A Bevy of Tablets Take Intel's Clover Trail

                                 
Since  the arrival of Apple's iPad, tablet computers have primarily remained consumption devices targeting consumers. However, at Thursday's formal launch of its new Atom processor, formerly known by the code name "Clover Trail," Intel showed off eight new devices geared for the enterprise. The tablets, from partners including Acer, Asus, Dell, Fujitsu, HP, Lenovo, LG, Samsung and ZTE, are powered by the Atom Z2760 chip and feature the Windows 8 operating system.

Acer Iconia W510

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The new devices, due in late October, are tailored for corporate customers, with support for productivity software including Word and Excel, and the ability to connect to peripherals such as printers. The tablets offer the promise of long battery life -- up to 10-plus hours -- while also being capable of streaming high-definition video, making these workhorses suitable for playtime as well.

"With its low-power capabilities and hardware encrypted security, the Z2760 Intel Atom processor opens up a new world of mobile possibilities and transforms expectations about what tablets can do," said Steve Chang, president of ASUS Computer International.

Tablets as Work Machines

Some of the new models will reportedly sport detachable keyboards and a stylus to facilitate content creation, thus filling a spot in the PC tablet space rather than competing in the media tablet space.

"The first tablet implementation was with the PC, and this is moving back in that direction," said Rhoda Alexander, senior manager for monitors and tablets at IHS iSuppli.

"The market is growing and getting ever more diverse," she noted.

"This is one of the things that is expected to give a boost to that market," Alexander told TechNewsWorld. "As far as going head to head with Apple or other media tablets, this is really a different product."

That doesn't mean this won't create competition for Apple in the more general tablet space.

"We have seen the tablet market really pick up steam over the last couple years, but it has really been a one-horse race," said telecommunications analyst Jeff Kagan. "The Apple iPad is in the lead and has crushed big name competitors like Google Android and others. Now Intel is jumping into this space."

Intel Inside

Intel could find itself in a strange place, as it has been quite comfortable in the driver's seat with desktop and notebook PCs for years. But with Microsoft looking to ARM processors for more portable devices that will run on Windows RT, it's clear the market is changing. It appears that Intel is looking to adapt.

Is that going to be easy for a company that has lead by design?

"On one hand, they are already a powerhouse in the same space with regards to computers," Kagan told TechNewsWorld. "On the other hand, tablets are a different type animal -- and they really have to get this right. The Intel brand name will open the door for them, but winning is another story."

Down the road, the tablet market will continue to grow, but others will likely become successful, he added.

"However, we are not there yet. It has been a long and slow road for every competitor other than Apple," Kagan emphasized. "Based on what we have seen so far, I am not holding my breath that Intel will really make a splash."

Opening Windows

Moreover, while Microsoft appears to be hedging its bets with Windows 8 and Windows RT on tablets, Intel is looking squarely at the Atom processor and Windows 8. That bet could pay, as many traditional PC users may want the best of both the desktop and the tablet -- something this operating system could provide.

"This is for those who need the Windows operating system but want touch when they're mobile," said Alexander. "It is showing the response from the traditional PC market to what is happening to the media tablet market. What we see is that media tablet has been on a sharp upward curve, while the others have been treading water.

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Zorin Linux Is Heavy on the Windows Dressing

Zorin Linux 6.0 is a very capable replacement operating system for Microsoft Windows. It is also a bother-free alternative to other Linux distros that suffer from the usability issues of theGnome 3 or Ubuntu Unity desktop interfaces.

The Zorin Linux distro is an offshoot of Canonical's Ubuntu Linux but it has much more of the look and feel of Linux Mint with a few very substantial differences. These make Zorin an ideal choice for Windows users and others who dislike having to learn a new approach to computing.

Zorin Linux lets you change the look of your desktop.

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One of these embellishments is a modified bottom panel that has the look and feel of the Windows start menu and task bar. Another key design difference is Zorin's familiar default Windows 7-like interface. This combination goes a long way towards reducing the learning curve of migrating to Linux while still experiencing the main advantages of Linux.

For many newcomers to Linux, Zorin has a deal maker that is unmatched in any other Linux distribution. It comes with several integrated tools that let you modify Zorin's appearance. Look Changer lets you decide how the desktop looks and acts. You can tweak the look and feel even more with Splash Screen Manager, Internet Browser Manager and Background Plus.

