Micromax Canvas 4 on pre-order for INR 5000, official images inside

the much awaited pre-bookings for the Micromax Canvas 4 budget superfone starts later today. While the official unveiling of the phone is still a few hours away, new rumors hint at a special blow-to-unlock feature, and it is not what you think it is.

“Blow-to-unlock? Seriously? I mean what was the writer thinking? Are you drunk?” Before you make such comments down below (oops), hear me out once. Word is that you will be able to “blow” air from your mouth on the display of the ‘Canvas 4′ to unlock the screen? C’mon, that is in no way perverted. Here, perhaps this image will remove all such thoughts from you guys (with dirty minds):

While the picture does lead us on (blow-unlock), it might be more of an air-gesture unlock instead of literally blowing on the screen. But then again, Apple showed a similar display technology at last year’s WDDC on one of their iPads (remember blowing on the iPad to make the windmill turn? If not, check out WDDC 2012 coverage again).

The Canvas 4, to be Indian company Micromax’s next big phone, met with negative reports after speculations that the new phone is nothing but a rebranded Blue Life One, which I have to agree will be the slightest upgrade over the current Canvas HD Smartphone. We sincerely hope that Micromax includes a 5-inch 1080p display, 2 GB RAM, a 1.5 GHz quad-core MediaTek or faster processor, 13 MP cam (which is confirmed) and a big battery into the Canvas 4. And of course, the latest Android 4.2 Jelly Bean OS would definitely be a welcome addition.

Another new report suggests that the Canvas 4 code name is actually A210 and not the previously speculated A117. Once pre-bookings start, further details on how to complete payment will be revealed to the lucky few at the new Canvas-4.com website.

With Micromax officially the 2nd largest tablet seller in India, trailing Korean giant Samsung, the company is doing everything to capture more and more Indian’s heart, mind and of course, money. Well, selling a high-end phone at a mid-range price is a great way to achieve that high goal.

We eagerly await the official announcement of the Micromax Canvas 4. Just a few hours more folks.

UPDATE

Pre-orders have officially commenced for the Micromax Canvas 4. You can pay a sum of Rs. 5,000 now and the rest when the phone is launched on the 8th of July.

No official word on specifications yet. Visit these links (1) and (2) to pre-book your Canvas 4 and read the terms for pre-ordering.

Image credit: MMX_Newscaster | Canvas 4 website | Source: Tech Droid

Here's how to film on a smartphone (hint: turn it horizontally!)

You might be wondering - is it really so hard to film on a smartphone that you’d need a separate guide? Hit the camera button and start recording, that’s it, you think. Hold the phone straight, you think. Well... wrong! There is one critical detail that you might have missed - to turn yourphone in landscape mode.

We usually use our phones in portrait mode, but filming videos with your phone in vertical orientation results in ugly stripes of black on the sides of the captured videos. It’s just not good and it’s got to stop. Heck, we could even write a song about it and sing it to you, to get that anger out of our chest. But we won’t. First, because we are not musicians and second - because it’s already done! We’ll just hum along...

And there’s a bonus video below the first one explaining the subject in greater depth, don’t miss it!

source: Chescaleigh

Android 4.3 update expected next month for "Google Edition" Samsung Galaxy S4

The "Google Edition" of the Samsung Galaxy S4 is expected to soon receive an update to Android 4.3. Quick updates are one of the features of the phone, which is powered by stock Android. Leaked images of the software running on the phone show that the update is build number JWR66N. The phone is now available for pre-orders from the Google Play Store and will be shipped by July 9th with Android 4.2.2 on board. The update is expected to take place later next month. The price of the device is $649 and it supports GSM networks like those running at AT&T and T-Mobile. The update for "Google Edition" edition handsets come directly from Google so they do not need to undergo carrier testing.

There is no word when the Google Edition of the HTC One, which is also available to be pre-ordered from the Google Play Store, will also receive the Android 4.3 update. This model is $599.00 and comes with connectivity to AT&T's network.

Meanwhile, a published report says that user agent strings are showing versions of Android 4.3 running on the Google Nexus 7 and the Google Nexus 10 tablets. The 7 inch slate was running JWR66D which is code showing a JellyBean build (J) for the second quarter of the year (D) on the 66th day of the quarter (66) and is the fourth build of the day (D). That means that the JWR53F running on the Google Nexus 10 and the build on the Google Nexus 7 are from the end of May, early June.

Screenshots from the updated Android 4.3 version of the Samsung Galaxy S4

source: SamMobile (1), (2), MYCE via AndroidAuthority

UC Browser 3.0 beta screen shots

UC Browser 3.0 is currently in closed beta, and we have been sent some screen shots of the app in action.

The update features:

For Windows Phone 7 and 8 users:

• Quicker access to Speed Dial

For Windows Phone 8 users only:

• Open up to 9 tabs.
• Get a preview of pages while switching tabs, and quickly close tabs while sliding them.
• You can pick a unique font for displaying pages in Speed Mode.

See more screen shots after the break.

Thanks S.M.A.Sithick for the tip.

the Google Edition camera app can take pics with the volume buttons

If you didn't know yet, the Google Editions of the Samsung Galaxy S4 and HTC One have slightly updated features compared to Nexus devices with stock Android. The assumption is that they are giving a preview of some features we will see in Android 4.3, which is expected soon. One of the updated apps, the camera app, has already leaked out for adventurous users to sideload onto their devices; and, it brings along with it a feature we've been looking forward to in Android for a long time: using the volume rocker as the camera shutter button.

