Showing posts with label Technology. Show all posts

Android Phones in Pakistan




In old times people use to communicate through people or there was a concept to deliver messages through pigeons etc. with the evolution communication modes were made better and better. Telephone was invented that made the communication easier for people living far away from each other. Then there came a time when a wireless device was invented and was called as the Mobile Phone, it was the easiest mode of communication because it was portable, easy to use and many people started using mobile phones to communicate with each other. Advancements were made further in the mobile phones as well and first mobile phone was Motorola and the credit goes to the inventor of first mobile phone of the world goes to Martin Cooper who changed the world by giving people an easiest mode of communication with each other. Then Nokia, Samsung, Haier and many other companies started making mobile phones. There came a time when simple mobile phone hand set changed to android phones. Android usually an Operating System developed by Google and it is used for touch screen devices like mobile phones and tablets etc.
There are now different mobile phone companies who make phones in huge variety, designs and with amazing and striking features. Android phones are with a striking and amazing features.
Android phones are different from Apple branded smartphones because these are Google developed operating system and these are always preferred due to its operating system and unique amazing features.
There are different companies that are in competition with each other in making android phones and all are best one. Every company has made different smart android phones and there is a strong competition in their market value. The big names regarding android phones are Samsung, HTC, Sony, LG etc. there are several others like ACER, ZTE, Huawei, and Nexus is on the top hit list.
The variation in these is due to their processors, RAM, software features, unique designs and stylish features that make it difficult to choose. Prices of android phones are very high and these were out of the range of common man few years ago but now there are cheap android phones also available whose prices are not so high and are affordable. There are different android phones available in Pakistan. These phones are in huge variety and designs with different features. These android phones have touch screen, good processors and RAM along with other applications.
Samsung phones are having high market value because few models of this brand are very cheap and are not so expensive. The amazing features of this brand make it unique among other brands. Besides this, HTC, Huawei and Sony are also on the hit list of many who wish to buy android phones for their use. Nokia, Voice, G5 and Qmobile are also among the list of android brands. Lenovo series is also getting a strong market value because of the striking features and applications.

     Which so ever brand it is, one has to keep in mind his budget and his choice regarding android phones before he go to buy a phone.

How creative people can make money on Instagram?

How to make money with Instagram?





What actually is making money online?
Due to increasing population and economic conditions of an underdeveloped country like Pakistan, it is very difficult to fulfill the basic necessities of life. Especially the student community of our society who are now facing difficulties in fulfilling their basic needs and their pocket money isn’t more enough to meet their daily expenses. Besides this, in a family where 4 or more children all are studying in schools, colleges and universities, it’s impossible for parents to give proper education to their children because of high fee and other expenses. In such critical situation many people are trying new ways to make money. In the past few years, people started using Internet as a source of income to meet their basic needs of life. Many people now are earning online on internet through blogging, social media, writing and data entry etc.
A lay Man who don’t use internet he don’t know that people can earn on internet too. Now a days creative people have started using Instagram as a source of income besides Facebook, twitter and other social media. This is an easy and home based job where you don’t have to work for hours in office under the supervision of strict boss. You can make money by staying at home and earning online.
How do you make money with Instagram?
           Now what actually Instagram is? It’s like other social media where you post pictures of your daily activities, beautiful sceneries, food, selfies, beautiful dresses, jewelry etc. People use it for posting pictures. But yeah, you can earn through Instagram too.
Now let me tell how you can make money with Instagram?
Ohh, it’s so easy. You can now make money with Instagram by following few steps..
-First of all you must sign up for an Instagram account. You can manually create an Instagram account or you may sign up using your any other social media account like Facebook if you already have a Facebook account.
-Provide your real info or biography on Instagram account and be real. Never provide fake info.
-Start posting pictures, pictures must be taken with a quality camera and photos should be clear that appeal others.
-Be consistent. Post pictures daily and don’t think of getting paid in a day. You must be consistent and you must be patient before you start dreaming about making money with Instagram. Post pictures daily and 2-3 times a day with a gap of 3-4 hours in between pictures.
-Increase your followers on Instagram by posting photos and using proper hashtags along with each photo and appropriate description. Behind the scenes photos are very popular on Instagram, like if you are using account on food then provide few photos regarding how this dish was prepared and which ingredients were used.
-You can make money on Instagram like other creative people by posting HD pictures and videos of few seconds and uploading videos can earn you money because it increase your Instagram community.
-Starts marketing your account and pictures by linking and interacting with other people. There are many markets with whom you can start selling your photos and even your Instagram account as well.
-Interact with your followers by replying to their comments and also start mentioning active followers on different photos.
-You can make money with Instagram by selling your Instagram account to the companies who buy accounts with good community and with a lot of followers or huge community.


Make money online

So, what are you looking for? Get up and be smart enough to earn money online.

How Consumer-Electronics Makers Are faring

Makers and sellers of consumer-electronics devices have been releasing their earnings reports for the latest quarter. Here's a look at selected companies that report unit sales on phones, tablet computers and other devices. Some companies including Samsung Electronics Co. do not release data on unit sales.

— July 19: Microsoft Corp. says it shipped 1.1 million Xbox 360 consoles during the April-June period, down from 1.7 million a year earlier.

Nokia Corp. says sales of smartphones dropped 39 percent from a year ago to 10.2 million in the second quarter. The company blamed "strong momentum" of competing smartphones. All regions showed a decline except North America, where sales of the new Windows-based Lumia line offset declines in traditional Symbian devices. Sales of all cellphones fell 5 percent to 83.7 million.

— July 24: Apple Inc. says it sold 26 million iPhones, 28 percent more than a year ago. It also sold 17 million iPads, an 84 percent increase. But average selling prices for both products were down. Apple sold 4 million Macs, a 2 percent increase, and 6.8 million iPods, a 10 percent decline.

