What Is an Android™ Phone?

 An Android™ phone is a cellphone that uses the Google-developed Android™ operating system and platform. Google partnered with the High Tech Computer Corporation (HTCC) to build hardware for the G1 cellphone, the first mobile phone to run the Android™ platform. In 2008, T-Mobile premiered the G1 Android™ phone to the public.

On the technical side, an Android™ phone runs on the Android™ operating system, key applications and middleware. It's Linux kernel-based, has applications that are written in the Java language and can even run applications written in the C language. It is also a product, partly, of the Open Handset Alliance, which encourages the use and advancement of open source software for cellphones.



One of the biggest differences between a phone running the Android™ platform and others is that the software Android™ uses is a complex operating system. In contrast, the majority of operational cellphones run primitive real time applications.

In regard to its Internet capabilities, the Android™ phone uses WebKit to power the G1's Chrome Lite browser. Because WebKit also powers iPhone's Safari, the G1 is a competitor to the iPhone in terms of users' enhanced web experiences. 





An Android™ phone can also run multiple applications at the same time and in the background of a phone, making multitasking easier and the functionality of the phone more fluid than other cellphones.

Android™ phones are considered revolutionary in some circles because of its open source, mobile platform. All developers, whether professional or hobbyists, are encouraged to write programs and applications for the Android™ operating system and contribute to the evolving Android™ project by submitting them to the Android™ Market. G1 users then choose to download and use the applications on their phone by accessing the application library on their handset.


Android™ offers a Software Development Kit to help developers create functional applications. While some parts of the Android™ operating system are protected under the Apache License to guard against applications that could compromise the phone's functionality, much of it is released under the General Public License which invites developers to make innovative modifications.





Comparable devices and their operating systems had before been governed by strict proprietary rules. Developers interested in inventing programs for the iPhone often encountered resistance when attempting to create iPhone programs that closely mirrored applications owned by Apple. For example, developers are prohibited from creating programs that look or act like Apple's iTunes and it's hypothetically possible for any current iPhone application developer to have his or her applications pulled from the iPhone Store if Apple chooses to compete in the same market with their version of the developer's application.




Another important distinction of the Android™ platform is that it is not tied to a specific manufacturer. Any manufacturer interested in producing its own version of an Android™ phone is welcome to use the platform for their own devices. The result could mean a large number of competing cellphone companies using Android™ to power their mobile phones and market their devices.

What Is EDGE?

EDGE is a wireless network technology generally considered the next step in the 2G network. The name is an acronym that stands for Enhanced Data GSM Environment. Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution is an alternative name that is also used. As both names suggest, EDGE is an improvement on the GSM wireless technology, which is second generation, or 2G, cell phone technology. Since EDGE is an improvement on existing technology and not necessarily a third generation, it is often referred to as 2.75G

 

EDGE is used for the purpose of wireless data transfer, such as sharing pictures and videos or browsing the Internet via a mobile phone connection. This is because the technology offers data transfer rates up to four times faster than ordinary GSM networks. As phones with Internet browser capabilities, such as the Blackberry® and the iPhone®, have become more popular, faster data transfer has become ever more important.



Because EDGE is an upgrade of GSM, it is easy for wireless carriers to upgrade their networks to offer it. The increase in data speed is achieved via more sophisticated coding, not by equipment, so new hardware is not usually necessary. Instead, a software upgrade enables the wireless carrier’s base stations to support data transfer speeds up to 384 kilobits per second (kbps)



EDGE first became available in the early 2000s. In 2003, Cingular began offering it as an upgrade to their GSM network. The wireless company also offered a mobile wireless Internet service for laptop users, which used a PCMCIA card to tap into the network. WiFi was therefore available to laptop users from almost anywhere that offered a strong cell phone signal.



Eventually EDGE became the standard, replacing less efficient wireless technology such as GPRS. Now virtually every cell phone company offers this technology. Likewise, EDGE will eventually be replaced by 3G technology such as WCDMA, which stands for Wideband Code-Division Multiple Access. As opposed to the EDGE technology’s data transfer speeds of up to 384 kbps, WCDMA offers speeds as fast as 2 megabits per second (mbps).



Although wireless companies make an effort to make advanced technologies such as EDGE and 3G networks available to most people, in general the coverage is limited to areas with dense populations or major highways. For this reason, people who live in more rural areas tend not to have access to as fast data transfer rates as people in major cities.    

Tech-integrated jacket zips up the volume

The next time your 'buds are in and someone stops to chat, you might need to unzip your jacket. Let's just hope that person knows why--your zipper is your MP3 player's volume control. 

We've seen wearable technology such as climate-reflecting dresses, but most of these garments are prototypes that will never see the production line (mostly due to high costs and a fragmented manufacturing process.) 

Jackets with slits for headphone wires and hoodies with built-in earbuds have also gotten some attention, but neither integrate technology the way Jennifer Darmour of electricfoxy envisions.

Darmour, an experiential prototyper with a knack for interactive garments, took gestures we're accustomed to--zipping and unzipping--and integrated a common gadget control, volume.

Zip is also designed to be a ready-to-wear piece, as Darmour was able to adjust the circuitry and pattern enough to keep costs down in mass production. Sometimes garments with circuitry, like Ping (another design from Darmour), are too complicated to be produced in quantities. 

It also doesn't hurt that the jacket is actually quite attractive. Unlike some wearable tech that looks a little too futuristic and funky for mainstream adoption, Zip could easily sit inconspicuously on shelves of contemporary women's clothing stores.

There's just one fundamental issue: Are you stuck cranking your music at full volume if you get cold? We hope there's some workaround.

If Zip is the sign of a ready-to-wear wearable tech trend, we should see more interactive clothing in 2011. Availability and pricing isn't yet available, but you can keep tabs on Zip and Darmour's other projects on electricfoxy. 

Until then, here's a (beautiful) video of the jacket for your viewing pleasure:

Google's Android 3.0 Honeycomb

See five home screens in one zoomed-out view.

(Credit: Google)

We already knew about Android 3.0's (Honeycomb) 3D capability and its new look with larger, revamped icons and the like. But now Google has revealed the details on many more feature updates and additions in its Android operating system for tablets.

The Goog's theme for tablets is bigger, better, and more. Tablets' larger screen size encourages a proportionately larger design and gives developers more room to play around with 3D graphics, live streaming, and deeper connections with Bluetooth devices.

It's clear that with Honeycomb, Google is urging Android 3.0 tablet makers to market tablets as laptop replacements or powerful in-betweener devices, not just as larger versions of existing Android smartphones. That's evident in the way Google is giving the browser a distinctively desktop look and feel with side-by-side browser tabs (Android smartphones call them "tabs" but treat them like windows) and with two-paned contact information windows that are easier to read on a 7- or 10-inch screen. We've already seen this with the iPad, so it's expected that Google would follow suit.

Below, we outline major changes to the user interface (UI), the keyboard, and the signature Google apps built into every Android device. You can read up on even more details in Google's Android 3.0 SDK document for developers.  

