Author: Shivaank Rana

Micromax Ninja A91 Available Online For INR 8,499

Micromax’s new Android phone, the Micromax Ninja A91, has appeared on online retailer Saholic at a price of 8,499 with a shipping delivery within 3 business days.

This is the first launch by homegrown smartphone maker Micromax after its Canvas HD sales hit a roadblock since its launch.

However, the Canvas HD is back in stock and is now being shipped hassle free after the latest flagship from the company stopped selling due to lack of availability.

The Micromax Ninja A91 comes with 4.5-inch TFT LCD display with 480×854 pixel resolution. The device and is powered by a MediaTek MT6577 1GHz dual-core processor alongside 512MB RAM and 4GB internal storage expandable up to 32GB via microSD card. The phone comes with a 5-megapixel rear camera and a VGA front camera.

Connectivity options on the Micromax Ninja A91 include Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 3G and Micro-USB. Micromax Ninja A91 is a dual-SIM dual-GSM standby phone that comes with a 1,800mAH battery and runs on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

Meanwhile, Micromax has not released the date of the official launch of the Ninja A91

All is not good for Micromax however, as it has also been in the news recently as it was sued by global telecom giant Ericsson for Rs. 100 crore over patent infringement. The company is reportedly in talks with Ericsson over the issue and hopes to negotiate a FRAND license for the patents at the earliest.

April 6, 2013
Facebook Addresses Facebook Home Privacy Concerns

It seems that each time Facebook redesigns its News Feed, an entire swath of the Internet comes out and swears that they’ll never use Facebook again. But then, active users just increase more and more. But with Facebook Home, it’s a little different. Analysts and users alike have been asking Facebook for more clarity on what Home means for privacy — particularly for those who go with an HTC First, where there’s really no avoiding the Facebook connection.

Now Facebook has posted a Q&A on its website about the privacy implications of its new Facebook Home software for Android phones, though it was unclear if it has addressed all the concerns raised.

In a blog post Friday, the company said it had received “a few questions about how Home works with privacy.” It then posed several questions to itself about Home and privacy and answered them.

Home is essentially a software wrapper for Android smartphones that modifies the home screen, among other things, to put Facebook photos and messages front and center. It was announced on Thursday.

First of all, Facebook notes, Home is a completely optional experience. People have to install it to use it and they continue to use the regular Facebook app if they don’t like or want Home. That’s probably going to stay true for the mid-term future at least.

They can also uninstall Home or disable individual features. For example, Facebook says Home can be turned off in the “Home Settings.”

It’s unclear whether that means all “Home” features will be disabled leaving you with the core Facebook app functionality without actually uninstalling Home or whether this disables things like the Cover feed on the homescreen and that’s it.

The data use policy states that the data Facebook collects can include Internet Protocol addresses and a user’s location. “For example, we may get your GPS or other location information so we can tell you if any of your friends are nearby.”

It was not clear from Facebook’s post whether Home collects location data any more frequently than does the Facebook mobile app, and Facebook didn’t immediately respond to a question about that sent late on Friday.

Facebook has riled users in the past with respect to their privacy. Last year it settled a class-action lawsuit over a feature called Sponsored Stories, which used people’s photographs to suggest that they were endorsing companies’ products.

[PCWorld]

April 6, 2013
HTC First Runs Stock Android Jelly Bean

The new Facebook Home-optimised HTC First runs a stock version of Android Jelly Bean, which can be accessed simply by turning off the social network’s new, custom UI, reports on Friday revealed.

As Phandroid found out during its hands-on time with the device, it looks like the HTC First runs a stock Android version underneath the Home user interface, which makes it the first HTC handset after the G2 to come with stock Android on board, even though it’s not comparable to the kind of stock Android you get with Nexus devices:

So, what does this mean exactly? Well, I should start out by saying that when I say “stock Android,” I’m not talking about pure AOSP with direct updates from Google. Only Nexus (and for a short time, Sony) devices get those kinda privileges. What I mean by “stock” is a version of Android that simply isn’t skinned and comes with stock Android apps like messaging, camera, gallery, stock notification bar, etc., but may or may not have some of the underlying software tweaked.

HTC later confirmed to The Verge that this was indeed the case and stock Android is the beneath-the-surface version of the OS.

Why is this somewhat of a surprise? Well HTC phones are usually dripping in its own skin for Android, the love-it-or-hate-it Sense UI.

