Intel Medfield chip on Motorola and Lenovo smartphones
Intel's new processor designed for mobile devices will be used by Motorola Mobility and Lenovo in upcoming Android-based smartphones.
The Medfield chip is designed to help Intel make headway in a sector dominated by processors based on designs by the UK firm Arm Holdings.
The announcement was made at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES).
The Motorola partnership is significant as Android's maker, Google, is in the process of taking over the phone maker.
This launch marks Intel's second attempt to get Atom-based chips used in smartphones.
LG unveiled a previous tie-up at CES in 2010, but the handset never went into production.
This time Intel has announced rough shipping dates for the new devices.
It said Lenovo would launch a Medfield-based phone in China before July, while Motorola would sell its first handset in the second half of the year with others devices to follow.
Battery life
Medfield's system-on-chip design packs an X86-architecture central processing unit (CPU), RAM memory, storage and an Imagination Technologies-designed graphics processing unit all onto the same chip using the firm's established 32 nanometre manufacturing technology.
The chip is smaller than a fingertip and is designed to balance processing power against energy use in order to maximise battery life.
Intel said a prototype unit, which it built itself, could deliver eight hours of 3G voice calls, six hours of 1080p video decoding or five hours of 3G internet browsing.
"Battery life on this platform is not the best in the mobile market, but it is by far not the worst," Mike Bell, Intel's Ultra Mobility Group general manager, told the BBC.
"We are very effective and good at some tasks and sort of in the middle of the pack at others.
"Essentially we think you can build a smartphone based upon our processor with an ordinary sized battery that you see in today's smartphones that will provide a great experience. There will be no battery life issue on our platform."
Avoiding fragmentation
Intel said it has also taken steps to prevent existing Android apps from being incompatible or slow on its chips.
It will deploy a team of experts to advise creators of Java-based titles on how to optimise their code - something it already does to help PC program developers.
The firm says it has also developed a technology to tackle "the 25% of apps" designed specifically to run on Arm-based processors.
"Applications that have native components or that were compiled natively for Arm - the majority of them, we think, by the time we ship will run just as well here as they do on other platforms. So the user won't have to worry about will it run on this or that phone," said Mr Bell.
"Compared to a native Intel version of the application it might use slightly more power if it is running under our technology, but the user wouldn't notice it.
"It will let those applications on day one run. And of course we are then going and evangelising to those people: 'Hey, if you recompile it it is going to run a lot faster on our platform as our platform is better.'"
Tablets
Intel said the chip could later be used in tablets.
However, for now it is promoting a separate Clover Trail processor, which was demonstrated on a tablet running the upcoming Windows 8 system software by chief executive Paul Ottellini during the CES keynote speech.
Despite showing off an Intel-designed Medfield prototype handset, Mr Bell said that the firm had chosen to pursue "a more horizontal ecosystem" with handset manufacturing left to others. However, he admitted that there had been discussions about Intel moving into the sector.
Intel's ability to crack the mobile device market could prove critical to its future success. Many analysts believe the division between smartphones and tablets versus PCs and laptops will become blurred over the coming years.
Microsoft's new system software has been designed to work on both Arm-designed processors as well as Intel's X86-based chips. Manufacturers have also experimented with Arm-based laptops running Linux operating systems.
"There are somewhere between three to five billion smartphones in the world, if Intel wants to grow its business at a significant rate it must participate in this market, there is no alternative," said Ken Dulaney, vice president of mobile computing at the tech research firm Gartner.
"It also gives them a fallback if the Wintel monopoly begins to fall apart and the browser, rather than system, becomes king. They have been too tied to Microsoft for too long."
Nissan-Renault alliance in sales record in tough year
The Renault-Nissan partnership's global vehicle sales increased 10% last year to a record high.
Deliveries by the two car companies and their Russian partner AvtoVaz rose to 8.03 million vehicles, up from 7.28 million in 2010.
Renault-Nissan chief executive Carlos Ghosn announced the results at the Detroit motor show.
The rise has been attributed to a rebound in the US car market and strong demand from China.
