Tuesday 30 October 2012

HTC J Butterfly : World’s First Smartphone with 5-Inch Full HD Screen


HTC has launched J Butterfly, the first smartphone from the company with a full HD display. The new smartphone features a 5 inch Super LCD 3D display which supports a resolution of 1920×1080.

The device will be released on Japanese Telco au by KDDI.HTC representatives have informed that J Butterfly will go on sale in Japan during December this year. The company however has not mentioned any details regarding the international release of the smartphone.
The phone display sports 440 PPI and this fact has gathered the attention of many smartphone users in Japan. The device also features a 1.5 GHz Qualcomm S4 Pro quad core processor which will facilitate smooth execution of games and applications. It has a RAM capacity of 2GB as well as an internal storage capacity 16GB.

J Butterfly comes with an 8 mega pixel rear camera and 2 mega pixel front facing camera. The device will be powered by Android 4.1 Jelly Bean OS and will incorporate HTC Sense 4+.A 2020 mAh battery will power the device and provide ample amount of talk time and standby time. J Butterfly is reported to be a Japan specific model. However a smartphone of similar caliber could be expected from HTC for the global market too.

HTC has been recently witnessing a dramatic decline in the sales of its smartphones. With the launch of this new device, HTC plans to regain its lost glory.


Get Windows 8 Media Center Pack for Free [Until January 31]


The digital video recorder software from Microsoft, Windows Media Center will not be part of  Windows 8 operating system by default. It will be available as a paid media add-on, for which you’ll have to fork out an additional $10.

While ten bucks sounds cheap, when you consider that you are required to run Windows 8 Pro to be able to install the media center pack, the proposition suddenly turns very expensive.

To make Windows 8 as affordable as possible Microsoft is selling the standard Windows 8 license for $39.99 and Windows 8 Pro is on offer at $69.99. But these are discounted prices and available only until January 31, 2013 starting from October 26, 2012. After the end of this period, the price could jump to $199 for Windows 8 Pro.

Microsoft is also knocking off the $10 media pack charge until January 31. If you act now, you can get a license key for Windows 8 Media Center Pack at no cost. It doesn’t matter if you haven’t bought Windows 8 yet. It also doesn’t matter if you haven’t even decided you want to buy Windows 8 or not. Signup for the free media center license now – you can use it latter once you’ve made up your mind.


Get Windows 8 Media Center Pack for Free
  1. Visit this page and enter you email address.
  2. You will get your license key by email.
  3. On Windows 8, move the mouse cursor on the lower-right corner of the screen until you see the charms menu. Click on Search.
  4. Choose Settings on the left and type “add features”. Click or touch on Add features.
    Add features to Windows   
  5.  In the next window you will be prompted through the steps to buy a product key or enter a procust key you’ve already bought.Add features to Windows 1
  6. Choose the second option, enter the key you received in your email and click Next.Add features to Windows - Enter Product Key
Windows 8 will now commence downloading the media center pack. Once that is installed, you will be able to play DVDs and Blu-ray discs.



    

GTA V set to launch in the Spring of 2013 according to leaked pre-order ads

The next installment in the Grand Theft Auto series will see the light of day some time in Spring next year. GTA V will be released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 consoles around that time according to a leaked photo of a retail display.
Polish fansite GTA Five.pl has obtained photos of an upcoming retail display, inviting customers to pre-order the game.

Judging by the logos shown on the advertisement, Rockstar isn’t going to offer the game for PC, or at least not initially.

Otherwise, details around the game have been scarce with Rockstar releasing just a couple of screenshots and one teaser trailer.

