Author: Bharat Nagpal

2013 Range Rover Launched in India

Tata owned Jaguar Land Rover Automobiles have launched the all new 2013 Range Rover in India. The 2013 Range Rover is available in three variants, the Vogue SE is set at Rs 1.72 crore, the all new Autobiography at Rs 1.79 crore and the range topping Autobiography petrol at a mind numbing Rs 1.84 crore ex-showroom-Delhi. According to Jaguar Land Rover, the 2013 Range Rover is the world’s first all-aluminium monocoque and also lays claims to be the largest automotive panel in the world’.

The new Rover has a redesigned body shell, which is lighter by about 400kg and this should contribute to better agility, performance and fuel efficiency.

The 2013 Range Rover also has a larger more spacious wheelbase (40mm more than the previous version), expanding the legroom for the middle row by 118mm.

The Range Rover’s off road capabilities also get a boost thanks to the 18mm increase in ground clearance. The wading depth is also now a claimed 900mm, up from the previous 700mm with an all new Terrain Response 2 system with auto setting and intelligent suspension control based on the terrain. The driver will also have the ability to set from 5 manual options for the ride quality.

The Autobiography Petrol has a 510PS supercharged V8 petrol engine with a response time from 0-100kmph of 5.1 second while the Diesel variants come with 258PS SDV8 which improves acceleration times when compared to the existing outgoing version. While Jaguar has started taking orders for the Super SUVs the delivers are said to begin early 2013

November 30, 2012
Original Galaxy Note N7000 Jelly Bean 4.1.2 update leaked

If you are still sporting a good old Galaxy Note N7000, then you are desperately holding your breath for the Jelly Bean update. There is some good news, a new build N7000XXLSA that’s available to download and install on the original phablet, has now been leaked and brings the Galaxy Note N700 Jelly Bean update.

[quote]According to Sam Mobile’s insiders, “the Galaxy Note still requires a lot of work,” until the Jelly Bean update can be released, so we certainly expect more test versions to roll out.[/quote]

While Most Indian Galaxy S3 owners are now happy with their new Jelly Bean Update, Galaxy S2 and Galaxy Note N7000 owners are desperately waiting for the official update notification. According to the industry insiders behind the Galaxy Note N7000 jelly bean update leak however, the 4.1.2 update for the Galaxy S2 is “almost ready”.

As inviting as the proposition may appear to be, we would recommend that you avoid test builds unless you cannot simply wait for the final version. Hit the link below to download your copy today.

[SAM MOBILE]

November 30, 2012
Tata Motors to now cater to Bangladesh Car Market

stock image

Indian car maker Tata Motors has now made a foray into the Bangladesh new car market by introducing two sedans and a hatchback. Tata has started operations with the compact sedan Tata Indigo eCS, the Tata Indigo Manza which is a luxury sedan and the Tata Indica Vista hatchback, according to a company statement.

[quote]”We are happy and honoured to enter Bangladesh with our passenger cars. Our 40-year association with Bangladesh has given us an insight into the aspiration of the country’s motorists,” Tata Motors Managing Director Karl Slym said.[/quote]

Tata Motors introduced its buses in Bangladesh in 1972 and has around 53,000 commercial vehicles on Bangladesh roads, the statement said, adding that the company is today the market leader with a 70 per cent market share.

[quote]”Our association with Tata Motors goes back over two decades and we are extremely happy that in addition to commercial vehicles, Tata Motors has now placed their confidence in us to market their passenger cars and utility vehicles,” NITOL Motors Chairman Abdul Matlub Ahmad said.[/quote]

The vehicles would be marketed through Nitol Motors of the Nitol-Niloy Group in Bangladesh. The Group has been marketing Tata commercial vehicles in Bangladesh for the past 20 years and in 1991, it commenced assembly and building body of Tata vehicles.

