Archive for February, 2008
Nokia unveils the N96 and N78
The eagerly-awaited successor to the the popular N95 was at last unveiled in Barcelona this morning. Details of the N96 - the latest addition to Nokia’s smartphone range - were leaked before the weekend, and they weren’t too far off the mark.The dual-slide handset sports a 2.8in display, 16GB of internal memory that can be further expanded with an optional Micro SDHC card - like the new Nokia 8GB Micro SDHC card. 
N96
The N96 also offers a DVB-H TV tuner for live TV broadcasting in select markets and it supports most common video formats including MPEG 4, Windows Media Video and Flash Video. And the handset features a "kickstand" on the back that allows the device to stand alone for hands-free viewing.
Hands-free viewing
It also features media keys, a 3.5mm headphone connector and built-in 3D stereo speakers plus the Nokia Maps application with Assisted GPS, a five-megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics, flash and video light and video capture. It has Wi-Fi and HSDPA connectivity.
The N96 is expected to begin shipping in the third quarter of 2008 with an estimated pre-tax sales price of approximately €550. 
N78: now with "novelty" features
In addition to unveiling the new flagship N96, Nokia has also announced the N78 handset, designed to take advantage of the new Ovi suite of Nokia services. It features A-GPS, with free Nokia Maps, Wi-Fi and 3G HSPDA connectivity, a 3.2-megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics, and support for Micro SD memory card, currently available up to 8GB in capacity.
According to Nokia, the "novelty" features of the N78 include the geographical tagging of photos and an integrated FM transmitter that allows music to be played on any FM radio, in a car or at home.
The N78 is expected to be available during the second quarter of this year, with an estimated pre-tax retail price of around €350.
News Source: Reg Hardware
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Ask.com Launches Social Media News Site BigNews
Ask.com has quietly launched a news page called "BigNews" that aggregates top news stories from a variety of sites ranging from The New York Times to small blogs.
Ask.com says the news page stories are dynamically generated based on freshness, source authority, social media references, article content, and multimedia availability. You can use a source filter to search for stories based on geographic region and track stories via the site or RSS.
Next to each featured story, Ask offers a Track button. Visitors can keep up with the story through the BigNews My News feature, or one of several feed readers linked from Track.
So overall they have added a hell lot of features in it which would surely make it easier to track new stories.
Just take a look at the site here
Source- Cnet News
Windows 7 already getting features cuts and becomes Vista "plus"
According to Activewin Windows 7 may not have all the features in it as it was previously reported.The site reads that that Microsoft would cut some of the features including DirectX 11 which was to be released along with windows7.Here is what activewin reads-
There you have it. Windows 7 may not save us after all. It’s not that Vista is bad but it could be so much better. Microsoft was hoping that was Vista SP1 would do only it didn’t. The industry was hoping that Windows 7 would be the “anti-Vista” as it has been called by some but it doesn’t look like that’s going to happen either.
Allegedly the first feature to get cut from Windows 7 is DirectX 11. While DirectX 11 may be optional at some point, it won’t be shipping with the operating system. It turns out that manufactures which sell desktops and laptops with the awful awful horrible useless integrated graphics want no part of that particular requirement.
The Inquirer reports that half of PCs are sold with integrated graphics and one company sells nothing but which whined to Microsoft about it. If DirectX 11 was a requirement for Windows 7, one quarter of PCs made wouldn’t be able to run it.
Yahoo now Considering Merger with AOL
The Times Online is reporting this evening that Yahoo is in talks with AOL on a merger. Yahoo! is seeking to restart merger talks with AOL as a means of defending itself against the $45 billion (£23 billion) hostile bid approach from Microsoft.
Here is something The Times Online says about Yahoo and AOL
…One option being explored is to restart merger talks with AOL, the online business owned by Time Warner. Although Yahoo! and AOL previously failed to join forces because of differences over price, it is hoped that the urgency created by an unwelcome approach from Microsoft and an impending economic downturn will spur the two into new talks. Google, which offered support to Yahoo! when the Microsoft approach was made public, also has a 5 per cent stake in AOL.
Now lets see what Microsoft has to say about this and even we had rumors that Yahoo is considering a deal with Google, but for now it’s sure that Yahoo is not going to merge with Microsoft as reported by us earlier today here
Yahoo may reject Microsoft Offer
The Internet major Yahoo is likely to turn down the Microsoft Corp’s 44.6 billion takeover offer.The media is reporting this quoting an unnamed source.
