Monday, May 21, 2012

Google Alert - android

News9 new results for android
 
Google acquisition of Motorola Mobility closing soon; layoffs seen
Los Angeles Times
The $12.5-billion takeover, which was announced in August, cleared its final hurdle last week when the Chinese government finally gave the deal a go-ahead, albeit with a condition: Android must remain free and open for the next five years.
See all stories on this topic »
Disassembling Android Part 2: Who Wields the Blowtorch?
ReadWriteWeb
By Dan Rowinski / May 21, 2012 05:00 AM / View Comments "Android is open for disruption." That's what Stewart Putney, CEO of the mobile gaming company Moblyng, said last August. He was talking about the potential for HTML5 Web apps to disrupt the ...
See all stories on this topic »

ReadWriteWeb
Malware charges users for free Android apps on Google Play
ZDNet (blog)
By Emil Protalinski | May 21, 2012, 8:41am PDT Summary: Android users are being tricked into paying for free apps. The malware is a new variant of the Android.Opfake family that pushes fake versions of popular Android apps to unsuspecting consumers.
See all stories on this topic »
When an Android upgrade goes nowhere but down
ITworld.com
I once had two friends who were fairly happy with their Droid X Android phones. But after I showed them how to grab an official, over-the-air upgrade to Android 2.3, or "Gingerbread," they were much less happy with their phones, with Android in general ...
See all stories on this topic »
Google gets Chinese approval for Motorola deal, must keep Android free and open
FierceWireless
However, according to multiple reports, the Chinese antitrust officials attached one major condition to the deal: For the next five years Google must keep Android free in China and must not discriminate against any handset maker seeking to use Android, ...
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Motorola Latest Android Manufacturer Facing Ban in US
Gotta Be Mobile
Following HTC's import bans on high profile Android handsets such as the HTC One X and the Sprint HTC EVO 4G LTE as a result of HTC's ongoing patent dispute with Apple, the latest Android manufacturer to face an import ban is Motorola Mobility as a ...
See all stories on this topic »
Nexus Smartphones: Who Wins, Who Loses if Google Launches Android 5.0 in ...
Wired News
Photo: Jon Snyder/Wired This fall, with the expected release of Android 5.0, Google might completely reinvent its Nexus smartphone program: Instead of partnering with a single handset manufacturer to launch a single flagship Nexus phone, Google could ...
See all stories on this topic »

Wired News
Motorola won't update devices to Android 4.0 ICS if it won't improve them
Mobile Burn
Last week, Motorola released an updated time-table for its smartphones and tablets that are due to get upgrades to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich at some point in the future. While many of the devices on the list were the expected contenders, ...
See all stories on this topic »

Mobile Burn
Motorola cools on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich updates
Inquirer
By Dave Neal PHONE MAKER Motorola has irked its users by telling them that it will not be updating all of its smartphones to the latest Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system. In a blog post at the end of last week the firm explained to users ...
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Blogs5 new results for android
 
How Android Developers Can Thrive With Google Play | TechCrunch
By Craig Palli
Android also provides more advertising inventory, and at a lower cost. A recent analysis Fiksu did of available impressions concluded Android is able to deliver 12 percent more ad inventory than iOS. Further, the estimated cost of those ...
TechCrunch
Android Community Weekly: May 20th, 2012 | Android Community
By Michael Crider
Another week gone in the Android world, but not quietly, at least if you live in the United States. Here your options for high-end Android devices have been.
Android Community
Sony To Update All Tablets With Google Android 4.0
By James Johnson
Sony on Sunday confirmed to CNet that the entire line of Sony tablet devices in all regions will receive an over-the-air update which brings with it Android.
The Inquisitr
Motorola vs. customers on lack of Android 4.0 updates — Mobile ...
By Kevin C. Tofel
Motorola explained why certain smartphones and tablets it makes won't be getting the Google Android 4.0 software update. Not all Motorola device owners are happy though; especially those that bought a Droid 3 in the past 10 months.
GigaOM
Diablo 3 app for Android lets you check on the game's server status ...
By Tyler Lee
If you're a fan of Diablo 3 and it's the game that you've been waiting for for the past decade or so, you are probably painfully aware of the various server issues the game faced on its launch day. Granted [...]
Ubergizmo


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Android Authority

Android Authority


AirDroid 1.0.5: Updated looks, screen mirroring, file drag and drop, video streaming, and more

Posted: 21 May 2012 12:00 AM PDT

AirDroid is a wireless Android manager that lets you manage your Android device with ease through your web browser. This app is not new on the Google Play Store, but now it has new features to make managing your Android device even easier. Looking for a solution to manage everything on your mobile device? Read on and learn how AirDroid can make things easier for you.

