Jacky’s Electronics appointed as Apple Authorised Reseller

Jacky’s Electronics, the UAE’s leading multi-brand consumer electronics retailer, today announced that it has become an Apple Authorised Reseller offering the complete range of Mac, iPad and iPod products along with a wide range of accessories in store. “We are excited to become an Apple Authorised Reseller,” said Ashish Panjabi, COO of Jacky’s Electronics. Jacky’s mission is to provide the best products, service and support in the market, so we’re delighted that Apple’s innovative products and solutions are now officially available in our stores. Our trained staff will also be on hand to provide expert advice as well as after-sales support to our customers.” At Jacky’s, customers will be able to learn all about the latest products from Apple including the...

Read More

Samsung showcases the Premium Suite Upgrade for Galaxy S III

A nice upgrade is going to be landing soon for Samsung Galaxy S III owners. The Premium Suite Upgrade will bring the multi-window functionality that is already present on Galaxy Note II to Galaxy S III owners along with a few other surprises such as Low-Light-Shot and Best Face to the camera. The following video showcases some of these new features. A full list of features follows.   Powerful Multimedia (1) Paper Artist: You can make a picture like a pop artist! Change the moods of your pictures whenever you want! (2) Camera, Low Light Shot: It’s always tough to take pictures in dark places. So the GALAXY S III with Premium Suite has a Low-Light-Shot function. Get your hands on one and check out the difference! (3) Camera, Best Face: The problem with group...

Read More

iPhone 5S rumors hit the Internet; pics surface

The iPhone 5 is barely three months old, but rumors are already beginning to circulate for the iPhone 5S. The latest comes via iPhone5Parts.net, which posted a few images of what appears to be a rear casing for an iPhone 5. The only difference is that there seem to be a few minor changes, such as a couple of screw holes going missing which would normally secure the phone’s logic board. This could suggest a change in the logic board, but it’s still early to try and imagine what Apple could be planning. Also, the phone information which is usually displayed under the Apple logo, has been replaced by a series of XXXXXs, indicating...

Read More

Nokia sells off Finland HQ for $222 million

Nokia may be riding a tidal wave of happiness that is the Lumia 920, but it still appears to be having a bit of a financial meltdown. According to Engadget, Nokia sold off it’s Finland headquarters for a cool $222 million to another company Exilion. While the sale will only be completed by the end of this year, Nokia have signed a lease to remain in the building as a principal tenant. In a press release sent out yesterday, Nokia’s CFO Timo Ihamuotila said that the sale was made purely because the company wasn’t interested in owning property. We had a comprehensive sales process with both Finnish and foreign investors and...

Read More

PopSlate case adds a rear screen to iPhone 5

There are thousands of cases you can get for your iPhone, but PopSlate for the iPhone 5 really stands out from the rest because it incorporates an e-ink display on the back of your phone. The e-ink screen can be used to display photos, app updates, or even a location map. It draws power from the iPhone 5′s lightning port, but won’t put much strain on your iPhone’s battery life. Incidentally, since the case connects to the lightning port, you have to then charge your iPhone via a micro-USB cable instead. PopSlate is currently a little over $100,000 in funding on Indiegogo with 43 days left for the campaign to close. Check...

Read More

Microsoft tries to reason with IE haters in new ad

Hands up if you using Internet Explorer…wonderful – so this article is dedicated to all four of you. Microsoft released a rather quirky advert depicting how most people love to hate Internet Explorer. The ad entitled Do You Know This Guy” features a guy surfing the web while trolling IE on various articles and websites, as well as sending IE SUCKS” tweets to the @IE Twitter account. He continues to hound the web browser with abuse until apparently a new Karaoke standard” is released, which eventually wins him over. And Microsoft’s point is? Well the company has fought long and hard to try and bring users back to its browser, having put up with competition from Safari, Chrome, and Firefox. But with improving web standards and a supposedly faster interface in IE 10, Microsoft...

Read More

Old functioning digital computer restored

Yeah, that’s a computer. The world’s oldest functioning digital computer, in fact, which has now been restored after three years of hard work. I hope it was worth it. It was made in 1949, and weighed a massive two and a half tonnes. It was slow, even back then, being out-paced by other smaller computers. For example, it would take multiplying two numbers a good ten seconds. But it was reliable and was at the heart of Britain’s atomic energy research programme. Even back then, technology got old really fast, and when the Witch was no longer needed, it was donated to the Wolverhampton University. It got its nickname, Witch, from there. The full form of it is ‘Wolverhampton Instrument for Teaching Computation from Harwell’. In 1997, it became a museum piece and...

