Google hasn’t been known as a hardware vendor in the past. That may soon change thanks to the company’s pending acquisition of Motorola, and recent reports suggest Google is already working on a self-branded home entertainment system and HUD glasses. Through a recent FCC filing, it has now been discovered that Google is also planning a “next generation personal communication device.” Details surrounding the mystery device are few and far between, although the filing does confirm both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are on board. The company has requested to test 102 units near Google office locations throughout the United States. The Mountain View-based company is listed as the manufacturer of the devices and it is described as being “in the prototyping phase and will be modified prior to final compliance testing.”

[Via SlashGear]

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Google is developing a home-entertainment system to stream music wirelessly throughout a users’ houses, The Wall Street Journal reports. The device will be Google-branded, marking a first for the search giant which historically develops software it then licenses to outside vendors. The system will most likely be Android-powered and will allow users to download music and stream it to Google-made speakers or other Web-connected devices in a home or office. The system may also be able to stream other digital media beyond just music. Apple, one of Google’s main rivals, has long developed both the hardware and software for its products. With its pending acquisition of Motorola Mobility, Google is looking to make waves in the hardware sector as well, and this new home entertainment solution could be one of the first own-brand devices to launch following the approval of Google’s Motorola buy, which is expected to come next week. The Android-powered entertainment system will reportedly be available later this year.

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Google has hired Apple’s former senior director of product integrity for a new secret project, according to a report from VentureBeat. The man in question is Simon Prakash, who worked at Apple for more than eight years. Prakash was responsible for the quality control at Apple, a company that has a long-standing reputation for quality. He will now reportedly be working in Google’s “X lab” on a secret project headed by Google co-founder Sergey Brin. It is speculated that the project could be hardware related, and it may tie in with the company’s pending acquisition of Motorola Mobility. Google and Apple are currently being investigated by the Department of Justice following accusations that the companies upheld an illegal “no poach” agreement along with Intel, Adobe, Intuit, Pixar and Lucasfilm.

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A leaked component that is purportedly part of Apple’s unannounced iPad 3 suggests that the tablet may feature a brand new design. The new part is a microphone mic flex cable ribbon that was leaked by TVC-Mall. Unlike the iPad 2, the flex cable in the iPad 3 makes a U-Turn, suggesting additional components have been reconfigured within the iPad 3′s case. Redesigned internal hardware don’t necessarily mean the iPad 3 will will feature a cosmetic redesign, but earlier reports claimed that Apple’s new iPad would feature a thicker case in order to accomodate a high-resolution display panel that isn’t quite as slender as the iPad 2′s panel. The latest rumors suggest Apple could unveil the tablet as soon as March or April, and it may also be working on a new smaller iPad model that will launch later in the year.

[Via Cydia Blog]

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Repairs to Android smartphones cost wireless carriers $2 billion per year according to a new year-long WDS study that tracked 600,000 support calls around the globe. Android’s popularity and the introduction of a number of low-cost smartphones has put a strain on the wireless business model, WDS noted in its report. “Deployment by more than 25 OEMs and lower-cost product coming to market is leading to higher than average rates of hardware failures and, in turn, return and repair costs.” 12.6% of all technical support calls related to Android in the study were for hardware failures related to the touchscreen, buttons, speakers, microphones and battery performance. Just 9.3% of Windows Phone, 8% of iOS calls and 5.5% of BlackBerry calls were related to hardware failures. Read on for more.

“One thing we must be absolutely clear on is that our analysis does not find any inherent fault with the Android platform,” WDS vice president of Marketing Tim Deluca-Smith said. “Its openness has enabled the ecosystem to grow to a phenomenal size, at a phenomenal rate, and it’s this success that is proving challenging … The Android customer experience differs enormously between devices and this means that the way in which Android devices are retailed and supported must consider factors such as the hardware build and quality of components.”

WDS’s study took place between July 2010 and August 2011 in Europe, North America South Africa and Australia. The full press release follows below.

