Blaziner's India

Samsung Stops Supplying Batteries To Apple

2012-11-26T02:20:00.001-08:00

The feud between Apple and Samsung has led to a loss of battery sales. According to a new report inChina Business News Samsung has refused to supply Apple Macbook and iPad devices with its battery technology, instead forcing Apple to seek out new batteries from Chinese tech firms Amperex Technology Limited and Tianjin Lishen Battery.

The Samsung SDI division (the group responsible for battery manufacturing) is only the latest group at Samsung to turn away from Apple. Recently Samsung announced that it would stop providing Apple with displays for its tablet and smartphone device. Before the display pullout Samsung was Apple’s largest display partner. At the time Samsung said Apple’s stringent demands and unfair pricing practices made the relationship too difficult to maintain.

Apple has also been busily suing Samsung while countersuits have been filed. Samsung was recently ordered to pay Apple $1.1 billion in a forfeited US lawsuit.

In a recent conference call Apple CEO Tim Cook called Samsung a “crucial supply partner” but that crucial partnership is waning. For example, Apple has begun designing its own A-series processor, leaving Samsung to simply manufacture the new chipset rather than design all of its components.

The only reason Samsung does any business with Apple at this time appears to come down to scale. Samsung is the only partner Apple can find that is capable of manufacturing millions of components in a very short period of time.

Both company’s continue to work side-by-side because honestly they have no choice. Until other manufacturers build more facilities and train a massive number of new employees Apple simply can’t abandon Samsung. While Samsung would like nothing more to end all ties with Apple it also needs the business to keep its own staff employed.

Do you think the relationship between Samsung and Apple will soon drawn to a close?

Apple, Google And Microsoft In 2012

2012-11-26T02:11:00.003-08:00

The three major players in our technology today, Apple, Google, and Microsoft have given us a lot to look at, think about, and own in 2012. Here is a look back, a glance forward, and wrap up of where the companies are at.

Apple

Apple has lived through some big changes in its first full year without Steve Jobs at the helm. The company has introduced the first 7” tablet in the iPad Mini, a concept that Jobs was against. However, it has done reasonably well in its first few weeks on the market.

There is also the new iPhone 5 that was released to the public with plenty of excitement and hoopla. Unfortunately, the issues with Apple Maps have dampened the enthusiasm to some extent.

Apple still leads the world of technology, but has lost some of its sense of direction. It needs to get that back to remain the definitive leader of what consumers should want to own.

Google

Google arrived on the scene of the tablet market and has won numerous fans with its Nexus 7 this year. It has also gained ground on Apple’s iPhone dominance with the new Samsung devices. Google has gotten involved in almost every area of technology and has proven to be a worthy competitor. It has also shown it can compete in software with Microsoft thanks to Google Docs.

Google hasn’t stopped with traditional technology but has been developing the concepts of Google Glasses and driverless cars to combine technology with everyday objects.

Microsoft

Microsoft has been in the background as the other companies battle it out on the mobile phone and tablet competition for some time. However, it has decided that late is better than never to throw its hat in the ring. And while there have been some criticisms of the new Surface, Microsoft’s first attempt at a tablet has been relatively successful in showing that the company can evolve. The Windows Phone has also demonstrated that it can be competitive.

The competition is going to be fierce in the next few months and on into next year. Google and Microsoft will be working to topple Apple’s reign while the leader will finding new ways to stay on top. In the end, it’s the customers who benefit most from the competition with new and innovative products.

Ice Cream Sandwich now powers 25 percent of all Androids

2012-11-04T03:34:00.001-08:00

The number of Andriod devices running version 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich, has risen to 25.8 percent. According to data released every month by Google on the Android Developer site, 2.7 percent of all Android devices run the latest flavour of the Android operating system, Android v4.1 Jelly Bean.

Ice Cream Sandwich and Jelly Bean are showing slow but steady growth in the rate of adoption. The number of Android smartphones running Ice Cream Sandwich increased in October by almost two percent from September’s 23.7 percent, while Jelly Bean showed a growth of almost one percent from its September figure of 1.8 percent.

ICS slowly but surely eating up Gingerbread

As has been the case for a long time now, Android v2.3 Gingerbread is dominating the Android market with its 54.2 percent share. This has, however, fallen by more than one percentage point since September’s figure of 55.5 percent.

The number of devices running Froyo hasn’t fallen as much as Gingerbread, though. Froyo is now at 12 percent, down from the September figure of 12.9 percent. All of these figures are based on the number of Android devices that have accessed Google Play over a 14-day period.

The slow growth in the number of Jelly Bean devices is not so surprising considering the low number of devices compatible with the operating system, but the snail’s pace at which Ice Cream Sandwich adoption is growing indicates how big a problem fragmentation is for the Android platform. Unlike Apple, there is too much of a variation in the hardware Android devices run on for manufacturers to simply push an update once Google makes it available. It also seems casual users aren’t too bothered with updating their devices either.

Apple’s latest operating system for its mobile and tablet devices, iOS 6, has shown quite some growth in its rate of adoption. According data compiled by Chitika Insights on the iOS 6 rate of adoption, barely six weeks after its launch, iOS 6 accounts for 61 percent of all iOS traffic in Canada and the US. Apple’s CEO Tim Cook also revealed at the iPad mini launch last month that between iPads, iPods, and iPhones, 200 million devices have upgraded to iOS 6 since its launch.

However, the sheer number of Android devices out there is staggering. According to the IDC Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker, the total Android smartphone shipments worldwide reached 136 million units, accounting for 75 percent of the 181.1 million smartphones shipped in the third quarter of 2012. The 91.5 percent year-over-year growth was nearly double the overall market growth rate of 46.4 percent, the report states.

The report states that Android, having topped the 100 million unit mark last quarter, reached a new record level in a single quarter. By comparison, Android's total volumes for the quarter were greater than the total number of smartphones shipped in 2007, the year that Android was officially announced. Samsung once again led all vendors in this space, but saw its market share decline as numerous smaller vendors increased their production.

Windows 8 is here!

2012-11-03T07:31:00.000-07:00

Microsoft, often accused of being unable to anticipate or respond to people's changing needs, has decided it's time to do something dramatic. Traditional desktop and notebook PC sales have stagnated over the past year or so, while over a hundred million iPads alone have sold in the same time. The threat is no longer OS X or Linux, but an entirely new category of devices. Faced with the prospect of becoming somewhat irrelevant, Microsoft has decided to prioritise touchscreens over mice and portability over power. Windows 8 could be the biggest risk the company has ever taken, and for better or for worse, there are no half measures anywhere.

PRICE IN INDIA

1,999

We've spent the last six months using Microsoft's official previews as well as the final version of Windows 8, which was released to manufacturers in August. We've also been able to spend a few weeks with a Samsung XE700T1A tablet running Windows 8 to get an understanding of how it works on such a device.

The new Start screen with Modern UI elements

By now, the look of the "Modern" user interface (formerly named Metro) is quite familiar to us. The Start screen, with its big flashing tiles and stark colours, was first unveiled over a year ago. Members of the press and public have been able to use beta versions of the new OS for at least six months now. Even so, it takes a lot of time before it will feel natural. It's hard to give up on 17 years of learnt behaviour and habit, but we've tried not to hold this against Windows 8 for the purpose of evaluating it on its own merits.

When we previewed the Consumer Release version earlier this year, we were left with the impression that Microsoft was trying its hardest to do justice to its new ideas without the risk of alienating the massive Windows user base. It seemed as though users would be trapped between two worlds, primarily because the Modern UI and apps were just not enough to satisfy anyone who wanted to be productive or multitask the way they've been used to all along. Since that time, Microsoft has improved the quality and functionality of the built-in apps and many more viable ones have made appearances in the Windows Store.

We had to authorize our PC before automatic syncs happened

Getting Started

Installing Windows 8 is surprisingly quick and painless. Downloading it from Microsoft's website is the primary new method of distribution, which makes sense in an age of slim laptops without DVD drives. If you're installing on top of an existing version of Windows, you'll have to run through a compatibility checker which will let you know if any software or hardware might not work smoothly. One important thing to note is you'll need to type in your product key before the installation actually begins.

Windows 8 is designed to be tied to an online account. Any Microsoft account will do, including your Hotmail, Windows Live, Xbox Live, Passport or MSN which are all now known as Microsoft Accounts. Keep in mind that everything associated with that ID, most likely an email account but also possibly your links to Facebook, etc, will end up integrated into the Windows 8 environment. You'll also use this ID to access the Windows Store, which means saving your credit card details somewhere down the line. You'll also most likely end up using SkyDrive a lot more. For those reasons, you'll want to use a very strong, unique password even though it will make logging into your computer multiple times a day more annoying than it should be. If you're worried about privacy or the security of anything in your online accounts, it's probably a good idea to create a fresh ID.

