Despite the weak economy taking its toll across most consumer markets, portable multimedia devices will thrive i teh next few years, says market researcher In-Stat.
Even the weak economy can’t overcome a broader migration to mobile and portable devices, as indicated by the proliferation of portable electronics categories, says a new report. Portable electronics device shipments will grow more than 10% in 2009 versus 2008. The category, which includes digital radio receivers, e-readers, edutainment toys, handheld game consoles, MP3 players, portable media players (PMPs), and personal navigation devices (PNDs), is expanding to over 400 million units in 2009. By 2013, it will approach 600 million units. While some segments, such as handheld game consoles and MP3 players, have hit maturity and peaked, other segments continue to emerge.
“We’re seeing significant growth in the e-reader segment, as it evolves from a nascent market,” says Stephanie Ethier, In-Stat analyst. “And while MP3 players have peaked, this represents more of a migration to video-capable devices, as shipments of PMPs continue to expand.”

Recent research by In-Stat found the following:

- Shipments of portable entertainment devices in Europe will be 157 million units in 2013. Shipments to Japan will be 58 million.
- Worldwide unit shipments for PNDs (navigation devices) will reach approximately 56 million units in 2012.
- Total worldwide shipments of PMP & MP3 players will reach 225 million in 2009, with Asia-Pacific representing the largest geographic market.
- Worldwide e-reader shipments are expected to grow from almost 1 million units in 2008 to nearly 30 million units in 2013.

Toshiba TG01 heats up smartphone war

The battle of the smartphones is hotting up as Orange launches the lesser known 1GHz Toshiba TG01 "Tsunagi" in the UK to take on the iPhone 3Gs and the Palm Pre.
The TG01 is based on the Qualcomm 1GHz Snapdragon chip and runs Windows Mobile, adding a touch interface on a 4.1in WVGA wide screen and 9.9mm thick.
The TG01 also bridges the gap between notebook and mobile by featuring the latest in chipset technology and is the first handset to be sold in the UK which has a 1GHz processing power, offering fast mobile internet connectivity for a richer multimedia experience. This also enables users to make the most out of their phone, whether it be for watching video, updating social network pages or just browsing the web – just like they do on their PC.
The handset is the first from Toshiba to be part of Orange’s Signature Series with quick links so users can easily get to grips with the handset’s functionality. Shortcuts to the best of Orange TV & Video (which recommends great video content such as Sky 24/7 Football), Orange Maps (Orange’s own sat nav service which uses the TG01’s inbuilt AGPS), and Orange World (Orange’s own mobile internet portal), come integrated on the device’s user interface.

Francois Mathieu, Director of Devices, Orange UK “We’re really pleased to have teamed up with Toshiba to bring the TG01 exclusively to the UK. We believe the TG01 is a prime example of manufacturer innovation, and is a device that is at the very top of its game which will allow users to make the most from their mobile experience.”

The TG01 will be free to customers who take out a £39.15 per month, 24 month price plan. The package includes 1200 any network call minutes, unlimited texts, Orange Maps as well as inclusive anytime internet browsing, and is exclusive to Orange in the UK.

Specification overview:

Size: 70mm x130mm x 9.9mm
Weight: 129g
Display: Wide-VGA (800 x 480), 4.1”
Camera: 3.2 mega-pixel, autofocus
Memory: 512MB ROM / 256MB RAM, micro SDHC slot up to 32GB*
Interface: Bluetooth v2.0, USB v2.0, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g
Battery: 1,000mAh, Standby: up to 220 hours (3G), Talk time: up to 4 hours (3G)**
Band: 850/900/1800/1900 for GSM/GPRS/EDGE
2100 for UMTS/HSDPA/HSUPA
Navigation: Built-in GPS & A-GPS
Video service: Core Codec CorePlayer
Browser: Microsoft® Internet Explorer Mobile
Messaging: SMS, MMS, E-mail, Microsoft Direct push e-mail, Instant Messaging
Sound: MP3, AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, AMR-NB, WMA, MIDI, SP-MIDI
Video: H.263, H.264, MPEG4, WMV, ASF
Java: MIDP 2.0
Processor: Qualcomm QSD8250 (1GHz)
OS: Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional (Updateable to Windows Mobile 6.5 when available)