Tag: new

AMD Preparing Its First ARM Chip, Called Seattle

AMD has a new strategy for competing in the data center, and it includes a big bet on ARM.

The chip maker Tuesday unveiled its 2014 server processor road map, which includes a new x86 APU (Accelerated Processing Unit), an x86 large-core processor, and the company’s fist ARM-based server CPU, code-named Seattle.

With Intel gearing up to refresh the midrange and high end of its Xeon E5 family of processors with “Ivy Bridge” updates in the second half, it can’t be a particularly relaxing ride for CEO Rory Read and his minivan of chipmakers.

In 2014, AMD will also ship “Berlin,” a core available in both a CPU form factor as well as an APU, which integrates the processor with an integrated graphics coprocessor. Finally, there’s the “Warsaw,” which will compete with in high-performance computing (HPC) applications with the Xeon.

Seattle is of interest to both AMD and to other industry watchers because it represents one of the more interesting opportunities for AMD to regain share in the server market. Last year, AMD said last year that it had agreed to license ARM 64-bit technology, and would combine it with its Freedom Fabric, the name given to its high-speed networking technology it acquired via SeaMicro.

We hope AMD rises again to keep Intel on its toes; the fight between these rivals doesn’t just result in cheaper servers, but also better ones.

[Via]

June 18, 2013
Rumour : Facebook RSS Reader Set For June 20 Launch

Facebook sent out press invitations via snail mail for a launch event, possibly for a Facebook RSS Feed or news reader, at its headquarters in Menlo Park, California on June 20.

The Facebook launch event invitation postcards request that reporters come and see the “big idea” that their “small team” has been working on, Mashable’s Emily Price reported.

The dead-tree invitation features a printed coffee cup stain ring and the words “A small team has been working on a big idea. Join us for coffee and learn about a new product.”

With Facebook having launched hashtags, which is still technically in its early trial-and-error phase, this new product might have something to do with that new feature. But what we’re guessing is that the product announcement just might have to do with the discovery of an Facebook RSS reader hidden inside of Facebook’s Graph API code. Facebook hasn’t commented on the bit of code alluding to an RSS reader that was found, and come July 1, Google Reader will officially be killed off. The timing lines up pretty well.

If Facebook does have a new Facebook RSS reader, the move would fit in with the company’s strategy of trying to become the go-to place for internet users looking to know what is going on in the world, a strategy Mark Zuckerberg pointed to at the March launch of Facebook’s revamped news feed.

June 15, 2013
Reuters : Google Nexus 7 Successor Coming This July

Internet giant Google is reportedly gearing up for the launch of a successor for last year’s Nexus 7 tablet PC, and might release it on shelves as soon as July, a new report from Reuters on the matter suggests.

We have already reported on a possible new 7-inch Nexus tablet coming from Google and ASUS, with no official confirmation on the matter available as of now, but it seems that we might indeed be nearing a formal unveiling of the device.

The latest version will have a higher screen resolution, a thinner bezel design and adopt Qualcomm’s chip in place of Nvidia Corp’s Tegra 3, which was used in the first Nexus 7s released last year, the sources said, declining to be identified because they are not authorised to speak to the media.

In a blow to Nvidia, Google weighed both U.S. chipmakers’ processors but finally decided on Qualcomm’s for power reasons, one of the sources added.

Qualcomm and Nvidia are competing aggressively in the tablet market as they seek to expand from their traditional strongholds of cellphones and PCs respectively.

Google will maintain an aggressive pricing strategy, however the two sources are split on exactly how that will be achieved: the new Nexus could come in at $199, with the older model seeing a discount, or $149, obviating the elder Nexus 7 entirely.

The tablet would likely be equipped with Google’s next Android version, Key Lime Pie, so there’s plenty to look forward to.

[Reuters]

April 3, 2013
Waterproof and Rugged Xcover 2 by Samsung announced with Jelly Bean

Samsung has announced what is going to be the most notable, rugged launch ahead of schedule in 2013, the Xcover 2. Along with a 1 GHz dual core processor, 4-inch WVGA display all on Android 4.1 with TouchWiz, the device also has a 5-megapixel camera with a dedicated camera shutter button.

The Xcover 2 also has GPS and GLONASS to cater to the explorer in you. The Xcover 2 will also pack a Cardio trainer Pro workout app along with a physical hand strap and mount.

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Samsung GALAXY Xcover 2

January 25, 2013

SEOUL, Korea – January 25, 2013 – Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd, today unveiled the Samsung Xcover 2, the ideal smartphone for active explorers who are enjoying outdoor lifestyles and seeking a durable mobile device with essential smartphone capabilities.

