Beyond Technology offers a challenging new analysis of learning, young people and digital media. Disputing both utopian fantasies about the transformation of education and exaggerated fears about the corruption of childhood innocence, it offers a level-headed analysis of the impact of these new media on learning, drawing on a wide range of critical research.
Blue line was one of the trending topics on Twitter, Thursday afternoon, after users started noticing it.
Twitter Inc announced today that they have updated their user interface
with a new addition: A blue line that will visually help users read
exchanges on Twitter by connecting them to each other. According to the
official blog, Twitter admitted that, "To date, exchanges haven’t always
been easy to follow. With this in mind, we’ve now made it easier for
you to see conversations as they’re taking place."
This means: Tweets that are part of a conversation are shown in a
chronological order so it’s easier for users to follow the entire
thread.
Up to three tweets in sequence will be showcased in the home timeline,
and those who want to read the complete thread can tap a tweet to see
all the replies, including those from people they don’t follow. This
will also mean that old tweets will show on the timeline if someone you
follow replies to them at a later time.
"It's so hard to find new tweets now because anything that's part of a
conversation goes straight to the top. I bailed on Facebook when it
became jumbled and congested, I'll do the same with Twitter. People like
Twitter because of its simplicity. Your update is garbage," posted a
user on YouTube.
The new feature is being rolled out to all users today.
Initial reactions to the new blue line haven't been very nice, like
they are with most early reactions to interface changes on websites.
NEW DELHI, INDIA: Hewlett Packard Printing and Personal Systems
Group, India today extended its commercial PC portfolio with the
announcement of HP EliteBook Revolve 810 and HP ProBook 430.
EliteBook is a touch-enabled notebook that pivots to let users share
their work and folds to go mobile as a tablet, and is priced at Rs.
90,000/-. HP ProBook 430 is a business notebook suitable for everyday
use and is priced at Rs. 39,000/-.
As a sleek and lightweight notebook that also converts to a tablet,
the HP EliteBook 810 is designed to revolve around a busy executive's
life, and comes with elegant touch computing, enterprise-grade security
and military-grade durability.
Driven by the latest, third-generation Intel Core processors and
optimized for Windows 8, the HP EliteBook Revolve 810 offers the
incredible performance and visuals of a full-power notebook. With a
touch-enabled display that pivots to let users share their work or
revolves and folds to go ultra mobile as a tablet, the HP EliteBook
Revolve 810 is designed for busy enterprise environments, bending over
backwards to get more done. Representing the ninth generation of HP's
line of convertible tablets, it has all the tools needed to get the job
done.
HP also introduced ProBook 430, a business notebook with the power
and performance that perfectly suits its solid design and elegant
finish. Made of aluminum, with a spill-resistant keyboard and a
soft-touch paint job, this stylish notebook is built to perform.
HP ProBook 430 is packed with the tools IT needs to securely deploy
and manage a fleet across an enterprise with built-in security, which
safeguards your HP ProBook against viruses, detects possible corruption,
and alerts you to unauthorized changes. HP BIOS Protection offers
enhanced protection against virus attacks and other security threats,
and is designed to help prevent data loss and reduce downtime.
Mr.
Sunish Raghavan, Head- Commercial PC Category, PPS, HP India said,
"Professionals today demand zero-compromise productivity and extreme
mobility in a computer, and HP offers the best solution with EliteBook
Revolve and ProBook 430."
Apple began letting US iPhone owners trade in theirsmartphones for credit toward buying new models.
The California company's trade-in program kicked off in the wake of
unconfirmed reports of a September 10 event at which Apple will unveil
new iPhones, with rumors ranging from a gold handset to a low-price
version aimed at emerging markets.
"iPhones hold great value," Apple spokeswoman Amy Bessette said in an email to AFP.
"So Apple Retail Stores are launching a new program to assist customers
who wish to bring in their previous-generation iPhone for reuse or
recycling."
She would not specify how much Apple is paying for
old iPhones, but they can fetch $300 or so depending on the model at an
array of websites or US consumer electronics shops that buy handsets.
The Wall Street Journal earlier this month reported that Apple had
asked its Taiwan-based supplier, Hon Hai Precision, to begin shipping
two new versions of the iPhone in September, including a lower-cost
model.
Speculation has centered around whether Apple will shift
its strategy of focusing on premium devices priced at the high-end of
the market to include a lower-cost handset appealing to people with
tight budgets.
A survey by Gartner said Apple's share of the
smartphone market worldwide fell to 14.2% in the second quarter, while
Samsung's rose to 31.7%.
Samsung has found global success with smartphones powered by Google's free Android software, which now dominates the market.
As the smartphone market in the United States and other Western
countries matures, companies may have better luck encouraging upgrades
rather than reaching out to first-time buyers, according to Gartner
analyst Van Baker.
Motives for Apple's trade-in programme likely include keeping iPhone users loyal to the smartphones as well as the lucrative iTunes shop for digital music, films, and books.
