The Haxters Lab

Apple Brings the iPad 2 to India Starting at Rs. 29,500

2011-04-27T21:49:00.001+05:30

It’s raining Apple news today. The Cupertino giant officially unveiled the White iPhone 4 earlier, and there are rumours of an upcoming iMac lineup refresh. Eclipsing that is a majorly relevant announcement for us Indians though – one that confirms that Apple will be launching the iPad 2 in India (and eleven other countries) on April 29.

India's got iPad 2!

The iPad sequel didn’t include the Retina Display but it did come with FaceTime video calling and a bunch of other technical improvements, including being a whole lot slimmer than the original. Check the specs out:

9.7-inch LED backlit IPS Panel display running at 1024x768
Dual-core 1GHz A5 processor
WiFi a/b/g/n and 3G (optional)
Available in 16GB, 32GB and 64GB variants
720p Video Recording at 30fps
Front-facing VGA camera from FaceTime video calling

The iPad 2 will go on sale at 0900 on April 29 and will be priced at Rs. 29,500 (16GB), Rs. 34,500 (32GB) and Rs. 39,500 (64GB) for the WiFi only models, and at Rs. 36,900 (16GB), Rs. 41,900 (32GB) and Rs. 46,900 (64GB) for the WiFi + 3G versions. The Smart Covers are also being made available, and will cost Rs. 2,100 and Rs. 3,800 for the Polyurethene and Rich Leather variants respectively.

The announcement comes as a bit of a surprise considering the original iPad only released here three months ago but hey, we're not complaining.

Gmail Takes Personalization to The Next Level

2011-04-16T17:49:00.000+05:30

Google, very recently, added a volley of themes in its mail service, Gmail. With the look of the mail pages looking cool with the humongous array of colors and characters, the theme gained instant popularity.

Now, Google hands over the makeover power in your hands! Taking personalization to a new level, Gmail now allows you to make your picture as the theme of your mail account, and have the color co-ordination redone, too.

To begin with, one would have to go to 'mail settings' option made available in the Options tab. Once there, users will have to select the option 'Themes'. Scrolling down that long list, users will find the coveted option of 'creating your own theme'. From there on, users can use their albums in Picasa to create the themes they like, or choose any random picture and use it to customize the main area and the footer of their Gmail pages.

A certain limitation found in this feature was that using one’s photo might not seem such a good idea since that would get sliced as it gets separated in the mail body and footer, probably, a beautiful sunset picture would work best.

7,000 mobile phones hacked in Britain( The Economic Times )

2011-04-11T16:27:00.001+05:30

LONDON: Nearly 7,000 mobile phones, including those of actress Sienna Miller and former culture secretary Tessa Jowell, were hacked by a British tabloid, a lawyer has claimed. Without accepting the numbers, the newspaper has since apologised.
Lawyer Charlotte Harris, who is representing several of the celebrities involved, said 7,000 people may have had their mobile phone voicemail messages intercepted by The News of the World.
The daily has now apologised to the victims, saying: "We publicly and un-reservedly apologise to all such individuals. What happened to them should not have happened. It was and remains unacceptable."
The hacking took place between 2004 and 2006, the Daily Express reported.
Harris said her clients will not accept a settlement from the newspaper until they have received full disclosure.
"What we have at the moment is an apology and an admission. We haven't even got near the truth yet," she said.
"If you hack into one person's phone, you have access to everyone who has left a message for them. And then if you go into the person who has left a message, you get all of theirs.
"You have got to be running into several thousand, just from that methodology. It is certainly not a handful - maybe 4,000, 6,000, 7,000, a huge amount of people," Harris said.
Cabinet minister Danny Alexander described the phone hacking as "outrageous", while London Mayor Boris Johnson called on all newspaper editors to declare any hacking carried out by their staff.

Microsoft Might be Distributing Pre-Beta Windows 8 Releases

2011-03-31T18:35:00.001+05:30

Microsoft has done pretty well with their latest Operating System – Windows 7. Rumours now doing the rounds speak about Microsoft doling out pre-release builds to various OEMs including HP.

According to Winrumors, Microsoft is distributing build 7971.0.110324-1900 of Windows 8, which is said to be a really early pre-release build of the OS. Microsoft is using their Connect external testing system to distribute the Milestone 3 build. It is also being said that the program is being advertised as “Windows 8 and Server vNext Pre-Release Program” on Microsoft’s connect site and accessing the program requires a special invite code.
Other news of the latest iteration of the popular operating system speak about Windows 8’s interface being fully 3D compliant. The new OS will supposedly have a faster “hibernate” system which will take a whole of 3-6 seconds and save all open documents and currently running tasks. Plus it’s also being said that there will be a dual-UI option with a tile-based UI codenamed Mosh also included to the current layout.
The last of all is that the Microsoft might be looking to release the beta version of Windows 8 sometime in September this year and while all the rumours listed above look neat, we still advise you to take it with a pinch of salt!

Now, a Flex Touchscreen Demonstrated

2011-03-31T18:15:00.000+05:30

You’ve obviously seen and used the standard touchscreen which can be panned and swiped. However, at Interaction 2011, researchers from the Osaka University showed off a touchscreen that flexes!

The researchers tried out this new flex-ing touchscreen with Google Maps at the conference. The content on the screen acts the way any flexible material would. Therefore, each time you would pan, swipe the screen will flex into a corner making way for the next screen you would open.
The researchers claimed that unlike normal situations wherein it would get cumbersome to keep opening multiple windows and keep going back to the previous windows, with the flex touchscreen the minimized window will still remain pushed in a corner, ready to be maximized again. This touchscreen interface is compatible to use on multiple platforms due to the ease of transferring the software to any device like the iPod, iTouch and on huge screens, too.
Touchscreen interfaces can now be expected to have better zoom preference, i.e pinch to zoom and flex effect.

Transcend Launches New Range of Class 10 microSDHC Cards

2011-03-31T18:11:00.000+05:30

Transcend has been synonymous with memory products for quite some time now and they aim to further their range with the introduction of a new speedy Class 10 microSDHC cards.

The new cards will be available in 16GB capacities and are of course, designed to play nice with mobile handsets, digicams and even tablet PCs. Transcend’s new microSD cards are capable of reaching maximum transfer rate of 20 MB/s on devices supporting SD 3.0 which means HD recording should be a lot smoother. The cards will each come with a microSDHC card adapter allows the usage of a wider range of SDHC capable devices.

All Transcend's SDHC and microSDHC cards are supplied with a limited lifetime warranty, and are backed by Transcend's technical support and customer service. The Class 10 microSDHC card is now offered in 4GB, 8GB and 16GB capacities and is available for a suggested price of Rs. 800, Rs. 1,300 and Rs. 3,800 respectively.

Just in case you’re wondering, a 16GB microSDHC card can store up to 6552 pictures (based on 5 megapixel JPEG compression format), over 88 hours of standard quality video (MPEG-4 video at 384 Kbps), or 240 minutes of HD video (AVCHD at 9 Mbps).

Samsung Wave S8530 II hacked to boot Android OS

2011-03-27T21:02:00.000+05:30

amsung had launched its ambitious Bada mobile operating system for feature phones and introduced Wave series of smartphones. Polish Forum Bada-world.pl guys have released proof video of Samsung Wave S8530 running Android 2.2.1 Froyo instead of Bada OS. This was bound to happen. While Samsung was convincing many about the Bada OS meant for feature phones with smartphone level hardware, the enthusiasts thought otherwise.

Polish hackers have managed to boot the Samsung Wave S8500 with Android 2.2.1 ROM of Galaxy S - since both have same hardware. Dubbed as the AndroBada Project, the hackers state that it is in early stages as the phone boots and allows using Wi-Fi as well as GSM network. Since their efforts led to burning two bada phones, the further development would continue only when they buy a new handset.

As per the hackers, any app works except the widgets and themes. No other features are functional because the stability of the CPU hasn t been achieved. The Wave S8500 carries the same 1GHz Hummingbird CPU found in the Galaxy S. Running Android on other OS running hardware isn t something new. We already know about the Android ported on iPhone 3G last year and the developments on the same project has been taking place at slow pace. It seems like this AndroBada Project might be just limited to Samsung .

iOS 4.3.1 released, fixes a few bugs

2011-03-27T10:39:00.001+05:30

Apple's just dropped iOS 4.3.1 on iTunes users across the land, fixing a handful of issues related to enterprise apps, AV-out, iPod touch graphics problems, and cellular network connections; not the most exciting changelog, but it's better than a slap across the face. As usual, the update is available for pretty much the full suite of iOS products -- iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch alike. Go on, grab it!

Zebronics Launches Laptop Cooling Pad

2011-03-25T16:56:00.001+05:30

Zebronics has unveiled the latest addition to its line-up of notebook accessories - the Zeb-NC3000 laptop cooling pad, a cool recliner for notebook computers.

The Zeb-NC3000 comes with a retractable USB cord enables you to stow it away neatly and there are no other cables or power adapter required. Moreover, it is angled for comfort of use, which also provides enough clearance for the wide-sweep, 80-mm fan to create an airflow volume of nearly 19 cubic-ft per minute at a speed of 2000 RPM.

It comes in two color options - matt black and electric red. Suitable for notebook size ranging from 8-inches to 15-inches, the Zeb-NC3000 Cooling Pad from Zebronics is constructed from a good plastic material with a soft-touch feel. The Zeb-NC3000 will cost you Rs. 950.

IE9 Downloads Cross 2.3 Million in One Day

2011-03-18T18:13:00.001+05:30

The final version of Internet Explorer 9, the latest iteration of Microsoft's web browser, was released to public two days ago on of March 15. In just 24 hours, the browser managed to cross 2.3 million downloads. That's a pretty impressive number, considering only Windows Vista and 7 users can download this browser. Of course, Microsoft couldn't be more pleased with this news, as is evident from their blog post. In comparison though, Firefox 3 managed to cross 8 million downloads in a day, creating a world record for itself back in 2008. Then again, Firefox is a multi-platform browser, available to Mac and Linux users as well.

We are glad that IE9 is getting a good response. It's quite a good browser and for the first time, Microsoft has a browser that can compete with the best of the browsers out there. Unfortunately, unless the Windows XP users upgrade to Windows 7, we don't really see the percentage of IE6 users to drop any time soon. Too bad IE9 is not available for XP users.
To download IE9, click here. To read our full review, click here.

Special Facebook Keyboard sells for $30

2011-03-10T17:19:00.000+05:30

Features 19 dedicated hotkeys for Facebook functions

Facebook is certainly one of the most popular social networks today. Android based INQ Cloud and HTC ChaCha, Salsa phones come with a dedicated Facebook key. Several widgets and apps for Facebook have been developed already. Now, Social Keyboards has announced a brand new Social Network Access Keyboard that comes with 19 dedicated touch keys which are basically shortcuts for different Facebook functions.
Customized from the Dynex Mutlimedia Keyboard, the new SNAK allows all Facebook addicts to create an album, share photos, create invites and perform those functions quickly. The keyboard has 104 keys, connects via USB and supports Windows 7 operating system.
Here's a list of 19 hot keys that are located on the keyboard:
- Home - Takes you directly to www.Facebook.com
- Messages - Takes you directly to your Inbox
- Notifications - See what's new on your network
- Edit Profile - Quickly access and edit your profile
- Events - Find and create events swiftly
- Groups - Join new groups or edit existing groups
- Friends - View, Edit or Contact a full list of your current friends
- Phonebook - Find all of your friends' phone numbers instantly
- Help Center - Facbook's help center
- Account Settings - Quickly access all of your personal account settings
- Privacy Settings - Adjust who can view your profile
- Sleep - Instantly hide Facebook, putting your computer to sleep
- Photos - Access a full list of all current photos
- Upload Photos - Upload a photo directly with a click of a button
- Upload Videos - Upload a video directly with a click of a button
- Games - Mafia Wars, Farmville, Cafeville, etc.
- Links - Find all links posted by you and your friends
- Ads + Pages - Edit your Ads and Pages for your business or secondary page
- Facebook For Developers - Press this button if you are a developer or webmaster

Internet Explorer 9 RC Review

2011-02-27T16:42:00.000+05:30

Interface:

Internet Explorer has had a long and successful journey. Despite being outclassed by other browsers in almost every aspect it continues to dominate the browser market. It is able to do this simply because it was being shipped by default along with the most popular operating system in the world.
It would be wrong to say that Microsoft has been sitting on its laurels and doing nothing about improving their browser and bringing it up to speed with other browsers and more importantly, web standards. However, it seemed they either did not care much about the browser or the people using it, as the last couple of updates have mostly been cosmetic with nothing major been done with respect to performance. For those enlightened few, Internet Explorer has always been the browser used to download other, better browsers when you first buy your computer or re-install Windows.
But with Internet Explorer 9, things have always seemed different from the start. It seems that the software giant has finally woken up and has decided to do something significant about its browser. Whether it was the slowly decreasing market share or the fact that it finally got fed up of all the IE jokes, but Microsoft is finally taking significant steps in making this next version of their web browser not just better than the one that came before it, but also better than what the others have to offer.
After a series of developer previews and a beta, Microsoft recently released the release candidate of Internet Explorer 9. So we decided to take it for a spin and see just how much better is this new version and more importantly, if it is on par with what Mozilla, Google, Apple and Opera has to offer.
User Interface
Microsoft claims that Internet Explorer 9 has the least amount of UI chrome of any web browser out there and they really do deliver on that front. Internet Explorer 9 by far has the slickest and most minimalistic interface of any web browser we have seen. It is because of a combination of several UI changes that were first demonstrated by Google Chrome. It gets rid of the menu bar altogether and instead places the menu options in a concentrated menu on the right.

Internet Explorer 9, however, goes one step ahead of Chrome and places the tab bar in the same row as the address/search bar, thus saving an extra row. This does have its disadvantages, which are quickly apparent when the tabs start piling on but those who indulge only in light browsing won't really be bothered by them.
One good thing about the release candidate is that it allows you to place the tabs in a separate row below the address bar. We noticed that while the browser UI doesn't look nearly as attractive once you do that, it feels less cramped if you happen to have a lot of tabs open all the time.

Microsoft has also removed the status bar from the bottom, although it can be enabled from the menu. Instead you get a floating status bar like the one in Chrome, the displays the URL when you hover over a link.
The new tab page in Internet Explorer 9 now shows the most visited sites, just like in Chrome and Safari. Unfortunately, you cannot pin sites the way you can in either of the browser nor can you add your own sites the way you can in Opera. You can hide the sites but then you get ten empty windows - which looks weird. There is a suggested sites feature which, when enabled, shows you sites that you might like based on your browsing history. You can also reopen last session instantly or activate the InPrivate browsing mode, which first debuted with Internet Explorer 8.
Unfortunately, even though the tab page is pretty good, you cannot set it appear when you start the browser. For some odd reason, the first page can only be the homepage, which you can leave blank if you like. It would be nice to have the most visited sites when you start the browser.

Above the shiny exterior of the new Internet Explorer 9, if you dig down to the settings menu, you would notice that it has hardly changed since Internet Explorer 6. There isn't anything terribly wrong with it, but since they have changed every other aspect of the UI, a new settings menu would have been welcome as well. Even the right control menu is the same, which still has the "Open" on top, which is unnecessary as you could easily just left click the link instead of right clicking and then selecting Open.

Features:

Internet Explorer 9 brings a host of new features to the table. One of the biggest is hardware acceleration of multimedia content. This means that Internet Explorer 9 can now use the GPU to accelerate content such as videos, 3D graphics rendering. This cuts down the strain on the CPU, leaving it free to do other tasks. A similar feature can be found in the upcoming Firefox 4 and Chrome 10 as well.
The other major addition is the improved HTML5 video and audio tag support. If a web developer chooses to have HTML5 video/audio tags to embed content on the web page instead of the Flash then Internet Explorer 9 should have no problem playing them back, provided the audio/video content is in a format that it understands. Internet Explorer 9 currently supports only H.264 video codec and MP3 and AC audio formats.
Internet Explorer 9 also has improved CSS3 support, improved JavaScript performance and full support for Web Open Font Format (WOFF).
We particularly liked the new address bar, which can be used to search as well. The default search engine is Bing, but we chose to use Google as it worked better. When you select Google as the search provider, you can just type the name of the website and then the browser search for it on Google and automatically take you to the first link. This is similar to what happens if you select the "I'm Feeling Lucky" button on Google.com, however, it only works if you put in the name of a website and not if put in random text, in which case it just opens Google's search page. If you select Bing, however, all it does it search for it on Bing and then you have to manually select the first link.
Another addition is the presence of Aero Snap for the tabs. It's not too different from what you do on other browsers. All it does is add a cool looking effect to the mundane task of pulling tabs out of a window or placing them back. Internet Explorer 9 also groups tabs that originate out of a single tab with the same color, a feature which it picked up with Internet Explorer 8. It's a useful feature that makes switching between tabs easier.

A new feature in Internet Explorer 9 is the ability to pin tabs to Windows 7 s taskbar. To pin a tab, you have to drag it out of the window and over the taskbar. Apart from letting you quickly access your website, this feature also has another cool function. Websites can add additional functionality to the pinned tab in the taskbar that can be accessed by right clicking it. So Facebook, for example, shows options such as News, Messages, Events and Friends and clicking those launches the browser and opens that section of the website. Similarly, Twitter has functions such as New Tweet, Mentions, Direct Messages, etc. Some of the other websites that have this functionality right now are Amazon and IMDb. You will notice that in pinned tabs the browser controls take the color of the website, which means on IMDb they would turn yellow and red in Gmail Developers can easily have this functionality for their websites; although it remains to be seen how often people use this function. Since out browsers are always open, we rarely had to.

Every tab in Internet Explorer 9 runs its own process on the OS, which means if one tab crashes it won't bring down the entire browser. This feature was first introduced by Chrome and is slowly trickling down to other browsers. One disadvantage of this is that the browser takes up more RAM, thanks to the multiple processes it runs.
Internet Explorer 9 also has a new download manager, which was a long overdue feature. It finally shows you multiple downloads and now in the Release Candidate the speed of the downloads without you having to hover over the downloading file. One thing we noticed about it is that it keeps asking you every time you wish to download something. Other browsers let you mark a particular type of file as safe and after that the browser won't ask before downloading. We hope Microsoft adds this functionality in the final version, because frankly it can get on your nerves if you are downloading several files.

One area where Internet Explorer 9 lags considerably behind the other browsers is in add-on or extension support. Although it does support add-ons, there are a few to choose from right now. In comparison, browsers like Firefox and Chrome have thousands and even Safari has more than you'll ever need. Opera recently joined the add-on party but somehow did not see the same enthusiasm from the developers for creating new add-ons for it.

Performance:

Before we get on with the benchmarks, we must say that we are generally very impressed with the way Internet Explorer 9 performs. The biggest reason for this is speed, which is on par with the best that the other browsers have to offer. Even scrolling is smooth, thanks to the hardware acceleration, which reduces the strain on the CPU. Those coming from an older version of Internet Explorer will be greatly impressed with how much it has progressed over the years.
We did face some trouble with certain websites, where the content wasn't displayed in the correct order. We also had severe issues when working with the CMS of our website, which we never faced with other browsers. At times websites used to stop responding and this was a recurring problem with some of them. Because of these things we were vary of using the browser for doing important stuff, such as online shopping, in case things don't work out well. Some of the issues were just bugs, which would no doubt get sorted out in the final version. Others felt more like something that will continue to stay for a while.
Internet Explorer 9 uses DirectWrite for rendering the text using hardware acceleration. The text looks slightly different than it did in previous versions of Internet Explorer or in other browsers. It s a lot smoother than, say, that in Firefox 3, Opera or Chrome but not as much as in Safari. Also, it only works well with larger fonts, which look really nice but makes smaller fonts look fuzzy, unlike in Safari. The upcoming Firefox 4 suffers from a similar problem, although it is much worse in its case.
As you can see in the benchmarks below, Internet Explorer 9 also came last in most of the benchmarks that we performed. The most surprising one of the lot was the HTML5 Test, in which Internet Explorer 9 performed quite poorly, despite Microsoft boasting otherwise. We compared it against the latest stable versions of all the other major browsers. We wanted to include Firefox 4 but for some reason it wasn't working so well and was stuttering badly, so we had to remove it from the test. Internet Explorer 8 failed to work with many of the tests, so we had to remove that as well.
The benchmarks were run on an Asus G73Jw Notebook, running on a 1.73GHz Intel Core i7 Q740 CPU, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460M GPU, 8GB RAM and Windows 7 Ultimate 64-Bit.

Peacekeeper Scores (Higher values are better)

Sunspider Scores (Lower values are better)

V8 Benchmark Suite (Higher values are better)

Kraken JavaScript Benchmark (lower values are better)

HTML5test.com Scores (Higher values are better)

How to Choose a Wi-Fi Router

2011-02-27T13:12:00.000+05:30

The days when most of us had a single PC or laptop are gone. Many of us use a PC and a laptop and there are those who have many more. The modern geek’s home usually has a primary desktop, a netbook or notebook, a smart phone and obviously an HTPC in the living room right next to the television set. Networking all of these PCs and laptops is possible with a simple hub or switch but there are a bunch of cables involved.

Wi-Fi routers these days offer more than just wireless connectivity

The easiest solution is investing in a WiFi router. If you don’t already have one, you may be able to buy one from your internet provider. Some providers offer Wi-Fi routers on rental basis whereas some offer an over-the-counter purchase option. The only problem there is that you have no control over the model. Its better if you buy your own router, but like buying any other product these days, things can get a little confusing. Let’s look at some of the most important things to consider before going out to buy one.

