Press Release: Toshiba buys part of Western Digital's HDD business.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.


Toshiba will acquire part of Western Digital's 3.5-inch HDD (hard-disk drive) production equipment and related intellectual property, in return for the Japanese IT vendor's 2.5-inch HDD manufacturing facility in Thailand.

"The purchase of part of Western Digital's 3.5-inch HDD manufacturing equipment, and with it the capability to produce 3.5-inch HDDs for desktop PCs, DVR and other consumer applications, will expand Toshiba's portfolio and enable the company to supply products covering all segments of the HDD market," the company said in its statement released Wednesday.

It added that in return, Western Digital will acquire Toshiba Storage Device (TSDT)--the company's wholly-owned HDD manufacturing subsidiary located in Thailand--including the principal assets of TSDT, its Thailand property, facilities, and employees.

According to Bloomberg, Toshiba spokesperson Toru Ohara said the company intended to double sales of memory devices including hard drives to 800 billion yen (US$9.8 billion) in the year, ending in March 2015, from about 400 billion yen this business year.

Toshiba expects the global market for HDD and other storage devices to see sustained demand growth. [The market would be] driven by the continued diversification of devices requiring storage, including PCs, tablets and smartphones, and the explosive increase in data storage and archiving that will accompany cloud computing," it added in its statement.

The Japanese vendor and Western Digital aim to complete the acquisition and transfer by March this year after obtaining approval from the relevant authorities.
Western Digital, based in California, is divesting the equipment to address regulatory concerns over its planned acquisition of Hitachi Global Storage Technologies, the company said in its statement.

The deal also comes as the HDD manufacturing industry in Thailand recovers from major flooding in the country last year, which rattled the global supply chain.

Press Release:


Toshiba Signs Agreement with Western Digital on Acquisition of HDD Manufacturing Equipment and Transfer of HDD Manufacturing Facility

29 Feb, 2012



TOKYO—Toshiba Corporation (TOKYO: 6502) today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement with Western Digital Corporation (NYSE: WDC) on Toshiba's acquisition of certain of Western Digital's 3.5-inch HDD manufacturing equipment and related intellectual property, and the transfer to Western Digital of Toshiba Storage Device (Thailand) Co., Ltd. (TSDT), Toshiba's wholly-owned HDD manufacturing subsidiary located in Thailand.

Toshiba and Western Digital aim to complete the acquisition and transfer by March of this year after obtaining approval from the relevant authorities.

Under the agreement, Toshiba will acquire the following equipment and intellectual property from Western Digital.



1) Manufacturing equipment for 3.5-inch HDDs for use in desktop PCs and other consumer applications, plus related intellectual property; and




2) Manufacturing equipment for near-line [1] HDDs for server applications.


Toshiba also has agreed to transfer to Western Digital its entire shareholding in TSDT. 



Toshiba's acquisition of assets from Western Digital and the transfer of TSDT to Western Digital are subject to Western Digital's completion of its pending acquisition of Hitachi Global Storage Technologies and regulatory approvals from the relevant antitrust authorities.


The global market for HDD and other storage devices is expected to see sustained demand growth, driven by the continued diversification of devices requiring storage, including PCs, tablets and smartphones, and the explosive increase in data storage and archiving that will accompany cloud computing.

Toshiba acquired Fujitsu Limited's HDD business in 2009, expanding its product portfolio of small form factor HDDs for mobile applications with Fujitsu's enterprise HDDs. Since then, the company has developed a line-up of storage products for enterprise applications. More recently, in July 2011 Toshiba unified the Semiconductor Company and the Storage Products Company, covering NAND flash memories, SSDs and HDDs, and is now positioned to carry out coordinated sales promotions to a wide range of customers.

The purchase of part of Western Digital's 3.5-inch HDD manufacturing equipment and with it the capability to produce 3.5-inch HDDs for desktop PCs, DVR and other consumer applications, will expand Toshiba's portfolio and enable the company to supply products covering all segments of the HDD market. It will also expand Toshiba's supply capacity in the market for near-line HDDs, which is expected to expand with the continuing growth of the server market, further reinforcing a strategic segment of the company's HDD business.

Toshiba will transfer the shares of TSDT to Western Digital and consolidate HDD production at its two HDD manufacturing facilities in the Philippines and a contract manufacturer in China. A key goal is to further enhance cost competitiveness by boosting manufacturing efficiency.

