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Big US Carrier Takes On Mobile Wi Fi Device That Telstra Rejected

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Sprint one of the biggest Mobile phone carriers in the USA is set role out over a million Alcatel One Touch mobile hot spot devices, this is the same product that Telstra rejected.

The Alcatel OneTouch Ride-fi, plugs into a vehicle’s 12-volt power socket, it incorporates Wi-Fi b/g/n, LTE, and CDMA to connect up to eight Wi-Fi devices at a time to the Internet. 

It also features USB 2.0 port for device charging.

The Ride-Fi is the first device of its kind for Sprint. 

While you can use most phones and tablets as mobile hotspots, the purpose of the Ride-Fi is to let you get several devices online without having to use up your phone’s battery. And since the Ride-Fi can plug into your vehicle’s 12V power socket, you don’t even need to worry about charging the stick before you take it on the road for use.

According to sources Telstra was offered the Alcatel One Touch device six months ago.

Medion A Gutsy Solid $999 All In One PC Shows Up HP & Dell

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Evolution not revolution is something that European companies are very good at and this shows through with the new Medion Akoya MD8870 all in one touch screen PC.

You only have to look at products from Companies like BMW, Audi or Mercedes to recognise that evolution in design and functionality stands the test of time over a flashy new product with all new bells and whistle features.
Medion is a German PC manufacturer who appear to be taking the same approach with their new all in one touch screen PC.
While there was no difference between the look and feel of their previous all in one PC  the 21-inch display screen of their new offering, which is selling for sub $1,000 simply lit up to reveal a stunning new display that screamed quality. Images were sharper and applications like games performed significantly faster while rendering to the screen in a way that detail was significantly improved.

The HD resolution of 1920 X 1080 was excellent especially when it came to watching a TV program or a DVD movie in 16.9 cinema format.
However the Window Media Centre software is still a pain especially when you look at what Google is doing with their Google TV offering.
A big improvement is the NVIDIA GeForce 9100 graphics card which comes with 256 MB of shared memory.
This delivered a significant improvement over the previous model.
This PC which sells for $999 is all about under the bonnet improvements which is amazing considering the previous model cost over $1,299.The Intel T4500 2.3GHz processor is significantly faster than the previous model.
Using WorldBench 6 on the PC it recorded a score of 112. This is a significant jump from Medion’s older P4010 which we reviewed last year it also out performed HP and Dell’s all-in-one PC offerings. This is the same score that PC World recorded during the same test.
The all in one PC comes with a 1TB hard drive and the internal stereo speakers perform well.  It also has a built in TV tuner. 

 
The only problem I found was that the touch screen was ultrasensitive; resulting in a simple touch to the screen causing problems especially when one is working on a document.
Sitting on a desktop or in a kitchen or lounge this PC looks simple and smart. The stylish sleek design which is very European with smart aluminium trims around a piano black surface. A simple sturdy stand, that easily flexes allowing the PC to be easily set to an optimum viewing position, delivers excellent functionality.
The PC comes with an integrated sound system and 6 channel analogue audio. A built in camera delivers an excellent image when used with Skype even in low light.
The only irritating feature is the Medion keyboard. Its feels very cheap when typing and my recommendation is to that you ditch it and buy yourself a new wireless keyboard and mouse.

On the software front this PC comes with a 32 bit version of Windows 7 Home Premium which is a big improvement on Vista. A 64-bit is included, although a user needs to install it manually. Also in the pack is Microsoft Works, and Windows Live Essentials.
When performing such tasks as word processing, spread sheets and web browsing and video viewing, the Medion handled itself well. The dual-core CPU can run several programs simultaneously; there was no perceivable slowdown when switching between applications.
To the left side of the screen is a lip which hides three easily accessible USB 2.0 ports. This is an excellent place to put frequently used slots. Just above the USB ports is an SD card slot and a headphone microphone jack. 
On the rear panel of the PC a range of ports can be found: four USB 2.0 ports, an audio line in and coaxial digital output, a Gigabit Ethernet socket and a TV antenna input. PS/2 ports are also available for connecting older keyboards and mice.