• The GALAXY Xcover 2 is optimized to endure against the most rugged outdoor conditions, whether you’re at work or
play. Protected against the elements, it is dust and sand proof. It’s even water resistant to a depth of one meter for up to
30 minutes (IP67 Certified). You can now take photos under water with the direct camera key, hold on tight to your
device with the strap holder and not worry about dropping your phone as the battery cover lock gives added protection.

• Pre-downloaded Google map data, an enhanced GPS ? GLONASS which shortens the satellite signal detection by
up to 20? to tracks your location more accurately, LED Flash next to the camera which can be used like a torch and
a huge battery capacity of 570 hours(1,700mAh), making the GALAXY Xcover 2 is the best possible smartphone partner
for outdoor exploration.

• In addition, the Cardio Trainer Pro workout application will also help you achieve your fitness goals by creating a
tailored training program, checking your progress and recording your track and speed.

• For everyday, users can expect the powerful performance characteristic of a Samsung smartphone with the robust
GALAXY Xcover 2 shell. Its vivid 4.0″ (100.8mm) WVGA display provides a clear and wide viewing experience,
a 5-megapixel camera and VGA front camera that will let you record precious moments in high resolution,
Bluetooth® v 4.0 gives a better connection that consumes less power and detects devices 50 meters away.
An impressive 1GHz dual core processor powers the core of the GALAXY Xcover 2, which ensures
a fast operating speed for seamless multitasking, faster webpage loading and softer UI transitions.

• Samsung GALAXY Xcover 2 runs Android™ 4.1 (Jelly Bean) enabling faster and smoother screen transitions and
providing an enhanced user interface featuring a new, easier-to-use notification panel. As a premium Samsung
Android™ phone, the device is packed with a series of innovative features and services to boost performance and
the overall user experience. The intuitive Motion UI understands your movements to shake and update or turn over
to mute; data can be synced, backed up and restored with S-Cloud; S Voice lets users control the phone using
their voice, allowing you to see the weekly weather forecast, the contact number you’re trying to find or even take
a picture as you speak; Best Shot recommends the best shot from a series of photos; Smart Stay recognizes
whether the user is looking at the screen to dim the screen accordingly. Users can also enjoy all the benefits of
Samsung Hubs, including the latest versions of Readers Hub, Video Hub, Game Hub and Music Hub.

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January 26, 2013
Acer Introduces C7 Chromebook for $199 with Intel Celeron Inside

Acer has launched the latest version of Chromebook laptops- Acer C7 at USD 199.

The newest Chromebook features a 320GB hard-drive, an 11.6-inch display, Intel processor with 2GB of RAM, USB 3 and HDMI ports, 100GB of Google Drive cloud storage, and it weighs in at about 1kg. But what needs to be pointed out primarily is the price. The Acer C7 Chromebook priced at just $199, is $50 cheaper than the Samsung Chromebook launched less than a month ago.

It comes with dual band Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n and Ethernet connectivity, HDMI and VGA ports, HD camera and 3 USB 2.0 ports. It will give 3.5 hours of battery backup with normal usage.

The laptop is being promoted by Google and there is no mention of the Chromebook on Acer’s website. This is the sixth laptop to be launched in the market with a Google Chrome OS.

The Acer C7 Chromebook will be available from November 14 on the Google Play store, Amazon and Best Buy in the US and from selected retailers in the UK. And as with all previous Chromebook releases, this model shows Google’s focus on making technology and internet access easily available to everyone and once again directs its users toward the cloud.

November 15, 2012
Tablets : Micromax Sold More Than Apple And Samsung In Q2

In a CyberMedia Research it has been revealed that Micromax leads the Indian tablets market with 18.4 percent share in the second quarter of 2012. Samsung is in second position with 13.3 percent market share. Apple has a market share of 12.3 percent in terms of unit shipments during the 2Q 2012.

India tablet market sales touched 0.55 million units in 2Q 2012, up 673 percent y-o-y.

Entry of new tablet vendors and introduction of offerings from existing vendors at low to medium price points have contributed to the significant growth.

Though the tablet PC market in India is still at a nascent stage, but at the same time, has become competitive due to entry of new vendors with entry-level offerings, the report said.

Close to 90 vendors launched their tablets till Q2 2012. The average selling value (ASV) in the said period dropped to little above Rs 13,000 from Rs 26,000 in the January-March 2012 period as a majority of vendors launched their products in the Rs 5,000-10,000 price range.