Interface changes

• New System Bar at the bottom of the screen has navigation controls. It's pervasive across all screens, but has a dimmer to become less obtrusive.
• Thumbnail view of recently accessed apps in the System Bar.
• Application controls appear in a bar whenever an app is running. Should largely replace the context menu for accessing a program's options and controls.
• Universal search bar on each of the five home screens.
• Zoomed-out overview of all five screens for easier selection (we've seen something similar in HTC's Sense skin for Android phones).
• Tweaked virtual keyboard, plus new keys, like Tab.
• After selecting text, elect to cut, copy, paste the text from the action bar.

Connectivity

• Bluetooth tethering support
• Sync media files with a USB-connected camera or desktop computer--without mounting the phone as a USB mass storage device.
• Connect USB or Bluetooth keyboards.

Updated Google apps

• Browser: Side-by-side browser tabs, automatic sign-in on Google sites, incognito (private) mode, joint bookmarks and history view.
• Camera: Gallery app gets full-screen mode, adds thumbnails for other photos.
• Contacts: Dual-pane interface, contact info presented as a contact card.
• E-mail: Dual-pane interface, select multiple messages, manage e-mail with a home screen widget.

Huayra launches flying Car Only £860,000 !!!!!

Is NOW the right time to launch an £860,000 hypercar? Probably not, but ­Pagani clearly think it is.
A replacement for the iconic Zonda, the Huayra is powered by AMG’s trusty bi-turbo 6.0 V12, good for up to 730bhp.

Top speed is 230, with 60 coming up in just over three seconds. ­Keeping all that power tidy is a Bosch three-stage traction control system.

There’s a seven-speed paddle-shift box mounted transversely behind the engine, kerb weight is just 1350kg and the whole plot, including those fabulous gullwing doors, is made of carbon fibre wrapped around a carbon titanium skeleton.

Uniquely, Pagani say the body ­actually changes shape like an aircraft wing to reduce aerodynamic drag, with four movable air flaps that can be manually or ­automatically ­operated. If that’s not enough, you can even adjust the front ride height to control air flow under the car at speed and during hard braking.
The Huayra’s tour de force, though, is its heavily chromed baroque interior, which glitters like a Bond Street ­jeweller’s window.


And Pagani are really bullish, planning to invade the US and Chinese markets, doubling ­annual production and even opening an entire new factory this year.

Double dips aside, we should be heartened by the fact that there are plenty of people out there for whom £860,000 for a weekend toy is a mere bagatelle. Apparently they are known as wealth creators.

Tablets With Intel's Meego OS Coming in Second Quarter

ablets and netbooks based on Intel's Meego OS are expected to start shipping in the second quarter this year, a source familiar with Intel's plans said on Friday.

Intel has been investing heavily in the development of Meego, which is a lightweight Linux OS for tablets, smartphones and embedded devices. Thus far, Meego has not been offered by any tablet or netbook vendor.

Meego is currently in version 1.1, with version 1.2 due for release between April 21 and April 27, according to the Meego roadmap.

An Intel official declined to say when Meego-based tablets and netbooks would come out, saying the company doesn't comment on unannounced products. However in the past Asustek Computer and Acer have voiced support for Meego.

Intel has already shown Meego on tablets. The demonstration highlighted the multitasking capabilities of the OS, with the ability to run multiple applications at the same time, and allowing up to five users to play a game simultaneously.

With Meego, Intel hopes to provide an OS optimized for a range of low-power devices based on its Atom processor. Atom competes with the ARM processor, which is used in most tablets including Apple's iPad and Samsung's Galaxy Tab. Intel is also porting Android 3.0, code-named Honeycomb to work on Atom chips.

Meego was originally announced in February last year by Intel and Nokia. The OS merged Intel's Moblin and Nokia's Maemo OSes, and development is now being managed by The Linux Foundation.

Devices based on Intel's latest Oak Trail tablet chip, which is based on an Atom processor, are expected to reach the market by either late this quarter or early next quarter. Intel is also expected to talk about its latest smartphone chip, code-named Medfield, at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona from Feb. 14 to Feb. 17.

The Meego OS will vie for market share with tablet OSes including Google's Android and Apple's iOS. Canonical in the past has said it would come out with a version of the Ubuntu OS for tablets.

While the company doesn't have commercial tablet customers, automobile alliance Genivi Alliance said it would standardize on the adoption of MeeGo for use in in-vehicle entertainment and Internet systems. Genivi Alliance members include BMW and General Motors.

Western Digital 3TB Caviar Green HD: Pushing the capacity envelope

The big buzz in hard drives right now is Western Digital's 3TB WD Caviar Green (Model WD30EZRS) internal drive. Along with its cavernous capacity, the drive, which is available for about $230, boasts a 64MB cache and is SATA 3Gbit/sec.-compatible. But what makes it special -- it's the largest capacity internal hard drive currently available -- is also what makes it awkward.

Western Digital's 3TB WD Caviar Green

MBR to GPT

To begin with, operating systems such as Microsoft Windows -- including Windows 7 -- tend to use a Master Boot Record (MBR) partition table arrangement as their standard. MBR can only address 2³² logical blocks on the hard drive with a common sector size of 512 bytes -- in other words, a maximum of 2.19TB of data.

The alternative is to use GUID Partition Tables (GPT), which allow for up to 2⁶⁴ of logical block addressing. The file system is still Windows NTFS, but the partitioning scheme allows for drives larger than 2.19TB.

(Unfortunately, I ran into problems when I tried to switch to GPT on a Windows Vista system. Vista offered the choice of partitioning as MBR or GPT the first time through but then reverted to MBR-only. After a few unsuccessful hours of trying to fix the situation, I simply wiped the system's boot drive and installed Windows 7. Everything worked well after that.)

While 32-bit Windows XP systems can't handle GPT natively, there is a solution: Paragon Software Group's Paragon GPT Loader, which is currently free under its early adopter program. The software allows XP computers to use drives larger than 2.19TB.

However, there still may be an issue you have to deal with: Not all applications can handle GPT, even on 64-bit systems. As a result, Western Digital has supplied a workaround: a HighPoint Rocket 620 internal half-height SATA card, which it ships with the 3TB drive. The card has two SATA 6 ports and handles the emulation, if needed, to allow software to work with the larger 3TB hard drive.

Testing

In order to test whether using a drive under GPT offered disadvantages (or advantages) over a drive under MBR -- in other words, to determine if switching the partition scheme for 3TB of space is worth the trouble -- I not only tested the performance of the 3TB drive, but also tested a 2TB Caviar Green drive (Model WD20EADS), using both the MBR and GPT partition arrangements.

I first portioned both drives as GPT and tested using Simpli Software's HD Tach and Futuremark's PCMark Vantage HDD test.

2TB and 3TB Caviar Green HDs partitioned as GPT

	Burst Speed (MB/sec.)*	Average Read (MB/sec.)*	Random Access (milliseconds)**	PCMark Vantage*
2TB Caviar Green HD	180.3	86.7	20.2	3679
3TB Caviar Green HD	179.3	114.9	15.6	3739

*Higher is better **Lower is better

The two drives ran at nearly identical burst speeds, with the 3TB drive marginally faster at average reads (114.9 versus 86.7) and random access (15.6 versus 20.2).