Friday 26 October 2012

Microsoft officially launches Windows 8 Worldwide


Finally, the wait is over. Microsoft has officially launched Windows 8, the latest version of its desktop operating system. With a new focus on touch-enabled machines and mobile devices, it’s the biggest shake-up of traditional operating systems since Windows 95

In a New York event streamed across the internet, Steve Ballmer took to the stage to highlight Windows 8′s new features. Chief among them were the Windows store, a one-stop shop for full screen apps that looks set to rival Apple’s OS X app store, the availability of Windows RT, the cut-down mobile version of Windows 8 that was designed specifically for tablets, and a brief preview of the various different machines launching over the coming weeks.
Starting today, users can access the latest Microsoft OS on a wide range of Windows 8 PCs, ultrabooks, tablets and hybrid devices. Windows 8 will be available in two versions at retail – Windows 8 and Windows 8 Pro.

Apart from buying from the new range of Windows 8 devices, users can also upgrade their current PCs to Windows 8. From 2nd June 2012 until 31st January 2013, users currently running PCs with Windows XP, Windows Vista or Windows 7 are qualified to download Windows 8 Pro for an estimated price of Rs. 1,999. Those who wish to buy a DVD to upgrade will have to pay Rs. 3,499. This offer is valid until January 31, 2013. After that the OS is expected to be priced above Rs. 11,000.

Microsoft has also announced the launch of Windows RT for ARM based tablets, which will only be available pre-installed on new devices. With the Windows 8 launch, the Windows Store is now open for consumers to download apps. Indian users have access to a range of free and paid apps that can be downloaded including Bharat Matrimony, BigFlix, BookMyShow, Bookyourtable, Burrp, Dhingana, Fastrack Tees, Flyte MP3, Gaana, Goibibo, ICICI Bank iMobile, ICICIDirect, JustEat, MakeMyTrip Explore, MapmyIndia, my airtel, PVR Cinemas, Tarla Dalal, Yahoo Cricket and Zovi.

As many as 14 OEM partners including Acer, Asus, Dell, Fujitsu, HCL, Hewlett-Packard (HP), Lenovo, RP Infosystems, Sai Info System, Samsung, Sony, Toshiba, Wipro and Zenith Computers will be providing Windows 8-based PCs and tablets in India. According to Microsoft, more than 250 Windows 8-based devices, including 23 brand new SKUs of Windows 8 PCs, will be available in 100 cities and more than 2,500 retail stores in India.

Thursday 25 October 2012

How to Choose Your Next Tablet


It’s official: tablets are taking over the world. What was once an accessory for the super-nerd, then an accoutrement for the wealthy and techie is now a must-have for pretty much everyone. That’s not to say that all tablets are created equal.

Actually, it’s quite the opposite, as the market for tablets has broken down into a number of different segments.


This means you’ll have to make a choice—we no longer live in the “iPad or nothing” world of 2010. You may be in the market for something special, or just something to play Angry Birds on.

We’ll walk you through the wide world of touchscreen slabs in ascending order of fanciness.


1. The Basics

This category is currently dominated by bookstore offerings, Amazon’s Kindle Fire and Barnes and Noble’s Nook Color.
Amazon Kindle Reader

The Kindle Fire just got a makeover that makes it somewhat competitive with other 7” tabs, like Google’s Nexus, but devices in this category still tend to be targeted toward people who aren’t looking to spend too much and want lots of pre-installed software and features.

Additionally, the Kindle Fire HD has a polarizing filter to make book-reading easy on the eyes.

2. The Next Steps

Above the very basic tablets out there, it’s giant, messy battleground of sizes, shapes, prices, and manufacturers. The Google Nexus 7 looks to be large, or rather small, and in charge here, and is starting to own the market segment of “tablets that aren’t iPads, but aren’t e-book readers either.”
Google Launches Its First Nexus 7 Android Tablet

It’s a 7” device, like Nook and Kindle, but it’s built on a standard version of Android, which offers more customizability for savvy users. Some great bargains might lurk in this segment for people willing to scour the e-commerce sites. You never know what you’ll find.

