Windows to Get New Chips

Microsoft Corp., feeling the heat from Apple Inc.'s iPad and other devices, demonstrated the next version of its Windows operating system and showed how it is being adapted to run on new forms of mobile gadgets.

The demonstration at the Consumer Electronics Show here amounted to an early signal from the Redmond, Wash., company that it is doing more to make its flagship Windows operating system better suited to new devices like tablets.
Microsoft executives showed Windows running on processors designed by ARM Holdings PLC, a company whose chip designs are common in everything from mobile phones to the iPad to television set-top boxes.
Microsoft gave the demonstration hours before its chief executive officer, Steve Ballmer, was scheduled to kick off CES with a keynote speech focusing on the company's progress in consumer markets with products including its Kinect hands-free game controller.
ARM chips, manufactured by companies including Nvidia Corp., Qualcomm Inc. and Texas Instruments Inc., consume less power than traditional PC microprocessors, and they're essential for battery-powered devices including tablets. Microsoft also said the next version of Windows will run on new miniature chip designs from traditional PC chip makers Intel Corp. and Advanced Micro Devices Inc.
Bob O'Donnell, an analyst at the research firm IDC, said Microsoft is in danger of falling too far behind competitors and "is trying to stem this concern that they're not relevant in the tablet computer market."
By some analysts' estimates, Apple sold as many as 14 million iPads last year. New tablets running Google Inc.'s Android software, such as Samsung's Galaxy Tab, are also starting to hit the market in sizable numbers, including a wave of new devices being shown at this week's CES. Some analysts predict that world-wide sales of tablets could jump to as many as 50 million units in 2011.
Microsoft is also being pressured to respond more aggressively to tablets because of early signs from retailers and PC companies that tablets are eating into traditional PC sales, especially low-end laptop computers known as netbooks.

But Microsoft's CES demonstration left many questions about the company's strategy unanswered. Steven Sinofsky, president of Microsoft's Windows division, made it clear that the software running on ARM processors didn't include the user interface people will see on the next version of Windows.
Analysts said Microsoft needs to do much more to make the Windows interface better suited to touch-screen devices such as tablets. The current version of the operating system, Windows 7, remains too dependent on traditional PC accessories including keyboards and mice to work well on tablets, analysts said.
Microsoft also didn't show the new ARM-version of Windows running on finished hardware during its demonstration. It said applications that run on current versions of Windows, based on the traditional x86 PC chip design, won't run on the ARM-based versions of Windows.
Mr. Sinofsky declined to say when the new version of Windows will be available. He reiterated that there is a two- to three-year development cycle on which the company has said it plans to release new operating-system installments. The current version of the software, Windows 7, came out in October 2009, which suggests a new version could be released late this year or next year.
"I don't think it's that long away," Mr. Sinofsky said of the next version of Windows.
At CES, Microsoft also showed a new version of Surface, a large touch-screen device intended to provide Internet access and other services in hotel lobbies, banks and other public places. The original version of Surface was the size of a big coffee table, while the new version is only four-inches thick thanks to new miniature components.

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Chips Makers Target Everything But Kitchen Sink

