What SMBs need to know about SaaS...now

Software as a Service is one of—if not the most—popular cloud delivery models for small- and medium-sized businesses. According to Gartner—Hype Cycle for Cloud Computing (2011), SaaS is entering the mainstream market in the next two to five years.

The SaaS model levels the playing field between growing businesses and larger competitors, by equipping SMBs with application functionality that only large enterprises previously enjoyed. Moreover, this increase in functionality no longer requires huge investments in technology and resources. SMBs no longer have to worry about the costs and investment associated with building and maintaining an infrastructure to support modern business applications as the SaaS subscription and delivery model now makes these applications affordable to businesses of all sizes.

While SaaS adoption continues to grow amongst SMBs, it’s important to realize that nothing is ever as easy as it seems. There are thousands of SaaS applications on the market today. Which ones have the right features for your business? Which ones have the security and scalability you need? How do you get started and what support should you expect? How do you pull all these solutions together, with your existing applications and make sure they support your business?

These are important questions that growing companies typically have little time to consider, particularly with limited IT resources.Once you get beyond the basics of SaaS like cost, infrastructure, access, maintenance and support, here is the next level of items growing businesses should consider when choosing a SaaS solution:

Integration
As growing businesses increase their use of SaaS technology, the need for integrating the businesses’ applications is critical. With little appetite to rip and replace existing applications at once, SMBs must ensure that they connect new SaaS applications to legacy systems. When looking for a SaaS integration solution, SMBs should look for these main characteristics: 1. Simple to implement; 2. Out-of-the box connectors with cloud and legacy systems; 3. Ability to configure without customization

Analytics
Today’s organizations are overwhelmed with data that is siloed on a number of disparate business applications including sales, finance and human resources. SMBs struggle to access and analyze the data they need to get an overall view of business performance.

Today most businesses rely on spreadsheet-based reports that are cumbersome to build and maintain and are frequently out-of-date. They need an analytics tool that comes out of the box with 70 percent of the cross-application reporting capabilities they need yet is flexible enough to be configured and modified as the business changes.

Partners
While the comfort level with cloud computing is growing, many businesses are still wondering “Where do I begin?” When SMBs start to think about expanding their software portfolio from a sea with thousands of seemingly identical SaaS applications, it’s worthwhile to find a trusted partner to help along the way.

Thankfully, there is a new class of partners emerging who offer an end-to-end solution and who are capable of delivering multiple SaaS applications, plug and play integrations, cross application analytics and turnkey services. These partners have the experience and track record to help SMBs choose a solution and stand behind it. With limited IT staff, they don’t have time to sift through all the options and the value-proposition a partner can bring is significant for a small- or medium-sized business.

Now that the market is transitioning, there are new SaaS partner models emerging with companies offering end-to-end services including implementation, integration, business process consulting and support across multiple applications. If you are a growing company with limited IT resources, consider looking at a partner who offers a total solutions approach.

Telcos lost millions due to social messaging

New estimates from research firm Ovum indicate that consumers’ increasing use of IP-based social messaging services on their smartphones cost telecom operators $8.7 billion in lost SMS revenues in 2010, and $13.9 billions in 2011.

The analyst firm revealed that it expects the decline, representing nearly 6 percent of total messaging revenue in 2010 and 9 percent in 2011, to continue as the popularity of messaging apps continues to grow.

Ovum warned operators to rework their legacy services if they want to secure their future position in the messaging market.

“Social messaging has disrupted traditional services, and operators’ revenues in this area will come under increasing pressure,” said Neha Dharia, consumer analyst at Ovum and author of the report.

“Tapping into the creativity of app developers, forming industry-wide collaborations, and leveraging their usage data and strong relationships with subscribers are the key ways for operators to ensure that they hold their ground in the messaging market,” Dharia said.

However, despite the threat to messaging revenues, Ovum said it believes that the strong presence of social messaging should be looked upon as an opportunity. This threat will drive telcos to consider alternative sources of revenue, such as mobile broadband.

“And now the market has been tested, operators know what types of messaging services work,” commented Dharia. “In addition, operators are in a position of strength because they control the entire messaging structure through their access to the user‚Äôs phone number and usage data. The established billing relationship is a great advantage, as is the fact that operators control to a great extent the services to which the user is exposed.”

However, offering innovative messaging services and aligning revenue schemes with models in the social world will not be enough to win the battle against social messaging, Ovum said.

