Tuesday
Micromax products launches LED TV series, home theatre systems, Android dongle for TV
Micromax has entered the competitive consumer
electronics arena, and the company has launched a series of LED TVs,
home entertainment systems, and an Android dongle for televisions.
Micromax's LED TV offerings range from 24-inch to 55-inch, and their prices start from Rs 15,990 and go all the way up to Rs 1,29,990. The 50-inch and 55-inch models offer 3D capabilities, and come with four pairs of 3D glasses. The company claims these TVs will have zero bright spot LEDs for better viewing experience. Further, all models are come with a USB port for plug-and-play support.
Here's a closer look at the models and their respective pricing and features: Micromax LEDT770K55F is the company's top-end model in the LED TV segment priced at Rs 1,29,990. This 55-inch model offers Full HD 1080p resolution, Smart TV feature for Internet browsing, and apps. As far as connectivity is concerned, the TV comes loaded with 4 HDMI ports, 2 USB ports.
The other model, LEDK316K50F, measures 50 inches, and has been priced at Rs 79,990. The LED TV offers a Full HD 1080p resolution. It comes with a response time of 6.5ms. As far as connectivity is concerned, the TV comes equipped with 3 HDMI ports, a headphone slot, 2 USB ports, and an input for PC audio.
Then there is LED42K316 from Micromax that measures 42 inches, and offers Full HD 1080p resolution. The company has priced it at Rs 47,990. It has 3 HDMI ports, 2 USB ports, a headphone slot, and an input for PC audio.
Micromax LED32K316 has a 32-inch screen and is priced at Rs 25,990. The LEDL31FL24F and the LED24K316 have been priced at Rs 16,990 and Rs 15,990, respectively. Both LED TVs measure 24 inches.
Micromax, in addition to the LED TV series, has also launched two home theatre systems, namely HT037F1 and HT089F1. Both home theatre systems come with 5.1 surround sound speakers and have a PMPO output of 4,000W and 5,000W respectively. Both, HT037F1 and HT089F1 support USB drives and SD cards, while the HT089F1 also supports digital FM radio. Micromax has priced the HT037F1 at Rs 5,990, while the HT089F1 is priced at Rs 6,990.
The company also launched the Micromax Smart Stick, which is a dongle running on the Android Ice Cream Sandwich OS. With its Smart Stick, Micromax claims to bring the Android experience to a television screen. Among its features are a standard HDMI interface, and it also has a USB host. The Smart Stick has 4GB of flash memory, Wi-Fi Direct connectivity and one can also connect with wireless mouse and keyboard. The Micromax Smart Stick is priced at Rs 4,990. Micromax also has on offer a BluRay player supporting both 2D and 3D audio/ video formats, which it has priced at Rs 6,490.
BGR.in reports that Micromax has set up a manufacturing facility in Rudrapur, which is capable of making 2,000 LED TVs a day. At this facility, Micromax will also manufacture tablets and accessories. Micromax LED TVs, at the outset, will be available across 170 cities in the nine states of Delhi, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Gujarat.
Micromax's LED TV offerings range from 24-inch to 55-inch, and their prices start from Rs 15,990 and go all the way up to Rs 1,29,990. The 50-inch and 55-inch models offer 3D capabilities, and come with four pairs of 3D glasses. The company claims these TVs will have zero bright spot LEDs for better viewing experience. Further, all models are come with a USB port for plug-and-play support.
Here's a closer look at the models and their respective pricing and features: Micromax LEDT770K55F is the company's top-end model in the LED TV segment priced at Rs 1,29,990. This 55-inch model offers Full HD 1080p resolution, Smart TV feature for Internet browsing, and apps. As far as connectivity is concerned, the TV comes loaded with 4 HDMI ports, 2 USB ports.
Micromax enters consumer electronics space
The other model, LEDK316K50F, measures 50 inches, and has been priced at Rs 79,990. The LED TV offers a Full HD 1080p resolution. It comes with a response time of 6.5ms. As far as connectivity is concerned, the TV comes equipped with 3 HDMI ports, a headphone slot, 2 USB ports, and an input for PC audio.
