Here Are The Top 10 Features Of Blackberry 10

The BlackBerry Z10 will be a touch-screen model and the Blackberry Q10 will feature a keyboard and also have touch-screen capabilities.

BlackBerry announced the launch of BlackBerry 10 platform that promises to create a new and unique mobile computing experience. BlackBerry 10 will be available on two new LTE-enabled smartphones, the BlackBerry Z10 (all-touch) and BlackBerry Q10 (touch with physical keyboard), which claims to offer a faster, smarter and smoother experience than any other BlackBerry you have used before.

The unveiling events were held simultaneously in New York, Toronto, London, Paris, Dubai, and Johannesburg. Thorstein Heins, president and CEO of BlackBerry said. “Today sees a re-invented BlackBerry launching an entirely new mobile experience. We are thrilled to be introducing BlackBerry 10 on the new BlackBerry Z10 and BlackBerry Q10 smartphones, to deliver a faster, smarter experience that continuously adapts to your needs. Every feature, every gesture, and every detail in BlackBerry 10 is designed to keep you moving.” Here are the top 10 features of BlackBerry 10

BlackBerry 10 is a robust and reliable platform that is smooth and responsive. It has a modern design and a gesture-based interface that is highly discoverable. It is designed to support, learn, and adapt to the way you work and share with features like: The ever present BlackBerry Hub, which is a single place to manage all your conversations whether personal or work email, BBM messages, social media updates or notifications, and the ability to “peek” into the BlackBerry Hub from anywhere, so you’re always only one swipe away from what matters to you.

BlackBerry Flow, where the BlackBerry 10 experience excels by enabling features and apps to flow seamlessly together, helping you complete the task at hand effortlessly and efficiently. For example, you can tap on an attendee listed for a meeting to see their latest tweet or LinkedIn profile. Or tap the thumbnail of a picture you just took to launch the Picture editor and quickly apply a transformation or filter, then instantly share it with your contacts. A BlackBerry keyboard that understands and adapts to you, that learns what words you use and how you use them, then offers them up to you so you can type faster and more accurately.

BBM (BlackBerry Messenger), which allows you to share things with the people that matter to you in an instant. BBM in BlackBerry 10 includes voice calling and video chat, and introduces the ability to share your screen with another BlackBerry 10 contact.

BlackBerry Balance technology, which elegantly separates and secures work applications and data from personal content on BlackBerry devices.

Time Shift, an astonishing camera feature that lets you capture a group shot where everyone is smiling with their eyes wide open. Story Maker, which lets you bring a collection of photos and videos together, along with music and effects, to produce an HD movie that you can instantly share.

The new BlackBerry 10 browser, which sets the industry benchmark for HTML5 support on smartphones, is incredibly fast. Scrolling or zooming is fluid and responsive. The browser includes many advanced features, supports multiple tabs, lets you browse sites privately, includes a reader mode, and integrates with the platform for easily sharing content.

BlackBerry Remember, which combines memos, tasks and much more into a single experience. It helps you organise and manage information you have on your smartphone around projects or ideas, letting you collect content such as websites, emails, photos, documents, and other files, and then like a To-Do list, lets you create tasks, assign due dates, and track your progress. If your BlackBerry 10 smartphone is set up with a work account, your Microsoft Outlook Tasks will automatically be wirelessly synced with BlackBerry Remember. If you have configured an Evernote account with your smartphone, BlackBerry Remember will sync Evernote workbooks as well.

BlackBerry Safeguard technology that helps protect what is important to you, and the business you work for. Built-in support for Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync so your BlackBerry Z10 or BlackBerry Q10 smartphone can be simply connected and managed as other ActiveSync devices in a company, or enabled with BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 to gain secure access to work email, “behind the firewall” applications and data, and benefit from other security and enterprise mobility management features.

The BlackBerry World storefront, which now includes 70,000 BlackBerry 10 apps and one of the most robust music and video catalogs in mobile today – with most movies coming to the store the same day they are released on DVD. In addition, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Foursquare apps for BlackBerry 10 are preinstalled, and BlackBerry 10 customers will have access to leading applications from across the globe. Leading application providers including Disney, Cisco, Foursquare, Skype and Rovio have committed to the platform.

Nokia Lumia 620: Hands On

Nokia is all set to lead the change for the Windows Phone ecosystem with its Lumia differentiators. The Nokia Lumia 620 will start retailing in early February, 2013.

The Nokia Lumia 620 uses a new dual-shot colour technique to deliver a variety of striking colour and texture effects. With five different exchangeable shells to choose from, people can adapt the look of their Nokia Lumia 620 to their own personal taste and style. With NFC support, the Nokia Lumia 620 can easily share and receive content by tapping with compatible devices. Nokia Lumia 620 will come in magenta, yellow, cyan, white and black.

“We are working with partners across the board to take the Lumia experience to more and more consumers faster. The roll out of not two, but three devices marks not just our intent and agility, but also reflects our commitment to our consumers in India. With a range of accessories and partnerships to bring wireless charging outside the home, we are also kickstarting wireless charging into the mainstream. All this innovation adds up to one thing – it’s Time to Switch,” said Vipul Mehrotra, director and head, smartphone devices, Nokia India.

