Nokia announces 808 PureView Symbian smartphone with 41 megapixel camera

From the ‘that should be enough for anyone’ files, Nokia has announced 808 PureView smartphone at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona that features a 41 megapixel camera.

Yes, you read that right, 41 MEGAPIXELS!

Well, OK, there is some cheating involved. Nokia has taken its proprietary pixel over-sampling technology and combined it with Carl Zeiss optics to make this trick work.

Having high-resolution images means that users will be able to zoom, reframe, crop and resize the photo afterwards to get the best picture possible.

Note: The smartphone allows you to store a 38 megapixel image.

The Nokia 808 PureView also features full HD 1080p video recording and playback with 4X lossless zoom, and it is the first device to use Nokia’s Rich Recording that will allow for CD-like recording quality.

Oh, and in case you were wondering, this smartphone isn’t a Windows Phone handset, it’s powered by Symbian. Yes, you read that right too … Symbian.

The 808 PureView will retail for 450 euros, and availability is expected in May.

We’ll have to wait for image samples before knowing whether the high-resolution camera is actually useful or just a marketing angle.

-ZDNET

Cool Tips: HOW TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR TABLET SCREEN

The screen on tablet PCs are large compared to your multimedia music or video players or your handphones and need extra care. There are screen guards available, but they take away the charm and lustre of the screens.

So here are tips on how to take care of your screen.

1. Clean the screen with a micro-fibre cloth. Do not use wet tissues or glass cleaners to wipe the screen. Discard your micro-fibre cloth after three to six months of use.
2. Keep the device away from sharp objects. Mind you, no pencil or ballpoint pen should touch the screen. And please do not use a cheap stylus to scribble on the touchscreen. It is too delicate for that.
3. When not using your tablet, keep the screen covered. Use a cover with micro-fibre lining to protect from dust.
4. Avoid using your tablet when you are in dusty conditions.
5. In case you drop your tablet, first blow the dust off its screen and ensure there are no specks before you wipe it off.

-HT

Review: Samsung Galaxy Nexus

The Samsung Galaxy Nexus is Google and Samsung's second outing with a joint flagship device (the first was the Nexus S). The phone boasts of some pretty impressive specs and a unique design. But that's not why we are excited about it. The real big deal here is Google's new OS, Ice Cream Sandwich that is making its debut on the device. This is by far the biggest revamp to hit the Android OS and we are really excited about not only the big changes but also the subtle tweaks that make the real differences. Is this device and the OS worth upgrading to or are you better off just looking at the forbidden fruit? Read on to find out!

Design

If we had to describe the device's teardrop tapering design in one word, we'd say WOW! It is really thin on the top and a bit thicker at the bottom. It's beautiful to look at and surprisingly well built ergonomically as well. The front of the device really takes the cake. All you have is the front facing camera, the earpiece and the beautiful 4.65-inch screen. It really looks remarkable.

The bottom of the screen has an LED indicator, which flashes to represent notifications. It's a nice white glow and one of the small touches to the device that add good novelty value.

The only physical buttons on the device are the volume rocker, which is on the left panel and the power, sleep/wake button that is on the right. The bottom of the device has the micro USB port and the headphones jack. The rear of the device houses the 5MP camera with an LED flash. We were lucky enough to review a unit with the 'funky' rear panel, which is exclusively handed out to Google employees. If you buy the device off the shelves, the rear cover will be more on the lines of the Galaxy S2. The advantage the Galaxy Nexus faces, however, is the fact that it is really light, weighing in at 135gms, making it lighter than the iPhone 4S and the Galaxy Note.

Overall, the design of the device is great. It's large yet comfortable to hold. It isn't as big as the Samsung Galaxy Note, which at times feels a tad big for portable use. It is bigger than the iPhone 4S, which isn't necessarily a bad thing as the 720p screen is great for multimedia use. The overall build of the device could have taken a new direction. With the iPhone 4S opting for a glass back, unibody industrial design which is pure eye candy, and the colourful yet sturdy polycarbonate design of the Nokia Lumia 800, the Galaxy Nexus feels just a bit dated with its plastic finish.

Display

The Galaxy Nexus has a gorgeous 4.65-inch Super AMOLED display. The large display and the new ICS OS ensures that you don't need physical buttons on the front of the device. There are 3 buttons always present at the bottom of the display, which represent the back, home and running apps. The display is really great for watching videos and some first party Google app widgets such as Gmail and YouTube really take advantage of the screen size. The large screen also ensures a better web browsing experience and a larger, well laid out keyboard ensuring minimal error during typing.

To put things into perspective, the Galaxy Nexus has a 4.65-inch display with a resolution 1280x720 that is 316 pixels per inch. The iPhone 4S has a 3.5-inch IPS display with a resolution of 960x640 that is 330 pixels per inch. The Samsung Galaxy Note has a 5.3-inch Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 1280x800 that is 285 pixels per inch.