How much will I need to spend?
Wi-Fi routers can be bought for as little as Rs. 600, if you buy it from your ISP. Other branded routers start from as little as Rs. 1,300 and go right up to Rs. 12,000 or more depending on the kind of features. If you’re looking for a basic router that you want to use with your devices for just browsing, then something in the range of Rs. 1,300 to Rs. 2,500 will be fine. The moment you want higher speeds for streaming good quality video content and more advanced features, then be willing to increase your budget.
ADSL2 connectivity
Many of the larger ISPs today use ADSL to distribute internet connections and customers are provided with ADSL modems to use with their PCs. If your ISP uses ADSL, then look for a compatible router which has the ADSL2 modem functionality built into them. These are bound to be a little more expensive than regular Wi-Fi routers but you’re no longer dependent on a separate ADSL modem for internet access.
Which one - 802.11g or 802.11n?
Most routers are sold as either 802.11g or 802.11n. They’re all backward compatible but 802.11n offers faster speeds than 802.11g. IEEE 802.11g has a speed limitation of 54Mbps whereas 802.11n offers speeds of up to 150Mbps in a single stream. Dual band setups can reach twice that speed. The performance of routers as we’ve seen changes one from location to another. IEEE 802.11g offer enough speeds to transfer fairly large files and browse the internet and even stream Youtube and DVD-quality content over the network. You’ll have problems streaming HD 720p and 1080p content though.
IEEE 802.11n’s improved bandwidth definitely increases that limit but streaming HD 1080p content is still off limits when you move from one room to another. Once again, this depends on the layout of your home or office.

Samsung develops mobile DRAM capable of 12.8GB/sec data transfers, making all other memory jealous

2011-02-23T09:05:00.000+05:30

Samsung's memory labs are cranking out yet another innovation in the mobile DRAM sector, with the goal being to make the next (next) generation Galaxy Tab -- and any other mobile device relying on Samsung memory -- faster than ever. This go 'round, the crew has developed a 1Gb mobile DRAM module with a wide I/O interface for smartphones and tablets, enabling it to transmit data at 12.8GB/sec. For those keeping count, that's an eightfold increase in bandwidth compared to LPDDR2 DRAM chips, and the company has also managed to trim power consumption by 87 percent all the while. In order to boost the data transfer rate, Samsung's new wide I/O DRAM uses 512 pins for input and output, dwarfing the 32 pins used in the previous generation. Following this, Sammy's hoping to provide 20nm-class 4Gb wide I/O mobile DRAM sometime in 2013, but we're hoping to see this particular development sashay into tablets that hit the market long before then. Sadly, there's no specific word on when, but you know we'll be handing that information over just as soon as we get it.

press Release:

Samsung Develops Mobile DRAM with Wide I/O Interface

SEOUL, Korea--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., the world leader in advanced memory technology, today announced the development of 1 gigabit (Gb) mobile DRAM with a wide I/O interface, using 50 nanometer class* process technology. The new wide I/O mobile DRAM will be used in mobile applications, such as smartphones and tablet PCs.

"We will continue to aggressively expand our high-performance mobile memory product line to further propel the growth of the mobile industry."

"Following the development of 4Gb LPDDR2 DRAM (low-power DDR2 dynamic random access memory) last year, our new mobile DRAM solution with a wide I/O interface represents a significant contribution to the advancement of high-performance mobile products," said Byungse So, senior vice president, memory product planning & application engineering at Samsung Electronics. "We will continue to aggressively expand our high-performance mobile memory product line to further propel the growth of the mobile industry."

The new 1Gb wide I/O mobile DRAM can transmit data at 12.8 gigabyte (GB) per second, which increases the bandwidth of mobile DDR DRAM (1.6GB/s) eightfold, while reducing power consumption by approximately 87 percent. The bandwidth is also four times that of LPDDR2 DRAM (which is approximately 3.2GB/s).

To boost data transmission, Samsung's wide I/O DRAM uses 512 pins for data input and output compared to the previous generation of mobile DRAMs, which used a maximum of 32 pins. If you include the pins that are involved in sending commands and regulating power supply, a single Samsung wide I/O DRAM is designed to accommodate approximately 1,200 pins.

Following this wide I/O DRAM launch, Samsung is aiming to provide 20nm-class* 4Gb wide I/O mobile DRAM sometime in 2013. The company's recent achievements in mobile DRAM include introducing the first 50nm-class 1Gb LPDDR2 DRAM in 2009 and the first 40nm-class* 2Gb LPDDR2 in 2010.

Samsung will present a paper related to wide I/O DRAM technology at the 2011 International Solid-State Circuits Conference (ISSCC) being held from February 20 to 24 in San Francisco.

According to iSuppli, mobile DRAM's percentage of total annual DRAM shipments will increase from about 11.1 percent in 2010 to 16.5 percent in 2014.

For more information about Samsung Green memory, visit www.samsung.com/GreenMemory

TataDocomo 3G Plans For Prepaid users (Maharashtra & Goa) !!

2011-01-29T21:21:00.000+05:30

Google Starts Censoring Rapidshare, Torrents and More

2011-01-28T10:26:00.000+05:30

If you’re a download junkie, your days of finding premium torrents andRapidshare links are slowly coming to an end. Google has done what we never thought they’d really have the guts to do; sources say they’ve actually started censoring terms like Rapidshare, Megaupload, BitTorrent, torrents and more. Obviously these companies aren’t happy with this, and have apparently already started speaking up against this ‘act of injustice’.

To Arrr is human.

What Google has done, is make a list of piracy-related keywords that have been removed from its auto-complete list. For instance, anything with the word torrent added to it will not be suggested by the search engine. What is a little weird here, though, is the fact that Google hasn’t banned words like Pirate Bay, which is a popular torrent site.
If you want someone to put the final blame on for this, it’s definitely the entertainment industry you want to stick it to. Associations such as the MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America) and the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of India) have been applying pressure on Google for a while now, and it’s no surprise to many that they’ve finally come through.
So is the just the beginning of a long list of prohibitions and bans that will finally lead to the death of piracy? Guess we’ll just have to wait and see.

WTF !!!

Mark Zuckerberg's Facebook Page Hacked

2011-01-27T12:39:00.001+05:30

Hacker posts message about transforming Facebook into a "social business"

First they targeted Nicolas Sarkozy's Facebook page, and now they have targeted none other than Facebook CEO, Mark Zuckerberg's page on his own social networking website according to a report.

An unknown hacker hacked into the Facebook account of the 26-year-old celebrity CEO and recent Times Person of the Year, and posted this message.

"Let the hacking begin: If Facebook needs money, instead of going to the banks, why doesn't Facebook let its users invest in Facebook in a social way? Why not transform Facebook into a 'social business' the way Nobel Price winner Muhammad Yunus described it? http://bit.ly/fs6rT3 What do you think? #hackercup2011"

Within no time of posting this message, more than 1800 people had already liked this post and there were over 500 comments below it. It is pretty obvious that Zuckerberg did not post this message and his profile page was taken down by Facebook when it discovered the hack.

The post has since been deleted and Zuckerberg's page is now back up again. Strangely, Facebook has not commented about the hack and there is no mention about it on Mark Zuckerberg's now online Facebook profile either. It is therefore anyone s guess about how the hacker broke into his account.

Online security firm Sophos has made and posted a video about this hack and you can see it in the video below.

Google Drops H.264 in Chrome; What Does it Mean?

2011-01-17T18:59:00.001+05:30

You must have read recently that Google is dropping support for H.264 codec in their web browser Chrome. While initially this might not seem like a big deal it could have some serious implication, whether or not you use Chrome. If you have no idea what we are talking about, read on to find out.
What Google did?

Google said they wanted to enable open innovation, and therefore are dropping support for the proprietary H.264 video codec from Chrome and going with the open source WebM (VP8) and Theora formats. This means that in future, when browsers are supposed to play HTML5 videos without the need of proprietary codecs, Chrome will not be able to play videos encoded with H.264.
They also said they were doing this because they wanted to have a common format that everyone used. Since Mozilla and Opera don't support H.264 - as they don't want to pay the licensing fee - they felt it was better to go with the open source WebM instead of the proprietary H.264. Everyone who doesn't use it currently (read: Microsoft and Apple) can adopt it for free and everyone will support a common format and everything will be hunky dory. If only that was true.
What this means?

Even though Google has dropped support for H.264, all the millions of H.264 videos won't disappear overnight (H.264 is the most widely used codec on the Internet for streaming videos). This means that when a Chrome user encounters an HTML5 video encoded in H.264 in future, which he will, he will be forced to watch it through the Flash player.
On the other hand, if every video publisher on the Internet decides to go with Google, they will have to encode all their videos twice, once in H.264 and the other in WebM, something that they won't be willing to do.
Why this sucks?

WebM is technically an inferior format compared to H.264. Also, unlike H.264, WebM is not hardware accelerated on most devices. WebM is also very new and hence hardly used at all. Instead of sticking to a popular format and then convincing Mozilla and Opera to adopt it, Google went the wrong way. It picked a relatively new format that no one uses and is now trying to convince everyone to adopt it.
Google may not have a market share as high as Microsoft's Internet Explorer to make every video publisher to immediately start converting their videos in WebM. However, they do own YouTube, which houses a massive percentage of the Internet's videos. Tomorrow, if they will start serving HTML5 video on YouTube only in WebM format, and if your browser does not support WebM, then you will have to use Adobe's Flash player plugin to playback the H.264 version (if it is still available). This defeats the whole purpose of having the HTML5 video tag, which was supposed to enable users to watch videos without having to rely on plugins.
Apple and Microsoft currently don't support WebM and it seems doubtful that they ever will. What this means is that if you have to watch a YouTube video on, say, an iPhone in future, then you are out of luck. The iPhone supports HTML5 videos in H.264 and has no support for either WebM or Flash player. This means you will neither be able to watch the video in WebM format directly, nor the H.264 version through a Flash player.
Google said they will be releasing a plugin to enable WebM playback on the Internet Explorer and Safari, which again makes no sense. Why do they keep forgetting that the point of HTML5 video was to get rid of the damn plugins?
Once Google drops support for H.264 from HTML5 video on YouTube, users will have to rely on Flash to watch these videos. Now I'm sure everyone knows how much Flash sucks and one of the best things Apple has done in their lifetime was to try and drive people away from Flash and promote native HTML5 video playback within the browser. But now Google is again making people go back to relying on Flash so that they can continue to watch online videos.
How is Google being an ass?

Google claimed that they wanted to adopt the WebM format because they wanted to go open source. Yet, they also ship Chrome with Adobe's Flash plugin, which is the complete opposite of open source. How can a company claim to support open source when they are shipping software with proprietary plugins?
Google's move to drop H.264 also reeks of malice and is a way to get back at Apple. Apple's devices currently support only H.264 codec for video playback on the web. If tomorrow Google drops the support for this codec on the biggest video sharing website on the Internet, they will effectively block Apple's devices from accessing YouTube. If Apple ever has to enable YouTube support on their devices they will have to change their stance on either WebM or Flash, which means accepting defeat to either Google or Adobe.
Google's was the only browser that supported both H.264 and WebM, and the users of Chrome would have never had to bother what video they were watching since their browser was compatible with either format. But now Chrome users would have to shift to using the built-in Flash plugin and live with its idiosyncrasies every time they encounter a H.264 encoded video.
We also can't help but think Adobe has a hand in this. Think about it. If HTML5 video becomes the norm, which it eventually will, people will have no reason to continue to use Adobe's Flash player. Apple was the major player who promoted HTML5 video and the first one to drop Flash support completely on their mobile devices. But now thanks to Google's move, not only will people have to continue to rely on Flash players in future if they want to watch H.264 encoded videos (which won't disappear overnight) but Apple also would be in fix and would have to consider getting Flash on their devices. Although we believe if it comes to that, Apple would rather choose WebM over Flash.
I think Google isn't really promoting the open source community but rather Flash. Just because Google is going WebM doesn't mean every other video publisher will drop H.264 and adopt WebM. This means users will forever be stuck using Flash player for watching videos. What Google (and Mozilla and Opera) needs to understand is that by promoting esoteric formats such as WebM for HTML5 video will only stifle its growth while making people depend on proprietary plugins such as Adobe Flash.
We would love to hear your opinion on the matter. Do leave a comment below. Do you agree with what Google has done? Or do you feel that dropping H.264 was a bad idea? How do you like the idea of having to use Flash all the time for watching online videos? And if you own an iOS device, how would you feel if tomorrow you don't get access to YouTube videos? Let us know in the comments

Do More With Your Graphics Card..

2011-01-17T18:48:00.001+05:30

Benefit from having a GPU in your system

Graphics cards have come a long way since the days when they were primarily used for gaming. Not to say that their purpose has changed over the years, but apart from gaming there are many other applications in which graphics cards are put to good use. Today we'll explore some of the areas which benefit greatly from having a GPU in your system.

Video Decoding
With the prices of full HD monitors hitting rock bottom, DVD resolution movies simply don't cut it anymore. While HD movies offer better clarity for such monitors, they also put some strain on the CPU. Entry level CPU's can handle 720p videos fairly well, but when it comes to full HD or 1080p videos, the CPU utilization can easily shoot up to 50%, making the PC quite sluggish, giving you a laggy playback. A graphic card can easily offload this task from the CPU giving you a smoother and lag free playback of full HD content.

Previously, it was only paid software like Cyberlink's Power DVD that supported GPU acceleration and that too only for an original Blu-Ray. However, now you have free players like Media Player Classic: Home Cinema and VLC that also support hardware acceleration. If you have any graphics card from Nvidia's 8000 series and above, ATI's 3000 series and above or Intel's X-4500 HD chip (found in G45 chipset) and above, you should easily be able to offload the video from the CPU.
You can select this setting while installing the player itself. You'll immediately see a difference in playback as the player is more responsive, even skipping ahead in the movie is a lot quicker. To check if it is actually offloading, simply open Task Manager and click the Performance tab. The CPU utilization should not go beyond 20-30% in a 1080p movie.

Video Encoding
Unless you have a PMP or a smartphone that let's you play videos directly by dragging and dropping them in, you'll have no choice but to re-encode your favorite shows or movies in a smaller mobile format. Even if your device can accept DVD or even HD movies, you still might want to consider converting them for the sake of saving some storage space. Once a task left to the CPU, which was really long and painful, not to mention you couldn't really do anything once the encoding process began, your graphics card can now cut that time in half or even less depending on how many shaders units your graphics card has.

One of the popular software's to support Nvidia's CUDA and AMD APP (formerly known as ATI Stream) software is Cyberlink's Media Show Espresso. This program comes with many presets for different devices like iPod, PSP, Xbox, PS3 etc., so you just drag and drop your video, select the device you would be playing it on and the software does the rest for you. This is apid software however. AMD has their own free conversion tool which can be downloaded from their site but it's a not the best and only limited to a few video formats. MediaCoder is a free video encoder that supports Nvidia CUDA and also a wider variety of file formats as input and output. It is a little buggy, but the developers are constantly updating it, so hopefully one day we'll have a stable version that also supports AMD cards.

Flash 10.1
With Internet broadband reaching very affordable levels, it's fairly common to see a 1Mbps line in households today. Thanks to that, we now have the liberty of watching HD YouTube videos quite easily instead of waiting for them to buffer. Just like regular HD videos, HD YouTube videos are generally H.264 files (.MP4) that are typically decoded by the CPU. However with the latest Flash 10.1 plug-in, all your YouTube videos can now be decoded by the GPU, provided you have a compatible one.
This means you can easily watch 1080p YouTube clips without any lag or stutter and continue using your PC at the same time. HTML 5 will also have GPU acceleration, but unlike Flash, it will be the browser that natively supports it rather than a pug-in, like we have today.
Photo and Video Editing
Adobe's Photoshop CS4 introduced the world to GPU acceleration in photo editing. Certain tasks like zooming in and out, flipping or rotating a 3D image is quite heavy on the CPU no matter how much RAM or how fast you're CPU may be. Your graphics card is able to perform such operations a lot faster with more fluidity.

vReveal is another paid program that uses Nvidia's CUDA technology. The same goes for video editing software such as Cyberlink's Power Director and Super LoiLoScope that make use of GPU to accelerate the video creation process. Since Nvidia is really pushing their CUDA technology upon developers, you'll find that many of these programs work only with Nvidia cards.

HTPC
There's a reason why HTPC builders include a graphics card in their build. Current generation graphics cards are capable of handling high bit rate video and audio like Dolby TrueHD, DTS HD, 7.1 channel LPCM audio and bit streaming audio, which is used in BluRays. Along with this rich support for various HD audio formats, the graphics card is also used for accelerating the video being played. One would typically install a custom interface for their HTPC, since you're going to be using it sitting on your couch. XBMC 10.0 is one of the more popular installations and the latest version has support for GPU acceleration of a wide variety of video formats.

Other than entertainment, your GPU can also be used to help the medical community through the Folding@Home initiative. This is distributed computing project to help scientists understand protein folding, misfolding and related diseases. The program was first released for the PS3 and is now available for the PC that uses your GPU (ATI and Nvidia) to fold proteins. So you see, other than gaming, there are many areas where you can put a graphics card to good use.

Why Facebook eats most of your time?

2011-01-13T19:07:00.000+05:30

LONDON: If you think that Facebook eats up most of your time, then it's only going to get worse, suggests a new study.
Researchers at City University of Hong Kong have suggested that users become more active in online social networks as they grow bigger, reports New Scientist.
The researchers considered behaviour in two online networks: the Chinese blogging site Sina and a peer-to-peer file-sharing system called Tianwang.
By comparing the growth of these networks with user activity, they managed to settle a long-standing argument. There are two competing schools of thought when it comes to the growth of online social networks. One suggests that networks grow in a linear fashion: in other words, the activity of each user doesn't change much and so network activity grows in proportion with the number of users.
However, the second theory suggests that network growth is non-linear: as a network grows in size, users also use it more, causing total network activity to increase far more quickly than the linear model would predict.
The study results support the non-linear hypothesis, as the researchers observed that both blogging and peer-to-peer file-sharing sites see users becoming far more active on the networks the larger they get.
In the case of the peer-to-peer network, the team found that if the number of users doubled, their activity rose by a factor of 3.16. They also discovered that the bigger the inequality in activity between users, the quicker the network would grow.
"It makes sense that the total activity in a social system would be non-linear, because in a social system, the more people there are, the more things there are to do," said Mike Thelwall, of the University of Wolverhampton, UK.
"This would probably transfer to Facebook and Twitter, too. You might start to rely on Facebook or Twitter if a high proportion of your friends were on them," said Thelwall.
The team has also found that the increased activity follows a pattern known as a time-invariant power law-one of the upshots of which is that all users tend to become more active in the network. So there's no point deluding yourself: Facebook definitely is sucking up more of your time than ever before.

4G in India on a testing phase: 80 Mbps Download Speed

2010-12-20T12:47:00.002+05:30

After the acquisition of Infotel Broadband Ltd by Mukesh Ambani?s Reliance (RIL), the rumour was there in market that Mukesh?s Reliance will come up with the most speedy Internet connection in India. As Indian market is still waiting for proper implementation of 3G network by major players, Reliance has started testing 4G connections

As per some initial reports, RIL team at Navi Mumbai started trials of 4G connection and got download speed of 80 Mbps and upload speed of 20 Mbps. It is way ahead than current 3G connection of 3.1 Mbps or 7.2 Mbps. Tata Indicom (Docomo) and Reliance Communication (Anil Ambani?s ) also stsrted giving 21 Mbps download speed on supported devices. Reliance is using Ericsson equipment to test this 4G network. As the above testing results are in ideal scenario, that may drop to 40 to 50 Mbps depending on the system load and distance from the nearest tower etc.

As wireless Internet is at boom in India and other parts of world but still we are way behind most of the western countries. We are still waiting for the proper coverage of 3G network when Smartphone makers started selling 4G phones in countries like US and UK. But finally we are getting good news on Wireless Internet connectivity, as Reliance is expected come up with good plans in future for such fast Internet connections.

Reliance is currently having 22 of 44 licenses of broadband wireless access (BWA) spectrum which were auctioned in June 2010. As they need to start the implementation in less than a year, so we can expect to get the service by March ? May 2011.

Hope to get better wireless data transfer option in future. Share your thoughts on this 80 Mbps 4G connection trails by Reliance. Do you think, Mukesh Ambani?s Reliance can come up with better plans than current 3G offers?

How to use a BlackBerry without its Service?

2010-12-17T23:36:00.000+05:30

We said it over and over again in the write-up that we love BlackBerry phones, but hate some of the pricing structures and restrictions that Indian network operators have forced upon us. Do you already own a BlackBerry and now feel that its services are of no great use to you? Or, are you adamant to buy only a BlackBerry cell phone but don't want to cough up the monthly charges? The following info is of good use to you then. But before that, let's clear up the air about how BlackBerry phones work with mobile Internet.
older BlackBerry phones (for example, the 7000 series or phones with an OS prior to BlackBerry OS 3.8) could only rely on their special service for any kind of data exchange -- be it Internet browsing, push e-mail or any 3rd party application. BlackBerry's service works on the typical GPRS mobile Internet that all other phones use.
But since BlackBerry OS 3.8, they gave the users an option to configure the phone with typical GPRS settings (or TCP settings). Most newer BlackBerry phones (like the Curve 8520/8900 and Bold 9000/9700 etc.) support the use of 3rd party apps over regular GPRS without subscribing to BlackBerry's Internet service. So, follow these steps in order to get it working on your BlackBerry.
1) Update your BlackBerry OS to the latest version
As I mentioned before, it is only after BlackBerry OS 3.8 that BlackBerry allows you to input regular GPRS settings. So, if you have a device running anything older, update your OS by connecting the phone to your PC, running the BlackBerry Desktop Manager software that came with the phone, and updating the OS.

