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 their ever popular power supply units and CPU coolers.

Kingmax went all out with pretty much all of their USB keys and other memory sticks on show, including most of their SSD range as well, some of which we have already reviewed.

Last, but definitely not the least, was Axtrom with all of their myriad accessories for PC, including the Axpad which we reviewed earlier this week.

As with Gigabyte, Golden Systems is the distributor of all of the above mentioned brands, so if you like anything in the pictures above, you know where to go.

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 fail me at this point.

Check the entire video out below, and if you’re curious check out their website here. Again, please someone let me know if this is serious or not so my faith in humanity can be restored.

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, to avoid interference with onboard equipment.

The only limitation to the service is that it will automatically shut down when the aircraft is within 250 miles of the United States of America, according to the US Federal Aviation Administration regulations which prohibit mobile phones from being used in-flight.

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 when you are hugged ‘IRL’.

MIT engineer Melissa Chow describes the jacket as a wearable social media vest” designed to bringing us closer despite physical distance”. It’s a noble idea, especially those who are pulling off a long distance, or are away from their family. But come on, we all know why it will be mostly used for.

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 from 29th September to 6th October, opening 11am to 10pm on weekdays and 11am to 11pm on the weekend.

For more information, visit the official site here.

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 up, the problems users are facing with it might go on for a little while longer. As such, he suggest users try alternatives by downloading map apps from the App Store like Bing, MapQuest and Waze, or use Google or Nokia maps” while he and his team continue to work on Maps until it lives up to the same incredibly high standard” that Apple is generally known for.

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 9790 models. This certainly makes the BlackBerry Bold 9790 pink a good looking device.

The included accessories such as the charger and the USB cable are white in color.

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 (tsunamis), heat (high temperature flames and heat up to 1,000 degrees Celsius for two hours), radio waves and most chemicals. So, theoretically Hitachi’s glass chip would be capable of storing digital information for a few hundred million years.

While this is only a prototype, chips developed from quartz glass plate technology could have real potential to replace CDs and hard drives which have a lifespan of a few decades to a century at most.

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 are its way to demonstrate a luxurious modern lifestyle to its UAE customers this GITEX. Sharp’s LED TV line-up offers unrivalled picture quality and impressive functionality exhibiting industry leading energy-efficiency.

The new Aquos LED TV is part of the “From Bigger to Biggest” product line-up which reiterates Sharp’s position as the leader in LCD/LED TV category. In its 100th year since foundation, Sharp is dedicating its latest offerings to the modern family and its high-end urban needs. On one hand, Sharp’s large TV products enhance the customer’s home entertainment experience with the optimization provided by smart TV features. While on the other hand, it offers cutting edge appliances for today’s sophisticated kitchen where the modern family increasingly spends more time together.

80 Inch “Real as life” Home Entertainment:
The full HD Japanese made panel, Sharp’s flagship 80 inch model LC-80LE940X provides more than twice the screen area of an average 55-inch TV. It features Sharp’s 4th Generation Quattron technology for better 3D viewing, plus direct LED backlighting and Aquo-motion Pro (240Hz) to decrease blur during fast-moving videos. It also boasts advanced Wi-Fi capabilities, which are further strengthened by Sharp’s smart TV interface, allowing customers to enjoy applications such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. The interface also allows customized preferences which allow users to send photos, music and videos wirelessly.

“Our Big AQUOS series fulfills the demand for bigger screens while maintaining affordable prices and energy-efficiency”, said Mr. Hiroshi Sasaoka â€" Chairman at Sharp Middle East FZE. “The 80-inch AQUOS LED TV meets the consumer’s need for bigger flat panel TV. It is stylish, offers stunning picture quality, sound quality and we are proud to introduce it for the first time to the Middle East”, continued Mr. Sasaoka.

“We are always seeking to strengthen our presence in the GCC and Levant Region and our team is going through continued year-on-year growth supported by strong sales of our LCD TVs and other consumer electronics pillar products such as fridges, ACs, and PCI products. More regional offices are being established to better cater to key markets across Africa and we are also growing as a team with more than 100 staff working for us in the MEA CIS region”, he adds.

The AQUOS LC-80LE940X Television features:
- 80-inch Class (80-inch diagonal) â€" more than double the screen area of a 55-inch Class TV;
- Full HD X-Gen Panel â€" a unique leading edge technology designed with advanced pixel control to minimize light leakage and wider aperture to let more light through
- UV2A Technology â€" for high precision picture with fast control of the liquid crystal molecules to ensure uniform alignment
- Quattron â€" delivering unprecedented reality in natural colour gradations for a high-precision picture with low power consumption.
- Quad Pixel Plus 2 â€" improves picture quality details using interpolation with special correction and by processing to remove jagged edges.
- AquoMotion Pro â€" The number of frames in the picture is increased four times, motion blur is reduced for an overall better image clarity.
- MHL â€" Mobile High Definition Link
- Sound Quality â€" Audio Engine by Yamaha achieves genuine 3D surround
- Smart TV – delivers customized Internet content and live customer support via Wi-Fi to enjoy apps like Facebook and Twitter;
- USB Inputs – enable viewing high-resolution video, music and digital photos on the TV.

LC-80LE940X is now available starting September 24, 2012 at selected retail stores across the UAE at a recommended retail price of AED 35,999 (including FOCs such as five 3D glasses, one Blue-Ray Player & one Wi-Fi Dongle).

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, 25GB mailbox, 10GB of SharePoint storage, HD video conferencing, and free public-facing business website.

For those not interested in paying subscriptions for their Office, there are standalone packages:

- Home & Student ($139.99): Inlcudes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote

- Home & Business ($219.99): Inlcudes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook

- Professional ($399.99): Inlcudes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook, Publisher and Access.