In simple terms, it is easy to understand that the display on the iPhone 4S has the best display. Apple's Retina Display outshines the rest in terms of deep blacks, vibrant colours and an overall great experience. The Galaxy Nexus on the other hand may have lower pixel density, but that doesn't affect the user experience. Videos are more enjoyable on the Nexus as not only is the screen really big, but, to the naked eye, both the iPhone 4S and the Galaxy Nexus are at par, with the Nexus snatching points just for the display size.

Camera Quality

To start off, the Galaxy Nexus has a 5MP autofocus camera with an LED flash that can also shoot videos in 1080p. Having said that, the biggest USP of the camera is its zero shutter time. We clicked a pic simultaneously with the iPhone 4S and the Galaxy Nexus. The picture was already saved and the camera was ready for another shot on the Galaxy Nexus while the iPhone 4S was still processing the image. The tradeoff here is that the pictures still looked better on the iPhone 4S and quite a few pictures taken by us on the Galaxy Nexus were blurry.

It's not that the camera is bad, it's just that it could have been better.

In terms of effects, the Galaxy Nexus is quite a handful. There are a lot of silly effects such as big eyes, big nose, etc. that you can use while shooting videos. These hold more of a novelty values than anything else. The utility however comes in the fact there are quite a few handy effects you can add to pictures after they have been taken. Editing and filter options have been built into the camera app and you have a variety of options to play with once the picture has been taken.

OS and Interface

The OS, Ice Cream Sandwich, is the real reason why we are excited about this device. The OS has been completely redesigned and we see some features from Honeycomb and a lot of improvements from Gingerbread make an appearance here.

One of the biggest improvements to the device is that there are no physical buttons on it. There are three buttons that are ever present at the bottom of the touchscreen. These are, back, home and a button that shows all the open apps.

Those of you that are used to the Android experience, with or without a third party skin, will have to spend some time with the device as there is a bit of a learning curve and the OS has some really cool tricks up its sleeve that you need to know about.

There are a lot of preloaded apps that take away the need to download third part apps. As mentioned earlier, the filters and funky options available for shooting stills and videos will keep you busy for quite some time before you resort to third part apps.

If you are a 3G data hungry user and need to be online all the time, you can forget about a third party data monitoring app, as this is inbuilt in the settings of the OS. It is easy not only to monitor your overall data consumption and set a cap on it but also to monitor which of your apps are consuming how much data.

Another interesting feature is that you can unlock the device using your face via the front facing camera. The face lock isn't really a great security feature as the device can be unlocked by simply using a photograph of the person as well.

The notifications too have improved. From the pull down notification bar, it is easy to get rid of selective notification by simply swiping left on as particular notification. Speaking of swiping, it is very easy to 'swipe' and close apps that are already running. Sure, it isn't as easy as clicking on an 'Advanced Task Killer' icon on your device buts its presence is very cool nonetheless. All you do is use the multitasking button to bring up the apps that are running. Clicking on an app jumps straight to that app. If you want to shut down the app completely, just swipe left, and the app closes.

Just like the iOS, it is very easy to arrange your app in folders. This process is a little too much like the iOS and that isn't a bad thing. All you need to do is drag and drop one app over another and voila! You have a new folder.

Not all the improvements to the OS are for the better. An irritating feature is that the minute you download an app from the Marketplace, a shortcut appears automatically on the home screen. This can get really frustrating if you are a person who likes to keep his apps and widgets organized. Thankfully though, this feature can manually be turned off from the settings.

Browsing the Internet on the Galaxy Nexus is a real treat! The web pages render really fast. The large display is as great as the Galaxy Note to read text on and videos look absolutely amazing. But the biggest improvement is the manner in which tabs are handled. Tabs appear in a vertical alignment and are very convenient to scroll through.

If you were looking to pick up an iPhone 4S just for Siri you may want to hold on a bit longer. Google has integrated voice recognition into the Galaxy Nexus and it is one feature that we think works really well. There is even an option of 'English (India)' in the menu and you don't need to put on an accent to get most of the information right. It still has problems in recognizing Indian names and places and the software doesn't talk back like Siri, but the fact that the feature is present and performs all the task that Siri does if not more is a great addition.

Performance

Apart from all the fancy shenanigans, the device needs to do something primitive i.e. make phone calls. Yes, it makes calls. The number pad on the device is really large, courtesy the large screen, and is even comfortable to use when driving (but don't use your phone while driving!). The signal strength was good even in areas where some other devices such as the HTC Desire the Sensation XE and the Sony Ericsson Xperia Pro faced call drops. The call quality to was fantastic to say the least. Coming to the most important question, is it feasible to hold a 4.65-inch device on your ear and be comfortable. In a word, yes. It isn't as small as an iPhone but then again, it is smaller than the Galaxy Note. It sort of hits the sweet spot with its size. If you are a dainty one with small hands or a below average build, the device may be big for you, but overall, it's a fit.

The interface is exceptionally smooth and responsive as well. The only time we saw a lag was when we ran a plethora of apps in the background and had a live wallpaper running as well.

As of reviewing the device, there aren't any ICS specific apps available but the existing apps held up really well. We played a lot of Angry Birds, read some news on the NDTV app and it all ran absolutely smooth.