Following the reinforcement of its HDD businesses through this re-organization, Toshiba aims to establish itself as the leading provider of integrated storage solutions–the company that has all three key storage solutions: NAND flash, SSD and HDD.

Outline of Toshiba Storage Device (Thailand) Co., Ltd.

Address:                       Pathun Thani, Thailand
President:   Minoru Iriko
Established:   October, 2009
Paid-in capital:   1 billion baht
Main business:   Manufacture of 2.5-inch HDD
Employees:  About 4,200
[1]
Note: Near-line storage is a sort of data storage supporting large capacity storage, while on-line storage is appropriate for frequent access. It features generally higher reliability than HDDs for desktop PC applications. 

Apple to take on the Kindle Fire with a 7.85 inch iPad. To begin production in 3Q 2012.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.


Makers in Apple's iPad supply chain have started delivering samples of 7.85-inch iPads for verification, with volume production likely to begin in the third quarter of 2012 at the earliest.

The planned launch of the 7.85-inch iPad is apparently to take on Amazon's US$199 7-inch Kindle Fire as well as a comparable model from Barnes & Noble, although Apple already took up nearly a 60% share of the tablet PC market in 2011.

The price of the 7.85-inch iPad is likely to be set at US$249-299, since Apple is also expected to release an 8GB iPad 2 for US$349-399, and has lowered the price of the 16GB iPad 2 to US$449.

March 7: Apple expected to unveil 16GB and 32GB iPad 3 and 8GB iPad 2.

WorldWide Tech & Sceince. Francisco De Jesùs.



As Apple has scheduled an event on March 7, sources from its upstream supply chain pointed out that the company is expected to launch two iPad 3 models - a 16GB version and 32GB version.

In addition to iPad 3, Apple is also expected to unveil an 8GB iPad 2, allowing the tablet PC series to cover different segments and to defend against Windows 8-based tablet PCs.

Since Apple has put high hopes on its new iPad 3 and has been aggressively placing orders, iPad 3 shipments in the first quarter of 2012 are expected to double from original estimates.

The iPad 3 is expected to have a 9.7-inch Full HD QXGA panel with a resolution of 2048 by 1536 (264dpi) and its backlight module will adopt two LED light bars.

Related post:

iPad 3: Apple sending out invitations for SF event to unveil it in March 7. Bloomberg Video.

MWC 2012: Aylus Networks Launches Interconnected Mobile Video Calling .

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.




Aylus Networks Launches Interconnected Mobile Video Calling at GSMA Mobile World Congress

Visit meeting room 4.6HS07 in Hall 4 to see how to deliver mobile video calling that works for everyone – between video calling clients, over multiple networks    



Aylus Networks™, a leading provider of infrastructure for enabling live mobile video services, announced today that they will launch their interconnected mobile video calling at the GSMA Mobile World Congress show. Aylus will demonstrate at the show the Aylus Video Platform™, which will serve as an interconnect gateway to enable service providers to make mobile video calling work seamlessly across different services – including OTT offerings – and across multiple networks. Stop by the Aylus meeting room in Hall 4 – room 4.6HS07 – to see a demonstration. 


"The mobile video communication landscape today is predominately served by over-the-top (OTT) services and communities of subscribers. Over the course of the next year, many tier-1 carriers will release network-based video calling based on the VoLTE and IR94 specifications. This will result in a more complex world of video calling and a multitude of video clients on a wide range of devices that are unable to place video calls to each other. If we want to drive mass-market adoption of new mobile video services, this needs to change," said Mark Edwards, CEO of Aylus Networks. "With the Aylus Video Platform™ handling the inter-exchange among the different video calling services and networks, operators and service providers can offer video calling services that are not constrained to particular groups of friends or family members who happen to be on the same network or using the same video calling client on their devices." 

The Aylus Video Platform is unique in its ability to serve as the inter-exchange mechanism for video communications among different networks – wireless (3G/4G/Wi-Fi) and wireline/Web – while ensuring that the signaling and video are converted for the different services and CODECs at each end. The platform also ensures that video usage is tracked and can be billed correctly, and that policies for video routing and usage can be enforced. Aylus makes it possible to offer video calling services that work for anyone and everyone. 

"With Aylus handling the inter-connect functions, video calling and other video communication services can become an integral part of the voice calling session. Subscribers can use their contact list or dialing function to start a voice call with anyone they choose, electing to upgrade the call to include live video," Edwards added. "Only by making video calling as intuitive and simple to use as voice calling will we be able to drive mobile video calling into the mass market—benefiting the service providers, OTT vendors, consumers and enterprises using the services." 