For a pure Android experience, you can always purchase the latest Nexus model (or ask a relative to get it for you from abroad!), but did the HTC First also get sort of interesting now that you hear you can run Android on it without any UIs in the way?

[Phandroid]

April 6, 2013
Nokia Lumia 920 Edges Out Samsung Galaxy S4 In Video Stabilization Tests

The new hotness may be the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S4, but despite a massive 5-inch screen and 13 megapixel camera sensor, the device lacks one important feature: optical image stabilization. This disparity to Nokia’s flagship Lumia 920 was tested by the folks at WP7Forum.ru and as you would expect, the proprietors know their home court advantage.

Both devices were fastened to a remote-control car and towed around on an office floor, but only one, the Lumia, stays calm and collected throughout the process. The Galaxy S4 looks like its experiencing tiny tremors throughout the entire ride, exposing the limitations of non-stabilized mobile camera sensors for video capture.

Nokia had incorporated–one of the first for its kind–an optical image stabilization mechanism in the Lumia 920 that would allow for stabilized video recordings and great low light photography performance without the need for a flash.

While by no means a definitive test, it certainly shows just how far ahead the Lumia 920 is from the rest of the market when it comes to optical image stabilization. The ultimate test will be to compare it to the HTC One, which also offers OIS on its Ultrapixel sensor.

The video is in Russian, but if you don’t speak the language you’re not missing much (other than the reason the remote control car had to be towed manually, its batteries were out).

[WP7Forum]

April 6, 2013
Top 5 Android Launchers
Launchers in Android devices keeps them refreshed and new every time you change them. A correct launcher and a correct hardware combination can make your device faster, smooth and stylish. There are plenty of free Android launchers available on the Play store. Some are marvelous and work on any hardware specs while some require hardware customizations.

In this article, we list our top 5 Android launchers, both paid and free –

1. GO Launcher EX

Searching for a reliable home launcher for your Android? Then undoubtedly try the most popular home launcher Go Launcher EX of Google Play.

Go Launcher is no less than any premium launcher which come per-installed in many Android devices. If you compare the features, this launcher even crosses HTC’s sense and Samsung’s touch Whiz interface. The basic reason for this launcher’s popularity is the number of customization options available in it.

It has many themes available ranging from Windows 8 theme to Jelly beans to Ubuntu theme. Some of the best features about this launcher includes: Smooth transitions, great custom GO widgets, strong app management functions like hide app, sort app, search app and clean cache options.

Features:
- Provides extremely smooth transition animation.
- Smoothness in flipping operation.
- It contains more than 5000 personalized themes.
- Amazing custom gestures.
- Many needful including GO widgets like weather, switcher, calendar etc.
- Strong app management function like sorting, hide app, search, cleaning memory and refresh.
2. Apex Launcher

Apex is a great launcher that comes out looking like Jellybean out of the box, no hunting for themes required.

The menus are all every easy to get around and figure out what they do, and the launcher itself is designed, ultimately, the way you want it to look. That’s the beauty of Apex, you can get it looking and working the best possible way for your personal style.

It has up to 9 customizable home screens, infinite elastic scrolling, fancy transition effects, Multiple drawer styles, Lock your desktop to prevent accidental changes and many more features.

Features:
- You can customize homescreen grid size and up to 9 homescreens.
- Scrollable dock with up to 7 icons per page and up to 5 pages.
- Fancy transition effects (tablet, cube, etc).
- You can hide elements as you want (persistent search bar, status bar, or even the dock).
- Customizable icons and labels for shortcuts and folders
- You can choose different folder preview styles and background.
- You can hide apps from the drawer.
- You can lock your desktop to prevent accidental changes.
- Enjoy homescreen gestures (pinch, swipe up/down, double tap)
- Advanced theme engine (icon packs, skins, etc.)
- Backup/restore settings and data
- It is optimized for both phones and tablets
3. NOVA Launcher

Nova launcher is another best free Android launcher which is very similar to Apex launcher. It allows use of ADW or Go Launcher themes to change the looks. You can even change the color of the launcher from the launcher settings. It gives full freedom to select an icon pack from GO launcher or Apex launchers. It has infinite scrolling, folders options, transparent drawer, widgets overlapping option, backup and restore options and hide apps options.