Chip makers, already competing to get their products into computers and cellphones, are preparing for a wider battle as more devices connect to the Internet.
The stakes were underscored Wednesday by chip giant Qualcomm Inc., which confirmed it will spend $3.1 billion to buy Atheros Communications Inc., a fast-growing Silicon Valley company that specializing in making chips used in wireless devices.
Qualcomm's move comes as many companies at the giant Consumer Electronics Show here discussed plans to add processing power, networking and wireless Internet connections to devices including TVs, DVD players, TV set-top boxes and other consumer gadgets.
A key goal, said Qualcomm Chief Executive Paul Jacobs, is to allow many home devices to be controlled by smartphones or other mobile devices, which can act as a kind of universal remote control for many gadgets consumer use.
"All sorts of stuff is going to get connected," Mr. Jacobs said in an interview Wednesday. "It's probably the theme of the next five to 10 years in the industry."
Qualcomm's purchase of Atheros, its largest acquisition ever, fills major holes in its communication chip offerings. The San Diego-based company is now mainly known for chips that power cellphones and licensing such technology to handset makers.
Atheros, based in San Jose, Calif., is one of the most successful makers of chips that add Wi-Fi connections to laptop PCs and other products.
But it has added other communications technologies over the years, including the short-range technology called Bluetooth and another that sends data over power lines. Atheros also has a strong position in tablet computers, a market Qualcomm has been moving into.
Other chip makers discussing plans in the field at CES include Intel Corp., Broadcom Corp. and Mips Technologies Inc., Marvell Technology Group Ltd. and ARM Holdings PLC.
Intel's main attraction was a new line of PC chips. But CEO Paul Otellini also stressed that the company is adapting chips for cars, TVs, and other consumer electronics devices.
This past summer, for instance, Intel agreed to pay about $1.4 billion to buy a portion of chip-maker Infineon Technologies AG to gain technology for wireless devices.
Mr. Otellini said the addition of computing power and Internet connections to these new devices is "changing them and changing the world."
Broadcom, which already makes communications chips for set-top boxes and other products, is using CES to talk about developments such as wireless technology that can pass data between smartphones, TVs, camcorders and 3-D headsets.
The company on Wednesday promoted 11 new sets of chips for set-top boxes—including features to offer cable TV operators greater protection against video piracy—and said South Korea's LG Electronics has selected its chips for use in digital TVs and Blu-ray players that connect to the Internet and send TV signals around the home wirelessly.
Marvell, a Silicon Valley chip maker that uses ARM's technology, discussed plans to help accelerate a move of those chips from their stronghold in mobile devices into products for the home.
In one event Wednesday, Marvell and Verizon Wireless said they would collaborate on an effort called Control Point, which uses a device about the size of a power plug as a central connection point to let a smartphone user manage devices in the home such as security systems, lights, heating and air conditioning.
Mips, a Silicon Valley company that also licenses processor technology that is widely used in settop boxes, said it is stepping up plans to enter ARM's turf in smartphones and tablet-style computers.
Nvidia, meanwhile, moved toward larger devices.
The company, which specializes in chips that render images in videogames and other graphics-heavy tasks, said it would make a new class of microprocessors—which serve as the brains of computers—to power products ranging from PCs to servers and massive machines called supercomputers.
Like an existing processor known as Tegra, which is aimed at smartphones and tablet-style PCs, the new development effort is based on microprocessor designs licensed by ARM.
Nvidia executives said the initiative will help extend the technology into high-end systems where it is not widely used now.

Disclaimer: All information on this news has been compiled from their respective official websites or through public domain sites and leading newspapers. Although, we have taken reasonable efforts to provide you with accurate information, but we assumes no responsibility for the accuracy (or inaccuracy) of the Information and would advise you to verify it from the official product provider. We cannot guarantee that the information on this page is 100% correct. If you would like to advertise on our site please contact us

Motorola Unveils Its First Tablet

Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc. didn't wait long to make a splash as an independent company, unveiling its first tablet and several smartphones as it jumps on the 4G bandwagon.

The tablet, called Xoom, runs on the latest version of Google Inc.'s Android software. Chief Executive Sanjay Jha also unveiled a phone called the Droid Bionic, which will run on Verizon Wireless's fourth-generation network, and talked up the Atrix 4G, which will run on AT&T Inc.'s newly redubbed 4G network.

These devices will serve as a barometer for how Motorola Mobility will compete as a smaller, standalone company. Wednesday marked its second day as a public entity, as the company now faces off against other behemoths in the smartphone and tablet business, including Apple Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co., which last year became the top manufacturer of Android phones.

