Micromax Andro A60 previewed in India

Yesterday, we reported about Micromax to unveil its first Android phone - Andro. Now concrete details about Micromax Andro smartphone running Google Android 2.1 Eclair update come from Micromax Delhi Bloggers Meet. Micromax Andro A60 is a full touch-screen smartphone that will feature 2.8-inch touch screen. Sporting a 600MHz CPU this Android smartphone will be available in India starting next month for a price of less than Rs. 8000. We ll try to get the exact figure but it s certainly will be less that that figure. 

Coming from India s third largest mobile phone vendor, Micromax Andro takes a leap into Android phones under Rs. 10,000 bracket. Andro has 2.8-inch touchscreen supporting 320x240 pixel resolution which might not please the mobile fanatics but average joe might be happy with it. With dual-band GSM support this smartphone will be 3G ready and promises up to 7.2Mbps speeds via HSUPA and up to 5.76 speeds via HSDPA. Micromax has added even Wi-Fi for wireless connectivity but there was no mention of Bluetooth.  

Micromax s Android debut Andro comes with GPS which is quite interesting for an Android handset priced for less than 8K.With measly 150MB internal memory one can add up to 32GB memory card. The phone offers 3.2 megapixel camera with Auto-focus. You can also record video but don t expect amazing quality. Andro A60 will also sport Accelerator and gravity sensor for users to enjoy the light weight Android-platform based games

Most worrisome part of Andro A60 is the 1280 mAh Lithium-Ion battery that promises just 4 hours of talk time. Now I am not sure if this is going to be a Dual-SIM phone. But it may get some attraction from users to check out the new operating system - Android. Only after getting our hands on to Andro A60 we can say whether it would be a worth competitor to Samsung Galaxy 5 GT-i5503. Like it or not, Android is slowly seeping into entry-level handsets for letting users get used with Android as new mobiel operating system.

Nokia X7-00 Images, Details leaked

 okia has always been offering handsets with almost similar form factor with notable changes in designs.  For instance, N8 and E7 are similar yet different than each other on many grounds. A mysterious Nokia handset - X7-00 was spotted testing EA's Need for Speed Mobile at a Czech forum board - Modryzub.net (registration required). Yet another angular design-bearing handset X7-00 draws design looks from Nokia N8 and E7 collectively. However, the four speakers at four corners of the front panel makes it stand out and seem to be entertainment-centric handset.

Following the images of X7-00 handset, the video of the same running the Need for Speed game also cropped up. Slash Gear noted that the polished metal body bearing X7-00 carried 4-inch display with 360x640 pixel resolution. The camera on its hind had 8-megapixel image sensor with dual-LED Flash. Expect some eye dazzling quality there. 

The Nokia X7-00 is said to have 245MB RAM and 450MB On-board memory. There'll be a 3.5mm audio port on the top edge, micro-USB port, fixed battery and the four speakers are claimed to be pretty loud. Check out the video of X7-00 running Need for Speed grabbed by MobileBulgaria.  

Micromax's First Android Phone Coming Soon

Micromax is one of the handset makers in India who has shown some sky rocketing popularity amongst entry-level handsets. Now, the company is reportedly going to introduce Google Android running handset dubbed Micromax Andro by the end of this month. At a special bloggers event scheduled in Delhi on November 27, Micromax will show off its first Android phone.

Micromax Andro is rumored have a 2.8-inch resistive full touch screen and a 3.2 megapixel camera along with the Android 2.1 Eclair running on it. Apart from that the phone will house 600MHz microprocessor and purportedly sport the interactive input feature - SWYPE. Andro is expected to be priced between Rs. 8,000 to Rs. 9,000 segment.

Around that price band, we have Samsung Galaxy 5 GT-i5503 with Android 2.1 running on it. Micromax has been quite bullish regarding its low-cost and feature rich handsets so far. Back in April, the company bagged the third position as India's largest mobile phone vendor. Micromax Andro is expected to keep the ball rolling for them.