"Keeping people in the fold is what it is all about," Baker said. "The
question for me is whether it will be competitive with programs that
already exist in the market."
Global Equities Research analyst
Trip Chowdhry saw the trade-in program as Apple delivering product
management instead of product innovation.
Analysts and Apple fans have been watching whether chief Tim Cook will live up to the legacy of company co-founder Steve Jobs when it comes to wowing the world with culture-changing devices.
"Tim Cook's Apple is very different from Steve Jobs's Apple," Chowdhry said.
"This is not the thing customers are looking for." He said Apple lovers
are more likely wondering "Where is my iWatch" and "Where is my Apple
TV."
Cook took over as chief of the Cupertino, California
company in 2011 as Jobs stepped down to grapple with illness that took
his life later that year.
Cook is considered an operational
mastermind with a relentless work ethic, and is believed to have played a
leading role in the gadget company's turnaround.
Cook was Apple's chief operating officer until his elevation to CEO.
After the launch of their Canvas series phones, looks like the Indian
Samsung is all set to follow the footsteps of global phone makers and
jump in on the ‘Mega’ trend. Every smartphone maker is looking to make
the smartphone bigger and bigger and the line between phablets and
tablets is not just blurry but almost non-existent today.
.
Similar to Samsung, Micromax seems to be in the mood for launching
not just one but two Mega series phablets! While one is pegged to be a
5.7-inch device, the other will be a 6-inch (or bigger) fonblet. The
smaller of the two Mega series phones is rumoured to be named Canvas
A240 while the bigger 6-inch or above phablet will be a part of the
Canvas Doodle lineage and be named the Canvas Doodle 2.
Micromax Canvas A240 will sport a 5.7-inch 720p HD display.
There’s still no word on the resolution and we hope Micromax provides a
decent resolution to match the big screen size. The phone will run
Android Jelly Bean version 4.2 and hopefully will be upgradable at a
later date as Jelly Bean 4.3 becomes popular. Micromax Canvas A240 will
run a 1.2GHz quad-core MediaTek MT6589 processor. The RAM will be 1 GB
and internal memory is said to be 16 GB. It is still unclear whether the
phablet will support a memory card slot or not.
.
What interests us most about the phablet is the camera. Not only is
Micromax Canvas A240 said to come with a 12 MP rear end camera, but
Micromax will reportedly also cater to the selfie-lovers with a better
front camera. Micromax Canvas A240 will reportedly come with a whopping 5
MP front-end camera! This will definitely boost the deal for Micromax.
Apart from the high-resolution camera, Micromax Canvas A240 will also
come with all the software tweaks of Micromax Canvas 4 like the vertical
panorama, video pinning, etc.
The phone will come with a mammoth
2600 mAh battery and support dual-SIM. Also, considering it is a
Micromax device, the phablet will be priced well under the 20k segment.
Pegged directly against Samsung Galaxy Mega 5.8, Micromax Canvas A240
definitely has an edge if the rumoured specifications are anything to go
by.
Micromax has launched the Canvas Doodle 2 smartphone and the device is
available online for Rs. 19,990. It has a 5.7-inch display.
Micromax has been teasing
the Canvas Doodle 2 for quite some time and the smartphone is now in a
position to reach customers hands. Carrying a price tag of Rs. 19,990,
it is the most expensive handset to come from the budget smartphone
maker. The smartphone is listed on snapdeal,
but as of writing this article, we couldn’t find it on any other online
shopping portal like flipkart, infibeam or saholic. There hasn't been
official announcement regarding the launch of the smartphone yet.
The Micromax Canvas Doodle 2 A240 shows off a 5.7-inch HD display
with a resolution of 720x1280 pixels. Under the hood, a 1.2GHz quad-core
processor along with 1GB of RAM powers the smartphone. The rear houses a
12MP camera with dual LED flash and it has a 5MP front-facing camera
for video calling.
The Canvas Doodle 2 has 12GB of built-in storage and runs on Android
4.2 Jelly Bean. The package is powered by a 2,600mAh battery, which the
company claims has enough juice to run for 8 hours of talk time. It also
shows off dual-SIM capabilities. The smartphone comes preloaded with a
bunch of apps including M! Doodle, M! Live, M! Security, M! Zone, Hike,
Spuul, Foneclay and Facebook.
The Sony Xperia S, Xperia SL and Xperia Acro S smartphones, launched
earlier by the company, are now receiving a firmware update.
Sony has
posted information about the update on its official blog, "We've started rolling out the maintenance release for Xperia S,
Xperia SL & Xperia acro S." The new Android 4.1 Jelly Bean firmware
update for the three Xperia devices brings performance and stability
improvements.
