Nokia To Show Off Six New Handsets At MWC 2012

It is only two weeks until Mobile World Congress kicks off in Barcelona, we are expecting to see a wide range of new smartphones from a number of manufacturers.
One of those is Nokia, and we have already heard rumors that the company will unveil a couple of new Windows Phone devices, and not it looks like Nokia may have around six new handsets to unveil although not all of them will be Windows Phone devices.

According to a recent report by Pocket Now, out of the six new devices, at least two of them are expected to be Windows Phone smartphones, one will possibly be a Symbian powered device, whilst the other three are expected to be feature phones.
It will be interesting to see what new Nokia devices are unveiled, I am particularly interested in seeing their new Windows Phone devices, and we hope they unveil some of the rumored devices we have been hearing about over the last few weeks.

Google+ Circles Update Brings New Page Layout

Google has today rolled out a new layout design to the Google+ Circles section of its social networking site. Google designed the Circles section of Google+ to make it easy for users to customise your existing connections, as well as discovering new ones.
The new update brings with it a new left-hand navigation menu, together with quick access to your email address books. As well as a new feature that shrinks Circles down when they are viewed on smaller screens.

As well as the layout features Google has also added quicker methods to locate people within the Google+ social network. Googler Sean Purcell explains in his blog post announcing the new changes:
“building on earlier work by +Simon Tong, +Jeff Dean and +Sanjay Ghemawat we’ve made lots of improvements to “Find People.” Simply type the name of a person or page you’re interested in, and we’ll suggest related individuals and organizations to add to your circles. We’re always working to make Circles fast, fluid and fun, so let us know what you think in the comments, and keep the feedback coming!”

iRise Studio App Prototyping Software Arrives On Mac

If you have an idea for a new smartphone application, then you might be pleased to learn that iRise Studio App prototyping software has now arrived on Mac systems. iRise Studio has been designed to enable ideas for the next block buster smartphone application to be drafted together to enable investors and designers to get a much better idea of whats involved before fully committing. Watch the video after the jump to see iRise Studio in action.

iRise Studio has been created to work like a desktop publishing program geared toward mobile interfaces. It ships with a large library of app elements for iOS, Android, Blackberry, Windows Phone, WebOS and tablet development.
Enabling you to combine the elements to mock-up screens and can share the results with a viewer that simulates the target device and works on most platforms. Allowing other to be able to see a much more detailed working representation of your application. Rather than just a handful of typed pages explaining it.

Quad Core Huawei Ascend D1 Q To Be Announced At MWC

We are expecting to see a number of quad core devices, powered by NVIDIA’s new Tegra 3 processor at this years MWC, and now it would appear that one manufacturer who will be unveiling a quad core smartphone is Huawei.
Huawei are reported to be announcing the Ascend D1, which will be part of Huawei’s Diamond Series, and it will be one of the company’s first quad core Android smartphones.

There are no details on other specifications on the device, although we suspect it will come with the latest version of Google’s mobile OS, Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.
Huawei are also expected to launch a new Android tablet at the same time, a 10 inch version of its MediaPad tablet, which is also expected to come with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

New spill resistant keyboard combo from Genius announced

Inspan Infotech, one of the IT distribution companies for motherboards and hardware components has announced the launch of their new product, the KM 200, which is a wired multimedia keyboard combo from Genius. The KM 200 is the latest multimedia desktop solution from Genius. This combo kit has a multimedia keyboard and an optical mouse with better ergonomics. The low-profile keycap structure provides maximum typing comfort and there are eight hot keys for media control and Internet usage. The water resistant function prevents against accidental drink spillages. The mouse features an 800 dpi optical sensor for great movement without worrying about any dust accumulation. 

Spill resistant!

With a 44 x 17.3 x 2.49 (lxwxh cm) body size and weighing 503g, the KM 200 is Windows 7/Vista/XP, IBM/Pentium PC compatible and has an available PS2 or USB port, depending on the model as its system requirement. The package contains a KB-M200, NetScroll 120 and a multilanguage user's manual. "Genius family comes out with another cost effective combo for its customers, with an 800dpi mouse which will surely help increase the working efficiency." said Sudhir S, Managing Director of Inspan Infotech. "The combo is available with USB or PS2 connector, so the customers have a choice depending on their system requirements. Resellers are and will continue to get more and more innovative products from the Genius family throughout the year", added Sudhir. The Genius KM 200 PS2 is priced at Rs.750, while the Genius KM 200 USB is priced at Rs.800. It comes in a singular black colour with a warranty period of 3 years and is available ex-stock.

