Samsung faces the bad news: sales of its high-end phones are sliding

<b>Confirming its own estimates from earlier this month, Samsung announced tonight that it accumulated an operating profit of $3.9 billion in Q3.</b><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQo9PrYrm_3oVBwAu3jhz5qglEaEDci_-8rOrIHwx3-x7g1P99tzgTkMCsmFt4PQ5tuO4N_FdPM7-hu-p-lrMAAFmo1Bnx3rSQBTgdFROFrKgMl9Ny4x8G7FiVGJ6-teaHvjcCVlqpoKp8/s1600/Samsung-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Samsung faces the bad news: sales of its high-end phones are sliding" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQo9PrYrm_3oVBwAu3jhz5qglEaEDci_-8rOrIHwx3-x7g1P99tzgTkMCsmFt4PQ5tuO4N_FdPM7-hu-p-lrMAAFmo1Bnx3rSQBTgdFROFrKgMl9Ny4x8G7FiVGJ6-teaHvjcCVlqpoKp8/s1600/Samsung-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="Samsung faces the bad news: sales of its high-end phones are sliding" /></a></div> <div> <b><br /></b> <div> That's not a bad haul for most companies in the July to September period, but last year Samsung proudly celebrated a record profit of $9.6 billion and now it's down to less than half that. Now the company is breaking down the reasons behind the drop, and everything starts with the flagship Galaxy S smartphones. Reuters notes that phones drove its growth over the last couple of years, but profits in that area dropped from 6.7 trillion Korean won last year, to 1.75 trillion in the same period this year.<br /> <br /> That drop came as a result of price cuts for older phones and "declined shipments" of high-end models. Even slightly higher sales of midrange smartphones apparently weren't enough to right the ship, and the Galaxy Note 4 hasn't been on sale long enough to contribute. Worse, the phone sales have an effect across the company for its display, memory and CPU businesses. It expects to sell more Ultra HD and curved TVs to close out 2014, but investors will likely be more interested in how it responds to cheaper Chinese phone manufacturers.</div> </div> <div> <br /></div>

Samsung faces the bad news: sales of its high-end phones are sliding

Confirming its own estimates from earlier this month, Samsung announced tonight that it accumulated an operating profit of $3.9 billion in Q...

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'Microsoft Band' fitness tracker leaks out

<b>It looks like the curtains have been raised early on Microsoft's attempt to join the wearable game.</b><br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB_bSUvfchSSqWcxcVtWI0zoy4sCt5qlmRgK1EErTTdrxAwH6y1x1eBfhe8m6CqBjWbk_sTzMJVqNCg5zZpJvjIQCYAui45wUXX9WHVMJpMdRHDM9PebKOpYDjOegnIOrxqRawOEHZTy4h/s1600/Microsoft-Band-01-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="'Microsoft Band' fitness tracker leaks out" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB_bSUvfchSSqWcxcVtWI0zoy4sCt5qlmRgK1EErTTdrxAwH6y1x1eBfhe8m6CqBjWbk_sTzMJVqNCg5zZpJvjIQCYAui45wUXX9WHVMJpMdRHDM9PebKOpYDjOegnIOrxqRawOEHZTy4h/s1600/Microsoft-Band-01-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="'Microsoft Band' fitness tracker leaks out" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">update: goes on sale Thursday for $199</td></tr> </tbody></table> <div> <div> Windows Central points out that sync apps have appeared in the Mac and Androidapp stores (update: and Microsoft's), set to personalize and track data for your "Microsoft Band." Rumors had pointed to a fitness tracker more than a watch that could debut within weeks, and judging by the apps that's just what we'll get. According to the Google Play, Windows Phone Store and iTunes listings, the device itself has more in common with Nike's FuelBand than the what we've seen from Apple and Google so far. That includes tracking steps, heartbeat, calories burned and sleep quality. 9to5Mac linked a privacy agreement that goes into even deeper detail about what else it can do, namely display notifications from your mobile device or take notes and set reminders with Cortana.<br /> <b><br />Update:</b></div> <div> Microsoft confirmed that the Band will go on sale for $199 Thursday in its online and physical stores, to US customers only, in "limited quantities." Designed by Quentin Morris (who also developed the Xbox One controller), it carries ten sensors onboard to measure things from heart rate to UV exposure to stress levels, and can last as much as 48 hours on a single charge.</div> </div>

'Microsoft Band' fitness tracker leaks out

It looks like the curtains have been raised early on Microsoft's attempt to join the wearable game. update: goes on sale Thursday for...

