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Sony Launches RX100 II in India for Rs. 42,990 (PR)

Sony has launched the RX100 MK II in India for a price of Rs. 42,990 while the RX 100 is still available upwards of the Rs. 32000 price mark. The RX100 was deemed the best portable point and shoot and the next revision the RX100 II adds to it by bringing some much needed features to the mix.

For starters there is a whole new hot shoe mount that even lets you add external audio inputs, a new 20.2 MP sensor, Wifi and NFC is also built into the camera. There is also full HD video at 24/25p and a tilting vari-angle 3 inch display which sadly has no touch inputs. For more details on the camera, read the press release below.

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[toggle title=”Press Release”]Sony launches Cyber-shot™ RX100 II in India featuring
1.0-type Exmor R™ CMOS sensor and NFC technology

• Enhances the hugely popular RX100 with great picture quality and convenient new features
• New 20.2 effective megapixel back-illuminated Exmor RTM 1.0-type CMOS sensor boosts sensitivity for better low-light images
• Wi-Fi and easy One-touch smartphone connection with NFC
• Add accessories with Multi Interface Shoe and Multi Terminal
• 3.0-type White Magic™ LCD tilts up or down
• Full HD 24p/25p movie for rich, cinematic video footage
• TRILUMINOS™ Colour for richer, more natural colours

New Delhi; 8thAugust 2013: With tremendous response from RX100, Sony India today launched its successor, Cyber-shot™ RX100 II, the first ever camera from Sony with NFC (Near Field Communication) Technology. The new Cyber-shot™ RX100 II from Sony puts even more shooting power in your pocket with added features like the NFC, Exmor R™ CMOS sensor and Multi Interface Shoe. Sleekly styled in strong, light aluminium, it’s a perfect travel partner for quality-conscious photographers who seek DSLR-style images from a pocket camera with generous control options.

Building on the superb picture quality of the multi-award winning RX100, the new camera now delivers even better results whether you’re shooting indoors or at dusk without a flash. The newly developed back-illuminated Exmor R™ 1.0-type CMOS sensor increases sensitivity while reducing picture noise in tricky low-light scenes. Combined with the exceptional f1.8 Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* lens, you’ll see the difference with exceptionally crisp, natural stills and Full HD video in any shooting situation – from parties to night-time landscapes.

Wi-Fi makes it easy to connect the camera wirelessly with your smartphone and transfer photos or videos for easy sharing. It’s also the first ever camera from Sony with NFC (Near Field Communication) technology, giving the extra convenience of One-touch connection with Android smartphones and tablets. There’s no set-up needed – simply touch your mobile device against the RX100 II and a wireless connection is made instantly. One-touch Remote even lets you trigger shutter release from your smartphone — great for group shots when you don’t want to be left out of the action.

The camera’s enthusiast appeal is further enhanced by a new Multi Interface Shoe and Multi Terminal. Expand your photographic capabilities by attaching optional accessories – including an electronic viewfinder, powerful external flash and stereo microphone – via the versatile Multi Interface Shoe. The Multi Terminal also allows the addition of other options such as a shutter-release remote controller.

The bright, detail-packed 3.0-type White Magic™ LCD now tilts up and down[1], giving greater freedom to compose shots in comfort. Hold the camera high up to reach over crowds, or get down low and see things from the perspective of pets and children.

Compatibility with TRILUMINOS™ Colour technology ensures even richer, more natural colour reproduction with the new generation of BRAVIA televisions featuring TRILUMINOS™ Display.

Full HD video modes are expanded with the addition of 24p/25p shooting for smooth, cinematic movies. Other refinements include a step zoom function that’s accessible via the camera’s customisation menu. Instantly choose from five popular focal lengths using the control ring – 28mm, 35mm, 50mm, 70mm or 100mm: it’s an intuitive alternative to zooming in and out when you’re in a hurry.

The PlayMemories Mobile app has been updated to enable the One-touch capabilities of the RX100 II, and also now features an enhanced user interface. It is available now for free from the Google Play store for all Android smartphones.

