Techno Harbour

Not Just A Visit, An Experience: Reliance Digital

2013-06-19T19:27:00.002+05:30

When we see things, we just look at them and audit them in a jiffy; but when we observe things, our approach towards the thing changes. Thus there is a fine line which separates seeing from observing. Such a fine line also divides a visit from an experience. A visit just gives you an overview whereas an experience gives you joy, ecstasy, exposure and a know-how about a particular object or event. Hence in this post which I would describe my visit to Reliance Digital which later turned into an experience. Reliance Digital has 128 outlets throughout the country and their Malad store records a weekly footfall of 8000.

I walked into the the Reliance Digital store at the Infinity Mall in Malad at 11.30am and was greeted by the store manager Mr.Vishal. He took me around the store for about 2 hours explaining the products and discounts they offer on various products. They had almost all varieties of smartphones, kitchen appliances, laptops, digital cameras and DSLRs. This particular store has a unique section called as "Time Out" which has dozens of shelves stacked up with latest movies, songs, books and novels. Interestingly, this is the first electronic mega-store which deals in music, books, kids and office stationary along with digital products.

The staff at the counters are well versed with what they are selling, they help you buy; they assist you with your decisions. I tested their knowledge by bombarding them with questions on Samsung Galaxy Note 2 and the LG Nexus 4. He was recommending me the Note 2 over the Nexus as they were of the same price, he did not know that I am already using the LG Nexus 4. Along with great customer support the store also offers a great consumer experience. The store has separate end-counters for different smartphone brands such as Nokia, BlackBerry, Apple, Samsung and other brands such as Braun. You can play along with the phones, tablets, laptops, kitchen appliances and test them before settling in for one. (Note: You cannot wash you clothes in the washing machine under the pretext of testing it, seriously you can't). They also having charts with help you choose a laptop for yourself.

The Learning Wall.
The most intriguing way helping of helping someone buy a television set is to bring them to a place, which they call it, 'The Learning Wall'. It is a wall which has television sets of all sizes mounted on it, the floor marked with distances in ft and a sofa at the end. With the help of this you can actually experience how the screen will look at a certain distance from the seating arrangement. This is the most helpful and consumer-orientated service that can be provided to a person struggling to buy a television for himself.

Summing it up; the stop at the store was amazing, enjoyable, knowledgeable and turned my visit to an experience. Although the goods are priced as the companies has asked them to, the consumer experience they provide is simply invincible. They are trying to change the rules of the game of electronics by not changing the prices but giving the buyer a helping hand in buying; and I feel they have succeeded.

Top 7 in iOS 7

2013-06-11T01:52:00.001+05:30

An end to the era of skeuomorph for the iOS as its 7th update comes with a flatter, pastel and a plain look. Apple, for the first time has experimented to change its look as using iOS had becoming 'boring' for many users. The iOS 7 has got a complete makeover. The trademark 'slide to unlock' lock screen would have no shiny bars at the bottom with the clock at the top Instead, it is translucent above the background image. The network bars have been sent off and white-dots have been used to tell you the network coverage. The apps all seem to have a white base, except for the stocks app which has a black background and the weather app, which shows motion in the background to convey the current weather. Jony Ive wants you to think and live in the 'now' as the notification center is more about today and there is a separate tab for the events of tomorrow. A slimmer look, changed lock screen, new notification bar, tons of news features have given the new iOS a complete plastic surgery.

Top 7 features of iOS 7:
CONTROL CENTER

Control Center is a pull-up tray which gives you access to a few settings . You can adjust brightness, volume, Wifi, Airplane mode, rotation lock and Bluetooth.

MULTITASKING

Multitasking has become smarter with iOS 7. The apps running in the background pop-up onto the full screen and not in the tray as they did in the previous iOS at the bottom of the iPhone. It gets even smarter when it updates content timely.

AIRDROP
Now this is something new and interesting which can be used for close proximity file sharing. AirDrop allows you to share photos, videos, contacts — and anything else from any app with a Share button. Just select the person you want to send the file and it is sent using WiFi or Bluetooth. Airdrop supports iPhone 5, iPad 4th gen, iPad Mini

SIRI

Siri has got a fresh set of vocal cords. It has also learnt French and German. The user interface has received a face-lift with a sound-wave graphic at the bottom. Siri can do a lot more for you. You can ask her to turn on Bluetooth, increase screen brightness, it is faster in answering questions and checks more sources. It is integrated with twitter, Wikipedia and Bing. Yes Bing.

IOS IN THE CAR

iOS in the Car is something which would either drive you crazy or making your driving crazy! iOS in the Car integrates your iOS device with your in-dash system. Apple has tied up with 16 car companies including Ferrari to have the iOS support. You can easily and safely make phone calls, access your music, send and receive messages, get directions with this amazing feature. Sadly, it only supports the iPhone 5.

iTUNES RADIO:

Ok, let me get this clear. This is not the regular radio which we affectionately call “radio”. It is a lot more. It is a library which gives you access to the 26-million title iTunes catalog. There are 200 genre-focused stations stations to chose from the whole collections of channels ranging from Michael Jackson to Justin Beiber. The app recognizes you with the music you listen to and personalizes your experience. iTunes Match users will get an ad-free experience, but others will be able to use the app for free with a few audio and text ads.