3. iPad and Competitors

The most ubiquitous tablet by far is Apple’s iconic iPad, which is pretty, fast, and works out of the box, but is also a bit on the pricey end. This has not deterred too many tablet buyers, as there’s so much to be said for Apple’s software and hardware.
New iPad - The Third Generation iPad

The retina display (which has nearly microscopic pixels) is hard to look away from. Apple does have competitors in this market, but they haven’t made much of a dent.

4. Future tech and laptop replacements

The Microsoft Surface appears to be marketed to people looking to make a transition from laptop to tablet—its keyboard features prominently in current teaser ads. We don’t know what it will cost precisely, but it will likely cost more than iPad, and run Windows 8.
Microsoft Surface Tablet

There are other possible entries in this category that are still coming down the pipe, so keep watching the tech news.

The trick to buying tablets or tablet accessories, just like any other purchase, is knowing what you want before you walk into the store (or click “Checkout”). If you’re interested in a product, be sure to read the professional and user-generated reviews, because the last thing you want is a tablet you’ll never use.






Apple Unveils iPad mini : 7.9 inch, Dual Core A5 CPU, 10 Hour Battery Life


Apple announced the all new iPad mini. . The 7.9-inch display has the same 1,024 x 768 resolution as the iPad 2, extremely thin form factor of just 7.2mm and light weight of 0.68 lbs and 10-hour battery life!

It features a dual-core A5 chip, the latest Lightning connector, 5MP back camera andFaceTime HD front camera as well as 2x faster WiFi and the same aluminum back as seen on bigger iPads. If you are saddened by the older A5 CPU and the non-retina display, you’d be happy to know that the iPad mini will come with LTE support.


Since the iPad mini’s screen has the same resolution as the iPad 2, all existing iPad apps that work on the older iPad 2 will work on the iPad mini without any need for developers to make modifications to their existing apps.

iPad mini starts at $329 for 16GB WiFi only model as compared to $199 for 8GB WiFi only version of Nexus 7. Prices then go up by $100 for the 32GB and 64GB variants, and if you want LTE, it’ll cost you at least $459.

Pre-orders for the iPad mini will start on Friday, October 26, with the Wi-Fi models shipping on November 2 and the cellular models starting to ship two weeks later.

Apple has also introduced new polyurethane iPad mini Smart Covers in six different colors, priced at $39 each.


Tuesday 23 October 2012

First Nokia Lumia 510 promo video is out

The Nokia Lumia 510 aims to be the company’s most affordable Lumia handset, but still bring excellent features like a 4″ screen and a 5MP autofocus wide angle amera. It will run Windows Phone 7.5 at first (complete with Nokia Drive navigation), but it should get the WP7.8 update too.

The first promo video is already out, giving you the lowdown on the newest Lumia member, check it out after the break.




The Nokia Lumia 510 will launch in November in China and India with an estimated price of $200 before taxes and subsidies. What the video doesn’t tell you is that the phone will have only 256MB RAM and 4GB of non-expandable storage. Still, it looks pretty good for its price.

Thursday 18 October 2012

Next generation Acer touchscreen ultrabooks coming on October 26

The Acer Aspire S7 series ultrabooks are set to hit shelves on October 26.



All members of the new series contain Intel Ivy Bridge processors, and start at $1,200 for the 11 inch model.

The most notable feature, however, is the touchscreen capability, which takes advantage of the new touch interface on Microsoft’s Windows 8 operating system.

The 11 inch model also has the ability to fold over to a completely flat display, and comes with an aluminum lid rather than one covered with Gorilla Glass like its 13 inch siblings.

All models come with 4GB of RAM, SSD drives configured in RAID 0 arrays for ultrafast read/write speeds, and integrated Intel HD 4000 graphics.

