Apple shares fall 12% on growth fears

 

Apple Inc.

Apple shares have tumbled 12% as investors fret over whether the company could lose its dominance in the smartphone market.

About $50bn (£32bn) was wiped off Apple's value after the biggest daily drop in the firm's stock in four years.

Flat profits and record quarterly revenue of $55bn were not enough to overcome disappointment over sales of the company's new iPhone 5.

Analysts said the firm was in danger of becoming a victim of its own success.

Earlier, shares in some of Apple's key Asian suppliers also fell.

LG, which provides displays for Apple products, fell 3.1%, and Hon Hai, which assembles iPhones and iPads, dropped 3.2%.

at the same time Nokia are in profit and Samsung at now the  biggest phone manufacture in the world.

www.easyappsbisiness.com

The 10 greatest gadgets of 2012

 

The world may have not come to an end as Mayan naysayers contended, but the year certainly has. As we move onto 2013 and all the tech to come, we’re taking a look back at the year that was, and the top ten gadgets of the last twelve months. Read on to see what made the cut, and chip in with your thoughts in the comments.

Apple iPad mini

It was slated on launch for its high pricetag compared to seven inch rivals, but Apple’s trimmed down tablet proved its worth with its pure power and premium build. Make no mistake, at some point soon this will soon be the iPad that everyone thinks of as the iPad.

Samsung Galaxy Note 2

It’s rare for a company to invent a whole new category of phone, yet that’s exactly what Samsung’s done with its giant Galaxy Note series. Not only is the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 turbo-charged with fantastic, speedy software, it’s single-handedly resurrected the stylus and put it to good use. Or two-handedly, anyway.

Google Nexus 7

Asus stunned pundits with its low price seven inch Android tablet this summer. Its speedy software puts Amazon’s Kindle Fire efforts to shame, and six months on – a century in tech terms – it’s still the best slate in its class. At £159, it’s a feat of engineering and software married together that’s worthy of Apple.

Humax DTR-1000 YouView

It was almost lost in all the media hubbub about tablets, iCloud and Android, but 2012 also saw the launch of YouView, the Freeview HD service with a twist. It beautifully integrates all your favourite catch-up service right into the EPG, so you can even watch the shows you forgot to record. Seriously classy TV.

Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime

It seems like a lifetime ago, but at the start of the year, Asus was the first to prove that somebody could create a tablet at the same price as an iPad that would actually sell. It was beautiful, thin and scorchingly fast, and regularly and promptly updated by Asus – if you were prepared to shell out for extra it even had a keyboard dock accessory to turn it into a laptop. A year on, the Google Nexus 10 has superseded it, but it was still an awesome tablet tech milestone.

Nintendo Wii U

If you didn’t get a Wii U this Christmas, it was only because it’s as rare as gold dust already. While the new console has its flaws, it’s wonderful to finally see Nintendo’s characters rendered in glorious HD, and it’s clear the Japanese gaming giant is only just getting started: the potential for the GamePad controller is vast. It also marks the start of the next generation of console wars, and we can’t wait to see what Microsoft and Sony are readying in response.

Nokia 808 PureView

Yes, as a phone, the Symbian-powered (or crippled) 808 PureView is awful. But as an example of what camera phones can be capable of, the 41 megapixel sensor around back is nothing short of breathtaking. Stunning detail and amazing low light performance point the way forward for 2013, and we’re already starting to see the tech emerge in Nokia’s more usable Windows Phones, like the Lumia 920.

Samsung Galaxy S3

With the epic, speedy Galaxy S3, Samsung finally arrived. The 4.8-inch beast is every bit the rival to the iPhone 4, especially now you can pick it up with 4G super speed connectivity. It’s a shame that Siri-rival S-Voice is utterly useless, but at least Google’s since filled that void with its own impressive Google Now service.

