csmart 472 Report post Posted September 17, 2013 Google buys bump!.... Bump Blog We’re excited to announce that the Bump team is joining Google! Our mission at Bump has always been to build the simplest tools for sharing the information you care about with other people and devices. We strive to create experiences that feel like magic, enabled behind the scene with innovations in math, data processing, and algorithms. So we couldn’t be more thrilled to join Google, a company that shares our belief that the application of computing to difficult problems can fundamentally change the way that we interact with one another and the world. Bump and Flock will continue to work as they always have for now; stay tuned for future updates. We’d like to extend a special thank you to all of you who have used our products so far. It continues to be a pleasure to serve you, and your feedback and evangelism inspire us every day. David LiebCEO and cofounderBump We also want to thank our investors, advisors, and supporters — Marc Andreessen and all of a16z; Greg McAdoo, Tim Lee and all of Sequoia; Paul Graham, Jessica Livingston, and everyone at Y Combinator; Ron Conway and SV Angel; Ram Shriram of Sherpalo; Aydin Senkut of Felicis — and our friends and family who have encouraged us to dream big and push the world forward. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
zen_search 14 Report post Posted September 23, 2013 One of my greatest fears is dropping and breaking my handset. Guess this is a common theme among smartphone users which have ushered in a whole lot of businesses making cases, covers and screens to minimize the impact. I know an Otterbox Defender can help, but I somehow don't want my smartphone to end up looking like its on a year-long daily dose of two teaspoons of ghee. And now there is good news for Motorola fans!! Google's Moto X has been crowned the king of durability with test scrores much better than Samsung and Apple. The latest "breakability" score by protection plan company SquareTrade claims Moto X is the best surviving smartphone when it comes to drops, slides, and water dunks. Coming in second place is Apple's iPhone 5S, then Apple's iPhone 5C, and lastly Samsung's Galaxy S4. Check out the full news here: http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-57604092-94/moto-x-beats-out-iphone-5s-5c-and-galaxy-s4-for-durability/ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
phonegeek 588 Report post Posted September 23, 2013 Smartphone maker Blackberry agrees to sell to group led by largest shareholder, Fairfax, for $4.7bn (£2.9bn) Developing story... Sent from my LG-LS970 using Tapatalk 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
csmart 472 Report post Posted September 23, 2013 Blackberry sold and will be private.. BlackBerry enters agreement for $4.7 billion sale of company to consortium led by Fairfax Financial http://engt.co/14A6Q2g For the second time in as many trading days, shares of BlackBerry were halted in advance of some big news from the company. Today's news is no less big. BlackBerry has just announced that it's signed a letter of intent agreement for a sale of the company valued at $4.7 billion to a consortium led by Fairfax Financial (the company's largest shareholder). Pending due diligence that's expected to be completed by November 4th, the deal would see BlackBerry go private, with shareholders each receiving $9 per share in cash. In a statement, Fairfax Chairman and CEO Prem Watsa said, "we believe this transaction will open an exciting new private chapter for BlackBerry, its customers, carriers and employees," adding, "we can deliver immediate value to shareholders, while we continue the execution of a long-term strategy in a private company with a focus on delivering superior and secure enterprise solutions to BlackBerry customers around the world." While BlackBerry CEO Thorsten Heins has yet to offer any public comment on the news, the chair of BlackBerry's Board of Directors, Barbara Stymiest, drew attention to that due diligence period in her statement, saying that "the go-shop process provides an opportunity to determine if there are alternatives superior to the present proposal from the Fairfax consortium." As part of the agreement, BlackBerry would have to pay a termination fee if it accepted another offer. You can find the official announcement of the deal after the break. Sent from my SCH-R950 using Tapatalk 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
