5 Best Android Apps to Have in 2013

Android is one of the best things that could have ever happened with a smartphone. With over 800,000 Android apps (February 2013) in Google Play alone, the future of Android app market is definitely brighter. Apps have evolved to make the users’ experience cooler and better. 

Apps have actually been able to increase the usability of smartphones manifold. Having your mobile device equipped with the right kind of apps can make it more powerful and useful.

Best thing about Android is that you can get different apps from different Android markets, like AndroidPIT.com is one of the best Android app markets other than Google Play. The website is rich in top-notch Android apps, tests, news, forum, blog-posts – all categorized in a user-friendly manner! AndroidPIT.com also offers many great  free Android apps. You surely want to load your mobile device with some of best apps this year; here are 5 of the best Android apps to have in 2013 (all categories)!

1. Zedge

This one is for all your needs related to backgrounds, notifications, wallpapers, ringtones, etc. Customize your smartphone the way you want to!

2. SoundHound

Your smartphone is incomplete without this top-notch music app – SoundHound. Let this app figure out the song that is playing along with the artist!

3. Granny Smith

An intriguing game to glue you and your smartphone together! Help Granny catch apple thieves in this amazing physics-based game! This one is going to keep you busy.

4. Instagram

Howsoever good your smartphone’s camera is, it is incomplete without a great photography app, and Instagram surely is one! Don’t miss out on this app. A must-have in your mobile device to make your photographs more beautiful and share them with people around and away from you!

5. Pinterest

It is one of the best social media apps you can have in your mobile device. Upload your Pins, view your Boards, Repin items, Like them, and do much more with this great Android app!
All the apps in your smartphone can prove to be helpful at some time or the other; you just have to make sure you load the best ones and from best source. All the aforementioned apps are available for download at AndroitPIT.com – one of the best websites for all your Android-related needs!

BLU Vivo 4.65 Price,Features and Specifications

When it comes to naming your product, hitting the nail on the head can be quite tricky. You will need something that is short and sweet, and yet gets the message across so that ordinary folks would know what you are referring to without having to pause and think. 

Giving smartphones names could be quite a fun affair, where you have Samsung with their Galaxy range, HTC with different kinds of “feelings” involved (Desire, Sensation, et al), Sony with their trademark Xperia line, the list goes on. How about BLU Products? We also haven’t heard of them, but this could by the very reason why they decided to go for the jugular by calling their latest smartphone as the VIVO 4.65 HD. You know for sure this puppy will come with a 4.65” display, and it will be the better version of the VIVO 4.3 that rolled out earlier this year.

BLU Vivo 4.65 Price In India Is Around Rs. 15,000/-

General    

2G Network     GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 & SIM 2
3G Network     HSDPA 850 / 1900 - D930a
      HSDPA 850 / 2100 - D930i
SIM    
Dual SIM (Mini-SIM, dual stand-by)
Announced    
2012, December
Status    
Coming soon. Exp. release 2013, January

Body    

Dimensions  135 x 70 x 8.6 mm (5.31 x 2.76 x 0.34 in)
Weight     130 g (4.59 oz)

Display    

Type    

 Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors

Size     

720 x 1280 pixels, 4.65 inches (~316 ppi pixel density)

Multitouch  

Yes

Sound    

Alert types     

Vibration, MP3, WAV ringtones

Loudspeaker     

 Yes

3.5mm jack    

 Yes

Memory    

Card slot     

microSD, up to 32 GB

Internal     

4 GB ROM, 1 GB RAM

Data
   
GPRS     

Class 12 (4+1/3+2/2+3/1+4 slots), 32 - 48 kbps

EDGE     

Class 12

Speed    

 HSDPA, 7.2 Mbps; HSUPA, 5.76 Mbps

WLAN     

Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g

Bluetooth     

Yes, v3.0

USB     

Yes, microUSB v2.0

Camera
   
Primary     8 MP, 3264x2448 pixels, autofocus, LED flash Features    
Geo-tagging, touch focus, image stabilization, face and smile detection
Video    
Yes, 720p@30fps
Secondary    
Yes, 1.3 MP

Features

OS     

Android OS, v4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich)

Chipset     

MediaTek MT6577T

CPU     

Dual-core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A9

GPU     

PowerVR SGX531

Sensors     

Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass

Messaging     

SMS(threaded view), MMS, Email, Push Email, IM

Browser     

HTML, Adobe Flash

Radio     

 Stereo FM radio

GPS     

Yes, with A-GPS support

Java     

Yes, via Java MIDP emulator

Colors     

 Black
     - SNS integration
- MP3/AAC/WMA/WAV player
- MP4/DivX/XviD/WMV/H.264/H.263 player
- Organizer
- Document editor (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF)
- Google Search, Maps, Gmail, Youtube, Calendar, Google Talk
- Voice memo/dial/commands
- Predictive text input (Swype)

