Microsoft Surface sales figures paint a sorry picture

Microsoft Corp's Surface tablets have yet to make any profit as sputtering sales have been eclipsed by advertising costs and an accounting charge, according to the software company's annual report.

The two tablet models, introduced in October and February to challenge Apple Inc's popular iPad, have so far brought in revenue of $853 million, Microsoft revealed for the first time in its annual report filed with regulators on Tuesday.

That is less than the $900 million charge Microsoft announced earlier this month to write down the value of unsold Surface RT - the first model - still on its hands.

On top of that, Microsoft said its sales and marketing expenses increased $1.4 billion, or 10 percent, because of the huge advertising campaigns for Windows 8 and Surface. It also identified Surface (Review I Pictures) as one of the reasons its overall production costs rose.

The Surface is Microsoft's first foray into making its own computers after years of focusing on software, but its first attempts have not won over consumers. By comparison, Apple sold almost $24 billion worth of iPads over the last three quarters.

Samsung working on 12.2 and 10-inch tablets

Samsung is in the news again with a new report now claiming that the South Korean device maker is allegedly working on tablets with 12.2-inch and 10-inch displays.

Twitter user @evleaks has revealed the specifications of Samsung SM-P900 and P600 which he claims are the model numbers of tablets featuring a 12.2-inch and 10-inch display, respectively. The tweet by @evleaks said, "Samsung SM-P900: 12.2-inch, Exynos 5 octa, 2560x1600, S-pen; P600: 10-inch, Snapdragon 800, also 2560x1600."

The tweet clearly mentions that the alleged 12.2-inch and 10-inch tablets will boast of a resolution of 2560x1600 pixels and would be powered by Exynos Octa 5 and Snapdragon 800 processor, respectively. The SM-P900 will supposedly support S-Pen, as per @evleaks.

Another technology site, RB Men has also published specifications of the alleged 12.2-inch model variant of the Samsung tablet dubbed as SM-P900. The site suggests that the SM-P900 tablet will run Android 4.2.

We had earlier reported about Samsung developing a 12.2-inch tablet of its own. The report claimed that the displays will be made by Sharp and will be based on IGZO (Indum-Gallium Zinc Oxide) technology. They'll sport a resolution of 2560x1600 pixels and will come with an S Pen stylus, which is usually bundled with devices under the Galaxy Note series. Samsung is likely to launch the tablet in the third quarter of 2013. It's worth mentioning that Apple is also said to be testing a large screen iPad measuring slightly less than 13-inches diagonally as per rumours.

Samsung has been launching tablets and phablets in various display sizes, one can fathom so it doesn't really come as a surprise but the tablets appear to be targeted at power users judging by their specifications. The South Korean device maker's list of screen sizes includes devices across 6.3-inch, 7-inch, 8-inch and 10.1-inch screens. The alleged SM-P900 will be the biggest device from the stable of Samsung in terms of screen size. However, there's no official word from the company about the two devices.

Meanwhile, Samsung's next generation Galaxy Note phablet, the Galaxy Note III has also been in the news for quite some time though there's no official word from the company, yet. The latest rumour claims that the alleged Galaxy Note III will feature a 5.7-inch display, 3GB of RAM and the latest Android 4.3 Jelly Bean OS.

New Windows Phone 8 GDR 2 update rolling out - select non Nokia phones

More than two months after Microsoft announced the GDR 2 update for Windows Phone 8, the software update appears to be finally rolling out to HTC 8X and Samsung Ativ S smartphones.

Various online reports including one by WP Central(http://www.wpcentral.com/htc-8x-getting-gdr2-os-update-today) and comments on online forums by several users have confirmed the development.

Users who own an HTC 8X phone can check for the availability of the update through the 'Phone Update' option in the phone's Settings menu. The update can be downloaded over the air or through Windows Phone desktop software.

It's worth pointing out that the update has not yet hit Nokia's phones as the company is expected to roll out its own Amber update that also brings some additional functionality, in August.

However, the update is expected to reach other Non-Nokia phones later this month.

The update brings features like FM radio and adds CalDAV and CardDav support, which extend support for Gmail and other Google services. It activates FM radio in handsets that feature capable hardware. It's interesting to note that Windows Phone 7.x supported FM radio while Windows Phone 8 did not have this feature until this update. Nokia's new lineup of smartphones (barring the Lumia 620) sport FM hardware that will become functional after the update. The HTC 8X also features an FM tuner that gets activated after the update.

As we pointed out earlier, the update brings support for the protocols CalDAV (for Calendars) and CardDAV (for Contacts), which, when combined with IMAP (for Email, already in Windows Phone 8) will be able to fully replace the Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync protocol, to synchronise email, contacts, and calendar with Google and other services that support these protocols. The update's rollout was expected as Google had earlier announced that it would cease support for its Google Sync service for new users starting 30th January 2013, later extending the date to 31st July. This would've meant Windows Phone users won't have been able to setup their Google account on the OS beyond this 'sunset date'.

