Blog

The Demise Of Cell Phone Form Factors

The scene (2005) : Three teenagers sitting together text away on their cellphones. A flip-phone, a slider, a-twist and use cellphone.

The scene (2005) : Three teenagers sitting together text away on their smartphones. A touchscreen candybar, another touchscreen candybar and a touchscreen candybar.

Back in 2006, I had a Motorola Razr. It made calls and got texts, and did little else. It was thin and lightweight. It made a pleasing sound as it snapped open and shut. “Ooh, a Razr,” people would say, causing me to blush.

The MotoRazr remains the most iconic flip phone mankind has witnessed.

Smartphones and feature phones back then came in many different shapes and sizes, and moving parts were in – displays that pivoted, swiveled, and twisted around, or keyboards that clumsily tucked under the display.

It was all about which phone had the coolest features and the most unique form factor, not about brand, specifications or how big and dense the display was.

After the introduction of the iPhone, the change of variety shifted from form factors to features themselves. Slowly, all premium devices shifted from their funky form factors to the boring candybar factor.

In a way, the choices today are more than there have ever been. Companies experiment with build quality and materials based on the same form factor. And there are four major mobile operating systems to choose from: Android, iOS, BlackBerry and Windows Phone.

But, the main thing we’ve been missing since the flip phone era is the satisfying THWACK! of ending a phone call. You just can’t hang up authoritatively with a smartphone. “Did you see that guy jam his thumb against his iPhone? Ooh, he must be mad!!”

Slider phones too do not just remain the province of the elderly and the clueless. Increasingly, young, tech-savvy people may be wanting slider phones for that smooth transition to reveal the keyboard.

If you’re feeling nostalgic enough to explore a potential purchase of these devices, I’m afraid I have some bad news : there aren’t many options available in the market. You might find the odd feature phone which comes in a variety of form factors, but it may not be what you need as far as features are concerned.

Wearable tech may signal the next shift in form factors.

We may yet be about to witness yet another form factor transition. One from the standard candybar to flexible smartphones, wearable technology.

Every other form factor is nearing extinction, if it hasn’t already.

September 20, 2013
Now Get Handwriting Support in Google Translate for iOS devices

Google Translate app for iOS has got a slow but useful update today, which added a new look and gave handwriting support. This feature was already available on the Android app two years ago, and also to its web app earlier this year, but after this update your iOS device will also be able to recognize what you have written on the screen.

The user interface and icons have been changed and now fit in with the newly available iOS 7’s landscape and now the app supports more than 70 languages, which includes seven new languages.(including Marathi)

Google says handwriting is now supported in 49 languages, which should be a boon for the world’s travelers, and at the low price of free is worth throwing on your phone on the off chance you’ll need it. It’s available to download now on iPhones and iPads running iOS 5.1 or later, or if you’re running iOS 7, you can just lie back and let the background update do its thing.

September 20, 2013
Lenovo Showcased its New Range of Gaming PC’s

Lenovo today launched its new range of gaming PCs that includes the IdeaCentre Horizon 27, IdeaPad Y510p and the IdeaPad Z510 for the Indian market. All these devices are equipped with high performance graphics and audio, all of these devices comes along with windows 8.

Shailendra Katyal, Director- Consumer Business, Lenovo India said, “We are happy to enter the gaming sphere with a complete portfolio of gaming machines that cater to both individuals and families. Lenovo is fostering its growth in the PC+ era through these multi-media devices that will add a new dimension to our existing portfolio of Consumer products and redefine the concept of gaming in India.”

The Lenovo IdeaPad Z510 runs 4th generation of Intel Core i7 processor. It features a 15.6 inch display and comes with up to 16 GB DDR3L RAM. The device also includes Intel Wireless Display Technology that allows to stream content to any other device with a bigger display. The IdeaPad Z510 comes with stereo speakers with Dolby Theatre certification for audio enhancement. The device is priced at Rs. 50,990, and will be available from October.

However, the second product was the Lenovo IdeaCentre Horizon 27 which is an all-in-one PC that supports multi-touch and doubles up as a table PC. It features a 27 inch display and runs on 4th generation of Intel Core i7. The device is powered by Nvidia GeForce GT 620M 1GB/2GB graphics with DirectX 11 and sports stereo speakers with Dolby Home Theater V4. The Lenovo IdeaCentre Horizon 27 will be available in India from next week, at a price of Rs. 1,36,500.

