SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE II

       When Samsung introduced Galaxy Note everyone was very surprised to see that device which lies between a phone and a tablet. Almost all thought that the ‘phablet’ will be a failure in the market. But when it was launched in the market it was a huge success. So now Samsung has unveiled its new modified Galaxy Note II which is better than the original Note in every way. Note II comes with a 1.6GHz Exynos 4 quad core processor and also has 2GB RAM. Its screen is 5.5” which is slightly bigger than the older Note. Display is HD super AMOLED with a resolution of 1280 x 720. Note II is built with the same polycarbonate plastic which was used to build the Samsung Galaxy S III. In looks also Note II feels like the bigger version of Galaxy S III. With the Note II come the all new S pen and many amazing features it can do. Note II will be shipped with the new Android 4.1 Jelly bean so that the consumers won’t have to wait for any updates.

SPECIFICATIONS:

*Android 4.1 Jelly bean OS

*1.6 GHz Exynos 4 quad core processor

*2 GB RAM

*5.5” HD super AMOLED display

*1280 x 720 screen resolution

*Camera: 8MP rear and 1.9MP front

*Comes in 16, 32, 64 GB models and can be expanded upto 64GB

*3100 mAh battery

*Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, micro USB, NFC, 4G LTE

       Galaxy Note II which is blisteringly fast will surely be a great competitor to many high end phones. But the size of phablet is a factor to be considered while buying this. If you are having small palms then you will have difficulty in holding the Note II. We also don’t know how nicely the new S pen and its new tricks works. However if you are keen on buying a phablet then there is no device better than the Samsung Galaxy Note II.

PRICE : 39,900 Rs

Apple launches the most awaited iPhone 5

     Apple Inc on September 12,2012 unveiled iPhone 5, claiming it to be the world's thinnest smartphone. The new bigger, thinner, faster and lighter smartphone from Apple is launched expecting the top spot in global smartphone market.The iPhone 5 comes with iOS 6 with 200 new features including Maps app with Apple-designed cartography, turn-by-turn navigation, Flyover view; new Siri features ;Facebook integration for Contacts and Calendar etc.

     The iPhone 5 "is made entirely of glass and aluminum," said Tim Cook, CEO, Apple, at the iPhone 5 launch event, adding "You see we're able to add a 5th row of icons." 

     The iPhone 5 comes with a 4-inch retina display. High speed internet can be accessed using 4G LTE network. iPhone 5 is 20 pecent lighter than 4S. It features the Lightning connector that is smaller and more durable than the previous connector. The phone has an 8 megapixel iSight camera with smaller lens. iPhone 5 supports ultrafast wireless standards including LTE and DC-HSDPA

     "It is an absolute jewel. The software and engineering that went into this product is the most challenging our team has ever taken on," said Apples's Marketing Chief Phil Schiller at San Francisco.

FEATURES

*  iPhone 5 is 20% lighter than iPhone 4S

*  Uses A6 chip which is 2X faster CPU, 2X faster graphics, 22% smaller.

*  Voice and data are integrated in one chip

*  7.6 mm anodized aluminum body

*  iPhone 5 is entirely made of aluminium and glass

*  weighs 112g & is 20% lighter than the iPhone 4S.

*  Apple iPhone 5 runs iOS 6

*  8 Mp (3264x2448) camera with thinner lens than 4S

*  iPhone 5 has panorama mode which results in 28 Mp images

*  4-inch screen with retina display

*  iPhone 5 will support 4G LTE and DC-HSDPA

*  Battery life : supports 8-hours of LTE browsing

*  New connector that is 80% smaller than the iPhone 4S

     

     Apple's iPhone 5 will be available in the US, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and the UK on Friday, September 21. Customers can pre-order the phone from friday, September 14. 

     The iPhone 5 will roll out worldwide to 22 more countries on September 28, including Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

     The iPhone 5 comes in either white & silver or black & slate, and will be available in the US for a suggested retail price of $199 (US) for the 16GB model and $299 (US) for the 32GB model and $399 (US) for the 64GB model.

Google Maps Navigation & Traffic Data Launched In India

       Google announced advanced features such as voice guided turn by turn navigation and live traffic updates in India. India is the latest addition to the list of countries where Google offers these features. Google Maps is a free app that can be downloaded from the Play store and navigation also doesn't incur extra charges but for using the navigation you will be charged with the mobile data charges. Google Maps app can be used in any smartphone running Android 2.2 or later.

       "We're extremely excited to bring Google Maps Navigation and live traffic information to Google Maps users in one of the world's most dynamic and fastest-growing markets for online maps, and we're confident that these features will help Indian users find their way around town with greater ease and convenience than ever before." says  Mr. Darren Baker, Product Manager for Google Maps.

       The voice enabled directions will help you reach your destination by simply typing or speaking out your destination address. Currently live traffic update is only available to a few selected cities which are Bengaluru, Mumbai, New Delhi, Chennai, Pune and Hyderabad. 

"Live traffic" on Google Maps

     Different colours are used in the map to show traffic density. Green for free flowing traffic, yellow for small slowdowns, red for significant traffic density. Navigation in Google Maps also considers traffic density and thus you will be shown the lowest time consuming route to current location. 

      Google Maps saves your precious time by reducing the time you stay in traffic blocks. Live traffic updates for other cities will be coming soon. Every Google Maps users in India will surely enjoy the new features added to this excellent app.

Microsoft’s Social Network So.cl Opens to Everyone.

So.cl page with rich content.