AirDroid, even upon its release, managed to attract millions of users. It’s clear that the app was able to deliver what it was meant to, but there were a few minor bugs that gave users headaches. The developer of the app came up with an update to delight users, that is by adding new features and ironing out all the bugs from the previous version. (If you missed our review about this app, check our app review of AirDroid, which we published late last year.)

New Features and Improvements

Version 1.0.5 of AirDroid came with a lot of improvements and new handy feature. If you are already familiar with AirDroid, the very first thing that you will notice is the user interface’s new look on both the mobile home screen and the web browser. It is now slicker and smoother to the eyes.

When you use the app, logging in is also more convenient and safer. Just open web.airdroid.com on your web browser, launch AirDroid on your phone, and type in the passcode shown on the log-in screen of the app or scan the QR code shown on the desktop browser with your phone’s camera. You should be good to go. AirDroid  now utilizes HTTPS protocols, giving you a more secure connection between your phone and your mobile device, preventing other people from messing with your data.

The app also comes with new goodies for you to enjoy. Some of the most delightful treats are the Speed Install and Speed Upload features. It’s easier to install new applications on your mobile device via APKs with the ability to speed install them through your desktop. Uploading files will be faster than ever through a drag-and-drop feature, allowing you to transfer files with ease, just by dragging and dropping them into a box displayed on the web browser. You can also easily stream the videos on your phone directly to your browser.

The interface is already amazing but the ability to switch to multiple desktops is even more amazing. You can use the four desktops to manage multiple aspects of your mobile device at the same time. You can manage everything from your music, contacts, call logs, messages, apps and more.

And, there are some bonus features too. The app allows you to easily capture a screenshot of your device, which is very handy for developers and app reviews who need to illustrate the interface of a ROM or an app. And thanks to the extended clipboard features, you also do not have to do the cumbersome process of typing in URLs in your phone because the app allows you to transport URLs to easily open them on your phone.

So if you want to manage your phone easily try AirDroid. You can download AirDroid free from the Google Play Store.


This article, AirDroid 1.0.5: Updated looks, screen mirroring, file drag and drop, video streaming, and more , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


Best Android apps for lawyers and attorneys

Posted: 20 May 2012 09:00 PM PDT

With technology advancing rapidly and thousands of gadgets springing up in its wake, it seems everyone’s trying to keep up. Doctors now have smartphones with condensed medical texts to help them diagnose patients without the bulk of a physical book, and even physical fitness trainers have started relying on a variety of apps to make sure their clients stay as fit as possible.

Where does this leave professionals like lawyers and attorneys? Certainly not in the dust. In fact, lawyers have quite a number of lawyer-focused apps on the Google Play Store, but what we’ve put together for you are just some of the things that’ll help you, whether you’re a law student or a practicing professional, get ahead of the game. From legal reference apps to apps that’ll make organizing your notes and files easier, we’ve got your back covered.

The Law Guide/ Dictionary

Law students get used to bringing huge books with them everywhere they go but as practicing professionals, bringing a lot of books in your car or carrying them in your bag can be unsightly. Not to mention, it makes you look like you’re lacking confidence. Do away with that unnecessary weight and pack the Law Guide/ Dictionary with you instead. Available for free from the Google Play Store, both students and professionals can easily look up a legal term they might have forgotten. Packed with 8,500 definitions, you can easily browse and search through the contents of The Law Guide/Dictionary. You don’t need an internet access to be able to access the dictionary because all the content if stored on your phone. The guide, however, is dynamic and does require the internet. If you want some answers, the Law Guide/Dictionary gives you access to a Legal Advice Forum. You’ll also have access to free case review links. If you’re still fresh from graduation, the Law Guide/Dictionary might help you get a law job by letting you upload your resume.

dLaw

dLaw is another reason why you should leave those huge books at home. Previously known as DroidLaw, the app gives you access to the Federal Rules of civil procedure, evidence, appellate procedure, criminal procedure, bankruptcy procedure and U.S. Constitution. If you need more, you can also purchase the State Codes/Laws, United States Code, United States Supreme Court case opinions, Code of Federal Regulations, Manual of Patent Examining Procedure (MPEP) and the 2010 & 2011 Federal Register. dLaw also gives you an RSS section for legal news and blogs as well as keyword searching. If you want to narrow down your search, dLaw lets you limit your searching to specific chapters or titles. For easy access, bookmark something you might need to refer to later and scribble your own notes on it. If you’ll be going somewhere that doesn’t have an internet connection, dLaw lets you save things for offline browsing. If you think your other lawyer friends could benefit from something you’ve found on dLaw, share it with them.

