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Tata Launches Indica Vista D90 For Rs 5.99 Lakh

Tata Motors has launched the new Vista D90 hatchback in India that is powered by the Quadrajet diesel engine with variable geometry turbocharger (VGT).

Price of the car starts from 5.99 lakh rupees and at present it is available in two variants- VX and GX+.

The new Vista D90 is around 15000 Rupees more than corresponding 75PS Vista trim (ex-Delhi price).

In terms of exterior, it is quite identical to the usual Vista, with the only difference being the black contrast roof which was seen on 10th anniversary car. Various external accessories are offered by Tata and these include rear spoiler and side skirts.

Major changes can be observed in the interiors. Vista got the dashboard like that of Manza. Vista also offers the automatic air-con along with three modes. Apart from this, there is an all-new touch-screen stereo system accompanied with the Bluetooth and GPS.

At present, Vista is available in three engine choices and these include two diesels and one petrol version (65PS).

On the safety front the Vista D90 gets ABS, EBD and dual airbags. The Vista D90 is being offered in five different colours; Porcelain white, Spice Red, cavern Grey, Jet Silver and a new shade called Ultra Violet.

According to the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers, Tata Motors sold 2,202 units of Nano in December 2012 in the domestic market as compared to 7,466 units in same month previous year. Exports also came down to 40 units during the month, from 548 units in December 2011.

January 29, 2013
Apple adds a 128 GB model to the iPad 4th Generation (PR) Rs 49,900

Apple has just confirmed yesterdays rumors with an official statement. The iPad 4th generation has been bumped up to a 128GB mode which will go on sale in India starting Feb 5th 2013. The 128GB variant will be available at select Apple resellers for a price of INR 49,900 inc VAT (INR 47,523.81 ex VAT) for the iPad with Wi-Fi model and INR 56,900 inc VAT (INR 54,190.48 ex VAT) for the iPad with Wi-Fi + Cellular model.

For everything else on the iPad will remain same on this model.

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Apple Increases iPad with Retina Display to 128GB

Offers Twice the Storage Capacity to Create & Enjoy Even More Incredible Content

CUPERTINO, California?January 29, 2013?Apple today announced a 128GB* version of the fourth generation iPad with Retina display. The 128GB iPad with Wi-Fi and iPad with Wi-Fi + Cellular models provide twice the storage capacity of the 64GB models to hold even more valuable content including photos, documents, projects, presentations, books, movies, TV shows, music and apps.

“With more than 120 million iPads sold, it’s clear that customers around the world love their iPads, and everyday they are finding more great reasons to work, learn and play on their iPads rather than their old PCs,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “With twice the storage capacity and an unparalleled selection of over 300,000 native iPad apps, enterprises, educators and artists have even more reasons to use iPad for all their business and personal needs.”

iPad continues to have a significant impact on business with virtually all of the Fortune 500 and over 85 percent of the Global 500 currently deploying or testing iPad. Companies regularly utilising large amounts of data such as 3D CAD files, X-rays, film edits, music tracks, project blueprints, training videos and service manuals all benefit from having a greater choice of storage options for iPad. The over 10 million iWork users, and customers who rely on other incredible apps like Global Apptitude for analysing team film and creating digital playbooks, Auria for an incredible 48 track recording system, or AutoCAD for drafting architectural and engineering drawings, also benefit greatly from having the choice of an iPad with more storage capacity.

“Our AutoCAD WS app for iOS was designed to give customers seamless access to their designs anywhere, anytime,” said Amy Bunszel, vice president of AutoCAD products for Autodesk. “These files are often large and highly detailed so having the thin and light iPad with its Multitouch display, integrated camera and all-day battery life, is a real advantage for iPad users to view, edit and share their AutoCAD data.”

“The features and capabilities of iPad give us the ability to set a new standard for multitrack recording and editing on a mobile device,” said Rim Buntinas, WaveMachine Labs’ CEO. “Users of the Auria app can play 48 mono or stereo 24bit/96 kHz tracks simultaneously, record up to 24 of those tracks simultaneously, and also edit and mix with familiar tools. With its portability and all-day battery life, iPad has revolutionised recording for audio professionals allowing artists to record anywhere.”