The update also brings some changes to Xbox Music making it easier to select, download, and pin tunes in Xbox Music and improves the accuracy of song information and other metadata. It will also extend the Data Sense feature of Windows Phone 8 to more telecom operators.

Apple's may come ad-skipping feature with new TV service

Apple has long been rumoured to enter the TV space, either with a television set of its own, or a TV service with support from the big networks, or, indeed, both. While wait for the mythical Apple TV - the television - continues, a new report has disclosed some rather interesting details of Apple's TV service.

According to a report by Jessica Lessin, former reporter and editor for The Wall Street Journal, Apple's TV service will come with a feature that will allow users to skip ads. The feature will appeal to new generation of users who have grown up with DVRs that let you record content and, thus, skip ads when actually sit down to watch the show.

Naturally, the TV networks are not thrilled with the idea, but, the report claims, Apple plans to offer monetary compensation for any loss of revenue that may result from the ad-skipping. Based on the report, the initial response from networks doesn't seem to be very positive, though the negotiations are likely to continue for a while.

The report also confirms a few other murmurs we've been hearing for a while, like the discussion between Apple and the networks and cable companies have been going on for over a year now. Apple is said to be seeking rights for a service that would allow users to watch live and on-demand TV content. Apple may deliver this content via the existing Apple TV, any other set-top box, or its rumoured television set.

The report claims the discussions have been "highly secretive" and CEO Tim Cook and Senior Vice President Eddy Cue held talks with some media companies as recently as last week at a conference in Sun Valley.

Major 9 Tips to Manage your Android Device

Android's open nature may be lauded by many but it also leaves your device vulnerable to malware, freezes & slowdowns. Here we show you how to keep your devices running like new with little effort.

Manage your applications

Most if not all android devices have a built in task manager which shows you all the background apps (running apps) and lets you selectively remove them from memory.Keeping them running will pull them up faster when you need them, but beyond a point, too many apps will slow the device down. the app manager is usually pulled up with a long press on the home or options button.If you need to install a third-party app to do the same thing, you can get advanced task manager (by infolife) or android app manager (by smartwho).

The advantage that either of these apps can offer is a home screen widget which allows you to close running apps with just one tap.

Guard against malware & bad apps

If you download a lot of apps from unknown sources (places other than google's play store), chances are that your phone is already infected with malware.Trend micro reports that there are over 500 sources that host malicious apps. While most malware will send texts to premium numbers without your knowledge, some could also be mining data (and consequently slowing down your device)If you must get apps from unknown sources, you should get an anti-virus app. some of the best free options include avast, avg, lookout, norton, eset & zoner.Note that you shouldn't install more than one of these at one time and having one isn't a guarantee against bad apps — but it helps.

Manage RAM for smooth multitasking

One of the biggest reasons why your device runs out of steam is limited available RAM. This is more true of devices with 512MB and to a certain extent, 1GB of total RAM

Depending on the number of applications you have installed (and how many of them are running in the background), the amount of free RAM your device has may not be enough to smoothly switch between apps.To solve this problem, get a free app called Clean Master by KS Mobile. Not only does it have a task killer (to free up RAM), but it can also delete history (web browser data & history), clean the cache, properly uninstall apps and remove residual files (remnants of previously deleted apps) to free up space on the device memory.

Get your settings straight

Take a look at your device's settings page. are you signed in to any accounts that you are not using? remove them. you can also check for sync intervals (how often these accounts check for updates).Are additional functions like bluetooth, nfc and wifi on when you don't need them? some of these might keep hunting for a connection and slow down other services. if you are using a third-party launcher, set it as the default.

If you use more than one launcher at a time, resources are usually shared between them, making everything slower. it also helps if you remove any widgets that you aren't using (because they keep updating in the background) and remove any extra homescreen pages.

Get a fresh start

Sometimes, whatever you do may not be enough. If your phone or tablet still keeps freezing or drags its feet with even the simplest of tasks, it may be time for a factory reset. A factory reset restores your device to original settings — like the way it was when you first got it

Luckily, every Android device has a factory reset option built in.

Initialising the factory reset is a simple, one-step process — just head to settings and 'privacy' or 'backup & reset'. Keep in mind that doing a factory reset erases everything on the device: all installed apps, contacts, calendar entries, photos, texts, videos & any accounts that you're signed in to will be removed. So before you reset, use an app called inDefend to backup your contacts & messages, use App Backup & Restore (by Infolife) to backup apps, SMS Backup & Restore for SMS & Dropbox to save your photos & videos to the cloud.

Periodically clean out messages and gallery

If you've owned your phone for a while, chances are you have thousands of texts, photos & videos stored. You can take a backup of all essential data and clean out stuff — starting from the oldest first. Since these apps won't have to cache as much data, they'll load much faster.