PocketJustice

Bring the U.S. Supreme Court down to earth with PocketJustice. This app gives you access to abstracts of the Court’s constitutional decisions, as well as access to its public sessions. With PocketJustice, you can also access voting alignments and biographical sketches for all 110 justices. Access cases and the decisions made, who voted on what and what each person present contributed to the proceedings. You’ll also be able to access the top 100 cases, easily browsable in alphabetical order, as well as hours of SCOTUS audio. Lawyers and attorneys alike can greatly benefit from recordings of the Court’s public proceedings. You can listen to hundreds of hours of oral arguments and opinion announcements, with the power to pause whenever you need to. If you’d like to read the proceedings and exchanges yourself, PocketJustice gives you synchronized and searchable transcripts which identifies all the speakers involved. Get PocketJustice for your Android device today; it’s available for free on the Google Play store.

smartLEGES

What kind of lawyer would you be if you didn’t know your laws? With smartLEGES, you can have laws in the palm of your hand. Calling itself the Best Law Manager for Android, this free application lets you download the Constitution of the United States of America, the Articles of Confederation, the Declaration of Independence and more free documents. There are dozens of laws and codes available in the US that both lawyers and laypeople can take advantage of. The best part about smartLEGES is that it doesn’t just help lawyers and attorneys in America; smartLEGES can give users access to the laws of different countries such as Spain, France, Brazil and more. You don’t need to be connected to the internet to do some reading. If you want to get some reading done, but you’re worried about getting eyestrain because of tiny letters, the latest version of smartLEGES gives you the option to change the font size of the reader as well as the font’s color, background color and brightness of the screen.

Congress

With Congress for your Android device, you can keep on top of the latest happenings in Congress. You can easily track elected officials and read the latest bills and laws. The app can even find your local representatives using your location, which allows you to see how they vote. You’ll also be able to call your representative’s office, visit their website, see the bills they sponsored and the committees they’re part of. Congress also allows you to see what bills are coming up for voting next. If you want to search for specific bills, enter a keyword and Congress will find every bill that contains your keyword for you to peruse at your leisure. Congress allows you to stay on top of floor activity and committee hearings. You can be notified on any bill; simply tap on it and if there are any updates, Congress will inform you of them. If you’re looking to keep your apps safe on your SD Card, Congress unfortunately cannot be moved to the SD card because it uses background services for notifications.

PUSH:legal -Mobile Law Library

With PUSH:legal -Mobile Law Library, you’ll have quick access to all the current and reliable statues and rules, annotated with select case law. An Affinity Partner with the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL), PUSH:legal offers virtual library of annotated codes and rules. When you launch the app, you’ll see all the texts arranged on a virtual shelf, allowing you to quickly open rules and find what you need. You can view the leading cases, annotated, beside each rule. PUSH:legal can perform an automatic search for relevant case law for each particular statute. You don’t have to worry about being left behind and potentially embarrassing yourself because PUSH:legal is always up to date. Some of the deskbooks packed into PUSH:legal include the Texas Criminal Codes and Rules, California Criminal Codes, New York Criminal Codes, Texas Rules of Civil Procedure, Federal Bankruptcy Code, Federal Civil Codes, New York Civil Practice Law and Rules, and more. Carry a law library in your pocket by downloading PUSH:legal to your Android device today.

Docket in Your Pocket (PA)

If you’re a lawyer or attorney located in the state of Pennsylvania, you’ve got an app specifically for you. Introducing Docket in Your Pocket, developed by Docket in Your Pocket Enterprises. This app provides access to Pennsylvania criminal charges, civil lawsuits, traffic offenses and more. Docket in Your Pocket also gives you unlimited access to records in Pennsylvania’s Criminal Courts of Common Pleas, the Magisterial District Courts, and the Philadelphia Municipal Court. Docket in Your Pocket is always up to date; after 35 days, criminal charges reach the database for you to peruse. At the moment, Docket in Your Pocket excludes civil litigation records from most car accidents, malpractice claims, premises liability actions and personal injuries. The developers are working hard to add these to the app for no additional charge. Though the app wasn’t designed to give users a comprehensive background check on individuals, it can help lawyers and attorneys get valuable information on the civil and criminal backgrounds of others.