JB Hi Fi Storms Home 40% Profit Lift

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Consumer electronics retailer JB Hi Fi has defied the market by reporting a bumper 40% increase in profits and a sales increase of 28%. The Company also believes that the CE industry at large will benefit from further Federal Government stimulus packages.

As a Reserve Bank board member called  for a change in the way that the stimulus package is distributed in an effort to prevent consumers spending on what they described yesterday to a Senate hearing as “Plasma & Pokies”, JB HI Fi has said that sales in January and February are as forecast.

One JB Hi Fi Manager said “We are definitely benefiting from the money that was handed out in December. This has certainly helped our sales.”

During the past six months as Harvey Norman was closing stores JB Hi Fi has opened 14 stores during and will open a further seven stores in the second half.  They are also looking at new locations following the collapse of several retailers, said Richard Uechtritz during a recent interview with ChannelNews.

Uechtritz said, “Whilst the retail outlook is less certain than previous reporting dates, the company is cautiously optimistic that it will have another strong year and confirms its previous guidance that sales will be circa $2.35 billion or a 28 per cent increase on the prior financial year.”

Store growth rose 11.1 per cent across its regions and management said margins remained stable at 21.4 per cent despite discounting at its competitors.

 

 

The tough economic environment for the retail sector will present expansion opportunities, the company said.

“The weak retail climate should throw up expansion opportunities,” Mr Uechtritz said during a teleconference.

“Sites from companies like Crazy Clark’s and Go-Lo are possibilities and some pass down sales that would have otherwise gone to the Strathfield business upon closure of those stores.”

The company renewed its debt facilities in December for another three years and said it had an ability to take advantage of any attractive growth opportunities that may arise in the current weak economic climate.

JB Hi Rocks Despite Tough Trading Conditions

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JB Hi Fi is set to rock with the Company forecasting sales growth of 28% running into the last quarter of 2008. This is despite what JB Hi-Fi chief executive Richard Uechtritz calls a “challenging environment”.

JB Hi Fi is set to rock with the Company forecasting sales growth of 28% running into the last quarter of 2008. This is despite what JB Hi-Fi chief executive Richard Uechtritz calls a “challenging environment”.
In a word of warning he told shareholders at today’s Annual General Meeting that he expects the current economic crisis will lead to further industry rationalisation.
The Company is forecasting that sales will rise to $2.35 billion from fiscal 2008. Company Chairman Patrick Elliot said every company in the consumer electronics sector was under scrutiny.
“Despite the current economic and retail environment and with the all important Christmas trading period ahead of us, the company remains confident that it will meet market expectations,” Mr Uechtritz said. He added “As previously advised to the market, trading in the first quarter has been solid and we maintain our previous sales guidance for fiscal 2009 of circa $2.35 billion or a 28 per cent increase on fiscal 2008.”
“Low levels of unemployment, falling interest rates and the possible switch from other big ticket purchases may continue to support a reasonable level of consumer spending in our major categories,” he added.
“We expect however that these more challenging times in retail will prove a catalyst for further industry rationalisation, increased market share for the company and further enhancement of our competitive advantage.”
The Australian said that both sales and earnings at JB Hi Fi are well up on the previous year, but the company has yet to finalise its September results.
All 6 stores opened so far this financial year are trading well, it added.
After opening 20 new stores during 2007/08, the company will open another 14 new stores for the six months to Christmas 2009, taking its total store franchise network to 119 stores.

Downlod the JB Hi Fi report here.

Life Without A Blackberry

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Telecommunication resellers are evaluating the impact of Life without a “Blackberry?” the wireless portable e-mail device is set to be banned by a US court. Both Vodafone and Telstra could be hit if the US court decides to close down the Blackberry operation.

The chance of a Blackberry ban looks strong as the U.S. Supreme Court has refused to review a major patent infringement ruling against maker Research In Motion Ltd. A US federal judge could issue an injunction to block RIM’s business as early as Wednesday .What is not kown is what impact the ruling will have on Australia.  Many observers, however, suspect RIM may develop alternative technology or perhaps pay what some say could be as much as a billion dollars to settle with patent-holding company NTP.

I have just spent a month evaluating a Vodafone Blackberry and I have to be honest I am not addicted as are many users. I find the keys small and the instructions as to how to connect ones email service poor. I also found it bulky. I prefer the Windows Mobile devices such as those built by iMate. They interface easily into Outlook and the screens are easy on the eys. Above all the keys are easy to see and access which is a big problem with the Blackberry.