Read More

Fujifilm launches the X-E1 and X-F1 cameras in UAE

Today Fujifilm launched the much awaited X-E1 camera with interchangeable lenses. Having the same 16.3mp APS-C X-Trans CMOS sensor as their flagship X-Pro1, the new X-E1 comes in the same compact body size as the lower tiered X100. Getting the best of both worlds, the new X-E1 also boats a new 2.36 million OLED electronic viewfinder that makes it easier on the eye, bringing true to life colors. The X-F1 is a lifestyle point & shoot camera with a unique twist lens barrel that turn on the camera after it’s opened. The X-F1 boasts a large 12mp 2/3-inch EXR CMOS sensor that’s paired with an f/1.8-4.9 4x optical...

Read More

HP Connected Music launches with Universal Music Group

Press release: HP today announced full details of its Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA)-wide collaboration with Universal Music Group, the world’s leading music company. To celebrate the launch of HP Connected Music, which features exclusive rewards and content, the two companies have teamed up for No Doubt’s worldwide concert launch event. Taking place today in Paris at La Maison de la Mutualité, the No Doubt private show marks the band’s only live performance of the year in Europe and is the first event of the partnership between HP and Universal Music. Available on all new Microsoft® Windows® 8 -powered...

Read More

Samsung Galaxy S III overtakes the iPhone as best-selling phone last quarter

Samsung’s Galaxy S III was declared as the highest selling Smartphone for Q3 or 2012 overtaking Apple’s iconic iPhone for the first time, as revealed in a report published by Strategy Analytics. With 18 million units sold, the Samsung Galaxy S III easily bested iPhone that shipped around 16.2 million units. Neil Shah, Senior Analyst at Strategy Analytics, said, “Samsung’s Galaxy S3 smartphone model shipped 18.0 million units worldwide during the third quarter of 2012. The Galaxy S3 captured an impressive 11 percent share of all smartphones shipped globally and it has become the world’s best-selling smartphone model...

Read More

Say hello to The Steve Jobs Building

Steve Jobs has become a household name for his work at Apple but between his two terms at Apple, he headed Pixar before Disney bought them. Pixar is the company responsible for creating some of the best animated movies of recent times such as Toy Story, Cars and Finding Nemo. The studio’s main building has been named The Steve Jobs Building”  at Pixar’s campus, as reported by Pixar Times. On Twitter, a Pixar employee shared an image taken by a friend, stating that the building had been named “The Steve Jobs Building.” Peering in through the windows, you can clearly see the outline of Sulley, confirming that this...

Read More

Coyote Case turns your iPhone into a siren

There have been a lot of rather interesting accessories for the iPhone, including turning it into a tazer. But if you’re looking for a more stylish device for your personal security, then you need to take a look at Coyote Case. The Coyote Case looks like a regular iPhone case, but at a simple touch of a button it blasts out a 100-decibel siren to alert people that you are in distress. At the same time, it broadcasts a message along with your location to a list of your emergency contacts, making it a very useful case indeed. It comes in five colors and is currently looking to raise funding of $120,000 to begin production....

Read More

Oprah loves the Surface

Oprah Winfrey loves Microsoft’s Surface Tablet and is not afraid to shower superlative praise on it. The device has been declared as one of her “Favorite Things” of 2012. In the December issue of O, Oprah’s magazine, the media tycoon and former talk show host says, “”The Surface, Microsoft’s first tablet, feels like a Mercedes-Benz to me, people!” She goes on to praise the “full-size keyboard built right into the cover “and the “very smart kickstand”. Oprah is also really impressed by the weight of the Surface or rather the lack of it which makes it “a great alternative to a laptop.” I am...

Read More

Etisalat launches first flagship store in Sri Lanka

Press Release: Etisalat Lanka recently announced the launch of its first flagship store in Sri Lanka. Located at Etisalat Lanka’s corporate office in Colombo, the new flagship store will serve as a one-stop shop for customers to experience new products and services, and will also house an Etisalat Lanka customer service centre to assist customers with all their telecommunications needs, specifically 3G services. The new flagship store is the first of its kind in Sri Lanka and features an Experience Centre displaying cutting-edge products and 3G services aimed at enhancing the lives of customers and empowering individual...

