Get the latest technology news from world wide. Mostly this blog give you on updates from technology giants like google, Apple , Microsoft and Social networking giants like facebook, twitter, linkedin..
The big night is almost here, so why not help your little ones have fun and keep track of Santa’s progress while waiting to go to sleep? Passing those last hours before bedtime can be filled with fun, games, holiday music, and more thanks to the two awesome Santa tracker websites set up by NORAD (with Microsoft) and Google!
Here is a look at Santa’s village via the NORAD tracking website. Kids can have fun exploring and choose from a variety of fun activities to pass the time. You can use the menu on the left side of the screen to access various parts of the website.
Onward to the Santa tracker village that Google has set up! You can scroll left or right to access all the buildings in the village. There is also a helpful drop-down menu available via the red button in the upper right corner.
A look at one of the fun games available to play in Google’s Santa tracker village.
Have fun as you explore these fun-filled villages and track Santa’s progress together with your kids!
Wearable gadgets, curved smartphones and new game consoles defined technology in 2013. That's why it's no surprise they make up the bulk of our top 10 devices of the year.
Some of these devices are essentially much better versions of earlier gadgets, while others are new innovations that are exploring possibilities we haven't seen before.
10. Motorola Moto X
Motorola began advertising the Moto X before it was officially unveiled, partly to generate excitement over its possibilities. The Moto X is assembled in the United States, and buyers can customize the phones to their liking.
Unfortunately, the Moto X wasn't as customizable as most users expected. Buyers can choose the aesthetics of the device, but they can pick between having only 16 or 32 gigabytes of storage. Despite these small disappointments, the Moto X is a trailblazer for customizable devices.
After the release of the Moto X, Motorola lent its support for a Phonebloks-led movement to develop customizable phones. Phonebloks is a concept crafted by a Dutch designer that calls for creating smartphones with modular parts, similar to Lego building blocks.
Motorola is working on Project Ara, which promises to one day let customers pick and choose every part of their smartphone.
The Moto X makes the list (just barely) for its innovative spirit and Motorola's pioneering efforts.
9. LG G Flex
The LG G Flex isn't on sale in the U.S., but it launched in South Korea this year and features promising new technologies that we may see on more smartphones in 2014.
For starters, the G Flex is one of two devices that went on sale this year with a curved screen. Although in my experience the curve itself doesn't offer much improvement when it comes to visual quality or ergonomics, the technology behind it is great news for users in terms of smartphone durability.
The G Flex uses a plastic OLED screen. That type of screen is thinner than what we see in phones today, and it is far more durable than what modern-day devices currently use. You can take the LG G Flex, whose curve runs from top to bottom, and flatten it out on a table. The device still works, and the screen doesn't crack.
Additionally, LG covered the back of the phone with a "self-healing coating." That doesn't mean the device is impervious to scratches, but users don't have to worry much about their keys messing up the phone when in the same pocket.
The G Flex may come to the U.S. next year, but it's still more of a concept phone. Either way, the technologies LG showcased with its curved phone are promising.
8. Samsung Galaxy Gear
Pebble, a small Kickstarter project that went viral in 2012, brought smartwatches to the attention of the tech world. But Samsung introduced the technology to the masses.
In October, the South Korean tech giant rolled out the Galaxy Gear, a watch with a small, square touchscreen capable of running apps, handling voice calls, sending text messages, taking pictures and shooting videos.
The Galaxy Gear seems like everything a spy could want, but it's a first-generation device. That usually means there are flaws, and the Galaxy Gear was no exception. The device works only with select Samsung devices, it lacks any must-have apps, it's very expensive at $299, and it's kind of big for a watch.
Regardless of the drawbacks, Samsung said it had sold 800,000 units one month after the Galaxy Gear's U.S. release.
7. Leap Motion Controller
Leap Motion wowed the world in 2012 with YouTube videos showing an extremely accurate motion sensor device for consumer laptops, and in 2013 the San Francisco start-up delivered on its promise by releasing the Leap Motion Controller.
Slightly bigger than a USB jump drive, the Leap Motion Controller enables users to control their computer with hand motions. The device can be used to navigate around a desktop or play games.
The Leap Motion Controller is on this list more for its technical innovation than its practical use in the home and office. If Leap Motion can roll out more useful apps, the little device could be higher on this list in 2014.
6. Nokia Lumia 1020
The Lumia 1020 is one of the most impressive gadgets we've seen this year, yet it had one of the worst launches.
The Nokia smartphone has top-of-the-line specifications, including a 720p HD 4.5-inch screen and the highest-resolution smartphone camera, with a whopping 41 megapixels. Typical smartphones have 8 megapixel cameras. The Lumia camera lets users take pictures they can then zoom in on without decreasing the quality of the image.
