Nissan and PlayStation Launch GT Academy in India To Find Motorsport Talent

Nissan and PlayStation have launched a GT Academy in India with the aim of trying to find local motor racing talent. This academy is the newest in a line that includes similar institutions in Europe, Russia, Middle East, South Africa, and USA.

GT Academy’s qualifying malls will begin with live events to boost awareness at high footfall, popular malls in five Indian cities, followed by Nissan hosting the inaugural competition at the Delhi Auto Expo, one of the world’s most eminent auto expos, on February 6 2014. There will also be an online qualifier on PSN.

Matthew De La Haye, Nissan’s Vice President Communications, Africa, Middle East, India and Europe said, “We’re delighted to launch GT Academy in India; bringing the programme here reinforces our commitment to growing the Nissan brand and developing relationships with both existing and potential customers. GT Academy really proves that Nissan stands for innovation and excitement for everyone.”

Darren Cox, Nissan’s Director of Global Motorsports said, “For many reasons having India join the GT Academy programme has been a long held personal objective of mine and I’m proud that it has now come to fruition. GT Academy is getting huge international interest. We know that there are gamers outside of the traditional GT Academy territories that want a shot at winning so in 2014 we have extended the program to India as well. Nissan is an international company with global ambitions and it’s exciting that GT Academy reflects that.”

Hyundai joins mini sedan race with Xcent

NEW DELHI: There's a race for entry-level sedans that are typically under 4-meters in length, use diesel engines that are sub-1,500cc and petrol that are under 1,200cc. The excise duty on them is lower and these affordable mini-sedans are feeding the appetite of aspirational Indians who want a "car with a boot". 

After Honda and Ford, it is now Hyundai's turn to enter this fast-growing segment created originally by Tata Motors when it rolled out a truncated version of its Indigo sedan. Others replicated Tata's formula, but Maruti's Dzire, an elongated version of the Swift, stole the march. 

Hyundai is now gunning for this segment, but when competition is getting stiffer. Honda's Amaze came in as a tough challenger to Dzire and now Tata has driven in the Zest and Ford its Figo sedan concept. Hyundai plans an early start in contrast to Tata and Ford, who will take a while to put their models in the market. The Xcent will debut in March. Hyundai is understood to be planning "aggressive pricing" to make it highly competitive, officials said. The car that borrows its name from the company's old warhorse, the now phased-out Accent (with a tweak in the spelling), focuses on Indian driving needs and lifestyles. The Xcent, expected to be highly fuel efficient, will have both petrol and diesel engines. And, Hyundai says it will have automatic and manual versions. The company plans to offer safety features like ABS and air bags on some variants. "The Xcent is a world-class product developed for India," Hyundai India MD BS Seo said. 

PC shipments slump seven percent as businesses continue to shun Windows 8

GLOBAL PC SHIPMENTS have declined by seven percent over the last year, analysis outfit Canalys has reported, backing similar reports by fellow market watchers IDC and Gartner.

Unlike its counterparts, Canalys counted tablet shipments in its PC sales figures, which it said showed a global rise of 18 percent over the last year. However, because tablets accounted for 48 percent, almost half of the total PC market, the firm said that the rest - PCs, laptops and notebooks - saw a worldwide decline of 6.9 percent year on year, with shipments falling in all regions.

The market tracker said tablet shipments alone grew 65 percent year on year to reach 76.3 million units.

Although PC shipments are in downward spiral overall, Canalys reported that commercial demand is improving as businesses face up to the need to migrate from Windows XP. However, along with this it seems that there's an uncertain future for Windows 8 in the commercial sector.

"Windows 8 will not be a major beneficiary as many businesses will take the safer option of moving to Windows 7," the firm said. "Vendors heavily exposed to the consumer notebook market still face an uncertain future. Windows 8 uptake remains weak and the PC refresh cycle shows no sign of returning."

"With Windows 9 reported to be scheduled for an April 2015 release, Microsoft risks losing momentum unless it does something drastic to turn its Windows business around," Canalys added, saying that consumers are becoming more open to Windows alternatives such as Google's operating systems.

