Welcome

Check this blog daily for cell phone related News and Updates.

Welcome

Check this blog daily for cell phone related News and Updates.

Welcome

Check this blog daily for cell phone related News and Updates.

Welcome

Check this blog daily for cell phone related News and Updates.

Welcome

Check this blog daily for cell phone related News and Updates.

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

You can wear this mobile phone on your wrist!




The mobile phone has incorporated everything! It is not only one of the most important means of communication today, but an essential device that is the solution to many things. It is a camera, an alarm clock, a gaming device, a gateway to the internet, and so much more...





Everything has merged into the mobile phone. But for once, the tables have turned, and the mobile phone is now on your wrist!

All mobile phones tell time, but how many watches can place a phone call? Burg, a company based in Holland, is the creator of these watches, which not only tell time, but can also take a photograph, place a call or play music!  

Two buttons on the left side, one which acts like a power and select key, the other works like a back key. Between the two is a USB port, which is also used for charging. Turn on the watch... and you will be greeted by a colour screen that’s more like mobile phone’s screen. Network bars, battery indicator, contacts, call button and notifications! And last but not the least,.at the centre of it all, it displays the time. 

This one is completely loaded. There is Bluetooth for making phone calls, but theoretically it does not qualify as handsfree, because the phone is on your hand.

Jokes apart, this watch incorporates almost every feature of a mobile phone. It can play music... and even videos.

However, it is a nightmare for people with stubby fingers, which is why there is a stylus. But then again, the stylus itself is the size of a tooth pick that is difficult to grip, still not easy to type full bodied message. 

A stylus on a watch and you think you have seen it all!  This watch also has a front facing camera, which can take photos and record video. All Burg watches come in a wide variety of colours and straps, so you can pick one that matches your style or even mix and match with different strap options. 

The biggest drawback is that the battery on these watches lasts a day with normal usage. So you will have to charge this everyday, just like your mobile phone. Basic functions are easy like placing calls. It is also great to read and access information messages, but you cannot do email, browsing, because things like that require a bigger screen. This is why it can’t be your primary phone, though it is a great secondary device.

Japan company Softbank launches radiation-detecting mobile phone



Mobile phone operator Softbank has unveiled a smartphone that can measure radiation as consumers in Japan clamour for reassurance following last year's Fukushima nuclear disaster.

The latest model in the firm's Pantone series comes complete with a sensor that enables users to see at the touch of a button how much radiation they arebeing exposed to.

The phone, which the company is putting on general sale from July, can also keep a record of exposure in every location the phone has been to, Softbank said in a statement, adding that it can detect gamma rays in a range of 0.05-9.99 microsieverts per hour.

Japan's top operator NTT DoCoMo at a tech fair last year showcased a smartphone with a changeable "jacket" that measures radiation levels. DoCoMo at that time said they were undecided on the product's commercial launch.

Many people in Japan remain concerned about radiation since the 9.0-magnitude quake and tsunami of March 2011 sparked the world's worst nuclear crisis in a generation at the Fukushima atomic plant.

Worries over the health implications of the radioactive leak have sent demand for radiation-measuring devices soaring in Japan.

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Essential accessories for your new Lumia 900




Now that you’ve opened the box of your Nokia Lumia 900, and have become familiar with your new phone, there are some useful and down-right entertaining accessories to enhance your Nokia experience.
How about some suggestions that will let your phone rock whether you’re on the go or in your home? Let’s dive right in.
Nokia Soft Cover
Nokia Soft CoverThe Nokia Lumia 900 is constructed of high-quality polycarbonate construction. However, drops are unavoidable when you own a mobile phone. Even though the Lumia 900 is one tough cookie, those who want to preserve the perfectness of their new smartphone will want to check out the Nokia Soft Cover.
This soft rubberized case adds nice shock protection to the back and sides of the Lumia 900 without adding excess bulk. The case, made by Nokia, allows for easy access to all of the Lumia 900′s ports and buttons without getting in the way. Also, they match the color of your new Lumia 900 perfectly. In fact, on my 900, folks can’t even tell I have a case on it until I point it out, which is rare in the land of mobile phone cases.
Nokia Purity HD Headset By Monster
Nokia-Purity-HD-stereo-headset-by-MonsterThe Nokia Lumia 900 is a music lovers’ dream. For me, I am constantly utilizing Spotify on my Lumia 900 to satisfy whatever musical mood I happen to be in. 
For the audiophiles reading this, I present the Purity HD Headset By Monster. This headset comes through a partnership between Nokia and Monster, the high-end audio company we’re all familiar with here in the States. The Purity HD Headset comes in black, white and cyan and matches the Lumia 900 perfectly.
With on-board microphone and call controls no the headset, you can also handle calls in addition to rocking out to your tunes. You can easily find Nokia Purity HD Headset By Monster is available for sale at your local AT&T store.
Nokia Play360° Wireless Speaker
Nokia Play360 Wireless SpeakerIf the Purity HD Headset is for rocking while on the go – the Play360° Wireless Speaker is for when you want to get your music loud and present while at home. This Bluetooth enabled speaker also matches the color of your Lumia 900, whether you have matte black or cyan (picking up on the theme, yet?) and sounds absolutely terrific.
This highly engineered speaker system pumps out omnidirectional sound so no matter where you are in the room with the Play360, your audio sounds amazing. On the Play360, you can control volume using the + and – buttons on the device.
The Play360 Wireless Speaker connects via Bluetooth – and using NFC if your phone supports it – and through a standard 3.5 mm. cord. The speaker also features a battery for up to 20 hours of rocking out when you can’t find a power outlet.
Which accessory will complete your Lumia 900 package?  We look forward to seeing your must-haves in the comment below.

