Tablet Shipments Down, Phablet Shipments Up

Shipments for tablets were down 5 percent over the last year, signaling a slowdown for even the most popular of tablets, Apple's iPad, NPD DisplaySearch said Wednesday.

This is the first time that demand for these mobile devices are down, according to the research firm. Global shipments declined to 56.3 million units in the first quarter of this year from 59 million units in the same period in 2013.

Why is popularity of the devices waning? In part, there's generally less growth in the beginning of the year since people tend to buy a lot of tablets during the holiday season. But the main reason is most likely the popularity of bigger screens on smartphones, according to NPD analyst Richard Shim. He expects shipments will continue to fall, given the growing demand for larger smartphone screens.

"Replacing tablet PCs with large-size smartphones is expected to be a theme in the coming years, expanding on a trend that has mainly been limited to China," he wrote in a blog post. "As the emergence of large-size smartphones becomes a bigger influence in the US, shipments of small-size tablet PCs are expected to decline."

Even Apple, which has led the tablet market with its popular iPad line, had a bad quarter. While it remains on top with 20 percent of the market share, Apple's tablet shipments were down 16.1 percent. Samsung, the No. 2 tablet maker with 11 percent of the market, was only in marginally better shape, with tablet shipments up 2 percent.

Other brands have just a small percentage of the market, but Lenovo and Asus did see substantial growth, pushing them above Google and Amazon:

Apple, My Only Question is: Why?

Apple on Wednesday confirmed it has acquired the headphone maker and music streaming service Beats.

In a press release, Apple said it acquired the company for approximately $2.6 billion in cash, plus $400 million in stock that will vest over time.

Beats co-founders Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre will join Apple as part of the deal, the iPhone and iPad maker said.

The deal is expected to close in the fourth quarter — around September — the same fiscal three-month reporting period when the new iPhone is expected to be unveiled, according to earlier reporting.

The Beats purchase comes after a leak of the news earlier this month.

The final price is significantly less than the $3.2 billion that was originally published by the London's Financial Times earlier this week.

Beats will remain a separate brand from Apple's, and the company will offer both Beats' streaming music and headphones, along with its own branded headphones.

Apple's chief executive Tim Cook said in prepared remarks: "Music is such an important part of all of our lives and holds a special place within our hearts at Apple."

"The addition of Beats will make our music lineup even better, from free streaming with iTunes Radio to a world-class subscription service in Beats, and of course buying music from the iTunes Store as customers have loved to do for years," according to Apple's online software and services chief Eddie Cue.

New Vanguard Camera Bags

VANGUARD, global leader in photo-video accessories and sports optics, is proud to announce the two newest lines in their award-winning camera bag lineup. Sedona and Reno camera bags represent the perfect combination of form and function. With stylish designs, both lines are perfect stealth camera bags for travel and photography.  Sedona backpacks and slings incorporate features and a look reminiscent of a classic hiking backpack.  Reno's stylish design offers a departure from boring camera bags typically carried in urban jungles or on road trips, without emptying your wallet. 

"These lines continue our commitment to supporting the 'real' photographer in the US" stated Doug Feldner, Director of Sales and Marketing.  Feldner add, 'We are designing products to support passionate professional and amateur photographers in their quest for amazing images."  

Sedona Camera Bag Collection Much like its namesake, the Sedona Bag collection by Vanguard is a study in Rugged Beauty.  Sedona bags are perfect for both the seasoned professional or the adventurous amateur. Photographers will enjoy each bag's balance between gear protection and lightweight design. The collection contains slings (two sizes) and backpacks (three sizes) that can be easily converted from a daypack to a full-gear backpack and even an everyday bag. A Multiple Hanging System includes two higher front straps to hold large accessories such as sleeping bags.  A tripod, monopod (A must for the real photographer) or walking sticks can also be connected to the Sedona Sling with ease. Clad in lightweight ripttop nylon, all models are available in black, Kahki / Green and Blue.  Reno Camera Bag Series When striking out on a chance photo adventure, photographers of all ability levels will appreciate taking a Reno Collection camera bag along for the ride. Perfect for use in the urban jungles or any outdoor environment, Reno camera bags provide gear protection with a stylish design.  The Reno collection contains full-featured shoulder bags (two sizes), a sling (one size) and backpacks (three sizes). Grab a Reno bag and you have the perfect companion for your next photo odyssey. The All bags are made with rip stop nylon and are available in Blue, Khaki / Green and Orange (Vanguard's Signature Color). For details on all Sedona and Reno bags, visit www.vanguardworld.