“The bottom line for our customers is winning football games, and iPad running our GamePlan solution unquestionably helps players be as prepared as possible,” said Randall Fusee, Global Apptitude Co-Founder. “The iPad’s unbeatable combination of security, being thin and light, having an incredible Retina display and also being powerful enough to handle large amounts of data enables us to deliver a product that takes film study to a new level and ultimately gives our users the best opportunity to prepare, execute and win.”

The fourth generation iPad features a gorgeous 9.7-inch Retina display, Apple-designed A6X chip, FaceTime HD camera, iOS 6.1 and ultrafast wireless performance**. iOS 6.1 includes support for additional LTE networks around the world***, and iTunes Match subscribers can download individual songs to their iOS devices from iCloud.

iPad runs over 800,000 apps available on the App Store, including more than 300,000 apps designed specifically for iPad, from a wide range of categories including books, games, business, news, sports, health, reference and travel. iPad also supports the more than 5,000 newspapers and magazines offered in Newsstand, and the more than 1.5 million books available on the iBookstore.

Pricing & Availability
The new 128GB versions of the fourth generation iPad will be available starting Tuesday, February 5, in black or white, for a suggested retail price of INR 49,900 inc VAT (INR 47,523.81 ex VAT) for the iPad with Wi-Fi model and INR 56,900 inc VAT (INR 54,190.48 ex VAT) for the iPad with Wi-Fi + Cellular model. All versions of the 128GB iPad will be sold through select Apple Authorised Resellers.

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January 29, 2013
Exclusive : HTC Butterfly Hands On

HTC finally launched the new HTC Butterfly in India, while the phone will be available in a totally limited fashion, it is truly worth admiring. The HTC Butterfly is powered by a quad core 1.5 Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processor and 2 GB of in built RAM.

While it follows along the previous design elements of HTC devices, the HTC Butterfly seems more refined any classy. The design has a curved back so feels a lot more slim and fits well in the hands. Including a 2020 mAh battery HTC feels that the device is powered well enough, that is if you probably dont consider the heavy consumption of the 5 inch 1080p LCD3 display which has a whopping 440 ppi.

HTC Butterfly also emphasizes on authentic sound and amazing camera, continuing along with their 8-megapixel f/2.0 28mm wide-angle lens, 5-level automatic flash, backside illuminated sensor (BSI) equipped main camera and upping the game by adding a 2.1-megapixel, f/2.0, 88-degree, ultra-wide angle, front-facing camera. Everything does sound fancy, we found that the main camera does instantly click images, even if the flash is on.

The HTC Butterfly runs Android 4.1 along with HTC Sense 4+ so it has improved features such as Google Now pre-loaded. HTC has also confirmed that a update for 4.2 is in works and will be out sooner than later.

We will be coming out with an unboxing and extended comparison of the butterfly shortly so stay tuned. Till then check out our hands on images and Video shortly.

January 29, 2013
HTC Launches the new HTC Butterfly at 45,990

HTC has just launched the new HTC Butterfly in India at a price of Rs. 49,990 with a best buy price of Rs. 45990/- .

The HTC Butterfly is the global version of the J Butterfly launched in Japan last year. The phone features a 5 inch 1920 x 1080p full HD LCD3 panel which comes with Gorilla Glass 2, making it a whopping 440ppi pixel density.

It is powered by a 1.5 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro processor and runs on Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) with HTC Sense UI.

It has a 8MP auto focus camera with a 28mm lens and F2.0 aperture, BSI sensor and LED flash, 1080p HD video recording and a 2.1 MP 1080p front-facing camera. Other features include, 2GB RAM, 16GB internal memory, 32GB expandable memory with microSD.

The connectivity features include, 3G, WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n, DLNA, Bluetooth 4.0 with aptX, HDMI via MHL, GPS + GLONASS and a 2020 mAh battery.

The unboxing and hands-on video will be coming up soon! Stay tuned!