Nokia Lumia 620 price will be announced closer to its market availability.

Writer Salman Rushdie's visit to Kolkata cancelled

Author Salman Rushdie's visit to Kolkata has been cancelled at the last minute, allegedly because of pressure from the state government and police.

Strontium Launches Gold Plated USB Drives

Strontium has launched premium solid metal USB drives called Ammo. The new Ammo USB Flash Drive with a shiny metallic lustre is available in gold and silver colour finish. The gold finish drive is actually plated with real 24 carat gold giving it a rich appearance.

Ammo Flash drive comes in a sturdy brushed metal casing with a sleek look keeping in mind the demands and requirements of discerning users who want a high quality and high class product.

The sleek and robust design works not only with Windows platform desktop PC, notebook PCs and Apple iMac and MacBook as well. The highest quality NAND flash memory component used in the Ammo USB drives offer maximum reliability and sustained fast data transfer rates.

Strontium’s new Ammo USB 2.0 Gold plated Flash drive is available from 16 GB to 64 GB capacity and the Silver finish is available with five different memory storage capacities ranging from 4GB to 64GB.

It is available at capacities ranging from 4GB to 64 GB, Strontium’s Ammo (silver) Flash drives will be available at a street price ranging from Rs 385 to Rs 1219 while Ammo (Gold) Flash drives are available in the range of 16GB-64GB capacities is priced between Rs 770 to Rs 2919 accompanied with a 5 year limited warranty. It is available with Strontium’s authorized distributors and e-retailers across the country.

IObit Unveils StartMenu 8 To Bring Start Menu Back In Windows 8

IObit has announced a brand new and free system tool that will enable Windows 8 users to get themselves familiarized with the new Microsoft operating system.

IObit StartMenu8 provides a quick and convenient way for Windows 8 users to bring back both the Windows Start Menu and the Start button, while also disabling things like Windows 8 Hot Corners, the Metro Sidebar and hot keys. It offers users more control over their Start Menu, StartMenu8 aims to help users feel more comfortable while using Windows 8. While many users have praised the new features in Windows 8, one user interface change has met a considerable amount of criticism. In this latest version, the Windows Start Menu, a staple of all Windows operating systems for the last 15 years, has been replaced with the touch-screen optimized Metro UI.

StartMenu8 lets users automatically skip the Metro UI screen and immediately gain access to the desktop when Windows 8 loads. But rather than just give users access to the menu they are most familiar with, StartMenu8 also offers four easy-to-use and fully configurable menus that let users remove features they don’t need or customize start button with their own images. Users can also create quick access links to their favorite and most-used applications by right clicking to “Pin to StartMenu”, “Pin to Taskbar” or "Pin to Startup."

“IObit has a proven track record of listening closely to what users need and providing the best system utilities in the world. There may be other programs that give access to the Start Menu in Windows 8, but IObit’s SmartMenu8 is both the simplest and most comprehensive option on the market. This combination of simplicity with a very high level of customization is rare for any system utility,” said Michael Zhao, marketing director at IObit, “Simply install StartMenu8 and you will have the old Start Menu back just the way you want it and the best part, it’s totally free.”

Corsair Unveils Gaming Keyboard

Corsair has unveiled next generation gaming keyboards, mice, and mouse mats. Corsair also announced is an upcoming free software driver update for the Vengeance 2000 wireless gaming headset which adds Dolby Headphone 2.0 7.1-channelsurround sound. Vengeance K95 gaming keyboard is the advanced keyboard in the Vengeance gaming line. Vengeance K95 keyboard has been upgraded with Cherry MX Red key mechanical switches on every key including the function and macro keys. Each key is now individually backlit, enabling the keys to be independently enabled or disabled, and overall backlighting can be adjusted to four levels of intensity. The keyboard includes 18 dedicated macro keys that can be programmed via software or on-the-fly, and macros and lighting profiles can be stored in onboard flash memory. The Vengeance K95 also features full anti-ghosting, 20-key rollover, and a 1ms reporting rate.

Vengeance M95 and M65 gaming mice has designed for serious gamers, the Vengeance M95 and M65 mice are built upon an ergonomic aluminum uni body chassis and fitted with an Avago technologies ADNS 9800 LaserStream gaming sensor. The new 8200 DPI sensor provides a 30 per cent boost in tracking resolution versus last generation mice, for increased speed and lethal precision when moving, looking, and targeting. The new mice incorporate new ruggedized, high precision button switches for rapid triggering and solid durability. In addition, both mice feature on-the-fly resolution switching, programmable lift detection, a high mass scroll wheel, and PTFE glide pads.

The Vengeance M95 is optimized for MMO gamers. It has 15 fully programmable buttons, arranged and tuned for intuitive operation, and on board flash memory to store macros in up to six profiles that can be switched on the fly. An included intuitive Microsoft Windows software utility allows management of macro keys, on-board profiles, and sensor settings to allow gamers to customize the M95 to match their gaming style. The Vengeance M95 is available in two colours, Arctic White and Gunmetal Black.

