Yahoo & Microsoft as both push 30% higher in 2013!

Yahoo under the leadership of Marissa Mayer has found new energy. The company has enacted an acquisition spree, picking up companies both small and Tumblr. Hiring has also become easier for the company as its mindshare has risen. Its mobile efforts have seen firm traction. It’s a company on the make.

And investors have responded, pushing its stock up more than 30 percent thus far in 2013, a dramatic rise given that we are still enjoying the tail end of May. However, as the LA Times’ Chris O’Brien noted yesterday, the company isn’t alone in its good fortune: Microsoft’s stock has risen just north of 30 percent in 2013 as well.

Microsoft is a company that is currently enduring two mild market rebukes of its most public new consumer facing products: Windows 8 and the Surface tablet line. Both are selling, but not as strongly as Microsoft expected. And the company still faces headwinds in the smartphone space despite progress. Why is the company up such a large percentage this year, when it continues to struggle in the consumer sector?

O’Brien wrote about the subject for the Times, stating that:

There may be no one explanation for the sudden love from investors. It’s worth noting that while PC sales have collapsed, Microsoft’s earnings have not collapsed with them. And while Windows 8 may not have met expectations, the company is rumored to be planning some changes, such as possibly reintroducing the Start button and allowing users to boot directly to the classic desktop version rather than the tile-based look.

The irony to the above quote is that O’Brien didn’t know what Microsoft had planned for this morning:  an unveiling of Windows 8.1. I spent nearly two hours with Microsoft yesterday at its downtown San Francisco office digging through the coming update to Windows 8. It’s a worthy and worth-awaiting fix, both extending new features and smoothing user interface issues that plagued the first build of the new operating system.

But Windows 8.1 is only now partially known, and remains a future release. What could have driven the rise in Microsoft’s stock price that it has enjoyed previously in 2013? After all, Microsoft is up a mere 0.5% today, following the news of Windows 8.1, so it can’t be the sole, or even material cause. Or, just as Yahoo has seen its stock price rise over a number of events, it would be sensical that Microsoft’s has swung higher on more than a single event.

The gist of my position on Microsoft’s progress up the stock charts is simple: the company was undervalued before, its business products are growing quickly, and new segments of its software are hitting key revenue benchmarks. Microsoft’s current price-earnings ratio is around 18. Before it was around 12. That’s a low multiple for a technology company. The rise in its valuation isn’t therefore exceptionally frothy.

That figure however comes with a caveat: according to Yahoo Finance, Microsoft’s current 5 year expected PEG ratio clocks in at a high 1.45; investors are therefore betting that Microsoft will grow more quickly in the future than the past, which will bring that last ratio down to a more acceptable figure. (For comparison, Yahoo’s current price-earnings according to Google Finance is a painfully low 7.72).

Can it? Azure is now a $1 billion per year business, the new version of Office has moved more than 20 million copies in its life, Office 365 Home Premium for consumers is over the 1 million subscriber mark, Yammer revenue is up 259% year-over-year, and SharePoint is now bringing in more than $2 billion per year. Those add up to a sum that can shift Microsoft’s growth rates forward.

None of this excuses the weakness in the larger PC market that will bedevil the Windows division, even as Surface revenue helps replace perhaps lower-than-known Windows software revenue. But quite simply momentum in Microsoft’s favor is granting it breathing room to sort and fix Windows 8; 100 million licenses sold isn’t a number that can be laughed at, even if Microsoft had anticipated a higher tally.

Taken as a whole, Microsoft was perhaps a bit undervalued before its 2013 rally, and strong performance of new products and its software that it vends to businesses could drive short and medium-term revenue growth. That appears to have heartened investors.

If Microsoft can fully sort Windows 8, and manage to greatly increase its presence in the tablet market, it can then call itself wholly healthy. For now, the company lists too heavily to one side. Still, the company is far from dead.

Returning to Yahoo, it’s interesting to see the difference in how the two firms have managed their ascent; Yahoo has done so through very public purchases, and generally lauded performance. Microsoft has managed the same gain in a more quiet fashion. But investors are responding to both companies in similar ways, though I would posit that Yahoo’s gains are more based on – and I would say well placed – optimism, while Microsoft’s are a bit more numerically based.