The market leader in both tablet and PC shipments was Apple, which shipped 30.9 million units in the fourth quarter to take a 19.5 percent share of the market.

It shipped 26 million iPads, which accounted for 84.3 percent of its total shipments in the fourth quarter. Apple's share of the overall tablet market increased in the fourth quarter to 34 percent from 27 percent from the third quarter, with the launch of the iPad Air and iPad mini with Retina display being responsible for the increase.

"But competition is mounting and Android tablets are falling in price, which will put pressure on Apple's market share in 2014," Canalys added.

Lenovo held second place in Canalys rankings, securing 12 percent share of the total PC market in the fourth quarter.

Lenovo's PC shipments increased 26 percent year on year, driven by what Canalys said was growth outside its core Chinese market, where its shipments declined, and rising in Europe.

"Lenovo's 11.7 percent decline in notebook shipments in China was offset by impressive growth in other regions, notably EMEA, where shipments grew 30.4 percent," the firm said.

"Lenovo was early to embrace Android as a tablet OS, while the likes of HP and Dell waited for Windows 8 and prioritised margin over volume. Lenovo's strategy has paid off, not only in its home market but worldwide."

In December, IDC said that the PC market will decline worse than had been expected in 2013, as smartphones and tablets continue to dominate the consumer technology market.

"Worldwide PC shipments are expected to fall by -10.1 percent in 2013, slightly below the previous projection of -9.7 percent, and by far the most severe yearly contraction on record," IDC said in its Worldwide Quarterly PC Tracker report.

Gartner also predicted similar trends. During the third quarter of 2013, the firm said sales of PC devices in Western Europe fell year on year by 12.8 percent, but in the UK the decline was 21.1 percent, more than in France and Germany. µ

 

Samsung, LG to Unveil Smartphones at Mobile Expo

Samsung and LG electronics will unveil their latest smartphones at the Mobile World Congress 2014 that opens in Barcelona on Feb. 24.

Samsung on Tuesday announced that it will hold an event at the fair to showcase its latest smartphones including the Galaxy S5, the latest model in the popular series.

The Korean electronics giant also plans to unveil the latest version of its wearable smartphone Galaxy Gear.

LG plans to unveil the G Pro 2, a device halfway between a tablet PC and a phone like Samsung's Galaxy Note series at the expo. It could be launched in Korea even before the event.

Apple urges court to put e-books antitrust monitor on hold Reuters, February 05, 2014

Apple Inc urged a federal appeals court on Tuesday to put a court-appointed antitrust monitor on hold, arguing that his efforts were harming the company's business.

The iPhone maker asked the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York to halt monitor Michael Bromwich's work while the court considers Apple's bid to remove him altogether, a process that could last several months.

(Also see: Apple seeks removal of monitor appointed in ebooks case)

"We can't turn back the clock," said Theodore Boutrous, a lawyer for Apple, in explaining why the company would suffer irreparable harm if the monitor is allowed to continue before the appeals court has a chance to decide whether his appointment was appropriate in the first place.

But a U.S. Department of Justice lawyer told the court that the monitor was essential to ensure that Apple complies with the law, after a federal judge last summer found the company liable for conspiring with five publishers to raise e-book prices. Apple, the lawyer said, cannot be trusted to comply on its own.

(Also see: Apple conspired to raise prices of ebooks, rules judge)

"The preliminary injunction demands that Apple fully understands why and how it needs to comply with antitrust laws, not a year from now but today," Finnuala Tessier said.

The three-judge panel said it would take Apple's request under advisement. For now, the monitor's work is on hold until the court determines whether to grant Apple a longer stay.

The hearing followed months of legal wrangling over Bromwich, who was appointed by U.S. District Judge Denise Cote in October to oversee Apple's compliance policies in light of her finding that Apple had illegally fixed e-book prices. Cote rejected Apple's bid to stop the monitor's work in January, and the company appealed to the 2nd Circuit.

Apple has accused Bromwich of aggressively and unnecessarily pursuing multiple interviews with top executives, including Jonathan Ive, the company's chief designer. It has also complained that Bromwich's fees and duties would cost it millions of dollars.

But the judges seemed skeptical of those arguments, noting that Apple is one of the world's richest companies.

