Samsung reports $16m in last financial quarter; first loss since 2000

Samsung have announced their Q4 and full 2008 financial results, and for the first time since 2000 the company has posted a net loss.  Larger than expected losses in the Samsung's chip unit - a full 14-percent loss, in fact - helped push the quarterly operating loss to $682 million.  Net losses for the same period reached 22.2 billion won ($16m), down from profits of 2.21 trillion won ($1.59bn) in Q4 2007 and 1.22 trillion won ($877m) in Q3 2008. Samsung's mobile device division, which is second in global sales behind Nokia, posted an operating profit margin of 2-percent, down from 7-percent in Q3 2008.  Meanwhile the company's ailing display division fell from an 8-percent profit in Q3 to 8-percent loss in Q4 2008, both paling compared to Q2 2008's healthy 21-percent profit. Overall sales grew by 5.5-percent to 18.45 trillion won ($13.3bn) but nonetheless missed forecasts as the company had previously warned.  Samsung are joining many multinationals in declining to give definite financial outlook figures, suggesting only that they would invest "conservatively" and look to reduce capital spending.

 

Powers of 10 by Charles and Ray Eames

Charles and Ray Eames were incredibly influential American designers - one of their most famous projects was a short film called Powers of 10. It was produced in 1977 and I was a little surprised to find that it's still amazing to watch. It's available for viewing on the Powers of 10 site - you do have to register, but it seems pretty benign, they don't ask for money or anything. The ultimate Eamesian expression of systems and connections, Powers of Ten explores the relative size of things from the microscopic to the cosmic. The 1977 film travels from an aerial view of a man in a Chicago park to the outer limits of the universe directly above him and back down into the microscopic world contained in the man's hand. Powers of Ten illustrates the universe as an arena of both continuity and change, of everyday picnics and cosmic mystery. The film also demonstrates the Eameses' ability to make science both fascinating and accessible.

 

IDAPT i2 and i3 Universal Chargers

Universal chargers usually look like complicated octopus creatures, with multiple proprietary tips dangling off a cluster of cables, or maybe a single box and a bag of easy-to-lose adapters, but IDAPT's solution is bit more sturdy.  Saying that, the i2 and i3 Universal Chargers also require a bit more room, being intended for table-top rather than travel use.  Interchangeable plugs slot into the base plate, letting you centralise your commonly-used gadgets. As you might expect, the IDAPT i2 has room for two devices, while the IDAPT i3 can accommodate three at a time.  According to the manufacturer, there are tips for all manner of electronics: mobile phones, MP3 players, digital cameras, game consoles, PDAs, GPS and Bluetooth headsets.  Each can rotate, and there's a nice big power switch on the back to save wasting power.  The IDAPT i2 is priced at €34.95 ($45) while the IDAPT i3 comes in at €49.95 ($64); both include four tips of your choice.  Individual tips are priced at €7.99 ($10) each, and IDAPT is claiming that they'll keep up to date with new adapters. [via iTechNewsNet]

 

Overclocked A-DATA XPG 2133x memory breaks World Record

A-DATA XPG series DDR3 desktop memory may not process the native speed of the World's fastest firestix at 2200mhz, but is capable of pushing 2237Mhz from 2133Mhz though a combination of cooling methodology to break the SuperPI 32m world record. The SuperPi 32m test was conducted on the DFI Lanparty UT X58 motherboard and A-DATAs' DDR3-2133X v2.0 2GBx3 triple-channel kit. Pushing 2237 MHz at latency settings of 8-7-7-21, folks at A-DATA were able to achieve an unprecedented result timed at 6min 40sec 360ms. The A-DATA XPG DDR3-2133X v2.0 tripled channel kit memory comes with a heavy set of Aluminum heatspreaders and an active dual-fan cooling system to maximize RAM heat's dissipation. Its distinctive design was previously recognized with the prestigious Taiwan Excellent 2009 Award. Pricing information and product availability were not announced. Taipei, Taiwan - Jan. 22nd, 2009 - A-DATA® Technology Co., Ltd., a worldwide leading manufacturer in high performance memory products, announced today that its XPG™ DDR3 memory modules have broke a new world record on SuperPi 32m. The record was set by utilizing the DFI Lanparty UT X58 motherboard and XPG X Series v2.0 memory, the DDR3-2133X v2.0 2GBx3 triple-channel kit. The SuperPi 32m record of 6min 40sec 360ms was achieved at a speed of 2237 MHz and latency settings of 8-7-7-21 using DDR3-2133X v2.0 2GBx3 triple-channel kit. The XPG DDR3-2133X v2.0 is engineered with heavy Aluminum heatspreaders and active dual-fan to keep the RAMs operate in low temperature environment. Through the combination of the cooling methodology, the XPG DDR3-2133X v2.0 is able to maximize its OC performance. Moreover, it was awarded with the prestigious Taiwan Excellent 2009 Award for its distinctive design. A-DATA X Series memory represents the ultimate overclocking performance. It was developed to unleash the hidden power of CPU and motherboard by using A-DATA's latest overclocking IC sorting technology. A-DATA XPG modules are guaranteed to satisfy the needs of PC enthusiasts and overclockers for high-performance, compatibility, and stability on memory modules.

 

BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220 With CDMA Networks

BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220 originally uses GSM networks, but RIM finally announced that the BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8230 will also available for CDMA networks. Apparently named BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8230, the smartphone is said to be released soon in Canada, via Telus. We don't know the details yet but it is said that the phone will be released in Feb with two optional colors black and pink. [Ubergizmo]

 

Rain Drops

The RainDrops system allows people to adapt standard plastic bottles to an existing gutter system to collect rain water. The repurposing of these plastic bottles will also give value to many bottles that are otherwise headed for landfills. A large benefit to using plastic bottles as a water collection system is that it fits in nicely with the process called SODIS, which uses a combination of the suns UV rays and heat to remove pathogenic microorganisms that cause disease. This process is spreading across many developing countries due to its effectiveness and low cost. Extract from Yanko Design

 

Apricorn launches massive 1.5TB DVR Xpander

When you first get your DVR from the cable or satellite provider its 10 or 20 hours of recording time sounds like an eternity. Then you quickly realize that you can't get your full season of Oprah and The Price is Right without running out of room for necessities like Celebrity Rehab. Apricorn has announced a new DVR expander called (wait for it) the DVR Xpander that offers 1.5TB of storage space. With that much storage, you can record 843 hours of SD programs or 187.5 hours of HD programs. Surprisingly the price for the 1.5TB version isn't even that high at $239. Other capacities are available including 500GB, 750GB, and 1TB. All of the drives feature eSATA and USB interfaces and will work with a variety of DVR models including cable company boxes and Dish Network DVRs. Apricorn