"Our first generation keyboards and mice were designed to translate thoughts into action with ruthless efficiency. We've honed that competitive advantage to a new level of precision with the Vengeance K95, M95, and M65, creating next-generation mice and keyboards to help keep gamers at the top of the leader boards," said Ruben Mookerjee, VP and general manager of the peripherals business unit at Corsair.

The Vengeance M65 is designed for FPS enthusiasts. It features an innovative sniper button, allowing an instant toggle from fast movement, high DPI resolution mode down to a high-precision mode for more accurate aiming. Its aluminum body has an adjustable center of gravity to allow gamers to balance the mouse to their preference. The Vengeance M65 is available in three colors-Military Green, Arctic White and Gunmetal Black.

The MM600 is double-sided mat designed with foundation of a solid piece of 3mm thick aircraft-grade aluminum to provide a flatter, more rigid surface and no slip rubber corners to minimize slippage during frenzied gaming sessions. Each side of the mat has a high quality polymer surface that has been tuned to deliver distinct glide characteristics. The smooth-texture side is designed to provide an exceptional high speed glide, while the heavy texture side is designed to deliver superior control.

India's Cheapest Quadcore Smartphone By Karbonn @ Rs 10,990

Karbonn Mobiles has announced the Karbonn Smart Titanium 1. India’s first quad-core CPU smartphone powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor.

The S1 Titanium is said to come with a display of 11.4-cm (4.5-inch) qHD version and runs Android 4.1 aka Jelly Bean OS. Under the hood, the smartphone has a 1.2 GHz quad-core processor and 1 GB RAM, which should prove sufficient for running Jelly Bean OS. S1 has a rear 5 MP camera and VGA front-facing shooter for video calls.

“We are extremely proud to be the first brand to bring smartphones enabled by the powerful and power efficient Qualcomm Snapdragon quad-core CPU processor into the country. This move reiterates our commitment to enable cutting-edge technological innovations to our consumers and is an endeavour towards providing the best in mobile technology to them. We are sure that our consumers will feel proud to own the smartphone which with its latest innovations, seeks to up their social quotient by a notch amongst their peers. Available across the country, the Karbonn Smart Titanium 1 opens up a new dimension in the Indian mobile market and enables a pioneering stride towards ‘Massifying Technology’ for the consumers,” said Shashin Devsare, executive director, Karbonn Mobiles.

The smartphone supports dual-SIM, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, USB 2.0 features. The device has an internal storage capacity of 4 GB, which is further expandable via microSD. Karbonn has loaded S1 Titanium with a 1,600 mAh battery. Unlike our previous anticipation, Karbonn has gone ahead and priced the S1 at an affordable price point of Rs 10,990, which pits S1 Titanium against Micromax's Canvas 2 smartphone. This could make things interesting and might prompt a different pricing strategy from Micromax.

Nikon Launches High Lenes Cameras

The compact COOLPIX L820 offers a 30x zoom and capture images and videos at various distances. The zoom lenses and user-friendly features of the newest COOLPIX cameras make them ideal to have on-hand for any occasion.

"Nikon's new long zoom COOLPIX cameras provide consumers with the chance to capture a diverse range of subjects and scenes, whether near the subject or at a distance," said Bo Kajiwara, vice president of marketing, planning and customer experience, Nikon Inc. "Designed for the frequent traveler, the instant sharer, and the family memory keeper, these new COOLPIX cameras offer trusted Nikon technology, high image quality, Full HD video and a variety of other features that meet photographers' needs."

The Nikon COOLPIX P520 is the advanced performance ultra zoom camera. The new COOLPIX P520 boasts a 42x optical zoom-NIKKOR glass lens with an impressive zoom range from a wide 24mm to a whopping 1000mm.

The P520 also features an 18.1-megapixel backside-illuminated CMOS sensor and high ISO sensitivity to ensure quality images even in low-light conditions. Additionally, the COOLPIX P520 allows users to not only shoot images from a distance, but also at unique angles thanks to a versatile 3.2-inch Vari-Angle LCD monitor. Additionally, Full HD (1080p) video recording with stereo sound is possible with the simple touch of the dedicated movie record button. This ultra-zoom camera comes with built-in GPS capabilities as well, allowing photographers to log their journey with an easy-to-use display.

To share images and videos instantly with family and friends, the P520 is compatible with the WU-1a Wireless Mobile Adapter2. This optional accessory paired along with the downloadable Wireless Mobile Adapter Utility application1 allows users to transfer their images and videos to compatible smart devices and tablets for easy sharing and viewing with others.

The Nikon COOLPIX L820 is a comfortable long zoom camera, it has designed to capture stunning images at various distances, the compact COOLPIX L820 sports a high-power 30x zoom, a 16-megapixel CMOS sensor, and Vibration Reduction (VR) technology to help keep shots steady. With its wide-angle lens, covering from wide-angle 22.5mm to super-telephoto 675mm, users have the versatility to capture crisp, vivid images, whether up-close or at a distance. The camera's 7.6-cm (3-inch) monitor, ergonomic design, along with the convenience of AA-size batteries and a dedicated video button make it easy and fun for users to shoot comfortably. Users can easily access a wide range of features, including easy auto mode and smart portrait system, which enable them to enhance their photos with options like red eye fix and face priority AF. Other special effects include glamour retouch, filter effects and skin softening for optimal portrait enhancements.

