Google Calendar for Android updated with more color options and tweaks

 If you use Google Calendar a lot on your Android phones, you will love the new changes that Google has made to the app. Starting with a new color tool, which lets you highlight specific appointments and change the color of your entire calendar.

So now all your meetings can be set in blue and all the Home chores in Red ! This feature will let you identify and group up your tasks making the calendar a lot more efficient to do tool. The newly designed date and time function lets you pick out time and dates in the analogue style and as Google says “well before the vacation”.

Time zones are now set automatically by entering the name of the city and the app is available for Android ICS 4.1 and above. Check it out in the link below.

Lava E-Tab Xtron+ launched with HDMI port for Rs. 6990

 After the success of Lava E-Tab Xtron, Lava Mobiles has now launched the Lava E-Tab Xtron+ with almost similar specifications as its predecessor for a price tag of Rs. 6,990. This tablet is now available on Flipkart.

The only difference between the Xtron and the Xtron+ is the OS (JB 4.2), battery (3700 mAh) and an HDMI v1.4 port. It’s a dual core tablet clocked at 1.5GHz coupled with quad core Mali 400 GPU. The E-Tab Xtron+ runs on Android 4.2.2 OS with 1GB RAM and 8GB internal storage.

The screen size is 7 inches – with capacitive touch and resolution of 1024×600 pixels. This tab comes with dual cameras a front VGA and a rear 2MP. Other features are Wi-Fi, HDMI, USB 2.0 and 3.5mm audio jack. The battery is 3700 mAh that should last for over 3 hours of continuous usage.

I am not sure if HDMI port will make much of a difference to many users, but the OS will, but anyway there is hardly any option left since the lava E-Tab Xtron has been permanently discontinued.

Lava E-Tab Xtron+ key features and specifications

• 1.5GHz Cortex A9 Dual core processor + Mali 400MP GPU.
• Android 4.2.2 OS.
• 7 inch capacitive multi touch screen with 1024×600 pixels resolution.
• 1GB RAM, 8GB internal storage and micro SD support.
• 2MP fixed focus rear camera + 0.3MP fixed focus front camera.
• Wi-Fi (b/g/n), HDMI 1.4, 3.5m audio jack, G-sensors and micro USB port.
• 3700 mAh battery.
• Price Rs. 6,990 (via Flipkart).

Samsung Accidentally Leaks Galaxy S4 Mini

Samsung has accidentally leaked its upcoming Galaxy S4 mini smartphone.

The device was spotted Samsung’s official apps site by TGSpot. The site lets you sort apps by device and one of the devices in the list is the Galaxy S4 mini.

The smaller smartphone is expected to have a Super AMOLED 960x540 4.3-inch display, down from 5-inches. It's also said to feature a 1.6GHz processor and 8-megapixel camera.

Rumour : HTC One "Google Edition" With Stock Android To Be Release Next Month

 Despite denying its existence, rumours persist of an HTC One “Google Edition”. During the Google I/O keynote address earlier this month, Google announced it was partnering with Samsung to bring a Galaxy S4 to Google Play that runs vanilla Android. While that particular device will only be available in the United States, it stoked the rumours that other manufacturers such as HTC would be getting in on the “almost-Nexus” game.

During the keynote, one of HTC’s PR mavens intimated that there would be a similar model of the One released with stock Android, presumably a newer version than is currently running on the device. But official channels quashed the rumour, leading to a short cessation of any talk.

In recent days, though, several sites including Geek.com and Android Central have independently confirmed that such a device does exist, and will be announced in the coming weeks.

The news comes from Geek.com’s Russell Holly, who claims that “multiple sources” are saying that HTC has plans to launch a stripped-down version of its flagship handset. 

This comes after a string of negative press, including several executives leaving the company, news of relatively underwhelming sales of the One, and indications that its Facebook phone, the First, has been unceremoniously discontinued.

It’s likely that HTC is going ahead with the project after seeing the positive reaction to the stock Galaxy S4, aware that there is a global market for devices running unblemished Android and, perhaps more importantly, ones that receive updates directly from Google.

