Asus Padfone Confirmed For MWC 2012 Launch

Yesterday we heard a rumor hat Asus would be showing of their new smartphone and tablet hybrid device, the Asus Padfone at this years Mobile World Congress which takes place in Barcelona next month.
Now Asus has confirmed that the Padfone will appear at MWC 2012, and sent out invites, which you can see below, featuring the new Asus Padfone.


We are looking forward to seeing the new Asus Padfone, a device which we first heard about early last year, and it is made up of a 4 inch smartphone and a 10.1 inch tablet which are docked together to form one device.

NEC Medias ES N-05D Ultra Thin Android Smartphone Announced In Japan

We have already seen a couple of NEC’s Android smartphones, the company has now unveiled a new one which will go on sale in Japan, the NEC Medias ES N-05D.
The NEC Medias ES N-05D is one of the thinnest Android devices available, measuring just 6.7mm thick at its thickest point, and the handset comes with Android 2.3.6 Gingerbread.

The NEC Medias ES N-05D features a 4.3 inch multi-touch touchscreen display with a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels, and it is powered by a dual core MSM8260 processor and also comes with 1GB of RAM.
Other specifications on the NEC Medias ES N-05D include 4GB of built in storage, Bluetooth 4.0, WiFi, NFC, a digital TV tuner and a microSD card slot.
The NEC Medias ES N-05D is also designed to be waterproof and it comes with connectivity to Casio’s G-Shock GB-6900 watch, it will launch with Japan’s NTT DoCoMo either in February or March.

Apple Motion 5.0.2 Update Rolls Out Adding Improved Speed And Responsiveness

Joining the new update rolled out by Apple today for their Final Cut Pro X video editing software. Apple has also rolled out an update for its Motion  5.0.2 software. Motion 5 provides Final Cut Pro X users with additional tools to tweak and customise video footage, and is available to purchase for $50.
Enabling users to create and edit motion graphics, titling for video production and film production, and 2D and 3D compositing for visual effects. The new update released today is around 1.05GB in size and improves speed and responsiveness of text editing.

When first released the new Motion 5 packages was updated with an interface had been redesigned specifically for Final Cut Pro editors, with a familiar look and feel. Making it easy to switch between the two applications. A new single-window layout puts all the tools you need at your fingertips, and redesigned icons make it easy to identify options at glance.
The new Motion 5 update also brings with it improved overall stability and performance tweaks and is available as a download via the Mac App Store software on Mac OS X Lion.

Nexus S 4G Ice Cream Sandwich ROM Leaked

The leaked Android 4.0 ROM seems to be an official release and has been published on the XDA Developers Forums, and reports it version as 4.0.4. Once installed it was also discovered that the leaked ROM also provided an update to the handsets baseband.

Google started rolling out an update to Ice Cream Sandwich for the GSM version of its Nexus S back in December last year, however an update for the 4G version, has never been announced. The leak of the new ROM reveals that here is an update in the works and could be landing on devices very soon.
First impression of the leaked ROM provide positive feedback with reports of faster WiMAX speeds with the new baseband installed. Jump over to the XDA Forums if you would like to try the leaked ROM out for yourself, with full instructions on how to complete the installation. Enjoy!

TomTom Now Selling GPS Devices at Chevy Dealers across the US

TomTom has announced it is now selling two of its higher-end GPS units at Chevrolet dealerships across the US. This is an odd move considering that Chevrolet offers GPS navigation as a feature on many of its vehicles.


TomTom is offering the VIA 1405 in the VIA 1505 at dealerships around the country to customers who purchase a 2009 or newer Chevy car.  GPS devices also include advanced Lane guidance to help drivers avoid straying from their lane and are ready to use right out of the box.
The GPS units have an integrated mount that attaches to the windshield and can be placed on the dashboard using an optional mounting disk. The 1405 has a 4.3-inch display in the 1505 has a 5.0-inch touchscreen display. Both devices offer spoken street names. There is no indication of the pricing on the GPS units.

