Google+ for Windows Phone Could Launch This Week

Speculations strongly suggest the possibility of Google+ coming to Windows Phone users.In a post published on the Google Plus Blog, they have outlined a list of changes and updates that could be coming to Google+ in the near future. Currently, accessing Google+ from the native Internet Explorer in Windows Phone 7 seems to be a pretty difficult affair and a dedicated app would definitely be appreciated.

The following changes may be implemented next week:

• Ability to modify circles a post is shared with after posting it
• Google+ Android App update for Reading sparks and +1 comments
• Lifting of the 5000 circle cap
• The ability to overlap circles
• Easy private messaging option including to person who starts a thread
• Google+ app for Windows Phone 7
• Better integration of Google Chat with Google+
• Fix issues with instant upload for photos
• Ability to share with all circles, but with an “except” option
• Ability to share Google Docs and Calendar with circles
• Revamp Google Reader to make sharing easier
• File-sharing integration
• Addition of hashtags to aid searching
• Faster updates to the no. of people following you
• Revamped minor UI change

From the above list, the most notable one is the Google+ app for Windows Phone 7. Having at least 10 million users currently, Google seems to have gained momentum on the social networking frontier. Recently, the iPhone App for Google+ was rolled out and it rocketed to the top of the app list.

Do you think it will have a similar effect on Windows Phone? Let us know in the comments section below.

GoldenEye 007 Reloaded Comes to the PS3 and Xbox 360

With GoldenEye 007 being released for the Nintendo, Activision has now launched it for the PS3 and Xbox 360 as well. Activision stated that the game is built on a brand new engine, with high-definition graphics and is limited to 60 frames per second. Gamespot claims that the game is also compatible with the PlayStation's Move and the Xbox 360's Kinect. Activision claims to have added new features to the gameplay with infinite ammo and Golden Gun mode. Brand new M16 ops challenge levels, as well as time trial features are also some additional features.

 Activision has added a few more tweaks to the multiplayer mode as well. Now users can play online with upto 16 players with new modes, weapons and other characters from the James Bond series. Gamespot claims that another James Bond game is set to be released along with the new movie, James Bond 23, by November of next year. Activision, though, has not made any official confirmation of the new game yet. VG24/7 reports that David Oxford, the EVP at Activision publishing, said that by bringing together GoldenEye 007 and the PlayStation Move's Sharp Shooter, they wanted to expand the world of motion-based gaming. GoldenEye 007 is all set to be released on October 28th, 2011.

Tata Indicom Introduces New BlackBerry Plans at Rs. 99

Telecom service provider, Tata Indicom has announced the launch of three new BlackBerry service plans for their new customers. The new plans start at Rs. 99, Rs. 199 and Rs. 599 for the first three months. Standard monthly prices of Rs. 299, Rs. 399 and Rs. 900, respectively will be applied after the three month promotional period.

According to Tata Indicom, the MaiLite plan for Rs. 99 offers Tata Indicom postpaid customers access to as many as 10 supported e-mail accounts along with BBM (BlackBerry Messenger), as well as other popular Instant Messaging services for an initial period of three months. Thereafter, the standard Rs. 299 plan will be activated.

The BlackBerry Internet Service plan for Rs. 199 offers access for up to 10 supported e-mail accounts, BBM, Instant Messaging services and social networking along with Internet browsing for three month period. The Rs. 399 plan will be applied after the three month period is over.

The service plan for BlackBerry Enterprise Server for Rs. 599, includes all of the above, plus access to corporate data and tight integration with IBM Lotus Domino, Microsoft Exchange or Novell GroupWise. Like the previous plans, this too will be for the initial three months, after which users will be billed Rs. 900 per month for data usage.

Aditya Infotech Launches AVerMedia HomeFree TV Tuner

Aditya Infotech, in association with AVerMedia Technologies have recently announced the AVerMedia HomeFree, a home Live-TV/ video streaming device. AVerMedia HomeFree is built with AV-input and HDTV support bringing satellite TV and digital TV to an iPad over a home network. This device can broadcast and record analog TV signals to your iPad or Windows computer via your wireless home network. Being a network device, the HomeFree is installed at a location in a house where a wireless router and TV cable connections are available.

 Speaking at the unveiling of the AVerMedia HomeFree TV Tuner, Sanjay Gogia, Vice President of IT/AUDIO/VIDEO BU at Aditya Infotech Ltd. said, “We have observed from our business journey with AVerMedia that they always understand the need of consumers before introducing any product in India. This time, HomeFree is targeted at consumers who want complete solution of movable TV at home without attaching any TV Tuner or cable. The new offering from AVerMedia promises to enable users to watch TV wirelessly and freely in any room at home.”

The AV-input support hardware design of HomeFree allows users to easily watch satellite TV programs on their very own iPad TV. The IR Blaster function of HomeFree enables users to remotely control a set-top box from their iPads on LAN. Users can quickly watch/switch satellite TV channels or pause/play DVDs with the HomeFree Player by tapping on the iPad screen. HomeFree also allows users to watch live HD digital TV with quality up to 1080p resolution on a LAN-connected Windows computer with its TV signal streaming technology. Users also have the option of HomeFree to do recording and time-shifting on their computers via wireless LAN.

The specifications of the AVerMedia HomeFree TV Tuner are:

• Dimension: W 132mm X L 218mm X H 43mm
• Weight:  320g
• Built-in TV tuner:  One analog TV tuner
• Supported analog TV standard:  NTSC, PAL, SECAM
• TV input/ output:   One cable connector (IEC Type)
• Network output:  RJ-45 connector (10/100 Mbps)
• Hardware power switch:  Yes
• Power Supply: DC 5V/2A

The AVerMedia HomeFree TV Tuner is available for Rs. 9,900.

