Friday, March 30, 2012

Crisis-hit RIM posts huge loss, might dump consumer market

It looks like the chickens are finally coming home to roost at BlackBerry makers Research In Motion after posting a huge $125m loss for Q4 2011.We've been concerned about RIM since 2009 and it seems that those concerns were well-founded.

Reliable reports say that founder Jim Balsillie has quit the company, along with some other very high profile departures.

Unconfirmed reports say that RIM is quitting the consumer market to concentrate on business customers. Although this comes as a surprise to many, it is probably the only way that RIM can survive and it shows a marked change in direction from new CEO Thorsten Heins.

Other unconfirmed reports say that RIM might be for sale if someone makes the right offer.. but honestly it's hard to see who that might be.

You can read our full take of events here.

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Press Release: Krusell launches bioserie mobile covers – Made of plants

PRESS RELEASE
Mölndal 2012-02-29

Krusell launches bioserie mobile covers – Made of plants
Krusell are proud to present a cooperation with bioserie who launched the world’s first iPhone 4/4S covers made with fully biobased and industrially compostable bioplastic materials.
The covers are made of plants letting you protect your device in style and with a clean environmental conscience. Krusell will offer two different designs: BioCover and GlassCover for iPhone 4/4S.
BioCovers feature unprecedented performance and durability due to exclusive use of a new generation high-temperature resistant, fully biobased Ingeo™ PLA biopolymer.
The new printed GlassCovers are made from 100% strengthened glass, (similar to strengthened glass used in smartphone screens) and bioplastics which are derived from annually renewable plant resources. The covers are designed to be as fashion forward as they are eco-friendly, available now in a selection of bold color combinations and unique designs.
MÖLNDAL (Feb. 22, 2012)
- Krusell has a responsibility towards the environment and our population around the globe. We have an internal environmental focus and it was a natural next step for us to provide an eco-friendly product says Ulf Sandberg, CEO at Krusell. It is important for us that we choose a well-known and serious partner in the Eco business, as we found in bioserie.

HONG KONG (Feb. 22, 2012)
- We continue to explore new and innovative ways to update our products in an earth conscious way with strong elements of fashion and style, said Kaya Kaplancali, CEO, bioserie. Being able to print on strengthened glass and combine it with our bioplastic covers empowers us to provide the consumer with an unprecedented combination of hi-tech luxury while keeping our environmentally responsible vision intact. We’re thrilled to announce our best product line yet, and partnering with Krusell will help us reach a much wider audience thanks to their extensive global distribution network.

Features BioCover:
• A new and advanced biobased bioplastic material with significantly improved strength and durability.
• Weighs only 12 grams, 1 mm thin, provides scratch and impact protection without bulk.
• One piece, snap-on cover, easy to put on and take off.
• Patent pending feet at the corners keep screen away from flat surfaces during face down placement.
• Allows easy access to all controls and functions.
• Does not spill over iPhone’s screen area; allowing easy typing and flicking.
• Does not attract dust or stick in your pocket like silicon or rubber cases.
All packaging components are eco-friendly; with FSC certified 100% recycled paper.
Features GlassCover:

• Printed high-strength 100 % glass panels attached to fully biobased (non-food crop) bioplastic casing.
• Durable, high resolution prints with vivid colors, thanks to scratch and fingerprint resistant strengthened glass panel – 100% glass, similar to strengthened glass used in smartphone screens.
• One piece, snap-on cover; easy to put on and take off.
• Patent pending feet at the corners keep screen away from flat surfaces during face down placement.
• Allows easy access to all controls and functions.
• Does not spill over iPhone’s screen area, allowing easy typing and flicking.
• All packaging components are eco-friendly; with FSC certified 100% recycled paper.

Official launch at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, booth:7E68.
Recommended consumer Prices BioCovers: 19,90 Euro
Recommended consumer Prices GlassCovers: 39,90 Euro

Images and more press releases are available at: http://www.mynewsdesk.com/uk/pressroom/krusell_international_ab
________________________________________
For further information and comments, please contact:
Mr. Ulf Sandberg
Managing Director, Krusell International AB
Phone: +46 31 338 00 05
Mobile: +46 709 300 300
E-mail: ulf.sandberg@krusell.se

Ms. Malin Levin
Marketing Manager
Phone: +46 31 338 00 15
E-mail: malin.levin@krusell.se
________________________________________
Facts about Krusell:
Krusell International AB with 130 million SEK in turnover, an annual production of over 3 million cases, and more than 500 employees is a Swedish company exporting high-end cases around the world. After 20 years in the cell phone industry, Krusell is established as one of the leading brands in its niche. Besides cases for mobile phones, Krusell also produces cases for digital cameras, laptops, MP3-players, GPS and portable gaming. Moreover, Krusell are also a subcontractor to Sony, Samsung, Sanyo, Honda, Toyota and LG. The headquarters of Krusell are located in Mölndal, Sweden.

