NEC Acquires Full Ownership Of Indian Software Company

 NEC Corporation and HCL Technologies has reached an agreement for NEC to obtain full control of NEC HCL Systems Technologies (NHST), a joint venture software company. Based on the agreement, NEC will acquire HCLT’s 49 per cent share of NHST. As a result, NHST will become a wholly owned subsidiary of NEC. The subsidiary’s name is scheduled to become NEC Technologies India Limited in April 2013. 

NHST was established in October 2005 in order to enhance software developing resources in India. Since then, the company has developed software products for the platform business in partnership with the experience and knowledge of HCLT. The new subsidiary will play a key role in the development and system integration of NEC’s solutions business throughout the emerging India and Asia Pacific markets, as well as Europe and the US.

“NEC Technologies India will lead a global deployment of product technology and development,” said Takaaki Shimizu, Senior Vice President of NEC. “The company will become an offshore software development base for systems in Asia Pacific, Europe, the US and Japan, in addition to its current software development for the platform business. Moreover, NEC will strengthen its global sales and support by leveraging the new company’s experience and know-how in development, technology and business channels.”

Going forward, NEC aims to continue strengthening the global competitiveness of its products, costs, business promotions and human resources. Furthermore, NEC will create new value for customers as an IT partner that provides competitive products and support throughout the world. 

Opening Day App Updates Available Today

Updates Available for At Bat & At The Ballpark for iPhone, iPad, iPod touch and Android; Beat The Streak Presented by Dunkin' Donuts for iPhone & iPod touch

 MLB has announced the Opening Day updates to its suite of mobile applications, including the highest grossing sports app of all-time, At Bat, will be available across their respective supported devices. The list of apps includes At Bat, At The Ballpark and Beat The Streak Presented by Dunkin' Donuts. In addition, MLB.com At Bat 13 is making its debut on the new BlackBerry Z10 smartphone with features including MLB.TV live video streaming.

MLB.TV Premium subscribers again may upgrade to At Bat 13 for free on iPhone, iPad, iPod touch and Android devices, unlocking all premium features. Fans also may subscribe to MLB.com At Bat 13 for the one-time annual fee of $19.99. iOS users may pay $2.99/month using the recurring billing option available through the App Store.

MLB.com At Bat 13 for the BlackBerry Z10, available only for a one-time annual fee of $19.99, will give fans access to the app's features, developed and optimized for the device's mobile computing system. Those include: the Free MLB.TV Game of the Day; MLB.TV Premium subscriber login to watch every out-of-market game live and on-demand; home and away radio broadcasts; in-progress highlights; Gameday pitch tracking with realistic ballpark renderings; Condensed Games; Classic games library; league and team news, schedules and statistics; standings; and favorite team selection.

India’s Idea Cellular Selects Broadcom Android 4.0 Smartphone Platform

 Broadcom has announced that Indian telecom operator, Idea Cellular, has chosen the BCM21654G for use in its new Idea Ivory Android-based smartphone. By selecting one of Broadcom’s 3G platforms optimized for Android, Idea Cellular is providing customers with an entry-level smartphone offering enhanced functionality, powerful graphics, and advanced features including dual-SIM connectivity. 

“As the Indian market evolves from 2G to 3G technology, Idea Cellular is committed to proliferating 3G services by providing affordable, yet feature-rich smartphones that meet consumer demand for a satisfying mobile broadband experience,” said Sashi Shankar, Chief Marketing Officer, Idea Cellular. “Our partnership with Broadcom will not only provide our users with a better, faster Android device, but also transform the way people communicate.”

“With our complete, integrated smartphone platform, Broadcom provides device manufacturers in emerging markets with the technologies necessary to deliver an affordable Android device and capitalize on the smartphone revolution,” said Rafael Sotomayor, Broadcom Vice President, Mobile Platform Solutions. “We’re thrilled to work with Idea Cellular to enable low-cost smartphones with advanced features that take advantage of the mobile internet and offer a superior Android experience.”

As carriers expand their 3G networks, smartphone growth in India will be bolstered by low-end smartphones offering dual-SIM capability and local apps. According to research firm IDC, India and Brazil will join the United States, China, and United Kingdom as the top five country markets for smartphone shipments by 2016.1

Idea Cellular’s Ivory is the fifth Android smartphone the company has launched and the first device running on the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system (OS). Powered by a Broadcom® BCM21654G chipset, it features a 1 GHz ARM Cortex A9 processor and an integrated and globally proven 7.2/5.8 Mbps HSPA modem with low-power VGA video support. The chipset also includes a 2G/3G cellular radio (RF), a power management unit (PMU), and an advanced connectivity suite including Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, FM, and GPS for a complete system solution.

Broadcom’s family of 3G and 4G LTE smartphone solutions deliver the features required for all tiers of smartphones, from affordable entry-level devices to high-performance superphones.  Idea Cellular’s Idea Ivory smartphone is available for sale in India now.

Battlefield 4: Official 17 Minutes "Fishing in Baku" Gameplay Reveal

Rugged Cams Releases New Outdoor Security Camera

Rugged Cams is introducing another Tough, Weatherproof and Waterproof Security Camera with a built-in "Swing-Out" Junction Box and Conduit fittings.

Rugged Cams recently released the Vanguard-700, a new and improved infrared outdoor security camera designed to withstand extreme weather conditions, including rain, cold and dusty environments. In addition, this outdoor security camera takes advantage of the latest technology to produce crisp, clear images at near-HD resolution during the day and throughout the night.

The innovative design of the Vanguard-700 begins with its tough outer case. This hermetically sealed case has an ingress protection (IP) rating of 67, which means that it is totally protected against intrusions by solid particles as small as individual dust grains. The IP67 rating also means that the camera is totally sealed and is completely waterproof.

In addition to being waterproof and dustproof, the Vanguard-700 can also withstand extreme temperatures. This outdoor camera has been tested to operate in temperatures as low as -40° below zero and as high as 158° F, and it includes anti-fog protection. This is all made possible by the inclusion of a fan and a heating element inside the sealed aluminum case.

Access to the camera’s interior is granted by a drop-down access door that uses a strong gasket to ensure that the IP rating is not compromised. However, this access door is not simply a door. It also doubles as a control panel that includes a navigation button, infrared control buttons and a video output connection. It is also where lens adjustments are made, safely sealing these adjustment knobs from weather and moisture.

At the heart of the Vanguard-700 outdoor security camera is a Sony 960H image sensor. This sensor can produce images with up to 700 vertical lines of resolution (800 lines in Night Mode), and 960 horizontal lines of resolution. This is very near Megapixel resolution, and a great leap forward for analog systems.

Many users of the Vanguard-700 attach the camera to a standard DVR, which records at a resolutionof 740 x 480. However, users can get up to 30 percent higher resolution during playback by using the Rugged Cam 960HD DVR.

