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Samsung Galaxy S2 Plus Launched In India

Samsung has been enjoying a really successful time of things in the last year or so in the smartphone market with a number of hugely successful products on offer. Its recent successes were arguably built on the Samsung Galaxy S2 that was released in 2011 and is still available today. Now though the company has revealed the Samsung Galaxy S2 Plus and we have the official specs and details for you.

Initially outfitted with Android 2.3 Gingerbread, the original S2 received an update to Android 4.0 last June and is finally due up for Android 4.1 sometime soon.

Otherwise, most of the tech specs between the S2 Plus and the original S2 are the same.

Like its predecessor the Samsung Galaxy S2 Plus will offer a 1.2 GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, and a 4.3-inch WVGA Super AMOLED Plus display. An 8-megapixel camera with an LED flash is on the back, while a 2-MP camera graces the front. But the rear camera now comes with a zero-lag shutter speed that can more easily capture fast-moving objects.

The Samsung Galaxy S2 Plus offers 3G in the form of 21Mbps HSPA+, dual-band Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth 3.0.The Plus’s built-in storage has been trimmed in size to 8GB from the original’s 16GB or 32GB. But the new model’s SD storage can handle up to 64 gigabytes of data, while the original maxed out at 32GB. The Plus also includes an option for near-field communications support so people can use the phone for mobile payments.

We will be back with the pricing details and a hands-on video soon, so stay tuned!

March 1, 2013
Leaked : Huawei Ascend G710, 5-inch Smartphone

There’s a reason why Huawei has become one of the world’s top smartphone manufacturers, despite surprisingly flying under the radar: it continues to introduce all sorts of smartphones for consumers.

It would appear that Huawei has another new smartphone in the works, the Huawei Ascend G710 which you can see in the photo above, posted online by the reliable @evleaks.

Like so many devices nowadays, the Huawei Ascend G710 is going to have a 5-inch display, but this one will purportedly have just 720×1280 resolution. That’s quite a bit lower than the previously-announced Ascend D2 from Huawei, which has a full 1080P panel. The G710 will have capacitive keys at the bottom of the screen though, which leaves physically more space on the screen than the D2.

No mention of which version of Android the Huawei Ascend G710 will be running, however we wouldn’t be surprised to see Android 4.1.2 installed on this device out of the box. It was noted as having GSM and CDMA support. Otherwise, based on the image we can see what appears to be a brushed metal backing with a speaker grill towards the bottom of the back.

The only other known spec is a 1.5GHz quad-core processor, which is a Huawei staple lately. No other specs, availability or pricing is coming out on this one just yet.

[@evleaks]

February 28, 2013
Real Racing 3 Launches Worldwide On iOS And Android Devices (PR)

Real Racing 3 was released in the U.S. App Store tonight, after being tested in several international App Stores. Real Racing 3 is the highly anticipated followup to Real Racing 2, with real cars, photorealistic tracks, and online time shifted multiplayer gameplay.

Real Racing revolutionized mobile gaming by being the first game in its class graphically. Not only was it beautiful to look at, it was also fun to play. The follow up, Real Racing 2, was just as fun and had even more improved graphics.

[quote]”RR3 is the best in the series, sporting some of the most advanced multiplayer technology in the industry today,” said Tony Lay, GM of the Firemonkeys. “Time Shifted Multiplayer adapts everyone’s racing styles to competing cars on the track using leaderboards and previous times to emulate how they’d drive those courses. Now everyone will be able to battle against each other for bragging rights on the track anytime, anywhere in a more realistic manner.”[/quote]

The game is a whopping 3GB in size; so make sure you have a lot of free space on your device.

Praised for its console-quality graphics, Real Racing 3 displays dynamic reflections, persistent car damage and fully functioning rear view mirrors in real time to enhance the realism of the race day experience. Game features include:

Real Cars – The largest ever roster of cars available in a Real Racing title from all-new manufacturers like Porsche, Lamborghini, Dodge, Bugatti and Audi. Feel the intensity of an authentic race grid of 22 cars for the first time on mobile.
Real Tracks – A first for the Real Racing series. Burn rubber around a full lineup of real tracks in multiple configurations from top locations around the world, including Mount Panorama, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Silverstone, Hockenheimring, Melbourne CBD, and many more.
Real People – With Real Racing 3’s Time Shifted Multiplayer^TM (TSM) you can race anyone, anytime, even if they’re offline. Every single career event is filled with the fully interactive AI-controlled time shift doubles of your Game Center or Facebook friends, as well as other players from around the world.
More Choice Than Ever – Compete in 900+ events including cup races, elimination, endurance, and drag races. Upgrade a wide selection of different car parts to maximize car performance. See the action through a variety of camera angles and fine tune the controls to your personal preference.
The Premier Racing Experience – Persistent car damage, fully functioning rear view mirrors, and dynamic reflections enhance the realism of the race day experience. Real Racing 3 delivers a rich, next-gen racing experience in the most advanced cross-platform social and competitive racing community ever.