The ultimate mobile audio experience





Indulge in outstanding audio with this premium HD headset from Nokia and Monster.Handsfree simplicity from Nokia. And amazing design. It’s time for an incredible audio experience.Made from premium scratch resistant materials, these headphones are lightweight, durable, and with integrated call handing, they’re made to go mobile.This is an ultra comfortable on-ear headset, with a well balanced design and soft ear pads that make it ideal for long listening sessions.




Feel the music


These mobile HD headphones are the result of a collaboration between Nokia and Monster. With great mobile features and high performance speakers they deliver outstanding audio quality and handsfree convenience. They're constructed from premium scratch resistant materials to ensure light weight, durability, and good looks. And yes, they do sound great.







Listen for longer


Once you put them on, you won't want to take them off. They're designed to be light and comfortable, with soft ear pads and great balance, making them ideal for long listening sessions. Choose from a range of four stylish colours.









For music and calling


With integrated music and call handling controls on the ControlTalk cable you can play your music and take incoming calls handsfree. The headset comes with two cables, a dedicated mic and ControlTalk cable for Windows phones and a microphone enabled cable for other devices. It's compatible with any phone, music player or other device with a 3.5 mm audio connector, including Nokia phones.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 gets free 50 GB Dropbox storage


Samsung has extended 1year promotional 50GB free Dropbox cloud storage to Galaxy Tab2 7.0 & Galaxy Tab2 10.1.

Samsung has quietly announced to give 50 GB free Dropbox storage offer to its Galaxy Tab 2 series tablet models for one year. Samsung's Promo page states that the consumers who purchase new Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 (P3100) and Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 models will get 50 GB free Dropbox storage for a year. These users are simply required to sign-up or login in the Dropbox app and continue to use it till one year from the day of login/sign-up.
Following the footsteps of HTC, now Samsung had entered in to exclusive partnership with Dropbox and thus announcing the free 50 GB storage for its Galaxy S III smartphone some time back. The same limited time offer has now been extended to the Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 and Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 tablet models as well and only with trial period of one year.

Those who by the 7-inch display bearing Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 and 10.1-inch display bearing Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 get 48 GB free additional storage on top of the free 2 GB for a year. After the promotional period for a year ends, the storage will be automatically downgraded to 2 GB but an additional free 3 GB storage will be available to these tablet owners.

Dropbox currently offers 50 GB storage at a $100 annual charge so those users who really need it can purchase the storage amount after their one year of free storage trial period gets over.
This offer is available in all countries where Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 (P3100) and Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 are being sold. However, this offer is not available in China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan or Syria.

Future Nokia mobile phones will be waterproof



With the use of Nano technology, Finnish mobile manufacturing giant wants to make all its handsets waterproof so as to enhance its life and usability as well.



Nokia will soon be announcing its new range of Pureview and Lumia series of handsets but that's not all Nokia is working on at the moment. The Finnish handset giant is working on the implementation of the Super hydrophobic technology that is known to repel water with its handsets.

With the use of this technology, Nokia aims at making the future handsets including Lumia and Pureview smartphones waterproof. While making devices waterproof will certainly be a big advantage as it will allow users to use mobiles even when it's raining hard but along with that the adoption of this technology will surely enhance the life of the devices.


Conor Pierce, vice president of Nokia Western Europe, while explaining it to the Somobile of UK, said, "Superhydrophobic technology makes water bounce, it stops it, rolls it off the device and leaves it water impregnant. That's the magic, that's what we're going to bring to the party."
Although work is underway, Nokia is still not ready to comment on when this waterproofing technology will be implemented in its mobile phones. Although many manufacturers like Motorola have tried and have successfully managed to create water resistant devices but creating something that is waterproof would be a giant leap ahead.


Some Samsung Galaxy S III stock delayed in the UK




It appears that some Samsung Galaxy S III units won't make it in time to UK.
Clove has informed preorders of the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S III will be delayed until June 1st, rather than the announced May 30th release date. The blue variant is expected to be delayed even further, with supplies set to be available on June 5th, although that date is tentative.
Crosstown retailer Vodafone has stated that the 16GB version of the white S III will be available on tomorrow’s launch date, while the 32GB version will face an unspecified shipping delay. This same delay applies to both the 16GB and 32GB blue variants of the device.
Delays to the Pebble Blue version were expected as early as last week, with an alleged several hundred thousand blue cases being scrapped by Samsung due to unspecified manufacturing issues.

