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iGyaan Gift Guide: Tablets

In this festival season if you want to spend some money on your loved ones, here we bring you the recommended list of tablets that you can gift to your near and dear ones.

BSNL Penta IS701C:

The BSNL Penta IS701C is a budget tablet which is available for 3950 INR. The device features a 7 inch Multi touch TFT screen and runs on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. The Tablet is powered by a ARM Cortex A8 1 GHz Processor which is coupled with a 512 MB DDR3 RAM and 4 GB inbuilt memory -expandable memory upto 32 GB. The device has a 0.3 MP primary camera and it is a 3G tablet which is packed with a 3000 mAh battery.

Intex I-Buddy 7.0 Tablet:

The Intex I-Buddy 7.0 Tablet is available in WiFi only and also in calling support individually. The Wifi Only version is available for 6300 INR. The device features a 7 inch Capacitive Touch Screen and runs on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. The Tablet is powered by a Boxchip A13 1.0 GHz Processor which is coupled with a 512 MB DDR3 RAM and 4 GB inbuilt memory -expandable memory upto 32 GB. The device has a 0.3 MP primary camera and it is a 3G via dongle tablet which is packed with a 2350 mAh battery.

iBall 6318i Tablet:

The iBall 6318i is a 7 inch tablet which is available for 5395 INR. This tablet is powered by a 1.2 GHz ARM Cortex-A9 Processor and runs on Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. The device features a 2 MP primary camera and a VGA secondary camera. The Tablet is packed with a 1 GB of DDR3 RAM and 4 GB of inbuilt storage which is expandable to 32 GB, the device has a 4000 mAh battery and supports 3G via dongle.

Lenovo A2107 Tablet:

The Lenovo A2107 is a 7 inch tablet which is available for 5395 INR. This tablet is powered by a 1.2 GHz ARM Cortex-A9 Processor and runs on Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. The device features a 2 MP primary camera and a VGA secondary camera. The Tablet is packed with a 1 GB of DDR2 RAM and 16 GB of inbuilt storage which is expandable to 32 GB, the device has a 3550 mAh battery.

Nexus 7 Tablet (1st and 2nd generation):

Nexus 7 1st generation is already available in the Indian market from a long time now, while the second generation Nexus 7 will supposedly be available in India by the month of November.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 3:

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 T211 features a 7 inch touchscreen and is priced at 16250 INR. The device sports a 3 MP rear camera and a 1.3 MP front camera. The device is powered by a 1.2 Ghz dual core processor and has 1 GB of RAM, the tab has an expandable storage option of upto 32 GB.

Sony SGPT211IN/S:

The Sony Sony SGPT211IN/S is a foldable tablet which has a 5.5 inch screen and is priced at 15999 INR. The device runs on Android Honeycomb. The sony Sony SGPT211IN/S sports a 5 MP primary camera and a 3 MP secondary camera. The device is powered by a ARM Cortex Dual Core Processor.

Apple 16 GB iPad Mini with Wi-Fi:

The Apple iPad Mini runs an a relatively older, Apple A5 chip that has a dual-core 1GHz cortex A9 processor and 512MB of RAM. The tablet sports a 7.85-inch IPS display that has a resolution of 768 x 1024 pixels (roughly 162 ppi) which was one of the biggest downers of the iPad Mini when it was announced, as it lacked a retina display. If you consider, you can actually wait for the upcoming iPads, the iPad mini retina display.

Lenovo Idea Tab S6000 Tablet:

The Lenovo Idea Tab S6000 Tablet has a 10.1 inch screen and is priced at 22499 INR. The device runs on Android 4.2 and is powered by a 1.2 Ghz processor. Lenovo Idea Tab S6000 Tablet sports a 5 MP main camera along with a VGA secondary camera.

Sony (SGPT111IN/S) Tablet S:

The Sony (SGPT111IN/S) Tablet S sports a 9.4 inch screen and is priced at 22900 INR. The device is powered by a 1 GHz ARM Cortex-A9 Dual Core processor and runs on Android Honeycomb. It has 1 GB of RAM along with a 16 GB of inbuilt storage.

Apple 16GB iPad with Retina Display and Wi-Fi (4th Generation):

The Apple 16GB iPad with Retina Display and Wi-Fi (4th Generation) features a beautiful 9.7 inch screen and starts with a price tag of 31900 INR. The device runs on latest iOS from Apple and is powered by A6X Chip with Quad-Core Graphics. You might want to wait for the newly launched iPad Air to hit the Indian Market!