       Microsoft silently launched their social network So.cl, which is said to help students to connect each other. The new Social Network was in development stage for almost a year. So.cl, pronounced “Social” lets users share and comment on interesting search results and connect with "like-minded" people. The site was developed by Microsoft’s FUSE Labs intended to help students on learning purposes and to enhance social experiences. 

       “We expect students to continue using products such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and other existing social networks, as well as Bing, Google and other search tools. We hope to encourage students to reimagine how our everyday communication and learning tools can be improved, by researching, learning and sharing in their everyday lives.” Says Microsoft on So.cl’s “About” section. 

       Microsoft says that the social network is not arrival to Facebook or Twitter. They are aiming add a new layer to the current social networking concepts. So.cl even accepts login via Facebook account or Windows Live Account. Microsoft has made a wise decision by not launching the site as a rival for any of the other social networks. It seem that they might have learned it from Google+. It is interesting fact that the beginning of Facebook was similar as students were targeted at first. 

       So.cl is similar to other social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter. The site allows users to share pages, follow “like minded” people, make discussions etc. All searches in So.cl are public by default and users can make their content “private” or delete it. The overall look of the site is good. The layout is similar to Google+, with elements from Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest. 

"Vidoe Parties" in So.cl

       Users can share their activities on So.cl with other users, as in Facebook. Users can follow each other or follow interests as “pages” in Facebook. The “Everyone” feed option is users can see what others are searching or sharing. Users have an option to cross post their So.cl activities on Facebook. The “Video Party” feature which is similar to video sorting in YouTube is a major highlight of So.cl. The feature allows users to create slideshow of videos. 

       The features of So.cl are minimal compared to other mainstream social networks. It is an experimental research project which help combine search with the social network for the purpose of expressing and sharing ideas, organized by interests. Thus So.cl is not meant to replace existing social network at present. 

Samsung Unveils Galaxy Camera.

        Galaxy Camera is the first android digital camera made by Samsung. It is a point and shoot camera with 21x zoom and a 4.8” LCD HD touch screen. Most amazing part is surely the OS which is the new Android 4.1 jelly bean. Galaxy camera is not the first android powered camera; Nikon has already taken that position with the introduction of Coolpix S800c. Other cool features of this camera include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3G/4G LTE and GPS. It has an internal memory of 8GB and it can be expanded via micro SD card. Galaxy camera is very stylish in looks but not the slimmest one. It has many camera modes for inexperienced photographers and it also has advanced modes which can be used by professional photographers. With 1.4 GHz quad core processor under the hood this camera is powerful than most of the mobiles phones in the market.

SPECIFICATIONS:
*  1.4 GHz quad core processor
*  Android 4.1 Jellybean OS
*  Sensor size: 1/2.3”
*  CMOS sensor
*  16.3 MP
*  Minimum/Maximum ISO: 100/3200
*  4.8” HD LCD display
*  21x zoom
*  1080p video capture
*  Memory: 8GB internal and can be expanded using micro SD card
*  4.1-86.1 mm f/2.8-5.9 lens
*  focal length (35mm equivalent): 23-483mm
*  Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, 3G/4G LTE, HDMI, built in speaker and microphone

         Galaxy camera with its all new cool features has astonished everyone. 21x zoom is very respectable in the case of a camera like this. But however without closer look the image quality cannot be predicted. If you are a traveller and want to share all your pictures you can consider this as it has a lot of connectivity options. But are all these features essential for a camera? When better cameras are available for the same price range will consumers prefer Galaxy camera over them just to play with android? Let’s wait and see…

Expected Price Tag : $630

Microsoft unveils Office for tablets.

Microsoft on July 17, 2012 unveiled a new version of its Office suite tailored for tablets and other touch screen devices, in the company's largest-ever overhaul of the workspace software it relies on for much of its profit. The revamped Office takes advantage of Cloud computing and is designed for use with the Windows 8 operating system, Windows Phone 8, and the updated Xbox. It makes use of cloud computing by storing documents and settings on the Internet by default, and is compatible with touch screens widely used in tablets. It also incorporates Skype, the video-calling service Microsoft bought for $8.5 billion in 2011. While the previous vesions of Office uses PC's hard drives for saving documents, the new Office uses Microsoft's online "Skydrive" or "Sharepoint" service for default storage. The new Office incorporates social networks which allows you to view multiple email accounts, get facebook updates etc in Outlook itself. Documents can be easily shared on facebook or published in blogs in the new Office. The company is planning to sell the product through online subscription service. Office is Microsoft's single-biggest profit driver. The last update of the office was done on 2010 when it introduced the online versions for the first time. The full version of Office 15 is expected to be available in the first quarter of 2013. However it is unclear whether Microsoft have plans to launch versions of Office compatible with Apple's iPad or tablets running Google's Android platform.

ACER ICONIA TAB A110

       Acer has come up with a new budget tablet which is rumored to be priced at 199$. When it was announced by Acer they said it would run Android 4.0 icecream sandwich but now there are some rumours about Android 4.1 jelly bean running the show. Acer Iconia A110 packs a 1.2 GHz Nvidia Tegra 3 quad core processor and a 1 GB RAM. Its main rival is the Google’s own tablet Nexus 7. Unlike Nexus 7 this tablet provides a micro SD slot and HDMI out. So this could be a serious competitor to the Nexus 7 and Amazon’s Kindle Fire. The launch of this tablet is expected to be in October this year.

