Author: Shivaank Rana

Acer launches TravelMate P243 notebook for Rs. 35,000

Acer has announced the launch of a new laptop in its TravelMate seriesThursday . Dubbed as TM P243, it has been priced starting Rs. 35,000.

The Acer TravelMate P243 features a 3rd generation Intel Core i5 processor (Ivy Bridge) with the choice of dedicated Nvidia GeForce GT 630M GPU. It has a 14-inch LED-backlit display with a 16:9 aspect, which reportedly uses 30% less energy. Storage and memory options extend up to a 750 GB HDD, and 8GB of RAM.

The laptop also offers data protection through its Acer ProShield Security, Acer Office Manager (AOM) and eRecovery Manager.

[quote]Mr. S. Rajendran, Chief Marketing Officer, Acer India, spoke on the launch of the Acer TM P243: “Machine specs, astounding visual graphics with multimedia capabilities, modern software solutions etc are a given in this era. We have consciously made an effort to redesign the entire range of Acer products keeping in mind the key aspects that are important for the SMB segments such as Security and Durability. The TravelMate P243 boasts of Acer’s own dynamic security technology solution that takes care of Data Protection. At the same time, we also believe that the TM P243 is one of the sturdiest notebooks in the market.[/quote]

July 16, 2012
Micromax launches X44 Bling, priced at INR 3000

Indian handset manufacturer Micromax has announced the launch of yet another Bling phone today in the form of X44. Featuring Swarovski ‘Zirconia’ diamonds, Micromax X55 Bling has been priced at Rs. 3,000.

It is the third phone in the Bling series that includes a feature phone while the second one was an Android based smartphone.

Like the previously launched Bling phones, the new entrant in the Bling family is also studded with Swarovski ‘Zirconia’ diamonds along the navigational D-pad of the phone.

It is a dual-SIM phone with support for two GSM SIM cards, has a 2MP camera, FM Radio, Bluetooth, and access to company app and content stores M! Zone and M! Store. It also sports a 2.2-inch QVGA display.

It is powered by 256MB of RAM and 512 MB of internal storage, which is further expendable to 8GB via microSD card.

July 16, 2012
Lenovo to overtake HP as the world’s biggest PC maker

Chinese maker Lenovo appears poised to topple Hewlett-Packard as the world’s No. 1 personal computer brand by the beginning of 2013. Figures published late last week by market research firm Gartner showed Lenovo with 14.7 percent of the global market in Q2, just behind H-P on 14.9 percent.

This followed a decline of 12 percent in H-P’s shipments during the quarter, according to Gartner. Not much over a year ago, Lenovo was the No 4 maker worldwide, but it overtook Acer in mid year, then passed Dell in the third quarter of 2011 to nail down second spot, which it has hung onto ever since.

Dell meanwhile has slumped to fourth place. According to Gartner, H-P shipped 13.06 million PCs in Q2, followed by Lenovo (12.8 million), Acer(9.64 million) and Dell (9.35 million). The figures include netbooks but not tablets such as the iPad.

July 16, 2012
ViewSonic Unveils Ultraportable LED Projectors PLED-W200, PLED-W500

ViewSonic Corp., launched two ultraportable and energy-efficient LED projectors. Featuring diminutive form factors and 30,000-hour, long-life LED lamps, the PLED-W500 and PLED-W200 support 3D technology with 120Hz frame rates for 3D visuals, and can project 33-40″ screens from a 1 m distance. They also feature versatile USB connectivity, while the built-in Microsoft Office/PDF viewer and SD/SDHC card reader can display documents and play multimedia files without needing a PC. The projectors of PLED-W500 and PLED-W200 are priced at Rs 61,000 and Rs44,000

[quote]”The ultraportable LED projector transforms the projector from a cumbersome gadget to an incredibly lightweight, compact device that can be carried anywhere to meet all your projection needs,” said Mr. Kuldeep Ramaiya, Country Manager, India. “With their high-brightness, long-life lamps, the ultraportable LED projectors are superior to others in the same class” he added[/quote]

