manufacturing
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Apple introducing new manufacturing process, MacBook 'Brick'?
The Apple rumor mill has really cooked up a doozy this time. According to 9to5mac -- a site with a fairly good track record -- Apple's next big thing isn't just a laptop or an iPod... it's an entirely new manufacturing process. If you believe the site's sources, an as-yet-unannounced event on October 14th will herald in a new iteration of the MacBook dubbed the "Brick," but the big news won't actually be about the laptop. Apparently, Apple has created a brand-new process to sculpt casings for products out of aircraft-grade aluminum, using a system that carves the pieces out of a single block of metal using "3D lasers" and water-jet cutting. The new technique will supposedly allow for seamless components which require no bending or folding, won't use screws to join together, are ultra-light but also "super strong," and will enable the company to rapidly prototype and produce new designs. Of course, not a single word of this is confirmed or even acknowledged by Apple, though we have been hearing whispers of the "Brick" for a few weeks now. Ultimately, everyone should approach this news with extreme skepticism, but if these rumors get magically transmuted into reality, there's no telling what kind of new gear Apple might have up its sleeve.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Drugs aren't bad in EVE, m'kay?
One of the interesting features of EVE Online is that it has a drug trade in which players are actively engaged. Rather than merely being an illegal commodity, drugs -- called boosters -- enhance the performance of EVE's pilots, albeit with some potential side effects. To understand boosters though, we'll need to look into the game's setting a bit first. The thing to remember is that as a player, you're a capsuleer. You're not standing on the bridge of your ship barking orders at subordinates. Rather, you're floating inside a metallic capsule deep within your ship. Your mind is interfaced with the ship you pilot via neural implants, thus your vessel is an extension of your body and its senses; you regulate the ship's activities merely by thinking about them. Not all people in EVE's setting of New Eden have the raw potential to become a capsuleer, making your character one of the elite. However, when faced with others of your caliber in combat, every possible edge you can gain over rival capsuleers helps. That's where boosters come in... they're your edge. Boosters augment aspects of your mental processes and thus provide certain bonuses when piloting your ship.
Germany's CDA invests some dough in Blu-ray production, expands DVD capacity
Welp, at least we now know one company that helped Singulus beat its Blu-ray duplicator sales estimates. Germany's CDA, which was still producing 3X DVDs as of mid-February, has finally realized that Blu-ray is the victor and the sole remaining high-def format that anyone cares about. Thus, it's finally investing in a production line for Blu-ray Discs that will boast capacities of 17,000 single-layer and 12,000 dual-layer units per day. In somewhat related news, the outfit is also expanding its DVD capacity to meet "growing demand." Clearly CDA hasn't been listening to the analysts, or else it has a darn good phase in / phase out plan for 2012.
Foxconn builds 800,000 iPhones per week?
TechCrunch is reporting that Foxconn (the Taiwanese Apple manufacturing plant) is building over 800,000 iPhones per week in order to meet demand. They are also reporting that this means the plant is working "above current full capacity" and notes that the quality control might not be the best at this time.Apple has moved more than 6 million iPhone units in just the first year. According to TechCrunch, Apple's run rate for the iPhone 3G is over 40 million units per year.
Apple to channel partners - stock up now
AppleInsider reported today that Apple is advising resellers to stock up on the better-selling iPods and MacBooks, as factory supplies are expected to slow to a trickle in August. There's speculation that this could be due to a release of new models. For 15-inch and 17-inch MacBook Pros and the standard MacBooks, Apple was recommending that channel partners place orders that would give them a 3-week supply. For iPods, a 4-week supply was advised. Apple usually notifies resellers via bulletins like this when they're getting ready to refresh a product line. This points to a product introduction for the new laptops and iPods (most likely the iPod touch and nano) in late August or September. While this is late for the school buying season, it could mark an early entry into the holiday buying season with an agressive launch of new products.