All apps view and search bar

You can still choose to use Windows 8 offline, though apps will then constantly remind you to sign in or risk living without various features. You'll also have to use separate work and personal accounts if you use the same device everywhere.

Whether or not you use a Microsoft account, you have the option of signing in with a "Picture Password". This involves choosing any image and then defining taps, circles or sliding gestures over it. You have to create a sequence of three gestures and then repeat them each time to log in. A Picture Password could be great for many people, especially on a tablet or PC with a touchscreen and no physical keyboard. On the downside, watching someone perform these gestures and then repeating them to gain access to their computer is child's play.

As your account is being set up, you'll be led through a short animated sequence that attempts to explain some of Windows' new conventions, including the Start screen, gestures and the Charms bar. What confused us was that the instructions involved a mix of tapping, clicking, pointing, dragging and swiping but no direction as to when each action is appropriate. It would have been better if Windows had been able to detect the presence or absence of a touchscreen and then display appropriate tips.

Apple publishes compliant apology to Samsung in UK newspapers

2012-11-03T07:23:00.001-07:00

British court had recently directed Apple to publish its apology to arch rival Samsung Electronics on its UK website and the local newspapers. After Apple published the apology last week on its website, the court found it to be non-compliant. A day later, Apple has published a compliant version of its apology on UK’s newspapers, The Next Web reports. As had been directed by the court earlier, the apology is in the Arial font of size no less than 14pts. Interestingly, Apple even removed the apology that it had placed on its website earlier and is moving it to the front page for prominence. “Apple was required to alter and change the positioning of its statement from a small linked page, to an apology on the front page of its website, which needs to be printed in 11-pt Arial font,” added the report.

Apple apologises to Samsung

Reports over the past week had confirmed that Apple had been directed to publish an apology to Samsung, after the High Court of Justice of England and Wales ruled that the latter’s Galaxy Tab 10.1, Tab 8.9, and Tab 7.7 did not infringe upon Apple’s iPad designs. As directed, Apple has published its apology to Samsung using the Arial font with its size being no less than 14 points on its official website. Apple begins it apology by noting that, “On 9th July 2012 the High Court of Justice of England and Wales ruled that Samsung Electronic (UK) Limited’s Galaxy Tablet Computer, namely the Galaxy Tab 10.1, Tab 8.9 and Tab 7.7 do not infringe Apple’s registered design No. 0000181607-0001.”

In its public apology to Samsung, Apple added that the judge noted that Apple’s designs of the iPad bore extreme simplicity that was striking. “Overall it has undecorated flat surfaces with a plate of glass on the front all the way out to a very thin rim and a blank back. There is a crisp edge around the rim and a combination of curves, both at the corners and the sides. The design looks like an object the informed user would want to pick up and hold. It is an understated, smooth and simple product. It is a cool design," it noted further. Samsung’s designs for its Galaxy tablets, on the other hand were deemed as not being as cool as Apple’s, since from the front they appeared to belong to that family of which Apple's design was a part. Samsung products, however, were found to be very thin, "almost insubstantial members of that family with unusual details on the back. They do not have the same understated and extreme simplicity which is possessed by the Apple design. They are not as cool".

Cipher: Crack the Code Game Tips and Hints (Information)

2012-10-30T03:11:00.001-07:00

Who want to play some riddle game that will blow your mind? Well, i would say this is a unique pattern puzzle riddle onle game. Play Cipher Crack the Code by GameMasterTips

A great browser riddle by Gamemastertips. Cipher: Crack the Code is a challenging brain teaser online riddle game created and subbed by Benjamin Gabbay.

"Cipher is an online riddle. Its name, according to the dictionary, means "a message in code."An online riddle is a kind of puzzle that requires a wide range of skills in order to advance through a series of HTML pages or "levels. Spoilers!!! :D

PLAY HERE

CIPHER TIPS, HINTS, PROCEDURE, HOW TOS, INFORMATION

TIPS and HINTS (basically, You need to replace/change the URL before .htm and you can view page source)

Level 1: If you read the link address, you will know the answer and proceed to level 2. :)
Level 2: click the image and youll see: "The door is locked! Find another way to get to level 3... what does the page title say?"

Page Title says URL? so try to change the word level2 before .htm to level3

Level 3: it shows Get to the SOURCE of the problem!

So you need to get the page source: How? Right click in the page -> choose View Page Source and you will get the answer and proceed to level 4

Level 4: Computer talks in binary so you need to convert binary to text. Decode it Here

Binary: 011101000111001001101111011010100110000101101110

Text: <your decoded binary>+ .htm

Then you are seeing Almost. Click on the link in the image(no.4) and enter your answer in the password box.

So in braggart.htm, click the Number 4 Image.

You will prompt to enter Username and Password: the username will be Cipher and the password will be on the Binary that is converted to TEXT..see above for clues.

Level 5: Brick the wall(Pagetitle = come to the dark side...) Just view the source, theres a htm file there...you need to visit it(get the page source again) and theres htm to level 6 there.

Procedure:

View Source first then you will get a link from the < iframe > tag :)) click and visit it..then, view source again and you will see a htm link... copy it and replace the .htm to proceed Level 6

Level 6: Chain of Letters | Get the source code then you will see an image...go try to visit that image..and it will lead you in series of photos..just combine those letters to get level 7.

First it display screen6a.jpg, then visit this series of letters and change the image filename, 6b, 6o.jpg, 6L, 6i, 6s,6h,6e,6d, so... append these characters...

still cant figure out?

here.
SPOILERSaSPOILERSbSPOILERSoSPOILERSlSPOILERSiSPOILERSsSPOILERShSPOILERSeSPOILERSdSPOILERS

Level 7: Use of the Photo Manipulating Software (Color/Brightness): Illuminate the Darkness.. What does it means? Basically you need to light it up.. So you need to lower contrast and bright it up to see the next level found below right of the image

Procedure:

1. Download and save as the image

2. Open with Photoshop or any photo editor that has brightness/contrast

In Photoshop

Brightness: +150

Contrast: -50

Make sure the preview is checked so that you can see the changes when you change the value of brightness/contrast. :)

In the below-right of that portion, you will notice a WORD and use it as a password later on.

*Alternative with brightness/contrast

Use of Levels
Set the center value in the range of 2-4 and you will see the WORD.

Hint: the word means To keep from being seen, found, observed, or discovered.

Then, CLICK the EYE of the chipmunk/rat or whatever it is. :)) then it will prompt you a login information.
Username: cipher

Password: WORD described above :)))

Level 8: Creepy | ASCII Codes - View the page source theres a hint there (GIF me,

GIF(Graphic Interface Format) is a format of image developed by CompuServe in 1987 while JPG or JPEG(Joint Photographic Experts Group) ..
Here we go, you need to change jpg to gif. :) and put it onto the url address

The blinking numbers:

SPOILER97SPOILER103SPOILER105SPOILER108SPOILER105SPOILER116SPOILER121SPOILER

The numbers is in ASCII DEC/CHAR form so you need to decode it to view in plain text.

You need to use http://home2.paulschou.net/tools/xlate/ to get the word and proceed to level 9.

How?
Put the numbers in the spoilers individually into the ASCII DEC/Char input form, and the answer will be on the TEXT form. :))

Hint:
The word is the ability to think and draw conclusions quickly.

.htm

Level 9: Musical Note: View the source, you will get picture8ofdoom.jpg change number 8 to 9 so it will become picture9ofdoom.jpg, and you will the notes here. Then translate note to letters. Just Google it. But if you are tired.

If you are not familiar with the musical notes you can view the musical notes to letters here
http://www.atlantadancepartners.com/atlanta_reading_music.html

Hint: The word is a green vegetable for its densely-leaved head.

Level 10: HEXed: ANSWER | View the Page SOurce you will HEXed so meaning its a HEXADECIMAL format. And you might noticed that Letter 'W' is a gray and you might thanks other letters are the same? but it is actually different. If you look closely, you will know what i meant. so how? So you need to get that color hex first character. How? I used PicPick Software, but you can use corel,photoshop,gimp etc.

you can download PicPick here http://www.picpick.org/en/download_free and it is FREE!