About Aylus Networks 
Aylus Networks, Inc. helps mobile operators and communications service providers deliver live video services for consumers and enterprises. Solutions from Aylus range from live video sharing, including social networks and RCS/RCSe devices, to multi-party video calling on mobile networks. Aylus' innovative, IP-based core infrastructure platform is unique in its ability to serve as a video calling inter-exchange, enabling service providers to optimize video communications among different networks (3G/4G/Wi-Fi) regardless of the endpoints, build new revenue streams through QoS/QoE, and drive mass-market adoption of mobile video services based on existing voice calling offerings. For more information visit http://www.aylus.com

For further information contact: 
Cathy Clarke 
CNC Associates 
508-833-8533 

MWC 2012: Gameloft, the First Developer to Launch a Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (MMORPG) on the Freebox Revolution set-top box.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

Gameloft, the First Developer to Launch a Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (MMORPG) on the Freebox Revolution set-top box.


Order & Chaos Online, the first MMORPG available as a TV exclusive on the Freebox Revolution


Gameloft, a leading global publisher of digital and social games, and Free, a major French Internet Service and Telecommunications Provider, announced that Order & Chaos Online is now the first 3D MMORPG for set-topboxes and it is available exclusively on the Freebox Revolution.

For the first time on a multi-service box (Internet, telephone and television), players can explore a vast heroic fantasy world and meet up with thousands of other players online with the Freebox Revolution. Thanks to the advanced creation and customization system, players can also customize their avatars and fight for Order or Chaos.

"We're thrilled to enhance our lineup of games available on the Freebox Revolution with an MMORPG. Hundreds of thousands of subscribers are already enjoying Order & Chaos Online on their smartphones, and we're convinced that this first MMORPG available on the Freebox Revolution will be quickly embraced by the general public," said Gonzague de Vallois, Senior Vice President of Publishing at Gameloft.

"By offering the first MMORPG for TVs, the Freebox Revolution has proven once again that it remains the most innovative set-top box on the market. Order & Chaos Online will join the game lineup that Freebox users can already enjoy," added Maxime Lombardini, CEO of Iliad, parent company of Free.

Thanks to the GamePad that comes included and connected to the Freebox Revolution, players can experience optimized, user-friendly gameplay that both newcomers and veterans are sure to enjoy.

Check out the game trailer on Gameloft's official Dailymotion channel at http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xohwvx_le-1er-mmorpg-bientot-sur-freebox-revolution_videogames

Order & Chaos Online is available in the Freestore, in the Applications menu of the Freebox Revolution. Subscription is free for the first month and €1.99 per month thereafter.

Order & Chaos Online will join Gameloft's lineup of 13 HD Freebox games already available on the Freebox Revolution:
  • Asphalt 5 HD
  • Asphalt 6 HD
  • N.O.V.A.: Near Orbit Vanguard Alliance HD
  • Real Football 2011 HD
  • Bubble Bash
  • Dungeon Hunter 2 HD
  • UNO HD
  • Brain Challenge HD
  • Let's Golf! 2 HD
  • Modern Combat 2: Black Pegasus HD
  • Green Farm
  • Texas Hold'em Poker
  • Shrek Kart HD
About Gameloft
A leading global publisher of video games and social games, Gameloft® has established itself as one of the top innovators in its field since 2000. Gameloft creates games for all digital platforms, including mobile phones, smartphones and tablets (Apple® iOS and Android®), set-top boxes, Smart TVs and consoles. Partnership agreements with major rights holders have allowed Gameloft to associate its games with leading international brands such as UNO®, Spider-Man®, James Cameron's Avatar™, Ferrari® and Sonic Unleashed®. Gameloft also operates its own established franchises, such as Real Football, Asphalt™, Modern Combat 2: Black Pegasus and N.O.V.A.: Near Orbit Vanguard Alliance®. Gameloft is present in all continents, distributes its games in 100 countries and employs over 4,500 developers. Gameloft is listed on Euronext Paris (ISIN: FR0000079600, Bloomberg: GFT FP, Reuters: GLFT.PA).