TomTom says it sold 1.7 million personal-navigation devices in North America, down from 2.1 million a year ago. In Europe, it sold 2.4 million, down from 2.8 million. TomTom says market share was relatively flat at 45 percent in Europe, but down to 19 percent from 23 percent in North America because of a GPS chip product issue.

AT&T Inc. says it activated 5.1 million smartphones in its latest quarter, down from 5.5 million in the same period a year ago. Much of the decline came because AT&T subscribers are holding on to their phones longer.

— July 25: Nintendo Co. says it sold 710,000 Wii units in the April-June quarter, down from 1.56 million a year ago. Nintendo is coming out with a successor, the Wii U, this year. It is forecasting 10.5 million units for the full fiscal year, which ends in March 2013. The company, meanwhile, sold 540,000 DS units, down from 1.44 million a year ago, and it sold 1.86 million 3DS units, up from 710,000 a year ago.

— Aug. 1: Garmin Ltd. says it sold 3.9 million GPS navigation and other devices in the second quarter, up 4 percent from a year earlier.

— Aug. 2: Sony Corp. says it sold 2.8 million PlayStation units, down from 3.2 million a year earlier. The figures cover both PlayStation 3 and the older PlayStation 2. Sales of the PlayStation Portable and Vita devices were at 1.4 million, down from 1.8 million a year earlier.

— Sept. 6: Samsung says global sales of its Galaxy S III smartphone have surpassed 20 million in a little more than three months. Samsung Electronics Co. launched the flagship smartphone powered by Google's Android operating system in Europe in late May. The U.S. got it in June.

A Look At Tech Companies With Recent IPOs

Tech companies that have had initial public offerings of stock since last year have released their quarterly earnings reports. Here are highlights from some of them. The companies are all loosely Internet-related, though their businesses vary widely.

— July 25: Zynga Inc. says it lost money and received less revenue than anticipated in the second quarter because "CityVille," ''FarmVille" and other games are not attracting as many paying players as they should. Its stock tanked and dragged Facebook's shares as well because the social networking icon relies on Zynga for a good chunk of its revenue — 12 percent last year. Revenue fell below Wall Street forecast, while expenses grew. The company says the number of players increased only because it got more players from its acquisition of OMGPop, the maker of the mobile game "Draw Something." Zynga began trading on Dec. 16, 2011.

Angie's List Inc. reports that its losses are still piling up as the company spends more to lure people to its online business-review service and persuade them to pay to see ratings on everything from plastic surgeons to sewer cleaners. Angie's List began trading on Nov. 17, 2011.

— July 26: Facebook Inc. says revenue grew 32 percent to $1.18 billion in the second quarter, slightly above analyst expectations. It had a net loss of 8 cents per share, mainly due to stock compensation expenses following its IPO. Adjusted earnings of 12 cents per share matched Wall Street's expectations. Investors weren't impressed and after a brief spike, Facebook's stock tumbled. It was Facebook's first quarterly earnings report since public trading began on May 18, 2012. Facebook now has 955 million users, up about 50 million during the quarter.

— Aug. 1: Online review site Yelp Inc. reports a smaller net loss and sharply higher revenue than Wall Street expected, surpassing analysts at a time when many of its fellow freshly public Internet companies are taking a beating from investors. Its outlook was also better than anticipated. Yelp began trading publicly on March 2, 2012.

— Aug. 2: LinkedIn Corp.'s net income fell in the latest quarter as the professional networking site spent more money to grow its business. But revenue grew faster than expected, and the company raised its forecast for the year. LinkedIn began trading publicly on May 19, 2011.

— Aug. 7: Jive Software Inc., which makes Facebook-type social networks for businesses, reports a smaller loss and higher revenue. But the midpoint of its full-year guidance falls below analysts' expectations. It began trading on Dec. 13, 2011.

— Aug. 13: Online deals website Groupon Inc. says its quarterly earnings beat Wall Street's profit estimates, but it underwhelmed analysts with sales growth hurt by unfavorable currency movements. A weaker euro and U.K. pound meant that sales made in Europe got converted back into fewer U.S. dollars. Groupon began trading publicly on Nov. 4, 2011.

— Aug. 14: Shares of Angie's List suffers the biggest one-day drop and closes at a new low following the expiration of a ban that had prevented some investors from dumping millions of additional shares. The price dropped, even though there was no word on whether any of the major investors had dumped their shares.

— Aug. 16: Facebook's stock hits all-time low after the expiration of a similar ban.

— Aug. 20: Facebook's stock trades below $19 — half its IPO price — for the first time, though it bounces back to close at $20.01. It's disclosed that Peter Thiel, one of Facebook's earliest investors and a member of its board, was among the insiders selling stock after a lockup expired a few days earlier.

— Aug. 29: Pandora Media Inc. reported results that resonated well on Wall Street, even though the Internet radio service's losses widened. The setback was offset by evidence that Pandora's efforts to attract more listeners and sell more advertising on mobile devices are paying off. Pandora's management predicted the company's performance in the current quarter will be better than analysts had expected. Pandora began trading publicly on June 15, 2011.

— Sept. 5: Zynga releases a "FarmVille" sequel, something it hopes will reverse a slowdown in revenue growth and a slide in its stock price.

— Tuesday: Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg says the performance of Facebook's stock "has obviously been disappointing," and will probably cause some demoralized employees to defect. But he said he hopes most workers will stay and "double down" on Facebook's future.

How Chips, PCs, Services Companies Are Faring

Personal computer makers have been scrambling to adapt to a technological upheaval unleashed by Apple Inc.'s line of sleek devices such as the iPhone and iPad and by a shift toward Internet-based software services instead of programs installed on individual machines.