Legal (US) (Add-on dictionary for Adaptxt Keyboard)

If you’ll be working with your Android device a lot, especially in sending e-mails and composing documents, you’ll need a comprehensive keyboard that’ll save you time and make text input easier. Adaptxt Keyboard provides users with quality suggestions and error corrections to help you with your text input. If you’d like to know more about this app, we’ve covered Adaptxt Keyboard’s many features in an app review.If you’ve already got Adaptxt Keyboard installed on your Android device, optimize your performance with these add-on keyboard dictionaries. Lawyers and attorneys in the US can take advantage of the add-on keyboard dictionary specifically for American English by downloading Legal (US).

If you’re from other parts of the world, however, Adaptxt Keyboard also has add-on dictionaries for other languages such as British English in Legal (UK), German in Legal (DE), Spanish in Legal (ES), and Finnish in Legal (FI).

These add-on dictionaries are available for free, but only for a limited time. Get them to improve your day-to-day typing experience, whether you’re writing up that very important e-mail to your client or starting a document for your next big case.

Voice Recorder

Meetings with clients can often be chaotic or too fast for you to be able to take notes on. When you’re trying to beat the clock and to keep the meeting free-flowing, the best solution is to simply record your conversations. You won’t miss a single detail thanks to Voice Recorder. You’ll be able to send the recorded file as an attachment via Gmail so you can listen to it on a computer. If you’ve got too many recordings, Voice Recorder can let you search through them by Title and Date. Voice Recorder lets you program a time for when you want it to start recording. If you’re aiming to be discreet, pre-programming the Voice Recorder to start recording at a certain time is certainly effective. Voice Recorder is available for free from the Google Play Store. One problem with the app, however, is that when saving, you should be careful not to tap outside of the “Save File As” box as you may lose your recording forever.

TimeClock – Time Tracker

Track your billable hours as you work using TimeClock. It’s an Android app that’s perfect for freelancers, contractors or anyone who works by the hour. Clock in and clock out manually, as you would a real time clock, and this app records your hours worked for you. TimeClock works as a standalone app but you can also pair it with a TimeClock Connect account for more features. When paired with a TimeClock Connect account, your logged hours will be automatically backed up for you. If you break or lose your phone, you won’t have to despair losing your logged hours. A TimeClock Connect account also allows you to access your data on a computer for better viewing. With TimeClock, you can track your hours for as many clients as you wish and you can even set an hourly rate for each client. Leave it up to TimeClock to calculate your earnings. You can also round your work times by specifying an optional billing increment for each client, from one minute to one hour. Start tracking your hours with TimeClock today. It’s available for a small fee on the Google Play Store.

CallTrack

If you’ve got a lot of clients, it can be difficult to remember when the last time you called someone was or a client might catch you unwares, calling you at an obscure hour of the night. A simple “hello, how are you?” can easily turn into a work related conversation and you might be letting precious hours you could have charged slip out through your fingers. Using CallTrack, developed by asterdoid mobile, you won’t have to dig through your Call logs to determine who called at what time. CallTrack logs your phone activity to your Google Calendar, making it convenient for you to track your calls. You can select the types of calls to log, whether they are incoming, outgoing or missed, and which calendar to log them in. If you’ve got calls you’ve already received and you’d like to log them to your calendar, CallTrack allows them to your calendar. Unfortunately, some users have given feedback on how CallTrack seems to have trouble with automatically syncing their call logs to their calendar, forcing users to manually sync CallTrack themselves. Other users may have to manually sync the logs to the calendar themselves. Some users also have complaints of their call minutes being saved as seconds, while other users don’t have that problem.

Documents To Go 3.0 Main App

Meeting clients means traveling and traveling means being away from a computer. Sometimes you don’t have time to bring a bulky laptop with you, but you also need to open a file a client sent this instant. What do you do when you can’t open a Microsoft Word, Excel or Powerpoint file on your phone? You download Documents To Go, of course. This app supports viewing files from those three commonly used Microsoft programs, in both older .doc formats and newer .docx formats. You won’t have to worry about problems opening formats, whether it’s a 1997 file or a 2010 file. Available for free from the Google Play Store, Documents to Go lets you view any .doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx, .ppt and .pptx file. If you’d like to edit and create on the go in those formats, then purchasing the full version key gives you that power. The full version of Documents to Go also supports password protected Word and Excel files, Google Docs, and being able to seamlessly move files from your phone to your computer using Documents To Go’s desktop app. Unfortunately, Documents To Go cannot open .rtf formats.

