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HTC BoomBass : A Bluetooth Subwoofer With NFC

With its dual front-facing speakers, the HTC One smartphone already provides some of the best noise you’ll get from a phone. If that’s not quite enough for you then check out the BoomBass.

The HTC BoomBass is a little device that measures 64mm³ but can supercharge the sound coming from your aluminium-shod phone.

It’s a rubberised unit, with the bottom layer a natty orange/red colour, sitting underneath a grey section. The lower area actually slides out to provide a dock for your HTC One, finally giving a proper area to watch your visualisations and sing along with the lyrics if you’re that way inclined.

It does as its name suggests and only delivers the low bass frequencies to help give a better overall sound when used in conjunction with the aforementioned dual speakers.

It has a built-in battery, so won’t drain your phone’s, and has been designed to slide out so that the phone can be popped on top, making it a sort of mini dock.

Pairing is simple enough, achieved via NFC, and the low frequencies are sent from your phone to the BoomBass using Bluetooth 3.0.

Supplying a discrete subwoofer and nothing more is a bit interesting, since HTC already has the Beats Pill accessory which works well. Pricing and availability are yet to be revealed.

[toggle title=”Press Release”]Boosting the bass for HTC One
In the HTC One, HTC redefined the smartphone sound experience with HTC BoomSound and has now raised the bar again with the introduction of a new accessory for the HTC One family. HTC BoomBass, a compact, Bluetooth-enabled subwoofer with a dedicated amplifier, provides clearer, more powerful bass when combined with the HTC Onefamily’s BoomSound. The subwoofer enables HTC BoomSound’s speakers to produce enhanced quality of lower range frequencies so, no matter what music you’re playing or video you’re watching, you are guaranteed immense and exceptional sound that can travel with you.[/toggle]

Featured image via TheNextWeb.

September 3, 2013
Apple Patents New iOS Unlocking Features

A patent just awarded to Apple allows for a user of an iOS to lock or unlock a device based on a gesture — perhaps the equivalent of a child-proof cap.

The patent, as spotted by AppleInsider and reported by TechCrunch, would allow access to one set of apps — let’s say games for instance — with the drawing of a letter with a fingertip, and then another set, say email, with another, separate gesture.

Apple’s U.S. Patent No. 8,528,072 for a “Method, apparatus and system for access mode control of a device,” describes a system that creates user access modes guarded by predetermined gesture inputs.

Currently, as Apple Insider reports, Apple’s iOS offers passcode unlocking as a means of access control. Under this method, users must input a simple code or password to gain complete access to the device. Apple also provides a certain level of user configuration, allowing access to Siri, Passbook and Reply with Message even when a device is locked.

Such unlocking methods are definitely not new and various Android devices in the past along with custom ROMs have allowed similar functions, whereby a user can “draw” a letter or a shape to launch a specific app, such as the drawing of an envelope that would launch the email app.

This patent by Apple is also accompanied with the effective feature of “Guest Mode”. In this feature Apple will build a lock screen launcher that will easily be accessed by the user through gestures, voice, keyboard, mouse or stylus, already covered in the Apple patent.

September 3, 2013
Screenshot Of 1080p Windows Phone 8 UI Leaks

Evleaks has today added fuel to the Windows Phone GDR3 1080p HD support rumours with a leaked screenshot from the Nokia “bandit” device. The image is 1080×1920, a resolution Windows Phone does not currently support, but it’s reported to be from the Lumia 1520 “phablet”, possibly packing GDR3.

The image shared by @evleaks this morning shows a Windows Phone start screen with an extra Live Tile column than the Windows Phone 8 layout that we’re accustomed to. That extra column enables users will be able to place a large Live Tile and medium Live Tile right next to one another without issue.

The leaked screen shot also reveals what appears to be a new application called Story Teller.

It is expected that larger “Phablet” style Windows Phone devices will be released soon, with Nokia supposedly working on a device which will be called a Lumia 1520 which will have a 6 inch screen with a resolution of 1080×1920. this has apparently been codenamed “Bandit” which you can see below.