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HTC INTRODUCES THE ULTIMATE SMARTPHONE – HTC BUTTERFLY – IN INDIA

New Delhi – January 29, 2013 – HTC Corporation (TWSE: 2498), a global leader in mobile innovation and design, today announced the availability in India of HTC Butterfly, the ultimate smartphone and the first with a full HD 1080p display. HTC Butterfly not only offers the first full HD 1080p display with the highest pixel density of any smartphone, but also features the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon quad-core processor, HTC Sense 4+ and Android Jelly Bean.

“HTC Butterfly is quite simply the most stunning smartphone HTC has created to date, with a display that people will fall in love with instantly,”said Faisal Siddiqui, Country Head, HTC India. “It offers the best experience in terms of performance, design and innovation, and is our most eagerly anticipated smartphone with rave reviews from media and consumers alike.”

The Ultimate Smartphone

With technology rivaling the latest HD TV’s, HTC Butterfly is the first smartphone to feature a true 1080p full HD super LCD 3 display with Corning® Gorilla® Glass 2 protections. It boasts an extraordinary 440 pixels per inch (PPI) on a 5-inch screen for unprecedented in-hand HD experiences that delivers the maximum pixel clarity available on a smartphone.

Designed to accentuate the incredible display, the smooth glossy finish and microgrill pattern of the sidewalls echo the superb styling and power of high tech racing cars. The beautifully crafted smartphone feels thinner than other devices of a similar size as the edges of the curved back taper to a mere 4mm for a comfortable feel in the hand or pocket.

The Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ S4 Pro processor, featuring a quad-core 1.5 GHz CPU, high-performance GPU and a full 2GB of RAM enable the seamless use of multiple apps simultaneously. With HTC Sense® 4+ and Android™ 4.1 (Jelly Bean), you get great software experiences including Google Now. HTC Butterfly is equipped with a 2,020 mAh battery and power saving software that enables long-lasting endurance, while users will also appreciate the expandable SD card slot in addition to 25GB of free Dropbox cloud storage. HTC Sense 4+ offers a wealth of easy-to-use and customizable features bringing highly sought after personalization to your phone and placing the most important content front and center. A series of intelligent features powered by HTC Sense 4+ also provides a number of improvements to the camera.

Amazing Camera

HTC Butterfly has a world-class camera that delivers fast image capture, great images even in low-light and an easy interface to capture stills and video. With an 8-megapixel f/2.0 28mm wide-angle lens, 5-level automatic flash, backside illuminated sensor (BSI), and superfast autofocus, you’ll capture amazing moments without the worry of missing a single one. Instead of choosing between photos and video, HTC VideoPic™ allows you to capture video and still images at the same time. And by simply holding the shutter button, Continuous Shooting takes multiple photos at up to four frames per second to catch all the action.

It also includes a new best-in-class 2.1-megapixel, f/2.0, 88-degree, ultra-wide angle, front-facing camera that allows more to be captured in self-portraits, and up to four people for group shots. Auto Portrait makes it easier to take photos of yourself and your friends with automatic face detection and a countdown timer so you can focus on your pose and not the shutter button. Capable of capturing 1080p HD video, the front-facing camera also provides a sharper picture during video chat.

Authentic Sound

The HTC Butterfly’s unique, built-in headset amplifier and dedicated amp for the external rear-speaker helps boost the audio signal to deliver crystal clear sound with less distortion, even at maximum volume. The combination of amplified hardware and the rich, authentic, studio-quality sound of Beats Audio™ allows music to be heard the way the artist intended, and enhances the sound quality while playing games or watching video.

Availability

HTC Butterfly will be available at a MOP (Best Buy) of Rs 45,990/- and MRP of Rs 49,900/- from January 2013 onwards in India.

About HTC

Founded in 1997, HTC Corporation (HTC) is the creator of many award-winning mobile devices and industry firsts. By putting people at the center of everything it does, HTC pushes the boundaries of design and technology to create innovative and personal experiences for consumers around the globe. HTC’s portfolio includes smartphones and tablets powered by HTC Sense™, a multilayered graphical user interface that vastly improves user experience. HTC is listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange (TWSE: 2498). For more information, please visitwww.htc.com.

# # #
HTC and the HTC logo are the trademarks of HTC Corporation. All other names of companies and products mentioned herein may be trademarks
of their respective owners.