Introduced in June 2012, the Cyber-shot™ DSC-RX100 is world’s first compact fixed-lens camera with a 1.0-type 20.2 effective megapixel sensor.

The new Cyber-shot™ RX100 II digital compact camera from Sony will be available across all Sony Centers and major electronic stores across India from 8th August, 2013.

Model
MRP
Colour
Availability
DSC-RX100 II

Rs. 42,990

Black

8th August, 2013

About Sony India Pvt. Ltd.

Sony India is one of the most recognized consumer electronics brand in the country, with a reputation for new age technology, digital concepts and excellent after sales service. In India, Sony has its footprint across all major towns and cities in the country through a distribution network comprising of over 18,000 dealers and distributors, more than 300 exclusive Sony outlets and 25 branch locations. Sony India also has a strong service presence across the country with 356 service outlets. Manned by customer friendly and informed sales persons, Sony’s exclusive stores ‘Sony Center’ are fast becoming the most visible face of the company in India. A distinctive feature of Sony’s service is its highly motivated and well-trained staff that provides the kind of attentive and sensitive service that is rare today.

For more details, please visit:www.sony.co.in[/toggle]

August 9, 2013
HTC Mini Companion Device Coming To The UK With Added Functionality

With its tiny, low-resolution and non-touch-enabled screen with monochromatic icons, the HTC Mini could pass off as a feature phone. But HTC is not taking off in a new direction because the Mini is actually a phone add-on for your smartphone(accessory).

Introduced as an accessory for the HTC Butterfly earlier this year in China, It was assumed that the HTC Mini is meant to be able to do simple tasks like to make calls and check text messages, all without any need to take your smartphone out of your pocket. HTC calls it an “enhanced Bluetooth accessory” that can be used as a remote control while your smartphone is being charged or connected to a TV.

As per cnet asia the device is made of plastic with a brushed metal-like finish, the Mini is lightweight and just as sleek-looking. However, its plastic build doesn’t reflect the same premium and industrial feel of the One, but is more reminiscent of the Butterfly’s back cover.

HTC says this device can be connected to HTC devices with Bluetooth and NFC, the HTC Mini has remote capabilities, letting you take control of your smartphone from a distance of around 10m. For example, fire up the camera app on your HTC One and the Mini has the ability to capture photos remotely. This will be useful in reducing camera shake, in case you want to do a timed shot or timelapse video.

To view your photos and videos in the gallery, you can use presentation mode to move forward or backward. This presentation mode also works with Powerpoint slides in the pre-installed Office app

One would also be able to control the music with this device,Reject or Answer calls and if you have Sense TV set up on your One, you get basic volume and channel controls for your TV set.

In Singapore, the HTC Mini comes bundled with the One when you sign up for a two-year contract at some telecoms. It’s not sold separately as an accessory.

Now, if you think to use the Mini with non-HTC phones, you’re out of luck. While you would be able to pair it via Bluetooth, usage is limited to the headset function, so you will only be able to receive or reject calls. And since the HTC Mini doesn’t have a SIM card slot, it can’t work on its own.

[via]

August 9, 2013
Celkon Launches The Campus A63 In India For Rs. 4499

Celkon today launched the Campus A63 in India. It has been priced at INR 4,499 and will be available in the market beginning today.

The Campus A63 runs on Android 4.2 Jelly Bean operating system and is powered by a 1.2 GHz Dual Core processor with 256MB of RAM. The Campus A63 sports a 4-inch WVGA display with a resolution of 480×800 pixels.

The phone features a 3.2-megapixel rear camera and a front-facing camera. It runs on a 1,500 mAh battery and has a microSD card slot that supports 32GB of memory.

Apart from being a dual-SIM (GSM+GSM) supported smartphone like other domestic devices, it also supports a regular connectivity options like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS, but lack 3G support.

Celkon is also expected to launch more device in its Campus series in the coming weeks including the Campus A60, A20 and A10. Stay tuned for more details.

