digitimes
Latest
ASUS Eee Pad EP101TC getting Tegra 2 treatment ahead of March launch?
More from DigiTimes this morning and its chatty sources within NVIDIA and Taiwanese supply chains. First up is talk that ASUS' 10-inch Eee Pad -- presumably, the Android loving EP101TC said to cost less than $399 -- will launch in March of 2011 with NVIDIA's Tegra 2 taking care of the processing duties. DigiTimes' sources also remind us that Tegra 2 tablets are on the way from Dell, Samsung, MSI, and Toshiba in addition to smartphones from ASUS, Motorola, and LG. Good to know, but for as long as Tegra 2 has been discussed, we've yet to see the SoC ship inside anything worth getting too excited over. And don't even mention the Boxee Box, they switched to Intel at the last minute, remember? Maybe Dell's Looking Glass tablet will change all that when it launches any day now.
Rumor: The touchscreen iMac may be in testing
Here's one we've heard before, and we're not talking about Troll Touch. This time around, DigiTimes is reporting that Sintek Photonics is shipping touch panels to Apple for testing in iMacs. The panels are supposedly about 20" in size, and the same projected capacitance type currently used on the iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch. As Engadget notes, the image shown here was extracted from an unrelated Apple patent, and it doesn't necessarily have anything to do with this rumor, other than providing an idea of how it could be used. Of course, Apple and most large companies patent all sorts of things that are never produced. Would you want to hover your arm above that thing all day long? I'm not sure I would. [Via Engadget]
Apple touchscreen iMac rumor just won't die
The Apple rumor that keeps on giving -- the touchscreen iMac -- has just been given another shot of monger juice. DigiTimes (who else) cites industry sources who claim again that Sintek Photonics is shipping Apple touchpanels to sample for use in a future 20-plus-inch iMac. Specifically, the panels are of the projected capacitance type (same as iPhone/iPod touch/iPad) and integrate the touch sensor with the glass cover for reduced thickness and weight while exhibiting "good" viewing angles and brightness. While the image above, extracted from an Apple patent, gives us a clue as to how a touchscreen iMac might be used, we remain unconvinced of its advantages (drawing stylus, anyone?). Then again, we're sure Apple has lots of whacky products in house for R&D so why not one more.
Rumor: Apple working on parts for iPad 2
Here's a fun rumor to give you something to dream about this weekend. Digitimes is reporting that Apple is on the hunt for parts for the iPad 2. The company is reportedly in the validation stage with a few suppliers for touch-based displays and reinforced glass, prepping production on a second generation iPad for a launch in early 2011. That's all we've got -- there's no details on what new features the iPad might have (although a camera would be an excellent guess) or any other way it might differ from the current model, but it looks like most of the speculation has been on target so far. There's still quite a while to wait (and honestly, I'd still recommend buying an iPad if you want one right now -- next year is still a ways away, and 4.2 will make even the "old" units seem new again), but there's almost no doubt another iPad is going to happen next year. [via TMO]
7-inch iPad tattle churns through Taiwanese rumor mills
The 7-inch iPad rumors are suddenly hot and heavy. In the last few weeks, we've seen a series of reports claiming that Apple was working on a smaller iPad (or bigger iPod touch?) set for release between the end of 2010 or early 2011. A DigiTimes piece, sourcing its own "analyst," claimed that the device would be making a jump to the Cortex A9 processor core, 512MB of RAM like the iPhone 4, and a 1,024 x 768 pixel IPS panel -- the same resolution as the 9.7-inch iPad giving the new model a better pixel density. Now we've got Taiwan's Economic Daily News saying that Chi Mei will join LG in supplying the new 7-inch IPS panels with AUO joining Sintek to provide the digitizer. EDN also claims that either Compal or Pegatron may join Foxconn in the assembly. Remember, even with hints of a new iPad model in Apple's own code this is all just rumor for now. Besides, we're still waiting for those Xbox 360 Blu-ray drives that the Economic Daily News assured us were coming in Q3 of 2008.
