Why Samsung wants to be in Silicon Valley

Samsung also intends to focus on ideas related to components and sub-systems, such as batteries, for investment.

MENLO PARK: Samsung Electronics is looking for some Silicon Valley magic.

The company, a household name in televisions and mobile devices, is expanding its presence in the region with a new $100 million venture fund that will invest in early-stage startups, particularly those in remote computing, cybersecurity, mobility and mobile privacy.

The idea is for the South Korean corporation to provide funding and partnership opportunities to startups that will ultimately drive growth for the its vast electronics components business.

"It is important to be in Silicon Valley," said Young Sohn, president and chief strategy officer of Samsung's device solutions unit, who is leading the initiative. "This is the epicenter of disruptive forces. And we want to make sure we are part of the disruptive forces."

The company's effort offers an opportunity for entrepreneurs to access Samsung's resources, including research and development centers, marketing and branding muscle, he added.

The fund, called Samsung Catalyst Fund, will work alongside the existing and bigger $1 billion Samsung Venture Fund, which already helps mold and nurture start-ups.

"Our role is not to be an incubator," Sohn said, adding that the new catalyst fund would function more like a seed investment fund. "We are going to be bringing expertise to these companies."

Samsung also intends to focus on ideas related to components and sub-systems, such as batteries, for investment.

Sohn said he has already identified an investable idea by a professor in Wyoming and the company intends to fund the creation of his company, though Sohn did gave no details. 

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tech/enterprise-it/strategy/Why-Samsung-wants-to-be-in-Silicon-Valley/articleshow/18345796.cms

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Dell buyout: What it means for Microsoft

 

Dell buyout: What it means for Microsoft

Microsoft is playing defense with a $2 billion loan to help Dell's founder buy back the company as it seeks to shore up support for Windows and beat back the march of Android.

SEATTLE/SAN FRANCISCO: Microsoft is playing defense with a $2 billion loan to help Dell's founder buy back the world's No.3 PC maker as it seeks to shore up support for Windows and beat back the march of Google's Android.

The investment in the landmark $24 billion buyout led by Michael Dell marks the latest step in Microsoft's plan to gain more influence over the hardware supply chain - a departure from the decades-old, software-centric philosophy that helped it dominate the computing world but is now increasingly under threat.

It is far from clear, however, if this strategy will be successful, while the world's largest software maker risks upsetting other computer producers.

"It doesn't mean it's a bad move, but it's definitely defensive. Microsoft is realising it must be much more engaged in the hardware business than it used to be, it needs to be making bets and forming relationships," said Andrew Bartels, an analyst at Forrester Research.

The company that built its fortune on making high-priced software to go in other companies' computers is inching closer to Apple's belief that software and hardware must be closely integrated for the sake of the user experience.

Microsoft struck a deal to pay Nokia to make phones running Windows software in 2011 and a year later invested in Barnes & Noble's Nook e-reader. It then launched its own computer, the Surface tablet, in October, which rankled some PC makers initially.

In the face of declining PC sales and the onslaught of Apple's iPad, "Microsoft has taken more unconventional measures than they would have in the past," said Sid Parakh, an analyst at investment firm McAdams Wright Ragen.

This time, Microsoft made extra efforts not to alienate its other PC makers, talking to them before inking the deal, said sources familiar with Microsoft's relations with its partners, and holding off from an ownership stake.

"Microsoft reached out (at the highest levels) a bit before all of it came out," one of the people said. "There were multiple conversations. Clearly they put some thought into it and definitely a schedule was pulled together."

Even so, world No.1 PC maker Hewlett-Packard (HP) issued a statement critical of the deal.

Dell "faces an extended period of uncertainty and transition that will not be good for its customers," HP said, adding that Dell's ability to invest in products and services will be extremely limited with its debt load.

Lenovo Group Ltd said it remains focused on products and customers rather than "distracting financial maneuvers and major strategic shifts."

Microsoft, advised by Lazard, declined to comment on the terms of the Dell loan, or what exactly it gets in return, but made it clear it would look for "opportunities to support" companies that buy in to Windows, in whatever form. That suggests this may not be its last third-party investment.

Still, there is no guarantee that Microsoft's loan will give it any sway over Dell at all. One former Microsoft executive said the deal was pointless.

"I know Michael (Dell), he will continue to run his empire the way he has always done - without any outside influence," said Joachim Kempin, once Microsoft's top executive in charge of its relationships with PC makers, who left the company in 2002.

Platform wars

Chief executive Steve Ballmer made it clear last year that he sees Microsoft as a "devices and services" company with an explicit interest in hardware, whoever it is made by.

"Microsoft has every interest to keep such a key player in its ecosystem alive and well," said Al Hilwa, an analyst at tech research firm IDC. "Dell supplies a large number of Microsoft customers with hardware, and it is important that their confidence is bolstered in the overall Microsoft ecosystem."