Nokia announces Batman-themed Lumia 900


You may remember the limited edition The Dark Knight Rises Lumia 800 that Nokia announced late last year. Nokia will now be making a similar version of the new Lumia 900 as well.


Just like the Lumia 800, the 900 will be available in Black and have the Batman logo on the back. The logo is not just printed on the phone but engraved on it, so you can feel the depression. Other than that the phone will also have some other content on the phone such exclusive wallpapers.
The phone is expected to go on sale in a few weeks in UK, France, Germany and a few other European countries. It will be limited edition so make sure you act fast if you want to get your hands on it.

Galaxy S III released in 28 countries around the world


The Samsung Galaxy S III has gone on sale today and is the biggest launch for a single product in the company's history, with a simultaneous release in 28 countries around the world.

However, Samsung plans to go even bigger in the coming months, by releasing it in a total of 145 countries and on 296 carriers by the end of July.
The phone has already seen a very strong demand, with a huge number of pre-orders from the carrier and being the most pre-ordered Android phone on Vodafone UK so far. People have even been lining outside stores in London to get the phone, which is ironic since that is the exact thing that Samsung made fun of in their ads mocking iPhone users.
Samsung has also released a new chain of mobile retain stores called Samsung Mobile PIN placed in Londons, which are small stores placed in popular destinations. They will also be doing a World Tour shortly in Australia, India, China, US, Japan, Korea and nine other countries.

NVIDIA's Tegra 3 to run thirty smartphones in 2012





Quad-core silicon set to make mobile media apps fast and light

At an investor meeting this week, NVIDIA GM Mike Rayfield revealed that the company plans to roll out its Tegra 3 processor in thirty smartphones this year.
Already behind powerful devices like the HTC One X, the Tegra 3 will run a host of other mobile phones in 2012 with its low-profile, quad-core, NEON-enabled CPU, said Rayfield.
Consumers will likely see the 1.4 GHz processor in more Asus, Acer, Toshiba, LG, and HTC phones in the coming months. If the HTC One X is any indication, these devices will be mobile gaming and media powerhouses.
Practically, the Tegra 3 (Kal-El series, named after Superman) supports up to 16 simultaneous active operations on its Cortex A-9 processors, but relies on its fifth "companion core" to take over in stand-by or low-usage mode. This allows the phone to conserve power during down-time and run demanding applications when needed.
Processor purview

While NVIDIA hasn't announced all of the phones receiving the Tegra 3, it does claim that at least 13 of them will have a transfer price under $300. Apparently, the price of power is going down.
It's a good bet that Asus will be a big player in this shift, and it's possible that the rumored Android 5.0 tablet will sport the Tegra 3, or a similar processor from NVIDIA.

Also, whatever new phone HTC has been brewing to replace the One X will probably run off a Tegra 3, though the Kal-El series is set to be replaced by the Wayne series (Batman nod) in early 2013.
LTE to the party

In the same investor meeting, NVIDIA announced its plan to begin integrating its new LTE modem, the Icera 410, with the Tegra 3 going forward.
The move comes a bit late, as companies like Qualcomm have already begun integrating network connectivity with its Snapdragon processors, but NVIDIA says that it's confident the quality of its CPUs will make up for the timing.
LTE integration in NVIDIA chips won't happen until the Tegra 3 Grey series (Jean Grey reference) is released in 2013.

Buying a mobile phone



Q: I have just bought a mobile phone for €300. When I went home I realised I had chosen the wrong model because when I tried to use it, it was too complicated for me.
I would like to go back to the shop and change it. Obviously, the phone is still brand new, and I still have the box and the plastic packaging the new mobile came with.
Do I have the right to go back to the shop and ask the trader to change it or give me a refund? Is the 15-day cooling-off period applicable when buying mobile phones? What are my rights?

A: When consumers decide to buy something they enter into a sales contract which, legally, cannot be cancelled if they change their mind or realise they have made the wrong choice.
Legally, once a sales contract is finalised, it can only be cancelled if there is something wrong with the item purchased, or if it is not according to what was agreed during the contract of sale.
In your case, however, it does not seem there is anything wrong with the phone you bought. You basically chose the wrong model. In such circumstances, the law does not offer legal rights.
Having said that, you can always go back to the shop, explain what your problem is, and try to persuade the seller to allow you to change it with another model. However, I would like to emphasise that it is entirely up to the seller’s discretion whether to agree to change it or not.
The 15-day cooling-off period only applies when consumers purchase goods through a distant means of communication, such internet, teleshopping, telesales, catalogue shopping, or door-to-door selling.
Since this is not your case, you do not qualify for this cooling-off period.

