Blog

Samsung To Launch Galaxy Mega 5.8 and 6.3 Tomorrow in India – Get the Juicy updates

Samsung is all set to launch the Galaxy Mega in India tomorrow for an expected price of Rs. 27,999/- and 29,999/- as an MRP of the product’s two variants. The Handset which has gained quite some hype in India is expected to beat sales of the Galaxy Grand, and also be the next hot category for the company.

The Galaxy Mega comes in two variants one with a 5.8 inch screen and one with a 6.3 inch screen, although both may not be launched tomorrow there is a high possibility that they will be shown off.

Specifications on these devices consist of Dual core processors, and an unusual 1.5 GB of RAM for the handsets. The 5.8 inch version has a QHD display 190 ppi density, whereas the 6.3 inch will come with a 1280 x720 p display with a 233 ppi density.

The Galaxy Mega 6.3 sports a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor clocked at 1.7 GHz whereas the Galaxy Mega 5.8 comes with a Broadcom chipset similar to the one found in the Grand. Other inclusions have the 8 megapixel cameras with 1080p video on both phones and a front facing 1.9 MP camera. Both Galaxy Mega 5.8 and 6.3 come with 8 GB of inbuilt storage and 64 GB expandability via microSD.

The Galaxy Mega 6.3 sports a 3500 mAh battery whereas the Galaxy Mega 5.8 will come with a 2600mAh battery. While these specs are from the global variants of the handsets the Indian variants of the handsets could have slightly different specifications.

May 27, 2013
HTC One + with Bigger Screen Scheduled for Release

HTC recently assured their spot on the Android maps with the HTC One, but the Taiwanese company’s passion for large displays will die hard, as proves the company’s new attempt to make the HTC One +. With major failures like the the HD 7 the Sensation XL, the company has seemingly revamped its strategy and will now launch a HTC One +. This big brother will be identical to the HTC One but will come with a larger display supposedly between the 5-6 inch mark, according to Pocket-lint.

An Independent iGyaan Source within HTC has confirmed that;

HTC does not have any major new devices for launch this year. The HTC One will remain the flagship just as the HTC One X did last year.

The HTC One + then seems likely, since the company is planning a strategy similar to last year, where the HTC One X + simply replaced the HTC One X and added few elements. The HTC One + will add a bigger screen and an 8 UltraPixel camera. The big HTC One + has been codenamed the M10 and is expected to be announced in the July-August time period.

HTC has also been in the news recently because of their management shuffle, and also for another device Codename M4 (which HTC denied outright), which supposedly will have a 4.3 inch display and a lesser spec’d hardware lineup.

[via]

May 27, 2013
Micromax A111 Canvas Doodle Review

Micromax attempts yet another handset in the Indian Market with the new A111 Canvas Doodle, trying to grab the attention of budget seekers. The Quad Core smartphone is Micromax’s take on making a budget Note series smartphone. But, does the Micromax A111 Canvas Doodle fulfill that promise? lets find out.

Build Quality, Hardware and Design

The Micromax A111 Canvas Doodle isn’t exceptionally well built, but has just the right mix of elements that make it a fairly durable phone. The plastics and the back panel are solid and do not have any rattle in them what so ever. The included flip cover is a poorly made cover and will not last the users a long time, the fact that the white colored faux-leather material is not coated also makes it a dirt and grime magnet. However, it does do its job of protecting the front screen of the Micromax A111 Canvas Doodle, which thankfully takes a different design approach from the previous Canvas series smartphones.

The insides are laced with a thick layer of Qualcomm grease, in other words a Qualcomm MSM8225Q Snapdragon chipset runs the Canvas Doodle. The RAM is kept at a lowly 512 MB, and storage a mere 4 GB. The good thing however, is that the phone when provided with a class 10 microSD card, converts that into the main storage. This truly expands the capability of the device and makes Micromax’s Canvas series highly desirable (at least the new units). The front of the phone has a large 5.3 inch 480 x 854 px display which will not win any points in the resolution department, but is surely a large display.

Cameras on the Micromax A111 Canvas Doodle include an 8 MP main shooter and a 2 MP secondary shooter. Both of which are fairly good in their respective capabilities. You will also get video calls over 3G from the front facing camera.

