Author: Bharat Nagpal

AOC brings to life 22 inch 1080p Monitor (PR)

AOC has just introduced the worlds first 22 inch full HD 1080p monitor e2251Fwu, that does not require its own power source. The monitor is lightweight enough to survive from one 5V USB port for power and connectivity. In terms of specs it has a 20,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, 1,920 x 1,080 resolution and a 5ms response time.

Specifications
• USB-powered LED display
• 250cd brightness
• 20,000,000:1 Dynamic Contrast Ratio
• 5ms response time
• 1920 x 1080 @60Hz resolution
• HDCP compatible
• Ultra-slim (10.6 mm)
• Supported on all leading operating systems including Windows XP / Vista / Windows 7 & Apple MAC OSX Tiger / Leopard and Lion

Its priced at US $ 199 at launch, expect it to be available in India March 2012 for Rs. 12,999/-

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AOC to Unveil High Definition USB-Powered 22-inch Monitor at 2012 International CES
Energy-saving USB Monitor uses USB connection for both power and signal – ideal for multi-screen computing

Fremont, Calif. – January 4, 2012– AOC, the worldwide leader in HD television and monitor display technology, announces the 22-inch USB Monitor, a sleek full high definition LED monitor that receives both power and signal solely through USB connection. The energy-efficient and affordable 22-inch USB Monitor (e2251Fwu) offers simple plug-and-play connectivity, making the productivity benefits of dual- and multi-monitor computing available to the masses. The e2251Fwu is equally suitable for business, gaming and entertainment use with its convenient built-in USB port and excellent image quality. A great productivity enhancement for anyone who runs multiple applications, the 22-inch AOC USB Monitor will be available for $199 at national retailers in February 2012. The e2251Fwu will also be showcased at the Bellagio, Monet 3 Ballroom, at the International CES 2012, January 10-13, 2012.

“The 22-inch USB Monitor makes multi-screen computing more practical than ever with its plug-and-play setup, cord independence and low power consumption,” said Robert Velez, Marketing Manager of AOC.

With the launch of the e2251Fwu, AOC continues its commitment to providing the latest in digital display technologies and innovative styling. The 22-inch USB Monitor is ultra-light and super slim, measuring only 10.6 mm thin. The LED-backlit LCD monitor offers excellent image quality for movies and gaming with Full HD 1080p resolution, 20,000,000:1 Dynamic Contrast Ratio, 200cd/m2 brightness and 5ms response time. Thanks to the LED backlight, the e2251Fwu consumes 50 percent less energy than many CCFL backlit monitors. The monitor also features a removable stand that allows it to instantly transform into a digital photo frame or presentation display. Due to its minimal weight, the e2251Fwu can be moved around effortlessly, while the large display and wide viewing angles allow several viewers to see a great picture, making it a perfect tool for client meetings and business presentations.

Every AOC monitor is manufactured to meet the most stringent green standards. Along with being mercury free, the packaging for the eco-friendly 22-inch USB Monitor is made from recycled materials. In addition, AOC’s industry-leading LED display technology allows for a powerful and crystal clear display while minimizing power consumption.

Enabled by a DisplayLink chip, the AOC 22-inch USB Monitor’s technology easily integrates with existing desktop / notebook environments and is supported on all leading operating systems including Windows XP / Vista / Windows 7 & Apple MAC OSX Tiger / Leopard and Lion. Linux support is also available through many of the standard distributions.

Specifications
• USB-powered LED display
• 250cd brightness
• 20,000,000:1 Dynamic Contrast Ratio
• 5ms response time
• 1920 x 1080 @60Hz resolution
• HDCP compatible
• Ultra-slim (10.6 mm)
• Supported on all leading operating systems including Windows XP / Vista / Windows 7 & Apple MAC OSX Tiger / Leopard and Lion

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January 7, 2012
Corning will show its Gorilla Glass 2 at CES (PR)

Remember Gorilla Glass? the though and scratch resistant display that most smartphone users like to have on their device. The company has announced its plans to launch a newer version of the glass aptly named ” Gorilla Glass 2″ at CES 2012. Corning SVP / GM James Steiner mentioned that his company’s positioned to meet the challenge of accommodating phones and tablets with more functionality from thinner designs.

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Corning Incorporated (NYSE: GLW) today announced its plans for the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas next week. The Corning booth, #12642 Central Hall, will showcase the critical role of highly engineered specialty glass in addressing emerging trends highlighted at CES 2012, including: increased functionality from smaller form factors; touch technology; connected devices in new application spaces; and sleek, durable large-format design aesthetics.

A key feature of Corning’s CES exposure will be the introduction of Corning® Gorilla® Glass 2, the next generation of the popular, damage-resistant cover glass for consumer electronic devices.

“Corning Gorilla Glass has been a tremendous success for Corning, enjoying excellent market acceptance across mobile device industries. Handset and tablet device manufacturers are clearly driving toward higher functionality from thinner designs. Corning’s latest innovation in Gorilla Glass technology is very well positioned to meet these challenges and enable broader touch technology penetration,” said James R. Steiner, senior vice president and general manager, Corning Specialty Materials. Product details will be included in an announcement planned for Monday, Jan. 9.

CES attendees can engage with Corning experts and technologies featuring the latest applications and benefits of Corning Gorilla Glass innovations. “As we did last year, we’ll provide consumers and customers visiting the Corning booth the opportunity to test first-hand the outstanding damage resistance and flexibility of this industry-leading, ultra-thin, and tough specialty glass,” Steiner added.

Corning Gorilla Glass, the technology that made Corning one of the most talked-about companies at CES 2011, is currently featured on more than 30 major brands and designed into more than 575 product models, spanning more than 500 million units worldwide.