Samsung Omnia – The First DivX Certified Mobile Phone Available In US





The digital media company that enables consumers to enjoy a high-quality video experience across any kind of device, DivX, Inc., and Samsung have announced that the popular Samsung Omnia is the first DivX Certified mobile phone available in the United States of America, allowing the users to play back high-quality DivX video stored on Samsung Omnia’s 8GB built-in memory or on additional microSD flash memory cards.

“By including DivX video decoding in the Samsung Omnia, we’re giving our users the high-quality technology they would expect from a mobile phone with an advanced feature set,” said Younghee Lee, Vice President of Marketing in Samsung’s Telecommunication Business.

“Samsung is a proven leader within the mobile space and we are pleased that they continue to see the value of DivX video technology for their mobile solutions,” said Kevin Hell, Chief Executive Officer, DivX, Inc. “The Samsung Omnia is an ideal portable entertainment device and its release to U.S. consumers highlights our increasing relevance within the mobile market.”

The new Samsung Omnia smartphone which features large 3.2-inch touch screen, Samsung’s TouchWiz user interface, 5 megapixel camera, full HTML browser, optical mouse and Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional OS is now available through Verizon Wireless for $249.99, after mail-in rebate and a two-year service agreement.

How the Mobile Phone is Evolving in Developing Countries





Developing countries bear the brunt of technology. Their land is often stripped for the metals to make components and it also serves as the dumping ground for the unrecycled final product. In exchange, some countries get desperately needed infrastructure. In many African nations, China is building roads, dams, and railways, but it's still not enough to close the development gap, and the technology one gapes even wider.

Mobile phones, though, can cut across that distance. Even in places that lack electricity, they are often plentiful. "The penetration of mobile phone networks in many low- and middle-income countries surpasses other infrastructure such as paved roads and electricity, and dwarfs fixed Internet deployment," says the World Health Organization in the report "mHealth: New horizons for health through mobile technologies."

Increasingly, governmental and non-governmental organizations are using phones in place of physical infrastructure. In developing nations, 79 percent of the population has a mobile phone, according to a 2011 report from the International Telecommunications Union.

The breadth of services phones can substitute and supplement should in no way be judged by their size. Health initiatives, agricultural solutions, banking networks, and education are being conducted over mobile networks every day. What's more, they're mostly using SMS, the most elementary of mobile phone communication technologies but one that's handled by even basic or out-of-date phones.

Mobile phones alone are not an answer to the problems of the developing world, but read on to see how they're doing their part to alleviate some of the pressures.

Monday, May 28, 2012

Wi-Fi



Most people associate the term "Wi-Fi" with the ability to browse the Internet wirelessly. Though this definition isn't technically incorrect, there is more to Wi-Fi wireless technology than just browsing the Internet. Ten years ago, no one would have thought that it would be possible to listen to music from your basement computer on your entertainment system upstairs, or download songs to your Wi-Fi-enabled MP3 player, but Wi-Fi technology has made it possible to do not only these, but a host of other applications as well.

WHAT IS WI-FI?

Short for "wireless fidelity", Wi-Fi is one of the most popular wireless communication standards on the market. Wi-Fi is technically a trademarked brand name for the wireless standard owned by the Wi-Fi Alliance, much like Bluetooth® is trademarked by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group. In its fledgling stages, Wi-Fi technology was almost solely used to wirelessly connect laptop computers to the Internet via local area networks (LANs), but thanks to the immense flexibility the technology provides, that's no longer the case. Wi-Fi technology is now found in a host of non-computer electronic devices as well, such as home theatre receivers, video game consoles, Blu-ray players, digital cameras, and even GPS devices.

WIRELESS STANDARDS

The official name for the specification is IEEE 802.11, and it is comprised of more than 20 different standards, each of which is denoted by a letter appended to the end of the name. The most familiar standards are 802.11b and 802.11g (Wireless B and G) which are used in the majority of commercial Wi-Fi devices. Both of these standards operate in the 2.4GHz band, and the only major difference between the two is the transfer rate (see chart below).


Some consumer electronics, however, use a different standard — Wireless A. These devices operate within the 5 GHz range and have transfer rates equivalent to 802.11g. However, since they operate on different frequencies, devices using the 802.11a standard cannot communicate with B and G-enabled devices.


The newest standard, dubbed 802.11n, was designed to replace all three of the previous standards. It's up to five times faster than 802.11g, with a range almost twice as far. It also adds multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) technology, which uses multiple antennas to increase data transfer rates. The 802.11n standard was drafted to allow up to four channel configurations with potential speeds up to 600 Mb/sec. It's becoming increasingly popular for its high speeds, which allow for smoother audio and video streaming among devices.

Gaffar market



Mobile repairing shops in Gaffar market, one of Asia's biggest electronics markets, are prospering due to negligence of mobile phone companies towards post-sale services. Deteriorating customer service by big companies has translated into big business for this market.

"Mobile makers focus a lot on advertisement and public relations and become successful in selling handsets. But, they don't have infrastructure for repair work," said Harish Chitkara, President, MCD Market Traders Association. "Often, location provided for customer service at companies' websites is false.

