Qualcomm: Microsoft's Surface 2 can't compare to Nokia's Windows tablet

The Nokia Lumia 2520 runs Windows RT and uses a Qualcomm processor.

(Credit: Andrew Hoyle/CNET)

Nokia's new Windows RT tablet turns the Finnish handset maker into Microsoft's rival, but at least one Nokia partner says there's really no competition.

Nokia earlier this week unveiled the Lumia 2520, the company's first tablet and the second current device in the market to run Windows RT. The other is Microsoft's Surface 2. Microsoft is in the process of buying Nokia, and the product release puts the two in an awkward position.

But executives at chipmaker Qualcomm say Nokia's tablet has a clear advantage over theSurface 2 in everything from processor speed to graphics, video playback, and wireless connectivity.

Related stories:

• Nokia Lumia 2520 vs. Microsoft Surface 2
• Nokia's tablet turns Microsoft from BFF to archrival
• How Microsoft became a control freak with tablet makers

"The performance on [the 2520] is brilliant," Raj Talluri, senior vice president of product management for Qualcomm's application processors, told CNET. "It's really at the next level. It's not even really a contest [compared to Surface 2] ... In every area, it's much bigger, faster, and lower power."

Of course Talluri is biased -- Qualcomm provided the processor for Nokia's device while Nvidia made the Surface 2 chip. But in terms of sheer speeds and feeds, the Lumia 2520 does have some things to offer beyond the Surface 2. For processors, Microsoft's tablet houses a 1.7GHz Nvidia Tegra 4, whereas Nokia went with a 2.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 for the Lumia 2520. As CNET noted Thursday, the 2520 seems poised to be a more capable gaming machine than the Surface 2.

Talluri and Stephen Horton, a Qualcomm executive who works on product management for tablets and other computing devices, said Microsoft largely went with an Nvidia chip for Surface 2 because of timing.

"Let's put it this way," Horton said. "They're buying the company that did [the Lumia 2520] device. They clearly are very excited about it."

Microsoft and Nvidia declined to comment.

There will be no clear winner, however, until consumers vote with their wallets. Up to this point, few have chosen Windows RT products.

Windows RT is the first version of the operating system that runs on low-power chips normally used for cell phones. Those include processors from Qualcomm and Nvidia based on ARM Holdings technology. Making Windows compatible with such processors was Microsoft's attempt to better address the mobile market, an area where it has traditionally struggled. The lower-power chips allow thinner and lighter designs.

The Microsoft Surface 2 uses an Nvidia chip, much like the first version of the tablet.

(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)

However, Windows RT has some big drawbacks compared with Windows 8. For one, it's not compatible with many older applications, including iTunes. Few companies have introduced products running the operating system. Dell, Samsung, Toshiba, and Hewlett-Packard are several who dropped their Windows RT plans.

"We have a longer term view on these things," Talluri said. "The RT of today may not be the RT of tomorrow. But the vision of a device that's both your entertainment and productivity device that you want to carry with you is going to be there. We invest for the longer term."

In smartphones, meanwhile, Qualcomm is the undisputed king. It either provides the wireless chips, such as 4G LTE, or the application processor in most major devices on the market, including the iPhone 5S and Galaxy S4. It also is the chip provider for Windows Phones,partnering closely with Nokia over the years. However, Qualcomm has lagged rivals when it comes to tablets. That recently has started to change, with Qualcomm providing chips for recent hot tablets such as the Amazon Kindle Fire HDX 7 and the Google Nexus 7.

Qualcomm said partners are working on more than 40 tablets using its processor that should hit the market within the next year. A big reason companies are choosing Qualcomm chips is the ability to support high screen resolutions, Talluri said, and many who work with Qualcomm on smartphones find it easy to shift to tablets with the chipmaker.

"Once you make the phone, it's an easy step to make a great tablet because you've already done the hard work and the same processor can support both," Talluri said.

And Horton pointed out that the first Android devices, such as the T-Mobile G1, also were panned.

"Google and Microsoft are very capable organizations, [with] lots of technologies," Horton said. Microsoft "didn't hit a home run out of the gate on the very first product, but they're working on it."

A US-made Mac Pro is a token gesture

A Mac Pro manufactured in the US? Color me unimpressed.

