MCA B13

Flexible Samsung phone 'to be issued in 2012'

2011-12-11T08:54:00.001-08:00

Flexible Samsung phone 'to be issued in 2012'

The new Samsung Galaxy Skin is set to feature a bendable AMOLED display that will allow users to roll it up like a wrist-watch

Samsung is poised to release a flexible mobile phone, according to reports in the International Business Times. The new Samsung Galaxy Skin will feature an AMOLED display that will allow the phone to bend around a cylinder with a 1-inch diameter. Brighter than the normal screen, the AMOLED display is also low-energy and almost unbreakable, according to the reports.

Using a plastic polyimide substrate instead of glass, Samsung has produced displays that are “rollable [and] bendable” and which can even “survive blows from a hammer”. The phone was developed by Prof Haeseong Jee and Jye Yeon You.

The key material of this new technology is ‘graphene’, touted as “the miracle material”. Research by scientists from Columbia University has established that ‘graphene’ is the strongest material in the world, “some 200 times stronger than structural steel”.

The Galaxy Skin will offer a high-resolution 800×480 flexible AMOLED screen, eight megapixel camera and 1Gb of RAM as well as a 1.2GHz processor. Samsung has not yet disclosed the device’s operating system, but there have been rumors about Jelly Bean – Google’s next Android release after Ice Cream Sandwich – or a new release called Android Flexy.

The new core technology also allows the phone to be used as a mouse, a clock or a wrist-watch. Samsung has not confirmed the exact date of release.

Five Best Portable External Hard Disks

2011-12-06T08:18:00.001-08:00

1. Western Digital Elements Desktop

Western Digital Elements external hard drive is an easy-to-use, reliable way to add more storage to your PC or Mac. Simply plug it in to a USB port and start saving or backing up your photos, music, video, and files. It is preformatted for immediate use so there is no software or CD to load. It is designed for use with Windows-based computers and it can be easily reformatted for use with Macs. The compact, durable metal case provides extra data protection helping keep data safe from loss.

This external hard drive is equipped with a high performance with the transfer speed from 28MB per second to 38MB per second. This is because it operates at 7200RPM, so it is pretty fast. It is designed with the same commitment to quality that made WD external drives the number one selling drives in the world. It has a price of 4,627 for 2 TB.

2. Iomega Prestige

The Iomega Prestige portable hard drive provides a simple and affordable solution for all your storage needs and an ideal for adding capacity to your system. This stylish drive offers a strong aluminum construction and included stand which will resist good shots without damage and also can be used both horizontally and vertically as the user likes.

It has a very beautiful finishes making it ideal to be on your desktop but is a little slower than some of its competitors. It connects via USB 2.0 port, FireWire, or eSATA and does not come with any software. Within the range of Prestige it runs at 7200rpm, has an 8MB cache and data transfer speed is 25 MB to 20 MB of reading and for writing. It is priced at 5,913 for 1.5 TB.

3. LaCie Design by Neil Poulton

The LaCie hard disk, design by Neil Poulton adds a sleek, sophisticated style to your desktop to delivering high-speed performance as a hard drive. Neil Poultion is a Scottish designer worked for many technology companies to design to order any of their products.

The design is simple in fact it is rectangular and looks like a brick. It is made of glossy black plastic for a visual impact, but it’s a bit sensitive to fingerprints. It works via USB 2.0 ports, FireWire and eSATA and has 1TB of storage capacity. This device is certainly one of the best there is around in the market for its beautiful design. The transfer speed is not the best but without doubt it is something we can ignore considering its beauty.

With Hi-Speed USB 2.0, this efficient hard drive makes a great companion to your PC or Mac. The setup is nearly effortless it is plug & play and offers customizable formatting. This beautiful hard drive has a price of 3,856 for 1 TB.

4. Western Digital My Book 3.0

The Western Digital My Book series is one of the longest running product brand names in the storage market. The My Book 3.0 has the same glossy black book like covering as Western Digital's other external hard drives. The main draw of the My Book 3.0 is its super speed USB 3.0 interface, which manages to break it free from the speed bottlenecks faced by current USB 2.0 external hard drives.

It is a sleek enclosure around two inches wide and seven inches tall. The top, bottom and back are vented to allow air to flow over the internal drive, but the front and sides have a matte black finish. With super speeds it feel entirely like you are using an internal hard disk and not the external drive, it is pretty fast that you can use for both storage and for daily purposes. It has a pretty high price for the super speed USB 3.0, it is available at the price of 9,015 for 3 TB.

5. Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex

Seagate has a huge market in India. It is designed almost identical to previous versions and it allows connections through both USB 2.0 and 3.0, FireWire 800 and eSATA. The device weighs only 148 grams, with 1TB makes it an attractive option for transport.

It comes pre-loaded with an installer that includes several Seagate and Memeo utilities. It can be used with windows PC or Mac with a simple reformatting. The installer can also set the FreeAgent GoFlex up with sync software, file encryption, and a more feature-rich Memeo Premium backup utility.

The device also comes with a dock that will unplug and carry a very simple and leave the dock all the time on your computer through the USB port. It is available for the price of 4,118 for 1TB.

Linux Mint 12 codenamed Lisa ...

2011-12-06T07:57:00.001-08:00

Linux Mint, a popular Linux distribution announced its latest release Linux Mint 12 codenamed Lisa. The Ubuntu based Linux Mint is now available for download. Lisa comes with a new desktop, built with Gnome 3 and Mint Gnome Shell Extensions (MSGE). It also has extended support for Gnome 2.