The Nikon COOLPIX S9500 is the slim COOLPIX S9500 sports a 22x optical zoom (25-550mm) and is the perfect companion for anyone that wants to capture and share high-quality images and HD videos with a sleek and stylish package. Small enough to keep close in a shirt pocket or purse, the S9500 features an 18.1-megapixel BSI CMOS sensor, ideal for capturing low-light images with clarity and sharpness. It also sports a legendary NIKKOR lens with Vibration Reduction (VR) to minimize the effects of blur and camera shake. For those who want to capture their journey through video, this camera also offers Full HD (1080p) movie recording with stereo sound. Additionally, a bright 7.6-cm (3-inch) OLED monitor assists users to clearly compose or view their recorded movies or captured images, even when in bright conditions. The COOLPIX S9500 also offers various shooting effects to enhance memories, including an upgraded Glamour Retouch function, Skin Softening and Quick Effects.

The S9500 offers a built in GPS function to provide the user the ability to log their travels and share where they have been. In addition, the camera offers built-in Wi-Fi connectivity so images and videos can be shared while on the go by transferring them to a compatible smart device equipped with the wireless mobile adapter Utility application1. It also enables users to remotely take photos with the camera from a compatible smartphone or tablet.

The COOLPIX P520 will be available of $450 in black, red, and dark grey in February 2013. The COOLPIX L820 will be available of $280 in black and red, while the COOLPIX S9500 will be available $350 in black, silver, and red. Both will be available in February 2013.

RIM To Launch Music Store In India With BlackBerry 10

Research In Motion (RIM) has announced that the new BlackBerry World storefront for BlackBerry 10 will offer one of the most robust music and video catalogs. The new BlackBerry World will include an extensive catalog of songs as well as movies and TV shows, with most movies coming to the store the same day they are released on DVD, and next day availability of many current TV series. The competitive offering will feature content from all major studios, music labels and top local broadcast networks. Customers will be able to preview tracks and access the content using multiple payment options.

“Music and video content is an integral part of a rich mobile experience. People want easy and convenient access to their favorite music, movies and TV shows wherever they are,” said Frank Boulben, chief marketing officer at Research In Motion. “RIM is committed to working with content providers to bring the best, most up-to-date content to our customers with BlackBerry 10, and to make it easy for them to get what they want.”

The video download and rental section in BlackBerry World will initially be available in the US, UK and Canada. Varying by region and distributor, customers will have access to movies from the following studios and independents: 20th Century Fox, Entertainment One (eOne), Lionsgate, MGM, National Film Board of Canada, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (US), Starz Digital Media, STUDIOCANAL, The Walt Disney Studios, Universal Pictures (UK), Warner Bros. Customers will also have access to TV shows from the following broadcasters and studios: ABC Studios, BBC Worldwide, CBC/Radio-Canada, CBS, DHX Media, ITV, National Geographic, NBCUniversal (UK), Nelvana, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (US), Starz Digital Media, Twentieth Century Fox Television, Univision Communications Inc, and Warner Bros.

The BlackBerry World storefront’s DRM-free music download section will feature an extensive catalog from all major and independent labels including: 4AD Records, Domino Recording Company, finetunes, Matador Records, [PIAS] Entertainment Group, Rough Trade Records, Sony Music Entertainment, The Orchard, Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group, XL Recordings and Zebralution. The music section will initially be available in 18 countries: Canada, USA, UK, Argentina, Brazil, Columbia, Mexico, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, South Africa, Spain, Australia, India, Malaysia, New Zealand and Singapore.

Host Analytics To Invest $10 Million In India

Host Analytics to Invest $10 Million to Intensify R&D and Expand R&D Presence in India. Host Analytics has announced that it has expanded its Hyderabad R&D center and relocated to new 12,500 square foot facility in HITEC city. It also named Anurag Garg as its new General Manager of Indian Operations. Host Analytics projects India R&D investment of more than $10M over the next three years.

The R&D center in Hyderabad currently employs 80 engineers. The company looks ahead to incremental growth in the center as the company scales its R&D efforts and grows in the region. Host Analytics offers cloud-based financial applications for planning, consolidation, reporting and analytics.

Host Analytics recently completed a record 2012 fueled by revenue growth in excess of 100 percent. The company won transactions at key customers including Essar Oil, WD-40, Sprouts Farmers Market LLC, NEC, and Splunk. It also closed a $17 million series D venture capital funding this year from investors Advanced Technology Ventures, Trident Capital, StarVest Partners and Next World Capital.

“I am happy to announce the continued expansion of our India operations and thrilled to welcome Anurag Garg to Host Analytics,” said Dave Kellogg, CEO at Host Analytics, who joined the company in August, 2012 from Salesforce.com where he served as Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Service Cloud. ”Because Host Analytics was founded simultaneously in India and the USA, Hyderabad has always been a strategic location for us. With this announcement, we continue to step-up our commitment to India and to our highly successful distributed R&D strategy.”

