Microsoft may also make smart watches

Microsoft is working on designs for a touch-enabled smart watch, joining a number of other large competitors like Samsung Electronics and Apple who are said to be working on similar devices, a newspaper reported.

Executives at suppliers to Microsoft told The Wall Street Journal that the company was sourcing components for the prototype of what could potentially be a "watch-style device."

Microsoft has, for example, requested 1.5-inch displays from component makers for the prototype, an executive at a component supplier told the newspaper. It is unclear whether the company will decide to go ahead with the watch, the newspaper added.

Microsoft could not be immediately reached for comment.

A large number of vendors are looking at new product categories beyond smartphones and tablets.

This isn't the first time, however, that Microsoft may be looking at watches as a product. It launched a smart wrist watch around a concept called Smart Personal Object Technology it unveiled in 2002, but withdrew it after a lackluster performance.

The Redmond, Washington, company is seeing its key PC market under threat from smartphones and tablets, and the failure of its new Windows 8 operating system to boost sales significantly. IDC said last week that first quarter PC shipments totaled 76.3 million units, down 13.9 percent compared to the same quarter last year. (The decline was worse than the 7.7 percent previously forecast by the analyst firm, and the market could be headed into further contraction, the research firm added.

Microsoft has been targeting new markets including by launching its own Surface tablets which by the fourth quarter of last year had not made a significant impact on the tablet market that was dominated by Apple and Samsung.

Gartner forecast in October last year that wearable smart electronics in shoes, tattoos, and accessories will emerge as a US$10 billion industry by 2016. Most of the revenue from wearable smart electronics over the next four years will come from athletic shoes and fitness tracking, communications devices for the ear, and automatic insulin delivery for diabetics, the research firm said. The new smart watches are expected to offer a variety of such applications besides telling the time.

Pcworld.com

Everything you need to know about the Samsung Galaxy S4

Samsung’s Galaxy S4 won’t be revealed until Thursday but the phone is already getting the buzz typically reserved for an Apple iPhone.

The Galaxy S3 was the first Android phone to truly tango with the iPhone; the S4 will be bigger, sharper and faster, trumping its predecessor in practically every regard. With the iPhone 5 getting refreshed this summer, Samsung needs to make a big statement if the company wants to sell the 10 million phones a month it is reportedly ordering from suppliers.

Here's what to expect from the next generation of the company’s blockbuster flagship.

5-inch HD screen

There’s no fighting the trend: Phones keep getting bigger and so is the Galaxy S4. A 4.99-inch Super AMOLED 1080p screen was spotted at CES, and tech watchers believe it's the screen for the new S4. That means the phone would have a resolution of 1,080 x 1,920 with 440 pixels per inch (PPI), up from the S3, which is already a substantial 4.8-inches. But bigger is better, right?

Here comes Jelly Bean

The S4 will be running Android 4.2. Code-named Jelly Bean, the latest update to Google’s mobile operating system promises a brand new camera experience and a novel new way to type.

An eight-core processor?

It’s possible that Samsung will equip its new flagship with its powerful Exynos 5 Octa eight-core processor, making the S4 one of the most powerful phones on the planet, but the company might save it for the Note III. Instead, recently leaked photos seem to indicate a quad-core processor running at 1.8 GHz, up from the 1.4-GHz chip in the S3.

13-megapixels by 2.2 megapixels

There aren’t too many details about the camera, but most reports indicate a 13-megapixel camera accompanied by a 2.2. megapixel front-facing camera.

Networked beast

4G LTE and 802.11 ac -- a faster Wi-Fi specification -- make sure the S4 keeps up the pace.

Eyetracking?

Perhaps the most exciting rumors is the prospect of eye-tracking technology that will enable the phone to detect when you are finished reading a page and automatically scroll for you, according to a New York Times report. It will even pause your video when you look away.

Still plastic

A big complaint against the Galaxy SIII was that its plastic materials felt cheap and lacked the heft of the iPhone’s sleek aluminum unibody. But fans hoping for a switch to metal are out of luck. Samsung is sticking with plastic, Y.H. Lee, executive vice president of Samsung’s mobile division, indicated to CNET, citing the need to balance aesthetics with durability and manufacturability.

Wireless charging capabilities

The Galaxy S4 will have the ability to charge its 2,600-mAh battery wirelessly with an optional dock, according to Samsung blog SamMobile.

Ready in April?

Although the SII and the SIII were both released in May, the S4 is expected to go on sale sometime in mid April after the 15th, one month after its planned announcement.