Android Device Returns Cost Operators USD$2 Billion Per Year

WDS study finds operators struggling to keep pace with rapidly growing Android ecosystem

Poole, UK – 3rd November 2011:  The return and repair of Android smartphone devices is costing mobile operators as much as USD$2 billion per year as they try to evolve their customer service strategies to keep pace with the rapidly growing ecosystem.
These are the key findings of a study – “Controlling the Android” – by wireless experience management experts WDS. The study analyzes over 600,000 technical support calls that the WDS teams around the world have handled in the last 12 months.
Taking a comprehensive view of the four leading mobile operating systems, the study finds that fragmentation has led to a higher than average propensity for hardware failure on Android-based devices: 14% of technical support calls on Android relate to hardware, versus 11% for Windows Phone, 7% for iOS and 6% for BlackBerry OS.
“One thing we must be absolutely clear on,” says Tim Deluca-Smith, Vice President of Marketing at WDS, “is that our analysis does not find any inherent fault with the Android platform. Its openness has enabled the ecosystem to grow to a phenomenal size, at a phenomenal rate, and it’s this success that is proving challenging.”
The report found that the introduction of low-cost hardware, a variety of software customizations and the process for delivering OS updates to consumers were all resulting in operators’ retail operations and their return and repairs processes being stretched.
“Many operators are treating Android as a standard implementation with a consistent customer experience. Given its nature, this of course isn’t the case. The Android customer experience differs enormously between devices and this means that the way in which Android devices are retailed and supported must consider factors such as the hardware build and quality of components,” adds Deluca-Smith.
Impact of returns on device profitability
Hardware faults are of particular concern to carriers because they are very expensive to fix. Software or configuration faults can typically be rectified by the customer service representative remotely, either through manual configuration or an over-the-air update. However, hardware faults often result in the device being returned and entered into an expensive reverse logistics process for repair or replacement.
“Android features heavily in almost all operators’ smartphone strategies. It’s clear from the evidence in this study that if they are to maximize their investment they must better manage how they bring Android products into their network, retail them and support them,” concludes Deluca-Smith.
In the short term, operator profitability can be improved by implementing the following changes:

• Improving device testing and the on-boarding processes when ranging Android products to minimize risk of hardware failure and assess the Total Cost of Ownership
• Analyzing and understanding the propensity for a hardware failure pre-launch to ensure customer support channels are populated with accurate support documentation and returns procedure
• Educating customers from the beginning of the sales process to better manage expectation of  experience, minimizing technical support calls

The “Controlling the Android” study is available to download here. The study took place using the WDS GlobalMine™ knowledge platform between July 2010 and August 2011 and covered 600,000 technical support calls taken by WDS across Europe, North America, South Africa and Australia.
WDS provides managed services dedicated to optimizing the mobile customer experience. The company works with more than 100 of the industry’s best known brands, helping the

The crew at iFixit has given the iPhone 4S its proper tear-down, revealing the phone’s inner workings and hardware. iFixit noticed that the battery offers an extra 0.5 WHrs over the one found in the iPhone 4, which is likely the reason Apple is able to advertise an additional 1-hour of 3G talk time on the iPhone 4S compared to its predecessor. The phone is equipped with a Qualcomm RTR8605 radio, an Avago ACPM-7181 power amplifier and of course a dual-core 1GHz Apple A5 processor, which has been downclocked to 800MHz. Be sure to hit the jump for a few more images of the iPhone 4S teardown. Deliveries of Apple’s new smartphone begin on Friday, and in the meantime be sure to check out our hands-on with the iPhone 4S.

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Foxconn and Quanta Computer, two companies that manufacture Apple products such as the iPhone and iPad, have suggested that there will be “minimal” impact on supply orders following news that Steve Jobs will no longer serve as Apple’s CEO. Reportedly, Tim Cook, who has replaced Jobs as CEO, was already working closely with the manufacturing process while Steve Jobs was out on leave. DigiTimes said that the move could affect Apple’s global brand recognition and the company’s innovation and creativity, although it will certainly take some time to see just how true those claims are. On Thursday, a number of analysts speculated that Jobs’s departure could benefit Apple’s iPhone and iPad competitors.