The Micromax A111 Canvas Doodle take a design leap in a new direction, making the phone a lot more squarish and flatter vs the wobbly and curved design of the previous generation of Micromax Canvas phones. The bold new logo on the back, although appreciated by some, is almost like an eyesore on a fairly well finished smart phone, which constantly reminds you that you own a “punch” flavored smart phone.

[youtube id=”JBo949WJJ3U” width=”100%” height=”300px”]

The Doodle of Jelly Beans

(OS and Usage)

“Doodle”! Honestly, a year ago if a phone with this name would have appeared in the market, it would have been ridiculed to death. But the market is different today, and we have heard of anything from “dream” to “titanium” to “grand” and even “iris” so nobody really cares if their smart phone is called Doodle. Now, coming to the point, the Micromax A111 Canvas Doodle was named such due to the inclusion of the stylus and the overall appeal of the smartphone as a pen input device. Unfortunately, the Micromax A111 Canvas Doodle comes no where near that, the included stylus is the most horrible stylus you can get for a phone, it is too small to hold, does not extend, and worst of all; does not work properly on the Micromax A111 Canvas Doodle.

Fortunately for Micromax, they do get redeeming points because, the freebies aside, the phone is quite a capable handset. With dual sim and the storage extended the phone manages to run smoothly and will not crash in daily chores. The internet experience is pleasing and the overall usage of the phone will not be a let down.

If you are seriously considering this device for the included stylus and drawing capabilities, investing in a tablet and a Rs. 1000 stylus will get you more than the Jelly Bean Doodle. The Micromax A111 Canvas Doodle is quite capable in other aspects and due to a firly common resolution will support most of the apps from the Google Play store, including high end games, which we tested in the gaming video. See below.

Multimedia, Camera and Gaming

[pullquote_left]The oodles of the Doodle! [/pullquote_left]We have understood, mostly from our readers, that the maximum number of sales happening in these so called “budget phablets” are happening with the youth or the younger crowd. The usage of the phone survives around social media, networking, Multimedia consumption and creation along with leisure activities that include some gaming. The Micromax A111 Canvas Doodle seems to be a good balance in all, while not being premier in either.

Due to the nature of the Android Eco System, the Micromax A111 Canvas Doodle is capable of all forms of social media and networking. You have apps for Facebook, Pinterest, Flipboard (subscribe to iGyaan on Flipboard ) and Instagram, just to name a few. You have all forms of other apps that let you interact between networks and socialize over multiple platforms. The internet experience is good too, the Micromax A111 Canvas Doodle has WiFi and 3G access allowing you to connect to high speed internet (if present) and access all forms of networks. The internet browser is fairly smooth and capable, while many a replacement are available in the Android Google Play store, to improve the online experience.

The Camera on the Micromax A111 Canvas Doodle is an 8 MP autofocus camera capable of capturing good pictures provided light is ample, a little into the darkness and the distortion in the images is clear. See some samples below. The front camera is also quite handy for clicking self portraits for that new Facebook profile picture or even group party shots. Since the Camera app is not custom designed, it will be better if you opt in for a premium app from the Play store.

Sample Images

Gaming on the Canvas Doodle was surprisingly good, it played all forms of games from tennis to NOVA 3 and handled them quite capably. Most high end games will run with reduced graphics, but will play smoothly enough to be able to enjoy the gameplay.

[youtube id=”aZPl-BX6e1g” width=”100%” height=”300px”]

Gaming Video

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

Phone, Networks and Battery

The networks and phone call capability on the Micromax A111 Canvas Doodle is excellent, with little or no network issues, and great connectivity throughout, you will have no complaints with the phone. The dual sim is still standby, so if you are connected on one, the other remains off or out of reach. We also have issue with only one slot being 3G, its high time that companies start adapting the Samsung approach and making phones that let you switch 3G internally vs a sim slot capable of 3G and another for 2G.

The battery is good for one day with average usage, but if you are a heavy user expect to charge it twice.

