Tech Roundup: HTC One Google Edition, Apple's Strategy & More
[A recurring feature on the latest trends in Science & Technology.]
HTC One gets its Google Edition:
Well well.. it's here. When I wrote my comparison of Samsung Galaxy S4 and HTC One, I wrapped up my findings by saying this: For HTC, this could be its last attempt to regain some of the lost ground it ceded to Samsung in the last few years. But with Google partnering with Samsung to announce a Galaxy S4 Google Edition at the Google I/O Keynote last week, the Taiwanese company has a tough job ahead (unless of course a stock version of One is also on the anvil!). And my last words have indeed come true! Unveiled last week by Android chief Sundar Pichai, the Google Edition of HTC One is the same device, including the same weird button layout, Beats Audio and the UltraPixel camera. Just that there's no Sense! Now who do you think has a better chance?
Apple's changing strategy:
Gone are the days when Apple used to refresh its product lines once in a year. By releasing a new iPad (technically iPad 4) barely a few months after the new iPad (or the iPad 3, for clarity) with minor hardware changes, the tech giant kick started a new trend of accelerated upgrades which has been continuing with the iMacs and Macbooks as well. The latest addition is a 16 GB version of the fifth-generation iPod Touch, which was previously available only in 32 GB and 64 GB options. Devoid of the usual fanfare associated with Apple products, the new variant is an exact replica of its siblings minus the rear-facing camera. So who will buy this? That's the big question. Anyways, congrats Apple for selling 100 million iPod Touches since its launch in 2007. It was the perfect music player until of course the iPhone came!
Google redesigns Gmail to fend competition:
One of the search behemoth's popular service has been Gmail. But with no major functionality updates in the last few years, it seemed as if the email service was left in the cold. Not any more! Have you ever felt your inbox is cluttered with tons of emails from friends, social network notifications, deals, offers, forums, orders etc? If so the new tabbed inbox might be a godsend for you, which separates such emails into different tabs like Social, Promotions, Updates and Forums by default. With third party email clients like Mailbox offering more intuitive features that allow emails to be set as to-do for later, there's is still scope for improvement. But this is definitely a right step to deal with email overload. The tabbed inbox feature can be turned on (if not already) by selecting the gear menu and opting for Configure inbox.
LG Nexus 4 finally lands in India:
After months of speculation, the much awaited Nexus 4 smartphone from Google and LG has been launched in India for Rs. 25,999. Available only in the 16 GB version, the smartphone is still priced higher than its US counterpart as it's LG and not Google which has taken up the initiative to sell the phone. Even so, the phone is well-worth the price when compared to the pricey Galaxy S4, HTC One or LG's own Optimus G. And if you are a lover of unblemished Android experience, now is the time!
Google and Microsoft's joint venture to create a Windows Phone YouTube app:
Microsoft, if you remember, released an updated version of YouTube some weeks back for Windows Phone much to the chagrin of Google, which blasted Redmond for not serving the app with ads and adding extra features that allowed users to download videos. Now predictably both sides have met and have jointly agreed to come up with a new app that meets the YouTube API guidelines. Till then, you will have to put up with the old version. When will Google give the same level of attention that it gives to iOS, to Windows Phone? I am not holding my breath!
Yet another social network?
In a online world already inhabited by tons of social networks like Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Tumblr, Foursquare, Orkut (yes!) and countless more, here comes another professional social network courtesy News Corporation, the media conglomerate which owns newspapers like the Wall Street Journal (including the now defunct UK weekly News of the World, which was hit by the infamous phone hacking scandal) among several others worldwide. According to latest reports, the WSJ website will be radically transformed to a whole new platform for not just reading news but also allowing users to set up WSJ Profiles complete with their short bio, contact and work experience (another LinkedIn?). The upcoming changes are expected to roll out gradually in the next few months.
In other news:
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| The refreshed Gmail tabbed Inbox |
HTC One gets its Google Edition:
Well well.. it's here. When I wrote my comparison of Samsung Galaxy S4 and HTC One, I wrapped up my findings by saying this: For HTC, this could be its last attempt to regain some of the lost ground it ceded to Samsung in the last few years. But with Google partnering with Samsung to announce a Galaxy S4 Google Edition at the Google I/O Keynote last week, the Taiwanese company has a tough job ahead (unless of course a stock version of One is also on the anvil!). And my last words have indeed come true! Unveiled last week by Android chief Sundar Pichai, the Google Edition of HTC One is the same device, including the same weird button layout, Beats Audio and the UltraPixel camera. Just that there's no Sense! Now who do you think has a better chance?