Battery          

Li-Ion 1600 mAh battery
Stand-by     Up to 450 h (2G) / Up to 300 h (3G)
Talk time     Up to 20 h 40 min (2G) / Up to 9 h 20 min (3G)

Canon Powershot N Price,Features and Specifications

Canon Powershot N  Review : The new Canon Powershot N includes a lot of the features that Canon (and other companies) been adding to tiny point-and-shoots over the years, like Wi-Fi connectivity and touchscreen controls. What makes it new and refreshing—at least aesthetically—is the new design that’s more square. It’s no great secret that the conventional point-and-shoot camera market appears to be in terminal decline. The ever-increasing capability of smartphone cameras means that they’re more than good enough for the vast majority of casual users, while their internet connectivity makes it easy to share pictures with the rest of the world the moment they’re taken. Throw in the current popularity of Instagram, with its emphasis on the use of ‘artistic’ image processing filters and community sharing, and it’s little wonder that people are deserting the pocket camera in droves.

Canon Powershot N Features And Specifications:

General

• Camera Type: Compact Digital Camera
• Pixels: 12.1 MP
• Optical zoom: 8x
• Digital zoom: 4x
• Processor: DIGIC 5 Image Processor

Display

• Size: 2.8-inch
• Type: Capacitive Touchscreen
• Resolution: 461,000 dots
• Optical Viewfinder: No
• Others: Tilt LCD (up to 90°)

Sensor

• Sensor Type: High-Sensitivity CMOS sensor
• Sensor Size: 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm)

Connectivity

• USB: USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
• Video Output: N/A
• External Microphone Connector: N/A
• HDMI: No
• Wireless LAN: Yes , in-built
• GPS: via mobile phone

Flash

• Modes: Auto, On, Slow Synchro, Off
• Range: 50cm -
• External Flash: No
• In-built Flash: Yes

Lens

• Lens Type: TTL
• Auto Focus: Yes , TTL
• Manual Focus: No

Multimedia

• In-built Microphone: Stereo
• In-built Speaker: Mono
• Video Format: H.264
• Image Format: JPEG
• Expandable Storage: microSD Memory Card, microSDHC Memory Card, microSDXC Memory Card

Other Features

• Image Stabilization: Yes , Intelligent IS
• Face Detection: Yes
• ISO Rating: Auto 80, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200, 6400
• Red Eye Reduction: Yes
• Self Timer: Approx. 10-sec. delay, approx. 2-sec. delay
• Shooting Modes: Auto, Hybrid Auto, P, Creative Shot, Fisheye Effect, Miniature Effect, Toy Camera Effect, Soft Focus, Monochrome, Super Slow Motion Movie
• Continuous Shots: Approx. 2.3 shots/sec. (in P mode)

Canon Powershot N Price In India Is Around Rs. 20,000/-

 

SEO Tags : Canon Powershot N Price In India,Canon Powershot N Price,Canon Powershot N Features and Specifications,Canon Powershot N Review,Canon Powershot N Features,Canon Powershot N Specifications.

Asus ME301T MemoPad 10 Inch Jelly Bean Tablet Price, Features & Specifications

Asus ME301T MemoPad 10  Asus has pretty much always been an important tablet player, but ever since the Google co-branded Nexus 7 got out the bar of expectations got a huge bump. Now we’re all eyes on the Taiwan-based electronics company, which is seen by some as one of the only hopes of Android ever overthrowing Apple’s iPads from their leadership positions. But does Asus have enough fire to come up with awesome tabs without Google’s direct help? We shall probably see about that in only a few short weeks, when, according to piling rumors, several new Asus devices will be thrown to the lions.

Features & Specifications :

The Asus ME301T MemoPad 10 is a 10-inch Android 4.1 Jelly Bean tablet running on a quad-core Tegra 3 chip, but what’s most interesting – it has a very affordable price tag of 308 euro (Asus ME301T MemoPad 10406) in Europe. This might seem like much, but in Europe’s realities it is actually a very affordable device, as say the Nexus 7 in Europe sells for around 250 euro. At that price, it’s definitely not a competitor to the latest iPad. There can be little excitement about the 10.1-inch 1,280 x 800-pixel display, and 16GB of internal storage, what’s more fascinating is the low price. Also, the fact that both a Wi-Fi-only and a Wi-Fi plus cellular options will be available.

Price To Be Announced Soon...!

