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UK supermarket Sainsbury’s tests iPad-ready shopping carts


By: Aseem Gaurav on August 31, 2011

iPads. They're flashy. They're fun to play with. And they are finding their way into airplanes, schools, colleges, taxis, laboratories and supermarkets.

UK supermarket chain Sainsbury's will soon start offering shopping carts to customers with a built-in iPad dock and speakers. That’s right, it means that you can shop and watch TV at the same time.

The supermarket is testing the trolleys in its Cromwell Road branch in Kensington.


The trolleys are being developed by broadcaster Sky so as to promote its Sky Go service, which allows Sky TV customers to watch live sport on their mobile devices. These iCarts also has a battery which takes power by solar panels so there is no need to worry about iPad losing battery. Apart from this, it also has a sensor up front which will sound an alarm in case you reach too close to anyone while staring in either direction.

"It is a great idea for sports fans to keep up to date with the latest sports news whenever and wherever they are," said Holly Knill, head of Sky Go.

But is it a good idea? Well, nothing can be said as of now as these hi-tech trolleys are still in the implementation process. One thing is sure that the service will keep the consumers entertained but it is hard to say whether it will make consumers shelling out more in the shopping mall or not.

Whatever be the case, the fact that iPads are increasingly finding their way into many different fields that you can imagine.

The computer tablet is already the King in the segment with more than 80 per cent share. Apple is believed to ship 60 million units of these tablets in 2011, which the analysts expect to continue for the next few years.

CNN acquires Zite, an iPad magazine developer


By: Aseem Gaurav on August 31, 2011

Going aggressive in the digital content space, CNN, the Cable News Network founded by Ted Turner in 1980, has acquired Zite, a news app for the iPad that gives users a personalized magazine-like experience. Financials of the details were not revealed.

Jim Walton, president of CNN Worldwide, said the acquisition would remain as a separate, stand-alone business that will continue to provide users with the news and information they want.

Like other iPad news aggregators such as Pulse, Flipboard, and Taptu, Zite learns about readers interests through an algorthim and customizes stories from hundreds of different websites.

CNN digital manager KC Estenson said with this acquisition the company can advance the industry in a meaningful way. He said it would help CNN's websites and apps serve more personalised content.


Currently CNN has an app which allows users with a cable television subscription to watch the channel on the smartphone for free and the Zite buy will help it to compete against other news giants in the digital content related services.

CNN already has a very successful application for the Apple iPhone that allows users with a cable television subscription to watch the channel on the smartphone for free.

Mark Johnson, CEO of Zite, said the company’s partnership with CNN would create a world-class news discovery platform and now being part of the CNN family would help it in innovating the space.

Steve Jobs stuns the tech world by resigning as Apple CEO


By: Aseem Gaurav on August 25, 2011

Steve Jobs, the mind behind the iPhone, iPad and other devices, has resigned as CEO of Apple Inc, now known as the world's most valuable tech company.

In January, he had taken an indefinite medical leave in January. Jobs, who co-founded Apple in 1976, previously survived pancreatic cancer and received a liver transplant.

He resigned saying that he no longer could take on the role but will keep on mentoring. His decision has stunned the tech world, who see him as the heart and soul of Apple,  while at the same time raising questions about the future of the company which he founded at age 21.


In a written statement, Apple, said that chief operating officer Tim Cook, 50, would replace Jobs as CEO, and Jobs would become chairman of the board. Cook has been running Apple’s day-to-day operations since Jobs was on leave, and he is also known to be natural successor to jobs.

"As I said earlier if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple's CEO, I would be the first to let you know. Unfortunately, that day has come," he wrote.

Jobs’s health has been a concern for quite a while now, but despite this he emerged from his leave twice this year at company’s press conferences and product launches: In March he unveiled iPad 2 and in June he resurfaced to show off Apple's iCloud music synching service.

Despite Jobs’ well recognized leadership qualities, analysts are of view that the company will continue to innovate and thrive. They believe that magic won’t go overnight.

Experts say Apple is likely to report $120 billion in sales for the year, making it one of the tech industry's largest companies by revenue. It is worth notable that while Cook at the helm of the firm, it sold 9.25 million iPad in the June quarter, bringing the total sales of iPads at 29 million ever since the tablet began selling in April 2010. During the same period Apple’s iPhone sales reached a phenomenal 29 million mark, well above the industry expectations.

Coca Cola's Facebook app lets you create your own coke blend


By: Aseem Gaurav on August 24, 2011

Coca-Cola has launched a brand new web app on Facebook which you can use to create your own Coke drinking by mixing flavours.