Industry-wide collaboration and co-operation will be the key to growth in the messaging realm, it added. “Operators must remain open to partnering with app developers, sharing end-user data with them and allowing integration with the user’s social connections. Working closely with handset vendors will also be important; they control some of the most popular social messaging apps, and can also provide preloaded applications.”

“The most important factor, however, will be co-operation between telcos. They are no longer competing merely among themselves, but must work together to face the challenge from the major Internet players,” concluded Dharia. NEWSBYTES.PH

Kingston Fastest USB Flash Drive

Top memory products manufacturer Kingston recently announced the Kingston DataTraveler HyperX 3.0, designed for enthusiasts and gamers, and features the fastest speeds and largest capacities that Kingston has to offer in a USB Flash drive.

Its high-speed eight-channel architecture provides USB 3.0 data transfer rates of up to 225MB/s read and 135MB/s write.

Users can save time associated with opening, editing and copying large files and applications between devices.

The fast write speeds also allow users to work on large files or applications directly from the USB 3.0 drive without performance lag.

The DataTraveler HyperX 3.0 is available in 64GB, 128GB and 256GB capacities.

The 256GB capacity can store approximately 10 Blu-ray Discs (25GB each), 54 DVDs (4.7GB each), 48,640 MP3s (4MB each) or 13,473,684 Microsoft Word files pages with various formatting and basic graphics.

With a durable and sleek design, the Kingston DataTraveler HyperX 3.0 is a terrific portable storage solution for gamers, enthusiasts, early adopters and high-end consumers who require the best performance and highest capacities to carry their digital library.

Faster speeds and higher capacities enable users to quickly store their digital files and keep it with them at all times, in HyperX style.

DataTraveler HyperX 3.0 features a metal and rubberized casing with a reinforced key ring hole for daily use.

Tablet computers the new electronic babysitter

 Move over TV. Tablet computers are the new electronic babysitter.

A Nielsen survey published on Thursday broke down the ways tablet-owning parents of children under age 12 are using gadgets such as the iPad to keep the kids occupied.

More than half of parents — 55 percent — said their kids used tablets for entertainment while traveling and 41 percent said they give the children the device to use in restaurants.Some 77 percent said their children play downloaded games on a tablet while 57 percent said they access educational applications.

Forty-three percent watch television shows or movies on their tablets.

Only 15 percent of children use tablets to communicate with friends or family.

Nielsen said seven out of 10 children under age 12 in tablet-owning households are using the devices.

Apple: Top Vendor for Smartphones

Worldwide smartphone sales to end-users soared to 149 million units in the fourth quarter of 2011, a 47.3 percent increase from the fourth quarter of 2010, according to research firm Gartner.

Total smartphone sales in 2011 reached 472 million units and accounted for 31 percent of all mobile devices sales, up 58 percent from 2010.

Smartphone volumes during the quarter rose due to record sales of Apple iPhones. As a result, Apple became the third-largest mobile phone vendor in the world, overtaking LG.

Apple also became the world’s top smartphone vendor, with a market share of 23.8 percent in the fourth quarter of 2011, and the top smartphone vendor for 2011 as a whole, with a 19 percent market share.

“Western Europe and North America led most of the smartphone growth for Apple during the fourth quarter of 2011,” said Roberta Cozza, principal research analyst at Gartner.“

In Western Europe the spike in iPhone sales in the fourth quarter saved the overall smartphone market after two consecutive quarters of slow sales.

”The quarter saw Samsung and Apple cement their positions further at the top of the market as their brands and new products clearly stood out.LG, Sony Ericsson, Motorola and Research In Motion (RIM) again recorded disappointing results as they struggled to improve volumes and profits significantly.

These vendors were also exposed to a much stronger threat from the midrange and low end of the smartphone market as ZTE and Huawei continued to gain share during the quarter.

Worldwide mobile device sales to end-users totaled 476.5 million units in the fourth quarter of 2011, a 5.4 percent increase from the same period in 2010.

In 2011 as a whole, end users bought 1.8 billion units, an 11.1 percent increase from 2010.

“Expectations for 2012 are for the overall market to grow by about 7 percent, while smartphone growth is expected to slow to around 39 percent,” said Annette Zimmermann, principal research analyst at Gartner.

