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Sony to Double VAIO Sales in 2011 (PR)
Sony plans to double its VAIO laptop sales this year. With over 62 models in 4 different series, the company may just achieve its targets. Read the Press Release to find out how.

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Sony India today announced its strategy to double VAIO sales in India by selling 5 lakh laptop units in FY11. VAIO is already the fastest growing laptop brand in India (according to IDC report 2010) with more than 100% growth and the new product line-up will ensure that it becomes even more closer to the Indian audience. VAIO S, C, E & Y series are tailor-made to suit the diverse lifestyle of the customers, so there is a laptop for everyone, be it a business executive, style conscious youth, students or even PC beginners.

Mr. Masaru Tamagawa, Managing Director, Sony India, said, “VAIO contributes 20% to the total sales revenue of Sony India and hence a very important part of our business. This year, our objective is to ensure that we offer a VAIO to meet the lifestyle requirements of every customer. We have an exciting product line-up of 62 models, a robust distribution network of 1500 outlets and heavy marketing investment of Rs. 50 crore to reach our business target of 5 lakh units in FY11. Talking about the new brand campaign, he said, “‘More Colour.More Style’ campaign is all about making a lifestyle statement and with Ms. Kareena Kapoor as the face of this campaign, we hope it will resonate well with our customers.”

Sony offers an extensive VAIO line-up that is aimed at different consumer segments with varied lifestyle requirements ranging from business class to college goers to even casual PC users. The price, features and the captivating colours compliments the product ensemble and lends unique beauty to the product offering. Details for each series are as follows:
- VAIO S: VAIO S is a perfectly balanced mobile PC with a premium design. Its slim and full-flat body allows you to carry it wherever you go. The long battery life makes it perfect for that business meeting and outdoor use. Available in 5 captivating colours, it is available at a price range of Rs. 47,990 to Rs.1,29,900.
- VAIO C: VAIO C is inspired by high fashion. It is made up of light-emitting material which adds to the visual impact of the vivid colour, rendering it an absolutely unique look. The Full HD screen and high-performance graphics makes playing games and watching movies a totally delightful experience. Available in 6 vibrant hues, it is priced from Rs. 54,990 to Rs. 69,990
- VAIO E: VAIO E, optimized for daily use, perfectly meets daily task demands such as checking emails, web browsing, listening to music, or organizing photos. With a wide selection of processors and colours, it fits right into a variety of usage scenes and styles. Featuring a unique truss pattern, it is targeted towards students and young working professionals. Available in 4 colours, it starts at a price of Rs. 27,990.
- VAIO Y: The key attraction of this series is the basic versatility of the product, that suits anyone and everyone making it a perfect gadget for casual users and beginners. Available in 4 colours, it starts at Rs. 24,990, making it extremely easy on the pocket.
The total product line-up, having 62 models, is available in 16 captivating colours to ensure that customers across a variety of segments have a personalized notebook that matches their idea of style.

To ensure that this comprehensive product line-up reaches the masses across India, Sony has a very aggressive expansion plan in place. The distribution network would see an increase of about 700 outlets, raising the count to 1500 in FY11 from 800 in the previous year. The company would also open 30 exclusive VAIO Flagship stores in FY11 taking the total number to 50 as a dedicated VAIO channel.

Sony will launch ‘More Colours.More Style’ VAIO brand campaign featuring its popular Brand Ambassador, Ms. Kareena Kapoor. Thrilled about the new campaign, Kareena Kapoor said, “I am very glad to be associated yet again with Sony VAIO for the ‘More Colour. More Style’ campaign. VAIO is different, vibrant and ultra stylish and makes for a perfect lifestyle statement, and this message is reinforced in the new brand campaign. The essence of this campaign is ‘Uniqueness’, so there is VAIO to suit every style and speak every mood.”

The brand campaign would be supported with extensive Above-the-line and Below-the-line activities, including print and television commercial, Web, PR, cinema and shop-front, for which the company has lined up an investment of Rs. 50 crore.

Sony has a very favorable record of Kareena led VAIO campaigns. VAIO sales doubled during the VAIO X ‘Size Zero’ campaign & VAIO E ‘Go Vivid’ campaign which were launched in Nov-Dec 2009 & July-Aug 2010 respectively.

Business facts summary:
- In FY10, Sony sold 2.5 lakh notebooks which is expected to go up to 5 lakh notebooks by FY11. The consumer notebook market in India stood at 17 lakhs units in FY10 and is expected to increase to 25 lakhs units by FY11
- For VAIO category, Sony has earmarked a budget of Rs. 50 crore towards marketing activities in FY11. Out of this, Rs. 25 crore has been allocated to ‘More Colour.More Style’ campaign.
- In FY10, Sony achieved a market share of 15%, the company targets 20% share by FY11.
- Expansion of channel network to 1,500 counters by FY11 across 200 cities up from 800 sales counters in FY10. VAIO Flagship stores to increase to 50 counters by FY11, an increase of 30 counters from 20 in FY10.
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July 13, 2011
Titan Launches HTSE Watches (PR)
Titan has launched a range of self charging light powered watches in India. These watches can be powered from any light source ranging from sunlight to a candle flame. Read the Press Release for more info.