SPECIFICATIONS:
*  Android 4.0 icecream sandwich (rumour says jelly bean)
*  1.2 GHz Nvidia Tegra 3 quad core processor
*  1 GB RAM
*  7” display
*  1024 x 600 screen resolution
*  Memory: internal 8 GB and expandable upto 32 GB
*  Camera: 2 MP front and no rear camera
*  3420 mAh battery
*  Sensors: Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Compass
*  Wi-Fi, USB 2.0, micro USB, Bluetooth 3.0, micro HDMI, GPS

       At this time more details are not available. But surely this will be a great competitor in the 7” market. Most of the customers who were disappointed with the absence of expansion slot and HDMI out in Nexus 7 will be happy to see this new tablet. But screen resolution and ppi are lesser than Nexus 7 and sometimes battery life also will be a problem. But enough with the assumptions, let’s see more about this tablet when it actually arrives in the market. We will be back with the detailed review soon…  

                                                                                                                                                                                                   
                                          

ASUS N56VM LAPTOP - $1610 (Rs.90,000)

Asus N56VM Laptop.
[Image Source : www.asus.com]

       The Asus N56VM is powered by Intel's Core i7 Ivy Bridge processor. The 2.7 kg multimedia laptop has a 15.6 inch full HD LED-backlight display. The SonicMaster technology,co-developed with Bang & Olufsen ICEpower gives a good audio experience. Video Magic technology is used to enhance the visual experience. The design of NV56VM is appreciable. The gadget has won the Reddot 2012 Design Award for its zinc-alloy body. The laptop excels in both video and audio performance.

FEATURES & SPECIFICATIONS
*  3rd Gen Intel's Core i7 3610QM (Ivy Bridge) processor clocked at 2.3 GHz
*  SATA 750 GB HDD
*  Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
*  Blue Ray 4X Combo Drive
*  8GB DDR3 1600MHz SDRAM
*  2GB DDR3 video memory
*  NVIDIA GeForce GT 630M GPU
*  15.6" full-HD 1080P LED-backlit display
*  Weight : 2.7 kg (with 6-cell battery)
*  Dimensions : 38.0 x 25.5 x 2.73 (WxDxH)
*  Interface : Microphone jack,Headphone jack,VGA port/Mini,4xUSB 3.0 ports,RJ45 LAN Jack,HDMI,SPIDIF speaker out.

       The laptop is very reliable and has a good multimedia experience.The NVIDIA GeForce GT 630M graphics processing unit is very dedicated when it comes to smooth visuals. The wide-view panels provide good image quality and viewing angle upto 150ﾟ. Asus Super Hybrid Engine II provides a two-second instant resume.The high-end laptop is priced at Rs 90,000.

SONY XPERIA ION - $666 (Rs.36000)

SONY XPERIA ION
[Image Source: www.sonymobile.com]

       At last Sony unveiled its new Xperia phone to compete with the rulers of today’s market HTC One X and Samsung Galaxy S3.But isn’t it too late? Both One X and S3 have proved that they are the best ones out there and Sony’s answer to them is the Xperia ion which runs on outdated android gingerbread version and having Snapdragon S3 dual core processor. Android lovers will not appreciate this and launching a dual core phone rather than a quad core phone does not seem good. But its processor is clocked at 1.5 GHz and has a 1 GB RAM. Xperia ion has no resemblance to its brothers Xperia P and U. The notification light bar in the base is missing in ion which is a shame. It has a display of 4.55” and has 4 capacitive buttons in the base. To protect the phone from scratches it has a metal coating which does a pretty good job. 1280 x 720 HD display is quite good and provides a decent visibility in sunlight. In the back there is a 12 MP camera with LED flash and 1.3 MP front camera is also present.

SPECIFICATIONS:
*  Android 2.3.7 gingerbread
*  1.5 GHz Snapdragon S3 dual core processor
*  1 GB RAM
*  4.55” display
*  1280 x 720 screen resolution
*  Memory: Internal 16 GB and can be expandable upto 32 GB
*  Camera: 12 MP rear with LED flash and 1.3 MP front
*  1900 mAh battery
*  Wi-Fi, USB 2.0, micro USB, NFC, Bluetooth, GPS

       Sony Xperia Ion comes with PlayStation certification. It has a good build quality and premium looks but does not fit very well in our hand. It is heavier than its rivals weighing 139 grams. The pictures taken with its camera are quite good but not as good as One X’s camera. Ion also boasts of HD video recording but it does not come upto the expectation. There are also performance hiccups when opening some apps which is a shame to such a high end phone. With its 1900 mAh battery you can easily get through a day.

       Android 4.1 jellybean is on its way and yet Sony launched ion with outdated gingerbread and outdated processor. Android ics updates will be available soon but will any users be interested in this when compared to One X and Galaxy S3? They are surely one big leap ahead of this phone. And if you are going for very stylish look and good camera then you can consider Lumia 900. But if you are an android addict then it is not such a good idea to buy Xperia ion.

BenQ launches W7000 full HD 3D projector.

BenQ W7000, full-HD 3D projector.

    A new 3D projector has arrived in the projector segment from BenQ. The BenQ W7000 features a stereoscopic 3D. The projector can be used to display 3D movies from a Blue-ray DVD player or a PS3 can be connected to play 3D video games. BenQ W7000  is the first projector in the world to be certified by TUV Rheinland with full HD 3D Certification. Let us take a look at the features and specifications.