Apple's changing strategy:
Gone are the days when Apple used to refresh its product lines once in a year. By releasing a new iPad (technically iPad 4) barely a few months after the new iPad (or the iPad 3, for clarity) with minor hardware changes, the tech giant kick started a new trend of accelerated upgrades which has been continuing with the iMacs and Macbooks as well. The latest addition is a 16 GB version of the fifth-generation iPod Touch, which was previously available only in 32 GB and 64 GB options. Devoid of the usual fanfare associated with Apple products, the new variant is an exact replica of its siblings minus the rear-facing camera. So who will buy this? That's the big question. Anyways, congrats Apple for selling 100 million iPod Touches since its launch in 2007. It was the perfect music player until of course the iPhone came!
Google redesigns Gmail to fend competition:
One of the search behemoth's popular service has been Gmail. But with no major functionality updates in the last few years, it seemed as if the email service was left in the cold. Not any more! Have you ever felt your inbox is cluttered with tons of emails from friends, social network notifications, deals, offers, forums, orders etc? If so the new tabbed inbox might be a godsend for you, which separates such emails into different tabs like Social, Promotions, Updates and Forums by default. With third party email clients like Mailbox offering more intuitive features that allow emails to be set as to-do for later, there's is still scope for improvement. But this is definitely a right step to deal with email overload. The tabbed inbox feature can be turned on (if not already) by selecting the gear menu and opting for Configure inbox.
LG Nexus 4 finally lands in India:
After months of speculation, the much awaited Nexus 4 smartphone from Google and LG has been launched in India for Rs. 25,999. Available only in the 16 GB version, the smartphone is still priced higher than its US counterpart as it's LG and not Google which has taken up the initiative to sell the phone. Even so, the phone is well-worth the price when compared to the pricey Galaxy S4, HTC One or LG's own Optimus G. And if you are a lover of unblemished Android experience, now is the time!
Google and Microsoft's joint venture to create a Windows Phone YouTube app:
Microsoft, if you remember, released an updated version of YouTube some weeks back for Windows Phone much to the chagrin of Google, which blasted Redmond for not serving the app with ads and adding extra features that allowed users to download videos. Now predictably both sides have met and have jointly agreed to come up with a new app that meets the YouTube API guidelines. Till then, you will have to put up with the old version. When will Google give the same level of attention that it gives to iOS, to Windows Phone? I am not holding my breath!
Yet another social network?
In a online world already inhabited by tons of social networks like Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Tumblr, Foursquare, Orkut (yes!) and countless more, here comes another professional social network courtesy News Corporation, the media conglomerate which owns newspapers like the Wall Street Journal (including the now defunct UK weekly News of the World, which was hit by the infamous phone hacking scandal) among several others worldwide. According to latest reports, the WSJ website will be radically transformed to a whole new platform for not just reading news but also allowing users to set up WSJ Profiles complete with their short bio, contact and work experience (another LinkedIn?). The upcoming changes are expected to roll out gradually in the next few months.
In other news:
- Russia to evacuate its Arctic station following record melting of ice last year.
- Earth's core as hot as Sun (6,000 degrees Celsius), a new X-ray study of iron samples reveals.
- New strains of Malaria parasite found to be resistant to drugs.
- New SARS like virus claims 23 lives in the Middle East; World Health Organization calls it a 'threat to the entire world' as first death is reported in France.
- Microsoft unveils next generation gaming console Xbox One; wants to be your 'one' stop destination for home entertainment.
- Yahoo! officially acquires Tumblr for a 1.11 billion USD; promises autonomy.
- Twitter and Evernote roll out 2-factor authentication.
- Google Chrome 27 for desktop adds Voice Search.
- Nokia Lumia 920 gets a price drop in India as its latest flagship Lumia 925 gets listed on its website.
- Samsung launches Galaxy Mega in India; unveils Galaxy S4 Mini.
- Nokia Music app for Nokia Asha smartphones in the works.
- Apple CEO Tim Cook sees profound application for wearables; says Google Glass will not have mass appeal.
- Motorola CEO confirms flagship Moto X Phone; to be unveiled later this year.
- Samsung Galaxy S4 hits 10 million in sales.
- Jolla unveils the first smartphone running Sailfish OS; available for pre-order in Europe with worldwide availability in the future.
- PC maker HP's profits plummet as Lenovo posts its best ever quarter.
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