Dell decided last year to focus its tablet strategy on the new Windows 8 operating system, in contrast to rivals such as Samsung, Asus and Lenovo, which are hedging or leading with Google's Android system, and HP which said this week it would make a Google Chromebook.

Dell did experiment with Android with its Streak tablet in 2010, but it flopped.

"This investment might help Microsoft influence whether Dell adopts Android or not, that is likely the goal behind this," said Parakh.

The loan, negotiated by Microsoft's chief financial officer Peter Klein, takes the form of a 10-year subordinated note and will pay 7 percent to 8 percent interest, according to sources familiar with the deal.

It is not clear how much sway Microsoft will have on Dell's strategy, but the two have been close partners for 25 years, and will likely build on that.

"I don't think Microsoft is going to run Dell at any time or have a dispositive say in what Dell does," said one source familiar with Microsoft's thinking, who asked not to be named. "Microsoft wants to continue to have a strong and ever deepening relationship with Dell and you can take it as the expectation on both sides."

PCs are clearly in decline, with sales falling last year for the first time in a decade as the popularity of tablets surges.

Some analysts suggest Microsoft got involved in the deal to learn more from Dell about selling to businesses and individuals.

"Dell is one of the best at building hardware and putting an operating system on it," said Michael Cherry, an analyst at Directions on Microsoft, an independent consultancy.

With the rise of Google trying to sell into enterprises, it should help Microsoft to have some influence over one of the largest IT vendors, said Parakh.

Microsoft has not always been successful in its tech investments.

Its multi-billion dollar bets on cable firms AT&T and Comcast in the late 1990s did not yield success. Its $150 million in a struggling Apple in 1997 ended a long-running patent spat between the two companies, but saved Apple and put it on course to eclipse Microsoft financially.

"Apple is the model, and Microsoft can't become Apple overnight," said Bartels at Forrester. "But it needs to have really good partners." 

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tech/enterprise-it/strategy/Dell-buyout-What-it-means-for-Microsoft/articleshow/18363534.cms

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7 Gadgets to Improve Your Life

 

7 Gadgets to Improve Your Life

As boomers move into their 60s and 70s, products that promote healthy, active aging were among the buzz-worthy innovations unveiled at this year's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. With age, too, comes added responsibility: Boomers who are caregivers will welcome new, easier-to-use systems that help keep track of older loved ones living on their own.

Here are a few of our favorite health and fitness trends unveiled in the desert in January:

Fit for Your Wrist
Lots of products promise to monitor your physical fitness, but too often they provide limited information or require uncomfortable straps and gear. The Basis fitness watch is different: a lightweight armband that incorporates multiple sensors to track your activity, heart rate, sleep patterns, calories burned and more. A USB connection lets you upload health stats to your computer and to a secure website for tracking. The rechargeable battery lasts up to a week. Available later this year for $199. Find more information at mybasis.com.

An Apple a Day?
More and more health gadgets are being tailored to work with Apple's trendy iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch devices. The new iHealth Smart Glucometer, in conjunction with a downloadable app, uses a test strip that attaches to an Apple docking station to calculate your blood glucose level. Trends are tracked, and all results can be sent digitally to physicians or other caregivers. The iHealth Smart Glucometer is awaiting FDA approval and is expected to ship in the second half of 2012. No price has been announced.

Bike riders can also expect new Apple-friendly gear to track their progress via the iBike Powerhouse monitor, which partners with an app to provide professionally designed workouts to cyclists. The monitor tracks distance, but also gives credits for energy expended — an uphill climb counts more than the trip back down. The $270 system includes a protective case and universal mounting kit: details are at ibikesports.com.

A Step in the Right Direction
The $100 Striiv is a pedometer that can easily be worn on a keychain or attached to a belt loop. Sporting a 2-inch color screen, the device doesn't just keep track of how far you've walked, but also offers games and challenges to make your exercise more fun. And as you walk, you can pay it forward: Based on the number of points you earn in your travels, Striiv donates money to various global charities at no additional cost to you. Check it out at striiv.com.

A Watchful Eye, at Home and on the Road
Need to keep tabs on an older loved one who lives alone — but don't want to be overbearing or intrusive? You're in luck: There's a surge in digital products to make this tough, touchy task a little easier.

The ZOMM Lifestyle Connect uses the latest low-power Bluetooth medical monitoring sensors to provide a convenient, hassle-free health security system. The compact device measures just 3 inches by 2 inches and connects to the Internet via your Bluetooth-equipped smartphone, with downloadable apps available for Android and Apple devices. If your loved one falls or is in danger — or if a rise in heart rate, glucose level or other vital signs is detected — an alert is automatically generated and sent to a live Personal Safety Concierge, who can contact emergency personnel and designated caregivers.
There's also a system for keeping track of important possessions, such as your phone, wallet or luggage. By attaching a coin-sized electronic tag to an object, you can track its exact location using the app. When it ships in June, the ZOMM Lifestyle Connect will sell for $200, with a monthly fee of around $15.