Facebook readies to file US$5bn IPO, could grow

Facebook is expected to file to raise US$5bn in a preliminary IPO prospectus on Wednesday morning, which while less than anticipated could be increased to ultimate investor demand, according to sources close to the deal.
The smaller deal size reflects a decision to start with a conservative base before deciding whether to increase.
The social networking site has opted to hire five bookrunners, featuring Morgan Stanley in the coveted lead left role. Goldman Sachs, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Barclays Capital and JP Morgan round out the initial list of bookrunners on the deal, though the syndicate could also grow, sources indicated.
The filing timetable appears to establish a framework for Facebook to finalise the IPO process by May, pending a smooth registration process with the SEC.
Investment banking sources note the company has been unusually guarded about the process for selecting banks involved in the underwriting syndicate, but Morgan Stanley’s market leading position in Internet IPOs has given it an upper hand in securing the leading role.
Morgan Stanley’s selection implies that Facebook took account of Goldman Sachs’ handling of a private placement last year, though some have also pointed to Facebook’s desire to distance itself from the bank.
With final pricing of Facebook shares unlikely to be settled for at least three months, it is still unclear what valuation the company is targeting on the IPO.
Recent trading in Facebook stock on private exchanges has pointed to a US$80bn-plus valuation.

BlackBerry 10 London Smartphone Leaked

We first saw a picture of a BlackBerry 10 smartphone, the BlackBerry London last November, the photo was of a prototype of the device, and now we have a more up to date one along with some details of the first BlackBerry 10 smartphone.
The photo below was obtained by the guys over at CrackBerry, and as you can see from the photo, this latest design looks different than the prototype we saw last year.

According to CrackBerry the BlackBerry London is expected to launch in the UK, and there are two other BlackBerry 10 devices being developed for the US, the BlackBerry Laguna and the BlackBerry Lisbon, which are apparently headed to AT&T.
There are no actual final specifications on the device, although RIM are apparently testing both TI OMAP5 and Qualcomm chipsets on the device with a dual core 1.5GHz processor.
As soon as we get some more information on the BlackBerry London and other BlackBerry 10 device we will let you guys know, although we suspect we wont see them launch until later in the year.

Google’s Android platform is a favorite among bathroom phone users

Do you occasionally use your phone while you’re doing your business? If you said “yes,” then statistically you are more likely to own an Android phone than a Blackberry or iPhone. That is, at least, if you believe a new report that was just released from marketing agency 11mark. The results are anything but a wash. Oh, so many puns, so little time.


The, shall we say unique, survey asked respondents whether or not they have tended to take their handsets out of the pocket while on the john. Surprisingly, there was no real gender gap. 74% of men and 76% of women said they had. But when the results were broken into smartphone brand, the data were a bit more conclusive. Android was the clear “winner.”
87% of survey takers with an Android phone admitted to using their phone while on the can, compared to 84% of Blackberry users. And as for the ever classy iPhone users, only 77% admitted to the same habit. As far as what they’re doing on the phone during that time, 75% of Blackberry users said they’ve taken a call while taking a…well, you get the idea. Only 67% of Android users and 60% of iPhone users talked on the phone from the bathroom. The rest were probably just texting or playing Words With Friends. Or checking the SlashGear app, of course. Let’s just hope they all washed their hands.

Samsung’s Galaxy Note will star in company’s first-ever Super Bowl ad

Don’t believe all the hype you hear on TV – next Sunday isn’t about Eli Manning or a rematch of 2008′s big game or even about football at all. The real excitement will be when Samsung makes its debut in the biggest commercial time slot of the year. The game itself will be boring – we all know the Giants are gonna win anyway. Did I mention I’m a New Yorker?


Seriously, though, Samsung will air a Super Bowl ad for the first time in the company’s history. And the product that will mark this flagship occasion – the Galaxy Note. The Android-powered jumbo phone has gained a lot of attention for its 5.3-inch display and a stylus, making it look more like a tablet than a phone. The ad was directed by Bobby Farrelly, whose credits include Dumb and Dumber and There’s Something About Mary.
That’s all we know about the actual commercial, though given those referenced film titles we can probably assume it’ll be a very humorous ad. The spot was also reportedly filmed with the Galaxy Note’s 1080p HD camera. The phone, which has a 1.5 GHz dual-core processor, 1 GB of RAM, and 16 GB of memory, will be available through AT&T on February 19. Its after-contract price is $300.

T-Mobile to offer Square card reader to business customers

Anyone with an iPhone can apply for a free Square credit card reader. But now the process is easier than ever, as T-Mobile will begin offering the revolutionary small business solution at the point of purchase to customers who sign up for a business plan. It’s a move that will increase awareness not only for Square but also for T-Mobile’s new push to attract enterprise users.