The beverages giant also plans to launch actual vending machines that will offer US customers their choice of drink by combining different flavours.



Build by digital marketing agency 360i, the app is called Coca-Cola Freestyle app, which lets your mix a drink out of 125 Coke beverages. After filling the cap you can even name it. In future, Coke plans the app to produce a 2-D barcode, which can be used to create a blend.

Samsung launches Galaxy W, M Pro, Galaxy Y & Y Pro smart phones


By: Aseem Gaurav on August 24, 2011

Samsung has unveiled four new Android 2.3-powered GALAXY smartphones – the Samsung Galaxy Y, Samsung Galaxy Y Pro – and at the same time introducing new naming strategy for their Galaxy lines of phones.

The company has categorized the whole Galaxy series into five categories and sub-divided into three sub-categories.

Here is the naming division:

“S” (Super Smart) – Will be used on devices such as the Samsung Galaxy S.
“R” (Royal / Refined) – Premium category models, for individuals who want performance, power and productivity.
“W” (Wonder) – Models offering style and performance.
“M” (Magical) – High-performance models at an economic price-point.
“Y” (Young) – Entry level models for emerging markets or a younger audience more sensitive to price.

Here are the specifications of the four new models that the company introduced today:

Galaxy W

This candybar phone runs on Android 2.3 and offers large 3.7-inch WVGA (800×480) TFT LCD display, powered by fast 1.4GHz processor. Besdies it offers HSDPA 14.4Mbps connectivity, 5MP camera, Bluetooth 2.1, Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n and 1500mAh battery. The smartphone includes Samsung’s game, social and music hubs. The phone supports OTA updates via Kies Air.



Galaxy M Pro

It is an affordable business smartphone meant for young and sociable professionals. It full QWERTY keyboard, trackpad, 2.66″ HVGA screen and is powered by 1GHz processor. It comes with 5MP rear camera, VGA camera for video conferencing, Bluetooth 3.0 support, WiFi 802.11b/g/n and 1350mAh battery.


Galaxy Y

The model falls in lower end of the above series. It operates on 832 MHz processor and has 3-inch QVGA (320×240) TFT display and 2MP camera on the rear. It supports bluetooth 3.0, WiFi support and 3G Connectivity along with 1200 mAh battery.


Galaxy Y Pro

The model is meant for the young ones. It features QWERTY keyboard and has the same 832MHz processor as the Galaxy Y.


Miramax launches Facebook app for streaming movies


By: Aseem Gaurav on August 24, 2011

Miramax believes that social media network can change the future of the content business. To build its reach to 150 million+ Facebook friends within the next 18 months, the popular Hollywood movie studio is allowing 20 of its films on rentals on Facebook through a new app that will allows users to watch movies from within the social website.

The app is called the Miramax eXperience, where users can watch movie clips and feature-length films, play games and share the experience with their friends on Facebook. The app can be used to watch Miramax films on devices like iPad, PC or television.

Each movie is available for $3 (Rs 136) to rent for 48 hours with current titles including “Chicago,” “Good Will Hunting,” “Gangs of New York,” and “Pulp Fiction.”


Miramax is based in Santa Monica, California and has over 700 motions pictures in its kitty, including "The English Patient," "No Country for Old Men."

Miramax in a blog post said the app would offer consumers a great experience as it would keep on adding fresh content, and would improve the user functionality going forward. It says it has bigger plans for the app that goes beyond mere renting movies and TV shows in Facebook.

Besides watching movies, users can participate in social gaming element whereby they can cast their Facebook friends in various Miramax movies, unlocking bonus content as they play.

You can access the new Miramax eXperience app by clicking here.

United Airlines to issue 11,000 iPads to pilots


By: Aseem Gaurav on August 24, 2011

After Delta, United Continental Holdings is adopting Aple’s iPad computer tablets in a big way. The airline has decided to replace paper flight manuals and instead use the tablets electronic flight bags (EFBs) in its effort to go high-tech.

At the end of 2011, United would have rolled out 11,000 iPads to all of its pilots.

The paperless flight deck would represent the next generation of flying as each iPad, will replace about 38 pounds of paper operating manuals, navigation charts and other pilot materials. In comparison, the tablet weighs around 1.5 pounds and the pilots can get all the information using the Jeppesen Mobile FliteDeck app. The app offers data-driven enroute navigation information and worldwide geo-referenced terminal charts.


Captain Fred Abbott, United's senior vice president of flight operations, said the device’s introduction would mean that pilots can assess all the relevant and real-time information at their perusal at all times during the flight.

