Blog

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City To Hit iOS And Android On December 6

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City is approaching its tenth anniversary, and to honour that landmark Rockstar Games is unleashing the title on Android and iOS devices early next month.

The 80?s-themed death-fest has been carefully re-worked to support touchscreen-based devices, and will be available on many newer Android devices including the Galaxy Nexus, HTC One X,Galaxy S III and Nexus 4. The list of Android devices covered is quite extensive, and includes even aging phones like the Nexus S and Xperia Play.

Vice City has higher-resolution character models and improved lighting compared to the original, and there will be some mobile-only features available at launch. We’re really excited to see how the game looks and runs on the Nexus 10 tablet, too.

GTA: Vice City 10th Anniversary Edition will run $4.99 for both platforms and will be out on December 6th. See the list of compatible devices after the break.

November 22, 2012
Apple, Samsung Patent Clash Expands To iPad mini, iPad 4, New iPod touch

Samsung Electronics has alleged that three recent products from Apple, including the iPad mini, infringe on its patents.

The South Korean company said in a filing Wednesday in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, San Jose division, that the products were released by Apple after Samsung submitted its original infringement contentions on June 15, and a motion to supplement on Oct. 1 that added the iPhone 5 to products that allegedly infringe its patents.

The products included in the latest motion to amend and supplement the infringement contentions are the iPad mini and the latest versions of the iPad and iPod touch.

Samsung has also asked for clarification from the court if its original contentions properly allege infringement of U.S. Patent No. 7,672,470 by three prior generations of the iPod touch, and alternatively asks leave to add these products to its infringement contentions.

[quote]On Wednesday, Samsung’s chief executive Shin Jong-kyun told The Korean Times: “Without Samsung-owned wireless patents, it’s impossible for… Apple to produce its handsets.”[/quote]

Samsung and Apple are no strangers to court battles, having been engaged in vicious patent battle that extends across four continents since April 2011. Back in August, a court awarded Apple over $1 billion in damages after upholding claims that Samsung had infringing several iPhone and iPad patents with its Galaxy S-series smartphones. Samsung has since appealed against the ruling.

But it hasn’t all been going Apple’s way, with courts in the Netherlands, the U.K. and Japan dismissing Apple’s claims of infringement by Samsung.

November 22, 2012
Zen Launches Android 2.3 Ultraphone U1 At INR 4,999

Zen Mobile has launched its first Android smartphone Zen Ultraphone U1 on an e-commerce portal in India.

This is a dual SIM phone and is based on Android 2.3 Gingerbread version Operating system. It is powered by a 1 GHz processor. It comes with features like a 3.5 inch HVGA capacitive touchscreen, a 3.2 megapixel camera with flash, GPRS/EDGE, WiFi and Bluetooth.

The phone has 512MB phone memory; it supports microSD card up to 16GB. Importantly the phone misses out on 3G connectivity. It comes with a 1200 mAh battery and is priced at Rs 4,999.

[quote]Deepesh Gupta, managing director, Zen Mobile, said, “Zen Ultraphone U1 is one of the top of the ladder innovations from Zen Mobiles and reaffirms our business tenet of getting the best technology to end consumers at affordable rates. We take pride in bringing pioneering technologies to the mobile users of today, which is in line with transforming their constantly evolving Android mobile experience.[/quote]

The handset comes pre-installed with Skype, Facebook, G-talk, Whatsapp, GaneshSpeaks (an astrology app), nexGTV, and MapMyIndia (mapping software).

November 21, 2012
Jabra Launches SOLEMATE Portable Speaker
Jabra expands its stereo music line with the launch of the Company’s first wireless portable speaker, Jabra SOLEMATE. With the rising usage of smart phones for music, music lovers can now enjoy the freedom of big sound and be the centre of the party with the Jabra SOLEMATE, a fun and multifunctional portable Bluetooth speaker that enables sharing and streaming of entertainment with anyone, anytime and anywhere.

Jabra SOLEMATE connects to any multimedia device using Bluetooth technology, a 3.5mm audio cable or USB cable and caters to different consumer preference, making it the ultimate portable speaker for indoors or outdoors.

