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Oonagh Reidy

Get HTC One X Today Pre-orders $59 Vodafone

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Is this the smartphone of the year?


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HTC think so.

As do Vodafone who are putting the superfast 4.7″ HTC one X with quad-core processor on preorder from today and lands instore Tuesday April 3 next.

Optus are also selling the smartphone on preorder and Virgin are also flogging One X from next month.

“The HTC One X is a definite contender for the title of one of the most powerful smartphones in the world,” Vodafone declared today.

One X boasts 4.7-inch Super LCD touchscreen runs Android Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0 operating system, 8MP camera auto focus (rear), 1.3MP front cameras, 1080p HD Video, 32GB memory and Beats By Dr. Dre Audio for high class sound.

The 4.7″ HTC  delivers a decent sound experience with Beats Audio across all of the device’s multimedia, plus a Music Hub that centralises all of the owner’s music types and a Sync Manager that wirelessly synchronises all playlists, including iTunes.

Voda’s plans include $0 upfront on $59 monthly plan over 24-months which includes $750 of flexible value for national/ international calls, 1.5GB data, Infinite TXT anytime plus.

Other plans include $29 cap (+$18 handset fee), $49 (+$5 fee) with $550 calls, Infinte Voda to Voda and 1GB data. IT also comes on $79 and $99 plans. 

 

“We are very excited to bring HTC’s latest and best smartphone the HTC One X to Vodafone customers. As the world’s first ever smartphone to feature a quad-core processor…. this really is a very smart phone.” declared Ross Parker, Manager of Devices and Pricing Vodafone.

Customers buying the new HTC One X will also be able to benefit from the Vodafone Network Guarantee, meaning you can cancel your contract if you’re not happy with the network service.

These Boots Were Made For…Googling?

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Forget Glasses, Try Google Shoes

Image credit: Engadget

Yes folks, you can now get Google on your trainers.

Well not exactly, but the Adidas tech-ed out shoe walks and talks – thanks to a microcontroller built into the tongue.

Created by Google tech gurus, the savvy shoe is designed to give feedback on user movements – with built in accelerometers, gyroscopes, pressure sensors.

You can sync it with your smartphone via Bluetooth.

So, if you’re running at a fast pace, it will cheer you on via its external speaker. Sounds kind of annoying, really.

But hang on, “Google is not getting into the shoe business,” a rep told Engadget at the SXSW 2013 music and emerging technologies conference this week, just merely a whacky experiment to show what’s possible with data.

 

For now, anyway.

Image credit: Engadget

The demo is part of Google’s Art, Copy & Code project exhibited at SXSW 2013 that kicked off this week in Austin, Texas.

Bye Bye, BlackBerry: Profits Crash, Balsillie Dash

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BlackBerry has hit a ditch after $125m losses and its co-founder leaves the board.


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Research In Motion, the maker of BlackBerry fourth quarter results and full fiscal year end March 3, released today, make for some dreary reading as iPhone and Android continue to eat into its customer base.

RIM’s reported GAAP net loss in Q4 was $125 million, while revenue fell 19% to $4.2 billion in three months to March 3, compared to Q3.

Shipments of BlackBerry smartphones, once the darling of the phone industry, fell 21% to 11.1 million in its latest quarter, while 500,000 BlackBerry PlayBook tablets were also shipped.

This compares abysmally to Apple dizzying iPhone sales which topped 37 million for Oct-Dec last, while iPad sales topped 15 million – on net profits $13.1bn.

RIM revenues for the fiscal year was $18.4 billion, down 7%. However, GAAP net profit for fiscal 2012 was $1.2 billion, or $2.22 per share diluted – just one third of the $3.4 billion figure it recorded a year ago.

This news comes as a series of senior management figures have also jumped ship. Jim Balsillie, former Co-CEO of the Company, has resigned from the RIM Board, citing “retirement,” after recently stepping down from the top job.

“As I complete my retirement from RIM, I’m grateful for this remarkable experience and for the opportunity to have worked with outstanding professionals who helped turn a Canadian idea into a global success,” Balsillie said.

Barb Stymiest, Chair of RIM’s Board of Directors, praised Balsillie for his 20 years of service:

“His energy, drive and enthusiasm helped build one of the most successful technology companies of our time.”

David Yach, Chief Technology Officer of Software is also to leave Canadian based RIM after 13 years as is Jim Rowan, COO, Global Operations, who “has decided to pursue other interests,” RIM said in a statement today.

“The Company is currently undertaking a search to hire a single COO with responsibilities to run the Company’s operations. “

However, despite the carnage RIM’s new CEO, Thorsten Heins, remains positive: “I have assessed many aspects of RIM’s business during my first 10 weeks as CEO.

