Tata Aria Roadster

 Tata showcased in the year 2000 the concept of an exceedingly good looking roadster - a two seater coupe convertible - called the Tata Aria. The then Ms. World Yukta Mookhey, along with the Tata Group Chairman Ratan Tata did the honour of unveiling the Aria to the international press. Built on the same platform as the Tata Indica, The Tata Aria, proposed to be powered by a 140 hp engine

Tata Pixel

 The Tata Pixel's ability to manoeuvre and park in the tightest of spaces is made possible by its Zero Turn toroidal traction-drive Infinitely Variable Transmission (IVT), which assists rotation of the outer rear wheel forwards and the inner rear wheel backwards, while the front wheels turn at acute angles. The result is a turning circle radius of just 2.6 metres. The 'scissor' doors rotate upwards from the front to allow 

Tata Megapixel

Combining a lithium ion phosphate battery and an on-board petrol engine generator for recharging on the move, the Tata Megapixel offers a range of up to 900 km (with a single tank of fuel), path-breaking CO2 emission of just 22 gm / km and fuel economy of 100 km / litre (under battery only power). The at-home charging system is an as innovative induction charging system. The car has simply to be parked over the induction pad for charging to begin.

Mahindra REVA’s Green Manufacturing

Mahindra Reva Electric Vehicles Pvt. Ltd. inaugurated its first platinum rated automobile manufacturing facility in Bangalore. Take a tour of the world–class, energy efficient, green manufacturing facility to discover how Anand Mahindra’s vision to co-create and shape the “future of mobility” is being materialized here. Mahindra expects to start the sales of  Reva by Diwali this year.

Intex AQUA 4.0 Dual SIM Android phone launched for Rs. 5490

 Intex has launched AQUA 4.0, their first Android Smartphone with Dual SIM support. It comes with a 3.5-inch (480x320 pixels) and is powered by 800 MHz processor. It runs on Android 2.3 (Gingerbread). It has a 3MP rear camera and a front-facing 0.3MP camera and includes, Gravity, Light and Proximity sensors that are not usually present on a budget Android phone. It is aimed at urban and semi-urban students and young professionals. Intex AQUA 4.0 Specifications 3.5-inch (480x320 pixels) capacitive touch screen display Android 2.3.5 (Gingerbread) Dual SIM (GSM + GSM) 3MP rear camera and a front-facing 0.3MP camera FM Radio with recording 512MB internal memory (131 MB user memory), 32GB expandable memory with microSD 3G (HSDPA: 7.2 Mbps, HSUPA 5.76 Mbps), WiFi, Bluetooth 3.0 with A2DP 1400 mAh battery that offers up to 3h talk time and standby up to 140 hours. It has English and Hindi language support and comes with range of features such as sound recorder, push email. mobile tracker, traffic monitor and apps such as Flipkart, Facebook, India Rail, Nimbuzz, Skype and more. The Intex AQUA 4.0 comes in black and white colors and is priced at Rs. 5490. It is available from over 15,000 plus distributors and reseller outlets and is available at 70 INTEX ...

AT&T Denies Rumor of Company-Wide Vacation Blackout at End of September

 

Yesterday, TechCrunch reported that AT&T had issued a vacation blackout between September 21-30. Reports suggested that the blackout dates were likely due to the new iPhone. Coincidentally, these rumored black out dates were similar to Verizon's blackout dates. Now, 9to5Mac reports that AT&T has denied hat a company-wide blackout is in effect for that time period. The reason for this denial remains to be unknown. However, reports from store staff do suggest that may be increasing its staff during that time. This morning, an AT&T spokesperson told us that there is no company-wide vacation blackout at the end of September. We’ve also talked to AT&T reps at other stores who’ve implied that, depending on staffing levels of that particular store, more people are being put on duty – but there is no “blackout”. In fact one New York employee will be sitting out the first week of the iPhone launch on a long planned vacation. Apple is expected to reveal the next-generation iPhone on September 12th, but the actual launch date for the next-generation iPhone remains unclear. Rumor has it that the next-generation will be made available on September 21st in the US.

