Samsung unveils Galaxy Note 8.0 to take on iPad Mini

Samsung Electronics is beefing up its tablet range with a competitor to Apple's iPad Mini that sports a pen for writing on the screen.

The Korean company announced on Sunday in B'arcelona that the Galaxy Note 8.0 will have an 8-inch screen, putting it very close in size to the Apple's tablet, which launched in November with a 7.9-inch screen. It's not the first time Samsung has made a tablet that's in the Mini's size range: it's very first iPad competitor had a 7-inch screen, and it still makes a tablet of that size, but without a pen.

Samsung will start selling the new tablet in the April to June period, at an as yet undetermined price. It made the announcement ahead of Mobile World Congress, the wireless industry's annual trade show, which starts Monday in Barcelona, Spain.

The Note 8.0 fills a gap in Samsung's line-up of pen-equipped devices between the Galaxy Note II smartphone, with its 5.5-inch screen, and the Galaxy Note 10.1, a full-size tablet. Samsung has made the pen, or more properly the stylus, one of the tools it uses to chip away at Apple's dominance in both tablets and high-end smartphones. Apple doesn't make any devices that work with styluses, preferring to optimize its interfaces for fingers, mice and touchpads.

On Samsung's Note line, the pens can be used to write, highlight and draw. The screens also sense when the mouse hovers over the screen, providing an equivalent to the hovering mouse cursor on the PC. However, few third-party applications have been modified to take full advantage of the pens.

Apple grabs 20% of consumer electronics revenues in 2012

While consumer electronics revenues have been going down for the past few years, some companies are seeing in increase in market share when it comes to total revenues for consumer technology devices. Apple accounted for 20% of consumer electronics revenues in 2012, which is a roughly 3% boost from 2011. Samsung also saw a boost to 9.3% from 7% in 2011. Rounding out the top five are HP with 8.2% (down from 8.9% in 2011), Sony at 4.4% (down from 5.7%), and Dell with 3% (down from 3.3%). So, essentially, out of the top five companies who made the most money, only Apple and Samsung saw a boost in the percentage of consumer tech revenue, which is surprisingly really, since both companies are doing quite well.

As for the top five categories of consumer electronics, tablets saw the most growth from 2011 to 2012, with a 45% increase in revenues. Smartphones had a 25% growth, while laptops, HDTVs, and desktops all suffered a loss, with desktops seeing the biggest loss of 11% — no surprise there, really.

Best Buy, Walmart, Apple, Amazon, and Staples were the top retailers, yet again, in 2012. Staples just recently became an official Apple reseller, where all Staples stores will begin selling Apple products. This is a huge deal for Staples, and due to the popularity of iPads and Macs, Staples should see quite a bit more traffic coming through its doors.

LG launches LTE-equipped Tab-Book Ultra and U460 laptop in Korea

We weren't convinced LG's Z160 convertible was skinny enough for Ultrabook status, but the Korean company has run with the title and launched the Tab-Book Ultra in its homeland. The 11.6-inch slider runs full-fat Windows 8 on an Intel Core i5 CPU in the top-end configuration (GH5WK), and much to the joy of data-hungry users, packs an LTE radio in addition to standard WiFi. Those who want a more traditional laptop experience but also need 4G for the road can now purchase an LTE refresh of the U460 notebook, which has been launched in tandem. LG will be showing off the LTE-equipped Tab-Book Ultra at MWC later this month, although its 'new series' of smartphones is sure to steal all the attention. We're still in the dark about when the Z160 will be available elsewhere, but Korean e-tailers are listing it at circa 1,400,000 won (around $1,300), so we can probably expect a similar price when it starts touring.

This pen with plastic ink draws in 3D!! And you can buy it soon!

The 3Doodler, invented by Peter Dilworth and Maxwell Bogue, gives people a freer hand in creating sculptures and brings computer-aided design software front and center.

You hold it just like a regular pen, but instead of building a shape layer by layer, as a 3-D printer does, this pen it extrudes the plastic into the air.

The plastic is soft when it is extruded, but it hardens quickly enough that it can form a stable structure. It’s the same kind of plastic (called ABS) that is used in 3-D printers. The pen is hooked up to the supply of plastic, which comes in the form of long, thin strings, so it has a kind of tether on it. It doesn’t need a computer or any software to work.

ASUS Transformer Book Windows 8 hybrid goes up for pre-order

Despite being announced long before the budget-minded VivoTab Smart, ASUS' higher-end Windows 8 laptop / tablet hybrid known as the Transformer Book has yet to make its way to store shelves -- or receive official pricing, for that matter. Nonetheless, those intent on throwing one of the machines into their satchel can snag the Transformer Book on pre-order, which is available through MacMall for $1,479.99. The 13.3-inch system sports a 1,920 x 1,080 display, and in this particular configuration, you'll fetch a dual-core 1.9GHz Core i7-3517U CPU with Intel HD Graphics 4000, 4GB of RAM, and a 500GB hard drive that's augmented by a 128GB SSD. This price includes the keyboard dock, but it's worth reiterating that you might pay more than necessary to snag the system on pre-order.

SwiftKey 4 launches with Flow, personal style detection

SwiftKey has been promising its own answer to Swype ever since it launched the SwiftKey Flow beta late last year, and the company's retort is at last finished. The newly available SwiftKey 4 -- Flow is just a component here -- brings Android writers the promised gesture-based typing along with Flow Through Space, which lets users glide to the spacebar to keep typing rather than pause after every word. The upgrade also expands contextual word prediction to 60 languages, offers simpler corrections and watches for personal typing habits to adjust accordingly -- it should learn whether you're a hunt-and-peck newcomer or a seasoned pro blazing along with both thumbs. The update is free for existing users in both phone- and tablet-sized forms, and it's temporarily priced at $2 (normally $4) to lure in anyone who isn't happy with their existing input methods.

We gave the final version a spin on a Galaxy Nexus, and much of what we saw in the SwiftKey Flow beta holds true with SwiftKey 4. Anyone comfy with a gesture-based keyboard will be happy with the speed and accuracy here, especially when they don't have to lift their finger between words. However, the previous quirks remain as well: Flow Through Space tends to melt down after a few words, so you'll want to stop after "the quick brown fox" before you finish with "jumps over the lazy dog." The style recognition is harder to gauge when this author is an an experienced user who's only had a short while to teach the app any tricks, but the simplified corrections are handy for quickly polishing up a sentence. While we don't feel that SwiftKey is orchestrating a revolution with version 4, it doesn't have to -- the appeal here is not having to give up SwiftKey's generally well-regarded feel to get a feature previously reserved for competitors. It remains our go-to keyboard for those times we don't like what Google or phone designers have to offer.

Hasselblad Lunar Nex Camera

Swedish manufacturer of photographic equipment Hasselblad revealed at the CP+ show in Japan the “Lunar” Nex camera.

“The Lunar embraces the traditional Hasselblad state-of-the-art image capture combined with stunning Italian design features. For the first time we are using carbon fiber, titanium, wood, leather and precious metals – including gold.”

The picture on top shows it with one of the future new Zeiss primes for NEX, the 12mm f/2.8 Distagon. As you know the 2.8/12, 1.8/32 and 2.8/50 macro will be released to the masses this coming summer. Rumored to sell for around 4,438.85€ so you might want to start saving for this masterpiece.