Olympus VR-340 Specifications - Compact Digital Camera

Olympus VR-340 is very good performance Compact 16 Megapixels Digital Camera with 10 x Optical Zoom.

 

Olympus VR-340 Specification

• Type: Compact
  
• Megapixels: 16 MP
  
• Sensor Type: CCD
  
• Sensor Size: 6.2 x 4.6 (1/2.3") mm
  
• Media Format: Secure Digital, Secure Digital High Capacity, Secure
• Digital Extended Capacity
  
• Battery Type Supported: Lithium Ion
  
• Maximum ISO: 1600
  
• 35-mm Equivalent (Wide): 24 mm
  
• 35-mm Equivalent (Telephoto): 240 mm
  
• Optical Zoom: 10 x
  
• Image Stabilization: Optical

James Bond Smartphone 2012 - Sony Xperia TL

Sony Xperia TL is the latest smartphone of 2012 with innovative features that can rival the iPhone 5 and the Nokia Lumia.

The Xperia TL aka James Bond Smartphone is the latest addition to AT&T's lineup of smartphones. Its 13-megapixel camera comes with a quick launch feature which enables it to wake up from a standby mode in a matter of 1.5 seconds so nothing can be missed. Most of all, both the front and rear-facing cameras are capable of shooting HD videos.

The smartphone from Sony features a preloaded Album app that delivers 25 editing options and allows geo-tagged photo pinning either in a traditional or a satellite map viewing. Moreover, the Xperia TL's NFC technology allows users to share photos and music with other NFC-equipped devices in a wireless fashion just by touching those devices together.

Apart from the camera, the Xperia TL features an HD touchscreen of 4.6 inches with a resolution of 1080 x 720 pixels. It comes with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich which can be upgraded to the latest Android 4.1 Jelly Bean soon after the device is launched.

World's Most Powerful Radio Astronomy Telescope

The first step to building the world's most powerful radio astronomy telescope has been completed, with the launch of the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) in Western Australia. The ASKAP is made of 36 radio antenna dishes covering 126 square kilometres, and will be part of the Square Kilometre Array that will stretch across South Africa, New Zealand and Australia. This new array will provide us a much bigger and quicker view of the sky, and could help astronomers to better understand things such as black holes.

Gold-Plated Apple iPhone 5 Goes On Sale

It’s the Apple iPhone 4S Black Diamond Model. It’s blessed with uncommon black diamonds. Black diamond with PVD finishing 564 pieces of black diamonds weight 4.8cts for bezel 25 pieces of black diamonds weight 0.21 cts for primary press button 2 pieces of black diamonds weight 0.16cts for volume buttons also the sim, mute and on/off buttons are paved in black diamonds.

Reportedly, Hughes’d edition of the most recent iPhone has been decked in 18-carat gold and has gold and diamond finishing. Turn the device over and you see the recognisable Apple logo design, encrusted in diamonds. Hughes has on offer a special edition of 100 models of this variety. Hughes’ edition of the iPhone 5 priced at a mind numbing £21,995 (close to Rs 18,76,888).

Dell Unveils Three Windows 8 Devices

Dell introduced three Windows 8 devices at IFA 2012, dubbed as the XPS 10 hybrid, XPS Duo 12 touch laptop, and a refreshed XPS One 27 all-in-one PC. However, the company did not reveal all the specs or pricing of the devices. All three devices will be available in October, after the Windows 8 launch.

XPS 10

Dell says the XPS 10 “embodies the intersection between work and play” with its “intuitive touch capability, long battery life and mobile keyboard dock for enhanced content creation and business productivity.” It features a 10-inch multi-touch display, and an unnamed ARM processor. According to Dell, the XPS 10 will have an extraordinary 20 hour battery life.

XPS Duo 12

Dell also unveiled the XPS Duo 12, a laptop-tablet hybrid or convertible laptop with a 12.5-inch touch display, which can be converted into a tablet form factor by swivelling the display over, onto the keyboard. Processor options range up to Intel Core i7s, and even an ARM Snapdragon S4 quad-core processor, topower the RT version.

XPS One 27

The XPS One 27 AIO PC comes with a touch display and Windows 8. It features a 10-point touch 27-inch display with a 2560×1440 pixel (Quad HD) resolution, up to 16GB of RAM, up to a 2TD hard disk, the choice of Core i5 or i7 processors, and an optional discrete GPU (GeForce GT640M).

Recycle Bin Added To SkyDrive

Microsoft has high expectations on SkyDrive with Windows 8 and Windows Phone. And since the company wants to get users to upload their photos, important documents, and other files to the Azure-powered cloud storage service they’ve decided to add a safety net. Your SkyDrive will now feature its own Recycle Bin.