For example, with a click of a button you can have the desktop accurately the look and function of Windows 7, Windows XP or GNOME 2 in the free versions of Zorin OS. The Premium versions also include the Windows 2000, Unity and Mac OS X looks.

Free Or Not?

As I continue to tour various Linux distributions, I am seeing a trend that raises concerns. Traditionally, the Linux OS has been available for free as a hallmark of the open source software concept.

Paying for specialized Linux versions or subscribing for support features is nothing new. But offering users a few basic fully functional distro versions while charging for a premium release with more extensive features of a particular distro seems to violate the intent of FOSS (Free Open Source Software) principles.

Paying for a premium version of Zorin poses problems if you live in the U.S. The website only displays Euro prices.

Getting It

Three free versions are available for download. Zorin OS 6 Core is the standard desktop version of Zorin OS. It comes in 32-bit and 64-bit (1.4) versions.

Zorin OS 6.1 Lite is the streamlined version of Zorin OS. It is designed for use on old and low-spec computers. Zorin OS 6 Educational is for educational purposes. 

Several paid versions are available with specialty open source packages for business, gaming and multimedia.

Don't ignore the warning on the download page. It recommends using the Firefox web browser to avoid file corruption issues during the download process. I ignored that warning and had to do it over again. The ISO file failed to properly burn a live DVD otherwise.

Snappy Set Up

Zorin ran relatively fast from the live DVD version. But some features related to the desktop look and feel did not work from the live version. That is to be expected. Once I installed Zorin to my test machine's hard drive, all the functionality was present.

For instance, Zorin enables a few desktop visual effects. You can tweak the look and feel of these animations by going to System Tools > Preferences > CompizConfig Settings Manager. 

This is the element missing as most Linux disros upgraded to GNOME 3 or pushed users into other desktop environments. In most cases, the desktop effects and animations that Compiz created are now only available in the KDE desktop and distros such as Zorin that retained that functionality.

No Fuss

For those who detest fiddling, Zorin ships with all codecs enabled. This lets you watch videos and listen to streaming music without having to set up any of the player applications. This is a strong selling point, once that resembles the experience with Linux Mint.

One of the things you can change if you want is the default background. Zorin ships with more than 25 artistically pleasing images. Access them by right-clicking on the desktop or choosing the Appearance option from the System Settings menu in the System Tools area.

Zorin lets you choose from a number of different backgrounds.

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The Windows-like start menu will appeal to Microsoft users.

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I was generally impressed with Zorin. Only one drawback would deter me from adopting it as my main Linux OS. I found no easy way to set up virtual workspaces.

Pleasing Panel

Zorin uses a modified version of the Avant Window Navigator (AWN) as a replacement panel. It does not have all the visual affects found in the separate AWN app.

Instead, the modified AWN is integrated into the desktop. It functions as a traditional panel rather than a docking bar.

I found it to be less flexible than the original AWN. It also lacked the visual effects options that the real AWN has.

The real AWN functions as a dock similar to what the Mac OS uses. But the Zorin version morphed AWN into a panel-like feature hard-wired to the bottom of the screen. The traditional Gnome panel does not exist in Zorin.

Not All Rosy

After hours of fiddling with Zorin, I discovered that the panel (see next section) has a setting to add applets. Once I installed the window list and desktop switcher applets in the dock preferences, I could right click on the top of an open window to send it to a new virtual desktop.

I was also able to right-click on the top border of an open window without these applets installed to access the options to move the window to another workspace. But other than treating the moved window as a minimized icon on the task panel or using the window switcher, no other way exists to navigate among virtual workspaces.

This might not be a problem for Windows OS converts. Virtual workspaces is a feature not built into Windows and is only available with add-on programs installed.

Bottom Line

Zorin is a solid choice for hassle-free computing. Its design sidesteps the controversial desktop issues in recent OS upgrades of other Linux distros. It is an easy-to-use Linux platform that is ideal for newcomers and veteran Linux users alike. 

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Apple's iPhone 5 bigger, faster but lacks "wow"

Apple Inc's new iPhone goes on sale on Friday with a bigger screen and 4G wireless technology, as the company seeks to safeguard its edge over rivals like Samsung Electronics Co Ltd and Google Inc.

The iPhone 5 fulfilled many of the expectations laid out by gadget geeks and technology analysts ahead of its Wednesday unveiling but offered few surprises to give Apple shares -- already near record highs -- another major kick.

