Videos

Sony Xperia ZR Unboxing

The Sony Xperia ZR is a small brother of the Xperia Z with a major differences in design and hardware. The one thing that remains common is the water resistance and dust proof nature of the phone.

Inside the box of the Xperia ZR you will get the standard set of accessories, including a wall charger, the USB to micro USB cable and in ear headset along with documentation.

Xperia ZR Initial Impressions

The Xperia ZR is water resistant to the point where you can go swimming with it, but the build is slightly different than the Xperia Z. The back panel is made up of a rubber coating vs a glass back on the Xperia Z. The Xperia ZR has a 4.55 inch 1280 x 720p display which makes it 323 ppi .

The back of the Xperia ZR has a 13 MP camera, but it appears that the company held back with the front camera which is a VGA camera. The phone is also slightly thicker at 10.5 mm and also shorter thanks to the size of the display, which makes the overall device more compact and slightly more portable.

Sony has really gained popularity with its Xperia series thanks to the right mix of Hardware design and build quality and the Xperia ZR is not behind in this trend. Based on a Qualcomm Snapdragon APQ8064 1.5 GHz Quad core Krait chipset the phone also has the might Adreno 320 GPU. The whole mix is powered by a 2300 mAh battery and has 8 GB of storage along with 2GB of RAM.

You do have storage expandability in the Xperia ZR but only to 32GB vs the 64GB offered by many. Sony has also shipped this handset with Android 4.1.2 while many companies are now offering Android 4.2.2 out of the box.

Check out our images and video and stay tuned for the followup, iGyaan style.

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June 30, 2013
Hitcase Pro for iPhone 5 Review

Since the beginning of the smartphones, as a matter of fact, since the beginning of mobile phones, we have been finding ways to have our handhelds resist the elements. While technology has come a long way, there are always restrictions when it comes to water resistant and dust proof designs. The Hitcase Pro for the iPhone 5 aims to achieve that with a design that does not stall the daily usability of the iPhone 5.

Build Quality

The Hitcase Pro is very well built, to say the least. The moment you go hands on with this case, you don’t feel like you have lost your iPhone in a big pit of protection. Designed keeping the Go Pro in mind, the case has a very strong railside mount, you also have a metal engulfed wide angled lens that unfortunately is very prone to scratching.

The case is built from a composite of ABS and Polycarbonate and is layered with a rubberized coating all around that not only keeps the case clean but also provides ample grip. The case locks in from three sides, almost like a food box, but seals the phone completely to the point where you don’t feel afraid dunking it in water. The H-Seal on the inside of the case is made out of Poron and should last a really long time.

Features

The Hitcase Pro not only protects the iPhone when you go into water or sand, it also retains the usability of the iPhone 5. The Hitcase Pro also features a great 170 degree 3 X Wide angle lens that is an absolute treat for photographers. The lens also allows close up shots upto 3X and makes focusing on subjects really easy.

The Lens also adds a Go-Pro Style video effect to the video – where you get a wide angle video frame, that captures a lot more in the same 16:9 aspect ratio.

The free app called Vidometer, captures GPS tracking info along with speed, G force, altitude and angle of approach and displays it directly on the video. This can come in handy when you look at your footage later on.

The Hitcase Pro can be used 33 ft/10 Meters underwater thanks to the IP68 rating. The railside mount allows you to use the Hitcase Pro with all sorts of Go Pro mounts and gear. The Included TiltR and StickR mounts also help those who have no Go Pro mounts. A Wrist strap also ensures the safety of your phone and case when you are at great heights and decide to hold onto the case vs mounting it.

The only downside to the case, is that the microphone gets really muffled up taking phone calls becomes slightly difficult as you will find yourself screaming to the person on the other side.

