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Samsung Q1 Result : $6.43 Billion Net Profit, 70 Million Smartphones Shipped

Samsung had a big Q1, with revenues upwards of $47.5 billion USD, while operating and net profit was $7.9 billion and $6.43 billion respectively. While this is down over the previous quarter, in which Samsung posted both record revenues and profits, the results were in line with the company’s guidance and met analysts’ expectations.

The only worrying figure in the scenario is that growth is slowing compared to last year, where revenue and profits grew at a feverish pace. Samsung is concerned that growth will continue to abate, as “stiffer competition in the mobile business,” especially in the low- and mid-range smartphone market, will hit the company’s margins.

But there are 70 million reasons for the company to celebrate, too. That’s how many smartphones Samsung shipped during the first quarter of 2013, representing a massive 32.7% market share. Apple trailed behind at 17.3%, while LG, Huawei and ZTE brought up the rear with 4.8%, 4.6% and 4.2% respectively.

Samsung’s numbers in Q1 2013 grew 11% over the previous quarter, in which the company shipped 63.7 million smart devices, and was up some 60% from the year before. Its success was buoyed by “sound sales” of the Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note 2, as stated in the press release, but demand for the company’s tablets dropped 30% quarter-over-quarter.

With the Galaxy S4 sales starting today, Samsung is due for a solid Q2, though we’d expect them to address the low- and mid-range market with a cheaper variant of the Galaxy S4 in the coming months.

[IDC, TechCrunch]

April 27, 2013
Datsun Making Global Comeback In India In July

32 years after removing it from its lineup, Nissan is all set to revive the venerable Datsun brand in markets like India, South Africa, Russia & Indonesia. Carlos Ghosn, global CEO of Renault-Nissan, will formally launch the brand at the Kingdom of Dreams in New Delhi on the 15th of July this year. Also expected is the unveiling of the first Datsun model, which will be a five-door hatchback costing less than Rs. 4 Lakh.

India is a tough market and it’s not going to be a picnic for us, but we believe Datsun can crack it with modernity and a superior product.

– Vincent Cobee, Corporate VP, Datsun Business Unit

Datsun is targeting the budget end of the market primarily, hoping to sell large volumes of cars. Nissan is depending heavily on Datsun to create a good blend of affordability and Japanese reliability in order to attract Indian consumers in the most competitive segment in the market. They hope that superior styling will help sway opinions, with the entire family sporting a prominent hexagonal grille for it to stand out among other new-age design elements.

Datsun Fairlady 240Z

The first model is expected to be a five-door hatchback powered by the same 1.2-litre 3 cylinder petrol engine as the Nissan Micra. Its expected to be as spacious as the Micra, but much lighter. Datsun says that it will have much superior performance and best in-class fuel efficiency. The car is expected to hit the market in mid-2014 and give tough competition to the Hyundai Eon/i10 and various Maruti Suzuki hatchbacks.

April 27, 2013
Twitter’s Vine App For Android “Coming Soon”

Vine, Twitter’s popular video sharing app, has been a success on iOS and consistently remained as being one of the top ten social apps.

The free app allows you to record 6-second looping videos and share them via Vine, Twitter or Facebook. Dom Hofmann, the original creator of Vine, spoke with The Verge and he noted that a future enhancement that will be coming to iOS will be the option to tag people, which as a result will make it even more social.

In addition, Vine is poised to expand past Apple and integrate into the lives of Android users.

The company told The Verge recently that an Android version is coming soon, but didn’t say exactly when we can expect it to hit the Google Play store.

Clues pointing to a Vine Android app have been out ever since February, when the company has started looking for a lead Android engineer. Why would anyone do that, unless they were developing an Android app?

More interesting though is the thought process that went into creating Vine. Vine co-founder Dom Hofmann told The Verge that the key to the app was not in “reducing complexity” as Steve Jobs and Jony Ive were noted for saying, but rather “concealing complexity”.

In other words, allowing users to do something relatively complex in a simple way. Quite an interesting interview if any of you are interested.