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January 29, 2013
Spice Stellar Nhance Mi-435 & Mi-530 Dual SIM Handsets Surface Online for Rs 7,499 & Rs 13,999

S Mobility is all set to introduce two new dual-SIM Android smartphones namely the Spice Stellar Nhance Mi-435 and Spice Stellar Mi-530. Both these smartphones are currently listed on the online portal Saholic. While the Spice Stellar Nhance Mi-435 is already available and priced at Rs. 7,199, the 5.3-inch Mi-530 is expected to come soon with a price tag of Rs. 13,999.

The Spice Mi-530 has a 5.3-inch qHD (540×960 pixel) IPS display, taking on a range of other budget phablets available in the market such as the Micromax Canvas 2 A110, Micromax A116 Canvas HD,WickedLeak Wammy Titan and Lava Iris 501. The phablet runs Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and is powered by a 1.2GHz dual-core processor. It has 1GB of RAM. The built-in storage of the Mi-530 is 16GB and it has a microSD card slot that supports storage up to 32GB.

There’s an 8MP rear camera with dual-LED flash as well as a 5MP front camera. For connectivity, the device supports 3G/ HSPA, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, and USB. The phablet comes with a 2550mAh battery.

The Stellar Nhance Mi-435 sports a 4-inch capacitive touch display with 800×480 pixel resolution and runs on Android 4.0. The device come with an 8-megapixel rear camera with fixed focus and 5x digital zoom and a 1.3-megapixel front camera.

On the inside, the dual-SIM device is powered by a 1GHz dual-core processor with 512MB RAM. It has 4GB of internal storage with external expansion support upto 32GB. The Stellar Nhance Mi-435 boasts connectivity options like Wi-Fi, 3G, Bluetooth, USB and GPRS. It comes with a 1,500mAh battery.

When it comes to specifications, both these handsets offer decent features that come in devices launched by rival companies.

January 29, 2013
Samsung GT-N5110 is the Galaxy Note 8

A new upcoming device the GT- N5110 is now confirmed to be the alleged Galaxy Note 8 thanks to a filing at the FCC. But here is the catch, the device has only WiFi and Bluetooth radios and is described as a “personal tablet”. The company has been kind enough to show the Galaxy Note 10 and Note 2 Screen dimensions to confirm that this is indeed a Galaxy Note device.

The Galaxy Note 8 is said to be powered by a Exynos 4 Quad SOC which has a processor clocked at 1.6 GHz. The image filed at the FCC clearly shows the S-Pen housing and the rear facing camera as even spotted in the Galaxy Note 8 leaked images.

Will Samsung peg the Galaxy Note 8 in the low budget tablet market space or the upper middle segment is yet unknown. But, the fact that the company is only filing for a WiFi only device indicates that there indeed may be a a Sub US$ 300 Galaxy Note 8 tablet after all. Translating to roughly 18000 Indian Rupees, the tablet would really attract eager buyers, thanks to the S Pen functionality.

N5110 Dimensions

January 27, 2013
Samsung Spoils the fun, Launches Cheaper Quad Core Galaxy Grand in Korea

Samsung has just announced the South Korea variant of the Galaxy Grand which was launched last week in India. While the looks of the device are identical to the global variants, there are several changes inside, including a Quad core SOC. The phone is also apparently capable of LTE networks, as opposed to the dual-core chip and 3G capable variant launched in India.

The best part is that the South Korea version of the Galaxy Grand also has NFC capabilities and a USB 3.0 port for faster data access. The phone retains the WVGA display and 5 inch screen along with the 8 megapixel rear and 2 Megapixel front camera. The phone also carries Android 4.1 Jelly Bean OS from Google along with TouchWiz user interface.

Interestingly the Galaxy Grand South Korea version is based on an Exynos chipset with a MALI GPU, and will be available in South Korea for 350,000 won (around $325 / or INR 18,000 approx) which is about 5k cheaper than the low spec’d variant in India.

Does this mean Samsung is going to refresh the Indian variant soon?

[Samsung]

January 27, 2013
Carphone Warehouse Internal Database Leak Shows BlackBerry Z10 Priced At INR 40,000!