Then there is LED42K316 from Micromax that measures 42 inches, and offers Full HD 1080p resolution. The company has priced it at Rs 47,990. It has 3 HDMI ports, 2 USB ports, a headphone slot, and an input for PC audio.
Micromax LED32K316 has a 32-inch screen and is priced at Rs 25,990. The LEDL31FL24F and the LED24K316 have been priced at Rs 16,990 and Rs 15,990, respectively. Both LED TVs measure 24 inches.
Micromax, in addition to the LED TV series, has also launched two home theatre systems, namely HT037F1 and HT089F1. Both home theatre systems come with 5.1 surround sound speakers and have a PMPO output of 4,000W and 5,000W respectively. Both, HT037F1 and HT089F1 support USB drives and SD cards, while the HT089F1 also supports digital FM radio. Micromax has priced the HT037F1 at Rs 5,990, while the HT089F1 is priced at Rs 6,990.
Micromax launches home theatre systems
The company also launched the Micromax Smart Stick, which is a dongle running on the Android Ice Cream Sandwich OS. With its Smart Stick, Micromax claims to bring the Android experience to a television screen. Among its features are a standard HDMI interface, and it also has a USB host. The Smart Stick has 4GB of flash memory, Wi-Fi Direct connectivity and one can also connect with wireless mouse and keyboard. The Micromax Smart Stick is priced at Rs 4,990. Micromax also has on offer a BluRay player supporting both 2D and 3D audio/ video formats, which it has priced at Rs 6,490.
BGR.in reports that Micromax has set up a manufacturing facility in Rudrapur, which is capable of making 2,000 LED TVs a day. At this facility, Micromax will also manufacture tablets and accessories. Micromax LED TVs, at the outset, will be available across 170 cities in the nine states of Delhi, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Gujarat.
Samsung 3-inch ICS smartphone, Galaxy Music
Samsung Galaxy Music turns out to be real after all. Samsung today
unveiled the Galaxy Music, a smartphone that aims to cater to the needs
of music lovers. The Galaxy Music will run on the Android v4.0 Ice Cream
Sandwich operating system. The smartphone has a 3-inch QVGA TFT screen
and is powered by an unnamed processor. Galaxy Music will also be
available in a dual-SIM version in the form of the Galaxy Music Duos.
The dual-SIM version of this smartphone will bear the same
specifications, but will have two SIM slots.
Although it doesn’t look like it’s an audiophile-grade offering, the prominent stereo speakers on the top and bottom of the phone don’t let you doubt for a moment that it’s meant for those who use their smartphones mostly for music. Apart from this, the phone’s specifications sheet boasts of support for any major audio format you’re likely to come across, including mp3, ogg, aac, aac+, eaac+, amr-nb, amr-wb, wav, mid, imy, flac, and wma. You also have a music player with SoundAlive technology, and SRS audio modes. Other features include Smart Volume, Music View and a stereo FM radio with RDS.
Interestingly, Samsung has decided to equip this phone with a projector, much like it did with the Samsung Galaxy Beam. However, the projector here is of the WVGA variety with a brightness of just 9 lumen, unlike the Galaxy Beam, which had a DLP projector with a much higher brightness of 15 lumen.
The Galaxy Music seems like quite a chunky little phone with the dimensions pegging it at 12.25mm in depth and 106 grams in weight. The Galaxy Music comes with Samsung’s TouchWiz skin on top of the ICS UI, along with a variety of bloatware, including Samsung Hub, Samsung Kies and the Samsung ChatON messenger. You get 4GB of internal memory, 512MB of RAM and a standard Li-ion 1300mAh battery. The device has a fixed focus 3- megapixel camera with no flash. It can capture video in wvga format at 25 frames per second (fps).
In our recent report listing the Samsung devices slated for a Jelly Bean upgrade, there was indeed a mention of an “unknown device, the Galaxy Music”. That was perhaps the very first time this phone was mentioned.
