Apple's iPad mini now in India, starts at Rs 21,900

Washington: Tech giant Apple's much awaited smaller version of the iPad has finally been released in India with a price tag of 21,900 rupees for the basic version.

The 7-inch 'iPad Mini' is 23 percent slim, and weighs 53 percent lesser than the iPad tablet.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the tablet computer has a 10-hour battery life for long usage.

Pad mini basic verion comes with a 16-gigabit storage capacity, and allows users to access the internet via Wi-Fi networks.

While the advanced version with 64-gigabit capacity, Retina display and internet access through both Wi-Fi and cellular networks has been priced at 41,900 rupees, the paper said.

According to the Journal, Apple will also start selling its latest fourth-generation iPad in India from Friday.

The firm has priced the base 16-GB Wi-Fi version for 31, 900 rupees per piece and the most-advanced version at 51, 900 rupees per unit. 

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HTC One S (Rs: 27000 - 32000)

The Good: HTC One S is the second model in the HTC One series after the HTC One X. This smartphone is slim and lightweight which makes it portable. What all of us look in a smartphone is durability as we don’t change phones every month. One S fulfills that very need. It is a durable phone and it also proves that durable needn’t be boring as the phone has a premium look and feel to it. The sound quality in the phone is excellent as it is clocked with Beats Solo headset.

The Bad: With the specs available on this phone the pricing is slightly on the expensive side. The price of the phone and the features offered do not match each other. The phone speakers are slightly on the softer side though HTC has tried to compensate this by including Beats Solo headset in the box. The phone doesn’t have a slot for the microSD card. And the battery life is also on the lower side, while the processor used in the smartphone is the previous generation processor.

The Bottom Line: This smartphone is good android phone, but it let’s down on various factors like the high price it charges for a poor battery life and a previous generation less powerful processor.

Design: The second handset from the One series. HTC One S has a single piece aluminum case a Gorilla Glass covering most of the front side. The phone is the thinnest smartphone from HTC at 7.8 mm and it is also a lighter than One X by 10grams. At the top of the phone you will find the audio jack along with the power button. The volume controls are located on the right and you will find the microUSB port on the left.

Processor and Operating System:
The HTC One S is powered by a 1.5GHz dual-core processor and is backed with a 1GB RAM. This processor has enough power to run 3D games on it without a hiccup. If you want more power and speed from your processor then it is the HTC One X that you are looking for.

The phone runs on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system. Along with the latest version of Android the phone also runs on the latest version 4.0 of HTC’s Busy Sense user interface. The phone has an interesting help information pop ups for all the first time users of HTC phones. The app provides pop-ups with hints and tips as to what you can do with the various programmes.

Features and Performance:
Screen: The slim smartphone from HTC has a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED capacitive touch screen. It has a resolution of 960 X 540 pixels though when compared to One X the resolution is slightly lower. In spite of a lower resolution the screen provides you with excellent colours. The Gorilla Glass 2 screen which covers most of the front side comes with an optical lamination which will provide the user with good readability even outdoors, under the direct sunlight.

Camera: The phone comes equipped with a camera with a whopping 8 mega pixels and the photographs clicked have a resolution of 3264x2448 pixels which is very similar to HTC One X. The camera starts up very quickly, thus making sure you don’t miss out on moments you really want to capture. The camera does make the phone an attractive buy. The camera also has auto focus, an LED flash and face and smile detection.

The camera is equipped to record video at full HD 1080 pixels resolution which will turn out well as long as there is decent lighting. The phone has a secondary VGA mega pixel camera which will allow you to make video calls as well.

Storage and Connectivity: One S has an internal memory of 16 GB. But that is all! Like the One X, the S also does not have any slot for a microSD card thus providing the user with no option of expanding the memory capacity, which is a big disappointment. All most all the competitors to the HTC phones have a slot for expandable memory. The absence of the slot may prove to be harmful for the sales figures of the phones.

The battery is also a letdown. The phone is powered with a Standard Li-Po 1650 mAh battery. With such a battery do not expect the phone battery to at last you more than a day.

Price and Availability: The pricing of the smartphone from HTC is a disappointment. The phone is priced at RS.33,000 which makes it a high end smartphone. For all if you really want to buy the phone but think Rs.33,000 is a bit too much then there are many online portal like saholic.com, buytheprice.com and infibeam.com which are offering the phone at Rs.30,000.

Wrap-Up: If not a HTC One X then the next and very good option is the One S. The phone has a clear screen and with its light weight and size it is an extremely portable phone. It is indeed an amazing smartphone despite all its flaws like poor battery or weal processor.