Another great addition, and this one is heaven for widget junkies, is that Google specific widgets such as YouTube and Gmail have been configured not only to take advantage of the screen, but you can actually adjust the size of the widget on the home screen. A small feature but it makes all the difference.

Typing on the device too is a pleasure. The keyboard is well spaced and there are minimal errors while typing. Typing with one hand however is virtually impossible even in portrait mode due to the large screen size. The auto correct feature of the device too has been improved and it is easier to select onscreen text by simply tapping it.

The battery life of the device too was a surprise as the device managed to sustain throughout the day with a little above average use. We made calls, texted, watched a bunch of YouTube videos, downloaded apps and tweeted.

Overall the performance of the device is outstanding with minor hiccups that will go unnoticed by most users. The additions and options available is the settings are varied and eliminate the use of a lot of third party apps. The device not only works as your next gen smartphone but also does a great job at making calls.

Verdict

If you are looking for a next gen smartphone to pick up the Galaxy Nexus should definitely be on the top of your list. The OS is fantastic, interface is awesome and the hardware too doesn't disappoint. The only issue here is that the devices available and price are still a mystery.

In Pics: Samsung Galaxy Nexus

Pros:

ICS is a fantastic OS

Great display, build and hardware

Funky camera features

Inbuilt apps that eliminate 3rd party apps

Cons:

ICS optimized apps will take some time to hit the market

The camera could have been better

Price: NA

Ratings:

Performance: 4.5

Price: NA

Features: 5

Ergonomics: 4

Wow factor: 4

Overall: 4.5

-NDTV

What is Facebook worth? A view from India

College students use their smartphones to log-in on Facebook.

I couldn’t help but notice my taxi driver’s spanking new Nokia phone on a recent ride in Mumbai. 

No, he wasn’t carrying the high-end Lumia “smart phone” (retail price about 30,000 rupees, or $611), but it certainly wasn’t a basic phone either. It had a qwerty keyboard, wi-fi and Internet access. Pankaj, the taxi driver, said it cost him a cool 6,000 rupees, roughly a third of his monthly income.

Impressed, I asked him “What do you use the Internet for?” 

“Facebook,” he said. 

“You are on Facebook?” 

“Yes, of course.” 

“How much do you pay for net access?” 

“99 rupees (about $2) a month.” 

For Pankaj, Facebook was the main reason to sign up for an Internet plan. While unlimited Internet plans in India cost north of 750 rupees a month ($15 a month), metered plans, or those based on downloaded amounts, start at 99 rupees for 1GB ($2 a month). 

He isn’t alone. Go onto most any mobile carrier’s Web site in India and there is a social networking tab describing how to get onto Facebook. Facebook is prominently featured in many mobile carrier advertisements as a reason to get a data plan. One carrier, Vodafone, even introduced a phone that offered unlimited Facebook use for a year, free with the 3,810 rupee phone purchase. 

With over 40 million users and growth of more than 1 million users per month, India is already Facebook’s third-largest market. That growth, much like India’s Internet usage, is coming not just at the top of the economic pyramid, but across it. 

Facebook users represent one of the youngest and most attractive market segments in India. To reach this group in its entirety, companies have few options because of divisions in language and education. Pankaj may watch Hindi-language television shows, his wife may read Gujarati newspapers and neither may read a magazine. India’s crowd-pleasing staples, Hindi movies and cricket, may be the only other ways, outside of Facebook, to reach this group. 

And India is expected to surpass the United States as the largest Facebook user base sometime in the next five years. 

As investors ponder the value of Facebook, users like Pankaj might be worth considering. After all, he earns approximately $300 a month and was willing to spend $2 a month to access the Internet, just to use Facebook. For him, like most of us, the Internet means access to knowledge, social interaction and entertainment. And for him, the portal to that access is Facebook. With long periods of downtime as he waits for fares, he uses Facebook to communicate with his friends, play games and “learn,” he said. 

When number crunchers try to evaluate the value of a Facebook user, one Holy Grail question has emerged: What if Facebook could charge its users $1 a month? With 750 million users that would lead to revenues of nearly $10 billion a year from user charges alone. 

The question is purely hypothetical. Facebook’s founders have long pledged that they won’t charge its customers. After all, the company derives its power from its user base. But Pankaj shows that Facebook has become such an indispensable part of the lives of folks around the world that they are, in effect, willing to pay for it. 

Reams have been written and will be written about the value of Facebook before its initial public offering later this year. Like Google in its early days, Facebook may not have figured out all the ways to monetize its massive customer base, but the view from India is clear – it has grabbed the interest, and the income of users, rich and poor alike. 

-NyTimes

Nokia unveils cheaper Windows smartphone

Nokia unveiled a new, cheaper smartphone using Microsoft's Windows Phone software on Monday, in an attempt to reverse its declining market share.

Nokia last year dumped its own smartphone software in favor of Microsoft's Windows Phone to step up its fight against rivals such as Apple's iPhone, but the move has so far had limited impact due to the high prices of phones using it.