In any case we’ll keep you guys updated, but in the meantime Android users, are you guys excited?

[The Verge]

April 26, 2013
Microchip Expands Embedded Wireless Portfolio With New Bluetooth, Wi-Fi And ZigBee Products

Microchip Technology Inc., today announced a major expansion of its embedded-wireless portfolio.

The Bluetooth additions include the PIC32 Bluetooth Audio Development Kit, featuring modules, stacks and CODECs, and XBee footprint-compatible socket modules with integrated stacks. The new Wi-Fi offerings comprise IEEE 802.11b/g Wi-Fi modules with Microchip’s feature-rich and free source-code TCP/IP stack running on a PIC microcontroller for greater configurability, as well as XBee footprint-compatible socket modules with integrated stacks for ease of use.

Microchip is also adding a low-power 2.4 GHz radio that supports – for the first time in one chip – both the IEEE 802.15.4 and proprietary data rates (from 125 kbps to 2 Mbps), including the ZigBee, MiWi and other proprietary protocols.

“Whether you are designing wireless networks optimised for Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, ZigBee or proprietary protocols, Microchip has you covered,” said Steve Caldwell, director of Microchip’s Wireless Products Division.

There are many wireless network designs that need to operate with very low power consumption. Examples include battery-powered home and industrial automation wireless-sensor mesh networks, as well as ZigBee RF4CE-standard-based remote controls. Microchip’s next-generation, 2.4 GHz IEEE 802.15.4 MRF24XA transceiver radio provides a very low operating voltage range of 1.5 to 3.6V and receives power consumption of only 13 mA, which enables years of battery life.

This is also Microchip’s first radio that can support both the IEEE 802.15.4 and proprietary data rates (from 125 kbps to 2 Mbps), including the ZigBee, MiWi and other proprietary protocols.Some designers want an easy way to migrate their 802.15.4 designs to either Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, in order to make them accessible from smart phones and tablets, or to add internet connectivity.

This includes applications such as wireless sensor networks, remote monitoring/control and measurement, and M2M cable replacements for home, commercial and industrial networks. The RN XV series of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth socket modules provide agency-certified, drop-in connectivity for any XBee socket.

To simplify designs, the stacks are integrated on the module, configured via simple ASCII commands, and can easily connect to any MCU via a serial interface. Other designers want to add more extensible Wi-Fi functionality, such as a complete Web server and email, via a configurable source-code TCP/IP stack that is resident on one of many PIC microcontrollers.

The new low-power and agency-certified MRF24WG0MA/MB modules connect at all IEEE 802.11b/g data rates, up to 54 Mbps, and are Microchip’s first to support a sustained throughput of 5 Mbps. This provides a footprint-compatible migration path for users of Microchip’s existing Wi-Fi modules who need greater speed or increased access-point compatibility, along with more features.

Bluetooth digital audio is rapidly expanding in high-volume applications such as accessories for smart phones and tablets, as well as audio sound bars. To meet this demand, designers need a cost-effective development platform that provides high-quality audio. Microchip’s 32-bit PIC32 microcontrollers provide a high-performance platform for developing quality digital-audio playback and accessories. The new PIC32 Bluetooth Audio Development Kit builds on Microchip’s existing stack-integrated Bluetooth audio module with a new low-cost, agency-certified Bluetooth HCI transceiver module based on a standard radio, AVRCP and A2DP Bluetooth profiles tailored for the PIC32, as well as both standard and advanced audio CODECs such as SBC, AAC and MP3.

Additionally, this kit can be used with Microchip’s existing Made for iPod and Android stacks. Together, these elements provide a versatile and powerful development platform with a high level of customisation and flexibility.

April 26, 2013
Smartphones Outselling Feature Phones For The First Time Ever

Smartphones are now outselling cheaper feature phones for the first time in history, according to new findings from research firm IDC.

