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If DigiTimes sources are correct, Apple will reveal two new iPads at iWorld 2012-- a high-end version and mid-range model, both featuring 9.7" displays with QXGA (1536x2048) resolutions.

The iPad 2 will remain on the market as the low-end option competing directly (price-wise) with the Kindle Fire and its ilk. Previous rumours insisted Apple was to make a smaller, 7" device.

The high-end iPad will apparently carry a quad-core A6 processor, 14000mAh battery (nearly twice in capacity of the iPad 2's) and an 8MP camera, while the mid-range iPad will have a 5MP camera. The two devices will also have screens lit by dual-LED bars.

The unusually detailed report says Samsung is taking care of processor and CMOS image sensor manufacture, while Sharp is supplying backlight units and display panels.

Are these latest DigiTimes rumours solid fact or simply hot air? We'll know soon enough-- iWorld (formely "Macworld") will take place in less than a month's time, on January 26 2012.

Go Apple to Unvel 2 Versions of Next-Gen iPad (DigiTimes)

Just as Frank Sinatra famously sang, Microsoft will soon start saying "I did it my way" after deciding to make a final big and expensive appearance at CES 2012, corporate VP Frank X. Shaw announces.

The Microsoft keynote at the January show (something of an annual tradition) will be the 14th and last, too. The company has been showing up at CES for the last 20 years.

The reason? Microsoft prefers to make announcements following its own timeline. Refusal to pay for CES space might be an issue, as Microsoft will instead focus on its own events (such as MIX or BUILD).

The company will still make future CES appearances, but in muted form-- the CEA confirms Microsoft is not renting out the massive Central Hall space for CES 2013.

In conclusion? Just like Apple, Microsoft will be making major announcements and reveals at Microsoft-organised, Microsoft-specific events.

Go 2012 Marks Final CES Keynote for Microsoft

Go CEA Statement on Microsoft Participation in CES 2013

RunCore will be launching new storage products at CES 2012-- including the Xapear, the Falcon series and the Pro V 7mm 2.5" SSDs.

The RunCore Xapear has an encryption system using RFID tags, using an AES 128 encryption algorithm to control access permissions. Users can also check on the SSD or activate a self-erase function by connecting it to a mobile phone SIM card via GSM network.

The Falcon series is a Marvell-based SSD solution, with R/W IOPS speeds the company says are higher than its current Pro V SATA SSD series-- a series getting a new addition with a 7mm 2.5" SATA SSD aiming for ultrabook use.

Go RunCore to Showcase New Storage Solutions at CES 2012

The current Wifi Protected Setup (WPS) standard has a major vulnerability affecting millions of devices worldwide, according to security researcher Stefan Viehbock and the US Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT).

The researchers say a security hole allows one to access a WPS PIN-protected network in around 2 hours through the use of "brute force," since routers send a message informing potential hackers if the first 4 digits are correct while using the last digit of the key as a checksum. This reduces the 100 million security possibilities WPS should represent to around 11000.

WPS is popular among router manufacturers as a means for adding new devices to a wifi network without the need to remember a wireless key every time.

US-CERT suggests users should disable WPS on their routers, while Viehbock says routers from vendors including Buffalo, D-Link, Linksys and Netgear are vulnerable to such attacks-- but the manufacturers are ignoring his warnings. The researcher now plans to release a brute force tool, forcing vendors to resolve the issue.

Go Stefan Viehbock's Blog

Go US-CERT Security Warning