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XOLO Q600 Launched At Rs. 8,999 (PR)
After the launch of the XOLO Q1000, Q700 and Q800 smartphones, XOLO today announced the launch of the XOLO Q600. It is the fourth Quad-core smartphone announced by the brand under its Qcore series.
The XOLO Q600 packs in a 1.2 GHz Quad-core processor coupled with 512GB of RAM. It runs on Android 4.2 Jelly Bean and has a 4.5″ TFT display with a resolution of 854×480 (217 PPI). It also comes with 4 GB of internal storage.

The XOLO Q600 sports a 5 MP rear camera and a VGA front camera for 3G video calling. It comes with a powerful 2000 mAh battery which offers up to 333 hours of stand by time and up to 13.4 hours of talk time on 2G and up to 10 hours of talk time on 3G.

The Q600 comes with a PowerVR SGX544 GPU and has an Accelerometer.

Key Features

1.2 GHz Quad-Core Processor

4.5″ TFT Display

Android Jelly Bean 4.2

Dual SIM (3G+2G)

4 GB Internal Memory

External memory expandable up to 32 GB

5 MP rear camera

VGA front camera

2000 mAh battery

The XOLO Q600 is priced at Rs. 8,999.

[toggle title=”Press Release”]XOLO launches Q600 – The powerful smartphone powered by Quad core.

XOLO Q600 is priced at Rs. 8,999

July 2, 2013: After the successful launch of XOLO Q1000, Q700 and Q800, XOLO – the Premium Smartphone brand, today announced the launch of Q600. XOLO Q600 is the fourth Quad-core smartphone announced by the brand under its Qcore series. With this new launch XOLO with its promise of delivering something better and extra with every product, aims to provide a faster smartphone experience to its customers at an attractive price.

Q600 packs in a powerful 1.2 GHz Quad-core processor which offers Fast User Interface (UI) responsiveness, fast applications launches and smooth performance.

The XOLO Q600 runs on latest Android Jelly Bean v4.2. It comes packed with an exclusive app XOLO Secure – an Anti-theft app to protect your beloved device. XOLO Q600also comes preloaded with Swype keyborad to enable users to type faster in lesser time with unmatched ease of use and convenience.

It is equipped with a 4.5″ TFT display which supports 5 finger touch gesture. It has a resolution of 854×480 with 217 PPI. It comes with 4 GB of internal storage and 512 MB of RAM for a smoother smartphone experience.

The XOLO Q600 sports a 5 MP rear camera to capture vivid and sharp images and a VGA front camera for 3G video calling. It comes with a powerful 2000 mAh battery which offers up to 333 hours of stand by time and up to 13.4 hours of talk time on 2G and up to 10 hours of talk time on 3G.

The XOLO Q600 comes with a PowerVR SGX544 GPU and has an Accelerometer for a great gaming experience. This smartphone is available in a beautiful white color.

Key Features
1.2 GHz Quad-Core Processor
4.5″ TFT Display
Android Jelly Bean 4.2
Dual SIM (3G+2G)
4 GB Internal Memory
External memory expandable up to 32 GB
5 MP rear camera
VGA front camera
2000 mAh battery
The other phones in XOLO’s portfolio are X500, X900, X910, X1000, A500, A700, A800, A1000, B700, Q700, Q800 and Q1000.

For more details on the brand, log on to www.xolo.in[/toggle]
July 2, 2013
Microsoft’s Don Mattrick Named Zynga CEO

Fresh off leading the controversial announcement of the Xbox One, Microsoft executive Don Mattrick has jumped ship to become the new CEO of game publisher Zynga.

Zynga’s spectacular fall from grace over the past 18 months has finally toppled Mark Pincus as chief executive of the gaming company. Mattrick also takes a seat on the company’s board of directors, where he’ll work alongside founder Marc Pincus as he continues to serve in the roles of chairman of the board and chief product officer. Both positions take effect next Monday, July 8, 2013.

Mattrick had been at Microsoft leading the EAD division (which includes the Xbox) for six years. “I joined Zynga because I believe that Mark’s pioneering vision and mission to connect the world through games is just getting started,” he said. “Zynga is a great business that has yet to realize its full potential. I’m proud to partner with Mark to deliver high-quality, fun, social games wherever people want to play.”

“Don is unique in the game business,” Pincus said in a prepared statement. “He can execute in multiple domains – hardware, software and network, and he’s been the person responsible for game franchises like Need for Speed, FIFA, and The Sims. He’s one of the top executives in the overall entertainment business and he’s a great coach who has inspired people to do their best work and build strong, productive teams.”