Still, both firms are being valued as if they will see their top and bottom lines grow. If either bet, or both pay off we’ll know in a few quarters. For now, both are happy to not be Apple, a company of almost comical strength and a painfully declining stock.TNW

Motorola confirms Moto X Smartphone!

Motorola has announced its new Moto X flagship Smartphone which will launch this summer.

There's been plenty of talk and rumors about the Motorola X phone but we finally have some confirmation, straight from the horse's mouth. Dennis Woodside, CEO of Motorola, broke the news at the AllThingsD conference where he said the phone would be part of a portfolio which would reinvent the Google-owned company.

The 'hero' Moto X was in his pocket but Woodside said "I can't show it to you

Unfortunately no specifications were revealed for the Moto X. However, Woodside did say that using various sensors it will be 'contextually aware', knowing when you take it out of your pocket for example. "It anticipates my needs" he said.

Some components will be made elsewhere – for example, the processors will come from Taiwan and the OLED screen will be manufactured in Korea. Woodside also suggested the Moto X will offer good battery life.

Consumers will be able to get their hands on the Moto X 'by October, according to Woodside. The Smartphone will be the first to be assembled in the USA, according to Motorola. It will be put together in Fort Worth, Texas.

One reason for this is to deliver the Smartphone much quicker, having the HQ close to the factory. Woodside said the Moto X will be 'broadly distributed'. There's no word on a UK launch yet but we'll keep you up to date.

The Motorola Moto X will be released by October along with a number of other new Smartphone so stay tuned for all the latest.

Samsung ranks 1st on phone sales but Apple tags higher on Profit!

Samsung was the world’s number one Smartphone seller for the first quarter of this year in terms of revenue, overtaking Apple, data from Strategy show.

According to a report from Yonhap News, sales of Samsung’s Smartphone topped $23.63 billion during the first three months of 2013, toppling the iPhone maker which had occupied the top spot in the previous quarter.

Apple posted $22.95 billion worth of Smartphone sales in the first quarter, down $7.71 billion from the previous quarter. Comparatively, Samsung’s first-quarter sales figure was up $952 million from the previous quarter.

Data released by Strategy Analytics yesterday saw Samsung chalk up a record figure of 12.5 million Smartphone being sold in China during the first quarter of 2013.

The latest Yonhap report said solid demand for Samsung’s high-end Smartphone that run on the long-term evolution network helped to boost its sales.

Last week, Samsung’s Galaxy S4 passed 10 million channel sales within a month of its launch, becoming the company’s fastest-ever selling Smartphone. The Galaxy S3 took two months to reach the same milestone.

In the latest Strategy Analytics data, Nokia came in third with sales of $3.64 billion, followed by LG Electronics with $2.95 billion in sales.

Apple, however, ranked first in terms of operating income earned by handset makers globally in the first quarter, taking a 31 percent share. Samsung came in second with a 21.8 percent share, LG third with 4.1 percent, followed by Sharp with 3 percent, the report showed.

Samsung posted operating profit of $$7.9 billion and net profit of $6.5 billion in the first quarter of 2013, while Apple recorded $9.5 billion in profit for the second fiscal quarter of 2013. 

Ready for the iPhone 6?

A concept image of the Apple iPhone 6 shows a radical curved screen design.

Part of a string of concept images including a budget iPhone with a plastic case, MyVoucherCodes has commission the design showing what the iPhone 6 could look like. The design is based on a recent patent meaning a possible curved display. 

 The patent describes: "A consumer electronic product includes at least a transparent housing and a flexible display assembly enclosed within the transparent housing. In the described embodiment, the flexible display assembly is configured to present visual content at any portion of the transparent housing."

The patent also says the display can achieve "an illusion of depth perception" capable of "mimicking a 3D experience."

So the iPhone 6 could have a wraparound AMOLED display and the loss of the iconic physical home button. If so, it would be the biggest design overhaul of the iPhone since Apple launched the device in 2007.