Google Drive

Working on multiple computers can be frustrating, especially when you don’t have access to your important files on other computers. Thanks to Google Drive, an app that gives you the power to store all your files in one place and access them from anywhere. Your photos, documents, videos and other files are just within your reach. Snap a picture, start a document or review a spreadsheet; you can upload those files to Google Drive and access them later on your Android device. If you need to share something with your associates or fellow lawyers, you can easily share a file and you can edit it together. If they share files with you, you can also easily access them. Changes made on your files can show up within seconds, saving you precious time. If you need to work on a file, you can download it so you can work on it without an internet connection. Google Drive has been optimized for larger screens such as for tablets. Get Google Drive for free from the Google Play Store.

Evernote

Evernote has been capturing everyone’s heart. From students to professionals, Evernote is on everyone’s device, and with good reason. Evernote allows you to sync all of your notes, across the computers and devices you use. You don’t have to e-mail notes you need to yourself anymore when you can just sync your notes from your computer, using Evernote’s desktop program, to Evernote’s server. Your notes will now be accessible on your Android device. Using Evernote, you can create and edit text notes, to-dos and task lists. If you’d like to organize your notes per case, or perhaps per client, Evernote lets you organize your notes by using notebooks and tags. Sharing notes with other people is also very easy; simply e-mail your note to your colleague or client. One downside to Evernote is that you can’t access all your notes without an internet connection. If you’d like to start syncing your important notes across all your devices, get Evernote today. It’s available for free on the Google Play Store.

Scan2PDF Mobile Lite

When you’re out of the office, you won’t have access to a scanner or a photocopier. Your best alternative is to make a copy of those important documents using Scan2PDF Mobile Lite. The app uses your phone’s camera to take pictures of a document. You can convert one or more pages into a single PDF for easier browsing later. Imagine having a scanner, photocopier and a fax machine all packaged neatly into an app for your Android device. The PDFs you create are compressed and enhanced. They’re also saved to your phone’s SD Card, giving you the option to e-mail it to yourself, a client, a colleague or to download it later to a computer. Scan2PDF Mobile Lite is for free, but it includes a watermark. If you’d like to do away with that watermark, you can purchase the pro version on the Google Play Store for a small fee.

Adobe Reader

Aside from Microsoft Word, Excel and Powerpoint files, one other very important file format that professionals and students need to access is a PDF. Adobe Reader is the global standard for reliably viewing and sharing PDF documents, so you can access PDFs whenever you need to. Not only will you be able to quicklu open PDF files on your Android devices, but you’ll also be able to view PDF portfolios, password-protected PDF files, annotations and drawing markups. Choose between single page or continuous scrolling modes, depending on what you prefer. Adobe Reader lets you search text for specific information. You won’t have to dig through pages upon pages just to get to a specific section of the PDF that you need; Adobe Reader lets you bookmark the sections that you need to quickly refer to. You’ll be able to highlight sections, as well, so you won’t have to waste precious time skimming a passage to get to the part that you need. If you need to sign documents, Adobe Reader lets you do just that. Using the tip of your finger, use Adobe Reader’s new Ink Signature tool. Get Adobe Reader for your Android device today.

Being out of the office doesn’t mean being unproductive or unprepared. With these law-related apps, you’re sure to be ready for anything. Look up legal terms or regulations, sync your notes and have access to all your important files wherever you go. If one of your favorite law-related apps didn’t make it on our list, let us and other lawyers and attorneys know what it is in a comment below.


This article, Best Android apps for lawyers and attorneys , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


iPad Mini rumors – a thorough analysis

Posted: 20 May 2012 05:40 AM PDT

Ciccarese Design

We have heard rumors of the impending launch of a 7.85-inch “iPad Mini” for some time now, but none of those rumors have received as much attention as a recent report from iMore. Let’s have a look at the veracity of these claims, specifically related to the rumored $200-$250 price, and the potential impact it could have on Apple’s stock and the tablet market.

iMore, which has been accurate with its reports before, has claimed that launch of the iPad Mini is on track for October 2012, at a price point of $200-$250. This particular iPad Mini is said to be identical to the new 9.7-inch iPad, but scaled down to 7.85 inches and with 8 GB storage.

