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Hitachi Storage Goes Western Digital

08 March 2011 Marco Attard Vendor News
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Western Digital HitachiWestern Digital purchases Hitachi's storage unit for a reported $4.3bn-- thus combining the world's no. 1 and no. 3 HDD makers.

The move means Western Digital now climbs to the top a somewhat shrinking hard drive market-- one facing continual competition from flash-based storage such as SSDs.

IHS iSuppli says WW HDD shipments will drop by around 4% in Q1 2011, reaching 160.9m units (down from Q4 2010's 167.5m).

Analysts also say the Hitachi purchase will allow Western Digital to challenge Seagate within the still-growing enterprise market, as it brings in Hitachi's enterprise customers.

Go Western Digital Acquires Hitachi Global Storage Technologies

Go Tablets to Eat Into HDD Shipments in Q1

Digital Music's Revenue Growth

08 March 2011 Marco Attard Market Trends - Stats
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Ovum forecasts the digital music industry's WW revenues will reach $20bn by 2015-- showing CAGR of 24% from 2011 to 2015.

Digital MusicWhat will drive such growth? According to Ovum, it'll be strong growth in subscription-based music services.

However Ovum also says the industry is not doing enough to maximise its revenue potential-- due to free online radio services (Pandora and Grooveshark) and "freemium" services (Spotify). The analyst suggst such sites should maximise their advertising and premium subscription potential.

Ultimately Ovum says the digital economy has too much of free music-- and "not just the illegal kind".

Music subscription services from Apple and Google also come into Ovum's forecast.

Meanwhile one sees reductions on paid downloads-- which grew by just 3% in 2010 in the US.

Go Digital Music Forecast 2010 - 2015

A NFC Android at CeBIT 2011

08 March 2011 Marco Attard Laptops, Tablets, eReaders
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tazpadTazTag introduces its TazPad at CeBIT 2011-- an Android tablet carrying NFC technology.

The TazPad has a 7" multitouch screen, alongside all tablet standards (camera, GPS, accelerometer, HDMI output). Connections come through wifi, bluetooth and ZigBee, as well as NFC.

Targetting its device for the market's professional end, TazTag also offers optional biometric authentication-- allowing customers to use the tablet as a business device.

Currently on display at CeBIT, the TazPad will be available by Q2 2011.

Go TazPad

Standard Set For Cloud Printing

08 March 2011 Marco Attard Printers - Consumables
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CloudPrintingThinPrint's mobile division, Cortado, creates the Cloud Printing Alliance-- an organisation set to create standards for mobile cloud printing.

Membership is open to printer and networking equipment manufacturers and hotspot providers, and already includes the likes of Brother, Dell, Funkwerk, Konica Minolta, Kyocera and OKI.

Cortado supplies the alliance's members with its Workplace technology, a free cloud printing solution. The technology allows smartphone and tablet users to print any file type directly on any wifi- or bluetooth-enabled printer without the need of a PC.

The alliance will also issue "Cloud Printing Ready" labelling on its members' new devices (printers as well as routers).

Workplace is also currently available as a free app at Android, Blackberry, iDevice and Symbian app stores.

Go Leading Printer Manufacturer Alliance Sets De Facto Cloud Printing Standard

Chinese Hopes for Media Markt

08 March 2011 Marco Attard Retailer News
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media markt shanghaiMedia Markt opens its second outlet in that most populous of markets-- China.

The new Shanghai outlet will carry both Western (such as Apple, HP, Acer, Siemens and the like) and Asian brands (Changhong and Hisense, amongst others) in a space including TV and hifi departments and 3200 square metres dedicated to household appliances-- with the company saying its customers are able to "experience" its products.

In total, the store covers around 13000 square meters, with services including installation, setup and repair for both appliances and computers.

Go Media Markt Sets Up in Shanghai

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