Tag: latest

App Of The Week: Pac-Man 256 Comes With The Best Glitch Ever

From the makers who brought you ‘Crossy Road’ comes another fun, addictive, and nostalgia-driven game – Pac-Man 256. Hipster Whale has developed what you may call an update of the original Pac-Man, including its ‘glitches’. Yes, you read it correctly. The game builds on the famous Pac-Man glitch that appeared once the player made it to level 256. In that glitch, the player was met with half-a-screen of scrambled alphanumeric characters and an endless, unbeatable level due to limitations in the game’s coding. Pac-Man 256 uses that bug and makes it the enemy of the game.

The new Pac-Man is very much like the original. There are ghosts chasing after you while you escape them and eat up the dots and fruits in your way. But players are also navigating endlessly upwards to escape the ‘Glitch’, which starts eating away at the bottom of the board. If the ‘Glitch’ catches up to you, or you get eaten by a ghost, you will die and need to use a credit to play again. Credits are earned via in-app purchases. You didn’t think it was that easy, did you?

We had mentioned the addictiveness of ‘Crossy Road’ and the new Pac-Man follows the trend. It will bring back memories of the original, and will remind you of that ever crazy glitch, if you were one of the great souls who made it to level 256. If you thought the original Pac-Man was a great way to kill time, then the new one will surely take up your whole day. We suggest you either play ‘Crossy Road’ or ‘Pac-Man 256’ but not both at once.

If you find yourself with some spare time head over to Apple Store, Google Play, or Amazon Appstore to download Pac-Man 256.

September 12, 2015
Here’s How You Can Stream Recorded TV Content to Your Smartphone

‘Tata Sky+ Transfer’ set top box (STB) is the newest feature added to Tata Sky’s inventory of technological innovations. The first of its kind in Asia for DTH, this feature enables audiences to transfer recorded content from their set-top box to mobile phones and tablets, allowing them to watch it in the offline mode any time they want.

Adding to the already existing features of the Tata Sky+ HD (Personal Video Recorder) STB, the Tata Sky+ Transfer STB enables transfer of recorded content to a device over wi-fi for subscribers with iOS (iPhones, iPads) and Android mobile devices through the revamped Tata Sky mobile app.

Harit Nagpal, MD & CEO, Tata Sky, explains their new venture and says, “The launch of the Tata Sky Transfer STB comes at a time when 75 percent of Indian audiences accessing the internet on their mobile devices are aged between 19 to 35 years and increasingly seek new content. Tata Sky+ Transfer is hence the innovative answer for consumers who want to keep in touch with their favorite content round the clock, anywhere, essentially without using up broadband data.”

Tata Sky+ Transfer subscribers will be able to avail the ‘Transfer’ pack free of cost by simply clicking on the ‘Transfer’ tab on the Tata Sky mobile App. Available nationally, the ‘Tata Sky+ Transfer’ box is offered at Rs. 9300 and all existing subscribers can upgrade it for a fee of Rs. 7890.

September 3, 2015
IFA Berlin ’15: What to Expect

IFA Berlin, originally a radio exhibition, has now become a red-letter event in the tech world. One of the oldest industrial exhibitions, it is a consumer electronics trade fair which holds a record of 2.4 billion euro of placed orders.

What you can expect from the event is a myriad of smart-phones, smart-watches, tablets and laptops up for display for potential customers and the international media. About 7000 journalists from over 75 countries have attended and covered this event in the past. IFA has previously been the launch platform of various fancy gadgets, Samsung Galaxy Note series being an example.

The first week of September thus marks Europe’s biggest exhibition of new consumer electronics, and therefore the most perfectly prepared market for the gizmo connoisseur. With all eyes glued on one of the most important events of the tech calendar, here’s a quick look at the many ways we can expect our minds to be blown away over the course of the next three days.

Samsung

Starting with a consistent flag-bearer of the event – the brand is expected to launch its new smart-watch, the Gear S2 at the event. Although Samsung has already revealed most of the details about its upcoming smartwatch, the company promised to give a more in-depth presentation at IFA.

Asus

Closely followed by Samsung is Asus’s ZenWatch2 whose price and release date is likely to be announced at the event. The company has promised “dramatically improved” features which include better recharging times with a magnetic connector. Knowing its track record, it is highly unlikely Asus would make an appearance with only one gadget. Hold tight for more updates on what Asus have to offer this year.