Ultimate Marvel Vs. Capcom 3 November Release Confirmed

The classic crossover series has returned to the gaming world with all new tweaks and a whole new set of characters. Capcom has confirmed that Ultimate Marvel Vs. Capcom 3 is all set to be released in November, this year. Marvel Vs Capcom was originally slated for a release in Febuary, but the game had been delayed as Capcom wanted to add a dozen new characters, eight new stages and new modes. Hawkeye and Ghost Rider are two characters, that will be added to the Marvel series while Ghost and Goblins Gargoyle, and the all time favourite Strider Hiryu will be added to the Capcom side.

 Beyond these new additions, Capcom have made a few more modifications in the fighting style, as well as improvements to its multiplayer gaming functionality. The game will now include a spectator mode as well. Players waiting for their turn in the group fighting mode, can watch the game live. Ultimate Marvel Vs. Capcom 3 is to be priced at $40 (approximately Rs. 1,800). Along with these modifications, Gamespot reports that new artwork will be added to the Marvel edition that will consist of Dr. Strange, Nova, Rocket Racoon and Iron Fist. As for Capcom, Phoenix Wright, Frank West, Resident Evil's Nemesis and Devils May Cry character, Vergil will be added to their series. Gamespot also reports that Marvel and Capcom are to discuss more details of the game at this week's Comic Con.

App to Run Android Apps on RIM PlayBook Leaked

We reviewed the RIM PlayBook a few weeks ago and we found that as a tablet, it was pretty good. Our grudge, like many others is that the PlayBook lacks apps to run on the platform. There have been rumors in the past that an app that runs Android apps on the tablet is in the works. N4BB, a blog dedicated to BlackBerry devices has received a beta version of app that is supposed to be designed to let Android apps run on the PlayBook. The first impression is that the app is large in size and the apps don’t perform very well. The Back button that is vital to Android apps isn’t available either. You need to use gestures to navigate the apps.

However, this is one of the earlier beta builds and the final product might be a lot better. For now, users should be able to run simple, basic Android apps on their PlayBook. This by itself should be great considering the PlayBook App Market doesn’t have too many apps available for download. If you want to try it out for yourself, head over to N4BB to download it. The PlayBook hasn’t seen the success it expected after users found the tablet to be slightly overpriced and not really offering the same flexibility as some of the other tablets in the market.

Apple OS X Lion Touches the Million Copies Sale Mark

Apple have announced today that it has sold over one million copies of its newest operating system, the OS X Lion. And according to them, it’s the fastest adoption rate of any OS in its history. The software which went on sale yesterday packs in ‘over 250 new features’ including multi-touch gestures, full – screen applications, system resume and a new ‘LaunchPad’ that is based on the icon set-up in iOS devices. OS X currently is the top paid app in the Mac App Store with an average rating of 4.5 stars from 9300 reviews.

 For numbers’ sake, the OS X Lion is a 3.49GB download from the Mac App Store. With one million downloads it means over 3400 terabytes of data downloaded in a 24-hour period. Also, it seems like a gigantic amount flowing into Apple’s account on the financial part of things. $29.9 per download - presuming most of the downloads during the first day were paid ones - accounts to around US$30 million in revenue in a single day.

Fujifilm Announces the All New FinePix HS20 EXR Camera

Fujifilm India Pvt. Ltd. has recently announced the all new FinePix HS20 EXR camera. The highlighted feature of this camera is that it features a revolutionary imaging technology that is closer to real life. The HS20 EXR camera comes with the power of a technologically advanced EXR CMOS sensor that combines the best of both the worlds of imaging technologies, which is EXR and CMOS. FUJIFILM claims that the camera represents the perfect picture-taking solution for photographers who want the specification and picture quality of an SLR without the heavy camera bag and huge dent in their bank balance.

 

At the launch of the FinePix HS20 EXR camera, K. Tanaka, Managing Director, Fujifilm India said, “Fujifilm likes to continuously make efforts to read our customers mind, understand their need and provide them cutting edge technology by delivering quality products. We believe in continuous innovation and like to add fresher and improved products to our existing base. The newly launched FinePix HS20 EXR is one such product that is a confluence of superior technology and stylish good looks.” 

The camera features a 16 MP CMOS sensor and a 30x zoom. The FinePix HS20 EXR also comes with an extreme wide angle 24-720mm zoom lens that is coupled with super zoom. FUJIFILM claims that for wildlife photographers and nature lovers, the camera is a boon. They also claim that the HS20 EXR sets standards in bridge camera functionality and performance. Other features of this camera include a Super Intelligent Flash, Advanced Anti-Blur, Best Frame Capture Mode and easy sharing and easy upload of photos or videos.

The Fujifilm FinePix HS20 EXR is available at a market price of Rs. 26,990.

Samsung’s Light-Weight N100 Takes Off

Samsung has launched a new netbook today, called the N100. It’s based on the Intel Atom N435 dual-core processor that runs at a speed of 1.33 GHz. Unlike almost other netbooks in the market, the N100 runs on Intel’s MeeGo operating system. The 10.1-inch display netbook comes bundled with 1 GB of DDR3 memory and a 250 GB 5400 rpm hard drive. The display supports a standard resolution of 1024x600. Graphics is powered by an integrated Intel GMA 3150 solution. The battery on the N100 is only a 3-cell one. Being a netbook, it’s light-weight and weighs no more than 1.03 kg.

 Samsung claims that the new MeeGo operating system should offer good energy efficiency and performance. The operating system is optimized to let users view online and offline content easily, as well as social networking services. Samsung is also offering options for a free DOS operating system version and Windows 7. The keyboard on the N100, according to Samsung has been designed with good spacing, making the typing simpler. The Samsung N100 is priced for Rs. 12,290, which makes it one of the cheapest netbooks around.

