Samsung Q3 report: Operating profits reach $7.4 billion

Samsung has released their quarterly earning figures and once again has come up with some impressive numbers. Their total revenue last quarter was 52.18 trillion won ($47.5 billion), a 26 percent increase over last year, and the operating profits were 8.12 trillion won ($7.4 billion), a 91 percent increase over last year.

Samsung's mobile communication department has seen some strong growth, contributing to 26.25 trillion won ($23.9 billion) to the overall revenue of the company. The display department also did well this time, with revenue of 8.46 trillion won ($7.7 billion) and operating profits of 1.09 trillion won ($1 billion), a 19 percent increase over last year.

Source

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_q3_report_operating_profits_reach_74_billion-news-5000.php

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As Surface hits stores in China, Ballmer talks it up while Apple boss calls it ‘compromised, confusing’

Microsoft's new Surface tablet launches on Friday. Ballmer's been singing its praises in various interviews, while Apple boss Tim Cook has been doing what he can to dampen any excitement.

Thanks to the earth’s rotation and the sun’s rays and the time zones and the International Date Line and the general way in which the universe has organized itself, it’s consumers in China who will be among the first to get their hands on Microsoft’s new Surface tablet.

The brand new device, which marks Microsoft’s entry into an already crowded market, launches Friday, along with the Redmond-based company’s new Windows 8 operating system.

Ballmer

In an interview with the BBC this week, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer described the new product launches as an “epic” moment for the company. “It’s right up there in the top two or three big moments, including Windows 95 and the launch of the IBM PC, and it really starts us on this new era of computing,” Ballmer said.

Asked about the Surface, Ballmer gave a perfectly worded answer that sounded like a voiceover for an ad, describing it as “the one device you need for work and for play, that you can just take with you; you can really do what you need to do for school or for your job, you can really enjoy movies, books, entertainment, reading, games, all in one thin, light package – there’ll be nothing like the Surface with Windows 8.”

China

Consumers in China will be among the first to discover if Ballmer’s words are baseless baloney or bang on the money, with many in the country about to tear the packaging off the new tablet in the next few hours.

IDG News reported “hundreds of buyers” lined up outside one particular Beijing electronics store overnight,

One guy waiting in line, Chen Shi, reiterated Ballmer’s comment that the device is for work as well as play. “The tablet supports more software features for office work, things that you would actually use,” he told IDG. “Basically, Microsoft is reinventing the tablet, because now people are used to using their tablets as toys, and only use them to play games. These tablets lack features to do work for the office.”

Cook

Of course, Microsoft is late to the game when it comes to tablets, with Apple’s iPad dominating the market since launch day in 2010, and other big-hitters such as Amazon and Google already in the business. Apple CEO Tim Cook wasted little time in throwing in a few choice comments about Microsoft’s new arrival, telling analysts during an earnings call Thursday that though he hadn’t yet had a chance to use it, he was getting the impression from reviews that Microsoft’s new tablet “is a fairly compromised, confusing product.” But he would say that, wouldn’t he.

It’s the opinions of ordinary consumers that really matter, and these will soon begin filling forums across the Web. Only then will we have a better idea if the Surface is going to sink or swim. Or simply be used as a skateboard.

Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/as-surface-hits-stores-in-china-apple-ceo-calls-it-compromised-confusing/

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Teardown shows new 13-inch MacBook Pro marginally more repairable

This teardown may give you a tear down your face (credit: iFixit)

The first teardown of the 13-inch MacBook Pro Retina display indicates that the new, super-slim computer from Apple is slightly more repairable than its 15-inch counterpart.

That's definitely a step in the right direction. In its 15-inch MacBook Pro Retina display review, TechRadar said that the computer was "arguably the least upgradeable or repairable notebook around."

In keeping with that, the 15-inch version scored a repairability rating out 1 out of 10 (10 being the easiest to repair) from iFixit four months ago.

The same teardown team gave the 13-inch Retina a 2 out of 10, which is still a long way from making any computer marked "Retina" user-repairable.

Why the 13-inch is easier to repair

Pulling apart the just-released computer and taking photos in the process, iFixit illustrated why the 13-inch Retina model deserved an extra repairability point.

