Apple plans to launch a new “iPad 3″ with a Retina Display this coming March, and then a second “iPad 4″ model in October — and ship them with “killer applications.”
Citing unnamed sources from within Apple’s component supply chain, DigiTimes on Friday reported that Apple is prepping both new iPad models for a 2012 launch. The first model, dubbed iPad 3, will feature a QXGA 1,536 x 2,048-pixel HD display and significantly longer battery life, and Apple reportedly has plans to drop the price of its current iPad 2 model to $399 when it launches its new tablet in March. Read on for more.
A second new iPad referred to as the iPad 4 by component suppliers will then launch in October, perhaps alongside Apple’s next-generation iPhone. BGR exclusively reported in December that a redesigned iPhone with an aluminum case will launch this coming fall. Few details surrounding the iPad 4 were provided, though the site did say it would include a 9.7-inch display along with “much upgraded hardware specifications and integrated applications.”
DigiTimes has claimed in multiple reports that Apple plans to launch two new iPads in 2012, but other sources suggest the second model is in fact an early prototype of Apple’s 2013 iPad model. Instead, Apple will reportedly launch a new iPad model in March while maintaining iPad 2 production and selling a single model of the older tablet at a lower price.
This content was originally published on BGR.com

Apple’s acceptance in the enterprise sector (leading with the iPad and iPhone) has been one of the more surprising changes in the corporate landscape over the past two years, but even more remarkable is data that shows that the revolution appears to be gaining strength. A new global survey done by Forrester Research indicates that the enterprise sector will increase its spending on Apple products by more than 50 percent in 2012.

Despite Apple’s nearly-total ignoring of the corporate market, Forrester says the corporate sector will buy $10 billion worth of iPads in 2012, up from $6 billion in 2011, and $9 billion in Macs (up from $6 billion in 2011). The research firm calls the emerging popularity of Apple products in the enterprise “the big surprise of 2011.”

The growth in Apple use in the corporate sector has happened, Forrester says, largely because of the move to BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) as a cost-saving move, which allowed employees to choose what platform they preferred rather than having IT departments dictate to them. As apps and OS support for enterprise needs expanded, companies were more willing to consider Macs as well as the already-popular iOS devices, led by worker preference.

A second factor was smaller companies buying Macs and/or iPads for employees that could use them both at home and work, resulting in higher employee satisfaction, with a third factor of IT departments encouraging employees to go mobile more easily by providing them with iPads and iPhones. Apple has said in conference calls to analysts that 93 percent of the Fortune 500 companies are either testing or deploying iPads, with iPhones enjoying even wider acceptance as an option (an area that used to belong almost exclusively to Research In Motion’s Blackberry).

Even more remarkably, Forrester says global corporate spending on Windows-based computers and tablets will decline by small percentages in 2012 and 2013, but that Macs will see an average of 40 percent per year increases during the same period, with iPads enjoying nearly 60 percent average annual increases in spending. The decline in Windows spending may be more due to the increasing percentage of workers who have shifted to mobile devices over desktops rather than any corporate change in OS preferences.

Forrester said it interviewed 46 major IT vendors for the report, and also studied traditionally large corporate or institutional purchasers, including a number of US and international government agencies.

Read more: http://www.macnn.com/articles/12/01/06/popularity.in.enterprise.continues.to.surprise/#ixzz1ikFPtsfl

Excerpt from www.fastcompany.com

A lot is going to be demanded of business leaders in 2012 due to fast-changing social technology that is remaking the business landscape in the midst of a tough economy. To ensure that you’re one of the success stories of 2012, you need to start with the right mindset, focus, and goals. To that end, here are 10 resolutions to get you off to the right start.
1. Recognize and respond to the reality that Facebook, Google, and Twitter are the NBC, ABC, CBS, and Fox of the future.
2. Inspire and demonstrate rigor in the articulation of your brand purpose to create the emotional connection with your customers that will drive their social media engagement.
3. Explore and integrate how to offer your customers greater authenticity, transparency, and accountability to increase their loyalty and your profitability.
4. Interrogate and embrace how your brand can become more human, interacting with customers in a way that captures their attention, commands their interest, and inspires their loyalty.
5. Monitor and maintain the wide breadth of networks, platforms, and channels through which to bring your brand to life using a variety of media including text, video, photos, and podcasts.
6. Deeply accept and respond to the fact that your customers are increasingly driving your content distribution through their personal social media channels.
7. Identify and respond to the power of F-commerce (Facebook commerce) by expanding your e-commerce presence on the network.
8. Explore and act on what your brand and business will look like if it only lives in a smartphone in your customer’s hand.
9. Play with and apply the gamification of your product and service offerings, including rewards and incentives for customer engagement, loyalty, and sharing.
10. Internalize the fact that control of your brand must now be shared with your customers and offer them the personal attention, professional respect, and authentic interest appropriate to business partners.
These 10 resolutions are critical to the mind shift that must occur about how your brand, community, and profits are built, maintained, and expanded. They need to be adopted company-wide and will necessitate changes in company structure and roles. The upside is that such efforts will pay enormous dividends when the power of storytelling and the scalability of social media combine to generate brand awareness, customer loyalty, and offline, online, social, and mobile commerce.