Some of the major highlights of the latest firmware
update include boosted connection stability for 2G network data,
enhanced full-HD video recording and introduction of Google Now by
long-pressing the home key. The update also fixes the volume up bug
which now ensures the volume up button is fully responsive. The company
has also posted a change-log detailing the fixes that includes fixes for
camera, apps, battery, hardware and UI.
The new firmware update
is being rolled out over the air (OTA). The blog also suggests that the
timing and availability of the update may vary by market and carrier.
However, Sony has not revealed any plans of releasing the Android 4.2
Jelly Bean update for the devices.
Earlier, XperiaBlog reported that Sony will release updates for Sony Xperia S and Xperia SL. A
screenshot of firmware build 6.2.B.1.96 for the Sony Xperia SL was also
leaked, showing the handset with 3.4 kernel.
Recently, Sony Xperia
SP HSPA+ and LTE versions also received a firmware update.
For the latest technology news and reviews, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and get the NDTV Gadgets app for Android or iOS.
Google Korea announced Monday about the launch of its second generation
Nexus 7 tablet in the South Korean market. The latest Nexus device is up
for pre-order on various online retailers like E-Mart, Hi Mart,
Shinsegae Mall, Auction and Lotte Mart.
.
As per a report published in Korea IT Times,
the 16GB Wi-Fi variant of the Nexus 7 shall carry a price tag of
329,000 won ($294) while its 32GB Wi-Fi variant shall carry a price tag
reading 369,000 won ($330). Nothing has been revealed about the exact
availability date, but yes, an Indian launch of the Nexus 7 is expected
by end-2013.
The second-generation Nexus 7 is thinner by 2mm and lighter by a 50
grams when compared with its first-gen model, and is thus scores more on
portability. The USA launch of the same model took place in July. The
Android 4.3 (JellyBean) running tablet as of now is available in just
select countries, and boasts a 7-inch FHD display, Qualcomm SnapDragon
S4 Pro Quad-core Processor, 2GB RAM, 16/ 32GB of internal storage and
Wi-Fi support. It has a 5 megapixel camera. The tablet is also
3D-compatible. With pixel-per-inch estimated at 323, this tab is
wonderfully optimized for entertainment outlets like movies and games.
Keep watching this space for more on Google Nexus 7.
LG continues to bank on its recent success with the release of a mid-range phone, reportedly coming in October.
.
Upcoming Android Phones 2013: LG To Announce L9 II This October, Perfect For Budget-Conscious Android Fans
While most people have been doing rounds looking for details about
LG's upcoming flagship, the G2, reports say LG is poised to release
another quality handset.
According to Android Authority, the Korean company will release the
younger sibling of the Optimus L9, which it released last year. Dubbed
as the LG L9 II, this smartphone will fall under the mid-range bracket.
While it does not pack the same top-notch features as the G2, it will
still boast a decent 720p, 4.7-inch screen, TrueIPS display, a 1.4Ghz
dual core processor, and 1GB of RAM.
The upcoming Android phone is also rumored to sport 8 megapixels of
rear camera, 8GB of internal memory, an SD card slot for memory
expansion, and a 2150 mAh battery. It will run Android's version 4.2
Jelly Bean.
Indeed, all these specs aren't ground-breaking, but the phone will
certainly make waves in the mid-tier competition. One of the leading
phones in that division is the iPhone 5C, which will be launched on
September 20 in the US. Other phones which would surely bring a tough
fight are the older Samsung Galaxy S3, HTC One X, and Sony Xperia S.
While details for the LG L9 II are limited, one thing is certain. It
will be launched or announced sometime in October. So Android phone
users looking for a decent smartphone that does not ruin your budget,
this would be an ideal option.
A South Korean news website has reported that the upcoming Galaxy S5 will have a 16MP camera with optical image stabilization.
NEW
DELHI: As the launch of Samsung's Galaxy Note III flagship phablet
nears, the tech grapevine seems to have turned their attention to the
company's other flagship smartphone Galaxy S4. Speculations have already
started about the next-generation of Galaxy S4, most likely to be
called Galaxy S5. A South Korean news website has reported that the
upcoming Galaxy S5 will have a 16MP camera with optical image
stabilization. This will be an upgrade from the 13MP camera module used
in the Galaxy S4 and widely expected to also feature in the upcoming
Galaxy Note III.
However, the report also says that the Galaxy Note III will not have optical image stabilization feature, contrary to popular rumours. The only Samsung phone to have this feature currently is the Galaxy S4 zoom, which is a cross between an Android phone and a 16MP camera.
Samsung has also applied for patent of a metal-bodied design, which is
rumoured to debut with the Galaxy S5. This handset is also said to have a
flexible and shatterproof screen; a prototype of this screen was also
showcased by the manufacturer earlier this year.
Currently,
Nokia Lumia 1020, Lumia 925, Lumia 920, HTC One and LG G2 are the only
phones that have optical image stabilization feature, which helps
produce blur-free photos. The upcoming Sony Xperia Z1 (codenamed Honami)
is also said to come with this feature.