One thing to keep in mind about an HTC One “Google Edition” is that it will unlikely be sold in India. The same thing is true of the HTC One Developer Edition and the upcoming Play Store Galaxy S4, so you’re going to need a source in the United States to obtain one.

While the HTC One has been well received critically and by the public, sales have still lagged significantly behind those of rivals Samsung and Apple.

The company was also forced to admit it would be postponing the launch of the HTC First in the UK. It blamed poor customer feedback in the US for the move.

If HTC does release a One running stock Android, would you buy one?

[Geek, Android Central, Mobile Syrup]

Leaked Image Shows Nexus 4 Running Android 4.3, New Camera Camera UI

 Leading up to Google’s I/O event, there were a lot of rumors indicating that we would see the unveiling of Android version 4.3 rather than 5.0. However, during the keynote, Google ended up not addressing a new version of Android at all. Instead, they chose to focus on updating individual apps and APIs separate from the operating system.


Today we get a first-hand look at the software in action, with a number of images appearing to show Android 4.3 running on a Nexus 4. The image was taken at the Thailand Mobile Expo and posted on the XDA Developers forum.

We clearly see Android 4.3 Jelly Bean as the OS, with a build date being May 14th, so it’s a pretty new updated version. Then the build number is listed as JWR45B.

The other pictures show the camera in action – with a slightly modified interface – and a screen of just the Jelly Bean Easter Egg that can be found in the About section too.

The camera interface seems to include a new see-through action area, complete with a new activation ring and fresh icons for HDR, contrast, and rotation. 

The images don’t seem to show any significant changes, so the possibility remains that Google didn’t show their latest version of Android perhaps because there isn’t much to show in the first place. They could be saving the bigger changes for a major 5.0 update rather than another incremental version update.

Is what we heard about a June launch, alongside the white Nexus 4 accurate?

[XDA, Droid-Life, VR-Zone]

Asus Transformer AiO Launched In India, Priced At Rs 86,999

Asus India today launched the world’s first dual OS, Windows 8 and Android 4.1, All-in-One PC, the ASUS Transformer AiO. 

It has an 18.4-inch LED-backlit display, featuring 1080p HD resolution with 10-point multi-touch and IPS technology, docked onto a stand. When docked, the AiO is a Windows 8 PC, with a dual-core / quad-core Intel Ivy Bridge CPU, but once removed you get an Android Jelly Bean running tablet PC.

“With the introduction of new product, we are creating a new segment or in other words all-in-one product. Our efforts are to grow this new segment by coming out with innovative products and which gel with the consumers’ demand,” ASUS (India) Country Head (Component Business) Vinay Shetty said.

 The Transformer AiO comes with an Nvidia GeForce GT 730M GPU paired with 2GB of RAM taking care of the graphics, while the tablet of the device is powered by the quad core Nvidia Tegra 3 processor coupled with 2GB of RAM along with 32GB of on board storage.

The device comes with plenty of connection options as well with 4 USB 3.0 ports, 1 USB 2.0 port, and the tablet has a microUSB socket. Both devices also support Bluetooth 4.0 and HDMI outputs.

The Asus Transformer AiO is available with Core i3, i5, and i7 processor options with 4 to 8 GB of RAM. The India pricing for the device ranges between Rs. 87,000 to Rs. 1,07,000 depending on the choice of processor and RAM. It is currently available only through ASUS-exclusive stores and comes with a 3-year warranty.

Breaking : Micromax A110Q Canvas 2 Plus, adds Quad Core to the Best Selling Canvas

SPECIFICATIONS

Company/Brand                   Micromax

Type                                  Smartphone

OS                                    Android 4.2 Jelly Bean

Price                                 TBA

Price Range                        Rs. 10,000-15,000

Announced                         May 2013

Chipset                              Mediatek 6589

Processor                           1.2 Ghz Quad Core

RAM                                  1 GB

Battery                               2,000 mAh

Primary Camera                   8 MP with 1080p video                              

Secondary Camera               2 megapixel

Main Display                       5-inch WVGA Capacitive Touchscreen

In-Built Storage                    4 GB

 Micromax last year launched the Micromax Canvas 2 A110, which is one of their best selling smartphones till date. The Micromax A110Q Canvas 2 Plus takes this success and adds a quad-core MT6589 chipset clocked at 1.2 GHz into the mix. 

