Worldwide Tablet Market Continues to Decline; Vendor Landscape is Evolving, According to IDC

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. – WEBWIRE – Friday, July 31, 2015

The worldwide tablet market declined -7.0% year over year in the second quarter of 2015 (2Q15) with shipments totaling 44.7 million units according to preliminary data from the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Tablet Tracker. Marked by little hardware innovation and limited vendor portfolio updates, the market also declined -3.9% compared to the first quarter of 2015.

"Beyond the decline, we're seeing a profound shift in the vendor landscape as the top two vendors, Apple and Samsung, lose share in the overall market," said Jean Philippe Bouchard, IDC Research Director for Tablets. "In the first quarter of the year, Apple and Samsung accounted for 45% of the market and this quarter, with the growth of vendors like LG, Huawei, and E FUN, their combined share dropped to 41%. Each of the growing vendors managed to address available pockets of growth in the market; connected tablets for LG and Huawei, larger tablets and 2-in-1s in the right price bands for E FUN. This trend is also something we see on a wider scale with the top 5 vendors accounting for 54% of the market, down from 58% last quarter. It is worth mentioning that Huawei enters the top 5 ranking for the first time, while E FUN has re-entered the top 10 after more than a year, further indicating that the vendor landscape is indeed evolving."

Despite a continued decline in shipments for its iPad product line, Apple maintained its lead in the worldwide tablet market, shipping 10.9 million units in the second quarter. Samsung held its number 2 position in the market with 7.6 million units shipped and 17.0% market share in 2Q15. Lenovo maintained its third position with 2.5 million units and 5.7% share of the market. LG and Huawei ended the quarter in a statistical tie* for fourth place, rounding out the top 5 with each shipping 1.6 million devices. As previously mentioned, share outside the top 5 continued to outgrow the market, representing 46% of total tablet shipments in 2Q15.

"Longer life cycles, increased competition from other categories such as larger smartphones, combined with the fact that end users can install the latest operating systems on their older tablets has stifled the initial enthusiasm for these devices in the consumer market," said Jitesh Ubrani, Senior Research Analyst, Worldwide Mobile Device Trackers. "But with newer form factors like 2-in-1s, and added productivity-enabling features like those highlighted in iOS9, vendors should be able to bring new vitality to a market that has lost its momentum."

Notes:

Total tablet market includes slate tablets plus 2-in-1 tablets. References to "tablets" in this release include both slate tablets and 2-in-1 devices.

* IDC declares a statistical tie in the worldwide tablet market when there is less than 0.1% difference in the market share (based on shipments) of two or more vendors. 

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Source: Worldwide Tablet Market Continues to Decline; Vendor Landscape is Evolving, According to IDC

HZO and Dell Team Up to Protect New Ruggedized Tablet

The New Latitude 12 Rugged Tablet With HZO Protection Is Built to Perform and Survive in the World's Harshest Environments

DRAPER, UT--(Marketwired - July 30, 2015) - HZO, Inc, the total solutions leader in liquid protection technology for PCBAs and electronics of any size announced today that it has partnered with Dell to protect its new Latitude 12 Rugged Tablet. The device was designed for on-the-go users who require reliability and performance in the field. The new Latitude 12 Rugged has a wide range of uses that includes emergency response, industrial work, and even the military.

HZO collaborates with product designers and manufacturers of electronics to integrate its protective technology to the inside of devices prior to final assembly. Working with Dell on its Latitude 12 Rugged Tablet is another leap forward for HZO, which has worked with a series of OEMs in the consumer electronics space, but this is one of the first devices with HZO Protection that is built to withstand long-term exposure to the harshest weather and industrial conditions.

"Working with Dell on its ruggedized tablet is an example of the far reaching applications and industries where HZO can help protect essential electronics from damaging and corrosive environments," said Sergio Leveratto, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer at HZO. "This is a device that was designed to survive in places other electronics simply cannot, and HZO is proud to be one of the only companies offering solutions that make that level of performance possible for our customers."

The muscular Dell Latitude 12 Rugged Tablet has been tested to the extreme and carries an IP65 rating, meaning it is protected against both dust and water. The Dell Latitude 12 Rugged Tablet will be available on dell.com by the end of July 2015.

About HZO, Inc.HZO is a technology solutions and licensing company that provides electronics manufacturers and device makers in a range of industries, including consumer, medical, military and industrial, with thin-film protection against damage caused by liquid submersion, corrosive environments, humidity, sweat, dust and debris. With a scalable end-to-end solution that supports mass volume production and a technical team dedicated to innovation and customer success, HZO's patent protected solution enables product design freedom, delivers product differentiation and goes beyond the boundaries defined by electronics testing standards like IPX7. Winner of the 2012 CES Innovations Design and Engineering Award, the Stevie Award for Best New Product (2013) & Technology Company of the Year in China (2014), and Frost & Sullivan's Manufacturing Leadership Award (2015), HZO is changing where electronics are used. For more information, visit http://www.hzo.com.

Source: HZO and Dell Team Up to Protect New Ruggedized Tablet

Tablet sales fall again, smaller manufacturers gain ground on Apple and Samsung

Remember when people predicted that tablets were going to replace desktop computers? That doesn't look like it'll be happening anytime soon as consumers increasingly opt to go with larger smartphones or upgrade existing tablets.

Worldwide tablet shipments continue to fall due to stagnating innovation in the market, according to a report released by IDC today.

During the second quarter of 2015, sales fell 7 percent year over year to 44.7 million units.

"Beyond the decline, we're seeing a profound shift in the vendor landscape as the top two vendors, Apple and Samsung, lose share in the overall market," said IDC tablet researcher Jean Philippe Bouchard. "In the first quarter of the year, Apple and Samsung accounted for 45 percent of the market and this quarter, with the growth of vendors like LG, Huawei, and E FUN, their combined share dropped to 41 percent."

Apple's share alone fell to 24.5 percent, as the iPad maker shipped 18 percent fewer tablets in the second quarter.

Jitesh Ubrani, a Senior Research Analyst at Worldwide Mobile Device Trackers, said several factors are driving the decline.

"Longer life cycles, increased competition from other categories such as larger smartphones, combined with the fact that end users can install the latest operating systems on their older tablets has stifled the initial enthusiasm for these devices in the consumer market."

Smaller manufacturers made inroads by innovating. LG and Huawei brought connected tablets to market, while E FUN introduced larger tablets and 2-in-1 machines.

However, Apple is still on top of the tablet market with nearly a quarter of all shipments made in the second quarter.  Huawei made its debut in the top five last quarter as well, increasing shipments nearly 250 percent year over year.

The numbers include both standard tablets like the iPad, as well as 2-in-1 machines like the ASUS Zenbook and Microsoft's Surface tablets.

Microsoft is moving away from a touch-focused operating system with today's release of Windows 10, recognizing that traditional computers and tablets are reaching an equilibrium in the market.

Source: Tablet sales fall again, smaller manufacturers gain ground on Apple and Samsung

Microsoft updates some Surface tablets ahead of Windows 10's launch

Blair Hanley Frank | July 28, 2015

Microsoft has pushed out a new firmware update for its Surface tablets that improves how the devices work with Windows 10.

Credit: Rob Schultz

Microsoft has pushed out a new firmware update for its Surface tablets that improves how the devices work with Windows 10.

The update, which first went out on Friday, includes a set of changes for the Surface Pro 2, Surface Pro 3 and Surface 3. Each model gets its own update with largely different content that only installs on devices running Windows 10. (That means people who are still using Windows 8 or 8.1 on their devices won't get anything through Windows Update.)

The one common change across all of the devices affected is an update to the tablets' integrated Intel HD graphics processing unit that should improve graphics performance and stability on Microsoft's new operating system. Surface Pro 3 users also received driver updates to improve system power usage and the experience of using Cortana on Windows 10. Microsoft also fixed a bug with the Surface Pro 2 that would cause the tablet to wake from sleep by itself.

IT managers will likely appreciate some features added to the Surface 3 with the update, such as one that lets them display and add a system asset tag to a device so as to make it easier to track the tablets.

While not listed among Microsoft's official release notes for the firmware updates, they also appear to fix an issue with Windows 10 that prevented Surface Pro tablet owners from receiving firmware updates while running pre-release builds. Fixing that ahead of the operating system's launch on Wednesday is key to making sure that devices already running Windows 10 also have the latest firmware updates.

The update now appears to be going out smoothly after many users reported problems installing it when it first arrived on Friday. According to a tweet by Microsoft Engineering Manager Gabe Aul, the problems were caused by a bug affecting the package management and installation process that the company fixed on Saturday.

The newly-released version of the Surface 3 that features an LTE modem received a set of updates on Saturday that also went out to users on Windows 8.1. That update is primarily focused on improving the device's connectivity with mobile broadband networks, but also includes a driver for delivering future patches to the Surface 3 LTE.