Transparent cell phone 'will happen near the end of 2013' promises tech company

Taiwan-based Polytron Technologies may have the next leap forward in cell phones, promising a transparent mobile by the end of 2013.
The company has already begun marketing a transparent multi-touch.
The company's prototype uses what they call Switchable Glass technology. That's a conductive OLED using liquid crystal molecules to display images. When the phone is off the molecules align to form a milky composition, but when switched on they realign to form text, icons, and other images.
Electric current is carried through transparent wires.
'It will happen near the end of 2013. Trust me,' said Polytron general manager Sam Yu.
The device still has some parts that are not transparent, including a SD card and SIM card. The microphone, camera, and batteries are also visible, and will be hidden behind a dark glass cover when the model goes into production.
Yu said the company will develop a smaller lithium ion battery that would be much less noticeable. When complete, the phone will have a dual-sided multi-touch display in front and back.
The prototype has yet to feature any software or operating system.
Still to be determined is what the market demand for such a device is. Samsung and LG have had large transparent displays for years, but there's been little effort to make smaller devices.
Tokyoflash recently used a transparent LCD in its Kisai Spider wristwatch but had trouble adding hardware to the smaller frame.
'The challenge of using a transparent display in a wristwatch, and I suppose other wearable technology, is that you need to store the batteries somewhere else (usually they are stored behind the LCD panel),' Tokyoflash marketing manager Paul Cooper wrote in a e-mail. Polyton's model will offer much more room to work in hardware.
Also at question is whether transparency by itself will attract buyers, as the prototype doesn't offer significantly different functions than most smartphones.
'Display quality is paramount,' Avi Greengart, research director at Current Analysis, told The Verge. 'If the display quality is not up to par with the best of today’s AMOLED and LCD screens, a phone using it won’t sell even for its novelty value.'
Yu isn't worried. He even plans to announce a prototype transparent tablet within the next couple weeks.

New Watch Could Help Reduce Rape In India

The gang rape that happened in India on December 16th last year brought about plenty of national as well as international outrage, with the victim ending up dead. What else can be done to help offer a certain degree of protection to the girls and ladies who want to move around safely? The Indian Centre for Development of Advanced Computing is currently formulating plans to develop a new device, which they hope are able to eventually help reduce such inhumane crimes.

The first device off the bat? A possible wristwatch which is said to increase women’s safety as it will act as a SOS device, sending an alert to the local police in the form of a text message, in addition to having buttons that have been programmed to carry pre-selected numbers of family and friends. The watch itself will come with GPS capability, so that it can pinpoint the exact location of the girl when the message was sent, unless of course, she is in a place that does not have adequate coverage. It is hoped that mass production of these watches will not see its final sticker price exceed $50 to make it as affordable as possible across the board. Thing is, even if the police receive the alerts, are there enough manpower to arrive at the scene of the possible crime in time? What you see here  is meant for illustrative purposes only.

Nokia to look to the sky and bring solar charging to Windows Phones

Nokia has hit smartphone innovation head on with wireless charging, PureView camera technology and more, but the company doesn't appear to wish to halt with what's already on offer. According to a report over on MonWindowsPhone, Nokia is believed to be looking to work with SunPartner Group on its What You See Is Photovoltaic Surface (Wysips) product and add solar charging to smartphones later this year.

Prototypes are rumoured to be making an appearance at this coming Mobile World Congress. Now, before we head into this rumour, do have the salt shaker at hand. Wysips has a goal to implement solar technology into a wide variety of appliances, including LCD screens and smartphones. Our interest is peeked, as is a mobile device manufacturer. Nokia? Possibly, but without further information we can't call names just yet. But first, what's this technology all about and what has it got to do with Windows Phones?

The Wysips solar film which would be applied to smartphones is not entirely transparent, but appears so to the user by lenticular printing (AKA magic), an optical technology that reveals different images depending on the viewer’s position. It's often used to create 3D effects and animations. The Wysips product consists of two layers mounted onto the smartphone screen:

A film of photovoltaic strips
A thin flexible lenticular film, by which the user sees the screen or image from one angle, and the PV layer from another angle.
It's not such a farfetched idea as Wysips is already working on such technology, which will see smartphones recharge through enough exposure to the Sun's rays. But who could be looking at implementing this into hardware? Nokia would be a superb bet, if we do say so ourselves. With wireless charging already established and included in mid-high level Windows Phones, we could always see solar charging too. MonWindowsPhone managed to get word that Wysips has signed a deal with a smartphone manufacturer, but the brand remains confidential. It's still some time before we see such features included on mobile hardware, but could Windows Phone be the first platform to support it? If we were Microsoft or Nokia and have not yet looked at Wysips, we'd look at snapping up this concept quickly.

Lava Mobile offers budget XOLO A1000 5-inch Android phablet for $259

Too often, choosing a budget-friendly device involves settling with a small, under-powered handset with lackluster specs and an old version of Android. Fortunately, that is slowly changing, with more mid-range handsets hitting the market with a reasonable price tag. One such handset is Lava Mobile’s XOLO A1000, a 5-inch Android smartphone that has all-around nice specs with a low price tag of $259 USD. The XOLO A1000 has a sleek white body that resembles certain popular Galaxy handsets, as well as mid-range specs that are certainly high enough to please the average smartphone user looking for a handset with a large screen and powerful enough hardware to play their favorite mobile games. For now, the handset is only available in India for 13,999 rupees.

The A1000 features a large 5-inch IPS display with a 720p 120×720 resolution. Inside, users will find a MediaTek MT6577 1GHz dual-core processor and a PowerVR SGX531 GPU. There’s 1GB of RAM and 4GB of internal storage space, with a microSD expansion slot for more memory if the on-board isn’t enough. Around back there’s an 8-megapixel camera, as well as a 1.2-megapixel front camera.

The handset is said to run Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, and sports a decent sized 2100mAh battery, which is large enough to keep the handset powered for awhile without constantly having to plug it in, but not quite as large as would be comfortable for a 5-inch display. The handset comes in black and white and is unlocked. No word on whether we’ll see it in the States.

Review: HTC 8S smartphone

It is difficult to find a good smartphone at a price below Rs 20,000. In the high-end segment, there are devices like Galaxy S III, HTC One X+ and iPhone. But if you are not willing to spend a fortune on a phone, your options are rather limited.
The situation has improved in the last six months and we have started seeing some decent Android phones that are also affordable. Yet, there is no one winner in this market. The slot for the best phone under Rs 20,000 is still open. And this is the slot that HTC is targeting with 8S, the company's affordable Windows Phone 8 device.

Does it succeed? Yes, but partly. HTC 8S is a very good device at its price and is a worthy choice over many Android phones that dot the market. But it is not without its compromises. Read on to know more...

Bright colours, good design, fast performance
Just like the 8X, the flagship Windows phone from HTC, the 8S has a smart and colourful personality. The design language is also similar. The 8S too has tapered edges, albeit a bit thicker compared to those on the more expensive phone. Interestingly, this gives the 8S a more balanced design and makes it a better fit in the hand.

Other than the difference in thickness, the 8S and the 8X differ in the quality of build material. The body of the 8S has a more plastic feel, though not in a cheap way. The only complain that we have in terms of design is the difficult-to-open cover on the bottom of the phone where SIM and microSD card slots are placed.

Even by its high design standards, HTC has done a splendid job with the 8S. The funky colours - in India the device is available in red and blue - go well with the bright and vibrant Windows Phone 8 user interface.

Despite its relatively small size -- something that also makes it pocketable and easy fit in hands - the 8S packs in some serious hardware. It is powered by a dual-core processor running at 1Ghz and 512MB RAM. The graphics are handled by Adreno 305, which is a very capable chip. The phone has 4GB internal storage along with support for a micro SD card of up to 32GB. The primary camera can shoot pictures in 5 mega pixels. The 4-inch screen sports a resolution of 800x480 pixels.

The combination of good hardware, a bright and accurate screen, and the fluid interface of Windows Phone 8 operating software makes HTC 8S a fast phone. This gives it an advantage compared to similarly-priced Android phones, which seem slow or suffer from lag during use.

In our use, we found HTC 8S to be a very capable phone. Call quality was clear and web browsing was smooth. The camera isn't the best we have seen in a mid-range phone but it produces decent shots that are usable on websites like Facebook and Twitter. However, videos that are shot in 720P resolution are below average in quality. The phone battery lasts around 15 hours on single charge when phone used primarily for making calls, some browsing, emails and social networking.

So what are the compromises?
Despite all that is good in HTC 8S, the device has its limitations. The Windows Phone 8, which powers the device, is its strength as well as its weakness.