The Corning booth will also explore the benefits of Corning Gorilla Glass in larger format, touch displays for education, entertainment, auto, and home appliance applications featuring new design possibilities. These include:

An 82-inch advanced multi-touch LCD display prototype featuring Corning Gorilla Glass as a durable, touch-sensitive, and elegant cover glass.
Touch-enabled automobile interior and home appliance center simulators demonstrating the enhanced user interface experience that thin, durable glass can enable in new design applications.

A centerpiece, Gorilla Glass-covered video wall, flanked by Gorilla Glass fabricated sound speakers, projecting the latest in Corning specialty glass technology news.

Additionally, Dr. Peter Bocko, Corning’s chief technology officer for Corning Glass Technologies and one of the foremost glass experts in the display industry, will be a panelist in the “Beyond the Flat Screen” session on Thursday, Jan. 12, 1:30 p.m. PST. He will discuss the latest advances in screen resolution, viewing angle, sunlight performance, and power consumption in an effort to isolate new products and opportunities.

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January 6, 2012
AutoGyaan : Maruti Suzuki Unveils the XA Alpha concept at AutoExpo 2012 (PR)

AutoGyaan is covering their favorites at the AutoExpo 2012 and Maruti Suzuki have unveiled the new XA^?concept at the expo. A trendy crossover aimed at the youth of today, according to the company the ‘Alpha’ represents trendiness and newness that the youth connect to. The ‘A’ signifies that this compact, 4 metre long concept, is designed for customers wishing to enter the utility vehicle segment. The ‘X’ denotes Cross-over category.

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Concept XA Alpha unveiled

XA^?(XA Alpha) a concept for a compact SUV, was unveiled at the Maruti Suzuki pavilion at Auto Expo 2012 here today.

XA^? combines ruggedness and ‘muscle’ – the traditional attributes of a Sports Utility Vehicle – with elegance, a certain finesse and compactness. (Designers’ detailed note below)

In XA?, the ‘Alpha’ represents trendiness and newness that the youth connect to. The ‘A’ signifies that this compact, 4 metre long concept, is designed for customers wishing to enter the utility vehicle segment. The ‘X’ denotes Cross-over category.

Presented in glistening Lava Red, the XA^? is the show stopper, occupying centre stage at the market leader’s Auto Expo pavilion this year.

Together with Ertiga, to be unveiled on January 6, the XA^? signals Maruti Suzuki’s plans to expand into the utility vehicles space.

While continuing to strengthen its compact car portfolio, the Company will create new categories in the utility vehicle segment as an option for existing Maruti Suzuki customers as well as for new ones.

The Company will back this foray with the best in technology. While expanding its popular range of K-series petrol engines, the Company will build on the success of its diesel offerings.

With India on course to becoming one of the leading automobile economies in the world, Maruti Suzuki has lined up a busy product plan to drive the growth and meet diverse customer needs in a fast maturing market.

Since the last Auto Expo in 2010, Maruti Suzuki has launched a range of new vehicles. By launching a new WagonR, a new Swift and a new Alto K-10 the Company has been able to maintain its clear leadership, despite several new competitor models in the compact car space.

Unveiling the Concept XA^?, Managing Director and CEO of Maruti Suzuki, Mr. Shinzo Nakanishi said: “India is set to become one of the top automobile markets of the world. This may become evident as early as the next Delhi Auto Expo. Maruti Suzuki will lead India’s automobile growth and evolution by strengthening its compact car portfolio, entering new segments and creating new product categories across fuel options”.

He added: “The Concept XA^? is designed for a market of customers with a young urban lifestyle. This Concept showcases the unified R&D efforts of Suzuki and Maruti which will be a big asset for us in India in the future”.

Bestsellers from Suzuki Japan
On display at the show are Suzuki’s bestsellers MR Wagon, Palette, Solio and SX4 hatchback for public view and seeking comments and opinions on the aspects of design, features and pricing. These vehicles demonstrate Suzuki’s unique strength to pack values of superior technology and high-end features into compact cars. They also highlight Suzuki’s capabilities to offer optimum space in compact dimensions’. Based on consumers’ feedback and insights on design, technology and pricing, the Company will decide on any possibility of their introduction in India.

Way of Life
Way of Life, the theme of the pavilion symbolizes the company’s philosophy of constantly trying to find what the customers want and creating products and services to delight and enrich the customers’ lives. The four critical pillars of Way of Life namely Value, Spirited, Sporty and Straight Forwardness will be showcased though the four neat zones of the pavilion.

Other display cars
The Maruti Suzuki range of regular production models is displayed in interesting interpretations and accessorized forms like Swift Concept – Night Rider; A-star – Cabriolet two-seater convertible; Estilo – Dreamliner; Wagon R – Urbane and Omni – Cuppa Joy.

The wide array of display vehicles demonstrates how Brand Maruti Suzuki integrates into the life of every Indian. The existing vehicle range has taken on new dynamic avatars to exhibit the versatility of usage of the Maruti Suzuki range.

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January 6, 2012
HTC Rhyme Unboxing and Quick Review

HTC Rhyme was announced a while back and it promised a lot of hope, especially because initial pricing pointed towards a Rs. 15000 launch. When the device was finally launched at Rs. 25000 , it seemed like a bit of a disappointment. The functionality and specs of the device prove otherwise.

Bundled are really nice quality in ear earphones with remote and mic, also in the box is the wonderful light charm which will effectively signal women that their phone is ringing somewhere in the depths of their handbags. Simply targeted at the younger Gen. buyers and more so at the smartphone buying ladies. Specs include 480 x 800 pixels, 3.7 inches SLCD display along with a 1 GHz Scorpion + Adreno 205 GPU. For media and apps there is 4 GB storage plus 768 MB RAM.

Stay Tuned for the Full Review

January 5, 2012
Intel Core i7 over clocked to 5.6 Ghz : Video

Professional over clocker Hicookie has set a new record for a Core i7 3930K by reaching 5.6GHz without. Using liquid nitrogen cooling on a X79 motherboard from Gigabyte the over clocker was able to achieve stable performance.