[quote]”During 2Q 2012, 47.4 per cent of tablet sales were from new entrants in the market with a strong focus on addressing application areas in the Education and Entertainment segments,” CMR Lead Analyst (Telecoms Practice) Faisal Kawoosa said.[/quote]

This trend demonstrates clearly that vendors are positioning their devices at India’s youth, he added.

Some of the key trends in terms of specifications of media tablets inIndianoted in 2Q 2012 are listed in the table below.

Android operating system had the lion’s share of the market at 87.5 per cent.

“As Android devices become increasingly popular with users across the world, competition is increasing in the India tablets market with more and more vendors launching devices based on the Android OS,” he said.

October 9, 2012
Sonata Announces TouchScreen Wristwatch

Titan’s Sonata has announced the launch of its the first ever touch screen watch that does away with most of the physical push buttons on the digital watch.

The touch screen watch is a multi-function sports watch with a high water resistance and comes packed with features such as light, stop-watch, multiple time display, day, date, alarm, and is available in three vibrant colours.

The watch is part of Sonata’s Super Fibre Ocean Series and is available at an introductory price of Rs 1,499.

September 14, 2012
NIIT partners Microsoft to offer new programs in Cloud and emerging technologies

Technology trainer NIIT inked a strategic alliance with Microsoft Corporation to develop cloud-ready professionals, to take on assignments in the global IT industry. Under this alliance NIIT will offer new programs in cloud and emerging technologies in association with Microsoft.

This initiative will allow students to look at the next generation opportunities in the field of cloud computing, cloud services, and apps development. Further, the benefit of Microsoft Certification integrated with NIIT programs will be made available to students both in the retail and academic space, by NIIT.

[ET]

September 13, 2012
Samsung Galaxy Note 2 Specs Leaked

The Galaxy Note

We’ve had plenty of Samsung Galaxy Note 2 rumours of late, with the latest whisperings come from Seoul Newspaper, and mostly reiterate what we’ve been hearing for the past few months.

The newspaper claims that the new Note 2 will have a slightly bigger 5.5-inch Super AMOLED screen. As well as being 16:9, the display will boast a 1,280×720 resolution, perfect for treating your eyeballs to high-definition movies while on the go.

Underneath that slab of a screen the Note 2 is set to be powered by a quad-core 1.4GHz Samsung Exynos 4412 processor and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, the latest version of Google’s Android software. It also packs an 8-megapixel camera and will offer next-generation data speeds in countries where they have 4G phone networks.

We will be covering the Samsung Mobile Unpacked Event Live from Berlin tomorrow.

August 28, 2012
Lomography Diana Baby 110 : Super-Small Camera

Lomography has had great success with the small Diana F+ and the Diana Mini, and they’ve just added an even smaller camera dubbed the Diana Baby 110 Camera featuring a 24mm lens.

The Diana Baby 110 fits into the palm of your hand or easily in your pocket using their B/W Orca 110 film and their new Tiger 110 color film to capture your memories on the fly. Baby 110 also comes with the interchangeable 12mm super-wide angle or 24mm standard lens with flash capability to keep you shooting into the night. It is available now at Lomography for $49.

What do you think about it?

August 26, 2012
MTS launches three Android smartphones

MTS India has introduced three latest Android-based smartphones to expand its CDMA smartphone portfolio.

These three smartphone named MTS MTag 351, MTS MTag 352 and MTS MTag 281 are priced in the range of Rs. 5499 to Rs 7499. The MTS smartphone range run on Android 2.3 Gingerbread and come bundled with “˜Unlimited’ data plans.

MTS MTag 351 features 8.89cms (3.5″) 320X480 (HVGA) pixel display with capacitive touch. The smartphone is powered by 800 MHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S1 Processor and comes with a 1300 mAh battery.

MTag351 features a dual camera with flash (3.0 megapixel back and VGA Front) and will be available for Rs 7499.

MTS MTag 352 has the same features of MTag 351, however, it comes with a large 1400 mAh battery and priced at Rs 6499.

MTS MTag 281 is the cheapest smartphone with a price of Rs 5499. MTag 281 features 7.11 Cm (2.8″) 240X320 (QVGA) pixel display and comes with a 1200 mAh battery.

[quote] “With the launch of these three smartphones, we have now brought four new Android Smartphones in less than two months. MTS now offers a comprehensive range of Android smartphones for discerning, on the move, tech savvy youth,” SSTL Chief Marketing and Sales Officer Leonid Musatov said in a statement.[/quote]

August 23, 2012
Amazon launches India Kindle Store, Kindle e-reader

Amazon has launched the Kindle e-reader as well as the Kindle e-book store in India. The device – earlier generation non-touch e-reader – will be available at the Chroma retail outlets across the country at a price of Rs 6,999.