November 30, 2012
Microsoft Surface with Windows 8 Pro priced starting US$899 for 64GB

Microsoft has finally put a price tag on the Surface tablet variant which will come with Windows 8 Pro. The Microsoft Surface was announced earlier this year and went on sale in the beginning of November in the US. While Microsoft has failed to move numbers, many owners are surprisingly happy with their devices. Microsoft plans to up the ante with a Pro edition packing Microsoft’s full fledged Windows 8 Pro.

It’s confirmed in a Microsoft blog post that the device will start at $899 for the 64GB model, and the higher capacity version with 128GB storage will cost $999. The Pro packing Surface also has a “Standalone” moniker which means you’ll get a Surface pen/stylus, but the touch/type covers will cost anothe US$100. Both capacity variants will be available in January, with no word on dates.

The Surface Pro will resemble the Surface RT and, including the same “VaporMg” casing and built-in kickstand, boasts a 10.6-inch display with a 16:9 aspect ratio. The upgraded Surface will also have a full HD 1920 x 1080 resolution, 3rd Gen Intel Core i5 Processor with Intel HD Graphics 4000, 4GB of RAM, a Mini DisplayPort that can output a 2560 x 1440 resolution, a full-size USB 3.0 port and Windows 8 Pro with support for all desktop applications.

[Official Microsoft Blog]

November 30, 2012
Apple iTunes gets upped to version 11, Not so Much-Awaited after all

If you just hit the software button like us, you have been in an encounter with the an update of iTunes that pushes the number to iTunes 11. The desktop variant download includes a new MiniPlayer for playing tracks in a widget-sized window. The whole app now is remenicient of the iPad music player app (iPod) , an “Up Next” feature for cueing up songs and viewing what’s next at a glance, and instant recommendations depending on your music tastes.

iTunes 11 also has active memory and will remember where you left off while playing a song, movie or TV shows if you get interrupted.

iCloud integration will allow you to play back your library on any device, while an offline option should allow in-flight or underground listening sessions to continue without a hitch.

iTunes 11 is available as a Software Update for existing users, and a fresh install from the Apple website.

November 30, 2012
Popslate Case adds a second screen with E-Ink to the iPhone 5

An Awesome case that takes iPhone photography and ability a step further. Its called “Popslate” and its a pretty cool cover that adds a second (E-Ink) display to the back of the iPhone which is also touch sensitive. The iPhone app lets you take a picture with your phone and display it on the back of the device instantly , the always-on, ultra low-power, black and white display can also become a canvas for notifications, sports scores, maps, lists and notes.

The open API will let you cutomize your apps to work with Popslate, The company has a partnership with E Ink to use the latest in ruggedized e-paper technology and is hoping to raise enough funds to make Popslate a reality. The Popslate will be available in two colours at launch (White and Black like the iPhone) and will be available for US $79 for the first 500 supporters and US$99 post the 500 mark.

The company does not have a prototype yet and has assembled a team of engineers and designers, to make the Popslate a reality. However if you look at their video, it seems quite unlikely that an E-Ink display fitted case could be that slim, and the display that responsive. Also with the display running on the iPhone’s batteries, it may be a major concern. Since the iPhone 5 is not doing great in the battery department anyway. Checkout the Video below and hit the link if you wanna buy one.

[Indiegogo (popSLATE)]

November 30, 2012
Ad Block Plus for Android not only Rids ADs from Browsers but also from Apps

The newly launched Ad Block Plus Android app is a derivative of the original and much loved Ad Block Plus for mainstream PC OS. The Ad Block Plus Android app is available for free in the Google Play Store claims to “block all annoying ads on your Android device” including “mobile ads, video advertising, banners, push notifications, display advertising, HTML5 advertising and much more” without requiring any rooting.

There are limitations to the effectiveness of the Ad Block Plus Android app, Non-rooted Android devices running Android 3.1 or later can only block ads over Wi-Fi and devices running Android 3.0 or earlier requires some manual configuration. Rooted devices however will have full access to blocking ads over Wi-Fi and 3G.

The Ad Block Plus Android app will bring a lot of promise to users, the only people who will be unhappy with Ad Block Plus are Advertisers and App developers who rely on the AD revenue.