However, Nickolay Lamm, the designer behind the concept, thinks it's unlikely that Apple will release an iPhone with this kind of design this year but it could feature in a future generation; perhaps the iPhone 7.

"Such a design may appear on the iPhone 6 or 7, or maybe never. It’s a cool design, but one which is unlikely to give Apple a sustainable competitive advantage. If Samsung sees that Apple’s curved iPhone is selling well, it can come out with a curved phone of its own. So, although this is a radical design change, Apple needs to look to new frontiers, new products, in order to be the “think different” Apple it was under Steve Jobs." said Lamm.PCadvisor

Meet the all new Xbox 360!

 The original Xbox debuted in the fall of 2005, which feels like a million years ago...even if it's only seven and a half. It's high time for a new console, even if some tech pundits are questioning the value of gaming hardware platforms in the current age.

Design
The Xbox One is large, sleek, and black, and looks like a piece of AV equipment. The controller and Kinect unit are redesigned, too: the Kinect and Xbox One, in particular, sport sharp-angled, glossy-black boxy looks. As a set, the Xbox One really does feel like some elaborate piece of home theater gear...and considering its mission to knit entertainment together into a modern all-in-one package, that's clearly intentional. It also looks awfully big, compared with current-gen consoles and how they've slimmed down.

The name "Xbox One" suggests a reboot, a fresh start. Maybe from this day forward, Microsoft's connected living-room PC strategies will spring from the Xbox One. Or, it'll just be a very good gaming console.

Home entertainment
Microsoft promises that this is a better-connected way of linking TV, games, and entertainment in one unit -- something the Xbox 360 already does, but will do more via commands like "Xbox, on." As was said during the initial presser, you're "going to have a relationship with your TV." The elevator pitch: take on a living room that has become "too complex," and make a system that knits games, TV, and entertainment.

So, how will that happen?

There are universal gestures such as grab-and-pan and swipe up; watching live TV will involve maximizing and minimizing the screen in a top corner. Live TV will be part of the Xbox One experience, via HDMI-in. Yes, cable TV looks like part of the package.

But we haven't seen, other than some picture-in-picture overlays, how exactly TV is piped in and more deeply interacted with...and who the partners are. Comcast was mentioned, but what other companies will contribute to letting the Xbox One hook in and become a true TV accessory? That was the challenge that daunted Google TV and the Wii U. Right now, it doesn't look like the Xbox One replaces your cable box or your DVR, even though it's large enough to be both.

The Xbox One does knit together new voice commands to do some PC-like stuff: you can order movie tickets, for instance, engage in Skype, or pull up fantasy sports stats while watching a game. The conversational, Siri-meets-Google Now-like voice commands hopefully will have clear menu representation on the console, as otherwise it could get confusing.

"It's an all-in-one entertainment console" is a pitch we've heard before, dating back to the PlayStation 3 and before that -- really, going back all the way to the 3DO. It hasn't always worked, but the Xbox One is better positioned because the Xbox 360's already pretty successful at being an excellent streaming-video device.

Specs
Under the hood, details so far include an eight-core processor and graphics made by AMD, 8GB of RAM, Blu-ray, USB 3.0, HDMI in/out, and a 500GB hard drive. Besides all of this, Microsoft is promising a new operating system fusing Xbox and Windows.

Xbox One architecture has "three operating systems in one": Xbox, a kernel of Windows (perhaps like Windows RT), and a multitasking interface. The idea seems to be that this console will be a multitasker at heart. Check out a head-to-head comparison with the PlayStation 4 specs known so far, however, and you can see that the distance between Sony and Microsoft, in terms of hardware, will be shorter than ever.

New Kinect
A new Kinect comes with the Xbox One, complete with improved accuracy. It has a 1080p camera, Skype connectivity, and understanding of rotational movement in a structure like a skeleton. Microsoft even claims the new Kinect can read your heartbeat. It can also recognize your controller, not just your hands -- suggesting uses that sound a little like the ones for PlayStation Move's wand.

New controller
The Xbox controller's gotten a revamp with an integrated battery, improved ergonomics, a better D-pad, and improved response triggers. It looks similar but has gotten a bunch of gamer-oriented tweaks.