"Maybe if they had spent some of their very valuable time keeping the company from violating antitrust laws, perhaps they wouldn't be in this position," Judge Gerard Lynch said.

Apple also argued that under Cote's order, Bromwich's powers are far too broad, permitting him unfettered access to executives and documents.

Under questioning from the judges, Tessier said the monitor's duties are limited to ensuring that effective policies are developed and implemented. He is constrained from investigating instances in which the company may have violated antitrust law and must turn over any such evidence to the court, she said.

6th generation Amazon Kindle Paperwhite out in India, starts at Rs 10,999

Amazon’s new Kindle Paperwhite is now available in India on Amazon.in and also at over 250 retail outlets across the country including Croma, Reliance Digital, E-Zone, and Vijay Sales stores. The new Kindle Paperwhite with Wi-Fi only is priced at Rs 10,999 while the Wi-Fi + 3G version is priced at Rs 13,999. You can check out our review of the new Kindle Paperwhite tablet with 3G here.

It weighs only 206 grams which is lighter than the 222 grams of the previous Paperwhite. Dimensions are identical at 169 x 117 x 9.1 mm, with a 6-inch capacitive touchscreen as was seen with the older model.

Some of the new features in the 6th generation Kindle Paperwhite are:

• New display technology with higher contrast:  According to Amazon, Kindle Paperwhite’s display is the most advanced e-reader display ever manufactured and much more advanced than any other e-reader’s display.

• Built-in light: Guides light toward the surface of the display for comfort reading.

• A faster processor: By 25 percent according to Amazom, which allows books to open faster.

• New Kindle Page Flip: Users can skim page-by-page, scan by chapter, or skip to the end of your book, all without losing their place.

• Share with Friends on Goodreads, although Goodreads on Kindle is only available when connected to Wi-Fi.

• Vocabulary Builder which compiles words you look up in the dictionary into an easy-to-access list. You can laters use these lists to quiz yourself with flashcards and instantly see words in context.

• Smart Lookup which integrates a full dictionary and Wikipedia so you can access definitions, characters, settings and more without leaving your page.

• In-line Footnotes: Users can just tap on the screen and read complete text of each footnote in-line without changing the page.

• Kindle Free Time: This is aimed at Children and lets users created personalised profiles for kids and give them access to titles from your collection of books. Children are rewarded with achievement badges that keep track of their personal reading accomplishments. A progress report keeps parents updated on total time spent reading.

• Cloud Collections: Organise your books in customised collections for easy reference, and Amazon’s Whispersync technology synchronises the collections across your Kindle devices.

The Kindle Paperwhite will deliver 8 weeks of battery life. In addition to GoodReads, the  Facebook and Twitter share options are also there. The e-reader also has parental Controls which allow parents to restrict access to the Kindle Store, Cloud Archive and the Experimental Web Browser, for their children.

Kaspersky backtracks on its statement, says it never accused Facebook of reading SMS

Kaspersky the internet security firm which revealed that Facebook is trying to snoop around and read your texts and confidential information, says it is not the source of the news. A mail was sent confirming the same after the report went viral on the internet.

The guys over at Indian Express received the mail sent from the PR team of Kaspersky which says that it is not the one who broke the news about Facebook reading text messages of its Android customers. The firm tries to say that it was only commenting on the technical aspect of the permission the social network seeks when users sign up for the application.

Only yesterday, we had reported that Kaspersky has released a report revealing that Facebook is taking access to its Android users’ text messages and calendars. When downloading the app, you need to give your consent to certain permissions such as access to your SMS so the social network can read your messages and identify the code.

This saves you from taking the trouble of entering the code by yourself. Another thing is about your calendars that gives Facebook direct access to the events in it so it can identify whether you are free to attend those events for which you have been invited on the website or not.

But we would still like to remind you what Kaspersky says, that check the app permissions before giving your consent to them.