Read More

The iPad mini advert that’s worth watching

Oh Apple, how people both love and hate you. While I’m still giggling over Amazon’s cheeky shot at the iPad mini earlier this week, a spoof advert has turned up on YouTube that pokes fun at how obscure the iPad mini is. But despite parody videos like the one below, the iPad mini is gaining popularity, with Apple having to shift shipment dates back by up to 2 weeks from their original promise of November 2nd. ...

Read More

Unlock Windows 8 with a smile

Windows 8 is of course the only thing on Microsoft’s mind this week. They’re so busy touting all the amazing features of their latest OS that they don’t realize that some features users really won’t pay attention to. Like the video below, which showcases a new feature of Windows 8 where users can unlock their PC by drawing a pattern on the screen. But this isn’t like what you’ve seen on Android phones or even the slide-to-unlock feature on the iPhone. Microsoft wants you to draw smiles, circle ears, draw arrows and do all kinds of gestures to get into your PC. Of course if you want, you could always go the old-fashioned route and grab one of these passwords. ...

Read More

The most popular passwords for 2012

Passwords – gotta love and hate them. There have been plenty of instances when I’ve sworn loudly at my PC because I can’t remember the correct password, only to have to reset it through a series of complicated steps that involves everything except providing a sample of my DNA. But some of us tend to be a bit too lazy when it comes to securing our accounts, and opt to choose passwords that are easy to remember. At the same time these easy passwords can be just ridiculously easy to figure out, and that’s what’s been revealed in a recent post by security company SplashData. The post highlights what some of the worst passwords of the year have been, and there are some true gems in there such as ’123456′ and my personal favorite, ‘password’. The top 25 worst passwords of...

Read More

Middle East companies embracing remote access solutions

At Gitex last week, I had an opportunity to sit down with Noman Qadir, Regional Director Middle East & Africa, Citrix Systems. We spoke mainly about a very interesting survey that Citrix had done recently about the UAE workforce, in which it was found that more people were applying to companies that offered flexible work environments. This meant that an employee could work comfortably from home while still putting in the same effort and number of hours that they would do if working from an office desk. However only 46% of respondents said that their current employer had adapted the technology to allow them to work from...

Read More

Fujitsu releases new product range designed for women

IF you’re looking for a laptop, you’d traditionally look at features such as storage space, processor speed, connectivity, and how heavy the thing is. Fujitsu on the other hand, seem to think that they’ve got a new angle on the computer market, by designing a PC range that’s exclusively targeted to women. Dubbed the Floral Kiss” range, the lineup was designed by the help of Fujitsu’s own female employees. This is clearly evident on Fujitsu’s website, which states The top casing has been constructed with an elegant and refined gradation with gold trim, and it features a flip latch that can easily open the displayâ€"even...

Read More

GITEX: Golden Systems booth coverage

While we took a quick look at what Gigabyte had to offer yesterday, here are some other partners that had their goodies on display for GITEX Trade. First off we have a variety of Nvidia cards from Zotac, most of which were from their famous ‘AMP! Edition’ series. Their recently introduced GTX 660Ti AMP! Extreme edition was also on show. Also on display were the Zotac ZBOX range of miniPCs, including the recently reviewed AD12 Plus Nano. Next up is Cooler Master where two of their new cases were on display, as were some of their recently launched gaming keyboards and mice, in addition to...

Read More

BLACKSOCKS – because your socks just aren’t smart enough

I seriously, honestly hope that this video is some kind of joke or SNL sketch. Behold ladies and gentlemen, BLACKSOCKS – the ‘smarter’ way to sort through your socks. In the three minute video below, you’ll be introduced to a ‘revolutionary’ new way to manage and sort your socks. Yes, your socks. Those little things you slip onto your feet without even an afterthought, are about to get really complicated. The genius minds at blacksocks.com has a system that implements NFS tags and a receiver to communicate with a device that then relays information about the sock to an app on your iPhone. The information contains the sock’s unique ID, how many times it’s been washed, when it was produced, and other kinds of information that you really don’t care about. Seriously, words...