That Kindle model is the entry-level, non-touch-screen Kindle, which sells for $79 in the U.S. in a “Special Offers” ad-supported version. The Kindle sold in India will not be ad-supported.

Amazon says the India Kindle Store offers over one million books — now available for India customers priced in Indian Rupees (INR) — including 70 of 100 Nielsen Bestsellers, and has the “lowest prices of any e-bookstore in India.”

Along with those Nielsen Bestsellers, Amazon is serving up range of Indian authors, including Chetan Bhagat, Ashwin Sanghi, Ravinder Singh and Amish Tripathi. Additionally, Amazon has also launched Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) for independent authors and publishers in India. With the country having an estimated population of 1.2 billion people, the store should fill up quickly with self-published titles and Amazon is already offering such Kindle exclusives as “Love, Life and a Beer Can” by Prashant Sharma, and “Reality Bites; a not so innocent Love Story” by Anurag Anand (as well as over one million free classics).

August 22, 2012
Twitter maps track which cities are friendly and which ones are impolite

Buffalo, New York, is one of the rudest places in America and residents of New York City are far friendlier than folks in the Midwest and the South, according to a series of maps compiled using Twitter comments.

The head-scratching revelations are the result of studying the prevalence of two simple phrases — ‘good morning’ and ‘f*** you’ — over the course of several days in June and early July.

Vertaline, a company that tracks works and phrases on Twitter for paying clients, conducted the study across 462 cities.

Naughty: Buffalo, New York, is bright red, showing an explosion of the use of ‘f*** you’ among tweeters in the city

Nice: Lubbock, Texas, and Philadelphia wants to wish the world a good morning, as shown on this map

The maps are patterned in the form of heat intensity images, with lighter colors meaning the term is less frequent and darker colors inferring a greater use of the term.

The results vary hour-to-hour and day-to-day as the maps unfold, though some conclusions are clear.

Lubbock seems an awfully friendly place. Without fail, ‘good morning’ blooms around the north Texas city every day of the study.

About 350 miles southeast in Dallas, Twitter users are significantly less polite and are shown piling on the ‘f*** yous’ more days than not.

Angels and Demons: Southern California was home to a host of both friendly and furious tweeters

Los Angles seems to be both the city of angels and of demons. Users in southern California offer plenty of polite greetings, but also dish out a tremendous amount of curses.

It still doesn’t compare to Buffalo. The city in western New York state is surprisingly upset.

It’s more vulgar than Philadelphia. Angrier than New York City. More miserable than Detroit and less content than Chicago.

That is, if the output of the town’s Twitter users is to be believed.

New York City, on the other hand, for all its hard reputation, seems to have a higher prevalence of ‘good mornings’ than any part of the South or the Midwest — both regions known for their hospitality.

[Daily Mail]

August 22, 2012
Sony Xperia J previewed, official unveiling to come soon

The upcoming Sony Xperia J was given the hands-on treatment for an extensive preview ahead its supposed announcement later this month.

The Xperia J is one more model in Sony’s onslaught of new devices that it brought forth until now and will continue to until the end of this year. The Xperia J is a lower-midrange offering, with a 4-inch 480×854 touchscreen, 1 GHz single-core processor.

The battery is said to be a 1700mAh unit, which should provide a decent level of battery life given the reduced screen size and the same entry-level processor as the Xperia Tipo. RAM is set at 512MB. There is also a microSD card slot hiding away under the battery on the Xperia J.

The rear camera is a 5MP shooter with an LED flash, but apparently only shoots video at a pretty dreary 640×480. There is also a front facing camera, but nothing is said of it’s specs. Given the rear camera, we’re not expecting a lot from it.

The Xperia J is at least running Android 4.0 out of the box.

August 22, 2012
Samsung Galaxy S3 hits 10mn sales within 2 months

Korean-mobile maker Samsung has sold ten million handsets of its latest smartphone Galaxy S3 in less than two months, according to a report.

Galaxy SIII broke the 10 million barrier in less than half the time it took its predecessor, the Galaxy SII, which is the bestselling Android handset so far.

The mega smartphone sports an impressive range of top-spec features, including a 4.8-inch Super AMOLED HD screen, 8-Megapixel camera, and a quad-core processor.

Last month Samsung had predicted that its heroic handset would hit the 10 million sales mark and they proved themselves right with their guess, as now Google has announced that the handset has indeed got itself into the 8 figure world.

Big sales in a short period have been helped by Samsung’s excellent rollout strategy which saw 140 countries all receiving the handset within the past two months, which in comparison to Apple’s comparatively slow rollout is a great benefit to the sales of the smartphone.

August 16, 2012