What exactly comes with a T-Mobile business plan? The carrier offers service rates as low as $60 per month for two lines, as well as special bundles of apps that are designed for business customers (e.g., DropBox, Evernote, and LinkedIn). The carrier wants to be defined as the best option for those customers. For Square, it means finally having a brick-and-mortar retail presence.
Square has been a cataclysmic help for small business owners who are out hitting the pavement and may be able to pick up sales that would have been lost if they were only able to accept cash. Said one Nikki Halgren, a small business owner who was quoted in the T-Mobile/Square press release, the carrier “not only keeps me connected on-the-go, but [makes] it easy for me to get paid fast with my T-Mobile smartphone and Square. T-Mobile has made it simple and, as a result, I’ve nearly doubled my business over last year.”

LG to launch triple SIM phone, the A290

LG is all set to launch a new mobile phone that has capacity for not two, but three SIM cards. As reported by GSM Arena, the new phone, called the A290, will be a triple SIM one and will have a 2.2-inch display with a resolution of 176 x 220 pixels, along with a 1.3 megapixel camera with flashlight. As part of the specs, it will also have a 1500 mAh battery and has fairly thin dimensions of 113.5 x 51 x 12.95mm. The A290 is going to launch in Russia, this February and details about a worldwide release are unknown still. It will be priced at about €75, which turns out to be approximately Rs.4,866, which in our personal opinion is a tad more expensive than the current phones in the market.

Would you buy this?

Another important factor to note here is that there’s no word, yet on whether it will be triple SIM dual standby, triple SIM dual active, or triple SIM active. We’ll quickly explain what these terms mean. Triple SIM dual standby means only one SIM will be active at a time. Triple SIM dual active means any two SIMS can be active at a given point of time. The user will have to manually choose if he wants to choose the third SIM to be active, following which the active one will get deactivated. The third one indicates that all three SIMs can be made active at a single point in time.


As we all know, dual SIM phones have made quite a splash in some segments in India, at least. Most of them have been business oriented segments. Triple SIM phones, though not as popular as dual SIM phones, exist in the market. The only problem is that they’re mostly from Chinese manufacturers and haven’t really made waves amongst consumers. Also, in the recent past IMEIs have been a big problem with Chinese phones, and with LG entering the market, there might be some reformity in triple SIM phones. Now, the question is, if more popular brands do open up and manufacture phones with 3 SIMS, how well would it be received in India.

Nikon adds Coolpix S9300, S6300, S4300 and S3300 to point-and-shoot lineup

It's not been all that long since Nikon last augmented its Coolpix S-series, and now the camera maker's at it again, adding another four to the point-and-shoot range. Starting at the bottom end is the S3300, which definitely keeps things simple: 16 megapixels, 6x zoom, 19 picture modes and 720p is what you'll get for the $140 asking price. An extra $30 lands you the S4300, which adds touchscreen control. Stepping up the ladder, we have the S6300 at $200, which includes a 16 megapixel CMOS sensor, 10x zoom and an Easy Panorama mode for those 180- and 360-degree vistas. Video also jumps up a notch to a full 1080p. Assuming a $350 price tag doesn't seem too lofty, you might like the S9300 -- it has the same 16 megapixel CMOS sensor as the S6300, but also throws in GPS for geotagging, and a generous 18x zoom, giving it a 25-450mm range. There's a limited range of colors for each model, and availability is pegged for February, but hit the PR after the break if you want the full rundown.

HTC Ville captured on cam running ICS and Sense 4.0

Extremely slim smartphones were all the rage last year with Samsung announcing the S II and later on Motorola introducing the RAZR. While the RAZR may be one of the thinnest handsets in the market, another handset from rival manufacturer, HTC started catching up. This handset is the upcoming HTC Ville and as far as the slimness of it is concerned, it may not match the RAZR’s, but it does well with it being rumoured to measure just 8mm in depth. The first news of this handset popped up in November and at that time there were a few specifications of this handset, too, that were leaked. The upcoming smartphone is expected to be unveiled at the Mobile World Conference event, later this month, but that does not stop leaks of the handset from surfacing. As per a report by Slash Gear, the latest news of this handset comes courtesy of a YouTube video where the Ville is captured in all its glory.

Stylish metallic unibody design and measures just 8mm thin

From the video, we can see that the handset is running on Google’s latest operating software, Ice Cream Sandwich and what’s more interesting is that it runs on HTC’s latest Sense 4.0 user interface. The report states, “The updated interface has new screen transition animations and a tweaked shortcut bar on the homescreen, with the HTC widgets now somewhat pared down rather than the overly-stylized versions seen in previous iterations of Sense.”