Tango Takes Video Calling to Desktop PCs

Tango, a major frontrunner in video calling apps for Android and iOS, has announced that it intends to bring a video calling application to desktops PCs. This application will be rolled out for PCs this summer. Alternatively, they are providing a free sign up via their website. As of now, it looks like a Windows-only affair, which will remain free of charge like its mobile version.

Like Fring, Tango currently supports one-to-one video calling through Wi-Fi and 3G for both Android and iOS. It does not require any account to make calls. Besides video chat, Tango also offers multi-OS chatting for its users. According to their official release, they intend to keep a similar structure for their desktop app.

With a plethora of video chat applications for desktop PCs, the only way Tango can beat the competition is by providing extremely good quality video calls using limited system resources. Another point which could work in Tango’s favour is that it seems it will support video chat between desktop PCs and smartphones. So far, this feature has taken a toll on the quality of the video chat for other applications. However, if Tango manages to nail that bit, it definitely has an advantage over its competitors.

Video chatting has been picking up lately, but there’s one thing users should remember is that call quality scales dramatically with connection performance. As far as Tango’s new desktop app is concerned, stay tuned to this space for more updates.

MAXX Mobiles Launches Noise-Suppression Mobiles

Maxx mobiles, one of India's upcoming mobile phone brands have introduced a new series of ‘KHAMOSHHH’ handsets that help curtail ambient background noise during calls. This extra noise is suppressed using, what the company calls the ‘revolutionary SAM technology’. The phones come with a dedicated key to activate the Noise Suppression feature and the level of noise suppression desired can be preset through the Call Settings option.

The first in this range is the MAXX MX401, a bar phone, which is priced at Rs. 2,833. It is a dual-SIM handset that features a 2.0 MP camera, a 2.4-inchTFT screen and social networking applications like Facebook and Twitter. The other features include a 1500 mAh battery with a talk time of 5.5 hours and a standby time of 350 hours. It also has a micro SD slot, which supports expansion upto 8GB.

The second model is a QWERTY handset, called the MAXX MQ601, and is priced at Rs. 2,970, It is available in two colours - Black and Grey. The dual-SIM QWERTY phone comes integrated with a 2.0 MP camera. It comes with a 2.3-inch TFT screen and expandable memory upto 2GB. Additionally, it boasts of a 1000 mAh battery that enables a talk time of up to 4.5 hours and a standby time of up to 350 hours (or, so the company claims) . Besides the keyboard, it has wireless FM that sets it apart from the MAXX MX401.

Maxx mobiles seem to have employed a different route with their introduction of noise suppression phones. With hustle-bustle and chaos being commonplace in India, if these phones indeed provide sufficient noise suppression, it could be of great use to majority of the users in India.

Apple Mac OS X Lion Roars to Life

After much waiting, ever since the announcement at WWDC back in early June, Apple today launched the Mac OS X update - Lion (10.7). The update is available as an upgrade to Snow Leopard Users (10.6.6) for $29.99 (roughly Rs. 1,350). The update can be downloaded directly to your Intel compatible Macs running Core 2 Duo, i3, i5, i7 or Xeon processors, directly through the web. The update size is 4GB, which is roughly the same as an HD movie. The download should take approximately 10 hours to complete on a 1 Mbps connection. For those without broadband access, Apple is offering downloads at Apple retail stores.

 The new update brings a whole bunch of new features. The most prominent ones include the ability to resume applications after restarting or closing a particular application and documents being auto saved in real time. AirDrop is a new wireless file transfer system which makes moving data between Macs simpler. For those who bought Mac systems from authorized dealers after the 6th of June 2011, the upgrade will be available for free. Specific details on the upgrade for these users is available on Apple’s Up-To-Date Program page.

HTC ChaCha Launched for Rs.15,990

HTC’s much awaited ‘Facebook phone’ has just been launched in India for Rs.15,990 and will be available in the market shortly. The phone will feature the beefed up 800MHz processor and Android 2.3.3 Gingerbread. This will be HTC’s first touch and type QWERTY handset and will go on to compete with Nokia’s E6 and LG’s upcoming Optimus Pro.

 What sets this phone apart from the competition is the dedicated Facebook button which is context aware meaning if you’re viewing a photo or a video, the button will light up allowing you to share that instantly with a single press. You can even update your status, upload a photo, share a picture, upload a video, share a link to a website by the same manner. Other features include:

• 2.6-inch touchscreen display with a resolution of 480 x 320 pixels
• 3G, Wi-Fi, GPS with A-GPS, Wi-Fi Hotpsot
• Bluetooth 3.0 with A2DP
• 5 megapixel camera with autofocus and LED flash
• 3.5 mm audio jack
• Memory expandable to 32 GB

If you are a Tata DOCOMO customer then the new combo schemes HTC is offering may interest you. 3G users get free 3GB of data and 3hrs of mobile TV that's valid for three months while 2G customers get free data of 3GB and 300min of talk time (Tata-to-Tata) free for three months.

Lenovo Announces Windows 7 Powered IdeaPad Tablet P1

Lenovo has introduced the IdeaPad Tablet P1, a 10.1-inch Windows 7 powered tablet. The P1 boasts of a variety of interesting features such as a 1.5 GHz Intel processor, up to 2GB of DDR2 memory, up to 64GB of SSD storage and a 1280 x 800 capacitive touchpanel. Connectivity options for this tablet include Bluetooth, 3G, Wi-Fi, a USB 2.0 port, a docking port as well as a MicroSD card slot.

 Lenovo claims that the 10.1-inch IdeaPad Tablet P1 is a full-function touch pad device that is equipped with the power and performance of Intel and the flexibility of Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium. They also state, “the multi-touch display works equally well with your fingertips or with the optional stylus pen; so now you can be more productive with Office documents, or get creative with photos while on the move.”

The Lenovo IdeaPad Tablet P1 is available in two colour options which are Clementine Orange and Silver-gray. The tablet is 14.5 mm thick and weighs 810g. This tablet has full support for flash content and an integrated front mounted 2MP webcam. The IdeaPad Tablet P1 comes with Lenovo App Manager where one can download a variety of apps which include apps for productivity or gaming.