Key Specifications of Jabra SOLEMATE™:
- Powerful sound with 3 front facing speakers (2 acoustic tweeters and 1 subwoofer) and a proprietary passive bass radiator
- Sweat, dust and splash resistant
- Speakerphone capability
- Voice Guidance
- StatusDisplay™
- Wireless connectivity – play multimedia on Bluetooth^® enabled device within 10m
- Connection via Bluetooth^®, 3.5mm audio cable and USB cable
- Built-in rechargeable lithium ion battery, AC wall charger included
- Durable sound bag
- Up to 8 hours wireless music time*
- Up to 40 days standby time
- Weight: 610 grams
- Dimensions: 172 mm (L) x 64 mm (W) x 70 mm (H)
It is priced at Rs 10,990 and is available with a one year warranty.

Check out the press release below :

[toggle_box title=”Press Release” width=”Width of toggle box”]

jabra solemate™ turns up the wireless heat in mobile music

Jabra brings on Jabra SOLEMATE™, the smart multi-functional portable speaker, with massive sound for sharing, streaming and listening to music wherever, whenever

New Delhi, November 19, 2012: Jabra expands its stereo music line with the launch of the Company’s first wireless portable speaker, Jabra SOLEMATE™. With the rising usage of smart phones for music, music lovers can now enjoy the freedom of big sound and be the centre of the party with the Jabra SOLEMATE™, a fun and multifunctional portable Bluetooth^® speaker that enables sharing and streaming of entertainment with anyone, anytime and anywhere.

With strong, deep bass from an integrated subwoofer and rich, vibrant acoustics from dual tweeters, the SOLEMATE amps up the brilliance and clarity in music across a wide audio spectrum. The Jabra SOLEMATE™ connects to any multimedia device using Bluetooth^® technology, a 3.5mm audio cable or USB cable and caters to different consumer preference, making it the ultimate portable speaker for indoors or outdoors. Whether connected to a mobile phone, tablet, iPad^®, iPod^® or laptop, the SOLEMATE is the perfect audio companion to play music clearly and loudly.
- PLAY ON! – Play music while lying at the beach, having a picnic in a park, hosting a soirée, or chilling out at home. Amplify the volume up to an impressive 120 dB SPL* while streaming YouTube videos or watching movies
- CARRY ON! – About the size and weight of a 500ml soda bottle, the SOLEMATE is small and light. The highly portable speaker integrates innovative cable management solution in its non-slip rubber sole base to securely store a 3.5mm audio cable. Just grab the SOLEMATE by its handy carry strap and you’re ready to go.
- PARTY ON! – Sweat, dust, splash and shock resistant, Jabra SOLEMATE™ can handle any bumps and knocks of your active life. The SOLEMATE is meant to travel – it even comes with a durable, sand and rain resistant sound bag – throw it in the bag in extreme situations and the SOLEMATE will keep rocking your tunes loud and clear, completely muffle-free.
- DANCE ON! – Dance to unbelievable sound quality at the next social event, birthday party, corporate function or holiday extravaganza.
- GAME ON! – Turn-up the volume of mobile video games and beat the top score.
- TALK ON! – Catch up with friends, family and colleagues via phone or Skype™ with SOLEMATE speakerphone feature . Connect to a mobile phone, PC, or tablet and enjoy loud and clear conversations without missing a word.
*at 0.5m

Price: Rs 10,990
Colours – Black, White

Warranty: One year local warranty

Availability: Redington (National Distributor)
Contact Details: New Delhi – Mr. Kulwinder Pal | +91 9310154412, Mumbai – Mr. Ankit Sarraf | +91 9820447222 | [email protected]

Key Specifications of Jabra SOLEMATE™:
- Powerful sound with 3 front facing speakers (2 acoustic tweeters and 1 subwoofer) and a proprietary passive bass radiator
- Sweat, dust and splash resistant
- Speakerphone capability
- Voice Guidance
- StatusDisplay™
- Wireless connectivity – play multimedia on Bluetooth^® enabled device within 10m
- Connection via Bluetooth^®, 3.5mm audio cable and USB cable
- Built-in rechargeable lithium ion battery, AC wall charger included
- Durable sound bag
- Up to 8 hours wireless music time*
- Up to 40 days standby time
- Weight: 610 grams
Dimensions: 172 mm (L) x 64 mm (W) x 70 mm (H)

[/toggle_box]
November 21, 2012
New Windows 8 Accessories Launched By Logitech

Logitech India today introduced a new line of products specifically designed to facilitate intuitive navigation of Windows 8.

The new products are: Logitech Wireless Rechargeable Touchpad T650, Touch Mouse T620, Zone Touch Mouse T400 and Bluetooth Illuminated Keyboard K810 and Wireless Touch Keyboard K400R.