Apple Planning to use Retina Display in iPad 2

Earlier, we reported that Apple has been rumored of working on the second generation iPad which will be shown in February next year. Now, a Taiwanese news website DigiTimes has noted that Apple will be adding five new features in the iPad 2 according to a source who tipped the information to Economic Daily News, a Chinese-language news paper. These features include Retina display, front facing camera for FaceTime, USB Port, and smaller form factor. 

Now we know you're slowly getting mad at us for writing too much about Apple who doesn't bother launching the iPad in India. However, there is no harm in staying abreast with developments that might help instead of staying aloof. Rumor mills and spin doctors are already speculating the theories that Apple will show off in a smaller 7-inch iPad 2 sometime early next year. Also, this new iPad would be slimmer than the current generation one as per Apple's patent application. So we can expect a form-factor of anything between 7-inch to 9-inch. 

In the iPad 2, Apple would be using Retina Display technology with thinner glass panels. The IPS-panel technology based Retina glass is a bit costly but they improve the color and image quality. Hence, expect that part to add up to the total price of the iPad. 

Industry based component makers also stated that Apple would be adding a USB port to make the iPad 2 more connection friendly. This kind of contradicts Apple CEO Steve Jobs' response to an Apple product fan - We don't see USB 3 taking off at this time. No support from Intel, for example. So instead, we can expect USB 2.0 in iPad 2. Sounds like some cryptic chronology - USB 2.0 in iPad 2 and may be USB 3.0 in iPad 3. That's Apple for you.

For the gaming frenzy folks, Apple will add 3-axis gyroscopic sensors to enhance the possible gaming experience. Finally, Apple will add a camera in the front panel to enable FaceTime which is already available to iPhone 4 and iPod touch 4 devices. Once again, I'd like to point out that these are just preliminary buzzes you'll hear till the actual product is shown off.

Lenovo IdeaCenter B300 Launched

Lenovo has launched its new All-in-one PC for the Indian market called the IdeaCenter B300. This mainstream PC will be available at all retail outlets and multi brand digital lifestyle retail chains for Rs. 29,990 onwards with a 1-year on-site warranty. 


The specifications will vary depending on how much you're willing to pay. For the CPU, you have a choice of a Core2 Duo 7600/5400s/Core i range. Memory options start from 2GB DDR3 onwards whereas for storage, you again get multiple choices up to 1TB. The B300 with a 20-inch screen features a 1600x900 resolution where as the 21.5-inch screen will sport a full HD resolution with LED backlighting and multi-touch on select models only. 

On the graphics front, we have a choice between the onboard GMA 4500MHD or a ATI Radeon HD5450 with 512MB dedicated memory. Other featurs include two 3W speakers, 10/100 Ethernet, Bluetooth, DVD burner, card reader, built-in webcam and a keyboard and mouse. The B300 will come shipped with Windows 7 Home Premium 32-bit or 64-bit depending on the amount of RAM. 

Epson Releases Four Multimedia Projectors

Epson has introduced four new multimedia projectors, featuring LCD technology. The EB-S9, EB-X9, EB-X10 and EB-W10 feature 3LCD technology that employs three discrete LCD panels assigned to the red, green and blue channels to produce an image.

In addition to the regular connectivity options, the Epson's LCD range also features USB direct connectivity, which simplifies cabling by allowing display using USB cable, which is found across all modern computers. This makes it extremely convenient for presentations, where you don't have to carry different kinds of video cables for compatibility. This feature also allows the projectors to display JPEG images right off the USB drive connected to it.

These projectors ship with a lamp starting at 2,500 ANSI lumens, and employ what Epson calls the E-TORL technology that promises to extend lamp life to 5,000 hours at the cost of image luminosity in the eco mode. Epson EB-S9 has a resolution of 800x600p (SVGA) with a lens that's capable of subtending image across a minimum of 0.87m to 10.5m (diagonal). This projector costs Rs. 34,000.

