Monday 31 December 2012

Private picture of Mark Zuckerberg's sister leaks online

Zuckerberg_Sisters.jpg

Even Mark Zuckerberg's family can get tripped up by Facebook's privacy settings.
A picture that Zuckerberg's sister posted on her personal Facebook profile was seen by a marketing director, who then posted the picture to Twitter and her more than 40,000 followers Wednesday.
That didn't sit well with Zuckerberg's sister, Randi, who tweeted at Callie Schweitzer that the picture was meant for friends only and that posting the private picture on Twitter was "way uncool." Schweitzer replied by saying the picture popped up on her Facebook news feed.
The picture shows four people standing around a kitchen staring at their phones with their mouths open while Mark Zuckerberg is in the background.
Randi Zuckerberg, who used to run Facebook's marketing department and now produces a reality television show, eventually said Schweitzer was able to see the picture because they had a mutual friend. Those tweets have since been taken down.
Schweitzer declined to comment when reached by The Associated Press. Randi Zuckerberg didn't reply to a message via Twitter seeking comment.
Randi Zuckerberg used the dustup to write about online sharing etiquette.
"Digital etiquette: always ask permission before posting a friend's photo publicly. It's not about privacy settings, it's about human decency," she posted on Twitter.
But Randi Zuckerberg's comments sparked sharp reactions from people who thought the issue wasn't about etiquette, but rather Facebook's often changing and often confusing privacy settings.
"The thing that bugged me about Randi Zuckerberg's response is that she used her name as a bludgeoning device. Not everyone has that. She used her position to get it taken it down," said Eva Galperin of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a privacy advocacy group in San Francisco.
While Facebook has made improvements in explaining the social network's privacy settings, Galperin said they remain confusing to most people. She added that with people using Facebook as part of their everyday lives, the consequences of fumbling privacy settings can become serious.
"Even Randi Zuckerberg can get it wrong. That's an illustration of how confusing they can be," she said.
The Menlo Park, Calif., company recently announced it is changing its privacy settings with the aim of making it easier for users to navigate them.
The fine-tuning will include several revisions that will start rolling out to Facebook's more than 1 billion users during the next few weeks and continue into early next year.
The most visible change - and perhaps the most appreciated - will be a new "privacy shortcuts" section that appears as a tiny lock at the top right of people's news feeds. This feature offers a drop-down box where users can get answers to common questions such as "Who can see my stuff?"
But Galperin said Wednesday's incident also illustrates a general concern about Internet privacy. Essentially, she said, if you share information or a photo with your social network, people in your network have the ability to share that with whomever else they choose.
The mobile photo-sharing service Instagram, which is owned by Facebook Inc., had to answer to backlash to privacy concerns recently when new terms of service suggested user photos could be used in advertisements. The company later said it would remove the questionable language.

Huawei Ascend G330 with Android 4.0 now available for Rs. 10,990


huawei-ascend-G330.jpg

Initially announced at IFA this year alongside the Ascend G600 and th Ascend Y201 Pro, the Ascend G330 is now available in the country with online retailing portal Snapdeal for Rs. 10,990. Though it is listed on Flipkart as well for Rs. 10,999, the device is currently out of stock.

The Ascend G330 has specs similar to the G300 like a 4-inch (800×480 pixels) IPS capacitive touch screen display and a 5-megapixel auto focus camera with LED Flash. But the Ascend G330 comes with a 1GHz dual-core processor, Android 4.0 and a front-facing camera.

Huawei officially launched the Ascend G300 and the Ascend Y200 in the country back in July  this year priced at Rs. 13490 and Rs. 8,190 respectively.

The Ascend G300 is a mid-range smartphone with specs like 4-inch WVGA display, 512MB RAM, 1GHz dual-core processor, 5-megapixel camera and a 1500mAh battery.

The Ascend Y200 features a 3.5-inch IPS touch screen, Qualcomm 800MHz CPU and Android 2.3. The smartphone also comes with a dual-mic, used for background noise cancellation and a 1250mAh battery.

The company has also partnered with other telecom operators like Spice and Airtel to launch smartphones in the Ascend series in India. It unveiled the Ascend Y100 for Rs. 5,990 in collaboration with Spice and also launched the first 4G smartphone in the country with Airtel namely the Ascend P1 LTE boasting impressive specs such as a 1.5GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processor, 1GB RAM, 4GB storage, 4.3-inch Super AMOLED qHD display with Gorilla Glass 2 and 8-megapixel rear camera with dual LED flash.

Huawei Ascend G330 Specifications
  • 4-inch ( 800×480 pixels) IPS capactive touch screen display
  • 1GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8225 processor
  • 512MB RAM
  • 5-megapixel auto focus camera with LED Flash, VGA front-facing camera
  • 3.5mm audio jack, FM Radio
  • 3G (HSPA  14.4Mbps, Upload 5.76Mbps), WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth V2.1 + EDR, GPS / aGPS.
  • 4GB internal storage (2.4GB user accessible), 32GB expandable memory
  • 1500mAh battery
  • Android 4.0