There's no word yet known on pricing or date of availability, so stay tuned.

Google+ Launches iOS App

Just weeks after the web launch and opening up, Google+ has launched its iOS app. It was submitted to the App Store for approval earlier this month. So now, that makes Google+ available on Android as well as a mobile website. The app is free and is available from the iOS App Store.

The primary features that are listed on the App Store are:
- Circles lets you share the right things with the right people
- Stream is where you can get updates from your circles or see what people are saying about things nearby (you can see where they're checking in)
- Huddle is super-fast group messaging for everyone in your Circles

There is also already a "new" version with some fixes that include better support for blocking unwanted messages in Huddle, better support for attaching photos to posts and various bug fixes.

The Google+ app requires iOS 4 or later. It is compatible with the iPhone 3G and 3GS, iPhone 4.

Inspan Launches ADATA C008 Line of Pen Drives

Inspan Infotech, one of the largest distributors of hardware components and motherboards in India has just announced the availability of ADATA's C008 series of pen drives in 4GB and 8GB capacities. The compact body is fully protected without the need of a cap. Dirt proof, scratch proof and with a matte finished body the pen drives come with a 10-year warranty.

The C008 is designed with a strap hole to attach to your key chain or mobile phone and comes in two colours - White and Black. The ADATA C008 drivers are compact (59.6 x 19.5 x 9.46 mm) and weigh just 10g. This series is compatible with all Windows operating systems till the latest Windows 7, as well as Mac OS X. It is also compatible with the Linux distributions based on the 2.4 kernel and higher. The 4 GB version costs Rs. 400 and the 8 GB version is priced at Rs. 800.

LG Optimus 3D Not Getting Gingerbread Update Till October

Seems like there is some bad news as well as good news for LG Optimus 3D owners. The bad news is that the smartphone will not receive the 2.3 Gingerbread update until October. Whilst this might infuriate Optimus users, there’s a reason for this delay. A pretty good one too. The wait might just be worth it as LG are planning to give the usual bunch of features brought by Gingerbread with one important addition – apps running OpenGL for graphics can be switched from 2D to 3D.

Currently, the phone works on the Froyo OS 2.2 and supports 3D up scaling for pictures and videos, with an additional ‘depth control’ that helps customize the ‘amount’ of the third dimension that the user can see. However, there is an absolute lack of 3D content on the Android Market for the Optimus 3D. 

For those that are hoping to buy the Optimus 3D, here’s a quick spec sheet- 4.3-inch capacitive touch screen, 1GHz, ARM Cortex-A9 processor, twin 5 megapixel rear cameras, 1080p video, front facing camera, Wi-Fi, GPS, and Bluetooth 3.0.

Our word of advice to Optimus 3D users. Patience. LG’s desire for converting 2D to 3D on the fly for applications and games might just be the thing that gives the LG Optimus 3D that much required edge over its competitors.

Mac OS Lion Coming Within a Week

The much awaited OS X Lion is said to be releasing soon and will be priced around 29.99$ (approximately
 Rs. 1,500). Apple Insider reports that the software update will be introduced in stores this Wednesday, however, other sources state that it will come out some time next week along with the new MacBook Air as we had mentioned earlier. The official Apple web site has not specified any accurate information, and only stated that they would notify the customers once it's available for download. OS X Lion will also be introduced as an upgrade software in the app store.

 
 Customers will also be given the benefit of taking their portable Mac products to their nearby Apple retailers and downloading the software directly. However, nothing has been confirmed whether the same benefits would apply to Indian customers until the actual launch of the software. Since there are 250 new features in the OS X Lion, retailers will be given special training on the software. Among most popular features of the OS X Lion are also new multi touch features, Mission Control as well as full screen applications and auto save for application data. You can also check out some of its other interesting features in detail
 

Android 3.2 is Officially Here!

Android 3.2 is here! The new release implies that the previous version has been worked upon with new capabilities for both the users, and the developers, complete with level 13 API changes.

 According to a post on Google's Android Developers, this latest version of Android has been optimized for better user experience, something that the existing Honeycomb version so desperately needed. The newer version of Android comes with a swanky compatibility display mode, which is designed to make apps look good across all devices. With a pixel-scaled alternative, the few apps that behave weirdly on larger displays will have themselves sorted out. Additionally, users will be able to sync the available media with the removable SD card to have data on the card directly sent to the required app. The latest version of Android will come with updated SDK tools for developers. The tool kit consists of an Android library, system image, few emulator skins but excludes external libraries.

We had reported a few days ago about the first Android 3.2 tablet, the Huawei MediaPad making an appearance at CommunicAsia, Singapore. Now, with the official announcement being made the cat is finally, completely out of the bag. What do you think?

EchoSign Acquired by Adobe

Adobe’s very own document exchange services are all set to get a major makeover. Adobe Systems Incorporated has acquired EchoSign, a popular provider of electronic signatures and signature automation. From now on, EchoSign’s services will be given out alongside Adobe’s online document exchange services. Other Adobe services, on which EchoSign will be enabled, include SendNow, FormsCentral and CreatePDF. With EchoSign services being enabled on Adobe and its cronies, users will be spared of having their documents signed by the traditional methods.

The usage availability of EchoSign is flexible. Users can pick the apt ‘subscription plans’ for EchoSign based on the size of their business – on an individual level, small to medium sized businesses, among others. The entire process, EchoSign claims ,has been automated in the sense that the entire process from the request for a signature for distribution, to the execution of the action happens in a single click.
Also included in the partner package are a wholesome set of APIs for tailor made needs of each company.