The EB-X9, EB-X10 (both 1024x768p) and EB-W10 (1280x800p) can display an image spanning 0.9m to 9.0m large. The EB-X9 and EB-S9 have a brightness of 2,500 ANSI lumens, while EB-X10 and EB-W10 are rated at 2,600 lumens, in addition to an HDMi port. The EB-X9 costs Rs. 40,400, EB-X10 costs Rs. 43,200 and EB-W10 costs Rs. 57,000.

First Windows Phone 7 Jailbreak Tool Released

Whilst many are still enjoying the Thanksgiving turkey, select geeks/hackers are working on ways to help you save 50 cents. Earlier this month, Microsoft's next-gen mobile operating system Windows Phone 7 based smartphone had started hitting the U.S. markets. Just before it went en masse, three guys - Rafael Rivera, Chris Walsh and Long Zhengreleased WP7 unlocker tool - ChevronWP7. With this tool, any WP7 phone can be unlocked and applications can be side-loaded without the need of a developer account. 

Now, you might be thinking why on earth you would unlock/jailbreak the WP7? To be honest, the first defense would be that jailbreaking for fair use is now legal in U.S. Earlier in July, Library of Congress passed a ruling that unlocking and jailbreaking the mobile phone is legal. Here's a snipped that connects to this 'unlocking' tool.

Computer programs that enable wireless telephone handsets to execute software applications, where circumvention is accomplished for the sole purpose of enabling interoperability of such applications, when they have been lawfully obtained, with computer programs on the telephone handset.
Rafael Rivera, Chris Walsh and istartedsomething blog author Long Zheng together devised the ChevronWP7 tool to unlock WP7 device without a Marketplace developer account. Once you've unlocked you can side-load 'experimental' applications that weren't or can't be available through Windows Marketplace - Microsoft's App Store. 

ChevronWP7 is a simple executable file which can be used once a WP7 handset is connected to a PC via USB cable. Just in case you can't get it running, a number of fixes are suggested in the blog post. This tool works with Windows XP SP2 and higher versions. This tool can't perform SIM unlocks and is more of a jailbreak tool.

Now this WP7 unlocking tool has raised all the concerns and rumors about Apps Piracy. In response to those rumors, all three guys mentioned in their stand against piracy that they don't condone piracy. Technical aspects are clarified:

All Marketplace application XAP packages are sufficiently protected so that you cannot sideload to run them on any unlocked device (official or with our tool). We have no intentions or knowledge to break that protection. (You can still run legitimately purchased and downloaded applications after unlocking)

It's like the door of innumerable possibilities has been opened and Microsoft should foresee all possible outcomes in the future. Either Microsoft can patch those holes or let users take the other path where experimental packages can be installed. Clearly, we see another Cydia-like entire Package Manager in the making. 

Make Use of Mobile Number Portability From Jan.

The final date for Mobile Number Portability (MNP) across India has finally been fixed even as it was launched in Haryana yesterday. Now mobile users in Kolkata will be able to switch service providers while retaining their numbers from January 20, 2011 when MNP will be implemented across India, The Telegraph reports. 

Telecom minister Kapil Sibal told reporters while launching MNP in Haryana, "Mobile number portability will be rolled out across India on January 20, 2011." A senior executive for a top operator added, "There could be some introductory tariff plans for customers changing service providers. High-speed value-added services such as video calls can also be used to lure new customers. Operators could also waive porting charges as an incentive."

MNP is applicable within the circle, and you cannot use it if you want to shift to another city outside the circle. For porting, a subscriber has to send an SMS - PORT Mobile Number - from the number he wishes to be ported, to 1900. The subscriber will be sent a unique porting code through SMS by his current service provider and this has to be quoted in the application form. Porting process is supposed to be completed within seven working days. Even as DoT has recommended a porting fee of Rs. 19, some operators such as Idea Cellular may consider waiving off the porting charges.

'Extreme Online Congestion' Hits GT5 Single Player

Having trouble with the single player component in your copy of Gran Turismo 5? Well, you're not alone. Gaming blog Kotaku reports that GT5 owners across the globe are facing inexplicable slowdown and menu freezing in the single player as well as the multiplayer part of the game. The culprit? According to Polyphony Digital, the "extreme online traffic congestion" is the root of the GT5 woes.