Disaster year
Japanese car makers suffered major disruptions to production in 2011 due to the earthquake and tsunami in March and the floods in Thailand.
Despite this, Nissan's deliveries jumped to 4.67 million cars and light trucks.
Nissan's factories and production lines were not as badly hit as rivals Toyota and Honda.
Nissan was able get production back up to 80% of its capacity by mid-May and said it had recovered fully by September.
Mr Ghosn told reporters in Detroit that passenger car sales role 8.9% in the US and about 10% in China.
Fannie Mae CEO to resign
Fannie Mae CEO Michael Williams plans to resign, the government-controlled mortgage giant said Tuesday.
Williams, who took over as president and CEO of the troubled company in 2009, will continue as CEO until Fannie Mae's board names a successor.
The firm did not provide a specific reason for Williams' departure; in a statement, Williams said only that he had decided that "the time is right to turn over the reins to a new leader."
Williams will leave behind a firm still struggling to get its finances in order.
In November, Fannie Mae (FNMA, Fortune 500) reported a net third-quarter loss of $5.1 billion. The loss forced the firm to ask for another $7.8 billion in funding from the Treasury Department, a request that took its bailout total to $112.6 billion.
Federal regulators put Fannie Mae and fellow government-sponsored enterprise Freddie Mac (FMCC, Fortune 500) into conservatorship during the financial meltdown in September 2008. The sister companies now depend on government help to cover losses on the mortgages they own or guarantee.
In October, Freddie Mac CEO Ed Haldeman also announced plans to step down at some point this year.
Williams and Haldeman have faced scrutiny in recent months for their hefty paychecks, granted even as their firms rely on taxpayer support. The targets for their 2011 pay, which will include deferred compensation, are set at about $6 million a piece.
In December, the Securities and Exchange Commission charged six former executives of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, including former Fannie CEO Daniel Mudd and former Freddie chief Richard Syron with securities fraud. The SEC alleges that the executives misrepresented the firms' holdings of high-risk mortgage loans ahead of the financial crisis.
Romney Wins Major Victory In New Hampshire Primary
Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney took a major step Tuesday toward winning the Republican Party’s presidential nomination with a convincing victory in the New Hampshire presidential primary. Romney easily defeated five Republican rivals one week after a narrow win in the Iowa caucuses and appears to be a strong favorite to be the Republican challenger against President Barack Obama in the November election.
Romney was clearly excited when he addressed supporters at a victory celebration in Manchester.
“Thank you, New Hampshire! Tonight we made history,” he said.
Romney was an easy winner in New Hampshire -- the first in the nation presidential primary, historically an important test for those seeking the White House.
In his victory speech, Romney focused less on his Republican rivals and highlighted his differences with President Obama.
“We still believe in the America that is a land of opportunity and a beacon of freedom. We believe in the America that challenges each of us to be better and bigger than ourselves. In this election, let’s go on to fight for the America we love because we believe in America. Thank you so much! God Bless America,” he said.
Texas Representative Ron Paul finished second -- a strong showing for a candidate whose focus on smaller government and less U.S. involvement abroad struck a chord with New Hampshire voters.
“But there was another victory tonight. He had a victory. But we have had a victory for the cause of liberty tonight,” he said.
Former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman captured third place in the primary. Huntsman has campaigned almost exclusively in New Hampshire for the past year.
"Here we sit tonight, with a ticket to ride and move on. Here we go to South Carolina," he said.
Surveys of voters leaving the polls said the economy was the top issue.
John Boghosian of Concord voted for Mitt Romney. Four years ago, his vote went to Barack Obama.
“I voted for the wrong guy last time. I shouldn’t have, but I did,” he said.
Ron Paul had loyal supporters as well. One of them said “I think he appeals to the common man -- the middle class of America -- and that is who I am.”
Romney now is in the enviable position of having won the first two presidential contests. But he faces his toughest test yet on January 21 in the South Carolina primary, where Republican primary voters tend to be more conservative than those in New Hampshire.
Romney has a small lead in the latest polls in South Carolina.
