Articles by "Tech"
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June 13, 2014
SamsungvsipadSamsung launched on Thursday perhaps the most direct competitor to the iPad we've seen yet. In fact, the new Samsung Galaxy Tab S comes in a larger and smaller size too, just like its Apple counterpart. Both versions of the iPad (the mini and the standard 9.7-inch size) have the same display resolution, processor and storage space as the other (just the size is different), while specs built into the 8.4-inch and 10.5-inch Galaxy Tab devices largely go hand-in-hand too.

See also: Nokia Lumia 1020: a 41-megapixel Windows Phone available on July 26th

But of course there are differences between what Samsung's offering compared to Apple, so we've stacked the details side by side for your easy-snacking pleasure. Check out the chart below.

 Samsung Galaxy Tab S iPad
Screen Sizes Two models: 8.4 inches; 10.5 inches Two models: 7.9 inches; 9.7 inches
Resolution 2,560 x 1,600 2,048 x 1,536
Dimensions 8.4 x 4.3 x 0.25 inches; 9.7 x 6.9 x 0.25 inches 7.87 x 5.3 x 0.29 inches; 9.5 x 7.31 x 0.37 inches
Weight 0.64 pounds (Wi-Fi)/0.66 (LTE); 1.02 pounds (Wifi)/1.03 pounds(LTE) 0.73 pounds (Wi-Fi)/0.75 pounds (LTE); 1.44 pounds (Wi-Fi), 1.46 pounds (LTE)
Mobile Operating System Android KitKat (4.4) iOS
Processor Samsung Exynos 5 Octa (1.9GHz quad-core ＋ 1.3GHz quad-core) or Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 2.3
GHz Quadcore (region dependent)		 Apple A7 chip with 64-bit architecture, M7 motion coprocessor
Battery Life Up to 11 hours Up to 10 hours
Storage Space 16, 32GB (with microSD up to 128GB) 16, 32, 64 or 128 GB
Camera 8MP w/ LED Flash + 2.1MP Full HD 1.2MP front, 5MP rear
Price Wi-Fi: $399.99; $499; LTE pricing not announced Wi-Fi: $399 16GB, $499 32GB, $599 64GB, $699 128GB; LTE: $529 16GB, $629 32GB, $729 64GB, $829, 128GB
LTE Option Yes, via AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile and Sprint Yes, via AT&T, Verizon, Sprint with Sprint Spark (10.5-inch only), T-Mobile (10.5-inch only)


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June 02, 2014 , , ,
Oh, how you've changed, Mark Zuckerberg.
Over the years, the head of Facebook has shaken up his site with various redesigns. Sometimes, it was little things, like being able to "Poke" people or displaying user activity on a "Mini-Feed." And sometimes, it was a big change, like the 2011 introduction of Timeline, which allowed users to post "Life Events" and add large cover photos.
What better way to reminisce on all of Facebook's changes than to look at Zuckerberg's own profile evolution?
See also: The Mark Zuckerberg Guide to Hoodie Fashion
Throughout it all, he's been a chameleon, tweaking and transforming his page to highlight any and all of Facebook's new features. Here's a walk down memory lane with the many faces of Mark Zuckerberg's profile.

  • 2005

    Zuck05
    Here's Zuck at a presentation in 2011. Part of his talk includes an image of his profile from 2005, which, wow, remember when it looked like that?
    Back then, it was still called "The Facebook" and had a wildly simple design.
    (Note the slight peek of a hoodie in his profile picture.)
    Image: Flickr, Niall Kennedy

  • 2007

    07zuck2
    He had 182 pics and you could see the changes he made to his profile. Note how the Facebook tools on the top right-hand side were all in lowercase letters, and there was a "Mini-Feed" where you could see user activity.
    It's also worth checking out what Zuckerberg's "Interests" were: Lots of Facebook, information flow, exponential growth, meditation, driving, writing and more.
    Image: Phys.org

  • December 2007

    07zuck
    Look at the scruffy hair and city landscape in that profile photo. The Mark of late '07 was so young and carefree.
    Image: SocialTNT