The green benefits of EFBs are two-folds: first it would save around 16 million sheets of paper a year and second will save 326,000 gallons of jet fuel due to reduction in weight, leading to reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 3,208 metric tons.

United says through ECBs, pilots can quickly and efficiently access reference material without spending too much efforts in going through thousands of sheets of paper.

Review: Logitech Tablet Speaker for iPad

By: Aseem Gaurav on August 23, 2011

Logitech, a well known name for PC speakers and other computer accessories, has launched speakers for tablet computers called Logitech Tablet Speaker.

The device has a nice design which has rubberized clips that attach firmly to the top or side of your tablet and delivers loud, clear, and stereo audio. The speakers have a jack that plugs into the headphone port. The design would not scratch your iDevice.


The device isn’t wireless and does not require a power adapter: as it gets its power through built-in rechargeable battery that lasts up to 8 hours.

The accessory would prove as a good source of entertainment and to spruce up the audio experience of the tablet. So irrespective of whether you’re at home, pool or at hotel, the speaker would prove to be a good companion of your tablet.


Moreover, it will also enhance your gaming experience and you can finally give some break to your headphones.

Logitech Tablet Speaker will cost you $50 and works fine with any tablet. But keep in mind the design works well with larger models. The package includes speakers with 3.5 mm cable, USB to mini USB charging cable, soft travel case and user documentation.

Skype to acquire group messaging service GroupMe


By: Aseem Gaurav on August 22, 2011

Internet calling company Skype has acquired GroupMe, a startup that offers a free group text messaging and conference call service on mobile phones.

Skype did not revealed information related to purchase price and terms of the deal.

Formed in 2010, GroupMe allows you to create on the fly private phone groups with others, and then send text messages and make conference calls with circles of friends or colleagues. It offers its application on Apple's iPhone, BlackBerry, and Android Marketplace.


Earlier this month, GroupMe introduced a new version of its application that supports direct messaging to members of the group or broadcast over Twitter and Facebook. GroupMe 3.0 enables users to share photos, ask questions from a website, send messages, without downloading the application.

The acquisition would enable Skype to compete against Facebook’s Messenger service and Google+’s Huddle.

"The GroupMe’s group messaging experience would work perfectly with the voice, video and text products in the Skype family," said Skype CEO Tony Bates in a statement.

GroupMe said its service currently sends nearly 100 million messages a month.

“Both the companies are focused to help people stay in touch with the people they really know. This is a big win-win deal for both. We will remain in New York, team intact, working on our standalone application. But we now have access to Skype’s 175 million monthly connected users,” the GroupMe team wrote in its official blog about the deal.

Google+ launches identity-verification badges


By: Aseem Gaurav on August 21, 2011

Google has started rolling out badges that certify the identity of public figures and celebrities using its Google+ social networking site.

In the online world it is hard to determine whether the person using the account or communicating with your is the real person or not. Just like Twitter, Google+ has gone ahead with the service and after verifying public figures, celebrities, and people who have been added to a large number of circles, it is rolling out to a variety of users.

Google+ staffer Wen-Ai Yu said in a recent company blog that the verification badges would be helpful in making sure that the people you’re adding on your circle are the right one which they claim to be.


So every time you visit a public celebrity, you’ll see a badge next to their profile name (appears like a gray checkmark) which means the person using this account has passed through Google’s verification process.

But Google is not limiting the process just to the the rich, famous, and public, in case you’re a popular user on the networking site then you may also have to verify your account.

“People who don’t yet have a verified profile should ‘hang tight’, Yu says.

But by going tough on the real name policy, Google+ has enraged a debate about whether or not the company is doing the right thing. However, Google is not reinventing the wheel as Twitter two years ago launched a verified accounts program that allows celebrities and public figures to display a “verified account” button on their Twitter pages.

Catch'em before they're gone: HP TouchPad slashed to $99

By: Aseem Gaurav on August 20, 2011

HP recently announced that it would stop production of webOS devices and is evaluating plans to spin off its PC business. This also means that Apple will always be an Apple. HP had great plans for the WebOS tablet as it was looking to bring the software t printers, automobiles and even home appliances. But HP's execution was flawed and the tablet fell flat on its face. Over and above, the company also failed to get a decent ecosystem of apps.


Now the company is looking to get rid of the TouchPad stock by slashing the prices to a bargain basement $99 for the Wi-Fi only 16GB device and $149 for the 32GB version. But as per reports it may be difficult to get the tablet in stores because the tablet has been snatched up at lightning speed. In the States BestBuy.com no longer lists the touchpad.

