Pakistan IT » Gadget

Apple usurps Google as world’s most valuable brand

Pakistan IT — Thu, 12 May 2011 12:10:19 +0000

Apple has overtaken Google as the world’s most valuable brand, ending a four-year reign by the Internet search leader, according to a new study by global brands agency Millward Brown.

The iPhone and iPad maker’s brand is now worth $153 billion, almost half Apple’s market capitalization, says the annual BrandZ study of the world’s top 100 brands.

Apple’s portfolio of coveted consumer goods propelled it past Microsoft to become the world’s most valuable technology company last year.

Peter Walshe, global brands director of Millward Brown, says Apple’s meticulous attention to detail, along with an increasing presence of its gadgets in corporate environments, have allowed it to behave differently from other consumer-electronics makers.

“Apple is breaking the rules in terms of its pricing model,” he told Reuters by telephone. “It’s doing what luxury brands do, where the higher price the brand is, the more it seems to underpin and reinforce the desire.”

“Obviously, it has to be allied to great products and a great experience, and Apple has nurtured that.”

Of the top 10 brands in Monday’s report, six were technology and telecoms companies: Google at number two, IBM at number three, Microsoft at number five, AT&T at number seven and China Mobile at number nine.

McDonald’s rose two places to number four, as fast food became the fastest-growing category, Coca-Cola slipped one place to number six, Marlboro was also down one to number eight, and General Electric was number 10.

Walshe said demand from China was a major factor in the rise of fast-food brands. “The Chinese have been discovering fast food and it’s such a vast market — Starbucks, McDonald’s… and pizza has hit China,” he said.

“The way McDonald’s has reinvented itself, adapted its menus, added healthy options, expanding the times of day it can be visited, for example oatmeal for breakfast… that allied with growth in developing markets has really helped that brand.”

Nineteen of the top 100 brands came from emerging markets, up from 13 last year.

Facebook entered the top 100 at number 35 with a brand valued at $19.1 billion, while Chinese search engine Baidu rose to number 29 from 46.

Toyota reclaimed its position as the world’s most valuable car brand, as it recovered from a bungled 2010 product recall. The survey was carried out before the March earthquake that caused massive disruption to Japanese supply chains.

The total value of the top 100 brands rose by 17 percent to $2.4 trillion, as the global economy shifted to growth.

Millward Brown takes as a starting point the value that companies put on their own main brands as intangibles in their earnings reports.

It combines that with the perceptions of more than 2 million consumers in relevant markets around the world whom it surveys over the course of the year, and then applies a multiple derived from the company’s short-term future growth prospects.

The full report is at www.millwardbrown.com/brandz.

Courtesy: Reuters

You might also like:

ASUS: Eee Pad Transformer delays due to demand, not component shortages

Pakistan IT — Sat, 07 May 2011 13:42:03 +0000

We’re sure you heard the rumors when hanging out in your ASUS fanboy haunts, wearing your ASUS logo hats and medallions, talking your crazy ASUS lingo with your fellow ASUS scenesters. Or maybe you thought something was up when Amazon sold out immediately. Either way, there has been plenty of chatter in the gadgetsphere as of late about the Eee Pad Transformer. Why is it so hard to find? Are component shortages to blame? Quality control issues? We’ve heard plenty of speculation, and now ASUSTek spokesperson David Chang is weighing in on the matter. According to Netbook News, the company has seen overwhelming demand for the device, and is currently planning to put 100,000 units on the street in May, followed by an additional 200,000-plus in June. “If the demand continues to increase substantially,” said Chan, “then we will have to continue to ramp up production in order to fulfill our customers’ demand.” You know, that’s exactly what we would do if we were in that situation!

Netbook News

Incoming search terms:

kyocera micro USB OTG cable

You might also like:

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 spotted in the wild

Pakistan IT — Sat, 07 May 2011 13:41:12 +0000

We’ve already seen it pictured and detailed, but Chinese website Mydrivers.com has now scored what appear to be the very first in-the-wild shots of Lenovo’s new super-slim ThinkPad X1. As you can see above and in a few more shots at the source link below, the laptop is indeed pretty thin — 21.5mm, or 0.85 inches thick, apparently — but Lenovo still found room to squeeze in a backlit keyboard (check it out after the break), not to mention the ThinkPad’s trademark pointing stick. Unfortunately, Lenovo has yet to officially say anything about it itself, so we still only have that rumored May 20th launch date to go on for the time being.

[Thanks, leungxd]

Cloned in China

Mydrivers.com

Incoming search terms:

thinkpad edge 14 keyboard spare

You might also like:

RIM set to launch official keyboard accessory for PlayBook

Pakistan IT — Sat, 07 May 2011 13:20:41 +0000

The Blackberry PlayBook has been around for a while now. The tablet hasn’t received the most glowing reviews, but RIM is still plugging away on the device. A rumor surfaced not long ago that the PlayBook would get a 10-inch version in time for the holiday season that would bring a larger screen to the mix. You may have been surprised that the PlayBook didn’t launch with an official keyboard accessory considering that RIM is trying to position the PlayBook as a content creation tool.