Conclusion

Despite the availability of several cases for the iPhone 5 in the Market, the HitCase Pro for the iPhone 5 is easily the most robust design. It allows the use of the phone while being packaged in a Waterproof and Dustproof cage. Whats more, the 170-degree wide angle lens and Railside mounts make the use of the case in extreme/ adventure sports very easy. Allowing you to use your iPhone as the primary camera, will almost replace the need for a dedicated rugged camera for a lot of folks. If the speaker and Microphone volume levels are something you can deal with, The Hitcase Pro is the best action case for the iPhone 5

June 29, 2013
Samsung Galaxy Mega 5.8 Unboxing and Hands on
Samsung recently launched the Galaxy Mega 5.8 and 6.3 at an event in New Delhi, the phones building on the success of the Galaxy note and the Grand build on the success of Phone – Tablet hybrids in the market or better known as “phablets”. Priced at Rs. 25,999/ the Galaxy Mega 5.8 essentially is a bigger Galaxy Grand, but there is something slightly different about the phone.

Galaxy Mega 5.8 Box Contents

The Samsung Galaxy Mega comes with the standard list of Box contents;
Galaxy Mega 5.8 Initial Impressions

The Samsung Galaxy Mega 5.8 is a large device, but clearly is not as large as its big brother the Mega 6.3, next to the Galaxy S4 the Mega 5.8 simply dwarfs the current flagship from the Korean Manufacturer. The display is a 540 x 960 px capacitive touchscreen, and despite a lowly 190 ppi the screen is really sharp and great to look at. The screen is also extremely bright, fairly visible outdoors and has good viewing angles.

The Galaxy Mega features a dual core 1.4 GHz chipset which is the same chipset seen on the Galaxy Grand, which was pretty good at handling gaming on the smaller variant, but may not deliver on a larger screen with a higher resolution. The phone also has 8 GB storage and 1.5GB of RAM, along with expandability upto 64 GB via microSD.

The phone is also capable of handling two sim cards at the same time with Samsung’s new dual sim smart active mode with active forwarding to your numbers.

The Galaxy Mega 5.8 has dual cameras, an 8MP main shooter and a secondary 1.9 MP camera, both of which capture video at 1080p. The phone also comes with Android 4.2.2 out of the box slapped on with a generous dose of Touchwiz, with many of the UI elements inspired from the S4.

The Galaxy Mega 5.8 appears to be big but is easily handleable and is not that bigger than the Galaxy Note 2. The phone will fit into regular denim pockets, but may cause issues if you are one of those skinny fit lovers.

The UI seems fast and responsive and the handset seems to be holding up well, stay tuned for a barrage of videos iGyaan Style.

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June 23, 2013
Sony PS4 Interface video shows off the new connectivity, sharing and community

Sony has officially shown off the new interface and does it look impressive. The double tap multitasking is a feature people were asking for for a long time and looks like Sony may have just pulled it off.

Within games you can now switch over to your messaging and switch back to the game, alternatively you can be on voice chat throughout, while downloading a game in the back ground.

The promo shows off a man trying to play knack but he is stuck in one area of the game, he then watches a video uploaded by a friend to clear that area. While another friend is asking him to join him on Killzone, which he must download from the Playstation store.

The video also shows off micro management, where you can use your smartphone to download games ota to the PS4. Now if only sony could implement it like they show it off, we could very well have the next gaming console.

June 20, 2013
Hands On with the Lava Iris 504Q at Launch in India (PR)

Lava and Xolo are essentially the same company, and traditionally Xolo was formed by the company to take care of smartphone needs of the market and Lava remained focused on the feature phone market. As the market transitions from a feature phone to a smartphone market. Lava has also transitioned into the smartphone market with the new iris 504q, and the company says it is happy competing within the organization, even if it has to.

Lava on Friday launched the Iris 504Q, a smartphone targeted at the likes of Micromax and Karbonn with their Canvas and Titanium series. Powered by a Mediatek Processor (6589) the company is trying to differentiate the product from the mass of multiple devices in the market with features like gesture control and software enhancements.