The rumour mill has suggested that Nokia is planning to hold an event on Sept. 26 that will be used to show off the Bandit as well as a new Windows RT-powered tablet. There’s no word yet on when either device might arrive on store shelves.

September 3, 2013
Here is Why Microsoft’s Buying Nokia

Microsoft and Nokia have been strategic partners for the manufacture of Windows Phone devices for a couple of years. Microsoft helped the company bail out of its financial woes when Nokia took 1 Billion USD to exclusively manufacture Windows Phone devices and drop plans to make devices on Android, Symbian and Meego. Microsoft’s acquisition of Nokia comes in after the successful transition of Motorola into Google, for the company may be a proud owner of a high tech manufacturing brand. Such an acquisition will enable Microsoft to manufacture devices as per their own set norms and create benchmarks for other partners. Along with the hardware and services Microsoft will also become the owner of a wide array of patents and licenses that Nokia owns, one of which earns US $ 1 for every iPhone sold.

Microsoft puts it out there, the company claims that buying a manufacturer like Nokia will enable Microsoft to deliver a

“first-rate Microsoft phone experience for users”.

Microsoft has been trying to be a hardware manufacturer in the past few years, as it attempted with the “bust” Windows RT and 8 based Surface Tablets, the Acquisition of Nokia could lead to new Hardware under the Microsoft name in the mobility segment. What the future of the once world leader in Mobile telephone will be post the acquisition is unknown, but we hope that this does not pan out similar to the HP – Palm acquisition, which ended the life of a very innovative company.

Microsoft could easily be blamed for this acquisition as well, 3 years ago Nokia was valued at well over US $ 25 Billion, Microsoft’s so called “Strategic Partnership” basically ended the marketshare that Nokia had enjoyed in the good old days of Symbian and S40. Analysts claim, if Nokia had stuck to new operating systems like Meego and relatively young Android ( at the time), the company would have prospered and would have been close to the likes of Samsung and Apple in number of movements.

Today Nokia heavily depends on its feature-phone sales for its revenues, and in a global world where the 100$ smartphone is overtaking the 100$ feature phone, Nokia may have realized the limited lifecycle it had left.

Microsoft is no stranger to takeovers, and with many a past companies under its sleeve, Nokia would be more of a trophy, just so the execs at Redmond can say “Hey, We manufacture our own phones! Just like Apple and Google.”

Microsoft really has an opportunity, with the vast array of designers and young minds at Nokia, years of experience and a complete team of experts in mobility, maybe the top brass at Microsoft will be more open to world changing ideas, than they were back at Nokia. Heck in 2006 a fully capacitive touchscreen phone was rejected within the Finland HQ at Nokia stating that the world was not ready for a full touch phone. In 2007 June, the iPhone was launched, Nokia couldn’t have been more wrong.

September 3, 2013
Microsoft Will Acquire Nokia for €5 billion

Microsoft is set to buy Nokia’s Devices and Services unit, bringing the Lumia lineup under its own ownership. The move unites Windows Phone 8 with its biggest hardware supporter, giving the company the integrated mobile offering that it has been looking for with the Microsoft Surface and other similar devices. When the deal closes in the first quarter of 2014, Microsoft will pay 3.79 billion Euros to Nokia, plus another 1.65 billion Euros for its portfolio of patents.

Microsoft hopes that acquiring the largest Windows Phone manufacturer will speed up growth of the operating system that has yet to see commercial acceptance like similar platforms i.e. Android.

“It’s a bold step into the future – a win-win for employees, shareholders and consumers of both companies. Bringing these great teams together will accelerate Microsoft’s share and profits in phones, and strengthen the overall opportunities for both Microsoft and our partners across our entire family of devices and services.”- Microsoft CEO, Steve Ballmer.

According to the press release from Nokia, about 32,000 Nokia employees will migrate to Microsoft on the completion of the deal. The release further adds that Nokia is assigning its long-term patent licensing agreement with Qualcomm along with other patents to Microsoft.

