Top 3 wireless speakers for iPad

By: Aseem Gaurav on July 1, 2012

Thanks to a wide range of portable wireless speakers available in the market, listening music on tablets can be a great experience. However, choosing the right one for your home can be a daunting task, especially if you’re new to the market. Although there’s no shortage of brands and models, the issue is of sound quality, performance and price point. To make things easy for you, here is iPadfanzz’s list of top three:

Logitech Wireless Boombox Speakers

If you are looking for some great sounding rechargeable portable speakers that are affordable and easy to carry around, then Logitech Wireless Boombox for iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch, is sure to satisfy your needs. The Boombox has a long and slim design and uses Bluetooth connectivity to play music wirelessly from Bluetooth devices, including the iPad and other tablets. You can connect your device wirelessly from up to 33 feet away as you stream to the Boombox for instant sound. The device’s dimensions are:  18.8 inches wide, 5.5 inches tall, and 3.7 inches deep, and 1.8 kg of weight. There are four buttons in the front for (Power, Volume Up, Volume Down, and Bluetooth) and two LEDs to show about charging and Bluetooth status. On the back there are two passive speakers/radiators, foldout stand, and input and power ports. Also, Boombox did not distort the sound, and produces an impressive aural experience with deep bass, clean midrange, and sharp treble, even at louder volumes. Wire Boombox’s built-in rechargeable nickel-metal hydride battery gives six hours of play time on a single charge. Overall, the device has got a nice feel factor to it and besides home it can prove to be a great travel companion.

iHome iW1 AirPlay wireless audio system

The iW1 is a portable speaker system to stream amazing audio experience within the Wi-Fi network range. The device comes with a slew of features like capacitive controls, app support and a rechargeable battery, with a price tag that’s a bit on the higher end ($300). The iW1 has a black body that has chrome trim wrapping around the base. The unit measures 12.5 inches wide, 7.3 inches tall, and 3.7 inches deep — and weighs six pounds. On the top there seven touch-sensitive controls: On/Off; a volume slider; two buttons for choosing whether to use AirPlay or a USB-connected iPod or iPhone; Previous; Pause; and Next. At the unit’s back there’s a power switch, a Battery Status button, a USB port for iPod and iOS-device connections, a 1/8-inch (3.5mm) line-in jack; a Wi-Fi status LED, a firmware-status LED, and a Wi-Fi Network Setup button. iW1 is designed in such a shape that it can accommodate the built-in rechargeable battery including charging base. It also incorporates two 3’ woofers and two 1’ tweeters for a combined rating of 13 x 2 watts of power. iW1’s speakers also feature a playback control panel, but you can also control them via your iOS device or an IR remote. The company claims that iW1’s lithium-ion battery lasts 10 hours at moderate volume. The company also offers users with the option of quickly connecting the device with WiFi network by using a new iOS app called iHome Connect. However, one of the losing points of the device is its button system. For instance, you can’t see the full spectrum of volume levels at the top because it only displays one led light at a time. Overall, it is a nice portable unit that offers amazing experience.

Bose SoundLink Wireless Mobile speaker

The unit is a stunning piece of art that can be equally used to deliver great sound. The device comes with a built-in lithium-ion battery that delivers up to eight hours of playback, and can be extremely useful for outdoor purposes: especially when you are having a barbeque or pool party. The outer shell of the device oozes elegance and feels very solid in hand. One of the strong points of the whole unit is its portability: the whole unit measures 5.1 inches tall by 9.6 inches wide by 1.9 inches deep, and weighs 2.9 pounds. The device comes with an integrating a protective nylon grille cover, which doubles as the speaker’s stand. According to Bose, the device has been extensively tested for durability by doing drop-tests and exposed to simulated salt-air fog. The unit, which is equipped with A2DP profile support, can easily pair with Bluetooth enabled services within a maximum range of 30 feet (9.14 m) and stores the six most recently used in its memory. User can easily stream music while texting or browsing, but audio is paused in case of a phone call. At the back of the SoundLink there is a standard 3.5mm audio input for connecting it other audio devices that don’t offer Bluetooth. To pair the device, you need to hold down the Bluetooth button at the top of the speaker and select “Bose SoundLink Wireless” from the Bluetooth setup menu on your phone. The company claims that its internal Li-ion battery will last up to four hours with the volume maxed, and around eight if you keep things in moderation. The base model will cost you $300 while the premium LX variant with comes at $350.

BBC Sport app hits Facebook to live stream Wimbledon, Olympics

By: Aseem Gaurav on June 30, 2012


The wide appeal of social media networks like Facebook (over 950 million users) is too hard to ignore. Embracing social media in a big way, BBC Sport announced the launch of a Facebook application that streams its sports coverage including Wimbledon and their flagship coverage of the Olympic Games right into the social network. This is the first time that the BBC has live streamed events via Facebook.

The app lets audience to share and comment on video as they watch it – paving way for real time comments and conversations. BBC is the official Olympic broadcaster which will have direct control of every single feed of video pouring out of the Games.

Interestingly, the service is meant for viewers within the UK.

The app has already begun streaming live videos (at present six live streams from around the courts) from the Wimbledon tennis championships, but by the time the Olympics begin, it will start streaming 24 video outputs to users inside the social network.