For the purpose of this article, I have assumed that the rumors of the launch of the iPad Mini are true. It is entirely possible, even likely, that they are not. So please do not construe this as an affirmation of those rumors. The point of this article is to analyse the potential price point an iPad Mini could hit, and at its impact on Apple’s stock and the tablet market. So let’s dive in.

Price

In order to estimate the price the iPad Mini could launch at, we first need to get an idea about what it would cost to manufacture that product. Pricing is usually a function of demand and not cost, but in this case, since we are talking about a price point as low as $200, the gross margin expectation from Apple’s investors becomes a constraint. Taking a look at iSuppli’s estimates for the “Bill of Materials” (BOM) for the Kindle Firethe new iPad and the iPad 2 is a good starting point.

BOM is essentially a list of components that are required to manufacture a product and their costs. Once we add manufacturing expenses to this cost, we have an estimate of how much it costs to manufacture this product and hence, in conjunction with the retail price of the product, we have an idea of the gross margins. Keep in mind, gross margins do not include advertising and marketing expenses, which are deducted from gross margin to arrive at an operating margin.

I’ve split the BOM projection of the iPad-Mini into two possibilities. “High-End” assumes the product is exactly as describes by iMore, i.e. essentially a scaled down version of the new iPad. “Low End” takes into account all the other rumors we’ve heard about the iPad-Mini, i.e. a less powerful device for the lower end market. Both of these assume that the iPad-Mini is a Wifi-only device. Now, let me explain how I’ve arrived at these projections.

Let's take a peak inside, shall we?

NAND Flash Memory

iSuppli’s estimates show a linear relationship between price and storage capacity. Since practically all rumors have stated 8 GB of storage, the price would be half of the Flash memory in the iPad 2 snf new iPad.

DRAM

High End Rumors assume 1GB of RAM, just as in the new iPad, while I have assumed 512 MB of RAM for Low End Rumors, with the same price.

Display & Touchscreen

This is where it gets interesting. iMore claims that the iPad Mini would have the same resolution as the new iPad, which means that the pixel density on the iPad Mini would be higher. This could actually increase the cost of this component for the same screen size, so I have taken this cost to be roughly 80% of the cost of the display and touchscreen on the new iPad, for the high end iPad Mini. For the low end iPad Mini, I have assumed the same cost as that for the Kindle Fire – While Apple does use higher quality and more expensive components than Amazon, Apple also enjoys greater economies of scale. Taking into account the difference in the date of these cost estimates (Kindle Fire BOM is as of Nov 2011), this should be a satisfactory estimate for the lower end of the price band for this component.

Processor

The high end iPad Mini would need at least an A5X processor (as in the new iPad) to drive the pixel density of the display, while the low end iPad Mini could do with an A5 processor (as in the iPad 2).

Camera & Power Management

I have assumed that new iPad’s estimate on the high end iPad Mini and the iPad 2′s estimate be on the low end iPad Mini.

User Interface, Sensors & Combo Module

I have assumed a flat cost of $15, same as the new iPad and lower than the iPad 2.

Battery, Mechanical/Electro-Mechanical/Other

This would include the enclosure, buttons and other external components. I have assumed the same cost as the Kindle Fire. The rationale here is the same as that used for the Display and Touchscreen of the low end iPad Mini.

Box Contents

This includes all the add-ons Apple provides with a product (headphones, etc.). Since this seems to be the same across all iPads, I have maintained the same cost.

Manufacturing Cost

Manufacturing cost is approximately 3.4% of BOM for both the iPad 2 and the new iPad. I have used this same figure to arrive at the manufacturing cost of the iPad Mini.

Price Sensitivity of Components

The BOM estimates of the iPad are as of March 2012, so the only components likely to see any meaningful price reductions are semiconductor components (NAND, DRAM and Processor). But since these components account for just 15-20% of the BOM, it is unlikely to have much of an impact on the total cost. Even a 25-30% drop in price of those components would reduce the total BOM by just 5%. This should be balanced out by the fact that I have assumed the lower end of the potential price band for other components like battery, mechanical, display, etc.

Now that we have an idea of how much it costs to build an iPad Mini, what sort of gross margins would Apple make at various price points?