August 8, 2013
Sennheiser Launch Momentum On-Ear Headphones In India (PR)

Sennheiser has launched a new, smaller and lighter version of its Momentum on-ear headphones, sporting a new compact design and – for the first time – availability in a range of colours.

Both the ear pads and stainless steel headband are covered in Alcantara, which has the same texture and feel of suede leather. While equally plush and comfortable, this composite material is supposedly more durable and stain resistant, too.

Audio performance-wise, the Momentum boasts a wide 16Hz to 22kHz frequency response using a pair of large 32mm drivers. According to Sennheiser, this model has been tweaked with a slight bass emphasis and is capable of blocking out ambient noise. Another highlight is its low 18ohm impedance, making the Momentum easily compatible with most mobile devices, such as smartphones, tablets and notebooks.

Gunjan Srivastava, MD Sennheiser Electronics India Pvt Ltd said “The new Momentum On-Ear embodies an urban style, focused on the perfect amalgamation of high performance and the finest materials. This new range is perfect for those who demand the best audio experience without compromise on personal style.”

The new member of the Momentum family will cost Rs 14,990 and is available in blue, green, pink and ivory colour variations at selected retail outlets across the country. The product carries a worldwide warranty of two years.

[toggle title=”Press Release”]Sound meets fashion-
Sennheiser’s new MOMENTUM On-Ear

~ To be available in four vibrant colors ~

New Delhi, August 2013 – Music and fashion have a link that has existed for a really long time. Music is associated with fashion and different eras in history have witnessed fashion influenced by music of that era. German audio specialist, Sennheiser, have developed the new range of MOMENTUM On-Ear headphones which combine quality, substance and value. Equipped with high-quality audio technology and finished with the finest materials, the MOMENTUM On-Ear is the perfect blend of audio quality and sophisticated design. The MOMENTUM On-Ear are smaller, on-ear version that makes it possible to define your personal style with a range of contemporary colours.

The MOMENTUM On-Ear is a new addition to the MOMENTUM family, adding a dash of colour to the Sennheiser product range. The new range of headphones is available in four fresh shades- blue, green, pink and ivory. The distinct looks have been selected by an international team of designers and trend scouts.

Mr Gunjan Srivastava, MD Sennheiser Electronics India Pvt Ltd said “The new MOMENTUM On-Ear embodies an urban style, focused on the perfect amalgamation of high performance and the finest materials. This new range is perfect for those who demand the best audio experience without compromise on personal style.“

High-quality audio technology and the finest materials

The MOMENTUM On-Ear headphones stand out for their minimalist design, but also for the tangibly high quality of their materials and workmanship. The ear pads and headband have been finished in Alcantara®, a high-tech material produced in Italy. As a result of its unique combination of suppleness, durability and breathable comfort, this luxury material is valued by fashion designers and interior designers alike. As with all other models in the MOMENTUM family, the headband of the MOMENTUM On-Ear is made of stainless steel.

The sound of these headphones is also clear and uncompromising, creating a sound experience in which even the tiniest details can be heard. Equipped with high-end 18-ohm transducers, MOMENTUM On-Ear guarantees full stereo sound with a slight bass emphasis in a frequency range from 16 to 22,000 Hz. The closed, on-ear design of these headphones isolate the listener from external noise to ensure a great listening experience on the move – even in noisy urban environments.

Perfection in every detail
MOMENTUM On-Ear headphones feature a single-sided detachable cable with convenient in-line remote and microphone for Apple iDevices, for easy control of music playback and to make and receive calls on the go.
The new member of the MOMENTUM family is available across in the colours blue, green, pink and ivory at selected retailers across the country. The product is backed by a worldwide warranty of two years.
The Sennheiser e-store now lets you check out and buy these headphones anytime and from anywhere. Visit the e-store at http://shop.sennheiserindia.com

