Author: Bharat Nagpal

Toyota Kirloskar Motor registers 24% growth in sales

Toyota Kirloskar Motor registered sales of 7470 units in May 2011. The company sales grew by 24% when compared to the corresponding period last year. Etios sold 3412 units in May 2011.

This is great news for the company who saw declining numbers just two years ago.

Mr. Sandeep Singh, Deputy Managing Director, Marketing, TKM said, “The actual impact of the suspension of production is seen in the drop in sales in May. The production was back to full swing from 20th May onwards, much earlier than expected. We are now back on track and are all set to launch the Etios Liva. With the increase in Etios production, we would like to bring down the waiting period to one month before we launch Liva. The launch will be as per schedule in the last week of June”.

June 3, 2011
Germany to Get Hydrogen Fuel Station Network

The development of a German network of hydrogen filling stations is gaining pace. The automotive manufacturer Daimler AG and the Linde technology group announced in Stuttgart that they intended to open 20 new filling stations in Germany over the next three years. This will more than triple the number of public hydrogen filling stations in the country. The new stations are to be set up in the regions of Stuttgart, Berlin and Hamburg, which are already supplied with hydrogen, and along the most contiguous possible North-South and East-West axis. For the first time, this would enable every location in Germany to be reached by a fuel-cell vehicle by the year 2015.

The setup of the 20 new filling stations will begin in 2012, at existing convenient locations already operated by various oil companies. The joint initiative by Daimler and Linde, which involves an investment in the tens of millions, has also been opened up to other potential partners in the fuel, energy and automotive industry.

The infrastructure initiative of Daimler and Linde forms a bridge with already existing hydrogen projects such as the H2-Mobility or Clean Energy Partnership, which are being subsidised by the National Innovation Programme for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology (NIP). Germany will therefore assume the leading position in terms of an international hydrogen infrastructure.

“The development of electrical mobility will be largely characterised by the hydrogen fuel-cell”, explained Wolfgang Reitzle, Chairman of the Board of Linde AG. “We are delighted to be able to shape this development in cooperation with Daimler. We see ourselves as a forerunner in the field, and aim to promote the market maturity of hydrogen-powered vehicles.” The aim now is to ensure the gradually increasing number of fuel-cell powered vehicles running on generatively produced hydrogen.

“Circling the globe with our three green B-class vehicles has shown that the time is ripe for electric vehicles powered by fuel cells. We must now address the subject of the relevant infrastructure”, said Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Daimler AG, and Director of Mercedes-Benz Cars, looking forward to the immediate future. “Car-drivers can only benefit from the advantages of technology if there are enough hydrogen filling stations available: long rangers, short refuelling times and no local emissions.” A focal point of the infrastructure development in Baden-Württemberg will be where such a re-intervention should start, 125 years after the original invention of the automobile.

The establishment of a comprehensive network of filling stations is an essential requirement for the successful introduction of hydrogen-powered vehicles, as planned by Daimler for the year 2015. Of the 30 hydrogen filling stations in Germany, only seven currently formed part of public filling station operations. In comparison: five to 10 filling stations would be required to supply a major city. The connection of individual major conurbations now undertaken, such as Berlin and Hamburg, Stuttgart and Munich, with hydrogen filling stations along main traffic routes is the logical next step towards a comprehensive network of filling stations.

June 3, 2011
ASUS Intros New ROG Products for Serious PC Gamers
ASUS today announced a number of exciting new products for high-performance gaming PCs to further expand its Republic of Gamers (ROG) range.

“The ROG philosophy is based on the core ideals of class-leading performance, innovative user controls and gamer-focused design,” said ASUS Vice President and GM of Worldwide Sales, Jackie Hsu. “The products announced today not only hold true to these ideals, but also introduce a host of new innovations that push high-end PC performance to even greater extremes.”