Rumor mill: iPad, iPhone, Apple TV and T-1000 updates in 2011
There are hints this week that the iPad, iPhone and Apple TV will be updated in early 2011. It's isn't really a risky guess, since they're all likely to be updated within the next nine months (heck, September is nearly here, so let's toss in the iPod, too). Still, here's what the crystal ball revealed this week. First, the tea leaves have predicted that an iPhone bearing Verizon branding will soon be upon us. Manufacturer Pegatron* is supposedly poised to mass-produce the new handsets in December for an early 2011 rollout. The CDMA phones will feature a metallic back and internal antenna, according to DigiTimes.
New Acer and ASUS netbooks not coming until the middle of August, says Digitimes report
ASUS's newest netbooks may just be hitting the US market, but Digitimes is reporting that both Acer and ASUS are currently in somewhat of a holding pattern in regards to their new mini-laptops. The report says that both companies are holding off on releasing new netbooks until current inventory is depleted, and demand has built up for new models. Though the reasoning is hazy, it does seem this has something to do with holding off until Intel releases its dual core Atom N550 CPU during the third quarter as the price delta between it and the weaker N455 / N475 processors isn't much. That would actually make a lot of sense considering most -- including us -- would certainly opt for faster netbooks with the dual-core action over the same old single core Atoms we've grown tired of. Either way, this would mark somewhat of a new strategy for the companies, which have, in the past, often added new models so quickly that choosing between them could be difficult. All we can say is, we shall see.
Nokia 7- or 9-inch MeeGo tablet rumored to be running ARM (not Moorestown) in Q4
While DigiTimes has been known to get a rumor correct now and again, its success rate falls off dramatically when dealing with companies HQ'd outside of its native Taiwan. Keep that in mind when you hear it discuss a Nokia tablet with either a 7- or 9-inch screen. DigiTimes, speaking with "upstream component makers," claims that the Foxconn manufactured device -- of which, about 100 engineering samples have already been produced -- will be ARM-based with a Q4 launch targeted. If true (and that's a big IF) then it would certainly be running the MeeGo OS (that's a Quanta-built prototype above) when it ships. Of course, DigiTimes has been rumoring an ARM-based smartbook from Nokia due in mid 2010 for almost a year. And guess what? It's mid 2010, with smartbooks/netbooks now out of style and tablets all the rage. Thing is, we'd have thought that Nokia would be more likely to opt for Intel's Moorestown in support of their partnership given the Q4 timing. But hey, it's just rumor, let's not get too carried away.
Apple CDMA iPhone 4 rumor given new wings
With the iPad unicorn now slain, what other beast can DigiTimes shackle its rumor mongering machine to? How about Pegasus, the winged horse of Greek mythology (and inspiration for the ASUS company name) galloping forth with promises of a CDMA iPhone. According to the Taiwanese rumor rag, Pegatron (ASUStek's OEM manufacturing arm) will begin shipping a CDMA version of the iPhone 4 from its Shanghai plants to Apple in Q4. Right, just in time for the holiday shopping season and perfectly aligned with Apple's annual September iPod event... you know, should Apple want to announce a deal with Verizon.
Apple orders enough parts to make 3 million iPhone 4s per month
According to DigiTimes, Apple has been ordering VGA lens kits (for use with the new front-facing camera on the iPhone 4) from supplier Asia Optical (AO) since May, to the tune 3 million (on average) per month. This is great news for AO, of course. If the current rate continues, they expect to get out of the red and reach profitability by the second quarter of this year. It's also good news for customers, as it suggests that Apple is stockpiling a whole lot of units. Pre-orders begin in the US and elsewhere on June 15, and sales of iPhone 4 will begin in the US on June 24th. At the current rates, Apple could likely produce 9 million iPhone 4s by its fourth fiscal quarter of the year ending September. Earlier this year, higher-than-expected demand caused shortages and delays for iPad customers. In fact, the international launch was pushed back about a month due to supply and demand trouble. That's definitely something Apple wants to avoid with iPhone 4. [Via AppleInsider]
HP Taiwan reportedly reaffirms pre-October launch for webOS tablet
Don't mind us taking a few grains of salt on this one, but according Digitimes, HP Taiwan Vice President Monty Wong has confirmed a webOS-powered tablet is due out in the market before the fiscal year ending in October. This jibes with what we heard earlier this month, including the common sense caveat that more details will be forthcoming only after the Palm acquisition is completed near the end of July. Now, we won't be surprised one iota if this comes to fruition -- HP itself has gone on record numerous times as wanting to throw the onetime mobile-exclusive OS on everything from tablets (yay) to printers (huh). Still, everything we know about it so far comes via words and whispers to third-party sources, or the voice in our head dreaming up ideal product lines -- neither of which, unfortunately, we can put our complete trust in. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in] Update: The DigiTimes report might be referring to the existing Windows-based Slate for a pre-October launch, not necessarily the first volley of HP-branded webOS devices -- but either way, we're certain the article isn't ruling out the Windows 7-based Slate. See more here.
