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HP has unveiled two smartphones, based on the webOS software that HP acquired when it bought Palm last year and a TouchPad tablet, but none of the new gadgets have the Palm branding included in their names, nor is the Palm logo, notes LA Times.

The TouchPad, which is termed an iPad competitor by many, is similar to that of Apple's iconic tablet with 3G and Wi-Fi connectivity, a 9.7-inch touch screen and weighing 1.6 pounds.Some notable inclusions in TouchPad, that are absent is Apple iPad include a 1.3-megapixel camera for video chatting and support for Adobe's Flash software.

One of the two smart phones unveiled is HP Veer, a credit-card-sized model at 3.25 inches tall, with a 2.6-inch touch screen and slide-out keyboard:

and the other is a larger model called the Pre3, with a 3.6-inch screen, that is aimed at professionals although it incorporates some consumer features. For the first time, in Pre3, a Pre range of phone is carrying a front-facing camera for video calls:

All three are slated for a summer launch.No word on Price yet. ---------

Announcements , smartphones , Tablets

HP unveils 2 smartphones and TouchPad tablet, all devoid of any Palm branding

Anil Singh Thursday, February 10, 2011

Google has made a simple yet effective addition to Chrome browser. It has introduced desktop notifications for emails and chat messages which ensure that Google chrome browser users are notified of new emails or pings from Gmail and GTalk without actually visiting one’s Gmail account.

How To Activate Desktop Notifications?

Step1: Go to “Settings” Options in your Gmail account
Step2: Scroll down to “Desktop Notifications” section and activate it

A user can customize it based on his/her requirements, like whether he/she wants notification from priority inbox or whole Gmail account.

Compatibility: At present, the feature is available to Chrome browser users only. So you must be using Google's Chrome browser to use the service. With efforts on to bring notifications on standard web platforms as well. ---------

Announcements , Google , Google Chrome

Google launches Desktop Notifications for Chrome users

Anil Singh Monday, January 31, 2011

MOTOROLA ATRIX, the upcoming smartphone from Motorola, is claimed by the company as World's most powerful smartphone.

In the MOTOROLA ATRIX Promo, launched just a couple of hours ago, a user receives a call on his/her laptop, chats with the caller on Motorola Mobile view, searches for a restaurant, locates it, calls it and sends the info to the caller; all of these actions are taken right from the laptop. And all this while, MOTOROLA ATRIX remains docked behind the laptop.

Interesting... Launching in Europe, first with Orange UK, Atrix is the First dual core smartphone, with 1 GB RAM, 16 GB onboard memory that is extendable upto 48 GB, Full web experience (full browser windows just like one has in PCs), web browsing 2x faster, Flash support, world's first qHD display, Fingerprint recognition and so on...

MOTOROLA ATRIX. Can be a smartphone? Laptop? Desktop? Entertainment Centre? Or all the above?

Check out the promo:

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Announcements , smartphones

Watch just launched Motorola Atrix Promo

Anil Singh Sunday, January 30, 2011

A fortnight ago, we shared with you software which erases photos online. There we discussed to whom it may be useful and where it has some limitation (we also suggested how some thinking can make for that limitation). Over all the software can be very useful.

The software, X-pire!, has hit the German market last week, on Thursday to be precise.

Now the makers have finished adapting it for English language as well.

The browser plugin is localized in English and German. The selection follows the language preference set in a user’s browser.

The official webpage is now offering English and German too. The language can be selected by clicking on “the little flags in the top right corner” of the X-pire Homepage.

The account management is now localized too. Here again the selection is done based on the language settings of the browser.

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As said in the last post, if you are a person who ‘uploads and forgets’ pictures on your Social network profile, and are always busy to take time out to remove them; even when you feel deep inside that pictures lost in online stacks is not good; then the utility is for you.

The utility can also be of great help for those professionals who have to show their assignment specific self or work images to Agencies and businesses. The professionals like fashion models, photographers, designers etc. By using X-Pire!, they can set a time for said photographs, under which they expect a response from the Agency or the Business, If the Agency doesn’t call under the set time, the photographs will be erased; even when the person forgets to manually remove them due to his/her other engagements.