Moving data to external memory card

Even if you have 16GB storage, some of that is taken up by the operating system and essential apps. You should keep at least 2GB of that free. Move all non-essential data and apps to the external memory card using the file manager and a free app called App2SD.

Nova Launcher

Phone makers have a tendency to use heavy interfaces with animations & features that you may never use. Download Nova Launcher from the app store to give your device an instant speed boost. It's also way more customisable than the stock interface that you get.

Switch off live wallpapers

Using a live (animated) wallpaper on your device uses up a fair bit of processing power — power that could easily be put to use by making apps load up faster and making the interface smoother. While this is more true of budget devices, switch off your live wallpaper and you'll also see better battery life.

Nokia’s Battles Apple and Google With Megapixels

These are the days in Helsinki when the sun never seems to set. So maybe it’s not so surprising that Stephen Elop, the CEO of the beleaguered Finnish phone giant Nokia, rejects the conventional wisdom that his company is as lifeless as the salted cod served in local restaurants. Instead, he sees a moment ripe with opportunity.

Apple’s pioneering iPhone has not seen a major reset in many months. Samsung, the dominant player in the Android system, just released a flagship phone with a chaotic blur of features, none of them truly memorable.

So Nokia’s unveiling today of the Lumia 1020 represents a chance — maybe the last, best one — to make its case to users, and to demonstrate that there’s actually room for the “third ecosystem” that Elop hopes Nokia will become. The case for the previous Lumias –- the well-received WinPhone operating system, a slick design, and some other nice features — has won a foothold but not much more. For Nokia to gain true momentum, it must provide something new and big. Something that people can not get elsewhere. Something technolust-worthy. Something actually useful. To engage in Elop-speak: a true differentiator.

“The basis we’ve chosen to compete on is innovation and differentiation,” he says. “We have to set ourselves apart from the people who are leading the smartphone industry. The tonality has changed a little bit in the industry. Look at the recent products launched. Their makers say: ‘This is the next one.’ But is it that innovative? Have they really differentiated this current generation from the previous generation product?”

The Nokia 1020 — to be released on July 26 for $300 and a two-year AT&T contract — does have something genuinely unique. It boasts a suite of imaging features built around a technology called PureView, involving what Nokia describes as a “41-megapixel backside illuminated sensor.” Cut the jargon and what you get is a leap in camera tech.

As I saw first-hand at Nokia’s research center in Tampere, Finland, the PureView sensor captures so much information that you can do a detailed zoom after you take the picture. It’s like a real-time implementation of all the rigmarole that the photographer in the 1966 movie “Blow Up” went through when he noticed a detail in his photo that proved evidence to a murder. Years after the fact, information stored in these “superpixels” could unearth similarly amazing, if not incriminating, artifacts.

The Lumia 1020 is also augmented with a Xenon flash that grabs sharp pictures in low light that the iPhone and the Samsung portray as blurs. Nokia has augmented its already excellent capabilities in image stabilization to allow users to capture steady high-def video, even in rocky conditions. And it will be a platform for an endless parade of nifty features. One example available on launch is the ability to use part of an image as an animated GIF while the rest of the image remains a static photo.

PureView really is a differentiator. When I got a demo of it early last year in Nokia’s research lab, it was clear that this could make a difference to a lot of users. After all, taking photos is a core smart phone activity. But I was disappointed to learn that Nokia’s first implementation of the technology would not be appear in the Lumia series of Windows phones that represented the company’s future. Instead, Nokia chose to put its most amazing advances in the PureView 808 — a phone running the doomed Symbian operating system. It was like opening a new Danny Meyer restaurant in Chernobyl.

Elop defends the move now by saying that the 808 was successful on its own terms. “It sold well,” he said, while not giving any numbers. (But I’ll bet most of you have never seen one in the wild.) Its photography-crazy users loved it. But 808’s real value was as a test bed for PureView. Nokia was able to gauge from real users how to improve the technology for the next iteration, the one now on the 1020.

Sure enough, this version of PureView seems ready for prime time. To accommodate the advanced camera, the 808 had a hideous unsightly bulge in its middle. It looked like it was momentarily about to give birth to an MP3 player. The 1020 has only a modest rise where around the lens — it reminds me of the stoic eye of HAL in Kubrick’s “2001” — and is around the same thickness as the trim Lumia 920.

If this powerful imaging technology had been part of the last iPhone release, the internet would have exploded with Blogosphere hosannas and the lines outside Apple stores would have clogged entire metropolitan areas. But can innovation and differentiation really help Nokia make today’s one-on-one smartphone battle into something more à trois? Skeptics — and plenty of people not normally inclined to skepticism — will probably stick to their view that at this point there is nothing Nokia can do to turn things around, and that the Finnish giant will wind up, with Blackberry, in high-tech’s dustbin.