The addition of a water resistant panel does give the KM 200 some edge over its competitors. There have been innumerable times when we’ve accidentally spilled something on the keyboard and ruined the feedback of the keys, altogether. Also, the pricing for this keyboard mouse combo doesn’t seem all that bad, considering a good keyboard with some nice key feedback and ergonomics go a long way to ensure that you’re not tired of typing.

Acer Iconia Tab A510 Coming To Europe In March

The last thing we heard about the new Acer Iconia Tab A510 tablet was that it would be available in Europe some time in April, but now it would appear that the device may launch in Europe next month.
There will apparently be a WiFi only version of the Iconia Tab available in France next month, with the rest of Europe shortly after and the device is reported to retail for around 500 Euros.

As a reminder, the Acer Iconia Tab A510 will feature a a 10.1 inch multi-touch touchscreen display with a resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels, and the device is powered by a quad core 1.3GHz NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor.
Other specifications on the Iconia Tab A510 include  1GB of RAM and a choice of 16GB, 32GB or 64GB of built in storage, it will also feature a microSD card slot, a mini-HDMI port and a mini-USB port.
Ad soon as we get an exact launch date for the UK and the rest our Europe we will let you guys know.

Stellar Phoenix Messenger Password Recovery v2.0 available for download

Stellar Data Recovery had released the Phoenix PDF Password Recovery v1.0 for recovering lost or forgotten passwords of document format (PDF), late last year. It has now put forth the updated version of Messenger password recovery - Phoenix Messenger Password Recovery v2.0. The tool can be used to recover lost or forgotten user name and password of IM clients. Stellar Phoenix Messenger Password Recovery is available to download at $49 (approx Rs. 2,416). It is also backed by 30 days money back guarantee.

To recover user name and password of IM clients

This Do-It-Yourself tool helps recover all lost data, along with forgotten user name, password and domain name of the messenger. It provides an option to save the retrieved password and recover the stolen data within a short span of time. Phoenix Messenger Password Recovery V2.0 comes with support for all the latest messengers. It offers compatibility with Windows 7, Vista, XP and Servers (2003-2008).

“With the advent of the information age, more and more people are connected closely by the internet.  Most of us have our multiple accounts for emails & social networking. We use them regularly for important business emails, meetings, contacting close friends or relatives, customer feedbacks, etc. However managing these accounts and tracking them becomes uneasy when we forget the password. Stellar Phoenix Messenger Password Recovery V2.0 is developed to overcome such scenarios. It would help you to recover back your lost or forgotten user name and password.” said Sunil Chandna CEO Stellar data recovery

Stellar had also announced the new version of the Drive ToolBox to manage and maintain your Mac, earlier this year. The newer version featured vastly improved twelve must have disk utilities providing 30 percent more efficiency. This month we saw the company release the Stellar InstaBackup Gold 3.0, professional data backup software for easy backup of essential files, folders, mails, volumes and e-mail databases.

BlackBerry PlayBook Dock revealed in back room of DevCon

Somewhere, in a dark room at the back of DevCon, someone was showing off a bundle of PlayBook gear marked "Top Secret." BlackBerry Czech was able to grab some pics (more at the source link) of a keyboard case that handles multi-touch and the long-desired docking station for the currently moribund slate. According to the site, the dock offers HDMI-out, three USB ports and even an ethernet jack to let you surf without WiFi. Apparently it's got a hefty wireless receiver / speakerphone that would allow you to make VoIP calls from your PlayBook. What's not mentioned is if we can expect to see this available for some cold, hard currency any time soon (hint: get it on shelves). On the same post, there's also a mention of the mythical 10-inch second generation edition of RIM's device, but no photos were allowed -- so we'll just have to file that under "Hmmm" until we get closer to MWC, shall we?

Apple iPad 3 will have 4G LTE compatibility

We’re still not sure whether or not the next version of Apple’s iPhone will be the one to plunge into LTE territory (signs are pointing to yes), but it has been confirmed through the Wall Street Journal that the iPad 3 will in fact be able to run on Verizon’s and AT&T’s blazing fast 4G data networks. This news comes in the same breath as the announcement of Apple’s official unveiling of the new device.