The game is available for download for free on both Android and iOS devices.

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EA Real Racing 3 Game Launched

Third Iteration of the Popular Real Racing Franchise Delivers the Ultimate Racing Experience on Mobile for Free

“By developing Real Racing 3 to be a freemium title, we’ve removed the barrier of entry, thereby expanding the game’s audience and making it easier to find multiplayer opponents, as well as giving players the freedom to enjoy the game when and how they want.”

Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA) announced today that Real Racing^TM 3 is now available for the iPhone ®, iPad ®, iPod touch ®, Google Play and Amazon Appstore. Developed by the EA Firemonkeys studio, the game delivers the most exhilarating handheld racing experience and features 46 licensed vehicles covering three classes, a 22 car grid across real world tracks, eight varied event types and over 900 events. Real Racing 3 is available as a free download–a first for the critically-acclaimed franchise–and was designed and developed from the ground up as a free-to-play experience.

It features hundreds of hours of gameplay, making it one of the most robust mobile games available to date. All of the game’s content is available for free without players needing to pay to progress. In-game monetization will enable players to accelerate their experience and speed up car servicing and upgrade wait times by spending virtual currency, which can either be purchased or earned through racing events, levelling-up, obtaining trophies and competing with friends.

“With Real Racing 3’s console-quality graphics, realistic gameplay and unparalleled depth of content, the Real Racing franchise is once again raising the bar for mobile games,” said Nick Earl, Senior Vice President & General Manager EA All Play Label. “By developing Real Racing 3 to be a freemium title, we’ve removed the barrier of entry, thereby expanding the game’s audience and making it easier to find multiplayer opponents, as well as giving players the freedom to enjoy the game when and how they want.”

The ability to play against friends whenever and wherever is key to one of its new features, Time Shifted Multiplayer^TM (TSM). This new mode of competitive multiplayer allows players to race against their friends, even if they have different devices or if they’re offline.

“RR3is the best in the series, sporting some of the most advanced multiplayer technology in the industry today,” said Tony Lay, GM of the Firemonkeys. “Time Shifted Multiplayer adapts everyone’s racing styles to competing cars on the track using leaderboards and previous times to emulate how they’d drive those courses. Now everyone will be able to battle against each other for bragging rights on the track anytime, anywhere in a more realistic manner.”

Praised for its console-quality graphics, Real Racing 3 displays dynamic reflections, persistent car damage and fully functioning rear view mirrors in real time to enhance the realism of the race day experience. Game features include:

Real Cars – The largest ever roster of cars available in a Real Racing title from all-new manufacturers like Porsche, Lamborghini, Dodge, Bugatti and Audi. Feel the intensity of an authentic race grid of 22 cars for the first time on mobile.
Real Tracks – A first for the Real Racing series. Burn rubber around a full lineup of real tracks in multiple configurations from top locations around the world, including Mount Panorama, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Silverstone, Hockenheimring, Melbourne CBD, and many more.
Real People – With Real Racing 3’s Time Shifted Multiplayer^TM (TSM) you can race anyone, anytime, even if they’re offline. Every single career event is filled with the fully interactive AI-controlled time shift doubles of your Game Center or Facebook friends, as well as other players from around the world.
More Choice Than Ever – Compete in 900+ events including cup races, elimination, endurance, and drag races. Upgrade a wide selection of different car parts to maximize car performance. See the action through a variety of camera angles and fine tune the controls to your personal preference.
The Premier Racing Experience – Persistent car damage, fully functioning rear view mirrors, and dynamic reflections enhance the realism of the race day experience. Real Racing 3 delivers a rich, next-gen racing experience in the most advanced cross-platform social and competitive racing community ever.

To download Real Racing 3 for free, please visit http://www.firemonkeys.com.au/downloadR3. For more information on Real Racing 3, watch the launch trailerhere and please visit http://www.facebook.com/RealRacing. Additional assets including screenshots are available at http://info.ea.com.

About Electronic Arts

Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: EA) is a global leader in digital interactive entertainment. The Company delivers games, content and online services for Internet-connected consoles, personal computers, mobile phones, tablets and social networks. EA has more than 275 million registered players and operates in 75 countries.

