Growing pains for new touch-sensor technology in latest iPhone, iPad

Analyst company NPD DisplaySearch offers a look at Apple's latest touch devices in its recently-released 2012 Touch Panel Market Analysis report. The analysis confirms some previous rumors about manufacturing issues with the new iPhone and iPad screens.The iPhone 5 uses in-cell touch technology, and the iPad mini a DITO (dual ITO) film technology. Both technologies are suffering from ramp-up issues, DisplaySearch confirms.Apple sources the 4"1136-by-640 (326 ppi) in-cell touch LCD from LG Display, Japan Display Inc., and Sharp under a license to use Apple's in-cell touch patents. Under the terms of the agreement, these panel makers are not allowed to sell LCD panels of any size using Apple's in-cell touch patents to other companies. Limited production along with the challenges in producing the new sensors with strict performance requirements have resulted in poor yield rates (70-80 percent or less) in the LCD panel manufacturing. These challenges have also led to a higher price for in-cell touch.
DisplaySearch said that there were production issues with the DITO film and lamination. In addition, aligning the sensors on film is more difficult than with glass, the report says. The iPad mini is the first tablet to use the DITO film touch sensor.These challenges have resulted in low production yield rates, which have been a contributor to the higher entry price of $329 for the iPad mini. Other tablet PCs which are less expensive, use glass sensors or a one-glass solution with optical bonding."In-cell touch and DITO film offer some clear advantages, but at the expense of lower yield rates and higher costs—at least in the early stages of production," added Hsieh. "Apple has concluded that the benefits of thinner, lighter devices will be highly valued by consumers."
Children's book publisher Usborne has a new creative app for any kids who are fond of big dresses and glittery tiaras. Based on the book of the same name, it sees them dragging and dropping cartoon princesses onto scenes including a masked ball, royal carriage and magical forest, before saving, printing or emailing the results.Not, as such, an app. Instead, this is an enhanced e-book being released through Apple's iBooks store, but with features that make it pretty appy. Based on Coldplay's latest world tour, the e-book includes live videos and behind-the-scenes footage, an interactive tour map with "high-resolution audience panoramas" (i.e. try to spot yourself bellowing along to Yellow), lyrics and audio interviews.

HTC One X 4.1 update speeds the phone up

We saw some preliminary performance figures for HTC's One X with the new Android 4.1 update and Sense 4+ and we can confirm that the phone will end up much faster.We were asked not to post the numbers as they were not final results, and once again we can stress that update is right around the corner. HTC is working on a coordinated release of the update for all, and it turns out that most territories at least in Europe should be getting the update more or less at the same time. Basically this means that some countries like Sweden will not get the update weeks before chaps in the UK or elsewhere. However, bear in mind that some carrier issues could wholesale ipad case online.
The Quadrant score jumps by more than 1,000 points and scores get rather close to the 1.7GHz clocked HTC One X+. Overall the phone should work much better, snappier thanks to Jelly Bean and Project Butter.The original plan to get the update in October was planned for last week of October and after the release of the update in Taiwan, the HTC testing team decided to try to fix the issue and release a newer update when ready. This day is yet to come, but we were told it should be soon.The Complete Guide to the iPad Mini goes on-sale today, Friday 23rd November 2012, priced at ￡1.99.
In digital format on both Apple's Newsstand and Zinio, The Complete Guide to the iPad mini is your essential guide to Apple's amazing new tablet.Packed with iOS 6 tutorials on how to get started with an iPad mini, plus how to get the most from features such as iCloud, iTunes Match, iBooks, Newsstand, Videos and Photos.We take the iPad mini apart (literally in one feature) and outline everything you could possibly need, or want, to know about this revolutionary device. China Tablet Keyboard suppliers detail all the components, inside and out, with detailed benchmark tests.You'll get to know everything about the iPad mini, and how to use it to its fullest ability. The Complete Guide to the iPad mini also lists all the best accessories and apps to use with this revolutionary device.With 80 pages of step-by-step tutorials, accessories and app reviews The Complete Guide to the iPad mini is the essential iPad mini manual for beginners and experts alike.The new HTC Droid DNA has only been released to consumers in the United states therefore we have not seen or heard much about in in other parts of the world. However it appears that HTC are set to launch a version of this device in the UK. This device is expected to be called the HTC Deluxe and we are now starting see images posted on sites such as Twitter which give us our first look at this new smartphone.