  • 2010

    2010zuck
    You could still "Poke" him and see a list of his family members.
    Image: Blue Note Technologies

  • 2011

    Zuck2011
    Here's Zuck presenting his profile during an event in 2011. Once the Timeline was introduced, Facebook's CEO graced his cover photo with various pictures of his dog, Beast. You could also "Subscribe" to his page.
    Image: Flickr, Niall Kennedy

  • 2012

    12zuck
    Back then, he described his job as head of Facebook: "Making the world more open and connected."
    Image: ProCon

  • 2012 - Life Event

    Marriagezuck
    When the Zuck married longtime girlfriend Priscilla Chan in 2012, he uploaded a sweet wedding photo of the pair. He also added the event to his Facebook timeline.
    Image: A New Domain http://anewdomain.net/2012/05/19/zuckerberg-marriage-post-ipo-priscilla-chan/

  • 2013

    Hacked
    In 2013, Zuckerberg's profile received more views than normal, thanks to a hacker named Khalil Shreateh. He allegedly found a flaw in Facebook's system and was able to post a status on the young billionaire's page to alert the social site about the bug.
    Image: Mashable

  • 2014

    Zuck
    First you were friends. Then you became a fan. Then you subscribed. Then you could "Follow" Zuckerberg's profile. From 2013 to 2014, he acquired about 10 million new followers, putting him at over 28 million total.
    There's no more relationship status, and he's only got one profile pic. The fun Timeline photos of Beast are now replaced with a map graphic "of all of the friendships formed on Facebook across the world," according to one of his comments.
    This is the Mark Zuckerberg of the present.
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June 02, 2014 , , ,
The search giant is planning to spend more than $1 billion and perhaps much as $3 billion on satellites that expand Internet access to more remote parts of the world, according to a new report in The Wall Street Journal.
Titan-aerospace.jpg
While specifics of Google's plan remain limited, The Journal reports that Google has a dedicated satellite team of 10 to 20 people and plans to kick off its endeavor by launching 180 low-altitude satellites.
Google did not immediately respond to our request for comment.
The company introduced Project Loon last year, which aims to bring Internet access to more difficult terrain through balloons. Google also acquired Titan Aerospace in April, which develops drones that could help with the Internet access and is rumored to be nearing an acquisition of Skybox Imaging, which provides high-resolution satellite imagery.
Facebook has also expressed interest in using drones and satellites to expand Internet access and was said to be looking to buy Titan Aerospace before Google snatched it up.
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May 15, 2014 , , , ,
he Xbox community was abuzz earlier this year when the team at Capy Games announced that they’d be bringing Super Time Force to the public. Not only bringing it digitally to the Xbox 360, but to the Xbox One as well, doing so through the ID@Xbox indy-publisher program. Here they’ve lived up to their hype, bringing a game that’s every bit as entertaining as the trailers and gameplay segments released earlier this year led us to believe it would be.
Super Time Force Review
The game Super Time Force is made of pixels. Pixels arranged in a way that will make you forget about the world of 1080p/60fps. Instead of pushing the envelope with realism, the crew at Capy have relaxed back into a visual environment in which they’re able to deliver an ideal aesthetic.
You get the impression in Super Time Force that the entire screen has been accounted for. This game is a glorious whirlwind of pixels jacked up in a way that makes us want to never stop playing.
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May 15, 2014 ,
VUDU adds movie sharing featureVudu, the movie service, has decided to bestow users with the ability to be generous with their movie library, something that has become more difficult and occasionally awkward with the transition to digital. On its blog today, the service announced the arrival of "Share My Movies". Share My Movies by Vudu is a new feature that allows the service's users to share their collection of movies and TV shows with their family and friends -- some of them, at least. Up to five people can be granted access to one's digital library of content. Obviously, those who want to take advantage of this need both a Vudu account and an UltraViolet Library, otherwise you won't be able to share your content with them. The library owner can send an invitation to their content to one of their friends, who will then be granted their own password and username to access it.
The person you share with will not have access to make purchases under your account, and can use a set-top device without it decreasing the main account holder's device limitation. Three simultaneous streams are supported, and no fees are association with using the feature.
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May 15, 2014 ,
Samsung to talk colorful tablets on June 12thSamsung will reveal its latest tablet on Thursday, June 12th, with the company sending out colorful invites for an NYC event. The event, dubbed Samsung Galaxy Premiere 2014, promises to "Tab Into Color", with a slim slate shown in a number of Android-esque primary colors and mixed tones. Unsurprisingly, Samsung isn't giving much else away on the invite, given it would like to keep the secret until mid-June. However, we've seen a number of leaks in recent weeks which could give a hint of what's on the agenda.Perhaps most l
ikely is the Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5, which leaked out in the wild with a 2560 x 1600 pixel display. It's Samsung's own chipset inside, too, the octa-core Exynos 5420.The tablet was later spotted crossing through the FCC earlier this week. In addition to a WiFi-only model, there's another version with 3G and LTE.We'll know for sure on June 12th, with festivities kicking off at 7pm EDT. Samsung will also be live-streaming the event.
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May 04, 2014 , , , , ,
Twitter is trialling a feature in its mobile apps that allows users to mute accounts that are becoming irritating.
Unlike the block function, which is designed to stop communications with an undesirable user completely, muting is intended to be temporary. It will mean users can block out people who, for example, live tweet football matches every weekend, or post about TV talent shows. Many third-party Twitter apps have offered a mute option for some time. According to technology news site The Verge, selected users running Twitter's Apple iOS and Google Android apps reported seeing the feature appear. The Verge described muting as a "stealth unfollow", ideal for ignoring work colleagues. 
Engagement worries
Twitter
The mute feature is being rolled out to some users
Twitter has not commented specifically on its plans for rolling out the mute feature.But in a blog post about "experimentation", the company explained: "You may see some features that your friend doesn't see, or vice-versa. This is all in service of making Twitter the best it can be. We appreciate your help in doing that, so thank you."The new feature has come at a time when Twitter is aiming to increase the amount of time existing users spend on the service.According to its latest financial results, published earlier this week, the first three months of 2014 saw timeline views increase by 15% to 157 billion. But the company's shares fell by 11% because of slow growth - over those three months, the site's user base increased by just 3.8%. Twitter also reported a net loss of $132m (£78m), but posted revenue of $250m, 90% of which came through advertising.
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May 04, 2014 , ,
Samsung has been ordered to pay $119.6m (£71m) to Apple by a US court for infringing two of its patents.
A jury in California delivered its verdict in a federal court in San Jose on Friday in the latest lawsuit involving the two tech giants.
iPhone with slide to unlock
The "slide to unlock" feature was one of
those under scrutiny
Apple had sought $2bn at the trial, accusing Samsung of violating patents on smartphone features.
The court also ruled that Apple infringed Samsung's patents and awarded $158,000 in damages.


