Sony's here with its phablet racehound - The Xperia Z Ultra

Phablets are showing up in all corners of the tech world now, with almost every manufacturer (barring Apple for now) proudly upholding its own phablet device in the market. And Sony is the latest entrant in the phablet market with its super sized Xperia Z Ultra. The device is huge, at a screen size of 6.4 inches, it actually is even larger than Amazon Kindle Paperwhite, which is a tablet e reader if I may remind you !!!!

So 6.4 inches and ..??? The rest of the specsheet is nothing less than mind boggling either. Claimed to be the world's thinnest Full HD smartphone, with a thickness of just 6.5 mm , the phablet sports a 8MP rear camera, but no front one, a tradeoff for the astounding thinness. Weighing 212 g, it will come with Android 4.2 .  Like the last few of the Xperia series, this one is waterproof and dustproof as well in accordance with IP55/IP58 standards.

Processor-wise, this one ain't anyway a pushover, powered by the hulky Snapdragon 800 Quad core processor, clocked at a staggering 2.2 GHz. With the 'Walkman' and Sony Reader , along with many other features, Sony makes it sure you find quite something new to use as well. It supports 4G LTE , and fantastically supports any stylus with a tip of diameter more than 1mm!!! If that wasn't enough for you to be surprised about, take this- you can write on the Xperia Z Ultra with an actual pencil!!! Thou shalt not hafth to waste thy pencils.... Also is the fact that it will be ready to pair up with a Sony smartwatch or the upcoming Smartwatch 2, which you can buy for around 100$.

No info on the price, but you can safely expect a price that will surely burn a decent size hole in your pocket. But it looks to be worth it of course!!!




Source : Xperia Z Ultra official

Take care of your veggies' schedule, their nutrients are very punctual!

Ever felt the guilt of plucking a fruit from a tree, or while eating one bought from the market, thinking how it must have hurt the plant as it got separated from the fruit? Jokes apart, this is one new finding that will give weight to non vegetarians , who are constantly under seige of the 'vegy boys' for killing animals and all that. Guess what? It is found that fruits and vegetables plucked from the plants are actually 'alive', in a sense at least, even later on. That is untill you eat 'em!!! *May God forgiveth thou*

Well not actually alive and kicking or anything, it just means that the fruits show the same biological response to day and night post plucking, as they would while clinging on to their plant parts. According to Janet Braam from Rice University, the fruits were found to indulge in changes in physiology due to their circadian rythm even after being harvested. A phenomenon initially found in cabbage, it was later found in lettuce, spinach, sweet potatoes, carrots and blueberries.

So the consequence is that fruits and vegies subjected to light and dark end up staying fresh for long, with more nutrients available at certain time of the day. What purpose could it have for the plants? Not for being eaten and for the 'greater good' of humanity of course. It's found that fruits under normal circadian rhythm after breaking off show changes in physiology which prevents them from being eaten by insects (check this out, even plants hate bugs!!)

So the consequence is that one is advised to not keep fruits and vegetables in dark cupboards, or even in fridges, and subject them to normal day and night patterns, in an innovative way of course to prevent over ripening. Another aspect to be taken care of is the time of harvesting them, which is decided based on when there is max concentration of nutrients, freezing them at that time to preserve the ultra beneficial phytochemicals. So next time you pop a fruit in your mouth (like I am doing with Litchis ), remember that you need to think of the fruit's time table as well.

Google’s loss is Duck’s gain

DuckDuckGo , a new search engine out there, is seeing quite a surge in popularity since the NSA leaks about internet privacy infringement, and data collection by various sites, one of them being Google. Though Google isn’t really losing anything in terms of traffic or revenue (apart from the fact that some of its share has shifted to bing et all ), DuckDuckGo is sure seeing quite a major boost in traffic and searches through it.  You can get an idea from the fact that it got to 1 Million searches in 1445 days of its startup, got to 2 Million in the next 483 days , and … reached 3 Million in just 8 days, according to their tweets !!! Now that figures may look small in terms of other search engines, what’s interesting is the increase in traffic.