[tabgroup]

[tab title=”Battery Life with 3G ON” icon=”icon-headphones”]Talk time : 5 Hours
Standby : 48 Hours
Gaming : 3.5 Hours
Online : 6 hours
Music 8 hours[/tab]

[tab title=”Battery Life with 3G OFF” icon=”icon-headphones”]Talk time : 6 Hours
Standby : 54 Hours
Gaming : 3.5 Hours
Online : 6 hours (wi-fi)
Music 8.5 hours[/tab]

[/tabgroup]

Conclusion

The Micromax A111 Canvas Doodle offers you up with a capability of being a Note-worth competitor, while failing miserably at that, it by itself is quite a satisfying product. A well balanced phone with a new design and decent hardware on the inside. It balances between all the tasks you could expect from a phone while leaving out performance from any. If you are opting in for a well balanced device, the Micromax A111 Canvas Doodle will not disappoint, But, of you are looking for a single important feature, be it pure gaming, Online capabilities or even a great camera, The Micromax Canvas Doodle is not the phone you want to get.

Video Review

(Pending)

[button_2 color=”#71889c” size=”button-med” icon=”icon-shopping-cart” float=”left” text=”Buy Now” link=”http://gizmolution.com/Details.aspx?ID=726″ id=”doodle”]

May 26, 2013
Rumour : HTC One “Google Edition” With Stock Android To Be Released Next Month

Despite denying its existence, rumours persist of an HTC One “Google Edition”. During the Google I/O keynote address earlier this month, Google announced it was partnering with Samsung to bring a Galaxy S4 to Google Play that runs vanilla Android. While that particular device will only be available in the United States, it stoked the rumours that other manufacturers such as HTC would be getting in on the “almost-Nexus” game.

During the keynote, one of HTC’s PR mavens intimated that there would be a similar model of the One released with stock Android, presumably a newer version than is currently running on the device. But official channels quashed the rumour, leading to a short cessation of any talk.

In recent days, though, several sites including Geek.com and Android Central have independently confirmed that such a device does exist, and will be announced in the coming weeks.

The news comes from Geek.com’s Russell Holly, who claims that “multiple sources” are saying that HTC has plans to launch a stripped-down version of its flagship handset.

This comes after a string of negative press, including several executives leaving the company, news of relatively underwhelming sales of the One, and indications that its Facebook phone, the First, has been unceremoniously discontinued.

It’s likely that HTC is going ahead with the project after seeing the positive reaction to the stock Galaxy S4, aware that there is a global market for devices running unblemished Android and, perhaps more importantly, ones that receive updates directly from Google.

One thing to keep in mind about an HTC One “Google Edition” is that it will unlikely be sold in India. The same thing is true of the HTC One Developer Edition and the upcoming Play Store Galaxy S4, so you’re going to need a source in the United States to obtain one.

While the HTC One has been well received critically and by the public, sales have still lagged significantly behind those of rivals Samsung and Apple.

The company was also forced to admit it would be postponing the launch of the HTC First in the UK. It blamed poor customer feedback in the US for the move.

If HTC does release a One running stock Android, would you buy one?

[Geek, Android Central, Mobile Syrup]

May 25, 2013
Blackberry Playbook Set To Receive Blackberry 10 Update?

A Blackberry PlayBook user asked via Twitter whether BlackBerry 10 (BB10) would be coming to the beleaguered tablet and he received a response directly from the official BlackBerry Mexico Twitter account.

The response read :@carlos_wmg Hello. In the next few weeks will be available OS10 update w/ the #PlayBook ! Please be alert!”

Back in January, various blogs online reported some comments from Blackberry’s CEO that claimed the new BlackBerry 10 software would be coming to PlayBook.

Rumours pointed toward Thorsten Heins, BlackBerry’s CEO, to update the masses during their Blackberry Live developer conference last week, but no such talks occurred. Instead, the company is betting on licensing out BBM and its BES technology out to Apple and Android developers.

The Blackberry Playbook tablet was released a couple of years ago, but unfortunately the tablet was not met with the resounding success that Blackberry had initially planned for.

BB10 is Blackberry’s home-cooked operating system and it took the company years to bake it. The OS represents one of the company’s last best hopes for maintaining a foothold in a smartphone and tablet market dominated by Apple, Samsung and others.

