Motorola Aura Launched in India

Motorola has just launched their rather prestigious new fashion statement of a handset the Aura here in good ol’ Mumbai. Brand ambassador Abhishek Bachchan was present to launch the handset, at Vie lounge in Juhu. The premium handset was also presented to one of India’s premium fashion designers, Manish Malhotra.

The Aura’s sexy form factor and brilliant one of a kind circular 1.55-inch display that sports 16 million colors and a 300 dpi resolution also happens to be protected by a grade 1, 62-carat sapphire crystal that makes it scratch resistant. The body is encased in Stainless steel with chemically etched textures for a bit of class. The swivel key-guard is swung around by 130 precision ball bearings. Motorola guarantees the same grace at opening, even after 100,000 times of opening and closing it.

The Motorola Aura has an aluminum keypad, Swiss-made bearings and tungsten-carbide coated gears.

Other features include -

    * 2GB internal memory

    * GPRS/EDGE

    * Bluetooth with A2DP, USB 2.0

    * 2 megapixel camera

    * Music and Video player

    * CrystalTalk Technology

Needless to say this is nothing more than Motorola’s version of a Vertu mobile that simply exudes a sense of chic fashion and premium quality building materials. With a price tag of a whopping Rs. 1,11,492 in these times of recession, it’s a bit of overkill in terms of price but then again it's not for the every day user. This handset simply comes waving a flag that says – If you got it... Flaunt it!

The phone will be available from mid-March at exclusive premium stores in select cities that include Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chandigarh, Chennai, Delhi, Hyberabad, Kolkata, Ludhiana, Mumbai and LG Launches Versa With Detachable QWERTY KeypadSurat.

Nokia To Enter The Laptop Market

Nokia's

CEO in an interview with Finnish broadcaster YLE has confirmed that the company is looking to make an entry into the laptop market.

"We are looking very actively also at this opportunity. We don't have to look even for five years from now to see that what we know as a cellphone and what we know as a PC are in many ways converging," said Nokia's CEO Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo, reports Reuters.

It wouldn't be a very big leap for Nokia considering the company's highest-end smartphones. With the booming netbook market and Nokia's clout in mobile phone

industry, they'll be knocking on all the right doors.

PC-makers are increasingly stepping into the mobile phone territory and according to Ben Wood, research director at CCS Insight, all leading mobile network operators and retailers are adding connected notebooks and netbooks to their portfolios alongside mobile phones. So on the basis of this it's not surprising that Nokia is looking at this option.

Gigabyte Reveals 2 New WinMo Handsets

Gigabyte also joined the fray of the mobile phone world with two new touchscreen Windows Mobile professional handsets - the MS820 and S1200 - 3G ready handsets.

The GSmart MS820 is equipped with -

    * a 2.8-inch, 480 x 640) pixel touchscreen with 65K 

       colors and an accelerometer           

    * MicroSD cards support

    * Qualcomm 7200A, 528MHz processor

    * Wi-Fi, EDGE/GPRS

    * Bluetooth and SUB 2.0 (mini)

    * 5 megapixel AF camera, face detection

    * GPS (SIRF Star III)

With its Marvell PXA270, 520MHz processor and what the company is calling “Flight” design (meaning fast, streamlined and light) and material that integrates the elements of leather and metal, the MS720 does appear quite fashionable. Gigabyte has also integrated a brand-new user interface called Smart Touch III that will run on the Windows 6.1 Professional OS.

"Since established, GBC has always commits to be ‘the World-Class Brand’, and insists that the perfect quality is the most important base of a sustainable branding. Our commitments have been approved by repeatedly winning the Taiwan Excellence Awards.” said Dr. Stanley Jenq, the CEO of GIGA-BYTE Communications Inc., “Different from other smart phones, MS820 shows the varieties of life, because it integrates elegant & fashionable elements, and combines business with entertainment inner spirit, which will definitely meet the diversified requirements of consumers.” continued by Dr. Jenq.