“The Company has substantial strengths that can be further leveraged to improve our financial performance, including RIM’s global network infrastructure, a strong enterprise offering and a large and growing base of more than 77 million subscribers.

“I’m very excited about the prospects for the BlackBerry 10 platform, which is on track for the latter part of calendar 2012,” he added.

However, Heins said he recognised the “significant” business challenges the troubled giant faces over the next several quarters and said he was “taking the necessary steps to address them,” citing the delivery of BlackBerry’s 10 platform and refocusing resources on “key opportunities” including BlackBerry Mobile Fusion.

 

RIM is also plutting the heavies on management performance with management accountability and process discipline among the new regimes in place at the top.

The ailing smartphone maker said it is undertaking “a comprehensive review of strategic opportunities including partnerships and joint ventures, licensing, and other ways to leverage RIM’s assets.”

RIM also said it will to discontinue providing specific quantitative guidance. 

Dick Smith MD Resigns

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Debra Singh stepped down as MD of struggling Dick Smith
Singh’s departure is timed to coincide with the planned divestment of Dick Smith, announced earlier this year, reports AFR.

Singh was hired in 2008 to turn around the Woolworths-owned electronics retailer but her efforts weren’t enough to save the chain which has been hit by consumer electronics deflation and weak consumer spending.

The announcement was made in an internal memo to staff.

A Private Equity Group as well as an overseas buyer are believed to be among the final bidders for the retail chain and Woolies executives say they are confident they will announce a buyer early in August.

Woolies CEO Grant O’Brien said Singh was to be “commended on her leadership of the Dick Smith business and most recently throughout the divestment process”.

Last week, Dick Smith announced a 2.1% increase y-o-y and 10.4% in Q4 of FY 2012 thanks to the of Ad campaigns such as ‘Dick Does’ and ‘Cheapest Ever’.

Overall, 52 Dick Smith stores were closed during the year as part of the divesting strategy, with plans to close 100 in all.

There’s currently 286 Dick Smith branded stores open in Australia and 62 in NZ.

Woolworths did not reply to requests for comment at the time of writing.

Yes, Optus + Voda Data Sharing “On The Radar”

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AS Telstra unveil data sharing between devices, rivals say they too, are planning to share the data loving.

Optus spokesperson admits Internet data sharing across multiple devices is “on the radar in the future”, a spokesperson told CN.

However, for now, Optus says its focused on eradicating bill shock – that nasty ailment suffered by telco customers in OZ – where they get a whopper mobile bill they didn’t even realise they had amassed.

Optus newly launched My Plan, which adds on 1GB of data for $10 onto current allowances and “is a fair way of charging for data”, the spokesperson added.

However, all telcos agree data costs are on the rise. “Telco’s need to monietise data, when data became popular, telco’s were giving it away”, the Optus rep told CN.  

Now with 3G+, 4G and the massive investments in network upgrades, “customers need to pay for it”.  

Vodafone, too, are “absolutely” planning to go down the data sharing route, a rep told CN.

Although no specific date has been announced, it is coming “in the near future”.

Like Optus, Vodafone says it is focusing its efforts on other areas of bill shock – international roaming – extended its $5 a day charge to Europe yesterday, in addition to UK, US.

The red telco is also looking to expand this $5 roaming deal to Asia.

 “It is our unique selling point, as we can use Vodafone networks globally”.

Telstra data sharing plans were announced yesterday – but at a closer look, it seems users would have to go pretty light on data consumption to make use of cheapest plan which is $70, with just 1GB data to share between a smartphone and a tablet for a whole month.

 (This relatively light Internet user has used the full 1.5GB allowance in just the first two weeks of a smartphone plan, now forced to endure an Internet famine for another two whole weeks. O dear.)

“Telstra could have done better” one industry source told CN, “the fees look costly”.

Lets hope Voda and Co can do better.

 

Retail “Very Weak”, No Change Forecast: Economist

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As NAB reported June online sales were down, there was worse news for brick and mortar stores

Traditional store sales are “very weak” at the moment, growing at about 2% per annum to May 2013, Alan Oster, Nab chief Economist told CN.

“I suspect that’s not going to change anytime soon,” he warned, which is a depressing prospect for retailers looking to fight online competition and price deflation. 
Consumers are deleveraging and saving their pennies, says Oster.
NAB Online Sales Index released yesterday, showed web sales also slowed to 14% growth yoy in June – valued at $13.9 billion. 
Internet purchases were equivalent to 6.2% of the traditional bricks & mortar retail sales in the year to May. 
Official June retail figures are out next week. 
The Australian Retailers Association today called on the Reserve Bank to cut interest rates to at least 2.5 percent when it meets next Tuesday.
“”While the RBA lowered rates in May, this small cut was simply not enough to help retailers who need relief from consumers’ reluctance to spend,” said ARA Executive Director Russell Zimmerman. 
He also said retailers who are struggling to “keep their heads above water” on the back of recent increases in minimum wage, Medicare levy, continually weak trade figures, higher operational costs and penalty rate rises.