November 28, 2012
Apple iMac in India launch dates confirmed, along with prices and Options

Apple new super slim version of the 2012 iMac will launch in India on the 30th of Nov 2012. The new iMac is not only slimmer in profile but also offers a nely enhanced display that is 75% less reflective. The new model of the iMac will be available in India in the same two sizes the 21.5 inch and a 27 inch size.

The 21.5 inch will launch on 30th November whereas the 27inch will launch in december. Apple announced the new iMac along side the iPad Mini and the 4th iPad launch back in October 2012. The new 21.5 inch iMac in India features Core i5 quad-core processor at 2.7GHz, 8GB of RAM, an Nvidia GeForce 640M GPU and a 1TB hard drive and will be priced at Rs 85,900.

The upgrade model costs Rs 99,900 and features a 2.9GHz Intel Core i5 quad-core CPU, 1TB of storage, 8GB of RAM and an Nvidia FeForce 650M GPU.

The new 27-inch of iMac in India launching in December will have a starting configuration display of 2560×1440 pixels, an Intel Core i5 procesoor with a quad-core CPU clocked at 2.9GHz along with an Nvidia GeForce 660M GPU priced at Rs 1,22,900. The top of the line for India will be a 27-inch panel with the same native 2560×1440 pixel resolution, but upgraded Intel Core i5 quad-core CPU clocked at 3.2GHz and adds the Nvidia GeForce 675M GPU. Alas no customisation options for i7 for India.

Apple may also not launch the Hybrid Fusion Drive in India, as in the US it is available as a built to order option.

November 28, 2012
Facebook App for iOS gets much awaited update, enables Emoji, Tagging, Sorting and Reposting

The Facebook App for iOS gets the much awaited update allowing users to now tag their friends in posts and comments, along with photos. The new update also enables features like reposting from the news feed and smileys and emoji into your Facebook messages.

Users can also now sort out their feed by pressing the sort button on the left of the sidebar. Check out the changelog below and the link to download the update.

What’s New in Version 5.2.2

Now you can share the best stories from your news feed with just one tap.
• New Share link to re-post stories from your news feed
• Tag your friends in any post, comment or photo
• Smileys, hearts and other emoji in messages
• To sort your feed, tap the button next to News Feed in the left sidebar
• Security and bug fixes

(Facebook App)

November 27, 2012
Samsung Launches ATIV Smart PC and Smart PC Pro in India

Samsung Today launched two new tablets+PC convertibles for India, the ATIV Smart PC and Smart PC Pro. Prices for the ATIV Smart PC and Smart PC Pro are ket at a staggering Rs. 53,990 and Rs 75,490 respectively.

The ATIV Smart PC features dual-core Intel Atom CPU clocked at 1.8GHz, an 11.6-inch display with a resolution of 1366×768 pixels, 2GB of RAM, 64GB of eMMC memory and has dual cameras (8-megapixel rear with full HD Video and a 2-megapixel front facing shooter). The keyboard dock comes standard along with a 2-cell battery, dual speakers and the S-Pen stylus. Samsung claims that it can deliver a battery life of up to 13.5 hours with the standard battery. Other ports include a micro-HDMI, one USB 2.0, a MicroSD card reader and a 3.5mm combi-headphone jack.

The ATIV Smart PC will also feature the full set of Samsung developed apps to utilise the Windows 8 Platform

Samsung’s ATIV Smart PC Pro promises to deliver the extra features missing from the Smart PC, Intel Ivy Bridge dual-core i5 processor and a full-HD 11.6-inch display. Its only 9.9 mm thick and classifies as an ultrabook. ATIV Smart PC Pro also includes standard keyboard dock, 4GB of RAM, a 128 GB SSD drive, stereo speakers, twin cameras 5.0-megapixel rear camera, 2.0-megapixel front facing camera, funnily enough the more expensive one out of the two has a lower resolution camera. The ATIV Smart PC Pro has a 4-cell battery and up to 8.5 hours of battery life.