The Lenovo IdeaPad Y510p features a 15.6 inch full HD LED Glare display. It runs 4th generation of Intel Core i7 processor and is powered by dual NVIDIA GeForce GT 750M 2GB dual graphics with use of Ultrabay technology. The device comes with a 8 GB of RAM and includes a 1 TB of Hard disk.

Some other features of this device are backlight enabled accutype keyboard with touchpad, USB 3.0 Port, HDMI output, 720p HD Webcam and Dual Digital Array Microphones. The Lenovo IdeaPad Y510p will be available in India from next week in Black colour, at a price of Rs. 69,990.

[toggle title=”Press Release “]Lenovo debuts a range of multimedia gaming PCs

Delhi, September 20, 2013: Lenovo, one of India’s leading PC players, today announced the launch of a new range of feature-rich gaming PCs, powered by Windows 8 and the Intel® Core™ i7 processor. This move signifies Lenovo’s entry into the high potential Gaming space that caters to the Next Gen PC user with products that offer robust performance.

The new range includes the Lenovo IdeaPad Y510p which boosts multimedia gaming with stylish looks along with easy options to add more storage or graphics. Equipped with high-performance graphics and premium audio that makes it a true multimedia powerhouse, the Y510p is a perfect option for the serious gamers.

Also part of the new portfolio, the much-awaited, CES award winner, Lenovo IdeaCentre Horizon 27 is the world’s first multi-user, multi-touch, multi-mode table PC with hundreds of pre-loaded games that can be played anywhere at home. This interpersonal device brings families together for a shared computing experience over the solitary computing nature of most other devices. Its USP includes a supersized screen, dynamic graphics and touch screen and it also doubles as a user’s high performance, all-in-one 27-inch desktop. Horizon brings a new perspective to computing – one that makes the experience shared, collaborative and personal.

Shailendra Katyal, Director- Consumer Business, Lenovo India said, “We are happy to enter the gaming sphere with a complete portfolio of gaming machines that cater to both individuals and families. Lenovo is fostering its growth in the PC+ era through these multi-media devices that will add a new dimension to our existing portfolio of Consumer products and redefine the concept of gaming in India.”

Lenovo IdeaPad Z510, a multi-media notebook with a good balance of features and performance is the third member of the gaming family. The laptop is equipped with a powerful processor, graphics performance along with an integrated DVD drive and superior audio quality.

Lenovo IdeaPad Y510p – Key features:
Boosts a unique Ultrabay feature which enables instant swapping for dual capability and increase in storage space
Runs on 4th generation Intel® Core™ i7- processor and operates on Windows 8 and Windows 8 Pro
Enabled with speakers supporting Dolby Home Theatre designed by JBL for immersive sound
Integrated Dual graphics support; NVIDIA SLI – up to NVIDIA GeForce GT 750M 2GB dual graphics
Backlit Accutype keyboard with individual rounded keys, offering easy typing even in the dark

Price: Rs. 69,990/- (taxes included) – The product is also available on thedostore.com

Lenovo IdeaCentre Horizon 27 – Key features:
Winner of 14 + awards at the International Consumer Electronics Show 2013
With integrated Aura interface activated, it enables two or more people to access content, videos, pictures and play games
Comes with unique Table PC accessories such as Joystick, Striker and E-dice, in addition to preloaded games, wireless mouse and keyboard.
Supported by NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 620M 1GB/2GB graphics with DirectX® 11
Operates on 3rd generation Intel® Core™ i7- processor for smooth multi-tasking
Features stereo speakers with Dolby® Home Theatre® V4

Price: Rs. 1, 36,500 /- (taxes included)

Lenovo IdeaPad Z510 – Key features:
The 15.6” laptop runs on 4th generation Intel® Core™ i7- processor
Up to 16GB DDR3L memory
Enables users to stream the content wirelessly to a big screen with Intel Wireless Display (WiDi) Technology
OneKey® Recovery makes data backup and recovery simple
Offers stereo speakers with Dolby Home Theater certification for immersive sound

Price: Rs. 50, 990/- (taxes included)
[/toggle]

September 20, 2013
Apple iPhone 5S Goes on Sale- shipping delayed to October

Apple’s 2013 iPhone the iPhone 5S has gone on sale in various markets including the US, if the online version is not available a Apple Store App will be the best way to buy as did we. The iPhone 5s is available in 3 colors and 3 size variants. The Unlocked option is the best one to go for if you are not from the US. Prices range from US $ 649 for 16GB and US $ 849 for 64 GB plus taxes for the unlocked variant.