[quote]”We have a tradition of launching innovative products and believe in their superiority. Windows 8 allows users to move from one form factor to another, and hence we are offering mouse with horizontal navigation,” Logitech Country Manager India and South-West Asia Subrotah Biswas told reporters here.[/quote]

The Logitech Wireless Rechargeable Touchpad T650, lets you use all Windows 8 gestures to navigate on a old laptop running the new OS. The T620 mouse too lets users do the same – even the top corner swipes to cycle through apps and open settings. You can swipe though pages by running you fingers on the mouse and open Start with a double tap.

The new family of products includes the K810 Bluetooth Illuminated Keyboard that can connect with up to three different devices at the same time (Rs 8,295), the K400 Wireless Touch Keybaord with a Windows 8 compatible 3.5-inch touchpad (Rs 2,995) and the T650 rechargeable touchpad with a glass surface and full gesture compatibility (Rs 4,995). The Logitech Touch Mouse T620 will be priced at Rs 4,295, while the T400 Zone Touch mouse will cost Rs 2,895.

November 21, 2012
Skype 3.0 for Android Launched, New Tablet Interface, Better Voice Quality

Microsoft’s newest big-time brand, Skype, has just been updated to version 3.0 for Android. With it comes a brand new interface for tablets, though Microsoft didn’t seem to think that anyone uses a Nexus 7 since the frame is forced into landscape mode. Hopefully this will be fixed in the next update.

Much like the desktop client or iPad application, the new Android version offers a two-column approach aimed at simplifying multitasking. For example, users can now easily access IM messages without leaving a video call.

The claim to improved sound is credible. The variability of Skype’s audio makes it hard to pin down, but apparently there’s a better audio codec called SILK which copes with varying speeds and improves the capture of deep, bassy, tones, like those of Morgan Freeman.

November 21, 2012
Windows Phone 8 Hit With Random Reboot Issues

HTC Windows Phone 8 and Nokia Lumia 920 owners have taken to forums looking for answers to a vexing reboot problem. Pages worth of complaints have sprung up on Microsoft and Nokia’s forums web sites, as well as that of WPCentral.

The problem, which has the device reboot at random several times per day, seems to affect the HTC 8X more than the Lumia 920. Some users report as many as four to five reboots every 24 hours.

It is unclear exactly what is triggering the problems — and whether they are related or down to specific issues with different handsets, although since multiple handsets from different makers are involved a problem relating to the OS seems most likely.

Microsoft is reportedly investigating the issue, and if it can’t be resolved server-side, which seems the most likely cause, it will likely be overcome with an OTA patch in the coming days.

Nokia acknowledged there have been “reports of a small number of people experiencing this unusual performance on their Nokia Lumia 920? and pointed to problematic apps as a potential cause — noting in a statement: “We are investigating but suspect some apps may be at the root of the issue when left running in the background. While we learn more, we advise people when finished with an application to navigate away using the back button to ensure it is no longer active.”

Have you had any issues with your new Windows Phone 8 devices? Let us know.

November 20, 2012
5 Million Google Nexus 7 Units Expected To Be Shipped In 2012

David Chang, ASUS’ CFO, stated last month that shipments of the Nexus 7 were initially slow, popping in around “500K units a month, then maybe 600, 700K.” He then declared October was a breakout month with shipments getting “close to one million.”

With the recent release of the 32GB Nexus 7 and 32GB 3G version you can expect interest to peak, especially at their low-cost price points. News today from an overseas report in DigiTimes claims that their supply chain sources believe that Nexus 7 shipments – all models – will reach 5 million units by year end. That’s not to hard to imagine as the above numbers total 2.8 million, so another 2.2 million in the next couple months is certainly possible.

It’s no secret that a lot of the tablet’s success is down to it’s brilliant pricing. For what you get with the Nexus 7, it’s incredible value for money and a price that no other Android tablet has yet matched. At it’s current pricing, you can get the Nexus 7 with 16GB of storage for $199 and the 32GB model for $249. As of last week there’s the addition of the 32GB Nexus 7 with 3G connectivity for $299, which is pretty cheap for a tablet of its specs with 3G, often the premium for 3G is a lot higher on tablets.

The tablet comes with 7-inch IPS display screen with a 1280×800 resolution and is powered by 1.3GHz Nvidia Tegra 3 processor. Other features of the tablet include 1GB RAM, 1.2-megapixel front camera and 4325mAh battery.

