Global tablet sales to hit 145 million in 2013: Research

Global tablet computer sales are expected to hit 145 million this year, a research firm said Wednesday in the latest upgrade of the sizzling segment.
ABI Research said it raised its forecast due to "a combination of new market entrants, more affordable choices for consumers, and increased adoption by business audiences."
"The rate of innovation is slowing as tablet vendors augment their product portfolios to meet the needs of market audiences," says ABI's Jeff Orr.
"The late 2012 launches of Apple's iPad mini and a variety of slates based on Intel architecture and new Windows operating systems will only begin to show their progress this year."
ABI said North America will account for just over 50 percent of worldwide sales.
Business sales are expected to account for 19 percent of the total, as corporate customers look to newer models aimed at their users.
Sales data from 2012 are still being compiled, but some forecasts indicated the total number of tablets sold would be around 126 million.

AppSurfer adds support for tablet apps, allows users to try Android apps in their web browser : sam4sammy

AppSurfer, which allows users to try Android apps in their browser before downloading them on their phones, has now added support for tablet apps as well. It supports a resolution of 1024x600 for tablets.

AppSurfer released a private beta in March 2012 and launched its first version mainly targeting developers in October 2012. It runs a customised version of Android in the Cloud and runs multiple instances of the OS, streaming graphics to users using HTML5 or Flash. It tracks user input and sends it back to the cloud. It has also implemented custom sensors to emulate sensor data, like that of GPS and orientation sensors.

RainingClouds Technologies, the company which has developed AppSurfer, says that it is not just another AppStore, and its focus is on enabling users to try apps. After they are satisfied with the app, they can make the decision to download it. For downloading the app, AppSurfer redirects users to the Google Play app store. Users can also share app recommendations on Facebook and Twitter and their friends can try these apps within Facebook.
Developers can create a free account at AppSurfer, and can put their apps (via apk files) on the site . They don't need any code integration/change in app and they can also embed apps on blogs and product pages, just like YouTube videos.
Speaking with NDTV Gadgets, Aniket Awati, CEO and Co-founder of RainingClouds, informed us that as of date, AppSurfer has 4,000 developers and 2,300 apps on-board, with a paid to free app ratio of 1:20. The company intends to monetise by offering new download models, tying up with third party app stores.
It is noteworthy that, Amazon also allows users to try apps in the web browser through its 'Test Drive' feature. However, according to Awati, the feature is based on Flash, while AppSurfer also offers an HTML5 version, allowing non-flash devices including iOS ones, to run app previews in their respective browsers. The company doesn't offer support for iOS at the moment, as there are several restrictions. "iOS apps require installation of emulators, which slow down the experience and don't support native features like GPS," adds Awati.
Services like Pieceable (which was acquired by Facebook), and Kickfolio also allow developers to upload their apps on the web, allowing users to try them via their web browsers.

Next-gen Google Nexus 10 tablet rumoured to feature quad-core processor, 8-core GPU

Google is currently rumoured to be working on a new Nexus 10 tablet that is likely to replace the Exynos 5 processor and Mali-T604 GPU as found in the original Nexus 10 tablet, reports Droid Life via chip-focussed site Bright Side of News.

The second generation Google Nexus 10 tablet may feature a quad-core processor and new 8-core Mali-T678 GPU. BSN also claims to have spotted the new tablet at CES in an identical current Nexus 10 chassis. They further add that the benchmark performance on it was "night and day" compared to the original.

Google is also believed to be making minor design improvements over the current Nexus 10 tablet though a major overhaul in design will be applicable only for the third-gen, which is pretty far away from this point.

While we believe we saw a prototype design in an old chassis (it was identical to the currently selling Nexus 10), the performance difference in popular benchmarks was night and day. The final design of the part (Google currently does not have final versions of the chassis) should address the shortcomings of the original design, even though we were told that the company was satisfied with the original design. They did agree that the design lacked a bit of "wow factor", but that will probably wait for the third generation.

Going by these sources, the tablet could make a rather quiet appearance at the Mobile World Congress next month, though the device may not be shipped in the initial couple of months possibly until the back-to-school period. Then it would be more sensible on Google's part to see the Google I/O event as a possible launch opportunity.

The original Nexus 10 was launched in October last year, which marked the search giant's entry into the 10-inch tablet arena. other specs of the tablet include a dual-core Cortex A15 processor with 2GB RAM, 16GB internal storage, 5-megapixel rear and 1.9-megapixel front cameras, NFC, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and a 9,000mAh battery.

The entry-level Nexus 10 is priced at $399 and began selling in November 2012 in the US, Britain, Australia, France, Germany, Spain, Canada and Japan. The other variant is a 32GB Wi-Fi only Nexus 10 that costs $499.

Apple working on thinner, lighter 5th generation iPad: Report

If inside sources of a Japanese blog Macotakara are to be believed, then Apple is reportedly planning to introduce the next generation iPad in the upcoming months.

The blog, which has been known for its accurate predictions in the past with Apple products, states that this version of the company's 9.7-inch tablet will be thinner and lighter drawing on elements from the recently introduced 7-inch iPad mini (Review I Pictures). The expected dimensions for the device are 4mm x 17mm x 2mm. According to the blog, the 5th generation iPad is likely scheduled for a March 2013 release.