The Momentum On ear range is prized at: Rs 14,990

About Sennheiser Electronics India Private Limited

Sennheiser Electronics India Private Limited, established in February 2007, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sennheiser electronic GmbH & Co. KG / Germany. Sennheiser India, with its Head Office in Gurgaon and a branch office each in Mumbai and Bangalore, has three full-fledged service centres across all locations to provide the best service support for Sennheiser and its Group brands’ product range. Also part of the Sennheiser Group are Georg Neumann GmbH, Berlin (studio microphones and monitor loudspeakers), and the joint venture Sennheiser Communications A/S (headsets for PCs, offices and call centres).
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August 8, 2013
YouTube Founders Launch Mixbit, A Vine And Instagram Rival

Steve Chen and Chad Hurley, the two original founders of YouTube and current team behind San Mateo-based incubator AVOS, are in the process of launching MixBit, a new social video clip service.

Video recording and sharing seems to be a very competitive market at the moment. For longer videos YouTube and Vimeo are the key services. Shorter video captures are being catered for by Vine (6 second limit) and Instagram (15 second video).

Here’s how the Mixbit site itself puts it:

“The MixBit app and website helps people create videos together. The app lets you record, edit and publish videos as short as one second or as long as an hour—right from your mobile device. The MixBit site is also the first site that lets users collaborate with each other and remix videos uploaded by the community.”

MixBit is very similar to Vine in that you use an app to record a short video on your mobile device. However, the time limit for each video capture is 16 seconds rather than just 6, and MixBit goes a step further than that by introducing editing.

For example, once you’ve recorded a series of 16-second clips, you can then edit them and stitch them all together in any order you choose. You can also mix photos in with them. Up to 256 clips can be merged into one, resulting in a short home movie that lasts over an hour.

Once you have a video you’re happy with, you can share it with your friends and family via Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or the MixBit website. You can also choose whether your videos are public or private, so if you have a clip you only want to share with certain people, that’s not a problem.

What’s really interesting about MixBit is that even after your video has been finalized and uploaded, it still consists of a whole bunch of separate video clips and photos. So you can go back into it at any time and make further edits. You can even edit your videos in your web browser on the MixBit website.

[Via]

August 8, 2013
Where Have We Seen That Before? Facebook Testing Trending Topics Feature

Soon after introducing hashtags, Facebook confirmed that it’s now testing another Twitter-esque feature: trending topics.

“Today we started running a small test that displays topics trending on Facebook,” confirmed the social network. “It is currently only available to a small percentage of U.S. users who use Facebook’s mobile web site (m.facebook.com) and is still in very early stages of development.”

What those mobile users will see is a banner atop their News Feed that will highlight the people and subject matter that Facebook users are talking about the most. Tapping the banner will reveal what their friends are saying about the topic in addition to opinions and feedback from other users they don’t know.

Hopefully, when Facebook rolls out this feature across the site it’ll continue to base trends on newsworthy events being discussed within the community rather than the asinine nonsense users are currently subjected to within the trends section on Twitter.

Facebook has borrowed several features from Twitter over the years, including “@” mentions, verified accounts and the option to follow people.

No word has been given on a timeline for the testing or a full-scale rollout of the Trending Topics system.

Meanwhile, in other news, Facebook today confirmed its Graph Search indexing feature has now rolled out to all members using US English. The feature allows users to find people with similar interests, revisit photos they’ve liked, find recommendations and look for movies and music liked by their friends.

[Via]

August 8, 2013
78 Government Websites Under Hacking This Year (Till June)

A total of 78 government websites were hacked and 16,035 incidents related to spam, malware infection and system break-in were reported this year so far. Minister of State for Communications & IT Milind Deora said.

As per the information reported to and tracked by Indian Computer Response Team (CERT-In), a total number of 308, 371 and 78 government websites were hacked during the years 2011, 2012 and 2013 (up to June) respectively,” Deora said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.

The Minister said 16,035 security incidents related to scanning, spam, malware infection, denial of service and system break-in including that of government, Defence and public sector undertakings were reported up to June this year. The number of security breach incidents stood at 13,301 in 2011 and 22,060 in 2012, he added.

