Convert your TV into an Android tablet

There are a lot of options that convert your TV into an Android device without the need to change anything inside the TV. Here are the options available in India.

We have had a wave of low cost tablet PCs and Android smartphones, now it seems that the time for micro PCs based on Android is coming up. These devices use a TV screen or computer monitor as display. The pricing currently starts at $48 (Rs 2,500) but unfortunately the prices in India are still very high.

We hope that Indian brands will soon bring these mini PCs to India at an affordable price, just the way they did with smartphones and tablets. In the meanwhile you can have a look at some of the devices that you can get shipped through eBay (apart from the three devices sold in India officially). You can also ask your friends abroad to help you get these.

Razor Bee (Rs 2,999)
The Razor Bee smartTV upgrader is a box shaped device that is based on Android 2.2, and comes with an ARM Cortex A8 processor and 256 MB RAM. This product is being sold by a Hyderabad based manufacturer.
It comes with a touchpad based remote, allows web browsing, Youtube video playback, quick and TV-friendly search, and plays media from USB or SD cards.

It comes with DLNA player that allows DLNA enabled mobile phones, tablets or PCs to push music, photo and videos to the TV.
On the down side the box doesn't have WiFi connectivity, though you can attach a WiFi router. It comes with two USB ports that can be used to attach a webcam, keyboard etc. However, it doesn't support 3G dongles. The connectivity is through an RJ45 jack for internet. It also has a 3.5 mm jack for a mic and headphone.
The box is priced at Rs 2,999 and some of the sites are offering basic mobile phones free from Micromax and Olive. Only three months warranty is offered for this box.

Google TV Cloud Stick (Rs 5,045)
This is a very neat pen drive shaped device that you can plug into the TV's HDMI port (in case your TV doesn't have an HDMI port, this is not for you); and here you go, your TV starts running Android 4.0 with full access to Google Play store. You can even stream video from your PC over WiFi.
The dongle gets 4 GB internal storage. Unfortunately there is no external storage option. For attaching a keyboard or mouse you have a full USB port. There is no battery in the device and therefore you will have to keep the charger attached all the time, but then that's alright since it's not a mobile device anyway.

This cloud stick supports full HD playback and almost all the popular file types. It also supports cloud storage like Dropbox and streaming of media.
In terms of hardware you get a 1 GHz processor, 512 MB RAM, and 4 GB memory. There is no keyboard or mouse in the box. Though it is a very useful device, unfortunately it is costly due to it being imported by the seller. Otherwise, it is a $48 (Rs 2,500) device only.

Portronics Limebox smart (Rs 6,999)
This smartTv box comes with full one year warranty and is based on Android 2.3. It has a 1.2 GHz processor, 512 MB RAM, 4 GB internal memory and up to 32 GB through SD card. You also get WiFi support and an RJ45 jack for internet connectivity.
In terms of ports you get two USB, 1 HDMI, and three audio out jacks (you can therefore connect 5.1 speaker systems). You can also attach a USB pen drive, or hard disk for storage.

Because it's meant to be used with your TV or any other large monitor, the UI has been greatly modified from the stock Android interface. There's no lock screen, menu screen, multiple home screens or any of that - just one simple screen with folders. There's media, internet TV, browser, game, apps and settings on the front screen with each of them housing their respective widgets.
Limebox comes in white and lime colour combinations and is a good looking piece of hardware. It is a good buy considering that it comes with full warranty. However, we think it is overpriced at Rs 7,000, given that similarly specced tablets are priced at the same level and additionally get battery and a screen, both of which are among the costliest components of the tablet. But if you really want it to be attached to the TV all the time, it is better than a laptop attached using an HDMI cable provided that you get a user interface designed for TVs, and also many ports which are not there in any tablet (like the RJ45 port which allows you to connect wired broadband).

Internet TV Box (Rs 4,490)
This internet TV box being sold on eBay comes with a 1.2 GHz processor coupled with 3D GPU and 512 MB DDRIII RAM. It is based on Android 2.3.
You get 4 GB internal storage, WiFi support, infrared remote (though you will need a keyboard for typing,) and also Bluetooth (which can be used for a wireless keyboard and mouse).