The second handset, the GSmart S1200 comes equipped with -

    * a 3.1-inch WVGA (480 x 800) touchscreen with 

       65K colors and an accelerometer

    * MicroSD cards support

    * Qualcomm 7200A, 528MHz processor

    * Wi-Fi, EDGE/GPRS

    * Bluetooth and SUB 2.0 (mini)

    * 3 megapixel AF camera

    * GPS

According to reports, the handset will possibly run on a Windows 6.1 Professional of the newer 6.5 version. Nothing official has been stated from the company yet. Gigabyte is also using a customized Flash UI in the S1200 handset to enhance the functionality of the handset’s various features and menus.

There’s no pricing or information on the availability of these handsets just yet. They were however showcased at MWC 09.

Lenovo Introduces New Range of Mobile Thinkpad Laptops

Lenovo announced the debut of ThinkPad W700, a self proclaimed first-ever 17-inch widescreen mobile workstation for high end graphics work. Along with NVIDIA Quadro FX mobile graphics, the ThinkPad W700 incorporates the industry's first built-in digitizer and color calibrator in a mobile workstation. The workstation supports the upcoming Intel mobile quad core processor and meets the Energy Star 5.0 program for computers, which takes effect in July 2009.

"Given the specific and intensive needs of niche user segments like photographers and digital designers, we have created the ultimate mobile workstation." said Jaivinder Singh Gill, Executive Director, Commercial Business, Lenovo India. "Lenovo has packed the ThinkPad W700 with sheer power, performance and cutting-edge innovation, thus, providing the perfect mobile solution for our users. We believe that the ThinkPad W700 will revolutionize and outperform the industry with its optimized speed, unmatched stability and ultimate visual experience."

Supporting the latest Intel processor technologies, the ThinkPad W700 can be configured with up to 8 GB of memory. Lenovo also offers models with Intel vPro technology for complete manageability. This mobile workstation can also be equipped with dual internal hard drives with RAID configurations, including solid state drive storage. It also includes NVIDIA Quadro FX 2700M and 3700M Open GL with up to 1 GB of dedicated video memory

Besides, the ThinkPad W700 features WiFi wireless connectivity, Bluetooth and ultra wideband technology. It comes with optional 400-nit WUXGA display and 72 percent wide color gamut. Additionally the workstation comes with an optional compact flash reader and Blu-ray DVD burner/ player.

The ThinkPad W700 mobile workstation is available through www.lenovo.in and Lenovo business partners and costs Rs. 1,49,000.

MWC 09: LG Launches New Netbook

LG Electronics has launched a new netbook, the LG-X120, that comes with 3G HSPA connection and in a compact, portable design.

The netbook features a 160GB hard drive, a 1.3 megapixel webcam, SRS WOW HD and TruSurround XT.

With Smart-Link technology and a simple USB cable, LG-X120 connects to regular computers to share files or install new applications, accessing data even from the computer's CD or DVD drive. An advanced security function allows users to safely share files while connected to other devices, without compromising important information.

The LG-X120 features a soft textured, classic white exterior and has a matt surface that resists fingerprints and scratches. Weighing in at 1.2kg, the laptop has a battery life of 3.5 hours for the 3 cell battery and 7 hours for the 6 cell battery.

LG-X120 will be available in March in Europe. Pricing hasn't been announced yet. 

MWC 09: Texas Instruments Announces New Chipset for Pocket Projector Range

At GSMA Mobile World Congress, Texas Instruments DLP Products announced the newest chipset in the DLP Pico family with availability slated for late 2009. Small enough to embed into the most compact mobile phones and gadgets, DLP Products has effectively scaled the display technology down to the size of a raisin trying very hard not to compromise on picture quality and screen size.

"Building upon the success of the first DLP Pico chipset, which has HVGA resolution and enables leading brands to deliver cutting-edge products across the globe, this new chipset increases performance benchmarks," said Frank J. Moizio, Manager, DLP Emerging Markets business. "The new chipset provides WVGA resolution, higher brightness and power efficiency; all while enabling thinner, smaller optical engine modules to meet the demands of contemporary handheld devices."