Additional mobile devices are expected to be unveiled in the coming weeks. Nokia Corp., Google Inc. and Amazon.com Inc. unveiled new gadgets last week, while Apple is expected to show a new iPhone Wednesday.

Here's a look at how selected companies providing computers, components, services and related software are faring:

— July 5: Seagate Technology PLC warns that its quarterly revenue will fall below expectations, after shipping fewer hard drives than expected partly because of a quality issue with a supplier for its business product lines. The company also said its rivals recovered faster than expected from disruptions caused by last fall's heavy flooding in Thailand. That meant Seagate had to cut back on shipments.

— July 9: Chipmaker Advanced Micro Devices Inc. says it's lowering its guidance because of weaker-than-expected sales in China and Europe and lackluster demand overall from consumers.

— July 11: Gartner and IDC issue separate reports showing that personal computer sales sagged during the spring as shifting technology trends, upcoming product releases and a shaky economy dampened demand for the machines currently on the market. The second-quarter decline in the U.S. ranged from 6 percent to 11 percent compared with the same time last year. Worldwide PC shipments held up better during the quarter, dipping by just 0.1 percent from last year.

— July 12: Printer maker Lexmark International Inc. says it fared worse during the second quarter than management anticipated, providing the latest evidence of a weakening economy.

— July 17: Intel Corp., the world's largest chipmaker, says the weak global economy is slowing its growth, and revenue for the current quarter is likely to come in below Wall Street forecasts. Intel says consumer demand in North America and Western Europe is not recovering as fast as expected, while growth in emerging markets such as China and Brazil is slowing.

— July 18: IBM Corp. says its quarterly earnings rose 6 percent despite a 3 percent decline in revenue amid Europe's economic jitters. IBM has been able to boost its earnings even when revenue is weak by focusing more on businesses with higher profitability — software and technology services — rather than machines. Software was the only part of IBM's business that didn't register a decline from last year, with revenue remaining level. The turmoil in Europe hurt IBM's results as currencies there weakened, translating into fewer U.S. dollars.

Qualcomm Inc. says it had higher profit and revenue in the latest quarter, but it offers a weaker forecast for the current quarter because of supply issues. The company previously disclosed it has some limitations in getting chips made in the right size by outside suppliers. The mobile phone chip company insisted demand for its products remains high and earnings will improve by the end of 2012.

— July 19: Microsoft Corp. says a flat market for personal computers put a damper on Windows sales, though sales of business software and servers were strong. Investors are now looking to the Oct. 26 release of Windows 8, which could boost sales and help Microsoft mount a challenge to Apple's iPad, as the new operating software is designed for touch-based computers as well as traditional, mouse-controlled ones. Microsoft says it expects Windows revenue to remain roughly in line with the PC market, which is expected to stay flat through the current quarter.

Chipmaker Advanced Micro Devices Inc. says trouble in the global economy dragged net income down 40 percent. AMD says it is taking steps to improve its performance, but "headwinds" will continue into the third quarter.

SanDisk Corp. says net income plunged as the company sold fewer memory chips to mobile device makers. But the results exceeded analyst expectations. SanDisk says there was "short-term weakness" in sales to mobile device makers. The company says retail sales were strong, and SanDisk saw more demand from businesses and companies for solid-state drives that are increasingly popular in home and office computers.

— July 20: Xerox Corp. says earnings fell 3.1 percent, as continued weak economic conditions, especially in Europe, reduced revenue at its technology business. Xerox says that in light of the continued economic uncertainty, it expects technology revenue, which includes the sales of document systems, supplies, technical services and the financing of products, to continue to be weak. It issues lower-than-expected third-quarter profit guidance and cuts its earnings prediction for the full year.

— July 23: Texas Instruments Inc. says sluggish demand amid the weak global economy slashed profit by one-third in the second quarter, and the chip maker warned that its customers are becoming "increasingly cautious" about placing new orders.

— July 24: Apple Inc. reveals that its growth slowed in the most recent quarter. In both revenue and net income, the company posted the smallest increases in years and failed to meet analyst expectations. Apple is still selling a lot of iPad, iPhone and Mac devices, but the average selling prices are down.

EMC Corp. says its second-quarter earnings climbed 19 percent as its data storage products fed a voracious appetite for equipment to manage the barrage of information unleashed by Internet-connected computers and smartphones. Results mirrored preliminary figures released a week earlier.

SAP AG says fewer but bigger software deals and increased sales to financial and retail companies helped the company post a 12 percent increase in earnings in the second quarter.

Broadcom Corp., a maker of communications chips, says net income fell 9 percent as its expenses rose, but the results beat Wall Street's expectations.

Chipmaker Altera Corp. says net income fell 24 percent as revenue declined, but the results beat expectations.

— July 25: Hard drive maker Western Digital Corp. says net income jumped nearly five-fold in the quarter through June, beating analyst expectations, as it reaped the benefits of its $3.9 billion acquisition of Hitachi Global Storage Technologies.

— July 30: Hard disk drive maker Seagate Technology PLC says its quarterly earnings and revenue jumped. But they still missed Wall Street expectations. Seagate blamed the shortfall on supplier problems. The report follows a warning issued weeks earlier.

— Aug. 8: Hewlett Packard Co. says it will take a massive charge against its earnings for the quarter through July, reflecting that the company overpaid for its purchase of Electronic Data Systems in 2008. The services business provides information technology and outsourcing services to corporations. It has seen flat revenue for the last two years, and its operating profit has declined.

— Aug. 9: Nvidia Corp., which makes graphics chips and processors for PCs, tablet computers and other devices, reported second-quarter results that beat Wall Street expectations. It also issued a strong third-quarter revenue forecast. The company says it was helped by sales of products for tablets and it made strong gains in its graphics processing business, despite a weak market.