But the Lumia 1020 runs on the Windows Phone operating system, and when it came out this summer the platform was still missing many popular apps. At $299 with a two-year contract when it launched, it was also a bit pricey.
Since then, the Windows Phone system has been beefed up with more apps, and the price of the Lumia 1020 has been cut. Nokia lowered the phone's price to $199 with a two-year contract, and Windows Phone added Instagram, Vine and Waze - three apps that had been noticeably missing.
Now, at a competitive price and with more apps available to flex the device's camera muscles, the Lumia 1020 is one of the best smartphones you can buy if photos are a priority.
4 (Tie). Sony PlayStation 4 and Microsoft Xbox One
This year marked the first time Sony and Microsoft released new video game consoles in more than seven years. Sony came out with the PlayStation 4, and Microsoft launched the Xbox One.
The two systems are fairly similar, offering 500-gigabyte hard drives in similarly styled black shells. But the companies are taking different approaches in marketing their products.
Sony is going after hard-core gamers, offering them the ability to easily share video of themselves playing games over the Internet by tapping a "share" button on their game controllers.
Meanwhile, Microsoft wants the Xbox One to be the center of users' home theaters. By saying "Xbox on" followed by a command, users can control their entertainment systems with their voices. The Xbox One can also load up specific users' profiles and preferences by detecting them with the Kinect motion-sensor device.
For now, neither system has separated itself as the clear-cut top choice, and picking between them comes down to users' personal preferences. The PS4 retails for $399.99 while the Xbox One goes for $499.99, but good luck finding either one. At many stores they're back-ordered.
3. Google Chromecast
Chromecast is a digital TV receiver that functions much like Roku and the Apple TV, but at a far lower price and in a much smaller package. The $35 Chromecast plugs into the TV's HDMI outlet and streams content from users' smartphones, tablets, laptops and computers with a Wi-Fi connection.
When it launched, Chromecast worked only with Netflix, YouTube and other Google services. Since then it has been updated to also work with HBO Go, Pandora, Hulu Plus and other online subscription services.
If you're looking for a reliable, low-cost digital TV receiver, look no further than Chromecast.
2. Apple iPad Air
Apple has been noticeably absent on this list until now, and that's because it didn't really innovate in 2013. Instead it focused on evolutionary improvements, most of which were marginal - but not when it came to the fifth-generation iPad.
The Cupertino, Calif., tech giant released the iPad Air - a thinner, lighter, sleeker version of its popular tablet - in November. The $499 iPad Air is 0.29-inch thick and weighs exactly a pound. It's also outfitted with Apple's speedy new A7 64-bit chip, making it perfect for gaming.
The iPad Air is an impressive redesign to an already innovative product.
1. Google Glass
Glass has yet to be released to the public, but no other device has had as much public attention as Google's high-tech eyewear.
The pioneering smartglasses are the most expensive item on our list - at $1,500 a pair - and Google sold them to a few thousand selected users, most of whom seem to have fallen under the device's spell.
Like smartwatches, Glass connects to users' smartphones to perform tasks like playing music, sending messages and making phone calls. Glass can also shoot pictures and record video.
But 2013 was just the warmup. Glass is expected to be released to the public in 2014, and if Google can find the right price and a better design, it may have a huge consumer hit on its hands.
Unveiled last month, Samsung has now launched the successor to the Galaxy Grand smartphone in the Indian market. The device will be available for purchase in the first week of January 2014, and while the company has not disclosed an exact pricing for the device (which is weird), it has added that the price will be between Rs 22,990 to Rs 24, 990.
Christened Galaxy Grand 2, the device brings a number of upgrades to its predecessor including an HD display, quad-core processor, and improved battery, among others. In addition, the company has also introduced ‘Club Samsung’, a content store that will enable customers purchasing the new smartphone to get music, videos, live TV and movies directly on the device. The store will be free for the first three months, post that customers will need to purchase the content.
Prior to Grand 2, Samsung had launched a number of variations of the original Galaxy Grand smartphone that included Grand Duos and Grand Quattro. Here is a quick look at the specifications of the smartphone.
Galaxy Grand 2 has a 5.25 inch HD TFT multi-touch capacitive touchscreen display (1280×720 pixel resolution) and runs on the Android 4.3 Jelly Bean operating system. The large screen offers ‘Multi Window’, which offers better multitasking by enabling users to run one application in two windows at the same time. The handset has a 1.2GHz quad-core processor and comes with 1.5 GB of RAM. The internal memory of the device is 8 GB, which can be further expanded up to 64GB with a microSD card.
