Apple iOS 4.3.4 Fixes PDF Security Glitch, Still Jailbroken

Earlier today, Apple launched an update to Apple iOS enabled devices that fixes a security flaw in viewing PDF files. Apple indicates that the fix should prevent any potential threats when viewing 'maliciously crafted PDFs.’ However, this is not the first time Apple has had to fix its PDF viewing technology. The iOS 4.3.4 is now available for download as a free update for iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad users. The update is also available for iPhone 4 users, as well as third-generation iPods running on iOS 3.0 and higher.  Apple claims that because of this security breach, hackers were able to remotely control iPhones, iPads after using manipulated PDF files. Jailbroken in no time at all The flaw was uncovered by 'Comex,"  a member of the hacking group who exploited it to create ways for users to jailbreak iOS devices and run unauthorized software. Apple however, has dealt with the problem fairly swiftly. The update means that the JailBreakMe tool will no longer work on updated devices but will prevent users from potential attacks. Even though this new patch has been released, it didn’t take hackers more than 12 hours to jailbreak the iOS 4.3.update. Pretty much every device has been unlocked except for the recent iPad 2.

iPhone 4, Samsung Nexus S on Space Shuttle Atlantis' Final Mission

Afew days ago NASA bid adieu to its 30 year long, space shuttle mission, with the launch of the space shuttle, Atlantis. Along with the four member crew, Atlantis had some special guests onboard. Reports suggest that the Atlantis crew carried with them, along with the other equipments; two Samsung Nexus S smartphones and an iPhone 4.

Simply out of this world, quite literally!

According to reports, the smartphones will aid the crew onboard with several experiments they routinely carry out. Both the Nexus S and the iPhone 4 will be connected to the Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Reorient, and Experimental Satellites, also known by the acronym SPHERES. With the smartphones doing the routine experiments, the crew members will spend a lot of time with  them. 

While the Nexus S smartphones would have been placed small spheres propelled by thrusters, completely ruling out the need of manual operations, the iPhone 4 will be used to run an app called ‘Space Lab’. Using the app, the crew onboard will be able to carry out numerous experiments with  the phones’ cameras, gyroscopes, and some other sensors, in addition to checking if the computer memory would suffer any repercussions owing to space radiation.

Apple Alleges that HTC Infringed Five of its Patents

Popular handset manufacturer, HTC is the latest one to have got its head trapped under Apple’s axe. In a complaint filed with the U.S. International Trade Commission, Apple leveled allegations against HTC over its patented iPad, and iPhone. In the filed complaint, although a copy of the same wasn’t available, it was learned that Apple approached the U.S. ITC with charges of five infringed patents by HTC. Patent woes.. According to the complaint filed on the 8th of July, 2011, HTC has infringed patents pertaining to software architecture and user interfaces in portable electronic devices, touch screens' hardware and movement sensors, among others, which according to Apple constitute its ‘path-breaking technology’. If the judgment sways in Apple’s favor, then the U.S. ITC will look at the complete ban on the imports of HTC products.  Apple had launched a similar case with the U.S. ITC against HTC, the verdict of which can be expected to come out around August 5th, this year. Observers however believe that this move by Apple is triggered by the competition from players like HTC, Samsung, and Motorola in the smartphone and tablet sphere. Source: Agencies

Apple to Own Two Stylus Patents

Apple’s at it again. According to two patent requests to the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), the iPad manufacturer would soon be the patentee of the stylus. Apple had applied for the patent requests in January; however, it was not until late this week that the news of the same leaked out. Reports suggest that the first stylus patent request pertained to a possibly-heated conductive tip, using which the stylus can be powered.

Patented...

The second one, on the other hand mentions a stylus in the context of a tool to write on any surface, the impressions of which could be seen on another device, an example being a Livescribe pen. These patents are among scores of others, some of which have been taken up by popular brands like RIM (hybrid capacitive-resistive screen), and HTC being the patentee of magnet-on-a stick stylus.

JailbreakMe 3.0 Available for the iPad 2 and iPhone 4

Good news for all you iPad 2 users. You can now jailbreak your beloved tablet and customize it the way you want. JailbreakMe’s latest version, brings the goodness of bringing a lot of unapproved-by-Apple applications and tweaks to your iPad 2.

Free the prisoner!

