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Logitech Introduces Ultrathin Touch Mouse

A portable mouse is a good idea, isn’t it ? but most of the available ones are bulky, which can be a problem when you want to put them in a slim bag with laptop.

Logitech has launched a new Ultrathin touch mouse to solve this problem and is available for $70. The device features an ultra-thin design with a smooth top for touch gestures. A switch on the mouse lets you change between two bluetooth connected devices, and a one-minute charge over USB gives it enough power to last about one hour. The Ultrathin Touch Mouse will be available in black and white colors.

This should be easy to carry and should go well with your gear especially if you own any Apple laptops.

August 29, 2013
Report : Apple Buys Data Compression Startup AlgoTrim

Swedish news agency Rapidus reports (viaTechCrunch) that Apple has acquired AlgoTrim for an undisclosed sum.

Apple has already reportedly acquired 6 start-ups in this year. AlgoTrim is the number 7. Apple has not given any comments till now about this acquisition.

AlgoTrim is a software firm that develops advanced solutions for mobile devices to maximize their performance in the area of data compression, mobile imaging, video, and computer graphics. As depicted by its name, firm develops such compression algorithms that use less bandwidth, power and memory and faster image processing specially JPEG ones.

AlgoTrim mostly use faster codec solutions in its mobile softwares that are best in the market. Apple has already acquired another Swedish face recognition firm, Polar Rose and 3D mapping company, C3.

But it’s not hard to think of benefits of AlgoTrim’s technology for a company like Apple. Squeezing the file size of software updates could be a big plus for Apple, whose App Store must constantly issue numerous updates to countless apps. And any technology built into iOS that could render images on the screen faster would be a boon for any app that shows graphics — which is to say almost any app ever written.

Last year, AlgoTrim reported a revenue of 3.0 million USD, with an net income before taxes of EUR -1.1 million. Until now, AloTrim has been focused mostly on Android development.

August 28, 2013
WSJ : BlackBerry To Turn BBM Into A Separate Company

BlackBerry Messenger (BBM), BlackBerry’s popular messaging platform, is widely used and has over 60 million registered users. The company is on the cusp of going cross-platform and making the service available on both iPhone and Android.

BlackBerry recently announced its plan to “explore strategic alternatives” that could include “possible joint ventures, strategic partnerships or alliances, a sale of the company or other possible transactions.” News today has surfaced about one possible spinoff in the works. According to an article in the Wall Street Journal, BlackBerry might take BBM into a separate company, aptly called BBM Inc., say “people familiar with the matter.”

BlackBerry recently introduced BBM Channels, its new “social engagement platform” within BBM that allows users to connect to channels of interest, plus give you the option to follow and receive latest updates (similar to Twitter). In addition, BlackBerry was previously rumoured to monetize your BBM Channel feed with ‘Sponsored Invites.’

Another interesting transition for BBM is going beyond smartphones and the PlayBook tablet by making it available on your desktop/laptop computer. As expected, a BlackBerry spokesperson denounced the rumour and stated, “We haven’t announced any initiatives to bring BBM to the desktop.” Apparently a desktop version of BBM has been running internally at BlackBerry for years now, but never became a public offering.

BBM will be made available to the iOS and Android platform sometime this summer, the first time that the messaging platform has been offered on non-BlackBerry phones. Samsung has already started promoting BBM as it comes closer to becoming available on its Galaxy smartphones in Africa. With fast moving chat services like WhatsApp, Google Hangouts, and iMessage taking center stage, BBM needs to pull out some big moves to stay relevant.

[Via]

August 28, 2013
Google Drops Nexus 4 Price To $199 For 8GB And $249 For 16GB

In what will undoubtedly be seen as a way to clear inventory before the inevitable launch of a successor, Google has lowered the price of the Nexus 4 to an astounding $199 (Rs. 13,400) and $249 (Rs.16,750).

Reaching that hallowed $199 price point is an incredible feat for Google, since it has yet to penetrate the mainstream market with its Nexus line. These prices will no doubt send other OEMs scrambling to do the same before the holiday season, as this is clearly the best deal for a high-end smartphone.