Adding some of the great features of the Canvas HD, the Micromax A110Q Canvas 2 Plus, also has the 8 MP camera at back with a front facing 2 MP shooter. A 2000 mAh battery powers the Handset and is coupled with 1GB of RAM and 4GB of mass storage, which according to the company can be increased with a 32GB SD card. Just like recent Canvas launches, the A110Q will also automatically take a Class 10 microSD card and replace the internal storage with it, so you will not need to root the phone to install and download high end games. 

The one major difference with the Micromax Canvas HD A116 is the display, the Micromax A110Q Canvas 2 Plus retains the 5 inch 480 x 854 px display effectively reducing the display quality in comparison. The phone is expected to hit the markets soon, expect a full featured unboxing and comparison with a lineup of devices soon. 

Xbox one first round of games revealed, Fifa 14, Forza 5, Call of Duty : Ghosts and Madden NFL 25

Microsoft just announced their next big gaming console revolution the Xbox One. The biggest developer as always has been EA games and it wasn’t much behind here either with  Madden NFL 25, NBA Live 14, EA Sports UFC and the much hyper Fifa 14. 

All new EA Games Titles will run on the new EA Sports Ignite game engine. EA’s Andrew Wilson said ;

All four will launch in the next 12 months, All four will be revolutionary.All games will have Xbox One-exclusive content, which will be revealed in the coming months.”

Xbox-exclusive Forza Motorsport 5 along with Turn 10 Studios racing series will  be among the console’s early titles. A new title exclusive to Xbox from Max Payne Developer-Remedy Entertainment called Quantum Break, a game title that will blend live action gaming with Live TV, details on how it will work are scarce now. 

For FPS lovers, Call Of Duty : Ghosts from seasoned FPS developer ; Activation, will come first to the Xbox One. A trailer for this upcoming title has also gone live (see below). Expect this game to hit all consoles, but the Xbox-One version will have exclusive content. 

Microsoft is also working on 7 exclusive Kinect based titles which will be launched alongside the new Xbox One, to take control of the exciting new features of the new iteration of the Kinect. 

With the ability to capture gameplay, expect the likes of Youtube to be flooded with gameplay footage from users worldwide. 

The New Xbox One will run 3 Operating Systems including trimmed down windows

 While the Microsoft Xbox One has just been announced, the next-generation Xbox will run three operating systems simultaneously. A new revision of the Microsoft Windows 8 /RT designed for tablets, has been re-engineered for the main UI of the Console. This version will be used to run apps like Skype and other non-game titles downloaded from the Xbox storefront. A new virtualization technology similar to Microsoft’s Hyper-V will be used to allocate the bulk of system resources to a second, dedicated “Xbox OS” when the user loads up a game. The Final OS is a sort of mediator between the two operating systems. 

The triple OS technology will allow the console to have layers on the screen, allowing users to Skype , play games and watch TV simultaneously. These  visual “panes,” which are full 1080p layers generated independently and displayed one on top of the other. 

Whats more coders will be able to convert their apps to work on this Windows variant opening up a whole new marketplace (one of the biggest) for the developers.

Microsoft Unveils The Xbox One!

Microsoft’s next-generation console is finally here, the Xbox One.

 The Xbox One is all black and features a two-tone finish with both matte and gloss in equal measure; a slot-loading Blu-ray optical drive sits out front on the left face, while a power button with the traditional incomplete circle symbol is emblazoned on the right side (which looks to be touch-based). A new Kinect was also unveiled, and it powers the console — “Xbox On” is being trumpeted as the most important feature.

“Team Xbox is on a new mission,” Don Mattrick, president of the interactive entertainment business, said.”And that mission is focused on making this an entertainment console.”

He said the goal is to build a system that lines up games, television and software and that the most important part is that it must be “simple, instant and complete.”

“It is time for technology to step behind the curtain and you and your entertainment to take the stage,” Mattrick said. 