Also, if you look at the way consumer courts function, they are not very helpful for customers." As a result, "People come to our market to get their phones repaired. Our service is cost effective and quick. Moreover, unlike authorised service centres, we are more approachable and listen to the problems of customers," he said.

USP OF GAFFAR MARKET

This market is unique and ahead at various fronts. "We have parts of each and every kind of handset. Name any mobile phone brand and it is available in our market. If a particular model has not been launched in India, that model won't work here but we have software that can unlock the model and make it functional here.

Sometimes we have such spare parts that even authorised dealers don't have," added Mr Chitkara. Jai Mata Di, a shop that sells as well as repairs mobile phones, pulls 9-10 customers and earns Rs 1,000 everyday.

"The immediate demand of any customer is to get the work done as quickly as possible and at a cheaper rate," said Sunny Choudhary, owner of the shop.

"Every now and then we are threatened by the police but despite that our business and the market runs smoothly," he added. Karan Deep Singh, owner of Khalsa Electronics, said that shopkeepers are picked by the police for wrong reasons.

Travel advice: how to cut mobile phone costs abroad



Using your phone abroad can be expensive but, as you say, a recent EU ruling will make it cheaper.
The major news was on data roaming, which for the first time will be capped at 70p per Mb, falling to 45p in 2013 and 20p in 2014. This compares with £3 per Mb with O2 now, for example, or its default £40 cap for 50Mb per trip.
The new rules, which come into effect on July 1, also mean that it will cost no more than about 29p per minute to make a call, 8p per minute to receive a call and 9p to text.
However, these phone services are already competitively priced on UK networks. Orange, O2 and T-Mobile currently charge around 36p, 11p and 10p respectively and while specialist travel SIM cards tend not to offer much better rates, most don't charge to receive calls in certain countries.
For now, you'll still get better rates within the EU if you have an unlocked phone and buy a local SIM. For example, in Italy, TIM (tim.it) charges €0.16/13p per minute for local calls and €2.50/£2.06 per week for 250Mb of internet. In Spain, Orange's "Delfin" (orange.es) tariff includes 100Mb of internet, 50 free texts and calls at €0.09/7p per minute, for €3.50/£2.89 per week. Both countries have phone shops everywhere (you'll need photo ID).
Equally significant is the EU's decision to "force" competition in the roaming market. From 2014, you'll be able to choose a separate roaming provider to which your phone will switch without swapping SIM.
In European countries outside the EU's regulatory reach, a local SIM is also the cheapest option. In Croatia, for example, a pay-as-you-go SIM with T-Mobile (t-com.hr) costs £2.20. In-country calls cost 5p and data on the "Start" tariff costs 6p per Mb, £5.50 for 500Mb, or £1.10 for a day's unlimited web access with the "Internet Dan" option. This compares with 75p for a local call and £2 for 25Mb internet each 24 hours on the cheapest roaming deal, Vodafone Passport and Data Traveller.
Travel further afield can be pricier, and a local SIM will often be cheaper for stays longer than a few days. In the United States, UK networks charge between £3 and £8 per Mb, with a daily bundle from Orange the best at £6 (30 Mb).
O2’s 90p per minute standard call charge is the cheapest of any UK network. AT &T’s (wireless.att.com) “Daily Unlimited” tariff costs $2/£1.26 per day, and includes unlimited national calls and texts, or pay-as-you-talk for $0.10 a minute. Calls to UK landlines cost $0.49/32p per minute, or buy 250 minutes for $10/£5.30. A prepaid bundle of 500Mb costs $25/£13.25. Not all UK smartphones connect with US data services. Check with www.usasims.com. A SIM costs around $20/£10.60.

Google starts selling mobile phones through Google Play


Galaxy Nexus is the first phone to sell through Google Play (Android Market), in the USA. The company plans to extend it to other markets soon.

Google has started to sell Samsung Galaxy Nexus though its Google Play store (earlier called Android Market) in the USA. It has created a new 'Devices' section in the Google Play web store, though which it will only be selling the unlocked version of Nexus phones initially.
Google started making Nexus phone more than two years ago to give people a pure Google experience. The first Nexus phone called Nexus One was made by HTC, but the later two versions Nexus S and Nexus Prime has been made by Samsung.
Galaxy Nexus by Samsung runs the latest Android software, Ice Cream Sandwich, with Google mobile services, Google Play and new features like Android Beam and Google+ mobile hangouts. It also offers a 4.65 inch HD Super Amoled display.

Initially made available in the USA, Galaxy Nexus costs $399 (Rs 21,000 approximately) and comes unlocked, without a carrier commitment or contract. Buyers can use it on the GSM network of their choice, including T-Mobile and AT&T. It also comes pre-installed with the Google Wallet and a $10 (Rs 500 approximately) credit to get users started with new mobile wallet.
Google has also implemented new customer support services to improve the purchasing experience on Google Play. We've taken all of this into consideration in designing devices on Google Play.
The service will be available in more countries soon, Google has informed through its official blog. We however do not expect the service to come to India anytime soon.
Google is soon expected to launch a low cost tablet, which we believe will also be sold through Google Play store.
 