We have written about the operating system earlier but here is a quick summary. Windows Phone 8 is fast, intuitive and beautiful but it is not as functional or flexible as Android. The OS lacks a proper notification centre and proper multitasking. While some users may not mind it, people who use their smartphones to keep in touch with the real-time world through services like Twitter will find the experience lacking. Lack of apps for Windows Phone devices is another problem. It is particularly an issue if your digital life revolves around Google services like Youtube, Gmail, Google Maps and Google Talk. There are some third-party apps that access into these services but the experience is inferior compared to what Android, which is made by Google, offers.

The last compromise that users will have to make with HTC 8S is lack of video chat. The phone doesn't have a front camera so you can't video chat with your friends or family members with it.

Good phone for the price
If you are out in the market hunting for a smartphone for less than Rs 20,000 HTC 8S should be on your shortlist. But before you pick it make sure that you do not mind what it lacks. Apps are not as plentiful as what Android phones have, experience with Google services is poor and if you are a heavy Twitter users, this is not the device for you. Similarly, you cannot make video calls with it.

But if these limitations are not a deal-breaker for you, 8S is a good choice. It is not in the league of expensive Android phones or iPhone but it doesn't have to be. At a price of Rs 19,260 it is a solid device that is better than similarly-priced Android phones because of its fast performance, very good screen and a great design.

Wacom Intuos5 Touch Medium Pen Tablet

For creative professionals such as Photographers, Designers and Illustrators or anyone who desires professional results, the Intuos5 Touch Medium Pen Tablet combines Wacom’s most advanced pen technology with multi-touch functionality.

Natural and intuitive to use, the tablet lets you alternate between using multi-touch gestures to position and navigate your artwork and the pressure-sensitive pen to sketch, paint, retouch, and edit. With 48.4 square inches of working area, the medium size of the three Intuos5 touch models provides ample workspace for the way that most tablet users like to work and can still fit into most laptop computer bags.

Samsung Galaxy S IV to retain home button, ignore S Pen: Reports

Information about the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S IV has been leaking out left, right and centre, and today, we’re hearing that Samsung will be retaining the physical home button on their upcoming phone after all. What that means is that the capacitive duo (back and home) will flank the home button we’ve grown so used to seeing on the previous Samsung devices.

Along with the news of the physical home button, there is also word that the S Pen would not be included in the phone, but it would seem that Samsung has developed some non-touch based gestures that would make their way into the phone.

Earlier, benchmarks of a Korea-only build of the purported Galaxy S IV showed up on the GLBenchmark site, running a Qualcomm MSM8960 chipset as against the new 8-core Exynos processor we had hoped it would ship with. While the benchmarks are only for the Korea specific version of the phone, it is very much possible that the international version could potentially ship with the 8-core beast Samsung has been developing.

Seeing that the Korea-only version tops out every popular high-end Android phone currently on the market, we are eagerly awaiting to see what the benchmarks of the international version would look like. This is of course assuming that Samsung does go with a higher end specification for their global version of the phone. All shall become clear on March 15th though, when Samsung will possibly host the unveiling of their new flagship.

The Droids Are Coming!!

Guess who's testing the freshest prototypes .
HOT off the assembly line!!

First glimpse of the worlds first fully featured Android Smart Watch. Get ready to make calls, send and receive texts and e-mail right from your watch!!!
Comes loaded with bluetooth, wifi, camera, gps and the full fledged google play store!!

Nokia Lumia 620 Review - Affordability never looked so good

Nokia’s Lumia 620 could be Palm Centro of 2013

The Nokia Lumia 620, a modestly priced entry-level Windows Phones, represents one of the best value devices we’ve encountered yet on the platform. The 620 replaces the Lumia 610, a device that went on sale last year and now runs Windows Phone 7.8. But in our opinion, the value impact of the 620 is leaps and bounds higher than its predecessor.

Make no mistake, this is an entry-level device that is not meant to rival the 800/900 series of Lumia Windows Phones. But also know this: it is one cool device and we’re having a hard time putting it down. The Good: Bold, eye catching phone with fantastic features and excellent quality all for less than $300. The Bad: May be too small for some. Needs to be on more carriers. Conclusion: Nokia has a winner on hand with the Lumia 620. It has some high-end features in a compact, exciting and nimble body. Although it's an entry-level phone, it raises the bar for quality and could give Nokia a much needed boost. An excellent choice for teens, adults who want no fuss but quality or enthusiasts who want a 'weekend phone'.

Here’s the Bluetooth-Enabled Handset Glove You Didn’t Ask For

The universal sign for “call me” is to raise your hand to your head, put your thumb in your ear and your pinkie next to your mouth. Now there’s a glove that actually lets you talk on the phone in that exact same position. It’s called the Hi-Call glove – a Bluetooth enabled device with a microphone in the pinkie and a speaker in your thumb. It’s a bit wacky and we can’t imagine many will sell beyond gag gifts, but it is part of the growing trend of integrating technology into our clothing and we thought we’d point it out. Hey you’re glove is ringing. At least that’s how we think it works when you wear the Hi-Call gloves and receive a phone call. Available in either grey or black in mens and womens sizes, the Hi-Call glove hooks up with your iphone via Bluetooth so you can talk through your hand. Available online starting at €49.99, the gloves come with a manual and a microUSB to USB charging cable. Standby battery life of the glove lasts up to 10 hrs and talk time should give you 20 hrs. The pointer finger of the glove is designed to let you mess with you iphone.

The idea is so you can keep your hands warm in the winter and still be able to talk on the phone. We think your hand is likely to get a cramp from holding it in that position. It’s patent pending, so don’t get any ideas about cashing in on this beauty of an idea.

Haze App Lets You See Weather Info, Not Just Read It!!

I know what you’re thinking: Seriously? Another weather app? The designers behind Haze at least have a geographic excuse: "it’s no secret that we’ve always been a little infatuated with weather apps, being from the cold Scandinavia," says Willi Wu, lead developer at Robocat. "It’s this combination of readily available data, the tangibility of the concept, and the intimate relationship we all share with the weather that keeps us coming back to this type of app."

Robocat (who partnered with another app shop called Taptanium on Haze) has made two weather apps before Haze and is already at work on another, but they’re trying something new this time: encoding dynamic weather information into the look and feel of the app itself, rather than spelling it out in text and icons. Haze’s gradient background visuals ripple in a simple, gentle animation that tells you where tomorrow’s weather is trending: an upward-flowing "current" means that tomorrow will be warmer, a downward-flowin

g one means tomorrow will be cooler. (The animations also display similar trends for tomorrow’s chance of rain.) "Don’t read it. See it," the designers say. To be fair, Haze still gets the bulk of its information across using words, numbers, and tappable icons. Wu and his team had originally planned to make Haze’s information architecture and interaction design totally "glanceable"--based solely on aesthetic representations of weather data, like the background animations--but pulled back from that plan after doing user research.

"At one point in development, Haze didn’t even have values or icons, but relied solely on relative placement, color, and animation," Wu tells Co.Design. "However, we found that while most testers enjoyed the novelty, they liked the option of sometimes bothering with the actual numbers. We wanted to stay true to the idea of being able to glance [at] the current weather situation by looking at the colors and the direction of the animation, but we also wanted more power under the hood, allowing the user to fold out the forecast and tap into the more detailed aspects of the current weather."

Haze’s approach of baking informational utility directly into the visual design and behavior of the app emerged from Robocat and Taptanium’s development process, which (like more and more app shops) relies heavily on functional prototyping from the start, rather than a more traditional "UX wireframes first, UI visuals last" process. "While we did start off with some general ideas on paper, most of the details and fluidity of Haze have been extracted through working prototypes, testing and timing effects and sounds," Wu says. "It is very time consuming, but it has given us the opportunity to pursue interactions and user experiences that we couldn’t possibly have thought up beforehand. In many ways it’s been more like working with a tweakable simulation susceptible for user input, rather than a classic design spec."