Apple CEO Tim Cook made some waves in December when he said the company would pour $100 million into a manufacturing facility in the US to manufacture some Macs. It was unclear until yesterday just which Mac would get the "Made In USA" treatment.

"It will happen in 2013," he said in an interview with Bloomberg back in December. "We're really proud of it. We could have quickly maybe done just assembly, but it's broader because we wanted to do something more substantial."

I'm not sure if the Mac Pro would fall under the definition of substantial. As the announcement was largely seen as a move to counter the criticism it leaned too heavily on outsourced production (which is actually true of virtually all tech companies), the cynic in me can't help but to think that having the Mac Pro made in the US is largely a token gesture with little impact on the larger company.

"Given the limited production volumes of the Mac Pro, and the overall cost, the 'Made in the USA' label gives them a good marketing piece, while making good business sense," said Andrew Rassweiler for research firm IHS who covers supply chains.

Apple doesn't break out the sales of individual products within the Mac family, but the ultra high-end Mac Pro -- made more for video editors and other industry professionals -- has always been a niche product. Just look at the overall Mac sales, which in the last quarter fell to 3.8 million, down 200,000 from a year ago.

While not specifically disclosed, it's clear a vast majority of those sales were made up of its more popular MacBook line, whether it's the slimmer MacBook Air or the higher end MacBook Pro laptops. Another large chunk is made up from its iMac desktop model, as well as the Mac Mini.

Somewhere in there is a teeny, tiny slice that is the Mac Pro.

So it's not exactly jaw-dropping that Apple is assembling the $3,000 Mac Pro in the US, no matter how cool the promotional video looks.

A majority of the increase in cost would come from the higher pay Apple must dole out to US workers, according to Rassweiler. He noted that it would only contribute to a minor bump in the cost of the device, partly because the assembly work largely consists of putting together semi-finished assemblies into an enclosure, which doesn't require a lot of "human cycle time." A lot of the most labor-intensive parts would go through an automated line, he added.

What would be impressive is if Apple started putting its manufacturing facility to work building iPhones and iPads. But that is unlikely because the volume demand is so high. For orders that large, Apple would still need to go back to China and its specialized manufacturing partners.

Looking at the Mac Pro experiment, I can't help but to draw comparisons to Motorola Mobility's similarly ambitious plans to build phones in the US. Motorola earlier in the year hired 2,000 people in a 480,000 square-foot facility in Ft. Worth, Texas, to build customizable smartphones here.

The challenges of increasing production in a new facility was evident, with the companyconfirming in September that it was producing only 100,000 phones a week. Motorola continues to be a drag on Google, posting an operating loss of $248 million in the last quarter.

Still, it represents an earnest effort to actually shake things up with its core smartphone line.

The Mac Pro does not.

Apple, of course, could be gradually expanding the facility to handle more lines of Macs, and may even one day include iPhones and iPads into its production plans. This may just be a start of something bigger.

Until then, this is little more than a glorified and expensive publicity stunt.

No penalty: Adriano handball 'involuntary'

The first controversy in the 'Clasico' took place in the final minutes of the first half. Real Madrid, specifically Sami Khedira, called for a penalty for a handball by Adriano.

According to Spanish former international referee Juan Andújar Oliver, "there was no penalty as the Barça defender's handball was involuntary."

Therefore, Undiano Mallenco called it right, because although the ball hit Adriano's hand, the fact is that it happened as the ball was cleared and Barça's Brazilian defender did not intend to touch the ball.

What's up with Messi?

Barcelona have had the triumph of winning the Clásico. But there is serious concern about the form of one player. Of THE player, in fact. Leo Messi did not shine; it was difficult for him to get involved in the play and he looked downcast.

Messi did little more than start off a couple of counter-attacks. Throughout, he gave the impression, that there were forces that were making him disheartened. He made no effort and hardly ran at all. Just the same, Tata Martino kept him on the field for the whole 90 minutes.

Messi left behind one of the impressions of the night, which he usually does. He ran onto the pitch after the interval and he appeared to be retching. From then on his contribution to the game was minimal.

With ISPR support, debut film-maker hopes to revive national pride

Dr Tauseef Razzaq’s film project is about national and military heroes. PHOTO: PUBLICITY

LAHORE: 

If we consider themes of the mainstream feature films of 2013 — cricketing story Main Hoon Shahid Afridi, counter-terrorism inspired Waar and politicalChambaili — it becomes clear that film-makers are adamant on telling some version of a feel-good ‘patriotic’ story.