Nokia Vietnam unit to address global demand for mobile phones


Nokia has started developing its production facility in Vietnam. The new unit will serve the growing demand for mobile phones all over the world. 

The Nokia Vietnam manufacturing facility is being developed on an area of 17 hectares. Nokia expects to start the operations of this factory in early 2013. 

The new production unit is being established to meet the growth in demand for these phones, as well as to help Nokia to deliver a contemporary mobile experience to the next billion consumers all over the world.

"The new Nokia manufacturing plant will produce and provide new devices for compelling and affordable, localized mobile experiences, particularly in the growth markets," said Mary McDowell, executive vice president, Mobile Phones, Nokia.

Nokia has launched an aspirational portfolio of devices that include fresh, contemporary design and form factors that are optimized for great experiences, such as social, entertainment, and messaging, and services that extend the value proposition to consumers.

Nokia currently operates two representative offices in Vietnam: one in Ho Chi Minh City and the other in Hanoi. These offices carry out marketing and promotion activities for Nokia's handset business. In 2011, Nokia established a branch office in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, increasing its footprint within the IndoChina region.

In November, 2011, Nokia established a new company, Nokia (Vietnam) LLC, to build and operate the new Vietnam manufacturing facility.

"We highly appreciate Nokia's efforts in making this commitment a reality, which contributes to the growth of foreign investment in Vietnam in general and in Bac Ninh in particular. We also hope this will bring up not only economic value, but also other social benefits for the country like job creation and community knowledge enhancement on information technology alike," said Nguyen Nhan Chien, president of People's Committee of Bac Ninh province.


China's Mobile Phone Users Exceed 1 bln



Chinese citizens are increasingly relying on mobile phones as a primary method of communication, according to data released by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology on Friday. 

The number of mobile phone users in China increased by 32.57 million to 1.02 billion in the first quarter of this year, the ministry said. 

Of the mobile phone users, the number of subscribers to third-generation services expanded by 23.64 million to 152.06 million during the period.

Meanwhile, fixed-line subscribers dropped by 1.08 million in the first three months.

The business revenues of the country's telecommunications industry rose by 10.2 percent year-on-year to 250.5 billion yuan (39.76 billion U.S. dollars) during the period. The rise was 0.8 percentage points higher than the growth rate registered in 2011.

During the period, the industry's service prices dropped 6.1 percent from a year earlier, with fixed-line services and mobile services down 4.6 percent and 6.4 percent, respectively.

Sony Xperia ion - official details

There was much discussion about the first dual-core smartphone Sony. Note that using the new name to be adopted in the mid of 2012. Xperia ion will be sold initially in the U.S Will debut in stores stocks in the months June-July 2012.

Technical data for Sony Xperia ion:

4.6-inch capacitive screen resolution 1280 x 720 pixels and 16 million colors;
dual-core processor at 1.5 GHz, 1 GB RAM, 16 or 32 GB of storage;
Android 2.3 Gingerbread;
3G, Wi-Fi standards, b, g and n, DLNA, Wi-Fi hotspot, Bluetooth 3.0, NFC;
12 Megapixel camera with autofocus and LED flash, shooting at 1080p 30fps, secondary camera;
The official gallery Ion Xperia smartphone.

How to Use GPS Data With Google Earth



According to a 2011 TripAdvisor survey, 38 percent of respondents have used their mobile devices to plan a trip, and 60 percent have downloaded travel apps on their mobile devices, so it looks like GPS units are gaining terrain over traditional paper maps. Add your GPS data to Google Earth, and track your trips, generate tours from your tracks, geotag your favorite photos and even play a treasure-quest game called "Geocaching.

Instructions
1
Import a track from your GPS unit and generate a tour from it. Configure your GPS to use the World Geodetic System of 1984 (WGS84) datum, the internal coordinate system of Google Earth, to ensure your GPS coordinates are understood and properly used by Google Earth. Set your GPS device to capture tracks, preferably using highest fidelity to capture the most accurate tracks. After you connect the GPS unit to your computer, import the GPS data into Google Earth. Select your new GPS track in the Places panel, then click "Generate Tour" to generate a tour from your track and play it back automatically. Use Google Earth's navigation controls to customize your view and adjust the zoom and tilt of the 3D viewer. To view the elevation profile (the terrain pattern) of your track, right-click your track and select "Show Elevation Profile." View the elevation profile at the bottom of the 3D viewer, in the Elevation Profile box.

