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BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 Officially Released And Available For Download

RIM can cross another action off the list. Today they’ve announced that BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 (BES 10) is available for download. This mobile device management solution has been one of RIM’s prize possessions for more than a decade and has been revamped/reworked for the launch of BlackBerry 10. Company IT departments will be able to securely manage devices running BlackBerry 10 and the PlayBook, plus competing platforms such as iOS and Android (BlackBerry Fusion is being rolled into BES 10).

[quote]According to the press release BES 10 has received some positive feedback from both corporate clients and industry analysts. Peter E. Lesser, Director of Global Technology, from a big law firm with too many names called “Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom” stated “We’ve been testing BlackBerry 10 and BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 in our environment and we’re pleased with the manageability, security and reliability that the solution offers, along with expanded management capabilities to other devices within our network.”[/quote]

In addition to bringing device and application management capabilities for the BlackBerry 10 handsets, the release of BES 10 also marks the retirement of RIM’s standalone mobile device management product and brand, Mobile Fusion. In future, Mobile Fusion functionality will be a part of BlackBerry Enterprise Service, available to BES customers.

[Mobile Syrup]

January 23, 2013
Google’s Q4 Revenue Jumps 36 Percent

Google eked out slightly higher earnings in the fourth quarter, despite a financial drag caused by the Internet search leader’s expansion into device manufacturing and a decline in digital ad prices as more people gaze into the smaller screens of smartphones.

The results announced Tuesday pleased investors, helping to lift Google’s stock by nearly 5 percent in extended trading. The performance lifted Google’s stock by $34.14, or 4.9 percent, to $737.01 in Tuesday’s extended trading.

The company earned $2.89 billion in profit on revenue of $14.42 billion, a staggering number that was up 36% over the previous year and 8% from the prior quarter.

Motorola Mobile, the newly-acquired handset division, earned $1.51 billion in revenue but lost $353 million overall. In comparison to last quarter, Motorola Mobility lost less money but earned significantly less revenue, so we’re hoping that Google stops the bleeding somehow. A Motorola X Phone may help the situation immensely.

2012 was the company’s first $50 billion year, which is pretty incredible, and Google now has 37,544 employees, though it’s set to lose 5204 as it sells Motorola’s Home division in the coming months. The company’s market cap is roughly $231 billion based on the last share price, though it should spike on the good news.

January 23, 2013
Samsung Galaxy S4 Press Shots leaked on Picasa

Believe it or not the Galaxy S4 press shots have been on Picasa for quite some time. With numerous pre-launch leaks, the Galaxy S4 will be the device that is talked about this half of the year 2013. The purported Galaxy S4 press image is along the lines of what is expected from the device. The phone seems to have a slightly larger display, a thinner bezel and a squarish design along with a wider home button.

The image has been on Picasa for some time, a student from Hong Kong who doesn’t appear to have any professional relationship with Samsung uploaded it on December 27, 2012. While many agree that the image could be a render of someone’s imagination, the image above could very well be the final Galaxy S4. Press images are usually made by designers, or PR companies to be distributed amongst publications.

If you closely inspect the UI on the image it seems that its just been added and stretched from the S3, so if this is actually the S4, this is definitely not the final press image. Simply because, Samsung is already set to update the Touch Wiz UI to a new variant.

The Samsung Galaxy S4 is supposed to have a new 4.99 inch display with a Full HD 1080p resolution, 2GB of RAM and a high-resolution 13-megapixel rear-facing camera. The handset is expected to launch with Android 4.2 Jelly Bean as its operating system, becoming one of the first non-Nexus devices to feature the latest build of Google’s popular mobile platform. Apart from that rumors of the Galaxy S4 running the new Exynos 5 Octa system-on-chip processor.

January 23, 2013
Windows Phone 7.8 Official Update On January 31

According to Microsoft’s Colombian Facebook page, the long-awaited Windows Phone 7.8 upgrade is set to roll out on January 31st.

Handsets stuck on Windows Phone 7.5 have not been treated to the plush Windows Phone 8 OS which is reserved for new handsets. Version 7.8 their only salvation, but it’s been slow coming.

The update mainly addresses the home screen, which will match Windows Phone 8 for the ability to resize tiles according to users’ needs. Other tweaks, such Bluetooth file transfers and new theme colours, are minor at best but will address a few lingering issues with the soon-to-be-deprecated operating system. Considering newer WP7.5 devices like the Nokia Lumia 900 are less than a year old, the lack of a true software update is sure to be grating.