Now, as a benchmark to the above figures, the gross margins for the 16GB, Wifi-only models of the new iPad and the iPad 2 are nearly 40%. In fact, these are the lowest margin products among all iPhone and iPad models. Given this fact, it is very unlikely that Apple would drop these margins anywhere south of 30%.

iMore’s report assumes a $200-$250 for a high end iPad Mini, which would imply a gross margin anywhere between -27% and -1%. I really have to marvel at the kind of fact checking that happens behind the scenes when these reports come out.

The information I’ve highlighted so far is all available in the public domain, so iMore has probably assumed that Apple would absorb losses to kill off competition. Let me shoot down this theory right here. Yes, Apple has enough cash to absorb losses, but Apple’s core revenue drivers are device sales, not content sales (Amazon) and advertising (Google). Meaning whether consumers buy a Kindle Fire or a Nexus Tablet or an iPad Mini, Apple wouldn’t be making any money. There is no direct or indirect benefit Apple can claim from selling an iPad Mini at a loss. In other words, it’s not happening, unless Apple’s business strategy goes something like this:

Step 1 – Launch high end Mini-iPad at $200-250

Step 2 – ???

Step 3 – Profit!

If an iPad Mini is launched, the most likely model is likely to be similar to the iPad 2 in terms of specifications and at a price point of $300.

Impact on Apple’s Stock Price & the Tablet Market

Apple’s stock price has been driven to current levels on the back of strong volume growth of high margin products. Now, we’ve understood that the low end iPad Mini gives Apple a gross margin of 30%. Now, since ~40% is already the lowest gross margin Apple makes on its major products, a drop to 30% is a major drop from the perspective of the stock market.

In addition to this, Apple has one of the largest advertising and marketing budgets in the consumer technology industry, in fact Apple spends more on marketing than R&D. In the last quarter, Apple spent 6% of its revenue on Sales, General and Administrative (SGA) expenses, of which the majority was most likely spent on advertising and marketing (my estimate would be 4-5%). These would have to be deducted from the already low gross margin to arrive at the operating margin. This would put even more pressure on Apple’s stock price.

I’ve already mentioned before that low priced media tablets are going to make up the largest chunk of the tablet market going forward. This means that the iPad Mini would very likely cannibalize a large proportion of potential iPad sales as well. This fear, in conjunction with what I’ve mentioned above, would invariably cause a sharp stock price drop the moment this product is announced.

Given these implications, is it still a good idea for Apple to go ahead with the launch of an iPad Mini? Absolutely! Apple’s current reliance on high margin products for volume is unsustainable and that is the reason why Apple’s low valuation, in terms of multiples. As the father of disruption theory says - proprietary, high-priced models will always be overtaken by low-priced, modular approaches. This would be the first hint of a self-destructive instinct from Apple, which is required for truly sustainable growth.

The tablet market is still mostly concentrated in high income demographics in developed economies and among early adopters. With the upcoming launches of numerous low priced but capable tablets, the tablet industry will be going mainstream this year. If Apple doesn’t launch an iPad Mini, it will be overtaken by low priced rivals very quickly – my prediction was the fourth quarter of this year. However, the launch of an iPad Mini could extend that window and give Apple a much needed weapon against the threat of lower priced tablet competitors.

Conclusion

It is extremely unlikely that the report from iMore is true, given the implications on Apple’s gross margins. The most likely product would be a low end iPad Mini, at a $300 price point. Although this would be negative for the short term outlook of Apple’s stock, it would be good for its long term prospects.


This article, iPad Mini rumors – a thorough analysis , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


Samsung Galaxy S3 ROM leaked, download it now!

Posted: 20 May 2012 04:12 AM PDT

Only yesterday, wickedly skilled developer Chainfire rooted the S3 before it is released. Today, the Samsung obsessed boys over at SamMobile received a leaked ROM containing all the goodies packed into the upcoming Galaxy S3. Yes, you read it right, a full Android 4.0.4 ROM with the latest iteration of TouchWiz featured on the Galaxy S3 is here!

So, if you're looking for a way to test or simply use the S3′s TouchWiz interface even before the device itself is released, this is your chance.

Note: this ROM will only work if your device has Android 4.0 ICS, initial reports say

The leaked ROM of the Galaxy S3 that has trickled its way onto XDA's forum gives you the experience of having Samsung's latest flagship phone in your hand – way earlier than those 9 million (possibly more now) people who have pre-ordered the much anticipated Android device.