The ATIV Smart PC Pro also features the S-Pen stylus, one micro-HDMI port, one USB 3.0 port, a microSD card reader, a combi-headphone jack and Samsung’s proprietary dock port. Both the Smart PC and Smart PC Pro are expected to be available in December 2012

November 27, 2012
Apple iPad Mini coming soon Starting Rs. 21,900, Online retailers list SKUs

Several online retailers have started listing the iPad Mini on their websites as “coming soon”, this indicates a pending soon launch. The iPad Mini was originally though to be introduced a week after the iPhone 5 launch in India. But, due to the high demand by the iPhone buyers, Apple possibly wants to be prepared when they launch the iPad Mini in India.

The 16GB iPad mini Wi-Fi only version will be priced at Rs 21,900, while the 32GB will cost 27,900 and 64GB versions will be available for R Rs 33,900. The iPad mini Wi-Fi + Cellular version will supposedly come with a price of 28,900 for the 16GB variant, keeping in the trend of iPhone 5 pricing.

The Flagship iPad mini, the 64GB Wi-Fi + Cellular version, will sell for Rs 41,900. However one has to consider the fact, that a flagship iPad 9.7 inch with retina display will be available for a mere 4 thousand more, then why would one buy the iPad Mini?

Funnily enough Apple is also planning to launch the new generation of iPod Touch at a price of Rs. 23,900 for the 32 GB and a price of Rs. 29,900 for the 64 GB, which just seems strange, because one would definitely choose the iPad mini vs the iPod Touch or even a full fledged iPad for the same price. even more so, a 16 GB iPhone 4 can be had for around the 26 thousand price.

Apple seems to be defeating its own market in India with the pricing of their products. Unless a better more competitive pricing is adhered to, the iPad Mini and the new iPod Touch may never say the beaming numbers of the iPhone 5 or what the iPad 3 had.

November 26, 2012
Samsung Will Launch the Galaxy Camera Today
Samsung will Launch the Galaxy Camera in the country today the 23rd Nov 2012. The Camera, which we first saw back at IFA in berlin, was launched alongside the Galaxy Note 2 and Ativ Tablets. The Galaxy Camera runs on Jelly bean and is powered by a Quad Core Processor. It has a touch-enabled viewfinder and a few hardware buttons on board, including a flash release (incase it doesn’t automatically pop up), a power button, zoom toggle and shutter release

The Samsung Galaxy Camera features a 16 million pixel 1/2.3 inch CMOS sensor along with an f/2.8 21x optical zoom lens which starts at 23mm (35mm equivalent).

Android Jelly Bean 4.1 is available on the camera, meaning a wide range of apps, including Instagram and Facebook are available to download and use on the camera. Integrated Wi-Fi is also included to download apps, as well as send and share images via social networking sites and email. An internal 8GB memory is included, along with a slot for a micro SD card. On the back of a camera is a large 4.77 inch HD Super Clear Touch Display LCD screen.

With the Auto mode, you’ll have access to a touch-to-focus system while leaving the rest of the computing to the camera. Other camera features include 10 smart pro features, auto cloud back-up, smart content manager, photo wizard, movie wizard, voice control and connectivity to Drop Box. In addition, Samsung supplies its own Photo Wizard and Video Wizard software and another tool designed to get good group shots. Google Mobile services such as Search, Maps, Gmail, Google Plus, YouTube and Google Chrome Browser can all be used from the camera interface. GPS navigation is also included.

The camera will be available in a series of colours and with many accessories, including a waterproof case.
- 1/2.33-inch BSI CMOS sensor
- 16-megapixel
- 21x, f/2.8-5.9, 23-480mm lens
- WiFi with 3G and 4G connectivity
- micro-SIM
- microSD card
- 1,650 mAh battery (seven hours of battery life)
Hands on Video
November 23, 2012
Hands On : Sony Vaio Duo 11

We were really excited about Sony’s entrant into the Hybrid Tablet-PC market this year the Vaio Duo 11. An 11.6 inch screen marks the front of the the Hybrid Laptop with a resolution of 1920×1080, the screen is also a Multi-touchscreen. The Display is quite impressive as it is responsive, which is propped up by a hinge mechanism, similar to the one seen on some smartphones.