Consumer Reports tests new tablets

If you're shopping for a tablet, you have a lot of choices.New entries in the tablet wars are the Nook HD and HD Plus, iPad Mini and Surface.Consumer Reports tested them and found although the top ones all have something to offer, there are big differences.For example, the $500 Surface has a superb 10-inch screen plus a handy stand, and you can get a cover with a built-in keyboard. But when it comes to content, Microsoft has a way to go. Windows tablets lack access to the content selection from Apple and the Android Marketplace, and even the Amazon and Barnes & Noble content offerings.Size is another important consideration. The 7.8-inch iPad Mini is Apple's first smaller tablet competing with other small tablets such as the Barnes & Noble Nook HD and Kindle Fire HD from Amazon.
Consumer Reports found  that in many ways the Mini is every bit as good as the bigger iPads. The screen offers crisp text, optimal photo viewing, and good sound. The $330 iPad Mini is also light, making it extra portable.But for $200, the Barnes & Noble Nook HD is well worth considering. Sharp text that fills the 7-inch screen makes reading a pleasure. However, the larger 9-inch Nook HD+ is a better choice if you're a magazine lover. It starts at $270.The iPad still offers the most content, and the screen is a bit bigger than the Nook HD+. But at $500 and up, it costs almost twice as much.If you're thinking about buying an extended warranty for a tablet, Consumer Reports says it may not be worth the money.In a recent survey, only 4 percent of tablet owners needed repairs. If you still want an extended warranty, Consumer Reports says consider less expensive coverage, such as the $28, two-year accidental plan sold at Walmart.
The entry-level model starts at $499 and comes with hefty 32G of memory. You can get a 64G for another 100 bucks. For yet another $119, you can get a keyboard you can snap onto your Surface that also comes with a protective cover. The keyboard is really a must-have to maximize the features of this computer.For another $99 you can get virus protection. For another $99, you can get software support and for $49 more, you can get software training that will "unleash the potential of Office or Windows."It has a front-facing camera, a big, 10.6" display, you can read, type, do all the stuff you want to do.The Surface works with Office, Windows, Xbox, Skyping is easy, and the kickstand is a simple, useful feature. It's a solid, well-made machine - it's also pricey and the add-ons can really add up.The Nexus 7 is made to compete with Kindle Fire and like the iPad mini, is smaller than its beefier and more expensive cousin, the Nexus 10.

Samsung Seeks IPhone Ban as Apple Settlement Resisted

Samsung Electronics Co. (005930), told by a federal jury to pay Apple Inc. (AAPL) more than $1 billion for copying the iPhone and iPad, wants another U.S. body to give it leverage to fight back.The Korean company has asked the U.S. International Trade Commission in Washington to reverse a finding by one of its judges that Apple's devices don't infringe four Samsung patents. The agency, which can block imports of products found to infringe patents, is scheduled to announce today whether it will review that Sept. 14 decision.Samsung needs a victory to counteract a series of Apple wins in U.S. courts, as the world's two largest smartphone makers fight for increased shares of a $219 billion market.
"For Samsung, it's most important to not lose," said Alex Spektor, an analyst with Strategy Analytics in Boston, Massachusetts. "I don't think they need to cripple their competitors as much as they need to make sure every Wholesale Protective Case product they sell into the U.S. continues selling because those products have proven very popular."The ITC's power to block products from the U.S. market gives the commission's ruling more potential economic impact than even the $1 billion jury award Apple won in San Jose, California, in August. Apple's newest iPhone could contribute as much as one-half a percentage point to U.S. economic growth this quarter, according to an analysis by JPMorgan Chase & Co. released just before the smartphone's debut in September."Getting a judgment at the ITC means a lot," said Victor Siber, who was former chief intellectual property counsel for International Business Machines Corp., and is now at Baker Hostetler in New York. "We're not talking about small numbers. It impacts the whole economy, so they should get it as right as they can."
Samsung is the world's largest smartphone maker while Apple dominates in the U.S. In the third quarter, China iPad Case suppliers had a record 28 percent of the U.S. market to Apple's 34 percent, Spektor said.Apple has claimed phones running on Google Inc.'s Android operating system, including Samsung's, copy the look and unique features that have contributed to the iPhone's popularity since it was first sold in 2007.Apple settled with Android-handset maker HTC Corp. (2498) this month, striking a 10-year licensing agreement. Apple said Nov. 15 it is negotiating an agreement with Google's Motorola Mobility unit for binding arbitration of their disputes over how to license patents relating to technical standards all device makers must follow. A HTC-like resolution of the Apple-Samsung fight doesn't appear to be coming anytime soon. Shin Jong Kyun, the head of Samsung's mobile unit, was quoted in Korean media last week as saying the company wasn't going to negotiate with Apple.

