Category: Tech

Latest Technology News, Alternative, Bio-Tech, Medical, R&D and Innovations

Samsung begins manufacturing of ultra-fast 64GB NAND chips for smartphones

Samsung has begun manufacturing of ultra-fast eMMC NAND memory in sizes of 16GB, 32GB and 64GB. The new chips will significantly improve read and write speeds for internal memory in smartphones, with speeds of 150MB/s and 40MB/s respectively.

According to Sammy Hub, “the new eMMC Pro Class 1500 uses 64-gigabit (Gb) NAND with a toggle DDR 2.0 interface fabricated with 20 nanometer class process technology and is the first to support JEDEC e-MMC v4.5 specification.”

It was rumoured earlier this summer that Samsung had cancelled the 64GB version of the Galaxy S III, as the 16 and 32GB versions were the only ones to come to market. The company has ensured us that the phone is still on track for a launch later this year, though we don’t know whether it will include these new ultra-fast chips.

August 3, 2012
Sharp to start shipping iPhone screens to Apple this month

Apple’s component suppliers seem almost eager to stoke iPhone rumor fires, and all the hot, hot consumer anticipation surrounding them.

On Thursday, Sharp’s new president, Takashi Okuda, said that his company will begin shipping iPhone displays starting this month, according to a report from Reuters. Okuda made the statement at a press event following the release of Sharp’s quarterly earnings report. Sharp’s president didn’t make note of the display’s size, but Reuters reports that the screens are destined for the next version of the iPhone.

[quote]“People are expecting a new iteration of the iPhone to hit the market sometime in the September-October time frame, so this kind of comment fits in to what we’ve been hearing in the market, generally,” IHS analyst Vinita Jakhanwal told Wired. Sharp, Japan Display, and LG Display are the three likely suppliers for the next iPhone’s display.[/quote]

The display of the next iPhone is expected to be larger than that of the iPhone 4S, stretching to 4 diagonal inches. The current iPhone has a 3.5-inch display. The new iPhone display will also reportedly be manufactured using in-cell technology, which means it will be thinner, lighter and more power efficient than current displays.

Okuda didn’t confirm the size or technology used in the production of Apple’s next iPhone display.

Various sources are reporting the next iPhone will be unveiled on September 12, so we should know soon if Okuda’s Thursday statement bears any weight.

August 3, 2012
Ice Cream Sandwich on 16 Percent of Android Devices

Ice Cream Sandwich’s share of the Android market continues to grow rapidly, with the operating system now present on nearly 16 percent of all Android phones.

Ice Cream Sandwich has more than doubled its distribution share over the space of a single month — variants of Android 4.0 have risen from a combined total of 7.1 percent to 15.9 percent, according to figures from Google.

Gingerbread still reigns supreme at 60.6 percent, but that was down from the 64 percent of the market it held inJune.

Ice Cream Sandwich just barely ekes past Froyo, which is still present on 15.5 percent of Android devices. Eclair is on 4.2 percent, Donut has 0.5 percent of the pie, and Cupcake is now down to 0.2 percent.

Android 4.1 ‘Jelly Bean’, which was officially unveiled at Google’s I/O conference on June 27th, and was released as an over-the-air (OTA) update for the Samsung Galaxy Nexus on July 11, has reached 0.8% market share.

The data was collected from Android devices that access Google Play, the Android app store formerly known as the Android Market, during the two week period ending August 1.

August 2, 2012
Samsung Launches the Omnia M in India, Rs 18,650 (PR)
Samsung has launched their Windows Phone Omnia M in in India, despite major focus on Android phones. The Omnia M is priced at Rs. 18,650 and Specs include
- 4-inch Super AMOLED display with a 480 x 800 pixel resolution, 233 ppi
- 1GHz processor
- Microsoft Windows Phone 7.5 Mango
- 4 GB internal storage, 384 MB RAM
- 3G, EDGE/GPRS, Wi-Fi
- GPS with A-GPS support, Bing Maps
- Bluetooth with A2DP, USB 2.0
- 5 MP autofocus camera with LED flash,
- Secondary video camera
- 3.5 mm handsfree socket
- 1500 mAh Lithium – ion battery
[quote]At Samsung, we are committed to providing our consumers with more choice across the different operating systems and the Omnia M is our latest offering on the Windows platform. Omnia M is clearly differentiated on account of its very intuitive ‘Metro Tile user interface’, its large Super AMOLED display as well as its social features including access to the Samsung created Family Story, a cloud based network for family members to share messages , videos and photos.” Said Ranjit Yadav, Country Head, Mobiles and IT, Samsung India[/quote]