About Free
Free is a subsidiary of Iliad. The Iliad Group is a major French Internet service and telecommunications provider with Free and Alice (4,790,000 broadband subscribers registered on 09/30/2011), Onetel and Iliad Télécom (landline telecommunication providers), as well as Free Mobile. The Iliad Group is listed on Euronext Paris Eurolist under the ILD stock symbol.

Freebox Revolution offer subject to eligibility. Please visit http://www.free.fr
Contact Presse : Stéphanie Cazaux-Moutou, Responsable Relations Presse & Communication.

Tél. : +33-(0)1-58-16-21-55 @: stephanie.cazaux-moutou@gameloft.com
SOURCE Gameloft

MWC 2012: Globe Telecom to launch first GCASH mobile app for Apple iPhones.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

Globe Telecom to launch first GCASH mobile app for Apple iPhones.


Barcelona, Spain; February 29, 2012 — Philippine telecommunications giant Globe Telecom, through its internationally acclaimed mobile commerce service GCASH, announces a first in the industry with the launch of the GCASH mobile app for Apple iPhones by March 2012.  The GCASH iPhone app will be available for download at the iTunes App Store for free.

The new GCASH iPhone app makes it more convenient for users to do their GCASH transactions like sending money, buying airtime load, and paying bills, without the need to memorize keywords or access numbers.

In addition, the app boasts of a new feature enabling users to send money not only to people in their phonebook but also to their e-mail and Facebook contacts.

“The new GCASH mobile app for iPhones will make our customers enjoy doing their GCASH transactions,” said Paolo Baltao, President of G-Xchange, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Globe and operator of GCASH, “We are setting a new standard for customer experience in the field of financial services.”


When a subscriber launches the GCASH mobile app, he just needs to type in his mobile number and Mobile PIN (MPIN) to log in.  He will be greeted with his “moneybook” which lists down all his GCASH transactions for the month in real-time.  Clean and intuitively-designed screens will guide the subscriber in doing his GCASH transactions.




With the all-new GCASH mobile app for iPhone, all transactions can be viewed instantly.


New feature allows users to send money to phonebook, e-mail, and Facebook contacts.

About Globe Telecom
Globe Telecom is a leading full-service telecommunications company in the Philippines, serving the needs of consumers and businesses across an entire suite of products and services which include mobile, fixed, broadband, data connections, internet, and managed services. Its principals are Ayala Corporation and Singapore Telecom; both acknowledged industry leaders in the country and across the region. 

For more information, please contact:

Ms. Yoly C. Crisanto                                                                                    
Head, Corporate Communications
Tel. No. +6327302627                                                                  
Fax No. +6327393075                                                                  

Email Address:  globe.corpcomm@gmail.com

MWC 2012: Globe Telecom Launches GCASH App for BlackBerry Smartphones.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.


Globe Telecom Launches GCASH App for BlackBerry Smartphones.

Barcelona, Spain; February 29, 2012 - GCASH, the internationally-acclaimed mobile commerce service of Globe Telecom, has claimed another first with the launch of the GCASH mobile application for BlackBerry® smartphones, now available for free download via the BlackBerry® App World.

Using the GCASH application is simple. After subscribers download the application, all they need to do is click on the GCASH icon on the Main Menu of their BlackBerry® to launch the application.  There is no need to go to any website to transact.  Internet connection is also not needed.  The app is very accessible and easy to use.  Subscribers only need to enter the details of their transaction together with their Mobile PIN (MPIN) as prompted by the application to conduct any GCASH transaction. There is no need to memorize any keywords or access numbers.

Furthermore, the new GCASH application for BlackBerry® smartphones displays the wallet balance at the top of the screen which is automatically updated after every completed transaction, providing the user with easy reference to his wallet balance.  Sending money via the GCASH application is also made easier.  The application allows the user to access his BlackBerry Contacts List without switching applications.  Also, BlackBerry® users who have downloaded the GCASH mobile application will automatically receive upgrade notifications for them to immediately enjoy the latest version.  

“With the GCASH BlackBerry app, customers will enjoy a richer experience when doing GCASH transactions,” said Paolo Baltao, President of G-XCHANGE INC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Globe and operator of GCASH. “Instead of just using SMS or the GCASH Menu burnt on the Globe or TM SIM, subscribers may now do transactions via a more interactive, user-friendly, and stylish manner. The GCASH for BlackBerry application is an affirmation of our commitment to make it easy, safe, and convenient for our customers to use GCASH.”

The BlackBerry and RIM families of related marks, images and symbols are the exclusive properties and trademarks of Research In Motion Limited.