BSNL Launches Voice & Video over Broadband (VVOBB)

After the launch of IPTV and 3G services in the recent past, BSNL have now tied up with IT solutions provider, Sai Infosystems India to introduce voice-and-video facility on BSNL's broadband service. This voice-and-video service will cover a wide spectrum of telecom services like video telephony, conferencing and integrated mobile advertising. 

Another sector where this technology could be of use is security. Video telephony also offers video surveillance, which could help substitute analog CCTV systems with security systems using IP cameras.

A range of phone equipment from simple to high-end models will be launched for enabling this service. A PC is not required for making calls. The connectivity for the service will be provided by BSNL. 

Although video telephony has been widely available in other parts of the world, till now it has been mostly restricted for business purposes. BSNLs foray into voice-and-video over broadband (VVOBB) for homes seems like a fresh initiative to provide its users with additional facilities for audio-visual communication.

Google Effect Affecting Your Memory: Reports

How many times have you turned to your faithful, ‘ever so right’ computer to find answers to the most basic questions, okay maybe, slightly trickier questions? If you find yourself turning in too often, then you may be suffering from the Google Effect. Well! That’s not us, but a report on the American Association for the Advancement of Science’s (AAAS) weekly journal, Science. According to the report drafted by the AAAS researchers, internet (symbolized by Google) is replacing people’s own bank of information – memory.

The research further revealed, and plunked a lot of blame on the hugely popular existence of ‘search engines’. In fact, a common observation would reveal that people are now replacing the word ‘search’, with ‘Google’. You now, usually ‘Google’ up something on the internet, instead of relying on your memory, or referring to a book. To better put their findings down, the researchers put a sample of individuals under a series of tests. The individuals were posed with a set of questions based on various themes, and were asked to type the answers to those on the given computer. It was found that when asked the same questions verbally, most of them couldn’t recollect the answers. Some stated that they didn’t find the need to recollect because they believed the answer to be stashed away in the computer.

However, there is a visible pattern noted, too. The ones who thought that the information they entered wouldn’t be retained in the systems for them to go back to, showed better retention capacities than those who presumed that the information is retained and hence, it was unnecessary to store the additional data on themselves. In a report in The Telegraph, according to the researcher, Betsy Sparrow also believes that the dawn of Internet didn’t deplete our memory reserves, only modified it. She added that people just believed more in stacking additional information on their computers, and just off loaded their own memory reserves.

Windows Phone 7 Connector Allows WP7 Syncing on Macs

Windows 7 connector is not a software that many people would be typically interested in. However, if you're someone who uses a Windows phone or who likes everything portable and accessible, you might find this interesting. Windows 7 connector is a package for your phone and Mac desktop. The application is a free 2.6 MB file and can be downloaded here. It helps you to backup your data, manage users as well as view alerts and also helps you to sync your Windows phone and Zune media player to your Mac.

 Windows phone 7 connector has also been made available in the iTunes app store, however, only for computers running on Mac OS X 10.6.6, or higher. With this application you can retrieve pictures and videos from your mobile phone and import it to your iPhoto or iTunes.  Although, you cannot copy files from your PC to your phone, you can import them onto your computer wirelessly. This software can be downloaded on your Windows phone at the market place app on your handset.

Mozilla Streamlines Passwords, Rolls out BrowserID

In an attempt of the make the user’s online experience of trying out new websites and new services that the Internet offers; Mozilla has launched BrowserID, as per the company's official blog post. The newest technology to have come out of the Mozilla camp allows users to maintain just one password for their several online accounts, and most importantly keep the task of confirming their sign-ins at bay.

 

Operating on the Verified Email Protocol, BrowserID basically gives the user of a particular address the authority to prove that particular email belongs to him. The system of BrowserID, completely negates the need of having to enter one’s user name and password for each login, but instead shifts the reliability completely on email ids to do the same. To begin with, users just need to pick the site they want to log into using BrowserID. BrowserID then gives you an option of the email address you choose to sign-in with. While all this is being done, the users’ identity is being verified and taken down to assist BrowserID for the user’s further sign-ins.

For beginners who wish to set up BrowserID on their system, a set of email addresses and passwords need to be provided to BrowserID, so that the latter has it stored on its database. After a quick verification, the user is informed via mail that he needs to verify his email address by clicking a link provided in the mail. Once the user verifies his email, he’s good to go. After this process, whenever the user attempts to log-in the registered site using BrowserID, all he’s got to do is decide which email id he chooses to log in with.

Mozilla adds, that the best part about BrowserID is that it doesn’t leak back data to even its own servers, let alone to anyone else. However, for now, only the prototype has been readied. But, Mozilla-iites are one optimistic bunch. Others, you could give BrowserID a try here. You could alternately view the video below, and know what BrowserID is all about.

Viewsonic to Launch Two New Android Phones

Viewsonic is expected to launch two Android phones in India in the near future; the V350, which includes support for dual-SIM and the ViewPad4 sporting a 1GHz Qualcomm processor and a new Viewsonic UI. These phones could be officially launched as early as next week; however Viewsonic has refrained from making any public announcements just yet.

The Viewsonic V350 is slated to be an active dual-SIM phone having a 3.5” TFT capacitive touchscreen, a 600MHz Qualcomm processor, 512 MB RAM and a 5MP camera with autofocus. The only downside is that it is rumored to be running the Android Froyo OS which is quite outdated now.

These current launches seem to be an upgrade from the earlier ViewPad7 and ViewPad10 tablets, launched in December last year.

On the other hand, as reported earlier, the ViewPad4 will run the Gingerbread OS and it sports a 4.1-inch WVGA  capacitive touch screen, 1GHz Qualcomm MSM 8255 processor and a 5MP camera with the ability to record 720p video. Earlier reports suggested that it would be a tablet but it seems, Viewsonic has reworked their strategy and are launching it as a device that will offer both phone and tablet functionalities.

There're no updates on the pricing for both phones as of now, however, we will update you as soon as we receive any additional information.