Best price to buy -HTC One S is Rs.28,000

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Facebook in talks to buy Whatsapp: Report

Facebook has time and again maintained that mobile will be an important part of its future growth strategy and it seems that the social networking company will be taking the M&A (Merger &Acquisition) route to proceed in that direction. (Update: Both companies have denied the reports)

According to a report in Techcrunch Facebook is in talks to acquire popular messaging app Whatsapp.

Whatsapp, the multiplatform mobile messaging app that has been one of the runaway success stories for ad-free, paid services, has been in talks to be acquired by Facebook, according to sources close to the matter.
We're still digging around on potential price and other details about how advanced the deal is. But as mobile becomes the latest battleground in the Internet's game of thrones, you can see how such a deal could make sense.

Whatsapp is a multi-platform messaging app that providers users an easy way to share text messages, pictures, videos and other files. It is available in over 100 countries and, as per stats revealed by the company in October 2011, used to send over one billion messages a day. In August 2012, the company declared that it had set a new daily record with 4 billion inbound messages and 6 billion outbound messages, recording an astounding 10 billion total messages in a single day.
Facebook, on the other hand, has over one billion active users.
The social networking company had acquired photo-sharing company Instagram for $ 1 billion in its most high profile acquisition till date.

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Skype slip indicates video messaging feature coming soon

Skype looks set to introduce video messaging service on its platform, a change to its terms of service indicates.

The change, first spotted by the guys at Computerworld, mentions a video message feature that will be available to Skype Premium subscribers without any limit. Regular (free) subscribers will be able to use the service, subject to certain limits.

If you are a Skype Premium subscriber you can ... send and receive an unlimited number of Video Messages and any Video Messages you send and/or receive shall have no expiry date. If you are not a Skype Premium subscriber, the number of Video Messages you can send are limited, however you can receive an unlimited number of Video Messages.

Skype Premium is a service that costs $8.99 a month and offers unlimited calls to US and Canada (with fair usage limits) and other features like group video calling and group screen sharing.
The terms further indicate that messages sent by non-premium users will expire within 90 days.

As a non-Skype Premium subscriber any Video Message you send or receive will expire within 90 days, except for Video Messages received from a Skype Premium subscriber or where you upgrade to a Skype Premium subscription before the 90 day expiry period ends, and in either case the Video Message shall cease to have an expiry date.

Skype refused to confirm the report despite Computerworld's request for comment.

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Google updates iOS Search app with enhanced voice capabilities: Hands-on

Google is often referred to as the search giant and for good reason. The company is always experimenting with its search features to deliver the most accurate and relevant results, both on the web and through its apps. 

Speaking of relevant and accurate results, the latest update to the Google Search app for iOS brings improved voice recognition capabilities, which until now was appreciated only on its Android counterpart.

The voice search inherits features from Google Now including the look, sounds and a voice assistant that reads the query results back to you, which are all definitely welcome additions. So, is the refreshed voice search app a threat to Apple's native Siri? We find out.

If you've used the Google Search app on your iOS device, then you'd agree that it's very simple to use. Version 2.5 of the app is no different when it comes to usage. once you've installed the update, you might want to change the language preference. Just head over to Settings (gear icon on the top right)> Voice Search and scroll down to choose from a list of languages. You can tap the Default tab to set the chosen language as your default.

Once you tap the 'Voice labelled' microphone icon and fire away away questions, Google Search throws the results right at you in a jiffy. It is fast and pretty accurate too. The results are powered by Google's Knowledge Graph that helps the app relate the search with its actual meaning.

Here's what Google said:

The new Google Search app for iPhone and iPad helps you [find information] with enhanced voice search that answers any question with the comprehensive Google search results you know and love.

We tried English (U.S.) and the closer to home English (India) language choices and we were mighty impressed with the accuracy of both. For example, when asked simple questions with English (India) like "What is the weather like in Pune", the app provides results with text streamed on the fly and that is nothing short of being fast and accurate. It opened up the weather widget showing the local weather as asked.

In another question asked, "Can you and find me nearby restaurants", the app promptly communicates by saying, "There are several listings for restaurants in less than a mile away".

We also used it to find directions and it threw accurate local results without hesitation. While asking "How do I get to the Pune airport", the app displayed the route on Google Maps, also providing my current location, time and distance to reach my destination.