SmartGlass
The tablet-based SmartGlass experience will center on Xbox One, and will work as before with a variety of phones and tablets. Baked-in Wi-Fi Direct on the Xbox One will allow Bluetooth-like direct communication between external devices, which could come in handy for other future peripherals, too. Second screens will be a major method of interacting with the Xbox One, but details were scarce at the Xbox event -- how will it be better than, and more profound than, SmartGlass as it currently exists?

Xbox Live
Built on the existing service and usernames, the new Xbox Live promises 300,000 servers for Xbox One, a whopping number. Matchmaking services will work while you're doing other tasks like watching movies or Web browsing, and bigger, more quickly connecting matches are promised, too. Microsoft has discussed some cloud services on the Xbox One that seems promising: user-based cloud game saves, uploaded game recording, and even the potential for cloud-processing-enhanced games. How that will play out isn't clear.

Games
Microsoft plans eight new franchises for the Xbox One in the first year, a hopeful sign for a platform that's become too sequel-dependent. Of course, Forza 5 was shown off, but a new game called Quantum Break from the developers of Alan Wake looks like the sort of game we're more used to seeing from PlayStation, with a big-studio design and cinematic feel. But there is some bad news: like the PlayStation 4, the Xbox One isn't backward-compatible with Xbox 360 games. For more, read what we know about Xbox One's games so far.

TV on Xbox
"Xbox is going to be the next water cooler." That was said during the event to suggest the Xbox One's role as a social-TV platform. To that end, it sounds like Microsoft is developing TV shows and original programming for the Xbox One, making a greater leap into Netflix-like original programming. Steven Spielberg announced a new TV series based on Halo, and the NFL demonstrated some level of interaction with fantasy stats and Skyping with NFL broadcasts.

Availability
The Xbox One will be available "later this year," so that means 2013 after all. Price and a specific date will have to wait...after all, E3 is just weeks away. In short, there are still several things about the Xbox One we don't know...and would like to.

BB messenger coming on iOS & Android this year!

 Blackberry (formerly Research in Motion RIM) has announced plans to launch it's popular BB messenger on the Apple iOS and Android as a free app, making accessible to millions of fan around the globe. 

In a recent press release at BlackBerry Live 2013, Andrew Bocking, Executive Vice President, Software Product Management and Ecosystem, at BlackBerry had this to say:

“For BlackBerry, messaging and collaboration are inseparable from the mobile experience, and the time is definitely right for BBM to become a multi-platform mobile service. BBM has always been one of the most engaging services for BlackBerry customers, enabling them to easily connect while maintaining a valued level of personal privacy. We’re excited to offer iOS and Android users the possibility to join the BBM community.”

If you’re already a fan of BlackBerry Messenger (BBM), we’ve got some exciting news designed to make it easier for you to connect with your entire mobile social network. BlackBerry plans to make BBM, our wildly popular mobile messaging service, available for the first time to iOS® and Android™ users this summer, (subject to approval by Google Play and the Apple App Store, as applicable). This means that, once available, you can welcome your friends and family using these other mobile platforms to connect over BBM and share in the Team BlackBerry love.

BBM set the standard for mobile instant messaging with fast and reliable service and an added layer of engagement with delivered and read statuses. You’ve shared with us your stories about how BBM has kept you connected when it mattered most to you. Upon release of the multi-platform BBM service, you can broaden that real-time connection to friends and colleagues on other supported mobile platforms.

In the first version of multi-platform BBM, iOS and Android users are expected to be able to experience the following BBM features:

·         The immediacy of BBM chats

·         Multi-person chats

·         Voice note sharing

·         BlackBerry Groups, where BBM users are able to set up groups of up to 30 people and share calendar, photos, files and more

The team here at BlackBerry has definitely been working hard to bring the much-adored BBM experience to a wider group of mobile users. BB blog.

Get ready for Xbox 720!

 Tomorrow Microsoft will reveal the next generation of Xbox console. So we've taken a look at what to expect from the fabled Xbox 720.

The gaming industry has come a long way since the Xbox 360 launch in 2005, a whopping eight years ago. All those years ago, Microsoft was something of an underdog compared to Sony and Nintendo. However, as it announces the next Xbox tomorrow the situation will be somewhat different.

