Top 3 unique iPhone stands

By: Aseem Gaurav on January 30, 2012

1. iStuck Phone Stand

Having bubble gum stuck to your clothes may look annoying, but what if it’s stuck to your iPhone or iPod and acts as a stand for movie watching purposes. iStuck phone stand from Fred & Friends offers users just the right angle for using the Apple iPods, iPhones, and most cellphones without any sticky mess. The stand is made up of silicone and uses suction cups to hold the phone tightly. Be sure that it is bound to draw onlooker’s attention towards itself due to its unique design and colour. But unlike a real wad of gum, the stand is easy to remove from the phone when complete its use. It comes at an affordable price of $4.99. 

2. iPlunge Phone Stand

If you want your iPhone to double as a radio, a TV or a video player, then use the iPlunge phone stand. On one end of the stand there is a suction cup which firmly fixes on your device and makes it really cool iPhone or even iPod gadget for video watching. It’s simple, chic and an easy to use stand that can be used anytime and anywhere to prop up your iPhone. It acts as a great travel accessory a it lets you watch best on the YouTube. Designed by Homade for Fred & Friends, it is worth its price at $5.99. 

3. Just Mobile Xtand Deluxe 

It is a highly stylish and pretty attractive iPhone dock that perfectly complements your iPhone. Ths tabletop stand is made up of solid aluminum that has been designed to help you access all of your iPhone functions, thus allowing you to view, charge and sync all on the same stand. Since you can rotate the stand freely, it is possible to view your iphoen horizontally or vertically. It is a great accessory but comes at a slightly higher price tag of $35.63. 

Dear readers, in case you think that your iPhone stand is unique, please write to us. We'll feature it in our next post. Do remember to send in your pics along with short description of the stand. 

Apple's 'mind-boggling' fourth quarter‎

By: Aseem Gaurav, January 28, 2012

Technology giant Apple reported a record final quarter of 2011, which astonished tech observers and media folks and silenced the company's critics. 

The Cupertino, California-based iPhone maker reported an all-time record revenue of $46.3 billion in the last three months of 2011, nearly doubling of what is achieved during the holiday-shopping quarter of 2010. The fourth quarter o 2011 was a historic one for Apple, as it was the biggest quarterly revenue for any technology company, far exceeding Samsung's record of $41 billion.

Apple's quaterly figures were so impressive that when compared, they were equal to 2010 gross domestic product of Tunisia. Projected over an entire year, Apple's revenue would top the GDP of all but 46 countries, including Pakistan, Peru, Vietnam and New Zealand.

Although Apple did not provide the details of the results product-wise, but it said the iPhone 4S contributed to majority of its profits. In all of fiscal 2011, company sold over 72 million iPhones as against 40 million in 2010. In the iPhone category, Apple is now offering 4S besides its regular models like iPhone 3Gs and iPhone 4. So much is the craze for the device that Apple sold more iPhoens than people born in the world each day during the same period.

Apple sold around 15.43 million iPads during the quarter, which is a whopping 111 per cent higher as compared to the same quarter last year. This suggests that the company sold three times as many iPads as Kindle Fires at twice the price. According to research firm IDC, the volume is higher than PC sales by rivals.

Apple, co-founded by tech icon Steve Jobs, has even exceeded its gross margin, which ended during the quarter at 44.7 percent. A jubilant Apple, buoyed by the results, is predicted a robust year ahead, through strengthening of product distribution channels and opening up of more retail stores.

Apple's results and even the money it has in its hands may surprise most of the us. Even user got creative with Apple's mega-success and did some analysis/comparison about what this money can buy or do. The Apple fanboys have even dedicated a whole website called www.applemademoremoneythan.com to that. If you like crunching numbers, you can also also submit your own comparisons to be included in the website's list.

Below are some very interesting facts about Apple results:

* Apple is now the world's largest smartphone maker, beating Samsung

* Apple's revenue is now DOUBLE Microsoft's ($46 billion versus $20.9 billion).

* Apple's quarterly profit of $13 billion was the fourth biggest ever!

* That profit was bigger than Google's quarterly revenue -- $13 billion for Apple versus $10.6 billion for Google

* Apple's $13 billion in profits are bigger than Research In Motion's $8 billion market cap

* Apple now has $97 billion in cash on hand.

* The number of people visiting its stored have increased by over 45 per cent.