Best is yet to come, says Facebook’s Zuckerberg

SAN FRANCISCO : The 10 years since the founding of Facebook have been an “amazing journey,” but the best is still to come, Mark Zuckerberg says. Zuckerberg, the founder and chief executive of the world’s biggest social network, reflected on the anniversary in a posting Tuesday on his own Facebook profile.
“Today is Facebook’s 10th anniversary. It’s been an amazing journey so far, and I’m so grateful to be a part of it,” the 29-year-old Zuckerberg wrote. “It’s rare to be able to touch so many people’s lives, and I try to remind myself to make the most of every day and have the biggest impact I can.” Zuckerberg said Facebook succeeded because “we just cared more about connecting the world than anyone else. And we still do today. That’s why I’m even more excited about the next 10 years than the last.”
 He said the first decade was “about bootstrapping this network. Now we have the resources to help people across the world solve even bigger and more important problems.”
Zuckerberg said he is often asked if he knew Facebook would become what it is today and he responds, “No way.” “I remember getting pizza with my friends one night in college shortly after opening Facebook. I told them I was excited to help connect our school community, but one day someone needed to connect the whole world,” he wrote. “I always thought this was important - giving people the power to share and stay connected, empowering people to build their own communities themselves. When I reflect on the last 10 years, one question I ask myself is: why were we the ones to build this? We were just students. We had way fewer resources than big companies. If they had focused on this problem, they could have done it.” Zuckerberg made similar comments in an interview Tuesday with NBC television.
“It’s so rare to have the opportunity to touch a billion people’s lives and I really think that the best is yet to come.” On his Facebook page, Zuckerberg said he sees a different role for Facebook in the future. “Today, social networks are mostly about sharing moments. In the next decade, they’ll also help you answer questions and solve complex problems,” he wrote. The network, which has some 1.23 million users worldwide and has grown into one of the biggest technology firms, was planning a low-key celebration. “Just as we do every year, we will have an internal party on Friday afternoon,” Facebook spokeswoman Arielle Aryah told AFP in response to a query regarding the company’s birthday celebration plans.
Facebook broke ground late last year on an expansion to its campus in former Sun Microsystems digs in the Silicon Valley city of Menlo Park. The new West Campus was designed by respected architect Frank Gehry. A Pew Research Center survey released Monday suggests no slowing momentum for the network, even though more than half of US Facebook users said they are turned off by oversharing and didn’t like the fact that they showed up in pictures without giving permission.
According to the research firm eMarketer, Facebook has become the second-largest recipient of digital advertising spending behind Google, and is particularly strong in mobile ads. Ben Harper at the research firm Socialbakers said Facebook has gotten where it is because of its constant innovation. “It’s easy to forget that features such as timeline, graph search and business pages haven’t always been there for us to use,” Harper wrote in a blog post.
“For businesses, Facebook has become a platform for reaching and engaging with current and potential new customers,” he said. “Facebook advertising has powerful targeting options... For users, Facebook has changed the way we interact with friends, family and our favorite brands. We’re sure Facebook has many more innovations and surprises coming in the near future.”

As with any new CEO, Microsoft’s Satya Nadella will have a packed agenda that includes filling top management roles and re-examining strategy. The tech giant on Tuesday named Nadella to replace Steve Ballmer. He is only the third chief executive in Microsoft’s 38-year history. The longtime insider will be tasked with catching rivals in the mobile devices arena and offering more software and services over the Internet.

Here are some of the most pressing items on Nadella’s to-do list as he reshapes Microsoft into a “mobile-first, cloud-first” company:

Integrate Nokia’s mobile device business

Microsoft’s $7.3 billion acquisition will add roughly 30,000 employees to Microsoft’s existing 100,000 workers — barring some likely layoffs. Nokia, the largest maker of phones that run Microsoft’s Windows Phone software, was also believed to be working on a phone that uses Google’s Android operating system prior to the acquisition. It’s unclear whether Microsoft will cancel the effort in time for the industry conference where Nokia was expected to show off the phone, Mobile World Congress, which starts on 24 February.

Fix Windows and unite the company’s various operating systems

Windows 8 and the Windows 8.1 upgrade have not revived the PC market as expected. That’s mainly because keyboard- and mouse-users have found it difficult to navigate the touch-first “modern” interface which uses large tiles. Analysts expect Microsoft to merge its Windows Phone and Windows RT operating system for lightweight tablets into one system to appease software developers and consumers alike, while restoring some familiar navigation tools to the computer-based version of Windows. Look for announcements at the Mobile World Congress or Microsoft’s own developers’ conference, Build, which starts 2 April.