So what is it that made this happen? Well as you may have guessed, DuckDuckGo does not do one major thing that Google does, that is collecting user data based on searches and internet usage pattern, and then creating a user profile. This , as their motto says, allows users to “Search anonymously. Find Instantly”

Now, as you can see in the pic, the site allows you to use certain tags to specify your search. Also, if you go to the settings, you can find an easy menu there, all of which can be saved in the cloud for you , secured with a passphrase that you decide. Though I do not know anything about the security or necessity of that, really. The box option gives you some preliminary info related to your search from wikipedia, though complete search comes a tad later. There arent any pages, more results coming as you scroll down.

All in all, it’s a good search engine ( this post is not sponsored, this is my personal opinion) , fast, neat, upholding your privacy needs and simple. It doesn’t try to do anything fancy, and thus gets a good score on usability. It will be interesting to see how the site takes on from here, and what innovations we may see in the search engine, the way it works , and interacts with the user.


Site – DuckDuckGo

Get set for an 8 cored addition to the Haswell family

Intel 4th Generation Haswell processors, the same 22 nm microarchitecture as Ivy Bridge, little bit of a processing boost, more energy efficient, to a degree of almost 50% increased battery life for laptops. All this, and a little bit of nitty gritty which rarely matters to the average, or even above average consumer. Well that is that, and that was what we already knew quite long ago, so no comments on that. But what’s new is that Intel has gone out of the way (or maybe in the way) to launch a new addition to the 2 variants of the Haswell family, in terms of number of cores that is. Yes, the much awaited, especially after we saw it in the Galaxy S4… the 8 CORES are going to be here soon!!!

 I have been grumbling every now and then to the screen of my PC when I visit Intel’s website of the fact that Intel has no consumer desktop level Octa cored processors, which actually is available from AMD. My energies must have been felt by the Intel devs, (let me take some undue credit please) and at last , according to this leak , we will get the Octa core version in the Haswell family, which surely is going to give more than a simple boost to the 4th gen processor’s raw power.

Talking about the thing itself, it has been made using the 2nd gen Hi-k process, has 8 cores, and 16 threads , featuring Intel’s Turbo Boost 2 technology as well as DDR4 support. So we are seeing some quite advanced stuff here. Also is the fact that the Octa core processors are going to have a 20 MB L3 cache memory, as opposed to the 8 MB cache in the 6 cored processors, which in simple terms will result in much more enhanced CPU performance, due to the bigger size of the cache, allowing the CPU to gain access to more data in the cache quickly. 

This is one more addition to my “want to test” list , and no info is there as to how much better it will be from the 6 cored ones, but for sure it is going to be better , and will really be a handy thing for hardcore gamers, content creators as well as overclockers.

Stay tuned and keep sharing and supporting our blog for the latest update on this, and lots more in the world of tech.


Source : techradar

Nexus 7 upgrade, ASUS-made !

Apart from the rhyming title (excuse my poetic flare) , this is some real good news for those who have been waiting impatiently for the Nexus 7 upgrade, which would allow them to boast of the latest specs at a price which won’t really hurt their pockets. If a recent Federal Communication Commission filing is to be taken as good enough proof, we have quite a lot of info about the 2nd gen Nexus 7, which is rumored to have been built by ASUS again. But of course this is just rumors, but rumors with some solid base no doubt.

With a Full HD 1080p display, the Nexus 7.2, as it is being called, has almost been made better in all aspects. A higher 2 GB RAM, 5 MP rear  and a new 1.3MP camera in front, makes it able to compete with the competition well enough, and helps cover up for many a disappointments the predecessor caused. Also significant is the switch of the processor, from Nvidia Tegra 3 to the Snapdragon S4 Pro this time, although there is no intel about the clock speed, which can be expected to be decent enough, my guess being around 1.5 GHz. Some more pride inducing features are the NFC and LTE support. And as was obvious, the device will come out of the box with the latest Android version, the Android 4.3.

Earlier speculated to be released in April (which as we know has not happened , unless Google has a time machine now), the Nexus 7 upgrade is now set to release in July (hope they make it this time). But no doubt a happy package this one will be, just keeping our eyes open for the price, AND for Indian consumers, the Rupee-Dollar conversion rate, which is touching new depths recently, making many a devices inch slowly out of the reach. *sigh*

Source : Techradar

Samsung announces Note 3 on site..... accidentally!!