The PCMark Vantage results were also virtually the same. The 3TB drive running under a GPT partition table was the performance equal (actually, the slight leader) when compared to the 2TB drive.

Knowing now that the two drives were equivalent performers (in other words, managing the larger-capacity 3TB drive caused no lag in performance), I revisited the 2TB and converted its partition table to MBR. Would it be faster or slower than GPT under MBR?

I ran the same test suites, using the same Rocket 620 controller, and compared them to the GPT results for that same drive.

2TB Caviar Green HD partitioned as MBR and GPT

2TB Caviar Green HD	Burst Speed (MB/sec.)*	Average Read (MB/sec.)*	Random Access (milliseconds)**	PCMark Vantage*
MBR	178.0	86.7	20.4	3566
GPT	180.3	86.7	20.2	3679

*Higher is better **Lower is better

Whether MBR or GPT partitioning was used, the 2TB drive performed identically. In other words, using the 3TB drive under GPT will give you more capacity without slowing performance.

Conclusions

The 3TB Caviar Green with its Rocket 620 card carries a retail price tag of about $230, while a 2TB Caviar Green drive can be had for about $90.

At a Glance

WD Caviar Green 3TB

Western Digital Corp.
Retail price: $230-$321
Pros: Large capacity, good performance
Cons: Can only work partitioned under GPT

That's a big chunk of change for 50% more capacity. You could purchase two 2TB drives for less than the price of a single 3TB unit. However, keep in mind that you'd also end up with twice the power consumption and twice the heat generation -- so it might not be a good trade-off for small form factor computers at the very least. In addition, if you're planning (or already have) a server farm where more than 10 of these drives are used, your power savings and heat reduction would be significant.

Note, in addition, that a 3TB drive could be very useful in a dual drive computer, with one slot filled by a solid state drive (SSD) and the other by the 3TB hard drive. The SSD could be used as a boot and application drive to increase boot-up and load times, and the hard disk drive could be used as the mass storage device.

As a newly introduced hard drive, the 3TB Caviar Green is at its cost zenith. That should start to dip significantly over the next few months. If you can't wait, the only thing you're out is the extra money. Added capacity and lower maintenance issues are genuine pluses.

Without Internet, Egyptians find new ways to get online

"When countries block, we evolve," an activist with the group We Rebuild wrote in a Twitter message Friday.

That's just what many Egyptians have been doing this week, as groups like We Rebuild scramble to keep the country connected to the outside world, turning to landline telephones, fax machines and even ham radio to keep information flowing in and out of the country.

Although one Internet service provider -- Noor Group -- remains in operation, Egypt's government abruptly ordered the rest of the country's ISPs to shut down their services just after midnight local time Thursday. Mobile networks have also been turned off in some areas. The blackout appears designed to disrupt organization of the country's growing protest movement, which is calling for the ouster of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

"[B]asically, there are three ways of getting information out right now -- get access to the Noor ISP (which has about 8 percent of the market), use a land line to call someone, or use dial-up," Jillian York, a researcher with the Berkman Center for Internet & Society, said via e-mail.

Egyptians with dial-up modems get no Internet connection when they call into their local ISP, but calling an international number to reach a modem in another country gives them a connection to the outside world.

We Rebuild is looking to expand those dial-up options. It has set up a dial-up phone number in Sweden and is compiling a list of other numbers Egyptians can call. It is distributing information about its activities on a Wiki page.

One of the dial-up numbers is run by a small ISP called the French Data Network, which said it was the first time it had set up such a service. Its modem has been providing a connection "every few minutes," said Benjamin Bayart, FDN's president, speaking in an online chat.

The international dial-up numbers only work for people with access to a telephone modem and an international calling service, however. So although mobile networks have been suspended in some areas, people have posted instructions about how others can use their mobile phones as dial-up modems.

The few Egyptians able to access the Internet through Noor, the one functioning ISP, are taking steps to ensure their online activities are not being logged. Shortly before Internet access was cut off, the Tor Project said it saw a big spike in Egyptian visitors looking to download its Web browsing software, which is designed to let people surf the Web anonymously.

"We thought we were under denial-of-service attack," said Andrew Lewman, the project's executive director. The site was getting up to 3,000 requests per second, the vast majority of them from Egypt, he said. "Since then we've seen a quadrupling of Tor clients connecting from Noor over the past 24 hours," he said.

Even with no Internet, people have found ways to get messages out on Twitter. On Friday someone had set up a Twitter account where they posted messages that they had received via telephone calls from Egypt. A typical message reads: "Live Phonecall: streets mostly quiet in Dokki, no police in sight. Lots of police trucks seen at Sheraton."

Others are using fax machines to get information into Egypt about possible ways to communicate. They are distributing fax machine numbers for universities and embassies and asking people to send faxes to those numbers with instructions about how to use a mobile phone as a dial-up modem.

Members of the hacker group Anonymous have also been getting in on the act. They are reportedly faxing some of the latest government cables from WikiLeaks which reveal human rights abuses under President Mubarak, to locations in the country, according to Forbes magazine.

We Rebuild describes itself as "a decentralized cluster of net activists who have joined forces to collaborate on issues concerning access to a free Internet without intrusive surveillance." It has set up an IRC for people who can help with ham radio transmissions from Egypt. They are trying to spread the word about the radio band they are monitoring so that people in Egypt know where to transmit. Some ham enthusiasts are setting up an FTP site where people can record what they hear and post the recordings. So far, they say they've picked up Morse code messages.

Allen Pitts, a spokesman for the National Association for Amateur Radio, said no one has picked up any voice transmissions from Egypt for the past couple of days. But it's possible that people in Egypt are transmitting over shorter-range frequencies that carry only 30 or 50 miles, he said.

One problem with ham radio is that most people who know how to use it in Egypt were probably trained by the military and may be opposed to the protests. Others may be wary of transmitting because they are worried about who might be listening.

During earlier protests in Iran and Tunisia, the governments clamped down on specific websites, but access to the Internet was not severed in such a wholescale fashion.

Apple, RIM, ZTE won in booming Q4 cellphone market

North American smartphone vendors Apple and RIM , along with low-cost Chinese producer ZTE , emerged as the biggest winners on the booming cellphone market in final quarter of 2010.

Research firm IDC estimated the global handset market grew last quarter 18 percent from a year ago, while Strategy Analytics said growth was at 16 percent.

"Mobile phone users are eager to swap out older devices for ones that handle data as well as voice, which is driving growth and replacement cycles," IDC analyst Kevin Restivo said in a statement on Friday.

The phone market has recovered from a slump in 2009 when the global economic slowdown dampened sales of the latest gadgets. Demand has surged for new smartphones like Apple's iPhone 4 and Samsung's Galaxy S.

