Nokia Lumia 520 priced at Rs.10,499 in India

Back in late March, Finnish giant Nokia went on to announce the launch of the Nokia Lumia 520 smartphone in the Indian subcontinent and the smartphone is to be available in the county in early April.

And now, the Windows Phone 8 OS running smartphone has been priced officially at Rs.10,449 on the Nokia India Shop making it the cheapest Windows Phone 8 smartphone out there and will be available in Black, Cyan, Red, White and Yellow colour options.

The Nokia Lumia 520 arrives with a 4-inch display with a resolution of 800 x 480 pixels, which is also super sentitive and can also be used with finger nail and even when you have worn gloves. The smartphone is powered by a 1 GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor coupled with 512 MB of RAM while the internal storage is pegged at 8 GB which can be expanded up to 64 GB using a microSD card. Users will also be able to enjoy 7 GB of SkyDrive cloud storage.

The Nokia Lumia 520 packs a decent 5 MP Autofocus camera on the rear which is capable of recording 720p HD videos but there is no front camera on the smartphone. All of this is powered by a 1430 mAh battery which should keep you going for all day long.

Nokia Lumia 520 Specifications:

• 4-inch display
• Resolution of 800 x 480 pixels
• 1 GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor
• 512 MB RAM
• 8 GB internal memory
• 7 GB SkyDrive storage
• 5 megapixel rear camera
• Windows Phone 8 OS
• 1430 mAh battery

Twitter may generate $1b in ad revenue in 2014

Twitter’s ad revenue is expected to skyrocket in 2014. The social network has seen a huge rise in mobile advertisement revenue, and is expected to continue on with that momentum throughout the next year. According to eMarketer, 53% of Twitter’s ad revenue comes from mobile advertisements alone. That’s a huge percentage, especially considering that Twitter generated nothing from mobile advertisements back in 2011.


eMarketer expects that Twitter’s ad revenue will be around $582.8 million this year, with $308.9 million of that revenue coming from mobile ads. That figure will leap all the way to $1 billion next year. In 2015, that number will jump up 33% to $1.33 billion, with an expected 60% coming from mobile advertisements. Twitter, like Facebook, sees the significant revenue mobile devices can bring to its service.

Twitter’s targeted marketing and its improved reach are appealing more and more to advertisers. It had also recently launched an advertisement API that allows marketers to develop more effective marketing tools, and that allows advertisers to shell out more relevant ads to a better targeted group of users. Tests with the API showed a significant boost in user engagement as well as an increase in brand followers.
$1 billion in revenue doesn’t seem too far off, especially since the company has just officially announced that is has 200 million users who tweet out an average 400 million tweets per day. Twitter is also getting ready to launch its own standalone music app that should draw more users to its service. The service will stream music through SoundCloud and will provide users a more personalized music experience. The service browses for music artists through the user’s “following” list, and will also have a list of emerging, popular, and trending songs available for the user. The service will be available for users without Twitter accounts as well, however, they have to sign up for the social network if they want to experience personalized music.

Microsoft finally approves cheap 7- and 8-inch Windows 8 tablets, might merge Windows RT with Blue

It has taken almost six months, but Microsoft has finally given the green light to low-resolution (1024×768), 7- and 8-inch Windows 8 tablets. In related news, Microsoft’s Windows RT woes continue, with a supply chain rumor that RT will be merged with Blue, due to an almost complete lack of consumer interest. Both of these stories highlight just how poorly Microsoft is doing in the tablet market — which, if we factor in Windows Phone’s continued apathy, and the steady decline of the desktop PC market, is a rather big issue.
When Windows 8 and RT launched, Microsoft’s OEMs were forced to release devices with a minimum resolution of 1366×768. The theory behind this decree was that Metro apps need at least 1366 pixels of width to be usable side-by-side, using Windows 8′s “snap” feature. In fact, if you install Windows 8 yourself on a device with less than 1366×768 resolution, you can no longer snap apps. The problem with this resolution, though, is that it’s no good for cheap-and-cheerful 7- and 8-inch tablets — which is unfortunate for Microsoft, because it is this section of the tablet market that is currently enjoying the most growth.

There is a reason that the iPad Mini has a 1024×768 display, and why the Kindle Fire HD and Nexus 7 have 1280×800 displays: Price and aspect ratio. Small tablets are doing well because they’re considerably cheaper than their 10-inch brethren (half the price in some cases), and because they’re comfortable to hold in both portrait and landscape orientation. The simple fact of the matter is that 1024×768 panels are cheaper than 1366×768, and because they’re lower resolution you can get away with less backlighting, weaker hardware, and a smaller battery. If you have ever held a 10-inch 16:9 tablet (such as, well, any Windows 8 tablet), you will know that, a) It’s painful to hold in one hand, and b) Portrait mode is good for looking at photos of skyscrapers, and bad for everything else. 16:9 is good for two-handed landscape use, but that’s about it; for watching movies, and reading websites and e-books, you really want 4:3 or 16:10.
This is why Microsoft has finally allowed OEMs to produce 1024×768  (4:3) Windows 8 tablets: It desperately needs a piece of the tablet market, and it seems like the 10-inch Windows 8 and RT tablets aren’t going to deliver as much of the market as Microsoft expected. (See: The $200 Windows 8 tablet will change everything.) As an interesting aside, Microsoft has already hinted that the Surface and Surface Pro are just the beginning, and that there could be a Surface Mini on its way. The relaxed resolution requirement and the lower price point of small tablets would suggest that the Surface Mini will have a 1024×768 display.

Windows Blue Start screen, with new smaller tiles

Which brings us neatly onto Windows RT. If the upstream supply chain is to be believed, Microsoft will retire the Windows RT brand and merge it with Windows Blue — the upcoming service/feature pack for Windows 8. According to the source, general confusion around what Windows RT actually is, and Microsoft failing to communicate the differences between the ARM and x86 editions of Windows, has “significantly damaged demand” for Windows RT. This seems to jibe with Samsung’s move to not launch a Windows RT tablet in the US and to pull its Windows RT tablet out of several European markets citing a lack of demand.
As for how Windows RT will be merged with Blue, who knows. Windows RT is essentially already merged with Windows 8 — the codebases are the same, and they share compatibility with every Metro app. The only real difference is that Windows RT doesn’t support Desktop apps, and that’s more of an intrinsic issue with ARM than the operating system. One exciting, outside possibility is that Windows RT will actually be retired. This might sound a bit stupid given the current lay of the land — ARM is still the better choice for mobile computing — but… what if Microsoft is already experimenting with Intel’s next-generation Atom parts? The upcoming Bay Trail Atom is a brand new, quad-core 22nm SoC that should blow the doors off every ARM chip on the market. It’s due out at the end of 2013… around the same time as Windows Blue…

iPhone 5S to launch June 20, go on sale July, claims report

Apple will unveil its next iPhone on June 20 and kick off sales in July. At least, that's the claim from Japanese Mac enthusiast site MacFan.
Marking its 20th anniversary as a Mac-oriented Web site, MacFan suggests that the next-generation iPhone will take the stage at a Apple event on Thursday, June 20. The new iPhone will then go on sale a few weeks later in early July, as reported by Electronista.
The report further claims that Apple will launch the much-rumored low-cost iPhone in August and target it as a pre-paid device for developing markets such as China and India.
Electronista dubs the rumor plausible but doesn't indicate where or how MacFan got its information.
A June or July launch timeframe for the iPhone 5S has been proposed by other Apple watchers and even a couple of analysts. Apple did release the original iPhone and the iPhone 3G, 3GS, and 4 during the June and July period and only switched to fall for the iPhone 4S and 5.
How does MacFan's claims stack up with other recent rumors?

• Apple analyst Gene Munster expects the iPhone 5S to launch in late June, followed by the low-cost model in the September quarter.
• KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes Apple will announce the next iPhone in June and offer it for sale in July.
• Japanese Apple blog Macotakara said earlier this month that production of the next iPhone had already gotten off the ground.