January 5, 2012
Nokia gives free Car Mode for early Belle adopters

Nokia’s new Car Mode is the most seamless car connectivity system between a Smartphone and a Head-unit of your vehicle you will ever find. This lets you connect your phone to your car’s infotainment system (if you’ve got one) and control your phone through the car, rather than touching the phone itself. Two apps out of which One is called Nokia Car Mode that offers Nokia’s leading turn-by-turn navigation, as well as the overall smartphone experience into the car environment, while also bringing Nokia Drive, traffic updates, Nokia Music and voice calls while driving.

The other is called Nokia Car Mode with MirrorLink that gives additional MirrorLink support and the seamless connectivity of the smartphone within the car at a cost of £17.99 (Rs. 1699).

January 5, 2012
Samsung Galaxy Ace Plus Announced, Bigger yet less (PR)
Samsung has announced the sequel to their highly successful Galaxy Ace, the new one is dubbed aptly the “Galaxy Ace Plus”. the specs include a 1GHz processor, five megapixel camera, 3GB internal memory, HSDPA and a 3.65-inch HVGA (320 x 480) screen. Apart from really resolutions the device is expected to be launched somewhere in the Rupees 18000 price mark. The device is running Android 2.3 with TouchWiz and will most probably get the ICS update, no official word on it though.

The screen is much larger than the previous version and retains the same pixel density, therefore reducing the pixels per inch to . The device will go on sale in January for a price somewhere in the region mentioned earlier, unless Samsung pulls a Omnia w/ Galaxy R on the consumers and announces the device for somewhere in the 12000 price region ( too hopeful?)

Full specs :
- 1GHz processor with 512MB of RAM,
- 3GB of internal memory, microSD card slot
- 3G speeds at up to 7.2Mbps on the downlink
- 5-megapixel auto-focus camera with LED flash capable of recording 480p videos at 30fps,
- 1300mAh battery,
- Samsung TouchWiz on top of Gingerbread,
- Wi-Fi b/g/n, A-GPS, Bluetooth 3.0, USB 2.0.
[toggle title_open=”Press Release” title_closed=”Press Release” hide=”yes” border=”yes” style=”default” excerpt_length=”0″ read_more_text=”Read More” read_less_text=”Read Less” include_excerpt_html=”no”]Play and Share Faster and Smarter with the GALAXY Ace Plus January 3, 2012

New addition to Android-powered GALAXY portfolio delivers style, power and versatility

SEOUL, Korea – January 3, 2012 – Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd, a global leader in digital media and digital convergence technologies, today announced the introduction of the Samsung GALAXY Ace Plus. As an enhanced version of the widely popular GALAXY Ace, the GALAXY Ace Plus is the smartphone for trendy and sociable young professionals. The GALAXY Ace Plus will be available in Russia starting from January 2012, and will be gradually rolled out to Europe, CIS, Latin America, Southeast and Southwest Asia, the Middle East, Africa and China.

“Samsung Mobile is opening 2012 with the introduction of the Samsung GALAXY Ace Plus, which will help enhance the GALAXY brand following the huge success of the GALAXY S, GALAXY SII, GALAXY Ace and GALAXY mini. The GALAXY Ace Plus benefits from the Android™ Gingerbread platform and Samsung services, which provide a better mobile experience for more consumers,” said JK Shin, President of IT & Mobile Communications Division at Samsung Electronics. “In 2012, we will continue to make every effort to create an easy and fun mobile experience by expanding our incredibly popular GALAXY smartphone range, which is now one of the most recognized and successful mobile brands in the world.”

Style and power with expanded features

Building on the previous GALAXY Ace style heritage, the GALAXY Ace Plus is a stylishly designed smartphone contained in a modern and minimalist casing with rounded edges, featuring an affordably-sized 3.65” HVGA display. The phone has been designed to be simple yet elegant.

The GALAXY Ace Plus is backed by an impressive 1GHz processor and HSDPA 7.2 Mbps connectivity, providing all the versatility and browsing performance that today’s busy and sociable young professionals need. WiFi 802.11 functionality offers lightning-fast speeds for browsing, downloading and video streaming. Application startups are faster with virtually no lag time, even while multitasking. Additionally, an impressive 2GB of shared storage capacity for multimedia content and up to 1GB of direct storage for applications-more than any smartphone in its category-allow users greater content freedom and usability.

Running on Android Gingerbread and featuring Samsung’s TouchWiz user interface, the GALAXY Ace Plus allows users to handle mobile tasks faster and more efficiently. New music playback functionality features a play progress bar and the ability to view music tracks in folders. Call features allow users to reject calls with text messages or add unwanted callers to a black list log. For added productivity, users also have the option of using ThinkFree, a tool that enables viewing and editing of Office documents, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and PDFs, while on the move.

The GALAXY Ace Plus enables users to stay connected through Samsung’s Social Hub, Music Hub and ChatON services. ChatON, connecting all phone users-across any phone platform-into a single community using phone numbers instead of usernames and passwords, provides an easy instant messaging, group chatting and sharing of content in multiple formats-images, video, voice, contacts, calendar-to make messaging simpler and more intuitive than ever.[/toggle]
January 4, 2012
Samsung Galaxy Note gets early Buggy Ice Cream Sandwich vis Cyanogen Mod 9

Proud owner of the Samsung Galaxy Note? This should interest your anxious thought process. A new rom based on CM9 will give your Note the most anticipated ICS update well ahead of schedule. The Rom will not retain full pen functionality and all of the S-Pen input is currently not available. This build is also lacking a working camera app and Bluetooth radio functionality. Either way a ROM with more stabler features can be expected soon.