Yusuf Medhi, senior vice president of Microsoft’s interactive entertainment business, unveiled how voice input can be used to control Xbox One. It will also respond to gesture controls. 

“Xbox On” turns on the hardware to power up an instant-on system with a new Home dashboard that is near-identical to Microsoft’s Windows 8 operating system.

 There’s instant switching from the Xbox One dashboard to live television (which seems to confirm that HDMI-in rumor). People using Skype on Xbox One will be able to do group chats now.

Mark Whitten, corporate vice president of Xbox LIVE, said the console can detect your heartbeat when you are exercising, using the Kinect sensor.

 The Xbox One’s controller was created with game players, Whitten said. It will have improved ergonomics and a new d-pad. ”This is your controller,” he said. The triggers now have a built-in rumble system, which Microsoft’s calling “Impulse Triggers,” and there’s now also a redesigned D-pad. The battery compartment, meanwhile, is much smaller than the previous version.

Whitten said the Xbox One will use more power than the entire world did in 1999.

EA said that it is developing four games for Xbox One: FIFA, Madden NFL, NBA Live, and UFC, which will release within the next 12 months.

EA Sports Ignite has been unveiled: “to blur the line between real and virtual.” It will utilize the Xbox One’s exclusive updates for enhanced game play.

“Sports are as much about your head as your feet or your hands,” Microsoft said.

Forza Motorsport 5 announced for Xbox One and will be available at launch. Microsoft Studios plans to launch 15 new games in the first year of Xbox One, including 8 brand new franchises.

More developing…

Apple iPhone sales boom in India after trade-ins,Discounts and Payment Plan EMI schemes

 Apple is furiously trying to create the brand image, they have worldwide, in India as-well. With the launch of new Student and Trade-in offers Apple presently offers a discount of Rs. 7000 for Trade-ins from non students and a discount of Rs. 7777 for Trade-ins from Students with a valid ID. These trade-ins are valid for any phone in working condition with a charger ( yes your old Nokia with a torch will do ) 

Another offer for American Express Credit Card holders ensures a 6000 Refund/ Cash back on either the  4, 4S, or 5 before June 10, this requires owners to swipe their AMEX cards and pay the rest of the money in EMI or installments with zero interest. 

India has usually been one of the last companies on Apple’s radar, but with the iPhone 5, Apple seems to have changed their approach towards India. India was one of the first few countries to get the iPhone 5, which sold out on Launch day. To curb declining sales Apple launched EMI and Installment plans, after which there has been tremendous growth in the overall sales of the company. 

Apple is also planning to triple its sales operations in India, with the launch of a Apple owned Retail store expected in the 2nd quarter of 2014, Apple will also have over 200 reseller locations by 2015. Apple devices took roughly 15.6 percent of smartphone revenue in India which pegs the company at second place behind Samsung whose total was roughly 38.8 percent share. However till 2011-2012 Apple only has 3-4 % market share, and in terms of growth numbers this is almost a 5 times increase for the company.

Next Xbox comes today, Here is the Roundup!

 The next Microsoft Xbox is going to be announced in a few hours and we know quite a lot of things about it so far (or at least we think).

The Xbox (next) should carry on Microsoft’s legacy of the gaming industry as it has from the beginning. The Xbox became an icon of the gaming industry the minute it landed, quickly becoming the most popular gaming console, due to the sheer volume of gamer available on it.  Microsoft Studios’ dedication in creating exclusive titles, also had a big role to play here. 

Price of the Next Xbox

While most consoles debut around the US $ 499 price mark, we expect the next Xbox to be the same. Microsoft in the U.S., offers the Xbox 360 on subsidy and has tried to work out similar strategies with their sales in India with no real subsidy offers. 

What real package deals may is unknown, but it appears that Microsoft realizes that the biggest market for games cannot afford Rs. 25000 consoles outright. 

Release Cycle and Branding

While many rumored names for the next Xbox are floating around, the Xbox Infinity the Xbox ultimate, etc. The most probable name is going to be Xbox 8 ( due to a trademark filed by Microsoft), which could also tie in with the specs of the hardware below. On the flip side Microsoft could simply call it Xbox or if they were to follow in Apple’s footsteps the “New Xbox” or the “Next Xbox”.