Last month, Zynga laid off 18 percent of its workforce. The explosive popularity of games like FarmVille got it off to a great start, but it has struggled with attempting to transition from Facebook games to mobile platforms.

July 2, 2013
LG Optimus G Pro To Be Launched In India On Thurday

Korean technology giant LG is all set to launch its flagship device, the LG Optimus G Pro in India on Thursday. The version going on sale in India will be the 5.5-inch model, as opposed to the 5-incher released in Japan earlier in the year.

Seen as a Samsung Galaxy Note II competitor, the phablet was announced in February this year and was launched in major markets in April. However, there was no word on the Indian launch and looks like albeit a couple of months late, the phone will finally debut on Indian shores on Thursday.

The LG Optimus G Pro comes with Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean), a quad-core 1.7GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor, a 5.5-inch full-HD display, a 13-megapixel camera, 2GB RAM, 16GB of onboard storage, a microSD card slot as well as a removable battery.

The phone is available in two colours: Black and White and is lighter than Samsung Galaxy Note II at 172 grams. The battery of the LG Optimus G Pro leaves nothing to be desired at 3140 mAh.

What remains to be seen is whether LG will be aggressive with the pricing of the Lg Optimus G Pro, as a lower price tag will help it gain an upper hand over the Samsung Galaxy Note II.

You can watch our hands-on video below.

[youtube id=”B08JYEJDTj0″ width=”100%” height=”300px”]

July 2, 2013
Windows 8 Crosses 100,000 Apps Milestone

Microsoft has hit a pretty big milestone for Windows 8, with the Windows Store passing the 100,000 apps mark. It’s taken just over seven months for Microsoft to hit the big 100K after Windows 8 launched in late October last year, although the milestone didn’t quite happen quickly enough as it managed to miss Microsoft’s BUILD 2013 developer conference by roughly a week.

At the same time, Microsoft has also confirmed the development of some new exciting Metro apps, including a Facebook client that would allow users to access their profiles from the Modern UI. Flipboard and Rhapsody will also develop Windows 8 apps.

Even when compared against the iPad the feat is impressive. That device took 14 months to reach the mark, while the Mac app store still languishes on only 15,000 apps 30 months after its own launch.

Windows 8 has just passed the 5.1% share of the 1.3 billion PCs in use world-wide, according to NetApplications, which translates into more than 66 million PCs running Windows 8 at present, with at least 40% running a Metro app once per day. This is likely double the number of Windows Phones in use.

While Microsoft has hit the 100,000 app milestone, they still have a way to go to not only improve the quality of app offerings in the Windows Store, but also convince customers that Modern apps are worth downloading. Various analysts have been very critical of the app offerings in the Store, and consumers haven’t been convinced by Windows RT – which largely runs Windows Store apps – instead choosing to buy full Windows 8 tablets with desktop compatibility.

July 2, 2013
Russian Proton Rocket Explodes After Take Off (Video)

Russia launched their Proton rocket Tuesday morning local time, carrying three satellites for the GLONASS navigation system. However, liftoff from site 81/24 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome – which occurred at 02:38 UTC (08:38 local time) – ended seconds later, with a dramatic failure that resulted in a huge impact at the spaceport.

Video of the launch shows the 17-story rocket rising from its launch pad, then oscillating wildly and rolling as it pitched over and plunged back to Earth. The rocket burst into flames and began to break apart just before slamming into the ground and erupting into a colossal conflagration.

The entire flight appeared to last a half-minute.

Russian rockets do not carry self-destruct explosives like Western boosters, which prevented any attempt to destroy the wayward Proton before impact.

A Russian Federal Space Agency statement said an emergency committee being created would be headed by Deputy Head of Roscosmos Alexander Lopatin.

Standing 19-stories tall, the rocket weighed nearly 1.5 million pounds at launch, its first three stages loaded with unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine and nitrogen tetroxide propellants and the upper stage filled with kerosene and liquid oxygen.

According to Anatoly Zak at RussianSpaceWeb.com, “since the emergency cutoff of the first stage engines is blocked during the first 42 seconds of the flight to ensure that the rocket clears the launch complex, the vehicle continued flying with its propulsion system firing practically until the impact on the ground.”

[youtube id=”9jQ_tPm0J2E” width=”100%” height=”300px”]

July 2, 2013
Mahindra launches Centuro at Rs. 45,000

Mahindra 2-Wheelers has launched its Centuro commuter bike at a competitive price of Rs 45,000 (ex-showroom, Delhi). Closely following their Pantero, the Centuro is Mahindra’s next assault on the 110cc segment, a relatively more up-market bike. The Centuro brings a lot of features to the segment for the first time, as Mahindra hopes to attract the attention of the Indian two-wheeler buyer.