The Gnome 2 extension ‘MATE’ is also available for Linux Mint 12; so now you can run both versions of Gnome in the same Lisa installation. Other major improvements are in cosmetics and search engines. Two new themes named Mint-Z and Mint-Z Dark are available for Lisa which are originally derived from based on Mint-X and Zukitwo.
The new default search engine used in Linux Mint 12 is Duck Duck Go. It also features upstream components of Ubuntu 11.10, Linux 3.0, Gnome 3.2.
You can download Linux Mint from linuxmint.com/download.php

Linux Mint 12 Review

A friend of mine had issues with configuring his new Creative 5.1 speaker system in Ubuntu 11.10 Oneiric Ocelot. He tried different ways to make it work before calling me for help. So when I finally found his system, it was in a pretty bad shape. I had no clue where to even start with. Then I learned that the release of Linux Mint 12 "Lisa" was around the corner. The system would be better off with a reinstall anyway, so I thought, why don't I just give Linux Mint 12 a try and see what happens.

I went on to download Linux Mint 12 "Lisa" 64-bit DVD release. Installation went smooth and fast, thanks to the new improved Ubiquity introduced during the latest Ubuntu 11.10 Oneiric Ocelot release cycle. All essential applications and codecs were already in place and it was quite slick too even with all the added GNOME Shell tweaks. Then I plugged in the Creative 5.1 speaker system, launched Sound Settings from Volume Menu, choose Analog Surround 5.1 Output from Hardware tab and that was it. All 5 speakers and the subwoofer was working just fine. I was really impressed. And so I decided to install Linux Mint 12 in my netbook replacing my old, reliable work horse Ping-Eee OS for the very first time.

Linux Mint's Tryst with GNOME Shell

Unity and GNOME Shell desktop environments are slowly starting to gain acceptance everywhere. Hue and cry over missing features and customization options has now almost over. Popular distros like Linux Mint, which earlier chose not to use either GNOME Shell or Unity for its Ubuntu based Linux flavor now runs on top of GNOME 3.0 and GNOME Shell.

GNOME Shell already have extensions support and Linux Mint 12 Lisa comes with a bunch of new GNOME Shell extensions pre installed and activated. They include Menu Extension, Media Player Extension, Smart Overview Extension, Bottom Pannel Extension, User Theme Extension etc. to name a few[To try some of these in Ubuntu running GNOME Shell, see our article featuring top 7 GNOME Shell extensions].

GNOME Tweak Tool also comes pre installed in Linux Mint 12 "Lisa" which makes it even simpler and easier to manage GNOME Shell themes, extensions and other minor GNOME Shell specific tweaks. At the moment, it is virtually impossible to use, configure and customize GNOME Shell desktop satisfactorily without GNOME Tweak Tool.

The Linux Mint 12 Desktop Experience
GNOME Shell experience in not new to me anymore and I have been extensively using GNOME Shell with Ubuntu 11.10 for sometime now. But Linux Mint 12 is different.

To me, one of the first highlights of Linux Mint 12 experience was its neatly executed Welcome Screen with useful links to User Guide, Tutorials, Hardware Database etc., something that other Linux based distros can also emulate.

Linux Mint developers has always been the best at gauging the pulse of its loyal user base. MGSE or Mint GNOME Shell Extensions is developed with the intention of creating a more pleasing and familiar GNOME Shell experience. MGSE is basically a desktop layer on top of Gnome 3. You can easily disable all MGSE components using GNOME Tweak Tool for raw GNOME Shell experience. The important features in MGSE include:

Bottom panel.

Application menu.

The window list.

A task-centric desktop (i.e. you switch between windows, not applications).

Visible system tray icons.

All those tweaks are brilliant additions to the vanilla GNOME Shell experience. The bottom panel and Mint Menu extensions make it look more traditional. But if vertical space is at premium, those extensions suddenly becomes less ideal. In my netbook, I always preferred Unity over all other desktop environments simple because of the reason that, Unity desktop is the best when it comes to the utilization of available vertical space. Read our Ubuntu 11.10 Oneiric Ocelot review for more on that. Anyway, I went on to disable many of those extensions in Linux Mint 12 that compromised vertical space in my netbook.

Default music player application is Banshee and it is neatly integrated with Media Player GNOME Shell extension like in Ubuntu 11.10 Oneiric Ocelot's Unity desktop.

Smart Overview GNOME Shell extension is brilliant.

Finding and launching applications and files have never been easier, thanks to the radical improvements brought about by GNOME Shell desktop environment. Speaking of applications, default list of apps for Linux Mint 12 include Banshee 2.2, VLC 1.1.12, GNOME MPlayer 1.0.4, GIMP 2.6.11, APTonCD, Brasero Disc Burner etc. to name a few.

Linux Mint 12 Review: Conclusion

Linux Mint 12 "Lisa" is a nice blend of old and new. I can sum up the whole review in a straight forward sentence, Linux Mint 12 is simply the best GNOME Shell experience I've had so far. It is really fast, stable and looks really simple, consistent. If you want the best out-of-the-box experience of cutting edge GNOME Shell desktop environment, look no further.

Samsung Galaxy Note-Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Neither. It's a tablet. Or a phone. Or both.

2011-11-30T07:43:00.001-08:00

Our definitive Samsung Galaxy Note

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Neither. It's a tablet. Or a phone. Or both. We really don't know – but it has some of the best specs around and Samsung's hoping this will ship by the bucketload.
The Samsung Galaxy Note is a phone/ tablet hybrid that doesn't really sit in any category - we've reviewed it as a smartphone simply due to the fact it can make calls, but Samsung is definitely trying to create a new category of device with this 5.3-inch screened behemoth.
It's funny how mobile trends can change. Just a few years ago, manufacturers were falling over themselves trying to outdo each other to to provide the smallest handset in the world. Motorola got them pretty thin with the RAZR line and Samsung's own D500 was titchy.