MacFan's report does echo those of other sources, though it's gone farther out on the limb by suggesting a specific launch date. And like most rumors, that one should be taken with a grain of salt.
A June 20 event would come hot on the heels of Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference, which typically runs throughout the second week of the month. In the past, Apple actually used WWDC to announce new iPhone models, including the iPhone 4, 3GS, and 3. So, if Apple returns to a June iPhone launch, an announcement during this year's WWDC seems the more likely timeframe.
Whatever the date, a summer debut for the next iPhone could be a good strategic move on Apple's part.
Apple launched the iPhone 5 last September in large part to end its September quarter with a bang.
But the company then proceeded to unveil a new iPad, the iPad Mini, a new iPod Touch, and other refreshed products in October. If Apple continues to stack all its product launches in the fall, it leaves the company with little to announce the other three quarters of any given year.
Apple could generate even more attention for its new products if it spaces out the launches throughout the year, in essence a return to its older strategy.

As Nexus 7 goes on sale, Samsung drops Galaxy Tab 2 prices

Earlier this week, the Nexus 7 went on sale on the Google Play Store and became the first Nexus device to be sold through that channel in India.

Priced at Rs 15,999, the Nexus 7 is indeed an interesting proposition and perhaps the first real competitor to Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 2 range, at least in terms of price. So naturally, Samsung has reason to be worried.

The Korean company responded by dropping the price of the Galaxy Tab 2 310 from Rs 23,000 (price at launch) to Rs 16,250 while the Galaxy Tab 2 311, which went on sale only recently, can now be had for Rs 12,750. The Galaxy Tab 2 311 is a Wi-Fi-only affair, whereas the Tab 2 310 can make and receive video calls as well as surf on 3G networks.

Now available for a bargain

As always, you could find them for cheaper at online as well as grey market retailers. Both tablets come with 7-inch displays with a 1024 x 600 resolution. The displays themselves are of the PLS TFT LCD variety. Under the hood, 1GHz dual-core processors give both tablets enough oomph, while the 1GB of RAM only adds to the power.

Both have 3 megapixel fixed focus rear cameras, VGA front-facing cameras and 4000 mAh battery. The Tab 2 310 comes in 8, 16 and 32GB storage options while the Tab 2 311 has 16GB of internal storage, which is expandable up to 32GB with a microSD card.

The Galaxy Tab 2 311 launched with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, something the Tab 2 310, which shipped with Android 4.0 when it launched, also has now thanks to a software update. Connectivity wise, both tablets support Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n bands, have USB 2.0 ports and are good for Bluetooth as well.

The Nexus 7 is undoubtedly the big competition for Galaxy Tabs in India now. And with Google opening up the doors for Nexus devices, the next-generation Google-approved tablets will most likely also arrive in India soon after they are announced. This could be one of the major reasons why Samsung has severely cut down the prices of its tablets.

We can also expect such aggressive pricing for the company’s Galaxy Note 8.0, which will launch in India as the Galaxy Note 510. The iPad mini rival will also face competition from the Nexus 7, so we can expect pricing to be around the Rs 20,000 mark. The tablet, which can also make voice calls, comes with an 8-inch display with a 1280 x 800. It’s powered by a 1.6GHz quad-core processor and has 2GB of RAM. There are two internal storage options to choose from for potential Galaxy Note 8.0 buyers – 16 and 32GB – but the tablet comes with microSD card slot for cards up to 64GB. On the back is a 5-megapixel camera, while a 1.3-megapixel unit does duty on the front face.

Apple iRadio coming this summer, says record label executive

Spotify and the likes, you have reason to worry. We have word that Apple’s own music streaming service iRadio is looking dead on for a summer release.

Buried in a feature on The Verge is an interesting paragraph that says negotiations between Apple and several major record companies are ongoing and that the Cupertino company is in the advanced stage of talks with two of the market leaders – Universal and Warner. Needless to say, if Apple manages to wrangle a deal with those two, the other players are bound to follow in the fear of missing out on a good thing.

Will iRadio bury the competition?

At the moment, it is unclear if the radio service will debut with the next iPhone or will be a separate launch. Here’s the tale from the source: “Much has been written about Apple's plan to launch a Pandora-esque service this year. Now multiple music industry insiders have told The Verge that significant progress has been made in the talks with two of the top labels: Universal and Warner. One of the sources said ‘iRadio is coming. There's no doubt about it anymore.’ Apple is pushing hard for a summertime launch.”

Earlier this month, reports said Apple was offering half the royalty that Pandora, another popular music streaming service, pays. Apple wants to pay 6 cents per 100 song streams while Pandora currently pays 12 cents per 100 plays.

Reports also said that Apple was in danger of missing the 2013 launch deadline because of the difficulties in the negotiation of royalty rates with record companies. This latest bit of news on the subject would now suggest that Apple has managed to once again use its clout and charisma to make headway.

MacRumors follows up with more speculation saying mention of Universal and Warner is particularly of note since Universal was the last of the major record labels to sign up with iCloud and Warner has been known to be wary of cloud-based services in the past.

Google could eventually end up being Apple’s biggest rival in the music streaming service. The search giant has also been in talks with record labels over a possible streaming service that will be integrated into YouTube. Google has reportedly clinched a deal with Warner on the hush-hush, and the service is slated for a summer launch as well. Brace yourself for a musical next few months.

Facebook Testing 'Post-From-Any-Page' Button

Facebook is testing a new button on the top of its homepage that allows users to post directly to Timeline regardless of what page they're on.

The button was first spotted by Mashable reporter Alex Fitzpatrick Friday morning. After clicking the button — which resides at the top right-hand side of any Facebook page, next to home button and the small icon of a user's profile picture — a prompt pops up that looks very similar to the one we're used to seeing for posting a Facebook status.

Because it lives on the top bar, you can access it even when you're visiting another profile or brand page. In the picture below, you can see he is on my Facebook page yet he can still post directly to his. Typically, you have to be on the homepage or your own page to post a status update.

 The new feature was spotted on a page that has yet to be switched to the new Facebook news feed or be given access to Graph Search, its smarter search engine. We haven't seen any other pages with the feature just yet.

iOS 7 jailbreak supposedly already in the works

With an iOS 6 jailbreak now out and about, developers are starting to think ahead to iOS 7. We’ve already heard from Evad3rs team member David Wang (a.k.a. Planetbeing) about the chances of jailbreaking iOS 7, and according to him, it’ll most likely be a slow battle to find the exploits in iOS 7. However, another well-known jailbreaker has stepped up and pointed out that he has a solution.


Joshua Hill (a.k.a. p0sixninja, who’s a member of the Greenpois0n dev team) took to Twitter and said that, from the looks it, “the next jailbreak might be created entirely by [him].” He followed up with that statement saying that “Evad3rs haven’t gone anywhere,” and he claims he “just discovered all the needed exploits…over the past few months.”
The latest version to be jailbroken is iOS 6.1.2, which means that iOS 6.1.3 still has to be exploited, as Apple as specifically called out the Evad3rs dev team and patched up the exploits needed to jailbreak. At that point, Wang says he doesn’t know if a jailbreak will be released for iOS 6.1.3, and iOS 7 may be just as hard to break into.
Of course, we’re not sure if Hill is simply pulling our leg or if he’s actually being quite serious, but considering that he’s a reputable dev team member, it’s very likely that he’s telling the truth. Either way, iOS 7 hasn’t even been announced yet, so it’s too early to tell exactly how easy or hard it will be to break into iOS 7.