One of the most important features of this outdoor camera is the Easy Pro Install System, which can be used by anyone with basic mechanical skills to mount the camera just as well as any professional. At the base of the mount is a built-in, swing-out junction box that allows the camera to be mounted in any direction and position. It can be mounted on a wall, a ceiling, a table or any other surface without a problem, and the 3-axis swinging arm makes fine tuning a breeze.

The Vanguard-700 includes several other features that make it one of the most versatile outdoor security cameras on the market today. It has a dual-voltage power converter that accepts either 12V DC or 24V AC. In addition, the 30 wide-angle, variable-power infrared lamps with Smart IR technology give the camera an effective outdoor Infrared Lighting range of 100 feet and an indoor range of 165 feet.

Chinese Cellphone And Tablet Makers Gain Share In MEMS Sensor Purchasing In 2012

 China-based manufacturers of cellphones and tablets in 2012 more than doubled their share of purchases of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) motion sensors, reflecting the rising prominence of the companies in the global market, according to an IHS iSuppli MEMS Topical Report from information and analytics provider IHS (NYSE: IHS). 

Chinese makers as a whole were the third major user last year of motion sensors for cellphones and tablets, accounting for 15 percent of the market, up from 7 percent in 2011, as presented in the attached figure.

“The purchasers fell into two groups: the first typified by big companies such as ZTE, Huawei Technologies, Lenovo and Coolpad; and the second made up of a multitude of smaller players,” said Jérémie Bouchaud, director and senior principal analyst for MEMS & sensors at IHS. “The two groups will evolve in different directions in the years ahead. The larger manufacturers will maintain their growth through 2016, but the boom that smaller players are enjoying at present—driven by the long-tail growth of smartphones—is a bubble that will not be sustainable. As top-tier suppliers start to optimize their lower-end platforms for this market, the window of growth for smaller players will shrink accordingly, expiring during the next few years.”

Shades of gray

Chinese firms ZTE and Huawei Technologies were at No. 8 and No. 9 last year—below top players Apple and Samsung, Nokia of Finland at No. 3, LG Electronics of South Korea in fourth place, HTC of Taiwan in fifth, Japan’s Sony in sixth and Illinois-based Motorola in seventh. However, ZTE and Huawei were ahead of No. 10 BlackBerry, the rebranded Canadian player formerly known as Research In Motion.

Outside of the legitimate Chinese market, the China gray-handset space also had a small presence in the global motion sensor industry given spending of $12.7 million, down from a peak of $41.1 million in 2009. The market here consisted solely of accelerometers supplied by American companies Memsic and Freescale, as well as STMicrolectronics and Bosch. There are no compasses or gyroscopes in this segment.

Apple and Samsung dominate

Apple and Samsung Electronics were the two largest buyers in 2012 of MEMS motion sensors for handsets and tablets with nearly three-fifths control of the total market last year, affording the two giants extraordinary leverage when negotiating prices.

Apple spent $422.4 million for a 31 percent share, while Samsung’s expenditure of $340.8 million gave it a 25 percent share. The combined share of 56 percent from the two—equivalent to $763.2 million—dwarfed the rest of the market, which included the underground gray-handset space in China, as well as other smaller buyers from Taiwan and the United States, as shown in the attached table.

“The heft and influence of Apple and Samsung in the consumption of motion sensors give the two titans incredible purchasing power in this key area,” Bouchaud said. “Apple and Samsung were leagues ahead of other companies like Nokia, LG Electronics, HTC, Sony and Motorola in purchasing motion sensors. Both companies in 2012 paid 20 to 25 percent lower prices than other buyers for all motion sensors on average. For 3-axis gyroscopes, Apple and Samsung paid prices that were 10 to 15 percent less than for everyone else.”

Apple and Samsung are expected to maintain their dominance until at least 2016, retaining approximately 55 percent of the market by then.

Overall, revenue last year for MEMS motion sensors used in handsets and tablets amounted to $1.34 billion, up a solid 21 percent from $1.11 billion in 2011.

Apple’s major contribution

California-based Apple was the biggest buyer of motion sensors for tablets, but fell behind top purchaser Samsung last year for the sensors in mobile handsets. Apple’s share last year was down from 36 percent in 2011, but the company can claim important milestones in the MEMS motion sensor market.

The first iPhone made the accelerometer popular as the phone could automatically orient to a horizontal or vertical position; the iPhone 3GS launched an electronic compass for navigation; and the iPhone 4 along with the first iPad created a new market for motion-sensitive gyroscopes.

Unlike most manufacturers, Apple so far has a single-source policy for motion sensors. French-Italian entity STMicroelectronics has been the sole supplier to Apple of accelerometers since 2007 and of gyroscopes since 2010, while Japanese-based AKM has been the lone supplier of the e-compass since 2009.

STMicroelectronics is also the supplier of 3-axis gyroscopes for the iPhone 4, 4S and 5, as well as for the iPad 2, 3 and mini tablets.

Apple, however, may be facing stiff competition from other buyers in pioneering new motion sensor applications. Samsung, for instance, is driving the adoption of pressure sensors for sophisticated indoor navigation, while Nokia and HTC have already introduced optical image stabilization to reduce camera shake in smartphones.

Samsung’s upstart challenge to Apple

Samsung overtook Nokia in 2011 to become the second-largest buyer of MEMS motion sensors for handsets and tablets. The South Korean behemoth increased purchasing by 69 percent, boosting its market share to a quarter of the total from 19 percent in 2011. Samsung’s new-found prominence puts it within 6 percentage points of Apple, narrowing Apple’s lead down from 15 percent in 2011.

Unlike Apple, Samsung has a diversified supplier base: three for discrete accelerometers; four for e-compasses; two suppliers for discrete gyroscopes; two for pressure sensors; two for 6-axis inertial measurement units combining a 3-axis accelerometer and a 3-axis gyroscope; and one for 6-axis compasses comprising a 3-axis accelerometer and a 3-axis e-compass.

STMicroelectronics was the main supplier to Samsung as it was for Apple, with German maker Bosch Sensortec and California-based InvenSense as Samsung’s next biggest providers.

Samsung’s inclusion of pressure sensors in the latest Galaxy Note 2 and S III smartphones is also notable, giving the company an important head start in this segment, especially as Apple is not expected to include pressure sensors in the iPhone until 2014.

The top suppliers overall

Four suppliers shipped more than $100 million worth of MEMS motion sensors last year, making up 84 percent of the market. STMicroelectronics was No. 1 with $640 million, followed by AKM with $236 million, Bosch Sensortec with $135 million and InvenSense with $121 million. 

Adaptable System Monitors Critical Environmental Conditions Such As Temperature And Pressure

The NTI ENVIROMUX Medium Enterprise Environment Monitoring System is now available from ITM Components. The system monitors critical environmental conditions, such as temperature, humidity, liquid water presence, power, intrusion, and smoke. When a sensor goes out of a range of a configurable threshold, the system will notify users via email, LEDs, alarm beacon siren, web page, network management (SNMP), voice phone calls (via Automatic Voice Dialer System), and SMS messages (via external USB 3G modem). 