Then something happened and big became cool. Yet, we don't seem to mind any more.
Just as well really, because the Galaxy Note is just that – big. Falling somewhere between the tablet and phone goalposts, it's not as enormous as pictures may imply. But it is larger than your average smartphone.
Its dimensions come in at 146.85 x 82.95 x 9.65mm yet, at 178g, it's fairly light considering how heavy it could have been. This is a trait we've come to expect with the Galaxy line with both the Samsung Galaxy S and Galaxy S2 handsets also being light as a feather.

To look at the Note, it looks just like a larger version of the S2. The front is incredibly minimalist with only a Samsung logo and homescreen button visible to the eye (the homescreen button is a little more rectangular than that of the S2, almost in an effort to make it seem less iPhone-like.)

The front facing 2MP camera and light sensor are there but almost impossible to see on the black model. The left hand side holds only a volume rocker, the top houses the 3.5mm headphone jack and there's a power/lock-unlock button on the right. The micro USB charging and syncing port can be located on the bottom.
The 8MP camera with LED flash is located in the centre of the rear portion in the same way it is on the S2 although, bizarrely, Samsung has, once again, chosen to have the actual glass covering of the lens protruding.

We can't understand why it's not recessed as this merely makes the already vulnerable camera more prone to being scratched when the Note is placed on a surface.
The speaker is located near the bottom of the rear and just above the dock for the 'S-Pen' (i.e. fancy stylus) that Samsung appears to be so excited about.
The crowning glory of the Note is the screen: 5.3" of WXGA goodness (1280 x 800) and it is a belter. Samsung has always been renowned for its good screens with even the Galaxy S giving us that wow factor last year.
We were bowled over by the S2's Super AMOLED Plus but the Note just blows that out of the water. 285ppi is what it gives us and not only are colours vibrant and sharp, but it looks easily as good as anything that Apple produces with a 'retina' label, even though it's obviously a lot bigger.
Under the hood, you'll find a dual-core 1.4GHz processor powering this beast and either 16GB or 32GB of internal storage (which you can also expand by another 32GB with removable memory.)
A 2,500mAh battery should give you plenty of juice – but considering the size of the screen, which is always the biggest drainer, it may not go as far as one hopes.

It's difficult to see just who the Note is aimed at – mainly because it's hard to give it a label and put firmly in the camp of being just a phone or just a tablet. Samsung claims it's the kind of device a lady could carry around in her handbag but it doesn't feel like something that has been solely designed with the girls in mind.
The nearest device we can think it compares to is the HTC Flyer though that's been out a while now and is already being reduced in price. For some buyers it could very well be a choice between the Galaxy Note and Galaxy S2 and with the only real differences being size and the 'S-Pen', there's not much in it.

At the time of writing, you can pick the Note up sim-free for a shade under £600 which places it firmly at the top end of the spectrum and comparable with an unlocked iPhone 4S 32GB.
You can of course pick one up on contract as well – but due to its specs and positioning, it's not something you'll get for free unless you're willing to pay more than £40 a month. And that's on a two year deal.

Samsung has announced the first ever Super AMOLED Display Smartphone which will be on the latest Android operating system i.e. the new “Samsung Galaxy Note”. It has a large 5.3-inch HD display. The new Samsung Galaxy Note cannot be taken in account only as a Smartphone but moreover it also works a tablet, a notepad having a stowaway pen (S-pen, Advanced Smart Pen) and a superb camera. It has a Powerful Dual Core processor i.e. 1.4 GHz. It also has an 8 megapixel camera with LED flash and for video calling another 2 MP camera is present in front. High speed LTE and HSPA+ connectivity options are also supportable in Galaxy Note. The thickness of this device is 9.65mm means a super slim device.

Specifications of Samsung Galaxy Note:

Operating System : Android OS v2.3 (Gingerbread)
Processor : Dual-core 1.4GHz ARM Cortex-A9 processor, Mali-400MP GPU, Exynos chipset
Display : 5.3-inch Super AMOLED display , 1280×800 pixel WXGA resolution
Network: Quad band GSM/EDGE/GPRS , Penta band UMTS (3G)
For drawing , note-making and screen captures Stowaway pen is provided
Camera :
- Rear- 8 MP with LED flash
- Front – 2MP camera in front for video calling
- Features : Geo-tagging, touch focus, face & smile detection ,image stabilization
Memory :
- RAM : 1GB RAM
- Internal storage : 16GB / 32GB
- External storage up to 32GB
Connectivity :

GPRS
EDGE
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
Wi-Fi hotspot , DLNA , Wi-Fi direct
3G :

HSDPA – 21 Mbps
HSUPA – 5.76 Mbps

Bluetooth v3.0
microUSB v2.0
GPS with A-GPS support
3.5mm jack

Sensors :

Accelerometer sensor –> UI auto-rotate
Proximity sensor –> auto turn-off
Gyroscope sensor

Color : Black,White
Battery : Li-lon 2,500mAh standard battery
Dimensions: 146.9x83x9.7 mm
Weight : 178 gm
Announced : September 2011
Market Status : Available

The new Samsung Galaxy Note release date is yet to be revealed but the price of Galxy note is expected to be Rs 34,990 .

Mullaperiyar Dam Issue

2011-11-29T07:32:00.001-08:00

The Mullaperiar Dam controversy.