“The app is a BBC Sport service, but is entirely delivered within Facebook. This means that we can use the social functionality Facebook offers to enhance the experience. The good part for users is they can easily see how many of their friends are watching the same event,” said product manager Aaron Scullion in a blogpost.

If you press “Like” on a stream, it will automatically get shared with your friends via your Facebook news feed. Live Chat functionality will be included at the time of Olympics.

In all, the move will not only benefit BBC to extend its audience, but will also help the social network in arranging such events in future.

Jennifer Lopez and Moonshark's Dancepad app now available on Apple’s iOS

By: Aseem Gaurav on June 29, 2012

So you think you can dance? No not on the dancefloor, can you do it on an iPad? Yes, this is what you would do when you play the latest Dancepad app of Moonshark, which partnered with international star Jennifer Lopez, to bring out the app. And the trick is you have to dance with your fingers.

DancePad is a rhythm dance game for smartphones, where you have hit the right beats with your fingers.

While it may seem an easy to play app, it is tough to master as players need to skillfully jump, slide and jive around the dance floor following dance moves with their fingers. With consistent improvement in your performance, you will be able to unlock more levels.

In total there are 100 levels of choreographed finger-dancing set to music from top artists (including Mayer Hawthorne, Vintage Trouble, Nabiha, The Whigs, Saint Motel, Shu Sho and others). Meant for users of all ages, the app offers an innovative and energetic for an unforgettable gaming experience.

"The app combines great music and cool dance steps to create a fascinating experience, so there is no one better to partner with on this app than Jennifer Lopez," said Matt Kozlov, CEO of Moonshark.

The app is the brainchild of several University of Southern California students who were inspired by finger break-dancing videos on YouTube. Besides J-Lo's charisma and charm, the app's promo video features break-dancing crew Jabbawockeez of America's Best Dance Crew fame.

According to Moonshark, the app’s developer, the idea behind the app was to take Hollywood in the amazing world of gaming with original content created with celebrities.

"We want people to dress up (their hands) and film themselves dancing and post it to YouTube, post to Facebook," Moonshark CEO Matt Kozlov said, while adding that app users stand a chance to meet some of the artists featured on the app.

Moonshark is also said to be working on an action adventure game, in assistance with John Woo, who has directed films like "Face/Off" and "Mission: Impossible 2."

The DancePad app is available for free from the App Store on iPad.

Google Chrome browser for iOS hits App Store

By: Aseem Gaurav on June 29, 2012


Just hours after Google announced at its I/O developer conference in San Francisco that the popular Chrome browser is coming to iOS devices, it went live at the Apple’s App Store.

The general look and feeling of the browser is almost same as it is desktop: the tabs are top and URL below for web browsing. However, one interesting addition is in form of menu button on the right hand side, which is not found in Safari, which is the default browser of the iPad. Also, just like the desktop, the address bar on Chrome for iOS can be used for both search and URLs. As usual, while opening a blank tab, you will be provided with thumbnails of your most viewed pages. Chrome for iOS allows you to create Incognito tabs for anonymous browsing, which ensures that the sites you go to aren't logged in your history and cookies get deleted. Further, it is easy to toggle between Incognito and non-Incognito tabs by tapping on the screen.

Other striking features built into Chrome for iOS include: ability to clear your browser data from right within the app and saving passwords.

At the bottom of the page, there is a section for all your bookmarks. One major useful feature of the browser comes in form of “Other Devices” which basically loads your current and recent tabs on any other device which you’ve signed onto using Chrome. For instance, it will make easy for a user to what he was doing while using the Mac.

Overall, the browser is impressive which offers almost all major features that you hope for to switch from Safari. But you may get a little disappointment in terms of overall speed which is because of the restriction that Apple places on browsers in iOS. 

Download the browser here.

Gameloft’s Amazing Spider-Man lands on iOS and Android

By: Aseem Gaurav on June 29, 2012

Gameloft's open-world action game ‘The Amazing Spider-Man’ has landed on the Apple App Store and Google marketplace.

The app, as expected, offers superb 3D visuals to give a more realistic look and feeling to Spider-Man.

Users can play through 25 immersive missions inspired by the movie’s storyline while battling the Lizard and rampaging gangs. Through these missions players will explore New York city's five distinctive districts (Central Park, Business, Downtown, Pier and Residential), with the objective – save civilians and aid the police. Besides climbing and jumping, users are aided by Spider-Man’s web-slinging ability that allows him to quickly scoot through buildings – just like Peter Parker.

The app features an enjoyable fighting system which comes with a wide array of upgrades to customize your style, attacks and skills. In terms of controls, one button is for punching and kicking and another for web-slinging and dodging. 

It is a universal app that is available for download at $6.99.

Top 5 smartphones for 2012

By: Aseem Gaurav on June 28, 2012

Smartphones like the Samsung Galaxy S III, Apple iPhone 4S and HTC One X are becoming a growing obsession among people who want the very best in mobile communications for them. Such is the craze that according to a new study nearly half of the Americans now own a smartphone – mobile devices that allow users to browse the web, check email, and use thousands of apps. Nearly everyone — including men and women, younger and middle-aged adults, urban and rural residents, and the wealthy and not wealthy — are showing affection towards smartphone, thus slowly pushing basic feature phones out of the market. Here’s our list of top five smartphones that will help you decide which smartphone may be the best one for you.