On the camera front, the smartphone has an 8-megapixel autofocus rear camera with LED Flash, and a 1.9MP front-facing camera for video calling. As for connectivity, the device has Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi and 3G, and comes with a microSD card slot and a USB 2.0 port. It is powered by a 2,600 mAh battery that the company claims will provide up to 10 hours of video playback and 17 hours of calling. The specifications of the phablet are 146.8mm x 75.3mm x 8.9 mm, and its weight is 163gm. This one is also has dual-SIM functionality (GSM + GSM with dual standby option), and comes with GPS.
In addition, the device comes with a number of additional features like Story Album- enables users to organise pictures by timeline, and create and print albums from your device; S Translator- a translation service that provides instantaneous translations; S Travel- provides guides and travel information; Sound & Shot- records up to nine seconds of audio with your photos; Samsung Hub- a content service that provides access to music, videos, games and more; Group Play- for listening music, sharing documents or playing games together; and Samsung Link- connects your devices so you can access photos, music, videos and documents from multiple locations.
In terms of competition, the device will face off against the likes of Sony Xperia S (Rs 25,000), BlackBerry Z10 (Rs 24,999), Google Nexus 4 (Rs 24,575), HTC Desire 601 (Rs 23,990), Huawei Ascend P6 (Rs 25,499), and Lenovo Vibe X (Rs 25,999), among others.
Various government departments will soon start accepting mobile SMS as a valid official document while using e-governance services, according to a PTIreport. This move comes months after IRCTC, the tourism and catering arm of the Indian Railways, started accepting ticket booking SMSes as official travel document allowing passengers for train journey.
Various services, including Right to Information (RTI), health, Aadhaar and education, will come under the initiative, called Mobile Seva. The government has already completed pilots with around 100 departments.
Launching the service, Department of Electronics and IT (DEITY) secretary J Satyanarayana said: “Like Railways, we have to bring in a system wherein by showing (transaction) SMS or, whatever be the case (like e-mail), the proof on mobile is accepted as a valid document. To increase our reach, we need to bring this kind of practice in mobile and e-governance.”
According to Rajendra Kumar, joint secretary at DEITY, the department is ready with digital signature for mobile phones. This can be used in messages that need to be sent to those applying for various services.
Chennai and US-based ReelBox Media Entertainment Pvt Ltd, a wired and broadband based over-the-top (OTT) video-on-demand provider, has secured funding from a group of investors, including Naru Narayanan, co-founder of Chennai-based Xcode Life Sciences and a member of Chennai Angels.
ReelBox, which is mainly targeting the Kannadiga community in the US, will use the capital to expand further into Canada and Europe.
ReelBox was founded in November last year by Karthik Vaithianathan (CEO), who holds a BE degree in Electronics and Communication Engineering from Anna University (Tamil Nadu), and an MS degree in Electrical and Computer Science from Arizona State University (US). He has 15 years of experience in software/hardware stack. Prior to setting up ReelBox, Vaithianathan was a key media architect at Intel.
ReelBox delivers high-definition video content, including movies via a media streaming dongle. Currently, ReelBox serves the Kannadiga community with a catalogue of around 3,000 Kannada movies. The company has a revenue sharing agreement with content providers. In future, the startup plans to expand the services to other regional languages, including Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam, targeting various expat communities overseas.
The platform was launched in November this year and it has already bagged more than 1,000 subscribers, of which close to 100 consumers are actively watching its content on TV, according to the founder. The company has an office in Bangalore as well.
“We have a very dynamic pricing which changes every day. We offer a no-subscription pay-per-view model. It is basically a pre-charge and use model. We enable subscribers to purchase content when the prices are low and keep them for later viewing,” Vaithianathan said.
The firm is also eyeing to launch the services across the entire North America, besides expanding into Australia, Malaysia, Singapore, and the Middle East going forward.
The Reserve Bank of India has cautioned the users, holders and traders of virtual currencies (including Bitcoins), about the potential financial, operational, legal, customer protection and security related risks.
In this regard, RBI has been looking at the developments relating to certain electronic records claimed to be ‘decentralised digital currency’ or ‘virtual currency’ like Bitcoins, litecoins, bbqcoins, dogecoins etc., their usage or trading in the country.
It said that it is examining the issues associated with the usage, holding and trading of such virtual currencies under the existing legal and regulatory framework of the country, including foreign exchange and payment systems laws and regulations.
The price of Bitcoin has been fairly volatile this year rising over five times in less than two months to cross $1,000 last month only to see its value shrink by a third since then.