"There is not a wow factor because everything you saw today is evolutionary. I do think they did enough to satisfy," said Michael Yoshikami, chief executive of wealth management company Destination Wealth Management.

Other industry analysts speculated about what else was in Apple's product pipeline ahead of the crucial year-end holiday season, especially since the company stayed mum about an oft-rumored TV device or a smaller iPad.

The consumer electronics giant that in 2010 popularized tablet computing with the iPad has given no hints on whether it plans a smaller version to match cheaper tablets from the likes of Google or Amazon.com Inc.

"We would really like to see the iPad Mini in the product offering for the all-important holiday quarter. They still have time," said Channing Smith, co-manager of the Capital Advisors Growth Fund. "As soon as we see that, we will have more conviction about the stock heading into the final quarter."

Apple shares ended the day up 1.4 percent at $669.79.

The latest iPhone comes as Apple faces competition beyond current key competitors Samsung and Google. Late entrant Microsoft Corp is now trying to push its Windows Phone 8 operating system as an alternative to Apple and Android, the most-used smartphone operating system in the world.

Analysts have forecast sales of 10 million to 12 million of the new iPhones in this month alone.

Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook kicked off the event in San Francisco's Yerba Buena Center but it was marketing chief Phil Schiller who introduced the iPhone 5 and took the audience through the new phone's features.

The iPhone 5 sports a 4-inch "retina" display, can surf a high-speed 4G LTE wireless network, and is 20 percent lighter than the previous iPhone 4S.

CEDING A LEAD

It ships September 21 in the United States, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and Britain. It will hit 100 countries by year's end in the fastest international rollout for an iPhone so far.

The stakes are high with the iPhone, Apple's marque product, accounting for nearly half its revenue. The California company has sold more than 243 million iPhones since 2007, when the device ushered in the current applications ecosystem model.

But Samsung now leads the smartphone market with a 32.6 percent share followed by Apple with 17 percent, according to market research firm IDC. Both saw shipments rise compared to a year ago, with Samsung riding its flagship Galaxy S III phone.

Available for pre-order on Friday starting from $199 with a data plan, the iPhone 5 comes with Apple's newest "A6" processor, which executives said runs twice as fast as the previous generation. It will pack three microphones -- enhancing built-in voice assistant Siri -- and an 8 megapixel camera that can take panoramic views.

It will hitch a ride on the three largest U.S. carriers: Verizon Wireless, AT&T Inc, and Sprint.

One popular enhancement was improved battery endurance -- the iPhone 5 can support eight hours of 4G Web browsing, the company said.

While Apple played catch-up on many of the new phone's features -- Samsung and Google's Motorola already have larger and 4G-ready phones -- analysts say the device's attraction is the way its software and hardware work in tandem.

"Where they are pushing the envelope, and where they remain the one to beat, is on the experience those features bring to the consumer," said Carolina Milanesi, Gartner Research analyst. "While other vendors continue to focus just on the hardware -- delivering the speeds and feeds and bigger batteries -- Apple focuses on pulling the operating system, the hardware and what you can consume on the hardware."

FOO FIGHTERS ROCK

Cook began the event by giving updated metrics on the company's products and then quickly gave up the stage for Schiller to introduce the iPhone 5.

The team then moved on to a new lineup of iPods, a redesigned iTunes store and ended with a surprise performance by rock band Foo Fighters. Apple executives in the front row could be seen rocking their heads to "Times Like These" and other hits.

For the iPhone 5, Apple has done away with the connectors used on previous devices and replaced them with a smaller and more efficient "Lightning" connector.

With the iPhone, it is shipping new "EarPods" audiophones, designed after digitally scanning hundreds of ears. Shares in Skullcandy, which specializes in stylized earphones, fell 4.5 percent on Wednesday.

Beyond hardware, Apple telegraphed many of the software changes to expect in iPhone 5 when it debuted iOS 6, its latest mobile operating system, in June.

Upgrades to the software include voice navigation for driving, a feature already available on many Android smartphones, as well as "Passbook" for storing electronic boarding passes, sports tickets and gift cards.

Siri has been improved. In an onstage demonstration, Siri was able to answer questions about the result of a recent pro football game and recite a list of movies playing around town, along with ratings.

Earlier, Cook told the audience that its apps store now has more than 700,000 on tap -- the industry's largest library.