1. Samsung Galaxy S III: This is Samsung's latest and greatest smartphone that clearly stands out because of its outstanding features and a promise of quality and experience that is hard to emulate. The phone is selling like a hotcake and if Samsung’s figures are to go by: the company expects to ship 10 million Galaxy S III by the end of July. Galaxy S III, which runs on Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS), competes strongly against any other smartphone in the market. The phone has a 4.8-inch screen and comes with a resolution of 1280 pixels by 720 pixels, an 8MP camera with 1080p video-capture capability and starts at $200 with a two-year contract for the 16GB model. The phone also features eye-recognition technology that keeps the screen from dimming and has voice command functions that let users schedule an alarm or adjust volume by speaking to their device. Although, the S III is an Android 4.0 phone, it has a TouchWiz skin stuck on top of it – meaning besides Android-style clutter of widgets and menus, you can have Samsung-only twists. The phone also comes with NFC-friendly feature called S Beam. It is similar to Android Beam but functions over a greater distance, allowing users to share content in seconds without a WiFi or cell signal. The Korean handset maker has also added its own digital assistant called S Voice to SIII, which is essentially a Siri competitor, and allows you to make commands with your voice. One of the best features of Galaxy SIII is Smart Stay: which is designed to sense your gestures. It means when you’re looking at it, the screen refuses to timeout and so you don’t need to hit its 'no activity' button. Another interesting feature is Pop up Play function that lets you watch windowed HD video on top of another application – meaning you can read an e-mail even while watching the video. Last but not the least is the 'Best photo' feature that picks the best photo when you take pictures in rapid succession.

2. Apple iPhone 4S: iPhone 4S is simply a hard to put down smartphone and beware it can be extremely addictive. It features the same dual-core A5 processor as seen in the iPad 2 with a seven time increase in graphical processing power. The camera has also been upgraded to 8MP (with an improved aperture ratio) as compared to its predecessor, iPhone 4. The handset comes with GSM and CDMA compatibility, which means that the same phone will work on both kinds of networks. It has got two antennas which work independently, to improve call quality and reliability. One of the most powerful features of the amazing iPhone is its 8 megapixel camera that shoots pics at 3264 x 2448 resolution and is equipped with a fast f/2.4 lens (meaning it performs better in freezing motion). The iPhone can record video in full 1080p HD quality along with image stabilization and temporal noise reduction. In terms of battery life, the company promises 8 hours of 3G talk time, 6 hours of 3G browsing, and up to 10 hours of video/40 hours of music. Although iPhone 4S has many other unique features, none is compared to voice-activated virtual personal assistant called Siri. This digital assistant can be used to ask time, placing calls, about weather, compose and send messages, and hand out directions and recommendations. One of the reasons for Siri’s popularity is that it has not only got the attitude to entertain you, but also the brains to serve you. 

3. HTC One X: It is one of the best smartphones from HTC. The handset is powered by a powerful 1.5GHz quad-core processor that offers amazing experience in gaming, web browsing and streaming video. It’s a handsome handset which comes with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, the latest version of Android. The phone features an 8MP/1080p camera complete with wide-angle lens, which means that you can click amazing photos even in low light. And in continuous shot mode, you can capture multiple shots and with onscreen dual capture buttons you can take a snapshot whilst recording video. One of the strong points of HTC One X is its battery life, which gives a good 12 hours of power usage. To ensure studio quality sound, the handset uses Dr Dre Beats Audio software and hardware. Besides 32GB of built-in storage capacity, you can also get access to 25GB of free Cloud storage from Dropbox. This means you never have to delete anything to make space for other things. Other significant features include: NFC, DLNA, Bluetooth 3, Wi-Fi N, 3.5mm headphone jack and microUSB with MHL.

4. Samsung Galaxy Note: The Samsung Galaxy Note is a phone/ tablet hybrid. Its 5.3-inch HD screen, the functionality of which is enhanced by a stylus pen included with the device, makes it ideal for showcasing multimedia. It has 16GB of internal storage (expandable to 32GB with SD memory card), weighs 6.45 ounces, and features Gingerbread version of Android. With 146.85 x 82.95 x 9.65 mm dimensions, it is fairly light weight at 178g. The Samsung Galaxy Note runs on the dual core 1.4 GHz ARM Cortex A9 processor which is the same processing power that has been used in Samsung Galaxy S II. The handset comes with 8 mega pixel rear camera and 2 mega pixel front facing camera. The S2's Super AMOLED Plus screen makes colours look vibrant and sharp, and makes it a good option for watching movies, and reading e-books. The photos shot by the phone’s camera are crisp and video play back is smooth. For navigation, it comes with TouchWiz, Samsung's custom interface that rides over Gingerbread. The handset also comes with 1 GB of RAM and two variants of 16 GB and 32 GB as the internal storage capacity.