Carved Wooden Case for iPhone

With the thousands of cases out there for the iPhone, it can be exceptionally hard to find one which sets yours apart while imparting a bit of protection. We’ve used a wide variety of protective cases and bumpers in the past but nothing has really stood out like the Carved Case. Lets take a better look at this wooden case for the iPhone. Handmade and completely natural, the Carved Case is custom laser engraved allowing users to get practically any image etched on the wooden panels. The packaging itself shows the level of attention that the company pays by graphically showing the virtues of the product. Very cool. Inside the package are the front and back engraved panels. The case we received was one of the popular world map variants. The panels are attached to the phone via an adhesive. It’s a cinch to attach the case to the phone and does not require any special instructions. Just remove the protective paper and stick it on the iPhone. As the adhesive is completely removable, it should not leave any marks on the phone on removal. Once attached, the Carved Case gives the all glass iPhone a very classy wood finish which not only looks good but ...

LG's Vu Ships in Europe With Quad-core Processor

LG Electronics' Note competitor Optimus Vu has been equipped with a quad-core processor for its arrival in Europe, Middle East and Latin America, the company said on Monday.

For the global roll-out, the Optimus Vu will be powered by Nvidia's Tegra 3 mobile processor, which is already used in products such as LG's own Optimus 4X HD and the HTC One X.

The CPU uses four cores to tackle high-performance tasks such as games and HD video playback, and a more frugal processor core that is used for simpler tasks such as calls, emails and music playback to increase battery life, LG said.

The first iteration, which was announced in February, had a dual-core processor. Unlike that version the new one is a 3G smartphone and can't connect to LTE networks.

Since its March debut in South Korea, the Optimus Vu has sold over 500,000 units, which LG sees as sign that the public, at least in that part of the world, has accepted the form factor. The original version is also available in Japan.

The new version still has a 5-inch display with a 4:3 aspect ration and a 1024-by-768 pixels. The operating system is Android 4.0, also known as Ice Cream Sandwich, and there is 32GB of storage.

LG isn't the only company to upgrade the spec of a product that was showed at Mobile World Congress. Samsung Electronics swapped a dual-core processor for a quad-core one on the Galaxy Note 10.1, which was recently released.

Samsung Galaxy Note II teaser released

Samsung has released a video on its YouTube page which indicates that the upcoming Samsung Unpacked event will see the launch of a new device with a stylus. All fingers point at the Galaxy Note II, the second edition of the popular Galaxy Note phablet (phone+tablet). The first generation device is also compatible with a stylus, which can be used to write or draw on the touchscreen. The video shows Wim Wenders, the director of Wings of Desire, across various landscapes, whereas the text in the clip says 'small and light'. This clip shows the stylus to be used in the upcoming device in glimpses, while it ends with an image of the logo of the Samsung Unpacked event, to be held in Berlin on August 29, 2012. Previously, a leaked image of the front panel of the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Note II has surfaced online. The image, provided to GSMArena.com by an anonymous tipster, shows that the design theme of the upcoming phablet (phone+tablet) is quite similar to that of the Samsung Galaxy S III. The look is characterised by curved edges and a standard single hardware button flanked by a haptic key on either side. The Galaxy Note II is expected to be launched within the next few weeks, most likely during the Samsung Unpacked event on August 29, 2012. In its post, GSMarena itself said that the authenticity of the image could not be verified by the tipster either, which casts some shadows over its credibility. However, rumours say that the design of the second generation Galaxy Note will be heavily inspired by Galaxy S III, thus gaining some credence to the image. The post said that the tipster also provided data about the specifications of the yet-to-be-launched Note II. In line with speculations, these include a 5.5-inch SuperAMOLED touchscreen with regular RGB matrix. The tipster also informed GSMArena that the device was subjected for Full HD videos, but that put pressure on the battery of the device, and is likely to be shelved. Another speculation reinforced by the post was the inclusion of a 1.5GHz Exynos 4 quad-core processor and 8MP rear camera. Samsung Galaxy Note is likely to be launched with Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich), since the Jelly Bean update for the same is still under development, the post stated.

world's first Android camera !

Nikon launches the world's first Android camera ! Its wi-fi connection will load photo-editing apps from Google Play and also upload pics and videos to social networks. Cool, right?

MTS India unveils 3 Android CDMA smartphones

Telecom Lead India: MTS India has introduced three latest Android-based smartphones to expand its CDMA smartphone portfolio.

These three smartphone named MTS MTag 351, MTS MTag 352 and MTS MTag 281 are priced in the range of Rs. 5499 to Rs 7499.

The MTS smartphone range run on Android 2.3 Gingerbread and come bundled with "˜Unlimited' data plans.

Recently, the company introduced MTS MTag 401 for its voice customers in India.