SPOILERSDSPOILERSSPOILERSESPOILERSSPOILERSCSPOILERSSPOILERSASPOILERSSPOILERSDSPOILERSSPOILERSESPOILERS

Hint: The word is a period of 10 years

Then click the letter W, and it will again enter login information
Username: Cipher
Password: <word>.htm

Level 11: ROME(Roman Numerals): View the page source, and you will find a small hint.
XI(11) try to change it to XII(12) same with previous level...oh wait, it will display wrong number so basically, we need to get other hint here.

The first photo has a number there and it is set opacity low and it is 1009, we need to convert it to Roman Numeral since the photo has a Rome and the page source linked to Roman Numeral.

Convert Number to Roman Numeral here: http://www.onlineconversion.com/roman_numerals_advanced.htm

Hint: The word is To combine or blend into one

.htm

Level 12: Keys | view the page source and you will get

Is it the monitor? but it says, the keys..so infront of me is my keyboard and mouse and therefore it is literally means only the keyboard .

Next:

Since it is in the keyboard, we will examined the hint

i -> o
x -> c

It turns out that the key 'i' becomes 'o' and 'x' to 'c' so the pattern here is the NEXT RIGHT key on the Standard keyboard.

Therefore, in this statement:
Move all to next right key
u ->
b ->
c ->
w- ->
b- ->
r- ->
u- ->
i- ->
b ->

If theres a problem with your keyboard you can use this hint also.
Also the hint is: a machine/device. 9 characters.

<word>.htm

Level 13: Friday 13: View the page source and you will get these




Okey, lets further examined these hints.

It is friday and it is 13, so it is also means FRIDAY THE 13TH.
dd/{mm} is a format used by many people/computers which means dd - day (01-31), mm - month (01-12)

so 1st we will find dd/{mm}/1949 1st friday, the result is

May 13, 1949

How did i come up with that?

I used Friday the 13th finder here => http://www.taliscope.com/FindFriday13.html

How to use in that site?

Choose the beginning and ending year should be the year above hints.

and click find button and wait for the result. then collect it

i collected it here

May, 1949

April, 1984

December, 1946

May, 1955

August, 1937

November, 1981

so what is that word? ;))
<word>.htm

Level 14: Sounds | You will be seeing this
A NOTE ABOUT LEVEL 14

Level 14 is all about sound. Therefore, your computer is required to play sound, and you are required to hear sound.
Due to complaints regarding deaf riddlers and the possibility of people without sound cards, this level has been made optional to complete.

If you would like to play through level 14, CLICK HERE.

If you cannot hear sound for whatever reason and would like to progress to level 15, CLICK HERE.

You can answer it or you can go directly to level 15 right?

Level 15: Dissolve Image: Whats wrong with this picture?
So it means, it has a problem in viewing the image right? how to tell and know what exactly the problem?

Procedure: View the pagesource, you will notice <img src="screenthe15th.txt"width="32" height="32">

yes, <img> tag must be in image format like .jpg, .gif, .png, so you need to replace .txt to jpg :)

<img> tag is a HTML tag syntax.
the thing is You Have to Enjoy! ... level upwards will be posted soon.. =D

PLAY IT HERE NOW

Apple's Indian App Store now displays prices in rupees

2012-10-26T10:02:00.002-07:00

Since the Apple App Store opened to Indian users, the prices of all paid apps on it were displayed in US dollars. The Apple App Store is now displaying prices of all its paid apps in rupees.

The move by Apple is a good one as this reduces the need to convert the prices and gamble on the rate of the dollar to the rupee. The Google Play store already displays the cost of paid apps in rupees. Now, there appears to be uniformity amongst the biggest app markets.

Indian prices now appearing on the Apple App Store

The move comes as a timely one as it is widely expected that Apple will be launching the iPhone 5 in the near future. The iPhone 5 was expected to be launched today in India, but it appears that Apple has pushed back the date of launch. A recent report stated that the reason behind the delay was that Apple had not finalised the pricing for the upcoming smartphone in India. The price of the 16GB iPhone 4S handset was reduced to Rs 41,500, and reduced further to Rs 38,500 roughly 10 days later, indicating that the iPhone 5 was on its way.

Another plausible explanation to the delay is the shortage in supply of the iPhone 5 due to Apple employing stricter quality controls. The iPhone 5, though a booming success the world over, has been plagued by issues such as scratches found on the handset straight out of the box and a purple haze that appears with images clicked by its camera.

However, the grey market is flooded with the iPhone 5 priced at a premium.

Here is a quick look at the highlighted features of the iPhone 5:

4-inch, 326ppi Retina display at 1136 x 640 pixels,
GPRS, EDGE, EV-DO, HSPA, HSPA+, DC-HSDPA, LTE and Wi-Fi
GPS
Bluetooth
8-megapixel camera with 1080p HD recording, 720p front-facing camera
16GB, 32GB and 64GB versions

Apple iPhone 5 to be launched in India on November 2

2012-10-26T10:00:00.002-07:00

Ingram Micro announced today that it will offer the Apple iPhone 5 at leading trade stores and retail outlets across India beginning on Friday, November 2. The iPhone 5 was launched in the US on September 21.

It was recently reported that in order to expand its user base in India, Apple will start selling the iPhone 5 through specialised distribution companies. Apple has tied up with Ingram Micro Inc, which is a large US-based distributor of technologies, as well as Redington India Ltd, a local distributor with 12,000 smaller partners across the country.

iPhone 5 coming soon

There is no word yet on the official prices of the iPhone 5 in India, but the prices are expected to be the same as the iPhone 4S when it first launched. However, the prices are speculated to be Rs 45,500 for the 16GB version, Rs 52,500 for the 32GB version, and Rs 59,500 for the 64GB model.

According to a recent report, “Apple has used both these distributors in the past for products like the iPad, but did not do so for the iPhone as it was concerned that paying third-party distributors would eat into its profit margins on a key product. Apple’s Chief Executive Tim Cook said earlier this year that the company saw higher potential in countries other than India, largely because of the high cost of distributing products here. “We have a business there, that business is growing, but the sort of the multilayer distribution there really adds to the cost of getting products to market,” Mr. Cook told analysts in July.”

Here is a quick look at the highlighted features of the iPhone 5:

4-inch, 326ppi Retina display at 1136 x 640 pixels,
GPRS, EDGE, EV-DO, HSPA, HSPA+, DC-HSDPA, LTE and Wi-Fi
GPS
Bluetooth
8-megapixel camera with 1080p HD recording, 720p front-facing camera
16GB, 32GB, and 64GB versions

Image of Samsung Galaxy Premier leaked online

2012-10-25T02:46:00.004-07:00

Image of Samsung Galaxy Premier leaked online

Afew days ago, it was reported that Samsung was preparing to release a handset that could be slotted in between the Galaxy S III and the Galaxy S III mini in terms of price and specifications. This smartphone has been dubbed the Samsung Galaxy Premier. Right on cue,a tipster on Twitter, has revealed a photo of a purported Samsung Galaxy Premier.

According to an earlier report, information of the upcoming Galaxy Premier had been leaked through a GLBenchmark test. Among the things revealed were that the device runs on Android v4.1.1 (Jelly Bean) on a 4.65-inch Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels. The maximum frequency on the CPU is listed as 1.5GHz, though the number of cores hasn’t been mentioned. The phone is rumoured to have a dual-core processor. The graphics on the device will be handled by a PowerVR SGX 544, which is much like the SGX543 that power the graphics on Apple’s latest chipset. The benchmarks also point to a TI OMAP 4470 chipset, which was recently used in the Kindle Fire HD tablet.

Similar in design to the Galaxy S III Mini

According to the specifications leaked earlier this month, the device will have an 8MP rear camera with an LED flash, and a 2MP shooter for making video calls.

The device will come with either 8GB or 16GB of internal storage that can be expanded using a microSD card. The handset will run on Android v4.1, and will feature other attributes such as 4.4Mbps HSDPA, 5.76Mbps HSUPA, dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC, DLNA, and GPS.

The handset is expected to make its first appearance in Germany before the end of 2012, and will launch in other European countries shortly thereafter. The expected price of this handset is Euro 480, which roughly translates to Rs 32,912.

Samsung has recently announced the Galaxy S III mini. The size of the display has been much talked about. The display size of four inches is not small, but in comparison with the Samsung Galaxy S III, this handset could be much easier to handle. This handset is based on the Galaxy S III, and this feature translates to the design of this latest model as well. As far as the technical specifications of the handset go, the Galaxy S III mini is powered by a dual-core 1GHz NovaThor U8420 processor, and comes equipped with 1GB RAM. If there was any doubt about what operating system would be used in this handset since it is not exactly a high-end model, then Samsung has not held back on this front, and has stated that the phone will ship with Google’s latest Android operating system v4.1.