The Centuro uses the same engine as the one found mounted to the Mahindra Pantero, launched earlier this year. The unit is a single-cylinder, four-stroke, air-cooled engine having a displacement of 106.7cc, putting out a maximum power of 8.4bhp at 7500rpm and peak torque of 0.87kgm at 5500rpm. The engine is mated to a 4-speed gearbox.

The comprehensive instruments panel offers an analogue tachometer, digital speedometer, odometer, trip meter, clock, service-indicator, economy-mode indicator and a distance to empty read-out. The Centuro offers a flip-to-open 96 bit encrypted key, making it impossible to start using a duplicate key. This key also enables riders to flash their motorcycle headlight when they want to locate it in the dark. The helpful ‘follow-me’ function keeps the headlight illuminated a while after the ignition is switched-off to show its rider the way when it is dark.

The Centuro is held together by a twin downtube frame, using telescopic fork front suspension and adjustable shocks at the rear, bolted onto an old fashioned tubular steel swingarm. The motorcycle seats its rider in an upright riding position, as required by a city-commuter like this. The Centuro comes equipped with drum brakes.

Ten new two-wheelers will be launched by Mahindra over the next year. The first 10,000 Centuro bikes are being offered at an introductory price of Rs 44,000 (ex-showroom, Delhi). Even with its competitive pricing, the Centuro will face stiff competition by rival motorcycles including Hero’s Passion series, Bajaj’s Discover 100T and Honda’s new Dream Yuga.

Specifications

Engine

Fuel                                         Petrol

Installation                              106.7cc, single cylinder, air-cooled, four stroke

Power                                      8.4bhp at 7500rpm

Torque                                     0.87kgm at 5500rpm

Power to weight                      70bhp per tonne

Transmission

Gearbox                                  4-speed, 4-up

Dimensions

Length                                     2031mm

Width                                      735mm

Height                                     1111mm

Wheelbase                               1265mm

Ground clearance                    173mm

Chassis & Body

Weight                                    120kg

Wheels                                    5-spoke alloy

Tyres                                       2.75 x 18- 3.00 x 18 inches

Suspension

Front                                       Telescopic forks

Rear                                        Twin shocks, tubular swingarm

Brakes

Front                                       130mm drum

Rear                                        130mm drum

[Image source: The Hindu]

July 2, 2013
Sony C906 Honami Screenshots Leaked, Reveal New UI

Sony is going to release a new 5-inch flagship device in the coming months, a sequel to the Xperia Z. This smartphone, codenamed Honami, will reportedly come with a 5-inch 1080p display and a 20MP camera sensor capable of capturing video at 4K resolution, or 4000×2000 pixels. This insanely high video resolution is going to work synergistically with Sony’s big 4K TV push at the end of the year, but until then will mainly be little more than a sideshow act.

A system dump of the device has surfaced, which reveals some details about the hardware and showcase some of the new UI changes.

More impressive, however, is Sony’s subtle design improvements to its Android skin. Expected to ship with Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean, Honami takes what worked so well about earlier versions and tweaks the launcher and various first-party apps to look more uniform, attractive and minimalist.

One major addition to this newer software, which will probably trickle down to older devices when they are updated, is integration with Sony’s Music Unlimited streaming service in the main Music app.

Elements of the OS, like the keyboard, appear to have been spruced up as well, with new colour schemes and improved functionality. Sony’s integrated keyboard is already one of the best in the business, so it’s nice to see they’re still working on it.

Sony’s Small Apps, which overlay minimal HTML5-based utilities like a tiny web browser or camera lens, have been updated to allow more than one at a time.

Since the Xperia Z is only six months old, we likely won’t see Honami until later this year, but it’s shaping up to be a pretty fantastic device.

[Via]

July 2, 2013
Skype For Android Gets New Design

Skype has pushed out a major redesign of their Android app today – now looking very Metro, or what their design team is calling a “modern design.” Updated to version 4.0, the app was completely rebuilt and is ’faster and more reliable,’ aiming for improved stability, performance, and loading times. Key to this version is the focus on conversations and having the ability to quickly access your contacts and video calling.

Earlier versions of Skype for Android loaded a very simple screen at launch, with big buttons for Contacts, recent messages, a dialer, and your profile.

With Skype 4.0, you get more information right away by taking you straight to your Recent view. You can swipe to move to People or Favorite tabs, and you can tap a dialer button from any screen to launch a voice or video call. The new app has also reportedly been rebuilt “from the ground up” to be more responsive.