In fiscal 2012, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $4.1 billion. Headquartered in Redwood City, California, EA is recognized for a portfolio of critically acclaimed, high-quality blockbuster brands such as The Sims^TM, Madden NFL, FIFA Soccer, Need for Speed^TM, Battlefield^TM and Mass Effect^TM. More information about EA is available at http://info.ea.com.

Real Racing, Time Shifted Multiplayer, The Sims and Need for Speed are trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. Mass Effect is a trademark of EA International (Studio and Publishing) Ltd. Battlefield is a trademark of EA Digital Illusions CE AB. John Madden, NFL and FIFA are the property of their respective owners and used with permission. iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, and iTunes are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

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February 28, 2013
HTC Sense 5.0 Confirmed For The HTC One X, One X+ and One S
Good news for those with the HTC One X, One X+ and One S. HTC posted a note on Facebook that they plan on bringing the new Sense 5.0 to the devices. Timing is unknown and so are the specific Sense 5.0 features. HTC also stated that some of the features will appear, but not all. Most likely we’ll see BlinkFeed appear and hopefully parts of the new Zoe camera feature but not all, as the HTC One has upgraded camera technology onboard to support them.

[quote] HTC will be offering upgrades to some of its existing devices in the next few months, including global variants of HTC One X, One X+, One S and the HTC Butterfly. Also, note that some features enabled by the new HTC One hardware will not be available in the software updates.[/quote]

HTC recently introduced the revamped Sense interface in the form of Sense 5.0 along with HTC One smartphone. The interface is much lighter and cleaner than company’s previous Sense iterations.

We’ll bring you more details as soon as we get them.

HTC Sense 5.0 key features:
- HTC Blinkfeed
- Minimalist layout
- Integration of TV control (won’t be coming to One X, X+, or Butterfly as there is no IR Blaster)
- Zoe Camera (probably this won’t come too)
- Sync Manager
February 28, 2013
Report : U.S Galaxy S IV To Come With Snapdragon 600, Rest Get Exynos 5 Octa Core SoC

The Samsung Galaxy S IV could use Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 600 in the United States, and a Samsung Exynos 5 Octa in Europe and other places of the world where LTE is not that widespread, according to a recent JPMorgan note.

When Samsung unveiled the eight-core Exynos 5 Octa at CES, it was widely expected that the Samsung Galaxy S IV would feature Samsung’s latest innovation. However, according to an earlier report from SamMobile, Samsung seems to have run into some overheating issues with the processor, and Samsung believes the problem will not be fixed in time for the Galaxy S IV launch.

The Exynos 5 Octa is a an 8 core processor from Samsung, running 1.8 GHz quad-core ARM Cortex-A15 and 1.2 GHz quad-core ARM Cortex-A7 along with Tricore PoverVR GPU. The Snapdragon 600 on the other hand runs a quad-core Krait 300 CPU clocking at 1.9 GHz along with the Adreno 320 GPU. Qualcomm claims that the new SoC delivers 40% better performance than the existing S4 Pro chips.

It must be noted that Samsung utilized the same Mali-400 GPU in both its international Galaxy S II and Galaxy S III models, the latter clocked significantly higher, to little ill effect. And the Snapdragon 600 SoC is significantly faster than the dual-core S4 Plus offered in the North American Galaxy S III. It’s also likely the included Adreno 320 GPU would be clocked faster than in previous devices.

Various reports also suggest that Galaxy S4 will sport an improved 13 Megapixel camera with Orb camera technology that will be capable of taking 1080p videos. Other expected features include a 2 megapixel front-facing camera, a removable battery, an Adreno 320 GPU, TouchWiz UI and Wireless charging.

A teaser released by samsung shouts out ‘Be Ready 4 The Next Galaxy’, and mentions Times Square (New York, USA) as the venue and 14 March 2013, 7PM EST, as the date and time for the Samsung Unpacked 2013 event. The event would also have a webcast as the teaser mentions a live stream link.

[Taipei Times]

February 28, 2013
LG Launches Optimus G E973 in India For Rs. 34,500

LG has launched the LG Optimus G in India for a price of Rupees 34,500/-. The Optimus G is the global variant of the Nexus 4 which is an Un-skinned Google subsidized smartphone. The Optimus G on the other hand is packed with many features that are designed and implemented by LG for the device.

Major hardware components of the LG Optimus G include, a Quad Core Snapdragon S4 Pro Chipset clocked at 1.5 GHz, a 4.7 inch 1280 x 720p display, 13 MP main camera with Full HD Video capability along with a 1.3MP front camera. The Optimus G also has 32Gb of inbuilt storage and a 2100 mAh battery along with NFC support.

We are going hands on with the device shortly, Please stay tuned.