Microsoft also announced that it has selected Finland as the home for a new data center that will serve its consumers in Europe. The company also said it would invest more than a quarter-billion dollars in capital and operations of the new data center over the next few years, with the potential for further expansion over time.

September 3, 2013
BBM for Android gets shown of in a Video

Event though the BBM for iOS and Android has not yet arrived, videos are starting to leak out and that is a good sign. Folks over at BlackberryOS have got hold of a test video of the new BBM for Android and it might just live up to the hype. Apart from the swipe in from the sides to chose chats and setting, the video shows the ability to transfer contacts through NFC, which is good sign that the messaging app will make the most of these the new features that are present in Android Devices.

Let us know below what you think.

September 3, 2013
Lenovo CEO Shares $3 Million Bonus With Workers

Lenovo CEO Yang Yuanqing will share $3.25 million of his bonus with the company’s workers, this is the second year in a row that the Lenovo boss has decided to share his annual bonus with his staff.

Around 10,000 Lenovo employees will receive a share of the $3.25 million bonus, and each employee will get around $325 in 20 countries around the world, according to a memo written by Gina Qiao, senior vice president of human resources.

“Employees who receive the bonus are mostly those in manufacturing paid on an hourly basis, who are not eligible for other bonus programs or sales commission,” said the company in a canned statement.

“This payment is personally funded by Yuanqing,” Qiao said. “He believes that he has the responsibility as an owner of the company, and the opportunity as our leader, to ensure all of our employees understand the impact they have on building Lenovo.”

It’s the second year running Yang has shared the wealth – last year he handed out $3m to his staff.

Lenovo posted revenue of $34 billion and PC shipments of 52.4 million units in the 12 months ended March 31 as the company gained market share and expanded sales of smartphones and tablets.

It’s worth noting that Yang won’t exactly suffer too much as a result of his generosity, since his last annual bonus was reportedly worth US$5.2 million, and his net personal income for the year totaled US$14 million. It still is a really nice gesture!

September 2, 2013
IFA 2013 : Acer DA241HL All-In-One Android PC Introduced

Acer has unveiled interesting all-in-one computer that fans of the Android operating system may find very interesting. The DA241HL is the AiO in question, packing a NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core processor.

The Acer DA241HL is being touted for its combination of the Android Jelly Bean 4.2 operating system and Nvidia Tegra 3 quad-core CPU. By opting for Android instead of Windows, the DA241HL offers an experience that Android-tablet users will find familiar, complete with apps and media from Google, easy syncing with smartphones and tablets, and a more powerful processor than those found in most tablets and phones. The Android All-in-One is also family-friendly, supporting up to five separate users, complete with personal customization and apps.

“It’s designed to offer users the same familiar experience as with tablets and smartphones,” the company said. “The Tegra processing power provides access to the top sold [sic] games and features on Google Play that are not supported or slow to play with other processors.”

Interestingly, Acer has not mentioned how much storage the Acer DA241HL will have to offer, which is certainly something potential buyers may be interested in.

Other features include MHL connectivity (for smartphone connections), HDMI and USB support and a tilting angle of 20 to 75 degrees for “comfortable touch experience.”

The Acer DA241HL can connect to Windows 8 PC via HDMI or USB, in which case it becomes a monitor with 2-point multitouch. Pricing and availability for the Acer DA241HL are unannounced at this time.

September 2, 2013
PS4 Will Support Voice Commands, Facial Recognition Via PlayStation Camera

Sony last night addressed whether the PS4 features voice command capabilities through the PlayStation camera, but the company’s statement may not reveal as much as it initially seems.

The rumour that the PS4 would feature voice command capabilities popped up when video of a presentation made by SCEA’s group manager of retail training and advocacy Sean Coleman at this week’s GameStop Expo in Las Vegas was uploaded to YouTube on Thursday.