LG to cut LCD production, Samsung plans to keep its lines humming
That glut of LCDs sitting on the shelves has some manufacturers at odds on how to react, with world #2 LG cutting production by 10% (with plans to raise it again in September), while the number one manufacturer Samsung is going to keep pushing them out as fast as it can, aiming for double digit sales growth this year. That doesn't mean it's not concerned about falling demand and too much supply, but it looks like all those partnerships mean its going to have someone to sell all its screens to at the end of the day. Don't expect that attitude to crash prices anytime soon however, as OEMs like AUO and CMO are following LGs lead and cutting production temporarily.Read - Samsung Elec says has no plans to cut LCD outputRead - LG Display to cut output by 10 pct in downturn
Sony expands Blu-ray operations in China
Shanghai Xinsuo Music Co. is opening a plant capable of making 500,000 Blu-ray discs per month by the end of this year. It is touted as the premier Hollywood film disc supplier in the Chinese market, and a company 51 percent owned by Sony (the other 49 percent held by Shanghai Media Group) as it continues to expand the market in China and reduce the cost of Blu-ray production. After that? More expansion, another plant in Shanghai and so on. The Chinese Blu-ray market also got a jolt with Sony announcing a 3-movie pack of Kung Fu Hustle, Spider-Man 3 and Open Season for the BDP-S300. Guess it's a good thing there's a testing center in the area.Read - Shanghai Xinsuo to Roll Out Blu-ray Discs within 08Read - Blu-ray Discs Production Surge Expected by December
Syntax-Brillian waves the white flag, files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy
So yeah, apparently that whole attempt to "streamline operations" back in April didn't go over so well, as Syntax-Brillian -- you know, that firm neck deep in panel partnerships and responsible for Olevia HDTVs -- has just filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The Arizona-based company has also "entered into a deal to sell certain of its assets to a newly created company called Olevia International Group LLC," which has agreed to pick up some $60 million of its secured debt. We're also told that operations in Tempe have ceased, and "about eight employees" (including the finance chief, general counsel and finance staff) are sticking around with nothing better to do.[Thanks, Paul]
First Blu-ray Disc testing center established in China
Barely a month after hearing rumors that the Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA) would be granting licenses to 11 China-based manufacturers, in flies official word that the very first Blu-ray Disc testing center has been established in that very nation. CESI Technology, a contributor member of the BDA, is the lucky winner, and as of today, "Chinese manufacturers can receive verification services for the official production of BD-ROM Movie Players at this center." Hopefully, this means that we'll be waiting less for the development and market launch of BD products. On a slightly related note, DigiRise DRA -- also a Chinese company -- found that its homegrown digital audio coding technology has passed an important milestone in the Blu-ray approval process. Not that we're crazy about having one more codec to juggle, but there you have it. More details on both points below.Read - First BDA testing center in ChinaRead - DRA audio codec
Singulus Blu-ray duplicator sales beat predictions
Singulus has announced that even its "significantly" raised sales projections for Blu-ray duplication machines may have been to low, after exceeding its own sales forecast for the first half of the year, while predicting more orders coming soon. The manufacturer is aiming to take over 65 percent of the market, and already sold 31 production lines this year. Nearly three years after launch that number doesn't seem incredibly high, but if Singulus is happy, who are we to stand in the way?
Blue Ray Technologies opening America's largest Blu-ray Disc mastering facility
Blue Ray Technologies was expecting business to boom shortly after the format war concluded, and apparently the shock is in full effect. According to founder and chairman Erick Hansen, America's "first indie Blu-ray disc manufacturing plant is now becoming the largest indie [and Profile 2.0-friendly] Blue-ray Disc mastering facility in the US." When all is said done, the facility will be "the only indie that can handle rewritable disc mastering and will provide pre-mastering as well," not to mention being the only one that can make a rewriting stamper. Granted, most of this stuff amounts to a huge pat on the back, but the expansion of independent films on BD is certainly healthy for the industry at large. Now, if only the hardware to watch these films on were more affordable, we'd really have a match made in heaven.
Rogue Signal: The wonderful world of alts
With EVE Online's time-based skill system of character progression, multiple accounts are pretty commonplace amongst the hardcore and even semi-casual player. CCP even occasionally holds special discounts for the opening of new accounts, called the Power of Two program. EVE is unique in the way that it handles alts, in many ways. Since only one character can be training at a time, and, unlike other MMOs, there is no real end to the training a character will do, if you want to start something new from the ground up, you're going to need to either scrap your existing character, or open up a new account. Today, we'll take a look at how to go about creating an alt.
LG warms up to OLED, gears up to sink some cash into it
Not like LG had any choice but to get savvy with OLED, but either way, it's good to hear that it's making the investment willingly. According to CEO Kwon Young-soo, LG is planning to use some of its "abundant cash" (must be nice, right?) to "increase capital spending for the active-matrix organic light-emitting diodes (AMOLED) business." He refused to dole out a proper figure at the time, noting that the company was "still watching the market to seek a proper time to implement decisive action." As for logistics, it's highly likely that a little tag-team work with Samsung SDI will take place, while it's also probable that we'll see its 3.5G AMOLED line relocated to its facilities in "Paju, Gyeonggi Province, following the relocation of the two-generation production line in Gumi." So, LG -- now that we know you're all gung ho, might we see that 32-inch OLED TV before 2011?