Of note here is that Office 365 packages will allow users to install on upto 5 PCs, whereas standalone packages will work on just one PC.

There is no word on when Office 2013 will be available, however Microsoft said that it will be available in 277 countries at launch.

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 not be as popular as Instagram, it does have its own share of loyal followers with many considering its photo editing capabilities superior to its competitor app.  It was even named iPad app of 2011 by Apple.

The Verge also reports that employees from Nik Software who worked on Snapseed will relocate to Google headquarters in Mountain View to work directly on Google+. So, we might be right to lookout for Snapseed integration into Google+ soon.

Snapseed is also currently working on an Android app.

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 sedan will retail for AED/ SAR 59,990.

Press Release

Volkswagen Middle East launches the new Polo Sedan

New Polo Sedan offers quality, reliability and German engineering for everyone in the Middle East

Dubai, UAE 17 September 2012 - Volkswagen Middle East has launched the brand-new Polo Sedan, bringing the first generation model to the Middle East.

With the highest standards of modern automotive engineering and high quality workmanship, the new Polo Sedan completes the portfolio of sedan models that Volkswagen Middle East offers to its customers in the region.

At an exceptionally competitive price, the new Polo Sedan is sleek, spacious and comfortable delivering luxury and innovation whilst being affordable.

Available with a 1.6 litre 105 PS engine and a 6 speed automatic transmission, the Polo Sedan includes 15 inch alloy wheels, dual airbags for driver and passenger, ABS, spacious interior â€" especially in the rear and central locking with keyless entry.

“The new Polo Sedan is the perfect combination of German engineering together with optimum comfort and driving characteristics,” says Marcus Butros, Sales Director, Volkswagen Middle East. “The Polo Sedan completes our sedan segment within the market following the Jetta and Passat which have been extremely well received by our customers. The Polo offers high safety standards along with driving comfort, sleek styling and affordable innovation.”

The Polo Sedan has been produced for the Middle East market in Volkswagen India’s plant in Pune. Opened in 2009 the Pune plant is one of the most modern plants in the Volkswagen Group. Volkswagen has an international production network catering to all markets ensuring the reach ofGerman engineering around the world. The Pune facility is the only production plant in India operated by a German automaker and covers the entire production process from press shop, body and paint shop to final assembly.

“The Polo Sedan is the entry model into the Volkswagen portfolio and is aimed at a younger demographic who want to experience our German engineering. Many of our customers stay loyal to Volkswagen after their first experience with the brand as we provide quality, affordable innovation andcan cater to all their automotive needs. We see high potential for this model in the region, and one that will drive volume growth as we continue to be the fastest growing volume brand in the Middle East,” concluded Butros.

Exterior styling and dimensions

The Polo Sedan is 4384 mm long, 1466 mm tall and 1699 mm wide. The balance of the exterior dimensions produces a powerful ratio of proportions. In parallel, the new Volkswagen “design DNA” enhances its style. This has resulted in clear precise lines and muscular surfaces that give this sedan a dynamic styling yet keeping it timelessly elegant.

Front end: The Polo Sedan offers a very distinct, smart and elegant look. It comes with chrome trimmed front radiator and line grille that adds to its classy look.

The stylish halogen headlights and indicators give extra emphasis to its look and provide optimum vision on the road, thereby providing attention uncompromisingly on the road. Fog lamps are also a standard feature in the Polo Sedan.

Side profile: The strong, muscular lines on the sides are typical of the Volkswagen “design DNA”. It makes the Polo Sedan look powerful and also emphasise its wheel arches, giving it an overall dynamic image which can perfectly accommodate 15 inches wheels.

Rear section: A harmonised surface dominates the look at the rear of the Polo Sedan. The wide rear window offers good visibility behind the sedan while continuing to maintain its strong dynamic lines.

The squarish tail lamps give a stylish contour to the Polo Sedan and perfectly blend with the rear design. The rear light clusters with the chrome lining gives the model its unique look.

The Polo Sedan offers 455 litres of boot space for its passengers making it extremely comfortable to accommodate the family shopping bags.

Interior Highlights

The interior of the new Polo Sedan complements the exterior offering top-quality, perfectly finished fabrics and materials that provide comfort and style to its passengers. With a comprehensive chrome package and exclusive chrome trim inlays the interior of the model is modern and sleek.

When designing the new Polo Sedan Volkswagen ensured that comfort was off paramount importance. The new model has an extended wheelbase which is 82mm longer than the European Polo hatchback. The Polo Sedan has been made for the region offering features such as more rear legroom that reflect the changing needs of the Middle East customer. The car also includes “Climatic” manual air conditioning as standard in the S and SE model specifications, with “Climatronic” air condition as an optional extra. The new model also includes a practical storage concept for everyday use including; compartments in the front for water holders, storage pockets on the rear of the front seats, glove box with flap and glasses compartment and a centre console with two cup holders.

The cockpit has a modern leather steering wheel, gear knob, handbrake lever and gear lever, a dashboard design with ergonomic control layout, as well as comprehensive functional equipment with electrically adjustable side mirrors, electric remote unlocking for the boot lid and central locking.The driver-orientated cockpit also includes a radio with CD/MP3 player as standard.

Passive safety

The passive safety in the Polo Sedan has been well optimised. It is equipped with front airbags for the driver and co-driver along with an ultra high strength steel frame that makes for an indigenously structured passenger cell.

Add to that an Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) which provides individual wheel braking preferences, thereby aiding better control of the car. All model lines also include cruise control as standard.

The height adjustable 3 point safety front seat belt, 3 point safety belts for the rear outboard passengers and lap belt for the middle passenger make it an extremely safe travel. Parking distance control is also optional as an added rear safety feature.