Check out the Press Release below :

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ViewSonic® Corp., a leading global provider of computing, consumer electronics and communications solutions, today launched the ultraportable and energy-efficient LED projectors. Featuring diminutive form factors and 30,000-hour, long-life LED lamps, the PLED-W500 and PLED-W200 usher in a new category of ViewSonic projectors. They support 3D technology with 120Hz frame rates for exciting 3D visuals, and can project 33-40″ screens from a 1 m distance. They also feature versatile USB connectivity, while the built-in Microsoft Office/PDF viewer and SD/SDHC card reader can display documents and play multimedia files without needing a PC. The projectors of PLED-W500 and PLED-W200 are priced at Rs 61,000 and Rs44,000

“The ultraportable LED projector transforms the projector from a cumbersome gadget to an incredibly lightweight, compact device that can be carried anywhere to meet all your projection needs,” said Mr. Kuldeep Ramaiya, Country Manager, India. “With their high-brightness, long-life lamps, the ultraportable LED projectors are superior to others in the same class” he added.

PLED-W500

The PLED-W500 shines with its innovative, stylish new look. The piano-black mirrored surface and geometric inset buttons make the projector modern, sleek and elegant, ideal for business presentations and multimedia entertainment. With dimensions of 214 x 164 x 42 mm, the PLED-W500 is compact and weighs only 1.18 kg. 500 ANSI lumens, superior in the LED pocket projector category, provide 20,000 hours of brightness for energy and cost savings. The 1.4:1 short throw ratio projects a 33″ screen from a 1 m distance with high native WXGA resolution. 2GB of onboard memory allows you to store documents and multimedia files, enhancing presentation efficiency. With HDMI 1.3 support, simply connect the PLED-W500 with a PC, tablet or other device to enjoy a widescreen gaming or home theater experience. You can also view smooth 3D video with a 120Hz refresh rate using active shutter glasses. PLED-W500 has versatile USB connectivity, built-in Microsoft Office/PDF viewer and SD/SDHC card reader which can display documents and play multimedia files without needing a PC.

PLED-W200

The pocket-sized PLED-W200 offers ultimate mobility. Measuring 130 x 126 x 32 mm and weighing only 420 g, the PLED-W200 is ultrathin and easily carried in a briefcase. Its LED light source with 250 ANSI lumens lasts 30,000 hours while producing brilliant color. With a built-in 32 GB SD/SDHC card reader, Microsoft Office/PDF viewer and dual integrated 2W speakers, display Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF and other multimedia files without needing a PC. The PLED-W200 also features 1.16:1 short throw ratio that can project a 40″ screen from a 1 m distance with high native WXGA resolution.

ViewSonic’s ultraportable LED projectors are thin, compact and lightweight for easy mobility between meeting rooms and on the go. Innovative new look & energy-efficient LED lamps with 20000 hours ( PLED-W500) 30,000-hour lifespan (PLED-W200) makes PLED series the best choice for the professional usage. 0-second power-on and power-off makes presentation immediately, and no need to wait for the projector to cool down. The PLED-W500 and PLED-W200 provide 500 and 250 lumens of brightness, respectively – superior to others in the pocket projector category.

Developed with Texas Instruments’ high performance DPP6401 image processing chip, the projectors support 3D graphics with 120Hz frame rates for exciting 3D gaming and movies using active shutter glasses. With the built-in 32 GB SD/SDHC card reader and Microsoft Office/PDF viewer, the projectors can play Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF and other multimedia files directly.

Notes to Editor

About ViewSonic

ViewSonic® Corporation, headquartered in Walnut, California, is a leading global provider of computing, consumer electronics, and communications solutions. Founded in 1987, ViewSonic’s mission is to be the preferred global brand of visual solutions as we continue to focus on display-centric product offerings including LED monitors, tablets, projectors, digital signage displays, and cloud computing solutions. ViewSonic continues to pioneer in visual technology innovation to build a connected and ever-reaching digital future. For further information, please visit http://ap.viewsonic.com/in.