2
Geotag a photo taken during one of your trips and add it to your Google Earth My Places folder. Import the GPS data, recorded using the WGS84 datum, into Google Earth. Select a photo in Picasa and click the "Geotag" button in the Photo Tray to open Google Earth and start geotagging the photo. Zoom in to the location where you took the picture (on the track you just imported) and place the yellow crosshairs on any spot. Click "Geotag" to tag the photo, or click "Geotag All" if you've opened more than one picture in Picasa and want to tag all of them. Click "Done" to finish geotagging the photos. When you exit Google Earth, click "Yes" to save the geotagged locations in the My Places folder.

3
Create an image overlay in Google Maps to overlay a map over your GPS data. Import the GPS data, recorded using the WGS84 datum, into Google Earth. Zoom in on the part of the map where you want to overlay the image. Expand the "Add" menu, click "Add Image Overlay," type a name for the new overlay and select an image from your hard drive. Drag the transparency slider to the left to make your map transparent, so you can correctly place it over the terrain. Click "OK" to get a map over your GPS data.

4
Play the "Geocaching" game and go treasure hunting with your GPS-enabled device. Import your GPS data, recorded using the WGS84 datum, into Google Earth. Download the "Geocaching" add-on -- it's a KML file -- from Geocaching.com (see Resources). Open the KML file in Google Earth to view the geocaches; zoom in your area to locate specific caches. Analyze your GPS data, especially tracks imported from the GPS unit, to see if you are getting close to finding the "treasure chest." Note any particular points that might help you find the exact location of the treasure, mark them on your GPS and try again.

5
Add and edit waypoints on GPS tracks in Google Earth. Add waypoints to your GPS unit, but make sure it uses the WGS84 datum. Import the tracks and waypoints from the GPS into Google Earth. Click the small "+" sign next to "Waypoints," in the Temporary Places toolbox. Right-click one of the waypoints, select "Properties" and type a new name in the Name box. Click the button containing a flag, next to the Name box, and select an icon for your waypoint. Add a short description of the waypoint in the Description text box, then click "OK" to edit the way point.
 

How mobile Phone apps benefit today’s businesses



Businesses that have come to terms that PC and server based applications are becoming out dated, are increasingly incorporating mobile and wireless solutions for their business processes to reduce time and improve the performance.

This is also knowing that mobile phones have become a vital part of everyone’s life. However, besides chatting, connectivity, games, internet access and various applications which make mobile phone a close partner to users in recent times, mobile applications also enable businesses to proceed without any interruptions, no matter where they are located. There are so may ways in which mobile applications benefit. They include:

Efficient work flow and tracking _ reporting can be easily done with the help of mobile applications instead of making it manually or through emails. One can immediately report to their respective senior through mobile applications.

Desktop versions can be done on mobiles: you need not waste time in sitting in front of the desktop to access a particular application, all you have to do is download the same one to your mobile and access it in seconds.

Anytime and anywhere: you need not search for internet access, your mobile phone allows you to access it at any time and any where.

Ease of application: you can complete any of your tasks through mobile phone, you can even make payments through various mobile applications.

Stress releasing games: to get over through stress and anxiety, you can have various game applications on you mobile. Some of the apps that can help in these regards include:

1. Chase mobile application is available for iPhone, iPad, blackberry and android smart phones. This application is beneficial for personal, business as well as commercial purposes. Users can check their personal account balances, transaction history, credit card payment date and amount, loans, investments, insurance and online banking.

2. GPS systems are primary but not the only means of establishing the location of your handset. Wi_Fi and cell ID systems are also important in situations where GPS do not work. They help the users to keep a track of their location. Routing technology or GPS technology in smart phones having digital cameras can enable you to ‘geo-tag’ pictures taken from the cameras. GPS is a vital application which allows people to send data where they are right now just like they are moving around in the real world.

3. As social media is exploding, the networking activities do not end when you leave your computer. Thus you can update it through your mobile phone now. Various social media applications like eBuddy, tweetie, Qype, Flickr, Foursquare, Facebook, Gowalla, Yelp, You Tube and many others are available for all the smart phones like android, windows 7, blackberry and all other Apple devices. They make it easy to stay connected and share information with friends and business associates within minutes.

Cell Phone Security: Is Your Info Safe?







Cell phones, once simple devices, have transformed into handheld computers, with all the benefits as well as the downsides. Identity thieves aim to get their hands on your smartphone and its personal data, and malicious apps can add charges to your phone bill or steal your personal data. Phones are also vulnerable to eavesdropping, such as on public Wi-Fi networks. Protect yourself and your phone by knowing the risks.

Mobile wallet, the next big idea, is catching up



First came the cards that advocated ditching cash for plastic money. Now mobile phones want to do the job. So what are the options in mobile wallet today? And how is it different from mobile banking?

What it does
Apart from taking away the load from your wallet, the mobile wallet allows you to transact on the fly. The place where it manages to leave its big brother, mobile banking, behind is that to access your mobile wallet your phone does not need to be internet enabled.
The leading players in the mobile wallet segment are Oxicash, Paymate and Airtel Money. In the mobile banking segment, all telecom companies have tie ups with different banks that allow you to avail banking services.

