Tag: Android

Paypal throws a hook, Launches Mobile to Mobile NFC Payments

Paypal usually not preferred by Sellers has announced a new Mobile-Mobile NFC payment system at the Mobile Beat 2011. NFC equipped Device owners, majorly Nexus S, can accept transactions from other NFC equipped devices.

Currently the functionality is limited – there is only the Nexus S which is supported- and only specific type of transfer requests can be made. Paypal promises its working hard to roll out the system more commercially. Also to note – Inter-Mobile transactions will be free of cost especially if you are using a tied bank account or Paypal credit.

The app will be available for free in the Android Marketplace in the coming months. Check out the video demo below

July 14, 2011
Infinite Loop – The Accesory With Infinite Uses

Tim Gushue, an engineer and designer, has created an accessory that he calls the Infinite Loop. It is basically an extensible, multipurpose stand for tablets and smart-phones, which can be bent into any shape and holds onto a device via suction cups. He plans to develop a series of accessories for the Infinite Loop including clip on speakers, a USB module and a camera screw thread adaptor.

The device is composed of co-molded metal and plastic and comes in two flavours. There is the two foot long ‘mini-loop’ and the standard four foot long ‘Infinite Loop’. The flexibility and adjustability of the Infinite Loop makes it compatible with virtually all tablets on the market today including the iPad, Playbook, and Galaxy Tab as well as most e-book readers like the Kindle and the Nook. The Mini Loop is compatible with all of Apple’s ‘touch’ products including the iPod and the iPhone as well as virtually any smart-phone that you can stick a suction cup to.

The device as a whole has been designed for a vast number of uses and its flexible nature means that it can be bent into a variety of shapes. The design is also modular, so multiple Infinite Loops can be joined together to create a larger stand/holder. When not in use, the Loop can be rolled up into a compact circle.

July 14, 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
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
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
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.

[toggle title_open=”Collapse Press Release” title_closed=”Expand Press Release” hide=”yes” border=”yes” style=”default” excerpt_length=”0″ read_more_text=”Read More” read_less_text=”Read Less” include_excerpt_html=”no”]

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.

[/toggle]
July 12, 2011
Edit : The iPhone 5, What to Expect?
The Anticipation clock of most humans starts to ring with the sight of an Apple Product Launch. This time around people are expecting 3 new launches. The iPod refresh, the iPad with some minor changes and most importantly the iPhone 5 (or iPhone 4s).

The iPhone is the most successful smartphone ever made, with in excess of 18.5 million devices sold this year the iPhone has set records that are yet to be matched. Why everyone loves the iPhone? There could be several answers:
- The User Interface
- The OS
- The Hardware
- The Looks
- The Company Name / Brand Value
- Pricing
It could be any or all of the factors from above, we really don’t know. The iPhone has always been marketed as a magical device, with the right amount of hype. Keeping price at a point where it was just above the competition and just low enough to be an approachable target (for those looking for a smart phone) . This strategy has also led people into believing that Apple Devices are super premium and most people in India still hold them at gold value (sometimes more value that those useless super value phones).

Whatever the reason behind the iPhones popularity, we know a new one is coming and following rumors and yearly cycles , here is what we think the iPhone 5 is going to be like.

Name

The most obvious guess for a name of the upcoming iPhone would be the iPhone 5 , but unless Apple is planning some major changes the new iPhone may just as well be called the iPhone 4s. Whatever said and done the word “iPhone” will be there and a 5 would sound much better than an iPhone 4s. Some people suggest that the new device will be called iPhone 4 HD, but that seems like an unlikely name for a device from Cupertino.

Hardware

There is no guessing the obvious, Apple has already shown off their A5 chipset in the iPad 2 , and just like the iPhone 4 had the iPads chip, the next iPhone will have the new Apple dual core A5 chip. This will boost the speed and performance of the iPhone 5 (we are just going to stick to that name for now) upto four times. Also, in tow will be RAM upgrades and a bigger 8 megapixel camera sensor, which has been talked about.

Various rumors and speculation points to a larger Edge to Edge display on the front of the device. A possible 3.8 inch or even 4 inch capacitive display can do no harm to Apple’s Jesus phone, giving it a larger screen – real estate would require pumping in more pixels per inch to retain the “Retina Display” badge.