Although Shipping for the phones has been moved to october its still possibly the best and fastest way to get one. If you already own an iPhone 4s or 5 iOS 7 went live yesterday and all supported devices can now download the OS, to get a better taste of whats to come.

September 20, 2013
Nikon Launches 1 AW1 a Mirrorless Waterproof Camera

Nikon has launched something new to the waterproof camera market, the Nikon 1 AW1 is a mirrorless, interchangeable lens camera, besides being waterproof this camera is shockproof and freeze-proof as-well.

Design of this new product seems identical to the Nikon J1, which came into the market in 2011. The AW1 is rated waterproof till 49 feet, shockproof up to 6.6 feet, and freeze-proof. When shooting underwater, the device has a custom white balance setting to get perfect clicks in the unusual conditions underwater.

The 1 AW1 features an ISO range of 100 – 6,400, the camera can capture still images at 15 fps which can go upto 60 fps when the autofocus is locked. The device shoots video in 1080p and includes a slow-motion mode that captures footage between 400 FPS or 1,200 FPS.

The device includes build-in GPS for automatic geotagging of photos, videos and also has Wi-Fi, all these features are rarely seen in any interchangeable lens camera. The AW1 has a 14.1 megapixels sensor, it has the same CX-format sensor identical to the J1, which means its significantly smaller than the sensors available in other mirrorless cameras.

With the 1 AW1, Nikon is releasing two new lenses that are also shockproof, and waterproof. There is a 11-27.5 mm f/3.5-5.6 zoom lens and a wide-angle 10 mm f/2.8 lens. The Nikon AW1 with 11-27.5 mm lens will be available in October for $799.95, the second bundle with the 10 mm lens is for $999.95. The device comes in black, white, and silver models.

September 20, 2013
Opera Partners With 7 Mobile Makers in India

Opera announced that the company is focusing on further expanding its India business to drive growth in the South Asian region and has partnered with seven new handset makers, including Micromax, Spice and Wynncom as part of these efforts.

The companies include Micromax, Videocon, Spice, MoMagic Technologies, Wynncom, Lemon Mobiles and iBall, the original equipment manufacturer will preinstall Opera Mini browser as an exclusive, third-party mobile browser across their upcoming Android devices, the company said in a statement. Opera has also signed two similar OEM partnerships with Symphony Mobile in Bangladesh and Colors Mobile in Nepal.

India is home to the largest number of Opera Mini users in the world. Partnering with local OEMs in India and neighboring countries is part of our growth strategy to take Opera Mini’s user numbers in the region from strength to strength,” Sunil Kamath, Vice President – South Asia, Opera Software said.

He further said, since the beginning of this year, more than 100 Android devices with the browser preinstalled on them have been launched in India, Bangladesh and Nepal.

September 20, 2013
Apple iOS 7 : The Good And The Bad

While developers around the world have been running iOS 7 on their iDevices for quite some time now, commoners began receiving the much hyped and much awaited update last night.

We take a look at the good and the bad things that Apple has introduced in the new OS.

The Good

1. Multi-Tasking

In iOS 7, Apple has completely retooled the way multitasking (or switching between apps if we want to be a tad more precise) works. While beckoning the app switcher in iOS 7 remains the same — a quick double tap on the home button — the entire implementation has been completely retooled.

Apps can now take advantage of full background multitasking but as always, you don’t have to close apps for battery saving reasons. Apple does a great job of freezing them in place so they don’t suck up your battery life.

2. Control Center And Notification Center

The first thing each iDevice owner did after jailbreaking his/her device was to add shortcut toggles for simple utilities like turning WiFi on and off, Airplane mode, BlueTooth etc. Finally, Apple decided to incorporate this feature into the OS itself, with iOS featuring a brand new Control Center.

