On CE - For Dealers, Distributors and OEMs of Consumer Electronics throughout EMEA

Tough case maker Pelican takes a look at the iPad and netbooks with the 1075 and i1075 HardBack Cases-- cases tough enough to protect devices from heights of up to 1m.

The company says 1075-series cases are dustproof, watertight and crushproof, with built-in automatic purge valve keeping water and dust out (while balancing air pressure) and an easy-open latch that remains shut under pressure or after impact.

Inside the case is a shock absorbing liner with cutout space for devices. The i1075 case not only has space for an iPad, but also an Apple Bluetooth keyboard and a power adapter. An integrated easel provides hands-free viewing in both horizontal or vertical positions.

All cases also include a removable shoulder strap, and weigh around 892g when empty.

Go Pelican 1075 and i1075 HardBack Cases

Devices delivering multiple functions and internet connectivity-- or "magnet platforms"-- will lead the mobile market according to In-Stat, growing at a CAGR of 25.7% through 2015.

In comparison, the overall mobile device market will growth at a CAGR of 8.7% for the same period.

"Magnet devices" cover 3 categories-- smartphones, tablets and notebook PCs. All make part of the larger "smart device" category together with smart TVs and STBs. Such devices increasingly share similar (if not identical) silicon components, operating systems and apps.

In-Stat says 4 key factors drive innovation within the mobile market-- richer content, network access, increased bandwidth (to enable access) and new technologies. The technology will improve further, with growing numbers of mobile devices carrying more than 1 GPU (and the number of GPU cores per SoC) during the forecast period.

The analyst also predicts smartphones will increse from under 20% of total handsets (from 2010) to 43% in 2015, while Intel and Imagination will lead in the GPU market after taking over 61.3% of the 2011 mobile GPU market.

Go Smartphones, Tablets, and Notebook PCs to Grow at 25.7% CAGR Through 2015 (In-Stat)

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

Japanese press say Sir Howard Stringer will step "down," but technically the Sony CEO is stepping up or aside to become Chairman on the Board. Maybe that press reaction reflects the disappointment felt in Japan by Sony's dismal performance-- or maybe the resentment of Japan's first geijin CEO.

In any case, press in Japan (like the Yomiuri Shimbun article in the link below) make it sound like Stringer fell on his sword over poor performance-- and frankly that would have been expected of any Japanese national in Stringer's position. Kazuo Hirai, of PlayStation fame, will take over as CEO with the mission to rebuild the electronics business. He is 51 years and spent 20 years in USA (where his family is resident).