A report by The Korea
Economic Daily has said that the Galaxy Note III will be capable of
recording movie-hall-quality 4K videos. Sony Xperia Z1 is also said to
debut with this functionality. Both handsets are expected to be unveiled
on September 4, the first day of IFA 2013 in Berlin.
IDC reports that domestic vendors like Micromax and Karbonn together are
beating Apple, Samsung in overall smartphone market share.
Latest IDC report states that home grown vendors Micromax, Karbonn
have grabbed a higher market share in the smartphone market than
Samsung and Apple combined in the second quarter 2013. This can be
attributed to demand of affordable markets in emerging markets like
India and China.
IDC reports that mobile vendors shipped
nearly 119 million units in 2013 Q2, an increase of 10% from the first
quarter and up nearly 75% from 2012 Q2. The report added that local
vendors in Asia/Pacific regions excluding Japan have higher shipments
compared to international brands. Domestic brands had shipments of 46
million units, compared with 35 million unit shipped by Samsung and
apple combined in the second quarter this year.
IDC identified local vendors like
Micromax, Karbonn, Lava, Maxx and Intex as leaders in India and brands
like K-Touch, Coolpad, Gionee, Xiaomi and OPPO in China have a major
market share. Internal vendors from China like Huawei, Lenovo and ZTE
shipped 27 million units in April-June 2013. Other global brands like
HTC, BlackBerry, Nokia, Sony, LG and Motorala shipped nearly 10 million
units combined.
Samsung remains the leader
with nearly 24% of the market share followed by Nokia and local vendors
like Micromax and Karbonn. Apple has been ousted from the top five for
the first time in India due to these local vendors.
IDC stated that the first quarter saw
increase in <US$50 segment of smartphones in China and for the first
time devices in 5-6 inch segments gained market share in both China and
India.
Follow these simple steps to manage popup notification from WhatsApp on your device.
WhatsApp is a great tool for communicating that offers ease of use as well as a cost effective alternative to SMS
as well. But the popup notification feature of WhatsApp might be useful
for many and irritating for others. So here are simple step by step
instructions on how you can enable or disable WhatsApp popup
notifications on your Android device.
Based on a 1.3 GHz processor the Gionee P2 offers the goodness of Android Jelly Bean on a 4 inch display.
China
based mobile phone manufacturer Gionee has announced its P2 budget
Android smartphone in India. Gionee P2 is the successor of the Gionee P1 launched sometime back and priced at Rs 4,999. Gionee P2 is a 4 inch display based Android smartphone with dual SIM dual standby connectivity with 3G connectivity at a budget price of Rs 6,499.
Gionee P2 features a 4 inch LCD display with 480 x 800 pixel resolution.
It comes with a dual core Mediatek 6572 processor running at 1.3 GHz
on android Jelly Bean 4.2 operating system with 512 MB RAM and 4 GB
internal storage (1.9 GB user available). The storage can be further
increased with micro SD cards of up to 32 GB. Other connectivity features on the Gionee 2 include WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, micro USB and 3.5 mm jack. There is a 5 megapixel camera at the back and a VGA
camera in the front. Gionee P2 sports a 1700 mAh battery and is
available in white as well as black color variants for customers in
India. The Gionee P2 competes with devices from brands like
Spice, Intex and Lava, offering identical hardware specifications, but
Gionee P2 is the first android smartphone to feature the newly launched
Mediatek 6562 chipset.
The first ever locally assembled GL Class from CKD units is rolling out
from Metrcedes-Benz’s Chakan plant today. As always, we are reporting
live from the event venue. The event is just about to start, and we’ll
be updating this post with images and details. This is bthe first time
ever that a GL Class is being assembled outside of Merc’s USA plant in
Tuscaloosa.
The new locally assembled GL-Class launched at the price of Rs 72.58 lakh ex-showroom. Here are some images from the event
.
.
.
The new GL is a
successful model from Mercedes in India. The 7 seater SUV, which has big
space, comfort, power and off-roading capabilities as its USPs was
introduced a few months back to India. The first 100 units of Mercedes
Benz GL350 CDI, which came to us via CBU route have been sold “Launch
Edition”. These 100 cars sport an AMG body kit, 21 inch AMG alloy
wheels, Designo Upholstery and temperature controlled cup holders.
The
latest generation of the GL Class made its international debut early
last year and has won plenty of rave reviews for its mechanicals and new
age design. The talking point of the latest GL’s exterior styling is
its bold grille, SL inspired headlamps and daytime LED running lamps.
On
the inside, the car comes draped in acres of leather and adorned with
plenty of wood inserts. Powering the India spec Mercedes Benz GL Class
is a 3.0 litre diesel engine which has a max power output of 260 PS and
a peak torque figure of 620Nm. The motor is mated to a dual clutch
7-speed automatic gearbox and the car can dismiss 100 kmph from
standstill in less than 10 seconds. The GL Class, which is a full size
luxury SUV, is known as the S Class of SUVs and comes loaded to the
brim with gizmos and safety features.