According to sources, all iPad 2 tablets that are running on iOS 4.3.3 can easily be jailbroken and the software is working fine on these devices. All you have to do is log on to their website through your Apple device and follow the instructions. It obviously means that JailbreakMe 3.0 is untethered, so you won’t have to sync it with your PC through iTunes and go through a lengthy procedure.

The goodness has not been restricted to the iPad 2 only, though. iPhone 4, 3GS, iPod touch 3G and 4G that are running on iOS 4.3.3 can be jailbroken. Check out the video below to see how jailbreaking takes place.



If you have jailbroken and found freedom on your iPad 2 (or any other iOS 4.3.3 device for that matter) please share your joy in our comments section.

LOLcats Now Purrs on the iPhone

Cheezburger's "LOLcats" site has enough furry goodness to keep you entertained for hours (if that is your kind of thing). The site already has fans make apps for it and this is the offical Cheezburger Network's effort to build an app for the site. The cats will now be available on iPhones, iPod Touches and iPads. The app itself is free and is a simpler version of the I Can Has Cheezburger's website. It carries content from ICanHasCheezburger.com, IHasAHotDog.com, RoflRazzi.com, and more. The Cheezburger Network says that with this app, users can check out content from LOLcats, LOLdogs, Daily Dose of Cute, LOLcelebs and more. The app presents the same memes with the ability to share them over Facebook and Twitter. It's already on version 2.0.

Cats do the darndest things... on iPhone!

The Cheezburger Network is looking to expand its app repertoire by building apps for its other sites like FAILblog and Memebase. The network was able to get $30 million in funding in January, so it does actually have the ability to build apps. They may even expand to other mobile systems like Android and maybe Symbian. Does LOLcats make you chuckle and would you download the app? Let us know in the comments section below.

Tumblr for iOS Gets Huge Update

Tumblr for iOS devices got a huge update. It is now at version 2.0, and has a completely new interface making it a lot easier to blog from multiple accounts. The new UI also helps you easier browse the blogs you follow, create new blogposts and manage multiple blog accounts. In the previous version of Tumblr, there were two navigation options, Post and Dashboard, from which you had to click multiple times to get to where you wanted to go. However now, almost everything is presented at the surface. It's formatted a lot like Instagram with the navigation bar at the bottom of the screen.

Note the Instagram like layout and importing phone contacts

Also, previously, to manage multiple blogs, you had to go to Advanced Options within a post to choose which blog you wanted to publish to. You also had to choose Advanced Options to save as draft. Now, when you hit post, you'll be presented with a list of your blogs and you tap on whichever one you want. And you swipe now, to save as draft.

Version 2.0 also allows new Tumblr users to sign up from within the app. Users can read and reply to messages, as well as find users via their phone's address book. The Tumblr app for iOS is free and is available from the iOS App Store