At the 5:30 mark a slide is shown for the Eye that says: “From navigational voice commands to facial recognition, the PlayStation Camera adds incredible innovation to your gaming.”

Speaking to gaming site Polygon a Sony spokesperson said: “Sony Computer Entertainment can confirm that PlayStation Camera allows for voice recognition and we will look forward to sharing more details in the lead up to the launch of PS4 on November 29.”

SCEA’s group manager of retail training and advocacy Sean Coleman outlined some PlayStation Camera features at the GameStop 2013 Expo in Las Vegas this week. “From navigational voice commands to facial recognition, the PlayStation Camera adds incredible innovation to your gaming.”

The PS4 PlayStation Camera will have some unique functionality with the new DualShock 4 controllers. It will be able to use facial recognition to detect who is holding which controller, and apply that player’s preferred controller profile.

September 2, 2013
More iPhone 5c Images Leak Along With Packaging

Apple is heavily rumoured to launch a couple new smartphones on September 10th – the low-cost plastic iPhone 5C and the new iPhone 5S. Apple has yet to confirm this date or these products, but the leaks have been a plenty.

The newest low-quality pictures to arrive online is from an overseas sites who claim to have snapped retail packaging of the “iPhone 5C” that includes the shipping box, manual and SIM card ejection instructions and tool.

The photos comes from website iApps.im, and it says that the pictures show iPhone 5C units in packaging.

It’s difficult to tell if the pictures are real, but they do seem to lineup with Apple’s past patterns. As with the 2012 iPod nano, the iPhone 5C seems to have a matching cover and wallpaper cover.

Two accompanying images show the rest of the stuff that’s allegedly found inside the iPhone 5C box, including the documentation and a SIM card ejector tool fastened to one of the sheets of paper inside.

These pictures lend more credence to the overall leak, but they’re still not enough to pass it as 100% legit.

Noticeably absent from this leak are the phone’s cable and headphones, along with the charger. However, this is hardly a surprise, since the phones themselves most likely lack their internals (i.e. logic board, battery, etc.).

Lastly, the photos indicate that the iPhone 5C will ship with iOS 7 pre-installed, something that was pretty much a given, since Apple has scheduled the iOS 7 launch for fall 2013.

[Via]

September 2, 2013
Oppo N1 Will Have A Swappable Camera System

Oppo’s N1 smartphone is one of the hot favorites since we had a rumor of its release. Rumors included the N-Lens camera add-ons, which apparently offer a choice of zooms up to 15x.

With the recent leak we can flesh out another key specification. The Chinese Android handset will run on Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor, which should be sufficient and would have the unusual dual touch inputs(screen & back) as reported before. The Snapdragon processor (MSM8274) was shown on a photo of the N1’s internals that was leaked on Weibo’s website. With the new teaser video, this phone is expected to come up on September 23rd. Watch the Oppo N1 teaser below:

[youtube id=”HBgiGjSE0J0″ width=”100%” height=”300px”]

[via]

September 2, 2013
Sony Launches CP-F5 and CP-F10L Portable Chargers with 5,000 and 10,000 mAh Capacities

Sony India has launched two new portable chargers today: The CP-F5 and the CP-F10L.

Sony CP-F5 Portable Charger:

The CP-F5 (image above) is a 5,000 mAh portable charger from Sony. It sports a 9.44 mm aluminium body, the company says that the battery is sufficient to charge a smartphone two times. The charger weighs 156 grams, so can easily fit with in a bag or even a pocket.

Based on Lithium-ion polymer technology by Sony, the new charger has a output of 1.5A that allows fast-charging of portable devices while retaining up to 90 per cent of its capacity even after 1,000 charges. The LED indicator would show the battery status on the charger. This device is available in many color options like gold, black and blue and is available in stores for INR 2790.

Sony CP-F10L Portable Charger:

The CP-F10L is a 10,000 mAh portable charger from Sony. It sports a 16.5 mm body, the company says that the battery is sufficient to charge a smartphone four times. The charger weighs 260 grams. The LED indicator would show the battery status on the charger.