st_7 138 Report post Posted October 4, 2013 Microsoft Persuading HTC to offer Windows Phone OS As Second Choice To Its Android Customers Looks like Microsoft is becoming more & more desperate in getting its Windows Phone, which hasn't been able to attract more people as Microsoft expected or wanted, to take off. We already know that Microsoft snatched Nokia's Phone business to propel its Windows Phone OS growth. Now according to the latest reports that are being published in various tech blogs like, GSM Arena, Engadget, the company(Microsoft) is puruading HTC(which itself making absymal business, just posted $101 milliion losses in the for the third quarter of this calendar year) to put Windows Phone OS on its Android offerings. Altough it is not yet clearly known how Microsoft wants HTC to implement this but they are offering HTC very low licence fee or even completely abolishing it as an incentive. Microsoft officials are reported be planning to visit Taiwan to speak to HTC top brass on this. The idea behind this thinking of Microsoft is that many HTC Android devices buyers(althoug very low in number compared to Samsung customers) will be able to try out Windows Phone OS so that it gets traction or familiarity among thos users who then may recommend it to their friends, family members or colleagues. This may backfire as well because the same people who Microsoft wants to attract through this route may never think of using Windows Phone OS & may recommend people in their closer circles to not use the same(Windows Phone OS) if they dislike it. Windows Phone OS has been applauded by many as simple to use and buttery smooth OS(the reason it can run so well with out any lag even on a year or two old specs) but not been received well by non-geeks because of the lack of apps and by geeks because of its closed environment which means less tinkering... less choices. Soruce: Multiple Tech Blogs. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KanagaDeepan 1,084 Report post Posted October 5, 2013 ^^^^^ Yes, that will be the best method to bring HTC to graveyard... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
st_7 138 Report post Posted October 6, 2013 ^^^^^ Yes, that will be the best method to bring HTC to graveyard... I don't think so, ofcourse it depends how well they implement it. Heck they just posted $100 million loss for the thrid quarter of this calender year, wherein it should have been the profitable quarter for them considering the success of HTC One. But the loss was due to messy launch of HTC One, surprisingly they are still facing serious bottlenecks in sourcing the material(outer case) for HTC One Mini and not able to meet the demand for those devices. And if they can implement this properly(what Microsoft is asking them) it will be a completely profitable one for them. I think what Microsoft is asking them is to put Windows Phone 8 on the same hardware as their Android flagships(like One) instead of making a completely new design or phone for Windows Phone 8 or putting a truly dual boot phone. And you might have read it already that there is been a rumour that HTC already making a Windows flagship phone based on the same hardware as HTC One, the rumoured phone is called 'Harmony', with same specs of Android version of ONE but with Windows Phone 8. So, even before MS has approached HTC, they are already in workings of the same thing that Microsoft asking them. And there are many goodies on offer here, MS is willing to go down as far as completely abolishing the license fee Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
digitalnirvana 646 Report post Posted October 6, 2013 How would this "try WP while also using Android" i.e. dual boot work anyway? Are they expecting users to set up apps, contacts, data on both WP and Android? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KanagaDeepan 1,084 Report post Posted October 7, 2013 ^^^^^^ THIS.... And the complication and level of more R&D required to PROPERLY implement that idea without messing things up.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shadow 119 Report post Posted October 7, 2013 the inside story is that , they want htc to install wp 8.1 on the same hardware (ex: htc one with wp 8.1) and not as a dual boot Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
::Hitesh:: 1,763 Report post Posted October 7, 2013 HTC can make same specs phone with wp8.1 and ask MS to pay for it. this will be a good earn for them..(if possible ) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