As we await for the arrival of the rumoured BlackBerry Z10 at the end of January, not much has been shared about pricing. However according to a new leak, it will be £30 less than an unlocked iPhone 5. Engadget has received a photo, claiming to be a shot of Carphone Warehouse’s internal listings, showing a BlackBerry Z10 in white for the SIM-free price of £479.95 or roughly Rs 40,000.

We know what RIM’s flagship BlackBerry Z10 smartphone will look like, what it’s capable of and when it’ll be launched. Now we’ve got the first indication of how much it will cost.

RIM is set to officially unveil its BlackBerry 10 operating system and the first two devices that will first carry it on 30 January in several countries around the globe. One has to wonder whether RIM will have anything left to surprise us with when its global launch events kick off on Wednesday.

BlackBerry 10 and the BlackBerry Z10 have already been completely exposed by several leaks online. The touchscreen Z10 – with the BlackBerry X10 being the Qwerty keyboard-touting phone of the launch duo – has a 4.2-inch display. It’s not Full HD, being only 1280 x 768, but is powered by a dual-core 1.5GHz OMAP 4470 processor with 2GB of RAM.

So BlackBerry fans should prepare their wallets as this one won’t come cheap.

Via Engadget

January 27, 2013
Latest Chrome Beta Has Hidden Full Screen Mode

A curious Nexus 7 user (Smackel from Reddit) accidentally found out we can turn this hidden feature, Chrome running full screen on an Android device, on by pulling some strings and making a few tricks.

Full screen browsing is top of many an Android fans wish list for Google’s mobile version of the Chrome browser. On smartphone screens in particular, display space is important. It seems it might not be all that far away.

As we know, the latest beta build brought about support for WebGL in the mobile browser, and the first thing we need to do is go ahead and enable it. Type the magic line — “chrome://flags/ — into the address bar, and scroll down the list presented before you until you find WebGL. Tap on enable, then follow the prompt to restart the browser.

When Chrome has restarted, you want to head on over to the Chrome Experiment Boids and Buildings. Tap on the “launch experiment” button, then the “run” button when the main screen pops up. Then it’s simply a case of sitting back and watching. You don’t need to let it run right through, but it is pretty cool to watch this city get drawn out and constructed in front of you. At this point it’s also worth noting that it seems to run pretty well in the mobile browser.

When you come back out of the experiment though, you’ll notice the status bar at the top of the screen has vanished, and the address bar in Chrome has gone a little translucent. After a couple of seconds of doing nothing it just disappears completely. And there we have it, full screen browsing.

It is buggy, but it does work, and expands your web pages to take up the full display — on screen buttons not included. To get the address bar back takes just a swipe down from the top, although said swipe doesn’t bring the status bar back with it. Full screen mode seems to stay in place until you exit the app completely.

Via Android Central

January 27, 2013
Leaked : Blackberry Z10 Press Shots

Courtesy of @evleaks, we get to see a pair or high-quality press pics of the yet unannounced BlackBerry Z10, a device which some consider to be the company’s Hail Mary Pass as their financial situation has been on a steady decline for months. While these aren’t the first images we’ve seen of BlackBerry’s upcoming Z10 smartphone, they do appear to be the first official press images of the device which might be released as early as February 5th. The beleaguered RIM is pinning its hopes on its new BlackBerry 10 OS so it’s possible that the future of the company is riding on the success of the Z10.

The BlackBerry Z10, the very first one, has already leaked out countless times in images and video and judging by all we’ve seen so far we have no reason to doubt its veracity.

The BlackBerry Z10 is rumored to feature a 4.2 inch HD display with a resolution of 1280 x 768 pixels, it will also come with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of built in storage, plus a 1,800 mAh battery.

RIM will officially launch Blackberry Z10 on the 30th of January along with two BlackBerry 10 devices, the BlackBerry Z10 and the BlackBerry X10, we should have full details on both handsets after the official announcement.

Overall, we definitely like the design. It’s nothing too special by any means, but it’s sleek and stealthy, and it definitely has that BlackBerry feel to it. Since BlackBerry 10 seems to be a competent platform, we can’t see a reason why the Z10 wouldn’t be a success for RIM, but we’ll ultimately have to wait and see later this month.