Design

Now this is where the controversy starts. The iPhone 4 had a impressively new design which was loved by everyone when it was launched. Mostly everyone appreciated the new stainless steel design, although there were some who said that it was not as nice looking as the original iPhone. The new design brought a lot of possibilities for Apple especially in the components department. A machined design meant that they could stuff their components into the phone and still have room for a large battery. The frame of the iPhone was the most impressively designed structure to be ever used in a SmartPhone, leaving only the glass front and back in question, which did end up weakening the whole device and making it prone to damage.

The Antenna design, dubbed Antennagate put Apple in the wrong kind of limelight and has ever since been know as the “break all or make all” theory for last years Jesus phone. Everyone thought the antenna problem would diminish the sales of the iPhone 4, but it actually gave them so much publicity that the device did better than expectations from the company HQ.

Using a similar antenna on the next iPhone would be a not-so-smart move from Apple, although there are those who would still buy the device, a large chunk of the audience would think that Apple ignores the consumer, and move onto alternatives.

The tear drop design has had many references in rumors of the upcoming iPhone 5, a device machined out of Aluminum (unibody is Apple’s forté) which is really slim for the most part but thicker in arears that will hold the antenna and battery. A device of such design will do fantastically well with the young consumer base of Apple’s baby.

Operating System

We all know the iPhone 5 will have the iOS 5, which will radically enhance the usability of the phone. With dedicated notifications, iMessage, iCloud, Newsstand, Twitter integration, Wireless Device syncing, new photo editing, and the use of volume button as a dedicated camera shutter release. The iOS 5 is ready to give stiff competition to its competitors, still remaining the most secure and bug free mobile OS below the stratosphere . There are still basic features missing from the iOS, bluetooth file transfer being one of them.

One More Thing!

Apple may introduce a new cheaper iPhone this year, to target the Android buying generation. A similar strategy already kind of exists with the iPhone 4 being the pedigree and the iPhone 3Gs being sold for Rs. 19,990 (USD 400).

But these rumors point to a completely new and cheaper device id, possibly a US $ 200 iPhone ( they could relaunch the 3GS at 200 $/ or drop in a sim card in the iPod touch). Nobody really knows till Steve walks up on stage ( hopefully) with the next “Magical” device and amazes the audience watching the event worldwide.

No matter how many expectations are met, the iPhone 5 is coming and its coming soon. So hold on to your monies and wait for its arrival, for you never know what technologies might make you drop loyalties and compel you to make the switch.

Here is a list-up of all the expectations we have
- A Completely new design
- An 8 Megapixel camera possibly on the opposite side of the back panel.
- Separate Camera Flash for better allumination
- Larger screen with the same Retina resolution
- The new A5 chip with 1 GB RAM
- 32/64 Gb capacities
- HD Facetime Camera
- Slimmer profile
- Back panel made out of tougher glass/ Aluminum / Steel
Expectations can run wild, leave a comment below if you have any other expectations!

[polldaddy poll=5223743]
July 11, 2011
Toshiba Thrive Tablet goes up for Pre-Order on Amazon
The Toshiba Thrive tablet has gone up for pre-order on Amazon.com, the tablet was already on preorder in various places including Best Buy. The 8 Gb Thrive is priced at 429.99 $ with the 16 and 32 GB versions for US$ 479.00 and US$ 579.00 respectively

Specs include
- 10.1-inch multi-touch widescreen display
- Adaptive Display Technology, supporting 720p
- NVIDIA Tegra 2 dual-core mobile processor
- Android operating system 3.1 Honeycomb
- 5.0 MP rear camera with autofocus and
- 2.0MP front-facing webcam
- Stereo speakers with Toshiba sound enhancements
- 8 /16/32 GB internal memoryUSB
- Mini-USB, and HDMI ports and full-sized SD card reader
- Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity supporting Adobe Flash
- Easy Grip non-slip interchangeable rubber backplate
- User-replaceable prismatic lithium battery
[Amazon]
July 7, 2011

Spice Mi 410 Full Review

The Mi 410 is the first attempt from Spice to attack the 1 GHZ smartphone market in India. Possibly the only phone to offer these specs at a pretty decent price. Lets look into the Spice MI 410 carefully.

BUILD QUALITY, HARDWARE & DESIGN

The Spice MI 410 is built to last, metal accents and a full metal back cover, a metal frame and solid construction make the Mi 410 an extremely robust device. The volume rocker and the power button are flush with the device and highly tactile. The screen is also scratch resistant, but its no gorilla glass.