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Indore, Madhya Pradesh, July 12, 2011 /India PRwire/ — Add panache to your persona with HTSE (High Tech Self Energized), a collection of self energizing light powered watches from Titan. These watches have a unique and unprecedented ability of being charged by any source of light upward of 200 lux power, ranging from Sunlight to a candle flame.

This new range of neo futuristic watches which merges style with technology, mark a distinct departure from the customary classic & fashion offerings from Titan. Inspired by the most complex self energizing bodies like space stations & the space crafts, this collection is distinguished by the case contours in anthracite colors & the saucer shaped perforated dials. Loaded with following innovative light powered features, this collection is a techno watch aficionado’s dream come true.
- ‘Quick Start Function’ – starts the watch from absolute dead state in 10-20 secs
- ‘Sleep Mode’ to increased shelf-life of the battery
- ‘End of Life’ – indicating recharge for the battery
- ‘Over charge prevention’- to avoid the overcharging of the battery
- ‘TSWF’ – Time set warning function
Targeted at the young urban male, this collection of 10 choices is priced between Rs 6,495 – 10,995. Featured here is ‘Quadrant’, which is inspired by the various elements of a space shuttle. The geometrically serrated profile of the Bezel rin g resembles the locking mechanism used in space shuttles. Hand of the watch resembles the fan blades of the shuttle cooling units. The pronounced crown combined with the anthracite color gives the watch a space craftish cross sectional view.

The collection is available in all World of Titan showrooms, select leading multi brand outlets and departmental stores across top 12 metros in the country.

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July 13, 2011
The Oppopet Mouse

The Oppopet series of wireless mice is produced by Elecom in collaboration with Nendo. Whats nice about these mice is that the designers have taken a traditional mouse and given it a new persona. Instead of having a regular receiver, these mice have receivers shaped like the tail of an animal, making the devices appear like small pets. While they were announced last year, the devices have just been launched in Japan.

Oppopet requires no drivers and can be used simply by plugging the tail into a free USB port on your desktop or laptop. Equipped with an on-off switch, the 2.4GHz, 3-button optical mouse weighs 55 grams and runs on a single AAA battery. It is produced in models including a fox, dog, dolphin, cat, pig, squirrel, chameleon, and rabbit. Check out the pictures below. We already want one.

July 13, 2011
The Machine That Prints Gadgets

This monstrous machine has been dubbed the MBE and its named after the process that it uses to assemble objects at the molecular level. The process, called molecular beam epitaxy, is the method by which tiny crystalline structures are layered together to form objects. The process is similar to 3D printing, but works on a molecular level.

With this particular MBE, Sharp researchers at the company’s Oxford Labs in England use a plethora of sensors and magnetic arrays to piece together molecular sized Lego blocks to assemble electronics. The machine works in an environment that is similar to the vacuum of outer space.

As crazy as it sounds, these machines have been around since the 1960s and this particular MBE is one of the smallest to date. Check out the researchers detailing the machine in the video below.

July 13, 2011
Tech Fashion – The Mouse Belt

Are you a technology whiz? Is there a hidden geek inside you? Well we’ve found an excellent way for you to keep your pants up while looking smart too. Introducing the mouse belt. It’s a belt which has an old-school Compaq mouse attached to it in place of a regular buckle. Unfortunately, you cant unbuckle the belt with a simple left or right click (or even a double-click). They also come in a Mac flavour and cost from $15 to $22 a piece. Just don’t expect anyone but you to be unbuckling this belt…

July 13, 2011
Google Updates Android Market to add Movies and Books tabs

Google is updating the marketplace app in their Android OS to include a easy tab for Books and Movies being sold and rented on the Android Marketplace. At movie titles starting at just US$ 1.99 or IN Rs. 84/- it makes it a highly worthwhile option for Android device owners who had to earlier toss around looking to download rich media content to their devices. The Update is said to roll out within the coming weeks but a pre-release build is already doing the rounds and can be found here(download )

Watch the video below to get a quick overview of the design.

[Google Mobile Blog]

July 13, 2011
Klipsch Releases Mode noise-canceling headphones

Klipsch has just added the Mode noise-cancellation headphones to its lineup of premium devices. Not only are they active noise-cancelling headphones they are also able to sustain this through their leather wrapped head-cups for upto 45 hours on a single battery.