Sri Lanka auction paves way for launch of first nationwide 4G mobile network in South Asia

Sri Lanka auctioned a block of airwaves to become the first country in South Asia to roll out a full nationwide mobile fourth-generation (4G) network, a top official said Friday.Anusha Palpita, the Director General of the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission, said he allocated the airwaves to Sri Lanka's largest cellular operator Dialog Axiata for $26.25 million on Thursday.
He said Dialog, the Sri Lanka unit of Malaysia's Axiata, will roll out a 4G mobile network that will allow users to download content from the Internet at speeds four to five times faster than the currently available 3G.
"We will be South Asia's first with a (country-wide) mobile 4G/LTE (Long Term Evolution) network," Palpita said.
Right now, Sri Lanka already has fixed-line telephone 4G in key cities, but the new mobile 4G network will allow users to access high-speed Internet with their hand-held devices across the country.
The 4G network is expected to be rolled out "shortly", said Palpita, noting the infrastructure is already in place.
He added that the money raised from the spectrum sale Thursday was the highest ever earned from an auction of airwaves.
Sri Lanka became the first country in South Asia to introduce mobile phones in 1989 and the first to roll out a 3G network in 2004.
But Palpita said that a vast majority of mobile phones in the country were still older 2G handsets.
The five mobile phone operators in Sri Lanka are being encouraged to switch over to newer technology for its increasing mobile phone connections, which now outnumber its population of 20 million, he said.

BlackBerry reports surprise Q4 profit; 1 million Z10s sold

BlackBerry announced better than expected Q4 results and a return to profitability on Thursday, driven by demand for its new touchscreen Z10 device, which the company had hoped would hold the key to a successful turnaround for the smartphone maker. The company said it had sold about 1 million of the new Z10 device and shipped roughly 6 million smartphones in the quarter ended March 2. Net income in the quarter was $98 million, or 19 cents a share, compared with profit of $9 million, or 2 cents a share, a year earlier. The company had earlier said it expects to break even in the current quarter despite increasing spending on marketing.

"To say it was a very challenging environment to deliver improved financial results could well be the understatement of the year," Chief Executive Thorsten Heins said during a conference call with analysts. Heins said more than half of the people buying the touch-screen Z10 were switching from rival systems.

At the BlackBerry Z10 launch

"I thought they were dead. This is a huge turnaround," Jefferies analyst Peter Misek said from New York. The company has credited higher average selling prices and higher margins for devices. "This is a really, really good result," Misek added. "It's off to a good start." Eric Jackson, founder and managing partner, Ironfire Capital LLC, which owns BlackBerry shares, said "All in all I'm happy because I think the majority seemed to be expecting the world to cave in on them and that didn't happen. They blew away expectations on the bottom line. They're pretty good at managing their business and grinding all the profits out of it that they can. They probably underestimated the impact the core cost reduction program was going to have on the business."

The Z10 is critically important to the survival of BlackBerry, formerly known as Research In Motion. The device and its underlying BB10 operating system are intended to compete with modern touch-based smartphones such as the iPhone and various models based on Google Inc's Android operating system. BlackBerry's own keyboard-based smartphones and previous versions of its software have steadily fallen out of favour with buyers.  The BlackBerry, pioneered in 1999, had been the dominant smartphone for on-the-go business people and other consumers before the iPhone debuted in 2007 and showed that phones can handle much more than email and phone calls. RIM faced numerous delays modernizing its operating system with the BlackBerry 10. During that time, it had to cut more than 5,000 jobs and saw shareholder wealth decline by more than $70 billion.

The BlackBerry Z10 in black and white.

The 1 million Z10 phones were above the 915,000 that analysts had been expecting. Details on U.S. sales are not part of the fiscal fourth quarter's financial results because the Z10 just became available there last week. The Z10 has received mostly favorable reviews since its release, but the launch in the critical U.S. market was delayed until late this month.  A version with a physical keyboard, called the Q10, won't be released in the U.S. for two or three more months. The delay in selling the Q10 complicates RIM's efforts to hang on to customers tempted by the iPhone and a range of Android devices. Even as the BlackBerry has fallen behind rivals in recent years, many users have stayed loyal because they prefer a physical keyboard over a touch screen. Heins said the Q10 will sell well among the existing BlackBerry user base. It's expected in some markets in April, but not in the U.S. until May or June.

Brian Colello, a senior equity analyst at Morningstar, said "I think the encouraging thing is that BlackBerry was still able to sell a good portion of older models [and] generate solid service revenue during the transition. I think that will be important in terms of cash balance and profitability."

However, revenue fell 36 percent to $2.7 billion, from $4.2 billion. Analysts had expected $2.82 billion. Despite the BlackBerry 10 sales, RIM lost about 3 million subscribers to end the quarter with 76 million. Bill Kreyer, a tech analyst for Edward Jones, called the subscriber decline "pretty alarming." The company also announced that co-founder Mike Lazaridis will retire as vice chairman and director.

Lenovo announces S920 with Android 4.2, 5.3-inch HD display and more

Chinese manufacturer Lenovo has just taken the wraps off the S920, which is all set to take on the mid-ranged segment. As with any Lenovo handset, the price is going to be crucial here and we can expect the smartphone to be decently priced when it is made available in global markets.
The company sadly hasn't given out any info on the smartphone's global availability, so there's a certain amount of doubt regarding that. But given the kind of demand mid-ranged phones have in countries like India, it would be a wise call to roll it out globally. Lenovo impressed us all with the K900 at CES this year and promised more such phones will arrive this year, so this might be one of them.
To speak about the device itself, the smartphone packs a 5.3-inch HD display, along with 1GB of RAM, a MediaTek branded 1.2 GHz quad core processor which is the exact same make as the one used with the Micromax Canvas HD.
Further, the Lenovo S920 also packs an 8MP rear camera on the back accompanied by a 2MP front facing camera. An average 2,250 mAh battery is on board, which should be barely enough to last a day given the heavy credentials of the phone.
Running the show on the S920 is Android 4.2 which is currently the latest iteration of Android, along with Lenovo's custom skin. The internal storage is not known yet, but not to worry as the smartphone packs a microSD card slot.
Considering it's using the same chipset as the Micromax Canvas HD, we can speculate that this won't go heavy on the customers' wallets.
It's a competitor to the Canvas HD in many ways, if at all it makes its way to the country. So let's hope we get to see the two tussle it out in the highly competitive Indian market.

IDC: Windows Phone outsold iPhone during Q4 in Argentina, Russia, South Africa, Ukraine, India, and Poland

Yesterday Microsoft posted that, according to IDC, Windows Phone outsold Apple’s iPhone in seven countries during the fourth quarter of 2012. This vague pronouncement led some to question what countries made up the group.
TNW was initially informed of two, Russia and India, and was working to secure the other five. The New York Times beat us to the punch however, and secured the list: “Argentina, India, Poland, Russia, South Africa and Ukraine.” That’s only six, you’ll note. The seventh isn’t a country per se, but is instead “a group of smaller countries, including Croatia.”
Right.
Three of the seven countries had sales of Windows Phone handsets below the 100,000 mark. This means that Windows Phone sold more than 100,000 devices in the four other markets during the quarter, which is encouraging in a way.
IDC noted to the Times that Windows Phone tends to do well where Nokia has strength. This is an unsurprising fact, given that Nokia’s in-country branding and distribution networks are boons to the Windows Phone platform, in my estimation. Also, as Nokia’s Windows Phone handsets are among the best, that where Nokia is strong so too is Windows Phone isn’t a surprise.
I will state that, given the comparative nascency of Windows Phone, and its modest footprint here in the United States, to see it shipping devices in smaller markets in the numbers implied above is not depressing.
Beating the iPhone is an almost random benchmark, mostly as to compare a platform comprised of products across price points from various OEMs to a single line of phones from one firm is risky. Still, fans of Windows Phone in those countries have something to boast about.