In the fourth quarter of 2011, Nokia’s mobile phone sales numbered 111.7 million units, an 8.7-percent decrease from last year. ”Samsung closed the gap with Nokia in overall market share,” said Cozza.

“Samsung profited from strong smartphone sales of 34 million units in the fourth quarter of 2011.

The troubled economic environment in Europe and Nokia’s weakened brand status posed challenges that were hard to overcome in just one quarter.

However, Nokia proved its ability to execute and deliver on time with its new Lumia 710 and 800 handsets.

Nokia will have to continue to offer aggressive prices to encourage communications service providers (CSPs) to add its products to portfolios currently dominated by Android-based devices.”

Apple had an exceptional fourth quarter, selling 35.5 million smartphones to end users, a 121.4 percent increase year on year.

Apple’s continued attention to channel management helped it take full advantage of the strong quarter to further close the gap with Samsung, which saw some inventory build up for its smartphone range.

Apple’s strong performance will continue into the first quarter of 2012 as availability of the iPhone 4S widens.

However, since Apple will not benefit from delayed purchases as it did in the fourth quarter of 2011, Gartner analysts expect its sales to decline quarter-on-quarter.

After Apple, ZTE and Huawei were the fastest-growing vendors in the fourth quarter of 2011.

“These vendors expanded their market reach and kept on improving the user experience of their Android devices,” said Cozza.

In the fourth quarter of 2011, ZTE moved into fourth place in the global handset market.

ZTE posted a strong smartphone sales increase of 71 percent sequentially.

The company was able to extend its portfolio to three CSPs in its home market and benefited from consumers’ interest in low-cost smartphones.

Huawei moved ahead of LG in the Android marketplace to become a top-four Android manufacturer, thanks to strong smartphone growth in the quarter.

Huawei has made significant progress in moving to its own-branded devices, and it has continued to expand its portfolio into higher tiers as its tries to build more iconic products.

RIM dropped to the No. 7 spot in the fourth quarter of 2011, with a 10.7-percent decline.

RIM’s delay with its BlackBerry 10 platform will further impair its ability to retain users.

However, RIM’s biggest challenge is still to expand the developer base around its ecosystem and convince developers to work and innovate with BlackBerry 10.

HP Plans New Tablet by Year-End

Hewlett-Packard will take another shot at Apple’s iPad with the release late this year of a tablet computer geared for work instead of play, chief executive Meg Whitman said Thursday.

The tablet will run on Microsoft Windows 8 software and take on iPad in the workplace, where HP will bank on its reputation and its strengths in providing gear and services to businesses, according to Whitman.

“It is not really a tablet market, it is an iPad market,” Whitman said during an on-stage chat before a small gathering of entrepreneurs and executives at a Wall Street Journal Viewpoints West gathering in Silicon Valley. “The iPad is terrific; I have one,” she continued.

“I use it to read books or watch TV but I don’t use it to really get work done.”

HP will release by Christmas a new tablet tailored for security, productivity and business network compatibility, said Whitman, who took over as the California-based technology titan’s chief executive five months ago.

“There is a big trend to BYOD to work; which is all well and good until there is a security breach,” she said, referring to people increasing bringing their own devices such as iPhones or iPads to use on the job.

“We are going to provide an alternative.”

A blockbuster hit with people in their personal lives, iPads have been gaining traction in workplaces.HP made a dismal initial foray into the tablet market last year with a TouchPad powered by webOS mobile operating system software it acquired as part of its $1.2 billion purchase of Palm in 2010.

Citing disappointing sales, HP decided to discontinue the TouchPad just seven weeks after it hit the market.

HP later promised to make webOS available to the open source community by September, meaning that developers anywhere would be able to tinker with it as they wished and it would be available for anyone to use free of charge.

The Palo Alto, California-based HP abandoned plans to make smartphones and tablet computers using the platform.

HP’s first tablet to take on iPad ‚ “was not a happy ending,” admitted Whitman.

Mitsubishi HC7800D 3D Projector

The number of movies filmed in 3D is growing, as well as the number of movies that are being converted from 2D to 3D to boost their box office appeal.

Since the smash hit “Avatar,” many more films have been shot in 3D, including “Alice in Wonderland,” “Sanctum,” “Pirates of the Caribbean,” “Mars Needs Moms” and “The Green Hornet.” Films such as “Green Lantern” and “The Smurfs” were filmed in 2D and converted, while “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2” and “Puss in Boots” were shot in 2D but also shown in Imax 3D.

