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Thunderbolt Adoption Reportedly Slowed by Intel’s Licensing and Certification, But Improvements Coming

Last July, Ars Technica took a look at the state of the Thunderbolt standard developed by Apple and Intel, noting that adoption remained slow amid high pricing some eighteen months after the standard's introduction. The report did, however, suggest that pricing could begin to improve in 2013 as the next generation of Thunderbolt chips hit the market.

Ars Technica has now published a follow-up report looking at how things have changed over the past six months, pointing to a number of improvements such as slightly lower pricing on Thunderbolt cables from Apple, the introduction of the first wave of optical cables supporting the standard, and the launch of new docking stations and other peripherals taking advantage of Thunderbolt.

The report indicates that the biggest holdup to wider adoption of Thunderbolt appears to be Intel's licensing and certification process, with the company dedicating only limited resources to helping third-party vendors bring their Thunderbolt products to market.
Several vendors we have spoke to over the past year have claimed that Intel was holding up the process, cherry picking which vendors it worked with.

Though Intel had effectively denied this characterization in the past, the company explained the situation a bit differently when we spoke at CES last week. Jason Ziller, Director of Thunderbolt Marketing & Planning at Intel, told Ars that Intel has "worked closely" with vendors it felt could "offer the best products" and could meet its stringent "certification requirements." The subtext seemed to be that Intel had limited resources to support and certify new products, and so it gave priority to devices that were perhaps more novel than those proposed by other makers.
Ziller indicated that Intel would be broadening its efforts this year, suggesting that more Thunderbolt products may be able to make their way into consumers' hands. Combining those efforts with continued cost drops and the first moves into Windows machines, Apple and Intel are undoubtedly hoping that 2013 will finally see Thunderbolt turn the corner.

Facebook To Take On Google By Launching New Search Engine At Today’s Event [Rumor]

Facebook is set to hold a press event later today, and it appears the whole thing’s going to be a massive kick in the teeth for Google. Not only is the social network expected to unveil its own smartphone, possibly powered by its own platform, but it’s also expected to hit Google where it really hurts — in search. Rumor has it the company will unveil its own search engine, which will rollout to users “very soon.”

Sources for Pocket-lint claim that Facebook is planning to launch a major new search feature that’s set to “shake everything up.” Although it’s unclear exactly how the search engine will work, it’s believed it will be integrated into the company’s hugely popular social network in the very near future.

Sources who don’t wish to be named have confirmed to Pocket-lint that the big announcement at the company’s event will focus on the new search feature with an expected roll-out shortly afterwards. Although the information is light on detail, the source is trusted and has given us legitimate information before.

Facebook already offers basic search features, but they all center around the company’s own services. You can search the web from Facebook.com, but all of its results are currently powered by Bing, Microsoft’s search engine. The feature Facebook is expected to announce later today will presumably replace Bing, and place a bigger focus on search.

While Google may be the world’s most popular search engine, if any company has the potential to put a big dent in its numbers, it’s Facebook. The social network currently boasts more than 1 billion active users, and if they can all search for the things they’re looking for from their Facebook timelines, there will be no need for them to leave the page to visit Google.

Facebook’s press event will get underway at 10 a.m. PST today.

Source: Pocket-lint

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Apple Planning To Save On Cheaper iPhone With Plastic Body [Rumor]

Will the iPhone 3GS plastic back make a comeback?

Rumors of a cheaper, budget iPhone have been picking up steam in recent weeks. After the infamous Digitimes reported that Apple was gearing up to launch a low-cost iPhone later this year, mainstream publications like The Wall Street Journal chimed in with their own confirmations. Apple is “weighing retail prices of $99 to $149″ for the unannounced device, according to Bloomberg.

Now Digitimes is saying that Apple could use plastic instead of metal or glass to cut costs for this new “entry-level” iPhone.