Google Glass already facing privacy and safety concerns

Google Glass, the US techology giant's revolutionary wearable computer is still months away from release, but there is a growing movement across America seeking to limit and in some cases ban the use of the glasses due to both privacy and safety concerns."We heard of many crashes caused by texting and driving, most involving our youngest drivers," Republican Gary Howell of the West Virginia state legislature told tech website CNET.
Howell has introduced a bill that would effectively ban the use of Google Glass by drivers behind the wheel of a vehicle, siting safety concerns.
"Last legislature, we worked long and hard on a no-texting-and-driving law," Howell told CNET.
"It is mostly the young that are the tech-savvy that try new things. They are also our most vulnerable and underskilled drivers," he said.
Google Glass resembles a pair of traditional eyeglasses, but with images displayed on the lens, it enables users to surf the web, send emails, text messages, and record photos and videos all by using voice commands.
"We are putting a lot of thought into the design of Glass because new technologies always raise new issues," a Google spokesman said in a statement.
In regards to safety, Google said in its statement the glasses offer, "tremendous potential to improve safety on our roads and reduce accidents".
For instance, Google has said its glasses will offer turn-by-turn navigation using voice commands to promote a more hands-free driving experience.
But putting the issue of safety aside, a growing movement online is concerned about the privacy implications surrounding the use of the stealthy glasses that could be used as a secret recording device.
"If the government installed CCTV cameras and microphones everywhere, all feeding information to a central control room you would probably characterise it as a privacy risk," the website StopTheCyborgs.org said.
"Is it any better if it's run by a corporation and the devices are attached to people's heads?"
Concerns that Google Glass could be used to secretly record private conversations and activities is what sparked the creators of StopTheCyborgs to encourage businesses across the country to preemptively ban the use of Google Glass in their establishments.
The site offers downloadable anti-Google Glass signs and links to contact politicians to promote legislation regulating the use of the glasses prior to the launch.
The 5 Point Cafe, a bar in Seattle, was among the first to post signs banning Google Glass on its premises in an effort to protect the privacy of its patrons, the bar's owner said.
"It is still very early days for Glass and we expect as with other new technologies, such as cell phones, behaviours and social norms will develop over time," a spokesman for Google told the Silicon Business Journal.
Google Glass is slated to be released later this year with an estimated retail price of around $1,500, according to media reports.

Google Nexus 5 rumoured to come with 720p display and 9-megapixel CCD camera

Another day and another rumour for Google Nexus 5. Folks at PhoneArena have been tipped by an anonymous tipster that Google Nexus 5 will not have a full-HD screen. Instead the smartphone will pack in 4.5-inch 720p IPS screen.It is noteworthy, that all the recently launched flagships smartphones, be it the Samsung Galaxy S4, HTC One or Sony Xperia Z, sport a 1080p display. So it does come as surprise that Google for its next iteration of Nexus smartphone wants to stick with a 720p display.
PhoneArena further claims that LG will be making this iteration of Google Nexus and 88 percent of front of the phone will be taken up the display. Furthermore, Google Nexus 5 will have a mammoth 2,800mAh battery.
As suggested in the previous rumours, the tipster claims that the Google Nexus 5 will come with Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 quad-core processor that can clock speeds up to 1.5GHz. The most interesting revelation in this leak is that the smartphone will come with 9-megapixel CCD camera. This is interesting because most smartphone cameras come with CMOS sensor. CMOS censors cost almost the same as CCD sensor, but the former is faster in terms of processing images and hence is deployed in most smartphones.
Even in the past, there have been new reports regarding Google planning to do some innovation in the camera of Google Nexus 5. This news report suggested that Google Nexus 5 will come with a "triple camera sensor thing" along with a Nikon branding.
As per the past rumours, Google Nexus 5 will allegedly come with 2GB of RAM and offer two internal storage options - 8GB and 16GB. This smartphone will run on Android 5.0 or Android Key Lime Pie, which is expected to be released by Google at their I/O conference.
Google's current iteration of Nexus smartphone is made by the Korean smartphone maker LG.

Windows Phone 8 update to bring FM radio support, new gestures to Lumia 920 and Lumia 820: Report

Windows Phone 8 is all set to get a new update. According to a report by The Verge, Microsoft is currently preparing a new Windows Phone 8 update that will bring support for FM radio tuner hardware. The report cites sources familiar with Microsoft's plans to inform that the support for FM hardware will be a part of a General Distribution Release (GDR2) for Windows Phone 8. It mentions that the Nokia Lumia 920 and Lumia 820, among other handsets will start supporting FM radio, following the update, as the hardware is already present.

The report also talks about Nokia's own firmware improvements which would add a new gesture to the Lumia 920 and Lumia 820 that would allow users to wake the device from standby/ lock mode just by tapping on the screen.It will also add a flip to silence option, and Lumia colour profile settings for the device screen, according to The Verge's sources. The minor update is expected to roll out over the coming months.

FM radio hardware was supported till Windows Phone 7.5/ 7.8, but new Windows Phone 8 devices did not offer support for FM radio. It was clarified by Microsoft and OEMs that the exclusion was due to Windows Phone 8's limitations. It seems Nokia has been shipping phones including FM radio hardware waiting for Microsoft to release an update to enable it.

Recently, Microsoft had announced the support dates for its mobile operating systems, Windows Phone 8 and Windows Phone 7.8, on its support pages. The listing had revealed that Microsoft would support Windows Phone 7.8 till September 2014, and Windows Phone 8 till July 2014. However, Microsoft had clarified that that Windows Phone 8 users would be be able to upgrade to the next version of Windows Phone when it comes out. This means that Windows Phone 8 devices would be able to upgrade to the next version of the operating system.

Microsoft is said to be working on Windows Phone Blue, the successor to Windows Phone 8. It had earlier rolled out the Portico update to Windows Phone 8 devices

Piper Jaffray analyst forecasts late June launch for iPhone 5S

Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster is projecting that the next iPhone—the iPhone 5S— will launch in late June this year, reports CNET. Munster expects the iPhone 5S to pack a faster processor, an improved camera and new software features.

He stated that there is an "outside chance" that the smartphone will include an NFC (near-field communications) chip to allow mobile payments. Munster went on to add that it is more likely that the fingerprint reader security will be included in the iPhone 6, instead of the iPhone 5S. However, earlier this month, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities mentioned that the iPhone 5S will feature a fingerprint reader.

Munster added that the Cupertino company will go on to sell 4 million units of the phone before the end of the month and the quarter, presuming it launches in late June. Munster further expects Apple to sell 30 million iPhones over the June quarter. If that happens, the company would witness a 15 percent increase in sales over the same quarter a year ago.

Late June launch expected

This is the latest in a rather long string of rumours surrounding the iPhone 5S. It's being rumoured that Foxconn is currently busy producing parts for the Apple iPhone 5S, which is said to have many similarities in design with the iPhone 5. It was rumoured that not many changes would be needed from existing iPhone 5 blueprints for the production of this device and both models could be run on the same assembly line.

Apple seems to have struck a design formula for the S refreshes of the iPhone. When going from the iPhone 4 to 4S, the company retained the design of the predecessor and the same seems to be the case for the iPhone 5S. It is a logical step, considering Apple wouldn’t have increased the screen size so soon after its first foray into 4-inch devices. Making big changes to the size and design of the phone would have also made the iPhone 5 slightly dated.

However, that doesn’t mean Apple isn’t updating the internals of the phone. A faster A7 processor is expected to be powering the device, along with an improved camera on the rear. The camera lens may get a "Smart Flash" option that uses white and yellow LED lights in conjunction to improve colour representation and the quality of low-light pictures.

Additionally, we've heard NTT DoCoMo, Japan's largest carrier, might start carrying the Apple iPhone 5S next year for the first time. The carrier has reduced its orders for Android phones in next fall, leading analysts and rivals to believe that the next-gen iPhone might be floated out in the DoCoMo network.

Airtel launches 40Mbps VDSL broadband services in Hyderabad

Bharti Airtel has launched VDSL (Very-high-speed digital subscriber line) broadband services in Hyderabad. The telco is providing connections of up to 40Mbps, as per a press communiqué.

In line with their data usage and requirements, Airtel customers can choose from an array of tariff plans for VDSL connections. First among these is the Ultrasonic 3999 plan, which has a 200GB data cap along with 2,000 free voice minutes. The other plan, Ultrasonic 3299, offers 100GB of usage along with 1,000 free voice minutes

Announcing the launch, Sharlin Thayil, CEO - Andhra Pradesh, Bharti Airtel, said, “We are delighted to introduce 40 Mbps speed – the fastest wireline broadband service on next generation VDSL technology. The all new Ultrasonic 40Mbps plans on Airtel offers the fastest Broadband speed available for customers and will allow data savvy customers to upgrade from the now prevalent 16Mbps speeds they have enjoyed thus far. This plan will allow customers the convenience to download movies in a few minutes, stream high definition videos, online multiplayer gaming, download rich content, upload photos and videos instantly and lots more.”