January 26, 2013
Waterproof and Rugged Xcover 2 by Samsung announced with Jelly Bean

Samsung has announced what is going to be the most notable, rugged launch ahead of schedule in 2013, the Xcover 2. Along with a 1 GHz dual core processor, 4-inch WVGA display all on Android 4.1 with TouchWiz, the device also has a 5-megapixel camera with a dedicated camera shutter button.

The Xcover 2 also has GPS and GLONASS to cater to the explorer in you. The Xcover 2 will also pack a Cardio trainer Pro workout app along with a physical hand strap and mount.

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Samsung GALAXY Xcover 2

January 25, 2013

SEOUL, Korea – January 25, 2013 – Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd, today unveiled the Samsung Xcover 2, the ideal smartphone for active explorers who are enjoying outdoor lifestyles and seeking a durable mobile device with essential smartphone capabilities.

• The GALAXY Xcover 2 is optimized to endure against the most rugged outdoor conditions, whether you’re at work or
play. Protected against the elements, it is dust and sand proof. It’s even water resistant to a depth of one meter for up to
30 minutes (IP67 Certified). You can now take photos under water with the direct camera key, hold on tight to your
device with the strap holder and not worry about dropping your phone as the battery cover lock gives added protection.

• Pre-downloaded Google map data, an enhanced GPS ? GLONASS which shortens the satellite signal detection by
up to 20? to tracks your location more accurately, LED Flash next to the camera which can be used like a torch and
a huge battery capacity of 570 hours(1,700mAh), making the GALAXY Xcover 2 is the best possible smartphone partner
for outdoor exploration.

• In addition, the Cardio Trainer Pro workout application will also help you achieve your fitness goals by creating a
tailored training program, checking your progress and recording your track and speed.

• For everyday, users can expect the powerful performance characteristic of a Samsung smartphone with the robust
GALAXY Xcover 2 shell. Its vivid 4.0″ (100.8mm) WVGA display provides a clear and wide viewing experience,
a 5-megapixel camera and VGA front camera that will let you record precious moments in high resolution,
Bluetooth® v 4.0 gives a better connection that consumes less power and detects devices 50 meters away.
An impressive 1GHz dual core processor powers the core of the GALAXY Xcover 2, which ensures
a fast operating speed for seamless multitasking, faster webpage loading and softer UI transitions.

• Samsung GALAXY Xcover 2 runs Android™ 4.1 (Jelly Bean) enabling faster and smoother screen transitions and
providing an enhanced user interface featuring a new, easier-to-use notification panel. As a premium Samsung
Android™ phone, the device is packed with a series of innovative features and services to boost performance and
the overall user experience. The intuitive Motion UI understands your movements to shake and update or turn over
to mute; data can be synced, backed up and restored with S-Cloud; S Voice lets users control the phone using
their voice, allowing you to see the weekly weather forecast, the contact number you’re trying to find or even take
a picture as you speak; Best Shot recommends the best shot from a series of photos; Smart Stay recognizes
whether the user is looking at the screen to dim the screen accordingly. Users can also enjoy all the benefits of
Samsung Hubs, including the latest versions of Readers Hub, Video Hub, Game Hub and Music Hub.

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January 26, 2013
Microsoft Q2 2013 Earnings Indicate $21.56b Revenue, $6.38b Profit

Microsoft says its fourth-quarter earnings slipped 4 percent, despite a lift from its latest version of Windows.

The Redmond, Washington-based software giant posted revenue of $21.46 billion and net income of $6.38 billion, with earnings per share of 77 cents. That’s largely in line with what Wall Street had been expecting, though a bit lower on the revenue side and higher on the earnings side — ahead of today’s financial report, the analyst consensus was that Microsoft would post earnings of 75 cents a share on $21.53 billion in revenue.

The results announced Thursday are the first to include Windows 8. The program is a dramatic overhaul of the Microsoft Corp operating system that powers most PCs. Windows 8 came out 26 October with slightly more than two months left in Microsoft’s fiscal second quarter.

When Windows 8 finally hit the market, Microsoft also unveiled its own tablet computer, Surface, as a showcase for the operating system. Microsoft didn’t disclose Thursday how many Surface devices were sold in the October-December period.

