Tech Roundup: Dec 9, 2012
Google Now is your creepy cool personal assistant:
Ever since I got the Jelly Bean update on my phone, the one thing I have begun to enjoy immensely is the Google Now feature. Though initially I was a little apprehensive about sharing my search and location history (as if Google doesn't know!), the service becomes practically useless otherwise. The information cards are easily the best thing hands down - from weather to public transport schedules to appointments to sports scores to places to movies, not one thing is spared. More cards are displayed as Google 'learns' of your daily activities, one such being the traffic feature, which after 'learning' my Home and Work locations, kept notifying me about the time it would take to reach my destination. All this is really cool stuff, but I admit it's positively creepy as hell!
Keep up the good work Sony!
Whether be it being brutally honest about their Android upgrade plans, or releasing unlocked bootloaders or providing support for Android Open Source Project (AOSP) through their Xperia S, Sony has been very much consumer-friendly unlike other Android OEMs. Adding a new feather to its cap, the Japanese handset maker has announced the availability of Xperia flash tool, which allows Xperia phones with unlocked bootloaders to get back to the standard Sony software. The Beta tool currently supports only Xperia S, Arc and Arc S and additional handsets are to be added soon. If you are running a custom ROM on the said devices and would want to switch back, head to the Sony Developer World.
Apple shares are hit badly:
Apple's shares which hit a record high of $705.05 on the day of iPhone 5 announcement have since then tumbled and registered its biggest fall in four years last week. The 6% drop has wiped off close to $35 billion of its market value as 37 million shares (now trading at $533.25 as of yesterday's close) exchanged hands. Rising market share of cheaper alternatives from Google and Microsoft, the general perception that the company has run out of fresh ideas and the looming economic situation in the US (aka Fiscal Cliff, which would call for higher tax rates on share dividends) have all contributed big to the decline.
Have your say on Facebook's latest policy updates:
Facebook had recently announced its intention to update its privacy policy which now aims to unify all data including that from Instagram. It also decided to scrap the public voting mechanism in favor of a new method that offers better user engagement. So as users, you get to vote a final time on these changes till Dec 10 12 PM PST. In the meanwhile, the social networking giant has updated its Messenger app (Android and iOS) to allow users to use the application without having to create a Facebook account. Facing pressures from other instant messaging services like WhatsApp (which it was rumored to be acquiring last week) may be! Also, the Facebook app for BlackBerry has been updated with a better BBM integration and is now available for download at the BlackBerry App World.
#DroidRage becomes #WindowsRage:
A recent move by Microsoft to portray Google's Android in bad light on Twitter backfired when users started complaining about Windows Phone instead. The social-media campaign hashtagged "#DroidRage" asked users to share their 'horror' stories on their Android smartphones due to malware, which is expectedly rising on the platform. At first, there seemed to be some genuine responses but it wasn't long before the tables began to turn against its favour and users started sharing their horror stories associated with Windows Phone adding the hashtag "#WindowsRage". Funny these marketing stunts!
It may be noted that the Redmond giant attacked Google in a series of TV adverts recently claiming that users will be 'scroogled' if they relied on Google shopping search service for the holiday season and hence should head over to Bing. It had also started the Bing it On campaign that directly pitted Bing and Google Search to prove its search offering returned better results (at least in the USA).
Here comes a disposable USB drive:
Indiegogo has come up with Intellipaper USB drive, wherein a silicon chip has been embedded on a piece of paper to make a disposable USB. It can be inserted into any conventional computer USB ports to share websites, personal information or images. It can also be customized to fit any paper based item like greeting cards, business cards, resumes, you name it.
iTunes debuts in India finally... the iPad mini as well:
It was long due anyways! Apple has pulled the wraps off iTunes in India, along with 55 other countries including Russia, South Africa, Turkey, Indonesia among others. Until now, the store featured only shortcuts to iTunes U and Podcasts apps. The update allows users to purchase music (Bollywood/Tamil/International), and buy or rent movies from the store. A single track is priced between Rs. 7 and Rs. 15 while the albums will cost you Rs. 70 to start off. Movies can be purchased or rented depending the version (SD or HD). With this aggressive pricing strategy, the music store will compete with the likes of Flipkart's Flyte and Nokia Music (all thanks to my Lumia 800!), which I find to be comparatively cheaper than the other two.