Read More

Emirates airlines to allow in-flight calls on cell phones

If you’ve ever gone through the stress of a flight that has its fair share of screaming babies on it, things are about to get a whole lot louder at 35,000 ft. Emirates airlines announced yesterday that they will soon allow passengers on its A380 to talk on their mobile devices in-flight. Previously phone calls were only possible through the aircraft’s on-board phone system, but in conjunction with the aircraft’s OnAir wireless service, normal mobile headsets will be usable as well. Mobile phones and other cellular devices are currently only allowed in-flight in ‘aircraft’ mode or with the cellular network switched off,...

Read More

Get a virtual affection when your post is ‘liked’ on Facebook

Technology engineering. It is one of the most important element in product development. When you have a good engineering team, you can achieve wonders and put it to some good use – like making Half Life 3, or making the next Maps update not suck, or make a patent that Apple can’t sue. And then there are these MIT engineers, who instead of participating in the above mentioned projects, have in turn built a jacket that gives you a hug whenever your Facebook post gets a like. No, really. It’s called Like-a-Hug, and it works by gently inflating whenever there is a ‘like’, replicating somewhat the farm fuzzy feeling you get...

Read More

GITEX Shopper begins in Dubai

GITEX Shopper kicked off today, at its new home at the Dubai World Trade Center Exhibition Hall. Located in the Sheikh Saeed Hall, the show’s new venue aims to provide easier access for consumers via the Dubai Metro station, situated right outside the exhibition halls. GITEX Shopper attracts hundreds of visitors each year, keen to grab great bargains on everything from laptops and digital cameras to mobile phones and tablets. Show exhibitors include retailers such as Jumbo Electronics, Jacky’s, Emax, Plug-ins and Sharaf DG, along with other recognized brand names such as HP, ASUS, HTC, and many more. The show will run...

Read More

Tim Cook apologizes for the Maps app

Here’s something I have never seen Apple do. In an official statement on its website, CEO Tim Cook apologized for its home-brewed Maps app which it introduced in the iOS 6 update. Since its launch, the infamous app has been underfire from users (and competitors alike) for its amazing inability to show proper locations and landscapes. Here are few examples of what this about. Addressing it, Cook said, At Apple, we strive to make world-class products that deliver the best experience possible to our customers. With the launch of our new Maps last week, we fell short on this commitment. We are extremely sorry for the frustration this has caused our customers and we are doing everything we can to make Maps better.” Cook adds that since the app was built from the ground...

Read More

BlackBerry Bold 9790 – now in pink

While the BlackBerry Bold 9900 continues to enjoy being the high-end device from RIM, a lot of people, myself included, prefer the slightly smaller size of the Bold 9790. The Bold 9790 has been available in black and white for some time now and it seems that a new color is about to join the family- say hello the the pink BlackBerry Bold 9790. The light pink color is sure to delight quite a few female BlackBerry fans (and possibly some of the opposite gender.) The front of the device as well as the back cover are a light-rose pink color while the edges are shiny silver- much like the white and black BlackBerry Bold...

Read More

New quartz glass chip by Hitachi could store your data forever

Japanese electronics giant Hitachi unveiled a glimpse at the future of long-lasting digital storage and it’s a piece of glass. This two centimeter square and two millimeter thick sliver of quartz glass can hold 40 megabytes of data per square inch.  The new technology stores binary data by using a laser beam to create dots inside the thin sheet of quartz glass which can then be read using an optical microscope connected to a monitor with data reading software. Moreover, the chip is as tough as they come. Quartz glass is a highly stable and resilient material and can withstand hostile conditions like water...

Read More

Sharp launches new 80″ Aquos LED TV

If you’ve got some space and spare cash to boot, why not splurge on Sharp’s swanky new 80″ Aquos LED TV. The TV features a full-HD X-Gen Panel and other features such as Internet integration, USB inputs, and stellar image quality. Starting at a suggested retail price of AED 35,999 this is one TV you’re going to have start saving for in advance. Press Release: Dubai, 24 September 2012 â€" Sharp, an industry leader in large flat panel TVs and innovator of LCD/LED TV technology, today announced the introduction of the region’s first commercially available 80 inch Aquos LED TV to the Middle East. The company’s new offerings...

Read More

Huge Discount on GITEX Shopper Entry for Students

...