The SonambaPro from Pomdevices is also coming soon, and adds similar capabilities to its already very useful first-generation predecessor. In addition to tracking activity levels in the home and messaging caregivers via text, email or smartphone app, the new model adds more monitoring devices, including blood pressure cuffs, glucometers and scales. The Pro can also be programmed to remind your loved one when it's time to take a reading or a medication. No price was announced at CES, but information is available at sonamba.com.

Taking the car keys away from an older loved one can be one of the more difficult challenges in caregiving. Audiovox's new Car Connection may offer some comfort for those facing this sensitive issue, providing an unobtrusive means to monitor a loved one's driving habits. Via a GPS device that hooks into a vehicle's on-board diagnostic system, the system can track how fast, slow, well or poorly the car is being driven. It'll monitor vehicle performance, too — and even lets you know when an oil change is required. Car Connection will retail later this year for $129, plus a $14.95 monthly fee for service.

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5 Must-Have Tech Accessories

 

5 Must-Have Tech Accessories

Why suffer with uncomfortable computing, smudged and dusty screens or dead cell phones when a small investment can solve the problem? Here are five add-ons we consider must-haves to get the most from your high-tech products.

— Russell Kaye

1. Portable Chargers

You remembered to bring your cell phone — too bad you forgot to charge it before leaving the house. Fortunately, there's a practical solution to this incredibly aggravating problem. A portable charger that fits in a briefcase, purse or pocket will let you power up even when there's no place to plug in.

These devices are basically external batteries you charge up at home by connecting to a computer USB port. They will hold a charge for months when not in use. And on that unhappy day when you discover you're carrying a dead phone, you simply connect to the portable charger and make a call right away, or recharge the phone for later use. You need to make sure the portable charger you buy has the right connector for your phone, but it's not as complicated as it used to be, when each manufacturer used its own distinctive plug. Today most phones use either a standard mini-USB or micro-USB connection.
RadioShack is one good source for portable chargers. Their Enercell Micro USB Portable Power Banks ($19.99) are available with either mini-USB or micro-USB connectors.
Additional compatibility options come from Duracell. The Instant USB Charger (about $25), is just a bit larger than a pack of chewing gum. It has a built-in mini-USB plug plus a jack to connect the USB charging cable that came with your phone, offering lots of flexibility. A larger model, the Powerhouse USB charger (about $40) has four times the battery capacity, and the ability to charge two devices at once.

2. Laptop Mouse

More and more of us have switched to laptop computers, which come with built-in pointing devices and speakers. But moving the cursor with a touchpad is much less comfortable than grabbing a mouse, and listening to tiny laptop speakers is no way to enjoy music while you compute.
If you're using a laptop at both home and away, we particularly like the combination of comfort and portability provided by the Microsoft Arc Touch Mouse ($69.95). Unlike some mice designed for travel, this is a full-size model, with an arch shape that feels very comfortable. The mouse buttons are sensitive without being twitchy, and a center strip lets you quickly control your on-screen location using taps and gestures. The Arc Touch is wireless, with a tiny receiver that plugs into a USB port. And the design is particularly tailored for travel. The entire mouse flattens to fit neatly in a bag or briefcase, and there's a magnetic spot on the bottom to hold the USB receiver.

— Russell Kaye

3. Computer Speakers

What sets computer speakers apart from run-of-the-mill stereo system speakers? They need built-in amplification — since they're not connected to an AV receiver — and shielding to protect your computer gear from the speaker magnets. You can find a decent pair of speakers from Altec-Lansing, Creative Labs or Logitech for under $50. If you're going to spend serious time enjoying music and potentially movie soundtracks on your computer, though, we advise spending a bit more.
M-Audio makes wonderful tabletop computer speakers, with excellent clarity and enough punch to feel substantial. The AV 40s are a bit pricey at $229.99, but the expense is justified by the room-filling, distortion-free sound they produce. The slightly smaller AV 30s sound nearly as good, with a bit less oomph, at $149.99.
Creative Labs offers an interesting wireless solution with the Inspire S2 Wireless speakers ($129.99). This system includes both compact stereo speakers and a subwoofer for powerful bass output. It connects to your laptop wirelessly via Bluetooth (either built into your computer or added with an included USB dongle). That way, whenever your laptop is within range, sound is automatically pumped through the speaker system, without having to plug in an audio cable. And, as a bonus, you can play music from your Bluetooth-equipped phone through the same speakers.