Speaking on the launch, Leonid Musatov, chief marketing & sales officer at MTS India, said that MTS MTag 351, MTS MTag 352 and MTS MTag 281 are powered by best in class Qualcomm Snapdragon S1 Processor, running on Android 2.3 Gingerbread platform and come bundled with unlimited "All You Can Use" High Speed Data plans and local MTS to MTS Calls.

MTS MTag 351 features 8.89cms (3.5") 320X480 (HVGA) pixel display with capacitive touch. The smartphone is powered by 800 MHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S1 Processor and comes with a 1300 mAh battery.

MTag351 features a dual camera with flash (3.0 megapixel back and VGA Front) and will be available for Rs 7499.

MTS MTag 352 has the same features of MTag 351, however, it comes with a large 1400 mAh battery and priced at Rs 6499.

 MTS MTag 281 is the cheapest smartphone with a price of Rs 5499. MTag 281 features 7.11 Cm (2.8") 240X320 (QVGA) pixel display and comes with a 1200 mAh battery.

All three Smartphones come with pre-embedded MTS TV application allowing its users on the move access to Live TV with more than 100 channels.

‘Invisible bike helmet’ that keeps hair intact and head safe

Washington: Two Swedish women have invented a bicycle helmet that remains invisible unless you need the headgear which is designed to inflate in a fraction of a second.

The Hovding has been invented by Anna Haupt and Terese Alstin to solve the issues we all have with helmets like giving bad hair. The Hovding looks like a collar at first, worn around the neck. Inside it is an air bag, similar to the ones in your car.

The helmet also has a “black box”, similar to ones on airplanes, to record the movements of the cyclist, and recognise the acceleration and angular velocity during an accident. “It became mandatory for children to wear a helmet in Sweden and many people didn’t use them,” ABC News quoted Haupt as saying.

“We wanted to see if there was a way to change today’s helmets and wanted people to wear them by free will, not by law.

“We found out people wanted something that was almost invisible that didn’t destroy their hair or annoy them, something with the possibility to change the looks of the helmet like they can with mobile phone shells and wigs,” she said.

According to the company’s website, shaped like a hood, the air bag is triggered when sensors – a combination of accelerometers and gyroscopes, pick up “abnormal movements of a bicyclist in an accident”.

The air bag can inflate and surround your head in 0.1 seconds. A small gas inflator fills it with helium. It needs to be powered on for which there is a power button and when it’s on, LEDs light up to tell you how much electricity you have to work the inflator.

There is also a sound to tell you it is powered on in case you cannot see it around your neck. That means you also have to charge the invisible helmet. It uses a microUSB port and the company says a charge lasts about a month during normal use.

The data is stored in the Hovding so the company can then see what sort of accident it was. As with any wearable gadget, the women put effort into the design.

It is obviously more invisible than current helmets, and there’s an added bit to make it blend in even more. The collar has a removable liner so you can change it to match your shirt.

India gets its costliest SUV Evade

Toronto-based Conquest Vehicles Inc has launched Evade, the company's first unarmoured SUV in India. With prices starting from Rs. 8.5 crores including duties, it is India's costliest.

The new body style, design and aesthetic of Evade includes new headlights and tail lights sleekly wrapping

around the sides of the vehicle, narrower fender flares, a redesigned grille, hood scoop, the addition of a third tandem sunroof and a wider backdoor to accommodate Evade’s 

wider body frame to allow for exit/entry of executive security though the rear of the vehicle.

The car's luxurious interior cabin space will provide over 400 cubic feet and will carefully blend military inspired design cues with elegant and rich finishes.

“We wanted Evade to set a new standard for our company in terms of pushing the boundaries from engineering to design to incorporating new user experiences without compromising the integrity of some of the key highlight design features offered by our armored Knight XV. The result speaks for itself in terms of the final product and we couldn't be happier,” said William Maizlin, president, Conquest Vehicles.

The vehicle is offered in 4x4, and is available with either a gasoline or diesel engine. Evade will also come equipped with FLIR night vision camera systems in the front and rear of the vehicle.

Dell Inspiron 14R (New) a budget laptop to woo youths

With a new design, rounded corners and changeable lids, Dell's new Insprion 14R has made an attempt to communicate that budget laptops can also be stylish.

The new series starting at roughly Rs.35,000, the full-function laptop has features like Windows 7 Home Basic, a tray-loading DVD drive and full-size keyboard.

According to reports, the new product from Dell has a much better keyboard with rounded keys and better tactility, better screens and a pleasing design.

It may be noted that Dell is heavily banking on its affordable range to cement its popularity among youth. Besides being affordable, the Inspiron 14R is on the heavier side at 2.29 kg.