Mobile Grudge Match - Samsung Galaxy S II vs Apple iPhone 4

The mobile phone segment is bursting at the seams with sophisticated, smarter and faster handsets, at this very moment. Choices are getting harder and harder to make as the competition is heating up. But, even with all of the Android goodies making their way out from the likes of LG, Samsung and HTC, Apple’s good old iPhone is still somewhere at the top of the list. With that in mind, we recently reviewed Samsung’s latest and possibly greatest offering, i.e. the Galaxy S II and while it definitely impressed us, the “big” Apple still manages to loom over the little Green robot to quite an extent and queries have been flowing in with regards to making choices. So those of you with deep pockets looking for the ultimate powerhouse smartphone and tossing between the iPhone 4 and the Galaxy S II, we pitted them against each other and here are our findings. Samsung Galaxy S II – Rs. 30,500 (16GB) Let’s forget about the fact that, as of now, the Galaxy S II is the slimmest Android phone in the market with a large display sporting the all new Super AMOLED Plus visual enhancement. Let’s also leave aside the fact that the S II is super light weight at just 116 grams. The Galaxy S II is designed and built for ease of use with high end components packed into this sleek body and that includes a Dual-core 1.2GHz ARM Cortex-A9 processor with a GPU to boot. Super slim and sleek Samsung’s TouchWiz UI version 4.0 has also undergone a few UI changes adding kinetic scrolling, tilt zoom etc. With support for full HD i.e. 1080 video playback with files sporting DivX and Xvid codecs there’s never the need to convert and then transfer data between your PC and handset. The S II even sports 1080p video capture via the 8 Megapixel camera and TV Out in HD via MHL (Media Hi-Def Linking). Speaking of the camera, the S II also offers face and smile detection, as well as an auto-stitch panorama mode amongst its array of features. There’s also support for Wi-Fi Direct and DLNA compliance for hooking the S II up to HDTVs that support the same tech, for media streaming. Another important feature to take into account is USB-on-the-go that was previously limited to just a few Nokia N-series devices. So all of this in a very decently priced, sleek and comfortable looking device makes the Samsung Galaxy S II, a rather difficult device to avoid when choosing a high-end smartphone. It’s loaded with features and packs in 16 Gigs of internal storage plus support for 32GB more via micro SD cards. Apple iPhone 4 – Rs. – 34,500 (16GB) When one looks at the Apple iPhone 4 for the first time, one is easily impressed by its looks alone. The iPhone 4 sports a 3.5-inch Retina Display, the highest resolution in mobiledom today and is housed inside an elegant shell with brushed stainless steel bands at the sides. The phone is basically made up of two glossy panels of aluminosilicate glass. This glass is the same type used in helicopter and train windshields, so we’re talking about serious durability. However, Apple shows that the iPhone 4’s looks are not just skin deep with it packing a 1 GHz ARM Cortex-A8 processor and an Apple A4 chipset which simply translates into performance and speed that few handsets can equal. The iPhone operates on iOS 4.3 and like all previous versions the operating system is really simple to use. One can get easily immersed in the wide range of apps available in the App Store from games to handy mobile tools. While there may be almost an app for all conceiveable mobile purposes, it's the sheer elegance of the UI that leaves you salivating. Though the iPhone has just a 5 MP camera, it is capable of capturing stunning high quality images and also has 720p HD video recording capabilities with touch focus extending into video capture, as well. Elegant, refined and what a User Experience While the cost of the iPhone 4 is somewhat on the pricier side, Apple has seemingly always targeted their phones at a selective audience. With all Apple products, it is more of a way of life than a handset and provides one hell of a mobile phone experience even if it does tend to empty your pockets. Click to enlarge Verdict So based on the simple scores and our own in-house testing, we’ve come to the conclusion that the Galaxy S II is definitely the handset you should be investing in. Of course, it also depends largely on personal preference as both these handsets are very capable, but the differences in their user experiences are also big factors and we’ve taken that into account, as well. As far as smartphones go, the S II offers the best possible mobile phone experience for the price tag it’s attached to. From functionality to ease of use and a plethora of features that are both built-in or downloadable off of the Android Market Place, rest assured, buyers remorse is not a feeling you’ll have to worry about. Sure the iPhone did provide us with the better overall user experience and with apps also looking and feeling more refined the fact is, as it is, the iPhone is still lacking in features. It’s undoubtedly a worthy contender but when it comes to absolute value for money the S II is the handset that wins hands down. We’d also like to invite all you readers out there to send in your comments and user experiences for either of these handsets. It’ll help those looking to buy either one to make an even more calculated decision. Feel free to leave your thoughts below in our comments section or your can follow the same thread in our discussion board. Next week we put the HTC Sensation and Galaxy S II through the ringer so stay tuned to this space for another tech2 Mobile Grudge Match.

Friendthem Allows You to Add Facebook Friends Around You

Friendthem is an iPhone app that allows you to friend people around you on Facebook. The goal of the app is to reduce the friction involved in friending people on Facebook, which is usually an important step in keeping in contact with people you meet for the first or second time. The app is free and is designed to allow users to friend people around them on Facebook, right away or file the friend request away for later. The idea is that when you meet someone, and want to keep in touch over a social network, you could go home and forget their name, or find a million results for that name. Location-based Facebook friend adding The way to get it to work is pretty simple, you just sign into Facebook and that's how you connect with the app. However, the other person also needs to have Friendthem on their phones in order to work. Once you sign in, you choose what information you want visible and if you don't want people to find you say at the office, or on vacation, you can put up 'geo-fences'. There are of course, two downsides to this application that are somewhat interrelated. Firstly, this is yet another application people have to download to be social. Also, people can find each other and friend each other on Facebook mobile apps a lot easier. And if there are multiple results for the same person, you can always just ask the other person which result they are (without being too terribly dorky)

Microsoft Allows You To Search for iPhone Apps

Microsoft's including search results for apps, including iPhone apps in its Bing search engine. The feature is called "auto app discovery" and it surfaces apps along with regular web queries. For example, a search for "Hotels in Mumbai" will pull up a section called "app results" which shows results like Expedia and TripAdvisor. You can also search specifically for "Top iPhone Apps" and "Download Fruit Ninja" and you'll find the apps.

