Apple, HTC in Trademark Tangle

Apple Computer has an uncanny knack for getting in the way of trademarks... or so it seems...

Previously, when the company unveiled it's eagerly anticipated iPhone, Cisco slapped a lawsuit against it over use of the 'iPhone' trademark. Incidentally, Linksys' VoIP phone is also called iPhone, and Cisco, which happens to be Linksys' parent company, owns the 'iPhone' trademark.

Now with the launch of iPod Touch, Apple is once again in danger of having stepped on someone else's toes... This time round, it's Taiwan-based HTC's turn to feel the heat...

HTC launched the HTC Touch well before Apple's iPod Touch. The HTC Touch features a TouchFLO sweep launcher sitting atop Windows Mobile. It's a keyboard-free and button-free Windows Mobile phone that sports an unraised bezel and a solid glass face among others.

HTC chief executive officer and president, Peter Chou, reportedly said that HTC has registered 'Touch' as a worldwide trademark, and that the company "is proud to share the same vision as Apple over touch screen functions".

While Chou said nothing about whether HTC would sue Apple over use of it's trademark, a top HTC official reportedly made a pointed reference to the ability of Apple and Cisco to 'reach a mutually satisfactory agreement' before footnoting the need for 'further observation' around the 'Touch' trademark rights question.

Meanwhile, as far as precedents go, Cisco's suit against Apple ended in a mutually convenient agreement -- one wherein both would continue to make use of the 'iPhone' trademark in the market.

Apple Unveils new iPod's..

Putting an end to all the speculation of these past weeks, Apple Computer yesterday launched its all new iPod, the iPod Touch.

The reported whoops and hollers might go to justify Apple CEO, Steve Jobs' claim that 'the seventh wonder of the world' had just been unveiled. Also dubbed as 'the God machine', the newbie iPod looks a lot like the iPhone -- except that it is no phone.

A sleek looking touch-controlled iPod, the iPod Touch sports a 3.5-inches color screen, built-in WiFi Internet access, and Apple's Safari Internet browser.

The iPod Touch will come in 2 versions: an 8GB version priced at GBP 199; and a 16GB version costing GBP 269.

Both versions are expected to be on the British market this month.


Apart from unveiling the iPod Touch, Apple revamped its iPod line that includes a reworked iPod Nano and the iPod Classic.

The new Nano features 22 hours audio playback and 5 hours video playback. The flip side is the Nano suddenly looks as if it has put on some weight

The 4GB iPod Nano comes in Silver for $149, while the 8GB iPod Nano comes in Silver, Black, Blue, Green, and a special Red edition for $199. Both new Nanos come with 3 fun games, and additional games can be purchased from the iTunes store (www.itunes.com).

Both 4GB and 8GB iPod Nano models for Windows or Mac are immediately available worldwide through the Apple Store (www.apple.com), Apple retail stores, and Apple Authorized Resellers.

Meanwhile, the iPod Classic comes in Silver and Black in 2 versions; 80GB model and 160GB model. The 80GB iPod Classic is priced at $249 and the 160GB iPod Classic costs $349. Both models are immediately available worldwide.

Interestingly, while Apple was making announcements, Microsoft announced a slash in the price of its Zune digital media player by $50 to $199. The software major claimed it had been planning a price cut all this while...

Apple also unveiled the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store, offering fans the ability to browse, search, preview, purchase, and download songs and albums from iTunes over a Wi-Fi network directly onto their iPod Touch or iPhone, sans any computer as intermediary.

When owners of the iPod Touch or iPhone connect their gizmos back to their PCs or Macs, the downloaded music would automatically sync back to their iTunes library. In case they have only partially downloaded a song or album onto their Touch or iPhone, the computer would complete the download automatically.

Meanwhile, prices and selection on the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store would remain the same as on the regular iTunes Store. Both the new iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store and custom iTunes ringtones for iPhone will be available later this month.

Additionally, Apple announced lowering the price of its iPhone (8GB) from $599 to $399 in the US. The iPhone 4GB model will be sold until supplies last, Apple said.

Microsoft Mulling a Zune Phone?

Rumor has it that Microsoft may soon start developing a device billed to be a potential Apple iPhone killer.

The software major has reportedly stated sans confirmation that a mobile phone based on it's Zune digital media player 'is not an unreasonable move'.

The phone will likely be called the 'Zune Phone' and will be a competitor to Apple's iPhone. The iPhone is currently available only in the US exclusively from AT&T.

Talks about a Zune-based mobile phone from Microsoft are not entirely new. Ever since the launch of the Zune, there's been a buzz doing the rounds of industry.

Even when the Zune was launched, it was talked about as a potential iPod killer, which really never happened. Going by reports, the Zune failed to gain the kind of popularity that the iPod enjoys.

All said, observers think a phone based on the Zune, if it were to happen, would be a good move on the part of Microsoft as the company already has a presence in the smart phone market with it's Windows Mobile platform.

Apple to Unveil Revamped iPods?

Reportedly, there's buzz that Apple Computer is all set to unveil its revamped line of iPods at a special event to be held this week in San Francisco.

Fuelling all the speculation is a peculiar invite found doing the rounds of the Internet bearing an iPod wearing figure dancing on top of the words: 'the beat goes on'.

The word on the market is that Apple is poised for an iPod refresh. More so because after the iPod shuffle in 2006, and the video iPod in 2005, there hasn't been a major update to Apple's iPod.

Analysts feel Apple is out to introduce iPhone-inspired changes to its iPods. Which is dicey as consumers would expect iPhone level quality from iPods with greater chances of ending up disappointed.

However, if there's one thing everyone's agreed upon -- it is that Apple generates the most news just by saying it's going to make an announcement...

Flight Simulator inside Google Earth!

That Google recently added Google Sky to it's Google Earth application, we know. What we don't know is that the updated Google Earth also comes embedded with a hidden feature -- a flight simulator of sorts.

To activate the flight simulator, users can type Ctrl+Alt+A (keyboard shortcut) else Command+Option+A on OS X.

Once the feature is turned-on in Google Earth menus, users can either get a F16 'Viper' or SR22 plane to fly. They can select a start position with the Kathmandu runway as default option. Using the keyboard or mouse, users can control their aircraft. Even joysticks are supported. Getting the hang of controls is a bit tricky however once the plane is stabilized, users can get a nice view of say the Himalayas out on the horizon.

To re-enter flight simulator mode, users can choose Tools > Enter Flight Simulator.

And going by reports, while the simulator has airports covered fairly well, the aircraft selection seems in want of an overhaul. Besides, the simulator does not afford any view whatsoever of the aircraft...

Social Networks on the Rise in India

The year 2007 has seen the launch of several new social networking Web sites targeting the youth in this country.

Two such newbies: iShare, launched by Rediff in July, and the very recent BigAdda, launched by Reliance ADAG.

Both portals qualify as social content sharing platforms, allowing users share videos, music, pictures, and more. They combine elements of various sites including Orkut, Youtube, Flickr, and Limewire, to name a few.

Yet, they aspire to be more than just platforms for people to catch up with pals or find dates online. An increasing number of people are actually looking towards these sites as more than just meeting ground.

One such aspect, video sharing, is gaining currency the world over. For instance, aspiring music artists get to showcase their work by uploading their videos. Others in turn, get to know of the existence of diverse and varied talent.

Portraying their Web site as one such multi-faceted destination, Manish Agarwal, vice president of marketing, Rediff, said, "Rediff iShare, unlike most of the social networking sites, does not depend on "boy meet girl" or "missing friend"; rather, it connects users sharing the same passion. After finding the content they like, users can connect with users who've uploaded that content or viewed that content to share some kind of connect."

Rediff iShare claims it has managed to hook nearly 1 million users in just a month and a half. BigAdda meanwhile, is looking at hooking close to 10 million users by 2010.

Both iShare and BigAdda claim to exist for an Indian audience. However, that does not take away from the competition they face from international players like Google and Yahoo!.

What Nikhil Soman, chief technology officer of Bigadda, had to say about this is: "As an Indian Youth Network with Indian sensibilities, allowing identity creation, self expression, and community building through text, photo, video, and other multi-media platforms and devices, we focus on the available Indian population, which itself is a global market."

Meanwhile, Google's YouTube, which is undoubtedly the most widely used video sharing Web site in the world, allows users not just to upload and share videos but also to download them onto their PCs. This feature is lacking in our home-grown social networking sites, for oft cited copyright reasons.

All said, online social networking is becoming increasingly popular across the globe and across India, and is increasingly driving time spent on the Internet.

Rediff's Manish Agarwal believes that the entry of new players in the market will only help further accelerate growth of Internet in India.

Reportedly, the Internet user base in the country is poised to grow to 100 million from a current base of 40 million, and the percentage of users adopting social networks is also expected to rise from the current 13 percent to nearly 25 percent.

New Nokia Handsets in Q4 2007

Alongside of it's Internet foray, Nokia has reportedly unveiled 4 new mobile devices that are optimized for entertainment, music, and games.

The N81 multimedia computer has dedicated music and gaming keys that light up when activated, a 3.5-mm headphone connector, and 3G and WLAN connectivity.

Besides, N81 is configured to find, buy, manage, and play music and games purchased from the newly-launched Nokia Music Store and N-Gage games service respectively.

At Euro 360 and Euro 430, the N81 and the N81 8GB are both expected to begin shipping in Q4 this year.

The N95 8GB has all the key features of its predecessor; including a 5 mega pixels camera with Carl Zeiss optics, built-in A-GPS, WLAN, HSDPA, and a 2-way slide, and offers up to 8GB built-in memory.

It will start shipping in the fourth quarter for Euros 560 (before subsidies/taxes).

About 9.9mm thick and weighing less than 71 grams, the 5310 XpressMusic phone offers up to 18 hours of music playback and up to 3,000 songs on an optional 4GB microSD card. The phone features dedicated music keys, a 2 mega pixels camera, and a bright 2-inch QVGA screen with up to 16 million colors.