Nokia said its new Lumia 610 model would carry a price tag of 189 euros ($250), excluding subsidies and taxes, when it goes on sale next quarter.

"The 610 takes Nokia's Lumia portfolio to an encouraging new price point in its pursuit of cheaper Android rivals," said Ben Wood, head of research at CCS Insight.

Investors appeared skeptical that the new model and pricing would do the trick, pulling Nokia shares down 5 percent to 4.10 euros.

"I had hoped for a slightly lower price range. Maybe the markets were a bit disappointed with the price, which was quite high," Inderes analyst Mikael Rautanen said, though he noted the shares had spiked on Friday in anticipation of the event.

Nokia also announced a global version of its high-end Lumia 900 phone at the Mobile World Congress trade show in Barcelona.

It also unveiled a new top-of-the range cameraphone 808, which comes with a 41 megapixel camera sensor, and three more basic models.

Microsoft's share of the smartphone market fell to just 2 percent last quarter, from 3 percent a year ago and 13 percent four years earlier, according to Strategy Analytics.

Wall Street and industry analysts say that though the latest Windows phones could be worthy competitors to Apple's iPhone and top-of-the-range Android handsets, the devices lack unique qualities to make their sales take off.

-Reuters

Social media: How safe you are

SAN FRANCISCO: Living in the world of social networking and mobile smartphones means trading away some of your personal information.


But assessing the price of admission to join the super-networked, digital class is not so simple; even experts on the issue admit that they don't have a full picture of the way personal information is collected and used on the Internet. But here are some basic guidelines to keep in mind.

What information do you have to give up to participate in social media?

Social networks such as Facebook and Google+ require at a minimum that you provide them with your name, gender and date of birth. Many people provide additional profile information, and the act of using the services - writing comments or uploading photos or "friending" people - creates additional information about you. Most of that information can be kept hidden from the public if you choose, though the companies themselves have access to it.

If you use your Facebook credentials to log-on to other Web sites, or if you use Facebook apps, you might be granting access to parts of your profile that would otherwise be hidden. Quora, for example, a popular online Q&A site, requires that Facebook users provide it access to their photos, their "Likes" and information that their friends share with them. TripAdvisor, by contrast, requires only access to "basic information" including gender and lists of friends.

Social media apps on smartphones, which have access to personal phone call information and physical location, put even more information at play.

On Apple Inc's iPhone, apps must get user permission to access GPS location coordinates, a procedure that will now be applied to address book access as well after companies includingTwitter were found to be downloading iPhone address book information. Beyond those two types of data, Apple locks away personal data stored in other applications, such as notepad and calendar apps, according to Michael Sutton, the vice president of security research at email security service ZScaler.

Google Inc's Android smartphone operating system allows third-party apps to tap into a bonanza of personal data, though only if they get permission. In order to download an app from the Android Market, users must click 'OK' on a pop-up list that catalogues the specific types of information that each particular app has access to.

With both mobile and Facebook apps, often the choice is to provide access to a personal information or not use the app at all.

Should I worry about how my information is being used?

Personal information is the basic currency of an Internet economy built around marketing and advertising. Hundreds of companies collect personal information about Web users, slice it up, combine it with other information, and then resell it.

Facebook doesn't provide personal information to outside marketers, but other websites, including sites that access Facebook profile data, may have different policies. Last year, a study by Stanford University graduate student found that profile information on an online dating site, including ethnicity, income and drug use frequency, was somehow being tramsitted to a third-party data firm.

The data that third-parties collect is used mainly by advertisers, but there are concerns that these profiles could be used by insurance companies or banks to help them make decisions about who to do business with.

Are there any restrictions on what information companies can collect from Internet users or what they can do with it?

In the United States, the federal law requires websites that know they are being visited by children under 13 to post a privacy policy, get parental approval before collecting personal information on children, and allow parents to bar the spread of that information or demand its deletion. The site operators are not allowed to require more information from the children than is "reasonably necessary" for participating in its activities.

For those who are 13 or older, the United States has no overarching restrictions. Websites are free to collect personal information including real names and addresses, credit card numbers, Internet addresses, the type of software installed, and even what other websites people have visited. Sites can keep the information indefinitely and share most of what they get with just about anyone.

Websites are not required to have privacy policies. Companies have most often been tripped up by saying things in their privacy policies - such as promising that data is kept secure - and then not living up to them. That can get them in trouble under the federal laws against unfair and deceptive practices.

Sites that accept payment card information have to follow industry standards for encrypting and protecting that data. Medical records and some financial information, such as that compiled by rating agencies, are subject to stricter rules.

European privacy laws are more stringent and the European Union is moving to establish a universal right to have personal data removed from a company's database-informally known as the "right to be forgotten." That approach is fervently opposed by companies dependent on internet advertising.

Is there likely to be new privacy legislation in the United States?

The year 2011 saw a flurry of activity on Capitol Hill as US lawmakers introduced a handful of do-not-track bills with even the Obama White House calling for a "privacy bill of rights."