November 20, 2012
Nokia HERE Maps For iPhone And iPad Released

HERE Maps by Nokia, the mapping alternative to Google Maps and Apple’s own Maps service, is now available for iOS. It’s compatible with iPhone, iPod touch and iPad devices running iOS 4.3 or above and is optimised for the iPhone 5.

The app is based off HTML 5 and offers an array of mapping views – map view, live traffic view, public transport line view or satellite view – and has maps/directions from over 200 countries.

The UI follows Nokia’s own interface pattern, rather than the usual iOS conventions, which could lead to some confusion, but otherwise it’s pretty much what we’ve grown to expect from the Nokia Maps browser-based option.

HERE has a public transport view that handily shows nearby routes and stops overlaid on the map. It also provides driving and walking directions, and even lets you cycle through the days of the week when planning routes to see how traffic and other factors on different days might affect trip times and planning. Searching for locales brings up nearby interest points, too, in addition to routing options, as well as website and phone number info if they’re available.

We’ve had a quick look around the app and it features an extensive database of locations and points of interests. The navigation feature seems to work nicely as well.

You can download Nokia HERE from the iOS App Store. Check it out and let us know what you think about this Apple Maps alternative in the comments.

[toggle_box title=”Features” width=”Width of toggle box”]

Features:
• Map views: Pick the map you need from map view, live traffic, public transport line or satellite
• Save map areas & wander without data coverage
• In selected countries, access community maps created and updated by users
• Maps, search and place coverage for nearly 200 countries
• Search with history and suggestions
• Share places with just a tap, including location & how to get there, over SMS, email, social networks
• Organize places you love into Collections
• Sign in to HERE Maps with your Nokia Account or Facebook login
• Sync with Here.net – Access your Collections anywhere
• Step-by-Step voice-guided walk navigation
• Walk navigation through pedestrian routes, parks, alleyways, and more
• Public transportation and driving directions

[/toggle_box]

November 20, 2012
Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie Seen In Sony ‘LT30i’ Benchamarks

Now that Android 4.2 Jelly Bean is safely released to the public, it’s time to focus our attention on the next big version, expected to be called Key Lime Pie and likely to be unveiled in February or March of next year. Key Lime Pie, has appeared online in benchmarking results on a yet-to-be-released Sony LT30i.

The hardware it is being tested, Sony LT30i, is a variation of the Sony Xperia T clocked at 1.6Ghz. Because Sony is a close partner of Google, and may be readying its own Nexus phone, it’s entirely possible that the hardware manufacturer has been granted early access to Android 5.0 as part of the Android PDK.

The LT30i features a 1.6GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8260 chip with modest Adreno 220 graphics. It also has a display of unknown size, but with a 720p resolution.

All this has to be taken with the usual large pinch of salt as the benchmark figures could easily be faked, as you would have thought we are many months away from seeing Android 5.0 revealed. It is doubtful the company will announce the software before Google I/O next summer, but with Google anything may be possible.

November 20, 2012
Intel road map with Bay Trail-based Atom for tablets leaked

Intel’s roadmap for bay trail processors for future tablets has been leaked, just like their previous details of bay trail processors. A roadmap uncovered by Mobile Geeks has shown off the details of the tablet-oriented Bay View-T and its Valleyview-T processors. Intel hardware can output to as much as a 2,560 x 1,600 display and record stereoscopic, 1080p 3D video to include support for 3D camera laden Tablets.

We are also seeing details for less power consumption in the same sort of performance factor, adding an additional 2 hours of video playback for at least some of the 1.6GHz to 2.1GHz processors in the lineup.

Dont stop your tablet purchase just as yet, because unlike previous generation of processors these wont be available until 2014, so you still have one year to enjoy what you invest in, before the processors are announced and another few months before they are implemented into hardware.

November 20, 2012
Intex Aqua 5.0 Launched at Rs 9,990

Add another to the list boys, the new Intex Aqua 5.0 features a 5-inch touchscreen, Android 4.0 OS. The Intex Aqua 5.0 also has a 1GHz dual-core processor, 4GB of internal memory, and 4GB microSD card (expandable up to 32GB).

The phone has a 5MP auto focus rear camera with a 1.3MP front camera supporting video calling. The Intex Aqua 5.0 also adds the usual dual-SIM capability, apparently high resolution display, Wi-Fi, and 2000mAh battery with a rated talk time of five hours, and about eight days of standby time. The Intex Aqua 5.0 also has sensors – Gravity, Light and Proximity, and supports Auto Call Recorder.