Apple's sales of iPhones grew 86 percent from a year ago, while RIM sold 35 percent more Blackberrys than a year ago in its latest fiscal quarter to end-November.

RISE OF ZTE "The past year has been a highly disruptive period, as high-tier smartphone specialists and manufacturers of entry-level handsets with multiple SIM-card slots made gains at the expense of several established mega-vendors," said analyst Neil Mawston from Strategy Analytics.

Asian vendors like ZTE, Micromax and Spice have benefited in India and elsewhere from growing uptake of phones which can have several operators SIM cards, enabling consumers to switch to cheapest provider for each call.

Strong sales of cheaper cellphones in China, Africa and Latin America helped to lift ZTE to the fourth-largest position -- following only Nokia , Samsung and LG -- for the first time ever, IDC said.

ZTE's phone sales grew 77 percent from a year ago to 16.8 million handsets, IDC said.

"While most of its shipments have historically concentrated on entry-level and mid-range devices, some of its recent success is directly attributable to its rapidly expanding smartphone line," IDC said.

Among top phone vendors Nokia, LG, Motorola Mobility and Sony Ericsson all reported declining sales for the quarter, losing market share to smartphone vendors Apple and RIM on the high-end of the market.

Apple India brings iPad; starting price Rs 27,990

The Apple iPad is finally here! Starting Friday, you can visit the nearest Apple retailer (or iStore) and pick up the tablet you've always wanted. The starting price of Rs 27,990 will most likely make Apple aficionados rub their hands in delight. The base version of the iPad (16 GB, wi-fi only) has been selling at Rs 33,000 in the grey market and on online stores.

iPad has earned the title of the fastest selling gadget ever. In less than a year of its launch, it has sold nearly 15 million units, earning close to $10 billion in revenue. The iPad launch was announced in the US exactly a year ago (January 27, 2010), though it only went on sale in April 2011. Since then, the iPad has single-handedly reinvented the tablet market.

Though not through Apple, iPad has been on sale in India since August 2010, mostly through the grey market. Several e-commerce websites also started selling the device subsequently. Analysts peg the total number of iPads in India currently at about 40,000 units. This includes sales through the grey market, online sales or those who simply purchased the device abroad.

Not only is the India launch of the iPad delayed (it was launched in Hong Kong & Singapore as far back as July 2010) but the iPad 2, due out in a couple of months, is rumored to have dual cameras, a higher resolution 'retina' display and a faster processor. Add that to the increasing competition from other tablet makers like Samsung, Motorola and BlackBerry and your choice becomes confusing- wait for iPad 2 or pick up a non-Apple device that packs in more features.

Like elsewhere in the world, an entire ecosystem is getting created around the iPad. Accessories for Apple products is a flourishing industry and various accessories for the iPad have been available for the past few months at electronics stores and e-commerce sites.

BSNL has announced 3G plans specifically for the iPad while Airtel, Vodafone and Idea have been selling micro SIM cards (for 3G versions) for some time.

In all, there are six versions of the iPad available; capacities of 16, 32 or 64GB in a choice of Wi-Fi only or Wi-Fi + 3G. The 16GB Wi-Fi only version will be priced at Rs 27,990 while the top of the line 64GB Wi-Fi + 3G version will be priced at Rs 44,990.

Nokia launches affordable mobile phone targeting youngsters

AHMEDABAD: Targeting youngsters who want to be connected to social networking sites, Nokia today launched its affordable mobile phone with QWERTY device in Gujarat.

"The Nokia X2-01 is competitively priced with colourful design and optimised for messaging performance," head service marketing, Nokia India, Jasmeet Gandhi told mediapersons here.

"Among mobile phones, QWERTY category of phones are the fastest growing segment where messaging and accessing emails could be faster," he said.

"The X2-01 is targeted at the youngsters who want to be connected with the internet and social networking sites, and want information on the go," Gandhi said.

It has been kept in the affordable range looking at the spending capacity of college goers and teenagers, he added.

Gandhi said with the new 3G spectrum coming in place, Nokia is also planning to add more 3G enabled phones to its portfolio.

In the past few years the company has seen more business coming from the rural market rather than the urban centres, he added.

The main reason behind this growth from rural areas was because the mobile operators had now started exploring the rural markets, Gandhi said.

Social networking leads to sex faster - survey

(Reuters) - Nearly four out of five women and three of five men say they believe texting, Facebook and other social networking tools cause new couples to jump into bed faster, a survey released on Monday showed.
But only 38 percent of women say they have actually slept with a date any sooner because of digital intimacy, according to the 1,200 women and men who participated in the third annual sex survey by Shape and Men's Fitness magazines.
Smart phones and laptops are the new toys that lead to the bedroom, it said, with nearly 80 percent of women and 58 percent of men saying social media tools leads to sex faster.
Texting is the No. 1 way lovers stay in touch, the survey found, with men texting 39 percent more often than phoning and women 150 percent more.
Even before the magic begins, 70 percent of women and 63 percent of men use Google and other online tools to screen potential dates.
Sixty-five percent of those polled said they had been asked out by text and 49 percent through a Facebook message.
Once the relationship clicks, 72 percent of women report scouring a current partner's ex-girlfriends' Facebook pages.
Even in the heat of passion, some people just can't get enough of their digital devices, the survey found. When a call or text comes in during sex, 5 percent of respondents said they glance to see who is calling and 1 percent say they stop to answer the phone.
And when the spark is extinguished, digital dumping is the new way to break up, with 43 percent of women and 27 percent of men reporting getting a text along the lines of "It's not you, it's me."
For the heartbroken, the Internet keeps hope alive, with 81 percent of all respondents saying they won't de-friend an ex on Facebook and 75 percent admitting to constantly checking a former sweetheart's page.

Now, get a glowing smile with LED teeth

Now you really can light up the room with your smile — thanks to a new trend for LED teeth that`s sweeping Japan.

Japanese schoolgirls could be the driving force behind a new era of fashionable accessories for your teeth. Instead of gold, however, these "fronts" contain bright multicolored glowing LED lights.

The mouth insert lights up when the wearer opens their mouth, providing a glowing smile, reports the Daily Mail. The LED teeth can even be controlled by a remote, which allows you to change the colour. The LED smiles can easily be affixed to your teeth and glow different colors while you smile. The colors can be changed wirelessly through a computer interface. Of course they work best in the dark.

The product is being advertised as a `party in your mouth`, and demand has gone through the roof. The new fashion accessories were originally created as an experiment by two Japanese designers and are now being used in a commercial advertising a winter sale at a Japanese clothing store, Laforet Harajuku. They are quickly becoming a sought after accessory.

Motoi Ishibashi, one of the designers involved in the project, explained in a blog post that the original idea for the LED smiles came after he saw a video last year of LED Throwies, which are little lights that can be affixed to a magnet and thrown on metal surfaces. They are like lighted graffiti.

 

Huawei Ideos Launched in India via Aircel

 Chinese giant Huawei has launched its Android handset Ideos in India. The Android 2.2 running phone has been released by Aircel and is priced at Rs. 8,499. If you are a postpaid Aircel subscriber, you will be able to use up to 2GB of mobile data every month.