The device or its internals don’t shake or rattle and the phone is like one solid piece of hardware. Talking about hardware, lets look at the specs.

OS	ANDROID 2.2
Processor	1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8255
Flash ROM	2GB eMMC
Ram	512MB
Dimensions	122X 66X 9.9 mm
Weight	143 gm
Display	4.1-inch Capacitive Touch Screen , 800 X 480 WVGA
Camera	5 MP rear with HD Video, 0.3MP front
Battery	1400 mAH
Talk Time	Upto 380 Mins GSM , Upto 300 Mins (3G)
Standby Time	Upto 300 Hours
Network	Quad band GSM , Tri-band 3G, HSDPA/HSUPA , up to 14.2 Mbps
Connect	Bluetooth v2.1 EDR
Other	Supports Flash 10.1
Price	Rs. 14,000/-

Design on the Mi410 is pretty good too with a flat slab/tablet type structure on the device. It one of those designs that may not appeal to all in the beginning, but grows on you as you begin to use the device. Honestly, it kind of reminds us of end 2010 HTC phones, with really prominent edges.

CAMERA & MULTIMEDIA

The rear camera on the Mi410 is a 5MP autofocus camera which does a good job of focusing, you can actually see the camera move when its trying to focus, making it an exceptionally great autofocus mechanism. It also utilized 4 point metering to gain a focus point allowing it to be accurate in most situations, indoor, outdoor or night mode.

Video quality is also decent with jitter free recording and smooth capture. While in video mode the zoom option while recording is missing, but was not quite missed.

The screen is nice and vivid and has a comparatively large ppi at 227.55 ppi. With a native resolution of 480×800 pixels making it a very good display. We have no complaints with the display and in-fact were quite happy with it. The screen is good for watching videos and browsing the internet. The ppi is rich enough for reading books, documents and articles without trouble. Let us remind you that its no retina display, but its possibly one of the best resolutions you can get for the price.

The inclusion of stereo speakers caught our attention at the get go. Its surprising the kind of sound you can get from these speakers. In a normally quiet environment the speakers are sufficient for watching videos and movies. The speakers are loud and clear with accurate channel mapping.

The touch screen on the Mi410 seems like a bother initially, after a bit of playing around we found out that the maximum issue is with the lock screen, where the screen response seems to be less, it also seems like a software glitch, as we upgraded to 2.3 the touch sensitivity issue reduced significantly, but is still there. Pinch to zoom and scrolling work fine and are not affected by the issue.

The included earphones are simply ordinary and don’t expect much from them. While they can be used for simple handsfree usage, if you want to enjoy music on this device, invest in a good pair of earphones.

PHONE & MESSAGING

The sound quality from the earphones and the outgoing sound from the mic is great, and more than expected. While network strength is constantly 1 bar less, it does not affect the usage of the device and in our signal measurement test we would get a consistent -60db value.

Messaging and typing on the keyboard is achieved with ease and effortlessness. The keyboard is well spaces with large keys and responsive, the touch sensitivity issue does not occur in the keyboard, that why we insist its a software issue and not hardware (we could be wrong too).

BATTERY LIFE

A lot of people asked us to test the battery and we did some extensive tests on the battery.

VALUES	2G	3G	WiFI
Talk Time	5 Hours	3.5 Hours	-NA-
Standby Time	72 Hours	50 Hours	5 days
Internet Browsing	5-6 hours	5 hours	8 hours
Video Playback	3 hours	3 hours	3 hours
Video Stream	2.5 hours	1 Hour	3.5 hours
Music	12 hours	12 hours	12 hours
Music Stream	7 hours	5 hours	8.5 hours

We noticed a well managed battery life even with the wifi hotspot on. Battery was inconsistent and scores above are average from out tests.

CONCLUSION

The Spice Mi410 is an extremely great option at its price. With features usually found in devices upwards of 20k. This device also looks, feels and performs like an expensive phone, so it should be a satisfying experience for the user. The fact that this handset is easily root-able will let people exploit the real benefits of the device. The screen issue may bother some , but it is not enough to not let us recommend this phone to some one who has this device in mind.