Before any of you hit the reply button asking how that would affect the single player mode, it is because the game accesses online content even during the load screens and game start up. The solution is to yank off your Internet connectivity to force the game into the offline mode. Sony has taken contingency measures by removing user access to logs and preventing changes to profile and friend lists, till they resolve the issue.

A major franchise like GT5 imploding under the weight of its online users within the first week is bad enough, but letting that affect the single player mode is damning design flaw of the highest order. This makes one wonder what the six long years of development were spent on.

Tech-com Crams TV Tuner in USB Stick

Tech-com's SSD-TV-817 USB Stick is quite confusing. The name makes it sound like a high performance solid state drive, while the looks fool you into mistaking it as a mere USB stick. It's neither, but a fully fledged TV tuner. A USB interface endows it with plug and play convenience and freedom from external power requirements. It is also bundled with a remote controller. This makes it quite convenient to carry it around and plug into any laptop or desktop and enjoy TV right away.

SSD-TV-817 supports TV input in PAL (European), NTSC (American) and SECAM (French) platforms, so you can travel anywhere in the world without any compatibility issues. The TV Tuner incorporates the video capture function to so you can record TV programming directly onto your hard drive and even automate the process with the scheduling function. It supports screenshots and FM Radio reception as well. Video capture is further bolstered with the so called 'time-shifting' recording function that enables rewind and fast forward on live TV shows.

Tech-com's SSD-TV-817 ships with a remote control, which includes batteries for a change, 1-4 multi cable and other regular documentation and software. It's out now for Rs. 1,175, which isn't much for something that offers video capture and TataSky+ like features.

Toshiba brings First Android MID in India

Toshiba has announced new AC100 Mobile Internet Device running Google Android 2.1 operating system in India. Toshiba AC100 houses Nvidia Tegra System-on-Chip to run the Android 2.1 smoothly. Sporting a 10.1-inch display, Toshiba AC100 would be available at all leading electronic and computer outlets in India for Rs. 18,721.

One of its kind Toshiba AC100 sports Nvidia Tegra 250 System-on-Chip processor that was debuted at the Consumer Electronics Show 2010 in January. Tegra 250 or Tegra 2 architecture features dual-core ARM Core A9 architecture System-on-Chip that runs up to 1GHz and has eight independent processors. Toshiba AC100 would be capable of 1080p HD encode-decode and Flash 10.1 hardware acceleration with the Tegra 250 chip.

Toshiba's AC100 MID has 10.1-inch Clear SuperView display with LED backlight and supports 1024x600 pixel resolution. That just undermines the prowess of Tegra 2 chip which is capable of supporting 1080p HD video. Other internal hardware includes 512MB DDR2 333MHz RAM and mere 8GB Flash storage. 

For wireless connectivity, AC100 has Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR support. You can connect different portable devices one USB and one Mini-USB port. The MID also offers a 1.3 megapixel webcam, Audio-Mic combo port, SD & MMC card reader, and HDMI Port for hooking it to HD Display.

Running Android 2.1 Eclair operating system, we're sure that this laptop would be cable of Android 2.2 Froyo update on it. But Toshiba has put in Home Menu and a customizable desktop with widgets and shortcuts on it. That means Froyo 2.2 can be installed on only when the update is officially available. 

Acer Aspire D260 loaded with Tata Photon Unveiled

Acer and Tata Teleservices have partnered to introduce new Aspire One D260 netbook with Tata Photon Plus Module embedded on it. That means all you have to do is get it activated from a Tata Teleservices outlet and use the Photo+ app to get speeds of up to 3.1Mbps. There is no need to connect any USB modem to go online. Apsire One D260 is priced at Rs 17,999 (exclusive of taxes) and would be made available in Delhi and Mumbai in the initial launch phase. If you've friends or relatives there, you can certainly get one from there.