The phone comes with a 2.8 inch QVGA Capacitive touchscreen. The good thing about Ideos is that it comes with Android 2.2 (Froyo) at launch, while competing models like the Samsung Galaxy 5 i5500 or even the Micromax Andro still run Android 2.1 with no guarantee that they'll ever get updated to 2.2. A worrisome part about this phone is the slow 528 MHz processor. However, we hope the interface is smoother due to Android 2.2's speed optimizations. Other regular specs include Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS and 3G. The phone comes with a 3.2 megapixel camera.

Alfa Romeo 8C Spider

The Alfa Romeo 8C Spider was unwrapped at the 2009 Paris Motor Show. This car will be made available in the Indian market from 2010 through Fiat. The beautiful design of the car is sure to make it popular among the elite class of individuals.

Alfa Romeo 8C Spider Specification

The Alfa Romeo 8C review indicates that the car comes with a 4691cc petrol engine and this engine can deliver power of 441 bhp at 7000 rpm along with peak torque of 480 Nm at 4750 rpm. The length of the car is 4381mm and its width is 1894mm while its height is 1341mm. The car can easily accommodate 2 individuals.

The engine of the car is mated with 6-speed manual gearbox and the heavy clutch together with the responsive gearbox makes this car a dream machine. The steering wheel of the car is accurate and extremely responsive. The car has unequal length control arms for suspension and the car also comes equipped with four ventilated discs that have Brembo callipers. The car has a top speed of 292 km/hr and can reach 0 to 100 km/hr in just 4.2 seconds.

Alfa Romeo 8C Spider Mileage

The mileage figures for the car on Indian roads are not known as yet.

Alfa Romeo 8C Spider Interiors

The interiors of the car are well designed and the cabin features black leather. The car has Sparco racing seats. The car has three spoke steering wheel that has reach and rake adjustment feature. The seats in the car are power operated and can be operated back a long way. Taller people may find it difficult to comfortably sit on closure of the manual roof. The car has automatic climate control feature and a top grade audio system.

Alfa Romeo 8C Spider Safety features

The safety features in the car include 8 airbags, traction control, fog lamp and parking sensors. The other safety aspects include antilock brake system, electronic brake force distribution feature and electronic stability program.

Alfa Romeo 8C Spider Price and design variations

The car will cost around Rs 2.65 crore in the Indian market and it will be available in a single design variation.

Alfa Romeo 8C Spider Colors

The colors in which the car will be available in the Indian market are not known as yet.

BMW 7

The BMW 7 series sedan is a car having fresh style with great power. The front of the car has flowing lines and ornamented grille. This sedan is a high end luxurious vehicle with excellent features and this makes the car stand out from its competition. The BMW 7 series review indicates that the cars in this series are fifth generation cars and compete with other cars like Volkswagen Phaeton, Audi A8, Mercedes and Lexus.

BMW 7 Series Specification

The BMW 7 series cars come equipped with 2979 cc, V8 petrol engine. This engine can deliver maximum power of 326 bhp at 5800 rpm along with maximum torque of 450 Nm at 1500 rpm. The length of the car is 5212 mm and its width is 1902 mm while its height is 1483 mm. The car can seat 4 individuals comfortably.

The other engine options in the series include 3.0L I-6 diesel engine, 4L and 4.8L engines. The car has a turning circle of 6.35 metres. The car has power steering along with front and rear disk brake system. The car has 6 automatic gears and the kerb weight of car is 2010 kgs. The suspension system of the car includes double joint tiebar and springstrut axle.

The gear system of the car has septronic features and this allows the gears to be changed comfortably and in quick time. The suspension system of the car ensures that occupants can enjoy a smooth ride. The car also has dynamic driving control features wherein dampers are adjusted in inbound as well as rebound strokes depending on the driving conditions.

The car can be driven in four stages which include comfort option, normal option, sport option and sport plus option. The car has Integral Active Steering feature and this allows control over the steering angle of rear and front and this in turn improves the car’s performance.

BMW 7 Series Mileage

The 4.0L V8 petrol engine variant of the series offers mileage of 7.14 km/litre in the city while its mileage on the highway is 12.98 km/litre. The 4.8L V8 petrol engine variant delivers mileage of 6.09km/litre in the city and its mileage on the highway is 11.76 km/litre. The 3.0L I-6 diesel engine variant delivers mileage of 10.52 km/litre while its mileage on the highway is 13.88 km/litre.

BMW 7 Series Interiors

The interiors of the car have a clean and elegant look and the controls are well arranged and easily accessible. The BMW 7 series review shows that the interiors of the car have Black Panel technology and this makes the instrument cluster look blank when it is not actively used. The car has state of art entertainment system and comes equipped with four zone automatic air condition system. The car has optional contour sliding roof and the seats are extremely comfortably.

The TV module in the car incorporates two 9.2 inch screens and these are integrated in backrest area of front seats. The seats can be electrically adjusted. The rear seats have massage and venting function. The steering wheel has leather fabric wrapping and has several controls. The panel has chrome touches and this enhances the elegance of the interiors.

BMW 7 Series Safety features

The safety features in the car include anti lock brake system, antiskid system, traction control, front as well as rear airbags and curtain side and knee airbags. The car also has active roll stabilisation feature. The other features include runflat tyres, crumple zones, central locking and electronic immobiliser. Some other innovative features include brake energy regeneration, BMW night vision and head up display.

BMW 7 Series Price and design variations

The price of the cars in this series is around Rs 76.60 lakhs to approximately Rs 1,24,10000. The design variations available in the car include 730Ld, BMW 740Li, BMW 750Li and BMW 760Li.

BMW 7 Series Colors

The cars in this series are available in seven colors and these include Monaco blue, titanium grey, Kalahari beige, alpine white, black sapphire, sterling and titanium silver.

Brabus Bullit

The Brabus Bullit is a car designed for individuals regarding themselves to be speed freaks. Brabus is a brand known for launching reengineered vehicles by enhancing engine performances of the vehicles. The company specialises in enhancing performance of cars like Maybach and Mercedes. The Brabus Bullit will be introduced in the Indian market in the D+ segment.

Brabus Bullit Specification

The Brabus Bullit review indicates that the car will have a 6.3L V12 petrol engine under its hood. This engine will be delivering exceptional power of 740 bhp and torque of 1350 NM. The engine does not come with automatic gearbox and in fact it is mated with a normal 5-speed automatic transmission feature.

The length of the car is 4726mm and its width is 2020mm while its height is 1438mm. The car has a slick bodywork design and also has a beautiful finish. The car has top speed of 360 km/hr and it can reach 0 to 100 km/hr in just 3.9 seconds.

The car has front and rear disc brakes and buyers also have the option of ordering carbon disc brakes. The suspension system of the car includes coil springs and torsion bar. The car has boot space of 475 litres.

Brabus Bullit Mileage

The mileage figures for the car on Indian roads are not known.