The 116 year old Mullaperiyar Dam is a dam over the Periyar river with a height of 155 feet and length 1200 feet located in Thekkady in Iddukki district. It was constructed in 1895 by the British Government, over the headwaters of the west-flowing Periyar River and its tributary Mullaiyar, to divert water eastwards to Madras Presidency area (the present-day Tamilnadu). Since 1970, Kerala has argued that the dam having outlived its life of 50 years is unsafe to maintain water at 46.3 metres—the full reservoir level—and it should be restricted to 41.45 metres. Over the years many studies have been conducted to look into making the water level safer. In 2010 Tamil Nadu once again rejected the idea of constructing the new dam over the Periyar River. Kerala though seemed sure that it has every reason to be successful in its demand for a new dam because in 1979 the proposal had been cleared for approval by the Centre. This, according to them was agreed upon by Tamil Nadu which they claim took a step back later. In March 2010, according to news sources , Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi said that Tamil Nadu would never give up its rights over the Mullaperiyar dam since that would create problems for farmers in that area.
The situation remains, ever more dire than before. The dam has cracks across it, caused by decay and the mild tremors that have rocked the district of Iddukki have only heightened the fears of the people and the administration. To make matters worse it’s been raining when the monsoon should have died down and that causes an increase in the water level. Protests began to rage in Kerala last Saturday over Mullaperiyar Dam issue after four mild tremors struck Idukki district and opinions were aired that recurring tremors were increasing the likelihood of a burst in the already weakened Surki concrete dam. It is said that the dam could break if hit by a tremor of 6.0-plus magnitude on the Richter. On Monday, water levels in Mullaperiyar rose to 136.4 feet, crossing the permissible limit of 136 ft fixed by the Supreme Court. Experts warned that a disaster cannot be ruled out in the dam, especially if there is a strong earthquake.
Idukki district, where the dam is located, witnessed a 12-hour hartal on Monday, with protesters blocking the Kollam-Theni highway that links Kerala to Tamil Nadu. Effigies of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa and MDMK chief Vaiko, a vocal opponent of the Kerala plans with regard to the Mullaperiyar Dam, and copies of the lease agreement that gave Tamil Nadu the control over the dam for 999 years were burnt at several places in the district. Lawyers boycotted proceedings at the district court and burned Jayalalithaa’s effigy. Today it is a wide spread harthal all over the state. Perhaps in a first time in the state’s history, both the Kerala government, the opposition parties & the people of the state are united in the same opinion – in demanding the decommissioning of the Mullaperiyar Dam, which has become a huge threat to the lives of over 30 lakh people in four districts even as the water level in the reservoir climbed further up, escalating panic in the downstream areas.
On top of that an English language movie called Dam 999, directed by Kerala born CEO of Aries Group of Companies Sohan Roy, has just been released. UAE based Roy based the film on the award winning short documentary DAMs – The Lethal Water Bombs, the Banqiao dam disaster of 1975 that claimed the lives of 250,000 people in China and anticipated calamity for Mullaperiyar Dam. The movie faced a lot of issues before & during filming.Veteran Kerala actor was asked by the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists to step out from his role in the movie, which he did and a replacement actor. And just a day before the release of the movie, DMK party chief M. Karunanidhi urged the Tamil Nadu chief minister J. Jayalalitha to ban the movie considering “people’s safety”. A day before its scheduled release on 25 November, the film was banned by the State Government of Tamil Nadu on the grounds that the release would disturb the cordial relations between Tamil Nadu and Kerala!

Some politicians have started fasting in protest, all news channels are showcasing the story on the dam 24/7 and people are agitated and angry. Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said in Kozhikode that the Government had convinced the Prime Minister about the validity of Kerala’s demands. “I did not go to Delhi because I am confident of getting a fair response from the Prime Minister. I am waiting for his call. But I will go to the capital if that is necessary,” he said. We await!

Cloud computing

2011-11-29T06:57:00.001-08:00

Cloud computing is the delivery of computing as a service rather than a product, whereby shared resources, software, and information are provided to computers and other devices as a utility (like the electricity grid) over a network (typically the Internet).

Cloud computing is a technology that uses the internet and central remote servers to maintain data and applications. Cloud computing allows consumers and businesses to use applications without installation and access their personal files at any computer with internet access. This technology allows for much more inefficient computing by centralizing storage, memory, processing and bandwidth.
A simple example of cloud computing is Yahoo email, Gmail, or Hotmail etc. You dont need a software or a server to use them. All a consumer would need is just an internet connection and you can start sending emails. The server and email management software is all on the cloud ( internet) and is totally managed by the cloud service provider Yeah , Google etc. The consumer gets to use the software alone and enjoy the benefits. The analogy is , 'If you need milk , would you buy a cow ?' All the users or consumers need is to get the benefits of using the software or hardware of the computer like sending emails etc. Just to get this benefit (milk) why should a consumer buy a (cow) software /hardware ?
Cloud computing is broken down into three segments: "application" "storage" and "connectivity." Each segment serves a different purpose and offers different products for businesses and individuals around the world. In June 2011, a study conducted by VersionOne found that 91% of senior IT professionals actually don't know what cloud computing is and two-thirds of senior finance professionals are clear by the concept, highlighting the young nature of the technology. In Sept 2011, an Aberdeen Group study found that disciplined companies achieved on average an 68% increase in their IT expense because cloud computing and only a 10% reduction in data center power costs.

Example:

Having already briefly outlined what is meant by “cloud computing“, in this post I take a brief look at five examples of cloud computing in action. How many of those listed do you use?

Email on the go

Email communication now plays a central role in most of our busy lives. That’s fine if you don’t go out much but if you travel a lot, this may cause problems. Unless you carry a mobile WiFi-enabled laptop with you everywhere you go or use push email on your cellphone, having an email client sitting on your computer at home means that while out and about you risk spending time outside of the communication loop. This is one area where the cloud finds its most frequent and useful application.
Online email has been offered by all the big names (such as Microsoft, Yahoo and of course Google) for a number of years and I have tried a lot of different services. Wherever in the world I have found myself, my emails have (almost) always been made available to me. The easiest and most convenient for me is GoogleMail, although each has its pros and cons.
Of course, using webmail makes you a slave to an internet connection. The first thing you do when you find yourself in a new or unfamiliar location is to try and locate an internet café or public library to launch your secure portable browser and check your emails. Privacy concerns are never far from the surface either, especially when stories of passwords to private accounts being leaked online hit the headlines. How much of your life have you given away during email exchanges?
And then there’s the issue of possible data loss, which nicely leads onto the next incarnation of cloud computing.