The utility is good for online marketers and Businesses as well, who rely on promoting a a product/service for a definite period of time. And use pictures for the purpose.

If you think X-pire! can be helpful to you(people will have their own reasons to use the utility), then consider these prices.

Creating of X-pire! protected images requires you to buy a flat rate. The current costs for one license are given in the following table:

3 months (90 days) 6,99 €
6 months (180 days) 12,99 €
12 months (360 days) 23,99 €

One can use PayPal as payment method too (In the future the firm plans to add support for credit cards as well).

Although not announced by X-Pire! yet, but we are sure that we will be seeing X-Pire! being extended to cover other file formats like PDF, doc etc. in next couple of months if not weeks. ---------

Announcements , Facebook

Online Photos Erasing Software gets English Localization

Anil Singh Friday, January 28, 2011

Fulfilling a popular demand, Tweetdeck today announced its latest product, unveiling Deck.ly.

Deck.ly, is a utility that will allow users to post Tweets longer than 140 characters; a step which has the potential to turn Tweetdeck into a twitter like social network itself.

Although, TweetDeck founder and Chief Executive Iain Dodsworth refutes such claims, saying

“I don’t see how this would draw anyone away from Twitter, it value adds Twitter – something we’ve been doing since day one.”

Currently there is a 500,000 character limit for testing purposes, but it will be removed soon.

Those who are using Tweetdeck’s desktop, ChromeDeck and mobile apps will be able to read the longer posts within the app. The feature will be a part of TweetDeck next Monday, with Facebook support coming soon.

Users who stumble upon shortened Deck.ly posts on twitter or some other app will be able to read the links at tweetdeck.com/deckly. Soon TweetDeck will be a launching a dedicated Deck.ly homepage with a built-in search option so users can search through the tweets that are stored in Tweetdeck’s servers.

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It still confuses me, when people say, Blogging is dying.

When every other service is coming back to it. Take Deck.ly for instance. As the CEO says, soon the service will have its own website, where all the links with Deck.ly will be expanded. Which means, all the Deck.ly links from a particular user will be stacked at one place on this new website.

Isn't it the same, like wordpress and blogspot blogs?

I think, people who forecast the death for blogging, ignore one simple fact -- blogging is still there and in much a bigger level, only difference is, with WordPress and Blogger blogs while a user has the opportunity to make money, as the blog premises are assumed to be owned by him; in blogging at Facebook, twitter or Deck.ly, it'll be the platforms who make the money.

So, although there is no need for a marketer to create his/her blog, to market products/services online; still if they have a blog, they should not ignore it. After all, a blog is their own real estate. Something, they can put to their benefit without any restriction.

For those who are new to marketing things online, I think blog should be the first step to begin with. ---------

Announcements , Blogging

TweetDeck launches Deck.ly-- A platform to post tweets longer than 140 characters

Anil Singh

Everyone wants in on the lucrative mobile app market. Whether you’re developing apps for smartphones or tablets, the mobile app market is exploding these days, and thanks to Ottawa start-up SpriteDeck, getting an app to market could become easier than ever.

SpriteDeck is a drag-and-drop engine for building 2D mobile games that uses the Corona software. It generates animation and file structure, and accepts most standard file formats for imported content.

SpriteDeck resembles Flash software in a lot of ways. Animation can be broken down into scenes, layers, instances, and the user interface is very intuitive and simple. Code can be customized to fit the creator’s whims, allowing great customization.

Another application of SpriteDeck is its comic book-builder. Without writing any code, SpriteDeck can build great looking comic books for mobile devices (although coding can be added to create more interactive works). Again, it is a drag-and-drop system that uses layers and scenes (which correspond to pages) to arrange imported content like backgrounds and characters to build complete comic books.

