests” include “No on Prop 8” and Fage yogurt), she is rarely tagged in online party shots. She declined to be interviewed for this article.
“Priscilla doesn’t need to be on the cover of a magazine,” said Heidi Roizen, a venture capitalist and longtime Valley resident. “We are in a reality-star ecosystem. But there is a spectrum to this stuff, and some people take a more thoughtful approach.”
One of the few people talking about the wedding, at least publicly, was Ms. Pettibone, thrust into the spotlight by Ms. Chan’s choice of wedding dress.
Ms. Pettibone said she realized Ms. Chan was wearing her design after the designer’s husband pointed it out in a photograph he saw of the new bride. “It’s not our top seller,” Ms. Pettibone said of the $4,700 dress, one of 40 in her bridal collection, in a phone interview. “But it’s respectable.”
All her dresses are made to order so, last week, Ms. Pettibone said she combed through her orders to see where the dress was sold. It was the Little White Dress boutique in Denver, and it was apparently bought by a third party.
Since the wedding, Ms. Pettibone said, traffic to her Web site has skyrocketed. And retailers are demanding samples to show prospective brides. “There is nothing like a celebrity bride to lift your profile,” Ms. Pettibone said.
People who know Ms. Chan and agreed to speak, albeit without using their names for fear of offending her or Mr. Zuckerberg, said she is a quiet yet forceful presence who is protective of her new husband, whom she met in line for the bathroom at a fraternity party in 2003. Of their first encounter, Ms. Chan told The New Yorker in 2010, “He was this nerdy guy who was just a little bit out there,” remembering his novelty beer glasses printed with a computer programming joke.
In Palo Alto, Ms. Chan is close to a handful of friends, including Jessica Vascellaro, a Wall Street Journal reporter, and her fiancé, Sam Lessin, a Facebook product manager; Jessica and Aaron Sittig, senior Facebook employees (Mr. Zuckerberg was best man at their Palm Springs, Calif., wedding); and Brittany Morin, who is married to Dave Morin, an early Facebook employee who left to become a founder of Path, a photo-sharing site.
The couple prefers dinner at home with friends to raucous parties, say people who know them. They dote on their Puli, a herding dog named Beast, which they frequently photograph and have created a page for on Facebook. Ms. Chan likes to cook (so says her Facebook page), and she is known among friends for her lemon ricotta pizza.
Saturday 19 May 2012
Instagram Socialmatic Camera
Try to think to pick the Instagram App icon and try to make a real camera…
This is the main idea at the base of Instagram Socialmatic Project.
I want to pick some points
1) 50.000$ is for project startup and to allow "us" to have a real good partner to finalize the project;
2) Your contribution will be used to guarantee you a massive discount on final price of the Camera and to create the first crowd sourcing based photo camera!
3) Final price of the product need to be under $350;
1) 50.000$ is for project startup and to allow "us" to have a real good partner to finalize the project;
2) Your contribution will be used to guarantee you a massive discount on final price of the Camera and to create the first crowd sourcing based photo camera!
3) Final price of the product need to be under $350;
----
Since Facebook has bought Instagram for nearly a billion dollars in cash and stock, many users, bloggers, economy experts have thought Instagram could build its first real photo camera.
So, that's is!
Socialmatic is the first Instagram photo camera, with a lot of amazing features:
- 16 GB mass storage;
- Wifi and Bluetooth;
- 4:3 touchscreen;
- 2 main lens, first for main capture, second for 3D filters, webcam applications and QR Code capturing;
- Optical zoom;
- Led Flash;
- Internal printer to make your Instagram photos real;
- Paper cartridge with Instagram Paper Sheets;
- Dedicated 4 colors ink tanks;
- InstaOs 1.0, which put together Facebook and Instagram App feature;
- Pairing with iPhone and Android App;
- Wifi and Bluetooth;
- 4:3 touchscreen;
- 2 main lens, first for main capture, second for 3D filters, webcam applications and QR Code capturing;
- Optical zoom;
- Led Flash;
- Internal printer to make your Instagram photos real;
- Paper cartridge with Instagram Paper Sheets;
- Dedicated 4 colors ink tanks;
- InstaOs 1.0, which put together Facebook and Instagram App feature;
- Pairing with iPhone and Android App;
Take your shoot with Instagram Socialmatic, make your photo cool as you want and share it directly on Facebook trough the powerful InstaOs.
If you want, you can print it directly on Instagram Paper Sheets, thanks to the internal printer.
Every Instagram printed photo reports on front side your Instagram nickname and a QR code, to be followed by another Instagrammer, simply pointing his/her Socialmatic on your printed QR Code.