All of the new updates come just days before Microsoft will begin rolling out its new operating system to consumers. Windows 10 will launch on July 29, with users around the world getting access to the update in "waves" following its initial release to members of the Windows Insider Program.

1 

Source: Microsoft updates some Surface tablets ahead of Windows 10's launch

Windows 10 review: Should you upgrade?

Promotional staff stand at the Microsoft Windows 10 booth two days before its global official launch at the Ani-Com & Games Hong Kong in Hong Kong, China, July 27, 2015. (REUTERS/Bobby Yip)

Windows 10 is an exercise in rectifying the wrongs of Windows 8. That may be the only reason you need to upgrade.

Microsoft is set to release Windows 10 on July 29. That will end an experiment in an operating system that tried to force-feed a touch interface to consumers who — for the most part — had no appetite for it. More specifically, with Windows 8, Microsoft tried to impose its vision of a touch-first ethos that wasn't very well conceived.

Let me touch on some highlights of what to expect from Windows 10.

Start menu: This is probably the most welcome change. While the Start menu still has the familiar Live Tiles of Windows 8.1, it allows you to reduce the screen-consuming Modern (what Microsoft used to call Metro) touch interface of 8.1 to essentially a pop-up (albeit, wide) menu. And Modern apps can now run as a window on the desktop like any other desktop application. One of the most frustrating design gaffes in 8/8.1 for me is running a Modern Windows app. The app takes over your whole screen by default. While you can arrange Windows apps with Snap, it's not the same as traditional windowing.

But, wait — Windows 10 gets better. Welcome, the return of the Windows 7 Start, or, at least a key concept of the Windows 7 Start menu. That includes putting drop-dead common sense features like PC on-off on the menu, which is also present on the Windows 8.1 desktop menu, but was added later as an afterthought and not quite as accessible as the new Start.

This brings me back to why Windows 8 seemed so ineffective to so many. Just turning off your PC could be a multi-step, trial-and-error process for the average user not steeped in the intricacies introduced (unnecessarily) into the Windows 8 redesign.

Tablets: Ah, Tablet Mode. While there are shadows of the much-maligned screen that greeted you in Windows 8, Microsoft has done the smart thing by not making this the force-fed mode that burdened all PCs. The redesigned Tablet Mode is set aside for users with a tablet or, for example, a Surface product like Surface 3 or Surface Pro 3. Just detach the keyboard and you're automatically in Tablet Mode.

Edge Browser: this is the brand-new browser for Windows 10 that replaces Explorer. Its principle virtue is the speed it renders pages.

Microsoft Edge also lets you take notes, write, doodle, and highlight directly on webpages.

Action Center: this is the new way that Windows 10 handles notifications. The Charms bar apparently will be jettisoned from Windows 10. Instead, you will now have the Action Center, which is a bar that appears on the right side of the screen and includes notifications similar to those found on Windows Phone. It also includes Quick Actions such as Wi-Fi or Bluetooth settings that are analogous to Apple's iOS Control Center.

Windows 10 appears to be good enough to keep the Windows faithful on board and may be even good enough to entice Mac OS X users (like myself) back to Windows. We'll know for sure Wednesday when the real thing arrives.

Source: Windows 10 review: Should you upgrade?

Tech-savvy Pope Francis up for World Youth Day using tablet

VATICAN CITY (AP) –  Pope Francis opened the registration period for next year's World Youth Day in Poland, using a tablet computer to sign himself up from a window overlooking St. Peter's Square during the traditional Sunday blessing.

The pontiff was joined by two young people as he extended an invitation to the world's Roman Catholic youth to join him in Krakow from July 25-31, 2016.

In Krakow, an electronic clock was installed on the Renaissance Holy Mary Basilica to count the days remaining until the event, initiated by Polish-born St. John Paul II. The late pontiff's secretary, Card. Stanislaw Dziwisz, celebrated a Mass to draw attention to the youth festival, while Krakow residents danced a traditional Polonaise dance in the vast Market Square in a gesture of invitation.

At the Vatican, the young man and young woman joined Francis in prayer for the release of the Rev. Paolo Dall'Oglio, kidnapped two years ago in Syria as well as for the release of Orthodox bishops being held "and all the other people in conflict zones who have been kidnapped."

Francis called for renewed action by local and international authorities to win their release from captivity.

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Source: Tech-savvy Pope Francis up for World Youth Day using tablet

Mozilla to launch new Firefox feature testing program

LinkedIn makeover: How to polish your profile
Source: Mozilla to launch new Firefox feature testing program

Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 Lollipop Update Leaked Before Release

Even though the Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 isn't available for purchase just yet, the official Lollipop update firmware has been uncovered and available for download. This follows shortly behind a different firmware that was made available for a different model of the Galaxy Tab S2 and both can be downloaded right now.

Samsung just recently made an official announcement about the Galaxy Tab S2 and it wasn't even that big of an announcement. With the Galaxy Tab S series of tablets being the company's flagship tablet series, you would think that they would have put a little more effort into it. Either way, the Galaxy Tab S2 changes the aspect ratio of what we saw in the original Galaxy Tab S series. Instead of having a 16:9 aspect ratio like before, the Galaxy Tab S2 now has a 4:3 ratio and it has dropped the resolution in order to accommodate this size.

Samsung just recently made an official announcement about the Galaxy Tab S2 and it wasn't even that big of an announcement. With the Galaxy Tab S series of tablets being the company's flagship tablet series, you would think that they would have put a little more effort into it. Either way, the Galaxy Tab S2 changes the aspect ratio of what we saw in the original Galaxy Tab S series. Instead of having a 16:9 aspect ratio like before, the Galaxy Tab S2 now has a 4:3 ratio and it has dropped the resolution in order to accommodate this size.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 8.0 LTE Android 5.0.2 Lollipop update leaked already

YouMobile has uncovered the Android 5.0.2 Lollipop update that will be pre-installed on the Galaxy Tab S2 8.0 variant. This update is for the SM-T715 variant which is the cellular version of the 8-inch tablet. We should be seeing this new tablet released in three different models. The WiFi model will carry the SM-T810 model number, the 3G variant will have the SM-T812 model number and the LTE will have the SM-T715. I'm not sure why they are jumping back and forth between the T8XX and the T7XX numbers here. Either this is a typo from YouMobile or this is actually how they will be labeled from Samsung.

What do you think of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 so far? Is this 4:3 tablet one that you would prefer over a 16:9 one? I know a lot of people use tablets for consuming websites and working with Excel, PowerPoint, etc and this new one will be perfect for those. Personally, I watch TV shows and movies on my tablet so I like the 16:9 aspect ratio of the original much better.

Source: YouMobile

Source: Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 Lollipop Update Leaked Before Release

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 Is Light and Sleek, Release Date On August 2015

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 release date has just been announced.

Android users were already informed of a new Samsung flagship device due to leak reports on the Internet. While it was able to hype up the excitement, the official announcement of the new tab has sparked the interest of android enthusiasts.

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On Samsung Mobile Press, CEO of IT & Mobile Division at Samsung Electronics JK Shin said, "The Galazy S2 is not only our thinnest and lightest tabled of its size ever, it also gives users a quick and easy access to a wealth of superior viewing and productivity features. We believe the Samsung Galazy Tab S2 is the most complete personal visual device designed for consumers to carry and use anywhere."

The design has adopted the Apple iPad's 4:3 ratio. According to Extereme Tech, "By recreating the same viewing experience of browsing through traditional print media, the Galaxy Tab S2 also makes it comfortable to read digital content, including e-books, magazines, webpages and newsfeeds. This reading-optimized ratio allows the user to enjoy a seamless reading experience without unnecessary scrolling."

There is a larger version to the Tab S2 available and measures 9.3 x 6.7 x 0.22 inches and weighs 13.7 ounces. It is definitedly much lighter than the iPad's 15.4 ounces and proves Tab S2's featherweight.

Apart from a Super AMOLED display, it also comes with an advanced security sensor, offers multitasking, improved storage and Microsoft Office Solutions. According to Samsung Mobile Press, on the release date of the Samsung Galaxy S2, "...will come in a variety of connectivity, storage and size options: 9.7-inch and 8.0-inch versions with Wi-Fi, or Wi-Fi and LTE, available in 32 or 64GB with MicroSD up to 128GB." 

The Samsung Galaxy S2 release date is scheduled in August 2015.

© 2015 KpopStarz. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.

Source: The Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 Is Light and Sleek, Release Date On August 2015

New Device Launch Campaigns: Key Insights For Online Advertising Success

No matter what our age, we all love a new toy — especially when it features the latest technology. And if you happen to be one of the lucky advertisers on the cusp of launching a new device, like a smartphone, tablet, accessory, or (the new favorite) wearables, you're also on the verge of a huge opportunity — provided, of course, you know how to capitalize on it.