Set a hardware strategy

Microsoft’s Surface tablets have been losing money despite increased sales; the newly released Xbox One is expected to be unprofitable until game sales begin to make up for costly hardware; and Nokia’s phone shipments plunged in the latest quarter. Turning these units into healthy profit centers —or getting rid of them— will be one of the many decisions Nadella faces.

Pick a management team

Microsoft passed over many internal candidates in favor of Nadella, including former Skype head Tony Bates and Chief Operating Officer Kevin Turner. How Nadella works with them will give an indication of the company’s direction going forward.

Work with the board, including Bill Gates

Nadella asked Microsoft’s founder to increase his involvement in the company’s products and technology, meaning Gates will relinquish the chairmanship to John Thompson. How Nadella balances his own vision with Gates’ could be a challenge. As well, investment fund ValueAct Capital is set to appoint its president, G. Mason Morfit, to Microsoft’s board at the company’s first quarterly meeting this year. While ValueAct is a booster of the very cloud-computing and enterprise software businesses that Nadella helped to build, the new CEO’s relationship with the board and its latest large investor will be important.

Sony Expects Sales of 5 Million PlayStation 4s This Year

Sony Corp. (6758) expects the PlayStation 4’s lower price and wider variety of entertainment services to drive its forecast to sell 5 million units of the game console by the end of March.

The projection for its new generation machine, set to be introduced at $399 in November, compares with 3.55 million units sold in a similar period for the PS3 which was offered in some regions at $599, Andrew House, the head of Sony’s game operation, said in an interview today. The predecessor console was released in 2006.

Sony’s PS4 will be on U.S. shelves a week before Microsoft Corp. starts selling its Xbox One for $499 as both seek to reignite growth in the console business as casual players switch to games on smartphones and tablet computers. Sony is staggering the release of its machine in an effort to avoid shortages that hurt sales of its predecessor, and is positioning the PS4 as a portal for games, films and music.

“The advantage of PS4 is that we already have a network and community in place,” House said at the Tokyo Game Show. “More importantly we have services from the launch of the device rather than have them appearing gradually as at the time we did with PS3.”

At least 20 games will be available as it competes with the Xbox One with Sony working with about 620 software developers to produce content.

The machine will be released in North America on Nov. 15 with 32 markets to be reached by the end of this year while Japan sales will start Feb. 22. The PS4 will be introduced in Asia in December, including sales in Hong Kong, Singapore, Korea, Malaysia and Taiwan.

‘Clear Positive’

“This will be well ahead of the Xbox One,” Damian Thong, an analyst at Macquarie Group Ltd. in Tokyo, said in an e-mailed report today. The timing is “a clear positive since Asia is a big opportunity,” he wrote.

Sony fell 0.3 percent to 2,127 yen at the close of trade in Tokyo. The stock has more than doubled this year, compared with a 41 percent gain in the Topix index.

The PS4 is a central element of Chief Executive Officer Kazuo Hirai’s plan to revive Sony with games and mobile devices, and he has set a target of being No. 1 in the U.S. market, the biggest chunk of the $63 billion global market as estimated by DFC Intelligence. The top position currently is held by the Xbox 360.

“It’s become an old concept that consoles are just for games,” House said earlier today at the game convention in Makuhari, near Tokyo. “PS4 will not only meet the expectations of core gamers but possibilities of the console are way beyond that.”

Surging Smartphones

The new consoles will be offered in Sony’s home market for 39,980 yen ($404), the company said this month. Orders have already topped 1 million, House said Aug. 21.

The PS4 and Xbox One are each projected to sell 3 million units worldwide this year, the estimate of Michael Olson, an analyst with Piper Jaffray in Minneapolis. By comparison, smartphone shipments in the second quarter alone totaled 229.6 million, according to researcher Strategy Analytics.

In the last round of consoles, Sony placed third in the U.S., according to NPD Group data through 2010. Microsoft overtook Nintendo Co. (7974)’s Wii two-and-a-half years ago and has led since.

