MacRumors

The New York Times reported last night that Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer is set to introduce a new tablet device during his keynote address tonight at CES in Las Vegas.

On Wednesday, Mr. Ballmer, Microsoft's chief executive, will unveil a novel take on a slate-type computer during his evening keynote at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, according to people familiar with Microsoft's plans. The slate will be made by Hewlett-Packard and possibly available by mid-year, these people said.

According to the report, Microsoft's tablet will be positioned as a multimedia device offering e-reader and multi-touch functionality, very similar to the rumored capabilities of Apple's tablet device. Apple's tablet is rumored to be introduced later this month, with multiple sources reporting that it will begin shipping in March.

Several months ago, Gizmodo published a series of articles highlighting Microsoft's prototype "Courier" multi-touch booklet device. It is unclear what relation, if any, today's rumored release has to the "Courier" project.

Update: BoomTown reports that while Ballmer may show off tablet-like devices as part of his keynote focusing on Windows 7 and the company's "software plus services" positioning, there will be no formal introduction of a slate-style tablet device or its "Courier" device in particular.

With their upcoming tablet, Apple may be offering the flexibility that many prospective U.S. iPhone owners have wished for: carrier independence. According to a Broadpoint AmTech analyst, Apple will be offering 3G wireless data networking on their Tablet with multiple providers with Verizon support a "certainty".

This would mean that customers will be able to choose from a number of mobile providers for their Tablet's data service when not near a Wi-Fi hotspot. This would allow Tablet users to browse the web, check their email, and more wherever there was 3G service. Such connectivity is taken for granted on mobile phones such as the iPhone, but is increasingly expected for other mobile devices.

iPhone owners in the U.S., however, are presently restricted to AT&T service only due to exclusivity agreements between Apple and AT&T which are expected to expire in mid 2010.

As CES kicks off, one technology we've been hoping to hear more about is the status of the ARM Cortex A9 processor. Apple's iPhone as well as many of its competitors including the just released Nexus One currently utilize ARM processors based on the Cortex A8 design. The Cortex A9 represents the next generation which supports multi-core designs. The Cortex A9 multi-core processors are expected to scale beyond 2 GHz while drawing less than 0.25 W of power per CPU.

ARM's designs have always been focused on the mobile space, so low power has always been a major focus. This high performance-to-power ratio is also carried through with the upcoming Cortex A9 designs and is said to fare very well compared to Intel's Atom processor.

ARM just posted this side-by-side performance video comparing a 1.6GHz Atom netbook vs. a Cortex A9 development board.

Browsing performance is roughly the same, though the Cortex A9 is revealed to be running at only 500MHz compared to the 1.6GHz of the Atom processor. While these are rather subjective benchmarks, it reminds us that the Cortex A9 is an attractive alternative to Intel's processors in the mobile space.

Apple is believed to be an ARM licensee and is leveraging the expertise of P.A. Semi to develop their own processors for upcoming devices including iPhone and Tablet projects. Apple has been said to be working on multi-core processors for their next generation iPhones and the Cortex A9 is the natural fit.

The Cortex A9 would be a particularly good fit for the rumored Apple Tablet, as such a device is seemingly positioning itself between a mobile phone and notebook. Such a device would likely be tasked with more processor intensive tasks and be priced against Atom powered netbooks.

Google today announced the launch of its Nexus One smartphone, ushering in what the company calls the first of its "superphones" based on the Android operating system. The Nexus One, which offers an 800x480 screen, 5 megapixel camera with flash and is powered by Qualcomm's 1 GHz Snapdragon processor, utilizes the Android 2.1 operating system.

As revealed last week, the Nexus One is priced at $529 as a standalone purchase or $179 with a two-year agreement with T-Mobile. Google also announced that Verizon (U.S.) and Vodafone (Europe) have signed on with the Nexus One and will be offering similar hardware and service plan packages in the spring. Initial orders are limited to the United States, United Kingdom, Singapore, and Hong Kong.

Through the web store found at www.google.com/phone, consumers can buy the Nexus One without service (meaning any GSM network SIM card can be inserted into the device), or purchase the phone with service from one of Google's operator partners. As new phones come to market through this channel, consumers will benefit from the ability to match a phone of their choice with the service plan that best meets their needs. Operator prices and plan details will be featured on the site.

"The Nexus One belongs in the emerging class of devices which we call 'superphones,' with the 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset making it as powerful as your laptop computer of three to four years ago. It's our way to raise the bar on what's possible when it comes to creating the best mobile experience for consumers," said Andy Rubin, VP of Engineering. "We look forward to working with handset manufacturers and operators to bring more phones to market through this channel worldwide."