Microsoft’s Entertainment & Devices division, which is responsible for the Xbox and Surface, saw an 11% decline from last year, with only $3.77 billion of revenue. This comes after Microsoft announced that the Xbox 360 was the top-selling gaming console for two years straight. It looks like holiday sales weren’t as great as the company expected.

Microsoft’s Online Services division saw more growth, however, with $869 million in revenue, which is an 11% increase year-over-year. Thanks to the upcoming Office 365 suite and SkyDrive, Microsoft’s online services don’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon, especially with the deal that Microsoft made with the city of Chicago to bring Office 365 services to city employees.

January 25, 2013
Apple Launches ‘Get Stuff Done’ Promotion For Mac App Store

Apple on Thursday kicked off a three-week promotional campaign offering discounts on a number of productivity apps in the OS X App Store, with each week featuring a new section and a different batch of titles from which to choose.

New discounted Apps will be made available every week, under the categories of “Prioritize”, “Organize” and “Utilize”. This week, Apple is focusing on the first category, offering certain To-Do apps for way less than they would generally be sold for, some as much as 50% off. Many well-known apps are on offer, namely Things 2 (available for $24.99), Todo (for $6.99), Due ($4.99), The Hit List ($24.99), BreakTime ($2.99), TaskPaper ($11.99), 2Do ($14.99) and Clear ($6.99).

As reported by TUAW, if you are looking to snap up a good deal, you should hurry, since these offers are expiring on January 31^st. If you to-do lists are not your thing, worry not, since Apple will offer more discounted apps starting next week, first under the “Organise” category and “Utilize” the week after.

January 25, 2013
Samsung Posts Record Q4 Net Profit

Samsung announced its Q4 2012 financial results today and, as expected, they are impressive. Consolidated operating profit over the three-month period hit a new record of 8.84 trillion won (circa $8.3 billion), from revenue of 56.06 trillion won (approximately $52.4 billion). The firm saw its profit increase 10 percent on the previous quarter — that’s 89 percent year-on-year– while revenue was up 7 percent on Q3 2012 and 19 percent year-on-year).

Mobile has always been a key market for Samsung, but the release is terribly vague when it comes to breaking down exactly how the company did with regard to units sold. Even so, revenue from Samsung’s Mobile Communications division grew 4 percent from the prior quarter, and Samsung specifically calls out the Galaxy S III and Galaxy Note II as key performers — the inclusion of the latter isn’t much of a shock considering it sold around 5 million units in its first two months on the market, and is reportedly nearing 10 million units sold globally. Taking a step back, Samsung’s IT and Mobile Communications unit as a whole reported 5.44 trillion won ($5.09 billion), slightly down from Q3 but more than double the 2.56 trillion won ($2.39 billion) Samsung recorded in the year-ago quarter.

[quote]Robert Yi, senior vice president and head of Investor Relations, said: “Despite uncertainties in Europe and concerns over the US fiscal cliff creating a difficult business environment, we did our best this quarter to achieve strong earnings based on a strategic focus on differentiated and high value-added products as well as our technological competitiveness.”[/quote]

However, despite the firm’s impressive Q4 profits, Yi remains cautious with regards to Samsung’s position in the market over the coming 12 months.

The company has suggested that the significant number of new products coming to market and the inevitable price competition to follow will make 2013 a challenging year.

January 25, 2013
HTC Launches Budget Desire U with single-core 1GHz processor

HTC has launched a brand new budget phone targeted at developing markets like our very own. The HTC Desire U will come with a 1 GHz Single core CPU along with Android 4.0 with HTC Sense. The HTC Desire U will have 4 GB of Store and 512 MB of RAM along with microSD card expandability.

The working bands will include HSPA/WCDMA : 900/2100 MHz / GSM/GPRS/EDGE : 900/1800/1900 MHz. Connectivity includes WiFi, Blutooth 4.0 and micro-USB 2.0. A 5-megapixel WVGA Video capable camera and Beats audio support inbuilt into the device.

As far as battery is concerned 1650mAh is the number, and the display is a 4 incher with a resolution of 480 x 800 px.

While this device could be a good replacement for the HTC explorer in India, pricing will be key to the success of this HTC

[HTC]

January 25, 2013