Skeptics believe this is just another tactic used by Facebook to gain private details
In wake of the recent leaking of passwords of LinkedIn and eHarmony accounts, social networking giants Facebook started promoting security tips at the top of each user’s home page, with a link to information about scams, passwords and how to stay safe on the social network.
Users are urged to give Facebook their mobile phone numbers, which the company says it will use to text them a new password in the event of a data breach. Facebook said the desktop security message, already seen by millions of users in the U.S., will be on all accounts in the next few days. Skeptics are far from pleased with the move, suggesting that the Menlo Park web giant is taking advantage of the recent leaks to prise yet more personal data out of their users under a benevolent guise. Admittedly, it’s unlikely to be something that appeals to the Internet’s more paranoid surfers, assuming they even use Facebook to begin with.
The new version also brings in the option of using themes!
Opera 12 made its public debut today with numerous changes that mostly focus on faster browsing. The browser, whose mobile version is more popular than its PC counterpart, with this update brings in themes capability to dress up your browser, Do Not Track privacy support, and lots of performance enhancements. It also brings a couple of completely new ways to experience the Web involving your webcam and paged layouts, and HTML5 drag-and-drop.
[quote]You spend hours each day in front of a Web browser, said Opera CEO Lars Boilesen. Shouldn’t those hours be as fun and, occasionally, as productive as possible? We think so, so we made Opera 12 the smartest, fastest and most unique browser available.[/quote]
Opera’s hardware acceleration go beyond just web content, using your graphics processor to boost the rendering speed of the browser’s user interface as well, though we feel that the browser lags behind competition due to delayed updates which means that browsers like Chrome and Firefox already have what new versions of Opera have to offer.
Opera released a video to showcase the new version:
Liveside.net leaked screenshots of the new interface
Most of us had our first email accounts at hotmail.com, but somehow after the arrival of Gmail, it faded into oblivion. Even though it still has the most number of users, 10 million more than Gmail, its growth rate has been alarmingly low! In a bid to bring it back to its former glory Microsoft has renamed and revamped Hotmail, now called Newmail, which is understood to have a ‘clean look’ when it comes to the font that has been used for the labels in the inbox, which resembles its adversary(Gmail).
The new email service will also be linked to Facebook and Twitter and will allow users to keep their contacts automatically in sync and see what their friends are doing on the service. However, all new accounts would still have the @hotmail tag.
After selling over 1 lakh units of its previous models of 3G phones, from the “What an idea sirji” campaign, Aditya Birla group led Idea launched a new dual-sim (GSM+GSM) 3G device, the ID-918 made by Alcatel in China priced at Rs 5,994.
It runs on Android 2.3 Gingerbread and features include FM Radio, 150 MB internal memory, expandable memory up to 32GB with microSD (2GB card included), 512 MB RAM, 256 MB ROM and a 1300 mAh battery.
Along with the handset, Idea is also offering benefits worth Rs 2,340 apart from a 2 GB data per month for three months after 48-72 hours of recharge.
The highlight of the device is its inbuilt 3G capabilities
iBall’s launched its latest tablet, the Slide 3G- 7307, at an MRP of Rs.16,499 with the best buy price of Rs. 15,499. According to the company, the USP of this tablet is that it comes with built-in 3G capability.
What’s disappointing is that the device comes with Android 2.3 Gingerbread and no indication has been given as to whether it will get an update to ICS or not.
It features a 1GHz processor,supports 8GB storage expandable up to 32GB and can play 1080p HD videos. The built in high speed HSPA+ 3g supports upload download speeds up to 7.2 Mbps and download upload speeds up to 5.76 Mpbs. The tablet features a 7-inch capacitive touchscreen with an 800 x 480 resolution and Front and rear camera. Also included an a direct USB, HDMI port, supporting simultaneous use on tablet as well as TV.
The pricing could have been better as you can get your hands on a Samsung Galaxy Tab2 P3100 by paying just a little more, which seems like a better option.
