Logitech reports Q1 2012 net losses reaching $52.1 million-- far more than the $29.6m losses from Q1 2011, and more than double earlier analyst estimates of losses reaching around $20m.

The biggest peripheral vendor in the world also sees a -14% Y-o-Y decrease in EMEA retail sales (reflecting "sustained weakness in the region"), while global sales decline by -4% Y-o-Y-- even if the LifeSize enterprise videoconferencing segment sees 34% Y-o-Y growth in sales.

While peripheral sales are generally Continue reading...

Apple makes a rare big purchase-- AuthenTec, buying the mobile security firm for $365 million.

The news comes from an 8K document from AuthenTec, one which at one point (perhaps unsurprisingly) remarks "Authentec cannot comment on Apple's intentions."

Authentec makes fingerprint recognition and NFC chips for mobile device and PC use. It also makes security software-- and recently signed a big contract with Samsung for the use AuthenTecs' QuickSec Mobile VPN Client in new Android devices.

Other Continue reading...

Apple wins an EU-wide preliminary injunction banning sales of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 tablet as the Düsseldorf regional court decides the devices infringes on Apple design rights.

However Samsung can still continue selling the larger Galaxy Tab 10.1N-- the revised model Samsung released to work around earlier design infringement accusations. The Düsseldorf court had already decided in favour of the 10.1N variant back in February 2012

The Galaxy Tab 7.7 ban theoretically covers all EU countries except Germany, where a ban against the tablet is already in place.

However earlier in July a UK high court decided Samsung tablets are less "cool" than the iPad, and therefore do not infringe on Apple tablet patents.

Wall Street sometimes gets too greedy-- despite fiscal Q3 2012 revenues reaching $35 billion and profits worth $8.8bn (up from $7.3bn in Q3 2011) Apple misses Wall Street estimates, causing analysts to declare the quarter a bust.

International sales account for 62% of Q3 2012 revenues.

Strong earnings, but not strong enough for Thomson Reuters analysts expecting revenues worth $37.2bn.

Mind, iDevice numbers see Q-o-Q declines-- Q3 iPhone sales reach 26 million, up by 28% Y-o-Y but down by -26% sequentially, maybe due to continual rumours on the next iPhone model. Meanwhile iPad sales reach 17m with 86% Y-o-Y growth.

Samsung buys the mobile connectivity and location technology division of British chipmaker CSR for $310 million, in a bid to strengthen both smartphone and patent portfolio.

"By leveraging CSR's R&D capability, Samsung will strengthen its application processor platform and solidify its position as a leading semiconductor solutions provider," Samsung says.

CSR tells Reuters it was "losing ground" in smartphones to bigger rivals (such as Qualcomm) despite a selection of "cutting edge" Bluetooth, Continue reading...

Intel lowers Q3 2012 expectations after it falls short of Q2 2012 goals, noticing softer consumer spending in Europe and the US-- even if Q2 revenues grow by 5% Y-o-Y to total $13.5 billion.

This means Intel is doing like AMD in lowering outlooks as a sign of current tepid economic conditions.

The Intel PC client group sees revenues of $8.7bn (with 3% Q-o-Q growth), while the Data Center Group sees the most growth (14% Q-o-Q) and revenues reaching $2.8bn.

The earnings call also allows the company Continue reading...

Imagine 16,000 partners in a coliseum style setting all cheering for a single vendor... Welcome to the Microsoft Worldwide Partners Conference, WPC2012 in Toronto.

On stage there Microsoft confirmed it's on track for the touch-enabled Windows 8 RTM for general availability by late October.

CEO Steve Ballmer is on center stage, strangely enough seated as his true nature is to bounce and bounce on stage like Winnie the Pooh’s Tigger ("Bouncing is what Tiggers do best.")

In the hopes of accelerating the pace of chipmaking technology development Intel commits €3.3 billion for a 15% share into Dutch chipmaking equipment vendor ASML.

The funding will go in the further development of 450mm wafer and Extreme Ultra-Violet (EUV) litography-- technologies that could not only slash production costs but even help maintain the Intel mantra, Moore's Law (the prediction saying the average number of transistors per chip doubles every 18 months).

ASML is the biggest supplier Continue reading...