5. Nokia Lumia 900: Nokia’s Lumia 900 is a beautiful phone, matched with the Windows 7.5 Mango software and strong build. The Lumia 900, third in Nokia’s Lumia series, is powered by a single-core, 1.4-GHz Qualcomm APQ8055 processor which means that the phone is fast in everything from streaming videos, playing games, composing e-mails to apps. The 900 features a 4.3-inch, 800-by-480 pixel AMOLED ClearBlack display that brings vibrancy in color and sharpness in detail. Lumia 900 comes with a 8-megapixel camera, at 3264 x 2448 pixels of resolution and includes features like autofocus, geo-tagging, dual LED flash and 720p video capture. Lumia’s 7.5 Mango software allows users to make dynamic Live Tile Information, Facebook-events integrated calendar, threaded email conversations support, visual voicemail, Outlook tasks support and Twitter and LinkedIn integration in the People hub. Other important features of the software are: turn-by-turn Bing Maps navigation with voice guidance, Skydrive, Microsoft Lync support, animated picture tiles, Shazam-like audio recognition, and Zune SmartDJ multimedia mix support. Lumia 900 will soon receive an update of Windows Phone 7.8. Further, the phone comes with 16GB of storage space for apps, music, video, and photos and isn’t expandable via microSD. Overall, Windows gives a breath of fresh air in these iOS and Android-dominated times. Features like bold tiles-based home screen and panoramic menus, gives you something new and exciting.

Hookflash app for iPad brings video calling to LinkedIn

By: Aseem Gaurav on June 25, 2012


Canadian firm Hookflash has announced the launch of a LinkedIn-powered iPad app that brings high definition video voice calling and other features to LinkedIn users. The app uses the professional network's directory to give business users a great alternative for voice, HD video and messaging.

After signing in with the LinkedIn account, Hookflash users can connect with other LinkedIn users who are in their list of contacts. Users can make a video call to their contact provided they both have the Hookflash app. In case the other person is not able to receive the call, they’ll receive a push notification that takes them into the app.


As of now the company has released only an iPad app, which works on both 3G and wifi, but it plans to launch an iPhone app soon. 

Hookflash is the first communications app to leverage LinkedIn’s social graph and display its functionality to business people across the globe. The app makes use of unique features like “social caller ID”, which uses LinkedIn profile and activity feed information for each contact to offer features like identity assertion and social context so you can easily identify the caller.

What strikes the most about the whole concept is that Hookflash is on its way to become a next generation business phone, which also puts in direct competition with Skype and other enterprise VoIP services.

Johnsen says a Pro or Premium paid version is in the works that will offer additional features, not finalized, but that could include group calling and recording of audio and video calls using Hookflash. Overall, the app presents a pretty interesting story that holds immense potential for other social media platforms as well. However, we have to wait and watch to see how the service takes off.

Download the app here.

Review: Temple Run Brave

By: Aseem Gaurav on June 25, 2012

 Inspired by the runaway success of Temple Run for iOS and Android devices, Independent developer Imangi Studios, in partnership with Disney, has come out with official Temple Run version for Disney/Pixar’s upcoming computer-animated fantasy adventure film Brave. The original Temple run has seen millions of downloads every since it was launched in April in 2011. 


Temple Run Brave is an endless running game in which you take on the role of red-haired Merida, a treasure hunter being chased by Angry Bear. All you need to do is tilt the screen to collect lines of coins that come along the way and avoid a variety of obstacles. The mechanics of the game is nearly same as Temple Run, but the addition comes in form of archery action:  Merida uses her bow and arrow to hit targets throughout the game. Basically shooting is meant to allow users earn some extra coins. Besides, Imangi, the developers of Temple Run, have made the new environment to a vibrant and colorful, inspired by the film’s setting. Overall, the users will enjoy the visual appeal, background music, and the improvements in the gameplay.

The original Temple Run was free, but Temple Run Brave comes with a price tag of $0.99. The amount also gives users 2500 free coins with which they can use to add new dressed and power-ups. However, as I feel the developers could have done more to enhance the appeal of the game, by adding unique obstacles and power-ups, or the best it shouldn’t have cost the users.

Please do send in your comments about what you think about the new game.

Visit our sister site at: www.techfanzz.com

Flipboard officially debuts on Android, comes with Google+ and YouTube integration

By: Aseem Gaurav on June 22, 2012

Flipboard, the popular news app that presents content in an attractive magazine-style format, has expanded its services from iOS devices to Google’s Android platform as well as Nook and Kindle Fire tablets. The company said the new app allows addition of Google+ and Youtube accounts along with the existing Facebook and Twitter accounts.

Image courtesy: Fliboard

The Android version of the app will now come preinstalled on Samsung’s Galaxy S III on AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile USA and Sprint.

The Google+ addition would enable users to see updates from people in their Circles, and posts from pages they subscribe, and see stories in their stream. The YouTube addition means the users can now watch videos from the people they follow and channels they subscribe to, along with the like, share and subscribe facility.

                                                                                      Image courtesy: Fliboard


Although the app looks much similar to the iOS app, there are some Android-specific touches throughout. The app looks gorgeous and focuses on imagery to attract you to its different sections. Besides reading articles in general categories like technology, celebrity, auto, you can also set your own resources like: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram. The app is sure to impress you with its style of bringing down everything you care about at one place. At the moment, the company is integrating content from 2000 partners. 

After Instagram and Smule, Flipboard is one of those biggest names which eventually decided to join Android facility. These companies have understood that Android is too big a platform to ignore.

HP 630 Notebook PC - A1D83EA Review

HP 630 Notebook PC (A1D83EA): Intel Core i3-370M (2.40 GHz, 3 MB L3 cache), Mobile Intel HM55 Express, 2GB 1333 MHz DDR3 SDRAM, 320GB 5400 rpm SATA II, DVD+/-RW SuperMulti DL, 39.6 cm (15.6") diagonal LED-backlit HD anti-glare (1366 x 768), Intel HD Graphics, Genuine Windows 7 Professional 64.