But Elop has a point to make about tables turning. “If you had asked anyone in the smartphone world on January 1, 2007, they would have said Nokia was incomparable,” he says. “It had such a strong share, so much lock-in, so much brand awareness that no one could challenge it. And yet innovation, disorientation, disruption changed that. It set Nokia on an entirely different trajectory.”

That trajectory turned downward so precipitously that Nokia’s very survival is at stake. But Elop believes that PureView — along with future differentiators he says are in the works — will help him paint a very different picture. With 41 megapixels.

Samsung launches S4 zoom in India, Galaxy S4 mini

Just a day after Micromax launched its new flagship Canvas 4 phablet in India, Samsung has rolled out two smartphones in the country. Both new handsets - Galaxy S4 mini and Galaxy S4 zoom are variants of the South Korean company's top-end device Galaxy S4, launched earlier this year.

Samsung unveiled the Galaxy S4 mini in May with a 4.3-inch SuperAMOLED screen having 960x540p resolution and pixel density of 256ppi. It is powered by a 1.7GHz dual-core CPU and runs on Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean). This smartphone has been priced at Rs 27,990 in the Indian smartphone market.

The phone has 8GB internal storage, 1.5GB RAM and microSD support up to 64GB. On the back of the phone is an 8MP camera with LED flash, while a 1.9MP unit is on the front panel. Connectivity options in the smartphone are 2G, 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, microUSB 2.0, NFC and infrared.

Unveiled in June, Samsung Galaxy S4 zoom, priced at Rs 29,990, boasts of better camera than the original Galaxy S4. It features a 16MP rear camera with 10X optical zoom with xenon flash on the back. This new phone's camera boasts of optical image stabilization as well as 24mm wide lens and can record 1080p videos at 30fps.

The all-new Samsung Galaxy S4 zoom also has a 4.3-inch SuperAMOLED screen with 960x540p resolution with 256ppi pixel density. The device is powered by Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean) and runs on a dual-core 1.5GHz processor. It has 8GB internal storage, 1.5GB RAM and supports microSD cards with capacities up to 32GB.

Connectivity suite of this smartphone has features2G, 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC, infrared and microUSB 2.0. This handset has a 2,330mAh battery and features a 1.9MP front camera. At 208gram, it is heavier that the likes of Samsung Galaxy Note II and Nokia Lumia 920.

Both the phones come with a free flip cover, 2GB free data on 3G network and interest-free EMI option for six months.

Lenovo launches all-in-one PC for business class M93z

Lenovo is looking to do the corporate job with a new all-in-one (AiO) PC and two additional desktop models that pack Intel's fourth generation Haswell i7 CPU.

The China-based company's ThinkCentre M93z features a 23-inch full HD LED IPS display in an AIO design with anti-glare glass on the models equipped with 10-point multi-touch.

Lenovo has plumped for Intel's vPro and Active Management Technology in the M93z, which it claims speeds up data encryption and decryption and protectsunauthorised access and remote management, which could come in handy in the event of certain breaches.

AvailableAugust, prices for the model start at £500 for the base configuration and rise should you opt for an optional 1GB AMD Radeon HD discrete graphics card and Solid State Hybrid Drive (SSHD) for improved performance.

Tiny addition

Lenovo has also introduced a smaller desktop machine in the form of its ThinkCentre M93p, which packs Intel's i7 Haswell CPU into a small, box-like form factor that measures the width of a golf ball (34.5 mm, before you get the tape measure out).

Lenovo claims that the model is "the most energy-efficient ThinkCentre desktop ever".the M93z, it's offered with a 64GB SSD drive and an optional SSHD drive. It will be availableAugust starting at £550 (excluding VAT).

Finally, the company is also launching its ThinkCentre M83 Enterprise Desktop, which also features Intel's 4th-generation Haswell CPU, a 64GB SSD drive and optional SSHD. It's another model designed to save space, but Lenovo says there's plenty of room for expansion into an optional tower form factor. It will be availableDecember starting at £500 (excluding VAT).

The PC industry is currently faced with a gloomy outlook. In May, market watcher IDC revised its forecast to predict that worldwide PC shipments will decline by 7.8% in 2013 as users consider ing PC purchases or opt for alternative tablet and mobile devices.

Leaked Photos and Preview of HTC Desire Q & Desire P

After rumored about the release of their affordable price smartphone, HTC finally deliver their leaked promotional photos of HTC Desire P and HTC Desire Q. It's said that both Smartphones will be released in a few days in Taiwan and China. Although it's still unclear about the specification details, but from the quick preview, the Desire P and Desire Q Android smartphone are being prepared for medium class smartphone. Both are also confirmed to be using the 4.1 Jelly Bean Android version.

Starting with Desire P, HTC is pinning 4.3 inch screen. It's possible the screen still has a resolution of 400 x 800 pixels. With that semi big screen, HTC tried to magnetize the medium class users by presenting the Desire P. As the processor, Desire P rumored to be using a dual core 1 GHz processor. The possibility of the processor used inside is the Qualcomm processor with 1 GB RAM and GPU Adreno 220 or Adreno 225.