"When you look at each of these, they are incredible industry-leading innovations by themselves. But what sets them apart, and what places Apple way out in front of the competition, is how they work so well together," Cook said toward the end of the two-hour presentation.

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HP adds to layoff tally, now plans 29,000 job cuts

SAN FRANCISCO | Mon Sep 10, 2012 12:19pm EDT

(Reuters) - Hewlett Packard now plans to layoff 29,000 employees, increasing the total number of job cuts by 2,000 over the next two years as it tries to kickstart growth.

HP, which will cut jobs through a combination of involuntary cuts and early retirement offers, expects to take charges of about $3.3 billion through the end of HP's 2014 fiscal year for the workforce reductions, it said in a regulatory filing on Monday.

The company also expects to take another $400 million in charges relating to data centers and real estate consolidation.

The world's No. 1 personal computer maker, which employs more than 300,000 people globally, has begun a multi-year restructuring aimed at focusing the sprawling company on services targeted at corporations.

Chief Executive Meg Whitman, who took the top job last September, is trying to move the company past the internal upheaval that marked 2011, including the departure of two previous chief executives.

HP will likely have cut 11,500 jobs by end of fiscal 2012, the company has said.

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Hackers stole Apple data from Florida company, not from FBI

A Florida company said on Monday that its files - not an FBI agent's laptop - were hacked by a renegade group that released Apple product identification data it claimed to have obtained through a breach of the nation's top law enforcement agency.

"We want to apologize, announce what happened and set the record straight," said Paul DeHart, chief executive officer of software company BlueToad Inc, told Reuters.

FBI spokesman Paul Bresson confirmed to Reuters that "it certainly does appear that BlueToad was where the information was actually compromised."

BlueToad hosts more than 5,000 worldwide publications including consumer magazines and business documents, and creates apps for its clients. DeHart said the company experiences about 1,000 unsuccessful break-in attempts a day.

DeHart said his company realized it had been hacked soon after the group "AntiSec," an affiliate of Anonymous, posted a file on the Internet with the identification numbers for what it claimed were 12 million Apple devices on September 3.

Anonymous is one of several loosely affiliated hacking groups that take credit for breaking into government security agencies and major corporations worldwide.

"A third party reached out to us who was examining the list that was on the Internet and said, 'Hey, we see some connections to you guys,'" DeHart said.

He said his company is cooperating fully with the FBI. For security reasons, he declined to provide details of how they confirmed the data file came from his company.

"We haven't tied it to a person at least as of yet ... but we were able to figure out essentially what happened, tied to a lot of things and we've passed that information on (to the FBI)," DeHart said.

He said fewer than 2 million device IDs were obtained by the hackers rather than the 12 million the group claimed. He said his company, which does not collect private information such as Social Security numbers or credit card information, plugged the hole in its security system and has hired a national security firm to perform a complete security analysis.

"The attack that we got was pretty sophisticated, pretty determined," he said.

DeHart said his company hosts time-embargoed and time-sensitive content that could make it a target of hackers. He also speculated that whoever posted the data on the Internet might have been acting out of a grudge against a hosted publisher, or might be trying to establish their bona fides among the well-known hacking groups.

The Apple ID numbers, called unique device identifiers or UDIDs, are a sequence of letters and numbers assigned to Apple products, such as iPhones or iPads. Many Web-based mobile applications and gaming networks use UDIDs to identify users.

Marc Maiffret, chief technology officer of security firm BeyondTrust, said the data dump itself, while serious, would not prove to be very damaging to consumer privacy, and would not allow hackers to break into peoples' iPhones.

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Nokia to start selling make-or-break smartphone in November