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Facebook sales, driven by mobile, shoot up nearly 60 percent

<b>Facebook continues to reap rewards in mobile, growing its crucial ads business in large part due to ads placed on smaller screens, the company reported Tuesday.</b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisTO7jWR2Jw6DMShc9pjGQ-PsFoGTFdLgyb1myRYPsE_eJn_AZTRSRZR84u1_mOU3qo95_7TEZtcU7vqGhNXiX_hSKS9oAyGuiZU0ZAoHpLvZUZ3jRVrJq7Qi8KNH3zZkXHLLF4Z1-TuAx/s1600/Facebook-sales-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Facebook sales, driven by mobile, shoot up nearly 60 percent" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisTO7jWR2Jw6DMShc9pjGQ-PsFoGTFdLgyb1myRYPsE_eJn_AZTRSRZR84u1_mOU3qo95_7TEZtcU7vqGhNXiX_hSKS9oAyGuiZU0ZAoHpLvZUZ3jRVrJq7Qi8KNH3zZkXHLLF4Z1-TuAx/s1600/Facebook-sales-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="Facebook sales, driven by mobile, shoot up nearly 60 percent" /></a></div> <div> <b><br /></b>Total sales for the third quarter ended Sept. 30 amounted to US$3.2 billion, up 59 percent from the same period last year, and beating consensus analyst expectations of $3.12 billion, as polled by Thomson Reuters.<br /><br />Roughly two-thirds of sales, or 66 percent, came from ads placed on mobile devices, Facebook reported, up from just under half of all revenue coming from mobile a year ago.<br /><br />Facebook’s ability to monetize its site with ads on smaller screens was in previous years a concern to investors, but the company has demonstrated considerable progress there.<br /><br />Facebook also reported decent gains in growing its user base, a critical element in attracting and retaining advertisers. The number of users who logged in at least once a month clocked in at 1.35 billion, Facebook said, up 14 percent.<br /><br />Meanwhile, the number of users who logged in daily—another important metric—rose by 19 percent to 864 million.<br /><br />Facebook stock was at around $79.99 in after hours trading following its earnings report, down slightly from its close of $80.77, possibly signaling lingering investor concerns over Facebook’s progress toward growing its audience.<br /><br />Facebook nearly doubled its net income for the third quarter, to $806 million.<br /><br />The company’s adjusted earnings per share was $0.43, above analyst estimates of $0.40.<br /><br />CEO Mark Zuckerberg, in Facebook’s announcement, called the results “strong,” showing a “good quarter.”<br /></div> <div> <br /></div>

Facebook sales, driven by mobile, shoot up nearly 60 percent

Facebook continues to reap rewards in mobile, growing its crucial ads business in large part due to ads placed on smaller screens, the compa...

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The Nexus 9 wasn't designed to be an iPad killer