* App Store developers earned $700 million in the Q3, while it paid out $4 billion to developers.

Bill Gates sent a special letter to Steve Jobs before Apple co-founder's death

By: Aseem Gaurav on January 28, 2012

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and Apple co-founder Steve Jobs' friendship was much deeper than we usually imagine. During a recent interview, Bill Gates revealed the details of an intimate letter that he sent to Steve Jobs shortly before Jobs passed away in October. The letter apparently meant so much to Jobs that he kept it at his bedside.

"I told Steve about how he should feel great about what he had done and the company he had built,"  Gates said in the interview. "We were not at war. We made great products, and competition was always a positive thing," he said.

He further emphasized that despite corporate competition both of them were at good terms with each other by the time Jobs became gravely ill late last year.

Gates said he discussed Job's kids in the letter and brushed aside Job's critical remarks against him in his biography.

It is well known that the duo shared a complex relationship. Although known to be friends, they competed with each other, and played pivotal role in changing the technology world into its present form now. 

In an interview with The Wall Street Journal’s Walt Mossberg at the D5 conference in 2007, both made  complementary remarks, with Jobs praising Gates over the first true software company, and likewise, Gates saying Jobs' populist approach has steered Apple to new heights.

Twitter to censor tweets in individual countries

By: Aseem Gaurav on January 27, 2012

The micro-blogging service, Twitter, says it has come out with a way to censor tweets on a country- by-country basis.

Twitter said in its blog that it could "reactively withhold content from users in a specific country".

The additional flexibility, according to Twitter, would give it a deeper toehold in countries that have what it called “different ideas about the contours of freedom of expression.”

The San Francisco-based company said now a tweet containing content breaking a law in one country can be taken down there, but can be seen elsewhere. Before, when Twitter deleted a tweet, it would disappear totally. Twitter would use the IP address to determine your location.


According to the company, the new tool would ensure that individual messages, or tweets, can be viewed by as many people as possible while it deal with different laws around the world.

The decision comes at a time when the company is going aggressive in terms of global expansion.

"On our international expansion, we will enter countries that have different ideas about the freedom of expression. Some differ so much from our ideas that we will not be able to exist there," it said in a blog post.

The company gave Germany and France as an example, which it said ban pro-Nazi content.

Twitter has been used prominently to by many of those involved in the Arab Spring uprising last year in the Middle East, forcing governments to shut down the Internet entirely. Twitter - along with Facebook - is banned in China, and the Internet is strictly controlled to block content that the authorities deem offensive or politically unacceptable. However, that has not restricted the world's most populous country from accessing social networking websites.

In its blogpost, Twitter said it will attempt to let the user know if a tweet is censored and will clearly mark when the content has been blocked.

Will Anonymous take down Facebook?

By: Aseem Gaurav on January 26, 2012

Is it possible to bring the popular social networking site Facebook down even for a day? Well, to us it doesn't seem so, but to Anonymous, the worldwide group of hacker activists (a.k.a. "hacktivists"), it could be a reality on January 28.

"An online war has begun between Anonymous, the people, and the government of the United States," the narrator begins. The reason: SOPA, PIPA and other perceived threats to Internet rights," claimed a video uploaded to YouTube on January 23.

One of the reasons that may fueled Anonymous' anger is the recent shutdown of file sharing service MegaUpload by the FBU, for the reason that the company was part of a major copyright infringement and fraud operation.

The voice in the video suggests that those who want to support the cause can download a program in order to participate in a Facebook attack. The narrator in the YouTube video says that the attack needs to be in a coordinated manner so as to bring down the servers. The chosen time, therefore, is 12 a.m., January 28.

The narrator further adds: "Do not fear. There is no way you can get caught. They cannot take down that large of a group." He emphasizes the point that the future of internet is at stake. Last year, another YouTube video, that carried the Anonymous' name, promised that Facebook would collapse on November 5, which did not happen.

As per a report, the social platform has at least 60,000 servers, which according to Anonymous is still possible to bring down.

However, in others reports, Anonymous had denied claims.

Nike's FuelBand helps you to track your fitness in everyday activities

By: Aseem Gaurav on January 22, 2012

Nike has designed and launched a new data-tracking wristband called FuelBand, which it says will help people become more active. In a world when most of us find little or no time to exercise or to go for a routine walk, Nike+ FuelBand measures time, steps, calories and "NikeFuel” a metric devised by the company that awards equal points for the same activity regardless of physical makeup.