Ever been to a party where you start showing friends your favorite YouTube videos? Well YouTube and Google+ think you have. If you are in a Google+ Hangout and as long as everyone has the web app running, they can share individual videos or whole playlists that run in sync. Voice chat, flips to a push-to-talk requirement to prevent friends from talking over your favorite clip or creating a fish market of the situation.
Everyone can add videos in the Hangout through a search tool in the app, or remove the videos you don’t like. All your friends in the Hangout can drag and drop videos to sort the order in the playlist, or skip forward or backward to play the next one.
If you like a video that’s playing, you can share the video with your Google+ circles at any time. Since great playlists are works of art, you can also save the playlist that you and your friends created to your YouTube account as public or private to enjoy later.
If you are rocking one of the new Xperia NXT phones then you might like to know about this new app called “Illumination Bar Notification”. The app is meant only for Xperia S, P and U and allows you to set up notification alerts by making the light in the transparent bar flash.
The illumination bar can blink with different speeds or have a constant light depending on your preference. This app will only work on the latest range of Sony Xperia mobile phones that have the illumination bar (the transparent bar at the bottom of the phone). Currently this is the following models: Xperia S, Xperia P & Xperia U. On Xperia U multiple colors are available to choose from (Red, Green, Blue, etc).
Various Settings allow for custom notifications, including the light staying on till the SMS is read, or till the screen is unlocked. Go to the link below to download the app yourself.
A developer working on the Playbook has been able to run iOS apps on the BlackBerry PlayBook. The developer likens his project to WINE, which doesn’t do hardware emulation, but rather relies on a custom set of APIs to make the apps boot and run on the Playbook. The dependency of the said port is only possible properly if the app does not rely on Apple’s UIWebView or CoreData frameworks. businesscat2000 the developer, has yet to make the software publicly available, although he’s expressed a bit of interest. It remains to be seen whether this project will ever see the light of day.
Sony yesterday announced three colorful, entry-level Android handsets (9 days before the official countdown) via its Facebook page that are expected to ship in the third quarter of the year. Though no spec-sheets have been revealed, here they are!
Xperia Miro
The Miro is an entry level Xperia
Xperia miro packs a 3.5″ screen, 5MP camera, DLNA, Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and, of course, a bunch of Sony exclusive software tricks to go with the adjustable illumination effects of the handset. There’s also a front facing camera for video chat. This is a Sony’s Facebook-centric smartphone, with the social networking site being integrated into the device.
Xperia Tipo, Tipo Dual
The Tipo dual has a dedicated sim-switch button
The Xperia tipo and tipo dual are basic Android ICS handsets with a 3.2″ display and 3.2 MP camera. The phones run on an 800 MHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor but only 2.5 GB user accessible memory out of the 4 GB onboard memory. The tipo dual features a dedicated SIM-swap key to help switch between SIM cards. Users can also preset the phone to swap between SIM cards at a particular time during the day. Both the devices feature identical specifications except for the dual-SIM capabilities on the Xperia tipo dual.
Check out these introductory videos put up by Sony-
The phone features the same Kevlar coating as that of the Droid Razr
The Motorola Razr Maxx, which was showcased at CES Las Vegas in January, is all set to hit Indian stores starting 24th July. The device is up for pre-orders online from Infibeam at a price of Rs 31,999/-.
The Razr Maxx features a 4.3-inch Super Amoled advanced touchscreen display with qHD (960×540) pixel resolution. It promises an impressive battery backup, providing a standby time of about 380 hours and 20.5 hours of talk time, 7.5 hours of web browsing with around 14 hours of video playback on a single charge.
Powered by dual-core 1.2 GHz mobile processor, the phone packs 1GB RAM and 16GB ROM, has an 8 megapixel camera and 1.3 megapixel front camera. It comes with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich onboard and has an 8 megapixel rear camera, capable of recording at 1080p at 30 fps. Like the Droid Razr, it comes with a Kevlar coating which adds to the device’s durability.
