Category: Tech

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Micromax Launches the A75 Superfone Lite with Dual Sim (PR)

Micromax has launched the next version of the Andro A70, dubbed it as the lite version of the A85 , called it the Superfone Lite A75. The device features Android 2.3 , a 3.75 inch Capacitive touch screen, 650MHz Processor, Dual sim and dual camera, with a 3.25MP camera at back and a .3mp front facing snapper. It supports upto 32GB microSD and a 1300 may battery.

The price of the phone is kept at a decent Rs.8999/- at launch.

Stay Tuned for a full unboxing, followed by a full review IG style.

[toggle title_open=”Press Release” title_closed=”Press Release” hide=”yes” border=”yes” style=”default” excerpt_length=”0″ read_more_text=”Read More” read_less_text=”Read Less” include_excerpt_html=”no”]

Micromax launches A75 SUPERFONE Lite Dual SIM Android 2.3

– An affordable SUPERFONE for the youth

– Dual SIM (GSM + GSM) Android powered so you could enjoy the benefit of both voice and data plans.

New Delhi, December 12^th, 2011: Micromax Informatics Limited (“Micromax”), the 12th largest handset manufacturer in the World (According to Global Handset Vendor Market share report from Strategy Analytics), launches their latest Android SUPERFONE- Micromax SUPERFONE Lite A75.

This is the second device under the SUPERFONE category focusing on the smart and tech savvy youth of the country. This phone has best in class features, keeping in mind the requirements of its consumers. The A75 runs on Google Android 2.3 Gingerbread giving users the freedom to download over 2 lakh applications from Android Market.

This dual SIM Android powered device from Micromax has a 650 MHz processor for fast web browsing, checking mails, blogs, sharing photographs, and updating your status on social networking sites. The phone also comes with features like a 3.75 inch capacitive touchscreen, dual camera, 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth etc.

The A75 comes preloaded with apps like Google Voice Search which enables you to perform various actions by speaking to the phone, live sending text messages, taking down notes, play music, access websites, and find directions to places etc. The phone also has a series of apps like SAAVN for users to listen to their favorite music using this online music store, Times of India online newspaper, NETQIN ANTIVIRUS, to protect devices from certain virus threats using this antivirus etc.

The phone offers a practically unlimited phonebook and SMS memory and comes with a 3.5 mm universal jack for the best music experience.

A75 is available at Rs. 8999/- This model will be available across all leading outlets.

For more information, please visit www.micromaxsuperfone.com

About Micromax:

Micromax is the 12th largest handset manufacturer in the World (According to Global Handset Vendor Market share report from Strategy Analytics). The Indian brand is reaching out to the global frontier with innovative products that challenge the status quo that Innovation comes with a price. Micromax has sales presence across India and global presence in Hong Kong, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri-Lanka, Maldives, UAE, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Afghanistan and Brazil.

* Micromax holds the 3rd position amongst the handset manufacturers in India as pre revenue with a market share of 6.9% for the FY 2011. (Source: V&D report)

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December 12, 2011
Pick : iG Holiday Gift Guide : Mobile Phones under 10,000
Tis’ still the season to be jolly and our next guide covers all sorts of phones we recommend under Ra. 10,000 check it out.

Android Phones

Samsung Galaxy Y (Rs. 7150/-) Android 2.3, a cheap price, 3 inch capacitive touch, 835 Mhz processor, a good 2MP camera and decent performance. We recommend it.

Alternatives
- LG Optimus Net (Rs. 9999)
- Dell XCD 35 (Rs. 8599)
- Micromax Andro A70 (Rs. 7500)
Android Qwerty

Not a lot of options in this category

LG Optimus Pro C666 (Rs 9599) Android 2.3, 800MHz processor, full QWERTY, 2.8 inch touchscreen, that the best you can get in this price. The only other option is the Motorola Fire, which we don’t recommend.

Blackberry

There are not many blackberry devices that can fit in this price bracket but you can get lucky.

Blackberry Curve 8520 (Rs. 9800) The blackberry messenger, push mail, and enterprise ready support, along with upgradability to BB OS5. not much you can ask for in the 10,000 price bracket. The device is a favorite with Blackberry addicted college going ladies, as says Deviana, So if you have a girlfriend a good holiday gift would be a pink/purple version of this.

Its not always fun and frolic, but if you are really lucky you can snag a brand new Blackberry 9000 (original bold) for about Rs. 9500 if someone still has stock.