Samsung Galaxy Note 800:

Samsung Galaxy note 800 and Samsung Galaxy note 10.1 both are great value for money, the Note 800 is priced at 35490 INR which can be reasonable to some compare to 49990 INR for the newly launched Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 edition. Both tablets share the same screen size and the S Pen support.

Sony Xperia Z Tablet:

The Sony Xperia Z Tablet features a 10.1 inch display and is priced at 41499 INR. The device runs on Android 4.1 and is powered by a 1.5 GHz Quad Core Snapdragon S4 Pro Processor. The device sports 8.1 MP and 2.2 MP primary and secondary cameras respectively.

These are few recommended tablets, there could be many others as well. If you have any tablet we missed on which you think can be a best gift and great value for money, you can leave your valuable inputs in the comment section below.

October 23, 2013
Samsung Acquires 7.4 Percent of Gorilla Glass Maker Corning

Corning has taken full control of Samsung Corning Precision Materials Co. Ltd., which is a joint venture 43 percent owned by Samsung itself. In return, the Korean company will get $1.9 billion worth of shares in Corning, which if converted, would give it a 7.4 percent stake.

Both organisations have also agreed to a deal that will see Samsung Display supplied by Corning till 2023. The company’s Gorilla Glass is used in most of the high-end smartphones and tablets, which includes products made by Samsung, Apple and even HTC. This deal might create some unwanted heat from other companies who also uses Gorilla Glass.

October 23, 2013
Samsung Galaxy S3 and Note 2 to Get Android 4.3 and Galaxy Gear Support Soon

After the much awaited Android update for the Samsung Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note 2, Samsung has now confirmed that both these phones will now get the Galaxy Gear support along with the Android update which will be out soon depending on what country you are in.

Recently the Android update was out for the Galaxy S4 and now it will be applied to the Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note 2. The Galaxy Gear support will not be limited only to Galaxy S4, Galaxy S3 or Note 2 as the Gear support will also be available for Galaxy S4 mini, Galaxy S4 Active, Galaxy Mega 5.8, Galaxy Mega 6.3 and Galaxy S4 Zoom. All these devices would be able to access the benefits of the Galaxy Gear with time. However, Galaxy S3 and Galaxy note 2 will get the earliest access to the Galaxy Gear.

Extending Galaxy Gear compatibility to more Galaxy devices reflects our deep commitment to continuing to deliver enriched mobile experiences to our consumers,” said JK Shin, CEO and President of IT & Mobile division, Samsung Electronics. “Through a significant effort to enhance and enrich the Galaxy experience, Samsung continues to empower our users in their mobile lives and enable smart freedom with Galaxy Gear.”

Press Release

Samsung Extends Galaxy Gear Compatibility to Galaxy S III, S4, Note II, and More

October 23, 2013

Samsung provides more users with enhanced flexibility and freedom via extended Galaxy Gear compatibility

Seoul, Korea – Oct 23, 2013 – Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. today announced that more Samsung devices will be compatible with Galaxy Gear, a perfect companion device that makes mobile communication easier and more enjoyable.

Galaxy Gear will be available for use with Galaxy S4, S III, and Note II through the Android 4.3 (Jelly Bean) update. The update came first to Galaxy S4 devices in Germany in October. Samsung will also extend Galaxy Gear compatibility to other GALAXY devices – including Galaxy S4 mini, S4 Active, Mega 5.8, Mega 6.3, and S4 zoom – through a separate software update beginning at the end of October. Software update schedules for each device will vary by country and carrier.

“Extending Galaxy Gear compatibility to more Galaxy devices reflects our deep commitment to continuing to deliver enriched mobile experiences to our consumers,” said JK Shin, CEO and President of IT & Mobile division, Samsung Electronics. “Through a significant effort to enhance and enrich the Galaxy experience, Samsung continues to empower our users in their mobile lives and enable smart freedom with Galaxy Gear.”

Samsung Galaxy Gear
Galaxy Gear will enable Galaxy S4, S III, and Note II users to make and answer calls and view incoming messages and notifications with just a glance. For a closer look at more important messages, users can simply pick up their master device and the Smart Relay feature instantly reveals the full content. Users can also find major social apps on Samsung Apps to maintain connections to their social networks via Galaxy Gear.

