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Samsung opened a new huge office in Silicon Valley
Samsung's moving to the cool neighborhood. In a big way. It's just cut the (presumably giant, blue) ribbon on a new campus that houses 700 employees, with enough capacity to reach 2,000 of 'em. Mere miles from Apple's own HQ, the facility signifies Samsung's increased efforts to mix in the same circles as locally established tech giants, including Google and Facebook -- and hopefully further stoke those innovation fires. Samsung has been in the area since 1983, but the new center will help the world's second biggest chipmaker to complement how well it's dominated memory. (It'll also be closer to its renovated chipmaking complex in Austin.) The campus unifies Samsung's until-now scattered Valley presence: work on R&D in semiconductors, LEDs, and displays will all go down in the same place, as well as support staff from areas like sales and marketing -- which likely means even more people looking to live in the Bay area.
Honda looks to developers to make its robotic stool useful
Honda has always been more than a car company. In addition to its car and motorcycle business, it also manufacturers marine vehicles, generators, a weird robot and even planes. To keep that spirit of just making as much stuff as possible alive it introduced the Uni-Cub personal mobility system in May 2012. It's been refined since then, but it's still not something you can run down the dealer and purchase. Honda is looking to developers to expand the its use cases beyond rolling you around a museum with an upcoming API for the rolling bar stool.
Dyson: 'A company that doesn't double its R&D every two years is in trouble'
Sir James Dyson just made a brief appearance in Japan, launching his series of high-end hand-dryers in a region where, according to the founder, people appear to appreciate the design and engineering involved. As the company continues to hone the vacuum cleaners and hand-dryers that made its name (meaning power and less noise, generally), it's also pushing out in more unusual directions -- like collaborating with Imperial College on robotic R&D. It's also still substantially growing its development facilities. According to Sir Dyson: "We're obviously expanding what we do, although we love vacuum cleaners and hand-dryers, surprisingly," cracking a smile. "We're doubling the size [of R&D]... we already have within the last two years and we're going to double again. Partly we want to make extra products, but in order to be competitive, globally, you have to have better technology than all your competitors." He added that competition is global: Japan, Korea, the US, Germany, India, South America -- it's now "everywhere." Many tech companies are similarly folding money into R&D, including Apple, Samsung, even those in tough times, like Nintendo. Dyson sees it in far stricter term: "A company that doesn't double its R&D team every two years, I think, is in trouble."
Dyson plans big R&D expansion, starting with a new 3,000-person tech campus
One in every three Dyson employees is an engineer. That's roughly 1,700 of them and the UK-based company is looking to increase that number. It's announced plans to build a new technology campus in Wiltshire, UK, focused on science and technology research and development. The plan includes four different facilities within a single one leafy compound in Wiltshire, UK. It'll cost £250 million to build it, and could create around 3,000 new tech and science jobs. Dyson will scale up its R&D efforts from here, with collaborative topics like its recently-announced robot research lab expanded and "strengthened" with help from over 10 UK universities -- the company has already cooperated with Cambridge, Imperial and Newcastle while it developed its existing products. Finely-engineered robots, new motors (and probably a few high-end vacuums) are likely just a few years away. Better watch yourself, Roomba. Image Credit: Getty
BBC teams up with British universities to research new TV interfaces and systems
When the BBC asked "Where next?" most of us assumed that online-only programming and all-HD channels would be the extent of the broadcaster's ambition. Not so, now that the corporation has signed a deal with six British universities to research new ways that TV can be created, distributed and navigated. Buzzwords like "content" and "audience focused innovation" seem to mask an initiative to develop a new IP broadcasting system, work on user interfaces beyond gestures and research into how elderly, young and disabled viewers can get around 999-channel TV guides. The project will initially last for four years, by which time we're hoping that the BBC can just beam episodes of Doctor Who straight into our brains -- that's not too much to ask, is it?
