ConsumerIT - For Europe's High Volume PC Retailers, Distributors & Builders

According to the Seagate Q2 2012 (fiscal) report, the HDD industry still has to recover from the October Thailand floodings-- the company estimates the industry shipped 119M units, while demand for the period totals 175M units.

HDD shipments from Seagate total 47M (including 700000 Samsung drives), a 4% Y-o-Y decline the company blames on component supply constraints related to the floodings. As a result Seagate predicts flooding-related issues will continue affecting the HDD industry throughout 2012, with overall supply failing to satisfy demand by around 150M units.

While Seagate factories are not directly hit by the floods, it still has to deal with shortages from component suppliers. Meanwhile the compant still makes profits, with revenues growing by 18% Y-o-Y to reach $3.2BN.

Go Seagate Fiscal Q2 2012 Financial Results

Munich-based Equinox has a solution for customers wanting to watch TV programs on their iPads-- the Tizi Go, a dongle turning the iPad into a mobile DVB-TV solution.

The Tizi Go is a follow-up on the Tizi, a wifi-based TV transmitter. Connecting to the iPad dock connector, it not only receives DVB-TV signals but also allows users to pause, record and rewind live TV via tizi.tv app.

Users can transfer recordings to iTunes, while app's electronic program schedule does not require an internet connection. Equinox says the Tizi Go has up to 9 hours of battery life (while viewing TV at 30% brightness in airplane mode) and is rechargeable via included micro-USB cable.

Go Tizi Go

With hardly any noise -- not to mention a press conference-- Cisco shuts off sales of the umi, its ill-fated stab at a consumer videoconferencing system.

Call it sneaking away from another disaster from a once-infallible Cisco who thought it could easily crossover into consumer marketing, if you will.

Launched back in October 2010, the umi (pronounced You-Me) was a premium home conferencing kit offering 1080p video conferencing (720 for recording) at $599-- and an additional $10 monthly service fee. The package included a camera, controller and STB... and customers had to include their own HDTVs and internet connections.

Existing users will still be able to use the service to chat with either umi subscribers or Google video chat accounts.

Is Cisco giving up on home telepresence (while using the Linksys brand to target home users) or simply waiting until the time is right? Either way, we're sure Cisco will continue chasing the online video market.

Go Cisco umi

I once shipped some valuable antique oakwood panels across the Atlantic. When they were damaged in delivery to my door, I went to the insurance company and claimed for the damage based on the protection the policy I purchased.

"Ah," they said. "But you bought overseas shipping insurance..."

"Yes, I did. Here's copy of your policy."

"But, sir," they replied, handing back the policy. "You only paid for insurance while your goods were on the water. These were damaged on land after arrival. They're not covered."

Now you know how I feel about our history of personal computer security...

"But I had anti-virus protection..."

"But, sir," they replied. "You also needed anti-malware. You weren't fully covered."

And so it goes... If consumers have up-to-now been reluctant to protect their mobile phones, it's because no one has presented an all-in-one security offering.