Gingerbread Officially Heading to Samsung Galaxy Ace...Soon

Those of you who’ve already upgraded your Ace to Gingerbread months ago can ignore this post. For the rest of you, who have been diligently waiting, Samsung has finally announced they will be rolling out 2.3.3 for the Galaxy Ace starting with Russia and Poland, with other countries to follow suit soon. The news came from SamFirmware, the Mecca for the latest Android ROMs.

 The update will be available through Kies, Samsung’s PC suite software. No word if an OTA update will also be available. Gingerbread will bring the usual improvements to the Ace like better battery life, more fluid interface, smoother animations and so on. There’s no telling when Samsung will launch the update for India, but my guess would be very soon.

NASA’s Dawn Spacecraft Now Orbiting an Asteroid

NASA has been sending crafts into space for a while now, but for the first time ever, they have a craft orbiting an asteroid in the asteroid belt that lies between Mars and Jupiter. This weekend, NASA’s craft Dawn, entered orbit of an asteroid called Vesta. This is the first stop for Dawn. After spending a year around Dawn, it will slingshot itself to another space body, Ceres, an asteroid but one that’s considered to be a dwarf planet.

NASA has a lot of backing from the Obama government. There have been instructions to land a man on an asteroid by 2025. Dawn was launched in September 2007, and it has taken the craft this long to reach the asteroid belt. Getting into Vesta’s orbit was a challenge by itself. Getting a lock onto Vesta depends on the exact mass and gravitational pull of the asteroid. As this information wasn’t known, some assumptions might have to be made. If the gravitational pull of Vesta was strong, the craft orbit would’ve entered orbit quicker and if it wasn’t weaker, it might have taken longer. Now that Dawn is in orbit of the asteroid, scientists of the NASA Dawn team will take measurements and calculate more information on its gravity.

Hotmail Gets an Update with ‘My Friend’s Been Hacked!’

In the past few months, the spate of hackings has increased to immeasurable amounts from big name corporations to not so big websites. But one thing that is continually getting hacked is a person’s email account regardless the time frame. Popular email client Hotmail has issued a prevention measure by introducing a feature called ‘My Friend’s Been Hacked!’ to their service.

According to a blog post on the Windows Team Blog, Hotmail now allows you to report if your friend’s account has been compromised. All one has to do is go to the ‘Mark As’ menu and click ‘My friend’s been hacked!’ In addition to this one can also report an account as compromised when you mark a message as junk or otherwise move a message to the Junk folder. Two things happen when one labels the account as hacked which is the account can no longer be used by the hacker and when your friend attempts to access their account; they’re put through an account recovery flow that helps them take back control of the account.

The blog post states that this feature was released a few weeks ago and was only limited to a Hotmail account but due to its success, they have now made it work for any email account. They end by stating, "When it comes to account security, the Hotmail team is dedicated to doing all we can to help protect your Hotmail account from thieves and spammers. We’ll continue to work to protect your account with new and innovative features, and now you can join us in the fight and help protect your own account and your friends’ accounts, too.”

This is a very useful feature which Hotmail has incorporated into their email service and will definitely help in the prevention of spammers or hackers that continue to plague our email accounts on a daily basis.

Samsung Launches 3G Ready NC110 Netbook Exclusively for Croma Stores

Samsung have launched a new 3G enabled netbook, the NC110, exclusively for Croma retail outlets. The 10.1-inch netbook is priced around Rs.21,500, but the exact configuration details are still unknown. With the 3G boom currently happening in India, Samsung hopes to take advantage of this and create a new segment in the netbook space.
The NC110 will run Windows 7 Starter Edition and will come with a built-in 3G modem, which means all you have to do is slip in a 3G ready SIM card and you should be good to go. The netbook is pretty light as well weighing in at just 1.18kg (when using the 6600mAh battery). If you wish to get your hands on it though, you’ll have to visit your nearest Croma outlet, since that’s the only place you’ll find it. A 3G ready netbook makes sense as you don’t lose a USB port for a data card plus it looks a lot neater than having a dongle sticking out of the side.

Casio Launches Mercury Free 3D Projectors in India

Japanese consumer electronic giant, casio has recently launched the world is first mercury lamp-free, high-brightness data projectors at an event in Casio has launched three top models of its projector series which are short throw, pro and standard models.Speaking at the launch of these projectors said that their eco-friendly projectors promise to revolutionize the Indian market with never before features such as projection in a 3D format as well as converting the projection screen into an electronic blackboard by mouse operations and writing on the projection screen with the optical interactive pointer.
The standard model has features such as mercury free ansi lumen up to 3000 compatible with 3D content wireless lan function with mobishow compatibility USB 2.0 host function wireless connection with a smartphone or mobile device av terminals such as hdmi and S-Video PC input terminals the standard models of projectors from Casio range
The Short Throw Series has features such as up to 3000 lumens is equipped with a set of applications equipped with a short-throw lens for projection of 60-inch images at a distance of 80 cm 10W monaural speaker compatible with 3D content a mouse compatible interactive pointing function supporting writing wireless lan function with MobiShow compatibility USB 2.0 host function wireless connection with a smartphone or mobile device av terminals such as hdmi and S-Video
PC input terminals the short throw series of projectors from Casio range.

LG Optimus Pro and Optimus Net Now Official

After a glimpse of what the LG’s new touch-and-type phone would look like, the Korean company has made the Optimus Pro official. Alongside the Pro, LG also announced the Optimus Net, a full touchscreen phone for Internet junkies on a budget. There's no word on the Indian pricing just yet, but be sure to keep an eye on online stores as these are bound to pop up sooner or later for pre-order.

Both the handsets will launch with Android 2.3 Gingerbread and pack 800Mhz processors with LG’s own Optimus UI 2.0 running over Gingerbread. The Optimus Pro will go up against either Nokia’s E6 or Samsung’s Galaxy Pro depending on the pricing. The phone features a 2.8-inch capacitive touchscreen and a full QWERTY keypad, 3MP camera with VGA recording, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and a 1500mAh battery.

