DisplaySearch: Apple readying phablet, Retina MacBook Air

iPhone will get big. A lot bigger, display analyst predicts.

(Credit: Apple)

Apple appears to be planning a phablet, a Retina MacBook Air, and a 1.6-inch iWatch in its 2014 lineup, according to a research note from NPD DisplaySearch.

In addition to the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 (some are calling it a 4.8-inch design), DisplaySearch anticipates a phablet-sized 5.7-inch iPhone with a 1,920x1,080 display (see chart at bottom), based on data from the supply chain of manufacturers in Asia.

That's the same resolution in many 10-inch-class devices and would match the 5-inch resolution of Samsung's Galaxy S4.

Other goodies expected from Apple include: 

• Big iPad : a 12.9-inch iPad with a 2,732×2,048 resolution display. 
• iPad Mini 2: sporting a 7.9-inch 2,048×1,536 display, matching the resolution of the larger 9.7-inch iPad. 
• Retina MacBook Air: Finally, a Retina version of the popular Air. The new MBA may have a smaller 12-inch screen boasting 2,304×1,440 resolution. (Or slightly larger if you compare it to the current 11.6-inch MacBook Air.) 
• iWatch 1.3-inch and 1.63-inch iWatch with 320×320 flexible AMOLED display. 
• Apple TV: 55-inch, a 65-inch 4Kx2K screen. 

More details can be found in the DisplaySearch chart at bottom.

The note from David Hsieh does not begin on a high note, however.

"Over the past several years, Apple has been an early adaptor of display technology as well as a critical part of the supply chain...However, rapid developments in technology and manufacturing of LCD and OLED displays have challenged Apple's leadership in display adoption," Hsieh said.

"Other smart phone brands like HTC, Huawei, Nokia and Sony are all gearing up with higher resolution, larger displays, as are the tablet PC makers, led by Google and Amazon," he said.In other words, lots of mobile players can match or beat Apple's Retina display technology now.

In closing, Hsieh believes that Apple is planning to revamp nearly all of the displays in its products over the next year, which would "indicate that Apple, once again, intends to count on display technology for new product innovation."

NPD DisplaySearch expects an iWatch with a 320x320 flexible AMOLED display and a phablet-sized iPhone.

Mad Catz Mojo Android console packs Tegra 4 for £220

Mad Catz, best known for its bonkers game controllers and cavalier attitude to spelling, has a new Android console for your expert consideration, called the Mojo. Like the Ouya, it plugs into your telly and lets you play the cream of the Google Play Store in 1080p.

Coming in December, it'll set you back £220, and includes a Bluetooth controller, which Mad Catz adorably dubs the CTRLr.

That's more than twice the price of the £99 Ouya, so what are you getting for your extra cash? There's a more powerful 1.8GHz Tegra 4 chip, which should outperform the Ouya's 1.7GHz Tegra 3. It has a more up to date USB 3 input, compared to the Ouya's USB 2, giving faster data transfer.

The Mojo is roomier too, with double the internal storage at 16GB, and with twice the RAM, at 2GB. You can expand the storage with the microSD slot in the back, too. It's running Android 4.2.2, a slightly newer version of Google's OS than the 4.1 that the Ouya's software is based on.

It should therefore be a more capable gaming rig than the Ouya, and compares with top-end smart phones, and gaming tablets such as the Nvidia Tegra Note.

As well as the latest Android games, such as FIFA 14, it'll stream movies over your network and via apps such as Netflix and Lovefilm. It has full access to the Google Play Store and Nvidia's specialist TegraZone gaming store too.

Nevertheless, it's a lot of money to splash out on a tiny box. You can get a PlayStation 3 with 500GB of storage for less -- just £209 at Amazon at the moment. Similarly, a 250GB Xbox 360 with the full console version of FIFA 14 thrown in will set you back £165. Both have Netflix and Lovefilm, and tonnes of other apps too, as well as extensive -- if much pricier -- online game collections.

Alternatively, a new Nexus 7 with a similar quad-core processor and the same 16GB of storage (although unexpandable) will run you £199. And it has a Full HD screen, so you can play it on the bus.

The Ouya was a tremendous Kickstarter success last year, but its poor build quality and not-quite-ready software have disappointed some fans and most reviewers.