Nokia / Symbian

Symbian is almost dead, but its popularity in India is nowhere near extinction. People still love Nokia phones, simply because they can’t seem to grow out of it to try something else. Nokia phones are built to last, and have a friendly and easy to remember OS. Although not our top recommendation, if you must buy a Nokia and your budget is 10k then here are our recommendations.

Nokia C5-03 (Rs. 9750) : Features include 3G connectivity, 3.2 inch resistive touchscreen, 5 MP Camera and LED flash, VGA video, Nokia apps world, Facebook and Twitter.

Nokia E5 (Rs. 9730) : Symbian v9.3 OS, 2.36-inch Display, QWERTY keypad, push mail, ARM 11 600 MHz processor, 5 megapixel camera with LED Flash and VGA video.

Stay Tuned for more gift guides.
December 12, 2011
Pick: iG Holiday Gift Guide 2011: Gadgets Rs. 10,000
Tis’ the season to be jolly and make others jolly. With that thought in mind we bring to you the iGyaan Holiday gifting guide of 2011. This edition will include gadgets and gift items that stay within and around the Rs 10,000 price bracket. So lets begin.

Since its iGyaan.in and we love Smartphones, lets begin with them

Smartphone

Till about two years ago fitting the word smartphone in this category was practically impossible. But today we have several options and only one should shine as a recommendation for the guide.
1. Samsung Galaxy Y
Price Rs. 7150/-

The only real smartphone for the price that features specs that would fit in the budget and leave a few Gandhis to spend about on your favorite christmas dinner. This phone features a powerful processor and Android Gingerbread, Its our Recommendation for the best phone under 10,000 Rs.

Personal Media Player

iPod Touch 8GB

8GB : Rs. 10500/-

A lot of media players come close but non so close, if you manage you can grab one for lower than 10000, the best touchscreen experience you can find at 10,000/- along with endless apps from the Apple App Store. Support for Nike +, bluetooth, FaceTime, iMessage, Safari web browser, email, Maps and a whole lot of music in the 8GB capacity. The fact that it bundles as a best gaming device eating into the personal gaming console market for years, makes it an even better device.

Alternative iPod Nano

8GB : Rs.6500/-

16GB: Rs.7500/-

If you can’t go over 10K, the best mp3 player is possibly the iPod Nano, maybe not the best to watch movies on, because you can’t. But you do get an enormously large capacity mp3 player, with a multitouch screen, audiobooks, podcasts, photos, FM radio, Fitness Walk + Run support built in, Nike+ support built in.

Digital Camera

Canon Ixus 130

Rs. 9650/-

Not a lot of pixels, 14.7 to be precise, 17.8mm stainless steel body finished in a choice of silver, black, orange or pink, a 4x optical zoom and a 28mm wide-angle lens is what make the our choice. The camera has HD video recording and SD HC capable memory slots, backed by Canon’s great support and exceptional mechanics in camera technology.

Personal Gaming

PSP 3004

Rs. 7000/-

Apart from the fact that the iPod Touch makes an excellent gaming device, adds a camera and a music player, a dedicated gaming console is a must if you are a hardcore on the go gamer. It allows multiplayer over WiFi and acts as a second remote to your PS3, it allows video out, and music storage. Music , movies, videos, games and everything in Rs. 7000 . Its our recommendation for the best gaming device under 10k, if you don’t want an iPod Touch.

Headphones

Soul by Ludacris Sl99

Rs. 6500/-

If you can find them at that price you are lucky, they retail for about 100 US $ but are very expensive in India. The earphones are the best you can get for the price and the feature an online remote that is compatible with iPhones, iPads and iPods. The remote also somewhat works with some android devices. the earphones have the best in class bass and tangle free flat cables. The build quality is superb and they look, feel and sound premium for a price that is usually considered average for good earphones. Don’t think two ways, these sound better than beats by Dre by a mile.

Stay tuned for more gift guides coming up.
December 11, 2011
Google introduces Currents, its Flipboard for Android

Flipboard yesterday launched its new iOS app for iPhone and iPod, after its great success on the iPad. Google has today finally announced its Android rival, called currents, funnily enough the app is available on both Android and iOS with cross platform support from the get go. The app gives a magazine like reading experience for online feeds. The app is free and offers you a swipeable, graphics-heavy way to read material from partners like AllThingsD, PBS, Huffington Post and Fast Company, as well public Google+ feeds and RSS. You can also import our own content and add feeds like the iGyaan Rss.