LED Cases Call Attention to Your Calls

If having overly loud phone conversations in public places is not getting you enough of the attention you crave, you might consider the OMG iPhone case from Sillybrandz. It has LEDs that illuminate the case when the phone is used.The $30 case itself is made of clear plastic. It snaps on snugly and offers good basic protection against dings. An additional LED module plugs into the 30-pin connector.When the phone is in use, in taking or making a call or even listening to music, the two white center LEDs pulse and two colored LEDs cycle between shades of red, green, blue, purple and orange. The LEDs cast a light behind a translucent graphic on the case for a backlit effect.The LEDs draw power from the phone, so that will accelerate battery drain, the company says, but only by about 5 percent, because LEDs require little energy. You can slow the drain by using a shut-off switch on the module. The case comes with a USB cord that lets you recharge the phone, but not sync it, without removing the LED module.
While the display is pretty neat looking, it is not quite as impressive as it appears in the promotional video. The LEDs are visible as dots through the cover, which detracts from the effect. You can hold a thumb where the lights show through to mask them; then it looks suitably impressive.If you doubt the attention-getting ability of the case, keep in mind that it is the brainchild of Adrienne Maloof, of "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" fame. You know how reality TV stars feel about attention.This restaurant at 286 W. Rand Road in Arlington Heights has been open for a few months, but it's just getting around to holding a grand opening celebration this Wednesday. Overseen by pit master Thanos "Tom" Grigorio, the kitchen prepares baby back ribs, rib tips, turkey tips, pork shoulder, beef brisket, hot links, Texas sausage and chicken — massaging the meat with J.D.'s propriety barbecue dry rub and smoking it for up to 14 hours over hickory and apple wood chips. Three house-made barbecue sauces are available: Memphis style, chipotle and Carolina. About a hundred kinds of beer are available. Owner Peter Veremis has been in the restaurant business for nearly 25 years, most recently at Smokey's BBQ Pit in Calumet City.
I've featured a couple wallet style case combos for the iPhone before, but none of them are what I would consider suitable for women, mainly because they just weren't that "pretty". They were more functional cases than they were stylish and to me, they just felt like cases that I didn't think women would use. With that said, Japanese designer Ayano Limura has launched a new line of premium iPHone 5 accessories made specifically for women. First up is the Luminous Collection which combines the functionality of a wallet with the style of a clutch.

Good Contender or Just Another Android Tablet?

This Toshiba has a very sleek look to it, and it has a sturdy modern design. The back and sides are silver, and the face of the Toshiba Excite 10 is a sleek black border around the 10.1 inch display. The front-facing camera is located in the center of the black border just above the display while the tablet is turned to landscape orientation. The rear-facing camera is located on the back of the tablet along with the Toshiba logo which is located in the opposite corner of the back off the tablet.Other awesome features included on the Excite 10 include the small HDMI, micro-USB, and SD card slots on the right side, with volume control and screen orientation lock on the left side of the tablet. You can turn to the screen to the orientation you prefer and slide the small button to lock for as long as you want the screen to stay in that particular mode. I haven't found this particular feature very useful, but I have talked with people who prefer their screen to remain in either portrait or landscape mode. The microphone is a very small opening on the top of the tablet, and the charging port is located on the bottom. The size of the Speaker buy online and the gage of the charger cord enable faster charging which is always a plus.
I have to say that I am pleased with the display on this Toshiba tablet. With me, bigger is better. I love large TVs, I practically crave those tenths of inches that keep getting added to the screen sizes of our smart phones, and I had to have the vivid 10.1 inch display that the Excite has to offer. I have enjoyed Netflix, YouTube, and even football games via the NFL game rewind app all in stunning HD. With a display resolution of 1280 x 800, this tablet has a smooth clean picture that is impressive. The touch screen seems to function flawlessly also.I have yet to encounter the unpleasant experience of having to select an item or link multiple times, because the tablet didn't register the touch the first few times. On other tablets difficulty selecting small links has caused me to want to regress back to a wireless mouse or something, but the smooth reacting 10-finger multi-touch display on the Excite makes doing anything on this tablet simple and annoyance free. The brightness of the screen can also be adjusted manually, or it can be set to change automatically to adjust to the surrounding light.
I am definitely a fan of Android, so it brings a smile to my face to see a decent tablet running Android in a way that does the operating system justice. The Excite 10 tablet operates using Android 4, Ice Cream Sandwich, which runs like a dream on this tablet. The included system apps work well with the tech included in the tablet, but I have run into trouble playing certain types of video files using the included system apps. The answer of Wholesale Universal Portable Battery is to simply replace particularly disappointing system apps with a preferred app or widget from the many available on android market. Ice Cream Sandwich also works well at conserving battery life and not bogging up the system's memory. Previous versions of Android have had the unfortunate side effect of sucking the battery life of phones and tablets, but I have used this tablet for over two days of random Netflix watching, Face-Booking, Skype calling, and gaming with the screen at close to full brightness without running the battery dead, which is a relief as I don't always remember to charge it like I should.