New high-speed connections for people in Hyderabad

Subscribers can also opt for value-added services like parallel ringing, PC Secure (Anti-Virus software), games on demand, LearnNext and more. Note that customers will have to buy a VDSL-compatible modem to avail of the broadband connection.

After launching its 4G services in Pune in October, Airtel launched prepaid and postpaid 4G services in Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula last week. Airtel's 4G network will be using LTE technology to deliver access to fast data services. Commenting on the occasion, Jagbir Singh, CTO and Director, Network Services Group-Bharti Airtel, said, “The much awaited launch of Airtel 4G services fulfills a huge market requirement and will give customers in Chandigarh the power to upgrade to cutting edge 4G LTE technology - the most advanced wireless broadband experience available across the globe today. This launch is another first by Airtel that further enhances the footprint of mobile broadband in India. We are optimistic about the potential of Airtel 4G services and invite our data savvy customers in Punjab to enjoy this world class data experience”.

Facebook rolls out threaded replies and comments for Pages

After testing the feature out for months, Facebook is rolling out threaded replies and comments for Pages and Profiles with more than 10,000 followers. Threaded comments and replies will essentially allow users to reply to specific comments in a thread. The most liked and replied to comments on a post will push their way to the top, while comments that are not replied to or are marked as spam will remain at the bottom. The feature has been in test mode since November last year.

“You and your readers will have the ability to reply directly to comments left on your Page content and start conversation threads, which will make it easier for you to interact directly with individual readers and keep relevant conversations connected,” wrote Vadim Lavrusik, Journalism Program Manager for Facebook in a blog post announcing the launch of this feature.

Threaded replies to comments are coming!

Currently the feature is available for Pages and Profiles that have more than 10,000 followers. Starting July, these features will be a part of Pages and Profiles on Facebook by default. The social networking giant is currently testing this feature out with journalists and publication pages.

The new comment and reply feature is bound to give Page owners a great new way to connect with their audiences. There is a lot more they can now do as far as content is concerned. Reddit-style Q&A sessions will now be possible on Facebook too. Page owners can simply reply to comments instead of posting a whole new one. Earlier, for pages with a lot of fans and comments, users had to type the name of the person they were replying to.

Facebook said that conversation threads will be re-ordered by relevance to viewers, and may appear differently to each person based on their connections. The threads will appear differently according to positive feedback, if quite a few of your connections have posted on the thread, or if there is plenty of negative feedback.

This feature is currently available only on the desktop version of the website, so if you’re using a mobile device, you will not be able to reply and the comments will not be sorted algorithmically. Facebook says that it plans to make the reply and comment feature available to Graph Search API and mobile devices soon.

Facebook has been making major changes to its user interface and functionality since the beginning of the year. While Graph Search was launched early in January, Facebook released a new-look News Feed and a new Profile design this month.

While the reply to comment feature is undoubtedly going to be a challenge for community managers to moderate, it is surely going to increase the time spent by a fan on the page.

16GB Nexus 7 officially up for sale in India on Google Play for Rs 15,999

Google seems keen on expanding its services in India. The company has finally started officially selling its Nexus 7 tablet through Google Play. At the moment, the shipping is set to start on April 5, but you can still order the 16GB variant of the tablet for Rs 15,999.

While Google has introduced an HSPA+ model of the Nexus 7 that isn’t reliant only on Wi-Fi, this one doesn’t seem to be that model. There is no mention of connectivity other than the standard Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and NFC.

That Google would begin selling their devices in India through official channels was hinted at earlier this month when it was discovered that the Google Nexus microsite listed India as a supported country. We guess it’s only a matter of time now before Google starts selling us the Nexus 4 and the Nexus 10.

The Nexus 7 has been priced smartly for India

India has not featured on the list before, which only shows countries where Google is officially selling devices like the Nexus 4 and the Nexus 10 that were launched late last year, or the Nexus 7, which was already available in India through retail outlets.

We had reached out to Google India at the time for an official word and the likely date of availability for the devices. However, the company dashed our hopes by saying, “We're always interested in making our products and services available. However we have nothing to announce at this time.”

The only way to get your hands on a Nexus 7 before this through official channels was Croma, where the tablet was being sold with a price tag of Rs 19,999. Google had later revealed that it had nothing to do with Croma retailing the tablet.

At the Google I/O event held last year, Google first introduced the Nexus 7 in two storage capacities, which are 8GB and 16GB. The 8GB model was available for $199 while the 16GB model sported a price tag of $249. Taking the conversion rate of the rupee into consideration, the 8GB model would sport a price tag of approximately Rs 11,300, while the 16GB variant would cost approximately Rs 14,200.

The tablet comes equipped with a 7-inch IPS display that boasts of a resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels, and is powered by a 1.3GHz quad-core Tegra 3 chip. It has a 1GB RAM, which should be able to match up with the best in the business. This tablet should be a gamer's delight, and Google has touted it to be a serious gaming device as the brand has added a 12-core Nvidia GeForce GPU as well to the fray.

The connectivity options found on the Google Nexus 7 tablet, include Wi-Fi a/b/g/n, Bluetooth, and NFC capabilities. This tablet also comes with Google Wallet pre-installed. As for the camera featured here, it comes as no surprise that Google has just added only a front-facing camera that can be used for video calls, but what is interesting is that this camera can shoot HD 720p videos.

When it comes to the size, the 7-inch tablet measures 198.5 x 120 x 10.5mm and weighs 340 grams.

As Windows Phone 8 fulfilled the Windows Phone promise, so will Blue complete Windows 8

This weekend brought a number of Windows Blue leaks that confirmed much of what we already knew: Windows Blue is not Windows 9, it is instead a bundle of feature improvements and general corrections to the operating system that has suffered from quirkiness its entire, short life.
Windows Blue will contain new Live Tiles, in smaller and larger formats, improvements to current applications that ship with the operating system, and deeper SkyDrive integration. Tom Warren over on the Verge has an excellent video run-through of the currently leaked changes if you want the full notes.
I quickly want to frame Windows Blue for you so that as we progress towards its widely expected 2013 release, you’ll have a firm mental grip on what it is. Sure, we have the facts from our first paragraph, but what is the best way to view Windows Blue?
In the following way: As Windows Phone 8 was the moment in which Windows Phone first felt feature complete, so will Windows Blue extend and “complete” Windows 8.
It’s worth noting that we have been on a steady ramp in terms of Windows 8 features since the very first BUILD event in 2011. At that first public outing of Windows 8, Microsoft showed off a somewhat complete – in feature terms – build of the operating system.
Then it distributed a developer preview that didn’t include email capabilities. It was quite the truncated release.
The consumer preview, release preview, and other shipped builds added features, up until general availability. Following the general release of Windows 8, the Appex apps  and now communications applications have been updated and extended. Windows Blue continues that work.
I’ve argued before that Windows 8 is akin to Office 2007 in that it brings large user interface changes that led to user annoyance. The corollary to that point is that Office 2010 better adapted those changes, and went on to become a breakout hit for Microsoft.
Thus, the first major revision to Windows 8 should lead, if the analogy holds, to a fueling of sales of the software. Perhaps. However, given what we now know, it’s simple to state that Blue is a welcome update to Windows 8 that will file off a number of rough edges, and boost its usability.
Windows Blue is not Windows 9, but it should make your daily Windows 8 experience better. It can’t come quickly enough.

Micromax sued by Ericsson for Rs. 100 crore over patent infringement

Indian handset maker Micromax has been sued by Ericsson on charges of patent infringement. The Swedish network equipment maker is seeking a whopping Rs. 100 crore in damages. The company also claims that it has been negotiating with Micromax for about three years now and has finally moved the Delhi High Court to seek legal remedy.

Patent Infringement cases have become a common in the western countries where large technology companies such as Apple, Samsung, HTC, Motorola, Google, Microsoft et al are battling multiple cases. However, this is the first time a patent infringement case of such high stakes has rocked the Indian telecom space.