Then the camera used Desire P is an 8 mega pixel camera. There is also a front camera that can be used for video call activity. It wasn't clear about the size of the front camera on this upcoming HTC smartphone.

While the HTC Desire Q has confirmed using a 4 inch screen size, smaller screen than the Desire P. Although it has different size, Desire Q will has the same specs as Desire P. 

For the price, HTC Desire P will be priced about US$365. While Desire Q will be priced at US$235. That's some leaked information about the preview of the new HTC Smartphone.

Latest version of mobile operating system 7 sports new flat-design; may be released later this year

Apple has unveiled iOS 7 after months of speculation.

"iOS 7 is the biggest change to iOS since the introduction of the iPhone," said CEO Tim Cook, introducing iOS 7. "It's packed with amazing new features, and a stunning new user interface."

The latest version of Apple's mobile operating system represented the biggest change to the look and feel of iOS since the first iPhone launched in 2007.

As anticipated, iOS7 sports a flat-design, with the skudeomorpism of the previous design done away with.

"We wanted to take an experience that people know very well and add to it," Ive explains in a video shown during the keynote event. "We see iOS 7 as defining an important new direction ... and in many ways, a beginning."

The redesign of iOS has reportedly been underway for the last six months since Craig Federighi took over software development for the mobile platform.

Very little of the new operating system resembles the old version of the software. Almost every part of the software has been redesigned.

Among the new features are multiple pages within folders and the introduction of a today view for notification centre.

Apple also showed off its new Control Centre, which offers a quicker and simpler way to control many of the most used settings.

Another major change includes the introduction of a revamped multitasking interface, which is part of the Control Centre. Instead of icons, iOS 7 displays a preview of the screen. It is also smart enough to recognise when you use an app a lot during the day – such as Facebook – and devote more power and processing time to it to keep you updated.

iOS also introduces a raft of small, but all the same useful features, such as a Flashlight built into the device, and AirDrop, allowing you to share files and photos without needing to send them via email or text.

Other small features introduced in the latest version include FaceTime audio, per app VPN and perhaps long overdue, the ability to block people from calling you on the phone and via FaceTime, and sending texts via Message.

Siri sounds more human like in iOS 7. It's also smarter and faster – very much needed with the superior processing available via Google Now. Siri also now has Twitter, Wikipedia, and most interestingly, Bing support.

Apple has also beefed up security on the device, enabling enterprise single sign on support for those of you who used your iPhone in the workplace, and a revamp of find my iPhone that locks the device until you sign in with your Apple ID and password.

Apple has said that the software is still under development at the moment and will be released later on in the year.

Take a look at our full iOS 7 rundown features in our video below:

New 10 most beautiful apps on Android

Apps that offer functionality on a simple and easy-to-use interface are not only a pleasure to use but also soothe the eyes. Google has released its list of most beautiful apps on the Android marketplace.

The Beautiful Design Summer 2013 Collection has a few familiar faces, along with some new entrants, each with simple and elegant interfaces. Check out the 10 most beautiful Android apps…

Pattrn

Developed by Lucas Rocha, Pattrn is a free wallpaper app with access to a huge repository of colourful patterns for each day of the week. Users can download and share these patterns, depending on colour and keyword.

Eye In The Sky

Eye In The Sky is a weather app with features like four widgets, expandable notifications and DashClock extension. The app is ad-supported, though users can opt for the paid version in order to get rid of the advertisements.

Pocket

Pocket is a content aggregation app by Read It Later, which allows users to save articles, videos, web pages etc to view them later. This free app syncs the content across laptops, tablets and phones.

Timer

Timer by Opoloo is a paid timer app that depicts the interface in Holo aesthetics. Users can save unlimited number of timers, with customized labels, and back them up with their Google accounts.

Grand St

Grand St is an app that showcases well-designed hardware products that its team has picked out and tested, with one new device listed each day. The app describes the design, functionality, user experience and price of the products it lists.

Pinterest

Pinterest is a social media app that allows users to pin pictures of things they like on a virtual board. They can collect and share these photos under various labels, including music, travel etc and also follow others via social networking logins.

Press Reader (RSS)

Press is a simple RSS feed collection app that curates data from sources like Feedly, Feed Wrangler, Feedbin etc. This app does not have ads and boasts of features like vertical and horizontal swiping, background syncing, offline reading, image zooming and DashClock extension.

Expedia

Expedia Hotels and Flights, the app version of the popular travel booking website, brings all the features that it is famous for on the mobile screen. It allows users to find and book hotels as well as flights, along with deals and discounts.

Flipboard

Social news aggregation app Flipboard boasts of a magazine-style layout that enables users to flip through news and articles on the mobile screen.