Wal-Mart is selling them in its stores but you need to hurry before they’re run out of stocks.

Griffin IntelliCase for iPad 2: A good Smart Cover alternative


By: Aseem Gaurav on August 19, 2011

Griffin is offering thin and light IntelliCase cover for iPad. The product is remarkably thin and light, which makes it easier to carry and use, and has got a hump on its back.

The IntelliCase, a polycarbonate shell designed specifically to guard the back of the iPad 2, covers the whole tablet, so you need not worry about any part of the device being left vulnerable.

Just like its original smartcover, strategically-placed magnets inside the cover puts the device to sleep when you are not using it, and automatically awake the device if you open the device for use.


The shell is lined with a micro-textured surface (inside and outside) for tough protection and better grip on the device.

The tablet easily fits into the IntelliCase’s hard plastic shell, which has all the usual cut outs for headphone, microphone, Sleep/Wake button, side switch, volume rocker, rear camera, speaker and Dock Connector port. The design enhances the usability of the device as one can easily reach out to all the buttons without even opening the shell.

Besides protecting the devices’ back, the cover can be easily folded to make an upright workstand, so you can easily watch anything or use it for typing or tapping.

When you are not using the tablet then the raised bump on the back of the cover can be used to grab hold of the iPad.

The case comes in black colour only and ships for $59.99. More details on Griffin’s website.

RAGE for iPhone and iPad available for free


By: Aseem Gaurav on August 18, 2011

Id Software is offering Rage or Rage HD free for a week on iTunes. The reason for this is a promise which it made with gamers that if the official RAGE facebook page got 100,000 ‘likes’, Rage/Rage HD would be available for FREE on iTunes.


It is a first-person shooter game where you have to end hungry mutants through three different levels: the mutant-infested Tenements, the lunatic-ridden Asylum and the not so-abandoned Bunker, for ammo and cash pick-ups. This free download is only available until August 24, 2011, so hurry! You can pick up RAGE for free here and RAGE HD here.

HP iPAQ rx5935 Travel Companion

Technical Details

  • Product Description: HP iPAQ rx5935 Travel Companion - handheld - Windows Mobile 5.0 Premium Edition - 3.5"
  • Product Type: Handheld
  • Operating System: Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 Premium Edition
  • Dimensions (WxDxH): 7.6 cm x 1.6 cm x 12 cm
  • Weight: 170 g
  • Display: 3.5" colour TFT - 240 x 320
  • Processor: Samsung S3C2442 400 MHz
  • GPS Navigation: GPS receiver
  • Image: 16-bit (64k colours)
  • Wireless Connectivity: 802.11b/g, Bluetooth 2.0 EDR
  • Supported Digital Audio Formats: MP3, WMA
  • GPS System: GPS receiver
  • Battery: Lithium Ion
  • Power: AC 120/230 V ( 50/60 Hz )

Product Description

Manufacturer's Description

For business, pleasure, or a little of both, the HP iPAQ rx5900 Travel Companion series helps make the most of your travels around town or the world. Navigate with ease, stay connected to the people and information that is important to you, and be entertained. The thin, stylish design is easy to take with you wherever you travel.

Product Description

For business, pleasure, or a little of both, the HP iPAQ rx5900 Travel Companion series helps make the most of your travels around town or the world. Navigate with ease, stay connected to the people and information that is important to you, and be entertained. The thin, stylish design is easy to take with you wherever you travel.FeatureProduct FeaturesProcessorProcessor clock speed400MHz Processor familySamsung 2440 ProcessorSamsung SC32442 Weight & dimensionsWeight149g Dimensions W x D x H76 x 120 x 16mm GPS PerformanceGPS functionY GPS receiverSiRF StarIII Data transmissionBluetoothY Wireless LAN featuresWireless technologyIEEE 802.11b/g, Bluetooth 2.0 EDR Technical detailsExpansion slotsSD slot supporting 1-bit SDIO and 4-bit SD/MMC type memory standardI/O Slots available for additional devices: SD slot supporting 1-bit SDIO and 4-bit SD/MMC type memory standard Synchronization toolsMini-USB desktop synchronisation cable GPS softwares & maps descriptionTomTom Navigator 6 and complete maps of Western Europe pre-installed. Western Europe includes UK, Ireland, Netherlands, Belgium, France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Sweden Antenna typeOmni-directional GPS Memory Internal memory64MB Memory slotsSD Slot: supports 1-bit SDIO and 4-bit SD/MMC type memory standard Internal memory type64 MB SDRAM main memory for running applications, 2 GB flash ROM Flash memory2048MB Compatible memory cardsSD / MMC SDIO Phone features Phone functionN VideoVideo modes resolution240 x 320 W x H, 64K colours 65536 colours, 16-bitpixels Operating system/softwareBundled softwareClock, Calculator, Notes, Voice Recorder, Calendar, Contacts, File Explorer, Solitaire, Tasks, Today, Memory, WorldMate, Terminal Services Client, Jawbreaker, Bluetooth Manager, IPAQ Audio, Volume Control, iPAQ Wireless, Messaging, Windows Media Player 10 Mobile, Microsoft Excel Mobile, Microsoft Internet Explorer Mobile, Microsoft Word Mobile, Microsoft PowerPoint Mob
More on www.systemactive.com .