Well iTunes is not the only item from Apple's cart to hit the Indian shores. Its latest tablets, the fourth gen iPad and iPad mini, are available for sale as well. The 16 GB Wi-Fi only version is priced at Rs. 21,900 while the 32 GB and 64 GB versions cost Rs 27,900 and Rs 33,900 respectively. However with the cellular connectivity incorporated, they cost as follows: Rs. 29,900 (16 GB), Rs. 35,900 (32 GB) and Rs. 41,900 (64 GB). The iPad 4, however, is a bit pricey than its predecessor that debuted earlier this year. The Wi-Fi only 16 GB version of iPad 4 costs Rs. 31,900 against Rs. 30,500 of the iPad 3.
There is not a shred of doubt that people will flock to the iPad mini, especially now that one can get a 64 GB version of mini for the almost the same price as a 16 GB version of iPad 4 (comparing only the Wi-Fi only versions). Also, the pricing indicates that it will face stiff competition from Google Nexus 7, which launched in India a few weeks back for Rs. 19,999. Ultimately all boils down to whether you prefer iOS or Android!
Samsung Galaxy S III premium suite update rolling out:
Korean smartphone maker Samsung just rolled out Android Jelly Bean update for the Galaxy S III, but it's just not sitting idle. Another update, going by the name of premium suite, is now trickling out of Samsung's servers for download. The new Android 4.1.2 update will bring in contextual menus, Page Buddy, customizable notifications and the split window functionality that debuted in Note II. Check out the YouTube video from Samsung detailing the features.
Curiosity finds hints of organic molecules on Mars:
Curiosity Rover, which touched down on Mars this August, has found evidence of organic compounds on the Red planet. The soil samples analyzed by the rover showed water, sulphur and chlorine containing substances, said NASA in a statement. The mission's objective in itself was to comb the surface of the planet (Gale crater to be specific) for life and this finding will now be used by scientists to determine if these substances were native to the planet or brought from outer space (even possibly from the rover!).
Voyager at the edge of the Solar System:
NASA's Voyager spacecraft, which was launched in 1977, is still wandering in space and beaming back valuable information to Earth. So after 35 years and travelling an astounding 11 billion miles, it has finally reached the edge of the Solar System. The transmitted data, which reaches us in and around 16 hours, has revealed that the spacecraft is at a crossroads, a region where Sun's magnetic field interacts with the field of other stars. I wonder what lies beyond!
It's now easy to catch liars:
A new thermographic study has revealed that one's nose tends to heat up when lying. The study has found that when a person is lying, a portion of the brain called Insular Cortex (considered to be vital for functions like perception, self-awareness etc.) is activated, causing the temperature around the nose to raise. The phenomenon has been dubbed the Pinocchio effect!
In other news:
Ever since I got the Jelly Bean update on my phone, the one thing I have begun to enjoy immensely is the Google Now feature. Though initially I was a little apprehensive about sharing my search and location history (as if Google doesn't know!), the service becomes practically useless otherwise. The information cards are easily the best thing hands down - from weather to public transport schedules to appointments to sports scores to places to movies, not one thing is spared. More cards are displayed as Google 'learns' of your daily activities, one such being the traffic feature, which after 'learning' my Home and Work locations, kept notifying me about the time it would take to reach my destination. All this is really cool stuff, but I admit it's positively creepy as hell!
Keep up the good work Sony!