 

It’s a very important addition for a number of reasons. First and foremost, it gives SkyDrive users a way to quickly undo an accidental click that would have otherwise permanently deleted a file. Going forward, SkyDrive will handle things just like Windows does by default. Those files will sit in the Recycle Bin until it’s time to empty the digital waste.

Items in the Bin won’t count against your storage limit, but they are connected in one very important way. If the Bin’s contents exceed 10% of your total storage, the oldest items will be removed to make way for newer deletions. Files will stay there for a minimum of three days, but nothing is permanently deleted until 30 days have passed.

Initially, the Recycle Bin will only appear in the SkyDrive web app, however both the Android and iOS apps will gain access, as will those for Microsoft’s own platforms — including Windows and Windows Phone.

The Story Of Apple Inc Logo

One of the most easily identifiable logo is that of Apple, a company that in past one decade has changed the very definition of personal computing as we know it today. Just like the company, including its late co-founder Steve Jobs, Apple’s logos too have an unusual history.

 

Here’s the history behind the famous ‘bite’: The first Apple logo might seem like a sticker on a wine bottle, but it is not. During 1970s, the first logo was nowhere close to an Apple.

However, it still had something to do with apple. The logo was Isaac Newton. The image appears to be on a papyrus showing the popular anecdote from Newton’s life when an Apple fell on his head. Of course, the associated message was a quote from Wordsworth, “Newton… a mind forever voyaging through strange seas of thought.”

This Newton logo didn’t last for long and was replaced by a multi-coloured Apple logo bitten on the right side. This logo was designed by Rob Janoff and there are several stories that try to explain the idea behind this Apple logo. But the most popular is the one which says that it is a tribute to Alan Turning, the father of modern computing who committed suicide by taking a bite from a cyanide-laced Apple.

Then, in 1998, Apple introduced its monochrome logo. Though in the current design, the outline remains the same, but it now features only two colours: white and aluminium.

Mobilink introduces the Nokia Lumia 900 At Price Rs.51,999/-

Mobilink indigo has always been at the forefront of innovative offers and cutting-edge technology. Continuing this tradition of bringing you the latest technology from around the world, Mobilink indigo introduces the flagship offering from Nokia: the Lumia 900.

Released with Windows Phone 7.5, and encasing a 4.3” ClearBlack AMOLED display, the Lumia 900 is powered by a 1.4GHz processor within a distinct polycarbonate unibody design. An 8 megapixel primary camera with Carl Zeiss lens, 1 megapixel front-facing camera and 16GB of internal memory ensure that you are able to fully complement your daily needs of personal and business communication.

And to make the experience extra special, all Mobilink customers who buy the Nokia Lumia 900 can enjoy three months of Mobile Internet for free*, as well as Nokia portable charger at no extra cost!

Smarten your experience on Pakistan’s Number 1 mobile network – the Nokia Lumia 900 for Rs.51,999/-; only with Mobilink indigo – for all your todays and tomorrows.

Terms and Conditions:

Limited time offer
Free GPRS offer will remain valid for all handsets sold in the first 30 days only.
GPRS usage will be restricted to 100Mb per month for a period of 3months.
Blackberry customers will not be eligible for 3 months free GPRS offer.
Offer activation will take up to 3 days. Once offer expires, customer will be charged for GPRS usage as per package plan.
Any customer who wants to activate IR will be deactivated from the Free GPRS bundle.
This offer is only applicable to devices sold during the promotion: 24th August – 23rd September 2012
Customers who are already active on IR will not be given 3 month Free GPRS bundle unless he/she deactivates his/her IR service.

Android Tablet : Lenovo IdeaTab A2107 and A2109

Well-known Chinese manufacturer Lenovo is preparing to release two new Android Tablet – IdeaTab A2107 and A2109, which should appear on sale in September this year.

New IdeaTab are running on Android Ice Cream Sandwich. Lenovo 7-inch IdeaTab A2107 supports data transfer using wireless technologies Wi-Fi, 3G and Bluetooth, and is also equipped with a GPS-receiver. IdeaTab A2109, has a 9-inch display with a resolution of 1280×800 pixels, 3-megapixel rear and a 1.3-megapixel front camera.

On the other characteristics of the new features and their price yet unknown.

Outlook.com – A Big Time Web Mail Competitor by Microsoft

Microsoft has given a new name and a complete overhaul to Gmail, a sixteen years old web mail service. Microsoft has now launched a big time Gmail competitor in the market named Outlook.com. The new monochromatic interface of Outlook.com looks nice and it is comprised with some new and innovative tweaks for enhanced user interface. The company has injected various innovative features into this webmail and it is specially designed for individual business professionals. There are four major reasons why most of the professionals will switch over to Outlook.com from Gmail.