Samsung 13″ Ivy Bridge HD+ (Ultra) Notebook $1599

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Slim, Intel Core i7, Super Bright HD Screen: Is this an ultrabook?
No, but as good as.

Meeet Samsung’s new Notebook Series 9.

Samsung 15″ / 13.3″ HD+ SuperBright Plus screen Notebook unleashed in Oz today is powered by Intel Core i5 or i7 processor.

And although not quite the dimensions of an Ultrabook, the 15″ is 14.9mm thin and weighs just 1.59kg, while the 13″ measures only 12.9mm and weighs just 1.16kg.


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The new Samsungs boot up faster than their predecessor with Fast Solutions technology. Its reflective resistant display means its good to go even outdoors, has 8GB memory and a 128GB SSD (no bigger than an Australian 20c coin). 

Users also get “outstanding control” with the large multi-touch clickpad with image sensor, say it makers.

33,000 Hours of R&D went into the Series 9 development, says Samsung, and components such as the LCD panel, keyboard, motherboard, cables, fans and battery have been crafted with absolute precision to fit into the thin single shell body.

Samsung’s compact chassis technology, MaxScreen, minimises the bezel size and increases the screen by up to an inch more than its predecessors.

“The Samsung Series 9 is part of an evolution in engineering and design, almost every piece both inside and out has a story,” said Tony Ignatavicius, Director – IT Division at Samsung Electronics Australia.

 

“The Samsung Series 9 is one of the first Samsung notebook available with 3rd generation Intel Core i5/i7 processor making it easy for Australian’s to enjoy performance and usability.

“The Mineral Ash Black body of the new notebooks has been sand-blasted to achieve a fingerprint resistant surface.”

Notebook Series 9 is going for A$1599 for the 13.3 inch and $1899 for the 15″.

Hello, Tony: Samsung Galaxy S5 Gets Gov Nod

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Samsung hero Galaxy S5 approved for use by Australian Government

Samsung S5 has got the nod for use by government officials, after meeting strict security criteria. 

Samsung’s flagship Galaxy S5 smartphone has achieved Common Criteria Certification, which means the Android device is recognised as a mobile device suitable for the protection of Australian Government information at the UNCLASSIFIED/Dissemination Limiting Marker level. 

The standard is developed by the National Information Assurance Partnership and includes 80 core device security requirements, including Key Management, Crypto Module, Device Encryption, WiFi Security, Screen Lock and Mobile Device Management (MDM).
It basically means ministers and government officials can text, call freely and store data safely without fear of being intercepted by spies or hackers. So Clive Palmer is free to text, say, MP Malcolm Turnbull to say their dinner date is off, or being moved to a quieter location.  
The S5 demonstrated compliance with over one hundred unique requirements, ranging from encryption to intrusion detection to key exchange to support for secure networking standards. 
The Galaxy S5 is also qualified for use in U.S. Military, Federal Agencies and Australian Signals Directorate.  
The seal of approval is Samsung latest push in the mobile enterprise space – earlier this year it released Knox 2.0 data security platform to lure more BYOD users to its device. 
Samsung Australia is believed to be working with local enterprises but would not give any further details when contacted by ChannelNews.  
“Achieving this certification further strengthens Samsung’s strong security credentials,” said Craig Gledhill, Samsung’s vice president of enterprise and SMB for ANZ and Southeast Asia. 
“This is an endorsement of our investment and commitment to meet the strict security standards for government and enterprises in Australia who can rely on Samsung for mobile devices that come with strong, built-in security capabilities.”
This is good news for the Samsung hero device, which analysts say will outsell iPhone 5S in Australia, in the coming months. 
However, there was less good news on the profit front – new guidance released by the company this week suggests operating profit will be down 25%, as smartphone market gets more competitive.  

David Jones To Sell Sydney CBD Store?

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Retail stalwart may sell off CBD sites as profits slump 40%


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The shock move was suggested in a statement to the ASX today as DJ’s announced a massive 40 % net profit slump for FY12 to $101.1 million to the year end 28 July.

The profit haemorrhage was in line with market guidance and reflects difficult trading conditions and DJ’s investment in its strategic plan, CEO Paul Zahra, insisted.

