Q4 2012: Brazil: Amazon in its way to open a digital bookstore with Kindles offering.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

Q4 2012: Brazil: Amazon in its way to open a digital bookstore with Kindles offering.

Amazon.com Inc is expected to set up a digital bookstore in Brazil in the fourth quarter.

Amazon seeks to get a piece of the fast-growing online retail market in the country that inspired its name.

Amazon wants to elbow its way into Latin America's largest economy with the popular Kindle e-reader and a Portuguese-language catalogue of digital books, according to Brazilian publishers and an industry source familiar with Amazon's plans.

The all-digital approach will allow Amazon to minimize the risks that a bigger retail launch would imply in a country with notorious infrastructure shortcomings and a complex, costly tax system. The company would also have to ride out a downturn in Brazil's economy that threatens to cool consumer demand.

"Brazil would be the first country Amazon enters only with digital (products) and that is because of the logistic and tax difficulties," said the industry source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the negotiations.

"Having a full retail operation? That's the goal," the source added.

A Brazil-based operation would save the country's 200 million consumers from paying high import taxes on online orders shipped from overseas.

Two local book publishers told Reuters they have had meetings and video conferences in recent months to negotiate contracts with Amazon's head of Kindle content, Pedro Huerta.

"They told us the plan is to start between October and November," said one of the publishers, who asked not to be identified.

Amazon spokesman Craig Berman declined to comment.

Pedro Guasti, director of the Sao Paulo-based research firm eBit, says Brazil's online business has become big enough to pop up on Amazon's radar.

"This year we should reach $12 billion in sales online, a level that justifies their entry. If they wait much longer it would become very expensive," he said.

KINDLE  E-Readers:

Amazon thinks it could quickly dominate Brazil's ebook market with the Kindle, boosting sales of electronic books to 15 percent of the publishing market in the first year of operations from 0.5 percent currently, the industry source said.

Amazon hopes to grab 90 percent of Brazil's ebook market, the source added, in part because many Brazilians already download content from its site using readers they bought abroad.

To gain market share quickly in Brazil, Amazon will likely sell its most basic Kindle model at a subsidized price of under 500 reais ($239), three times more expensive than in the U.S. but still bellow rival products, the source said.

Amazon has already signed contracts with around 30 Brazilian publishers and is rushing to build a portfolio of some 10,000 electronic books ahead of the end-year shopping season, the source familiar with the company´s plan said.

A publisher involved in the negotiations said Amazon is planning to price the ebooks at about 70 percent of their cover price and earn a profit margin of to 40 to 50 percent.

"Revenues for us will be insignificant, but we see it as an important channel to promote our products and sell more physical books," the publisher said, who also asked not to be identified because negotiations with Amazon are ongoing.

Amazon's move could end up prompting other U.S. competitors to expand their digital operations into on Brazil. One distributor said Barnes & Noble Inc  has already approached some Brazilian publishers with its reader Nook. A spokeswoman with the U.S. bookseller said they have plans to expand internationally but had no specific comments on Brazil.

"Local companies will need to acquire foreign technology in order to survive," said the source close to the negotiations.

"I think Amazon will take small steps at first, to learn the market, but then invest in growth. Amazon is a large company, and could subsidize its operations in Brazil for years before making a profit there," said Colin Sebastian, an equity research analyst with R.W. Baird in San Francisco.

Local competitors say Amazon would first have to prove it can compete in the challenging environment.

"They are going to face the same kind of problems we always had," said Sergio Herz, director of Livraria Cultura, one of Brazil's top bookstores with a dozen locations.

Reuters

Hewlett-Packard first Windows 8 tablet coming with Intel`s chips for x-86 machines.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

Hewlett-Packard first Windows 8 tablet coming with Intel`s chips for  x-86 machines.

Hewlett-Packard will focus on so-called x86 chips, such as those made by Intel Corp., said Marlene Somsak, a spokeswoman for Palo Alto, California-based Hewlett-Packard.

HP has issued us a statement to confirm the report. "Our first Win 8 tablet will be on the x86 platform focused on the business market," said a company spokesperson. 

"The decision to go with x86 was influenced by input from our customers. The robust and established ecosystem of x86 applications provides the best customer experience at this time and in the immediate future."

The first Hewlett-Packard tablet with Windows 8 will focus on the business market, Somsak said.

Hewlett-Packard’s decision to avoid ARM initially was made before Microsoft announced its plan to sell its own tablets in competition with Hewlett-Packard, Somsak said.