Tracking shipments over the first three months of 2013, 51.6% of the 418.6 million mobile phones shipped were smartphones. The number of phones shipped for the traditionally slow quarter (Q4 2012, the holiday season, saw shipments hit 483.2 million) rose year-on-year too, with 2012’s Q1 shipments peaking at 402.4 million.

“Phone users want computers in their pockets. The days where phones are used primarily to make phone calls and send text messages are quickly fading away,” said Kevin Restivo, senior research analyst with IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker.

“As a result, the balance of smartphone power has shifted to phone makers that are most dependent on smartphones.”

Samsung Electronics continues to dominate. It shipped 70.7 million smartphones during the first quarter, 60.7 percent more than a year earlier, according to IDC.

Apple remains the second-largest smartphone vendor, shipping 37.4 million iPhones. That’s an annual growth rate of just 6.6 percent, though, the slowest of the top five vendors. The last time iPhone sales posted a single-digit year-on-year growth rate was in the third quarter of 2009.

LG, on the other hand, managed to more that double its shipments, to 10.3 million units. That was enough to outship both Huawei Technologies and ZTE, which last year were ahead of the South Korean vendor. LG’s growth was driven in large part by its 3G smartphone portfolio, including the L series and the Nexus 4. LTE-enabled devices, including the Optimus G series, also contributed to LG’s success, according to IDC.

[IDC, Memeburn]

April 26, 2013
Top Alternatives to the Samsung Galaxy S4
Now that the Samsung Galaxy S4 has been launched in India for Rs. 41,500, most will want to know what it is pegged up against. While many have already made up their mind there are always a few who would want to know what options are out there.
1. HTC ONE (Rs. 42,990)
  If the plastic body of the S4 is bothering your style, and you are not looking to join the heard of the Galaxy Phones, The HTC One with its Unibody Metal design and insanely crisp 4.7inch 1080p screen is the best alternative to the Magical Galaxy. The HTC One has an impressive camera and blazing fast CPU up its arsenal. Unfortunately does not have an interchangeable battery or a SD card expansion.
2. iPhone 5 (Rs 43,500)
  Like it love it or hate it, the iPhone 5 is the preferred choice of many wanting to try this ecosystem built by Apple. More than the hardware, The iPhone depends on the software and the apps eco system and if this is something that excites you, then the iPhone is your choice. Unibody Chassis, 4inch Retina display and one of the best Mobile phone cameras make this an easy target for most buyers. Plus its smaller and easier to hold or pocket.
3. Samsung Galaxy Note 2 (Rs 36500)
  The Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is still a wonder phone and will satisfy a lot of your devilish sins. The Note 2 also has the S Pen which makes productivity easy on a smartphone. There’s the giant 5.5in screen, which pushes it into the contentious grey zone halfway between phone and tablet enabling the market for the so called “phablet”.
4. LG Optimus G (Rs. 32990)
  Comes with a 13 MP camera and a display that would put any full HD smartphone to shame. The LG Optimus G is fast, efficient and light, looks good and a great alternative to the Samsung Galaxy S4, Until the Optimus G Pro is released anyway.
5. Lumia 920 (Rs. 35999)
  The Nokia Lumia 920 is arguably the best Windows Phone device out there, the best built and the most feature full. It also gives the user a break from all the Android madness that is running around. An excellent photosensitive camera, brilliantly clear display and tank like construction, along with almost Rs. 7000 saved make it a considerable option.
6. Samsung Galaxy S3 (Rs. 28500)
  The S4 looks exactly like the S3 to you? then why not just buy the S3? The Galaxy S3 is the most selling Smartphone for Samsung since their Galaxies began to circle the mobile universe. It may be last years king, but its still a great Android device, the most rooted and has possible the maximum number of custom Roms available for it including many that offer over clocking. Great design and a good display are just a few of the things that make this phone desirable. Recent price drops have made it more attractive.
7. Sony Xperia Z ( Rs 38000)
  Guess what this phone has everything plus water resistivity and dust protection. Its like a magical android wonder beast, I also personally like the design, even though it has some aesthetic flaws in being square. The camera is great and so is the design and look, the hardware is top notch and the price is just right. For the typical Indian the phone is also made by a “JAPANESE” company, even though it is still made in China.
8. Blackberry Z10 ( Rs. 42900)
  I would personally not recommend this to you , unless you are a blackberry loyalist, but, the device is still an alternative. Lack of the right hardware, Apps and atrociously high pricing are one of the reasons this Blackberry has failed in India. It still has BBM though!
April 26, 2013
Nokia Chat Beta For Lumia And Asha Devices Released