Huawei India launches Ascend G300 and Y200 Android smartphones


huawei-ascend.jpg

As reported recently, Huawei has officially announced the launch of its new Ascend series smartphones G300 and Y200 in the country. Featuring Gingerbread, both the smartphones will be available in the market soon.
According to the company, Huawei Ascend G300 has been priced at Rs. 13490, while Huawei Ascend Y200 will be available at Rs. 8190.
Ascend Y200 features a 3.5-inch IPS touch screen, Qualcomm 800MHz CPU and Android 2.3. The smartphone also comes with dual-mic, which are used to cancel the background noise, and a 1250mAh battery.
On the other hand, Huawei Ascend G300 offers 4.0-inch WVGA IPS display, 5-megapixel-auto focus camera 1GHz CPU and Android 2.3 operating system. Ascend G300 also comes with FM Radio and 512MB of RAM.
"We are extremely delighted to launch Ascend smartphone series in Indian market. Each Huawei Ascend product is an innovative flagship model developed to meet the needs of specific consumers with Ascend D (diamond), Ascend P (platinum), Ascend G (gold), and Ascend Y (youth) categories. The Ascend G300 and Y200 are easy-to-use Smart phones that provide exceptional power, performance and style for the discerning consumers," said Victor Shan, President Huawei Devices India.
Ascend Y200 key specs
  • Operating System: Android 2.3
  • Display: 3.5" HVGA
  • MicroSD: expandable to 32GB
  • Camera: 3.2MP Camera
  • Battery: 1250mAh
  • Processor: 800 MHZ
  • Connectivity: HSDPA 900/1200, GSM 850/900/1800/1900, WiFi 802.11b/g/n
  • Dimensions: 116.9 x 61.4x11.7mm
  • Weight: 125g
Huawei Ascend G300 key specs
  • Operating System: Android 2.3
  • Display: 4" WVGA
  • Camera: 5MP Camera Auto focus
  • Battery: 1500mAh
  • Processor: 1 GHZ
  • Connectivity: HSPA 850/1200, GSM 850/900/1800/1900, WiFi 802.11b/g/n
  • Dimensions: 122.5 x 63 x 10.5mm
  • Weight: 140g

Huawei announces three new Android phones at IFA, coming in October


huawei_ifa-conf.jpg

Huawei has announced three new smartphones in its Ascend series as well as a brand new user interface 'Emotion' for its Android phones at the IFA trade fair. The new smartphones include Ascend G600, Ascend G330 and Ascend Y201 Pro.Company stated that the new Ascend smartphones will go on sale starting October in markets across the world.
The high-end Huawei Ascend G600 features 4.5-inch display with qHD resolution, 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 768MB RAM and 8MP rear camera.
On the other hand, Ascend G300 is a mid-range smartphone with specs like 4-inch WVGA display, 512MB RAM, 1GHz dual-core processor, 5MP camera, and 1500mAh battery.
The third device announcement of the day was Ascend Y201 Pro which will come with 800MHz processor, 512MB RAM, 4GB on-board memory, 3.5" display with HVGA resolution, 1400mAh battery, and 3.2MP camera.
Apart from the new devices, Huawei also showcased its brand new user interface Emotion. Company claims that Emotion will play a critical role in cementing the Huawei smartphone portfolio.
"Reinforcing Huawei's user-centric design philosophy, 'Design with Empathy', Emotion UI is built on a clear understanding of how consumers interact with their smartphones and what they expect from these interactions," company noted in a press release.

Videocon launches dual-SIM A20 and A30 Android smartphones

videocon-android-smartphones.jpg

After launching budget feature phones earlier this year, Videocon has now forayed into the budget Android market with two new smartphones, the A20 and A30. The A20 is priced at Rs. 4,999 while the A30 costs Rs. 7,299.

The A20 runs on Android 2.3 and sports a 3.5-inch HVGA display and features a 3-megapixel rear camera and a VGA front-facing camera. It is powered by a 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor underneath with 256MB RAM. It comes with a 1350mAh battery. The smartphone has 512MB of on-board storage with external expansion options upto 32GB via microSD card.

The A30 on the other hand comes with beefed up specs in comparison to the A20. The device runs on Android 4.0 and has a 4-inch WVGA display, a 5-megapixel auto-focus rear camera with LED flash and a VGA front-facing camera. Under the hood, it features a 1GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor with 512MB RAM and comes with 4GB internal storage (expandable upto 32GB). It has a 1500mAh battery.

Connectivity options on these dual-SIM smartphones include 3G (HSDPA 7.2Mbps), Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n and Bluetooth 3.0. Both devices also come with various pre-installed apps including Facebook, History Eraser and more.

Current mobile offerings from Videocon in the feature phone segment include V1528, V1531+, V1542, V1544, V1548 and V1580 ranging from Rs. 1,799 to Rs. 2,999.

Videocon A20 Specifications

  • 3.5-inch (480×320 pixels) capacitive touch screen display
  • Dual SIM (GSM + GSM) with dual standby
  • 1 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor
  • 256MB RAM
  • 3-megapixel rear camera
  • VGA front-facing camera
  • 3G (HSDPA 7.2Mbps), Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth with A2DP and GPS
  • FM Radio with Recording
  • 512MB internal storage expandable memory up to 16GB with micro SD
  • 1350 mAh battery
  • Android 2.3
Videocon A30 Specifications
  • 4-inch (800×480 pixels) capacitive touch screen display
  • Dual SIM (GSM + GSM) with dual standby
  • 1 GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor
  • 512MB RAM
  • 4GB internal storage expandable memory up to 32 GB with micro SD
  • 5-megapixel auto-focus camera with LED flash
  • VGA front-facing camera
  • 3G (HSDPA 7.2Mbps), Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0 with A2DP and GPS
  • FM Radio with Recording
  • 1500 mAh battery
  • Android 4.0

Videocon launches budget phones starting Rs. 1,850



videocon-feature-phones.jpg

Videocon has extended its portfolio with the addition of four new feature phones. These are the V1531+, V1542, V1548, and the V1580. Of these, the V1542 supports dual-SIM dual standby at least on paper. The V1548 and V1580 are touchscreen phones, likely to be resistive and the remaining two sport a bar form factor with a T9 keypad.Moving on to the specifications, the V1531+ is the cheapest among the four priced at Rs. 1,850. The device sports a 2.4-inch screen with a 240x320 pixel resolution. It has a 3MP camera and supports video recording.