SpriteDeck is a product of Citrify, an online startup from Ottawa that created free, online photo editing software. SpriteDeck keeps with the company’s motto of “keep it simple and make it fun,” but doesn’t skimp out on functionality. Citrify has said that newer releases of SpriteDeck will be forthcoming with additional features. ---------

Announcements , Gaming

SpriteDeck launched - visual designer for developing 2D mobile games

Anil Singh Thursday, January 27, 2011

With an aim to keep its dominance over the corporate smartphone market; which has been steadily eroded by Apple's iPhone, android and other consumer-friendly devices; RIM is going to enable the BlackBerry to segregate a user's personal data from work-related emails and other applications sponsored by employers.

RIM's solution is a software called BlackBerry Balance, which will allow corporate IT departments to retain control over data such as business-related email sent via a BlackBerry Enterprise Server, while keeping the Web browser and an employee's social networking and photographs separate. In RIM’s words the software would effectively give users two phones in one.

Definitely a very sharp move by RIM, who has mastered the art of addressing the common concerns of Businesses. With many corporations now allowing employees to use their own smartphones at work, it’s a real headache for IT departments to manage confidential information on these personal smartphones. Giving business the control over a user’s Business Data and applications (the entity one works for) present in his/her personal phone has the ability to end all those concerns.

Although not mentioned in the update, the separation may also put a practical control on an employee’s non-office use of the device during office hours.

The move by RIM can be especially effective, for one more reason. The devices that are encroaching on its hegemony, like Apple’s iPhone or Android smartphones; though are implementing the robust security features of Blackberry(Apple is taking services of those who excel in securing enterprise data); still they have to go some way.

Notably, Blackberry already suggested that the Playbook would have similar levels of separation too.

RIM plans to launch the solution within two months. ---------

Announcements , Blackberry

RIM upcoming solution for Blackberry separates Business from Personal

Anil Singh Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Read this with the following fact in mind: In today’s knowledge economies, a country who files for more patents annually has more chances to become a super power.

The Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) in China, has announced on Jan. 23 that its physics professor Li Yijie has successfully researched and developed 100 meters of second generation high-temperature superconducting tape with independently-owned intellectual property rights, which marks a breakthrough in the field of conductivity in China.

And possibly the world (if not in terms of novelty, then surely in terms of its practical use, as China masters the art of low cost manufacturing).

About the 2nd generation superconducting tape:

The tape is similar to a thin film; the second generation high-temperature superconducting tape developed by SJTU has a 1 centimeter metal base with 80 microns of thickness. But the notable thing is, the thickness of the rare earth oxide superconducting layer, used for the superconducting current transmission, was less than one micron, while its current carrying capacity of the same cross section areas is several hundred times higher than traditional copper wire.

Apart from the physical dimensions of the tape, what makes it remarkable is its capacity to be conducting at high temperatures; when science says any material becomes super conducting when its temperature going much below freezing point. In other words, conductivity is inversely proportional to temperature; that is lower the temperature of the conducting material, higher will be the conductivity and vice-versa.

Benefit of using this superconducting tape in power transmission system:

At present, the power transmission system loses 8 to 10 percent electric current during the transmission course. The loss is expected to be reduced to nearly zero if the high-temperature superconducting cable is adopted in the power transmission system.

China, just like US files thousands of patents annually. ---------

Announcements

China develops superconducting tape

Anil Singh Monday, January 24, 2011

We know Google wants to enter the Deal marketplace. Google, based in Mountain View, Calif., reportedly considered acquiring Yelp for more than $500 million. And last month, it reportedly tried to buy Groupon for somewhere between $5 billion and $6 billion, but was rejected. Groupon has since raised an additional $950 million in venture capital funding.

Now Associated press reports that Google Inc., which has expanded beyond its core search operations into mobile phones and other products, is developing a local coupon service similar to Groupon.

Modeled on Groupon Inc., the service, Google Offers, will offer time-limited deals from local vendors, such as restaurants; fetching a diner $20 worth of food at a local café for Ten dollars.

Google is communicating with small businesses to enlist their support and participation in a test of a pre-paid offers/vouchers program, said Google Inc. spokesman Nate Tyler.

Google has not disclosed the details and the time by when offers will be available.

What competition awaits Google?