2) Choose a regular GPRS plan
You may not want to subscribe to BlackBerry's monthly plans, but you will have to activate typical GPRS service nonetheless. Most operators have a pay-as-you-go GRPS schemes without any rentals, where they charge you per KB. Typically, the rates are 10 paise / 10 KB. That's around Rs. 10 per MB. So, if you're going to sparingly use the Internet on your BlackBerry, such a scheme would be OK. But if you're going to actively use the Internet, better opt for a fixed monthly rental plan. For instance, Tata Docomo and Airtel offer 2GB per month for Rs. 99. In my experience, if you are moderately going to use Internet on a cell-phone, 100 to 256 MB per month should be sufficient. So, check with your operator for various data plans and select a suitable one.
3) Key in these settings on your BlackBerry
On your BlackBerry, in the main menu, click Options -> Advanced options -> TCP
You'll see three fields -- APN, Username and password. The "APN" is the Access Point Name. This is one of the settings that allows you to establish a GPRS connection with your service provider, and it's different for different providers. For example, Vodafone's APN in India is 'portalnmms', Idea's is 'Internet', Loop mobile's is 'www'. Most providers leave the username and password fields blank. So, all you need to find out is the APN for your cell-phone operator. You can also look up on their website, it'll mostly be in the "Value Added Services -> Mobile Internet" section. Look for "Manual GPRS settings". You'll find the APN as one of the mentioned settings there. Or better yet, just call their customer care and ask for it.

4) Download alternative software

a) It is pretty obvious that since you aren't subscribing to BlackBerry's Internet service, you won't be able to use push e-mail on your phone. Also, you won't be able to use the built-in mail client for downloading any e-mails. If you use Gmail, then you need not worry since there's a dedicated Gmail app that works on regular GPRS. But what about your office e-mail ID? Here's a workaround
Link your official mail to your Gmail account. Simply log into your Gmail, on the top-right corner, click Settings -> Accounts and Import -> Add POP3 account. Type in your official e-mail ID followed by the password. Next, it will ask you to enter POP settings.
If you aren't aware of these details, ask your system admin at the office for information. If you want to keep work and personal e-mails completely separate, then just create another Gmail account and follow the steps from before; since the Gmail app supports handling of multiple Gmail accounts.
Now, all e-mails from your official mail ID should get downloaded onto Gmail at regular intervals, which, in turn, will be viewable via the Gmail app on your BlackBerry. The app is pretty easy-to-use and has all the basic features of Gmail like the awesome search engine, threaded conversations etc. It also blinks that LED next to the ear-piece indicating new e-mails.
Alternatively, you can also look at Logic Mail, a 3rd party SMTP/POP e-mail client app. All these workarounds may not be as prompt as push e-mail, but then if you don't mind receiving mails with a little delay, then this would suffice.
b) Next, certain pre-installed apps made especially for BlackBerry will not work with the GPRS settings that we've just keyed in. Apps like Google Talk, Yahoo/MSN messenger, BlackBerry Instant Messenger, Twitter and Facebook will not work as they need BlackBerry's Internet service to be activated. So, we'll need to install alternative apps. For Google Talk/MSN/Yahoo Messengers, install an app called Nimbuzz. It is a multi-protocol chat client supporting all the former mentioned chat services along with Facebook Chat, AIM, Skype and ICQ too. Unfortunately, you won't be able to communicate with your BlackBerry Messenger pals without its service; no workaround for that one the best of my knowledge.

c) The built-in browser mostly works, but its not one of the best to surf full-fledged websites. So, its always a good idea to have Opera Mini installed alongside.

d) For Twitter, the Seesmic app works fine without the Blackberry Internet Service. For Facebook, you could rely on m.facebook.com
e) Lastly, the Google Maps application works fine over regular GPRS Internet, at least in newer handsets from the Curve, Bold or the Storm series.

At the end of the day, these are just a few hook-or-crook methods that will let you use some of the features while bypassing the subscription to BlackBerry's services. But these are just alternatives, and not close to the real thing. They will not offer you the highly integrated set of software and services that BlackBerry promises to deliver. So, all in all, if you want a tension-free experience on your BlackBerry, then it's just better to cough up the moolah to use their service.

But if you're like finding escape pathways and alternative roads, then try the above tips out. Got any more else that you'd like to share? Fire it up in the comments section below.

TATA DOCOMO 3G MOBILE PREPAID PLANS DETAILS

2010-12-13T18:43:00.000+05:30

Take your pick from the best 3G plans in India and connect with the world at a more personal level. Check out an array of flexible Voice & Data plans and continue to enjoy per second billing.

What more! Every Prepay & Postpay plan comes with a limited period Bonus Offer.

3G Mobile Prepay Plans

Enjoy Flexible Plans and More with Tata DOCOMO Small Screen 3G Prepay Plans

Bonus Offer on Small Screen Plans: Additional 100 MB data with every recharge done till 31st December'10.

Special Tariff Vouchers

If you want to try out first and experience 3G or if you want to Top Up additionally to the Combo Plans.

3G Service is not available in Mumbai.

Reliance Communication launches 3G services in four cities..

2010-12-13T18:34:00.000+05:30

New Delhi, Dec 13 (IANS) Reliance Communications, a part of the Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group, Monday launched its third generation (3G) mobile phone services in Mumbai, New Delhi, Kolkata and Chandigarh with wider applications choice at much greater speeds.

The company also announced that it will launch 3G services across its 13 telecom circles by the end of this fiscal, while targeting a national footprint in association with some other operators in the rest of the nine circles during the next year.

'The launch of Reliance 3G is an integral part of our 'Vision 2015' of a wire-free India built on an affordable-for-all platform, simplified tariffs, personalised services and content-rich portfolio,' said Syed Safawi, chief executive of wireless with the company.

According to him, the 3G services will offer features such as video-calling, mobile TV, video streaming and applications access at super-fast speeds on a wide variety of both mobile phone and personal computing devices.

The company has also lined up packages on a daily basis starting from Rs.10 and beyond depending on the application and content requirement of the customer. Subscribers will also have the option to pay based on per-use, per-second or per-week basis.

The company said that it has also forged pacts with Universal Music for content, Nokia and Ericsson for applications and Motricity for web portal. Existing subscribers will be automatically upgraded to 3G services if they have a 3G-enabled smart phone.

On video-calling, the company said that they are awaiting the government's permission to launch the service in the country. It is optimistic about getting the clearances along with other operators.

'We are fully ready to launch video-calling as soon as we have the government clearance along with all the other operators,' said Mahesh Prasad, president of the company.

The company currently holds 3G licences in telecom circles of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Rajasthan, Punjab, Maharasthra, West Bengal, Himachal Pradesh, Bihar, North East, Jammu and Kashmir, Orissa and Assam.

Part of the $13.6 billion Anil Ambani group, Reliance Communications says it ranks among the top four telecom companies in the world in terms of subscribers in a single country with a customer base of over 124 million.

10 reasons I'm dumping my iPad for a Galaxy Tab

2010-12-06T11:03:00.000+05:30

Author: Debra Littlejohn Shinder

Samsung’s Galaxy Tab is a 7-inch tablet that looks a lot like an overgrown Galaxy S phone, without the phone functionality. It debuted in the U.S. this month and will be available from all four major U.S. wireless carriers. (Note: Versions of the device sold outside the U.S. do have phone functionality; this is a limitation imposed by the U.S. carriers.) Reviews ranged from glowing (”It’s a Tablet. It’s Gorgeous. It’s Costly“) to scathing (”A Pocketable Train Wreck“).

I bought an iPad for one simple reason: I wanted a light, thin tablet I could easily use out on the patio, while riding as a passenger in a car, while lying in bed, or while sitting on the sofa in front of the TV. All of these are situations where a regular laptop or notebook, or even the bigger and heavier convertible tablets, just didn’t work as well. The iPad was the only thing on the market at the time that fit those criteria at a cost of under $1,000.

But I’ve had a love/hate relationship with the iPad from the beginning. I love the form factor and the ease of connecting to a network and setting up my Exchange email account. But I hate the lack of storage expansion, its frustrating inability to display Flash-based Web sites, and the difficulty of entering text on its keyboard. And it’s still just a tad heavier and bulkier than I’d really prefer for the uses to which I put it. Most of all, I hate Apple’s ironclad control over what apps I can install.

I’ve been eagerly awaiting a viable alternative. I’m a Windows loyalist from way back, and I’ve used Windows Mobile smart phones since I got my first, a Samsung i730 back in 2005. I still have an Omnia II running WinMo 6.5, but recently I was won over to Android, first by testing a Droid X and then by testing a Samsung Fascinate. I fell in love with the Fascinate, which is a Galaxy S phone, so I had a feeling I was going to like its big brother, the Galaxy Tab. And I was right. In fact, despite the Tab’s somewhat high price, I’ve decided to dump the iPad for the Tab. Here are 10 reasons why.

Note: This article is also available as a PDF download.

1: Size

Yes, I loved the iPad’s 9.7-inch form factor when I got it. That’s because it was so much smaller and thinner than the tablets (Windows-based convertibles and slates) I’d used in the past. But it still wasn’t quite enough. It’s just a little too big to slip into my favorite small bag. Want to put it in your pocket? Forget about it. And unless you’re a big, burly guy (I’m not), holding it in one hand isn’t easy to do.

Steve Jobs pronounced 7-inch tablets “dead on arrival.” He might think bigger is better, but I disagree. The Tab’s 7.48- by 4.74-inch dimensions (compared to the iPad’s 9.56-by-7.47) make it roughly half the size of the iPad. And that means it’s easier to hold onto and manipulate, easier to “thumb type” on, and easier to fit into a small bag or even a large jacket pocket.

2: Weight

At 25.6 oz. (a little over a pound and a half), the iPad seems light — especially if you’re comparing it to older style tablets that weighed 3 to 4 pounds. However, if you hold it up for a moderate period of time, you find that it gets tiring. This is especially important if you use your tablet for reading ebooks. And carrying it around adds a noticeable, if not burdensome, weight to your bag.

The Galaxy Tab weighs in at a trim 13.4 oz., less than a pound. The difference might not seem like much, but it makes it far easier to use for longer times without tiring and makes it more likely that I’ll bring it along at times when I might not bother to bring the iPad because of its bulk and weight.

3: Expandable storage

One of my biggest complaints about the iPad was the lack of a flash memory slot to allow me to add more storage space. Of course, Apple didn’t want me to buy an SD/microSD card from one of many vendors — they wanted me to buy a higher capacity, more expensive iPad from them. That type of blatant gouging is one of the reasons I hate giving any of my money to Apple.

The Galaxy Tab has a microSD slot that will officially accept cards up to 32 GB in capacity. I don’t know, but I wouldn’t be surprised if we can tweak it to use 64 GB cards when they become readily available, just as we could use 8 GB cards in phones that officially only accepted cards up to 4 GB.

Another nice thing about the Tab is that the memory card slot is easily accessible — unlike on the Galaxy S phones, where you have to remove the back to change out the card (although I give Samsung credit for not making you remove the battery to change the card, as you have to do with many of today’s phones). On the Tab, the slot is on the side of the device and you just open the small cover to access it.

4: Choice of 3G carriers

The iPad has finally come to Verizon Wireless — well, sort of. The problem is that it’s the Wi-Fi only version, since Apple doesn’t make an iPad with built-in support for CDMA/EVDO (the technology used by Verizon and Sprint). To use it with Verizon’s 3G network, you have to buy their MiFi mobile hotspot device and then connect the iPad to that via Wi-Fi. The upside is that you can connect up to five devices to the MiFi — but it means carrying around yet another (albeit small) component.

The Galaxy Tab is going to be available through all the major wireless carriers and will have 3G capabilities built in, so there is no extra device to carry.

5: Better Bluetooth

The iPad comes with Bluetooth 2.1 support, whereas the Galaxy Tab has Bluetooth 3.0. The later version supports faster speeds, up to 24 megabits per second. (Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR supports a data rate of 3 Mbps.)

6: Two cameras

The iPad lacks a camera of any kind. I don’t really mind not having a rear-facing camera, since my phone has a camera and is much better suited for taking photos. Holding the big almost 10-inch iPad up to snap a picture would be awkward anyway. But I always thought the tablet form factor would have been perfect for video conferencing — if only the device had a front-facing camera.

The Galaxy Tab has two cameras, a 3.2 MP rear-facing and a 1.3 MP front-facing one. And the device itself is small enough so that the rear camera will be a lot less awkward to use.

7: Flash

Steve Jobs has made it clear that he hates Adobe Flash and doesn’t want it on the iPhone or iPad. I’m not a big fan of Adobe myself, but there are just too many Web sites out there that rely on Flash, and the lack of support for it can make browsing the Web with an iPad a frustrating experience.

The Galaxy Tab includes Flash Player 10.1, so you can access those Flash-enabled sites. This does slow things down a bit, but it’s far better than not being able to access them at all.

8: Swype

The iPad is too big for thumb typing, and although you can (sort of) touch type on it, that’s likely to result in a lot of errors, in my experience. That leaves me doing a modified version of touch typing, in which I have to look at the keyboard while I’m typing, and it slows me down. Worse, it’s uncomfortable to try to do it for any length of time. Thus, I use the iPad for consumption but try to avoid creating text content on it.

The Tab, like the Galaxy S phones (and other Android phones I’ve tried) comes with Swype. It’s a different way to enter text, by sliding your finger from key to key, and at first you can’t believe it would really work, but it does. I first became acquainted with Swype when I got my Omnia II Windows Mobile phone, and within a week was able to enter text at over 50 wpm — on a phone! I swore I’d never have another phone that didn’t use Swype. After you get used to the longer distance your finger has to travel, it works fine on the Tab, and it’s far less tiring than typing on the virtual keyboard.

We keep hearing rumors of Swype coming to the iPhone/iPad, but so far, it hasn’t happened.

Even if you prefer to tap the keys instead of Swyping, the Tab has a feature that makes text entry much better than on the iPad: You can tap and hold a key to get a secondary character. On the iPad, if you want to type a number, you have to switch to the alternate symbol keyboard. On the Tab, you can simply hold down the appropriate alphabetic key to type the number displayed above the letter. Switching back and forth between the alpha and numeric/symbol keyboards on the iPad drives me nuts, so I love this feature.

9: Comparable battery life

One thing I really did love about my iPad was the battery life. Compared to just about every other portable computing device (other than a simple MP3 player), its stamina was amazing. I easily got close to 10 hours of fairly heavy usage out of it, and since I don’t normally use it that heavily, I could go a week sometimes between charges.

This was the deal breaker on most of the alternative tablets I saw. Many of them sounded great — until you got to the part that said “Battery life: 4 hours.” I wanted something that was comparable to the iPad, that would at least let me use it heavily for a full workday without recharging. The Galaxy Tab doesn’t quite measure up to the iPad in this respect — but it’s good enough. It’s rated at seven hours for video playback, and longer for less intensive tasks. That stacks up well against the iPad, with which I got about eight hours when streaming video constantly.

Another plus is that you can charge the Tab from your computer’s USB port, although you have to use the cable that comes with the device to do it since Unfortunately, Samsung used a proprietary connector on the Tab’s side. This was a strange decision, given that the Galaxy S phones have a standard mini USB port.

10: Freedom

For those who chafe at being under Apple’s thumb when it comes to software, the Tab offers something that’s priceless — the freedom to install apps that don’t have to be “approved” by the phone’s maker. The Android Market is a convenient and easy way to download apps, but you aren’t limited to its offerings.

Of course, the carriers do lock down their devices to an extent, and depending on where you buy it, the Tab may have vendor-installed crapware on it that you can’t easily remove. However, rooting the Tab is easy; there is a one-click app for that called z4root. And it’s likely that custom ROMs for the Tab will emerge in the near future, as they have for Android-based phones .(Just remember that rooting — similar to jailbreaking an iPhone/iPad — voids your warranty.)

Summary

The iPad is slick and pretty and does some things well. I had fun with mine, even though at times I felt like throwing it into the lake. But it lacked a lot of the things I want and value most, such as the ability to expand storage, to “type” at a decent speed,and to carry and hold it comfortably for long periods of time without it becoming burdensome. I also need to be able to view Flash content and do video conferencing. The Tab offers all that, and more.

Sure, the next generation of the iPad will probably include some of these features. But there are some that the iPad is likely to never give us, such as expandable storage and freedom of choice when it comes to our apps. Those things might not be important to everyone, but they’re important to me. So important that I’m dumping my iPad in favor of the Tab.

Sony Launches TV with Built in PS2

2010-12-04T20:56:00.001+05:30

The PlayStation 3 has been around for quite a while now, but the PS2 still lives on. Sony simply reiterated that fact by unleashing the Bravia KDL-22PX300 which has a 22-inch display and a built in disc slot that plays PlayStation 2 games. Of course, it also plays DVD movies, but as USPs go, playing games will probably turn a few more heads.

The Sony Bravia with built in PS2

Although the TV supports 720p video playback, the PS2 games will not be upscaled, and can be played only in standard definition. The TV also has a bunch of other inputs like four HDMI ports, three USB sockets, PC and component inputs and a SCART socket. It has Ethernet support so viewing sites like YouTube and others will be a breeze and if you buy an additional dongle, this can also be done wirelessly. The TV comes with one PS2 controller.
So now, you can kick back, get out all those PS2 games and relive some good old memories. Of course, this happiness comes at a price - approximately $300 (Rs. 13,533 approx), which is actually a pretty sweet deal. However, it might have been a little sweeter if the TV had a PS3 instead. Sony hasn’t said anything about launching this TV in India yet, but I’m sure there are loads out there who are hopeful.

Control Your Android Phone Via Your PC Wirelessly!

2010-11-16T18:07:00.000+05:30

Android-based phones are taking the market by storm. These next-generation smartphones are well within reach and are far more practical, equally productive, and way cheaper than the iPhone. These phones can be very beneficial for work when you are away from the office. However, when you get back to your desk, there are times when you need to sync your phone content, or use particular apps on the phone itself. But as most Android phone owners agree, the usability of smartphones tends to get cumbersome since the screen size seems smaller than usual and operating the phone gets awkward. Most computers nowadays are connected using wireless networks, and smartphones can access the WLAN with great ease.

Connect wirelessly

We show you a few simple applications which can be used over the Wi-Fi network to help you transfer data, type text, or control your Android phone directly from the computer. The respective applications can be downloaded directly on your Android based phones via the Android Market application. Alternatively, you can search the applications using Google and a QR Code would be available which can be use for downloading the application on your mobile phone using a bar code scanner app from the Android Market.
WebSharing Lite
You need to transfer data to or from your mobile phone urgently, but you have forgotten your phone’s USB cable at home. What do you do? WebSharing Lite is simple application that helps you upload or download files, be it music, videos, documents or applications directly to and from your phone using Wi-Fi. Simply download the application from the Android Market and start the service.

No cable? No worries

Open any web browser on the PC and type in the URL given on the mobile phone’s screen and enter the necessary authentication details. The browser will detect your phone and display the folders of your mobile phone, allowing you to download/upload files directly without the need of a USB cable. You can also create folders, and cut, copy, paste and rename files and folders, allowing you to manage the data on your phone’s memory card.
Wi-Fi Keyboard
We bet typing on your capacitive touchscreen-based smartphone is a painful task. Though there are third-party keyboards which feature haptics or leaning words and even auto-complete, they are no match for typing on a physical keyboard. But what is better than an actual full-sized QERTYY computer keyboard? Well, you can use your computer’s keyboard to enter text on your mobile phone using a wireless network. Download the WiFi Keyboard application from the Internet and run it once. The message on the screen will instruct you to set the default input method of the phone to WiFiKeyboard from the phone’s ‘Settings | Locale and Text’.

Galaxy S vs Nokia N8 vs iPhone 4

2010-11-13T11:04:00.000+05:30

My intention was to pit the winner of this Mobile Grudge Match against the almighty iPhone and see just how well it fared against that beast. It looks like it’s going to be a battle of three this time. So just like before, take a look at the specs that each of these handsets come loaded with, and make no mistake people, these handsets are loaded to the hilt, and send us your votes.

Click for larger view

You can cast your votes via our Facebook Page or leave your comments below. You can also send in your votes via email. Just let us know which of these three hardcore handsets is the top ranker.

Reliance Unveils Internet Radio for 3G-ready users

2010-11-12T00:25:00.001+05:30

With private operators announcing 3G plans, that bitch of a wait for 3G for us Indians is seemingly over. While Reliance Mobile is an active telecom operator here, instead of announcing their 3G service, they've chose to launch a product that will get to reap the benefits of the same. In a first-ever concept, they've launched the country's first Internet Radio. The company's got their hands into broadcast audio before; in case you didn't know, Reliance also owns the BIG FM radio station. Named BIG Net Radio, this Internet-only radio service will be streamed straight to your phone or your PC (Click here to launch the website). For now they've got three categories: Humor, Celebrity and Devotional. That's right - the big bummer is that there's no music as of now on this radio station. The service is free of charge. Let's just hope they get some music in there soon.