ASUS unveiled today three new ROG motherboards based on the latest Intel® and AMD chipsets.
- The Maximus IV GENE-Z and Maximus IV Extreme-Z both use the new Intel® Z68
- Crosshair V Formula is the first AMD 990FX-based motherboard supporting both
  3-Way SLI™ and CrossFireX™, and with a graphical UEFI BIOS
Two new NVIDIA® GTX 580-based graphics cards
- MATRIX GTX580
- MARS II
ASUS is also adding gaming peripherals to its ROG range starting with the Vulcan ANC gaming headset with active noise-cancellation and the ASUS VG278H 3D 27-inch display.

Zane Ball, General Manager for Desktops at Intel, said: “We’ve had great success in the gaming market and we appreciate that a vendor like ASUS is devoted to this field. Brands such as ROG demonstrate the best practice for gaming and overclocking PC hardware, and the two new motherboards and one desktop with Intel Z68-based chipsets announced today offer exciting new performance-turning opportunities.”
June 3, 2011
HTC Sensation 4G will Launch in the US on June 15th, India later this month
HTC and T-Mobile will be launching the HTC Sensation 4G powerhouse by 15 June in the United States. The Sensation 4G for $199 (after a $50 mail-in rebate) on a 2-year contract. It will be available country-wide in the US from June 15th.

The HTC Sensation 4G features –
- 4.3” qHD screen
- 1.2GHz dual-core CPU
- Android 2.3 Gingerbread
- MHL
- 8MP camera with 1080p
- “4G” (HSPA+)
We got you exclusive new of HTC launch in India last month and it still holds true check it out here. We are trying to get in touch with HTC for a confirmed view of weather or not the launch dates are still the same.

According to this High Level Manager (who refused to be named) :

“The HTC market in India has grown tremendously after the launch of the new range of Android Handsets including the Desire HD, Desire S and Incredible S. We are seeing a continuous uptrend in market sales and earnings from the smartphone segment. The company sees the demand and has decided to make the handset available as early as June 22nd.”
June 2, 2011
Huawei will launch MediaPad tablet at CommunicAsia

Huawei has just announced its plans to present a new tablet called MediaPad at the upcoming CommunicAsia expo in Singapore. Linking it to their Ideos lineup. No real specs are available for this device, but a lot of expectations from budget device manufacturer . Android 3.0 or atleast 2.3 can be expected for the unit.

“the MediaPad is our smartest, smallest and lightest tablet ever – guaranteed to transform the consumer’s entertainment experience” said Huawei

Source: Huawei

June 2, 2011
HTC ChaCha now available at Phones4U UK, free on contract

The HTC ChaCha is now available for purchase through the Phones 4U dealer in the UK. The phone is the first have a dedicated Facebook button and integrate major FB functionality into the device.

The Phone can be had for free on a 20 £/month contract or a 300 £ outright pay as you go plan. Check out the link and specs below.

[Phones4U]

June 2, 2011
Twitter launches Follow Button

On Tuesday, Twitter officially announced its new “Follow Button” that web developers can down insert into their websites for an easier way to gain new followers. We also got the button and you can spot it in our sidebar .

Simply head over to twitter.com/followbutton to configure yours and get the HTML embed code now.

June 2, 2011
Microsoft Windows 8 taken out of the Wraps !! – Video

Microsoft has just taken its Wraps off the next build of Windows, Microsoft Windows 8. Taking its inspiration hugely from the Windows Phone 7 Metro UI. Just like the Windows phone 7 Build this UI is also designed perfectly to work with touch-screens. Therefore you can bet on a large number of Windows 8 tablets to hit once the OS is fully released for consumption.

This next version of Windows will come with the new Internet Explorer 10 , as well as support for HTML5 and Java apps that will run better on tablet-sized devices. But, will also support all applications designed for Desktop use.