The Optimus Net will have a larger 3.2-inch touchscreen and pretty much the same internals as the Optimus Pro. Both phones will be launched in a total of 30 countries, starting with Europe.

Update: Acer Iconia Tab A500 Honeycomb 3.1 Update Not for India Yet

Update: We've spoken to Acer about the Honeycomb 3.1 update and it seems that users in India will only get their hands on it sometime in mid-August OTA. So that means there's some more waiting for us. For now, those who haven't yet updated thier devices will receive an update to 3.01. We'd like to thank all our readers for sending in their comments about the upadte.

About two weeks ago we heard that the Acer Iconia Tab A500 was  going to get the latest Honeycomb update sometime in July. In doing so, at least after the update, the tablet’s high-end specifications will be utilized in the right manner, so we hope. Well July is here and it looks like Acer has kept their promise of delivering the update.
According to AndroidOS.in, the update should bring a leap in system performance. Better support for USB and Bluetooth devices is also expected.  Acer has balanced the focus with support for HTML5 video content and there’s also support for additional video file formats, as well. The goodness doesn’t stop there though, there’s improved Wi-Fi networking and last but not the least, there’s support for Microsoft Exchange server, as well.

That’s definitely a whole lot of improvements that’s being promised. The update is globally available OTA, but we hope it’s also available for the Indian community. If you’ve got the notification for a software update, do let us know whether you’ve found any improvement in the performance. Since we have the product in our labs, we checked for the OTA update however there was none. We'll keep checking of course spo stay tuned.

Apple Launches Unlocked iPhone 3GS for Rs. 19,990

The iPhone 3GS was available quite a while back through network operators like Vodafone and Airtel.  But then, these devices were not unlocked and users were tied down to those particular subscribers if they had to use their iPhones. However it looks like Apple is enticing more people to buy their smartphones by announcing the factory unlocked version at a very reasonable price of Rs. 19,990.

According to BGR, the iPhone 3GS will be offered by Airtel and Aircel for now, probably others will follow suit after some time. But what’s cool is that you can change operators as and when you wish and keep the handset with you. It’s quite obvious that many will crib about India being Apple’s favourite dumping ground and that we only get old products etc. But on the brighter side, there are many out there who would wish to own an iPhone but are put off by the exorbitant pricing. This initiative can possibly attract more people to Apple’s products.

Of course, you’ll be missing out on a few features like Facetime, but you can’t have everything, right? We’ll take a quick look at the iPhone 3GS’ specifications now.

• 3.5-inch Capacitive touchscreen with 320 x 480 pixels
• 3G, Wi-Fi, GPS with A-GPS support
• EDGE/GPRS
• Bluetooth 2.1 with A2DP, headset support only
• 3.15 megapixel camera with autofocus
• 3.5 mm audio jack
• 256 MB RAM
• 8/16/32 GB Capacities
• 600 MHz ARM Cortex processor

So now that you have an unlocked version of the iPhone 3GS coming in at Rs. 19,990, are you willing to take the plunge?

Samsung Launches 3G + 2G Touch Dual Sim Active Phone

Samsung Electronics announced the launch of three new Dual Sim handsets which include Samsung Star Duos , the industry’s first 3G and 2G touch Dual-Sim Active phone Guru Dual 25 (GT-E1225) and Guru Dual 26 (GT-E1252).

The new Samsung Star Duos is the industry’s first 3G + 2G Dual-Standby Touch phone. The 3G + 2G (HSDPA + EDGE) Dual Standby utuilizes two SIM cards to expertly manage both work and life tasks in one unit, and allows switching between both without re - powering the handset. The WAP/MMS/E-mail supported software keeps the user always connected.

The Touch functionality helps in instant messaging, easy access to mobile applications and business related features. While dedicated widgets manage switching between 2 SIM cards, the 3 page extended Menu and Touchwiz 2.0 plus provides intuitive UI for easy navigation. The Samsung B-7722 has distinct Business Features and tools to maintain a mobile office: Active Sync which updates e-mails from the desktop to the user’s mobile, Phone Book 2000 for organizing contacts, Document viewer handles MS Office, PDF TXT and other files, Multi –language dictionary and an offline mode which allows the user to turn off his/her phone while he/she continues to work on other functions.
The Multimedia experience of GT – B7722 has the SoundAlive feature, 5MP AF Camera with Power LED, FindMusic that tracks down new song titles for download on MP3 and Bluetooth 2.1 with A2DP to enjoy music on wireless headset. It comes with a 250MB Internal memory, expandable upto 16GB.

The phone offers connectivity to various Social Networking sites through wi-fi connections, users can upload photos & videos to sites like Facebook, YouTube and Flickr and Multi IM created limitless chat opportunities to Palringo, Gtalk and AOL. The Samsung GT B7722 is priced at Rs.12,300.
The Samsung Guru Dual 25 (GT – E1225) and Samsung Guru Dual 26 ( GT –E 1252) have large displays, stereo FM, Torch, 9 regional language support and phonebook and SMS memory to store upto 1000. The Dual – SIM Shift feature of Guru Dual 25 allows users to carry 2 SIMS on the phone, however only one SIM is active at a time. Users can choose to switch between each SIM as per his convenience. With the Dual – Sim Standby feature of Samsung Guru Dual 26, users can access two separate network and best call rate for better coverage.

Guru Dual 25 has a screen size of 1.8” inches QQVGA TFT, while Guru Dual 26 has display of 2” QQVGA 262K TFT LCD. The Samsung E- 1225 is also equipped with a 3.5 pi ear jack. The Samsung Guru Dual 25 has a 800mAh battery with a talk time of upto 9 hours and a stand by time upto 420 hours. Samsung Guru Dual 26 has a 1000mAh extended battery with 11 hours of talk time and 620 hours in standby mode. The handsets are also equipped with games, mobile prayer, Indian calendar, 40 poly ring tones, SOS message and Bike mode features.