As per Ericsson, the bone of contention is Micromax's refusal to enter into a licensing agreement covering its patented innovations across several wireless technology standards such as GSM, EDGE and 3G.

Commenting on this case, Micromax via a press statement said, "Micromax is committed to negotiating a FRAND license with Ericsson as has Ericsson undertaken to providing a Fair Reasonable and Non-Discriminatory (FRAND) license to Micromax. Since the matter is pending before the Hon'ble court it would be incorrect for Micromax to make any further statements on the matter".

Micromax is one of the most popular handset brands in India. The company has recently churned out Android-based smartphones like A110 Canvas 2 (Review | Pictures) and A116 Canvas HD (Review |Pictures). As per the company, both these smartphones have got an encouraging response from the Indian market. According to a news report in The Economic Times, the disputed smartphones includes Micromax Ninja smartphones and the popular Canvas 2 series. Micromax's Funbook Talk tablet too is reportedly under the scanner.

While Micromax and Ericsson are at loggerheads for the patent infringement case, several other Indian handset makers are feeling the heat. Ericsson is reportedly planning to take similar legal action against some of other Indian handset makers, though at this point it is hard to comment who will be next in the firing line

17-year old becomes a millionaire after Yahoo buys his News app for $30 million

Got a tech idea and want to make a fortune before you're out of your teens? Just do it, is the advice of the London schoolboy who's just sold his smartphone news app to Yahoo for a reported $30 million.

The money is there, just waiting for clever new moves, said 17-year-old Nick D'Aloisio, who can point to a roster of early backers for his Summly app that includes Yoko Ono and Rupert Murdoch.

"If you have a good idea, or you think there's a gap in the market, just go out and launch it because there are investors across the world right now looking for companies to invest in," he told Reuters in a telephone interview late on Monday.

The terms of the sale, four months after Summly was launched for the iPhone, have not been disclosed and D'Aloisio, who is still studying for school exams while joining Yahoo as its youngest employee, was not saying. But technology blog AllThingsD said Yahoo paid roughly $30 million.

D'Aloisio said he was the majority owner of Summly and would now invest the money from the sale, though his age imposes legal limits for now on his access to it.

"I'm happy with that and working with my parents to go through that whole process," he said.

D'Aloisio, who lives in the prosperous London suburb of Wimbledon, highlights the support of family and school, which gave him time off, but also, critically, the ideas that came with enthusiastic financial backers.

He had first dreamt up the mobile software while revising for a history exam two years ago, going on to create a prototype of the app that distils news stories into chunks of text readable on small smartphone screens.

Just Do It, says the teen developer

He was inspired, he said, by the frustrating experience of trawling through Google searches and separate websites to find information when revising for the test.

Trimit was an early version of the app, which is powered by an algorithm that automatically boils down articles to about 400 characters. It caught the eye of Horizons Ventures, a venture capital firm owned by Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-shing, which put in $250,000.

That investment attracted other celebrity backers, among them Hollywood actor Ashton Kutcher, British broadcaster Stephen Fry, artist Ono, the widow of Beatle John Lennon, and News Corp media mogul Murdoch.

That all added up to maximum publicity when Summly launched in November 2012, but the backers brought more than just cash for an app that has been downloaded close to a million times.

"It's been super-exciting, (the investors) found out about it in 2012 once the original investment from Li Ka-shing had gone public," said D'Aloisio. "They all believed in the idea, but they all offered different experiences to help us out."

His business has worked with around 250 content publishers, he said, such as News Corp's Wall Street Journal. People reading the summaries can easily click through to the full article, driving traffic to newspaper websites.

"The great deal about joining Yahoo is that they have a lot of publishers, they have deals with who we can work with now," D'Aloisio said.

He taught himself to code at age 12 after Apple's App Store was launched, creating several apps including Facemood, a service which analysed sentiment to determine the moods of Facebook users, and music discovery service SongStumblr.

He has started A-levels - English final school exams - in maths, physics and philosophy, and plans to continue his studies while also working at Yahoo's offices in London. He aims to go to university to study humanities.

Although he has created an app worth millions, D'Aloisio says he is not a stereotyped computer geek.

"I like playing sport," he said. "I'm a bit of a design enthusiast, and like spending time with my girlfriend and mates."

Reuters

Microsoft updates three key Windows 8 applications, improving Mail, Calendar and People

Today Microsoft announced that several of the core Windows 8 applications that ship with the operating system will be updated to include a slew of new features. In the estimation of TNW, these updates bring the Mail, Calendar, and People to the level of 1.0, in that they are now featured to the point of being complete.
The following updates will begin to roll out starting this evening, or tomorrow morning depending on your region. If you don’t see the new code now, sit tight, and expect in the next few days. Now, to the updates. We’ll do this in three tranches.

Mail

The Mail application in Windows 8 has never been loved, given that when compared to the plethora of email applications – both web-based and desktop-built – it is out-kicked in terms total features. However, with today’s update, it garners a number of improvements that better it.
Filtering has been improved, as has search; when you search, you can now better find emails that are on the server. This will save you time in terms of loading past messages. The application will still only cache so much on your devices, bu you won’t be stuck hunting as long as you were before.
The following list details, via Microsoft, the changes:

Create, rename, and delete folders.
Flag messages and view all flagged messages.
Filter for unread messages and choose when messages are marked as unread.
Sync faster and more reliably.
Search for mail on the server.
Get easier access to search and printing.
Mark messages as junk mail.
See smart contact suggestions when composing a message.
Add, edit, and delete links when composing a message.
Edit bulleted or numbered lists more easily when composing a message.
Paste in formatted content from other apps more reliably.
Save senders as new contacts.
Read and compose rights-managed messages.
Delete all messages in a folder or mark them as read in one action.
Manage draft messages more efficiently.
Send email from your outlook.com alias.

If you are an everyday user of Mail, those updates will solve a number of headaches that you most certainly dealt with.
Allow me the following analogy: Just as Windows Phone 8 fully featured Windows Phone as an operating system, in terms of its feature set, so too does this update bring Mail into the common core of what might be expected from a message mail applications.

Calendar

You can now see a full work week quickly. You can also now forward invitations, and bring up a shared calendar view of every meeting attendee to see their combined scheduling openings. Now, when you must schedule a meeting – don’t – you can pick a time in which everyone can actually make the appointment.
Calendar isn’t Outlook’s ability to schedule, but that isn’t to say that now it isn’t useful. Sure, we all use Google Calendar, but for the Windows 8 using population, the following updates will be more than useful:

Find appointments more easily with updated visuals and improved readability.
See your work week at a glance.
See current time in day and week views and when Calendar is snapped.
Check the availability of meeting attendees.
Forward meeting invitations.
Send email to all meeting attendees.
Choose more recurrence options.
Set end dates for recurring events.

We now move to the People hub to wrap this set of updates. Keep this in mind: If you are a daily Windows 8 user, the above and below set of improvements will boost your quality of life. However, they are not an argument to move to Windows 8 itself; if you have a perfect setup, ask yourself if it actually is, and secondly, if this is what you need.

People

Finally, Microsoft has updated the People hub of Windows 8. Key to this update is the ability to post to a contact’s Facebook wall inside of the People hub itself. Microsoft didn’t drop nine-figures into the company to not rock a bit of functionality, right?
The People hub has always been a mess, with a wandering interface and seemingly disparate – your fuel per distance will differ – information streams. This fix will highlight Facebook in your efforts. That’s not a negative. Facebook remains the key social network online.
Here’s the new features:

See information from your Exchange global address list.
Filter your What’s new feed by social network.
Post to your friend’s Facebook wall.
Navigate to People sections more easily.