Motorola

Motorola is in toe of these major brands with its launch of the 2nd generation of Moto 360, another gizmo falling in the smartwatch category. This one will be available in two different sizes.

Sony

Sony has been fairly quiet about its presence in IFA this year, however it won’t be wrong to expect a slice from its growing range of wearable devices and an expanding set of 4K cameras and TVs. Sony is also expected to release its Xperia Z5, Z5 Compact, and Z5 Premium at the IFA Berlin event today.

Click here to read more about the upcoming Sony smartphones.

LG

The stage is set for the LG Rolly portable keyboard. This full-sized QWERTY keyboard for smartphones and tablets rolls up into a stick and therefore is convenient to carry around. Backed by a AAA battery, it is bluetooth enabled and is expected to last three months before running out of power. It would be interesting to note the response to this little gadget –if it’s worth the hoopla or will it be too fancy for any practical purpose. LG has declared September as the tentative time when it will be available for sale in the US.

Huawei

If rumours are to be believed, Huawei is expected to bring into action its own version of Force Touch technology, present in the Apple watch and speculated to be part of the next iPhone. Apple has described Force Touch as the “most significant new sensing capability” for it included Multi?Touch in older MacBook laptops. A Force Touch includes the usual gestures like scrolling and swiping along with a customisable feature in the trackpad called Force Touch. The users can adjust the feature’s sensitivity enabling them to determine the pressure required to determine a click.

Additionally, updates on the price and release date of the Android Wear-running Huawei Watch are also expected to be announced this IFA.

Lenovo

The company has kept its plans carefully and deliberately under wraps this year. However the air is rife with rumours of a 5.5-inch Vibe P1 Android handset that would perhaps be coupled with a 5,000mAh battery.

Microsoft

If Intel manages to market its Skylake range quickly enough, there is much to look forward to in terms of the Wintel combination. Intel’s Kirk Skaugen has already said, “Windows 10 and Skylake processors were ‘designed together.” Today at IFA, the entire Skylake range is going to be released, covering perhaps the broadest range of devices in the company’s history. With Windows 10 now out, PC makers everywhere should expect all sorts of new things and updates since the processor and Windows updates have already lined up quite conveniently for some big news this year.

There are a whole bunch of other brands to watch out for. Not being mentioned separately does not reduce their importance and contribution at IFA ’15. If we would have it the Arthur C. Clarke way when he said, “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic”, it’s time to sit back and let the magic begin!

September 2, 2015
YouTube Will Now Allow Live Streaming For All Verified Channels

YouTube is no doubt one of the most visited website on the internet today. The company announced the Live Streaming feature last year itself but it was not available to everyone by then. YouTube claims to have seen creators across music, gaming, sports and more categories using the power of live videos and creating an amazing experience for their audiences.

Now, Google wants the rest of the world to take advantage of Live Streaming. YouTube will now soon allow all verified accounts and accounts with good standings to use the Live Streaming feature. You can check if you have access to this feature by visiting the account feature page or simply by checking if it is available on the video manager. Users can also launch Google+ Hangouts directly on YouTube streaming live.

The Live Stream feature might bring in a flood of videos as it gets available to everyone. For now, YouTube says this should be available in next few weeks.

December 13, 2013
Microsoft Launches ‘Anti-Google’ Cups, T-shirts and More

Microsoft’s anti-Google campaign ‘Scroogled’ is started a few months ago, when in February Microsoft pointed a finger at Google for not respecting users privacy. It seems that Microsoft wants more revenge pie, as the ‘Scroogled’ campaign is back with a bang.

Microsoft has assigned a whole section of latest merchandise on its anti-Google campaign. The products, which range from caps to T-shirts to mugs, most of them saying Google is collecting personal data on its users. The prices vary, but for $7.99 you can buy a mug that has a moniker “keep calm while we steal your data.” This is a bold approach from Microsoft and another direct and odd attack at Google.

The description of the Anti-Google mug on the Scroogled section of Microsoft’s website said:

Put 15-ounces of your favorite beverage into this stoneware mug to let the world know that even though Google is trying to make money on almost every aspect of your digital life, you’re still calm. And fully caffeinated.

Most products include the logo for Chrome, Google’s popular web browser. Check out the gallery below and for more information on the product you can check out the source. Do not forget to tell us what is your take on this move from Microsoft ?

