Following the successful launch of its first tablet last week, Amazon reportedly plans to launch a second model as soon as the second quarter next year. Fresh off an apparent miss — Asus went on record in denying an earlier report from the site on Friday — DigiTimes cites unnamed sources from within Amazon’s supply chain in claiming that the company’s next Kindle Fire tablet is scheduled to launch by the end of the second quarter 2012. The site reported earlier this month that Amazon’s 8.9-inch model would follow the 7-inch Kindle Fire, bumping the 10-inch quad-core “Hollywood” tablet BGR exclusively revealed into late 2012. DigiTimes also noted that Foxconn has been added as a second ODM for the current Kindle Fire, and it will join Quanta in mass-producing the 7-inch slate in the first quarter next year.

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Microsoft announced on Thursday that Quanta Computer will begin licensing its patent technology for Android and Chrome-based smartphones and tablets. Microsoft will receive royalties from Quanta, but the terms of the deal not disclosed by either company. “We are pleased to have reached this agreement with Quanta, and proud of the continued success of our Android licensing program in resolving IP issues surrounding Android and Chrome devices in the marketplace,” Microsoft’s corporate vice president and deputy general counsel of intellectual property, Horacio Gutierrez, said. Microsoft has similar agreements in place with HTC, Viewsonic, Acer and Samsung, among others. Analysts estimate Microsoft pulls in three to five times more revenue from Android royalties than it does from its own Windows Phone devices.

Microsoft and Quanta Computer Sign Patent Agreement Covering Android and Chrome-Based Devices

REDMOND, Wash., Oct. 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Microsoft Corp. and Quanta Computer Inc. have signed a patent agreement that provides broad coverage under Microsoft’s patent portfolio for Quanta’s tablets, smartphones and other consumer devices running the Android or Chrome Platform. Although the contents of the agreement have not been disclosed, the parties indicate that Microsoft will receive royalties from Quanta under the agreement.

“We are pleased to have reached this agreement with Quanta, and proud of the continued success of our Android licensing program in resolving IP issues surrounding Android and Chrome devices in the marketplace,” said Horacio Gutierrez, corporate vice president and deputy general counsel, Intellectual Property Group at Microsoft.

Microsoft’s Commitment to Licensing Intellectual Property

The patent agreement is another example of the important role IP plays in ensuring a healthy and vibrant IT ecosystem. Since Microsoft launched its IP licensing program in December 2003, the company has entered into more than 700 licensing agreements and continues to develop programs that make it possible for customers, partners and competitors to access its IP portfolio. The program was developed to open access to Microsoft’s significant R&D investments and its growing, broad patent and IP portfolio.

More information about Microsoft’s licensing programs is available at http://www.microsoft.com/iplicensing.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

Foxconn will build Amazon’s rumored 10.1-inch tablet, DigiTimes reported on Thursday. The Android tablet is expected to ship in 2012 according to the report, but Amazon may want to get the device out the door a bit earlier in order to to have it on store shelves in time for the holiday season. A smaller 7-inch version that was built by Quanta computer is already on its way to Amazon and, while other reports suggested it is a 9-inch tablet, that is likely the model we have heard will launch in late August or September. We broke the news that Amazon will launch a “Coyote” tablet that packs a dual-core NVIDIA Tegra processor, as well as a larger “Hollywood” tablet powered by the new quad-core Kal-El chip. Since Kal-El devices aren’t shipping to consumers yet, it could be a safe bet to guess that Quanta Computer built the Coyote tablet while Foxconn has scored the order for the more powerful Hollywood device.

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Looking to scoop up one of Apple’s ultra-light notebook offerings? You may want to hold on to your wallet for a few more weeks. According to the latest report, Apple is preparing to update the notebook line in the not-too-distant future. “The Taiwan-based supply chain for Apple products will begin shipments of new 11.6-inch and 13.3-inch MacBook Air models featuring Sandy Bridge platform and Thunderbolt interface in late May for launch in June or July,” reads a report filed by DigiTimes. The article goes on to note that the updated Air will be assembled by Quanta Computer, with Catcher Technology, Auras Technology, Shin Zu Shing, Simplo Technology, and Dynapack all supplying components. The report echos earlier prognostications made by Concord Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. The current iterations of the MacBook Air were first revealed in October of 2010, just 7-months ago.

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Rumors of possible delays may be further quashed on Friday as industry watcher DigiTimes reports that production of the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet is now in full swing. Quanta, the China-based manufacturer charged with building the BlackBerry tablets, is said to have ramped up production ahead of the device’s anticipated release in March. A pace of 150,000 to 200,000 units per month has reportedly been reached, and shipments could be ready as soon as next month. Quanta is said to be building PlayBook tablets in its facilities in Taiwan, though the majority of its plants are located in mainland China. An earlier report from DigiTimes claims that RIM has 1 million BlackBerry PlayBook tablets on order in the first quarter of 2011. RIM plans to launch a Wi-Fi-only version of its PlayBook tablet in March, while 3G and 4G versions are expected later in the first half of this year.

