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6tag brings Instagram to Windows Phone – Unofficially

Windows Phone users are missing out on Instagram for a while now, but that is now set to change, unofficially. French developer Rudy Huyn has created 6tag for Windows Phone, previously known as 6tagram just before Facebook and Instagram changed their Privacy rules and Third Party APIs.

6tag is free to download, provides access to the original filters found in Instagram, video uploads, and the linear and radial blur effects. 6tag Developer, Huyn, has also added support for sharing to Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Tumblr, VK, and Foursquare. The Previous version had some bug issues and privacy concerns which were fixed when Huyn updated the Application yesterday.

Microsoft Apparently has an App for Instagram already in the works, but has been unable to get Instagram to approve it.

August 26, 2013
Google Wants To Build Its Own Self-Driving Car

Google is designing its own self-driving car and has plans to build a fleet of cars it dubs “robo taxis,” blogger Jessica Lessin reports. The news comes on the heels of Google Ventures investing $258 million into the personal mobile car service Uber, a company now valued at $3.5 billion, according to TechCrunch.

The company, which made its name with its search engine, has held talks with a number of manufacturers to build cars to Google’s specifications – a bit like the company’s early approach to Android.

But the talks failed to yield a deal, so Google is planning to build the vehicles itself instead – a bit like its more recent approach to laptops with Chromebooks.

Continental, a German automotive supplier, is reportedly establishing a partnership with Google and IBM for self-driving cars, according to a report in the Frankfurter Allgemeine on Thursday. Owing to the enormous complexity and difficulty of manufacturing and selling a car, Google would still prefer to partner with a major auto manufacturer, saysources.

Silicon Valley darling Uber, whose app lets users book taxis and car services in real time, has also raised $258 million in funding led by Google.

Uber will use the funding to “expand into new markets, accelerate customer and driver acquisition, and fight off protectionist, anti-competitive efforts,” CEO Travis Kalanick wrote in a blog post Friday confirming Google’s investment.

[Via, Via]

August 24, 2013
Google Buys Virtual Imaging Patents From Hon Hai

Google has bought patents for wearable technology used in gaming and training simulations from Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., a primary assembler for Apple Inc.

Hon Hai, a major supplier for Apple and other top IT brands, sold a portfolio of Head Mounted Display (HMD) patents, the company said in a news release on Friday.

The technology, dubbed Head Mounted Display, is commonly used in aviation and ground displays, engineering and scientific design applications, gaming devices and training and simulation tools.

Hon Hai assembles iPhones and iPads, and the company is hiring as many as 90,000 workers in the Chinese cities of Shenzhen and Zhengzhou to meet client demand in the fourth quarter. It said it had applied for over 55,000 patent rights globally, of which over 5,000 have been approved.

Hon Hai has said it will focus on developing new technology, intellectual property rights and e-commerce as it looks to reduce its reliance on Apple.

Google has been working on the release of Google Glass, a wearable device with a head-mounted display that currently is only available to developers and hand-picked testers.

Last month, Google invested in a Taiwanese chip maker that manufactures components used in the wearable device. It said it would buy shares to hold a 6.3 percent interest in Himax Display, a subsidiary of Himax Technologies.

[Via]

August 24, 2013
Instagram Acquires Video Sharing App Luma

Instagram, now owned by Facebook, has acquired the Luma Camera app and removed it from App Store. The app featured real time video stabilization and rolling shutter correction, real time filters, and pinch to zoom.

The acquisition is announced by Luma on its homepage:

Eighteen months ago, we embarked on a mission to make capturing and sharing beautiful videos easy without expensive software or heavy equipment. By joining the exceptionally talented team at Instagram, we’re taking another big step towards realizing that mission. We’re incredibly excited to be able to help make a product that is already used and loved by millions of people even better.

As part of our move to Instagram, we are shutting down the Luma service. We want to make this transition as painless for you as possible. Here is a link to download your videos. We will also continue to support Luma until December 31st, 2013. Please don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions, comments, or requests for technical support at [email protected].

A heartfelt thanks goes out to every user, family member, investor and friend. We couldn’t have achieved this milestone without your help. We hope to see you on Instagram!