Nokia will start selling its new smartphone, potentially its last chance to break into the most profitable part of the mobile phone market and secure its future, in November, sources at European telecoms operators said on Friday.
The Lumia 920, which uses Microsoft's Windows software, is Nokia's bid to catch up with Apple's iPhone and a string of popular phones using Google's Android software, like Samsung's Galaxy models.
The new phone, which with its rounded edges and colorful covers look similar to its predecessors, was unveiled on Wednesday and drew a thumbs down from many analysts, who felt it lacked the "wow" factor to make big inroads against rivals.
They were also unsettled by Nokia's refusal to say when the phone, and the smaller Lumia 820 models, would go on sale, or to give details on the price and operator partners.
Once the world's biggest mobile phone maker, Nokia fell behind rivals in the fast-growing smartphone market and has struggled to catch up, racking up more than 3 billion euros in operating losses in the last 18 months and forcing it to cut 10,000 jobs, as well as sell assets.
By going on sale in November, the Lumia 920 will hit stores in time for the key holiday sales season. It will be priced similar to Samsung's flagship Galaxy S3, operators in several countries said. The Galaxy S3 sells for around 580 euros.
But the phone will probably land more than a month after Apple's new iPhone and will face stiff competition from Samsung, which last week unveiled the world's first smartphone with the Windows Phone 8 software that the Lumia 920 will use, as well as new models from HTC and Google's Motorola.
An executive at an eastern European telecoms operator said he would start selling the Lumia 920, which features a high-quality camera and touch screen that can be used with gloves, in the second half of November, adding larger countries would receive the model earlier that month.
"The problem is that Nokia has temporarily destroyed the market for its own phones. Nobody will buy the old Windows phone and until the new Lumia comes, the market is absolutely dead," the executive said, declining to be named because he was not authorized to speak to the media on the subject.
Industry sources said on Thursday that Nokia had cut the prices of its older smartphones in a bid to boost demand until its new phones reach the market.
Analysts expect the Finnish firm to lose another 700 million euros in the July-September quarter and to sell around 3.6 million Windows phones, down from last quarter.
In comparison, Samsung sold more than 20 million Galaxy S3 smartphones in just 100 days.
Samsung has become the world's biggest smartphone maker as Nokia's share of the market has plunged to less than 10 percent from 50 percent during its heyday before the iPhone was launched in 2007.
The Lumia 920 is expected to go on sale in the United States around the same time as in Europe.
A Nokia spokesman declined to comment.
DIFFERENT VIEWS
While some operators and retailers said they would focus on the new iPhone and rival models, others were more positive.
"It looks really good, they chose to differentiate with the design and appearance, which are very important to people. The camera technology is very interesting," said Sami Aavikko from DNA Finland, the third-largest carrier in Nokia's home market.
Ernest Quingles, managing director for Italian distributor Tech Data, said he expects the new Nokia devices to be successful, but questioned whether Windows Phone can attract as much interest from developers as Android and the iPhone.
"What we need to check still now is how Microsoft and Nokia will be able to develop the apps part," he said.
Part of the reason for the limited success of Windows phones so far is that they support only 100,000 or so apps, compared with about 500,000 or more for Android or iPhones.
Apple's and Google's entrenched positions mean consumers have invested heavily in apps and content with them, and that could discourage switching to a new mobile system.
Nokia's volatile shares were 3.5 percent higher at 2 euros by 10:15 a.m. EDT (1415 GMT) in a firmer European market.

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Quantum Teleportation Could Let Earth Phone ET's Home

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By Peter Suciu
TechNewsWorld
09/06/12 12:01 PM PT

A quantum communication network could broaden Earth's horizons to distant parts of the universe. "Quantum teleportation for communication is a big deal, as it may make nearly instant communication with other planets possible," said futurist Glen Hiemstra. "Imagine what could be done with no delay between Earth and Mars, instead of the 7-minute round trip that scientists must cope with now."

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While no one should expect to beam up to the starship Enterprise anytime soon -- or ever -- researchers from the University of Vienna and the Austrian Academy of Sciences announced Thursday that they have achieved a new record in quantum teleportation.

Quantum teleportation experiment opens up new horizons.
(Photo: IQOQI/Vienna)

This isn't anything close to teleportation to near orbit. In fact, this new record resulted in teleportation of just 143 kilometers (roughly 89 miles), as the international team was able to successfully transmit quantum states between the Canary Islands of Palma and Tenerife. This surpassed the previous record of 97km set by researchers in China earlier this year.
Breaking the distance record wasn't actually the goal of this research, which represents a major step toward satellite-based quantum communication that could lead to a "quantum Internet."
"Our experiment shows how mature quantum technologies are today, and how useful they can be for practical applications," said Anton Zeilinger, Austrian physicist and leader of the international team.
"The next step is satellite-based quantum teleportation, which should enable quantum communication on a global scale," he explained. "We have now taken a major step in this direction and will use our know-how in an international cooperation, which involves our colleagues at the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The goal is to launch a quantum satellite mission."