iStick Update

Sanho Corporation – manufacturer of the HYPER line of mobile accessories – announces the successful launch of its Kickstarter campaign for iStick. iStick is a USB flash drive with both a USB connector as well as an Apple MFi Certified Lightning Connector that connects directly to recent iPhone, iPad and iPod touch models. iStick allows users to easily, quickly and safely transfer data between computers, iPhones, iPads and iPod touches without the need for synchronization, Internet, wireless networks or the Cloud where hackers and others (like 3rd party server providers) may gain access.

HYPER was seeking $100,000 via Kickstarter to fund the iStick product. Funding began on May 12, 2014 and will end on June 17, 2014. The funding goal of $100,000 was met within 3 hours of launch. Now currently more than $750,000 is raised in 2 weeks since launch, with just under 3 weeks left in the funding period. New features were announced by HYPER as part of reaching funding stretch goals of $500,000 and $750,000. HYPER aims to ship the iStick in August, 2014. This is HYPER’s 2nd Kickstarter project after the successful CloudFTP which was the 3rd highest funded Kickstarter Technology project when it ended.

Daniel Chin, Founder and CEO of HYPER by Sanho Corporation says "We only reserve Kickstarter launches for our very best products just like what we did with CloudFTP 2 years ago. In addition to crowdsourcing funds, we also want to crowdsource ideas and suggestions to make the product even better and to give it the biggest launch possible."

Notables:

• World’s first USB flash drive with integrated Apple MFi Certified Lightning connector
• Features both a standard USB connector as well as an Apple Lightning connecter
• Works as a normal USB flash drive when connected to Mac and PC computers
• Connects directly to iPhone, iPad and iPod touch models that use the Lightning connector
• Allow users to quickly and safely transfer data between computers and various iOS devices
• Available in 8GB, 16GB, 32GB, 64GB and 128GB
• Works in conjunction with a free universal iPhone/iPad/iPod touch iOS app
• Using the app, users can transfer photos, videos and other files between iStick and iDevice
• Users can also stream movies (even non-iOS native video formats), music and open files directly from the iStick without first copying to the iOS device.
• Passcode/password functionality (part of $500,000 funding stretch goal)
• Dropbox, OneDrive, Google Drive integration (part of $750,000 funding stretch goal)
• Airplay/subtitle/multi-codec support in iStick movie player (part of new $1,000,000 funding stretch goal)
• API for 3rd party apps (part of new $1,000,000 funding stretch goal)

Product Specifications

Capacity: 8/16/32/64GB/128GB

Connectors: Standard USB 2.0 and Apple MFi-Certified Lightning Connector

iStick-to-USB Speed: 12MB/s (Read), 7.5MB/s (Write)

iStick-to-iDevice Speed: 2.5MB/s (Read), 1.9MB/s (Write)

Construction: ABS Plastic and/or Aluminum

Dimensions: 51.6 x 28.6 x 9.1mm

Weight: 10g

Supported File Formats:

Video .mp4, .m4v, .mpv, .mov, .mpg, .mkv, .avi, .wmv, .rmvb, .flv, .3gp, .gif

Audio .wav, .aac, .aif, .aiff, .caf, .m4a, .mp3

Images .jpg, .tiff, .gif

Documents .doc and .docx (Microsoft Word); .htm and .html (web pages); .key (Keynote); .numbers (Numbers); .pages (Pages); .pdf (Preview and Adobe Acrobat); .ppt and .pptx (Microsoft PowerPoint); .txt (text); .rtf (rich text format); .vcf (contact information); .xls and .xlsx (Microsoft Excel); .zip; .ics

Pricing and Availability

MSRP of iStick are $129 (8GB), $169 (16GB), $199 (32GB), $299 (64GB) and $399 (128GB)

Kickstarter Early Bird Backers will get the iStick for 50% off MSRP, which works out to be $65 (8GB), $85 (16GB), $99 (32GB), $149 (64GB) and $199 (128GB)

iStick is expected to ship in August, 2014

New LG Smartphone

LG Electronics (LG) today introduced to the world its eagerly anticipated LG G3 smartphone, the successor to the company’s popular LG G2. With launch events taking place in six cities worldwide — London, New York, San Francisco, Seoul, Singapore and Istanbul — the LG G3 aims to redefine the definition of a global smartphone for global customers.