There’s no word on when this redesign will come to iOS, but as for future upgrades to Android, Skype stated that “This release is just the beginning. We have more updates in the coming months and year ahead to make Skype for Android even more reliable, reachable, and mobile-friendly.” Skype for Android tablets will see an update “just around the corner.”

Skype for Android has recently crossed the 100 million user milestone.

July 2, 2013
Datsun reveals sketches teasing first model

Reborn Datsun has revealed design sketches of its first model in 32 years which will make its world debut on July 15^th in New Delhi. The car will mark the return of the Nissan-owned Datsun brand after it was discontinued in 1986. The first new-generation Datsun model is a five-seater hatchback designed for growing economies like India, Russia, Indonesia and South Africa, targeted at an aspirational middle class that is fast embracing car ownership.

Internally known as the K2, the first Datsun model will be based on the Nissan Micra platform and will get its three-cylinder, 1.2-liter gasoline engine but with different tuning. Although no interior pics were provided, it is believed the gear lever and handbrake will be positioned on the center console to free space between the front seats.

In direct competition with the Hyundai i10 and Maruti Wagon R, the Datsun hatch is expected with a sticker price of around Rs. 3.2 lakh when it goes on sale in mid-2014.

July 2, 2013
Hero MotoCorp buys 49.2% stake in superbike company Erik Buell Racing

HMCL, A fully owned subsidiary of Hero MotoCorp in the USA, has scooped up 49.2% stake in the US-based superbike company Erik Buell Racing. The buyout has lightened Hero’s account balance by about US $25m (Rs. 148 crores).

Soon after parting ways with longstanding partner Honda, Hero MotoCorp announced a two-wheeler technology sharing agreement with Erik Buell Racing in February 2012. Hero has since been in the process of building up their own R&D base in India, with Erik Buell Racing on-board to help develop new age and cutting edge motorcycle technology to be applied to future Hero motorcycles and scooters.

The first bikes and scooters using EBR tech are still to launch here, but this buyout may help Hero’s case in pushing for new technology sooner than expected. While Hero has already pumped in US $15 million towards this buyout, transfer of the balance US $10 million amount will be completed over the next nine months, in the fiscal year 2013-14.

July 1, 2013
Sebastien Loeb obliterates course record at Pikes Peak

Sunday witnessed the 2013 edition of the iconic Pikes Peak International Hill Climb at Pikes Peak, Colorado, USA. All eyes were on Sebastien Loeb in the 875 bhp Peugeot 208 T16 Pikes Peak as he smashed the course record by an unbelievable 1 minute and 33 seconds. Loeb, previously known for winning the World Rally Championship nine times in a row (a record in its own right) completed the Pikes Peak climb in 8:13.878

The Frenchman mastered the legendary Colorado course, featuring 156 wrist-sapping bends winding up the 12-mile route towards the 14,000 feet high finish line. Loeb became the first driver to complete the famous and challenging course in less than nine minutes. The previous Pikes Peak record of 9:46.164 was set by Rhys Millen last year. This year around, Millen broke his own record by 44 seconds with a time of 9:02.192 in his Hyundai RMR PM580-T. Millen who finished second, was still a whole 49 seconds slower than Loeb.

Congratulations to the legendary Sebastien Loeb for this amazing feat. We can’t wait to see him in the World Touring Car Championship next year with his long time partner, Citroen.

You can watch Loeb’s run in the following video:

[youtube id=”6QKdnz8i14E” width=”100%” height=”300px”]

July 1, 2013
Report : Apple Applies For iWatch Trademark In Japan

As reported by Bloomberg, Apple recently applied for iWatch name ownership in Japan, a country where devices arrive in stream — and the filing reveals that Apple’s iWatch is categorized as “handheld computer or watch device.

The maker of iPhones is seeking protection for the name which is categorized as being for products including a handheld computer or watch device, according to a June 3 filing with the Japan Patent Office that was made public last week.

Apple has a team of about 100 product designers working on a wristwatch-like device that may perform some of the tasks now handled by the iPhone and iPad, two people familiar with the company’s plans said in February.

You may call it a “defensive move” against copycat manufacturers, but it also shows that Apple is looking to introduce its own wearable device to compete with the other big guns.

In May, speaking at an All Things Digital conference, Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook said the market for wearable computing is ripe for innovation, noting that the wrist was a natural place for such a device.

The Apple iWatch will likely include biometric sensors and applications such as mapping tools and ways to view information that comes via an iPhone or iPad.

As The Verge reports, the company has been known to trademark plausible names for future products, like 2009’s iSlate application, as well as ideas it’s more loosely tied to, such as 1988’s Knowledge Navigator.

Apple’s rivals are already offering their own version of smartwatch, including Sony, a maker of the Android-based devices.