The one thing to note is that Samsung will soon release their updates for ICS to their own Android device arsenal, this will also include an update for the Galaxy Note, which will retain the Samsung Touch Wiz user Interface. So ensure you know what you are getting into, before you try out experimental roms on your precious 5.3 inch device!

January 4, 2012
Asus being targeted for locked bootloader in Transformer Prime Tablet

Companies have often been targeted for locked boot-loaders of Android devices. HTC is one such case who then decided to unlock boot loaders in exchange for end of warranties. The modding community of Android which is quite large is now lashing out at ASUS for locking the bootloader of the Wifi Only Transformer Prime tablet. In most such cases companies will give in to demands of the consumer, but we are not sure if ASUS is going to go in that direction.

Read the full flames at xda-developers.

January 3, 2012
The best Case for the iPhone 4 / 4s in India because it adds dual sim phone

Although not yet available to buy, this iPhone 4 / 4s case is going to be a best seller once it hits the Indian market. The cover is a bulky plastic shell that may not appeal at first, but turn it round back and you will find a full fledged dual sim mobile phone. Wow!

That converts your micro sim based iPhone into practically a triple sim phone. The company’s specs are a bit funny especially if you use Google Translate ( originally in chinese). The first line was easily deciphered : “it does not need to break prison” = no need for jailbreak!

Either way the cover is a bit pricy at 70$ or about Rs. 3500/- but its considering that the cover does have a dual sim phone at the back.

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iPPEEL skin function

It doesn’t need to break prision, use directly

skin fuselage support double card, plus the iphone can double to support three card to three

The operating system MTK system and bring the keyboard and screen, no electricity in the iphone can working independence

Charge function:support the charge

The tail into the plugin skin state ai design, do not take up the original iphone line interface, use process can use any peripherals

Bluetooth:support for bluetooth & headset

Signal strength skin for the mobile platform design, signal strength and production quality is guaranteed

The phone and short message software, ai design 1000 calls the skin, 1000 short message, independent, not kept in separate on iphone, a software from the iphone convert to ai skin contact

At the same time when two mobile phone calls and come, ai can hang up skin another phone, or the ai and isolated, iphone skin affection to each other

Every phone around 20 standby, text messages around 20 can use 2.5 days, the original machine with two batteries

GPRS Internet independent GPRS Internet functions

Prices are reasonable!!

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[iPPeel]

January 3, 2012
A look back at 2011! Biggest News Events !

So much has happened in the year of 2011. We take a look back at some of the major launches and events that moved news in 2011, of course we do it month wise:

January

iPhone 4 CDMA : Verizon iPhone Confirmed : CDMA and Available 10th FEB 2011

Google Announces Honeycomb for Tablets : Google shows off Android 3.0 Honeycomb on Video

Samsung Shows off Series 9 Laptops : Samsung 9 Series laptop unveiled, Super Slim

February

Nokia and Windows Phone : Nokia and Microsoft enter strategic alliance on Windows Phone, Bing, Xbox Live and Office

HP Launches Touchpad : Breaking : HP Announces the Hp TouchPad 9.7-inch, Web OS3 Tablet with 1.2 GHZ of Power

Sony Ericsson Launches the PSP Phone : Sony Ericsson Announces the Xperia Play at Mobile World Congress

Samsung Confirms Galaxy S2 : Samsung Galaxy S II official: dual-core 1GHz CPU, 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Plus

Apple Intros Thunderbolt : Apple and Intel reveal Thunderbolt I/O technology- Light Peak name is dead

March

Apple iPad 2 Launched : The Apple iPad 2 Released!

BMW’s Concept cars caught : BMW’s i3 and i8 caught testing on ice, with ski clothing?

Samsung Galaxy Tablets launched : Samsung Unveils GALAXY Tab 10.1 and GALAXY Tab 8.9, World’s Thinnest Mobile Tablets

Nexus S launched in India : Samsung Launches Nexus S in India

April

LG Optimus 2X Launched : LG Dual Core Optimus 2X launches in UK for £449.99, coming to India in April?

LG Optimus 2X launched in India : Lg Optimus 2X and the Optimus Black Launched in India

HTC Sensation Launched : HTC launches the New Sensation 4G, qHD Display, Dual Core, Sense 3.0 (PR)

Micromax Bling 2 : iG Exclusive : Micromax Bling 2 Leaked Images- Android 2.2

Hands on with The Galaxy S2 : Live from Samsung Forum 2011 : Samsung Galaxy S 2 Hands On (PR)

Hands on with the Galaxy Tab : Live from Samsung Forum 2011 : Samsung Galaxy Tab Launched: 10.1 Hands On

Galaxy S2 Launched in India : Samsung Galaxy S2 Launched in India at Samsung Forum 2011

Indian Govt. Bans Nokia Mail : Indian Government Bans Nokia’s Push Email Service

Apple vs Samsung : Apple Sues Samsung for the Galaxy S, Galaxy Tab and other Infringements

Apple iPad 2 Launched in India : Apple iPad 2 launched in India, Shipping April 29th 2011. Original iPad to get cheaper!