The same was true with the English (US) language preference. When asked "How many Dunkin' Donut stores across the US" and the app sprung open results for Dunkin Brands Inc. with a Google Maps location of their headquarters.

One thing we noted here is that the voice feedback for most results was applicable when the language was chosen as English (US). English(India) delivered voice-based results mostly for common searches like nearby restaurants, theatres or book stores to quote an example.

We tried to have a bit of Halloween fun to see if the app played around. But unlike Siri's witty answer to the question, "Do you believe in Zombies", which was "It really doesn't matter what I believe", the Google Search app was up and straight forward with the results. However when asked, "What does a pumpkin look like", the app displayed several images of halloween-carved pumpkins, with an answer "Here you go. Some pictures related to pumpkin".

Overall, there's no doubt that the app delivers a stellar performance when fetching results, with accuracy, relevance and timing at its core. However, Siri being integrated in to Apple's software, it helps provide other search requests pertaining to opening applications and mail. But Siri has been under criticism for its overall accuracy in offering web-related results. This is where, Google can be seen as having a big advantage over Siri. 

The Google Search app for iOS v2.5 is definitely worthwhile and we recommend you download it to experience the improved voice search function to know what we're talking about.

Google Search (iOS, Free) 

Check out this video that shows what the updated Google Search app is capable of doing.

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Why Wall Street no longer wants a bite out of Apple

This holiday season is shaping up to be a record-breaking period for Apple as shoppers snap up iPhones and iPads. So, why is the world's most valuable company losing its luster with investors?

Apple began selling the iPhone 5 on Sept. 21, the same day the company's stock hit an all-time peak of $705.07 per share. Since then, the stock has plunged nearly 25 percent, trimming the company's market value by more than $150 billion. On Friday, the stock fell almost 3 percent and closed at $533.25.

The sell-off has had broad impact. It has reached beyond Apple's own stockholders because the company is the largest component in the Standard & Poor's 500 and Nasdaq composite index two benchmarks that are tracked by widely held mutual funds and exchange traded funds, or ETFs.
Apple comprises 4 percent of the S&P 500 and nearly 12 percent of the Nasdaq, according to FactSet. The Nasdaq has shed 6 percent since Apple's stock price peaked while the S&P 500 has declined 3 percent, the same as the Dow Jones industrial average, which doesn't include Apple in its basket of 30 stocks.

Apple's abrupt descent is fueling a debate among market-watchers. Is the stock now a bargain, as some would argue? Or, is the recent markdown in Apple's value justified because the company has entered a phase of less innovation and slower revenue growth?
Disagreements over the issue are contributing to unusual volatility in the stock. On Wednesday, Apple's stock fell 6.4 percent, the biggest one-day drop in more than four years. Just two-and-half weeks ago, the stock surged 7.2 percent for its biggest one-day gain in three years.
There's no consensus regarding the cause, but one thing is clear: There have been more investors eager to sell Apple's stock than buy it in recent months, despite all the evidence indicating Apple's products have never been more popular.
Here are three theories that seek to explain the recent downturn in Apple's stock

Theory: The competition conundrum HypothesisApple's grip on the growing mobile computing market is loosening amid a wave of cheaper alternatives to the iPhone and iPad.
The iPhone's early lead in the smartphone market already has been surrendered to the more than 500 million devices running on the free Android software made by Google Inc. By comparison, as of the end of September, Apple had shipped 271 million iPhones since its 2007 debut.
Nokia phones running on the recently released Windows 8 system from Microsoft Corp. pose a new threat, especially in China, where Nokia has struck a deal with that country's largest wireless carrier. Meanwhile, struggling Research In Motion Ltd. is pinning its comeback hopes on a revamped operating system for the once-iconic BlackBerry to rekindle demand for that device.
Now, there are signs the competition is putting pressure on Apple in the booming tablet computer industry that it launched in 2010 with the release of the iPad.
In a report that likely contributed to Wednesday's steep drop in Apple's stock, research firm IDC predicted the iPad's share of the worldwide tablet market this year will decline to 54 percent from 56 percent in 2011. IDC said the iPad will dip below 50 percent by 2016.
Meanwhile, the market share of tablets powered by Android, including Google's Nexus line and Amazon.com Inc.'s Kindle Fire, has climbed from 40 percent last year to 43 percent his year, according to IDC.

