Filed under: Cellphones, Displays

It’s hard to knock Nokia given its market dominating position, outside of the US and Japan anyway. But they certainly haven’t been (b)leading edge when it comes to capitalizing on trends such as ultra-slim handsets, touchscreens, or OLED displays. The use of those 3-inch and smaller OLEDs is just the latest trend that started with Sanyo, Toshiba, and LG all releasing OLED-based cellphones earlier this year. Now, it looks like those brilliant OLED displays, specifically Active Matrix OLED (AMOLED), has a place sometime in Nokia’s future — when is the question. According to DigiTimes‘ sources at handset panel providers, Nokia now requires its panel suppliers to have, “development and volume production plans for AMOLED panels,” before Nokia will sign any long-term partnerships. While it’s no secret that OLED is the future of flat panel technologies both big and small, it’s still nice to see Nokia on the ball with this one even though it doesn’t guarantee a Nokia-branded handset with OLED display anytime soon. Assuming these whispering sources are to be believed, of course.

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Filed under: Laptops

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Filed under: Laptops

Taiwanese industry and rumor site DigiTimes is reporting (without citing a source) that ASUS expects to deliver “whole-day” battery options to its Eee PC range of netbooks. In addition, ASUS also plans to offer some level of Internet storage, apparently beyond the 20GB they already offer to new Eee PC 901 and 1000 owners — a move that we hope will become a trend amongst netbook providers in order to offset the miniscule flash drives found inside the lowest of the low-cost, mini laptops. Both changes are expected before the year is up. Incredibly, ASUS also plans to push out new software and hardware upgrades every month to “fill gaps in the netbook market.” Funny, we didn’t think any gaps remained in this over-saturated niche.

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Filed under: Desktops, Gaming

When you’re Intel, everyone from governments to gamers wants to know your next move. So pay attention, DigiTimes has it on shaky word from “motherboard makers” that Intel’s next quad-core, 3.2GHz Extreme “Bloomfield“-class gaming processor for overblown desktop rigs will hit for $999 when purchased in bulk by PC manufacturers — a traditional price-point for Intel’s top o’ the line Extreme silicon until the launch of its $1,499 Core 2 Extreme QX9775 earlier this year. We should also expect $562, 2.93GHz and $284, 2.66GHz versions before the year is up.

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Filed under: Laptops

The price isn’t the only thing swelling on ASUS’ Eee PC. According to DigiTimes‘ proven ASUS sources, bigger Eee PC 904 and 905 models are cueing up for release. In a return to the Eee PC salad days of the big bezel, the new models will slot the same 8.9-inch display found in the 901 into a larger, Eee PC 1000-esque chassis with proportionally larger keyboard. Decisions about battery and storage have not yet been finalized although the new models would be priced similar to the 900 and 901 which they would ultimately replace.

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Filed under: Storage

As evidence begins to amass around the imminent launch of Intel’s consumer oriented High Performance SSDs, we finally get model numbers, dates, and capacities from Taiwan. According to DigiTimes and its “sources at PC makers,” Intel is prepping a 2.5-inch Client X25-M SSD and 1.8-inch Client X18-M SSD for launch in Q3. Both of the SATA drives will initially launch in 80GB capacities before hitting 160GB by the end of Q4 — 250GB and beyond in 2009. We’ll guess that they’ll be sporting the “world’s fastest” SLC NAND co-developed with Micron making the drives tres cher fo’ sho’. However they come, they’ll likely be snuggled up to Intel’s new Centrino 2 laptops when they do arrive.

P.S. We dug up a promo video which we’ve bunged into the page after the break.

Continue reading Video: Intel launching 80GB 1.8- and 2.5-inch SSDs in Q3?

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Filed under: Cellphones, Portable Audio, Portable Video

var digg_url = ‘http://digg.com/apple/Foxconn_wins_3G_iPhone_contract_3M_units_shipping_in_June’; Need more unsubstantiated evidence that the 3G iPhone is near. Good, the Chinese language Commercial Times is quoting sources claiming that Foxconn (aka, Han Hai) — the maker of the 1st gen iPhone — is ramping up 3G iPhone assembly by “the end of May” to ship 3 million units in June. It’s expected to produce some 24-25 million units before the product reaches end of life. If those numbers are true then Apple had better be prepared for a proper global launch without those pesky revenue sharing schemes seen holding back world-wide uptake.

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Filed under: Laptops

Information doesn’t get much more twisted that this so you’d best tread lightly with it. We’ve got a DigiTimes rumor whose message was modified in translation. Engadget Chinese tells us that the original DigiTimes article (in Chinese) states that Asus is planning an Eee PC “sub-corporation.” In other words, an ASUS spin-off that would include more than just low-cost ultra-portables. The rumor is attributed to DigiTimes‘ proven ASUS sources. However, DigiTimes‘ own English translation simply calls the move an Eee “sub-brand” which was already obvious with ASUS’ announced plans for additional Eee branded products including the E-DT desktop, E-TV television, and 19- to 21-inch E-Monitor all-in-one said to be due in Q3. DigiTimes’ sources also claim that ASUS will slap a 1001 model number on its 10.6-inch Eee PC and then — perhaps supporting the spin-off claim — says that there will be a premium 11-inch Eee PC before the end of the year as well. Originally, Jerry Shen, ASUS CEO, said the Eee PC would never exceed 10-inches so that it wouldn’t cut into ASUS’ laptop offerings. A spinoff would presumably give the Eee brand more freedom to compete.