Here is a quick look at the highlighted features of the Samsung Galaxy S III mini:

4-inch Super AMOLED display with a WVGA resolution of 480 x 800 pixels
3G, EDGE/GPRS, Wi-Fi with Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi hotspot, DLNA support, NFC
GPS with A-GPS and GLONASS,
USB 2.0, Bluetooth 4.0 with A2DP, LE, EDR
5MP camera with AF, LED flash, BSI sensor and 720p HD video recording
VGA front facing camera for video chat
16GB, 32GB internal memory, expandable up to 32GB via microSD card

Skype 6.0 released for Mac, Windows desktop

2012-10-25T02:44:00.001-07:00

Skype released its latest version, Skype 6.0, yesterday for Mac and Windows desktop users.

In an official blog post, Skype has shared the changelog featuring in its latest version.

The update has brought to the table Microsoft and Facebook Account Integration. Users can now sign into Skype using either their Microsoft or Facebook accounts. In Skype 6.0, users can send instant messages to their Windows Live Messenger, Hotmail and Outlook.com contacts via Skype. Users with Microsoft accounts can merge the MS account with Skype. All they have to do is sign in to Skype with their Microsoft accounts.

Skype announces that it has in the pipeline a feature with which users can make audio and video calls to Windows Live Messenger customers on Skype desktop clients. The feature will be rolled out in the weeks to come.

Skype 6.0 for Windows desktop users has been updated with new localised versions of Skype in Thai, Croatian, Slovenian, Serbian, Catalan, and Slovak languages. With this, the total number of languages that Skype supports has gone up to 38. Skype 6.0 has undergone a facelift on Windows desktop. The Skype user interface (UI) now bears a simpler and less cluttered look. Instant messaging and SMS areas have been refreshed as well. The online user counter at the bottom of the Skype Contacts list has been done away with for Windows desktop in a bid to unclutter the UI, offering more space for the user’s contacts in the list. Also, now if users want to change their profile pictures, they will be shown all their previous profile photos to choose from.

The latest version Skype for Windows desktop users comes with additional 'opt-in' telemetry reports for users who choose this option: "Tools>> Options>>Advanced>>Tick Help improve Skype..." The reports may contain the user’s Skype ID and or Microsoft Account ID, but Skype clarifies that it will not use the information to identify or contact the user.

For Mac desktop users, the latest version of Skype brings open chats across multiple windows, while also introducing support for Retina Display.

Earlier this month, users had started facing problems with ransomware on Skype through a seemingly harmless looking message: "lol is this your new profile pic?" The message was followed by a link that downloads malware into user's computers. According to Trend Micro, these reports have not stopped, and are now spreading fast.

The link, which includes the user name of the recipient, goes to a file hosted at a legitimate file locker service. The file downloaded is a variant of the Dorkbot malware family, which is detected as WORM_DORKBOT.DN. This malware allows an attacker to take complete control of the user’s system. Its capabilities include password theft form various websites, including pornographic sites, social media, file lockers, and financial services; and launching distributed denial-of-service (DDOS) attacks. The behaviour that a user may see can vary significantly. It also has the capability to download other malware depending on the link provided by the C and C servers, including ransomware and click fraud malware.

The Playground is Open Join Us - GOOGLE

2012-10-25T02:42:00.001-07:00

The event marks Google's biggest Nexus showing, with three devices scheduled for debut at the same time. The Nexus program has long been Google's way of showcasing the latest version of its Android operating system. It has also come with a measure of buzz for the manufacturing partner.

After the Nexus One, which was built by HTC, Google mainly partnered with Samsung, including the Galaxy Nexus. But this year, Google worked with Asus to produce the low-cost Nexus 7, which sold at $199.

Alongside the low-end Nexus 7, Google will now offer a high-end Nexus 10 tablet built by Samsung, which was initially reported by CNET. The device is expected to boast a higher resolution than the third-generation iPad.

The tablet will be more in line with the pricing of its other products, including the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 and Galaxy Note 10.1.

LG, meanwhile, will get its chance to shine with the Nexus 4, which is an altered version of the Optimus G. The smartphone will have a quad-core SnapDragon processor from Qualcomm, 2 megabytes of RAM, a 1,280x768 display, 16GB of internal storage, and an 8-megapixel camera. Unlike the Optimus G, the Nexus 4 won't be an LTE device, according to a person familiar with the announcement.

LG will get its shot to build a little buzz for its products, something it has struggled to do, particularly in the U.S. market.

The upgraded version of the Nexus 7 will include a 32GB option. A second version will include a 3G cellular connection, according to The Next Web.

Zync Z909+ The largest Number of Tablets Sold Ever in India. Sold Tablets : 9,15,76,63,5++ as seen on NDTV Gadget Guru

2012-10-16T02:08:00.001-07:00

Zync Tablet Z909 Plus

By Zync

1 Year Warranty (Freebies Worth Total Rs.1347)

Front Camera
7Inch (17.78cm) Inches Resistive Touch Screen Display
Standard battery Li-Po 3000 mAh
Music Player
Android 2.3
W-Fi Enabled
1GHz Processor
Video Player
Expandable Memory 32GB
Free BigFlix movie rental subscription for one month (Gift coupon inside the box) worth Rs. 249
Free 2-level Screen Protector worth Rs. 399
Free Tablet Carry Lycra Pouch worth Rs. 399
Free Earphone worth Rs. 300

SPECIFICATIONS
Touch Screen Size	7Inch(17.8cm) Touch Screen
Resolution	800X480
Precessor Speed	1GHz
Opertaing System	Android 2.3
RAM	256MB
ROM(Flash)	4GB
G Sensor	Yes
Support Flash Player	32
GUI	No
OSD Language	English/French/German
SIM CARD	NO
WiFi	Yes
3G(inside/outside)	Outside
Office Software	Word/Excel/PDF etc.
Messanger	MSN/SKYPE etc
Games	Yes
Camera	Front
Audio/Video Recording	Yes
Video	MPEG1/2/4
Audio	MP3/WMA
Battery	3000mAH
USB(Micro/Macro)	Both
MRP	5990
Accessories Included in the box	Lycra Pouch, Screen Guard, Earphone, Charger, User Manual, USB Cable

Product Description

A delightful combination of functionality and superior efficiency, the Zync Tablet Z909 Plus is packed with a variety of exciting features for an immersive user experience. This tablet offers a variety of business features like document viewer, Gmail and email support while the internet connectivity ensures a fast browsing speed for lag-free working even when on the move. Design Light in weight and designed to offer lasting functionality, the Zync tablet is lavished with a sleek, glossy finish. The smooth rounded corners and the slim, slender design of this tablet offer a secure grip for easy handling. The ultra compact design of this tablet easily fits in small bags and the ergonomic design ensures lasting, trouble-free functioning. Performance The 1 GHz processor of this tablet offers high speed processing and superior efficiency courtesy the fast clock speed of this processor. The 7 inch resistive touchscreen display with a wide resolution of 800x480 pixels is perfect for watching all your multimedia files in superior clarity and ensures easy legibility. The multi touch feature instantly responds to even the slightest movements for lag-free functioning. The 256 MB DDR3 memory powers a variety of processes and offers easy transition between different processes. The 4 GB internal memory offers optimum storage space and can further be expanded to up to 32 GB to fulfil your future computing needs. Connectivity An external 3G dongle support and the preinstalled HTML browser offer super fast internet access wherever you go. The USB 2.0 port is compatible with a wide range of computer operating systems for secure and speedy file sharing when connected to your PC or laptop. Using the Wi-Fi connectivity protocol you can instantly access different web sites even when on the move without the hassles of long connecting cables. Operating System Allowing easy homescreen customisation is the Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) Operating System that ensures instant access to the frequently used widgets and applications for easy processing. The flash support of this OS allows easy access to the flash content on different web pages to keep you entertained all day long. Power Management A single charge of the 3000 mAh Lithium Ion battery keeps your gadget optimally functioning by offering a long battery backup time. Other features The front camera of this tablet allows for clear video chatting and also instantly captures all your cherished memories. The inbuilt video player with the multi format support offers lag-free playback of a multitude of video files. The music player is also compliant with different types of audio files while the stereo sparkers deliver a sharp and rich audio quality for a superlative music experience.

iPad mini to come with cellular and Wi-Fi options

2012-10-15T02:17:00.003-07:00

The Apple iPad mini was reported to available in only a Wi-Fi option, in order to keep the price of the forthcoming tablet to a minimum. A recent report indicates that the 7.85-inch tablet will now come with both Wi-Fi as well as cellular capabilities.