Here’s a quick look at the highlighted specifications of the Galaxy Music:
Although it doesn’t look like it’s an audiophile-grade offering, the prominent stereo speakers on the top and bottom of the phone don’t let you doubt for a moment that it’s meant for those who use their smartphones mostly for music. Apart from this, the phone’s specifications sheet boasts of support for any major audio format you’re likely to come across, including mp3, ogg, aac, aac+, eaac+, amr-nb, amr-wb, wav, mid, imy, flac, and wma. You also have a music player with SoundAlive technology, and SRS audio modes. Other features include Smart Volume, Music View and a stereo FM radio with RDS.
Samsung unveils its phone for music lovers
Interestingly, Samsung has decided to equip this phone with a projector, much like it did with the Samsung Galaxy Beam. However, the projector here is of the WVGA variety with a brightness of just 9 lumen, unlike the Galaxy Beam, which had a DLP projector with a much higher brightness of 15 lumen.
The Galaxy Music seems like quite a chunky little phone with the dimensions pegging it at 12.25mm in depth and 106 grams in weight. The Galaxy Music comes with Samsung’s TouchWiz skin on top of the ICS UI, along with a variety of bloatware, including Samsung Hub, Samsung Kies and the Samsung ChatON messenger. You get 4GB of internal memory, 512MB of RAM and a standard Li-ion 1300mAh battery. The device has a fixed focus 3- megapixel camera with no flash. It can capture video in wvga format at 25 frames per second (fps).
In our recent report listing the Samsung devices slated for a Jelly Bean upgrade, there was indeed a mention of an “unknown device, the Galaxy Music”. That was perhaps the very first time this phone was mentioned.
Here’s a quick look at the highlighted specifications of the Galaxy Music:
- 3.0-inch QVGA TFT touchscreen with a resolution of 320 x 240 pixels
- 3G, EDGE/GPRS, Wi-Fi b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct
- GPS with GLONASS
- Bluetooth v. 3.0, USB 2.0 (Micro)
- 3 megapixel rear fixed focus camera, no flash
- 4GB internal memory, microSD expandable up to 32GB
- Built in FM Antenna (FM Intenna)
Monday
5 Online resources for Android app development...
If you want to learn Android app development, then there are several online resources you can choose from...
Apps have revolutionised the use of smartphones, and today there are millions of apps for just about anything. In fact, app development is also emerging as a lucrative careeroption. If you always wanted to develop an app, but didn’t know how to go about it, then there are plenty of online resources that will guide you. The best part is that there are tutorials available to meet your expertise; whether you are a novice or someone with experience, these online tools will come to your aid. Listed below are five such online resources that will help you get started.
Android Developer
The official Android Developers site is a good place to begin
For an absolute fresher, the best place to start is the official Android app developer site. The site has been recently revamped and is now divided into three sections – Design, Develop and Distribute –beach addressing the different app life-cycle. To gain insights about app development, head to the Develop tab. It utilises a very structured approach, as it guides you through the step-by-step process of app development. It’s divided into sections – Android Training, API Guides, Reference and Tools. To begin, you will have to download the Android SDK and the Eclipse IDE, which can be done from site itself. Once you have downloaded the required tools, you can then start developing the app following the steps mentioned in the Android Training tab. The API Guides address issues like using the various components, designing user interface, animation & graphics, using media & camera, text input, location, connectivity, data storage, etc. Every topic is further divided into sub-sections and alongside you will also find relevant blog articles explaining the latest trends as well as actual training of how to incorporate it in the app that you are developing. Under the reference section, you will find detailed explanations for every action and step, whereas the Tools section lets you download the relevant and latest updates as well as sample codes, which will lend to better understanding of coding. You can also check the Android Developers channel on YouTube, which is a good source of information right from tutorials to the latest events and happenings as well as interviews with developers.