The ENVIROMUX-5D monitors and manages enterprise environmental conditions over IP with five external configurable sensors, five digital inputs sensitive to contact closure, and two internal sensors – temperature and humidity. It features two output relays for control of external devices. The unit supports IP network video cameras for live view of any facility through a single integrated view which displays different Web cameras side-by-side with physical and environmental parameters. Any programmed event can trigger a snapshot from an IP camera, providing users with real-time updates on environmental threats. The unit can monitor (ping) up to 64 IP network devices and send alerts if devices are not responding.

Up to fifty sensor conditions, also known as events, can be configured to trigger alerts by themselves, and/or be used in combination with other events to trigger up to twenty Smart Alerts. Alerts are posted in a message log, and the unit comes with USB ports for connecting a USB modem or for downloading log data to a USB flash drive.

The ENVIROMUX-5D operates on a Linux kernel and provides multi-language support: English, German, Indonesian, and Japanese. Optional internal battery backup and dual redundant power supplies are available to ensure constant monitoring during a power failure. With flexible Zero-RU mounting, the unit is ideal for use in data centres, co-lo sites, web hosting facilities, telecom switching sites, POP sites, server closets, or any unmanned area that needs to be monitored, says the company. 

PCB Industry Growth Rates and Book-to-Bill Ratio Announced

IPC — Association Connecting Electronics Industries has announced today the February findings from its monthly North American Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Statistical Program.

PCB Industry Growth Rates and Book-to-Bill Ratio Announced

Total North American PCB shipments were down 10.2 percent in February 2013 from February 2012, and bookings decreased 9.2 percent year over year. Year to date, PCB industry shipments were down 5.7 percent and bookings were down 6.7 percent. Compared to the previous month, PCB shipments in February decreased 6.5 percent, but bookings increased 1.1 percent. The book-to-bill ratio for the North American PCB industry continued to strengthen in February, reaching 1.06.

“Sales are still sluggish in the North American PCB industry, but the book-to-bill ratio strengthened in February for the third straight month,” said Sharon Starr, IPC director of market research. “When orders exceed sales over several months, this is an encouraging sign for future sales growth.”

The book-to-bill ratios are calculated by dividing the value of orders booked over the past three months by the value of sales billed during the same period from companies in IPC’s survey sample. A ratio of more than 1.00 suggests that current demand is ahead of supply, which is a positive indicator for sales growth over the next three to six months.

The Role of Domestic Production

IPC’s monthly survey of the North American PCB industry tracks bookings and shipments from U.S. and Canadian facilities, which provide indicators of regional demand. These numbers do not measure U.S. and Canadian PCB production. To track regional production trends, IPC asks survey participants for the percent of their reported shipments that were produced domestically (i.e., in the USA or Canada). In February 2013, 85 percent of total PCB shipments reported by survey participants were domestically produced. These numbers are significantly affected by the mix of companies in IPC’s survey sample, which change slightly in January, but are kept constant through the remainder of the year.

Interpreting the Data

Year-on-year and year-to-date growth rates provide the most meaningful view of industry growth. Month-to-month comparisons should be made with caution as they may reflect cyclical effects and short-term volatility. Because bookings tend to be more volatile than shipments, changes in the book-to-bill ratios from month to month may not be significant unless a trend of more than three consecutive months is apparent. It is also important to consider changes in bookings and shipments to understand what is driving changes in the book-to-bill ratio.

The information in IPC’s monthly PCB industry statistics is based on data provided by a representative sample of both rigid PCB and flexible circuit manufacturers selling in the USA and Canada. IPC publishes the PCB book-to-bill ratio near the end of each month. Statistics for the current month are not available until the last week of the following month.

More detailed monthly findings on rigid PCB and flexible circuit sales and orders, including military and medical market growth, total market size and forecasts, are published monthly in IPC’s North American PCB Market Report. This report is available free to current participants in IPC’s PCB Statistical Program and by subscription to others. More information about this report can be found at www.ipc.org/market-research-subscriptions. 

New RMS Power Detector Offers Unparalleled Frequency Performance And Flexibility (ADL5906)

Texas Instruments (TI) has introduced new lithium-ion battery charger integrated circuits (ICs) that reduce charge time by 50 percent in smartphones and tablets compared to other charger solutions. The bq2419x family of 4.5A output, 20V input-rated switch-mode chargers with I2C interface and USB on-the-go (OTG) support delivers faster and cooler charging to a wide array of applications ranging from power banks and packs to 4G LTE routers, Wi-Fi speakers, portable medical and industrial designs.

Consumers continue to seek faster battery charging in portable electronics. New designs require more accurate, highly-efficient charge circuitry that keeps the system cool and safe while charging at a faster rate. Available in a 24-pin, 4mm x 4mm QFN package, the bq24190, bq24192, bq24192i, bq24193, bq24195, bq24195L and bq24196 fast-charge circuits reduce charge time through battery path impedance compensation, and offer programmable thermal management capability to ensure the safest, most reliable system operation, says the company. 

SoundHound Unveils Android Tablets

SoundHound has unveiled a completely redesigned version of its mobile application for Android tablets, leveraging Google's new graphical user interface. The updated version of SoundHound features an entirely new layout and design, making content more easily discover able and accessible and a generally improved browsing experience.

"SoundHound on Android tablets is now not only stunning in appearance, it offers improved functionality and an enhanced experience for users". The redesigned SoundHound app is available today for Google's Nexus 7 and Nexus 10 tablets as well as Amazon's Kindle Fire and Kindle HD. "SoundHound on Android tablets is now not only stunning in appearance, it offers improved functionality and an enhanced experience for users," said James Hom, SoundHound's Vice President of Products. "By utilizing the tablet's larger screen space and leveraging new tools from Google, users can much more fluidly navigate within the app and have access to more content in one location.".

As part of the design launch, SoundHound also deepens its relationship with Rdio, the digital music service. Rdio is the launch partner for this new tablet in the US and continues as the featured partner for SoundHound's interactive mapping feature that allows users to see what songs have been recently SoundHound'ed in their geographic area. Since launching in December with Rdio, interactive mapping has become one of the most popular SoundHound features as users can tap on a SoundHound'ed song displayed on the map and link directly to Rdio to hear the full track.

Google Nexus tablet users can access the new design by updating their SoundHound app in the Google Play store while Kindle users can do the same via the Amazon Appstore.

Saral Rozgar Job Portal

CanvasM Technologies and Bharti Airtel have announced the launch of a unique job portal service – Saral Rozgar for the blue collar workers. Skilled, semi-skilled and un-skilled manual labourers in the country can now easily register themselves on the portal and apply for jobs through a simple voice call by dialing 54141 on their Airtel mobile number.