The gadget has been designed to be worn throughout the day and has ergonomic, user-friendly design that gives information about different activities through the movement of the wrist via a LED dot matrix display.

The black coloured wristband is elegant and has a simple flexible circuit board with two integrated curved batteries in a polymer casing. It comes with a 20 LED color dot-matrix display that shows how many points you have earned, and another 100 white LEDs to give you feedback, time of day, and many similar things. The whole idea is to push you to achieve a higher or equal score that you achieved earlier, hence making you work more. The more active you are, the more NikeFuel you’ll earn.

Nike says the device measures movement of all sorts, ranging from reaching out to a pizza, bicycling, jumping up and down or playing cricket.

The FuelBand can easily be connected via a built-in USB or through a special iPhone app via Bluetooth. The USB connects you to computers running Mac OS version 10.4 or later and Windows 7, Vista or XP. Since it is not waterproof, so it is not advisable to carry it for swimming. 

The device adds to the growing list of wearable fitness trackers available to everyday athletes and joins gadgets like the the Jawbone Up and Fitbit. 

“Flexibility of the circuit board was important in order to get all the components on it to move inside the shape of the band,” said Stefan Olander, Nike’s VP of digital sport.

The Nike+ FuelBand is available now for pre-order at $149.

Magnus iPad magnetic stand‎: For those who love aesthetics

By Aseem Gaurav: January 22, 2012

Ten One Design, creators of the Pogo Stylus for the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad, has launched an iPad stand called Magnus which is sleek in design and is suitable for high-end workplaces. Crafted from aluminum and then hand finished, Magnus does not have that bulkiness which is found in similar other cases. The stand has been built with minimalist design in mind.

Magnus has been built to keep your iPad upright as it has customized magnets installed in its base. The foot of the stand makes use of magnets built into iPad to give the tablet enough cantilevered support to stay upright. On placing the device correctly, the stand virtually disappears from view.

On the base of the stand, there is set of rubber feet that keeps it from slipping back.

The design scores high in terms of design smoothness and buttery silver finish, thus perfectly blending with the tablet’s aesthetic. Since the stand caters to those who value sophisticated aesthetics over the functional beauty of convenience, the company in its site clearly states, “This isn’t one of those portable travel stands. Leave it on your desk, ok?”

Magnus is currently available at www.TenOneDesign.com for $49.95.

HP Pavilion dm3-2010sa Entertainment Notebook PC - WN711EA Review

HP Pavilion dm3-2010sa Entertainment Notebook PC (WN711EA): 1.7 GHz AMD Athlon II Neo Processor K125, 3GB DDR3 (1 x 1024 MB + 1 x 2048 MB), ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4225 Graphics, 33.7 cm (13.3") diagonal High-Definition LED HP BrightView Display (1366 x 768), 320 GB SATA Hard Disk Drive 7200 rpm, Bluetooth wireless networking, 802.11 b/g/n, Altec Lansing speakers, HP TrueVision Webcam with Integrated Digital Microphone (VGA low-light), Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit.

Product Features

• 13.3” Diagonal HD LED
• 1.7Ghz AMD Athlon K125
• 3GB DDR3
• 320GB SATA 7200rpm
• Windows 7 Home Premium
• ATI Mobility Radeon HD
• Altec Lansing speakers
• Webcam
• Bluetooth

Specification

• Screen Size:13.3” Diagonal High-Definition LED
• Processor:1.7 Ghz AMD Athlon II Neo K125
• Memory:3GB DDR3
• Hard Drive:320GB SATA 7200 rpm
• Operating System:Windows 7 Home Premium
• Graphics:ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4225
• Audio:Altec Lansing speakers
• Webcam:Bluetooth

View  more at www.systemactive.com .

'Angry Brides' take on dowry culture

By: Aseem Gaurav on January 18, 2012

These are Indian brides that you don't want to mess with. A new online game called "Angry Brides", promoted by online matchmaker shaadi.com, takes a shot at the dowry practice in form of players hurling various objects towards dowry seeking grooms. 

The game is obviously inspired by wildly popular game Angry Birds, in which players hurl avians to free their captive friends.  Angry Brides adds a new spin to it in form of women pelting weapon, from a brick-red stiletto, slipper, saucepan, to a broomstick, at dodging grooms – an engineer, a doctor and a pilot. These grooms are demanding dowry starting at Rs 1.5 million ($30,000). If you hit it right then you'll lower the amount grooms are seeking and the amount will be added in your anti-dowry fund. 