Nokia has released the first public beta of its Nokia Chat app for Windows Phone 7.5 and 8 devices. Similar to software like WhatsApp, Kik, Kakao Talk and Facebook Messenger, Nokia Chat allows cross-platform messaging between Windows Phone, Asha, Symbian and S40 devices.

The first beta includes Canada, along with the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Nigeria, South Africa and a few others, to ease the company’s servers into the load before opening to a wider audience. While the app likely won’t get much play in North America, it stands to be quite popular in countries with established bases of Symbian, Asha and S40 devices, of which there are hundreds of millions still in use.

Windows Phone 8 users can take advantage of lock screen notifications, but all WP users will receive toast push notifications and live tile updates. The app also integrates with Yahoo Messenger, but it would be nice if Nokia could integrate Google and Facebook, as the current solutions on the platform are pretty terrible.

For Windows Phone 8 users, the app can also take advantage of voice dictation, voice commands — example “Chat with Michael Jordan” — as well as lockscreen notifications. The last feature displays a counter informing you of the number of unread messages.

Nokia Chat for Windows Phone is available to download through Nokia Beta Labs.

April 26, 2013
2013 Shanghai Motor Show: The Best Of The Rest

We saw some pretty high-profile reveals along with an array of launches by Chinese manufacturers over the weekend in Shanghai. Here’s our pick of the best on display.

MG CS Concept

One of the bigger stars of the Shanghai Motor Show was also one of the biggest surprises. MG unveiled its CS Concept SUV, adding to the competition in the compact SUV segment. However, the production model is at least 2 years away, and in all probability won’t look as flashy as the concept. Still, we like MG’s new direction, and can’t wait for more details about the CS to be released.

Nissan Friend-Me Concept

When it comes to identifying future trends, and thinking ahead, few automotive manufacturers have the foresight that Nissan does. For this reason, the long and unconventionally designed 4-door sedan caught everyone’s eye with its sharp styling. Knowing Nissan, there is a good chance that the ‘Friend-Me’ may actually reach the production stage, though we’re not sure how long the name will stick for.

Buick Riviera Concept

Sharing its name with the famous Buick, last seen in 1999, the Riviera Concept is said to be a preview to Buick’s future styling direction. The Riviera Concept incorporates some beautiful flowing lines over its long shell, and shows-off new versions of the marque’s classic waterfall grille design. It’s powered by Buick’s dual-mode wireless plug-in hybrid electric vehicle propulsion system, which allows the car to be charged wirelessly just by driving atop a special charging mat on the ground, the car’s powertrain is just as futuristic as its exterior shape. This one’s for the future.

Icona Vulcano

One of the standouts of the show was the stunning Vulcano concept from Italian-owned but Shanghai-based design firm Icona. Designed by a former Bertone employer, and engineered by a former Scuderia Ferrari engineer, the Vulcano was mobbed at the Shanghai Motor Show. Originally conceived as a one-off example to showcase Icona’s styling prowess, it has now been announced that 5 total Vulcanos will be built. Reminiscent of the Lexus LFA as well as the Ferrari F12 Berlinetta, the Vulcano has an option of two powertrains, 870 or 950 bhp and goes from 0-97 kmph in 2.9 or 3.0 seconds depending on the powertrain. It also boasts a top speed of 217 mph.