There are a few specifications also available regarding the upcoming handset and this is what the HTC Ville will feature:

• Android 4.0.1 with HTC Sense 4.0
• 4.3-inch qHD touchscreen with a resolution of 540 x 960
• 1.5GHz dual-core processor
• 8 MP rear camera that supports 1080p video capture
• VGA front-facing camera
• Wi-Fi a/b/g/n, Bluetooth v4.0
• HSPA+
• Beats audio
• 1650mAh battery

 

The handset features a metal unibody design and it could be one of the first handsets to feature Qualcomm’s Snapdragon S4 platform. Apart from this handset, the brand is said to introduce the world’s first quad-core smartphone, just prior to the MWC event, which is the HTC Edge. Let us know your reactions regarding the upcoming HTC Ville smartphone and do let us know your reactions on the latest version of the Sense 4.0 UI.

Nikon outs new Coolpix trio: L810 with 26x zoom, waterproof S30 and Intelligent Auto L26

Point-and-shoot refreshes may not get you all hot and bothered like some new, networked DSLRs might, but Nikon's doing its best to reinvigorate the category. Announced today, the new line of Coolpix digital cameras crams an assortment of dedicated features -- Intelligent Auto, ultra-zoom and ruggedization -- into a spread of budget-friendly, 720p HD-capable offerings. The leader of this updated bunch, the L810, combines a 26x (22.5mm-585mm) lens, 19 exposure settings and a 3-inch LCD screen with VR image stabilization for users who want to get up close and personal without compromising detail. While the bar-lowering L26 makes the art of imaging a bit simpler and removes that pesky need for photographic know-how, capturing pictures using a 5x Zoom-NIKKOR lens in tandem with its array of automatically-selected scene modes. And for the accident prone amongst you amateur Ansel Adamses, the company's S30 packs a 10.1MP sensor and 3x wide angle lens into a drop-resistant, waterproof shell. These three digital imaging amigos are available starting this February in an assortment of colors, with the L810 retailing for $280 and its category siblings pegged for $120 each. Head on past the break to peruse the official presser and get the lowdown on the extended feature set.

Xbox 360 adds Crackle and CinemaNow

You can't deny one of Microsoft's main goals with its revamped 360 dashboard update was to enhance the box's entertainment attributes, and now the Redmond crowd has flipped the live switch on two more vid-focused apps. Crackle and CinemaNow are joining the likes of Vudu and UFC as part of the latest additions to the Xbox app locker. Both apps are available now for those of us in the States, and while CinemaNow won't be heading elsewhere, Sony's Crackle is hitting three other markets: Australia, Canada and United Kingdom. There's no more info on when -- or if -- both apps will make way into more countries, but Microsoft did say that it'll "continue to enhance and expand" its Xbox Live offerings. We know you're eager to check out some Godzilla collections, so power on that console, head to the apps section and let the crackles set you free.

Firefox 10 released, available for download now

The next big release of Firefox was scheduled for a launch today and it’s finally out. Those using older versions of Firefox should find the new version available for updating. Firefox, in recent times has the ability to update itself by heading over to the Help > About menu. The new update then downloads and post a restart later, and you’re ready to go. If that doesn’t work and if you’re using a really old version of Firefox, head over to the Firefox download page for links to the binaries here. Firefox 10 comes a little more than a month since the last major release. Mozilla recently adopted a rapid release cycle for some of their products, such as the popular Firefox browser and the Thunderbird e-mail client.

Finally available for download

Firefox 10 brings along a whole bunch of security and bug fixes along with it, but there are a few new features as well. The highlighting feature is the extension support for Firefox, which allows older add-ons to function just fine on new versions, so users won’t have to wait for weeks before extension developers update their software. There’re also some features that developers might find handy. A feature called Page Inspector allows developers to monitor and examine elements on the page without having to leave the browser. Full screens apps are better supported now and WebGL content can be anti-aliased for better quality.

Yesterday, we also talked about the ESR (Extended Supported Release), which means better support for enterprises and large organisations that do not wish to update their Firefox browser every few weeks. Firefox 10 will be one such milestone, where security updates will be supplied to users, while major features won’t be changed as the months go by. A new Firefox 10 build for Android is also available. Mozilla has put up an entire list of changes on their web site and has warned of a few issues, which are yet to be addressed. For example, there’s bound to be a few web site compatibility issues and some issues with smooth scrolling, while using Google Mail.