The key features of the new Mercedes GL Class SUV includes
SAN
FRANCISCO: A US judge on Monday granted final approval to Facebook's $20
million settlement of a lawsuit over targeted advertising despite
objections that the deal did not go far enough to protect children's
privacy.
Five plaintiffs filed a class action against Facebook
in 2011, saying the social networking giant's Sponsored Stories
programme shared users' "likes" of certain advertisers with friends
without paying them or allowing them to opt out.
A Sponsored
Story is an advertisement that appears on a member's Facebook page and
generally consists of a friend's name, profile picture and an assertion
that the person "likes" the advertiser.The case has highlighted tension between privacy concerns and Facebook's drive to monetize user content.
Under the terms of the settlement, Facebook will pay $20 million to
compensate class members, and promised to give users more control over
how their content is shared - changes which plaintiff lawyers estimate
to have a value of up to $145 million.
Facebook charged
advertisers nearly $234 million for Sponsored Stories between January
2011 and August 2012, court filings show.
Child rights advocates had argued that no minors should have their content shared with advertisers.
But in an order on Monday, US District Judge Richard Seeborg in San
Francisco wrote that the settlement, "while not incorporating all
features that some of the objectors might prefer, has significant
value."
Representatives for Facebook, the plaintiffs or objectors could not immediately be reached for comment.
The case in US District Court, Northern District of California, is
Angel Fraley et al, individually and on behalf of all others similarly
situated vs Facebook Inc, 11-cv-1726.
This is extreme example of ingenuity. A hacker changed Google
Glass into a drone controller. I wonder if it will be deployed in
Afghanistan. (Video)
If you thought that the high priced Google Glass was just meant to do
only one job, think twice. A Phoenix based developer has come out with a
code using which one can fly drones controlled by the Google Glass. The
wearer of the gadget can manoeuvre the drone by making slight head
movement while wearing the Google Glass.
Developer, Blaine Bublitz, who has been working for coding company,
IcedDev, introduced the app during the annually organised Nodebots Day,
an event attended by the robo fans across the globe. The code was
originally developed to work with the wheeled robots that are capable of
moving back and forth. Later the same was tweaked to add right and left
movements along with the up and down so that it could be used with
NodeCopter, the drone.
Later explaining about the code developed by him, Bublitz wrote on
his blog: “I began by creating code that controlled wheeled robots on a
table top, before adding left and right steering using a palm-controlled
device. I wanted to control a robot that could be steered and seen from
at least eye height.”
In a video demonstration of the drone posted on the blog, Bublitz,
explained that he had developed the code using the Face app which was
earlier unveiled during an event in Portland.
“The app can send sensor information, the data needed to fly the
drone that is usually sent to the device using a joystick or remote
control ,to a web server which then rebroadcasts it. This new broadcast
can then be picked up and used by the Google Glass headset,” said the
developer.
The developed further adds in his video that even though the pitch
and roll movements were incorporated, the rotation option could also be
brought in. The A and B button on the Google Glass controls the landing
and takeoff of the drone.
So you and your college buddies went for a road-trip together. And
this being the gadget age, all of you had your own smartphones/digi-cams
and DSLRs to click pictures with. Now, the best way to share these
images is uploading them on Facebook and tagging everyone. However, what
if you could have just one album where you could compile pictures
clicked by everyone instead of having multiple albums on each profile?
Shared albums sound pretty cool, don’t they?
Facebook has done just that with their latest albums feature.
Introducing shared albums definitely makes it easier for users on
Facebook to collaborate and add images from different sources and people
in one place.
So far, Facebook users could upload their
pictures only in their own albums or post images to a friend’s
wall/comments. In order to share pictures, users could either tag
friends/pages or use the special URL appearing below the album/image to
share it with non-friends or the public. Shared albums iron out those
issues as multiple friends on Facebook can create and add photos to just
one album.
The contributors can add, edit and view images in the shared album.
However, the visibility can be adjusted only by the album creator and
not the contributors. You might want to decide on privacy settings
before creating a shared album.
There are mainly three privacy settings provided by Facebook for shared albums:
- Contributors Only: Only contributors and people tagged in images can see the photos
- Friends of Contributors: Contributors, people tagged and the friends of people tagged can view the images
- Public: The shared album can be viewed by anyone on Facebook
Facebook also posts a disclaimer below the shared album sharing pointers
stating: Keep in mind that when you tag someone, that photo will be
shared with the person tagged and their friends. This means that if you
haven't already included their friends in the audience, their friends
will now be able to see it. For example, if you tag Jane in a photo
shared with your friends, the audience expands to Friends (+) to include
your friends and Jane's.