With a 1.9 Megapixel camera, users can snap a visual memo by simply tapping Galaxy Gear’s screen. Photos are then easily and automatically saved in the master device’s gallery. Users can enjoy a built-in Pedometer app and use Galaxy Gear to control the music played on their master devices. Of course the device also functions like a watch, with the option to change the face with 10 different clock options and even more options available via Samsung Apps.

October 23, 2013
Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition launched in India at a Price of 49990 INR

Samsung has launched the latest Galaxy Note tablet in India, the Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition is priced at 49990 INR. The tablet is now available throughout India in all the stores.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition sports a 10.1 inch WQXGA display with a resolution of 2560 x 1600 pixels. The Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 is powered by a 1.9 GHz quad-core and 1.3 Ghz quad-core Exynos 5 Octa processor. The device is packed with a 3GB of RAM which was seen on the Note 3, the tablet has a 32 GB inbuilt storage which is expandable via Micro SD. The Galaxy Note 10.1 features a 8 MP primary camera with BSI sensor and autofocus along with LED flash, the secondary camera on the device is a 2 MP BSI sensor. The device runs on Android 4.3 Jelly Bean and is packed with a giant 8220 mAh battery.

The new GALAXY Note 10.1 delivers the best viewing and multitasking experiences. It is a demonstration of Samsung Mobile’s focus on constant product innovation to stay aligned with shifting consumer interests,” said Mr. Vineet Taneja, Country Head, Mobile & IT, Samsung India. “The GALAXY Note 10.1 (2014 Edition) unites functionality, usage experience and mobility to make the everyday lives of consumers easier and more enjoyable.”

The device also features S Pen, and delevers features seen on Note 3 like the Action Memo, Scrapbook, Screen Write and S Finder. The newly launched Galaxy Note 10.1 also comes pre-loaded with Samsung KNOX for enhanced security. Connectivity options on the tablet include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi Direct and AllShareCast, as well as 3G/ LTE as indicated earlier.

The device is available in two color options jet black and classic white, the company has given the device the same leather look at the back as on the Note 3.

October 23, 2013
LG Launches Fireweb a Firefox OS Smartphone in Brazil

LG is not only limited with Android devices, be it Nexus or any other device as LG has launched a Firefox operating system based smartphone. The Mozilla based smartphone is named Fireweb.

Fireweb sports a 4 inch HVGA display –large screen as said in the video below– with a resolution of 480 x 320 pixels. The device is powered by a 1 GHz 3G Qualcomm processor and 2 GB of memory, not clear as per the press release. The device is equipped with a 5 MP camera, the camera also features auto-focus and keeps the tittle of being the first Firefox OS phone to have auto-focus and LED flash. Vivo Brazil is selling the Fireweb at a price of 449 BRL ($207 US).

Jay Sullivan, COO of Mozilla, states, “We built Firefox OS as part of Mozilla’s mission to put the power of the Web in people’s hands and offer the best Web experience possible. We’re happy to see Firefox OS gain momentum with partners launching new devices in new markets and developers around the world being inspired to innovate. Our partnership with Telefónica Vivo demonstrates the rich, new experiences offered on Firefox OS by combining the best global and local content with LG’s elegant new device experience.”

[youtube id=”t_7sTP7IRn4″ width=”100%” height=”300px”]

October 23, 2013
Apple Releases iOS 7.0.3 Adding iCloud Keychain support, Improvements and Bug Fixes

After all the major launches yesterday, Apple has also rolled out an update for its latest iOS. The iOS 7.0.3 update adds the iCloud Keychain feature, which allows users to create and easily fill passwords for websites they visit through the default browser.

The latest iOS 7.0.3 update is said to fix several iMessage bugs, like resolving one issue where messages failed to send, and also fixes another bug that sometimes did not allows activation for the iMessage. Apple has also added back the ability to search the web and Wikipedia from Spotlight search and the update have focused on fixing an accelerometer calibration issue.

Apple is also responding to ongoing reports of motion sickness caused by the many animations throughout iOS 7, adressing to this issue the new update allows users to cut back on motion even further. So if you do not like the animation, you can get rid of it. The update is now available wirelessly and through iTunes, you can check the source to know more.

[Apple]

October 23, 2013
Apple Announces New Covers For iPad Mini and iPad Air 2013

With the launch of the amazing new iPads today, Apple has also unveiled new accessories. Apple today announced the two new iPads, the iPad mini with retina display and thr iPad Air with 9.7 inch screen.