The phone comes with a 1500 mAh battery claiming up to 10 hours of talktime and also has FM Radio with FM recording. External memory is expandable up to 8GB. Connectivity options include GPRS and Bluetooth.

The phone comes preloaded with social media apps like Facebook and Twitter and supports multiple audio and video formats. It also has unlimited auto call recording support.
Key features of V1531+
2.4-inch 240x320, 262K Color QVGA TFT color Display
1.3 MP Camera with video recording
1,500 mAh Battery
Pre-loaded Facebook & Twitter
A2DP Bluetooth 2.0
Bright Torch
Movie Juke Box application (SMV Format)
Expandable Memory upto 8GB
MP3, MP4/3GP/SMV
GPRS / Internet Browser
FM Radio with FM Recording
Unlimited auto call recording

The V1542 priced at Rs. 2,099, features a 2.6-inch WQVGA display, a 1.3MP camera and an 1800 mAh battery. Memory expansion support is up to 16GB. It also has Wireless FM, a dual flashlight and a movie juke box application.
Apart from social apps like Facebook and Twitter, the phone also comes pre-installed news apps like TOI and ET. This is a dual-SIM, dual standby phone.
Key Features of V1542
Dual SIM, Dual Standby
2.6-inch WQVGA Bright Display
1.3MP Camera
1800mAh Battery
Expandable memory upto 16GB
Wireless FM
Preloaded Apps: Facebook, Twitter, TOI, ET, Weather
Movie Juke Box Application



The V1548 is a touch phone with a 2.6-inch QVGA display supporting a 240x320 pixel resolution. It has a 1.3MP camera, Bluetooth, 1200mAh battery and pre-installed social and news apps as well. Memory expansion is possible upto 8GB.

Other notable features include auto call recording and other utilities like e-book reader, mobile tracker and SMS/ call blacklist. The company is also bundling a 4GB microSD card that comes preloaded with 20 files each of Bollywood movies, song clips, music tracks and wallpapers.
The handset is priced at Rs. 2, 399.
Key features of the V1548
2.6-inch QVGA 240x320 pixel touch screen
1200 mAh Battery
Bluetooth
1.3 MP camera
Movie Juke Box Application
Unlimited Auto Call Recording
LED Torch
k class Amplifier
Telescopic FM Antenna for Wirefree FM experience
Powerful Social hub with Pre-Loaded Twitter, Facebook, TOI, Economic Times, Latest News & Weather
Expandable Memory upto 8 GB
Video Wallpaper Support


Lastly, the V1580 another touch phone has a 3.2-inch screen with WQVGA touch display. It has a 2MP camera, 1200mAh battery and comes pre-loaded with Opera Mini.
It also supports Java, which means other third party apps can be installed. The phone is priced at Rs. 2,999.
Key features of the V1580
3.2-inch WQVGA Touch Display
Preloaded Facebook, Twitter & Opera Mini
Movie Juke Box Application
Dynamic 2 MP camera
1200 mAh Battery
Edge.,JAVA
A2DP Bluetooth
Dual Flash Torch
Expandable Memory upto 16 GB

HTC One S Android 4.1 update begins rolling out in select markets

htc-one-s.jpg

We've been hearing about the Jelly Bean update for the HTC One S since July this year. While theOne X received the update last month, the Taiwanese manufacturer seems to have kept up with its promise by beginning to roll out the Android 4.1 update for the One S. The update is available to select UK users of the device.

According to Android Central, the OTA update is rather large at 612.27MB and carries version number 3.16.401.8 and lists Android 4.1.1 as the software version. It brings along major Jelly Bean elements to the device along with a new version of HTC's Sense UI, Sense 4+.

The Sense 4+ UI available as part of the Jelly Bean update, has several new features like HTC Get Started, HTC Watch 2.0, changes to the Gallery app and views, tweaks with the Camera app and much more. As of now, Sense 4+ is available to HTC One X and HTC One S users post the update. The HTC One X+ comes with Sense 4+ straight out of the box.

Other features as part of the update include a fix for battery issues that users have been complaining about as well as accessing the power saver option from the Notification menu.

Apart from the One X and One S, HTC had also confirmed its plans to upgrade the One XL with Jelly Bean. Now that two of the three have received their updates, we hope to see One XL users to be part of the Android 4.1 fraternity soon.

As a reminder, Jelly Bean aka Android 4.1 brings several performance improvements including Project Butter, which aims to make the user interface smoother. It also comes with Google Now and updates to Android Beam functionality.

HTC rolls out Android 4.1 update for One X globally

htc-one-x-white.jpg

HTC has started rolling out the Android 4.1 update for One X for users across the globe.

Users in India and other parts of Asia were among the first to receive the update over the weekend and Monday the update started popping up for users across other regions as well. If you have not already received the over-the-air update notification, you can try to manually check for an update by going to Settings > About > Software updates >Check now.

According to reports, the Android 4.1 update for HTC One X, which includes the HTC Sense 4+ UI, is being pushed out in two separate parts. The first file is around 1.5 MB in size, while the main Jelly Bean update is around 360 MB.