American University political expert Allan Lichtman says a Romney victory there would be a serious blow to his Republican rivals.
“After his first-place finish in New Hampshire, if Mitt Romney can go to a Southern state like South Carolina and win there, I would say the nomination struggle is virtually over. He’s got it wrapped up,” he said.
As the campaign moves South, Romney can expect intensified attacks from conservatives like former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum, former House of Representatives Speaker Newt Gingrich and Texas Governor Rick Perry. Perry largely skipped the New Hampshire contest to focus on South Carolina.
Three believed dead in S Korean boat fire in Antarctic
Three crew members are thought to have died on a South Korean fishing boat that caught fire in Antarctica.
"Three crew members are still missing and are believed to have died in the fire in the vessel's accommodation block,'' the New Zealand Rescue Coordination Centre said.
Another 37 fishermen were rescued - seven sustained burn injuries, two of which were serious.
The 51-metre (167ft) Jeong Woo 2 issued a distress call early on Wednesday.
It got into trouble in the Ross Sea, about 600km (375 miles) north of the US McMurdo Antarctic base.
Two other South Korean fishing vessels rushed to evacuate the crew members.
They were being medically assessed and would be transferred to the US research ship Nathaniel B. Palmer, which was ''steaming north to meet them'', said the New Zealand rescue authorities.
The two rescue boats remain stuck due to ice and fog conditions, it added.
The Nathaniel B. Palmer has medical facilities on board and will sail to the McMurdo base, where flights to New Zealand are available.
The incident happened about 3,700km (2,000 miles) south-east of New Zealand.
The weather in the area is calm and relatively mild, according to a Reuters report. Ships in the area would usually be fishing for toothfish, a valuable species known as the ''white gold'' of the Southern Ocean.
The Jeong Woo 2 was built in Japan and is registered in Busan, South Korea, according to the Associated Press News Agency.
Last month, a Russian fishing boat hit an iceberg in ice-filled waters off Antarctica, leaving its 32-member crew stranded for 12 days.
The Sparta was eventually repaired and managed to sail into a New Zealand port.
Syria: US condemns Bashar al-Assad 'conspiracy' speech
The US and France have condemned a speech by Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad which blamed an "external conspiracy" for the mass uprising against his rule.
The US state department said President Assad had thrown "responsibility on everybody but back on himself".
France's foreign minister said the speech amounted to "denial of reality".
In a rare public address, Mr Assad said international powers were trying to destabilise Syria, and vowed to crush "terrorists" with an "iron fist".
In Washington, state department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said: "Assad manages to blame a foreign conspiracy that is so vast with regard to the situation in Syria that it now includes the Arab League, most of the Syrian opposition, the entire international community.
"He throws responsibility on everybody but back on himself and with regard to his own responsibility for the violence in Syria."
She added that the address confirmed "our view that it is time for him to step aside".
Speaking in Paris, French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said: "It incites violence and confrontation between the parties. It's a sort of denial of reality."
Attack on monitors
Tuesday's speech was President Assad's third televised address since protests against his rule began in March, and lasted nearly two hours.
"Regional and international sides have tried to destabilise the country," he said.
"Our priority now is to regain the security in which we basked in for decades, and this can only be achieved by hitting the terrorists with an iron fist.
"We will not be lenient with those who work with outsiders against the country."
The Syrian authorities say they are fighting armed groups, and that about 2,000 members of the security forces have been killed so far.
In recent months, army deserters have joined the opposition and targeted government forces.
A team of 165 monitors from the Arab League has been in Syria since December to monitor implementation of a peace plan that calls for an end to violence, the removal of heavy weapons from cities and the release of political prisoners.
Opposition groups have accused the mission of serving to cover up the crackdown on the protests, which has continued despite the presence of the observers.
Reacting to the speech, the head of the opposition Syrian National Council, Burhan Ghalioun, said Mr Assad's emphasis on restoring order "means he is backing away from his own pledge to the Arab League plan".
Meanwhile, the Arab League has condemned a recent incident in which two members of its observer mission were injured in an attack.