– The Luma Team

Terms of the deal have not been revealed, but Facebook did confirm the acquisition.

“By joining the exceptionally talented team at Instagram, we’re taking another big step towards realizing that mission,” the Luma team wrote after mentioning they want to make capturing and sharing videos easy without the need for expensive software or heavy equipment.

August 24, 2013
Xolo launched ‘Q1000S’ A 5-inch Flagship Smartphone For 18,999 NR

Xolo today announced the launch of its new flagship smartphone XOLO Q1000S. The device is just 6.98 mm thick.

This slim device is powered by a 1.5 GHz Quad Core processor , it runs on Android 4.2 Jelly Bean and comes with a 1 GB of RAM. XOLO Q1000S sports a 13 MP rear camera with BSI 2 sensor. The company says, BSI 2 sensor is an improved version of BSI sensor and it results in better image quality, enhanced color reproduction and improved overall camera performance. The front camera is of 5 MP with BSI sensor. The 13 MP Camera is capable of recording Full HD 1080p videos and has the image stabilization technology. The camera is capable of taking high dynamic range (HDR) images and has scene detection & tuning, panorama capture and geo tagging. The camera can capture 99 shots with the burst shot mode, which seems great.

The Q1000s has a 5 inch HD IPS screen with OGS display technology and has a resolution of 1280×720 with 294 PPI. This device is equipped with a powerful 2500 mAh battery, the Q1000S delivers great music playback time of up to 53 hours (via internal speakers) and up to 34.6 hours (via wired headset). The Q1000s also has an internal memory of 16 GB.

Overall this device seems a good effort from Xolo, stay tuned for our review(Coming Soon). What do you think about this device ?

[toggle title=”Press Release “]XOLO launches Q1000S – It’s Slim, It’s Powerful.

6.98mm thin with 13MP camera and 1.5 GHz quad-core processor
Priced at Rs. 18,999.

August 24, 2013: XOLO, the premium smartphone brand, today announced the launch of its new flagship smartphone XOLO Q1000S. Yet another powerful device that is designed to impress, the new XOLO Q1000S is a beautiful looking device and stands high on flaunt value with just 6.98 mm thickness.

This slim and sleek device is powered by a 1.5 GHz Quad Core processor for a super smooth performance and great smartphone experience, it runs on Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. It comes with a 1 GB RAM to let customers run various applications simultaneously and smoothly to do more with this device.

XOLO Q1000S sports a 13 MP rear camera with BSI 2 sensor to capture crisp and sharp pictures even in low light. BSI 2 sensor is an improved version of BSI sensor and it results in better image quality, enhanced color reproduction and improved overall camera performance. The front camera is of 5 MP with BSI sensor for 3G video calling. The 13 MP Camera is capable of recording Full HD 1080p videos and can capture clear images even when the camera is shaking using the image stabilization technology. Other features of camera are scene detection & tuning, high dynamic range (HDR), low light enhancement, face recognition( for focusing as well as in gallery), panorama capture and geo tagging. It can capture up to 99 shots through its burst mode feature so that you don’t miss any moment.

This pencil like thin high-end device from XOLO packs 5 inch HD IPS screen with OGS display technology which makes colors more vibrant and touch-screen more responsive. It has a resolution of 1280×720 with 294 PPI for bright and crisp display.

Equipped with a powerful 2500 mAh battery, the Q1000S delivers great music experience for music lovers with music playback time up to 53 hours (via internal speakers) and up to 34.6 hours (via wired headset). It offers stand by time of up to 425 hours on 3G and up to 327 hours on 2G, talk time of up to 22.5 hours on 2G and up to 12.5 hours on 3G. It has an internal memory of 16 GB to store ample multimedia content.

To summarize, this classy looking device is made for today’s generation who wants the best of both worlds. Be it looks or performance, this device will not disappoint its customers.

The XOLO Q1000 will be available in the market at Rs. 18,999.