About Globe Telecom
Globe Telecom is a leading full-service telecommunications company in the Philippines, serving the needs of consumers and businesses across an entire suite of products and services which include mobile, fixed, broadband, data connections, internet, and managed services. Its principals are Ayala Corporation and Singapore Telecom; both acknowledged industry leaders in the country and across the region. 
For more information, please contact:

Ms. Yoly C. Crisanto                                                                                    
Head, Corporate Communications
Tel. No. +6327302627                                                                  
Fax No. +6327393075                                                                  
Email Address:  globe.corpcomm@gmail.com

MWC 2012: Oberthur Technologies and Sicap open their Secure Application Suite to the NFC ecosystem.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.


Oberthur Technologies and Sicap open their Secure Application Suite to the NFC ecosystem
A unique suite to securely deploy and manage mobile services remotely


Barcelona, Spain, 29th February 2012

After two years of successful partnership, Oberthur Technologies and sicap, respectively leaders in the fields of smart card solutions and device management are today extending their unique solution to securely manage the NFC services life cycle, from application creation to deployment.

Application stores of the past contributed to the success of mobile services yet limited the added value of mobile operators. Applications were also often tied to a single type of operating system and device and did not meet security requirements for sensitive services like mobile commerce or mobile financial services (NFC-based or not).

In order to address the specific needs of mobile operators and services providers launching NFC services, the Secure Application Suite is fully compatible with Oberthur Technologies’ TSM solution. In a unique environment, it permits not only to install but also to access services, thus providing a complete ‘NFC wallet’ experience. Compatible with multi-OS and supporting multi-content, it is designed to provide a seamless service across a single platform to enhance the customer journey.

Arnaud de La Chapelle, General Manager - Convergence and Solutions at Oberthur Technologies commented “In order to bring both security and ubiquity of service to their subscribers, mobile operators need to position themselves in the mobile services value-chain by proposing an alternative to vertical application stores. The best way for mobile operators to secure their applications such as NFC services is to leverage on the SIM capabilities. Our Secure Application Suite is the only tool today to securely deliver mobile services to the largest number of subscribers.”

“Our common solution is a real opportunity for operators to stay in the driving seat, said Mr Fabrice Valois,Director of Device and SIM Business Line at sicap. The commercial offer is exclusive, relevant, and the user experience is guaranteed. Our solution fosters brand satisfaction by ensuring compatibility between the customer device and the applications in the application store. Once attracted by NFC applications, subscribers can be incentivised to use the operator portal for all their value-added service downloads”.

This solution will be demonstrated during the Mobile World Congress at Oberthur Technologies booth, Hall 8, stand 8B68 and at sicap booth, Hall 8, Stand 8B94

About SICAP
Sicap software solutions empower mobile operators to deliver a superior subscriber experience, create new revenue streams and reduce operating costs.
Sicap develops and implements solutions across the value chain, including DM, billing and loyalty, m-money, and USSD solutions. Present in 120 networks, serving 835 million subscribers in 75 countries worldwide.
For more information: www.sicap.com


Contact:
Kate Stoney, Communications Manager

 About OBERTHUR TECHNOLOGIES
Oberthur Technologies is world leader in security based on smart card technology and associated services. Through innovation and excellence in service, we deliver value to business customers with profitable models and clear benefits for end-users. Our clients are spread around the world and belong in many cases to global organisations. 


They include mobile operators, financial institutions, governments, transport operators, corporates and conditional access system providers. The products and services we develop address the ever-changing needs of the payment, mobile, identity, transport, convergence and digital TV market segments.

Oberthur Technologies has 5,700 employees through 40 countries and 65 sites.

For more information: www.oberthur.com

Contact :
Stephanie Cau, Communications Director

Virtual webOS Meetup Virtual JS Enyo Hackathon - Sign-up Information.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.


Virtual webOS Meetup Enyo Hackathon - Sign-up Information



The Hackathon coordinated by the NYC webOS Developer/Enthusiast Meetup
Thank you webOS Developer Relations Group for your constant support!

Source: enyo

HP webOS open source development news: Sam’s Blog: March Deliverables.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

We are following the HP webOS opensource development roadmap and Sam from HP webOS developers blog brings up the latest news, on the post below the roadmap chart:



As we head into March, I want to give you an update on what you can expect from us this month. The development team continues to work hard to bring you a best-in-class open platform, and meeting our March commitments pushes us further in that direction.

