Tizen OS powered Samsung "high-end" smartphone this summer

A pretty profitable relationship, but the profits go to whose credits? The answer is Samsung, according to Samsung itself (talk of being narcissistic!) and they are slowly showing the colder side of their hand to Google , to keep their identity as 'the' leader , with their growing interest in alternatives for Android OS. They found a prospect match in the Open source ,Linux based Tizen OS, currently being developed by Samsung , with 11 partners, including Intel , and the development must being going great, as according to Lee Young Hee, Executive Vice president, Samsung, the Tizen powered device will be available around August-September.

As is being speculated, it is going to be a kind of risk, the same that Microsoft took with Windows 8 'for all '  thingy, that is the development of a new OS, and more importantly, its market and consumer acceptability, which is more often than not, directly proportional to the number and quality of apps and services that the particular OS supports. And we have seen many an OS's (BB , HP's tablet OS  to name a few) perish against the indomitable market presence of Android and iOS. Though personally, Linux based kernel does make me feel exciting on 2 points - firstly, this is going to be a more secure thing, knowing Linux, and secondly this is probably going to be cheaper , with the open source software it is, and again  knowing Linux as it is. Moreover, it may bring some good , well deserved recognition for Linux's PC OS series as well!


Whatever the future of the device may be, that's a separate debate, but what is going to appease many is that according to Mr Lee Young Hee, the device is going to offer the best of Samsung, which we can well imagine seeing the latest Samsung Galaxy S4. Samsung is expecting the Tizen device to be one of the "Big three" devices that they launch this year, one being the Galaxy S4 launched, and the other possibly being the Galaxy Note 3. 

Clearly a device , and an OS we got to watch out for, and so would Google , as it will gear itself for the birth of what could be its biggest rival.

All Linux admirers, here's Ubuntu for Smartphones!!!!!!!!!

Today Canonical revealed a mobile version of its Ubuntu operating system

In a Android and iOS dominated world, no other OS has been able to actually stand strong enough to compete successfully with them, with BB10 and windows phone hoping to show some resilience. But there is a new addition to this, Ubuntu mobile , the mobile version of Linux's most popular OS yet, Ubuntu..

First cool , and a bit shocking thing about it is, Ubuntu mobile is a PC Operating System!!! Yes, it is made for your dear ol' PC and lappy, which is totally unlike any of the other mobile OS's, even the other linux based Tizen OS isn't like that. Ubuntu mobile is a PC OS which has a mobile friendly interface. Now this has a damn awesome feature-  you just connect your phone to a monitor, a keyboard and mouse, and you have your own Ubuntu PC ready!! Microsoft with their idea of mobile and PC convergence end up left behind with this for sure!



Talking about its interface, first of all, there aren't any on screen controls, no back or home buttons, like Windows 8, you navigate with swipes.As in the pic, swiping from left opens the apps bar, and as you cannot see in the pic, swiping from top gives you the system settings. XD
Ubuntu also sports global search (for apps, content, and products) and system-wide voice commands. It supports both native and web apps, and a mobile app store is in the works.



Canonical founder Mark Shuttleworth plans on partnering with smartphone manufacturers for Ubuntu Mobile.  Its chic UI, and security features are being hoped to attract basic and enterprise level consumers. But there isn't any device announced  yet.Shuttleworth and company are, however, offering incentives for potential partners. Manufacturers and carriers can work with Canonical to highlight their own pre-installed apps and services on Ubuntu phones. Yes, we will have Ubuntu crapware.
As they share a common Linux kernel, Ubuntu can be flashed to rooted Android phones (Shuttleworth demonstrated the OS on an unlocked Galaxy Nexus). Manufacturers could potentially release Ubuntu-running versions of their existing Android devices.
It will be available for Galaxy Nexus users in a compatible mode in the upcoming weeks, and we can hope to see some dedicated devices by next year (2014 that is, remember this is 2013 now)

Canonical will show us more at CES 2013. In the meantime, you can watch Shuttleworth's virtual keynote below.


Source: Ubuntu via Engadget, The Next Web, Ars Technica

Apple releases third iOS 6.1 beta, points to extra iCloud security

Less than a month ago, Apple released the iOS 6.1 beta to developers complete with early access to new features for Maps and Siri.

This next version of iOS 6 included new tools for the Map Kit framework, which would allow programmers to "search for map-based addresses and points of interest."

The iOS 6.1 beta also brought with it some improved functionality for Siri, and reportedly allows for users to purchase movie tickets by simply telling their iPhone 5s what movie they want to see.

Keeping up a pretty frantic pace, Apple has now a third version of the beta has been released, and along with the aforementioned attributes, iOS 6.1 may add improved iCloud security.

Safer on the cloud?

According to AppleInsider sources, iCloud users will have to answer security questions when an applicable device is first booted.

There was no indication just what these security questions entailed, just that there is likely another level of protection enabled to prevent any foul play.

The beta build, known as "10B5117b," is currently compatible with the iPhone 5, as well as the iPhone 4S, iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS.

The iPad 4 (and its two predecessors), iPad mini and iPod touch will also work with iOS 6.1, and users of all said devices should find good use of the impending improvements.

iOS 6.1 is believed to be on track for early 2013, though until Apple divulges an exact date, we'll continue to track the beta updates to learn what's coming in the next version.

Via AppleInsider , Techradar