Windows 8 machines that sport Intel chips “will deliver the most complete experience with the best performance and compatibility across all computing platforms,” Intel said in an e-mailed statement.

ARM machines running the new version of Windows will only be able to use new applications written for Windows 8 and Windows RT, while the x86 machines can run older Windows apps.

Smart decision by HP.

Bloomberg

Is the Modbook Pro OS X tablet coming this fall ? What?

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

Is the Modbook Pro  OS X tablet coming this fall ? What?

Yeah you heard right. The news:

“Built from a unique enclosure conversion kit, the Modbook Pro incorporates and completely encases the original hardware of a new Apple MacBook Pro 13.3-inch base system,” says Modbook Inc.

“Its Wacom digitizer delivers 512 levels of pen pressure sensitivity — more than any other tablet computer on the market. And its ForceGlass screen provides an etched, paper-emulating drawing surface,” the company adds.

Naturally, there will be some additional software in there to allow you to make good use of the touch-enabled OS X.

After all, Apple didn’t design OS X with touch in mind. Oh, and the warranty is shifted over to Modbook Inc., which provides its own service. In other words, this is no longer an Apple product, any way you look at it.

“The result is a sleek tablet computer run by a powerful Mac base system, with a highly sensitive pen interface and a natural drawing surface, all fused into one device you can take with you and use anywhere,” says the maker.

The tablet will be geared towards creative users who like to keep their interests mobile, and it will offer cross-platform capabilities with OS X and Windows support.

Includes a 2.5GHz dual core Intel® Core™ i5 processor or 2.9GHz dual core Intel Core i7 processor, up to 16GB of RAM, a 2.5–inch SATA drive (up to 1TB HDD or up to 960GB SSD), an 8X SuperDrive® DVD burner, an Intel HD Graphics 4000 chipset, 802.11n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0 wireless connectivity capability, a built-in 63.5-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery and a 60W MagSafe® power adapter.¹

Alongside the MagSafe power port, the Modbook Pro’s base system has one Gigabit Ethernet port, one FireWire® 800 port, one USB 3.0 port, one Thunderbolt™ port, one SDXC card slot and one audio line in/out.

Whether or not Apple will try and keep this product off the market (as it did with Psystar’s OpenMacs), the Modbook Pro is a sight to behold. At least in pictures.

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The Modbook Pro offers power, performance and portability — an innovative Mac®-based pen tablet computer, it’s the ideal take-it-anywhere workstation for creative users.

Built from a unique enclosure conversion kit, the Modbook Pro incorporates and completely encases the original hardware of a new Apple® MacBook® Pro 13.3-inch base system. Its Wacom® digitizer delivers 512 levels of pen pressure sensitivity — more than any other tablet computer on the market. And its ForceGlass™ screen provides an etched, paper-emulating drawing surface.

The result is a sleek tablet computer run by a powerful Mac base system, with a highly sensitive pen interface and a natural drawing surface, all fused into one device you can take with you and use anywhere.

Perfect for mobile creative users

Unlike plug-in pen tablet displays, the Modbook Pro is a completeall-in-one computer. It doesn’t have to be plugged into anything to operate and requires no wires, cables, display adapters, or video control and breakout boxes. Mobility is maximized.

With its compact form factor and relatively thin profile, the Modbook Pro can easily be slipped in and out of a backpack and used anywhere, freeing users from their desks. Its distinctive sloped-edge shape and 3D-GripFeet™ mean it can be propped up to 50 degrees on all sides without slipping.

The crisp 13.3-inch (diagonal) display has a native 1280 by 800 pixel resolution. And the display, digitizer and ForceGlass screen assembly are flush-mounted, resulting in a completely level drawing area that optimizes on-screen workspace.

Unrivaled pressure sensitivity on a tablet

No tablet computer or tablet device on the market today offers the Modbook Pro’s 512 levels of pen pressure sensitivity.

Featuring a state-of-the-art pen tablet digitizer from the industry leader in pen tablet technology, Wacom, the Modbook Pro enables users to produce pro-quality creative deliverables. In addition to the 512 pen pressure levels, the Modbook Pro’s pen tablet has a recognition rate of 133 points per second and a recognition resolution of approximately one one-hundredth of a millimeter, resulting in a snappy pen experience and extremely precise control of renderings.

The pen tablet digitizer is custom-tuned to the electronics of the Modbook Pro and its base system, with a calibrated and fully tested radio frequency (RF) and electromagnetic shielding solution for a smooth and undisrupted pen experience.