“The cloud has revolutionized the way we deliver complex software applications, and it is rapidly becoming the preferred software delivery model for enterprises of all sizes,” said Aravind Balakrishnan, VP of Engineering at Host Analytics. “Hyderabad provides an outstanding talent pool for developing enterprise cloud applications, and I am happy that we are investing today so that we can continue offer the industry’s leading suite of cloud-based applications for enterprise performance management.”

According to Gartner, Inc. Global spending on software as a service (SaaS), or cloud-based applications,will grow 17.9% in 2012 to $14.5 billion. SaaS market growth will remain strong through 2015, when spending on the SaaS is expected to hit $22.1 billion

Newly appointed General Manager of Hyderabad R&D center Anurag Garg will be responsible for both R&D as well as oversight of India-based finance, support, and services. . Garg was previously director and head of Polycom R&D in India and brings on board strong international experience having lived and worked in India, the USA, and Germany. Garg began his career in engineering at Siemens and AT&T Bell Labs. He is also a serial entrepreneur who founded and sold three companies.

Host Analytics CEO Dave Kellogg, VP of Engineering Aravind Balakrishnan and other key executives are currently on a visit to India, to participate in the Company’s Annual Kickoff Event.

Strontium Launches Gold Plated USB Drives

Strontium has launched premium solid metal USB drives called Ammo. The new Ammo USB Flash Drive with a shiny metallic lustre is available in gold and silver colour finish. The gold finish drive is actually plated with real 24 carat gold giving it a rich appearance.

Ammo Flash drive comes in a sturdy brushed metal casing with a sleek look keeping in mind the demands and requirements of discerning users who want a high quality and high class product. The sleek and robust design works not only with Windows platform desktop PC, notebook PCs and Apple iMac and MacBook as well. The highest quality NAND flash memory component used in the Ammo USB drives offer maximum reliability and sustained fast data transfer rates.

Strontium’s new Ammo USB 2.0 Gold plated Flash drive is available from 16 GB to 64 GB capacity and the Silver finish is available with five different memory storage capacities ranging from 4GB to 64GB. Pricing and Availability: Available at capacities ranging from 4GB-64 GB, Strontium’s Ammo (silver) Flash drives will be available at a street price ranging from Rs. 385/- to Rs.1219/- while Ammo (Gold) Flash drives are available in the range of 16GB-64GB capacities is priced between Rs. 770 /- to Rs. 2919/- accompanied with a 5 year limited warranty. Besides being available with Strontium’s authorized distributors and e-retailers across the country, Ammo USB 2.0 Flash Drives are also available with their e-commerce partner www.homeshop18.com and Flipkart.

Online Shopping Grows in 2013, Says Google

Niche categories like baby products, home and furnishings and healthcare emerge as the fastest growing categories on Google search. With Indian internet users getting comfortable with the idea of buying products on Internet, online shopping in India has hit a tipping point and is expected to see exponential growth in 2013.This was revealed today by a report compiled by Google India by combining consumer interest observed on Google search and online research conducted by TNS.The report highlights exponential growth in interest in online shopping by Indians as per data recorded on Google Trends*. Online shopping in India, saw 128% growth in interest from the consumers in the year 2011 to 2012 in comparison to only 40% growth in 2010 to 2011, making 2012 the tipping point for online shopping in India.

In terms of product categories, consumer interest on Google search for apparels & accessories (30%) emerged as the second biggest product category after consumer electronics (34%) and is expected to become bigger than consumer electronics in 2013 in terms of absolute query volumes. Other categories that Indians searched for online were Books (15%), Beauty & Personal care (10%), Home & furnishing (6%), Baby products (2%) and Healthcare (3%).

The report also highlighted massive growth in niche product categories in 2011-2012 on Google search, in comparison to electronics, baby products, Home & furnishing, & healthcare saw over 2x growth and were also the fastest growing product category in terms of query volume on Google search.

Speaking about the insights and implications for the online shopping Industry players in India, Rajan Anandan, VP & Managing Director of Google India, said “With approximately 8 million Indians shopping online in 2012, online shopping industry in India is growing rapidly and will continue to see exponential growth. By looking at the trends in 2012, we expect 2013 to be a strong growth year for players who’re focussed on fast growing categories like apparels & accessories and niche product categories like baby products, home furnishings & health-nutrition. We expect the growth to come from outside of top 8 metros as was evident in our recently concluded “Great Online Shopping festival’ which saw over 51% of traffic from non-metros.”

As mobile internet user base grows in India, mobile phones are also becoming a contributor in the surge for online shopping with Google witnessing 2X growth in number of queries from mobile phones in the year 2011 to 2012. Currently, 30% of all shopping queries in India come from mobile phones. These trends were also validated with the help of an online research conducted by TNS Australia of the internet users in the age group 18 to 50 from Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad & Pune.

As per the research, 90% of online shoppers are planning to buy more products online which reflects on the positive experience of the users. In terms of top product categories ever purchased online, apparels & accessories was among the top category (84%), followed by electronics (71%), beauty & personal care (64%), books (62%) and household products (61%). The research also highlighted that baby products (39%), health & nutrition (43%) product category were also becoming popular with online buyers.