Nintendo launched the Wii U with its tablet-like controller before Christmas and Sony unveiled the PlayStation 4 in February, although we only got a look at the PS4 controller.

All eyes are on Microsoft now as it is the last of the big console manufacturers to make its move. "On Tuesday May 21, we'll mark the beginning of a new generation of games, TV and entertainment." said Larry Hyrb, aka Major Nelson, director of programming at Xbox.

Xbox 720 reveal: will it be called the Xbox 720?

The next Xbox is codenamed 'Durango'. Although it's been widely dubbed the Xbox 720, following on from the 360, Microsoft has not confirmed this is what it will be called. Another couple of possibilities include Xbox Infinity and Xbox Fusion.

Xbox 720 reveal: when will it launch?

We'll have to see what Microsoft says tomorrow, if it says anything at all about a release date, but rumours suggest the Xbox 720 will be released later this year in time for Christmas. This makes a lot of sense and it's the kind of release date we would put our money on.

Xbox 720 reveal: how much will it cost?

This is a particularly hard one to call and the price is likely to vary from market to market. According to a leaked document the launch price of the Xbox 720 will be $299 about fifty thousand naira (with a two year Xbox Live subscription). To just buy the console outright, the suggested price is $499 (about eighty thousand naira).

Hopefully Microsoft will give pricing details tomorrow but there's no guarantee.

Xbox 720 reveal: what specifications will it have?

Anything is subject to change but the Xbox 720's hardware specification has been leaked for a while now. Rumoured specifications include a 1.6GHz AMD processor arranged in two sets of quad-cores, a custom 800MHz graphics processor with 12 shader cores and 8GB of DDR3 RAM.

It is also expected that the Xbox 720 will feature a large hard drive, although there may be different capacities available, and a DVD/Blu-ray drive. See also: Xbox 720 specifications revealed.

Xbox 720 reveal: what features will it have?

For starters, the Xbox 720 will supposedly use the same VapourMG magnesium which is used on the Surface tablets. Gaming features could well include a new version of the Xbox Kinect (V2 or version 2.0) which can support four players at once and games in full 3D. There's also talk of augmented reality glasses which can be used with the console.

Beyond gaming, entertainment will no doubt be a key feature of the Xbox 720. According to The Verge, the next Xbox will get a redesigned dashboard interface with Windows 8 style live tiles. The current Xbox offers Sky, Netflix, LoveFilm and other service so you can expect even more from the Xbox 720.

Major Nelson's quote (above) says the console will include "next generation TV and entertainment" so we could see features such as the ability to record TV programmes like set-top box. Cloud-streaming will no doubt be an important feature.

We also wouldn't be surprise to see Skype integration in the next console.

Key details which will hopefully be revealed tomorrow include whether the Xbox will require an internet connection to play games, whether backwards compatibility will be included and whether pre-owned games will be blocked from use.

Xbox 720 reveal: will there be a new controller?

Unlike the Wii U's radical GamePad, it is thought Microsoft will stick to a similar design to the current Xbox 360 controller. It will likely be an evolution of the existing design but no major change is expected.

Xbox 720 reveal: what games will it launch with?

While some launch titles will possibly be mentioned tomorrow, it's likely that the main set of Xbox games will be announced at the E3 gaming convention in Los Angeles. Microsoft has said a 'full lineup' of 'blockbuster games' will be showcased at E3.

We're sure you're hoping for, along with us, mentions of Forza Motorsport 5, Halo 5, Fable 4 and Project Gotham Racing 5.

We already know that the upcoming Call of Duty: Ghosts will be launched on the next Xbox. Other games announcements which have incorporated mentions of 'next-gen' or 'future' consoles and platforms include Ryse, Destiny, Wolfenstein: The New Order, Dragon Age III: Inquisition, The Evil Within, Thief and Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag. PCadvisor.

Apple to release iWatch!

The general consensus of the web is that the next major innovation Apple is working on is a smart watch. Here’s where we take a look at the Apple iWatch release date and specs. 