Contributors can not just add or edit
photos but even add other contributors to the album. So the network of
people in your shared album keeps expanding. Users can add a maximum of
50 contributors to a shared album. The creator of the album can add or
delete photos/contributors but an individual contributor cannot delete
other contributor’s images from the album. Also, if a contributor is
deleted, his/her images continue to be a part of the album till those
are individually deleted too. A contributor can still access his own
pictures added even after he is deleted from the album. He cannot modify
them, though he can delete his picture.
The feature will definitely simply the sharing process and will come as a boon for events and journey enthusiasts!
It
has by now become a well known fact that the Japanese auto maker giant
Toyota plans to lift the wraps off the all new 2014 Toyota Corolla on
June 6 and recently released a set of teaser images of the next gen
Corolla.
It may be noted that the Corolla has
been among the most successful brands to have ever come from Toyota and
until recently, used to be the undisputed leader in its segment of US
car market. This makes the upcoming new gen Corolla even a more
important car for Toyota.
As can be seen in the above teaser image, the new 2014 Corolla will
sport an aggressive looking set of LED headlamps, which are far more
stylish than what various speculative renderings depicted them to be
like.
As expected, the car will also get a new set of 17-inch alloy wheels
that sport twin-spoke design. It may be noted that the India spec
Corolla comes equipped with “not-so-stylish” 15-inch alloy wheels.
Another hightlight of the new Corolla will be a new touch screen audio
system which could very well provide social networking and news reports
options!
The new car is being expected to come
with a softer exterior styling with design cues taken from the Corolla
Furia Concept. Regulars here would remember that we reported in detail
when Toyota gave us a glimpse of the next gen Corolla by coming out with
the Furia Concept.
The new 2014 Toyota Corolla could be
powered by a 1.8-liter four-pot petrol engine with VVT-i tech. The motor
would come mated to a new CVT ‘box. The India spec car, however, would
get a six speed manual transmission. The diesel variant is expected to
continue being powered by the current engine.
We so want the new Corolla to be fun to
drive and come to us soon after its public debut. Stay tuned to
Motoroids for more updates on the upcoming 2014 Toyota Corolla sedan.
Govt is proposing to set up manufacturing plants for the tablet in India too.
The
Government of India is now contemplating to bring a new version of
Aakash tablet, which would probably named as Aakash 4, according to
media reports.
According to Indian Express, the Department of Information Technology
has written to the Department of Science & Technology asking
whether the Aakash tablet project could be routed through them.
Reports also added that the Union HRD
minister, Kapil Sibal has also written to the Prime Minister proposing a
manufacturing unit for the new version of the Aakash tablet in view of
the problems faced by the first Aakash tablet manufactured by Datawind.
"The draft of the specifications has been prepared, formally it has
to be placed before a committee... We are waiting for a suitable date to
do that," Department of Electronics and IT (DEITy) Secretary J
Satyanarayana was quoted as saying by PTI.
"We should not add so many features so that the cost will go beyond," he further added.
It is to be noted that the Datawind has so far launched three
versions of Aakas tablet, meant for students. All the three tablets are
being sold in the market under the brand name of UbiSlate (UbiSlate 7Ci,
UbiSlate7C+ etc). However, all the tablets were hammered by the experts
and users alike for poor quality. The problem was further compounded by
issues of non-supply by Datawind. Moreover, many Indian and Chinese
brands have recently launched their tablets in the market at around the
same priced as the Aakash tablet but with better specification.
Hence, the upcoming tablet is most likely to have some decent
features but considering the fact that it is meant for students, the
tablet would definitely have ordinary features as indicated by J
Satyanarayana.
New launches outshone older models in May even though overall car sales remained subdued.
Strong sales of new launches like the Renault Duster, Honda Amaze and
the Chevrolet Enjoy helped push volumes of the manufacturer concerned
for the month.
But wholesale dispatches of most manufacturers were in the negative
zone, including those of market leader Maruti Suzuki, which logged a 13%
decline in the domestic market at 77,821 units.
Maruti saw sales decline in almost every segment, including its
top-selling Swift and the DZire, which saw degrowth of 29.4% and 2.5%,
respectively. Its utility vehicle (UV) segment saw a degrowth of 44%,
though the mini segment, mainly comprising petrol cars, saw a growth of
5%.
Domestic sales for Hyundai Motor India, the second-largest carmaker, were up a mere 0.3%.
Incremental sales for some manufacturers came from new launches.
Honda Cars India sold 6,036 units of the Amaze, while its overall sales grew 9.8% as it sold 11,342 units during the month.
General Motors India saw sales grow 40%, backed by the launch of its
new multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) the Chevrolet Enjoy. The company sold
2,177 units of the Enjoy.
“We were able to register the 40% growth only because of the good
response to our newly launched vehicles Sail and Enjoy. Economic
activities have almost come to a standstill and the market remains
completely depressed due to negative sentiments and other structural
bottlenecks. There is no showroom traffic and the enquiry levels have
bottomed out despite innovative marketing schemes,” said P Balendran,
vice-president, GM India.