The Body of the Vaio Duo 11 is made majorly of Plastic and sports a Gunmetal colour. The Vaio Duo 11 is powered by an Third Gen Intel Core i5 chipset and Intel HD 4000 graphics. you have 128 GB of Solid State Hard with roughly under 80 GB available to the end user, after Windows, and Sony’s softwares. The ram is 4 GB non expandable as it is soldered directly onto the board.

The Vaio Duo 11 is fairly lightweight, but may not be as portable as just simply carrying around a tablet.

The Machine seemed responsive at first look and the bundled noise cancelling headphones work great , but the headphones are powered by the earphone jack on the Duo 11 so the noise cancellation will not work with any other device.

The Keyboard is nicely back-lit and has a touch ball just like the ones seen on Blackberry phones, which makes traditional non touch navigation possible. The Vaio Duo 11 also has mouse buttons just under the spacebar for easy click actions.

We did see some software issues and glitches, as Sony told us that the Vaio Duo 11 being shown to us was not the final product but pre production marketing samples. The Vaio Duo 11 also has an inbuilt accelerometer and conveniently placed screen rotation lock button. The release of the Duo 11 marks the entry of convertible tablets in the market, with many other companies already promising similar specs.

November 23, 2012
Sony launches Vaio Duo 11 Hybrid Convertible Ultrabook for Rs. 89,990 (PR)
Sony has just Launched their Vaio Duo 11 Hybrid Convertible Ultrabook in India for a price of Rs. 89,990/-. The Tablet cum PC Hybrid, Vaio Duo 11, features a Core i5 Ivy Bridge Processor with a battery life rated at 4.5 Hours.

The Vaio Duo 11 features a 11.6 inch Full HD capacitive Touchscreen and Slide-Hinge mechanism to prop up the LCD in-one single motion to expose the backlit Keyboard. The Operating system of choice is Windows 8 Consumer ( non – pro) and the weight of the machine is 1.3 KG. The storage is on a 128 GB SSD drive which is swappable for a higher capacity drive, however the RAM is kept at 4GB which is onboard and non-expandable.

The Vaio Duo 11 features 2 x USB 3.0 ports, one HDMI and a LAN port, along with a VGA out and SD Card – Memory Stick Duo Card Slot. The Vaio Duo 11 features 2 Cameras both 2.02 MP Exmor-R with 1080p video capabilities. Sony is bundling noise cancelling headphones with the Duo 11 to make the deal a little sweeter.

The Vaio Duo is Expected to hit shelves in Holiday season in December 2012.

[toggle_box title=”Press Release” width=”Width of toggle box”]

Touch, write and go with slim new VAIO™ Duo 11

Hybrid Ultrabook from Sony combines fully-featured PC productivity with tablet convenience
- Surf Slider™ design transforms full-function Ultrabook™ PC into tablet operating mode for on-the-go computing
- Slim and light: weighs approximately 1.3kg and 17.85mm thin
- 29.4cm (11.6”) wide view Full HD Touch Screen
- Comfortable and precise hand-writing experience
- Headphone with Digital Noise Cancellation
New Delhi, 22^nd November, 2012: Sony India today unveiled the next generation of Hybrid Ultrabook PC- VAIO^TM Duo 11; the PC from Sony that also turns into a smart, intuitive touchscreen tablet.

With its premium Surf Slider™ design, the powerful VAIO™ Duo 11 PC switches smoothly between Tablet to PC modes to give the best computing experience – wherever you are and whatever you’re doing.

Pick up VAIO™ Duo 11 in one hand and use in tablet mode to browse the web or enjoy music and videos while you’re travelling. In the office, slide out the keyboard and maximise your productivity with a fully-featured PC powered by latest-generation Intel® Core™ processor.

