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TVR sold to UK Investor, Planning Comeback

According to a report by Top Gear, famous and defunct British automaker TVR is back from the dead. Former Russian owner Nikolai Smolenski had announced plans to use the company’s production facilities to start churning out wind turbines instead of sports cars. Thankfully, before such plans could materialise, Britisher Les Edgar swooped in and purchased TVR from Smolenski in its entirety. Smolenski bought TVR in 2004 for around 15 million pounds, but never got around to producing a vehicle under the brand’s name. Les Edgar won’t say exactly how much he paid for TVR due to non-disclosure agreements, but he has made it clear he has big plans for the brand, and that past mistakes will not be repeated.

You can’t let these great brands disappear or go abroad. The starting point was ‘let’s get it back’. There’s a huge amount of passion with the TVR brand. You’d be hard-pushed to find a British car brand that generates so much passion.

– Les Edgar

Edgar, a Surrey-based entrepreneur best known for developing video games also played a part in reintroducing Aston Martin to GT racing. Although Edgar could not confirm when we will see the next TVR and what it may look like, he is determined to maintain the brand’s heritage and make sure it stays true to its British roots. We hope for more information about the revival of the very charismatic automaker soon, keep checking this space for updates.

[Top Gear]

June 10, 2013
WWDC : OS X Mavericks Announced

At its WWDC event today, Apple announced the next edition of its Mac OS, the OS X Mavericks.

The previous edition, the Mountain Lion, launched last year, shipped 28 million copies. 35% of Mac users are using Mountain Lion. In comparison, 8% of Windows users are using Windows 8.

Craig Federighi, Senior Vice President Software Engineering, came on stage to talk about the OS X Mavericks : ” We want names that will carry us for the next ten years. The answer was really obvious. It’s those places that inspire us here in California. For our first California themed release, we went to OS X Mavericks.”

OS X Mavericks is released a with deep technology focus on extending battery life and responsiveness.

The first big feature of OS X Mavericks is the new tabs feature in the Finder – Safari-esque tabs that can drag content across tabs. Finder now goes full screen as well.

The next new feature is ‘Tags’ — As the name states, it brings tagging to the Mac. In addition to its location and name, you can tag a file. It’ll appear right in the Finder sidebar. You can tag things wherever they are. This is a really great feature for Power Searches.

Federighi then showcased the Multiple Displays feature – you can get your menus across multiple displays. Your dock is accessed across multiple displays and when you take an app full screen, it doesn’t mess with your desktop on the other display. If you have an AirPlay connected HDTV, it can act as a full-powered HD display with individual control spaces and Mission control on each display.

OS X Mavericks features Timer Coalescing: When you look at battery life, the real factor that software has the most influence over is CPU activity. “Intelligently align work reducing transitions between idle and work mode.” It reduces CPU utilization up to 72%.

New Safari

Clean new homepage in Safari, new sidebar, browser right from bookmarks, Reading List. It also features Shared Links: See links posted by people you’re following on Twitter or LinkedIn. It also features 60fps scrolling.

App Nap shuts off CPU work when a window is unseen in the background. If a window is covered, the CPU stops processing as much, saving battery life.

Calendar on the Mac has been redesigned with a flat redesign. “No virtual cows were harmed in the making of this UI. We’ll be adding that to our environmental checklist.”

Improvements to notifications: Can reply within notifications for emails and messages, can delete emails from notifications.

New Maps – Maps team has been making great improvements and Mac users are going to benefit. Fantastic new Maps app. Street maps, 3D, flyover data, POI, info cards, turn by turn directions.

“Mavericks makes your digital life follow you from device to device.” Remembers what page you’re reading, remembers your passwords across devices. Bookmark location and travel routes. Fantastic release full of some great features for power users.

Final release coming this fall.

More features coming up!