Google fires employee who leaked salary hike plan

2010-11-12T00:01:00.001+05:30

Google has fired an employee that leaked its plans to give a 10 per cent salary hike to all 23,000 of its employees across the world next year, according to a media report on Thursday.
Google CEO Eric Schmidt had written an email to employees on Tuesday about the salary hike plan, which was leaked to the media by an employee. Within hours, Google notified its staff that it had terminated the leaker, according to website CNN Money.com
According to the report on the website, a Google spokesman declined to comment on the issue, or on the memo.
On Wednesday, a media report said, "Google Inc is giving a 10 per cent raise to all of its 23,000 employees."
When asked about the issue, Google India's spokesman said, "While we don't typically comment on internal matters, we do believe that competitive compensation plans are important to the future of the company."
Google, which has a strong presence in India, has a workforce of about about 2,000 employees.
The planned pay hike comes as Google steps up its battle with competitors like Facebook Inc to secure talented staff.
About 10 per cent of Facebook's employees are Google veterans. In the past few weeks, Google has seen top minds like YouTube Co-Founder and CEO Chad Hurley, AdMob Co-Founder Omar Hamoui and Google Maps and Wave creator Lars Rasmussen leave to pursue new opportunities.
This is not the first time Google has hiked salaries to retain employees. In 2009, it repriced millions of employee stock options after their value was eroded by a sharp decline in Google's shares between 2007 and 2009.

The Truth Behind LED TVs

2010-11-11T18:09:00.000+05:30

Is it actually worth the high price or is it better to wait ?

LED backlighting in TVs has been a real boon for end users, while manufactures have been able to create stunningly slim televisions. It also keeps the environmentalists happy since there is no mercury used in LED backlit TVs there by giving you a greener product. We tested quite a few LED based LCD TVs in the past and the difference in power consumption is certainly visible while still maintaining a good brightness level.
The problem with the term "LED backlit LCD" is that it's a bit too long, which does not look good in advertisements and posters. Manufacturers have conveniently eliminated LCD and simply highlight "LED", duping customers into thinking they are LED TVs, which they clearly aren't. Today we'll have a look at the different types of LED LCD TVs currently available that offer improved picture quality over the other or even traditional LCD TVs.
All LED Backlit TVs are not created equal
The first thing that you should know is that not all LED LCD TVs are created equal. Just because the TV may have a sticker that says "LED" on it does not mean you'll get the same performance as the flagship model. Stop and think for a moment, if companies used the same technologies in their high-end and low-end products, no one would look at the higher end models, right?

There are predominantly two types of LED backlighting technologies; Edge-lit LEDs and Full array LEDs. The first batch of LED TVs that came out in 2009 were based on this technology and was first showcased by Samsung. Today you'll find everyone using this technology in their "cheaper" LED LCD TVs. Edge-lit typically means the LEDs are placed around the edge, which allow companies to make slimmer TVs. There are no major advantages in this type of LED LCD over conventional LCDs when it comes to picture quality. In fact there are many uniformity issues with edge-lit LEDs, like certain areas of the TV tend to be brighter than others, which we noticed when we reviewed the Sony ZX1. This is cheaper to produce than Full array LED LCDs, since they use a fewer number of LEDs.
The other technology that can be found on most of high-end TVs of today is Full array LEDs. As the name suggests, there is a full array of LEDs (see pic) sitting behind the LCD panel. This obviously gives you a more even backlighting with little or no uniformity issues. Mid-range to high end models typically have this sort of backlighting, like the Samsung UNC6500 series. In terms of picture quality, there is no real perceptible difference when compared to an LCD. The only advantage here is lower power consumption and again a slimmer profile. The latest crop of LED LCD TVs feature Local Dimming LED technology, which changes the game altogether.

What is Local Dimming LEDs?

LG was the first to push out this technology in India and today almost all major brands have Local Dimming (LD) in their flagship models. LD on Full array LED TVs give you the better picture quality compared to the LD on Edge-lit TVs, which was introduced this year in the Samsung UNC8000 series and LG LE5500 series. The LEDs used here are similar to the Full array models except that the array is broken into different zones and the LEDs in each zone can be dimmed or brightened depending on the scene at hand.

This gives you very good black levels that rival plasmas, since the LEDs in the dark areas can be completely turned off. There is a little catch here though. The side effect of this is a slight blooming effect noticed up close when a brighter image appears suddenly over a dark background. This happens because when displaying a dark background, the LEDs in that area are mostly off and when a bright object suddenly comes into that area, the LED's light up to full brightness and then dim down to the current selected picture mode. This happens very quickly and isn't very noticeable when watching a movie, but if you connect a PC to it with a static background, it's visible.
Despite this, these TV's are capable of delivering the best picture quality among LCD TVs.
Commercial true LED TVs don't exist yet

How would one define a LED TV? It's when a single LED is responsible for illuminating a single pixel on the screen, which is when you could do away with the LCD panel altogether. Today's high-end LED LCD TVs pack in around 1500 LEDs and a typical full HD panel will have around 2 million pixels. So in order for a TV to be classified as a true LED TV, we would have to have 2 million LEDs powering individual pixels, which is simply not possible today, and probably won't be commercially viable for some time.
So you see, no matter how companies try to spin and twist words and create fancy slogans, if a TV uses an LCD panel, it's still an LCD TV and not a LED TV. Sony and LG clearly mention this on their site as LED LCD TV, but Samsung seem to have conveniently dropped the "LCD" from all of their LED TVs, which would easily fool the misinformed.
Aren't LED backlit TV's supposed to be cheap?

Technically LEDs should be cheaper to produce compared to CCFL based LCDs, but our guess is that manufacturers seem to be cashing in on the hype and buzz generated by none other than them. Everybody wants a slimmer TV for easier installation, more bragging rights, etc. and we seemed to have conditioned ourselves into thinking the extra price is justified.
Another reason for LED LCDs being expensive could very well be the manufacturing process not being that mature as yet compared to LCDs.
It's probably cheaper to manufacture an LCD, since this technology has been around for a while now and manufacturing units are more wide spread as compared to LED LCDs, which just started hitting selves a year back.
What the Future holds

In the next three to five years we should be able to see a considerable drop in prices as we adopt newer technology for cheaper and better LED LCD TVs. QD Vision is a company that claims to have developed a breakthrough technology called Quantum dots based on nano technology that is capable of delivering up to 40% more power efficiency and a color gamut over 100% of the NTSC spectrum. This is achievable due to the use of nano sized semiconductor crystals capable of emitting pure red, green and blue light.
You should see this technology hitting LED LCD models of 2011, which isn't far away. If you were on the fence on getting an LED LCD TV then we'd say get the one with Local Dimming LEDs if you can afford it, or else simply stick with a cheaper LCD TV, as the color reproduction will be better than the "cheaper" Edge-lit models. Better still, if you have a well functioning CRT at home, stick with that and take the plunge maybe next year when prices go down south.

Smart Shortcuts To Improve Your BlackBerry Experience

2010-11-11T17:45:00.000+05:30

One of the greatest joys of using a BlackBerry is the number of shortcuts that a power user can use to get tasks accomplished in double-quick time. Want a one-click shortcut to lock your BlackBerry or toggle between vibrate and normal profiles? Or want to go to the bottom of a long e-mail in a single click--it's all possible with your trusted BlackBerry.
Here's a list of some of my favourite BlackBerry shortcuts that can help you get started in case you aren't using shortcuts to improve your BlackBerry experience.

Smarter BlackBerry Use Shortcuts

Quick reboot: One solution during the rare occasion when my BlackBerry starts behaving as if it's under the weather (hanging, performing slowly, low on memory, etc), is to remove the battery and SIM card, wait a few seconds and reinsert. But that's not always easy, especially in a moving vehicle or when commuting. At such times, I prefer a software reset, much like a PC reboot. All you need to do is press your BlackBerry's 'Alt', 'Right Shift' and 'Delete' keys together. Not for folks with thick fingers though; they might prefer the harder option of removing the battery. Also, though I mentioned commutes, let me indemnify myself by mentioning that rush hour Bombay local trains are exempt from any such claims.
'Help Me!' Screen: Need a dashboard on everything related to your BlackBerry, ranging from memory to radio signal strength, uptime as well as identification information such as MAC ID, IMEI, OS version and more? The 'Help Me!' screen is the answer to your prayers. Simply press your BlackBerry's 'Alt', 'Left Shift' and 'H' keys simultaneously.
One-key lock: Some newer BlackBerry smartphone have a dedicated lock key on the top, but for older devices (and even newer ones if you want to use it), the one-key option to lock your BlackBerry is to press the 'A' letter key for a couple of seconds.
One-key vibrate mode: Need to quickly move to vibrate mode in the middle of an important meeting? Simply press the 'Q' key for a few seconds when you are in any alert profile other than 'Vibrate Only.' When you need to switch back, do the same and your BlackBerry reverts to the alert profile you were using earlier.
If you find it cumbersome to type in a long name for a contact you can easily find contacts from your BlackBerry's home screen by typing in the first and last initials, with a space in between. Of course, if you have multiple contacts with the same initials you'll get a list of such contacts.
Would you like to use a special or an accented character? Perhaps to personalise your BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) profile? You can get these by holding the character key and scrolling with the trackball or trackpad.

Messaging and mailbox Shortcuts

To compose a new message press 'C' when viewing the 'Messages' screen.
To go to the top of a message press 'T' when viewing the message.
To go to the bottom of a message press 'B' when viewing the message.
To reply to a message press 'R' when viewing the message.
To reply to all in a message press 'L' when viewing the message.
To forward a message Press 'F' when viewing the message.
To go to the next unopened item press 'U' when viewing the 'Messages' screen.
Press the 'S' key to search for a sender or a word within a subject line, and any mail folder when viewing the 'Messages' screen. When you press 'S' when viewing a message, you can search within that message.
To view your inbox press 'Alt + I' when viewing the 'Messages' screen.
To view your outbox press 'Alt + O' when viewing the 'Messages' screen.
To mark a message as opened/unopened press 'Alt + U' when a message is highlighted or when reading the message.
To go to the top of mailbox press 'T' when viewing the 'Messages' screen.
To go to the bottom of your mailbox press 'B' when viewing the 'Messages' screen.
To go to the next date press 'N' when viewing the 'Messages' screen.
To go to the previous date press 'P' when viewing the 'Messages' screen.

How to: Change iTunes 10 Icon with iTunes 9 Icon

2010-11-11T00:25:00.001+05:30

Once the release of the iTunes 10 in the last Apple Special Event, a lot of people complaint about the new iTunes 10 blue icon, so today I will show you how to change iTunes 10 icon to the old iTunes 9 icon or any other icon.

Step 1: Go to your "Applications" folder then select iTunes.
Step 2: Right click on "iTunes" then select "Show Package Contents".
Step 3: Go under the "Resources" folder and make a copy of "iTunes.icns" on your desktop (for backup purposes).
Step 4: Replace it with the old iTunes icon, download from here.
Step 5:Restart iTunes, Done.

How to Prevent Laptops from Toasting your Sperm?

2010-11-10T17:38:00.001+05:30

A couple of practices that could help you preserve the seed to bear your offspring…..

The Internet is rife with news of studies that suggest that using a laptop on the lap can reduce a man's sperm count. Reuters reported this fact quoting a urologist at the State University of New York, who conducted the tests to see the effect of heat generated at the bottom of most laptops. Thermometers were used to measure temperatures of the scrotum of 29 young men with laptops on their knees. Within a few minutes of use, the scrotal temperature was above what's considered to be a safe limit. This could affect their sperm count thereby reducing their chance to procreate.

There's more - apparently, the effect wasn't so bad when the men kept their legs spread wide apart. Also, laptop cooling pads are apparently not a guarantee to protect damage to your quick-swimmers. So, what can one do to prevent this? If you heavily use the laptop on well, your lap, then you could take these preventative measures:

1) Use it on a desk whenever possible - Not only will this let the heat not affect the sperm, but by keeping it on a desk with the screen facing parallel to your eyes, it will also help to improve your sitting posture. We'd especially advise this while using applications that are intensive on the CPU or the graphics chip (think 3D Studio Max or encoding videos), which are the main culprits that make your laptop heat up more than usual in the first place.

2) Do not charge while using it on the lap - It is an observed fact that laptops tend to heat up while charging.

3) Take a break - Give your heating thighs a much-deserved rest by not continuously using the laptop on the lap for hours. We'd say take a break for a couple of minutes every hour.

4) Use a smartphone - If there are tasks (like responding to e-mails) that can be accomplished via your phone, then you could might as well use a smartphone to do them instead of opening up your laptop.

Tata DoCoMo 3G Tariff Plans Announced

2010-11-10T00:35:00.000+05:30

Tata DoCoMo had launched third-generation GSM telephony services dubbed as 3G Live in India last week. Now, the company has revealed the tariff details for Basic 3G Plans, Data Plans and even Voice+Data plans for consumers in nine Indian circles.
Telecom Talk has put up the tariff plans for TATA DoCoMo's 3G Life services.
Tata Docomo 3G services are available in all the nine circles where it has the 3G license-Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh-Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, UP (West), Punjab, Haryana and Maharashtra-Goa. All plans announced would be effective from November 10 in the aforementioned nine circles. Now let's take a look at different 3G Life plans announced by Tata DoCoMo.
For those who just want to try out 3G Data plans can look out for 3G Data Top-ups which are basic data packs. To begin or experience 3G, one can go for Data Top Up of " Rs. 90 that offers 100MB usage at 21Mbps with a validity of a week. Furthermore if you want to try it out for a month (30 Days) you can go for:
- Rs. 200 Top-up with 200MB usage at 21Mbps
- Rs. 500 Top-up with 650MB usage at 21Mbps
- Rs. 2000 Top-up for unlimited usage at 21Mbps till 15GB of download and then the speed drops to 256Kbps.
Also, a typical Video Call would cost 0.66 paise per second which sums up to almost 0.40 paise per minute. We're sure you'd rather go for video chat over the Internet connection because Video calls over 3G would require more bandwidth. Unless you don't care for the bills, Video calling is going to be a costly affair.
Small Screen Voice and Data Plans:
Meant for 3G supporting smartphones, these plans are available for both Pre-paid and Post-paid Tata DOCOMO subscribers. Check out the plan tariffs below:

- In addition, there is also a plan available only on Prepaid for Rs." 350. This has 500 minutes (Local+STD) and 150 MB of 3G Data
- These minutes can be used for ALL local, STD and outgoing roaming calls-all calls are on a per-second pulse
- The options are designed at various price points to cater to different consumption levels
- The above voice call minutes and 3G Data plans have a validity of 30 days
- Plans available in both Post-paid and Pre-paid, so customers can choose their payment preference
Unlimited 3G Life:
Carefree Internet users who seek blazing fast browsing as well as download speeds without worrying about the bills should take a look at the Unlimited 3G Life Plans.

High Speed 'Unlimited' 3G Data Card Plan for Rs. 2,000 has been announced wherein subscribers would get 15 GB of data usage at a speed of 21.1 Mbps and beyond 15 GB would be free 3G with lower speed of 128 kbps.
Tata DoCoMo certainly is bit costly as compared to the BSNL 3G Plans available today. Now we shall wait for other mobile operators including two telecom stalwarts - Airtel and Vodafone to roll out 3G services and reveal their 3G tariffs in the country.

Moneycontrol.com hacked: Websense

2010-11-10T00:31:00.001+05:30

Moneycontrol.com hacked: Websense

NEW DELHI: India's financial website Moneycontrol.com was hacked last week, as unknown hackers inserted a malicious code inside the website's pages, making visitors to it vulnerable, US based cyber security firm Websense Security Labs said in its security alerts released on Tuesday.
According to the San Diego based Websense, the main Indian site of Moneycontrol.com was compromised and injected with malicious code on November 6, 2010. The injected code redirected users to an exploit website. "Once a user visited the Moneycontrol.com, the malicious code took the user's browser quietly to an exploit website www.Brenz.pl – in a typical "drive-by" attack. Brenz.pl is an exploit site pre-loaded with an exploit kit called Eleonore," says Websense Labs Senior Researcher Elad Sharf.
Exploit kits contain malicious programs which can be downloaded to infect a particular computer. "A list of exploits are delivered to the user's browser once Brenz.pl is visited and any successful attempt of exploitation results with the user being infected with a Trojan called Virut," Mr Sharf adds. Virut is a file infector that targets .exe and .scr files, extensions used for applications and scripts respectively. The site was cleaned up the next day.
Active injected codes can potentially impact a site's performance. When a website is injected with code that leads to an exploit site, visitors generally experience hanged or slow browsers, and often a a browser crash, as well, says Sharf.
Eleonore on the other hand has potential to exploit common vulnerabilities in applications like Adobe Reader, Mozilla Firefox and Internet Explorer.
According to CERT-in, India's Computer Emergency Response Team at Ministry of IT, SQL injection attacks are on the rise. Such an attack is designed to inject an iframe into the website source which will force visitors to download a javascript file, says CERT-in. Many websites have been found infected with such scripts. After successful exploitation, malware such as Trojans are downloaded to the user's system, says the agency. It advises caution even while visiting trusted

10 Things to never post on Facebook

2010-11-08T23:54:00.001+05:30

Wonder how much of personal information is fine on Facebook? Well, an expert tells you the dos and don'ts of being a part of the social networking giant.
Dave Whitelegg said that although Facebook is a fun way to keep in touch with friends and family, it can also be dangerous.
"Posting certain photos or information on the site puts you at risk of being fired, a victim of crime, or even worse. There are computer programmes called 'data mining' that sweep Facebook to collect dates of birth, phone numbers, addresses etc. That's gold dust to criminals," the Sun quoted Whitelegg, an IT security expert, as saying.

Here are the 10 things you should never post on Facebook and why:

Date and place of birth

This places you at massive risk of identity theft. They are the most commonly used security questions on password resetting sites.

Mother's maiden name

A lot of sites use your mother's maiden name to authenticate who you are. They also commonly use the school you went to as a security question.

Address

It again puts you at risk from identity fraud, but also from burglars and stalkers.

Holidays

If you post an update on Facebook saying: "Can't wait till next Wednesday - two weeks in Miami yeh!" you are basically saying: "Come and rob me."

Short trips from home

Again, this can put you at risk of burglary and stalking.

Inappropriate photos

Don't post racy, illicit, offensive or incriminating photos. Bosses and prospective employers are increasingly looking at Facebook pages.

Confessionals

These can also get you fired or haunt you for the rest of your life. Posting you are skiving work, who you are sleeping with, or doing something shameful is just dumb.

Phone number

Unless you want to be bombarded with unsolicited phone calls from people trying to sell you something - don't.

Children's names

These can be used by identity fraudsters or, more sinisterly, by paedophiles. It is much easier to steal a child's identity. An adult will eventually discover something is wrong by, for example, their credit rating being affected. Children won't.

10)

Don't post a full public profile

It won't just exist on Facebook, it will go on any internet search such as Google. Only give the bare bones such as a name. Keep everything else private.

A new virus affecting terminal Android !!!

2010-11-08T23:36:00.001+05:30

Kaspersky has identified a new virus on one of the most popular smartphone operating systems, IOS competitor: Google Android.

The name of the virus is "Trojan-SMS" and can hit all the terminals with operating system Android. To spread the trojan, the crackers are using Russian-language porn sites that appear in the top results in searches on various engines, once entered, any user, on any platform, are invited to download some content, but as for other file is correct, Android users will be sent the virus.
The trojan is disguised as a media player (called pornplayer.apk) into believing that a file is essential to view porn videos on the site. When installing the player on Android, the user is asked for consent to send SMS messages. If this consent is given (no, the installation is successful) and you start the application, the trojan starts sending SMS to a premium-rate number, the user's knowledge. Imagine that each message costs $ 6!
In short, the Trojans are invading smarpthone too, but at the moment, while we have already seen two Android on IOS, with some experiment expert hacker, we are still safe, especially if you have not done the jailbreak.

World's Fastest DX11 GPU.

2010-11-08T23:28:00.000+05:30

According to various sources and with Asus jumping the gun, we now have a fair amount of information on Nvidia’s new offering in the GPU market. With impressive specs and a new cooling solution to boot, the “GTX 580” looks very promising indeed.

Will blow your mind....buts its gonna cost ya

According to semiaccurate.coms's grab from the Asus website , the specs are as follows:
GPU clock frequency: 775 MHz
CUDA clock frequency: 1544 MHz
Memory clock frequency: 4008 MHz
Memory interface: 384-bit
Memory buffer: 1536 MB
Memory bandwidth: 192.4 GB/s
Texture fillrate: 49.4 GTexel/s
But the most fascinating thing is the brand new cooling system which will be employed for the “GTX 580”. The way it works is that water sealed within the chamber gets boiled by the copper plate, which forces it to transfer heat away to the bits that are being cooled by the fan. This is where it cools down and recycles itself back to the boiling plate. Nvidia says this brings down the noise level down by about 7 decibels when compared to the GTX 480. This cooling tech is very similar to Shuttle’s very own ICE CPU Cooler.
Nvidia put up quite a show while announcing the GPU. The Director of Technical Marketing, Tom Peterson gave the audience a stunning new tessellation video with the help of a 'Aliens vs Triangles' demo as well as a segment of gameplay from Call of Duty: Black Ops which was powered by the GPU.
The expected price for the “GTX 580” should be around the $500-$550 mark. Expect more information and analysis as it comes in.

