First look at Samsung's TabPro and NotePro slates from CES 2014

It's no secret that Samsung is shooting for a big enterprise and BYOD play, it's KNOX security solution has been a huge part of recent model releases and now it has a bevy of 'Pro' focused tablets and notes that have a higher-spec than the consumer versions.

The TabPro models appear in 12.2-inch, 10.1-inch, and 8.4-inch sizes and are expected to come in both WiFi and LTE enabled versions. TouchWiz on these devices is running the new Magazine UX, which at first glance looks a lot like Windows 8. The NotePro slate comes in a 12.2-inch version and seems to be a variant of the TabPro. Is a business oriented Android tablet something that will excite the knowledge workers? That remains to be seen, but Samsung seems confident these are the tools pro users will want.

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Photos by Alex Davies - Shot with a Sony CyberShot RX10 courtesy of Sony Canada

Lenovo gearing up to acquire IBM's server business

Lenovo and IBM  have entered into a definitive agreement in which Lenovo plans to acquire IBM’s x86 server business. This includes System x, BladeCenter and Flex System blade servers and switches, x86-based Flex integrated systems, NeXtScale and iDataPlex servers and associated software, blade networking and maintenance operations. The purchase price is approximately US$2.3 billion, approximately two billion of which will be paid in cash and the balance in Lenovo stock.

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Should BlackBerry go private?

It has been a whirlwind year so far for BlackBerry. The Canadian smartphone and messaging pioneer set off to get back in the mobile game with a brand new OS and the types of devices that users have been clamouring for while killing off others that showed no future.

Playing catch up with competing ecosystems, BlackBerry has managed to release three new handsets in various markets and is likely going to push out at least one more new flagship device before the year is over. Now there are murmurings that the company is looking to go private. A report from Reuters states that Thorsten Heins and Co. are debating the merits of going private and that such a move would "give them breathing room to fix its problems out of the public eye," the report states.

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SPOT Global Phone intros satellite phones for outdoor recreation market

SPOT LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Globalstar, Inc. and leader in satellite messaging and emergency notification technologies, today announced the new SPOT Global Phone, a portable, easy-to-use and data-enabled satellite phone. Designed for outdoor enthusiasts who want to remain connected when travelling in areas beyond the reach of cellular coverage, the SPOT Global Phone provides affordable and reliable satellite connectivity with crystal clear voice quality.

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