However, in its property update to shareholders, the troubled retailer said it would “investigate opportunities to unlock the value of its property portfolio for the benefit of shareholders” and hired property consultants Cushman and Wakefield to estimate a potential sale price of its four CBD sites in Bourke St. Melbourne, and Elizabeth and Market St, Sydney.

Rental value on the four prime retail properties would be worth $39m to DJ annually and a total potential value of $612m, attractive income for the luxury high street retailer facing hard times.

DJ’s said it undertaking further assessments and will update the market in six months time.

“Our Company remains in a strong financial position with low debt. We have a strong balancesheet, solid cashflows and ownership of our Sydney and Melbourne CBD properties,” DJ CEO told shareholders.

Sales were down almost 5% to $1,8 billion, although there was an improved sales trend, quarter on quarter, similar to Myer who noted slight growth in the final quarter of FY12, last week.

“In FY12 we took the view that it was important for the long term success of the business that we invest in the initiatives outlined in our Future Strategic Direction Plan, not withstanding concernsabout the current trading environment,” Zahra added.

“Whilst our PAT has been impacted as a result of thisinvestment, the initiatives we are implementing hold us in good stead for the future.”

DJ future direction plan involves driving forth its omni or multi channel strategy and upping its online offering, saying it will have 90,000 SKU’s or unique products online by Christmas, opening new stores and launching its mobile web store.

In its results presentation, the company said it would engage in a cost harmonisation strategy across most product categories including electronic brands Beats Dr Dre headphones, Bose AV equipment, Canon and Olympus which it pledged to slash prices by 20%-28% as well as on its home, accessories and fashion lines.

 

“In FY12 we took the view that it was important for the long term success of the business that we invest in the initiatives outlined in our Future Strategic Direction Plan, not withstanding concernsabout the current trading environment. Whilst our PAT has been impacted as a result of thisinvestment, the initiatives we are implementing hold us in good stead for the future,” Zahra concluded.

Whether DJ will rent or sell its CBD sites, further store growth is part on DJ future strategy and the company has taken on lease for six new stores including Highpoint in Victoria, which will open in 2013

DJ’s net cashflows from operating activities were up 7.8% to $196.7 million.

The company also announced a final dividend to shareholders of 7.0cps fully franked, the FY12 full year dividend being 17.5cps fully franked.

Its Baack: Click Frenzy ‘eCarnival’ Hits 2013

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After last years online fiasco, Click Frenzy is back, promising it has mended its way after last Novembers farce.
Click Frenzy was OZ’s first 24-hour Internet sales event with 170 retailers taking part including Myer and Dick Smith, which led to multiple retailer servers and Click Frenzy’s own site crashing under the weight of 2.6 million consumers looking for e-deals.

But now its rolling out a full calendar of events including the Mother’s Day Tuesday, April 23, Father’s Day plus End-of-Financial-Year and a pre Christmas ‘eCarrnival’ and Click Frenzy in November which will remain the staple event, Grant Arnott Click Frenzy co-founder said on Power Retail today.

Mr Click Frenzy said improvements made to its systems to ensure the mass web crash won’t happen again.

“We’ve listened, and we have learnt ” Arnott said, promising none of the online fiasco of last year, where consumers were unable to access the Click Frenzy and retailer’s sites for hours, despite having pre-registered, leading to an outcry on Twitter, Facebook.

Even the ACCC admited they were aware of the fiasco.

Despite this, Click Frenzy is definitely returning in 2013, as well as an eCarnivale which will hit Internet town the third week in November starting with the 24-hour mega-sale from 7pm Tuesday 19 with “all merchants on display.”

The eCarnivale event continues for the rest of that week, with breakout events for home, entertainment and other categories.

To help moderate the traffic, subscribers will be given early access to Click Frenzy events whilst for the public, the shopping site goes live at 7pm for the start of each event.

Read: After Click Frenzy …. Comes The Big Q

“Due to the outage and the subsequent controversy via social media, there’s a perception that Click Frenzy failed,” Arnott said.

“Its popularity exceeded our wildest forecasts, and the site was down for the first 15% of the 24 hour period, which caused a major stir across media and social media.”

Read: Click Frenzy: What The Retailers Say

“There are still plenty of critics, but we’ve been buoyed by the overwhelming industry support for Click Frenzy, and we’re determined to deliver.”

The co-founder of the sale event insisted there’s been “great enthusiasm” from consumers  and “we’ve had an incredible response from existing and new retailers on our Click Frenzy database for the Mother’s Day campaign and subsequent events.”

However, the organisation was not available for comment when contacted by CN.

If you would like further information on participating in Click Frenzy 2013, email info@clickfrenzy.com.au or call 03 9585 9869.