| Apple reported to be preparing direct sales in Russia, wanting more Macs for Moscow Aug 21st 2012, 21:04  Despite Russia's size, Apple has always had to sell in the country through carriers and resellers -- a pain for customers who might have to wait weeks beyond the initial launch of a device to see it in stores. If we're to believe tips from distributor insiders speaking with Kommersant, Apple wants at least some kind of first-party presence in the country. The company has supposedly set up a majority-owned local branch, Apple Rus, to run an operation that would start direct sales as soon as 2013. As for official retail stores, we simply don't know. Apple executives were reported as disappointed in available locations following a trip to Moscow in 2011, but there's been no chatter since. Apple certainly hasn't commented on the subject. We do know that iOS- and Mac-loving Russians in at least major cities will be happy if Apple establishes a more official presence, even if it still leaves us mourning the lost opportunity for an obvious Snow Leopard tie-in. Filed under: Cellphones, Desktops, Laptops Apple reported to be preparing direct sales in Russia, wanting more Macs for Moscow originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 21 Aug 2012 17:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink  The Moscow News, 9to5 Mac |  Kommersant (translated) | Email this | Comments | | MetroPCS reveals Samsung Galaxy S III as part of fall lineup Aug 21st 2012, 20:49  Turns out the LG Motion 4G wasn't all that MetroPCS had up its sleeve for reveal today, as the prepaid carrier separately let its new fall lineup slip, and wouldn't you know it, among those devices is the Samsung Galaxy S III. Joining the superphone will be a smaller Sammy smartphone, and like the LG Connect 4G, it'll support VoLTE -- curious that the carrier isn't touting the feature for the Galaxy S III, don't you think? ZTE will also be making another go at MetroPCS, as an Android handset with a 4.3-inch screen is now in the cards, but other relevant specs remain sorely absent. Rounding out the lineup will be an import from Coolpad, which is said to wield a 4-inch screen and will retail for $149. According to Phone Scoop, we may see this one make an official debut later this week. Naturally, none of these slabs carry the same clout as the Galaxy S III, and if you'd like to get a bit more familiar with the soon-to-be premiere smartphone at MetroPCS, be sure to check out PC Magazine below, which managed to score a hands-on with the latest version of Samsung's finest. Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless MetroPCS reveals Samsung Galaxy S III as part of fall lineup originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 21 Aug 2012 16:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink The Verge | Phone Scoop | Email this | Comments | | iZettle comes to Android for a few lucky Swedish Samsung owners Aug 21st 2012, 20:35  Square gets most of the media hype, but without an international presence, would-be competitors have had a chance to carve out their own niches in the mobile commerce market. Sweden's iZettle has managed to make quite a splash in its homeland, and it's expanding its mini empire by finally bringing its wares to Android -- albeit in an extremely limited form. Unless you've got a Galaxy S III, S II or a Note then iZettle still isn't for you and with availability in a single Nordic country, it might seem more accurate to describe Android support as being in beta, but the company has ditched the testing tag regardless. Rest assured, however, it is actively working to add more handsets and export the app beyond its particle board-loving borders. Filed under: Cellphones, Peripherals, Software iZettle comes to Android for a few lucky Swedish Samsung owners originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 21 Aug 2012 16:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink GigaOM | iZettle | Email this | Comments | | Dell reports Q2 earnings: rakes in $14.5 billion of revenue, nets $732 million in profit Aug 21st 2012, 20:18  After a couple of down quarters in a row, Dell needed to come out strong in Q2 of fiscal year 2013. Well, it's probably not as glowing a quarter as the company was hoping for, but a slight rebound in profits from last quarter should give it something to smile about. Revenue was up roughly $100 million sequentially, which translated into an equal amount of additional profit. After netting just $635 million in income during Q1, Dell banked $732 million in Q2 of 2013. Year-over-year, however, things are a little less rosy. Revenue was down eight percent and net income a worrisome 18 percent. Still, while its consumer arm continues to struggle (where revenue is down 22 percent), its enterprise services division continues to grow, raking in $4.9 billion this quarter -- up six percent from the same time last year and matching its previous record. The company expects revenue to continue to fall next quarter, but expects good things from it Enterprise Solutions, Services and Software division going forward. For more financial particulars check out the PR after the break. Continue reading Dell reports Q2 earnings: rakes in $14.5 billion of revenue, nets $732 million in profit Filed under: Misc. Gadgets Dell reports Q2 earnings: rakes in $14.5 billion of revenue, nets $732 million in profit originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 21 Aug 2012 16:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | Microsoft earns patent for claimed wireless charging improvement, pad with info screen Aug 21st 2012, 19:49  Device makers are bent on bringing us inductive charging, and Redmond has joined the fray with a recently allotted patent that describes all kinds of tech that could make it work better. For the charging itself, a trick is proposed that's similar to one we've seen before -- careful matching of the resonant frequency of charger and device. That would amplify efficiency and allow more than one device to be charged at a time. To make it easier to use, a pressure sensor could detect if a device was on the pad, with different parts of the pad allocated for smartphones or tablets, for instance. The patent also proposes a display placed opposite the charger to give it another use when it's not juicing, which would be determined by a gyro to sense which side was facing up. Of course, a lot of patents are whimsical things, which never amount to anything -- but judging by the detail in this one, Microsoft may have something more concrete in mind. Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Peripherals Microsoft earns patent for claimed wireless charging improvement, pad with info screen originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 21 Aug 2012 15:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | USPTO | Email this | Comments | | Office Web Apps integrate touch support on iPad and Windows 8, brace us for an Office 2013 world Aug 21st 2012, 19:18  Touch-friendliness is a centerpiece for the upcoming Office 2013, but don't fret if you prefer to live in the world of Office Web Apps ahead of time. As of new preview versions of both OWA and Office 365, those using at least an iPad or Windows 8 will see larger, more finger-ready controls by default. The switch also tweaks the text selection, contextual menus and numerous other elements to work properly with the fleshier input, even going so far as to support multi-touch gestures like pinching to zoom. Windows users get a Touch Mode toggle if they'd rather flip back to traditional control methods. While the web support is still experimental and doesn't have a completion date on the horizon, those willing to live ever so slightly on the edge can stay hooked on Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote and Word without having to use anything so archaic as a mouse and keyboard. [Thanks, Suraj] Filed under: Tablet PCs, Internet Office Web Apps integrate touch support on iPad and Windows 8, brace us for an Office 2013 world originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 21 Aug 2012 15:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Office Web Apps Blog | Office Web Apps Preview (SkyDrive), Office 365 Preview | Email this | Comments | |