Read More

Office 2013 pricing revealed

Microsoft today revealed the pricing of Office 2013. The suite will be available as standalone and as well as part of the Office 365 subscription model. Here’s the breakdown: - Office 365 Home Premium ($99.99 per year): Users will get access to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook, Publisher, Access, both online and offline. 20GB of SkyDrive storage and 60 mins of Skype World calling will be included as well. - Office 365 Small Business Premium ($149.99 per year): This includes online and offline versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook, Publisher, Access, Lync, and InfoPath, as well as shared calendars,...

Read More

Google acquires iOS photo app Snapseed

Google has acquired Nik Software, the German developer of iOS and Mac photography app Snapseed, for an undisclosed amount. Nik Software produces a host of photography apps for Mac and Windows, but according to reports, the deal was focused around Snapseed. We want to help our users create photos they absolutely love, and in our experience Nik does this better than anyone”, Vic Gundotra, Google’s senior vice president of engineering posted on his Google+ account about the acquisition. Analysts are looking at this development as Google’s attempt to keep up with Facebook’s buyout of Instagram. While Snapseed may...

Read More

Volkswagen launches Polo sedan

Volkswagen has a huge range of market segments covered, from luxury sedans to enthusiast hatchbacks, to powerful SUVs. And while the Jetta has been great for the mainstream segment, the entry-level market for sub-compact cars has been left wanting. Well, the Polo sedan is finally here.   With a 1.6-liter, 104HP and 153Nm torque engine, the Polo sedan is adequately powerful, and great on fuel efficiency with a rated economy of just 5.9 liters/ 100kms.   While the new Polo sedan is made in Pune, India, you get the full quality German engineering you have come to expect from Volkswagen. The new Polo...

Read More

LA man drives car through Apple store window

Today in what were they thinking” news, a Los Angeles man apparently drove his SUV through the window of an Apple store, in an attempt to possibly ‘stealthily’ rob the store of a few products. In the video below, the man is shown crashing his car into the Apple store, while another man jumps out of the car and tries to grab as many Apple products as he can, before the dynamic duo make their getaway. The ‘drive-in’ caused hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages, and a suspect is currently being held on a $600,000 bail. The Apple Store in question has since been boarded up – unless they really are installing a drive-thru. ...

Read More

New iPod Shuffle gets new colors and nothing else

While the entire tech world is going gaga about the new iPhone 5 and even the revamped iPod Touch and Nano, let’s show some love to the little guy in the room here. The iPod Shuffle, an ultra-budget bare-bones MP3 player by Apple which they clearly don’t care about, also got a new edition announced yesterday. But unlike the improvements and overhauls that the other bigger MP3 players received, this unfortunate little one got the shaft and the only thing that’s new to it is … some new shades and hues. That’s pretty much it. The little portable music player gets some cool new colors like the iPod Touch, which includes the...

Read More

Google adds high resolution images to Maps and Earth

In a blog post today, Google announced that it was adding more high-resolution images to its Google Earth and Google Maps platforms. The images cover over 30 new cities, from parts of the United States to other countries such as Spain, France, Indian, Saudi Arabia, and many more. The updates images are currently only available for Google Earth, but will be rolled out to Google Maps ‘shortly’. Google also included new 45-degree images for certain countries such as United States, France, and Spain. The 45-degree images offer an unprecedented level of detail for certain regions, with more cities soon to be added to the fold....

Read More

Leaked video shows rumored new iPhone booting up

While the world waits with bated breath for Apple’s big announcement on September 12, a video has popped up online that supposedly shows the new iPhone booting up alongside an iPhone 4S. The video shows the new iPhone being compared to the iPhone 4S, and clearly highlights the thinner frame, new dock connector, and other design changes (including the headphone jack moving to the bottom of the phone). The video finally has the two phones ‘booting up’ to demonstrate the speed of the new iPhone. While the odds are high that the device being shown is a fake, it’s certainly one of the better hoaxes we’ve seen in a while. Check out the video below and stay tuned for Apple’s big announcement next week. ...

Read More

Jumbo Electronics appoints new Chief Executive

Press release: Jumbo Electronics Co Ltd. (LLC) has announced the appointment of Vishesh L. Bhatia as the company’s new Chief Executive. Bhatia moves into his new role after his retirement from a position in the senior leadership team at the Dubai-based Al Futtaim Group where he was lately responsible for a number of its business verticals including electronics, engineering and real estate businesses. Having worked in Dubai since 1978, the new role marks his second spell with Jumbo Electronics, having been the company’s Chief Operating Officer from 2001 to 2002, working closely with the charismatic Founder of Jumbo,...