The Electronic Immobiliser is a standard feature in the new Polo Sedan. It is an anti-theft device which gets activated when the ignition key is removed and works in tandem with the engine control unit to prevent unauthorised starting of the engine.

Engines, transmission and driving dynamics

With a 1.6 litre 105 PS engine and a 6 speed automatic transmission, the new Polo is a city car that offers optimum performance for stop-and-go city driving, whilst having a long range thanks to the 55-litre fuel tank.

Price starting at SAR 59,990

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 pink color which ladies will adore for sure and a red color for those social activist types. Aside from that, there’s not a single difference to be seen. We don’t know if there will be a price drop or strangely even a price hike, but this is Apple so anything is possible.

Will you buy the Shuffle or get the bigger brothers instead?

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.

Users can also track if their location gets updated imagery by using the Follow Your World tool.

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, the late M R Chhabria.

A past President of The Electronics Group, Dubai, the trade body representing the wider interests of the industry, Vishesh Bhatia brings with him over three decades of experience in the electronics distribution and retail markets in the UAE and the wider region. More recently he was awarded the accolade of Indian CEO of the Year 2012 (Electronics).
Commenting on the new role, he said, ‘I am indeed honoured to have been invited to lead what is one of the most successful and well-respected electronics trading groups in the Middle East region. I am looking forward to working closely with the Shareholders and Supervisory Board in developing and executing a robust growth strategy for the Jumbo group, while bringing my wide-ranging business experience to drive operational excellence and to position the Jumbo enterprise as an Employer of Choice.’

Vidya Chhabria, Chairperson of Jumbo Electronics, commenting on the appointment said, ‘The expansion of our retail and distribution network is well underway. Consumer electronics in the region is expected to grow at a brisk pace and Jumbo is determined to not only defend its leadership position but to further build on the successes achieved so far. Vishesh Bhatia has an excellent and proven track record of orchestrating change and developing a strategic approach in various lines of businesses’.

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 as other products at the show, and not be doing any kind of product demonstrations. So what did Samsung PR end up doing? According to one of the bloggers Clinton Jeff, Samsung simply stated that the bloggers would have to bear the costs for their hotel, and that their return flights would be cancelled. Having little choice in the matter, the bloggers agreed to attend one of Samsung’s events but refrained from doing any of the aforementioned product demos. But the silver lining to the story is that in the end, Nokia swooped in to rescue the two bloggers by arranging hotel and tickets home so that they could cover the rest of the show.

Read the entire account here and follow Clinton Jeff on Twitter here.

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 video with hundreds of workers merrily putting together the Goophone. Probably the best part though is their advert for the phone, which shows it being held up by proud workers as some sort of beacon of justice.

Your move Apple…

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 slot that adds up to 64GB and a mini-HDMI connection for outputting content to your TV.

The GamePad supports game controller APIs built into version 4.x of Android and includes Archos’ own game recognition and mapping tools which ensure that the physical buttons are compatible with Android games that use virtual controls. Archos has said that over 1,000 games available through the Google Play Store are already supported.

Archos has announced pricing as ‘less than €150’ or about $250 with a release date of ‘the end of October 2012’.

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 to snap in just over a second with a single key press, and comes with a powerful 1.7GHz dual core processor for superfast performance. Xperia SL is launching on Android platform 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich).

Spyridon Gousetis, Director of Marketing, Sony Mobile Communications, Middle East and Africa said: “The Xperia SL continues the winning streak of the previous Xperia S. These next generation smartphones capture the thrill of high definition, and the design and form factor of the entire series allows people to do more. With innovative features like face unlock, we anticipate that Xperia SL will capture the imaginations of the young tech genius as well the business phone user.”

Providing premium entertainment, Xperia SL will come preloaded with Music Unlimited and Video Unlimited from Sony Entertainment Network, and is also PlayStation™ Certified.Three new media applications (“WALKMAN”, “ALBUM” and “MOVIES”) provide enhanced entertainment experiences, combining the best Sony technologies and social media connectivity to share content amongst friends.

Key Features for Xperia SL:

- 4.3 inch Reality Display with Mobile BRAVIA® Engine with HD resolution screen, as well as front (720p) and back (1080p) cameras for HD recording.
- HD sharing through DLNA, HDMI and BRAVIA Sync to quickly and easily stream content on other screens.
- 32GB flash storage and 1.7GHz dual core processor gives consumers superfast performance for instant gaming, browsing and apps.
- 12MP rear camera with Sony Exmor Râ„¢ for mobile with fast capture to go from sleep to snap in just over a second.
- NFC (Near Field Communications) enabled to access growing range of NFC applications and services as well as Xperia SmartTags

Available through leading electronic stores, Xperia SL will be priced at AED 2,049.

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, however sources close to them put the launch of the new office in Dubai by September of October this year. The local office is expected to advertise recruiting services for corporate positions, competing with existing firms such as Hays and Claredon Parker, etc.

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 found Samsung diluted” Apple’s registered iPhone, iPhone 3, and Combination iPhone” trade dress on some products, not on others.
- Jury found no Apple infringement of Samsung utility patents.
- Jury found Samsung did not violate antitrust law by monopolizing markets related to the UMTS standard.

(The complete jury form can be found here)

The Apple vs Samsung battle has been one of the most closely observed tech trials, stretching over a number of weeks with endless battles between each company in a struggle to out-wit and out-ban the other. While a massive amount of evidence was revealed from both parties, including some information on products that never saw the light of day, it was ultimately Samsung’s undoing when it revealed several internal documents that compared its prototype smartphone to the iPhone, and offered clues on how it could be improved upon to look more like an iPhone.

(via CNET)

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 trying to face off stiff competition from Asian firms like Lenovo and Acer, not just a consumer market that’s increasingly replacing smartphones and tablets with PCs.