In terms of connection you get a USB port (which you can use for storage), an SD card slot, and stereo audio output jacks.
The box supports all major audio and video file types, and also Adobe Flash. The internet TV box comes with 1 year seller warranty and, at Rs 4,490, is the cheapest after Razor Bee.

Amkette EvoTV (Rs 9,999)
This is the costliest smart TV box here and is made by Amkette, which was market leader of floppy drives (now floppy drives don't exist). The box is based on a modified version of Android 2.3 OS and comes with an Arm Cortex A9 processor coupled with Mali 400 GPU

It supports a USB keyboard, mouse, webcam and 3G dongle, and comes with an Evo Touch (wireless) remote, which works in the range of 10 meters and doubles up as a mouse so that moving the remote moves the cursor. There is also an Evo Touch function for on-screen control that offers motion sensors for games. The device has an inbuilt microphone for video conferencing and voice commands, and the remote works using universal remote functions for standard TV controls. There is also a 700 mAh battery for power backup.

In terms of features the box is great but then Rs 9,999 doesn't really justify the purpose that it serves. The box comes with a 1 year warranty.

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Facebook phone gets a dislike before launch: Study

Despite the hype and hoopla, most people are not enthusiastic about Facebook phone, according to a recent study.

In the survey conducted by Greenlight, a UK-based digital marketing agency, half of the people quizzed said they would not switch to Facebook phone if the social network makes one.

It is to be remembered that just two days back, Facebook's chief executive officer, Mark Zuckerberg dismissed reports that Facebook is making any phone on its own. However, the Facebook has reportedly joined hands with HTC to come out with a smartphone with very deep integration of the social network.

 

The study, which covered 500 people, however quoted respondents saying that they had to be persuaded to switch to the Facebook phone and that improved functionality would be the top reason for switching, followed by price and then design, reported the Daily Telegraph.

In past, Facebook and HTC have managed to release two smartphones that flaunted dedicated Facebook key and deeper integration of the service in the Android OS. However, these phones did not gain the popularity as expected by the makers.

According to reports, a new Facebook centric smartphone made by HTC is expected to launch sometime next year and obviously we can expect some of the fancy Facebook features incorporated on it.

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Mobile Phone - They are not just Phones , 5 Most Expensive Mobile Phones, Talk About Super Villains!

Browsing through reviews of the numerous luxury smartphones which have recently become available, you notice a certain word repeated often: INSANE. It seems there is no cap on the level of luxury and the corresponding price demanded for bespoke handsets, even though many of them offer less functionality than their conventional counterparts. Strong demand from abroad has meant that while UK retail sales figures have been in slight decline since 2008, the trade in luxury goods has remained consistent. If, like most of the populace, you have no idea what this means, but like shiny things nonetheless, check out this selection of luxurysmartphones.

 

Motorola Aura Diamond Edition (£3,500) appx र 2,25,526

Released in early 2009, the handset represents an update to the already extravagant Aura, featuring 18-carat gold-plating and 34 round-cut diamonds.  While its appeal is in its eye-catching appearance, discerning users may be disappointed to find that the relatively low asking price means that the handset lacks GPS, 3G and Wi-fi connectivity.

Not for you? Why not consider buying 10,000 exercise books for school children in Africa (via UNICEF).

Vertu Constellation Quest (£17,300) appx र 11,14,121

While there are in fact two cheaper versions of the Constellation Quest available, you’re probably interested in the top-of-the-line yellow gold edition. Offering similar functionality to the Nokia E63 (Vertu was a subsidiary of the Finnish giants) the luxury elements consist of a built-in analogue clock and Vertu’s unique concierge function: accessed through a dedicated button, subscribers are put in touch with their own lifestyle manager, who’ll assist with the sort of day-to-day challenges that being disgustingly rich presents. And it’s gold, obviously.

You may equally be interested in a brand new, spacious Mercedes A-Class for the same money.

Sony Ericsson Black Diamond (£162,162) appx र 10,363,754

Dreamt up by Singaporean designer Jaren Goh, the ultra-modern Black Diamond wasn’t actually encrusted with diamonds, but seemingly attracted enough interest to reach the development phase nonetheless. The design is breathtaking, offering a borderless OLED screen, 4MP camera and…presumably other things (following initial hype, the buzz faltered, suggesting that the phone has been marketed exclusively to secretive super villains, or that it was just a big joke).