[Microsoft]

November 21, 2013
Internet Explorer 11 Now Officially Available on Windows 7

Internet Explorer 11 was already available on Windows 7 as a Release Preview, however, today the latest version of internet explorer is official is available for download.

Starting today, you can download the final make of internet explorer 11 which brings some security and performance improvements, along with some features like Pre-fetch and Pre-render for faster load times. It seems Microsoft wants to improve its web browser which is generally ignored by masses. Overall, the browser seems to have improved with this update and works faster than any previous version of of explorer, only if you have used one lately. You might want to update your internet explorer, click the source to download the latest version.

[Microsoft]

November 8, 2013
YouTube Gets New Comment System Powered By Google+
YouTube has got a major change, this time its the comments section that has got the change. The new system takes help from Google+ and will highlight the comments you would like too see, that is from your known ones out there.

In the month of September YouTube said that it would change the comment system, and now its already active and most of you might have witnessed it by now. Back in September, YouTube revealed its plan to overhaul comments on the video site with the helping hand of Google+. Now, that new system has gone live.

Here’s more detail about the new YouTube comments powered by Google+:
- Comments you care about move to the top: You’ll see posts at the top of the list from the video’s creator, popular personalities, engaged discussions about the video, and people in your Google+ Circles. You can still see the most recent comments by switching from “Top Comments” to “Newest First.”
- Join the conversation publicly or privately: You can choose to start a conversation so that it is seen by everyone, only people in your Circles, or just your bestie. Like Gmail, replies are threaded so you can easily follow conversations.
- Easily moderate comments: If you also post videos on your channel, you’ll have new tools to review comments before they’re posted, block certain words or save time by auto-approving comments from certain fans.
[youtube url=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVGp8Z8Yb28″]
November 7, 2013
Apple Hires CEO Of Burberry To Boost Up Retail Business

Apple today announced that Angela Ahrendts, CEO of Burberry, will be joining Apple in a newly created position, as a senior vice president and member of the executive team, reporting to CEO Tim Cook.

Angela Ahrendts, currently CEO of Burberry, has been recruited to fill a position that will be created especially for her when she switches allegiances next spring — as a senior VP responsible for the “strategic direction, expansion and operation” of Apple’s shopping experience. Ahrendts has already demonstrated that she can work with Apple, as Burberry helped to promote the launch of the iPhone 5s (shown above) as the show was recorded with the new iPhone.

Statement from Tim Cook:

I am thrilled that Angela will be joining our team,” said Tim Cook. “She shares our values and our focus on innovation, and she places the same strong emphasis as we do on the customer experience. She has shown herself to be an extraordinary leader throughout her career and has a proven track record.”

Statement from Angela Ahrendts:

I am profoundly honored to join Apple in this newly created position next year, and very much look forward to working with the global teams to further enrich the consumer experience on and offline,” said Ahrendts. “I have always admired the innovation and impact Apple products and services have on people’s lives and hope in some small way I can help contribute to the company’s continued success and leadership in changing the world.”

October 15, 2013
Xolo Play Tab 7.0 With Tegra 3 Launched at 12,999 INR

Xolo has finally launched its much awaited tab in the Indian market, the Xolo Play Tab 7.0, the device is priced at 12,999 INR. The availability of the device is still not confirmed.

The Xolo Play Tab 7.0 sports a 7 inch IPS display with a resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels(216ppi). The device is powered by a 1.2 GHz quad-core Nvidia Tegra 3 processor along with 1 GB of RAM and 8 GB of inbuilt storage. The Xolo Play Tab runs on Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and features a 2 MP front-facing camera, surprisingly there is not rear camera on the tablet.

The Xolo Play Tab 7.0 includes a 4000 mAh battery and Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and Micro-USB as connectivity options. The Xolo Play Tab 7.0 measures 194.6 x 122.6 x 10.6 mm and weighs 338 grams. The tablet does not offers calling facility. Xolo is also expected to launch the Xolo Play Tegra Note later this month.

October 12, 2013
Google Introduces The Most Addictive Doodle Ever

Google, the search engine giant, was founded in 1998 by Larry Page and Sergey Brin, students of Stanford University. Although the company was founded a few weeks earlier but September 27 is celebrated as its birthday.

Google has always been famous for some interactive doodles, today Google is celebrating its 15th birthday with yet another amazing doodle game.

Google has featured an addictive playful doodle which shows the popular Mexican birthday game pinata, it is a addictive game as you get some tries to make the highest score.

Did you try your hands-on it yet ?

