LG Vu III specs leak, Snapdragon 800 and 5.2-inch

New version expected to borrow specs from the G2, keep the same odd form factor.

LG is purportedly planning a new edition of its oddly-shaped Optimus Vu lineup with a larger display and more powerful internals for later this year. Just as we've seen with the LG G2, the Vu III will drop the "Optimus" branding and pick up some very high-end specs. According to the Korean Daily, the LG Vu III will have a 5.2-inch 960x1280 display keeping the same 4:3 aspect ratio that its predecessors are known for.

On the inside, the Vu III wil have the same Snapdragon 800 chipset as the G2, along with a 13MP camera and support for LTE-Advanced networking. Reports peg the release for IFA 2013, which could make things interesting if it shows up right alongside Samsung's expected launch of the Galaxy Note 3.

Official YouTube app for Windows Phone 7 and 8 is back and now available

Official YouTube app for Windows Phone 7 and 8 is back and now available

Earlier this year, Microsoft surprise its users by releasing its own YouTube app, complete with login and advanced management features of the popular streaming service. At the time, it was thought that Microsoft had come to an agreement with Google over the app, but as it turns out that was not the case. After some back and forth between the companies, Microsoft had agreed to pull the app as they work on a new, compliant version with Google.

Today, version 3.2.0.0 of YouTube is now live on the Store for Windows Phone 7.x and Windows Phone 8 devices.

The new app looks a lot like the app that was pulled and even includes an upload feature for posting videos directly to the service. That should reassure customers who believe the app would be stripped of functionality (one feature that seems to be missing is downloading of videos).

According to the app description, the features include:

• Pin any video, playlist, channel, and search queries to Live Tiles
• Manage your YouTube profile with your unique My YouTube page
• Manage your playlists, uploads, and video lists
• Find channels, videos, and playlists with the quick access search bar
• Share videos to your social networks, e-mail, and text messages
• Let your kids watch safe videos in Kid’s Corner and keep their own profile

The app is now available for older devices too, which is a great win for legacy users who have felt left out lately from Microsoft’s releases.

Windows 8.1 Will Launch In October

 Windows 8.1 Will Launch In October

The latest version of Microsoft Windows, Windows 8.1, will not be available to the public until October, according to reports.

A preview of the first major update to operating system has been available since June, and Microsoft is said to be now testing near-final versions of new OS.

Windows 8.1 includes a number of concessions for desktop users, as well as new features for the modern interface. Users will be able to boot straight to the desktop, disable modern-style “hot corners” and access key desktop functions by right-clicking on the newly-restored Start button. The modern interface includes major improvements to built-in apps, the ability to use three apps side-by-side, overhauled Bing search and more. The net effect is that it’s easier to stay on the desktop if you want, but not unthinkable to switch to the modern UI.

We already know that the upgraded operating system Windows 8.1 will run Internet Explorer 11, the new version of the web browser which Microsoft have claimed is “fast, fluid and perfect for touch,” providing “the best web experience across the full range of Windows devices and screen sizes”.

Windows 8.1 will also allow users to circumvent the ‘Live tile’ interface built for touch screens and go directly to the desktop mode. And there will be direct support for 3D printers – signalling a hope that the new technology will become mainstream in the near future.

A number of tutorials and explanatory menus will be added to the operating system, Microsoft said, to help users adjust to the updates.

Nokia running Lumia Windows Phone Buy Back program in India

Nokia running Lumia Windows Phone Buy Back program in India

Nokia is running the Lumia Buy Back program at supporting retailers across India. The manufacturer will provided a minimum of Rs. 4,000  on the purchase of a new Nokia Lumia 520, or Rs.6,000 for the Nokia Lumia 620 smartphone. This offer is available at 1500 retail stores across the country, enabling new options for consumers to trade in older hardware and upgrade to Windows Phone 8.

The Lumia 520 is Nokia's most affordable Windows Phone, while the Lumia 620 is at the rear of the mid-range group of Windows Phones. Here's a list of eligible devices:

Microsoft shows off the Iconia W3 in latest ad, taking on Apple's iPad Mini

ACER ICONIA W3

Microsoft appears to either be on a roll or the marketing department knows the weekend is near, thus they're attempting to go on an all-out attack. This latest commercial, published on the WindowsVideosYouTube channel, addresses the small tablet competition - namely, the iPad Mini. Taking the Acer Iconia W3 to the ring, the video shows off some of the cool features a tablet sports when running Windows 8.