Features:
- Completely coloured themes.
- You can change the accent color of the launcher and it is full color picker supported.
- Customizable App Drawer
- Icon Themes – You can apply ADW or Go launcher icon themes to all app icons.
- Scrollable Dock (for Tablets and Phones) – You can keep all your favorite apps on the dock, with up to 7 icons per page and up to 3 pages.
- Transparency – Scrolling style, you can choose between horizontal paginated or vertical continuous.
- Scroll Effects – You can enjoy eye candy when scrolling your desktop and drawer. Effects include Cube and Cardstack and more for Prime users.
- Infinite Scroll – You will never be far from your favorite page, loop through your desktop continuously.
- Folder Icons – Chose a background, preview style or even replace the whole icon.
- Backup – Export your settings and layout before a wipe to quickly get back up and running.
- Widgets in dock – Just add any 1×1 widget to the dock.
- Widget Overlapping – Overlap on resize or placement, long-press to send to back or bring to front.
- Bulk Add – You can add multiple apps to the desktop or a folder at any time.
- Activities shortcut – You can select hidden activities from your favorite apps.
4. Smart Launcher

Unlike all other launchers out there, with almost the same kind of layout (at a basic level), Smart Launcher is characterized by its minimalist design, low memory usage and a user-friendly UI that lets you start any application with a few taps. You have to use it to know it. My only gripe is that, the Quick Start screen does not have native icons for generic apps such as Google Maps.

Features:
- It is ready to use without special configurations.
- It can support for Live Wallpaper and screens of different sizes.
- It can support of set of icons for Launcher Pro and ADW Launcher.
- It support Widgets but available for only PRO version.
- Main screen with Quick Start.
- Drawer organized by categories.
5. ADW Launcher

This is one of the oldest launcher apps on the market. The reason why it’s number 5 is that it was for the longest time neglected by the developer. It looks like it is again being updated with the latest version being totally rewritten for Android Jellybean, and also coming with a new default theme. There are several versions of this on the market, but we found the premium Ex version the best one.

Features:
- Highly customizable home replacement application.
- It’s compatible with android versions from 1.6 to 4.1.
- It contains thousands of skins and themes with support for most popular launcher themes
- You can mix and match your skins, icons, docks, folders, etc.
- It can configure your applications in unlimited groups and hide unwanted apps.
- Fast setup screen with fast access to add items or configure everything.
- It has configurable visual desktop indicators.- Easy folder tweaking and management, content previews, arrangement, colors, etc.
- New AppWidget picker for devices running Android 4.1 and newer.
- Icons editor to create your own customized shortcuts or edit existing ones
- You can resize AppWidget.
- It contains AppWidget backup/restore (only for android 4.1 and newer).
- Customizable applications dock with support for unlimited shortcuts with paginated scroll.
- Lots of settings to play with: texts, colors, animations, sizes, you should dig in.
What do you think? Did we miss out on any? Let us know your top 5 below!
April 5, 2013
Myntra Acquires San Francisco-Based FITIQUETTE, Developer Of Virtual Fitting Room Technology

Online fashion and lifestyle products retailer Myntra has acquired San Francisco-based technology platform provider FITIQUETTE for an undisclosed sum.

“This acquisition will strengthen and expand Myntra’s technology platform and drive transformational change in online shopping space in India by providing world-class experience to its customers,” the company said in a statement today.

This is Myntra’s second recent acquisition in the U.S. The first, in November 2012, was of New York-based Exclusively.in, which powers the private label vertical, Sher Singh. In both cases, the financial terms were not disclosed.

The virtual dressing room developed by FITIQUETTE generates a virtual mannequin based on various body types to which users can adjust each specific measurement according to their body until it closely mirrors their own, the company said, adding that the technology enabled online shoppers to virtually ‘try before they buy’.

Mukesh Bansal, CEO & Co-founder, Myntra says “Myntra aims to create the most compelling Fashion Shopping experience for Indian consumers at par or better than global standards. FITIQUETTE has developed pioneering technology for solving the Fit/Size problem online. This acquisition will not only help us improve the experience significantly, but will also enhance our technology team with addition of top tech talent from FITIQUETTE.”

The FITIQUETTE team will be joining Myntra with Andy heading Myntra’s newly formed Innovation Labs in San Francisco.

Andy Pandharikar, CEO & Co-founder, FITIQUETTE says “The Indian e-commerce industry is growing at breakneck speed and it is a great time to be a part of this journey. I am confident that FITIQUETTE’s powerful technology will benefit Myntra’s vision of providing world class solutions to online shoppers across the country.”