Pakistani nationalism is trending and if Waar’s success is anything to go by, cinema halls and box office stats are at an all-time peak.

Another person to join the pride-wagon is former doctor of the Pakistani cricket team, Dr Tauseef Razzaq. In his debut project, Razzaq is all set to bring his own version of a patriotic film to the big screen.

The idea, he says, is to “recreate a spirit of national pride.” In an interview with The Express Tribune, he says, “When a generation loses the ‘spirit of this nation’, the country’s soul passes away.”

Like many, Razzaq feels Indian content on TV is a threat to Pakistani culture. For this reason, he feels that advertisements, films and songs should remind the current generations of Pakistan’s history and values. “My film will have a trickle-down effect. Kids today, who are watching Indian advertisements, do not have the same spirit as our generation,” says Razzaq.

Titled Saya-e-Khuda-e-Zuljalal (Protection of Magnificent God) — the last line of Pakistan’s national anthem — the film is more or less a timeline of the country’s historical moments, such as partition and the 1965 war, narrated through national figures and heroes. The cast includes Umair Sultan, Nayyer Ijaz, Arbaaz Khan, Nauman Ijaz, Shaan, Shafqat Cheema, Rambo and many more. The film is written and produced by Razzaq himself and directed by Umair Fazli.

Currently in the production stage, the film has been supported by the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) and Air Force — an endorsement, film-makers are often reluctant to publicly admit to. Razzaq is quite frank about his film’s association with the ISPR.

“I told them I had a script that focused on our national heroes, especially those who fought in war. I went to the headquarters and read my script to them. They were happy with what I had done,” shares Razzaq. “However, they did want to make a few changes and after that the script was approved,” he says.

“Parts of the script, which were army-related have been looked over by ISPR. All the events have been verified first and then shot,” he adds.

As far as funding is concerned, Razzaq says the ISPR had, at the time, allocated its production budget to Samjhota Express but they still managed to help him by granting access to certain areas in terms of shooting locations. For example, a scene that shows Shaheed Major Aziz Bhatti’s battle has been shot only a kilometer away from where he was actually killed — an area near the Indian border. The teaser trailer of the film also highlights extensive use of computer-generated imagery (CGI), which means that the film is likely to have high visual effects.

Razzaq hopes to refresh the image of national and military heroes such as fighter-pilot MM Alam. He says he contacted MM Alam before he passed away to get his opinion on the script. “I sent him a copy. He was one of those who really supported and encouraged me to make this film,” he says.

At the end, Razzaq asserts that he is a patriot, who wants the film to be a reflection of how Pakistanis, and not Indians or the world, see history.

Tesco's reduced-to-clear aisle: 'it's a taste of the Serengeti

Nigel Leigh at a Tesco store in London: 'It's a system that rewards the quick and the brave.' Photograph: Martin Godwin for the Guardian

'You see, I don't want that watermelon. But if I did, that would stop it going in to landfill." Simon Barnes, 47, and I are standing by the reduced aisle in a Tesco store in Kennington, south London. In fact, I do want the watermelon. However, I feel that it would be infra dig to conduct this interview carrying a watermelon.

This was the week in which Tesco revealed that it had binned 30,000 tonnes of food waste in the first half of 2013. Like holding their nose and jumping into a cold pool, Tesco bosses decided that the transparency was worth the opprobrium, which I think will turn out to be true. The main thing that struck a chord was not the profligacy of supermarkets but the elegiac decay of the bagged salad: more than two-thirds of it thrown out, half by customers, half by stores. So much waste, so little actual ingestion. It's like a leafy metaphor for the good intention.

Picturing Tesco's statistic, however, one imagines heaps of food out back, baked goods piled high on maroon plastic crates, a totem of pointless waste. That's just not how it works any more. The total waste along the food value chain (this is how they talk, OK?) is 32%; 16% is wasted in "agriculture and supply"; 16% by the consumer. The amount wasted by retailers is, they say, less than 1%.