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 treated to avoid fading by sunlight or water, and will retail in US markets for around $39.99 with a European launch later this year.

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 NEX-5R is expected to seel for $700 with the kit lens, while the NEX-6 is expected to sell around $1000.

Both cameras come with APP support which will allow you to surf the net as well. Release dates will presumably be around October, so expect them to launch around GITEX 2012.

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 bit surprising that these little quirks have made their way into the RTM version of Windows 8.

Check out more screenshots and the entire forum thread here.

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 dismal sales and failure to lure consumers, HP were forced to cease production and slash the price of their tablet down to $99 for a 16GB version in order to clear through stocks.

With Windows 8 on its way it makes sense for HP to want to take another stab at the consumer tablet market, however with the market already crowded with various manufacturers, it remains to be seen if HP really did learn their lessons from the TouchPad launch or not.

(via The Verge)

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 emerged as the new alternative, with many companies adopting it in favour of Adobe’s technology. Adobe itself acknowledged HTML5 as the best solution for creating and deploying content in the browser across mobile platforms” on its blog last year.

Flash is clearly ceding ground to HTML5 and in what could be a final blow, Microsoft recently said that it will only have ‘limited support’ for Flash on Internet Explorer 10 in Windows 8.

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, widgets, no adverts, and editing metadata for music tracks.

If you’re feeling nostalgic, get the RealPlayer app here.

Read More

LivingSocial looking to pull out of Middle East

US-based daily deals website LivingSocial is looking to pull its operations out of the Middle East, just under a year of entering into the market. The firm acquired local deals site GoNabIt back in June 2011, but since then has faced stiff competition from a barrage of similar websites launching in the region.

According to a report in The National, anonymous sources say that LivingSocial is rumored to be in talks to sell its 750,000-strong subscriber list, which is predominantly based in UAE, Egypt and Lebanon. The closure follows up from the Netherlands operations closing down earlier this year, a mere six months after launching. Its other business LivingSocial Adventures which caters to activities such as skydiving also shut down in around thirty markets that it was operating in.

Read the entire report here.

Read More

Outlook.com tries to woo Gmail users to switch over

Not happy with the supposed 1 million signups for Outlook.com, Microsoft are looking to slyly poach Gmail users to switch over to their new web-based email service.

In an official blog post on the Outlook Blog, the company posted a guide on how users can effortlessly ditch Gmail and transfer their emails over to Outlook.com.

Microsoft coyly says that users will never see adverts based on their emails, saying ..it won’t use the contents of your personal email to show you ads; in fact, you won’t see ads when reading email from friends.”

You can read the entire blog post and ponder switching to Outlook.com here.

Read More

Is Microsoft calling Metro ‘Modern UI’?

After citing discussion with an important European partner”, Microsoft decided to disassociate the ‘Metro’ name from Windows 8 (the retailer has a similar name). Since then, the Cupertinos are confused what to call the operating system’s new titled UI.

ZDnet recently reported that ‘Metro-styled applications’ would become ‘Windows 8 applications’ and the ‘Metro user interface’ would be called ‘Windows 8 user interface’, however, The Verge’s weekend finding suggest that Microsoft is going for a completely different appellation.

A series of Microsoft Events and MSN Blogs are referencing the new interface as ‘Modern UI’, including variations such as ‘Modern UI Style apps’ and even ‘Modern UI-Style UI’.

Microsoft were to decide the new term for its interface end of last week, but have not announced anything on that front yet. So far, the company has provided only the following statement regarding the matter to Neowin:

We have used Metro style as a code name during the product development cycle across many of our product lines. As we get closer to launch and transition from industry dialog to a broad consumer dialog we will use our commercial names.”

Read More

Crush through traffic with Stompy, the six-legged robot

Remember that slightly satisfying feeling of crushing an empty soda can under your foot? Wonder what it would feel like if you were crushing a car instead of a can?

Well wonder no more, because the crack team behind Project Hexapod have already set their sights on a new project called Stompy.

To put it mildly, Stompy is a six-legged, 1.8 ton two-seater robot, whose sole purpose in life is to crush things underfoot. Oh and supposedly navigate treacherous terrain and help on rescue missions in the future – sorry, I was distracted by all the crushing potential.

Stompy is currently $50,000 into its $65,000 funding goal, but if you can whip up $300,000, the team will build you your very own Stompy – not to be used for world domination purposes of course. Rewards for supporting the project include having your name shouted from the top of a mountain, a video of an object of your choice being stomped on, to getting a ride on Stompy when it’s completed. The project currently is pretty much just a leg and bit of chassis now.

If you aren’t completely terrified and Stompy has stomped its way into your heart, you can check out the project here.

Read More

iPhone survives 1,000 ft fall

What is it with companies wanting to torture iPhones? Whether they’re being dropped, blended, thrown, or driven over, there’s no shortage of clips on YouTube of the lovely iPhone being put through some very dubious torture tests.

The latest one comes from iPhone case-maker G-Form, who decided it would be a great idea to leap out of a plane and send an iPhone plummeting to the earth from 1,000 feet. While the video may or may not convince you that their products are worth the abuse, I’m still suffering from a serious bout of vertigo just watching the video.

Read More

Wow! Facebook becomes Online Gambling Sites

Facebook will allow users to use the British real money while playing the game of gambling that utilizes social networking platform.

This exit permit after Facebook opened the doors of cooperation with game developers Gamesys to launch an online version of the game Bingo gambling. Later, users are aged over 18 can play with real money.

"The game of online gambling with real money, including the popular and in accordance with the rules in the UK then we berpatner with game developers to bring it on Facebook, which is specifically reserved for adult members. So it is safe and can be well controlled," Facebook explained in a statement.