Sony slashes $50 off the PS3 to revive sales


By: Aseem Gaurav on August 17, 2011

To spur the demand and widen its appeal, Sony has slashed the price of its PlayStation 3 game console by $50 across North America, Europe and in Japan.

In North America, the PS3 console will now cost consumers $249 with 160-gigabyte hard drives and $299 with 320-gigabyte hard drives. In Europe also the consoles will now cost EUR249 and EUR299, respectively.  In Japan, Sony reduced the PlayStation prices by Y5,000, bringing it to Y24,980 for the 160-gigabyte model and Y29,980 for the 320-gigabyte one.


The hefty price cuts by Sony come in wake of Nintendo slashing the price of 3DS handheld console, by around 40 per cent to 15,000 yen. Nintendo is also planning to go the Sony way in September to revive the sales of 3DS console, the world's first video game console with a 3-D screen that works without special glasses.

Till now Sony has sold over 50 million PS3 worldwide. This year its popular Playstation network suffered a series of attacks by hackers that compromised the personal data of millions of accounts.

The move is designed to make the device more attractive to consumers in the coming holiday season. The base model Xbox sells for $200 or $300 with Kinect and the Wii costs $150 and comes bundled with Mario Kart.

Apple gives nod to Cinemax app, despite anti-porn policy

By: Aseem Gaurav on August 16, 2011

In a surprising move, Apple has given the go-ahead to an iPad app from US pay-TV service Cinemax, which brings with it a host of soft-porn movies and TV series.

Besides streaming regular content like a slew of shows and movies, but in addition it offers ‘After Dark’ category, with content viewable to 17 years of age or older, means that the app qualifies as ‘softcore.’


But many would wonder what made Apple change its stance or is it only a matter of time before the company actually decides to pull Max Go from the App Store until Cinemax removes the After Dark section.

Otherwise there is nothing wrong with the app as it gives access to over 400 of the biggest Hollywood hit movies and indie favorites. It allows users to create playlists and users receive notifications when a new show/episode is available for viewing.

The app is free, and works with the iPhone, the iPod touch and the iPad – but to use it you need a valid Cinemax subscription.

Review: My Virtual Boyfriend


By: Aseem Gaurav on August 16, 2011

My Virtual Boyfriend is a dating simulation game from the house of WET Productions where you must flirt your way into the heart of a digital guy through various dialog and interactions.

You can choose from hundreds of handsome men and can even customize them by changing the color of hair, clothes and even name. . Rendered in full 3D these males are pretty interesting 3D characters, each having his own unique personality.

In the beginning you create a player by filling out information about the virtual guy you’d like to date with. You’ll be presented with a number of choices and once you zeroed in on your dream guy, the real fun begins.

Ironically, the location would be his home. Here he will welcome you and just like in any normal date will talk to you, though pretty hesitantly in the beginning. But soon after he will talk and interact with you more.  The objective of the game is to win him over and this is done by appealing him with what aligns with his personality.


During the conversations, if he likes your response you’ll gain points and if he don’t then lose points. You need to gain as many points as possible so get into the next level. There are a number of activities that you can choose to do with him like: bowling, hiking or dinner. The 3D guy will even respond to your touch, which makes the game even more interesting.

There are five levels of interesting gameplay where at each level there is action, activities and new dialog. Moreover, if you go down the wrong way he may even break up with you. So in that case you can also dump him too and choose another guy.


Download it here.


Big boost to Android: Google buys Motorola Mobility for $12.5 bn


By: Aseem Gaurav on August 15, 2011

Internet search giant Google has decided to acquire Motorola Mobility, the US mobile company's smartphone business, in a $12.5 bilion cash deal. With this Mountain View Company has now entered into the smartphone and tablet computer market space in a big way – meaning it will now be the owner rather than a partner. This is Google’s largest acquisition to date.