Lava iris 504Q Initial Impressions

The handset is manufactured well and almost resembles the HTC Butterfly from a distance, thanks to the resemblance to the earpiece grill. The back of the Lava iris 504Q is a soft touch plastic, that almost feels rubberized for added grip. Lava has managed to get a good balance of subtle branding and design to ensure the phone does not look overly flash and cheap.

The hardware list on the Lava iris 504Q is also pretty common on the market, a 5 inch 1280 x 720p screen, quad core processor , a mix of 8 MP and 2 MP cameras, 1 Gig of RAM and a 4 GB storage. Lava is trying various software tweaks to appeal to the market like gestures for the image gallery and clicking pictures. This will definitely attract buyers who were influenced by these features in the Galaxy S4, but the it does not work that well.

The Lava Iris 504Q is also fairly slim at just 8.4mm and fits well in the hand. For a price of Rs.13499/- in the market Lava has added yet another competitor in the Quad Core dual sim market.

Check out the images below.

[toggle title=”Press Release”]New Delhi, June 15, 2013: LAVA International Limited, a fast growing company in the mobile handset industry, today announced its entry into the high-end smartphone category with its new flagship smartphone, Lava Iris504q. The phone boasts of technologically advanced gesture motion control that reinvents the mobile experience and set a new standard for smartphones in its category. Lava Iris504q is designed to address a large and important segment of the smartphone market where customers are looking to upgrade to an affordable, easy-to-use, full-featured and technologically competitive smartphone.

The Lava Iris 504q is a high-end Android smartphone with 8.4mm thickness that makes it the slimmest in its category. It brings HD experience to a 5 inch IPS screen with OGS display technology and a resolution of 1280×720 pixels. The new gesture motion feature allows the users to interact with the phone with just a swipe of the hand in the air. The gesture control feature can be used for clicking photos, changing tracks on the music player and video player, tuning FM channels and browsing entertainment gallery on the smartphone.

Powered by a Quad Core 1.2GHz processor and running on Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean), the Iris 504q comes with an intelligent flip cover, offering comfort and convenience to the consumer. This device sports an 8MP camera (rear auto-focus with in-built flash and BSI sensor) that provides multiple camera options to capture stunning photographs and a 2 MP front camera for 3G video calling. .

Lava Iris 504q also packs in 1GB RAM and an internal memory of 4 GB, which is expandable up to 32 GB,
giving users enough space to store their multimedia content. A large 2,000-mAh battery provides ample back up for multimedia, stand by and talk time.

Lava has also partnered with Hungama to provide seamless entertainment experience and various VAS initiatives latest being integration of Hungama’s Music Application and ‘LavaZone’ the storefront (Powered by Hungama.com) on Iris 504Q . With this user gets access to over 2 million pieces of content across genres and languages, in the form of music tracks, music videos , trailers & dialogues; mobile content such as ringtones & wallpapers.Iris504q comes with some preloaded apps such as Opera web browser, Hungama Music App and Moden Combat HD from gameloft, making it a smart choice for the smartphone buyers.

Mr. Hari Om Rai, Co-Founder & Director, Lava International Ltd., said, “Lava believes in enhancing consumer experience while assisting efficiency and helping consumers to enjoy products that meet their needs. Our innovative products are a result of careful planning, intense R&D and listening to the needs of our consumers. We are proud to announce the launch of our flagship and the much awaited, Lava Iris 504q – a technologically competitive product, with superior features and high quality, available to our discerning customers at a smart price.”

Lava Iris 504q is a super slim, fast and easy-to-use smartphone that delivers effortless multitasking, making life easier and hassle-free. Priced at Rs. 13,499 Lava Iris 504q will be available across national retail chain stores, multi-brand outlets across India and online stores beginning 4th week of June.

For more information, please visit www.lavamobiles.com[/toggle]

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June 17, 2013
E3 : Batman : Arkham Origins Trailer Revealed

Warner Bros. has posted the E3 gameplay trailer for the upcoming prequel, Batman: Arkham Origins, and it delivers the hits… literally. Black Mask puts a bounty on Batman’s head, which brings the combined might of Bane, Deadshot, Deathstroke, and other villains to Gotham City.