However some people are addicted.  “They should pay the billion dollars and get it over with,” Blackberry user and insurance company executive Jim Long said recently. So pervasive is the Blackberry culture, with some 3.65 million customers worldwide, that the device is nicknamed the “Crackberry” for its addictive allure. And it’s blamed for woes ranging from rudeness to injury to obsession.  “It consumes me. I shouldn’t be looking at it on weekends, but I do,” said stock broker Ryan McDonald. “My wife tells me to put it down all the time.”

Of course, like many addicts, plenty of Blackberry fanatics are in denial. “I’m not addicted,” growled one man who refused to look up from typing on his Blackberry as he crossed a city intersection. “I don’t want to be that guy.” Complaints about Blackberry users have seeped into etiquette columns, where the high-minded gripe that terse messages on Blackberry’s miniature keyboards mean grammar, capitalisation and full sentences are a thing of the past.

According to Reuters, celebrities complain about each others’ Blackberry use. They say that Vogue editor Andre Leon Talley complained his friends supermodel Naomi Campbell and singer Mariah Carey are compulsive Blackberry users. Some people complain of “Blackberry thumb,” prompting the American Society of Hand Therapists to warn that users of small electronic gadgets can develop repetitive stress injuries. A few high-end spas offer special Blackberry massages, complete with scented balms, warm towels and hot tea.

“Your thumb cramps up,” said an executive for a beverage company, standing in an office lobby, who did not want her name publicly associated with the affliction. The legal battle over Blackberry goes back to 2002 when NTP successfully sued RIM for using its patents.

While wireless e-mail users could use other gadgets like Palm’s Treo, some users say they favor Blackberry’s technology. RIM itself has argued that an “exceptional public interest” is at stake in keeping its business functioning.

In a recent study of 1,700 e-mail users around the world, 75 percent said they think it is addictive.

Intel Goes All Trendy

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Intel and Toray Ultrasuede today released a concept notebook computer that adds a smooth, soft textile covering to the computer’s conventional hard plastic.The end result is a stylish piece of computer hardware, the company said. Toray’s microfiber Ultrasuede will come in a variety of colors and textures.

The joint venture was the end result of a study that found that 73 percent of adult computer users want products that reflect their personal style, and 76 percent of that demographic admitted to checking out the styling of other people’s notebook computers, Intel said. Other survey results found 40 percent of computer users find their notebook’s appearance boring, and 60 percent would enjoy having the ability to customize their notebook.

“We believe the integration of Ultrasuede onto a laptop PC can help lead to a category shift that will add personal expression to the list of must have laptop PC features,” said Des McLaughlin, Toray’s sales and marketing director.

In the past Intel has worked with a variety of design companies to develop exotic looks for the notebook market. Generally, Intel presents its concepts to notebook vendors and allows them to decide if the idea is a fit for their products.

Panasonic King Of Plasma

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Plasma has overtaken rear projection TV according to the latest TV market research results. Panasonic are the #1 supplier of plasma.

Shipments of plasma TVs reached 1.13 million units in the second quarter, rising 24 percent sequentially and 89 percent year-to-year, according to market research firm DisplaySearch.

DisplaySearch noted that shipments of plasma TVs overtook rear projection TVs worldwide with a 2.9 percent share of the TV market, up from 2.0 percent the first quarter. Rear projection TVs saw their TV market share decline from 2.9 to 2.5 percent. Plasma TVs now outsell RPTVs in all regions except North America, where the percentage of 50-inch and larger TVs remains higher than the rest of the world favoring lower-priced RPTVs, said DisplaySearch.

“The plasma TV market is benefiting from increasingly attractive prices and the rapid decline of the CRT RPTV market which fell 37 percent quarter-to-quarter and 39 percent year-to-year,” said DisplaySearch analyst Ross Young. “Supporting this growth was a 28 percent decline in blended plasma TV prices over the past year.”