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Things are changing in Waterloo. The summer is drawing to an end and Research In Motion is in the very early stages of the biggest BlackBerry device launch of the brand’s storied history. BlackBerry 7 smartphones — which include new Bold models, Curve models and Torch models — will be sold by more than 225 carriers around the world this year and into 2012. But RIM’s BlackBerry 7 device launch is also significant for another reason, of course: it is the end of an era.

The BlackBerry smartphones launching across the globe right now will be the final batch to feature RIM’s BlackBerry software as we know it today. Late to the party though it may be, RIM’s top management has finally come to realize that its competition as long-since passed it by. Apple owns smartphone profits, Google owns smartphone market share, and RIM has seen its handset business decline in several key regions quarter after quarter. How did the tide turn so quickly? The explanation is beyond simple: RIM, like Nokia and Microsoft, grew complacent and sat idle while younger, hungrier companies revolutionized the smartphone industry. And now these companies must start anew.

Nokia and Microsoft have joined forces in their effort to regain market share and mind share from Apple and Google, leaving RIM to take its journey alone. This is not an unfamiliar position for the company, however. What started as a small VC-funded firm that launched the Inter@ctive Pager in 1998 to combat SkyTel would later go on to help shape the smartphone industry. But technology grows exponentially and RIM did not, so here we sit today.

Analysts and pundits are mixed when it comes to RIM’s chances moving forward. Some believe Google and Apple have built a lead that is insurmountable in the near term, and RIM will continue to stagger until a sale is forced. Others believe RIM’s BlackBerry 7 device roll-out coupled with the vendor’s continued success in numerous international markets will hold the company steady while it prepares the first wave of QNX smartphones that will right RIM’s ship. I once found myself somewhere in between these two camps, but I’m now leaning toward the latter.

BGR Editor-in-chief Jonathan Geller reviewed the BlackBerry Bold 9900 earlier this month, and he found the hardware to be a breath of fresh air while RIM’s stale software left much to be desired. Of course, regardless of where the tide takes him, Geller will always have a soft spot for BlackBerry devices and as such, I really didn’t get to spend much time with our early unit since he wouldn’t let it out of his sight. T-Mobile sent us a Bold 9900 recently, however, and I’ve been using it since the device arrived. My thoughts on the 9900 align closely with Geller’s, so there’s no need to review the phone again. But I did want to cover one aspect of the new Bold because I think it may have bigger implications than many believe.

In a recent feature, I called the BlackBerry PlayBook my favorite tablet and explained how well it is suited for my personal use. Beyond that, however, I also said how much I like the PlayBook hardware. While most seem to prefer the rock hard aluminum case on Apple’s iPad, I really enjoy the soft-touch rubberized plastic RIM used on the PlayBook. The device is very solid, save for the Playskool power button up top, and weight distribution is perfect.

And now, we have the Bold 9900. As someone who handles a ridiculous number of phones — and who apparently may never have children as a result — I feel perfectly comfortable calling the Bold 9900 is one of the most gorgeous pieces of smartphone hardware I have ever seen. Falling short of Apple’s iPhone 4 perhaps only due to the grease-magnet carbon fiber-look plastic inlay at the center of the battery cover, the Bold 9900 is fantastic. Forget about the creaking, plasticky BlackBerry smartphones of old; this is a new chapter in RIM handsets. The smooth face surrounded by a brushed metal bezel is luxurious, the soft-touch rubberized areas on the back feel perfect in the hands, and the keyboard is absolutely unrivaled. But the most important takeaway from RIM’s Bold 9900 is this: RIM has changed.

As simple as it sounds, this is a big confidence booster for me. RIM finds itself where it is today thanks largely to the company’s inability to adapt to a changing market. The company was late with 3G phones because it didn’t want to compromise battery life. Meanwhile, 3G smartphones became commonplace and rendered 2G devices slow and painful to use. RIM was late with touchscreens because rebuilding its operating system for touch input was a daunting task to say the least. Of course while RIM was resisting, touch devices swept the market and now we may never again see a flagship smartphone without a touchscreen.

