eReader Sales Plummeting in the First Quarter of 2012

According to a report released by DigiTimes Research, eReader shipments around the globe will be dropping rather significantly in the first quarter of 2012. DigiTimes said that this drop in the shipments of eReaders is due to the current availability of tablets that have similar functionality and are cheaper.

According to the report released by the daily tech newspaper company based in Taiwan, eReader manufacturers will most likely only ship about two million units in the first quarter. This is a huge drop from the nine million units that were sold in the fourth quarter of 2011.

Of course, certain quarters always do better than others, simply due to the time of year that it is. Certain eReaders like Amazon’s Kindle and Barnes & Noble’s Nook are incredibly popular gifts to give during the holiday season, so that definitely causes a spike in eReader sales. Despite all of this, DigiTimes claims that the release of more practical, less expensive tablets like Amazon’s Kindle Fire and Barnes & Noble’s Nook Tablet will put a large dent in the sales of eReaders.

"The launch of Amazon's Kindle Fire tablet PCs has resulted in a substitution effect for Kindle e-book readers, pushing Amazon to reduce its orders for e-book readers from upstream suppliers since the beginning of 2012," the researcher reported.
However, DigiTimes said that in the future they believe that eReaders will “bounce back and positively flourish.”

"Overall, global shipments of e-book readers amounted to 22.82 million units in 2011, increasing 107 percent from a year earlier," the firm said. "Annual shipments of e-book readers are expected to top 60 million units by 2015."

That seems hard to believe after considering the drop of eReader sales in the past two quarters. Can sales really grow 3X in the next three years? Who knows? We’ll just have to wait and see.

Sources: DigTimes Research - Global shipments of e-book readers to slip to 2 million units in 1Q12 and PCMag - Report: Tablets Putting a Big Hurt on Ereader Sales

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The Child Pad Tablet is on Its Way

On Thursday, March 1 Archos announced that it will soon be releasing a tablet that is designed specifically to provide a fun and safe experience for children.

The tablet is being called the Child Pad. The 7-inch tablet is light-weight and perfectly made to fit comfortably in a child’s hands. Although the specs are not amazing, the tablet will run Google’s latest OS, Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

The Child Pad is the first tablet that Archos has ever created to directly market children. It features a 1-Ghz processor and 1GB of RAM. As of right now, Archos has not released information concerning processor type, internal storage capacity or screen resolution.

Based on the available information, it seems as though the Kids App Store that will be available on the tablet will be powered by AppsLib instead of Google. The store will offer children 14 categories with more than 10,000 apps.

"As a pioneer in the portable audio and Android tablet market, we realize the importance of providing a tablet that can offer hours of entertainment for all ages, especially kids," says Henri Crohas, Founder and CEO. "Archos strives to offer great tablets with only the best of features at affordable prices and we expect this tablet to bring a smile to the faces of kids and parents everywhere."

According to Archos, the Child Pad will comply with both the CIPA and COPPA regulations. This will help to ensure a safe tablet experience for each and every child. The company said that there will be parental controls and safe web browsing. The security will be provided by Edition Profil, which is a developer of parental control software.

Archos said that the Child Pad will be available sometime before the end of March, and it will cost consumers $129.

Sources: Tom's Hardware - Archos Introduces Child-Friendly Android ICS 7-inch Tablet and PCMag - Archos Unveils a $130 Ice Cream Sandwich Tablet for Kids

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Asus Confirms Android 5.0 Jelly Bean, Wants to Be First to Get It

Asus has a very close relationship with Google, home of the extremely popular Android operating system. Android is so popular that everybody wants to be known as the first company to offer a product that features the latest and greatest Android OS, including Asus. Well, it just so happens that Asus is hoping that its relationship with Google will allow the company to be the very first to offer devices running Android 5.0, otherwise known as Jelly Bean.