— Russell Kaye

4. Screen Cleaners

We're surrounded by screens large and small, all of which attract dust, airborne grunge and, in many cases, fingerprints. How can you clean them safely without removing protective coatings, streaking or scratching the screen? Monster ScreenClean provides a safe, effective solution, whether you're cleaning a big-screen TV or a cell phone. The kits come with a spray solution and a microfiber cloth (the solution goes on the cloth, not directly on the screen). A few quick wipes and your screen is squeaky clean. Kits come in a variety of sizes and shapes; the ScreenClean Dual Pack, which includes both cleaning supplies for all your screens and an antibacterial cloth for portable devices, runs $35.95.

— Russell Kaye

5. Screen Protection

Most of us sign two-year contracts when we get a new cellphone — that's a long time to suffer the aggravation of a scratched screen. A protective case is one solution, but not ideal, since it adds bulk and means one more piece of gear to remember. We prefer to apply a protective covering to the delicate cell phone screen. There are several suppliers, but we've had good luck with the InvisibleShield line from Zagg. The company actually adapted film used to protect helicopter blades to provide perfectly clear, remarkably tough plastic covers custom-shaped to precisely fit phones, GPS units, tablets, cameras, e-book readers and more — check the website to see if your device and model is covered. For many phones, you'll have the choice of protecting just the front or the entire device, front, back and sides. Cell phone bodies are pretty tough, so we think scratch-proofing the front screen is good enough.
Prices vary by device, but as an example, the iPhone 4 front protection sells for $14.99, the full body for $24.99. Applying the coating requires a bit of dexterity, but you can stick it down and peel it back up as many times as necessary until you get it right. And when you're done, even keys scraping across the screen in your pocket won't cause damage.

5 Tips for Taking Vacation Photos

Digital photography has put the "snap" back into the "shot." Before digital, you never really knew if your photos made the grade until you developed the film. But today's digital gear — smartphones, point-and-shoots and digital single-lens-reflex cameras (DSLRs) — let you shoot to your heart's content and edit on the spot. Even better, computer and telephone technology let you share vacation shots in real time with friends and family.

Though it's easier than ever to get the effects you want, there are still a few basic rules that make good shots a snap. Here's how to take great pictures — wherever you are.

1. Get in Close
In my first job out of college I was the jack-of-all-trades at a small-town newspaper: reporter, feature writer, go-to photographer. Many of the photos I took were what are known as "grip-and-grins" — shots of the town council, say, or the happy winners of a fishing tournament. Let me tell you, nothing looks sillier than a group photo that's 90 percent background and 10 percent (very small) people. Don't feel that you have to shoot subjects from head to toe; for a really worthwhile shot, get in close enough that your subjects fill the frame — or even closer. Taking shots of people in the foreground against a scenic backdrop can also give your vacation photos a sense of depth.

2. Look for Contrasts
For memorable vacation photos, look for striking contrasts of pattern, texture, and black and white or colors. A white sailboat against a turquoise sea, for example, or a colorful hot-air balloon floating in a robin's-egg-blue sky are classic examples of distinct elements set against one another. You can find striking contrasts in monochromatic color as well. Look at Ansel Adams' brilliant landscapes to appreciate the many different shades of black. Opposing patterns also make for exciting shots, as do shots of contrasting textures. Photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson was a master at juxtaposing textural elements as well as light and dark: here, a woman's legs stretch out of the shadows on a floral rug; there, a boy rides a bike on cobblestone streets with the coiled-up energy of winding stairs practically propelling him out of the picture.

3. Learn Composition From the Old Masters
You can't go wrong soaking up classical Greek composition, where balance and symmetry are key. Consider framing your photo using the classic "rule of thirds," where the shot is divided into nine equally sized rectangles created by two imaginary horizontal lines bisected by two vertical lines within a frame. The idea is to position the essential elements of your shot along those imaginary lines or where they intersect. When taking landscape or sea-and-sky photos, consider the works of the 16^th-century Dutch landscape painters, who created dramatic paintings using a "three-quarters-sky" ethos.

4. Light the Shot Right
Many digital point-and-shoots and smartphones take admirable vacation shots in bright, sunny, natural light but stumble in poor lighting conditions. And, depending on the camera, use of the flash can result in either crisp shots or washed out-photos. Experiment with your camera's flash to determine its capabilities. If you know you'll be shooting in situations with limited light, look for a point-and-shoot with aperture-priority capacity or a reliable flash. Or spring for a digital SLR, which will let you adjust the speed and aperture to compensate for low light.

5. Know When to Zoom In — or Out
The basic rule here is to zoom in for nature shots and zoom out for sprawling landscapes. It's thrilling to see nature in action, but returning home from a whale-watching excursion with pictures of a small black dot on the horizon probably won't excite your friends and family. When you're on that whale-watching trip or, say, in the bush on safari or even just visiting a zoo, you'll have to adjust for subjects that are some distance away, unpredictable or in constant motion. For such shots you really do need a zoom or long lens to get in close. On the other hand, when your subject is a vast landscape, zooming out with a wide-angle lens will beautifully capture the scene's majesty. Many digital cameras come with 35 to 100mm capability, but you might want to experiment with lenses that are both longer and wider than this.