Yet another leak, an official one this time, that too on their own Kazakh website... and Samsung has yet again kinda blown up quite a bit of the aura over the Note 3, and no matter what kind of smiling face you may be making, I doubt it would have had been funny for Samsung guys there.

So Note 3 sees another leak, the previous one had revealed an advanced 13MP camera with 'anti-shake' technology, and this time, there is much more than just a teeny feature. And mind you, the leaks surely makes quite some jaws drop. This Note 3 leak is accompanied by the announcement of Gaaxy S4 Zoom and Galazy Tab 3 10.1.



So what exactly was 'announced'? The Note 3 is reported to be powered by the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor, clocked at astoundingly mind numbing 2.3 GHz!!!!! The 5.99 inch full HD phablet (mind the size guys) supports 4G LTE  , WiFi,  and will be running Android 4.2.2 or the upcoming 4.3 (yeah no 5.0 Key Lemon Pie on the charts guys)

The Note 3 is officially to be announced at the IFA 2013 , Berlin, this September , whereas the S4 Mini, S4 Zoom and Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 are to be launched at a London event on June 20. Considering the Note 3 specs that have come by, along with the expectation of an upgraded S pen (to maybe 2048 levels of pressure sensitivity) , the Note 3 surely will take quite some ingenuity from the competitors side to take down.

Source : Techradar

ASUS sets to rock the tablet market with 3 new additions at Computex

ASUS , the manufacturer of the Nexus 7 tablet and Transformer series, has yet to get its due in the tablet world, which is dominated by players like samsung and Apple. And its ready to make the competitors feel the heat, as it starts off at the Computex by unveiling 3 Tablets - The all new Transformer Pad Infinity, Fonepad Note FHD 6 and MemoPad HD7 , all of which look super promising in their respective categories.



First is the Transformer Pad Infinity, the upgrade to the similarly named tablet , and just like the Transformer series, comes with a dockable keyboard to make it work as a laptop as well.  It is one of the first tablets to be powered by the new Nvidia Tegra 4 processor , clocked at a cool 1.9 GHz. Moreover, the 10.1 touchscreen boasts an enviable resolution of 2560 X 1600. The tablet comes with 2GB of RAM, 32 GB of internal storage , along with microSD expansion. It has a 5MP rear and a 1.2 MP front camera, and supports WiFi, Bluetooth 3.0 and USB 3.0

The second device, THe Fonepad Note FHD 6 is another member of the giant sized Fonepad series, but this time its target is the Samsung Galaxy Note 2. The Fonepad Note is a whopping 6 inch monster , with a Super IPS+ display at 1920 X 1080 resolution ,with a 367 ppi density. To take on the Galaxy Note series, it is powered by 1.6 GHz dual core Intel Atom processor, which though currently cannot be compared with the Note II's processor, which incidentally is Quad Cored. The super phablet has 2GB RAM, though disappointingly has Android 4.0 OS. It sports a 8MP rear and a 1.2 MP front shooter. As the name suggests, the device supports stylus input, and the device as well as the stylus resemble the Galaxy Note II's set a lot.


The third launch was of the upgrade to the budget tablet MemoPad , named MemoPad HD7, which has a 7 inch IPS HD display with a 1280 X 720 resolution. Powered by a quad core Cortex A7 processor , it has 5 and 1.2 MP cameras, along with supporting Bluetooth 3.0. It comes in 2 variants of internal storage - 8GB ($129)  and 16GB ($149).

Though pricing of the first 2 tablets , as well as the availability and launch dates of all tablets are unknown, these tablets can be expected to make much more than a ripple if decently marketed and priced.

Acer enters the Phablet market with Liquid S1

What was being hinted at the MWC earlier this year has finally 'floated' onto the surface. Acer has unveiled its first Phablet , the Liquid S1, quite appropriately named, with its Android 4.2 layered with custom Float UI, on which widgets float while you use some app, paving way for better multitasking.