But Microsoft has made the difficult and likely-correct decision to focus its resources on Windows Phone 8, which shares a kernel with its desktop counterpart and supports multi-core processors, high-definition screens and a larger number of development tools.

It usually takes a few weeks for an update to hit every handset, so you may be looking at mid-February before you’re treated to Windows Phone 7.8.

January 22, 2013
LG Optimus G Android 4.1 Jelly Bean Update Starts Rolling Out

When LG announced the Optimus G they stated their premier device would be upgraded from Android OS 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich to OS 4.1 Jelly Bean sometime “early Q2 of 2013.” According to a press release today by LG they “will begin its global roll-out into over 50 countries this month.” The first country to receive the upgrade will be Singapore “at the end of January,” then slowly work their way through other countries with LTE networks. This most definitely rules India out of the picture for now.

The Optimus G launched last year to great expectations with a new 4.7-inch HD display, quad-core power by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon S4 Pro, 2GB of RAM, and of course that 13 megapixel camera.

The update brings Android 4.1 Jelly Bean to the Optimus G. Which includes a better keyboard, enhanced and smoother performance, and of course Google Now voice actions. The expandable notifications will be a feature many will enjoy too. In the past LG’s been slow to updates and while many have beat them to Jelly Bean, this is certainly quicker than we expected and a step in the right direction for good old LG.

Check out the press release below :

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

LG’S ULTIMATE 4G LTE SMARTPHONE TO BEGIN
WORLDWIDE ROLL-OUT THIS MONTH
Optimus G to be Available in Over 50 Markets, Expanding LG’s LTE Leadership

SEOUL, Jan. 22, 2013 – The Optimus G, LG’s most premium and powerful 4G LTE smartphone, will begin its global roll-out into over 50 countries this month. The Optimus G has already been launched in the United States, Canada, Korea and Japan to very favorable reviews and LG is aiming to build on the excitement already generated to launch the device in other LTE markets.

“As 4G LTE availability expands on a global scale, we will leverage our strong LTE technology and expertise to offer consumers the best 4G experience through our devices,” said Dr. Jong-seok Park, president and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. “With the latest Jelly Bean OS and improved software, Optimus G will make a strong case for the title of ultimate premium 4G LTE smartphone.”

Since the launch of Optimus G last September, the smartphone has been enthusiastically received by audiences as one of the most advanced 4G LTE devices currently available. Optimus G has been receiving accolades from consumers and industry thought leaders alike for its powerful performance and thoughtful user experience. Optimus G’s unrivaled power originates from its innovative hardware design which includes Qualcomm’s advanced Snapdragon™ S4 Pro Quad-Core processor. The device also delivers blazing fast data transfer speeds using today’s 4G LTE telecommunication network.

“LG’s long history of LTE know-how is evident in the DNA of the Optimus G,” said Dr. Park. “As such, we hope consumers will take a deep, hard look at Optimus G when deciding which smartphone will give them the best 4G experience.”

The Optimus G will be available starting at the end of January in Singapore followed by other markets worldwide offering 4G LTE service.

[/toggle_box]

January 22, 2013
Hands on : Samsung Galaxy Grand

Samsung saw the “Indian” version of the PHABLET and decided that it needed to penetrate the market which was dominated by lower class devices. The new Samsung Galaxy Grand aims to do that, with slight bit of problem the initial market price of Rs 21,500.

At first the Galaxy Grand looks like a fuse between the S3 and the Note 2, however it has features of neither (except the looks). The Samsung Galaxy Grand is powered by a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, it has 1 Gb of RAM and 8GB internal storage which honestly is the only current redeeming feature. The Grand also belongs to the DUOS series since it a dual sim phone.

The front of the device has a 5 inch 480×800 px display which surprisingly is very clear and vivid with good outdoor visibility. The phone also has multi window which we demonstrated in our hands on video (coming up.)

8 MP Camera

On the back, the Samsung Galaxy Grand features an 8 megapixel primary camera with LED flash, which if Samsung is to be believed has “enhanced optics”. At first it just seems like a bunch of gimmicks, only a final review will tell. The camera however zero shutter-lag and a backside illumination sensor.

The build quality of the phone is also standard Samsung style, so plastics all round, keeping manufacturing costs low for the device. Samsung Galaxy Grand comes with Jelly Bean and Touch Wiz designed for Jelly Bean. So Samsung though it fair enough to stuff the phone with features like “direct call” and “popup video” from the Galaxy S3 and Note 2.