Potential employers and job providers can access this data of registered workers by simply logging on to www.saralrozgar.com or on voice call by dialing 54141 and easily connect with a worker who matches their requirements.

“As part of CanvasM’s focus on minimizing the digital divide, we have developed India’s first such platform which combines the features of internet and voice call to create a first ever job market place service for blue collar workers. We are proud with the leading service provider Bharti Airtel for the service and are confident that Airtel mobile customers will benefit from this unique service,” said Jagdish Mitra, chief executive officer, CanvasM Technologies.

Airtel mobile customers in the country, especially in the rural parts can now easily subscribe to the service for an affordable rental of Rs 30 for 30 days. Call charges of Re 1 per min will apply for voice calls and browsing will be charged as per the customer’s data plan.

Qustodio Intros Parental Control Tools On Android, Mac Devices

Qustodio has announced the release of the latest version of its free software, now compatible with Mac OSX Lion/Mountain Lion and Android devices. It is already available for Window 8 PCs and the latest version of Qustodio is aimed at giving parents better tools to manage their children’s online activities on the many devices that they use to connect to the world, including Android mobile phones and tablets.


Parents can view the web-browsing activity or applications being used on any device within the family and set usage limits for certain applications and web pages. Parents can manage the use of all Macs, Windows PCs and Android mobile devices from one unified web-based online dashboard, called the Family Portal.


“Management of the multiple connected devices and online activities in the family is a new and challenging problem that we aim to solve,” said Eduardo Cruz, CEO and co-founder of Qustodio. “We are committed to providing parents useful tools to guarantee safe and responsible use of devices by children.”

This release also allows parents to have a deeper view into social networks including Facebook. Qustodio has always tracked children’s time spent on social media sites like Twitter, FourSquare and Pinterest. But today it launched a robust new tool called Advanced Facebook Monitoring that connects to a child’s Facebook account from any device, and reports on the key activities, information and photos where a child may be tagged.

Qustodio is taking place to showcase this new feature, Qustodio’s Family Portal,a new tab called Social Activity. Social Activity offers parents a detailed view of all social activity performed by the child. It allows parents to see the names of contacts that children communicate with online and the time and duration of the conversation. Qustodio also alerts parents the first time a child is contacted by a new friend. This allows parents to keep a closer eye on social media interactions and intervene if necessary.

OptiTrack Launches Prime 17W Motion Capture Camera at GDC 2013

OptiTrack has announced its newest Prime 17W motion capture camera, with 1.7 Megapixels (MP) and a wide angle field of view (FOV), the Prime 17W is equipped to maximize coverage in a variety of volumes.
The Prime 17W's ample 70° by 51° field of view and impressive 50' range offers users flexible system deployment and camera configuration. Though high camera counts are supported, the wide angle FOV was designed to deliver clean, continuous data with fewer cameras-making it an affordable solution for engineers, animators, and researchers interested in leveraging the Prime Series performance into their studios and labs. Also capable of tracking exceptionally fast moving objects, the Prime 17W's global shutter and 360 FPS full resolution capture rate make it ideally suited for UAV, robotic and sports tracking and other demanding high-speed applications.

"Every facet of the Prime 17W was thoughtfully constructed to afford users the greatest degree of freedom in assembling high quality motion capture systems, without a hefty price tag. We are challenging the outdated thinking that motion capture is complicated, and with this release are breaking down traditional barriers like budget and space limitations.

The Prime 17W is powerful, easy to install and can effortlessly squeeze large capture volumes into tight or narrow spaces," said Jim Richardson, CEO of OptiTrack.
Prime 17W features include:

• 70° by 51° field of view enables larger volumes in smaller spaces and with fewer cameras
• 1.7 Megapixel resolution allows simultaneous body and finger tracking
• Performance-matched image sensors and lenses for true edge-to-edge data
• Super low distortion, "fast glass" lenses for superior light transmission
• High speed, 360 FPS capture with global shutter easily tracks very fast-moving objects
• 50' camera-to-marker range
• GigE and PoE+
• Aim Assist button for simple, rapid single-user setup
• Genlock, SMPTE Time Code and external sync in/out

As with all OptiTrack cameras, the Prime 17W setup, when used with OptiTrack's Motive software solutions, produces the cleanest 3D data in motion capture, even capturing subtle finger movements with Motive:Body software. OptiTrack's Prime Series of cameras also includes the Prime 41, a 4.1 MP camera capable of capturing volumes of up to 75' by 150' that was launched in 2012. The Prime 17W is now available for $3699. For more details.

VIZIO Launches New Premium PC Line-Up, Full HD High Performance Touchscreens with Windows 8

VIZIO has announced the pricing and availability of its spring 2013 line-up of Windows 8 PCs, equipped with 10-finger capacitive touch displays on every new model and supported by outstanding picture quality and rich audio. With select models now available for pre-order at VIZIO.com and on sale at MicrosoftStore.com, each Thin + Light and All-in-One model offers seamless touchscreen technology, powerful performance and premium entertainment enhancements for the ideal interactive Windows 8 experience.

Offering the top-of-the-line quad-core processors from both AMD (A10 APU) and Intel® (Core™ i7), the VIZIO Touch PC line-up boasts optimal performance in an exquisitely designed, premium PC. Highlighted by 15.6" Full HD (starting at $1,189.99) and 14" HD+ (starting at $1,089.99) screen sizes, VIZIO's Thin + Light Touch models showcase an ultra-thin profile, multi-gesture touchscreen and increased battery capacity. A standard voltage quad-core processor enables the Thin + Light Touch to perform like a desktop, but is conveniently mobile thanks to an ultra-thin chassis.

The All-in-One Touch PCs are also now available to consumers, offering 24" (starting at $1,279.99) and 27" ($1,549.99) screen size options. With stunning, Full HD 1080p touchscreen display, enhanced 2.1 audio system with subwoofer, remote control and dual HDMI inputs, the VIZIO All-in-One Touch PC delivers world-class entertainment and performance. An alluring design with sleek lines, wireless keyboard and multi-gesture touchpad, the All-in-One Touch is a marriage of beauty and functionality.

"To help VIZIO PC users unlock the ideal interactive Windows 8 experience, we have integrated touchscreen functionality across our entire spring PC line-up," said Matt McRae, Chief Technology Officer, VIZIO. "With the launch of the new Touch PCs, we look forward to delivering enhanced performance and entertainment options to new VIZIO consumers."

AMD and Intel processor options for the 24" All-in-One Touch, 14" and 15.6" Thin + Light Touch PCs allow consumers to select a model that best meshes with their lifestyle. The latest AMD high-performance A10 quad-core APU with Radeon™ HD graphics is ideal for serious multi-taskers or gamers, armed to deliver strikingly rich visuals and immersive gaming experience, while the 3rd generation Intel® Core ™ i7 quad-core processor with Intel Turbo Boost Technology focuses on high-performance, tackling the most demanding tasks, supporting all the applications with extra speed and maximum power.