By flicking upwards from the bottom of the screen, you can enable or disable Airplane Mode, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Do Not Disturb; adjust the volume and brightness; pause or play music; enable AirDrop and AirPlay; and quickly access your camera’s LED light (for use as a flashlight), timer, calculator, and camera.

The Notifications panel also undergoes a makeover with it being divided into 3 categories.

3. AirDrop

In iOS 7, not only can you quickly send photos, videos, and contacts using AirDrop, but just about anything from any app that has the share button (with the exception of music). The only problem is that it only works on iPhone 5 or later because of the chip architecture in the iPhone 4S.

4. Email Management

Swiping right on an email in iOS 7 lets you delete the message, as always. But now it also reveals a “More” icon that you can tap to see more options, including the ability to move the email into a folder, mark it as unread or mark it as “junk.” With so many third-party apps vying to be your go-to iOS mail app, Apple seriously needed to beef up Mail—and it did, with this and other enhancements.

The Bad

1. Icons

When Apple gave the world its first glimpse of iOS 7 in June, professional designers and ordinary iPhone users alike were struck by the radical visual changes that the company had made to its signature mobile operating system. While Apple touted the brighter, flatter, and simpler design as the “biggest change to iOS since the introduction of the iPhone,” members of the design community denounced the new interface as “ugly,” “childish,” and “inconsistent.”

At the center of the criticism were iOS 7’s new home screen application icons, whose lush, metaphorical designs were replaced by colorful, geometric abstractions. Safe to say they aren’t pleasing everyone.

2. Rough Installation

After downloading iOS 7, it took us six tries to actually install it. Granted, we attempted to install the OS the day of its release, late in the night—which was probably peak time for Apple’s servers. But we still think Apple should have been able to predict the demand and been better prepared.

3. Siri

Siri continues to get better, it’s still nowhere near being a feature that won’t frustrate you more than help you.

Many times, it won’t be able to connect or won’t have an answer, and anytime it can’t help you quickly, it ends up taking up much more of your time as you dig through the phone to find an app you realize you should have opened in the first place.

4. Awkward Contrasts

When Apple showed off iOS 7 in June, it was pretty proud of how the new icons seemed to float above the background wallpaper to create an almost 3-D effect. In real life, the interaction between iOS 7 and the screen background is challenging at best. Because groups of apps stored together no longer are set off with a black background and white border, they adapt to the wallpaper colors behind them.

The results are mixed. Sometimes, you get offsetting contrast, sometimes you don’t. Worse still, the white text is often not so easy to read against the background, because the new font is thinner. You may find yourself experimenting with wallpapers to get it right.

What do you think? Which features impressed you the most and which made you flinch? Let us know in the comments section below!

September 20, 2013
Panasonic T11 and P11 Android Smartphones Now Available

Panasonic has unveiled two new smartphones, the P11 and T11, these devices are available on online websites. The Panasonic T11 is priced at Rs. 9,520 and the Panasonic P11 is priced at Rs. 16,364.

The Panasonic T11 features a 4 inch display and is powered by a 1.2 GHz quad-core processor along with a 1 GB of RAM. The device has a 4 GB of inbuilt storage which is expandable up to 32 GB via micro SD card. Panasonic T11 has a 5 MP rear camera and a VGA front facing camera. This device runs on Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and sports a 1,500 mAh battery.

Whereas, the Panasonic P11 comes with a 5 inch HD IPS display with a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels and is powered by a 1.2 GHz quad-core processor along with a 1 GB of RAM. This device sports a 8 MP auto focus rear camera with LED flash, the device also have a 2 megapixel front-facing camera. Panasonic P11 has an inbuilt storage of 4 GB which can be expanded up to 32 GB via micro SD card. This device also runs on Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and sports a bigger 2,000 mAh battery, P11 also comes up with Dual SIM support along with 3G.

September 20, 2013
LG 32LN5650 ‘Jazz’ LED TV Review

One of the common complaints that users have with LED TVs is the weak sound. Because of the slim design, most LED TVs do not have powerful speakers. However, LG’s Jazz series of TVs have been known for loud sound. The new addition to the series for 2013, the LG 32LN5650, further improves the sound and built in features.

