For all those eagerly waiting for Samsung's Galaxy SIII, here's good news: Samsung India has starting taking pre-orders for smartphone on its e-store.

For all those eagerly waiting for Samsung's Galaxy SIII, here's good news: Samsung India has starting taking pre-orders for smartphoneon its e-store.

Surprisingly, though the company has started booking for Samsung Galaxy SIII, it has still not revealed the smartphone's pricing. Samsung is asking consumers to pay a fixed sum of Rs 2,000 to get in the queue for the device. The listing on Samsung India's e-store also promises all consumers an assured gift with every pre-order.

Incidentally, the terms and conditions don't offer a cancellation option if you change your mind. According to terms and conditions on the side, "At the time of launch, an email will be exclusively sent to customers who have pre-booked their Galaxy S III on the eStore, informing them of the availability of the Galaxy S III."

Samsung announced Galaxy SIII at a press event in London recently. The phone has a 4.8-inch Super AMOLED screen with a resolution of 720P, 1GB RAM, 16/32GB storage with a slot for microSD card, 8MP camera with burst mode, zero shutter lag and backlit sensor, 2,100mAh battery, Wi-Fi, 3G and Bluetooth. The phone weighs 133 grams and has a thickness of 8.6mm.

Galaxy S3 runs on Ice Cream Sandwich, the latest version of Android operating software. However, the default user interface of the OS is TouchWiz Nature UX, a custom skin prepared by Samsung.

Media reports suggests Samsung Galaxy SIII to launch in June in India at a price tag of Rs 38,000 (MRP).

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Karbonn launches dual-SIM phone KT-21 Express

Karbonn KT-21 Express

NEW DELHI: Karbonn Mobiles on Friday launched its latest phone dual-SIM phoneKarbonn KT-21 Express with touch and type feature. Karbonn KT-21 boasts of a 7.1cm TFT capacitive screen and a 3.2 megapixel camera with flash.

The device has 16GB memory and is powered by a 1000 mAh Li-ion battery. For connectivity the phone supports PC Sync, Bluetooth, GPRS, WAP, EDGE and also supports Push Mail service.

The other features include 3.5mm audio jack, Proximity and Motion Sensor, Mobile Tracker, dual torch. The phone also has Karbonn Instant Messenger ( KIM), a PIN based real time messaging application which offers its users easier chatting option and NexgTV which allows users to watch 50+ Live TV Channels on the phone.

The phone is priced at Rs 4,490.

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Huawei to launch MediaPad tablet soon

Huawei Technologies Co, China’s largest maker of phone equipment, said its MediaPad tablet computers are being tested by Tribune as news readers.

Huawei Technologies Co, China's largest maker of phone equipment, said its MediaPad tablet computers are being tested by Tribune as news readers.


The Chicago Tribune and Los Angeles Times are conducting trials of the tablets through the end of this month, and the devices may be rolled out nationwide once those tests are complete, said James Jiang, executive vice president of product solutions at Huawei's device business in the US.


Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei is diversifying the company into consumer mobile devices to expand business in the US, where lawmakers have opposed sales of its phone-network equipment because of his Chinese military background. Tribune Chief Executive Officer Eddy Hartenstein is seeking to add a new business to stem losses from declining newspaper circulation and increased printing costs.


"We are always looking for opportunities to provide companies with products and solutions that will enhance the level of service that they provide to their customers," Jiang said in an e-mail. "In this case, it is about providing the Tribune's readers with a platform that allows them to access news and other content."


The Chicago-based Tribune Co, which also owns radio and TV stations, filed for bankruptcy in 2008, one year after a leveraged buyout led by real-estate billionaire Sam Zell. Tribune, valued earlier this year by the company at more than $7 billion, owes creditors about $13 billion. The company said May 15 it will stop publishing LA, Los Angeles Times Magazine, on June 3.


Gary Weitman, a Tribune spokesman, declined to comment.


Huawei unveiled the MediaPad tablet, which runs Google's Android operating system, last year as profit was cut by half. Huawei plans to boost total revenue as much as 20 per cent this year, aided by the push into the consumer market, Controller CT Johnson said last month.

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BlackBerry-maker RIM's troubles in India

Don't let the kid on the next seat in the train, furiously typing away on his or her BlackBerry fool you. Despite the fact that Indian youth have bonded over BBM, the performance of the parent RIM and maybe even the launch of its latest product in India have revealed a number of holes in the phone maker's strategy. BE asks what's troubling BlackBerry, boys?

Minutes before Research In Motion, the makers of BlackBerry, made an announcement at a press conference in Delhi, there was a definite vibe of anticipation. Tech hacks idly wondered just what was going to be unveiled, given that BlackBerry has a fairly conservative release schedule.

The more optimistic were holding out for a glimpse of BlackBerry's OS 10 rumoured among the brand's faithful to be a potential Android-slaying, iOS-wrecking killer operating system; one that would propel BlackBerry back to the top of its game. But instead, BlackBerry amid much fanfare and celebrity preening unveiled the Curve 9220.

At the Q&A and after, the questions flew thick and fast: why only a 2MP camera? Why no 3G? And why such a stiff price tag for a phone that lacked these two features?

The device was launched at Rs 10,990; inexpensive for brand BlackBerry, but a tad pricey compared to other mobiles, even smartphones if one considers budget Android models fromSamsung, LG, Spice and Lava among others.

The Curve offered unique features like a quick access BB messenger button and, critically, long battery life, something of a rarity in the smartphone category.