Asus prides itself on its ability to efficiently upgrade to the latest Android OS, as the company was the first to provide tablets operating Honeycomb and the first to update its tablets with Ice Cream Sandwich. Corporate Vice President of Asus Benson Lin stated in an interview with TechRadar, "Asus is very close to Google, so once they have Android 5.0 I think there will be a high possibility that we will be the first wave to offer the Jelly Bean update."

Asus recently announced its 3-in-1 Padfone device at the Mobile World Conference 2012. The device incorporates a mobile phone, tablet and netbook all into a single device that runs Android's Ice Cream Sandwich. Asus hopes that the Padfone will help the company gain momentum in the mobile market. If the company produces good handsets, the promise of a quick upgrade to Android Jelly Bean could see consumers attracted to the device.

Other companies, like LG, have already committed to upgrading their own 2012 range of handsets to Android 5.0 Jelly Bean as soon as it becomes available. It will be very interesting to see which company turns out a Jelly Bean device first and what that could mean for business.

Source: TechRadar - Android Jelly Bean could come first from Asus
Droid Life - Asus Calls Android 5.0 "Jelly Bean" - Says They Will Be One of the First to Release It
DroidDog - Asus hopes to be first with Android 5.0 Jelly Bean
Engadget - ASUS claims it may be among first to get Android 5.0, confirms Jelly Bean moniker

Computer Service Now

AT&T to Get Samsung Rugby Smart on March 4th

Samsung has developed a new rugged smartphone, designed to withstand some rough handling. The device, known as the Samsung Rugby Smart, has been popping up here and there but the company has just announced that the Rugby Smart is officially coming to AT&T stores on March 4th. If you have been waiting for a Samsung smartphone that can withstand heat, dust, dropping, water and just about anything else you can throw at it, then you only have about two weeks to wait.

The Rugby Smart is said to be completely waterproof, meaning you can fully submerge this baby for as long as 30 minutes in up to one meter of water. The actual phone is built to military-specification 810F standards which means that it should be able to handle quite a beating as well. Samsung has issued a press release detailing full specs of the Rugby Smart as well, so you can fully understand what this phone will survive.

The device is also said to launch with Android 2.3 as an operating system and come with a 3.7" WVGA Super AMOLED screen. In addition to that, the Rugby Smart will have 4GB of internal storage, 1,650mAh battery and a 1.3MP front-facing camera for video chat and a 5MP rear-facing auto focus camera with LED flash and 720p HD recording. As far as physical size is concerned, the Rugby Smart will measure 12.19mm thick and weigh 4.2 ounces. The device will be officially launched at AT&T on March 4th for a reasonable $100.

According to Senior Vice President of Devices for AT&T Jeff Bradley, "The Samsung Rugby Smart is perfect for active customers who need another level of durability with their smartphone." Dale Sohn, President of Samsung Mobile, added, "We continue to bring the highest quality devices - the Rugby Smart is the ultimate smartphone to withstand extreme conditions. AT&T customers are now able to stay connected with a durable smartphone while experiencing even the roughest environment."

Source: Engadget - Samsung Rugby Smart officially coming to AT&T March 4 for $100

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Nielsen Defines New "Generation C"

Nielsen has recently categorized a new generation of Americans. They describe them as being “born sometime between the launch of the VCR and the commercialization of the Internet.” They are “Americans 18-34 [that] are redefining media consumption with their unique embrace of all things digital.” This generation is now being referred to as Generation C.

According to Nielsen, Generation C comprises 23 percent of the United States’ population. However, this somewhat small section of the population makes up for a very large amount of the media consumption and media device ownership in the U.S. Nielsen reported that people in Generation C are many of the consumers that are “watching online video (27%), visiting social networking/blog sites (27%), owning tablets (33%) and using a smartphone (39%).”

Interestingly, Generation C is actually not the largest group of consumers that watch online videos or use social networking services. Individuals in the 35-49 year old bracket actually account for 28% of these consumers, something that I found surprising.

However, those in Generation C are clearly the leading consumers of tablets and smartphones, a fact that I did not find surprising.

