Hasta La Gadget!

[CES 2013] Sure, we will definitely take a closer look at all of the wonderful devices that will be released at CES later next week, but let us not forget that home essentials such as vacuum cleaners, too, will be on parade there. In fact, LG will showcase their latest square robotic vacuum cleaner under the Hom-Bot Square range, and will do so in an entertaining manner by demonstrating its incredible maneuverability with a well-choreographed dance routine at select intervals over the four day technological showcase.

The LG Hom-Bot Square will deliver a significant upgrade in cleaning performance, where this is made possible thanks to LG’s recently designed Corner Master. Some of the features include improved sensors and longer brushes, while ultrasonic and infrared sensors let it detect the right obstacles to avoid, with Dual Eye 2.0 cameras that are able to scan and map rooms accurately even in the dark. Looks like the next generation of vacuum cleaners will be square but smart, and we hope to get more details like pricing and availability soon. [Press Release]

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Samsung Reveals Robotic Vacuum Cleaner With Longer Reach, Whisper Quiet Air Conditioning From LG ,

Slowly but surely, Chinese smartphones are making their way into consumers’ hands. While Huawei is a leading infrastructure company, it started designing and manufacturing smartphones only recently. So far, the company preferred to sell white-label smartphones to carriers around the world. But in 2012, Huawei has shipped 85 percent of its devices under its own brand, compared to a scant 20 percent in 2011.

Chief Marketing Officer Shao Yang declared to Le Monde that the company plans to become one of the top 5 smartphone brands in 2014 and one of the top 3 in 2016.

That’s why Huawei invested more than 200 million dollars for its branding strategy. According to an IDC report, Samsung is currently the leading brand in China, followed by four Chinese companies — Lenovo, Coolpad, ZTE and Huawei. Apple, despite its apparent popularity, is sitting in sixth place.

At the same time, the Chinese market is very promising. Evidence of this lies in growth prospects. China Mobile (which, if you’ll recall, is the world’s largest wireless carrier), only has 79 million 3G customers out of its 700 million subscriber base. Huawei doesn’t want to miss out on that opportunity, as many subscribers will switch to a smartphone in the coming years. It is a good revenue opportunity as well, as margins are usually higher with smartphones compared to feature phones.

The branding effort is still a work in progress as Microsoft, Apple and Samsung spent more than a billion dollars each in advertising campaigns in 2012. But Huawei has a few assets compared to many of its competitors. Like Samsung, LG and RIM, Huawei manufactures its own phones. Apple, Nokia, HTC, Motorola and others rely on third-party manufacturers like Foxconn, which increases costs and reduces flexibility.

The other key advantage is that Huawei is a Chinese company. As current market shares show, there is a national bias in favor of Chinese brands when it comes to smartphones in China. Huawei can easily become an important entry-level smartphone brand in the world, after conquering the Chinese market. Even though it is one of the lesser-known brands in the U.S., the company should showcase new devices at CES next week and will lay out the company’s strategy for 2013.

LG will showcase its newest square robotic vacuum cleaner in a most creative fashion at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) from January 8-11 in Las Vegas.
A highly trained troupe of HOM-BOT SQUARE units will demonstrate their incredible maneuverability with a well-choreographed dance routine at select times over the period of the show. Aside from possessing superb dance skills, the HOM-BOT SQUARE offers a significant upgrade in cleaning performance, thanks primarily to LG’s newly designed …

A couple of days ago we reported on a rumor that Intel could be set to debut a set-top box and a TV subscription service of their own come CES 2013. Unfortunately according to a new report by the Wall Street Journal, it looks like if that was one of the things you were looking forward to seeing at CES 2013, you could be disappointed. The publication has reported that Intel would be delaying the debut of their product because they are having a hard time trying to convince companies to license out individual channels. Given that Intel’s experience lies more in the backend side of things rather than creating consumer friendly devices, we can’t say that we’re surprised.

The report also quotes one cable operator who claims that unlike licensing a bundle of channels, licensing individual channels would be a lot more expensive and that his company and Intel were far from reaching an agreement. However the report also states that Intel has already managed to land one content deal but their sources declined to mention as to who that partner is. Either way since the previous report was merely a rumor, we guess it’s hard to be disappointed, but we’ll keep our eyes peeled nonetheless.

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Intel Rumored To Debut Set-Top Box And TV Subscription Service At CES 2013, Samsung to unveil 110-inch UHD television at CES 2013? [Rumor],

Intel’s aim to have a web-based TV platform blending on-demand and cable content launched early in the new year may be scuppered by longer-than-expected media negotiations, potentially pushing the debut back until Q4 2013. Initially planned for late 2012, but delayed after content owners supposedly put up more of a licensing challenge than Intel first predicted, sources tell the WSJ that the new launch window is anything from mid-2013 to the end of the year.

According to the more pessimistic tipster, “delays in reaching content-licensing agreements with entertainment companies that own major TV channels” remain the primary headache. That’s not exactly a new refrain; it’s stubbornness among the traditional media to bend to the unbundling whims of entertainment upstarts like Google and Apple which is believed to have prevented previous attempts to challenge the cable market.

Intel was apparently on track to demonstrate an early version of the unnamed web TV set-top box and service at CES 2013 next week, with previous leaks indicating a small-scale trial could begin in March. However, new whispers suggest TV has been taken off the menu, with only regular desktop and mobile processors to be discussed.

Unsurprisingly, it’s not hardware that has prompted the delays, with the rumored STB said to include social networking functionality to better join together viewers watching the same program in different locations.

Currently, a source close to the ongoing negotiations claims, Intel has inked a single deal with a content partner, though there’s no word on which that partner is. Owners of channels are traditionally reluctant to offer individual channels separately, preferring more expensive bundles where cable operators must license not only the high-profile they want, but a number of less widely-known channels as well.

Another TV company executive said his firm and Intel “were far from reaching an agreement on financial terms,” with the content owners demanding “far higher fees” than existing cable operators pay.

Intel web TV scheme may miss CES 2013 after licensing headaches is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
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