— Aug. 16: Lenovo Group Ltd. says PC shipments grew 24 percent in the latest quarter. Shipments in the Asia-Pacific region and Latin America rose 59 percent while those to Europe, the Middle East and Africa were up 62 percent. In North America, it grew nearly 9 percent — strong for the market.

— Aug. 21: Dell Inc. says its slump deepened in its latest quarter as the growing popularity of smartphones and tablets undercut sales of its desktop and laptop computers. In a sign of further weakness ahead, Dell lowers its earnings target by 20 percent for its fiscal year ending in January. That comes even though adjusted earnings for the just-completed quarter topped analyst projections. Dell also announced a new leader for its division that oversees many of its corporate products, including computer networking and data storage.

— Aug. 22: Hewlett-Packard Co. says unit shipments in its PC division fell 10 percent during the May-July quarter — 6 percent for desktops and 12 percent for notebooks. That division saw revenue fall 10 percent from last year to $8.6 billion.

— Aug. 23: Cloud computing company Salesforce.com Inc. says its second-quarter loss more than doubled from a year ago as costs rose faster than revenue. Although the results still beat analyst expectations, its outlook for the current quarter and the rest of the year was mixed relative to expectations.

— Aug. 28: Printer maker Lexmark International Inc. is cutting 1,700 jobs, or almost 13 percent of its work force, and says it will stop making inkjet printers as part of a drive to cut costs as it deals with shrinking sales of inkjets.

— Sept. 4: Chipmaker Altera says it still expects its revenue to grow 2 percent to 6 percent in the third quarter, although sales will fall well short of its results a year ago.

— Sept. 7: Intel lowers its revenue forecast for the current quarter and blames lackluster demand for new PCs among businesses and a "challenging" economic environment.

— Tuesday: Chipmaker Texas Instruments Inc. narrows its revenue forecast for the current quarter and raises the low end of its earnings guidance.

Apple Rumor Roundup: ‘Earpod’ Headphones, ‘Lightning’ Dock Connector, iTunes 11 & More

There is always time for more rumors… 9To5Mac recently published a report claiming that Apple’s (AAPL) 9-pin dock connector will be known as “Lightning,” and will be announced alongside the iPhone 5. The name is said to be a reference to the faster read and charge speeds associated with the connector, while relating to the faster Thunderbolt ports found on a number of Mac computers as well. The site notes that Apple’s redesigned in-ear headphones are set to be announced this afternoon as “Earpods,” and it also says that iTunes 11 will be released today as well.

In a last-minute note to investors on Wednesday, Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities, per Mac Rumors, revealed key details about Apple’s upcoming iPod touch refresh and believes it will be the “biggest upgrade ever.”

The device is rumored to be equipped with a 4-inch display, Apple’s A5 processor, GPS and a high-definition FaceTime camera along with a “significantly upgraded” 5-megapixel rear camera. The latest iPod touch is also said to have the ability to function as a game controller for other devices such as a Mac computer or an iPad.

Apple is expected to announce a larger, slimmer and faster iPhone, among other products, in just a few hours. Be sure to stay tuned to ThePakiChat.Net

Image, Specs For ‘HTC 8X’ With Windows Phone 8 Emerge

HTC’s (2498) first Windows Phone 8 device may have just been revealed as the HTC 8X. An xda-developers forum member known only as “Football” has posted an image and specifications for the handset on Twitter, showing a device that aligns well with earlier rumors. The 8X will reportedly feature a 4.3-inch display, a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, an 8-megapixel rear camera, an “ultra-wide angle” front-facing camera capable of capturing 1080p HD video, NFC, Beats Audio and Microsoft’s (MSFT) Windows Phone 8 operating system. The 8X is expected to be unveiled later this month during HTC’s press conference on September 19th.

PlayStation 3 Ushers In Augmented Reality ‘Wonderbooks’ on November 13th for $79.99

One of the more interesting technologies Sony (SNE) revealed at this year’s E3 trade show was an augmented reality book experience called Wonderbook. The idea is to combine the motion sensing capabilities of the PlayStation Move with a specially designed augmented reality book to create an immersive and interactive digital book experience. Targeted mostly at children, Sony announced on its PlayStation Blog that the first Wonderbook will be J.K. Rowling’s Book of Spells. The digital book/game will allow players to bring spells to life on the Wonderbook’s flippable pages. The $79.99 bundle is the latest PlayStation 3 product to extend the console’s reach beyond traditional gaming and on-demand entertainment. Each bundle includes a PlayStation Move controller, PlayStation Eye camera, a copy of Book of Spells, the augmented reality Wonderbook and will hit U.S. stores on November 13th.

China's Alibaba To Pass Amazon, EBay In Transaction Value

China's largest e-commerce firm, Alibaba Group, expects to sell merchandise this year worth more than that sold by Amazon Inc and eBay combined, Alibaba's chief strategy officer said on Saturday.

The company is aiming for 3 trillion yuan ($473 billion) in annual transaction value from its Taobao e-commerce units in the next 5 to 7 years, Zeng Ming told reporters.

Alibaba's founder, Jack Ma, said last year that Taobao's transaction value for 2012 would reach 1 trillion yuan. The company has not said what percentage of online sales come from Taobao, but it is the crown jewel of the Alibaba Group and its profit engine.

"From their annual reports we did a rough calculation and we were similar last year but we are growing faster than them this year, so this year we are probably larger than them," Zeng said of Amazon and eBay, America's top online retailer and auction site.

"The gap is just going to get bigger and bigger when we grow faster," he said.