June 10, 2013
Apple Store Down: New Hardware Launches Imminent

The Apple Online Store is down, and this usually only happens – pre event – when Apple is about to launch some new hardware. While iOS 7 and Mac OS X updates are in tow, looks like new goodies also might be headed our way. With only just minutes for the Live event to begin. We just cant wait to see what is up Apple’s sleeve, a new iWatch perhaps?

[Apple Store]

June 10, 2013
2013 Fiat Linea T-Jet Launched at Rs. 7.6 Lakh

An updated Fiat Linea T-Jet has been launched at a base price of Rs 7.6 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). It is available in three trims; Active, Dynamic and Emotion. The base Active trim gets rain sensing wipers, ABS and EBD. The Dynamic trim gets twin airbags, automatic climate control and steering-mounted audio controls with Bluetooth, and the Emotion trim gets 16-inch alloys and leather seats, Disc brakes on all four wheels are standard throughout the range. The Emotion also has an extra 5mm ground clearance at 190mm.

The new Linea T-Jet is powered by the same engine as before, a 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol unit generating 112.4 bhp of power and 207Nm of torque, while returning a claimed fuel efficiency of 15.7 kmpl. The engine is mated to a five-speed manual gearbox. There are no changes to exterior or interior styling and it will be offered in five colour options; Oceanic Blue, Tuscan White, New Pearl White, Hip Hop Black & Minimal Grey.

We are optimistic about our prospect for growth in the Indian car market, which is rapidly becoming one of the major markets in the world. With the launch of 2013 Linea T-Jet, an expanding dealer network and upcoming marketing initiatives, we will be in a strong position to capitalise on this growth. With the differences in the prices of petrol and diesel neutralising, we are witnessing a rise in the consumption of petrol cars once again. The 2013 Linea T-Jet which is available in three variants Active, Dynamic and Emotion, offers a perfect blend of sophisticated style, guaranteed performance, class leading comfort, outstanding ride and handling with unbeatable toughness. The 2013 Linea T-Jet is sure to capitalise in the C plus segment, which is one of the fastest growing segments in the Indian car market.

– Nagesh Basavanhalli, President and Managing Director, Fiat Chrysler Operations India

The Fiat Linea T-Jet has the distinction of being the only turbocharged petrol mid-size sedan in India and competes in a crowded segment against the likes of the Maruti Suzuki SX-4, Hyundai Verna, Ford Fiesta, Volkswagen Vento, Skoda Rapid and the Honda City. The new Linea T-Jet will initially only be available for sale in the top eight metros, and detailed pricing is as follows:

Ex-showroom, Delhi:

Active: Rs 7.6 lakh
Dynamic: Rs 8.4 lakh
Emotion: Rs 8.8 lakh

Ex-showroom, Mumbai:

Active: Rs 7.87 lakh
Dynamic: Rs 8.73 lakh
Emotion: Rs 9.11 lakh

[Autocar India]

June 10, 2013
Leaked : Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 : 7.0 inch and 8.0 inch

Samsung has been pounding us with so many devices that look so identical to each other that it has almost become impossible to keep up. The Korean portability giant is expected to launch two new Galaxy Tabs for its third year cycle called the Galaxy Tab 3 7.0 and Galaxy Tab 3 8.0. While the design remains almost identical to recent launches by the company, the matte back with a golden brow finish may be a big welcome.

The leak on the 8.0 inch Galaxy Tab 3 shows a Samsung Galaxy S4 sort of UI, so expect HD display, and Android 4.2 where as the 7.0 could possibly be running 4.1 Jelly bean. No details on any of the hardware just as yet, but stay tuned for updates.

[@evleaks (1), (2)]

June 10, 2013
Apple WWDC iOS 7 and MAC OS 10.9 Event happens today : What to Expect

Its 2013, and what has been almost 6 years from the announcement of the original iPhone back in 2007, Apple will today announce a new version of iOS deemed “iOS 7”. WWDC or the Worldwide Developer Conference is Apple’s yearly conference with its developers to show off what the company has designed for the developers to make functional apps in the oncoming year.