The game has already attracted more than 270,000 fans which is an apt indication of peoples' anger towards this practice. Although paying and accepting a dowry has been illegal since 1961, the centuries-old tradition of the bride parents to present gift to cash, clothes to the groom's family is still strong.

Shaadi.com in a statement said, "We believe that marriage is an institution of love, where there is a place for togetherness, family values and emotional support but not for dowry!" it said in a statement. It said as a brand responsible for matchmaking, it wanted to create awareness about the issue of dowry.

According to India's National Crime Records Bureau in 2010, 8,391 women died in dowry-related deaths, and 44 per cent of all crimes against women in the country were carried out by their husbands and relatives.

"A woman will give you strength, care and all the love you need ... NOT dowry!" the front page of game reads.

Athough the game has already generated a lot of interest among users, it will be interesting to see how things will pan out in the coming days. 

HP 635 Notebook PC - LL434ES Review

:HP 635 Notebook PC (LL434ES): AMD Athlon Dual-Core Mobile P350 (2.3 GHz, 1 MB L2 cache), AMD A50M, 4GB DDR3 SDRAM Up to 8 GB 1066 MHz, 320GB SATA (5400 rpm), DVD + /-RW SuperMulti DL, Glare-free high-definition display with a diagonal measurement of 39.6 cm (15.6 ") and LED-backlit display (1366 x 768), ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4250, VGA Webcam, Atheros 802.11b/g/n with Bluetooth 3.0 combo port, Genuine Windows 7 Professional.


Specification

• Screen Size:15.6" Diagonal LED-backlit HD
• Processor:1.6Ghz AMD Dual-Core P350
• Memory:4GB DDR3 SDRAM 1333 MHz
• 
  
• Hard Drive:320GB 5400 rpm SATA II
• Optical Drive:DVD+/-RW SuperMulti DL
• Operating System:Windows 7 Professional
• Chipset:AMD A50M
• Graphics:ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4250
• High-Definition Audio
• Atheros 802.11b/g/n
• VGA Webcam
• Bluetooth 3.0

Product Features

• 15.6" Diagonal LED-backlit HD
• 1.6Ghz AMD Dual-Core P350
• 4GB DDR3 SDRAM 1333 MHz
• 320GB 5400 rpm SATA II
• DVD+/-RW SuperMulti DL
• Windows 7 Professional
• AMD A50M
• ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4250
• High-Definition Audio
• Atheros 802.11b/g/n
• VGA Webcam
• Bluetooth 3.0

View more at www.systemactive.com .

IDG: iPad top choice for IT and business professionals for work

By: Aseem Gaurav on January 18, 2012

In a global survey examining Apple’s iPad in the business world, Research firm IDG said the device has become as ubiquitous in the world, once dominated by BlackBerry. The device has become the go-to tool for some 60 million users around the world.

The survey found that 91 per cent of IT and business professionals used their iPads for work, even though only a quarter of the devices had been supplied for corporate use. Out of them, 66 per cent said that iPad has partially or completely replaced their laptop. Country-wise, a large number of professionals in the Middle East (70 per cent) and Asia (63 per cent)  said the iPad had at least partially replaced their laptop. 

IDC survey also found that a surprising 51 per cent of IT and business professionals will "always" use the device at work, quite close to the number (54 per cent) who always use it at home. 

In terms of content consumption, the survey discovered some interesting facts. One of them was that nearly everyone use the iPad for reading, with over 70 percent globally saying they are buying fewer physical books and newspapers as a result. Given that tablet forms a great consumption tool, a majority of them said they use the device for Web browsing.

The Americas (North and South America ) lead the offline usage with almost one-quarter of European users agreed to “always” use their iPad offline, presumably for viewing sideloaded or already downloaded content such as books, PDFs and films.

The survey clearly emphasizes that tablets aren’t just a reading tool, but also a communications tool. The IDG Connect survey clearly states the dominance of iPad despite the fact that many competitors of the device have already sprung up in the fast growing computer tablet market: 85 per cent of U.S. buyers would stick with Apple’s iPad for future tablet purchases.