With a total of 90W RMS output power, the volume level of the LG 32LN5650 is unbelievably high for a flat screen TV. The 32-inch panel offers good viewing angles with great clarity. The only letdown is that it has a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels (HD ready). Otherwise the display performance is impressive — sharp details, good black levels and good brightness.

USB media playback on the LG 32LN5650 is top-notch with support for major audio and video file formats including MKV, in addition to full subtitle support. The interface is clean and, most importantly, lag free as well.

The LG 32LN5650 is available in the market for about Rs 37,000.

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

September 20, 2013
GTA V Limited Edition PS3 Unboxing and Game Play Demo
Grand Theft Auto fans breathed a collective sigh of relief when Rockstar Games finally unveiled the release date for 2013?s most anticipated game, Grand Theft Auto V.

We received our Special Edition GTA 5 this week and as promised, we got working on the unboxing and game play demo. The game, which will initially only be released for the Sony PlayStation 3 and Microsoft Xbox 360, is priced at Rs. 2,999, with fans having to dish out Rs. 3,999 for the special edition. Those who pre-ordered were offered freebies to sweeten the deal – including a GTA Double-Sided Poster, Metallic V Locket and Atomic Blimp DLC.

In a bold departure for the series, GTA V will split its narrative evenly between three very different protagonists.
- Micheal : Rockstar is looking to retired former criminal Michael, Grand Theft Auto V’s lead protagonist, to explore the narrative of a man at his breaking point with everything and nothing to lose. In his early forties, he’s older than your average GTA star, and better off too, living in luxury with his family in well-to-do Rockford Hills, Los Santos’ equivalent to Beverly Hills.
- Trevor : Whereas Michael is established and living the high life Trevor is stuck in a trailer park. He’s unhinged and untrusting. Trevor has a more reckless and impulsive personality than that of Michael’s, and this we’ve already seen that his headstrong ways are the source of much conflict between the main characters.
- Franklin : Franklin lives in South Los Santos and is the most traditional protagonist of Grand Theft Auto V’s trio, ex-street gangster who’s always looking for new opportunities. Rockstar’s Dan Houser describes him as a “gang-banger in the post gang-banging world”. Aware that he’s on a fast-track to nowhere, Franklin associates himself with Michael and Trevor in the hope that they can teach him about the world of ‘real’ crime.
September 20, 2013
Apple’s iCloud now Lets Windows users Sync Bookmarks With Chrome and Firefox

Apple’s iCloud previosuly allowed Windows users to sync mobile Safari bookmarks with Internet Explorer, but now Apple is opening this functionality up to more web browsers

The additional functionality comes by an update to Apple’s iCloud Control Panel for Windows, a small app designed to keep contacts, calendars and bookmarks up-to-date between iOS devices, Mac and PC.

As reported by Apple Insider, the extra options mean the majority of Windows users will be able to take their bookmarks with them without resorting to using a third-party browser like Chrome for iOS. It also means that PC users can enjoy far greater freedom of browsers than those with Macs can.

Apple notes that the appropriate iCloud Bookmarks extensions for Chrome and Firefox must be installed for the system to work. Apple has yet to add iCloud bookmark syncing support for the Mac versions of Chrome and Firefox.

iCloud Control Panel 3.0 for Windows can be downloaded for free from Apple’s Support Downloads webpage.

September 19, 2013
Google Announces Calico, a New Company Focused on Health and Well-being

Google today announced Calico, a new company that will focus on health and well-being, in particular the challenge of aging and associated diseases. Arthur D. Levinson, Chairman and former CEO of Genentech and Chairman of Apple, will be Chief Executive Officer and a founding investor.

Announcing this new investment, Larry Page, Google CEO said:

Illness and aging affect all our families. With some longer term, moonshot thinking around healthcare and biotechnology, I believe we can improve millions of lives. It’s impossible to imagine anyone better than Art—one of the leading scientists, entrepreneurs and CEOs of our generation—to take this new venture forward.”

Arthur Levinson will remain Chairman of Genentech and a director of Hoffmann-La Roche, as well as Chairman of Apple. “ I’ve devoted much of my life to science and technology, with the goal of improving human health. Larry’s focus on outsized improvements has inspired me, and I’m tremendously excited about what’s next.”