Expect a full unboxing and review soon.
July 31, 2012
Samsung readying 2 windows phone 8 devices, Odyssey and Marco, Leaked

Samsung has two Windows Phone 8 devices found in the pipeline. According to the filing that’s been unearthed by The Verge, both are running on a dual-core 1.5Ghz Qualcomm MSM8960 chipset.

Looking at the leaked info, the Odyssey has a 4.65-inch high-definition Super AMOLED display and NFC ready for Microsoft’s upcoming wallet service. The Marco will have a smaller 4-inch WVGA Super AMOLED screen and no NFC. Now these appear to be US versions of devices which will eventually land up in India, possibly with different names.

Stay Tuned.!

July 31, 2012
Taiwan University Sues Apple Over Siri

Taiwan’s National Cheng Kung University said Monday it has filed a patent infringement complaint against Apple Inc. in a U.S. court over the Siri voice command system used in the latest iPhone and iPad models, marking the latest patent spat against the Cupertino, Calif.-company.

In a filing to the district court of eastern Texas, the university alleged that Apple’s Siri voice-activated assistant, which allows users to make phone calls and perform other tasks with voice commands, violated two of its patents: a speech recognition system and another system that controls how the device interact with a user’s voice command.

The university is asking for an undisclosed sum of damages from Apple, according to the filing dated Friday.

Apple has been facing ongoing legal battles against other smartphone makers including Samsung Electronics Co. and HTC Corp. over patents on mobile device technology and features. Apart from seeking monetary damages, a ruling against Apple could effectively block shipments of its devices to some countries and significantly change the competitive landscape.

Apple introduced Siri last fall through the 4S iPhone and has been advertising it as a big differentiator for the hit device. The technology can perform a variety of tasks from searching for information to sending an email to scheduling meetings by voice. Unlike other types of voice-activated services, Siri can perceive normal human speech patterns.

July 31, 2012
Thermaltake intros Gaming Mouse with a fan!

The Black Element Cyclone Edition gaming mouse from Thermaltake has been designed for those long gaming sessions.

A 6,000 rpm rotor directed right at the point where your fingers sit on the mouse buttons. Priced at US $80 (IN Rs. 4000). The patent pending design promises to keep noise down to a sub-environmental 21.7dB, while delivering an airflow of 2.6 cubic feet per minute —

The fan can alternatively be removed, and the mouse comes standard with a 6,500 dpi laser sensor, an adjustable weight of up to 22.5 grams and a “military-grade” grip coating.

July 31, 2012
Rumor : Apple to announce iPhone 5, iPad mini at September 12 event

The iPhone 5, iPad mini and perhaps two other Apple devices could be announced at a Sept. 12 event, according to a new report.

Long rumored to premiere in October, the sixth-generation iPhone is now reportedly expected to be announced in September, including a new report Monday by iMore.

The report says Apple will announce the new phone and the iPad mini, a 7-inch screen version of the iPad, six weeks from now, citing “sources who have proven accurate in the past.”

Though the report is unsure about the iPad mini’s actual launch date, it gives a specific launch date for the iPhone 5: Sept. 21, which is a date that’s been rumored before.

Along with the two iOS devices, iMore also reports Apple will use the event to launch a new iPod nano.

Along with the nano, iMore speculates that a new iPod Touch could also be announced. Recent reports have said the Touch could be in for a fairly substantial redesign as is expected for the new iPhone.

The next iPhone is expected to have a better and longer screen, at 4 inches, as well as other redesigns, including a new back plate and a smaller dock connector.

July 30, 2012
Oracle to Buy Cloud Infrastructure Technology Provider Xsigo

Oracle Corp. on Monday agreed to acquire network-technology provider Xsigo Systems Inc. for an undisclosed sum, broadening the software giant’s already growing footprint in the data center.