Apple had sought $2.2bn after accusing Samsung of infringing five of its patents covering functions such as the "slide to unlock" from its devices.
Samsung denied any wrongdoing and sought $6m after arguing Apple had infringed two of its smartphone patents related to camera use and video transmission.
"Though this verdict is large by normal standards, it is hard to view this outcome as much of a victory for Apple,'' said Brian Love, a Santa Clara University law professor.
"This amount is less than 10% of the amount Apple requested and probably doesn't surpass by too much the amount Apple spent litigating this case.''
This verdict marks the latest legal battle over intellectual property between the world's top two smartphone makers.
Apple and Samsung have been fighting patent battles for years and across many countries.
Two years ago, a separate jury ordered Samsung to pay Apple $930m after finding it had used Apple technology.
That verdict is still being challenged by Samsung.
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May 04, 2014 , , ,
Behold! The new Keurig 2.0 machine.
I use a Keurig coffee machine at home because I'm lazy. And, quite frankly, don't feel like I've really done my duty to God and country until I've added a little something to the landfill.
"Here ya go, America. Have another K-Cup. Go Braves."
Though, to be fair, I do actually use 97% biodegradable French roast OneCups from San Francisco Bay, a brand of the Rogers Family Company out of Lincoln, California.
Mind you, I use these OneCups not so much for environmental reasons, but because the price is right and I quite like the taste.
"Apparently This Matters" Is Jarrett Bellini's weekly (and somewhat random) look at social-media trends.
So hold your praise. I'm still a delightfully lousy, wasteful human being.
However, my day-to-day brand of single-serve coffee may soon be a thing of the past, because this fall Keurig plans to launch a new system that will use DRM (Digital Rights Management) technology. It's fancy science, but ultimately it means unlicensed cups won't work with the new machines.
Kate Binette, senior public relations specialist from Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, the parent company of Keurig, couldn't tell me exactly how their new interactive technology would work -- and even if she did I'd probably have to take a 40-minute nap -- but I did get the basics.
"Each Keurig 2.0 brewer will have a camera that can 'read' a proprietary taggant material," Binette says, adding that it's similar to current anti-counterfeiting technology and will be "embedded on the lid of each Keurig brand pack."
So, essentially, our coffee is going bionic, and if your current pod doesn't have that taggant, it's no coffee for you!
This includes my OneCups from San Francisco Bay.
Which can only mean ...
Brace yourself. Litigation is coming.
Welcome to the Great Electronic Coffee War of 2014!
Tiago Barros: \Green Mountain argues that its new advancements in roasting and flavor extraction, as well as thermodynamics, have been expertly developed to ensure perfect consistency with each cup.
Therefore, Binette told me, "It is critical for performance and safety reasons that the system only brews Keurig brand packs."
Tiago Barros: "The sanctity of the K-Cup should be respected!"
And I didn't have to look far to find someone who agrees with that assessment.
My co-worker, Tiago, says he doesn't want somebody's inferior brand of K-Cup malfunctioning and screwing up his system, declaring from his desk three cubicles away, "The sanctity of the K-Cup should be respected!"
Mind you, I once said the exact same thing about Lean Pockets.
It was 2:30 a.m. I was outside. Not wearing pants. In the rain.
"The sanctity of the Lean Pocket should be respected!"
Other options: CNN has these fancy Flavia machines in New York. Here in Atlanta we drink from giant coffee urns that may or may not ever get cleaned. Looking back, that probably wasn't my finest moment.
Anyway, while Keurig says adding DRM is all about performance, Jon Rogers, founder and president of the Rogers Family Company (makers of my San Francisco Bay coffee) calls it "baloney."
He thinks it's all about money and keeping non-Green Mountain coffee out of your hands.
Other options: CNN has these fancy Flavia machines in New York. Here in Atlanta we drink from giant coffee urns that may or may not ever get cleaned.
By e-mail, he explained to me, "Prices would be higher to the consumer. Innovation would be stifled."