In May, Alibaba ended more than two years of often fractious negotiations with Yahoo Inc to buy back much of a stake held by the U.S. web giant and, crucially, reduce the voting power of foreign stakeholders including Yahoo and Japan's Softbank Corp.

As part of the deal with Yahoo, there are incentives for Alibaba to list its shares by December 2015. The company has said there is no timetable for a listing. This year, Alibaba took its Alibaba.com unit private.

Facebook Weeds Out Fake 'Likes,' Improves Brand Integrity

Facebook has stepped up its security on brand pages, working to remove fraudulent Likes caused by spambots, malware or fake account users.

Most likely only less than 1% of any given Page's Likes will be removed, Facebook's blog announced.

[More from Mashable: Linkin Park Music Video Puts Your Facebook Photos in Emotional Tale]

Facebook had previous safeguards against automated Likes. But some companies did seek to violate Facebook's terms of service to increase their reach on the social network by purchasing Likes in bulk.

SEE ALSO: Is This the Worst Brand Page on Facebook?


[More from Mashable: What’s One Goal Facebook Has Helped You Achieve? [OPEN THREAD]]

Tightening Facebook's security measures are designed to enhance brands' connections with their customers, ensuring that the social network remains a genuine advertising platform. Brands will also be able to gage a more accurate measurement of demographics and fans, Facebook says.

"This improvement will allow Pages to produce ever more relevant and interesting content, and brands will see an increase in the true engagement around their content," says Facebook.

The clean-up also means users won't be bothered as much by viral spam that deceives users into liking brand content through fake videos or photos.

Image courtesy ofiStockphoto, ilbusca

This story originally published on Mashable here.

Top Electronics Fair Embraces 'Grey' Gizmos

High-tech gadgets to make the lives of senior citizens simpler, safer and more fun are in the spotlight at the world's top showcase for consumer electronics and home appliances.

A jump in demand has prompted organisers of IFA, which opened its annual six-day trade show on Friday, to offer their first guided tours for the over-60 set, pointing out what's new and hot for the market of a certain age.

Displaying their latest gizmos, a raft of companies hope to impress at the Berlin fair, in a country which, according to Eurostat last year, had the most inhabitants over the age of 65 in Europe.

Mobile phones with bigger buttons, robotic vacuum cleaners that will not give you backache and the latest in hearing aid technology feature on the tour, amid smart TVs, tablets and high-end coffee makers.

"The elderly like to sail, play golf, work in the garden," Eveline Pupeter-Fellner, chief executive of Austrian company emporia which specialises in mobile communication for seniors, told AFP.

She shows off a robust mobile phone for the outdoors which is also waterproof -- others in their range have features such as being able to pinpoint the location of the user, a torch or an emergency call button.

But a simple alarm clock tends to be the most important feature for older mobile phone users, she said.

Beate Munkelt, a dentist from Muenster, who admits she is still a couple of years off from turning 60, is visiting the IFA for the first time and is on the tour with husband, Andreas, also a dentist.

"Very practical, elegant, user-friendly," she said approvingly at the emporia stand.

When her husband was looking to buy a new mobile phone, it had been difficult to find a model that was easy to use and not overloaded with extra features he did not want, she had earlier complained.

Seventy-year-old former pediatric nurse, Barbara Mueller, from near Berlin, said that although she was not looking to buy anything, she had joined the tour because she was curious "just to see what's new".

Dirk Koslowski, IFA project leader, said the daily two-hour tours for seniors were introduced due to "increased demand" and the show wanted to cater for every age group, not only presenting but explaining new trends.

"It's a very important market and it's growing," Markus Schmitt-Fumian, senior vice president of business development at Germany's Gigaset, said, stressing however that a product's design should not be sacrificed over usability.

The company had learned that a device should not "look like a medical device", he told AFP, adding: "Design plays a major role because it's not the 75-year-old who is setting up the phone, it's their daughter or son."

And it was not just greying consumers using the products either, he added. Often they were bought by younger customers because they were quicker and easier to use or were more robust for a workplace.

The company shows the tour a small device which it plans to launch next year -- an emergency button for hanging around the neck, which dials pre-programmed numbers when pressed and even raises the alarm when its wearer has not moved it for a while.

Thomas Katlun, who handles public relations for the German distributor of US-based iRobot, also stressed the importance of the seniors market and predicted that 'care robots' to help the elderly with the use of a tablet computer were not far off.

"Not C-3PO (the robot character from "Star Wars") opening tins or whatever, but assisting in communciation ways. It sounds like science fiction but it's not that far away," he said.

Apple Goes For Samsung’s Jugular, Adds The Galaxy S III to its injunction hitlist



Even though Samsung (005930) wasn’t happy to get slapped with a $1 billion verdict in the recent Apple (AAPL) patent trial, the company could at least take some comfort that its top-selling products from this year weren’t part of the suit and weren’t likely to face potential sales bans. That may be about to change, however, as AppleInsider reports that Apple has added both the Samsung Galaxy S III and the Galaxy Note to a separate complaint that it filed this past February that asserted eight utility patents against 17 different Samsung products.

The request for injunction against the Note and the Galaxy S III doesn’t mean Samsung will have to stop selling either device anytime soon since the complaint in question hasn’t yet led to any significant sales bans of Samsung products. But it does show that Apple is not satisfied with the $1 billion the jury awarded it last week and will continue to go after Samsung as long as it continues to “flood the market with copycat devices,” in Apple’s words. Samsung had better hope that the patent talks between Apple CEO Tim Cook and Google (GOOG) CEO Larry Page produce results, and quickly.

Apple Wants Samsung's Galaxy S III Off the Market

Following their $1 billion legal settlement, Apple listed eight Samsung products they want taken off the market. Now, still unsatisfied, Apple's adding two of Samsung's biggest products to their kill list.