Generation C is definitely a new bracket that marketers and advertisers are adjusting their techniques to cater to.

Nielsen said, “Their ownership and use of connected devices makes them incredibly unique consumers, representing both a challenge and opportunity for marketers and content providers alike. Generation C is engaging in new ways and there are more touch points for marketers to reach them.”

Sources: nielsenwire - Introducing Generation C: Americans 18-34 Are the Most Connected and PCMag - Gadget-Crazed Youngsters Dubbed 'Generation C'

Security Camera Solutions

32GB Samsung Galaxy Nexus GSM Supposedly Canceled

If you were really looking forward to getting your hands on the 32GB version of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, then I have some rather bad news. The GSM model was originally was supposed to be available with either a 16GB or 32GB model, but the 32GB has yet to make it into physical form. That may be due to the fact that online retailer Expansys-USA Samsung has officially canceled the device. Well, it may just be delayed, though recent reports aren't looking favorable.

The Galaxy Nexus was shipped without support for a micro-SD slot, which would allow for extra storage, leaving users to contend with whatever built-in storage their model came with. The Galaxy Nexus on Verizon comes with 32GB of storage, but everybody else, including GSM models, can only get 16GB devices. Lots of users have been waiting for the company to ship 32GB versions online with no luck.

An "official" comment from an employee at Expansys named Corey has just been released stating that Samsung has, for some unknown reason, canceled or delayed the 32GB model, though it is uncertain as to whether or not this information is viable. The statement reads, "We've just been notified this morning that Samsung has dropped the Galaxy Nexus 32GB from production. At this time it looks like they will not be releasing it. Not good news at all. Corey, EXPANSYS-USA."

A lot of people have been specifically waiting for this exact version to come out. The 32GB GSM Galaxy Nexus was also showing up as discontinued early Tuesday morning at the online retailer, though now it seems to have disappeared from the site completely. If more information on the 32GB model comes up, we'll be the first to have it, though the outlook doesn't look good that you will be getting this device any time soon.

Source: Android Community - Samsung Galaxy Nexus 32GB GSM canceled according to online retailers
Engadget - 32GB GSM Galaxy Nexus canceled, Google hopes you really like streaming

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Samsung Officially Reveals the Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0)

Samsung has officially unveiled its newest tablet, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0). This device is the successor to the original Samsung Galaxy Tab which was released back in 2010. The tablet runs Android's Ice Cream Sandwich operating system and is built around a 7" 1,024 x 600 PLS LCD display and comes equipped with a 1GHz dual-core processor paired with 1GB of RAM, WiFi and a 3MP rear-facing camera.

However, if you just bought a new Samsung Galaxy Tab and are upset, don't be because there is a lot of information about this device that suggests it is a budget model targeted at entry-level consumers. The main camera is fixed-focus and doesn't have an LED flash, plus the front-facing camera is only a VGA resolution camera as opposed to your standard 1.3MP or higher camera. In addition to that, the device is only 10.5mm thick, which makes it kind of chunky compared to most other tablets released by Samsung.

The reason for the bulk is to accommodate WiFi, Bluetooth 3.0, A-GPS and HSPA+ connectivity. There is also 16GB to 32GB of internal storage along with a microSD card slot and a 4,000 mAh battery to top it all off, though Samsung has yet to announce how long the battery will last.

Like I said earlier, Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich is the operating system, making the Galaxy Tab 2 the first one released by the company to come pre-loaded with the software. Other software includes TouchWiz modifications, content hubs, ChatON IM, KIES Air and support for DLNA. That's all the information Samsung has released so far with specific pricing and release dates still unavailable, though it was announced that it's scheduled to be released first in the UK at the beginning of March.

Source: Engadget - Samsung unveils Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0), offers Ice Cream Sandwich on a seven-inch platter
Slash Gear - Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 delivers entry-level Ice Cream Sandwich
SammyHub - Samsung's 7-inch Galaxy Tab 2, runs Android 4.0

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