Privacy Protection  

Privacy protection is one of the creepiest parts of Gmail. You can easily do text mining on your emails and use the necessary information for surfacing target ads. This is actually the price that you have to pay on Gmail for free webmail service and unlimited data storage. If you are emailing anyone about a holiday trip, then Gmail will simultaneously surface the text ads along with your mails. Most of these ads are useful and unobtrusive but still most of the persons get freaked out after realizing the fact that Google is reading their mails.

Outlook.com is a perfect alternative to Gmail in terms of privacy protection. There are many business professionals who use webmail for transmitting sensitive or potentially valuable information. Microsoft has capitalized on this uneasiness of Gmail and promised that Outlook.com will not do any kind of text mining on the user’s inbox. You don’t have to pay any kind of price for using free service and unlimited data storage on Outlook.com. Microsoft has stated that they will not scan the attachments or emails of the user and not even sell the information to any company or advertiser. It simply means that you will not notice any kind of ads in your personal conversation.

Privacy protection feature on Outlook.com doesn’t mean that this webmail service will not have ads. You will notice an ads column on the main inbox screen but these ads will not focused on any individual message.

Automatic Folders

“Automatic folders” is also one of the amazing features of Outlook.com. You can easily create virtual folders for sorting out your emails. You can create folders for common stuff like Facebook and Twitter alerts, newsletters, professional mails and other types of advertisement mails. This feature is actually operated with the help of an algorithm and you will surely love the low touch nature of this amazing feature by Microsoft. You can also streamline this process by setting up your own inbox according to your needs.

According to Microsoft’s Chris Jones, Outlook.com can sort out your messages from newsletters, social updates and alerts, contacts and shipping updates automatically. This sweep feature will enable you to move, delete as well as set up some powerful rules in just a few clicks. “Automatic folders” feature of Outlook.com can help you in managing your inbox according to your priorities. There is another mail management feature of Outlook.com that allows you to hang back any particular mail and get a set of actions to flag it as important or delete it or sort in into particular folder.

Social Integration

Microsoft has introduced a social integration feature into Outlook.com. This feature can allow you to draw all the necessary contact details about the person to whom you are sending emails. All the social contact details of any person will appear in the right column in a simpler manner. According to the latest reviews, Microsoft has taken the social integration feature of Outlook.com a little further. It means that you will not only see the contact details of the person from different social networks but you will also be able to see their updates. Another important feature of Outlook.com is instant messaging. You can easily do facebook chat within your Outlook.com account.

Mobile Experience

One of the biggest benefits of Microsoft’s Outlook.com is that it can be easily optimized for an amazing mobile experience. You can easily manage your mails on Outlook.com from your mobile phones or tablets. According to Microsoft’s Chris Jones, “Outlook.com is a different approach in comparison to Google’s Gmail.”

Well, these are some of the amazing features and benefits of Outlook.com over Gmail. This innovative webmail service will surely impress you with its excellent and pioneering user tweaks and user interface.

Blackberry Smartphone on Windows Platform

The concept BlackBerry smartphone is presented by the designer Michal Bonikowski. This smartphone is running on a Microsoft’s Windows Phone 8 platform. Design of a smartphone rather simple interface, as with most smartphones running on Windows. It is possible that this partnership will be the future.

What Is In Store For Windows Phone 8

There are going to be a lot more features in Windows Phone 8 and the only one Microsoft has shown in any detail is the new Start screen, which keeps the idea of live tiles that show you lots of information at a glance but gives you more options for the size of tiles and how you arrange them.

There’s a new small tile size; you can fit four of those in the old Windows Phone 7 tile size.
The layout is completely flexible; press and hold the way you do on Windows Phone today and you can unpin a tile, drag it to a new position – or press the arrow that appears on the bottom of the tile to cycle through the small, large and medium sizes.

Even without the Zune-style ‘trough’ to remind you your other apps are on the right hand side, you only get two of what’s now the medium tiles side by side, but there seven rows of small size tiles (or three and a half medium tiles) so you could cram in 28 small tiles if you wanted to.

More likely, you’ll want a mix of small and medium tiles, with a couple of the ‘double-wide’ large tiles for apps that show a lot of information on a live tile.

That’s no longer restricted to Microsoft apps, phone makers and mobile networks; any app can have a double-side tile now, and it can be a live tile that updates.

If you make a tile smaller, the tiles next to it don’t move over automatically; if you make it larger, it does push the other tiles out of the way, so you may have to move tiles a couple of tiles to get the layout you want.