Can you see a future for Android consoles like the Mojo and Ouya? What would make them compelling? Get your mojo going in the comments, or on the free-for-all that is our Facebook page.

Nexus 5 16GB version reportedly will sell for $299

(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)

LG's new Nexus 5 may launch with a price tag of $299.

A tip received by blog site Phone Arena claims the 16GB Nexus 5 will sell for $299 and the 32GB version for $399. Further, the tipster said the 16GB edition will come with a 2300mAh cell battery, while the 32GB model will be equipped with a 3000mAh cell battery.

In contrast, the Nexus 4 costs $299 for 8GB and $349 for 16GB. Both Nexus 4 models offer a 2100mAh cell battery.

The tip comes from an anonymous source and so should be taken with a grain of salt. But the information sounds credible, as LG likely would want to bump up the storage options for the next unlocked Nexus yet keep the pricing in line.

A "source familiar with Google" recently told TechRadar that the Nexus 5 would cost "half the price" of the iPhone 5S, which puts the smartphone at a slightly higher price point. The 5S sells unlocked for $649, giving the Nexus a price tag of around $324. An alleged copy of a Nexus 5 service manual, which has since been removed at LG's request, revealed many of the phone's key specs.

Hamilton hails Vettel as ‘great champion’

Lewis Hamilton commends Sebastian Vettel’s ability to perform as the 'great champion' that he is, while clarifying the jibes made earlier. PHOTO: REUTERS

TOKYO: Britain’s Lewis Hamilton yesterday backtracked on his suggestion that Sebastien Vettel’s Formula One dominance was a turn-off for fans, hailing the German as a ‘true champion’.

Hamilton said he wanted to ‘clarify’ his comments from Sunday’s Korean Grand Prix, and sent a series of laudatory tweets about the soon-to-be four-time world title-winner depending on the results of the upcoming Japanese Grand Prix.

“Read some of the stories or reports of my comments on Seb,” tweeted Hamilton. “Feel the need to clarify my thoughts. Seb is a great champion!

“I admire his dedication and ability to consistently perform without mistakes. This is the mark of a true champion.

“Regardless of what you and I may think about his car, at the end of the day he’s doing the perfect job.”

In Korea, Hamilton said Vettel’s hold on the sport reminded him of the days of Michael Schumacher, who won seven world titles.

“I feel for the fans though because I remember the period of time when Michael Schumacher was winning,” the 2008 world champion was quoted as saying.

“I remember waking up in the morning to watch the start of the race and then going to sleep, and then waking up when it ended because I already knew what would happen.”

McLaren hope to find Magnussen a seat in F1

Young Danish driver Kevin Magnussen and Belgian Stoffel Vandoorne both deserve to be in Formula One and will get there eventually, according to McLaren Team Principal Martin Whitmarsh.

Both are in the McLaren young driver programme and are competing in the Formula Renault 3.5 series.

“I think both are really good guys and they both will get into Formula One and we’ve got a duty of care to get them there,” Whitmarsh told reporters of the 21-year-olds. “I think they are both pretty special.”

McLaren have had talks with Lotus, Force India and Marussia about giving an opportunity to Magnussen next season.

I’m not the same as before: Suarez

"I am very selfcritical and I realised that playing well is helping me a lot. I realise and I prefer to continue and not be the same as before," Liverpool striker Luis Suarez. PHOTO: FILE

Liverpool striker Luis Suarez insists that his troubles are now past him and he has come back after suspension with a calmer approach to his game, according to Sky Sports.

The controversial striker has already netted three goals in two English Premier League matches since his return from serving a 10-match ban for biting Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanovic last season.

“I am aware that in the recent matches I played, I’ve been calmer,” he said. “I am very self-critical and I realised that playing well, with more tranquillity, is helping me a lot. I realise and I prefer to continue and not be the same as before.”

Suarez also acknowledged that club captain Steven Gerrard and the Anfield faithful compelled him to stay at the club after a summer when he had been heavily linked with a move away from Liverpool.

“Gerrard, for me, is a legend in Liverpool and a great teammate who helped me a lot,” he added.

“His attitude was an extra boost for me to take the decision to stay in Liverpool; both he and the fans of Liverpool influenced much for that.

“I admire him for the great player he is worldwide. For me he will always be a benchmark and at club level he is the best player I have played with in my career, as a person and as a footballer.”