[quote]At Intex, we endeavor to bring innovative mobile solutions to mobile users of today . Reaffirming our commitment to quality and pioneering technologies, the newly launched AQUA 5.0 smartphone is a step towards empowering consumers in smaller towns and cities with cutting edge technology at an affordable price.We are targeting a revenue growth of 100 per cent this fiscal with smartphones being the contribution driver. With the launch of this smartphone we aim to meet our business volume targets of five million pieces in this current fiscal. We also plan to extend our budget smartphone range to ten models by March 2013,” – Sanjay Kumar, GM – Mobile Business, Intex Technologies (India) Ltd.[/quote]

The Intex Aqua 5.0 owners will get a gift worth Rs 700, that includes a 4GB memory card, and NQ antivirus absolutely free. No real need for an antivirus, unless you are very experimental.

Intex states availability in three colours – silver, blue and black and the phone is already available through their wide distribution network along with at online sites. The phone at a price of Rs. 9,990 targets the market promise owned by the likes of Micromax and Karbonn, with the A110 Canvas 2 leading the space.

November 20, 2012
Indiatimes Email Service To Shut Down By February 2013

Indiatimes.com, the flagship horizontal portal from Times Internet, which recently went through a series of revamp stages has finally been confirmed to discontinue its email service and reportedly the company has announced that they will permanently shut down the email sevice with effect from February 18, 2013 at 12 pm IST.

What this means is basically as of now, you cannot sign up for an Indiatimes account and the service can only be accessed by existing users.

[quote]The message on the site reads: ‘You will no longer be able to send or receive mails or access your account for the purpose of reading mail and/or transfer any data (i.e. emails, tasks, documents, folders, appointments, and/or contacts) currently saved in your account post 18th February, 2013 – 12 P.M (Indian Standard Time).”[/quote]

Existing users are being warned to backup any data before 18th February 2013 at 12PM, the proposed shutdown time of the service.

However, in the absence of POP3/ IMAP support, it is not clear how the users are expected to back up their emails. It would have been nice of Indiatimes to either offer one-click backup of emails to all users or enable POP3/ IMAP for all accounts until shutdown, and provide detailed instructions to users on how to backup their emails.

This will bring the curtains down on one of the two prominent local email services (the other being rediffmail) which tried to stay relevant even as Gmail shook the global e-mail business.

November 19, 2012
Thorsten Heins, RIM CEO, Spotted With His Blackberry 10 Device During an NBA Game

Thorsten Heins, RIM CEO, and Andrew Bocking, RIM SVP of Software Product Management, were recently hanging court side at the LA Lakers/Phoenix Suns game and both were armed with the all-touch BlackBerry 10 device. Heins noted about a month ago that he was using his BB10 on a daily basis, so this could very well be the final hardware. They both look pleasantly happy snapping a few pics and we’re really curious if they’re using the Time Shift feature.

Typically RIM employees can’t bust out pre-production units in public, but I think the CEO might be an exception.

On Bocking’s device, which he’s putting away in a snazzy leather pouch, the bottom row on his homescreen shows the promised Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Foursquare apps. The official unveiling of the RIM BlackBerry 10 OS will be happening on January 30th, 2013.

November 19, 2012
Galaxy Note 2 To Come In 3 New Colours Next Year

At the moment the Galaxy III comes in 6 colors. (Pebble Blue, Marble White, Amber Brown, Garnet Red, Sapphire Black and Titanium Grey). But according to a post on SamMobile we’ll see the 5.5-inch Android be splashed with Amber Brown, Garnet Red and Sapphire Black. Samsung will take the opportunity and show off the new colours at the upcoming Mobile World Congress 2013 in Barcelona.

The Galaxy Note II, with its 5.5-inch HD SuperAMOLED display, is slightly bigger than the original Galaxy Note, which had a 5.3-inch touchscreen. This device runs on Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean), the latest version of Google’s mobile operating system, layered with the company’s TouchWiz UI. The phablet has a quad-core 1.6GHz Cortex A-9 processor with 2GB of RAM and will come in 16, 32 and 64GB variants, with support for microSD card having capacity of up to 64GB.

If the info is spot on, will any of our readers be hoping to snap up one of the new colours if or when they hit the mobile space?

November 19, 2012