Back in July, HTC had announced plans to release Android 4.1 update for its One X and One S smartphones. While the Android 4.1 update for HTC One X is finally here, there's no sign of the HTC One S update.

HTC One X and One S smartphones where announced at this year's Mobile World Congress in February. The HTC One X comes with a 4.7-inch 1280x720 display and is powered by a  1.5 GHz quad-core processor with 1GB of RAM. It features a 8-megapixel rear shooter with a 1.4-megapixel front camera. The phone comes with 32GB of non-expandable storage and a 1800 mAh non user-replaceable battery.

The HTC One S is powered by a 1.7GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S3 processor with 1GB RAM and sports a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED capacitive touch display with qHD resolution and a pixel density of 256ppi. It runs on Android 4.0, has 1GB RAM and 16GB of in-built storage (non-expandable).There's an 8-megapixel autofocus camera at the rear with LED flash that can captures videos in 1080p at 30fps. There's a front facing VGA camera as well and a 1650mAh Li-Po battery.


HTC confirms Jelly Bean update for One X, One S


htcreview_onex.jpg

HTC has officially stated that it will be releasing the Android 4.1 update for its One X and One S smartphones. Company told technology blogEngadget that the recently announced Jelly Bean update will soon be rolled-out for all the variants of One X and One S.It has promised to give more details on these upgrades in the coming days.
"We know HTC fans are excited to get their hands on Google's latest version of Android. At this point in time, we can confirm that we have plans to upgrade our HTC One X, HTC One XL and HTC One S to Jelly Bean. Please stay tuned for more updates regarding device upgrades, timing and other details about HTC and Jelly Bean," company said in a statement.
Both One X and One S were originally announced at Mobile World Congress and are powered by Ice Cream Sandwich.
The Jelly Bean aka Android 4.1 brings several performance improvements including Project Butter, which aims to make the user interface smoother. It also comes with Google Now and updates to Android Beam functionality. 

Samsung Galaxy Music Duos now for Rs. 9,199

Samsung_Galaxy_music_duos.jpg


Samsung has officially started selling the Galaxy Music Duos through its official online store for Rs. 9,199.
Samsung had announced the Galaxy Music and Galaxy Music Duos smartphones back in October. Samsung Galaxy Music Duos is a dual-SIM phone which comes with a 3.0-inch QVGA display. It comes with 512MB RAM, 4GB internal storage (expandable by another 32GB) and runs on Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich).
Other features include a 3-megapixel rear camera, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and a 1300mAh battery. The smartphone is targeted at music lovers and comes with a dedicated music key, music player with SoundAlive, 3.5mm ear jack, stereo FM radio with RDS, built-in FM antenna and frontal stereo loudspeaker with SRS surround audio effect.
It is available in two colour options blue and white. Earlier this month, Samsung's online store had started taking pre-booking for this smartphone but taken it off in a matter of minutes.
Samsung Galaxy Music Duos will be competing with the likes of Sony Xperia tipo dual. Sony Xperia tipo dual features a 3.2-inch TFT display with 480x320 pixel resolution and run on Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich). There is 800MHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor on board along with 512MB of RAM. This smartphone comes with 2.5GB internal storage and can be expanded up to 32GB via microSD. It is currently retailing at a street price of approximately Rs. 10,000.
The Sony smartphone has a slightly bigger screen and is a little bit costlier than Samsung Galaxy Music Duos.
Samsung Galaxy Music Duos key specifications
  • 3.0-inch QVGA(240x320) display
  • 4GB User memory + 512MB(RAM), microSD (up to 32 GB)
  • Dual-SIM GSM+GSM
  • 3-megapixel fixed-focus rear camera w/ no flash
  • Music player with SoundAlive
  • 3.5mm ear jack, stereo FM radio with RDS
  • Built-in FM Antenna
  • Frontal stereo loudspeaker w/ SRS surround audio effect
  • GPS/ Glonass
  • Bluetooth 3.0, USB 2.0, Wi-Fi b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct
  • 110.1 x 59.0 x 12.25mm, 106.9g
  • Li-ion 1,300mAh battery