Regardless of the reason, this is an amazing deal for anyone looking at a new smartphone. With a quad-core processor, a 720p display, 2GB of RAM, a 2100mAh battery, an 8MP camera and the very latest version of stock Android, the Nexus 4 is a great device at any price. This just makes it better.

However, this price drop seems targeted for the US region, as there has been no news whether we will see the prices of the Nexus 4 in India reduced to match their US counterparts. At present, the 16GB Nexus 4 is priced at about Rs 25,990 in the Indian market.

Even with the outrageous condition of the Rupee at the moment, ordering a Nexus 4 from the US seems like a far better option than buying one from here.

Let us know what you think in the comments section below.

August 28, 2013
HTC Building Its Own Mobile OS

Rumours of HTC creating their own operating system has been floating around for a couple years. Back in September of 2011, HTC Co-founder and chairman Cher Wang, stated “We can use any OS we want. We are able to make things different from our rivals on the second or third layer of a platform. Our strength lies in understanding an OS, but it does not mean that we have to produce an OS.”

HTC currently relies heavily on the Android OS, plus puts its unique spin with its Sense UI, but this dependance an US-based Google is rumoured to slow. According to a report in the Wall Street Journal, HTC, with the assistance from the Chinese government, will forge ahead and produce their own mobile operating system that’s ‘specifically for Chinese consumers.’ Apparently this initiative is part of a bigger play by the government “to encourage the development of a unique local software ecosystem to reduce reliance on Western companies.”

The WSJ report says it isn’t clear whether the mobile OS will be entirely proprietary or built on top of Android — as just like Acer, HTC is part of Google’s Open Handset Alliance, and that means it needs to abide by certain rules laid down by Google.

Acer last year built a phone for China’s Alibaba but it was squelched at the last minute due Google’s intervention. Google even suggested that Acer wouldn’t be allowed to build future Android phones if it moved forward with the Alibaba phone launch. Given that HTC’s smartphone focus is built on Android — it only makes a few Windows Phone devices — the company isn’t in a position to anger Google.

The ambitious reported move by HTC comes as it has been struggling financially. CEO Peter Chou said in the company’s recent second-quarter earnings call that HTC is expecting Q3 revenue to decline as much as 29.3 percent from the amount of revenue it posted in Q2.

[Via]

August 28, 2013
Swipe MTV Slate 7.85 Inch Tablet Launched For 14,999 INR

Swipe Telecom has launched yet another device after the MTV Slash, the Swipe MTV Slate is the latest product from Swipe and has been launched for 14,999 Rupees.

The Swipe MTV Slate has a 7.85-inch HD IPS display with a resolution of 1024×768 pixels. The tablet runs Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean and weighs 400 grams which is more comparing other tablets of same size. It is powered by a 1.2GHz quad-core MTK 8389 with 1 GB of RAM. The device has a 5 MP rear camera and a VGA front facing camera. It packs 8GB of internal storage, expandable up to 32 GB via microSD card. The tablet comes with SIM card support with voice calling capability.

Connectivity options on the tablet include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS and 3G. The device also includes a 3200mAh battery.

Shripal Gandhi, Founder & CEO, Swipe Telecom said, MTV Slate is yet another innovation as a result of an intense market research conducted across the country followed by a development phase and has been custom designed for the end consumers power packed with the latest features and astounding looks, MTV Slate will further strengthen our product portfolio for the youth.”

The Swipe MTV Slate has some good specifications, but we believe that the price tag given is a bit high. what is your take on this device and its pricing ?

August 28, 2013
Samsung launches 7-inch Galaxy Tab 3 Kids edition

Samsung has announced Samsung GALAXY Tab 3 Kids, a tablet specifically designed for children. Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 Kids will come preloaded with educational and fun apps for kids and an all new Kid’s Store.

“It’s no secret that kids are using technology more than ever before,” said JK Shin, CEO and Head of IT & Mobile Communication at Samsung Electronics. “We saw an opportunity to create a device just for kids that provides them with an intuitive, fun and kid-friendly user experience filled with rich, interactive and educational content that parents will love.”