HTC One X+

One of the true tragedies of tech in 2012 has been the sidelining of HTC. The Taiwanese gadget company’s phones this year were nothing short of beautiful, and the beefed up HTC One X+ made this spring’s One X even better. With up to date Android Jelly Bean, a faster processor and new look, this is one future-proofed phone for design aficionados. Ignore at your peril.

Roku LT

The £49.99 Roku LT might just be the most improved gadget of 2012. Since launch earlier this year, the little HD rival to the Apple TV has been bolstered with extra channels and new services. But with a huge investment from Sky, it’s only going to get better next year: the Now TV channel will soon get sport and drama too, making it the world’s cheapest Sky box.

What were your favourite gadgets of 2012? Did we miss any? Let’s hear your views in the comments below!

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iPhone 5 up for UK pre-order: Will you be buying?

 

Phone 5 up for UK pre-order: Will you be buying?

The iPhone 5 is on sale a week today, but if you really want to be sure of landing one on day one, you don’t need to queue – pre-orders on several UK networks have opened already. Will you be getting one?

While EE and O2 are all keeping their cards close to their chest when it comes to iPhone 5 pricing, Three, Vodafone, Orange and T-Mobile UK have all put the iPhone 5 in all its flavours up for pre-order already.

Prices on contract at Orange and T-Mobile are almost identical, as you’d expect since they’re owned by the same company: the 16GB model starts at £109.99 on a £36 per month two year contract with 1GB of data.

Vodafone meanwhile has a slightly cheaper offer if you’re prepared to use less data on the go. You can get a 16GB iPhone 5 for £25 per month on a two year contract by paying £249 on contract. For the unlimited text and call package with 1GB of data though, you’re looking at £37 per month for £99 upfront.

Want one? You’d better act fast. Over in the US, pre-orders for the iPhone 5 have sold out in just a few short hours.

Will you be getting an iPhone 5? Is it Android all the way for you? Let’s hear where you stand in the comments.

Virtual Projected Keyboard

 

Virtual Projected Keyboard

The Celluon MAGIC CUBE Virtual Keyboard is a startling fresh alternative to using a standard keyboard and mouse with your mobile device or computer. The MAGIC CUBE projects a laser onto a flat opaque surface to provide you with a virtual keyboard. You can type on top of the surface of your desk and you can also use the MAGIC CUBE as a mouse. The MAGIC CUBE is powered by a Lithium-Polymer battery and comes with a mini-USB to USB cable for recharging it from your computer. It works with the iPad, iPhone 4, mobile devices running Android 2, 2.1, or 2.2 as well as any device that supports Bluetooth 2.0 or greater, such as a desktop or notebook computer

www.tell-me-first.com

Best Apple iPad yet: Everything you need to know

 

Apple has unveiled the next generation of iPad. It’s more powerful, has a better screen and an improved camera. But is it the upgrade Apple fans were dreaming of? Read on and we’ll tell you everything you need to know about the new iPad.

It really is called the new iPad

During Apple’s presentation we were waiting on tenterhooks to hear the name of the new iPad. As it turns out that is exactly what it’s called. Not the iPad HD, or iPad 3. Say hello to the new iPad.

High resolution Retina Display

The new iPad boasts a 9.7-inch 2048×1536 pixel Retina Display that Apple claims makes text look sharper than it does on a newspaper. Gaming should look a treat on it.

A powerful new chip and processor

To cope with the demands you’re going to push on your new iPad, Apple has developed a new AX5 dual-core CPU. With the Retina Display graphics power is key and to keep things nice and smooth an on-board quad-core GPU has been fitted. Overall, you’ll find a 4x speed boost over that of the iPad 2.

A better camera

The new iPad has a 5-megapixel camera featuring auto exposure, auto-focus and auto-face detection. The new iPad now also records video in full HD (1080p), and uses video stabilisation and noise reduction tech to deliver top-notch high quality video.

Battery life

Battery life will remain as impressive as ever. Apple promises a 10-hour battery life and nine hours while powering away over 3G.