 Early rumors suggest that the Apple iWatch will not be just any old wrist watch, but more like a wearable minicomputer complete with a full OS. Needless to say, it has got a lot of people talking. So let’s not waste anymore time, let’s dive in and take a look at what the web thinks it has discovered with regards to Apple’s iWatch.

Remember that we will be updating this article as and when news about the iWatch breaks (leaks).

Apple iWatch release date

There are two main schools of thought with regards to the Apple iWatch’s release date. Initially it was thought that the iWatch’s release date would be in Q3 or Q4 of 2013, thanks to the loudmouths over at Bloomberg.

However, there has been a worrying lack of leaked information about the Apple iWatch as of yet, which has led to many to question the reliability of Bloomberg’s sources. Especially when compared to how leaky things get when we approach the release date of an iPhone or iPad. The result is a revised prediction of Q1 2014 from many other major technology websites.

Apple iWatch specs

Specs for the Apple iWatch are pretty thin on the ground right now. However, there are a couple of technology websites that have stuck their neck’s out and reported on what they’ve discovered.

One of the most interesting claims out there comes from the New York Times, where it says that the iWatch will feature Willow Glass, which is said to be so flexible that is can ‘flop as easily as a piece of paper in the wind without breaking’.

There also seems to be an agreement across all technology websites that the iWatch with support Bluetooth, in order for it to be compatible with other Apple products such as the iPhone, iPad and iPod.

Interestingly Apple has recently patented a clever slap band (think back to the school playground) related technology that communicates with the iWatch’s face in order to optimize the device for several cool features, included entering power saving mode faster when in the curled position.

In terms of size, you probably won’t be surprised to learn that there has been no official word from Apple, but that hasn’t stopped the web from starting some lovely rumors. The result of such rumors seems to be that we, the internet, are expecting a 1.5-inch touch screen watch face, that is waterproof and shock proof.

That's about all there is to know so far. Pretty puny on the information front eh? Don't worry though, we will keep on top of this article with all of the latest release date and spec rumours, so make sure you come back.

HP brings Android to laptops with SlateBook X2… also available with Windows 8

Hewlett-Packard has given the "Android treatment" to its latest laptop-tablet hybrid, which is called SlateBook X2 and has a detachable 10-inch screen that can independently function as a tablet.

The X2 is HP's second device with Android. Its first was the US$170 (about 25,000 naira)   Slate 7 tablet that started shipping in late April. The SlateBook X2 includes the tablet and keyboard dock as a package, and the tablet cannot be bought separately.

HP on Wednesday also introduced the Split X2, a Windows 8 hybrid laptop with a 13.3-inch detachable screen that can be used as a tablet.

The SlateBook X2 is priced at $479.99 (76000 naira) and the Split X2 starts at $799.99 ( 126,000). The hybrids will become available in the U.S. in August. HP declined to comment on worldwide availability.

Buyers could potentially save money by buying just a tablet, but there is a growing interest in hybrid devices, said David Conrad, director of consumer product management at HP.

"I think there are tablets out there so that's fine," said Conrad, adding that a hybrid gives "customers so much more."

Android OS is mostly in smartphones and tablets, but HP's SlateBook X2 provides a middle ground between a laptop and a tablet.

"I think Android can work in the PC space. It's a new thing in some ways," Conrad said. "What we want to do is amplify some things you can do with it and think of it as a notebook too."

Android is good for email, gaming and connectivity, but HP has given SlateBook X2 what Conrad called the "Android treatment" for a hybrid feel. The concept is similar to Windows RT, a tablet OS that also has limited desktop functionality.

HP has made minor changes to the user interface, and added features like a file manager so users have better control of the file system. New software allows the creation of Microsoft Office-compatible documents and presentations. The keyboard dock has specific Android buttons, much like Windows laptops. HP is not offering its own cloud service yet, but users can buy movies, TV shows, apps and books from the Google Play store. HP is targeting students and Android device users with the SlateBook.

The hybrid's display has a resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels. The device can offer roughly 12 to 14 hours of battery life via two batteries, one of which is in the tablet, and the other in the keyboard dock. The dock has USB slots to attach peripherals or more storage.