No need for local data storage

Data stored on your home or business computer suffers from many of the same restrictions as email and, as with email, the cloud offers a solution. Storing your MP3′s, video, photos and documents online instead of at home gives you the freedom to access them wherever you can find the means to get online.
True, you will undoubtedly be putting your life ‘out there’ and with that comes all the security and privacy baggage that also plague webmail. Most, if not all, online storage facilities have safeguards in place to ensure that you, and only you, can get to your files – but even so. We all risk losing important files, memories and such like if we suffer from hard drive failure and storing such things away from a temperamental computer system no doubt seems like an ideal solution but where do we turn if the unthinkable happens and our chosen cloud filing cabinet suffers data loss or suddenly closes down?
Examples of online storage services include Humyo, ZumoDrive, Microsoft’s SkyDrive, S3 from Amazon, amongst others. Many offer both free and paid for storage and backup solutions.

ASUS Transformer Prime Price in India – 10.1″ Android tablet powered by Quad core NVIDIA CPU

2011-11-28T08:15:00.001-08:00

The new ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Prime is a 10.1-inch touchscreen display tablet loaded with the latest Android OS and powered by the latest and the most powerful tablet processor – the NVIDIA Tegra 3 . It is the world’s first Quad core processor powered tablet .

The new NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core processor will clock 1.3GHz when all four cores are active and will clock @ 1.4GHz when only core is active .Its name “Transformer” comes from its form changing feature . It comes with an optional mobile keyboard dock with which it becomes a standard laptop . Another unique feature in it is its Super IPS+ display screen which is 1.5x brighter than existing tablets display and supports wide 178 degree viewing angle . It comes with ASUS SonicMaster technology with superior sound quality experience . It sports 6% larger speakers with crystal clear sound and high sound fidelity .It comes with dual camera with one at front and rear each . The rear camera is a powerful 8MP sensor with LED flash . There is no 3G connectivity option . It is an ultra-thin tablet with a mere 8.3mm thickness . There is a free ASUS cloud storage option with the new ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Prime tablet .

ASUS Transformer Prime tablet specifications :

Display : 10.1-inch multi-touch Super IPS+ LCD , 1280 x 800 pixel s resolution , Corning Gorilla Glash for high durability
Sensors : Gravity , Light , Gyroscope , e-compass , GPS
Others : Flash support , Multi-tasking
Processor : 1.3GHz NVIDIA Tegra 3 Quad Core
Memory : 1GB DDR2
Dimensions : 263×180.8×8.3 mm
Weight : 586 gram , mobile dock weight 537gm
Operating System : Android OS v3.2 (upgradeable to v4.0 ICS)
Storage : 32GB/64GB + ASUS web storage
Wireless LAN WiFi n
Bluetooth v2.1
Camera :
- Front : 1.2 mega-pixel
- Rear : 8 mega-pixel , auto-focus , LED flash , back-illuminated CMOS sensor
Ports :
- micro HDMI
- microSD card slot
- 3.5mm audio jack
- 40-pin connector port for connecting the keyboard dock
Ports on the keyboard dock :
- USB v2.0 port
- SD card slot
- Others : multi-touchpad
Battery : 22Wh , up to 12 hours backup , up to 18 hours with dock

ASUS Transformer Prime Price in India

ASUS Transformer Prime 32GB Price – Rs.25,000
ASUS Transformer Prime 64GB Price – Rs.30,000
ASUS Transformer Prime mobile dock Price – Rs.7,500

iPhone 4S - The most amazing iPhone yet.

2011-11-25T07:45:00.001-08:00

iPhone 4S

The iPhone 4S caught many by surprise, with Apple expected to release the iPhone 5 - but instead we got an iPhone 4 with overhauled innards.
While the masses were initially disappointed, the iPhone 4S features a glut of top-end tech that is designed to put it on a par with the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S2 - but does it manage to do that?

The changes to the iPhone 4S are easy to document - the camera has been upgraded to 8MP (with an improved aperture ratio), the CPU is now the same dual-core A5 processor as seen in the iPad 2, and a seven time increase in graphical processing power.
Check out our video of the iPhone 4S in action - is it the phone for you?
Also we've got Siri, Apple's voice recognition service - will this be a game changer for mobile phones or will it be nothing more than a gimmick?

As we've mentioned, the iPhone 4S is almost identical in outward design to the iPhone 4, which might irk those that like to show that they've got the most up to date device from Apple when out and about with friends.
However, the flip side of this is that things like the plethora of iPhone 4 covers on the market at the moment will still fit.

Apple has slightly changed the design of the iPhone 4S somewhat though, by changing to a dual-band aerial design, making sure it doesn't encounter an embarrassing repeat of antenna-gate we had to endure with the iPhone 4.

For all those that haven't seen the older version of the phone, we'll take you on a tour of the new handset: the top of the iPhone 4S houses the power/lock button, as well as the headphone jack, plus a microphone for noise cancellation.
The right-hand side of the phone is devoid of any buttons, but holds the slot for the micro SIM card, which pops out using the included tool (or a paperclip).

The bottom of the phone is pretty standard, with the Apple connector and dual speakers which pump out the (actually quite decent) sound.
The left-hand side of the phone sees the rounded volume keys, with the top one of these also acting as the camera shutter button to make it easy to snap with the new iPhone. We've also got the silencer switch too, which has been slightly moved upwards from the previous iteration.

As you can see, Apple has altered its antenna band technology to move the gaps that plagued the iPhone 4's reception to a less-touchable location.

iPhone 4S Available In India – For INR 42K (Onwards)

Latest price of iPhone 4S in India:

16GB iPhone 4S costs Rs. 44,500.
32GB iPhone 4S costs Rs. 50,900.
64GB iPhone 4S costs Rs. 55,000.

