Leaked! Samsung’s new iPad mini rival

NEW DELHI: Samsung is working on a new tablet that will square off against the likes of Apple iPad mini and Google Nexus 7. According to technology news website SamMobile, this device is codenamed Kona and will be retailed as Galaxy Note 8.0. The report says this device will be unveiled at Mobile World Conference (MWC) 2013, scheduled for February 25 to February 28. The upcoming Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 is said to have an 8-inch Super Clear LCD display and S-Pen stylus compatibility. The big draw will be Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean) out-of-the-box, considering that Google's latest mobile OS is available only on Google Nexus 10, though a few other models can be upgraded later. Galaxy Note 8.0 will be available in 16 and 32GB variants with microSD card support up to 32GB. Though the processor clock speed is not yet know, the report said this upcoming tablet will have 2GB RAM. Coming to the imaging capabilities of Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0, it is likely to have a 5MP camera on the rear and a 1.3MP snapper in the front. Samsung will launch two versions of the tablet, depending on the connectivity suite, says the report. While model number GT-N5100 will have cellular data as well as Wi-Fi, the version named GT-N5110 will be a Wi-Fi-only unit. Other connectivity options in the device will be Bluetooth 4.0 and microUSB 2.0. The tablet is said to weigh 330gram and run on a 4,600mAh battery. Galaxy Note 8.0 will be closer to Apple iPad mini in terms of dimensions as Samsung's 7-inch Galaxy Tab 2 as well as Google's Nexus 7 fall short when it comes to screen size. This will be the second Samsung tablet that measures between 7- and 10-inch, after Galaxy Tab 7.7. It will be only the fourth device in the South Korean manufacturer's Note line-up, which was launched in 2011.

Nokia's Windows Phone 8: 4 little-known things

Windows Phone 8-based devices are populating retail stores. The latest to arrive is the much-hyped Nokia's flagship smartphone, Lumia 920, launched last week. HTC 8X and HTC 8S also run on Windows Phone 8. They have a fewremarkable features that will give a good competition to the seemingly runaway popularity of Android-based devices. Space for kids on your phone How often children have taken your phone, and without your knowledge changed the ringtone, dialled your boss, downloaded games, and worse, strayed into murky corners of cyberspace? Kids Corner, an innovative feature of Windows Phone 8, lets you stay in peace. From the Start screen go to the Kids Corner. Choose the features and apps the child can access. The home screen remains password protected. Click in the dark Thanks to Nokia Pure View imaging innovations and floating lens technology , Lumia 920 users will have some photo to show off, even if they click in very poor light without using flash. That is because the camera takes in five times more light than those in other smartphones. Video in a photograph There are two lens applications that bring in a new dimension to photography. One is the Cinemagraph. It adds movement to still photography, yet it is not a video. It's like the GIFs. As you click, the app will detect areas of movement in the frame, and you can pick the areas you want to animate. This works best while clicking a photo which has continuous motion, like a waterfall. With Cinemagraph, your photo will show the water flowing, giving the impression of a video. Choose the right frame The second app, Smart Shoot, solves two problems we face when we take pictures -- you realise one of your friends closed her eyes when you clicked; and two, there was a stranger walking behind your friend when you clicked her photo. But with Smart Shoot app, you end up taking a sequence of photos . So, it doesn't matter if your friend closed her eyes. You just pick the right frame. The app also allows you to remove unwanted people or objects from the photo. This is of great help when your friend is posing on the beach and there are people walking in front of and behind her. All that you have to do is just mark them out and erase. And you have just your friend all alone in the beach, with the sea waves and the setting sun behind her.