The Nexus One offers 512 MB of Flash and 512 MB of RAM, and ships with a 4 GB Micro SD card with support for cards up to 32 GB. The device also offers voice recognition throughout the operating system and advanced widget and home screen personalization.

The Baltimore Sun yesterday dug up a relatively recent patent application from Apple describing the manipulation of three-dimensional images on a variety of devices, including such implementations as the iPhone or the company's as-yet-unreleased tablet. Curiously, while the patent application is credited to several Apple engineers in France, the company's name appears nowhere on the application. Documents filed alongside the application on September 28th, 2008, however, list Apple as the holder of the intellectual property based on an assignment from the inventors.

Speculation regarding 3D graphics in Apple's tablet began circulating after former Google China president Kai-Fu Lee briefly mentioned the technology in passing as part of a blog post disclosing information he claims to have received about the device.

For electronic devices that display a three-dimensional virtual space on the touch screen display, present user interfaces for navigating in the virtual space and manipulating three-dimensional objects in the virtual space are too complex and cumbersome. These problems are exacerbated on portable electronic devices because of their small screen sizes.

Accordingly, there is a need for electronic devices with touch screen displays that provide more transparent and intuitive user interfaces for navigating in three-dimensional virtual spaces and manipulating three-dimensional objects in these virtual spaces. Such interfaces increase the effectiveness, efficiency and user satisfaction with such devices.

In order to address this need, the patent application suggests a number of methods of using multiple finger gestures to move screen objects in relation to one another on a three-dimensional basis.

Apple has long held an interest in bringing three-dimensional display elements to its devices using both perspective-based implementations in two dimensions and more advanced techniques for generating lifelike three-dimensional images, with previous patent applications addressing stereoscopic displays, multidimensional desktops, and "hyper-reality" displays. This new application, however, reveals added research in multi-touch capabilities and portable devices in relation to 3D images.

Mobile advertising company Quattro Wireless confirms today that it has been acquired by Apple. The news follows a report late yesterday that the deal had been reached, with Apple agreeing to pay $275 million for Quattro.

Happy New Year from Quattro Wireless!

We are thrilled to let you know that Apple has acquired Quattro. We want to share with you our excitement about this news and what it means for our customers.

The announcement on Quattro's site is signed by former Quattro CEO Andy Miller, who reveals that his title is now Vice President of Mobile Advertising at Apple.

Earlier reports claimed that Apple had considered purchasing leading mobile advertising firm AdMob in the weeks prior to Google's announcement in early November that it would acquire the company. That deal has yet to receive the approval from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission necessary for finalizing the transaction.

The Wall Street Journal reports on eTextbook publisher CourseSmart, which is looking ahead to the release of Apple's much-rumored tablet and is using this week's CES conference in Las Vegas to show off its thoughts on how its content could be offered on the new device.

However, Coursesmart Executive Vice President Frank Lyman has a very different take on the potential of tablet computers for reading. Tablets could include the ability to look at color graphics and integrate other sources of information such as video and outside links, he said.

"The key is that with multifunction devices, you can do more than just read the textbook. You can interact with the content," he said. It is all about having your textbooks integrated with other tools and resources that you use for learning."

In order to promote its vision, CourseSmart has developed a preview video demonstrating eTextbook usage on a concept Apple tablet. While the company has no inside knowledge of the device, it has clearly paired its ideas of how the tablet might function with Apple's existing software design aesthetics.

CourseSmart already offers its library of thousands of textbooks for the iPhone and iPod touch and is obviously looking to take advantage of the advanced capabilities of the tablet to move beyond existing offerings to more powerful and interactive implementations for its content.

Apple today announced that users have now downloaded over three billion iPhone and iPod touch applications from the company's App Store since its July 2008 launch.

"Three billion applications downloaded in less than 18 months -- this is like nothing we've ever seen before," said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO. "The revolutionary App Store offers iPhone and iPod touch users an experience unlike anything else available on other mobile devices, and we see no signs of the competition catching up anytime soon."

With the App Store having reached two billion downloads just over three months ago, the new milestone represents continued acceleration of growth for the store as Apple's handheld devices continue to attract significant numbers of customers. The App Store continues to be available to customers in 77 countries, offering applications in 20 categories.

All Things D reports that Apple is set to announce that it has acquired Quattro Wireless for $275 million.

Quattro Wireless describes itself as a "global mobile advertising company, empowering advertisers and publishers to reach and engage their target audiences across mobile web, application and video platforms with unrivaled precision, transparency and ROI." The company is a competitor to AdMob, another advertising company, that was acquired by Google for $750 million. Apple was said to have talked to AdMob about possible acquisition prior to Google's acquisition.