Unlike the CGI Batman: Arkham Origins teaser trailer that was released a few weeks ago, the new gameplay reveal trailer is made up entirely of in-game footage. We get out first look at Bane, and also get to hear Roger Craig Smith as Batman and Troy Baker as Joker for the first time.

Taking place before the rise of Gotham City’s most dangerous villains and assassins, the game showcases a young, raw, unrefined Batman as he faces a defining moment in his early career as a crime fighter that sets his path to becoming the Dark Knight. As the story unfolds, witness identities being formed and key relationships being forged.

Batman: Arkham Origins will be available for the Wii U, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC on October 25, 2013.

June 11, 2013
E3 2013 : inFamous: Second Son Revealed

A new trailer for InFamous Second Son was unveiled at Sony’s E3 conference, along with the news that it won’t be a launch title.

The sequel to 2011’s InFamous 2 is scheduled for a Q1 2014 release, it was announced during the conference.

“The new trailer introduces Delsin Rowe’s older brother, Reggie, who will accompany Delsin on his journey in Seattle,” said Sucker Punch’s Brian Fleming on the PlayStation Blog. “Reggie is voiced by Travis Willingham, who interestingly is close friends in real life with Troy Baker, the voice actor for Delsin. You’ll get a glimpse into Delsin and Reggie’s relationship, and also see how much fun Delsin has being a superhuman, especially when using his awesome Orbital Drop maneuver shown at the end of the trailer.”

You now have fire powers instead of electric, flying instead of gliding around or grinding power lines. It’s all good for the next evolution of this super-powered franchise.

Sucker Punch will be demoing the game, which launches in Q1 2014, at Sony’s E3 booth starting tomorrow.

June 11, 2013
E3 2013 : Mad Max Debut Trailer Showcased

It’s a film trilogy that’s considered to be one of the best cult classics by many (even with Beyond Thunderdome), and it’s certainly influenced a whole heap of games already, but now Mad Max is set to return in a new game from Warner Bros. Entertainment.

During its E3 press conference today, Sony announced that Mad Max is coming to PlayStation 4. The third-person, open world adventure is set in The Wasteland, which is the setting of George Miller’s Mad Max movies.

There wasn’t much revealed about the upcoming game, but it does feature the Road Warrior himself. In the brief trailer, Max decides to kill a starving bandit by running him over, rather than shoot him with his final shotgun bullet.

Watch the full trailer above, which confirms that Mad Max be released on Xbox 360, PS3, Xbox One and PS4 in 2014.

June 11, 2013
E3 2013 : Bungie Debuts Destiny Gameplay, Will Launch In 2014

Destiny made its gameplay world premiere today during Sony’s pre-E3 2013 press conference.

The demo began just outside of the massive city walls that house the last great human civilization. Bungie luminaries Jason Jones and Joe Staten quickly moved underground, showing off the game’s impressive lighting tech, as well as multiple new weapons including a futuristic assault rifle and pistol. The duo also weren’t shy about showing off Halo-style melee attacks.

After a brief firefight, a quick dive into Destiny’s menus revealed a weapon skill tree and an elaborate weapon upgrading/socketing system.

In addition to PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4, Destiny is also set to launch on Xbox One and Xbox 360. Speaking with IGN, senior writer Eric Osborne said that a PC version was not out of the question.

Bungie’s Destiny will be released in 2014. You can watch gameplay footage in the official video below.

June 11, 2013
EA announces Mirror’s Edge for PC, PS 4 and Xbox One (PR)

EA at E3 2013 announced the rebirth of their 2008 franchise Mirror’s Edge for next generation consoles including PS 4 and Xbox One. Powered by DICE’s proprietary Frostbite technology, the game will be heading to Xbox One, the PlayStation4, and PC in 2014.