It’s key to realize that the above applications fall under the ‘communications’ set of Windows 8 core applications. The Appex apps built by Bing are separate. Keep them distinct mentally. Now, go and see if you have the new code

Firefox OS, Ubuntu, Tizen getting ready to take on Android, iOS

A handful of new smartphone platforms are expected to become available this year, challenging the stranglehold of the two market leaders, Google's Android and Apple's iOS.Android and Apple account for more than 90 percent of the surging smartphone market, and third place is being contested by BlackBerry and Microsoft's Windows Phone.
But phones using operating systems based on the open-source platforms Linux and Mozilla's Firefox will be hitting the market this year, most likely in emerging markets.
Among smartphone makers, "there is a consensus that there is room for a couple more operating systems," said Ramon Llamas, analyst with the research firm IDC.
"Maybe not globally, but in some markets which could be used as proving grounds."
An IDC survey showed Apple and Android accounted for 91.1 percent of all smartphones sold in 2012, but that new platforms are worth watching in a market with 46 percent growth last year.
The Mozilla Foundation, developer of the Firefox browser and a new mobile operating system, claims to have 17 operators on board and plans Firefox OS phones in Brazil, Colombia, Hungary, Mexico, Montenegro, Poland, Serbia, Spain and Venezuela.
The key player being watched, however, is Samsung, which is the biggest smartphone maker with some 40 percent of all Android phones but is planning new devices using Tizen, an operating system based on Linux.
The Tizen Association, which also includes France's Orange, Japan's NTT DoCoMo, China's Huawei and US-based Intel, say the firms "view openness as a key to raising the bar for user experience."
Some analysts were surprised by Samsung's move, saying it's not clear if the South Korean giant is trying to distance itself from Google and Android, which is a free operating system but offers advertising possibilities to the Silicon Valley firm.
"I wonder about Samsung's motivation," said Roger Kay of Endpoint Technologies.
"To get out from Google's control might be part of it, but I'm not sure how rational that is. The partnership has been very fruitful for both companies, and it's hard to see where the negatives are."
But Aapo Markkanen, an analyst with ABI Research, said Samsung is trying to break free from Google and that Tizen could be the key for that.
"All signs are pointing to Samsung trying to pull off a Great OS Escape within the next year or two," Markkanen said in a blog post, adding that the platform "will be given a kick start with the software and service portfolio that Samsung has accumulated" along with "Samsung's gargantuan marketing budget."
Other Linux phone systems are also readying their entry.
Ubuntu, a Linux-based operating system promoted by British software firm Canonical, expects to have phones ready later this year. And Sailfish, another Linux variant from Finnish-based Jolla Mobile, has released its program for developers.
Analysts say smartphone makers are seeking to mimic the success of Apple by controlling both the hardware and software "ecosystem."
"We are seeing more desire to control the whole user experience," said Gerry Purdy, analyst and consultant with the firm Mobile Trax.
A major challenge for any new platform, however, will be developing the applications that make up the ecosystem. These are key attractions for users of the iPhone and Android devices.
Although some apps can be developed across platforms using HTML5, a programming language that can be adapted for different devices, analysts say these are inferior to "native" apps developed for a specific platform,
"You can provide a reasonable experience with HTML5 and the browser, but the native app is smoother, cleaner and more natural," Purdy said. "It's pretty obvious when you watch them side by side."
Even a powerful firm like Samsung will have a hard time putting together an app ecosystem that can compete with Apple's App Store and Google Play.
"There is some open space, but putting together an entire ecosystem and doing that where there are established incumbents is a pretty iffy proposition," Kay said.
Because of these obstacles, Llamas said progress for any new system will be "long and slow."
"None of these things will happen overnight. There has to be time for gestation, reception and evangelization. And picking the markets will be important," he added

Nokia CEO evades questions about Lumia 928, tosses an iPhone on the floor

Stephen Elop is in the news again. The Nokia CEO evaded questions related to the existence of the Nokia Lumia 928 during a recent interview with a Finnish television channel. But more interestingly, he tossed the show host's iPhone on the floor and  said that it was embarrassing, when the host took the iPhone out of his pocket.
 

The TV show host, Hjallis Harkimo, took out his iPhone and said that he'd like to own a Nokia phone, hinting that he has to use the iPhone as there's no Nokia phone to match it. Seeing this, Elop exclaimed, "Oh, how embarrassing!"

"I don't want to have an iPhone. I want to have a Nokia phone," said Harkimo.

Following the conversation, Elop took the iPhone from Harkimo and tossed it off camera, with a sound of the phone hitting the floor. "There, it's gone," said Elop.

The show host further probed, "I want to have a Nokia phone because I believe in you and I believe in Nokia. But I want to have that Lumia 928. So when do I get it?" But Elop did not answer the question and promised that he would replace the host's phone with a Nokia phone.

Finnish blog Tietoviikko later confirmed that the interviewer's phone did not suffer any damages, however, he's yet to receive a replacement Nokia phone.

Rumours suggest that the Lumia 928 would be Nokia's next flagship and would compete with phones such as the HTC One and Samsung Galaxy S4, sporting an all aluminium body, a beautiful design, a 4.5-inch OLED display, a powerful processor and great camera capabilities. It's also expected to feature a Xenon flash,and a microSD card slot. The phone is said to be thinner and lighter than the Lumia 920.

Windows Blue leaks online, includes smaller Live Tiles, new side-by-side Snap Views, and IE 11

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An early build of Windows Blue, the next version of Windows, has leaked online on the same day that Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer celebrates his 57th birthday. Build 9364, a partner version that was originally compiled on March 15th, has been made available on file sharing sites and includes some of the new changes that Microsoft is building into its significant Windows 8 update. Leaked screenshots posted at Winforum show that the company is bringing smaller tile arrangements and even a larger desktop one to its Start Screen, along with greater control over the color personalization options, and a whole lot more.
Microsoft is building in additional Snap Views into Windows Blue, allowing users to place apps side-by-side in the Windows 8 view. The new 50 / 50 view is similar to the desktop mode snapping, but Microsoft also supports up to 4 snapped apps alongside each other. New alarm, sound recorder, and calculator WIndows 8 -style apps will also take advantage of these new views, but we understand developers will be able to update their apps to support the additional Snap Views alongside other API changes and additions.
Other improvements include a number of new options in the Windows 8-style settings screen. Microsoft appears to be adding all of the necessary settings required to ensure tablet users don't have to drop to the desktop Control Panel to change things. SkyDrive options are present, which appear to show greater integration with auto camera uploads and control over device back ups and files. There's also an app settings section that surfaces options to change default apps and information on app sizes. Settings and UI improvements aside,
Microsoft is also making changes to its Charms. The Devices Charm includes a new "play" option, which looks similar to the existing PlayTo options found in Windows 8. On the Share Charm there's a new screenshot option that lets you quickly share an image with applications. Internet Explorer 11 is also included in Blue, although it's not immediately clear from the leaked screenshots what improvements have been made.
We're looking into other leaked features and screenshots so we'll update you on any other additions. Windows Blue is expected to enter public preview over the coming months, with a full release due later this year.

Facebook Events now show weather foreecasts

Facebook has updated its Events feature to include weather forecasts. The weather forecasts only begin to appear when the event is happening within the next 10 days, however, but its a nifty little feature that should aid when planning a get-together. When you’re creating a Facebook event, the weather forecast should appear right below the “When” section.


This new feature rolled out to both the desktop and the mobile version of Facebook. Users will be able to see the highest and lowest predicted temperatures of the day, so that they can dress accordingly. This will be perfect for outdoor events, so you’ll know in advance whether or not you’ll need to bring an umbrella, a jacket, or if you should just avoid the event altogether. The app also helps event planners know if they need to relocate or reschedule the event.
This new feature is all part of Facebook’s new renovation. It wants to make all of the information you need available from its social network. Along with the addition of weather forecasts, Facebook is set to roll out a new newsfeed to all of its users. The revamed newsfeed is much more cleaner and appealing. It expands even more on organization, and it is more integrated with certain apps.
Facebook has made a lot of changes in the past month to its service. In the near future, the service may also be implementing hashtags. The hashtags will be used in conjunction with trends and events. It will operate almost exactly like it does on Twitter. Users can click on the hashtag to see various statuses and events centered around the topic. We should be seeing Facebook’s revamped newsfeed, hashtags, and several other changes coming to Facebook within the next few weeks.