RBI noted that the creation, trading or usage of virtual currencies including Bitcoins, as a medium for payment are not authorised by any central bank or monetary authority. “No regulatory approval, registration or authorisation is stated to have been obtained by the entities concerned for carrying on such activities. As such, they may pose several risks to their users,” according to RBI.
For those who don’t already know, Bitcoin is an internet-based virtual currency that came into existence in 2009. It is an open-source protocol, its design is public, and nobody owns or controls it. Bitcoin also boasts of certain unique properties that are not found in other payment systems. Note that as far as Bitcoin is concerned, there is no central authority. It is like email or internet, in the sense that no one owns email protocol or internet protocol.
Also, it is the demand and supply that decides it’s pricing, so, depending on the supply/demand and adoption of Bitcoin, people buy or sell at various prices. Most of the time, the exchange that has a maximum volume is used as reference point to determine its prices. It is like how gold prices are being determined. The fluctuations are based on speculation only. If there are positive news about Bitcoin and its adoption, more people invest in it and drive prices up, whereas if there is any bad news, people who have already invested sell it to lower their risk. Read here for more.
RBI also specified several risks that the use of virtual currencies poses, including the following:
Prone to losses: Since virtual currencies are stored in digital/electronic media that are called electronic wallets, they are prone to losses arising out of hacking, loss of password, compromise of access credentials, malware attack, etc. Also, since they are not created by or traded through any authorised central registry or agency, the loss of the e-wallet could result in the permanent loss of the virtual currencies held in them.
No regulation of payments: Payments by virtual currencies, take place on a peer-to-peer basis without an authorised central agency that regulates such payments. As such, there is no established framework for recourse to customer problems/ disputes/charge backs, etc.
Volatility in value: There is no underlying or backing of any asset for virtual currencies. As such, their value seems to be a matter of speculation. Huge volatility in the value of virtual currencies has been noticed in the recent past, exposing its users to potential losses on account of such volatility.
Trading of virtual currencies: Virtual currencies are being traded on exchange platforms set up in various jurisdictions whose legal status is also unclear. Hence, the traders of virtual currencies on such platforms are exposed to legal as well as financial risks.
“There have been several media reports of the usage of virtual currencies, including Bitcoins, for illicit and illegal activities in several jurisdictions. The absence of information of counterparties in such peer-to-peer anonymous/pseudonymous systems could subject the users to unintentional breaches of anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) laws,” according to RBI.
Globally, there are some companies, including BTCChina in China, MtGox in Japan and Bitstamp in Europe that buy/sell Bitcoins. In India, too, there is a startup called Seven Digital Cash LLP based out of Gandhinagar (Gujarat) that buys and sells this digital currency through its platform Buysellbitco.in.
Just last week, we had reported that Gaurav Burman, managing partner of Elephant Capital, had invested in his personal capacity an undisclosed amount in itBit Pte Ltd, a Singapore-based Bitcoin exchange. Prior to this, itBit had raised $3.25 million co-led by Canaan Partners and RRE Venture, with participation from Liberty City Ventures and a few individual investors.
Burman, who picked a minority stake in itBit, is now planning to bring the platform to India. As per the latest estimates, there are over 11 million Bitcoin users worldwide, of which around 50,000 are in India
We’ve been hearing about the Windows 8.1-based Moneypenny for some time now. Now, prolific tipster @evleaks has tweeted a screenshot belonging to a device that is supposedly Moneypenny. Interestingly, the leaked image clearly shows that the device will come with dual SIM slot, which means it will be the first dual-SIM Windows Phone device.
The screenshot of the alleged Nokia Moneypenny Windows Phone device also shows 3G connectivity on both SIMs. One will also notice that the leaked screenshot shows Live Tiles on the Start screen for Nokia MixRadio, HERE Maps, Internet Explorer, Photos, SkyDrive, Microsoft Office, Instagram, Asphalt 8 and Vine app for Windows Phone.
First dual-SIM WP device
The screenshot also shows on-screen navigation control buttons for back, Start and Bing search. Earlier this month, we learnt that Microsoft plans to include on-screen buttons in the Windows Phone 8.1 version, just as we see in Android devices. If the screenshot is to be believed, future Microsoft devices may come with on-screen navigation controls instead of capacitive buttons. Some reports suggest that Moneypenny Windows Phone device may be launched as the Lumia 630 or Lumia 635.
Rumours are rife that Nokia is working on two Windows Phone 8.1 devices–Goldfinger and Moneypenny. It should be noted that both codenames are reference to characters from the James Bond canon. While Goldfinger is said to be the company’s flagship device, nothing much is known about Moneypenny.