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LG launches Next-Gen Genius-Optimus G

4.7-inch True HD IPS Plus Display

Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro 1.5 GHz Quad-core processor

Latest Android Jellybean (v4.1.2)

2,100mAh battery

New Delhi, 27^th February, 2012: Designed to set a new benchmark in the industry, LG Electronics, a worldwide technology and design leader in mobile communications, today announced the launch of its innovative Smartphone- LG
Optimus G. Optimus G blends LG’s Superior Design & Display technology with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon S4 processor to take consumers’ mobile experience to an entirely new level. This 4.7 inch smartphone runs on the latest Android v4.1.2 (Jelly Bean) and packs a mammoth battery of 2, 100 mAh.

Speaking at the launch, Mr. Soon Kwon, President South West Asia Region & MD, LG India,stated, “Drawing upon expertise from the LG Mobile Communications Company and gaining insights from the LG R&D team, we are proud to bring to our consumers LG Optimus G, a carefully styled super-phone. LG has kick-started 2013 by launching the first smartphone to run on Snapdragon S4 Pro. LG Optimus G meets the growing consumer demand by offering ample features like 13MP rear camera; 32 GB internal memory, Dual Screen / Dual Play, QSlide, Quick Translator, NFC

“Our aim at LG is to provide our customers with pioneering technology. We provide our users with enhanced experience by advanced and thoughtful engineering behind every feature. The smartphone encourages users to explore a world of boundless creativity and power and also, helps them balance between business and entertainment”, added Mr. Soon Kwon.

The best of technology

Optimus G boasts of ‘next generation quad-core’ processor and has enviable set of specifications. Its Snapdragon S4 processor enhances the smartphones performance making it faster and more powerful, this makes consumers day to day activities like web- browsing, reading e-books and playing high-end games easy and fun-filled experience! Optimus G users can seamlessly multitask between personal, business and entertainment needs and go beyond the limitations of a traditional smartphone.

The smartphone comes with a 13MP rear- end High Resolution camera and 1.3MP front facing camera. It has 32GB of internal memory and can support NFC. Running on Android v4.1.2 Jelly bean, LG has extended the OS with its own Optimus 3.0 UI for an optimum mobile experience.

Display and Design

LG’s true HD IPS Plus technology brings Optimus G’s 4.7 inch display to life. The Optimus G’s aspect ratio is 15:9 and boasts of a 320ppi high pixel density. The Optimus G is equipped with Zerogap Touch display technology. This technology brings visuals closer to the surface of the screen and gives a more immersive experience.

Standing by its design philosophy, Optimus G is stylishly designed into a slim, timeless form. Optimus G breaks away from tradition by flaunting a premium glass-made back graced with a crystal pattern. This patented Crystal Reflection has the ability to display different patterns depending on the angle and lighting.

Flood of applications

LG Optimus G has a lot of unique applications to boast about. Its QuickSlide feature allows consumers to simultaneously run two apps and multitask their way through work and play. It’s QuickTranslator easily translates any international language into English and vice-versa, while its QuickMemo app allows users to jot down important notes on any phone screenshot even while on active call. When videos are played in the player, the Zoom In function enables consumers to zoom in/ out of a live video. Dual Screen Dual Play, allows mirroring between the smartphone and a TV, and even activates different contents on each screen.

LG has introduced a number of apps to enhance the performance of its 13MP camera. Optimus G’s SmartShutter senses movement and automatically adjusts shutter speed to capture crisp, blur-free images. The CheeseShutter has voice recognition capabilities and automatically clicks a picture when one says ‘Cheese’. Other apps include LG’s SmartStay.

Keeping the current market trends in mind, and anticipating the future trends, LG smartphones would keep evolving consistently to offer that ultimate smartphone experience to its consumers. LG Optimus G truly embodies everything that a smartphone should have. LG’s Optimus G is priced at Rs 34,500 and will be available in various stores across India.

About LG Electronics India Pvt. Ltd.

LG Electronics India Pvt. Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of LG Electronics, South Korea was established in January 1997 in India. It is one of the most formidable brands in consumer electronics, home appliances, IT hardware and mobile communications space. In India for a decade, LG has earned a premium brand positioning and is the acknowledged trendsetter for the industry.

LGEIL’s manufacturing unit at Greater Noida is one of the most eco-friendly units among all LG manufacturing plants in the world. The second Greenfield facility is located at Ranjangaon; Pune has the capacity to manufacture GSM Phones, Colour Televisions, Air Conditioners, LCD TVs, Washing Machines, Refrigerators, Monitors and Optical Disc Drives.