The unveiling of the PS4 in June impressed game enthusiasts and industry analysts with its price and policies that included unrestricted swapping and trade-ins of used games.

Currency Impact

The PS4, with a combined processor and memory architecture from Sunnyvale, California-based Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (AMD), features a PC-like design that Sony executives say will make developing games easier.

Sony’s game unit posted an operating loss of 14.8 billion yen in the quarter ended June 30, the company said last month.

The weakening yen against the dollar is negative for Sony’s game business as it pays for components in the U.S. currency, House said. Still, the weakening Japanese currency against the euro boosts sales in Europe when repatriated in the yen, he said.

“Currencies are obviously extremely difficult to predict,” said House. “As we see sort of some balance between those two movements most recently, I think, the effect overall is rather neutral.”

Samsung Galaxy S4 mini hitting Canada in early October

Samsung Galaxy S4 mini will finally be available in Canada in October. While we’re still not sure which carriers will sell it, we’re guessing that all major ones will jump on board. Up until this point only TELUS confirmed it will offer the petite version of Sammy’s flagship device but it’s safe to assume that Rogers and Bell will join the party, as well.

Specs wise, the “mini” comes with a 4.3-inch qHD (540×960 pixels) screen, 8-megapixel rear and 1.9-megapixel front cameras, 1.7GHz dual-core processor, 1.5GB of RAM, while Android 4.2 Jelly Bean is running the show. As such, it will be more affordable than the Galaxy S4, while offering a comparable experience though on a smaller screen.

All said, we expect Samsung to move quite a few minis in Canada… and elsewhere for that matter.

BBM to be available on Android and iPhone this weekend

BlackBerry Messenger will be available to download on iPhone and Android smartphones from this weekend.

BBM was previously only available on BlackBerry phones but will now be available as a free download from the Android and iOS app stores.

Users will be able to see when their messages have been delivered and read, and share photos with friends - just like on a BlackBerry.

BlackBerry says BBM video calling will be added to the app soon.

BlackBerry faces tough competition from other messaging apps with similar features, like Apple's iMessage which launched in 2011.

iOS 7: how to successfully install the new software for iPhone and iPad

Apple has released its new operating software for iPhone and iPad, iOS 7, bringing a new look and new features to the popular devices.

Many users have already rushed to download the new software, causingApple’s servers to become overwhelmed with the volume and causing multiple failed downloads.

Others have, perhaps wisely, chosen to wait a few days for the immediate rush to be over and any potential niggles with the new software to be identified.

For those still to download and install iOS 7 or those who are baffled about where to start, here is a guide to make the process as easy as possible.

Plug it in

No matter how you choose to update the software, you should plug in your device. It is going to take a while and you don’t want to run out of battery midway though.

Loosing battery life at the wrong moment could make the process far more laborious and potentially lead to data loss.

Apple devices are very pretty, but they are much better when they run smoothly, so avoiding any potential hitches will keep your stress levels down.

Connect to the internet

The iOS 7 update is around 752 MB in size, depending on the type of device you have, so downloading using a data network is likely to be expensive. Apple recommends connecting to a Wifi network.

Backing up your phone will also take time and use data, so it is best to use a stable Wifi network.

Direct update or download with iTunes?

There are two ways to install iOS 7 on your iPad and iPhone – either directly on the device itself or by plugging it into a computer and updating through iTunes.

For the impatient, then the direct approach will probably allow the most instant gratification – just make sure you back up your device first (see below).

Those with little storage space, all their data backed up to iTunes or simply an inherent distrust of the iCloud – Apple’s remote storage service – it may be easier to plug your device into your computer and update through iTunes.

Back up your device

Installing the new software will write over the old one and this can wipe data from your device.

Some who have already updated have reported losing photos, contacts, music and text messages. Documents, preferences and files held in Apps may also be lost.

By backing up your iPhone or iPad, you can ensure you can get it back.

There are two ways of doing this: first, by using iTunes.

If you regularly synchronise your phone with iTunes, this may be the easier method. All the settings and preferences, along with data will be saved there.

Simply select your device in iTunes and click on the Summary tab. Then click Back Up Now button.