Apple iOS 7

Apple’s prized possession; the mobile os to power their extremely popular portables, has led the company for over 5 years into undeniable success. This year around John Ive’ design philosophy takes over that of Scott Forstall, which makes the design exceptions of the iOS 7 a lot flatter vs the skeuomorph designs of Forstall.

Apple may also change their closed nature towards third party apps allowing them to be set as default apps (eg. presently default browser cannot be changed from Safari), this might make the experience of iOS 7 a lot more personal.

Apple removed all Google based apps from the default apps list on iOS, including Youtube and Maps to replace with their own, this time around we are hearing of partnerships with Yahoo to provide Flickr integration along with Tumbler posting, possibly directly from the notification panel, a spot presently secured by Facebook and Twitter.

There is a also a possibility of Apple integrating quick toggles in the Notification panel or even as direct apps, something that would be widely appreciated.

Apple has also signed a deal with Sony Music among other major music companies, enabling the possibility of “iRadio” a music streaming service directly from Apple. As “the Guardian” points out a mix of iRadio and Genius playlists would put Apple in the forefront of all competition simply because the Genius playlists would automatically play music like the music you already like listening to.

Mac OS X (10.9)

Apple will also announce the next version of Mac OS dubbed 10.9 and will also include a Lion in its commercial name, this iteration of the OS for their portables and desktop is expected to be midway between a tablet and a pc, allowing more direct availability of Apps.

Apple is also expect to update key features of the OS, including notification center and Siri Integration within the OS.

Other Expectations and Rumors

iWatch : Apple wearable control device which has been heavily rumored ever since Apple changed the design of the multitouch iPod Nano from the Square watch band friendly to a vertical more media player-esque design. Although a wearable Apple product sounds interesting, many previous editions have failed to grab market attention.

Apple TV: Apple has also been toying with the TV industry for years hinting at a piece of hardware that will revolutionize the Television industry. Whether this “Jesus TV” will ever be launched is unknown. But Apple will need to update its current gen Apple TV (box), so atleast a refresh of the 100 $ TV is expected.

App Ecosystem: Rumors have suggested in the past that Apple will launch a better App Store allowing more flexibility in a way a user buys an app. Possible examples could include renting of Apps and even trial periods as seen on Windows Phone.

While it is almost always impossible to know what Apple has up its sleeve, it is almost certain that no new iDevice hardware is expected to be launched at WWDC, no new iPhone, iPad or even iPOD is expected. But, with everything so well under wraps, the world might just be shocked as Tim Cook walks onto stage with a shiny new hardware, that may set to create yet another category in the buying space. We will get you all the details during the launch.

June 10, 2013
Samsung Galaxy Ace 3 Officially Launched

After its press shot leaked earlier today, Samsung has now officially launched the Samsung Galaxy Ace 3.

The Samsung Galaxy Ace 3 has a 4-inch WVGA LCD display with a middling 800 x 480p resolution, the Samsung Galaxy Ace 3 features an average array of innards wrapped within a design that arcs back to the Samsung Galaxy S3. Although marginally larger than the 3.8-inch Galaxy Ace 2, the new Samsung Galaxy Ace 3 screen features the same resolution as the past model, suggesting images will benefit from no improvement.

Lining up at 10mm thick and 119.5g in weight, the Samsung Galaxy Ace 3 spec sees Google’s latest Android 4.2 Jelly Bean OS alongside a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM and an 1800mAh Lithium-Ion battery.

The Samsung Galaxy Ace 3 camera is the same 5-megapixel rear-mounted offering from the Ace 2 alongside a VGA forward-facing snapper.

Set to be made available in 3G and 4G LTE forms, the Samsung Galaxy Ace 3 specs sheet is rounded off by the usual Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity options and 8GB of internal storage, expandable via microSD.