"[Removal of the battery] took us roughly 15 minutes to complete, without the use of a heat gun," iFixit explained, making it sound easy. "All we needed was a Torx screwdriver and three spudgers."

"In contrast, it took us three attempts to successfully remove the 15-inch Retina's battery without puncturing it, and the third attempt took over half an hour to perform."

Replacement of the trackpad was also less intense.

"We are so excited to see the trackpad come out. Just five screws keep the trackpad in place. You can actually replace it if it breaks, which is pretty much impossible on the 15" model - it's covered by the battery."

In no way easy

Of course, iFixit still discovered five major problems in its teardown process.

The battery, while replaceable in 15 minutes, is still glued into the laptop's top case. This makes replacing a bum battery much more difficult compared to past no-adhesive MacBook Pros.

Fans also require more work. They can't be removed without going through the heatsink, so breaking out some thermal paste is a must, said iFixit.

Repairers who want to go beyond the "Do Not Remove" sticker will also need to deal with the proprietary pentalobe screws, which return from the 15-inch Retina model.

From not easy to impossible

Impossible to upgrade is the RAM, which is soldered to the logic board. As iFixit put it: "It will forever have 8GB of RAM."

Finally, and most depressing of all if you don't have AppleCare, it's impossible to separate the display from the glass since they're fused together.

"The display assembly is almost impossible to take apart," noted iFixit. "If anything ever fails inside the display, you'll need to replace the display as a whole."

This is unlike the iPhone 5 display assembly, which iFixit recently found to be more repairable than the previous two iPhone models.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/teardown-shows-new-13-inch-macbook-pro-marginally-more-repairable-1107492

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Apple Q3 report: iPhone sales down, but profit still strong

Apple has just posted its report for the third quarter of the year and things are looking healthy for the Cupertino-based company. The revenue was $36 billion and the net profit stood at $8.2 billion, both of those comparing very favorably to the numbers from the same period of last year ($28.3 billion and $6.6 billion).

Somewhat surprisingly Apple didn’t manage to better its achievement from the second quarter of this year, when the company made $8.8 billion in profit from just $35 billion revenue, despite the launch of the iPhone 5. The supply shortages are probably a part of the explanation as Apple is still struggling to cope with the demand for its new smartphone.

The iPhone sales were somewhat disappointing at 26.9 million units, compared to 35.1 million in Q2. The iPad shipments stood at 14 million units, compared to 17 million in the previous quarter, while Mac sales grew from 4 million to 4.9 million. Despite the refresh of the lineup, the iPod sales slid to 5.3 million units from 6.8 million in Q2.

The lowered profits, despite the higher revenue can also be explained with the fact that the iPhone accounted for a smaller percentage of the Apple revenue this quarter (the smartphone is the Apple product with the highest profit margin).

The financial markets didn’t respond very well to the posted results and the Apple Inc. shares slid to 1.43% in after hours trading (they were 1% up before the results were posted) and are close to falling below $600 after reaching . Still, the drop is pretty minor and a strong holiday quarter, fuelled by the launch of the iPad mini, the 4th generation iPad and the extended availability of the iPhone 5 will probably bring the company back to the right track.

You can find the complete Apple report by following the source link below.

Source

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/apple_q3_report_iphone_sales_down_but_profit_still_strong-news-4999.php

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Get your read-it-later on with Pocket’s new Mac app

Pocket for Mac is officially released, and makes viewing multimedia easier, faster, and more refined for those saving on the go.

From commuting to appointment waiting to leisure, people are always looking for different ways to kill time by reading, viewing, and saving things from the Web. Read-it-later apps like Instapaper and Readability have dominated the market, but Pocket — formerly Read It later — continues to push ahead and win over users with its simplicity. If you’re one for saving articles on top of multimedia, Pocket may be your best bet at a beautiful way to save webpages for later viewing, complete with a tagging system to help organize your links. Now that the app’s come to the Mac platform, you can sync your iOS or Android accounts so saved pages can be viewed on-the-go, or saved on your mobile device to be read back on your desktop.