Leaked images on a Chinese forum seem to confirm most of the rumors. The photos showed a 5-inch phone with textured plastic and a metal band. And while the phone’s screen is bigger, some of that extra real estate is cancelled out by a smaller bezel. Stay tuned for our complete coverage Thursday.

Foxnews.com

Google begins another round of layoffs at Motorola Mobility

Unit plans to lay off 1,200 employees, about 10 percent of its work force.

Google is cutting back at Motorola Mobility again, with plans to layoff 1,200 employees, about 10 percent of the division's work force.

Employees were notified of the cuts this week via an e-mail that said "while we're very optimistic about the new products in our pipeline, we still face challenges," according to the Wall Street Journal, which first reported the cuts.

Focusing on costs, the email added "we're operating in markets where we're not competitive and we're losing money." The cuts are expected to workers in the U.S., China and India.

Motorola confirmed the jobs cuts in a statement this evening.

"These cuts are a continuation of the reductions we announced last summer," the company said. "It's obviously very hard for the employees concerned, and we are committed to helping them through this difficult transition."

Google bought Motorola Mobility for $12.4 billion last May, motivated largely by having access to Motorola's valuable patent portfolio, which it has employed in its legal defense of the Android operating system. Google freely admitted paying a premium for such access, but since then, the company has been looking to cut costs.

Google sold the Motorola Home set-top business -- which it inherited as part of its acquisition -- to the Arris Group last December for $2.35 billion in cash and stock. The Web giant had apparently been shopping the business for several months.

The staff reduction comes a little more than six months after Motorola laid off 4,000 employees, about 20 percent of its work force. The reorganization announced last August included the closure of a third of the company's 94 offices, as well as a wireless strategy revamp that included exiting unprofitable markets and trimming the number of handsets it produces.

Cnet.com

Why the Galaxy S4 won't be shedding its plastic roots

Samsung likely will stick to a design aesthetic that has worked in the past, despite rivals opting to use metal and other premium-feeling materials.

There's one complaint that often crops up with the Galaxy S III: it feels "plastic-y."

At a time when competitors are using glass, aluminum, and even higher quality plastics such as polycarbonate, Samsung has stuck to its guns with a thin, bendable plastic body.

Which is why the Galaxy S4 won't stray too far from that design philosophy.

CNET sat down with Y.H. Lee, executive vice president of Samsung's mobile business, to discuss the company's thoughts on design. When Samsung looks at what materials to use, it isn't just taking into consideration the aesthetic quality of the device, Lee said. The company also assesses how quickly and efficiently it can manufacture the product, knowing that it will have to ship a high volume.

Lee said that because Samsung will ship large units, it must consider the smartphone's manufacturability and durability.

Samsung also has discussed the pros and cons of keeping a removable back cover so the battery can be replaced, an issue other companies deal with as well. An LG executive told CNET that the company had received customer complaints about the Optimus G because the back wouldn't come off. The back cover of the larger Optimus G Pro is removable.

Samsung has argued that the plastic back cover, which feels light, is more durable than those of other smartphones because it's bendable and can better absorb physical impact. CNET Editor Jessica Dolcourt noted in her review that it is "just about the nicest plastic phone I've ever seen."

Still, Samsung's plastic GS4 will roll out at a time when other smartphones are stepping up their designs. There's no mistaking that Apple's iPhone 5, with its thin metal frame, looks and feels like a premium product. Likewise, the One's all-aluminum body stands out among a sea of blandAndroid competitors.

In addition, Nokia is using a harder version of plastic called polycarbonate, and Lumia is introducing smartphones in more vibrant colors.

Lee said Samsung has attempted to strike a balance between practical demands and the desire for a more premium-feeling product.

"I think the next product has a nice balance between this," she said. "We listen to the market and try to accommodate."

Cnet.com

Facebook Wants Your Credit Card Information

After the re-launch of Gifts, Facebook seems extra motivated to get your credit card information and physical address, in what could be another attempt to gather more data about you and sell more targeted ads.

The social network recently launched its Gift service after shutting it down in 2010 for lack of traction. The re-launch is seen as a way to appease investors, generate a new revenue stream and, of course, keep harvesting data.

“Gifts should also contribute more to Facebook’s treasure trove of user data, which has the benefit of a virtuous cycle, driving more personalization of the site, leading to better and more targeted ads, which improves overall monetization,” Colin Sebastian, an analyst with Robert W. Baird, told the New York Times.

The service allows users to easily buy gifts for their friends directly on Facebook. On a friend’s birthday or special occasion, a gift tab will appear on your timeline, allowing you to access a varied list of items to buy your friend.