Included with the Modbook Pro is a best-in-class digitizer pen. Easy to grip and battery-less, the pen has two programmable side buttons and a digital eraser. The pen securely tucks away in the conveniently built-in pen garage with a magnetic catch.

Inventive Mac-based tablet computer

How is it possible there’s a MacBook Pro inside the Modbook Pro?

To accomplish this radical computer product modification, the Modbook Pro uses the unique ExoConnect™ system. ExoConnect is the primary high-speed connection linking the Modbook Pro components to one of the MacBook Pro’s two standard USB 3.0 ports. This allows for the most seamless integration possible while the smart enclosure design permanently seals the connection and the port itself within the Modbook Pro, leaving all the other ports unobstructed.

In essence a fully standards-compliant USB device, the Modbook Pro closely follows the Apple Design Guidelines for USB high-performance peripherals. It just gives the word “peripheral” a whole new meaning.

The Modbook Pro’s configurable base system includes a 2.5GHz dual core Intel® Core™ i5 processor or 2.9GHz dual core Intel Core i7 processor, up to 16GB of RAM, a 2.5–inch SATA drive (up to 1TB HDD or up to 960GB SSD), an 8X SuperDrive® DVD burner, an Intel HD Graphics 4000 chipset, 802.11n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0 wireless connectivity capability, a built-in 63.5-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery and a 60W MagSafe® power adapter.¹

Alongside the MagSafe power port, the Modbook Pro’s base system has one Gigabit Ethernet port, one FireWire® 800 port, one USB 3.0 port, one Thunderbolt™ port, one SDXC card slot and one audio line in/out.

Cross-platform capability with OS X® and Windows 7

Modbook Pro users can enjoy the full range of OS X Mountain Lion-compatible applications running on the base system, including favorites such as iTunes® and iLife®.

In addition, users can run OS X’s Boot Camp® application to install 32- or 64-bit Microsoft® Windows® 7 (sold separately) to turn their Modbook Pro into a powerful tablet PC.

The Modbook Pro is the only tablet computer with the ability to boot into both OS X and Windows 7, unlocking the whole world of available applications on either platform: Adobe® Photoshop®, Encore® and Premiere® Pro; Autodesk® Sketchbook® Pro and AutoCAD®; Apple Aperture® and Logic® Pro; Corel® Painter™; and many others.

No matter what project or requirement, the Modbook Pro’s unique cross-platform capability together with its powerful pen tablet features enable the soup-to-nuts creation of high-resolution, pro-quality creative deliverables.

One-year top-to-bottom warranty

The Modbook Pro comes with a one-year warranty covering the complete hardware solution, including all of the components of the MacBook Pro base system.²

Users will be able to have their Modbook Pro serviced at authorized service centers, the first of which will be announced prior to the Modbook Pro’s ship date.

Availability and Pricing

The Modbook Pro ships in early fall 2012. Pricing and sales partners will be announced in the coming weeks.

Sign up to get updates on the Modbook Pro.

¹Construction of the Modbook Pro requires permanent removal of the base system’s enclosure, including the display (with the FaceTime® camera) and the keyboard/trackpad assembly. Hard drive, RAM and other configuration options vary and may only be available from specific sales partners.

²The Modbook Pro is an enclosure conversion kit designed to exclusively contain an original MacBook Pro base system manufactured by Apple Inc. Apple Inc.’s one-year limited warranty on the base system is voided by the conversion and replaced with Modbook Inc.’s warranty.

Modbook, ForceGlass, 3D-GripFeet and ExoConnect are trademarks or registered trademarks of Modbook Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. Apple, Mac, MacBook, OS X, SuperDrive, MagSafe, FireWire, FaceTime, Boot Camp and Logic are trademarks or registered trademarks of Apple Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. Wacom is a trademark or registered trademark of Wacom Co., Ltd. in the U.S. and/or other countries. Intel, Core and Thunderbolt are trademarks or registered trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries. Microsoft and Windows are trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries. Adobe, Photoshop, Encore and Premiere are trademarks or registered trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the U.S. and/or other countries. Autodesk, SketchBook and AutoCAD are trademarks or registered trademarks of Autodesk, Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. Corel and Painter are trademarks or registered trademarks of Corel Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

Modbookpro

Google Drive for iPhone and iPad now available.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

Google Drive for iPhone and  iPad now available. 

Google is offering everyone 5 GB of free storage (the same amount as Apple’s iCloud) to kick things off.

