Following Apple's footsteps, Samsung revises Q4 guidance as being way below market expectations

It seems Apple is not the only smartphone giant affected by economic slowdown and increased competition. Samsung recently advised that it, too, will miss its calendar Q4 (fiscal Q1) guidance by a significant $5 billion to $9 billion.

This announcement will result in a drop in revenue and profits. While this is alarming for Samsung, it isn't as dramatic as what Apple is facing since Samsung makes profit off a wider variety of products and not just smartphones and their associated peripherals and services.

Still, the entire industry is hurting from fewer smartphone shipments, Samsung makes a lot of the displays, storage and components used by other brands so it is taking losses from various areas of its business. Hit jump for details. 

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CES 2019: Forget hoverboards, Swagtron's off-road electric skateboard is the new pipe dream

Swagtron was an ealry innovator in the electric hoverboard craze at CES years ago, now the company is back with an astonishing list of new electric bikes and scooters. While these make for convenient and efficient transportation, what stands out most is their beefy Swagskate off-road electric skateboard.

This looks like the love child of Batman's Tumbler Batmobile and an electric skateboard and it is glorious in its ruggedness. "Rolling on 9-inch knobby pneumatic tires and suspension trucks front and rear, this beast is boosted by dual 800-watt motors capable of 25 mph for up to 18 miles per charge. A responsive, durable 10-ply maple and bamboo deck ties it all together."

Swagskate can be used in urban and off-road environments and we can't wait to see what it can do in demos as well as find out how much it costs. 

CES 2019: Lenovo's X1 Yoga is first ThinkPad to receive aluminum enclosure

As competition in the premium laptop and notebook segment heats up, it is not enough for manufacturers to rely on processor and performance upgrades, bezel-reduced displays and thinner form factors to remain competitive. Lenovo gets this and has imbued its ThinkPad X1 Yoga line with aluminum enclosures. ThinkPads are premium devices and usually come with metal frames but polycarbonate plastic enclosures which, while sturdy, felt less than completely premium.

The skinny ThinkPad X1 PCs are the first aluminum ThinkPads which is quite surprising since there are more premium models geared towards enterprise that could have used the upgrade. 

“Creating the 2019 ThinkPad X1 Yoga required us to completely go back to the drawing board and develop all new approaches,” said Jerry Paradise, vice president, Commercial Product Portfolio. “The challenge of reimagining our engineering, design and materials while achieving the reliability, quality, and usability required of a ThinkPad was massive, but the end result will provide a delightful customer experience.” 

Source: NeoWin

Apple starts charging sales tax in Canada on Apple Music subs and iTunes purchases

Apple has confirmed that it is charging Canadian customers sales tax on purchases of TV shows, movies, music, audiobooks in Canada. In a statement to iMore, Apple reps stated tha the changes in Canadian legislation have required the company, which considers itself the world's biggest taxpayer, to collect sales tax on digital items and subscriptions sold.

The statement from Apple is as follows, "As the world’s largest taxpayer, we respect the important role taxes play in society. Due to recent changes in Canadian legislation and the growth of our business, sales tax will now be charged on purchases of TV, movies, music, and audiobooks. Apple has been operating in Canada for 38 years and we are proud to deliver the best products and services in the world to our customers here.”

Source: 9to5Mac