ACTIVATION LOCK:

Find My iPhone helps you track your lost iPhone, now it can help you protect it too!. Activation lock is a God-Developed-feature for those who lose their iPhone and a nightmare for thieves. It locks the device with your Apple ID if Find My iPhone is turned off even after the remote wipe off is performed making it impossible for others to access or sell the device. The Apple ID and password are required to re-activate it.

Anonymous Leaves A Tribute To Aaron Swartz On MIT Website

2013-01-14T16:35:00.000+05:30

Online hacktivist group, Anonymous bought down the official MIT website to pay a tribute to Aaron Swartz, a late internet activist and a great contributor to the cyberspace. ”We tender apologies to the administrators at MIT for this temporary use of their websites,”tells a postscript to a memorial note posted by them, on a sub-domain of the official MIT website. “We do not consign blame or responsibility upon MIT for what has happened, but call for all those feel heavy-hearted in their proximity to this awful loss to acknowledge instead the responsibility they have — that we all have — to build and safeguard a future that would make Aaron proud”.

Aaron Swartz:
Aaron Swartz was the creater of the RSS feed and co-founder Reddit, Demand Progress, Avaaz and a brave-heart in the SOPA/PIPA campaign. He committed sucide on January 11, 2013 in New York at the age of 26. Schwartz was in the news in 2011 for taking 4 million documents from JSTOR, an online aggregator of scientific journals. He was charged with computer fraud by the U.S. Attorney Massachusetts.

Hacked Website Details:

" In Memoriam, Aaron Swartz, November 8, 1986 – , Requiescat in pace.

A brief message from Anonymous.

Whether or not the government contributed to his suicide, the government’s prosecution of Swartz was a grotesque miscarriage of justice, a distorted and perverse shadow of the justice that Aaron died fighting for — freeing the publicly-funded scientific literature from a publishing system that makes it inaccessible to most of those who paid for it — enabling the collective betterment of the world through the facilitation of sharing — an ideal that we should all support.

Moreover, the situation Aaron found himself in highlights the injustice of U.S. computer crime laws, particularly their punishment regimes, and the highly-questionable justice of pre-trial bargaining. Aaron’s act was undoubtedly political activism; it had tragic consequences.

Our wishes
We call for this tragedy to be a basis for reform of computer crime laws, and the overzealous prosecutors who use them.
We call for this tragedy to be a basis for reform of copyright and intellectual property law, returning it to the proper principles of common good to the many, rather than private gain to the few.
We call for this tragedy to be a basis for greater recognition of the oppression and injustices heaped daily by certain persons and institutions of authority upon anyone who dares to stand up and be counted for their beliefs, and for greater solidarity and mutual aid in response.
We call for this tragedy to be a basis for a renewed and unwavering commitment to a free and unfettered internet, spared from censorship with equality of access and franchise for all.

For in the end, we will not be judged according to what we give, but according to what we keep to ourselves.

Aaron, we will sorely miss your friendship, and your help in building a better world. May you read in peace."

Three Things To Know About Ubuntu Phone

2013-01-11T23:40:00.000+05:30

The war of operating systems began back in 2008 with the development of iOS and Google-powered-Android. The two have been loggerheads in the battle to prove that one is mightier than the other. Apps, User interface, developing tools, reliability are the deciding elements and each one of them is subsequently updating itself and ascertain their superiority. Linux based desktop operating system-Ubuntu has entered the battle with its mobile operating system.

Ubuntu for phone was one of the most amazing and profound devices boasted in the Consumer Electronics Show 2013 (CES).The OS was displayed on a Galaxy Nexus and it is expected to launch in Feb 2013. Adding a mobile operating system to a revolutionary, free and open source Ubuntu was a smart step taken forward by Canonical. This operating system shows genetic similarities with the Ubuntu on your desk.

1. Friendly System Requirements:
The minimum requirements for having your device to run the Ubuntu OS is 1GHz Cortex A9 processor and 512MB RAM and 4-8GB of eMMC+SD flash storage. For a 'high-end' Ubuntu phone; a Quad-Core A9 or an Intel Atom would be required along with a 32GB of eMMC+SD flash storage. Only the quad-core powered devices would be capable of converging into a PC. Majority of the smartphones produced now do fall under this bracket, this would be beneficial for the growth of Ubuntu.

2. Works as a PC:
Smartphones today match the speed and efficency of the desktop and laptops. You can power up your PC with your Ubuntu phone. Thus a phone which is your PC can be carried around everywhere, enabling enterprise IT departments to replace phones, thin clients and laptops with a single secure corporate device.

3. Developer friendly ecosystem:
Existing web properties can be installed on the Ubuntu phone, where they can run as web apps independent of the browser, with full access to the system just like native apps. HTML5 is fully supported but Ubuntu is not limited to HTML5. To use the full power of the hardware, you can develop native apps, using OpenGL and QML, with C or C++ and Javascript compiled for extra performance.

Top 5 Gadgets For 2013

2013-01-10T22:37:00.000+05:30

With the generation shifting towards new technology and gadgets, there is a new turn in the invention of gadgets and devices which is a new step in technology. In the past year there were lots of innovations in technical market like smartphones, LCD’s, cameras and more. These devices were applauded by all the audiences and earned overwhelming responses in the market. This year 2013 is much awaited for new gadgets which are about due to launch in the coming time. Here are top five latest gadgets for the year 2013:

Alienware M17X:
This device provides a new and fresh look to technology as Dell has
introduced the future of knowledge with Alienware M17X. This is a special laptop which
is especially for freak gamers who are aiming for powerful graphics and demonstration of
gaming. It has got 17.3 inch display with AMD Readon HD screen. This laptop is built with
the Intel core intelligent i7 Processor of 2GHz. It is enabled with 8GB RAM and 1500GB
hard drive. It is also inbuilt with Windows 7 Home premium Edition.