Key Specifications
5-inch HD IPS Display with OGS Technology
Android Jelly Bean (4.2)
1.5 GHz quad-core Processor
Full HD 1080p video playback
1 GB RAM
16 GB internal memory
13 MP rear camera with BSI 2 sensor
5 MP front camera with BSI sensor
2500 mAh battery

For more details on the brand, log on to www.xolo.in
[/toggle]

August 24, 2013
Polaris Launches RZR XP 900 ATV

Polaris is a recognized leader in the Powersports industry with annual 2012 sales of $3.2 billion. Polaris is famous for high quality off-road vehicles, including all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and the Polaris RANGER and RZR side-by-side vehicles, snowmobiles, motorcycles and on-road electric/hybrid powered vehicles.

On the occasion of completing two years in India, Polaris Industries Inc. launched the RZR XP 900 at the Ramoji Film City, Hyderabad.

The Anniversary marks two years since the launch of the Polaris brand in India and since then, Polaris, has emerged as a market leader in ATV segment and has witnessed a good response across all its products. Looking back at the past two years, we take pride in kick starting an off road revolution in India. Polaris has responded to market trends by offering its customers the best off-road experience while ensuring safety riding, regular parts supply and service support. The celebrations are an opportunity for us to thank our customers for their enthusiasm and acceptance of our product. We would also like to thank our business associates “Polaris Experience Zone” spread across the nation ,” said Pankaj Dubey, MD, Polaris India.

The Polaris RZR XP 900 engine is equipped with 88 HP, Dual OverHead Cams (DOHC), 4 large valves for high RPM power and 180 degree crank shaft for balanced performance. RZR XP 900 features the Polaris-exclusive Optimized Mass Design. The new Polaris RZR XP 900 is priced at INR 24,50,000/- (approx.) and will be available at all Polaris Dealerships across India.

Polaris India has 14 dealerships in India including the new ones in Lucknow and Uttar Pradesh. Polaris India started its operation in 24 August 2011. The company was recently awarded its first commercial order in India from Gujarat Police. The order was given by Gujarat Government for its model RZR S 800. In order to assist in relief efforts Polaris India donated five off road vehicles to Uttarakhand Government after the state was hit by floods recently.

[toggle title=”Press Release “]New Delhi / Hyderabad, 24th August, 2013: Polaris India Pvt Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Polaris Industries Inc., the world leader in off-road and All-Terrain vehicles today completed two years of its presence in the Indian market. On the occasion of its 2nd anniversary, Polaris launched the RZR XP 900 at the Ramoji Film City, Hyderabad.

The second anniversary celebration saw all the Polaris dealers, Polaris Riderz Stop and Polaris Experience Zone and team polaris coming together to join the celebration in the upcoming Polaris Experience Zone at Ramoji Film City.

“The Anniversary marks two years since the launch of the Polaris brand in India and since then, Polaris, has emerged as a market leader in ATV segment and has witnessed a good response across all its products. Looking back at the past two years, we take pride in kick starting an off road revolution in India. Polaris has responded to market trends by offering its customers the best off-road experience while ensuring safety riding, regular parts supply and service support. The celebrations are an opportunity for us to thank our customers for their enthusiasm and acceptance of our product. We would also like to thank our business associates “Polaris Experience Zone” spread across the nation ,” said Pankaj Dubey, MD, Polaris India.

Specifically built for an extreme performance Side x Side. The Polaris ProStar™ 900 engine features 88 HP, Dual OverHead Cams (DOHC), 4 large valves for high RPM power and 180 degree crank shaft for balanced performance. This delivers fast throttle response, ground breaking power and revolutionary acceleration. The innovative lightweight design features a helical cut final drive with optimized gear geometry to maximize efficiency.

Only RZR features the Polaris-exclusive Optimized Mass Design. The engine and other components are strategically placed to create the absolute lowest center of gravity, for the ultimate in razor-sharp performance. Hands down, RZR owns the desert, the dunes and any wide open space.

The new Polaris RZR XP 900 is priced at INR 24,50,000/- (approx.) and will be available at all Polaris Dealerships across India.

Polaris India increased its penetration through its dealership network in the country. With its recent dealership in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, the company has 14 dealerships across the country, since its inception. It has 16 Polaris experience zones to let people get an experience of off road driving. To reach to more people, Polaris India has also 10 Polaris Riderz Stop where people get to ride the vehicles and buy them.