Not convinced? Why not hire the entire country of Lichtenstein for 4 nights?

Gresso Luxor Las Vegas Jackpot (£641,000) appx र 4,08,99,743

With keys made from individually polished sapphires, a back consisting of 200 year-old African blackwood and a pure gold chassis encrusted with black diamonds, this lavish handset is the epitome of super-luxury. With only two being made, the handset might actually appreciate in value, representing a sensible investment. Perhaps.

No? You may also be interested in acquiring a bloody house or two instead.

Stuart Hughes iPhone 4S Elite Gold (£6,000,000) appx र 38,28,36,916

The self-proclaimed “world’s most expensive phone”, this handset features, among other things, several hundred flawless diamonds. The broader package includes a solid platinum presentation chest set with polished pieces of genuine T-rex bone and even comes with spare diamonds, in case you’re the kind of person who’s prone to losing diamonds. Unlike other phones in this list, it also has features consistent with those you’d expect for a modern smartphone, which practically renders it a steal at £6 million.

You could alternatively, buy 600,000 regular smartphones, but what would be the point in that?



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Raspberry Pi – A Delicious $25 Computer

Raspberry Pi - A credit-card sized computer has sold out after it’s soft release at the end of February, and the demand for this new device just keeps on rising!

A British organisation is behind the new Raspberry Pi, and there are hopes that this tiny PC will make computing accessible to everybody. 10,000 units went on sale from the 29th of February 2012, and the demand reached a rate of 700 per second. Like the purchase prices for most computing devices, you won’t really need to squeeze your savings or the saving rates, because the device only costs $25, while there is another model (with few hardware add-ons) available for $35. It’s a no frills piece of technology, which offers a computing experience to people that simply cannot afford to spend on an average PC.

• Reasons behind its development

Designed by the Raspberry Pi foundation, a registered charity established in 2009, education was the stimulus behind its development. The foundation is supported by the technology company Broadcomm, and the University of Cambridge Computer Laboratory. The goal was to create a cheap device that would encourage and empower the next generation of computer programmers. The creation of Raspberry Pi has now opened the doors to a number of possibilities, specifically providing an hands-down solution for people from all over, who cannot afford today’s standard computer equipment.

• What’s within (Tech Specs)

Raspberry Pi is simply a single-board computer. The developers have come up with two models of the device so far, simply called Model A, at $25, and Model B, at $35. The difference between the two is that Model B has the addition of a second UBS port and a network connectible Ethernet port, but apart from that both are identical. It measures 85.60mm x 53.98mm x 17mm, and weighs just 45g.

The Raspberry Pi is equipped with the ARM1176JZF-S 700GHz single-core processor, and a Videocore 4 GPU, which is capable of handling full High Definition Blu-ray quality video playback.

It has a total of 256MB of RAM, and an SD card reader which acts as the storage/ hard drive, for the device. There is a standard 3.5mm audio jack for plugging in headphones or speakers, and if you want to use a microphone, it can handle a USB powered microphone. There is an HDMI input port, so that it can be plugged into any HDMI compatible display device, along with an RCA video port so that it can be plugged into a standard television set too.

For Wi-Fi connectivity an external Wi-Fi adapter can be plugged into the USB port. The device is powered by 5v micro USB, and astonishingly, it is possible to run the Pi from 4 AA batteries!

• What about software?

The developers of Raspberry Pi have been using a Linux operating system, and are using Fedora as their recommended distribution. Linux is free and open-source so that it can be developed and improved. While the Raspberry Pi used Fedora for now, it will soon support other Linux systems, like Debian and Arch Linux. The idea is go get people in the community to develop new software for the device, and if software can be compiled for the ARMv6 architecture it should, in theory, work on the Raspberry Pi.

• Is there anything missing?

What the Raspberry Pi lacks is a keyboard, mouse, and display device, so they need to be bought separately. The Raspberry Pi foundation explains on its FAQs that,

          "We’re trying to build the cheapest possible computer that provides a certain basic level of functionality, and keeping the price low means we’ve had to make hard decisions about what hardware and interfaces to include."

A lot of time and though has gone into developing it, and seems that the Raspberry Pi is ticking all the right boxes so far.

In the strive to keep costs down, the bare-bones PC comes with an open board, so all the components can be seen. And at the moment, Raspberry Pi is being sold without any case (outer-shell) although they are currently being developed. And at the moment, Raspberry Pi is being sold without any case although cases are currently being developed. If you intend to get yourself one, then you can buy it from Farnell.com.

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Cheapest Android ICS tablets in India under Rs 10K

Unlike Aakash tablet, these are available for the common man who is price conscious.

It looks like ages when a company called DataWind started a new trend in the tablet space in India. In September 2011, it unveiled Aakash, which was hailed as the cheapest tablet of the world at Rs 2,500, and redefined the meaning of an affordable device.

Aakash has still not reached the hands of the common man who had ordered it or had shown an interest in buying it, but other tablet manufactures realised the opportunity and didn't follow the path of DataWind.

Players like iBerry, Zen Mobiles and Wickedleak have launched affordable Android Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS) tablets for less than Rs 10,000 and unlike Aakash tablet, these are available in the market for the common man.

Here is a list of the cheapest ICS tablets available in India, which are priced below Rs 10,000.

iBerry AX01 (Rs 5,990)

It is the cheapest in this series. iBerry, which has some popular low cost devices to its name, is perhaps the first few makers to bring an ICS tablet to India for such a price. The company officially started dispatching this Android ICS WiFi-only tablet from yesterday.

The 7 inch iBerry Auxus AX01 tablet comes with a 1 GHz Arm Cortex A8 architecture based processor with dedicated dual Mali-400 graphics engine for speed and better graphic capabilities that supports Open GL 2.0 as well.

The device has an 800 x 400 pixel capacitive touchscreen. Along with that the Auxus AX01 features 1 GB of DDR3 RAM, and an option to connect 3G dongles using a mini USB port.

On the storage front AX01 has 4 GB of onboard memory which can be expanded to 32 GB using micro SD cards. Auxus AX01 also features a mini HDMI output which is capable of handling full high definition 1080p video playback on an HD TV screen.

Zen: UltraTab Rs 5,999

Zen Mobile, an Indian handset manufacturer, has launched a new Android Ice Cream Sandwich based tablet named UltraTab A100 for Rs 6,199 in India. However, as part of the initial phase, Homeshop18 is offering the tablet at a special price of Rs 5,999.

The Zen UltraTab A100 weighs 295 grams and has a 7 inch display. It is a WiFi only tablet powered by a 1.2 GHz processor. It has a 1.3 megapixel front camera with digital zoom.

Zen Mobile has provided an option to expand the memory of the tablet to 32 GB through a micro SD card, and has also preloaded movies like Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara.

WishTel's Ira Thing 2 (Rs 6,500)

WishTel, which is known for its low-cost tablets, announced its Ira Thing 2 tablet just a few days back. It runs on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and is powered by a 1.5 GHz processor with 512 MB RAM.

Ira Thing 2 is available in six striking colours-red, yellow, pink, blue and white, and for those who prefer their device to look a little sober there is also a black one. The tablet has 4 GB of internal memory and an expandable memory of upto 32 GB and comes with a 1.3 megapixel inbuilt front camera. There is an HDMI port to connect a compatible TV with the tablet. The tablet comes with a 3000 mAh battery with claimed browsing time of approximately four hours.

Ira Thing 2 also has a keyboard that supports 14 Indian languages like Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Bengali, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, and Oriya.

Wickedleak Wammy Ethos (Rs 8,999)

Indian tablet manufacture Wickedleak recently launched this tablet in India for Rs 8,999. Wammy Ethos is a 7 inch Android Ice Cream Sandwich tablet with a SIM slot for 3G connectivity that supports 7.2 Mbps download and 5.76 Mpbs upload speeds.

The device weighs 450 grams and operates on a 1.2 GHz processor. It has 512 MB RAM and features 4 GB of internal memory. Wammy Ethos' external memory can be expanded to 32 GB using a micro SD card. It also has added features like Bluetooth and tethering that allow users to create a WiFi hotspot.

The tablet has a 3500 mAh battery under the hood and the exterior houses an HDMI port. Besides, it packs dual speakers.

Zync Pad Z990 (Rs 8,500)

Launched for around Rs 12,000, this tablet is now available for Rs 8,500 from Homeshop18. It comes with a single core Vivant GC340 mobile processor and runs Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich OS without any customisation. It comes with a full USB 2.0 port that can accommodate and read from USB flash drives as well as USB data modems.