Microsoft’s Windows Store reaches 50,000 apps milestone

Microsoft has finally has over 50,000 apps in its Windows Store. According to MetroStore Scanner, there are currently 50,304 apps available from the Windows Store as of today. There have been an average of about 279 apps developed daily in March alone. March is the first month in a long time in which Microsoft saw an increase in app development. Since November, app development had been on a rapid decline.


App development for Windows 8 hit its peak in November, with an average of 468 new apps being developed daily. The number dropped down to 412 apps developed daily in December, plummeted to 174 apps in January, and fell even further to 142 apps in February. The new surge in app development is possibly due to Microsoft’s new cash incentive for developers to create apps for its ecosystem.
Microsoft is offering developers $100 per app they develop for Windows 8 or Windows Phone 8. They are allowed to develop up to 10 apps per OS for a grand total of $2000. The contest began on March 8th, and is set to end on June 30th. There will only be 10,000 apps accepted. While $100 per app may not be too enticing to developers, Microsoft is also offering developers a 80% split for revenue generated by their apps. That’s 10% more than what Apple and Android offers.
The statistics account for apps for both Windows 8 PCs as well as Windows RT tablets. So saying that Windows 8 has surpassed the Mac’s available 14,000 apps would be a lie. If you take into account the 370,000+ apps the iPad currently has, the Windows Store is still miles behind in development. Nonetheless, 50,000 apps in 4 months is an impressive milestone, and as more people adapt to Windows 8 and Windows tablets, we should see some great advancements for the OS in the future.

Lenovo S920 officially announced

Just a few days back we had reported about the Lenovo S920 leak, now even before we knew it, Lenovo made the 5.3 inch phablet official. The Lenovo S920 would be out in China on April 8.

As per reports, the Lenovo S920 packs a 1.2 GHz quad-core MediaTek MT6589 processor with 1 GB of RAM. The 5.3 inch display has a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels. The device is equipped with dual camera, a standard 8 megapixel rear camera and a 2 megapixel front facing camera.
The ultra slim Lenovo S920 runs the Android Jelly Bean OS. It has a 2250 mAh battery which is sufficient considering the low pressure from the CPU. The quad core phablet is expected to go on sale for just $350. Worth it?
Specs of the Lenovo S920:

• 5.3 inch display
• 1280 x 720 pixels resolution
• 1.2 GHz quad-core MediaTek MT6589
• 1 GB RAM
• 8 megapixel rear camera
• 2 megapixel front facing camera
• Google Android v4.2 Jelly Bean
• 2250 mAh battery

Apple buys WiFiSlam, maker of tech for locating phones indoors

Apple has acquired WiFiSlam, a company that makes an app that lets smartphones locate themselves indoors using ambient Wi-Fi signals that already exist in buildings.
The deal was reported by The Wall Street Journal's Digits blog, which said Apple confirmed the acquisition but had no further comment other than to say that Apple "buys smaller technology companies from time to time." Digits said Apple paid $20 million for WiFiSlam.
The WiFiSlam page on AngelList describes the company's product like so:

Allow your smartphone to pinpoint its location (and the location of your friends) in real-time to 2.5m accuracy using only ambient Wi-Fi signals that are already present in buildings.
We are building the next generation of location-based mobile apps that, for the first time, engage with users at the scale that personal interaction actually takes place. Applications range from step-by-step indoor navigation, to product-level retail customer engagement, to proximity-based social networking.

Digits notes that Google currently offers indoor mapping in airports, shopping centers, sports stadiums, and other locations. It's not known if WiFiSlam's technology will somehow be incorporated into Apple's Maps app.
Apple, of course, tossed Google Maps as the default mapping service in iOS and launched its own mapping app, which, on its debut last September, was lambasted for its shortcomings.
Since then, Apple has stayed relatively quiet on improvements to its Maps app. When asked about progress on the software during an earnings call with Wall Street analysts in January, Apple CEO Tim Cook said that the company had already made "a number of improvements" including improved satellite and flyover imagery as well as local information for businesses.
Google released its own, standalone maps app for iOS in December. That software was updated for the first time in early March, with a quick search tool and integration with Google's contacts service.
WiFiSlam was co-founded by a former Google software engineering intern, Joseph Huang, Digits noted.

iPhone 5 case has an equalizer on the back

There's no shortage of iPhone cases, but here's one that will really make you stand out at the disco: The iEqualizer iPhone 5 case from Strapya World shows off a set of lovely blinking lights on the back that look exactly like a graphic equalizer.
First, the good news: Those attractive illuminations are powered by their own button-sized batteries that reside inside this case. That means your iPhone 5's battery won't have to pay the price for all this frivolity.
Better yet, from the looks of the video above, you'll agree that it's a pretty cool effect, especially in the dark.
The bad news? Like all cases, you'll sacrifice the svelte design of the iPhone 5 for this enclosure, which also includes a plastic appendage at the top that functions as an on/off switch. In fact, the case is so thick, it will make your iPhone nearly twice its present girth.
For purists, this won't qualify as an equalizer, especially since each of the bars isn't reacting to specific frequencies. Nay, it's just the whole array of blinkenlights reacting to any sound nearby.
Available for preorder now, look for it in late March or early April for $32.30.

BlackBerry OS 10 not secure: UK government (Update)

BlackBerry till now has always been preferred over other operating systems for its superior security features. But now UK's Communications-Electronics Security Group (CESG), which evaluates and certifies IT products before their use for government purposes, has classified the BlackBerry 10 operating system as 'not secure'.
"Discussions with BlackBerry are ongoing about the use of the BlackBerry 10 platform in government. We have not yet performed an evaluation of the security of that platform, but we expect to be issuing Platform Guidance in the summer. We have a long standing security partnership with BlackBerry and this gives us confidence that the BlackBerry 10 platform is likely to represent a viable solution for UK government," CESG said in a statement.

BlackBerry OS 10 was released earlier this year and was equipped with several new features in order to keep it competitive against other operating systems and to enhance user experience. For instance, a new BlackBerry Balance feature was introduced with the BlackBerry OS 10 that enables users to keep both personal data and office work data separately. There is also an Android player that allows its users to run some applications designed for the Android operating system.
BlackBerry has yet not reacted to the comments of the UK government agency.

BlackBerry CEO says Android and Windows Phone are not mobile computing platforms

BlackBerry CEO Thorsten Heins has been a busy man with the launch of the BlackBerry 10 OS and the Z10 smartphone. But Heins hasn’t shied away from taking shots at rival platforms, whenever the opportunity arises.

Computer World reports that in his keynote at the Australia launch of the BlackBerry Z10, Heins told the audience that the company considered but rejected the idea of building BlackBerry services for Android or Microsoft’s Windows Phone. “We really thought hard about it,” Heins said, but the company decided that Android or WP8 didn’t share his vision of a “mobile computing” future. Android and Windows Phone “are not mobile computing platforms,” he said, pointing out that users cannot do the same work on an Android or Windows Phone device that they do on any other computer.

BB10 is a true mobile computing platform, says Heins

While there’s no doubt that BlackBerry 10 OS is a step up for the company, there’s a lot of room for improvement. However, even during the launch, the company has emphasised that BB10 is the best option for multi-tasking. Since the Z10 has no physical or capacitive navigation buttons, all interactions are based on touch gestures. The presentation during the launch made it a point to say that in the BB10 OS, users don’t need to jump in and out of apps to do multiple things. In BB10, the homescreen of the OS doubles up as the multi-tasking screen as well with all the open apps displayed in stacks.

According to BlackBerry, this setup is ideal for multi-tasking. However, there is a general feeling that BlackBerry is a bit late on the scene. For one, the company’s primary market of business or corporate smartphone users has moved on to other platforms thanks to the increasing popularity of the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) practice in the work place. Heins said in response to BYOD, “It’s not on us whether we can influence this or not."

As BlackBerry seeks to win back business from rivals after a late realisation that it must adapt to the fast-changing smartphone environment, the company is resorting to all manner of publicity. Earlier, the BlackBerry CEO had called out the Apple iPhone for being outdated. Heins made the comment on the eve of the launch of the new BlackBerry Z10 in the US. "It's still the same," Heins said of the iPhone. "It is a sequential way to work and that's not what people want today anymore. They want multitasking."