The most important news is that we are expanding the QtWebKit framework to incorporate OpenAL Soft (a 3D audio API), the OpenGL ES and WebGL graphics libraries, and GStreamer for handling streaming media. As we move webOS to the next generation, we’ve chosen these class-leading components to give our developers the ability to provide their apps with the most immersive and robust graphics and audio.

We are also announcing our integration with the Linux Standard Kernel, version 3.3. We will provide a hardware abstraction layer, called “Nyx”, which will give access to layers not available through the standard driver set.

Next, we will be introducing the fast and efficient LevelDB as our database engine. Developers will continue to use the MojoDB (DB8) abstraction layer to access database functionality; this will be released in March as well.

Toward the end of the month, we plan to release Novacom, which allows for USB communication and debugging with webOS devices. We know a lot of you in the developer community have been eager to get your hands on this. Enjoy!

I’ll post again soon to keep  you apprised of our progress.
Sam

MWC 2012: Qualcomm and Microsoft to Provide Developers with Snapdragon-Based Windows on ARM Test PCs .

WorldWide Tech & SCience. Francisco De Jesùs.

Qualcomm and Microsoft to Provide Developers with Snapdragon-Based Windows on ARM Test PCs .


Qualcomm Incorporated  today announced that its Snapdragon™ processor will be joining Microsoft Corp.'s Windows on ARM developer seeding program. Qualcomm is working with Microsoft to provide test PCs to select developers in order to test and optimize apps for forthcoming Snapdragon-powered Windows on ARM PCs and tablets.

 This invitation-only program will combine a pre-release version of Windows on ARM with next-generation, high performance Snapdragon S4 test PCs. These test PCs are not representative of commercial form factors or the final Windows on ARM experience; they are designed to give developers early access to building and testing Windows Metro style apps on Qualcomm's latest technology.

The Windows on ARM developer seeding program will help ensure that Windows Metro style apps available in the Windows Store work great on all Windows 8-based PCs, including those with Qualcomm's ARM-compliant Snapdragon processors.

"Microsoft's development tools and the Qualcomm Snapdragon test PCs will enable developers to build and test Metro style apps for Windows on ARM PCs," said Stefan Kinnestrand, director of business planning, Windows Division, Microsoft. "Based on Qualcomm's Snapdragon processor, these systems will equip developers to create Metro style apps and offer a rich set of hardware peripherals that plug in and help enable seamless user experiences on the Windows on ARM platform."

Qualcomm, with Microsoft, is among those leading the shift to anytime, anywhere connectivity. The Snapdragon mobile processor will offer a combination of processing performance, rich multimedia, GPS, high-performance graphics, wireless connectivity and power efficiency with Windows on ARM.

"Qualcomm is committed to the Windows on ARM ecosystem and knows that enabling developers is a crucial factor for its success," said Luis Pineda, senior vice president of product management, computing and consumer products at Qualcomm. "We are now providing Snapdragon S4 test PCs with built-in 4G LTE, activated in some regions, to software application developers."

Qualcomm's participation in the Windows on ARM developer seeding program provides select developers with the latest generation Snapdragon S4 test PCs running a pre-release version of Windows on ARM. These test PCs contain Qualcomm's Snapdragon S4 MSM8960 processor with second-generation high performance, power efficient CPU, hardware accelerated Adreno® graphics, full multimedia, GPS, sensors, and peripherals that will enable development and test of next-generation Windows Metro style apps for the coming wave of Windows on ARM PCs.

About Qualcomm
Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ: QCOM) is the world leader in 3G and next-generation mobile technologies. For more than 25 years, Qualcomm ideas and inventions have driven the evolution of digital communications, linking people everywhere more closely to information, entertainment and each other. For more information, visit Qualcomm's website, OnQ blog, Twitter and Facebook pages.

Qualcomm, Adreno and Snapdragon are trademarks of Qualcomm Incorporated, registered in the United States and other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Qualcomm Contacts:

Tina Asmar, Corporate Communications

Phone: 1-858-845-5959



Warren Kneeshaw, Investor Relations

Phone: 1-858-658-4813



SOURCE Qualcomm Incorporated

Woot woot! It's Leap Day!