Furthermore, the blog's sources indicate that Apple is also amidst a production trial of the 2nd generation iPad mini. The 7.9-inch tablet is expected to feature a 2048x1536 pixel Retina display translating into a 326ppi pixel density and will likely carry on board the A6X chip as seen in the fourth generation iPad.

It's evident that Apple has picked up pace on the tablet front, proof of which we first witnessed this year with the launch of the 4th generation iPad in October, a move which came just six months after launching a new model, doubling the speed of the processor.

The new fourth generation iPad features a 9.7-inch Retina display, new Apple-designed A6X chip, FaceTime HD camera and ultrafast wireless performance with same 10 hours of battery life.

Coming to the iPad mini, it was introduced at a special event in San Jose, California on October 23rd (Pictures). The iPad mini features a 7.9-inch 1024x768  display, FaceTime HD and iSight cameras, ultrafast wireless performance and 10 hours of battery life.

The company sold three million iPads in just three days since the launch of its new iPad mini and fourth generation iPad. The number is double the previous first weekend milestone of 1.5 million Wi-Fi only models sold for the third generation iPad in March. So whether or not the next generation iPad and iPad mini create a similar effect is something that we'll keep an eye for.

Byond eyes Rs. 400 crore turnover from phones, tablets in 2013-14

Pune-based Byond Tech Electronics Monday said it is eyeing to sell over one lakh smart phones per month by launching new range in lower price bracket and targeting Rs. 400 crore turnover from smart phones and tablets in 2013-14.
"We are targeting to sell more than one lakh smartphones in India as demand for such phones is enormous and its market is growing very fast," company's founder and CEO Prashant P Bora.
Bora said the company has set a target of achieving sales of Rs. 400 crore from smart phones and tablets in 2013-14.
"In current fiscal, smart phones and tablets will contribute Rs. 100-150 crore in our total business, but in next fiscal, we expect our sales will reach Rs. 400 crore from both these segments," he said.
Having decided to spend Rs. 50 crore on brand building and advertising, the company has also signed bollywood actress Bipahsa Basu as brand ambassador for smart phones and tablets.
He said the company will soon roll out 10 new smartphones with 3.5 to 6 inch screen in the range of Rs. 4,000 to maximum of Rs. 13,000 per unit.
"Though the market for smart phones is huge across the country, we plan to target Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat, Jammu and Kashmir, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka for our smartphones," he said.
Byond has 50:50 joint venture with Chinese company Hongkong Leaguer Technology for manufacturing phones and tablets with manufacturing facility at Shenzhen in China. The company has manufacturing capacity of 4 lakh mobile phones per annum.
It is also Original Equipment Manufacturer for overseas brands like Sprint in Bangladesh, Connspeed in Vietnam, among others.

Karbonn launches Cosmic Smart Tab 10 tablet with Android 4.1 for Rs. 10,490

Karbonn launches Cosmic Smart Tab 10 tablet with Android 4.1 for Rs. 10,490
Karbonn has launched Cosmic Smart Tab 10 tablet in the Indian market. The tablet comes with 9.7-inch 1024x768 capacitive touch display and runs Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.
Cosmic Smart Tab 10 is powered by 1.5GHz dual-core processor alongside 1GB DDR3 RAM. The internal storage is not clear from the specs but it does include a microSD card for up to 32GB of additional storage. Karbonn claims the tablet is capable of 1080p video playback. It comes with a 2-megapixel rear camera and a VGA front-camera.
The connectivity options on Karbonn Cosmic Smart Tab 10 include Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g/n), USB (with dongle support), Bluetooth, and HDMI interface. It comes with a 6000mAh battery. As mentioned earlier, the tablet runs Android 4.1 and comes with pre-installed apps like YouTube, E-Book, Google Currents, Angry Birds Seasons, Turbo FLY 3D, Flipboard, Kingsoft Office, Facebook and more.
This is Karbonn's second tablet with Android 4.1 after it became the first manufacturer in India to launch a budget tablet with Jelly Bean on board.
The Cosmic Smart Tab 10 tablet is now available for a MRP of Rs. 10,490.
Karbonn Cosmic Smart Tab 10 specifications

• 9.7-inch 1024x768 capacitive touch display
• 1.5GHz dual-core processor
• 1GB DDR3 RAM
• 2-megapixel rear camera, VGA front-camera
• Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g/n), USB (with dongle support), Bluetooth, HDMI
• 6000mAh battery
• Android 4.1

Wishtel to launch tablet running on Linux-based platform for $50

Mumbai-based Wishtel today said it will launch computing devices, tablet PC and net books, starting at $50 later this month.
The company has developed a Linux-based platform PrithV, which will be used for the tablet and net book PCs, it said in a statement.

"Our objective as a technology and manufacturing company is to create affordable range of products that can contribute to society by extending education for free and without boundaries," Wishtel CEO Milind Shah said in a statement.

The platform, developed jointly by Wishtel and Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education, supports 85 global languages which include 23 Indian languages. It also comes loaded with educational suite to offer self learning software for pre-primary, tertiary and higher education, it said.

Shah said that tablet PC will be available for $50 while the net books will cost $120.

Wishtel, which lost out to Datawind in securing a contract for manufacturing low-cost tablet Aakash, said "it will participate in the bidding for second round when the government floats a tender."

"We intend to offer our solutions to universities and schools worldwide and empower every student with a PC enabling them to learn and educate themselves beyond textbooks, access and create their own knowledge," Shah said.