“Motorola’s commitment to Android is a natural fit for the two companies. The association will deliver amazing user experiences that’ll supercharge the entire Android ecosystem for the benefit of consumers, partners and developers. I welcome Motorolans to our family of Googlers," said Google chief executive Larry Page, in an official blog post.

As per the deal, Google will buy Motorola Mobility for $40.00 per share, a 63 per cent premium over the closing price of Motorola Mobility shares on August 12. Further, Motorola Mobility will remain an Android licensee and Google will run the unit as a separate business.


Google will also take control of Motorola’s impressive portfolio of patents which will give it the necessary edge in fending off intellectual property lawsuits. Recently the search giant acquired more than 1,000 patents from IBM.

Earlier in January, Motorola spun off Mobility business, which is into producing smartphones, like Motorola Droid and the Defy and computer tablets.

"The deal will add significant value for Motorola Mobility's stockholders and provides compelling new opportunities for our employees, customers, and partners around the world,” said Sanjay Jha, chief executive of Motorola Mobility.

Some analysts say the deal will also take on Apple’s growing dominance in the smartphone and tablet markets with the iPhone and iPad.

As per estimates, by 2012 nearly half of the world’s smartphones will be having Android operating system as a number of hardware developers prefer to use it instead of developing on their own.
Blog Ping

Google+ to add games like Angry Birds, Dragon Age, more


By: Aseem Gaurav on August 12, 2011

Internet search leader Google has decided to add over a dozen games to Google Plus – a move that is aimed to boost its position in the social gameplay arena.

Google+ is bringing a total of 16 social games including Angry Birds, Bejeweled Blitz and Crime City to a new dedicated gaming section, including both single-player and multiplayer offerings. Post the roll-out, a "Games" button will appear at the top of Google+ stream, allowing you to access to the games.


“We want to make playing games online just as fun, and just as meaningful, as playing in real life. At the page your game accomplishments will appear. So you can comfortably share your latest high score—your circles will only see the updates when they’re interested in playing games too,” said Vic Gundotra, Google's senior vice president of engineering, on the official blog.

Google hopes that the addition of games in "Plus" networking service will give 25 million users of the service a reason to stay longer and come more often.

Determined to protect its turf, Facebook, which has a user base of some 750 million, announced to add new features that expand its own existing brand of social gameplay, just hours after Google issued its challenge. The new features are larger gaming screen, an easy option to bookmark their favourite games and keeping track of what friends are playing.

The idea behind this whole exercise by Google is become an attractive advertising option.

An iPad cover made from fraudster Bernie Madoff’s pants

By: Aseem Gaurav on August 12, 2011

The clothing used by Bernie Madoff, the famous Ponzi scheme operator, will now be refashioned into fashionable covers to store iPad. Disgraced financier Bernard Madoff operated the largest Ponzi scheme in history and after the fraud came into light, all his assets were auctioned including his designer clothing.

Fashion company Frederick James, obtained Madoff’s clothing at an auction held by the U.S. Marshals Service, and has created a collection called "The Bernie Madoff." The clothing brand is known to use luxury and vintage fabrics, such as cashmere, silk, rayon, organza and wool, to make iPad covers.


Frederick James - brainchild of US tech entrepreneur John Vaccaro – is now selling the iPad covers at $350 a piece and it can be obtained from the brand’s website.


The collection consists of 31 iPad covers made from Madoff’s pants from brands like Ralph Lauren, Banana Republic and J.Crew.


Vaccaro said there are a lot of buyers in the market who want to own a piece of history, even the worst kind.

Frederick James also states that such a cover is not intended to be protective so should you drop your iPad then you know what is going to happen to it.

In June 2009, Madoff was sentenced to 150 years in prison, after he admitted to being the mastermind of the Ponzi scheme. Authorities believe that the scheme may have robbed investors billions of dollars as the US SEC did not discover the fraud despite many apparent opportunities and complaints.

Facebook launches Messenger app for iPhone, Android


By: Aseem Gaurav on August 11, 2011

Social networking giant Facebook has come out with Messenger for mobiles, a new group chat app for the iPhone, along with some other Android and BlackBerry phones, in the US market.

The app integrates Facebook contacts with phone contacts and lets members of the site send SMS text messages, emails and Facebook messages all in one place. The company says the idea is to offer a one-stop shop for all instant messaging, whether users have a contact's phone number or Facebook link, and make messaging faster.