Launching soon new iBerry Auxus Nuclea N1 FHD Android smartphone

iBerry India will soon announce the retail availability of its first ever Google Android smartphone the iBerry Auxus Nuclea N1 for customers in India. The Auxus Nuclea N1 is a 5 inch phablet with a full HD 1080p resolution display. Along with that the iBerry Nuclea N1 will be the first ever Android smartphone to have a massive 8 megapixel front facing camera and a 13 megapixel backlit sensor based rear camera in a 9.6 mm slim casing.

The iBerry Nuclea N1 will also come with a MT6589T quad core Turbo 1.5 GHz processor with dedicated PowerVR SGX 544MP graphics engine for speed and better graphic capabilities to support Open GL as well. Along with that the Auxus Nuclea N1 features a full HD 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution display built using One Glass technology for offering a better viewing experience.

The device is based on Android 4.2 Jelly Bean operating system and comes with features such as gesture control and voice unlock for easy and handsfree usage. The storage is likely to be 8/16 GB internal with up to 32 GB expandable memory via micro SD cards.

The device will be made available through the online retail network and at retail sales outlets in cities across India. iBerry will also be backed by over 400 service outlets across India with doorstep warranty service that has been one of the highlight features of iBerry products in India.

Competing against brands like Micromax, LG and Sony the iBerry Auxus Nuclea N1 now becomes the new contender for low cost full HD smartphones in India. The Auxus Nuclea N1 will be available on pre-booking starting July 13 at a special launch price of Rs 15,990 while the regular price is set at Rs 18,000. Pre-booking will be available through the official website www.iberry.asia as well as through the online shopping portal ebay.in.

Upcoming mobile lists

Apart from One Mini, HTC will release two more smartphones this year, according to MobiFlip which cited a list of upcoming mobile phones, available at O2 (a leading mobile service provider in Europe). According to the list, HTC is to bring the One Mini, One Max and Desire 500.

The HTC One mini is rumored to be available in select regions in the first week of August. Previously leaked information about the HTC One Mini points that the device will carry the same aluminum form factor as the HTC One. The stripped down version of HTC One is said to feature a 4.3-inch display with 720p HD resolution. It will pack dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon mobile processor and will run Android Jelly Bean update with the Sense 5.0 features.

HTC One Max, on the other hand, will feature a 5.9-inch touchscreen display. HTC will pack a quad-core 2.3 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 mobile processor to power this device. Apart from that, the One Max will also have UltraPixel camera along with BoomSound experience. The overall hardware will be supported by a 3300 mAh battery. HTC is expected to make the One Max as thick as 9.4 mm. Hopefully HTC will load Sense 5.0 UI on Android 4.3 Jelly Bean MR2 for this phablet.

There will be another mid-range Desire device to join the Desire 200 and Desire 600 models. The new Desire 500 is expected with mid-range features while the Desire 200 would remain an entry level dual-SIM device. The Desire 500 can be expected to run Android 4.2 Jelly Bean with Sense UI on top of it.

As of now, the approximate timeline of these new handsets is not clear but we can expect both devices to be launched before the end of this year.

Look Out For Tech Gadgets in 2014

If you feel like 2013 is speeding by, you're not alone. It's hard to believe that we're already in the midst of summer!

Since it seems like we're getting there so quickly, let's take a look at five gadgets that are expected to roll out during the course of 2014:

Playstation 4

The PS4 is slated to come out during the last quarter of this year. But while you'll be able to have this console sitting under the tree on Christmas morning, you'll have to wait until 2014 to fully enjoy all of its features.

The reason is with the help of the cloud-based service Gaikai, you'll be able to continue enjoying all of your favorite PS3 games by streaming them through your new console.

4.7" and/or 5.7" iPhones

Even though Steve Jobs believed 3.5" was the perfect size for a phone screen, because of the success of devices like the Samsung Galaxy, Apple is now rumored to be experimenting with iPhones that feature a larger screen.

Although a larger screen hasn't been confirmed, if either size is rolled out, most experts agree that it will be in about a year.

Xbox One

If you're in the United States, you'll be able to buy an Xbox One in November of this year. However, if you're one of the 4.14 billion people who calls Asia home, you'll have to wait until 2014 to get your hands on this gaming system.

Although waiting can be frustrating, it may be a good thing in this situation. It will give you a chance to read plenty of reviews and decide for yourself if new features like automatically recording and sharing clips of gameplay outweigh current criticisms of this console that include online connectivity requirements.

Google Glass

Since it's pretty likely that you enjoy reading tech news, chances are you've seen pictures of people wearing Google Glass.

However, just because this product exists doesn't mean that it has made its way out into the wild yet. Even with a price tag of $1,500, countless people around the globe were hoping for a chance to purchase this revolutionary eyewear during 2013.