Samsung Galaxy S is Wifi Direct Certified, The First Smartphone On The List

2010-11-05T22:15:00.000+05:30

The Samsung GT-I9000 Galaxy S adds Wifi Direct Certification to its spec list and is one of the first devices, and the first smartphone to be on the certified list. Wifi Direct is a new technology which attempts to remove the need for a router, and two devices can be connected wirelessly to enjoy the transfer speeds of b/g/n. Only one of the two devices have to be Wifi Direct enabled for the process to work. The other smartphone on the certified list is the LG KU5900.

The GT-I9000, just sitting there embracing new technology

For those users who already have the GT-I9000, adding Wifi Direct is easy with a software update. The hardware can stay the same. It is not clear when the device will get this update but it's pretty safe to assume that this feature will soon be added to other smartphones too.

SOURCE: Wifi.org

Tata Docomo Launches 3G Services

2010-11-05T15:10:00.001+05:30

Tata Tele Services GSM Network Tata DOCOMO, today said it would launch its 3G services in nine telecome circles across the country on November 5, the Diwali day. It would become the first private operator to launch 3G services in the country with technology support from its Japanese
partner NTT DOCOMO, the global leader in 3G services, a top company official said here.

Tata Teleservices Limited shall simultaneously launch its 3G services on November 5 in all the nine circles where it has the 3G licence- Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh-Chattisgarh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, UP (West), Punjab, Haryana and Maharashtra, Tata Teleservices Limited Managing Director Anil Sardana told reporters.

“We have been able to complete the ramp-up of our network to support 3G services due to the superb 3G-ready netwrok we created at the time our 2G launch itself, last year. Our 3G rollout across all nine circles will be completed this year itself”, he said.

Tata DOCOMO’s HSPA+ 3G network, set up with the assistance of NTT DOCOMO, supports high-speed internet access with speeds of up to 21.1 Mbps.

The network also supports high-definition voice (HD Voice) for a superior voice experience on calls.

“We will cover 51 per cent of Indian towns with a population of over a million for over a million and 60 per cent of towns that have over half-a-million people. Additionally, our footprint covers 55 per cent households with an annual income of over Rs three lakh and 49 per cent households in the remaining cagtegories”, Sardana added.

Deepak Gulati, Executive President, Mobility Business Division, Tata Teleservices Limited, said “Our 3G srvices will enable richer communications through video calls and SMSs, add the advantage of adding mobility to the power of internet”.

3G devices such as handsets, dongles and tablets, powered by Tata DOCOMO applications and services will be available across 4,000 3G lifezones in the nine circles, he said.

Tata DOCOMO had invested around $500 million on 3G services, he said adding the 3G offering starts off with applications like Video-SMS, Video-Streaming, Mobile Television, Ultra-High-Speed Data Transfers, Route-Finder, Live Aarti and much more. “Our customers can watch 50 TV channels on their 3G handsets to begin with. We will be taking the number to 90 in the coming days”, Gulati said. As an inaugural offering the 3G services will be free till November 11, he said.

Google Offers Cash For Security Bugs In Its Web Apps !!!!

2010-11-05T03:40:00.001+05:30

Smart companies tolerate security researchers who hack their products. Smarter companies pay them for it.

Put Google in that second category. On Monday, the search giant announced on its security blog that it’s expanding its “bug bounty” program, a rewards system that offers payments of up to $3,1337 to anyone who can demonstrate a serious security vulnerability in its software. Instead of merely focusing on Chromium, the open source code behind its Chrome browser, those bounties now apply to the company’s Web application bugs, too.

Any hacker that finds an exploitable bug on a Google site that hosts “highly sensitive authenticated user data or accounts”–domains like Gmail, YouTube, Blogger or any other Google service–can tell Google about the issue privately and earn anywhere from $500 to $3,1337 for especially clever finds. (That 1337 signifies “leet”, semi-ironic hacker jargon for an “elite” practitioner of the digital dark arts.) If any researcher would rather donate their bug bounty to charity, Google is offering to match it.

On top of giving independent researchers an incentive to help eliminate vulnerabilities in Google’s code, the program may also help keep those bugs private before they’re fixed. Google’s rewards come packaged with restrictions on how the researcher can publicize his or her find. “We believe handling vulnerabilities responsibly is a two-way street,” Google’s security team writes. “It’s our job to fix serious bugs within a reasonable time frame, and we in turn request advance, private notice of any issues that are uncovered.”

Google is far from the only bug-buyer on the market: Firefox-creator Mozilla, Verisign’s iDefense, and HP’s Zero Day Initiative all offer bounties for vulnerabilities. (Last month a twelve-year-old earned $3,000 by exposing a bug in Firefox.) But those companies pay for bugs in traditional desktop applications, not Web-based apps. Google’s program doesn’t apply to its client programs like Picasa or Android, but opens the bounty field to common Web bugs like cross-site scripting and cross-site request forgery, weak points that Web-focused security firms like White Hat Security say exist in over 80% of sites.

You can read the full terms of Google’s bounty offer here. And happy hunting.

BSNL Offers Diwali Special Tariff For 3G Data Card

2010-11-05T03:34:00.000+05:30

It's Diwali time and almost every company has one or the other offer running. BSNL has also reduced its tariffs for the festive occasion, offering some of the lowest rates for its 3G data plans.

The offer is available on 3.6 Mbps as well as 7.2 Mbps data cards, and as you can see above, these data cards are also available at a promotional offer price. As per the special offer, all new 3G users will get one free week of unlimited data download, and that is in addition to the other things which are part of the plan being subscribed to. If you do the math, with the six months unlimited plan you can download an unlimited amount of data at just Rs. 700 per month. You also get free national roaming, thus you can take your notebook with the dongle anywhere in the country and use it for high speed Internet access. You can find more information about the offer and about how to apply on BSNL's website.
BSNL's competitors are far behind in the race with most competitors pricing just the 3G dongle for around Rs. 3,500. The BSNL offer has started from November 1 and will be valid for a period of 90 days from that date. BSNL had launched its 3G data cards in March 2009, but this is the best tariff revision since then, a slash of up to 50 percent, which is something that no downloader should ignore.

Porn surfing is a cyber risk !!

2010-11-05T03:22:00.000+05:30

NEW DELHI: Watching porn in the workplace is a risk to the nation's security, the home ministry has warned babus. In a recent advisory to all officials, the ministry's cyber security wing has asked bureaucrats not to click on any external links on their emails as these frequently open to pornographic websites, which are a major source of hacking. The communication also warms against emails with lottery announcements for the same reason.
Sources in the ministry said nearly 2 lakh hacking cases were being reported from different agencies across the country every day. Most of these were taking place from China, Pakistan and some African countries, mainly Nigeria, an official said.
Though the advisory does not specifically mention pornography, officials said porn surfing was common in various ministries.
"Despite repeated warnings by the home ministry, officials of many vital wings of the government keep surfing pornographic sites during office hours using official computers, resulting in penetration of spyware from foreign hackers," a ministry official said.
The home ministry has in the past asked all ministries and departments not to keep any file of strategic importance in internet-connected computers.
There have been reports that foreign hackers recently penetrated the defence ministry's computer system and accessed information related to India's strategic matters.
One such case is currently being investigated by the Army as it involved a major who was posted in Arunachal Pradesh.
He had kept a number of important files in his personal computer, which was linked to the internet. His files had been hacked by Pakistan's ISI, resulting in the leak of vital information.

TATA Docomo's Diya This Diwali - 3G Services !!!

2010-11-05T02:00:00.000+05:30

Tata Docomo, in a statement announcing that they've selected Apalya Technologies as their exclusive Mobile TV partner, also mentioned a loaded sentence. "Tata Docomo today became India’s first private telecom operator to offer 3G services." They had said earlier that they had plans to roll out 3G services in all 9 circles by this Diwali which include Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh-Chattisgargh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh (West), Punjab, Haryana and Maharashtra.

The loaded statement highlighted - Click to enlarge

As part of this announcement, Tata Docomo has also said they're pairing up with Apalya Technologies to provide Mobile TV via Tata Docomo's 3G service. Apalya's Mobile Video Delivery Platform streams video content to consumers, integrating mobile operators billing system, content owners interests and mobile advertising.

Do these guys have the Docomo tune stuck in their head?

Public service providers like BSNL and MTNL have already rolled out 3G service. 3G services enable subscribers to download full length movies, make video calls and watch live television programs.

OlivePad-VT100 gets Android 2.2, sells for 25,990 in Croma

2010-11-05T01:44:00.000+05:30

The OlivePad-VT100 7-inch Android tablet now gets an Android 2.2 update. Hailed as India's first 3G tablet, the OlivePad-VT100 previously came with Android 2.1 and a 7-inch capacitive touchscreen display. The OlivePad Android tablet is currently available in Croma stores across the country.

The OlivePad-VT100 is one of the first Android tablets to release in India earlier this year. Apart from having a 7-inch capacitive touchscreen display, the OlivePad-VT100 also has useful features like Wi-Fi, 3G and GPS support. The tablet comes with a 3MP camera at the back and VGA-resolution front-facing camera.

The Android 2.2-enabled OlivePad-VT100 is now available in Croma stores for a price of Rs. 25,990. Compared to the Samsung Galaxy Tab (priced Rs. 38,000) and Dell Streak (price Rs. 34,990), the OlivePad-VT100 is the most inexpensive Android 2.2 tablet in the market.

MapMyIndia Gets Fancy; Is Integrated Into BMW's Navigation System

2010-11-02T11:03:00.000+05:30

MapMyIndia announced that BMW's Series 7 cars in India will use MapMyIndia maps for their integrated global positioning systems (GPS). BMW India dealership locations and contact details are also mapped in the BMW Navigation Professional to provide access for after sales and service across all locations in India.

The map updates will be available at BMW India dealerships twice a year (maps are updated every six months) keeping the data current and more comprehensive with information on one-ways, turn restrictions etc. and more number of cities at a detailed level. Clearly this is a better idea than using say, Google maps given the way our roads change names, usability and more roads are added.

Mobile Number Portability from Nov. 1

2010-10-26T21:50:00.000+05:30

Finally the long wait will come to an end next month. Yes, the Mobile Number Portability would be made available from Nov 1 onwards said Indian Telecom Minister A. Raja reported The Hindu. After the recent announcement of 3G services by the mobile operators, the Mobile Number Portability's arrival surely promises pleasant days ahead.

A. Raja, Telecom Minister for India, said, "November 1 onwards MNP would be operational partially... We wanted to inaugurate it in Haryana."

Mobile Number Portability facility will let mobile phone subscribers to retain their ten digit phone numbers if they wish to go for different or any mobile operator's service. For instance, if you are Airtel subscriber, then you can retain your number after applying for MNP and change to any other cellular service you want.

Under the MNP process, users will have to apply for number portability and pay nominal fees to retain their ten digit phone number. Licences have been given to Syniverse Technologies and MNP Interconnection Telecom Solutions, a 74:26 joint venture between U.S.-based Telcordia and Deepak Talwar Consultants, to implement MNP in India.

Mobile Number Portability will be rolled out in phases in different regions. Stay tuned for more updates on the MNP facility rollout and other details.

We've noted that few mobile operators have started requesting documents for re-verification and identification. This is applicable to all mobile phone owners who've bought GSM or CDMA connection before Jan 1 this year.

Several consumers have started receiving emails to send across their document copies again. Here's the snippet from the email:

Dear Customer,

In view of the current law and order environment, the Government of India has advised us to update/re-verify the identities and addresses of our customers who have taken their mobile connections before 1st January 2010 (Please refer to ad released in Times of India on 16th September 2010). Therefore, we request you to submit your recent verification documents at any of the document collection centres within next 3 days.

We value our relationship and your prompt response will allow us to continue with the same without disruption.

In case, if we do not get your documents in next 3 days, we will be bound to suspend your service till proper documents are received.
We'd like to apologize and say that pleasant days of using mobile connection aren't here just yet. We're sure many would have to under go loads of issues related to document re-submissions. However, the three day deadline is way too short. What are you thoughts on this move by mobile operators? Do let us know in the comments section below.

Motorola Launches Android 2.1-Powered Touch Tablet QUENCH XT3 in India

2010-10-26T21:44:00.000+05:30

Motorola's ready to launch the QUENCH XT3 Android 1.6 powered mobile phone in India. Turns out, even our sources were misinformed. The official word is in, the QUENCH XT3 is an Android 2.1 powered touch tablet. Read on to find out.

The QUENCH XT3 is Motorola’s only entry-level Android-powered device to date and is 12.5mm thin, weighs 114 grams, and fits into the palm of the hand with a soft-touch finish. It is 116 x 56.8 x 12.5mm. The user can navigate the phone with either the bright, high-resolution 8.1cm (3.2inch) capacitive touch screen, or with just one hand using a trackball.

The device comes with pinch-and-zoom features, 3.5G speed and WiFi connectivity, and a 3 megapixel camera with digital zoom and LED flash.

The Motorola QUENCH XT3 supports the Android platform, a vast range of Google services, and access to more than 100,000 applications and widgets on Android Market. An expanded search function helps the user to keep track of all data on the phone, such as bookmarks, browsing history, contacts and more. It even helps find data in applications. The tablet comes with support for up to 32GB of storage. It supports varied music formats; MP3, MIDI, OGG VORBIS, PCM/WAV, AAC LC/LTP, AAC+, Enhanced AAC+ and video capture / playback / streaming, H.263, H.264, Mpeg-4.

The Android 2.1-powered QUENCH XT3 is available in India at a Best Buy price of Rs 12,990 (MRP: Rs 14,990). With every Motorola QUENCH XT3, get an adidas jacket and 2 pairs of movie tickets absolutely free.

160by2.com Launches iPhone App Enabling Free SMS Facility From 10 Countries to India

2010-10-26T12:05:00.000+05:30

Hyderabad-based 160by2.com has developed and launched an application which enables free SMS from all iPhones. The application is developed in partnership with AhaApps.com, a US based company with a development center in India providing mobile applications for iPhone, Blackberry and Android mobiles.

This recently launched applications has seen close to 3000 downloads and over 1000 registrations from iPhone users. Over 35000 SMSes were sent from iPhones across 10 countries since the launch of the application.

160by2.com users can download the application from iTunes store and the application enables any iPhone located in US, UK, Canada, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, UAE, Kuwait and Saudi application to send SMS for free to any other mobile within India. iPhone users in India can also use this application to send SMS for free to any other mobile within India.

The application is available for free from the iTunes store and can be downloaded by clicking here.

Airtel Promises 3G in India by Year-end

2010-10-25T23:33:00.001+05:30

Are you really excited about the 3G network services?

Following the announcement to launch 3G by TATA DoCoMo and Vodafone, Airtel has promised to bring 3G wireless data services. While major rival Vodafone promised to bring 3G data services by the first quarter of next year, Airtel boldly announced that it will launch 3G by this year-end itself, reported The Wall Street Journal. Bharti Airtel has bagged 3G Spectrum rights in 13 telecom zones out of 22 telecom zones in India. So hopefully, by year-end you can get lucky enough to be the early adopter of 3G services from Airtel.
Tata Teleservices had promised to launch 3G services by November 5 while Vodafone has promised to bring it early next year. Airtel will roll out 3G phase wise in its 13 telecom zones that include key zones such as Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad. So far, the 3G services available from BSNL and MTNL haven't been widely available or adopted. People in several major circles await the roll out of 3G wireless data services at competitive and affordable tariffs.
The 3G services might be costly initially since all major telecom operators have bid in billions to acquire rights in 3G spectrum for India. Also, the infrastructure installation and support services would be increasing weight on their shoulders. Still, it is difficult to say whether one should go for it or not. When 2G data services were introduced in India, a very small number of lucky individuals got to use it for free and still continue to do so. Yes, it's true but don't expect the same for 3G services.
Our question to you all readers would be: Are you ready to take a chance and pay more for the faster data services promised by mobile operators? Leave us a comment and let us know.

Google Android's Gingerbread Update Coming Soon!!!!!!!

2010-10-25T18:28:00.000+05:30

Would be an incremental update to current Android Froyo 2.2

Google has done it again. It has surprised everyone who thought they could crack Google's nomenclature and versioning rules. Following the current Android Froyo 2.2 update, the next major release was rumored as Gingerbread (version 3.0). However, AndroidCentral guys spotted a reply by Android Security Engineer in Google Android Code Issues thread that stated Android 2.3 is a "major release" and this patch will be available then.
Next major Google Android released version 3.0 has been reportedly dubbed as Gingerbread. But before that update arrives, several patch family updates succeeding Froyo 2.2 would be released by Official Android Project Developers. Google Android's "issues" repository carried a Wi-Fi related bug problem thread. In that thread, Android Project Member stated:
"Yes, Android 2.3 is a "major release", and this patch will be available then."
So it's obvious that the Android 2.3 release will be available soon but it's still not clear whether it would be called Gingerbread or something else. But the emphasis on "major release" has surely got us interested.
We did report about Android 3.0 version in works and specific details like at least a 1GHZ CPU, 512MB RAM and a 3.5-inch or larger display (1280x760) were listed too. The Gingerbread update was rumored to be released by the end of this year or early next year.
As of now, it's unclear whether Android 2.3 is Gingerbread update. Google Developers write their own rules to name any update. Watch the official Android Developer video that shows the arrival of Gingerbread Effigy at Google office.

Dell Alienware Aurora ALX: The Boss Of Gaming PCs

2010-10-24T22:22:00.000+05:30

A known fact is that Dell’s Alienware series of gaming rigs are meant for serious gamers and enthusiasts. Not too long ago, we tested one of the most powerful machines, the Alienware Aurora gaming PC, which was quite powerful and offered very good gaming experience, However if you thought that the Aurora was fabulous, think again.

Design
Today we have with us an even more powerful variant, the Alienware Aurora ALX, yes, the one with motorized vents on top of the tower. Now, the design of this machine is almost identical to the previous Aurora gaming rig we tested, expect for the presence of active vents. The entire cabinet is plastic and black in color, except for the stylized translucent acrylic strip at either side that have LED lights behind them.

Features
Calling this machine feature-rich would be a sheer understatement, it’s too powerful to be called just a gaming rig. When it comes to gaming and performance machines, it’s the hardware that makes all the difference. Built around an Intel X58 chispet, the Aurora ALX is powered by an Intel Core i7 Extreme 980X processor, which has six cores, is clocked at 3.33 GHz and has 12 MB L3 cache.

With a hyperthreaded CPU running six cores and 12 threads simultaneously at 3.33 GHz, you can imagine the kind of performance this machine would offer. For the record, the Alienware Aurora ALX is by the far the most powerful machine we’ve tested till date, not only in terms of processing power but also the graphics.

Speaking of which, there are two ATI Radeon HD 5870 graphics cards, in CrossFire, and each of them have 2 DVI ports, an HDMI and a display port. Now these cards, along with the rest of the hardware, seamlessly handle the most demanding games at maxed out settings. Before we start raving about how brilliant the gaming experience is, let’s first take a quick look at the rest of the hardware.

Equipped with a whopping 24 GB RAM (a very rare scenario) the machine has two 320 GB hard drives. The latter is something meager to have in such a powerful machine, as in they might as well could have thrown in atleast two 500 GB drives. Onward, on the front panel you’ll see a series of memory card readers for different formats and a Blu-ray combo drive, so if you’re connecting an HDTV to the machine, it could double up as an HTPC, a very expensive one of course.

At the back of the machine, the ports of the motherboard include 7 USB ports (out of which, one is USB3), an Ethernet jack, six audio jacks and optical out. The machine even has a Kensington lock slot, not that someone can easily just carry the machine. Finally the rig comes pre-loaded with Windows 7 Ultimate.

Spice Mobile launches country's first 3D phone at Rs 4,299

2010-10-24T22:02:00.001+05:30

Handset maker Spice Mobility on Sunday said that it has launched the country's first 3D display mobile phone, View D, priced at Rs 4,299. View D will allow users to experience images and videos in 3D without the 3D glasses, making it very convenient for a common user. "With growing popularity of

3D content and devices, this is one segment we wanted to tap. We have created this new device for people looking for smart mobile phones," Spice Mobility Vice President (Marketing) Naveen Paul said.

The company is looking at selling 20,000-30,000 units per month of View D, he added.

In the competitive domestic market, handset makers are looking at innovations to drive sales.

"One has to keep innovating to offer the market compelling products, but at reasonable price points as India is a price-conscious market," Paul said.

According to IDC, 38.63 million handsets were sold in India during April-June 2010.

Asked about the lack of 3D content in India, Paul said, "In India, 3D is catching up and soon there would be more devices which support 3D and with that content would also come in."

The handset is equipped with a 2.4-inch 3D display screen, two megapixel camera, FM Radio, MP3 player and expandable memory up to 16GB.

View D's screen is designed in a way that allows the user to toggle between a normal 2D or 3D user interface.

It also has a 'remote wipe' feature, which allows users to delete the data stored on their phones remotely, in case of loss of handset.

Targetted at the metros and Tier I cities, the company will also launch a new television commercial along with other promotional activities for the product.

The handset would be available through more than 50,000 retail points, including 750 Spice HotSpot retail stores.

AMD Radeon HD 6770 and 6750 Spec Sheets Are Out (Leaked) exclusively on Haxterslab.