Beyond the sleek design and processing power, VIZIO continues to leverage its HDTV background with brilliant picture quality, high contrast and wider viewing angles, a staple of the Touch PCs. An expertly-tuned SRS Premium Sound HD™ audio system, a DTS technology, delivers rich audio quality, complementing superior visuals with deep, resonant sound to get the most out of music, movies, games and more.
Each Touch PC features upgraded Wi-Fi with 802.11ac, making VIZIO one of the first PC OEMs to deliver advanced technology. About three times faster than standard 802.11n¹, consumers are now able to stream HD content not only faster, but smoother via their Touch PC.

To further ensure a premium consumer experience, VIZIO once again delivers the only PC line-up fully equipped with Microsoft Signature for Windows and backed by award-winning VIZIO Customer Support. By eliminating junk ware and offering a meticulous configuration, built-in world-class security software and 90 days free Microsoft Signature support from Microsoft, VIZIO Touch PC users will fully enjoy Windows 8.

Consumers can now pre-order select VIZIO Touch PC models on VIZIO.com and purchase the 15.6" Touch Thin + Light (CT15T-B1) and 24" Touch All-in-One (CA24T-B0) at MicrosoftStore.com.

WishTel's Launches IRA Capsulel; Tablet Laptop

WishTel, one of the top 10 tablet manufacturers in the country (CRM TopX Series 2013)increases its portfolio in the tablet – pc segment with the launch of WishTel IRA Capsule – a convertible tablet laptop.

Text Box: Key features of IRA Capsule ü 10.1” LED Full touch display ü Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) ü 1.6GHz Dual Core Processor ü 1GB RAM ü 16GB internal Memory storage ü 5MP rear camera ü Screen resolution of 1024*786 HD ü 8000 mAH battery ü Wish Learning, Wish Studio, Wish TV, Wish News, Wish video calling The convertible redefines technology advancement and promises to deliver superior quality graphics, smooth multi tasking capabilities and enchanced performance. With powerful features like the 10.1” LEDMulti Touch Capacitive type touch screen,Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, 1.6ghz dual core processor, IGB RAM,screen resolution of 1024*786 HD, battery life of 5 – 6 hours with super powerful 8000 mAH battery,bluetooth,3G& Wi-Fi connectivity, IRA Capsule aims to be an aspirational product.

Announcing the launch of IRA Capsule, Milind Shah, CEO, WishTel shares; “At WishTel, we always aim to create a products that are not only innovative and use advanced technology, but are also affordable, deliver high performance and meet the growing demand and needs of the consumers.With the launch of IRA Capsule, WishTel only wishes to reinforce the company’s vision to bridge the technology barrier and create innovative and highly effective products. Recognising the needs of the consumers and offering them the touch mode of Eject and enjoy will only enhance their comfortability, of using this device for both business and personal use”.

“The first year of our foray into the tablet market has been really a great experience for the brand and we have launched some really promising products in the market. With this launch, WishTel aims to become the most soughted tablet PC manufacturing company in the country and the most preferred tablet PC brand for our consumers.We aim to maintain the momentum and introduce newer innovative products for our consumers”adds Milind Shah.

The IRA Capsule comes with metallic casing and aims to replace Laptops and enter the portable, convertible tablet PC market. Its designed slim and is durable and built to sustain the mobile environment. It is designedwith built-in Sim slot for 3G data connectivity. The device is bundled withwireless LAN and MiCRO SD card expandable upto 32GB.The device comes with a full complement of ports, including USB, SD Card, audio and HD video to simplify the use of industry standard peripheral solutions.. It has a 0.3 MP CMOS Front camera, 5.0MPrear-facing documentation camera to support image capture, video conferencing and collaboration.

IRA Capsule comes pre-loaded with many applications that include Wish Learning, Wish Studio, Wish TV, Wish News, Wish video calling, and many more apps. The tablet comes engineered with a 8000 mAh battery, which can give users browsing time of approximately 5 hours.

The IRA CAPSULE will be available from the first week of April 2013, next month and will be distributed through a strong network of 350 distributors across 35 cities in the country and is likely to be made available at a highly competitive price of Rs 16,000                   

Transcend Launches 64GB microSDXC UHS-I Memory Card

Transcend has announced the introduction of the 64GB microSDXC Ultra-High Speed Class 1 (UHS-I) memory card. With enough space to carry an entire collection of personal media files, the new 64GB microSDXC card also features high-speed transfer rates of up to 45MB/s (300x); perfect for users aiming to get the best performance results from their mobile device.

Featuring capacities ranging from 8GB to an enormous 64GB, Transcend's Premium Series microSDHC/SDXC UHS-I memory card lineup allows smartphone, tablet, and other portable device users to significantly expand their multimedia storage space. The new 64GB microSDXC card, for instance, can store more than 10,000 high-resolution jpeg images (12 megapixel camera, 6MB file size), a full 16 hours of 1080p High-Definition footage (1920x1080 9Mbps H.264 AVC compression), or over 1,200 media-rich mobile apps (50MB file size).

In addition to large capacity, mobile users consider fast performance to be an equally important factor when choosing the best memory upgrade solution. Equipped with the next-generation UHS-I interface, the 64GB microSDXC UHS-I card offers data transfer speeds of up to 45MB/s (300x) especially noticeable when running memory-intensive mobile apps and capturing high-quality video. With its impressive combination of high-speed performance and vast storage capacity, the 64GB microSDXC UHS-I memory card will undoubtedly satisfy mobile users for a very long time.

Micromax A35 Bolt Ninja Is Now Available

Micromax is flourishing in leaps and bounds this year. The company has recently released a budget friendly Smartphone in the Indian market, Micromax A35 Bolt Ninja. It is an Android based Smartphone with a 4 inch touch screen display.

Micromax A35 Bolt Ninja is the first one in the Bolt series introduced by the company. The phone runs on a 1 GHz Cortex A5 processor and based on Android Gingerbread Android 2.3 OS having the memory of 160 MB that can be extensible to 16 GB. This device features several fantastic new apps like Flash Transfer app through which the user has to simply swipe n share images, videos, songs, files and other content.

The phone has a strong battery support of 1500 mAh that gives 4.5 hours of Talk Time and 175 hours of standby time. The phone also supports file sharing via Bluetooth V 2.1 and the user can also surf the internet via Wi-Fi and EDGE. Micromax A35 bolt flaunts a dual camera of 2 MP and 0.3 MP.