FM radio, a feature that's bog standard even for phones that are sold at a tenth of the cost, made its way to Blackberry Curve. But to an audience weaned on revolution, having to settle for evolution was a disappointment. It was a dangerous reaction for any company to deal with; especially a tech firm that's been gradually losing its reputation as a pioneer.

As one of the first smartphones, BlackBerry had a dream run starting with the enterprise segment and slowly making inroads into the consumer space. 'Sent from my BlackBerry' soon became a ubiquitous signature; first for emails from globetrotting CEOs and later among the rank and file as well. Except of late, it has taken a beating globally, trounced by the iPhone on the one hand and a gamut of Android powered devices on the other.

Its most recent financial results reveal a loss of $125 million. And shipments of 11.1 million, down 21% from the previous quarter. Reviews for its Torch series have been unenthusiastic and the game changing OS10 is expected to show only in the latter half of 2012. Says an industry insider, "They decided to step back and relax and that cost them. The engine has stopped innovating for some time."

In some countries like India though, BlackBerry still counts among the contenders. According to Frost & Sullivan, it's at the third place in the Indian smartphone market with a share of 15%, trailing behind Nokia's 35% and Samsung's 40%. It's attracted a strong app developer network of 30,000 in India up from 4000 two years ago, according to a company source.

More importantly, for a product that's worldwide reputation veers towards the stodgy, it has a strong traction with the youth. Observes Abhishek Chauhan, senior consultant, ICT Practice, Frost & Sullivan, South Asia & Middle East, "In India, they've been taking segmentation seriously, targeting the youth. I don't feel India will be a danger space for them if they launch affordable devices and data plans for their consumers here."

The youth connect has been built in part on the back of initiatives like the BlackBerry Boys campaign; a co-branded effort with Vodafone, currently in its second year. On the distribution front too, BlackBerry was quick to realise there was a world beyond the metros. It is currently present across 250 cities and according to RIM India's managing director, Sunil Dutt it continues to expand.

However, BlackBerry India has not remained unaffected by the pressures facing its parent. The pricing strategy has changed: the jury is out on just why this is happening and what it will lead to. Of late, there have been price cuts across its portfolio.

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10 strangest job titles on LinkedIn

Have you ever shared an office with a 'Digital Overlord'? Or crunched numbers with an 'Accounting Ninja'? If not, there's hope yet, because the recent movement towards more unorthodox job titles looks set to continue, according to UK-based specialist recruitment consultancy IntaPeople.


Having scoured thousands of online profiles,IntaPeople has revealed what it believes to be the ten most peculiar job titles being used by professionals on LinkedIn.


The top ten: * Digital Overlord * Creator of Happiness * Retail Jedi * Wizard of Light Bulb Moments * Dream Alchemist * Chief Chatter * Change Magician * Accounting Ninja * Chief Biscuit Dunker * Direct Mail Demi-God


Stephen Riley, director at IntaPeople, commented, "We are seeing more and more of these kind of job titles cropping up on online profiles, CVs and business cards. Many feel that casting away conventional titles will help them broadcast their individuality and give them a real edge over their competitors.


"It is a trend that is almost certainly linked with the explosion of social media. Social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter have shown that there is real value in bringing more personality to business, and creative job titles offer individuals another way of doing this.


"It can be a risky tactic, though. Companies are increasingly using sites like LinkedIn to research prospective employees and suppliers. If it seems like you are not taking your job seriously enough, you could well miss out on some great business opportunities. Calling yourself a 'Wizard' or a 'Jedi' could be just a step too far for some."

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Sony Xperia Pro : An Android Smartphone

If you are an Android fan and love to type text a lot and are addicted to QWERTY keyboards then you must strongly consider this new product from Sony : The Xperia Pro. It also has smart keyboard features and drag type feature which is becoming popular a lot. The real power of this phone comes from the Android Gingerbread , with the power of thousands of apps available in the Android Market.

With a sony camera of 8.1 Megapixel which can challenge any phone in terms of photo and video quality, this phone is perfect for all those who love to click photos from mobile phones. The camera has features like, 3D panaroma, video stabilizer, image stabilizer, HD video recording, 16x digital zoom and much more.

Xperia Pro has an internal storage of 1GB and a SDcard slot with support upto 32GB. Sony Xperia Pro is priced in the Indian market around Rs.24000/- and is one of the best Android powered smartphone. The screen is 3.7″ 854 X 480 pixels and is just 142 gms in weight.

Conclusion:

If you are planning an Android smartphone and need a phone with ease of typing and do lot of texting and emailing from your mobile along with need a phone which takes crystal clear photos, then Sony Xperia Pro is the best choice for you.

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Android Ice Cream Sandwich : What’s new in Android 4?

With Android 4 code named as Ice Cream Sandwich and all set to be released during thanksgiving  i.e. around November 24th 2011, speculation is very rife about what’s new in the Android 4?

Some of the features to be included are:

Common OS: The Android Ice Cream Sandwich would be capable of running across various devices including smartphone, tablets and a range of devices unlike the previous Android OS.

Intelligent Camera sensors: Face recognition and intelligent camera sensors will guide in video conferencing and online meetings with multiple people as the camera will follow the talking face.

Improvement in Speed and Performance: As is always with all the Android releases, this release too will improve on its  older version in terms of speed and performance. It will also carry a lot of friendly UI adopted in the Honeycomb with further improvement.

Apart from these preliminary features talked about, a lot of work is still in progress to fine tune Android Ice Cream Sandwich as a new generation Android Release. So keep your fingers crossed for an Ice Cream treat around this Christmas!

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