The app will turn the iPhone into an Xbox controller
Microsoft on Wednesday released an update for their My Xbox Live application for iOS (4.3 or later) which allows iPhone users to use the app to control their Xbox 360 consoles using a simple touch interface. The app also lets users launch games or apps on the 360 from the app on their phone without having to wade through tons of menus on the Xbox 360.
Even when the device is not connected to the Xbox, users can make changes to their profile, view their stats etc from their iPhone. Other additions to the iOS My Xbox Live app include improved authentication for increased stability, and high-resolution images for the new iPad. Remote control functionality is not yet available on the iPad.
The app was also released for Android but with restrictions, that is, users cannot gain any practical control over the Xbox, they can now check their Xbox Live profiles, friend statuses and the highlighted games.
If you do a lot of reading on your Tablet and your tablet is an Android one then you will be happy to know that Amazon has pushed out a new version of the Amazon Kindle app for Android.
The big addition is the ability to view two pages side-by-side in landscape mode (as seen above). Otherwise, you’ll now find additional options for margin and spacing controls, along with a number of bug fixes . Including the major bug that required you to re-sign in every time you restarted the App.
The MTag will come with an "all you can use" data plan
MTS today launched its fourth Android smartphone, the Mtag 401, which is going to be bundled with unlimited data plans. The phone, which features an 800MHz Qualcomm processor, 4-inch display with WVGA resolution, 1700 mAh battery, 3MP camera and 170MB of internal memory,comes with 256MB RAM is priced at Rs 8999 and is available in the market for purchase starting today.
According to reports, MTS also plans to launch an Android powered tablet later this year.
Now that Apple has already released their new Retina Display MacBooks, the biggest question remains if the non-retina apps will look as good on the laptops. Google has already started working on a Chrome browser for Retina MacBooks, and it looks pretty nice. In a blog post the team showed off the image above with a comparison on what the high res edition will look like compared to its current counterpart based on “early results.” Users on the Canary channel should see the upgrades first, with more rolling out over the next few weeks and eventually reaching all as they go along.
The Nokia 808 PureView was launched at an event here in New Delhi today. The device is priced at Rs 33,899/- and sales are going to start today. Throughout the keynote, conducted by Mr. Vipul Mehrotra, the emphasis was on the massive, high-resolution 41 megapixel sensor with high-performance Carl Zeiss optics. The device, hailed as a “Camera SmartPhone”, has truly amazing imaging and video quality, arguably one of the best we’ve seen on smartphones till now, including 4x loss-less zoom at 1080p.
Only the white and black colours will be available for now
[quote]Vipul Mehrotra, Director and Head of smart devices, Nokia India said, “Nokia has always been known for its imaging legacy. What started off with a simple objective to create the most advanced imaging device, the Nokia 808 PureView has evolved into something extremely revolutionary.[/quote]
Vipul Mehrotra during the keynote
It was also announced that Airtel will offer a bundled data package of 500MB with the phone, which for now is available in 2 colours-Black and White. Various Apps are also available to make use of the phone’s mutli-media capabilities.
The camera on the phone was highlighted the most
However, it was made clear that this does not signal the end of Nokia’s previous flagship device, the N8.
Nokia also announced there collaboration with Dolby Worldwide, the press release of which is below :
[toggle_box title=”Press Release” width=”Width of toggle box”]
Nokia ushers in a new era in smartphone innovation
Inspired by satellite imaging, revolutionary Nokia 808 PureView now available in India
Collaborates with Dolby Laboratories to offer cinema-like entertainment on-the-go
New Delhi, June 13, 2012— Nokia India today announced the launch of much awaited Nokia 808 PureView with 41 MP sensor and the most advanced imaging innovation featuring Nokia’s award winning PureView technology. Nokia 808 PureView brings together high resolution sensors, exclusive Carl Zeiss optics and Nokia developed algorithms to offer a break through imaging experience to the consumers. Nokia also announced its collaboration with Dolby Laboratories to bring outstanding cinematic sound experience for entertainment enthusiasts – Nokia 808 PureView is the first mobile device to feature both Dolby Digital Plus and Dolby Headphones technology. The Nokia 808 PureView features a large, high-resolution 41 megapixel sensor with high-performance Carl Zeiss optics and new pixel oversampling technology which is set to revolutionize high-end imaging in the smartphone sector. With superior low-light performance and the ability to save in compact file sizes for sharing in email, MMS, and on social networks, the Nokia 808 PureView makes it possible for anyone to capture professional looking images in any conditions.