The 5310 XpressMusic too will ship in Q4 for Euros 225 (before taxes and subsidies).

The other new XpressMusic handset, the 5610 XpressMusic, features a Music Slider key for accessing music with the flick of the thumb.

The phone has a black high gloss finish and aluminium side panels, and features a 2.2-inch 16-million color display, and a 3.2 mega pixels camera with auto-focus and dual LED flash. It offers up to 22 hours of music playback, and memory for up to 3,000 songs on an optional 4GB microSD card.

Like the other new phones, the 5610 XpressMusic too will ship in Q4 2007 for Euros 300 (before taxes and subsidies).

Both new XpressMusic handsets are compatible with the Nokia Music Store.

Nokia Opens Doors to the Internet

In a paradigm shift, Nokia today introduced 'Ovi', its new Internet services brand name.

'Ovi' means 'door' in Finnish, and promises to enable consumers easily access their existing social networks, communities, and content.

As part of 'Ovi', Nokia has announced the Nokia Music Store, N-Gage, and Nokia Maps. As such, 'Ovi' at http://www.ovi.com will act as the gateway to all of these Internet services.

It will be an open door to Web communities, enabling people access their content, communities, and contacts from a single place, either directly from a compatible Nokia device, or from a PC.

The first version of Ovi.com is slated to go live in English during Q4 2007, with additional features and languages expected to go live during the first half of 2008.

Part of 'Ovi', the Nokia Music Store at http://music.nokia.com will offer millions of tracks from major artists, and independent labels, as well as local artists, available only through Nokia.

The store can be accessed via a desktop computer, or directly from a compatible Nokia device such as the Nokia N81 or Nokia N95 8GB multimedia computer.

Consumers will be able to browse for new music, buy what they want, or add a song to their wish-list to download later. They will also be able to transfer purchased songs to their mobile devices. With the built-in music player, they will be able to create playlists on the go and manage their music collection.

The store will open across key European markets this fall, with additional stores in Europe and Asia opening over the coming months.

In Europe, individual tracks will cost 1 euro and albums will be upwards of 10 euros, with a monthly subscription for PC streaming of 10 euros.

Also part of 'Ovi', N-Gage will offer an easy way to find, try, and buy great quality games directly from compatible Nokia devices.

By selecting the N-Gage application on compatible Nokia devices, users will be able to preview available games, connect with friends, read reviews, or download free demos.

Games can be bought either with a credit card, or by charging to the user's monthly phone bill. Electronic Arts, Gameloft, etc, are making some of their big brands available through N-Gage.

The application is expected to be available for download at http://www.n-gage.com in November 2007.

Meanwhile, Nokia Maps, as the name suggests, will offer maps, city guides, and more -- directly to compatible mobile devices.

Commenting on Nokia's shift from mobile to Internet services, Olli Pekka Kallasvuo, president and chief executive officer of Nokia, said that the industry is converging towards an Internet-driven experience, and that 'Ovi' represents Nokia's vision in combining the Internet with mobility.

Google Gphone in Two Weeks' Time???

While India might well figure last on Apple Computer's priority list vis-a-vis the iPhone, not so Google...

If reports are indeed true, the search giant is just two weeks away from the worldwide launch of its much hyped Google Phone or Gphone.

And, it is believed to be in talks with Indian service providers, the likes of Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Essar, and Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) for an exclusive launch on any one of their respective networks.

Sources close to the project reportedly revealed that a simultaneous launch across the US and Europe is expected, and that announcements would be sent to media firms in India and other parts of the world.

The only obstacle in Google's path is US regulatory approval, which is also expected soon, the sources added. Towards this global telephonic foray, the search major will take a hit to it's bottom line to the tune of an estimated $7-8 billion.

And while not confirmed, Google is also believed to be in talks with Indian providers for offering data and content and platforms including Instant Messaging (IM) and search functions.

Responding to these reports, a Google spokesperson said that they don't comment on market rumor or speculation. But that the company is committed to providing users with access to the world's information, and that mobile becomes more important to these efforts every day.

The spokesperson said they are collaborating with partners worldwide to bring Google search and applications to mobile users everywhere. However that as of now, they have nothing to announce...

Google Earth Reaches for the Stars!

You don't have to be a la Sunita Williams to hang around in space...

Google has reportedly released a beta version of Google Earth that includes a Google Sky feature allowing users get up close and personal with more than 100 million galaxies and 200 million stars.

Google Sky, like Google Earth, comprises photographs of the universe pieced together to create a seamless database that users can navigate through.

To use Google Sky, users need first download the latest version of Google Earth software. They can then go to the View drop down menu, and select 'Switch to Sky' to get started on their 'heavenly' journey.

Google claims Google Sky offers a planetarium-like experience on the PC, allowing voyeurs zoom in and out from inside an inverted sphere.

And like Google Earth, they can zoom in to see points of interest -- be it constellations, including Taurus, Scorpio or Sagittarius, or the black hole NGC 5128, et al.

Besides, clicking on anything of interest throws up pop-ups -- complete with photographs and information on that subject. The pop-up content comes mainly from third parties including NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, the Space Telescope Science Institute, the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, the Digital Sky Survey Consortium, etc.

According to Google, for users to get the most out of Google Sky, they need to use Google Sky Layers (content created for Google Sky) that includes Backyard Astronomy, The Planets, The Moon, and Constellations, to name a few.

i-mate Unveils the JAMA PDA

i-mate has reportedly launched the JAMA Windows Mobile 5.0 PDA phone, which the company says is akin to a personal computer in one's pocket.

The JAMA is about 15.6-mm thin, and sports a 2.4-inch 65K color TFT 240 x 320 display, and a 2MP effect camera among other features.

Significantly, the pocket PC is equipped with Windows Mobile 5.0 offering users a complete Microsoft Windows experience comprising MSN Mobile, Instant Messenger, Media Player 10 Mobile, and Internet Explorer.

Besides, JAMA has the usual Microsoft Office Mobile applications including Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint Mobile.

Other features of the phone include: dual-band (900/1800MHz) GSM/GPRS and Bluetooth v1.2 for connectivity, up to 128MB ROM, 64MB RAM and a microSD memory expansion slot for storage, and a 300MHz Samsung processor.

Apart from i-mate's usual bundled applications, the JAMA features i-mate Profile Controller for easy profile and ringtone management, i-mate Media Control Panel for one-click access to songs and videos from the homescreen, and i-mate Configurator for locating and setting data connection settings to access the Internet.

The JAMA is available, priced at Rs 15,990.

Going Gray Market for Digicams!

Last month i offered you a sneak peek into the gray market for mobile phones. This time we take you through the not-so-white market for another ubiquitous product, digital cameras.

Think digicams, and you'll probably end up thinking brands like Sony, Nikon, Canon, and Samsung.

Of which Sony and Nikon are popular, not so Canon -- mainly because of high prices, gray market sources said.

Meanwhile, Sony is popular because of good quality lenses and easy availability of spare parts, service being a non issue.

Talking gray market, customers cannot expect a full-fledged warranty. But yes, they can get a 10-days warranty from some shopkeepers if they are lucky.

And unlike the market for mobile phones, with digicams, there's a uniform credit limit of about 2 percent.

A quick survey revealed the top three digicams to be Sony Cybershot DSC W55, Sony Cybershot DSC W80, and Nikon Coolpix P5000.

The Sony Cybershot DSC W55 features a 7.2 mega pixel, 3x Optical Zoom, Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens, a 2.5-inch display, and costs Rs 8,800 (MRP Rs 12,500).

The Sony Cybershot DSC W80 has almost the same features as the Cybershot DSC W55. The difference being it comes with 31 MB internal memory vis-a-vis W55's internal memory of 56MB. The W80 sells for Rs 9,800 (MRP 14,500).

Whereas, the Nikon Coolpix P5000 has a 10 mega pixel, and a 3.5x Optical Zoom, and costs Rs 13,500 (MRP 22,000).

Customers not interested in cameras with lenses that zoom in or out could go in for the Sony Cybershot DSC T20, which has an 8.1 mega pixels, 3x SteadyShot Optical Zoom, and a 2.5-inch LCD. The T20 sells for Rs 11,000 (MRP Rs 19,500).

The Sony Cybershot T20 and Nikon Coolpix P5000 are the preferred digicams on the higher side, while on the lower end, the Sony Cybershot W55 and Sony Cybershot W80 are quite liked.

Just Dial Search Engine for Mobile

Just Dial Services has launched what it claims is the fastest local search engine on mobile, at http://wap.justdial.com. Earlier on, the company had launched a Web site at www.justdial.com.

The new service is meant for those who need to access information on-the-fly. The technology, the company claims, helps pages load in a matter of 5 to 10 seconds -- even in low bandwidth conditions and on low-end GPRS-enabled handsets.

The open search application allows users define their search by company/name or product/service giving results tailored to user needs.

For instance, a consumer looking to find restaurants in Dadar can choose by price range or cuisine with a maximum of 3 levels of search available.

Navigation is easy and click through driven with no drop down menus. Users also retain the option to make calls directly from displayed numbers.

Besides, the application is Geo Code ready so if a Geo Code is fed in, it can detect and throw up results pertaining to that Geo Code area.

Quizzed about the usefulness of the site, a source said that while the data is scarce, the concept is good as it seems to be based on the lead-generation model. Save for a couple of design flaws such as content overlapping, the source added. It could be a good tool for customer interaction management, another source mentioned.

Meanwhile, http://wap.justdial.com joins the likes of other WAP-enabled sites such as http://wap.google.com/ and http://wap.xe.com/. In fact, most search engine sites and many email sites (hotmail, yahoo!, rediff, indiatimes, etc) have separate WAP sites for mobile.

And, most colored handsets from most brands are WAP-enabled. This includes: the Nokia 2600, Nokia Nseries, Nokia Eseries, MotoMing, Samsung D500, Sony Ericsson T630, Sagem My700x, to name a few.