Leading the charge on do-not-track legislation are the unlikely pair of Reps. Edward J. Markey, a Massachussetts Democrat, and Joseph Barton, a Republican from Texas, who have jointly led a "Bipartisan Congressional Privacy Caucus."

Still, with half a dozen privacy laws meandering through Congress, most observers expect it could take a long time before any are passed-and not before they are significantly watered down in the legislative process.

-Reuters

Facebook launches verified accounts for celebrities

Facebook has launched verified accounts, in a similar vein to Twitter, which will allow high profile users of the social network to have their identities authenticated.

The social network has begun testing the new authenticated account system with accounts which have a large number of subscribers.

In order to have a profile verified, celebrities and high profile accounts will need to contact Facebook and supply some form of official documentation to prove their identity.

Just as on Twitter, where high profile tweeters have a small blue tick next to their profile picture to denote their identity, Facebook will offer a few profile and name display options for famous users.

"Once verified, they'll also have the option to more prominently display an alternate name (nickname, maiden name, byline, etc.) on their timelines in addition to their real name," a Facebook spokesperson said. "This update makes it even easier for subscribers to find and keep up with journalists, celebrities and other public figures they want to connect to."

It is becoming increasingly important for social networks to properly verify their high profile users’ accounts. Twitter’s verification system came under scrutiny last month after it wrongly verified a fake Wendi Deng (the wife of media mogul Rupert Murdoch) account as real. Twitter admitted the error after News Corporation pointed out the mistake. However, the microblogging company failed to elaborate on how its identity verification service works.

-Telegraph

It's time for video resumes

WASHINGTON: Two young Indian-American entrepreneurs are attempting to make the traditional paper resume a thing of the past by connecting the job seeker and the employer through video resumes. 

The Palo Alto Mayor, Yiaway Yeh, and several other top corporate leaders of the city - which is known as the heart of the Silicon Valley -- lined up last Thursday in its downtown to inaugurate the new office of GetHired.Com, which currently has just 14 employees. 

Less than three weeks ago, on January 30, the duo Suki Shah and Naresh Patel announced having raised $1.75 million in an oversubscribed round of seed funding for their GetHired. Com; which is said to be the most comprehensive video-based social recruiting platform and job board. 

Shah argues that GetHired.com is the first job board to embed video capabilities directly into its social recruiting platform so that job seekers can record and submit personal, dynamic responses to an employer's most pressing pre-screening questions at the start of the hiring process. 

As a result, employers are able to quickly find top candidates with good communication skills who are a culturally fit for their organisation, he notes. 

"Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, businesses in Palo Alto have always been at the forefront of innovation when facing today's most challenging problems," Yeh said. 

"It is exciting that a local company has reinvented how employers and job seekers connect in today's digital world," he added. 

"Palo Alto is an incubator of leading growth companies," said Suki Shah, co-founder and CEO at GetHired. com. "We're honoured to launch in the same office that Intuit started out in - and in the same town that Facebook, Google, Sun Microsystems and PayPal got their start. 

These companies have been game-changers in their respective industries, and I am confident that GetHired. com will make a significant mark, as well," he said. 

A serial entrepreneur who co-founded his first company in 2008, Shah, 28, explained that open positions on job boards like Monster.com or Craigslist is time-consuming and expensive - and may elicit hundreds of email inquiries per post. 

Employers must then spend time sifting through these resumes to find the best candidates, sometimes with no insight into who is really best for an open position, he observed.

-PTI

Pak military builds $200 Android tablet - PACPAD

PAC builds the PACPAD with a company called Innavtek in a Hong Kong-registered partnership that also builds high-tech parts for the warplanes. - File photo

KAMRA: Inside a high-security air force complex that builds jet fighters and weapons systems, Pakistan’s military is working on the latest addition to its sprawling commercial empire: a homegrown version of the iPad.

It’s a venture that bundles together Pakistani engineering and Chinese hardware, and shines a light on the military’s controversial foothold in the consumer market. Supporters say it will boost the economy as well as the nation’s self-esteem.

It all comes together at an air force base in Kamra, where avionics engineers – when they’re not working on defence projects – assemble the PACPAD 1.

“The original is the iPad, the copy is the PACPAD,” said Mohammad Imran, who stocks the product at his small computer and cellphone shop in a mall in Rawalpindi.

The device runs on Android 2.3, an operating system made by Google and given away for free. At around $200, it’s less than half the price of Apple or Samsung devices and cheaper than other low-end Chinese tablets on the market, with the bonus of a local, one-year guarantee.The PAC in the name stands for the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex, where it is made.

The PAC also makes an e-reader and small laptop.

But the other side of the affair produces a different reaction.

“I just can’t figure it out,” said Jehan Ara, head of Pakistan’s Software Houses Association, said of the PACPAD. “Even if they could sell a billion units, I can’t see the point. The air force is supposed to be protecting the air space and borders of the country.”

Supporters say the foray into information technology is a boost to national pride for a country vastly overshadowed by arch rival India in the high-tech field. Tech websites in the country have shown curiosity or cautious enthusiasm, but say it’s too early to predict how the device will perform. Sceptics claim it’s a vanity project that will never see mass production.