The device will also come pre-loaded with Samsung features and applications such as S Translator, S Travel, Smart Stay, S Voice, Easy Mode, Samsung Hub and Samsung ChatOn. In terms of sensors, the device will come with Accelerometer, Digital Compass, Proximity and AGPS connectivity.

Samsung hasn’t confirmed anything on date or price yet.

[toggle title=”Press Release”]Enjoy the New Mobile Essentials with Samsung GALAXY Ace 3

SEOUL, Korea – June 10, 2013 – Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., a leader in mobile technology and digital solutions, today announced a new addition to the popular GALAXY family with the Samsung GALAXY Ace 3, a smartphone that synthesizes a multitude of smart features to produce an enriched user experience suitable for everyday life.

Building on the success of the previous GALAXY Ace series, the GALAXY Ace 3 brings users powerful performance with a dual core processor built to perform data-intensive tasks faster and more efficiently than its predecessor. Powered by Android™ Jellybean 4.2, users will enjoy the larger 4.0 inch display for a brilliant viewing experience while playing games, watching movies, and enjoying the device’s many smart features. The 5-megapixel camera is equipped with multiple features, including Sound & Shot, Best Photo, and Buddy Photo Share to fuel users’ creativity and to allow easy sharing amongst friends.å

To provide a more intuitive user experience, the GALAXY Ace 3 comes equipped with several smart features, providing innovative tools that continue to make the GALAXY series successful in the market.

• ‘S Translator’: Gives instantaneous translations at any time
• ‘S Travel’: Provides guides and travel information for your next trip
• ‘Smart Stay’: Recognizes when a user is looking at the phone, and saves battery life when a user looks away by
dimming the screen and powering down using advanced facial recognition
• ‘S Voice’: Offers voice command functionality
• ‘Easy Mode’: Brings a simple and intuitive homescreen mode for streamlined access to your top functions

Depending on the market, the GALAXY Ace will be available in two different versions – 3G or LTE.[/toggle]

June 10, 2013
Gionee Gpad G2 Full Review

Build Quality And Design

The phone is aesthetically pleasing and looks quite similar to the Micromax Canvas Doodle from the front. A massive 5.3-inch qHD display dominates the front of the device with three touch capacitive buttons underneath it. The phone, as expected, is made up entirely of plastic, with a chrome-like bezel running around the side of the device. There is a volume rocker on the right side which offers decent tactile feedback.

The back panel has a glossy finish, and we feel that it might be prone to scratches. Other than the camera, there is a speaker grill on the bottom right corner of the back panel, and the Gionee logo in the middle. Though one thing to note is that the G2 is quite heavy and prolonged usage might become uncomfortable for some.

Overall the build quality is impressive and the Gionee Gpad G2 has a nice solid feel to it.

Specifications And Hardware

The Gionee GPad G2 is powered by 1.2GHz quad-core processor along with PowerVR SGX544 GPU. Internally, the phablet packs in a 1GB of RAM, 16GB of storage, which can be expanded by another 32GB via a microSD card.

It is a dual-SIM phablet, which supports GSM on both the SIMs. The other connectivity options include 3G, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 and aGPS.

The Gionee GPad G2 has an impressive 5.3 inch IPS display with qHD (540 x 960 pixel) resolution display which translates to 240ppi.

Display And Multimedia

The screen of the Gionee Gpad G2 is really impressive, viewing angles are decent and colour reproduction is vivid and deep. A 240 pixel density makes for fairly crisp text as well. While there are no complaints with things like video playback, reading text and watching movies, outdoor visibility is poor due to the highly reflective screen. That is one are where Gionee could have done better.

Gaming is wonderful on this phone! We were able to play games like Virtual Tennis and Dead Trigger without any issues, but we did encounter some choppiness and lag while playing The Dark Knight Rises (expected!).

[youtube id=”3IamEzuu1oc” width=”100%” height=”300px”]

Audio on the Gione Gpad G2 is loud. Very loud. While that may seem like a good thing, and it is to an extent, it leads to vibration of the phone on high volumes. This can be very irritating, especially while playing games which involve lots of sound effects.