Apart from the above theu will also have a 40mm woofer and a 15mm tweeter driver for deep bass, dynamic midrange with active crossover and crisp clean highs. They also feature a detachable cable and a foldable design. While the price is said to be set at 350 US $ ( INR 15000 approx) there is no confirmation yet.

Expect to drop a semi huge chunk of money for them when they release this fall.

[Klipsch]

July 13, 2011
HTC Tells Apple to not be a Nasty Sue Baby

Apple has been suing every bit of competition they find in the market including their latest attack target – HTC. In an attempt to weaken the morale of the folks at Cupertino HTC’s general counsel Grace Lei said:

HTC is disappointed at Apple’s constant attempts at litigations instead of competing fairly in the market.

This comes after a previous attempt from Apple to stop imports of products by HTC in the US. Final resolution of the previous case is due this month, while Apple has already planned ahead.

July 13, 2011
Researchers at MIT Develop Foldable and Printable Solar Cells

Scientists at MIT have developed a new technique for creating solar cells. The process doesn’t require the high temperature and pressure treatment that regular cells require, bringing the cost down significantly. They have used a vapor deposition process which is similar to the process used to give the silver lining to the inside of a bag of potato chips, and were able to print an array of working photovoltaics to a sheet of untreated paper, plastic and even cloth.

This breakthrough technology cant be used to power too many things just yet as the cells work at only one percent efficiency. Despite this bottleneck, the cells provide many advantages over traditional silicone based photovoltaics, namely, they are flexible, in both physical terms as well as the materials used, and they are much much cheaper to manufacture. Don’t go looking for these on the market just yet though. They should be available in a couple of years.

July 13, 2011
Panasonic Announces UT-PB1 Dedicated E-reader Tablet, with Android

Panasonic has just announced a EBook Reader Tablet for the Japanese market. The device is based on the Android OS and features a 7-inch 1024 x 600px display, expandability via micro SD slot, a front facing camera, and WiFi. The device will come with 600 Preview titles when its launched. Weighing in at just 400gms. There is no news on Pricing or date of release.

July 12, 2011
3-in-1 Computer – Gigabyte’s Booktop

With the earliest models debuted last fall, Gigabyte has just officially announced at Computex 2011 the Booktop T1125P 3-in-1 computer: a laptop whose rotating screen can convert the machine into a tablet-like device, and which when docked into a special station can be used in a desktop configuration.

On the T1125P, is a 11.6-inch capacitive multi-touch display that is fixed to a 180-degree hinge, which lets the laptop be closed with the screen facing outward for use as a tablet. The device itself contains a USB 3.0 and HDMI ports, as well as two dual-channel stereo speakers and two woofers. an ultra low voltage intel core i5/i3 processor plus Nvidia GPU with 1GB dedicated visual RAM translates to a responsive, high-quality multimedia experience. a built/in 3.5G modem facilitates mobile internet connectivity, while the docking station features a DVD drive. when docked (which is necessarily in the vertical position), the device in addition to charging can be used for processing power and as a second screen to an external monitor.

Gigabyte also announced the Booktop M2432 which features a 14 inch backlit LCD and has a Core i3/i5 sandy-bridge processor. This allows the device to function as a laptop or a desktop when docked, but not as a tablet. The dock contains an in-built Nvidia GPU.

July 12, 2011
Apple Files second Patent Infringement Complaint against HTC – Shares Drop

Its only been a couple of months and Apple has slammed HTC with the second patent infringement case. The US International Trade Commission is reporting that HTC is being accused and is being asked to stop the import of “personal electronic devices”. Last year, Apple filed a separate action against HTC with the U.S. International Trade Commission, where HTC then leveled its own patent infringement claims against Apple. Preliminary rulings for those cases are expected this week.

Shares in the world’s No.5 handset maker, HTC Corp (2498.TW), tumbled more than 4 percent on Tuesday, after Apple Inc (AAPL.O) sued the company in a fresh complaint with a U.S. trade panel.

HTC said its net profit doubled in the second quarter, beating market expectations. But analysts suggested that because the operating income tracked forecasts, they expected shares of HTC would consolidate before the investor conference at the end of this month, when the company gives guidance for the third quarter. There are rumours out there that HTC would need to pay Apple T$20 billion ($693.64 million) in compensation.

That would lower down profit expectations considerably.

July 12, 2011
100 Disc Changing Xbox 360

How many times have you had to get off your beanbag to change the disc in your Xbox 360? Well those days are past. Ben Heck, self styled modder, tinkerer and designer, the creator of such wondrous mods as the PS3 laptop and the portable Ninetendo 64, has come out with another great mod. He’s taken an old 100 CD changer and combined it with an Xbox 360 creating a version of the console that can store 100 discs.