In February, another company, TreeHouse Foods Inc., even filed a lawsuit against Green Mountain. The Rogers Family Company is considering legal action as well.
Jon Rogers says, "If Green Mountain Coffee Roasters is allowed to introduce Keurig 2.0 with the feature that, in our opinion, is clearly in restraint of trade, the Keurig 2.0 monopoly would be reinstated as it was when Keurig 1.0 was the only brewer on the market."
Whatever happens, it'll be interesting to see this play out over the coming months.
But I do have to say that the new Keurigs are really sexy. Plus, in addition to brewing single cups, they'll also do full carafes.
So, never mind whose cup you choose (or are allowed) to brew.
Brace yourself. Multiple sprints to the bathroom are coming.
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May 04, 2014 , , , ,
I'm not a violent man. Short, self-doubting gingers tend not to be the fiercest of creatures.
But if you are sitting next to me on a plane I will absolutely fight you for the armrest.
\Mind you, when I say "fight," I mean "create a mental checklist of things I would do to you in the event that I suddenly ceased to be a short, self-doubting ginger."
So, you're safe.
"Apparently This Matters" Is Jarrett Bellini's weekly (and somewhat random) look at social-media trends.
Sadly, when it comes to hand-to-hand combat, my signature move is silent resignation. Thus, when it comes to armrests, I resort to strategy and the early boarding benefits bestowed upon me by virtue of having an airline credit card.
Don't scoff at early boarding. I'd sooner give up my pants than Zone 1.
Truthfully, though, you can just have my pants.
Of course, there are a number of other great reasons for boarding early -- the big one being that I'm able to quickly secure my bag in an overhead compartment before they all fill up with the four-wheeled shipping containers some of you now feel qualify as a small personal item.
But it's definitely also about getting seated and into the ready position.
Which is to say: Body wide. Muscles clenched. Armrests secured.
"Claimed!"
Nothing greedy. Just simply taking what's rightfully mine in accordance with the rules.
And there are rules.
In Season One (episode four) of the brilliant TV series "Legit," comedian Jim Jefferies perfectly details these rules from his middle seat as he battles another passenger for the right to be mildly more comfortable.
"You don't know plane etiquette," Jefferies shouts to the man sitting to his left. "Window gets an armrest and a wall. Middle gets two armrests. Aisle gets an armrest and a little bit of extra leg. We're not animals! We live in a society!"
So, those are the rules. Not that any of you are going to follow them.
Fortunately, however, there's a new armrest design that may settle the matter once and for all.
Behold! Doube-deck geometry. Interesting, but methinks they\'re still going to murder each other.It's called the Paperclip Armrest, and throughout the week it seemed to be popping up all over the Web and social media. Apparently armrest inequality is quite the hot-button issue, so it struck a nerve with anyone who's ever had a boarding pass that included the letter B or E.
The Hong Kong-based team at Paperclip Design claim their innovation solves the "perennial problem of fighting for elbow room in high-density seating" by using "double-deck geometry."
The basic idea is this:
Paperclip's armrest extends out as normal but then, at the end, it curls up several inches and fishhooks back for several more, making use of the "vertical space" to create a second deck.
Behold! Doube-deck geometry. Interesting, but methinks they're still going to murder each other.
So, one person gets the lower. And one person takes the upper.
Sadly, this does not qualify you for the Mile High Club.
All that said, I still think the design has a critical flaw.
You see, while the person using the upper deck is mostly getting support for his or her forearm, the person using the lower deck gets to position the entirety of his or her elbow directly on the rest.
And that's important. Comfort starts in the elbow.
Later, in the same scene from that episode of "Legit," the man arguing with Jim Jefferies eventually says, "I am only taking the back of the armrest. You can have all the rest."
Jefferies drives home the importance of the elbow by replying, "You take the back, you take the whole damn thing."
So, the Paperclip Armrest might not be a perfect design -- I'm certainly not convinced -- but it does seem to be a start.