2010-09-30T15:08:00.000+05:30

Top 5 Business Apps For Android

2010-09-24T22:49:00.000+05:30

The Android Market boasts of over 100,000 apps, and more than a billion downloads, but not all of them might be useful. So, here’s a list of the most important business apps I feel you can’t do without, or will definitely need for better decision-making. All the applications featured here are tested on my Motorola Milestone and available in the Android Market. Also, do add your comments if you feel I have missed out on any important apps.
1) Documents To Go
DataViz
Price- Available as Free and Premium Versions ($19.99 or Rs.930)

DataViz used to originally provide Office Documents support only for age-old handhelds and Palm OS. It sure was a long while ago and has now matured and is available on almost all mobile platforms. As is the norm, Documents To Go supports Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Adobe PDF files on your Android-powered smartphone. You can use it to view, edit and create Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint files, as well as view Adobe PDF files. The latest version has complete support for Office 2007 and 2010 for major formats such as docx, xlsx, pptx and so on, with support for multiple languages as well. It is available in both free and premium editions. The difference between the two is that in the free version you can only view documents not create or edit them, while in the premium you can.

Mirror:-

The ‘Android’ Section is starting soon !!!!!!!

2010-09-23T21:39:00.000+05:30

iPhone Awareness! app selectively filters outside noises into your headphones, saves hipster lives.

2010-09-22T18:45:00.001+05:30

Apps are funny things. They tend to provide narrow utility -- focusing intensely on one specific thing -- but once you get used to them, you wonder how you lived without them. Take this Awareness! app, for example: it gauges environmental noise levels, sets up a threshold, and then pipes in anything louder than that into your skull alongside your music. Reasons why you'd want that to happen include oncoming SUVs, mothers screaming because their babies are in peril (from oncoming SUVs), or something as benign as your teacher yelling at you for not paying attention in class. There's a nice set of options too, such as manually adjusting how loud a sound must be to be allowed entry into your cranium, as well as pausing of the app or of your music. Awareness! is available for five bucks on the iPhone and iPod touch, and will soon jump on to the iPad, Android, Symbian, and even the Mac and PC

.Video.

Corsair Dominator GT (GTX6) Breaks Two DDR3 Memory Speed World Records

2010-09-12T12:18:00.001+05:30

Corsair announced that its Dominator GT GTX6 ultra-high performance DDR3 memory was used to set two new world records for dual-channel memory frequency at CAS 7 and CAS 8.

The record-setting frequencies of 3078.2 MHz, CL8-11-8-31, 1T, and 3059.4 MHz, CL7-11-8-31, 1T, were achieved by renowned extreme overclocker “Mat”, aka Matthias Zronek, from www.overclockers.at.

The hardware used included a Gigabyte P55A-UD7 motherboard, Intel Core i7-870 processor, and a pair of Corsair Dominator GT CMGTX6 modules. Corsair’s innovative modular DHX+ technology allowed a Besi Memory-Freezer to be directly attached to the memory heat sinks, enabling benchmarking temperatures as low as -90 degrees C usingliquid nitrogen.

Independent validation of these world record achievements can be found at the CPU-Z validation database—
3078.2 MHz, CL8: http://valid.canardpc.com/show_oc.php?id=1374351
3059.4 MHz, CL7: http://valid.canardpc.com/show_oc.php?id=1374368

BSNL ready for mobile number portability

2010-09-12T12:15:00.000+05:30

NEW DELHI: State-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) Friday said it is ready with the infrastructure to start mobile number portability (MNP) by the scheduled Oct 31 deadline.

MNP will allow users to retain their mobile telephone numbers even if they switch their operators.

"We are ready with the infrastructure and will meet this deadline," said Gopal Das, officiating chairman and managing director of BSNL.

But there are apprehensions that the MNP implementation will be deferred again. It has already been delayed four times. Initially, MNP was to be implemented by December 31, 2009 in all the metros along with the states of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

The deadline was then changed to March 31, 2010 and then to June 30, 2010. The June 30 deadline was again deferred as operators were not ready with the infrastructure to provide the service.

The latest hurdle could be US-based Telcordia Technologies which, reports said, could move court to protect its MNP business ambition through joint venture MNP Interconnection.

The telecom department has served MNP Interconnection a show-cause notice, asking it why its licence should not be cancelled, after the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) rejected its proposal citing security concerns.

Besides MNP Interconnection, the other licencee is Syniverse Technologies India, which has got approvals to implement MNP in India.

The country has been split into two number portability zones comprising 11 circles each and each zone is to be serviced by a separate MNP operator to avoid a monopoly scenario. Reports said the DoT is planning to tweak the MNP guidelines to allow a single company, Syniverse, to roll out its services nationally.

The telecom regulator has ruled out a further delay, saying MNP will be implemented nationwide from Oct 31.

Toshiba Folio 100 Android Smart Pad / Tablet

2010-09-08T16:34:00.000+05:30

We already know that Toshiba is interested in making an iPad alternative and it looks like we have more and more details about the unreleased tablet. Or shall we call it a Smart Pad, as that’s what we’re apparently looking at. Or shall we call it the Folio 100? As that’s apparently the future name of this product!

It’s not that important what this Smart Pad will be called as we’re rather interested in what’s under the hood. So, does this Folio 100 have what it takes to fight the iPad, and any other tablet for that matter?

Toshiba Folio 100 is powered by the NVIDIA Tegra 2 CPU. It runs on Android 2.2 Operating System and features a 10.1 inch Multi-TouchDisplay. The WiFi only version will be available this year and a version with 3G support would be launched in 2011.

Toshiba Folio 100 Specs

CPU: NVIDIA Tegra 2
25.7cm (10.1”) capacitive Multi-Touch display with 1,024 x 600 pixels
Based on Android 2.2 (Froyo)
On-board storage capacity: 16 GB
Bluetooth 2.1 +EDR, WLAN (802.11 b/g/n), Mobile Broadband (available Q1 2011)
DLNA® compatible
1 x mini HDMI®, 1 x USB 2.0 (client and hub), SD/MMC Card Reader
Supports Adobe® Flash Player 10.1
Rotation of displayed content on the screen by accelerometer
Webcam with 1.3MP
Battery life: 7 hours (65% web browsing, 10% video playback, 25% standby)
Weight: 760g
Size: 281mm x 181mm x 14mm
Software (excerpt): Opera Mobile, Toshiba Media Player, FBReader, Fring, Document to Go,Evernote

The Toshiba FOLIO 100 (non-3G model ) will be available in the UK from October this year for 329 pounds

LG's 31-inch OLED spin-slices its way into our cold LCD hearts

2010-09-08T16:20:00.000+05:30

Yeah, we spied a few of LG's new 31-inch, 2.9mm thick displays the other day, but we hadn't seen the standard TV-like configurations -- which don't mean too much, because this is still a prototype, but they're a comfort all the same. We also managed to peep a 3D setup with the screens, which used polarized glasses and was surprisingly sharp. We promised ourselves it would just be a quick look, and that we had important things to do today, and that we really don't need a new TV all that much... but three hours later we found ourselves still planted in the same spot, a small trickle of drool dripping all over our camera gear. When we finally managed to snap out of it, we clicked a few stills and grabbed a video of one of the screens spinning before running out of the LG booth with our eyes shut tight and desire still raging in our heart.

After last year's 15.1-inch beauty, LG partnered it up with a 31-inch beast. It's officially the world's slimmest OLED 3DTV, but that's not saying much when Sony is the only other manufacturer with an OLED 3DTV.

The brief look I had at the OLED showed it was just as bright as their 15-inch model, and super thin too, at 0.29cm thick. The thin silver bezel and polished silver back makes it look very premium—but premium enough to want to spend the $9,000 it's rumored to cost?

BERLIN, Aug. 30, 2010 – At this year's IFA, LG Electronics (LG) is showing its strength in OLED technology with two high-tech masterpieces: LG's newest OLED 3D TV — the world's slimmest — a 0.29cm model boasting a 31-inch screen; and the 15EL9500, the first OLED in the world with a 15.1-inch screen.

Using state-of-the-art OLED technology, LG's OLED TVs dispense with the backlights used on conventional LCD models in favour of a film of pixels that actually produce their own light. Sleek and paper slim, they mark a major leap in television technology, producing pictures of stunning brightness, clarity and contrast.

LG's 31-Inch OLED 3D TV: The Perfect OLED Solution
As the pinnacle of the company's OLED TV range, LG's new OLED TV takes the bril- liant picture quality of OLED technology and transfers it onto a 31-inch canvas. At just 0.29cm in depth, the 31-inch OLED 3D TV is the slimmest TV in the world and displays state-of-the-art picture quality in both 2D and 3D.

With LG's superior OLED technology enabling a Perfect Black Level and an Infinite Contrast Ratio, the new OLED set can project all existing colour levels including the full palette of dark colours thanks to Detailed Gray Scale. In addition, with its Wide Colour Gamut and a No Colour Gamut Shift within varying gray levels, users can enjoy life-like colours under any viewing conditions and from any angle. Topping it all off, the 31-inch OLED 3D TV delivers the very best in smooth and immersive 3D images, as well as superlative 2D images.

With its stunning design, LG's 31-inch OLED 3D TV blends in harmoniously with countertops, bedrooms and practically any home interior. Ultra slim, LG's newest OLED TV uses an innovative mountable bracket that can be installed, moved and rein- stalled on walls or even ceilings with minimal damage to the existing interior. The ex- quisite design further enhances the picture as the screen is practically free from borders, and a seamless glass cover helps deliver even more dynamic images.

In addition to leading in picture quality and design, LG's 31-inch OLED 3D TV also re- tains a cutting-edge in green technology. Made with no harmful materials such as lead and mercury, it minimises pollutant emissions and waste by using fewer parts and mate- rials, and dispensing entirely with liquid crystal, colour filters and backlight units.

15EL9500: LG's First OLED TV
Though more compact in size at 15.1 inches, the 15EL9500 brings with it all the excep- tional picture quality of OLED. With no external sources of light influencing its output, the 15EL9500 can deliver perfect levels of black on an isf certified picture, with up to 1.5 times greater Perceived Luminance than on regular LCD TVs. OLED technology also ensures an even faster video refresh rate, a feature that working in conjunction with TruMotion 100Hz, renders more dynamic pictures and all but eliminates blur from even the fastest sequences.

Accompanying this superlative picture is the 15EL9500's equally remarkable sound quality and design. In addition to the invisible speakers that pump out superb sound – which is further sculpted by the Clear Voice II and SRS Trusurround XT technologies – the 15EL9500's slimness and light weight combine with its folding stand to make it a convenient and stylish addition to any room.

New Apps for iPhone in AppStore

2010-09-08T13:31:00.000+05:30

1.Fotopedia Heritage - Fotonauts Inc.
Travel - Free
Languages – English

Fotopedia Heritage offers you a beautiful way to navigate and discovers tunning imagery from over 800
UNESCO World Heritage Sites around the globe. If something in particular catches your eye, you'll be just one click away from TripAdvisor travel information for the place you're interested in. This title was so great we've made it our App of the Week, its also available for iPad.

2.Fracture - James Alliban
Entertainment - $0.99

Create cubist portraits with your fingers from photos and images in your photo library. We love creating multilayered collages, placing ourselves in the company of Picasso and Braque.

And last but not the least….

infact The Best..

3.Spider Man : Total Mayhem - Gameloft
Games - $6.99
Languages - English, French, Italian, German, Spanish

"Spiderman, Spiderman, Does whatever a spider can…" Capturing the arachnid action and unique humour of the original TV series, enjoy beating up bad guys in free-flowing fights. Master combos, unlock classic comic cells and battle super villains such as Venom and Sandman all in sleek graphics that pay homage to Stan Lee's original comics.

LINKIN PARK - A THOUSAND SUNS

2010-09-08T12:03:00.007+05:30

ARTiST.......: Linkin Park
ALBUM........: A Thousand Suns
GENRE........: Rock
LABEL........: Warner Records
YEAR.........: 2010
RiP.DATE.....: 2010-09-07
STORE.DATE...: 2010-09-14
SOURCE.......: CD
GRABBER......: EAC V0.99 prebeta 4
ENCODER......: LAME v3.97
BiTRATE......: 320 kbps avg
SiZE.........: 109 MB

Track List :
1."The Requiem" ^2:01
2."The Radiance" ^0:57
3."Burning in the Skies" ^4:13
4."Empty Spaces" ^0:18
5."When They Come for Me" ^4:53
6."Robot Boy" ^4:29
7."Jornada del Muerto" ^1:34
8."Waiting for the End" ^3:51
9."Blackout" ^4:39
10."Wretches and Kings" 4:10
11."Wisdom, Justice, and Love" ^1:38
12."Iridescent" ^4:56
13."Fallout" ^1:23
14."The Catalyst" ^5:39
15."The Messenger" ^3:01
Total length: ^47:56

Torrent Link

How to: Send Links From Google Chrome To iPhone.

2010-08-29T16:22:00.000+05:30

Google added a very useful function in Android , a new extension of Google Chrome allows you to send links to your iPhone with one click. you will be simply able to send links, location, Google Maps , Youtube videos and etc. directly to your iPhone.

The extension is very simple to install and use, here is the steps:
Step 1: Download extension from here.
Step 2: Install the extension on Google Chrome.
Step 3: Go to the options of Google Chrome to iPhone then add your iOS device by typing in the URL shown on Chrome to your iPhone Safari (URL is unique), then follow instructions.
Step 4: Done, You will see Chrome icon on your iPhone home screen.
Note: You have to make the previous steps one time, whenever you want to send any link to you iPhone, just click iPhone extension button in Google Chrome, you will get a confirmation that the link has been sent to your iPhone, then go to the Chrome icon on your iPhone home screen to open the link.

How to-Use Facebook Places on your iPhone

2010-08-24T16:56:00.001+05:30

Facebook Places was announced last week for U.S. members on Smartphones including iPhone, Android and Blackberry! If you don't have a one or not in U.S.

then you can't use Facebook Places, We made a quick guide for people who don't know how to use Facebook Places. help you get up, run and share your location!

Facebook Places enables Facebook users to share their location with their friends. When you use "Check In" Facebook will let you know immediately which of your friends have checked in near you, so you will surprise your friend!
Step 1: At first you need to have Facebook for iPhone official app.
Step 2: Once you installed your Facebook for iPhone app, Launch the app and tap on "Places"

Step 3: After touching on " Places" you will be brought to a page which displays all of your friends latest locations. To share your location touch on the “Check In” button at the top.

Step 4: A list of locations will be displayed, most likely including the place that you are at. Simply click on the correct location. If your location isn’t displayed, try searching for it. If it still doesn’t show up, you can add the place by clicking the plus ”+” sign in the top right.

Step 5: The next page will show the location on a map and prompt you to enter details about what you are doing. Once you’ve entered any information that you want to, just click the “Check In” button.

Step 6: After checking in, you may possibly receive a notification like the one above, telling you about friends who checked in at a nearby location.

Now you can use Facebook Places and you will be notified whenever one of your friends who checked in at a nearby location!

Spb Wireless Monitor v.3.1.0 build 1275

2010-08-24T16:52:00.001+05:30

Requirements: WM5-6.5, PPC
Overview: SPB Wireless Monitor is a complete solution for measuring data traffic via all types of connections and calculating network usage costs according to your data plan.

Reports
Analyze your spending
* Time based and per-application reports
* Table and chart view
* Any period
* Export to HTML and CSV
Alarms
Stay within your budget
* Warning when usage limit exceeded
* Traffic and cost limits
* Easy and intuitive configuration
* Any number of alarms
Connections and Tariffs
Assign data plans to your connections. It's easy!
* GPRS/CDMA/3G, WiFi and USB supported
* 500+ pre-defined data plans
* Update tariff database via Internet
* Easy-to-use wizard for custom tariffs
User Interface
Nice and easy to use
* One hand operation
* Adaptive skins adjusted to the main theme color
* Today plug-in
Version 3.1 (Jan 26, 2010):
* Wireless Monitor widget for SPB Mobile Shell added
* Support for Windows Mobile 6.5 added

Spb Wireless Monitor v.3.1.0 build 1275 Download file from depositfiles

Mirrors:
Spb Wireless Monitor v.3.1.0 build 1275 Download file from sharingmatrix
Spb Wireless Monitor v.3.1.0 build 1275 Download file from uploading
Spb Wireless Monitor v.3.1.0 build 1275 Download file from uploaded

11 Companies Tried To Buy Facebook

2010-08-22T23:10:00.001+05:30

Mark Zukerberg the founder of Facebook just announced the earlier month that it already reached 500 million active users, Facebook went live in February 2004, Now I will show you the 11 companies which tried to buy Facebook.

1st offer :In June 2004, an unnamed investor offered $10 millions but the 20-year-old Mark Zuckerberg refused.

2nd offer: Friedster offered to buy facebook, but also refused.

3rd offer: In summer of 2004 Google came to Mark, asked him if he liked to sell the facebook to Google or even work together.

4th offer: In March 2005, Viacom offered $75 million to buy the company.

5the offer: In the spring of 2005, Chris DeWolfe the CEO of MySpace did a meeting with Mark and the facebook stuff if there is a possibly buying the facebook.

6th offer: In January 2006, MySpace's new parent company News Corp had the same idea, Ross Levinsohn met with Mark trying to finish a deal, but Ross still worry about if the facebook will keep up its growth or not.

7th offer: Viacom came back after failure in 2005, Viacom still fall in love with facebook, Mark flew to New York to meet with CEO Tom Freston, but Mark was not interested with the offer.

8th offer:NBC met with facebook, there is no more details about the offer.

9th offer: In the begging of 2006, Viacom back for the 3rd and last time, Mark Zuckerberg told MTV boss Michael Wolf the facebook company worth $2 billion, after a couple of weeks, Viacom sent Facebook $1.5 billion offer ($800 million in cash up front, the rest a payout later). The deal was about to be done, but Facebook wanted a bigger upfront payment, but that was not appreciated in MTV cause Facebook still make a small revenues.

10th offer:In June 2006, Yahoo decided to buy the Facebook, Yahoo offer was $1 billion, the investors of Facebook wanted to sell, but Yahoo lowered its offer to $850 million, so Facebook rejected the offer.

11th offer:In the middle of 2006, AOL decided to buy the Facebook,AOL and Time Inc. plans to sell some companies to offer $1 billion to buy the facebook, but Time Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes was not interested in this idea.

12th offer:In the end of 2006, Yahoo came back with new trial, Yahoo offered $1 billion or more, but the Facebook was opened beyond the college and school students, and the registrations were up from 20,000 a day to 50,000 a day.

13th offer:In the end of 2007, Google decide to invest and buy facebook with the biggest offer which changes the shape of the Facebook company, Google offered $15 billion.

14th offer: In 2007, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer ask Mark Zuckerberg "Why don't we just buy for $15 billion", Microsoft bought a small stake in Facebook according to $15 billion valuation. Microsoft bought 1.6% of Facebook for about $250 million. Microsoft would have the option , every six months to buy another 5% of Facebook. 5 to 7 years will make it 100% owned to Microsoft.

How to create your own Micro SIM card using a chef knife and some scissors

2010-07-31T19:15:00.000+05:30

We told you you could shave down your old and busted SIM cards and turn them into minty fresh Micro SIMs, didn't we? An industrious Londoner by the name of John Benson has gone and proven that concept with the help of some cutting implements and an original Micro SIM to use as a reference. His saintly patience resulted in his being able to negotiate the Vodafone SIM you see above into his iPad 3G(imported from the USA) and riding the waves of Voda's network as if Apple never decided to encumber its portable device with a silly new standard. The 3FF (Micro) SIMs and the bulkier original ones are electrically identical, so there's no threat of harm by using them interchangeably, though we can't say the same thing about the tools that get you there. As always, we advise trying to rope someone else into doing the work for you -- less chance of hurting yourself that way.

Jailbreaking and Unlocking is Now Officially Legal in United States

2010-07-26T22:54:00.000+05:30

The United States government today has announced that jailbreaking and unlockingiPhones, rooting of Android phones and ripping DVDs (for educational purposes) is completely legal as long as they are not violating copyright law. Jailbreaking andUnlocking of iPhones has never been illegal, it was just that Apple had strict policies right from the start which prohibited users from installing apps on their device which were not approved by Apple, along with locking the phone so that it can be used on one carrier only.

So in case you previously had any doubts about getting into legal trouble for jailbreakingor unlocking your phone so that you can run it on multiple carriers, you don’t have to because as of today, it is officially legal in United States to run unauthorized apps, along with unlocking the cell phone to use it on any carrier you like.

Full details of this new DMCA legislation are as follows:

Section 1201(a)(1) of the copyright law requires that every three years I am to determine whether there are any classes of works that will be subject to exemptions from the statute’s prohibition against circumvention of technology that effectively controls access to a copyrighted work. I make that determination at the conclusion of a rulemaking proceeding conducted by the Register of Copyrights, who makes a recommendation to me. Based on that proceeding and the Register’s recommendation, I am to determine whether the prohibition on circumvention of technological measures that control access to copyrighted works is causing or is likely to cause adverse effects on the ability of users of any particular classes of copyrighted works to make noninfringing uses of those works. The classes of works that I designated in the previous proceeding expire at the end of the current proceeding unless proponents of a class prove their case once again.

This is the fourth time that I have made such a determination. Today I have designated six classes of works. Persons who circumvent access controls in order to engage in noninfringing uses of works in these six classes will not be subject to the statutory prohibition against circumvention.

As I have noted at the conclusion of past proceedings, it is important to understand the purposes of this rulemaking, as stated in the law, and the role I have in it. This is not a broad evaluation of the successes or failures of the DMCA. The purpose of the proceeding is to determine whether current technologies that control access to copyrighted works are diminishing the ability of individuals to use works in lawful, noninfringing ways. The DMCA does not forbid the act of circumventing copy controls, and therefore this rulemaking proceeding is not about technologies that control copying. Nor is this rulemaking about the ability to make or distribute products or services used for purposes of circumventing access controls, which are governed by a different part of section 1201.