Some pics of the official keyboard have surfaced including the one above that was taken by Mr. Blurrycam. The keyboard appears to have nicely spaced keys with the shift key being a bit smallish, but in the right place. The tip that the official keyboard is on the way came directly from RIM’s Bruce Winter, who is head of accessories at the firm. The rendered image of the keyboard with the tablet below came from some training materials.

The full details of the new keyboard are unknown right now. It has been said that the keyboard uses Bluetooth, which would make a lot of sense. The render and the prototype in the blurry pic lack a trackpad, but the product that comes to market will reportedly have a trackpad on the wrist rest right where we expect it. The keyboard is also said to work like a dock allowing the user to fold the works up and go when needed.

You might also like:

BlackBerry PlayBook to be released on April 10th?

Behold a Multi-Touchscreen Tablet with Removable Hard Drives, a Smartphone, and a Tablet

Pakistan IT — Sat, 07 May 2011 13:18:33 +0000

While this post began as a simple presentation of the industrial design concept we’re about to take a look at, it transformed ever so slightly into a work that explores what the possibilities could be for touchscreen conglomerations such as this. The concept at hand is called the Bento Laptop Tablet Hybrid and it’s designed and rendered by Rene Woo-Ram Lee. This concept is sent to us by our good friends at Yanko Design, a site dedicated to such conceptual works. This design features a laptop with a 15″ OLED touchscreen, a 1TB SSD drive, a solar-powered lithium-ion battery, an 11″ tablet computer and a 4″ phone, all of these bits able to sit in shallow depressions in the base of the laptop and connect as one device.

The interface for the devices included in this project appear to be something like a mix between Android and BlackBerry OS, but given the state of the project (very very early in it’s conceptual stages,) it would be a farce to claim that it was either one or the other. What you’re dealing with here is a 15.4″ 16:10 OLED display having notebook in which several other components rest. The first and largest is an 11″ 21:9 OLED tablet (that’s long!), the second an extended solar powered Li-ion battery, next a 1TB SSD drive, and finally a 4″ 16:9 OLED display toting smartphone.

The entire device group, when closed, is only 15mm thick. While the notebook has none of its components plugged in, it acts only as a display. There are no batteries, storage, or processors built in. Once the additional four components of this device are docked, you’ve got a fully functional laptop which uses touchscreens for its keyboard and trackpad (or whatever else you need them to act as.) One of the more interesting conceptual uses for this setup to me is the Photoshop key changes – all your shortcuts at the press of a single button, displayed in the position of your keyboard.

How about a display showing notes while your tablet shows keys on a digital piano, your phone the metronome? How about your tablet working as a drawing pad while your laptop display shows additional options again, in Photoshop? Tabs in the tablet, full-screen web browser in the laptop display?

Then there’s the physical aspects of the tablet. It’s a 21:9 ratio 10-inch tablet – that’s never been seen outside the Kyocera Katsura (which, incidentally, we’re still very excited about.) The back of this tablet has a lot of rubber for superiority in grippage – excellent! There’s a kick-stand built in as well – finally! It also has the ability to work as a bluetooth wireless keyboard – of course!

Finally, from what I understand, the entire system will be upgradable as time goes on. Similar to what some businesses are calling “future proofing,” this device will be supported by its manufacturer, allowing for upgrades to each different bit as more powerful processors are able to fit into the same small package. Can you imagine such a technology? Seems sort of wonderful, perhaps impossible, but always fun to look at – lots of red and black for a great attack!

[via Yanko Design]

Incoming search terms:

You might also like:

A Pakistani Student Develops a Foot Mouse

Pakistan IT — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 09:33:25 +0000

The foot mouse, as name suggests is an innovative computer mouse that users can control with their feet.

It is being developed by Mohammad Ahsan, a computer information system engineering student at NED University of engineering and technology.

This hands free mouse is a true reflection of Pakistan youth hunger and desire for innovation.

The foot mouse currently is in its development phase. Ahsan has designed three prototypes using different materials. Firstly using wood for the sandal’s structure, then rubber and finally with current composite material product, wooden base with rubber upper. The product is being further improved.

This innovation will significantly help disabled persons to work on computer effectively.

According to an Express tribune report, the association of the physically handicapped Adults (APHA) says that 10 percent of the people in Pakistan are disabled in one way or another.

Initially foot mouse was exclusively designed for people with disabilities, but later Ahsan found it suitable for every one. It can help users increase typing speed and can also be used as a pointing device for gamers.