Just in case you weren't aware that 8-inch Windows tablets exist, the Acer Iconia W3 . is a rather recent attempt by the manufacturer. Powering a full version of Windows 8, the Intel Atom processor combined with the loaded software allows you to install all your favourite x86 programs. As the footage boasts, you can enjoy some Halo, after working hard on word processing - it's a real PC. 

Not to mention the pricing. $429 for iPad Mini or $299 for the Iconia W3? Both have 32GB storage, but are worlds apart in terms of functionality.

Nokia Lumia 925 listed on Flipkart, coming soon to India

Nokia Lumia 925.

The Lumia 925 is Nokia's first Windows Phone to make use of metal in the production process. The unique design and improved optics are a refreshing change from the Lumia 920, along with being slightly thinner and lighter. The new high-end smartphone is a must-have for many consumers. The issue is the product is still launching in numerous markets, including India.

Now Flipkart, the popular online retailer in India, has all three variants of the Lumia 925 listed - black, grey and white. Sold by WS Retail, pricing and availability has yet to be published, but we're sure the tag will be in line with what consumers are forking out in other markets. To act as a quick tease, the Lumia 925 has a 4.5-inch AMOLED display, 1.5GHz dual-core CPU, 8.7MP shooter (with 1.2MP FFC) and 1GB RAM. 

Nokia still has the register interest form setup on its website for the Lumia 925 in India.

Nokia publishes video revealing the magic behind the Lumia 1020 lens

Nokia has released a video showing off what happens inside the Lumia 1020 when you hit the shutter button to snap a photo. You may be thinking, "I've seen this before, Palash!" and you'd be correct in assuming as much. This is the same promo footage used last month when the Lumia 1020 was unveiled to the world. It's about time the video is available as a short clip.

The video is impressive, illustrating how the light hits internal components and the end result being transferred across circuitry to the PureMotion HD+ display. We've taken the Lumia 1020 for a spin, as well as reviewing the latest flagship Windows Phone, and can confirm that there's indeed black magic at work here. Either that or Nokia has simply nailed it when it comes to smartphone photography.

Asus to manufacture the Nexus 10 Refresh

 the New Nexus 10 Refresh.

Following the success of the Nexus 7 2nd edition, Google has decided to hand over the reigns of the Nexus 10 to Asus aswell. The largest of the three Nexus devices from Google is due for a refresh and is expected to hit the market soon. Every year Multiple companies submit designs to Google, who then evaluates which device they want to carry the Nexus branding for the next year. Last year both Nexus tablets were appreciated by the masses the 7 inch manufactured by Asus and the 10 inch by Samsung.Although the 10 inch Nexus Tablet last year, was almost as popular as the 7 inch variant , it seems that Samsung has been dropped out of the race this year and Asus is the manufacturer of choice. The new Nexus 10 tablet is expected to have a 2560×1600 display and will be powered by the latest generation Snapdragon Chipset by Qualcomm. A retail leak also shows the Brand Asus and the description as Google Nexus 10, which further confirms the story.

Asus to manufacture the Nexus 10 Refresh

 the New Nexus 10 Refresh

Sony Xperia i1 Teaser Image Shows A Razor Thin Phone

Sony Xperia i1 .

Company/Brand	Sony
Type	Smartphone
Announced	TBA
Chipset	Qualcomm MSM8974 Snapdragon 800
Processor	Quad-core 2.2 GHz
GPU	Adreno 330
Battery	Non-removable Li-Ion 3000 mAh battery
Primary Camera	20 MP, autofocus, LED flash

The picture shows a teasing glimpse of the right side of the phone where you can see the power button, a flap and volume rocker. This purple-coloured Honami seems to show that the frame will be of a different material – perhaps aluminium ?

As per the rumors this device supports a 20 MP camera capable of shooting a 4K video, and phone is supposed to be powered by a quad-core processor.

Just for your reference here is an closer look for the device:

Google and Asus Planning to Launch the new Nexus 7 in India by September

Google-Nexus-7-2nd-Generation.