Any "glanceable" display has to maximize its information density in a way that appeals directly to our senses. Structure must become content, and vice versa. This principle isn’t new to graphic design, but applying it to time-based and interactive contexts (like consumer apps) isn’t as common. Haze’s animated backgrounds are a simple step in this direction. But turning "passive" elements of an app’s interface into dynamic, information-delivering patterns could unlock powerful new ways of interacting with information--without it feeling like a ton of work.

"Spatial, color-coded, and animated information presentation [is] very suggestive, and it can help decode information at a faster pace," Wu says. "It’s obviously always been around in some capacity, but we believe that we’re just starting to see the beginning of a more radical use, particularly in mobile design." Haze’s UI experiments could apply well beyond the realm of weather apps. What if your banking app was more than a calculator-like grid of buttons and input fields--what if its color scheme edged toward red as your balance fell? The days of eye candy for eye candy’s sake may be numbered--and that’s a good thing.

Nokia confirms the PureView 808 to be the last Symbian smartphone

Nokia has gradually going through its transition to Windows Phone OS with its new Lumia series of smartphone while on the lower-end Nokia has been producing devices based on the Series 40 platform under its Asha series of feature phones.

“During our transition to Windows Phone through 2012, we continued to ship devices based on Symbian. The Nokia 808 PureView, a device which showcases our imaging capabilities and which came to market in mid-2012, was the last Symbian device from Nokia,” Nokia revealed in its full-year 2012 earnings result.

Nokia has finally confirmed the rumors about the PureView 808 being the last Symbian based smartphone from the company. More capable mobile OS’s took Symbian by surprise which major led to Nokia’s decline from its leading position. Hence, Nokia announced its partnership with Microsoft to use their Windows Phone OS for future generation Nokia smartphones.

The fourth quarter of 2012 was the first quarter ever when Lumia series shipments exceeded that of Symbian smartphones. Nokia announced that it shipped 4.4 million Lumia smartphones as opposed to the 2.2 million Symbian devices shipped in the same quarter.

Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13 Review

The ultrabook doesn’t want to remain an ultrabook anymore, apparently. Not be confused with the hybrid devices that seem to be popping up here and there, but we are talking about full-fledged ultrabooks that are trying to offer a lot more than they currently do.

The Dell XPS 12 was the first ultrabook that we reviewed with this in mind, and it did sort of make sense. But only just. The Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13 comes along, and takes that a little bit further. Does it work? Again, sort of.

Build & Design
Lenovo has named this the Yoga for a reason – it can handle various positions that most ultrabooks cannot even dream of. And yes, the display does not come off like on some devices. Essentially, what you have is a traditional ultrabook as you fish it out of the packaging. The review unit that we received from Lenovo had the orange colour, but there will be multiple colours available. The IdeaPad Yoga 1’s lid has the typical traditional Lenovo clean look, with the branding on one side. The soft feel on the lid is something rarely seen on ultrabooks, because it is considered fashionable (right or wrong, that is open for debate) to have metal shining to show off the quality. The slimness of the Yoga 13 is again something we must appreciate - 16.9mm to be precise. Open the lid, and the keyboard deck catches your attention immediately – with the leather layer on the palm-rest and around the keyboard. The IdeaPad Yoga 13’s keypad’s key size and design is pretty much the same as what we saw on the U-series ultrabooks. The good change, albeit a small one, is that the keys are now closer to the essential square, rather than the profound curve on the base. With this change, typing quickly and correctly, without looking down on the keyboard, is easier. However, the placement of the shift key in relation to the directional keys and the enter key is still not perfect. Most keyboards place the shift key above the arrow keys, and below the enter key, with both having a relatively similar size. In the Yoga 13’s case, the shift key is placed right next to the upward arrow key, and if you are not careful, you can make the wrong key press. Notice it a little too late, and half the document you are typing will be a complete mess. Staying with the keyboard, there is a profound dip all across the keyboard when you are typing.

 Apart from the keyboard build quality niggle, which is something that we can surely get used to after a period of time, the rest of the IdeaPad Yoga 13’s build quality is excellent. The display hinge is fairly solid, and that is critical for a touchscreen. We have faced the issue of display rocking back and forth when using the touchscreen, on certain ultrabook, but this one does not budge on its own. Having said that, it is fairly smooth to move the screen around to switch to the stand, tent and tablet mode. Again, the quality of the display hinge is critical in all these positions.

The flip back screen is a complete opposite of the swivel mechanism we saw on the Dell XPS 12. Unlike the XPS, the entire frame on the Yoga 13 moves along, and not just the screen attached to two hinges within a frame on either side. Features & Specifications
We usually look at the hardware and the specs of a device first, in this section. For the Yoga 13, we will make a departure from the usual and talk about the Yoga positions first!

First up is the typical ultrabook mode. This is what ultrabooks have always been like, and the Yoga 13 in this mode is no different. The slim profile makes it rather comfortable to carry around. The second is the tent mode, in this case, the screen twists over the keyboard and both prop up the machine. Along the way, you can have the display at 90 degrees to the back of the keyboard deck, and this can be used as a display only. Then, there is the tablet mode. While all these modes are rather interesting and unique, something that we are worried about is the fact that the keyboard remains exposed to the potential of damage. Even in tablet mode, you will essentially be holding it by what is actually the keyboard deck. The individual keys are in for some major damage, if you are not careful.

The IdeaPad Yoga 13’s specifications are fairly standard for ultrabooks, and pretty much in-line with what the closest rival, the Dell XPS 12 offers. There is the Ivy Bridge Intel Core i5-3317U processor, 4GB of RAM and the 128GB SSD.

However, the display on the Yoga 13 is very good, and the stand-out feature. The IPS display has a 1600 x 900 pixel resolution. Yes, it is less than the Full HD display on the XPS 12, but there are two things to consider – 1. the IPS display is better than the one on the XPS in terms of colour reproduction, viewing at angles and text rendering and 2. The Yoga’s 13.3-inch display is more comfortable to be used as an ultrabook than a smaller 12.5-inch display on the XPS. We were very impressed by the overall experience of using this display. It is equally good if you are using this for reading or for watching a movie. Yes, it is slightly reflective, and that is something you will have to live with. Brightness levels are also slightly higher than the XPS 12.

For all its build quality faults, we must say that the keyboard on the Yoga feels fairly consistent when you are typing an article on it. Key travel is adequate, and the sharp response is better than even the best keyboard we had seen till now, in the Samsung Series 5, at least for ultrabooks below the Rs. 80,000 price bracket. Once you get used to the key design and the half size shift key, typing documents on this will be a breeze. Performance
The Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13 and the Dell XPS 12 are neck and neck in terms of performance. Our benchmark scores indicate that the performance of both machines is very much similar. But that is not a surprise, considering the power package is almost the same in both. The PC Mark 07 score of 4862 for the Yoga 13 is slightly higher than the 4734 of the XPS 12. In terms of real world usage, the Yoga 13 feels quicker than the XPS 12, ever so slightly. What is important to mention is that the Lenovo machine comes with a fairly clean Windows 8 installation, while there are a bunch of preloaded apps on the Dell XPS 12. If you aren’t using some of them, we would recommend you uninstall regularly, for a better performing machine at your disposal. This configuration is more than enough to run fairly heavy tasks viewing an HD video playback, and skipping within the timeline of an 8GB HD movie rip did not make the machine stutter.

The IdeaPad Yoga 13’s touchscreen response is fairly consistent throughout, no matter what mode you use this in. When in tablet mode, the touch pressure is pretty much in line with the Apple iPad, for example. Before I get hung, drawn and quartered for saying this ludicrous thing, let me specify that the Acer Aspire M3 ultrabook that we reviewed sometime back was not as good in terms of touchscreen sensitivity.

The IdeaPad Yoga 13 does take the game to a new level in terms of battery life. In high performance mode, our battery life benchmark tests clocked 329 minutes. This beats the previous best of 300 minutes by the Dell XPS 12. Essentially, with controlled brightness levels, this will easily get you around 7 hours of battery backup – enough to get you through almost an entire day at work.