Friday 28 December 2012

How to Increase Website Traffic for Free


Steps

  1. 1
    Optimize your website to be search-engine friendly. Submit it to various search engines and directories. In addition to major search engines such as Google, Yahoo, Ask, Bing and MSN, it's worth submitting to lesser known web directories. If your website is listed in as many places as possible, it can boost your rankings in major search engines as well.
  2. 2
    Make sure your title, description head, and header html tags accurately convey the subject of your site; search engine algorithms use these as keywords to categorize your site and direct relevant traffic.
  3. 3
    Spread the word about your affiliate program by submitting it to affiliate program directories and contacting the owners of related websites.
  4. 4
    Create a links page that will contain the links to other non-competing websites in the same industry. Contact the owners of other websites with your proposal to exchange links. You will add their link to your links page, and they will link to your website in return.
  5. 5
    Post in forums. Visit the online discussion forums where people in your target market like to gather. Post useful responses to people's questions, and include a link to your website at the end of your post next to your name. Although you ultimately want to get your sig file with the link to your site seen as often as possible, don't overdo it with your posts, otherwise other forumites won't respect you, and therefore won't visit your site.
  6. 6
    Comment on blogs. Visit other people's blogs on the topic related to your website. Most blogs allow you to add comments about the issues being discussed. Add insightful comments about the blog topics, and leave your website link. Your comment and your link will permanently remain on the blog website.
  7. 7
    Create an e-mail "signature" - your name, your website address and a short tag-line describing the main benefit of your site. Set your e-mail program to automatically add your signature to every e-mail that you send.
  8. 8
    Look into traffic exchanges. There are many types of traffic exchanges but the idea is the same - you team up with other webmasters, and they send you traffic in exchange for you sending them traffic. Search the web for "traffic exchange" to find those services.
  9. 9
    Create something of value that people will pass around. It can be a report with useful information that you allow people to give away. It can also be some kind of cool and unusual web-page that people will want to e-mail to all their friends. Of course, the pass-around item will include your advertisement and your link, spreading the word about your website. This is a "viral" strategy.
  10. 10
    Write articles on the topic related to your website, and include a link to your site in your author bio. Submit your articles to article directories, and allow people to publish your article in their newsletters and websites. Your articles will spread around the web like wildfire. People will read them and visit your website. The best part is that people who read your articles will regard you as an expert, and they will be much more likely to buy from you when they go to your website. How's that for a free publicity?
  11. 11
    Use accurate keywords for your content. The point of keywords is that they are the terms most people looking for your article by topic will search by. Check those with free Google terms and use the most popular relevant one in your title - a descriptive title to let them know right away what it is if it's a word with multiple meanings. Drawing blood for a phlebotomist is not the same thing as a comics artist drawing blood in a fight scene. Be very literal and then use the exact keywords several times in the article where they are relevant, as well as synonyms. Don't overdo it, or you look like you're trying to spam Google. Just use the keywords naturally when describing the topic.
    • If it is a confusing keyword phrase like Drawing Blood, link to the other meaning and mention that in the first paragraph. "This article is about drawing blood in graphic novels. Phlebotomy is drawing blood for medical tests or donations - here's the other page on "Drawing Blood." Then link to the phlebotomy page in that. By redirecting confused people you leave them a good impression and they might stop to read your article if they also like doing comics art!
  12. 12
    Start an e-zine for your web site. When people read each issue they'll be reminded to revisit your web site. Submit it to all the free e-zine directories on the internet.A news letter!
  13. 13
    Start your own online discussion community. It could be an online message board, e-mail discussion list or chat room. When people get involved in your community, they will regularly return to communicate with others.
  14. 14
    Advertise your site at free classified ad sites. There are many of these on the net. Some of the more popular ones are craigslist, inetgiant, freeadvertisingforum, and gumtree.
  15. 15
    Join free safe-lists. These are lists of subscribers who have opted-in to send and receive emails to each other. You can instantly reach potentially thousands of people by sending out emails, and you don't have to worry about receiving spam complaints either because everyone on the list has opted-in to receive emails.
  16. 16
    Getting a myspace page could also increase your site traffic because hundreds of people will see it.
  17. 17
    Constantly update content on your web-page, so having a news section is a great deal for search engines especially.
  18. 18
    Update your Facebook status to let your friends know everytime you update your blog and create a Facebook fan page. Your friend's friends will see when they join the fan page or comment on your status.
  19. 19
    Submit your website to top social bookmarking sites to create a back link to your website, which will increase you page rank as well.
  20. 20
    Sign up to yahoo answers and leave great helpful comments to questions people are asking for, leaving a link back to your site with more helpful tips on it.
  21. 21
    Stay on topic. All this socializing, forum commenting and question answering ought to be on your website's main topic. The more your activity and site content match in topic, the more likely the right people find it. The more targeted your affiliate links are to the topic, the better you'll do with them too. People don't mind advertising that's on topic, it starts to look like a convenience directory rather than irritating commercials.

Thursday 27 December 2012

Steve Jobs yacht free to set sail after dispute is settled

steve_jobs_yacht.jpg

The yacht commissioned by Steve Jobs is free to set sail after a dispute over non-payment of the designer Philippe Starck's fees was resolved earlier this week.

"The Venus is no longer impounded, we have found a solution," Gerard Moussault, a Hague-based lawyer for the Steve Jobs estate, told AFP. "A security deposit was paid into a bank account, but I cannot say for how much."

Last Wednesday the bailiffs of an Amsterdam court boarded the ship and chained it to the dock with the vessel forbidden to be moved.

At the centre of the row was an unpaid invoice of three million euros (about $4 million) sent by Starck, who worked with Jobs for years in designing the ship. As a compensation he would reportedly get six percent of the costs of the yacht. Since Venus was estimated at 150 million euros, Starck expected to receive nine million euros.

However according to the heirs, Jobs' ship in reality only cost 105 million euros and as a result Starck was paid six million euros.

The French designer did not get a response to the invoice for the remaining three million euros, and decided to get the authorities involved.

The 80-metre aluminium motor ship was just about to leave the port of Amsterdam. After a construction period of two years, Venus was launched in Aalsmeer two months ago and delivered to Jobs' widow Laurene.

As of Tuesday, the Dutch-built yacht, which was only unveiled in October - just over a year after Jobs died - was in Amsterdam harbour because of bad weather.

"The captain is waiting for better weather to set sail," Moussault said.

Karbonn launches dual-SIM A30 with Android 4.0, massive 5.9-inch display

karbonn_a40.jpg

Karbonn Mobiles has launched its 5.9-inch Karbonn A30 - Ta Fone in India for Rs. 12,990.

The device sports a huge 5.9-inch capacitive touch display with 480x800 pixels and runs on Android 4.0. It features an 8-megapixel auto focus camera with LED flash. There's a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera on-board as well.

On the inside, the device is powered by a 1GHz dual-core processor. It comes with 4GB of internal storage with external expansion options of up to 32GB.