According to a recent eMarketer report, "The US Telecom and Computing Products and Consumer Electronics Industries 2015: Digital Ad Spending Forecast and Trends," U.S. digital ad spending related to new devices is expected to reach $10.9 billion in 2015, including $6.5 billion on telecom-related ads. So it only makes sense to look at past campaign data and put that information to good use. Here are some actionable insights collected from Bing Network's data to set your new device launch campaign on the path to success.

For Any New Device: Make Your Campaign Mobile-Friendly & Optimized

Mobile search volume on the Bing Network across "New Device"-related categories is on par with search volume from PCs and tablets. In fact, mobile searches accounted for 49% of all smartphone-related searches, 48% of all tablet-related searches, and 41% of wearable-related searches.

For accessories, mobile search volume is more than double that of PC and tablet search — 70% vs. 30%. It's critical for new device campaigns to be optimized for mobile and for landing pages to be mobile-ready. Advertisers can use mobile Bid Modifiers to grab top positions and reach this growing audience.

Smartphones

You may think that everyone you know has a smartphone, and for the most part, you're right: According to eMarketer's "US Digital Users: Q1 2015 Complete Forecast" (available to customers only), 59% of Americans, including 68% of adults, have smartphones. eMarketer predicts that the number of smartphone users will increase by 11% this year as more people choose phablets over tablets and more seniors change to smartphones from feature phones.

Smartphone-related searches align with product announcements. If Apple is announcing a new product, you can expect searches for smartphones to peak during that week, with queries related to the new products driving this surge. For example, around Apple's September 2014 announcement, the top search queries included: "iPhone 6," "iPhone 6 release date," "iPhone," and "Apple iPhone 6." This peak also aligned to a spike in both click-through rate and cost-per-click. Savvy advertisers should monitor the news for upcoming product announcements and prepare for increased traffic and competition, planning their campaigns, budgets and keywords to align with these events.

Take advantage of the secondary market. In addition to this peak, there's typically a rise in searches for older models after a new model is released. This secondary market — consumers who are looking to sell their current phones, upgrade to a new model, or buy discounted older models — also makes the time following these announcements a great time for smartphone advertisers to plan campaigns.

Smartphones are searching for smartphones. As more people search on the go, it's no surprise that both external research and Bing's internal analysis show that consumers shopping for and researching new smartphones often do so on their smartphones. On the Bing Network, 49% of smartphone-related searches came from smartphones over an 11-month period ending in April. To reach this on-the-go audience, advertisers with physical storefronts can use location extensions and location targeting, in addition to mobile bid modifiers.[1]

Tablets

While the adoption of smartphones is on the rise, tablet adoption is slowing down as it approaches 65% of Internet users.[2]

Prepare your campaigns for Black Friday and holiday traffic. While new product announcements result in search spikes, tablet-related searches increase steadily in the weeks leading up to Black Friday and stay high throughout the holiday season.

Advertisers need to prepare and optimize their campaigns to take advantage of this seasonal surge. One way to do that is to use Automated Rules for keyword bidding and budget adjustments to help your campaigns stay competitive during this critical period.

Wearables

With all the buzz around the release of the new Apple Watch this spring, and competitors popping up everywhere, eMarketer expects the Wearables category (including smartwatches/wristbands, glasses and jewelry) to grow from $3.3 billion this year to $18 billion by 2020.

According to a survey by Ipsos Connect, one in five American adults intends to buy a wearable in 2015, with 19% of those ready to buy a wearable fitness monitor and 13% ready to buy a wearable computer.

Plan for both the holidays and product news. Wearables-related searches on the Bing Network have grown this year and remain high as consumer interest grows and new wearable products are announced and released. In addition to announcement spikes, there was a longer peak around the holidays for wearable fitness monitors, led by searches for Fitbit products. If you are a wearable-related advertiser, plan seasonal campaigns to grab holiday shoppers and New Year's resolution makers. You should also monitor the news for upcoming product announcements and releases and plan campaigns for those events.

Enjoy high CTRs and low CPCs. Because this is an emerging category, advertisers can enjoy low costs-per-click and high click-through rates. On the Bing Network, CPC stayed below $0.60 most of the year, while CTR was above 4%.

Accessories

Mobile-first is the way to go. Mobile is where it's at for accessories-related searches, with smartphone search volume more than double the PC and tablet search volume on the Bing Network. It's critical for advertisers in this category to have mobile-optimized campaigns. They also need to use Mobile Bid Modifiers to get the most exposure.

Plan for the holidays. In terms of timing, accessories-related searches peak around Black Friday and the holidays as smartphone owners and gift-givers look to cover, equip and power smartphones, tablets and other devices. To make the most of the holiday peak, advertisers should allocate the bulk of their budget to this time and monitor the popularity of devices and their accessories to see what's on people's wish lists.

Advertiser Takeaway

Launching a new device can be daunting — but your online campaigns don't have to be. Make sure you plan around other big product launches, know how and where your consumers are searching, plan for the holidays — and, of course, optimize your campaigns for the ever-growing number of on-the-go searchers. By following these simple guidelines, your new device can stand out from the competition, and you can help your customers find — and love — their newest toy.

[1] Microsoft internal analytics – Yahoo! Bing Network, Owned & Operated, weekly data 5/31/2014–4/10/2015

[2] eMarketer, US Digital Users: Q1 2015 Complete Forecast, February 2015

Some opinions expressed in this article may be those of a guest author and not necessarily Search Engine Land. Staff authors are listed here.

Be a part of the world's largest search marketing conference, Search Engine Land's SMX East. The robust agenda covers the latest tactics in paid search, SEO, mobile, analytics and more. Register today and save $300, or come as a team and save 10%-20%.

About The Author John Cosley is responsible for Microsoft Search Advertising's global brand marketing and communications activities, which includes Bing Ads. He has over 15 years of digital marketing experience across a diverse set of industries, including Entertainment, Technology/Software, Advertising, and Creative Services. John has been overseeing search advertising campaigns for over 10 years. (Some images used under license from Shutterstock.com.)
Source: New Device Launch Campaigns: Key Insights For Online Advertising Success

Dell Latitude 12 Rugged Tablet can survive insane conditions

Panasonic has carved something of a niche for itself over the years in supplying rugged tablet devices for extreme workplaces but it now faces serious rivalry from Dell as the US firm wants to muscle in on the action.

Joining an existing line-up of super strong laptops, the Dell Latitude 12 Rugged Tablet is the company's first beefed up slate to be used in conditions not befitting a usual device.

It has an 11.6-inch outdoor-readable HD touchscreen display which is also capable of use through gloved fingers. It comes with QuadcCool thermal management for both extreme hot and cold environments, and it's powered by an Intel Core M processor.

It has stolid state storage of up to 512GB and connects wirelessly through 802.11ac Wi-Fi. An optional mobile broadband connection can also be chosen.

The tablet has an IP-65 rating to protect it from water and dust intrusion, while an optional full-size keyboard can be added to make it into a more fully-functioning laptop. It comes with Windows pre-installed - which we presume will be Windows 10 as the device comes out at the end of July (the same release schedule as Microsoft's next operating system).

A UK price is yet to be revealed but expect it to be in the region of $3,500 (£2,250) or more in the States.

Source: Dell Latitude 12 Rugged Tablet can survive insane conditions

NCR Releases New Tablet-Based Payment Device

NCR has launched a new tablet-based point-of-sale device aimed at minimizing security risks for the merchants that use it.

The new device, NCR Silver Register, runs the NCR Silver system through the cloud and excludes third-party applications to boost security and employee productivity, the Duluth, Ga.-based company said in a July 20 news release.

The device is built on a closed Android platform and was designed to be ready to use out of the box. The device can also sync with some Apple devices via the cloud to accept mobile transactions.

Merchants can choose to add hardware such as a customer display, cash drawer, wireless printer and scanner. The tablet comes with its own stand.

"NCR Silver Register is designed to help small businesses and franchises to easily focus on what's important – delivering a higher level of customer service and modernizing their stores," said Chris Poelma, president and general manager of NCR Small Business, in the news release. "The bundled solution is affordable and scalable, yet helps business owners power their businesses without the typical implementation challenges associated with many enterprise-level technology solutions."

Source: NCR Releases New Tablet-Based Payment Device

Here's what happened in mobile this week

Happy Weekend! Mobile Weekender is a collection of our favorite mobile news of the week from BI Intelligence, Business Insider's paid research service.

INTERNET OF THINGS AND DATA CENTERS LIFT INTEL IN Q2: US chipmaker Intel has historically relied on sales of its PC processors to generate the lion's share of its revenue. While PCs still account for the largest piece of Intel's net revenue pie, the steep decline of PC shipments have hurt Intel revenues. PC shipments dropped to 66.1 million in Q2 2015, the second consecutive quarterly shipments decline.