This year, many more are coming to theaters while old movies are now available in 3D Blu-ray discs for home enjoyment. And with the increasing popularity of this medium, more people want to enjoy the bold images of 3D on a large screen at home.

To meet that demand, there’s growing interest and innovation in 3D projectors. For example, Mitsubishi Electric’s new 3D projector, the HC7800D, brings the 3D experience home. The projector uses DLP technology to create exciting, vibrant 3D images in full high-definition, 1080p resolution. When paired with a Blu-ray disc player capable of 3D movie playback, 3D projectors like this bring movie enjoyment to a whole new level never before experienced at home.

The projector shows impressive 3D images viewable through its high-performance proprietary active-shutter glasses. The HC7800D also boasts one of the industry’s best 2D to 3D conversion technologies that can transform ordinary 2D classics like “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “Ben-Hur” into a seamless 3D experience with near-perfect 3D simulation that makes content jump off the screen.

The projector’s frame rate conversion technology also produces high-speed image reproduction for showing fine, smooth details and reducing any motion blur, especially in fast action scenes, so even watching sports and games becomes an event to look forward to, whether it’s in 2D or 3D.

With a long life of up to 5,000 hours in low mode, the lamp provides years of typical use before you need a new one. With a rich 100K:1 contrast ratio, the projector produces images that are smooth, dazzling and true to the original 2D and 3D content from Blu-ray discs, cable or satellite subscription services.

New Mobile App Lets Users Call and Text Worldwide for Free

There’s good news for iPhone® and Android™ users-a new mobile app provides free calling and texting between users worldwide.

Vonage Mobile® is a free downloadable app that lets users talk and text worldwide for free with anyone else who uses the app (data rates may apply). It also provides ultra low-cost calling to friends and family who don’t have the app. It’s a combination of the best free and paid communications apps, all rolled into one.

The new app is the latest offering from Vonage, a provider of communications services connecting individuals through mobile and broadband devices worldwide. Users don’t have to be a Vonage home phone customer to use the app—just download it for free from iTunes® or Android™ Market.

Significant Cost Savings
When calling friends and family who don’t have the app, users can make calls globally with per-minute rates that are on average 70 percent less than major mobile carriers and 30 percent less than Skype. Rates start at .016 cents/min., and calling credit is available in $4.99 and $9.99 increments, making it one of the most cost-effective solutions for international calling.

A Free Global Network
Users can instantly build a free global calling and texting network using the app’s multi-invite system from their existing contacts. Even more exciting, Vonage Mobile uses the phone’s existing mobile number and contact list, eliminating the need for unique user names and duplicate identities for contacts. It’s incredibly easy to use, allowing users to take full advantage of the features without the hassle of having to leave the app.

A Comprehensive Solution
“Vonage Mobile consolidates the best features of our prior applications, while adding important functionality, better value and improved ease of use,” said Marc Lefar, CEO of Vonage. “It combines the best of free high-def voice and messaging along with incredible value for traditional international calls, all while using the existing mobile number and address book for unsurpassed ease of use.”

Vonage Mobile works over Wi-Fi, 3G and 4G wireless data networks, worldwide. In addition to iPhone and Android smartphones, the app also works on iPad®, iPod Touch® and Android™ Tablets.

Notebook or Netbook?? What's the best?

These are speed times and competitions between different products are also speeding up. Companies keep on trying developing new technologies and techniques to take over and win the race. The competition goes on between PCs and Laptops, Netbooks and Notebooks.

Apart from personal choices both netbooks and notebooks hold feature differences.

Size And Weight

Netbooks are relatively smaller in size with a display screen measuring between 7 to 12 inches whereas notebooks have a screen size of 12 to 17 inches. The keyboard of a netbook is also 80% to 90% smaller in size than a notebook’s key board. These are energy efficient small computers, lighter in weight comparing to a notebook; only 2 to 3 pounds.

Multi Tasking

Capable of high loaded tasks and running multiple applications is what notebooks can do whereas, neither netbooks are capable of multi tasking nor can they handle heavy applications. These are incapable of running programs like photo/images and video editing softwares. In comparison, notebooks can work efficiently while running these.