Kindle Paperwhite:
This Kindle Paperwhite is an amazing tablet which comprises
stunning features. This device is also called as eBook reader which is an invention form
Amazon. It has got fascinating battery life, amazing display of 6 inch capacitive touchscreen and immense storage capacity of 2GB which is equal to 1100 eBooks. It will give you the full pleasure of reading. This is a power saving device in terms of the battery as it lasts for at least 8 weeks.

CES 2013 Samsung NX100:
This one is a magnificent innovation for Samsung Corp. A compatible compact camera with mirror less and is enabled with 3D lens. This camera is full HD and is called as the smart camera which has 20.4 MP APS-CMOS sensors which captures quality images for you. It also has the system of Autofocus with image engine to deliver quality image. It can also be connected to Wi-Fi. It has the sense to capture 2D and 3D images.

Kickstarter Project, Sphericam:
This is also a stunning device which can be used in your
business and can make effective presentations. This Projector is enabled with GPS and
provides you live internet streaming and the special thing is the camera can be rotated 360 degrees. It is due to launch in January, 2013. It also provides you with 2 hours of recording time with amazing battery power.

Xbox 360 7th Gen:
This device is a gamer console which is fresh innovation from Microsoft. This
device is the seventh generation in the gaming console and is due to launch in November,
2013. It is featured with Blue-Ray compatibility and is enabled with super features like the
Sony Play Station 3. You can also download software’s, gamed, demos, trailers, TV shows
and music videos through Windows Media Centre.

The above are the latest gadgets for the year 2013 and have got amazing reviews. These devices are worth to buy and if you can’t afford then don’t worry you can opt for cash payday and these loans are instant loans which are approved without any contracts and agreements.

About the Author: This Guest Post was contributed by Diana Koral , a Passionate Guest blogger from Manchester, UK. Apart from blogging she does research on payday loans.You can Find out more blogs of her @financeport on twitter.

Only 10% Use Jelly Bean

2013-01-04T14:05:00.000+05:30

Based on the previous chart Android user analysis, only 1.8% of the
total Android smartphones were using the latest operating system. A few months thereafter, according to the visitors on the Google Play Store during the study of 14 days statistical data has been developed. According to the new data, there has been a exponential rise of 8.2% in smartphones using Jelly Bean. Gingerbread (2.3.3-2.3.7) is still the most popular and used operating system of Android.

The predecessor, Ice Cream Sandwich is powering 29.1% of the Android smartphones. The initial builds; Donut, Eclair and Froyo are being used by 0.2%, 2.4% and 9.0% of the smartphones. Honeycomb was developed to run only on tablets and is currently employed by 2.5% of the devices running Android.

Help to Developers:
Such analytical data helps developers producing the Android versions to understand the devices and people using it and the helps in deciding the frequency of the updates they give. It also guides the local application creators to develops apps as it help them to choose a platform version which is being used by most of the consumers.

Sony Xperia VL

2012-12-15T14:06:00.000+05:30

When we talk about Sony there are only two things that get registered in our brains,either the Play Station or the Xperia. Well this time we're going to focus on the latter. The multinational conglomerate company has come up with an augmentation of its Xperia V. The Sony Xperia VL,which has been rumoured to kick-off on November 2nd of this year,will feature the Xperia V's dust and water resistant amazing curvy structure.The Xperia VL has inherited Bravia's slim sensor-on-lens 720p HD display. The 4.3inch phone runs on the rapid 1.5 GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor. At its heart lies a storage capacity of 16GB,expandable via a microSD card, and a 1GB RAM.

Now if you're into photography,this phone is the right tool for you. It's packed with a 13-megapixel rear camera and a 3.1-megapixel front-facing camera. Plain awesome. This version of the Xperia runs on the 4.0.4 Ice-Cream Sandwich operating system,a bit of a disappointment if you might add. However there is no need to get tensed up as the phone can be upgraded to the 4.1 Jelly-Bean.

The Xperia VL has an average battery life of 1700mAh. But since it's Sony,it's bound to have something sneakily special about it. Xperia VL will feature the Sony Applications,completely packed with the WALKMAN application, Album application and Movie application. Rumour has it that the Sony Xperia VL is expected to be priced around ¥30,000 (approximately $385) which is a pretty neat deal.

Specifications at a glance :

Display: 4.3 inch 720p HD Reality Display.
Processor: 1.5 GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor with a 1GB RAM.
Storage Capacity: 16GB,expandable via microSD card.
Camera: 13 megapixel rear camera and 3.1 megapixel front-facing camera.
OS: 4.0.4 Ice-Cream Sandwich Android system,upgradable up to 4.1 Jelly-Bean.
Battery Life: 1700mAh.
Cost: ¥30,000 (approximately $385).
Release Date: November 2nd 2012.