Apple “may adopt plastic for its chassis instead of reinforced glass or unibody metal as in the company’s standard iPhone models, to save cost, according to sources from the upstream supply chain.” Interestingly, Digitimes also claims that the iPhone chassis supplier will be based in the United States. Apple already manufactures parts of the iPhone stateside, including glass in Kentucky and processor chips in Texas.

Recent iPhone models have had glass exteriors, while the iPhone 5 sports a metallic chassis. It looks like Apple could possibly go with a hybrid approach for this upcoming model. “Other rumors are circulating that the entry-level iPhone will adopt a chassis mixed with plastic and metal, with the internal metal parts being able to be seen from outside through special design,” according to Digitimes, a Taiwanese site that, despite its mixed track record, has accurately predicted Apple’s plans in the past.

Components for the cheaper iPhone are currently going through validation in the supply chain for the second half of 2013, if Digitimes’s sources are to be believed. Everything from the report jives with what the Journal and other publications have also said.

To complicate things, Apple’s Phil Schiller was recently quoted as saying that Apple didn’t have plans to make a cheaper iPhone. The interview was conducted by a Chinese paper, and confusion over the wording caused several American outlets to retract the story.

Source: Digitimes

Image: Flickr

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Low-Cost iPhone to Use Plastic or Hybrid Plastic/Metal Design, Due in Late 2013

Digitimes provides more details about the rumored cheaper iPhone that has been circulating. According to their supply chain sources, this new entry-level iPhone is said to adopt plastic for its chassis rather than the glass and aluminum that has been used on their current models.

iPhone 3GS (2009) had a plastic enclosure.
They also cite other circulating rumors that suggest that the cheaper iPhone will alternatively offer a "chassis mixed with plastic and metal, with the internal metal parts being able to be seen from outside through special design".

The publication also reports that the components for the low-cost iPhone are going through validation and the final product may come to market in the second half of 2013.

Digitimes reignited the long-running rumors of a low-cost iPhone last week. The report was quickly followed by a Wall Street Journal and Reuters report claiming the same, and offering a target price of $99-$149. Subsequent comments by Apple marketing chief Phil Schiller seemed to suggest that Apple was dismissive of that possibility, but that article was later retracted by the original publication.

WiFi + Cellular iPad Mini and Fourth-Generation iPad Launching in China Friday

Apple today announced that the WiFi + Cellular iPad mini and fourth-generation iPad will launch in China this Friday. The release in China adds to the over 100 countries where the iPad mini and new iPad are already available.

Apple today announced the Wi-Fi + Cellular versions of iPad® mini and the new fourth generation iPad with Retina display will be available in China on Friday, January 18. iPad mini and the fourth generation iPad are currently available in more than 100 countries worldwide including the US, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan and the UK.
The iPad and iPad mini models will be available in China through Apple retail stores, Apple.com and authorized retailers. Just last week, Apple CEO Tim Cook traveled to China to meet with partners and government officials, and where he announced that the cellular iPad and iPad mini models would be launching before the end of the month. Apple's focus on China has continued throughout the past several years, with the company having almost doubled its retail presence in Greater China since his last visit to the country just ten months ago.

Otterbox Armor Series: The ‘Toughest Case Ever Built’

$100 might seem like a crazy amount to spend on an iPhone case, but if you paid around €850 ($1,140) for an unlocked iPhone 5 like I did, then it actually seems like a pretty good investment to protect your, uh, other investment.

And coincidentally, $100 is exactly what you’ll pay for Otterbox’s Armor series case, billed as “The toughest case ever built.”

That’s a strong claim, and it gets stronger. Otterbox says that the case is completely waterproof for a half hour in water up to 6.6-feet deep. It will also withstand drops of ten feet, and laugh off crushing forces of up to two tons. And it’ll also keep out dust, all whilst looking pretty slick for such a tough customer.

The case, which will be available in February, uses o-ring seals, metal latches and all manner of sealing mechanisms to keep your iPhone safe. The only challenge is to keep your iPhone undamaged until then.