Apple is out with cases for each of this new iPads, these include a standard covers, which is priced at $39. Apple has also made the leather version available for $79. Additionally, Apple will be selling a Product Red version, it’s unclear how much that will cost.

October 23, 2013
Apple Launches iPad Mini with Retina Display and A7 Chipset for US $ 399

Apple has launched a new iPad Mini with Retina display for a price starting US $ 399. The new iPad Mini also features a2048 by 1536 pixel display, but at 7.9 inches along with the same A7 chipset seen on the iPhone 5 and the new iPad Air. The iPad Mini with retina display will go on sale later in November as the company will retain the original iPad Mini for a lowered price starting US $ 299.

The iPad Mini now competes with the iPad Air with respect to specs and comes out US $ 100 cheaper than the 9.6 inch variant of the new iPad aka the iPad Air.

The new iPad Mini will get 8 X faster graphics and Expanded LTE thanks to the new A7 chipset, and users will also be able to enjoy their new Airport Wifi speeds thanks to new Wifi with mimo tech inbuilt.

October 22, 2013
Apple unveils Haswell-based MacBook Pros with Retina display Starting from 99,000 INR

MacBook Pro just got an update with terms to the processor, the Retina display to get a big processor upgrade. Apple has just refreshed its high-end portable line with Intel’s Haswell chips, delivering Iris graphics and battery life improvements.

The 13-inch model manages nine hours of battery life, while the 15-inch can last for eight hours on a single charge. Both computers use faster PCI Express solid-state drives and 802.11ac WiFi, and the 15-inch variants ships with GeForce GT 750M video. The 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display features fourth generation dual-core Intel Core i5 processors up to 2.6 GHz with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.1 GHz. New integrated Intel Iris graphics deliver up to 90 percent faster performance than the previous generation MacBook Pro with Retina display. The 13-inch model can be configured with faster dual-core Intel Core i7 processors up to 2.8 GHz with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.3 GHz.

The 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display features fourth generation quad-core Intel Core i7 processors up to 2.3 GHz with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.5 GHz. The 15-inch model includes Intel Iris Pro graphics for unprecedented levels of integrated graphics performance, or Iris Pro and GeForce GT 750M discrete graphics with 2GB of video memory for the ultimate in performance. The 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display can be configured with faster quad-core Intel Core i7 processors up to 2.6 GHz with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.8 GHz.

MacBook Pro with Retina display is available today through select Apple Authorised Resellers. The 13-inch MacBook Pro is available with a 2.4 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor with Turbo Boost speeds up to 2.9 GHz, 4GB of memory, 128GB of flash storage, and Intel Iris graphics starting at INR 99,900 inc VAT (INR 94,961.98 ex VAT); and with a 2.4 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor with Turbo Boost speeds up to 2.9 GHz, 8GB of memory, 256GB of flash storage, and Intel Iris graphics starting at INR 114,900 inc VAT (INR 109,220.53 ex VAT); and with a 2.6 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.1 GHz, 8GB of memory, 512GB of flash storage, and Intel Iris graphics starting at INR 134,900 inc VAT (INR 128,231.94 ex VAT). Configure-to-order options include faster dual-core Intel Core i7 processors up to 2.8 GHz with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.3 GHz, up to 16GB of memory and flash storage up to 1TB.

October 22, 2013
170 Million iPads Sold Till Date Says Tim Cook

Apple today announced some new stuff including the New OS, Mac Pro and the iPads. The event was mainly expected to unveil the next generation iPad, Apple announced iPad Air which is a 9.7 inch device and weighs just 1 pound.

Pointing out that it was once mocked as something that would “never replace netbooks,” Apple CEO Tim Cook boasted that the company has sold 170 million iPads since the device’s launch. “Remember netbooks?” He said! According to Cook, there are 475,000 iPad apps, and they’re not those “stretched out” apps you may see on other platforms. However, iPads, according to Cook, are used up to four times as much as competing tablets, and are ranked first in customer satisfaction.

October 22, 2013
Apple Launches the iPad Air with 43 % smaller bezel and a 7.5 mm thickness

The Apple iPad event is live and the company has announced a brand new iPad called the iPad Air. The new tablet has a 43% thinner bezel and a thinner 7.2mm thickness, the iPad Air also has 5 MP iSight camera with dual microphones.

iPad air ships November 1st, in many countries across the world including China and hopefully India as well. The iPad Air also weighs just 1 pound which is .4 pounds lighter than the iPad 3 or iPad 4.