The tablet has a 7-inch screen with 1024×600 pixel resolution and runs on a 1.2GHz dual-core processor. It has 1 GB RAM, 8GB of internal storage expandable up to 32 GB. The tablet has a dual cameras, the camera in the front is 1.3 MP and the back is 3 MP. Tab 3 Kids runs on Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) and has a 4,000mAh battery.

Galaxy Tab 3 Kids includes a Time Management feature that will allow parents to set specific time period for use, once the set period is up, a password protected lock screen will appear, requiring a parent or an adult to enter the password to unlock the device. This tool is aimed at restricting the time children spend on the device. The device is available in yellow color and weighs 302 grams.

The tablet also has a kids case featuring a child-friendly grip and multiple stand options. The case also comes equipped with an easy-to-grip C Pen. Pricing is not available yet. The specs of this device may not mean anything to a kid, but can be useful for the buyers before they gift it to the naughty ones. This seems like a good initiative from Samsung.

[via]

[toggle title=”Press Release “]SEOUL, Korea – August 27, 2013 – Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd, a leader in mobile technology and digital solutions, today announced the Samsung GALAXY Tab 3 Kids, a tablet built specifically for kids with the educational tools and safety features parents want.

“It’s no secret that kids are using technology more than ever before,” said JK Shin, CEO and Head of IT & Mobile Communication at Samsung Electronics. “We saw an opportunity to create a device just for kids that provides them with an intuitive, fun and kid-friendly user experience filled with rich, interactive and educational content that parents will love.”

Samsung GALAXY Tab 3 Kids comes pre-loaded with top ranked kid’s apps and brand new Kid’s Store aimed at driving the educational possibilities of technology for kids. Pre-loaded content includes educational, games, entertainment and e-book apps. The tablet also offers parents the ability to select the apps they want their kids to have access to using the Application Manager.

Developed with kids’ best interests at the forefront, Samsung GALAXY Tab 3 Kids also includes a Time Management feature that allows parents to set specific time periods for use. When the designated use time is up, a password protected lock screen appears, requiring a parent or adult to enter the password to unlock the device. This tool will help parents ensure the time their children spend on smart devices is balanced.

With 1.2GHz dual processor, 1GB RAM, 3 megapixel front-facing camera and 1.3 megapixel rear-facing camera, Samsung GALAXY Tab 3 Kids has the power and performance you would expect from a Samsung GALAXY tablet, designed to provide kids with an exciting, interactive experience.

A Kids Case featuring a kids-friendly grip and multiple stand options will also be available for the Samsung GALAXY Tab 3 Kids. The case also comes equipped with an easy-to-grip C Pen, providing fun drawing capabilities without the possibility of leaving marks on other objects.

The Samsung GALAXY Tab 3 Kids will be available in Korea in early September and subsequently available across China, Europe, U.S., Africa, South America and South East Asia. The availability of applications through Kids Samsung Apps will vary by market.
[/toggle]

August 28, 2013
iPad Charger Explodes in UK

Tim suffered a terrible electric shock when his daughter’s iPad charger exploded in his hand. Tim Gillooley claims his eight year old girl(Chloe) could have been killed if she had been the one to reach down and unplug the device. Tim was burnt by the shock.

As reported by Mirror news, this comes a month after the family of a Chinese woman, Ma Ailun, claimed she was killed as a result of being electrocuted while chatting on her iPhone 5 as it charged. Mr Gillooley, from Warrington, bought the iPad from the Apple Store in Liverpool for his daughter.

He said: There was a huge bang and it blew me across the room. I was in shock. I was hysterically laughing for about two minutes. It was a bad shock that went down my arm. My mum was panicking and Chloe burst into tears. Nine times out of 10, Chloe would have gone to get it herself. I think it would have killed her.”

Tim noticed Chloe’s iPad had charging problems so he returned it to the Apple Store three months earlier but was told there was nothing wrong with the charger or the device. They even bought a new official charger and lightening cable to see if it would solve the problem.