st_7 138 Report post Posted October 8, 2013 ^^^^^^ THIS.... And the complication and level of more R&D required to PROPERLY implement that idea without messing things up.... Although there is some confusion what MS really asked HTC, (as I've stated in my previous post) I think they've asked HTC to put Windows Phone 8.1 on already existing hardware of their Android flagships like HTC One rather than a dual boot(its my opinion though). This means less R&D(much lesser, if at all, compare to what it takes for a completely new design) & very less or no licence fee at all, which results more profits for HTC. the inside story is that , they want htc to install wp 8.1 on the same hardware (ex: htc one with wp 8.1) and not as a dual boot Exactly, this is what I'm trying to say in my last post. HTC can make same specs phone with wp8.1 and ask MS to pay for it. this will be a good earn for them..(if possible ) They may not be able to demand MS to give them money for making WP 8(8.1) phones as they are already giving incentives in the form of abolishing license fee. But HTC may use this opportunity to pursuade MS(& its soon to be acquired Nokia) to drop the case against their HTC One(& its variants until One Maxx). Recently, Nokia has won case to ban all the sales of HTC One & its variants in US, although HTC is challenging it in higher court, it is percieved to be a loosing battle for HTC. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
st_7 138 Report post Posted October 11, 2013 (edited) Coastal Andhra & Odisha Are Bracing For The Most Catestrophic Cyclone 'Phailin' As if the already messed up life of Coastal Andhra people(thanks to some arrogant trolls running the goverment & serving Sonia, Rahul Gandhi instead of serving the people) is not enough, they have to(along with their Odisha brethern) brace for another catestrophic event, in the form of super cyclone 'Phailin', that is headed for them. The 'Phailin' is expected to hit land between Kalingapatnam(Srikakulam Dist, AP) and Gopalapur(Odisha). This cyclone is so severe that it is the size of Katrina(Cat 5 Hurricane that devastated US in 2005) and according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center(JTWC) a Hawaii-based US Navy weather forecast outpost, this cyclone is a Category 4 at present and everything is going for it to become category 5(in hurricane scales) before landfall. The intensification of this cyclone is so severe that it gained around 80kph in just 12hours, which is termed as the rarest phenomena for any storm/cyclone. According to many ADT(Advanced Dvorak Technique) estimates of various weather agencies like JTWC, the cyclone has 917.5(MB-MilliBars) & 146.0 MPH (270 km/h) which makes it more devastating than the most devastating cyclone, 'The 1999 Odisha cyclone', that has hit Eastern Coast of India, in history.The irony is that our own weather men are very conservative and estimating this cyclone to be a cat 2(or 3 at max) at landfall , the estimation which is ridiculed by many world top weather agencies and say it will be atleast a cat 4 cyclone at the landfall.All in all, what I would like to say to all those forum members from the coastal line of Andhra & Odisha to be safe and warn your families & friends, who live there, to be safe. I hope God helps these people, facing this catestrophic cyclone. Source: Netweather & Google Search Edited October 11, 2013 by st_7 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
amitroutray 384 Report post Posted October 11, 2013 Here people are ready for facing the Cyclone in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. Experts say the wind speed is at 200 to 210 km per hour and is expected to touch 230 km per hour when the cyclone hits the coasts of Odisha and northern Andhra Pradesh tomorrow. Government holidays have been cancelled for the next month in the states. Thousands of employees from the region who were on leave, returned to work for now due to the cyclone emergency. Defence Minister AK Antony has asked the Army, Navy and Air Force to be ready for emergency and relief operations. The army's command and control elements have already moved here. Army engineers and doctors are also landed at Bhubaneswar airport. Two Air Force aircraft ready to airlift disaster management teams and equipment. Others aircraft are also in stand-by. Triggered from Transformer 300 using Tapatalk HD 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
amitroutray 384 Report post Posted October 11, 2013 Updates… How Odisha is bracing for the 'very severe' cyclonic storm When Cyclone Phailin strikes the coastal areas of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh this evening, nearly 1.2 crore people are likely to be affected. Odisha, which faced the destruction and devastation of 1999's super-cyclone, says it is not ready to take any chances this time around. Government sources say chief minister Naveen Patnaik is overseeing the entire preparedness. "We are fighting against nature. We are better prepared this time, we learnt a lot from 1999," Nearly 15,000 people died in the super-cyclone that ravaged Odisha in 1999. The administration has been called back from Dussehra holidays and is working round the clock to prepare for Phailin. But it is a race against time. Early this morning, a steady exodus began. Using trucks and buses, authorities evacuated 40,000 people from 40 villages to government-run shelters, schools and buildings. Authorities plan to take a total of two lakh people to safer