SPECIFICATIONS-

Company/Brand	Google
Type	Android Tablet
OS	Android 4.3 Jelly Bean
Price	Rs. 18,999 Expected (16 GB)
Price Range	Rs 18500 - Rs. 25000
Announced	TBA
Hype	5/5
Chipset	Qualcomm S4 Pro
Processor	Quad Core 1.5 GHz
GPU	Adreno 320 400 MHz
RAM	2 GB
Battery	3950 mAh
Primary Camera	5 MP
Secondary Camera	1.2 MP
Video Capabilities	1080p @30fps
Weight	290 g
Dimensions	114 x 200 x 8.65 mm
Main Display	7.02
Happy news foreveryone waiting for the new Nexus 7 2013 to officially launch in India. Google and Asus are working closely to bring the device to India through official Google means and should be available for sale as early as End of September.  The early launch of the new Nexus 7 will make sense for the computer manufacturer in India, especially considering that Asus is the company working on the 10 inch variant.  The new Nexus 7 is expected to launch at a price of Rs. 18999 for the 16 GB and Rs. 20999 AND 23999 for the 32GB and 3G variants respectively. While we gather more information on the device from the companies, watch our initial set of videos below.

Micromax : Nothing like Anything but getting arrested?

                    

Two owners of the popular mobile phone company Micromax mobile have been arrested in a bribery case in New Delhi. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) caught the company bosses amidst a Rs 30 lakh bribe to the engineers of North Delhi Municipal Corporation for clearance to a banquet hall construction. Incidentally the whole scenario has nothing to do with the Micromax Mobile division, but since the owners were involved the company has come into dark waters.

The CBI on Wednesday arrested Rajesh Agrawal and Manish Tuli, both of Micromax Informatics, the officers also arrested two junior officials of the municipal corporation and carried out a total of 15 searches between MCD offices and Micromax owner residences and has recovered Rs 40 lakh in cash from the premises of one junior engineer  Kapil Dev. Vikas Jain, co-founder and business director of Micromax, declined immediate comment on the matter. The Gurgaon-based company is the 12th largest mobile handset maker in the world, according to its website.

Micromax had recently launched the Micromax Canvas 4 and is ready to launch two new handsets in the next 45 days according to co-founder Vikas Jain. This will not affect the company’s operations in any form – said another spokesperson. 

LG G2 Announced : Snapdragon 800, 5.2-inch Full HD Display

LG G2 Announced : Snapdragon 800, 5.2-inch Full HD Display .

LG announced the followup to the Optimus G today, bringing a brand new design, a massive specs sheet and rear volume controls that promise a refined, mature Android experience.

                                                                                                                                                                    

The LG G2 intends to approach smartphone design slightly differently, by being ensuring that all of the buttons are located on the rear of the device, which would mean this is the first smartphone in the market to lack any side buttons at all. The idea for a Rear Key concept arrived after LG noticed that users found it more difficult to access the side keys properly the larger a handset is.

A spacious, 5.2-inch IPS LCD display with an amazingly thin bezel graces the front of the LG G2. Its resolution of 1080 * 1920 pixels ensures that everything on it will look nice and sharp, especially knowing that a standard RGB sub-pixel arrangement has been implemented. The screen panel will be countering the sun’s rays with 450 nits of maximum brightness output.

This is the first device announced to carry a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor (with 2GB of RAM), which will have four Krait 400 cores clocked at 2.26Ghz and the company’s new Adreno 330 GPU clocked at 500Mhz. This SoC is a huge upgrade over the Snapdragon 600, and should allow for next-generation 3D gaming (when it arrives).

SPECIFICATIONS

Compa

Company/Brand	LG
Type	Smartphone
OS	Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean
Price	TBA
Announced	August, 2013
Hype	5/5
Chipset	Snapdragon 800
Processor	2.26Ghz Quad Core Krait 400
GPU	500Mhz Adreno 330 GPU
RAM	2 GB
Battery	Li-Po 3000 mAh battery
Sensor	Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass
Primary Camera	13 MP
Secondary Camera	2.1MP
Video Capabilities	1080p@60fps, HDR, stereo sound rec., video stabilization
Weight	143 g
Dimensions	138.5 x 70.9 x 8.9 mm
Main Display	5.2 inches, 1080 x 1920 pixels, True HD-IPS + LCD
In-Built Storage	32 GB (24GB user avaialble)

  Storage on the general model is 32GB with a microSD card slot included for further expansion, while LG has opted to switch to nano-SIM for its latest handset, following a trend set by Apple and recently supported by Asus and Motorola.