Apple opens third Israeli development center
Globes is reporting that Apple has now opened its third R&D center in Israel. The facility is based in the city of Ra'anana and will be staffed by 100 to 150 former Texas Instruments employees that were laid off late last year and earlier this year. Perviously it was reported Apple only hired "dozens" of those workers. The Ra'anana R&D center comes after Apple acquired flash memory maker Anobit for up to US$500 million in December 2011 and opened a Haifa-based R&D center in 2012. As with the previous two R&D centers, no one knows exactly what Apple is working on at Ra'anana. Globes states that when TI owned the facility its operations were primarily based on "technological capabilities in short-range communication chips, mainly for WiFi, Bluetooth and NFC" but that "in all likelihood Apple will take the Ra'anana center into a different strategic direction."
Apple R&D spending spiked at the end of 2012
Apple may be on the top of its game lately, but that doesn't mean the company isn't still looking forward. According to the LA Times, the company from Cupertino has jumped up its research and development spending over the last quarter, by a whopping 33 percent. According to the most recent earnings statement, Apple raised the R&D budget by $252 million to more than $1 billion, which is even higher than the 32% jump in the previous year. Clearly, Apple's got something brewing in the R&D department lately. But of course, there's no telling exactly what. For its part, Apple says the increased spending is due to "an increase in headcount and related expenses to support expanded R&D activities," and we already know that Apple's making a big push at a new R&D facility in Israel (not to mention that it's following up on R&D opportunities elsewhere as well). Innovation is a huge part of Apple's success so far, and this increase is spending is just another way Apple's hoping to stay on top. Hopefully we'll see the fruits of this investment at some point in the future. [via Mother Jones]
Apple named "most innovative" company three years running
Global management consulting firm Booz & Co. named Apple the world's most innovative company for the third year in a row. The report notes that Apple spent less than its rivals on R&D and still trumped companies like Amazon, Google and IBM because of how it invested its money. ...it is not how much companies spend on research and development that determines success - what really matters is how those R&D funds are invested in talent, process and tools. Apple kept its top spot over #2 Google and #3 3M, both of which also defended their spots successfully for the third year in a row. One of the biggest movers was Apple rival Samsung, which climbed from #9 in 2010 to #7 in 2011 and finally to #4 this year. You can read more about Booz & Co.'s 2012 Global Innovation 1000 study on the firm's website. You can also download the full PDF report, watch a video discussion of the results from the study's authors and browse through other relevant materials. [Via Fortune's Apple 2.0]
From the lab: Lumia 920 image stabilization and 808 drop test at Nokia R&D (video)
Yesterday's lab installment gave us an opportunity to pit the Lumia 920 against competing smartphones in a low-light capture scenario, but Nokia's standard battery of tests is used to evaluate and improve far more than stills shooting. Several stops throughout the day brought us to a foam-filled sound chamber tasked with analyzing call quality in a variety of environments, a room with industrial freezers and ovens used to push the limits of operability, and a rig that can shoot with interchangeable sensors and apply image quality algorithms in real-time, without a handset in sight. Unfortunately, due to proprietary technologies and processes, we weren't permitted to photograph these first facilities, though we did manage to snap away at two other stations -- a platform that shifted up and down at adjustable speeds to test the Lumia 920's optical image stabilization, and a machine that drops smartphones against a block of concrete, used to simulate that all-too-frequent occurrence of handsets plunging towards pavement. We've seen plenty examples of the 920's OIS capabilities this week, so we won't go into much more detail on that front, but specialized (and pricey) equipment enables engineers to introduce consistent processes -- this machine simulated hand shake at different speeds, and even with exaggerated movement, the benefits were clear. A separate building contained the drop test contraption, which releases devices from an adjustable height, letting them land directly on a block of polished concrete. We tested both the 808 PureView and a Samsung Galaxy S III in this manner (with roughly 100 Lumia prototypes currently available, Nokia wasn't quite willing to risk sending one to its death). Both smartphones remained in perfect working order following the drop, so it's likely that they'll be able to handle a similar fall during regular use as well (company reps offered to test our iPhone 5, but we declined handing it over). That wraps up our week at Nokia's facilities in Finland -- there will be plenty more to explore once we have a Lumia sample in hand, but you'll find the OIS test and concrete plunge videos ready right now, posted just after the break.