The Little Galaxy S3

2012-10-12T01:37:00.003+05:30

Samsung revealed it's mini version of Galaxy S3 later his evening in a surprise event. S3 Mini has got similar Design as of it's big brother S3. From its previous releases, it was quite evident that Samsung wants to create a design quotient for itself as its new phones like S3, Note 2, S duos and S3 mini have a similar shape and design. Though, this design saves Samsung from the patent war that they earlier got into but fails to match upto the designs of its competitors.

The phone has got a 4-inch Super AMOLED screen, with a display of 800 X 480. The phone is powered by a dual core ,1 GHz processor and 1 GB of RAM. The original 8-Megapixel camera is replaced by a 5-Megapixel camera in the mini version. The device also holds support for NFC.
The device comes with an internal memory of 8 GB and is expandable up to 32 GB. Good news for android fans, no need to wait for upgrade in this one, because the phone comes with latest flavor of Android( 4.1,Jelly Bean). This looks like a mid range device so we are expecting a price of around $515 (Rs 27,000).

Tech Specs:
Display: 4 inches Super AMOLED display
Processor: 1 GHz Dual core processor
RAM : 1GB
Camera: Rear 5MP and front VGA
OS: Android 4.1 jelly Bean

Memory: 8GB internal and expandable up to 32 GB

Connectivity: 3G, WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, optional NFC.

A Sharp RAZR In HD

2012-10-11T00:00:00.000+05:30

On 18th October 2012 Motorola is going to unveil a special treat for all it's fans out there,the Motorola RAZR HD and RAZR MAXX HD. The 4.7 inch smartphone has a bare minimum weight of 146 grams. It comes with a striking Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen with a 1280x720 display and sports the colloquial Gorilla Glass protective screen. The "eye-catching" feature of the RAZR HD and RAZR MAXX HD is its amazing camera. Although this phone houses only an 8-Megapixel camera,touch-focus,geo-tagging,face detection and image stabilisation are the main traits of the camera on this powerhouse (and yes,it does have a secondary camera of 1.3-Megapixel as well).The RAZR HD has an internal storage space of 16GB,expandable upto 32GB via a microSD card,while the RAZR MAXX HD,having the same screen size,has double the storage when compared to the RAZR HD.

The one attribute,which is going to come as a let down to all,is the OS of this phone. Running on the Android 4.0.4 ICS,the phone is pretty fast as it has a 1.5GHz dual-core processor. Fortunately Motorola has heard the cry of the common man and has decided to release an update,of Android 4.1 Jelly-Bean,for its two upcoming phones.

Specifications at a glance:

Display: 4.7 inch Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen with Gorilla Glass and a resolution of 1280x720 pixels.
OS: Android 4.0.4 Ice-Cream Sandwich (upgradeable to 4.1 Jelly-Bean).
Processor: 1.5 GHz dual-core processor with a 1GB RAM.
Storage: 16GB (internal) for the RAZR HD and 32GB for the RAZR MAXX HD,both expandable via microSD cards.
Camera: 8-Megapixel rear camera and 1.3-Megapixel secondary camera.

Battery: 2530mAh for the RAZR HD and 3300mAh for the RAZR MAXX HD.
Cost: The Motorola RAZR HD would make your wallet light by $200 while the RAZR MAXX HD would be yours for an additional $100.

ASUS Padfone 2 Coming This October 16th

2012-10-08T18:32:00.001+05:30

16 October,2012. Remember this date,because on this day ASUS is going to announce the release of its latest tablet/smart phone, the PadFone 2,in Milan,Taipei and Taiwan. The official announcement of this device's specifications haven't been made yet, but thanks to a leak a summary of its blueprint can be made.

The PadFone 2 is expected to come with a 13-Megapixel camera packed with an auto-focus feature and LED flash. It also houses a 1.2-Megapixe front-facing camera. This new gadget comes with a 4.7 inch HD Super IPS+ display with a resolution of 1280x720 pixels. A 1.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 APQ8064 processor is assembled at its heart which is built on the recent 4.0.3 Ice-Cream Sandwich Android system. The device runs on a 2GB RAM and has a 2,140 mAh battery pack. This entire set-up weighs only 135grams and is 9mm thick. Now that's slick! It is also rumored to have 4G LTE connectivity. However the price and availability of the PadFone 2 remains a mystery,which can only be solved after 16th October.

Specifications at a glance:

Display: 4.7 inch display with a reolution of 1280x720 pixels.
Processor: 1.5 GHz quad-core processor.
OS: Android 4.0.3 Ice-Cream Sandwich.
RAM: 2GB RAM.
Camera: 13-Megapixe rear camera accompanied by a 1.2-Megapixefront camera.

Weight: 135grams and 9mm thick
Connectivity: WiFI, Bluetooth, NFC and 4G LTE

Posted By Karan Jaisinghani

Fully Integrated With Sony, Xperia T

2012-10-07T20:53:00.002+05:30

If you are planning on buying a digital camera and a smart phone as well then hold on,no need to bustle into the decision. Instead of spending a hoard of money on the two, you should seriously consider the new Sony Xperia T. Sony's latest installment to the technological world would probably blow away your mind.

The 4.6 inch phone is packed with a powerful 13-Megapixel camera. That's really amazing. It also has a 1.3-Megapixel front camera. Since the Xperia T is new to the market you would expect it to come with the up to date 4.1 Jelly-Bean Android system. However this is not the case with this phone. The phone runs only on the 4.0.3 Ice-Cream Sandwich system. It has an internal storage of 16GB,expandable up to 32GB via a microSD card. Since it is Sony, there are a few features in the Xperia T that you wouldn't find in any other smartphone.