It has been observed that attackers are compromising computer systems located in different parts of the world and use masquerading techniques and hidden servers to hide the identity of actual system from which the attacks are being launched. It is difficult to attribute the origin of cyber attacks,” he added.

In order to detect and prevent cyber attacks, the government has taken various measures including release of a National Cyber Security Policy 2013, which addresses protection of information and infrastructure in cyber space and building capabilities to prevent cyber threats.

“All new government websites and applications are to be audited with respect to cyber security prior to their hosting,” Deora said. It has also been mandated that all government websites to be hosted on infrastructure of NIC, ERNET or any other secure infrastructure service provider in the country. The Information Technology Act, 2000 provides legal framework to address the issues connected with cyber attacks, Deora added.

[via]

August 8, 2013
Bill Gates : People Dying of Malaria Don’t Need Google Project Loon

Google recently unveiled Google Loon, which intends to use hot air balloons 49 feet wide stationed 12 miles above the planet, in order to provide high speed Internet services to regions without adequate broadband infrastructure. While most people around the world, whether they understood the concept or not, were impressed by the idea, Microsoft founder Bill Gates wasn’t.

The following is an excerpt from Gates’ interview published by Business Week :

One of Google’s convictions is that bringing Internet connectivity to less-developed countries can lead to all sorts of secondary benefits. It has a project to float broadband transmitters on balloons. Can bringing Internet access to parts of the world that don’t have it help solve problems?

“When you’re dying of malaria, I suppose you’ll look up and see that balloon, and I’m not sure how it’ll help you. When a kid gets diarrhea, no, there’s no website that relieves that. Certainly I’m a huge believer in the digital revolution. And connecting up primary-health-care centers, connecting up schools, those are good things. But no, those are not, for the really low-income countries, unless you directly say we’re going to do something about malaria.

Google started out saying they were going to do a broad set of things. They hired Larry Brilliant, and they got fantastic publicity. And then they shut it all down. Now they’re just doing their core thing. Fine. But the actors who just do their core thing are not going to uplift the poor.”

August 8, 2013
5 Essential Tips To Get A Happy Motor Bike

Maintaining a bike is an easy routine. But for most it can be kind of troublesome and tiring. Taking care of your bike is the key to a bike that will serve you well for years.

First of all change your engine oil or gear oil frequently as it lubricates your gears and engines, and also keeps your engine cool. Not changing the engine oil will cause further damage to the engine Which can’t be noticed early. The owner’s manual will specify how frequently the oil should be changed and this schedule should be followed.

Next is the spark plugs; it is the item which causes a spark which in turn will ignite the petrol. This should be changed as specified in the owner’s manual (or if a problem is suspected). It is critically important to use the correct spark plug grade and type. If the manual suggests an iridium plug then these can be worth the extra cost, lasting 16,000 kms or more. Considering that it can take several hours to access the spark plugs on many modern bikes this is money well spent.

Spark Plug

The chain which rotates the rear tire should be kept lubricated. If it’s kept lubricated, it should last for a very long time (50,000 kms is not unusual). If it’s not lubricated, it would be damaged due to excess heat and will wear. This cumulative wear on all the separate links makes the chain loose, and more likely to fall off the sprockets. This can be very dangerous indeed. The chain tightening procedure should be detailed in the owner’s manual, but bear in mind that too tight is a lot worse than too loose.

Also washing the bike is part of maintaining. Keeping it clean of dirt will not only make it look nice, it has its benefits and it’s the key to a bike which lasts long. It also makes it easier to notice missing or loose bolts and nuts.

Washing the bike.

Checking the tire treads every once a week is a good habit. You should change the tyres when you notice a change in the way the bike handles, or at the very latest when the tread is worn down to the wear bars. Under-inflated tyres will overheat and may fail. Over-inflated tyres will give less than optimal grip specially on Indian roads.