4G LTE

The new iPad will be 4G LTE compatible in the US, and 3G ready world-wide. We don’t have 4G in the UK just yet, but trials are already taking place that could see 4G connectivity trickle throughout the UK later this year.

New iPad UK release date

It will go on sale in the UK from 16 March 2012, so there’s not long to wait. Those wanting a piece of the action can pre-order one from the Apple Store website right now. Prices start from £399.

What do you think? Are you impressed by the new iPad? Are there enough changes to warrant an upgrade? Let us know on the comments

Apple iPad 3 is coming: Here's what you might be getting

Apple’s iPad 2 was revealed on March 2 2011, so if the company follows suit with the follow-up we should be seeing the iPad 3 very soon indeed. With that in mind, what are we hoping to see from the next slab of Apple loveliness?

The iPad 2 has sold like the proverbial hotcakes over the past year, even though (as seems to have been forgotten) it was seen by many as a bit of a modest overhaul of the original device. We’ve been told that the iPad 3 could be the one to watch. Here’s what we might be getting…

HD screen
The main reason some people were a bit miffed with the iPad 2 (though we love ours to bits) isn’t because of a misplaced sense of entitlement or the curious need to diss Apple at every turn. Oh no. It was because the screen was absolutely identical to the original iPad’s.

That won’t cut the mustard for a third year running, which is why we’re expecting Apple to provide a major screen overhaul. We’re talking an HD display with double the resolution of the previous models, which should provide a picture that’s almost as sharp as the iPhone 4S.

Quad-core processor
Dual-core mobile processors are so 2011, darling. This year will see the emergence of quad-core smartphones and tablets, and the iPad 3 will almost definitely be at the forefront of that progression.
All reports are suggesting that the next Apple tablet will feature a new A6 chip with double the processor cores of the iPad 2. Considering how powerful last year’s model is, that’s quite a prospect – we’re approaching laptop speeds here.

Slightly bulkier body
For all its internal changes and that shiny new screen, we’re not actually expecting the iPad 3 to change all the much on the outside. Indeed, there have been rumours that a real working iPad 3 was out on the floor of CES last month, but that no one noticed because it was so similar to the iPad 2.
Regardless of the truth of that tantalising claim, it has been suggested that the only difference in the iPad 3’s design will be a slightly thicker body. Well, with a high def screen and a souped up camera to squeeze in, what did you expect?

iPhone 4S-standard camera
The iPad 2 introduced a camera to the Apple tablet range, but in truth it was only really any good at shooting videos – and even then it wasn’t the sort of thing that could replace your camcorder. The iPad 3 should change all that.

We’re expecting the iPad 3 camera to be very similar to the iPhone 4S’s – which means it’ll be one of the best 8-megapixel smart device cameras around. We could also get an HD front-facing camera in a bid to sharpen up FaceTime performance.

Siri
Apple’s voice-operated assistant, Siri, was the star of the iPhone 4S show. For the first time, voice recognition actually seems to have a practical use on a mobile device, such is Siri’s knack for understanding what you want and offering a shortcut to it.

Not only would it be logical for Apple to include its smart new tool with the iPad 3, there have also been mentions of Siri on iPad spotted in a beta version of the next iOS, 5.1.

Top 5 dual-core smartphones of 2011

 

 

When the curtain closes on a gadget-filled year, 2011 will be remembered as the year that smartphones stepped up and delivered more power, better graphics and more features than inside Mary Poppins’ handbag.

With that in mind, in no particular order, we felt it was time to look back on some of the best dual-core smartphones of 2011. Here are our picks.

Apple iPhone 4S

OK, so it’s not quite the iPhone 5 that many Apple fans were hoping for, but it’s still quicker, and more feature filled than its predecessor. It comes with Apple’s dual-core A5 chip that Apple claims delivers twice the power and up to seven times faster graphics than the iPhone 4. Launching apps, games and browsing the web is noticeably quicker without having a drain on battery life. The addition of voice assistant Siri, a better eight-megapixel camera with 1080p high definition video recording and Apple’s iCloud cloud storage service makes the iPhone 4S a phone to beat.