The keypad reportedly is well spaced out for a 14-inch laptop and has enough travel to keep one interested.

The laptop's real standout feature would be its sound, which gets a real boost from Waves MaxxAudio 3 processing. The device also has modes for movie, music and gaming with distinct audio output.

The 14R, which is available with Intel's second and third-generation iCore processors, reportedly has good processing power.

The new laptop also has Dell Stage dock that lets a user keep the desktop clean by giving one-click access to programmes and folders. 

BMW unveils C evolution electric scooter

With 11 kW continuous output and 35 kW peak output, the "C evolution" has a powerful motor and provides a high level of riding fun. The top speed is electronically limited to 120 km/h. The scooter supremely handles motorway riding and overtaking - even with a passenger. It is also capable of effortless hill starts on steep slopes with a pillion passenger. In terms of acceleration from 0 to 60 km/h, it comfortably holds its own against current maxi scooters a capacity of 600 cc or more.

Apple, Samsung CEO talks fail yet again

San Jose, California: The chief executives of Apple Inc and Samsung Electronics Co Ltd have talked but did not settle the high stakes patent dispute between the two electronics companies, a Samsung attorney said in court on Monday.

US District Judge Lucy Koh had requested that the two talk on the phone at least once more before the jury begins deliberating this week.

Apple and Samsung are going toe-to-toe in a patents dispute that mirrors the struggle for industry supremacy between the two rivals that control more than half of worldwide smartphone sales.

Apple accuses Samsung of copying the design and some features of its iPad and iPhone, and is asking for a sales ban in addition to monetary damages. South Korea’s Samsung, which is trying to expand in the United States, says Apple infringed several patents, including some for its key wireless technology.

Top executives from both companies had participated in mediation with a US magistrate judge before trial, but Koh asked them to explore settlement once again.

“I see risks here for both sides,” Koh said last week.

Closing arguments are scheduled for Tuesday. In court on Monday, Samsung attorney Kevin Johnson told Koh nothing had come from the talk.

“We will see you tomorrow,” Johnson said.

The case in US District Court, Northern District of California, is Apple Inc v Samsung Electronics Co Ltd et al, No. 11-1846.

Google simplifies public transit information

If you have a smartphone, you no longer need to worry about finding out information on public transit in any major city across the globe.

Last week, Google announced that it had crossed the one- million mark in public transit stop information available through its Maps application. The million transit stops are spread across 500 major cities presented in an easy-to-understand format. The Indian cities on the list are Bangalore, Chennai, New Delhi, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai and Pune.

Simple to use

In an update on its official Google blog, dated August 15, Christopher Van Der Westhuizen, Software Engineer, Google Maps, said the latest iteration of the Android app from Google Maps (version 6.10) simplified transit information, allowing users to pick their preferred mode of transit. This feature will be useful in cities that have multiple modes of transit available, and thus multiple layers of data embedded on Maps.

Comprehensive list

“Since 2005, we’ve collaborated with hundreds of transit authorities around the world to make a comprehensive resource for millions of riders to find out which bus, train, subway or tram can take them to their next destination,” Westhuizen wrote. “We’ve made some changes to the Transit Lines layer, so that you can select a specific mode of public transportation [train, bus, tram or subway] to display on the mobile map, hiding the other modes. This is helpful in areas where there is a tight concentration of several types of public transit.”

The public transit information available for Chennai, for example, includes data from the Chennai MRTS, Southern Railway and Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC).

For New Delhi, the list includes the Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System, DMRC, Northern Railway, Delhi Metro Rail and the Delhi Transport Corporation.

Quite naturally, the accuracy of the data depends on the transit authority more than the information provided by the Maps application.

Signages

The update to Google Maps is particularly useful in cities where visitors are at odds reading signages in local languages and have difficulty in getting around places. The Google Maps application for Android mobile devices can be downloaded free from Google Play. It requires data connectivity.