Tim Cook, Chief Executive Officer of Apple, said:

For too many of our friends and family, life has been cut short or the quality of their life is too often lacking. Art(Arthur) is one of the crazy ones who thinks it doesn’t have to be this way. There is no one better suited to lead this mission and I am excited to see the results.”

Larry Page further mentioned on his Google+ post, This is a lot different from what Google does today. But as we explained in our first letter to shareholders, there’s tremendous potential for technology more generally to improve people’s lives. So don’t be surprised if we invest in projects that seem strange or speculative compared with our existing Internet businesses. And please remember that new investments like this are very small by comparison to our core business.

Calcio is California Life Company!

September 19, 2013
Dead Trigger 2 Coming up in October, with Enhanced Graphic Effects

Dead Trigger was launched last year and now Madfinger Games is all set to launch there latest game, the Dead Trigger 2. The game will be available starting 23rd of October 2013.

Dead Trigger 2 is based on an unreal world of Zombies, there will be lots of zombie shooting, but Dead Trigger 2 will be taking place in an expansive multiplayer world that develops in real time.

This real time and never-ending story will be affected by the behavior of every single player” said s Marek Rabas, CEO at Madfinger Games

Dead Trigger 2 will be released in Free-to-play format for both iOS and Android devices, as well as on Steam, Mac and Facebook. This game might not be the best available game, but you cannot complain for anything that comes for free. You can view some gameplay snapshots below:

Watch the teaser video here.

[toggle title=”Press Release “]Tokyo, Japan – September 18, 2013 – Madfinger Games, creators of the blockbuster mobile games, Shadowgun and Dead Trigger, have revealed today that their anxiously awaited game, Dead Trigger 2 will be released on the 23rd of October 2013.
On the eve of Tokyo Game Show 2013, together with the announcement of the official October 23rd release date for Dead Trigger 2, Madfinger Games has unleashed the very first intro video of the game.
Dead Trigger 2 is a first person zombie shooter arcade game that delivers players to a parallel world, where humanity is engaged in a battle against zombies for control of the Earth. The reality of this worldwide apocalyptic conflict is underlined by the fact that the game is played out in real time. “This real time and never-ending story will be affected by the behavior of every single player,” explains Marek Rabas, CEO at Madfinger Games. With each following update, the action will shift to varying locations and continents with the concrete development influenced directly by the participation of players. The action will be global, players will fight against local zombies in Shanghai, London or in the middle of the desert far away in Africa.
Dead Trigger 2 will be released in Free-to-play format for both iOS and Android devices, as well as on Steam, Mac and Facebook.
Players can once again expect above-standard graphics, which remain as a given at Madfinger Games. The developers of Dead Trigger 2 have introduced enhanced graphic effects which will again push forward the boundaries of graphics on mobile devices. “You’ll be amazed at the Realistic Water Reflections, Dynamic Shadows, Dynamic Light Projectors and Dynamic Grass,“ promises Pavel Cizek, Project Leader and Graphic Artist at Madfinger Games. Dead Trigger 2 graphics also include Per-pixel Lighting and Advanced Ragdoll Physics.
The first game in the Dead Trigger series was released in summer 2012. It has since become a massive favorite within the gaming community, with more than 22M downloads on both App Store and Google Play. It has been met with significant acclaim, among other awards, it was selected for inclusion in the App Store Best of 2012, featured in the Apple “Hall Of Fame“ and won Best Technical Achievement and Community Choice at the Unite 2012: Unity Awards.[/toggle]

September 19, 2013
Micromax Press Release Confirms BBM for Android

Micromax today confirmed availability of BBM for Android on its Canvas range of smartphones. The Blackberry Messenger service application is said to come pre-loaded on new Micromax smartphones from the first week of October.

Existing Canvas users will also be able to download the BBM app from the Play Store. Deepak Mehrotra, CEO, Micromax said:

We have built a strong mobile ecosystem for our users, which not only drives them to buy our products, but also builds a connection with the brand by massifying and democratizing technology in India. Bringing one of the most popular mobile messaging services with BBM on our smartphones is yet another effort to expand our bouquet of messaging services for our consumers to connect and communicate seamlessly with their loved ones.”