“Google Drive lets you create, share, collaborate and keep all your stuff in one place,” says Google. “Upload all your files from your computer - even the big ones - and you can access them anywhere, including your iPhone or iPad. We get you started with 5 GB free.”

“Quickly share a photo with a friend 1000 miles away. Read the most up to date version of your document whether you’re at home, at the office, or on the go,” the app’s description continues.

“Make items available offline so you view them while you’re on a plane. No matter what happens to your devices, even if your iPhone goes for a swim, your files are safely stored in Google Drive.”

The key features, as enumerated by Google, include the ability to access and view your documents, photos and videos anywhere, quickly and easily, or the option to make files available offline so you can access them even when the Internet is out of reach. It also allows sharing files with collaborators on the go.

Users can also sync files across their desktop and all their devices, open files from Drive with other apps installed on the respective hardware, and they can star important files (sort of like bookmarking) to find them later with ease.

Google Drive requires iOS 5.0 or later, and it’s a universal app for both iPhone and iPad.


Google Drive for iPhone and  iPad now available on the App store.

Qualcomm announced its Snapdragon SDK for Android.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

Qualcomm announced its Snapdragon SDK for Android.

Qualcomm announced its Snapdragon SDK for Android, which it said offers developers and device makers “the ability to differentiate their applications on devices by exposing a new set of value-added features.”

The silicon giant said that the SDK provides access to next-generation technology and features of Snapdragon processors via APIs which are not otherwise available. These include advanced imaging and audio options, access to device sensors, and enhanced location capabilities.

According to Rob Chandhok, president of Qualcomm Internet Service and the company’s SVP for software strategy: “the most powerful applications in mobile are those that are tightly integrated with the underlying hardware.”

The SDK currently targets Qualcomm’s Snapdragon S4 8960 processor, and will support other chips “across multiple tiers” over time.

The company said a preview release is available now, and a full SDK will be available to device makers and developers in the coming months.

South Africa: Telkom SA to expand super-fast broadband.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

South Africa: Telkom SA to expand super-fast broadband.

South Africa’s Telkom SA is to dramatically expand the availability of super-fast broadband services across the country, as part of its strategic ‘Network Transformation Initiative’.

The project includes upgrading the existing access network with new-generation VDSL2 technology serving 4.4 million subscribers, and where commercially viable will also include the introduction of gigabit passive optical network (GPON) technologies to support fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) capabilities.

The telco also expects these new access technologies to be key enablers for potential future services such as video-on-demand, IPTV, and high quality voice services.

Telkom SA has chosen network equipment from Alcatel-Lucent to enable this expansion of super-fast broadband services, including its Intelligent Services Access Manager (ISAM) product family, which supports passive optical networking (PON) and digital subscriber line (DSL) technologies on the same platform.

France: Orange has begun offering NFC-enabled SIM cards nationwide.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

Orange enabled NFC sim card.

France: Orange has begun offering NFC-enabled SIM cards nationwide.

French incumbent Orange has begun offering NFC-enabled SIM cards nationwide in preparation for what it calls the “mass deployment”  of mobile contactless services. The UpTeq NFC SIM cards are supplied by Gemalto and  are the first SIMs on the market to offer the same security level as chip-based payment or smart cards, the firms said.

Orange, which claims to be the first European operator to roll out this technology on a national scale, said it plans to rent slots on the SIMs to service providers, including banks, retailers and transport providers, which is in line with the GSMA’s suggested model of NFC service operation.

“The solution will allow any service provider to dynamically manage its own security domain in the card and to load, personalise and update its related NFC applications remotely over time,” Orange said.

In adopting this stance, Orange places the burden of innovation and uptake on the service providers. Earlier this year the firm’s director for contactless services, Vincent Barnaud, told Telecoms.com that Orange had run successful trials with hotels, airlines and car rental companies and that the firm believed the “service providers are ready to go if and when there is a customer base ready to use NFC.”

Gemalto

LTE: Denmark: Telenor and TeliaSonera gain spectrum.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

LTE: Denmark: Telenor and TeliaSonera gain spectrum.

European operators TeliaSonera and Telenor have secured spectrum to roll out LTE services across Denmark through a joint venture.

The two operators set up a shared network in the country, called TT-Netvaerket, earlier this month. They have now splashed out DKK111m (US$18.6m) for 2 x10MHz bands of 800MHz spectrum to expand the roll out of their 4G network.