Only a few hundred of each products has been made so far, though a new batch will be completed in the next three months.

“The defence industry is trying to justify its presence by doing more than just produce weapons,” said Ayesha Siddiqa, author of Military Inc., a critical study of military businesses.

“Some smart aleck must have thought we can make some money here.”

PAC’s website at http://www.cpmc.pk says the goal is “strengthening the national economy through commercialisation” and lauds the collaboration with China – something that likely resonates among nationalists.

China is regarded as a firm ally by Pakistan’s security establishment.

PAC officials suggested the programme that produces the PACPAD was modelled in part on the Chinese military’s entry into commercial industry, which lasted two decades until it was ordered to cut back lest it become corrupted and lose sight of its core mission.

The tablet and other devices are made in a low-slung facility, daubed in camouflage paint, near, a factory that produces J-17 Thunder fighter jets with Chinese help.

“It’s about using spare capacity. There are 24 hours in a day, do we waste them or use them to make something?” said Sohail Kalim, PAC’s sales director. “The profits go to the welfare of the people here. There are lots of auditors. They don’t let us do any hanky-panky here.”

PAC builds the PACPAD with a company called Innavtek in a Hong Kong-registered partnership that also builds high-tech parts for the warplanes.

But basic questions go unanswered. Maqsood Arshad, a retired air force officer who is one of the directors, couldn’t say how much money had been invested, how many units the venture hoped to sell and what the profit from each sale was likely to be.

The market for low-cost Android tablets is expanding quickly around the world, with factories in China filling most of the demand. Last year, an Indian company produced the ‘Aakash’ tablet, priced at $50, and sold largely to schoolchildren and students.

Mr Arshad said a second-generation PACPAD would be launched in the next three months, able to connect to the Internet via cellphone networks and other improved features. He said the Kamra facility could produce up to 1,000 devices a day.

-AP

Now, type on phone without looking at it!

BrailleTouch brings 'eyes-free' texting to the visually impaired/ Georgia Tech

Researchers have built a prototype application for touch-screen mobile devices that is vying to be a complete solution for texting without the need to look at a mobile gadget’s screen.

The free open-source app, being developed by researchers at Georgia Tech, called BrailleTouch, incorporates the Braille writing system used by the visually impaired. It has been conceived as a texting tool for any of the millions of smartphone phone users worldwide.

“Research has shown that chorded, or gesture-based, texting is a viable solution for eyes-free written communication in the future, making obsolete the need for users to look at their devices while inputting text on them,” Mario Romero, the principal investigator of the project, said.

Early studies with visually impaired participants proficient in Braille typing have demonstrated that users can input at least six times the number of words per minute when compared to other research prototypes for eyes-free texting on a touch screen.

Users reach up to 32 words per minute with 92 percent accuracy with the prototype app for the iPhone.

“We are currently designing a study to formally evaluate BrailleTouch through both quantitative and qualitative methods,” Caleb Southern, an IC graduate student, said.

“We will measure the typing speed and accuracy of visually impaired users and capture the feedback from study participants in areas such as comfort, ease of use and perceived value,” Southern said.

For sighted users, the research team is exploring how BrailleTouch could be a universal eyes-free mobile texting app that replaces soft QWERTY keyboards and other texting technologies.

“BrailleTouch is an out-of-the-box solution that will work with smartphones and tablets and allow users to start learning the Braille alphabet in a few minutes,” Romero said.

“It also reduces the need for expensive proprietary Braille keyboard devices, which typically cost thousands of dollars,” he said.

The researchers have designed BrailleTouch to address the limitations of soft keyboards, which do not provide tactile feedback, as well as physical keyboards, which often use small and numerous fixed buttons.

BrailleTouch is the only iPhone app in existence that uses a six-finger chording process that replicates the traditional Braille keyboard.

The app uses a gesture-based solution by turning the iPhone’s touchscreen into a soft-touch keyboard programmed for Braille and requiring only six keys, making it a practical solution for the limited screen real estate on smartphones.

The key feature of the BrailleTouch technology is the use of the six-key configuration so that the keyboard fits on the screen and users keep their fingers in a relatively fixed position while texting.

This design allows users to hold their device with the screen facing away from them, cradling the device with their palms or pinkies and thumbs, and to type with a majority of their fingers, identical to typing Braille on a standard keyboard.

BrailleTouch will be demonstrated at the Abilities Expo-Atlanta 2012, which will take place from Feb. 17-19 at the Georgia World Congress Center.

-ANI

Meet Canon PowerShot D20 point-and-shoot camera

Remember the Canon PowerShot D10? The company's first ruggedized underwater cam was a solid snapper, but its bulky submarine-like design made it impractical for most surface-based shoots. ThePowerShot D20 offers a drastic improvement over its predecessor in the appearance department, more closely resembling a compact point-and-shoot than a subaqueous vessel. We can't speak to the cam's image quality just yet, but assuming its on-par with the D10, we'd say the latest D model is worth some serious consideration as an upgrade, even for a reduction in footprint alone. The D20 includes a 12.1-megapixel HS (high-sensitivity) CMOS sensor, a bright 3-inch LCD and a 5x 28mm optically stabilized zoom lens. It's waterproof to depths of 10 meters (33 feet), can survive drops from a height of 1.5 meters (5 feet) and can operate in temperatures ranging from 14 degrees to 104 degrees Fahrenheit. There's also a top sensitivity of ISO 3200, and a built-in GPS.