In this rulemaking, the Register of Copyrights received 19 initial submissions proposing 25 classes of works, many of them duplicative in subject matter, which the Register organized into 11 groups and published in a notice of proposed rulemaking seeking comments on the proposed classes. Fifty-six comments were submitted. Thirty-seven witnesses appeared during the four days of public hearings in Washington and in Palo Alto, California. Transcripts of the hearings, copies of all of the comments, and copies of other information received by the Register have been posted on the Copyright Office’s website.

The six classes of works are:

(1) Motion pictures on DVDs that are lawfully made and acquired and that are protected by the Content Scrambling System when circumvention is accomplished solely in order to accomplish the incorporation of short portions of motion pictures into new works for the purpose of criticism or comment, and where the person engaging in circumvention believes and has reasonable grounds for believing that circumvention is necessary to fulfill the purpose of the use in the following instances:

(i) Educational uses by college and university professors and by college and university film and media studies students;

(ii) Documentary filmmaking;
(iii) Noncommercial videos

(2) Computer programs that enable wireless telephone handsets to execute software applications, where circumvention is accomplished for the sole purpose of enabling interoperability of such applications, when they have been lawfully obtained, with computer programs on the telephone handset.

(3) Computer programs, in the form of firmware or software, that enable used wireless telephone handsets to connect to a wireless telecommunications network, when circumvention is initiated by the owner of the copy of the computer program solely in order to connect to a wireless telecommunications network and access to the network is authorized by the operator of the network.

(4) Video games accessible on personal computers and protected by technological protection measures that control access to lawfully obtained works, when circumvention is accomplished solely for the purpose of good faith testing for, investigating, or correcting security flaws or vulnerabilities, if:

(i) The information derived from the security testing is used primarily to promote the security of the owner or operator of a computer, computer system, or computer network; and
(ii) The information derived from the security testing is used or maintained in a manner that does not facilitate copyright infringement or a violation of applicable law.

(5) Computer programs protected by dongles that prevent access due to malfunction or damage and which are obsolete. A dongle shall be considered obsolete if it is no longer manufactured or if a replacement or repair is no longer reasonably available in the commercial marketplace; and

(6) Literary works distributed in ebook format when all existing ebook editions of the work (including digital text editions made available by authorized entities) contain access controls that prevent the enabling either of the book’s read-aloud function or of screen readers that render the text into a specialized format.

All of these classes of works find their origins in classes that I designated at the conclusion of the previous rulemaking proceeding, but some of the classes have changed due to differences in the facts and arguments presented in the current proceeding. For example, in the previous proceeding I designated a class that enable film and media studies professors to engage in the noninfringing activity of making compilations of film clips for classroom instruction. In the current proceeding, the record supported an expansion of that class to enable the incorporation of short portions of motion pictures into documentary films and noncommercial videos for the purpose of criticism or comment, when the person engaging in circumvention reasonably believes that it is necessary to fulfill that purpose. I agree with the Register that the record demonstrates that it is sometimes necessary to circumvent access controls on DVDs in order to make these kinds of fair uses of short portions of motion pictures.

See Interview with Saurik [Video]

2010-07-25T17:01:00.000+05:30

A few days ago Make Work had the chance to interview Jay Freeman (best known as Saurik), the guy who created Cydia and the jailbreak community as we know it today.

Air Hockey Touch Legendary Game For S60v5

2010-07-25T10:31:00.003+05:30

Air Hockey Touch is finally here! The legendary table game is now available in your pocket anytime you want to play! Responsive touch, good gameplay, and unlimited AI opponents will keep you playing for a long time. Can YOU beat them all ?

Download Link :
Air Hockey Touch Legendary Game For S60v5

Pepsi Finger Football Hero Game For s60v5

2010-07-25T10:10:00.004+05:30

Work your way through the big money world of finger football with this game, which almost doesn ’t play anything like football at all! You’re just one person against the rest but, with grit, determination, and a perfectly formed index finger, you’ll soon have your feet up on the sofa with a cold Pepsi, having achieved everything there is to do in the ‘beautiful’ game. Including 5 levels, power ups, meerkats and literally minutes of teasing addictive fun – we bring you Finger Football Hero!

Download Link :
Pepsi Finger Football Hero Game For S60v5

Nokia Kinetic concept revealed in prototype form

2010-07-24T08:27:00.001+05:30

Impressed by Jeremy Innes-Hopkins' Nokia Kinetic concept the other day? Then take a good look at the image above. That's the actual prototype of the device, which unfortunately doesn't power on (or have anything to power on), but does look remarkably like the previous renders we've seen, and gives us a far better idea of the scale of the device. In case you missed it, the real hook of the concept is an electromagnet in the phone's base that allows it to stand up on cue, and be flipped down to dismiss an action (like an alarm or a video call). We also now know that Innes-Hopkins worked on the project at Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design in London under the tutelage of former Nokia Senior Designer Silas Grant, who was responsible for many of Nokia's premium phones like the 8800 Scirocco. Hit up the gallery below for a closer look.

Update: Just to be clear. This is not an actual Nokia concept, but a project done by Innes-Hopkins for his final year at university -- so don't get your hopes up about it ever going into production.

7-inch Touchscreen tablet for Rs. 1,500

2010-07-23T18:05:00.001+05:30

Usually, it's China that comes to mind when we think of ultra cheap, low cost devices. India, however, for the past few years, seem to be inching forward in designing low cost computing devices.
The latest in this caravan is the new computing device launched by the India's Ministry of Human Resource Development. Priced at just Rs.1,500 ($35), this one is way cheaper than the $75 OLPC (One Laptop Per Child) option. This Rs.1,500 device has the form factor of a tablet and supposedly has a 7-inch touchscreen display. It is capable of browsing the web and comes with a keyboard as well.
The specs look quite decent for something that is priced at Rs. 1,500. How about 2GB of RAM, Wi-Fi connectivity and a USB port? The tablet has been developed by the government in collaboration with premier scientific institutes like the IITs, IISc and VIT, Vellore.

Union Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal revealed that his ministry initially contacted various private sector companies for the development of the tablet. Almost all of them gave a lukewarm response to the proposal following which they contacted institutes for the research and development.
According to The Economic Times, the Ministry of Human Resource Development has plans to reduce the price of this device further down to just $10. If all goes well, we can expect these in the hands of many students by the end of this year.

Difference between iOS 4.0 and iOS 4.0.1 on iPhone 4 Signal

2010-07-23T18:00:00.001+05:30

CNET has done a test on the receipt of two iPhone 4, an updated firmware to iOS 4.0.1 and the other with the first iOS 4.0.

The test was conducted in San Francisco in three different categories of areas:
one with good reception (5 marks), the other receiving media (3 marks) with the last receipt of 0.
Although the test was carried out on AT & T network
What emerged from the test?
What places of maximum reception, the two iPhones on display show the same number of notches (the top panel refers to the iPhone 4 update )

In places where reception is average, however, the iPhone 4 is not updated shows usually 1-2 notches more:

The most interesting thing, though, is that in areas with poor reception, such as garage and basement, with the iPhone 4 on iOS 4.0.1 has always shown at least a notch more than the device:

In practical tests the two phones have behaved in the same way: same call quality. Even where the iPhone 4 on iOS 4.0.1 showed a notch and the other no signal, in both cases it was impossible to call.

Get the New Rupee Symbol On Your PC

2010-07-22T17:27:00.000+05:30

Download it within seconds and use it on MS Word, MS Excel, Lotus Notes, Silverlight, Blend and Visual Studio

With India announcing a new symbol for its currency - Rupee, people have been working overtime to bring it to the next obvious place your PC.
A Mangalore based company Foradian Technologies has already made a new font available for users who would like to use the new Rupee symbol on their computers. While the sign may take time to be adopted by Unicode, that doesn't mean you should not be using the font all the while.
The font, available for download here. Foradian has also posted instructions as to how the Rupee symbol can be used in your computer for various applications including MS Excel, Lotus Notes, Silverlight, Blend and Visual Studio. They even have versions for Linux and Mac users.
Foraadian's posterous blog has all the details you need to use the new Rupee symbol on your PC.

Plextor ships PX-B120U USB-powered Blu-ray drive for $100

2010-07-22T03:35:00.000+05:30

We aren't saying your nifty new netbook can actually handle the stresses of playing back a Blu-ray Disc, but if your USB-equipped laptop has the oomph, Plextor has a new device to bring the spoils of BD to your previously lackluster machine. The new PX-B120U is a USB-powered BD-ROM drive, which not only plays back Blu-ray flicks but also burns DVDs and CDs of the blank variety. The standout feature, of course, is the ability to function entirely off of USB power, with no extra AC cabling needed. Furthermore, the device can be converted into a living room player when connected to the forthcoming PlexMedia, and while we wouldn't expect a wealth of extras, the $99.99 MSRP is shockingly tempting.

How to: Install Mac OS (Snow Leopard) on Windows 7 Using VirtualBox

2010-07-17T16:07:00.000+05:30

hink most of you need to Install Mac OS X on his Computer / Laptop, You may need Mac OS to Run PwnageTool, iPhodroid and many things in Web compatible only with Mac, So here's a Step by Step guide which will Enable you to Install Mac OS X Snw Leopard on Windows Using VirtualBox [Free], But needs a fast computer!

Required:
- Intel or AMD processor which supports hardware virtualization
- OSX86 iso, Get it off of torrents if you don’t have one.
- VirtualBox, Can be Downloaded from Here.
- Windows 7, Vista or XP installed as host operating system.
Steps:
Step 1: Launch VirtualBox you Downloaded previously, Then click on "New" to create a new Virtual Machine in VirtualBox

Step 2: Give a name for your Virtual Machine, for Example "OSX", Choose "Mac OS X Server" from the dropdown menu and Click on "Next"

Step 3: Now, Assign your VM some Ram, In the tutorial here we made it "1500MB"

Step 4: You have to create a new Hard Disk for your VM, it should be about 20GB. If you choose Dynamic, it will expand on use and Static will be a fixed 20GB no matter how much data is actually in it.

Step 5: Click on "Settings" then "System" from the left panel, and unCheck the option "Enable EFI (special OSes only)"

Step 6: Now from the left panel, Select "Storage" then on "Empty", Now click on the folder with the green arrow on the right

Step 7: In this Step, Click on "Add" at the top, then add the OSX86 iso you already downloaded, Now highlight it and click Select at the bottom. Then click OK and start

Step 8: As it starts up, click inside the window and hit F8. Then at the boot: prompt type–v so you can see what exactly went wrong if something does go wrong. All the services will run and eventually you should come to the language screen. Choose your language and then click next. If you are unable to move your mouse around then hit Right-Ctrl + I. Click Continue and Agree, and then start Disk Utility found in Utilities menu at the top.

Step 9: In this window, click on "20GB VBOX HARDDISK", then click on "Erase", In the name box write what you want then Click on"Erase" at the bottom. Once done, quit the Disk Utility so that you return back to the installer.

Step 10: Now Click on "OSX" Partition and press on "Continue"

Step 11: Now Click on "Customize" at the left bottom and check the following:
For AMD Users check,
Any Updates included at the top.
Drop down Kernels and choose Legacy kernel.
AMD option below System support.
For Intel Users,
Any Updates included at the top.
Drop down bootloaders and check the newest chameleon.
Drop down Kernels and choose Legacy kernel.

Then click Next done and Install. To speed up the process you can click Skip when the disc check pops up.
Step 12: As soon as it says installation finished and starts counting down to restart press the Right-Ctrl and then click on Devices at the top and hit CD/DVD Devices and click Unmount CD/DVD Device. Then click Machine and Reset then click reset at the prompt. Next you’ll see the Chameleon loader and then OSX will begin to boot.

Meh! After rebooting you should now be running Mac OS X Snow Leopard Working under Windows 7 / Vista / XP [via Lifehacker, Redmondpie, Tek411]

Jailbreak Tools

2010-07-17T16:03:00.001+05:30

BlackRa1n

RC3
RC2
RC1

PurpleRa1n

RedSn0w

QuickPwn

PwnageTool

Sn0wBreeze

V1 (+ .NET Framework 3.5 required to run Sn0wbreeze)

WinPwn

ZiPhone

3.0
2.6b

BootLoaders

BL 3.9
BL 4.6

All Apple Firmwares (iPod, iPhone and iPad Firmware Download)

2010-07-17T16:01:00.000+05:30

Note 1: When you download the required firmware below, you can shift-click (on PC) or option-click (on Mac) the Restore or Update Buttons in iTunes.
Note 2: Your browser may change the ipsw-file into a zip-file. In that case, just rename it to end in .ipsw and iTunes will accept it.

First: iPod Firmwares
1G/2G (1/1.5) iPod_1.1.5.ipsw
3G (2/2.3) iPod_2.2.3.ipsw
4G (10/3.1.1) iPod_10.3.1.1.ipsw
4G (4/3.1.1) iPod_4.3.1.1.ipsw
4G Photo/Color (11/1.2.1) iPod_11.1.2.1.ipsw
4G Photo/Color (5/1.2.1) iPod_5.1.2.1.ipsw
5.5G (25/1.3) iPod_25.1.3.ipsw
5G (13/1.3) iPod_13.1.3.ipsw
5G (20/1.3) iPod_20.1.3.ipsw
Classic (24/1.1.2) iPod_24.1.1.2.ipsw
Classic 2G (33/2.0.1) iPod_33.2.0.1.ipsw
Classic 3G (160 GB) (35/2.0.4) iPod_35.2.0.4.ipsw
Mini 1G (3/1.4.1) iPod_3.1.4.1.ipsw
Mini 1G (6/1.4.1) iPod_6.1.4.1.ipsw
Mini 2G (7/1.4.1) iPod_7.1.4.1.ipsw
Nano 1G (14/1.3.1) iPod_14.1.3.1.ipsw
Nano 1G (17/1.3.1) iPod_17.1.3.1.ipsw
Nano 2G (19/1.1.3) iPod_19.1.1.3.ipsw
Nano 2G (29/1.1.3) iPod_29.1.1.3.ipsw
Nano 3G (26/1.1.3) iPod_26.1.1.3.ipsw
Nano 4G (31/1.0.4) iPod_31.1.0.4.ipsw
Nano 5G (34/1.0.2 34A20020) iPod_1.0.2_34A20020.ipsw
Shuffle 1G (128/1.1.5) iPod_128.1.1.5.ipsw
Shuffle 1G (129/1.1.5) iPod_129.1.1.5.ipsw
Shuffle 2G (130/1.0.4) iPod_130.1.0.4.ipsw
Shuffle 2G (131/1.0.4) iPod_131.1.0.4.ipsw
Shuffle 2G (133/1.0.4) iPod_133.1.0.4.ipsw
Second: iPhone / iPod touch / iPad
iPad (3.2/7B367) iPad1,1_3.2_7B367_Restore.ipsw
iPhone (1.0/1A543a) iPhone1,1_1.0_1A543a_Restore.ipsw
iPhone (1.0.1/1C25) iPhone1,1_1.0.1_1C25_Restore.ipsw
iPhone (1.0.2/1C28) iPhone1,1_1.0.2_1C28_Restore.ipsw
iPhone (1.1.1/3A109a) iPhone1,1_1.1.1_3A109a_Restore.ipsw
iPhone (1.1.2/3B48b) iPhone1,1_1.1.2_3B48b_Restore.ipsw
iPhone (1.1.3/4A93) iPhone1,1_1.1.3_4A93_Restore.ipsw
iPhone (1.1.4/4A102) iPhone1,1_1.1.4_4A102_Restore.ipsw
iPhone (2.0/5A347) iPhone1,1_2.0_5A347_Restore.ipsw
iPhone (2.0.1/5B108) iPhone1,1_2.0.1_5B108_Restore.ipsw
iPhone (2.0.2/5C1) iPhone1,1_2.0.2_5C1_Restore.ipsw
iPhone (2.1/5F136) iPhone1,1_2.1_5F136_Restore.ipsw
iPhone (2.2/5G77) iPhone1,1_2.2_5G77_Restore.ipsw
iPhone (2.2.1/5H11) iPhone1,1_2.2.1_5H11_Restore.ipsw
iPhone (3.0/7A341) iPhone1,1_3.0_7A341_Restore.ipsw
iPhone (3.0.1/7A400) iPhone1,1_3.0.1_7A400_Restore.ipsw
iPhone (3.1/7C144) iPhone1,1_3.1_7C144_Restore.ipsw
iPhone (3.1.2/7D11) iPhone1,1_3.1.2_7D11_Restore.ipsw
iPhone (3.1.3/7E18) iPhone1,1_3.1.3_7E18_Restore.ipsw
iPhone 3G (2.0/5A347) iPhone1,2_2.0_5A347_Restore.ipsw
iPhone 3G (2.0.1/5B108) iPhone1,2_2.0.1_5B108_Restore.ipsw
iPhone 3G (2.0.2/5C1) iPhone1,2_2.0.2_5C1_Restore.ipsw
iPhone 3G (2.1/5F136) iPhone1,2_2.1_5F136_Restore.ipsw
iPhone 3G (2.2/5G77) iPhone1,2_2.2_5G77_Restore.ipsw
iPhone 3G (2.2.1/5H11) iPhone1,2_2.2.1_5H11_Restore.ipsw
iPhone 3G (3.0/7A341) iPhone1,2_3.0_7A341_Restore.ipsw
iPhone 3G (3.0.1/7A400) iPhone1,2_3.0.1_7A400_Restore.ipsw
iPhone 3G (3.1/7C144) iPhone1,2_3.1_7C144_Restore.ipsw
iPhone 3G (3.1.2/7D11) iPhone1,2_3.1.2_7D11_Restore.ipsw
iPhone 3G (3.1.3/7E18) iPhone1,2_3.1.3_7E18_Restore.ipsw
iPhone 3G S (3.0/7A341) iPhone2,1_3.0_7A341_Restore.ipsw
iPhone 3G S (3.0.1/7A400) iPhone2,1_3.0.1_7A400_Restore.ipsw
iPhone 3G S (3.1/7C144) iPhone2,1_3.1_7C144_Restore.ipsw
iPhone 3G S (3.1.2/7D11) iPhone2,1_3.1.2_7D11_Restore.ipsw
iPhone 3G S (3.1.3/7E18) iPhone2,1_3.1.3_7E18_Restore.ipsw
iPod touch 1G (1.1/3A101a) iPod1,1_1.1_3A101a_Restore.ipsw
iPod touch 1G (1.1.1/3A110a) iPod1,1_1.1.1_3A110a_Restore.ipsw
iPod touch 1G (1.1.2/3B48b) iPod1,1_1.1.2_3B48b_Restore.ipsw
iPod touch 1G (1.1.3/4A93) iPod1,1_1.1.3_4A93_Restore.ipsw
iPod touch 1G (1.1.4/4A102) iPod1,1_1.1.4_4A102_Restore.ipsw
iPod touch 1G (1.1.5/4B1) iPod1,1_1.1.5_4B1_Restore.ipsw
iPod touch 1G (2.0/5A347) iPod1,1_2.0_5A347_Restore.ipsw
iPod touch 1G (2.0.1/5B108) iPod1,1_2.0.1_5B108_Restore.ipsw
iPod touch 1G (2.0.2/5C1) iPod1,1_2.0.2_5C1_Restore.ipsw
iPod touch 1G (2.1/5F137) iPod1,1_2.1_5F137_Restore.ipsw
iPod touch 1G (2.2/5G77) iPod1,1_2.2_5G77_Restore.ipsw
iPod touch 1G (2.2.1/5H11) iPod1,1_2.2.1_5H11_Restore.ipsw
iPod touch 1G (3.0/7A341) iPod1,1_3.0_7A341_Restore.ipsw
iPod touch 1G (3.1.2/7D11) iPod1,1_3.1.2_7D11_Restore.ipsw
iPod touch 1G (3.1.3/7E18) iPod1,1_3.1.3_7E18_Restore.ipsw
iPod touch 2G (2.1.1/5F138) iPod2,1_2.1.1_5F138_Restore.ipsw
iPod touch 2G (2.2/5G77a) iPod2,1_2.2_5G77a_Restore.ipsw
iPod touch 2G (2.2.1/5H11a) iPod2,1_2.2.1_5H11a_Restore.ipsw
iPod touch 2G (3.0/7A341) iPod2,1_3.0_7A341_Restore.ipsw
iPod touch 2G (3.1.2/7D11) iPod2,1_3.1.2_7D11_Restore.ipsw
iPod touch 2G (3.1.3/7E18) iPod2,1_3.1.3_7E18_Restore.ipsw
iPod touch 3G (3.1.1/7C145) iPod3,1_3.1.1_7C145_Restore.ipsw
iPod touch 3G (3.1.2/7D11) iPod3,1_3.1.2_7D11_Restore.ipsw
iPod touch 3G (3.1.3/7E18) iPod3,1_3.1.3_7E18_Restore.ipsw
Update 1: iOS 4 is available for Download:
Download iOS 4 for iPhone 3GS - iPhone2,1_4.0_8A293_Restore.ipsw
Download iOS 4 for iPhone 3G - iPhone1,2_4.0_8A293_Restore.ipsw
Download iOS 4 for iPod Touch 2G - iPod2,1_4.0_8A293_Restore.ipsw
Download iOS 4 for iPod Touch 3G - iPod3,1_4.0_8A293_Restore.ipsw
Download iOS 4 for iPhone 4G - iPhone3,1_4.0_8A293_Restore.ipsw
Update 2: iOS 4.0.1 available for Download
Download iOS 4.0.1 for iPhone 4
Download iOS 4.0.1 for iPhone 3GS
Download iOS 4.0.1 for iPhone 3G
Update 3: iOS 3.2.1 for iPad available for Download
Download iOS 3.2.1 for iPad

Iphone 4 Antenna Song

2010-07-16T23:17:00.001+05:30

No Nimbuzz for Windows Mobile starting July 1

2010-06-03T21:05:00.000+05:30

Nimbuzz has announced that it would no longer be developing its IM client for Windows Mobile based devices. In a blog post on the official company blog, Nimbuzz says that starting July 1, the Windows Mobile version of the IM client will no longer be available for download on the Nimbuzz website. They add that should you already be using Nimbuzz on the platform, support for the app will continue till end-2010. There will be no feature additions or updates from the current version of the client.
According to Nimbuzz, the decision to stop development on the app was due to "platform limitations" and because the application was not delivering a great mobile experience like on all the other mobile operating systems. With Microsoft too concentrating on the upcoming Windows Phone 7 platform, it seems news like these will arrive with increasing frequency in the months to come.
It is unclear if Nimbuzz will come up with a version of its client for Windows Phone 7 devices.