August 8, 2013

LG G2 vs LG Optimus G Pro vs Samsung Galaxy S4 vs HTC One | Flagships Compared

LG is in the lime light once again with its latest flagship smartphone, the G2. Powered by the mighty Snapdragon 800 chipset with four Krait 400 cores clocked at 2.3GHz, an Adreno 330 GPU and 2GB of RAM, the LG G2 simply blows the competition out of the box in terms of processing power.

The battle of the Flagship devices is always on, today we are going to compare the latest Flagship devices available or to be available in the market which are LG G2, LG Optimus G pro, Samsung Galaxy S4 and HTC one. All these devices are of different screen sizes which are 5.2″, 5.5″, 5″ and 4.7″ respectively. All of these devices have a full HD resolution, which can give an edge to HTC one for the ppi. We think most people would not notice difference between 424 ppi of the LG G2 and 469 ppi for the HTC one.

Let us compare all of these devices in detail below:

Device	LG G2	Galaxy S4	LG Optimus G Pro	HTC One
OS	Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean	Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean	Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean	Android (4.2.2, 4.1.2)
Display	5.2″ IPS LCD	5″ Super AMOLED HD	5.5″ IPS LCD	4.7″ Super LCD 3
Resolution	1920 x 1080 (424 ppi)	1920 x 1080 (441 ppi)	1920 x 1080 (401 ppi)	1920 x 1080 (469 ppi)
Dimensions	135.5mm x 70.9 mm x 8.9 mm	136.66 mm x 69.8 mm x 7.9 mm	150.2 mm x 76.1 mm x 9.4 mm	137.4mm x 68.2 mm x 9.3 mm
Weight	143 grams	130 grams	160 grams	143 grams
Chipset	Snapdragon 800	Exynos 5 Octa 5410/ Qualcomm CPU; varies by market.	Snapdragon 600	Snapdragon 600
Processor	Quad-core 2.3 GHz	1.6 GHz Quad + 1.2 GHz Quad / 1.9GHz quad-core,(Varies)	1.7 Ghz Quad core	1.7 Ghz Quad- core
GPU	Adreno 330	PowerVR SGX 544MP3	Adreno 320	Adreno 320
RAM	2 GB	2 GB	2 GB	2 GB
Storage	32 GB	16 GB	32 GB	32/64 GB
MicrosSD card slot	Yes	Yes	Yes	NO
Primary camera	13 MP Full HD @60fps	13 MP Full HD @30fps	13 MP Full HD @30fps	4 MP Ultra pixel Full HD @30fps
Front camera	2.1 MP	2 MP	2.1 MP	2 MP (HDR)
Battery	3000 mAh	2600 mAh	3140 mAh	2300 mAh
WiFi	Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n/ac, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, Wi-Fi hotspot	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n,ac, DLNA, Wi-Fi hotspot	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n,ac, dual-band, DLNA, Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi hotspot	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/ac/b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, Wi-Fi hotspot
Bluetooth	Yes, v4.0 LE with A2DP	Yes, v4.0 with A2DP, EDR	Yes	Yes, v4.0 with A2DP
Network	Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE Quad-band UMTS/HSPA Penta-band LTE support, LTE-Advanced	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 HSDPA 850 / 900 / 2100 HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700 / 1900 / 2100 LTE 800 / 1800 / 2600	GSM 850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz LTE 800 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2600 MHz	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 LTE (market dependent)
NFC	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Speakers	mono	mono	mono	Stereo
Availability	Expected this month	available	available	available
Price	TBA Exp. 45,000	39,500	35,000	40,000

It’s a matter of preference, but it’s hard to compete with the big guys. LG might not beat any of these in sales. The general consumer tends to go with the popular choices like Samsung and HTC. This does not mean that the LG G2 is not the best your money can buy. As far as India is concerned pricing may be the biggest factor. So which one would you take home ? you can leave your views in the comment section below.

August 8, 2013

Micromax : Nothing like getting arrested?