Acura SUV-X Concept

The SUV-X Concept from Acura is another in a long line of aspirants in the compact SUV segment. Acuras have known to be packed with tons of technology on the inside, but have never really turned heads on the streets. The SUV-X Concept deviates from the trend, with bold and eyecatching styling, pleasantly surprising all of us. Acura says that the SUV-X is the precursor to a production offering from the brand in China that will come in about three years.

Ford Escort Concept

The Escort is back!! Well, as a concept for now. At the very interesting reveal, Ford said, “Customers in China described seeking a vehicle that is stylish – but not one that is arrogant or pretentious” and that’s what it believes the new Escort will be about. Always known for being excellent as an affordably daily driver, but not one to set benchmarks in performance or design, the new Escort Concept’s minimal design is contemporary and appealing on the whole. This car will probably be launched only in the Chinese market, and is expected to create quite a stir when it does.

Volkswagen CrossBlue Coupé Concept

This sportier member of the CrossBlue family sits in between the Tiguan and the Touareg in size and has all the hallmarks of becoming another success for the brand. Featuring a high-tech drivetrain that consists of twin electric motors, one up front and one at the rear, powered by a 9.8-kWh lithium-ion battery, the Concept also has a 295 bhp, direct-injection, gasoline-burning V6 under the hood. These three powerhouses put out a total of 415 bhp. Also, atleast in theory, the Concept should be able to travel 21 miles on electricity alone and we think it looks pretty nice as well. What’s not to like?

Lamborghini Aventador LP 720-4 50° Anniversario

Lamborghini unveiled the Aventador Anniversario at Shanghai as part of its 50 year celebrations. Offering the same engine as the base Aventador, it manages to produce 720 bhp instead of 700 due to different tuning, and features a couple of external upgrades. Read more about it here.

Maserati Ghibli

The Ghibli name is back in the form of an entry-level luxury sedan as Maserati hopes to expand its sales figures to compete with the likes of BMW, Audi and Jaguar. The Ghibli is the first Maserati in history to have a diesel engine as an option, with a turbocharged 3.0-litre V6. Read more about it here.

BMW X4 Concept

Yet another addition to the compact SUV segment, BMW unveiled the baby X6 or the X4 concept at Shanghai. BMW claims that the X4 is a preview to what the entire X range will look like in the coming years. Read more about it here.

April 26, 2013
2013 Shanghai Motor Show: Renault Alpine A110-50 Concept Seen In The Flesh

The Renault Alpine A110-50 Concept was created last year to pay homage to the original Renault A110 on its 50th anniversary, but the 2013 Shanghai Motor Show was the first instance where the eyecatching concept could be seen in person. The concept sports a curvaceous body sculpted out of carbon fibre, sprayed with the familiar and iconic Alpine Blue paint.

Designers have added a nice touch up front with a set of half-ring yellow LED lights, reminiscent of the hood-mounted fog lights on the original A110. The radically designed concept is based loosely on the very futuristic Renault Dezir Concept, as is evident from the low stance, wide fender arches and scissor doors. The Alpine Concept also comes with a big split-wing rear spoiler, hinting at lots of performance as well, if it ever makes it to production.

Powered by a 3.5-litre V6 engine producing 400 bhp, used in conjunction with a dual-clutch six-speed gearbox, the A110-50 Concept shares the same chassis as the Renault Megane Trophy, and sits on 21 inch wheels with adjustable Sachs dampers on board. A roof mounted-intake funnels air from outside the engine bay into the concept’s carbon fibre air-intake.

The Alpine A110 was first introduced in 1961 and went on to be very successful in the rally circuit in the 1970s, adding to Renault’s motorsport heritage. Although Renault has given no official word on production, we really hope to see it on the roads of India someday.