While Groupon is Google's most obvious competitor when it comes to offering local deals, the field of coupon sites has rapidly grown to include sites such as LivingSocial and Tippr. Flash sales site Gilt Groupe and the newsletter DailyCandy also offer local deals. Plus every other big player is running some version of deals marketplace too.

What Google has, to excel?

Almost every tool, that can render great deals to users locally. Currently, Google's Places service lets local businesses set up pages where the owners can post photos and other promotional information, and customers can write reviews. Then, these places can appear as pinpoints on Google's popular map network, Google Maps. If these two are properly integrated with Google’s expansion in local advertising from last year, then the concoction can be effective. ---------

Announcements , Deal Market Place , Google

Google Offers -- A Groupon like service in making

Anil Singh Saturday, January 22, 2011

Acknowledging the presence of entertainment away from a traditional TV, MTV has plans to launch an online-only awards show for digital content. These awards will be additional to its stable of video and movie awards, reports Mashable.

The awards, still in development, are planned to take place in spring this year.

The online-only awards show will will be acknowledging the feats of online “social conversation”.

Some possible categories for the awards could be “Best Music App” or “Best Tweet” with the audience as the judges, reports the social news Blog.

MTV already has esposure to the digital world; with a dedicated TJ (Twitter Jockey), as well as numerous partnerships with social media companies like Foursquare. ---------

Announcements

MTV to Launch Online-Only Awards Show

Anil Singh Friday, January 21, 2011

The news is straight from the horse's mouth. Playboy founder Hugh Hefner announced on Twitter that Playboy will be coming to the iPad. And what's more surprising, Playboy on iPad will include the entire archives of the magazine and all uncensored.

Double standards on Apple's part. ---------

Announcements , Apple iPad

Playboy Coming To iPad without censor

Anil Singh Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Google has made an arrangement where Chrome security is tested by the hacker community (legally). Hackers bring to Google’s notice security flaws and the latest Google Chrome update fixes the security flaw.

Google announced early in 2010 that it would pay any hacker who could find any Chrome hack(a way around which breaks in chrome) in the web browser. The company challenged hackers around the world to find the web browser’s vulnerabilities and report them to Google for cash ($3,133.70). On January 13, 2011, Google paid out its first $3,133.70 to the hacker named Glazunov for finding a Google Chrome hack that left web users vulnerable to malware. The “3,133.70” stands for “elite,” which is old-school hacker speak from Usenet years.

Google puts a stern image of itself when it comes to user protection from malware. The company has a malware report system, and it has a support forum for hacked websites. One of Google’s goals is to ensure that users click on safe links that appear in its search result pages. If a site is hacked, Google returns a warning to users(currently active for Firefox or Chrome). ---------

Announcements , Google

Google awards Its First $3,133.70 to a Hacker

Anil Singh Sunday, January 16, 2011

A German firm, X-Pire, is all set to launch a software that allows users to have photos uploaded to websites such as Facebook, MySpace and Flickr erased automatically after a certain time.

The software can prevent the increasingly frequent occurrence of someone being refused a job or running into other embarrassing difficulties after posting a photo that should have been kept private.

On a more practical note, the software will especially be of great help to professionals like engineers, designers, painters, artists etc. who require to show their latest creation to the prospective clients or readers. Although, it will not protect users against third parties downloading their pictures and saving them (a feature that would have made the software become revolutionary); but still "give demo and purge after one hour arrangement" will attract many professionals.

How the German Firm makes the photo vanish after a certain time:

Before the user posts the photo, he or she drags it into the programme which assigns it an electronic key that is valid for a limited time period. When the time expires the photo vanishes. If someone wishes to view that photo later, the server checks whether the photo has "expired" and blocks it from being displayed if its time is up.

Is the software useful:

The software tries to cater to an area where most social users (btw all people in general) are laid back to act. Most Facebook users, for example, are passive users. They go on, they put on a lot of private information and almost never come back on or they forget their password. So even when a social network user, has the option to delete the uploaded photographs, they never do so. Only to repent when they get some backlash resulting from those “once uploaded” photographs. The software is especially useful for such people, who always wanted a "upload and forget” arrangement for their online photographs.