Now, headphones for deep, refreshing sleep

A headband Existing with built-in earphonescould lull you to deep sleep, without even waking a partner sleeping by your side. versions are wired with a phone, but a wireless version, slated to go on sale in April, has just won a prestigious award at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. "Being able to sleep soundly is crucial to feeling well overall, and SleepPhones help by playing relaxing audio, drowning out noise, and establishing a positive bedtime routine," says Wei-Shin Lai, one of the inventors of the headphones. The firm began selling the product in 2007, when Lai was working as a doctor. "In 2007, I had trouble falling back to sleep after patient phone calls late at night as a family doctor. My husband suggested that I listen to something to take my mind off of patient concerns," says Lai, the Daily Mail reports. "Since I didn't want to disturb my husband while he slept, I needed headphones or ear buds I could wear in bed. But there was nothing comfortable in the market so I came up with stuffing speakers inside a headband," adds Lai. "There's a version of our product for sports, a version for sleep, and now a wireless version that eliminates cords entirely by playing back media from any Bluetooth-enabled device," concludes Lai. The current version has a wire so it can be plugged into an iPod or bedside alarm, but the next version will be wireless, the firm said Sunday.

How Google is helping to set up another Silicon Valley in US

Inside a small bungalow on the street separating Kansas City, Kansas, from its sister city in Missouri, a small group of entrepreneurs are working on their ideas for the next high-tech startup, tapping Google's newsuperfast internet connection that has turned the neighborhood into an unlikely settlement dubbed the " Silicon Prairie." The home on State Line Road is one of several startup-friendly locations that have sprouted up in Kansas City in recent months. The catalyst is Google Fiber, the search-engine giant's fiber-optic network being tested in the Kansas City area that advertises speeds of up to a gigabyte per second a rate that massively exceeds the average internet speeds at homes hooked up with cable modems. The advantage here for startups is simple: A fast internet pipe makes it easier to handle large files and eliminates buffering problems that plague online video, live conferencing or other network-intensive tasks. Though the Kansas City location presents challenges for startups, including the ability to raise money outside the traditional Silicon Valleyventure capital scene, entrepreneurs like Synthia Payne believe it's the place to be right now for up-and-coming tech companies. Payne is one of those entrepreneurs hoping to launch her startup dream _ an Internet subscription service for musicians who want to collaborate online _ on the cheap. She shares the State Line Road house, known as the "Home for Hackers," with other startups under a deal that allows them to live rent-free while they develop their business plans. Google's network was attractive, Payne said, because her business plan "is dependent upon really good, really fast internet." "Without this on-ramp here I probably would have found it very difficult to come here," said Payne, who in December moved from Denver to develop CyberJammer. Residents here were thrilled when Google announced last year that Kansas City, Kansas, and neighboring Kansas City, Missouri, would be its test bed for Google Fiber. The Mountain View, California-based company spent months and unknown sums installing optical fiber around the area. Google provides the full gigabit service for $70 a month and its own cable-TV like service for another $50. A slower internet connection is free on a monthly basis after a $300 installation fee. The first homes were installed with fiber optics in the fall, with more "fiberhoods" planned in stages over the next several months. Kansas City, Missouri, and Kansas City, Kansas, remain Google's only fiber market, though the company has said it plans additional roll-outs. Many in the tech industry believe Google's move could ultimately force broadband providers to accelerate their networks to compete. Making internet access faster would give the company more opportunities to attract traffic and sell more advertising - the main way Google makes money. The "Home for Hackers" and its unique business pitch is the brainchild of local web developer Ben Barreth, whose property was among the first wave of houses to be fiber-wired and is a block away from the Google Fiber offices. "Hackers" who pass Barreth's application process and show a real intention to work on a viable project can live there rent-free for three months. Since starting the home in October after cashing in his retirement account and putting a down payment on the $48,000 home, Barreth has gotten applications from nearly 60 people seeking a spot in the home. "The whole startup thing in Kansas City is like this huge growing beast," he said. "It's got this crazy momentum." The house has been full since mid-December with Payne and two others. One of the rooms also is reserved for fiber tourists who want a place for a day or two where they can download anything faster than they could elsewhere. "The hope is that these startups will move their operations to Kansas City and this will really bless Kansas City, bring jobs and taxes and we'll build a really cool tech scene," Barreth said. A few homes away from the "Home for Hackers" is the headquarters of the Kansas City Startup Village, which was started by local entrepreneur Matthew Marcus and where Mike Farmer, founder of mobile search app Leap2.com, has his offices. Farmer said Google Fiber brought attention to Kansas City's startup culture, "because it sort of ignites the imagination about what you can do with that sort of bandwidth capability." "Most every week I meet one or two or three people that are looking to come in from out of town," he said.

