Hasta La Gadget!

Intel continues to dominate the desktop processor market, and it looks like its reign may continue for a while if the latest report from Digitimes is to be believed. The publication reports that AMD will be delaying the launch of its new Trinitydesktop processors from August to October in order to make changes to the platform. Motherboard manufacturers will also be affected by the sudden change, with companies scrambling to accommodate the new designs in time for a launch in the second half of the year.

One of the other reasons for the delay may be high-inventory levels of Llano that AMD still needs to clear out, although AMD reportedly didn’t comment on that particular theory. AMD is said to have adjusted its processor roadmap as a result, with AM3-based processors being phased out in the second quarter of 2013. AM3 and AM3+ processors will continue to make up the majority of AMD’s lineup for the rest of the year as a result.

Finally, AMD is planning to launch three new AM3+ processors this year, which include the FX-8350, the FX-6300, and FX-4320. TDPs are expected to remain close to 125W, but performance is said to have improved by 10 to 15%. Currently the processors are on track for a release sometime in the third quarter.

AMD Trinity desktop launch reportedly delayed until October is written by Ben Kersey & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Digg’s $500,000 sale to Betaworks is just one element of the social site’s overall break-up, according to new industry whispers, with talk that the total figure involved is more in the region of $16m. Reports that Betaworks had snapped up Digg’s assets for half a million dollars yesterday surprised many who remembered the link sharing site’s halcyon days, but TechCrunch‘s sources suggest that was merely the mopping up after the best parts had already been spoken for.

The biggest chunk of the pie came from the Washington Post, a source says, which paid around $12m for the Digg team. Meanwhile, business-centric social network LinkedIn supposedly paid up to $4m for a Digg patent bundle. That, made up of around 15 different filings, covered the technology behind “clicking a button to vote up a story” among other things.

What Betaworks actually got for its investment is the Digg domain name, the code behind the site, the existing data, and all of the traffic. The company will apparently license the necessary patents for running the business as it sees fit from LinkedIn.

Those intentions are still unclear, though there has been talk of a new “cloud-based version of Digg” that will work with the News.me iPhone and iPad apps. The News.me team will also be running the web-based Digg.com, though likely with some changes along the way.

$500k cash the side story in $16m Digg break-up is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Just last week, a report from MK Business News indicated that the Galaxy Note II would be unveiled at the end of August during IFA 2012. The publication also hinted at some of the specifications, including a 5.5-inch screen that would occupy the same space as the current Galaxy Note. Now DDaily reports that that Samsung will hold a Mobile Unpacked event at IFA that will show off the successor to the Galaxy Note.

DDaily believes that Samsung will hold an event on August 30th at 7pm in Berlin that will show off the Galaxy Note II. That’s quite a specific time and date, and it lines up with previous reports that Samsung were planning an IFA 2012 reveal. Past rumors have suggested that the device would come with a 5.5-inch screen, quad-core Exynos processor, and improved camera that would fall between 8- and 12-megapixels.

The device will not, however, feature an unbreakable plane display as was alluded to in previous reports. The software is said to be the latest version of Android, Jelly Bean, and the handset will reportedly be launched in time for September to get a head start on the next iPhone. The original Galaxy Note was released in Europe in November 2011 before making its way to AT&T in February.

[via Sammy Hub]

Samsung Galaxy Note II tipped for August 30th reveal is written by Ben Kersey & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Microsoft showed off a ton of new features for Windows Phone 8 at the Windows Phone Summit back in June, but the company did mention that some functionality had yet to be revealed. WPCentral has noticed that Microsoft may be planning to enhance lock screen notifications in Windows Phone 8. Currently users will see notifications for any missed calls or text messages, but WPCentral believes Microsoft will open up the lock screen to third-party apps.

WPCentral says there are four options that developers will be able to take advantage of, with one “being extremely creative” and changing the lock screen throughout the course of a day. They stopped short of revealing all the details, however. It’s also not entirely clear if Microsoft will extend support to a full blow notification center like iOS or Android.

New functionality in Windows Phone 8 will include an improved interface, with users able to change the size of tiles and arrange them as they see fit on the home screen. The OS will also gain support for 720p screens as well as dual-core processors from Qualcomm, and Windows Phone 8 share a common core with Windows 8. Microsoft also focused on its NFC and Wallet features, plus new enterprise and business security details.

[via The Verge]

Windows Phone 8 may see improved lock screen notifications is written by Ben Kersey & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

A former Microsoft Windows Phone exec has jumped ship to Amazon, where he will head the retailer’s Appstore efforts, lending further weight to rumors that the company plans a smartphone of its own. Robert Williams was, until last month, Microsoft’s senior director of business development in the Windows Phone division, but according to his LinkedIn profile is now working with Amazon to feather the app nest for what’s speculated to be the company’s push into mobile.

Rumors of a Kindle smartphone have persisted for some months now, with Amazon’s Appstore software distribution being seen as a footstep toward a full device under its own brand. That, it’s speculated, would follow a similar near-loss-leader strategy as the Kindle ereaders, with cheap hardware being balanced against the promise of long-term content purchases from Amazon’s ebook, music, movie and other stores.

Williams worked as business development lead for four years with Microsoft, and before that was senior director of the company’s “Premium Mobile Experiences” group. His exact role at Amazon is unclear, though the retailer has been bullish on its intention to push apps as another string to its digital content bow.

That could come into play for an Amazon phone, or indeed new Kindle Fire tablets. As well as a refresh for the current, 7-inch model, there’s also talk of a larger 10-inch Kindle Fire in the pipeline, both running Google’s Android OS albeit with heavy reskinning.

Yesterday, Amazon launched GameCircle, the company’s cross-device synchronization and leaderboard system for mobile gamers. That puts the company head to head with Apple’s Game Center.

[via The Verge]

Amazon grabs ex-Windows Phone app chief amid Kindle phone chatter is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.