Micromax A90 Superfone Pixel launched for Rs. 12990

Micromax has launched the A90 Superfone Pixel, as we reported earlier this week. It has 4.3-inch Super AMOLED display, Dual SIM support, 8MP camera with LED flash,  0.3MP front-facing camera. It is powered by 1GHz dual-core processor and runs on Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich). It also comes with AISHA - Personal voice assistant. Micromax A90 Superfone Pixel specifications 4.3-inch (800 x 480 pixels) Super AMOLED 262k true color display Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) OS 1GHz dual-core processor Dual SIM (GSM + GSM) with Dual Standby 8MP camera with flash, 0.3MP front-facing camera 512MB RAM, 32GB expandable memory with micro SD 3G, Bluetooth 2.1, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, GPS, Micro USB 3.5mm audio jack, FM Radio 1600 mAh battery with up to 5 hours Talk time and up to 174 hours Standby The Micromax A90 Superfone Pixel is priced at Rs. 12990. It would be available across all leading retail outlets in India. [Update: The Micromax A90 Superfone Pixel is now available from nCarry

Micromax A100 Superfone Canvas launched for Rs. 9999

Micromax has launched the A100 Superfone Canvas with Dual SIM support. It has 5-inch capacitive touch screen display, powered by  1 GHz processor and runs on Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) OS. It has 5MP camera with LED flash, 0.3 MP front-facing Camera. Micromax A100 Superfone Pixel specifications 5-inch (480 x 854 pixels) TFT capacitive touch screen display. Dual SIM (GSM + GSM) with Dual Standby Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) OS 1 GHz dual-core processor 5MP camera with flash, 0.3 MP front-facing Camera 512MB RAM, 4GB internal memory, 32GB expandable memory with MicroSD 3G, Bluetooth 3.0, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, GPS 3.5mm audio jack, FM Radio 2000 mAh battery with up to 5 hours Talk time and up to 180 hours Standby The Micromax A100 Superfone Canvas is priced at Rs. 9999. It would be available across all leading retail outlets in India. [Update: The Micromax A100 Superfone Canvas is now available from nCarry

Micromax Funbook officially launched for Rs. 9999

Micromax has officially launched the Funbook Pro that went on sale last month. It has 10.1-inch (1024 x 600 pixels) display and is powered by 1.2 GHz Cortex A8 processor. It has 0.3MP VGA front-facing camera and 3G support via Tata Docomo Photon+ Dongle. In addition to their previous partners Everonn, Pearson and Vinti, they have now partnered with McGraw Hill for interactive study materials for students from class 1 to 12 that is  available for purchase on micro SD cards separately. Micromax Funbook Pro specifications 10.1-inch (1024 x 600 pixels) capacitive touch screen display Android 4.0.3 (Ice Cream Sandwich) OS 1.2 GHz Cortex A8 processor with Dual Mali 2D/3D Graphics processor. 0.3MP VGA front-facing camera 1GB RAM, 8GB internal memory that is expandable up to 32GB with micro SD HD video playback (MPEG2/4, AVI, WMV, MOV) 3G (via USB Dongle), WiFi b/g, USB 2.0, HDMI out 5600 mAh battery that offers up to 5h browsing time It also comes with Live TV app that lets you watch 48 TV channels and comes bundled with Tata Photon+ that offers 1GB additional data for the first 2 months. The Micromax Funbook Pro comes in Slate Grey color and is available from nCarry for Rs. 9999. It would be available from retail stores across ...

64GB Black Samsung Galaxy S III Hitting UK in October

While Samsung has only released the Pebble Blue and Marble White variants of the Samsung Galaxy S III so far, the Black version is expected to come out in October according to Clove. No pricing has been revealed yet for the device and as a result, you cannot pre-order it as of now. But it is expected to git the stores sometime in October in the 64GB variant. This would be the 4th colour variant for the Galaxy S III but it will be available unlocked unlike the Red colour variant that is exclusive to AT&T so far. 64GB internal memory would also mean you have a total storage space of 128GB if you couple it with a 64GB microSD card. source

Tata Docomo offers 2GB free data per month and Double talk time with HTC Desire VC

 HTC, in partnership with Tata Docomo launched the Desire VC, Dual SIM (GSM + CDMA) phone earlier this month. Now Tata Docomo has announced details about the double talk time and free data offers for the phone. They offer 2GB free data per month for 1 year and double talk time (Rs.398) for 3 billing cycles for post-paid users with the new Diet 199 plan. New Pre-paid users would get Double Talk time on select recharges for 180 days and 1 GB of free data per month for 6 months. Existing users get 1 GB of free data per month for 6 months. You need activate the offer by sending Offer <space> IMEI / MEID number to 52111 from the Tata Docomo number. The HTC Desire VC has 4-inch (480 x 800 pixels) capacitive touch screen display, 1 GHz single-core processor. It runs on Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) with HTC Sense 4.0 UI. It has GPRS on GSM and 3G 3.1 Mbps EVDO Rev.A on CDMA and 1650 mAh battery. It is priced at Rs 21,999 and available across India. The offer is available for Tata Docomo CDMA customers across the country except in J&K from August 7th till October 31st 2012.