It appears that the Cupertino-based brand is not holding back any punches with this smaller iPad, and launching it in various storage capacities such as 8GB, 16GB, 32GB, and the top-of-the-line model at 64GB of internal storage.

Listing as seen on Mobile Geeks

As per a related report published by Engadget, “According to a proven source of Mobile Geeks, German electronics retailer Media Markt has the iPad mini in 16 flavors in its inventory system. The company's internal documentation shows the rumored tablet at 8, 16, 32 and 64GB configurations, with each offering a choice of black or white, as well as a choice of 3G or just WiFi. The retailer is listing sticker prices, too: for the WiFi-only flavor, €249 buys an 8GB model, €349 snags 16GB, €449 for 32GB and €549 scores 64GB of storage. Looking for a slab with cellular connectivity? Stack an extra €100 on each of those prices.”

Considering that the regular sized 16GB iPad is priced at $399 in the US, the iPad mini may be expect to cost approximately $250, which would roughly translate to around Rs 13,171.

However, one should not be too hopeful of getting the tablet for this price tag. It is likely that it could be priced significantly higher, as was the case of the new iPods. The portable media player cost much more than models being sold in the US.

That being said, Apple has been losing its market share in the tablet segment to the likes of Amazon with its Kindle Fire, and Google with its Nexus 7 tablet. For Apple to stay in the run, and cater to a customer base that would want a smaller tablet, Apple would have to launch a 7-inch tablet to cement its throne as the leading tablet manufacturer. The Google Nexus 7 tablet is faring exceedingly well in the market and rumours suggest that a 3G version of the tablet may also be in the works. Apple would need to step into this segment to battle the increasing competition from other manufacturers.

Speculating on the competition at hand, while the prices of the Nexus 7 and the Kindle Fire are similar, both of which are Wi-Fi only, the Nexus 7 seems to be the device of choice as it comes with beefier hardware along with access to Android v4.1 (Jelly Bean) as well as future Android releases. However, Apple has its own iOS operating system. When it does announce the iPad mini, it will most likely launch it with iOS 6 straight out of the box.

Google rolling out update for Play store

2012-10-15T01:33:00.000-07:00

Google is rolling out an update for its official one-stop-shop for Android apps, Google Play. The latest update to the store allows you to remove apps from the All Apps list, which records all your app downloads to date, in addition to remembering your location in lists, and new icons for notifications and installed apps. The latest version number is 3.9.16. Android Police was the first to report on the matter.

In addition, the updated Play Store remembers where you are when looking at a list, including the All Apps list as well as the My Apps list. This feature will remember your location in a list, so that whenever you click on an option in a list and go back, you’re returned right to the place where you were earlier.

What’s more, you can now multi-select apps in the All Apps list. Selecting multiple apps is done by long-pressing an app, and tapping the More apps option. You can delete apps from the lists in one go.

Google has also chosen to change the notification icon for new app updates. Notifications by Play Store are now expandable, and show more information about app updates. The icon for individual apps after they are installed no longer shows a generic icon; you now get the icon for the app in the notification after you install it.

Google recently held a massive discount sale in celebration after its Play Store recorded 25 billion app downloads. The search giant was offering top rated games and apps at discounted rates of just 25 Cents (Rs 13). The company was also promoting special collections like 25 movies you must own, 25 banned books, 25 albums that changed the world and the store's 25 top selling magazines, at special prices.

New Google Play update brings minor improvements.

However, Goole hasn’t been particularly kind to India. It was recently revealed that India’s listing in the official list of countries where developers could register as certified Google Checkout Merchants was short lived. Pluggd.in’s Ashish Sinha writes, “So for India based Android app developers, things are back to what it was earlier – i.e. you cannot sell paid apps in the Play store (some workaround here). We have asked Google to update us on the final status (or was it some drunken employee updating the support page?). For sure, Google needs to revisit this strategy. If not, Microsoft is going to snatch away these Android app developers with a better integrated strategy (it’s already happening).”

Earlier, Indian developers needed to go to a country where Google Checkout merchants are allowed, such as the US, and register a local bank account in the name of a US resident in order to sell apps on the Google Play Store. With reports about India featuring on that list, it did seem as if troubles were over. Now, however, things stand the way they were.

Smartphone apps are serious business, though developers of Android apps were left in limbo. In India, developers were only allowed to publish free apps, and this had limited the potential for innovative apps because of lack of incentive.

Reports quoted P R Rajendran, Director of Next Wave Multimedia, a Chennai based company as saying, “We have lived with this condition for some time now where we literally run two companies, and are subject to dual taxation". Rajendran's company was reported as having published more than ten apps on both Apple iTunes as well as Google Play.

Apple dismisses rumours of iPhone 5 India launch

2012-10-12T06:47:00.001-07:00

It was speculated that Apple will launch the iPhone 5 in India on October 26, 2012. This news was first broken by BGR that had cited multiple sources to support it. However, a report by FirstPost now states that an Apple spokesperson FirstPost contacted said that e iPhone5 is not scheduled to launch in India yet.

As per the report, the authors at Firstpost contacted Apple asking if the launch date was accurate. They then received an email response which stated, “We have no announcement to make at the moment on a launch or price of the iPhone 5 in India. There is speculation in media and we don’t comment on speculation”.

Apple refuses to comment on the iPhone 5 launch in India

However, this response should come as no surprise. Apple has never commented on rumours or speculations the world over. So this could still mean that the iPhone 5 launch may take place on October 26, and Apple will comment on it only after it makes an official announcement.

The report by BGR states that its sources have confirmed that Apple is preparing to launch the iPhone 5 in India on the last Friday of this month, which is October 26. BGR adds that Apple will distribute the iPhone 5 in India on its own rather than rely on its carrier partners.

Here is a quick look at the highlighted features of the iPhone 5:

4-inch, 326ppi Retina display at 1136 x 640 pixels,
GPRS, EDGE, EV-DO, HSPA, HSPA+, DC-HSDPA, LTE and Wi-Fi
GPS
Bluetooth
8-megapixel camera with 1080p HD recording, 720p front-facing camera
16GB, 32GB and 64GB versions

Made entirely out of aluminium and glass, the iPhone 5 weighs 112 grams, and is 20 percent lighter than the iPhone 4S, and is the thinnest iPhone yet at 7.6mm. Apple has chosen to debut iOS 6 with the iPhone 5. The new OS includes Apple's own Maps app, an updated version of Siri and lots more. Overall, the new iPhone has been upgraded in almost all respects.

One of the biggest changes to iOS is the addition of Apple’s own Maps app in the place of Google Maps. The new Maps app has a built-in search for local points of interest, with over 100 million possible suggestions. Other features of the Maps app include navigation, routing, 3D maps, satellite imagery – that wraps around the 3D maps – and the ability to get directions directly through Siri. Most of the standard features of the Maps app, including satellite view, are available in almost all countries the iPhone ships to.

Siri has also been updated and new features include support for more languages, easy access to sports scores, restaurant recommendations and movie listings; Siri and Facebook-enabled apps like Photos, Safari and Maps; and Shared Photo Streams via iCloud.

Safari has also received a major update – the ability to go full screen on the device by touching the arrows on the corners. Another major feature of the new Safari app is the ability to sync tabs between the desktop and iOS versions of Safari. This new feature is called iCloud Tabs. The new Mail app has also received some updates, including the ability to mark people as VIPs and the ability to flag certain mails for follow-ups.

The handset is already selling quite freely in the grey market in India, but at a premium. According to our sources, the 16GB version of the iPhone 5 is available for Rs 58,000, the 32GB model for Rs 64,000, and the 64GB one for Rs 71,000, in the grey market.

One can expect the iPhone5 to retail at the same price at which the iPhone 4S was launched, if or when it is officially launched here.

Galaxy S III mini launched with 4-inch Super AMOLED display and NFC

2012-10-12T06:46:00.004-07:00

It appears that Samsung has no intention of pausing their good run and has announced the Galaxy S III mini, a smaller version of the record breaking Galaxy S III smartphone, which continues to notch up outstanding sales figures. There had been rumours surrounding this handset since the past few weeks and putting all speculations to rest, Samsung has launched a handset that features all the details that were leaked in the past, which include a 4-inch screen sporting a WVGA resolution.