The Nexus 9 is not designed to be an iPad killer; it is designed to inspire Google's Android partners to create an alternative.<br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9ACQgJRSebBsgnOzFYuhczyH70FvV2JUx5pHK-NEa8F1LdVX7VNslfV-ZIb0A89ks_ONV5-QO_GgxGqiWsYuMQ4Do7YErcqs2M_uQKT2xi1hA40ZLDDAfW-8prPAXpId5AHzYASAVpSIY/s1600/HTC-Nesus-9ttech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="HTC Nexus 9" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9ACQgJRSebBsgnOzFYuhczyH70FvV2JUx5pHK-NEa8F1LdVX7VNslfV-ZIb0A89ks_ONV5-QO_GgxGqiWsYuMQ4Do7YErcqs2M_uQKT2xi1hA40ZLDDAfW-8prPAXpId5AHzYASAVpSIY/s1600/HTC-Nesus-9ttech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="HTC Nexus 9" /></a></div> <div> <br /> <div> Although you'd be forgiven for thinking different: It was announced a day before the Air 2 and 3 mini iPad, comes with a powerful 64-bit chip NVIDIA and will be priced to compete with tablets Apple. But Alberto Villarreal, director of industrial design of the Nexus 9, confirming that this is not the purpose.<br /> <div> <br /> "We want to promote the high-end market for Android tablets," Villarreal said. "[The Nexus 9] has many attributes and is sure to bring quality to other companies to do better." </div> <div> <br /> Nexus 9 is a shining example in much the same way that last year's Nexus device, 5 and 7, shows that the manufacturer that it is possible to create cheap phones and tablets that look good and perform well. The team needed a partner with experience in creating high-end devices, so it turned to HTC. </div> <div> <br /> The team needed a partner with experience in creating high-end devices, so it turned to HTC. <br /> "We see the One and really liked their design is very simple, focusing on usability and eliminate things that do not need to be there," Villarreal said. </div> <div> <br /></div> <div> HTC Nexus 9 production processing and working closely with Google on the design and material of it, but it looks unlike anything the Taiwan-based manufacturing has been done before. BoomSound well hidden stereo speakers on the front is characterized by HTC, but otherwise the tablet looks like a blown up version of the Nexus 5: The straight sides, matte soft-grip (Polycarbonate) back and even camera position provides a very striking similarity. (Villarreal helped design the Nexus 5 is fine.) However, there are 9 more on a higher level than last year thanks to smartphones using aluminum. <br /> <br /> If the design team entertaining the idea of a device made ​​of metal, the thought does not stick. It's like a layered approach: The parties provide hard aluminum and protection, in addition to its premium appearance, while polycarbonate is meant to provide a better grip and more color options. <br /> <br /> And while the Nexus 9 of three colors - black, white and sand - not exactly exciting or eye-catching, more consideration goes into choosing the right color. </div> <div> <br /> "We're moving away from technology-driven black and silver, which is very common in the industry, and trying to bring more of a fashion look portfolio," Villarreal said.</div> </div> </div>

The Nexus 9 wasn't designed to be an iPad killer

The Nexus 9 is not designed to be an iPad killer; it is designed to inspire Google's Android partners to create an alternative. Al...

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How would you change the 13-inch, mid-2013 MacBook Air?

<b>Meet the new boss, broadly the same as the old boss. Except this variation of Apple'sthin-and-light mobile PC was packing Haswell, Intel's power-sipping wonder chip, capable of giving the 2013 MBA its 12-plus-hour battery life and nippy speed.</b><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNTtczuYJFOTk0z20sD3ddDdFRBp06d0GxoS1ebYvrAs112G7ykWQv7_P6nSxmDok7fJZuoJp-te5G8Jho-29Hr3IAjn0rXMcdtzOOuYw9HIw7jtYK9_tDlHZF49f1Gam1ylXoj5Xdv07P/s1600/MacBook-Air-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="MacBook Air" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNTtczuYJFOTk0z20sD3ddDdFRBp06d0GxoS1ebYvrAs112G7ykWQv7_P6nSxmDok7fJZuoJp-te5G8Jho-29Hr3IAjn0rXMcdtzOOuYw9HIw7jtYK9_tDlHZF49f1Gam1ylXoj5Xdv07P/s1600/MacBook-Air-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="MacBook Air" /></a></div> <div> <b><br /></b> <div> When we sat this down in front of Tim Stevens' hands, his only grip was that the device was lacking a retina display, although we're probably still a year or two away from that taking place. Still, we imagine plenty of you out there picked up one of these devices, so why not hop on the forum and tell us if you'd have taken a MacBook Air with a four-hour battery life in exchange for some pixel-dense goodness.</div> </div>

How would you change the 13-inch, mid-2013 MacBook Air?

Meet the new boss, broadly the same as the old boss. Except this variation of Apple'sthin-and-light mobile PC was packing Haswell, Intel...

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