Samsung spending $4 billion to renovate Austin chip factory
Premiership footballers will be weeping in envy at the way Samsung's been spending its cash this month. After splashing $822 million on a Korean R&D center, it's now chucking $4 billion to renovate its semiconductor factory in Austin, Texas. The cash will be used to increase production on system-on-chip products used in a wide variety of smartphones and tablets, presumably to cope with future demand. It's not clear if this investment is in addition to the $1 billion it was raising in January to add a new SOC and OLED line to the same facility, but it's certainly a good time to be living in Texas, right now.
Samsung gets green-light for $822 million R&D HQ in Korea
Samsung has received permission from local authorities to erect a 330,000 square meter, 10-storey high research and development center in Umyeon-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul. The facility, which broke ground last week, is expected to cost around 1 trillion won ($822 million) and will house around 10,000 employees. The company's expecting to be able to move in by May 2015, so remember to buy a plant to take to the housewarming party.
Apple details neighbors on Campus 2 plans, extends rare request for feedback
Cupertino residents may have received an unsolicited package from their most prominent neighbor this week. No, it's not a new iPad, or an early look at the iPhone 5 -- instead, people close to Apple (from a physical perspective) opened the glossy mailing to reveal a detailed look at Apple Campus 2, which will consist of 176 acres currently occupied by "aging buildings" and trees. As we already know, the campus will feature one main circular four-story building with 2.8 million square feet of office and common space, along with an additional 300,000 square feet set aside for dedicated (secure) research buildings. There will be a restaurant, fitness center and other facilities aimed to "reduce automobile trips" as part of the company's plan to protect the environment. Apple CFO Peter Oppenheimer appeals to neighbors in a single-page letter, offering additional information upon receipt of a pre-stamped response card, which also prompts neighbors to add their name to a list of supporters, attend a public meeting or write a letter to show their support for the new Apple complex. You'll find Oppenheimer's letter in full after the break, along with additional photos at the source link.
The Distro Interview: MSI Senior Vice President and co-founder, Jeans Huang
The MSI brand should be no stranger to connoisseurs of desktop motherboards, graphics cards and gaming laptops, but did you know that this Taiwanese company started off as a computer terminal maker 26 years ago? To find out more, we sat down with the very likable Senior Vice President (R&D Division) Jeans Huang. Read on to hear the co-founder's interesting story on how MSI was formed by five ex-Sony engineers, his frank reason behind MSI's reluctance to enter the smartphone market, and his thoughts on 3D display on the PC.
Huawei throws R&D dollars at gesture control, cloud storage, being more 'disruptive'
Undeterred by the fact that even humans struggle to interpret certain gestures, Huawei says it's allocating a chunk of its growing R&D budget to new motion-sensing technology for smartphones and tablets. The company's North American research chief, John Roese, told Computerworld that he wants to allow "three-dimensional interaction" with devices using stereo front-facing cameras and a powerful GPU to make sense of the dual video feed. Separately, the Chinese telecoms company is also putting development cash into a cloud computing project that promises to "change the economics of storage by an order of magnitude." Roese provided scant few details on this particular ambition, but did mention that Huawei has teamed up with CERN to conduct research and has somehow accumulated over 15 petabytes of experimental physics data in the process. Whatever it's up to, Huawei had better get a move on -- others are snapping up gesture recognition and cloud patents faster than you can say fa te ne una bicicletta with your hands.
LG smartphone boom follows major R&D reshuffling, says analyst
South Korean electronics giant LG came out swinging with its line of Optimus products at Mobile World Congress this year, delivering the 4X HD, 3D Max, Vu and a trinity of L-series handsets. So how does one shop deliver six handsets to the public, you ask? Resources. A recent note to investors from Nomura Securities reveals that in 2011, the Life's Good gang assigned a larger portion of its R&D team to its smartphone division. The report claims that the company had 60 to 70 percent of its 8,000 person research outfit assigned to the Optimus-making arm at the end of last year. That's up from the 20 percent share of a 6,800 person staff it boasted just 365 days earlier. There's no doubt LG will be looking to steal the smartphone thunder of Samsung and HTC in 2012, but is this lineup of products enough? Only time (and sell-through figures) will tell.