Based in San Jose, Calif., Xsigo provides appliances that more efficiently manage the tangle of connections needed to access stored data. The technology cuts electricity costs and boosts performance for companies that manage large data centers.

Privately held Xsigo has more than 300 enterprise customers, according to its website, including Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) and BT Group PLC (BT).

Oracle’s latest acquisition, expected to close this fall, comes as more companies opt to run their computer systems in the cloud–a catch-all term for software and data accessed online rather than through an onsite machine.

Managing the software and servers that support such systems has become a multibillion-dollar business, prompting Oracle Chief Executive Larry Ellison, who once dismissed the “cloud” term as “complete gibberish,” to actively pursue the model along with his Silicon Valley peers.

Cloud computing relies on virtualization, a process that allows users to run the operations of several computers on a single machine. The process puts an enormous burden on networks.

Now, cloud-computing companies are taking a growing interest in controlling the routers and switches of networks by using a similar virtualization model in order to manage data-center hardware and cut down on bottlenecks and inefficiencies.

VMware Inc. (VMW), which pioneered the virtualization model with software, last week agreed to pay up to $1.26 billion for networking-software provider Nicira Inc.

Xsigo’s technology differs from Nicira’s, which uses software to virtually manage an entire network. Xsigo’s hardware addresses a narrower part of the cloud.

“Most people think of software-defined networking as something that creates a new network…on top of the existing physical network,” ISI Group analyst Brian Marshall said.

Oracle also has remained active in the software sector. Just this month, the technology giant agreed to buy the social-marketing company Involver and said it would acquire privately held Skire, a provider of capital program management and facilities management applications.

Oracle has also bought the cloud-based customer service company RightNow Technologies Inc. for $1.43 billion and the human-resources software maker Taleo Corp. for $1.9 billion.

“They are already racing ahead on the software side,” said Global Equities Research analyst Trip Chowdhry. “Now they are strengthening their cloud infrastructure.”

Xsigo, founded in 2004, was funded by Kleiner Perkins, Khosla Ventures, Greylock Partners and North Bridge Venture Partners.

July 30, 2012
Revealed : iPad, iPhone prototypes in court documents

Possibly an iPhone 3gs prototype

Early concepts of Apple’s market-leading iProducts revealed as a result of a sprawling legal battle with arch-rival Samsung show wacky ideas — including octagonal shapes, handles and kickstands.

Images revealed by tech news site The Verge, show Apple was intent on pursuing a kickstand for its tablet, with multiple iPad prototypes working through how such a stand would work.

Other renderings show a version of the iPad that never was, with molded grips integrated into the frame to make it easier to hold.

“Many of the iPad prototypes also feature ‘iPod’ on the back, perhaps giving insight into Apple’s early naming considerations,” the site noted.

An iPad prototype with a kickstand

Meanwhile, sleuths at Buzzfeed uncovered an alternate version of the iPhone with squared off edges — an early version of the game-changing smartphone that carried the prototype name N90.

An iPhone 4s prototype

The device is clearly similar to Apple’s glass-and-metal design, but different enough to catch the eye.

Source : Fox News

July 28, 2012
Nuance’s Swype launches ‘Hinglish’ version

Nuance Communications said that its next-generation of its Swype touch keyboard will support ‘Hinglish,’ a cross between Hindi and English, in an effort to cater to India’s mobile market.

Going forward Swype will recognize Hinglish words like chai, paani, desi, garam and masti.

The new version of Swype contains unique adaptive capabilities that enable it to understand user’s preferences and typing patterns over time. This allows the application to become smarter and more personalised every time it is being used. It learns from the users every time they type or swipe their fingers to create words and offers them the next time they use the keypad by offering not just word suggestion but whole sentence suggestions as well.

July 27, 2012
Hacking experts find new ways to attack Android phones

Hacking experts have demonstrated ways to attack Android smartphones using methods they said work on virtually all such devices in use today, despite recent efforts by search engine giant Google to boost protection.

Google spokeswoman Gina Scigliano declined to comment on the security concerns or the new research.

Accuvant researcher Charlie Miller demonstrated a method for delivering malicious code to Android phones using a new Android feature known as near field communications. “I can take over your phone,” Miller said.