We've seen netbooks with 3G SIM module slots on them. Now the Acer Aspire One D260 comes with embedded 'broadband' module for wirelessly connectivity while you're on the go. Aspire One D260 sports a 10.1-inch screen with LED back-lit and 16:9 aspect ratio. Inside the chassis, it houses Intel Atom N450 microprocessor with 1 GB DDR2 RAM and 160 GB HDD 5400 RPM for storage. This is decent enough for standard netbook configuration in terms of core internal hardware.

Aspire One D260 will run Windows 7 Starter edition and will have a 1.3 megapixel camera for you to video chat. Other features include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, three USB ports and six-cell battery that promises eight hours of battery life. 

In this initial phase of launch (means till end of this year, may be), Acer Aspire One D260 would be made available from retail junctions of Tata Teleservices in Mumbai and Delhi only. 

When this Acer Aspire One D260 with Embedded Photo Plus is made available across India, users need to check if Tata Photo Plus services are available for their city/town or not. Else, it would be just another netbook with unusable embedded modem on it.  

Tech-com Releases 36-in-1 Card Reader for Rs. 175

Tech-com has released a 36-in-1 card reader which reads all known memory card types. The card reader is USB 2.0 compatible and can write concurrently to the four memory slots which can accept in 36 different types of memory cards. Christened as Little Genius, the card reader is out now for Rs. 175. It is backed by a warranty period of three years, which is quite impressive for something that costs one third of an average card reader.

The card reader supports the following memory card types:

CF I/II, Magicstor, Microdrive, CF Extreme III, Professional CF, Turbo CF, Turbo II CF, SD, Turbo SD, SD Turbo II, SD UII, MINI SD, MICRO-SD, T-Flash, Turbo II (4.0), MMC Micro, MS, MS-MAGIC-GATE, MS SELECT, MS-DUO, MS-DUO-MAGIC-GATE, MS-PRO, MS-PRO-MAGIC-GATE, MS-PRO-DUO, MS- PRO -DUO-MAGIC-GATE, MS-ROM, X-Flash.

Note: Memory formats like Mini SD, T-flash, Micro SD, MMC Micro require adapters for proper functioning.

Crytek Reveals Warface, a Free-to-play FPS Game

Crytek has revealed details about the upcoming free-to-play First Person Shooter game called Warface. Developed by Crytek Seoul, this military shooter is 'especially dedicated' to the Asian and the Korean regions. Warface, an online free-to-play game, will be class-based to serve player-versus-player modes and also several multi-player co-op missions. 

Warface will be a military shooter FPS genre game that is set in the near-future settings. It promises to offer a good cinematic experience along with eye soothing visuals. Warface is developed using the CryENGINE 3, the same game engine used to develop the upcoming Crysis 2 game. 

This game would be available on a free-to-play business model on PC as well. Maybe it would include something related to micro-transactions or one may have to pay for map-packs or expansion packs. Unfortunately, the release date for this game has not been announced until now. 

Facebook Email gets a Cold Response from Majority

Just two days ago, Facebook released its unified "Social Inbox" where all the Facebook messages will be aggregated with e-mails. Yes, every Facebook user can get an example@facebook.com email ID. It was a rather daring move for Facebook to release an e-mail feature, given the massive prominence of e-mail providers like Gmail, Hotmail or Yahoo. But it could be a winning move too, given the oceanic 500 million subscribers that Facebook has. But would you really want to use Facebook for sending/receiving e-mails on a day-to-day basis? Would you shift your primary e-mail address to their service entirely? We asked this same question to our Techtree junta and this is what we've got till now.

At the time of writing this, a major 68 percent people expressed there negation towards moving to Facebook email. A small 18 percent Facebook loyalists said Yes, and another smaller 14 percent said they aren't entirely convinced and can't decide now (thus leaving the possibility for them to maybe make the shift in the future). We also asked people to state the reasons why they would or would not want to switch, and many had quite a firm opinion about their decision:

Marex from Vadodara said, "Currently I am happy with my mail service, so I have no intentions of switching to another mail service. I already have many accounts to manage, one more would be asking for too much to handle."  

Techtree reader Pradeep from Hyderabad is just one of many people who voiced his concern by saying, "Everyone knows about the security issues in facebook. So it would not be a wise decision to make the Facebook messaging system as the primary communication system." 