Sony has taken features from its Bravia TV and added it to this phone to give it an amazing LED backlit LCD display. The Sony Entertainment Network allows you to buy songs and rent movies and the Playstation Certification lets you play PS games. This phone runs on a decent 1.5 GHz dual core processor and has an average battery life of 1850 mAh. The Sony Xperia T is available at a price of approximately Rs.33,000 so it should save you a bunch on money and the urgency to buy a new camera

Specifications at a glance:

Display: 4.6 inch LED backlit LCD display.

Camera: 13-Megapixel rear camera accompanied by a 1.3-Megapixel front camera.

Storage: 16GB internal storage which is expandable upto 32GB via microSD card.

Processor: Built on a 1.5GHz dual-core processor which runs on the 4.0.3 Ice-Cream Sandwich Android system

Battery: 1850 mAh

Price: Approximately Rs.33,000

Posted by Karan Jaisinghani

Facebook Hits A Billion Users Mark

2012-10-04T19:52:00.000+05:30

Facebook, the world largely used network today announced that it has achieved a milestone of reaching out to one billion active monthly users. The 1 billion user count is up from the end of June, when it had 955 million active monthly users. The CEO of California-based social network portal made the announcement through his own Facebook account : "This morning, there are more than one billion people using Facebook actively each month. If you're reading this: thank you for giving me and my little team the honor of serving you.Helping a billion people connect is amazing, humbling and by far the thing I am most proud of in my life. I am committed to working every day to make Facebook better for you, and hopefully together one day we will be able to connect the rest of the world too."

Facebook has also shared a number of jaw dropping facts associated with users along with the announcement, including 1.13 trillion Likes since its 2009 launch, 1.13 trillion Likes 219 billion photos uploaded, 17 billion location-tagged posts and 62.6 million songs played some 22 billion times. The median age of a Facebook user is 22 and the top five user countries were Brazil, India, Indonesia, Mexico and the United States.

Mark Zukerberg shares a video on reaching such a mileston, "The Things That Connect Us"

The Elite HP 'ElitePad 900' Slate

2012-10-02T14:05:00.001+05:30

HP has done it again. The American multinational company has come up with yet again another gadget to blow away minds, the HP ElitePad 900 Windows 8 tablet. Just like all the tablets being conceived these days the ElitePad 900 features a 10.1 inch IPS HD display accompanied with a scratch-resistant Gorilla glass screen. Weighing in at approximately 1.5 pounds, its lighter than its foes. It comes with its very own special Productivity Jacket which includes an integrated keyboard,connectivity ports and SD card reader. The tablet also houses a number of other accessories which may be pretty unnecessary and useless for the common man but may be useful for industrialists. The HP Executive Pen,which is to be used for writing messages and notes directly onto the screen,is another accessory which comes coupled with the 4G enabled tablet.

The ElitePad boasts of a 8-Megapixel rear camera and 1080p HD front camera as well. Built on the Intel Clover Trail processor this tab houses a 2GB RAM and comes in 32GB and 64GB storage options. It does have a microSD slot as well but there are no USB ports on this tablet, which may turn out to be a disadvantage in the long run.

Expected to be available in the U.S by January 2013,the HP ElitePad 900 is bound to give competition to all the other tablets out on the shel.

Specifications at a glance

Display: 10.1 inch scratch resistant Gorilla glass screen.

OS: Powered by Windows 8

Camera: 8-Megapixel rear camera 1080p HD front camera.

RAM & Storage: Powered by a 2GB RAM and available in 32GB and 64GB storage options.

Processor: Built on the Intel Clover Trail processor.

Mobile Connectivity: 4G enabled

Accessories: Comes with its very own docking station and a number of HP Smart Jackets unique to the ElitePad 900.

Price: Pricing information yet to be announced.

Launch: To be launched in the U.S in January 2013.

posted by Karan Jaisinghani

WikiPad, A Gaming Console Plus Tablet

2012-09-30T17:55:00.000+05:30

With brand new tablets coming out almost every single day the common man must have definitely lost track of all the technological advances that take place nowadays. Well here is some good news for all those gamers out there. The Android based gaming tablet, WikiPad, is to be released on 31st October,2012. WikiPad is a private company named after its first 'to be released' product,the WikiPad tablet.

WikiPad is an extremely high-end tablet. With a 1280x800 display,the gaming tablet has a 10.1 inch scratch resistant Gorilla glass screen. Neat! Built on a 1.4 GHz quad-core processor this tablet has an internal memory of 16GB (expandable upto 32GB) and consists of a 1GB RAM. Since this tablet is new to the market,it is only right that it should be built on the latest Android software,the Android 4.1 Jelly-Bean.

Here comes the most interesting fact about the WikiPad. It comes with its very own detachable controller containing a set of buttons and dual analog sticks. Now that's cool.
After all this you must be wondering how much would the cost of this gadget be. Well it starts at an introductory price of $499. That's not cheap. WikiPad CEO,James Bower,defends the $499 price tag that comes with his tablet. He says that "If you're going to spend $249 to buy a PS Vita and $499 for an iPad,why not buy the WikiPad for $499? That way you can have the best of both worlds". Well he does have a point there.