Polaris India started its operation in 24 August 2011. Since then, it has encapsulated various milestones. The company was recently awarded its first commercial order in India from Gujarat Police. The order was given by Gujarat Government for its model RZR S 800. In a bid to assist in relief efforts Polaris India donated five off road vehicles to Uttarakhand Government after the state was hit by floods recently. Recently, honouring cricketer Bhuvneshwar Kumar for his successful record of consistent bowling in the recently concluded tri series between India, West Indies and Sri Lanka, Polaris felicitated the budding star with Polaris RZR S 800.

About Polaris India

Polaris India Pvt Ltd is established as a wholly owned subsidiary of Polaris Industries Inc. (USA). Polaris India Pvt Ltd. launched its flagship products including ATVs, Polaris Ranger RZR, Side X Side Vehicles and Snowmobiles in India on 24th August 2011. It has a wide network of 25 Polaris Outlets & 14 Experience Zones across the Nation. The Dealerships are state of the art & are equipped with workshop for service. Polaris India has a full-fledged warehouse & technical training centre with Spare parts in Delhi/ NCR.

About Polaris Industries Inc.
Polaris is a recognized leader in the Powersports industry with annual 2012 sales of $3.2 billion. Polaris designs, engineers, manufactures and markets innovative, high quality off-road vehicles, including all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and the Polaris RANGER® and RZR® side-by-side vehicles, snowmobiles, motorcycles and on-road electric/hybrid powered vehicles.

Polaris is among the global sales leaders for both snowmobiles and off-road vehicles and has established a presence in the heavyweight cruiser and touring motorcycle market with the Victory and Indian Motorcycle brands. Additionally, Polaris continues to invest in the global on-road small electric/hybrid powered vehicle industry with Global Electric Motorcars (GEM), Goupil Industries SA, and internally developed vehicles. Polaris enhances the riding experience with a complete line of Pure Polaris and KLIM branded apparel and Polaris accessories and parts.

Polaris Industries Inc. trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “PII”, and the Company is included in the S&P Mid-Cap 400 stock price index.

Information about the complete line of Polaris products, apparel and vehicle accessories are available from authorized Polaris dealers or anytime at www.polaris.com.

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August 24, 2013
Apple iWork For iCloud Beta Now Open For Everyone

Previously available only to Apple’s registered developers and and later on to some select users, Apple has today decided to open iWork for iCloud web apps to everyone ahead of its September 10 keynote.

This online version of the iWork suite offers Web-based versions of the three iWork apps—Pages, Numbers, andKeynote—enabling you to create and edit iWork documents stored in iCloud from almost any Web browser.

In addition to Pages, Keynote and Numbers, Apple of course offers other web-based applications via the iCloud interface, including Mail, Contacts, Calendar, Notes, Reminders and Find My iPhone, which was yesterday updated on the iOS side.

Apple first introduced iWork for iCloud during its annual Worldwide Developers Conference back in June, and sent invites to registered developers soon after before gradually adding non-developer users. The web services work on both Mac and Windows computers in various browsers with support for Chrome, Safari, and Internet Explorer, as well as mobile devices. iCloud itself also received an iOS 7-inspired makeover earlier this month on the beta site, although iWork for iCloud icons on the beta site have so far retained their iOS 6 look.

If you’ve got an Apple ID already, just head over to iCloud.com, sign in, and you’ll see the Web apps show up. If you don’t have one, you can sign up at Apple’s website, activate iCloud on an Apple device, and you’ll be good to go.

August 23, 2013
Sony Honami ‘Waterproof’ Smartphone Teased

Following yesterday’s teased Twitter image of the power button on the upcoming Xperia Z1 “Sony Honami” flagship, the latest tweet from Sony highlights the smartphone’s underwater capabilities.

Sharing a picture via Twitter, Sony had yesterday shown off the now-iconic power button from the side of its next device. The wording that Sony has chosen is rather playful too. “It’s the smartphone everyone’s been talking about”, reads the Tweet.

The second image is a bit more revealing because it shows the phone submerged in water alongside the claim that Sony’s new smartphone is “about to make a splash.”