The new gaming console from Microsoft is expected to clash with Sony’s rivaling Playstation, when both will be available around the Christmas holiday season of 2013.

Hardware and Specifications

Apart from major aesthetic changes, the new Xbox will also get a hardware overhaul. Starting with the 64-bit, 8-core, 1.6GHz processor made by AMD with x86 architecture and 8GB of DDR3 RAM vs the existing 3-core 3.6GHz processor and 512 MB or RAM. The previous architecture was based on PowerPC so the GHz change will actually be better. The GPU is an 800 MHz DirectX 11.x, and will be accompanied by custom hardware for Xbox-specific tasks vs the existing 500MHz GPU. The new hardware will also have a traditional ethernet port, an optical Blu-Ray disc drive( even though rumors pointed to diskless systems, this is a way to curb piracy) , a default 500GB SATA 2 HDD, USB 3.0 ports, and HDMI out and in ports for Full HD/ maybe even 4K video.

New Xbox Controller

Many are expecting a Kinect overhaul, and some rumors have pointed to a controller less console ( which in all entirety would be a failure). The new controller is expected to be smaller and more ergonomic. It is also rumored that the new Xbox controller will have an additional set of buttons to enhance the gamers experience. The Kinect sensor is expected to come bundled with the hardware, along with a better optical recognition system which would be able to respond more accurately to movements. 

The Handheld controllers are expected to come with rechargeable and replaceable batteries out of the box, to one up on Playstation’s rechargeable but irreplaceable batteries.

The new Hardware, along with controllers and Kinect have been with Game developers for a while now, but since each unit is tightly packed, coded and covered in stripes, not a lot has leaked out from design perspective. 

TV or Gaming Console (or Both?)

Microsoft’s Nancy Hellens – a former boss at US TV station CBS has been brought on to spearhead new TV-esque entertainment experiences. Uk based, Lift London is working on new gaming experiences, Microsoft Soho Studios has already put out interactive TV-like games based on Sesame Street and Discovery Channel. Now well a lot of heat around different types of TV’s systems is in place, Microsoft could bundle these features into the new Xbox and make the package a lot worth for the owner. Replacing the likes of recoding boxes and streaming accessories. 

A move along such lines would also replace devices, like Nexus Q or even Apple TV from living rooms. 

Microsoft has already clarified that the launch will be for the hardware and not for the games, which would be announced possibly at E3, but expect at least a few titles to show up for  a wonderful preview. 

Sony's New Playstation 4 Teaser Reveals Console Appearance

  After the Sony’s Playstation 4 event concluded, questions immediately blew up social media asking what the console actually looks like. We have our first glimpses of the console today, thanks to an officially released teaser by Sony.

The timing of the tease is no surprise, with Microsoft set to reveal its own next-generation Xbox tomorrow at its campus in Redmond, Washington.

Sony will present its E3 event on June 10 at 6 p.m. Pacific time. At that point, we will likely see the PlayStation 4 in the flesh along with some new games and features.

The video, seen below, shows off bits and pieces of the console in quick video cuts. You’re able to see the logo, various ports, and other portions of the device that help you form a general idea of what the Playstation 4 will look like.

Sony will be shipping the PlayStation 4 with an eight-core 64-bit processor based off AMD’s “Jaguar” processor line. Though x86 cores are the brunt of the new console’s might, Sony stated at its event that another low-power core will be bundled in, as well. The additional processor exists not to help with games directly but instead to process tasks in the background.

Sony states that the PlayStation 4 graphics chip, which is derived from existing Radeon technology and integrated into the Jaguar processor die, can push 1.84 TFLOPS. That number puts the power of the GPU roughly on par with a Radeon HD 7850 video card.

Sony has also packed in eight gigabytes of RAM, an absolutely massive increase over the 512MB found in the PlayStation 3. And the RAM is high-speed GDDR5, which will let Sony maximize the system’s data pipe.