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July 14, 2012
RIM hit with $147.2 million verdict in wireless patent lawsuit

Research in Motion Ltd has been directed by a northern California jury directed to pay $147.2 million in patent litigation over a remote management system for wireless devices.

Mformation, a maker of mobile-device management software, sued RIM in 2008, alleging infringement of two patents. The company claimed it disclosed details of the technology to RIM during licensing discussions. After refusing to take a license, the BlackBerry maker modified its software to include the patented systems, Mformation said in its complaint.

Amar Thakur, an attorney for Mformation, said the jury directed RIM to pay an $8 royalty for every BlackBerry device connected to RIM’s enterprise server software, which brings the total award to $147.2 million. The verdict only covers U.S. sales through trial, Thakur said, and not future or foreign damages.

RIM’s stock has tumbled more than 70 percent in the past year as its customers abandoned the BlackBerry following the increasing popularity of its rivals Apple’s iPhone and other devices using Google Inc’s Android software. RIM last month posted its first and unexpected operating loss in eight years.

July 14, 2012
Apple rejoins environmental registry

Apple has rejoined an environmental ratings scheme a week after quitting the program. The firm published a letter on its site saying it had realized the move had been “a mistake” after many of its customers had complained.

The u-turn follows an announcement by San Francisco city officials that they planned to ban local agencies from buying Apple Mac computers saying at the time that they hoped Apple would reconsider.

Apple helped set up the EPEAT (Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool) registry in 2006. It is designed to identify which electronic devices pose the least risk to the environment.

In dropping out last month from the registry, Apple offered no explanation but speculation centered around its use of batteries on some MacBooks which are glued into the frame and thus are not easily recycled.

July 14, 2012
HTC changing its geometry with the new Vertex Tablet!

We have a new report that sheds more light on this HTC product. Apparently HTC has forgotten all about its past in the tablet market and is planning the HTC Vertex HD, a tablet that has already shown up in benchmark tests.

According to Slashgear, the new tablet will sport a 10.1-inch display with 1280 x 800 resolution, 1.3GHz NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor, a 2-megapixel rear-facing camera and a front-facing 1.3-megapixel shooter, Bluetooth 4.0 and Beats Audio support. The device is running Android 4.0.3 Ice Cream Sandwich right now, although that may change by the time it hits stores.

Speaking about availability details, we don’t have any launch dates or pricing for this new Android device, so we’ll have to wait for HTC and its carrier partners to officially unveil it, or leak more details about it. What’s clear so far is that the device doesn’t appear to be necessarily an iPad contender, but it’s neither an affordable 7-inch device meant to take on the Google Nexus 7.

Could the Vertex be a budget 10-inch tablet? Anyone interested in a new HTC tablet?

July 14, 2012
Google Maps adds walking directions for 44 African nations

Google has just announced an update for its popular Maps service, extending support for walking directions to 44 African countries. Following the mandatory safety warnings that come with the beta tag (routes may be missing pedestrian crossings etc.), Google is encouraging residents to try out the service, available today on both web and mobile. A separate update will no doubt be appreciated by cyclists in Europe and Australia.

As the African continent develops, there should be no shortage of users for the mobile version of the service. Telecoms & Media reported last year that Africa is now the second most connected region in the world in terms of its mobile subscription count. There are currently more than 500 million mobile users on the continent, and by 2015, there are expected to be 265 million mobile broadband subscriptions in Africa, a significant increase from the current estimate of 12 million.

Support for cycling directions has also been improved. Previously only available in the US and Canada, the service has now been extended to both Australia and Europe, just in time for the yearly post-Tour de France cycling enthusiasm. Routes devised for biking are designed to make use of dedicated bike lanes and avoid significant hills whenever possible.

