Archive for January, 2011

Intel has found a problem with the chips being using with its Sandy Bridge processors, which were rolled-out recently as a feature on a number of laptops making there way to world markets.

The company has released a statement explaining that it has issued a “silicon fix” for the problem with its Cougar Point chips and intends to start delivering updated replacements before the end of February.

Intel’s stock price took a hit on the back of the announcement, with the costs associated with resolving the issue expected to run into hundred of millions of dollars.

Rule-makers at the House of Commons are considering whether or not to allow British MPs to use their tablet PCs while working in the main chambers.

UK laws are drawn-up and important issues debated at the site in central London and the rising prevalence of tablet PCs has brought with it some confusion over how to categorise and control the use of the latest mobile devices.

At present, the House of Commons internal rules stipulate that MPs can carry and use their mobile phones but not their laptops, which leaves unanswered the question of whether tablets are to viewed as one, the other or nether of these previously assigned categories.

Motorola is gearing up to introduce its first tablet PC in the shape of its Xoom device as early as next month as it aims to take a share of the fast growing market sector.

Speculation has been rife about when a ten-inch alternative to the iPad would arrive from one of the world’s top consumer tech firm’s and it is now odds-on that the Xoom will test the waters for the latest Android-operated slates.

Dell is reportedly waiting on the Honeycomb version of Google’s Android operating system to be made fully available before introducing a tablet PC to directly compete with the iPad from Apple.

A Tweet from BBC business editor Tim Webber read: “Michael Dell tells me that as soon as Android 3.0 Honeycomb is fully available, Dell will ship iPad-sized tablets.”

Michael Dell of course is the founder and chief executive of the company that carries his name and is one of the world’s largest suppliers of laptop computers.

Samsung saw sales of its Android-operated Galaxy Tab pass the two million mark during the final quarter of last year as it aimed to gain ground on the market-leading iPad from Apple.

Both the Galaxy S smartphone and the Galaxy Tab tablet PC ranges have been selling strongly in recent months and are currently leading the chase for second in what are two of the newest and most dynamic mobile computing sectors.

Apple was responsible for opening up the tablet PC market in earnest just under a year ago and rival consumer tech giants have been scrambling for position ever since. Samsung was the first to introduce a slate device that operates on Google’s Android system but the competition in this context is set to intensify considerably over the next few months and throughout 2011.

Global technology powerhouse Hewlett-Packard is aiming to pull together the various stands of an ever-changing consumer tech market and could soon be announcing the launch of a new set of tablet PCs.

Speaking to the BBC at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, HP’s chief executive Leo Apotheker suggested that the industry as a whole is going through the most dynamic period in its history and said his firm has the capacity to take the greatest advantage.

The HP boss made clear that the primary shift in the consumer tech sector is towards a “totally mobile” pattern of internet usage, which is why there is so much emphasis being placed on tablet PCs right now and not least by HP.

A dedicated app to deliver BBC iPlayer content to iPads is nearing a release and should soon be available in the UK, according to reports.

The BBC has been talking up the prospects of an iPlayer app for the better part of a year but it now does finally look as if the corporation will be able to deliver its programmes to Apple users via a video-on-demand platform of its very own.

It is believed that the app will be available for download from the App Store before the end of February, and before the BBC’s current technology director Erik Huggers vacates his post and heads for the halls of Intel HQ.