Near field communications allow users to share photos with friends, make payments or exchange other data by bringing Android phones within a few centimeters of similarly equipped devices such as another phone or a payment terminal.

Miller said he figured out how to create a device the size of a postage stamp that could be stuck in an inconspicuous place such as near a cash register at a restaurant. When an Android user walks by, the phone would get infected, said Miller.

He spent five years as a global network exploit analyst at the U.S. National Security Agency, where his tasks included breaking into foreign computer systems.

Miller and another hacking expert, Georg Wicherski of CrowdStrike, have also infected an Android phone with a piece of malicious code that Wicherski unveiled in February.

That piece of software exploits a security flaw in the Android browser that was publicly disclosed by Google’s Chrome browser development team, according to Wicherski.

Google has fixed the flaw in Chrome, which is frequently updated, so that most users are now protected, he said.

But Wicherski said Android users are still vulnerable because carriers and device manufacturers have not pushed those fixes or patches out to users.

July 26, 2012
Apple OS X Mountain Lion Quick Overview

OS X Mountain Lion is here, and there are quite a few new features to learn all about, so we sum it up listing the best out of all of them .

Notification Center

Just like on iOS , Notification centre gives you all your alerts and messages under one bar, instead of all over the place. You can access your notification history by clicking the list icon all the way in the top right corner of the OS X menubar. If you want to edit your notification center settings, you can do so in the Notifications section of System Preferences. You’ll be able to decide what kind of notifications individual apps provide, or turn them off entirely.

Notes and Reminders

The Notes app lets you save and organize text and images. Reminders allows you to create reminders so you don’t forget to do things. Again they are just like on iOS and sync well with your iDevices.

Voice Dictation

Just like on the iPad and iPhone you get voice dictation on Macs, in Mountain Lion (sadly no Siri). To start dictating, just press the function (fn) key twice. When you’re done dictating, you can click the “done” button or press the function (fn) key twice again. OS X will take a moment and then provide you with the transcribed text. In addition to just offering words, you can say things like “period” or “comma” for punctuation and “new line” to make a new line.

This feature works in any App or window that accepts text input via keyboard, also in online websites, like in GMAIL, as long as they are accessed in the new Safari.

AirPlay Mirroring

If you have an Apple TV, You can now mirror your display on an Apple TV (2nd or 3rd generation) with AirPlay if you enable it in Displays section of System Preferences. Down at the bottom there’s a checkbox beside “Show mirroring options in the menu bar when available.” Check it and you’ll be able to send your display to any detected Apple TV via the menu item in your menubar.

Messages

Messages is the iMessage of OS X. It’s been around in beta since Lion and hasn’t changed much in Mountain Lion. You can add your iCloud account to sync messages with an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. You can set up various instant messaging accounts, however, so Messages on the Mac is a little bit more functional than it is on iOS. That’s because it replaces iChat. Messages also now pulls out of Beta, so those of you who were experiencing slow takes may enjoy the new experience.

iCloud (Documents in the Cloud)

iCloud has been upgraded significantly in Mountain Lion, you can access it in the same panel in System Preferences. If you turn on “Documents & Data” your documents (including versions of them) will be synced with iCloud, making them available on other iCloud-enabled devices.

Share

There is a new button in Mountain Lion, its the Share Button. Not every app has it yet, but many apps will be adding it to allow you to share content easily. In the meantime, Safari is one app that makes sharing sites easy to Messages, Twitter, and Email. If you click an image and then the sharing icon in a window’s toolbar, you’ll be able to share it on Twitter or Flickr. You’ll find other options for other file types as well. If you want to set up sharing accounts, visit the Mail, Contacts, & Calendars section of System Preferences.

Security and Privacy

In this new panel available in the System Preferences panel , a new checkbox “Allow applications downloaded from” , which once checked will give option “Mac App Store and identified developers” . This will prevent apps that aren’t signed through Apple’s developer center or downloaded through the Mac App Store from running

Under Privacy, you get new privacy settings. This is where you can approve or deny an app’s permission to access certain things like your contacts, location, Twitter account, and more.

July 26, 2012
Apple unveils Safari 6, Mac Only Version Out Now

Apple’s new Operating System, has a key browsing element, the new Safari, version 6, has been launched today alongside the major release Mountain Lion. The new Safari brings about some nice new features including iCloud tabs and a new tab view — both Mountain Lion only.