FEATURES & SPECIFICATIONS
*  Resolution : 1080P (1920 x 1080)
*  Brightness capability : 2000 ANSI lumens
*  Contrast ratio : 50000:1   
*  Aspect ratio : 16:9
*  Image processing enhancements : Texas Instrument's DynamicBlack and Philip's VIDI lamp  
*  Frame interpolation is used to smooth motion in fast moving scenes   
*  Lens : Wide-range shift is used to reduce image distortion.   
*  Display capability : 2.35:1 wide screen.   
*  Video Compatibility : NTSC, PAL, SECAM, YPbPr
*  Weight : 6.7kg
*  Dimensions(W x H x D) : 428 x 317 x 145 mm
*  Full HD Optimized Optical System
*  ISFccc-certified by the Imaging Science Foundation (ISF)

        BenQ W7000 3D projector offer a good picture quality even in ambient room lighting . The wide-range shift feature in the lens reduces the image getting distorted when the projector is placed in off-centre. The projector can be connected to a gaming console or a Blue-ray player which supports 3D without any additional setup. The projector offers all the features of a normal projector besides the 3D support. The projector offers a professional quality when we watch 3D content. Price tag of this gadget in India is Rs.2,46,976.

ARCHOS 97 CARBON - $250 (Rs.13000)

       Archos has unveiled its new android tablet for its new ‘Element series’ named Archos 97 carbon. It comes with a 9.7” IPS display and is priced just above the 16 GB Nexus 7. This comes with android icecream sandwich rather than android 4.1 jellybean which its rival Nexus 7 is packed with. From the price it is clear that it is a budget tablet but yet it offers a screen resolution of 1024 x 768 and has an aluminium finish. It is packed with a 1 GHz single core processor and 1 GB RAM. The device also provides a full size USB port and mini HDMI out port. Archos 97 carbon also comes with full google certification. Archos has given a pretty good start with its new ‘Element series’.

ARCHOS 97 CARBON
[Image Source : www.archos.com]

SPECIFICATIONS:
*Android 4.0 icecream sandwich OS
*1 GHz single core processor
*1 GB RAM
*9.7” IPS display
*1024 x 768 screen resolution
*Memory: 16 GB internal and expandable upto 32 GB
*Camera: 2 MP rear and 0.3 MP front
*Wi-Fi, USB 2.0, micro USB, mini HDMI, GPS

PROS:
*Good processing speed and RAM
*Low price
*9.7” screen
*USB and HDMI out present
*Good build quality with aluminium finish

CONS:
*Pixel density of screen is low
*Single core processor
*Low resolution camera
*Could have been come with jellybean OS

        For a tablet in this price range Archos has really done a good job with 97 Carbon. It gives us all the features and also has a bigger screen and a good aluminum finish rather than plastic finish in other low budget tablets. But the single core processor is a bit disappointing. Its main rival is clearly Nexus 7 which packs a quad core 1.3 GHz processor and comes with android 4.1 jellybean. With all these features can Archos 97 carbon outshine Google’s Nexus 7? Let’s wait and see..

ASUS TRANSFORMER PAD INFINITY TF700 - $500 (Rs.28000)

Asus Transformer Pad Infinity
[Image source : www.asus.com] 

       Asus had added yet another member to their Transformer series of tablets. Transformer Pad Infinity TF700 looks very similar to its predecessor Transformer Prime with only small changes. Thickness has increased very slightly and there is also a small change in the back cover. But is there any need for Transformer Prime users to upgrade? Well let’s see about that, TF700 has a sharper screen resolution than the Prime, that is, 1920 x 1200 to be exact and processing speed has now become 1.6 GHz from the existing 1.3 GHz of Prime. TF700 has the same 8 MP camera as that of the Prime with a LED flash. Signal reception problem in Prime is also not present in the case of TF300. RAM is still 1 GB but now it is DDR3. Overall when you consider TF300 it is one of the best 10” android tablets in the market today.

SPECIFICATIONS:

*  Android 4.0.3 icecream sandwich OS

*  1.6 GHz Tegra 3 quad core processor

*  1 GB DDR3 RAM

*  10.1” S-IPS, LED backlit display

*  1920 x 1200 screen resolution

*  Memory: 32 or 64 GB and can be expanded using micro SD

*  Camera: 8 MP rear with LED flash and 2 MP front

*  25 Wh battery and 19.5 Wh battery in keyboard dock (should be bought extra)

*  Wi-Fi, GPS, micro HDMI, Bluetooth 3.0, USB 2.0

*  Sensors: Gravity sensor, Ambient light sensor, Gyro sensor, Digital compass

PROS:

*  High resolution display

*  Good camera

*  Good quad core performance

*  Smooth gaming

*  Long battery life

CONS:

*  Distorted display when touch pressure is increased

*  Less apps for this greater resolution

*  Some performance problems

       Even if TF700 is a quad core tablet there is some performance issues, but it does not happen too often. However we do not want any lag for a 500$ tablet. So is an upgrade from Transformer Prime to TF700 necessary? If you want a sharper and crisp display and a greater processor speed then you can go for TF700. But if you are after display then don’t forget the ipad with retina display. You can also consider Acer iconia A700 which is 50$ less than TF300 and almost has the same hardware under the hood. In summary, if you are after a 10” android tablet with good performance and gaming then keep this tablet in your mind.

Internet Gains Trillions of Addresses

IPv6 Logo released by the Internet Society. 
[ Image courtesy : www.worldipv6launch.org ]

       A new Internet standard giving the global network more room to grow came into effect on June 6,2012. The switch occured at 0001 GMT when Internet opetrators switched to a new standard called IPv6 that allows for trillions of IP addresses, up from the current 4.3 billion. IPv6 is developed by Internet Engineering Task Force (IEFT). More countries came forward for the deployment of IPv6 after the World IPv6 Launch on June 6,2012. The Internet runs today on the IPv4 protocol predominantly. The IPv4 protocol uses a 32bit addressing scheme, and thus insufficient for today booming Internet world. In this internet age, where every electronic device is IP enabled, we have already ran out of IPv4 address resources. The solution to this problem is to move on to the next level of addressing scheme of the Internet Protocol, called the IPv6. IPv6 uses a 128bit addressing scheme, thus enabling it to address the Internet for decades to come. IPv6 uses eight groups of four digit hexadecimal numbers for addressing. For example

1201:4ab0:58b3:100b:6a2e:0000:0710:3347.                                             

       IPv6 is adapt with the new requirements of the internet world, and makes it easier for address assignments to smart devices of the future. With IPv6 the long anticipated problem of IPv4 running out of addresses is solved.