Bottom Line
If you want an ultrabook with the utmost amount of flexibility, then the Lenovo Yoga 13 is worth considering. It can twist and turn into many positions. However, with these devices, build quality needs to be paid proper attention to, and the exposed-to-elements keyboard is something that needs to be improved upon. You will have to be careful while using it, and let no one kid you on that aspect. Very good performance, with the excellent battery life being the best part.

Stilt Stylus And IPhone Stand

Stilt Stylus is an ultra portable iPhone accessory that can be used as a Stylus, an iPhone Stand or a keychain. When using Stilt as a stylus, the conductive black tip allows you to write and draw conveniently on any touch smartphone. Custom spring loaded keychain lock makes it easy to keep your stylus available at anytime. Stilt becomes a cute little stand for iPhone and unlike any other iPhone stand the Stilt offers a unique, handsome and hassle free solution for placing your phone in portrait or landscape mode.

Waterproof Wireless Tablets!!

The New Sony Xperia Tablet Resists Both Water and Dust
After last week’s preview of the Sony Xperia smartphone at CES 2013, consumers are now getting a look at the new Sony Xperia tablet.

Officially named the Sony Xperia Tablet Z, it runs on Android 4.1 and is the thinnest and lightest tablet on the market. Just like the Sony Xperia smartphone, this tablet is waterproof and dust proof. While there are cases out there that will make your device resistant to water and dust, these are two of the first devices that achieve this on their own.

The specs of the new Sony Xperia tablet include a Qualcomm 1.5 GHz quad-core processor and 2GB of RAM. The storage space comes in at 32 GB and the screen is 10.1,” which is twice the size of the Sony Xperia smartphone.

Dell unveils Inspiron 15z Ultrabook @ Rs 41,990 (USD 760)

Dell today launched its Inspiron 15z laptops with optional touchscreen, with the aim of attracting buyers seeking entry-level ultrabooks. This new laptops is priced at Rs 41,990 (without taxes) and runs on Windows 8.

The all-new Inspiron 15z has a 15.6-inch LED HD display with TrueLife technology and buyers can choose between RAM ranging from 4GB to 8GB. Hard disk options in the device are 500GB SATA or 256GB solid state drive. The device is powered by 3rd generation Intel Core CPUs and features scratch-resistant Gorilla Glass touchscreen.

Offered with optional Nvidia GeForce GT630M 2GB DDR3 graphics, Inspiron 15z weighs 2.46 kg (touchscreen version) and measures 23mm in thickness. This new ultrabook comes with Waves MaxxAudio 4.0 for sound enhancement and Skullcandy speakers. This laptop also includes a built-in optical drive, Intel Rapid Start Technology and Intel Smart Response Technology.

GALAXY S IV UNVEILING REPORTEDLY SET FOR MARCH 15TH

Recent rumors have suggested that Samsung (005930) will announce its flagship Galaxy S IV smartphone at a press conference sometime in March. It was previously reported that the company would unveil the device on March 22nd but according to SamMobile, which has reported accurate details about unannounced Samsung products in the past, the handset will reportedly be announced on March 15th.

The Galaxy S IV is expected to launch in Europe and Asia in April and around May or June in North America and Australia. Samsung’s next flagship smartphone is said to be equipped with a 4.99-inch Super AMOLED full HD display, a 1.8GHz eight-core Exynos 5 Octa processor and a 13-megapixel rear camera. The device is also expected to include, 2GB of RAM, NFC, 4G LTE, a microSD slot, wireless charging capabilities and Android 4.2.1 Jelly Bean.

Gresso Cruiser Titanium Is The World’s First Polished Titanium Mobile Phone

For the rich and profile-conscious, Gresso is the brand to be endorsed. After taking the wraps off its luxurious iPhone 5 bumper last year, the company is now announcing a new one-of-a-kind phone that is made from polished titanium. Enter Gresso’s Cruiser Titanium series, available in three models – Cruiser Titanium, Cruiser Titanium Black, and Cruiser Titanium Solid – priced at 1,849.52€ 1,479.62€ and 1,331.66€ respectively. The Cruiser Titanium combines elegant design, unique materials, precision technology, and handwork. Gresso says that it has traversed a completely new realm with the creation of the phone.

For example, building the case alone involves 9 stages overall. First, the case holds 6-stage polishing process, followed by 3-stage hand polishing with various abrasive pastes creating a glossy blade effect, Gresso said. The result is a titanium case that can withstand extreme loads, resist dents, and ensure twists. Gresso also used a unique tinting technology to achieve the deep black color on the phone. The phone keyboard is also traditionally cut from steel, and each key button is polished by hand. Features include a 2-inch display with a 240 x 320 resolution, 30MB of internal memory, a microSD card slot, a 2-megapixel camera, and Symbian S40 OS. Unbelievable!

Dell in 17.71€ b deal to go private!!

Slumping personal computer maker Dell is bowing out of the stock market in a 18€-billion buyout that represents the largest deal of its kind since the global economic crisis dried up the financing for such risky manoeuvres.

The complex agreement announced on Tuesday will allow Dell’s management to attempt a company turnaround away from the glare and financial pressures of Wall Street. Dell stockholders will be paid 10.07€ per share to leave the company on its own.

That’s better than 8.12€ level the stock was hovering at before word of the buyout talks trickled out last month, but a steep markdown from the shares’ price of 19.19€ less than five years ago.

Stop trading

Once the sale to a group of investors that includes investment firm Silver Lake is finalised, Dell’s stock will stop trading on the Nasdaq nearly 25 years after the Round Rock, Texas, company raised 22.14€ million in an initial public offering of stock. The company will solicit competing offers for 45 days.

The IPO and Dell’s rapid growth through the 1990s turned its eponymous founder Michael Dell into one of the world’s richest peopleMichael Dell, who owns nearly 16 percent stake in the company, will remain the CEO after the sale closes and will contribute his existing stake in Dell to the new company. Dell’s sale is the highest-priced leveraged buyout of a technology company.

Leveraged buyouts refer to deals that saddle the acquired company with the debt taken on to finance the purchase. Dell’s decision to go private is a reflection of the tough times facing the personal computer industry. By becoming a major Dell backer, Microsoft could gain more influence in the design of the devices running on a radically redesigned version of Windows that was released in late October.

Michael Dell and his financial backers are betting it will be easier to engineer a turnaround without having to pander to the stock market’s fixation on whether the company’s earnings are growing from one quarter to the next.

Taking the company private will leave it without publicly traded shares to entice and reward talented workers or to help buy other companies.

Leveraged buyouts also require companies to earmark some of their incoming cash to reduce the debt taken on as part of the process of going private. The obligations mean Dell will have less money to invest in innovation and expansion of its business.

Toshiba 2TB Canvio Basic USB 3.0 External Hard Drive

Need a large storage capacity to backup your favorite games, movies and various data? Take a look at Toshiba’s 2TB Canvio Basics USB 3.0 external hard drive, it may be able to meet your requirements. The Canvio Basics 3.0 is a large capacity portable drive that measures 3.1 x 4.7 x 0.83 inches and weights 7.8 oz. As we can see from the images, the external hard drive features sleek modern design, and comes with 2TB storage capacity in order to store lots of digital content, and the internal shock sensor and ramp loading technology protects the portable drive from accidents and drops. Moreover, the external hard drive also features up to 5400RPM rotational speed, 8MB cache buffer and USB 3.0 interface so you can use it to transfer files at blazing fast speeds. Apart from that, Canvio Basics 3.0 is backward compatible with USB 2.0, and with Toshiba 3-year limited warranty. Toshiba Canvio Basics 3.0 portable drive is priced at 104.13€ (141.32€ official price).

LawnBott SpyderEvo Lawnmower

The LawnBott LB1500 SpyderEVO robotic mower makes mowing the grass a thing of the past. Simply stake down the included perimeter wire around your lawn and any areas you don’t want to cut; flower gardens, landscaped areas, swimming pools, etc. Place the LB1500 SpyderEVO in the yard and turn it on, that’s it.