“The survey shows the tablet is fast becoming a true work device, provided by employers and used in the office for business communication. It also highlights some startling regional variations, emphasising the need for marketers to adapt content to local markets as well as new mediums,” said Kathryn Cave, editor at IDG Connect International.

IDG drew an interesting conclusion: “For most, the iPad isn’t a substitute for an existing tool or device. Instead, it’s a supplement, albeit one with functionality that overlaps with other devices. As a result, the iPad seems to have carved out a niche for itself at the partial expense of several rival form factors.”

Analysts predict that the Cupertino, CA-based company, will report record results when it will announce its fourth quarter sales for 2011 next week .  According to a Fortune magazine survey, the device is expected to report average sales figure of 14 million, with a low figure of 11.7 million from Gabelli and Co. and a high of 19.47 million. 

Nissan tests self-healing iPhone cases

By: Aseem Gaurav on  January 17, 2012

What happens when a carmaker wants to build a sturdy iPhone case that will not only be sturdy but have the power to heal itself. That’s exactly what Nissan did when it launched the company’s new Scratch Shield case for the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S.

Built from ABS plastic, it is a rigid, robust and good looking case. It is made from Scratch Shield paint technology which the company claims to be the world’s first paint technology that allows fine scratches to mend themselves. It is the same paint that Nissan and Infiniti automobiles use in their cars around the world.

Here’s how this technology works: When the coating is damaged through scratches, it automatically fills the gap created and gets back in its original form. For lesser damages, the healing process can take as little as an hour, but for larger blemishes it may take even longer. The technology is currently being beta tested in Europe, but also licensed to NTT Docomo for use on mobile phones. Consumers can expect the case later this year if Nissan gets satisfied with the results from the beta test.

Review: $250 ASUS MeMo 370T packed with Tegra 3

By: Aseem Gaurav on January 16, 2012

Taiwanese PC maker Asus seems to have understood what it takes to make it big in the computer tablet market. Asus is promising consumers high-end experience in the tablet category with the MeMo 370T, by packing  in a quad-core Nvidia Tegra 3 processor into a 7-inch Android 4.0 tablet, offering at an affordable price tag of $249. 

The Asus MeMO 370T is a 7-inch Android Ice Cream Sandwich tablet with 7" IPS LCD display and an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera. The tablet comes with up to 16 GB of storage, 1 GB of RAM, display resolution of 1280-by-800 and uses a technology called in-plane switching to serve up wide viewing angles. The MeMO 370T features a brilliantly vivid IPS panel that’s capable of delivering viewing angles up to 178° wide to display the aforementioned 1080p HD video.

The tablet's power-packed performance is sure a treat for consumers. The device is blazing fast which combines enough power and features to give other tablets a run for their money. The home screen operations are extremely smooth and opening web sites is even smoother. In terms of gaming, the tablet delivers quite a similar performance like the MeMo’s bigger quad-core sibling, the Transformer Prime, which outputs high-resolution games to a television screen through its micro-HDMI port. The new tablet will have micro-USB, micro-HDMI, and also a micro-SD slot for expanded storage — which may not be found in other tablets.

In terms of size, the tablet may not be as thin as its bigger brother in the Prime, but it is just as snazzy, fast and responsive as we had imagined. 

The Memo 370T is a complete multimedia tablet, which offers consumers everything from videos, games, chat, movies, music, mobile applications, book-reading facilities and much more. It's small and light enough that can fit into a bag and offers vibrant and bright screen which brings movies to life. 

At the Consumer Electronics show 2012 at Las Vegas, the tablet beat many other tablets on display to win the Best Tablet of CES 2012.

The tablet is more likely to be released in second quarter of 2012 and would compete in a market already filled with me-too tablets.  It has a lot of flair and personality, and hopefully with all its functions and features it will soon be recognized by consumers. The real challenge would be to compete against the $500 and up iPad/iPad2, a dominant leader in the market enjoying a large fanbase due to quality and performance. 

According to experts, one of the reasons that Android tablets have failed to take off is because of pricing --- most of them are priced to compete against iPad instead of netbooks. The recent blockbuster performance by Kindle Fire proves this. Amazon sold $200 eReader tablet hybrid that in 2 months has sold as many or more units than all previous Android tablets combined. Similarly, HP’s Touchpad tablets sold out in minutes when the prices were lowered to $100-150 in HP’s inventory eliminating fire-sale.