Panasonic remained the leading plasma TV supplier the second quarter, seeing its shipments rise sequentially 90 percent to increase the company’s global market share from 17 to 27 percent. LGE, Samsung, Philips, and Hitachi rounded out the top five plasma TV suppliers, according to DisplaySearch.

eBay Offers Free Enterprise Apps For OZ Retailers

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Australia does not have the online applications or retail knowledge to deliver enterprise strength capabilities to retailers who are currently struggling to move online, an eBay executive has said at a technology conference on the Gold Coast today.

Adrian Christie, head of PR and communications at eBay said that retailers can benefit from a multitude of proven applications that are currently being used by some of the biggest retailers in the world without having to pay up front for the technology.

He said that retailers like Harvey Norman was already benefitting in the role out of their online operations via a relationship with eBay and Pay Pal, and that other retailers can also benefit from a host of enterprise strength services that are available via their X.com service fo no up front fee. Instead eBay takes a small percentage of between 2 and 6%.

eBay who is cuddling up to Australian retailers in an effort to become the online version of Westfield believes the size of the Australian market Vs the cost of enterprise services is a key factor for Australian retailers.

Christie said Australian consumers today want and expect more choices in how and where they shop. And multi-channel innovations – online, offline, mobile, and the fast-blurring spaces in between – are best delivered via the use of the services that eBay with their X.com capability can deliver.

He claims that the technology is changing every day and for retailers to keep up with this is costly and time consuming. “The API’s offered by eBay are a real benefit for an Australian retailer”.

He said that today consumers are armed with more knowledge before they buy than ever before including reviews and recommendations from media sites like SmartHouse.

Daily deals, barcode scanning and instant price comparison are all par for course in a day online for a retailer. “As today’s consumers use technology innovations to seize control, the question is how can merchants of all sizes keep up?”

“No technology has emerged that empowers merchants to deliver standout experiences across devices and channels.  None has emerged to help merchants manage the entire commerce process, easily and cost-effectively.  None has emerged that unleashes the creativity of developers to define the next wave of innovation across the entire commerce ecosystem” Christie said.

To see the full list of X.com capabilities go here.

Netflix Talking To OZ Production Companies As They Move To Shoot Their Own Shows In The US

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Netflix is back talking to Australian Production Companies with a view to producing an Australian TV series.

The US streaming Company who is set to make its “Originals” more original by shooting several new shows itself, instead of relying on outside studios has had discussions with at least two Australian Production Companies in recent months following the success of the IP based service in Australia where more than 1,500,000 people are believed to have signed up for the service. 

According to Bloomberg the world’s largest paid video streaming service is considering filming Chelsea Handler’s new talk show at a space it leased last month in Hollywood, said a person familiar with the situation, who asked not to be named because the plans aren’t public. It’s also the studio behind a pair of comedy series announced earlier this year — “Flaked,” starring Will Arnett, and “Lady Dynamite,” featuring Maria Bamford, the person said.

Generally, most networks don’t produce their own shows but rather broadcast shows made by other production companies. 

Mythbusters, for example, is broadcast on Discovery but is written, shot, and produced by Australia’s Beyond Television Productions. 

Netflix has been following this same model of taking shows from outside studios and paying for the rights to be the sole broadcaster. And so far it’s worked out quite well – subscriptions are up and the network has garnered nearly a dozen Emmys, the first streaming network ever do so.

Bloomberg claims the move exposes Netflix to new financial risks — hiring the talent, renting equipment and overseeing budgets — but could also speed up its drive to offer a uniform service around the world. While the company controls global rights to many of the shows it brands as Netflix Originals, some of its biggest hits are owned by others: Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. 

produces “Orange Is the New Black,” and Walt Disney’s Marvel unit created “Daredevil.” Netflix’s licenses will lapse at some point, making those series available to cable networks and online rivals.

“Obviously there’s benefits if we produce a show,” Chief Financial Officer David Wells said on the company’s most recent earnings call in July. “If there’s great reach across the world and we can distribute that show and it will be consumed and enjoyed across the world. So there’s tremendous benefits there in terms of just the scale of distributing it.”

Ownership also reduces the reliance on major media companies like 21st Century Fox Inc. and Time Warner Inc. that are revaluating their relationship with Netflix. Consumers are watching less broadcast and cable TV, and more online, undermining the most important source of revenue for networks whose in-house production arms previously viewed sales of new shows and reruns to Netflix as purely additive.