[toggle title=”Press Release”]Myntra Acquires San Francisco Based ‘FITIQUETTE’

Myntra, India’s largest e-commerce platform for fashion and lifestyle products, today announced the acquisition of San Francisco based FITIQUETTE (TechCrunch Disrupt Finalist), a technology solution which is a one of a kind virtual fitting room.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PRLog (Press Release) – Apr. 5, 2013 – Bangalore, April 5, 2013: Myntra, India’s largest e-commerce platform for fashion and lifestyle products, today announced the acquisition of San Francisco based FITIQUETTE (http://www.fitiquette.com/) (TechCrunch Disrupt Finalist (http://techcrunch.com/2012/09/10/fitiquette-online-clothi…)), a technology solution which is a one of a kind virtual fitting room. FITIQUETTE’s technology innovation aims at solving size and fit issues for online shoppers. This acquisition will strengthen and expand Myntra’s technology platform and drive transformational change in the online shopping space in India by providing world-class experience to its customers. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, except to note that the acquisition was part cash, part stock.

FITIQUETTE is the first virtual dressing room of its kind globally. This unique innovation generates a virtual mannequin based on various body types to which users can further adjust each specific measurement according to their body until it closely mirrors their own. This technology enables online shoppers to virtually ‘try before they buy’, providing an online shopping experience which is very similar to the offline model.

With this acquisition, Myntra will have the ability to provide the best virtual solution to solve a perceived barrier of shopping online – finding the right fit and size. This acquisition demonstrates the strength and the rising trend of Indian companies going beyond their boundaries and acquiring international firms.

Mukesh Bansal, CEO & Co-founder, Myntra says “Myntra aims to create the most compelling Fashion Shopping experience for Indian consumers at par or better than global standards. FITIQUETTE has developed pioneering technology for solving the Fit/Size problem online. This acquisition will not only help us improve the experience significantly, but will also enhance our technology team with addition of top tech talent from FITIQUETTE.”

Andy Pandharikar, CEO & Co-founder, FITIQUETTE says “The Indian e-commerce industry is growing at breakneck speed and it is a great time to be a part of this journey. I am confident that FITIQUETTE’s powerful technology will benefit Myntra’s vision of providing world class solutions to online shoppers across the country.”

The FITIQUETTE team will be joining Myntra with Andy heading Myntra’s newly formed Innovation Labs in San Francisco.

This is Myntra’s second acquisition in a short span of four months. In November 2012, Myntra acquired Sher Singh (http://techcrunch.com/2012/11/08/indian-e-commerce-compan…), a global private label online brand specializing in sports-inspired lifestyle apparel for men and women and its New York based parent company Exclusively.in.

About Myntra.com:

Myntra.com is among the leading e-commerce platforms in India for fashion and lifestyle products. Myntra.com has partnered with over 500 leading fashion and lifestyle brands in the country such as Nike, Adidas, Puma, Lee, Levis, Arrow, Biba, FabIndia, Timberland, CAT, US Polo and the likes to offer a wide range in latest branded fashion and lifestyle wear. With the largest in-season product catalogue, 100% authentic products, cash on delivery and 30 day return policy, Myntra.com is today the preferred shopping destination in India.

Headquartered in Bangalore, Myntra was started by a group of IIT/IIM graduates in 2007. The company has been funded by top tier Venture Capital funds like Tiger Global, IndoUS, IDG and Accel Partners.
[/toggle]

April 5, 2013
Panasonic Lumix GF6 Photos And Specs Leaked

Panasonic Lumix GF6 images and specifications have been leaked early this week, before its official launch, revealing what you can expect from the new Lumix GF6 when it officially launches later this month.

The leaked Panasonic Lumix GF6 information revealed that the camera would be priced at £449 or around $680 and comes with the new 14-42mm lens kit.

It seems that someone with a twitchy finger over at TechRadar accidentally published a hands-on review of the camera a bit too early (likely breaking NDA agreements they signed with Panasonic). Earlier today, an article titled “Hands on: Panasonic GF6 review” appeared on the site.

Engadget reports that the camera has passed through Taiwan’s National Communications Commission (their equivalent of the FCC), which has been inspecting the built-in WiFi feature of the camera. Wireless communication may be one of the big features in GF6.

Other features of the new Lumix GF6 include a new retouch function which as been designed to enables users to editing photos directly on the Lumix GF6 camera, with the ability to remove distracting elements from view.