The newest DLP Pico chipset can be paired with a TI OMAP application processor to deliver the ultimate mobile user experience. The DLP Pico chipset is a combination of the DLP Pico chip and the DLP Pico processor. It is optimized for applications in mobile and handheld devices.

The new DLP Pico solution delivers the following features:

    * WVGA (854x480) - Native DVD resolution

    * Enables >20% thinner optical module height

    * Enables >20% smaller optical module volume

    * Incorporates technology advances that increase both brightness and power          efficiency

    * Enables industry leading contrast ratio of better than 1000:1

    * Impressive full RGB color gamut

HotSpot Launches 'Mobi SafeGuard'

HotSpot, a multi-brand telecom retail chain, has launched 'Mobi SafeGuard', a unique, all-inclusive warranty for mobile handsets. Applicable when purchased with new handsets, Mobi SafeGuard covers repair of all kinds of handset faults including liquid and physical damage for a 2 year period.

Sanjeev Mahajan, CEO, HotSpot Retail Ltd. said, "Indian consumers have the purchasing power and inclination to own good handsets but also look for reassurance of its service in the long-run. Mobi SafeGuard redefines the traditional covenants of mobile phone warranty by covering the handset device for liquid and physical damage, a service that is not covered even under the manufacturer’s warranty."

He went on to say that Mobi SafeGuard also provides a 2-year extended warranty that adds to the average life of the phone, and moreover if the handset is not repairable, HotSpot would provide a refund equivalent to 50% of the existing market value of the particular mobile handset model.

Cost of the handset            Cost of Mobi SafeGuard

Up to Rs. 5,000                  Rs. 300

Rs. 5001 – Rs. 10000          Rs. 600

Rs. 10001 – Rs. 15000        Rs. 1200

Rs. 15001 and above          Rs. 1500

Mobi SafeGuard is available at most multi-brand outlets and can initially be purchased with GSM handsets of Nokia, Samsung, Motorola, and Sony Ericsson.

MWC 09: Google Demonstrates Offline Mail App For iPhone, HTC Magic

Offline mail is probably one of the better parts of using a mobile while on the go. The reason this is so important is because, we, and by that I mean those living in India, often have issues with reception in some places. At least us GSM guys. Google mail is one of the most commonly used accounts for most net savvy individuals and since it’s already very easily accessible on the iPhone, which is great, the offline version is just something to be a little more thrilled about.

A gentleman named Vic Gundotra; VP of engineering at Google, just recently at MWC 09 showed eager visitors a working version of an offline Gmail web application. As of now reports are saying that Gundotra had stated that this was just a "technical concept" right now that essentially depends on HTML5's AppCache and Database standards, that would have the application as well as all the user data on the handset.




The same reports also mentioned that the application was running on the newest Android handset from HTC - the Magic. The application also featured a floating toolbar for tracking information like emails and browsing.

This is as official as it can get for now. However, Google has released no official statements about the apps release or its price so stay tuned.

MWC 09: Acer Launches New Smartphones

Acer is introducing a new line of smartphones with a broad range of features and innovations.

Acer M900
The M900 features a 3.8-inch WVGA touchscreen, embedded fingerprint sensor, a full keyboard and allows users to keep track of activities and access their contacts and files through synchronization with a notebook or desktop computer .



It comes preinstalled with Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional, Outlook Mobile email and Office Mobile (Word, Excel and Powerpoint) and has HSDPA connectivity.




The M900 comes equipped with GPS, FM Radio, voice recorder and voice-command, as well as expandable memory, and a 5-megapixel autofocus camera with flash.

Acer F900
The F900 has a 3.8-inch WVGA touch screen and touch keyboard. The user-interface makes navigating through the device easy and provides quick links to contacts, email messages, bookmarks, calendars, date and time, world weather and music.




The F900 comes also with an integrated 3.2-megapixel auto-focus camera with flash, GPS, FM Radio, voice recorder, voice command, and expandable memory.