For publishers, Google is providing self-service tools for customizing how their content is displayed in the app. Currents is US only for the time being. You can always head over to XDA-Dev for the hacked link for using it in India for Android only.

[Android Market]

[App Store]

December 9, 2011
Twitter also gets updated with new look , its faster and simpler

Twitter just got updated along with apps for Android and iOS. The new look is designed around four new tabs — “Home”, “Connect”, “Discover” and “Me” — that make for a less complicated and more streamlined experience. You can visit http://fly.twitter.com/ to look at all the new changes, or wait up-untill next week to see the full updates. Apps should have already received updates by now.

[Twitter Blog]

[Twitter]

December 9, 2011
French court denies iPhone 4S sale ban to Samsung

Its like winning and loosing all round, Apple was denied injunction lift suspension and Samsung was denied primary sale ban in France. The french courts yesterday denied Samsung’s request to ban the sales of Apple iPhone 4S in France. The court called the reaction out of proportion with its claims of intellectual property theft and ordered Samsung to pay a fine of €100,000 (about $134,000) to cover Cupertino’s legal fees.

The case is one of many legal battles being waged between Samsung and Apple in the United States, Italy, and several other countries over intellectual property protecting their smartphones.

December 9, 2011
Google+ and Goggles apps for Android get new update with new features

With the new update on the app you will now be able to search posts and people from within the Google+ app. The new update will also allow you to add +1 to photos and comments, see the ‘online’ and ‘typing’ status of your Messenger buddies, and upload videos and full-res photos.

With the new Goggles you have a brilliant continuous mode that will allow you to log multiple items without the need to press the shutter button again and again. The update will also allow better crowd sourcing which means that you will now be able to add things unknown to Goggles like our unboxing knife!

So make sure you are updated.

[Android Market]

December 9, 2011
OreObject launches Sphere 2 Mouse in Platinum

OreObject has launched a new environmentally sensitive next gen sphere mouse dubbed aptly “Sphere 2” , crafted from “surgical grade” stainless steel, with four-way navigation chops and a detachable, tangle-free USB cord. A touch sensitive scroll wheel is at the top tip of the sphere that allows 4d navigation. Available in three finishes: titanium for $185 (Rs. 8000) gold for $290 (Rs. 14500) and platinum for $320 (Rs.16000).

Check out the link below if you want to get one.

[OreObject]

December 9, 2011
Facebook for Android Gets a Facelift and Tweaks

The new Facebook for Android app update, adds a whole lot of tweaks and and bunch of turbo speed boosts. According to Facebook :Photos and albums are up to two times faster than the previous Android app. It’s also easier to share photos, view comments and edit captions on the go. Your messages and notifications are now at the top of your screen. You can respond to friends and stay updated without leaving the page you’re on in Notification style. Just like the iOS App you can quickly access your News Feed, Groups, games and apps from the new left-hand menu.

[Facebook]

[ Android Market]

December 8, 2011
Eric Schmidt says ‘Android will be bigger than iOS’

Speaking at Le Web in Paris Google CEO, spoke about why Apps were first written for iOS and then ported over to Android. The response was one that would not surprise any Android user, Schmidt claims ” In about 6 months its going to be the other way round.” He predicts that the new OS Ice Cream Sandwich will remove the device fragmentation and lead people closer to the OS, making it a preferred choice of developers.

[Engadget]

[Le Web (YouTube)]

December 8, 2011
RIM Looses BBX trademark battle, renames it to boring Blackberry 10 (PR)

Planning a BBX phone in the future? Better wait up, since Blackberry has announced that the BBX name patent was lost and the new OS will be renamed to Blackberry 10. The US Federal Court has blocked the company from using the BBX trademark, favoring the existing use by BASIS International for its software. The company just can’t seem to catch a break, as it announced at BlackBerry DevCon Asia that the new name for its next phone OS is BlackBerry 10.

[toggle title_open=”Press Release” title_closed=”Press Release” hide=”yes” border=”yes” style=”default” excerpt_length=”0″ read_more_text=”Read More” read_less_text=”Read Less” include_excerpt_html=”no”]December 06, 2011 09:18 PM Eastern Time
US Federal Court Bars RIM (BlackBerry) from Using BASIS’ BBX Trademark

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The United States Federal Court in Albuquerque today granted a temporary restraining order (TRO) against Research in Motion (RIM), immediately barring RIM from using BASIS International Ltd.’s incontestable federally registered BBX trademark at RIM’s Asian DevCon on December 7-8 in Singapore.