The app delivers messages through push notifications to those with the app, and SMS, Facebook Chat, or Facebook Messages to those without it.

It is quite similar to Blackberry’s hugely popular Messenger service (BBM) which allows messaging between BlackBerry users. With this launch, Facebook hopes to take away some of the marketshare of BBM.

What makes the app so special is that it leverages their Facebook networks as the social networking site is seen as a source of data of your friends. So if you want to text an old friend but don’t have his phone number, you can simply send him a Facebook message. For this all you have to do is type the person's name.

Also users can easily start a group conversation when they’re on the go and send message to everyone at once in the group. By adding location the friends in the group can easily find their locations on the map.

Watch, share and stream videos on your iPad with Boxee

By: Aseem Gaurav on August 10, 2011

Boxee has launched its official, free iPad app, allowing users to watch streaming content on the tablet device and transfer playback from the iPad to the Boxee Box.

Boxee has launched its free iPad app which aims to turn your tablet into an even stronger media machine. The app allows users to stream videos directly from PC to iPad as well as bookmark videos to “Watch Later.” Videos can be shared online through social media channels like Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr.


Install Boxee Media Manager (also free for Windows and Mac) on your desktop and you are ready to share virtually any video file format. You could also steam the video content to your television as well through a Boxee Box that can be purchased for $199.

The interesting part of the app is Watch It Later bookmarklet which allows you to save any interesting video to your iPad. Boxee has also updated its firmware on the Boxee Box to version 1.2, stomping bugs, adding OS X Lion and HTML5 support.

Apple becomes the world’s most valuable company


By: Aseem Gaurav on August 10, 2011

It is a historic day for California-based technology giant Apple as it has quietly overtaken Exxon Mobil Corp. in market value to become the world’s largest company.

Apple with a market cap of $342 billion is a tad ahead of Exxon Mobil at the moment.

Apple’s market value had risen considerably after its stellar quarterly results. On the other hand, the value of Exxon’s has fallen harder due to a market slowdown and depressed oil prices.


Only few could have predicted the growth that the company has witnessed in the last one decade when the company took a chance and rehired its former chief executive Steve Jobs. The recent gravity-defying growth in Apple underlines the immense popularity of Apple products across the world. A decade back, the Cupertino, Calif.-based company was at No. 287 in terms of market cap on the S&P 500, and last year it overtook Microsoft to claim the No. 2 spot.

Given the company’s expansion plans in overseas markets, analysts say the company has more headroom to grow.

Spotify’s US report card: 1.4 million free users in first month


By: Aseem Gaurav on August 9, 2011

Within the first month of its launch, Spotify, a Luxembourg-based digital-music service, has already garnered a huge fan following in the US markets. And the numbers tells it all! According to media reports the streaming music service has already signed up 1.4 million US users for its free trial, besides 175,000 paid subscribers in the country.

Such a number makes Spotify ahead of peers MOG and Rdio which are yet to reach 100,000 users a year. One of the market leaders Rhapsody has 800,000 paid subscribers.


Analysts say if the service keeps on winning new users, it will then soon be on track to top 20 million free subscribers and 3 million paid subscribers in the first year of its launch – placing it at the top in the music subscription services.

In Europe, Spotify has 1.6 million paid subscribers in Sweden, Norway, Finland, the U.K., France, Spain, and the Netherlands.

Though the U.S. version of the free service has received overwhelming response from consumers, it is still very early to say anything. It must be mentioned that Spotify's rival, Rdio, has much better interface on mobile devices and has an easier process for importing iTunes songs.

Five cool decals for iPad

By: Aseem Gaurav on August 6, 2011, 2011

If you’re looking to give some twist to your precious tablet then a cool decal could be a nice option. The good part is there are lots and lots available in the market, but choosing the right one is up to you. Here is our list of top five that we consider stand out from the ordinary.

1. Snoopy


2. Charlie Chaplin



3.  Yoshi Nintendo


4. Gentleman



5. Apple in the mind

The US has more Android states


By: Aseem Gaurav on August 6, 2011

How it feels like when most of the smartphone users in the state you are living use Android operating system. Also have you ever wondered what a map reflecting the grographical mobile makeup in the United States would look like.

Depicting the battle between iOS (Apple) and Android phones in the US, mobile advertising company Jumptap recently released a color coded map, showing which states lean towards Android, iOS and Blackberry dominance.


image courtesy: Jumptap

The colorful infographic revealed that Google’s Android operating system is more popular in Southern and Southwestern United States while Apple’s iOS has large userbase in the Midwest and Northeast.