Brabus Bullit Interiors

The car has air conditioner with dual zone climate control feature and the car has remote central locking. The car also has a dash integrated audio system and the steering has rake and reach adjustment feature. The driver’s seat can be electrically adjusted.

Brabus Bullit Safety features

The car has several safety features and these include 10 airbags, fog lamp, parking sensors and traction control. The car also has antilock brake system, electronic brake force distribution feature and electronic stability program.

Brabus Bullit Price and design variations

The price of the car is Rs 1.75 crore and the car will be available in a single design variation.

Brabus Bullit Colors

The colors in which the car will be available in India is not known as yet.

Ferrari 458

Ferrari has for long been considered as the ultimate speed machine in the automobile market. The company will now be making its much anticipated entry in the Indian market in 2010 through Fiat. The Ferrari 458 Italia was introduced in the Frankfurt Motor Show and this car will be making an entry as a replacement for the Ferrari F430.

Ferrari 458 Italia Specification

Ferrari cars have always been recognised by their aggressive styling and the Ferrari 458 has the same styling. The Ferrari 458 Italia review indicates that the car will have a powerful 4499cc, V8 petrol engine. The engine can spew massive power of 545 bhp at 9000 rpm along with peak torque of 540 Nm at 6000 rpm.

The length of the car is 4527mm and its width is 1937mm while its height is 1213mm. The car can seat 2 individuals and has tilt steering. The car has 7 automatic gears and front ventilated as well as rear disk feature. The kerb weight of the car is 1380 kgs.

Ferrari 458 Italia Mileage

The car is expected to deliver mileage of 4 km/litre in the city while the mileage on the highway is expected to be around 7 km/litre.

Ferrari 458 Italia Interiors

The interiors of the car have been designed based on the inputs given by Michael Shumacher. The steering wheel has several controls as against the controls being on the dashboard and this makes the interiors similar to those found in several racing cars. The car has leather seats and the seats can be electrically adjusted as can the steering wheel. The car has dash integrated music system.

Ferrari 458 Italia Safety features

The car has several safety features and these include 6 airbags, fog lamp, parking sensors and traction control. The car has antilock brake system, electronic stability program and brake force distribution feature.

Ferrari 458 Italia Price and design variations

The car is expected to cost around Rs 1.95 crore. The car is available in a single design variation.

Ferrari 458 Italia Colors

Though traditionally Ferrari users have been known to enjoy their Ferrari cars colored red the Ferrari 458 will be available in several different colors.

Audi Q7

The Audi Q7 was launched three years ago and immediately became a powerful and popular automobile in the sport utility market. The vehicle is suitable for individuals looking for a car that would cater to their business as well as sport and recreation needs. The Q line of Audi indicates that the car is placed between A6 and A8 line of Audi cars.

Audi Q7 Specification

The car is available in both petrol as well as diesel engines. These include 3.6L FSI Quattro, 3.0L TDI Quattro and 4.2L FSI Quattro engines. The 3.0L TDI Quattro can deliver power of 240 bhp while the 3.6L FSI Quattro can deliver output of 280 bhp. The 4.2L FSI Quattro can deliver power of 350 bhp. The car has four wheel drive feature and this ensures that power is equally distributed and this makes driving the car a safe and pleasurable experience.

The air suspension ensures that the car becomes extremely stable and the tiptronic shifting in the car ensures that shifting can be smooth and hassle free. The car is 5089mm long and its width is 2177mm while its height is 1737mm. The car has boot space of 775 litres. The ground clearance of the car is 165mm and its kerb weight is 2235kgs. The car has a fuel tank capacity of 72 litres.

The car has double wishbone suspension along with twin tube shock absorbers and this offers extra comfort while driving the car in both on road and off road conditions. The customer also has an option to select adaptive air suspension feature and this allows for varied ground clearance and this allows the driver select different driving modes which include comfort, dynamic and automatic.

Audi Q7 Mileage

The 3.6L FSI Quattro petrol engine delivers mileage of 5.9km/litre in the city while its mileage on the highway is 10.8km.litre. The 4.2L FSI Quattro petrol engine delivers mileage of 5.7km.litre in the city while the mileage on the highway is 10.1km/litre. The 3.0L TDI Quattro diesel engine delivers mileage of 8.8km/litre in the city and its mileage on the highway is 12.8km/litre.

Audi Q7 Interiors

The interiors of the car are elegant and spacious and its design is entirely driver oriented. The car has multi-media interface unit and the seats of the car are quite comfortable and can be adjusted in 28 varied ways. The rear seats can be folded down and the high quality materials used in the interior make the car stand apart. The multi-media interface has large knob along with video display and this allows operation of climate control, audio and other functions. The car has sufficient legroom as well as shoulder and head room. The Audi Q7 also has voice control feature wherein the driver can operate the cell phone or audio system by uttering the song name or phone number.

Audi Q7 Safety features

The car has several safety features and these include electronic brake force distribution, anti lock disk brakes (four-wheel), electronic differential lock and ESP along with traction control. The car has a speed sensitive servotronic steering, tyre pressure monitors, airbags, load limiters and seatbelts in the front with pre-tensioners.

Audi Q7 Price and design variations

The price of the car is around Rs 52 lakhs to approximately Rs 66 lakhs. The car is available in several design variations and these include Q7 4.2 FSI Quattro, Q7 3.6 FSI Quattro, Q7 3.0 TDI Quattro and Q7 4.2 TDi Quattro.

Audi Q7 Colors

The car is available in several colors and these include Ibis White, Orca black, Teak brown, deep black, graphite grey, cobalt blue, bahia beige, ice silver, condor grey, lava grey and garnet red.

India's failed-promises saga continues - $35 tablet cancelled!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Indian Government has always disappointed people with its false hopes. Earlier in the beginning of 2009, Indian Government unveiled a $10 educational laptop which turned out to be a substandard flop receiving various negative views about it. Now it is $35 tablet's turn.

The expected launch of $35 tablet, 'Sakshat' in the mid of January by the Indian Government is now delayed due to bank security issues. HCL which was to raise a security deposit of 60 Crore and could not do it for reasons unknown. A security deposit is always demanded by the Government on any tender. The proposal was made in June last year and the tender was given to HCL. Now a report states that the tender is cancelled.

 ment's specification at such a low cost?

The proposal to launch $35 tablets which would run on Android OS was quoted the cheapest compared to the earlier version of OLPC XO which was launched at $100, was aimed for educational developments of children across U.S. and other developing countries. The government had also allotted $6.5 million for the so called 'ambitious project'.

It is said that a re-advertisement for new tenders are issued already, but nothing can be found in the Government website and HCL also states that it has not been informed yet of the cancellation.
There are a lot of speculations happening about the project. Earlier there were accusations regarding the product that it was not an Indian product and it is completely outsourced from China.

Another aspect that has popped up regarding the pricing of the device as India has also proposed to import a few components from Taiwan and Korea. Though the device proposed at $35, exported out of India would cost about $124. Now the final actual pricing of the tablet is yet to be quoted.