July 1, 2013
Report : Nokia Set To Buyout Siemens’ Stake In Joint Venture

Finnish handset-maker Nokia Corp. is set to buy out German engineering giant Siemens 50 percent stake in the Nokia Siemens Network B.V. joint venture for about 1.7 billion euros or $2.2 billion, according to media reports on Sunday. The deal is expected to be officially announced as early as today.

Formed in 2006, Nokia Siemens Networks operates IPTV, WCDMA refarming, mobile TV, mobile backhaul and other “behind the scenes” technologies that power our mobile internets. The deal will help Nokia in the long run due to the profitable nature of the business, especially with some drastic cutbacks in recent years to help streamline their workforce. The business is also based in Espoo, Finland, meaning those jobs should be safe from a third-party purchaser.

Siemens has been looking for an exit strategy from this joint-venture for some time and had recently announced its intent to sell off its stake earlier this year.

The talks have taken on a certain degree of urgency, apparently, because April marks the deadline for a shareholder renewal of the NSN deal.

The reported acquisition of the stake will provide Nokia full control of a company that has been improving profitability since its restructuring began. It will also provide Nokia with an additional revenue stream amid the waning demand for its mobile handsets that saw it reporting the lowest quarterly revenues in the past 13 years.

July 1, 2013
Sony Xperia ZR Unboxing

The Sony Xperia ZR is a small brother of the Xperia Z with a major differences in design and hardware. The one thing that remains common is the water resistance and dust proof nature of the phone.

Inside the box of the Xperia ZR you will get the standard set of accessories, including a wall charger, the USB to micro USB cable and in ear headset along with documentation.

Xperia ZR Initial Impressions

The Xperia ZR is water resistant to the point where you can go swimming with it, but the build is slightly different than the Xperia Z. The back panel is made up of a rubber coating vs a glass back on the Xperia Z. The Xperia ZR has a 4.55 inch 1280 x 720p display which makes it 323 ppi .

The back of the Xperia ZR has a 13 MP camera, but it appears that the company held back with the front camera which is a VGA camera. The phone is also slightly thicker at 10.5 mm and also shorter thanks to the size of the display, which makes the overall device more compact and slightly more portable.

Sony has really gained popularity with its Xperia series thanks to the right mix of Hardware design and build quality and the Xperia ZR is not behind in this trend. Based on a Qualcomm Snapdragon APQ8064 1.5 GHz Quad core Krait chipset the phone also has the might Adreno 320 GPU. The whole mix is powered by a 2300 mAh battery and has 8 GB of storage along with 2GB of RAM.

You do have storage expandability in the Xperia ZR but only to 32GB vs the 64GB offered by many. Sony has also shipped this handset with Android 4.1.2 while many companies are now offering Android 4.2.2 out of the box.

Check out our images and video and stay tuned for the followup, iGyaan style.

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June 30, 2013
Next-gen Honda Jazz pictures leaked, due in 2014

Press shots of the next generation of the Honda Jazz, also called the Fit in some markets have been leaked in a magazine, as reported by Indian Autos Blog. It’s kind of hard to tell the car’s proportions because of the way the magazine was scanned, but it gives us a pretty decent idea of what the next car might look like.

As is typical of Hondas in recent years, the new Jazz is expected to grow in both length and trunk size. Here’s what Indian Autos Blog had to say:

Under the hood, for Indian and European markets, Honda’s recently launched Earth Dreams diesel engine comes into play. For Europe the 1.6-liter i-DTEC will fill the engine bay while for India, the well-localized 1.5-liter variation would come in as the trump card. The car will get 1.2-liter and 1.4-liter engines in other markets. The former, used on the Brio and Amaze, should complete the engine range here.

At the tape, the 2014 Honda Jazz is 3,960mm long, about 60mm longer than the current car. The wheelbase is 8cm longer to stretch an already spacious cabin. The boot volume would enlarge to 400 liters. With every passing attempt, Honda has set the bar higher in interior packaging efficiency. Honda’s “Magic Seats” technology that diversifies seating combinations (in 180 ways to be exact) is not going to miss out either.

The new Honda Jazz will come with design upgrades both outside and inside. The leaked press shots suggest that the vehicle gets a wider grille and elongated headlamps. The front fascia of the new Jazz has a much more aggressive bumper than the current model with larger air dams. The rear too features a new tail-lamp clusters, which gets a vertical assembly, rising up to the C-Pillar from the bumper. Only one picture of the interiors was shot that of the instrument console.

The next-gen Honda Jazz will be previewed at the Tokyo Motor Show in November.

[Indian Autos Blog]

June 29, 2013