Similarly, the Duster, a compact sport utility vehicle, helped Renault
India maintain healthy volumes with sales of 5,146 units (up from 482
units a year ago), out of the overall 6,300 units it sold in May.
For Mahindra & Mahindra, the passenger vehicles segment registered a growth of 5% in May.
Sales of Toyota Kirloskar Motor declined 35%.
Tata Motors sold 45% fewer cars at 11,134 units. Two-wheeler sales,
too, were in the slow lane. Sales of TVS Motor were down nearly 8% at
1,40,046 units. However, Yamaha India logged a 30% growth in sales,
while for Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India, the growth was just 3%.
BlackBerry Q10 landing on Verizon June 6 | Smartphones - CNET Reviews
Not to be outdone byT-Mobile, Verizon sets June 6 as the launch date for theBlackBerry Q10. Priced at $199.99, the long-anticipated device features a superbly crafted physical keyboard plus the latestBlackBerry 10software.
Verizon is now takingpreordersfor the Q10 and expects to stock its store shelves with the phone by June 6. This development will no doubt come as welcome news for the BlackBerry faithful. Many in this camp are zealously addicted to typing on real keys and poo-poo messaging via touch screen.
And what a keyboard theBlackBerry Q10sports. Based on the legendary keyboard that graced the BlackBerry Bold, the Q10 offers the same expertly chiseled keys but now 30 percent larger. I found that it makes a big difference, resulting in the best phone-based QWERTY typing experience available.
The eagerly awaited Mercedes-Benz A-Class was launched at a glittering ceremony in Mumbai on May 30, 2013. Looking at the car, Mercedes-Benz India certainly seems to have provided what it promised, that is a car to showcase the ‘Pulse of the New Generation.’ There has been an overwhelming response on digital media such as Facebook and Twitter prior to the launch of this car. It has already been certified as a global success, as it has received more than 90,000 bookings within months of the launch.
Mercedes-Benz A-Class Launched at 21.93 lakh
Continuing with its product offensive for the year 2013, the A-Class embodies all the parameters that make Mercedes-Benz a world class luxury car brand. The eye-catching, youthful and aggressive design on the outside appears to herald a new breed of luxury hatchbacks for the Indian market. Most progressive design elements of this vehicle are its sporty emotive exterior and premium interiors. The new vehicle is available with service packages such as Star Ease and Star Care that are well known for setting high standards in the luxury segment.
The A-Class has best-in-class sporty interiors that can be witnessed in a hatchback. Sports seats appear to be F1 inspired. Sitting inside gives the actual feel of driving a sports car. Premium Artico leather has been used for the upholstery. Design of the cockpit appears to be inspired by the SLS AMG roadsters. With chrome vents at five different places on the dashboard, this certainly looks like a car built specifically for young and vibrant target customers. For entertainment and guidance purposes, a trailblazing infotainment system has been installed, which comes with a central 14.7 cm colour screen. This system is compatible with USB, AUX-in, Bluetooth, MP3/WMA/AAC, CDs and with the iPhone. In addition, the 341 litre boot space, though not exceptionally large, does well to carry luggage and equipment.
Speaking at the launch, this is what Eberhard Kern, Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Mercedes-Benz India had to say, “With the new A-Class Mercedes-Benz now pioneers the compact luxury segment in India which reflects the changing customer trend of compact being equated to cool and trendy. The A-Class embodies the changing preference of the youth in today’s social milieu who increasingly prefer compact luxury.
The A-Class is also the safest cars with 11 drive assistance systems; and is India’s most fuel efficient luxury car with 1000 km run in a full tank of diesel, having a Cd of 0.27. The A-Class boasts of endless equipment options including a world-class in-car infotainment system. We are confident that the dynamic design and class leading performance is sure to make the A-Class the choice of the new generation.” He also added, “The young India today desires compact luxury; the A-Class addresses this need in the mobility area. The overwhelming response of the A-Class on the social media even before its launch reaffirms that the A-Class will carve a niche for itself in the luxury automotive domain in India. 2013 is the year of offensive for Mercedes-Benz India and the A-Class’ launch reiterates our promise of bringing the most fascinating cars for our valued customers in India.”
Mercedes-Benz A-Class
Cutting-edge technology in the new Mercedes-Benz A-Class makes it far superior to any of its contemporaries. Both petrol and diesel engines are mated to an advanced 7G-DCT 7 speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, which helps the vehicle accelerate rapidly. ECO start/stop function allows the vehicle to provide a high fuel economy. On a full tank of diesel, the car can easily complete 1000 km, making it the most fuel efficient luxury vehicle in the country. In fact, efficiency is also enhanced by the Direct Injection technology used in the engines.