Five ways Windows 8 overhauls the PC

In 2009, J.J. Abrams rebooted the fictional Star Trek chronology and franchise. In 2011, DC Comics did the same with its superheroes. But now Microsoft is about to reboot the very real Windows operating system, and it will forever change how we use computers.

Windows 8 is Microsoft's answer to the question of how to integrate mobile and desktop computing. For the most part, it succeeds, but it's an ambitious answer that will be best understood only when many people to stop thinking of desktop and mobile as discrete entities.

Touch will drive Windows 8's buzz, but it's so much more. The biggest change in Windows 8 is that it is designed for touch screens, but that doesn't mean that the keyboard and mouse are dead. In fact, to see that the opposite is true you have to look no further than the iPad. Apple's dominating and innovative tablet owns its market, but it drives a booming business in third-party keyboard solutions. 

Windows 8 kills chrome. No doubt that Internet Explorer 10 is the best version of that much-maligned browser so far, but we're not talking about Google Chrome competitors. Lowercase "chrome" refers to an app's interface, the static visual elements that anchor an app's features. Microsoft's default apps hide most of an app's chrome, and other app developers already are taking their cues from Redmond's guidelines and lead.

Basically, Windows 8 apps do a great job of getting out of the way of the content they're meant to show you. From one edge of the screen to the other, all you see is content because the chrome has been hidden under the four edges of the screen.

Windows' lessons from the edges go beyond app chrome. The steepest part of the Windows 8 learning curve will be figuring out which app and operating system controls are hidden under which edges. The rule of thumb is that the left and right edges belong to Windows 8, while the top and bottom edges belong to apps, although this isn't strictly true. 

Windows 8 kills your icons, too. For the entirety of its existence, the icon has been a static, stale program identifier. It's occasionally gotten little pop-up indicators, but basically it's been small and unchanging. Windows 8's tiles create a unique and innovative method to reveal real-time content on screen, without forcing you to dive into the world of the app. 

Windows 8 introduces the lapdesktabbooktop. Whatever you want to call it, Windows 8 makes desktop computing portable by unifying the operating system across devices. Not much is known about the coming shape, style, and price of Windows 8 hardware, but we've already seen some touch screen laptops (mostly at Computex) that come close to the thinness of a tablet.

GSM subscribers in India cross 679

The total number of GSM subscribers in the country in July has crossed 679 million with Bharti Airtal leading the pack by adding 1.5 million new subscribers. In June the number of GSM subscribers was 677.35 million.

Airtel is followed by Vodafone with addition of 1.2 million subscribers taking its total number of subscribers to 155 million, according to Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI).

Operators like Uninor and Videocon who lost their 2G spectrum licences following the Supreme Court’s verdict fared badly by losing substantial number of subscribers.

Uninor lost over one million subscribers to 44.49 million at the end of July 2012, while Videocon lost 0.41 million users, taking its subscriber base to 5.16 million.

Last month, the firm also said it was scaling down operations in four of its 13 active circles to ensure optimal fund utilization and to take part in the 2G auction from a stronger financial position.

Idea Cellular added 0.5 million users, taking its subscribers base to 118 million. Aircel added 0.3 million subscribers for a total of 65 million users.

State-owned telecom firms BSNL and MTNL whose subscriber base stood at 94.68 million and 5.22 million respectively failed to do well in July.

SSTL, which reports its numbers to CDMA body AUSPI, said it has added 0.16 million customers in July taking its total customer base to 16.76 million.

Angry Birds Seasons goes back to school

Angry Birds maker Rovio had teased the pink bird last week, and with Thursday's update to Angry Birds Seasons and Angry Birds Seasons HD, the latest addition to the Angry Birds family is finally here.

The version 2.5 update to Angry Birds Seasons and Angry Birds Seasons HD also brings 20 brand new schoolyard level, based on the "back to school" theme, just in time as students head back to the university.

Rovio has been releasing regular updates for all its games in the Angry Birds franchise. Just recently, the company announced an update for Angry Birds Space taking the war to the Red Planet. The update was announced on the occasion of the Curiosity rover's highly celebrated touch down on Mars.

Here are the release notes for Angry Birds Seasons and Angry Birds Seasons HD:

Pencils, apples, backpacks, playgrounds -- it's back to school time! But summer's not over yet: we've got some spectacular surprises in store! Brighten your day with 20 brand new schoolyard levels, new bonus levels, and a BRAND NEW BIRD.