Usual Button Layout

Flip Case

[pullquote_left]”too little too late”[/pullquote_left] Although the Galaxy Grand is a noble attempt from Samsung, is the device “too little too late” especially considering the “Indian” counterparts one up-ed Samsung just a day ago. While true usage capabilities will only come with the final review, as far as The Galaxy Grand is concerned, it should be a decent if not “GRAND” add-on to the lineup of devices from Samsung. However considering sheer market value and brand value, a stable user experience and a good user support coverage, the device will be a great eye candy and will attract a lot of buyers, especially those who will prefer a “brand” over specs.

The final device will drop the matte bezel and will adopt a shiny glossy bezel, similar to the one on the Note 2. The added flip cover and the striking resemblance to the mammoth flagship will enable the user to pass the Galaxy grand as a Note 2 to the unknown eye. That is essentially what will make this device really popular for the Indian psyche.

Hands on Video:

January 22, 2013
Temple Run 2 Hits 20 Million Downloads in Four Days

Temple Run 2, the sequel to Imangi Studios’ immensely popular mobile game, has been downloaded over 20 million in its first four days on the iTunes App Store.

It didn’t hurt that upon its release Apple promoted the run-for-your-life game to Editors Choice, putting it front and centre in its App Store carousel. The brand, however, speaks for itself. The original has been downloaded over 170 million times across the Android and iOS ecosystems (including Amazon) but its sequel looks to quickly surpass it. The free-to-play game emphasizes in-app purchases, too much in our opinion, but it’s still a great game to play with a few minutes to kill.

The game’s co-creator, Keith Shepherd, tweeted over the weekend that Temple Run 2 had surpassed 10 million users in Game Center, Apple’s online leader board, and was quickly catching Cut The Rope and Angry Birds: Seasons in overall usage. Pretty incredible stats considering the number of game choices out there for people to peruse.

Last year, Angry Birds Space rocketed to 10 million downloads in its first three days, but those numbers included Android, Amazon and Windows Phone platforms as well. It will be interesting to see in a week or so how the addition of Android contributes to Temple Run 2?s download numbers.

You can watch our review of Temple Run 2 below :

January 22, 2013
Rolls-Royce Wraith Set To Be Unveiled

The Rolls Royce Wraith was pictured doings laps at the Nürburgring. Credits : Car Scoop

Rolls-Royce has confirmed that its new two-door coupé, the Wraith, will be unveiled at the Geneva motor show in March.

A two-door coupé version of the Ghost, the Wraith is said to be the most powerful and dynamic Rolls-Royce production car there’s ever been. It is rumoured that its V12 engine will produce in the region of 600bhp.

[quote]The Wraith name was first used by Rolls-Royce in 1938. Speaking about the choice of name for the new car, Torsten Müller-Ötvös, CEO of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, said: “Wraith alludes to an almost imperceptible but powerful force, something rare, agile and potent, a spirit that will not be tethered to the earth. It is the perfect name for our new model.”[/quote]

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is based in Goodwood, West Sussex, and owned by BMW. Last year it sold a record 3,575 cars, up from 1,002 in 2009.

Targeting the likes of the Bentley Continental and Mercedes-Benz CL Class, and to a lesser extent the Aston Martin DB9, the Wraith is expected to feature the Ghost’s turbocharged 6.6-liter V-12 but with power turned up to around 600 horsepower. By comparison, the Ghost is rated at just 563 horsepower.

Importantly, the Wraith will also be lighter than its sedan counterpart (perhaps as much as 440 pounds lighter), and its chassis tuned for improved performance. Look for uprated brakes and tires, stiffer suspension and a 10-millimeter lowered ride height.

The first Wraith production cars will be delivered to customers at the end of the year.

Check out the trailer below :

January 22, 2013
Watch the Launch of the Galaxy Grand Live on iGyaan

Samsung is ready to announce the Galaxy Grand for the Indian market at 12:30 on January 22nd 2013. Bookmark this page to watch it live. The Samsung Galaxy Grand is dual-SIM smartphone and features a massive 5-inch WVGA display , which as per the resolution (800 x 480 pixels) can be termed as average at best. The smartphone runs on Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean out of the box. Under the hood, the Galaxy Grand is powered by a 1.2GHz dual-core processor coupled with 1GB of RAM so we can easily expect a smooth operation on the device for the most part.

The device looks strikingly similar to Samsung’s current flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S3 and comes with 8GB of internal storage along with a micro-SD card slot using which, users can expand the storage on the device by up to 64GB. For connectivity, the Galaxy Grand features 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, A-GPS Glonass and DLNA.