I always wondered what it would be like to have been born on Feb. 29th...it's a birthday that's rare and special.  But when does someone born on Leap Day really celebrate their birthday?  Every year on Feb. 28th or do they have a huge blow-out party every presidential election year? 
Personally, I wouldn't want to wait every four years.  No-siree-bob.  My birthday is my favorite day of the year.

iPad 3: Apple sending out invitations for SF event to unveil it in March 7. Bloomberg Video.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.




Apple Inc is hosting a media event next Wednesday, where it is expected to unveil a faster, better-equipped version of its popular iPad tablet to thwart increasing competition from deep-pocketed rivals such as Amazon.com Inc.

The invitation-only event will be held at 1 p.m. EST (1800 GMT) on March 7 at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco, where the company also introduced the last two generations of iPads.

Apple, which sent the invitation to reporters by email on Tuesday, did not divulge details of the event beyond saying: “We have something you really have to see. And touch.”

The invitation featured a partial picture of the touchscreen of a device resembling an iPad.

The third iteration of a device that has helped put pressure on demand for traditional laptops and computers is expected to boast a faster, quad-core processor and a higher-definition screen.

Some analysts and industry experts expect 4G wireless capability, ensuring that the iPad remains current as cutting-edge broadband technology from Verizon Wireless and other carriers gains momentum. Verizon Wireless is a venture of Verizon Communications Inc and Vodafone Group Plc .

“The picture is zoomed in on an icon and I don’t see any pixels in that icon,” Avi Greengart, analyst at Current Analysis, said, underscoring how industry experts pick apart even Apple’s communiques for hints of what to expect.

“You don’t need exceptional foresight to guess that Apple is likely looking at a higher resolution display.”
Based on the latest rumors the iPad 3 might come with a Apple A6 Quad-Core cpu, 8 mpxls rear camera, 1GB RAM, Retina Display, SIRI Ai, 4G.



MWC 2012: Samsung to deliver first Android devices to use Telefónica Dual Persona service, powered by VMware ®

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

PR:


Telefonica to Launch Dual Persona Service for Mobile Devices, Powered by VMware ®

New Telefónica Dual Persona service, powered by VMware® Horizon Mobile™, will enable two phones-in-a-phone, one for private personal use and another for business use

VMware Horizon Mobile extends enterprise-grade security and management to employee owned mobile devices with Telefónica cloud-based management service

Samsung to deliver first Android devices to use Telefónica Dual Persona service

BARCELONA – Feb. 28, 2012. Today at Mobile World Congress, Telefónica Digital and VMware®, Inc. announced the launch of the new Telefónica Dual Persona service.  Powered by VMware Horizon Mobile™, the new service will provide a simple way for IT departments to securely provision, manage and de-provision a corporate mobile workspace (email, applications, data, etc.) to an employee’s Android device over-the-air, while enabling the employee to better retain the privacy and control of their personal mobile environments.
Telefónica Dual Persona service for Android devices will be available in the second quarter of this year. Additional information on pricing and countries where the services will launch will be made available in the coming months. Both companies are working to make the solution available for other operating systems and mobile platforms in the future.
The companies also confirmed today that the Galaxy SII by Samsung will be the first handset to support the Telefónica Dual Persona service. Samsung is expected to offer service compatibility with all of its devices in the coming months.
Smartphones: The New Corporate Mobile Workspace 

The increased computing power of modern mobile devices, coupled with the rise in the number of business ready mobile applications, has resulted in the growing need for companies to manage device lifecycles and the provisioning of mobile applications used by employees. Furthermore, the widespread popularity of smartphones in the consumer market has increased the number of personal devices used in the work environment.

According to Forrester (Forrsights: Mobility Dominates Enterprise Telecom Trends In 2011, July 22, 2011), 60 percent of companies now allow their employees to use personal smartphones and tablets at work and this trend is increasing. The influx of personal devices makes the management of mobile phones and the lifecycle of mobile applications more complicated and creates security and manageability issues for corporate IT organizations.  Meanwhile, employees are becoming progressively more concerned about personal data privacy and worry that management and control of their smartphones by IT administrators could be intrusive.
Telefónica Dual Persona Service, Powered by VMware 

Powered by VMware Horizon Mobile, the Telefónica Dual Persona service will be offered as part of the Telefónica Cloud Computing service catalog.  In addition to dual persona support for Android devices, the Telefónica Cloud Computing catalog helps companies more effectively manage their databases, virtual desktops (PCs) and applications by offering easy to consume cloud-based services.