With the arrival of BBM on android, users will now have access to the BBM mobile social network around the world, including features like BBM chats and multi-person chats with BBM Groups, the press release also mentioned that the customers can connect with up to 30 BBM contacts at a time, along with the ability to share voice notes and photographs.

Sunil Lalvani, Managing Director for India at BlackBerry said:

BBM offers customers a highly engaging mobile messaging experience, with the assurance that your message has been delivered and read, and privacy controls that let you easily connect with people without forcing you to give out your phone number or email address. We are delighted to work with Micromax to bring BBM to their customers directly on Canvas smartphones across India”

As per the press release, BBM for Android will be available for download from the Google Play Store, free of cost.

[toggle title=”Press Release”]
New Delhi, September 19, 2013 – Micromax, India’s leading handset manufacturer, today announced availability of the popular BBM™ application on its Canvas range of smartphones. The popular mobile messaging service application will come pre-loaded on new Micromax smartphones from the first week of October. Existing Canvas users CAN download the BBM for Android™ app from the Google Play Store, adding to the current slew of third party messaging services available on the Micromax smartphones.

Mr. Deepak Mehrotra, CEO, Micromax said, “We have built a strong mobile ecosystem for our users, which not only drives them to buy our products, but also builds a connection with the brand by massifying and democratizing technology in India. Bringing one of the most popular mobile messaging services with BBM on our smartphones is yet another effort to expand our bouquet of messaging services for our consumers to connect and communicate seamlessly with their loved ones.”

“We will continue to drive innovation ensuring that our customers have preferential access to the latest and most exciting applications such as the BBM in the future as well,” concluded Mehrotra.
With the arrival of BBM on the Canvas smartphones, Micromax customers will now have access to the BBM mobile social network around the world, including features such as BBM chats and multi-person chats with BBM Groups, which allow customers to connect with up to 30 BBM contacts at a time, as well as the ability to share voice notes and photographs.

“BBM offers customers a highly engaging mobile messaging experience, with the assurance that your message has been delivered and read, and privacy controls that let you easily connect with people without forcing you to give out your phone number or email address. We are delighted to work with Micromax to bring BBM to their customers directly on Canvas smartphones across India,” said Sunil Lalvani, Managing Director for India at BlackBerry.
BBM for Android will be available for download from the Google Play Store, free of cost.

For more information, please visit www.micromaxinfo.com or www.bbm.com
You can also connect with us at – f – Micromax or @Micromax_Mobile

About Micromax:
Micromax started as an IT software company in the year 2000 working on embedded platforms. In 2008, it entered mobile handset business and by 2010 it became one of the largest Indian domestic mobile handsets company by offering unique affordable innovations. Micromax currently holds 22 percent market share in the Indian smartphone market according to IDC Q2 report. The brand’s product portfolio embraces more than 60 models today, ranging from feature rich, dual – SIM phones, 3G Android smartphones, tablets, LED televisions and data cards. The company has many firsts to its credit when it comes to the mobile handset market including the 30-day battery backup, dual SIM phones, QWERTY keypads, universal remote control mobile phones etc. Micromax has presence in more than 560 districts through 125,000 retail outlets in India. The company has sales presence spread across Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal.

BlackBerry and related trademarks, names and logos are the property of BlackBerry Limited. BlackBerry is not responsible for any third-party products or services.
[/toggle]

September 19, 2013
Gestures, Voice Controls and HDMI Capture of Games Confirmed by Sony for the PlayStation 4

Sony on August 20 at Gamescom revealed the launch dates for the PlayStation 4, which will launch in North America on November 15 and in European regions on November 29.

The Sony’s Keynote at the Tokyo Game Show cleared some of the question related to the the PlayStation 4, to start with, the PS4 Camera will support voice and gesture controls with its dual cameras and built in four mics. The PlayStation 4 will allow unencrypted HDMI output for games which can be used to record your games and will be great for recording game-plays in iGyaan style for you guys to watch.

I think we just announced that we’re going to allow video capture of games over HDMI! “Details will follow soon.” said Sony’s representative Brad Douglas.

September 19, 2013