Apple Insider reports Apple has added the Samsung Galaxy S 3 and the Galaxy Note to their requested kill list. The complaint is separate from the settlement awarded a few weeks ago, so the judge can still rule against Apple here. Samsung could see a ban of some of the products and not others, depending on how the judge rules. Some of the phones on the original list were a few generations old, but taking them off the market would still hit Samsung's bottom line. The S 3 sold 10 million copies of the phone in its first three months on the market. It is Samsung's "flagship product," according to the amended complaint. The decision to add the Galaxy Note and S 3 to the kill list is notable, if only because Apple is slated to launch their new iPhone and a miniature iPad over the next two months. The S 3 is the iPhone's biggest threat in the market right now, and the Note would be one of the 8-inch iPad's biggest competitors.

Facebook Hits New Low After Price Target Cuts

Shares of Facebook Inc fell 4.5 percent to a new low on Friday after brokerages cut their price targets on the company's shares, saying several lock-up expirations over the next year will weigh on the stock.

Early investors got the green light to sell Facebook shares for the first time on August 16, sending its stock down 6.3 percent and prompting price target cuts.

About 243 million shares will become available for trading from mid-October, with November 14 being the big day when more than 1.2 billion shares will enter the market.

The company's current free float is about 628 million shares.

"We expect investor attention to return to fundamentals after the technical challenges presented by lock-up expirations over the next six months have been absorbed by the stock," BMO Capital Markets analysts said in a note.

They added that Wall Street sentiment on Facebook is now much worse than advertiser sentiment.

The brokerage cut its price target by $10 to $15, 60 percent below the price at which the company's stock started trading on May 18.

Media reports said BofA Merrill Lynch, an underwriter to the IPO, cut its price target by $12 to $23.

The company's shares fell to $18.23 on the Nasdaq on Friday amid heavy trading.

Shares of game publisher Zynga Inc, which gets most of its revenue from Facebook, slipped 3 percent on the Nasdaq.

(Reporting by Sayantani Ghosh in Bangalore, Editing by Saumyadeb Chakrabarty and Sriraj Kalluvila)

Cable Companies Rejoice: Longtime Cord Cutter Gets Cable

A poster child for cord cutting has given up on the cause, moving into an abode with a "tricked-out TV set up." That man is Forbes' Jeff Bercovici, who has gone without paying for cable for 13 years. As Bercovici explains, for over a decade he was happy with Netflix and Hulu, plus he saved money (he estimates that figure is something like $8,000 total). This all made him someone for the cable companies to fear because he didn't pay into their tyranny -- even as cable companies have made that a hard thing not to do for people who want to enjoy some tube time. But, now that he has given up the fight, he has turned into the exact opposite: An example of exactly why the cable companies aren't freaking out about these so called cord-cutters, or for that matter, the cord nevers—people who never had cable and never will.

Some have argued that the cord-never generation may not feel the need for cable now, as single, cheap kids. But, as they grow up, they will change that tune. Bercovici did just that. His reason for paying into the system was that he moved in with his girlfriend. Thus, it was more affordable and also just made more sense. Here's the bit that cable companies will love, though, he has now imbibed the Kool-aid: "I’ve discovered how nice it is to watch 'Girls' or 'Mad Men' on Sunday night, when everyone else is watching it, so you can discuss it with people or read the recaps the next day," he wrote.

Though some might call him a traitor to the cause, Bercovici still yearns for a less shackled solution. "If the day ever comes that the pay TV industry adopts the à la carte model, I’ll happily sign up for HBO, AMC, ESPN, Fox Soccer and Comedy Central and ditch all the rest," he wrote. But, by paying into the system he isn't giving the TV companies much of a reason to create that option for him. As HBO has taught us, as long as people are still willing to pay for a bundle of channels they don't want for the one that they do, it doesn't make financial sense for them to debundle things.

We understand why Bercovici did it. But, for those of us who are still holding out, we are sad to see one of our own go to the dark side. Well, enjoy Breaking Bad, Jeff.

Samsung’s New Series 9 Laptops Match Apple’s Retina With 13-Inch, 2560 x 1440 pixel display

Samsung (005930) had better hope that Apple (AAPL) can’t patent screen resolutions. Engadget on Friday got a look at Samsung’s newest Series 9 laptops that made their way out to the trade show floor even though they weren’t announced as part of Samsung’s gigantic product launch earlier this week. The big news is that the new Series 9 features a 13-inch display that packs a resolution of 2,560 x 1,440 pixels (221 pixels-per-inch), roughly matching the 220 pixels-per-inch display used for Apple’s new 15-inch Macbook Pro. Engadget isn’t sure if Samsung plans to release this high-resolution Windows 8 laptop anytime in the near future, however, as it reports that “there was no news on what the manufacturer will call the new display tech, further specifications, or even whether this was just a proof of concept.”

HP Comes Out Swinging With Windows 8; Unveils ENVY X2 Hybrid, Spectre XT And TouchSmart Ultrabook 4