Touchtwit v1.7

2010-06-03T17:07:00.000+05:30

Requirements: PPC WM6 - Your phone must have a touch display.

Overview: With It’s easy to view your Twitter timeline, messages, replies, favorites and lists.
TouchTwit has a Powerful Tweet-update screen that lets you write Tweets, upload photos and videos,
short url's and include your GPS coordinates. And TouchTwit is always finger-friendly!

Date: 2010-05-20 / Version: 1.7
- "Could not verify signature"-bug fixed
- crash caused by big avatar bitmaps fixed
- displaying the api-call limit
- search history added (combobox in the search form)
- retweet-api now supported
- location-api now supported
- lists-api now supported
- more-menu gots a new design
- now its possible to upload PNG’s
- GPS fetching bug fixed
- alternative-scroll-mode bug fixed
- copy-, past- and select all-function in all textboxes
- trend-parser optimized
- video-service changed to TwitVid.com
- clean cache function added
- new statistical functions:
- Show all people you are following, but who are not following you.
- These people are following you, but you are not following them back.
- These people are following you, and you are following them back.

System Requirements
Operating System: Windows® Phone (Mobile) with version 6.0 or higher.
Device:: Your phone must have a touch display.
You need the .NET Compact Framework 3.5 on your Windows® Phone.

Compatible display resolutions:
240x320 (QVGA)
240x400 (WQVGA)
480x640 (VGA)
480x800 (WVGA)

Download

Google Maps Gets Biking Directions

2010-03-11T23:57:00.000+05:30

Google Maps has added a new option to its Google Maps service where users would be able to get details regarding bicycle directions and routes.
Google Maps already supported public-transit, walking directions and automobile driving directions, and with the bicycling community calling for Google to add bike routes for quite some time, it was inevitable that Google had to come up with this. Pertinent to note is that this service is extremely limited in nature and currently encompasses only over 150 cities across the US.

Google has added information about bike trails, lanes and recommended roads directly onto the map. This can help the user get a better sense of their route, or let the user find trails nearby for a recreational ride. The Maps also has a "Bicycling layer where the user will see three types of lines appear on the map:

Dark green indicates a dedicated bike-only trail;
Light green indicates a dedicated bike lane along a road;
Dashed green indicates roads that are designated as preferred for bicycling, but without dedicated lanes.

The routing suggested for cyclists is designed to avoid freeways and high-traffic areas, and to select gentler terrain by routing around hills. To make it even more useful for riders on the go, Google expects to have a mobile version available in the near future, as well. Get more information here

HTC Smart Coming to India Soon

2010-03-11T23:54:00.002+05:30

According to folks over at CellPassion, the Taiwanese company's first BREW based handset - the HTC Smart - is all set to be launched in India by the end of this month.

The HTC Smart was earlier known as the Touch.B and was thought to be a "dumbphone", making it the first ever non-smartphone from HTC. HTC, as you might be aware, has only been known to produce Windows Mobile and Android OS based smartphones. The company however claims that instead of being just another dumbphone, the Smart can be called a smartphone for the masses. It was first seen at the recently concluded CES and comes with a decent spec-sheet, except for the fact that both Wi-Fi and GPS are missing.
Being the smartphone for the masses, it was only logical that the Smart should come to a country like India first where a mass-market phone has a lot of potential. HTC is reportedly planning to invest about $1 million for the Smart's launch in India. The HTC Smart is likely to be priced under the Rs. 10,000 barrier and might compete with the likes of the Corbys and the Cookies of the world. It also has in its sight the entry level Nokia touchscreen handset, the 5233.
After its launch in India, the phone will also head westwards towards Europe, most probably by early April.
Here's a brief run down on the specifications of the Smart:

2.8 inch QVGA touchscreen display
GSM and HSDPA connectivity
Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP
3.5mm headset jack
3MP camera with flash
HTC ExtUSB (11-pin mini-USB 2.0)
300 MHz processor
256MB ROM and 256MB RAM
MicroSD card support
1100 mAh battery
104 x 55 x 12.8 mm
108 grams

SPB Mobile Shell 5.0 Arrives, Brings Support for Symbian and Android Along

2010-02-21T13:53:00.000+05:30

February 15^th, 2010 – SPB Software, a leading mobile applications and games developer announces the release of SPB Mobile Shell 5.0, a major upgrade to the world's bestselling mobile application, popular among both end-users and OEMs. Unlike all the previous versions of SPB Mobile Shell available exclusively for Windows Mobile smartphones with touchscreens, version 5.0 is to be released for Android, Windows Mobile and Symbian. Thanks to the new portable SPB UI Engine, SPB Mobile Shell is planned to be spread to more mobile platforms.

Major updates to the new version include a new 3D engine and an improved social networking integration. The former means support for new types of eye candy effects such as 3D Media Player, 3D Photo Viewer, 3D Weather, dynamic 3D widgets and more, while the latter involves message, contacts, photo and status sync with popular services, namely Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

One important innovation in SPB Mobile Shell 5.0 is the Natural Interaction Engine which includes support for G-sensor and multitouch, a dedicated Feedback Engine providing realistic visual and haptic responses, and a Physics Engine responsible for the real-world behavior of all objects.

SPB Mobile Shell has been publicly recognized as the best-selling mobile application across all smartphone platforms for three consecutive years: 2007, 2008 and 2009. At the same time SPB Mobile Shell enjoys popularity among mobile carriers and OEMs. It's been shipped to over 15 device manufacturers, including Sony Ericsson, Toshiba, and O2. To make implementation process even smoother, we have added SPB UI Builder 2.0 a tool-chain for easy customization of SPB Mobile Shell and other products that are built using the SPB UI Engine. It includes APIs for pluggable components, the skin builder and a set of plug-ins for integration with industry strength design products such as 3DMAX and Microsoft Expression Blend.

What's new in SPB Mobile Shell 5.0:

New 3D engine
Natural Interaction Engine
3D widgets
Tight integration with Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and other social networks
SPB UI Builder 2.0
Multi-platform support: Android, Windows Mobile, Symbian

PS3 to get 3D Video in 3.20 Firmware

2010-02-15T17:09:00.001+05:30

Last week, SCEA director of hardware marketing John Koller stated that a firmware update for PlayStation 3 would bring 3D-stereoscopic gaming and 3D Blu-ray movies. Surprisingly, few images of PlayStation 3.20 debug firmware grabbed by VG247 show '3D Video Output' as an option. Apparently, this 3.20 firmware update is now with the PlayStation 3 developers and no official confirmation date of firmware's arrival has been flagged.
Obviously it's a bit too early to conclude anything since 3D TVs are hardly available in market and Sony also hasn't confirmed any date or specific time period for releasing the respective firmware update for PS 3.
Everybody knows that the 3D Video playback and 3D gaming supporting firmware is basically pointless unless a 3D TV is used along with it. At this moment, the PlayStation 3 firmware is resting at 3.15 and we don't know when would the next firmware update arrive.
Sony will make its 3D capable BRAVIA HD TVs available next month and that's when we can expect the PS3 firmware 3.20 update to come out.

MSBTE Diploma Result 2009 -2010: Maharashtra State Board of Technical

2010-02-14T20:46:00.000+05:30

MSBTE Diploma winter result 2009

Result of Winter-2009 Examination will be declared during 4th week of Feb-2010.
Exact date will be declared soon. All concern should take a note of the same.

Direct link to results:

www.msbte.com/mainsite/resultsadv.php/

www.msbte.com

ATI HD5670

2010-02-13T23:20:00.001+05:30

Continuing with their "Sweet spot" strategy, ATI has launched their mainstream graphics card codenamed Redwood, which comes right on schedule. Today we have with us in the labs the HD5670, which is the fastest of the mainstream cards in the 5600 series. The numbering system of this new card makes one think that it's a replacement for the current hot favourite, the HD4670. However, the folks at ATI have told us that it's actually released to fill the gap between the HD4670 and the HD4770. Therefore, we are looking at possible performance levels of the 9800GT or HD4830.
Another first for ATI and the industry is the incorporation of GDDR5 memory in the HD5670, which is supposed to be a mainstream card. Finally, since this has to appeal to power conscious users who will likely not bother to upgrade their PSU, the TDP is well under 75Watts thereby eliminating the need for an extra 6-pin power connector. Next, let's have a quick look at the specifications below.

From the specifications, it becomes clearer why ATI have positioned this card above the HD4670. Apart from the faster GDDR5 memory, which gives you almost twice the bandwidth, it also has 80 more shader cores which should by itself help boost the performance. The clock speeds are also bumped up slightly and of course this being a 5xxx series card, we have 40nm fabrication for lower temperatures and DX11 support.
We did not receive any bundle since this was a review sample, but by now you know what to expect.

Design and Build

Putting it against the HD4670, it's almost of the same size with a very similar cooler. This is a single slot card that will easily fit into almost any cabinet an average user may have at home.

The reference card came with one DVI port, HDMI and DisplayPort. The actual retail card may carry the same connections or may choose to change them depending on the manufacturer.

The heatsink is just a small block of copper with a fan to cool the core and memory chips.

Testbench
Note: Due to the change in Testbench and operating system , we had to re-run all the game benchmarks for all the cards. For the HD5670, the cards easily available to us were the HD4670 and the 9600GT, which is what we've compared this with. In the future reviews, we will be updating all the currently available cards with these new benchmarks.
CPU: Intel Corei7 940 (Bloomfield) @ 2.93 GHz with Intel Turbo Boost Enabled
Motherboard: ECS X58B-A2
RAM: 3 x 1GB DDR3 1600 MHz Kingston HyperX
HDD: Hitachi 500GB SATA II (7200 rpm)
PSU: CoolerMaster 1000W
Monitor: Viewsonic G90fB monitor (19-inch, Max Res. 1920 x 1440)
OS: Windows 7 Ultimate
VGA Driver: Catalyst 8.9 RC3 (Beta drivers for Redwood)

3DMark 06

3DMark Vantage

FarCry2
We used the FarCry 2 benchmark tool 1.0.0. We used the following settings;

Ranch Medium
Render Quality - Very High
Performance - High

Crysis Warhead
For this benchmark we used the Avalanche stage to record our benchmark. We used the following settings;

Gamer Preset
DX 10

World In Conflict

The High Conflict graphics quality preset was chosen and the AA and AF settings were changed in the Advanced Graphics section. 4x AA and 16x AF were selected after benchmarking with no AA and no AF. Filtering and AA were set as Application Controlled in the drivers.

H.A.W.X
This is the latest aerial combat game from Tom Clancy called H.A.X.W. All the settings were set to their maximum with DX10.1 enabled for ATI cards. Anti-Aliasing was kept at 4x, since 8x was too much for any card with 512MB of RAM. However, for graphics cards with 1GB and more memory, we have used 8x AA.

DIRT 2
DIRT 2, which is the first game to support DX11, is the perfect candidate for the new generation cards. For this test we turned all settings to High and took three readings. One without AA, one with 4x AA and the third with 4xAA and Post Processing set to High, which is only available on DX11 cards. We ran this game on three popular resolutions and this is what we got.

All High Settings
Post Processing - Medium

Resident Evil 5

All settings were set to High and we ran the Fixed Benchmark.

Analysis

The result is sort of a mixed bag here, which is quite confusing actually when ATI claims the HD5670 is lot more powerful than the older HD4670, but in reality it's not that big a lead. World is Conflict is probably one game where the HD5670 races past the HD4670 at a lower resolution, but apart from that it's just 10-15% faster. The 9600GT on the other hand gives it quite a tough competition, something which we didn't expect. Let's see how well it does on the power and overclocking front. I will say this though, if you plan on gaming at 1280x1024, then it's better than both the HD4670 and the 9600GT, especially in games like FarCry 2 where it was almost twice as fast as with the AA cranked up.
Overclocking and Power Consumption

ATI's Overdrive utility is your best bet if you want to try your hand at overclocking. We were able to get a stable core speed of 840MHz and around 1050MHz (4200MHz effective) for the memory. While this gave us a small bump in the Synthetic scores, when it comes to real world gaming, the increase of a few FPS is not going to make any difference. So you really needn't bother with it as you'll only be increasing the heat and putting undue stress on the card.
Power Consumption

Compared to the HD4670, the HD5670 consumes 4% less power, thanks to the smaller fabrication.

Temperature

The operating temperatures are in check as well with the card idling around 49C and it shoots up all the way to 70C while running the FurMark stability test. This is a bit high actually since we were using an open Testbench and the office temperature was around 25C.
Pricing

Since this is a mainstream card, for it to be successful the ideal price would be a little under 5K given its performance. In India the HD5670 will sell for roughly 6K, which is the price you would get after converting the US dollar price along with taxes. But after this we also have the dealers who will want a sizeable cut, but the amount will entirely depend on the brand and the distributor.
In a month or so when the prices settle, if the HD5670 is available for 5K or less then it would be a better choice compared to the HD4670 and the 9600GT.
Verdict

ATI is about to complete their entire range of Cypress card, and come February, we'll see the tail enders also launching their cards to cater to the HTPC and entry-level gamer segment.
The HD5670 has many things going for it that make it a very attractive buy over the 9800GT. For instance, it's the first mainstream card to adopt GDDR5 memory, doesn't require an extra power connector, is built on the 40nm fabrication and supports DX11. Even though it won't beat the 9800GT, it's not that far behind. When you consider the games that use DX10.1 and DX11, this is where the HD5670 has the upper hand, as it helps boost the frame rate while giving you a better overall picture quality.
But in terms of pure performance, the card is not that impressive as we hoped it would be after comparing it to the older and cheaper alternatives. Hopefully, once the price drops and it settles for a little under 5K then it will be a good buy.
Test unit sourced from AMD

3D Update for Sony PlayStation 3 Soon

2010-02-13T22:58:00.002+05:30

Sony is prepping up to bring 3D-stereoscopic gaming for PlayStation 3 this summer. The company has confirmed that PlayStation 3 will get stereoscopic 3D enabling firmware update later this summer, reported Pocket-lint. Apart from that, Sony also spoke about an app store for PS3 and the console's capacity to hold 1TB storage.
Sony has been one of the TV makers who're pushing for 3D Display technology. With Sony BRAVIA 3D TVs shipping this summer, the company will also push a 3D enabling PlayStation 3 update to play 3D-stereoscopic games and watch 3D Blu-ray movies.
John Koller, director of hardware marketing for Sony Computer Entertainment America, said, The amazing thing about the PS3's technology is that all PS3 units that exist in homes and markets will be able to play 3D stereoscopic games as well as 3D BD movies through separate firmware upgrades - something that other platforms are unable to do. The game titles would be announced later obviously. Also, the much anticipated Motion Control technology is due this year.
Koller also boasts that PlayStation 3 Slim's design was capable of holding up to 1TB of storage since now it was made more easily accessible for the users.
Maybe this is Sony's way to compete with Microsoft's Project Natal gaming which is expect by the end of this year. This year-end would bring some innovative technologies Project Natal vs Sony's 3D-stereoscopic gaming with Motion Control. Not to forget, the 3D Bravia TV sets would seriously burn a hole in the pocket.

Best iPhone/ iPod Touch Games

2010-02-13T17:58:00.001+05:30

It's time you loaded your iPod Touch/iPhone with some of the best games currently available. These range from simple games, which are free, to some great racing and first person shooters. The best thing is that there are demo versions of all these games for you to download and try first. So lets get on with the list.

Asphalt 5 (Paid)

If you've ever owned a Symbian S60 phone then I'm sure you're no stranger to Asphalt. The latest version is Asphalt 5 and its here for the iPod Touch/iPhone. You get the same selection of exotic super cars and get to drive in various locations around the world. The graphics has been tweaked a bit with better modeling done on the cars and the environment. You can also play your favourite tracks from your music collection, thanks to the in-game music player. Gameloft have fixed some minor bugs that were present in the earlier version- like the difficulty in cop chase mode in the new v1.5.5.

Hangman Classic (Free)

Remember playing this game in school on the last pages of your notebook? Now relive those memories with Hangman Classic. The latest version 1.3 adds more words to the list like Fruit's & Vegetables, girls and boys names. A must-have game for your iPod Touch.

Topple 2 Plus (Free)

This great pastime game is now free, giving you the same features as Topple 2. But with the added Plus Network you can now create an online profile.

Bejweled 2 (Paid)

This is by far one of the top most paid apps on iTunes and version 2 adds a brand new game mode called Bejeweld Blitz. This puzzle game may not be to everyone's liking, but if you liked it on the PC, you'll love this version too.
The Deep (Paid)

By far one of the best version of pinball currently available. Forget about the standard style pinball you're used to playing. The Deep features varying camera angles that follow the pinball where ever it goes making it more engaging. It has been updated to version 1.2, which adds a Save/Restore feature and some new themes.

Doom Resurrection (Paid)

Id software's most popular game hits the iPhone giving you the very same creepy and gory experience you had on the PC. In the new v1.1 refresh they've added a new game mode called Challenge mode with 40 unique challenges and a new bonus map.

Yeti Sports Lite (Free)

This is the free version of Yeti Sports which includes penguin throw. This favourite flash game can now be enjoyed on the go!

Block Breaker Deluxe 2 (Paid)

For just a dollar, this is one of the best versions of Block Breaker released by gameloft. Great graphics, plenty of mayhem, countless rounds of block breaking action at your finger tips!

Auditorium (Paid)

This is a unique and award-winning puzzle game that created waves when it was released as a browser game and now is here on the iPhone/iPod Touch. The goal of the game is to build a harmony by channeling musical notes through different bars to complete the tune. There is also a free version known as Auditorium Lite that lets you play through few of the levels.

Need For Speed : Undercover (Paid)

The PC version may have sucked big time but the iPhone version is actually good. There is the same cop chase mode, tones of tweaking options and good graphics.

Pocket Tanks (Free)

Pocket tanks is one of those really fun games to pass away the time. It tests your judgment skills as you fire away crazy weapons to take down the tank on the other side of the hill. There's even an option for multiplayer, where you can play with your friend on WiFi.

Metal Gear Solid Touch Lite (Free)

This is the free version that includes some of the levels in the full game. If you're a fan of the MGS series then this is certainly for you.
So what are you waiting for, plug in that iPod Touch/iPhone and get gaming!

XFX intros Radeon HD 5670 Graphics Card

2010-02-13T00:07:00.000+05:30

XFX has introduced new ATI Radeon HD 5670 GPU based graphics card in 512MB GDDR5 and 1GB GDDR5 video memory options. XFX Radeon HD 5670 promises more fun with more realistic 3D gaming experience as it is capable of running latest DirectX 11 games. Also comes along full HD 1080p viewing experience with this new ATI Radeon HD 5000 series of graphics cards. XFX ATI Radeon HD 5670 will be offered in two versions: 512MB GDDR5 memory version for Rs. 6,500 and 1GB GDDR5 memory version for Rs. 7,500.
With due support for Microsoft Windows 7 operating system, this new XFX Radeon HD 5670 features 800 stream processor

. Based on 40nm technology made ATI Radeon HD 5000 series graphics core this card features ATI Stream Technology that includes support for DirectCompute 11, OpenCL and Accelerated Video Transcoding. Hence, one can game smoothly and also perform video transcoding tasks in lesser time.
XFX Radeon HD 5670 graphics card supports OpenGL 3.2 and is also compliant with DirectX 11 and previous versions. This graphics card is also ready to be used in multi-GPU CrossFireX configuration and supports ATI Eyefinity technology that allows adding more than two displays. One can add up to three displays using HDMI, DisplayPort and twin dual-link DVI ports.
PCI Express 2.1 support also arrives with this card and it also features ATI Avivo HD video and display technology. This graphics card will have GPU Core clocked 775MHz, memory clocked at 4000MHz and uses 128-bit memory interface. The HD displays can show up to 2560x1600 pixel resolution using this card. Also, the HDMI 1.3 support will ensure full Blu-ray and PVR experience. For the full high-definition audio experience, this graphics card supports Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD.
Touted as best of both worlds, XFX Radeon HD can be chosen with difference GDDR5 video memory configurations. However, the difference of Rs. 1,000 is the decoy between both versions of the same card.