Category: Technology

Intel is well known for its more powerful yet cooler running 22 nanometers “Core” processor chips that run PCs and servers. Intel dominates the PC and server chips market. However, PC sales are declining in the face of rapidly growing smartphones and tablets. Until the recent past, Intel did not attempted to enter into the rapidly growing mobile segment of the market and allowed its partnering ARM licensees to deal with it. Faced with dwindling PC sales Intel is now forced to compete in the mobile market segment in order to survive.

Now Intel is gearing up its “Atom” chips technology. Atom chips were first introduced in 2008 during the Intel Developer Forum in Shanghai, China. The 22 nanometer Atom chips (code named Silvermont) are in production and getting ready to be shipped before the holidays. Known as Bay Trail these chips will be available in early September 2013. But Intel is putting more attention to a much faster, ultra-low-voltage 14 nanometer Atom chip (code named Airmont) that can revolutionize the mobile chip market. The 14 nanometer Atom chips carry a power advantage over other similar chips using only 15 watts or less of electricity.

Edward Snowden, a system operator working for a contractor for the National Security Agency (NSA) fled the U.S. with a massive amount of data that the NSA’s Prism program is collecting from individual’s phone calls, emails and others. When he arrived in Hong Kong he started to release some of the data upsetting the country and other nations and Snowden declared that he will be releasing additional data in coming weeks and months. To everyone’s surprise, the action brought a little known surveillance program of data mining by the U.S. government to the forefront.

In the middle of the controversy is data gathering behemoths such as Google, Apple and many others. Google’s Android operating system is an open source code and anyone can participate. It can be found on many devices such as Android OS based smartphones, tablets, televisions, cars, and many other devices. No wonder why the Federal government has its own secret Android code to obtain data from the Google’s Android OS. Not just the NSA, anyone can get data from the open source system. Since Apple doesn’t accept outside source codes, anyone including the NSA need Apple’s approval or need to obtain data from Apple.

A watch capable of computing from Apple is once again making headlines in technology circuit. Apple lost more than one third of its share price recently and could use a boost from much talked about wrist watch. Other companies have made attempts starting with Cisco’s calculator watch in 1970s to Sony’s SmartWatch that you can check your e-mail, tweet, or play music in addition to making phone calls. At the same time Apple has proven with its iPad, iPhone and others that it is capable of introducing new products that can unseat some of the industry leaders.

The latest rumors about Apple wrist watch comes from its filings of more than 79 patent applications since 2001 related to a flexible screen device powered by kinetic energy. Additionally, Bloomberg Businessweek says that team of about 100 Apple employees are working on a smart wristwatch that company expect to introduce this fall. Additionally, it reports citing a source familiar with the company, the new device will be capable of time keeping as well as an accessory to its iPhone allowing make and receive calls, check maps, work as a pedometer and a heart monitor.

The technology and marketing fight between Apple and Korea’s Samsung Electronics is continuing.  Apple is the biggest company and Samsung is gaining more grounds.  Samsung sold more Galaxy S-III smartphones than Apple and its Galaxy Note II tablet is also selling well.  However, people who doubt Apple’s ability to stay on top may want to give it another look.

Apple rolled out iPad mini and iPhone 5 recently.  It had to introduce a lottery and appointments system to tame the Chinese customers when these products were released for sale in China.  When it reports its quarterly earnings in late January 2013, it will give an indication how well these products are selling.

At the just concluded Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, curious Apple aficionados were talking about a cheaper version of its iPhone to compete with Samsung and others in developing countries.  Apple traditionally drop prices as its products matures and made them available in much of the maturing markets such as developing countries.

Apple customers downloaded more than 40 billion apps from Apple’s App Store since its launch in 2008.  Apple holds more than $29 billion in cash and another $92 billion in other securities.

After eight years at the helm, Paul S. Otellini recently announced that he is leaving the world’s largest chip maker Intel in May 2013.  During his tenure, Intel increased its revenue by 56 percent and operating profits surged by 46 percent.  But moving forward, Intel may face tough challenges.

The worldwide sales of PCs are slowing down and sales of smartphones and tablets are increasing at an alarming rate.  Unfortunately Intel chips are not in the growing smartphones and tablets.  Apple produces half the world’s tablets and uses its own chips.  Google’s Nexus 7 uses chips made by Nvidia and Amazon.com Kindle Fire uses chips made by Texas Instruments.  In the smartphones market Intel chips are in few smaller overseas products.  The world’s dominant chip maker for phones and tablets is ARM Holdings.

Intel chips in PCs cost over $100 compared to much smaller price of a smartphone and tablet chip.  If PC market falters, it will be a huge blow to the Intel revenue.  Critics are asking Intel to open its factories to other chips which Intel has brushed away.  The main reason for declining the offer is Intel is not willing to share its X86 software that is used in its chip technology.