Sony will unveil its newest smartphone in early September, and the device, codenamed Sony Honami, is rumoured to have a 5-inch 1080p display, a 2.2Ghz Snapdragon 800 processor, 2GB of RAM and a 20MP Exmor RS camera sensor with the company’s new G-Lens technology.

Sony has been a generation behind the competition in screen and camera quality, so it’s nice to see the company facing those issues head-on with this release. Though their smartphone division has grown tremendously in the past year, mainly on the strength of the Xperia Z and mid-range devices like the Xperia U, they are still far behind Samsung and LG in total sales.

Using the “Best of Sony” slogan, the Sony Honami should also provide users with water- and dust-proofing, along with an IR blaster for TV and stereo controls.

It remains to be seen whether the Sony Honami will be able to stand up against the flood of product announcements that are also expected to take place in the same event (IFA), such as the HTC One Max and the Samsung Galaxy Note III.

August 23, 2013
Xbox One At Gamescom 2013

Xbox One claims a new generation of gaming and entertainment and to push the boundaries of realism. With Xbox One, you can quickly jump from TV to movies to music to a game. Just with the sound of your voice says Microsoft.

Xbox One is said to be the perfect balance of power and performance. In addition to Xbox One’s architecture, the combination of its CPU, GPU and ESRAM is made to give users the best experience like having a supercomputer in your living room claims the company.

There’s been 50 games announced for the console so far, 23 of which will be available at launch. The other ones includes titles like Watch Dogs, Dead Rising 3, Battlefield 4, Call of Duty: Ghosts, Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, Killer Instinct and Ryse: Son of Rome.

Few more include games from Electronic Arts(EA), 2014 editions of Madden, NBA Live and FIFA. For starters, EA has confirmed that you’ll be able to carry over a season from current-generation consoles to next-generation and Microsoft has announced that all consoles pre-ordered in Europe will include a free copy of the game.

Xbox One consoles require the Kinect motion controller to be plugged in at all times. However, that’s not deterring the company’s plans to keep the Kinect a mandatory addition to any future console bundles.

“Xbox One is Kinect. They are not separate systems. An Xbox One has chips, it has memory, it has Blu-ray, it has Kinect, it has a controller. These are all part of the platform ecosystem,” Phil Harrison, a Microsoft corporate vice president said in response to a question on whether or not the Xbox One will ever be sold without the Kinect.

What will be your choice, the PlayStation 4 or the Xbox one ? Both are said to be available in the month of November.

August 23, 2013
All New ‘Asphalt 8 Airborne’ Now Available For Android And iOS Devices

Asphalt 8: Airborne, the newest addition to the popular racing game series has been released with universal compatibility for both Android and iOS devices. The game features a brand new engine and includes 47 selectable cars with 37 new cars making an appearance. The game also places an emphasis on verticality with ramps and air stunts, and contains nine different locations for tracks.

The game’s focus is arcade style, objective based races compared to more simulation oriented game such as Real Racing 3. Players earn awards based on a variety of objectives in-game such as narrowly missing cars, performing stunts mid-air or causing the opposition to wreck. While each of these eventually earn small amounts of currency at the conclusion of the race, the most important they earn nitro in-game.

This game is available for a price of 55 INR, which seems decent for a game like this and specially looking at the increasing price of USD(This game costs $0.99 in US). What is your take on this new game ?

August 23, 2013
When Facebook denied: Hacker Khalil Gets over $12k From Online Donors

Khalil the hacker who broke into Mark Zuckerberg’s Facebook Timeline to expose a security lapse will be awarded nearly $12,058(increasing amount) from a campaign started on GoFundMe. The campaign was started by Beyond Trust Chief Technology Officer Marc Maiffret, who is doing his best to make sure Shreateh doesn’t walk away from this experience empty-handed.

The campaign has raised $12,058 for Khalil Shreateh, of Palestine, who claims he was forced to hack into Zuckerberg’s page to bring attention to the security vulnerability because Facebook had ignored his earlier warnings.

The bug that Khalil found allowed him to post on the Timelines of people who weren’t his Facebook friends.