The new thin iPad also runs the new A7 chipset seen on the new iPhone 5s which means that the performance seen on the hardware will be quite similar especially in the graphics area.

Apple has discontinued the iPad 3 and iPad 4 and will now sell the iPad Air starting US $ 499 and a cheaper iPad 2 for a price starting US $ 399 for the 16 GB WiFi only variants.

October 22, 2013
Apple launches new versions of iLife and iWork

Apple unveiled new versions of iPhoto, iMovie and Garage Band, with fresh software for both iOS and OS X Mavericks. Following along the clean lines of iOS 7 the new apps will have a stripped down design but will feature more performance and versatility. The new set of iLife programs are 64-bit . iPhoto now allows you to create PhotoBooks on the iPad. iMovie now lets you play around with speeds of your video, and if you’re on iOS, you can do picture-in-picture as well which was a sought after feature.

iMovie Theater,allows you to watch all of your videos on any device like the iPhone, iPad or Apple TV as long as your movies are stored in iCloud.

The iOS version of the GarageBand app now supports up to 16 tracks, which is double the current limit of 8. There’s also a new feature called Drummer which gives you an assortment of different drum profiles and live playability.All new Mac’s will come with Garage Band installed with most of the kits and profiles, more can be bought via in-app purchases.

For iWork Apple promises all-new design on mobile and a total re-write of the desktop versions, full file compatibility across devices and platforms, plus the ability to collaborate with others on Pages, Keynote and Numbers using iWork for iCloud.

Both iLife and iWork will be free with the new purchase of a Mac or iOS device.

Press Release

Apple Introduces Next Generation iWork & iLife Apps for OS X & iOS

iWork & iLife Now Free With Every New Mac & iOS Device

SAN FRANCISCO—October 22, 2013—Apple today announced its groundbreaking iWork productivity apps, Pages, Numbers and Keynote and award-winning iLife creativity apps, iPhoto, iMovie and GarageBand have been completely redesigned to take full advantage of OS X Mavericks and iOS 7. All apps have been updated to 64-bit, are integrated with iCloud, and are loaded with hundreds of new features that let you do more than ever across your Apple devices. Apple today also announced that both iWork and iLife are now free with the purchase of every new Mac or iOS device.

“This is the biggest day for apps in Apple’s history,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Internet Software and Services. “These new versions deliver seamless experiences across devices that you can’t find anywhere else and are packed with great features like iMovie Theater, Drummer and a new unified file format for iWork documents across all your devices.”

An all new iWork for Mac and iOS makes creating, editing and sharing documents easier than ever. iWork introduces a new, unified file format, delivering perfect document fidelity across Mac, iOS and iCloud, and the iWork for iCloud beta now includes support for real-time collaboration. Now you can create your document on iPad, edit it on your Mac and collaborate with friends in iWork for iCloud, even if they’re on a PC. A brand new UI makes iWork even simpler to use, yet provides all of the powerful tools you need to create amazing documents, spreadsheets and presentations.

iPhoto for Mac and iOS are now 64-bit, making browsing and editing faster and smoother than ever. Inspired by iOS 7, iPhoto for iOS sports a clean, new design that’s simpler and more beautiful than ever. New tools and effects let you create more dramatic images in both colour and black and white. Now you can also share your favourite images as custom slideshows that you can pause, rewind and fast forward using gestures, or order them as professional-quality prints, including panoramas, and as gorgeous hard cover books that you create using Multi-Touch.

iMovie for Mac and iOS have been redesigned to make it easier than ever to browse your video library and instantly share your favourite moments. iMovie for Mac includes simplified editing tools that let you quickly improve the look of your movie, add fun effects, and speed up or slow down your video. iMovie for iOS brings desktop-class moviemaking to your iPhone and iPad, so you can create split screen and picture-in-picture effects or advanced audio edits in just a few taps. And with iMovie Theater, you can watch your shared clips, movies, and trailers on all your Apple devices, even your Apple TV.*

GarageBand for Mac has received its biggest update ever with a fresh new look, all new Sound Library, and amazing new features, like Drummer and Smart Controls, giving you everything you need to easily make a great-sounding song. GarageBand for iOS has been updated to match the look and feel of iOS 7 and taps the power of 64-bit to bring musicians a full recording studio with up to 32 tracks. With iOS 7 Inter-App Audio you can record third-party music apps right into GarageBand, and AirDrop allows you to wirelessly share your song projects with other iOS users so you can work on songs together. iCloud helps keep your song projects up to date across your devices, and users can start a song on iOS and pick up where they left off using GarageBand for Mac.