May

Blackberry Bold 9900 Launched : Blackberry Bold 9900 / 9930 Launched – Bold Touch now Official (PR)

Apple iMac Refresh : Apple Refreshes iMac with Quad Core Sandy Bridge Intel i Processors and Thunderbolt Ports (PR)

Google Announces ICS : Android Ice-Cream Sandwich Announced for Phones and Tablets coming later this Year

Indian Sat Launch : India’s Communication Satellite GSAT-8 Successfully Launched into Orbit with Ariane 5 ECA

Sony Under Attack : NOW : Sony BMG Greece hacked / Sony’s Security continues to fail, Subsidiary So-Net Entertainment attacked

Google Mobile Wallet +NFC : Google Launches Mobile Wallet Payment Service (PR)

June

Windows 8 Announced : Microsoft Windows 8 taken out of the Wraps !! – Video

Apple Launches new EcoSystem : Apple launches iMessage to target BBM, inter iPhone connectivity over wifi + 3g , pictures , voice and video + text instant messaging

iOS 5 Release : Apple Introduces iOS 5 with 200 New Features

iCloud Launched : The 9 Apps of iCloud – RIP MobileMe

Citibank attacked : 360,000 Credit Cards Leaked in Recent Hack-Attack to CitiGroup

iPhone 3GS launched for cheaper : iG Exclusive : Apple Re: Launching Iphone 3GS in India Tomorrow for 20k, Factory Unlocked

Google Plus Launched : Google+ is the Behemoth new Social Networking Attempt from Google

July

Facebook + Skype : Facebook Brings Group Chat and Video Calling – Targets Google +

AppStore Crosses 15 Billion Downloads : The Apple App Store Crosses the 15 Billion Downloads Milestone

HTC Unlocks Bootloaders :HTC will start Bootloader Unlock in August – HTC Sensation on the List

Micromax A70 : Micromax Launches the A70 Android Handset in India (PR)

Audi A6 Lightweight : Audi all Set to Launch the A6 Lightweight in India

EeePad Transformer in India : ASUS Launches Eee Pad Transformer Tablet in India

Apple Has more Cash than US Govt : Is Apple Richer than the US Govt.?

BMW Concept cars released : BMW showcases the new i3 and i8 Concepts, we drool! (PR)

August

BB Bold 9900 Goes on Sale : iG Exclusive : BlackBerry Bold 9900 Touch goes on Sale in India, limited pre Launch Stock

Samsung XCover Launched : Samsung Launches the Rugged Galaxy XCover, Water and Mud Resistant (PR)

Galaxy Tab : Samsung Launches the Galaxy 750 / 730 in India ( Tab 10.1 / 8.9 )

Google Decides Motorola Takeover : Breaking: Google will Acquire Motorola Mobility : SuperPower the Android Devices

HTC buys Beats by Dre : HTC puts profits to use, Buys into Beats by DRE, Strategic partnership (PR)

Motorola Launches Defy + : Motorola Launches the Defy + , The next level of water-resistance (PR)

Xiaomi Phone : Xiaomi Phone with MIUI Launched, 1.5 GHz Dual core beast at a mere US$ 310

Cyanogen with Samsung : Steve Kondik (Cyanogen) Joins Samsung Mobile as Software Engineer | Expect Fireworks

HP ends Palm and WebOS : Tech Fail : HP to abandon WebOS only 8 Months after US $ 1.2 Billion Palm takeover (PR)

Steve Jobs Resigns : Breaking : Steve Jobs resigns Apple as CEO

September

Galaxy Note Launched : Samsung launches the 5.3 inch Galaxy Note (PR)

Apple VS Samsung Heats up : German court permanently bans Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 in Apple vs Samsung, Indian courts approached

HTC Launches First phone with Beats by Dre : HTC Sensation XE is Official with 1.5 GHz and Beats Audio, Comes in September

HTC Launches Explorer : iGyaan Exclusive : HTC Launches the New HTC Explorer (PR) Updated

Amazon Launches new Kindle : Amazon Launches the Kindle Touch and Kindle Touch 3G , Upgrades the Kindle (PR)

Amazon Launches Kindle Tablet: Amazon Kindle Fire 7inch Tablet Announced with Android for $199

October

Apple Launches the iPhone 4S : Breaking : Apple intros new iPhone 4s with A5 Chipset Retina display same design as the iPhone 4 (PR)

Apple Launches Siri : Breaking Apple Launches Voice Assistant called Siri with life like Q & A

Steve Jobs Passes : Steve Jobs, Co-Founder of Apple Passes Away at 56

India’s Budget Tablet : India’s Sakshat Tablet is now the UBISLATE / AAKASH for 2999 Rs. or 1799 Rs. on subsidy.

Windows Phone 7 comes to India : Microsoft Launches Windows Phones In India, About a Year Later with 3 New Devices

iGyaan and iPhone 4s : iPhone 4S Unboxing and Hands on

Samsung & Google launch the Nexus : Samsung Galaxy Nexus is Official : 4.65 HD Amoled Display, First ICS

Samsung Galaxy S Plus in India : Samsung Galaxy S Plus Launched in India

Nokia Lumia : Nokia Finally Announces the Lumia 800 ‘first real Windows Phone’ (PR)

November

Galaxy note Launched in India : Samsung Galaxy Note GT-N7000 Launched in India at Rs. 34,990

Panasonic Tough Tablets : Panasonic dares your tablet, releases the Water, Fire, Dirt and Drop proof ToughPad A1 & B1

Transformer Prime : ASUS launches the new Transformer Prime with Tegra 3 and 12 Hour Battery (PR)

Range Rover Evoque in India : AutoGyaan: Range Rover Evoque Finally Arrives in India at whacky prices

iPhone 4S comes to India : Claims shutter down, India to get iPhone 4S Nov 25

Micromax A85 Launched : Micromax Launches the A85 SuperFone in India (PR)

HTC Sensation XL in India : HTC Launches the Sensation XL with Beats Audio in India (PR)

December

Pick: iG Holiday Gift Guide 2011: Gadgets Rs. 10,000

Pick : iG Holiday Gift Guide : Mobile Phones under 10,000

Micromax Launches A75 : Micromax Launches the A75 Superfone Lite with Dual Sim (PR)

HP OpenSources WebOS : HP is ready to make WebOS open source, we want to reverse engineer

Aakash Tablet on Sale : India’s Aakash Tablet now available, Ubislate 7 up for Pre Order

Nexus S Gets ICS : Google Begins Updating the Nexus S to Ice Cream Sandwich

Nokia ends Symbian : Nokia bids adieu to the Symbian name, embraces Nokia Belle

Samsung embraces Dual sim in Android : Samsung Launches Dual Sim Galaxy Y Duos and Galaxy Y Pro Duos (PR)

iGyaan Holiday Guide : Best Phones for 15,000

iGyaan Holiday Guide : Best Smartphones for 20000 Rupees

iGyaan Holiday Guide : Extreme Phones 21,000 and UP

January 1, 2012
iGyaan Holiday Guide : Extreme Phones 21,000 and UP

The end of the year is upon us, and what better way than to look at the amazing phones of 2011, the top list, or the commercial giants. Here is a list of Smartphones which we think make sense in the Bracket from 21-40 thousand. Of course we only list our favorites.