“We introduced Mirror’s Edge and Faith to gamers five years ago, and we’ve waited for the right moment to reunite them,Thanks to the Frostbite engine and a new generation of platforms, we are now able to deliver a richer world that players will be able to explore with a new level of freedom in both movement and action.” said Sara Jansson, Senior Producer, DICE.

[toggle title=”Press Release”]DICE Heralds the Return of Mirror’s Edge
Category:
EA Games Label
Monday, June 10, 2013 2:30 pm PDT

LOS ANGELES–(BUSINESS WIRE)–DICE, an award-winning studio of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA) and developer of the blockbuster Battlefield™ franchise, today announced that fan-favorite Mirror’s Edge™ is in early stages of development. Mirror’s Edge was first introduced in 2008 and fans quickly elevated the game’s heroine “Faith” into a videogame icon. Gamers and critics worldwide praised its unique characters, highly stylized world and fresh take on first person action adventure. The new Mirror’s Edge reboots the franchise for the next generation with advanced visuals and an all-new origin story for Faith. Powered by DICE’s proprietary Frostbite™ technology, the game will be heading to Xbox One®, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft, the PlayStation®4, and PC.

“We introduced Mirror’s Edge and Faith to gamers five years ago, and we’ve waited for the right moment to reunite them,” said Sara Jansson, Senior Producer, DICE. “Thanks to the Frostbite engine and a new generation of platforms, we are now able to deliver a richer world that players will be able to explore with a new level of freedom in both movement and action.”

To view the Mirror’s Edge teaser trailer, please visit www.mirrorsedge.com, where fans can also sign up for the official Mirror’s Edge newsletter. Join the conversation at www.facebook.com/mirrorsedge and follow us on Twitter® at www.twitter.com/mirrorsedge and #MirrorsEdge. Press assets are available at http://info.ea.com. To follow all of EA’s news during E3 and watch the replay of the Mirror’s Edge unveil, visit www.ea.com/e3.

About Electronic Arts

Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: EA) is a global leader in digital interactive entertainment. The Company delivers games, content and online services for Internet-connected consoles, personal computers, mobile phones and tablets. EA has more than 285 million registered players and operates in 75 countries.

In fiscal year 2013, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $3.8 billion. Headquartered in Redwood City, California, EA is recognized for a portfolio of critically acclaimed, high-quality blockbuster brands such as The Sims™, Madden NFL, FIFA Soccer, Need for Speed™, Battlefield™ and Mass Effect™. More information about EA is available at www.ea.com/news.

Mirror’s Edge, The Sims, Need for Speed, Mass Effect, Battlefield, Frostbite and Origin are trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. and its subsidiaries. John Madden, NFL and FIFA are the property of their respective owners and used with permission. PlayStation is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.[/toggle]

June 11, 2013
Pioneer announces XDJ-R1 all-in-one digital DJ deck with iOS control (PR)

Pioneer is a name synonymous with DJs and there is a real reason behind it, the company has been in the fore front of the technology for years and continues to do so. The compnay has continued its tradition into the digital age, and has launched a Hybrid all-in-on deck/console dubbed “XDJ-R1”. The XDJ-R1 all-in-one unit has two CD players, USB media playback and MIDI controller functionality. An iOS device lets you control the deck wirelessly so the DJ can now be a part of the party. The app is called remotebox and it lets you control ove 80% of the decks features.

Wireless direct ensures the connection and rids of any issues that may occur when using a router. The deck has a wonderful built in two-channel mixer with loop, sync, hot cue and sampling features, along with effects like flutter and wah-wah and many color effects.

The XDJ-R1 also comes with XLR inputs to ensure that device is found in professional setups, and with a price of US $ 1099 (Rs. 60000 approx) the company is truly eyeing the commercial market. The XDJ-R1 goes on sale in June and should be the fancy of any upcoming digital age DJs.