PRICE : 14,000/-

[xrr rating=4/5 label=”We Rate it : ” imageset=shiny_yellow_star display_as=fraction_stars]

UNBOXING VIDEO

REVIEW VIDEO

CAMERA SAMPLE

iG Tech Labs

July 5, 2011

Samsung Galaxy S II is Company’s Hottest selling phone 3 Million in 55 days (PR)

Samsung has sold 3 million of its super Amoled Plus monsters in 55 days and are proud to tell you about it. The original Galaxy S took 85 days to reach that target.

[toggle title_open=”COLLAPSE” title_closed=”READ THE PRESS RELEASE” hide=”yes” border=”yes” style=”default” excerpt_length=”0″ read_more_text=”Read More” read_less_text=”Read Less” include_excerpt_html=”no”]Samsung GALAXY S II reaches 3 Million global sales

SEOUL, KOREA–(Korea Newswire) — Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd, a global leader in digital media and digital convergence technologies, today announced that the Samsung GALAXY S II(Model: GT-I9100), has reached global channel sales of 3 million units.

The GALAXY S II is Samsung’s flagship smartphone device; a beautifully thin (8.49mm) and lightweight, dual-core smartphone that combines an unmatched Super AMOLED Plus viewing experience with incredible performance, all on Android, the world’s fastest-growing mobile operating system. The next generation smartphone also includes exclusive access to Samsung’s four new content and entertainment hubs, seamlessly integrated to provide instant access to music, games, e-reading and social networking services.

“Announced at Mobile World Congress 2011, the GALAXY S II represents our most advanced smartphone to date and demonstrates Samsung’s commitment to deliver premium, market-defining devices,”and “This milestone reflects the continued strong support from our carrier partners around the world who have chosen the GALAXY S II as their flagship Android device.” said JK Shin, President and Head of Samsung’s Mobile Communications Business.[/toggle]

July 4, 2011
Skype Video Calling Hacked to Work on Sensation and Galaxy S2 Update : Mi 410

The latest Skype update enables video calling on Android device, but is limited to a strict number of devices. The folks over at DroidLife have found a way to make it work on your new Android 2.3 devices including the HTC Sensation and the Samsung Galaxy S2.

Simply Download the Cracked Skype from the link on droidlife and copy it to your device and install it. (Make sure third party apps are enabled in your settings)

Oh yeah we tested it on the HTC Sensation, and it works flawlessly.

UPDATE: Big update we got the new Skype app up and running and making calls on the Mi 410 from SPICE. A video coming up soon.

July 2, 2011
Skype – Cross Platform Video Calls Now on Android

Skype announced that its Android client now supports cross platform video calls, so desktop users can now see mobile users and vice versa. At the moment, this functionality is limited to only four Android handsets, the Desire S, Xperia Neo and Pro and the Nexus S. If you have one of these phones, you can now make video calls to your friends over WiFi and 3G both.

Video Calls between android devices have been possible for a while now, but the option to make video calls to desktops/laptops has been limited. Most Android users won’t be affected by this update although Skype promises to add other handsets “soon”.

The new Skype client can switch between front and rear facing cameras, so you can show people your face as well as what you are seeing. It can connect to all Skype clients including the iPhone as well as many Skype enabled TV’s.

the Desire S, Xperia Neo and Pro and (of course) the Nexus S

July 1, 2011
SENTINEL – The First Women’s Security App

MindHelix Technologies LLP, a Kochi based IT company, has launched an app called SENTINEL which is the first app designed with women’s security in mind. The app can send instant alerts in case of any problems. A forced power-off of the phone or an improper exit of the application will trigger an alert to be sent. Prolonged signal loss will also cause a ‘fail safe’ alert SMS and email to be sent from the company’s server.

Co-Founder & CEO Christin Emmanuel George said

[quote]We want to add a direct emailing or texting to nearest police station as soon as possible. We hope to get their consent in receiving and acting on such information.[/quote]

According to a survey by Assocham Social Development Foundation, more than 53% of women feel unsafe in their workplace, especially at night. With crimes against the fairer sex on the rise, applications like these could provide a sense of security for women. Records show that crime rates against women have increased dramatically in the metros.

Sentinel can send multiple SMS and e-mail alerts to preconfigured numbers and e-mail ids. The alerts would include last known location, direction of travel, mode of transportation and vehicle number (which the user can enter). The app has been designed for smart phones including all devices with Android, Blackberry, Symbian, iOS and Java operating systems. The application was designed with the urban woman in mind and requires a continuous cellphone signal.