[DigitalTrends]

Samsung To Release 276 PPI Laptop Display Panel, Beats Chromebook Pixel And Retina MacBook

 When Google released their Chromebook Pixel earlier this year, its pixel density topped anything on the market, including Apple’s Retina MacBook. That could be set to change however, as Samsung is working on a display that could best both those devices.

Samsung is preparing to showcase what could be the sharpest display to ever debut on a 13-inch notebook. At this year’s Display Week 2013, Samsung will flaunt a 13.3-inch notebook display with a 3200 x 1800 pixel resolution and 276 pixels per inch. 

This beats Apple’s 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro by a decent margin, which comes with a pixel resolution of 2560 x 1600 and 227 ppi. It also outshines Google’s 2560 x 1700- resolution Chromebook Pixel, which comes with a 12-inch display packing 239 ppi.

By utilizing a decreased number of driver circuits and increased LED BLU efficiency, the duo will also deliver up to 30% energy savings compared to the current generation of displays, said Samsung. 

As Laptop Mag reports, Samsung will also show off a 10.1-inch 2560 x 1600 resolution touch screen for tablets and an 85-inch LCD panel for TVs that enables local-dimming control. This means that color will render more vividly on the 85-inch screen with higher contrast and “80 percent brightness uniformity.”

It certainly sounds enticing, especially when you consider the quality of the displays on both Retina MacBook Pro’s, and even the Chromebook Pixel. More competition in the laptop display space can only be good news in the long run.

These newest displays come on the heels of a recent announcement by Sharp, where they unveiled that they will begin producing IGZO panels with UltraHD resolutions for notebooks. It is not yet known if the panels will simply be displayed or will be included as part of actual products, but we should know more in the coming days. 

[The Verge, LaptopMag]

Samsung Galaxy S3 Software Update leaks, shows of Galaxy S4 Features

 Everyone who said that the Galaxy S4 is just a mere update to the Galaxy S3 might just be right this time around. A test Android 4.2.2 update, discovered by SamMobile, has all the new “amazing and unique” features of the Galaxy S4 for the previous flagship. The new test build includes the lockscreen effects and widgets, enhanced screen modes, updated settings, and new S Voice control features found in Samsung’s new flagship.

Of course if you were expecting Air View and the Remote feature, you would need to know that those things are hardware dependent and not software dependent. However, in theory you could increase the sensitivity of any capacitive screen to perform Air View sort of gestures, with a considerable amount of power-juice drain on the device. But that remains a theory. 

The Update was found in Internal testing zones, and may or may not include all the said updates, and may also add some new “unique & amazing” features when it finally rolls out. 

New enhancements in Android 4.2.2 update

• - Android 4.2.2 – Build ID: JDQ39
• - New S4 Lockscreen: Multiple Widgets, two Unlock effects (Ripple and Light), improved ripple effect than Android 4.1.2, ability to change clock size and set a personal message
• - New Screen modes (From S4): Adapt Display and Professional Photo
• - Daydream
• - Driving mode
• - Actionable notifications
• - New Additions in Notification Center
• - Completely revamped Settings UI (Tabbed interface – Exactly like the S4)
• - Addition of Voice controls (Let’s you control various parts of the phone using voice commands – Galaxy S4 feature)
• - Gallery modes have white background (When changing gallery modes to 3D the background changes to white)
• - Full screen Samsung apps
• - New S-Voice (from S4)
• - New smart switch widget

[VIA]

LG Officially Launches the Nexus 4 in India - Rs. 25,999 /-

 The Google Branded Nexus 4 was launched in the US, last year and was expected to reach India early December 2012. LG gave word today that it has officially launched the Google Nexus 4 Smartphone in India for a Price of Rs. 25,999 /-., talk about delayed Indian Standard Time. The Nexus 4 has been launched and is available through online as well as offline vendors.

 Most of us are already familiar with the Specs and Features of the Nexus 4, and the fact that the latest version of Android is instantly seeded to owners. The roundup for the Nexus 4 includes, a Qualcomm SnapdragonTM S4 Pro CPU 1.5 GHz Krait, with  Android 4.2 .2. The Display is a 4.7 inch 1280 x 768 px IPS LCD display with Gorilla® Glass 2. Read full Specs and PR below.