Meanwhile, Facebook spokesman added by Linda Griffin, although the game will open up online gambling with real money in the UK, make sure not to open up similar platforms in other countries and other game developer studio.

Unfortunately, Grifin reluctant to disclose information about how the portion of the distribution of the results obtained by Facebook from these online gambling games.

Read More

Google’s self-driving cars logs in 300,000 miles

And Google said, let there be self-driving cars! And in a flash of thunderous dollars, there were self-driving cars…!

The search giant has said that its wondrous, we-can’t-wait-till-its-mainstream self-driving cars have logged in 300,000 miles of accident-free testing on actual roads. That’s better than 100% of drivers in Sharjah – that is indeed quite amazing.

Despite the milestone, Google says there’s still a long way to go. The testings have only been done on normal, drivable roads – snow-caked roadways, temporary construction signals and lane-less Sharjah roads are yet to master. As a next step, the company will soon allow members of the self-driving cars to go on solo rides, rather than in pairs, for things like commuting to work. Google hopes that one day this capability will enable people to be more productive in their cars.”

We would like that, yes.

Read More

Windows RT tablets to launch with limited version of Office

A rumor is going around that Microsoft will ship a stripped-down version of Office 2013 RT when it launches its Windows RT tablets.

Currently referred to as a ‘preview’ edition, the version will not have certain features such as macros, visual basic editor, and certain third-party addins, similar to the ‘starter’ edition of Office 2010 that now bundles with most PCs and laptops. The decision to remove certain features was purely to extend the battery life of the Windows RT tablet, though a fully-featured version of Office 2013 can be purchased and installed if required.

Microsoft have yet to confirm this or provide more details, but if it’s true the company will certainly receive plenty of disagreement from expert Office users who might actually need to use the very features that Microsoft is looking to strip out.

(via The Verge)

Read More

Visual Studio 2012 leaks to web (surprised?)

Oh Microsoft, it looks like this isn’t your week at all. After its precious Windows 8 Enterprise leaked to the web, its development platform Visual Studio 2012 was also leaked today, shortly after it hit RTM. According to this post on Winunleaked.info, the build is legitimate and furthermore does not require a key for activation.

Read More

Even John Carmack does not like Windows 8

Microsoft maybe flogging Windows 8 as the best thing since sliced bread, but it’s increasingly failing to garner love from video game developers. After Gabe Newell openly called Microsoft’s new touch-friendly operating system a disaster”, a number of key developers too joined in the chorus. Blizzard’s Rob Pardo called Windows 8 not awesome” for the company, whereas Minecraft creator Markus Notch spoke against Microsoft’s decision to lock down” the platform. Now, id Software’s John Carmack is the latest one to bash the upcoming OS.

During his keynote at QuakeCon 2012, Carmack said that while he has more respect for Microsoft than others, he is pretty darn happy” working with Windows 7 at the moment, and he would be happy if Windows 8 didn’t actually exist. He is, however, excited for the Surface tablet, but said there was nothing to look forward to in Windows 8.

Carmack admitted that currently no one at id Software is working with Windows 8, but said they should probably start testing it since Doom 3 BFG Edition will be releasing very close to Windows 8 in October.

You can watch the entire, nearly 4-hours long keynote below. The Windows bit comes at the 2:47 hour mark.

Read More

Electronic Arts sues Zynga

Electronic Arts (EA) has filed a copyright infringement case on behalf of its Maxis Label, which created ‘The Sims Social’. The Sims Social was released on Facebook in August 2011 as an extension of its popular Sims PC game franchise. Zynga’s The Ville came out in June 2012.

In a 40 page filing, EA pointed out numerous game elements it claimed Zynga ripped off in “The Ville,” from personality traits to avatars’ actions, such as conversing and dancing. In another example, EA claimed “The Ville” characters included eight personality types, ranging from athlete to villain, that echoed “The Sims” own jock-to-scoundrel lineup. EA also accused Zynga of using eight identical colors for its characters’ skin-tone palette.

 

Reginald Davis, Zynga’s general counsel, hit back in response, “It’s unfortunate that EA thought that this was an appropriate response to our game, and clearly demonstrates a lack of understanding of basic copyright principles”.

This is not the first time Zynga has been accused of copying other developer’s games.

It may be remembered that the social gaming giant’s ‘Dream Heights’ bared more than a passing resemblance to indie developer Nimblebit’s iPhone game ‘Tiny Tower’. But this is the first time Zynga has butted heads with a company as large as EA.

Read More

Dropbox security compromised

In a blog post yesterday, Dropbox confirmed that their security has been breached. Apparently some users were getting spam emails on the email addresses they used for their Dropbox account.

Our investigation found that usernames and passwords recently stolen from other websites were used to sign in to a small number of Dropbox accounts.” Additionally, it was discovered that, ” a stolen password was also used to access an employee Dropbox account containing a project document with user email addresses. We believe this improper access is what led to the spam.”

Of course the Dropbox team has contacted the affected users as well as taken additional steps to ensure such an issue doesn’t happen in the future.

The following steps are being implemented:

• - Two-factor authentication, a way to optionally require two proofs of identity (such as your password and a temporary code sent to your phone) when signing in. (Coming in a few weeks)
• - New automated mechanisms to help identify suspicious activity. We’ll continue to add more of these over time.
• - A new page that lets you examine all active logins to your account.
• - In some cases, we may require you to change your password. (For example, if it’s commonly used or hasn’t been changed in a long time)

Regardless, we advise our readers to go ahead and change their Dropbox passwords immediately, just in case.

Read More

Google's YouTube Immediately Build Studio in London

London: Google YouTube immediately opened a studio in London, England. Google's claim that the studio planned to be built in Soho, with the aim of providing support for novice filmmakers. The building was owned YouTube, there are facilities such as the tools to develop professional work for the website.