Mercedes-Benz A-Class is available in both petrol and diesel variants. While the petrol is known as A 180 Sport, the diesel model is called A 180 CDI Style. The A 180 Sports gets an efficient 1.6 litre, 4 cylinder petrol engine and a 2.2 litre, 4-cylinder diesel engine. In addition, the design of the vehicle ensures a low drag coefficient of 0.27.
Mercedes-Benz A-Class
Safety has always been a high priority for Mercedes-Benz, which can also be noticed in the new A-Class. It comes with Electronic Stability Program (ESP), Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) and Acceleration Skid Control (ASR), which maximise control in case of emergency braking situations. For optimum grip on difficult surfaces, electric parking brake Brake Assist System, Attention Assist and Hill Start Assist have also been provided. Injury in an accident can be minimised due to availability of 7 airbags. Due to the above features, the new A-Class can be regarded as one of the safest cars in India.
Mercedes-Benz A-Class has already received several awards for its remarkable new design. It won the Red Dot Design Award 2013, one of the world’s most renowned awards for unique design and product concept. The vehicle was also referred to as “Germany’s Most Beautiful Car” at the 2012 Auto Bild Design Award. Apart from this, the A-Class was also awarded as the Yellow Angel 2013 by Europe’s largest automobile club.
Users need to be completely worry-free after purchasing this vehicle, as it comes with service products like Star Ease and Star Care. Special Pricing for A-Class spare parts has been made available and these parts are less expensive than other vehicles of Mercedes-Benz India. Shared architecture on the vehicle results in optimized labour costs which is passed onto the customers thereby enhancing the overall ownership cost. In addition, the vehicle gets extended warranty for the 4th year, which is available at less than 1 per cent of its cost. While the A 180 CDI Style can be purchased at an introductory price of Rs. 21,93,500 ex-showroom Mumbai, the A 180 Sport is available at an introductory price of Rs. 22,73,500 (both prices ex-showroom Mumbai). With this, it certainly seems that luxury in India has a new name.
New Delhi:For the first time in decades, a three-box car overtook India’s largest selling Maruti Alto in a month.
Maruti SuzukiIndia today reported dispatches of 17,265 units for Swift Dzire, the notchback version of Swift, in May which is higher than combined dispatches of Swift, Estilo and Ritz and higher than even standalone dispatches of the Alto.
So what led to consumer frenzy on the Dzire? The launch of Honda Amaze, which competes head on with the Dzire, spurred sales in this entry sedan category. Honda Siel Cars India has not yet declared its May sales numbers but the full year sales target of the Amaze is 50,000 units.
Even though year on year Maruti’s dispatches of Dzire were lower by 2.5% (it had dispatched 17,707 units in May last year), it was the single largest selling car in the country at a time when the passenger car market continues to be in doldrums.
Overall though, Dzire sales did not help much since Maruti’s total domestic dispatches were down 13% to 77,821 units against 89478 units in the same month in 2012. And the biggest culprit of this decline is Swift hatchback, where sales nosedived. The diesel and petrol variants of Swift, both fell out of favour with buyers and combined sales of Swift, Estilo and Ritz fell almost 30% or fell by a third year on year to 17,147 units against 24,290 units in May last year.
Though Maruti has been denying any company discounts on the Swfit, perhaps this is the right time to buy the popular hatchback because dealers are sure to offer discounts on the Swift now.
Combined sales of the M800, Alto and A-Star were up 5.1% to 31,427 units (29,895 units).
Even on the export front, Maruti fared poorly since exports declined over 27% to just 6,856 units (9,406 units).
But Hyundai Motor India, the country’s largest exporter of passenger cars, managed to generate growth of almost 5% in exports at 24,754 units (23,659 units). The company said strong demand from non-European markets helped boos the overall export number.
Its domestic sales were flat though, at 32,102 units (32,010 units). Senior VP, Sales and Marketing, Rakesh Srivastava said the company is improving operational efficiencies and conducting aggressive marketing campaigns in today’s challenging times.
An administrative law judge at the ITC had said in a preliminary ruling in September that Apple was innocent of violating the patents.
WASHINGTON: The U.S.International TradeCommission, which hears many patent fights, on Friday extended its deadline for ruling on whetherAppleInc infringes patents owned bySamsung ElectronicsCo Ltd in making theiPod Touch,iPhoneand iPad.
The ITC had said it would make a decision on Friday but delayed it until Tuesday, June 4. It gave no reason for the extension.
An administrative law judge at the ITC had said in a preliminary ruling in September that Apple was innocent of violating the patents. The next step is for the full commission to weigh in.
Apple has waged an international patent war since 2010 as it battles Google Inc'sAndroidmobile-device operating system. The fight has embroiled Samsung,HTC Corpand others that use Android.
Samsung is the world's largest smartphone maker, while Apple is in third place, according to the research company Gartner. Many experts consider Samsung's Galaxy touchscreen tablets the main rival to theiPad, although they are currently a distant second to Apple's devices.
The case at the International Trade Commission is No. 337-794.
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