Huawei R&D department gets new home, sets up shop in Silicon Valley
Chinese manufacturing giant Huawei has been calling Plano, Texas its North American home since 2010, but now it seems the company's ready to explore a different business territory. Huawei's just announced its Research and Development squad -- in which it invested about $3.6 billion dollars last year -- is setting up shop in Silicon Valley in a move that could certainly be seen as an effort to rub elbows with the big players this side of the pond. According to the Dallas Business Journal, the company piled up $30 billion in sales last year, and while the new 600-plus human R&D operation will be calling California home, Huawei's Honorary headquarters won't be moving away from the state where "everything's bigger" anytime soon.
HP's chief strategy officer to retire next month, won't have a successor
Remember Shane Robison, the HP exec who advocated for the survival of webOS following the company's decision to dismantle its hardware unit? Yeah well, he's about to make an exit. HP confirmed yesterday that Robison will retire from his position as executive VP and chief strategy and technology officer on November 1st, after spending eleven years at the company. In a statement, HP praised Robison for spearheading much of its R&D and several high-profile mergers during his tenure there. "In his role, he was responsible for shaping HP's corporate strategy and technology agenda," the company said. "He was instrumental in steering the company's multibillion-dollar research and development investment and has led many of the company's largest merger and acquisition activities." Newly minted CEO Meg Whitman, meanwhile, described Robison as a powerful innovator and lauded his role in guaranteeing "that innovation continues at HP." Perhaps the bigger story, however, is the fact that the firm doesn't plan on filling Robison's shoes. In the announcement, HP confirmed that his position will be dissolved as part of "an effort to drive strategy, research and development closer to the company's businesses." The implications, of course, remain to be seen. Full PR after the break.
Sony London Studio chief talks 3D lessons, promises VR headsets
Haven't settled in to 3D PS3 gaming just yet? Too bad because Sony's ready to leapfrog that industry buzzword with another once-vaunted, immersive tech of yore -- virtual reality. Announced ahead of Sony London Studio chief Mick Hocking's Develop conference "3D post-mortem speech," comes word the Japanese electronics giant is underway with R&D testing for a head mounted display. Shown off at CES earlier this year, the unit incorporates twin-OLED screens that put you closer to the game, fried eyeballs and all. If any of this sounds familiar, that's because it's all very 1995. Still, Hocking seems pretty optimistic about the company's lessons learned dipping its toes into three-dimensional waters, and has even created a so-called "3D 10 Commandments" to ensure quality product output. Hit the source below for the UK division head's full 3D musings.
WebOS will be on 'every HP PC' shipping next year, says CEO
You'd think Leo Apotheker, HP's newest CEO, would want to save a bit of thunder for his March 14th event. Instead, the man continues to unleash stentorian quotes with unabashed candor like today's claim that "HP has lost its soul." He's also making bold proclamations about every HP PC being able to run WebOS and MIcrosoft Windows as an integrated experience in 2012 -- a move the company hopes will create a "massive platform" to attract those all important developers. Apotheker's strategy will reverse Mark Hurd's cost-cutting emphasis with a renewed focus on product quality and innovation -- the latter achieved by breaking down inter-company barriers that currently separate product groups and by boosting the R&D budget already pegged at $2.96 billion last year (a pittance by some measurements). Click the source link below to read the Businessweek article in full if you're interested in Leo's issue with being the smartest person in the room and his attempts at Californication. Cool? Awesome.
Obama talked R&D with tech industry CEOs, appoints Intel's Paul Otellini to advisory council
Sure, there may have been some toasts and likely a bit of joking, but it looks like President Obama also got down to a bit of business during his meeting with some of the tech industry's top CEOs yesterday. While complete details are obviously light, White House press secretary Jay Carney has revealed that the president raised the issue of his recent proposals to invest in research and development with the group, and he's said to have also discussed ways to encourage kids to study math, science and engineering. What's more, as the Wall Street Journal points out, President Obama isn't done with the tech industry just yet -- he's moved on to Oregon today to tour one of Intel's semiconductor plants, where's expected to announce that Intel CEO Paul Otellini will be joining his Council on Jobs and Competitiveness.