The report indicated that in particular, California, Texas and Florida are the hotspots for Android use, while picturesque New England and Midwest show preference for iOS use. Also, BlackBerry has fan following in New York and the states surrounding the capitol.

The data is based on 83 million users on the company’s mobile ad network. Jumpstart also found, just like other companies, that, “Android  still leads in terms of overall marketshare with 38 per cent market share, followed by the iPhone's iOS (33 per cent) and Blackberry (22 per cent).”

No matter which states turn iOS-blue or Android-orange, one thing that the data doesn’t seem to suggest whether Republicans prefer Android or Democrats like iOS. Well think about it and send us your responses.

App Review: Ultimate Sharks for iPad


By: Aseem Gaurav on August 4, 2011

Discovery’s Ultimate Sharks iPad app offers an exhaustive information regarding sharks. The app comes close on the heels of Discovery’s extremely popular “Shark Week” television schedule, a tradition started back in 1987. It could be one of the ultimate apps for real shark lovers!

The apps has been especially designed for the iPad, which educates users on various types of sharks through hours of exclusive HD video, interactive 3D animations, and hundreds of high-resolution photos which you might have never seen before.



With its repertoire of content related to sharks, the app tries to satisfy your insatiable need to more about these beasts of the sea, the killers of the ocean, and what makes them so terrifying.

The app features 10 of the deadliest sharks including the Great White, Hammerhead, Tiger Shark and others.

By selecting a certain shark you get the intro page, which gives a general overview, a video, and a photo gallery. Once you start reading the text, the shark comes right up on you, which may also give you some jitters.


By far the interactive 3D shark mode is the most interactive and creative feature of the app which shows up beautiful model of the shark, which you can rotate, to know more about how these beasts look like in the real life. Moreover, you can also make it to attack, swim and hunt.

In the video section, you can do size comparisons and see Google Map markers of attacks. Most of the videos deal with shark attacks or the predatory nature of the various sharks. But there are lots of educational videos as well. A video of less than a minute duration is local to the app, but anything longer requires a Wi-Fi connection to play.

The data and videos on the app is easy to navigate and the interface and shark models are quite attractive.

Moreover, there are also over 250 breathtaking high-resolution photos from some of the world’s most celebrated wildlife photographers.

Vonage iPhone app offers cheap international calls


By: Aseem Gaurav on August 4, 2011

Vonage's newly released Time to Call app makes it easy for you to make VoIP international calls. It allows you to make short (say 15 minutes) call to 190 countries at charges ranging from 99 cents to $9.99 per call. The app is designed to give stiff competition to Skype and the likes.

It is available on a pay-per-call basis with the money deducted from a user’s iTunes account as an in-app purchase.

Worldwide, the service works on Wi-Fi, but in the U.S. and Canada you can use Wi-Fi or 3G. Using 3G would obviously mean you have to pay more depending on your services plan with the operator.


Marc Lefar, CEO of Vonage says the service is of great value to international travelers who want to avoid the bill shock and roaming charges when they call back home.

“You doesn’t need any calling card services or international calling plan options, and is very cheap than dialing direct through a mobile carrier. It's simple, fast and fair," he said.

How does it works: After your download the app, select the country you wish to call, touch the Buy button and enter their iTunes credentials, and then call the number.

Vonage says a 15-minute call from from Japan to South Korea using Time to Call is just 99 cents as against over $34 when made via a traditional wireless call.

The service will compete against a host of other service providers, ranging from direct-dial calling to VoIP companies, including Skype. The saving costs using the app is quite important given that three in five international calls are still made directly through a wireless or wireline carrier, at much higher rates.

iPad 2 shipping time cut to 1-3 days


By: Aseem Gaurav on August 2, 2011

Those who were waiting for get their hands on iPad 2 will now don’t have to wait for more than 1-3 day because of decrease in shipping time.

The supplies of the popular tablet have been under constraint in the last 4 months because of closing down of Apple’s main iPad manufacturer Foxconn Chengdu which cost the company 500,000 units. As of now the demand for the slate is far higher than supplies at all locations.


Two months back, Apple took major steps to improve supply, by adding more manufacturers, which are becoming more evident today with shipments improving quite handsomely.

At the time of its release, the popular tablet’s shipment time was four weeks from the time of purchase. It was nearly a month before you could get your favourite gadget. Consumers weren’t happy either, but the company was not able to cope up with the demand.

Apple sold 7.33 million units in the first quarter and 4.69 million in the second and expects to ship 12-14 million iPad 2s in the third quarter through major production ramp up.
 

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