Telecommunications Through Teleportation

So, while that trip to the moon without a spaceship is likely not in the cards, the technology could vastly improve communication around the world. And that is just the beginning.
"Quantum communications provides two very powerful benefits," said Rob Enderle, principal analyst at the Enderle Group. "It is zero latency, and you can tell if the information has been observed before you get it."
It could also provide a greater level of security that is simply not available in most wireless communications today.
"Even quantum-level encryption could be decrypted with similar technology -- but if you know the information is being observed without permission, you can act instantly to stop the exposure," Enderle told TechNewsWorld.
Those close to the program also emphasize the security benefits.
"Quantum communication has some advantages with regards to classified communication," said Rupert Ursin, deputy director of the Institute for Quantum Optics and Quantum Information at the Austrian Academy of Sciences. "It can be made absolutely secure. But unfortunately, if the channel is blocked, it's also blocked for the quantum."
In addition to the communication applications, quantum teleportation could allow for control of devices from greater distances, so that people could do jobs remotely.
"This technology could be used to have centralized people or systems fly planes, drive cars, pilot ships or fly spaceships." Enderle added. "Remote robots could be more reliably used -- and human controlled -- for everything from deep sea exploration and repair to exploring the galaxy. Imagine medical specialists being able to instantly appear to save lives anyplace in the world through even more capable remote operating rooms, both for civilians and soldiers. This technology could even make physical travel obsolete."

Quantum Hurdles to Overcome

However, even with the potential that quantum teleportation could offer, there are still many hurdles that have yet to be cleared. Among the next steps is to beam signals -- but not actual matter -- to satellites that fly in low orbit, between 200 and 1,200 km above the Earth.
This is just one of many challenges the researchers face.
"The quantum memory is still very much in its infancy," said Ursin.
Sending the signals via quantum teleportation is far more complex than sending traditional wireless signals he added.
"You can't measure and repeat as you can with WiFi," Usrin, who has worked with Zeilinger since 2002, told TechNewsWorld. "This is something that is far more complex. Additionally, we need memory and we're not quite there yet."
The reward could certainly be worth the effort, as it could allow for communication to distant parts, even if we still need to figure out how to get there.
"Quantum teleportation for communication is a big deal, as it may make nearly instant communication with other planets possible," said futurist Glen Hiemstra. "Imagine what could be done with no delay between Earth and Mars, instead of the 7-minute round trip that scientists must cope with now."
Back at home it could be useful too.
"In the world of global trading, there is a race to have the fastest communication possible," added Hiemstra. "Using quantum states and entangled photons could again make communication essentially instant." 

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iPhone 5 sales could hit 10 million in first week.

Assuming a ship date of September 21, the new iPhone may deliver between 6 million and 10 million in sales during the last week of the month, says Apple analyst Gene Munster.
            
        
 Apple iPhone 5 sales could climb as high as 10 million, and that's just in the device's first week, says Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster.
The iPhone maker sent out invitations yesterday to a product event on September 12 in which it's expected to launch the next-generation iPhone. Previous reports had pointed to that day and also cited Friday, September 21, as the date the phone will go on sale.
With that date in mind, an investors note released today by Munster projects iPhone 5 sales of anywhere from 6 million to 10 million. That estimate covers September 21 to the end of the month.
Last year, Apple sold 4 million iPhone 4S units during that phone's first three-day weekend in October. A full 10 million in sales over a little more than one week seems attainable this year, as long as there's enough supply to meet demand.
Overall, the analyst is eyeing total iPhone sales of at least 26 million units for the full September quarter, higher than the average Wall Street estimate of 22 million to 23 million.
Looking at the longer haul, J.P. Morgan analyst Mark Moskowitz sees fiscal 2013 iPhone sales of 168 million, a boost from the previous estimate of 147.4 million. The analyst now believes the new iPhone won't be hindered by supply-chain shortages as previously expected. Apple's first quarter of fiscal 2013 starts next month and includes the critical holiday shopping season.
The iPhone recently relinquished the crown as the top-selling smartphone in the U.S. to Samsung's Galaxy S3. Last month, Samsung's flagship phone outsold the iPhone 4S, according to a retail check run by Canaccord Genuity analyst T. Michael Walkley.

But the iPhone 5 stands to upset the apple cart once again, especially beyond the United States, according to Moskowitz's analysis.
"Later this month, we expect the iPhone 5 to reaffirm Apple's leadership position in markets recently penetrated by the iPhone 4S," the analyst said in an investors note out today. "In addition, given the addition of LTE, we believe the iPhone 5 will be established as a technology leader, versus other available smartphones."

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