DRAMeXchange reports NAND flash memory product demand is still weak, and will remain so through H1 2012 as vendors fail to boost sales through more aggressive pricing strategies.

However the analyst predicts a more optimistic picture for H2 2012 thanks to 3 industry highlights-- ultrabooks, new mobile devices and USB 3.0.

Ultrabooks carrying Intel Ivy Bridge processors should hit the market in H2 2012. DRAMeXchange expects ultrabooks to boost NAND flash consumption due to the use of either hybrid Continue reading...

A rapid rebound from the 2008 global economic crisis, distribution of wealth across a growing middle class and more affordable prices are driving Russia to become the biggest PC market in Europe.

Russia will become the fourth-largest PC market in the world in 2012, according to IDC research director Stefania Lorenz.This means that for the first time more PCs will be sold in Russia than in Germany, Europe's decades-long epicenter of PC demand.

"Certainly Russia is a driving force in PC growth in Europe, and consumers are driving the growing volume of sales," Lorenz said in an interview for this story. "Between the first quarter of 2010 and the third quarter of 2011, consumer notebook sales in Russia grew from a staggering 241 percent [growing from a relatively small base of 273K units first quarter 2009 to 932K units first quarter 2010] to 21 percent in third quarter of 2011," she said. "And if you look at just the third quarter of 2011, of the 2.6 million PC units sold, 2.2 million of those were sold to consumers."

Improved living standards, computer literacy and Internet access across Russia, combined with a significant drop in prices, are making PCs attractive and accessible to more people, according to Lorenz.

The WW tablet market is seeing "stronger-than-expected" growth across many regions IDC reports, with global Q4 2011 shipments reaching 28.2M units with 155% Y-o-Y growth. Shipments for the whole year total 68.7M.

As a result, IDC revises 2012 shipments forecasts from 87.7M to 106.1M units.

According to the analyst, Android makes strong gains in Q4 2011, thanks to low-cost offerings such as the Amazon Kindle Fire--- Android market share reaches 44.6%, up from 32.3% in Q3. On the other hand, the iOS grip on the market slips from 61.6% in Q3 to 54.7% for Q4 2011.

According to Gartner WW PC shipments for 2012 will total 368M units with 4.4% Y-o-Y growth, as the PC market remains weak in the face of variable economic and consumer dynamics.

"2011 redefined the landscape of the device market," Gartner says. Users are replacing PCs with tablets and smartphones, prefering such devices to access traditional PC applications such as e-mail, social networking and the internet.

Consumers will also make more use of personal cloud services-- challenging vendors even Continue reading...