Connectivity options on the Karbonn A30 - Ta Fone include, Wi-Fi, 3G, Bluetooth and USB. The device also has Wi-Fi hotspot and USB tethering support.

The device supports dual-SIM functionality (3G+2G) and comes with a 2,500 mAh battery claiming up to 10 hours of talk time. Apps such as Facebook, WhatsApp, PayTM, Saavn and Karbonn Smart come pre-loaded on the Karbonn A30 Ta-Fone.

Expressing his views on the new offering, Shashin Devsare, Executive Director, Karbonn Mobiles says, "By devising the Karbonn A30 - Ta Fone, our endeavour is to form the world's first 5.9-inch screen smartphone which blurs the differentiation between a Tablet and a Smartphone and creates a hybrid category of devices which is sure to see a lot of buzz in times to come".

The Indian manufacturer has been launching dual-SIM Android smartphones quite aggressively this year. Last month it launched the A9+ and A21 dual-SIM smartphones with Android 4.0 as part of the company's Duple series priced at Rs. 9,990 and Rs. 11,990 respectively. Prior to this the company launched the A18 dual-SIM Android 4.0 smartphone for Rs. 12,990 in September.

Karbonn A30 - Ta Fone key specifications

  • 5.9-inch (480x800 pixels) capacitive touch display
  • 8-megapixel auto focus rear camera with LED flash
  • 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera
  • 1GHz dual-core processor
  • 4GB internal storage expandable upto 32GB
  • Dual-SIM (3G+2G)
  • Wi-Fi, 3G, Bluetooth and USB
  • 2,500mAh battery
  • Android 4.0

Samsung sells 10 million Galaxy devices in India

samsung_galaxy_y.jpg
Korean company Samsung Electronics said on Thursday that it has sold more than 10 million Galaxy devices in the Indian market since the launch of the first Galaxy device, 'Galaxy S', in June 2010.
"Innovative devices like the Samsung Galaxy S, Galaxy S II and S III, Galaxy Note, Galaxy Note 2 and Galaxy Y have caught the imagination of customers and helped us democratise the smartphone experience in the Indian market," says Samsung VP (Mobile) Asim Warsi.
This has helped Samsung sell more than 10 million Galaxy devices in the Indian market since June 2010, when the first Galaxy device was launched, he added.
The Galaxy series comprises a portfolio of devices like Galaxy Y (launched in October 2011), Galaxy S II (May 2011), Galaxy Tab (November 2011), Galaxy Tab 2 310 (May 2012) and Galaxy S III.
Though the company declined to comment on individual contribution of a particular device, Galaxy Y series, Note series and Galaxy S III together contributed more than 50 percent of the sales.
"Through our series of consistent Smartphone launches, Samsung has fuelled the growth of the smartphone market in India and has been a category leader since last year.
Samsung's portfolio of 13 Galaxy devices in the Indian market are priced between Rs. 6,790 to Rs. 39,990," Warsi said.
According to CyberMedia Research (CMR) India Mobile Handsets Market Review, India shipments of mobile handsets was recorded at 102.43 million units during January-June 2012.
Of the smartphones market of 5.50 million units, Samsung had a 41.6 percent share, while Nokia and Research in Motion had 19.2 percent and 12.1 percent share, respectively.


Wednesday 26 December 2012

RCOM offers unlimited Facebook, Facebook Messenger access for Rs. 16/ month

facebook-new-look-logo-big.jpg

Reliance Communications (RCOM) is looking forward to spreading some Christmas cheer amongst its GSM subscribers. The company has launched a new 'Facebook Messenger Plan,' which offers unlimited access to Facebook (including the Facebook Messenger), for Rs. 16 per month.
To activate 'Facebook Messenger Plan, Relaiance GSM subscribers will have to send text message "FB" to 53739 from their mobile phones. Once activated, this plan will be available for the users for the next 30 days and will get auto renewed on the completion of this period.
"We are confident that 'Facebook Messenger Plan' with unlimited usage of Facebook without any extra data charges is set to provide a compelling new experience with incredible affordability to Smartphone users across the country on our superior network. We are hoping this offer to trigger a significant shift of youth customers using Smartphones to our superior network," Nilanjan Mukherjee, Wireless-Chief Revenue Officer at RCOM, said.
Facebook Messenger is an instant messaging service and software application that enables text and video communication. It is a cross platform app and is available on smartphones as well as feature phones.
In the beginning of December, the social networking giant had rolled out a new version of Messenger app. With the help of this new app, mobile phone users who do not have a Facebook account too could sign up the service by entering their phone number. Thus eliminating the need to login via a Facebook account or an email address in order to chat with their Facebook friends.

Facebook rolls out new messenger app, targets non-Facebook users

facebook-mobile-logo.jpg

Social networking giant Facebook has rolled out its new messenger app, allowing mobile phone users without Facebook account to sign up the service with a phone number.
With no Facebook account and email address required, app with the new feature will be first available to users of phones running on Google's Android platform in India, Indonesia, Australia, Venezuela and South Africa, reported Xinhua citing the company.
The sign up option using phone number will be rolled out globally and its version for users of Apple's iPhone as well as other smartphone platforms are also under way, said Facebook.
Facebook Messenger is an instant messaging service and software application which provides text and video communication.
Its mobile version was released last year for major smartphone platforms, but users need to sign up with a Facebook account.
The latest move is expected to help Facebook reach a larger audience, attracting smartphone users with no Facebook account to gradually use more Facebook services.