Windows 8, which is designed to run on tablets, also is expected to chip at Apple's lead and latch on to 10 percent of the market by 2016, IDC said.
The popularity of smaller tablets with seven-inch diagonal screens and retail prices below $200 has already forced Apple to make changes. The company responded by introducing the iPad Mini, which features a nearly eight-inch screen. The iPad Mini sells for $329, which helps Apple protect its profit margins and preserve its reputation for selling top-of-the-line products that merit prices a notch above the competition. Nevertheless, the iPad mini is undoubtedly diverting some sales from full-sized iPads, which sell at prices ranging from $399 to $829. That is one of the reasons BGC Financial analyst Colin Gillis expects the iPad's average selling price to fall by about $50 in the current quarter, which ends this month. That would be a 9 percent decline from the iPad's average price of $535 during the July through September period.

Even if it's no longer the market leader, the iPhone remains hotter than ever. Based on figures released by wireless carrier AT&T earlier this week, Jefferies analyst Peter Misek predicts Apple will sell 53 million iPhones this quarter, primarily the newest model. That would be a more than 40 percent increase from Apple's previous one-quarter record of 37 million iPhones set in the period covering last year's holiday shopping season.

Theory: The creativity contraction HypothesisApple is running out of fresh ideas.
Since Apple co-founder Steve Jobs died 14 months ago after a long battle with cancer, the company has mostly been fine-tuning products that were created under his visionary leadership. The former CEO's hand-picked successor, Tim Cook, is well-respected, but some investors are starting to wonder if Apple can conjure up another revolutionary product to catapult the company on another multiyear stretch of breakneck sales growth. Can Apple innovate like a hard-charging startup while maintaining its giant company stature?
Smartphones and tablets "are starting to become more like commodities," Gillis said. "And how much upside is left if you are stuck in a commodities business? The question is: What is going to get Apple going again?"Most analysts believe Apple's next breakthrough will be a television that shares the same operating system as the iPhone and iPad. An Apple TV would give the company a prized perch on the biggest screen in most households and open up an array of new business opportunities.
Jobs hinted that Apple had figured out how to produce a mesmerizing new TV during interviews he gave with his biographer, Walter Isaacson, before he died. That led many analysts to predict an "iTV" would come this year, only to be disappointed. Cook indicated Apple is still trying to develop the device during an interview that aired on NBC's "Rock Center" Thursday night.
"When I go into my living room and turn on the TV, I feel like I have gone backwards in time by 20 to 30 years," Cook said. "It's an area of intense interest. I can't say more than that."

Theory: The fiscal cliff factor Hypothesis
Many long-time Apple shareholders are selling stock to lock in gains at a lower tax rate.
Under laws set to expire Dec. 31, profits on stocks owned for at least a year are taxed at a 15 percent rate - much less than the rate earned income is taxed at.
The recent drop notwithstanding, Apple's stock has still enjoyed an incredible run. It has more than quadrupled from about $120 per share since the iPhone's release in June 2007. Even investors who bought Apple's stock a year ago are still sitting on a gain of nearly 40 percent.
Gillis, though, points out that savvy investors probably wouldn't be selling their Apple stock just to save some money on taxes if they truly believed the stock is destined to soar higher and make them even richer a year from now.
"Sometimes, stocks just take a breather," he said. "And when you get to be as big as Apple, any shift in sentiment can have a material impact on the share price."

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Canon India slashes camera prices by up to Rs. 11,000

Canon India today slashed prices of select camera models by up to Rs. 11,000 and announced plans to invest Rs. 142 crore in marketing and brand promotion this year.

"To attract customers this festive season, Canon has dropped prices of 13 digital cameras and three DSLRs as part of our overall business plan. The drop ranges from Rs. 500 to Rs. 11,000," Canon India Senior Vice-President Alok Bharadwaj said.

"The company also targets a 32 percent increase in its turnover to Rs. 2,100 crore this year through aggressive marketing, new products, attractive pricing, and retail expansion," Bharadwaj said.

He added that the company plans to invest Rs. 142 crore in marketing and brand promotion this year.

Besides introducing two digital camera models, the company is looking to increase its current retail presence to 100 exclusive brand stores in 50 towns, from the present 75 in 45 towns.

"We introduced 25 products in 2012 and now offer 36 models to take the consumer experience with Canon to the next level. Canon is all set to achieve Rs. 2,100 crore revenue in 2012 with 32 percent growth over 2011, a step in line with USD one billion revenues by 2015," he said.

Last year, Canon India earned a revenue of Rs. 1,525 crore.

The company is bullish on expanding in eastern India and has announced marketing investments of Rs. 40 crore for the festive season. It said it would take the stores tally for east India to 12 from the present eight.

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