Connectivity

Notebooks are able to perform straining technical jobs, though these tasks consume more battery. With a notebook, one can enjoy connecting to the net through landline telephone (cable modem telephone port), Wi-Fi Cards and a USB enabling to establish net connection. While the notebooks are coming without Ethernet port (enables connection through DSL or cable modem).

Battery Life

Previously both had almost similar battery life. With the developments going on, both compete with each other in this regard. Samsung’s NC110 offers 8hrs battery life and NC310 offers 11hrs. Notebooks like 17-inch MacBook Pro claim 8hrs, EliteBook 6930p from Hp is claimed to offer an amazing 24hrs battery life. The notebooks which are coming with less battery time, say 2 hours, can be replaced with extended batteries, increasing the time, which is a sure win over the netbooks.

External Drives

There are no CD/DVD drives in a netbook; you cannot play a CD/DVD on it. Though, movies and music can be enjoyed through a hard drive. All the notebooks provide these facilities.

Software

A netbook can run Windows XP Home and Linux easily, while to run Vista it needs more power. It has been recently announced by Microsoft that it will be coming up with Windows7 for netbooks. Though personalized versions of Linux, Mac OS or Windows XP Professional can be used to get maximum out of the netbook. Notebooks have no problem with any version of Windows.

Processor/Speed

The processors integrated in netbooks are not capable of handling heavy JavaScript sites like Youtube.com as efficiently as a notebook. Netbooks come with a slow processor.

Price Levels

Netbooks can fall between $400 and $800, whereas notebooks are costlier than netbooks.

Evaluation

1. Netbooks focus on net-based tasks such as browsing, reading and writing e-mail or using web-based applications.
2. Netbooks can be useful for a child as his first computer, whereas notebooks are sophisticated portable computers.
3. As the netbook are capable of running Ms Office, it is quite handy for writers, editors or teachers.

Both notebooks and netbooks are portable computers. While looking at the details of specs, it is not difficult to evaluate which is the efficient one.

Foursquare

Foursquare is a mobile application that is a cross between a friend-finder, a social city-guide, and a game that rewards you for doing interesting things. Foursquare lets you "check in" to a place when you're there, tell friends where you are, and track the history of where you've been--and who you've been there with. Foursquare challenges you to explore your city in new and fun ways by earning points, winning mayorships, and unlocking badges and specials for trying new places and revisiting old favorites.

symbian version of the foursquare is developed by thinkchange.mobi its called sym4square

Supported Mobile Phones
Nokia: 5230, 5233, 5235, 5530, 5800, C6, N97, N97 Mini, X6, N8
Samsung: GT i8910 Omnia
Sony-Ericsson: U1 Satio, U5 Vivaz, U8 Kanna

Power Up Windows 7

It is very likely to speed up your Windows 7 along with the Microsoft’s latest OS that is great looking and is always improving with every step. There are some ready empowering features that enable the user to bring a strange kind of versatility that makes it super fast and incredible. The different types of set ups and features that have to be coming with this form are as follows:

1. Skip the Log-on Screen: This is a part of the log-on screen type that makes for one of the most able features for this new system. This is all about disabling the features through WinKey+R with the followed up typing of the whole control userpasswords2 phrase. This way the next box appears and one can just skip the log on process without the username and password passing.

2. Speed up the Boot Time: This is indeed one of the most effective ways to bring a sped up start to your work on the machine. This can be done through typing “msconfig” as well as selecting Boot tab. This comes on Advanced options with some of the greatest set of numbered processors. This also depends on some of the greater parts of your PC deals. Whether you have a CPU that is dual or quad core this is indeed interesting for quicker speed.

3. Color Correction: This is indeed one of the most interesting parts of the whole system. The Windows 7 built-in tool makes for effective color accuracy and correction of photos. This can be done through the clicking of Start and then typing DCCW or the Display Colour Calibration Wizard. This is very helpful to get new reign on vibrancy, brightness, color as well as contrast.

4. Fine-tune the Faster Way: This is indeed one of the best ways to bring in sped up traveling along with the internet. This is easy to download through the EnhanceMySe7en through seriousbit.com. This will make you conduct your system easier. These are just perfect ways to tune up your senses.

5. Changing Screen Resolution: This is one of the most ideal ways to tune up your screen system. This means that one of the basic adjustments that come through any screen resolution change is by bringing the desktop to align with a new menu set up. This can be customized according to the desired screen resolution.