Intex unveils iBuddy Connect Android 4.0 tablet with voice calling for Rs. 7,990

Intex-iBuddy-Connect.jpg

The latest addition to budget tablets from Intex comes in the form of iBuddy Connect. The 7-inch tablet runs on Android 4.0 carries a price tag of Rs. 7,990 and is the first from the company to support voice calling.

The iBuddy Connect has features similar to the 7-inch iBuddy tablet from Intex launched in July this year. The iBuddy Connect is an exception since it features a SIM card slot for voice calling.

Coming to the specs of the device, it has a 7-inch capacitive touch screen display supporting 800x480 pixel resolution and is powered by a 1GHz processor with 512MB RAM. The device comes with Ice Cream Sandwich, a 2-megapixel rear camera and a VGA front-facing camera.

The device has 4GB of on-board storage with expansion options upto 32GB. Pre-installed apps on the iBuddy Connect include Nimbuzz, Skype, Facebook and more.

Connectivity options on the tablet include 3G dongle support via USB, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth, HDMI. The tablet comes with a 3000mAh battery.

The iBuddy Connect is available in colour options of White and Chocolate and as part of its introductory offer, the company is also bundling a leather cover with an attached keyboard.



A tablet for every budget

Intex iBuddy Connect specifications

  • 7-inch (800x480 pixels) capacitive touch screen display
  • 1GHz processor
  • 512MB DDRIII RAM
  • 4GB internal storage, expandable up to 32GB
  • 2-megapixel rear camera, VGA front-facing camera
  • GSM SIM support, 3G dongle support via USB, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth, HDMI
  • 3000 mAh lithium Ion battery
  • Android 4.0.4 

Craig Mundie to retire from Microsoft

Microsoft-Windows8-users-635.jpg

Microsoft announced on Monday that company veteran Craig Mundie has stepped down from his post as chief of research and will retire in the year 2014.
Mundie, who was one of two executives who assumed responsibilities left behind by Bill Gates when the Microsoft co-founder retired in 2008, will now serve as an advisor to chief executive Steve Ballmer.
"In this role, he works on key strategic projects within the company, as well as with government and business leaders around the world on technology policy, regulation and standards," Microsoft said on its website.
Mundie began his career in 1970 and joined Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft in 1992, according to his biography on the corporate website.
When Gates retired, Mundie was entrusted to oversee Microsoft research and "long-term technology strategy," according to his online bio.

LG announces new Google TV models set to debut at CES 2013

lg-google-tv.jpg

LG is ushering in the new year by announcing a new line of TVs that will be powered by Google TV 3.0. Expected to debut at CES 2013, LG's new models GA7900 and GA6400  will come in varying screen sizes ranging from 42-inches to 60-inches. Currently, LG offers a 47-inch and a 55-inch Google TV model. They are expected to be available in the first half of 2013 in the US.

The televisions will boast features like voice-recognition and Prime Time quick guide and also enable users to search and watch over 100,000 available movies and TV episodes simultaneously.

Furthermore, they will come integrated with OnLive cloud gaming service that does not require a separate console box (OnLive) and is likely to offer more than 300 high-end gaming titles.

Users are required to use the service with a controller that is directly connected to the TV set. A new remote control dubbed as Magic Remote Qwerty comes with a built-in microphone, gesture input controls and a QWERTY keyboard as well.

The new redesigned Smart Home interface stacks folders into varied types of "cards" for apps and other content. The new My Interest Card can even display useful information including real-time weather and customisable news.

The new units sport a sleek and modern look, courtesy the Korean manufacturer's CINEMA SCREEN design, which was until now seen only in the Cinema 3D Smart TV. As a result, the television has a minimised bezel giving the TV a streamlined appearance while creating the impression of a borderless display.

"LG is committed to providing diverse home entertainment options that offer the most satisfying user experience and the latest LG Smart TVs with Google TV do just that," said Havis Kwon, President and CEO of the LG Electronics Home Entertainment Company. He further added, "They deliver a stellar user experience by merging the latest Google TV platform with LG's proven Smart TV technology. The result is a comprehensive system that is groundbreaking in its simplicity."

6.1-inch Huawei Ascend Mate showed off before the official CES launch

huawei-ascend-mate.jpg

Huawei seems to getting into action for launching big-screen smartphones. The company is said to be working on a 6.1-inch Ascend Mate. This device is expected to be unveiled at the forthcoming CES 2013.
However, it was showcased at a Huawei store in Guangzhou, China by the company's Chairman, Richard Yu Huawei.
Huawei Ascend Mate sports a 6.1-inch full-HD display at 361PPI pixel density and is powered by a 1.8GHz K3V3 quad-core processor. It is 9.6mm thick and has a 4000mAh battery. So far, there is no news about which version of Android this smartphone will be running.
According to Chinese website Sina Weibo, Ascend Mate will be priced under CNY 3,000, which translates to approximately $480.
Another Huawei device that might see the light of the day at CES is the 5-inch Ascend D2.
As of now, Samsung Galaxy Note II has the title of the smartphone with the biggest screen size. It sports a 5.5-inch Super AMOLED HD display and is powered by a 1.6GHz quad-core processor with 2GB of RAM. It has a 3100mAh battery and has 16GB internal storage expandable up to 64 GB via microSD card.

The device features a 8-megapixel rear camera and a 1.9-megapixel front camera. Samsung Galaxy Note II comes with the S-Pen stylus for taking notes on the device. It was launched in India in September for Rs. 37,990.

Image Courtesy: Engadget

Apple working on thinner, lighter 5th generation iPad: Report

Apple-ipad-mini-comparison-635.jpg

If inside sources of a Japanese blog Macotakara are to be believed, then Apple is reportedly planning to introduce the next generation iPad in the upcoming months.

