precision

Dell joins the parade of Windows 8 systems

Dell is joining the ranks of PC companies making system announcements before the official October 26 release of Windows 8.

The following products are available for preorder today, according to Dell:

XPS 12 convertible -- starting at $1,199.99 XPS One 27 with touch -- starting at $1,599.99 Inspiron One 23 AIO with touch -- starting at $779.99 XPS 13 ultrabook -- starting at $999.99

Dell is also offering Windows 8 as an option on its current XPS, Inspiron, Latitude, OptiPlex and Precision brands -- which covers virtually all the company's major product brands. … Read more

Hon Hai Precision, Sharp fail to strike ownership deal

Hon Hai Precision Industry, the Apple supplier better known as Foxconn, couldn't reach a final agreement to acquire a stake in Sharp, according to a new report.

Hon Hai Chairman Terry Gou met with Sharp in Japan recently to try to hammer out a deal that would see his manufacturing company take a minority stake in Sharp. However, according to Reuters, which cited reports out of Japan, the companies could not reach an agreement.

Under terms of the so-far failed deal, Hon Hai would have become Sharp's largest shareholder.

The companies revealed in March that Hon Hai would … Read more

Sharp looks to sell TV assembly plants in Mexico, China, report says

Sharp is in desperate need of some cash. And it's trying to find any opportunity to raise some.

The company is considering selling two TV assembly plants in Mexico and China, The Wall Street Journal reported today, citing sources. The company is considering selling the plants to manufacturer Hon Hai Precision Industry -- better known as Foxconn -- or to a joint venture called Sharp Display Products Corp. run by Sharp and Hon Hai Chairman Terry Gou, according to the Journal.

If Sharp sells the facilities, the company would shed 3,000 employees from its workforce, helping it to … Read more

Take precise screenshots on a Mac with Precise Screenshot

Sometimes dragging a cursor to select a portion of your screen to capture doesn't cut it. If your work demands screenshots that are sized just right, and you are on a Mac, take Precise Screenshot out for a spin. This $1.99 app lets you save preset sizes among other convenient controls.

When you launch the app, it places a small icon in your menu bar and opens three windows: a red framed capture area, a control panel, and a small preview window. You can drag the sides or corners of the red frame to resize the capture area, … Read more

Foxconn parent posts weak Q1 profit on employment costs

Foxconn parent company Hon Hai Precision Industry mustered a sizable profit during the first quarter, but its gains were tempered by rising employment costs.

During the first quarter, Hon Hai generated a profit of NT$14.9 (about $510 million), up slightly from the NT$14.4 billion profit it posted during the first quarter of 2011. According to Dow Jones Newswires, which polled eight analysts who profile Hon Hai, the profit was well below consensus of NT$22.1 billion in earnings.

Hon Hai's profit margin slid from 7.25 percent last year to 4 percent this year. … Read more

Analysts dubious about iPad supply issues

Following claims from a J.P. Morgan analyst that Apple cut the number of iPads it plans to order from suppliers, other analysts have chimed in to disagree.

J.P. Morgan analyst Gokul Hariharan yesterday issued an investor note saying Apple would slash its iPad orders by 25 percent for the fourth quarter, a move that would affect such suppliers as Hon Hai Precision. The report triggered a Bloomberg report and prompted speculation that Apple may be seeing weaker demand for the tablet in Europe or just trying to work with less inventory.

The analyst's claims also took a … Read more

Apple suppliers eyeing strong quarter from iPhone 5

The iPhone 5 has yet to hit the market, but at least two Apple's suppliers are already seeing strong sales by delivering parts for the new phone, according to Taiwan Economic News.

Operating at full steam to make the iPhone 5's touch screens, TPK Holdings brought in record revenue of more than 11.1 billion Taiwan dollars ($371 million) in August, down a bit from July but up 101 percent from a year ago. Chief Financial Officer Freddie Liu attributed the sales surge to booming shipments of touch panels for the iPhone 4, but "implied" that … Read more

Apple now training employees on iOS 5, iCloud?

Apple has reportedly already begun training its retail store employees on both iOS 5 and iCloud, sources have told 9to5Mac.

Such training usually kicks in a couple of weeks before a new product actually launches, which could mean that the latest iOS release and new cloud-based service may debut before the rumored timeframe of mid or late October.

These dates may also indicate the timing of the iPhone 5, according to 9to5Mac, which says that Apple usually unveils a new iOS version "in the days surrounding" a new iPhone. Last year, Apple released iOS 4 on June 21, … Read more

Free plotter

Digitize It by Alcasa is a free tool for extracting digital plotting data from image files. It has many uses, such as plotting points when the source data isn't available. It's easy to use; simply click on an image with your mouse to plot the point. Collected data can be pasted directly to Excel.

We extracted the zipped download and installed Digitize It, which opened with an interface that is similar in style to graphics editors but notable for floating options and tool tips boxes within the main window. The toolbar icons are mostly familiar with the addition … Read more