Samsung to break ground on yet another LCD plant
Hey, someone has to take care of Planet Earth's insatiable appetite for LCD, right? Samsung is once again looking to expand its LCD manufacturing operations in China, this time by investing around $500 million to erect a new facility for cranking out the seemingly successful 82-inch panel (among others). Reportedly, the plant will eventually be used to pump out 40-, 46-, 57-, 70- and 82-inch LCD panels in order to "satisfy the robust market requirement," but there's no word given on how soon product will start to ship from its doors.
Figureprints raises their price
Figureprints (that company that will make a 3D mini-figurine of your character) has posted a notice on their site that they are in fact doing so well... that they're raising their price. Now, if you want a real-life copy of the character you've worked so hard on, it'll cost you $130, a $30 increase over the original price. What will the extra money buy you? They say they're stepping up production, and that they've opened up a brand new production facility on the other side of the country. But even though they say they can make more faster, they're still doing that random drawing thing -- instead of actually buying a figure, you have to enter a drawing to buy one.The other reason they cite for raising the price is that their "material costs" are much higher than they expected. Could that have to do with the fact that we've seen a lot of figure replacements in their run so far? These things can get pretty expensive when you have to make two for every other order.Is $130 too much for you or are you still interested? From the beginning, Figureprints has been working around the clock making these, so even if they lose a little business over the higher price, maybe it'll help them keep up with demand better. And if the new price doesn't work out, maybe we'll see them cutting back again (or offering deals via Blizzard or someone else).%Gallery-21352%
Sony DADC to expand Indiana Blu-ray manufacturing plant
Terre Haute, Indiana is home to Sony's only Blu-ray Disc manufacturing facility in the entire United States, and while just north of 1,100 people are employed there now, another 85 will soon be joining the staff as finalized expansion plans are hammered down. The $113 million effort will add to its nearly 1 million-square-foot facility, though we aren't given specifics regarding how many more discs the plant will soon crank out. We hear you can wear funny masks there, though.
PS3's third-gen heatsink reduces size, complexity, boosts efficiency
Believe it or not, but there are people who will be positively thrilled to hear the latest third-generation heatsink for the PlayStation 3 has eliminated heat pipes in its quest to keep your PS3 cool. We're not necessarily jumping for joy over here, but we were interested to read that the third-gen heatsink has also been split in half, with two separate heatsinks cooling the Cell and RSX processors separately. Also of note is the reduced number of components, decreasing the complexity of the part and, one could expect, its cost. Lastly, the new heatsinks (which have fans attached to them, of course) consume less power than either of the previous generations – up to 70 watts less in fact. Toss in some smaller chips and you've got a seriously efficient machine. The march to PS3 profitability continues on. [Via Engadget]
Syntax-Brillian seeks LCD panels from Compal for Olevia HDTVs
Syntax-Brillian just can't seem to have enough partners, as just four months into this glorious year, the aforementioned outfit has teamed up with Sharp, LG Display and now Compal Electronics. As predicted, the newest partnership is all about panels, and Compal will be providing 300,000 of 'em that will find their way into select Olevia LCD HDTVs. Notably, that figure is just the initial order -- the agreement suggests that over a million panels could eventually change hands between the two before 2008 comes to a close. C'mon Syntax-Brillian, we know you've got a few more partners to sync up with before Q2 ends.
Sony ups the investment in Blu-ray
Talk about a war chest! Coming off the Blu-ray win in the format war, Sony has announced plans to invest more than $100 million in its Terre Haute, IN plant. The facility is used for Blu-ray disc production, and Sony is budgeting for at least 65 more workers, $101 million in new equipment and $7.4 million in property improvements. The plant is mostly staffed by hourly workers, but Sony plans on 15 of those 65 positions to be salaried. The old adage about "spending money to make money" is true, and at this point we're not going to bother with asking whether the money was freed up from the format war or not. All we ask is that the increased Blu-ray disc production capacity helps move titles from the Sony archive to store shelves!
Pioneer says goodbye to plasma manufacturing
We wondered why its so hard to find one of Pioneer's award winning Kuro plasmas on shelves these days, and here is the answer. The Nikkei is reporting that Pioneer plans to stop producing plasma panels altogether, and only put together HDTVs with panels purchased from other sources. Panasonic and Hitachi remain as the only Japanese plasma manufacturers, Pioneer already has a deal with the former to purchase plasmas for its 42-inch model, and will expand that agreement according to The Nikkei. Honestly, this wouldn't be a big deal for most companies, as we've seen with the Sony/Sharp/Samsung triangle in LCD manufacturing, but since Pioneer is the only manufacturer promising the blackest black levels this side of carbon nanotubes, we're freaking out a bit. Here's hoping Pioneer slides over the blueprints to the infinite contrast concept (and that sexy 9mm model) and keeps the party going.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in; via CNBC; warning: reg required on read link]
