Apple unveils Quad-Core based iMacs in India

Apple has updated the line-up of its all-in-one iMac computers with new models getting quad-core Intel Sandy Bridge processors, AMD Radeon HD graphics and Thunderbolt technology. That means there s a hardware bump and also inclusion of the Thunderbolt data port, also used in the 2011 MacBook Pro models. Other than that, there s no physical change like different display screen. These new iMac models will be available in India from today onwards from Apple Authorised Resellers.
The All-in-one 2011 iMac models will have faster quad-core Intel Core i5 processors from Sandy Bridge family for better computational performance. New 21.5-inch 2011 iMac models have one Thunderbolt port while 27-inch models have two Thunderbolt port. Intel bred new Thunderbolt data transfer technology promises data transfer speeds of up to 10Gbps. Apart from that, Thunderbolt also supports DisplayPort for hooking high resolution displays and work with HDMI, DVI and VGA adapters.
New 2011 iMac models get top of the line AMD Radeon HD 6700 series graphic processors for best graphical output while enjoying movies or playing games. FaceTime HD camera rests on the top centre of the iMac display and thereby enables video calling at higher resolution. 

Pricing:
- 21.5-inch iMac (2.5GHz Intel Core i5, AMD Radeon HD 6750M & 500GB HDD): Rs. 64,900 (inc. VAT)
- 21.5-inch iMac (2.7GHz Intel Core i5, AMD Radeon HD 6770M & 1TB HDD): Rs. 79,900 (inc. VAT)
- 27-inch iMac (2.7GHz Intel Core i5, AMD Radeon HD 6770M & 1TB HDD): Rs. 91900 (inc. VAT)
- 27-inch iMac (3.1GHz Intel Core i5, AMD Radeon HD 6970M & 1TB HDD): Rs. 107,900 (inc. VAT)
Apparently, this update wasn't reflected at the Apple India online store at the time this news was written.

Resource: http://www.techtree.com/India/News/Apple_unveils_Quad-Core_based_iMacs_in_India/551-115157-893.html

Google sued over Android data location collection

Two Michigan women are suing Google over location data collected by Android devices, a week after Apple was named in a lawsuit citing privacy violations with the iPhone logging similar data.

The $50 million lawsuit against Google seeks to stop Google from selling phones with software that can track a user's location, the Detroit News reported today.

The lawsuit was filed yesterday in U.S. District Court in Detroit on behalf of plaintiffs Julie Brown and Kayla Molaski, who are seeking class action status for the suit. Their lawyer, Steven Budaj, argues in the complaint that the tracking of Android owners' location "puts users at serious risk of privacy invasions, including stalking."

Google acknowledged last week that it collects location information--including GPS current location, timestamps, nearby Wi-Fi network addresses, and device IDs--from Android devices but said it was not traceable to a specific individual. Users can disable the GPS feature, but then they won't get as much function out of maps and other location-based services.

Google representatives did not immediately respond to an e-mail seeking comment on the lawsuit this afternoon.

The lawsuit against Apple filed in Florida last week also seeks class action status and accuses Apple of violating privacy laws, as well as the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act by keeping a log of user locations without offering users a way to disable that.

The matter first came to light last week when two researchers said they had discovered that the iPhone collects and logs current and historical location information without user permission or warning, and stores it unencrypted on the device.

In addition to the lawsuits, the controversy has prompted lawmakers to seek an FTC probe of the issue and questions from attorneys general in Connecticut and Illinois.

After a week of silence, Apple finally spoke up about the matter, explaining in an FAQ that it was collecting the data to get more accurate location data for eventual use in a traffic database and blamed a software bug for storing an excess amount of it on the devices.

Read more: http://news.cnet.com/8301-27080_3-20058493-245.html#ixzz1KsKTCZLJ

IPAD2 in India Finally!!!