The SlateBook X2 has a capable processor in Nvidia's quad-core Tegra 4 chip, which is based on ARM's latest Cortex-A15 processor design and runs at a clock speed of 1.9GHz. The chip has 72 graphics cores and can support a screen resolution up to 3200 x 2000 pixels.

HP is also including more features in the Split X2's keyboard dock to make the hybrid worthwhile to buy as a package. It has up to 128GB solid-state drive storage, and the keyboard base offers an additional 500GB of hard drive storage.

The Split X2 runs on third-generation Intel Core processors code-named Ivy Bridge. HP did not say when Intel's fourth-generation Core processors will be in Split X2. Intel will announce the new processors, code-named Haswell, in June.

The new hybrids are part of the X2 product line, including Envy X2, which also comes with a keyboard dock and a detachable screen.

Many users are looking to upgrade PCs and are also interested in hybrids, Conrad said.

"We see enough interest in it. The response we got to Envy X2 has been pretty positive, all things considered. It's been positive enough where we can expand the lineup," Conrad said.

Tablets are hot, but adding a keyboard and selling it in a PC-like package may not go down well with customers, said David Daoud, research director at IDC.

"I find the strategy risky because why would customers need to be forced to acquire a separate keyboard if it is not physically attached," Daoud said.

IDC is making conservative projections on hybrid shipments as there is no established market yet for these products, Daoud said. PC makers are trying out new designs to see what sticks.

"You're bound to see a lot of products, but many are not likely going to make it," Daoud said.

HP also doesn't have the brand-name recognition of a company like Apple. But buyers would be willing to pay a premium for a MacBook Air with a detachable screen.

"Think of a super-thin laptop like a MacBook [Air] that's also an iPad, people will buy it," Daoud said.PCadvisor

Bill Gates: Steve Jobs was better at design than I was!

In an emotional interview on "60 Minutes", the Microsoft chairman speaks of visiting Steve Jobs in his last days and marveling at how well he understood the concept of brand.

When the sense of personal competition has gone, when time has passed, the memories become more acute and more accurate.

During Bill Gates' interview Sunday night with Charlie Rose on CBS's "60 Minutes," Microsoft's chairman released some emotion when speaking of visiting Steve Jobs during the Apple CEO's last days.

He said they're talked about what they'd learned and about families.

He said the conversation wasn't melancholy, but it clearly is an emotional memory for Gates.

When it came to business, Gates admitted that Apple "put the pieces" together on tablets and Microsoft didn't.

When Rose asked him what Jobs had that he wished he'd had, Gates replied: "His sense of design, that everything had to fit a certain aesthetic. The fact that he, with as little engineering background as he had, it shows that design can lead you in a good direction. And so phenomenal products came out of it."

There was more about Jobs.

"He knew about brand -- in a very positive sense. He had an intuitive sense for marketing that was amazing," Gates added.

Often, Gates has been critical of the iPad, for example. Last week, he suggested that iPad users were frustrated and really wanted a Surface.

But this interview appeared more personal than corporate. So Gates, perhaps, gave more intimate answers to some of the questions posed.

The evidence of Jobs' brilliance is clear. In a sense, as Gates acknowledges in this interview, he and Jobs grew up together and each watched (and secretly admired) the other's successes and knew each other's weaknesses.

Gates has rarely shown weakness in public. The touch of emotion he showed here was, perhaps, for a man and a time gone by.

Android Apps to improve your battery life!

Have you found yourself wishing that your Android's battery would last longer? Don't answer that, I already know. Be it poor app design, ever-larger display sizes, or our constant desire to play mobile games, we're eating up battery life faster than we'd like.

 Juice Defender

Packed with seemingly endless options, Juice Defender is perhaps my favorite app on this list. The free client lets you manage common connections, such as mobile data as well as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Multiple preset modes, like "aggressive" and "balanced," allow for toggling and scheduling, background synchronization, and choosing which apps can keep your screen on.