He added. “We were big fans of Apple but I won’t let my daughter near her iPhone if it’s a ticking time bomb.”

Apple has asked Tim for the burnt remains of the charger to review.

[via]

August 28, 2013
iOS 7 To Be Launched On September 10

September 10 is the date we’re currently marking in the diaries for the iPhone 5S and 5C reveal, and that may have just been reinforced by a claim that we’ll see the release of iOS 7 that very same day.

According to an email sent to developers from Nuance, the company behind Siri, the general availability date for iOS 7 is set for September 10.

The Next Web contributing writer Owen Williams posted the below email from Nuance to his personal blog, it reads:

As you are probably aware, iOS 7 GA will be released on September 10th.

The NDEV Program has pre-qualified that SpeechKit 1.4.5 works properly on iOS 7, but we encourage you to conduct own testing to ensure that when the upgrade happens, your Nuance speech services continue to work seamlessly.

It asked developers using its API to conduct testing to ensure that their services work on iOS 7 even though its SpeechKit 1.4.5 is pre-qualified to work properly on iOS 7. Nuance is the voice recognition focused company which has also worked on Siri, Apple’s intelligent voice assistant.

Historically, Apple has released iOS Golden Master versions to developers on the same day as the announcement of new iPhones, giving developers time to test their apps with the final version of the new iOS before its release it to the general public a couple of days before the launch of the new iPhone.

[Via]

August 27, 2013
Facebook To Pay $20M For Sponsored Stories Privacy Breaches

A U.S. judge has put a stamp of approval on a US$20 million fund for Facebook to settle a class-action advertising suit, despite objections from groups representing minors on the site.

The ruling was issued Monday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. The class-action suit, which was first filed in 2011, challenged Facebook’s “sponsored stories” advertising program. A sponsored story is a type of promoted post appearing in users’ feeds that may include the profile name and picture of Facebook members who have “liked” that advertiser’s products or services.

As Wired reports, “Sponsored Stories” basically turns the act of pressing the Facebook “Like” button into a potential commercial endorsement. If a Facebook user clicks the “Like” button for a product or service with a Facebook page, that user’s profile picture and name may be automatically used in advertisements for that product or service that appear in the their friends’ Facebook pages. Facebook also reserves the right to show such ads on sites other than Facebook.

U.S. District Judge Richard Seeborg in San Francisco approved the revised deal months after he said he had “serious concerns” because it originally provided a $10 million payout to attorneys suing Facebook and $10 million to activist and research groups in what is known as a cy pres award.

Under the new plan Seeborg approved, the same $20 million pot is to be shared by charities, the class-action attorneys and the 125 million U.S. Facebook users who appeared in a “Sponsored Story” without consent.

In a statement, a Facebook spokeswoman said the company was “pleased” that the settlement had received final approval.

August 27, 2013
Samsung Exec. Confirms Sept. 4 Launch For The Galaxy Gear Smartwatch

Lee Young-hee, Samsung’s EVP of mobile business, all but confirmed its entry into wearable devices by declaring that they’ll unveil the Galaxy Gear smartwatch on September 4th.

According to an interview in the Korean Times, Young-hee stated “We Will be introducing a new wearable device concept called Galaxy Gear at our own event in Berlin on Sept. 4. The new device will enhance and enrich the current smart mobile experience in many ways. It will lead a new trend in smart mobile communications.”

The Galaxy Gear will be marketed to ‘young trend setters’ and will be available in several colour options. The final design will be shown off on September 4th, but the exec also confirmed that the Galaxy Gear will not have a flexible display. Samsung will be saving that technology for ‘future products.’ As for specs, rumours point toward the Gear coming with a 2.5-inch OLED full colour display (320 x 320 resolution), touchscreen gestures and accelerometer, dual-core 1.5GHz Exynos 4212 processor, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC.

The September 4 event will also definitely see the introduction of the new Galaxy Note 3, which will reveal what’s next for the phablet category Samsung basically pioneered with the original Note. Some new rumors suggest the Galaxy Note 3 will shoot 4K video, and be powered by a Snapdragon 800 processor with a 2.3GHz clock speed, with a 5.7-inch display and 3GB of RAM.