Missed the Other Guides ? Check them Out:

Best Phones in Rs. 20,000/-

Best Phones in Rs. 15,000/-

Best Phones in Rs. 10,000/-

Android

Possibly the largest category in this guide we have literally more than 15 phones that can fit in this price range, so we take out what we think is the best of the lot.

Samsung Galaxy Note (Rs. 32000) : Phone? Tablet? Relax its a Galaxy Note! The best Android device money can buy today in India. The Note features a massive 5.3 inch screen with an awesome Super Amoled Display ( beautiful), it also has a S-Pen which is a capacitive pen with more features than a stylus ever had before : Detailed here. The Note also has a fast 1.4GHz processor, 16 GB storage, Android 2.3 with confirmed ICS. 8MP camera + front camera with Video calls. Check out our Unboxing and Hands On : Review is out Shortly!

Motorola Razr XT910 ( Rs. 33990) : The slimmest phone in the Android Series, Motorola has revived the Razr brand, with just a 7.1mm thickness for a smartphone. The device is powered with a 1.2 GHz dual core ARM Cortex A9 processor, the RAZR also packs in 1 GB of RAM and a PowerVR SGX540 GPU. A 4.3 inch super AMOLED advanced display make for the best viewing with a qHD resolution. 8MP camera allows great pictures and Full HD video recording 1080p. Our Review Out Shortly!

HTC Sensation XE ( Rs. 32000) and XL ( Rs. 37000) : While we really recommend HTC phones simply because of brilliant build qualities, we feel that they are overpriced and thus they share the third spot in the Android Lineup. The XE packs Beats audio and iBeats , 1.4 GHz processor a great 4.3inch qHD screen and Sense UI on top of Android 2.3.4. Our Review covers it in-depth. The XL is just a bigger version of XE with a much bigger price tag. The specs are strange, a 480x800px resolution, a 1.5GHz processor and Android 2.3. Its a way to express that you love HTC phones and thats it. Need we say our review is out shortly!

HTC Evo 3D (Rs. 35000) : Want to jump on the 3D bandwagon? this is the device to choose. The LG Optimus 3D is a cheaper alternative, but we feel that the HTC is a better device. Specs include 1.2 GHz dual core processor, an Adreno 220 GPU based on a MSM 8660 chipset and 1 GB of RAM. An auto-stereo-scopic Display makes 3D viewing without 3D glasses possible. The 4.3inch display has a qHD resolution and the device has HTC Sense on Android 2.3 – to be upgraded to ICS and newer Sense in 2012. Our unboxing and Video Review cover the Evo 3D extensively.

Samsung Galaxy S2 (Rs. 28,000) : The best selling Android Premium smartphone in 2011, the Samsung Galaxy S2 is truly an amazing device. An upgrade to the Galaxy S, the S2 brought a lot of firsts for Samsung. An 8 MP camera with stunning pictures and full HD video, a beautiful Super AMOLED Plus display which hosts Android 2.3 with Touchwiz – flick and tap. A large in-built memory of 16 GB and is expandable up to 32 GB, good battery life and a gorilla display. This device truly answered all questions that buyers had in 2011. Check out our Full Review.

Sony Ericsson Arc S ( Rs. 28000) : No its not the best phone for the money thats why it falls under the S2, The SE ARC S is the only SONY entrant in our list, because of the beautiful Timescape UI and the stunning Bravia Engine on the display. Powered by a ~~poor old~~ 1.4 GHz Qualcomm Scorpion processor and Adreno 205 GPU, no this does not make this device incapable. The UI is stable and the performance is excellent from the device.

Samsung Galaxy S Plus ( Rs. 21000) : The Lowest range handset in our list, powered by the same processor as the ARC S , 1.4GHz Scorpion, The S Plus is exactly what the name says, a plus to the Galaxy S. 8GB memory and 512MB RAM, a Super Amoled Display. The funny thing is you get better specs on a cheaper device the Galaxy R ( Rs. 18800) .

The Galaxy Nexus didn’t make our list because its not officially available in India, Yes it should be at the top of the list, considering ICS is already on board and a 720 x 1280 px, 4.65 inch Super Amoled Capacitive touchscreen, a Dual-core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A9, 16GB internal storage – Optional 32GB . The phone also has a 5MP camera with full HD video and a front camera for native 3G video calls. A lot more specs than we can list here. The phone enters India end January 2012, you can get it from ebay ranging 35-45k. Best of luck!

Apple

iPhone 4S (Rs. 44900) : The Apple of everyone’s eye, the Apple iPhone 4S is the flagship phone from Apple this year. With millions sold within weeks its also one of the most sold handset in 2011 (considering iPhone 4). The new iPhone 4S brings the A5 chipset with dual core capabilities, best in class 8MP camera with full HD video and Image stabilization ( 5 Lens system). The highest resolution Retina Display. But the most popular thing of 2011 is Siri, the voice activated Assistant that follows your every command. Check out our Unboxing : Review Shortly

iPhone 4 ( Rs. 32,000) : Yes two Apple devices made our list, the iPhone 4 is the taster for those unwilling to shell out big buck for the bigger brother. Still you get iOS5, iCloud and Siri after jailbreak of course. The iPhone 4 has a 5 MP rear illuminated camera, the same Retina display, Front facing camera for FaceTime calls and Millions of Apps from the iOS AppStore. The iPhone 4 is a perfect device for those with the budget and the urge to jump over to iOS while Apple unveils the next-gen iPhone sometime in 2012 for big buck. Of course we reviewed it back in the day.