In the wake of PC's deceleration, Intel is looking to expand its chip offerings to power other types of devices, and the Internet of Things (IoT) and data centers are becoming critical to that strategy, according to Intel's Q2 2015 earnings report.

Revenues from PC processors are decaying quickly. Revenue from the PC division shrank by 14% YoY. Despite this significant YoY decline sequential PC-generated revenue did see a 2% uptick.

Data centers and the IoT are the key segments of growth for Intel. Both categories saw strong YoY and sequential revenue growth (see chart, below).

Data centers and IoT are starting to account for larger shares of Intel's total revenues, underscoring the growing importance of these divisions. The IoT made up 4.2% of net revenue in the most recent quarter, up from 3.9% in Q2 2014. Data centers ticked up from 25% of net revenue in Q2 2014 to 29% in Q2 2015. 

Conversely, PC's share of total revenue is shrinking. The category shrank from 63% of total revenue in Q2 last year to 57% in the most recent quarter.

While the slowdown of the PC division of Intel is telling for the chip industry, perhaps the most important takeaway from the company's earnings call was not the company's ability to sell chips to certain divisions, but rather the increasing challenge in how to make the chips themselves. Intel announced that it was expanding the 2-year chip release cycle it has used so far to 2 and a half years. Subsequently, Intel will release a third round of its 14 nanometer chips before pushing 10nm chips to the consumer market. Intel's 10nm chips, which were originally expected to hit the consumer market in 2016, will be pushed to mid-2017 at the earliest.

Intel's longer chip production timeline suggests that as each chip iteration becomes more advanced, it's increasingly challenging for companies to innovate quickly enough to make exponentially better products in a 2-year timeline. In the near-term this means that the rapid advancement of mobile technologies will see a subtle slow down. In the long term is means that after the industry reaches a viable 5nm chip sometime around 2026, advancements in processors will likely slow considerably.

This story was originally sent to thousands of professionals in the mobile industry in this morning's MOBILE  INSIDER newsletter. You can join them -- sign up for a RISK-FREE trial now »

PHABLETS TO OVERTAKE TABLETS SHIPMENTS IN 2015: A stagnating tablet market and surging consumer adoption of large-screen smartphones, referred to as "phablets," will propel global phablet shipments ahead of tablets for the first time this year, according to a new report from IC Insights. Phablets, which combine the functionality of a smartphone and a tablet, have been cannibalizing tablet sales for a few years, and the release of the large-screen iPhone 6 Plus has helped further catalyze this trend.

Phablet shipments are set to grow by 66% this year to reach 252 million units. This growth will be helped along by the launch of Apple's newest version of the iPhone 6 Plus in September and Android's newest Galaxy Note sometime in August.

Tablets are expected to see shipments growth of just 2% to reach 238 million units in 2015, up slightly from the 234 million tablets shipped in 2014.

Phablets are cannibalizing smaller smartphone shipments, too. IC Insights predicts phablets will account for 17% of all smartphone shipments this year, and that share will increase to 21% in 2016 and 30% in 2018. 

The phablet category is expected to continue expanding its lead over the tablet category through 2018, when phablet shipments will be more than double that of tablets, according to IC insights.

The data corresponds with another report showing growth in "active users" on phablets. As shipments have risen, phablets have been slowly winning share of all active users from other mobile device categories, according to a separate report from Flurry (see chart, below). While just 3% of active mobile users globally were on phablets in February 2013, that share had jumped to 20% just over two years later, in March 2015. Phablets stalled the active user share growth of small tablets and shrunk that of medium and small phones as well as full-sized tablets.  It's expected that the phablet device category will continue to increase its share of all active users as more smartphone users on both Android and iOS upgrade to large-screen devices.

CHEAP SMARTPHONES DRIVING ADOPTION IN MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA: The Middle East and Africa (MEA) region saw smartphone shipments grow by 66% year-over-year (YoY) in Q1 2015 to 36 million units, an uptick that puts the region on track to see 155 million smartphone shipments this year, according to the IDC. MEA's big Q1 was partially assisted by a significant portion of feature phone consumers upgrading to smartphones.

Smartphone shipments are overshadowing feature phone shipments. Smartphones accounted for 63% of all mobile phones shipped in the Middle East in the quarter, and 47% of all mobile phones shipped in Africa in the same period.

Feature phones are fading. These more basic devices saw a 20% decline in shipments YoY and are forecast to shrink to 27% of all MEA handsets in 2019.

Android is faring particularly well as smartphone penetration expands in MEA. The Android platform accounts for 80% of device shipments in the Middle East and 89% of shipments in Africa. Apple's iOS devices, on the other hand, account for 17% and 7% of shipments, respectively. The affordability of Android devices is a big part of the platform's success in the MEA region; phones priced under $200 accounted for 36% of the phone market in the Middle East in Q1 2015, a price bracket that's dominated by devices running Android. This breakdown highlights Android's enormous opportunity in emerging markets, where Apple's high-end devices are cost prohibitive.

MICROSOFT TO EXPAND SURFACE DISTRIBUTOR COUNT BY THOUSANDS: Microsoft plans to expand the number of partners that can distribute its Surface 2-in-1 tablet from a few hundred to somewhere in the thousands, the company announced during its Worldwide Partner Conference Monday. The company is chalking up the need for significant channel expansion to strong demand for the Surface Pro 3, the Surface 3, and the Surface Hub. More importantly, Microsoft anticipates that, on top of this preexisting momentum, demand for these devices will see a significant upswing from the impending release of Windows 10.

This is a significant uptick at a crucial time. Microsoft had just 20 Surface distributor and reseller partners last fall and, at that time, industry players blamed Microsoft's limited distributor approach for its failure to break into the enterprise market early in the Surface's release. Microsoft's decision to address this shortcoming now is well-timed: While the tablet market as a whole has stagnated over the past few quarters, shipments of 2-in-1 devices, which appeal to the enterprise, are expected to grow, a fact that Microsoft is going to leverage. If past sales figures are any indication, Windows tablet sales will be particularly strengthened by the addition of so many more distributors:

Microsoft alone shipped more than 2 million Windows tablets in Q4 2014, a quarter in which Windows tablets as a whole – including from Microsoft and other Windows tablets sellers – shipped 6 million units and accounted for 9% of the tablet market. 

Even if shipments of third-party Windows tablets just hold steady, Microsoft-branded tablets such as the Surface product line will see a big lift from such drastic distributor growth.

While these software, hardware, and partnership developments suggest that prospects look good for Microsoft's tablet line, the company must still win back market share from Apple, which currently holds ~30% of the tablet market (see chart, below). Apple's hold on the industry will be difficult to loosen, especially because the company is expected to launch its long-rumored large tablet (unofficially referred to as the iPad Pro) this fall, and the company's partnership with IBM to make enterprise apps gives it extra appeal to businesses. 

EMPLOYEES WANT TO KEEP PERSONAL AND BUSINESS ACTIVITIES ON MOBILE SEPARATE: The practice of using personal devices for business purposes, formally known as bring your own device (BYOD), has become increasingly popular, and businesses are struggling to keep pace. The large majority of employees in the US, UK, and Spain want to keep their personal and business tasks and communications separate, according to new data provided to BI Intelligence by telecom-web convergence company tyntec. Despite the high degree to which employees use mobile devices outside of the office, f ew businesses have satisfactory, if any, official BYOD policies. Here are some problematic areas highlighted by the data:

Nonreimbursed expenses are a big concern for employees who opt to BYOD. Less than half of all employees in the surveyed markets receive reimbursement for work-related use of their personal phones.

Most employees spend a significant amount of time completing work-related tasks on mobile devices outside of working hours. In the US, 37% of employees spend more than 10 nonoffice hours completing work-related tasks on mobile. That share stands at 19% in the UK and 38% in Spain.

Companies that have BYOD policies, and employees who complete work-related tasks on personal mobile devices without official BYOD policies, are unlikely to have or encourage the use of business apps. Just 5% of US employees using their personal devices for mobile work tasks use business apps. This likely reflects a dearth of work-related apps created by companies with BYOD policies.

Notably, while more than half of US consumers use their personal phones for work in some capacities, just 34% of these employees work for companies that have BYOD policies in place. At the same time, 74% of US employees would ideally choose to have two separate phones for work and personal use, or one phone with two separate numbers. This highlights the gap between how employers are approaching BYOD work environments and what employees need in them.

PC MARKET CONTINUES DECLINE: PC shipments continued their sharp decline in Q2 2015 after a rough first quarter, according to the latest report from the IDC. Shipments dropped to 66.1 million in Q2, down from 68.5 million in Q1, which had previously been the lowest PC shipment volume in recent history.

This shipment drop represents a decline of -11.8% year-over-year (YoY).

The US market saw 16.4 million PC shipments in the quarter, representing a YoY decline of -3.3%. 

Apple is the only vendor to have grown its PC shipments YoY, according to the IDC's data.