Nokia Steps in to Help Customers!

Since we reported Nokia's battery recall and what customers can do as remedy, there have been dozens of posts asking us to check if certain batteries are faulty, or whether we can have them replaced.

This article is intended to put all those concerns to rest...

While we've said that customers with mobile phones with faulty batteries can go to the nearest Nokia Care center and have them replaced, there are still doubts as to how to establish whether the battery in one's phone is faulty or not?

As per Nokia's product advisory issued earlier this week, the recall applies to batteries used in the following models: Nokia 1100, Nokia 1100c, Nokia 1101, Nokia 1108, Nokia 1110, Nokia 1112, Nokia 1255, Nokia 1315, Nokia 1600, Nokia 2112, Nokia 2118, Nokia 2255, Nokia 2272, Nokia 2275, Nokia 2300, Nokia 2300c, Nokia 2310, Nokia 2355, Nokia 2600, Nokia 2610, Nokia 2610b, Nokia 2626, Nokia 3100, Nokia 3105, Nokia 3120, Nokia 3125, Nokia 6030, Nokia 6085, Nokia 6086, Nokia 6108, Nokia 6175i, Nokia 6178i, Nokia 6230, Nokia 6230i, Nokia 6270, Nokia 6600, Nokia 6620, Nokia 6630, Nokia 6631, Nokia 6670, Nokia 6680, Nokia 6681, Nokia 6682, Nokia 6820, Nokia 6822, Nokia 7610, Nokia N70, Nokia N71, Nokia N72, Nokia N91, Nokia E50, and Nokia E60.

Accessories such as the Nokia Wireless GPS Module LD-1W and the Wireless GPS Module LD-3W also come under the purview of the recall.

An even simpler way to figure out is to switch off one's mobile device, and check for 'BL-5C' printed on the front of the battery.

If 'BL-5C' does appear, check the back of the battery. The top will have a Nokia mark, while the bottom will have a 26-character battery identification number.

Enter that number in the field provided at the bottom of the page on: Nokia Product Advisory. Hit submit, and wait to be advised whether your battery needs a replacement or not.

If a replacement is indeed required, you can apply online and get a replacement couriered within 48 hours. The other option is to visit the nearest Nokia Care center and have the battery replaced on the spot.

As per the latest reports however, Nokia India has set-up a helpline at 080-30303838 as also an SMS facility to help customers identify defective BL-5C batteries and replace them if required.

Customers can either call 080-30303838 and give the 26-character battery identification number or SMS "BT26-character battery identification number>" to 5555 to know whether the batteries in their Nokia phones are defective or not.

Else, they can log on to www.nokia.co.in and enter the 26-character battery identification number as we've simplified above.

And for all those harrowed customers who've reportedly been frantically doing the rounds of Nokia showrooms asking about the battery recall, Devinder Kishore, director of Nokia India, assures that customers need not go to a Nokia authorised shop as they can either log on to the Nokia Web site, or SMS Nokia at 5555.

Kishore says if customers' batteries are found faulty, they will be replaced within 10 days -- with replacements delivered at customers' doorsteps.

Meanwhile, none of the 100-odd complaints of overheating have been from India, Kishore confirms.

Sony VAIO NBs in a Riot of Colors!

Sony India recently launched uber cool notebooks in a riot of colors that according to the company, bring street sass to the NB market.

The NBs are available in five colors: Blazing Red with Black interior, Indigo Blue, Pure White, Beauty Pink, and Aroma Black.

The VAIO CR series, as it is called, offers special styling features such as Lustrous Coating, framed with a smooth rounded silver; Luminous Trim; and Illumination LED lighting to make the NBs stand out from the crowd.

Masaru Tamagawa, managing director of Sony India, said, "The CR VAIO takes personal style beyond the boundaries of clothing and accessories, adding a technology element into the mix, enabling users to make a personal statement of what they want to be."

The series allows users carry a world of multimedia and entertainment on the go. The embedded AV mode button helps users get straight to their stored music, or play DVDs with the single click of a button.

The new NBs come with colorful 14.1 (35.8 cms), 1280 x 800 Clear Bright LCD Lite, and are ideal for DVD playback and entertainment.

The NBs come with a high resolution built-in Web cam and audio feature. They are backed by Intel Core Duo processor technology, and come pre-installed with Genuine Windows Vista OS. Besides, they feature a suite of multimedia tools for easy backup of data, photos, music, and videos.

The new series is available in the following models:
the Black VGN-CR14GH/B priced at Rs 64,990
the Black VGN-CR12GH/B priced at Rs 54,990 and
the VGN-CR11GH (P/L/W/R) in Beauty Pink, Indigo Blue, Pure White, and Blazing Red priced at Rs 54,990.

Nokia Unveils the 'Prism Collection'

To cater to its style-conscious customers, Nokia has unveiled the 'Prism Collection', comprising the 7900 Prism and the 7500 Prism handsets.

The name 'Prism Collection' derives from the use of revolutionary colors, materials, and graphics. The new handsets show off an exclusive diamond-cut design, with sharp-angled lines, geometric patterns, and graphic light-refracting colors.

The 7900 Prism has a sleek, liquorice-black front, and comes with an anodized aluminum backcover that is coin-stamped and laser-etched in the signature diamond-cut design.

The 7900 features an Organic LED main display with support for up to 16 million colors, and sports light-focused screensaver graphics.

It has what is called a 'living wallpaper' that cleverly changes through the day according to time and battery and signal strength.

Besides, the handset comes with a gallery selection of 49 illumination colors. The colors, once chosen, emit from the graphic key-mat and the LED display. Lights are also emanated from the top of the phone to signal missed calls and messages.

Other features of the 7900 Prism include: Dual band 3G technology, Quad band GSM capability, 2MP Camera, and 1GB internal memory.

Meanwhile, the other Prism phone, the 7500 Prism is more or less like the 7900. It's polished black exterior is merged with bright, interchangeable color accents.

Other features of the 7500 Prism include: 2MP Camera, and ability to play music for 9 hours and hold up to 1,500 songs on an optional 2 GB microSD card, among others.

Both new phones are expected to be available in this quarter of the year for around EUR 400 (Rs 22,300) for the Nokia 7900 Prism, and EUR 210 (Rs 11,700) for the Nokia 7500 Prism. The prices are exclusive of taxes and subsidies.

Blizzard Announces WoW Next

Blizzard Entertainment has announced the second expansion of its massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG), 'World of Warcraft', commonly called WoW.

The expansion named "WoW: Wrath of the Lich King" has some of the most infamous characters and settings from the 'World of Warcraft' universe.

Besides, it opens up a whole new continent named 'Northrend', packed with new zones, quests, dungeons, monsters, and battles with the undead armies of the 'Lich King'.

The expansion promises gamers the ability to take the battle to an altogether new level with new player-vs-player game mechanics and spanking new battlefields to wage wars on.

'Lich King' debuts WoW's first hero class wherein players can create a high-level death knight character -- but only after meeting a string of challenges.

Players can also change the look of the characters, and express themselves with different hairstyles and dance animations.

Meanwhile, there is no word on the release of the expansion.

For those not in the know, 'World of Warcraft' is a subscription-based MMORPG set against the backdrop of Azeroth. Players get to create avatars in Azeroth. The franchise is available in 7 languages. WoW's first official expansion pack, 'The Burning Crusade' was released in January this year.

All New iMacs from Apple

Apple Computer has reportedly unveiled it's all new iMac line, featuring 20- and 24-inch wide-screen displays encased in elegant aluminium and glass enclosures.

The new iMacs feature Intel Core 2 Duo processors, new ultra-thin aluminum Apple Keyboards, built-in iSight video cameras for video conferencing, and iLife' 08, among others.

According to Apple, the 20- and 24-inch glossy wide-screen displays provide crisper and sharper images, ideal for watching photos and movies.

Intel's Core 2 Duo processors run up to 2.8 GHz with 4MB of shared L2 cache, and up to 4GB of 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM memory.

The new aluminium Apple keyboard is just 0.33-inches thin at it's front edge. The optional Apple Wireless Keyboard, together with the Apple Wireless Mighty Mouse, offers a cable-free desktop.

Apple's new iMacs feature ATI's Gen-Next graphics, with ATI's Radeon HD 2600 PRO with 256MB of GDDR3 memory, and it's Radeon HD 2400 XT with 128MB of GDDR3 memory. They offer up to 1TB of internal storage to accomodate a user's growing library of digital photos, movies, and music.

The new iMac line includes built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n Wi-Fi networking; Gigabit Ethernet; total five USB 2.0 ports (including two on the new Apple Keyboard); and one FireWire 400 and one FireWire 800 port.

Significantly, each new iMac comes with iLife '08, which according to Apple, is the most significant update to iLife, featuring a new version of iPhoto, and a completely reinvented iMovie -- both seamlessly integrated with the new .Mac Web Gallery for online photo and video sharing.

Besides, the iMacs come with Mac OS X version 10.4.10 Tiger, including Safari, Mail, iCal, iChat AV, Front Row, and Photo Booth.

Apple's new iMacs are immediately available through the Apple Store (www.apple.com), Apple retail stores, and Apple Authorized Resellers.

The 20-inch 2.0 GHz iMac is available for a suggested retail price of $1,199 (Rs 48,499 approx). The 20-inch 2.4 GHz iMac for a suggested retail price of $1,499 (Rs 60,634 approx), and the 24-inch 2.4 GHz iMac for a suggested retail price of $1,799 (Rs 72,769 approx).

The new Apple Wireless Keyboard will ship by the end of August, and will be available as a build-to-order option with the new iMac through the Apple Store (www.apple.com), for a suggested retail price of $30 (Rs 1,210 approx) to $50 (Rs 2,017 approx) when purchased along with the wireless Mighty Mouse.