The 50 Best apps

From games for killing time to travel tips and indispensable tools for busy lives, Rhodri Marsden selects the programs you don’t want to be without

Location:

Google Maps
Free, iOS/Android
Google Maps has become a must-download and a must-install for new iPhone users. Android users can feel deservedly smug with their more feature-rich version.

M8
Free, iOS/Android/Blackberry
Touch A sat nav-like experience; it gives users a 3D eye level viewpoint and a rich database of local information. Tape it to your dashboard.

National Rail Enquiries
Free, iOS/Android
Only the brave would dare to use Britain’s railway network without this app. A neat layout and interface brings the information you need in a speedy, efficient fashion

Glympse
Free, iOS/Android/Windows Phone/Blackberry
Share your location for a limited time with specific people, who can then plot your journey. Perfect for letting people know you are en route to them.


Prey
Free, iOS/Android
Prey lets you keep track of your laptop, phone and tablet via a web-accessed control panel, and perform actions such as triggering an alarm or erasing sensitive data.

Sport & Fitness:

Fotmob
Free, iOS/Android/Windows Phone/Blackberry
Fotmob offers an instant check on live football scores. It covers leagues from Venezuela to Austria, including England and Scotland of course.

ESPN Cricinfo
Free, iOS/Android/Windows Phone
This app delivers live cricket scores, news and full access to terrifyingly comprehensive statistics. The interface is slightly irritating.

Zombies, Run!
£2.49, iOS/Android (£2.79)/Windows Phone (£1.49)
Zombies, Run! is a running aid and an audio adventure combined, an ingenious and brilliantly executed way of prising you off the sofa.

BBC Sport
Free, iOS/(Android soon)
Almost two million people downloaded the BBC Olympics app. The new BBC Sport app is a hybrid affair that pulls in content from the BBC website along with live audio streams.

F1 2013 Timing App
£23.99, iOS/Android/Blackberry
This app provides 3D maps with real-time track positions for each driver, live timings, race statistics, tyre data, live pausing and replays.

Entertainment:

Vimeo
Free, iOS/Android/Windows Phone
Vimeo has found its niche as a curator of quality short films. From timelapsed cityscapes to origami animation, it’s a great collection of ingenuity and upcoming talent.

Numberlys
£3.99, iOS
You may not imagine Fritz Lang’s 1927 sci-fi classic Metropolis as an inspiration for a kids’ alphabet app, but Numberlys is the impressive result. It’s an adventure, a mystery, a game and a story.

Air Video
£1.99, iOS
Air Video liberates movie files from your computer hard drive and allows you to stream them to your phone or tablet. And, if you have an Apple TV, it can act as a bridge between your computer and the telly.

BBC iPlayer
Free, iOS/Android/Blackberry
Search for programmes, add them to your favourites list (so they all appear in one tab as they’re broadcast) and download them to your phone to keep for 30 days and watch them on the move.

The Sonnets
£9.99, iPad
Widely acclaimed as a triumph, Faber’s iPad version of Shakespeare’s sonnets is densely layered without being distracting, pulling together audio, video, explanatory notes and, of course, the text.

TuneIn Radio
Free, iOS/Android/Windows Phone/Blackberry
The ultimate radio app, TuneIn is a gateway to more than 70,000 radio stations from across the globe. It also has masses of podcasts.

Tubebox
£0.69, iOS
With an interface that takes its cues from Apple’s Newstand app, Tubebox lets you save and categorise your YouTube favourites for trouble-free viewing without wifi.

Nasa app
Free, iOS/Android
Nasa’s mobile app provides images and video of past space missions and up-to-theminute content, including sighting opportunities for the International Space Station.

Buzzfeed
Free, iOS/Android
With viral content spinning about the web in a maelstrom of unhinged lunacy, Buzzfeed restores order to proceedings with diverting collections of quick-hit content.

Geocaching
£6.99, iOS/Android/Windows Phone
Use this app to guide you through urban or rural terrain, locating and logging geocaches as you go. It’s like treasure hunt with a smartphone.

Images:

Snapseed
Free, iOS/Android
Select a picture or part of a picture, then rotate, crop, filter, brighten or desaturate – and better still, you’re not obliged to share your creation on social media.

Fuzel
Free, iOS
Fuzel lets you combine multiple pictures into a single image, using a layout of your choice and with extensive control over each section of that image.

Camera Awesome
Free, iOS
Camera Awesome gives easy access to image stabilisation, fast and slow burst, timers, filters and sharing; the only drawback is use of the word “awesomeize”. Ugh.