Blackberry

Bold 9900 ( Rs. 31000) : The Bold 9900 is the flagship Bold from RIM. The same keyboard layout from the original bold 9000, with a new capacitive touchscreen, a super slim profile and BB OS 7 . The only disappointment is the poor fixed focus 5MP camera. The 9900 is a businessman’s powerhouse, especially if you are a previous BB user. The device has excellent mail capabilities and of course has BBM. The new OS 7 also supports a lot more new age apps and games. The phone features a 1.2 GHz processor , 768 MB of RAM, 2.8-inch capacitive LCD and 8GB storage. Our Video Here

Torch 3 / 9860 ( Rs. 28000) : Our Second BB recommendation, the beautiful screen and the full touch display make the device feel really nice in the hands. Liquid graphics on a 3.7-inch TFT capacitive touchscreen. 4GB internal storage and 768MB ram. BB OS 7 and new age emailing and messaging, excellent media capabilities and an excellent form factor. A great Blackberry for those looking for a BB – iPhone Hybrid (minus iOS) . Our Video Here

Windows Phone

HTC Radar (Rs. 23000) : Our first recommendation simply because of Price vs Features. The Radar has a beautiful build quality with WP7.5 Mango running on top of a 1 GHz Qualcomm Scorpion processor. The 3.8-inch Super LCD screen has a resolution of 480 x 800 pixels and look great. The device has a 5MP camera and a 0.3 MP front camera no 3G video calls though. Check out our full review. If you don’t really rely on Build quality, a better and cheaper alternative is the Omnia W for 18,990

NOKIA Lumia 800 ( Rs 28900) : The Amazing Everyday, no not yet ! Yes this is Nokia’s Answer to Android, but is it the right answer? The device runs WP7.5 Mango with proprietary Nokia Apps ( not really since we ported them to HTC) but the device has a 1.4 GHz Qualcomm Scorpion processor, 512 MB of RAM and 16GB of onboard storage. Lumia 800 has a 8MP camera with full HD recording, but wait! where is the second camera? Our Review and Comparison with Omnia W comes out shortly.

December 31, 2011
Amazon sells over 4 Million Kindles this Season
The numbers are in, Amazon has sold over 4 Million Amazon Kindles this Holiday season including global shipments and including shipments to countries ilk India and China. The company also noted that its #1 and #4 best-selling eBooks released this year were published by independent authors through its Kindle Direct Publishing platform.

We are grateful to our customers worldwide for making this the best holiday ever for Kindle, And in a huge milestone for independent publishing, we’d also like to congratulate Darcie Chan, the author of ‘The Mill River Recluse,’ and Chris Culver, the author of ‘The Abbey,’ for writing two of the best-selling Kindle books of the year.”

-Amazon.com CEO Jeff Bezos

The Kindle Fire was the most popular device followed by the Kindle Touch and the Kindle, The company report states that E-Book gifting also went up 175% from Last Year. Read the extensively exhausting Press Release below for the full numbers

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2011 IS THE BEST HOLIDAY EVER FOR KINDLE

Amazon customers purchased millions of Kindle Fires and millions of Kindle e-readers

#1 and #4 best-selling Kindle books released in 2011 published independently by authors using Kindle Direct Publishing

Businesses selling on Amazon have record-breaking holiday sales

SEATTLE, Dec. 29, 2011 – (NASDAQ: AMZN) – Amazon.com, Inc. today announced that 2011 was the best holiday ever for the Kindle family as customers purchased millions of Kindle Fires and millions of Kindle e-readers. Authors also continue to benefit from the success of Kindle — the #1 and #4 best-selling Kindle books released in 2011 were both published independently by their authors using Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP).

“We are grateful to our customers worldwide for making this the best holiday ever for Kindle,” said Jeff Bezos, Amazon.com founder and CEO. “And in a huge milestone for independent publishing, we’d also like to congratulate Darcie Chan, the author of ‘The Mill River Recluse,’ and Chris Culver, the author of ‘The Abbey,’ for writing two of the best-selling Kindle books of the year.”

More Kindle holiday facts:

·         Throughout December, customers purchased well over 1 million Kindle devices per week.

·         The new Kindle family held the top three spots on the Amazon.com best seller charts – #1: Kindle Fire, #2: Kindle Touch, #3: Kindle.

·         Kindle Fire is the #1 best-selling, most gifted, and most wished for product across the millions of items available on Amazon.com since its introduction 13 weeks ago.

·         Kindle is also the best-selling product on Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.de, Amazon.fr, Amazon.es and Amazon.it this holiday season.

·         Gifting of Kindle books was up 175 percent between this Black Friday and Christmas Day compared to the same period in 2010.

·         Christmas Day was the biggest day ever for Kindle book downloads.

·         Kindle Fire is the best-selling product on Amazon.com’s mobile website and across all of Amazon.com’s mobile applications.

Additional Kindle Direct Publishing successes include:

·         December’s #1 best-selling Kindle Direct Publishing book “Wife by Wednesday” was also the #5 overall best-selling Kindle book in December and has appeared on both the USA Today and Wall Street Journal best seller lists. Author Catherine Bybee was formerly an emergency room registered nurse, and has now left her job to focus on writing full-time.
Businesses Selling on Amazon

2011 was also a record-breaking holiday season for businesses that sell on Amazon. Third-party sellers experienced record holiday growth: the number of sellers who exceeded $5,000 in sales during the holiday season increased 44 percent year-over-year. For the year, businesses on Amazon sold hundreds of millions of units worth billions of dollars worldwide.