Samsung Galaxy Nexus

Samsung’s Galaxy Nexus is a high-class performer packing a dual-core 1.2GHz processor. That means everything boots up and runs quicker than they would on non-dual-core smartphones, even when running multiple apps. Meanwhile the new Android Ice Cream Sandwich operating system makes the Nexus a pleasure to use. A new feature will even let you unlock the Galaxy Nexus by recognising your face. Like the iPhone 4S, it too records 1080p HD video.

Motorola Atrix

Shown-off at the start of the year, the Motorola Atrix may be forgotten by some, but this is one powerful smartphone that claimed to put the power of a PC in users pockets. It could be used with optional docks that enhanced its talents. It features a full Mozilla Firefox browser, Flash, and is adept at creating and editing documents on the go. Other features such as fingerprint recognition, faster web browsing and widgets made it one of the year’s best.

Samsung Galaxy SII

As feature sets go, the Samsung Galaxy S II is one of the smartphones of the year. On top of its dual-core processor, it features 16GB of memory built in, with capacity to upgrade to twice that. An eight-megapixel camera takes some great photos. If you’re not shy, a front-facing camera takes care of video calls. It also records full 1080p high definition, which look fantastic on the Galaxy S II’s 4.3-inch Super AMOLED display.

HTC Sensation XE

The HTC Sensation XE is a bit of an upgrade to the earlier released original Sensation, launched earlier in the year. It packs a punch, and features a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, and comes bundled with Beats Audio headphones that deliver some serious bass. Those looking for a top-notch phone perfect for browsing the web, watching videos and listening to music won’t find many better.

Apple iPad 3: What we’d like to see



Next year looks set to be a corker for tablets. In 2012 we could see the launch of the Amazon Kindle Fire in the UK, a new Microsoft tablet with WIndows 8 and of course, the Apple iPad 3. Join us after the break to find out the features we’d like to see on the Apple iPad 3.

Apple’s iPad 2 delivered on many of the upgrades fans wanted, but not quite all of them. Will the iPad 3 deliver? Here are a few things we’d like to see in the Apple iPad 3.

Retina display or equivalent 
Many believed that the Apple iPad 2 would be getting the patented best-in-class Retina Display that graced the iPhone 4. It didn’t. However Apple’s multi-touch capacitive screen is in need of an upgrade and a Retina Display or equivalent is a must.


A Better camera 
OK, so using the iPad 2 camera to take photos may draw glancing looks, but if it’s going to be there, it may as well be as spiffy as possible. Photo quality isn’t the best, especially at coping with indoor lighting. The iPad 2 does better with video. It can record in high definition at 720p, but we’d like to see the iPad 3 record in 1080p high definition – the same as the iPhone 4S. 




SD card slot 
Currently Apple mobile devices do not have an SD card slot. To get around this Apple stock a Camera Connection kit that lets users plug in an SD card reader and USB dongle. But if the Apple iPad 3 is to be the best standalone device it could be, there needs to be removable storage.

Apple A6 processor
Apple is said to be working on an A6 quad-core processor due for launch in Spring 2012. If ready in time, it would be a tremendous boost to the Apple iPad 3 and ensure that it would be more than a vanity upgrade. Webpages, applications and games will load much quicker, and really take the iPad 3 on par with laptops in terms of speed.

Siri voice integration 
This one looks a cert. Voice assistant Siri was one of the iPhone 4S’ flagship features, and we see no reason why Siri won’t appear on the Apple iPad 3. The iPad 3 has gained in popularity as a device to take to work, so the addition of Siri to create reminders, set alarms and organise one’s calendar sounds completely possible.

What else would you like to see in the Apple iPad 3? Let us know in the comments section below