The free app can be downloaded from http://sentinel.mindhelix.com/

July 1, 2011
Tag Heuer Launches US$ 6,700 Alligator Skinned Android 2.2 Mobile

Usually Super expensive phones have been nothing but, well, expensive. Tag Heuer has changed that by launching a super expensive alligator skinned Android powered smartphone which has pretty boring specs, 3.5-inch (800 x 480) display, 5 megapixel autofocus camera, 256MB internal memory, an 8GB memory card, 1400 mAh battery, and EDGE / HSUPA connectivity.

Live from Apple’s iPhone 6S announcement: The Verve

The 3.5 Lac device will come in 3 options, steel, 18K rose gold, or titanium. Other options include alligator- and lizard-skin, rubber, and diamond accents. Tag Heuer goes into great detail discussing how it is water-tight, fully air-sealed, shock-resistant, and used some type of a hard material over the screen called Gorilla Glass.

Read the Tag Heuer version

Unlike anything else on the luxury market, the TAG Heuer LINK is a high-performance machine of unprecedented functionality. Extreme reliability and robustness are guaranteed through a battery of quality tests well exceeding industry standards.
Stand out features include lightning-fast connectivity, 16-million color screen resolution, a large 3.5’’ display, a high-definition 5-mega-pixel auto-focus camera, 11 hours of music play time, and, through its avant-garde Android operating system, download access to over 250,000 applications. It also comes fully loaded with a host of TAG Heuer add-ons: customized screen designs,widgets, animations, wallpapers, icons and ring tones.

Swiss Watchmaking tradition allied with the latest in high-tech telephony

The TAG Heuer LINK is instantly recognizable as a top-end TAG Heuer product, avant-gardeboth for its ergonomic design and its very contemporary elegance. Motion, purity, curve, precision, a shimmering dynamism in its form and silhouette — these are its signature values.

The luxury handset is composed of classic watch components and cutting-edge technology. Fully shockproof, the body is engineered like the case of a TAG Heuer watch. As airtight and locked-down as a strong box, it provides full protection of the precious contents — your videos, photos, files and data — sealed in its interior.

Other signature TAG Heuer references include the screws on the handset’s reinforced chassis, which echo those on the casebacks of TAG Heuer chronographs. The unique autolock system on the side, which gives quick access to the SIM card, the connection port and the memory card, sports the TAG Heuer’s shield in black lacquer and looks like a classic TAG Heuer timepiece crown.

A luxury design object of ultimate prestige and performance

Luxuriously crafted and detailed, the TAG Heuer LINK incorporates the most prestigious materials and advanced components in the watchmaking and automotive worlds, including black PVD, diamonds and rose gold. The mirror-polished and fine-brushed stainless steel is premium grade surgical 316L, corrosion-resistant and hypoallergenic. The big display front is made from visually stunning, lightweight, and highly damage-resistant Gorilla glass®. The exclusive, hand-worked coverings are in calfskin, alligator or lizard. Every material, precious stone and exotic skin or leather is sourced within the strictest industry standards.

Exclusively launched in TAG Heuer retailers in July 2011, the TAG Heuer LINK is the essential work hard/play instrument, ideal for business and entertainment. Like thewatchmaking heritage that inspires it, it delivers avant-garde luxury with uncompromisingstrength, precision and reliability. A communications instrument of uncompromised calibreand capabilities, it shares the pinnacle of high-performance engineering and innovation with its partner, the MERIDIIST.

The TAG Heuer LINK seriously upgrades the way the world connects.

Main characteristics
Size: 118mm (H) x 67mm (W) x 16.6mm (D)
OS: Android 2.2
Form factor: Bar type touch screen
Weight: 200 grams (battery included)
3G Talk time: 6 hours 30 minutes
Stand by time: up to 330hrs (~14 days)
Battery included: Li-lon 1400mAh

Messaging
SMS / MMS / Email (Predictive Text Input XT9)
Image formats supported: JPEG / GIF / BMP
Sound formats supported: MP3 / AAC / AAC+ / RA / WMA

Connectivity
Stereo Bluetooth
AGPS, Wifi, WAPI
Compatible with any SIM card

Radio
Edge & HSUPA (3G)
4 Band GSM/Tri Band WCDMA

Music / Photo & Video
Internal memory: 256 MB
Memory card: 8GB
Music play time: 11 hours

Photo & Video
LCM Screen: TFT 3.5”
Screen resolution: 800*480 pixels – 16 millions of colors
5 Mega Pixel Camera Auto Focus
Video player and recorder

Applications
Android Market with up to 250 000 applications such as:
Adobe Flash Reader
Google Search, Google Maps
GMail , You Tube , E-Blogger

Phone Materials
316L Stainless steel, Gold, Diamonds, Black PVD, Titanium, Rubber, Calfskin leather,
Carbon leather, Alligator and Lizard

Price
An entry price of 4700€.