SONY XPERIA GO - $350 (Rs.18000)

SONY XPERIA GO [Image source: www.sonymobile.com]

        Sony has added one more member to the Xperia series with the introduction of Xperia Go. It is a compact and neatly designed handset which you can easily carry in your pocket. It is made to resist dust and it is also water proof. Xperia Go is IP67 certified meaning it is completely dust proof and can be submerged upto 1m fresh water for 30 minutes without any problem. If you are one of those persons having butter fingers you can definitely rely on Xperia Go. It is designed for rough use so that scratches will not appear easily. It has an average display of 3.5”, but its resolution (320 x 480) will disappoint you. Xperia Go runs on 1 GHz dual core processor and has a RAM of 512 MB. With this hardware you will get an average performance, but don’t expect super fast and powerful performance. Android 4.0 ics is the popular OS lately but still this phone comes with the old android 2.3 Gingerbread. Anyway Xperia Go is surely a real competitor in the rugged phone category which is now ruled by Motorola Defy+ and Defy Mini.

SPECIFICATIONS:

*  Android 2.3 Gingerbread

*  1 GHz dual core processor

*  512 MB RAM

*  3.5” LCD display

*  320 x 480 screen resolution

*  Memory: 8 GB internal and expandable upto 32 GB

*  Camera: 5 MP rear with LED flash and no front camera

*  1305 mAh battery

*  Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0, USB 2.0, GPS

       Sony Xperia Go feels very comfortable in our hands and has nice look too. It also has a great power under the hood, but yet sometimes it shows lags which will irritate you. Apart from this speaker placement is not at all good. You should also be warned about the speaker volume because speaking in the phone in outdoors will not be a good experience for you. However if you are after a phone which can be used roughly without having any fear of damaging it, then Xperia Go is the best option.

HP ENVY 4-1025TX Sleekbook - $940 (Rs.52990)

HP ENVY 4-1025TX Sleekbook [Image Source : www.hp.com]

      The HP Envy 4-1025TX Sleekbook is a newcomer in the Envy series which is useful for both professionals and home users. It arrives with a 3rd Generation Intel Core i5 processor clocked at 1.7 Ghz. The Ultrabook is pre-loaded with Windows 7 Home Basic operating system. The 1.75Kg gadget is highly reliable and is good in multitasking. The 8 hours backup allows you to spend more hours without access to a power source. The dedicated graphic memory and graphic processor is very useful while you are playing games,watching movies etc.The switchable graphics helps you configure graphics to each and individual applications running.The ultrabook features a 14" LED Widescreen. The smooth and glossy exteriors gives it a professional look.

FEATURES & SPECIFICATIONS

*  Intel Core i5 Processor (3rd Generation)

*  Processor clocked at 1.7 Ghz 

*  System memory is 4 GB DDR3 (expandable upto 16 GB)

*  500 GB HDD

*  Weighs 1.75 Kg

*  14" LED Backlit Widescreen

*  Screen resolution is 1366 x 768 Pixel

*  2 Gb DDR3 dedicated Graphics Memory

*  ATI Radeon 7670M Graphic Processor

*  1.3 Mp HP TrueVision Low Light HD Webcam

*  TouchPad with Multitouch Gesture Support

*  Beats Audio High Definition Dual Speakers with Internal Sub-woofer

*  Upto 8 hours battery backup

*  Communication - Ethernet (Integrated 10/100/10000, Wireless LAN, Bluetooth v4.0

*  Ports - 2 x USB 3.0, 1 x USB 2.0, HDMI , VGA Port, Mic In, RJ45 LAN, Multi Card Slot.

       The audio features in the Envy 4-1025TX also scores high. The dual speakers and internal sub-woofers gives clear audio output without any disturbance. It supports high speed data transfer through two USB 3.0 ports and Bluetooth v4.0. The storage options are appreciable as it provides a 4 Gb system memory and a 500 Gb HDD. But an SSD (Solid State Drive) should have been integrated instead of HDD. The Envy 4-1025 can be slimmer and lighter. But when you see the price tag you don't feel it as a disadvantage. Windows 7 Home basic edition is not best suited for this ultrabook.The battery will drain faster if you Graphic card in high performance mode. There is no backlit keyboard, which Hp should have been included in this 54k ultrabook. Considering the price tag and configuration the Hp Envy 4-1025TX is one of the best in this range. If you are looking for an ultrabook with long battery life, moderately fast processor, moderate graphics and good multimedia capabilities the Hp Envy 4-1025TX will not disappoint you.

LG OPTIMUS 4X HD - $700 (Rs.34000)

LG Optimus 4X

      LG is finally back in the smartphone market with its Optimus 4X to compete for the quad core crown which now rests with Samsung Galaxy S3 and HTC One X. Optimus 4X is a huge phone having a square shape and has a 4.7” HD screen. Build quality is very good but definitely it is not a competitor to the HTC One X which has a stunning polycarbonate body. It has a 1.5 GHz Tegra 3 quad core processor and 1 GB RAM under the hood. The back portion of Optimus 4X is textured and thus easy to grip in our hands. There is 8 MP camera with a single LED flash and 1.2 MP front camera. LG has done a good work with its True IPS HD display but not good enough to compete with HTC One X and Samsung Galaxy S3. With the great hardware specs there is no lag or other problems thanks to the Tegra 3 chip. It has a 2150 mAh battery but the battery life was not so good. Another problem is with the speaker which has a very low sound output. It means that you can listen to the phone speakers only in quiet places. But considering other facts LG Optimus 4X is a cool smartphone a great hardware and awesome performance.