September 27, 2013
Waterproof and Rugged Xcover 2 by Samsung announced with Jelly Bean

Samsung has announced what is going to be the most notable, rugged launch ahead of schedule in 2013, the Xcover 2. Along with a 1 GHz dual core processor, 4-inch WVGA display all on Android 4.1 with TouchWiz, the device also has a 5-megapixel camera with a dedicated camera shutter button.

The Xcover 2 also has GPS and GLONASS to cater to the explorer in you. The Xcover 2 will also pack a Cardio trainer Pro workout app along with a physical hand strap and mount.

[toggle_box title=”Press Release” width=”Width of toggle box”]

Samsung GALAXY Xcover 2

January 25, 2013

SEOUL, Korea – January 25, 2013 – Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd, today unveiled the Samsung Xcover 2, the ideal smartphone for active explorers who are enjoying outdoor lifestyles and seeking a durable mobile device with essential smartphone capabilities.

• The GALAXY Xcover 2 is optimized to endure against the most rugged outdoor conditions, whether you’re at work or
play. Protected against the elements, it is dust and sand proof. It’s even water resistant to a depth of one meter for up to
30 minutes (IP67 Certified). You can now take photos under water with the direct camera key, hold on tight to your
device with the strap holder and not worry about dropping your phone as the battery cover lock gives added protection.

• Pre-downloaded Google map data, an enhanced GPS ? GLONASS which shortens the satellite signal detection by
up to 20? to tracks your location more accurately, LED Flash next to the camera which can be used like a torch and
a huge battery capacity of 570 hours(1,700mAh), making the GALAXY Xcover 2 is the best possible smartphone partner
for outdoor exploration.

• In addition, the Cardio Trainer Pro workout application will also help you achieve your fitness goals by creating a
tailored training program, checking your progress and recording your track and speed.

• For everyday, users can expect the powerful performance characteristic of a Samsung smartphone with the robust
GALAXY Xcover 2 shell. Its vivid 4.0″ (100.8mm) WVGA display provides a clear and wide viewing experience,
a 5-megapixel camera and VGA front camera that will let you record precious moments in high resolution,
Bluetooth® v 4.0 gives a better connection that consumes less power and detects devices 50 meters away.
An impressive 1GHz dual core processor powers the core of the GALAXY Xcover 2, which ensures
a fast operating speed for seamless multitasking, faster webpage loading and softer UI transitions.

• Samsung GALAXY Xcover 2 runs Android™ 4.1 (Jelly Bean) enabling faster and smoother screen transitions and
providing an enhanced user interface featuring a new, easier-to-use notification panel. As a premium Samsung
Android™ phone, the device is packed with a series of innovative features and services to boost performance and
the overall user experience. The intuitive Motion UI understands your movements to shake and update or turn over
to mute; data can be synced, backed up and restored with S-Cloud; S Voice lets users control the phone using
their voice, allowing you to see the weekly weather forecast, the contact number you’re trying to find or even take
a picture as you speak; Best Shot recommends the best shot from a series of photos; Smart Stay recognizes
whether the user is looking at the screen to dim the screen accordingly. Users can also enjoy all the benefits of
Samsung Hubs, including the latest versions of Readers Hub, Video Hub, Game Hub and Music Hub.

[/toggle_box]

January 26, 2013
Windows Phone 7.8 Official Update On January 31

According to Microsoft’s Colombian Facebook page, the long-awaited Windows Phone 7.8 upgrade is set to roll out on January 31st.

Handsets stuck on Windows Phone 7.5 have not been treated to the plush Windows Phone 8 OS which is reserved for new handsets. Version 7.8 their only salvation, but it’s been slow coming.

The update mainly addresses the home screen, which will match Windows Phone 8 for the ability to resize tiles according to users’ needs. Other tweaks, such Bluetooth file transfers and new theme colours, are minor at best but will address a few lingering issues with the soon-to-be-deprecated operating system. Considering newer WP7.5 devices like the Nokia Lumia 900 are less than a year old, the lack of a true software update is sure to be grating.

But Microsoft has made the difficult and likely-correct decision to focus its resources on Windows Phone 8, which shares a kernel with its desktop counterpart and supports multi-core processors, high-definition screens and a larger number of development tools.

It usually takes a few weeks for an update to hit every handset, so you may be looking at mid-February before you’re treated to Windows Phone 7.8.