Social Networking Gaining Currency

According to reports, a study conducted by market research firm comScore reveals that social networking has really taken off globally -- over the past one year.

MySpace proved to be the mother of social networking Web sites with nearly 114 million unique visitors (globally) in the month of June, which is the highest amongst all, though percentage increase was just 72 compared to last year.
Facebook came in at second place with 52.2 million unique visitors; Hi5 at third place with 28.2 million unique visitors; and Orkut and Friendster both at fourth place, each attracting over 24 million unique visitors.

Unlike MySpace, Tagged experienced the highest jump percentage-wise, namely, 774 percent; followed by Facebook with 270 percent; Bebo 172 percent; Orkut 78 percent; Friendster 65 percent; and Hi5 56 percent.

Especially in the Indian market, Orkut grew by 35 percent in the past one year, and got 7.2 million unique visitors in the month of June; followed by MySpace, which grew by 33 percent, and attracted 399,000 unique visitors in June. Facebook came in at third place vis-a-vis the Indian market.

Makers of Doom Unveil "Rage"

Here comes another game from the makers of the PC classic, 'Doom'.

id Software's highly anticipated title, "Rage" was unveiled by John Carmack, the company's co-founder and technical director, along with video footage, at the ongoing QuakeCon 2007 in Dallas.
"Rage" has a bit of a classic theme, with players fighting an oppressive government in a post-apocalyptic world. The players become the outsiders, trying to turn the tide in favor of the good.

"Rage" focuses on the racing element, taking players on a roller-coaster ride as they build-up funds, take-on enemies in traditional first person shooter (FPS) settings, and navigate vast tracks using all terrain vehicles (ATVs) and others.

Carmack said "Rage" is built on the company's new Tech5 game engine, which makes it look better, as also better adaptable to different gaming systems.

"Rage" is presently developed for PCs running Windows and Mac, as well as for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 gaming consoles. No release date has been announced yet.

Airtel Offers Voice SMS

Airtel has selected Bubble Motion to deploy 'Voice SMS' over fixed line, which means Airtel customers will be able to send 'Voice SMS' messages to any mobile.

And soon they will also be able to send messages to other Airtel fixed line customers.
To use the service, customers need to dial * followed by the mobile number they wish to send the 'Voice SMS' to. The recipient receives an SMS alert on his/her mobile phone, telling him/her about having a new Bubble message. By dialing *0* from their mobiles, recipients can retrieve the 'Voice SMS'.

'Voice SMS' has gained traction because of it's ability to include more emotional content than other forms of messaging such as IM, SMS, and email.

Sunil Coushik, president and co-founder of Bubble Motion, said, "Airtel's service innovations have successfully captured the imagination of India's wired and wireless customers. By deploying the best Voice SMS solution on the market, Airtel is staying one step ahead of its competition."

350,000 Cybershots Recalled by Sony

Sony Corp has announced recalling nearly 350,000 Cyber-shot digital cameras because of a defect that can cause the bottom metal plating to peel off and cut or scratch the user's hands.

The company posted an advisory on it's Web site saying it has recently discovered the problem with some DSC-T5 Cyber-shot digital still cameras that causes the metal coating on the bottom to peel and warp resulting in cuts or scratches to the user's skin.
Sony will replace the defective part, and pay shipping for free for customers with cameras affected by the problem. Incidentally, the problem plagues cameras with serial numbers from 3500001 to 3574100, said Sony.

Reportedly, the recall is applicable to around 284,000 Cyber-shot cameras that were sold in the US, and about 66,000 that were sold in Japan.

After Canon, Sony is considered the world's second largest digital camera maker.

Desktop from Disney, Lenovo

Lenovo, along with Disney Consumer Products, has launched a Lenovo 3000 H limited edition Power Rangers Mystic Force-themed desktop, targeted at children.

The desktop features a vibrant red skin with the valiant superheroes of the Mystic Force Series. It forms a colorful sleek casing around the curves and contours of the PC symmetrically, offering a bubble- and wrinkle- free finish.
Rahul Agarwal, vice president of marketing, Lenovo India, said, "Today, PC purchasing decisions in the family are largely driven by the demands and needs of youngsters. Besides being tech savvy, children today look for style and individuality. The Lenovo 3000 H limited edition Power Rangers desktop has been designed and developed, keeping all these requirements in mind, making it the ideal computer for youngsters."

Roshni Bakshi, director of disney consumer products (India), said, "Disney is combining cutting-edge technology with fantastic storytelling to create unique entertainment experiences that continue to delight consumers worldwide."

The 3000 H limited edition Power Ranger desktop features a standard 17-inch LCD monitor, and is powered by the latest Intel Core 2 Duo Processor E 4400 2.00Ghz. The desktop comes with 1GB RAM, a 250 GB HDD, 16XDVD +RW drive, in-built modem, Power Ranger branded speakers, and an optical mouse. It is pre-loaded with Microsoft Vista Home Basic edition, and bundles a special anti-bacterial keyboard from Lenovo.

Lenovo's latest desktop will be rolled-out in phases. In the first phase, it will be made available in 6 cities including Mumbai, Lucknow, Calcutta, Bangalore, Chandigarh, and Delhi, beginning August 6th, 2007. The desktop is priced upwards of Rs 40,100, and will be available through Lenovo authorized storefronts.

Wait Got Longer for GTA IV Fans

Take-Two Interactive Software has reportedly pushed the release of it's much awaited sequel, Grand Theft Auto IV (GTA IV), to next year, citing further development as reason for the delay.

Previously, the game was slated for an October 2007 release. With the delay, the game will now be launched sometime in April 2008.
Offering a rationale for the delay, the company said they need more time to develop the game.

GTA IV has been under development for simultaneous release on both Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3.

The delay spells disappointment for both companies, who were up until now, expecting GTA IV to be a driving factor in pushing up sales of their Gen-Next consoles.

Meanwhile, Microsoft had reportedly earlier on penned a $50 million deal with Take-Two for exclusive episodes of GTA IV as well as additional game levels and missions to be made available on it's Xbox 360.

Add to that the sagging sales of PS3 as compared to those of Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii, and you have a losing match for Sony... almost..

iPhone Gets First Firmware Update

Reportedly, the first firmware update for Apple Computer's iPhone has been released -- two days before Apple Computer's self-imposed deadline for doing so...

Now available for download, update version 1.0.1, addresses security issues with iPhone's Safari Web browser. The most important being the hijacking of the iPhone, which could happen when a user visits a malicious Web site using the Safari browser, with the hacker grabbing complete access to the iPhone and it's data.

Update version 1.0.1 also fixes two more flaws in the Safari Web browser; namely in WebCore and WebKit. WebCore is a part of the WebKit application framework that handles HTML rendering in Mac OS.

Apple's newest update is delivered through it's iTunes software, and does not appear on the regular software update panel, or on the company's support download site.

Apple says iTunes will automatically check it's update servers every week, and download relevant updates. So the next time when users connect the iPhone to a PC, an alert would appear asking them to install the update.

Alternately, users can get the update manually by checking on the "Check for Updates" button under the iTunes Help menu.

'DishTV on Computer' Introduced

DishTV has reportedly introduced 'DishTV on computer', which is a special set top box which when connected to a desktop PC, helps consumers easily alternate between a computer and Live TV.

'DishTV on computer' extends the DishTV experience to the computer, offering consumers a dual advantage, as also an array of 171 channels to choose from, along with value added services, active features, gaming, etc.

Besides, installing a 'DishTV on computer' is similar to installing a regular DishTV, wherein the set top box is installed on the roof/terrace/balcony facing a particular direction, and the VGA box or special, computer-compatible set top box is connected to the PC.

Commenting on the launch, Jawahar Goel, managing director of DishTV, said that 'DishTV on computer' will provide customers with a digital TV viewing experience while working on a computer -- at just the click of a button.

According to DishTV, 'DishTV on computer' is ideal for consumers who possess a TV and a computer, or those who want to swap between computer and TV viewing, or computer geeks who do not have a TV, etc.

The company intends launching the product in a phased manner, currently being made available in select cities, including Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Kolkata, Pune, Ahmedabad, and Hyderabad.

The VGA box is available through hi-end consumer durable outlets that already sell DishTV. As also through computer and peripherals outlets via a special tie-up with TVSE. It is priced at Rs 4,150, inclusive of equipment, installation, and taxes.

Spice Unveils Dual Mode Phone

Spice Mobile has newly launched a dual-mode handset wherein both GSM- and CDMA- based mobile connections can be activated. The dual-mode phone is meant for Tier II and Tier III cities, the company said.

During the launch, Kunal Ahooja, chief executive officer of Spice Mobile, said the new phone is targeted at all those who have two cell numbers but want the convenience of carrying just one phone. Ahooja said an estimated 8 percent of the total number of mobile phone subscribers already own two numbers.

Ahooja also hinted at the possibility of the company launching a 'people's phone' to cost less than Rs 1,000. He said Spice would likely start manufacturing these low-cost handsets in 2008.

Meanwhile the dual-mode phone has been launched in two variants: the D-88, which supports both GSM and CDMA active connections at the same time; and the D-80, which supports two GSM active connections, and is useful for travellers operating in the local area.

The D-80 carries a price tag of Rs 9,849 while the D-88 is yet to hit the market.

Sony Ericsson Unveils the P1i

Sony Ericsson has unveiled its newest pocket-sized smart phone, the P1i.

Based on Symbian OS (v9.1), the P1i has a 2.6-inch touch screen and a 3.2 megapixel auto-focus camera.

The P1i smart phone packs a number of interesting features such as: 3-way text input including a QWERTY keypad plus handwriting recognition; and WiFi, VoIP, and GPS support with external GPS receiver, Bluetooth, and BlackBerry support.

The hi-speed UMTS and WiFi ensure high-speed Web browsing and download, the company said; while the pre-loaded Exchange ActiveSync and BlackBerry Connect allows push email for managing messages.