Product Features

• 15.6" LED-backlit HD Anti-Glare
• 2.40 Ghz Intel Core i3-370M
• 2GB DDR3 SDRAM 1333 MHz
• 320GB 5400 rpm SATA II
• DVD+/-RW SuperMulti DL
• Windows 7 Professional
• Mobile Intel HM55 Express
• Intel HD Graphics
• HP Definition Audio

Specification

• Screen Size:15.6" Diagonal LED-backlit HD Anti-Glare
• Processor:2.40 Ghz Intel Core i3-370M
• Memory:2GB DDR3 SDRAM 1333 MHz
• Hard Drive:320GB 5400 rpm SATA II
• Optical Drive:DVD+/-RW SuperMulti DL
• Operating System:Windows 7 Professional
• Chipset:Mobile Intel HM55 Express
• Graphics:Intel HD Graphics
• HP Definition Audio

View more at www.systemactive.com .

Nintendo 3DS XL coming to north America on August 19

By: Aseem Gaurav on June 22, 2012

Nintendo has announced that the XL-sized Nintendo 3DS will be coming to North America on August 19.

The top screen of the new device is 4.88 inches while the bottom is 4.18 inches, both 90 per cent bigger than the earlier 3DS version. It would be called the Nintendo 3DS LL in Japan and the Nintendo 3DS XL in the West.

The company has priced Nintendo 3DS XL at $199.99 and said it would include a 4GB memory card. The device would be available in two color variations: blue and red. The system also comes bundled with New Super Mario Bros. 2 and Onitore.

The most significant feature of Nintendo 3DS XL is its improved batter life. Now the battery would last 3.5 to 6.5 hours while playing 3DS games while 6 to 10 hours for DS games.

Also, the device won’t come with an adapter and you need to purchase it separately; however, if you own a 3DS, its adapter will work.

It takes $1.36 to charge an iPad for a year: Report

By: iPadfanzz staff


Keeping your gadgets going with power is a tricky and costly business, but iPad is an exception.

According to the Electric Power Research Institute, a group funded by electric utilities, the annual cost to charge an iPad is just $1.36. The results indicates that the iPad doesn't put heavy pressure on electricity consumption – a stark contrast when compared with the fact that a desktop PC costs up to $28.21 to run and a refrigerator about $65.72 in the U.S.

This also means if the consumers start using iPads instead of other means like: television, desktops, then it could considerably decrease the power consumption.

Windows Phone Marketplace now has over 100,000 apps

By: Aseem Gaurav on June 21, 2012

Microsoft has ushered in a new era in mobile computing by introducing their Windows Phone 8 operating system. A series of upgrades and additions promise the new mobile operating system has got everything what a modern day mobile users would dream of. A flashy new customizable start screen, ability to switch between multiple devices, support for near field communication technology, integrated internet calling, wallet hub, support for Micro SD cards, multitasking enhancements and the option of in-app payments,  makes Microsoft Corp's new phone software much more desirable.

Image Courtesy: Microsoft

The world's largest software company, which is running to keep up with Apple Inc's iPhone and Google Inc's Android devices, also announced that Windows Phone Marketplace now has now grown to 100,000+ applications.

It said, the marketplace is adding over 200 titles every day, which is comparable to Android marketplace. Taking the opportunity to celebrate the milestone, the company also said that some great application are coming soon to the marketplace.

“To mark the milestone, today we’re announcing a new batch of marquee titles. The official Audible app for audiobooks has arrived and official apps from Chase and PayPal are in the works. Gameloft has Windows Phone versions of Asphalt 7: Heat and N.O.V.A. 3 Near Orbit Vanguard Alliance on the way,” the company stated.

Microsoft is hoping that with the current additions it would be able to break into the market that is currently dominated by Apple’s iPhone and Google’s Android. So far the company is able to capture only 2 percent of the world's smartphone market last quarter, according to tech research firm Gartner.

Microsoft unveils Windows Phone 8 with multi-core support, revamped interface

By: Aseem Gaurav on June 21, 2012

In wake of growing competition from Apple Inc's iPhone and Google Inc's Android devices, Microsoft has revealed the latest version of its smartphone software called Windows Phone 8.

Windows Phone 8 will be the successor to its Windows Phone 7.5 Mango mobile operating system. The company will begin shipping it on handsets starting this fall.

The new software will feature support for multicore processors, meaning more device support and applications for its users. It said the future of Windows 8 is “shared core” between Windows Phone 8 and Windows 8. Meaning the two operating systems will share the same kernal, multimedia apps, the same files system, and graphics support. 

For users, it means that the apps they are using on desktops PCs and tablets will also work on Windows Phone. It will make it extremely easy for them to share content and switch between devices.

The shared core is also a good news for developers as they now be able to develop content and apps that run on phones and PCs. It will in turn benefit the Windows phone users who can now enjoy far more superior quality of apps in line with Apple ecosystem apps.

The Redmond-based software giant also announced that NFC support is coming to Windows Phone 8, and will introduce a mobile wallet feature, which allows users to pay for goods and services with their phones.

The company further said the Internet Explorer 10 will power the web experience on Windows Phone 8. This is a great news for web developers in general.

Furthermore, Windows Phone 8 will also finally introduce microSD card support to Microsoft-powered smartphones.