The official announcement is expected to come as early as tomorrow.

The Wall Street Journal reports (subscription required) that while Apple is expected to introduce its tablet device at a media event reportedly scheduled for later this month, the tablet will not begin shipping until March.

Apple Inc. plans to unveil a new multimedia tablet device later this month, but doesn't plan on shipping the product until March, people briefed by the company said.

While the shipping time hasn't been finalized and could change, people briefed on the matter said the new tablet device will come with a 10- to 11-inch touch screen.

The report also details information received from a source indicating that Apple has been working with two different materials for the device's casing, although it is unknown whether it plans to release models with both types.

One of the people briefed on the matter added that Apple was working on two different material finishes for the tablet, though it was unclear whether the Cupertino, Calif., company was just testing them or planning to come out with multiple versions of the device at different prices.

The remainder of the report summarizes previously-rumored information about the tablet, citing analyst claims of a price point near $1,000 and a multifunction nature catering to those interested in video, gaming, and electronic book, newspaper, and magazine content.

New survey data released today by ChangeWave Research indicates that Google's Android smartphone operating system has been rapidly gaining momentum over the past few months as the release of the Motorola Droid and the hype around the Google Nexus One have brought Android considerable publicity. In particular, the survey found that 21% of customers planning to purchase a new smartphone in the next 90 days would prefer Android, up from just 6% only three months ago. That performance puts Android within striking distance of Apple, which is reportedly preferred by 28% of future purchasers, down from 32% in the earlier survey.

Customer satisfaction ratings have also shown Android approaching Apple's typically strong performance, finding 72% of Android users "very satisfied" with their phone, while the iPhone checks in at 77% according to the same metric.

When breaking Android's performance down by handset manufacturers, the report sees the strength of the Droid line, which boosted Motorola's share of planned purchases over the next 90 days from 1% to 13% between the September and December surveys. On the other hand, market leaders Apple and Research in Motion saw slight declines, while interest in Palm's offerings plunged by 50%.

While some degradation of Apple's "mindshare" could be expected at the midpoint of its release cycle with the iPhone 3GS having been available for six months now and anticipation of the next-generation iPhone not yet ramping up, Android is certainly showing itself to be a growing force to be reckoned with in the smartphone market.

In a brief report [Google translation], French site Mac4Ever claims that Apple's special media event now reportedly scheduled for January 27th will see both the introduction of the company's much-rumored tablet device and the launch of beta versions of iPhone OS 4.0 and the associated Software Development Kit for developers.

According to the report, the SDK will include a "simulator" to assist developers in adapting their existing App Store applications to support the tablet's screen resolution. The deployment of tools for supporting multiple screen resolutions could also pave the way for a higher-resolution iPhone in the future.

Several of our sources give us two pieces of information concerning the famous Apple tablet: In late January, in addition to its tablet, Cupertino should have a beta of iPhone OS 4, accompanied by an SDK. Our informants also tell us of a "simulator" specifically adapted for the tablet. Evidently, the major novelty of the SDK therefore concerns the interface, making it easier for developers to adapt to different screen resolutions. The new iPhone could also benefit from a higher pixel density.

Mac4Ever is careful to note, however, that the information should be taken with a grain of salt, suggesting that it is not entirely confident in the claims. The site has, however, been remarkably accurate recently, nailing several of the details of Apple's new iMac models and peripherals nearly a month before their release.

Other rumors published by Mac4Ever at that same time that have yet to come to fruition relate to Apple's plans for its iLife and iWork suites, as well as a claim that Apple's tablet will be "far different" than concepts floating around the Internet have depicted. The tantalizing hint may have received additional support in recent weeks after a source reported that users would be "very surprised how [they] interact with the new tablet."

Reports of the fourth-generation iPhone and updated operating systems in the wild have also begun appearing over the past few weeks, with hints of unreleased iPhone hardware and software appearing in App Store analytics data.

All Things D claims that Apple's rumored media event will actually take place on Wednesday, January 27th rather than the 26th as originally rumored.

Sources in a position to know tell me Apple (AAPL) is indeed planning a media event later this month at which it will announce a major new product. The gathering is to be held at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco, a space Apple often uses for media events like these. According to other sources, it will occur on Wednesday Jan. 27, not Tuesday Jan. 26, as had been rumored.

Apple is, of course, rumored to be launching a new Tablet that may be called the iSlate.