[toggle title=”Press Release”]

PIONEER INTEGRATES IPAD®/IPHONE®/IPOD® TOUCH CONTROL IN LATEST DJ SYSTEM
XDJ-R1 is the Industry’s First Wireless DJ System with iOS Device Control Capability

LONG BEACH, Calif. (May 30, 2013) – Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc. Professional Sound and Visual Division today unveiled the XDJ-R1, the industry’s first1 all-in-one DJ system to feature wireless control functionality through an iPad, iPhone or iPod touch via Pioneer’s specially designed “remotebox” app2. The versatile system features Wireless Direct, to enable reliable wireless connectivity with an iOS device even when a WiFi® network is not available, Auto Beat Loop, Beat Sync, USB device connectivity, built-in CD players and MIDI control.

“Pioneer continues its efforts to build innovative DJ products that match today’s consumer lifestyle with the introduction of the XDJ-R1,” said David Arevalo, marketing director, Professional Sound and Visual Division for Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc. “Expanding on Pioneer’s latest connectivity philosophy, with the XDJ-R1, iPhone and iPad devices can be used as additional control devices so the DJ is free to move around the room he/she is performing in while still having complete control over the music playing.”

XDJ-R1 Mobility
By utilizing the “remotebox” app with an iOS device such as iPhone or iPad, the XDJ-R1 can be remotely controlled wirelessly, giving DJs the ability to continue their music mixing performances even when they move away from the system. The remotebox app provides access to many of the system’s functions directly on the display of a compatible smart device including controlling volume levels, choosing and changing songs, as well as the ability to mix songs from a USB device plugged into the system. Users can also apply the “Auto Beat Loop” function3 that automatically loops music at a specified tempo as well as intuitively control various effects using the X-Y pads from a smart device.

Media Support
Unlike conventional systems, the XDJ-R1 is equipped with dual CD players in addition to a USB port for media playback. The system supports a variety of different music formats including conventional compact discs and MP3, AAC4, WAV and AIFF files stored on CD-R/RW and USB storage devices. For added convenience, the unit also offers MIDI support for operation of various DJ software.

Mix and Match Features
The XDJ-R1 offers a multitude of fun and convenient features for creating unique mixes including:

Beat Sync5 – With a touch of the Sync button, the system automatically synchronizes the beats of songs analyzed through Pioneer’s rekordbox music management software

Hot Cue – The unit features three points of Hot Cues to enable playback of music from specified points

Sampler – For added effects, the system’s Sampler function enables recorded sampling sounds to be added with the press of a button. Sound sources can be recorded from songs on a USB storage device or a compact disc

Beat FX – Four different effects including Trans, Flanger, Echo and Roll are available to combine with songs currently playing

Sound Color FX – The unit offers four additional effects (Filter, Crush, Noise and Jet) for more creative mixing options
Quantize Function – Automatically corrects synchronization of effects when using Auto Beat Loop or Beat Effect.

Additional Features
Noise Reduction – To significantly reduce noise, internal analog and digital circuits were separated, and the distance for digital conversion of analog input signals was shortened. All signal processing is conducted using a high-performance CPU for clear audio output
Independent 3-band isolator
Internal sound card (Audio Interface)
Complete with Master Out (XLR), Booth Out, AUX and MIC ports

Free Virtual DJ Limited Edition
The Virtual DJ® Limited Edition DJ software6 by Atomix Inc. is included with the purchase of a XDJ-R1. The software features an easy-to-use user interface for the XDJ-R1 and enables optimum enjoyment of various DJ play styles with features including loops, effects, a sampler and 4-channel mixing.

The XDJ-R1 will be available in June with a suggested retail price of $1,099.[/toggle]

May 31, 2013
HTC First announced, phone with Facebook Home

The HTC First will continue on the partnership that HTC and Facebook have shared in the past, enabling users to experience a little more Facebook on their android screen, as the device comes preloaded with Facebook Home. Launching on April 12th on an exclusive carrier deal with At&t in the US the HTC First is expected tot be available globally shortly after.

AT&T had been collaborating with Facebook on its Home experience, and invited HTC to assemble the phone, said Ralph de la Vega, CEO of AT&T Mobility said at a Facebook’s press conference on Thursday.