6. Switching Screens: This is another way to bring about external monitor with some really great fiddly Window 7. This is quite the right kind of winners’ desire that anyone would like to try upon. For instance once you have made your screen name and then put that in place, you would just have to type Win+P to keep it chosen to a stuck place. You can then go off doing other work and your screen name would be the same when you come back.

7. Installing Windows Live Photo Gallery: Windows Photo Gallery can be as cool and personal as you would like to work with them. A break or a spell of freedom from installing Windows would be just as great as via this system one can directly lead the whole pack from http://download.live.com, coming under Window 7. So this shortened break from constantly installing and downloading Windows can be quite liberating.

8. Minimizing your Windows Sharp: It is possible to bring the windows closed at any point without any particular hesitation. You could be in a rush or in the middle of some work and you still have the part to bring the Windows closed without any bar. If you want to get it open or just close off unused windows, then you can just shake it and close it.

9. Extend Your Battery Life: Extending your battery life comes to be rather easy here with some of the changed links and options that are present here. These change plan options let you choose and pick according to your needs. This is indeed important to bring about some fast and well sped work done.

10. Free Protection: This is another part of the whole protection program where Windows 7 allow you to get free anti-virus protection. For this one need not pay any annual subscription. This is quite the free version of the whole AVG security suite that can be acquired from free.avg.com. This is plain and easy to download and bring about a very useful version of what you are experiencing now.

Getting more tips help you locate all the free services that one can get through the new Windows 7 installation. This is also helpful to let you stay ahead with your work and become fast and efficient in every way.

USB 3.0

USB 3.0 (following Wireless USB) is the next major revision of the ubiquitous Universal Serial Bus, created in 1996 by a consortium of companies led by Intel to dramatically simplify the connection between PC and peripherals. Fast forwarding to 2012, USB 2.0 has been firmly entrenched as the de-facto interface standard in the PC world for a decade, and yet still the need for more speed by ever greater bandwidth demands again drive us to where a couple of hundred megabits per second is just not fast enough.

In 2007, Intel demonstrated SuperSpeed USB at the Intel Developer Forum. Version 1.0 of the USB 3.0 (confusing, isn't it?) specification was completed on November 17, 2008. As such, the USB Implementers Forum has taken over managing the specifications and publishes the relevant technical documents necessary to allow developers and hardware manufacturers to begin to develop products around the USB 3.0 protocol. This FAQ attempts to answer the most common questions we receive from readers like you regarding the next gen. interface.

Improvements
In a nutshell, USB 3.0 promises the following:

•     Higher transfer rates (up to 4.8Gbps)
•     Increased maximum bus power
•     New power management features
•     Full-duplex data transfers
•     Support for new transfer types
•     Backward USB 2.0 compatibility
•     New connectors and cables

The enhancements to SuperSpeed USB are not just for higher data rates, but for improving the interaction between device and host computer. While the core architectural elements are inherited from before, several changes were made to support the dual bus arrangement, and several more are notable for how users can experience the improvement that USB 3.0 makes over USB 2.0:

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10 vs Apple Ipad 2

Comparison of features and specs

The table below compares the key features and specs of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 and iPad 2. The models tabulated are both WiFi-only versions, equipped with 16GB flash.