This certainly brings hope, but unfortunately the tweet has since been deleted. Hopefully, the BB10 update will come to fruition and the PlayBook will be given a second lease on life.

Leave your thoughts in the comments.

[N4BB]

May 25, 2013
Microsoft Targets Another 25 Million Xbox 360 Sales

Microsoft is still aiming for another 25 million sales of their eight-year-old Xbox 360 console, bringing the total to 100 million units sold. Yusuf Mehdi, Microsoft’s senior VP of Interactive Entertainment Business, speaking to OXM, said they expect half of these sales will come from new Xbox 360 owners, while the other half will be old console replacements.

Speaking with OXM, Mehdi said of Microsoft’s hopes for Xbox 360, “We believe over the next five years we can break a 100 million unit installed base. That’s something we’re shooting for, it’s not a financial plan as such, it’s just rough numbers if you will.

The company plans to bolster 360 sales with a “Huge Announcement” at the upcoming 2013 E3 show, according to the report.

Microsoft Game Studios executive Phil Spencer recently told GameSpot:

“I think the Xbox 360 is going to be very vibrant for many years. In fact, we have a huge, I think it’s huge, Xbox 360 announcement for E3 that I keep wanting to talk about, but I can’t. I think it will surprise people. I loved what we did last year with Minecraft; bring Minecraft to the box; six million units later it’s kind of a beast. I think there’s a lot of life in the Xbox 360 for years to come.”

As regards hopes for Xbox One, it’s obviously a bit early to say, but Medhi does think next gen consoles as a pack can trump sales of their predecessors as handily as the latter trumped sales of theirs.

“Every generation, as you’ve probably heard, has grown approximately 30%,” he said. “So this generation is about 300 million units. Most industry experts think the next generation will get upwards of about 400 million units. That’s if it’s a game console, over the next decade.”

May 24, 2013
Leaked Image Shows Nexus 4 Running Android 4.3, New Camera Camera UI

Leading up to Google’s I/O event, there were a lot of rumors indicating that we would see the unveiling of Android version 4.3 rather than 5.0. However, during the keynote, Google ended up not addressing a new version of Android at all. Instead, they chose to focus on updating individual apps and APIs separate from the operating system.

Today we get a first-hand look at the software in action, with a number of images appearing to show Android 4.3 running on a Nexus 4. The image was taken at the Thailand Mobile Expo and posted on the XDA Developers forum.

We clearly see Android 4.3 Jelly Bean as the OS, with a build date being May 14th, so it’s a pretty new updated version. Then the build number is listed as JWR45B.

The other pictures show the camera in action – with a slightly modified interface – and a screen of just the Jelly Bean Easter Egg that can be found in the About section too.

The camera interface seems to include a new see-through action area, complete with a new activation ring and fresh icons for HDR, contrast, and rotation.

The images don’t seem to show any significant changes, so the possibility remains that Google didn’t show their latest version of Android perhaps because there isn’t much to show in the first place. They could be saving the bigger changes for a major 5.0 update rather than another incremental version update.

Is what we heard about a June launch, alongside the white Nexus 4 accurate?

[XDA, Droid-Life, VR-Zone]

May 24, 2013
Redesigned Gmail For Android Leaked In Screenshot At Google I/O

During a Google I/O session called “Structure in Android App Design,” an image of new design for Gmail leaked.

This was a single slide in a 40-minute presentation that included all sorts of mock-ups for a variety of apps. In fact, shortly after this slide appeared, the presenter showed three different examples of what navigation could look like in the native Android gallery app, only one of which is actually the real deal. So this could be the new Gmail that we were supposed to have seen at I/O, or it could be a mock-up that was used as an example.

As PocketNow reports, the talk about Structure in Android App Design touched on Google’s design for a navigation drawer, and the visual demo used shows that drawer present in a new look for Gmail. Compared to the current view, there’s some smarter grouping going on here, and the list of labels better fills the screen, sharing more info in the process.

You also might notice that the navigation buttons usually down at the bottom have relocated up top, freeing up some screen space. There are also hints here at some more cosmetic changes, like larger star icons – there are probably quite a bit more little tweaks like this present in the new Gmail, that a single screenshot just can’t reveal.