SPECIFICATIONS:

*   Android 4.0.3 icecream sandwich OS

*   1.5 GHz quad core Tegra 3 processor

*   1 GB RAM

*   4.7” True IPS HD display

*   1280 x 720 screen resolution

*   Memory: 16 GB internal and expandable upto 32 GB

*   Camera: 8 MP rear with single LED flash and 1.2 MP front

*   2150 mAh battery

*   Sensors: Ambient light, proximity, compass, accelerometer, gyroscope

*   Wi-Fi, GPS, NFC, Bluetooth 4.0

      LG has really made a great leap by introducing Optimus 4X. But if this phone was introduced a few months ago this would have been a huge success in the market. We have already seen HTC One X and Samsung Galaxy S3 which are the winners in the quad core phones. Optimus 4X is priced slightly below them but the screen is not good as the other two and speakers are also not loud enough. Heavy users would also want to carry the charger with them always but for average users it will last for one day. In summary, LG has at last got everything right with this cracking handset. This may not be the best in the market but it will surely find a spot near top android phones.

BLACKBERRY CURVE 9380 - $250 (Rs.15000)

Blackberry Curve 9380

         Blackberry 9380 is the first phone in the Curve Series which has a touch screen. It looks similar to the Blackberry Torch but is a lot sleeker; it fits comfortably into one's palms. Curve 9380 has a processing speed of 806 MHz and has 512 MB RAM which is enough for multitasking. It has a 3.2” screen and resolution is just 360 x 480 pixels. But it has good viewing angles. The buttons are flat surface keys (not capacitive) and are hard to press sometimes. Volume rocker keys and camera keys are a little hard to press. Anyway the track pad of RIM is best as always. It has a 5 MP camera with LED flash but front camera is absent. It runs on Blackberry OS 7 and there was no considerable lag or any other problems. Audio experience in Curve 9380 is of top quality and it also played 720p videos with very small lag. With 1230 mAh battery you will be able to get through a day but it could have been better. All the cool and attractive Blackberry services are present as always. If you are looking for a ‘mini’ Torch 9680 then this is definitely your buy.

SPECIFICATIONS:
*  Blackberry OS 7
*  806 MHz processor
*  512 MB RAM
*  3.2” display
*  360 x 480 screen resolution
*  Memory: 512 MB internal, expandable upto 32 GB
*  Camera: 5 MP rear with LED flash and no front camera
*  1230 mAh battery
*  Wi-Fi, 3G, NFC, USB, GPS

           Curve 9380 is really a good option for those who like its high end brother Torch 9680 and with lower budget. But if you are planning to do a lot of typing on the device then putting a bit extra and buying Torch 9680 will be good. If you are considering android too then there are some more options you can consider which provide a good experience and hardware for this price tag. If you are a Blackberry fan then it is a good budget phone and else you have a lot of alternatives.

Banking on Facebook.

       

ICICI bank's  "Your Bank Account" app for Facebook 

      Most of new generation banks now have a Facebook page to interact with their customers. The banks mainly uses the page to provide updates of the bank and financial markets to its customers. But ICICI bank decided to use Facebook to allow its customers to access their bank account through the social networking site. ICICI bank developed "Your Bank Account" app for Facebook where the customers can access their bank accounts directly. The app allows the customers to check balances, request for cheque book, upgrade their debit cards etc. The app is hosted by ICICI bank servers. Their is no question of the security features as the communications happen through secure SSL channels. 

      With the introduction of one-of-its kind app ICICI bank has provided its customers with a new banking experience. ICICI expects to attract the new generation would-be customers who frequently visit the social networks like Facebook. More than 4,50,000 customers have already registered with this application. More banks are also expected to follow ICICI bank as social networks are gaining their popularity day by day.

Click Here to access the app.

US Comes With World's Fastest Supercomputer.

IBM's Sequoia [ Image Courtesy : IBM ]

          US has regained the top spot for world's fastest supercomputer. The fastest supercomputer named Sequoia, is an IBM BlueGene/Q System installed at the US Department of Energy's Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. It has been developed for a range of complex functions, such as N-simulations and the study and reliability of US nuclear weapons. It is also used for research in astronomy.

         The BlueGene/Q Sequoia has the capacity to deliver 16.32 petaflops per second (a petaflop is equal to a thousand trillion operations). The newly crowned supercomputer pipped Fujitsu's "K Computer" installed at RIKEN Advanced Institute for computational Science in Kobe, Japan. The K Computer is currently at the number two position in the world with capacity of 10.51 petaflops per second. A new Mira supercomputer which is also part of the IBM BlueGene/Q series and is installed at the Argonne National Laboratory in Illinois (USA), is presently the third fastest in the world.

SONY TABLET S - $400 (Rs.22000)

SONY TABLET S [Image Source : www.sony.co.in]

        Sony entered the tablet field very recently and to catch everyone’s attention all their tablets are uniquely designed. Sony tablet S looks like an open magazine. Due to this unique design this tablet is comfortable to hold and dimpled textured surface makes it easy to grip also. So in the case of comfortably holding a tablet with one hand doing all the works there is no competition to this one. But due to this reason thickness has also increased. Its specifications are similar to its rivals and will not disappoint you. This is the first tablet to get PlayStation certificate and there are many apps designed by Sony also.