Two owners of the popular mobile phone company Micromax mobile have been arrested in a bribery case in New Delhi. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) caught the company bosses amidst a Rs 30 lakh bribe to the engineers of North Delhi Municipal Corporation for clearance to a banquet hall construction. Incidentally the whole scenario has nothing to do with the Micromax Mobile division, but since the owners were involved the company has come into dark waters.

The CBI on Wednesday arrested Rajesh Agrawal and Manish Tuli, both of Micromax Informatics, the officers also arrested two junior officials of the municipal corporation and carried out a total of 15 searches between MCD offices and Micromax owner residences and has recovered Rs 40 lakh in cash from the premises of one junior engineer Kapil Dev. Vikas Jain, co-founder and business director of Micromax, declined immediate comment on the matter. The Gurgaon-based company is the 12th largest mobile handset maker in the world, according to its website.

Micromax had recently launched the Micromax Canvas 4 and is ready to launch two new handsets in the next 45 days according to co-founder Vikas Jain. This will not affect the company’s operations in any form – said another spokesperson.

August 8, 2013
The All New Honda Accord 2014

Honda is all set to launch its new car in the market next year, the new Honda Accord would be launched in the Hybrid variant and the company claims this new Accord is packed with significant new technologies that separate it from the rest.

So the question is what kind of powertrain delivers such phenomenal numbers? The Honda is powered by a 2.0-liter, ultra-efficient Atkinson cycle four-cylinder engine with two electric motors. One electric motor is fixed to the back of the engine and serves as a generator to charge the battery pack on engine overrun. A second electric motor that powers the vehicle is fixed to the differential that transfers power to the front wheels, and can also recharge the pack under regenerative braking.

The new Accord’s engine is mated to a six-speed CVT fitted to a totally new Sport Hybrid intelligent Multi-Mode Drive (i-MMD) generating 141 hp and 122 lb-ft of torque. Meanwhile, the newly developed two-electric-motor setup produces 166 hp (more powerful than any other hybrid) and 226 lb-ft, giving the combined system a total output of 196 hp. And with the latest lithium-ion battery technology powering those front wheels, the Accord Hybrid jumps from 0-60-mph in about 7.5 seconds.

2014 Honda Accord all new Engine

Cockpit :D

The new Battery

Hybrid logo

2014 Honda Accord Front Interior

2014 Honda Accord Interior

2014 Honda Accord new tail lights

2014 Honda Accord Interior

2014 Honda Accord Front look

The new Hybrid Engine cover

When the Accord Plug-In is first released, it will only be available in New York and California. “Two motors, Three ways to drive” is what Honda says for this car and is unique continuously variable transmission allows the Accord Plug-In’s powertrain to shift seamlessly among three driving modes, utilizing power from the i-VTEC^® 4-cylinder engine and the electric motor.

EV Drive- An all-electric drive. EV Drive is active when you start from a stop, when you’re doing light cruising and acceleration, and when you’re braking. Starting from a stop stops the fuel supply, so Honda has kept the starts 100% electric.

Hybrid Drive- Electric and gas working together. Hybrid Drive is generally active when you’re accelerating and changing speeds regularly. The electric motor gets you going, and the gas engine gives you the burst you need on the road.

Engine Drive- Gas-powered cruising. A cruising vehicle’s gas engine consumes a lot less fuel than it does when starting or accelerating. That’s why highway mpg is generally higher than city mpg. So when you cruise, your gas engine cruises efficiently.

The suggested price for the new Honda Accord is said to be 39,780 USD, we’ll have to wait and see if and when this car comes to India.

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August 8, 2013
Android Occupies Nearly 80% of Smartphone Market, iOS 13%

Apple’s iOS is losing ground to Android when it comes to smartphone operating system market share, according to a new report from research firm IDC. Apple’s share of worldwide smartphone shipments dropped to 13.2% during the second quarter of 2013, while Android climbed to 79.3%.

The loss in market share is of course attributed to the lack of new product launches during the three month period, as was the case with IDC’s report on tablet market share earlier this week. But it’s also losing ground to both Android and Windows Phone, both of which increased market share and shipments year-over-year during Q2.