Whether be it being brutally honest about their Android upgrade plans, or releasing unlocked bootloaders or providing support for Android Open Source Project (AOSP) through their Xperia S, Sony has been very much consumer-friendly unlike other Android OEMs. Adding a new feather to its cap, the Japanese handset maker has announced the availability of Xperia flash tool, which allows Xperia phones with unlocked bootloaders to get back to the standard Sony software. The Beta tool currently supports only Xperia S, Arc and Arc S and additional handsets are to be added soon. If you are running a custom ROM on the said devices and would want to switch back, head to the Sony Developer World.
Apple shares are hit badly:
Apple's shares which hit a record high of $705.05 on the day of iPhone 5 announcement have since then tumbled and registered its biggest fall in four years last week. The 6% drop has wiped off close to $35 billion of its market value as 37 million shares (now trading at $533.25 as of yesterday's close) exchanged hands. Rising market share of cheaper alternatives from Google and Microsoft, the general perception that the company has run out of fresh ideas and the looming economic situation in the US (aka Fiscal Cliff, which would call for higher tax rates on share dividends) have all contributed big to the decline.
Have your say on Facebook's latest policy updates:
Facebook had recently announced its intention to update its privacy policy which now aims to unify all data including that from Instagram. It also decided to scrap the public voting mechanism in favor of a new method that offers better user engagement. So as users, you get to vote a final time on these changes till Dec 10 12 PM PST. In the meanwhile, the social networking giant has updated its Messenger app (Android and iOS) to allow users to use the application without having to create a Facebook account. Facing pressures from other instant messaging services like WhatsApp (which it was rumored to be acquiring last week) may be! Also, the Facebook app for BlackBerry has been updated with a better BBM integration and is now available for download at the BlackBerry App World.
#DroidRage becomes #WindowsRage:
A recent move by Microsoft to portray Google's Android in bad light on Twitter backfired when users started complaining about Windows Phone instead. The social-media campaign hashtagged "#DroidRage" asked users to share their 'horror' stories on their Android smartphones due to malware, which is expectedly rising on the platform. At first, there seemed to be some genuine responses but it wasn't long before the tables began to turn against its favour and users started sharing their horror stories associated with Windows Phone adding the hashtag "#WindowsRage". Funny these marketing stunts!
It may be noted that the Redmond giant attacked Google in a series of TV adverts recently claiming that users will be 'scroogled' if they relied on Google shopping search service for the holiday season and hence should head over to Bing. It had also started the Bing it On campaign that directly pitted Bing and Google Search to prove its search offering returned better results (at least in the USA).
Here comes a disposable USB drive:
Indiegogo has come up with Intellipaper USB drive, wherein a silicon chip has been embedded on a piece of paper to make a disposable USB. It can be inserted into any conventional computer USB ports to share websites, personal information or images. It can also be customized to fit any paper based item like greeting cards, business cards, resumes, you name it.
iTunes debuts in India finally... the iPad mini as well:
It was long due anyways! Apple has pulled the wraps off iTunes in India, along with 55 other countries including Russia, South Africa, Turkey, Indonesia among others. Until now, the store featured only shortcuts to iTunes U and Podcasts apps. The update allows users to purchase music (Bollywood/Tamil/International), and buy or rent movies from the store. A single track is priced between Rs. 7 and Rs. 15 while the albums will cost you Rs. 70 to start off. Movies can be purchased or rented depending the version (SD or HD). With this aggressive pricing strategy, the music store will compete with the likes of Flipkart's Flyte and Nokia Music (all thanks to my Lumia 800!), which I find to be comparatively cheaper than the other two.
Well iTunes is not the only item from Apple's cart to hit the Indian shores. Its latest tablets, the fourth gen iPad and iPad mini, are available for sale as well. The 16 GB Wi-Fi only version is priced at Rs. 21,900 while the 32 GB and 64 GB versions cost Rs 27,900 and Rs 33,900 respectively. However with the cellular connectivity incorporated, they cost as follows: Rs. 29,900 (16 GB), Rs. 35,900 (32 GB) and Rs. 41,900 (64 GB). The iPad 4, however, is a bit pricey than its predecessor that debuted earlier this year. The Wi-Fi only 16 GB version of iPad 4 costs Rs. 31,900 against Rs. 30,500 of the iPad 3.