There’s also a Do Not Track option to cover your internet tracks, just like the “incognito mode” on Chrome. It also appears that this time around Apple has not released a Windows Version for the software, and all earlier versions of Safari are now removed from Apple’s Servers.

[Apple}

July 26, 2012
Apple Mac App Store gets Mountain Lion for Download – US $ 19.99 – 4.05 GB – LION Extinct (PR)

The Mac App Store gets its own dose of Lion, and you can get it too for a mere US $ 19.99. The new Operating system adds over 200 new features including voice dictation, notification centre, new advanced sharing, ui fixes, customizations to Spotlight, AirPlay Mirroring etc.

While we download this 4.05 GB update, and sum it up for you. You can get your own version, at the link below.

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

Mountain Lion Available Today From the Mac App Store

Apple® today announced that OS X® Mountain Lion, the ninth major release of the world’s most advanced desktop operating system, is available as a download from the Mac® App Store?. With more than 200 innovative new features, Mountain Lion includes iCloud® integration, the all new Messages app, Notification Center, system-wide Sharing, Facebook integration*, Dictation, AirPlay® Mirroring and Game Center. Mountain Lion is available as an upgrade from Lion or Snow Leopard for $19.99.

“With iCloud integration, Mountain Lion is even easier to set up, and your important information stays up to date across all your devices so you can keep editing documents, taking notes, creating reminders, and continue conversations whether you started on a Mac, iPhone or iPad.”

“People are going to love the new features in Mountain Lion and how easy it is to download and install from the Mac App Store,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “With iCloud integration, Mountain Lion is even easier to set up, and your important information stays up to date across all your devices so you can keep editing documents, taking notes, creating reminders, and continue conversations whether you started on a Mac, iPhone or iPad.”

With more than 200 innovative new features, Mountain Lion includes:

iCloud integration, for easy set up of your Mail, Contacts, Calendar, Messages, Reminders and Notes, and keeping everything, including iWork® documents, up to date across all your devices;
the all new Messages app, which replaces iChat® and brings iMessage™ to the Mac, so you can send messages to anyone with an iPhone®, iPad®, iPod touch® or another Mac;
Notification Center, which streamlines the presentation of notifications and provides easy access to alerts from Mail, Calendar, Messages, Reminders, system updates and third party apps;
system-wide Sharing, to make it easy to share links, photos, videos and other files quickly without having to switch to another app, and you just need to sign in once to use third-party services like Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and Vimeo;
Facebook integration, so you can post photos, links and comments with locations right from your apps, automatically add your Facebook friends to your Contacts, and even update your Facebook status from within Notification Center;
Dictation, which allows you to dictate text anywhere you can type, whether you’re using an app from Apple or a third party developer;
AirPlay Mirroring, an easy way to wirelessly send an up-to-1080p secure stream of what’s on your Mac to an HDTV using Apple TV®, or send audio to a receiver or speakers that use AirPlay; and
Game Center, which brings the popular social gaming network from iOS to the Mac so you can enjoy live, multiplayer games with friends whether they’re on a Mac, iPhone, iPad or iPod touch.

Additional features in Mountain Lion include the revolutionary new Gatekeeper, which makes downloading software from the Internet safer; Power Nap, which automatically updates your apps and system while your Mac is asleep; and a faster Safari® browser. New features for China include significantly improved text input, a new Chinese Dictionary, easy setup with popular email providers, Baidu search in Safari, and built-in sharing to Sina Weibo and popular video websites Youku and Tudou.

Pricing & Availability

OS X Mountain Lion is available from the Mac App Store for $19.99 (US). Mountain Lion requires Lion or Snow Leopard (OS X v10.6.8 or later), 2GB of memory and 8GB of available space. For a complete list of system requirements and compatible systems, please visit: apple.com/osx/specs. OS X Server requires Mountain Lion and is available from the Mac App Store for $19.99 (US). The OS X Mountain Lion Up-to-Date upgrade is available at no additional charge from the Mac App Store to all customers who purchased a qualifying new Mac system from Apple or an Apple Authorized Reseller on or after June 11, 2012.

[/toggle_box]

[iTunes]

July 26, 2012