Apple 'Mini-Stores' officially coming to Target

By: Aseem Gaurav on January 14, 2012

Technology giant Apple will be setting  mini “store-within-a-store” setups to 25 different Target locations around the United States, just like currently found in many Best Buy stores. 

The move will give Apple additional retail space inside Target, the nation’s largest department stores, which operates 1752 stores in the US. Apple product such as iPods and iPads are are already being sold in Apple Stores and with this deal there will be additional products like MacBooks and iMacs. 

It is likely that Apple will focus on products like — iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, iPod touch, iPod Classic and iPod Nano. — at first and then move on to other range. 

Reports suggest that Apple will employ its own staff inside the stores and if everything goes well they might expand the partnership to many more of Target’s 1,700 stores.

"Becuase of our design partnerships guests love shopping at Target, as it creates excitement.  With The Shops at Target, we’re building on that sense of discovery by offering our guests a chance to experience one-of-a-kind specialty stores and boutiques through collections that have been specifically tailored to their wants and needs," Brian Robinson, Target's director of fashion and design partnerships, said in a statement. 

Target is well known as a cheap-chic retailer that partners with high-end brands to deliver fashionable goods in an affordable price range. The discount retailer last partnered with Italian design house Missoni which was considered to be a big hit.

CES 2012: Best moments in photographs

By: iPadfanzz.blogspot.com

Images courtesy: http://www.cesweb.org

This year's Consumer Electronics Show at Las Vegas turned out to be the largest on record, and it was raining user-friendly gadgets during the show. Some of the important gadgets that manufacturers showcased during the event were: a tablet that can survive a dunk in the bath, a TV that runs on Android, a skateboard powered by Kinect, and more Ultrabooks than you could squeeze into an aeroplane hangar.

Here are a few moments from the show:

CNET presents LG with the Best of CES Award for their 55EM9800 55-inch OLED TV at the 2012 International CES.

CNET presents the Best of CES award winners at the 2012 International CES.

YouTube's keynote at the 2012 International CES.

Moderated by MediaLink LLC Chairman and CEO Michael Kassan, the Brand Keynote Panel brings together executives from the world’s top brands to discuss marketing and brand strategy on a global scale at the 2012 International CES.

Intel's keynote at the 2012 International CES.

Intel's keynote at the 2012 International CES.

Microsoft's keynote at the 2012 International CES.

Twitter/Google+ battle hotting up

By: Aseem Gaurav on January 13, 2011

Internet search giant Google, is facing opposition to include Google+ searches after it rolled out its new search engine functionality, thus, leaving Twitter and Facebook out in the cold.

Google had earlier announced to make search results more personalised, which was strongly opposed by Twitter as it said it would be bad for web publishers and cosnumers.

Industry expert see the move as the one which could change the search dynamics and  charge Google with deliberately boosting Google+'s popularity, thus boosting queries generated for Google+. One of the strongest arguments against the move is that the search engine would give more prominence to Google+ business pages that companies have set up as compared to similar other pages set up by them on competing social media sites.





Search engine expert Danny Sullivan said with this being on Google+ does matter and now it matters more than ever before. He adds that Google is clearly "taking its weight in search and leveraging it to boost Google+ in a big way."

Twitter said it is concern about the changes as earlier lots of users were able to find "breaking news" mostly shared on the micro-blogging site since they were the most relevant results. But now as a result of changes done by Google, it would be difficult to find them which is certainly bad for publishers, people and news organisations, a statement from Twitter said.

“The changes as a result of Google rejig is of a concern. Now finding the information will be much harder for everyone,” the statement continued.

On the other hand, Google defended the predominance of Google+ content in its new product by claiming that the company always wants to provide the most relevant results and Twitter's response came as a surprise to them since last summer they chose not to renew their agreement with us.

Last year, Google took a major step towards becoming a full-fledged Facebook rival by launching Google+ Pages that lets users share things with smaller groups of people through 'circles'. The project allowed brands, companies, businesses, places, groups, and others to establish a presence on the service, much like Facebook pages.

BlueStacks brings over 400,000 Android apps to Windows 8

By: Aseem Gaurav on January 12, 2012


California-based BlueStacks, has showed off a customized version of the company's Android  App Player on an Ultrabook running Microsoft 's coming Windows  8 operating system at the 2012 International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

BlueStacks' coming App Player beta is indeed good news for customers who can now make instant use of 400,000+ Android apps in a Windows 8 machine. With Microsoft’s upcoming operating system aimed at both conventional computers as well as new tablets, the decision opens up lots of opportunities, both for users and mobile app developers.