On Thursday Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg announced Facebook Home, a family of apps that would sit as a integrated layer on the Android operating system.

Zuckerberg said Home was not an operating system or a “forked” version of Android akin to Amazon’s Kindle, but a separate software layer that could act as a home screen for smartphones.

The mid-range HTC First will be available in black, white, red and pale blue, and sports a 4.3-inch display that matches with earlier reports. Facebook Home obviously serves to obscure the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean build that’s actually running the show, while one of Qualcomm’s dual-core Snapdragon 400 chipsets (and not the MSM8960 that was previously reported) provides the horsepower from inside that smooth, curved chassis. The HTC First has a 720p display and LTE

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[toggle title=”Press Release”]Facebook’s Newest Mobile Experience Available Exclusively on the Nation’s Fastest 4G LTE Network

DALLAS, BELLEVUE and MENLO PARK, April 4, 2013 – AT&T*, HTC and Facebook have teamed up to develop and launch the HTC First™, the first and only smartphone built to feature Facebook Home, which puts your friends at the heart of your phone. Facebook Home is the first mobile experience designed to give you your friends’ latest updates right on your home screen and messages that reach you no matter what you’re doing.

HTC First will be available for pre-order today for $99.99 with a two-year commitment and available exclusively in AT&T stores and online starting April 12. To pre-order, visit www.att.com/facebookhome.

The HTC First runs on AT&T 4G LTE, the nation’s fastest 4G LTE network.** In addition, independent mobile research firm RootMetrics® has published a special report on 4G LTE in the U.S. which notes that AT&T wireless customers in our 4G LTE markets that were tested by RootMetrics have access to the fastest mobile speeds on their smartphones. AT&T also has the nation’s largest 4G network, covering 288 million people.

“The HTC First will offer the best Facebook Home experience on mobile, right out of the box. That’s why we’re committed to this phone and making it exclusive in our stores,” said Ralph de la Vega, president and CEO, AT&T Mobility. “Because AT&T offers the fastest 4G LTE** in the nation, it’s the best network for Facebook Home. And the best device for Facebook Home is the HTC First.”

“HTC has a track record of providing beautiful hardware design, and of being first-to-market with smartphone innovations,” said Peter Chou, CEO, HTC Corporation. “The HTC First continues that track record, providing AT&T customers with a unique home experience that puts a user’s friends and family at the center of their mobile experience.”

“Home is a completely new experience for your phone,” said Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook’s Founder and CEO. “With Home available right out of the box, you’re getting the best quality experience for connecting with your friends.”

Facebook Home brings your News Feed to the surface, immediately giving you the content you care about right on your home screen when you turn on your phone without having to open an app or access a mobile website. Just sign into your Facebook account and begin using Home – no need for download or configuration. Facebook Home connects you directly with your friends, whether it’s their real-time updates and newest photo uploads being streamed on your cover feed or the ability to chat with friends without jumping in and out of apps.

Facebook Home is built around your friends and puts them at the center of your phone:

· Cover feed: A constant, fresh stream of photos and updates from your newsfeed, cover feed is always present when you wake up your phone. It lets you stay up-to-date on your friends’ latest activities in real-time, all the time. You can swipe through to see more photos and updates, double tap to “like” a post and comment right from cover feed. To learn more about cover feed, check out this video.· Notifications: Notifications from apps and friends appear right on your home screen. It’s easier to see when you have a missed call, calendar reminder or new message. Open a notification with a double tap or clear them away to see your Cover Feed. To learn more about notifications, check out this video.

· Chat Heads: The mobile messenger lets you jump in and out of conversations while you do other things, like watch a video and browse the web. Reply right from chat heads, or move them around if you’re not ready to respond. Plus you can send and receive texts and Facebook messages from the same spot. To learn more about chat heads, check out this video.

· App Launcher: See your favorite apps and post right to Facebook from the same spot. You choose what’s on your app launcher-press and hold an app then drag it anywhere.