The LG G2 has a 13-megapixel shooter at the back with Optical Image Stabilization and a front-facing 2.1-megapixel camera, a 3,000mAh battery and Android Jelly Bean 4.2.2 Jelly Bean right out of the box. The LG G2 will be the first commercially available handset with support for 24bit, 192kHz audio output.

Following the global launch event in New York City on August 7, the LG says the G2 will be rolled out globally in over 130 countries in the next eight weeks starting in South Korea followed by North America, Europe and other key markets. Specific dates for market availability will vary by region. No word on pricing for the Indian region yet!

Best document scanner apps for iPhone: Scanner Pro, TurboScan, Genius Scan+, and more!

Best document scanner apps for iPhone: Scanner Pro, Turbo Scan, Genius Scan+, and more!

THE ABSOLUTE BEST IPHONE APPS TO ACCURATELY SCAN YOUR PAGES, STORE YOUR DOCUMENTS, AND LET YOU SHARE THEM MORE CONVENIENTLY THAN EVER!

These days you can create, edit, and share documents right on your iPhone. You can even print them out with AirPrint. But what if you want to go the other way? What if you want to scan a document in, with your iPhone, and store and share it digitally? Well, the App Store includes several document scanner apps that do just exactly that. Just point your iPhone camera, move down the page, and all the work gets done for you. But which document scanner app is best? Here are my favorites!

Scanner Pro

Scanner Pro has a great interface. Aside from that, Scanner Pro supports scanning of both documents and images as well as the ability to store them in PDF format or jpeg formats. The scanner itself is one of the fastest I have come across, and it cleans text up extremely well. You can upload images and documents and scan them directly to Dropbox, Evernote, and Google Docs. You can also sort documents into custom folders to keep them organized.

If you want a scanner app with a great interface, awesome character recognition, and multiple ways to export, get Scanner Pro.

Genius Scan+

Genius Scan+ has great character recognition and supports both images and documents. You can add multiple pages to existing documents easily and quickly. Genius Scan+ supports Wi-Fi sharing on your local network so you can instantly move documents to your computer, as well as online options for Box, Dropbox, Evernote, Expensify and Google Docs. Genius Scan+, however, doesn't do as well with color.

If you want Wi-Fi file transfer and Expensify support, and don't need color, Genius Scan+ is a great choice.

Your picks for best document scanning apps?

These are the document scanning apps for iPhone that I found to be the best when it comes to scanning documents accurately paired with options to share and save them. If you use a document and image scanning app regularly, which ones do you prefer and why? Let me know in the comments!

WhatsApp updated with new voice messages

WhatsApp updated with new voice messages

Messaging service WhatsApp has updated its mobile apps with support for one-press voice messaging. The new feature, activated by holding down the microphone icon, allows short message clips to be recorded and exchanged as part of a conversation through the instant messaging service.

Effectively a touchscreen-based push-to-talk feature, the new voice messaging button in WhatsApp records when it's pressed down, and to dismiss your own message you simply swipe it away. It's also possible to listen to voice messages privately by holding the handset up to your head — WhatsApp detects the change and switches speakers accordingly.

Instagram adds video uploads from gallery, Android 4.0 support for video

Instagram adds video uploads from gallery, Android 4.0 support for video....

Instagram has announced today that it is pushing out the first major update to its app since the release of Instagram Video back in June, putting the app to version 4.1 and adding new features and device compatibility. First up is a new feature that lets you upload any video from your device, rather than just limiting video to what you capture from within the app. When selecting a video from your gallery you can select just the part you want to share, as well as selectively square-crop the best area of the clip.

Additionally, Instagram is expanding video capabilities down to devices running Ice Cream Sandwich, which opens up the service's latest feature to millions more devices. One new feature, "Automatic Straightening", is hitting with this update on iOS but at this point hasn't been announced for the Android app.

The app update doesn't seem to be live in the Play Store just yet, but it slated to be available today