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February 27, 2013
Aircel Launches The BlackBerry Z10 Smartphone In India (PR)

Aircel today launched the BlackBerry Z10 smartphone powered by BlackBerry 10 in India. BlackBerry introduced its new Z10 smartphone in India with a price tag of Rs. 43,490, aimed at competing with Apple and Samsung in the lucrative smartphone market.

Aircel is offering a new range of exciting usage plans for both prepaid and postpaid subscribers. Aircel’s subscribers will enjoy integrated service bundle of data (1GB data), voice (250 minutes Aircel to Aircel / month) and SMS (250 Aircel to Aircel / month) for 3 months at a recharge of Rs. 153.

BlackBerry phones, unlike any other smartphone, require operator services (who offer it with special plans) to perform all communication related functions. You can’t access mail, chat (BBM) etc on a normal data plan. However, BlackBerry 10 operating system based devices do not require any specific data plan for emails, browsing or BBM. A regular Internet plan will work on the new smartphone.

[quote]Mr. Anupam Vasudev – Chief Marketing Officer, Aircel said, “Aircel is a young brand and has positioned itself as a data led telecom player. This new exciting partnership with BlackBerry reiterates our commitment to offer our valuable customers with innovative products and services as we believe that a good smartphone is paramount to bringing the best consumer experience. There is an inherent growth in Internet consumption due to the high level of penetration of smartphones and we are happy to offer exciting usage plans to compliment the new BlackBerry Z10.”[/quote]

[toggle_box title=”Press Release” width=”Width of toggle box”]

Aircel Launches the BlackBerry Z10 smartphone powered by BlackBerry 10 in India

Announces range of exciting usage plans for both prepaid and postpaid customers

Delhi, February 27^th, 2013: – Aircel, one of India’s leading telecom players, today launched the new BlackBerry® Z10 smartphone powered by BlackBerry® 10 in the country. The new BlackBerry Z10 is the first smartphone to launch with the re-designed, re-engineered and re-invented BlackBerry 10 platform, giving customers a powerful and unique new mobile computing experience. The BlackBerry Z10 smartphone is the fastest and most advanced BlackBerry smartphone yet, and offers a smarter experience that continuously adapts to a customer’s needs.

Mr. Anupam Vasudev – Chief Marketing Officer, Aircel said, “Aircel is a young brand and has positioned itself as a data led telecom player. This new exciting partnership with BlackBerry reiterates our commitment to offer our valuable customers with innovative products and services as we believe that a good smartphone is paramount to bringing the best consumer experience. There is an inherent growth in Internet consumption due to the high level of penetration of smartphones and we are happy to offer exciting usage plans to compliment the new BlackBerry Z10.”

Sunil Dutt, Managing Director for India at BlackBerry said, “We are pleased to work with Aircel to bring customers in India the powerful new BlackBerry Z10 smartphone. Backed by Aircel’s network and service plans, BlackBerry Z10 customers will be delighted with a re-invented communication experience, seamless multitasking, and easy access to multiple social networks.”

Aircel is offering a new range of exciting usage plans for both prepaid and postpaid subscribers. Aircel’s subscribers will enjoy integrated service bundle of data (1GB data), voice (250 minutes Aircel to Aircel / month) and SMS (250 Aircel to Aircel / month) for 3 months at a recharge of Rs. 153.

With BlackBerry 10 every feature, every gesture, and every detail is designed to keep customers moving and includes advancements such as:

• Peek and Flow into the BlackBerry Hub – A new mobile computing paradigm where what matters to customers is always only one swipe away
• Keyboard– Understands and adapts to customers, so they can type faster and more accurately
• BBM™(BlackBerry® Messenger) – Allows customers to share things with the people that matter to them in an instant
• BlackBerry® Balance™ technology – Protects what is important to customers and the businesses they work for

About Aircel
Aircel is one of India’s leading pan India operators. It won 3G spectrum in 13 circles and BWA spectrum in 8 circles and has successfully launched 3G services which is the fastest 3G roll out ever in the Indian Telecom Space. Aircel has been constantly innovating products and services and is credited with making 3G affordable to masses by launching Pocket Internet Smart which offers best value 3G packs. Aircel Pocket Internet Smart gave a boost to 3G adoption in the country as it is a true value for money product that allows consumers to access unlimited 3G data at extremely affordable prices. Aircel has positioned itself as a data led telecom player and has addressed the multi-functionality of a mobile phone in many innovative ways which are Industry firsts, be it the Aircel Pocket Internet, Pocket Internet Games and Facebook Voice Updates on Aircel. Aircel is also a preferred telecom network to launch Apple iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S and iPhone 5. For more information, please log on to www.aircel.com.