Specifications at a glance :

10.1 inch scratch resistant Gorilla glass screen with a 1280x800 display.

own detachable controller.

16GB internal memory (expandable upto 32GB) with a 1GB RAM.

1.4 GHz Tegra 3 T30S quad-core processor.

Built on the latest Android 4.1 Jelly-Bean.

To be released on October 31st,2012.

Introductory price of $499.

Post by Karan Jaisinghani

Xtra Experience In Xperia S

2012-09-29T06:34:00.003+05:30

After the extreme ascendancy of Sony's Tablet P and Tablet S last year,the Japanese tech-giant decides to take it to the next level this time by releasing its latest addition to the tablet world, the Sony Xperia Tablet S. Built on the conventional Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich,the 9.4-inch tablet has still retained the magazine-like fold fashionable to the original Tablet S and P. Almost all the ports and hardware keys of this tablet are 'invisible',either buried underneath folds or hidden beneath a piece of plastic. That makes the tablet,when viewed from a side angle,look like a plain black rectangular slate levitating and suspended only by a folded-over wedge.
One thing that you won't need to worry about, after buying this tablet, is going to the market to buy a mirror. That is because this tablet reflects nearly every trace of light,whether you are indoors or outdoors. Even though the tablet is said to have OptiContrast technique applied to it,which reduces glare to a minimum,it still reduces visibility in bright light.

Now one extremely useful feature of the Xperia Tab S is the 'Guest Mode' which allows you to create a user-specific profile,allow you to choose apps that could be used by others and also administer a password. That should keep all those tech-savvy kids and guests from messing around with your personal stash.

One thing every person should know is that tablets just aren't made for clicking pictures. The only use of a tablet camera is to click pictures on the go when you don't have your camera or smartphone with you. However this tab is different. It comes packed with an 8 Megapixel camera which can click pretty decent pictures, when focused properly.

Specifications at a glance:

Built on Android 4.0.3 Ice Cream Sandwich.
8 MP rear camera accompanied by a 1 MP front camera.
Upto 10 hours of battery life.9.4 inch screen with a 1280x800 display and capacitive touchscreen.
Comes with a 64GB built in storage.
Packed with a 1.3 GHz quad-core processor and 1GB RAM.

guest post by Karan Jaisinghani

A 'Holy' Book? Nook

2012-09-27T17:39:00.000+05:30

Ever heard of Barnes & Noble? If you haven't means you definitely stay outside the U.S.A because Barnes & Noble is the largest U.S bookstare chain with over 1300 stores in all 50 U.S states. The bookstore company has also launched its very own tablet,the Nook,in November 2010 and this year released an expansion to its tablet,the 7-inch Nook HD and 9-inch Nook HD+.

One of the most special features of these tablets is that they're literally featherweight! The smaller of the two tablets,having a 1400x900 display,weighs 314grams while its larger brother weighs 515grams and has a 1920x1280 display. Another special feature is the processor of this e-book reader. The 7-inch tab uses a 1.3 GHz OMAP 4770 while the 9-inch has a 1.5 GHz version of the same chip. Both the tablets are built on the conventional Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

The Nook HD dosen't look like a premium tablet. Its got a cheap plastic exterior and looks very junky. Why can't gadgets these days be made of metal? In addition to its plasticity,the tablet seems to have speakers only on one side,when its actually said to have a stereo software that is supposed to give the impression of fullness of sound. Another useless feature of the Nook is that the 9-inch has a hole at the bottom left corner. Already the tablet feels cheap when held in hand, do they want us to make it look dorky as well by attaching a key-chain to it or use it for other satisfying purposes.

Specifications at a glance :

Built on Andriod 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

The Nook HD has a 1.3 GHz processor while the HD+ has a 1.5GHz processor.

The 7-inch supports a 1400x900 display while the 9-inch supports a 1920x1280 display.

Upto 9 hours of HD playback and over 10 hours of reading.

The 8GB and 16GB versions of the 7-inch can be bought for $200 and $230 respectively 16GB and 32GB versions of the 9-inch for $270 and $300

Post by Karan Jaisinghani

Points To ‘Note’ 2

2012-09-27T14:24:00.000+05:30

Samsung’s new phablet (phone + Tablet) is here Galaxy Note II N7100. Samsung’s Galaxy note has got bigger and better with its 5.5 inches HD Super AMOLED Display with 1280 x 720 resolution, the screen comes with gorilla glass 2 for protection. The giant phone has got a giant battery of 3100mAh. It comes with a 1.6 GHz Quad-core Cortex A9 processor and a 2 GB RAM. In terms of storage it has got internal storage of 16 GB and There is also SD memory Card slot expandable up to 64 GB. There is a 8 megapixel camera in rear which is capable of recording 1080p Videos and a front camera of 1.9 Megapixels. The device comes with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.

Note's tradition- the S pen has got upgraded with rubber nib , an added eraser tip for easy correction and a better , easy to hold design. Users can add Quick Commands to the S pen gestures . ‘Air View’ allows you to open galleries and folders by floating the S pen above the screen.The device comes in titanium grey and marble white colors.

Specifications at a glance :

OS : Android 4.1 (jelly Bean)

Display : 5.5 inches HD super AMOLED Display

Dimensions: 151.1 x 80.5 x 9.4 mm

Processor: 1.6 GHz Quad-core processor

RAM: 2 GB

Storage: Internal storage of 16 GB and external storage expandable up to 64 GB

Camera: primary of 8 megapixel and secondary of 1.9 megapixel.