Every Instagram printed photo reports on front side your Instagram nickname and a QR code, to be followed by another Instagrammer, simply pointing his/her Socialmatic on your printed QR Code.
This because Instagram Paper Sheets has a retro side with a glue strip, just like a post-it.
You can share in the real world your photo, printing your emotions and sensations.
You can share in the real world your photo, printing your emotions and sensations.
And if you want, on the bottom of front side of your printed photo, you've a dedicated space to write something, just like to comment a photo on Facebook, but in the real world...Do you remember the old Polaroid photos?
Instagram Socialmatic is only a concept...
But, maybe, it could became real...
But, maybe, it could became real...
Tuesday 15 May 2012
Canon details 4K video-capable EOS 1D C DSLR
The new EOS 1D C is capable of recording Motion JPEG 4K (4096 x 2160 pixel resolution) video at 24 frames per second (fps) with 8-bit 4:2:2 color sampling or 8-bit 4:2:0 Full HD 1920 x 1080 (H.264 format) at frame rates of 24, 25, 30, 50 and 60p. Users can opt to save the 4K or Full HD recordings to the camera's CF memory card or output HD movies to an external recorder via the built-in HDMI terminal using an uncompressed YCbCr 4:2:2 signal.
Videographers choosing the 4K format can expect to capture the action on roughly an APS-H sized portion of the sensor (1.3 crop factor) while those opting for HD can choose between the full 36 mm width of the sensor or a Super 35 crop setting that enables users to match the industry-standard imaging format and angle of view achieved by traditional motion picture cameras.
The EOS 1D C is also said to retain highlight and shadow detail while providing a high level of color grading freedom thanks to the inclusion of Canon's Log Gamma (as seen on the C300). There's a built-in mono microphone or external mic connection via a stereo audio jack for Linear PCM recording quality, and a built-in headphone jack for audio monitoring.
Although optimized for high quality video capture, the EOS 1D C is by no means a slouch in the photography department. It features an 18.1 megapixel full-frame (24 x 36 mm) Canon CMOS sensor and high-performance Canon Dual DIGIC 5+ image processors delivering continuous shooting of up to 12 fps and an ISO sensitivity range that can be notched right up to ISO25600 for low noise low light video capture and up to ISO51200 for photography. Sensitivity can be further expanded from the LO setting of ISO50 to an H2 max of ISO204800.
The DSLR captures stills in RAW or JPEG image format, with simultaneous recording of both formats also possible, benefits from a 61 point AF system and can be powered by an optional AC adapter for long haul sessions or via the same LP-E4N battery pack used with the EOS-1D X. There's a pentaprism viewfinder with 100% frame coverage and 0.76% magnification and users are able to view the camera's 3.2-inch, 1,040,000 dot resolution Clear View II LCD display even while the camera is connected to an external monitor. The new camera is also compatible with over 60 Canon EF and EF Cinema lenses.
The EOS-1D C digital SLR has very portable body-only dimensions of 6.22 x 6.44 x 3.25-inches (158 x 163.6 x 82.7 mm) and will be available later this year for a suggested retail price of US$15,000.
Canon has also announced the development of four new Cinema lenses, two wide-angle cinema zoom lenses - the CN-E15.5-47mm T2.8 L S (EF mount) and the CN-E15.5-47mm T2.8 L SP (PL mount) - and two telephoto cinema zoom lenses- the CN-E30-105mm T2.8 L S (EF) and CN-E30-105mm T2.8 L SP (PL).
When all's said and done, it's not a bad answer to RED's Scarlet X, but will it be enough to draw industry professionals back over to the Canon camp?
Striking a balance: Honda unveils UNI-CUB mobility device
Honda has released details of a new personal mobility device dubbed the UNI-CUB. An evolution of the U3-X unicycle EV that has been shown globally since the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show, the UNI-CUB employs the same impressive balance control technology and omni-directional wheel as its predecessor, with the biggest differences appearing to be the addition of an extra wheel, a comfier perch and optional user control via a mobile phone or tablet.