Oddly enough, Apple doesn't make the top 5 vendors in competing research firm Gartner's PC report.

Numerous factors such as inventory reductions related to the impending release of Windows 10, longer PC lifecycles, and uncharacteristically strong sales in Q2 2014 have resulted in the steep growth decline. The PC market is likely to somewhat stabilize in 2016, though it's expected to continue its decline through the rest of 2015.

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Source: Here's what happened in mobile this week

iPad rumors: No iPad Air 3 this year, iPad mini 4 to be Apple's last small tablet?

Apple

Will Apple still release the successor of iPad Air 2?

If the latest rumors turn out to be accurate, then Apple might not release a new iPad Air anytime soon. MacRumors spotted several speculations posted by foreign tech news sites claiming that Apple is not planning to launch the next iPad Air this year. 

In an interview with Chinese website Economic Daily News, Fubon Hardware investment advisor Liaoxian Li stated that Apple will halt production of a new iPad Air until next year. He said the American tech firm would like to focus on their latest iPad Pro product. The iPad Pro will be Apple's first venture into large-display tablets since it is said to come with a 12.9-inch screen. It is also expected to match Microsoft's Surface Pro 3 with its laptop/ tablet capacities. 

Foxconn, the main Apple-commissioned assembly plant for the larger tablet device, was reportedly ordered to concentrate on manufacturing the product to make sure that the maximum deployment capacity will be reached. Foxconn was also tasked to create the iPad mini 4, which, according to rumors, is scheduled to be released alongside the iPad Pro.

The report also claims that Apple is planning to make the next-generation iPad mini the last release for the product line since the tech firm is planning to shift their concentration to the two larger iPads that they are planning to release in the future. 

The iPad mini 4 is said to come with a 7.9-inch display. But aside from the rumored rear shell cover that it will come out with, the next-generation iPad mini will only feature upgraded specs from the previous editions of the device. 

Both the iPad Pro and iPad mini 4 will allegedly come out before the holidays this year.

However, these reports are unconfirmed by Apple, which means that they should be taken with a grain of salt.  

Source: iPad rumors: No iPad Air 3 this year, iPad mini 4 to be Apple's last small tablet?

Report: Surface Pro 4 Coming In October, Microsoft 'Aggressively Developing' New Tablets

Microsoft's Surface sits at a slightly awkward crossroads. Not quite a tablet, not quite a laptop. However, the company sees potential for the 2-in-1 form factor and is apparently developing a new Surface Pro 4 for an October launch.

A report from DigiTimes says that despite waning enthusiasm from consumers for tablets, the 2-in-1 holds promise for the enterprise sector. Microsoft's development of a new Surface Pro is part of a strategy to capture this market.

The report states that the new tablet will keep the same form factor as the Surface Pro 3, while adding in a new Intel Skylake processor and the now-finalized Windows 10. The company kept the same form factor for the Surface Pro 2 and original Surface Pro, so this is not without precedent. Microsoft has also placed a large order for Samsung 256GB solid state drives.

In the first quarter, Microsoft's tablet shipments were around 250,000 per month, rising to 300,000 at the end of the quarter with the release of the Surface 3. With Microsoft's aim to capture more consumers with the Surface Pro 4, the DigiTimes source says the company could reach 600,000 units shipped per month.

Mass shipment of components is slated to begin in September. The launch could be crucial for Microsoft, as the report states that the company has been "aggressively developing" new tablets. With the launch of Windows 10, Microsoft will have a software platform that switches seamlessly between tablet and laptop modes, ideal for a form factor like the Surface Pro. The new 2-in-1, with Windows 10 installed, will be a key test of the software's capabilities.

Source: Report: Surface Pro 4 Coming In October, Microsoft 'Aggressively Developing' New Tablets

Microsoft prepares for demand surge ahead of Windows 10 and cranks up Surface tablet distribution

Microsoft plans to expand the number of partners that can distribute its Surface 2-in-1 tablet from a few hundred to somewhere in the thousands, the company announced during its Worldwide Partner Conference Monday. The company is chalking up the need for significant channel expansion to strong demand for the Surface Pro 3, the Surface 3, and the Surface Hub. More importantly, Microsoft anticipates that, on top of this preexisting momentum, demand for these devices will see a significant upswing from the impending release of Windows 10.

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This is a significant uptick at a crucial time. Microsoft had just 20 Surface distributor and reseller partners last fall and, at that time, industry players blamed Microsoft's limited distributor approach for its failure to break into the enterprise market early in the Surface's release. Microsoft's decision to address this shortcoming now is well-timed: While the tablet market as a whole has stagnated over the past few quarters, shipments of 2-in-1 devices, which appeal to the enterprise, are expected to grow, a fact that Microsoft is going to leverage. If past sales figures are any indication, Windows tablet sales will be particularly strengthened by the addition of so many more distributors:

Microsoft alone shipped more than 2 million Windows tablets in Q4 2014, a quarter in which Windows tablets as a whole – including from Microsoft and other Windows tablets sellers – shipped 6 million units and accounted for 9% of the tablet market. 

Even if shipments of third-party Windows tablets just hold steady, Microsoft-branded tablets such as the Surface product line will see a big lift from such drastic distributor growth.

While these software, hardware, and partnership developments suggest that prospects look good for Microsoft's tablet line, the company must still win back market share from Apple, which currently holds ~30% of the tablet market (see chart, below). Apple's hold on the industry will be difficult to loosen, especially because the company is expected to launch its long-rumored large tablet (unofficially referred to as the iPad Pro) this fall, and the company's partnership with IBM to make enterprise apps gives it extra appeal to businesses. 

Here are other stories you missed from today's MOBILE INSIDER:

APPLE WATCH SHIPMENTS TOP 3 MILLION, EARLY ADOPTERS NOT JUST INDUSTRY FOLK

WHAT THE REVAMPED TELEPHONE CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT MEANS FOR MOBILE

COMPANIES IN THE NEWS

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Source: Microsoft prepares for demand surge ahead of Windows 10 and cranks up Surface tablet distribution

Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Surface Mini Release Date: Will the Rumored July 29 Release Push Through?

There have been several speculations as to the exact date of release of the much-anticipated Microsoft Surface Pro 4. Some have been saying that a July 29 release of the new tablet will push through to coincide with the unveiling of Microsoft's latest OS, the Windows 10 PC edition.

While others are saying that Microsoft would extend Microsoft Surface Pro 4 until next year and it will come with Intel's new Core M processor. Other reports indicated an October release for the 2-1 tablet/laplet of the Microsoft Surface family.

One thing is sure, Microsoft is very tight lip on the release of the Surface Pro 4 that is expected to give Apple's iPad tablet series a very serious competition.

As of yet, the specifications of Surface Pro 4 models are still unknown, although some sources speculate that it will be available with two different screen sizes - 12 inches (30 cm) and 14 inches (36 cm). Surface Pro 4 will be run on Intel x86 Broadwell or Skylake i5 or i7 CPU, have up to 16 GB of RAM and up to 1 TB SSD. It is also rumored to have LTE support.

WCCF Tech said the new Surface Pro 4 will also come with the latest Windows 10 operating system and sport a similar display resolution to the existing Surface Pro 3. However, Microsoft is planning to launch the Surface Pro 4 at a lower price than the Surface Pro 3 in a bid to generate more customers and give the market-leader Apple, a good competition over its iPad family.

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A separate report by Business Korea added to rumors that the Microsoft Surface Pro will indeed be unveiled in the second half of last year as Apple and Microsoft have placed a large order of 256 GB SSDs that use Samsung's NVME technology. These 256 GB SSDs is important in manufacturing memory cards.

The publication stated, "Samsung Electronics recently signed a new SSD supply contract for its 256 GB SSDs to be used in the laptops of major suppliers such as Apple and Microsoft. The contract volume is estimated at 20 million units, and the supply is predicted to be completed by the second half of next year. The products are said to adopt the new standard of Non-Volatile Memory express (NVMe).

The report said the 256 GB SSDs is capable of transferring data at a speed of 2 GB/s which is three times faster than the current Surface Pro 3 which runs at 600 MB/s."

Microsoft Scraps Surface Mini

Meanwhile, it was reported that Microsoft abruptly scrapped the Surface mini which was touted at first, to rival Apple's iPad mini.

In an interview with ZDNet, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella explained the decision to stop the Surface mini, "What I want us to stand for is not have envy for somebody else's success. I want us to stand for what is it that we've done that customers actually care about. Why is this important for us to take to market? I actually don't even care as much about initial grand success in terms of volume or share. Does it meet a specific scenario that we have done very well for some set of plans? It's a shorthand for doing customer scenarios that are differentiated.

"I want to be more customer-led. When we say customer-led, that doesn't mean just listen to customers about X and then do the same feature. It's about being able to anticipate what we can do to really differentiate their own lives. GigJam wouldn't have come from the thinking of let's look out there and see who is doing something.