April 26, 2013
Twitter for Mac gets update, Support for Retina Display, New Composer and Languages
The Twitter for Mac app has received a much needed update, that not only brings support for retina display, but also few other fixes.
- Photos: It’s easier than ever to share photos. Simply click the camera icon in the lower-left corner of the Tweet compose box, and choose a photo to share. If you prefer, you can still drag and drop photos from the desktop.
- Retina display support: Now Twitter is even more vibrant and detailed on the highest resolution Mac notebooks. With this update, Tweets will be clearer and sharper, creating a more vivid experience.
- 14 more languages: In addition to English, Twitter for Mac now supports Dutch, French, German, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Malay, Portuguese, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, Traditional Chinese, and Turkish.
Along with these updates, Twitter for Mac offers keyboard shortcuts, support for multiple accounts and timelines, and other features. Download now from the link below.

[App Store]
April 26, 2013
2013 Shanghai Motor Show: Mercedes Benz GLA Concept Revealed

One of the more lustworthy attractions of the Shanghai Motor Show, the Mercedes Benz GLA Concept is said to be 90% representative of the GLA production vehicle to go on sale next year. Mercedes aims to heat up the compact SUV segment with a competitive price tag of about $40,000.

Mercedes seems to have hit the right chord with its new design fundas, as the GLA takes more than a few cues from the new and equally attention-hungry CLA saloon. The striking GLA concept offers an aggressive yet modern front end with only two horizontal bars for a front grille, with the three-pointed star at the centre acting as the cherry on the cake. The sloping roofline flows into the tailgate giving it a very sporty and sleek silhouette. Strong character lines down the sides, alongwith the frameless doors further enhance this image.

The front headlights are one of the usual outlandish concept car features, with in-built laser beam projectors, capable of projecting videos and images on a screen. This along with the very intricate, yet impractical interior will surely not be on the options list when the GLA hits the market. What is expected to make the final cut, is the turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine sitting under the bulging hood, which sends 208 bhp and 258 pound-feet of torque through a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission to all four wheels via Mercedes’ proprietary 4Matic all-wheel-drive system. The GLA class is expected to give tough competition to the BMW X3, the Audi Q3 as well as the Range Rover Evoque, when it launches early next year.

April 25, 2013
Breaking : Micromax Takes a Stab at Samsung’s Zero Campaign

Seen Samsung’s new Zero Campaign? Looks like the folks over at Micromax have seen it too, and have come up with their unique way of tackling the information. We just saw Micromax’s website and stumbled upon this image it states with a big sign : “CAN OWN NOW”

More than a million people have already bought the incredibly loaded Micromax Canvas Range of smartphones, without EMI, 0% interest or other schemes, Because our phones come at prices that don’t need any!” reads the banner.

Micromax has previously taken stabs at Samsung when they ridiculed the Y series in the WHY Y ads.

[youtube id=”5S-WwN9yask” width=”100%” height=”300px”]

Looks like Micromax is enjoying the success of their Canvas portfolio and don’t mind edging the competition with a little word play.

Earlier today Micromax had announced that they sold over 1 Million Canvas devices.

The Canvas series has proved to be a trendsetter in Indian smartphone segment. The demand for these devices has been on an upward curve from the time of their launch. These are our flagship models and the overwhelming consumer response has made us confident that we are headed towards the right direction. When we launched the Canvas HD, for the first time our online sales partners had witnessed a digital queue in cyberspace to such an extent for any product, to the traditional cue one normally sees. It was great to witness consumers wait until 12:00am for their chance to book the Canvas HD on Valentine’s Day selling 9000 units in less than 24 hours.” said Mr. Shubhodip Pal, CMO, Micromax

April 25, 2013
Samsung Galaxy S4 to Go on Sale Starting April 26th, Celebs to Give out first handsets!

If you are waiting in to buy the Samsung Galaxy S4, you will be happy to know that the Flagship from the Korean manufacturer will go on sale post launch in Samsung Mobile Brand Stores In 4 Major Metropolitan cities two of which are confirmed to be Delhi and Mumbai.

Adding to the chaos will be celebrities who will hand out the Galaxy S4 units to new owners of the Device for the first few hours.

It was earlier expected that Samsung would launch the device but not make it available due to production shortage at the Galaxy S4 plant, but it is now clear that the Samsung Galaxy S4 will be in Retail Stores as early as tomorrow evening post launch.