However, until we finally sort it out, we're just going to have to obey the rules and force them upon those who act like animals.
Which is to say: Body wide. Muscles clenched. Armrests secured.
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May 03, 2014 , ,
Doug Henwood’s cover story for The Nation this week concerns the cyber-currency known as bitcoin. Bitcoin gets taken seriously by many people who should know better. Take, for instance, this inane propaganda video about bitcoin on Vox. The film, which is narrated by Ezra Klein, and was written by Klein and Tim Lee, disses the boring, old-fashioned regulation that credit cards are subject to — I mean, who wants that, right? By contrast, bitcoin is compared to “the internet in the 1980s” and touted because it enables people “to do cool things without any central authority being able to tell you no.” Yes, that’s a verbatim quote. The accompanying explainer cards are less ridiculously boosterish than the video, but they’re not good journalism, either.
By contrast, Henwood’s piece is learned, politically astute, and fun to read. It touches on everything from the economist’s definition of money to meet-ups of libertarian bitcoin enthusiasts to the insights of a Marxist-feminist professional dominatrix named Mistress Magpie. He makes a lot of interesting points, but I will draw your attention to some of the most important ones.
Henwood notes that some on the left are fans of bitcoin. However, the cyber-currency’s greatest proponents are libertarians. Bitcoin gives them a thrill up their leg because it is unregulated. No doubt some of them dream of using it to avoid taxes. And of course, whenever the right and money are in close proximity to one another, the straight-up cons and frauds can never be far behind:
The US government seized funds from Mt. Gox, then the largest Bitcoin exchange, in May 2013, and just this past February, Mt. Gox collapsed from an undetermined mix of theft, fraud and mismanagement, leaving hundreds of millions of dollars in losses in its wake. There have been many other reports of thefts, frauds and hackings, which Bitcoin partisans dismiss as mere growing pains. But with no regulator, no deposit insurance and no central bank, this sort of thing is inevitable—it’s just tough luck. Introduce regulators and insurance schemes, though, and Bitcoin will lose all its anarcho-charm.
It’s not just the dream of easy money that attracts many on the right to bitcoin. There’s also an ideological project behind bitcoin and competing money systems. Writes Henwood:
There’s a limit on how many bitcoins can be produced, and it gets more difficult to produce them over time until that limit is reached. [snip] … in a Bitcoin economy, creating money to ease an economic depression would be impossible.
Henwood notes that the dream of a competitive currency is an old one on the right:
Competitive currencies that would end the state’s monopoly over money have long been a dream of the right. In a 1976 paper, Friedrich Hayek argued for allowing multiple currencies to circulate within individual countries; competition would lead to the use of the soundest—meaning most austerity-friendly—currency and put a check on the attempts by governments to inflate their way out of trouble. That would mean no fiscal or monetary stimulus in an economic crisis—just let things run their purgative course. In this view, the New Deal lengthened the Great Depression; had the bloodletting continued after Roosevelt’s inauguration, things would have righted themselves sooner or later. And we should have done the same in 2008 and 2009. Cryptocurrencies would be an advance over the idea of competitive currencies—improvised money systems that could challenge the state monopoly itself.
There’s a catch-22 inherent in bitcoin and other cyber-currencies, in that it’s hard to see how they could become established without becoming more regulated. And yet, as Henwood, notes, if they were regulated, “it’s impossible to imagine that states would tolerate” them for long. The main takeaway here appears to be that unregulated currencies provide enterprising con artists unusually promising opportunities for fraud. Unless you enjoy losing money you’d be safer storing your hard-earned cash under your mattress.
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May 03, 2014 , , , ,
Foursquare to split into two appsFoursquare, Dennis Crowley's location-based mobile app, is breaking apart its core business into two separate mobile products: a social check-in app Swarm, and a venue-discovery app, Foursquare.