“Unlike mobile banking, a mobile wallet is not confined to one particular account holder. You don’t have to be a particular bank’s customer to use its services on your mobile wallet,” says Ajay Adeshan, CEO of Paymate.

Banking on mobile allows you to recharge your phone, pay utility bills and transfer money, bidding goodbye to long queues.
All you need to know is the other person’s account number and a few clicks and the money will get transferred.

For loading cash into your mobile wallet, you will have to go to the respective wallet service providers. In a semi-closed wallet, apart from a bank, you can also transfer money to another mobile wallet.

These are referred as semi-closed wallets because once the cash is loaded into your mobile phone, you can use it for carrying out a transaction but you are not allowed to withdraw the money.
Whereas there are mobile wallets in countries like Kenya where once the money is transferred to your phone it can also be withdrawn. These are called open wallets.

Experts believe that India can be a big player for mobile phone transactions because of the number of people who have access to cell phones.

February data from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India show there are 13.54 million internet users in the country compared with 911.17 million mobile phone users.

But the concept of mobile wallet is yet to catch up in a big way.
“The convenience of getting money transferred to the desired place or destination without an internet connection is one of the strong points of this big idea. Financial inclusion will be much more effective with such facilities as it is easier to reach out to the unbanked and those in rural areas,” said Srinivas Nidugondi, head - mobile financial solutions, Comviva.

What you need to pay?
There is a minimum fee for each transaction. For instance, a transfer of up to Rs500 will cost Rs5, while transactions more than that and up to Rs10,000 will draw a fee of Rs10.

Under mobile banking, apart from the transaction charge, one also pays internet charges for the phone.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has capped the transaction limit to Rs10,000 for all essential services like ticketing, utility bill payments etc.

For non essential transactions, the limit is set at Rs5,000. There is also a ceiling of Rs50,000 for loading the wallet.

Should you consider it?
Apart from the convenience, players such as Airtel Money have special offers on phone recharge.

So if a vendor offers you a talktime of Rs192 on a recharge of Rs200, Airtel Money gives a talk time of Rs210. Ramesh Menon, chief executive officer, Maharashtra & Goa, Airtel, said another plus point of mobile wallet is that it’s a safe and secure.

Burg launches wrist watch mobile phones in India; starts at Rs 9,000





Now, make and receive calls, send SMSs and do much more using your wrist watch. Does it sound strange? But now, no more.Burg, the Netherland-based wristwatch mobile phone brand, has expanded its business in India by opening its flagship showroom in Kirti Nagar Moments Mall, Delhi.The company introduced some innovative models of wrist watch mobile phones for the Indian market including Burg 9, Burg 10, Burg 11, Burg 12 and Burg 13. The models are priced between Rs 9,000 and Rs 24,000.

It is claimed that, with Burg wrist watch mobile phones, one can have access to all the features of a mobile phone, which include making and receiving phone calls, Internet connection through WAP 1.2.1, MP3 / MP4 Player, front-facing camera (with 3x zoom function), video recorder, audio recorder, voice recorder, image viewer, file manager organiser, task list, alarm clock, calculator, Bluetooth capability, phone book up to 500 numbers, micro SD card slot and much more.
In Delhi-NCR, Burg has opened 3 retail outlets in a day. Apart from the flagship store, the two other retail outlets are in Greater Kailash and MGF mall, Gurgaon. Besides, the company already has two stores - one each in Guwahati and Kolkata, opened this week.
There are plans to open 20 outlets of Burg within a span of next one year.
Addressing the media after inaugurating the Burg flagship store in Kirti Nagar Moments Mall, Mr Koen Pieters said, "India is the next focus destination for Burg in its global road map. We will keep introducing our wide range of futuristic products for Indian consumers at their door steps."
Burg already has significant presence in Italy, Germany, Russia, Mexico, United States of America, Spain, Chile, Venezuela, Norway and Switzerland.


It is claimed that, with Burg wrist watch mobile phones, one can have access to all the features of a mobile phone, which include making and receiving phone calls, Internet connection through WAP 1.2.1, MP3 / MP4 Player, front-facing camera (with 3x zoom function), video recorder, audio recorder, voice recorder, image viewer, file manager organiser, task list, alarm clock, calculator, Bluetooth capability, phone book up to 500 numbers, micro SD card slot and much more.In Delhi-NCR, Burg has opened 3 retail outlets in a day. Apart from the flagship store, the two other retail outlets are in Greater Kailash and MGF mall, Gurgaon. Besides, the company already has two stores - one each in Guwahati and Kolkata, opened this week.There are plans to open 20 outlets of Burg within a span of next one year.Addressing the media after inaugurating the Burg flagship store in Kirti Nagar Moments Mall, Mr Koen Pieters said, "India is the next focus destination for Burg in its global road map. We will keep introducing our wide range of futuristic products for Indian consumers at their door steps."Burg already has significant presence in Italy, Germany, Russia, Mexico, United States of America, Spain, Chile, Venezuela, Norway and Switzerland.