A WSVN cameraman arrives and questions Shorty about the iPad Mini

A bloated-looking guy wearing a navy-blue-and-gold boat captain's hat and a huge white towel embroidered with the Ritz-Carlton logo arrives. He's eating an enormous ice-cream cone. He looks positively insane.A man with a crewcut announces that everyone must line up inside the cage-like fence if they're to be considered "in line" for the phones. The fence is new, probably a measure to prevent the fights over placement in line that have warranted police intervention during past camp-outs. We obediently herd ourselves into the corral.An Elvis mime slathered in white paint and powder sets up in front of us. Someone drops a dollar at his feet, and he does a perfectly choreographed rendition of "Love Me Tender." A grinning tourist snaps an iPhone pic. Does he see the creepy backdrop of mangy bums sleeping inside a cage on a sidewalk?
Kevin, a hippie who wears handmade eyeglasses with frames made of repurposed bicycle spokes, watches a swarm of Apple employees bustling behind the glass. He's also waited fruitlessly for a few nights in a row. "They gotta have a bunch of phones tomorrow," he says, as if trying to pacify his own fears.A WSVN cameraman arrives and questions Shorty about the iPad Mini. Like most everyone else in line, Shorty plans on buying phones, not the iPad. "I want to be the first to get the iPad Mini," Shorty says, lying. "I'm not going home until I get one." Asked why he wants to make the purchase, he responds, "It's got more apps." Right. But apparently his testimony is good enough for WSVN.Soft-bellied young men in Smurf-blue Apple Store shirts peer through the store window at the growing and motley crowd. They look frightened.Demetrio, a portly Greco-Argentine man who is sprawled out on his back next to me, trashes the folks to whom he plans to sell his phones. "But I'm glad they're stupid, because it benefits me."Randall is snoring with a sickly wheeze. Meanwhile, a drunk Australian marches up to the fence. "You lot are sad!" he pronounces, his right hand gripping a cocktail in a plastic cup. " 'Oh, I just have to be the first to have the iPad Mini.' Do you know how stupid that is?" He doesn't seem to notice he's talking to a group of scruffy bums who clearly aren't in the market for $400 toys.
The first batch of people who plan to buy the iPhone for themselves arrives. They tote lounge chairs, snacks, and soda. The iWait team, though, already has the first 30 spots.All the front-runners are asleep, including Rambo, a copper-haired and sunburned Iraq War vet who wears fatigues and clings to a canteen. He's wrapped up in a camouflage sleeping bag.Shorty sidles over to me, winks, and says a guaranteed buyer will pay $100 for my phone. A pale, pig-nosed, freckled little Brazilian dude eyes us nervously from outside the cage. Shorty says Freckle-Face wants to buy ten phones.