[Build Windows]

June 2, 2011
Apple releases iWork to iPhone and iPod touch (PR)

Being a few of the most successful apps on the iPad online App store since day one of Launch, Apple has finally brought some love to iPhones and iPod Touches. The same apps will now run on all other iOS devices making them universal Apps at US% 9.99

PRESS RELEASE

Apple iWork Now Available For iPhone & iPod touch Users

CUPERTINO, California-May 31, 2011-Apple® today announced that its groundbreaking iWork® productivity apps, Keynote®, Pages® and Numbers®, are now available for iPhone® and iPod touch®, as well as iPad®. Created for the Mac® and then completely redesigned for iOS and Apple’s revolutionary Multi-Touch™ interface, Keynote, Pages and Numbers allow you to create and share stunning presentations, beautifully formatted documents and powerful spreadsheets on the go. iWork apps are available on the App Store™ for $9.99 each to new users and as a free update for existing iWork for iPad customers.

“Now you can use Keynote, Pages and Numbers on iPhone and iPod touch to create amazing presentations, documents and spreadsheets right in the palm of your hand,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “The incredible Retina display, revolutionary Multi-Touch interface and our powerful software make it easy to create, edit, organize and share all of your documents from iPhone 4 or iPod touch.”

Keynote, Pages and Numbers import and export documents from iWork for Mac and Microsoft Office; print wirelessly using AirPrint™; and include beautiful Apple-designed themes and templates. All iWork apps now include improved document management with thumbnail images that let you find your files quickly, organize them and group them into folders using intuitive gestures. From the Tools button in the toolbar, you can easily share any presentation, document or spreadsheet without leaving the app.

Keynote makes it easy to create impressive presentations, complete with animated charts and transitions. You can play your presentation in Full Screen view on the stunning, high-resolution Retina™ display or connect to a projector or HDTV for a large audience. Available separately, the Keynote Remote app allows your iPhone or iPod touch to control a Keynote presentation on any iOS device or Mac.

Pages is the most beautiful word processor ever designed for a mobile device and has everything you need to create amazing documents. Pages takes full advantage of the high-resolution Retina display on iPhone 4 and iPod touch so you can see all the detail and richness of your documents. To make working with text easy on iPhone and iPod touch, Smart Zoom automatically zooms in to follow the cursor while you’re editing and zooms back out when you’re done.

Numbers uses Multi-Touch gestures and an intelligent keyboard to help you create compelling, great-looking spreadsheets with over 250 easy-to-use functions, flexible tables and eye-catching charts. Just like Pages, Numbers takes advantage of the high-resolution Retina display and Smart Zoom to make working with text and cells on iPhone 4 or iPod touch easy.

Pricing & Availability
Keynote, Pages and Numbers are universal apps that run on iPad and iPad 2, iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4, and iPod touch (3rd & 4th generation). Keynote, Pages and Numbers are available from the App Store for $9.99 (US) each for new users, or as a free update for existing iWork for iPad customers. Keynote Remote is sold separately via the App Store for 99 cents (US).

Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and has recently introduced iPad 2 which is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices.

June 2, 2011
Mercedes-Benz Germany’s strongest brand: ADAC AutomarxX (PR)
According to the ADAC AutomarxX study, Mercedes-Benz is the most successful brand since AutomarxX was introduced in 2001, capturing first place a total of 13 times and beating its competitors in more than half of all the rankings.

The Title is held in several categories and Mercedes Benz defended it in several areas
- Brand Image
- Market Strength
- Customer Satisfaction
- Product Strength/Vehicle Quality
- Environment
- Safety
“We’re very pleased that we once again are ranked first in the ADAC AutomarxX study,” says Dr. Joachim Schmidt, Executive Vice President Sales and Marketing, Mercedes-Benz Cars. “The result confirms our ambition to deliver our customers the very best. Our first place finish demonstrates that Mercedes-Benz continues to be the strongest brand. This also includes Mercedes-Benz being a pioneer in the development of active and passive safety systems. We also want to set benchmarks when it comes to continuous improvement of our vehicles’ efficiency. The significant improvement in the CO2-ranking shows we are successful in this as well.”