The smart phone also integrates a digital music player, a preset stereo FM radio, and expandable memory slot with 1GB card bundled. It has an internal phone memory of 160MB. With Mobile TV - H.264 playback, mobile TV can be streamed to the mobile screen.

Along with business tool applications, the P1i also bundles a voucher worth US $175, which can be used to buy applications from www.p1-choice.com.

The Sony Ericsson P1i smart phone comes with a price tag of Rs 24,000.

Motorola, Tata Unveil the Moto Q

Motorola and Tata Teleservices today launched the Moto Q in the country.

The ultra-thin QWERTY device is based on a Qualcomm Multimedia Platform chipset designed to drive rapid development and adoption of high-speed wireless data applications. And, the phone runs on the Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 operating system.

Malcolm Dawe, vice president and general manager, Motorola India Mobile Devices, said, "The Moto Q is a must-have device that enables true seamless mobility by liberating all of us from the constraints of our offices and living rooms. It brings together all converged solutions users need to work, stay in touch, and have fun. With best voice, data, and design technology in one ultra-thin, intelligent, hard-working device, the Moto Q enables increased productivity and entertainment on-the-go."

Vinayak Deshpande, president of Enterprise and HNI Business at Tata Teleservices, said, "It gives us great pleasure to further widen our association with Motorola. At Tata Teleservices, it is our constant endeavor to enhance the quality and convenience of everyday life, through the use of superior technology available at a reasonable cost."

With the Windows Mobile 5.0 OS, Motorola believes it is putting an 'intelligent' device into users' pockets. The phone offers built-in rich multimedia functionality, and Bluetooth stereo music streaming. It comes pre-loaded with the full-length Bollywood movie 'Dus', 5 MP3 songs, and customized wallpapers.

Salient features of the phone include: integrated Bluetooth 1.2 wireless technology with stereo profile support for communicating with Bluetooth-enabled headsets, car kits, and other devices; integrated 1.3 megapixel camera with video playback and capture; fast downloads of data, email, and large attachments; familiar thumbwheel to enhance navigation; synchronization with email, calendar, contacts, and tasks entries; and integration with Windows Mobile 5.0 OS for user convenience and access to Yahoo!, Hotmail, and other POP3 services.

The Moto Q can also be availed on the Tata Teleservices' exclusive Business Platinum 649 plan, wherein subscribers can enjoy free monthly usage of up to 512MB. They can also get Rs 150 worth of free local calling.

This exclusive package carries a price tag of Rs 19,999, and comes along with a 512MB miniSD card with preloaded content as well as an additonal high capacity (1640mAH) battery.

Ubisoft Debuts 'LOST' Trailer

Like in the TV show of the same name, viewers are kept on the edge-of-their-seats, waiting -- only to be thrown the next scrap of information, Ubisoft has finally released the trailer of it's LOST game (Xbox 360, PS3, and PC) -- to actually reveal very little of it...

While not confirmed, the trailer does hint at the identity of the hero -- a passenger who was on board the doomed Oceanic Flight 815 -- but who is in all probability a new character who hasn't appeared on the TV show yet.

Whereas the storyline of the game is much like that of the TV show with action on the island interspersed with flashbacks revealing the murky past of the many characters.

Interestingly, the elusive, sinewy stream of black smoke that appears mostly without warning on the show is something that gamers would get to cross swords/wits with in the game.

Apparently, executive producers of the TV show, LOST, Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse, who've obviously seen much more of the game, said that the game captures the sense of adventure and suspense they've strived to achieve in the show.

The producers have commended Ubisoft for a visually amazing game that is imaginative in its own right, as well as seen as an extension of the world of the show.

Latest Muse: Owning VIP Numbers?

The latest status symbol might well be -- owning a VIP cell phone number...

If reports are to be believed, 26-year-old Amit Malhotra from Ludhiana, son of a city garment manufacturer and property dealer, spent a whopping Rs 15.50 lakhs for the big-ticket mobile number 9780000000.

Apparently, even by Ludhiana standards, this is a slightly over-the-top proposition. Nevertheless, the move has catapulted Amit to VVIP status overnight.

His father, Vijay Malhotra, was quoted as saying that this isn't something new for his son, and that he has always chosen VIP numbers as belongings. Just that this time round, he's blown up a huge amount of money on it...

Meanwhile, an unfazed Amit admitted that he borrowed money from friends and relatives so that he could buy the number but that he would repay them soon.

All said, while a part of India that is seen as rich and fat might pride itself on this kind of obscenely ostentatious spending, what about the phone company -- in this case Hutch -- which actually conducted an auction of the VIP cell phone numbers?

Amit, who had previously applied for such a number; went through a phone auction that lasted from Tuesday morning through Wednesday evening, and haggled alongside 4 other eager customers to eventually seal the big win.

No surprise then that no more details -- either about the auction, or the bidders, or the bid amounts are known yet...

What Windows 7.0 Might Look Like!

On the back of Acer president, Gianfranco Lanci's open attack on Microsoft Windows Vista comes a serious round of speculation regarding what might constitute Microsoft's upcoming sequel to Vista, currently called Windows 7.0.

More so because Microsoft remains tight-lipped about it's next major release -- except for a few details like Windows 7.0 will release sometime in 2010, will be a full OS release, and will come in both 32-bit and 64-bit versions.

So for now, we will have to settle with what analysts say Windows 7.0 will probably look like...

For starters, they say Windows 7.0 will have less 'new' features than it will -- improvements on some of the new ones incorporated in Windows Vista.

For instance, Vista's Bitlocker encryption is one feature that Microsoft might want to improve upon in Windows 7.0.

Also, thanks to Vista's 'very large footprint', hardware utilization and performance is another area which needs working upon.

In this context, it would do well to recall an earlier speech by Ben Fathi, corporate vice president of development with Microsoft's Windows Core Operating System Division, wherein he said a 'fundamental piece of enabling technology such as a hypervisor or a drastic change in the UI would likely turn up in Windows 7.0'.

Analysts believe that while both a hypervisor and a new user interface (UI) are distinct possibilities for Windows 7.0, the former is almost a given. The reason being Microsoft would get more control over the hardware it's OS runs on by integrating a hypervisor in Windows 7.0.

Meanwhile, chances are Windows 7.0 might also get a touch-screen UI -- something on the lines of the Apple iPhone's UI.

And, desktop search too, a new feature built into Vista, has space for improvement. Reportedly, Microsoft has said it will link desktop search to Windows Server 2008 so that desktop users can search for files on the server in addition to just local files.

King Khan Says he's a Gizmo Freak!!!

If reports are to be believed, King Khan is also 'tech savvy' as he is acting savvy...

During a Hewlett Packard event yesterday, Shah Rukh 'Don' Khan actually confirmed this...

Speaking to this correspondent, SRK, as he is fondly called, said it's through technology that a child, the society, and the country can progress. "I believe that technology is the promise of tomorrow," he said.

A self-confessed gizmo freak, the debonair Khan said, "The day a new gizmo hits the market, I grab it. Its in fact kind of a 'first day first show' for me."

A tad wary of computers, SRK feels every now and then you need to update and upgrade your PC with the latest software available in the market.

Meanwhile, he loves his laptop, and ferries it along wherever he goes.
"In fact I have stopped writing. I use my laptop for everything -- script reading, editing, going through shots at film shoots, et al."

All said, he believes that in today's day and age, every household - every child - in fact, everyone with a dream - must have a PC.

Known to be a devoted father, Shah Rukh said he allows his kids to mess with his PC. One can always retrieve what is lost, he says.

Of course it irritates when kids keep pestering you with questions. But he informs that the simple way out is to ask your kid to search whatever it is that he/she is looking for on the net.

Shah Rukh's penchant for technology is much publicized. In fact, the Bollywood buzz is that he's set-up a gaming zone in his gym to play virtual games every night after work-outs.

The other thing he likes is dabbling in visual effects. Which might explain why he's signed S Shankar, director of "Sivaji: The Boss" for his next film. Shankar is credited with some of the best computer graphics in his films.

WCG'07 India Leg in August

eginning August 11th, 2007, Indiagames, exclusive Indian franchise owner of the World Cyber Games (WCG) competition, will conduct the India national qualifiers for WCG 2007 across 7 cities in the country.

The cities include: Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Delhi, and Pune. Meanwhile, the global finals will be held October this year at Seattle in Washington, USA.

The India leg of the competition will culminate in an India Finals in Mumbai where ten finalists will be selected, who will get to fly to Seattle on an all expenses paid trip to represent India in the global finals.

There's Rs 15 lakhs in prize money to be won during WCG India. Whereas, the global finals will see finalists from various countries compete for the grand prize of $300,000.

A mix of solo and team games will be featured at WCG India, including
Counter Strike, FIFA, Need for Speed, Warcroft, Age of Empires (PC version), and Project Gotham Racing (Xbox 360).

With support from partners including Samsung Electronics, Microsoft Xbox 360, Kingston, Radio Mirchi, Bindass, NASSCOM, and CII (Confederation of Indian Industry), this year's global WCG 2007 sports the theme 'Beyond the Game' which means the WCG aims to go beyond just being a world gaming event to creating global ties and harmony.

Speaking on the occasion, Vishal Gondal, chief executive officer of Indiagames, said, "The World Cyber Games is the premier blue chip global video game tournament and culture festival. We are proud to be associated with WCG year-on-year. WCG has, over a period of time promoted global harmony through e-sports, and has grown steadily ever since. With international exposure, Indian gamers have honed their skills quickly, and the competition is getting more intense every year."

The India qualifiers will be held as follows:
New Delhi (11 and 12 August)
Chennai (18 and 19 August)
Kolkatta (18 and 19 August)
Hyderabad (23 and 24 August)
Bangalore (28 and 29 August)
Pune (2 and 3 September)
Mumbai (7th and 8th September)

The India Finals will be held in Mumbai on the 9th of September.