In either case the Nexus 4 seems like a better proposition than another Android 4.2 Smartphone launched today. 

Nexus 4 Specification:

• CPU Qualcomm SnapdragonTM S4 Pro CPU 1.5 GHz Krait
• Network Unlocked GSM/UMTS/HSPA+
• GSM/EDGE/GPRS (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)
• 3G (850, 900, 1700, 1900, 2100 MHz)
• HSPA+ 42
• Dimension 133.9 x 68.7 x 9.1 mm
• Operating System Android 4.2 .2
• Weight 139g

Display

• Type LCD/True HD IPS+
• Size 4.7” diagonal
• Resolution WXGA (1280 x 768) pixel resolution (320ppi)
• Etc Corning® Gorilla® Glass 2

Touch

• Type/Handwriting Zerogap/Yes

Camera

• Main Camera 8MP
• Flash LED 1EA
• Front Camera 1.3MP HD
•  

Battery

• Capacity/Type 2,100mAh/Lipolymer
• (Embedded)
• Talk Time 11.9 hours (Tx power 10dm)
• Standby Time 564.5 hours (DRX 8)

Audio/Video

• Audio Codec MP3/AAC/AA+/eAAC+/AMR NB/ WAV/WMA/MIDI
• Video Codec MPEG4/H.263/H.264
• Audio Jack 3.5mm
• 2nd Microphone Yes
•  

Data Connectivity

• Bluetooth/USB/WiFI
• 3.0/2.0HS/802.11 a/b/g/n (Dual Band)
• GPS/HDMI/NFC Yes with GLONASS Support / Yes (Slimport)/ Yes (Android Beam)

Memory

• Internal RAM/ROM 2GB/16GB

Processor

• Quad Core 1.5GHz

Advance Features

• Wireless Charging Yes
• Wireless Display Yes

Indian techie bid $5,80,000 for 30-minute meeting with Apple CEO Tim Cook

 LONDON: What would you do if you had Rs 3 crore in your pocket? How about wanting to go on a coffee date with Apple CEO Tim Cook?

While many would not, a Durgapur Regional Engineering College alumni offered a whopping $5,80,000 bid for Cook's time in an online auction.

Rakesh Kumar - a B Tech in electrical, electronics and communications engineering from Durgapur who now lives in the US and is founder of a start-up Drbluetooth.com set up in Sunnyvale, California just nine months ago, however failed to win the bid by a whisker.

Kumar's company, which sells Bluetooth headsets was edged ahead by a mystery bidder who paid $30,000 higher and ended the auction at $610,000.

The online charity auction site CharityBuzz was auctioning off a 30-minute to one hour meeting with Cook at Apple's headquarters in California.

Bidding ended on Tuesday and the winner will now be invited for a chat with Cook in Cupertino along with a friend.

The auction has been running on the website since April 24.

It offered "the unique opportunity to have coffee with Apple CEO Tim Cook" and the first bid was placed at $6,000. It was to raise money for the RF Kenndy Center for Justice and Human Rights.

Kumar said the meeting would have given him and his company "a chance to showcase the whole concept of what we're doing to him."

Kumar said "What we can show on our website is very limited in comparison."

He also hoped that the meeting would bring his new company into the attention of high-profile investors.

"I'm sure he would give us some frank opinions," Kumar said.

The auction exceeded the auction houses' expectations. Though Cook isn't envisaged to have the same aura as Steve Jobs, nearly 100 high stake bids were made during the auction for Cook's time. They were mainly from app developers wanting Cook's time to impress upon him with their products.

Charitybuzz has earlier auctioned time with celebrities ranging from U2's Bono ($2,11,000) toPaul McCartney ($1,30,000) for a meeting.

Charitybuzz CEO Coppy Holzman said "Charitybuzz is blown away by the incredible support we've seen for the RFK Center for Justice and Human Rights through our coffee with Tim Cookonline auction. It broke Charitybuzz's record for the top-grossing auction item since the company's launch in 2005."

Sources [TOI]