Aside from the free app, Juice Defender also comes in Plus ($1.99) and Ultimate ($4.99)versions. Depending on what level of control you are looking for, one might be better suited for your needs. The Plus version, for instance, adds "extreme" and "customized" profiles as well as location-aware Wi-Fi, as well as scheduling for night hours. The Ultimate app also boasts peak hours and weekend settings, autosync, and deeper GPS controls.

Indeed, I definitely recommend the free client as a starting point, but have no qualms about endorsing the paid apps.

Standout features: Multiple versions to suit needs; user profiles; scheduling; and location-aware features.

Battery Defender

One of the more feature-rich free clients I've encountered, Battery Defender offers plenty of options at no cost. It might sound trivial, but I like having the exact battery percentage listed in my notification bar. Far more accurate than what the stock experience usually gives you, it's a simple pleasure.

Battery Defender provides quick and painless access to toggling your common connections such as GPS, Wi-Fi, mobile data, and Bluetooth. I like being able to hop in and turn off the stuff I'm not using -- every little bit helps. While this sort of thing is built into many of today's top Android phones, older or less popular models aren't so fortunate.

Another feature that users will appreciate is Genius Scan, which allows sync to occur every 15 minutes. The adjustable "quiet sleeping" option disables Wi-Fi and data connections at night, a helpful feature for those who do not sleep next to their phones.

Standout features: Easy connections toggling; sleeping mode; staggered sync; and battery percentage in notification bar.

Go Power Master Battery Saver

Designed by the Go Dev Team, this one is as gorgeous as it is flexible. A simple tap of the screen lets you toggle preset modes, making it easy to go from reading and relaxing to online gaming. For those who don't like the standard modes, there are two other slots available for creating custom experiences.

Go Power Master Battery Saver keeps an eye on your apps to determine which are eating up battery more than others. By assigning a score to your battery, the app is able to determine which features you can enable or disable to extend the life. Tapping the optimize button, in essence, cleans everything up and tacks on some extra expected life. Doing this alone can provide an extra hour or more.

While the free app is stocked with options and settings, the premium pack brings about another dozen features. Available through in-app purchase for $4.99, this upgraded bundle removes ads and tosses in scheduled settings, more control over Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and CPU, and a third "extreme" mode.

The app provides quick access to a number of settings with two home screen widgets. Should you go with the premium option, there are three more widgets to choose from. A number of skins or themes are available for Go Dev's own widgets, and you can also adjust how items appear in the notification bar.

Standout features: Handy widgets; multiple user modes; very clean interface; a steady stream of development updates.

Autorun Manager
Perhaps the most "risky" app on this list, Autorun Manager lets you determine which apps start running when your phone boots up. Like the aforementioned apps, this one comes in two modes: basic and advanced. Apps selected in basic mode are terminated immediately when the phone boots, though some will pop back up and start running. My advice here is to leave those alone and let system settings take over. As for the advanced mode, you will find more control over things such as widgets and receivers, and system-wide actions.

The free version of Autorun Manager is supported by ads, but you can purchase a Pro key for $3.99. Doing so will also keeps apps from autorestarting in basic mode, as well as block more than 10 receivers in advanced mode. Just for good measure, you also get "Chuck Norris mode," which lets you kill apps in a more aggressive manner. Please note that if you are on the fence over this app, err on the side of judgment and pass. For those of you who demand more control and a have firm grasp on Android's core functions, however, this might be right up your alley.

Standout features: Stops pesky apps from starting up; two user modes; clear insight into what runs immediately at bootup; awesome Chuck Norris reference

Tasker
Of all the apps listed here, Tasker is the one that provides more than just battery extension and task-killing. In fact, I would recommend this one to anyone who wants to help automate the Android experience.

In the area of battery life, I like Tasker; it allows me to set times for sleeping and disabling of connections. While I generally tend to plug my phone in overnight, Tasker has proven handy in cases where I do not. Besides time of day, other triggers include day and location; both are useful for people with set work schedules.

I also appreciate the way Tasker lets me set my phone to handle media, texting, phone calls, and other Android functions. It might take a while to fully grasp the capabilities, but at $2.99 this one is a true set-it-and-forget-it app.

Standout features: Automated settings based on time, day, and location; automatic settings for text and calls; clean and clutter-free interface. engadget.