Vignette
£1.60, Android
Vignette is a fully featured alternative to Google’s standard camera app. Before you take your snap you can adjust white balance, exposure and focus distance.

Image Blender
£1.99, iOS
Anyone who’s used layers in Photoshop will be familiar with the concept of Image Blender. Stack one photo on another, then combine the two using the various modes.

News & Reference:

Readability
Free, iOS/Android
Reading apps allow you to save a long online article for later to sync reading lists between devices. Readability pips Instapaper, mainly down to its beautiful typography, which is particularly easy on the eye.

Flipboard
Free, iOS/Android/Kindle Fire
Flipboard pulls information from Facebook friends, people you’re following on Twitter and so on. Whether your news should be filtered through friends is a question Flipboard answers with grace.

London: City Through Time
£9.99, iPad
A stunning portrait of a city. It has the complete text of the London Encyclopedia, rare prints and works of art and zoomable panoramas. Ideally every city would have one.

Tweetbot
£1.99, iOS
You may wince at a Twitter app being in the news and reference section, but Twitter never fails to break news. Tweetbot is beautifully laid out, flexible, intuitive and with a cheeky character of its own.

Plume
Free, Android
For Twitterholics on Android. Stable performance, great attention to detail, easy handling of common Twitter tasks, and a decent range of customisation options to make you feel at home.

The Independent
Free, iOS/Android/Blackberry/Kindle
We couldn’t look at news apps in The Independent without this. Launch the app, download an entire paper in under a minute and browse offline.

Wolfram Alpha
£1.99, iOS/Android(£1.86)/Kindle Fire
A “computational knowledge engine” that analyses queries and computes the answers rather than guessing. Finds info other engines wouldn’t.

Star Walk
£1.99, iOS
Star Walk has that OMG factor that makes people shake their heads in disbelief. On a starry night, point your iPhone to the heavens and let it show you which stars you’re looking at.

Circa News
Free, iOS
Many apps filter the news, but Circa’s approach involves a team of editors who gather the most important stories and break them down into bullet points for easy digestion.

Terminology
£1.49, iOS
A nicely designed offline app combining a dictionary, a thesaurus and links to external sites such as Wiktionary. With customisable fonts and a pleasantly readable interface.

Games:

Amazing Alex
Free, iOS/Android
The Mousetrap board game for the 21st century: build a contraption to put a ball in a basket, pop a balloon and so on. Placing items in sequence has never been so much fun.

Clash Of Clans
Free, iOS
If you’ve ever felt the urge to build a village, form an army and battle against neighbouring tribes on a screen two inches high, this fits the bill. One of the best free iOS games.

Angry Birds Star Wars
Free, iOS (£0.69)/Android
It has made pinging pixelated birds out of catapults morally acceptable and distracted innumerable people from more important tasks. More Angry Birds than Star Wars.

Fieldrunners 2
£0.69, iOS
A modern spin on the “tower defence” genre: build a maze of traps to stop invaders. Cute graphics and compelling gameplay. One of the most absorbing games on iOS.

Dead Trigger
Free, iOS/Android
“The world we know is gone”, begins the intro sequence to this hugely popular firstperson shooter game. Combines fantastic graphics and an ingenious interface.

Music:

iKaosillator
£13.99, iOS
An app version of the standalone Kaossilator, made by Korg. One of the best musical instruments on a smartphone. Loop and layer the day away, losing yourself in a world of beats and squelchy synths.

Soundhound
Free, iOS,/Android/Windows Phone
Shazam-style music identification in app form, Soundhound is probably the best of the bunch, with Spotify integration and the ability to identify tunes from humming.

Spotify
From free, iOS/Android/Windows Phone
Transform your handheld device into a digital jukebox. It’s nothing short of astounding. And it’s well worth a £10-a-month subscription to use this app to its fullest.

Ampkit
Free, iOS
Life used to be disappointing for bedroom electric guitar strummers. Ampkit changes everything: plug your guitar into the iPhone for a convincing simulacrum of powerful amps, speakers and effects.

Whosampled
£1.99, iOS
We live in a world where the magpie-like swiping of hooks, licks and samples from other songs is widespread. This is a fantastic hopping off point for musical discovery; preview songs within the app.

Lifestyle & Shopping:

eBay
Free, iOS/Android/Windows Phone/Blackberry
A must-download if you use eBay even sporadically. Alerts tell you when you’ve been outbid or when your item is attracting interest.

WhatsApp
Free, iOS (£0.69)/Android/Windows Phone/Blackberry
One of the best-known apps that allow us to get around the SMS rip off, carrying more than two billion messages a day across the internet, free.

Ovoto
Free, iOS/Android
Unable to make a decision? Take a photo of the two things you can’t choose between and Ovoto will turn it into a poll for Twitter and Facebook pals to vote on. Problem solved.