Microsoft also said that all Windows Phone 7.5 “Mango” apps will run on Windows Phone 8, as will older live tiles.

HP 6510 Series UK Keyboard - 443922-031 Review

Product Features

• Type: HP 6510 Series UK Keyboard
• Manufacturer: HP
• Localisation: English
• Compatibe: HP 6510 series laptops

Specification

• Type:HP 6510 Series UK Keyboard 443922-031
• Manufacturer:HP
• Localisation:English
• Compatibe:HP 6510 Laptop Series.

View more at www.systemactive.com .

HP ProBook 4530s Notebook PC - A1D13EA Review

HP ProBook 4530s Notebook PC (A1D13EA): Intel Core i5-2430M (2.40 GHz, 3 MB L3 cache), Mobile Intel HM65 Express, 4GB 1333 MHz DDR3 SDRAM, 640GB SATA II 7200 rpm, DVD + /-RW SuperMulti DL, HD Anti-Glare LED-backlit 39.6 cm (15.6 inches) diagonal, AMD Radeon HD 6490M with 1 GB dedicated GDDR5 video memory, 720p HD Webcam, Ralink 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 3.0 + HS Combo, Windows 7 Professional 64.

Product Features

• 15.6" Diagonal LED-backlit HD
• 2.4 GHz Intel Core i5-2430M
• 4GB DDR3 SDRAM 1333MHz
• 640GB 7200rpm SATA II
• DVD+/-RW SuperMulti DL
• Windows 7 Professional
• Mobile Intel HM65 Express
• AMD Radeon HD 6490M
• Ralink 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi
• Bluetooth 3.0 + HS Combo
• 720p HD Webcam
• SRS Premium Sound

Specification

• Screen Size:15.6" Diagonal LED-backlit HD Anti-Glare
• Processor:2.4 GHz Intel Core i5-2430M
• Memory:4GB DDR3 SDRAM 1333MHz
• Hard Drive:640GB 7200rpm SATA II
• Optical Drive:DVD+/-RW SuperMulti DL
• Operating System:Windows 7 Professional
• Chipset:Mobile Intel HM65 Express
• AMD Radeon HD 6490M
• Ralink 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi
• Bluetooth 3.0 + HS Combo
• 720p HD Webcam
• SRS Premium Sound

View more at www.systemactive.com .

Hp Notebooks - History And Overview

Classmates Bill Hewlett, along with Dave Packard of Stanford University went ahead to find Hewlett Packard (HP) within the year 1939. The first product of the organization, i.e. the audio oscillator, was manufactured in Palo Alto garage. It was one from the electronic instruments utilized by the sound engineers. Amongst the first customer of HP was 'Walt Disney Studios'. They purchased 8 oscillators for developing and testing a new-fangled sound system to make the film 'Fantasia'. The Hewlett Packard or HP Organization is, at present, the topmost Corporation with respect to the information technologies (IT business). HP is the organization recognized for revolutionizing printing industry. Moreover, ıt is the pioneer in computer world. HP has, indeed, replaced Dell computers off late in the terms of computer shipments and sales.
Nowadays, HP is a common name as far as printers and the associated technologies are concerned. HP laptop computers too as tablet PCs have been winning hearts of people in the last few years. In the year 2002, Compaq Inc. went on to merge with Hewlett Packard, thereby forming the single-biggest entity within the business of computers. Through this acquisition, HP has surpassed Dell and IBM/Lenovo computer systems. After some difficulties following the merger and some marketing realignment and restructuration, HP has done a superb job in presenting attractive notebooks and establishing their leadership within the marketplace.

These days, HP has divided its home and small office laptop offering in four broad categories so that you can reach their different targets. We are going to briefly summarize the specifics of every of these lines:

- Versatile performance. These are your standards notebook computers, the ones that you're most likely to get at most retailers. They're equipped with a 15.4" screen, the hardrives vary in between 120 GB and 320 GB, RAM goes from 1GB to 4 GB. They arrive using the standard wifi and Bluetooth elements. They pounds close to 7 pounds. Their prices differ from $500 to $1,100. The notebooks ıncorporated in this line would be the followings: HP Pavilion dv5z, HP Pavilion dv6700t and HP Pavilion dv5t.

- Mobility. The main difference comes from their dimension, screens drop to 12.1" to 14.1", the hardrives go from 120 GB to 320 GB, RAM goes from 1 GB to 4 GB. They come with the regular wifi and Bluetooth factors. They weight around 4.5 to 5.3 pounds. Their costs vary from $650 to $1,200. The notebook computers included in this line would be the followings: HP Pavilion dv2700t, HP Pavilion tx2500z, HP Pavilion dv4z and HP Pavilion dv4t.

- Entertainment Powerhouse. We now enter the category of the desktop replacements; screens differ in among 17" or 20.1". hardrives go from 120 GB to 640 GB, RAM goes from 2 GB to 4 GB a choice of quality graphics card. They also arrive using the regular wifi and Bluetooth elements and more extensions than regular notebook computers. They weight around 4.6 to 15.3 pounds. Their prices vary from $800 to $1,900. The laptop computers included in this line would be the followings: HP Pavilion dv7z, HP Pavilion dv9700t, HP Pavilion dv7t and HP Pavilion HDX Entertainment Notebook PC.