- Like the U3-X, the UNI-CUB allows the user to move in any direction, control speed and stop by simply shifting their weight, while the second wheel moves laterally to accommodate turning. The device can also climb gradients, has a range of 6 km (3.7 miles) and, while it's not going to keep pace with power-walkers, can reach a top speed of 6 km/h (3.7 mph).The compact form factor and the orientation of the rider also seems to give the UNI-CUB an advantage in the emerging field of "transport appliances." A Segway, for example, tends to clear the decks fairly quickly in a pedestrian space, but the UNI-CUB is designed as an unobtrusive addition to foot traffic that maintains eye-level height and works in harmony with other pedestrians.Honda says it will begin demonstration testing of UNI-CUB with Japan's National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation from June with a view to exploring applications for the device.UNI-CUB key specifications
- Size (L x W x H): 520 x 345 x 745 mm (20.5 x 13.6 x 29.3 inches)
- Seat height: 745 - 825 mm (29.3 - 32.5 inches)
- Battery type: Lithium-ion battery
- Maximum speed: 6 km/h (3.7 mph)
- Range: 6 km (3.7 miles)
Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin quits US
Eduardo Saverin, the billionaire Facebook co-founder, has renounced his US citizenship in a bid to avoid millions of dollars in taxes.
Facebook is set to go public this week and Brazilian-born Saverin is likely to avoid a tax bill of $600million. He has lived in Singapore since 2009.
Although the move will put new pressure on President Obama to extend tax breaks for the wealthy, rather than allow them to expire as is currently planned, Saverin’s actions were widely condemned online. The Huffington Post claimed he owed America “nearly everything”.
Mr Saverin’s name appeared in a list published by on Friday by America’s Internal Revenue Service of people who had renounced their citizenship. A spoeksman for Saverin said that he made the change last September.
Mr Saverin was Facebook’s first chief financial officer but left the company after arguing with colleague Mark Zuckerberg.
The wealthy industrialist Saverin family fled their native Brazil for Miami in 1993 after Eduardo’s name appeared on a list of targets for gangs specialising in kidnap for ransom. Eduardo was granted US citizenship at the age of 18.
Twitter has 10 million UK users
Twitter has 10 million active users in Britain and 80 per cent of them access the service on mobile devices.
Twitter has 140 million users worldwide, with Britain the fourth biggest country for users after the US, Japan and Brazil. Globally, 55 per cent of users access Twitter from a mobile device, compared with 80 per cent in Britain.
The figures were released by Twitter to mark 12 months since the company opened its London office, which now has 30 staff.
Tony Wang, Twitter's UK general manager, said that the company wants to work more closely with politicians and policymakers.
He told the BBC that Twitter plans to hire a public policy manager to work with "the government, various ministries, members of Parliament as well as law enforcement".
Last summer, a series of events made Twitter the focus of attention among police, politicians and the media. More than 75,000 people identified footballer Ryan Giggs as the man involved in a legal case which was covered by a court injunction. Eventually, Mr Giggs was named in Parliament, but not before judges had complained about the threat services like Twitter pose to court cases.
Amazon 'to launch new Kindle in July'
Amazon plans to launch new versions of its Kindle ereader this summer with front lighting, it has been claimed.
Amazon hopes to have the new Kindle ereader on sale in July, Reuters reports, citing a source with "direct knowledge of the matter".
The new Kindle will have a monochrome E Ink display, like existing models, but will add a front light for reading in the dark. Kindle users who want to read in poor light or in the dark currently have to buy an external light.
The new Kindle will have a touchscreen and will come in 3G and WiFi versions, the report says. The addition of a light will reduce the battery life of the Kindle, which currently lasts for up to two months.
Reuters said its source also claims that Amazon will update its Kindle Fire tablet in the autumn, increasing the size of the display to 8.9 inches.
The Kindle Fire, which is not currently available in Britain, launched late last year. Initial sales were high, with reports suggesting close to five million sold in the final quarter of 2011, but demand seems to have dropped off significantly.
Apple Wants iPhone 5 Domain Name, Asks UN Agency to Shut It Down
Will the next generation iPhone be officially known as theiPhone 5? That’s what a recent complaint Apple filed with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) hints at.
WIPO is a United Nations agency that protects intellectual property including instances of alleged cybersquatting. Apple’s claim, first reported by Fusible, concerns the iphone5.com domain.
The iphone5.com domain name was registered in Feb. 2008 through a registrar based in Australia. The site currently hosts smartphone advertisements and iPhone-related message boards.
One thread, started Sunday afternoon, urges iphone5.com visitors to help prevent an Apple takeover. A user called Morphius writes:
Yes, You as the community can play a huge part in all this. we as members here before the 4s was even released at iphone5.com should stand our ground against Apple. We have every right to be a fan of the iPhone and to talk and discuss about it. THEY WIILL NOT SHUT US DOWN!!!!!Call Corporate Of Apple and tell them to stop there persuit!! Blow up there phones, Spam there emails, call there Administration! Do something to get our point across.[sic]
Another thread contains a poll asking whether Apple should take be able to take control of the domain. At time of writing, 23 votes split 60-40 in Apple’s favor.
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