If you want to read all the insightful opinions given by our readers (or want to give yours), click here. So now, the initial consensus about the Facebook email feature doesn't seem to have that big a positive response. Do you think this will change once everybody starts using it? One good thing to derive out of it - there will be no need to log into different websites for communication, which is one of Facebook's major purposes. And although they try to give a sense of security to the user's data, something or the other has kept popping up in the past. Thus, many would be cautious over these security and privacy related aspects of using Facebook for email.  

By the way, if you haven't voted, there's an opinion box to your right. 

Qualcomm Shows New Dual-core Snapdragon Chips

At a financial analyst meeting in New York yesterday, Qualcomm showed off its System-on-Chip roadmap. The new family of Snapdragon SoC chipsets intended for high-end smartphones as well as tablets, reported EE Times. The third generation Snapdragon mobile processor chipset platform includes two new chipsts MSM8260 and MSM8660. Both new chipsets will carry dual-core Scorpian CPU with up to 1.2GHz frequencies. 

Almost all high-end Google Android mobile OS based phones come with Snapdragon CPU inside. All new Windows Phone 7 phones come with Snapdragon chipsets running up to 1GHz speeds. This clearly indicates that the current generation mobile OS do demand and operate better on higher frequency supporting SoC chips. 

Third generation Snapdragon MSM8x60 series chipsets built on 45-nm process will have two Snapdragon cores and one Adreno 205 GPU crammed on the same die. With integrated 3G mobile broadband support, one can expect several next-gen features from the smartphones carrying these chipsets. Full HD video recording, 16 megapixel camera support and DivX support are good enough to keep the multimedia frenzy folks busy. 

Read the features of MSM8260 and MSM8660 chipsets below:

• Scorpion asynchronous dual-CPU cores, up to 1.2GHz for faster response and processing
• Integrated 3G mobile broadband connectivity
• MSM8260 support for HSPA+ networks up to 14 Mbps downloads and 5.6 Mbps uploads as well as GSM, GPRS and EDGE
• MSM8660 support for HSPA+ networks up to 14.4 Mbps downloads and 5.76 Mbps as well as CDMA2000 1X, 1xEV-DO Rel A/B, GSM, GPRS and EDGE
• Low-power 45nm process technology for higher integration and performance
• High-definition (1080p) video recording and playback up to 30 frames per second
• Multiple video codecs: (MPEG-4, MPEG-2, H.264, H.263, VC-1, DivX, WMV-9, Sorenson Spark, VP6)
• High-performance GPU up to 88M triangles/sec and 532M 3D pixels/sec and dedicated 3D/2D acceleration engines for Open GLES 2.0 and Open VG 1.1 acceleration
• High-resolution WXGA (1280x800) display support
• 16-megapixel camera support
• Built-in eighth-generation gps engine with Standalone-GPS and Assisted-GPS modes
• Support for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity
• Multiple audio codecs: (AAC+, eAAC+, AMR, FR, EFR, HR, WB-AMR, G.729a, G.711, AAC stereo encode)
• Support for mobile broadcast TV (MediaFLO, DVB-H and ISDB-T)
• Support for Android, Brew Mobile Platform and Windows Phone

Qualcomm also showed off new Snapdragon family of CPUs built on 28nm process and based on ARM architecture. First in that new family would be the MSM8960 chipset that carries two next-gen CPU cores. This new MSM8960 promises five times the performance of original Snapdragon chip at 75 percent less power consumption. Qualcomm resisted sharing the CPU clock frequencies of this MSM8960 chip. New MSM8960 SoC chipset will offer Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth, FM Radio and also multi-mode LTE/3G modem modules integrated inside it. Qualcomm boasted that the integrated GPU will offer four times the graphics power than the current generation Adreno GPUs. 

Qualcomm also unveiled new Adreno 300 series GPU that promise to offer gaming performance equivalent to Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 game consoles. The sampling of these new next-generation chips will begin next year. And may be by late 2011 we ll get to see smartphones and tablets running these next generation Snapdragon chips.