Sony has made the CP-F10L rechargeable for 1,000 times and capable of retaining 90 per cent of battery capacity even after 1,000 charges. The device is available in stores for INR 4990.

[toggle title=”Press release “]New Delhi, 2nd September 2013: Brighten up your digital ensemble without compromising on your need to stay connected and mobile with the new 5,000mAh CP-F5 USB Portable Charger from Sony.

While sporting the same ultra-slim 9.4mm aluminium body, the battery capacity of the CP-F5 has been increased by 40% to an impressive 5,000mAh – sufficient for two full charges on a smartphone. Weighing only 156g, the USB portable charger does not add too much weight to your bag or pocket, making it ideal when you are spending a long day out of office or on holiday.

Based on Lithium-ion polymer technology by Sony, the new charger has a high output of 1.5A that allows for fast-charging of portable devices while retaining up to 90 per cent of its capacity even after 1,000 charges. Recharging the CP-F5 is hassle-free – all it takes is a connection to an AC adaptor or USB port on a computer while its LED indicator displays its battery capacity prominently.

Available in gold, black, blue the CP-F5 USB Portable Charger is ready to use straight out of its packaging, so even if you find yourself outside with a dying device, emergency power is immediately available upon purchase.

The new CP-F5 USB Portable Charger will be available across all Sony Centers and major electronic stores across India starting August 2013 at the MRP of Rs.2790/- Per pack

About Sony India Pvt. Ltd.

Sony India is one of the most recognized consumer electronics brand in the country, with a reputation for new age technology, digital concepts and excellent after sales service. In India, Sony has its footprint across all major towns and cities in the country through a distribution network comprising of over 18,000 dealers and distributors, more than 300 exclusive Sony outlets and 25 branch locations. Sony India also has a strong service presence across the country with 356 service outlets. Manned by customer friendly and informed sales persons, Sony’s exclusive stores ‘Sony Center’ are fast becoming the most visible face of the company in India. A distinctive feature of Sony’s service is its highly motivated and well-trained staff that provides the kind of attentive and sensitive service that is rare today.

New Delhi, 2nd September 2013: Sony answers the call for more carry-on power with the new CP-F10L USB Portable Charger that packs a massive 10,000mAh charge in a slim and lightweight aluminum body, making it the ideal portable charger for those who like to stay connected.

The CP-F10L allows smartphone users to recharge their devices up to 4 times on a single charge, its high output of 3.6A and dual USB output ports enable two devices to be charged simultaneously. You can charge both your smartphone and tablet at the same time, and you can easily check how much power is left in the charger via the convenient LED indicator.

The Portable Charger comes with micro-USB cable, allowing users to conveniently charge it either via the USB port on a computer or an AC adaptor, making it an ideal device for people who carry multiple devices and are constantly on-the-go. Weighing just 260g and only 16.5mm thick thanks to its use of a Sony Lithium-ion Polymer battery, the CP-F10L is slim and light-weight enough to fit into any hand-carry and not weigh you down

With over 20 years of Lithium-ion rechargeable battery manufacturing technology and expertise under its belt, Sony has made the CP-F10L rechargeable for 1,000 times and capable of retaining 90 per cent of battery capacity even after 1,000 charges. Furthermore, the CP-F10L is ready to use straight out of its packaging.

The new CP-F10L USB Portable Charger will be available across all Sony Centers and major electronic stores across India starting August 2013 at the MRP of Rs.4990/- Per pack

About Sony India Pvt. Ltd.

Sony India is one of the most recognized consumer electronics brand in the country, with a reputation for new age technology, digital concepts and excellent after sales service. In India, Sony has its footprint across all major towns and cities in the country through a distribution network comprising of over 18,000 dealers and distributors, more than 300 exclusive Sony outlets and 25 branch locations. Sony India also has a strong service presence across the country with 356 service outlets. Manned by customer friendly and informed sales persons, Sony’s exclusive stores ‘Sony Center’ are fast becoming the most visible face of the company in India. A distinctive feature of Sony’s service is its highly motivated and well-trained staff that provides the kind of attentive and sensitive service that is rare today.