The two operators already provide LTE services in the 2600MHz spectrum through TT-Netvaerket, which covers a small section of the population. Now, with access to the 800 MHz frequency the operators can build 4G networks in more sparsely populated areas. Telenor added that the 800MHz frequency is also well suited to ensuring a broad 4G rollout because a 4G mast will have a much wider range using the frequency.

Through their shared network agreement, the two companies are giving each other access to existing towers in areas where they would otherwise have had to build their own. The agreement covers 2G, 3G and 4G networks and the operators added that the agreement will improve both the customer experience and their own financial results.

Can you hold your breath ? RIM BB10 smartphone coming as early as Q1 2013.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

Can you hold your breath ? RIM BB10 smartphone coming as early as  Q1 2013.

The Company now expects to launch the first BlackBerry 10 smartphones in market in Q1 of calendar 2013, the RIM`s today Press Release points out on theirs Reports First Quarter Fiscal 2013 Results, here below.

With all the rumors around the web about RIM spinning-off in two, the handset and the message networks and with a suggestion to sell the handset division, it looks like RIM might be buying time to make a decision, however would it be too little too late if new devices like the iPhone 5 is set for a September/October launch?

If they are thinking to get the things right for a BB10 smartphone launch, then  the wait might be worthly.

Can you hold your breath ?

Press Release 

Research In Motion Reports First Quarter Fiscal 2013 Results

 WATERLOO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - June 28, 2012) - Research In Motion Limited (RIM) (NASDAQ:RIMM)(TSX:RIM), a world leader in the mobile communications market, today reported first quarter results for the three months ended June 2, 2012 (all figures in U.S. dollars and U.S. GAAP, except where otherwise indicated). 

 Highlights: 

 Cash, cash equivalents, short-term and long-term investments increased to $2.2 billion at the end of the first quarter.

Cash flow from operations was approximately $710 million in the first quarter.

Revenue of $2.8 billion in Q1, down 33% from $4.2 billion in the prior quarter.

GAAP net loss in Q1 of $518 million or $0.99 per share diluted; adjusted net loss of $192 million or $0.37 per share diluted.

Shipments of BlackBerry smartphones were 7.8 million and shipments of BlackBerry PlayBook tablets were approximately 260,000.

BlackBerry 10 smartphone launch now scheduled for Q1 of calendar 2013.

Restructuring efforts underway that will include a workforce reduction of approximately 5,000 employees as part of RIM's efforts to realize over $1 billion in cost savings, based on RIM's Q4 FY2012 run rate

Launched World Tour BlackBerry Jam developer sessions in 23 countries resulting in strong adoption and support by application and developer partners for BlackBerry 10 platform.

BlackBerry App World continues to grow with over 89,000 applications available.

The overall BlackBerry subscriber base continued to grow, and the subscriber base grew in all regions except for North America.

RIM names Steve Zipperstein, former General Counsel of Verizon Wireless, as Chief Legal Officer 

Q1 Results 

 Revenue for the first quarter of fiscal 2013 was $2.8 billion, down 33% from $4.2 billion in the previous quarter and down 43% from $4.9 billion in the same quarter of fiscal 2012. The revenue breakdown for the quarter was approximately 59% for hardware, 36% for service and 5% for software and other revenue. During the quarter, RIM shipped 7.8 million BlackBerry smartphones and approximately 260,000 BlackBerry PlayBook tablets. 

 GAAP net loss for the quarter was $518 million, or $0.99 per share diluted, compared with a GAAP net loss of $125 million, or $0.24 per share diluted, in the prior quarter and GAAP net income of $695 million, or $1.33 per share diluted, in the same quarter last year. 

 Adjusted net loss for the first quarter was $192 million, or $0.37 per share diluted. Adjusted net loss and adjusted diluted loss per share exclude the impact of pre-tax charges of $335 million ($326 million on an after tax basis), which are predominantly non-cash related to the impairment of goodwill. This charge and its related impact on GAAP net loss and diluted loss per share are summarized in the table below. 

 "Our first quarter results reflect the market challenges I have outlined since my appointment as CEO at the end of January. I am not satisfied with these results and continue to work aggressively with all areas of the organization and the Board to implement meaningful changes to address the challenges, including a thoughtful realignment of resources and honing focus within the Company on areas that have the greatest opportunities," said Thorsten Heins, President and CEO. "Our top priority going forward is the successful launch of our first BlackBerry 10 device, which we now anticipate will occur in the first quarter of calendar 2013. In parallel with the roll out of BlackBerry 10, we are aggressively working with our advisors on our strategic review and are actively evaluating ways to better leverage our assets and build on our strengths, including our growing BlackBerry subscriber base of approximately 78 million, our large enterprise installed base, our unique network architecture and our industry leading security capabilities." 