Seatguru
Free, iOS/Android
Includes information about the comfort (or otherwise) of seats on aircraft worldwide. It covers more than 700 airlines, and also doubles as a flight status checker.

Triposo
Free, iOS/Android
What to see, what to eat and where to stay. With downloads of information and maps for more than 8,000 destinations worldwide. An essential travel companion.

 

Computer company Dell will become a private company in $24bn deal

Michael Dell will take computer company Dell Inc private in a $24.4 billion (15.5 billion pounds) deal that marks the biggest leveraged buyout since the financial crisis.

The company's founder and CEO, and private equity firm Silver Lake are paying $13.65 per share in cash for the world's No. 3 computer maker.
The deal is being financed by cash and equity from Michael Dell, cash from Silver Lake, cash from Michael Dell's MSD Capital investment firm, a $2 billion loan from Microsoft Corp and debt financing from Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Barclays, Credit Suisse and RBC Capital Markets.
The parties expect the transaction to close before the end of the second quarter of Dell's fiscal 2014.
News of the buyout talks first emerged on January 14, although they reportedly started in the latter part of 2012. Michael Dell had previously acknowledged thinking about going private as far back as 2010.
The $13.65-per-share price is a premium of about 24 percent to the average $11 price of Dell stock before news of the deal talks broke and is far below the $17.61 that the shares were trading for a year ago.
"I think the key question here is will shareholders approve this deal, because there is practically no premium where the stock is trading," Sterne Agee analyst Shaw Wu said.
Dell shares opened 0.7 percent higher at $13.36 in delayed morning trading.
Dell has steadily ceded market share in PCs to nimbler rivals such as Lenovo Group and is struggling to re-ignite growth. That is in spite of Michael Dell's efforts in the five years since he retook the helm of the company he founded in 1984, following a brief hiatus during which its fortunes waned.
While analysts said Dell could be more nimble as a private company, it will still have to deal with the same difficult market conditions.

Source: http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/computer-company-dell-will-become-a-private-company-in-24bn-deal-8482113.html

Kashmir's all-girl rock band gets support on Facebook, Twitter

Support has been pouring in from all corners on social networking sites for the first all-girls rock band of Kashmir SRINAGAR: Support has been pouring in from all corners on social networking sites for the first all-girls rock band of Kashmir after they received abusive and hate messages on their Facebook page for defying convention by choosing the field of music.

At least three pages have come up on Facebook in the past three days throwing their weight behind the three Class X students of Kashmir, urging them not to be cowed down by the hate mongers and continue their band named 'Pragaash' (light).

'I support Pragaash, Kashmir's first all-girls' rock band' is the most popular page with more than 1,000 'likes' since it was created less than two days ago in Facebook.

"I am with u. Follow your passion sincerely and be good. God bless special people with art and you are one of them, that's why everybody is not artist," Kanu Sharma posted on the page.

The all-girls rock band, which came to limelight in late December last year after their performance at the annual 'Battle of the Bands' competition here, had defied the convention by stepping into the male-dominated field of music.

The online threats have left the families of the teenage girls worried and forced them to keep a low profile.

Though there are dozens of bands currently playing music of different genres in the Kashmir Valley, the girls -- vocalist-guitarist Noma Nazir, drummer Farah Deeba and Guitarist Aneeka Khalid -- formed the first all-girls rock band under the name of 'Pragaash' (light).

The band had won the best performance award in their first public appearance.

Why netizens are wondering about Iran’s space monkey

On Facebook, a comment underneath the monkey's pictures reads: the monkey "went into space and met a doctor who removed its mole".

TEHRAN: Iran's announcement that it had successfully sent a monkey into space stirred questions on the internet with people pointing to differences between official images of the primate before takeoff and after landing.

On January 28, official Iranian media published pictures of a monkey named Pishgam (Pioneer) prior to the launch. The animal had light grey fur and a red mole above its right eye.

But later, the ISNA news agency released photos taken during presenting the monkey to the press after its landing which showed a darker fur and no mole.

These differences have been pointed out by Western media, which have questioned the success of the monkey space mission. A previous attempt to send a primate into space failed in 2011.

On Facebook, a comment underneath the monkey's pictures reads: the monkey "went into space and met a doctor who removed its mole," an ironic reference to some Iranians passion for cosmetic surgery.

Iranian authorities did not directly responded to these questions on Saturday night.

Two websites close to the regime, Rajanews and Nasimonline, have said without citing sources that the monkey images available to the media before the launch were "archive" images of the doomed 2011 launch.

Instead, the monkey presented to the press after the sub-orbital flight was the one that successfully completed the mission.