Registration for WCG India qualifiers opens 23rd July onwards, and is on till 4th September 2007. To register, users need to log on to: http://www.wcgindia.com.

Ubisoft Announces Far Cry 2!!!

Ubisoft has officially announced the sequel to it's highly acclaimed first-person-shooter (FPS) game, 'Far Cry', but is holding back on any kind of details.

"Far Cry 2" is presently being developed by Ubisoft's Montreal studio, while it's prequel was developed by German development studio, Crytek (Crysis).

The intellectual property rights to the 'Far Cry' franchise were taken over by Ubisoft in March 2006. 'Far Cry' reportedly won PC Gamer's 'Action Game of the Year' Award in 2004.

Commenting on the 'Far Cry' franchise, Tony Key, vice president of marketing at Ubisoft, said, "Far Cry marked the beginning of a new era for shooters. An era of gorgeous graphics, and of advanced artificial intelligence. We are confident that 'Far Cry 2' will have the same impact again on the FPS landscape."

As the game has just been announced -- that too the PC version, it appears that fans of 'Far Cry' will have to wait until spring next year to get a feel of the game's next iteration...

RIM Announces the Wi-Fi BlackBerry

Research in Motion (RIM) has announced it's newest BlackBerry 8820, which apart from being the thinnest in RIM's portfolio, is the first BlackBerry to feature dual-mode operation -- both cellular and Wi-Fi.

The BlackBerry 8820 combines EDGE/GPRS/GSM cellular with Wi-Fi connectivity.

Featuring a full QWERTY keyboard, large and bright display (320 x 240), user-friendly trackball navigation, and voice and data functionality, the 8820 also has built-in GPS and latest media player enhancements. Besides, it has a microSD/microSDHC expandable memory slot of up to 32GB.

Mike Lazaridis, president and co-chief executive officer at RIM, said, "The BlackBerry 8820 features all the renowned power and usability of the BlackBerry platform with executive class styling and unprecedented connectivity features, including cellular, Wi-Fi, and built-in GPS. It complements our carrier partners' cellular networks with the added ability to stay connected via Wi-Fi at home, through hotspots, and corporate campuses."

The Wi-Fi BlackBerry supports the 802.11 a/b/g Wi-Fi standards to enable data access over Wi-Fi connections. It is capable of working in conjunction with both Enterprise Server and Internet Service.

Users can switch between cellular networks and Wi-Fi networks to access email, instant messaging, organizer, Web browsing, and other mobile data applications.

RIM's smart phone is compliant with Wi-Fi security protocols, including WEP (Wireless Equivalency Protocol), WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access), and WPA2, as well as Cisco Compatible Extensions for simple, secure connectivity with Cisco wireless solutions.

On the multimedia side, the BlackBerry 8820 supports Bluetooth stereo audio profile, and comes with a new desktop media manager -- the Roxio Media Manager for BlackBerry based on the Roxio Easy Media Creator 9.

The thin Wi-Fi enabled BlackBerry 8820 is expected to be available in the country soon -- from select wireless carriers.

The Nokia N77 Now in India!

Nokia has announced availability of one more of it's DVB-H enabled handsets, the N77, in the country. DVB-H enabled N92 was launched just last month by the company.

Most importantly, the N77 supports Live TV broadcast; currently offering 8 free-to-air Doordarshan channels, including DD National, DD News, DD Sports, DD Bharati, DD Urdu, DD Punjabi, DD Bangla, and DD Podhigai in New Delhi. There are plans to extend the service to other metros in the country, as also offer other TV channels on the N77.

The N77, which promises to take TV out of the living room and into the open, features a wide 2.4-inch flat screen, high quality stereo, and dedicated TV keys for direct access to TV programs.

The multimedia device can remember the last channel viewed by the user, or help users set reminders to alert them about their favorite TV programs.

N77 features: a program guide giving program information up to 7 days, 30-second replay plus live TV watching after replay, interactive services such as SMS voting to decide which music video will play next, etc.

The phone comes with a 2 megapixel camera (1600 x 1200 pixels), integrated MP3 playerweb browsing, email access, calendar, and to-do lists.

With up to 2GB of memory to store up to 1,500 tracks, and integrated stereo speakers, the phone promises a superior mobile music experience.

The N77, based on S60 3rd Edition software on Symbian OS, is being offered in markets where commercial mobile TV services based on DVB-H technology are available.

Vineet Taneja, director of multimedia, Nokia India, said, "Television viewing has come a long way with close to 500-million viewers in the country today. With the growing popularity of mobile devices, and their capability to offer instant access to information and entertainment, the launch of the N92 and the N77 will bring in perfect synergy between television content and the mobile platform."

"The ability to watch live television on a mobile device has never been so easy. The wide 2.4 flat screen with up to 16 million colors and high quality stereo sound makes it the ideal personal mobile device for enjoying live TV and music on the move," Taneja said.

The Nokia N77 is immediately available across the country for around Rs 22,529.

Things You'd Like to Know

The term 'computer' originally referred to a person who performed numerical calculations, often with the help of a mechanical calculating device.

What distinguishes modern day computers from all other machines is that they can be programmed. To put it simply, a program or a list of instructions can be given to the computer, which stores the program, and executes it at a later point in time.

Early electronic computers were actually about the size of a large room, and used about as much power as that of several hundred computers put together.

Today, most people think 'personal computer' or 'laptop computer' when they think computer. However, in actuality, the most common form of computer in use today is the 'embedded computer', which is a small device used to control other devices.

The distinction of being the first portable computer goes to the 'Xerox NoteTaker', developed at Xerox PARC in 1976. The first commercially available portable computer was the 'Osborne 1' developed in 1981. However the first true laptop was the 'GRiD Compass 1101', designed by Bill Moggridge in 1979-1980, and released in 1982. The 'GRiD Compass 1101' first introduced the now popular clamshell design. It had a 320 x 200 pixels plasma display and a 384 kibibyte bubble memory, and costed about $8,000 to $10,000. The 'GRiD Compass 1101' was used heavily by the US Military and by NASA on the Space Shuttle during the 1980s.

The first 'luggable' machine from Apple Computer was the 1989 Macintosh Portable which sported a clear matrix display and a long battery life among others.

A typical modern computer is capable of executing billions of instructions every second, and will nearly never make a mistake over years of operation.

The central processing unit (CPU) of a computer comprises it's control unit, Arithmetic and Logic unit or ALU, registers, and basic input and output devices or I/O. Early CPUs were made up of separate components. However with the introduction of the first microprocessor (Intel 4004) and the first widely-used microprocessor (Intel 8080) in 1970, this class of CPUs has almost completely taken over all other CPU implementation methods.

In the event software is stored in hardware that cannot be easily modified, it is sometimes called 'firmware' to indicate it comes under a grey area somewhere between hardware and software.

Apple Computer's Macintosh or Mac computer system derives it's name from McIntosh, a popular type of apple. And, a computer scientist by the name Jef Raskin is credited with this nomenclature.

The term 'booting' or 'bootstrapping' a computer derives from the story of Baron Munchhausen who at one instance, pulled himself out of a swamp by the straps on his boots.

The term, 'Bug' as we know today refers to a fault in a computer program that prevents it from working correctly. The term is often but erroneously credited to Grace Hopper, who in 1946 after joining the Harvard Faculty at the Computation Laboratory traced an error in the Harvard Mark II to a moth trapped in a relay. The bug was instantly removed and taped to the log book.

Slim New PSP September Onwards

PlayStation Portable (PSP) fans will love this...

At the ongoing E3 Media and Business Summit, Sony has reportedly unveiled a slimmer and lighter PSP with a video-out port.

At 189g weight and 18.67mm thickness, the company says the new PSP is nearly 19 percent slimmer and 33 percent lighter than its predecessor, while sporting the basic design and functions of the original version, including the 4.3-inch high resolution screen.

The video-out port enables users view high quality UMD (Universal Media Disc) videos, pictures, and movies from Memory Stick Duo, as well as game software titles on their TV sets.

The new PSP's enhanced features help it store game data from UMD, thereby reducing load times during game play. The handheld can be charged through PS3 or PC via USB cable during data transfer.

The new and improved PSP will be available September onwards in three basic colors; Piano Black, Ceramic White, and Ice Silver. It will sport a price tag of around $199.99 (Rs 8,092).

The buzz is that this is Sony's attempt at thwarting increased competition from Nintendo. In fact, just recently, we did carry stories about Nintendo Wii outselling the Sony PS3 as also Sony slashing the price of PS3 in USA

Slim New PSP September Onwards

PlayStation Portable (PSP) fans will love this...

At the ongoing E3 Media and Business Summit, Sony has reportedly unveiled a slimmer and lighter PSP with a video-out port.

At 189g weight and 18.67mm thickness, the company says the new PSP is nearly 19 percent slimmer and 33 percent lighter than its predecessor, while sporting the basic design and functions of the original version, including the 4.3-inch high resolution screen.

The video-out port enables users view high quality UMD (Universal Media Disc) videos, pictures, and movies from Memory Stick Duo, as well as game software titles on their TV sets.

The new PSP's enhanced features help it store game data from UMD, thereby reducing load times during game play. The handheld can be charged through PS3 or PC via USB cable during data transfer.

The new and improved PSP will be available September onwards in three basic colors; Piano Black, Ceramic White, and Ice Silver. It will sport a price tag of around $199.99 (Rs 8,092).

The buzz is that this is Sony's attempt at thwarting increased competition from Nintendo. In fact, just recently, we did carry stories about Nintendo Wii outselling the Sony PS3 as also Sony slashing the price of PS3 in USA

Sony Slashing PS3 Prices in the US

Just last week, there were reports saying Sony has no plans to slash prices of its PlayStation 3 (PS3) gaming console.

And now there are reports saying the contradictory -- that the company is indeed lowering the price of its 60GB PS3 model in the US by $100, bringing down the price to $500. Reportedly, the price cut is a result of slow paced sales of the console.