RIM’s previous high-end phones have been fantastic engineering feats, but the quality of RIM’s hardware was never on par with the likes of HTC or Apple. The Bold 9900 is a completely different story.

When I envision a device with the Bold 9900′s build quality, RIM’s fresh new QNX-based operating system and an the ever-expanding Android application ecosystem available via RIM’s Android app player, I really like RIM’s chances. Add on competitive entry-level QNX phones to pick up where RIM’s new Curves left off, and the tide may very well turn sooner than we think for RIM.

By now, you’ve no doubt seen the news: Google intends to acquire Motorola Mobility for $12.5 billion. What this will do is not only give Google access to Motorola’s vast patent library consisting of nearly 25,000 patents, but it will also give Google an end-to-end hardware and software strategy with smartphones, tablets and even with Google TV. The thing is, Google didn’t need to buy Motorola. Google could have just licensed the patents from Motorola. Google bought Motorola because it felt like control of the Android experience was slipping away. It’s apparent that one Nexus-like device from Google a year won’t be enough — MOTOBLUR has probably given Andy Rubin ulcers — and it’s apparent that a company that’s leading in many areas of the smartphone arena wants to control that entire experience. Open or not, it is Google’s, after all. Smartphones and tablets are also going to be the biggest categories in technology for the foreseeable future, and if you think Google is just going to play around with that, well, you obviously haven’t seen the company’s recent moves. Read on for more.

HTC, Samsung, LG, and other manufacturers are probably pissed. Regardless of any protection they might receive from Google owning Motorola’s patent library, and regardless of recent official comments, they are now not only competing with one of the best Android device vendors, but also with Google itself. The end result? You’re going to see HTC, Samsung and LG continue to buy up as many Beats-like companies as possible to further differentiate their Android experiences, because they’re not going to have anything else to offer pretty soon. There are only so many ways to physically differentiate a touchscreen device, and with Google in control of its own hardware, software and services, differentiation could become the key to other partners’ survival  the Android ecosystem.

Parts for a new white Apple iPod touch have surfaced, courtesy of 9to5 Mac, suggesting that Apple has plans to release a new color scheme when it takes the wraps off its next-generation iPhone in late August or early September. The leaked images show the iPod touch’s digitizer component, although it is currently unclear if the unit is real or not. The Cupertino-based company has already placed orders for the new color scheme and production is slated to begin next month, according to Concord Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. While we are expecting the iPhone 5 to pack a dual-core processor, Apple may hold off on updating the hardware guts of the iPod touch entirely. “[The] iPhone and iPad have higher priority to get shared components of iOS devices when the supply chain is tight (especially after the Japan quake),” Kuo explained. “It means no spec update of iPod touch this year,” Kuo said. “The demand forecast is strong and Apple prefers to allocate shared components to iPhone and iPad.” Apple already offers a white iPad and a white iPhone, so the idea of a white iPod touch doesn’t sound so far fetched. Read on for two more images of the white digitizer.

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On Wednesday, VIA Technologies and WTI announced that the two have reached an agreement to sell holdings in S3 Graphics to HTC for $300 million. S3 Graphics builds hardware graphics solutions for a number of consumer devices including game consoles, PCs, and mobile devices. VIA will receive $147 million from the deal while WTI will take home $153 million. “The transaction would allow VIA to monetize a portion of its rich IP portfolio, yet retain its graphics capabilities to support the development and sale of its processors and chipsets,” said Tzu-mu Lin, Senior Vice President and Board Director of VIA. The deal is still subject to regulatory approval but is expected to close before the end of this year. Read on for the full press release.

VIA Technologies Announces Sale of Stake in S3 Graphics

TAIPEI, Taiwan–(BUSINESS WIRE)–VIA Technologies, Inc, a leading innovator of power efficient x86 processor platforms, today announced the signing of definitive agreement to sell all of its shareholding in S3 Graphics Co., Ltd. (“S3 Graphics”) to HTC Corporation (“HTC”). S3 Graphics is a leading provider of innovative graphics visualization technologies used in PCs, game consoles and, more recently, mobile devices.