Swarm is taking on all of Foursquare's current social features, such as check-ins and friends' whereabouts. It will be launching in the upcoming weeks. Crowley describes it as a "social heatmap" to The Verge that shows where you and your friends are without always having to actively check-in. The new app uses a number of signals from your phone, from GPS to the numbers of bars, to more accurately guess where a user is, and it can reveal which neighborhood you're currently in to friends. It sounds like Swarm might also have a messaging or "broadcast" component, to let you meet up with friends nearby more easily.

The remaining Foursquare app will focus on the "Explore" feature and make Crowley's company much closer to a full-on Yelp competitor. "Explore," is a way to search for things to do and places to visit based on check-in data. It doesn't sound like the app will keep its check-in button.

Foursquare began rebuilding its app and working on Swarm in late 2013. It noticed that users were either using Foursquare to find cool new places or to check-in, but most people weren't doing both at the same time.

"Our company has always been about helping you keep up and meet up with their friends, and discover great places," the company writes in a blog post. "Our two new, unbundled apps are designed to do that for everyone. Swarm is for people who want the fastest and easiest way to connect with their friends. Foursquare is for explorers who want to know about the best spots, and to share what they've found with others."

Foursquare has raised more than $120 million. It has tens of millions of users who have produced more than 5 billion check-ins.
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May 03, 2014 , , , ,
A younger workforce and increasing penetration of technology is expected to drive adoption of cloud services at small and medium enterprises, a report has said.