SPECIFICATIONS:
*  Android 3.2 honeycomb OS
*  1 GHz Tegra 2 dual core processor
*  1 GB RAM
*  9.4” display
*  1280 x 800 screen resolution
*  16 and 32 GB variants (expandable memory)
*  Camera: 5 MP back and 0.3 MP front
*  5000 mAh battery
*  Wi-Fi, micro USB, Bluetooth, GPS

PROS:
*  Nice design
*  Very easy to hold and has a good grip
*  PlayStation certificate, Universal remote
*  Good display

CONS:
*  No HDMI
*  Apps are less
*  Charging adaptor is proprietary
*  Does not have 3G

             When we compare Sony tablet S with its rivals it has its own unique features. It has got a good design but does not look so thin. It’s pretty good on the hardware side and performance is good too. But android honeycomb is not at all user friendly as before. Anyway if you are an android fan you will not be disappointed with Sony tablet S. But on the other side if you are considering ipad 2 also then it’s a better option than this.

A Computer that can be Carried in a Memory Stick

         A group of scientists have come up with a new software that helps one carry his/her personal computer in a memory stick. The full Operating System (like Windows) can be stored inside the USB stick. When auser plugs the stick in a computer, that computer will restart into his/her personal set-up. Once the user has finished using it, no one will ever know of it. One just has to shut down the computer,put the USB stick back in the pocket, and the PC will never know it has been used.
       The personal set-up is named Tails. As everything the user does is contained within the Tails, the software on a stick , not a single trace is left on the original PC. That means no chance of cookies of websites browsed remaining in the PC, and no documents being left in the recycle bin.

Couch Surfing Gives New Dimension For Social Networking.

       Can you imagine having an interesting friend wherever you go to cater for your needs while you are on a journey - whether that’s 2,000 miles away, or right in your hometown. Couch Surfing makes it all possible. The only thing you should do is to create an account in couch surfing and provide your profile information and a testimonial. When you join CouchSurfing you are welcoming people worldwide to accept your help. You can share your hospitality and experience your city through new eyes by offering travelers a place to stay on their journey. You can bypass the typical hotel experience by staying at the home of a local and learning about their culture. You can join cool and interesting people for anything from a bike ride to a party using CouchSurfing Activities. And you can meet up with new people, whether at home or while traveling, for inspiring experiences and new friendships. The social network help its users to experience a trouble free journey by helping each other. If we are planning to go to South Africa, we can search for a couch surfer there and make a request for help. If he accepts it the rest is safe. You will get free accomodation, food etc. You not even need a guide there.If you are a member of couch surfing you can find a friend near your door steps too. But no body will reach without your permission.
     With millions of members in over 230 countries and territories around the world, CouchSurfing is blazing the trail towards a better, friendlier world where people who are different from one another can find their similarities. The idea behind couch surfing is that all types of people can share fun, trust, and friendship.Couch surfing is a big help for those who travel much.

       By just joining the site don't think than you can travel around the world from tommorow onwards. The are strict terms and conditions for the verification of your account.The number of couch surfers you get will depend on the positive comments in your testimonial.Your credit card details can be added to your account while you sign up. Dating is strictly prohibited in Couch Surfing.

         Couch Surfing has a Facebook Connect option also.By connecting to Facebook, you’ll be able to see if any of the people in the city you’re visiting have a friend in common with you.A friend on CS is like a friend in real life—it's a person you've shared time with and have respect for. By listing someone as your friend, you're telling the community that you have some level of trust in that person. Be wary of adding acquaintances, former friends, or online friends. Never add a friend that you don't know at all. 

        Unlike facebook  and other social networks Couch Surfing is a real world social network where you can meet your friends offline. The eight year old social network has by now millions of users and has no doubt of increasing its popularity.

          Feeling excited to join Couch Surfing! Click here to sign up.

GALAXY TAB 2 310 7” - $250 (Rs.19000)

    
       Samsung has come up again with a new 7” tablet for medium range customers. It comes with 1 GHz processor and 1 GB RAM and also has android 4.10 icecream sandwich as its OS. It is mostly made of plastic but it has a premium feel and back portion is finger print resistant. Its main rival is the Amazon Kindle Fire which currently rules the 7” segment and also priced much lower. Samsung has really tried to add many features to the new tab and considering the price tag you will not get any good tablet than this with android ics. It has also got sim slot which is rarely seen in tablets. If there is any downside to it then it is the poor quality of camera. However with all the new nice features and the updates OS tab 2 310 is definitely an awesome tablet.

SPECIFICATIONS:

GALAXY TAB 2 310 [Image source: www.samsung.com]

*  Android 4.0 icecream sandwich OS
*  1 GHz dual core processor
*  1 GB RAM
*  7” PLS TFT display
*  1024 x 600 screen resolution
*  Memory: 16 GB internal and expandable upto 32 GB
*  Camera: 3 MP rear and 0.3 MP front
*  4000 mAh battery
*  Wi-Fi, 3G, Bluetooth 3.0, USB, GPS

PROS:
*  Comes with android 4.0 ics
*  Good performance
*  Nice design and look
*  Can be used as universal remote
*  Good battery life
*Has sim card slot

CONS:
*  Camera quality is not good
*  No USB charging

       
       At the given price range Galaxy tab 2 310 is one pf the best. It provides a good performance and is reliable. But many users will find Amazon’s Kindle Fire better than this tablet with a lower price tag. But if you are looking for a 3G tablet which is portable and having android ics then this is definitely your buy.

Leap Motion Sensors Makes a Breakthrough.