Search results in Bing lead to iPhone apps

Bing will also help you directly download the app where if you perform a search on Bing on your phone, it will give you a link to download the app. Clicking that link will take you to the app in the App Store. If the app is already downloaded on your phone and the developer's integrated the launch functionality, Bing will launch the app on your phone. Apps like Facebook and Yelp can be launched directly from Bing. Some of these apps will launch within context, so if you search for "X-Men", IMdB will open up to a results page for "X-Men".

5 iPhone Apps for Baba Ramdev

Baba Ramdev is a very busy, angry man and it seems he's not one of those 'holy people' that like to 'get by with the help of his friends'. From trying to build armies to fight corruption, to curing cancer with yoga and recriminalizing homosexuality, Mr. Ramdevji quite literally has his dhoti full. However, thanks to a certain Mr. Jobs-ji, Baba Ramdev can achieve Nirvana ahead of schedule. Yoga Baba-ji began his career with yoga, He's just such a huge fan of yoga. He claims his yoga can cure cancer and homosexuality. He wanted to replace sex education in school with yoga education, so children could learn how to cure AIDS with yoga (you know, instead of preventing it). Now, people with hot bodies everywhere will agree that clearly Baba Ramdev is doing it wrong (I mean, look at his body!). What he needs is a little "Hot Body Yoga" ($1.99 or Rs. 89). Hot Body Yoga promises to help you "fry fat on the mat". That's also more productive than all the satyagrahis he's been getting fried with teargas and lathicharges. It also has pictures of scantily clad women in all sorts of yoga poses. He probably gets that a lot in real life anyway, but these days while he's under police custody, he might need a little dose. Some "breathe in, breathe out. Breathe, breathe breathe!" might follow suit. Yoga's homie But since we're talking about his body, another app, "The Little Black Dress" which is also $1.99 or Rs. 89. Ramdev wears his cloth with a very particular style, showing off some parts of his body while covering others. Now, if he wants the parts he shows off to be 'assets', here's the app for him. This app is meant to help women look best in the little black dress they already own, but have said nothing about the big, orange umm, cloth that Baba Ramdev wears. And when you're not excluded, why exclude yourself eh? He'll learn how to tone Fashion Mr. Ramdev has a very distinctive style. He has one outfit, or at least many versions of the same outfit. Unless he's got a little lady in the corner washing his clothes every 6 hours, he's going to need to buy more of the same stuff (orange cloth). And really, he deserves to get a deal on orange cloth for being loyal to orange cloth for so long. Here's where the eBay Fashion app comes in. The eBay Fashion app would not only help him get the best deals right away on his orange cloth, but also show him ways to accessorize. I'm not saying full out bling out, not at all, but I'm sure he'd get some better deals on his beads on eBay fashion than say the back alleys of the Ganges, shipping and handling included. He can heart which orange cloth he wants Countdown There are a dozen countdown apps for the iPhone, let's just go with the free one (since tax payers rupees do in fact run out, because everyone's painting their money black). It's pretty obvious why Baba Ramdev needs a countdown app. He's fasting from June 4th for a month or till he dies, whichever comes first. Now after a while of fasting, he's going to become delirious and even the yoga won't help. If he survives the month, he's going to have to know when to stop. The little ringing that his iPhone will make in the pocket of his orange cloth, will hopefully help him remember. Of course, this is assuming he hasn't become so delirious, he's already hearing little ringings in the pockets of his orange cloth with no iPhone in them. Time moves so slowly when you're fasting Since he's fasting, he should also know what he's missing out on. And who better to tell him/torment him than Miss Nigella herself? Geolocation Tracker Baba Ramdev's been moving around a lot. Usually he's being moved by law enforcing personnel and usually he probably doesn't know where they're taking him until he's there already. Why be in the dark eh? Especially when you're a yogi trying to achieve the light and you have a smartphone. All he really has to do now is find a way to learn what the coordinates that the app show him mean. The app will also show him how high up he is, so he'll know a little bit ahead if law officials plan to throw him off a cliff (also assuming he hasn't sharpened his levitation skills). Best of all, the app is free. No tax payer money going into Baba Ramdev knowing he's going to be thrown off a cliff. For in case he's on a cliff Gandhi This last one is a more serious one. Baba Ramdev is calling his followers satyagrahis, just as Mahatma Gandhi did his. Ramdev is fasting just like Gandhi did. The trouble is, now Baba Ramdev is saying that he wants to raise "arms" which is not something Gandhi did. He's been accused of black money, whereas Gandhi was never accused for wanting the Brits to actually stay. Clearly Ramdev needs to learn who Gandhi actually was and what he actually was all about. The Gandhi biography app costs $0.99 (Rs. 45) but this is one app I'll actually shell out my money for. I'm going above and beyond my taxes for you Baba Ramdev, I'm giving you my income. A history lesson is required So there you go Mr. Ramdev-ji. These are a few things beyond yoga that will make your life a little better.