Indian SMEs are expected to increase cloud adoption at a CAGR of 20% by 2016, the report by EY and Assocham said.

Cloud adoption among SMEs to grow at 20%: Report
The last few years have seen SMEs recognising technology as a key business driver, but adoption is still low compared to other countries with large SME setups, the report said.

"SMEs will play a leading role in the adoption of social, mobile, analytics, and cloud (SMAC) in India, given the huge opportunity it opens up, not only to grow revenues by increased marketing to new customers, but also by bringing in operational efficiency and customer experience," it added.

SMEs account for 45% of India's total manufacturing output and employ around 40% of its workforce. The sector's contribution to India's GDP is expected to increase to 22% in 2020 from 17% in 2011.

"Indian SMEs are expected to increase cloud adoption at a CAGR of 20% between 2012 and 2016. The demand for cloud services by SMEs is particularly high in the areas of disaster recovery, remote database management and e-mail hosting," the report said.

Factors like emergence of young middle class in India, penetration of technology and growth of social networks offer an attractive opportunity for SMEs to break traditional barriers and engage stakeholders across communities in a targeted manner.

"Indian SMEs finds themselves in a unique position to exploit these forces (SMAC). Intelligently and cohesively exploited these technologies will transform the way they compete with their larger competitors," EY Partner and Leader (IT Advisory Services) Samiron Ghoshal said.
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May 03, 2014 , , , ,
As promised, Nokia is launching the Android-powered Nokia XL smartphone in the Indian market, later this month. The phone sports a 5-inch display and is powered by a 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 dual-core processor with 768MB of RAM. The phone offers the same software experience as offered by the Nokia X but is essentially targeted at users who want a bigger display.

We got an opportunity to spend some time with the phone at a media event hosted by the company. Here's what we think of the Nokia XL:

Nokia XL looks like the enlarged version of the Nokia X. The phone features the same rectangular design and a polycarbonate colourful shell, which feels a bit chunky (it weighs 190gram). Having said that, the phone feels very solid to hold, and we did not observe any squeaks or wobbles despite the phone sporting a removable back cover.



The front of the phone sports a 5-inch WVGA LCD display (480 X 800p, 187ppi). The pixel density is lower than that of the Nokia X due to the phone's larger display but the phone's user interface, which majorly consists of tiles similar to Windows Phone, masks it and we didn't notice pixilation. Viewing angles were good but we were not able to take the phone under the sun so it's difficult to comment on the sunlight legibility. Overall, the display looks decent to look at. An Asha-like capacitive button with the arrow label sits below the display.



The right edge of the phone features the volume rocker and Power/ Screen lock keys that also sport the same colour as the phone. The micro-USB port is placed at the bottom edge, while the 3.5mm headset jack sits at the top.

The back of the phone features a matte finish and looks good. It sports a 5MP camera lens and an LED flash, located just above lens. The speaker outlet is also located at the back, towards the bottom. We're happy that Nokia has equipped the phone with an LED flash to help users take pictures in low-light conditions.

The body shell is removable and hides a battery compartment that houses a 2,000mAh removable battery, two slots for sim cards (micro-sim) and a microSD card slot.

Nokia XL is powered by a 1GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor and 768MB RAM. It comes with 4GB internal storage that can be expanded up to 32GB via microSD card.

The phone runs a highly customized version of Android (based on Android Open Source Project 4.1.2) that has been stripped of Google services and apps including the Play Store. Nokia has bundled a number of apps with the phone including BBM, Facebook, Twitter, Skype, and Opera. The phone doesn't include the Google Play store but instead offers Nokia Store for downloading apps. Third-party Android app stores can also be installed and used.



As with Nokia X, the phone's interface is very different from regular Android phones and borrows some features from Asha platform and Windows Phone. The UI is split into Fastlane and a tile-based launcher. The Fastlane aggregates notifications, open and frequently used apps, and personalizes these as per the user's preference. The other screen, accessible by swiping left or right, includes tiles (some of them being live tiles) that are similar to the Windows Phone start screen. Some of the tiles can even be resized. However, unlike Windows Phone there's no app list, and as you install apps the phone keeps on adding tiles to the same launcher.