The frequency of purchase was also higher for categories like apparels & accessories (34%), beauty & personal care (33%) products in comparison to electronics (28%), which also makes these categories more profitable because of repeat purchase. In terms of converting more users to shop online, online ticketing emerged as the gateway, as it was easier to convert online ticket buyers to shop online. Online ticket consumers were also likely to spend higher average amount of INR. 2347 on their first product purchase in comparison to INR 1626 for internet users. Online ticket buyers were also seen to be more comfortable with the use of debit cards (24%), credit card (19%) and cash on delivery (55%). For regular internet users - cash on delivery was the most preferred mode of payment (74%), followed by debit card (18%) & credit card (5%).

In terms of motivators to shop online, the consumers highlighted cash back guarantee as the number one benefit, ability to give cash on delivery, fast delivery, great deals and access to branded products were highlighted amongst the other benefits of shopping online. The consumers also highlighted some barriers that deter them from shopping online - the number one factor was inability to touch and try the goods before purchase, fear of faulty products, fear of posting their personal and financial details online and the inability to bargain were cited among the other reasons.

Aircel Announces Free Roaming Service Across The Country

Aircel has launched a product that offers users one rate for voice, SMS and data in home circles and on roaming.

'One Nation, One Rate' offers one rate for voice, SMS and data in home circles and on roaming on Aircel network, the company said in a statement."Incoming calls while on roaming on Aircel network will be free," it added.

Aircel users in Delhi can avail the service for Rs 39, while Mumbai subscribers have to pay Rs 32, the statement said. The price points for the service for other circles range from Rs 21 to Rs 59, it added.

This product will enable Aircel customers to enjoy one rate for voice, SMS and data services in their respective home circles and even while they are on roaming," Aircel Chief Marketing Officer Anupam Vasudev said.

The product will offer voice - (Local/National) calling at 1paisa/second in home circle as well as on roaming on Aircel network, while incoming calls on roaming will be free.

SMS will be charged at Re 1 for home circle as well as on roaming while data users will be able to carry the home circle rate on roaming, the statement added.

iPad, iPhone Application Launches By Adam Gilchrist

Why Should Indian Companies Invest In Singapore?

Singapore achieved its record international investment of S$16.0 billion towards its economy with significant investments in Electronic and Energy & Chemical industries.

Investments in Chemical Industry have gone up to S$6.7b in 2012 from S$2.5b in 2011 41.9 per cent from 18.2 per cent.Investments in Electrical Industry maintain at $6.2b 38.8 per cent.Investment from rest of Asia Pacific in Singapore has gone up to $4.4b in 2012 to S$3.7b in 2011. Investments from Asia Pacific have gone up as companies choose Singapore to be an ideal platform to expand their footprints in the global.

Singapore offers a pro business environment, novel financial solutions, presence of international banks and strong credit system to further their business expansion.

Indian companies should invest in Singapore because industries like EPC, Chemicals and Electricals have been consistently growing in the economy. Indian majors such as Tata Communications IHQ, Punj Lloyd, Fortis Healthcare IHQ, Gail's LNG procurement hub, Adani's international asset holding have their headquarters in Singapore and have leveraged Singapore as the Asia-Pacific hub to reach out to other markets like Indonesia, Australia, China etc.

1 Billion Tablets Are Forecasted To Ship Over Next 5 Years

U.S. Consumer Tablet On-device Spending Soars with 22% of Users Spending More Than $50 per Month.€‹At the close of 2012, market intelligence firm ABI Research estimates nearly 200 million tablets will have shipped worldwide since 2009. A New research that explores the impact a tablet has on the daily life of a U.S. consumer shows that 22% of users spend $50 or more per month and 9% spend $100 or more; much higher than spending levels observed by smartphone owners. Tablets are quickly becoming the go-to transaction screen within the home,says mobile devices senior practice director Jeff Orr.

Spending on-device of physical and virtual goods has not yet impacted retail storefronts which are already concerned about their venues turning into showrooms for eventual e-commerce purchases. Logistics, such as price checking, using a coupon and location-based searches, consistently rank as the most common activities (each performed by more than 50% of tablet shoppers in the previous 90 days) while shopping. €œThe opportunity to keep consumers buying in-store squarely remains with the retailer. So far, the presence of a media tablet during the shopping experience has not altered the sales channel where consumers finally buy products,notes Orr.

The actual amount of cannibalization that a tablet has on traditional print and TV consumption varies. Most surprising is that tablets are increasingly used in conjunction with other media types (14% for TV; 17% for newspapers and magazines), which makes the experience more immerse than static-only content engagement.

These a €œConsumer Media Tablet Usage€ findings are part of ABI Research’s Media Tablets and eReaders Research Service, which includes Research Reports, Market Data, Insights, and Surveys.

Protect Your Social Media Accounts too!

ESET has released beta version of ESET Social Media Scanner that protects users in social media, even when they are not logged in. The app can check not only your profile but your friends ‘walls for potentially dangerous links. If an infection is found, you and your friends will be notified by email and can take immediate action.