- Specific Edition. In short, it's all about the look! Think special edition, you don't want a laptop computer that looks like everyone else, then these are for you. Inside, ıt is more or less a mix from the versatile and mobility lines so that HP can tailor to both segments. Screens vary in between 14.1" or 15.4". hardrives go from 120 GB to 320 GB, RAM goes from 2 GB to 4 GB. They also arrive with the regular wifi and Bluetooth factors. They pounds close to 5.3 to 6.1 pounds. Their costs vary from $770 to $1,000. The notebooks ıncorporated in this line would be the followings: HP Pavilion dv6700t, HP Pavilion dv2700t, HP Pavilion dv2800t.

The above-mentioned HP notebooks are available along with multiple customized features. HP laptops fall within the category of high-end models with the most recent functions and configurations. You will find numerous accessories provided for the company purposes. Each notebook comes with Company Edition of Windows Vista and also the other business-related software pack.

HP has established itself as a solid brand; their success is because of their size and formidable sales machine on one hand but also due to the high quality of their products. HP notebook computers often rank higher in client satisfaction and if you're in buying mode, Hp notebook computers need to be toward the top of your list.

Hp Envy Ultrabook
Hp Pavilion g6 Notebook Pc
Hp Pavilion Notebook Pc

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Cheape Hp Workstations

Selective color photography app Color Splash Studio comes to iPhone

By: Aseem Gaurav on June 8, 2012

MacPhun has launched a great photo manipulation tool for iOS. The new app, called Color Splash Studio, lets you select portions of the image that you want to fill color in.

Although it is quite easy to do so in Adobe Photoshop, the app enables to make it possible with the touch of a finger. All you need to do is pick up a brush and swipe over the portion and there you have it. For precise and accurate strokes just enlarge the image. You can also use a number of tools to further customize your photos like contrast, brightness, saturation, and hue.

There is also the option to apply various filters (like sepia) to your background, which will add value to photo. The final photos can then be shared to social networks like Facebook, Twitter, and Flickr. You can even export pictures to Instagram and FX Photo Studio, or send a postcard to anywhere in the world.

The app is available at a cost of $0.99.

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Angry Birds Space hits 100 million download mark

By: Aseem Gaurav on June 8, 2012

The Angry Bird mania continues. Rovio’s 4th official Angry Birds game titled Angry Birds Space, has now crossed the 100 million download mark within 76 days flat. The achievement also indicates that people are not tired of the same old formula of putting a bird in a slingshot and firing it in an arc towards a tower of blocks.

Back in April, the company announced that Angry Birds Space had hit 50 million downloads across iOS, Android, BlackBerry devices, Mac App and PC platforms in the first 35 days after its launch.

As reported earlier in iPadfanzz.blogspot.com, the new game features gravity based mechanics, cool new birds, a darker color palate, and a space environment with clearly defined gravity fields that makes it pretty interesting to play. The game gets its juice from overlapping gravity fields and some complex puzzle scenarios. Pigs in space bubbles that instantly freeze once popped, is also a cool feature.

The game comes with sixty standard levels split between two sets. Gamers can also find hidden teasures in these levels that opens up unique Eggsteroid levels. Each set accompanies a great boss fight against the Pig King, which are excellent and you’ll enjoy them.

HP LP2475w 61 cm (24") Widescreen LCD Monitor - KD911AT Review

HP LP2475w 61 cm (24") Widescreen LCD Monitor (KD911AT): 61 cm (24") diagonal, 1920 x 1200, 400 nits Brightness, 1000:1Contrast Ratio, DVI-I to VGA, DVI-D, Display Port, HDMI, USB, cables included, Anti-glare and anti-static coatings, Kensington Lock-ready, 120 watts maximum, 75 watts typical.


Product Features

• 24" LCD
• 1920 x 1200
• 1000:1
• 400 cd/m�

Specification

• Screen size:24" LCD Widescreen
• Maximum Resolution:1920 x 1200
• Contrast Ratio:1000:1
• Image Brightness:400 nits
• Colour:Black

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HP ProBook 6550b Notebook PC - WD751EA Review

HP ProBook 6550b Notebook PC (WD751EA): Intel Core i5-480M (2.66 GHz, 3 MB L3 cache), Mobile Intel HM57 Express, 4GB 1333 MHz DDR3 SDRAM, 500GB 7200 rpm SATA II, DVD+/-RW SuperMulti DL, HP Broadband 3G, 39.6 cm (15.6") diagonal LED-backlit HD+ anti-glare 1600 x 900, ATI Mobility Radeon HD 540v with 512 MB dedicated video memory, HP Premier Sound, 2 MP webcam, Broadcom 802.11b/g/n, HP Integrated Module with Bluetooth 2.1+EDR Wireless Technology, Genuine Windows 7 Professional 64.