When exactly Google is planning to roll out the redesign for its Gmail app is yet unknown, but hopefully it’ll be soon now that it’s officially been leaked.

[Android Police, PocketNow]

May 24, 2013
Jony Ive’s iOS 7 To Be “Black, White And Flat All Over”

Apple’s new iOS 7 will be unveiled at the upcoming WWDC on June 10th. Rumours are that the OS will receive a complete “software overhaul” and scrap the “realistic images” in favour of a “flat” design. 9to5Mac, who’s been incredibly reliable over the years, has written an in-depth piece from insider sources about the upcoming features within iOS 7.

The site reports that the OS will come with a few new features, but mostly sport design enhancements that will see it be “black, white, and flat all over.” Apparently Jony Ive, Apple’s SVP of Industrial Design, wanted to shed the “texture-heavy” iOS of past years (designed by Steve Jobs and former iOS chief Scott Forstall) by making “his mark on every corner of the operating system.”

Some other notable takeaways are that the lock screen will “drop the shiny, transparent time bar on the top of the Lock screen in exchange for a shine-free, black interface. Additionally, the square-grid for entering a pin code has been replaced with round, black buttons with white text and white borders.” In addition, the drop down notifications will be changed to a dark grey/black colour with white text.

As 9to5Mac reports, in software design meetings with Apple’s iOS designers, accompanied by Apple’s Human Interface vice president Greg Christie, Ive has shared his reasoning behind his distaste for the texture-heavy (skeuomorphic) interfaces heralded by Apple co-founder Steve Jobs and former iOS chief Scott Forstall.

Ive stated that software designs filled with physical metaphors do not stand the test of time, according to a person familiar with the design meetings.

According to the report.

The iPhone’s Notes app has replaced the yellow notepad design for a flat white look. Apps such as Mail, Calendar, and Maps have also gained a more uniformed look with flat white textures.

While the core elements of those apps are mostly white, each app has been given a unique button color. Essentially, each app has a white base with a respective color theme.

For example, the Calendar app could potentially have red buttons, while Messages could have green controls.

Apple is apparently also testing new panels/widgets that could see easy access to WiFi, Airplane Mode, and Bluetooth (like on Android).

[9to5Mac]

May 24, 2013
Leica triggers a frenzy, Teases a Mini M camera

Its rare for Leica to show off their upcoming products, but looks like they are gaining up on pop culture. The company has just teased a black box, which will uncover the Mini M camera on June 11th. This new model has been placed between the M and the X series and has been a rumor for years.

Other info includes that the camera would be manufactured in Germany and it will not be part of the Panasonic-rebranded Leica cameras. Stay tuned for updates.

[Leica]

May 24, 2013
Samsung Galaxy Star GT5282 Launched, 1 GHz, Dual Sim, Android 4.1 for Rs. 5240 (PR)

Samsung has just launched an ultra budget smartphone called the “Galaxy Star”, putting the company in handset range from Rs. 5000 to Rs. 45,000 for Smartphone Market Segment. The phone is aimed at the basic market, and targets the likes of Indian brands with budget smartphones. The Galaxy Star is powered by a 1200 mAh battery and runs on a 1 GHz A5 chipset, along with 512 MB RAM and 4 GB of internal storage. The Galaxy Star also has a 2 MP camera at the back and a 3 inch capacitive touchscreen in the front along with Bluetooth 4.0 for sharing abilities.

The Galaxy Star is being launched with a free data offer from Vodafone – 250 MB per month for 2 months .The offer is applicable on Vodafone 2G on purchase of Samsung Star till July 31 , 2013 .