RIM had refused BASIS’ requests to stop the infringement at the DevCon conference, which resulted in BASIS filing for the TRO.

In rejecting RIM’s arguments against the issuance of a TRO, the court found that, “The BBX mark is identical to the mark which RIM is allegedly using to present its BBX product (TRO page 8).” and “despite the fact that the two companies are not direct competitors, the parties’ respective BBX products are highly related and target the same class of consumers, that is, business application software developers (TRO page 9).” The court went on to concur with BASIS that “The alleged infringement is likely to cause customers and prospective customers to wrongly believe that the software applications created using BASIS’s development tools are only compatible with RIM’s BBX operating system (TRO page 11).”

The order described how the “Courts use a well-established four-part test to decide whether to grant injunctive relief (TRO page 7)” and concluded that “Accordingly, after considering all the factors relative to a determination of whether an injunction should be granted, the Court finds that all factors weigh in favor of BASIS (TRO page 8).”

See BASIS’ latest generation of BBX in action by running the sample restaurant tip calculator and home mortgage calculator applications from links.basis.com/buidemos to experience BASIS’ BBX platform-independent solutions on your own smartphone or tablet.

About BASIS

BASIS International Ltd. is a global software company whose software developer community is a worldwide network of partners for whom the BASIS “BBx Generations” of products form the foundation for proven and reliable software solutions. Since 1985, BASIS’ mission has been to blaze a trail by producing ambitious and innovative programming languages, database products, development tools, and an application framework for their community to build upon. BASIS is committed to delivering platform independence to the server and client, including browser-based mobile clients.[/toggle]

December 8, 2011
AutoGyaan : Bridgestone shows off Air-less tire concept

Looks like the next-gen tire is actually closer than we imagined. With Michelin already working on their concept of the Tweel, Bridgestone walks in with the air-free concept tires that use a tough and flexible thermoplastic spoke technology. These spokes remove any horizontal force and make the tire puncture free, since there is actually no air. The tire is currently suitable fro personal mobility and electric lightweight carts, each wheel holds upto 150Kg in weight. The company plans to use this technology for commercial users and eventually replace the traditional wheel. The only issue is the fact that items might get stuck in the spokes of the wheel making them prone to breakage. A full wheel with these spokes in the center would do, don’t you think so ?

December 8, 2011
Windows Phone 7 Delayed further in China

It’s almost been a year since Microsoft announced that WP7 devices will be launched in China in 2011 mid, the release was later shifted to the 31st Dec 2011, now the company has expressed that it will not be able to make that deadline. The WP7 devices will now be launched sometimes in the early bits of 2012.

Microsoft mentioned that the delay is at least in part due to trying to ensure that Chinese citizens will have a good experience using the platform (Nokia mentioned that localization is needed in certain aspects of its phones to keep in line with the government’s media censorship policy). Either way a delay of three years may just turn off the population that is already becoming a keen to iOS devices.

[ComputerWorld]

December 6, 2011
LG reveals X-Note Z330 Ultraportable – boots in 10 sec

The new X-Note Z330 is only 14.7mm (0.58-inches) in thickness, 1.21kg (2.67 pounds) in weight and has a SSD that makes it an extremely versatile machine. The Ultra-book comes with the Intel’s Core i5 and Core i7 options with 4GB of Ram and SSD b/w 120GB and 256GB. The portable computer will also include as standard HDMI and USB 3.0 along with Intel’s Widi for wireless streaming. Price for the lower Core i5 model is set at US $1500 in Korea (INR 75,000) and US$ 2400 for the Core i7 ( INR 1,20,000). Still Interested?

December 6, 2011
HTC Flyer gets OTA Honeycomb update

HTC Flyers owners must finally be happy. After spending a chunk of their fortune on he overpriced tablet they had to suffer the backlashes of the non tablet os Gingerbread. Now HTC is finally seeding Honeycomb to the the tablet owners via an OTA update (version 3.55.405.1) of about 210MB. But there is a catch the update is for the 3G version of the tablet only, the poor folks who spent less on the Wifi only version need to wait for the “coming soon” badge to disappear.

[HTC Hub]

December 6, 2011