If you have purchased music or other content on your device, then it is a good idea to transfer purchases too.

The other option is to backup from the iCloud. Again, if you have been using the iCloud to back up your device, then this is easy.

Normally your iPhone or iPad will automatically back up to the iCloud on a daily basis whenever it is plugged in and connected to Wifi.

To perform a manual backup, connect to the internet with Wifi and using the Settings menu to select the iCloud and Storage & Backup at the bottom of that page.

To ensure all your data and apps will be backed up, select Manage Storage, select the your device and check all the apps you want to back up are switched on under Back up Options.

Then navigate back to Storage & Backup and turn iCloud Backup on. Depending on how much data you have and when you last backed up this will take a few minutes to complete.

If you do not have enough storage space, then you may need to either buy some more from Apple or use the iTunes method above.

Note that iCloud will not back up music, videos and movies not purchased in the iTunes store.

Clear some space

iOS 7 needs at least 3 GB of storage to successfully update. If you do not have this much available on your device, then the direct download may not work for you and you will have to use iTunes.

Alternatively, delete some of the photos, music and apps that you don’t need to clear some space and try again.

Restart your device

It may not be necessary, but some iPhone and iPad experts recommend performing a restart prior to installing the new operating software.

This may help reduce the chances of frozen updates and install failures. Simply press and hold the power button and the home button together for a few seconds.

The screen will go black and then the Apple logo will appear as the device restarts.

Download and install the update

If downloading directly, simply go to General Settings and select Software Update. Apple will tell you if you can download the software. If you have a device running software older than iOS 5, then you are not doing to be able to do this.

Simply click Download and let it run.

After the download, tap Install on the pop-up message and leave it to do its business. Your device will restart and should then restore all your data from the backup in the iCloud.

If using iTunes, then select your device and click Check for Update. Then click the prompt to Download and Update.

Do not disconnect your device until the update has finished and your phone has restarted and fully synced with iTunes. This may take a while, so be patient.

Apple will not let me download

iOS 7 is only supported by iPhone 4 and newer and iPad 2 and newer.

Many of the features on iOS 7, such as AirDrop, are not available on devices older than a iPhone 5 and iPad 3, so you may not miss all that much anyway.

What if it goes wrong?

If for some reason the update fails and you end up with a phone that is more of an expensive paper weight, fear not.

If you backed up before you updated then all is not lost. Simply restore from a prior backup to get all your data back and then try again.

If you did not backup, then what were you thinking? Go back to the top of this article, read it again and don’t be so impatient next time.

To solve most problems, plug your phone in to iTunes and click restore factory settings. You can then try to install the software, apps and other data from here.

As for those pictures of your summer picnic in the park where you wore those trendy new sunglasses – sadly if you didn’t back them up, they are probably gone forever.

Samsung launches Note 3 smart phone at Rs49,900 and Galaxy Gear smart watch at Rs22,900

announced the launch of its Note 3 smart phone priced at Rs49,900 and the Galaxy Gear smart watch priced at 22,900 in Indian markets.

Note 3 will have advanced S Pen which will not only enable the user to make notes on their phone but also give access to various applications. Weighing 168 gms, the Android-based 3 would have a 5.7-inch screen and 13 megapixel camera.

The new phone features an even bigger 5.7-inch full HD Super AMOLED (1920 x 1080) screen, improved stylus functions, a 13-megapixel rear camera and faster data connection than the conventional 4G network.

Specification of Samsung Note 3

Network
- 2.5G (GSM/ GPRS/ EDGE) : 850 / 900 /1800 / 1900 MHz
- 3G (HSPA＋ 42Mbps): 850 / 900 / 1900 /2100 MHz
- 4G (LTE Cat 4 150/50Mbps) : up to 6 different band sets(Dependent on market) Processor
- LTE 2.3 GHz Quad-Core Processor 
- 3G Octa Core Processor (1.9GHz Quad + 1.3GHz Quad) 
- The selection of AP will be differed by markets.