For information about Krusell, please visit www.krusell.se
________________________________________
Facts about bioserie:
bioserie is a cutting¬‐edge company engineering revolutionary ways in which bioplastics are used in consumer goods. Based in Hong Kong, bioserie launched its first line of bioplastic iPhone covers in February 2010 and has continued innovating new “made of plants” Apple accessories including cases for the iPhone 4/4S, iPhone 3G/3GS, iPod touch, iPod nano, all of which are made in partnership with World leaders in bioplastics.

For information about bioserie, please visit www.bioserie.com

Press Release: An EU Cybercrime Centre to fight serious online crime


An EU Cybercrime Centre to fight serious online crime
The European Commission is proposing to establish an European Cybercrime Centre to help protect citizens and businesses against mounting cyber-crime that costs the UK GBP 27 billion a year. Cyber-threats include online fraud involving credit cards and bank credentials, hacking of smartphones and large-scale coordinated attacks on public services and infrastructure. The centre will focus on illegal online activities carried out by organised crime groups.
It is estimated that, worldwide, more than one million people become victims of cybercrime every day. The global turnover of cybercrime could reach an overall total of GBP 243 billion, making it more profitable than the global trade in marijuana, cocaine and heroin combined. According to government figures, in the UK the cost of cybercrime is GBP 27 billion a year with GBP 3.1 billion born by citizens, GBP 2.2 billion by the government and businesses suffering the bulk of the burden by loosing GBP 21 billion.
"Millions of Europeans use the Internet for home banking, online shopping and planning holidays, or to stay in touch with family and friends via online social networks. But as the online part of our everyday lives grows, organised crime is following suit - and these crimes affect each and every one of us," said Cecilia Malmström, European Commissioner for Home Affairs. "We can't let cybercriminals disrupt our digital lives. A European Cybercrime Centre within Europol will become a hub for cooperation in defending an internet that is free, open and safe."
The EU experts will also work on preventing cybercrimes affecting e-banking and online booking activities. Another priority will be to protect social network profiles from e-crime infiltration and to help the fight against online identity theft. It will also focus on cybercrimes which cause serious harm to their victims, such as online child sexual exploitation and cyber-attacks affecting critical infrastructure and information systems in the Union.
The European centre will warn EU Member States of major cybercrime threats and alert them of weaknesses in their online defences. It will identify organised cyber-criminal networks and prominent offenders in cyberspace. It will provide operational support in concrete investigations, be it with forensic assistance or by helping to set up cybercrime Joint Investigation Teams.
The Commission's proposal now needs to be adopted by the Europol management board and the centre is expected to start operations in January next year. It will be established within the European police agency, Europol in The Hague (The Netherlands).
Background
Almost three quarters of European households have Internet access, about a third of the citizens in the Union use home banking.  Consequently, cybercrime is on the raise and cyber-criminals have created a profitable market around their illegal activities where credit card details can be sold between organised crime groups for less then a pound (Euro 1) per card, a counterfeited physical credit card for around GBP 116 (Euro140) and bank credentials for as little as GBP 50 (Euro 60). Cybercrimes are also targeting social media: up to 600 000 Facebook accounts are blocked every day, after various types of hacking attempts and over 6.700.000 distinct bot-infected computers were detected in 2009.
The Commission announced its intention to establish a European Cybercrime Centre in the  'EU Internal Security Strategy in Action' (IP/10/1535 and MEMO/10/598), adopted on 22 November 2010.  The Communication on a European Cybercrime Centre is part of a series of measures that seek to protect citizens from online crimes, complementing legislative proposals such as the Directive on attacks against information systems, the text of which is currently debated in the European Parliament (IP/10/1239 and MEMO/10/463) or the  Directive on combating the sexual exploitation of children online and child pornography, adopted in 2011 (IP/10/379 and MEMO/10/107).  
For more information
Homepage of Cecilia Malmström, Commissioner for Home Affairs
Homepage DG Home Affairs:

Two minutes of battery life?

Here's a fun video from Qualcomm demonstrating how power efficient their Snapdragon processor is..


The catch is..that the phone was powered off when it is shipped between locations, so it looks like this Snapdragon phone can only manage two minutes of video capture on a single charge! Of course, that's not entirely true because the phone has a trip around each location.. and if you put a switched-on mobile phone in an aircraft then it might well be detected as a bomb threat!

Still, it's a bit of fun and perhaps Qualcomm can impress us with a real battery torture test in the future..