Khalil Shreateh found a vulnerability in Facebook.com and, due to miscommunication, was not awarded a bounty for his work,’ Maiffret wrote on the GoFundMe campaign page. ‘Let us all send a message to security researchers across the world and say that we appreciate the efforts they make for the good of everyone.’

According to the ‘Bug Bounty’ program that pays out at least $500 to hackers who bring software bugs to the company’s attention. But the company said Khalil would not qualify for a reward because he tested the bug against another user.

Joe Sullivan, Facebook’s Chief Security Officer, explained the company’s decision in a post online.

We will not change our practice of refusing to pay rewards to researchers who have tested vulnerabilities against real users,’ he wrote. ‘It is never acceptable to compromise the security or privacy of other people. In this case, the researcher could have sent a more detailed report (like the video he later published), and he could have used one of our test accounts to confirm the bug.’

But instead of thanking him and fixing the issue, Facebook said it wasn’t a bug.

‘My name is Khalil Shreateh. I finished school with B.A degree in Information Systems . I would like to report a bug in your main site (www.facebook.com) which i discovered it…The bug allow Facebook users to share links to other facebook users , I tested it on Sarah.Goodin wall and I got success post.’

“I hope this has raised awareness of the importance of independent researchers,” Maiffret said on the Indiegogo page. “I equally hope it has reminded other researchers that while working with technology companies can sometimes be frustrating, we can never forget the greater goal; to help the Internet community at large, just as that community has helped donate over ten thousand dollars to Khalil within a day.”

Here is a video made by the man himslef:

[youtube id=”F9J8U9ZpEnw” width=”100%” height=”300px”]

August 23, 2013
PlayStation 4 Ready For November Launch

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

The European date includes launches in Latin America, Australia and New Zealand, but no dates were given for South East Asia and Japan. The console will be supported by 15 disc-based titles at launch, including vibrant all-ages platformer “Knack” social racing game “DriveClub”, and futuristic shooter “Killzone: Shadow Fall”, as well non-exclusives by way of “Assassin’s Creed IV”, “Battlefield 4”, “Call of Duty: Ghosts”, “Just Dance 2014”, “Lego Marvel Super Heroes”, “Skylanders: Swap Fore” and more.

The Sony PlayStation 4 has many new and useful features. The new controller seems very different from the old one it has a built in speaker, and a headphone jack that helps to interact with friends who are online, the controller has a ‘share’ button which will allow you to share your game play videos on social networking sites and the new controller also has a touchpad, which allows the use of touch gestures in some of the games.

[youtube id=”player_embedded#t=3″ width=”100%” height=”300px”]

Sony has also created a PlayStation app by which an user can chat with friends and share the gameplay or some tips for playing the games this app will be available for both mobiles and tablets as per Sony. The new PlayRoom, that gives reality experiences on PS4 claims the company.

[youtube id=”vv5uI2vlXE8″ width=”100%” height=”300px”]

With all these new features, Sony is ready to launch the new PlayStation soon. What is your take on it ?

August 23, 2013
Single Developer Accounts For A Third Of 120,000 BlackBerry 10 Apps

Earlier this year BlackBerry CEO Thorsten Heins touted a much-improved 120,000 apps in the App World store. What he failed to mention was that one single developer accounts for far more than his fair share.

According to a Berryreview.com report, developer S4bb has an incredible 47,000-plus applications residing within the company’s understocked app portal..

While the quantity of apps in your store is something to brag about, the quality of apps is arguably more important. As AllThingsD reports, S4BB traffics in some pretty weak stuff, software that often fails to meet even the loosest definition of “app.” Among its offerings: Innumerable lock apps, repurposed city guides, audiobooks, and an array of content apps that seem to be built around RSS feeds from the White House, the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Weather Service and the CDC. And then there’s Mega Shaver, Mega Machine Gun and, inevitably, Mega Fart.

According to the company’s site, S4BB develops “applications for the mobile market like ebook readers, ebook readers bundled with ebooks, games, productivity applications, administration tools, wallpapers, videos optimized for mobile devices, mobile VoIP solutions, desktop applications for preparing data for your mobile device, multimedia mobile applications, applications combining famous web services with mobile platforms and even more interesting mobile products.”