Here are the other significant features of the phone:-

4.0-inch (480 x 800 Pixels) capacitive touch screen display

1 GHz Cortex A5 processor

Dual SIM (GSM + GSM) with Dual Standby

Android 2.3.5 (Gingerbread) OS

2MP rear camera, 0.3 MP front-facing camera

3.5mm audio jack

FM Radio

2G (EDGE),Bluetooth 2.1, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g, micro USB

1500 mAh battery with up to 4.5 hours talk time

Facebook Sends Out Invite For Android Event On 4 April

HTC Slashes Price Of HTC One S

The HTC One S is the lower version of the One X smartphone. The One S sports a 10.9-cm (4.3-inch) Super AMOLED display and runs Android 4.1 aka Jelly Bean upgrade version. The phone is powered by a 1.7 GHz dual-core processor, coupled with 1 GB RAM.

The device comes with an 8 MP rear camera and VGA front-facing snapper for video calls. The phone offers connectivity features like Wi-Fi, 3G, GPS, NFC, Bluetooth and FM Radio. Sadly, the One S comes with 16 GB internal storage option only, with no microSD card slot. HTC has loaded the One S with a non-removable 1,650 mAh battery.

HTC One S was recently updated with Android 4.1 aka Jelly Bean version and at this price point, the One S will definitely attract more buyers in the mid-range segment.

Here Comes ‘Saral Money’

India is emerging as one of the world’s fastest growing smart card markets. The smart card market in India is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of around 15 per cent during 2012-12.

The potential areas for smart card applications include rapid transit system, Euro pay, Visa, saral money, Aadhar card and toll and parking cards. Population of over one billion and increasing modern areas make India a promising market.

Users can get the saral money debit card from grocery shops and bank branches for a nominal fee. As of now it’s not clear how much the bank or the business correspondent will charge for the pre-paid card. Users need to produce their Aadhar card for biometric validation. Once validated, they can load cash into the prepaid card, or receive cash transfers from the government and payments from individuals who have an Aadhaar Card.

“I am delighted to be at the launch of Saral Money and thank all the partners for their efforts in developing this innovative product. This initiative will not only help the financially undeserved to access formal banking processes, but will also serve as a benchmark for many more initiatives in making India a self-sustainable developed economy", said Mr. Nandan Nilekani, Chairman, Unique Identification Authority of India.

The saral money debit card users can withdraw their money from any ATM, any Micro ATM using biometric authentication provided by Aadhar, through a bank branch, or access their money through the internet and mobile phones, and make payments. The Visa network integrates and links the different systems being operated by banks with the Aadhar database, hence the system is bank and region agnostic and can be implemented with all banks and in all regions.

'5 Big Display Android Tablets'

Big screen tablets have hit the right note with the consumers in India and here are some of the top budget tablets available in the country.

Wammy Athena

Price: Rs 13,999

The tablet features 24.6-cm (9.7-inch) IPS capacitive touchscreen and is powered by a Dual-core 1.5 GHz processor. The device has 1 GB RAM and runs on Android 4.1 aka Jelly Bean. It is incorporated with 2 MP front and rear cameras. Wammy Athena has 16 GB of built-in storage expandable to 32 GB. For connectivity, it has options like 3G, Wi-Fi and HDMI.

iBall Slide i9702

Price: Rs 14,999

Slide tablet runs Android 4.0 aka Ice Cream Sandwich and is powered by a dual-core 1.5 GHz processor and 1 GB RAM. The new iBall Slide i9702 comes equipped with a front and back 2 MP camera. The tablet comes loaded with an 8,000 mAh battery, which is expected to offer over 7 hours of usage, according to iBall. The 24.6-cm (9.7-inch) Slide has an 8 GB built-in memory, extendable up to 32 GB with a microSD card. For connectivity, it has Wi-Fi capability, USB ports and a host port. It also has 3G via USB dongle, and an HDMI port to be connected to projectors or TV.

Zync Z1000

Price: Rs 10,990

The Z1000 runs Android 4.0 aka Ice Cream Sandwich which is upgradable to Android 4.1 aka Jelly Bean. The Z1000 is powered by a 1.5 GHz ARM Cortex A8 single core processor coupled with 1 GB DDR3 RAM. The tablet has a 0.3 MP front camera along with a 2 MP rear camera. It has a SIM card slot and comes with 8 GB onboard memory which is expandable up to 32 GB. The Z1000 has a 7,000 mAh battery. The other features include an inbuilt 3G support with a Mini HDMI and a Micro USB Port, a TF card, 3.5 mm Earphone Jack and a DC port.

D90T

Price: Rs 14,990

The D90T comes with 24.6-cm (9.7-inch) IPS display that provides viewing in landscape and portrait modes. The tablet PC runs Google's Android 4.0 aka Ice Cream Sandwich operating system and is powered by a 1.6 GHz dua-core Cortex A9 processor. It has a range of ports that extend the hard drive capacity and use accessories with the tablet. The device is loaded with an 8,000 mAh battery.

Karbonn Smart Tab 10

Price: 10,490

The device is powered by a powerful 1.5 GHz dual core processor and 1 GB RAM. The tablet comes with a 2 MP rear camera and VGA front shooter for video calls. The tablet supports Wi-Fi, 3G dongle, HDMI port, G-Sensor etc. The Smart Tab 10 comes loaded with a powerful 6,000 mAh battery.