We spent a few minutes with the D20 at Canon's booth at CP+ 2012 in Yokohama, Japan, and were quite impressed with the improved design. Naturally, it's a solid-feeling point-and-shoot, with protected components and airtight port covers. Company reps didn't bat an eye when we unintentionally tested the camera's durability with a mild drop. There's a standard-issue PowerShot interface, with a fairly straightforward menu structure, and the camera felt plenty snappy, focusing and firing off an image almost instantaneously. It's noticeably larger than the company's more compact land-limited models, but there's no reason you wouldn't feel just as comfortable using this to shoot your child's first birthday party as you would their first scuba lesson. The $349 PowerShot D20 won't be hitting stores until May, but you can jump past the break for a quick look in the meantime.

-Engadget

Mardan boy develops SMS-based portal

PESHAWAR: As novel as it sounds, Mardan’s 18-year-old Shahzad has developed a social networking portal that does not require an internet connection – “Smile SMS”.

The SMS-based social networking service enables users to gather local and international information on their phones, free of cost, without using the internet.

IT-savvy Shahzad has been into developing programmes and websites ever since he was in grade six. This hobby transformed into passion and helped him achieve a lot at a very young age.

Smile SMS – the first of its kind service launched in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa – operates similar to Facebook, however, the only difference is that an internet connection is required for Facebook, while Smile SMS can be used without it.

“This service helps you update your status, let your friends comment on it and make new friends,” said Shahzad. “In K-P, not a lot of people have access to the internet, so I thought of developing a unique programme for them.”

Shahzad said he has done the first network test of the service and currently it can afford up to one million people. “We are planning on expanding and updating the service too.”

Sajjad Khan, one of the users of the service said that in his village, hundreds of students don’t have internet access to use this service. “This is the first time that such a service has been launched in K-P. It is benefitting a lot of people, said Khan.

Shahzad also said that the people of K-P can also make a name for themselves in the field of IT, only if the government encourages them.

-Tribune

Angry Birds come to Facebook

Angry Birds, the most-downloaded mobile app of 2011, was catapulted to the world of Facebook on Tuesday in a bid by its Finnish maker Rovio to get one billion people playing the addictive game.

Fans were able to test the new Angry Birds Facebook app online Tuesday morning ahead of its official global launch in Jakarta, the world's most Facebook-connected city. 

"With the great success of the Angry Birds game on smartphone platforms, Rovio intends to reach more fans and be on every screen and every platform," Rovio Asia senior vice president Henri Holm said in a statement.

"Therefore, the company developed Angry Birds on Facebook to reach more than 800 million Facebook users worldwide."

In the game, players fling colourful and grumpy wingless birds from a slingshot into smarmy egg-stealing pigs. 

It has been downloaded more than 700 million times since it launched in 2009 and the birds have become a global phenomenon, featuring on a huge array of merchandise and in popular culture.

The number of players is likely to soar beyond one billion as Rovio offers a new version of the game with more levels and interactive features to around 845 million Facebook users.

The new app allows players to compete with their Facebook friends for high scores, send gifts to friends and achieve more precise and powerful targeting by purchasing new "power-ups".

Rovio does not disclose how many Angry Birds apps have been downloaded in Indonesia. But the country's love for the game is obvious in the ubiquitous paraphernalia in malls, from Angry Birds mobile phone covers to baby jumpsuits.

More than 17 percent of Indonesia's 240 million people are on Facebook, and Jakarta alone has over 17 million Facebook accounts, according to Holm.

"That is more than four times the accounts in New York and almost twice the amount of the second city on the list," the Rovio official told AFP.

Second to Jakarta is Istanbul with 9.6 million Facebook accounts, and third is Mexico City with 9.3 million, according to social networking trackers Socialbakers.com.

Indonesia as a whole has 43.1 million Facebook accounts, making it Facebook's third-biggest user base after the United States with 155.7 million and India, which just surpasses Indonesia with 43.5 million users.

Rovio was a little-known company before its Angry Birds took flight.

It had previously launched 50 games with successes including mobile versions of "Burnout" and "Need For Speed".

-HT

Indian Railways logs on to Facebook

Expanding its online reach, Railways' Delhi division has come up with a dedicated page on social networking site Facebook where passengers can check out availability of berths, train timings and other related information.

NEW DELHI: Expanding its online reach, Railways' Delhi division has come up with a dedicated page on social networking siteFacebook where passengers can check out availability of berths, train timings and other related information.

"We have opened a page on Facebook to inform passengers about the status of vacant berths as well as the arrival and departure of trains. The page is linked with the National Train Inquiry Service and constantly updated," said a senior Delhi division official.