Availability: The software will be available in next few days at a price of 2 euros (2.61 dollars) per month.

Our view: 30 dollars a year, is not bad, if it saves you from the effort of manually removing your “once oploaded” pictures. Regarding more practical uses, if the software helps a professional safeguard him/her from Intellectual Property Threat, then 30 dollars is nothing but dirt cheap.

The utility can also be of great help for those professionals who have to show their assignment specific self or work images to Agencies and businesses. The professionals like fashion models, photographers, designers etc. By using X-Pire, they can set a time for said photographs, under which they expect a response from the Agency or the Business, If the Agency doesn’t call under the set time, the photographs will be erased; even when the person forgets to manually remove them due to his/her other engagements. ---------

Announcements , Facebook

German firm develops a software to erase photos online

Anil Singh Saturday, January 15, 2011

The difinition of Smartness is increasingly bringing user convenience in its ambit; and that user convenience means informing a user of the current status of the service and what is expected the very next second.

Have a look at this launch.

Chicago Transit authority or CTA has launched its CTA Train Tracker website which allows commutors to use their computers and smart phones to view estimated arrival times for trains on all eight CTA rail lines.

The website provides estimated arrival times for trains at all 144 CTA train stations on all eight of the agency’s rail lines. CTA customers can visit www.transitchicago.com and follow the link on the page to CTA Train Tracker. There is also a mobile version of the program for smart phones. The CTA Train tracker screens will be installed at platforms too.

In addition, the commutors can also select their rail line and then choose the station from which they will board the train. Arrival times of approaching trains are provided within a 15-minute timeframe for the selected station — with results refreshing approximately every 20-30 seconds.

All this smartness for the convenience of the users of CTA. Great.

How CTA Train Tracker gets the Data:

Estimated arrival times are generated through a combination of scheduling information and data collected by the software that monitors the signal system to indicate when a portion of track is occupied by a train. To caluculate the estimated arrival times, the software first measures how long it takes a train to travel a portion of track and then averaging the times of the last five trains to move across a portion of track.

NOTE: The new system is in Beta at present, so the CTA concedes the Train Tracker system will not be quite as accurate as the popular Bus Tracker system. The Bus Tracker uses GPS technology, but the Train Tracker will gather its information from signaling systems and sensors on the tracks. ---------

Announcements , smart , Tech24hours US

A smart Train Tracker Website

Anil Singh Sunday, January 9, 2011

and a printer ...at CES 2011...Watch the video:

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Announcements

Lady Gaga unveils new Polaroid Grey Label that protect eyes and take pictures too

Anil Singh Saturday, January 8, 2011

UK firm X2 Computing has unveiled its much anticipated iPad rival, the 10 inch iTablet, aimed at business users by offering the functionality of Windows 7 on the move. The tablet iTablet W101 is manufactured by, AHX Global, a firm created by UK-based X2 Computing and Taiwanese tablet designer AMtek Systems.

Specs of iTablet W101:

1) Dimensions of 271 x 163 x 16mm OR 27cm X 16 cm X 1.6 cm and weighs under 1kg.

2) 10.1 inch widescreen LED backlit capacitive touch screen with a resolution of 1,024 x 600.

3) Runs Windows 7 Home Premium operating system

4) Powered by an Intel Atom Z530 1.6 GHz processor with 2GB DDR2 SDRAM.

5) Capable of multi-tasking

6) Built in trial version of Microsoft Office 2010

7) 32GB of storage

8) An integrated SD card reader

9) Two USB 2.0 ports and HDMI output

10) Connectivity options include Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. 3G and GPS can be purchased as optional extras.

11) A 2-megapixel webcam and microphone for video and VoIP calling is included

12) Is compatible with Flash

The company plans to simultaneously launch the W102, which is powered by an Intel Atom Z510 1.3GHz processor and 1GB DDR2 SDRAM and will be running on Windows 7 Starter Edition. Overall W102 will largely have the same features as the W101, but without the webcam and HDMI output.

According ot the company, the new tablet will be for both enterprise and non-business consumers as it’s more like a laptop, and offers more than the rich media experience.