Source: OtterBox

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Apple Thunderbolt Display Supplies Begin Running Short at Third-Party Resellers

AppleInsider notes that inventories of the Apple Thunderbolt Display have begun running short at third-party resellers such as Amazon and MacMall, perhaps providing the first hints of an upcoming redesign. The display remains in stock at the company's online stores, but shortages tend to show up at third-party retailers first as Apple prioritizes shrinking supplies for its own outlets.


One of the most significant changes likely to make an appearance in a redesigned Apple Thunderbolt Display is the adoption of the thinner profile and new display assembly process seen in the company's latest iMac. The current Apple Thunderbolt Display borrows heavily from the previous generations of the 27-inch iMac, and thus it seems reasonable to assume that some of the iMac design changes such as new lamination procedures to make the display thinner and more vibrant will make their way to the standalone display.

But with that lamination process leading to shortages of the 27-inch displays used in the iMacs, an issue expected to persist until next month, Apple may hold off on introducing a new standalone display for the time being in order to prioritize the iMac.

Other changes likely to appear in an updated display are a move to USB 3.0 ports, which have become standard on Mac products, and the inclusion of a MagSafe 2 port for charging Mac notebooks. The current Apple Thunderbolt Display still uses the original MagSafe design for power passthrough, with Apple bundling a MagSafe to MagSafe 2 Converter to provide compatibility for owners of newer Mac notebooks.

Apple Maintains Third Place in U.S. PC Sales for 4Q 2012

Research firm Gartner today released its preliminary personal computer shipment data for the fourth quarter of 2012, showing a mixed market for manufacturers. Overall, Gartner saw a 2.1% year-over-year decline in PC sales in the United States, compared to a 4.9% decline on a global basis.


Gartner's Preliminary U.S. PC Vendor Unit Shipment Estimates for 4Q12 (Thousands of Units)
In the United States, Apple maintained its third-place ranking with 12.3% of the market on a unit sales increase of 5.4% over the year-ago quarter. Apple's growth was outpaced by leader HP at 12.6% and fourth-place Lenovo at 9.7%, but Lenovo remains well behind Apple at 8.4% of the U.S. market. Apple and the other gainers were, however, more than offset by steep losses at Dell and Acer, leading to overall contraction of the PC market in the U.S.


Apple's U.S. Market Share Trend: 1Q06-4Q12 (Gartner)
As usual, Gartner did not cover Apple's worldwide market share for the quarter, as the company does not rank among the top five vendors on a worldwide basis.

IDC has also released its estimates of PC sales for the quarter, offering an even bleaker view of the market with its calculations of 6.4% contraction in the global market and a 4.5% decline in the United States. Apple in particular took a hit in IDC's estimates relative to Gartner's numbers, with IDC projecting that Apple's sales actually shrank by 0.2% year-over-year. Still, given the overall market decline in the U.S., IDC saw Apple's share of the market rise from 10.9% to 11.4%.

Oracle Updates Java 7 to Address Security Vulnerability

On Friday, we noted that Apple had taken the rare step of using its anti-malware tools in OS X to disable existing installations of the Java 7 browser plug-in due to a major security vulnerability that was being actively exploited in the wild. Apple's anti-malware system is capable of enforcing minimum version numbers for plug-ins such as Java and Flash, and Apple simply updated its blacklist information to require that machines be running a higher version of the Java 7 plug-in than was publicly available.

Oracle has now released Java 7 Update 11, and the release notes indicate that it does indeed address the vulnerability. The new release registers with a version string of 1.7.0_11-b21, satisfying Apple's requirement for a minimum version number of 1.7.0_10-b19.

In addition to the fix for the vulnerability, Java 7 Update 11 also sees a change in the default security level setting from "Medium" to "High". Under the new setting, users will be warned before the Java plug-in runs any unsigned application.
The default security level for Java applets and web start applications has been increased from "Medium" to "High". This affects the conditions under which unsigned (sandboxed) Java web applications can run. Previously, as long as you had the latest secure Java release installed applets and web start applications would continue to run as always. With the "High" setting the user is always warned before any unsigned application is run to prevent silent exploitation.