You can use small tiles to offset medium tiles (at the side or above) so you get a staggered arrangement instead of just grouping them in the space of one medium tile.

The new Start screen gives you even more live information because you can fit so many more live tiles on. You get more control than ever over which tiles get more space and which have just enough room to show their icon or the number of text messages or missed calls.

You can still have the Windows Phone 7-size tiles in two rows and the three new sizes and the underlying seven by eight layout give you much more flexibility.

Blackberry Smartphone on Windows Platform

The concept BlackBerry smartphone is presented by the designer Michal Bonikowski. This smartphone is running on a Microsoft’s Windows Phone 8 platform. Design of a smartphone rather simple interface, as with most smartphones running on Windows. It is possible that this partnership will be the future.

Why Google and Microsoft Wants to be Apple-Fied

It's clear as retina display. Microsoft and Google want to do an Apple. The time for bluster, arguments and experiments has passed. The situation has turned desperate in the iPad, er, tablet market. All the 'transformers' 'galaxies' and 'playbooks' haven't humbled the iPad. Worse, research firm IDC forecasts that by 2016, iPad and iPad-Mini (moniker for rumoured 7-inch version) will still control over 60% of the market. If you can't beat Apple's game, what do you do?

Play by its rules and share the spoils. Don't just code, weld. Microsoft went all the way, Google found a Taiwanese partner, Asus, to chip in. Two companies which swore by "open systems" took the first step towards controlling the entire user experience.

Of course, neither admits to the strategy change. Carefully worded scripts say the same blah-blah: adapting to market and giving consumers something they hadn't seen before.

Like the two weren't going green in their gills with Apple envy. Or weren't worried that a whiz-bang for Apple was vending out pennies for them. What if the Cupertino guys thought of "one more thing" before they got a chance to understand the slate market?

From this perspective, the hardware route wasn't a choice for Google and Microsoft. It was a compulsion, not just because of Apple but demons in their backyards.

Survival Issues

Google's operating system (OS), Android, is all over the place. The big complaint: most devices don't do justice to the tablet version of the OS. As a result, smartphone apps perform poorly and dilute user experience on the tablet.

For Microsoft, the problem is more existential. The tablet and smartphone markets are growing at the expense of laptops and PCs. Tech advisory firm Gartner predicts that by 2016 tablet sales will total a whopping 665 million units. Microsoft is staring at a shrinking source of bread-and-butter revenue.

Yet, it remains a laggard in the smartphone/tablet market. Latecomer Windows Phone 7 hasn't been able to lift the fortunes of Nokia or Microsoft. Nokia's Windows 8 tablet was due this summer but has been delayed.

Microsoft couldn't afford the wait. It needed a product bang. So it imported the only strategy that has proven successful in the market — hardware plus software. But imitating a business model doesn't guarantee that Surface will make money. Look at Kindle Fire.

Math Behind Hardware

Google earns nothing from Android as the OS comes without licence fee. Last year, it even gave up its share of glory when Kindle Fire pipped Samsung, Asus, etc, to become the world's second largest, and Android's highest-selling tablet-cum-e-book reader between October and December 2011.

But Amazon doesn't make money out of Kindle Fire. In fact, some say it suffers a net loss to sell at $199. Yet Google wants to snuff out Amazon Fire. For the Nexus 7 may be a long-term bet against iPad Mini, but immediately, it bulldozes Kindle's territory. Same price — $199 — similar looks, more features.

Even if Nexus doesn't generate profit, it will give Google something important: control. The dirty word of the open-source loving tech world is now sacrosanct. Google sent out a clear message when it bought Motorola Mobility in August 2011. Now with the co-branded tablet, the first with its Jelly Bean OS, it has dug deeper, changing the character of the search-engine company.

The best part: latest analysis shows Nexus 7 can deliver 25-35% profit despite the low price. According to iSuppli, a research firm, the bill of materials for the $199 product is about $150 that leaves Google and Asus with a neat margin.

What about Surface? Much of Microsoft's tablet is mysterious: the shipping date, price point, even the usability of the keyboard in the cover. Who can say anything about profitability? But if Surface RT comes at $599 and Pro at about $1,000, it will be shameful if Microsoft doesn't make money.

Cracking The Code

Profit in the books, better user experience and a killer advantage: competitive price. Are Google and Microsoft about to topple the Apple-cart? IDC's prediction of iPad's 60% market share in 2016 doesn't suggest so. But you could argue that forecasts don't accurately factor in technology innovations.