Pricing & Availability
iWork and iLife for Mac come free with every new Mac purchase. Existing users running Mavericks can update their apps for free from the Mac App Store. iWork and iLife for iOS are available for free from the App Store for any new device running iOS 7, and are also available as free updates for existing users. GarageBand for Mac and iOS are free for all OS X Mavericks and iOS 7 users. Additional GarageBand instruments and sounds are available for a one-time in-app purchase of INR 270 for each platform.

*iMovie Theater requires iCloud to keep your shared content up to date across all your devices.

Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices with iPad.

October 22, 2013
New Apple Mac Pro coming in December for US $3,000: 3.7GHz quad-core Xeon, 12GB RAM

Apple showed off and wooed the world earlier this year wth the new design of the Mac Pro lineup. Apple has announced today that the new Apple Mac Pro will be Available for a price of US $ 3000 with a 3.7 GHz Quad Core Xeon CPU and 12 GB RAM along with a 256 GB SSD. As with all Apple Products the new MAc Pro can be customized quite a lot to cater to each individuals requirements. For example users can customize their Mac Pro’s with 64GB DRAM and a 1TB flash storage drive.

Apple claims that the Mac Pro is a computer worth keeping for “the next 10 years”, and also claims that the Mac Pro is as quiet as the Mac Mini and also consumes 70% less energy compared to the previous version of the Mac Pro.

Press Release

Introducing the All New Mac Pro—The Most Radical Mac Ever

SAN FRANCISCO—October 22, 2013—Apple today redefined pro computing with the launch of the all-new Mac Pro. Designed around an innovative unified thermal core, the Mac Pro features the latest Intel Xeon processors with up to 12 cores, dual workstation-class GPUs, six Thunderbolt 2 ports, PCIe-based flash storage and ultra-fast ECC memory. Packing amazing performance in a stunning new design, the all-new Mac Pro starts at INR 229,900 and will be available in December.

“The new Mac Pro is our vision for the future of the pro desktop, everything about it has been reimagined and there has never been anything like it,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “The new Mac Pro packs up to 12-core Xeon CPUs, dual FirePro GPUs, ultra-fast ECC memory, new PCIe flash storage, Thunderbolt 2 expandability and more into a radical new design that is one-eighth the size of the previous generation Mac Pro.”

“From the blazing fast performance of DaVinci Resolve to real-time video capture with UltraStudio 4K, Mac Pro is a revolution in pro desktop design and performance,” said Grant Petty, CEO of Blackmagic Design.

“With the Mac Pro’s dual workstation-class GPUs, we’ve seen MARI run five times faster, creating a fluid painting experience that’s unlike anything we’ve seen. This kind of performance is a digital artist’s dream,” said Bill Collis, CEO of The Foundry.

“At 20Gbps, Mac Pro’s Thunderbolt 2 blows away anything on the market and completely changes the external storage landscape,” said James Lee, CEO of PROMISE Technology.

The all-new Mac Pro is architected around a unified thermal core that allows the system to efficiently share thermal capacity across all the processors. An innovative fan draws in air incredibly efficiently and makes the new Mac Pro as quiet as a Mac mini. The result is a pro desktop with unprecedented performance packed into a design that is just 9.9-inches tall and one-eighth the volume of the previous Mac Pro.

Reinvented from the inside out, Mac Pro is designed to tackle even the most demanding workflows. The new Mac Pro features 4-core, 6-core, 8-core or 12-core Intel Xeon processors running at Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.9 GHz that deliver double the floating point performance of the previous generation Mac Pro. Two workstation-class AMD FirePro GPUs with up to 12GB of video memory provide up to seven teraflops of compute power and up to eight times the graphics performance of the previous generation Mac Pro.* OpenGL and OpenCL are optimized in OS X Mavericks to leverage the full computing power of the Mac Pro CPU and dual GPUs.