Last week, Apple announced the launch iPhone 4S and like a typical Apple product launch, India was not in the launch radar.

Following the trend, iPhone 4S (unlocked) is available in India at an exorbitant price of Rs. 41, 850 (price of iPhone 4S 16 GB model) and the iPhone 4S price in India goes up to Rs.58,650.00 for the 64GB model .

Well, we won’t say whether you should buy the phone or not, but be assured that that iPhone4S’ most talked about feature, i.e. Siri (voice recognition) will fall short of expectation in India, given the diversity in accents.
As far as the price of iPhone4S in India is concerned, this is expected to come at a premium as most of etailers are simply importing the device and charging a premium on top of it. What we however recommend is to grab it directly from HongKong or Singapore, i.e. if you are really keen (and if you do, please share your review with us, especially regarding Siri for Indian accent).
So all ye crazy ones – let us know what you think about the iPhone 4s price in India and if you really plan to buy an iPhone4S for Rs.42,000.

Need for Speed: The Run

2011-11-24T09:15:00.001-08:00

Need for Speed: The Run

Gameplay

In The Run, players will participate in an "underground world of illicit, high stakes racing," in a race from San Francisco to New York, with stops through Las Vegas, Denver, Detroit, and many other locations, making it the first title in the series to use real locations. The cops aren't the only ones after the player though, as the player "blows across borders, weaves through dense urban traffic, rockets down icy mountain passes and navigates narrow canyons at breakneck speeds. There are over 300 km of track, three times more than Hot Pursuit, making it the biggest Need For Speed game.
The Run is powered by DICE's Frostbite 2 engine, making the game the first non-shooter and one of the first console titles to use the engine, which provides visuals and car physics that "hug the road even at top speeds all built around a gripping storyline." Additionally, Need for Speed Autolog, the Need for Speed franchise's social competition functionality, which was introduced in Hot Pursuit and was previously used in Shift 2: Unleashed, is also back as it will continue to track career progression and compare game stats.
The game features quick time events, with the player for the first time in Need for Speed history, exiting their car and traveling on foot. These events won't always be about harsh success or failure states. In some sections there are branching outcomes, so if the player mangles a certain button press, they'll get another chance to pull through.

Modes

A trailer was released on July 26, 2011 and entitled as "Run for the Hills", which shows the player racing along a barren desert highway which followed a series of hills as well as containing a large jump. The player had the task of overtaking ten opponents before reaching the end of the course event. GameSpot released a gameplay video on November 2, 2011 that portrayed a race consisting of 14 checkpoints that the player has to drive through before their time runs out. Time was added for each checkpoint that the player drove through. Pursuits can also occur during races. The police in the game will utilize roadblocks and perform ramming tactics. Police cars will have a health bar displayed above their vehicles.

Multiplayer

Up to 16 players can participate in a single online match. Players will be able to party with friends, pick a playlist of their favorite challenges and compete for supremacy across every stage of game. In addition to this, players will never have to wait in a lobby again even if they are joining a race in progress. The multiplayer matches are split into differing game type playlists, such as Supercar Challenge, NFS Edition Racing, The Underground, Mixed Competition, Exotic Sprint, and Muscle Car Battles. Most of these modes pertain to different car varieties for each race, but the Supercar Challenge is meant entirely for the fastest cars on the fastest tracks. The player can select an event and vote towards the race course that the multiplayer game will be taking place on. Players will also take part in a reward system known as "The Bonus Wheel", which randomly selects a reward and required goal criteria for it.

Prior to its release, Need for Speed: The Run was marketed and promoted heavily through the use of numerous Internet and TV trailers. Famed Hollywood action director has directed a TV advertisement for the game. Talking about his venture of directing a trailer for a game, Michael Bay stated, "What I try to do with my trailers is to get your heart racing to the end of it." The advertisement features explosions, car crashes, supercars and police vehicle.

njoooooooooyyyyy...........................

Grand Theft Auto V

2011-11-24T07:43:00.001-08:00

Grand Theft Auto V

It is an upcoming open world action-adventure video game being developed by British games developer Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. The game will be the first major title in the Grand Theft Auto series since Grand Theft Auto IV (2008), which started the fourth "era" in the series, and the fifteenth game overall. The game is to be set in fictional Los Santos in the state of San Andreas and its surrounding areas, based on modern-day Los Angeles and Southern California. A rendition of Los Santos was previously featured as one of three cities in 2004's Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, from the series' third era. The debut trailer for Grand Theft Auto V was unveiled on 2 November 2011..

Experience New Features..................................................................................

Rockstar Games have spoken their first word today on Grand Theft Auto V with an official release statement on their Newswire.
Quashing the rumours of a return to San Andreas, they have confirmed that we're heading back to Los Santos only, but with the inclusion of "surrounding hills, countryside and beaches".
GTA 5, which is also stated to be Rockstar's "largest and most ambitious game", promises to recreate a large portion of modern day Southern California according to the statement, and money will be a heavy influence as perhaps indicated by the new style 'V' logo.

We are very proud to officially announce that Grand Theft Auto V is in full development.
Developed by series creator Rockstar North, Grand Theft Auto V heads to the city of Los Santos and surrounding hills, countryside and beaches in the largest and most ambitious game Rockstar has yet created.
A bold new direction in open-world freedom, storytelling, mission-based gameplay and online multiplayer, Grand Theft Auto V focuses on the pursuit of the almighty dollar in a re-imagined, present day Southern California.