Like the fourth-generation iPad, the iPad mini is available in three capacities

To protect the iPad mini from such scratches, there are plenty of third-party iPad mini cases on the way, but Apple offers a matching iPad mini Smart Cover, in a variety of colors, for $39. Like the original Smart Cover, the mini version attaches to the left-hand edge of the iPad mini using magnets, protecting the screen when you're not using it, folding behind the iPad mini when you are. The Smart Cover also folds into a triangular stand for video- or photo-viewing or for onscreen typing, and magnets in the cover work with the iPad mini's magnetic sleep/wake feature. Unlike the original Smart Cover, the iPad mini version uses a plastic-and-fabric hinge. We'll be covering the China keyboard separately, but my initial impression is that this hinge is more comfortable against your hand than the metal version, and it won't scratch your iPad as easily.
Like the fourth-generation iPad, the iPad mini is available in three capacities, each in black or white. Each color/capacity combination is available with or without LTE-data connectivity, and each LTE-equipped model is available in three models in the United States: AT&T, Sprint, or Verizon. (Yes, that means that, as with the fourth-generation iPad, there are 24 U.S. variations of the iPad mini.) The Wi-Fi models are $329, $429, and $529 for 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB, respectively; adding LTE cellular data bumps each price by $130 to $459, $559, and $659, respectively.We haven't tested the LTE-equipped versions, which are supposed to ship later this month, but they'll have the same features as the full-size iPad with LTE: no-contract LTE data, tethering (depending on the carrier), GPS circuitry, and turn-by-turn navigation.
 Of the many  China China Mobile suppliers swirling around prior to the iPad mini's announcement, the most common pegged the mini as being simply a smaller version of the iPad 2. But the mini is actually somewhere between the iPad 2 and the current full-size iPad. The mini uses the same dual-core A5 processor, at the same clock speed, as the iPad 2; includes the same 512MB of RAM; and sports a display with the same resolution, 1024 by 768 pixels. But the mini has the same 1.2-megapixel FaceTime HD (720p-capable) front camera and 5-megapixel (1080p-capable) back camera as the fourth-generation iPad. (Note that Apple says the A6x processor in the fourth-generation iPad includes image-signal-processing features that allow that model to provide better image stabilization and spacial noise reduction for photos and video than the iPad mini. We'll publish imaging-test results later this week.) The mini also matches the newest full-size iPad when it comes to wireless capabilities, offering Bluetooth 4.0, improved 5GHz 802.11n Wi-Fi performance thanks to channel bonding, and optional LTE wireless data. The iPad mini uses the same LTE chip found in the fourth-generation iPad, so it's compatible with more carriers compared to the third-generation iPad. Of course, the iPad mini also uses Apple's new Lightning connector instead of the older 30-pin connector.

Protect Your New iPad mini With One Of These Sleeves

Though the iPad mini has yet to be released into the wild, there are already a wide range of cases that you can pick up from several major manufacturers.Even Etsy sellers have gotten the jump on the iPad mini and there are quite a few impressive mini sleeves and cases available on the site.For example, take a look at this iSockit iPad mini sleeve ($65) from Blytheking, which was made from a vintage pinstriped gray wool fabric. It's sleek, sexy, and all business. It fits an iPad mini with a Smart Cover and it's even got an extra pocket for your odds and ends.If you're into minimalism, check out this felt sleeve ($36) from Etsy seller Bolsa. It comes in a modest gray color, but you can spice it up by choosing your preferred pocket accent and elastic colors. Not only does it hold your mini, it's also got two additional pockets for headphones and your iPhone.
Finally, for those of you into girly colors and Portlandia, check out this iPad mini Fairy Tip Toes case ($28.99) from Bertiescloset. It's got a neutral background with a pink polka dotted pocket so it can hold some extras, and the best part? It has a bird on it!Since its 2010 debut, no tablet has come close to unseating the mighty iPad.Unlike Apple, which makes separate operating systems for mobile devices and Macs, Microsoft thinks users want a full, "no compromises" PC experience on their tablets.
The many contenders can all be tossed in two piles: "Me too" devices or cheaper/smaller tablets. Neither has dealt Apple a serious blow, and the iPad Mini -- unveiled on Tuesday -- is likely to solidify Apple's dominance.But Windows 8 offers a compelling third way to take on the iPad: by putting a full PC experience on a tablet.Most tablets currently on the market are complementary devices. They have bare-bones operating systems that make on-the-go media consumption and Web browsing a cinch. For most users, they haven't yet replaced the need for a PC.
Few people create documents, spreadsheets or presentations on their iPads, and even fewer run any serious business applications on them. Today's tablets don't multitask well, and IT departments that want to dig deep into the operating system to customize settings aren't going to have much luck. You still need a PC to do that.The solution Windows 8 offers is inspired -- and controversial. The new operating system, which goes on sale Friday, has two modes: the "Start screen," filled with large app tiles, full-screen apps and hidden menu functions; and the more traditional "Desktop mode," with smaller app icons, taskbars and menu ribbons. Both modes work with touch or a mouse.