Samsung just made the Galaxy Grand 2 .The smartphone will be hitting stores in the first week of January, which is when the final retail price will be revealed. With an estimated price of Rs 23,000, the Grand 2 will compete directly with the Lenovo Vibe X. The Grand 2 or SM-G7102 borrows some design elements from the Note 3 and past Samsung handsets. The slightly larger 5.2-inch screen is now longer rather than wider so it’s much easier to hold with one hand. The HD display is a welcomed addition and even though the pixel count is not high enough, it’s much better than what Samsung offered us the first time. There’s barely any pixilation around icons and text is better to read without having to strain your eyes. Sadly, it’s still a TFT display and not IPS, so viewing angles and colours are strictly average. The Grand 2 also debuts Club Samsung – a new service which lets you stream (or purchase) localised content – music, movies, web clips live TV, etc. Currently, only movies and music is available, but others should be ready soon by the time the phone hits retail. The Grand 2 comes with Android 4.3 Jelly Bean along with Samsung’s TouchWiz interface. The UI wasn’t very smooth however and we noticed quite a bit of lag when jumping around apps and homescreens. This could be restricted to the demo units alone so we’ll have to wait till we get our hands on the final unit. Just like the first phone, the Grand 2 is also a dual-SIM handset so you can use one SIM for calling and the other for data.
The Samsung Galaxy Grand 2 is definitely a worthy successor to the Grand as it improves upon many of the pain points from the first version. The biggest of all has to be the higher resolution display, better aesthetics and a larger battery. While there’s little doubt the Grand 2 will be a bit hit next year, we’re not sure if it will be the best buy at around Rs 23,000. By the time it actually launches, we’ll have phones like the Lenovo Vibe X and Gionee Elife E7 out in the market, which will hover around that ball park. Compared to the Grand 2, these phones offer a richer feature set and much better displays, the latter being a key factor in today’s smartphone experience. We foresee a big price cut heading for the Grand 2 as its current asking price feels a bit much source: http://tech2.in.com/news/smartphones/first-look-at-samsungs-525inch-galaxy-grand-2/924042
Oracle said on Friday that it had agreed to acquire Responsys, an enterprise software company, for $27 a share in cash, or about $1.5 billion, not including debt.
It is the latest acquisition for Oracle, run by Lawrence J. Ellison, and further extends the company's reach into the realm of online marketing. Responsys makes software that allows brands to coordinate their email, mobile, display and social advertising across the Web.
The price amounts to a 38 percent premium above Responsys' closing stock price of $19.52 on Thursday.
"Responsys has always been focused on helping marketers realize their largest opportunity - coordinating their marketing touch points across channels, across the customer lifecycle, and across industries," Dan Springer, chief executive of Responsys, said in a statement. "As a part of Oracle, we will only accelerate our efforts."
The board of Responsys has approved the transaction, but shareholders will have the opportunity to vote on the deal early next year.
"Our strategy of combining the leaders across complementary technologies signifies Oracle's overwhelming commitment to winning and serving the CMO better than any other software company in the world," said Oracle's president, Mark Hurd, referring to chief marketing officers.
Oracle is one of the most prolific acquirers in Silicon Valley. Including Responsys, it has bought at least seven companies this year. Earlier this year, it struck a deal for Acme Packet for $2.1 billion.
Although 10 years ago, its purchases were established software companies with a large customer base, in recent years it has turned to newer-style cloud computing companies that offer their products on a per-use basis, rather than outright sale.
The acquisition of Responsys follows its $871 million purchase a year ago of Eloqua, a company that made software for managing the cost and performance of marketing campaigns. Marketing is a particularly hot area, because companies now use the Internet to run ads, send emails and communicate directly with customers. The large amounts of data captured in these campaigns are analyzed by increasingly math-oriented marketing managers.
Salesforce.com, a cloud-based company that competes with Oracle in sales and marketing software, has in recent years also acquired several ad purchasing and marketing companies.
But Oracle has had a few rough quarters recently, missing analyst expectations twice earlier in the year before posting good quarterly results this week. Those results sent Oracle stock to its highest levels since the dotcom bubble burst more than 10 years ago.
In October, Oracle shareholders opposed Ellison's compensation package, objecting to his $78.4 million payday for the 2013 fiscal year.
Responsys was part of the first wave of technology companies to go public after the financial crisis, debuting on the Nasdaq market in early 2011. After opening near $15, the stock slumped as low as $5.70 about a year ago. But over the past year, the business has strengthened and shares have rallied. Thursday's closing price was near the all-time high.
Google's annual online shopping event 'GOSF' attracted 2 million visitors this year as people thronged e-commerce sites to check out deals on electronics, shoes, watches and travel.