- Rockstar Games

Despite all the excitement, rumors and speculations surrounding it, Grand Theft Auto 5 still does not have an official launch date.
How do we know this? Take Two has just released its second quarter revenue report, which happens to include updates on its future product launch dates. Grand Theft Auto 5 has just been added to the list as it has just been announced anyway. Analysts are saying that this game will be launched next summer with a launch date as early as in the month of June supposedly “to steal everyone’s attention” before E3.
Going back to Take Two’s product launch list, the games that have been included are to be released at the end of the 2013 fiscal year. Said fiscal year ends on March 31, 2013. GTA 5 has not been included in this 2013 releases but it does not come with a release date, either. The open-world game from Rockstar still has a “TBA” for its release date. This is consistent to the fact that nothing much else has been said since the game’s announcement trailer.

Highly extended graphics requires. Now we can wait for this...................................................................................

AKASH TABLET PC

2011-11-23T01:28:00.001-08:00

AKASH TABLET PC

The much awaited India’s ultra low cost Aakash tablet is finally here and is creating ripples all around. Datawind launches Ubislate 7 in India as Aakash. DataWind Ltd, the leading developer of wireless web access products and services has come up with Aakash tablet. The tablet is powered by Android 2.2 and boasts of multiple touch screen and Connexant CPU with HD video and accelerated graphics. Aakash tablet offers a web delivery platform that enables quality and interactive knowledge over the internet.
The manufacturing company of UK introduced the tablet Aakash for the Indian market. As Suneet Singh Tuli says ‘’ This is a made-in-India product. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to do this.”
Launched by the Telecom and Education Minister, Kapil Sibbal, Aakash comes loaded with unique features. As quoted by Kapil Sibbal, "The rich have access to the digital world, the poor and ordinary have been excluded. Aakash will end that digital divide."

There is definitely no other touch pad tablet or computing device anywhere near the price of Aakash tablet. Aakash tablet is a new generation device which comes with attractive features. This is one of the world cheapest tablet pc which is launched in India. This tab is made for the requirement of the users and especially for student needs.

Features

Unbeatable Price:
- Only Rs.2,999 for the UbiSlate
- Monthly internet charges: Rs.98 / 2GB
High Quality Web Anytime & Anywhere:
- Connect via GPRS or WiFi
- GPRS: Embedded modem eliminates the need for external dongles and allows Internet access everywhere
- WiFi: Allows fast Youtube videos at hotspots
- Fast web access even on GPRS networks, across the country using DataWind’s patented acceleration technology
- Web, Email, Facebook, Twitter and much much more!
Multimedia Powerhouse:
- HD Quality Video
Watching movies in the palm of your hand on a 7” screen
- Audio library software helps manage your full collection of songs
Applications Galore with Android 2.2:
- Games
- Productivity software: Office suite
- Educational software
- Over 150,000 apps!
Full sized-USB port & Micro-SD slot:
- Expand memory to 32GB
- Use any ordinary pen-drive
- Even plug-in a 3G dongle

And It’s a Phone!

Configuration

Hardware:
- Processor: Connexant with Graphics accelerator and HD Video processor
- Memory (RAM): 256MB RAM / Storage (Internal): 2GB Flash
- Storage (External): 2GB to 32GB Supported
- Peripherals (USB2.0 ports, number): 2 Standard USB port
- Audio out: 3.5mm jack / Audio in: 3.5mm jack
- Display and Resolution: 7” display with 800x480 pixel resolution
- Input Devices: Resistive touch screen
- Connectivity and Networking: GPRS and WiFi IEEE 802.11 a/b/g
- Power and Battery: Up to 180 minutes on battery. AC adapter 200-240 volt range.
Software:
- OS: Android 2.2
- Document Rendering
Supported Document formats: DOC, DOCX, PPT, PPTX, XLS, XLSX, ODT, ODP
PDF viewer, Text editor

Multimedia and Image Display
- Image viewer supported formats: PNG, JPG, BMP and GIF
- Supported audio formats: MP3, AAC, AC3, WAV, WMA
- Supported video formats: MPEG2, MPEG4, AVI, FLV
Communication and Internet
- Web browser - Standards Compliance: xHTML 1.1 compliant, JavaScript 1.8 compliant
- Separate application for online YouTube video
- Safety and other standards compliance
CE certification / RoHS certification
- Other: Additional Web Browser: UbiSurfer-Browser with compression/acceleration and IE8 rendering.

Software Engineering text PDF

2011-11-21T09:41:00.001-08:00

Dear all

I am attaching herewith the Software Engineering Text Book by Pressman
U can download it.

http://www.ziddu.com/download/17478932/SE.pdf.html

njoyyyy....

3D gaming

2011-11-20T10:39:00.000-08:00

The fact that to get any kind of 3D image from a 2D screen means wearing a pair of sunglasses or worse means that three dimensional gaming isn't quite as convincing as multitouch and natural user interfaces, even though the two have been commoditised at almost the same time.
An Acer Aspire 5738 laptop with a 3D display costs about £550 at the moment, not bad for something with cutting edge technology that adds depth to any DirectX 9 game. The screen is of the polarised filter type, which is the new norm for extra dimensions.

Instead of using coloured filters splitting an image into two – one for each eye – the vertical pixel columns are alternated between left image and right image and shone through a piece of polarised glass. A pair of dark glasses with oppositely polarised lenses ensures that only one image is seen by each eye. The difference to a game is tangible too, something like WoW runs and looks incredible on the low-end graphics hardware.
It's over in TV land that the real push for 3D is happening, though, as LCD suppliers ask us to upgrade again to watch hyper-real cinema in the lounge. Compared to the other technologies we've talked about here, though, 3D requires a lot of effort on behalf of the watcher (those pesky glasses) and most of us are very lazy; hence the ubiquity of MP3 and standard definition movies, while Blu-ray and higher resolution sound standards continue to flounder. We value ease of use over quality every time.
In its favour, 3D doesn't actually require any work on behalf of games developers or publishers, as the stereoscopic image is created at the driver level. On the other hand, that means there's no massive push by the people who make and sell games to encourage us to adopt it.