Last week, Nokia filed a complaint with the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) claiming infringement of its patents by "virtually all" Apple products. The complaint was an extension of an earlier lawsuit filed by Nokia over the iPhone, one which was met with strong denials and a countersuit from Apple, citing infringement of its own patents.

Engadget today notes that the text of the complaint and a corresponding federal lawsuit have been made public, revealing that Nokia has requested that the ITC go so far as to ban the import of virtually every Apple mobile product.

The biggest bombshell so far is the ITC complaint, in which Nokia's asking the commission to ban imports of basically every Apple mobile product from the MacBook to the iPhone for infringing its device patents -- a strategy we've seen in other high-profile cases. Since the ITC has the ability to move quite quickly, we'd expect that case to be the primary battleground for the moment -- but remember that Apple has plenty of its own incredibly broad patents of its own to fight back with here, so don't expect a quick resolution.

As noted by Nokia Views, the ITC complaint as part of its argument quotes Apple CEO Steve Jobs as having claimed that the company has "always been shameless about stealing great ideas." The salvo is a clear response to Apple's earlier quoting of Nokia executive Anssi Vanjoki's comments that his company is willing to "copy with pride."

Over the weekend, TUAW pointed to a growing chorus of complaints in Apple's discussion forums from users who have seen poor battery life from their Apple wireless keyboards after moving to the company's new Magic Mouse, which began shipping in late October. According to the reports, some users are finding that their wireless keyboards are running through batteries on a nearly-weekly basis since switching to the Magic Mouse, although an exact cause of the problem has not yet been determined.

Some have guessed that the Magic Mouse is preventing the keyboard from going into sleep mode. One user swapped his Magic Mouse with a Logitech model and saw the problem disappear, while another claims to have heard from Apple Tech Support that this is a known Bluetooth driver issue and that a fix is in the works.

The issue, which was noted early last month by MacNN, has begun receiving more attention as it continues to be unresolved. The complaints appear to be coming from users of Apple's older, three-battery aluminum wireless keyboard, which was replaced with a new, two-battery version that initially shipped with Apple's new iMacs released in October and also made available for individual sale. Few, if any, reports have come from users of the new keyboard model, although it is unclear if the new model is unaffected or if there is simply a larger sample of users of the older model who would be more likely to notice a change in battery performance than recent purchasers of the new model.

Update: One MacRumors reader claims to have received an e-mail from Steve Jobs this morning in response to his contact about the issue. In the brief response typical of the Apple CEO, Jobs reportedly notes that the company is working on a fix for the issue.

We know. A software fix is coming soon. Sorry for the problem.

Steve

Despite the hype and expectation surrounding the official Google-branded phone early impressions of the device by Engadget reveal the device is not quite an iPhone killer:

Now, of course everyone seems to have one question about the device -- is this the be-all-end-all Android phone / iPhone eviscerator? In two words: not really.
....
Throughout the phone there are also new animations and flourishes which make Android 2.1 feel way more polished than previous iterations (including the Droid's 2.0.1), though it's still got a ways to go to matching something like the iPhone or even Pre in terms of fit and finish.

The Nexus One is a Google branded phone running their Android operating system. The promise of such a phone was a no compromises phone that would presumably be poised to take on the iPhone. The Nexus One is said to be officially launched tomorrow.

The embargo is up for news and reviews on Intel's new Arrandale mobile processors. Arrandale represents the 32-nm die shrink of the Nehalem processors and will represent the first Nehalem processors that are usable in a laptops such as the MacBook Pro. These new chips also offer improved integrated graphics on the same chip. While there was some unconfirmed talk that Apple may skip this generation of chips, they remain the best option to upgrade the MacBook Pro.

Anandtech provides an overview of the newly announced chips which run as fast as 2.66GHz (Dual Core) as a base speed with Turbo speeds as high as 3.33GHz. Direct comparisons of the 2.53GHz Arrandale and the 2.53GHz Core 2 Duo currently used in the MacBook Pro showed notable improvements at the same clock speed:

The performance advantage was even more impressive for Cinebench (38-43%) and x264 HD encoding (26-45%), along with notable improvements of the integrated graphics performance. Anandtech found battery life to be on-par with the current Core 2 Duos, but this is expected to improve with later generations of Arrandale. In conclusion:

From the balanced notebook perspective, Arrandale is awesome. Battery life doesn't improve, but performance goes up tremendously. The end result is better performance for hopefully the same power consumption. If you're stuck with an aging laptop it's worth the wait. If you can wait even longer we expect to see a second rev of Arrandale silicon towards the middle of the year with better power characteristics.

Apple is, of course, expected to use these processors in their next generation MacBook Pros, though the exact timeframe for the adoption remains unknown.