"It is amazing to think that some of the most successful creators in the arena, with millions of viewers, using something more than just their bedroom, webcam and any props that are used to produce the videos are interesting and likeable," said Sara representatives YouTube Mormino, recently.

"Many of our partners are ready to process their work to go to the next stage, using the latest equipment and editing techniques as well as expert advice and the stars are popular on YouTube," he added.

The plan, the studio will be equipped with a technologically advanced camera and cinema. In addition as many as two rooms for the recording process, as well as a space to perform the editing process with a green background will also complement the latest YouTube's headquarters.

Mormino said that those who would use the YouTube studio, can make reservations and appointments in advance. After the ordering process is approved, they can access the facility on YouTube in the London studio. In addition to utilizing the facilities have been provided, users can also learn new skills and collaborate with other filmmakers in the studio.

Read More

Meet Kuratas, the $1.35 million mech of your dreams

If you’ve watched Transformers far too many times, then this story is for you. Got a spare $1 million under your couch? Then you could be the proud owner of Kuratas, the 4.5 ton diesel-powered monstrosity that will make your the envy of your neighborhood. That is, after your blow it all up.

Built by Suidobashi Heavy Industries, the mech has enough room inside to house a human pilot, along with driving controls and mechanisms to control the robot’s gigantic arms. Best of all, the robot is weaponized, and comes with such fun accessories as a gatling gun that’s activated by smiling. Yes, this thing makes Dr. Evil look like one of the Carebears.

Watch the utterly hilarious instructional video below, and start saving up!

Read More

Blackberry Launches New Operating System

Ottawa: After being stuck in the manufacture of a device, finally Reaserch In Motion (RIM) has launched the latest operating system for the Backberry. TGDaily media proclaim, Tuesday (24/7), the operating system (IOS) 10 was rated as the most advanced operating system for the BB at this time.

The new alpha version of the BlackBerry 10 will provide convenience for users of voice commands that can be used in such devices. Unfortunately, IOS 10 assessed the success of iPhone and Android trail. In fact, it features very look familiar to iPhone owners.

Read More

Google Browse Cable TV

New York: Companies search engine giant Google expanded cable TV market. Related parties say they will launch a television service in several U.S. states by using its own optical network. In fact, it is also to be launched high-speed internet with Google output.

According to the information page of the company as reported by NHK, they will begin to provide such services in some parts of Kansas and Missouri in September. The new service will be priced at a rate plan for $ 120 dollars per month. Remarkably, the service will also be provided for tablet PCs and smartphones.

Industry analysts see major changes taking place in corporate strategy, which involves the construction of the infrastructure itself to the new service. While Google's own plans for mengembangakn marketing services, at the arena in which Time Warner is providing cable television services.

Read More

Nokia closes last factory in Finland

Finnish publication YLE reports that Nokia’s last mobile phone factory in the country has stopped producing handsets. The factory at Salo in Western Finland will formally be closed in September. It is estimated that some 780 people will lose their jobs.

The move is not unexpected. Nokia is also cutting jobs in Mexico and Hungry, all in a bid to shift production to Asia. In February it announced, ‘Shifting device assembly to Asia is targeted at improving our time to market. By working more closely with our suppliers, we believe that we will be able to introduce innovations into the market more quickly and ultimately be more competitive [...] We recognize the planned changes are difficult for our employees and we are committed to supporting our personnel and their local communities during the transition’.

It is the end of an era for the one-time industry leader which has reported huge losses in the last few quarters and is doing everything it can to stay relevant. Nokia’s restructuring plans will result in the cutting of 10000 jobs globally.

Read More

HTC confirms Android Jelly Bean on One X, XL & S

After recent leaks, HTC officially confirmed over the weekend that their newest range of One smartphones will be getting Android Jelly Bean update soon.

Included models for the Jelly bean OS upgrade are the Ice Cream Sandwich running HTC One XL, One X and our recently reviewed One S. Sadly the entry model HTC One V will not be given the update. No specified date on when the updates will roll out, but HTC have confirmed to SlashGear that the update “is for all versions worldwide, including the carrier-specific versions in the U.S.”

Read More

Windows Phone 8 coming in October

During the recent Q2 earnings, Nokia’s CEO Stephen Elop discussed about the sales of the current Windows Phone 7 handsets the Finnish company has released to date. Over the last three months Nokia has sold 4 million Lumia handsets worldwide, double the Q1 figures.

Despite the modest sales, Elop said that the coming release of Windows Phone 8 software in October, which promises better coordination and more features for computers and smartphones running Microsoft software, would further lift sales of Lumia devices,” according to NY Times.

The expected release date of Windows Phone 8 is not really surprising, given the desktop variant, Windows 8, will release on 26th October. Now all we wait for is the official date, however mark October as the month for all things Windows 8.

Read More

Microsoft Office 2013 now available for downloading

Like Windows 8, Microsoft has released a downloadable preview version of their upcoming Office suite that is now called Office 2013. Like the previous generation, the Office suite features Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint and OneNote along with Access and Publisher. New features for this time around include a refined UI that has a much flatter look, support for touch-screens and cloud syncing allowing access to all your files from anywhere. you can download Office 2013 by signing up for it here.

Microsoft states the following new features for Office 2013

Office at Its Best on Windows 8

Touch everywhere. Office responds to touch as naturally as it does to keyboard and mouse. Swipe your finger across the screen or pinch and zoom to read your documents and presentations. Author new content and access features with the touch of a finger.

Inking. Use a stylus to create content, take notes and access features. Handwrite email responses and convert them automatically to text. Use your stylus as a laser pointer when presenting. Color your content and erase your mistakes with ease.