Price and availability: The devices are expected to start shipping in March. No word on price yet. ---------

Announcements , Tablets

X2 Computing unveils two Windows 7 ten inch tablets

Anil Singh Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Gone are the days when Satellite phones were a thing to show off; now any phone can be a satellite phone. SPOT today announced a satellite add-on for Android cell phones which can turn any Android 2.0 or greater phone into a one-way satellite messenger(can't receive messages) to call for help, send text messages (up to 41 characters) or post the same on social networks like Facebook, Twitter or MySpace, or sent to email or SMS addresses.when you're out of cell-phone coverage.

About the new SPOT Add-on:

SPOT Connect weighs 3.7-ounce or just over 100 grams, costs $169.99 and connects to your phone wirelessly using Bluetooth and a special Android app. Latest from Spot, a division of the Globalstar satellite firm which specializes in SOS devices for adventure loving people.

Spot previously offered dedicated SOS beacons and a combination beacon/GPS unit that also sent text messages. But SPOT Connect works with many existing phones, making it much more accessible.

As the device is made for emergency situations, its battery lasts for up to 4 months on a set of AA lithium batteries, and it can send an SOS beacon for seven days on one set of batteries. It's tough and waterproof.

To use the service SPOT connect, a user has to sign a contract, after purchasing the device, the least-expensive one, at $99.99/year. For this price a user gets, unlimited SOS(Satellite Office Service) and pre-programmed "I'm OK!" messages, along with five text messages per year.

The company plans to bring the service to iPhone, BlackBerry and Windows Phone 7. ---------

Android OS , Announcements

Spot brings Satellite Add-On For Android Phones

Anil Singh Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Irvine-based Vizio, the maker of HDTV display products, has launched its own tablet and smartphone products based on the Android platform.

To be unveiled at CES 2011, VIZIO VIA Tablet and VIZIO VIA Phone products will have the following features:

The tablet will run on Android, feature a 1 Ghz processor, 802.11n Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth connectivity, as well as a camera and HDMI outputs. The VIZIO VIA Phone includes similar features, as well as GPS and both a front and rear facing camera. Pricing on the new products has not been announced. ---------

Android OS , Announcements , smartphones , Tablets

Vizio enters Tablet, Smartphone market

Anil Singh

We are told many times that Kindle is Amazon’s best-selling product in the 15 years the online retailer has been in business. But now Barnes & Noble is making a similar proclaimation for its Nook e-Reader. Barnes & Noble says the Nook electronic reader is its best-selling item in the bookseller's nearly 40-year history.

Both devices are available for less than $150 and target mostly avid readers who prefer to carry their books and periodicals in a single, lightweight device.

For a device to get a dedicated e-reader tag, it should use use E Ink's monochromatic digital paper display (that’s an assumption held by avid book readers), which is easier on a reader's eyes because it does not use a backlight like a laptop's LCD color display. B&N introduced an LCD-based Nook in October this year to add color capabilities and to differentiate the product from Amazon's Kindle.

Additional proclaimation by B&N is that the color Nook was its best-selling gift of the holiday season. ---------

Announcements , e readers

B&N announces: Nook Top Selling Product Ever

Anil Singh Friday, December 31, 2010

Amazon.com has just launched a feature that lets you lend certain Kindle books. You can read the details about Kindle ebook lending here.

According to Amazon, books can be lent for up to 14 days. Only Kindle books that are made eligible for this feature can be lent. The publisher has to make the book available for lending.

Eligible Kindle books can be loaned once for a period of 14 days. The borrower does not need to own a Kindle -- Kindle books can also be read using our free Kindle reading applications for PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone, BlackBerry, and Android devices. Not all books are lendable -- it is up to the publisher or rights holder to determine which titles are eligible for lending. The lender will not be able to read the book during the loan period.

Some articles are reporting that some major publishers are not participating in this lending feature including Avon, Hachette, Harlequin and Penguin. ---------

Amazon , Announcements , e-books

Now you can Lend your Kindle ebooks

Anil Singh

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