Read More

Samsung strands bloggers in Berlin for not promoting products

Fresh out of their battle with Apple, Samsung are once again going to make news thanks to some rather unweildly behavior on their part. A lengthy article published today by The Next Web recounts how two bloggers from India were invited to the IFA conference in Berlin, and were then casually told by Samsung that they were to wear a special Samsung uniform and promote Samsung products to members of the press at the show. Essentially, be booth boys. This of course, didn’t go down well with the bloggers involved, who had previously clearly stated to Samsung that they would be attending IFA to cover Samsung products as well...

Read More

Forget the iPhone 5 – grab the Goophone I5

While there is still plenty of time before Apple officially launched the next iPhone, that’s not stopping a Chinese firm in Hong Kong from putting out its own bizarre hybrid phone, dubbed the Goophone I5. The Goophone matches most of the design parts that were leaked in recent weeks, including the design of the rear cover. But the knockoff phone bundles with Google’s Android OS instead of iOS, bringing the two giants together in a jade garden of peace and tranquility. That last part might just be in my head btw. The website doesn’t disclose many technical details about the Goophone, however it does feature a factory tour...

Read More

New Android gaming tablet ‘GamePad’ announced by Archos

Archos has unveiled a new 7″ tablet targeted at gamers who might prefer buttons and joysticks over tapping a touchscreen.  The tablet runs Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, with a dual-core processor clocked at 1.5GHz and a quad-core Mali 400 MP GPU. The device will have physical controls for gaming including an integrated D-pad, ABXY buttons, and two analog thumb sticks in addition to the standard touchscreen. Like a regular tablet, it will be wi-fi enabled and have access to Google Play and its accompanying games, e-mail and apps. Other specs revealed â€" a micro USB port, 8GB of internal storage, a microSD card...

Read More

Samsung introduces Galaxy Note II

Not surprisingly, Samsung announced the follow up to their phablet- the Galaxy Note II at IFA. Increasing the screen size to 5.5″ but keeping the resolution at 1280×800, the Note now comes with a redesign S Pen with 1024 levels of pressure, Android 4.1 and a 1.6GHz Quad Core Exynos processor. Best of all, it comes with a 3100mAh battery to last you a long time! ...

Read More

Unreal Engine 3 running on ASUS Windows RT Tablet

Gamers looking forward to new Windows RT tablet have something to rejoice for today. Shown in the video below is an ASUS Vivo Windows RT tablet running on Tegra 3 showcasing Unreal 3 engine at pretty amazing frame rates This is the full PC version of the the Unreal Engine 3 that powers games like the Mass Effect series, Batman series and Infinity Blade Series....

Read More

Sony Xperia SL Smartphone Coming to UAE in August

Press Release: Sony Mobile Communications today announced that its new Xperia SL smartphone will be made available in the UAE in early September. Based on the popular Xperia S, recognised as having the sharpest HD smartphone display in a report from Strategy Analytics, Xperia SL has the same stunning 4.3” HD display for excellent viewing with razor sharp clarity. Additionally both rear- and front-facing cameras deliver HD recording capabilities, with HD video chat and easy HDMI connectivity to TV for consumers to enjoy all their content on the big screen. Xperia SL features 12MP fast capture camera that goes from sleep...

Read More

LinkedIn to open office in Dubai

After Facebook opened their first office in the region, specifically Dubai Internet City three months ago, it’s not surprising to see one of the biggest social netwroking websites in the world for industry professionals is following suit. According to The National, LinkedIn has already advertised for six positions for the proposed Dubai office. And while talks are ongoing, nothing is confirmed according to one Dubai Internet City executive. ”They have shown an interest. There has been a discussion,” the executive said. LinkedIn themselves have so far declined to comment on the job postings,...

Read More

Apple vs Samsung – it’s all over

In what has been probably one of the highest-covered trials in recent times, the big battle between Apple and Samsung has finally come to an end. The nine jurors in the case finally came to a decision yesterday in the battle of the tech giants, siding finally with Apple in most of the patent infringement claims against Samsung. While Apple initially sought close to $2.75 billion in damages, the jury eventually ordered Samsung to pay Apple $1.05 billion in damages. Some of the claims highlighted by the jury included: - Jury found Samsung infringement of Apple utility, design patents for some (though not all) products. - Jury found willful infringement on five of six patents. - Jury upheld Apple utility, design patents. - Jury upheld Apple trade dress ’983. - Jury...