Scharf Industries, an office supplies and electronics provider, increased its sales on Amazon by over 500 percent this holiday season compared with last holiday season.

“We greatly value the cooperation that we have developed with Amazon,” said Andrew D. Scharf, CMO of Scharf Industries. “They have provided us with the tools necessary to grow our business in a rapid and efficient manner.”

Ken Reiss, the owner of Reiss Innovations, LLC, started with one Amazon Webstore, selling five to 10 mouse pads for the year. Six years later he has a successful eCommerce business, selling through multiple Amazon Webstores. Just this year alone, Reiss saw a 21 percent increase in sales compared with the holiday season last year. He has also increased the number of product listings by 50 percent over 2010 and recently extended his business to Canada.

According to Reiss, one of the most beneficial aspects of his relationship with Amazon is that “It allows me to scale in efficiency. I can devote my time to building vendor relations and growing my inventory, rather than worrying about logistical aspects, such as shipping products.” Reiss currently stores 90 percent of his inventory in Amazon’s warehouses, up from 75 percent last year.

Other seller successes include:

·         Amazon’s third-party sellers sold enough cameras for every fan at the next 10 Super Bowls to snap their own shots of the winning touchdown.

·         Amazon’s third-party sellers sold enough toys in 2011 to give a toy to every resident of Chicago. In fact, they sold as many Lalaloopsy Dolls as there are lights on the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree in New York City.

·         Debra Keyes, CEO of The Internet Department Store, which sells costumes for both adults and children, began utilizing Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) – the Amazon service that stores, packs and ships orders for third-party sellers – as soon as it launched. By January 2011, she had 1,300 products listed in FBA. That number has now grown to 7,800 products by November 2011. During that same time period, the company’s sales increased by 34 percent.

Holiday Fun Facts

Shipping:
Customer Purchases (Amazon.com only; holiday timeframe-specific):

·         Amazon customers purchased enough copies of Walter Isaacson’s “Steve Jobs” book to create a stack taller than Mt. Everest.

·         The cumulative weight of the Bowflex 552 Adjustable Dumbbells purchased by Amazon customers would outweigh more than 70 adult elephants.

·         If you unfolded and stacked each pair of jeans purchased by Amazon customers this holiday, the height would be 2,500 times taller than the Statue of Liberty.

·         Amazon customers purchased enough sweaters to outfit each of Santa’s reindeer during Christmas Eve deliveries for the next 14,000 years.

·         Amazon customers purchased enough copies of Just Dance 3 to give 15 copies to each person who participated in setting the world record for simultaneous dancing.

·         Amazon customers purchased enough HeatMax HotHands Handwarmers to give a pair to each resident of Iceland.

·         Amazon customers purchased enough Rory’s Story Cubes to give a cube to each person watching the New Year’s Eve ball drop live at Times Square.

Holiday Best Sellers (Amazon.com only; based on units ordered):
· Video Games: Just Dance 3; Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3; and Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
· AmazonWireless: Motorola DROID RAZR 4G Android Phone (Verizon Wireless); Samsung Galaxy S II Epic Touch 4G Android Phone (Sprint); and Samsung Galaxy S II 4G Android Phone (AT&T)
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December 30, 2011
Samsung Omnia W i8350 – Unboxing and Hands on

Samsung Omnia W is the first official Windows Phone from Samsung in India. The smartphone has been aggressively priced seeing the massive launch from Nokia for their Lumia Series. The Samsung Omnia however beats the odds of the Nokia Lumia series trumping them in a certain aspects. The Omnia W weighs just 115 gms making it a fairly light phone. The 3.7 inch Super AMOLED screen is exceptionally vivid and has rich deep black levels. The form factor and over all size of the device is very comfortable in the hand.

The Omnia W features a 5 MP camera with autofocus and LED flash, 720p video recording and a front facing VGA camera for video calling. The Omnia W also has a 1.4 GHz Scorpion processor and Adreno 205 GPU. It has 8 GB storage, 512 MB RAM, along with GPS, AGPS for location and high speed HSPA connectivity. The omnia comes with Windows Phone 7.5 mango and is currently available in black color for Rs. 19,900/-. Check out our Video unboxing below and stay tuned for a Full Review out Shortly.

iG Tech Labs.

December 29, 2011
Synology DS411Slim NAS Hands On : Your own Personal Cloud

Network Attached Storage, is a term that reminds us of big bulky devices that store large 3.5 inch Hard Drives. These units are usually obnoxious and loud and provide limited access to the storage. That all has changed as Synology introduces the DS411 Slim. This slim palm size ( or actually palm width) NAS uses 4 Sata 2.5 inch hard drives inside a beautiful piano black shell. Not only is this small and good to look at it is very quiet with noise levels at just 21.1 dB(A).

The DS411 Slim gives you the ability to create your own private cloud, with a host of features including iOS and Android Apps to access your data make this a real worthwhile investment. The DS411slim allows you to create your personal data store and share files b/w Windows, Mac, and Linux. Internet file access is simplified by the encrypted FTP server, the web-based File Browser and File Station. HTTPS, firewall, and IP auto-block support ensure file sharing over the Internet is protected at a high security level.

For those with a download fetish the DS411 Slim has an inbuilt Download Center which allows 24×7 BitTorrent, FTP, HTTP, eMule, and NZB download center without a PC. The DS411 is the ultimate media store using the inbuilt DLNA/UPnP Compliant Media Sever that allows you to stream multimedia files with an UPnP Digital Media Adapter (DMA) to a stereo system or a TV-set. Sony PS3 and Microsoft Xbox360 are also supported.

The Ds411 Slim can also be used as an iTunes Server and an Audio Stream unit that supports Internet radio stations, and iPod playback along with playback of audio files stored on the unit using optional speakers. Check out the tech specs below

December 29, 2011