Price: Rs. 39,990

posted by Akshay Haryani

Dive In the Ocean With Google Maps

2012-09-26T20:50:00.000+05:30

Google has introduced the sea view to google maps today. This stunning feature allows you to catch all the beauty of the sea just by hitting google maps. In this wonderful initiative, The Catlin Seaview Survey have helped Google to make this wonder happen. Google and Catlin Seaview survey have used special underwater camera SVII. This camera takes Rapid-fire 360 degree images in every 3 sec at the speed of approximately 4Km/h. Because of this project we can get accessibility to oceans through ‘Virtual Driving’ just we get at it on land with Google’s Street View.

The project has been started in Great Barrier Reef, Maui’s Molokini Crater, Hanauma Bay of Ohio, Apo Island of Phillippines and Coral Sea. You can also zoom in oceans just as you doi it in street view. Although, there are limited images available in the gallery but Google has promised more would be available soon. Google has also released a video which shows beauty of oceans. For more details visit maps.google.com/oceans

guest post by Akshay Haryani

New "i" Catching Motorola RAZR

2012-09-25T23:55:00.001+05:30

The phones from Razr series of Motorola have always impressed us with their great design and stunning features. Keeping up with this tradition Motorola have announced new member of Razr family, Razr i XT890. Razr i comes with Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) and Motrolla announced that it would be upgraded to 4.1 (Jelly Bean) soon. It comes with a 4.3 inches Super AMOLED Display. It is protected by Gorilla glass screen and weighs only 126g.

This phone comes with a 2 GHz Intel Atom processor and 1 GB RAM. Intel chipset manages to click 10 photos in one second with its 8 MP camera. Camera is capable to shoot 1080p video and it is accompanied by an LED flash. Also there is a VGA camera in front for video calling.

For storage there is 8 GB of internal storage (out of which only 5 GB is user accessible) and external storage is expandable up to 32 GB. It has got a great battery of 2000 mAh, which has stand by Talk time upto 20 hours. The phone is expected to release till October 2012. .

Tech Specs

Display: 4.3 inches Super AMOLED Display.
Weight: 126g
OS : Android 4.0 (upgradable to 4.1)
UI : Motoblur
CPU: 2 GHz intel atom processor
RAM: 1 GB
Camera: 8 MP primary and secondary VGA camera
Battery :Li-ion 2000 mAh

Guest post by Akshay Haryani

Report The Bugs To Apple

2012-09-25T23:45:00.001+05:30

The iPhone 5 has recieved over a 5 million takers already, but more than cheer for the iOS 6 there was boohoo over the Apple Maps, its accuracy. Rather than getting infuriated over the inefficeny of the Maps interface, topography marking lapse, incorrect place markers you can report to Apple and make the Apple Maps better! It would take a few seconds and as Apple itself said that "as Maps is a cloud-based solution, the more people use it, the better it will get."

Users who search for a specific city or landmark and find an error can at least alert Apple to the glitch. To do so, tap on the right arrow or information icon next to the pinned area to bring up the Location page. At the bottom of the page, tap on the Report a Problem link.

A menu pops up onscreen with four choices:

Information is incorrect

Pin is at incorrect location

Place does not exist

My problem isn't listed.

Tap on the choice that best matches the problem and then tap Next. Depending upon your choice another screen might appear and after which you can proceed to send your report.

Switch Back To Google Maps In iOS 6

2012-09-21T17:11:00.000+05:30

The most awaited update to iOS was released yesterday. The development team of iOS promised 200 added features in the update which also included the advent of a self-developed maps, Apple Maps. But sadly, it received a cold response from people all over. People are cursing Apple for doing away with the Google Maps as the new maps lack in the state of the art navigation, have awkward satellite images, missing street view function, unavailability of street and structure names. In short, Apple Maps are unable to match the standards and accuracy of Google Maps. Additionally, there is no way or setting to switch back to your favourite Google Maps. But there is a method to sneak out.

Switch Back To Google Maps

Open Safari, the Apple web browser
Go to maps.google.com
You would see a floating banner prompting you to install the web app for your phone
Select Add to Home Screen from the grid of icons that appears.
In the next prompt you can name the icon, or leave it as Google Maps.

(Apple Maps mocked at an underground railway station in London)

Faster Internet With Google Fiber

2012-09-21T16:42:00.000+05:30

Google Fiber is the new fiber-optic gigabit + cable connection service provided by tech giant Google. This new cable + internet service by Google comes with seemingly fast internet as well as high-definition cable for your television. Starting at $25 a month for basic internet connection at 5mbps download and 1mbps upload it also has options like Gigabit internet with a speed of 1gbps download and upload for $70 a month this service also offers other things like simultaneous recording of upto 8 programmes, a terabyte of cloud storage of 1TB with Google Drive as well as easy search options all at one place.

Google has started the process of setting up fiber in Kansas City, Kansas, and Kansas City, Missouri and the first homes expected to be connected are in September 2012. With this new technology Google aims at taking high speed internet and HD television transmission to a whole new level.

The various plans chalked out by Google.