Product Features

• 15.6" LED-Diagonal LED HD
• 2.4 GHz Intel Core i5-480M
• 4GB DDR3 SDRAM 1333MHz
• 500GB 7200 rpm SATA II
• DVD+/-RW SuperMulti
• Windows 7 Professional
• Mobile Intel HM57 Express
• ATI Mobility Radeon HD 540v
• Broadcom 802.11b/g/n
• 2 MP webcam
• HP Broadband 3G
• HP Premier Sound

Specification

• Screen Size:15.6" LED-Diagonal LED-backlit HD
• Processor:2.4 GHz Intel Core i5-480M
• Memory:4GB DDR3 SDRAM 1333MHz
• Hard Drive:500GB 7200 rpm SATA II
• Optical Drive:DVD+/-RW SuperMulti DL LightScribe
• Operating System:Windows 7 Professional
• Chipset:Mobile Intel HM57 Express
• Graphics:ATI Mobility Radeon HD 540v
• Broadcom 802.11b/g/n
• 2 MP webcam
• HP Premier Sound
• HP Broadband 3G

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Samsung rolls out Galaxy S III in India for Rs 43180‎

By: Aseem Gaurav on June 2, 2012

Samsung Electronics has launched the much-awaited Galaxy S III, Samsung's flagship Android phone, in India at a price tag of Rs 43,180. It is a higher-end smartphone, almost as expensive as the iPhone 4S.

The new Galaxy, sports a 4.8-inch HD Super AMOLED display and comes with the latest Android operating system, "Ice Cream Sandwich". It is a very well built device, which is light, thin and has a design which the company says is inspired by shapes and sounds of nature.

Galaxy S III comes with a 8 megapixel camera and a 1.9 megapixel front camera that promises to give greater and better quality pictures. The full resolution images are quite sharp and detailed. The phone also offers an intelligent feature called Smart Stay, which keeps the backlight on the phone switched on until you are looking at the phone, thus eliminating the need to touch the display repeatedly just to keep it alive. In case the camera doesn’t detect your viewing, it will turn off the screen.

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The phone has been designed to be both effortlessly smart and intuitively simple. Just like Aple’s Siri, it too has its own language user interface called S-Voice, which listens and respond to your words. You can use this feature to send text messages, organize your schedules, play your favourite songs, browse the web or automatically launch an app. It can also sense when you’ve picked up your phone and then alters you through vibrations whenever there are notifications.

The new Galaxy S III also boasts of the new "Pop up play" feature. It allows you to view a video anywhere on the display screen, on top of another app. So while checking your e-mail, you can watch a video, and you finish watching it, switch back to playing the video in full-screen mode.

No doubt the Galaxy S III is a fantastically feature loaded phone that stands out among its competitors. One such fantastic feature is “Burst Shot and Best Photo” which allows you to capture 20 continuous shots and will choose the best photo for you. Remember, the phone's 8MP camera features a zero-lag shutter speed that lets user capture moving objects without delay. You can even record HD video with the 1.9MP front facing camera and take photos while filming a video.

Galaxy S III makes photo sharing options a breeze. The Buddy Photo Share feature lets you send images directly to those identified in a tag.

The phone also adds a whole new meaning to the gaming world with its 'Game Hub' and 'Video Hub' features, which offer users access to various social games and high quality TV shows and movies, respectively.

Galaxy S 3 has a Li-Ion 2100 mAh battery which can ensures 11-hour and-40 minute talk time for the device.

Basic Features:

Dimensions: 136.6 x 70.6 x 8.6 mm

Weight: 133 gram

OS: Android OS, v4.0.4 (Ice Cream Sandwich)

CPU: 1.4 GHz Quad-core Cortex-A9

Chipset: Exynos 4212 Quad

Cloud storage: 50GB Dropbox for two years

Display: Type Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors, Size 720 x 1280 pixels, 4.8 inches (~306 ppi pixel density), Protection Corning Gorilla Glass 2

Camera: Primary 8 MP, 3264x2448 pixels, autofocus, LED flash, Features SimultaneousHD video and image recording, geo-tagging, touch focus, face and smile detection, image stabilization, 1.9 MP Secondary, 720p @ 30fps
Video: 1080p @ 30fps

Battery: Standard battery, Li-Ion 2100 mAh

Network: 2G Network GSM 850/900/1800/1900, 3G Network, HSDPA 850/900/1900/2100, 4G LTE Network (regional)
Bluetooth: v4.0 with A2DP, EDR

Orange unveils Intel-based smartphone in UK

By: Aseem Gaurav on June 1, 2012

Orange Network will be the first British operator which will begin selling the San Diego from June 6, a smartphone based on an Intel Atom processor.

San Diego marks the introduction of the first Intel phone into a Western market – which is an Android smartphone. Available for £199.99 on Pay As You Go, the smartphone will also be available on contracts starting at £15.50 a month.


The handset is powered by Intel's single-core Atom Z2460 processor, which includes a 1.6-GHz Atom engine in addition to a 400-MHz graphics chip, and features a 4.03-inch capacitive display. It supports Evolved High-Speed Packet Access (HSPA+), A-GPS and Bluetooth 2.1 connectivity. The smartphone’s processor ensures that it supports amazing gaming and delivers multi-tasking.

The San Diego also sports an 8-megapixel camera with 1080p HD video capture, a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera, 1 GB of RAM, and 16 GB of built-in storage space. It will run on Android 2.3 Gingerbread, but the company says it will soon have Android 4.0. The company also says the smartphone allows for five hour web surfing and eight hours of voice calls.

With San Diego, Orange is targeting middle end of the market and denies any competition with the recently launched Samsung Galaxy S3.

Analaysts say there is a demand by consumers of handset possessing multiple core processors as they know that more cores means more power and performance. Mercury Research expects the market the market for mobile phone processors to grow by 40 percent by 2015, reaching nearly $30 billion.