New Windows 8 applications. OneNote and Lync represent the first new Windows 8 style applications for Office. These applications are designed to deliver touch-first experiences on a tablet. A new radial menu in OneNote makes it easy to access features with your finger.

Included in Windows RT. Office Home and Student 2013 RT, which contains new versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote applications, will be included on ARM-based Windows 8 devices, including Microsoft Surface.

Office Is in the Cloud

SkyDrive. Office saves documents to SkyDrive by default, so your content is always available across your tablet, PC and phone. Your documents are also available offline and sync when you reconnect.

Roaming. Once signed in to Office, your personalized settings, including your most recently used files, templates and even your custom dictionary, roam with you across virtually all of your devices. Office even remembers where you last left off and brings you right back to that spot in a single click.

Office on Demand. With a subscription, you can access Office even when you are away from your PC by streaming full-featured applications to an Internet-connected Windows-based PC.

New subscription services. The new Office is available as a cloud-based subscription service. As subscribers, consumers automatically get future upgrades in addition to exciting cloud services including Skype world minutes and extra SkyDrive storage. Subscribers receive multiple installs for everyone in the family and across their devices.

Office Is Social

Yammer. Yammer delivers a secure, private social network for businesses. You can sign up for free and begin using social networking instantly. Yammer offers integration with SharePoint and Microsoft Dynamics.

Stay connected. Follow people, teams, documents and sites in SharePoint. View and embed pictures, videos and Office content in your activity feeds to stay current and update your colleagues.

People Card. Have an integrated view of your contacts everywhere in Office. The People Card includes presence information complete with pictures, status updates, contact information and activity feeds from Facebook and LinkedIn accounts.

Skype. The new Office comes with Skype. When you subscribe, you get 60 minutes of Skype world minutes every month. Integrate Skype contacts into Lync and call or instant message anyone on Skype.

Office Unlocks New Scenarios

Digital note-taking. Keep your notes handy in the cloud and across multiple devices with OneNote. Use what feels most natural to you â€" take notes with touch, pen or keyboard, or use them together and switch easily back and forth.

Reading and markup. The Read Mode in Word provides a modern and easy-to-navigate reading experience that automatically adjusts for large and small screens. Zoom in and out of content, stream videos within documents, view revision marks and use touch to turn pages.

Meetings. PowerPoint features a new Presenter View that privately shows your current and upcoming slides, presentation time, and speaker notes in a single glance. While presenting, you can zoom, mark up and navigate your slides with touch and stylus. Lync includes multiparty HD video with presentations, shared OneNote notebooks and a virtual whiteboard for collaborative brainstorming.

Eighty-two-inch touch-enabled displays. Conduct more engaging meetings, presentations and lessons, whether in person or virtually, with these multitouch and stylus-enabled displays from Perceptive Pixel.

Read More

iPhone 5 to have thinner, better screen

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that the next iPhone, expected to be revealed this fall, will use an in-cell technology that will make the screen thinner. They are reporting these screens are already in production:

Japanese liquid-crystal-display makers Sharp Corp. and Japan Display Inc.â€"a new company that combined three Japanese electronics makers’ display unitsâ€"as well as South Korea’s LG Display Co. are currently mass producing panels for the next iPhone using so-called in-cell technology, the people said.

The new in-cell technology integrates touch sensors into the LCD removing the need for a separate component layer for touch capabilities. Besides reducing thickness, this technology supposedly also improves image quality. The Wall Street Journal also claims it will help reduce Apple’s costs by eliminating separate suppliers for each component.

Read More

RIM forks out $147m in patent infringement case

It seems that Research In Motion just can’t cut a break. Already plagued with problems of its own, RIM is now being forced to pay Mformation Technologies fees due in a legal case where the BlackBerry maker apparently infringed on patents belonging to Mformation.

Jurors decided that RIM’s BlackBerry Enterprise Server infringed on patents from Mformation and awarded damages of $8 for every device BlackBerry has sold. With 18.4 million units sold to date, that clocks in a legal bill of $147 million.

RIM said in a statement that they still believe that they owned the technologies being used, and that Mformation has no real claim in the case. RIM has worked hard for many years to independently develop its leading-edge BlackBerry technology and industry-leading intellectual property portfolio, and RIM does not believe that the Mformation patent in question is valid,” the company said in a statement.

This ruling comes at a time where RIM is already struggling to compete with the likes of Apple and Android, and recently announced an unsurprising first quarter loss for the company.

Read More

Windows SkyDrive updated with a new logo

The new version of SkyDrive for Windows tells the user how it is behaving by offering a new status window. After many users requested for a simple way to check this function, SkyDrive provides a small status window when clicked (in the system tray). The status informs the user about the time SkyDrive was updated, with information in regards to megabytes & the files being transferred.

Neowin also reports that, for SkyDrive power users, some features have been added: options like View sync problems” and Report a problem” are now shown as options in the context menu. These make it a lot easier to diagnose/solve problems in the system. However, Mike Torres from Microsoft says that most of these changes are not visible to users in this update. As reported in the Windows Blog, Mike Torres mentions in regards to the updates, this one improves performance, reliability, and compatibility of SkyDrive,” enabling the users to confidently auto-sync files.

Additionally, the SkyDrive logo was also updated. With the upcoming release of Windows 8, the time was right to redesign the SkyDrive logo. The refreshed logo is a natural evolution of the work we’re doing across Microsoft to deliver a more consistent experience across all of our products,” said Mike Torres.

The app can be downloaded from the SkyDrive website.

Read More

Siemens appoints new CEO for UAE

Press Release: Siemens, the global powerhouse in electronics and electrical engineering operating in the energy, infrastructure, industry and healthcare sectors, today announced that it has appointed a new chief executive officer for the company’s operations in the UAE. Kay Zwingenberger will continue to drive Siemens’ growth strategy, expand the company’s local footprint and push ahead with research initiatives as well as technology and knowledge transfer.