BlackBerry and related trademarks, names and logos are the property of Research In Motion Limited. BlackBerry is not responsible for any third-party products or services.

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February 27, 2013
Adobe Photoshop Touch Now Available For iOS And Android Smartphones

Adobe has this week launched a new version of its Adobe Photoshop Touch application which has been designed to specifically for smartphone devices.

To date, owners of Apple’s smartphones have had to be content with Photoshop Express, since the company’s Touch product had been limited to tablets, but now that’s all changed. Adobe Photoshop Touch is available right away for devices running iOS 6.0 and up, or Android 4.0 and up. There’s one notable caveat, support for the iPhone only stretches back to the iPhone 4S, though the fifth-generation iPod touch is covered.

Adobe is offering Photoshop Touch for the iPhone for $4.99. It includes the same features found in the iPad version of the app, including layers, selection tools, adjustments, and filters. The app also comes bundled with access to Adobe Creative Cloud and 2GB of free storage. The Android variant is also priced at $4.99.

Adobe Photoshop Touch’s features are virtually identical features as Touch for tablets, yet shrunken down to pant pocket size. It can edit images as large as 12MP with layers.

There’s also a phone optimized version of Scribble Select that allows for precise selections and cropping even with a finger.

The Camera Fill feature lets users blend layers in real time using their camera as well as add textures.

February 27, 2013
Leaked : Specs Of HTC Tiara, First Windows Phone 8 GDR 2 Device

According to a fresh leak, HTC plans to expand its Windows Phone 8 lineup with a new handset, which is bound to sit between the Windows Phone 8X and the Windows Phone 8S when it comes into being. Dubbed internally as HTC Tiara, the smartphone will be one of the first to the market with Windows Phone 8 GDR2 – the second major overhaul of the OS after the recent “Portico” update.

Listed along with “Windows Phone 8 GDR2” as the OS are additional leaked specifications dug up by Unwired View and EVLeaks that put this phone in the mid-range category.

Components include a 1.2GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon CPU, 4.3-inch Super WVGA LCD2 display, 1GB of RAM, 8GB of storage and a 1800mAh battery.

These rumored HTC Tiara specifications line up almost perfectly with the company’s mid-range, Android-powered HTC One SV smartphone. The only exception is that the WP8 version has a slightly superior 8MP rear-facing camera over the One SV’s 5MP camera.

No word on what the device will look like, but UnwiredView claims it will be similar in style and features to the HTC One SV.

Details on Windows Phone 8 GDR2 are scarce, but it is believed to be a pretty big refinement over the first version. The HTC Tiara is expected to land in mid-May.

EvLeaks has proved to a solid source for mobile leaks. It has most recently pinned the launch and specs of the HTC One and new Lumia handsets correctly.

Currently, the Taiwanese manufacturer is working hard to promote the HTC One Android flagship.

[Unwired View]

February 27, 2013
Jaguar XJ Ultimate Edition Launched At Rs 1.88 Crore

Tata Motors-owned Jaguar Land Rover today launched luxury sedan Jaguar XJ Ultimate Edition, priced up to Rs 1.88 crore (ex-showroom, Mumbai).

The XJ Ultimate, imported in India through completely built unit (CBU) route, will be available with Jaguar’s existing 5.0-litre V8 petrol supercharged engine and 3.0-litre V6 turbocharged diesel engine, all driving the rear wheels via an eight-speed transmission.

[quote]“The Jaguar XJ Ultimate is our most luxurious vehicle and offers unrivalled levels of opulence and comfort for rear-seat passengers,” Del Sehmar, JLR India spokesperson told Financial Chronicle.[/quote]

According to the car manufacturer, the Jaguar XJ Ultimate Edition can only be ordered in the long wheelbase version of the model, the XJ-L, and it’s coming with some interesting exterior changes, such as the air intakes or the wheels, 20-inch in size, with a dual-tone color scheme. New oval exhaust pipes have also been added to the model, finished in polished stainless steel.

The Jaguar XJ Ultimate Edition is also coming with massage and ventilated seats, a full length leather trimmed central console, Meridian 20-speaker surround sound in-car entertainment system, a bespoke champagne chiller mounted between the two rear seats, two third-gen iPads with wireless keyboards in the rear, wireless headphones for the rear passengers and much more, which will definitely be appreciated by future owners of the model.

The diesel 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 diesel version producing 275bhp and 600Nm torque is priced at Rs 1,78,84,481; while the 5.0-litre petrol V8 producing 385bhp and 515Nm torque costs Rs 1,87,96,544. (All prices ex-showroom Mumbai).