Hewlett-Packard (HPQ) posted a $8.9 billion loss last quarter thanks to a massive charge the company took related to its 2008 acquisition of Electronic Data Systems, but it actually managed to beat Wall Street’s consensus excluding that charge. The struggling PC vendor still has plenty of work to do, however, and it has plans for an arsenal of Windows 8 devices that will be second to none. Starting things off, HP on Thursday unveiled three new Windows 8 machines that will bring unique features, sleek designs and a wide range of price points to the Windows 8 landscape later this year.
Starting off with the HP ENVY x2 pictured above, HP took a great approach to designing this hybrid notebook. The case is made of aluminum and it feels extremely solid when handled, unlike some other convertible notebooks we’ve used in the past. The unit consists of an 11.6-inch Windows 8 Pro tablet connected to a base with a full-sized keyboard, and each component has its own battery. When the two are connected, the battery in the keyboard discharges first so the tablet has as much juice as possible when disconnected.
Additional features include Beats Audio, integrated NFC, stylus input support, a high-definition front-facing webcam for video chats, an 8-megapixel rear camera and an Intel Clover Trail processor. The ENVY x2 will launch ahead of the holidays in the United States and pricing has not been set.
Next up is the HP ENVY TouchSmart Ultrabook 4, a mouthful of a mid-range notebook with a sleek design and solid specs. It weighs just 4.77 pounds despite the 14-inch multitouch HD display, and it measures 23 millimeters thick when closed. Key features include new Intel Core processor options, a backlit keyboard, Beats Audio and an optional AMD graphics card with 2GB of dedicated graphics memory.
Pricing hasn’t yet been revealed, but an HP executive told BGR that it will be priced slightly above the non-touch version of the Ultrabook 4, which is already on the market and priced starting at $699.
Last but most certainly not least is the HP Spectre XT TouchSmart Ultrabook. Spectre is HP’s high-end line and this is absolutely a high-end notebook PC. It features a gorgeous metal case that is just 17.9 millimeters thick, a 15.6-inch multitouch HD display, USB 3.0 and HDMI-out ports, a Thunderbolt port and solid battery life, all in a package that weighs just 4.77 pounds.
The Spectre XT will launch in December starting at $1,399. HP’s full press release follows below.
HP Unveils Innovative Multitouch Hybrid PC and Ultrabooks
PALO ALTO, Calif., Aug. 30, 2012 — HP today announced three consumer notebooks featuring multitouch displays, including a uniquely designed hybrid PC that gives people more choice in how they access information.
The HP ENVY x2 is a powerful and ultrathin hybrid PC with the advantages of two devices in one. As a notebook that doubles as a tablet, the HP ENVY x2 has a detachable screen that becomes a full tablet when separated from the keyboard via a seamless magnetic latch. Customers no longer have to choose between a product that lets them create rich content and another that lets them enjoy entertainment on the go—they can have both in one device.
The HP SpectreXT TouchSmart UltrabookTM and HP ENVY TouchSmart UltrabookTM 4 bring the intuitive power of touch to ultramobile PCs.
“Consumers want the flexibility to move between creating rich documents and losing themselves in a great movie,” said James Mouton, senior vice president and general manager, Personal Computer Global Business Unit, HP. “With the HP ENVY x2, customers can have it all, and the touch experience on these three new notebooks brings out the best of Windows 8.”
These notebook PCs are the first HP products announced with Microsoft® Windows® 8; additional notebooks, desktops and tablets will be announced later in 2012.
HP ENVY x2—the right device for the right time, every time
The HP ENVY x2 solves the “Do I bring my notebook or tablet?” dilemma. Consumers get the power of a notebook and the freedom of a tablet in one stylish, lightweight device.
Featuring a sleek aluminum finish and an innovative hinge with magnets that smoothly guide the tablet into place, the HP ENVY x2 weighs 3.1 pounds.(1) When separated, the tablet portion weighs just 1.5 pounds.
Customers can interact directly with the optimized Windows 8 touch interface on the HP ENVY x2’s vivid 11.6-inch diagonal HD(2) touch display. Ultrawide viewing angles and a bright, 400-nit In-Plane Switching (IPS) panel provide a superb visual experience indoors and outdoors, while an HD webcam on the front and an 8-megapixel camera on the back capture high-quality photos and video.
The HP ENVY x2 also features Beats AudioTM for the best-sounding, richest audio experience available on a PC. An optional stylus offers added creativity, giving customers the freedom to write, draw and navigate with added accuracy.
The HP ENVY x2 also makes sharing and staying connected with friends and family a breeze. A new HP Connected Photo(3) application seamlessly syncs photos across multiple devices and offers basic editing options and instant-sharing capabilities for social networks. HP Connected Music powered by Meridian(4) allows consumers to experience music downloads, streaming services and internet radio all in one convenient place.
The HP ENVY x2 uses solid-state memory designed for improved reliability and faster startup times. Near Field Communication (NFC) technology lets users share content, including photos, contacts and URLs, with a simple tap.
HP Spectre XT TouchSmart Ultrabook—a premium touch experience
With Windows 8, the HP TouchSmart experience expands beyond the desktop to deliver multitouch technology to notebooks.
Featuring a 15.6-inch diagonal multitouch Radiance Full HD(2) display with IPS technology, the HP SpectreXT TouchSmart Ultrabook delivers strong performance and the ability to go beyond keyboard and mouse with an optimized touch experience.
Measuring 17.9 millimeters (mm) thin and weighing 4.77 pounds,(1) this premium Ultrabook stands out from the crowd with a sophisticated all-metal design featuring edge-to-edge glass, a soft-touch base for comfort and grip, a glass touchpad and tilted speakers with Beats Audio for optimal sound.
The HP SpectreXT TouchSmart Ultrabook is HP’s first notebook with Intel® ThunderboltTM technology(5) for blazing-fast transfer of music, movies and data to external devices. HP USB Boost technology charges devices via USB ports while the Ultrabook is on or off.
The Ultrabook delivers great performance with the latest Intel CoreTM processors, an mSATA solid-state drive with Intel Rapid Start,(6) Intel Identity Protection Technology,(7) Intel Anti-Theft Technology,(8) Intel Smart Response(9) and Intel Smart Connect(10) technologies, and a full array of ports, including Gigabit Ethernet, USB 3.0 and HDMI.
The notebook also features exclusive HP innovations, including HP CoolSense for a noticeably cooler PC; an HP Imagepad for precise multifinger and gesture navigation; HP ProtectSmart for added hard-drive protection; an HP TrueVision HD Webcam; and applications such as HP Connected Photo(3) and HP Connected Music(4) for easy access to photos, music and more.
The HP SpectreXT TouchSmart Ultrabook offers a clean software image with fully loaded versions of entertainment and security software and a concierge phone line for technical support dedicated exclusively for HP Spectre customers.
For entertainment, full versions of Adobe Photoshop® Elements 10 and Adobe® Premiere Elements 10 bring powerful photo- and video-editing capabilities, and sMedio 360 and HP Connected Music deliver easy media access between PCs and mobile devices.
To safeguard confidential data and thwart cyberthreats, the notebook is preloaded with one year of Absolute Data Protect, two years of Norton Internet Security,(11) and Intel Anti- Theft for remote data protection.(8)
The Ultrabook also includes 90 days of complimentary HP SmartFriend Setup Service,(12) which offers expedited, one-on-one assistance to help customers get their new PCs up and running fast. HP SmartFriend Complete Service gives customers answers to how-to questions for setting up Wi-Fi, removing a virus, using new software or backing up files.
HP ENVY TouchSmart Ultrabook 4—the power of touch
Featuring an eye-catching metal design, the HP ENVY TouchSmart Ultrabook 4 offers a 14-inch multitouch HD(2) display, measures 23mm thin and weighs 4.77 pounds.(1)
A backlit keyboard, up to 8 hours of battery life,(13) a booming subwoofer with Beats Audio and an optional AMD graphics card with 2 GB of graphics memory allow customers to power through their day.
The HP ENVY TouchSmart Ultrabook 4 delivers powerful performance with the latest Intel processors, solid-state drive options, and the same Intel technologies available on the HP SpectreXT TouchSmart Ultrabook. HP innovations such as HP CoolSense, HP Imagepad, HP ProtectSmart, HP TrueVision HD Webcam, HP Connected Photo,(3) HP Connected Music(4) and HP Connected Backup(10) also are included.
Pricing and availability
The HP ENVY x2 is expected to be available in the United States for the holidays. Pricing will be available at a later date.
The HP SpectreXT TouchSmart Ultrabook is expected to be available in the United States in December with a starting price of $1,399.99.
The HP ENVY TouchSmart Ultrabook 4 is expected to be available in the United States for the holidays. Pricing will be available at a later date.