The full specs lists for the new ultrabooks are as follows:

Aspire S7-191-6640 ($1,200)

11.6-inch, 1080p IPS display
Intel Core i5-3317UB CPU
128GB SSD
4GB of DDR3 RAM
2.29 pounds
11.17 x 7.7 x 0.48 inches

Aspire S7-391-6810 ($1,400)

13.3-inch, 1080p IPS display
Intel Core i5-3317UB CPU
128GB SSD
4GB of DDR3 RAM
2.86 pounds
12.73 x 8.79 x 0.47 inches

Aspire S7-391-9886 ($1,650)

13.3-inch, 1080p IPS display
Intel Core i7-3517UB CPU
256GB SSD
4GB of DDR3 RAM
2.86 pounds
12.73 x 8.79 x 0.47 inches

HTC J butterfly promo video is out, Here it is in 1080 P

The promo video for the freshly announced, Full HD display-packing HTC J butterfly has been released. Naturally, the short video clip is focused on the handset’s design and hardware highlights, with the 5″ 1080p getting the most attention.




It is needless to say that we are quite jealous that this monster of a smartphone is exclusive for the Japanese carrier AU/KDDI for the time being. We are however, more than certain that we will see its brand new, stunning Super LCD3 display, as well as its new internals make their way to more HTC devices in the nearest future.

Here goes the video itself.



Source

Saturday 6 October 2012

Microsoft event on October 25 will launch Windows 8 and Surface tablet

Microsoft will be holding a special event in New York on October 25, where it’ll officially introduce Windows 8 and the Windows Surface tablets.

After the event, which starts at 10:00AM, the guys from Redmond will announce the launch of the highly anticipated Surface tablet. The actual availability is said to start right at midnight on October 26 through the company’s special pop-up stores.

Undoubtedly, we’ll find out many details about the latest computer OS and the accompanying Slate, including its pricing, which, as we all know is key in the tablet world.
We’ll be covering the event for you, so make sure you tune in when the time comes!

Tuesday 2 October 2012

Samsung Galaxy Note II - Features officially Detailed in a Lengthy Video


Samsung has released a new, almosty eight minute long video to demonstrate all the new features on the Galaxy Note II. The video showcases the large display, the new multitasking options and the built-in applications that you can use with the stylus.
First of all, we see the new Gallery features Samsung has added to the Note II to take advantage of the bigger display. You have two new Gallery views and can now create folders and drag and drop images between them.

Next you see all the cool things you can do with the stylus. You can go through all the images in a folder inside the Gallery and preview videos, simply by hovering the stylus over them. You can also hover the stylus over the progress bar in a video and get a quick preview. Similarly, you can hover over the calendar entries to see more details without opening them and hover over emails to see their contents.

Samsung has also added new multitasking options, with a multitasking tray that you can dock in any side of the screen. You can then bring up applications and have up to two of them on the screen at once and copy paste content between them. The ability to play video over other apps has been carried over from the Galaxy S III.

Lastly, the Galaxy Note II comes with a bunch of applications that let you do stuff like drawing and taking notes on the screen with the stylus. The phone helps you out by offering templates and recognizing your handwriting, as well as shapes and equations.

One last new feature is the ability to bring up a window on the screen where you can scribble a symbol and write your text, and depending upon the application that has been assigned to the symbol, the phone will then open the respective app and enter your handwritten text.

You can catch all the features in action in the video below.

Sharp starts mass production of Full HD (1080p), 443 PPI 5 inch smartphone displays


Japanese manufacturer Sharp has submitted a press release announcing it has started mass production of the first 5 inch Full HD display for mobiles.
The new displays will achieve an unprecedented pixel density of 443 ppi, which is over 100 ppi higher than highest currently available.

Chinese manufacturer Oppo has confirmed that it will be putting that 5-inch display in its upcoming Find 5 smartphone. Although an exact release date for the Find 5 is yet unknown, it’s likely that it will be among the first smartphones with a 1080p display – although at 5 inches, you’re getting dangerously close to phablet territory.

Another device which could sport the new Sharp displays is the rumored Google Nexus 5 created by HTC, although the existence of that device is yet to be confirmed by either party.

What do you think – is a 1080p display on a mobile device overkill, or the more pixels the better?