Fujitsu Develops Real-Time Pulse Monitor

Measures pulse in as little as five seconds using built-in cameras in PCs or smartphones, enabling ongoing health tracking.
Fujitsu Laboratories Limited today announced that it has developed a technology to measure a person's pulse in real time using a built-in camera or webcam in a PC, smartphone or tablet. Fujitsu Laboratories has developed a technology that detects a person's pulse by measuring variations in the brightness of the person's face thought to be caused by the flow of blood. It is based on the characteristic of hemoglobin in blood, which absorbs green light. It requires no special hardware and can measure pulse rate simply by pointing a camera at a person's face for as little as five seconds. It also automatically chooses moments when the person's body and face are relatively still to minimize the effects of irrelevant data on measurements. This technology has a wide range of potential uses, including health monitoring and maintenance as well as security applications. Details of this technology are being presented at the 2013 General Conference of the Institute of Electronics, Information, and Communication Engineers, opening March 19 in Gifu, Japan. Background In recent years, there has been increasing awareness about the need to maintain the health of employees and senior citizens, raising the demand for new, more convenient ways for individuals to monitor and manage their health, anytime and anywhere. As part of a health-support service that can be customized to each person's needs, Fujitsu Laboratories is aiming to create a way for people to track their health and store the resulting data in the cloud for analysis, helping them better understand their health and how it changes over time. Fujitsu is committed to building the technological platforms needed to advance the Company's vision of a Human Centric Intelligent Society, making it possible for people to use smartphones or tablets, or a computer at work or at home, to track their health, collect the resulting data, upload it to the cloud, and perform real-time analyses to provide individualized services for their personal needs. Technological Issues One fundamental indicator of human health condition is pulse. However, pulse monitoring typically requires specialized equipment that must be worn and operated with some care. These inconveniences make it more likely that users will fail or forget to have their pulse monitored. Accordingly, there has been a need for an automated way to measure pulse that minimizes the inconvenience of hooking up and operating the equipment as well as sitting still while it works. Newly Developed Technology Fujitsu Laboratories has developed a technology that automatically measures pulse in real time using facial images captured using the built-in camera on a smartphone, tablet, or PC. Key features of this technology are as follows. 1. Detects pulse by signal processing of extracted color components One characteristic of hemoglobin in blood is that it absorbs green light. Based on this fact, Fujitsu Laboratories has developed a technology that detects a person's pulse by measuring changes in the brightness of the person's face as blood flows through it. The technology starts to work by shooting video of a subject and calculating average values for the color components (red/green/blue) in a certain area of the face for each frame. Next it removes irrelevant signal data that is present in all three color components and extracts the brightness waveform from the green component. The pulse rate is then computed based on the peaks in that brightness waveform. This technique can measure pulse in as little as five seconds. 2. Automatically removes moving segments The acquired pulse data that is adversely affected by movements of the face or body is automatically removed. For example, moments when a person's head turns sideways while talking on the phone or standing up from a chair are automatically detected and removed. This makes it possible to continually monitor pulse during the course of a day while minimizing the impact of irrelevant data. Results This technology relieves people from wearing or operating any specialized equipment or sitting still for long periods in order to have their pulse measured, and makes it possible to continually monitor pulse. For example, even at a busy workplace, or any time a person is sitting in front of a PC, whether for teleconferencing or writing e-mails, their pulse can be measured during brief moments of quiet. At home, a camera built into a TV can measure the pulse of people relaxing in front of it, or a mirror, for when people are getting ready in the morning. Pulse detectors built into gates at event sites or control points at airports could be a possible security application by detecting people in ill health and people acting suspiciously. Future Plans Fujitsu Laboratories seeks to put this technology into practical use in fiscal 2013 for a variety of application scenarios such as a security or health monitoring and maintenance solution, building it into smartphones, tablets, and PCs.

Sprint Introduces Custom Branded Device Program With Android Phones

Sprint Introduces Custom Branded Device Program, Enabling MVNOs to Custom-Brand White-Label Android Phones
Coupled with white-labeled Mobile ID and Mobile Zone products from Sprint, MVNOs can extend their brand elements to end users more efficiently.
As the proliferation of smartphones continues to grow, Sprint (NYSE:S) Emerging & Wholesale Solutions today introduced the Custom Branded Device Program. Through the program, MVNOs will have greater, and potentially quicker, access to a large selection of completely de-branded marquee Android handsets out of Sprint and Boost Mobile device inventory with volume pricing included.
Select Android devices can be automatically modified through Mobile ID and Mobile Zone, giving MVNOs the ability to extend their own brand directly to end users through over-the-air activation. Currently, Sprint has three devices available for this program – LG Optimus G, LG Mach and Sprint Flash. Several additional devices are expected to be added to the lineup by the end of this month.
Industry analyst firm Strategy Analytics reported in January that 70 percent of the world smartphone market share belonged at the end of 2012 to Android Meanwhile, in early February, research firm comScore released its quarterly U.S. smartphone market share numbers, which showed Android leading in market share with 53.4 percent of the total smartphone market.
"The Android operating system provides such incredible flexibility and supply chain economy of scale that, when coupled with the Sprint Mobile ID and Mobile Zone products, can now extend a value and a new branding opportunity to our wholesale customers," said Bill Esrey, vice president, Emerging & Wholesale Solutions at Sprint. "The Custom Branded Device Program enables our MVNO customers to extend a personal and direct relationship that transcends outside of the store walls, at Sprint's volume pricing."
Sprint continues its commitment to the "open" mobile ecosystem through open platforms Mobile ID and Mobile Zone, which are white-labeled variations of the popular Sprint ID and Sprint Zone applications. These platforms enable Sprint's international and wholesale customers to replicate Sprint's success with the retail versions of the same services – driving enhanced customer engagement and revenue growth opportunities for MVNOs.
Mobile ID – Mobile ID delivers a complete mobile experience – centered on consumers', students' or businesses' interests or favorite brands – including applications, widgets, ringtones and wallpapers, all in a couple of simple clicks. With more than 6 million downloads in the United States, Sprint smartphone users have already begun to harness the power of ID packs to create their own experiences while catering to different tastes and hobbies. Mobile ID enables personalization for the end user that offers access to a broad array of categories, allowing MVNOs to deliver a successful customized application to defined markets and customer segments.
Mobile Zone – Mobile Zone provides a messaging gateway for end users to receive communication from their MVNO and enable customers with self-help services. Mobile Zone can enhance the user experience while improving MVNO-to-customer interaction. An interactive and relevant mobile application, Mobile Zone allows users who are always on-the-go a way to manage their account and discover new content anywhere and at any time.

NVIDIA Unveils Industry's First Visual Computing Appliance

NVIDIA has introduced the industry's first visual computing appliance -- enabling businesses to deliver ultra-fast GPU performance to any Windows, Linux or Mac client on their network.

The NVIDIA GRID™ Visual Computing Appliance (VCA) is a powerful GPU-based system that runs complex applications such as those from Adobe Systems Incorporated, Autodesk and Dassault Systèmes, and sends their graphics output over the network to be displayed on a client computer. This remote GPU acceleration gives users the same rich graphics experience they would get from an expensive, dedicated PC under their desk.

NVIDIA GRID VCA provides enormous flexibility to small and medium-size businesses with limited IT infrastructures. Their employees can, through the simple click of an icon, create a virtual machine called a workspace. These workspaces -- which are, effectively, dedicated, high-performance GPU-based systems -- can be added, deleted or reallocated as needed.

"NVIDIA GRID VCA is the first product to provide businesses with convenient, on-demand visual computing," said Jen-Hsun Huang, co-founder and chief executive officer, NVIDIA. "Design firms, film studios and other businesses can now give their creative teams access to graphics-intensive applications with uncompromised performance, flexibility and simplicity."

NVIDIA GRID VCA is an easy-to-install, easy-to-manage 4U appliance. Its 16 NVIDIA GPUs and NVIDIA GRID VGX software provide NVIDIA® Quadro®-class graphics performance for up to 16 concurrent users, with low latency, high resolution and maximum interactivity for unparalleled quality of service.

"We've had enormous success using remote GPU acceleration on our content-creation applications," said James Fox, chief executive officer at Dawnrunner, a San Francisco-based film production company. "Thanks to NVIDIA GRID VCA, we don't spend weeks configuring workstations and transcoding files and projects. Instead, we have more time to deliver a higher quality product for our customers. And we can take on new projects with tighter deadlines."