areas before the cyclone hits the region. People queued up with bags packed up, waiting for their turn to be taken to safety. "We are being taken to high school... we are only taking clothes with us," said a woman. Food, water and other necessary items would be provided in these storm shelters. Officials have been stockpiling emergency food supplies and the government has also directed opening of free kitchens. For rescue and relief efforts, The armed forces are here at state capital Bhubaneswar. Two Indian Air Force IL-76 aircraft have already airlifted 30 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams, with equipment like ropes, rafts and tree cutting tools. The Indian Air Force, fully geared up, has also put its choppers on standby and is ready to swoop in with relief. Full Story: http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/cyclone-phailin-how-odisha-is-bracing-for-the-very-severe-cyclonic-storm-431176 Triggered from Transformer 300 using Tapatalk HD 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
st_7 138 Report post Posted October 12, 2013 (edited) They better prepare that, because according to the latest readings of storm strength, the strength of this super cyclone(although IMD hates to call it so) is 886mb, 150KT, (170MPH), which puts it at an equal strength to Hurricane 'Wilma' the mightiest hurricane ever recorded in Atlantic basin and larger than that. And I was watching every story on this storm on every news channel as possible, in each one of them IMD still hesistant to put it atleast a category 4 storm(although its not a feel good matter, giving right warnings to the people on the ground motivate them to be more vigilant). I don't know how it is in your region, but as of now(5.30am) here is Visakhapatnam(I live around 40km away from the center of the city in south-west direction) it's just partly cloudy nothing more, no winds or rain yet(its the same calmness all through the night). As the famous saying goes, 'Every storm is preceded by a absolute calmness'(sorry for the not fully correct translation). Edit: Just at the brink of its landfall, 'Phailini' intensity decreased slightly thanks to Eyewall replacement process. Presently, the speeds will be at 135KT or 150MPH, still a cat.4 storm. Edited October 12, 2013 by st_7 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
amitroutray 384 Report post Posted October 12, 2013 Updates... Here in Bhubaneswar Government trying for prepared zero percent casualty. As they already lost 10k live in 1999 around four lakh people evacuated. Costline alloted danger level 9 and level 10. Now the cyclone is 120km from the costline. It will hit between 6pm to 8pm as forcasted. Wind speed may touches 210 - 240 kmh. 300 soldiers deployed in various part of the states for relief work. Army appointed 10 Helicopters and 6 aircrafts including Hercules and New Glove Master is ready for the situations. 50 army Doctors and 29 marine rescuers are waiting for it. Presently heavy rain with thunder storm already started here. Roads are empty. people are ready for the situation. Hope for the best Triggered from my SCH-R530 using Tapatalk 4 Beta 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
caringlover 32 Report post Posted October 12, 2013 Lets hope that as India we prove ourselves to the world that we as together can handle many natural incidents... Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
amitroutray 384 Report post Posted October 12, 2013 10km from Gopalpur, Odisha. 6,90,932 people are till now evacuated. Worlds fastest evacuation till now. source: SRC Triggered from my SCH-R530 using Tapatalk 4 Beta 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
amitroutray 384 Report post Posted October 12, 2013 Over seven lakh evacuated in Odisha, officials on high alert. Cyclone Phailin, packing heavy rains and wind speeds of 200 kilometres per hour, slammed into the coastal town of Gopalpur in Odisha shortly after 9 pm today. Sources in Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's office say over seven lakh people had been evacuated from the coastal areas today before the monster storm, categorised as "very severe", struck. (Read) The Met department has said that the first six hours after the cyclone's landfall would be critical; it will continue to remain a "very severe" cyclone during this period. Sources say the Chief Minister has asked the administration to remain on high alert tonight as wind speeds continue to be high across the coast. Full Story: http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/cyclone-phailin-over-seven-lakh-evacuated-in-odisha-officials-on-high-alert-431535 Triggered from Transformer 300 using Tapatalk HD 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