The size of the display has been discussed much, as 4 inches is not exactly small, but in comparison to the Samsung Galaxy S III, this handset could be much easier to handle. Like previous rumours had suggested, this handset is heavily based on the Galaxy S III and this feature translates to the design of this latest model as well. As far as the technical specifications of the handset go, the Galaxy S III mini is powered by a dual core 1 GHz NovaThor U8420 processor and comes equipped with 1GB RAM. If there was any doubt about what operating system would be used in this handset since it is not exactly a high-end model, then Samsung has not held back on this front and has stated that the phone will ship with Google’s latest Android operating system 4.1 Jelly Bean.

Galaxy S III mini is now official

Here is a quick look at the highlighted features of this handset:

4-inch Super AMOLED display with a WVGA resolution of 480 x 800 pixels
3G, EDGE/GPRS, Wi-Fi with Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi hotspot, DLNA support, NFC
GPS with A-GPS and GLONASS,
USB 2.0, Bluetooth 4.0 with A2DP, LE, EDR
5MP camera with AF, LED flash, BSI sensor and 720p HD video recording
VGA front facing camera for video chat
16/32GB Internal memory, all with all with expandable support up 32GB MicroSD card

Apart from the above mentioned features this handset comes loaded with sensors for an accelerometer, gyro, proximity and compass. The brand has used a 1500mAh battery on this smartphone and this should be sufficient given the specifications of the device. As far as the size of this handset goes, the Galaxy S III mini measures 121.6 x 63 x 9.9mm and weighs in at 111.5g.

Commenting on the announcement of the Galaxy S III mini, JK Shin, President and Head of IT & Mobile Communications Division at Samsung Electronics said, “The GALAXY S III introduced a new concept of smartphone that has proven hugely popular around the world. We're now delighted to bring its revolutionary design, intuitive usability and intelligence to the GALAXY S III mini in a more compact form. We continue to make every effort to provide extraordinary mobile experiences to meet a wide variety of user needs.”

The Galaxy S III mini is powered by Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean), the latest version of the world's most popular smartphone operating system. Jelly Bean has fast, fluid and smooth graphics along with a new Google Search experience featuring Google Now.

Commenting on the design of the handset, Samsung states that its ultra-minimal curved frame delivers a natural feel, which is also seen on its nature-inspired home screen, wallpapers and ringtones.

The Galaxy S III mini is packed with technology that the brand claims is designed to make interacting with the phone incredibly natural and intuitive. S Voice, Samsung's natural language recognition software, lets a user use their voice to unlock the phone with simple customized commands, or to play their favourite songs, turn the volume up or down, organize schedules, or automatically launch the camera to start taking photos.

The Galaxy S III mini is also capable of understanding a user’s gestures to make using their phone easier and more natural. With Smart Stay, the phone's camera tracks a user’s eyes and keeps the screen lit as long as one is looking at it. When reading a text message from a friend, Direct Call enables a user to automatically dial a call by lifting the phone to their ear and Smart Alert alerts one to missed calls or messages as soon as the user picks up their phone.

Samsung claims, “Content sharing is easy and fast on the GALAXY S III mini: Its S Beam feature lets you share a 10MB music file in just two seconds by simply tapping on another S Beam-enabled device including GALAXY S III or GALAXY Note II, even without a Wi-Fi or cellular signal. The 'Buddy photo share' function also allows photos to be easily and simultaneously shared with all your friends pictured in an image directly from the camera or the photo gallery.”

As far as availability is concerned there have been no concrete dates but the smartphone is expected to be launched by November. With Samsung’s market in India absolutely booming, one can expect this smartphone to launch here in the first batch. As of now there is no pricing attached to the handset, but stay tuned.

With the Galaxy S III mini featuring the same size display as the iPhone 5, the competition between the two brands is just getting hotter and only time will tell which brand manages to stay on top for a sustained period of time.

Do share your thoughts on the latest smartphone from Samsung in the comments below.

NEWS / IPHONE Crazy Taxi for iOS devices out now

2012-10-12T06:46:00.002-07:00

After the recent announcement by Sega that the cult classic Crazy Taxi would be making its way to iOS devices, Unleash The Phones has reported that the iOS version of the game is out. The port is said to be a ‘perfect’ port of the Dreamcast version of the game, and hence will having the same features, game modes, minigames and soundtrack. An added feature is that the game allows players to create their own soundtracks by using the music stored on their iOS devices. The game is available for purchase on the App Store for $4.99 (roughly Rs 260) and is compatible with iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad running iOS version 4.3 or higher.

Sega had earlier released a trailer to announce the iOS port of Crazy Taxi. The trailer doesn’t give much information about the game except that it will feature at least one song from the original version of the game on the PlayStation 2, Sega Dreamcast, and on arcade machines. The trailer also tells us the devices that the game will be available for – iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch – and the release window for the game, which is this month.

Crazy Taxi is violently making its way to iOS devices this month

Crazy Taxi was originally released in 1999 for arcade machines back when those things were famous. The game was then ported on to Dreamcast in 2000 and PC in 2002. The game focuses on four 'extreme' cab drivers – Axel, BD Joe, Gena and Gus – each having his or her own special car and attributes, which gave the game a unique replay value in trying to get the highest scores with all four characters. The main aim of the game is to pick up random pedestrians looking for a taxi ride, and find the most exhilarating and insane route to their destination within the time limit. Insane routes meaning it didn’t matter if you went off-road, through a mall, through a picnic or even underwater. All this is done for tips, which add to your high score.

This is another in a series of re-releases of classic games by Sega, the most recent being the HD re-release of Jet Set Radio on the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC. Jet Set Radio is set in a dystopian world where street gangs are comprised of kids wearing ‘nitrium-powered’ roller blades, which allow them to achieve great amounts of speed. The main aim of the game is to take over the city by spray-painting graffiti on certain spots all over the city to ward off the other gangs, while at the same time surviving increasing escalating police action against you. Police initially starts off with trying to arrest you by themselves, but eventually, the SWAT teams are called in, along with tanks and attack choppers.

Sega has been trying to get its older intellectual property (IP) back into the limelight and this seems to be the latest attempt to do so. Last year, the company had released its latest attempt at making its brand mascot – Sonic the hedgehog – relevant again with the release of Sonic Generations. The game was met by much acclaim by critics as a return to form for the blue hedgehog after a string of unfortunate games.

Newly uncovered threats can track phones using 3G networks

2012-10-12T06:45:00.001-07:00

Researchers from the University of Birmingham have uncovered new threats that allow third parties to track the physical presence of mobile phones operating on 3G networks.

The research team from Birmingham that collaborated with the Technical University of Berlin explains how these vulnerabilities could be exploited to enable ordinary people to find the location of phones, and other 3G-capable devices. It has been revealed that this could enable attackers to track 3G user movements across countries, and even within office buildings -- all this without even knowing phone identities. The flaws affect the latest 3G networks, not just the older generation GSM networks.

Physical presence of phones using 3G networks being tracked (Image Credit: Getty Images)

The team have also proposed solutions to the issue, and are cooperating with standards organisations, and network operators to promote the adoption of privacy-respecting solutions in future mobile networks.

The researchers, in the course of their study, discovered two flaws on the 3G standard, which is implemented on all mobile phones today. It was found that the IMSI paging attack compelled mobile devices to reveal the temporary identity (TMSI) in response to a static identity (IMSI) paging request. This can reveal the presence of devices in a monitored area by correlating the IMSI and TMSI. Another attack involves the Authentication and Key Agreement (AKA) protocol of the phone. By distinguishing two different error replies from a phone, an attacker can send a message that allows him to determine if a certain phone is nearby or not.

To demonstrate the vulnerabilities, the researchers used an off-the-shelf femtocell unit that had been modified with new software created by the Berlin group. The attacks were then made by intercepting, altering and injecting 3G Layer-3 messages into the communication between the base station, and mobile phones in both directions. The research team tested the vulnerabilities on network providers including T-Mobile, Vodafone and O2, and the French SFR.

Mark Ryan, Professor in Computer Security at the University of Birmingham, who led the study, said, "The attacks could be used to track staff movements within a building. It could be used by stalkers who want to follow indiviuals, or spouses that want to track their partner's movements".

"To exploit the vulnerability, the employer would need to capture wireless data from the phone as it interacted with a normal base station. This could happen in a different area than the monitored one. Then the employer would position their femtocell near the entrance of the building. Movements inside the building could be tracked as well by placing additional devices to cover different areas of the building," said Dr Myrto Arapinis from the University of Birmingham’s School of Computer Science.