"Performance is important for creative professionals, and our long-standing relationship with NVIDIA has assured they are able to work with images and videos in a much faster, smoother, more engaging way," said Shantanu Narayen, president and chief executive officer, Adobe. "NVIDIA and Adobe have a shared goal of providing our customers with the latest technology advancements with flexible deployment options so they can focus on their jobs and have more time to be creative. The innovative advancements in virtualization introduced today with the NVIDIA GRID is an exciting new direction that underscores that commitment."

"NVIDIA GRID VCA enhances the design experience for SolidWorks users from any PC or Mac," said Bertrand Sicot, chief executive officer, SolidWorks, Dassault Systèmes. "With centralized access to fast GPUs, designers can more quickly and easily deliver high-quality 3D models."

"NVIDIA GRID VCA will provide tremendous functionality and performance for our small business customers," said Carl Bass, president and chief executive officer, Autodesk. "It delivers easy, high performance GPU access to our applications for the highest quality design and visualization experience."

Pricing and Availability Available in the United States in May from authorized value-added resellers, NVIDIA GRID VCA is offered in 8 GPU or 16 GPU configurations, with pricing starting at $24,900, plus an annual software license of $2,400.

Lenovo Announces Windows 8 Convertible Ultrabook 'ThinkPad Twist

Lenovo India has launched the ThinkPad Twist, which can be used both as a tablet or a laptop. The latest 'convertible' runs on Windows 8 operating system and offers quick conversion to a stand or tent mode where the laptop becomes a media presenter.

The Twist comes packed with the processors are premeditated for lower power consumption the the company positions it as an ideal device for small and medium businesses. The sleek ThinkPad Twist available in executive-style mocha black, is just 20 millimeters thin and weighs a mere 1.60 kgs.

Some of the key features of the device include: Massive 500GB storage with HDD performance booster Keyboard, UltraNav navigation and multi-touch screen to ease business usage 31.8-cm (12.5-inch) IPS 350 nit high-definition multi-touch screen with anti-scratch and anti-smudge Gorilla glass with a wide viewing angle supported by Dolby Home Theatre V4 VoIP enhancements with features such as new conference call microphone mode, keystroke noise-suppression technology and easy-to-access microphone; and speaker and camera mute buttons. Full-size keyboard with TrackPoint and touchpad for easy navigation 2-seconds resume from sleep and 30-days standby The ThinkPad Twist is priced starting at Rs 71,000 (all inclusive) and is available at Think Exclusive Stores and multi- brand outlets across the country.

Here Comes Picture for Nokia Lumia 520

Lumia 520 sports a 10.1-cm (4-inch) display and comes powered by a 1 GHz dual core processor with 512 MB RAM, much like the Lumia 720. The phone will have an internal storage space of 8 GB, with 64 GB expandable storage. Lumia 520 is loaded with a 1,430 mAh battery and this phone comes with a 5 MP camera. The Lumia 520 has been priced at $183 (Rs 10,000) and will be launched between April and June in the country.

Here Comes Picture for Nokia Lumia 720

The Lumia 720 comes with a 10.9-cm (4.3 inch) ClearBlack Gorilla Glass 2.0 display with 800 x 480 pixels resolution. The phone is powered by a 1 GHz dual-core processor, coupled with 512 MB RAM. Lumia 720 sports a 1.3 MP front- camera and a 6.7 MP rear Carl Zeiss camera. Lumia 720 is loaded with a 2,000 mAh battery and has priced Lumia 720 at Euro 249 (Rs 18,000).

ME Tablet Launches ME G1 Tablet

ME Tablet Marks Its Foray Into Turkey With The Launch Of ME G1 Tablet The ME Tablet brand has launched its operations in Turkey. The initial foray into the market comes with the launch of its highly acclaimed mobility products here. Following a highly-successful global launch in Dubai and with a growing market share in many countries and regions like the Middle East for its Tablets, its popular 9.7 inch, Dual Core G1 ME TAB now comes to the Turkish audience.
The ME G1 TAB was launched today at a gala unveiling by the celebrated and much-loved actor Ezgi Mola at the Les Ottomans Hotel, Istanbul.

The ME TAB series comes with power-packed features that enable the user to live better and live larger through an innovative and enabling technology. With a powerful dual core processor clocking 1.2 GHZ and dual core cortex A 9 CPU, the G1 ME tablet ensures high-quality and clarity on a large display screen for high impact images and also presents a rich movie viewing and gaming experience on a mobile device. The product features includes a 1GB DDR3 RAM for blistering fast multi-tasking experience, along with dual camera, front 0.3 MP and rear 2.0MP, with 16GB internal and 32GB external expandable memory, ensuring powerful storage and smooth and fast operability.

The range will be available at all major retailers across Turkey from April 2013 at a price of 599 TL. Commenting on the launch, Srinath Nagarajan, Business Head – EMEA, Mobility Business Unit at HCL Infosystems Ltd. said: “Our foray into Turkey is a very important milestone in our global growth journey. This is a critical market where we aim to acquire a significant market share through our superior technology and advanced devices. This launch is the first in our long-term strategy for this market. Our move into this highly- evolved market is both a reaffirmation of our global strength as a Tablet brand, as well as our confidence in the opportunities that this market withholds.”

“We are certain the ME TAB series will witness an immediate connect with the market, being an extremely stylish and innovative product in the tablet category. The series has been hugely successful in many countries, following the global launch last year. The product features very interesting innovations which completely leverages and harnesses the power of the latest Android OS. As a high-quality, innovative device, we hope to see this product revolutionize the tablet experience for consumers in Turkey.We are committed to introduce many more products from the ME stable that will cater to the various segments of the Turkish society in the near future. Our aim is to provide an exceptional performance and enhanced experience for tablet users, all at very competitive prices,” Nagarajan added.

The ME G1 runs on the 4.1 Jelly Bean Operating System that facilitate high-speed ease of navigation between applications. The tablet is pre-loaded with the Thinkfree Office productivity suite which lets users open, edit and create Microsoft Office documents, spread sheets and presentations. Users can also view PDF documents on the go.

The ME G1 is installed with incredible applications. Users can experience the Social Networking sites with ease through inbuilt applications like Facebook, Twitter, Nimbuzz etc. With free access to the 1 Mobile store the user can chose from over 200000 incredible applications. Whether you are browsing the web or viewing online multimedia content, you’ll be able to enjoy it all on the ME Tab.

The key features and specifications of the ME G1 are: 4.1 Jelly Bean Android Operating System Multi – touch Capacitive Screen with 9.7 Inches display 1.2 GHz Dual Core Cortex A9 CPU,Mali-400 Quad Core GPU Integrated BT-4.0, mini-HDMI and Wi-Fi-n 1 GB DDR3 RAM, 16 GB Onboard Memory and External Expandable Memory via Micro SD slot upto 32 GB Front camera with 0.3MP and rear camera with 2.0MP Great Battery Life – powered by 8000 mAh Li-Polymer Battery