st_7 138 Report post Posted October 13, 2013 (edited) ^^^^ Some reports suggest that the figure of 7 lakhs is for both Odisha & Northern Andhra Pradesh, any way this is the biggest mass evacuation that Indian Government has under taken in almost 23 years, according to the some other reports(I think it is a NDTV report as well). Many NDRS teams are deployed & central government has readied troops for the biggest rescue operation in the recent history. But thankfully, it wasn't needed mainly because of the mass evacuation. The result of well preparedness is just 5 deaths reported till now, which otherwise would have been in thousands. And surprisingly, this cyclone has no impact in my area(as I said in my previous posts I live 40km from the center of the city, Visakhapatnam), I still remember the devastation that the 1999 cyclone, that hit Odisha & Northern Andhra, has left even in my place(trees were uprooted & electrical poles were flattened). But just nothing now, it's been normal & even today is a bright sunny day. You can track the latest updates of IMD here Edited October 13, 2013 by st_7 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
amitroutray 384 Report post Posted October 13, 2013 Cyclone Phailin kills 23, mass evacuations save thousands An unprecedented and timely evacuation drive, said to be the country's biggest ever, ensured minimum casualties as Cyclone Phailin slammed into coastal Odisha on Saturday evening. 23 people, including two in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, have died in the aftermath of the "very severe" storm, which has since weakened. (Latest developments) "The first priority was to save precious human lives and to a great extent we have achieved that," Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik told NDTV. (Watch) With memories of the killer "super cyclone" in 1999 that ravaged the state and left at least 10,000 people dead still fresh, the state government moved to shift over nine lakh people to safer places before the storm hit. Over a lakh in adjoining Andhra Pradesh also huddled in shelters and government buildings. Earlier in the day, Mr Patnaik, while speaking to reporters, said that rehabilitating those displaced now posed a "big challenge." Heavy rains and surging seawater, accompanying Phailin, the strongest storm to hit the country in more than a decade, flattened tens of thousands of thatched homes, destroyed more than five lakh hectares of crops and knocked out power lines. The worst affected area, around the coastal town of Gopalpur where the eye of Phailin came ashore packing winds of 200 kilometres an hour, was still without power as emergency services rushed to help people living there. Hundreds of workers from the country's National Disaster Response Force fanned out across the region, clearing away fallen trees from roads, mangled power poles and other debris. "Most of Odisha should have electricity back within 12 hours, by tomorrow morning. Water supplies should also be restored in much of the state later tonight," RS Gopalan, a senior state government official coordinating relief operations, told AFP. The Indian Meteorological Department or IMD, whose predictions for the cyclone were consistently below those from foreign meteorologists who foresaw higher wind speeds and greater damage, comparable to the 2005 Hurricane Katrina, stood vindicated. "After the exaggerated manner in which international agencies tried to portray it (the cyclone and disaster), the IMD has done an excellent job," said M Shashidhar Reddy, vice chairman of the National Disaster Management Authority. work to restore damaged infrastructure starts With the intensity of Cyclone Phailin subsiding, steps to restore snapped communication lines, power transmission and rebuild damaged infrastructure in coastal belt of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh started today. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is personally monitoring the situation and has directed central agencies to extend "full support" to the state governments in restoring normalcy in the aftermath of the cyclone, official sources said. Cabinet Secretary Ajith Seth today chaired a meeting of the Crisis Management Group to assess the damage and coordinate rescue and relief efforts. "The loss of life has been absolutely minimal which is a welcome development," a senior Government functionary said. Full Story: http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/cyclone-phailin-kills-23-mass-evacuations-save-thousands-431854 http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/cyclone-phailin-work-to-restore-damaged-infrastructure-starts-431782 Triggered from Transformer 300 using Tapatalk HD 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kalpeshaparmar 66 Report post Posted October 14, 2013 (edited) Reliance Communications to sell Apple iPhone 5c for Rs 41,900, iPhone 5s for Rs 53,500 from November 