Microsoft and Google can never be fully closed ecosystems. Windows earns because it is shared widely. Gartner says Windows 7 powers 42% PCs worldwide. With over 1 million activations a day, Android has spread too wide to be pulled back.

Though the two companies now have control over some hardware to show off their OS, they will inadvertently encourage competition from partner hardware makers. Already, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer's statement that its partners will have to buy Surface from their retail stores or website (like Apple) is causing heart burn.

So even if the June tablets become hits, sustaining product differentiation among frenemies will be tough. Moreover, neither company is actively boosting its app stores. Microsoft's plans for Windows 8 tablet apps are, again, mysterious. Google doesn't admit Google Play can do with some innovation.

Microsoft and Google are finally following the Steve Jobs success formula: imitation. Steve Jobs wanted to make the "whole widget" all the time. These two can't go all the way. Say welcome to open-closed ecosystems.

Why Google and Microsoft want to be Apple-fied

Concept iPhone 4 By Luis Pedro Fonseca

Designer Luis Pedro Fonseca comes out with a concept of iPad 4 with sliding keyboard. It has a built-in speakers, 12-megapixel camera and portable hard drive. This new design concept for iPad 4 is really very creative, unique and quite possibly find their place in life.

We are waiting for More detail about this iPad 4 Concept.

Skoda Rapid Overview

 

 

Skoda India has launched the much-awaited C+ segment sedan ‘Rapid’, which will be manufactured in the same plant (Chakan, Pune) where Vento is also manufactured. Skoda Rapid is based on the platform of Vento and shares most of the parts with it including the engine, gearbox and suspension. Initially, it was expected that it will be sold as Rapid, then there were rumours that it will be christened 'Lauretta' but Skoda Auto India has again surprised everybody that finally their all-new entry level sedan will be sold as 'Rapid' in India. It is powered by same petrol and diesel engine which are doing duty under the hood of Volkswagen Vento. Skoda Auto recently changed the variant names of Fabia and Laura (Classic to Active and Ambiente to Ambition); Rapid will also bears new variant name: Rapid Active, Rapid Ambition and Rapid Elegance. 

Skoda Rapid gets design cues from the Skoda Fabia and Volkswagen Vento, it was expected that it will be based on the MissionL design concept displayed the 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show, but to keep the costs down Skoda Auto has kept the design very basic and familiar. It will compete with the likes of Honda City, Volkswagen Vento, New Hyundai Verna, New Ford Fiesta, Chevrolet Aveo, Fiat Linea and Tata Indigo Manza.

“SKODA Auto India marks a crucial milestone in India with the launch of Rapid. We intend to strengthen our presence in the highly competitive C segment in the country with this launch. We are confident that this car will become the cornerstone for the SKODA brand in India. It‟s distinctly fresh, young, smart and clear-cut design makes Rapid a well-balanced car and therefore successfully fills the gap between SKODA Fabia and the current Laura”, Mr. Thomas Kuehl, Member of the Board & Director, Sales & Marketing, SKODA Auto India commented. With the central philosophy of “Clever engineering with a human touch” and the attitude of “Listen closely to customers’ wishes”, SKODA also unveiled its new corporate identitywith a young, fresh and precise logo in India.

Mr. Thomas Kuehl further added, “The Rapid is positioned as a family car, compact enough for the city and spacious enough for longer trips. Our plans for the Rapid in India are fairly ambitious, given that we expect it to become the bestselling car in our model line-up in India, in the near future. We aim to penetrate in the competitive C segment and have an advantage over our competitors with our high quality design and unique features for the Indian market.”

Fast Facts about Skoda Rapid

- Skoda Rapid will be available in both petrol and diesel

- The main rival cars are Volkswagen Vento, Honda City, Fiat Linea, New Hyundai Verna Fluidic, New Ford Fiesta and Nissan Sunny

- Base model of Rapid petrol priced at Rs. 6.75 lakhs (ex-showroom New Delhi)

- Base model of Rapid diesel is priced at Rs. 7.96 lakhs (ex-showroom New Delhi)

- Is based on the platform of Vento and shares most of the parts with it including the engine, gearbox and suspension.