But, as Google Chairman Eric Schmidt confirmed in a recent BBC interview, the release of this product to the general public is still "a year-ish away."

iWatch

Since Apple not only has $176 billion in total assets, but also gets more media attention than just about any company in the world, it shouldn't come as a surprise that they have more than one gadget on this list.

Earlier this year, Apple CEO Tim Cook said wearables are “incredibly interesting,” and could be a “profound area” if done right.

While the company hasn't confirmed that they're working on any type of watch device, recent developments like better Bluetooth support in their upcoming iOS7 have led to analysts from firms like KGI Securities stating that they believe this device will become a reality in 2014.

Although we'll just have to wait to see all the new gadgets that hit store shelves, as you can see from this list, 2014 is already shaping up to be an exciting year for technology!

Online Available Xolo Q600 quad core phone just Rs 8,749

Xolo Q600, which was launched just days back, is now available on Snapdeal but for Rs 8,749 against its launch price of for Rs 8,499.

The Android 4.2 Jelly Bean based Xolo Q600 features a 4.5-inch TFT FWVGA display with a resolution of 480X854 pixels and a pixel density of 217ppi. The smartphone is powered by 1.2 GHz quad-core processor and Power VR SGX544 GPU. Internally, Xolo Q600 come packed with 512 MB RAM and 4 GB of internal storage, which can be further expanded by up to 32 GB via a micro SD card.

The smartphone comes with a 2,000mAh battery which is claimed to deliver up to 13.4 hours of talk time on 2G network and a standby time of 333 hours.

There is a 5 megapixel rear camera that can also record videos at 30 frames per second and a VGA camera in the front for video chat. It is a dual-SIM smartphone with dual standby. Other connectivity options include 3G, Bluetooth, WiFi, and GPS.

Now Xolo offers four smartphones in its Q series with Q600, A700, A800 and Q1000. The phone is not available through any other online retailer at the time of writing this news.

Debut of the First Firefox OS Smartphone in Spain

Earlier last few days Sony has said that it will launch its Firefox OS version of Xperia E Smartphone in India, but there is no timeline available right now on which time it will be launch.

Telephonica will be the first which offers the first commercial Firefox OS smartphone. This Firefox Os based devices namely, the ZTC Open and Alcatel One Touch Fire, have hit the store shelves in Spain, and other countries like Poland, Columbia and Brazil on Tuesday for $90 with a prepared subscription.

Firefox OS is built around applications that will be written using a HTML%. It is being pitched as a better alternative for a low-end smartphones and will complete all head-to head with cheap android phones and others.

The Open, announced in February at Mobile World Congress said that, these phones are very basic, and have a 3.5 inch screen display, and are powered by a 1GHz processor from Qualcomm.  This Smartphone also has a 3.2-megapixel camera and support for Wi-Fi and A-GPS. There is a 512MB of integrated storage memory and 256MB RAM with micro SD card slot and 2GB card in the package.

On the software side, Firefox OS integrated Facebook, and Twitter, Nokia’s Here Maps - with features such as offline access - - and, of course, the Firefox browser, according to Mozilla. The organization also pitches the platform’s search features:  by swiping to the right users can search for their favorite music artists and get results to buy songs, concert tickets or start listening to songs instantly, Mozilla said.

That Telefónica is the first to offer smartphones based Firefox OS shouldn't come as surprise. The operator has been the platform's staunchest supporter, and helped create and distribute two phones for developers, the Peak and Keon, earlier this year. The Open is the first of a number of Firefox OS devices that will be launched by Telefónica this year, the operator said. Telefónica expects LG Electronics, Huawei Technologies and Sony will also offer smartphones based on the platform.

For €69, Spanish users will get the device as well as a €30 balance and a 4GB microSD card. Telefónica will also offer Firefox OS phones in Colombia and Venezuela, it said.

Firefox OS devices have to be able to compete with Android on price, said Geoff Blaber, analyst at CCS Insight.

[The €69 price] is probably more competitive that I had anticipated, and it is a strong statement of intent. But the challenge is that Android is well below that price point," he said.

Deutsche Telekom isn't announcing any details on its Firefox OS launch, but the operator is planning to host an event in Poland on July 11 where it will provide more details, a spokesperson said via email. Norwegian operator Telenor will launch its first Firefox OS phones in Central and Eastern Europe this year, according to Mozilla.

To succeed Firefox OS needs strong backing from mobile operators.

"We are seeing that from Telefónica and Deutsche Telekom, but the question is if we are going to see other carriers embrace the platform at a strategic level," Blaber said.

Mozilla also has to convince users that betting on an unproven platform is a step worth taking, and part of that is both the quantity and quality of apps, he said. It has to show HTML5 can deliver the richness today's smartphone buyers expect, and for the vast majority of apps Blaber suspects it can, he said.

But for that to happen Mozilla will have to attract developers. A recent survey conducted by IDC and cross-platform tool vendor Appcelerator suggests that the platform is off to a good start. About 25 percent of the respondents said they were very interested in Mozilla's platform, compared to 19 percent for Ubuntu and only 9 percent for Tizen, two smartphone OSes that will start competing with Firefox OS later this year.