For more details, please visit:www.sony.co.in
[/toggle]

September 2, 2013
Acer Unveils ‘Liquid S2’ with 4K Video Recording Capabilities

Acer seems to have taken a different approach to big-sized phones. The first attempt by the company was the 5.7-inch Liquid S1, an Android handset unveiled back in June, but this time the company is said to announce the 6-inch Liquid S2 with 4K video recording capability, a full HD IPS display and a Snapdragon 800 processor.

Acer is claims the S2 as the first phone to offer this 4K functionality. The device sports a 13-megapixel rear camera with LED flash along with a 2MP front camera capable of 1080p video. The company has also loaded up the S2 with some features like a “quick first shot” feature that lets you take a picture right from the phone’s unlock screen.

Though 4K recording is clearly the phone’s prominent feature, other specs include a Snapdragon 800 chipset, which is clocked at 2.2GHz and supported by 2GB of RAM, and the battery is 3,300 mAh.

Acer will sell this handset in Europe, no plans for India yet. The Liquid S2 is said to be available at the end of October, pricing and exact availability information is yet to to be disclosed.

[via]

September 2, 2013
Scientists Create Flexible, Transparent Speaker Which Runs On Ions

A working transparent speaker has been produced by a research team at Harvard, that uses ions, rather than electrons, to carry the electrical charge.

The transparent speaker, created at Harvard University, is made from two layers of polyacrylamide gel swollen with salt water, which act as electrolytes, sandwiching a thin rubber membrane that vibrates as a high-voltage signal is run across its surface. However, this is not any ordinary electronic device, as the electrical charge is carried by ions, not electrons.

This bendable, transparent speaker could be a step in the direction of wearable tech that blends seamlessly with our bodies. What do ionic conductors have that other electronic systems don’t? They can be stretched to many times their normal area without an increase in resistivity, for one. This resistivity is a problem common in stretchable electronic devices. In addition, they can be transparent, which makes them well-suited for optical applications. Thirdly, the gels used as electrolytes are biocompatible, so it would be relatively easy to create ionic devices such as artificial muscles or skin.

“Engineered ionic systems can achieve a lot of functions that our body has: they can sense, they can conduct a signal, and they can actuate movement. We’re really approaching the type of soft machine that biology has to offer,” project co-lead author Christoph Keplinger tells Harvard.

The findings are published in the journal Science. We just hope that this transparent speaker has good bass.

[youtube id=”5K5KSDL1gXE” width=”100%” height=”300px”]

August 31, 2013
Nokia : WP8 Amber Update Will Roll Out To All Devices By September End

Nokia has promised that its Lumia Amber update will reach all Windows Phone 8 devices by the end of September.

The Finnish phone maker is rolling out the update for its Lumia 920, Lumia 820, Lumia 720, Lumia 620 and Lumia 520 as well as their variants.

Amber introduces a number of new features to the Lumia range, including new photo-editing tools and improved camera capabilities. The Nokia Smart Camera app also introduces motion sequence shooting on its high-end Lumia 920, 925 and 928 handsets.

The Amber update also has “Glance Screen,” a tool that makes your phone’s inactive state more interesting. When your handset is inactive, it will display a clock and battery information. So, you can more quickly interact with your phone without having to do anything at all. You can turn off Glance, of course, or have it switch off after a set amount of time.

Unfortunately the negative news includes that some of the most desirable features are not coming to all handsets.

In the post Nokia confirms that the ‘double tap to wake’ feature is not supported on Lumia 720, Lumia 625, Lumia 620, Lumia 521, Lumia 520.

Also Nokia confirmed the FM Radio feature will not be coming to the Lumia 620, Lumia 810 and Lumia 928 as they “do not have the FM radio chip.”

Nokia recently launched its new Nokia Here Auto in-dash navigation system.

August 31, 2013