ESET Social Media Scanner is an application independent from ESET antivirus products that is designed to protect users from malicious content distributed through social networks. The ESET Social Media Scanner monitors new social media content (for example, wall postings containing links or media on Facebook) and looks for malicious code.

ESET social media scanner works primarily by monitoring user’s personal social media accounts. However, it can also be used to test the safety of content posted to the friends’ accounts. When malicious code is discovered by the ESET social media scanner, user is alerted by a message from the scanner or by email. Additionally, the ESET Social Media Scanner can be configured to call out malicious content by automatically posting a comment that warns user and his friend list to avoid media that has been found to contain malicious code.

You do not need to own ESET Smart Security or ESET NOD32 Antivirus license to download and use the ESET Social Media Scanner. The ESET Social Media Scanner is also available on the Facebook App Center and the ESET Facebook Fan Page. In case if one has an ESET Smart Security or ESET NOD32 Antivirus installed, he can access the download page for this scanner by opening the main program window of your ESET product and clicking the ESET Social Media Scanner link.

For privacy concerned users, many social networks require you to authorize the use of any app with your profile. Facebook apps require you to renew this user rights confirmation 60 days after an app is installed. You must grant the ESET Social Media Scanner permission to Post on your behalf, Access messages in your inbox and Access posts from your News Feed for the application to function properly.

Minister Joins Cricket Hero To Launch India App

Trade Minister Craig Emerson joined cricketer Adam Gilchrist in New Delhi today to launch a magazine celebrating the trade and cultural connections between India and Australia.

The app-based magazine for iPhones and iPads was developed as part of the Australia Unlimited campaign showcasing the ideas and achievements of Australians at home and around the world.

“Commercial relationships, like cultural links, are as much about the people driving them than the flow of goods and services,” Dr Emerson said.

“This special edition of the magazine is dedicated to some of the people at the centre of Australia’s rich relationship with India.”

The magazine was launched at the Australian High Commission in India, where Mr Gilchrist, an ambassador for the University of Wollongong, addressed a group of influential Indian and Australian guests.

“Our two countries share a strong bond through our passion for cricket. The Australia Unlimited magazine reminds us that there is much more to this relationship than a ball and a bat,” Mr Gilchrist said.

“Through film, fashion, science, infrastructure, technology and cultural preservation the people of India and Australia are working together and continuing to strengthen our unique relationship,” he said.

Dr Emerson said greater cultural appreciation was an important part of the bilateral relationship, which had been strengthened by the Strategic Partnership agreed in November 2009. The app-based magazine was launched as part of Oz Fest, the biggest Australian cultural festival ever staged in India.

The Australian Government is committed to deepening the Australia-India relationship.

Its White Paper on Australia in the Asian Century had created a roadmap for greater engagement with Asia, including with India, Dr Emerson said.

Australia and India are also negotiating a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement.

India is Australia’s fourth largest export market. More than 450,000 of people of Indian descent live in Australia.

“A new era of Indo-Pacific cooperation is upon us,” Dr Emerson said.

“The more we learn about each other, and appreciate our complementary strengths, the deeper will be our engagement.”

Download Australia Unlimited from the App Store or visit www.australiaunlimited.com. An Android version of the app will be available this year.

Lava To Announce Android Jelly Bean Tablet Next Month

Lava is also looking to establish itself in the segment and the company is expected to launch a slew of tablets and smartphones in the next coming months. According to latest reports suggest that Lava will be introducing an Android 4.1 aka Jelly Bean based tablet in the country, expected to be launched early next month. According to an exclusive Gizbot report, Lava will launch its Android 4.1 aka Jelly Bean OS based tablet at an affordable price point. The report does not mention anything on the screen size or details front but the tablet should be powered by a 1.5 GHz dual-core processor of unnamed brand and expected 1 GB RAM. The tablet should sport dual cameras and possible internal storage of 4 GB, which will be expandable further via microSD. Connectivity features like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth should be available. The 17.7-cm (7-inch) tablet is expected to be priced sub Rs 10,000 and watch this space for more on the upcoming tablet.

Transcend Offers a Complete Lineup of Ultra-High Speed Memory Cards

Transcend Offers a Complete Lineup of Ultra-High Speed Memory Cards to Boost the Performance of Your Device.

Transcend Information, Inc. (Transcend ), a worldwide leader in storage and multimedia products, is pleased to offer a comprehensive lineup of memory cards featuring the next-generation Ultra-High Speed Class 1 specification (UHS-I, U1). Thanks to the use of this cutting-edge technology, Transcend UHS-I memory cards not only elevate the performance of SDHC-equipped mobile devices, but also provide quick and seamless file transfers between card and computer.

Premium Series microSDHC and SDHC UHS-I Cards designed to enhance the smartphone and tablet user experience, Transcend’s microSDHC UHS-I memory cards guarantee the best possible performance when running memory-intensive mobile apps and games, as well as Full HD video recording and playback. Taking full advantage of the UHS-I interface, Transcend’s SDHC UHS-I memory cards help digital camera users capture and store photos faster and more reliably than ever before.