iBooks 3, iBooks Author Update

As expected, Apple launched latest version of iBooks at the press event. iBooks 3 — which is available for download starting now and supports 40 languages — features continuous scrolling and updated iCloud capabilities. This enables users to share quotes or other content across various devices and sites, including Facebook and Twitter. Apple also reinforced its plan to transform education with digital textbooks, unveiling its updated iBooks Author app. Now, publishers can add mathematical expressions into digital textbooks and access multi-task widgets. This will help keep students up to date with the latest educational content when updates become available. Apple also detailed new areas of customization such as personalizing fonts.

Panasonic unveils Toughpad FZ -G1 & JT -B1

The Panasonic Toughpad FZ-G1 has the Windows 8 Pro operating system sporting a 10 inch screen that packs 1,920 x 1,200 mp display. The toughpad is powered by a 1.9GHz Ivy Bridge Intel Core i5-3437U processor, with 128 GB SSD (upgradeable up to 256 GB), and up to 8GB of RAM. Connectivity options include USB 3.0 and 2.0 ports, Bluetooth 4.0, WiFi and optional Verizon LTE or 3G. The system is powered by a battery offering 8-hours of life. A the 7-inch version of the toughpad, JT-B1 is also available, but runs on Android 4.0. Its other features include 1,024 x 600 pixel display, a 1.5GHz dual-core TI OMAP 4660, 16GB storage and 1GB RAM, built-in microSD slot, 13-megapixel rear and 1.3-megapixel cameras and a 5,720mAh battery with up to 8 hours of life. Both the toughpads have been subjected to the MIL-STD-810G test for 4-foot drops, fluid ingress and temperature, which they have successfully passed. Which means, both toughpads sport a rugged look and are expected to be water-proof and have daylight viewable screens. The FZ-G1 can even use a stylus with third-party apps. The toughpad will first come in the American markets at prices - the Toughpad FZ-G1 at $2,899 will be available in March, and the Toughpad JT-B1 at $1,199 will be available in February. With the launch of the FZ -G1 and the JT -B1, Panasonic hopes the company will grab 50 percent of the ruggedized tablet space by 2015.

World's Slimmest Smartphone Unveiled At CES

Bangalore: On the eve of ongoing CES at LasVegas; Alcatel, manufacturer of mobile phones unveiled a slew of products starting with the One Touch Idol Ultra, the lightest and slimmest Smartphone yet. Even though Alcatel doesn’t reach up to the list of the top mobile manufacturers, for some reason, they do manufacture mobile phones that do pretty well. The One Touch Idol Ultra, which is claimed by Alcatel to be the slimmest phone, weighs barely 4.1 ounces at just 0.25 inch thickness. The phone is powered by 1.2 GHz dual core processor and 1GB of RAM. It runs on Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and features a 8-megapixel camera with a sleek, glossy plastic cover. Unfortunately, the thin size of the phone doesn’t provide the space for a 3.5mm headphone jack, which creates difficulties with Bluetooth streaming for audio. Alcatel also lays a claim to the title of the world’s lightest Smartphone with the One Touch Idol. It is essentially the same phone, except that it supports the headphone jack because it’s thick enough but lighter than the One Touch Idol Ultra at just 3.88 ounces. In addition, the company has also unveiled other products such as Scribe HD which falls under the category of phablet as well as considered to be Alcatel’s largest new phone on display and the One Touch M’Pop, an entry- level Smartphone into the Alcatel’s new Pop series. The M’Pop is a cute, tiny phone with a 4 inch display, 1 GHz processor and a 5 megapixel rear camera.