While Mr. Jha acknowledged that size does matter for a technology company, he believes the more important factor for success is the ability to continue innovating, he said in an interview.

Still, Mr. Jha said Motorola plans to sell fewer smartphone models than the 23 it released in 2010, and that he would focus on products with a broader appeal.

The Xoom will run on Google's "Honeycomb" version of Android. It will sell through Verizon Wireless as a 3G device in the first quarter, but Mr. Jha said the company plans to introduce a 4G version later on. Customers eventually will be able to take the 3G tablet back to Verizon Wireless stores to get it upgraded to a 4G connection.

Mr. Jha said the company hopes to sell the Droid Bionic, the latest device in Verizon Wireless's line of high-end Android smartphones, in the second quarter. It is the first of several devices Verizon Wireless is unveiling Thursday when it talks up its own 4G service. The other is the previously unveiled Atrix 4G, which Mr. Jha showed off during an AT&T event earlier Wednesday.

Both phones feature large screens and a dual-core Tegra processor from Nvidia Corp., promising higher speeds.

While much of the hype has been around the Xoom, Mr. Jha said that in the long run he believes the smartphone will still play a bigger role in the lives of consumers. "The most compelling device fits in your pocket," he said.

Over the next few years, he sees the ratio of product launches to be roughly four to five smartphones for every tablet released.

Disclaimer: All information on this news has been compiled from their respective official websites or through public domain sites and leading newspapers. Although, we have taken reasonable efforts to provide you with accurate information, but we assumes no responsibility for the accuracy (or inaccuracy) of the Information and would advise you to verify it from the official product provider. We cannot guarantee that the information on this page is 100% correct. If you would like to advertise on our site please contact us

Qualcomm moves into tablet business with Atheros

Qualcomm Inc plans to dominate the supply of wireless chips for tablet devices such as Apple's iPad with its $3.2 billion planned purchase of Atheros Communications Inc.

The San Diego based company is already a major supplier of microchips that handle data and voice communication in phones. But until now, Qualcomm has made less progress on its own in developing chips that incorporate advanced networking functions in tablet devices such as the iPad.

With Atheros, it is buying a key producer of chips used in WiFi, Bluetooth and Ethernet networking, along with GPS systems.

The companies sell complementary products: Qualcomm is best known for supplying chips to the telecommunications industry for running mobile phone systems and modems. Atheros sells WiFi chips and other communications chips to makers of consumer electronics such as video games, tablets, televisions, printers and other devices.

"They are buying them to expand their business," said Philip Solis, research director for ABI Research.

Qualcomm is betting the deal will beef up its position in the market for new types of mobile devices, which is expected to explode in 2011 with tablet computer offerings to compete with Apple Inc's iPad. It will also grow as manufacturers of devices such as video games include chips to connect them to the same networks as mobile phones.

BIDDING WAR? Atheros shareholders will get $45 a share, a 22 percent premium to the stock's closing price on Monday, before talk of a takeover began to circulate. Analysts said the size of the premium leaves room for another bidder to emerge.

Intel Corp and Marvell Technology Group Ltd are potential suitors, said Roth Capital analyst Arnab Chanda.

"If you look at the purchase price, it is clear there were not multiple bidders," Chanda said.

Atheros shares traded below Qualcomm's offer at $44.53, suggesting investors were not holding out hope for a better offer.

Atheros is the No. 2 maker of WiFi chipsets, claiming 21 percent of that market last year, according to data from ABI Research. It was behind Broadcom, which commanded 26 percent of the market, which ABI estimates was worth some $2.6 billion.

Acquiring Atheros will help Qualcomm cement relationships with new customers.

Atheros' two biggest customers are Hon Hai Precision Industry Co Ltd , which builds Mac computers and iPhones for Apple Inc , and Nintendo Co Ltd , according to its most recent annual report. Others include Dell Inc , Hewlett-Packard Co and Microsoft Corp.