WWDC 2011: Apple Officially Announces iOS 5, Mac OS X Lion and iCloud

Apple has deviated a bit from their usual WWDC traditions as 2011’s event saw no new hardware making it out. However there was no lack of enthusiasm at this year’s event either, as the company with head honcho Steve Jobs taking his position front and center have announced some pretty exciting services for Apple users.

They kicked things off with the latest version of Mac OS X called Lion that included a plethora of new features including Multi-Touch gestures, system-wide support for full screen apps, Mission Control, an innovative view of everything running on your Mac, the Mac App Store that’s built right into the OS.

Bring out the King in your computer

Their next big announcement was for iPhone and iPad users i.e. iOS 5. iOS 5 brings a large number of relevant updates to the platform that should make the new-generation iPhones and iPads a whole lot more functional. A new notification option has been added as well as a thumb-friendly split screen keyboard for the iPads amongst others.

Lots of goodies for the Apple's mobile devices

Apple’s final announcement for the day was the introduction to their all new online storage system called iCloud that is essentially an upgraded version of MobileMe. It’s an online back-up system over Wi-Fi that can store all your data and some media for retrieval when necessary.

The cloud is the future

In case you missed it, you can get a quick glimpse of what went down at the Mascone Center, with our Live Coverage article here.

For a more detailed looked at the new announcements made click on the links below –
Mac OS X Lion
iOS 5
iCloud

Samsung Galaxy S II vs iPhone 4

Out in the market for a high-end smartphone? We believe Samsung Galaxy S2 and Apple iPhone 4 must be on your radar. Both have a fan following bordering on cult, both are products of some cutting-edge technology and both are priced above Rs 30,000. But the similarities end here.

At TOI, we don’t believe iPhone 4 - now almost a year old - is a competitor to Galaxy S2, a device that packs all the latest technology. The natural competitor to Galaxy S2 - iPhone 5 or iPhone 4S - from Apple is still a few months away.

Yet, given their similar price points, we put S2 and iPhone 4 in a showdown to find which one is the right buy at the movement.


Galaxy S2 feels cheap and iPhone 4 stylish. Both feel fragile. Though, in reality, the plastic on S2 is likely to deal better with falls and bumps due to its flexibility. iPhone 4 is all glass and doesn’t take very well to falls.

In terms of usage, iPhone 4 fits well in hand and is comfortable to use. S2 may feel too big for people with smaller palms.


Galaxy S2 runs on Android, customized with TouchWiz 4.0. The iPhone 4 uses iOS 4.3. Both have their advantages and disadvantages. While it’s difficult to cover the Android vs iOS debate in a few lines, here is a summary: iOS is very simple to use. It is simple, effective and efficient. There are no hidden options, few ‘long press’ options and mostly you get what you see.

But this same simplicity may not appeal to everyone. Android, in comparison, is highly customizable. And it's not as complex as many would like you to believe. Most of the settings are easy to access, and if you are familiar with computers, you will not have much trouble. For power users, Android opens up a host of opportunities that can make a smartphone truly a ‘magical experience’.

The performance, especially the speed of navigating between apps and scrolling through web pages is great on both iPhone 4 and Galaxy S2. Earlier, Android had issues with browsing performance. They are not there anymore. As a bonus you also get Flash content on Android. The iOS doesn’t allow any Flash content.
S2 sports an 8MP primary camera. iPhone 4 has a 5MP camera. In still photography, the S2 camera slightly edges out the one in iPhone 4. In video capture, there is no comparison as S2 can record some decent quality full HD videos while iPhone 4 can only manage 720P recording.
This one is easy. Galaxy S2 is hands down the best smartphone when it comes to playing videos. On iPhone 4, you can play only 720P videos. This too depends on the kind of codec used and quality of encoding. The S2, on the other hand, can handle all popular video formats and codecs in 1080P.