Puzzle through TWENTY brand-new school levels!

Say hello to the UPLIFTING new bird! She's cute, pink, and bubbly -- but watch out, this girl is no pushover!

Groove to the new theme music in the fun new playground levels!

Angry Birds Seasons (for iPhone/ iPod Touch) is $0.99 and Angry Birds Seasons HD (for iPad) is available for $2.99 at the App Store.

7 Seas launches game on Android devices

HYDERABAD: 7Seas Entertainment Ltd (formerly 7 Seas Technologies Ltd) today said its game 'The Dark Man' has been made available for Android-based mobile devices.

The game is now available at Google's Android marketplace initially, and will be offered on Samsung App Store, LG Store, all other Android-supporting application stores and distributor networks in due course, a release from 7Seas said.

Maruti Sanker, Managing Director of 7Seas Entertainment Limited said the touch screen-genre game is priced at USD 0.99 per download.

The online game has been witnessing consistent popularity online, including social networking websites and has seen over 15 million game players so far since its launch a year ago, the release said.

"Android becoming the world's leading smartphone platform and garnering a 59 per cent smartphone market worldwide makes mobile games a much more reliable way to grow. To cash in on the popularity of the Android platform, we will launch more games for devices based on the Android platform," Shankar said.

Mobile Data Traffic Grows More Than 50%

NEW DELHI: Data from Nokia Siemens Networks, collected in its MBit Index, has revealed a 54% increase in mobile data traffic in India between December 2011 and June 2012. The MBit Index report aggregates primary data* – real traffic – across all the 2G (GSM and EDGE) and 3G multivendor networks managed by Nokia Siemens Networks for operators in India. The company currently provides 30% of the total 2G and 3G networks in India which provide services to about 300 million subscribers. This large sample size, amounting to a third of India’s 2G and 3G mobile networks, offers an excellent insight into data traffic across all networks in the country.

The report further reveals that data traffic generated by 3G services has increased by 78% while that of 2G services has increased by 47% during the same period. While 2G users across the country are consuming three-quarters of the total mobile data traffic, on average, 3G users consume four times more data than 2G users. At this pace, Nokia Siemens Networks expects India’s mobile data consumption to double by June 2013.

“Our report highlights India’s enormous appetite for consuming data services on the go and hence the need to provide high quality mobile broadband services to satisfy users,” said Sandeep Girotra, head of India region at Nokia Siemens Networks. “2G has been relatively successful in driving mobile broadband use in India, but we are now witnessing 3G pushing the mobile broadband use to unprecedented levels.”

Google Asked Samsung to Change Device Designs, E-Mails Show

oogle Inc. (GOOG) asked Samsung Electronics Co. (005930) to change the design of its phones and tablets to look less like Apple Inc.’s devices, according to e-mails shown to a jury today at a trial between Apple and Samsung.

Harold McElhinny, a lawyer representing Apple, asked Samsung designer Kim Jin Soo today if he recalled two e-mail exchanges in 2010 at Samsung about Google’s request. The e-mails were introduced as evidence in the third week of the multibillion-dollar intellectual-property trial in federal court in San Jose, California.

Kim, speaking through an interpreter, denied he was aware of Google’s request.

“Whether that is a fact or not, I cannot confirm that for you, and whether such statement was made, if it was the official position of Google, or by someone made” at a different level of the company, “I don’t know such things,” Kim said.

Samsung has used Google’s Android free operating system to build phones that propelled it to the number one spot in the phone market.

Apple sued Samsung in April 2011, accusing it of copying patented designs for mobile devices, and Samsung countersued. The case is the first to go before a federal jury in a battle being waged on four continents for dominance in a smartphone market valued by Bloomberg Industries at $219.1 billion. 

Windows 8 Available for Download to Developers, IT Pros

Microsoft has made the final bits of Windows 8 – along with its Visual Studio 2012 and .NET 4.5 tooling -- available to developers and IT Pros.

Microsoft has made the final version of Windows 8 available to developers and IT pros.

Developers and IT pros can download Windows 8 from the Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) and TechNet. The Release to Manufacturing (RTM) version of the new operating system is available via these channels for MSDN and TechNet subscribers, but general consumers will not be able to access the OS until October 26 when Microsoft makes the software generally available.

At that time, consumers will be able to get their hands on the very same bits that developers gained access to as of August 15. Microsoft initially released Windows 8 to manufacturing on August first, but the bits did not become available to the public until now.