[Image Source :  leapmotion.com ]

Leap motion, a motion sensing gadget for gaming consoles and personal computers has been launched. It is a rival for Microsoft Kinetic. Kinetic was mainly aimed for PC's running on windows and X-box 360. The main advantage of leap motion is that it can be controlled by gestures. The gadget looks similar to an USB pendrive and has the plug and play feature also like any other USB peripheral devices. Leap motion is certainly more effective than a mouse,trackpad or a touch screen. It is said to be 200 times accurate than the currently available motion sensing gadgets. After installing the leap motion drivers we can use the USB port to connect it with your PC. You can contol your gaming console or a PC using your hand in Leap Motion. While playing games you can even contol it with your fingers. The gestures can be preset in Leap for your convenience. Leap Motion works in almost all operating systems.Though Leap doesn't support Linux at present the Leap Motion team has it on their agenda. Leap is only available for pre-booking at present. The price tag of this wonderful gadget is around 70$.

Social media at London Olympics

[Image Source:  facebook.com/nbcolympics]

With just few days to go for the opening ceremony of the London Olympics social medias like Facebook and Twitter are getting active with the updates about the events. The official television partner of the London Olympics is National Broadcasting Corporation. They have already started their facebook (facebook.com/nbcolympics) and twitter (twitter.com/nbcolympics) pages. Even video updates will be available in the page. The official facebook page of NBC has crossed 161k likes. NBC has made agreements with facebook to promote the events of the London Olympics. NBC is organizing a 'Face Talk Meet' via their facebook page. In 2008 Olympics also social media was used for online promotions but limitations of social medias affected it . Now thats not the case. Social medias are very much interactive and user friendly nowadays.With 900 million active users in facebook the decision by NBC for online promotion is not going to be a bad one.

GOOGLE NEXUS 7 - $200(Rs.11000) – 8 GB, $250 (Rs.13750) – 16 GB

       Finally Google decided to step out to the market directly to challenge all its rivals with the introduction of Nexus 7. The much awaited Tablet PC is manufactured by Asus. It is a low cost tablet with the features which are way ahead of its price. Nexus 7 is also the first device to come out with android 4.1 Jellybean. It has a 1 GHz Tegra 3 processor and 1 GB RAM. It is mostly made of plastic but it feels like a premium product in our hands. 8 GB and 16 GB models are available, but an expansion slot is not provided. Some users will find this irritating. Unlike Amazon Google has created an awesome low cost tablet without sacrificing many features. Anyway with the arrival of Nexus 7 Google has definitely made a good stand in the market.

Google Nexus 7 [Image Source:  www.google.com/nexus]

SPECIFICATIONS
*  Android 4.1 Jellybean OS
*  1 GHz Tegra 3 quad core processor
*  1 GB RAM
*  7” Backlit IPS HD display
*  1280 x 800 screen resolution
*  8 GB or 16 GB internal memory available
*  Camera: 1.2 MP front and no rear
*  4325 mAh battery
*  Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, micro USB. NFC, GPS
*  Sensors: Accelerometer, Magnetometer, Gyroscope

PROS:
*  First device with android 4.1 Jellybean
*  Premium design and feel
*  Quad core Tegra 3 processor
*  Beautiful, crisp and responsive screen
*  Low price
*  NFC support
*  Very good performance

CONS:
*  Storage option limited
*  No HDMI out
*  No 3G

     Google Nexus 7 is really a game changer in the 7” tablet segment. Nexus is a rival mainly to Amazon Kindle Fire. But many high priced tablets are also challenged by thus tablet. The only disadvantage that bothers the users is the limitation of storage space. But if you consider the price at which it is offered you will not mind it at all. Without any doubt we can easily say that Nexus 7 is the best 7 incher available in the tablet at present. So if you want a 7” tablet you can definitely choose Nexus 7 without any further concerns.

LENOVO THINKPAD - starts at $430 (Rs.29500)

          ThinkPad was introduced by Lenovo after the ideapad. It is a tablet which offers many features to IT based business people and has a stylus also. It’s a bit bulky and its dimensions are larger than the other similar tablets. It’s very much improved from the previous tablet ideapad but its performance is not good when compared to other tablets in the same price range. The main attraction is the pen which can be used to input data into the tablet. But the handwriting recognition is not so optimized for regular use. It has a 1 GHz dual core processor with 1 GB RAM and works with Android 3.2 honeycomb OS. Anyway Lenovo tries to impress the business class with the introduction of thinkpad.

LENOVO THINKPAD [Image Source: www.lenovo.com]

SPECIFICATIONS:
*  Android 3.2 honeycomb (upgrade to android 4.0 ics coming soon)
*  1 GHz dual core processor
*  1 GB RAM
*  10.1” display
*  1280 x 800 screen resolution
*  Memory: 16 GB internal, expansion slot present
*  Camera: 5 MP rear and 2 MP front
*  3250 mAh battery
*  Sensors: Accelerometer, Ambient light sensor, Gyro sensor
*  Wi-Fi, USB, mini HDMI, Bluetooth 2.0

PROS:
*  Many business features for IT employees
*  Pen input is present
*  Can play 1080p videos

CONS:
*  Screen is not so responsive
*  Occasional sluggish performance
*  Bulky design
*  Handwriting recognition is not so good
*  Hardware buttons are hard to press
*  Highly priced

        Lenovo’s thinkpad was introduced to attract the business class but it seems that it will not meet the required expectations. Thinkpad is advanced when compared to its first tablet but it cannot compete with other good tablets in the market. So if you want a tablet that has got pen input then thinkpad is definitely your buy because there are not many tablets with that feature out there. But if u want a tablet with good performance and awesome looks then you may not want to spend your money on this one.