Speaking at the launch, Vipul Mehrotra, Director and Head of smart devices, Nokia India said, “Nokia has always been known for its imaging legacy. What started off with a simple objective to create the most advanced imaging device, the Nokia 808 PureView has evolved into something extremely revolutionary. Nokia 808 PureView stands for industry leading innovation – it represents Nokia’s highest level of smartphone imaging experiences and marries it effectively with Dolby’s cinematic sound experience, resulting in a smartphone that has set new standards in mobile technology. This was possible due to our long expertise in imaging, partnering with the best companies in the world such as Dolby Laboratories and Carl Zeiss, incredible craftsmanship and unwillingness to compromise on performance. We are proud of what we have jointly created, world’s first super camera phone.”
“In the past, entertainment was confined to the living room but the current trend witnesses more and more entertainment available not only at home but on the go. The Nokia PureView 808 is an amazing device and has really allowed us a platform to showcase Dolby technologies, and deliver an outstanding entertainment experience that is perfectly aligned with the device’s capabilities,” said Pankaj Kedia, Country Manager, Dolby Laboratories India. He further adds, ““The PureView 808 is the latest Nokia smartphone to showcase Dolby Digital Plus, which delivers an outstanding entertainment experience that is perfectly aligned with this groundbreaking phone’s capabilities. Meanwhile, a software upgrade for other Nokia smartphones unleashes the power of Dolby technology in those devices, enabling cinematic 5.1 surround sound for music and movies.”
Through this collaboration, both the pioneers are creating new benchmarks in smartphone technology. Nokia and Dolby will also unlock the Dolby technologies on other Nokia smartphones – specifically the Nokia 700, Nokia 701 and Nokia 603 with the latest Nokia Belle feature pack software upgrade. The inclusion of Dolby technologies in Nokia smartphones brings an extra dimension to their performance, transforming them into devices which can deliver high-definition (HD) content with Dolby Digital Plus 5.1-channel surround sound to HDTVs, audio/video receivers, and home theater systems. In addition, Dolby Headphone, available on the PureView 808, transforms content into a personal surround sound experience over headphones to create a natural, engaging, and authentic listening experience.
In addition to superior still imaging technology, the Nokia 808 PureView, also includes full HD 1080p video recording and playback with 4X lossless zoom and the world’s first use of Nokia Rich Recording. Rich Recording enables audio recording at CD-like levels of quality, previously only possible with external microphones. Dolby technology delivers rich, full-impact audio. Whether the content is video or music, Dolby technology unlocks the surround sound experience from Video content and optimizes the playback of music.
The Nokia 808 PureView will be available across Nokia retail outlets starting tomorrow. Nokia 808 PureView will be priced at Rs. 33,899/- and will be available in white and black colour.
About Nokia
Nokia is a global leader in mobile communications whose products have become an integral part of the lives of people around the world. Every day, more than 1.3 billion people use their Nokia to capture and share experiences, access information, find their way or simply to speak to one another. Nokia’s technological and design innovations have made its brand one of the most recognized in the world. For more information, visit http://www.nokia.com/about-nokia
About Dolby Laboratories
Dolby Laboratories (NYSE:DLB) is the global leader in technologies that are essential elements in the best entertainment experiences. Founded in 1965 and best known for high-quality audio and surround sound, Dolby creates innovations that enrich entertainment at the movies, at home, or on the go. For more information about Dolby Laboratories or Dolby technologies, visit www.dolby.com.
Dolby and the double-D symbol are registered trademarks of Dolby Laboratories. All other trademarks remain the property of their respective owners. W12/25383 DLB-G