With direct access to key applications via the widget-based home screen, The F900 features easy one-hand navigation with the new Internet Explorer 6 supporting JavaScript and Adobe Flash Lite, providing access to various webmail clients and a suite of internet applications. The F900 features high-speed 3.75G HSDPA/HSUPA and WiFi connectivity.

Spice Launches Its First Handset of 2009

Spice Mobiles has announced their first launch of 2009 - the Spice S-590 - that the company claims is a very affordable video-camera phone. Along with this new handset, Spice has also launched an interesting voice prompt application, which makes it a “Talking Phone”.




The handset features -

* an FM with recorder
* Mp3 player
* Torch
* Expandable memory upto 2 GB via microSD cards
* GPRS
* Mobile tracker
* Call blacklist
* SMS scheduler

The voice prompt feature christened POPAT (ha ha ha) transforms the phone into a talking parrot which speaks out the number of an incoming call, phonebook and keys pressed on keypad. POPAT can benefit the people who cannot read or write, prove to be a utility for the blind and disabled or an interesting fun feature for the youth.

The Spice S-590 is available at a price of Rs. 2,499 (MRP).

Nokia Announces New XpressMusic Handset

It’s been a while since Nokia has been in the news but that could also be because of LG’s KM900 and Samsung’s plethora of handsets making their way to MWC. Nokia has in fact announced an addition to their music range of handsets – the 5630XpressMusic.





This candy-bar styled, rather simplistic looking handset runs on a Symbian OS with an S60 UI and is equipped with -

* a 3 megapixel camera AF camera (LED flash)
* 2.2-inch TFT LCD (240 x 320 pixels)
* N-Gage Gaming
* MicroSD card support (up to 16GB)
* 3.5mm earphone socket
* Wi-Fi
* EDGE/GPRS, 3G (HSDPA)
* Bluetooth 2.0, USB 2.0
* FM radio with RDS

Apart from these, the 5630 will also feature Nokia’s 'Say and Play' function that will let users simply speak the name of the song or artist and the handset will locate and play the track. This handset is also bundled with Nokia’s 'Comes with Music' tag where it’s available already.





The Nokia 5630 XpressMusic’s new tweaked homescreen shows the Contacts Bar that allows direct access to up to 20 friends or business contacts straight from there and provides a full communication history with these contacts including recent emails, messages, phone logs and photos shared. A shortcuts bar at the bottom of the homescreen also gives quick access to the most frequently used applications including music, radio, Web, N-Gage and photos. This is all very similar to the 5800’s but in a more confined space of course.

The Nokia 5630 XpressMusic should start making its way to shelves by the second quarter of this year with a price tag of about Rs. 12, 575 (200 EURO) exclusive of subsidies and taxes and a bundled 4GB microSD card.

More Specs Out on LG's Arena KM900

For the disbelievers, here’s some more news on LG’s latest touchscreen handset - the Arena KM900 that we covered just yesterday. Although it’s still not yet official, reports are in with more
specs -

* 3-inch 262K color, 800 x 480 pixel touchscreen display
* 3G and Wi-Fi support
* Bluetooth, USB
* 5 megapixel camera (DVD quality recording)
* GPS (A-GPS support)
* DivX playback
* 105.9 x 55.3 x 11.95mm dimensions
* 1000 mAh battery
* New S-Class UI




There's still no word on pricing or availability yet, so stay tuned.

Nine-year Old Writes iPhone Application

While most children his age sketch on paper with crayons, nine-year old Lim Ding Wen from Singapore, has a very different canvas - his iPhone.




Lim, who is in fourth grade, writes applications for Apple's popular iPhone. His latest, a painting program called Doodle Kids, has been downloaded over 4,000 times from Apple's iTunes store in two weeks, the New Paper reported on Thursday.

The program lets iPhone users draw with their fingers by touching the iPhone's touchscreen and then clear the screen by shaking the phone. "I wrote the program for my younger sisters, who like to draw," Lim said. His sisters are aged 3 and 5.