 The total of cash, cash equivalents, short-term and long-term investments was $2.2 billion as of June 2, 2012, compared to $2.1 billion at the end of the previous quarter, an increase of approximately $100 million from the prior quarter. Cash flow from operations in Q1 was approximately $710 million. Uses of cash included intangible asset additions of approximately $285 million, capital expenditures of approximately $155 million and a business acquisition of approximately $100 million. 

 BlackBerry 10 Update

 The successful launch of the BlackBerry 10 platform and the delivery of high quality, full-featured BlackBerry 10 smartphones remain the Company's number one priority. Over the past several weeks, RIM's software development teams have made major progress in the development of key features for the BlackBerry 10 platform; however, the integration of these features and the associated large volume of code into the platform has proven to be more time consuming than anticipated. As a result, the Company now expects to launch the first BlackBerry 10 smartphones in market in Q1 of calendar 2013. 

 "RIM's development teams are relentlessly focussed on ensuring the quality and reliability of the platform and I will not compromise the product by delivering it before it is ready. I am confident that the first BlackBerry 10 smartphones will provide a ground-breaking next generation smartphone user experience," said Thorsten Heins, President and CEO. "We are encouraged by the traction that the BlackBerry 10 platform is gaining with application developers and content partners following the successful BlackBerry Jam sessions that we have held around the world since the beginning of May. Similarly, the reception of the BlackBerry 10 platform by our key carrier partners has been very positive and they are looking forward to going to market with BlackBerry 10 smartphones in the first quarter of calendar 2013." 

 Organizational Update

 RIM today also announced the appointment of Steve Zipperstein, former General Counsel of Verizon Wireless, as its Chief Legal Officer. Prior to joining Verizon, Mr. Zipperstein previously served as Deputy General Counsel for GTE Corporation and was employed with the United States Department of Justice as a federal prosecutor. Mr. Zipperstein joins Kristian Tear, Chief Operating Officer and Frank Boulben, Chief Marketing Officer as the latest additions to RIM's executive management team. 

 CORE Program

 The Company announced its CORE (Cost Optimization and Resource Efficiency) program in March of this year. The program is focused on delivering operational savings through various initiatives, with financial objectives for the program targeted to drive at least $1 billion in savings by the end of fiscal 2013, based on RIM's Q4 FY2012 run rate. As a result of the shift in BlackBerry 10 launch timeline, the increasingly competitive environment, as well as the identification of additional cost saving and efficiency opportunities, the Company may increase the scope and magnitude of these programs, and considers these original estimates as minimum numbers it will be pursuing. 

 To date, the Company has started implementing a number of these initiatives including: 

 a reduction in the number of layers of management to drive better clarity, efficiency and accountability across the organization; the continued streamlining of our supply chain, which includes the consolidation of our manufacturing footprint from 10 external manufacturing sites to three, and working closely with our suppliers and other partners to identify ways to drive further efficiency; outsourcing key parts of the Company's Global Repair operations, including management of device level repairs; targeted use of resources in our sales and marketing initiatives to more effectively leverage marketing windows and prioritize our marketing efforts and spend in regions that offer the highest opportunity and return; further outsourcing of non-core functions as determined during the implementation of the CORE program; and a global workforce reduction of approximately 5,000 employees, which is expected to be completed by the end of fiscal 2013. 

 The Company expects to incur restructuring related charges of approximately $350 million by the end of fiscal 2013, primarily associated with the global workforce reduction. Other charges and cash costs may occur during this process, and the Company intends to share more details throughout the year regarding its progress as programs are implemented or changes are completed. 

Outlook 

 The Company expects the next several quarters to continue to be very challenging for its business based on the increasing competitive environment, lower handset volumes, potential financial and other impacts from the delay of BlackBerry 10, pressure to reduce RIM's monthly infrastructure access fees, and the Company's plans to continue to aggressively drive sales of BlackBerry 7 handheld devices. The Company expects to report an operating loss in the second quarter of fiscal 2013, as RIM continues to invest in marketing programs and continues to work through the transition to BlackBerry 10, as well as the Company's fixed costs being allocated over a lower volume of shipments. This outlook excludes the impact of charges related to the CORE Program.