S-Voice, Smart Stay and Pop Up Play are only some of the pretty amazing features of the S III. S-Voice is a Siri-style virtual assistant on your Android phone. With your voice, you can control your device by saying commands like launching the camera, controlling songs, adjusting volumes and you can even yell 'snooze' to your S III's alarm if you want it to go away for a while.

Other features baked into the latest version of TouchWiz is ‘Pop Up Play’, which is a brand new feature from Samsung. It lets you watch HD videos while checking your email or simply chatting with your friends via SMS.

So, if you're feeling adventurous, and want to grab a taste of the Galaxy S3′s full ROM, you can download the ridiculously large file (768MB) here. But, if you're only looking for the APK of the S-Voice feature, you can download it below. Initial reports are indicating that Samsung’s cloud is quite selective, and will only work with Samsung devices. Still – worth a try though! Let us know how it goes. We’ve got the downloads coming in one of our team members Galaxy Nexus, so stay tuned for the full ROM review soon!

S Voice APK

It’s great to see the S3′s features leaked to other Android smartphone with this leaked ROM. The Galaxy Unpacked event in London marked Samsung’s first foray into focusing on the more human elements of technology. Most of their announcements have been full on spec hype-fests, but this time around, it was different. 

Soon though friend soon – we will have a Galaxy S3 of our own to play with and love, but for now, this ROM is just an appetizer to the feast that is to come in 10 days from now!

Are you going to be giving the S3 ROM a try? How about S Voice? Let us know down below!


This article, Samsung Galaxy S3 ROM leaked, download it now! , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


Android and Me

Android and Me


Google’s acquisition of Motorola receives approval in China with one big stipulation

Posted: 20 May 2012 12:50 PM PDT

sanjay-jha-android

Just a little over three months after Google got the green light from the US Department of Justice and the European Commission they have finally received the blessing of Chinese regulators to acquire Motorola Mobility.

Google did have to agree to one fairly major stipulation in the process however — Android must remain freely available to other manufacturers for the next five years. Now it seems likely that this is exactly what Google has in mind anyway, but this should assuage any lingering doubts for other manufacturers.

According to WSJs sources the purchase could be finalized within the week. What, if anything, we will see happen once the deal goes through has been a bit of a mystery ever since we first heard of the planned buyout over nine months ago. There’s been no shortage of rumor and news surrounding Motorola’s future with a shake-up at CEO, a potential sale to Huawei, a complete firewall between the two companies and now a potential US importation ban in the coming months. The only seeming guarantee is that it is unlikely to be a boring year where Motorola is concerned.

We’ve asked you before, but now that we are in the home stretch for this purchase it feels like it’s an appropriate time to ask again. What do you think Google should be doing with Motorola? Should they be a full-time Nexus manufacturer? Should Google allow them to continue as a separate entity? Should Google allow them to continue as a separate entity but insist that Blur and any otherwise named permutation of it be killed off? (I’m only slightly kidding.)


Motorola devices could face US importation ban following ITC ruling on Microsoft patent

Posted: 20 May 2012 12:48 PM PDT

lego-lawyer-gun-briefcase

Hot on the heels of US customs imposing an International Trade Commission ban on select HTC devices we have yet another exclusion order from the ITC, but this time around it’s Microsoft winning their patent claim against Motorola.

The patent in question dates back to 1998 and relates to scheduling a meeting with a group using a mobile device and having that event sync across mobile devices and PCs. As with many of these claims this sounds like fairly ridiculous feature to be able to patent, but the key is always in the exact implementation of the feature so it’s possible that Motorola will be able to come up with another way of handling the function (that is the tactic HTC employed in their case).

As you may recall from the HTC ruling this exclusion order doesn’t have any immediate ramifications for consumers as first the order goes to President Obama, who has 60 days to overturn the ruling should he so desire. My understanding is that the likelihood of this is just slightly higher than the next iPhone running Jelly Bean. Motorola also indicated that they may seek to appeal the ruling which would further delay an actual ban being put in place.

For Motorola the immediate repercussions are that they must pay Microsoft 33 cents per device during the 60 day review period with the President. A per device licensing fee is one of the potential resolutions to this matter and likely the option that Microsoft would prefer considering they are already pulling in licensing fees from the majority of Android manufacturers.

With Google finally receiving the necessary approval in China for the Motorola acquisition there may well be a different legal team at the helm for this matter by the time the 60 day review period is up — whether that will result in a different strategy going forward is anyone’s guess at the moment, but we’ll be keeping a careful eye on this one as the summer progresses.