The Telefónica Dual Persona service will enable IT managers to provision and manage an employee’s work profile and mobile applications via a cloud-based instance of VMware Horizon Mobile. Because of this separation, when an employee leaves the company or if a device is lost or stolen, business will be better able to safely and securely remove corporate information from mobile devices, while not having access to an individual personal profile.
The user experience will be intuitive and similar to that of a conventional smartphone on both profiles. Users will be able to switch from one profile to another with a simple click of an app, and they will receive both work and personal notifications within both profiles.
According to Moisés Navarro, Director of Strategy and Cloud Services at Telefónica Digital, “The Dual Persona service brings benefits to both employees and companies – the employee can use just one device, for both personal and work use while still maintaining privacy – the company gains greater control and security over corporate information, increased efficiency and cost savings on mobile devices, less provisioning and incident management time and greater employee satisfaction.  Importantly, this is all made available via a cloud-based, pay-per-use model”.
“Powered by VMware Horizon Mobile, Telefónica Dual Persona service will enable enterprises to securely customize and manage an employee’s corporate mobile workspace in isolation from their personal smartphone environment,” said Brian Byun, Vice President and General Manager, End-User Computing, Mobile for VMware.  “We are excited to bring this technology to market with Telefónica and Samsung.  Horizon Mobile embraces personal freedom and enhances employee productivity by delivering a preconfigured, device-independent corporate mobile workspace that is customized to an employee’s responsibilities.”
Samsung is working closely with Telefónica and VMware to expand the availability of “VMware ready” devices this year.
“With the ‘Bring Your Own Device’ trend growing faster than ever in enterprise sector, Telefónica’s Dual Persona service will undoubtedly be the compelling solution to propel this trend,” said Eric Moon, Director of Enterprise Business Team, Mobile Communication Division at Samsung Electronics. “We are very confident that enterprise decision-makers will embrace Samsung mobile devices along with the Dual Persona service thanks to the flexibly provided to both employees and corporate IT. For employees they will have the ability to securely mix work and play on a single Samsung device.”
About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. 

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in semiconductor, telecommunication, digital media and digital convergence technologies with 2011 consolidated sales of US$143.1 billion. Employing approximately 222,000 people in 205 offices across 71 countries, the company operates two separate organizations to coordinate its nine independent business units: Digital Media & Communications, comprising Visual Display, Mobile Communications, Telecommunication Systems, Digital Appliances, IT Solutions, and Digital Imaging; and Device Solutions, consisting of Memory, System LSI and LCD. Recognized for its industry-leading performance across a range of economic, environmental and social criteria, Samsung Electronics was named the world’s most sustainable technology company in the 2011 Dow Jones Sustainability Index. For more information, please visit www.samsung.com.

About Telefónica 

Telefónica is one of the world’s largest telecommunications companies by market capitalization. Its activities are centered mainly on the fixed and mobile telephony businesses, while its broadband business is the key growth driver underpinning both.

It operates in 25 countries and has a 300 million-strong global customer base. Telefónica has a strong presence in Spain, Europe and Latin America, regions which are driving the Group’s growth.
Telefónica is a 100% private company, with more than 1.5 million direct shareholders. Its share capital consists of 4,563,996,485 ordinary shares traded on the Spanish stock exchanges (Madrid, Barcelona, Bilbao and Valencia) and on those of London, Tokyo, New York, Lima and Buenos Aires.
About Telefónica Digital 

Telefónica Digital is a global business division of Telefónica. Its mission is to seize the opportunities within the digital world and deliver new growth for Telefónica through research & development, venture capital, global partnerships and digital services such as cloud computing, mobile advertising, M2M and eHealth. Telefónica Digital will deliver these innovative products and services to Telefónica’s 300 million customers as well as leveraging the power of the internet to enter new markets. It is headquartered in London with regional centres in Silicon Valley, Sao Paolo, Spain and Tel Aviv. Jajah, Terra, Tuenti, giffgaff and 48 are all part of the Telefónica Digital group of companies.

About VMware 

VMware (NYSE: VMW) is the leader in virtualization and cloud infrastructure solutions that enable businesses to thrive in the Cloud Era. Customers rely on VMware to help them transform the way they build, deliver and consume Information Technology resources in a manner that is evolutionary and based on their specific needs. With 2011 revenues of $3.77 billion, VMware has more than 350,000 customers and 50,000 partners. The company is headquartered in Silicon Valley with offices throughout the world and can be found online at www.vmware.com.