"That is how we created Microsoft. Nobody had done Visual Basic. Nobody had done Access. Nobody had done Outlook. We created categories or democratized categories. We either took something very complex and made it simple so that everyone in the world could adopt it, or created something where it didn't already exist -- where nobody came to us and said, this is what we want. Once we did it, everybody wanted it. That's the bar for devices and our software and services."

 

Source: Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Surface Mini Release Date: Will the Rumored July 29 Release Push Through?

Windows 10 won't be available on new PCs come launch day

You may have to wait a bit to get a new PC preinstalled with Windows 10. screenshot by Lance Whitney/CNET

Consumers who expect to buy a new PC running Windows 10 on the launch date may be disappointed.

Windows 10 is set to officially roll out July 29, but that doesn't mean it will be available for everyone right away. Microsoft is still putting the finishing touches on the new operating system a little more than two weeks ahead of its release. The software giant isn't likely to release the OS to PC makers until sometime this week. As a result, PC vendors won't have enough time to test Windows 10 and install it on their new devices. And so, that means the PCs you view in your local retail outlet or online come July 29 probably won't be preinstalled with the new OS, according to Bloomberg, which cited a comment from Yusuf Mehdi, vice president of Windows and device marketing.

"You will see computers running with Windows 10 installed very soon after the 29th and then in the fall a whole new class of machines for the holidays," Mehdi said.

Microsoft has been tweaking Windows 10 since late last year in hopes of getting it just right. The company needs to make sure the new version of Windows is user-friendly and rock-solid if it's to avoid the negative feedback it received with the launch of Windows 8. As such, Microsoft is less concerned with getting Windows 10 to everyone on July 29 and more concerned with ensuring that the OS is as finely tuned as possible. If that means PC buyers have to wait a bit beyond the launch date, then so be it.

At the start of June, when Microsoft announced July 29 as the launch date for Windows 10, the assumption was that the new OS would roll out to everyone waiting in line at the same time. That would include members of the Windows Insider Program who've been testing it, Windows 7 and 8.1 users who registered for the free upgrade and buyers of new PCs. But that's not the case.

So exactly who will get Windows 10, and when? With its new OS, Microsoft is adopting a phased approach.

Those who've been testing each new beta build of Windows 10 through the Windows Insider Program will be first in line to get the new OS on July 29, Terry Myerson, Microsoft's executive vice president of operating systems, said in a blog post published on July 2. The final version will be pushed out to Windows Insiders on launch date, most likely as another build.

Next in line will be Windows 7 and 8.1 users who have reserved Windows 10 as a free upgrade. Pushing the upgrade to those who've reserved it beyond the launch date gives Microsoft more time to test and fine-tune the OS to make sure it's as compatible as possible with Windows 7 and 8.1.

"Each day of the rollout, we will listen, learn and update the experience for all Windows 10 users," Myerson said in the blog post. "If you reserved your copy of Windows 10 , we will notify you once our compatibility work confirms you will have a great experience, and Windows 10 has been downloaded on your system."

As for new PC and tablet buyers, Mehdi didn't give a specific date, saying only that Windows 10 would be "installed very soon after the 29th." The exact timeframe depends on how quickly Microsoft can release the new OS to manufacturers, and how quickly they can test it and install it on their new products. Microsoft has also promised that retailers will have stations at their stores where they can upgrade a newly-purchased PC or tablet to Windows 10 before the customer takes it home.

But at least one PC vendor has promised that you'll be able to get a new Windows 10 PC as soon as July 30. Dell has already been accepting preorders for some of its PCs with Windows 10 installed, as noted by blog site Windows Central. Customers who preorder select Dell devices with Windows 10 should expect shipment on July 29. And if you choose Dell' s Same Day Ship option, the new PC will be at your door on July 30.

Microsoft did not immediately respond to CNET's request for comment.

Source: Windows 10 won't be available on new PCs come launch day

Samsung Tab S2 release date, specs rumors: company applies for patent on 'Tab S Pro'

Samsung UK web site

Although news about Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 has been scarce in the past few months, it was recently discovered that the South Korean multinational electronics company had patented the name "Tab S Pro." The patent shows the serial number and the date reflects July 3, 2015.

It has been a year since the release of the latest Galaxy Tab S device, and most anticipate Samsung to release a new generation version in the near future. Rumors that the Galaxy Tab S2 was to be unveiled at one of the big electronics events last June was proven wrong.

Other rumors that have surfaced mostly revolve around the awaited tablet comoputer's hardware specifications. Several retailers and electronic gadget review portals have reported that the Tab S2 would sport at least 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage.

A twitter post from @Onleaks reveals that the Galaxy Tab S2 will be very slim, only be 5.9mm at the thickest point. A much earlier article on sammobile.com reveals that the tablet will have an eight-inch and a 9.7-inch version. Many have commented on how close the sizes are to that of the iPad Air 2. The projected $400 price tag also reaffirms that it is Samsung's bid against Apple's best-selling tablet.

The 8-inch model was reported to be 198.2mm ×134.5mm × 5.4 mm and the 9.7-inch model, 237.1mm × 168.8mm × 5.4mm. Both models will have similar designs to that of the Galaxy S6 and hence, a metal case or glass backplate should be expected.

The devices will come with a SUPER AMOLED display and will reportedly be capable of resolutions of up to 2048x1536 while maintaining a 4:3 aspect ratio. Individually, each eight-inch Galaxy Tab S2 will weigh only 260 grams while the 9.7-inch model will weigh 407 grams. 

Although most of the aforementioned speculations regarding Samsung's Galaxy Tab S2 seem legitimate, the telecommunications giant is yet to confirm any of it. What is certain, however is that Samsung has recently filed a patent for the device name "Tab S Pro". On the patent application, Samsung Electronics Co, LTD is reflected as the applicant through its agent, Dong Won Patent and Law Firm. The application was filed last July 3, 2015.

The patent application information was published through an article on Galaxyclub.nl, which is a privately owned Dutch blog dedicated to the Galaxy tablet line. The write-up also mentioned noted the "Galaxy TAB S Pro" name surfaced months before the patent application was filed. It was included in the changelog of Samsung's music app, Milk. "Galaxy Tab S Pro" is rumored for release together with the Galaxy Tab S2. 

The Galaxy Tab is a line of upper mid-range Android-based tablet computers produced similar to the Samsung Galaxy Note series but without the Samsung SPen.

Source: Samsung Tab S2 release date, specs rumors: company applies for patent on 'Tab S Pro'

Asus ZenPad S 8.0 Now Available At Best Buy For $200

The Asus ZenPad S 8.0 is now available from Best Buy for $200. The tablet is also open for pre-orders at B&H and Adorama.(Photo : Best Buy)

Asus launched the ZenPad S 8.0 at Computex in early June but did not reveal the price and release date for the tablet. Now, the 8-inch device is up for sale on Best Buy for $200.

The ZenPad S 8.0 weighs only 298 grams, or 10.51 ounces, and is 6.6mm or 0.25-inch thin, which makes it ideal for customers who want to use the tablet on the go. The tablet is even comfortable to hold for a long period of time.

"ZenPad S 8.0 offers the premium ZenPad experience, delivering ultimate style and beauty together with extreme performance," noted the tablet's press release. "Featuring a gorgeous, Zen-inspired design that fuses aesthetics with functionality, ZenPad S 8.0 is crafted with clean lines, a metallic finish enhanced by an exquisite hairline pattern, and brilliant diamond-cut edges."

Asus announced that the ZenPad S 8.0 will be available in 2GB/4GB RAM and 16GB/32GB/64GB storage options. However, Best Buy is offering the 2GB version of the tablet that has 32GB internal storage capacity. Users can extend the memory of the tablet to an additional 128GB with a microSD card.

The ZenPad S 8.0 sports an 8-inch IPS display with a wide 178-degree viewing angle. The display resolution of the tablet is 2,048 x 1,536 pixels with 324ppi. The tablet has a bright 2K display that is ideal for watching movies, reading books or just surfing the Internet.

Under the hood is an Intel Atom Z3560 processor clocked at 1.83GHz. A 4,000mAh battery powers the ZenPad S 8.0, which can offer up to 9 hours of usage.

The Asus tablet sports a 5MP primary camera and a 2MP front-facing camera. The ZenPad S 8.0 comes running on Android 5.1 Lollipop.

While Best Buy has started selling the Asus ZenPad S 8.0, the tablet is available for pre-order at B&H and Adorama as well for $199.

Asus launched the ZenPad S 8.0 along with the ZenPad 8, which has an Intel Atom x3-C3200 quad-core processor clocked at 1.2GHz. The specs of ZenPad 8 is inferior to the ZenPad S 8.0. The tablet has a price tag of $130 and is available for pre-order at Adorama.