VAIO™ Duo 11 puts touch and handwriting right at the heart of your Windows 8 computing experience. Write and interact with media and applications on the responsive, touch capable, super-bright Full HD OptiContrast™ Panel. It gives the satisfying, expressive feel of handwriting directly on the touchscreen, with the touch of your finger. Make notes, sketch diagrams or ring key points on your presentation with supple responses and imperceptible latency. Smart text recognition even lets you quickly convert handwritten notes to text for easy archiving and searches.

Sharing photos and videos is a pleasure on the super-bright 29.4cm (11.6”) Full HD OptiContrast™ Panel. Friends and family will enjoy detail-packed, high contrast pictures with a wide viewing angle – even if you’re outdoors in bright daylight.

Don’t let your PC slow things down when you’re in a hurry. Quick Boot gets you up and running in seconds. When you need a break, VAIO powers down into a deep energy-saving Sleep mode, keeping your documents safe. With RapidWake + Eco, everything’s ready for instant wake-up, just as you left off.

Optional Sheet-type battery extends battery life.

Despite its slim size, VAIO™ Duo 11 is ready for business with a full complement of ports and interfaces including Bluetooth® Smart Ready, USB 3.0, USB Sleep Charge to charge your USB charging devices like mobiles or music players on the go; even when the PC power is off, HDMI, Ethernet and VGA video ports. You don’t need extra dongles or adapters to hook up a projector or secondary screen: everything’s on board.

VAIO™ Duo 11 gives you life like sound experience, even at noisy places with its unique headphone which comes with Digital noise cancelling feature. Now be in Train, Flight or at office, you can enjoy clear music.

VAIO™ Duo 11 also provides rich networked entertainment experiences.

Expand your entertainment experience even further with three new apps by Sony that are available for free download.

The ‘Music’ application lets you enjoy your music collection with superb quality thanks to xLoud and ClearPhase.

The ‘Album’ application makes viewing, sorting or sharing pictures and videos fun intuitive.

Both applications let you ‘throw’ or stream personal photos, video and music content to enjoy on DLNA compatible large screen TV and audio systems.

Optional accessories include a screen protection cover and carrying case that protects VAIO™ Duo 11 while you’re travelling.

VAIO™ Duo 11 hybrid Ultrabook PC will be available in India across Sony Centers, VAIO flagship stores and other major electronic and IT stores.

Model

Colour

Price

Availability

SVD11213CNB

Gun Metal

Rs. 89,990

End of Dec’12

About Sony India Pvt. Ltd.

Sony India is one of the most recognized consumer electronics brand in the country, with a reputation for new age technology, digital concepts and excellent after sales service. In India, Sony has its footprint across all major towns and cities in the country through a distribution network comprising of over 10,400 dealers and distributors, 270 exclusive Sony outlets and 23 direct branch locations. Sony India also has a strong service presence across the country with 255 service outlets. Manned by customer friendly and informed sales persons, Sony’s exclusive stores ‘Sony Center’ are fast becoming the most visible face of the company in India. A distinctive feature of Sony’s service is their highly motivated and well-trained staff that provides the kind of attentive and sensitive service that is rare today.

For more details, please visit: www.sony.co.in

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[/toggle_box]
November 23, 2012
Intel road map with Bay Trail-based Atom for tablets leaked

Intel’s roadmap for bay trail processors for future tablets has been leaked, just like their previous details of bay trail processors. A roadmap uncovered by Mobile Geeks has shown off the details of the tablet-oriented Bay View-T and its Valleyview-T processors. Intel hardware can output to as much as a 2,560 x 1,600 display and record stereoscopic, 1080p 3D video to include support for 3D camera laden Tablets.

We are also seeing details for less power consumption in the same sort of performance factor, adding an additional 2 hours of video playback for at least some of the 1.6GHz to 2.1GHz processors in the lineup.

Dont stop your tablet purchase just as yet, because unlike previous generation of processors these wont be available until 2014, so you still have one year to enjoy what you invest in, before the processors are announced and another few months before they are implemented into hardware.

November 20, 2012