The company also moved up 11 ranks in the CO2 ranking. Read the full PR below

PRESS RELEASE

Stuttgart – Mercedes-Benz has once again defended the top position in the ADAC AutomarxX study, making it Germany’s strongest automotive brand. Mercedes-Benz is the most successful brand since AutomarxX was introduced in 2001, capturing first place a total of 13 times and beating its competitors in more than half of all the rankings. The ADAC AutomarxX study assesses the automotive brands sold in Germany in six categories: Brand Image, Market Strength, Customer Satisfaction, Product Strength/Vehicle Quality, Environment, and Safety. The results reflect the current capabilities of all automakers that are of relevance in Germany. A winner is ascertained for each category and out of this the overall winner is determined.

“We’re very pleased that we once again are ranked first in the ADAC AutomarxX study,” says Dr. Joachim Schmidt, Executive Vice President Sales and Marketing, Mercedes-Benz Cars. “The result confirms our ambition to deliver our customers the very best. Our first place finish demonstrates that Mercedes-Benz continues to be the strongest brand. This also includes Mercedes-Benz being a pioneer in the development of active and passive safety systems. We also want to set benchmarks when it comes to continuous improvement of our vehicles’ efficiency. The significant improvement in the CO2-ranking shows we are successful in this as well.”

Taking the number four slot, Mercedes-Benz moved up 11 places in the CO2-ranking, far ahead of its competitors in the premium segment. The improvement was mainly due to the introduction of new, highly efficient engine variants in high-volume models such as the new-generation C-Class. The new engines, the enhanced 7G TRONIC PLUS automatic transmission, and the ECO start-stop function reduce fuel consumption by up to 31 percent compared to the figure for the predecessor model.

The main factors in the Safety category are availability of active and passive safety systems and the fact that the systems are fitted as standard. The new-generation C-Class, for example, impresses not only as a result of its greater efficiency, but also because of its many new assistance systems. Thanks to features ranging from the ATTENTION ASSIST fatigue detection system to DISTRONIC PLUS proximity control, the C-Class reaches a new level of safety.

The evaluation for the Brand Image category incorporates the results of the ADAC Motorwelt image survey of 4,000 German respondents as well as an assessment of vehicle residual values. In the image survey, the participants were primarily interested in maximum quality and the highest-possible safety standards. Not only did Mercedes-Benz take first place in both of these areas; the people surveyed also ranked the brand at the top with regard to automotive research and development.
June 1, 2011
Apple will announce iCloud and iOS5 on June 6th (PR)

Surprising piece of information from Apple, in almost a first ever in a very long time they have announced what is going to be announced before the actual announcement. According to the Press Release below Apple will announce the much awaited iOS5 and new new could based streaming service iCloud on June 6th 2011 at the WWDC.

Lets hope that Steve Jobs has something else up his sleeve, or down his pocket, a shiny new iPhone 5 perhaps, even an iPhone 4s. You never know with Apple, But hey at least Jobs is gonna be there delivering the Keynote.

PRESS RELEASE

Apple to Unveil Next Generation Software at Keynote Address on Monday, June 6

CUPERTINO, California-May 31, 2011-Apple® CEO Steve Jobs and a team of Apple executives will kick off the company’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) with a keynote address on Monday, June 6 at 10:00 a.m. At the keynote, Apple will unveil its next generation software – Lion, the eighth major release of Mac OS® X; iOS 5, the next version of Apple’s advanced mobile operating system which powers the iPad®, iPhone® and iPod touch®; and iCloud®, Apple’s upcoming cloud services offering.

WWDC will feature more than 100 technical sessions presented by Apple engineers. Mac® developers will see and learn how to develop world-class Mac OS X Lion applications using its latest technologies and capabilities. Mobile developers will be able to explore the latest innovations and capabilities of iOS and learn how to greatly enhance the functionality, performance and design of their apps. All developers can bring their code to the labs and work with Apple engineers.

For more details, visit the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference 2011 website at developer.apple.com/wwdc.

Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and has recently introduced iPad 2 which is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices.

June 1, 2011
Transcend Announces New JetFlash 200 Flash Drive with Data Encryption (PR)

Transcend has launched their new JetFlash 200 Pen Drive / Flash Drive. This time around the thumb-sticks come with enhanced data encryption thanks to Jetflash Secure Drive software which utilizes a 256-bit AES hardware-based encryption.