Google Online Shopping Festival (GOSF) saw the number of visitors doubling to 2 million this year compared to last year's maiden edition.
Google said its partners (over 200 e-commerce websites) like Snapdeal, Myntra and eBay saw daily sales jumping 3 to 4 times.
"Even offbeat categories like cars and housing saw great traction during the festival with Tata Housing closing booking of over 55 flats," Google India Director eCommerce (local and media) Nitin Bawankule said.
Of the 2 million unique visitors, almost half were women. Google said 2pm - 8pm was the peak time of traffic each day with 62 per cent viewers coming from the 18-34 years category.
"Currently, we estimate that over 30 per cent buyers were first time shoppers on most sites. Given the scale of the initiative with all the partners and the large number of online shoppers in India, GOSF this year was a huge success by all parameters," he said.
Other popular categories included apparel, e-books, books, home and kitchen equipments, jewellery, and healthcare and wellness.
"We witnessed over 120 per cent jump in traffic and 3.5x growth in revenues, which is testament to the future potential of online shopping in India," Myntra Chief Marketing Officer Vikas Ahuja said.
Tata Housing sold more than 50 apartments with a sales value of over Rs 25 crore across four projects during December 11-14. About 30 per cent of the booking came from NRIs and 40 per cent was from tier II cities.
"Initiatives like GOSF act as a catalyst to further boost adoption of online shopping in India. In fact, a lot of these new shoppers become repeat buyers and add up to the traffic on the website," Snapdeal.com Vice President (Marketing) Sandeep Komaravelly said.
Lenskart CEO and Founder Peyush Bansal said the site registered 60 per cent spike in traffic and 70 per cent jump in new registrations leading to a 50 per cent increase in the overall sales.
HealthKart Co-Founder Prashant Tandon said GOSF proved to be a great platform to launch a number of new products. The site saw a jump in its core categories like sports nutrition, health nutrition and health devices.
Cash back and coupons site Cashkaro said its traffic doubled during GOSF and the transaction volume went up three times.
Online recharge site Paytm Founder Vijay Sharma said GOSF led to a 15 per cent revenue uptick on the site.
Chinese manufacturer Vivo has pipped the likes of Samsung and LG to launch the world's first smartphone with 2K (2560x1440p) resolution, named Xplay 3S. This phone's screen has more pixels than the current crop of 1080p displays, making text, videos, images etc clearer and sharper.
The new Vivo Xplay 3S's 6-inch display has pixel density of 490ppi, which is higher than the 469ppi (the highest pixel density before this launch) of HTC One. Other features of Xplay 3S are also top end, such as 2.3GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 chipset, 3GB RAM and 13MP rear camera. It also has a 5MP camera in front and comes with an app called Photo+ that features augmented reality functionalities and shares video on the cloud.
The phone is powered by a customized version of Android, named Funtouch OS. Other features of Vivo Xplay 3S include 32GB built-in storage, 3,200mAh battery and metallic bezel. The phone weighs 172gram, measures 4.95mm at its thinnest point and comes with a fingerprint scanner.
The manufacturer has included several audio technologies in the phone, such as TI OPA2604 amplifier and ESS Technology ES9018 DAC. Its DTS Headphones:X technology supports 7.1 and 11.1 surround sound effect.
Vivo is also the company behind the world's thinnest smartphone, X3, which is just 5.75mm thick.
Samsung's upcoming Galaxy S5 smartphone is also rumoured to feature 2K resolution. Earlier this year, LG unveiled its 2K resolution display panel that is likely to be used in future smartphones. Chinese manufacturer Oppo has also announced that its upcoming Find 7 handset will have 2K screen resolution
Indian IT bellwether Wipro unveiled an online programme to train undergraduate students in finance and accounts to enhance their job skills in both subjects, the company said Wednesday.
"We have started imparting skills online to final year students of commerce and business administration in select degree colleges across Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad to enhance their employability in finance and accounting," Wipro back office global head Subhasish Biswas said in a statement here.
The online course has been designed in two parts - basics of finance and accounting and corporate readiness training.
Successful students will be certified after assessing their skills for a placement in the global software major.
The 24-hour programme consists of modules, which give students flexibility to work over two months along with their graduation course.
The course modules are in a video-based PowerPoint presentation format to understand the concepts.
"As we need readily employable workforce, our expertise in training delivery in the services sector enabled us to create a platform for graduating students to pursue a rewarding career in finance and accounts," Biswas said.
Wipro's business process outsourcing (BPO) division has partnered with Firstnaukri.com to promote the initiative and allow the job portal to host the online module and distribute it to colleges with which it has tie-up across the country.