Ecosystem and apps
Apple claims that it has better ecosystem (read number of apps and their quality) than its competitors. And we agree. On iPhone 4, you will have access to better quality of apps. 

On Android, even though all popular apps are available, there could be a time when you do not find the app you want. Also, many apps - especially games - on Android may lack quality and optimization similar to what is found on the iOS side.








Worth the money
As far as I see it, Galaxy S2 is rightly priced (Rs 32,890 MRP) and iPhone 4 (Rs 34,500) overpriced for what the devices do. As I said earlier, it will be iPhone 5 that will be the natural competitor to S2. iPhone 4 is too old now. Galaxy S2 is simply a better device.

Of course, if you prefer Apple (as many do, supposedly because of better brand image, better aftersales service and the ‘premium’ tag attached to it), all this doesn’t matter. Still, my two cents: wait for iPhone 5. Once it arrives, go for it. Through a friend or relative who lives abroad. Or, maybe, by some other means. Or, maybe, it will come to India within weeks of its global launch. But iPhone 4 is too costly for what it does. 

Apple's New Patent to Use Infrared Sensors

The iPhone maker is apparently working on a new patent idea. Apple’s new patent intends to bail the recording industry out of the illegal photography and video recording of concerts by the general public.

C(S)ensored..

If all goes as per plan, then very soon Apple products, which include the iPhones, the iPod Touch and iPad 2 will include invisible infrared sensors integrated into mobile iOS devices which come with a built-in camera. The system would be principally functioning on the system of sensors, wherein the sensor on one mobile device will be used to look for another signal which would instruct the user if it O.K to click and image, or record a video of the concert, or any other private gathering. If found to be illegal to do so, the camera would be automatically disabled.

The success of this technology would end the woes of the recording industry, which stems from the fact that there hasn’t been any significant move towards curbing illegal photography, or video recording yet.

JBL Launches New Dock, the OnBeat

Harman International Industries Incorporated today, announced the release of its new JBL OnBeat loudspeaker docking station. This is the first JBL dock that works with any iPad, iPhone or iPod device. The OnBeat features dual Phoenix full-range transducers with computer-optimized DSP equalization. It has a universal connector that docks an iPad, iPod or iPhone and lets you rotate iPod and iPhone screens to portrait or landscape orientation according to how you would like to view your content. The OnBeat also has an infrared remote (IR) that gives you full control over system functions and music navigation.

A multi faceted dock

The OnBeat has a USB connection to sync and charge devices when connected to iTunes as well as a 3.5mm stereo auxiliary input which can connect to your other PMP or audio device. This dock features JBL Weave design styling and looks pretty nice as well. It also charges your iPod, iPhone or iPad while you use it. The JBL OnBeat loudspeaker dock is available in April in jus one colour, black for $149.95 (Rs. 6,698). There's no saying when this dock will hit our shelves here in India though.

Tamil Daily Dinamalar Unveils iPhone/iPod Touch App

Creating applications for a smartphone OS seems to be the new strategy leading Indian newspapers are following. Latest to join the bandwagon is Dinamalar, which unveiled an application for iPhone and iPod Touch so that users can access the news while on the move.

The app gives readers access to news from around the world, India and Tamil Nadu. Also the app has social network integration, which allows users to share news and updates on Facebook and Twitter.

Talking about this new app, Adimoolam Lakshmipathy, Executive Editor, New Media, Dinamalar, said, "People are always on the move today and moving into the mobile space was a natural progression. For decades now Dinamalar has been acknowledged as a pioneer in various dimensions and the move to create an iPhone & iPod, is just an extension of our commitment to keep people informed 24x7."

Airtel, Aircel Launch iPhone 4 Starting at Rs. 34,500, Unlocked!

Update: The versions that are available for retail via the service providers are factory unlocked i.e. you're free to use it with any service provider you choose. The iPhone 4 will also be avilable through Apple's local APR's and some of their key retail partners like Chroma et al.

It’s no surprise that Airtel has brought the iPhone 4 to India, seeing as they've brought us the last two. The company is also offering some exciting plans and offers for the device that could help boost thier sales considerably. Not to be left behind, Aircel too has announced plans of their own. Both carriers are pricing the 16 GB iPhone 4 at Rs. 34,500 and the 32 GB version at Rs. 40,900. Airtel’s plans are pretty much fixed for both the 16 GB and 32 GB versions which start from Rs. 600 for both, a postpaid and a prepaid connection.