· Instagram: HTC First is the only phone that comes with Instagram pre-loaded.

HTC First will be available in four colors: black, white, red and pale blue. The hardware is thin, modern and seamless, with soft edges to draw your attention to the updates from friends and family on the 4.3-inch glass display. Inside, the smartphone runs Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) with the new Facebook Home experience and incorporates a Qualcomm Snapdragon™ 400 processor with dual-core CPU and 3G/4G world and multimode LTE so you can enjoy the richest content on AT&T’s blazing fast 4G LTE network.

For more information, or to pre-order HTC First, please visit www.att.com/facebookhome.[/toggle]

April 4, 2013
YouTube plays april fools, Will delete every thing on Youtube

Youtube’s latest creative endeavor is to delete everything on Youtube to get rid of all the content everyone has been uploading, as part of their contest to find the best video in the world.

The supposed contest is now over and at midnight March 31st 2013, the dawn of 1st April Youtube will end accepting videos for Youtube as a whole.

Check out the Video!

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April 1, 2013
Video : Sony Xperia Tablet Z Teardown

The Sony Xperia Tablet Z is currently the thinnest tablet yet at only 6.9mm and it weighs just 495grams. That’s actually thinner than the 7.9mm Xperia Z. To find out how its top notching hardware gets packed in such a slim profile, Sony has released its official tear down of the Xperia Tablet Z. Of course, dissecting the tablet would automatically void its warranty, so don’t try this at home (if you have one, that is, which is highly unlikely for people living in India)!

The Sony Xperia Tablet Z was announced back in January, and has gone on sale in Japan today, it will also launch in the US and Europe shortly followed by Asia, the device comes with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and it features a 10.1 inch full HD display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels.

Other specifications on the Sony Xperia Tablet Z include a quad core Qualcomm APQ8064 processor clocked at 1.5GHz, plus 2GB of RAM and 32GB of built in storage, and there is also a rear facing 8.1 megapixel camera with Sony’s Exmor R sensor.

The Sony Xperia Tablet Z teardown begins with cracking the device open. Sounds easy? Well, think again. Since the tablet is resistant to dust and water damage, it comes as no surprise that taking its back cover off isn’t a job for everyone. Once that’s unglued, the delicate part dismantling process begins, starting with the Sony-made lithium-ion battery weighing 130 grams and then moving on to the smaller components. There’s plenty of glue and tape holding the Xperia Tablet Z together, which leads us to believe that its repairability score might not be very high.

[Via Sony Blog]

March 22, 2013
Xolo X1000 Unboxing and Hands On

[youtube id=”6_AlBMVwzEo” width=”100%” height=”300px”]

With many a options available, the Android market space has yet another competitor in the Rupees 20,000 price segment. The Xolo X1000 was launched yesterday for a price that was lower than expected, but does it truly offer what the market is looking for?. Interms of Hardware we have an Intel Atom medfield platform at Single core and 2GHz on the clock, for the Graphics we have a 400 MHz GPU.

The front has a brilliant 4.7 inch SHARP™ HD 2.5 D edge curved glass display, which has a resolution of 1280 x 720p. The cameras are 8 and 1.3 MP with with former being the rear camera with full HD 1080p video, and the latter being the front facer.

[pullquote_left] Get ready for premium feel![/pullquote_left] Holding the phone in the hand for the first time might just take you by surprise, the touch and feel of the phone is far from expected (in a positive sense). The phone feels really premium and does a fantastic job of making you feel like you are holding a truly premium device.

The HD Display is truly commendable as well, with brilliant viewing angles and fantastic color reproduction, its easily one the best displays of the price segment. The response from the screen is also snappy and initially gave instant feedback. A couple of facts that did let us down start with the fact that the device runs on Android 4.0.3 and Xolo is not yet ready with a jelly bean software update yet.

Check out the video above or the images below. Stay tuned for the Gaming and benchmarks videos.

March 15, 2013