Microsoft has designed and built Windows 8 with focus on mobility, using the new "Metro" user interface. BlueStacks has actively collaborated with top PC manufacturers to pre-load its App Player on Ultrabooks, tablets, notebooks and all-in-one desktop PCs. One of them is Taiwanese manufacturer InHon, which plans to release its first Ultrabook in March 2012 with BlueStacks App Player pre-loaded, followed by a Windows 8 Ultrabook later this year.

BlueStacks CEO Rosen Sharma said it will now be possible to run all Android apps on Windows 8 without any porting, as the software will support both standard desktop and Metro UI modes.

HP ProBook 6465b Notebook PC - LY430EA Review

HP ProBook 6465b Notebook PC (LY430EA): AMD Quad-Core A6-3410MX (2.3 GHz/1.6 GHz, 4 MB L2 cache), AMD A60M FCH, 4GB 1333 MHz DDR3 SDRAM, 320 GB 7200 rpm SATA II, DVD+/-RW SuperMulti DL, 35,6 cm (14") diagonal LED-backlit HD anti-glare (1366 x 768), AMD Radeon HD 6520G, HD Webcam, SRS Premium Sound; Integrated stereo speakers; Integrated microphone, Broadcom 802.11b/g/n, HP Integrated Module with Bluetooth 2.1, Geneuine Windows 7 Professional 64.

Product Features

• 14" LED-backlit HD+ anti-glare
• 2.3GHz AMD Quad-C A6-3410MX
• 4GB DDR3 SDRAM 1333 MHz
• 320GB 7200 rpm SATA II
• DVD+/-RW SuperMulti DL
• Windows 7 Professional
• AMD A60M FCH
• AMD Radeon HD 6520G
• SRS Premium Sound
• Broadcom 802.11b/g/n
• Webcam
• Bluetooth

Specification

• Screen Size:14" LED-backlit HD+ anti-glare
• Processor:2.3GHz AMD Quad-Core A6-3410MX
• Memory:4GB DDR3 SDRAM 1333 MHz
• Hard Drive:320GB 7200 rpm SATA II
• Optical Drive:DVD+/-RW SuperMulti DL
• Operating System:Windows 7 Professional
• AMD A60M FCH
• AMD Radeon HD 6520G
• SRS Premium Sound
• Broadcom 802.11b/g/n
• Webcam
• Bluetooth

View more at www.systemactive.com .

Toshiba A10-1HM - PTSB0E-03D02HEN Review

Toshiba Tecra A10-1HM. Processor: 2.0 MHz, 800 MHz, Mobile Intel® GM45 Express Chipset. Disk drive: 160 GB, Serial ATA, 5.400 RPM. Display: 39.1cm (15.4”), 1.280 x 800 pixels, WXGA TFT High Brightness display, 16/16 ms, 0.25875 x 0.25875 mm, 300:1. Memory: 2GB DDR2 RAM (800 MHz), 8.192 GB. Video: Mobile Intel® GMA 4500MHD, < 1.340 graphics @ 4 GB system , shared, Intel®, 1.280 x 800 pixels. Audio: Realtek ALC268-GR, 24-bit stereo, built-in stereo speaker. Networking: Bluetooth®; Wireless LAN (802.11a/g/Draft-N). Energy management: Lithium-Ion, 10.8 x 5100 mAh, main, up to 4h20min (Mobile Mark™ 2007). Weight & dimensions: >2.80 g, 361.3 x 265 x 37.1 (front) / 39.1 (rear)

Product Features

• 15.4" WX 200
• 2.GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T5870
• 2GB DDR2 RAM
• 160GB 5400 RPM
• DVD-Super-Multi (+-R DL)
• Windows-7 Professional
• Intel GM45 Express
• Intel GMA 4500MHD
• Realtek ALC268-GR
• Fingerprint
• Bluetooth

Specification

• Screen Size:15.4 WX 200
• Processor:2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T5870  800MHz
• Memory:2GB DDR2 (800MHz)
• Hard Drive:160GB (5400rpm) SATA
• Optical Drive:DVD-Super-Multi (+-R DL)
• Operating System:Win- 7  Professional 32bit
• Mobile Intel GMA 4500MHD
• Mobile Intel GS45 Express Chipset
• Wireless LAN (802.11a/g/Draft-N)
• Realtek ALC268-GR
• Bluetooth
• Fingerprints

View more at www.systemactive.com .