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According to an unconfirmed report, Chinese manufacturer Quanta Computer will build and ship over 1 million BlackBerry PlayBook tablets for RIM in the first quarter of 2011. DigiTimes cites industry sources in reporting the numbers, and also states that Quanta will ship between 700,000 and 800,000 Motorola XOOM tablets in Q1. The report claims RIM will launch the Wi-Fi-only version of the PlayBook in March, with 3G and 4G versions to follow in the second quarter. The report also claims, however, that Motorola will begin offering an “LTE version” of the XOOM tablet in the second quarter of this year after launching the 3G model in Q1. This assertion is inaccurate according to Motorola, which said its XOOM tablet would only gain 4G LTE connectivity using a forthcoming modem attachment. BGR published a lengthy hands-on video demonstration of the BlackBerry PlayBook in December, and we played with it again at CES in early January. The QNX-based tablet managed to impress us on both occasions. We also checked out the Android Honeycomb-powered Motorola XOOM tablet at CES and it was quite impressive as well.

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Details are scarce, and, as with most Apple grumblings, the rumor factor is sky high on the rumor Richter scale. The Chinese paper Commercial Times is reporting that Apple has signed a deal with Korean company Sintek Photronic to provide touch panels for a 22-inch, full touch screen iMac. The Times also cites a deal with long time partner Quanta for production of the new product, predicted to be released in 2010. Now, none of this has been substantiated, but we’re happy to report on an Apple rumor that doesn’t involve the word “tablet.” Hopefully we’ll find out on or around January 27th!

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Just one short day after Nokia and Intel bestowed a great non-announcement upon us all, rumors are already flying. Bloomberg, citing the hit-or-miss Commercial Times as its sourceless source, suggests this morning that Nokia has placed orders with both Quanta Computer Inc. and Compal Electronics Inc. for netbooks/smartbooks.

June 24 (Bloomberg) – Nokia Oyj ordered netbook computers from Quanta Computer Inc. and Compal Electronics Inc., the Commercial Times reported, without saying where it got the information.

The Quanta netbook will use Intel Corp.’s Atom chip and will go on sale in the third quarter at the earliest, the Taipei-based, Chinese-language newspaper said.

Compal will make the so-called smartbook computer for Nokia using Qualcomm (NSDQ: QCOM) Inc.’s Snapdragon chip, the newspaper said.

Nokia is the world’s biggest mobile phone maker. Taiwan-based Quanta and Compal are the world’s two biggest makers of laptop computers.

An Atom-based Nokia netbook in Q3? A Snapdragon-based smartbook? Sounds nice. If these rumors do have any credence, perhaps the latter will materialize as a Snapdragon-powered Internet Tablet as opposed to a “smartbook”. Enter wait-and-see mode… Now.

[Via IntoMobile]

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Dow Jones has added fuel to the fire by chiming in with its inside information on the rumored Apple netbook. Two sources “close to the situation” have told Dow Jones that Apple is considering a netbook with a display measuring 9.7 to 10-inches and that the final specifications on the netbook are currently under review. Awesome. Dow Jones’ report is rather nebulous at best, containing information that anyone could certainly concoct. The tablet / netbook rumors persist though, and it will be interesting to see if Jobs’ comment from back in October — “We don’t know how to make a $500 computer that’s not a piece of junk” — will come back to haunt him. Moving along; let the rampant speculation and non-stop Apple rumor mill continue.

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According to The Commercial Times/DigiTimes, Apple has rounded up Taiwanese-based computer parts manufacturer Wintek to make displays for an upcoming touchscreen notebook. Rumors of a touchscreen Apple netbook are nothing new, but this one is quite specific in that it specifies that the displays will be passed along to Quanta who will be entrusted with the manufacturing of the netbook itself. Of course, details don’t mean a rumor has even the slightest bit of truth to it, but considering The Commercial Times/DigiTimes has a pretty decent track record (you know, when it’s not predicting Blu-ray Xbox 360s) and outed the first-gen iPhone, we’re willing to give this rumor the benefit of the doubt. As for when this alleged launch will happen, it is said that shipments should start in 2H of this year, meaning that there are still a few solid months left for everyone to speculate the hell out of this thing. But just think – Steve Jobs comes back to Apple in June, a new iPhone or two is expected, and a touchscreen netbook might be on its way. We’ll see…

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