The Pricing is speculated to begin at Rs. 42,900/- for the 16 GB variant, with a confirmation coming at launch tomorrow at 12:00pm IST. If you are interested you can watch the Event live on iGyaan.(Click Here).

The Samsung Galaxy S4 is the most anticipated Smartphone of 2013, post the HTC One and Prior the next iPhone. The Samsung Galaxy S4 in India will be available initially in a bundled offer which will include a flip case and some accessories
.

You can also see our exclusive Pre Launch Hands on Here

April 25, 2013
Nokia To Unveil New Lumia In London On May 14, Will It Be The “Catwalk”?

Nokia is planning to hold a May 14 press conference in London to talk about where it is headed with its Lumia line of Windows devices.

Nokia Catwalk rumors have been looming in the air since a few weeks now, and this week, a couple of images had surfaced on the Chinese website Baidu, giving us an idea of how the smartphone might look like.

The Nokia Catwalk is expected to come with a 4.5-inch OLED display with a resolution of 1280 x 768 pixels. The smartphone will be powered by a 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor paired with 1GB of RAM, just like the Lumia 920, but the Nokia Catwalk will comes with lesser, 16GB of internal storage, as opposed to 32GB on the Lumia 920.

The Nokia Catwalk is expected to sport a 8.7 megapixel f2.0 camera and a 2,000mAh non-removable battery. The dimensions of the upcoming device are expected to be 129 x 71 x 8.4mm, and it is expected to weigh-in at just 132 grams.

And though the company recently announced entry- and mid-range devices in the Lumia 520 and 720, it hasn’t launched a flagship model since the the Lumia 920 was unveiled in September. In the smartphone world, that is a very long time.

We’ve also heard rumours that Nokia might debut a Windows 8 tablet, and considering the length of the event — it’s set to last six hours — we wouldn’t be surprised to see more than one product announced.

Nokia’s partnership with Microsoft seems to be stronger than ever at this point, which would make a Windows 8 tablet — or even a Windows RT slate — a possibility.

We’ll have to wait and see what Nokia has in store for us. But keep in mind that it is launching the product(s) the day before Google I/O begins, so expect big things from the company.

[TechnoBuffalo]

April 25, 2013
Alexander Graham Bell’s Voice Identified On 130 Year Old Wax Recording, You Can Hear It Too

Researchers have identified the voice of Alexander Graham Bell for the first time in some of the earliest audio recordings ever created.

The National Museum of American History discovered the recording on a wax disc from 1885, which had been donated to the Smithsonian Museum.

A closeup of the recording that revealed Alexander Graham Bell’s voice for the first time.

The Smithsonian has released the audio recovered from a wax and cardboard disc dated April 15, 1885.

“Hear my voice, Alexander Graham Bell,” the inventor said.

As the SmithsonianMag reports, from the 1880s on, until his death in 1922, Bell gave an extensive collection of laboratory materials to the Smithsonian Institution, where he was a member of the Board of Regents. The donation included more than 400 discs and cylinders Bell used as he tried his hand at recording sound. The holdings also documented Bell’s research, should patent disputes arise similar to the protracted legal wrangling that attended the invention of the telephone.

Until very recently, these wax recordings were unplayable. We did not have the right tools, and even if we had, playing them would ruin the wax cylinders or fragile records upon which the sounds were stored.

In late 2011, scientists played back some of Bell’s earliest recordings for the first time with new technology that reads the sound digitally from tiny grooves in the wax disc using light and a 3D camera.

The breakthrough offered a glimpse at the experiments with sound and recording at the dawn of the information age when inventors were scrambling to secure patents for the first telephones and phonographs.

The recordings were packed away for more than 100 years and were deemed obsolete until new technology allowed them to be replayed.

Fascinating!

You can here the audio recording below (courtesy Gizmodo) :

[SmithsonianMag, The Atlantic, Gizmodo]

April 25, 2013