The new Mac Pro features PCIe-based flash storage that delivers sequential read speeds up to 1.2GBps and is up to 10 times faster than conventional desktop hard drives. ECC DDR3 running at 1866 MHz, with a four-channel memory controller, gives the new Mac Pro up to 60GBps of memory bandwidth, twice that of the previous generation Mac Pro.* The spectacular power and bandwidth of Mac Pro means you can seamlessly edit full-resolution 4K video streams and play them in real time.

Featuring an incredible six Thunderbolt 2 ports, each with up to 20Gbps of bandwidth per device, the all-new Mac Pro completely redefines desktop expandability. Thunderbolt 2 ports support up to six daisy-chained devices each, giving pros the ability to connect up to 36 high-performance peripherals—from external storage devices, to multiple PCI expansion chassis, to audio and video breakout boxes. Thunderbolt 2 uses existing copper or optical Thunderbolt cables and is completely backward compatible with existing Thunderbolt peripherals and cables, and also supports the latest 4K displays. A new self-configuring IP over Thunderbolt software feature in OS X Mavericks provides a fast link between Thunderbolt-enabled Macs.

The new Mac Pro provides unparalleled power for Apple’s professional apps, including Final Cut Pro X, Logic Pro X and Aperture. Final Cut Pro X has been optimized to support dual GPUs for improved real-time playback performance, faster rendering, quicker export, and 4K video monitoring through Thunderbolt 2 and HDMI. Flash storage makes importing and exporting thousands of high-resolution images faster with Aperture. Logic Pro X takes advantage of flash storage for incredibly fast project load times and Thunderbolt 2 for a high number of channels of ultra-low latency audio I/O without the need for add-on PCI cards.

The new Mac Pro ships with OS X Mavericks. Mavericks is the 10th major release of the world’s most advanced operating system and is available for free from the Mac App Store. In addition to more than 200 new features, Mavericks introduces features for power users including Finder Tabs, Tags and enhanced multi-display support, as well as new core technologies for breakthrough performance such as Compressed Memory to keep your Mac fast and responsive. Mavericks also delivers significant performance enhancements for systems with dual GPUs through optimised OpenGL and OpenCL. For more information or to download Mavericks visit www.apple.com/osx/.

Mac Pro meets stringent Energy Star 6.0 requirements and achieves an EPEAT Gold rating.** Mac Pro uses up to 70 percent less energy than the previous generation, is constructed with 79 percent less aluminium and uses 80 percent less packaging material than the current Mac Pro. Mac Pro contains no brominated flame retardants, is PVC-free and uses highly recyclable materials and features material-efficient system and packaging designs.

Pricing & Availability
The all-new Mac Pro will be available in December through select Apple Authorised Resellers. The Mac Pro is available with a 3.7 GHz quad-core Intel Xeon E5 processor with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.9 GHz, dual AMD FirePro D300 GPUs with 2GB of VRAM each, 12GB of memory, and 256GB of PCIe-based flash storage starting at INR 229,900 inc VAT (INR 218,536.12 ex VAT); and with a 3.5 GHz 6-core Intel Xeon E5 processor with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.9 GHz, dual AMD FirePro D500 GPUs with 3GB of VRAM each, 16GB of memory, and 256GB of PCIe-based flash storage starting at INR 299,900 inc VAT (INR 285,076.05 ex VAT).

Configure-to-order options include faster 8-core or 12-core Intel Xeon E5 processors, AMD FirePro D700 GPUs with 6GB of VRAM, up to 64GB of memory, and up to 1TB of PCIe-based flash storage. Additional technical specifications, configure-to-order options and accessories are available online at www.apple.com/mac-pro.

*Performance claims are based on technical specifications of preproduction Mac Pro hardware as of October 2013.
**Claim based on energy efficiency categories and products listed within the EPA Energy Star 6.0 energy database as of October 2013. EPEAT is an independent organisation that helps customers compare the environmental performance of notebooks and desktops. Products meeting all of the required criteria and at least 75 percent of the optional criteria are recognised as EPEAT Gold products. The EPEAT program was conceived by the US EPA and is based on IEEE 1680 standard for Environmental Assessment of Personal Computer Products. For more information visit www.epeat.net.

Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices with iPad.