The phablet surely is huge, at 5.7 inch screen size with 1280 X 720 HD resolution. The processor is a quad core one, clocked at 1.5GHz, which is not ground breaking, with better processors in many other devices (HTC One, Galaxy S4, Lenovo K900, and the list goes on and on) , but its not at all bad , especiallyif you consider the price at which it will be sold. The device has a 8MP rear camera and a 2 MP front camera with HD recording capabilities.

Acer claims that the device's batter will last a day of usage, which is normally not something too impressive, but nevertheless something Acer feels is. The phablet will launch in UK in Q3  this year at €349 , which is around $475, a price tag which is pretty impressive, considering the specs, and the competition in this price range, Acer surely has made a mark there. Though availability in US is yet to be officially announced.

Acer starts their saga at Computex 2013 with upgraded Aspire ultrabooks

Acer is set to roll out a number of products at the Computex 2013 in Taipei, starting with the Aspire S3 and S7 ultrabooks. The S7 , which we saw an year ago, comes in an updated avtar with a 13.3 inch touchscreen display, with an Apple targeted 2560 X 1440 resolution, powered by Intel 4th Generation Haswell processors. Unlike last year, this time we won't see an 11 inch model. In spite of the higher resolution, the upgraded processor will help get you 33% more life out of the battery. Though there isn't much change in the design, with the same Gorilla glass lid and similar designed body.

The other release was the Aspire S3 ultrabook, which is similar in looks with S7, except not having the Gorilla glass. Its display is similar to that of S7 last year (IPS 1080p touchscreen) which is not half bad either. The S3 will also have the 4th gen Haswell processors, and an option of adding Nvidia GT735 GPU.

S7 is priced starting at €1450 , while the S3 is priced at €999, which is pretty competitive enough for Macbook series, though we have to surely look at WWDC for the next gen Macbook Pro .

The 'world's thinnest Laptop' unveiled by Razer

The well known gaming peripherals manufacturers has been putting quite some work in new waters, with first   unveiling the Edge gaming tablet, and now what they claim to be the 'thinnest gaming laptop' - the Razr Blade , at a thickness of 0.66" (16.8mm). Thickness is one thing, but what matters more is the performance , for a device dedicated for hardcore gaming, and believe me, the laptop is gonna seriously slice the competition.


The 14 inch HD+ LED screen has a resolution of 1600 X 900. Powered by the to-be-launched Intel 4th Generation Processors, named as Haswell, it surely has beaten Apple, which was looking to try to be the first to unveil a 4th Gen processor powered laptop , in the next of the Macbook series. Leaving that aside, the Blade has the muscle power of the latest NVidia GeForce GTX 765M GPU 2GB GDDR5 VRAM , which is more than enough to take on anything you throw at it, and that means something really.



Razer Blade has 8GB DDR3 RAM, and storage in form of SATA III SSD only, with 128, 256 and 512GB variants. It has USB 3.0 ports, and supports Bluetooth 4.0 . You can preorder the laptop from tomorrow, that is June 3 , at a pretty decent starting price of $1800,  with higher price for higher SSD storage.

You can check out the official video below. Do comment and rate it, and stay tuned for the latest updates in the world of technolgy





Source : Razer

Check what you take when you cough, say anaesthetists

The normal cough syrups or lozenges that you may take for that common cold induced cough may end you in a tight spot in a future surgery,thats what the Australian anaesthetists say. A group of anaesthetists , led by Dr Helen Crilly, have asked the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration to ban around 53 various cough medicines and lozenges , which contain opioid cough suppressant pholcodine, the prolonged use of whose has been researched to lead to allergic reaction during surgeries upon administration of muscle relaxants.

1 in 10000 people were found to show anaphylaxis normally during surgeries upon giving muscle relaxants, the number increasing to 1 in 6000 in case of patient exposed to pholcodine containing medications. Though fatalities are low, at 1-2% , but the anaphylaxis could cause brain damage in other cases.

There is quite some reason to believe that pholcodine is the culprit for the increased allergic response to the muscle relaxants. In US, where cough suppressants do not contain the opioid, the incidences of anaphylaxis are less. Also, it was found that the cases for anaphylaxis to muscle relaxants decreased in Norway after pholcodine containing cough medications were banned there.

Though there is scope for more work to be done to actually come up with a solid association between the two, the evidence up till now can be considered bewaring enough for patients to check on their dosages.