So, Apple IPAD 2 is finally in India. Not much after the launch of IPAD, this brings out the celebration for the gadget lovers. After the success of IPAD, it is expected to go much farther as it is not only cool but lot of built in apps in it.
It is coming in two models, so why not to compare them and know them better:

Models	With Wi-Fi	With Wi-Fi + 3G
Storage	16GB , 32GB , 64GB	16GB , 32GB , 64GB
Wireless And 3G	Wi-Fi Bluetooth 2.1 Wi-Fi + 3G Bluetooth 2.1 Data Only
Chip	1GHz dual-core Apple A5 custom-designed, high-performance, low-power system-on-a-chip	1GHz dual-core Apple A5 custom-designed, high-performance, low-power system-on-a-chip
Power And Battery	Built in 25W-hr lithium-polymer rechargeable battery. With surfing on Wi-Fi, watching video or listening to music, it can last up to 10 hrs. Power Adapter charging or charge via USB through computer system. Built in 25W-hr lithium-polymer rechargeable battery. With surfing on Wi-Fi, watching video or listening to music, it can last up to 10 hrs. With surfing the web on 3G, it can last up to 9 hrs. Power Adapter charging or charge via USB through computer system.
Input / Output	30-pin dock connector port. 3.5-mm stereo headphone mini-jack Built-in speaker Microphone 30-pin dock connector port 3.5-mm stereo headphone mini-jack Built-in speaker Micro-SIM card tray (Wi-Fi + 3G model) Microphone
Location	Wi-Fi Digital compass	Wi-Fi Digital compass Assisted GPS 3G
Camera, Photos and Video Recording	Back camera: Video recording, HD (720p) up to 30 frames per second with audio; still camera with 5x digital zoom Front camera: Video recording, VGA up to 30 frames per second with audio; VGA-quality still camera Tap to control exposure for video or stills Photo and video geotagging over Wi-Fi
Display	9.7-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit glossy widescreen Multi-Touch display with IPS technology 1024×768-pixel resolution at 132 pixels per inch (ppi) Fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating Support for display of multiple languages and characters simultaneously
Audio Playback	Frequency response: 20Hz to 20,000Hz Audio formats supported: HE-AAC (V1 and V2), AAC (8 to 320 Kbps), Protected AAC (from iTunes Store), MP3 (8 to 320 Kbps), MP3 VBR, Audible (formats 2, 3 and 4, Audible Enhanced Audio, AAX and AAX+), Apple Lossless, AIFF and WAV User-configurable maximum volume limit Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound pass-through with Apple Digital AV Adapter (sold separately)
MAC System Requirements	Mac computer with USB 2.0 port Mac OS X v10.5.8 or later iTunes 10.2 or later recommended (free download from www.apple.com/in/itunes/download) iTunes Store account Internet access
Windows System Requirements	PC with USB 2.0 port Windows 7; Windows Vista; or Windows XP Home or Professional with Service Pack 3 or later iTunes 10.2 or later recommended (free download from www.apple.com/in/itunes/download) iTunes Store account Internet access

	16 GB	32 GB	64 GB
Wi – Fi	Rs. 29,500/-	Rs. 34,500/-	Rs. 39,500/-
Wi – Fi + 3G	Rs. 36,900/-	Rs. 41,900/-	Rs. 46,900/-

As there are not much of Apple stores in India, it’ll be available at some the electronic stores like Croma, Vijay Sales, Reliance iStore and eZone! Remember to get one for you as soon as the stores get open or you’ll miss it due to heavy rush!!!

Resource: http://www.neoseotips.com/neoseotips/computers/pads/ipad2-in-india-finally-2/

Apple to start selling iPad 2 in India from April 29

NEW DELHI: Apple's iPad 2 will be available in Indian stores from Friday, just over a month after the company started selling the updated version of its popular tablet device in the United States .

The iPad 2, a thinner and faster version that features two cameras for video chat, is priced between 29,500 rupees and 46,900 rupees, depending on the model.

The device will be available through authorized resellers from 9 a.m. local time on Friday, a company statement said.

The model with 16 GB of memory that works only on Wi-Fi is priced at 29,500 rupees, while the one that can operate on both Wi-Fi as well as third-generation (3G) mobile networks costs 36,900 rupees.

Customers have the option to buy an iPad 2 with 16, 32 or 64 GB of memory and can choose a model that works only on Wi-Fi or on both Wi-Fi and 3G.

Research firm IHS iSuppli estimates Apple will ship 39.7 million units for all models of the iPad this year.

The first iPad - which went on sale a year ago - sold 300,000 units on the first day, 500,000 in the first week, and crossed the 1 million unit mark in 28 days. 