Pocket Socket Portable Hand Generator

We all know that sometimes you meet someone whose touch sends shivers up your spine. This hand-cranked portable generator is sort of like that, except this time you are creating the electricity. Of course, when the zombie apocalypse happens and all infrastructure is kaput, you'll want to create your own electricity. We can't bottle that up as a renewable resource (yet!).

There is nothing worse than being stuck five miles from the Safe Zone with a dead phone, air mattress pump, radio or flashlight. This Pocket Socket Portable Hand Generator ensures you are never in that situation again. It features one two-prong U.S. standard electric outlet that with the help of your hand will power up your electronics in all of those emergency situations. Product Specifications

Portable and lightweight power generator
Generates 10 watts of power at 120V DC via standard two-prong U.S. outlet
Perfect gift for travelers, campers, or people who forget to charge things
Dimensions: 6.75" x 2.25"
Weight: 14.1 ounces
Made in the USA

iPad 5 Expected To Resemble An iPad Mini And Release In October [Rumor]

Apple is apparently expected to announce multiple iPhones this year, which is great for the iPhone community, but what about the iPad? We’ve heard rumors of an iPad Mini 2 possibly in the works that will have a Retina Display, although if a report from iLounge is to be believed, this may turn out to be the next official iPad.

According to the report, the fifth-generation iPad will completely move on from its current design to adopt a form factor that is said to be similar to the iPad Mini’s. The iPad 5 will virtually have no bezel down the sides of the display, be significantly thinner than previous models and is said to be a huge improvement over the fourth-generation iPad.

The report also suggest we won’t be seeing the iPad 5 any time soon as it’s expected to release in October 2013, although that’s based on pure speculation as its believed the parts to make the new iPad won’t be available for some time.

The iPad Mini has been quite popular ever since it was announced this past October, although we certainly would prefer our official iPads to have its larger screen rather than become another iPad Mini.

NEW PURPORTED GALAXY NOTE 8.0 IMAGES CONFIRM S-PEN SUPPORT

Earlier this week, images that were purportedly of Samsung’s (005930) upcoming Galaxy Note 8.0 tablet leaked onto the Web. The slate looked like an oversized Galaxy S III smartphone and included the company’s physical home button, which had perviously been omitted from earlier Galaxy tablets. French blog Frandroid posted additional images of the tablet on Friday that confirmed it will include an S-Pen stylus, similar to the Galaxy Note II and Galaxy Note 10.1. The Galaxy Note 8.0 is rumored to be equipped with a 1280 x 800 pixel resolution display, 1.6GHz quad-core processor and a 5-megapixel rear camera. The slate is also believed to include 2GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage, a microSD slot and Android 4.2.

Samsung is expected to announce the Galaxy Note 8.0 tablet next month at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

Samsung ATIV Odyssey Windows Phone Review

While Samsung was first out of the gate announcing their Windows Phone 8 device, the ATIV S, the company seems to be struggling down the stretch. With delays in the ATIV S's release and a rather limited market, the Samsung ATIV Odyssey might change the tide with Samsung's Windows Phone lineup. At least in the U.S. market.

The ATIV Odyssey joined the HTC 8X and Nokia Lumia 822 at Verizon Wireless giving the company a little more diversity in their Windows Phone lineup. The ATIV Odyssey may not have the pop of the Nokia or HTC devices but it's still a decent Windows Phone. But at a release price of 37.11€ (free at Best Buy), it may struggle with the competition and in keeping Samsung's foot in the Windows Phone market. The Good: Comfortable fit, quality Super AMOLED screen, NFC support, call blocking, Data Sense, respectable battery life, microSD card expansion, surprisingly nice camera outdoors and good call quality The bad: Capacitive buttons can be a little overly sensitive, 8GB of storage may not appeal to everyone, and under whelming camera performance in low light conditions. Conclusion: The Samsung ATIV Odyssey is a nice, mid-level Windows Phone. While it has some nice features the phone lacks a spotlight feature to give it a competitive edge over similarly priced Windows Phones. The ATIV Odyssey is very similar to the Samsung Focus 2. Maybe too similar for those looking for something fresh and innovative in the Windows Phone.

MeCam helps you record your everyday affairs casually

Have you ever wished that there were moments in your life where you could have recorded the particular conversation because a dispute rose up later on that concerned “who-said-what” – definitely a sticky situation that nobody would like. Well, here is something that might just help you out, the MeCam which has been described as a small hands-free video camera which can be pinned to a shirt or worn as a necklace, while carrying enough internal memory to capture a couple of hours of first-person footage.

After all, there are some moments in life where you are simply not ready to capture it, but wished you were. This is where the MeCam definitely comes in handy, offering the ability for one to capture those spontaneous, memorable moments using a small, hands-free video camera. Martin is the person behind the MeCam, bringing to life his vision for everyone to be able to shoot impromptu images without missing a beat.

It does not matter whether you pin it to your shirt or wear it as a necklace, the MeCam will be able to catch just about every instant from a first-person point of view, as it records each moment that happens the way users see it. You can upload the video to your computer in a jiffy over USB, and not only that, you can also share your videos using the variety of social media outlets.

Martin said, “Life moves fast, and the best moments are usually the unexpected. With a MeCam, users can now have a hands-free camera capable of recording their life on the go.”

The MeCam wearable video camera measures under two inches in diameter, and will tip the scales at under two ounces. The MeCam records video in 720p high-definition resolution at 30 frames per second, where it is powered by a lithium-ion battery for 80 minutes of non-stop run time and up to 4 hours of video storage on a microSD memory card. 37.11€ does seem to make the MeCam a steal, don’t you think so?

Samsung reportedly planning wider device availability for Music Hub

Since Samsung first announced their Music Hub service, the global reach has been somewhat limited. Initially launching only in the UK, the U.S. soon followed, but one thing remained. Device exclusivity to Samsung devices, more specifically the Galaxy S3 and then the Galaxy Note 2. Now though, a new report suggests that Samsung is looking towards expanding the reach of its music service, and go toe-to-toe with the likes of Google Play and the Amazon MP3 Store.

TJ Kang, SVP for Samsung Media Services, in speaking with The Next Web said that Samsung plans to expand the availability of Music Hub. Initially taking in the Samsung range of connected devices, to include tablets, smartphones, Smart TV's and even refrigerators, the expansion wouldn't end there. Beyond this, Kang also acknowledged that the service could be seen on Android devices from other OEMs, stating it would be easier for Samsung, since consumers often own devices covering a broad range of manufacturers.

Currently the Samsung Music Hub is available in six countries worldwide, but further global expansion is also reportedly on the cards for 2013. As you might expect this is subject to territory specific deals, but also Samsung's 2013 device release plans. No potential timeline was offered for making the service available beyond the walls of Samsung, but Kang did go on to say that such availability was the company's goal.

So, perhaps the question we should be asking -- is there room for yet another music service fighting for our business? With Google Play and Amazon already established in selling music, and the likes of Spotify and Rdio offering compelling streaming offerings, is there room for another? Currently Music Hub could be seen as more of a convenience for those who can access it, but surely to break through Samsung would have to offer something compelling. What about you guys -- would you use a Samsung music service in place of whatever you currently use? Hit up the comments below and share your thoughts with us.

Samsung Takes A Liking To Eye Pause And Eye Scroll

When the Samsung Galaxy S3 was introduced to the masses In May last year, it came with a wide array of features that did impress certain segments of the smartphone kingdom, and I am quite sure that “Smart Stay” did carve out a legion of fans by itself, as the front camera works to know whether your eyes are open and staring at the screen, so that it will not turn off the screen. Well, there are new trademark names in tow that do seem to indicate that Samsung is currently developing more features where the front-facing camera is concerned. Both “Eye Pause” and “Eye Scroll” are said to be upcoming features from Samsung, and it remains to be seen just how those will work when revealed. Perhaps the front-facing camera will detect where your eyes are looking at when text on a page, knowing whether to scroll up or down automatically. That’d be swell, but won’t it be rather taxing on the phone’s battery life if it had to process that all the time?

No idea on when these will see action on our smartphones, but as usual with new-fangled features, the common answer would always be “sooner rather than later”, and the same applies this time around.