MIT App Inventor 
MIT App Inventor stands out because of its innovative learning approach for app development
Formerly the Google App Inventor, the App Inventor is now maintained by Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Center for Mobile Learning and continues to be one of the fun ways to learn app development while creating an app. The best part is that you need not know programming language as it makes use of ‘blocks’ which have to be placed to perform the action that you want the app to do. This is what makes it perfect for enthusiasts who want to create an app without worrying about complex codes, as it uses a very visual approach. It also has the most innovative learning approach, as you can learn by building the games mentioned and its level of difficulty increases gradually. Each game addresses a function that you can add to the app, for instance, if you want to build an app that will have multiple screens, then you can use the Colored Dots tutorial, which is a simple painting program that uses multiple screens. You can download the source of ‘Colored Dots’ and create a custom version by modifying it in App Inventor. Before starting with developing your app using App Inventor, it’s advisable to familiarise yourself with its various components that let you build your app. Some of these components can be modified, while some remain static and cannot be changed. This information can be accessed from the Reference section under the Learn tab. Additionally, you can also access PDF of the book ‘App Inventor: Create Your Own Android Apps’ by David Wolber, Hal Abelson, Ellen Spertus and Liz Looney (2011). Most of the chapters in the book are accompanied by video screencasts. The New Boston 
The New Boston videos aren't preachy and have an informal approach
If you are looking for some video tutorials, then head to The New Boston; it has about 200 videos on Android development. These videos have been created by US-based Bucky Roberts, who is a self-taught individual, passionate about web designing and programming. And this reflects in the videos as they have a non-preachy informal approach, which makes it fun and easy to understand. They tackle one problem at a time and explain how to resolve it. Starting from downloading and installing the SDK to putting the app in market, it pretty much covers the ground. Thenewboston.org has more than 200,000 subscribers and if you visit its YouTube channel, then you will realise that the YouTube page itself has become a kind of forum. You will find people posting the issues they are facing and others posting a solution. Other than this, the site also has a forum you can be part of and share your knowledge. Apart from Android app development, the site is also a great source for video tutorials on topics like Java for beginner, Java for Intermediate, C#, C++, Java Script, Java Game Development, PHP, etc. It also has video tutorials for iPhone development. It’s a quite resourceful site and is absolutely free, and the founder intends to keep it so. Apart from programming and app development, the site is also slowly expanding into diverse topics like Biology, Maths, Gaming, Science, etc. Marakana TechTV 
The Android Bootcamp Series videos are a source of good information
Another rich source of video tutorials for Android App Development is Marakana TechTV’sAndroid Bootcamp Series 2012. Based out of US, Marakana has been around since 2001 and runs extensive training programs on latest technologies for IT professionals. Marakana TechTV is their initiative to provide open-source educational content on diverse topics, which will benefit the enthusiast as well as professionals. The Android Bootcamp Series contains over 20 videos, with new videos added regularly and updated for Ice Cream Sandwich. Each video is over twenty-five minutes in length and provides in-depth explanations about the various steps involved in app development process. The description of each video will tell you about the topics covered and discussed in the video. This is extremely handy in case you are looking for a particular topic, thanks to the descriptions. For additional resources, subscribe to their stream from the main site. It will bring you insights about latest industry happenings, developments and also additional tutorials. Vogella 
Vogella provides comprehensive tutorials on app development
Another good source of information on Android app development is Vogella, founded by Lars Vogel. He works as Eclipse and Android consultant, trainer and has also authoured books. Over the years, he has also spoken at various conferences across the globe. He shares his knowledge in a series of tutorials aimed to help people develop their apps. Navigating the site is a bit difficult. On the home page, click on the Tutorials tab and you will find a list of topics that have been covered. These include Android Programming, Eclipse IDE and Tools, Eclipse RCP and Plug-ins, Web Programming, Java, etc. If you click on Android Programming, then it is further divided into sub categories like Android Development Starter Tutorial, Android file and network access and asynchronous processing, Android Advanced User Interface Development, Android Location API and Google Maps, Android testing and builds, etc. Selecting a topic will take you to a page that lists all the issues pertaining to it and clicking on one of them will take you to the in-depth tutorial. Each tutorial is carefully indexed, which makes it easier for you to navigate directly to the topic you need help for. Accessing the information on the site is not as straight forward as with others, but the topics are covered comprehensively and you will definitely benefit from them. Most of these tools are easy to understand, but knowledge of coding will work to your advantage and will lead to easy understanding of tutorials. If you know any other online resources for Android app development, then do let us know in the comments section below. |
5 Password managers for your Android ......
So, you have a personal e-mail account, an official e-mail account, accounts on social networking sites, cloud storages, accounts on online shopping sites, bank accounts, and are an active member...