[toggle title=”Press Release”]SAMSUNG DEBUTS THE ‘GALAXY STAR’
The entry level Galaxy device from Samsung

New Delhi, May 24, 2013 – Samsung Electronics, the number one smartphone provider in India, today announced the launch of the Samsung GALAXY Star in the Indian market. The GALAXY Star is the entry level smartphone from Samsung, which provides users’ with an enhanced smartphone experience at a very affordable price point. Powered with an ultrafast, speedy processor, intuitive motion UI and smart multimedia features, the dual SIM capable Samsung Galaxy Star offers seamless all-round performance, greater flexibility, freedom and content sharing possibilities to its users.
Announcing the launch of the Samsung Galaxy Star, Mr. Vineet Taneja, Country Head, Samsung Mobile stated, “In line with our commitment to providing Smartphones to a wider set of consumers , I am happy to announce the launch of Galaxy Star – a device that provides superior value to consumers based on its advanced features , intuitive performance and superior design features. We want more and more feature phone users to upgrade to the Samsung Galaxy Star. ”
Superior performance
Powered by A5 1GHz processor and the latest Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) operating system, the Samsung GALAXY Star provides the user with exceptional performance for an enhanced multi-tasking and connectivity. With 3” capacitive touch screen, the device comes loaded with a 2MP camera and the latest Bluetooth 4.0 technology for on-the-go Internet and effortless sharing. Supported with a large 512 MB RAM & 4GB internal memory Samsung Galaxy Star can be expandable upto 32GB for a seamless smartphone usage.
Dual Smart Experience
The GALAXY Star comes bundled with several smart features that enable users to control and connect with the device. Intelligent Motion UI maximizes smart features for the most responsive, intuitive user experience. For example, shake the device to refresh and update, mute volume by simply flipping device, etc. . It’s innovative Smart Dual SIM feature provides total communication flexibility, allowing users to manage two phone numbers from a single phone, thus maintaining personal and professional life with ease. The feature enables the user to receive calls on one SIM number while taking a call from the other, ensuring efficient management of personal and work commitments without ever missing a call. Enhanced Smart Dual SIM UX is designed to manage both accounts with safe call dialler and message composer.
Rich connected applications
The GALAXY Star comes pre-loaded with ChatOn, Samsung’s unique cross-platform communication service that enables the users to socialize with friends and to do more than just instant messaging. ChatOn allows users to freely share multimedia content, do group chatting with friends and create personalized animated messages. The device also comes pre-loaded with the services such Google Search and cutting edge Google Now. Google Now provides the users’ helpful cards with information they need throughout the day, even before they ask. The device is also embedded with the of the Samsung Apps store with contains a variety of e-books, games, news, navigation, productivity, social networking apps, etc. Last but not the least, Galaxy Star based on latest Android OS i.e. Jellybean 4.1 provides opportunity to consumers to download more than 700k Apps & Games from Google Playstore.
The Samsung GALAXY Star comes with a powerful 1200mAh battery and has an MRP of Rs. 5240/-.The Galaxy Star is being launched with a free data offer from Vodafone – 250 MB per month for 2 months .The offer is applicable on Vodafone 2G on purchase of Samsung Star till July 31 , 2013 .
With the launch of this device, Samsung now offers a range of 15 Smartphone models priced in the range between Rs. 5240/- and Rs. 41,500/-.
About Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in technology, opening new possibilities for people everywhere. Through relentless innovation and discovery, we are transforming the worlds of televisions, smartphones, personal computers, printers, cameras, home appliances, LTE systems, medical devices, semiconductors and LED solutions. We employ 236,000 people across 79 countries with annual sales of US$187.8 billion. To discover more, please visit www.samsung.com
[/toggle]

[tabgroup]

[tab title=”Buy Now” icon=”icon-shopping-cart”] [/tab]

[/tabgroup]

May 24, 2013
Leaked : Huawei Ascend P6, Launching June 18th

Huawei’s latest design and engineering extravaganza , the Huawei Ascend P6 has just leaked in official images. The images show off the phone’s beautiful 6.2mm thinness, the Ascend P6 supposedly has a metal frame and the new Emotion UI with Android 4.2 running in the behind. Huawei Device Chairman Richard Yu accidentally slipped up on twitter and let it be known that the device is actually from the upcoming P series which will be launched on June 18th at their London launch event.

Other specs for the Ascend P6 include a 4.7-inch HD display, 1.5GHz quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, a main 5MP camera and a front shooter of unknown spec.