"Indian businesses are struggling to recruit youth with right technical and soft skill sets. It is becoming imperative for companies to focus on skill development and employability of youth entering workforce," Firstnaukri.com business head Deepali Singh said in the statement.
LG has announced the world's first Google-powered Chromebase All-in-One PC.
The Linux-based operating system used to come pre-installed on laptops or boxes that required similar monitor, however, it would be a first PC to incorporate the system.
According to the BBC, Chrome-based computers tend to be cheaper than Windows-powered systems, in part because Google does not charge manufacturers to include its software.
Being cheaper has its drawbacks as the operating system runs only a limited range of applications and popular apps like Skype, Powerpoint, Photoshop and iTunes are unavailable, but can be downloaded from Google's free or paid web-based alternatives.
The LG Chromebase desktop computer measures 21.5-inch with a 1080p full-HD screen that resembles Apple iMacs, HP's Spectre One range and Dell's Inspiron One family, which cost 700 pounds or more.
According to the report, the Chromebase PC has just 16GB of storage, which is relatively a very low amount as Google intends to encourage users to store their data on cloud, thereby reducing costs.
LG Chromebase desktop computer is expected to be launched in January at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegasadded.
Eyeing a new market for data storage devices, Sony has launched the world's first pen drives compatible with smartphones and tablets. The new flash drives are "2-in-1 devices" with both USB 2.0 and microUSB connectors, allowing buyers to use them in laptops and desktops as well as smartphones and tablets.
Sony has launched the world’s first pen drives compatible with smartphones and tablets.
Viviano Cantu, director of consumer media marketing, Sony Electronics, said, "These new drives combine convenience, peace of mind and performance and are perfect for mobile multi-tasking."
The new drives are compatible with Android (Ice Cream Sandwich to Jelly Bean) operating systems and offer USB on-the-go (OTG) functionality. Sony says that it is working on making them compatible with Android 4.4 (KitKat), the latest version of Google's mobile operating system.
Apart from copying data between devices, these flash drives can be used to as additional or temporary storage for smartphones and tablets.
Their locking caps (available in three colours) will protect the connectors from damage, dust and debris, says Sony. The metal body of the flash drives is durable enough to withstand everyday mobile use, it claims.
Sony has said that the new flash drives will be available in of 8, 16 and 32 GB capacities, priced at $19.99, $29.99 and $62.99. While the Japanese manufacturer has not announced their India launch date, it has said that the flash drives will hit global markets in January next year.
Dull pay hike prophecies this year may refuse to die down for now, but for some niche profiles, handsome hikes and rewards are in order, as corporates look to retain this pool of scarce talent.
Profiles like that of management accountants, data scientists, app developers and marketing managers are expected to be rewarded significantly in the current appraisal season, more or less in line with last year's levels.
The profile of a data scientist is among the hottest across sectors and hikes can range from 30% to 50%, says Subeer Bakshi, director oftalent and rewards at Towers Watson India. "As much as 90% of the world's data was created in the past two years and these professionals are in short supply, which gives them the ability to write their own pay cheques," he says.
Sectors like retail will have tons of data, and these professionals can help them with data assessment and analysis. Layout designers in retail companies and media managers who can formulate strategies based on insights from data scientists can expect hikes ranging from 20% to 30%.
Consulting firm Mercer estimates that roles like that of experienced marketing analyst and sales representatives in sectors like automobiles, consumer durables and pharmaceuticals will continue to be on companies' priority list. In information technology, salary hikes will be dominated by profiles in mobility, cloud and security, says technology and market research firm Forrester's VP and country manager for India, Manish Bahl.
"There will be more spending on security as a skillset," he says. With greater focus on customer experience, mid-to-senior IT roles like app development and business consulting can fetch hikes of 15% to 17% compared with average hikes of 10% to 12%, he says. Hikes in IT were in the range of 10% to 11% last year, according to Forrester estimates.
Jobs in regulatory affairs in the pharma and medical devices sector are in demand and can expect hikes in the range of 11% to 20%, according to Kelly Services.
"This is mainly because a lot of Indian companies have been wanting to sell in the US for which they require FDA approval and expertise in FDA filing," says Kamal Karanth, managing director, Kelly Services. Jobs in supply chain management and purchase in pharma and consumer goods can expect hikes in the 9% to 18% range across levels, due to a steady increase in exports.
While last year's hikes for roles in regulatory affairs were estimated to be at 11% to 18%, they were in the region of 10% to 18% in supply chain and purchase. An increasing number of professionals are opting for specialised courses that help them cultivate niche expertise.