February 27, 2013
Instagram Now Has 100 Million Users

Instagram has officially announced it’s hit the 100 million active users mark.

The social photo sharing app remains the most prevalent network for sharing images worldwide. Launched in October 2010, the platform has seen exponential growth since. The app actually reached the 100 million registered users mark by September 2012, according to Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook, which purchased Instagram at a $1 billion pricetag in April of last year. Today’s 100 million users number refers to those who post images via the app on a monthly basis.

[quote]”It’s easy to see this as an accomplishment for a company,” co-founder Kevin Systrom wrote in a blog post, “but I think the truth is that it’s an accomplishment for our community.”[/quote]

Even after the whole controversy a few months ago where many misread a change in Instagram’s terms of service as saying user photos would be used in advertisements, the network continues to grow like crazy.

Instagram is only available on two platforms, iOS and Android, with a third possibly coming in the form of BlackBerry 10. Whether it will be as a port of the Android version (more likely) or as a native app (far less likely) remains to be seen. There is no sign of Instagram for Windows Phone, nor has the company alluded to it.

February 27, 2013
LG Announces World’s Smallest Wireless Charger, WCP-300 (PR)

LG is definitely one of the most active companies at this year’s Mobile World Congress, having already shown several new smartphones and announcing it has acquired webOS from HP.

After showcasing its Optimus series of smartphones, LG has now unveiled the WCP-300 wireless charger that also happens to be the “world’s smallest” in the industry. South Korea will see the hardware arrive this week with a 65,000 won (roughly $60 or Rs 3200) price tag, but the charger is scheduled for a worldwide roll out soon.

The WCP-300 charger is just 6.9cm in diameter, and is entirely compliant with Qi wireless charging standard. Despite being smaller, the WCP-300?s charging area is said to be 1.7 times wider than LG’s previous generation wireless charger, meaning it won’t be any harder to find that contact point between the two devices. LG’s employing a full-power feed to the device using a standard microUSB connection.

The Nexus 4 has feature built-in support for wireless charging right out of the box, eliminating the need to purchase separate covers. LG believes that built-in support for upcoming smartphones will be the most critical development in making wireless charging the industry standard going forward.

Hope they start bundling these with their new devices in the future!

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LG INTRODUCES WORLD’S SMALLEST WIRELESS CHARGER
LG’s Thin and Sleek Wireless Charger Delivers Maximum Charging Performance and User Convenience

BARCELONA, Feb. 26, 2013 – LG Electronics (LG) today introduced the world’s smallest wireless charger at Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona. At only 6.9cm in diameter, the WCP-300 is designed with portability in mind. Despite its di-minutive size, the charging area is 1.7 times wider than that of LG’s previous generation wireless charger. The new model is compatible with a standard 5-pin micro-USB charger, providing the highest level of charging performance and user convenience.

The WCP-300 employs electromagnetic induction technology and is Qi certified by the Wireless Power Consortium. Electromagnetic induction produces a magnetic field that in turn generates an electric current to charge the batteries in devices placed on the charging pad. Certification ensures that the WCP-300 is compatible with all smart-phones that support the Qi standard.

“Wireless charging is the holy grail of smartphone user convenience,” said Dr. Jong-seok Park, President and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. “With the WCP-300, LG was able to deliver both portability with top-class charging capabilities in a device no larger than a typical beverage coaster.”

In the US market, both the LG Spectrum 2 and Nexus 4 feature built-in support for wireless charging right out of the box, eliminating the need to purchase separate covers. LG believes that built-in support for upcoming smartphones will be the most critical development in making wireless charging the industry standard going forward.

LG is committed to offering consumers a better mobile user experience by introducing smartphones with more advanced wireless charging technologies in the global market.

About LG Electronics, Inc.
LG Electronics, Inc. (KSE: 066570.KS) is a global leader and technology innovator in consumer electronics, mobile communications and home appliances, employing more than 93,000 people working in over 120 operations around the world. With 2012 global sales of USD 45.22 billion (KRW 50.96 trillion), LG comprises four business units – Home Entertainment, Mobile Communications, Home Appliance, and Air Conditioning & Energy Solution – and is one of the world’s leading producers of flat panel TVs, mobile devices, air conditioners, washing machines and refrigerators. LG Electronics is a 2012 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year. For more news and information on LG Electronics, please visit www.LGnewsroom.com.

About LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company
The LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company is a global leader and innovator in mobile communications. With its breakthrough technologies and innovative designs, LG continues to establish a number of benchmarks in the smartphone market, while also helping create a better lifestyle for consumers by delivering a wholly enhanced smart-phone experience. As a leader in 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology, LG continues its commitment to de-veloping groundbreaking LTE technologies and fulfilling consumer demands with differentiated LTE devices of the highest quality, all of which are based on the company’s wealth of LTE patents and technical knowledge. For more information, please visit www.lg.com.