According to the report, Sprint’s burgeoning LTE infrastructure will not be supported in the LTE model of the next-gen Apple tablet. Nevertheless, bringing it up to speed on Verizon and AT&T will make the iPad 3 even more attractive, and will lessen the impact of LTE-powered Android tablets in their attempt to differentiate themselves from the industry-dominant iPad brand.
The prospect of an LTE-equipped iPad has been the subject of iPad 3 rumors previously, but as we now have an official date for the tablet’s unveiling and the time continues to clock down, details are sliding into place. The other well-known fact about the iPad 3 is that it will have an incredible high-resolution screen known as a Retina Display, in addition to a quad-core processor. We’ll see the full details when the unveiling event happens on March 7.

iPad mini in Apple testing tip supplier sources

Apple is testing smaller iPad models in a potential split of its tablet strategy that would see the existing 9.7-inch slate joined by a potentially 8-inch model, according to new leaks. The long-standing talk of a more bag-friendly Apple tablet has been reawakened by the WSJ, sources of which claim Apple is working with component suppliers to qualify possible displays, with both AUO and LG Display again cited as involved in the experiments.


The smaller iPad will have a screen resolution the same – or “similar” – to the existing iPad 2, or 1024 x 768, one source indicated. That would suggest Apple was sticking with the 4:3 aspect ratio, sensible given iPad apps are currently designed for that. Similar rumors – citing the same suppliers – broke last October, with a 7.85-inch screen size tipped.
However, while the supplier insiders say Apple has been showing potential designs for the new tablet around suppliers, it’s also pointed out that such product flirtation isn’t unusual: and, it often doesn’t amount to a commercial device. Although the company has been slow and steady with its iPhone range, sticking to a single “flagship” device at any one time and keeping older models on the market to satisfy lower price points, Apple is supposedly considering an iPod-style strategy with tablets where different models would address different use-cases.
If true, the new “iPad mini” would be another example of Apple dismissing a product category before subsequently entering it. Steve Jobs memorably blasted 7-inch and similar tablets as “tweeners” back in October 2010, arguing that their scale “isn’t sufficient to create great tablet apps” and suggesting that such models should include sandpaper so that users could file their fingers down to a usable size.
“Apple has long contemplated different tablet designs” the WSJ’s sources say, though again there’s no guarantee that contemplation will lead to production. Nonetheless, even with a third-gen iPad expected on March 7, this looks to be a rumor that won’t die any time soon.

Origin PC's EON17-X laptop assures gaming glory, regular chiropractor visits

For all you hardcore gamers who refuse to sacrifice performance but demand quasi-portability, prepare your eyes for the EON17-X from Origin PC. The laptop is based on Intel's X79 platform and delivers a significant bump from the original EON17. Insane customization options include the Core i7-3960X Extreme CPU and two overclocked 2GB GeForce GTX 580M GPUs in an SLI bridge -- just for note, this particular configuration requires two 300 watt power adapters. It'll also accommodate up to four hard drives and 32GB of memory. If that's not enough to impress, the beastly creation also features a backlit keyboard with two lighting zones and seven customizable colors, along with a 17.3-inch 1080p display. Of course, all this power doesn't come without sacrifice. The EON17-X starts at $2,818, weighs over 12 pounds and measures over two inches thick. Those undeterred can place an order for Origin PC's latest gaming rig today. You'll find a few more tidbits in the PR after the break.

Huawei to debut new Ascend D1 Q and 10-inch MediaPad at MWC

Huawei is set to rollout new products a Mobile World Congress when the show kicks off. Some of the new products debuting will be in the company’s new Diamond line of devices. All the products are expected to run Android 4.0. The new products will include a 10-inch MediaPad tablet, which is a follow-up to the original 7-inch tablet, and the company will also unveil the Ascend D1 Q.


The D1 Q will be a quad core device, hence that Q designator in its name. It is expected to be the first Diamond smartphone, and we don’t really know anything about the hardware at this point. We’re hoping the new MediaPad has better software than its 7-inch sibling we are familiar with. The hardware was never an issue with that tablet; it was the software that bothered us.
We don’t have hardware details on the 10-inch MediaPad right now. There is no indication that it will be a Diamond series device. Scuttlebutt says that there will be a pair of Diamond devices unveiled at MWC, so we are expecting at least one more major product announcement from Huawei at the show. Details are scant right now, but with Mobile World Congress only a few weeks away we don’t have long to wait.

Scalado Remove promises photobomb rescue

Photo tech firm Scalado has revealed its latest smartphone camera app, Remove, capable of automatically identifying and removing objects in-frame, and perfect for deleting an unwanted uncle from your family gathering. Remove, billed as the world’s first optical removal software for smartphones, builds a composite shot from multiple frames captured in swift succession, picking out possible flaws – such as passing cars or people – and letting you delete them with a tap of the screen.


