NPD: Tablets expected to surpass notebooks by 2016

Research firm NDP DisplaySearch foresees tablets surpassing notebooks in terms of sales and popularity by 2016. The report states, "Tablet PCs, such as Apple’s iPad, are expected to be the growth driver for the mobile PC market over the next few years. Tablet shipments will surpass notebook shipments in 2016, according to the latest NPD DisplaySearch Quarterly Mobile PC Shipment and Forecast Report. Overall mobile PC shipments will grow from 347M units in 2012 to over 809M units by 2017.

The report adds that , "while notebook PC shipments are expected to increase from 208M units in 2012 to 393M units by 2017, tablet PC shipments are expected to grow from 121M units to 416M units in this period, for a compound annual growth rate of 28%."

We are really nearing the post-PC era where notebooks are becoming less necessary because many of their features and functions will be available on tablets. It is no wonder that the leading technology companies all have a stakein the tablet market and that Microsoft and Google have even gone as far as making their own tablet devices to cover segments where Apple's iPad isn't openly competing.

Source: NDP DisplaySearch

Apple creates separate Podcasts App for iOS

Apple has created a standalone Podcasts app for iOS users. Formerly a segment of the iPod app in iOS, the new Podcasts app is an easier  way to discover, subscribe to, and play your favorite podcasts on your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. Explore hundreds of thousands of free audio and video podcasts from the Podcasts Catalog, and play the most popular podcasts, organized for you by topic, with the all-new Top Stations feature. Best feature so far is a sleep function for those of us who like to listen to podcasts before nodding off. Hit jump for the full feature set.

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Breaking: RIM to cut 5,000 jobs, delays BlackBerry 10 launch to 2013

Failure to deliver: RIM President and CEO Thorsten Heins reports losses, job cuts and delay of BlackBerry 10 devicesBy Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla

Research In Motion held a sombre earnings call today to announce that they will be cutting 5,000 jobs, posting a $518 million loss, as well as delaying their next generation mobile platform BlackBerry 10 until Q1 2013. This is the latest blow to the already beleaguered Canadian mobile icon which helped create the smartphone and the existing mobile ecosystem.

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WWDC 2012: iOS 6 brings new Maps, Siri upgrades and promises the mobile wallet

iOS 6 is the next generation of mobile OS from Apple and it introduces a number of new features while improving on it's strengths. Apple's introduced Siri globally and improved the personal assistant's range and intelligence. Stunning new Maps app closes the door on Google Maps while introducing a whole new solution with turn-by-turn navigation and the bird's eye-view flyover feature. The new PassBook App clips tickets, coupons, gift cards, passes and even Starbucks' cards in preparation for the mobile wallet.

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