VIA acquired S3 Graphics in 2001 with the intention to accelerate integration of graphics capabilities with its processor and chipset products. S3 Graphics became undercapitalized in 2005, and VIA introduced WTI Investment International, Ltd. (“WTI”) as a new investor to help fund the operations and R&D initiatives. WTI is a private investment company, in which Cher Wang, Chairman of VIA, is a significant shareholder.

Under terms of the agreement with HTC, total consideration for all outstanding shares of S3 Graphics will be US$300 million. Of which, VIA will receive US$147 million; and WTI will receive US$153 million. VIA will recognize a capital gain of US$37 million and paid-in-capital of US$115 million in this transaction.

“The transaction would allow VIA to monetize a portion of its rich IP portfolio, yet retain its graphics capabilities to support the development and sale of its processors and chipsets,” said Tzu-mu Lin, Senior Vice President and Board Director of VIA. “We wish to thank WTI for its capital contribution to support S3 Graphics since 2005.”

The proposed transaction has received approvals from the boards of directors of VIA, WTI, and HTC. Subject to regulatory approvals and other customary conditions, the transaction is expected to close before end of 2011.

In the world of computing, no two companies have more history than Microsoft and Apple. In fact, the companys’ history is 10,124 pixels tall. From modest beginnings to IPOs, and later to global domination, Microsoft and Apple are largely responsible for computers as we know them today. Microsoft concentrated on software early and now owns the lion’s share of the global PC market, and more recently, Apple looked to mobile computing to revitalize its business and its market cap. Of course from an investor’s perspective, the stock chart at the bottom says it all, but as is remarkably evident in looking over the meandering paths these two tech titans have taken, no one knows what the future might hold. The full, extremely large infographic can be found after the break.

This infographic has been updated by its creator and the updated version is now found below.

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Printed circuit board (PCB) suppliers in Taiwan have noticed “disappointing orders” for iPhone and iPad hardware, according to DigiTimes. As a result, the suppliers have cut quotes by 10% on average for the second quarter, noting that there’s no sign of a rebound. The drop in iPhone hardware orders suggests that Apple’s highly anticipated next-generation iPhone is imminent; it’s largely expected that the company will take the wraps off of the device in September. The PCB suppliers that are cutting hardware sales expectations include Compeq Manufacturing, Nan Ya PCB, Tripod Technology and Unimicron Technology.

[Via 9to5 Mac]

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BGR’s Throwback Thursday segment is typically reserved for extinct tech, but this week we make an exception. On June 16th, 1911 — one hundred years ago today — Charles Ranlett Flint merged three companies to form the Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company. Headquartered in New York City, CTR manufactured and sold scales, card-punch machines, meat slicers and a variety of other products that have long since been replaced by several generations of improved offerings. CTR changed its name to International Business Machines Corporation, or IBM, on February 14th, 1924, to better align its name with its wide range of products. IBM would hit its stride building tabulating devices, and it was at the forefront of developing the PCs we now take for granted. Now, 100 years later with a market capitalization of just under $200 billion, IBM remains a leader in the technology space, producing software and hardware that will shape the future of computing. Happy 100th, IBM, and here’s to 100 more.

BGR’s Throwback Thursday is a weekly series covering our (and your) favorite gadgets, games, and software of yesterday and yesteryear.

The crew over at iFixit — torx screw drivers in hand – just stripped down one of Apple’s brand new 21.5 inch Sandy Bridge iMacs to give us a look at its guts. There aren’t too many surprises in store: the computer uses the same LG display found in the last generation of iMacs, and iFixit was pleased to find that Apple used an appropriate amount of thermal paste on the CPU and GPU — a “happy departure from the gobs” Cupertino put on the new MacBook Pro. The RAM, hard drive, and optical drive can be swapped out easily, too; you’ll just have to remove the LCD in order to do so. iFixit gave the new iMac a 7 out of 10 “repairability score,” as most of the hardware was easy to access. The team’s biggest complaint was with the need to remove the logic board in order to clean the LCD after reassembling the computer. Hit the jump for a few more images of the teardown.

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