The all-new LG G3 will arrive on U.S. soil later this summer with T-Mobile, Sprint, AT&T, Verizon, Best Buy and Best Buy Mobile specialty stores. Developed under the Simple is the New Smart concept, LG G3 is a culmination of consumer research based on LG’s product development philosophy, Learning from You.

The LG G3 was empowered with the best of what current technology has to offer, providing consumers with a user experience more ambitious than anything offered before by LG.

“The smartest innovation in a fast evolving smartphone market is creating harmony between advanced technology and a simplified user experience,” said Dr. Jong-seok Park, president and CEO of the LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. “The LG G3 is the result of our effort to actualize that idea into a tangible product. And we are extremely pleased with the result.”

For more information go to www.lg.com

Memorial Day

There will be no blog post today in honor of all of those people from every nation who gave their all to defend freedom.

May God bless you and keep you close.

STM Medium Flight Bag Review

By Robert Sanborn

I have to admit, I am a picky traveler. I like things packed away neatly and easy to get to and while my current bag of choice is incredibly light, it also doesn’t pack well as nearly everything goes into a jumbo center pocket which makes getting to things difficult.

The STM Flight Bag, http://www.stmbags.comis well put together using a light weight water resistant canvas exterior and the first thing I like about it is the shape.  The second is how well it is put together. You can carry it by the handles that tuck out of the way if you don’t want to use them or use the removable and adjustable shoulder strap that is very well padded. 

The main compartment opens from double zippers at the top into an area that actually three compartments. The first is suited for a 15 inch notebook that is well padded with a poly cloth lining. The second is a sleeve built in for a 10 inch sized tablet and the third for general storage of papers, books, and other material you need to take with you. In the front, is a zippered compartment within a zippered compartment for everything from phones to wallets to glasses and any other loose item you want to take with you. Even a clip for your key ring or in my case, USB Memory sticks. The back pocket is perfect for those things you need quick access to like books or magazines on the plane.

It is a very nice, useable, and slim travel bag to my liking. You can’t fit any large bulky items in it and that I like as well. Ok, the quibbles; the removable shoulder strap is difficult to remove. The good news is that if it is difficult to remove, it won’t come apart too easily. You also need nimble fingers to tackle the inside zippers.

I think this is a great business traveler’s bag and even if you do leave the laptop home and just carry a tablet and smart phone, this bag will definitely work for you. You can get it on Amazon, just keyword for STM Flight, for around $65.

Dell Recycling

Dell is making a line of PCs using plastics obtained by expanding its recycling program.

The company has expanded the hardware take-back program to more places worldwide, aiming to collect and reuse more extracted plastic and metals in PCs, monitors, hardware panels and other products.

Dell's OptiPlex 3030 all-in-one, which will ship next month, will be the first product of that effort. Starting next year, more laptops, desktops and monitor back-panels will be made using recycled plastic, said Scott O'Connell, director of environmental affairs at Dell. The products will be certified as sustainable by UL (Underwriters Laboratories).

Dell will save money by reusing plastic, but O'Connell did not say whether the savings will be passed on to customers through lower prices. But it will be easier for more people to recycle electronics and Dell will also provide a PC mail-back option, O'Connell said.

Dell's plan to establish a recycling chain internally could reduce the need for "virgin" plastics, which can be environmentally damaging to make, said Gary Cook, senior IT analyst at Greenpeace International.

Incineration of plastic from disposed computers can be toxic and reusing plastics in new computers or other parts reduces "dirty energy," Cook said.

Switching to the Mac Book Review

By Chuck Hajdú

Switching to the Mac, Maverick Edition, by David Pogue, is an O’Reilly book in their “the missing manual” series. If you are unfamiliar with the series they are books that O’Reilly publishing says “should have been in the box”. We could not agree more!