The Memo Note Timer Pins Light Up to Get People's Attention

Calendars and alarms may be good and all, but for those looking for something a little more interactive and visual, the Memo Note Timer Pins are just for them. They are hi-tech versions of standards tacks. Basically, a person pins down a traditional memo on a cork board or something similar with it. The main difference, however, is that the end of the Memo Note Timer Pins can be turned to effectively countdown until when the reminder needs to be completed.

Ingeniously designed by Kim Sung Min, the Memo Note Timer Pins countdown can be tracked by a subtle notch. When it finishes counting down, it lights up to get the attention of the person it concerns.

Samsung Ativ Odyssey Set For Verizon Debut

If the Windows Phone 8 device that you have set your eyes on and no other is the Samsung Ativ Odyssey, then we have good news for you – assuming you are fine with whatever carrier the smartphone is attached to, that is. In a nutshell, the Samsung Ativ Odyssey will be making its way to Verizon Wireless stores from tomorrow onwards, where it will cost you just 37.12€ after a 37.12€ mail-in rebate and you agreeing to a new two year service contract, of course.

Originally announced at Microsoft’s Windows Phone 8 launch event last fall, here is a quick recap on what the Samsung Ativ Odyssey will bring to the table, or rather, into the palm of your hand. This is a 4” device that will be powered by a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, sport a 5-megapixel camera at the back with a 1.2-megapixel shooter in front, 1GB RAM, 8GB of internal memory, a microSD memory card slot for expansion purposes, and a connection to Verizon’s 4G LTE data network. The 2,100 mAh removable battery should be able to get the Samsung Ativ Odyssey going for the entire day of serious use before requiring a charge.

The Infobar A02 is the freshest OS mashup you have never heard of!!

Do you want to know what you’re missing with Android, but just the thought of leaving Windows Phone 8 gives you separation anxiety? Does your desire for a simplified approach outweigh the functionality of Apple’s iOS? Have no fear, for your curiosity hath been addressed, Dear Reader! I have found the closest match to what the offspring of Android, iOS, and WP8 would look like. There’s just one catch: it’s called the Infobar A02.

The Infobar line brings sophistication to Japan’s second most popular mobile carrier, KDDI. But whether or not the A02 fills any void in the Japanese market is a question I found myself asking when I first saw the design Naoto Fukasawa came up with. The A02’s aluminum chassis is one of HTC’s most unique hardware creations yet. This hardware married with the unique iida UI 2.0 running atop Android 4.1 presents an alternative to buyers who are tired of Android, iOS, and WP8. Though HTC is allegedly trying its hardest to move away from carrier-specific devices stateside, the Infobar A02’s off-the-wall design is a one-off, so don’t bet on it making an appearance here in the states. Where the A01 utilizes physical back, home and menu buttons, the A02 swaps for on-screen keys similar to what we have seen on the HTC M7 leaked images. Along with dust and waterproofing, the Infobar A02 houses a quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro APQ8064 at 1.5GHz, a 4.7-inch 720p screen, 1GB of RAM, 16GB of flash storage, an 8MP rear-facing camera and 2.1MP camera around front, LTE connectivity, and Beats Audio which pays tribute to its HTC roots. The Infobar A02 is expected to launch sometime next month in Nishikigoi (red), Ice Gray (white), and Aoao (blue).

Before you go searching for a video of the device in action, imagine this: you're scrolling through Live Tiles present on the home screen of your WP8 device with animations similar to the water-ripple effect built into Samsung’s TouchWiz UI. Each “tile” can be expanded with a pinch gesture and they’re all multi-dimensional so they can be moved and resized with a simple long-press and tap. Perform a long press and the icon begins to shake (reminiscent of the iOS “shimmy”) when you want to move icons around. If the app is also a widget, you can scroll through it via tiny arrows on each edge after a simple long-press.

A quick pull from the left of the display reveals “List View” which organizes everything on the left-most screen into a vertical list like the app list in Windows Phone 8 devices but without the icons. Tap each item and it expands into sub-menus within the app. This is particularly useful for sorting through individual artists since each artist, album and song is accessible without opening the app itself. Once you reach the end of an app’s “path,” the app opens like any other. There is a physical button on the side of the Infobar A02 that is a shortcut to this list view for those in a rush.

A pull from right to left reveals a quick-settings menu with an assortment of toggles similar to the widgets in HTC’s Sense version 2.0, yet somehow, not as ugly. These are customizable like many other attributes of iida UI 2.0. Have a look at the official video here. (To my Japanese readers: feel free to translate in the comments below.

From the outside looking in, and as a consumer who will likely never see the Infobar A02 stateside, I can truly say that this is the sort of device that combines elements Samsung comfortably tackles on the regular. It adds color, flair, and revives a simply stale Apollo OS and brands it as more of an “experience” like Android Jelly Bean and Apple’s iOS have so easily done. As long as you can bear cartoony animations everywhere in the UI, you’ll be refreshed by the elements iida UI 2.0 mashes together. It’s a device for a niche market.

Though my approach to mobile operating systems has favored power over fluidity and function in the past, the Infobar A02 intrigues me for the value it presents. I’d liken the Infobar A02 to the Barbie Jeep of smartphones. Barbie may drive it, but that doesn’t mean it is any less capable in the wild. Design and functionality are the main selling points of the A02. Even if it's flamboyant and playful, the Infobar A02’s UI will bring value to those looking for a device that isn’t as limited as iOS and WP8, yet just as powerful as Android Jelly Bean.

How do you feel about the mashup of elements within iida UI 2.0? Does it present any values you’d like to see stateside? I would no doubt flash this custom ROM should it be ported to my phone. Would you? Is it a UI that looks fresh enough to ship on a factory device, or do you think HTC should stick to Sense and Apollo for now? I can tell you one thing, if HTC is capable of bringing this hardware stateside, it’s not going to be a quiet introduction for the Taiwanese company. The A02 is quite possibly the freshest and most unique approach I have ever seen in an end product for mainstream use. Do you agree? Let me know in the comments.

Taiwanese company Polytron unveils a real transparent smartphone

If transparent be the future of smartphones, Polytron play on. Taiwanese tech company Polytron technologies has revealed an all new transparent smartphone, which they say could be on the market by the end of 2013. The transparent smartphone, which opened eyes of all waiting for a transparent smartphone, was displayed by Serena Chen, Deputy Manager of Polytron in Taoyuan City, Northern Taiwan. This prototype phone, which has the ability to change smartphone industry for good, features a small touchscreen and power glass exterior.
There are companies that are working on foldable and flexible phones, and this transparent smartphone design seems first real effort at getting the transparent phone to the consumer. The only thing that bothers me is that, there hasn’t been a way worked out to make processors and components transparent – therefore you can see the processor and other components on the edges of the transparent smartphone.

Lenovo and Reliance to launch five sub-Rs. 8,000 smartphones in India

Reliance Communication has joined hands with Lenovo to launch five GSM-CDMA based smartphones in India. The smartphones will be priced under Rs. 8,000, so it is clear that the devices are targeted at the masses.

The Lenovo-Reliance phones will be available from March 2013 and will be distributed through 2,500 Reliance stores and 1,000 company stores of Lenovo.

"This is an important step in redefining India's CDMA device ecosystem. In the next six months, we plan to launch 4-5 more smartphones and tablets, which will be priced attractively to have a full bouquet of smart devices. The device announced today is in line with our endeavour to develop the CDMA device ecosystem, offering consumers speed and coverage." RCom President and CEO (Wireless Business) Gurdeep Singh said in a press release.

"India's smartphone market is booming and predicted to grow even faster in the coming years. Lenovo's partnership with Reliance creates strong synergies that leverage the unique strengths of Reliance and Lenovo," Lenovo Group SVP and President (LBG) Liu Jun said.

The smartphones are expected to have a dual-core 1GHz processor and run on the Android OS. No other specifications of the devices are known.