The team have come up with a way to fix the problem. "Our paper details modifications of the 3G protocols that we have proposed in order to overcome these vulnerabilities", Loretta Mancini from Birmingham, said.

To fix the vulnerabilities, the researchers proposed employing new methods that prevent an attacker from being able to link different occasions when the phone is being used. Their proposed solution employs the use of public-key cryptography, a particular type of encryption that mobile operators have been refraining from using because of the difficulties in implementing it. The researchers have found that this kind of encryption needs to be deployed within their networks to thwart a privacy attack. The researchers took care to devise solutions that minimise the use of public-key cryptography in order to reduce deployment difficulties.

"The solutions we propose show that privacy friendly measures could be adopted by the next generation of mobile telephony standards while keeping low the computational and economical cost of implementing them", says Dr Eike Ritter, also part of the Birmingham team. "We are endeavouring to work with the 3G standards organisations to achieve that."

"Since we use wireless technology for all aspects of our lives, from transport tickets like London's Oyster card to wireless payment cards and door-entry fobs, there is a risk of being tracked by third parties like neighbours, family and colleagues", said Ryan.

"Online services like those of Facebook and Google also monitor users' behaviour", said Arapinis, "and we are proposing ways in which that monitoring could be limited."

This research will be presented at the ACM conference on Computer and Communications Security in Raleigh, North Carolina on Tuesday October 16, 2012.

Microsoft Office 2013 reaches RTM, to launch in Q1 2013

2012-10-12T06:44:00.003-07:00

Microsoft yesterday announced that it has completed the Release to Manufacturing build of Office 2013, and that the full version of the office suite would be available to the masses in the first quarter of 2013. The company stated on its official blog that a preview version of Office 13 would be included on Windows RT devices, beginning with the Windows 8 launch on October 26.

Users who have subscribed to TechNet or MSDN can download their copies of the final version by mid-November. Volume Licensing customers with Software Assurance will be able to download the Office 2013 applications as well as other Office products including SharePoint 2013, Lync 2013 and Exchange 2013 through the Volume Licensing Service Center by mid-November. These products will be available on the Volume Licensing price list on December 1. Microsoft would be rolling out updates and new capabilities to Office 365 customers in its next service update, starting in November until general availability.

Microsoft stated that people who purchase Office 2010 from retailers or resellers will receive the latest version of Office for free when it is available.

To be available by Q1 2013, businesses to get it in November.

Office 2013 features a new design that works with touch, stylus, mouse or keyboard across new Windows devices, including tablets. In our preview of the suite, we found that it has plenty of new features to make it cloud friendly and supports touch-based devices. The new user interface is quite intuitive and the new features give you more room than ever for editing and creating files. The overall aesthetics of the new version are simply beautiful – from the smooth refresh rate for the cursor and the lag-free, fluid scrolling to neat little subtle animations, everything feels buttery. The colour styles are well chosen, giving this new Office a very minimalistic yet professional look.

The new Office will be delivered to subscribers through a cloud service that is always up to date. Unlike the earlier versions of Office, the new one is tied into a subscription service of Office 365 and depending on the version you pick, you'll be able to download 'apps' like Word and Excel on a limited number of PCs using a single licence.

Office 2013 will also be ported to various platforms – Windows Phone will have in-built support for files created in Office 2013, and will enable users to access files through SkyDrive, SharePoint, and Office 365 email; a Mac version will be released on general availability; tablets running Windows 8 can install Office 2013 apps; and there are plenty of rumours about apps for iOS and Android platforms slated for release in March next year.

According to reports in the media, Microsoft has said that while Office Mobile will work across the Windows Phone, iOS and Android platforms, it has nothing additional to reveal right now. Both iOS and Android users have access to a host of productivity applications and suites that allow them to view, edit, and create documents traditionally used with Microsoft’s Office applications. What remains to be seen is whether Microsoft’s Office suite for Android and iOS would have as many features, or would work as well as it does on Windows Phone 8.

Dropbox v2.2 for Android adds Photos tab, bug fixes

2012-10-12T06:44:00.001-07:00

The Android application for the popular cloud storage service Dropbox has now been updated. In version 2.2 of the application, users can find a new Photos tab, where they can view all their photos and videos. The uploads option has been moved to the menu in the file browser in the updated version of the app. A host of ‘under-the-hood bug fixes and tune-ups’ have also been introduced.

In version 2.1 of the updated app, users can find the new upload notifications. Users can automatically upload photos and videos in the background using Wi-Fi or data plans. The updated application brings users up to 3GB of free space for uploading photos automatically (in 500MB increments). Files of any size can be uploaded.

Photos tab contains all the uploaded photos and videos

Like with every cloud storage service, the Dropbox application for Android users allows them to carry their photos, documents, and videos anywhere. On installing it on your computer, any file saved to Dropbox will automatically be saved to your Android device, and the Dropbox website as well. It is also possible to share the saved files.

Yesterday, Dropbox revamped its mobile site with a new image gallery view. The updated site lets you view your images in a gallery, and looks somewhat similar to changes made earlier this year to the Dropbox app on Android and iOS, as well as the desktop site.

The update to the mobile Dropbox website lets you view your images in a gallery-styled fashion from any mobile device. The new view allows you to scroll through your photos, which are ordered by the date they were uploaded. You can also tap on a photo to view it full-sized and flip through photos. To test it out for yourself, just open www.dropbox.com on your mobile phone’s browser, tap on the Dropbox icon at the top, and then tap the Photos button to view your photos in the Camera Uploads folder in gallery format.

Dropbox has been making improvements like these for a long time and this looks like part of its effort to let users have a consistent experience irrespective of the platform they use to access the service. This change to the Dropbox website should make the service accessible to people with Windows Phone devices, as Dropbox still has to release a native app for this platform.

The changes to the Android and iOS Dropbox apps earlier this year let you bring your photos and videos to one place, in addition to letting you have the option of automatically uploading photos to Dropbox using Wi-Fi or through wireless data. The photos are all uploaded at full size and quality and are saved to a private folder on your Dropbox account called Camera Uploads.

Dropbox has also updated its iOS app with options that let you share your content on Facebook and Twitter. Moreover, the company recently announced Facebook Groups integration which lets you share content from your Dropbox account from right inside Facebook Groups.

Head over to the Google Play store to download the Dropbox app.

Gmail for Android 4.2 may have pinch-to-zoom, swipe-to-delete gestures

2012-10-12T06:43:00.004-07:00

Google has recently updated its Google+ app for Android as well as iOS devices. The search giant has also brought in a variety of handy features to the updated version of Google Drive for Android devices. Google may be readying an update for Gmail for Android as well, which will be version number 4.2. In this update, Google is speculated to bring in very useful features such as pinch-to-zoom, and swipe-to-delete or swipe-to-archive.

As per an exclusive report by Android Police, “We are thrilled to share some exciting news about the next version of Gmail for Android. We may or may not be in possession of an unreleased version of Gmail, which may or may not have come from an LG Nexus system dump. One thing I am sure of is we definitely have video of it.”

The handset used in the video is the Galaxy Nexus. In the video we can see the pinch-to-zoom feature and the swipe to delete/ archive feature. In the 46-second long video, you can see the major updates come to light. These features may not be limited to the upcoming Android 4.2, but are likely to work on Android v4.1 as well, as the mobile phone is running on the latter OS.

Shedding some light on the new updates, Amadeo states, “The about screen says it's Gmail version 4.2. Besides pinch zoom, the other major new feature is "swipe to archive/delete," which, just like a notification, will let you swipe away messages from your inbox. Gmail has made this feature nice and configurable; digging through the options will let you change your swipes to "No effect" "Archive or delete" or "Always Delete." The default, "Archive or delete," will archive swiped messages when you're in the inbox, delete swiped messages when you're in All Mail or Sent, and remove a label when you're in a label-only view.”

The author goes on to state that he isn’t allowed to share the APK but Android Police is working on getting the required permissions to share it.

In early August, Google has updated its Gmail application for Android users. The update applies to devices running Ice Cream Sandwich OS and above and features improvised support for 7-inch tablets. The app includes bug fixes and performance improvements too. It is available for download on the Google Play store. Gmail is a popular and widely used e-mail service. The Gmail app for Android allows users to manage multiple accounts, view and save attachments and set up label notifications.

The updated Google+ app for Android now allows Google+ users to view, post, and comment from their mobiles. Using 'Find people', users can discover people and topics more easily. The new homescreen widget has been redesigned as well.