For many years companies have sold software and hardware without the necessary instruction manuals included. We’re not advocating going back to the 1990s when Corel, WordPerfect, Novell, etc. all tried to outdo each other with how many books they could include in a 20 pound box of software, but we think more is needed than a simple one page sheet of paper we get so often today. This is precisely the vacuum that the O’Reilly books fill. They provide the information users need when the hardware or software company drops the ball.

Before I get started let me explain where I’m coming from as a computer user. I go back a long, long way in the industry. In college in the 1970s I took computer programming courses and, yes, there really were computers back in the stone age. By the 1980s I had progressed to PCs and was considered something of an expert back in the days of DOS. I used both MS– and DR– versions and enjoyed Macro writing. I have used every version of MSFT Windows from 1.0 on. In the early-90s I even gave IBM’s OS/2 a brief shot. To this day I still have an ancient computer with DOS and GeoWorks on it that I use occasionally for nostalgic purposes (and to access really old files). As for Linux, I’ve dabbled with many, many flavors and I have several Linux computers that I use regularly.

Did you notice that nowhere in the last paragraph did I mention any product by the iFruit company (my pet name for Apple)? That’s right, after over 40 years as a computer user I have avoided becoming one of the Fan Boyz!!

So why am I exploring Mac computers now? For one thing, I have become a sort of regular iPad mini user. Not as often, or as regularly, as I use Android tablets, but often enough. Also, I am visiting my son for a couple of weeks and he has gone over to the dark side by becoming an iFruit lover. He uses iPads, iPhones, iPods and Macbooks. I figured that while I’m here I should take advantage of the opportunity to learn something new and give it a try. Who knows, at my advanced age I just may become a convert too.

For those of you who are like me and don’t follow every change in Mac software closely here is a brief rundown on the naming scheme Apple uses (all of this is on page 2). The Maverick in the title comes from OS X version 10.9, which was nicknamed “Maverick”. OS X,  by the way, is pronounced OS “ten” and not OS “Ex”. The author explains all of the other nicknames Apple has used for OS X versions over the years since Steve Jobs returned to the company and started using NeXT’s UNIX based software as the core of Apple. computers.

The book is broken down into five basic sections.

Part 1: Welcome to the Macintosh, is a crash course in the basics.

Part 2: Making the Move, tells the reader what it takes to make the move

Part 3: Mavericks Online, covers getting all aspects of getting onto the internet and setting the computer up correctly..

Part 4: Putting Down Roots, covers advanced topics like using programs and other power user topics.

Part 5: Appendixes, is a trouble shooting and FAQ section.

As I went through the book I was lucky to have my son’s Macbook Air by my side so that as the author covered a specific subject I was able to test what I was told on a real system. It turned out to be a real eye-opener! Of course, many of the surprise features I tested may well be available on Windows or Linux systems, I just never use them! Like many an old dog, I don’t need to learn something new if something old works just fine for me. Anything that requires a thumb and three fingers on a touchpad simultaneously is just beyond what I want to do! My fingers are too big and arthritic!

As I went through each chapter of the book I used the Macbook Air that I had available to me as a test platform for the information I was trying to absorb. And believe me, there is a lot to absorb! Each of the 800 pages has explanations, hints, tips and illustrations to explain something. This really is a perfect example of a complete instruction manual.

The author has a nice, light writing style that seems to fit the concept of a Mac user perfectly. In addition, the entire book is well illustrated so the reader can clearly see what they should see on their computer.

After using a real Macbook I decided to try something totally different: an older Lenovo Netbook computer using Zorin OS 8.1 and their Mac desktop look!

The Ultimate version of Zorin OS includes various “looks” which can be accessed by their Look Changer app. We have used the free version In the past and love the Win7 look. The Ultimate version adds Win2k, Unity and Mac OS X to the Win7, WinXp and GNOME 2 looks included in the free version.

I was very impressed with the OS X look of Zorin. No, it isn’t perfect but if you are a Mac user then you will feel more comfortable using Linux with the Mac look than any of the others.

After finishing the book and actually using Apple’s OS (10) for a week the bottom line for me is: thanks, but no thanks. I love my PCs and will continue to use Win7 and Win8, Google Chromebooks and Linux (especially Zorin OS 8.1 with the Win7 look). Macs are just a bit too different for me.