Micromax is one company that has launched devices in the sub Rs. 8,000 price bracket. Recently it announced the A89 Ninja for Rs. 7,000. The phone has a 4-inch TFT display with a 480x800 pixel resolution. A 1GHz dual-core Mediatek MT6577 SoC processor and 512MB of RAM power the device. It houses a 1450mAh battery. Micromax is expected to launch more than 30 phones in 2013.

With the growth in competition in the budget category, one thing is clear. The winner is the consumer. Sure, in the past a budget smartphone meant you would compromise on certain features and have an overall lacklustre experience, but now, budget smartphones have made a name for themselves as testing waters for those who want to know what its like to own an Android device.

Behind BlackBerry's do-or-die makeover is an Indian name!!!

As the 14-year-old BlackBerry launched its make-or-break product Wednesday evening, all eyes were on a 29-year-old: Vivek Bhardwaj. The head of Research in Motion's software portfolio, the Indian-origin Bhardwaj is the face of BlackBerry 10.

On his Twitter profile (@vik 1on1), Bhardwaj calls himself "focused on all things software". RIM at least is banking on that. Hit by iPhone and Android smartphones, BlackBerry has seen a massive downturn, with its market share in the US alone falling from 46 per cent in 2008 to 2 per cent last year. The launch of BB10 itself has been delayed many times. According to the Associated Press, the holdup has wiped out 52.07€ billion in shareholder wealth and 5,000 jobs.

Last year, RIM CEO Thorsten Heins laughed off suggestions of a plan B, suggesting that the company is gambling on BB10 to restore its fortunes.

Bhardwaj joined RIM in December 2006 but it was only over the past 18 months that he came to take on core software responsibilities, after moving to Waterloo, Canada, from the UK.

He describes himself as a "British guy in Canada", though as he told The Indian Express, his parents are of Indian origin. "My father was born in Punjab and migrated to the UK in the late '70s. My mother, also Indian, grew up in Kenya," Bhardwaj said in an e-mail interview. He was himself born in the UK.

Always interested in computer technology, he did his graduation in information systems and design in the UK. This, he said, allowed to him understand software engineering, product design and architecture. He has worked with Siemens Mobile (till it shut in 2006) and had a brief stint with BenQ mobile before joining RIM.

During his time at the Canadian firm, he has worked on BlackBerry software on products like Pearl 8100, 8300, 8800 and the Storm franchise. Recently, he worked on the BlackBerry Playbook tablet, before taking on BB10.

Bhardwaj said he had seen a major turnaround from developers' perspective since he started work on BB10. "With Alec Saunders (VP developer relations), Marty Mallick (VP global alliances) and their teams, we've been able to change perception on developing for BlackBerry. Amazing support from all over the world, and I'd say it's a complete turnaround in this area, which I'm very pleased to see."

While promising many India-specific applications on BlackBerry App World — India is a big BlackBerry market — Bhardwaj said the most challenging aspect for him about BB10 was integrating all features into a single experience. "This, however, has created our greatest opportunity. A user experience like no other platform and integration that we call BlackBerry Flow," he said.

While BlackBerry phones are known for their physical QWERTY keyboards, the new platform attempts to offer a great typing experience on touchscreen devices. "Touch typing is important and so is physical keyboard typing. We want to deliver the world's leading typing experience no matter if it's touch or physical and you'll continue to see both offerings from us for a while to come," he said, adding, "If it helps, I wrote all of this on my BlackBerry 10 smartphone."

BB10 previews have received favourable comments from bloggers and developers, but it remains to be seen whether consumers take to the new devices.

Bhardwaj appears confident. "If you're hyper-connected, love to multi-task, then BlackBerry 10 is the mobile computing platform for you. With BlackBerry Hub, Flow, and Balance, you can achieve all of that and more," he said.

About the lessons learnt, he added: "It is important to remain focused and to deliver on the promise of your brand and vision. Don't allow competitors' weakness to be your strengths, but understand what makes you unique, different and special."

APPLE UNVEILS NEW 128GB IPAD

Apple (AAPL) on Tuesday announced the upcoming availability of a 128GB version of its fourth-generation iPad tablet. The new slate will be identical to its predecessors in every way, but it will double the amount of available internal storage from the previous maximum of 64GB. Apple’s new full-size iPad model will be available beginning on February 5th and it will cost $799 for the Wi-Fi model or $929 for the Wi-Fi + Cellular model. Apple’s full press release follows below.

Apple Increases iPad with Retina Display to 128GB

Offers Twice the Storage Capacity to Create & Enjoy Even More Incredible Content

CUPERTINO, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Apple® today announced a 128GB* version of the fourth generation iPad® with Retina® display. The 128GB iPad with Wi-Fi and iPad with Wi-Fi + Cellular models provide twice the storage capacity of the 64GB models to hold even more valuable content including photos, documents, projects, presentations, books, movies, TV shows, music and apps.

“Our AutoCAD WS app for iOS was designed to give customers seamless access to their designs anywhere, anytime”

“With more than 120 million iPads sold, it’s clear that customers around the world love their iPads, and everyday they are finding more great reasons to work, learn and play on their iPads rather than their old PCs,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “With twice the storage capacity and an unparalleled selection of over 300,000 native iPad apps, enterprises, educators and artists have even more reasons to use iPad for all their business and personal needs.”

iPad continues to have a significant impact on business with virtually all of the Fortune 500 and over 85 percent of the Global 500 currently deploying or testing iPad. Companies regularly utilizing large amounts of data such as 3D CAD files, X-rays, film edits, music tracks, project blueprints, training videos and service manuals all benefit from having a greater choice of storage options for iPad. The over 10 million iWork® users, and customers who rely on other incredible apps like Global Apptitude for analyzing team film and creating digital playbooks, Auria for an incredible 48 track recording system, or AutoCAD for drafting architectural and engineering drawings, also benefit greatly from having the choice of an iPad with more storage capacity.

“Our AutoCAD WS app for iOS was designed to give customers seamless access to their designs anywhere, anytime,” said Amy Bunszel, vice president of AutoCAD products for Autodesk. “These files are often large and highly detailed so having the thin and light iPad with its Multitouch display, integrated camera and all-day battery life, is a real advantage for iPad users to view, edit and share their AutoCAD data.”

“The features and capabilities of iPad give us the ability to set a new standard for multitrack recording and editing on a mobile device,” said Rim Buntinas, WaveMachine Labs’ CEO. “Users of the Auria app can play 48 mono or stereo 24bit/96 kHz tracks simultaneously, record up to 24 of those tracks simultaneously, and also edit and mix with familiar tools. With its portability and all-day battery life, iPad has revolutionized recording for audio professionals allowing artists to record anywhere.”

“The bottom line for our customers is winning football games, and iPad running our GamePlan solution unquestionably helps players be as prepared as possible,” said Randall Fusee, Global Apptitude Co-Founder. “The iPad’s unbeatable combination of security, being thin and light, having an incredible Retina display and also being powerful enough to handle large amounts of data enables us to deliver a product that takes film study to a new level and ultimately gives our users the best opportunity to prepare, execute and win.”

The fourth generation iPad features a gorgeous 9.7-inch Retina display, Apple-designed A6X chip, FaceTime® HD camera, iOS 6.1 and ultrafast wireless performance**. iOS 6.1 includes support for additional LTE networks around the world***, and iTunes Match℠ subscribers can download individual songs to their iOS devices from iCloud®.

iPad runs over 800,000 apps available on the App Store℠, including more than 300,000 apps designed specifically for iPad, from a wide range of categories including books, games, business, news, sports, health, reference and travel. iPad also supports the more than 5,000 newspapers and magazines offered in Newsstand, and the more than 1.5 million books available on the iBookstore℠.

Pricing & Availability

The new 128GB versions of the fourth generation iPad will be available starting Tuesday, February 5, in black or white, for a suggested retail price of $799 (US) for the iPad with Wi-Fi model and $929 (US) for the iPad with Wi-Fi + Cellular model. All versions of the 128GB iPad will be sold through the Apple Online Store, Apple retail stores and select Apple Authorized Resellers.