Neither Iranian site gave any explanation why the reputed archive pictures were used by the media.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tech/social-media/Why-netizens-are-wondering-about-Irans-space-monkey/articleshow/18334628.cms

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Acer unveils Liquid C1 with Intel Lexington processor

Acer has announced Liquid C1, a mid-range smartphone that runs on Intel Lexington processor, in Thailand at 9,990 baht (approximately Rs 17,800).

NEW DELHI: Taiwanese manufacturer Acer has announced Liquid C1, a mid-range smartphone that runs on Intel Lexington processor. The device has been unveiled in Thailand and is priced at 9,990 baht (approximately Rs 17,800).

The all-new Liquid C1 features a 4.3-inch screen with resolution of 960x540p and is powered by Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich). Its processor sets it apart from most of the phones in the market, as it runs on Intel's Atom Z2420m chipset (codenamed Lexington) clocked at 1.2 GHz. This chip features Hyper-Threading technology, which enables the device to work as a dual-core processor despite having just one core.

Acer Liquid C1 comes with 4GB onboard memory and microSD support up to 32GB. Coming to the imaging department, the phone has an 8MP primary camera with LED flash, while the secondary unit has VGA resolution. Powered by a 2,000mAh battery, this phone has connectivity features like 3G, AcerCloud+, Wi-Fi, Blouetooth 2.1 and microUSB.

Key specs:

Display: 4.3-inch screen with resolution of 960x540p; Operating system: Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich); Processor: 1.2GHz Intel Atom Z2420m chipset (codenamed Lexington) with Hyper-Threading; Memory: 4GB built-in, microSD support up to 32GB; Connectivity: 3G, Wi-Fi, AcerCloud+, Bluetooth 2.1, microUSB; Camera: 8MP camera with LED flash on the back, VGA camera in the front; and Battery: 2,000mAh

Apple topples Nokia in mobile net usage market: Report

Apple for the first time has toppled Nokia to become the leading smartphone in terms of worldwide internet usage on handsets, a report has said.

NEW DELHI: Apple for the first time has toppled Nokia to become the leading smartphone in terms of worldwide internet usage on handsets, a report has said. Finnish handset maker Nokia, which leads the mobile devices internet usage market with 37.7% share last year, has been relegated to third place this year with Samsung emerging as the second largest mobile vendor in terms of internet usage. "In January 2013 Apple led globally for the first time in terms of Internet usage with 25.9% SHARE, ahead of Samsung (22.7%) and Nokia (22.2%)," the report said. Last year Apple occupied second spot with 28.7% share and Samsung was third with 14.8% market share, the report said.

In India, Nokia holds the top slot even as its share has dropped to 52.1% in January this year, from 73% in January 2012. Samsung has shown improvement in Indian mobile devices Internet usage market and occupies second spot with 26.9% share in January 2013. The third spot is occupied by an 'unknown brand' with 13.2% share. agencies

Globally this unknown brand accounted for 11% market share and occupied fourth spot. The report called in unknown as like other known brands as it could not gather information about mobile vendor and browser used in the device. Globally, HTC occupied fifth position with 4% followed by Blackberry. Share of Blackberry globally declined from 8.3% in January 2012 to 3.5% in January 2013, the report said. StatCounter said it has excluded tablets but included all pocket-sized computing device for the research. The global stats data in the report is based on over 15 billion page views per month to the StatCounter network of more than three million websites, it said. 

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tech/personal-tech/gadgets-special/Apple-topples-Nokia-in-mobile-net-usage-market-Report/articleshow/18341714.cms

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Samsung announces Galaxy Young, Fame smartphones

Samsung has announced two new Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) smartphones – Galaxy Young and Galaxy Fame.

NEW DELHI: Samsung has announced two new smartphones - Galaxy Young and Galaxy Fame. Both the devices are powered by Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) and resemble top-of-the-line models like Galaxy S III and Note II in looks.

Galaxy Young features a 3.27-inch TFT touchscreen with 480x320p resolution. This device runs on a 1GHz processor with 768MB RAM and comes with 4GB built-in storage and support for 64GB microSD card. Samsung has included a 3MP rear camera without flash in the phone. Powered by a 1,300mAh battery, this device has connectivity features like Wi-Fi, 2G, 3G, Bluetooth 3.0 and microUSB 2.0.

The all-new Samsung Galaxy Fame has a 3.5-inch screen and is powered by a 1GHz processor coupled with 512MB RAM. This phone also has 4GB onboard storage and can support microSD card with capacity up to 64GB. Running on a 1,300mAh battery, this phone has a 5MP primary camera with LED flash and a VGA front camera. Connectivity suite of the device includes features like 2G, 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, microUSB 2.0 and (optional) NFC.

Samsung has included proprietary features like S Cloud, Motion UI, Samsung games Hub and ChatOn. The pricing and availability of the two devices have not been revealed yet. 

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tech/personal-tech/gadgets-special/Samsung-announces-Galaxy-Young-Fame-smartphones/articleshow/18351096.cms

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