There's a pull-down tray similar to Android and Asha phones that only houses toggles for phone settings. The UI may take some time getting used to, however, it helps Nokia in differentiating the user experience from other Android phones.

Nokia X comes with Nokia's own app store, HERE Drive and Maps for location service, and Nokia MixRadio music service. Nokia is also offering 10GB free space on Microsoft's OneDrive cloud storage service.

In our brief use, we did not encounter any issues while navigating through the Fastlane and the app launcher screens and there was no lag while launching apps. We found the experience better than the Nokia X. Having said that, we'll need to spend more time with the phone to comment on its multitasking abilities. Given the modest specifications, we don't expect the phone to run high-end graphics rich Android games.

We found that the phone's 2MP front camera takes decent quality selfies even in indoor lighting. We didn't really expect the phone's rear camera to take great shots given the phone's price but it is definitely better than the one on the Nokia X. It fits the bill when it comes to taking pictures that one can share on social networks, but we did observe some shutter lag. We'll have more in our review.

Nokia has not announced the price of the phone, yet but we expect it to be priced in the range of Rs 10,000 to Rs 11,500. At this price, the phone appears to offer a good experience complete with a rich ecosystem of apps and services, and a utilitarian yet sturdy form factor. We'll have a detailed review of the smartphone for you soon.
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May 03, 2014 , , , ,
Acer launches 3G variant of Iconia W4 at Rs 29,999 Acer India has announced the 3G-enabled variant of Iconia W4 tablet in India, the first country to get this device. The tablet is available for pre-order via Acer India's Facebook page on May 1 and 2 and will hit retail stores and e-commerce websites on May 3.

The new variant of Iconia W4, this device is compatible with 3G networks, unlike the original model.

Iconia W4 has an 8-inch IPS screen with 1280x800p resolution and Zero Air Gap technology. It runs on Windows 8.1 operating system and comes with Microsoft Office Home and Student editions preloaded for free. It packs an Intel Atom quad-core processor under the hood and sports a 2MP front camera and 5MP rear camera.

The new Iconia W4 variant comes with 64GB internal storage and can support microSD cards with up to 128GB capacity. It offers web browsing of up to 10 hours and video playback of up to 8 hours on one charge.
READ ALSO — Review: Acer Iconia W4
Acer India, whose fan base recently touched 1 million on Facebook, is giving special offers to those who pre-book the new Iconia W4 tablet. On May 1 and 2, the first 200 new fans on Acer India's Facebook page will be given free cover worth Rs 2,999 for the tablet.

Rajendran, chief marketing officer, Acer India, said, "Expanding our tablet portfolio, we are extremely pleased to introduce the 3G variant of the ICONIA W4 tablet. 3G capability means three times more productivity and entertainment, and the ICONIA W4 3G packs even more power to this incredibly popular device."

"The tablet is a fully powered, pocket-sized office, and will comprehensively address the consumer requirements for mobile productivity and immersive entertainment," commented Harish Kohli, managing director, Acer India.
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May 03, 2014 , , ,
Saudi citizens can now petition 90-year-old King Abdullah directly and lodge complaints through an Internet site set up at the initiative of the monarch himself.

The portal tawasol.royalcourt.gov.sa, named after the Arabic word for communication, was launched on an experimental basis on Wednesday.

Saudi citizens get internet hotline to the king
All messages are to be forwarded to the king. "People will be able to inform the king about any shortcomings in the services offered by government agencies, and to take suitable action for the benefit of all citizens," the website says.

More and more Saudis in the ultra-conservative Muslim state are turning to social networking sites to demand improved living conditions.

However, the authorities, who block access to politically sensitive or pornographic websites, made several arrests in March for tweets deemed offensive to the king.

Saudi Arabia is an absolute monarchy where protests are banned.

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