Upgraded version of Galaxy Nexus on the way

The highlight of the Android clan was the new Galaxy Nexus introduced last year. The device stood neck to neck with the iPhone 4S. Nevertheless, it is yet to make an official entry to India, which should probably happen this March. NenaMark 2 is a popular Android benchmark for gauging 3D performance and there’s an online sheet that lists the top performing devices around the world. There are some interesting GPU results of the Galaxy Nexus submitted by an anonymous user. The device results show the Galaxy Nexus with an updated GPU and claims to be running on PowerVR SGX544, which is used in the TI OMAP 4470 chipset.

Upgraded Galaxy nexus benchmarked?

The GPU shows a score of 39.8fps, compared to the Galaxy Nexus, which outs 24fps on testing, a seemingly huge jump. So, the SGX544 offers twice the raw performance of the SGX540. The CPU has a clock speed of 1.3GHz, which otherwise clocks at 1.2GHz. However, OMAP 4460 and 4470 SoCs (system-on-chip) can run at higher speeds of up to 1.5GHz and 1.8GHz, respectively. This could mean a number of things. Either Samsung is building an updated version of the Nexus with a faster processor or someone is playing a prank, which isn’t a tedious job, either.

According to AnandTech, the OMAP4470 has the ability to drive very high resolution displays up to QXGA (2048x1536) and maintain HDMI 1.4a stereoscopic 3D support. The OMAP4470 devices are supposedly slated to arrive during the first half of this year. Lately, Notion Ink had announced the second iteration of the Adam tablet running on the Android operating system, which will come equipped with TI OMAP 44XX processor, the exact chipset isn’t clear yet. It also went ahead to explain the reason why TI OMAP was chosen over Nvidia Tegra 2. Samsung also has a new SoC called the Exynos 5250, which we talked about a few days back – it includes a 2GHz dual-core processor and is said to be much faster than anything around today. Still, we’ll have to wait till the end of the year before any handsets powered by that SoC make their way to the market. We’ve got our hands on the Galaxy Nexus and you can expect to see a review up in the next few days

New multiplatform app aims to improve your work performance

We’ve all had that time when we’re either stressed out with too much work, or just lazy to not start off. Enter Rypple. Rypple is a web-based social performance management software that helps managers and employees improve performance through social goals, continuous feedback and meaningful recognition. Designed to build a transparent, results-driven work culture, Rypple replaces the traditional performance review with a social and collaborative approach, so people know where they stand and are accountable for achieving their goals.

Rypple!

Unlike top-down enterprise performance management software, which sits on the shelf until annual review time, Rypple's quick set-up, Facebook-like interface and social environment makes it relatively easy and fun to use.

Here are a few of the features of this application:

Social Goals: Bring your team together around objectives, so they stay focused on delivering results that matter. Your objectives and key results achieved are showcased on your Rypple profile. Connect with company-wide experts by inviting them to commit to any goal. Managers get a real-time view into what the team is working on and can monitor their progress against key objectives.

Screenshots of the Android app

Meaningful Recognition: Say 'Thanks' in your own way with custom badges. Others can see, 'like' or comment on Thanks received. And Thanks help build reputations: badges appear on your Rypple profile as part of your portfolio of accomplishments.

Real-time Feedback: Make helpful feedback part of everyday work. Use Rypple to quickly learn how you’re doing and what you can do to improve. Ask questions and get honest answers. And, when it comes time to do performance summaries, everything is in one place so it's easier to remember.

Screenshots of the iPhone app

Continuous Coaching: Track your goals, priorities, and notes for your 1:1 meetings in one place. With an easier way to organize everything, you'll have more focused coaching conversations, more often. Add notes any time to keep the conversation going.

Multi-Channel: Stay connected with Rypple anytime, anywhere - web, e-mail and mobile-friendly. Get real-time company news and updates via the Rypple newsfeed or broadcast it publicly on a large screen display. Rypple works with e-mail and is available on iPhone and Android mobile devices.

Well this does seem like an interesting initiative trying to fuse in a more fun and conversational work culture, but the main obstacle, which this app currently faces is wide acceptance. More often than not users are sceptical of having a separate social networking app, leave alone one dedicated for your work mates. More information about Rypple is available here. Alternatively, you can download and try out the app for Android and Apple devices