The Indian Government usually has a habit of building greater hopes and then finally shattering them to pieces. Now we have to wait and see whether the proposed $35tablet also would end up with same note as $10 educational laptop or according to a senior official "The sun will raise in 2011".

What is 8-Wire Resistive Touch Screen Technology?

The Basics of Resistive Touch Screen Technology

	What Makes Touch Screen Technology Work
	Polyester Film Upper Resistive Circuit Layer Conductive ITO (Transparent Metal Coating) Lower Resistive Circuit Layer Insulating Dots Glass/Acrylic Substrate Touching the overlay surface causes the (2) Upper Resistive Circuit Layer to contact the (4) Lower Resistive Circuit Layer, producing a circuit switch from the activated area. The touch screen controller gets the alternating voltages between the (7) two circuit layers and converts them into the digital X and Y coordinates of the activated area.

Resistive LCD touchscreen monitors have a flexible top layer and a rigid bottom layer separated by insulating dots, with the inside surface of each layer coated with a transparent metal oxide. Voltage applied to the layers produces a gradient across each layer. Pressing the flexible top sheet creates electrical contact between the resistive layers, essentially closing a switch in the circuit. The control electronics alternate voltage between this system of layers, the overlay, to get x then y touch coordinates. These x and y coordinates are then relayed to the computer's operating system through the touch screen controller connected to the overlay.

Resistive touchscreen technology possesses many advantage over other touchscreen technologies. Highly resistant and durable, resistive touch screens are less susceptible to contaminants than acoustic wave touchscreens and less sensitive to the effects of severe scratches than capacitive touchscreens are. In addition, resistive technology is more cost-effective for industrial applications than the more expensive Near Field Imaging (NFI) technology. Finally, resistive technology provides better touch sensitivity and resolution than infrared touch technology does. 

Because of its versatility and cost-effectiveness, resistive technology is ideal for various markets and applications. These include food service and retail point-of-sale (POS), medical monitoring devices, industrial process control and instrumentation, portable and handheld products, and communication devices.

4-Wire, 5-Wire, and 8-Wire Resistive Touchscreens

Resistive touch technology exists in either 4-wire, 5-wire, or 8-wire form. 4-wire resistive technology is primarily restricted to small flatpanels (less than 10.4"). 5-wire touchscreens suffer from spacer dots and Newton rings problems. Neither account for high-level short-term variances between the resistive circuit layers nor have good axis linearity. Ultimately, 8-wire technology seeks to eliminate these deficiencies. 8-wire touchscreens, which are available in a variety of sizes, are less susceptible to Spacer Dots and Newton Rings. They have ligther spacer dots and substantially less problems with Newton rings.

SPI vs. I2C

Introduction to Serial Peripheral Interface

Another option for low-cost, low-speed communication "inside the box" is the serial peripheral interface.

Several months ago in Beginner's Corner, we covered the inter-integrated circuit bus. I²C is a popular technology for low-cost, low-speed, communication "inside the box" ("I²C," August 2001, p. 87 ). Another choice to consider is the serial peripheral interface (SPI).

SPI vs. I²C

Both SPI and I²C provide good support for communication with slow peripheral devices that are accessed intermittently. EEPROMs and real-time clocks are examples of such devices. But SPI is better suited than I²C for applications that are naturally thought of as data streams (as opposed to reading and writing addressed locations in a slave device). An example of a "stream" application is data communication between microprocessors or digital signal processors. Another is data transfer from analog-to-digital converters.

SPI can also achieve significantly higher data rates than I²C. SPI-compatible interfaces often range into the tens of megahertz. SPI really gains efficiency in applications that take advantage of its duplex capability, such as the communication between a "codec" (coder-decoder) and a digital signal processor, which consists of simultaneously sending samples in and out.

SPI devices communicate using a master-slave relationship. Due to its lack of built-in device addressing, SPI requires more effort and more hardware resources than I²C when more than one slave is involved. But SPI tends to be simpler and more efficient than I²C in point-to-point (single master, single slave) applications for the very same reason; the lack of device addressing means less overhead.

Inside the box

SPI is a serial bus standard established by Motorola and supported in silicon products from various manufacturers. SPI interfaces are available on popular communication processors such as the MPC8260 and microcontrollers such as the M68HC11. It is a synchronous serial data link that operates in full duplex (signals carrying data go in both directions simultaneously).

Devices communicate using a master/slave relationship, in which the master initiates the data frame. When the master generates a clock and selects a slave device, data may be transferred in either or both directions simultaneously. In fact, as far as SPI is concerned, data are always transferred in both directions. It is up to the master and slave devices to know whether a received byte is meaningful or not. So a device must discard the received byte in a "transmit only" frame or generate a dummy byte for a "receive only" frame.

Figure 1: Single master, single slave SPI implementation

SPI specifies four signals: clock (SCLK); master data output, slave data input (MOSI); master data input, slave data output (MISO); and slave select (ÇSS). Figure 1 shows these signals in a single-slave configuration. SCLK is generated by the master and input to all slaves. MOSI carries data from master to slave. MISO carries data from slave back to master. A slave device is selected when the master asserts its ÇSS signal.

If multiple slave devices exist, the master generates a separate slave select signal for each slave. These relationships are illustrated in Figure 2.

Figure 2: Single master, multiple slave SPI implementation

The master generates slave select signals using general-purpose discrete input/output pins or other logic. This consists of old-fashioned bit banging and can be pretty sensitive. You have to time it relative to the other signals and ensure, for example, that you don't toggle a select line in the middle of a frame.

While SPI doesn't describe a specific way to implement multi-master systems, some SPI devices support additional signals that make such implementations possible. However, it's complicated and usually unnecesary, so it's not often done.

A pair of parameters called clock polarity (CPOL) and clock phase (CPHA) determine the edges of the clock signal on which the data are driven and sampled. Each of the two parameters has two possible states, which allows for four possible combinations, all of which are incompatible with one another. So a master/slave pair must use the same parameter pair values to communicate. If multiple slaves are used that are fixed in different configurations, the master will have to reconfigure itself each time it needs to communicate with a different slave.

At a higher level

SPI does not have an acknowledgement mechanism to confirm receipt of data. In fact, without a communication protocol, the SPI master has no knowledge of whether a slave even exists. SPI also offers no flow control. If you need hardware flow control, you might need to do something outside of SPI.

Slaves can be thought of as input/output devices of the master. SPI does not specify a particular higher-level protocol for master-slave dialog. In some applications, a higher-level protocol is not needed and only raw data are exchanged. An example of this is an interface to a simple codec. In other applications, a higher-level protocol, such as a command-response protocol, may be necessary. Note that the master must initiate the frames for both its command and the slave's response.

Both SPI and I²C offer good support for communication with low-speed devices, but SPI is better suited to applications in which devices transfer data streams.

SPI's full duplex communication capability and data rates (ranging up to several megabits per second) make it, in most cases, extremely simple and efficient for single master, single slave applications. On the other hand, it can be troublesome to implement for more than one slave, due to its lack of built-in addressing; and the complexity only grows as the number of slaves increases.