Commenting on the price cut, Jack Tretton, chief executive of Sony Computer Entertainment America, said the initial expectation is that sales should double in the least.

However, industry analysts are of the view that the price cut will not double sales - probably boost them by 50 percent so as to reach a figure of about 120,000 units per month.

The price cut is also being seen as a counter measure to the growing popularity of rival consoles, including Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii.

A report by the NPD Group, a market research company, stated that as of May 2007, around 5.6 million units of Xbox 360 and 2.8 million units of Wii were sold in the US market; while only 1.4 million units of the PS3 were sold.

Since its launch in November last year, PS3 has always been criticized for carrying an expensive tag. Even after the price cut, the console continues to remain the most expensive Gen-Next gaming console.

Apart from the price cut, Sony has announced plans to introduce an 80GB PS3 model for $600 along with a copy of "Motorstorm," a popular off-road racing game.

Sony is hoping that it will also gain from the alleged high failure rate of Microsoft's Xbox 360. Tretton remarked that Sony is proud of the fact that its PS3 has the lowest failure rate for any PlayStation product.

Geeks Rush to Dismantle the iPhone

This time round, Apple's iPhone lives to tell a different kind of story...

According to reports, just as there were enthusiasts waiting to get their hands on the iPhone, there were these tech freaks who made a mad dash to dismantle the device...

They all but ended up revealing the innards of the iPhone -- something that Apple had tried hard to conceal...

Going by the revelations made by these tech revellers, pride-of-place indeed goes to Samsung Electronics, identified as the supplier of the iPhone's main microprocessor as also of NAND flash memory.

Intel turns out the supplier of NOR flash memory, while Broadcom is the maker of the controller chip for the iPhone.

Texas Instruments is identified as the supplier of a power management chip, whereas Infineon Technologies turns out the maker of parts that handle cellular communications.

The power amplifier is from Skyworks Solutions, while the battery charger chip is from Linear Technology.

Meanwhile, Cambridge Silicon Radio is the maker of the chips that allow Bluetooth wireless connectivity; Marvell Technology Group the provider of the chips that allow the iPhone to connect over WiFi networks; and National Semiconductor Corp the maker of the iPhone's display chip.

Reportedly, stocks of all but a few component makers soared post the discovery.

Chances are: if the iPhone lives up to all the hype, part/component/chip makers too will partake of the Apple-induced gravy train...

Apple iPhone Arrives in the US!

It's official... Apple Computer's iPhone has made it to stores... finally...

And if reports are to be believed, the iconic phone-cum-iPod-cum mobile Internet device is not faring too badly...

Despite all the speculation and the 'expensive' tags, Apple has sold around 525,000 iPhones beginning Friday 6.00pm through close of business Sunday.

No doubt, many users have been complaining of activation problems.

But then the scramble of people wanting to activate their iPhones through iTunes possibly succeeded in overwhelming AT&T's servers.

An AT&T spokesperson said they are working on these issues on an individual basis -- with customers who've been impacted.

Meanwhile, Apple's iPhone has arrived to great expectations... Moreso because of the company's earlier innovation -- the iPod -- that steadily rose to iconic stature.

However observers feel that while the iPod landed in a market full of not-so-great MP3 players, it's a completely different ball game for the iPhone, which awakens to a pretty-much mature market.

When Apple Chief, Steve Jobs, unveiled the device in January this year, he expressed confidence that they would capture at least 1 percent of the market -- which is the equivalent of 10 million phones -- by end 2008.

It remains to be seen how far Apple's 'cool and fun' device goes...

New Worm Thrives on Potter Mania!

Sophos has warned against a new computer worm, which is feeding on the fresh lease of 'Potter mania' across the globe, thanks to the impending release of J K Rowling's last, and the looming premiere of the fifth of the wildly popular series.

The worm named 'W32/Hairy-A' is capable of automatically infecting users' PCs when they plug-in USB drives carrying a file that poses as a copy of that much awaited novel, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows".

If the USB drives are allowed to 'auto-run', users would see a file called HarryPotter-TheDeathlyHallows.doc.

Open this Word document, and it will simply say, "Harry Potter is dead." The worm would then look for other removable drives to infect.

And, it will create a whole lot of new users based on the main characters of Rowling's books. When users log in, they will see the following:

read and repent
the end is near
repent from your evil ways O Ye folks
lest you burn in hell... JK Rowling especially

Apart from this, whenever users open Internet Explorer, they will be redirected to an Amazon.com Web page, selling parodies of Potter books, for instance, "Harry Putter and the Chamber of Cheesecakes".

Commenting on the worm, Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant, Sophos, said such social engineering is a trick dastardly enough even for Lord Voldemort...

Cluley remarked that the Hairy worm belongs to the 'old school' as it appears to have been written more as a vehicle to show-off, rather than for any financial gains.

Meanwhile, Sophos claims it has been upholding the cause of the residents of Hogwarts School by automatically protecting customers from this worm since 19:42 GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) on 27 June 2007.

Nokia E90 Communicator Available

Nokia India has unveiled the first enterprise phone in the country, the Nokia E90 Communicator, which offers email access, Web browsing, and a Maps application, among others.

The E90 features two cameras: a 3.2 megapixel camera with flash and auto-focus, and a QCIF one for video conferencing.

The phone includes features such as an FM radio, a music player, a video player, 'active notes' for taking notes and tagging them to individual names, 'Quickoffice' for viewing, opening, and editing email attachments, Zip Manager, and Adobe Acrobat Reader.

The Communicator also has an integrated GPS and Nokia Maps application to help users find routes and locate services.

E90 offers fast connections over WLAN and HSDPA with enhanced 3G for mobile use of data and transmission of rich applications.

With the Nokia S60 browser with 16-million colors, the phone is capable of displaying the full width of a Web page at once.

Speaking at the launch, Chakrapani GK, country general manager of Nokia Enterprise Solutions, said, "The launch of Nokia E90 Communicator is the tipping point for business mobility in India. With the launch of Nokia E90, we are bringing an altogether new and expanded view of business mobility to the market place, as well as a culmination of power, performance, and productivity."

The Nokia E90 Communicator is available across the country for Rs 40,499 (inclusive of taxes).

'Carcassonne' Comes to XBLA

Microsoft reportedly today released Sierra Online's popular board game, 'Carcassonne' on the Xbox Live Arcade (XBLA).

The game is inspired by a real city of the same name, 'Carcassonne' located in the South of France, which is famed for its huge walls and fortifications that were originally built to ward-off potential conquerors and adventurers during the city's hey-days. Way back in the Middle Ages, the city witnessed a string of rulers come and go as it gained in strategic and historic importance.

In 'Carcassonne' the game, players start-off with an empty palate and one square tile, and then proceed to build a medieval walled city, earning points along the way.

While up to 4 people can play on the same Xbox 360, nearly 5 people can play over Xbox Live. Alternately, players can choose to go solo
if they so wish.

Game play kicks-off with a single tile placed face-up on the playing field. There on, players take turns to draw tiles at random, placing them adjacent to other similar looking tiles on the board. A city is created when players manage to connect wall pieces that enclose an entire area.

A sort of cross between puzzle solving and strategic planning, the game ends when all 72 tiles are placed on the playing field.

Apart from the 72-tile game, there's a 12-tile River expansion as well as other expansions to the basic game.

Players stand to win up to 200 gamerscore points and 12 achievements in this game.

Besides, Sierra Online has included support for the Xbox Live Vision camera, a tutorial mode, and online multiplayer.

The game 'Carcassonne' is available today onwards on the Xbox Live Arcade. It's been given an 'E' for everyone rating, and will be available for 800 Microsoft points which is about $10 or Rs 450 approximately.

Nokia's 'Computer Done Beautifully'

Can art meet intelligence? Nokia dares to say 'yes' with its new Nokia N76 that was launched in the capital today.

Sporting a sleek fold design, the N76 has 'Quick Cover Keys', and promises a premium mobile music experience among others.

The phone offers pre-burnt music videos from across-the-globe, including 'Hips Don't Lie' and 'Illegal' by Shakira; 'Crazy in Love' by Destiny's Child; and 'Get Right' by Jennifer Lopez; as well as our very own, 'It's the time to Disco' and 'Zinda Hoon Main', to name a few.

Speaking at the launch, Vineet Taneja, director multimedia, Nokia India, said, "The N76 is a perfect embodiment of leading-edge technology in a stunningly new sleek form factor. This latest addition to the Nokia Nseries portfolio brings a wide range of multimedia experiences to consumers, enabling them to create, consume, and connect, using music, videos, images, and the Internet."

The N76 features a 2 megapixel camera, 2.4-inch QVGA display with up to 16 million colors, dedicated 'Quick Cover Keys' for capturing those special moments without having to open the phone, 2GB memory card for holding up to 1,500 tracks, and MicroSD card slot.

N76 supports music formats including MP3, WAV, MIDI, WMA, M4A, AAC, AAC+, and eAAC+, and works with standard 3.5mm headphones.

The Nseries phone packs Adobe Photoshop Album Starter Edition, and allows users edit pictures and transfer to compatible PCs.

Other features of the phone include: Nokia Web Browser with MiniMap, and the ability to access popular Internet services such as Flickr and Amazon for searching/shopping/sharing.

Based on S60 3rd Edition software on Symbian OS, the N76 supports Quadband GSM networks, and comes with data connectivity features like EDGE, GPRS, and 3G. It is also enabled with Bluetooth v2.0 for data transfer.

Available in two colors, Metallic Red and Black, the Nokia N76 is available for Rs 21,500 approximately.

The Web's Ten Most Irritating Words

Can you believe that the World Wide Web has actually spawned words that might make users want to pull at their hair in frustration?

British pollsters, YouGov, conducted a poll for Web publisher Lulu.com, creator of the Blooker Prize that converts Web diaries/Blogs into Web books or Blooks, and came up with a string of not so happening words on the Web...