July 13, 2012
Yet another iPhone 5 image leaked

KitGuru has leaked what it claims is a “test sample” with the glass front panel roughly intact. We’ve seen the darker steel sides, aluminum back and new dock connector before, but the front gives us a much better sense of how the finished product will turn out. Sitting next to an iPhone 4S, it’s suggested that the new model would stuff in that bigger screen more through a better use of the available area — there’s much less blank space than on the iPhones we’ve known since 2007. Now as we’re getting closer to the official launch of the next iPhone, be prepared for an avalanche of leaked images!

July 13, 2012
Micromax launches X259, powered by Solar Energy

Micromax has announced the launch of X259 handset, which comes with a built-in solar panel. Priced at Rs. 2,499, it is the first solar phone from the company.

The built-in solar panel allows the phone to get automatically charged when exposed to sunlight. It is targeted to rural consumers, who constantly grapple with power cuts over long durations. According to the company, three hours of solar charge provides 1.5 hours of talk time on the phone.

It features a 2.4-inch QVGA screen with a resolution of 240x320p, a VGA camera, a 1000mAh Li-ion battery and dual-SIM dual-standby feature. The handset also supports Bluetooth and GPRS connectivity.

[quote]”We have been at the forefront of innovation. We have introduced many categories into this competitive Industry be it long battery life phones or dual SIM phones. With the introduction of this our intent is to get rid of the mobile phone charger by including a solar panel on the device itself,” stated Rahul Sharma, co-founder, Micromax.[/quote]

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Go Green with the Micromax X259 SOLAR PHONE

? Micromax X259 comes with solar cells which can be charged through solar energy

? 3 hours of solar charge provides 1.5 hours of talk time

New Delhi, July 12^th, 2012: Micromax Informatics Limited (“Micromax”), the 12th largest handset manufacturer in the World (According to Global Handset Vendor Market share report from Strategy Analytics) today announced the launch of X259, with a built-in solar panel.

Micromax has always been recognized for its innovation in its device portfolio and has created categories such as marathon battery life phones, dual SIM Phones, Life Style phone and many more. Micromax adds yet another category to its offering of unique devices. The Micromax X259 Solar Phone priced at Rs. 2499/-, it is the company’s first solar phone which enables the users to charge their phone using solar energy.

Micromax X259 comes with a solar panel technology through which the phone automatically gets charged through solar power on exposure to sunlight. With unpredictable power cuts specifically in the rural areas this handset will be the perfect solution to address the issue of recharging the phone through electricity.

Commenting on the device launch, Mr. Rahul Sharma, Co – Founder, Micromax said, “We have been at the forefront of innovation. We have introduced many categories into this competitive Industry be it long battery life phones or dual SIM phones. With the introduction of this our intent is to get rid of the mobile phone charger by including a solar panel on the device itself”.

Micromax X259 features a 2.4” QVGA screen with a resolution of 240X320. The phone is powered with a 1000mAh Li-ion battery and facilitates dual SIM dual standby feature. The users can share images, videos, music with friends through the phone’s Bluetooth connectivity.

Micromax X259 is available at Rs. 2499/- This model will be available across all leading retail outlets across India.

For more information, please visit www.micromaxinfo.com

About Micromax:

Micromax is the 12th largest handset manufacturer in the World (According to Global Handset Vendor Market share report from Strategy Analytics). The Indian brand is reaching out to the global frontier with innovative products that challenge the status quo that Innovation comes with a price. Micromax has sales presence across India and global presence in Hong Kong, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri-Lanka, Maldives, UAE, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Afghanistan and Brazil.

* Micromax holds the 3^rd position amongst the handset manufacturers in India as pre revenue with a market share of 6.9% for the FY 2011. (Source: V&D report)

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July 13, 2012
Digg sold for a mere $500,000

Digg, the “social news” site which was once the poster child for Web 2.0 and valued at up to $175m, has been sold to San Francisco incubator Betaworks for just $500,000 (£324,000) in cash plus equity.

The sale of the seven-year-old site marks a colossal loss for its former venture capital backers, who put in a total of $45m during its life as an independent.