Customers will now hope that the higher version of the ZenPad S 8.0 with a faster processor and 4GB RAM also makes its way to the shelves as soon as possible.

© 2015 Tech Times, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.

Source: Asus ZenPad S 8.0 Now Available At Best Buy For $200

New Tablet Will Connect Prison Inmates To Outside World

Remember when Piper found a flip phone hidden in the wall of the prison bathroom in "Orange is the New Black," season one? Well, this new gadget for inmates is certainly better than a contraband flip phone: It's made to suit U.S. prisons' security standards, and it's aimed at combating recidivism.

JPay, a Florida-based telecommunications company offering email, phone and money-transferring services to inmates in county jails, private federal prisons and state facilities, on Thursday announced the launch of its new JP5mini tablet. The 4.3-inch device runs on a customized version of Android and can send emails, take photos and connect to WiFi in facilities that are transitioning to wireless networks.

In August, JPay plans to introduce an app store, which would allow inmates to download games and educational apps.

Each tablet is made of clear plastic -- to det er inmates from smuggling contraband inside the device -- and safeguards against theft by assigning an individual number and password associated with the inmate user. In addition, the device is configured so that no other operating system can be installed.

Connections to the outside world are tightly controlled. Prison authorities must grant an inmate permission to connect via their tablet, and messages created on the device must be vetted before they're sent. As Yahoo Tech reports, the prisoner "must then sync the tablet at a designated kiosk," where "outgoing messages are then automatically submitted to supervisors for review. If it's harmless, it'll be forwarded to recipients. If not, it won't make it beyond the prison walls."

Inmates and their families can purchase the JP5mini for about $70. The device is allowed only in prisons where JPay has an existing contract, though the company did not offer details on how many facilities it partners with.

JPay, w hich serves more than 1.9 million offenders in 34 states, has invested heavily in tablets for inmates. The company says the devices allow inmates to connect with their families and stay in touch with the outside world.

"This tablet, combined with our current reach, has the capacity to truly rehabilitate offenders on a massive scale," Ryan Shapiro, CEO of JPay, said in a press release. "We believe a real change is coming to corrections and we are excited to be at the forefront."

The JP5mini builds on the success of JPay's previous tablet release, the JP4. Jade Trombetta, a spokeswoman for the company, told HuffPost that the the JP4 has been used by 60,000 inmates, though it lacked the wireless capabilities of its new cousin.

The release of such devices is part of a larger technological transformation in America's correctional facilities. Just a few years ago, one 15-minute interstate phone call could cost an inmate as much as $17. Today, several prisons and jail s across the nation have begun to allow technology for inmates.

In 2013, for example, Pigeonly -- a Las Vegas-based startup founded by a former inmate -- launched a prison-friendly photo-mailing platform, as well as a service to cut down the price of phone calls to and from correctional facilities. In 2014, more than 100 prisoners in San Francisco were given tablets as part of a two-year educational program aimed at bridging the digital divide that many former inmates experience when they re-enter the workforce.

In addition, research shows that communication with friends and family on the outside -- which JPay's prison tablet program offers -- can help reduce recidivism. About three-quarters of former U.S. inmates were arrested for a new crime within five years of release from prison, according to a special report published by the Bureau of Justice Statistics. Isolation is often one of the leading causes behind high recidivism rates.

"[Incarcerated] people who ma intain supportive relationships with family members have better outcomes -- such as stable housing and employment -- when they return to the community," according to a study by the nonprofit Vera Institute.

With JPay's tablets, inmates can send 30-cent e-cards, in addition to standard emails, to their loved ones.

Over 3,000 JP5mini devices have been ordered already by inmates or their family members, and the tablets soon will find their way to four facilities in New Jersey and 14 in Idaho, Trombetta said.

Shapiro previously told Yahoo Tech that he thinks these tables will "replace [prison] phones eventually."

Sorry, Piper.

This post has been updated to include information about how prison authorities vet outgoing messages created on these tablets.

Source: New Tablet Will Connect Prison Inmates To Outside World

Here is Why Windows 10 is Going To Be The Final Version Of Windows

Well, Microsoft Windows 10 must be one of its most anticipated releases in a long time. It has been a rocky road for Microsoft of late with the its less than favourable reviews of Windows 7 a few years back, and then the hastily released Windows 8. A release which looked to be learning from the mistakes of her less than illustrious predecessor. Now with Windows 10 she is trying to cover all devices like your PC, tablet, smartphone and future devices like the HoloLens, making it the ultimate universal Operating System (OS).

However, what has taken many people by surprise, myself included, was the announcement that Windows 10 will be her last major release of Microsoft's OS.That's according to one of its employees, the developer evangelist Jerry Nixon who said at Microsoft's Ignite Conference in Chicago:

right now, we're releasing Windows 10, and because Windows 10 is the last version of Windows, we're all still working on Windows 10.

This doesn't tell the whole story because instead of killing of Windows OS completely; Microsoft will instead be providing regular smaller updates indicating a shift in priorities for the company.

The reason given by Microsoft was that they wanted to deliver Windows as a service, rather than a product. Instead of having another major OS release, component sections like the start menu, apps, and settings can be updated separately and independently from Microsoft's core section. The shift in Microsofts priorities was evident in her recent statement to the Verge:

Recent comments at Ignite about Windows 10 are reflective of the way Windows will be delivered as a service, bringing new innovations and updates in an ongoing manner, with continuous value for our consumer and business customers.

All this means making changes that should be easier since one alteration will not affect the entire system. Ambitious in scope considering the different types of devices that will be running it.

It hasn't been made clear how frequent these updates will be but the smart money is that it will be similar to Mac OS X where updates occur every so often; or even like Chrome or apps, where they occur regularly without anyone noticing.

One things for sure, it means the likelihood of any of us seeing Windows 11 or 12 definitely isn't going to be happening anytime soon.

Source: Here is Why Windows 10 is Going To Be The Final Version Of Windows

Logitech unveils a new logo design and Logi sub-brand to reflect its ‘re-invention’

Logitech, the storied Swiss maker of computer, tablet, and A/V accessories, is launching a new identity that the company says reflects a renewed focus on design. Along with a more colorful and curvy new logo, Logitech unveiled a sub-brand, Logi, that'll "start to define new categories and new business spaces" for the company of the future, Chief Design Officer Alastair Curtis told The Verge.

The new brand is the public expression of what Logitech is internally dubbing a "reinvention." The company says it's restructured its product development top-to-bottom with the goal of placing design at its core. "Our approach to design goes beyond the classic definition," said Bracken Darrell, Logitech president and CEO, in a press release. "Design to us is the combination of advanced technology, business strategy and consumer insights."

Curtis, who formerly headed design at Nokia before joining Logitech two years ago, told The Verge he's recruited designers from Nokia, Nike, Samsung, BlackBerry, and other firms to revamp the Logitech product experience. He's brought the once disparate steps of industrial design, packaging, the retail experience, and software under a single roof, and under the Logi umbrella will tackle products aimed at emerging spaces — the Internet of things, automotive, and home automation, to start.

Related: Logitech saved the Harmony remote in the 11th hour; so what's next

"We've been reinventing Logitech, creating products that strive to blend advanced technology and design to bring you amazing experiences," said Darrell. "We're putting design at the center of everything we do. Our products have come a long way, and now it's time to bring the brand forward too." The changes won't manifest right away — Logitech's core business will remain PC peripherals and audio equipment — but the company is entertaining a complete transition to the Logi brand "over the next two to three years," Curtis said.

Logitech's rebranding follows years of setbacks for the company. In 2013, it nearly undertook the drastic step of divesting its Harmony universal remote, console gaming peripheral, and speaker divisions, to combat growing losses. (It later decided against the move.) And just last quarter, Logitech reported a 33 percent decline in year-on-year profits last quarter on lower-than-expected demand for its audio and gaming accessories.

Logitech desperately needs a hit. Even if a new design team isn't enough to produce one, though, higher-quality products can do nothing but bolster the company's new brand.

Source: Logitech unveils a new logo design and Logi sub-brand to reflect its 're-invention'

'Rayman Adventures' Is Coming To Tablets And Smartphones

The sequel to Rayman Jungle Run and Rayman Fiesta Run is "coming soon" according to Ubisoft.

Rayman Adventures is a new twist on a very successful, top-notch franchise. The Rayman games aren't just great fun on consoles, they're actually really quality mobile titles as well, and some of my favorite "endless runners" largely because they're so much more than that genre often entails, combining really good platforming elements with the non-stop running.

Rayman Adventures sets Rayman and his viking co-star Barbara on a quest to save their magical tree and rescue the "Incrediballs." These are the adorable furry things in the trailer below that appear to take the place of Murfy (to some degree) as your hovering assistant of sorts. More than one Incrediball can follow Rayman/Barbara which could make for some interesting platforming innovations or end up being just really cute. We're not sure yet!