However, that is still a long way behind Apple's iOS and Google's Android. About 87 percent of respondents said they were very interested in iOS and 78 percent showed the same level of interest for Android, so Mozilla and the other backers of Firefox OS still have a lot of work to do.

Nokia confirms 41MP sensor for device announced on July 11 event

At this moment it doesn’t matter what kind of hardware Nokia brings to the table on Windows Phone, It’s all eyes on Microsoft to keep improving the OS and bring us some much sought-after features and UI changes.

Nokia has pretty much confirmed the 41MP sensor on incoming EOS Lumia phone without totally spoiling all the fun from the Zoom Reinvented Nokia event in July 11 when we all expect to see and hear about Nokia EOS.

This confirmation of the sensor size comes from additional teaser published on Nokia Conversations that includes the picture above and text below.

Earlier this month, we invited media to join us in New York on July 11th. We are happy to offer Conversations readers the opportunity to watch the latest news unfold over a live webcast, right here on the blog.

There’s a long list of reasons why you should be interested, including …

1.     You can watch it at home and you’re in charge of the refreshments… Beer maybe?

2.     You can watch it in bed, in your most comfortable PJs.

3.     You’ll be able to convince your grandchildren that you were there.

4.     You’re looking for originality.

5.     You’ll be able to stream it on your Lumia.

6.     You want to join the conversation.

7.     …

- Nokia Conversations

We can go on, but this blog is called Conversations for a reason. Help us fill out the list by adding a comment below. Why will you zoom in on July 11th?

The webcast begins at 11am EDT. Join us here on Conversations.

There’s some speculation about the final design of EOS between the aluminium and Lumia 920 like design. I firmly believe the aluminium design has nothing to do with EOS and at worst is not even related to final product or Nokia in general.

Specifications for EOS are generally accepted to be something along the lines of this:

·         41 MP camera with Xenon flash

·         Nokia Pro Camera  software

·         32 GB internal

·         OLED Screen 1280 x 768

·         WP8 V 8.0.10322.71 (OS version on the profotype)

·         FM radio

·         Flip to silence

·         Takes a 35 MP picture and a 5 MP picture at the same time one to save one to share

·         No SD card

·         About 1 mm thinner than Lumia 920 with a big camera hump

·         No visible OS changes

One big mystery still surrounding EOS is the system on chip and how Nokia has been able marry the hardware with the 41MP sensor that is not even close to been supported by any of the system on chips available for Windows Phone at the moment.

Will Nokia have some kind of custom solution as on 808 PureView or will we see a major surprise with EOS having Snapdragon 800 inside? I’m inclined to believe we will see custom solution, but your guess is as good as mine.

New Launch of Samsung Galaxy – Flexible Display

From a last few months, many rumors suggested that the Note 3 will be featured to a flexible/unbreakable screen. This kind of speculation is not actually fresh.

Now, Samsung is ready to launch to his new tablet with the amazing capability of flexible screen features and according to the some news that the Samsung Galaxy S5 will come with this functionality.  Samsung is maintaining his flagship for better enhanced features and flexible display. Samsung delivered the flexible Samsung tablet that would be created by the Dutch website Mobileaks.

Samsung flexible tablet that s designed by the Mobileaks, is mainly features/packed with a 10.1-inch HD display screen with flexible AMOLED technology. It has a resolution of 1,920 x 1,080 pixels for better picture quality. The tablet has the 2GB RAM and 32GB built-in internal storage that would be expanded upto 64GB with the help of ofmicroSD card slot.

Samsung flexible tablet is powered by company’s proprietary Exynos 5 Octa chipset processor which is based on four Cortex A15 cores processed at 1.6 GHz and four Cortex A7 cores processed at 1.2 GHz. If we talk about the camera, it comes with 3MP front-facing camera for live video calls having the capability of recording full HD videos along with 8,000mAh battery.

The primary reason for having such a powerful process would be high definition video decoding playback. Otherwise, in practice the high speed processors of the newest smartphones tend to be almost overkill. Many apps shoot for a specification that is the lowest common denominator, ensuring that the majority of smartphone users can run their app. This writer has a smartphone with a dual-core processor. Even when playing 3D game apps the Android OS logs the second core as rarely utilized, with the core being shut off most of the time.

Samsung developed severe terminals with YOUM or OLED panels that enable the functionality to come with flexible displays. Samsung announced that its Samsung Galaxy S5 is going to be the first flagship Smartphone which will features the functionality of the flexible display. Galaxy S5 might rumor the features of a flexible OLED display which is very tough and not easy to break.

Anyway we just have to wait for the launch of amazing featured Samsung tablet to reach the market. Keep tuned with us for more info on the tablet and Smartphone’s.