However, if you are a long time user of another OS and you switch to a Mac, then you really need this book. It makes the learning curve shorter and can be a very useful tool.

MSRP is $29.99 for the print edition and $23.99 for the eBook editions which are available in DAISY, ePub, Mobi and PDF formats. It’s $32.99 for both print and eBook editions.

www.oreilly.com/product/0636920031000.do#

MSFT Surface "Laptop"??

Microsoft has doubled down on the strategy to push its in-house Surface as a 2-in-1 device that does duty as laptop or tablet, serving not consumers but business customers.

Rather than dive into the consumer market with a smaller-screen Surface, as most expected, Microsoft instead rolled out the Surface Pro 3, a third-generation convertible, or 2-in-1, that starts as a tablet, but with the addition of an optional keyboard, ends as a lightweight notebook.

That strategy, which was muddied when the company first launched the Surface line in 2012 -- Microsoft actually debuted its pure-tablet play, the Surface RT, first -- has been clarified. Today, Microsoft aimed the Surface squarely -- almost exclusively -- at commercial customers, those in business or heavily tilted toward productivity.

The laptop mode of the Surface Pro 3 got the bulk of the attention from Microsoft's Panos Panay, the executive who leads the Surface team. "You've been told to buy a tablet, but you know you need a laptop," said Panay. "This is the tablet that can replace your laptop."

China Bans Win8

China is banning Windows 8 devices from at least some government IT purchases, in a mysterious move that took Microsoft off guard.

The ban came from China’s Central Government Procurement Center, which posted a brief notice last Friday on new requirements for government tenders. Among the demands is that Windows 8 be excluded from the bidding process on computer purchases.

It’s unclear how far-reaching the ban will be. The agency could not be reached Tuesday and the new requirements only concern government purchases for “energy-efficient” IT products, including notebooks, desktops and tablets.

China’s state-controlled Xinhua News Agency, however, was more forceful and said that the government was forbidding the use of Windows 8 after Microsoft recently ended official support for Windows XP. “The Chinese government obviously cannot ignore the risks of running OS without guaranteed technical support,” the Tuesday report said.

Chinese officials have previously stressed that Microsoft should lower the price of Windows. They’ve also said to local press that the nation should develop its own homegrown OS to reduce its reliance on foreign companies.

New Plextor Contest

Plextor (www.plextoramericas.com) kicked off the year with its new lineup of M6 series solid-state drives led by the M6e PCl-e SSD. The full M6 lineup features the M6S, the M6M, and –later this year –the M6Pro.To emphasize their working premise that better computers make for a better life, they have announced the "Life is Better With Plextor" campaign. As part of this campaign, Plextor will be giving away one solid-state drive every week for the remainder of 2014. Plextor's tech partners, YouTubers, Publishers, and prominent members of the IT Community will be joining them in this unprecedented giveaway campaign for SSD fans.

Contest Details: On May 19, 2014 the weekly sweepstakes begins.  Winners will be announced Monday of every week and the contest will end every Sunday.

How to sign up:  Each week fans can enter to win at Plextor America’s Facebook contest page http://win.plextoramericas.com/. Throughout the year there will be many other opportunities to win additional product from Plextor and their tech partners.

Plextor will also launch an exclusive promotion with NewEgg USA of up to $30 off certain capacities of the M6e PCI-e SSD for a limited time only. Use promo code: prm6e.

The new lineup includes:

M6S 2.5" SATA- The M6S is the perfect hard-drive upgrade for any desktop or laptop PC, improving the computing experience for the everyday user and power-users alike providing faster boot times, faster application loading, and faster response time than a traditional hard drive (HDD).

M6M mSATA - The M6M mSATA is the ultimate ultra-book upgrade and ideal solution for users looking to upgrade any device that requires a SSD with a small footprint.  At nearly one-eighth the size of a standard 2.5-inch SSD, the M6M still manages to pack in all of the performance and reliability that is expected of a Plextor drive.

M6e PCI-e - The M6e PCI-e is the first SSD specifically designed to meet the demanding requirements of the gaming community. The M6e PCI-e SSD uses a new generation of high-bandwidth components to deliver smooth, uninterrupted gameplay, allowing players to excel to the next level.