“The iOS decline in the second quarter aligns with the cyclicality of iPhone,” says Ramon Llamas, Research Manager with IDC’s Mobile Phone team. “Without a new product launch since the debut of the iPhone 5 nearly a year ago, Apple’s market share was vulnerable to product launches from the competition. But with a new iPhone and revamped iOS coming out later this year, Apple is well-positioned to re-capture market share.”

Available on a growing range of Nokia and HTC devices, Microsoft’s Windows Phone 8 operating system was launched late last year and has continued to make third place its own, while BlackBerry continues to fall. Windows comes in at 3.7% during the second quarter of 2013, up 77.6% from its 3.1% share during Q2 2012.

[Via]

August 7, 2013
LG G2 Announced : Snapdragon 800, 5.2-inch Full HD Display, Rear Volume Controls

LG announced the followup to the Optimus G today, bringing a brand new design, a massive specs sheet and rear volume controls that promise a refined, mature Android experience.

The LG G2 intends to approach smartphone design slightly differently, by being ensuring that all of the buttons are located on the rear of the device, which would mean this is the first smartphone in the market to lack any side buttons at all. The idea for a Rear Key concept arrived after LG noticed that users found it more difficult to access the side keys properly the larger a handset is.

A spacious, 5.2-inch IPS LCD display with an amazingly thin bezel graces the front of the LG G2. Its resolution of 1080 by 1920 pixels ensures that everything on it will look nice and sharp, especially knowing that a standard RGB sub-pixel arrangement has been implemented. The screen panel will be countering the sun’s rays with 450 nits of maximum brightness output.

This is the first device announced to carry a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor (with 2GB of RAM), which will have four Krait 400 cores clocked at 2.26Ghz and the company’s new Adreno 330 GPU clocked at 500Mhz. This SoC is a huge upgrade over the Snapdragon 600, and should allow for next-generation 3D gaming (when it arrives).

Storage on the general model is 32GB with a microSD card slot included for further expansion, while LG has opted to switch to nano-SIM for its latest handset, following a trend set by Apple and recently supported by Asus and Motorola.

The LG G2 has a 13-megapixel shooter at the back with Optical Image Stabilization and a front-facing 2.1-megapixel camera, a 3,000mAh battery and Android Jelly Bean 4.2.2 Jelly Bean right out of the box. The LG G2 will be the first commercially available handset with support for 24bit, 192kHz audio output.

Following the global launch event in New York City on August 7, the LG says the G2 will be rolled out globally in over 130 countries in the next eight weeks starting in South Korea followed by North America, Europe and other key markets. Specific dates for market availability will vary by region. No word on pricing for the Indian region yet!

LG also uploaded a bunch of LG G2 related videos on their YouTube account, which can be viewed below.

[youtube id=”6-5DrKdyM8c” width=”100%” height=”300px”]

[youtube id=”QdBpmfk56UQ” width=”100%” height=”300px”]

[youtube id=”zqmQ1A22nIQ” width=”100%” height=”300px”]

August 7, 2013
Blue HTC One Emerges In Leaked Press Shot

After being released initially in silver and subsequently in black and red in the UK, HTC is poised to add a blue variant to its One flagship.

According to evleaks, the HTC One will be made available in blue sometime in the future, though it’s uncertain for which market it is intended. With the launch of the Moto X and Nokia’s proliferating colour choice through its product lineup, OEMs are taking to less obvious colour schemes as a way to differentiate themselves.

It’s unlikely that India will see this variant, but we can always hope.

The HTC One was launched with a 4.7-inch screen, a quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, 32GB of internal memory, 4MP UltraPixel camera on the back, and front camera for making video calls.

HTC is busy promoting its next device, which is expected to be the One Max, on Twitter. The company posted a teaser video on Tuesday, suggesting something big is arriving.

The new video was tagged as ‘Big Things Ahead’ and showed a person with an HTC device (which we believe is the HTC One Max) that featured the same design as that of the HTC One.

[Via]

August 7, 2013