minis

iPad Mini to drive lower-cost tablets, says analyst

The second-generation iPad Mini will force tablet vendors to continue to drop their prices, says J.P. Morgan analyst Mark Moskowitz.

In an investors note out today, Moskowitz raised his 2013 tablet sales forecasts based on a boost from the Mini and other low-cost tablets.

The analyst now expects tablet unit sales to grow by 65 percent this year, up from a prior estimate of 53.5 percent. Overall tablets revenues are likely to rise by 33.2 percent, compared with the previous projection of 32.5 percent.

Apple will be the major beneficiary of those higher tablet sales. In … Read more

iPhone 5, iPad demand may be softening, says analyst

Are the iPhone and iPad losing some of their steam? At least one analyst thinks so.

Citi analyst Glen Yeung believes that end-user demand for the iPhone 5 and the iPad are declining. In an investors note out today, the analyst pointed to a reduction in component orders from Apple suppliers as the cause for his bearish assessment.

"In conducting our regular field work with the hardware supply chain, we again find evidence of reduced demand to Apple's suppliers for iPhone 5 related components," Yeung said in his note. "While production does not directly translate to … Read more

iPhone 5S rumored to launch in August, new iPads in April

The iPhone and iPad rumor mill continues to heat up.

Apple is reportedly prepping the iPhone 5S for a summer release, mostly likely in August, "sources familiar with the plans" told blog site iMore. The next iPhone would sport the same design as its predecessor but with a beefier processor and better camera.

People awaiting a new iPad could get some satisfaction as early as next month, according to the sources.

An "April-ish" launch for the next-generation iPads, most likely the iPad 5 and the iPad Mini 2, is seriously being considered by Apple. From that … Read more

Apple's Safari challenged by rival mobile browsers

Apple's Safari is still by far the dominant mobile browser, though its competition is eating away at some of its popularity.

Safari grabbed 55.4 percent of all mobile-browser traffic captured by Web tracker Net Applications in February. That proved a hefty drop from January's 61 percent share and last July's 66 percent share.

At the same time, the stock Android browser, which is found on older Android devices, chewed up 22.8 percent of the mobile browser traffic last month. Though its numbers were higher last October and November, the Android browser has sliced off an … Read more

iPad Mini to bury 9.7-inch iPad in 2013, says DisplaySearch

The venerable 9.7-inch iPad will get buried by the iPad Mini in 2013, NPD DisplaySearch said today in a research note.

If January is any indicator it could be a pretty sharp shift. Shipments of 9.7-inch tablet panels (iPad) "collapsed," falling to 1.3 million in January from 7.4 million a month earlier, DisplaySearch said.

But 7-inch and 7.9-inch (many of the latter are the iPad Mini) panel shipments grew to 14 million from 12 million in the same period.

And it will get pretty lopsided for the whole of 2013, DisplaySearch said.

"… Read more

Amazon launches Cloud Player app for iPad, iPad Mini

Amazon today launched its Cloud Player app for the Apple iPad and iPad Mini, expanding the online retail giant's footprint for its music streaming program.

The app allows customers to stream or download music stored in Amazon's cloud, play music already stored on the device, and manage or create playlists.

A quick check by CNET shows iPad users also can purchase songs from Amazon through the Safari Web browser like they can on iPhones and iPod Touches. In the past, iOS users were able to access Amazon's apps but weren't able to purchase items from Amazon. … Read more

Opera overhaul: WebKit-based Android browser due Q2

BARCELONA, Spain--Opera Software has dropped the new engine into its browser and now has begun revving it up.

At the Mobile World Congress show here, the company began showing for the first time its new WebKit-based version of Opera for Android. That browser is the first product from a completely overhauled product line and technology strategy for the company based in Oslo, Norway.

Opera is changing the browser engine at the core of its software, dumping its own Presto for the open-source WebKit used in Chrome and Safari. It's a radical change in many ways: many engineers are changing … Read more

Nintendo Wii Mini lands in the U.K. on March 22

Nintendo's Wii Mini is on its way to the U.K.

The company announced today that it'll start selling the smaller Wii on March 22. It did not divulge any price details. Nintendo unveiled the Wii Mini last year, and at the time said that the $100 device would be available only in Canada.

The Wii Mini, which is a smaller, redesigned version of Nintendo's original Wii, allows gamers to play over 1,200 Wii titles. However, the console does not support backward compatibility with GameCube games. The original Wii, on the other hand, supports GameCube titles. … Read more

2-in-1 iPhone Lightning cable inspired by Transformers

Cable clutter is the bane of gadget hounds everywhere. If you can find a way to ditch a cable, it's a beautiful thing. I guess that makes the Orobis Transform cable a beautiful thing. It combines an Apple Lightning connector with a Micro-USB connector leading to a standard USB connector on the other end.

The idea of a 2-in-1 cable isn't new. What's cool is how the Transform handles it. Inspired by the Transformers, the Lightning part of the cable fits over the Micro-USB part. To expose the Micro-USB, you slide a small latch, fold it over, and plug it in. It's cute and functional.… Read more