M6Pro 2.5" SATA (available later this year) - This highly anticipated product is expected to deliver dramatically enhanced speed, massive throughput, and fault tolerant performance that is ideal for prosumers, serious gamers, and system integrators.

All Plextor M6 Series SSDs feature a server-grade Marvell controller, Toshiba 19nm NAND Flash (M6S/M6M feature Toshiba A19), and Plextor's proprietary firmware with TrueSpeed Technology that prevents SSD speed drops by automatically returning performance to like-new speeds. Plextor knows that speed doesn't count for much unless products are reliable--ultimately reliable. Plextor SSDs typically have an MTBF (mean time between failures) of 2.4 million hours. This level of reliability gives Plextor the highest ranking in the industry. All M6 drives are backed with a 3-5 year limited warranty and are available in 64, 128, 256, and 512 GB capacities, depending on model.

New iStick Drive

Sanho Corporation – manufacturer of the HYPER line of mobile accessories – announces the successful launch of its Kickstarter campaign for iStick. iStick is a USB flash drive with both a USB connector as well as an Apple MFi Certified Lightning Connector that connects directly to recent iPhone, iPad and iPod touch models. iStick allows users to easily, quickly and safely transfer data between computers, iPhones, iPads and iPod touches without the need for iTunes, Internet, wireless networks or the Cloud where hackers and others (like NSA) may gain access.

HYPER was seeking $100,000 via Kickstarter to fund the iStick product. Funding began on May 12, 2014 and will end on June 17, 2014. The funding goal of $100,000 was met within 3 hours of launch. Now currently more than half a million dollars is raised in just 5 days since launch, with about a month left in the funding period. HYPER aims to ship the iStick in August, 2014. This is HYPER’s 2nd Kickstarter project after the successful CloudFTP which was the 3rd highest funded Kickstarter Technology project when it ended.

Daniel Chin, Founder and CEO of HYPER by Sanho Corporation says "We only reserve Kickstarter launches for our very best products just like what we did with CloudFTP 2 years ago. In addition to crowdsourcing funds, we also want to crowdsource ideas and suggestions to make the product even better and to give it the biggest launch possible."

Notables:

• World’s first USB flash drive with integrated Apple MFi Certified Lightning connector
• Features both a standard USB connector as well as an Apple Lightning connecter
• Works as a normal USB flash drive when connected to Mac and PC computers
• Connects directly to iPhone, iPad and iPod touch models that use the Lightning connector
• Allow users to quickly and safely transfer data between computers and various iOS devices
• Available in 8GB, 16GB, 32GB, 64GB and 128GB
• Works in conjunction with a free universal iPhone/iPad/iPod touch iOS app
• Using the app, users can transfer photos, videos and other files between iStick and iDevice
• Users can also stream movies (even non-iOS native video formats), music and open files directly from the iStick without first copying to the iOS device.

Win8.1 Update Extension

Windows 8.1 users will get another month of security patches before they have to update to the latest version.

Microsoft had previously planned to stop patching Windows 8.1 for consumers who hadn't installed April's (excellent) Windows 8.1 Update. Now, Microsoft has pushed the cut-off date back to June 10. (Business users have until August 12.)

“While we believe the majority of people have received the update, we recognize that not all have,” Microsoft's Brandon LeBlanc wrote in a blog post. “Having our customers running their devices with the latest updates is super important to us. And we’re committed to helping ensure their safety.”

To be clear, users of Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista will continue to get security patches. The update requirement only applies to Windows 8.1 users, who need to download the hefty update that Microsoft delivered in April. You can see whether you're running Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 by going to PC Settings > PC and devices > PC info and looking under the “Windows” section.

Most Windows 8.1 users should have received this update automatically, but some users may have disabled automatic updates and could still be running an older version of Windows 8.1. To check which version of Windows 8.1 you have, simply go to the Start screen, and look for the search button in the top-right corner. As long as you see that button, you're running the latest version.

Users who don't have the latest update should go to Settings > Change PC Settings > Update and recovery > Windows Update. Select “Check now,” and if updates are found, select “View details.” Install the update labeled KB 2919355. If you don't see that option, look for KB 2919442 and install it first.