[Via. Via]

August 27, 2013
Blue HTC One Spotted, Early Android 4.3 Build For The Device Leaks

A blue version of the HTC One is coming, and what was previously only a render is now a fully-fledged leaked device.

A version of the device in a sea-coloured hue was spotted on a subway train in China, and was uploaded to Mobile01, a smartphone-related forum. This confirms the previous leak by evleaks and a leaked casing of the handset in the same colour.

HTC must be planning its HTC One follow-up already, as the device was announced in February and released in April. Rumours of a One Max persist, with an announcement slated for early next month.

At present, the HTC One has been released with 3 colour variants, Silver, Black and Red.

An early build of Android 4.3 has leaked to XDA, and one developer, LlabTooFeR, has already released a custom ROM with the build as a base. Build 3.09.401.1 still uses Sense 5.0, but has a number of minor improvements, including Bluetooth LE support, improved animations throughout the OS, the ability to use your own music for video highlights and, unfortunately, a task manager added to the app drawer.

[Via]

August 27, 2013
Controlling Drone With Google Glass And Javascript- Made Possible By Developer Blaine Bublitz

Developer Blaine Bublitz has hacked into Google Glass to give us a controller option which can be used to fly a drone. Ever since the Glass was released for developers, we’ve been seeing all sorts of apps being created for it. Google itself implied that tasks like clicking a picture, sending a message, translations and so on would probably need verbal input to function.

But Bublitz’s creation is the latest and probably the best. This was made possible mainly using Google Glass and JavaScript, the developer has made it possible to control and fly a Parrot AR Drone. The flying robot was controllable with help of some simple head movements. The controls were not smooth, but that can be considered keeping in mind that the project is still developing.

If you look at the video below, you will see that that drone is been controlled by the Glass. If you need more information on how this was made possible and what coding was used for the JavaScript, you can click here to go the developers blog.

[vimeo clip_id=”71405845″ width=”100%” height=”300px”]

These experiments can lead to great results which can be useful to one as a person or may be to the country in the near future.

[via]

August 27, 2013
Gionee Launches The Gionee P2 : A Budget Android Smartphone

Gionee has launched yet another phone in the Indian market which is said to be available for 6500 INR.

The Gionee P2 features a 4-inch WVGA display with a resolution of 480×800 pixels. The device is equipped with a 1.3GHz dual-core Cortex A7 MediaTek 6572 processor which is further paired with 512MB of RAM and Mali 400 GPU.

The Gionee P2 runs on Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. It comes with 4GB of internal storage that can also be expanded up to 32GB. This device has a 5-megapixel rear camera with a LED flash and a VGA front-facing camera. The rear camera includes options like face detection, touch to focus, Panorama, face beauty, gesture & smile shot and can also record HD videos.

The device supports dual SIM. It is also powered with a 1700mAh battery. The connectivity options include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, FM Radio, GPS, Digital Compass, Light Sensor, Face Unlock and Game Zone. This device is available at a few websites online and is available in two color variants: Black and White.

What is your take on this new device ?

August 27, 2013
iPhone 5S & 5C Show up in a Video

iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C, the rumored next-generation iPhone and the so called ‘cheaper iPhone’ respectively, are supposed to be unveiled on September 10. As the date approaches closer, we’re seeing details leak out often, but this time its not an image, or group of iPhones, But a video showing the possible golden iPhone 5S and the cheaper version of the iPhone famous as the iPhone 5C.

Looking at the video, there’s no way to tell if the parts shown in this video are real, but they line up with previous leaked photos.

[youtube id=”m-Ib6NME-DE” width=”100%” height=”300px”]

The video clearly shows both the alleged upcoming iPhones together. The 5S might get launched with a faster processor as per the rumors but there is not much information about the ‘5C’ except it being made with a polycarbonate shell. We will have to wait and see if Apple will really launch two phones, specially a cheaper one ? This question will remain unanswered till September 10 irrespective of any new leaked images that might come up.

[via]

August 27, 2013