[Via Engadget Chinese]

Read — DigiTimes (Chinese)
Read — DigiTimes (English)

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Filed under: Laptops

It’s just a rumor, though it’s likely spot-on given DigiTimes‘ past success with its well placed ASUS source(s). Remember, they nailed the 9-inch touchscreen (rumor, announcement) as well as the 2nd generation ship date (rumor, announcement) among other notable successes. Apparently, ASUS is looking to get a jump on HP’s new Mini-Note and that upcoming ultra-portable from Acer by launching its second generation 8.9-inch Eee PC early. As such, they’ll have to forgo Intel’s new Atom processor (shipping in June) and slap in an older-generation dual-core ULV instead. Sources claim that ASUS still plans to go Atom in “later versions of its Eee PCs.” What’s unclear is whether this would be an AsiaPac move only, or if ASUS’ entire global rollout strategy has changed. We’ll update you as soon as we know more.

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Filed under: Gaming, HDTV

DigiTimes is feeling pretty confident about the rumors they started yesterday regarding the Xbox 360 with integrated Blu-ray. They are so confident that they’re predicting a price war as Microsoft takes on Sony’s PS3 at its own game. Their sources claim that the Blu-ray Disc drive will cost Microsoft between $95 and $100 — much higher than the $18 to $20 DVD drives already found in the Xbox 360. Microsoft is of course, expected to sell its new Blu-ray rig at a loss as is customary in the console market. Sony may then be forced to lower the cost of the PS3 and/or retaliate by increasing Lite-On’s cost for the Blu-ray components (like the BD-ROM pick-up heads) purchased from Sony. Whatever the result, the competition would be nothing but good news for consumers of HD media… you know, if the rumor is true.

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Filed under: Gaming

Ok, here we go again. Despite Microsoft’s attempt to quash Xbox 360 Blu-ray rumors, they’re back… with a vengeance. According to “industry sources” speaking to DigiTimes, Lite-On is developing built-in Blu-ray Disc drives for the “next generation” Xbox 360 game console. Lite-On is expected to begin shipping the new BD players for assembly in the second half of 2008. DigiTimes also claims that the new, presumably smaller Xbox 360 will reduce the power supply from 210-watts to 170-watts. So… care to comment, Microsoft?

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Filed under: Laptops

We have some major doubts about this one, since Asus officially shut down those Eee PC touchscreen rumors a while back, and DigiTimes has been pretty far off in the past, but apparently the new word on the street is that Asus actually is building resistive touch into at least a some of its upcoming next-generation Eee PCs. Citing “sources at touch screen panel makers,” the technology is supposedly more mature than capacitive touch screens at this size, and will cost Asus about $10 extra per laptop. We still don’t see the point, but it looks like you dreamers can keep on dreaming for the time being.

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Filed under: Cellphones

Although Motorola’s market share has been steadily sliding to the delight of Nokia and Samsung, DigiTimes would have you believe that Moto reigns supreme in the global Windows Mobile Smartphone segment. Citing “internal data from Microsoft,” the oft-wrong, occasionally correct tattle-rag claims that HTC’s share of the WinMo Standard space has declined leaving Moto with the largest market share just barely beating Samsung by, “a small margin.” This after HTC saw a 50% Smartphone domination during Microsoft’s Jul 2006 - Jul 2007 fiscal year. HTC still maintains a 50% market share for WinMo Professional touch-screen devices. Of course, this could be true. After all, Moto has refocused their attention to high-margin, full-featured handsets at the expense of emerging markets and entry level handsets. And you can’t swing an HTC Vox without knocking over a dozen Qs. Still, until we hear otherwise, take this rumor with a quarry-sized load of rock salt.

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Filed under: Laptops

var digg_url = ‘http://digg.com/gadgets/Eee_PC_with_9_inch_touchscreen_in_the_works’; Details of future generation Eee PCs from ASUS have been trickling out even before the first generation shipped. Now that sewing circle of Taiwanese component makers have whispered a few secrets in the direction of DigiTimes. We already heard directly from ASUS at CES that 7-, 8-, and 8.9-inch models are in the works. Now DigiTimes claims a “9-inch” (we’ll assume that’s just the 8.9-incher rounded up) and new 10-inch version is also on the way. Notably, the 9-inch versions will feature “four-wire resistive” touch-panels. Great, right? Sure, at first blush what’s not to like about an Eee with a touchscreen. However, a good chunk of the Eee’s appeal is its low cost even though it never quite delivered on that early $200 promise. Adding bigger displays and now, a touch-screen, is just going to drive the price higher until there’s no difference between an Eee and a Wal-mart Inspiron. Still, adding touch-panel functionality is expected to add just $15 to the manufacturing cost of the device. We only hope that ASUS can refrain from milking the Eee’s success dry… RAZR anyone?

[Via jkkmobile]

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Filed under: Laptops

Is Acer prepping to go head-to-head with ASUS in the surprisingly hot low-cost laptop market? A Chinese-language Commercial Times report says so. The laptops are expected to carry 8- and 9-inch displays when launched “late in the first quarter or early second quarter” and priced to compete directly with the Eee. Of course, ASUS is planning their own refresh about that time so Acer (and Everex) had better keep on its toes.

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Filed under: Laptops

While rumors swirl of an impending Penryn delay, DigiTimes is reporting on a spate of new 45-nm Penryn processors set to launch in May. The new procs support Intel’s 5th generation Centrino platform with optional WiMAX integration dubbed Montevina. Right, the 40% smaller successor to Santa Rosa. That lines up with earlier rumors mumbled back in August. Of the 15 new processors, 7 CPUs are destined for laptops while 8 of the procs feature a smaller 22-mm package size for subnotebooks and ultra-portables. Sorry, not MIDs, those are waiting for Intel’s Menlow-platform based on the 45-nm Silverthorne CPU. Got it? Good. Now feel free to click-through for all the rumored techno-gore you can stomach this early in the morning.

Continue reading Intel releasing 15 Montevina CPUs in May?

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