Qualcomm, by comparison, lists its two biggest customers as mobile phone giants LG Electronics Inc and Samsung Electronics Co Ltd.

Daniel Amir , an analyst with Lazard Capital Markets , pointed to three positives in the deal for Qualcomm: It could become a "big combo chip player in the handset or tablet" market; it gets access to Atheros' strong customer lineup; it quickly gets a shot to expand into new markets, including home networking.

Still, Amir said in a research note: "We recommend taking money off the table. With the shares trading at close to the $45 potential bid, the stock price has surpassed our fair value price target.

"We believe the risk-reward is balanced at these levels -- this is not a judgment on the quality of the bid. We are aware that there is potential for a bidding war if others make an offer and we may even see an offer of (around) $50."

In afternoon trading on Wednesday, Atheros shares were up 46 cents to $44.46 and Qualcomm shares rose $1.07 to $52.04.

Based on 71.6 million outstanding Atheros shares as of Oct. 20, the acquisition is worth $3.2 billion.

Qualcomm said the "enterprise value" of the transaction, or its market capitalization and debt minus cash, is $3.1 billion.

Craig Barratt , Atheros' chief executive, will become president of Qualcomm Networking and Connectivity following the acquisition.

Qualcomm expects the deal to close in the first half of this year and to add "modestly" to earnings per share in its 2012 fiscal year, excluding one-time items.

Disclaimer: All information on this news has been compiled from their respective official websites or through public domain sites and leading newspapers. Although, we have taken reasonable efforts to provide you with accurate information, but we assumes no responsibility for the accuracy (or inaccuracy) of the Information and would advise you to verify it from the official product provider. We cannot guarantee that the information on this page is 100% correct. If you would like to advertise on our site please contact us

Police use hi-tech to stalk criminals

Security agencies are taking crime-fighting to the next level helped by sophisticated information technology solutions like predictive analytics. These solutions are helping crime-fighters predict, track and thus help reduce criminal activities. A month ago, Bangalore headquartered Oriental Software deployed their “intelligent” software solutions in a major city which has seen growing incidences of terror-linked activity. Police departments in other states are likely to follow suit integrating IT solutions to efficiently check criminal activity.

The firm’s predictive analytics solution, called Nostradamus, is capable of aiding enforcement agencies in crime investigation, detection and revealing crime patters and trends. Even as it is being evaluated by security agencies in India and abroad, Oriental Software recently demonstrated the capabilities of their “intelligent” solution to the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD). The software has also been deployed the National Security Service in Armenia.

“Information technology is a powerful tool for law enforcement officials. The need of the hour is an advanced enterprise platform that provide crime-fighters with intelligent information, dug out and analysed from billions of historical records, call data records, and other transaction records from various disparate databases or sources,” said Amarnath G Bhat , managing director, Oriental Software.

The use of the solution was evident in a recent incident where following the controversy over the statue of historical personality; a political party had called for a citywide strike. On the day of the strike, the police was able to tap the mobile phones of the party leaders, get information on the nature of protests being planned and restrict the same. While the police refused to answer questions from the media about how they had zeroed in on the party officials and chose to tap their numbers, sources say this was possible because of the analytic software which tipped off the police.

“We are on the lookout for new solutions to prevent crime. Mobile phones and internet communication can be easily tracked these days. As the dynamics of crime keep changing, we need to upgrade technology too,” said MK Srivastava, additional director-general of police (modernisation). “The Bangalore city police tried the solution a couple of months back and have approved it. It is taking a while for us gather the pre-requisite data,” said another official who is involved in the implementation of the solution.

Disclaimer: All information on this news has been compiled from their respective official websites or through public domain sites and leading newspapers. Although, we have taken reasonable efforts to provide you with accurate information, but we assumes no responsibility for the accuracy (or inaccuracy) of the Information and would advise you to verify it from the official product provider. We cannot guarantee that the information on this page is 100% correct. If you would like to advertise on our site please contact us