The Samsung Guru Dual 25 (GT – E1225) is priced at: Rs. 2,020 and the Samsung Guru Dual 26 (GT – E 1252) is priced at Rs. 2,240. With the launch of these 3 phones, Samsung’s Dual –Sim portfolio now has 10 models in the range of Rs. 2,020 to Rs. 12,300.

Airtel Announces New High Speed Broadband Plans

Bharti Airtel has announced the launch of new broadband plans, with minimum broadband speed at 2mbps in its top 10 cities and from 1mbps onwards for all other cities across the country. These 2mbps plans will be offered in Delhi, Noida, Gurgaon, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Pune.  For all the other markets, across its service areas in the country, the new plans offer a minimum Broadband speed of 1mbps.
Speaking on the occasion Mr. Girish Mehta, Chief Marketing Officer, Telemedia Services of Bharti Airtel said that the company always took the lead in continually bringing in richer experience and higher speeds for customers. Over the past several months they have been continually adding to their broadband service portfolio. Raising the broadband speed threshold with the new broadband plans will help enhance uptake of the array of content and rich media experience on Airtel broadband.

Airtel claims that the experience comes with enhanced usage limits. The new plans offered by Airtel in their top 10 cities will be Rs. 649 and Rs. 799 for the Alfa 3GB and 6GB plans respectively. For the Max plan it is 10GB, 30GB, 75GB, 150GB plans at Rs. 999, Rs. 1,299, Rs. 1,599, and Rs. 1,999.  Rest of India -1mbps plans will be offered at 3GB, 6GB plans at Rs. 549 and Rs. 699 for the Ace plan. The Mega plan will be priced at 10GB, 30GB, and 75GB plans at Rs. 899, Rs. 1499 and Rs. 1,999 respectively. The 4mbps plans which will be available at select markets will have a Turbo plan of 10GB, 30GB, 75GB and 150GB plans at Rs. 1099, 1,399, Rs. 1,699 and Rs. 2,099.

TATA Docomo Introduces Facebook, Twitter Access via USSD

Social networking access seems to be that one important feature that would complete a mobile service. Taking a cue from this, one of India’s rapidly growing mobile service providers, Tata Docomo have announced their USSD (Unstructured Supplementary Service Data) based access to popular social networking services like Facebook and Twitter. According to a report in TELECOM TALK, the catch here is that users will not have to subscribe to any data plans to avail these services.

Now, USSD-based access

By dialing *325# and *515#, users will be able to access Facebook and Twitter – can see and post status updates, post comments, poke, like, among others. In order to subscribe to Twitter, the user can dial *515#. On reaching a landing page, hereafter, customers can punch in their Twitter details, and begin tweeting. Facebook services, on the other hand can be accessed by dialing *325#, and like mentioned before, users can enter their details on the landing page that follows.

Apple iOS 4.3.4 Fixes PDF Security Glitch, Still Jailbroken

Earlier today, Apple launched an update to Apple iOS enabled devices that fixes a security flaw in viewing PDF files. Apple indicates that the fix should prevent any potential threats when viewing 'maliciously crafted PDFs.’ However, this is not the first time Apple has had to fix its PDF viewing technology. The iOS 4.3.4 is now available for download as a free update for iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad users. The update is also available for iPhone 4 users, as well as third-generation iPods running on iOS 3.0 and higher.  Apple claims that because of this security breach, hackers were able to remotely control iPhones, iPads after using manipulated PDF files.

The flaw was uncovered by 'Comex,"  a member of the hacking group who exploited it to create ways for users to jailbreak iOS devices and run unauthorized software. Apple however, has dealt with the problem fairly swiftly. The update means that the JailBreakMe tool will no longer work on updated devices but will prevent users from potential attacks.

Even though this new patch has been released, it didn’t take hackers more than 12 hours to jailbreak the iOS 4.3.update. Pretty much every device has been unlocked except for the recent iPad 2.

MAXX Mobiles Rolls Out Dhoni's Autographed Mobiles - MSD7 and MS2020

One of India’s budget mobile phone manufacturers MAXX mobiles, together with one of India’s finest cricketers, Mahendra Singh Dhoni have brought out the company’s latest handsets – MAXX MSD7 which comes in a black-orange color combination, and a sparkling golden QWERTY MS2020. In addition to the regular features of the handsets, what MAXX believes will make it a seller is that it comes with the autograph of their favorite cricketer, Dhoni.

Here’s a look in detail of the features of MAXX MSD7:

MS2020 - Golden Boy in Town!

• 2.2 inches, 240 x 320 pixels Display Screen
• Camera: 1.3MP
• FM Radio with Recording
• 128 MB + 32 MB internal memory
• 2GB Free Memory Card
• Multi Format Audio Player – .MP3,.AAC,.WAV,.AMR
• Multi Format Video Player – .3GP,.AVI,.MP4.,flv
• Bluetooth with A2DP
• 1000 mAH Battery
• Talk Time: up to 4 hours

The specifications of the MAXX MS2020:

MSD7 - Stylish Black

• 2.2 inches, QCIF TFT 262K Colors 176 x 144 pixels Display Screen
• 1.3 MP Camera
• 250KB, 128+64MB internal memory
• Up to 8GB (2GB Card Included) Expandable Memory
• Phonebook Memory: 500
• Multiformat Video Player: MP4, AVI, 3GPP, FLV
• Multiformat Audio Player: MP3, AAC, WAV, WMA
• 5-Pin Micro USB Cable

The MAXX MS2020 comes with a price tag of Rs. 2,097 and the MAXX MSD7 is available for a price tag of Rs. 1,690.