A little more than a year after forming an eBook venture with Barnes & Noble, Microsoft is reportedly seeking to buy out the venture’s digital assets to the tune of $1 billion, according to documents obtained by TechCrunch this week. Nook Media LLC, the spinoff formed after Microsoft’s $300 million investment in April 2012, handles digital book content for Barnes & Noble’s online Nook store, the Nook eReaders and Android-based tablets, and mobile apps for third party platforms. The company’s…
Apple’s iOS Tablet Share Falls in Q1 on Strong Android Growth
Apple’s once dominant market share in new tablet shipments continues to erode, according to preliminary data released today by research firm IDC. Apple’s share of worldwide tablet shipment in the first quarter of 2013 fell to 39.6 percent in the face of explosive growth from Android competitors, even as the company outperformed shipment expectations. Top Five Tablet Vendors (Shipments in Millions) Source: IDC 1Q2013 Shipments 1Q2013 Market Share 1Q2012 Shipments 1Q2012 Market Share Year-Over-Year Growth Apple 19.5 39.6% 11.8 58.1%…
Windows 8 Tablets Capture 7.5% Market Share in Q1 2013
Despite earlier reports that painted a grim sales picture, Microsoft’s Windows 8-based tablets sold surprisingly well in the first quarter, according to data published this week by research firm Strategy Analytics. Microsoft’s ARM-based Surface RT, x86-powered Surface Pro, and a variety of third-party devices combined to capture 7.5 percent of global tablet shipments in the first three months of 2013, for a total of 3 million units. Global Branded Tablet OS Shipments (Millions) Source: Strategy Analytics Q1 2012 Q1 2013…
Microsoft Rumored to Launch 7-inch Surface Device This Year
After significantly overhauling Windows last year, we knew that Microsoft was committed to its new mobile strategy, even in the face of disappointing sales of its first generation of Surface tablet devices. What remained unclear, however, was whether the Redmond giant would venture into the crowded 7-inch tablet market, which now contains products from Apple, Amazon, Google, Samsung, and many others. According to a report late Wednesday from The Wall Street Journal, that’s exactly what Microsoft plans to do. The…
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Steelcase Gesture Chair Promises to Save Mobile Users’ Backs
Have you ever spent a significant amount of time hunched over a tablet at your desk, or leaning to one side to check a smartphone? If so, you’ve probably noticed some back pain due to improper posture and support, and high-end office furniture firm Steelcase wants to help. The company has just announced the Gesture chair, a new product that aims to accommodate the non-traditional postures encouraged by the use of mobile devices like tablets, smartphones, and laptops. These postures are not…
Repairability Chart Outs Industry Focus on Disposable Tablets
The shift of the computing industry from big open boxes to small tightly-integrated mobile devices, started in many ways by Apple in the early 2000s, has led to a new era of portability and functionality. But it has also deprived customers of expandability, customization, and repairability. For most users purchasing new tablets and ultrabooks, the days of upgrading and repairing hardware post-purchase are over. From the perspective of many companies, consumers are encouraged to view new devices through a lens…