Read More

HP posts nearly $9 billion quarterly loss

In their recent financial call, Hewlett-Packard Co. reported a quarterly loss of $8.9 billion. Overall sales declined by 5% over the previous year, to $29.7 billion, earning them $2 billion for the three months ending July 2012. While stagnating PC sales was a prime contributor to the low sales, the major reason for the colossal loss is mainly because of the write-down of $10.8 billion for Electronic Data Systems Corp. and other recent acquisitions. We are still in the early stage of the turnaround. There will be challenges ahead that could create some variability in performance,” said CEO Meg Whitman to Reuters. But I’m confident in our ability to work through them and get to where we want to be.” HP, along with their smaller rival Dell are also...

Read More

Logitech debuts washable keyboard

Probably the biggest issues we have with desktop keyboards is how much of dirt and crap can get stuck underneath the keys. Not to mention those fateful days where you spill a cup of coffee across your keyboard and have to kiss your keyboard goodbye. Logitech seems to understand your pain, and today announced the K310, a washable keyboard that can be wiped down or even rinsed under running water. The keyboard has special drainage holes at the back to allow liquids to escape, and can be fully immersed in up to 11 inches of water. Drying the device is as simple as leaving it out in the sun – the keys have been specially...

Read More

Sony NEX-5R and NEX-6 photos get leaked

Recent pictures leaked via Sony Alpha Rumors seem to confirm that Sony’s upcoming NEX cameras will have built-in WiFi chips for instant internet connectivity. Both the NEX-5R and NEX-6 appear to have WiFi chips in addition giving us a proper glimpse of what the final products will look like. The NEX-5R comes with a completely new 16MP APS-C sensor, but otherwise looks pretty much the same as the NEX-5N. The NEX-6 which is to sit between the NEX-5R and the flagship NEX-7, it will also come with the new 16MP sensor and going in-line with the NEX-7, will also have a built-in EVF, although one of a lower resolution. The...

Read More

User screenshot points out Windows 8 design inconsistencies

While Windows 8 may have been getting plenty of flak for its forced Metro interface, a forum user has taken a series of screenshots that point out Windows 8′s various design inconsistencies. It’s not easy to design a UI for a program, let alone an entire OS, but if you’re Microsoft you’re going to want to at least run some proper tests on your UI so it looks good throughout. There are a number of design inconsistencies such as missing borders around UI elements, items not aligned or grouped properly, and uneven spacing. While this may sound like just a lot of nitpicking that the average user won’t notice, it’s still a...

Read More

HP eyeing tablet market again

In an internal memo at HP, the company is apparently looking to re-enter the consumer tablet market. According to a report by The Verge, the newly created ‘Mobility’ division will focus on consumer tablets, as well as looking at additional segments and categories where we believe we can offer differentiated value to our customers”. The division will be headed by Alberto Torres, who previously worked with Nokia. The company’s purported ‘commercial tablet’ will still fall under its PC division. HP are no stranger to the tablet market, having attempted their own tablet launch last year with the WebOS HP TouchPad. But after...

Read More

Adobe shuts down Flash for Android

Adobe has announced that it is removing the Flash app from Google’s Android OS. It will now no longer be available on the Google Play store. This effectively removes Flash support from the future of mobile web and follows a decision made last November by Adobe to stop development of the software for mobile devices. Adobe told BBC that it was removing the option to install the plug-in because it was likely to exhibit unpredictable behaviour” when used with Jelly Bean, the most recent Android based OS. The decline of Flash can be traced back to Apple refusing to allow it to be installed on iPhones and iPads. HTML5 has...

Read More

RealPlayer hits Google Play store

RealNetworks’ RealPlayer was probably one of the most annoying media players I used on my PC. The barrage of adverts, annoying startup times, and generally sluggish performance of the app made me quickly ditch it for more lightweight media and streaming players. But in a bid to woo the everyday mobile user, RealNetworks has announced that RealPlayer has finally landed on the Google Play store. The app allows you to play music and videos, as well as scroll through photos on your device. It’s certainly not an earth-shattering app by any means, though a $4.99 upgrade will unlock ‘premium’ features such as an equalizer,...

Read More