The in-built browser is decent enough, with all the standard options available. There is a slight choppiness to its kinetic scrolling though.

Software And User Interface

The Gionee Gpad G2 runs on Android 4.1.2 with slight modifications to the User Interface. You have a themes option from where you can select the skin that is applied, including an “Android Theme”.

It has a few extra apps like Change, which enable single click change of themes and wallpapers.

Phone and Networks

The phone call capability of the Gionee Gpad G2 is good, networks are solid and Phone calls are stable. The dialler is the standard Android dialler, the one seen on Nexus devices.

Messaging is also a breeze thanks to the responsive touchscreen and the way keys are laid out. You can swap out the keyboard with some alternatives from the Android marketplace, we even tried swype and it works great.

Camera

The Gionee Gpad G2 comes with an 8 megapixel camera at the back with single LED flash with features like face detection, auto-focus etc.

Images though seem a little dull and grainy. Outdoor images come out really well, with nice focus and background blur in macro shots. Indoor and low light images are nothing special.

Video quality was decent, with nice continuous focus and occasional over-exposure our only concern.

Sample Shots :

Performance

Under the hood, the Gionee Gpad G2 runs on 1.2GHz quad-core MediaTek MT6589 processor along with PowerVR SGX544 GPU. While there were occasional lags while navigating through menus, the overall performance was quite satisfying.

One thing to note though that occasionally the screen went blank and a Blackberry style battery pull was required to make it work again. We hope that was just an issue with our device.

It scored an impressive 12,890 in AnTuTu and 3892 in Quadrant.

Conclusion

While everyone is sceptical when it comes to the quality of Chinese manufacturers, we were really pleased with the Gionee Gpad G2. It is fast, snappy and feature loaded. An average camera and occasional lagging are the only disadvantages of the device.

Overall, we would recommend the Gionee Gpad G2 to anybody who wants a feature loaded budget phablet with a nice screen.

June 10, 2013
With Sony Deal Done, Apple To Reveal iRadio At WWDC Today

Apple and Sony Music have reportedly inked a deal, moving Cupertino’s anticipated iRadio service another step forward.

According to All Things Digital — which cited a person familiar with the companies’ negotiations — this means Apple now has the support of all three major music labels, including Warner Music Group and Universal Music Group.

With the record companies on board, Apple plans to announce an advertising-supported service that will compete with Pandora Media for listeners. iRadio will allow users to build custom stations based on an artist or genre that draws on music from the company’s iTunes library. Apple’s agreement with Sony Music was reported by AllThingsD. Sony/ATV Music Publishing, a joint venture of Sony and the estate of Michael Jackson, signed its agreement with Apple, CEO Marty Bandier said in an interview.

The majors publishers had looked like they were going to be the holdout because Apple initially offered to pay them a rate of 4.1% of its advertising revenue, while the publishers had been withdrawing digital rights from the U.S. performance rights organizations BMI and ASCAP because they wanted higher rates. BMG, Sony/ATV, UMPG and Warner/Chappell executives had privately said they were seeking rates of 10%-15% of iRadio’s advertising revenue. But when Apple agreed to a 10% rate, Warner/Chappell last week signed the deal and now so has Sony/ATV.

Google also recently stepped into the streaming Internet radio market with All Access , which launched in May. The search company’s subscription music service is expected to debut on iOS devices in the coming weeks.

Apple is expected to reveal iRadio at WWDC which begins today.

[AllThingsD]

June 10, 2013
Rumour: Google Set To Ink US$1.3 Billion Deal For Waze Traffic App

Popular mapping-app Waze has been a hot commodity in the tech world recently, fetching offers from Facebook and Apple along the $1 billion range. But it appears Google won the bidding war, for a cool $1.3 billion, according to a report from Israeli media.

Haaretz newspaper said on its website that the two companies had agreed terms and were about to sign for a price “exceeding $1 billion”.