Apart from these features, Samsung Galaxy Grand comes with some unique features as well. Some of the features on the device include ‘Direct Call’, which enables users to automatically dial a call by raising the smartphone to the ear.

Popup video allows the users to watch a video in a pop-up window anywhere on the screen while running other tasks on the device. The AllShare Play feature allows the users of the device to share content across different Samsung devices using just a single account. Another interesting feature is the ‘Smart Alert’. which shows missed events such as missed calls and new messages when users pick up their phone.

The Phone will be launched tomorrow January 22nd for India, expect a full detailed hands on video along with more relevant details for the launch.

January 21, 2013
2013 Audi R8 Launched In India At Rs 1.34 Crore
The Audi R8 has to be among the most popular supercars of recent times. The R8 has been in market since about half a decade now and sometime earlier, Audi felt that the car has aged a fair bit and came out with a mid life facelift to keep the car fresh.

For the 2013 Audi R8, Audi has replaced the R-Tronic Transmission with a 7-Speed S-Tronic Transmission that enables faster and smoother playing between the gear ratios. For those who won’t settle for anything but a manual, Audi also offers a 6-Speed Manual transmission.

The high end variants of the Audi supercar line up are powered by a 5.2-liter V10 that pumps out 522 HP of power and 540 Nm of torque. The Entry level Coupe variant however, comes equipped with a 425bhp V8 engine.

On the outside, the car gets styling revisions at the lights, bumpers, grille and diffuser. The tail pipes are now circular in shape. The interiors get new seats and revised console. However, the nature of changes is such that only the purists would be able to spot the difference between the new and outgoing editions of the car.

Audi had a very successful 2012 in India, selling 9003 cars, and hopes to cross the 10,000 figure in sales in 2013. It is also targeting the number one slot, as it closed 2012 at second place, just about 300 units shy of BMW India’s sales.

2013 Audi R8 prices in India (ex-showroom, Delhi)
- Audi R8 V8 Coupe – 13,455,000 rupees (430hp 4.2L engine)
- Audi R8 V10 Coupe – 15,788,000 rupees (525hp 5.2L engine)
- Audi R8 V10 Convertible – 17,355,000 rupees (the top opens and closes electrohydraulically in 19 seconds up to 50kph)
[Motoroids]
January 21, 2013
RIM’s Rebranded BlackBerry World Web Store Launched

RIM officially put the naming of the BlackBerry App World to sleep this morning. In its place is the new branding of “BlackBerry World.” This change was noted at BlackBerry Jam Americas back in November and will play a big part in the launch of BlackBerry 10. According to their company blog, BlackBerry World “reflects a shift in the type of things you can purchase from the store,” such as apps, with music (powered by 7Digital) and movies coming later. RIM promises that the new BlackBerry World will be your “one-stop shop for all of your mobile entertainment needs.”

The beleaguered manufacturer made the change in preparation for the launch of its new OS, BB 10, later this month. It recently announced that it had amassed 15,000 BB 10 app submissionsin just two days, and calls BlackBerry World “the one-stop shop for all of your mobile entertainment needs.”

Their website and mobile store have been redesigned. BlackBerry smartphone or PlayBook owners will see the new BlackBerry World changes arrive on their device “in the coming weeks.” RIM also notes that we can easily share links to the content via BBM, Facebook, Twitter, or you can use your NFC-enabled device and “simply tap smartphones together and invite your friends to download it.”

The change to RIM’s online store is rolling out now, and should be available to everyone in the next 24 hours. It will be rolled out to the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet and BB smartphones in the coming weeks.

January 21, 2013
Exclusive Hands on : Micromax A116 Canvas HD

With really no reason as to why the company numbered this device A116 the Canvas HD was announced today at a press conference in New Delhi. The Device is a add on the the popular A series for Micromax and is also a lead on to the highly popular A110 Canvas 2. The Phone is priced at an MRP of 14,999., But we expect the device to be available for around the Rs. 12,000 price mark in India.

The Micromax A116 Canvas HD is powered by a Mediatek MT6589 chipset that has a quad core 1.2 GHz processor and PowerVR SGX5 GPU, the device is laden with 1 GB of RAM and 4 GB of storage. The front has a nice and vivid 16.7 Million color 5 inch IPS display with a resolution of 1280 x720 hence the Canvas HD moniker.