Intel lifting netbook screen size restrictions for next-gen Atom netbooks?
Put on your conductor hat and overalls, because it's time to take the rumor train to Atomsville. DigiTimes is reporting that Intel is cooking up another new dual-core Atom processor, this one called the N550, and that netbooks using it will have to feature at least 1GB of DDR3 memory and 32GB of SSD or 250GB of platters. That's hardly revolutionary, but slightly more interesting is an allowance for netbook makers using the chip to bump up their maximum screen size to 12.1-inches. That's a sizeable increase over the current 10.2-inch maximum and could further blur the line between net and note... assuming this train reaches the station.
Digitimes: Foxconn will ship 24 million 4G iPhones in 2010
DigiTimes reports today on Foxconn's supposed plans to ship 24 million 4G iPhones this year, starting in June. June iPhone updates have become traditional for Apple watchers (just like iPod updates in September), and most observers expect WWDC to be this year's launch date. According to the report, the iPhones will be divvied up so that 4.5 million units go out in the first half of the year, reserving 19.5 million phones for the rest of 2010. DigiTimes analyst Ming-Chi Kuo also suggests that the new iPhones will feature a thinner, 960×640 resolution screen, which will create room for larger batteries and exceed Android's 854×480 resolution (on the highest end). Finally, fringe-field switching (FFS) technology will improve the display's performance in sunlight and create a wider viewing angle, just in time for iBooks on the iPhone. Note these claims with a healthy dose of your typical rumor skepticism and mark your calendars for June 7th. That's when all will be revealed. Probably.
MSI's Slatebook 10-inch Atom tablet is not what we've been waiting for
DigiTimes has it that MSI will be showcasing a 10-inch Windows 7 "Slatebook" tablet at Computex in June -- just as we had heard a few weeks ago. According to its sources which tend to be pretty solid at Taiwanese shops, the sub-$500 tablet will feature an e-book reader with a negotiated content provider, 3G and WiFi wireless, and Windows 7 running on Intel's old Menlow-class of Atom Zxx processors. It's not running Android on Tegra 2 like the unit above that we handled at CES six months prior, MSI is apparently still evaluating market demand before making any such commitment. So dear readers, why not let MSI know exactly how you feel about its design choices in the comments below.
Nook outsells Kindle in March?
Given DigiTimes' spotty record when it comes to pushing rumors you might be inclined to read "Digitimes Research" as a kind of oxymoron. Unfortunately, as long as Amazon refuses to publish specifics with regard to units sold, these analyst estimates are as good as it gets. What's interesting is that DigiTimes' checks at upstream suppliers reveal that Barnes & Noble's Nook accounted for 53 percent of all e-book readers shipped to US vendors in March. Interesting since Kindle is Amazon's bestselling product and an increasing share of the company's revenue is based on sales of electronics and general merchandise. Still, it's our guess that Amazon doesn't care too much about selling its own hardware (it's in the business of selling other people's content and goods). Besides, the Kindle app is already available on a wide range of devices including Apple's iPad and a wide variety of smartphones. One place you can't install it, however, is on the steadily improving Nook.
Lenovo Skylight also delayed to better compete with iPad?