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February 26, 2013
WhatsApp For Blackberry 10 Confirmed For March

Back in December of 2012, it was revealed that WhatsApp had no immediate plans to release an app for Blackberry 10. This was kind of a bummer because BBM only allowed for texting between Blackberry devices, while WhatsApp allowed for communication between multiple platforms.

Now the good news is that according to a tweet by Neeraj Arora regarding WhatsApp, it looks like there will be a native Blackberry 10 app and it will be arriving in March which is next week.

It is very clear that BlackBerry aims at no less than an attempt to fairly command a premium price for its flagship device, the BlackBerry Z10. But for that to succeed, the application platform still needs to be worked on. BlackBerry had proudly played up the fact that it had 70,000 apps ready at the time of the BB10 launch, but quite a few popular apps are still missing in action.

BlackBerry recently launched its Z10 smartphone in India for Rs. 43, 990 and has been facing a lot of flak due to the steep price for their flagship device.

WhatsApp, is a cross platform instant messaging app, and is very popular with a wide demographic of users. The network reported that 10 billion messages were sent on its network in one day, back in August 2012. The application is currently available on Android, iOS, Windows Phone, BlackBerry OS7 and prior, Symbian and even on Nokia S40 Asha phones.

February 26, 2013
Firefox Beta For Android Update Allows Per-Tab Private Browsing

Mozilla announced that it will be bringing its Firefox OS to carrier-sold devices in 2014. But a fundamental part of that ecosystem is the performance of its mobile browser, which is likely why the company is working so hard to perfect the underlying architecture of its Android version.

Private Browsing is perhaps the biggest part of the Firefox Beta update, but not the only one. The Monday announcement also detailed several more updates that users will likely find interesting.

First the big news though. Prior introduced “Firefox for Android Beta comes with new per tab private browsing, allowing you to switch between private and standard tabs within the same browsing session”. While this mode has been called by other, less-savory, names it has many legitimate uses. For instance, you may want to shop for your spouse’s birthday present without her accidentally stumbling across the evidence. Of course, you can erase history, but Private Browsing has your back in case you forget.

Second, Mozilla has a new and updated version of the Home screen. The latest Firefox beta allows users to customize the shortcuts. Users can completely change the images on the home screen to their favorite or most frequently visited sites. To do this, simply tap and hold a site to pin it to the Home page.

Also, the latest version introduces compatibility with much more ARMv6 hardware; “Firefox for Android Beta is now available to phones with minimum requirements of 600MHz, 384MB, QVGA. New devices supported include: Samsung Galaxy Next (GT-S5570, GT-S5578), HTC Aria (S31HT), HTC Legend (A6363), Samsung Dart (SGH-T499), Samsung Galaxy Pop (SCH-i559), Samsung Galaxy Q (SGH-T589).”

Mozilla is going in the opposite direction of Opera, which is adapting itself to the high-performance WebKit engine; Firefox started with high-end devices and is now expanding down, promising good performance on two- and three-year-old hardware.

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February 26, 2013
Windows Phone Store Crosses 130,000 Apps

Microsoft announced some new Windows Phone app statistics today as part of its Mobile World Congress press push. One of those stats concerns the total number of apps worldwide. Microsoft now says there are 130,000 apps available for download in the Windows Phone Store.

Making the announcement on behalf of Microsoft, manufacturer Nokia, which utilises the Windows Phone 8 platform for its flagship Lumia range, including the newly unveiled Nokia Lumia 720 and Nokia Lumia 520, confirmed the Windows Phone 8 app milestone during its MWC 2013 press conference.

[quote]“Today we are proud to announce that we have achieved the level of 130,000 Windows Phone applications,” Nokia CEO Stephen Elop said. “That’s 130,000 applications tailor made for the Windows Phone experience.”[/quote]

Microsoft said that the number of downloads of its Windows Phone 8 SDK has now exceeded 500,000 since its launch nearly four months ago. It added that Windows Phone developer registrations were up by over 40,000 users, 90 days after the Windows Phone 8 launch.

Microsoft is also launching its new Dev Center app, which allows app developers to see how their apps are performing.

Microsoft is still a long way behind rivals such as Android and Apple in the apps market, both boasting over half a million apps.

Nevertheless, the rise will be welcomed by those at Microsoft and used as evidence that while it has been slow to enter the mobile market it’s moving fast to catch up with its rivals, with most high-profile apps now available for the operating system, such as Spotify.

February 26, 2013