1 Telecom operator Reliance Communications will start selling Apple's iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c smartphones from November 1. iPhone 5c will be available at price starting from Rs 41,900 and iPhone 5s at Rs 53,500, the company said.A contract-free and unlocked 16GB version of the iPhone 5c is available for $549 (about Rs 34,700) in the US, while an unlocked and contract-free iPhone 5s can be bought for $649 (about Rs 41,000).The company in a statement said that "it will offer iphone 5s, the most forward thinking smartphone in the world, and iphone 5c, the most colorful iphone yet, to customers beginning on November 1, 2013."iPhone 5c will be a choice for consumers evaluating Apple's 16 GB model of iPhone 5while iPhone 5s can be an option for customers looking for an alternate option to 64 GB model of iPhone 5.The 16 GB variant of iPhone 5 is available in the country for around Rs 45,000 and 64 GB variant of the smartphone is available for around Rs 59,000.Apple last week announced that iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c would be available in more than a dozen countries on November 1, including India, without revealing their prices.Apple has timed the release of latest iPhones in India before Diwali, which is on November 3. Apple products have previously hit the Indian markets in the last fortnight of November or the first fortnight of December. http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/telecom/reliance-communications-to-sell-apple-iphone-5c-for-rs-41900-iphone-5s-for-rs-53500-from-november-1/articleshow/24159466.cms Edited October 14, 2013 by kalpeshaparmar Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nitink 279 Report post Posted October 17, 2013 Li-Fi to replace Wi-Fi in China? Beijing Chinese scientists have successfully developed a new cheaper way of getting connected to internet by using signals sent through light bulbs instead of radio frequencies as in 'Wi-Fi', a move expected to radically change process of online connectivity. Four computers can be connected to internet through one- watt LED bulb using light as a carrier instead of traditional radio frequencies, as in Wi-Fi, said Chi Nan, an information technology professor with Shanghai's Fudan University. Under the new discovery dubbed as 'Li-Fi', a light bulb with embedded microchips can produce data rates as fast as 150 megabits per second, which is speedier than the average broadband connection in China, said Chi, who leads a Li-Fi research team including scientists from the Shanghai Institute of Technical Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Li-Fi to replace Wi-Fi in China? Four computers can be connected to internet through one- watt LED bulb using light as a carrier instead of traditional radio frequencies. (Reuters) The term Li-Fi was coined by Harald Haas from the University of Edinburgh in the UK and refers to a type of visible light communication technology that delivers a networked, mobile, high-speed communication solution in a similar manner as Wi-Fi. With Li-Fi cost-effective as well as efficient, netizens should be excited to view 10 sample Li-Fi kits that will be on display at the China International Industry Fair that will kick off on November 5 in Shanghai. The current wireless signal transmission equipment is expensive and low in efficiency, Chi said. "As for cell phones, millions of base stations have been established around the world to strengthen the signal but most of the energy is consumed on their cooling systems," she said. "The energy utilisation rate is only 5 per cent," state-run Xinhua news agency quoted her as saying. Li-Fi was touted as a boon to China netizen community, the highest in the world with about 600 million connections. Compared with base stations, the number of light bulbs that can be used is practically limitless. Meanwhile, Chinese people are replacing the old-fashioned incandescent bulbs with LED light bulbs at a fast pace. "Wherever there is an LED light bulb, there is an Internet signal. Turn off the light and there is no signal," Chi said. However, there is still a long way to go to make Li-Fi a commercial success. "If the light is blocked, then the signal will be cut off," Chi said. More importantly, according to the scientist, the development of a series of key related pieces of technology, including light communication controls as well as microchip design and manufacturing, is still in an experimental period. Read more at: http://ibnlive.in.com/news/lifi-to-replace-wifi-in-china/428978-11.html?utm_source=ref_article Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
csmart 472 Report post Posted October 20, 2013 Micromax names Hugh Jackman as brand ambassador.. http://dnai.in/bLnJ Sent from my SCH-R950 using Tapatalk 2 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