To read the full article, click here

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Apple co-founder and Chairman Steve Jobs died today, Apple said. He was 56.
“Steve’s brilliance, passion and energy were the source of countless innovations that enrich and improve all of our lives,” Apple said in a statement. “The world is immeasurably better because of Steve.”
Jobs had been suffering from various health issues following the seven-year anniversary of his surgery for a rare form of pancreatic cancer in August 2004. Apple announced in January that he would be taking an indeterminate medical leave of absence, with Jobs then stepping down from his role as CEO in late August.
Jobs had undergone a liver transplant in April 2009 during an earlier planned six-month leave of absence. He returned to work for a year and a half before his health forced him to take more time off. He told his employees in August, “I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple’s CEO, I would be the first to let you know. Unfortunately, that day has come.”
One of the most legendary businessmen in American history, Jobs turned three separate industries on their head in the 35 years he was involved in the technology industry.
Apple co-founder and Chairman Steve Jobs died today, Apple said. He was 56.
“Steve’s brilliance, passion and energy were the source of countless innovations that enrich and improve all of our lives,” Apple said in a statement. “The world is immeasurably better because of Steve.”
Jobs had been suffering from various health issues following the seven-year anniversary of his surgery for a rare form of pancreatic cancer in August 2004. Apple announced in January that he would be taking an indeterminate medical leave of absence, with Jobs then stepping down from his role as CEO in late August.
Jobs had undergone a liver transplant in April 2009 during an earlier planned six-month leave of absence. He returned to work for a year and a half before his health forced him to take more time off. He told his employees in August, “I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple’s CEO, I would be the first to let you know. Unfortunately, that day has come.”
One of the most legendary businessmen in American history, Jobs turned three separate industries on their head in the 35 years he was involved in the technology industry.

Apple co-founder and Chairman Steve Jobs died today, Apple said. He was 56.
“Steve’s brilliance, passion and energy were the source of countless innovations that enrich and improve all of our lives,” Apple said in a statement. “The world is immeasurably better because of Steve.”
Jobs had been suffering from various health issues following the seven-year anniversary of his surgery for a rare form of pancreatic cancer in August 2004. Apple announced in January that he would be taking an indeterminate medical leave of absence, with Jobs then stepping down from his role as CEO in late August.
Jobs had undergone a liver transplant in April 2009 during an earlier planned six-month leave of absence. He returned to work for a year and a half before his health forced him to take more time off. He told his employees in August, “I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple’s CEO, I would be the first to let you know. Unfortunately, that day has come.”
One of the most legendary businessmen in American history, Jobs turned three separate industries on their head in the 35 years he was involved in the technology industry.

News adapted from cnet.com

news.cnet.com Read more: http:///8301-13579_3-20116336-37/apple-co-founder-chairman-steve-jobs-dies/#ixzz1ZxMDleq6

iPhone 4S

Reviews by Engadget

New CEO Tim Cook will be in charge of the event, just like former CEO Steve Jobs used to run events. This will be an interesting test for Cook since he’s never done the big product roll out before. Paczkowski says he will be aided by other Apple executives who will also make presentations on stage.
The phone is expected to go on sale weeks after Cook’s presentation.

Click here to read the full article

TSMC revealed this week that rush orders from customers may cause it to exceed the guidance it gave in July. Sources quickly speculated that the orders had been placed by the foundry’s fabless clients, such as Qualcomm, Broadcom, MediaTek and MStar Semiconductor.

According to a new analysis from Bloomberg, Broadcom is the most likely choice because other large TSMC clients have recently disclosed disappointing results and lowered forecasts. Chipmakers such as Texas Instruments and Altera have reduced estimates due to flagging economic growth, but Broadcom reaffirmed its third-quarter forecast this week.

“Broadcom is the largest link between Apple and Taiwan Semiconductor,” said Richard Davenport, a Bloomberg supply chain analyst. “Broadcom appears to be a likely candidate for Taiwan Semiconductor’s rush orders.”

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A long waited Nokia’s N9 is finally up for preorder in Australia, available in 16GB and 64GB.

The minimalistic form of Nokia N9 complements the simplicity of how it works, and has been designed without compromising the reliability you’ve come to expect from Nokia phones.

With no back or home keys, flowing from app to app is fast and easy, and delivers a truly all-screen experience.

The quick launch bar makes jumping to the Phone, Messaging, Web or Camera quick and easy. Open the quick launch bar from any app by swiping up from the bottom of the screen and holding briefly. All your notifications, from messages to missed calls, appear on the lock screen. One simple swipe of the notification unlocks the phone and immediately launches the right app.

Tap and share – no wires, no worries. Stream music wirelessly by tapping your Nokia N9 on Nokia Play 360° speakers, or share photos, videos, contacts and more by tapping another NFC-enabled device.

more details about Nokia N9