Plan	Gigabit + TV	Gigabit Internet	Free Internet
Cost	$120/mo	$70/mo	One time $300 construction fee or $25/mo for a year
Internet Speed (Download / Upload)	1Gbit/s / 1Gbit/s	1Gbit/s / 1Gbit/s	5 Mbit/s / 1 Mbit/s
TV Access	Yes	No	No
Storage	2 TB DVR Storage (8 Simultaneous recordings possible) 1 TB Google Drive	1 TB Google Drive	None
Hardware	Nexus 7 tablet TV box Network box Storage box (DVR) Optional Chromebook ($299)	Network box Optional Chromebook ($299)	Network box Optional Chromebook ($299)

HTC 8X and 8S

2012-09-20T19:58:00.000+05:30

Apple iPhone 5 has got two more competitors from HTC. HTC announced HTC 8X and HTC 8S as their flagship smartphones-an answer the new iPhone. Both models would be functioning on Windows 8 and come with great design and equally efficient specifications.

HTC 8X

HTC has disclosed that the design of the 8X is inspired by Windows Live Tile. The 8X has got a 4.3 inches, 720p super LCD Display , a 1.5 Ghz single core processor, 1 GB RAM and 16 GB internal storage. This NFC-enabled smartphone comes with 8 megapixel camera in rear with 1080p video recording and 2.1 megapixel camera in front.

HTC 8S

HTC 8S Comes with 4 inches WVGA display, 1GHz Dual core S4 processor, 512MB RAM and 4 GB of storage but has an memory card slot available for expansion. The 8S boasts of 5 megapixel camera in rear but there is no front camera present. This phone comes in colors Domino, Fiesta Red, Atlantic Blue, and High-Rise Gray. Just like the 8X, 8S too comes with support for Beats Audio Headphones.

HTC hasn’t announced Price of these phones but have stated that it would be announced after official launch of Windows 8 in late October. These phones would be available in November.

Attention "Console" Freaks: The Size Zero PS3 is here..

2012-09-19T20:34:00.000+05:30

This is to inform all “analogue-console” thumbs around town to start saving their pennies. Sony is all set to launch an all new, mind-blowing version of the PlayStation 3 console. If rumours may serve belief, this new console shall be half the weight and size of its predecessor.
It’s going to be available in 2 versions. One shall have acquired a breathtaking 500 GB hard drive, and the other, a more conservative sibling, a 12 GB flash drive. But don’t just regret not saving that extra buck for the 500 GB drive already. The 12 GB flash drive shall avail an external hard drive attachment system. Plus, you can even save photos, videos and digital games in both Blue-rays drive availing setups.
The 500 GB one arrives on the 28^th of September, whereas the 12 GB flash shall make a later debut on the 12^th of October. Retail prices are what Sony has in mind. The 500 GB shall cost 299 euros (around 240 pounds), and the 12GB flash, 229 euros. Also, Sony plans on availing bundle deals in the run up to Christmas featuring titles such as FIFA 13, and Assassin’s Creed 3.

After an unearthly 66 million PlayStation 3 deals across the globe, Sony is yet again back with an unconventional idea to give its users the thrills of a lifetime, and its competitors, a run for their money!

Guest Post by Karan Middha

The Next 'Note'worthy Galaxy

2012-09-19T12:35:00.003+05:30

Apple may have sued Samsung to block sales of the company’s highly anticipated Galaxy S III smartphone in the United States,however that did not stop the South Korean company from giving birth to the newest member of the android tablet family,the Samsung Galaxy Note 800.

Globally called as the Galaxy Note 10.1 N8000,the 600gram 'featherweight' tablet brings with it some funky new specifications and a few nifty features.This new device may have even surpassed the latest installment of Apple to the tablet world. Being lighter,thinner and with a larger display screen than the iPad 3,the Galaxy Note 800 is unerringly a white beauty. Unlike other tablets available in the market,which have speakers on the rear or frame of the device, the new Note has a refreshing new design with speakers impregnated on either side of the screen.

Now this may be news to a few people out there,but this new device is actually built up of plastic,which isn't really a bad thing,but when compared to the iPad and the Asus Transformer Prime it feels pretty cheap and not worth the 40k pricetag attached to it.

Other than its plasticity the tablet isn't really a let down. The top of the tablet houses all the basic controls;you have the power button,micro SD card slot,an IR beam(which allows you to use the device as a remote),the headphones jack and SIM card slot,which does not only allow you to access 3G,but also let you make calls!

Keeping aside the physical aspects,lets get down to the major specifications. The 10.1 inch tablet has an internal storage capacity of 16GB(expandable upto 64GB) with an inbuilt RAM of 2GB. It accomodates a rapid 1.4 GHz Quad-Core processor with android version 4.0,the Ice-Cream Sandwich. With a 5MP rear camera and 1.9MP front camera,this device should capture your eye. Also the new S Pen, specific to the Note 800,is contained in the bottom right of the tablet.

Specifications at a glance :

8.9mm thick weighing in at 600gms.

10.1inch PLS TFT display screen with 1280x800 display.

Android 4.0 Ice-Cream Sandwich (up-gradable to 4.1)

1.4GHz Quad-Core processor having a 2GB RAM.

5 megapixel rear camera along with a 1.9 megapixel front camera.

7000 mAh battery pack.

16GB in-built memory chip (expandable upto 64GB)

Priced at Rs.39,990

Guest post by Karan Jaisinghani