The Micromax A116 Canvas HD is almost identical in design to the the A110 but seems a bit sleeker and more defined along the edges. The camera was non functional on the prototype unit that we handled, but the company says is better than the one on the A110. The Canvas HD also has an improved light perfonce in the front camera and an enhanced speaker if Micromax is to be believed. On the Benchmark front we found that the device was quite capable and was able to deliver a knocking performance (video soon).

Internet browsing was surprisingly smooth, and the web page was snappily laid out on the poor internet connection that we had. The phone is also backed by Mediatek’s promise of a highly efficient battery life and low heat generation. Which should ensure a good overall user experience for Micromax A116 Canvas HD owners.

Canvas HD A116

Watch our hands on Video below and stay tuned for Benchmarks. We will also come out with an unboxing and Review in the coming week.

January 21, 2013
HTC M7 Spotted with Sense 5.0

HTC M7 has to be the worst kept secret for the company, with images and renders doing rounds on the internet, Android Police has an image and screenshots for the M7, a prototype HTC smartphone. Quite similar in looks to the Droid DNA for Verizon and similar in specs too. However the M7 appears to be running Sense 5.0

The widgets and the overall look of the UI seems to have been overhauled. The locations of buttons resemble the Windows Phone 8x along with the front facing camera. While the design is reminiscent of the Butterfly and the DNA it feels like a completely new device. Lets see what HTC has in store for us at Mobile World Congress.

[Android Police]

January 21, 2013
Lamborghini Aventador Roadster To Launch In India On 25th January

The Indian arm of Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A., an iconic Italian super sports car maker, is going to introduce its Aventador Roadster to domestic audience on January 25, 2013. The stunning two-seater ‘Raging Bull’ was unveiled at the 2012 Los Angeles auto salon, wherein it thrilled the supercar aficionados across the world with its ravishing design and power.

The Lamborghini Aventador Roadster engine generates peak power of 700 PS and peak torque of 690 Nm. Powered by the same 6.5L petrol engine that powers the coupe variant, the roadster will have a top speed of 350 kmph and a 0-100 acceleration time of 3.0 seconds. Respective figures for the Aventador coupe variant stand at 354 kmph and 2.9 seconds. Deceleration from 100-0 kmph can be achieved in just 60 ft. Aventador is the fastest Lamborghini ever. It has a power (bhp) to weight (kgs) ratio of 1:2.34.

The open-top Lambo comes with a removable two piece carbon fibre roof with each piece weighing about 6kg. The roof can be folded and conveniently stowed in the small storage solution provided under the car’s nose.

To compensate for the reduction in structural rigidity, the rear pillars have been reinforced and there is a metal hood to cover the engine instead of the hardtop version’s glass hood.

At present, the Lamborghini Aventador is offered to domestic sports car enthusiasts at a price tag close to Rs. 3.7 crore in the country. Accordingly, industry experts believe that upcoming Aventador Roadster will be pitched at a slightly higher pricing than its coupe version in the Indian auto market.

[Rush Lane]

January 19, 2013
Sony Xperia Z To Receive Android 4.2 Update Shortly After Launch

Sony will be rolling out an update to Android 4.2 Jelly Bean shortly after they launch their new Xperia Z smartphone sometime in the next couple of months, likely in March. Talk Android reports that the news came earlier today on Twitter, during a company question and answer session.

From Sony’s Twitter account: “Xperia Z launches on JB 4.1, but will receive 4.2 shortly after launch. As always, we’ll share more info on this over the coming weeks on the blog.”

The Jelly Bean 4.2 update will bring some modest improvements over 4.1, like a more reactive user interface through touch-responsive CPU boosting, automatically resizing widgets, lock-screen widget options, and Android Beam, which is basically that “tap to share” feature that the Samsung Galaxy S3 boasted in its launch advertisements.

While it’s great that Sony is promising quick action on the update front, especially since if they do follow through with it in good time it will be one of the first non-Nexus devices to run Google’s newest OS, we’re left wondering whether the whole thing is lip service to a very small group of users and journalists.

As we’ve reported earlier, the Sony Xperia Z will be a quite impressive piece of hardware to run Android Jelly Bean on, no matter what version you have. With a five inch screen capable of 1080p high definition resolution, a 1.5 GHz quad-core processor with 2 GB of RAM, and a 13 megapixel rear camera with 16x digital zoom, the Xperia is going to be a hot smartphone to have when it releases sometime in the next couple of months (it’s being released in the United Kingdom on March 1st, so it’s a safe bet that soon after it will land here).

January 19, 2013