The Panasonic Lumix GF6 also comes with 19 different creative effects that can be applied and area available on the Creative Panorama shooting mode.

The leak has given us the first glimpse at the Lumix GF6’s full spec list, which include the same 16-megapixel sensor as the GX1, a new Venus engine to assist with imaging performance, and an electrostatic touchscreen.

[TechRadar, Engadget]

April 5, 2013
Facebook ‘Home’ App Suite For Android Announced, Available April 12

Facebook has announced, as expected, a suite of apps and Android launcher called Home. Its main tenet is called CoverFeed that uses photos to connect people, apps and data in a single place. According to Facebook, the app is used three times more than any other Android app on average; users are inside the app for an average of 30 minutes per day.

Unlike previous rumours, Facebook will not be releasing its own phone, nor will it be “forking” Android to its own version. Instead, CEO Mark Zuckerberg says that Facebook wanted to use Android’s inherent openness and flexibility to its advantage. Home sits atop your current Android operating system, regardless of manufacturer or version.

Home is also a suite of apps, combining the launcher, the Facebook app itself and Messenger, which now combines SMS and private messages into one app. There’s a “clean, simple” app launcher, so your previous workflow is still available. Facebook doesn’t want to prevent you from using apps, but its people-first integration is paramount.

In addition to the lock screen experience, Facebook Home includes a feature called “chat heads,” a messaging interface that uses chat partners’ faces as tabs for their messaging windows. When a user is in any app, a “chat head” can appear off to the side of the screen. Users can tap the icon to enter the conversation and then swipe upward to take the messaging interface off the screen and return to the app they were in before. Both SMS and Facebook messages can use the “chat head” alert.

Home will be available to existing Facebook users who have the latest version of Facebook and Messenger. You’ll be prompted to download it in the coming days. Home will be available as a launcher replacement, which can be deleted and replaced with your favourite launcher going forward.

It will also be available for tablets in the coming months; the initial version will be offered only on phones. The initial rollout will be limited to the HTC One, Galaxy S III, Galaxy Note II, Galaxy S4, HTC One X and One X+.

The app will eventually expand to work with a number of new devices, but it’s going to be Android 4.0+, which will help long-term performance.

HTC has also announced the First device in four colours today. More on that developing.

Facebook Home can be downloaded from the Google Play store starting April 12.

April 5, 2013
North Korea’s Twitter, Flickr Pages Hacked By Anonymous

It appears that official North Korean Twitter and Flickr accounts have been hijacked and defaced by groups that are linked to online hacking activism collective Anonymous.

The hack attacks, reported by TheNextWeb, follow last week’s hacking of North Korean news site Uriminzokkiri.com, which was said to have resulted in the theft of 15,000 passwords.

Members of Anonymous inside North Korea are said to have assisted with the latest hack attack, which is retaliation for aggressive moves by the country’s regime and its development of nuclear weapons in defiance of international threats.

More hack activity is promised later in the month if the hackers can tackle the country’s “cyber army,” which locks down computer activity in the North and deals with the nation’s limited and walled-off Net infrastructure.

The North’s Uriminzokkiri Twitter and Flickr accounts stopped sending out content typical of that posted by the regime in Pyongyang, such as photos of North’s leader Kim Jong Un meeting with military officials.

Instead, a picture posted Thursday on the North’s Flickr site shows Kim’s face with a pig-like snout and a drawing of Mickey Mouse on his chest. Underneath, the text reads: “Threatening world peace with ICBMs and Nuclear weapons/Wasting money while his people starve to death.”

The image uploaded on Flickr

Another posting says “We are Anonymous” in white letters against a black background. Anonymous is a name of a hacker activist group. A statement purporting to come from the attackers and widely circulated online said that they had compromised 15,000 user records hosted on Uriminzokkiri.com and other websites. The authenticity of the statement couldn’t be confirmed, but the North’s official website did not open Thursday.

Tweets on the North’s Twitter account said “Hacked” followed by a link to North Korea-related websites. One tweet said “Tango Down” followed by a link to the North’s Flickr page.

North Korea opened its Twitter account in 2010. It has more than 13,000 followers. The North uses the social media to praise its system and leaders and also to repeat commentaries sent out by North’s official Korean Central News Agency.

Tensions have been high in recent days between North and South Korea, and the North’s military warned Thursday that it had been authorized to attack the U.S. North Korea is angry about sanctions against its nuclear program and joint military drills between the U.S. and South Korea.