We had mentioned that the leaked camera app changes the UI slightly, but this is really the big update of the app: you no longer have to use the awkward holding position to be able to tap the on-screen shutter button. This means, when you (or your significant other, or whomever) is taking a selfie, you don't have to hope your finger is positioned properly to hit the shutter button rather than the home button (on a device with soft keys of course). Instead, just tap either the volume up or down key and your photo will be taken. 

About time, eh?

source: Droid Life

AOL for iPad

If you're older than 20, you might remember when AOL was a big deal. One of the three major internet providers at the time (along with Prodigy and GEnie), it was AOL that gave many people their first taste of the internet. But the internet proved to be too big to be contained in a closed system, and helped along with a poorly executed purchase of Time, AOL's days as an internet portal soon became as relevant as Herman's Hermits (Google it).

But AOL did have the brains to re-invent itself in the new mobile based world, as an app that offers many of the same things that it offered as a closed system. The app for the Apple iPad was redesigned from the ground-up and uses a tiled UI that opens on a general news feed, although more specialized stories are a click away. And yes, AOL mail is included. Just click on the small envelope icon on the top toolbar and you're on your way.

AOL for iPad is a free download from the Apple App Store.

Soon, our bodies will become the only password we will need

Indeed, things will go way beyond a fingerprint scanner or eye-print reader to gain access to your smartphone or other conveniences we use every day. The technology of ingestible sensors is still on the leading edge, but is out there and being used in a variety of very practical applications.

Proteus Digital Health, based in the Bay Area of California, has developed a “pill” which is really a tiny sensor that can transmit real-time information to a cell phone via a patch worn on the body.

The pill can provide data related to how the body reacts to medications when they are taken as well as log when they are taken.  The pill can also detect movement and rest patterns of the person it is monitoring.  The device was approved by the FDA last year.  There is no battery in the pill, simply it has magnesium and copper on each side and it reacts to the stomach acid to provide enough power to function. 

Another pill, called the CorTemp Ingestible Core Body Temperature Sensor and manufactured by HQ, Inc. in Florida, has a built-in battery and it wirelessly transmits real-time core body temperature as it travels through the digestive tract.  The CorTemp has been used in pro football players, soldiers and astronauts to ensure they do not suffer a heat related injury during training, games or missions.

The CorTemp sensor costs $46 each right now, don't foget to recycle

What may be next for these types of devices are obviously applications of convenience. Take a pill in the morning and your car will automatically unlock for you, and you will not need to type in a password to access your smartphone. Leave the house and it locks itself.

What happens when the pill is done? Well the pill will pass through the digestive tract and evacuate itself in the normal manner (while sitting on the porcelain throne of thought). Ms. Carbonelli, HQ Inc. marketing director notes an unpleasant reality with such new technology, “It passes naturally through the body in about 24 hours,” Ms. Carbonelli said, but since each pill costs $46, “some people choose to recover and recycle it.”

Toshiba will launch 84-, 65- and 58-inch 4K TVs in August, prices start at $4,999

We caught a glimpse of Toshiba's second generation 4K TVs at CES in January andat a European event in March, and now the company has announced it's delivering three versions of the L9300U series this fall. All feature its CEVO 4K Quad+Dual Core processor built-in to handle image processing and its suite of Cloud TV apps, plus built-in WiFi, Miracast and WiDi. It also announced Technicolor has certified its Blu-ray player and streaming media box for delivering HD content to its 4K TVs. The 58-, 65- and 84-inch models will all ship in August for $4,999, $6,999 and $16,999 respectively -- we'll see how they compete with similar Ultra HDTV options arriving from the likes of Sony, Sharp and Samsung.

Firefox gets a new logo, rolls out desktop and Android Beta updates

Firefox is an ever evolving beast, and that includes both its friendly orange fox logo, and its Beta channel browser. Today Mozilla unveiled the fourth Firefox logo, a (slightly) less textured and glossy icon for its favored web browser -- and if you're . Meanwhile, the latest update for for Firefox Beta brings access to the company's Social API and, consequently, Share buttons to the platform -- so Facebook fanatics can have one-click sharing of images, articles, videos and links from the Firefox toolbar. The new Beta is also getting a Mixed Content Blocker that prevents HTTP (read: nonsecure) content from loading on HTTPS websites. Plus, there's a new Network Monitor feature to let devs see how quickly individual page components load and optimizations for OS X 10.7 that enable its scrollbar style and and the scroll bounce behavior Apple fans love.

Oh, and for you mobile fans, the Android Beta was updated today, too. Now, it's got an auto-hide Awesome Bar, a URL autocomplete function and an updated RSS feed reader that allows you to add feeds to with a long press on the aforementioned Awesome Bar. Pretty awesome, gents, now let's get these Beta features into a full release, and it'll be really awesome.

SOURCE: Mozilla Future Releases blog (1), (2), Mozilla about:pixels blog

Half-Life 2 crowbars its way out of Linux beta, brings Oculus Rift support with it

Valve's Half-Life 2 along with Episodes One and Two are out of beta and available for download on Steam for Linux, the company announced today. While we welcomeany Half-Life news, it's hard to not get disappointed when the number three isn't involved. Gordon Freeman's last known appearance uses the new SteamPipe content delivery system and "numerous" community bug fixes have been implemented.

That's not all! Oculus Rift (and other virtual reality device) support has been added as well. We aren't aware of any other VR units besides the Rift, but in March Valve told us it's pursuing hardware itself. Speculating about other VR systems isn't far from speculating about Half-Life 3's existence -- we don't know anything at this point. However, Linux gaming site Phoronix says to expect more good Valve Linux news in July. We reached out to Valve for more info and will update if we hear anything back.

VIA: Phoronix
SOURCE: Steam