Ahsan is planning to develop more products like a Braille keyboard which is currently not available in Pakistan. He is working towards the idea of ‘E can do IT’ which stands for “Every one can do Information Technology”. Main objective behind ’E can do IT’ is to make computer education easy for physically disable people in Pakistan.

Ahsan is seeking a manufacturer and investor who can help produce the item in large quantity and also market it.

No doubt Ahsan is a distinguished young genius of Pakistan and government should support his venture both financially and morally to uplift the image of Pakistan as a technology friendly country and thus bring more investment in the country.

Incoming search terms:

You might also like:

Acer releases third-gen Aspire Timeline X laptops with Sandy Bridge, but only in Taiwan for now

Pakistan IT — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 07:34:31 +0000

If you’ve been waiting for Sandy Bridge to land on Acer’s Timeline X laptops, then today’s your day. Well, it depends, as these new machines are only available in Taiwan for the time being. Just a few hours ago, the lucky folks over at Engadget Chinese managed to get up close and personal with these bad boys: we have a couple of 13.3-inch 3830TGs (pictured after the break), a 14-inch 4830TG, and a 15.6-inch 5830TG (pictured above). With the exception of Core i3-2310M on one of the 3830TGs, these laptops all come with Core i5-2410M, NVIDIA GT540M (with 2GB DDR3 RAM), 640GB hard drive, 2GB DDR3 RAM, and USB 3.0 ports. As for multimedia, sitting below the 1,366 x 768 LED-backlit LCDs are Dolby Home Theater speakers by Kenwood, and additionally, the two larger models also pack a DVD Super Multi DL drive.

Compared to the previous-gen Timeline X range, the most notable difference here is the new chiclet keyboard brought over from the Ethos range, which should trap a lot less dirt thanks to the tighter gaps. You’ll see that the new Timeline X ID has gone for a more tranquil look — the touchpad no longer has a silver trim around it, and likewise, the edges around the body are no longer tapered. Also gone is the removable battery underneath, but given the impressive portability (4.12 pounds, 4.67 pounds, and 5.49 pounds, respectively), we won’t miss this feature too much. On the contrary, there’s now an extra mouse button, presumably for offering better left and right-clicking. So far so good, and if you’re digging these laptops as well, then they can be yours for between NT$32,900 (US$1,133) and NT39,900 (US$1,374). Head over to Engadget Chinese for the whole stash of hands-on photos.

Incoming search terms:

You might also like:

Toshiba’s Satellite L Series continues its world tour, adds 2D-to-3D conversion

Pakistan IT — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 07:18:24 +0000

Back at CES, Toshiba unveiled a batch of low-cost Satellite L Series laptops in the US, and now it’s taking its show on the road, with new models on tap for Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. These include the 13.3-inch L730 and L735, the 15.6-inch L750 and L755, and, if you’re hankering for a desktop replacement, the hulking 17.3-inch L770 and L775. This latest spin on the L Series boasts 3D support, connecting to 3DTVs over HDMI and, in some cases, converting 2D content to 3D. As in the States, shoppers abroad can add up to 8GB of RAM, and will get their choice of Intel Core i3 and Core i5 processors and various AMD CPUs, including triple- and quad-core options. Also look for multitouch trackpads, 5,400RPM hard drives as large as 750GB, 1.3 megapixel webcams, a mix of USB 3.0 and sleep-and-charge USB 2.0 ports, and a choice of integrated Intel HD graphics or a discrete NVIDIA GeForce 315M card with up to 1GB of video memory. No word yet on when they’ll go on sale or how much they’ll cost, but those curious for more can hit the source link for the full spill.

Incoming search terms:

You might also like:

Acer unveils svelte and spiffy Aspire Z5761 all-in-one, on sale in May

Pakistan IT — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 07:08:33 +0000

Yes, laptops and tablets are all the rage these days, but there’s still quite a few of us who enjoy the expansive screen real estate of their sedentary computing brethren. That’s why Acer’s unleashed a sleek and svelte new all-in-one dubbed the Aspire Z5761. This latest AIO keeps the same fabulous form factor of its cousin, the AZ3750, but sports a larger 23-inch Full HD display, your choice of Sandy Bridge Core i5-2400s, Core i5-2500s, or Core i7-2600s CPUs, up to a 1.5TB SATA II HDD, a Blu-ray or SuperMulti drive, NVIDIA GeForce GT440, GT435M, or GT420 graphics, and a hybrid TV-tuner card so it can do double duty as your boob tube should you be so inclined. Connectivity comes courtesy of gigabit Ethernet, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1, and eight USB 2.0 ports. In addition, the system’s preloaded with the company’s Clear.fi tech, so you can grab multimedia content residing on other Acer devices (assuming you have any) with the greatest of ease. Touching down for £799 ($1305 for those of us residing on the right side of the Atlantic), this desktop dandy is set to go on sale in early May — we know, we can’t wait either. Full scoop’s in the press release after the break.