[FOX]

April 4, 2013
Watch The Facebook “New Home On Android” Event Live

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg will take the stage in Menlo Park, Calif., this morning (evening for us Indians) to show off his company’s “new home on Android,” and you can watch a live stream of the event in the widget below.

In just a few hours from now, the social networking giant Facebook will unveil it’s “new home on Android”, but thanks to all the leaks we’ve got till now, we already have an idea of what it might be like.

Yesterday, we saw a rendered imaged, which showed us a glimpse of the HTC-manufactured Facebook phone, the HTC First and today, a new set of leaked images from 9to5Google shows how the Facebook Home might be like.

The video should auto-play shortly.

Join us here for the live streaming of the event.

April 4, 2013
Gartner: PC Market In Decline As Tablets, Smartphones Take Over

The days of the desktop PC are coming to an end, with a new study from Gartner revealing that most consumers now view tablets as their new main computing device.

Worldwide devices (the combined shipments of PCs, tablets and mobile phones) are on pace to total 2.4 billion units in 2013, a 9 percent increase from 2012, according to Gartner, Inc. Device shipments are forecast to continue to grow, reaching more than 2.9 billion units in 2017, but the mix of these devices will significantly change over the forecast period.

The proliferation of lower-priced tablets and their growing capability is accelerating the shift from PCs to tablets. “While there will be some individuals who retain both a personal PC and a tablet, especially those who use either or both for work and play, most will be satisfied with the experience they get from a tablet as their main computing device,” said Carolina Milanesi, research vice president at Gartner. “As consumers shift their time away from their PC to tablets and smartphones, they will no longer see their PC as a device that they need to replace on a regular basis.”

As a result, the traditional PC market of notebooks and desk-based units is expected to decline 7.6 percent in 2013 (see Table 1). This is not a temporary trend induced by a more austere economic environment; it is a reflection of a long-term change in user behavior. Beginning in 2013, ultramobiles will help offset this decline, so that sales of traditional PCs and ultramobiles combined show a 3.5 percent decline in 2013.

Worldwide tablet shipments are forecast to total 197 million units in 2013, a 69.8 percent increase from 2012 shipments of 116 million units. “Lower prices, form factor variety, cloud update and consumers’ addiction to apps will be the key drivers in the tablet market,” said Ranjit Atwal, research director at Gartner. “Growth in the tablet segment will not be limited to mature markets alone. Users in emerging markets who are looking for a companion to their mobile phone will increasingly choose a tablet as their first computing device and not a PC.”

In the shares of operating systems (OSs) in device sales, the shift to mobile and the fight for the third ecosystem becomes more evident. Android continues to be the dominant OS in the device market, buoyed by strong growth in the smartphone market (see Table 2). Competition for the second spot will be between Apple’s iOS/Mac OS and Microsoft Windows.

Tablets are not the only device type that is seeing aggressive price erosion. Smartphones are also becoming more affordable, driving adoption in emerging markets and the prepay segment in mature markets. Of the 1.875 billion mobile phones to be sold in 2013, 1 billion units will be smartphones, compared with 675 million units in 2012.

[Gartner]

April 4, 2013
Blackberry Mobile Site Lets Android And iOS Users Experience BB 10 Via Browser

The biggest roadblock to adoption of the Blackberry 10 is simply getting the device and the experience into peoples’ hands. The average smartphone user rarely walks into a mobile store searching for new operating systems to use, so instead of of BlackBerry waiting impatiently for its chance to shine, it’s decided to come to the people.

The company launched an HTML5-powered smartphone portal for iOS and Android users this week which attempts to emulate the BlackBerry 10 experience. By swiping, tapping and experiencing, users can ascertain a taste of the real thing, it’s nowhere near as smooth as the Z10 itself.

Even if you’re a dedicated iOS or Android fan, you still might have some curiosity about BlackBerry 10. And by using your mobile browser to head to the BlackBerry 10 Demo page, you can get to experience exactly what it feels like to use the virtual QWERTY on the BlackBerry Z10, check your messages and social networks with BlackBerry Hub, select the best head shot with BlackBerry Time Shift and check out BBM with Screen Share.

It introduces users to the swipe-and-peek navigation of the new operating system, hoping its innovation will shine through in person rather than on billboards or commercials.

It’s a brilliant idea, one that more mobile makers should take on. Online demos are a great way to let potential users test-drive a platform or major update without making a major commitment.