Sriram Kameshwar, a director of finance and corporate facilities, was a chartered financial analyst and associate member from the Institute of Cost Accountants of India when he decided to enroll for the CIMA course in 2005. Considered to be more than just pure play accounting, a CIMA course in management accounting combines accounting, finance and management.
This year's salary survey of 40% of CIMA India's 500 members revealed that over the next 12 months, 95% of part-qualified students are expected to receive a salary increase of 13.6% well over the 2013 'IMF World Economic Outlook on Price Inflation' forecast of 10.8%. In 2013, qualified CIMA members in India are earning an average of Rs 26.3 lakh in basic annual salary plus Rs 3.6 lakh in bonuses, totalling Rs 30.02 lakh per year.
Among all its members and students, a good 62% are satisfied with their salary. "The qualification has helped me look at situations from different functional perspectives as the course is a good blend of core technical, strategic and business management domains," says Kameshwar.
Apart from accounting, he adds the course has helped him in business development, in contributing effectively as a member of the company's leadership team and board, and in influencing strategy.
Nokia's new Lumia 525 is yet to arrive in the Indian market, but the company may be readying another low-cost smartphone aimed at budget buyers.
Data recorded by Zauba, a logistic tracking website, shows an unannounced Nokia device codenamed RM-977. This device has a 4.5-inch touchscreen and single sim slot and will reportedly ship for Rs 7,966 in the Indian market. This device was sent to India from Finland for testing and evaluation purposes, according to the website.
No other details about this upcoming smartphone are available at present.
The recently unveiled Lumia 525 is the successor to the popular Lumia 520, however, the only differences between the two devices are RAM upgrade and glossier body. At present, Lumia 520 is available in the market at approximately Rs 8,000, while there is no word on the launch date of Lumia 525.
Nokia has already listed the entry-level Lumia 525 and top-end Lumia 1520 smartphones on its India website. However, it has not announced their launch dates.
Trivandrum-based IT company Mind Media Innovations has launched an Andriod application 'Homely', which helps users to find house properties.
The application 'Homely' lets users browse through properties by major builders and find their dream home, the company said in a statement.
The main attraction of 'Homely' is that it lets you find homes by specific builders as well as your requirements such as location, amenities and budget, it said.
"There are many home-finder websites in the market but 'Homely' gives users the edge of searching for homes in their smartphones from anywhere, anytime," Mind Media Innovations MD Narayanan Nair said.
The app provides users with details of a property such as floor plans, image gallery, amenities, number of bedrooms, etc.
mazon CEO Jeff Bezos has outlined plans to have drones---specifically versions for Prime subscribers---deliver packages weighing up to 5 pounds in 30 minutes as early as 2018 or 2019. Cue the debate on whether Amazon timed its news perfectly for Cyber Monday or is really innovating.
Cynic: Bezos knows damn well that a five year time line is way aggressive and the FAA is going to look long and hard at the concept. Bezos' 60 Minutes spiel is nothing more than a PR stunt.
Techno-optimist: Amazon is reinventing shopping and will close the gap between instant gratification and e-commerce. Amazon is innovative beyond belief.
Realist: Amazon concept could work, but will likely take more than five years to pull off, but sounds neat. Who am I to doubt Bezos?
So what's this drone idea really about? Messaging. Amazon is increasingly being known for its innovation---whether it's Amazon Web Services, supply chain or its Kindle business model. This innovation culture keeps people interested and away from annoying questions about profit margins.
Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster noted:
While it's highly unlikely we have flying Amazon delivery drones in four to five years, the recently announced initiative illustrates the culture of innovation at Amazon and the depth of its goal to re-engineer the fabric of retail for the next 100 years.
Munster also noted that Zookal, a textbook rental company in Australia, works with Flirtey, a commercial drone service, for quick deliveries.
In other words, Amazon's drone idea may not be all that original. If drones can shoot at bad guys and patrol the skies, surely they can drop off a package at your doorstep.
The overall theme is that Amazon could actually find profit margins with a fleet of drones. These drones, which could carry up to five pounds for 10 miles, would cover 86 percent of the goods Amazon sells. Shipping costs would plummet and Amazon could depreciate its fleet of drones. In theory, Amazon's bottom line could improve dramatically---unless Bezos finds some other venture to invest in.
What do we make of Amazon's drone plan? The realist, cynic and techno-optimist outlined above are all correct. Bezos is a showman so you can bet the drone story is well timed so Amazon dominates the news on Cyber Monday. Amazon will also target new markets that initially look crazy and prove you wrong. And Amazon will likely have drone delivery, but it'll take some tim