 

Resource: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/hardware/apple-to-start-selling-ipad-2-in-india-from-april-29/articleshow/8102377.cms

Steve Jobs: We don't track, Google does

The recent disclosure that Apple's iPhone and Google's Android phones track users locations has attracted a lot of attention.

The issue has even reached US parliament with US Congress and FCC looking into the issue. To garner Apple CEO Steve Jobs take on the issue a MacRumors reader reportedly emailed him seeking clarifications on the issue and at the same time hinting about a switch to Android. Jobs reportedly responded, claiming that Apple does not track users and the information is "false". He, however, said that Android does track users.

Q: Steve, could you please explain the necessity of the passive location-tracking tool embedded in my iPhone? It's kind of unnerving knowing that my exact location is being recorded at all times. Maybe you could shed some light on this for me before I switch to a Droid. They don't track me.

A: Oh yes they do. We don't track anyone. The info circulating around is false.

A pair of British security researchers recently said that the latest version of Apple's operating system for iPhone and iPad is constantly recording the location of the devices and storing the information in a hidden file.

Alasdair Allan and Pete Warden said the position-logging feature is contained in iOS 4. "Ever since iOS 4 arrived, your device has been storing a long list of locations and time stamps," they said in an article posted at the website radar.oreilly.com.

"We're not sure why Apple is gathering this data, but it's clearly intentional," the researchers said, adding that it raises a number of "security and privacy implications." 

Resource: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tech/news/telecom/Steve-Jobs-We-dont-track-Google-does/articleshow/8088788.cms

Sony unveils its first tablets in bid to compete with Apple's iPad

Sony revealed Tuesday two Google Android-based touchscreen tablets, which will released this fall in an attempt to catch up to Apple's year-long head start with the iPad.

The tablets, dubbed S1 and S2, were unveiled at a media launch in Japan, Reuters reports. Sony will attempt to leverage its successes in the gaming industry to drive sales of the tablets, as both the S1, which sports a 9.4-inch display, and the S2, which features two 5.5-inch displays, will be compatible with select PlayStation games.

Sony deputy president of consumer products and services Kunimasa Suzuki indicated that the devices will run the tablet-designed Google Android 3.0 Honeycomb operating system, as he pulled a prototype from a jacket pocket at the launch.

In an effort to distinguish itself from the growing list of Android-based iPad competitors, such as the Motorola Xoom and Samsung Galaxy Tab, Sony has developed two unique form factors for its tablets. The S1 has an "off-center of gravity form factor," while the S2 features a foldable dual-screen setup.

The two devices will be marketed under the "Sony Tablet" brand and will feature heavy cross-promotion of Sony's Qriocity media suite.

The S1 will feature a Tegra 2 processor, Wi-Fi and 3G/4G cellular data capability. IT will also include an IR port for AV controls with Sony's line of Bravia televisions and support for the Sony-initiated Digital Living Network Alliance standards. Sony held off on revealing further details on either the S1 or the S2, disclaiming that "design and specifications are subject to change without notice.

The devices are slated for a global release in the fall of this year.

In January, Sony surprised attendees of the Consumer Electronics Show when the company declared its intentions to take the No. 2 spot in the tablet market within a year, despite not having released a tablet.

Earlier this year, Sony unveiled the next-generation version of its PlayStation Portable, dubbed the NGP in hopes of striking back at Apple, whose popular iOS devices have quickly begun cannibalizing Sony's share of the gaming market.

The Japanese electronics giant also took the wraps off a partnership with Google and other Android handset makers that will produce the PlayStation Suite, an Android-compatible content platform that will bring both classic and new PlayStation games to the mobile operating system.

"Users will be able to enjoy PlayStation content on an open operating system for the first time in PlayStation history," the company said in a statement in January. The move is a break from precedent from Sony, which has preferred its own proprietary formats over open ones.

In April, research firm Gartner revealed that it expects Apple's iPad to continue to dominate the tablet market through 2015. The market is expected to grow to 294 million tablets in 2015, with Apple maintaining an estimated 47 percent market share.

Resource: http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/11/04/26/sony_unveils_its_first_tablets_in_bid_to_compete_with_apples_ipad.html