May 24, 2013
Rumor : Nokia EOS with 41 MP sensor to be launched on 9th July

According to reports and rumors, the next generation of Lumia with a PureView sensor will be launched on or around 9th of July. The most recent rumors claim the Lumia EOS would be similar to the Lumia 920 but build more like the 925, with a polycarbonate case and a 4.5-inch 720p display. The biggest differentiator will reportedly be the smartphone’s 41-megapixel rear camera with a Carl Zeiss lens and Nokia’s new “Pro Camera” application designed for Windows Phone.

The EOS is supposedly thinner than the original Lumia 920, but is said to be an “Engineering Marvel” because Nokia has stuffed in all the components into a very slim profile device.

The phone also expected to be available soon after, and sales to begin in the US almost Immediately.

[VIA]

May 24, 2013
0% EMI Scheme Announced For Blackberry Z10, Curve 9220

Following in the footsteps of Apple and Samsung, BlackBerry has announced new 0% EMI schemes for its flagship BlackBerry Z10 smartphone and its baseline device, the BlackBerry Curve 9220.

It has tied up with credit card providers including Axis Bank, Citibank, HDFC bank,HSBC, ICICI Bank, Kotak, SBI Card and Standard Chartered.

“Customers can now buy the BlackBerry Z10 via their credit cards by paying an EMI of Rs 4,799 per month for nine months,” BlackBerry said in a statement.

Customers can purchase the Z10 by paying an EMI of Rs 4,799 per month for nine months. A similar scheme for BlackBerry Curve 9220 is available where customers can use their credit card to buy the device and pay an EMI of Rs 799 per month for 12 months.

Under the schemes, no down payment, no processing fee and 0% interest has been offered. The plan will be rolled out in 2500 BlackBerry outlets across the country by this weekend and will be available in additional 400 outlets by next week.

Also, Idea users living in Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh can also subscribe to a 1-year unlimited data plan for roughly Rs 1,000 at the time of purchase.

BlackBerry Z10, was announced globally on January 30. The smartphone sports a 4.2-inch display with a resolution of 1280×768 pixels and is powered by a 1.5Ghz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processor paired with 2GB of RAM.

The Z10 comes with 16GB of internal storage along with a micro-SD card slot for storage expansion and houses an 8 megapixel camera at the back along with a 2 megapixel camera at the front. The BlackBerry Z10 comes with all the standard connectivity options like 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS and also 4G LTE support. The Z10 also packs-in a 1,800mAh battery.

May 23, 2013
New Scientific Discovery Could Lead To Salamander Like Limb Regeneration In Humans

Researchers are closer to understanding what animals need to regrow their body parts, after Australian scientists established the key role of the immune system in salamanders.

The amphibians’ immune systems are the key to the trait, which allows them to regrow limbs as well as regenerate spinal cords, brain tissue and even parts of their heart.

Now scientists say immune cells called macrophages could be vital for regeneration – and could help scientists control the process and even use it in humans.

“We can look to salamanders as a template of what perfect regeneration looks like,” lead study author James Godwin said in a statement. “We need to know exactly what salamanders do and how they do it well, so we can reverse-engineer that into human therapies,” added Goodwin, of the Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute (ARMI) at Monash University in Melbourne.

He has suspected for a while that macrophages, cells involved in the immune system, might be important in the regeneration process.

Macrophages are a major immune cell type which roam the tissues engulfing invaders like bacteria and fungi, explains Godwin.

“But they’re not just involved in gobbling up debris. They actively determine repair – for example they are important in human muscle repair,” he adds.

“So we asked the question – are macrophages needed for limb regeneration?,” he says.

When the team got rid of the macrophages in the salamanders, it had a “devastating effect” on their ability to regrow limbs. The animals ended up with fibrosis (scarring) and a stump.

Godwin believes that chemicals released by the animals’ macrophages are essential for the regeneration process, and is conducting experiments now to investigate this.

In salamanders, the new tissue is scar-free. This has benefits for liver and heart disease, which are linked to fibrosis or scarring.

“Now we have a really good idea of what is required for perfect regeneration,” Godwin said of his work with colleagues Nadia Rosenthal and Alexander Pinto.

“We have a smoking gun. If we can find out what they deliver to make regeneration occur, then we might be able to tweak the human wound-healing scenario.”

Godwin calls macrophages “the guardian angels of the body”.

A major break through indeed!

[ABC]

May 23, 2013