New Acer Aspire Z5761:
A touch of style and performance

London, 6th April 2011 – Acer introduces the new Acer Aspire Z5761: combining great performance, excellent entertainment and stylish modern design, this all-in-one desktop heralds next generation computing.

Thanks to the screen with multi-touch functionality, the Aspire Z5761 not only offers a dynamic user experience, but also delivers one of the easiest ways of interacting with your PC and integrating all your multimedia contents. Starting point for this smarter way to access the PC and the web, the Acer TouchPortal provides a truly hands-on experience bringing together a full suite of touch enhanced applications and gadgets for fun and entertainment:

- TouchBrowser is a touch-friendly web browser designed for searching, retrieving and presenting information from the Internet.

- TouchCam features handy touch controls to add fun video effects while chatting online, or do theme-style recording and share with friends on YouTube™.

- TouchMusic, lets you browse, manage and play your favourite music.

- TouchPhoto integrates photo management with photo sharing capabilities and is designed to interact with both local images and online albums.

- TouchVideo includes video management and sharing features. It allows you to enjoy Blu-ray or DVD movies and home videos, as well as browse and share your videos to YouTube.

But the Acer TouchPortal is not the only way the Aspire Z5761 brings your digital life together. It also comes with Clear.fi, Acer’s new media sharing system based on the idea that it’s easier if all multimedia content is simply brought into a single system with a common interface. No matter where they are. Clear.fi is a cross-platform solution that works straight out of the box, automatically detecting the Clear.fi-enabled devices connected to the wireless home network, and then allowing all digital content stored on any of these to be shared seamlessly using the Clear.fi media interface.

Featuring a modern, minimalist design, the Aspire Z5761 easily fits into any décor, gracing any living or working space with a sophisticated look and feel. Sharp-cut geometric lines set off the combination of aluminum with matt and glossy black surfaces, creating a luxurious effect. Cool blue lighting placed above the integrated speakers lights up the keyboard. When not in use the keyboard can be nicely tucked away below the PC, enhancing the overall minimalist look as well as increasing the free area in front of the desktop. Inspired by modern art, the silver stand is designed with a window for organizing cables while keeping a simple, yet stylish design.

Performance-wise, this is an advanced PC, rich of cutting edge technologies engineered to convey an enhanced computing experience. Exploiting the 2nd generation Intel® Core™ processor family, that features Intel® Turbo Boost Technology 2.0, capable of increasing perfomance in response to the most demanding tasks such as editing multimedia files, or playing fast-paced games, this desktop can deliver optimal speed enabling smoother multitasking and ensuring maximised entertainment and productivity. What’s more it combines turbo-charged computing power with energy efficiency.

Top-quality visual and audio components make the most of your entertainment. With a spacious 58.4 cm (23″) Full HD 1080p 16:9 display, fast 5ms response and powerful graphics solutions, you will catch even the tiniest details of your favourite movies, games, pictures, and digital TV thanks to ultra-sharp and colorful imagery. Captivating and immersive audio is brought about by an integrated 5W stereo speaker system and professionally tuned Dolby® Home Theater® v4.

With a Blu-ray Disc™ optical drive (optional), multi-in-one card reader, and TV-tuner (optional) these models bring together all facets of your digital life, from movies to games, from TV to pictures: an all-in-one design also in terms of entertainment.

Full connectivity is ensured by the most advanced wireless and wired technologies: 802.11b/g/n network connection, Gigabit LAN and optional built-in Bluetooth® 2.1. The built-in microphone and high definition webcam will help you keep in touch with friends and family through video chats and conference.

In terms of storage, up to 1.5TB of capacity offers plenty of space for all your digital archives. Up to 8GB of DDR3 memory ensure seamless running of the most demanding application, while a total of eight USB port supplies handy connection to all your peripherals.

The Aspire Z5761 will be available in early May with prices starting from £799 including VAT.

Incoming search terms:

You might also like:

How would you change HP’s Fusion-powered Pavilion dm1z?

Pakistan IT — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 08:49:44 +0000

We know you — you’re that guy (or gal!) who simply can’t resist dipping your toes into whatever’s next, and in the case of AMD’s Fusion, you almost certainly went out and grabbed up an HP Pavilion dm1z as soon as it hit the market. Nah, we aren’t clairvoyant, just rational guessers. At any rate, now that you’ve had a solid two or three months with your Zacate-backed ultraportable, we’re eager to know how you’d change things if given the golden key. Are you satisfied with the build quality? How’s that heat? Feeling any jealousy for those who opted for Atom-based rigs? Are the keyboard and trackpad things you actually look forward to using? Go ahead and vent in comments below; it’s Friday, it’s your birthday, and HP’s got an awfully thick coat of skin.

Incoming search terms:

You might also like: