By using our services after January 1, 2015, you agree to our updated terms, data policy, and cookies policy and to seeing improved ads based on apps and sites you use. Learn more below about these updates and how to control the ads you see.

Updating Our Terms and Policies: Helping You Understand How Facebook Works and How to Control Your Information

Over the past year, we’ve introduced new features and controls to help you get more out of Facebook, and listened to people who have asked us to better explain how we get and use information.

Now, with Privacy Basics, you'll get tips and a how-to guide for taking charge of your experience on Facebook. We're also updating our terms, data policy and cookies policy to reflect new features we've been working on and to make them easy to understand. And we're introducing improvements to ads based on the apps and sites you use off Facebook (online behavioral advertising) and giving you control.

These updates take effect on January 1, 2015. As always, we welcome your feedback about our policies.

Privacy Basics

Privacy Basics offers interactive guides to answer the most commonly asked questions about how you can control your information on Facebook. For example, you can learn about untagging, unfriending, blocking and how to choose an audience for each of your posts. This information is available in 36 languages.

Along with our privacy checkup, reminder for people posting publicly and simplified audience selectors, Privacy Basics is the latest step we've taken to help you make sure you're sharing with the people you want.

Helping you get more out of Facebook

Every day, people use our apps and services to connect with the people, places and things they care about. The updates to our policies reflect the new products we've been working on to improve your Facebook experience. They also explain how our services work in a way that's easier to understand. Here are some highlights:

Discover what's going on around you: We’re updating our policies to explain how we get location information depending on the features you decide to use. Millions of people check into their favorite places and use optional features like Nearby Friends (currently only available in some regions). We're working on ways to show you the most relevant information based on where you are and what your friends are up to. For example, in the future, if you decide to share where you are, you might see menus from restaurants nearby or updates from friends in the area.

Make purchases more convenient: In some regions, we're testing a Buy button that helps people discover and purchase products without leaving Facebook. We're also working on new ways to make transactions even more convenient.

Find information about privacy on Facebook at the moment you need it: To make them more accessible, we moved tips and suggestions to Privacy Basics. Our data policy is shorter and clearer, making it easier to read.

Understand how we use the information we receive: For example, understanding battery and signal strength helps make sure our apps work well on your device. We ask for permission to use your phone's location when we offer optional features like check-ins or adding your location to posts.

Get to know how the family of Facebook companies and apps work together: Over the past few years, Facebook has grown and we want to make sure you know about our family of companies, apps and services. We use the information we collect to improve your experience. For example, if you're locked out of your Instagram account, you can use your Facebook information to recover your password. Nothing in our updates changes the commitments that Instagram, WhatsApp and other companies have made to protect your information and your privacy.

Your information and advertising: People sometimes ask how their information is shared with advertisers. Nothing is changing with these updates—we help advertisers reach people with relevant ads without telling them who you are. Learn more about ads and how you can control the ads you see.

Giving you more control over ads

We've heard from some of you that it can be difficult to control the types of ads you see if you use multiple devices and browsers. In the past, if you opted out of certain kinds of advertising on your laptop, that choice may not have been applied for ads on your phone. We know that many people use more than one phone, tablet or browser to access Facebook, so it should be easy for you to make a single choice that applies across all of your devices.

That's why Facebook respects the choices you make about the ads you see, across every device. You can opt out of seeing ads on Facebook based on the apps and sites you use through the Digital Advertising Alliance. You can also opt out using controls on iOS and Android. When you tell us you don't want to see these types of ads, your decision automatically applies to every device you use to access Facebook. Also, we're now making ad preferences available in additional countries, beginning with Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland and the UK.

We hope these updates improve your experience. Protecting people's information and providing meaningful privacy controls are at the core of everything we do, and we believe these announcements are an important step.

Samsung Will Have to Pay Apple $120 Million

A US jury has recently ordered Samsung to pay almost $120 million to Apple for smartphone patent violations, though it is much less than iPhone-maker initially wanted and marked a big loss for Apple in the latest round of the two companies’ litigation.

Apple have accusing Samsung of violating patents on smartphone features for a while now, trying to claim it was Steve Jobs who invented everything. In response, Samsung denied warongdoing. In result of one of the trials, which took place in the United States, the jury found Samsung infringed two Apple patents.

The two companies have been fighting in courts across the globe for several years now. Jurors awarded Apple about $930 million after a trial in the US two years ago, but the company failed to persuade American district judge to issue a permanent injunction against the sale of Samsung phones in the United States.

Industry experts think that Apple is just trying to curtail the rapid growth of phones based on Google’s rival Android software. It is known that Samsung was by far the largest adopter of this mobile OS. Despite the fact that this verdict is large compared to others, it can’t be regarded as a victory for Apple. The matter is that this award is less than 10% of the amount Apple requested, and may even not surpass the amount of money the company spent litigating this case.

The latest lawsuit involves 5 Apple patents that weren’t at issue at that trial two years ago and cover such iPhone features as slide-to-unlock and search technology. The iPhone-maker had sought to ban sales of a number of Samsung phones, including the Galaxy S3, and demanded over $2 billion in damages.

Apple claimed that the recent ruling reinforced its stance that Samsung stole its ideas and copied its products. This situation led some experts to question if patent litigation was a viable strategy, as it can be abused and hinder innovation. The supporters of this point of view believe that litigation can help innovators protect their IP and benefit from it.

Samsung argued that Apple had exaggerated the importance of its iPhone features, while Apple argued that the Korean company couldn’t have competed in the smartphone market without copying iPhone.
In the trial two years ago, by the way, it was also found that Apple had infringed one of Samsung’s patents, and the Galaxy-maker was awarded $158,400
EnjOy.. :)
Bugs 0f Techn0l0gy

Skype For Outlook Now Available Worldwide, Adds HD Video Calling Support

Skype for Outlook.com, the integration of Skype’s messaging features into Microsoft’s webmail platform, is now available worldwide, the company is announcing this morning. To get started with the feature, users must first download a web browser plugin, which is available for IE, Chrome, Firefox and now, Safari, browsers.

Afterwards, those who already have Skype accounts can link them to Outlook. If you haven’t yet signed up for Skype, you can instead use your Microsoft account to sign in.

Once installed, Skype users can place video and audio calls right from their email inbox. And today, Microsoft notes that’s it’s also adding support for HD video calling for PC users, while also fixing earlier bugs some users had experienced with calls continuing to ring after pick-up when they were running the Outlook.com plugin and Skype on their desktop at the same time.

The HD calling feature only works when users have compatible HD displays, web cams, messaging clients, and broadband internet, Microsoft notes.

The company had previously introduced Skype for Outlook.com in a preview mode for select markets last year, including the U.S., U.K., Germany, France, Brazil and Canada. Now Microsoft is making the service available worldwide, though presumably, this could still be a staged rollout.

The integration offers a Microsoft-flavored competitor to Google’s Gmail + Hangouts features, which also combines a messaging and voice client in users inboxes, in Google’s case, Gmail. As for Microsoft, the combination of the two services could lead to a wider footprint for both Outlook and Skype, the former of which has over 400 million users.

EnjOy..:)

Bugs Of Techn0l0gy

:Facebook To Buy Oculus VR, Maker Of The Rift Headset, For Around $2B:

Facebook To Buy Oculus VR, Maker Of The Rift Headset, For Around $2B In Cash And Stock

Facebook has announced plans to purchase Oculus VR, the company behind the Rift headset, for around $2B in cash and stock. This includes $400M, and 23.1 million Facebook shares. An additional $300M earnout will be paid in cash and stock if Oculus hits certain unspecified milestones.

“I’m excited to announce that we’ve agreed to acquire Oculus VR, the leader in virtual reality technology,” said Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg in a statement today.

Our mission is to make the world more open and connected. For the past few years, this has mostly meant building mobile apps that help you share with the people you care about. We have a lot more to do on mobile, but at this point we feel we’re in a position where we can start focusing on what platforms will come next to enable even more useful, entertaining and personal experiences.
This is where Oculus comes in. They build virtual reality technology, like the Oculus Rift headset. When you put it on, you enter a completely immersive computer-generated environment, like a game or a movie scene or a place far away. The incredible thing about the technology is that you feel like you’re actually present in another place with other people. People who try it say it’s different from anything they’ve ever experienced in their lives.

Zuckerberg says that their efforts with Oculus will continue to focus on gaming initially, and that the company will continue to operate independently of Facebook. But after gaming, Zuckerberg says, they’re going to expand into a variety of other arenas.

“After games, we’re going to make Oculus a platform for many other experiences. Imagine enjoying a court side seat at a game, studying in a classroom of students and teachers all over the world or consulting with a doctor face-to-face just by putting on goggles in your home,” he says. “This is really a new communication platform. By feeling truly present, you can share unbounded spaces and experiences with the people in your life. Imagine sharing not just moments with your friends online, but entire experiences and adventures.”

Facebook, of course, found early success with games. Social gaming is responsible for a lot of the growth and spread of Facebook as a platform, rather than just a social service. Acquiring Oculus could signal a variety of things, but being able to tap into what is potentially the next big gaming trend is likely one of them. In addition, Facebook has been aggressive about understanding and supporting mobile use cases but only after an initial period of foot-dragging and desktop focus. If VR is ‘what’s next’ then Facebook will want to tap the market early, to avoid any transitional gaffes this time around.

The purchase is expected to close in Q2 of 2014. Oculus has taken over 75k orders for its virtual reality headset so far. Those headsets have both been developer editions designed to get developers interested in playing around with VR technology. The most recent ‘Crystal Cove’ prototype features a full 1080P display and more sensors to detect and position users in virtual environments.

Of course, if you pull the thread of virtual reality out really, really far you could see a future where we’re not talking about the percentage of time people spend on mobile vs. desktop. Instead, we’re talking about the amount of time that people spend in virtual reality vs. actual reality. In that kind of landscape, Facebook starting in on VR early makes painfully obvious sense.

The company has received a total of $93.4M in funding so far from Spark, Matrix, Founders Fund, Formation 8, BIG Ventures and Andreessen Horowitz. Oculus got a big boost in legitimacy recently when one of the founding fathers of 3D gaming..

EnjOy..:)

Bugs Of Techn0l0gy

Spectrum auction for 3G‚ 4G technologies on April 23

 

Dar says PTA should ensure the best quality service for the consumers.

ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) - Spectrum auction for 3G and 4G technologies is scheduled for 23rd of next month and the sealed bids will be submitted to PTA on 14th of next month.

This was stated during a meeting of the Advisory Committee on Spectrum Auction held in Islamabad on Thursday under the chairmanship of Finance Minister Ishaq Dar.

Chairman PTA Dr. Syed Ismail Shah briefed the committee on the progress made so far on the auction of 3G and 4G licenses.

 

Dar said that PTA should ensure that quality service of the best international standards is provided to the consumers.

The minister emphasized that the whole process should be completed with transparency.

EnjOy..:)

Bugs Of Techn0l0gy

Taiwan offers free Wi-Fi to all foreign tourists

Taiwan became one of the first countries in the world to offer free Wi-Fi on a mass scale to its citizens, and now it is extending that to any foreign tourist, also for free, in a move that will gain it a lot of goodwill.

The Taiwan government-backed free “iTaiwan” wireless network launched in 2011, and now has about 4,400 hotspots in major tourist spots, transportation hubs, cultural establishments and government offices all over the island country.

Citizens needed just their local phone number to register and then use the semi-fast 1 MBPS service.

Now, for foreign vistors, who generally have trouble getting a local SIM in the country (two forms of identity, etc), the process of tapping these wi-fi networks has been made a lot easier starting this month.

Visitors can open an iTaiwan account at a Taiwan Tourism Bureau counter/center, show their passport as ID and that’s it: they can login using their account, on their digital devices.

In addition, iTaiwan has established roaming agreements with four local governments so that tourists also have access in Taipei City, New Taipei, Taichung and Tainan.

EnjOy..:)

Bugs Of Techn0l0gy

Flickr Co-Founder Launches Findery App

Caterina Fake is the mind behind the massively popular Flickr photo-sharing site and is looking to eliminate that historical chain with a new location map-based social discovery platform, called Findery.

Findery is currently available on iOS, it becomes clear that the world is meant to be viewed by the user as a blank canvas that is ready for you to fully explore.  You can explore geo-tagged notes on a map to learn about places through experiences from different people from across the planet. Users of the app can post public or private notes with historical data, personalized stories via text, images, videos, and sound clips. The app will then cleverly annotate and then organize the information based on the location.

The social network side of the app, uses your current location to bring up appealing notes in the user’s immediate vicinity, thereby making it simple to find stories and pictures relevant to your own experience.  For example, you are exploring the historic city of Edinburgh in Scotland or you are visiting the Grand Canyon in the USA, all you need to do is open the Findery app to find out what previous visitors found of interest in those areas.  ”Every place has a story, or a thousand stories…Findery brings places to life, be they where you stand or where you hope to go,” Fake said in a statement.

Members are also able to create something called ‘Notemaps’ whih is a collection of notes about a location, topic or theme such as “Stag Party Blackpool” or “Blues in Chicago”.  This can then serve as either a travel diary or simply a record of your journey.  The app launches initially in English, although Findery have said they will support more languages this year. Findery is available now for free to download in the Apple iTunes Store.

If you have any sensible comments regarding this story, please leave your comments in the section below.

EnjOy..:)

Bugs Of Techn0l0gy

Microsoft Office Web Apps Now Officially Office Online

It’s re branding time at Microsoft, it seems. The official statement about SkyDrive being re branded to OneDrive has barely made the rounds, and we’re now seeing another change. This time, it’s Office Web Apps, which is now called Office Online. It’s not that this move has been kept a secret, as there were hints in the past weeks, but now, it’s the real deal.

Office Online is basically the web-based versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote. I think all of us can agree that Microsoft Office is one of the strongest – if not the strongest           – suite of software for its niche, and the web-based version can carry its own weight as well.

Why the re branding?

Perhaps it’a all a part of spreading more awareness for the product. As you may have surmised, Office Online (even back when it had a different name) led a quiet existence. Microsoft didn’t really promote it much, although the service is free. Or maybe, it is exactly because of that that Office Online was not highlighted.

One very noticeable thing about the new look is how the most popular software is highlighted from the get go. You’ll also notice the inclusion of OneDrive.

In any case, the re branding can only serve to make users aware of this alternative online collaboration, especially those who want no issues with compatibility. Additionally, humans are creatures of habit, and I am willing to bet that the average Microsoft Office user will want to see the exact same thing (layout, etc.) if they use an online version of a piece of software. And yes, Office Online does look nice, too.

With Office Online now live, I wonder how this will affect usage statistics of Google Drive? If you’re a user of the latter, and you regularly use Microsoft Office, would you consider switching to Office Online now?

EnjOy..:)

Bugs Of Techn0l0gy

Bugs Fixed in Stable Channel Update For Google Chrome

Google Chrome has dominated the browser market and eventually become the most used browser globally since being released six year ago. Google has worked hard to develop and refine Chrome, resulting in a fast and secure browser that can be tailored and customized to suit the user.

In Version 33.0.1750.117 of Chrome, Google has been able to fix a number of security issues, some of which were highlighted by external sources.

In total, twenty eight bugs were fixed, ranging from an issue with relative paths in Windows sandbox, to a problem with an information leak in the XSS auditor.  

Google Chrome 33.0.1750.117 is available to download here.

EnjOy..:)

Bugs Of Techn0l0gy

:YouTube with Google anti-American Court has ordered the removal of the controversial film:

YouTube with Google anti-American Court has ordered the removal of the controversial film.

Google in U.S. court against the anti-Islam film by actress Cindy Lee Garcia was filed . 

YouTube with Google anti- American Court has ordered the removal of the controversial film .
According to foreign kbrayjnsy on Google in U.S. court against anti-Islam film by actress Cindy Lee Garcia was filed , Garcia argued in court that he was involved in the film clip was made ​​for another film and I inherited his voice changed because they are life-threatening . U.S. Circuit Court during the hearing by Google as opposed to controversial material was removed 2 of the three judges hearing the company was ordered to remove anti-Islam film .
Garcia's attorney Armen Saras expressed happiness over the court's decision and said the initial removal of the controversial court ruling is a correct decision .
The controversial anti-Islam film due to protests from Muslims around the world was the ban imposed by Pakistan , which was still intact .

EnjOy..:)

Bugs Of Techn0l0gy

Apple expected to release iOS 7.1 next month(March)

Apple brought a brand new version of its popular operating system last year with iOS 7.0, but shortly after the release it was obvious that the company was going to have to do some fixing as users complained right away about bugs that caused some devices to reboot randomly.  Apple listened, as it should and sent out a few smaller updates over the next couple weeks and while some of the bugs were fixed, others were brought forward as more users downloaded and installed the new software.  It has been a few months now, but it looks like the company is ready to release version 7.1.

Apple typically releases its new software in a series of beta testing phases and that allows the company to get valuable feedback about new features before it is sent out to the public in a mass rollout.  Even though an online source claims that Apple will be releasing the new iOS 7.1 next month, the source also claimed that Apple does not have any surprises set up for this version of the software.  Basically, what that means is the software that was revealed in the first 5 beta testing stages is exactly what is going to be seen once you download and install the software next month.

Apple is looking to set up a huge month for the company with the arrival of the iOS 7.1 and reported updates that are coming to the Apple TV as well.  Because there seems to be a few things that Apple wants to get to the public, there is a good chance that the company will do all of this with an event, but that has not been confirmed at this time.  Coming along with iOS 7.1, users will see new features, a couple of tweaks to the user interface and apps, plus an improved Calendar app.  Enhancements to the performance and fixes for some bugs that have been reported are also expected with the new software.

Judging by what was reported with the last beta version of the software, there are no major features coming with the new software, but the fifth stage is the last one before the official update and that is just as exciting to know.  There is a chance that one more beta round will be released with the Gold Master edition following shortly after that.

EnjOy..:)

Bugs Of Techn0l0gy

OneDrive for iOS and Android devices reward users

Microsoft’s SkyDrive is about to get a new name and with it will come some deals that are likely to make you think about signing up for the cloud storage service if you have not done so already.  The OneDrive service is going to replace the well known SkyDrive cloud storage and if the new reports are right, the service is going to reward users with more storage simply by offering the chance to sign up to your online contacts.  Another way to get rewarded comes from the use of the Camera Roll backup feature for all iPhone users and those with devices running Android.

Microsoft is reportedly adding a storage earnings system and all you have to do is complete a task here or there and you could be rewarded with even more space.  Screenshots showed up online showing the service called OneDrive and the rewards that will be handed out if you complete tasks like syncing up with your PC or Mac, back up your devices and invite your friends to join.  When all is said and done it looks like you could earn up to 8GB more free storage if you are able to complete the simple tasks.

There are other services online right now that offer the same thing, including DropBox, which allows you to refer friends and gain rewards that way.  One of the first questions that you might have is that if you earn the extra storage, will it be permanent?  The answer, according to news reports is yes.  Microsoft has been adding promotions for users and that included one from last month that allowed users to get 20GB of cloud storage for backing up photos, music and videos.  The current SkyDrive gives user 7GB of free storage when they sign up and there are still options to buy more storage if needed.

Microsoft’s SkyDrive will be converted to OneDrive very soon, but the website still reads “coming soon” and once that process is complete users will be able to enjoy more storage.  A move like this could give Microsoft some push in a very crowded online storage market and that will only help the sales of smartphones, which typically need to have more storage right out of the box.  If you are not using SkyDrive right now, it can be downloaded for iOS and Android devices from the app store.

EnjOy..:)

Bugs Of Techn0l0gy

Google: All New Android Phones Must Ship With KitKat

According to MobileBloom, a leaked memo has been identified, stating that all Android smartphones will have to run KitKat or else Google will not endorse the handset.  The Android memo is the first sign that Google is finally sorting the problem it has with fragmentation.  Because Google offers hundreds of phones to customers from many manufacturers across the world, Google’s operating system is swiftly becoming fragmented.  This issue is one of the top objections the operating system receives from application developers.

Apparently, the memo was sent from the Android team to its top OEM partners: Sony, Samsung, HTC, and LG who are all original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) for Google.  “Starting February 2014, Google will no longer approved GMS distribution on new Android products that ship older platform releases,” the memo states. “Each platform release will have a ‘GMS approval window’ that typically closes nine months after the next Android platform release is publicly available.”  Any handset that does not get approval from Google Mobile Services (GMS) will not be able to ship with Google’s main applications which include Now, Maps and Google Play store.

Does this mean the end of all budget Android phones?  It could be! If real, the memo could mean an end to cheap  Android handsets and increase the price of middle of the road smartphones.  KitKat also has higher minimum specifications than foregoing operating systems.  This may mean that phones like the Samsung Galaxy core are no longer possible.  It has been said that KitKat has been coded to work better on lower powered smartphones. However, this could still have enough of a knock on effect to possibly  give the developing market to opponents such as Mozilla’s FireFox and Tizen.

Last year, Android CEO Sundar Pichai said him and his team were working on solutions for Android fragmentation. Figures showed, at the end of January 2014, that approximately 1.4 per cent of all Android smartphones were running the latest version of the operating system. While in contrast, over 80 per cent of iPhones were running iOS7, Apple’s latest operating system.  Android released KitKat just weeks after iOS 7 was released for Apple’s devices.  It is uncertain how Nokia will be affected as they use older versions of Android. We will just have to wait and see. 

As always, if you have any sensible comments regarding this story, please leave your comments in the section below.

 EnjOy..:)

Bugs Of Techn0l0gy

WhatsApp Goes Down Following $19 Billion Facebook Buy-Out

Last week Facebook announced that it is acquiring the messaging company WhatsApp for an approximate total of $16 billion. Included in the deal is $4 billion in cash, $12 billion of Facebook shares and an extra $3 billion in restricted stock units which will be granted to WhatApp’s founders and employees.

In spending so much money you can only imagine Mark Zuckerberg’s frustration when, on Saturday afternoon WhatsApp went down for over three hours, leaving its users unable to access the app.

WhatsApp was quick to respond to the issue and announced that it was suffering from “server issues”. However after the prolonged period of time users took to Twitter to vent their frustrations, with some comments saying: “Mark Zuckerberg please do us a favor. Never buy Twitter,” and, “Thanks Zuckerberg for re-uniting families tonight!”

This is not the first time that the messaging giant has gone down, with reports claiming that crashes occur nearly once a month. Yet with the spotlight shining brightly on the app since the acquisition announcement, this occurrence has certainly received more press than any other incident.

WhatsApp currently has over 450 million users, with 70 percent of these actively using the service every day. In a blog post Facebook outlined the reasons for the deal, saying that the two companies have a “shared mission to bring more connectivity and utility to the world by delivering core internet services efficiently and affordably.”

The announcement also outlined plans to allow WhatsApp to continue to operate independently whilst retaining the brand. “WhatsApp is on a path to connect 1 billion people. The services that reach that milestone are all incredibly valuable,” said Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook founder and CEO. “I’ve known Jan for a long time and I’m excited to partner with him and his team to make the world more open and connected.

EnjOy..:)

Bugs Of Techn0l0gy

Microsoft To Slash Windows 8.1 Price By 70 Percent

Whether you rant or rave about the merits (or lack thereof) of the Windows operating system, there is no doubt that it contributes largely to the cost of a new computer. When manufacturers ship their devices with Windows pre-installed, they have to pay for the license, which Microsoft dictates, of course.

Based on a report by Bloomberg, Microsoft is making some concessions in this regard by slashing the license price of Windows 8.1 by a huge 70 percent, from what is usually $50 to $15.

While those numbers are no doubt eye catching, there is one very important detail to reveal: This “discount” will only be applied to low-end devices, in particular, devices that for for less than $250.

According to the source of the report, the heavily discounted price will be applicable to all and any kind of devices, as long as they meet that retail price limit.

So what’s up with this move now? Are consumers going to directly benefit from the discount? The savings should somehow be passed on to the consumer, sure, but analysts are thinking that the rationale underlying this move of Microsoft’s is simple economics and competition.

They say that by heavily lowering the price of Windows 8.1 (for low-end devices – this can’t be emphasized enough), Microsoft has given itself a fighting chance with computer manufacturers; a fighting chance against competitors who offer cheaper wares (read: Google’s Chromebooks).

Then there’s all that talk about how the adoption rate of Windows 8.1 not being all that good, and Microsoft taking on an aggressive stance in pushing people to get off Windows XP.

With this discount, Microsoft may indeed be increasing its chances of getting the software pre-installed on more devices, devices that will cater to more people considering the lower prices involved.

One last thing that ought to be considered, though, is that Microsoft also offers incentives (for example, marketing funds) for large computer manufacturers, so they in fact pay less than $50 for the license. With this new pricing, though, the incentives will not be applicable anymoreEnjOy..:)

Bugs Of Techn0l0gy

Microsoft announces nine new manufacturing partners for Windows Phone

There will likely be a deluge of new Windows Phone handsets hitting the markets as Microsoft announces nine new manufacturing partners.

When Satya Nadella announced that Microsoft’s strategy going forward would be mobile first, he wasn’t kidding. Microsoft today announced nine new manufacturing partners to Windows Phone, which brings the total list of manufacturers to thirteen.

Among the new partners are LG and Lenovo, two of the biggest names in manufacturing. Microsoft is also focusing its attention on markets like China and India by bringing Foxconn, Gionee, Karbonn Mobiles and Xolo on-board. Manufacturers like Huawei and ZTE have manufactured Windows Phone handsets before, but have since weaned off the platform, like most other manufacturers.

With Nokia’s acquisition in the final stages, Microsoft needs a strong presence in these countries. In China, Windows Phone is well-catered to, as it now has Foxconn, Gionee, HTC, Huawei, Lenovo and ZTE in addition to Samsung and LG as manufacturers set to launch new handsets. However, the lack of Indian manufacturer Micromax from the list is disconcerting, considering that the other two biggest Indian manufacturers, Karbonn Mobiles and Xolo (a wholly owned subsidiary of Lava Mobiles) are included. Micromax is said to be working on a Windows Phone device that was scheduled to launch later this year. Whatever the case might be, it Microsoft is widening its reach by adding new hardware manufacturers.

In addition to new vendors, Microsoft also announced that Windows Phone devices will now support Qualcomm hardware like the Snapdragon 200, 400 and 400 LTE. Furthermore, the platform is said to add functionality for dual-SIM devices, with Live Tiles for each SIM. The first dual-SIM Windows Phone device will likely be the Nokia Lumia 630. With an increased focus on low-end dual-SIM based devices, it is clear that Microsoft is targeting emerging markets.

EnjOy..:)

Bugs Of Techn0l0gy

:Nokia X A110 Normandy - Nokia's first android phone:

Nokia X A110 Normandy - Nokia's first android phone.

After the Microsoft take over, Things are getting hotter. Presenting the Nokia X A110, Finnish giant's very 1st Android smartphone. External design and looks are pretty much similar to the already applauded Lumia family, with poly-carbonated shells in bright colours but Nokia's X A110 has got 4.4.2 KitKat inside, the latest of Android OS rather than Windows Mobile. Nokia Normany AKA X A110's full specs are still a mystery but leaks confirms a solid build, packing a 1GHz Dual-Core processor under the hood. Bundled with an impressive 4 inches TFT Capacitive display, X A110 by Nokia supports a WVGA resolution of of just 480 x 854 pixels. Other features include a 5 megapixel Camera, 512MB of RAM and an extendable memory card slot, supporting microSD cards up to 32 GB. if you are thinking that Nokia X A110's specs are strikingly reminiscent of Nokia Lumia 520? You might be right but in contrast, Nokia A110 is a Dual-SIM and runs on the latest Android OS. Having a 1500mAh battery, 3G network support is not yet confirmed but it's for sure that the Android experience on X A110 will not be the same as you are used to experience on other brands. Considering a tweaked android OS providing a windows similar look and feel, Nokia will incorporate it's own App store instead of Google Play. The same goes for the Maps as Nokia X A110 will be featuring it's own Nokia Maps instead of Google.

EnjOy..:)
Bugs Of Techn0l0gy

::WhatsApp Goes Down Indefinitely, Social Media Explodes::

I was in the middle of a conversation on WhatsApp just an hour back when I realised that the messages had stopped going through. While I was led into believing that my internet connection was probably messed up, I went on to Twitter. Only to find #R.I.P WhatsApp trending worldwide, which proves it that WhatsApp indeed is down indefinitely as of right now.

The social media has exploded over the situation as we speak. Everyone has an opinion of their own, rather conclusions, towards this situation. A majority seems to be believing that Facebook intends to meddle with WhatsApp’s operations and quite possibly harm them, or according to the masses, shut them down. Let’s show you some of the more interesting, and outrageous Tweets and posts over Twitter and Facebook.

- See more at: http://techeclipse.com/news/whatsapp-goes-down-indefinitely/#.UwoRYKKbfcu

WhatsApp Goes Down Indefinitely, Social Media Explodes - See more at: http://techeclipse.com/news/whatsapp-goes-down-indefinitely/#.UwoRYKKbfcu

WhatsApp Goes Down Indefinitely, Social Media Explodes
I was in the middle of a conversation on WhatsApp just an hour back when I realised that the messages had stopped going through. While I was led into believing that my internet connection was probably messed up, I went on to Twitter. Only to find #R.I.P WhatsApp trending worldwide, which proves it that WhatsApp indeed is down indefinitely as of right now.

The social media has exploded over the situation as we speak. Everyone has an opinion of their own, rather conclusions, towards this situation. A majority seems to be believing that Facebook intends to meddle with WhatsApp’s operations and quite possibly harm them, or according to the masses, shut them down. Let’s show you some of the more interesting, and outrageous Tweets and posts over Twitter and Facebook.

I was in the middle of a conversation on WhatsApp just an hour back when I realised that the messages had stopped going through. While I was led into believing that my internet connection was probably messed up, I went on to Twitter. Only to find #R.I.P WhatsApp trending worldwide, which proves it that WhatsApp indeed is down indefinitely as of right now.

The social media has exploded over the situation as we speak. Everyone has an opinion of their own, rather conclusions, towards this situation. A majority seems to be believing that Facebook intends to meddle with WhatsApp’s operations and quite possibly harm them, or according to the masses, shut them down. Let’s show you some of the more interesting, and outrageous Tweets and posts over Twitter and Facebook.

- See more at: http://techeclipse.com/news/whatsapp-goes-down-indefinitely/#.UwoRYKKbfcu

I was in the middle of a conversation on WhatsApp just an hour back when I realised that the messages had stopped going through. While I was led into believing that my internet connection was probably messed up, I went on to Twitter. Only to find #R.I.P WhatsApp trending worldwide, which proves it that WhatsApp indeed is down indefinitely as of right now.

The social media has exploded over the situation as we speak. Everyone has an opinion of their own, rather conclusions, towards this situation. A majority seems to be believing that Facebook intends to meddle with WhatsApp’s operations and quite possibly harm them, or according to the masses, shut them down. Let’s show you some of the more interesting, and outrageous Tweets and posts over Twitter and Facebook.

- See more at: http://techeclipse.com/news/whatsapp-goes-down-indefinitely/#.UwoRYKKbfcu

EnjOy..:)
Bugs Of Techn0l0gy

Facebook buying messaging app WhatsApp for $19B

NEW YORK: Facebook is buying mobile messaging service WhatsApp for $19 billion in cash and stock, by far the company's largest acquisition and bigger than any that Google, Microsoft or Apple have ever done.

The world's biggest social networking company said Wednesday that it is paying $12 billion in Facebook stock and $4 billion in cash for WhatsApp. In addition, the app's founders and employees — 55 in all — will be granted restricted stock worth $3 billion that will vest over four years after the deal closes.

The deal translates to roughly nine per cent of Facebook's market value. In comparison, Google's biggest deal, Motorola Mobility, stood at $12.5 billion, while Microsoft's largest was Skype at $8.5 billion. Apple, meanwhile, has never done a deal above $1 billion.

The price stunned Gartner analyst Brian Blau. ''I am not surprised they went after WhatsApp, but the amount is staggering,'' he said.

Facebook likely prizes WhatsApp for its audience of teenagers and young adults who are increasingly using the service to engage in online conversations outside of Facebook, which has evolved into a more mainstream hangout inhabited by their parents, grandparents and even their bosses at work.

''This is a bet on the future for Facebook,'' Blau said. ''They know they have to expand their business lines. WhatsApp is in the business of collecting people's conversations, so Facebook is going to get some great data.''

In that sense, the acquisition makes sense for 10-year-old Facebook as it looks to attract its next billion users while keeping its existing 1.23 billion members, including teenagers, interested. The company has said it will develop a ''multi-app'' strategy, creating its own applications that exist outside of Facebook and acquiring others.

''Facebook seems to be in acknowledgement that people are using a lot of different apps to communicate,'' said eMarketer analyst Debra Aho Williamson. ''In order to continue to reach audiences, younger in particular, it needs to have a broader strategy...not put all its eggs in one basket.''

EnjOy..:)

Bugs Of Techn0l0gy

Microsoft’s OneDrive goes online, offers 100GB of free storage

Microsoft’s rebranding of SkyDrive has gone into effect worldwide, along with new features and extra storage options for both existing and new users.

The Redmond giant announced OneDrive as the new title for its cloud storage service last month and has now made it the default for users worldwide.

The rebranding will go into effect across Microsoft’s Windows 8, Windows Vista and Mac apps today, and also on the mobile and Xbox versions. Existing and new users will be able to access OneDrive at its redesigned website, and will also be able to gather an additional 5GB of storage by referring up to ten friends that sign up for the service, for a total of 12GB of free storage.

Additionally, Microsoft is launching monthly plans for those that want extra storage and more flexibility over how they use that storage. If that wasn’t enough, 100,000 people selected randomly will be given 100 GB of free storage that’s valid for one year, which is considerably more than the temporary storage boosts offered by competing services like Dropbox, Google Drive, or Box (though a full year less in duration.)

For Android users, the company has upgraded its official client to include a camera backup feature for automatically backing up both photos and videos, which was recently introduced in the iOS version of the app. Enabling the camera backup option will grant users an additional 3GB of storage, which will be permanent even if one turns off the auto upload feature after enabling it, and is applicable to the iOS and Windows Phone apps as well.

EnjOy..:)

Bugs Of Techn0l0gy