As we get more and more used to downloading and viewing content, changing discs seems so yesterday. As we all know, progress breeds laziness, and if that’s true, this mod marks true progress.

Unfortunately, not only is this mod not available for purchase, its also not yet completed. We can’t wait to see this thing in action.

July 12, 2011
Mcafee Mobile Security and WaveSecure for Android
McAfee has issued a Press Release regarding its Mobile Security and WaveSecure security softwares for smartphones and tablets on the Android Platform. Read the full PR for more information.

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McAfee today announced the it is extending its mobile device portfolio for consumers with McAfee Mobile Security and McAfee WaveSecure Tablet Edition. These mobile device offerings change the mobile security landscape by offering security safeguards that help consumers secure their mobile devices for personal use, commerce and work.

According to a mobile security report released last week by McAfee and Carnegie Mellon University titled, “Mobility and Security: Dazzling Opportunities, Profound Challenges,” respondents named their top three security concerns to be the loss of personal or work data through the accidental loss of a device, physical theft of the device, or loss of their data due to their device “crashing.” In addition, close to half of all respondents said they were using their smartphones both for personal use and work, demonstrating that consumers want more than just personal device security.

McAfee Mobile Security software, available for both smartphones and tablets, provides a comprehensive mobile security solution by combining three leading McAfee mobile security products: WaveSecure, VirusScan Mobile and SiteAdvisor® for Android. It is ideal for users who want protection for their data and privacy in the event of loss or theft, protection against the growing threats of viruses and spyware targeting mobile devices as well as protection from Web based threats, such as phishing sites that probe for personal and sensitive information.

With McAfee Mobile Security, consumers can now access the following features and functionality in a single download:
- Back-up and restore data to help protect sensitive information and irreplaceable photos. Even if the device is missing, it can be backed up before it is wiped clean of information.
- Protection against misuse (such as excessive phone charges) as well as safeguarding personal data with remote locking capabilities
- An audible alarm to help users find the device or disrupt a thief, and or pop-up a notification with instructions for returning the device
- Remotely remove data from a lost or stolen device via the McAfee Web portal, mobile Web portal or via a SMS message from a buddy device
- 24/7 real-time anti-malware protection against viruses, worms and spyware, Trojan horses and battery sapping malware
  - Protection from malicious Web sites, phishing, identity theft, and credit card fraud when shopping online. SiteAdvisor software for Android provides color coded site ratings appear right next to the search results, allowing Android users to confidently browse and search the mobile Web.
  - Management of mobile device protection allows consumers to quickly execute needed security tasks, backup, locate, wipe, etc. via the McAfee Web portal and simple device interface
  - All backed by McAfee Labs with its 24/7 global presence and dedicated team of threat researchers
The WaveSecure Tablet Edition offers Android users with WiFi the ability to find their missing device with alarm and location tracking, prevent misuse with remote lock and wipe and preserve important memories and personal data with remote backup, even from a lost or misplaced device. Users can also trigger an audible alarm to help them find the device or disrupt a thief, and send a brief SMS message with instructions for returning it.

“With device growth eclipsing PCs, consumers need tools to not only protect their personal information, but also to provide safeguards for business data should they decide to use that device for work,” said Todd Gebhart, senior vice president and general manager of consumer, small business and mobile, McAfee. “It’s far too easy to leave a mobile device in a cab or at the airport, which can mean lost photos, contacts and other important content. Also, the threats to mobile devices are in many ways the same as in the online world. Beyond device lost or theft, users can be hacked, infected or phished on a mobile device just as easily as they can online.”

Availability and Pricing:

McAfee Mobile Security and WaveSecure software are available in the following languages; Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Dutch, English, French (European and Canadian), German, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (European and Brazilian), Swedish, Spanish (European and Mexican) and Russian. McAfee Mobile Security software is available as an annual subscription of $29.99 USD per year from McAfee and the Android Market. McAfee WaveSecure software is available as an annual subscription of $19.99 USD from McAfee and the Android Market.

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July 12, 2011
Biometric ATM Uses Fingerprints Instead of a PIN

Using an ATM is pretty straightforward for most of us. But that might not be the case with people who are illiterate/semi-literate. It makes it a lot harder for such people to use the machine, but a new machine is looking to change all that.

As banks look to expand to rural areas in the developing world, universal literacy cant be assumed, so an ATM machine is required that doesn’t need people to be able to read. NRC Corp’s machine fits the bill. It identifies people using a biometric fingerprint scanner and then allows them to choose the amount that they would like with suitable pictures on the screen. This makes it easier for a illiterate person to withdraw money and removes the barriers that they face with traditional ATMs.

At the moment, the machines are being tested in the US, but the company hopes that it passes the tests soon before being installed in rural areas of India and China.

July 12, 2011