There is not a shred of doubt that people will flock to the iPad mini, especially now that one can get a 64 GB version of mini for the almost the same price as a 16 GB version of iPad 4 (comparing only the Wi-Fi only versions). Also, the pricing indicates that it will face stiff competition from Google Nexus 7, which launched in India a few weeks back for Rs. 19,999. Ultimately all boils down to whether you prefer iOS or Android!
Samsung Galaxy S III premium suite update rolling out:
Korean smartphone maker Samsung just rolled out Android Jelly Bean update for the Galaxy S III, but it's just not sitting idle. Another update, going by the name of premium suite, is now trickling out of Samsung's servers for download. The new Android 4.1.2 update will bring in contextual menus, Page Buddy, customizable notifications and the split window functionality that debuted in Note II. Check out the YouTube video from Samsung detailing the features.
Curiosity finds hints of organic molecules on Mars:
Curiosity Rover, which touched down on Mars this August, has found evidence of organic compounds on the Red planet. The soil samples analyzed by the rover showed water, sulphur and chlorine containing substances, said NASA in a statement. The mission's objective in itself was to comb the surface of the planet (Gale crater to be specific) for life and this finding will now be used by scientists to determine if these substances were native to the planet or brought from outer space (even possibly from the rover!).
Voyager at the edge of the Solar System:
NASA's Voyager spacecraft, which was launched in 1977, is still wandering in space and beaming back valuable information to Earth. So after 35 years and travelling an astounding 11 billion miles, it has finally reached the edge of the Solar System. The transmitted data, which reaches us in and around 16 hours, has revealed that the spacecraft is at a crossroads, a region where Sun's magnetic field interacts with the field of other stars. I wonder what lies beyond!
It's now easy to catch liars:
A new thermographic study has revealed that one's nose tends to heat up when lying. The study has found that when a person is lying, a portion of the brain called Insular Cortex (considered to be vital for functions like perception, self-awareness etc.) is activated, causing the temperature around the nose to raise. The phenomenon has been dubbed the Pinocchio effect!
In other news:
- Short Messaging Service aka SMS turns 20; 8 trillion messages exchanged so far.
- Apple fires Richard Williamson, head of mapping division, following iOS 6 Maps fiasco.
- News Corporation's iPad only newspaper The Daily shutting down on Dec 15.
- Micro-blogging service Tumblr hacked by a racist anti-blogging group GNAA; no accounts compromised.
- Gmail apps for Android and iOS updated; packs in a interface overhaul for the latter.
- Third party Twitter client Tweetro outs new paid app Tweetro+ for Windows 8 and RT to circumvent Twitter's new API policy that restricts user limit to 100,000.
- Beleaguered handset maker Nokia sells its Espoo headquarters building to Exilion for $222 million; leases it back on a long-term.
- Google releases YouTube app for iOS.
- Apple iPhone 5 emerges the top searched gadget for 2012 on Yahoo! and Bing.
- Yahoo! acquires online video chat startup OnTheAir.
- Dolby Atmos, the next generation sound technology from Dolby Laboratories, makes its India debut at Chennai.
- Photo-sharing social network Instagram drops Twitter integration; asks users to use its web version.
- Facebook takes cue from Twitter; to rename 'Subscribe' button as 'Follow'.
- Microsoft's web email client Outlook.com updated with more themes and archive options.
- Apple TV 'an area of intense interest', says CEO Tim Cook.
- Recent Google acquisition Snapseed, the popular iOS photo-editing app, launches on Android; goes free on both platforms.
- Microsoft's social network Socl opens to public; offers effortless sharing of images, news and videos from around the web.
- US Patent Office temporarily invalidates Steve Jobs's multi-touch 'bounce-back' patent.
- Apple and Google team up to acquire Kodak's 1000 imaging patents for $500 million, reports Bloomberg.
- NASA planning to launch a new rover to Mars in 2020.
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