The tablet offers only 4 GB internal storage while one can add up to 32 GB additional storage via micro SD cards. Zync also offers a USB dockable keyboard for Rs 999.

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Acer to launch Windows Phone 8 device next year

Acer will launch a new Windows Phone 8 phone globally in the second half of next year.

Global computer device and mobile device manufacturer, Acer had tough luck with the Windows Phone 7.5 with just one device - the Acer Allegro, which was launched by the company last year back but is yet to be made available in many countries. But Acer seems to be counting on the upcoming Windows Phone 8 to bring things back on track for them.

According to a website (imobuile.com), Acer will launch a new Windows Phone 8 phone globally in the second half of next year. The information was provided by none other than Chen Guowei, group general manager, Acer, smart phones Business.

Acer till now had been one of the bigger players of the Windows based device portfolio and till some years back had the biggest range of Windows Mobile operating system based devices. But with the Windows Phone operating system, Acer has been quiet far behind the other manufacturers. With only one device in the market, Acer lost a substantial share in the Windows Phone market.

With the new strategy, Acer has devised they are planning to bring things back on track. But with most manufacturers targeting the year end for the launch of their Windows Phone 8 based devices, Acer might still be lagging far behind, unless they have some trump card rolled up their sleeve.

Microsoft has already announced that they will be launching the next generation Windows Phone 8 operating system in the month of October this year and device manufacturers like HP and Samsung have already announced devices to be launched around the same time.

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MTS offers unlimited access to social networking sites

MTS has launched a new unlimited Social Media Plan which not just allows unlimited access to Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn but also offers 6 GB for other sites for Rs 647.

MTS has launched a new 'Unlimited Social Media' plan for its MBlaze customers. The plan will offer unlimited access to social networking sites i.e. Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn though its MBlaze data card service.

The offer, which is available for both new and existing customers, also bundles up to 6 GB data other than three free websites. The plan is priced at Rs 647.

For access to Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, there is no limit and there will be no throttling of speed (reduction of speed) for any amount of data consumption.

However, if user crosses the 6 GB limit meant for accessing other sites, he/she will be charged at Rs 1 per MB. The pack will have 30 days validity.

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Adobe Reader for Android gets add text tool

The new Add Text tool allows adding text as well as annotations and file organiser improves the file management.

Adobe has released an update for its Reader app meant for Google Android based devices. The Adobe Reader update brings a new text adding feature with the Add Text tool. Besides that, you can now fill up PDF (portable document format) based forms after applying the new update. The Adobe Reader is the official Portable Document Reader app for the Android-based smartphones and tablets.

Adobe decided not to offer any new Adobe Flash Player installations but has not ceased any development on its Reader app. The Adobe Reader app is one versatile app to read all your portable documents (PDFs) on the move and also enjoy some other features.

 

With the new Add Text Tool, you can add your comments and annotations to any PDF. With the PDF documents that have field validation, you can now enter text those fields and fill out the forms.

 

The improved File Organiser in the Reader app now allows better management of the files by letting you create folders, copy, rename, move and delete files any time. Apart from these new features, Adobe claims to have added several bug fixes and performance improvements under the hood.

Get the Adobe Reader app update from the Google Play store.

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Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light on Xperia devices

Although ten months off the original launch plans, Sony Xperia gets Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light game exclusively.

Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light, an action packed game, is now available exclusively for Sony Xperia devices. Sony had announced the exclusive partnership with Square Enix, the developers of the game, back in October last year, and has now finally released the game.

The game has been optimised for delivering best performance on Xperia devices. Along with this game, Square Enix promises to contribute many more such games for the Android-Sony Xperia ecosystem in the months to come.

In Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light, you as Lara Croft will venture deep into the jungles of central America in search of the Mirror of Smoke, a powerful artefact from a lost age. Whoever wields this item holds the future of mankind in his hands, with the power to rid the world of light. With the Mirror now in the hands of Xolotl, the God of Darkness, Lara and Totec, the Guardian of the Mirror, have until sunrise to defeat him or else plunge the world once again into an age of darkness.

So brush up your gaming skills and be ready for some hands on action with this new game.

To get this game users will have to pay approximately Rs 72 and the game is compatible only with Sony Xperia devices running Android version 1.5 and above.

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