The Kuwaiti monitors were set upon by unidentified assailants as they drove to the port city of Latakia, a stronghold of President Assad.
"Failing to provide adequate protection in Latakia and other areas where the mission is deployed is considered a serious violation by the government of its commitments," the league said in a statement.
Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem denounced the attack, saying his government "would continue to bear its responsibility to secure and protect those monitors".
Scotland May Vote on Independence in 2014
Britain has set out the conditions under which Scotland can decide whether to sever its centuries-old constitutional ties with Britain.
The British government offered with certain conditions Tuesday to remove legal hurdles so Scots can hold a referendum on independence from Britain.
First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond wants to delay the vote until late 2014 so the independence movement in Scotland can gain momentum.
But British Prime Minister David Cameron is urging Scotland to hold the referendum as soon as possible to avoid economic problems that might arise due to a long debate. Mr. Cameron opposes any breakup of the United Kingdom, which also includes Wales and Northern Ireland.
The parliaments of England and Scotland voted more than 300 years ago to unite in a single kingdom called Great Britain.
A 2014 vote would coincide with the 700th anniversary of the Battle of Bannockburn, a Scottish victory over the British. Salmond said the date is purely coincidental.
Work by Chinese Artist Ai Weiwei Coming to Washington
A work by provocative Chinese artist Ai Weiwei will go on display at a museum in Washington.
The Smithsonian's Sackler Gallery said on Tuesday that it will display Ai's installation piece “Fragments,'' a huge work in ironwood with pieces from the dismantled temples of the Qing Dynasty. The piece has never been shown in the United States. It will be featured as part of the “Perspectives” series and runs from May 2012 until April 2013.
Ai was detained for three months last year in China on charges of speaking against the government. Under terms of his bail, the artist is prohibited from leaving Beijing until June.
The Smithsonian's Hirshhorn Museum plans to open a companion exhibit beginning in October.
The Sackler Gallery said both exhibitions will be accompanied by a full schedule of public programs, with details coming soon.
Marijuana found amidst shipment of pumpkin to Barbados
Local law enforcement agencies have teamed up to investigate the circumstances surrounding the discovery of several pounds of compressed marijuana at the Guyana National Industrial Company wharf.
According to reports some time after 14:00 hours yesterday, the drug said to be weighing some 40 pounds was found stashed between a shipment of pumpkin in a container that was destined for Barbados.
This publication was told that the prohibited item was detected while the container was passing through the container scanner.
Thus far the combined agencies, the Guyana Police Force, the GRA’s Customs and Trade and the Customs Anti Narcotics Unit have only managed to come up with the name of the shipper — Joseph Britton.
Further there are reports that officials are looking at a possible breakdown in the procedure for packing and shipping containers. Investigations are ongoing.
REDjet cancels flights, facing financial woes
There were further signs of financial trouble Tuesday at the Caribbean first low cost carrier REDjet, mere weeks after officials said it needed an $8 million injection to allow it to keep fulfilling its investors’ mandate.
The Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) has learnt that the Barbados-based REDjet has been forced to scale back its operation by cancelling flights between certain markets on some days.
In an internal memo, a copy of which has been obtained by CMC, REDjet’s Customer Service Manager Roy Norville advised that 56 flights “will not be operating and have been taken off sale for commercial reasons”.
The affected flights are Barbados-Guyana-Barbados Mondays and Thursday’s from January 16 to March 31, Barbados-Jamaica-Barbados Fridays from January 20 March 31, Trinidad-Guyana-Trinidad Mondays from January 16 to March 31, and Trinidad-Jamaica-Trinidad Sunday from January 22 to March 31.
In November, the low cost carrier’s largest local investor, Ralph “Bizzy” Williams said that eight million dollars invested for operating expenses in the initial months of the business had to be used otherwise.
Williams added that he and the Irish owners were unwilling to put any more money into the venture as they were fed up with the way their investment had been treated by the Barbados government.
Since its inception, several aviation officials have expressed the view that REDjet’s model is unsustainable in the Caribbean.
CMC