Pocket for Mac is as intuitive an app as you can imagine when it comes to saving pages. To get started, simply copy the link of the webpage you’re trying to store, and click File > Save Item from Clipboard, or shortcut Command+S. Your list of saved pages displays on a vertical screen to the left of the Pocket window, with the content on the right when you select.

Neat additions to the Mac version of Pocket is definitely the one-key shortcut, such as A for Archive and F to Favorite. You can also tag each page so they’re easier to search the more you accumulate saved links. Videos also translate nicely onto Pocket, especially if you already have Flash installed on your Mac. The app allows you to view the video straight out of its interface, otherwise requesting that you download necessary plug-ins to play multimedia. I personally haven’t run into file type errors, as most publications will post videos from YouTube or Vimeo anyway, and those seem to work just fine.

If you want to share a link after already viewing the content, the Item > Share button also does a good job of sending the item out to Twitter, Facebook, Evernote, and Buffer. It’s even got a tweet attribution when you send it from Pocket, which is a small but useful touch.

Overall, Pocket does a good job recognizing pictures in an article, article link, headline, byline, and publication. One function I wish was available is the ability to rename files, such as a photo I saved from a blog that didn’t have a get an assigned name, according to Pocket. Between constantly traveling and attempting to save things to read later, Pocket makes a nice alternative for those who enjoy minimal design with multimedia capability, and the willingness to learn some cool shortcuts and make saving for later quick and painless. Pocket for Mac is available now for free via the App Store.

Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/pocket-for-mac-takes-save-for-later-functionality-from-desktop-to-mobile-and-vice-versa/

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Samsung Galaxy S3 to get Note II's multi-window feature?

Multi-window soon for Galaxy Note II?

Having just launched an Android Jelly Bean update, Samsung is reportedly preparing another software boost for the Galaxy S3 handset.

According to SamMobile, the company plans to extend the reach of the multi-window functionality recently included in the Galaxy Note II.

Multi-window is really a neat feature as it allows for true mobile multi-tasking; not just the ability to switch seamlessly between apps, but to use two apps at the same time.

For example, users can browse the internet using Chrome and send an email using Gmail while both apps are displayed in a split screen.

Welcome addition

The multi-view feature would be a welcome addition for Galaxy S3 owners, given the abundance of screen real estate offered by the 4.8-inch Super AMOLED HD device.

SamMobile claims that the update will arrive by the end of the year and also bring with it some minor stability improvements.

Will Google's special event on Oct. 29 see the announcement of some new Jelly Bean features that could also hitch a ride with this rumoured S3 update?

Check in with TechRadar Monday to find out.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/samsung-galaxy-s3-to-get-note-iis-multi-window-feature-1107393

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Behold! The Microsoft Surface skateboard

During its Surface press conference today, Microsoft showed off the most capable tablet ever made. The new Surface is actually a skateboard.

Today, Microsoft unveiled one of the most expensive skateboards ever made. After demonstrating the durability of the Surface tablet by dropping it on stage (onto carpeted floor, might we add), Microsoft’s Panos Panay showed us another way he and Windows 8 chief Steven Sinofsky have been testing the durability of the new magnesium-encased tablet. The team pasted skateboard trucks onto a regular Surface and converted it into a skateboard. A skateboard! Though they didn’t do any kickflips or ollies on stage, we did see a picture of Sinofsky sporting a massive helmet standing on the homemade sports equipment. For some reason, it didn’t seem too crazy that tablets can become laptops, and since laptops have learned Yoga, why can’t a Surface become a deck?

No, you can’t buy a Surface skateboard, but we wish you could. It could be one hell of an optional accessory. Maybe the trucks could attach with industrial grade magnets like the TouchCover. And you don’t have to worry about falling after a tough grind either. The Surface can hit the ground in 72 different ways without breaking, or so we learned today. Actually, after three hours of Microsoft press conferences, this might have been the only thing we actually learned. But… skateboard! That’s hip, right?

Somebody should call Tony Hawk. He may have found the next great way to make a skateboarding game.

(GIF credit: @strngways)

Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/behold-the-microsoft-surface-skateboard/

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