The "San Francisco Chronicle" said the decision will be formally delivered to Microsoft in a letter to Microsoft on Monday. Yahoo’s 10-member boar4d ,which met on Friday to discuss the week old proposal,determined that the 31$ per-share was too low,source told the San Francisco Chronicle on condition of anonymity.
Microsoft has held out the possibility that it could undertake a hostile merger attempt if Yahoo’s Board members rejected the offer,the Daily has reported.But it might require Microsoft to unseat some of Yahoo’s board members,the report noted.
The Yahoo board is expected to meet this week also so we can expect more progressions in the issue.
Meanwhile the Wall Street Journal has said that Yahoo is unlikely to go for a hostile bid.
"Yahoo’s board appears to be betting that Microsoft doesn’t want to go hostile and try to acquire the company against the wishes of management and the board.such a course could cause deep resentment among the rank-and-file engineers whose Microsoft is crucial to it’s success" Pointed out the Wall street Journal.
Sony Ericsson Unveils First Windows Mobile Handset
Today at Mobile World Congress 2008, Microsoft Corp. announced that Sony Ericsson will deliver a new Windows Mobile phone, the XPERIA™ X1, which blends mobile Web communication and multimedia entertainment, to meet consumer demand for a premium mobile experience for work and play.
The XPERIATM X1 combines a 3-inch clear wide VGA display and a full QWERTY keyboard within a quality metal-finish body. With Windows Mobile® inside, the XPERIA™ X1 lets you choose from a dynamic range of activities at anytime and anywhere; from enjoying your favourite entertainment content to working efficiently on-the-move. Access a world of experiences simply by touching the XPERIA™ panel on the screen.
“XPERIA™ represents the first brand that is truly borne from within Sony Ericsson. It represents our vision for a premium, energised communication experience,” said Dee Dutta, Head of Marketing, Sony Ericsson. “This launch, and the announcement of the X1, further strengthens the overall Sony Ericsson brand and places us at the forefront of mobile convergence.”
The sleek new Sony Ericsson XPERIA X1 includes all the productivity that Windows Mobile provides, along with great features like a 3" touch screen (800×480), an innovative arc-slider full querty keyboard and a 3.2 mp camera.
See the XPERIA X1 in action at sonyericcson.com
More info can be found here- Microsoft Press release ; Sony Press Release
Now, bloggers can sell Microsoft products
In an attempt to curtail piracy and provide better opportunities for its partners, Microsoft Corporation India today launched its first e-commerce platform, www.buyoriginalms.com, for original Microsoft products, including Windows, Office, Server, Xbox, games and gaming accessories.
Software resellers, websites, or blogs, can now start retailing original Microsoft offerings online within a day.
Signing up at the new portal would enable them to build customized sections to sell software, with links provided to their own websites.
Resellers can also sell their inventory through this portal without needing to have their own website.
Currently, there are no entry barriers to being part of this programme. Partners only need to fill in a form online, and a personalized website with the partner’s name and logo is created for them. A link to the location is placed on their own websites where their customers can click on to make online purchases.
The platform offers customers to pay using their credit/debit cards. They can also pay online through net banking. Alternate payment options including cheque and cash on delivery will be introduced shortly.
Partners will earn margins on every original Microsoft product sold through their websites.
Currently, retail packs of original Microsoft products can be purchased through the website, and the option of purchasing software through volume licenses will be offered soon.
Products ordered through the website will be delivered to customers within a period of two weeks, and will sent along with a Certificate of Authenticity (COA), the distinctive mark for original software.
Source- Business Standard
Yahoo quietly launches Yahoo Live!
Yahoo has quietly launched Yahoo live which the developer blog describes it as as “an experiment in personal live video broadcasting.”Here is what the blog reads-
We’re excited to share with you Yahoo! Live, a new experiment in live video from the Advanced Products team at Yahoo!. Y! Live was dreamed up as a way to make it possible for anyone to create their own live video experience. Broadcast the concert you’re at. Webcast your own live DJ set. Lifecast. Build your own live video speed dating application. We’ve created a website and an API that lets you do all these things and many more.
The first screen that we get is this-
which clearly shows that the site is in it’s initial stages and so we may hope more improvements in the coming weeks!!!!
Just take a look here http://live.yahoo.com/weknow.html