This isn't the first time we've heard talk of competitors delaying products to see what the boys from Cupertino are up to. Last time, it was HP making some last minute pricing and feature adjustments to its Slate. Now we've got DigiTimes' sources claiming that Lenovo is holding up its Linux-based Skylight smartbook -- pushed from April to July -- for very similar reasons. Specifically, "control is not able to act as smoothly as the iPad." Guess even a 1GHz Snapdragon can't fix a poorly implemented UI.
AMD six-core CPU prices and clock speeds unearthed
The gang at DigiTimes have always struck us as processor obsessives -- constantly out on the streets, roughing up mobo manufacturers, getting them to spill their secrets (they probably look like Gene Hackman in Night Moves). And they've sure been busy, this time digging up some dirt on AMD's six-core Phenom II line. Hitting shelves as soon as the second quarter this year, the X6 1035T will clock in at 2.6GHz, the 1005T at 2.8GHz, and the 1075T at 3GHz. There is also a Phenom II X6 1095T possibly coming to fruition in the fourth quarter of the year, but we don't have any data on that one yet. According to Alien Babel Tech (where we did our undergrad, by the way) the 1055T is will retail for $199, while the as-of-yet unknown 1090T black edition will retail $295. As always, we recommend that in lieu of an official announcement you take all this with a grain of salt. [Thanks, Blurib]
AMD and Intel's six-core CPU plans revealed by mobo makers
You have to love DigiTimes and those loquacious sources it seems to keep finding. The latest word from the Taiwanese grapevine suggests that both Intel and AMD will be bringing out six-core CPUs to the consumer market by the middle of this year. We're using the term "consumer" rather loosely here as Intel's first Gulftown chip is expected to be priced north of $1,000. The Core i7-980X is slated for a March release, which just fits inside the Q1 window that earlier rumors had suggested. If you butter your bread on the AMD side, you'll have to wait a while longer as those 45nm Thuban chips -- hereafter to be known as the Phenom II X6 1000T series -- won't be landing until at least May. The usual caution when dealing with anonymous sources is advisable, but this sounds like a roadmap with a high likelihood of being accurate.
Windows Mobile 7 rumors coalesce around Q4 launch, MWC announcement
While DigiTimes isn't our go-to source for all things Microsoft, the Taiwanese tattler does have its finger on the pulse of the Taiwanese / Chinese manufacturing juggernaut. As such, we expect it to be privy to information related to HTC, Acer, and ASUS handsets. So lean in close when it cites "sources familiar to Microsoft's roadmap" in claiming a September 2010 release of Windows Mobile 7 to its handset partners -- the same month pegged by that LG leak last week. That should translate into consumer availability by the end of Q4, or Q1 2011 at the latest. As it's stated, WinMo7 will bring an improved interface, browsing, and multimedia experience with integrated support for Zune, Xbox Live, and Silverlight; nothing we haven't heard before (and long wished for). DigiTimes claims that only English and "common European languages" will be available initially with Asian localization coming in 2011. Oh, and it'll be announced at Mobile World Congress. One thing's clear: the rapid convergence of the rumor mill around dates and feature sets has us very excited about Microsoft's chances at resurrecting its smartphone soul in time for the holidays. As such, we'll be at Mobile World Congress in force to bring you the full story starting February 15th. It's going to be good.
ASUS' Ion 2-based Eee PC to launch in April
Rather than mongering yet another rumor, DigiTimes is apparently reporting as fact that an Ion 2-powered Eee PC will launch in April. It's also expected to host a 12-inch display if we're reading this report correctly. That NVIDIA boost is welcome news since the Pine Trail-only bump given to its Eee PC 1005PE didn't offer much in the way of performance improvements and still can't handle YouTube video in HD. While no direct prices were given, Atom N450-based Eees are expected to drop in price to NT$14,000 (about $439) in Q2 after ASUS depletes its stock of legacy N270- and N280-based Atom netbooks. DigiTimes also notes that its 10-inch Eee PC T101 convertible touchscreen tablet (the T101MT presumably) will launch in late February along with a 12-inch Eee PC built around AMD's Congo.