BlackBerry has been offering $100 per approved app, while top notch offerings can scoop up to $10,000 for when they’re submitted to the app world. It appears one developer has figured out a way to take advantage that benefits neither BlackBerry, beyond the number boasts, or its users.

BlackBerry has issued a statement on the massive number of apps that one developer, S4BB, has in BlackBerry World. They note that BlackBerry World is an open market and developers do what they need to do to bring in revenue – which is true for any business – and that they’ve also built up the Built for BlackBerry program that makes distinctions between the abundance of apps by highlighting quality apps:

“Developers in all app stores employ a number of different monetization tactics. BlackBerry World is an open market for developers and we let market forces dictate the success or failure of these tactics. Discoverability in overcrowded stores continues to be an issue affecting all developers. This is why we have worked hand in hand with developers on the Built for BlackBerry program to help showcase apps and games that exemplify the power of BlackBerry 10.”

[Via, Via]

August 22, 2013
Ubuntu Edge Falls Short Of $32M Crowdfunding Target

Canonical’s Ubuntu Edge crowd-funded smartphone will remain a dream, having failed to hit its $32m funding target.

The Ubuntu Edge raised $12.8m ahead of today’s deadline on the Indiegogo site, less than half the figure stated necessary to fund production of 40,000 units when the campaign started on 23 July.

Shuttleworth insisted that despite the failure, carriers and handset makers are definitely interested in building handsets which will run the mobile Linux – but that they will not be the top-end “superphones” which the Edge project hoped to produce.

In a statement on the campaign page, Mark Shuttleworth and his Canonical team wrote:

“The big winner from this campaign is Ubuntu. While we passionately wanted to build the Ubuntu Edge to showcase Ubuntu on phones, the support and attention it received will still be a huge boost as other Ubuntu phones start to arrive in 2014. Thousands of you clearly want to own an Ubuntu phone and believe in our vision of convergence, and rest assured you won’t have much longer to wait.

“All of the support and publicity has continued to drive our discussions with some major manufacturers, and we have many of the world’s biggest mobile networks already signed up to the Ubuntu Carrier Advisory Group. They’ll have been watching this global discussion of Ubuntu and the need for innovation very closely indeed. Watch this space!”

The planned Ubuntu Edge would have a 4.5-inch 1,280 x 720 HD display with “pure sapphire crystal” touchscreen rather than glass. It would come with a 8MP rear and 2MP front camera, and run both the Ubuntu phone operating system, which launched in January 2013, and Google Android.

In return for a pledge of £446, backers would have received their own Ubuntu Edge smartphone in May 2014, after the device’s planned launch, and would also have had an opportunity to participate in the final selection of some of the materials and software capabilities.

A valiant effort nonetheless.

August 22, 2013
Oppo N1 To Feature Rear Touch Panel, Will Launch In September

What if manufacturers would come up with a control scheme that would allow users to easily and single-handedly control smartphones with 5+ inches screens? That would be perfect, right? We know that Samsung has been working on implementing such a control scheme through some software tweaks, LG was bold enough to move the power and volume rockers on the back of its upcoming flagship, and now it looks like Oppo will take it one step further.

The Oppo N1 rear touch panel is teased in a new ad promoting the camera-oriented smartphone. The teaser shows a photo of the bare back of a woman. In the middle, the double entendre “Don’t just touch the front, the back is also interesting…” appears. At the bottom of the teaser, are the words “N1 Rear Touch Panel. A brand new user experience.”

Not only does the Playstation Vita utilize a panel on the back, but we’ve even seen a Google patent related to the idea of using rear touch on mobile devices.

This camera-centric smartphone is set to release in late September (regions unconfirmed) and from what we’ve heard so far the Oppo N1 will have a lot to recommend it.

Oppo has been coming up with some very notable phones recently and obviously the focus of the N1 is on its camera capabilities. It’s expected that this camera phone will have a 12-megapixel rear camera with Xenon flash and that the new Owl technology will provide better quality images in Iow light conditions.

Stay tuned for more updates!

[Via]

August 22, 2013