Mashable.com

It's time for the US to partner with China in space

The future of America's space program is at a critical point in time; decisions are being made that will affect our ability to successfully maintain our leadership in human space flight, our national security and our capability to successfully compete with the international community in the commercial use of space.

What does the future hold for U.S. human spaceflight? The United States had been the undisputed leader in space exploration for several decades, until recently.

With the completion of its last flight in July of 2011, the space shuttle has been arbitrarily retired. And today, Russia is the only partner in the International Space Station program that is able to transport astronauts and cosmonauts to and from low Earth orbit (LEO).

The space shuttle amassed an impressive record of achievement during its lifetime, culminating in the very successful assembly of the space station. It was a very versatile spacecraft that allowed the crews to perform extravehicular activities (EVAs), assemble structures in space, repair satellites and perform spacecraft retrieval missions.

In addition, the shuttle was also a superb research platform, especially when equipped with a Spacelab or Spacehab module. It could carry a cargo of 60,000 pounds (27,000 kilograms) to orbit or return a cargo of equal weight to Earth.

In its place the U.S. is developing Orion, referred to as a Multipurpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV). Orion returns the nation to flying capsules that return to Earth via parachutes using technology from the 1960s. It has no capability to carry cargo, support EVAs, do structural assembly in space, accomplish satellite repair or retrieval missions. It returns to Earth by parachute, landing in the water, as Orion is too heavy to be recovered on land.

The MPCV is supposedly being developed for exploration missions beyond Earth orbit but it provides no protection from space radiation for the crew. The first planned human flight is currently scheduled for 2021. That date is dependent upon the availability of a new Space Launch System (SLS) rocket that is yet to be developed.

Currently, only funds for research, development and risk mitigation have been awarded for SLS, which raises the question of whether or not the launch system will ever be developed at all.

NASA is also providing funding to three commercial space endeavors. Some impressive achievements have been made. Most notably SpaceX having succeeded in its first operational cargo delivery mission in October 2012. These commercial enterprises, with one exception, also employ 60s technology capsules returning by parachute to water landings. These programs at best are several years away from Initial Operational Capability (IOC) for manned flights. And they are all currently dependent on being funded by the government.

Thus, we can expect that "The Gap" in U.S. human spaceflight capability that started with the end of the last space shuttle mission in July 2011 will likely last another five years or longer. In the meantime, fortunately, Russia continues to fly and support the flights of American astronauts to space.

When considering the future direction of NASA one point is quite clear. The construction of the ISS is now complete and the United States should maximize the utilization of the station. Research aboard ISS will help answer the questions and provide solutions that will enable future long duration flights out of Earth orbit.

One of the primary reasons for bringing the Russians into the station program was the desire to have dual access to the station. The dual access provided by the space shuttle and the Russian Soyuz is the only reason we have a space station flying today. The shuttle was able to fulfill a need when Russia experienced launch vehicle problems, and the Soyuz, in a similar fashion, fulfilled a need when the space shuttle was unable to fly.

Dual access is critical to ensure the maximum utilization of the space station.

This year China demonstrated manned rendezvous and docking, flying a crew of three (which included China's first female astronaut) to their crew-tended Tiangong-1 orbital vehicle. China plans to launch the larger Tiangong-2 in 2013 and Tiangong-3, a Zvezda-class core module in 2020.

The U.S. is at a decision point. On its present course, the United States will lose at least the perceived leadership role in human space exploration. But there is an alternate path and one that would again provide for dual access to the space station.

The U.S. could lead the way to bring China into the ISS program, and lead the work to adapt the Shenzhou spacecraft to be compatible with the ISS. The U.S. would continue funding the three commercial space endeavors to supplement and support the logistic needs of the station.

This path would allow the U.S. to retain its leadership position in the current human spaceflight program (on the ISS) while it re-evaluates the real needs of an optimized exploration program. A program that would transition the ISS partnership, with all its capabilities, to a beyond-LEO program with the United States remaining as the lead partner.

Thomas Reiter of the European Space Agency has already stated that ESA plans to hold a series of meetings with the China National Space Administration and explore closer cooperation in the areas of astronaut training, spacecraft docking and developing life support systems. ESA would also like China to become a member of the ISS program if U.S. objections can be overcome.

When Canada hosted the ISS Heads of Agencies Meeting on March 1 in Quebec City, Canada, Jean-Jacques Dordain, director-general of the ESA, told reporters, "I am in favor of seeing how we can work together with China. It will take some steps, but it will come, I am sure."

Vladimir Popovkin, head of the Russian space agency, Roscosmos, also said the day will come when China and India will work together with the five current partners — the United States, Russia, Canada, Japan and the ESA. "We are not a closed club," he said. "Our doors are wide open."