Business daily Globes said the purchase price was $1.3 billion. Neither report identified its sources. “We don’t comment on rumour and speculation,” a Google spokesman told AFP about the Israeli media reports.

Waze, whose mobile app solicits input from more than 40 million users to improve directions and display traffic and road-hazard details, would help Google add social features to its mapping tool, said Greg Sterling, an analyst at Opus Research.

Interestingly, Microsoft was reportedly an early investor in Waze back in 2009, helping the fledgling start-up with building capital. Microsoft (or Nokia and their HERE services) were not part of the latest round of negotiations, which means either they did not see the value in the company, had alternatives or were simply caught off guard.

Last year, Apple CEO Tim Cook issued a public apology for Apple Mapssoftware, which was followed by the announcement of an iOS version from Google of Google Maps.

In an interview with “AllThingsD” at D11 in May, Cook announced that Apple had not bid for Waze.

[T3, Haaretz]

June 10, 2013
Leaked : Samsung Galaxy Ace 3 Press Shot

Samsung has always had lower priced devices away from their flagship models and now a Galaxy Ace 3 image along with specs appear before any official reveal.

The Galaxy Ace 3 codenamed GT-S7270 will come in 2 versions with duo sim (GT-S7272) and without duo sim (GT-S7270). The Galaxy S Ace 3 features a 4.0” TFT display 480×800, 5 megapixel camera with LED flash, VGA resolution front camera, 1.0 GHz dual-core processor, 1 GB of RAM. 4 GB intern and up to 32 GB extern, Bluetooth 4.0, A-GPS, Wi-Fi, HSDPA 14.4 Mbps, HSUPA 5.76 Mbps and a battery of 1500 mAh.

According to leaked information will the dimension of the device be 121.2×62.7×9.79mm. There currently is no information about the weight. Samsung Galaxy Ace 3 will run on Android 4.1.2 or 4.2.2 and uses Samsung’s own touch-wiz Nature UX. (via SamMobile)

Rumors claim the price of the Galaxy Ace 3 should be around US$300 (~Rs 17,000/-), which would actually make it substantially more expensive than the current Ace 2, which runs for about 2/3 of that amount.

The device is said to be available sometime this summer and will come in three colors: Metallic Black, Pure White, and Wine Red.

Anyway, the Galaxy Ace 3 should be announced quite soon, as according to further leaked info, the Ace 3 should become available in July.

[SamMobile, GSMArena]

June 10, 2013
Nissan planning on Renault Duster spin-off called Terrano

It has been reported by Autocar India, that Nissan is going to flex its alliance with Renault to spin off a Duster of its own. Just as it did with the Sunny, Nissan will resurrect the Terrano nametag, a moniker once used for the Pathfinder when it was introduced way back in 1993 and discontinued in 2006. The new model will feature unique sheetmetal to give it a look similar to other Nissan SUVs. But the interior as well as the powertrain is expected to be the same, meaning there will be a range of gasoline and diesel four-cylinder engines with both manual and automatic gearboxes and front- or all-wheel drive. However, the Terrano is expected to be priced Rs. 50,000- Rs. 75,000 more than the Duster, unlike other Nissan models which are priced lower to their Renault counterparts.

This has to do with an agreement in the Renault-Nissan Alliance. When Renault badge engineers a Nissan car, the Renault version has to be priced higher than its Nissan donor and vice versa. This is why the Nissan Sunny is cheaper than its badge-engineered compatriot, the Renault Scala. In this case, since Nissan will be the one borrowing the Duster, the Terrano will be priced higher.

The car will come with a new bumper, tailgate, headlamps and tail-lights. The badge-engineered Terrano is expected to be launched by the end of this year.

[Autocar India]

June 9, 2013
Mercedes SLS AMG Electric Drive Breaks Nurburgring EV Lap Record

The Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Electric Drive set a new speed record for a production electric car at the Nurburgring.