To improve post-production efficiency, Transcend's ‘Premium’ series microSDHC and SDHC memory cards can achieve impressive transfer rates of up to 45MB/s (300X), significantly reducing the time it takes to copy files to a computer. Available in a range of capacities (8GB to 32GB), the microSDHC and SDHC Class 10 UHS-I cards provide vast storage space to store a massive amount of personal media files. Ultimate Series SDHC/SDXC UHS-I Cards Aimed at professional photographers, reporters and enthusiasts, Transcend’s ‘Ultimate’ series SDHC/SDXC UHS-I memory cards help realize the full high-resolution recording capabilities of today’s latest DSLR and hybrid cameras, and camcorders. When paired with UHS-I enabled devices, these cards raise the bar with blazing fast transfer speeds of up to 90MB/s (600X), which makes them the perfect choice for capturing expert-quality images and smooth Full HD 1080p, 3D and even 4K Ultra HD video.

Featuring storage capacities ranging from 8GB to an enormous 64GB, Transcend SDHC/SDXC UHS-I cards provide plenty of space for professional-quality photos and videos. The 64GB SDXC card, for instance, can store a full 16 hours of 1080p High-Definition footage (1920x1080 9Mbps H.264 AVC compression) or over 4000 RAW images (based on 14MB file size), ideal for situations that demand continuous burst-mode shooting and non-stop video recording.

For added value, each Transcend UHS-I memory card includes a free download of Transcend’s own RecoveRx™ software - an extraordinarily effective tool for bringing back accidentally deleted or lost files. All Transcend memory cards are fully tested for compatibility and reliability, and carry Transcend’s renowned Lifetime Warranty.

New IP for NI Vector Signal

New IP for NI Vector Signal Transceiver Extends Out-of-the-Box Capabilities for Test and Measurement Applications

Download free IP to enhance and customize the functionality of software-designed instruments, including the NI PXIe-5644R vector signal transceiver. Explore prebuilt examples that cut system design time for common RF and wireless applications.

National Instruments has announced 10 pieces of new application IP that enable engineers and scientists to use NI LabVIEW system design software to build their own custom RF instruments. This IP integrates with PXI FPGA targets such as the NI PXIe-5644R vector signal transceiver (VST) and extends their default capabilities by adding new features or enhancing performance in specific applications.

Each piece of IP is available in a stand-alone package so that users can add it to one of the default VST personalities and mix and match the relevant components for their applications. The IP is also prebuilt into examples to provide immediate access to its functionality. This eliminates the need for the user to compile the code and subsequently reduces development time. In addition to VST IP from National Instruments, NI Alliance Partners and third-party developers are creating IP and developing software add-ons for the VST.

“We use the VST to give our DOCSIS Channel Emulator multiple ‘personalities.’ This means we can test both mainstream features and unique corner cases,” said Andy Brown, principal technology engineer at NI Platinum Alliance Partner Averna. “With the power, flexibility and compact size of the VST, we can deliver easy-to-use tools that help our customers test and troubleshoot their products faster.”

Examples of IP · Hardware power servoing for RF amplifier test · RF channel impairments including fading, noise, multipath and Doppler effects · Digital device under test control · Contiguous I/Q waveform streaming to and from disk

Persistent Systems Revenue grows 14.7 percent

4 colour_logo_new The global leader in software product and technology services, today announced the Company’s audited financial results for the third quarter ended December 31, 2012, as approved by the Board of Directors.

“We continue to see growth in Product Engineering Services which grew steadily quarter on quarter, reaffirming that our core business continues to be strong,” said Dr. Anand Deshpande, Chairman and Managing Director, Persistent Systems. “We have strengthened and expanded our partnership with Dassault Systèmes and with our most recent acquisition of NovaQuest, we are extending PLM business across new industry verticals. IP revenue continues to grow steadily and we see tremendous business opportunities across all our focus areas in cloud computing, collaboration, analytics and mobility.”

Key Highlights: Revenue for nine months ended December 31, 2012 was US$ 175.71 Million, representing a Y-o-Y growth of 14.7%.Profit after Tax (PAT) for nine months ended December 31, 2012 was 1,357.33 Million, representing a Y-o-Y growth of 35%. IP-led business constitutes 17.1% of the revenue for nine months ended December 31, 2012.Utilization improved Q-o-Q by 1.8% to 79.5%.Acquired NovaQuest, a Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) and Search Based technology solutions company thereby entering into a strategic partnership with Dassault Systèmes to sell and offer support, maintenance and deployment services as an authorized VAR for Dassault Systèmes’ in the United States.Declared an interim dividend of 6 per share (Payout ratio 20.55%) for the Financial Year 2012-13, as against a total dividend of 6 per share (Payout ratio 19.67%) for the Financial Year 2011-12.

Other Highlights: Appointed Dr. Sridhar Jagannathan as the Chief Innovation Officer responsible for driving innovation in products, solutions and services.Delivered an innovative acceleration process enabling Voltage Security®, to provide solution upgrades and security alerts to their customers in record time.Unveiled “The Modern Enterprise App Development Lifecycle” a new enterprise application at the E2 Innovate 2012 Conference.Expanded presence in Australia by establishing an office in Sydney.