Besides the status of berths and train timings, the page will also provide detailed information about arrivals and departures at the exact platform number at New Delhi, Nizamuddin and Old Delhi stations.

Aiming at preventing misuse of available seats by "unscrupulous elements", Railways has asked other zones to resort to such innovative measures and give adequate publicity regarding the facility of booking vacant accommodation available on trains at current ticket counters.

"Our aim is to create further awareness among passengers about this facility as due to lack of adequate awareness, it is being misused by unscrupulous elements for providing confirmed accommodation to passengers at a premium by using the current counter facility, said the official.

Railways has advised passengers travelling on short notice to use the facility of current reservation counters situated at the train originating main stations.

"The vacant reserved seats available on train after preparation of reservation charts can be booked at the current ticket counters of the train originating stations before departure of trains," the official said.

According to Railway rules, a reserved ticket can be booked across the passenger reservation system counters all over the country as well as through the Internet only upto the time of preparation of reservation charts.

After preparation of reservation charts, the berths available, if any, can be booked at the current counter available at major stations.

The reservation charts are normally prepared three to four hours before the schedule departure of the train. In case of trains leaving early morning, the charts are prepared on the previous night.

-HT

Here’s Looking at You (but I’m Still Texting)

YES, there are still a few inhibiting social settings where people must forgo that primal urge to pull out a cellphone and send a quick text message or two. 

But those who can’t bear such timeouts may soon have a way to keep communicating. 

Researchers have created a prototype for a touch screen that can be used to send messages while it’s concealed in a jacket or pants pocket. The stealthy screen works when it is touched through the fabric, whether it is silk, cotton or even thick fleece.

In classes or meetings of the future, with your hands tucked beneath the conference table or desk, you may rest a fingertip discreetly on the pocket that holds the touch screen and handle a call by tracing a message like “Running late. In a mtg.” on the fabric above the hidden screen. The touch screen will understand the message — it has a program to decipher handwriting, even of the scrawling sort.

So while you’re writing on your pocket, you can maintain polite eye contact with the group, no longer betrayed by those telltale downward gazes necessary to text with a standard screen. (Unfortunately, you will still need to look down, and be possessed of X-ray vision, to view any response.)

The technology, called PocketTouch, was created by theMicrosoft researchers T. Scott Saponas and Hrvoje Benko with Chris Harrison, a Ph.D. student at Carnegie Mellon University

The prototype uses sensors similar to those in most touch screens, and is mounted on the back of a smartphone case.

“There are a lot of situations where this technology could be useful,” said Jeffrey P. Bigham, an assistant professor in the computer science department at the University of Rochester, who chaired a conference panel on computer user interfaces where PocketTouch was demonstrated.

“It’s a way to send short messages when it is not socially appropriate to fish out your device,” he said, or in many other instances when people simply don’t want to go to the trouble of removing a device from a pocket.

Touch screens usually do not work through fabric, as people who must pull off their gloves to text on winter days well know. But PocketTouch uses software that can interpret signals through cloth.

“Most touch screens are calibrated in a static way, only responding to direct touch with a finger, and rejecting a slightly different signal,” Dr. Benko said. PocketTouch, by contrast, calibrates continuously, adapting to different kinds of fabrics.

Dr. Saponas said the system could understand long messages like “The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog” when written word by word on the screen. But he sees the strength of the technology in its ability to send short messages.

“We wanted a way for people to be able to respond quickly,” he said, without having to break eye contact with a group.

“We’re not trying to replace the functionality of the touch screen to compose e-mail and browse the Web,” Dr. Saponas said. Rather, he added, the goal is to lower the barrier to minimal communication.

PocketTouch is among several unusual approaches that its inventors have explored for computer user interfaces, said Krzysztof Gajos, an assistant professor of computer science at Harvard. “They are looking for robust, novel ways to interact with a mobile device that are appropriate for unusual situations,” he said.

Among Dr. Saponas’s projects is a dental retainer embedded with infrared optical sensors that use tongue movements to control electronic devices. A quadriplegic user, for example, might thus be able to control a computer, cellphone or television. In another project, Dr. Saponas’s software translates signals from arm muscles into controls for a music player.

PocketTouch is not yet connected to a functioning smartphone, Dr. Saponas said. That task will be one of the group’s next steps with the prototype, which will also have to be adjusted so that it can switch from detecting a touch through a fabric to detecting a direct touch on the screen.

That goal might be accomplished by measuring the level of ambient light. When it is dark, the screen would stay in fabric mode, but in the light it would switch to ordinary sensitivity.

While PocketTouch focuses on secret messaging, another device is tackling the concept of secret notification, especially for people whose clothing doesn’t have any pockets for concealing a cellphone.

AT&T Labs in Florham Park, N.J., is designing a device that would vibrate from behind an earring, or perhaps a tie pin or broach, said Alicia Abella, manager of a group with projects including innovative user interfaces.

The device communicates by Bluetooth with a phone tucked nearby in a purse or a briefcase, so people can pursue their passion for communication wherever they are.

-NY Times