The Uruguayan international’s Liverpool career has been blighted with controversial events. He was also banned for eight matches after being found guilty of racially abusing Manchester United defender Patrice Evra

Us Ban some Samsung products

Apple and Samsung have clashed repeatedly over patents. PHOTO: AFP/FILE

NEW YORK: The Obama administration Tuesday upheld a decision to ban some Samsung mobile technology products due to the company’s violation of patents owned by rival Apple.

US Trade Representative Michael Froman rejected a Samsung effort to overturn the August ruling by the US International Trade Commission to ban some older model Samsung smartphones and tablets for the patent infringements.

“After carefully weighing policy considerations, including the impact on consumers and competition, advice from agencies and information from interested parties, I have decided to allow the Commission’s determination . . . to become final,” Froman said in a statement.

The ITC in August ruled that Samsung had infringed two Apple patents — numbers 949 and 501, dealing with touchscreen actions and headphone jack plug-ins — but cleared the South Korean company of charges that it had violated four more.

The USTR statement said the ruling will have “minimal” effect on consumers, in part because Samsung “has been able to make changes to its products so that they avoid infringing the two Apple patents at issue in this case.”

“The nationality of the companies involved played no role in the review process,” the USTR said.

“Both Samsung and Apple are important contributors to the US economy and help advance innovation and technological progress.”

A Samsung spokesperson said the company was “disappointed” by the ruling.

“It will serve only to reduce competition and limit choice for the American consumer,” the spokesperson said.

Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In August, the USTR overturned an ITC ruling in a patent suit brought by Samsung against Apple that would have banned the sale of certain iPads and iPhones in the United States.

It was the first time the USTR has overruled the commission since 1987.

The South Korean commerce ministry expressed “concern” over the August USTR ruling and said it hoped that US trade decisions would be “made on fair and reasonable grounds.”

Apple and Samsung have clashed repeatedly over patents.

The disputes are closely followed because the two companies are the leading players in the smartphone and tablet markets and also because Samsung products are closely aligned with the Android system created by Google, a major Apple rival.

Apple shares were down 1.2 percent to $482.03 in early afternoon trade Tuesday.

ECC meeting: Locally assembled cars are costly, based on old technology

Not a single car manufacturer in the country had been able to complete its deletion programme even after extension in the time frame. PHOTO: FILE

ISLAMABAD: 

Despite enjoying incentives from the government, car assemblers are fleecing consumers by selling vehicles based on obsolete technology at high prices and are also earning hefty profits on the advance deposited by the consumers before delivery of cars.

In a meeting held on October 2, the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of cabinet criticised car assemblers, saying they had been getting incentives for several years but did not meet the commitment to the government.

The apex economic decision-making body expressed concern when meeting participants said the car assemblers were exploiting the consumers as they were unduly keeping the latter’s advance for several months and earning profits on that before actual delivery.

According to documents, the ECC took notice of negative growth in the automobile sector, which had not been recording any growth for many years notwithstanding a host of incentives provided by the government.

Not a single car manufacturer in the country had been able to complete its deletion programme even after extension in the time frame.

Moreover, the meeting noted that products of the assemblers were costly and based on obsolete technology.

The meeting was told that an auto policy was being formulated and its first draft was ready. The ECC, however, stressed that the draft should be based on a thorough review of the facilities being offered to the auto industry, the need for new entrants, existing duty structure for import of motor vehicles, standards set by the Engineering Development Board, requirement of a long-term policy framework, etc.

The draft should also take into account proposals from the assemblers, dealers and vendors of the auto industry, it said.

The ECC decided to constitute a committee comprising the minister of water and power, Board of Investment chairman, Federal Board of Revenue chairman, industries secretary and Engineering Development Board chief executive to finalise the policy draft within 45 days and submit it to the committee.

The meeting participants told the ECC that large-scale manufacturing sector performed better and grew 3.7% in July this year compared to 0.1% growth in the same period last year.

The goods which recorded an increase in their production were paper and board, rubber products, coke, petroleum products, beverages and tobacco, fertilisers, electronics, engineering products, automobiles, iron and steel products, leather products, non-metallic mineral products and chemicals.

Exports rose 3.3% while imports increased 5.7%. As a result, trade deficit was $2.9 billion in July compared to $2.6 billion in the corresponding period last year.