Topping the list of irksome words is 'Folksonomy', a Web classification system, followed by 'Blogosphere' at second place.

'Blog itself comes in at third position, followed by 'Netiquette' aka Web etiquette at fourth place.

The fifth most irritating word is 'Blook' or a book based on a Blog. At sixth, seventh, and eighth place respectively are 'Webinar', 'Vlog' or video Blog, and 'Social Networking'.

Qualifying as the ninth most irksome word is 'Cookie', a file sent to a user's computer after he/she visits a Web site. At tenth place is 'Wiki', meaning a collaborative Web site edited by its readers.

Reportedly, a universe comprising about 2,091 adults was questioned by the poll pundits to come up with these results.

Bob Young, Canadian founder of Lulu.com, expressed the view that the World Wide Web tirelessly continues to churn out new words so much so that there is now possibility for a new language aka Web-lish which could well be the new English.

Previously, even the Collins English Dictionary had announced that a string of words inspired by the Web would be given pride-of-place in their ninth edition. These include: 'me-media'; a term for personal content Web sites like Facebook and godcast, which is a religious service that has been converted into an MP3 format.

BlackBerry Curve Makes India Cut

The RIM (Research in Motion) "BlackBerry Curve" was today launched in the India market.

Measuring about 107-mm x 60-mm x 15.5-mm, and weighing-in at 111 grams, the "BlackBerry Curve" sure looks like the smallest and the lightest Qwerty smart phone from RIM. It is a smooth-edged phone with chrome highlights having a large display and RIM's trackball navigation system.

The "Curve" comes with a 2 megapixel camera with 5x digital zoom, built-in flash, self-portrait mirror, and full screen viewfinder. The phone is equipped with a powerful media player and integrated speaker, and comes with a 3.5 mm stereo jack.

The smart phone also packs a new desktop media manager based on the Roxio Easy Media Creator 9. The media manager allows users easily search, view, and organize media files on the PC; create MP3 music files from CDs; add audio tags; create play lists; and automatically copy or convert pictures, music, and videos for optimal playback.

The phone's integrated media player has been refined, allowing users to search for music by simply typing the title, genre, artist, or album name.

During the launch, Norm Lo, vice president of RIM Asia Pacific, said, "The BlackBerry Curve combines consumer-friendly multimedia capabilities with industry-leading email and messaging experience in an elegant new smart phone design. The BlackBerry Curve will appeal to business professionals and consumers alike with its unique design, full Qwerty keyboard, robust email, full-features, Web browsing support, and powerful entertainment capabilities."

Featuring an ultra-bright 320 x 240 display, the "BlackBerry Curve" integrates light sensing and noise cancellation technologies.

Meanwhile, the "Curve" also includes other BlackBerry features such as integrated browser, speaker-independent voice recognition (SIVR) for voice activated dialing (VAD), Bluetooth 2.0, and dedicated keys for easy operation.

Supporting microSD expansion of up to 2GB, the "Curve" once again features both Internet service and the enterprise server, and is available from Hutch and Airtel at an approximate price of Rs 24,990.

Download DJ Mixer on Nokia Nseries

Nokia Nseries recently launched its 'DJ Mixer' remixing application that is downloadable on Nokia Nseries Music edition devices.

The application can be downloaded on Nokia's N70 Music Edition, N73 Music Edition, and N91 8GB Music Edition by sending 'Nseries DJ Mixer' as an SMS to 5555.

Once downloaded, 'DJ Mixer' helps users record and remix sounds/songs, and create their very own sound tracks. According to Nokia Nseries, 'DJ Mixer' is all about becoming a DJ on-the-go.

Incidentally, 'DJ Mixer' was launched as part of a bigger initiative by Nokia Nseries dubbed 'Nfusion'. 'Nfusion', a music competition, was inaugurated in February this year, and saw the likes of DJ Whosane!, DJ Nasha, and DJ Kris recording natural sounds on Nokia Nseries devices. They then remixed sounds and created their own sound tracks.

Users were invited to participate in the music competition via the 'Nfusion' Web site. Participants were required to create their own sound tracks, basis the ones created by the three DJs. Three winners were announced on the Web site, and a combination of their winning tracks and the tracks created by the DJs was rolled into one universal 'Nfusion' album by Nokia Nseries.

Nokia Nseries devices have always put a heavy premium on 'music-on-the-move', according to the company.

Nokia's N70 Music Edition, N73 Music Edition, and N91 8GB were all launched on the India market sometime in January this year. The new remixing application, 'DJ Mixer' is downloadable on these three Nseries devices only.

The N70 Music Edition features dedicated music keys, and a music-optimized headset with remote control, among others. Up to 700 songs can be enjoyed with the phone's 1GB memory card. This phone is available for around Rs 16,000.

The N73 Music Edition also features dedicated music keys and integrated stereo speakers, and supports a wide range of music formats. With this phone, users can enjoy up to 1,500 songs with its 2GB memory card. The phone is priced at about Rs 22,000.

Meanwhile, the N91 8GB features an 8GB hard drive for up to 130 hours of MP3 music and 500 hours of eAAC+ music. It includes dedicated music keys, an inbox music-optimized headset with remote control, Bluetooth stereo support, and wireless music transfer, among others. The N91 8GB is available for approximately Rs 27,000 to Rs 29,000.

Moto Latest is Optimized for Music

Motorola has launched its latest music-optimized handset, the Motorokr Z6.

Sporting a metallic slider design, and weighing-in at one ounce, the phone features a Linux/Java music platform with Windows Media technology. It allows users to plug and play with any personal computer running Windows Media Player 10 or 11.

Music can be accessed seamlessly with fast PC direct connectivity via High Speed USB 2.0. The phone's integrated music player supports multiple audio files, and has 64MB of on-board user memory, and a removable MicroSD memory card slot for up to 2GB of music, pictures, and other media.

For a quality picture- and video-capture experience, the Rokr Z6 comes with a built-in 2 megapixel camera along with a 320 x 240 resolution
262K color TFT display.

Besides, every Z6 comes pre-loaded with a full-length 2-hour music video titled "Roger Waters, The Wall, Live in Berlin".

The user interface (UI) provides rich layouts, ease-of-use, more personalization options, and improved predictive text input, amongst others.

Malcolm Dawe, vice president & general manager of Motorola Mobile Devices India, said, "With clean lines, an appealing silhouette, and a rich music experience, the Rokr Z6 provides an incredible experience."

The phone is powered by Music ID, a song identification service that enables users identify both the artist and album of songs being played in the vicinity. And it features Bluetooth wireless technology enabling users enjoy a wireless mobile stereo experience with compatible Bluetooth-enabled stereo headphones.

The Motorokr Z6 is available at all Motostores and participating retailers. The deluxe pack is available for Rs 11,999 whereas the premium pack that includes the Rokr S9 is available for Rs 15,499.

GTA IV Content on Xbox 360 only!

While Rockstar Games' much-hyped Grand Theft Auto IV is scheduled for release both on the PS3 and the Xbox 360 later this year, Xbox 360 owners appear a tad luckier of the two...

Take-Two Interactive, owners of the Grand Theft Auto (GTA) franchise, have confirmed that they will be delivering exclusive episodic downloadable content of GTA IV on the Xbox 360 version of the game.

Besides, additional game levels and missions will be made available for download over Xbox Live.

Going by reports, Microsoft has paid around $50 million to Take-Two Interactive to crack this deal.

With the first $25 million for the first episodic content package to be made available in March 2008, and the second $25 million for the second package to be made available later in 2008.

With this move, rumors that exclusive GTA IV episodes would be made available on the PlayStation network seem to have been put to rest.

Meanwhile, fans can expect GTA IV to release on both the PS3 and the Xbox 360 simultaneously on October 16, according to the company.

Yahoo! Mobile Portal in 12 Countries

Yahoo! has reportedly announced it will be launching its new generation Internet portal for mobile phones in as many as 12 countries.

The portal will be launched in India, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Indonesia, Malaysia, Italy, the Philippines, Spain, Thailand, and Vietnam, the company said.

Yahoo!'s portal will be pre-installed on all new Nokia, Motorola, Samsung, LG, RIM (Blackberry), and HTC mobile phones.

Yahoo! Go Mobile 2.0 will be pre-installed on most of the new models coming to the market in the coming months, Christophe Parcot, director general of Yahoo! France, said.

Besides surfing the Internet, Yahoo! says its new portal can be used to access email, search roads and satellite maps, and access other Internet services.

Meanwhile, according to reports, Google and Microsoft too have been aiming for new services in the mobile phone market.

Microsoft to Modify Windows Vista?

In response to an earlier complaint that Windows Vista's computer search function puts Google and other potential rivals at a disadvantage, Microsoft has finally agreed to modify its Gen-Next operating system.

This was reportedly announced by Microsoft and the US Justice Department yesterday.

A few months back, Google had filed a complaint with the Justice Department alleging that Windows Vista's desktop search feature does not leave sufficient room for rival search programs, including those of its own. That as such, users are finding it difficult to turn-off the Microsoft program.

As per Microsoft's latest agreement with the US Justice Department, 17 state attorneys general, and the District of Columbia, made public late yesterday, Microsoft will modify Windows Vista by building into it an option that allows users choose a default desktop search program.

With the new feature dubbed 'Instant Search', users will be able to enter search queries, and get result lists from their hard drives.

A source within Microsoft even said that the company will place links inside of Internet Explorer and the 'start' navigation menu to make it easier for users to access the default desktop search service.

And, these changes to the design and function of Windows Vista will be folded into a beta version of a service pack by end this year, the source said.

Commenting on the development, chief legal officer of Google, David Drummond, said the remedies are a step in the right direction but that they should be improved upon further to offer consumers greater access to alternate desktop search providers.

Meanwhile, Microsoft's making changes to Vista is being lauded as a step towards enforcing the consent decree that requires the company to help rivals build programs that run smoothly on Windows.