[Engadget]

April 4, 2013
Reuters : Google Nexus 7 Successor Coming This July

Internet giant Google is reportedly gearing up for the launch of a successor for last year’s Nexus 7 tablet PC, and might release it on shelves as soon as July, a new report from Reuters on the matter suggests.

We have already reported on a possible new 7-inch Nexus tablet coming from Google and ASUS, with no official confirmation on the matter available as of now, but it seems that we might indeed be nearing a formal unveiling of the device.

The latest version will have a higher screen resolution, a thinner bezel design and adopt Qualcomm’s chip in place of Nvidia Corp’s Tegra 3, which was used in the first Nexus 7s released last year, the sources said, declining to be identified because they are not authorised to speak to the media.

In a blow to Nvidia, Google weighed both U.S. chipmakers’ processors but finally decided on Qualcomm’s for power reasons, one of the sources added.

Qualcomm and Nvidia are competing aggressively in the tablet market as they seek to expand from their traditional strongholds of cellphones and PCs respectively.

Google will maintain an aggressive pricing strategy, however the two sources are split on exactly how that will be achieved: the new Nexus could come in at $199, with the older model seeing a discount, or $149, obviating the elder Nexus 7 entirely.

The tablet would likely be equipped with Google’s next Android version, Key Lime Pie, so there’s plenty to look forward to.

[Reuters]

April 3, 2013
iOS 7 To See Major UI Overhaul, Running Behind Schedule

There have been some whispers floating around the web tonight that hint that Apple may be having trouble preparing for an iOS 7 launch down the road. Multiple rumors put the debut of iOS 7 some time this summer at Apple’s Worldwide Developer’s Conference with a launch a couple months later, but Apple could be struggling to meet that deadline.

In a Branch chat, which at the time of this writing is still going on, Daring Fireball’s John Gruber says, according to what he’s heard, iOS 7 is running behind schedule and that it will bring a significant user interface (UI) refresh.

What I’ve heard: iOS 7 is running behind, and engineers have been pulled from OS X 10.9 to work on it. (Let me know if you’ve heard this song before.)

Gruber went on to say that he’s heard that iOS 7 is a “significant system-wide UI overhaul” and the iOS engineers who are allowed to carry around devices with iOS 7 on them even have special privacy filters on their devices which reduces viewing angles. This is to prevent others from accidentally getting a glimpse of the new iOS design.

Back in 2007, Apple delayed the release of OS X Leopard to concentrate work on iPhone. Gruber claims that since iOS 7 development is “running behind,” it has promted OS X 10.9 engineers to be pulled from their work to lend a hand in getting the mobile OS ready in time for launch.

Rene Ritchie of iMore adds, “Ive’s work is apparently making many people really happy, but will also apparently make rich-texture-loving designers sad.”

As for what could be on the iPhone 5S, both Siegler and Panzarino say they’ve heard a lot about biometrics on the new device. The feature would apparently be used for payments and identification. Panzarino notes it wouldn’t be surprising to see AuthenTec’s biometric technology in Apple devices so soon after Apple purchased the company last July because of the urgency of the deal.

[MacRumours]

April 3, 2013
‘HTC First’ Render Leaked, Points To Facebook Home

Days before a scheduled Facebook event, a render of a new Facebook-centric phone has appeared. The HTC first, previously known by other names, seems to have been repurposed for the device.

Trustworthy Twitter account @evleaks posted a render of the ‘HTC First’, a plain-looking smartphone with a few signs of Facebook integration. While there are no obvious marks to indicate the social network’s branding, the phone’s colour scheme and rounded home button point to possible integration with Facebook Home, the name of the launcher expected to be bundled with the HTC-made device.

The device shares few design traits with HTC’s recent handsets with its rounded corners and left-side volume rocker, but this render is unlikely to resemble the finished product. Then again, ‘HTC First’ sounds like a fishy name to begin with, so we’ll take the leak with a grain or two of salt.

The HTC first is known by another name from previous rumors, HTC Myst, and it’s reportedly going to be a 4.3-inch device that will feature a 720p display, Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, 4G LTE, 5-megapixel camera, 1.6-megapixel front-facing camera, Bluetooth 4.0, Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean and Sense UI 4.5 on top which will include the new Facebook Home.

What do you think? Could the HTC First be the Facebook phone everyone has been waiting for?

[EVLeaks]

April 3, 2013