	Galaxy Tab 10.1	iPad 2
Model	GT-P7510 (WiFi only version)	MC769LL (WiFi only version)
OS	Android Honeycomb 3.1	iOS 4.3.3
Processor	1GHz dual-core Nvidia Tegra 2 with ARM Cortex 9 CPUs & GeForce GPU	1GHz dual-core Apple A5
Memory	1GB RAM; 16GB flash storage	500MB RAM; 16GB flash storage
Display	10.1-in. (diag); 1280×800; 149 ppi	9.7-in. (diag); 1024×768; 132 ppi
Cameras	front 2MP; rear 3MP with 720p recording	front 0.3MP (640×480); rear 1MP (720p); 30fps recording on both
Speakers	stereo	mono
Video formats supported	H.264, H.263, XviD, WMV7/8, VP8, MP43, VC-1 format: 3GP (MP4), WMV (asf), AVI	H.264 with AAC-LC audio in .m4v, .mp4, .mov formats; MPEG-4 video in m4v, .mp4, .mov formats; M-JPEG with audio in ulaw, PCM stereo audio in .avi format
Audio formats supported	MP3, OGG, AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, WAV, AMR, MID, IMY, WMA, Vorbis, RTTTL/RTX, OTA	HE-AAC (V1/V2), AAC, Protected AAC , MP3, MP3 VBR, Audible (formats 2, 3, 4, Audible Enhanced Audio, AAX, AAX+), Apple Lossless, AIFF, WAV
Wireless	Wifi (802.11a/b/g/n; Bluetooth 2.1	Wifi (802.11a/b/g/n; Bluetooth 2.1
Location	GPS	Digital compass (no GPS on wifi-only models)
Expansion	Proprietary dock port (charging, usb, hdmi); 3.5mm audio in/out	Proprietary dock port (USB, sound, video, power); 3.5mm audio in/out
Battery	7000mAH 3.7V Li-polymer	6930mAH 3.8V Li-polymer
Dimensions	10.1 x 6.9 x 0.34 in	9.5 x 7.31 x 0.34 in
Weight	19.9 oz	21.3 oz
Default installed apps	Browser, Email, Gmail, Gallery, Maps, Books, Google Search, Google Talk, Voice Search, Latitude, Music Hub, Navigation, Places, Pulse, QuickOffice, YouTube, Music Player, Android Market, Samsung Apps	Mail, Safari Browser, iBooks, Videos, Photos, Find my iPad, iPod, iTunes, App Store, Maps, YouTube, Game Center, Notes, Calendar, Contacts, FaceTime, Photo Booth

Difference Between DDR2 and DDR3 Memory

Not-so-old vs. Not-so-new

DDR2 (Double Data Rate 2) memory has been available for quite some time. New computers, even computers released within the last three years or so come equipped with DDR2 memory. An improvement over DDR memory, DDR2 produces faster performance with less energy consumption. With the way that DDR memory products are designed, none is backwards or forward compatible with the other. For example, if you have DDR memory, you will not be able to upgrade using DDR2 or DDR3 memory. You can only upgrade DDR memory with other DDR memory.

As for DDR3, it is essentially doing what DDR2 has done with DDR. DDR3 performs faster, and consumes less power as it works. The past year has seen a steady decline in price with DDR3, and it currently is about on par in price range with DDR2. More specific information in regards to performance and price will be discussed below.

Performance Differences
DDR3 uses significantly less power, and can run much faster. It uses 1.5V per chip, which is 0.3V less than DDR2. Additionally, when it comes to its Data rate, DDR2 (depending on its chip) can run at 400-1066 MT/s (megatransfer per second). In regards to its peak transfer rate, it can transfer from 3200-8533 MB/s. DDR3, on the other hand, can run from 800-2133 MT/s and 6400-17066 MB/s. In regards to the I/O bus clock, DDR2 is only available between 200-800 MHz, whereas DDR3 supports from 400-1600 MHz. Essentially, DDR3, when there are improvements from DDR2, can double in processing power. The fact that DDR3 consumes less power in outperforming DDR2 is impressive.

Trend to watch in 2012

Augmented Reality

It’s now in games, location apps, business cards and coffee shops and could start showing up in cars and even eyeglasses. Augmented Reality, which puts a virtual view on top of your real world, is really just a cool way of saying, “Reality with Style.” Instead of simply viewing your apartment through your phone, you’re playing Star Wars Arcade Falcon Gunner on top of it. Instead looking up a restaurant in your neighborhood, you’re using Yelp to see its location and reviews for it and other restaurants right on top of your on-screen view of the street. 2012 will mark the beginning of exponential growth for Mobile Augmented Reality (MAR).

According to a report from Visiongain, 25% of all app downloads will feature some sort of augmented reality. Though adoption hinges on more powerful, high-speed and camera-ready mobile devices, it’s clear to me that the majority of smartphones and tablets in end-users’ hands next year will be 3G-to-4G-ready, high-def, large-screen devices with not one, but two multi-megapixel cameras. Trust me, by 2013, you’ll be hard-pressed to find anyone who hasn’t at least tried augmented reality.

Sony Xperia Play Specifications

Sony Xperia Play

Sony Xperia Play. A super efficient smartphone that features real game controls and is PlayStation certified. Includes a Qualcomm Scorpion processor, backlit LCD screen, 5.1 megapixel camera, over 150,000 Android apps, social network integration, stereo speakers, PlayNow service, 8GB of storage, and 1500mAh battery.