October 22, 2013
Apple OS X 10.9 Mavericks will come a s a free Download to all Mac owners

Apple has just announced that Mac OS X 10.9 Mavericks will be available to all MAC owners running Snow Leopard or later as a free of cost upgrade. This release includes iBooks, Maps, a revamped Calendar and Air drop sharing with enabled devices on iOS 7. This is fantastic news for all those who stuck out the Mountain Lion update, as now most users will be able to jump directly to 10.9 free of cost. The update goes live later today in the US, for those on different time lines can expect it early tomorrow.

Press Release

OS X Mavericks Available Today Free from the Mac App Store

SAN FRANCISCO—October 22, 2013—Apple today announced that OS X Mavericks, the 10th major release of the world’s most advanced desktop operating system, is available for free from the Mac App Store. With more than 200 new features, OS X Mavericks brings iBooks and Maps to the Mac, includes a new version of Safari, enhances multi-display support, introduces Finder Tabs and Tags and delivers new core technologies for breakthrough power efficiency and performance.

“Mavericks is an incredible release, which introduces significant new apps and features, while also improving the performance and battery life of your Mac,” said Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering. “We want every Mac user to experience the latest features, the most advanced technologies, and the strongest security. We believe the best way to do this is to begin a new era of personal computing software where OS upgrades are free.”

OS X Mavericks introduces innovative new features, including:
• iBooks, which gives you instant access to your iBooks library, more than two million titles in the iBooks Store, and works seamlessly across your devices;
• Maps, which brings powerful mapping technology to the desktop and lets you plan a trip from your Mac and send it to your iPhone for voice navigation on the road;
• a streamlined Calendar that estimates travel time between appointments, and provides a map with weather forecast;
• a new version of Safari with Shared Links, which helps you find what’s new on the web by consolidating links shared by people you follow on Twitter and LinkedIn;
• iCloud Keychain, which safely stores your website usernames and passwords, credit card numbers and Wi-Fi passwords and pushes them to your trusted devices so you don’t need to remember them;
• enhanced multi-display support, which makes using multiple displays easier and more powerful, with no configuration required;
• interactive Notifications, allowing you to reply to a message, respond to a FaceTime call or even delete an email without leaving the app you’re using;
• Finder Tabs, which help unclutter your desktop by consolidating multiple Finder windows into a single window with multiple tabs; and
• Finder Tags, a powerful new way to organize and find your files located on your Mac or in iCloud.

Mavericks also includes new core technologies that boost performance and improve the battery life of your Mac. Timer Coalescing and App Nap intelligently save energy and reduce power consumption. Compressed Memory automatically shrinks inactive data to keep your Mac fast and responsive. Mavericks also delivers significant performance enhancements for systems with integrated graphics through optimized OpenCL support and dynamic video memory allocation.

Pricing & Availability
OS X Mavericks is available today for free from the Mac App Store. Any Mac capable of running OS X Mountain Lion can also run Mavericks. You can upgrade to Mavericks for free directly from OS X Snow Leopard, Lion or Mountain Lion. For a complete list of system requirements and compatible systems, please visit www.apple.com/osx/specs. OS X Server 3.0 requires Mavericks and is available from the Mac App Store for INR 1,100.

Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices with iPad.

October 22, 2013
Nokia Asha 500, 502 and 503 Unveiled Priced at $69, $89 and $99 Respectively

Nokia has not only focused on high end and Mid range devices with the Lumia 1520 and Lumia 1320 respectively, the company has also launched its feature phones, the Nokia Asha 500, 502 and the 503.

Nokia said that 26 million Asha phones have sold so far, the company has announced that it’s adding three new phones to the Asha series. All the three feature phones showcases the same primary colored plastic casing as we have seen on the 501, the only difference one can easily catch is the new glass like layer of transparent polycarbonate.

The Asha 500 has a 2.8-inch screen and a 2 MP camera, where as both the 502 and the 503 have 3 inch screens and 5 MP cameras with LED flash. The 503 also has Gorilla Glass 2 and 3G connectivity. All three phones have WiFi, quad-band EDGE and showcases one month of battery standby time. The 500, 502 and 503 are priced at $69, $89 and $99 respectively. These phones will be available by end of this year in bright red, bright green, yellow, cyan, white and black.

On the availability of Whatsapp on the Asha phones the company proudly claimed that Whatsapp registers 250,000 users everyday through Nokia handsets. Nokia also announced that the social feature on Fastlane, Asha’s list-like view of recent activity, is now customizable. All these features would also be updated to the already available Asha 501.

October 22, 2013