Click here to know more about the Airtel plans.

Finally, it's here

On the other hand, Aircel’s plans look to be a little more flexible with plans starting from Rs. 1,119 for the 16 GB and Rs. 1,359 for the 32 GB version. Their prepaid plans start from Rs. 299 and Rs. 399 for the 16 GB and 32 GB versions respectively. Here’s the link for Aircel’s plans. The one thing that we don’t know is whether or not the handset is unlocked or if it will have to be used only with their available carriers. Only yesterday we saw the iPhone 4 being offered on Flipkart, but as of this morning, Flipkart seems to have discontinued the iPhone 4. This only makes the situation even more ambiguous about an unlocked device. 

Here's another quick look at the iPhone 4's specs:

• 3.5-inch LED backlit IPS Capacitive Touchscreen with a 640 x 960 pixel resolution
• 3G, EDGE/GPRS, Wi-Fi with a hotspot option
• GPS with A-GPS support
• Bluetooth 2.1 with A2DP, USB 2.0
• 5 Megapixel camera with autofocus, touch-focus, LED flash, 720p video recording
• Secondary front facing camera for Face-Time chatting via Wi-Fi
• 16 GB or 8 GB internal memory
• 3.5 mm handsfree socket
• 

iPhone 4 Comes to India on May 27, 2011

The coveted iPhone 4 finally has an India launch date. Popular telecom operators in India, Airtel and Aircel will bring down the iPhone 4 on Indian sands on the 27th May, 2011. 

The operators will roll out the immensely popular iPhone 4 will be made available in both the post-paid and prepaid subscription plans. The 16GB version of the iPhone will cost the user INR 34, 500, whereas the 32GB version will cost the user INR 40, 900. The iPhone 4 has every technology enthusiast on the globe eyeing it. With a specification list which seems so impressive - Retina Display (with 960×640 pixel resolution at 326 pixel per inch), a fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating on the front and the back, a 3.5 inch widescreen with multi-touch display, among others; this doesn’t come as a surprise. 

A simple registration process is what possibly keeps you away from the iPhone 4. Do let us know about your plans.

Apple iPad vs Motorola XOOM Tablet PC- Which is a Better Buy?

Motorola Xoom vs Apple iPad

The Competition is Brewing Between Apple And Motorola

There is now serious competition between the much loved Apple iPad and the new Motorola XOOM smart tablets.

The XOOM will come preloaded with Android 3.0 OS, which is written specifically for tablet PCs.

Motorola XOOM

The Motorola Xoom has many advanced features that set it apart from all the predecessors. 

Most of the Android tablets feature two cameras, one front facing and the other rear facing on the tablet.  This could be very handy, as you take pictures of others or yourself.

The Android 3.0 OS allows the Xoom to be very secure with built-in data encryption. 

The screen can has a radically new "floating finger" multi-finger interface and pinch to zoom navigation.

Apple iPad

The Apple iPad has many innovative features that still set it apart from all others. One of which is that the iPad can be located via multiple means (digital compass, GPS, cellular), which allow you to track it if lost.

The iPads are also very eco-friendly with Arsenic-free display glass, BFR-free, mercury-free LCD display, PVC-free and uses recyclable aluminum and glass enclosure.

Plus there is the built-in 25-watt-hour rechargeable lithium-polymer battery.

Comparison Between Apple iPad and Motorola XOOM

	Apple iPad	Motorola XOOM
Price	$729	$799
Processor	1 GHz single-core A4 CPU	1 GHz dual-core Tegra 2 CPU
Display	9.7 inch	10.1 inch
Resolution	1024x768 (132 dpi)	1280x800 (160 dpi)
RAM	256 Mb	1 Gb
Storage	32 Gb	32 Gb
Front Camera	NONE	2 Mega Pixel
Back Camera	NONE	5 Mega Pixel
Video	NONE	Records 720p
Video Playback	720p	1080p
Operating System	iOS4	Android 3.0
Expandable Memory	NONE	32 Gb microSD
Flash Support	NONE	Yes
Ports	USB 2.0	HDMI, USB 2.0
Sensors	Accelerometer and Ambient light sensor	Accelerometer, Barometer, Gyroscope
Network	3G	3G and 4G
Speaker	Yes	Yes