January 22, 2013
Hands on : Samsung Galaxy Grand

Samsung saw the “Indian” version of the PHABLET and decided that it needed to penetrate the market which was dominated by lower class devices. The new Samsung Galaxy Grand aims to do that, with slight bit of problem the initial market price of Rs 21,500.

At first the Galaxy Grand looks like a fuse between the S3 and the Note 2, however it has features of neither (except the looks). The Samsung Galaxy Grand is powered by a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, it has 1 Gb of RAM and 8GB internal storage which honestly is the only current redeeming feature. The Grand also belongs to the DUOS series since it a dual sim phone.

The front of the device has a 5 inch 480×800 px display which surprisingly is very clear and vivid with good outdoor visibility. The phone also has multi window which we demonstrated in our hands on video (coming up.)

8 MP Camera

On the back, the Samsung Galaxy Grand features an 8 megapixel primary camera with LED flash, which if Samsung is to be believed has “enhanced optics”. At first it just seems like a bunch of gimmicks, only a final review will tell. The camera however zero shutter-lag and a backside illumination sensor.

The build quality of the phone is also standard Samsung style, so plastics all round, keeping manufacturing costs low for the device. Samsung Galaxy Grand comes with Jelly Bean and Touch Wiz designed for Jelly Bean. So Samsung though it fair enough to stuff the phone with features like “direct call” and “popup video” from the Galaxy S3 and Note 2.

Usual Button Layout

Flip Case

[pullquote_left]”too little too late”[/pullquote_left] Although the Galaxy Grand is a noble attempt from Samsung, is the device “too little too late” especially considering the “Indian” counterparts one up-ed Samsung just a day ago. While true usage capabilities will only come with the final review, as far as The Galaxy Grand is concerned, it should be a decent if not “GRAND” add-on to the lineup of devices from Samsung. However considering sheer market value and brand value, a stable user experience and a good user support coverage, the device will be a great eye candy and will attract a lot of buyers, especially those who will prefer a “brand” over specs.

The final device will drop the matte bezel and will adopt a shiny glossy bezel, similar to the one on the Note 2. The added flip cover and the striking resemblance to the mammoth flagship will enable the user to pass the Galaxy grand as a Note 2 to the unknown eye. That is essentially what will make this device really popular for the Indian psyche.

Hands on Video:

January 22, 2013
Acer Introduces C7 Chromebook for $199 with Intel Celeron Inside

Acer has launched the latest version of Chromebook laptops- Acer C7 at USD 199.

The newest Chromebook features a 320GB hard-drive, an 11.6-inch display, Intel processor with 2GB of RAM, USB 3 and HDMI ports, 100GB of Google Drive cloud storage, and it weighs in at about 1kg. But what needs to be pointed out primarily is the price. The Acer C7 Chromebook priced at just $199, is $50 cheaper than the Samsung Chromebook launched less than a month ago.

It comes with dual band Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n and Ethernet connectivity, HDMI and VGA ports, HD camera and 3 USB 2.0 ports. It will give 3.5 hours of battery backup with normal usage.

The laptop is being promoted by Google and there is no mention of the Chromebook on Acer’s website. This is the sixth laptop to be launched in the market with a Google Chrome OS.

The Acer C7 Chromebook will be available from November 14 on the Google Play store, Amazon and Best Buy in the US and from selected retailers in the UK. And as with all previous Chromebook releases, this model shows Google’s focus on making technology and internet access easily available to everyone and once again directs its users toward the cloud.

November 15, 2012
GoDaddy Apologizes By Offering 30% Discount on Registration

GoDaddy apologized to customers whose websites were knocked offline Monday.

In an email, the company said it was offering one free month of service, 30% off, to its customers, including those who pay for web hosting.

[quote]”We let you down and we know it,” GoDaddy Chief Executive Scott Wagner said in the email. “I cannot express how sorry I am to those of you who were inconvenienced.”[/quote]

To get the credit, users have to click on a button within the email and must do so within seven days. It also doesn’t appear the email was sent to every GoDaddy customer.

GoDaddy, which hosts more than 5 million sites, suffered an outage Monday morning that began kicking offline many of the sites the company hosts as well as some of its web services. It wasn’t until Monday afternoon that GoDaddy put out a tweet saying most sites were back online.

Initially, hackers associated with the online activist group Anonymous took credit for the hack, but GoDaddy debunked those claims Tuesday, saying the outage was caused by internal problems.

September 15, 2012