Meanwhile, Microsoft said its Microsoft Software Assurance customers will be able to download the Windows 8 RTM bits on August 16, and Volume License customers without Software Assurance will gain access to the OS on September 1, the company said.

In addition, Microsoft launched the final version of its Windows Store on August 15. The software giant also released its primary Windows 8 developer tools – Visual Studio 2012 and .NET 4.5 – to developers on August 15. This move is to enable developers to begin building Windows 8 apps early so they can begin to populate the Windows Store with apps that will be available when Windows 8 ships at the end of October.

Microsoft also is making available a 90-day trial version of Windows 8 for developers. Of the evaluation edition, Microsoft said:

“This is intended for developers building Windows 8 apps and IT professionals interested in trying Windows 8 Enterprise on behalf of their organization. If you qualify under one of the following programs listed below, you may already have access to the final bits and do not need to download this 90-day evaluation.”

Jason Zander, Microsoft’s vice president of Visual Studio, said MSDN Subscribers can download Visual Studio 2012 immediately at the MSDN Subscriber Download Page, and volume licensing customers will be able to download starting August 16 from the Volume Licensing Service Center.

Developers also will be able to find Visual Studio the product in stores in the next month or so, as well as some availability to purchase through the Visual Studio product website in the next few days, Zander said. Moreover, to evaluate the free trial versions or download Microsoft’s free Express products, developers can go to the Visual Studio product website

“With Visual Studio 2012, we’re delivering a productive and powerful development experience, one that makes it easy to develop on your own or as part of a collaborative team, all the while building apps that target the latest platforms,” said S. “Soma” Somasegar, corporate vice president of Microsoft’s Developer Division, in a blog post. “The interesting question for every developer out there is - what app will you build today? We look forward to discussing it more with you during the Visual Studio 2012 Launch Event on September 12th.”

Microsoft Surface to cost just $199

It seems Microsoft has planned to take head on with Google's Nexus 7 by pricing its Surface for Windows RT at $199.

According to a report in technology blog Engadget, an anonymous tipster has informed them that Microsoft Surface for Windows RT is going to be available starting October 26 and will be priced just below $200. This new pricing information comes as a big surprise to everyone as earlier rumours have suggested a higher pricing.

Surface at $199 will certainly give the tablet and all new Windows 8 a much needed boost and help it get the ball rolling. This pricing is also important because Apple is expected to launch a cheaper and smaller version of iPad and despite wowing consumers at the time of Surface announcement, Microsoft will not want to compete with Apple using a product that is higher priced than iPad Mini or even iPad.

There are certain downsides too to this pricing, as it is further likely to anger OEMs as after the licensing and hardware costs, they won't be able to compete with Surface itself at $199, let along other tablets in the market. Acer has already pleaded with the company to drop the plans to launch Surface, but Microsoft is yet to announce otherwise.

Now, the question is, will the tablet be able to drive enough sales of application or other content that it will help the Redmond based company to make any profit or is it just a big gamble to show Windows 8 as a successful tablet platform.

BlackBerry 10 will soon be ready to license

Research In Motion will soon be ready to license its new BlackBerry 10 operating system to other manufacturers, according to a report on Monday.

The new platform is in the final stages of testing, and RIM is now considering how other companies may be able to use it in a range of products, Chief Executive Officer Thorsten Heins told Bloomberg News.

"QNX is already licensed across the automotive sector -- we could do that with BB10 if we chose to," Heins said in New York. "The platform can be licensed."

Waterloo, Ontario-based RIM, whose BlackBerry devices have lost ground to rivals like Apple's iPhone and a range of devices that run on Google's Android software, is set to launch its own line of devices that run on BB10 in the first quarter of 2013. 

Nokia World

Nokia World, the company's annual event where they usually announce at least one new major device, is due to kick off in exactly three weeks. This year it's going to take place in the country where Nokia was founded, Finland. Rumor has it that at this shindig we're going to see a few Windows Phone 8 devices. According to the image above, which was found on the Chinese website cnBeta, that's the front plate of one of those said devices. Pay attention to the Windows button in the center, it has the new Windows branding that's associated with Windows 8, meaning this leaked part might actually be legitimate. As for the dimensions of the screen opening, you're looking at about 4.3 inches diagonal. While there are certainly smartphones out on the market that have a 4.3 inch 720p display, take the Sony Xperia S for example, we think that the rounded design of this part indicates that it's meant for a mid range device. Forgetting about hardware for a second, what's going to make Windows Phone 8 special? Here's what's officially known: multicore support, 720p display support, and NFC support will be built-in to the new OS, along with an updated