Kay Zwingenberger first joined Siemens in 1992 and gained valuable management experience for the company throughout Europe, spearheading the development of the Siemens Healthcare sector in Ukraine and heading up the Healthcare sector for Siemens in Russia. During his three-year tenure in Russia, the company’s business volume trebled on the back of several large-scale contract wins. He was subsequently appointed CEO for Central Asia with responsibility for Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. Based in Almaty, Kazakhstan, he oversaw the company’s continuous growth against difficult economic conditions in the region.

In the UAE, which is home to Siemens’ Middle East headquarters since 1999, Zwingenberger will continue to build on the company’s global strategy of innovation, knowledge transfer and investment in emerging markets. Siemens, which first opened a representative office in the UAE in 1972 and has contributed to building the local energy, healthcare, industrial and urban infrastructure, presently employs about 2,000 people in the country and continues to grow its workforce. Today, the UAE is a key market for Siemens, which has maintained a continuous presence in the Middle East region for over 150 years.

“The UAE is a thriving, rapidly-developing nation and Siemens is committed to strengthening further its engagement in realizing the country’s ongoing economic diversification, creating job opportunities for young Emiratis, and supporting the transfer of know-how and technology,” Zwingenberger said. Commenting on the appointment, Erich Kaeser, CEO of Siemens Middle East, said: “Kay Zwingenberger brings with him two decades of experience of working with Siemens and has a proven track record of growing the company’s business. We look forward to continuing the 40-year success story of Siemens in the UAE as a trusted long-term partner and employer, and a responsible corporate citizen.”

Read More

Android 4.1 Jelly Bean finds a home on Kindle Fire

The Amazon Kindle Fire is a robust little tablet, currently running Android 2.3. So what could make the tablet even better? Why, Android 4.1 Jelly Bean of course.

The smart cookies over at xdadevelopers have been hard at work to get the port running, ahead of Google’s own 7″ tablet launch, the Nexus 7. Of course the build isn’t perfect and there’s a suitable amount of risk involved with rooting devices, but if you can pull it off then you can enjoy your spiffy new Jelly Bean tablet.

Here’s a quick video of the Fire running 4.1:

Read More

Want Windows 8 UI on your iOS device? There’s an app for that!

One of the best things you can do to your iOS device is to Jailbreak it. The variety of apps, which would normally not be allowed on the App Store, is truly incredible and allows a whole lot of features to be introduced just as easily as downloading an app from the store. Here’s one of them: Windows 8 UI skin.

The skin runs on-top of dreamboard and is surprisingly robust. It replicates Windows 8′s Metro UI quite well with the smooth flowing titles, icons and menus. It even has a ‘desktop’ shortcut which allows you to switch between the normal iOS UI and the skin.

Check out the video below for a demonstration. It costs $1.50.

Source: Jailbreaknation.

Read More

HP launches new enterprise imaging and printing solutions

Press Release: HP announced today 8 new imaging and printing products with enhanced tools and expanded mobility offerings to enable businesses of all sizes to capture, connect and communicate more securely and efficiently. The new offerings include four new HP LaserJet printers and two HP Scanjet scanners, as well as two new solutions: HP ePrint Enterprise and HP Access Control.

¨HP is overhauling our entire line of MFPs and today begins a wave of intelligent new web-enabled, cloud-enabled and solutions-enabled printing devices that meet the evolving business needs of our customers,¨ said Salim Ziade, General Manager, HP Printing and Personal Systems Middle East. ¨By combining the strength of an innovative product portfolio, cloud capabilities, industry-leading management tools and a broad range of solutions, HP can meet the unique information management, workflow and printing needs of the smallest SMB up to the largest enterprise better than anyone else.¨

The HP LaserJet Pro 400 M401 is HP’s new web-connected mono single-function laser printer, and the HP LaserJet Pro 400 MFP M425 is the company´s first web-connected mono laser multifunction printer (MFP). Both feature advanced connectivity that meets the expanding needs of fast-paced SMB environments, including support for all HP Print solutions with wireless direct capability and support for Apple AirPrint and Google CloudPrint, which allow employees to print from their smartphone or tablet from virtually anywhere.

HP ePrint Enterprise is a mobile printing solution which simplifies accessing and printing documents across the enterprise landscape while on the go. The solution focuses on delivering fast, high quality connections between enterprise mobile devices and printers to create professional documents for corporate needs. HP Access Control Printing Solutions has newly added features, including server-less pull printing, which lowers costs; dual-factor authentication, which adds an additional level of security; and the ability to send prints via email, which increases productivity. Now HP Access Control Printing Solutions are even easier to purchase via the Express or Professional bundle or modularly, and they offer secure print authentication and job accounting, designed to provide secure access to printing devices and information.

Read More

Microsoft Word 2013 to have PDF editing

Office 2007 had an add-on to save files in PDF; and Office 2010 had it natively. Now, Neowin reports, that the upcoming Word 2013 will let you edit the PDFs too.

PDF editing is a feature that everyone felt was missing. Paul Thurrott’s site, WinSuperSite, claim that users will be able to skip Adobe’s own reader and Acrobat software to display PDFs, because Word 2013 will have a PDF reader too.

This new offering from Microsoft could change the way people interact with PDF. The format is particularly difficult to handle, for it is usually used for reading and not editing. Because eBooks can be read in readers such as Amazon’s Kindle, the editing functionality can bring about possibilities that users have yearned for many years in terms of having home-made books. Additionally, some book layouts can be changed to suit eInk displays more effectively in the future with the additional functionality.

Read More