HP USB Standard Keyboard - DT528

HP USB Standard Keyboard (DT528A): This stylish keyboard delivers the convenience, comfort and elegance of a HP keyboard to the computer desktop. The HP USB Standard Keyboard has a attractive 2-Toned color for a great international look.

Product Features

• Type: HP USB Keyboard
• Colour: Silver/Black
• Weight: 1.41 kg
• Dimensions: 6.4 x 18.0 x 0.98 in

Specification

• Type:HP USB Standard Keyboard
• Colour:Silver/Black
• Weight:1.41 kg
• Dimensions (w x d x h)
• 6.4 x 18.0 x 0.98 in

View  more at www.systemactive.com .

iPad 2 prices could drop to $299 to battle Kindle Fire

By: Aseem Gaurav on January 5, 2012

After internet rumors ran rampant that Apple might launch the next version of its highly popular iPad next month, reports from AppleInsider and DigiTimes say that the price of iPad 2 entry-level version will drop from the current $499 to $399.

The speculations are further fueled by the fact that Amazon.com's Kindle Fire (along with other Kindle products) did amazingly well during the holiday season, which may result in Apple making changes to its strategy to compete against the iPad. Amazon had said the sales of Kindle Fire set new records as it sold more than a million Kindles per week during December, and millions of Kindle Fires during the holiday shopping season. Among the Kindle family, the Kindle Fire led the pack, followed by the Kindle Touch and the non-touch Kindle e-reader.

The apparent upsurge in sales may be due the cheaper price tag of Kindle Fire, which costs only $199 without a contract, much cheaper than $300 price tag of cheapest iPad 2 available, the 16GB WiFi only model. Although Apple’s highly popular tablet has large screen, Amazon believes the bigger is not better, as the Kindle family tablets are much portable and a 7-inch size is perfect of a tablet.

Analysts had forecast the sale of 16 million iPads during the 2011 holiday season, instead the device instead registered sales of 13 million units. However, Apple’s lower sales numbers were compensated by record sales of iPhone, which exceeded 29 million units, two million more than anticipated.

At the moment, Apple sells iPad 2 Wi-Fi only models: $499 for 16 GB, $599 for 32 GB and $699 for 64 GB. Apple has firm control over the higher end of the tablet market, but strong sales of Kindle Fire may prompt Apple to change strategies to maintain sales momentum.

Comparison:

Price	$199 $300 less than iPad 2	$499
Screen	7”, in-plane switching display	9.7", in-plane switching display
Pixel Density	169 ppi & more than 16 million colors 28% higher pixel density than iPad 2	132 ppi & more than 16 million colors
Weight	14.6 oz iPad 2 is 46% heavier	21.28 oz
Content	Movies, shows, songs, games, apps, magazines & books from Amazon	Movies, shows, songs, games, apps, magazines & books from iTunes
Breadth of Ecosystem	Most Amazon content can be enjoyed on your Kindle Fire and many other devices, including iPhone, iPad, Android, BlackBerry, Windows 7 phones, internet-ready TVs, Roku, TiVo, and through your web browser	Most Apple content can only be used on select Apple products
Buy Once, Enjoy Everywhere	With Whispersync, your book library, last page read, notes, and highlights sync across your devices and you can stream a movie on one device and finish  it on your TV, without losing your place	iBooks syncs only on Apple devices - no sync for movies
E-mail	Yes	Yes
Web Browser	Amazon Silk, the cloud-accelerated web browser	Safari
Flash Support	Yes	No
Processor	1GHz dual core	1GHz dual core
Storage	8GB flash memory + free cloud storage  for all your Amazon content so you never run out of space	16GB flash memory + free cloud storage  for iTunes content excluding movies
Battery Life	Up to 7.5 hours of video playback,  with wireless off	Up to 10 hours of mixed use
Multitasking	Yes	Yes
Wireless Capability	Wi-Fi	Wi-Fi
Speakers	Stereo	Mono
Prime Instant Video	Amazon Prime members can instantly stream nearly 13,000 popular movies & TV shows at no additional cost	N/A
Kindle Owners' Lending Library	Amazon Prime members can borrow  from thousands of popular books  at no additional cost	N/A