Indians Don't Prefer Pirating Software (Really?)

Back in July, I wrote this piece based on a thought that had kept lingering in my head since long - Piracy. We got a fiery response from the users in the comments section. While, many did talk about constructive ways to end piracy, there were quite a few who openly embraced it without any remorse. For example to quote what one fellow said, "I will live,eat and drink pirated software from OS to third party software for Windows and even PS2 Games. I'm not interested in spending a rupee on any software unless the price is affordable to everyone. I hail piracy and it will rule forever." This is just one of the many comments that showed the community distressed with high software ownership costs. 

And today, The Economic Times reported a survey conducted by Microsoft that says 86 percent consumers in India are ready to pay more for genuine software. About 2000 people from India that had a personal computer and were prime decision makers participated in this survey. Now if these figures are true, then we'd be nothing but proud. But from the response we've seen on the matter till date, we're a little skeptical. Maybe the people surveyed were afraid to accept their submission to piracy, and thus chose to answer otherwise. But the good thing to take out of this survey is the increased awareness amongst the Indian people about the existence and ill-effects of pirated software. 

The survey also said that 75 percent people believed genuine software is more secure, stable and easier to keep up-to-date. We'd agree, as using some pirated versions of Windows won't let you get critical security updates or bug fixes, which in turn could compromise on system stability. On a side note, we believe the purchases of genuine Microsoft Windows must have got a shot in the arm due to rising laptop sales and its monopoly - most of them have an original copy pre-installed and inclusive of the total cost.  

 

But it's not like you cannot do without Windows to use your PC - there's always Linux. So, do you agree with the results of this survey?  

Belkin Nostromo Keypad Gets the Razer Treatment

Razer has worked with Belkin to relaunch the Nostromo n52te Speedpad as the Razer Nostromo keypad. Originally designed to mimic the FPS staple WASD layout, the keypad has undergone revisions to support a greater range of gaming genres like RTS and MMORPG. A dedicated gaming keypad is more ergonomic than a full size keyboard, as it allows the use of large sized mousemats without having to spread the WASD and mousing hands far apart.

Razer has incorporated Belkin's original ergonomic design and crammed it with trademark Razer features like a new chipset and software drivers that enable key programming and advanced command macros. The Nostromo keypad now enables instant switching between eight keymaps (up from Belkin's three), and the ability to store twenty gaming profiles. The 16-button keypad also includes a rubberized wristpad to alleviate wrist chafing and strain.

The keypad also includes an eight-way directional thumb pad (D-pad), which can be used either for movement or as modifier keys to access auxiliary commands. These features can be tapped to the fullest with Razer's custom configuration utility that gives access to remaps and macro programming. It also features backlit keys and scroll wheel. The Razer Nostromo keypad is out now on the official website for $70 (Rs. 3,200 Approx.).

Apple Seeds iOS 4.2.1 GM Build to Developers

Apple had seeded yet another Gold Master Build now numbered as iOS 4.2.1 to the developer. The delay in release of iOS 4.2 update was due to a Wi-Fi bug and we had anticipated its arrival this week. However, this new iOS 4.2.1 Gold Master build indicates that the software update might come out only next week. Apple instructed developers that resubmission of Apps isn't required because there are only minor fixes involved in it.

The new iOS 4.2.1 Gold Master update carries build number 8C138, while the iOS 4.2 Gold Master carried build number 8C134. New iOS 4.2.1 Gold Master is said to fix the Wi-Fi bug and also a VoIP bug that was found on one of the Apps. Developers of Line2, Google Voice like App, sent out an email warning about a 'severe' VoIP bug in iOS 4.2 gold master. This bug let the phone continue to ring even after the user answered a call. Number of users who tested the new iOS 4.2.1 have confirmed that the bug was fixed. 

Apple had promised to roll out the iOS 4.2 update for iPad in November this year. There is still about one-and-a-half weeks for Apple to keep its promise. Let's hope there are no bugs or issues after the official update is released publicly.