So, you have a personal e-mail account, an official e-mail account, accounts on social networking sites, cloud storage, accounts on online shopping sites, bank accounts, and are an active member of several forums. Now, that’s too many passwords to remember, and the worst you could do is assigning the same password for all accounts and hamper their security. Mobile apps, which have been built for almost every purpose, have some nifty options that could serve as password managers. If you are an Android user, then there are several password managing apps, which will ensure that you don't have to bother to remember many passwords and keep your data safe and secure at the same time. We have listed out five such password managers for Android users.
KeePassDroid - Free 
Simple, open source password manager
KeePass is an extremely popular and favoured password manager, and its Android app version is called KeePassDroid. It is considered as one of the best open source apps and is quick to install and very effective. Users can get started by keying in a password to access the encrypted and password protected database where all your login data is stored. All passwords are hidden behind asterisks, but users get the option to temporarily see them. In case of inactivity, KeePassDroid will automatically logout the user. Users can copy usernames/ passwords onto the clipboard for easy pasting while creating the database. Moreover, it has the ability to automatically clear the clipboard after a username or password has been copied. If you are looking for a simple yet effective password manager without any bells and whistles then we think the KeePassDroid is a must-have.
mSecure - Rs 533.45 
Password manager plus digital wallet
mSecure is a combination of password manager and digital wallet. The highlight of mSecure is its password generator that creates unguessable passwords, and the auto-lock that protects the app from prying eyes. It comes with the Sync Everywhere cloud data protection architecture along with auto-backup facility and e-mail attachment backups. It ropes in 256-bit Blowfish encryption to protect personal information. Those who are concerned about data security in case the phone is lost or stolen can opt for the self-destruct option, which will be implemented if a hacker attempts to guess your password. The Android interface for mSecure is neat. It has over 250 icons to personalise your records, such as banking, credit cards, usernames, and e-mail passwords, and store the username and password for each. It has 17 standard templates for quick data entry, and comes with integrated search, sort, and collapsible section headers and groups to categorise your records.
LastPass - Trial, approx Rs 600 ($1/month) 
Last password to remember
LastPass is yet another popular password manager, quick to install, and easy to use. Once you create a LastPass account, it is truly the ‘'last password that users need to remember’'. The LastPass Android app was completely updated earlier this year with a UI overhaul, free credit monitoring, and the ability to add documents, PDF files, images and voice recordings as attachments. The user interface is now easier to access with faster start-up and encrypted attachments. Some of its highlights are secure password generator, built-in browser that automatically fills your login info for each LastPass site saved, and also automatically fills forms on all sites. Lastpass offers a 14-day trial to its users, and then one will have to opt for the premium version. SplashID - Rs 533.45 
Splashes extensive range of categories
SplashID Safe is a password manager that serves as sensitive data vault to securely store all your personal information. It covers an extensive range of record types or categories and backs up of all your important passwords, registration codes, e-mail settings, insurance, prescriptions and more. The SplashId Android app can be synced with PC/ Mac using its desktop software, which is sold separately. SplashId also employs 256-bit Blowfish encryption along with field masking for sensitive data such as passwords, customisable field label, and has a Dedupe tool to search and delete duplicate items. The feature-loaded SplashID is a solid password manager. The only hiccup, like with some other password managers, is its steep price. SafeWallet - Trial, Rs 52.86 
Safe and secure with multi platform support
The SafeWallet is one of the simplest, easiest ways to manage passwords and secure your data, be it e-mail accounts, bank details, different sites or services. (There is a card for each option). It stores all your passwords in one place by encrypting them as 256-bit data. It also comes with support for Dropbox syncing. What we liked is its multiple platform support such as desktops (PC/ Mac) and mobile, and its ability to keep passwords in complete sync with other devices. The interface is straightforward and has created two separate folders to manage your personal and official work. You can further create more folders and add cards too. This application is available at a nominal charge and you can use the 12-day trial version before buying it. There are several other password managing tools, and you can also consider using RoboFormand 1Password, which also make great options as Android managers. Send in your feedback, if you have been using any of these apps. |
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