The MRP for the different capacities are as follows:

MRP of TS4GJF200 (4GB) is Rs. 910/-

MRP of TS8GJF200 (8GB) is Rs. 1380/-

MRP of TS16GJF200 (16GB) is Rs. 2570/-

Not a bad price to pay for the security of your data !

PRESS RELEASE

Transcend Information, Inc. (Transcend), a worldwide leader in storage and multimedia products, unveiled the new series of Jet Flash 200 USB Flash drives with Data Encryption and inbuilt Jetflash Secure Drive software. The new Jet Flash 200 USB is ideal for enterprises to secure confidential and sensitive information from hackers and cyber criminals from gaining access to the information and even stealing it. Besides, Jetflash 200 Flash drives come with a perfect blend of unique design and user-friendly features to match with the requirement of ultimate class along with urban sophistication.

The most attractive feature of the new JetFlash 200 USB is that it secures data through strong 256-bit AES hardware-based encryption that meets FIPS standards, leaving no possibility for hackers to peep inside or even steal files stored on your pen drive. Moreover the multi featured JetFlash 200 comes bundled with the exclusive JetFlash SecureDrive software for extra convenience and security. It helps safeguard your confidential data by creating a password-protected Private Zone, delivering the ultimate USB protection, flexibility and management control that other flash drives can hardly compete with. The unique and trendy designed JetFlash 200 USB offers easy plug and play installation without any need for external power supply.

With dimensions 70.0 mm x 21.0 mm x 8.1 mm and weighing about 7g, the Transcend JetFlash 200 flash drive is compatible with Hi-Speed USB 2.0 ports and offers a maximum write speed and a read speed, of up to 5MB/s and 17MB/s, respectively. Transcend’s new series of JetFlash200 flash drive is available in three different storage capacities 4GB, 8GB and 16GB at a very affordable price with a limited lifetime warranty.

The MRP for the different capacities are as follows:

MRP of TS4GJF200 is Rs. 910/-

MRP of TS8GJF200 is Rs. 1380/-

MRP of TS16GJF200 is Rs. 2570/-

So now Lock, Hide and Encrypt your Secret Files on the New JetFlash Secure Flash Drive, the JetFlash 200 USB Flash drives

June 1, 2011
Etisalat Group : LTE is the Future for Indian Broadband

If Amaru Chavez, Group Chief Technology at Etisalat, is to be believed, then the future of the Indian Internet backbone seems much better.

“LTE is faster, newer and more efficient than other technologies and has a clear roadmap to enable almost unlimited capacity. Consumer demand for broadband services and capacity continues to accelerate and only technologies which are scalable will be able to support the future demand for online content such as video, social media, gaming and business services.”

“LTE is an optimum solution to provide high speed broadband connectivity in high density areas, such as cities and commercial hubs. It is a proven technology that is capable of providing highly reliable and secure connectivity which delivers a superior experience for the consumer and business alike. It is also faster to deploy than fiber and future proofed to ensure long term return for investors,” Chavez continued.

Amaru Chavez said: “Wireless broadband has been an enormous success in many of our countries, particularly in the UAE, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. We are now deploying LTE in Saudi Arabia and the UAE to ensure that our services continue to meet the ever increasing demands of our customers. Etisalat is a long-term investor and we are committed to supporting the development of the telecoms sector in each country which we are present.”

June 1, 2011
Blackberry Torch 2 Leaked on Video in Detail

If you liked the Blackberry Torch, You are going to love what blackberry has done with the Torch 2. Without much difference on the exterior the interior of the new torch is completely redesigned to meet new age requirements. Folks over at TechnoBuffalo. got their hands on this new leaked device check out the Video Below.

June 1, 2011
Polymer Vision Intros new Rollable Display

The video says it all, the Future of displays is getting closer and closer. While Polymer Vision shows of the new Rollable Display can be rolled up 25,000 times at a radius of only six millimeters, There are no Pricing or availability details yet.

[Polymer Vision]

May 31, 2011