Specifications

Screen
- 854 x 480 pixels
- 4.0" 16,777,216 colour TFT

Memory
- Internal phone storage: 1GB (up to 400MB free)
- RAM: 512MB
- Memory card slot: microSD™, up to 32GB

Networks
- GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900
- UMTS/HSPA 800/850/1900/2100
- UMTS/HSPA 900/2100

Available colours
- Black 

-White

Sizes
- 119.0 x 62.0 x 16.0 mm
- 4.7 x 2.4 x 0.6 inches

Weight
- 175.0 gr
- 6.2 oz

Apple IPhone 5

iPhone 5 Features

OS 5

Apple announced iOS 5.0 and its features during the WWDC 2011 keynote address on June 6, 2011. The user interface is based on the concept of direct manipulation, using multi-touch gestures. It is expected to come with more than 200 new features that will include improved Notification System, News Stand and iMessage.

iMessage is an application that is developed to compete with Blackberry Messenger. The app will allow iPod Touch, iPhone, and iPad users to communicate (much like a chat service) with each other. The iMessage feature has been integrated into the SMS/MMS application used originally on the iPhone models.

iCloud

The iPhone5 is expected to have the iCloud service.

Apple’s iPhone 5 is expected to feature the new iCloud service for wireless remote access of music from all computers and mobile devices.

The iPhone5 will automatically sync with the iCloud which will allow users to store photos, apps, calendars and documents without having them to store in the phone’s memory. Apple is also looking to tie up with top music label companies to license songs for the iCloud service.

A5 Processor to power the iPhone5

iPhone 5 will house the A5 as the main processor, which technically is the same chip that currently powers the iPad 2. The A5 contains a dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 CPU with NEON SIMD accelerator and a dual core PowerVR SGX543MP2 GPU, which means that the iPhone5 can do twice the work at once. The processor speed will be somewhere between 1.2 to 1.5 GHz, with probably a 1GB RAM.

The processor upgrade is done not just to increase the processing speed of the phone, but also to compete with the newly launched Samsung Galaxy S II.

The A5 chip might effectively increase the power use, however, it is said that the chip has “got a dynamic power management”, which can lower the [speed] depending on the workload, and thus efficiently make use of the power.

iPhone 5 to Sport a Better Camera

The iPhone 4 sports a 5 megapixel camera, so I’m expecting that the iPhone 5 will have a rear-facing 8MP dual-LED flash camera. However, this isn’t really “awesome”, since most of the high-end Android smartphones come with an 8MP camera. Along with that, the iPhone 5 is expected to have a front-facing camera for video chatting.
According to sources, Apple has filed several patent applications relating to 3D picture capturing to the US Patent and Trademark Office later in March. This indicates that the iPhone 5 might feature a 3D camera. The filing indicates that the device will be capable of capturing, processing and rendering 3D images with dual-camera hardware.

Another interesting feature is that the iPhone 5 will be capable of taking pictures in Panorama. It will work similarly to the ’360 Panorama’ application in the App Store. It will let you take pictures in a sequence as you move the camera from one side to another, which in the end will effortlessly stitch the images together to create a panorama.

Additionally, if Apple really wants to keep up with the competition to Android, then it might consider improving upon the video resolution to a full 1080p HD recording. Currently iPhone 4 has a 720p video capture at 30 frames per second.

Display and Resolution

There hasn’t been a better screen resolution since the release of the iPhone 4. Currently the iPhone 4 has a 3.5 inches screen size, and sources indicate that Apple might stay locked with the current size. But a few other sources say that Apple is planning to increase the screen size to 4-inch with higher screen resolution. I feel that Apple could compromise at 3.7-inch or 3.75-inch. 

However, the iPhone 5 could be slightly wider and thinner. The dimensions are calculated to be: 4.33″ x 2.36″ and .27″ thickness at the top and .21″ at the bottom, whereas the dimensions of iPhone 4 are: 4.5″ x 2.31″ x .37″

Other iPhone5 Features

Here are some of the other features that we can expect from the iPhone 5: 

• Face Recognition Security
• 4G/LTE support *
• A new, sleeker body design
• OLED screen
• Scratch proof and shatter proof screen
• Wireless sync with iTunes
• Extended battery life
• Flash support
• SIM-less phone **
• Physical keyboard
• Increased RAM (from 512MB to 1GB)
• New multi-tasking look
• HD audio
• Built-in GPS