Using the Google+ app for Android, users can view the content in a magazine style layout in the new tablet version. They can also automatically share photos to an Event using the Party Mode. With mobile Hangouts, users can initiate Video chats with up to nine friends. Users also have the option of getting started with an Instant Upload to sync photos from their phone to a private Google+ album. On the 'What’s Hot' stream, users can view what are the trending topics. Also included is the ability to view the Nearby stream to see what people near the user's location have going on.

Apple IOS 6 Jailbreak

2012-09-29T04:34:00.001-07:00

This is it ....yes IOS 6 released on 19th September Globally OTA for All Idevices out there is Now Fully Jailbroken yes you heard it right this is Not the Beta Jailbreak or What Ever this is the IOS 6 Final Version Jailbreak Which You Can Download From below

Ios 6 With 200 New Features released With IPHONE 5 is Now Already Jailbroken For Iphone 5 As well
if You Haven't upgraded you Idevices to IOS 6 Yet then Do it Now to Enjoy all the New Maps by apple ,Passbook App and Many More other Hidden Stuff

Things You need to Do for the Jailbreak:

1) Download the Latest Version of Itunes

2) Download IOS 6 OTA and Install or if you want to Do it manually you can Just Google it Download it and install it Via itunes

3) Download the Software for the Jailbreak and Step by Step Detail Instruction to do the Jailbreak process it just a 5 mins Process overall

Both Mac and Win Files Are included Download so no need to Worry So if you Ipad iphone or Ipod start upgrading to IOS 6 and then jailbreak it to enjoy IOS 6 at its Fullest

Especially posted for:

Sanjeed Ahmed Hope you enjoy it...

CLICK BELOW TO DOWNLOAD IOS 6 JAILBREAK

Link:http://fileice.net/download.php?file=3bh6k

File: IOS6JB-MAC-WIN+Tutorial

Size: 37.7MB

Windows 8 upgrade registrations open

2012-08-23T08:32:00.002-07:00

Microsoft has now started accepting user registrations for Windows 8 upgrades and will continue accepting them till February 28, 2013. The deliveries, however, won't begin until October 26, 2012. Those users purchasing a qualifying Windows 7 PC between June 2, 2012 and January 31, 2013 can go in for the registration by paying Rs.699.

The offer is applicable to customers (e.g. Home users, students, and enthusiasts) who purchase a qualified PC. A qualified PC is essentially a new PC that has been purchased during the promotional period with a valid Windows 7 OEM Certificate of Authenticity and product key, and preinstalled with Windows 7 Home Basic, Windows 7 Home Premium, Windows 7 Professional, or Windows 7 Ultimate.

Registrations open for Windows 8 upgrade

Once users are done with their registration and get validated by Microsoft, they will receive a registration confirmation e-mail. Once the deliveries begin on October 26, 2012, the registered users will receive an e-mail containing the promotion code and instructions for purchasing and downloading the software. Users can redeem the promotion code that they receive during the upgrade ordering process to avail the promotional price.

Users can purchase a downloadable version of Windows 8 Pro. For an additional fee plus shipping and any applicable taxes or duties, they can even go in for an optional installation DVD.

Those who have purchased a PC prior to the offer duration can also register for the upgrade, but for a higher cost - approximately Rs.2,200.

Earlier in July this year, we had reported about Microsoft offering Windows 8 Pro for $39.99 as part of a promotional scheme. This offer is up for grabs up to the 31st of January, 2013 and will be available in 131 markets. Not only users with Windows 7 are eligible for this offer, but it is also valid for users who have Windows Vista and XP. Microsoft has not just stopped there; they have also stated that users can even add Windows Media Center for free through the “add features” option within Windows 8 Pro after the upgrade procedure.

In was in June this year that we had reported about Microsoft announcing its Windows 8 upgrade offer for Windows 7 PC users in India at a price of Rs.699. At the time, however, the registrations had not begun and the below link informed users that it would be made available in the near future. At the time, Tami Reller, Chief Marketing Officer and Chief Financial Officer of Windows at Microsoft said, "We’ve seen a great interest in Windows 8, especially given the availability of the Windows 8 Release Preview this week, and yet we know many consumers want a new PC now. The Windows Upgrade Offer gives people the flexibility to purchase the new Windows PC they need today, with the knowledge they can easily upgrade to Windows 8 when it’s available."

To register for Windows 8 upgrade, click here.

Google death benefits pay dead employees' families for 10 years

2012-08-11T08:12:00.000-07:00

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- Google treats its dead employees better than some companies do their living workers.

Google's unusual "death benefits" include paying the deceased's spouse or domestic partner 50% of their salary for 10 years, the company's "chief people officer" Laszlo Bock revealed in an interview this week with Forbes.

What's more, all of the dead Googler's stocks vest immediately. Each child of the employee receives $1,000 per month until age 19, or age 23 for full-time students.

These perks aren't just for longtime employees. There's no tenure requirement, Google (GOOG, Fortune 500) told Forbes -- all of the company's U.S. employees qualify. Bock said the oldest Googler is currently 83.

A Google representative declined to comment in more detail about the policy. Forbes writer Meghan Casserly noted dryly in her article that "providing death benefits is a no-win for the company."

But that isn't the point, Bock told her: "Obviously there's no benefit to Google. But it's important to the company to help our families through this horrific if inevitable life event."

The death benefits revelation adds to the already legendary list of Google perks: free food, foosball tables, on-site dry-cleaning service, generous parental leave and more.

The company's perks site hawks a "Corporate Concierge team [that] can assist with everyday tasks such as planning a dinner party as well as more unusual requests, like finding a jewel-encrusted scepter to accompany a Googler's special Halloween outfit."

But Bock told Forbes he doesn't like the word "perks." Instead, he says, what helps employees ultimately helps the company.

As he put it: "There is, of course, research that show employee benefit programs like ours can improve retention, and appear to improve performance on some level."

Microsoft Office 2013: First impressions

2012-08-10T06:53:00.001-07:00

Microsoft Corp.'s CEO Steve Ballmer recently unveiled the customer preview of the new Microsoft Office, optimised for Windows 8 and touch-based devices like tablets. This release features an intuitive design that works beautifully either with touch, stylus, mouse or keyboard across new Windows devices. The new Office is social and unlocks modern scenarios in reading, note-taking, meetings and communications, and will be delivered to subscribers through a cloud service. We decided to give it a quick try and here are our initial impressions on the widely used applications that form Office 2013.

SkyDrive syncing

Aesthetics and UI enhancements

Office 2013 is slick and buttery smooth. There hasn't been much change to the UI, with the same ribbons, options and enhancements still there, but there are a ton of new features that we have individually covered below. However, the overall aesthetics and user interface of this new version is simply beautiful – from the smooth refresh rate for the cursor and the lag-free, fluid scrolling to neat little subtle animations, everything feels buttery. The colour styles are well chosen, giving this new Office a very minimalistic yet professional look. Let’s have a look at the individual applications below.

Word 2013

Images in Word now come with live layout and alignment. What this indicates is that if you add an image to your text and move it around the page, your text automatically aligns itself based on where the image is placed, in real time. You also have a simple mark-up view that provides you with a clean, uncomplicated view of your document, but you still see markers where changes and comments have been made. You can click on the vertical bar on the left side of the text to see the changes. Or click the comment icon on the right to check out comments about the text. The read mode has got a neat little trick – all images can be expanded from the read view itself, giving you a uniform read in a single window.

Word 2013

Users can also add and play online videos inside their Word documents. You can also add pictures from Facebook, Flickr, and other online photo services without having to save them to your computer. Click Insert > Online Video to add a video to the document.

Image-only PDFs didn’t have as many editing options like we have seen with free online software, but PDFs with texts are now easy to edit and save. We’re not sure if this is a good thing, though; editing PDFs was always known to be a complicated process and this may just be an easy way out for those wanting to make changes in their PDF files.

Excel 2013

Flash filling your data is now a part of Excel 2013. It’s really helpful for those working with insanely large numbers of spreadsheets with similar actions for particular rows and columns. For example, you start typing the first names of your email IDs which are in column 1 and the rest of the names are added automatically. Simple, yet saves a lot of time.

Excel 2013

You can analyze data using live previews and Excel gives you a quick analytical chart in the column itself, showing you the differences between the different values. A recommended chart option in the Insert tab lets Excel recommend you charts based on the data you have entered. The look and feel of Excel may not be a complete overhaul from previous versions, but why fix something that’s not broken? With the new subtle animations and smooth transitions, the experience with Excel 2013 makes us like it even more.