- Petrol engine is 1598cc, 4 Cylinder, 8 Valve - 105 Bhp power and 153 Nm torque

- Diesel engine is 1598cc, 4 Cylinder, 8 Valve - 105 Bhp power and 250 Nm torque

- Is available in eight variants: Active petrol, Ambition petrol, Elegance petrol, Ambition automatic, Elegance automatic, Active diesel, Ambitiondiesel and Elegance Diesel

- Available in five attractive shades: Deep Black, Candy White, Flash Red, Brilliant Silver and Cappuccino Beige

- Feature dual SRS airbags and ABS (Anti-lock Braking System)

Design and Interiors of Skoda Rapid

Skoda Rapid is based on the platform of Vento and shares most of the parts with it including the doors, windows and 90 percent of the interiors are same. Previously it was expected that it will feature latest design philosophy of Skoda Auto, which the company displayed at the 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show (MissonL Concept). The front is quite familiar featuring same style for the grille and headlamps like we have seen on Skoda Fabia. The side profile is similar to the Vento but the rear is altogether different with new design for boot and tail lamps. The interiors same like Vento; everything is same except the steering wheel and music system, the fit and finish is up to the mark. The top-of-the-line Rapid variant features power windows, power steering, 2-DIN music system with AUX-in and USB port, automatic climate control system, remote central locking, height adjustment for driver's seat, electric adjustment for the outside rear-view mirrors, alloy wheel, front and rear fog lamps, dual SRS airbags and ABS.

Variants of Skoda Rapid with Mileage and Price / 

Price of Skoda Rapid

Skoda Rapid is available in eight variants:

Version (Specification)	Price(Ex-Showroom) Rs.	Engine Detail	Average (Kmpl)			Fuel Type
			City	Highway	Overall
Skoda Rapid Active 1.6 MPI	6,75,000	1598(cc) Petrol engine, in-line, liquid cooling system, 16V	11	14	12	Petrol
Skoda Rapid Active 1.6 TDI CR	7,95,000	1598(cc) Turbocharged diesel engine, in-line, liquid coolin	13	17	15	Diesel
Skoda Rapid Ambition 1.6 MPI	7,09,000	1598(cc) Petrol engine, in-line, liquid cooling system, 16V	11	14	12	Petrol
Skoda Rapid Ambition 1.6 MPI AT	8,09,000	1598(cc) Petrol engine, in-line, liquid cooling system, 16V	10	13	11	Petrol
Skoda Rapid Ambition 1.6 TDI CR	8,29,000	1598(cc) Turbocharged diesel engine, in-line, liquid coolin	13	17	15	Diesel
Skoda Rapid Elegance 1.6 TDI CR	9,19,000	1598(cc) Turbocharged diesel engine, in-line, liquid coolin	13	17	15	Diesel
Skoda Rapid Elegance: 1.6 MPI	7,99,000	1598(cc) Petrol engine, in-line, liquid cooling system, 16V	11	14	12	Petrol
Skoda Rapid Elegance: 1.6 MPI AT	8,99,000	1598(cc) Petrol engine, in-line, liquid cooling system, 16V	10	13	11	Petrol

Skoda Rapid is available in eight variants, the base variant (Active) will feature power windows, power steering, remote central locking, manual air-conditioner, rear defogger, steering adjustment, height adjustable driver's seat, designer wheel covers and single DIN music system. In addition to the above-mentioned features, the top-model of Rapid features 2-DIN music system with AUX-in and USB port, alloy wheels, fog lights, automatic climate control system, ABS and dual SRS airbags.

The top variant of Skoda Rapid features Dual SRS airbags and ABS (Anti-lock Braking System).

All variants will be available in five color choices, Brilliant Silver, Candy White, Cappuccino Beige, Deep Black Pearl and Flash Red.

Skoda Rapid is priced very competitively at Rs. 6.75 lakhs (ex-showroom) for the base petrol model and Rs. 7.96 lakhs (ex-showroom) for the base model of diesel. It is expected that at these prices Skoda Rapid will outsell Volkswagen Vento, Fiat Linea, New Ford Fiesta and Nissan Sunny.

Engine Options of Skoda Rapid

- Petrol engine - 1598cc, 4 Cylinder, 8 Valve - 105 Bhp power and 153 Nm torque

- Diesel engine - 1598cc, 4 Cylinder, 8 Valve - 105 Bhp power and 250 Nm torque

Skoda Rapid is powered by same engines which power the Volkswagen Vento - the diesel engine which is 1598cc, 4 Cylinder, 8 Valve which develops 105 bhp and 250 Nm of torque. The petrol engine is 1598cc, 4 Cylinder, 8 Valve which develop 105 bhp and 153 Nm of torque. It is expected that both the engines will be more fuel efficient than Vento because Skoda has fine-tuned them and the weight of Rapid is less in comparison to Volkswagen Vento. The Ambition and Elegance variants of Rapid petrol have option of automatic gearbox.

Shades of Skoda Rapid

Skoda Rapid is available in five shades:

- Deep Black

- Candy White

- Flash Red

- Brilliant Silver

- Cappuccino Beige

Safety Features of Skoda Rapid

- Dual SRS airbags

- ABS (Anti-lock Braking System)