The blog, which has been known for its accurate predictions in the past with Apple products, states that this version of the company's 9.7-inch tablet will be thinner and lighter drawing on elements from the recently introduced 7-inch iPad mini (Review I Pictures). The expected dimensions for the device are 4mm x 17mm x 2mm. According to the blog, the 5th generation iPad is likely scheduled for a March 2013 release.

Furthermore, the blog's sources indicate that Apple is also amidst a production trial of the 2nd generation iPad mini. The 7.9-inch tablet is expected to feature a 2048x1536 pixel Retina display translating into a 326ppi pixel density and will likely carry on board the A6X chip as seen in the fourth generation iPad.

It's evident that Apple has picked up pace on the tablet front, proof of which we first witnessed this year with the launch of the 4th generation iPad in October, a move which came just six months after launching a new model, doubling the speed of the processor.

The new fourth generation iPad features a 9.7-inch Retina display, new Apple-designed A6X chip, FaceTime HD camera and ultrafast wireless performance with same 10 hours of battery life.

Coming to the iPad mini, it was introduced at a special event in San Jose, California on October 23rd (Pictures). The iPad mini features a 7.9-inch 1024x768  display, FaceTime HD and iSight cameras, ultrafast wireless performance and 10 hours of battery life.

The company sold three million iPads in just three days since the launch of its new iPad mini and fourth generation iPad. The number is double the previous first weekend milestone of 1.5 million Wi-Fi only models sold for the third generation iPad in March. So whether or not the next generation iPad and iPad mini create a similar effect is something that we'll keep an eye for.

Lava hopes to file 100 mobile app patents in three years

lava-mobiles-635.png

Indian mobile devices company Lava International hopes to file 100 patents for mobile applications in the field of education, entertainment and productivity over next 2 to 3 years.

"We have realised that just by selling handsets it is not possible to maintain growth momentum. Innovation in product is key to survival. Our wishlist is to make a century of patents in the next 2 to 3 years," Lava International Co-founder and Director SN Rai told PTI.
The company has plans to grow its revenue from around Rs. 1,000 crore at present to Rs. 1,400 crore in the next financial year, he added.
Elaborating on company's plan for patents, Rai said, Lava has earmarked around Rs. 50 crore investments during the ongoing financial year and it will focus on patenting algorithms and application concepts.
Algorithm is a step-by-step procedure for calculations used for data processing and automated reasoning among others.
"We have already filed two patents for algorithms but have not been granted yet. Lava recently launched music fusion application which can play music and video in any format. We want to have an IPR (Intellectual Property Right) for the algorithm of this application," Rai said. Rai said, the company is doubling up capacity at its research and development centres in India and China.
Without disclosing actual numbers, he said, "This will be both in terms of headcount, facility and application development."
Lava has also formed a consortium with publisher Tata McGraw Hill and tablet PC based digital learning firm iProf for developing educational content.
"This consortium will invest around Rs. 25 crore in the next 2 to 3 years for digitalisation of Indian content like fairy tales, mythological stories etc," he said.
The company also has plans to enter into enterprise segment by integrating softwares that are used for businesses and talks are at an initial stage, Rai added.
"In our solution, we will start mainly by focusing on secure communication like e-mail security. Simultaneously, we will start working on productivity software like ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) and others," Rai said.
The company recently expanded its devices portfolio from mobile phones to tablets and claims selling around 25 thousand tablets per month.
"This is just to test the market. We are working on massive plans to revamp our tablet portfolio. At present, we are in the planning stage," he said.

Lava hopes to file 100 mobile app patents in three years

lava-mobiles-635.png

Indian mobile devices company Lava International hopes to file 100 patents for mobile applications in the field of education, entertainment and productivity over next 2 to 3 years.
"We have realised that just by selling handsets it is not possible to maintain growth momentum. Innovation in product is key to survival. Our wishlist is to make a century of patents in the next 2 to 3 years," Lava International Co-founder and Director SN Rai told PTI.
The company has plans to grow its revenue from around Rs. 1,000 crore at present to Rs. 1,400 crore in the next financial year, he added.
Elaborating on company's plan for patents, Rai said, Lava has earmarked around Rs. 50 crore investments during the ongoing financial year and it will focus on patenting algorithms and application concepts.
Algorithm is a step-by-step procedure for calculations used for data processing and automated reasoning among others.
"We have already filed two patents for algorithms but have not been granted yet. Lava recently launched music fusion application which can play music and video in any format. We want to have an IPR (Intellectual Property Right) for the algorithm of this application," Rai said. Rai said, the company is doubling up capacity at its research and development centres in India and China.
Without disclosing actual numbers, he said, "This will be both in terms of headcount, facility and application development."
Lava has also formed a consortium with publisher Tata McGraw Hill and tablet PC based digital learning firm iProf for developing educational content.
"This consortium will invest around Rs. 25 crore in the next 2 to 3 years for digitalisation of Indian content like fairy tales, mythological stories etc," he said.
The company also has plans to enter into enterprise segment by integrating softwares that are used for businesses and talks are at an initial stage, Rai added.
"In our solution, we will start mainly by focusing on secure communication like e-mail security. Simultaneously, we will start working on productivity software like ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) and others," Rai said.
The company recently expanded its devices portfolio from mobile phones to tablets and claims selling around 25 thousand tablets per month.
"This is just to test the market. We are working on massive plans to revamp our tablet portfolio. At present, we are in the planning stage," he said.