Digg reportedly still gets more than 16 million monthly unique visitors – but it has lost its ability to drive the direction of the net’s interest as it once did.

Having once looked as though it could be the biggest driver of such social news, the site stumbled multiple times in trying to remake the way that users could vote stories up or down its front page – and lost its advantage over rivals sites such as Slashdot and Reddit.

[quote]

In a statement on its site, Betaworks said: “Digg is one of the great internet brands, and it has meant a great deal to millions of users over the years. It was a pioneer in community-driven news.

“We are turning Digg back into a startup. Low budget, small team, fast cycles. How? We have spent the last 18 months building News.me as a mobile-first social news experience. The News.me team will take Digg back to its essence: the best place to find, read and share the stories the internet is talking about. Right now.”

[/quote]

None of Digg’s remaining employees will join Betaworks as part of the acquisition. Chief Executive Matt Williams will join venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz as an entrepreneur-in-residence.

Betaworks CEO John Borthwick will become Digg’s new chief.

July 13, 2012
Samsung Galaxy S3 / SIII Pebble Blue Unboxing

As requested by our viewers, Bharat Nagpal unboxes the Pebble Blue version of the Samsung Galaxy S3. The box contains a 2100 mAH battery, Stereo headphones with changeable earbuds and a microphone, a mains plug with USB sync charge cable, a Quick start guide and a Warranty card. The MRP of the device is INR 42,000 but is available in the market for around INR 36,000.

We will be coming out with a full in-depth review soon, so stay tuned!

Check out our unboxing, hand-on, video and image samples and launch videos here :

July 12, 2012
More Case Color Gem Lucent Black Hard Case iPhone 4/4s Unboxing

In this video Bharat Nagpal unboxes the More Color Gem Lucent Hard Case for the iPhone 4/4s. It is a bumper case and has a snap-on mechanism. The cut-outs on the case are really well spaced and accurate. The only drawback of the case is that it is only slightly raised above the surface the phone which may lead to some scratches. . It is available in the market for $29 (INR 1500)

July 12, 2012
US Court lifts Galaxy Nexus smartphone ban, tablet still blocked

A US appeals court gave Samsung a temporary reprieve Friday on the sale of its Galaxy Nexus 7 smartphones while leaving intact a court ban on US sales of its tablet computers in a patent battle with Apple.

In two rulings in the bitter patent dispute, the US Court of Appeals in the capital Washington gave one to Apple and one to Samsung, but only temporarily.

But the “stay” was just temporary until the panel receives arguments from Apple, which argues the phone infringes on patents in its iPhone.

In a separate decision, the appellate judges refused to lift Koh’s injunction on the 10-inch Galaxy Tab computer, which Apple claimed was copied from the iPad.

The court panel in Washington ordered Apple to respond by July 12, while denying a Samsung request to stay, or halt the injunction.

Both Galaxy devices are powered by Android operating software that Google makes available for free to gadget makers. Nexus is the Mountain View, California-based technology company’s own branded line.

July 12, 2012
New Nokia Phones leaked, 4 new Lumia phones indicated

Developers with access to Nokia’s Remote Device Access (RDA) tool have “discovered” a bunch of new Lumia and Belle phones. Interestingly, four of these handsets seem to be Windows Phone devices while the Belle 805 should be running on Symbian Belle.

According to Nokia Power User, the Lumia 920, 950, 1001 and Nokia 510 could be authentic or just misinformation planted by rumormongers. However, the blog believes that the Nokia 510 and Belle 805 are likely “authentic” and that the Nokia 510 could be the “cheapest Windows Phone 7.5 device” aimed at competing against Android.

We think the blog could be right because it doesn’t make any sense for Nokia to release any new high-end Windows Phone 7.5 handsets at the moment with Windows Phone 8 (WP8) expected to launch soon. However, a budget device like the Nokia 510 running the Tango update could be just the thing to maintain Nokia’s presence in the smartphone market before the WP8 mobiles arrive.

July 12, 2012