A partnership with China could be developed along the same lines as was done with integrating the Russian space program into the ISS partnership. Using this model, no military-sensitive technology would be transferred. China's economy would allow for it to fully fund its own efforts. Thus there would be little increased expense to the United States for developing this advantageous relationship.

As Joan Johnson-Freese, a professor of national security affairs at the Naval War College and author of numerous books on space, including "Heavenly Ambitions: America's Quest to Dominate Space" (University of Pennsylvania Press), told CNN on June 20, prohibiting NASA by law from working with China makes no sense:

"If one believes that China and the United States are not inherently enemies, then working together on space projects — with technology transfer controls — will benefit both countries. If one believes that China is inherently a threat to the United States, then the adage "keep your friends close and your enemies closer" comes to mind. The script for U.S.-China relations — and space relations in particular — is constantly evolving. The United States can influence the direction, but only if we engage and persuade the Chinese to engage with us. It's one way of preventing a scenario of a galactic Wild West in which China has become the world's leader in space."

It is clear the United States' international partners see the benefits of working with the Chinese on the space station; it is time for the United States to provide the leadership to make it a reality.

George W.S. Abbey is the Baker Botts Senior Fellow in Space Policy at the Baker Institute, at Rice University. From 1996 to 2001, he served as the director of NASA Johnson Space Center. His NASA career spanned the US human spaceflight program from Gemini and Apollo, through the space shuttle and International Space Station programs.

Dr. Leroy Chiao is a former NASA astronaut and ISS commander. He served as a member of the 2009 Review of U.S. Human Spaceflight Plans Committee, and is the special adviser for human spaceflight to the Space Foundation. He holds appointments at Baylor College of Medicine and Rice University.

© 2012 Discovery Channel

Msn.com

Apple CEO Cook redesigns executive ranks

Apple CEO Tim Cook is "remapping" Apple's organizational chart.

The company that prides itself on meticulous products has shown the door to failed Maps chief Richard Williamson in part of a broader redesign of the company under Cook.

Widespread consumer outrage over Apple's wonky Maps software put Williamson in the hot seat. That led to Cook lieutenant Eddy Cue, senior vice president at Apple, firing the senior director of its iOS mobile software division, according to Bloomberg News.

The move underscores a series of management shakeups, a major shortcoming in a core Apple utility — Maps — and Cook's preparedness in cleaning house.

Apple spokeswoman Trudy Muller declined to comment.

New leaders need to come in and clear out "dead wood," says Vivek Wadhwa, vice president of academics and innovation at Singularity University, of recent management changes under Cook's regime. "Tim Cook is bringing his own guys in. He knows where the doers are."

The booting of Williamson comes on the heels of last month's ouster of mobile operating system chief Scott Forstall. The former executive in charge of iOS, Forstall served as a longtime lieutenant under Apple co-founder Steve Jobs and was seen as a likely successor and rival for the top spot.

He was also a polarizing figure. Forstall was reportedly at odds with Jonathan Ive, senior vice president of industrial design and close Jobs confidant, whose role as taste-maker has been since elevated to span software and hardware.

Cook is "doing the right thing. He's less concerned about the public perception than getting the product right. Jobs tried to manage the media and perception more aggressively," says Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster.

Along with ejecting Forstall, Cook oversaw the exit of retail chief John Browett. The former leader at U.K.-based Dixons Retail, who didn't even last a year, was seen as a bad fit from the start. His focus on cutting costs vs. customer service raised flags among analysts.

Executive expulsions alone won't be able to fix Apple's Maps blunder. "People below them are the critical ones," says Wadhwa.

Apple fans have vented across social media about misplaced landmarks, streets and incomplete directions. A lack of public transit information had many calling for people to avoid updating their software.

Yet Apple's ill-fated move to displace Google Maps as the provider of its mapping technology is part of a growing rivalry between the technology giants for Internet services. And giving that business over to Google — massive Web traffic — was just no longer an option.

The problem is that coming even close to Google Maps could take a long time. The search giant has spent years tweaking Google Maps in widespread efforts that suck in data that include staff images from Google Street View crews and Google Map Maker, crowd-sourced maps made by people, says Mike Dobson, president of TeleMapics.

Criticism has fallen on navigation company TomTom for providing Apple the data it uses. TomTom has defended its maps data. "My belief is those are Apple's problems, not TomTom's data," says Dobson.

The fix will likely require massive hiring and human interaction with data, he says. "They thought it would be good enough, but the reality was it was not good enough. It was real sloppiness."

Usatoday.com