Either way, this should be a welcome addition to any mobile game catalog. It's unclear whether the game will bear any resemblance to the animated TV series of the same name in terms of plot. Nor do we yet know whether the title will be free-to-play or paid, though I'm betting on the latter. The last two Rayman mobile games were pay-to-play.

Hopefully this is a precursor to another console entry. Origins and Legends were both so good, another entry in the series with full online play (and designed without Wii U exclusivity in mind) would be a very welcome thing indeed.

Rayman Adventures will likely launch on iOS and later come to Android, though it's possible we'll see an iOS/Android release.

Here's the trailer:

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Source: 'Rayman Adventures' Is Coming To Tablets And Smartphones

Samsung Galaxy Tab Sale: Galaxy Tab S 10.5”, 8.4”; and Galaxy Tab A 9.7”; To Make Way for Galaxy Tab S2?

Everytime a phone or tablet model goes on sale, rumors of 'the next big thing' starts to surface, and this is no exception.

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Samsung just recently released their mid-range tablets, the Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.0 and Galaxy Tab A 9.7, and early in the month, there have been reports that the Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.0 and Galaxy Tab A 9.7 both got $30 off their release price, reducing the price of the tables to $199.99 and $269.99 respectively.

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Upon checking the Samsung website, it seems that even though the Samsung Galaxy Tab A 9.7 is still on sale, the sale price has been reduced from $30 to only $20. Meanwhile, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5" and Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4" have also slashed $100 from their list price, bringing down the price from $499.99 and $399.99 down to $399.99 and $299.99, respectively.

These price reductions have added fuel to the rumors that Samsung is setting up to release their next high-end tablet, the rumored Samsung Galaxy Tab S2.

So what's the buzz on the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Tab S2?

Release date:

According to Yibada, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 was spotted in the Federal Communications Commissions, and that it is most likely undergoing some requirements check. It the report proves true, the earliest the Samsung Galaxy S2 will be released is later this month. There were also other reports that state that Samsung will try to go head to head against the Apple giant this year in terms of their tablet release.

Specifications:

Rumors are that the Galaxy Tab S2 will come with two screen sizes, 8-inch display and a 9.7-inch display, 2048 x 1536 resolution, AMOLED display, octa-core Exynos SoC, 3GB RAM, and a 32GB internal memory, which is expandable with the microSD slot. Both Samsun Galaxy Tab S2 8.0 and Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 9.7 will both have an 8MP rear camera and a 2MP front facing camera.

There are no rumors as to the price of the upcoming devices, but since it is a high-end tab, expect the price to pack a big wallop. 

Source: Samsung Galaxy Tab Sale: Galaxy Tab S 10.5", 8.4"; and Galaxy Tab A 9.7"; To Make Way for Galaxy Tab S2?

LG rumoured to be making the next Google phone – Nexus 5 (2015)

Google has just announced a price drop on its Nexus 6 handsets and rumours are flying around that Huawei will be making the next Nexus flagship device. These points hint at an apparent new Nexus device launch. But according to AndroidPIT, LG may be making the next Nexus phone, tentatively called Nexus 5 (2015).

According to the report, the LG Nexus 5 (2015) design will not be based on the LG G4. In fact, LG will work from scratch for the new Nexus design. There were reports that Google is planning to launch two Nexus devices this year.

Considering the LG made Nexus 5 was quite popular in comparison to the Motorola made Nexus 6, it is not surprising that LG has been chosen to make the next Nexus device. Although neither Google nor LG have confirmed the same. Google's next mobile OS – Android M – is set for an August release date, so it should not be stretch to imagine a phone launch around that time.

According to a report by Android Police, the device manufactured by Huawei will be codenamed Bullhead and will sport a 5.7-inch display, while LG's device is dubbed Angler and will feature a 5.2-inch display. The Angler is also expected to sport Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 SoC and a 2,700mAh battery. The company's flagship tablet Nexus 9, will continue to run for another cycle which implies that there will be no new addition to the tablet series, as of now.

Tags: Google Nexus launch, Huawei Nexus launch, LG Nexus 5, Nexus 5 (2015)

Source: LG rumoured to be making the next Google phone – Nexus 5 (2015)

Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 release date on track for July

Samsung UK web site

Samsung, the South Korean multinational conglomerate company, is reportedly trying to get the jump on its rival Apple by releasing its Galaxy Tab S2 this month.

According to Realty Today, Samsung is speeding up the release of its new flagship device so that it will have the benefit of a three month cushion between then and the date when Apple releases its own new line of tablet computers, which would include the iPad Air 3 and the iPad Mini 4.

The exact specifications of the Galaxy Tab S2 have yet to be released, but it is expected to be quite similar to Apple's iPad Air 2. If that is true, then Samsung's newest tablet computer will feature two different screen size options: eight inches and a slightly larger 9.7 inches.

Other specifications projected for the Galaxy Tab S2 include a 64-bit Exynos chipset, 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage, according to the Latino Post. It is also projected to have an 8-megapixel rear camera and will feature the Android 5.0 Lollipop operating system.

Aside from being comparable to Apple's iPad Air 2, Samsung's newest tablet computer is also expected to share some qualities with the Samsung Galaxy S6. It is unclear what most of them are at the moment, but one thing most industry insiders are banking on is that both devices will feature metallic frames.

The Galaxy Tab S2 was supposedly lined up to compete with the iPad Air 2, but given the timing of its release date, it is likely to have the market all to itself for at least a little while.

The Galaxy Tab S2 is rumored to already be undergoing the rigorous rounds of quality testing that the Federal Communications Commission usually puts electronic devices through, and if that is the case, then it could indeed be ready for release this month.

Source: Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 release date on track for July

Microsoft Edge Browser Gets New Features in Latest Builds, Keeps IE-Like Logo

Microsoft's Windows 10 is all set to launch later this month and the company is finalising the new features including Windows Hello, Continuum, and revamped Cortana for release on PC and tablet. The company has been lately releasing builds of Windows 10 to its limited Windows Insider programme for testing purposes. Following the approach, Microsoft earlier this week released two new builds of the Edge browser, and in the process also renamed it from Project Spartan.

The company on Monday released Build 10158 which brought a galore of changes to the build and finally also included the new Microsoft Edge branding. Some of the new features of the Microsoft Edge browser include the option to add "home" button (which can be added via Settings > Advanced Settings and turning on "Show the home button"); the option to import favourites/bookmarks from other browsers into Microsoft Edge; options to change first screen of Microsoft Edge; new customisations for the New Tab page; newly added password and form-fill support; drag and drop tab option to a new window added, and a new dark theme added.

(Also see: Microsoft Clarifies How Windows 10 Preview Users Can Keep Genuine Builds for Free)

The company also acknowledged the top request from Windows Insiders and added an option to play audio from Microsoft Edge played while the app is minimised or in the background.

Some of the other general UX improvements and refinement include bug fixes; improved Tablet mode animations, improved support for Windows 8/8.1 apps and classic (Win32) apps in Tablet mode for Continuum. The Windows 10 Build 10158 also brought dark theme colour to Cortana. The build includes a combined left rail now and Cortana's Notebook is in final stages. Flight tracking via emails has been also enabled, a feature that Google introduced some time back to its Google Now.

To make things even sweeter, Microsoft on Tuesday released another Windows 10 Build 10159 to Windows Insider programme.

Gabriel Aul, Engineering General Manager for Microsoft's Operating Systems Group, explaining the reason to release back-to-back builds said, "Why two builds so fast back to back?! As you probably know, we validate builds that we produce in internal rings where they're used by engineers in OSG and Microsoft. If they pass all of our criteria we make them available to Windows Insiders, first to fast and then to slow once we know it's a stable build." According to Aul, the new Build 10159 brought over 300.

Additionally, Microsoft also confirmed its new Edge browser will no longer support its own Silverlight application framework. Making the announcement in a blog post, Microsoft said, "Support for ActiveX has been discontinued in Microsoft Edge, and that includes removing support for Silverlight."

(Also see: Windows 10 Will Be a Free Upgrade, but New Users Will Need to Shell Out Up to $199)

The company however revealed that Silverlight will be supported in Internet Explorer 11, resulting in sites continuing to have Silverlight options in Windows 10.

When Microsoft in January first revealed details about its new browser for the Windows 10 operating system (then referred to as Project Spartan), the company was expected to bring galore of changes alongside a major re-branding of the dated browser. However, the new logo seems to take cues from the Internet Explorer logo.

Both the Windows 10 Build 10158 and Build 10159 came with Microsoft Edge browser's new look which sports the 'e' logo. While the new Microsoft Edge browser brings several changes to the new Windows 10 operating system such as showing a site preview simply by hovering over its tab, Cortana integration, and a built in reading list among others, its logo definitely looks inspired by the company's old but legendary Internet Explorer.

Source: Microsoft Edge Browser Gets New Features in Latest Builds, Keeps IE-Like Logo