June 29, 2011
Edit : Should You Buy The iPhone 3Gs?

The iPhone 3Gs was a hardware revision device for the iPhone 3G, bringing more CPU power and Ram to the equation. The iPhone 3GS also brought about a better 3.2mp camera with tap to focus.

We got information of the impending re-launch of the iPhone 3Gs on 24th June. Without fail the 3Gs reappeared at the new price point of 20k. Now the question remains does the iPhone 3Gs qualify as a good option? Does is present a value for money deal?

Here is what we think.

The iPhone 3GS was originally launched in 2009 in the US and 2010 in India. The Device features a 600 MHz ARM Cortex A8 processor, PowerVR SGX535 GPU, 256 MB RAM, and upto 32GB of storage. The device also currently features iOS 4 and works brilliantly with iOS 5 (we’ve tested it and can verify, that till beta 2 iOS 5 works great on 3GS).

Reading a whole bunch of articles written by Tech – Bloggers , I was shocked at how blatantly the iPhone 3GS was being shot down. Though in a personal opinion the 3GS is an old hardware based device and has specs which would disgruntle almost anyone looking for souped up smartphone. The iPhone 3Gs bring a lot more, than any device at the price point can.

Lets look at it point by point.

1. OS

iOS by far is the simplest of operating systems, designed to be used by a finger. The UI is fluid and begs you to interact with it. Currently multitasking between apps is great on iOS where most Android handsets in that price range don’t support true multitasking, the iPhone 3GS has it and it works great. Using the right setup you can do a lot of things on your device. Wireless sharing of emails, pictures and music, streaming internet radio and movies, home automation, wifi printing and even controlling a quadro-copter the hundreds of thousands of apps from the App Store let you make your imagination run wild, and then, there is an app for that. The Apps are designed to run perfects in harmony with the iOS infrastructure.

The best part (according to me) of iOS for someone who does not understand or have the time to understand the intricate details of technology, is that the system is safe and bug free. Because third party apps go through a strict verification process, seldom do you find an App which would slow your device down. So no matter what you install or how many you install, Apps will not slow down the OS. That makes perfect sense for someone who is not a techie.

On the other hand Android brings the ability to customize the OS, and play around with it, the more you edit and tweak the OS, the more your chances of a system restore appear. Now there is no need to throw a banter, you can be extremely safe with Android, you just have to know what you are installing and what all does it access. But in Android, third party apps can have a built in snooper sending all your information back to the designer of the app.

2. BUILD

While it isn’t an iPhone 4, the 3Gs is pretty solid when it comes to construction. One of the most beautiful phones available today the 3Gs is available in black and white and millions of customization options are available, from skins, decals to plain covers, flip covers, leather covers, plastic covers, branded covers and hard cases. The most number of accessories ever made for a phone? the iPhone stands at number one in that record.

3. Conclusion

When we first heard rumors of the iPhone 3Gs being relaunched, we heard a price point of about 16,500/-. But, when the actual price came to be 20,000/- we lost confidence that Apple would do well selling its last year legend. Sure there are those who would love to buy the 3GS for its “Brand” and its simplicity, there are also those who will buy it for the sheer number of apps and usability features that these apps will give.

There are better options in terms of hardware specs, the rugged motorola defy is much cheaper and its water proof, the Galaxy S, the Nexus S, The Galaxy Sl, Wave 2, Blackberry Bold 3, Nokia N8. Sure these devices have better hardware, But we can promise one thing No operating system in our opinion comes close to the smooth and lag free experience of the iOS running on the iPhone 3GS (Of-course we mean at that price point)

So if you don’t have time to mess with your device / Smartphone get the iPhone 3GS because it doesn’t get any better than this. But if you are more of a tech friendly person get an Android device you will be much happier with the open-ness of Android infrastructure.

[polldaddy poll=5183813]

June 27, 2011