Shoppers could and do argue that their waste is spurred by supermarket offers; farmers could and do argue that their waste is caused by factors outside their control, such as: "I cannot eat this parsnip because it looks like the gnarly hand of a wizard."

The fact remains that, when you go into a Tesco superstore, the operation is as lean as a hare. "People come in at around half eight, because that's when things start to get really cheap," Barbara, the deputy store manager in Kennington, explains. "We make an announcement on the PA and people will be here immediately."

Nigel Leigh, 58, is a one-time university lecturer and documentary maker. He arrives from nowhere, like Nanny McPhee. A minute ago, there was only a fruit salad, a watermelon, and some pre-cooked rice noodles, only modestly reduced from £1.20 to 71p. Suddenly, there are three ready meals, one of which is a mushroom risotto for 36p, 10% of its original price, and Nigel has it. His manner is that of a mischievous soothsayer.

How did he know? There was no announcement. "I'm the guy you're looking for. There's a certain kind of bottom feeding shopper. And I'm it," Nigel explains.

There are people who will buy things simply because they're on the reduced shelf, before they have been marked down still further. Those people are stupid, thinks Nigel. "But you can make a mistake the other way. You can see something that you actually really want, but you know it's not as reduced as it could be. So you leave it for a while. But guess what – there are other people in this store as well, and they will buy it. You can't let yourself go home miserable if you've only got a discount of 50%."

Nigel does, inevitably, have rivals. "There's a guy who comes in, I think he's a Korean student. If I see him, I may as well go home. He'll have the lot." And there are other people who don't abide by the code of honour. "They go to the shelf, put everything in their cart, and then, like an animal, they'll take it away and look at it somewhere else. Bring back the stuff they've decided they don't want."

But if there's competition, there's no ill-will. "Me and them, the guy who supplies the shelf, the guy who takes it off the shelf, we're all victims of a world economy over which we have very little control."

There's a tub of clotted cream sitting like an orphan on the shelf. "The important thing is," Simon underlines by picking it up and waving it about, "never to buy things that you're not going to eat."

Earlier Svetlana, 29, made a similar point. "I am always throwing away cream."

I catch up with Nigel again near the dried goods. "I've got wealthy friends with big houses in Barnes, they love me to regale them with tales from the reduce-to-clear life. Their wives think it's there-but-for-the-grace-of-God-go-I. But I think it's a little taste of the Serengeti. It's a system that rewards the quick and the brave. The decisive. You need to know what you want, know where it is, and take it.

"I'm just playing around with capitalism's artificial pricing system. I will get it at my price. David can win against Goliath, but only if he comes in after eight o'clock."

Bitcoins seized in Silk Road raid

US authorities have shut down the Silk Road website and seized $28m worth of bitcoins, a digital currency. Photograph: Ted Soqui/Corbis

Authorities in the US have seized an estimated $28m in bitcoins, a digital currency, from the alleged owner of Silk Road, the online marketplace for drugs and criminal activity that law enforcement shut down three weeks ago.

Federal prosecutors in New York said Friday that the 144,336 bitcoins, which were widely used on the defunct site, were discovered on computer hardware belonging to Ross William Ulbricht, known online as Dread Pirate Roberts, who was arrested 1 October in San Francisco and charged with various conspiracy counts. They said it represented the largest ever bitcoin seizure.

Ulbricht's lawyer could not immediately be reached on Friday evening, though he had previously told reporters that Ulbricht denied the charges.

Since it began operations in 2011 Silk Road had provided an anonymous site where drug dealers, counterfeiters and other criminals could shop for everything from heroin to hitmen, according to the justice department.

More than 900,000 registered users of the site bought and sold drugs using bitcoins, according to authorities. The currency, which has been around since 2008, first came under scrutiny by law enforcement officials in mid-2011 after media reports surfaced linking bitcoins to Silk Road.

With nearly 30,000 bitcoins previously seized, federal agents had so far collected more than $33m worth based on current value, the US attorney's office in Manhattan said.

The seizures were carried out as part of a corresponding civil action against Silk Road and Ulbricht. Ulbricht, who is detained in California, is expected to appear within weeks in Manhattan federal court to face criminal charges of narcotics trafficking conspiracy, computer hacking conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy.

Court documents allege that $1.2bn in bitcoins changed hands through Silk Road during more than two years of operation, with the site charging 8-15% in commissions