Wireless power

2011-11-20T10:38:00.000-08:00

A few years ago we saw a demonstration by a team at Fulton Innovation of a product called eCoupled. Using the principle of electromagnetic induction, by which an electrical charge can be stimulated in a wire coil by placing another one nearby, the crazy boffins were able to display wireless power transfer.
Despite being high voltage, they said, it was safe, efficient and could be applied to any surface. The demo room consisted of a kitchen without plugs, but full of lights that could be stuck anywhere and a frying pan that heated up just by sitting it on the counter. Put a phone on the same counter and it began charging. Clearly, this was the future.

Fulton are still working on wireless power, but it's a different company that's beat it to the shops, Powermat – and its products are expensive for something that replaces a 50p mains plug.
The good news is that the Wireless Power Consortium are going to be finalising a standard for wireless power called Qi later this year, which should mean prices drop and manufacturers have the confidence to build the technology straight into devices, rather than requiring an adaptor.
If you think that's crazy, though, take a look at Airnergy by RCA. It's a tiny dongle that can turn Wi-Fi signals back into electricity for charging phone batteries and the like.

Google's Desktop OS

2011-11-20T10:35:00.000-08:00

What is it? It's everything, or so it seems. Google Checkout provides an alternative to PayPal. Street View is well on its way to taking a picture of every house on every street in the United States. And the fun is just starting: Google's early-beta Chrome browser earned a 1 percent market share in the first 24 hours of its existence. Android, Google's cell phone operating system, is hitting handsets as you read this, becoming the first credible challenger to the iPhone among sophisticated customers.

When is it coming? Though Google seems to have covered everything, many observers believe that logically it will next attempt to attack one very big part of the software market: the operating system.
The Chrome browser is the first toe Google has dipped into these waters. While a browser is how users interact with most of Google's products, making the underlying operating system somewhat irrelevant, Chrome nevertheless needs an OS to operate.
To make Microsoft irrelevant, though, Google would have to work its way through a minefield of device drivers, and even then the result wouldn't be a good solution for people who have specialized application needs, particularly most business users. But a simple Google OS--perhaps one that's basically a customized Linux distribution--combined with cheap hardware could be something that changes the PC landscape in ways that smaller players who have toyed with open-source OSs so far haven't been quite able to do.

When is it coming? Though Google seems to have covered everything, many observers believe that logically it will next attempt to attack one very big part of the software market: the operating system.
The Chrome browser is the first toe Google has dipped into these waters. While a browser is how users interact with most of Google's products, making the underlying operating system somewhat irrelevant, Chrome nevertheless needs an OS to operate.
To make Microsoft irrelevant, though, Google would have to work its way through a minefield of device drivers, and even then the result wouldn't be a good solution for people who have specialized application needs, particularly most business users. But a simple Google OS--perhaps one that's basically a customized Linux distribution--combined with cheap hardware could be something that changes the PC landscape in ways that smaller players who have toyed with open-source OSs so far haven't been quite able to do.

Fifa 12 -- PC game.

2011-11-20T10:23:00.000-08:00

And here it is once again, another FIFA franchisee which seldom disappoints hardcore fans. Release on September 30,2011, this game promises a lot of fun. Casual gamers might not find lot of differences between FIFA 11 and FIFA 12, but there are lots of hidden twists and tweaks done to make the game look beautiful.

What's New?
To begin with, EA Sports have been playing around with the menu buttons since FIFA 11, and they have done a pretty good job here too. With short motions of Kaka doing a variety of trick moves, its fun to simply explore the menus. If you have begun with the game, you might have noticed the focus of change in the game. Its Defense. Defense has become more tactical and precise in this game. You no longer can easily dispossess your opponent and run through, it requires precise motions and containment now. A pretty good tutorial in integrated into the game, which won't be difficult to follow.
The biggest headache in FIFA 11 was the control configuration, which has been resolved in this version. You can now customize your controls in Game Settings according to your wish. And then if you explore the Game Settings, you can find out certain new parameters in there as well. Some of them are

Select Referee
Handball On/Off
Net Density
Ground Pattern
Ground Wear etc.

Lots of minute details added up to the game, which adds to a single entity - Realism.

The opponent AI has improved drastically, you no longer can hope to defend easily at the back. They will dribble, pass and cut extravagantly. Marking has also improved a lot, which makes attackers work for a goal - not easy.

A few in game cut scenes have been added up, like injury Drop Ball etc. You can also see a set of skills to be used in the Button Help menu, which makes playing the game in style easier.

This game adds to the realism of Football, and definitely not an easy one to crack. If you were a master of FIFA 11, then playing in Professional difficulty would definitely result in a 3-0 loss. I recommend to begin with Semi-Pro, slowly understand the mechanics and tactics, then get up to the ladder.

Manager mode has certain additions as well. Players will ask for rest, or a chance in the first team - which in turn would effect their Morale. The Transfer management system also has quite a few interesting changes.

Update
I've been playing Fifa 12 for a while, and now I have completed my first season in Career mode. From my favorites Manchester United, I decided to switch to Barcelona. I had mastered the game at Manchester United, but that game skill was of no use when I was playing as Barcelona. The whole style shifted, the game was no longer cross and shoot, or dribble and scorch. You had to make close passes, quick ones, and dribble a lot more. I lost consecutively in the beginning matches, but have begun loving the new skills. Now this is definitely new, styles never mattered much in the previous version, but here definitely the English and Spanish styles are portrayed well.

MCA B13

2011-11-20T09:45:00.000-08:00

Hello guys,
Here is the time for new technologies and ideaz to be share.Now we starts our emerging ideaz to public and also share new technologies that developing recently.So you can post and comment your thoughts in common.So lets ready...........