In fact, Remove can be set to automatically delete any problems it identifies, though you can switch over to manual mode if you decide you’d like to keep something in-frame instead. Obviously the problems themselves have to be moving, since Scalado is cutting out transient objects based on a stationary background.
Scalado Remove demo:
Remove uses similar technology to Scalado’s previous photography app, Rewind. That used composite images to piece together the best group portrait shot, with facial recognition used to scroll through the various expressions your subjects have made:
Scalado Rewind demo:
Scalado will be showing off Remove at MWC 2012 later this month, though the company isn’t saying when we might see it show up on devices commercially.

Konica Minolta outs first OLED inkjet printhead in the world

I remember a long time ago when the OLED display first came to market. One of the intriguing things about the display technology was that the companies making them were saying in the future they could be printed using an inkjet printer on a roll-to-roll machine. That would certainly make the production of OLED screens faster and cheaper, making devices using the high-quality displays less expensive.


Konica Minolta has taken the first step towards that roll-to-roll printing of OLED screens by unveiling the world’s first inkjet printhead capable of printing the displays. The printhead is called the KM128SNG-MB, and it is a high-precision inkjet printhead for printed electronics and OLED displays. The drop size the printhead produces is one picoliter.
Konica Minolta uses silicon MEMS technology to manufacture the printhead. That same technology is we used in semiconductor processing and allows the development of a small printhead measuring 38mm wide with 128 nozzles a row capable of ejecting tiny drops of ink. Konica Minolta says that the MEMS technology will allow the printhead to be made even smaller in the future. The printhead is optimized for resistance to the inks used and for low viscosity inks that are used in industrial applications. The printhead will go on sale in sample quantities this spring.

Acer Iconia Tab A510 tipped to hit Europe in March

A couple of new important details on the Acer Iconia Tab A510 have surfaced. A few details on this tablet turned up in November but the price, and the launch date have apparently changed. The A510 will have 10.1-inch display and run Android 4.0. The processor will be the Nvidia Tegra 3 quad core and the tablet is tipped to have better power management than its predecessor the A200.


The improved power management means that the 9800mAh battery is good for close to 18 hours per charge with use. The tablet has dual stereo speakers, 32 GB of storage space, a microSD port, and a five-megapixel camera. The tablet also has a SIM card slot allowing for 3G connectivity along with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
The new information we have is that the Wi-Fi only version will land in France and possibly the rest of Europe starting next month for €399. The tablet will come in black or silver and there’ll be a bunch of accessories available. That price is much more bearable than the original €499 that had been tipped last month.

Apple testing 8-inch iPad

The invites haven't even been sent out and yet the frenzied speculation about what Tim Cook will whip out on stage at next month's purported announcement has begun.  8-inch slate to partner its 9.7-inch flagship. Unnamed sources at the company's suppliers say it'll pack a screen with a resolution close to the 1024 x 768 display on the current model. This jibes with what we've heard about the iPad 3 toting a Retina Display -- unless the smaller unit is aimed at budget buyers. The report claims test panels are being produced by AU Optronics and LG Display and that this model might also run on LTE. It's probably fair to point out that Apple is famous for producing prototypes in a wide variety of sizes that will never see the light of day, so don't get your hopes up too soon.

Cisco: mobile connections will hit 10 billion by 2016, helped by tablet boom

That Cisco's always been prescient. Three years ago, the networking giant predicted a 66-fold increase in worldwide mobile data traffic -- a surge that was expected to dovetail with the spread of 4G networks. With us so far? Sounds pretty obvious sensible, right? Well, the company's got more wisdom to share from its crystal ball: the outfit's just released its annual mobile data traffic forecast, and the marquee stat is that there will be an estimated 10 billion mobile connections by 2016. And though Cisco expects the bulk of these (8 billion) to take the form of cell phones, it also foresees a rise in tablets: there will be 5 billion of them, the company says, and that's not even counting all those WiFi-only models floating around (Cisco tallies WiFi traffic in a different forecast, released later in the year). If the market does indeed swell to 5 billion cellular-connected tablets, that would represent a 25 percent jump over today's global figure. Moreover, Cisco estimates that by 2016 21 percent of those 5 billion tablet owners will be relying solely on mobile data to get their internet fix.

All told, whatever the mix of smartphones and tablets, we're going to be chugging down an insane amount of data: 10.8 exobytes per month, worldwide, or 130 exobytes annually -- a lofty figure that breaks down to 33 billion DVDs, among other cutesy equivalents. One last stat before we sent you off into a statistic-laced coma: 4G will account for only six percent of mobile connections by 2016, but is expected to generate 36 percent of mobile data traffic. We'll let you newly minted LTE adopters chew on your piggy data-hogging habits; the rest of you can find more numbers in the PR after the break.