Far from being just a dumb "byte port," SPI is often an elegant solution for modest communication needs. It can also serve as a platform on which to create higher-level protocols.

Panel to review advanced internet protocol implementation

The Department of Telecom (DoT) will set up a panel to review the progress of implementation of a next version of internet protocol, IPv6, in the government sector and to prepare a national IPv6 address policy. IPv6 will increase the capacity for internet domains. Domains listed under the current

 

protocol IPv4 are nearing exhaustion and are expected to run out by March 2012.

"DoT has decided to form a panel of consultants for IPv6 implementation in the government sector and to prepare the national IPv6 address policy for the country," the ministry said in a statement.
The move was decided by the central and nodal officers in a meeting to review the progress of IPv6 implementation. Security and law enforcement issues in view of adopting IPv6 were also discussed.
Last year, the DoT had released a national IPv6 deployment roadmap under which all the government departments have to use IPv6 services by March 2012.
According to officials, the new protocol is a scalable technology with the potential to spread the internet reach to each of India's 1.17 billion people. It is already being implemented in the US, EU and Japan, among others.

Official images of Nokia X7-00 unleashed

Last November we reported about the Nokia X7-00 device that was mysteriously tested for gaming - performance and four speakers. Evan Blass, Managing Editor of PocketNow has "http://pocketnow.com/tech-news/nokia-x7-for-att-fully-exposed" grabbed the official press images of Nokia X7-00 indicating that the handset will come with AT&T branding for North America. Obviously we expect the smartphone to be unveiled at the Mobile World Congress 2011 in Barcelona starting February 14.

Nokia X7-00 powered with Symbian^3 operating system and comes with a big touchscreen - probably same size as in the Nokia N8. It's safe to assume that the touchscreen might come built with the ClearBack technology and support nHD pixel resolution. However in terms of imaging, the X7-00 would be a bit step down against the N8. Nokia has packed 8-megapixel camera in X7-00 with dual-LED flash.

Shell of the phone seems to be carved from a single slab of aluminum and the front panel has four speakers at four corners. There's a dedicated camera key on the right bottom of the phone and above it lie the volume rocker keys. The 3.5mm audio port is on the top middle of the phone and next to it is a micro-USB port.

We'll update this space as more details pour in for the same.

Can Your Camera Phone Turn You Into a Pirate?

MY wife and I sat cross-legged on the floor of a local Barnes & Noble store recently, surrounded by several large piles of books. We were searching for interior design ideas for a new home that we are planning to buy

As we lobbed the books back and forth, sharing kitchen layouts and hardwood floor textures, we snapped a dozen pictures of book pages with our iPhones. We wanted to share them later with our contractor.

After a couple of hours of this, we placed the books back on the shelf and went home, without buying a thing. But the digital images came home with us in our smartphones.

Later that evening, I felt a few pangs of guilt. I asked my wife: Did we do anything wrong? And, I wondered, had we broken any laws by photographing those pages? 

It’s not as if we had destroyed anything: We didn’t rip out any pages. But if we had wheeled a copier machine into the store, you can be sure the management would have soon wheeled us and the machine out of there.

But our smartphones really functioned as hand-held copiers. Did we indeed go too far? 

I asked Julie A. Ahrens, associate director of the Fair Use Project at the Stanford Law School. “The core issue here is that you are creating a copy of something rather than buying it,” she said. “Is it morally incorrect? Maybe. But it entirely depends how much of the book you copy, and what you do with that copy, that would determine if it was illegal.”

These kinds of questions aren’t entirely new, of course. Consider the heyday of the photocopier, in the 1960s and early ’70s. After the Xerox copying machine was introduced into offices in 1959, it quickly found its way into libraries. The price of copies dropped, and people began to photocopy books and journals in large numbers. Many students discovered that it was cheaper to photocopy a friend’s textbook — or a copy of his copy — than to buy the book. 

By the 1970s, the publishing industry saw the copier as the enemy, and publishers began to file lawsuits — prefiguring, by several decades, the music industry’s suits against those who would download free music over the Internet. 

Time magazine covered this earlier era of copyright confusion. The photocopier’s opponents said the technology enabled theft and “stifled creativity and punched holes in the copyright laws,” according to one article. 

After endless legal battles, the publishing industry succeeded in persuading Congress to pass the Copyright Act of 1976, which defined “fair use” of copyrighted material and sought to establish a set of rules for ownership of content. It allowed limited replication of snippets of music, video and text, and it gave teachers the right to photocopy certain materials without having to pay hefty fees to publishers. 

That worked well enough — for a while. But it didn’t take long before new technologies came along. The Internet and other digital tools like file sharing enabled new forms of duplication and set off new copyright disputes. 

Stan Liebowitz, a professor of economics at the University of Texas at Dallas and the director of its Center for the Analysis of Property Rights and Innovation, spent years investigating the economic impact of the Xerox machine on the publishing industry. 

He said my cellphone copying bore some resemblance to that earlier behavior, but because it depended on the portability and ubiquity of the phone’s camera, he said it was closer to music piracy. “When you’re talking about people making copies of things with their cellphones, it’s much closer to people making MP3s than people using Xerox copies of books,” Mr. Liebowitz said. “In the 1970s, everyone didn’t have a photocopier sitting in their home. Now everyone has a cellphone in their pocket that can easily copy anything.” 

Music file sharing didn’t become a mass activity until a simple digital compression technology, MP3, was invented. That made it simple to copy (in the industry’s view, steal) the music. 

As the technology in cellphones advances, higher-resolution cameras, image-enhancing software and high-clarity screens make it delightfully easy to capture a photograph and view it later. There may not be Web sites devoted to purloined pictures — there are such sites for music or videos — but many people have a cavalier attitude toward using cameras to obtain copyrighted material. 

Charles Nesson, the Weld professor of law at Harvard Law School and founder of the Berkman Center for Internet and Society there, also said that the act of “documenting” a book, as he called it, bears many similarities to pirating music. It could lead to a new wave of legal cases brought by bookstores or publishers, he said, much like the litigation brought by music companies against sites like Napster and LimeWire and their users. 

“If people are taking a picture of a picture to take with them, then is it is exactly like the MP3 issue,” Mr. Nesson said. 

Need I worry yet that a phalanx of lawyers will soon grab me between the Home Décor and New Age aisles at Barnes & Noble? 

Mr. Nesson says the question is unanswerable for now. The music industry, he says, has a strategy of going after individuals while not addressing changing technologies as they apply to copyright law. The publishing industry could well do the same, he adds. “I think the law and the draconian action of copyright holders will stay the way it is for a long time,” said Mr. Nesson “There’s change in the air, but it’s not a change that’s going to come very quickly.” 

Indeed, it could be years before the publishing industry feels real economic pressure caused by people who take pictures of books or magazines with their mobile phones. In fact, it’s quite possible that digital technology will make this particular problem moot. 

As Ms. Ahrens says, “By the time this becomes an issue, we might not even have bookstores anymore.”