The electron-drives Mercedes SLS AMG managed to get round the ‘Ring in seven minutes and 56.2 seconds, which also makes it the first EV to break the eight-minute barrier on the infamous German track.

Last year the R8 e-tron came close with a lap time of 8:09.099 minutes after Audi engineers raised the standard car’s speed limit from 124 mph (200 km/h) to 155 mph (250 km/h).

The four motors powering the SLS Electric Drive deliver thrust to all four wheels. That’s a good thing, since the powertrain serves up a mind-blowing 737 lb.-ft. of torque. Mercedes-Benz estimates the SLS Electric Drive needs less than 4.0 seconds to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph. Top speed is electronically-limited to 155 mph.

In addition to its brute force, the Mercedes SLS AMG Electric Drive also features a unique carbon fiber structure built around its battery system that helps improve overall stiffness and dynamics. Then there are the racing-style pushrod shocks and carbon ceramic brakes to harp on about, but the aspect that draws the most attention is the sophisticated torque vectoring system of the car developed using Formula One technology.

The Mercedes SLS AMG Coupé Electric Drive celebrates its sales launch in June 2013. The purchase price is approximately $550,737 USD. (Don’t count on us reviewing it.)

[Motor Authority, NYDailyNews]

June 9, 2013
After Samsung And HTC, Sony Set To Launch A Google Edition Xperia Z

The Sony Xperia Z is already a good smartphone, but the Android device’s interface may get even better thanks to a report that says a Google Nexus edition is on the way.

Sony and Google have teamed up to develop a Google Edition of the smartphone that Katrina Kaif loves to drop water on, according to anonymous Sony sources who spilled the goods to Android Geeks.

The “Google Edition” Sony Xperia Z should be sold in the U.S. through the Google Play Store later in the year, just like the two other Google Edition handsets. Being a “Nexus user experience” phone it’s very likely this new Xperia Z will benefit from speedier system updates.

Whether certain features will be compromised in the Google edition of the device is still unknown. Sony’s UI of the Xperia Z as it is close to the stock Vanilla experience. Perhaps the camera app that has certain additional features or Sony’s Bravia Engine that reduces noise in the display will be missing the Google edition. But these are certainly not something that most users would miss.

The Xperia Z comes with an impressive spec sheet. There’s a 5-inch 1080p display, a quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro CPU, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of storage, microSD expandability, a 13-megapixel Sony Exmor RS rear camera and IP57-rated water and dust-resistance credentials.

The Sony Xperia Z Google Nexus, if the report is accurate, will cost $599 in the Google Play Store after it is announced in July.

[Android Geeks]

June 9, 2013
Apple Puts Up ‘7’ And ‘X’ Banners Ahead Of WWDC

When Apple crossed over the 50 billion app download mark last month a press release hinted that they’ll show the world “new versions of iOS and OS X.” The much anticipated iOS 7 recently appeared in a GFXBench database and confirmed its presence.

Banners have been going up outside Moscone Center in San Francisco this week and the latest is a simplistic design showing the number 7, which basically confirms that we’ll see Apple finally unveil iOS 7. Other banners stated that WWDC is “where a whole new world is developing.”

Jony Ive, Apple’s SVP of Industrial Design, is the man behind the new foray into iOS 7. This has been rumoured to be “black, white, and flat all over.”

Image Courtesy : Apple Insider

Apple is rumored to announce upgraded MacBooks featuring Intel’s new Haswell processors at the event. More specifically, KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who has been reliable in predicting Apple’s product announcements, expects a slimmer 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro model with upgraded FaceTime camera, and a dual microphone MacBook Air, to be introduced.

Apple’s official WWDC 2013 app for iOS is already available. WWDC 2013 is scheduled to run from June 10 to 14, with a keynote slated to kick off the event on Monday. We’ll bring you all the details as WWDC 2013 unfolds.

[Apple Insider]

June 8, 2013