Survey Smartphones Ease Back-To-School Stress For Moms

Yoga, deep breathing, wine. There are many ways to make life less stressful, but this time of year, smartphones get the credit for being the best stress-reliever -- at least, for moms of school-aged children.
A recent survey shows that 85% of moms say "their smartphone definitely eases the back-to-school strain, making this time of year less stressful overall."
[More from Mashable: Samsung Unveils Android-Powered Galaxy Camera With Voice Control]
Moms of all ages said their phones (whether basic or smart) ease their stress during this time of year: 89% under 35 vs. 85% 35–44 vs. 83% over 45. But the back-to-school season isn't the only time moms are glad to have their handy smartphones -- nearly nine in 10 smartphone-owning mothers of school-age kids (87%) admitted that having a smartphone has made being a mother, in general, easier for them.
This information comes from a survey called “Moms Go Back-To-School with Mobile” by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), and Meredith’s Parents Network, a parenthood media company that includes Parents and American Baby.
[More from Mashable: Samsung Unveils Galaxy Note II]
So what tasks do moms use their phones for?
Communication with children’s teachers and schools (33%)
Organizing the family calendar (30%)
Sharing back-to-school related information via social networks (28%)
Staying in touch with other parents in their circle (26%)
Finding coupons and store discounts (25%)
Building and checking shopping lists (21%)
Mobile shopping (20%)
“Back to school is the busiest and most stressful time of year for moms, and now, more than ever before, Millennial moms are using their smartphones to help make their lives run smoother,” Carey Witmer, executive vice president, Meredith Parents Network, said in a statement. “They pursue the information they want and need, everywhere they go, every time of the day."

Sony Sees Little Impact From Android Legal Woes

Sony Mobile <6758.T>, which uses Google Android software for its smartphones, has not seen much impact from patent problems of the software platform.
Last week a U.S. jury decided many of Samsung's Google Android-based phones infringed Apple Inc patents.
"We don't see much impact to our business as yet of today," Sony Mobile Chief Executive Kunimasa Suzuki told Reuters.
Suzuki said he was confident to sell more smartphones in its fiscal year 2012-2013 than 34 million in previous year.

Google Builds Birthday Reminders Into Search

Google on Wednesday began letting members of its online social network get search page reminders about the birthdays of friends.
"Everyone deserves a little love on their birthday," Google's Irene Chung said in an online message announcing the new feature. "Starting today, you'll see a reminder on Google.com when someone in your circles has a birthday."
Search page birthday reminders are only shared with friends indicated in a person's preferences in Google+ controls at Birthday, according to Chung.
Birthday reminders have long been features in online communities such as leading social network Facebook.
Google is weaving the notices into search page results as part of a strategy to mesh its social network with its other online services and products.
"At first you'll only see birthday reminders if you're searching in English on Google.com," Chung said. "We'll be rolling this feature out gradually over the next few days."
Google on Wednesday also began adding social networking features to the suite of "apps" designed for businesses to use online as services hosted in the Internet "cloud."
Google Apps offerings include programs for Gmail, calendars, documents, and data storage.
"We're launching an initial set of Google+ features designed specifically for businesses," product management director Clay Bavor said in a blog post.
"Like Google Apps, we think Google+ can help colleagues collaborate more easily and get things gone - and get to know each other along the way."
The new features will be available to businesses free of charge during a preview period lasting through the end of the year, according to Bavor.
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