Display
- 5.7 inch (144.3mm)
Full HD Super AMOLED (1920 x 1080) OS
- Android 4.3 (Jelly Bean)

Camera
- Main(Rear) : 13 Mega-pixel BSI Sensor, Auto Focus camera with Smart Stabilisation, LED Flash(High CRI), and Zero Shutter Lag
- Sub (Front) : 2 Mega-pixel BSI sensor with Smart Stabilisation, Full HD recording @30fps
- Dual Camera : Dual Shot / Dual Recording / Dual Video Call
- Recording : UHD 30fps (*may differ by market), Smooth motion (FHD 60fps), Slow motion (HD 120fps)
- Camera Mode : Drama Shot, Sound & Shot, Animated Photo, Eraser, Best Photo, Best Face, Beauty Face, HDR (High Dynamic Range), Panorama, Sports, Golf, Surround shot, Live effect

Video
- Codec : H.264, MPEG-4, H.263, VC-1, WMV7, WMV8, Sorenson Spark, MP43, VP8, HEVC
- Recording & Playback: Full HD (1080p), UHD (*may differ by market) 

Audio
- Codec : MP3, AAC/AAC+/eAAC+, WMA, AMR-NB/WB, Vorbis, FLAC(*), WAV(*) (*) Ultra High Quality Audio (~192KHz, 24 bit) support S Pen Optimised Features
- Air Command, Action Memo, Scrapbook, S Finder, Pen Window, Multi Window, Direct Pen Input

Additional Features
- Group Play: Share Music, Share Picture, Share Video, Share Document, Play Games 
- Story Album, S Translator
- Samsung Smart Scroll, Samsung Smart Pause, Air Gesture, Air View
- Samsung Apps, Samsung Hub, ChatON (Voice/Video Call, Share screen, 3-way calling), Samsung WatchON
- S Voice™ Hands Free, S Health
- Samsung Adapt Display, Samsung Adapt Sound Auto adjust touch sensitivity (Glove friendly)
- Samsung Link, Screen Mirroring
- Safety Assistance, Samsung KNOX Google Mobile Services
- Chrome, Search, Gmail, Google+, Maps, Play Books Play Movies, Play Music, Play Store, Hangouts Voice Search, YouTube, Google Settings, Play Games, Messenger

Connectivity
- WiFi 802.11 a/ b/ g/ n/ ac (HT80)
- GPS / GLONASS 
- NFC, Bluetooth® v 4.0 (LE)
- IR LED (Remote Control), MHL 2.0

Sensor
- Gesture, Accelerometer, Geo-magnetic, Gyroscope, RGB
- Proximity, Barometer, Temperature & Humidity, Hall Sensor

Memory
- 32/ 64 GB User memory + microSD slot (up to 64GB)
- 3GB RAM

Dimension
- 151.2 x 79.2 x 8.3mm, 168g Battery
- Standard battery, Li-ion 3,200 mAh

Samsung Galaxy Gear

Processor
- 800 MHz Dual-core Processer

Display
- 1.63 inch (41.4mm) Super AMOLED (320 x 320) Camera
- 1.9 Megapixel BSI Sensor, Auto Focus Camera / Sound & Shot

Video
- Codec : H.264 
- Format : MP4
- HD(720p) Playback & Recording Audio
- Codec : AAC
- Format : M4A

Samsung Services
- Samsung Apps 
- ChatON : mobile communication service

Connectivity
- Bluetooth® v 4.0 Sensor

- Accelerometer, Gyroscope 

Memory
4GB Internal memory + 512 MB (RAM) Dimension
- 36.8 x 56.6 x 11.1 mm, 73.8g

Battery
- Standard battery, Li-ion 315mAh

Featured Apps
- Atooma is a contextually aware horizontal intelligence platform that makes your GALAXY Gear smarter.
- Banjo gives you the power to see what’s happening right now, anywhere in the world.
- Evernote watch app makes it easy to remember things by quickly capturing images and memories and bringing important reminders right to GALAXY Gear.
- Glympse allows people to easily share their location temporarily and in real-time, letting recipients see their movements on a dynamic map.
- eBay app allows you to complete all your transactions on eBay with ease and in real-time.
- Line is a global messaging service available in over 230 countries worldwide.
- MyFitnessPal tracks your nutrition and exercise, empowering you to achieve your personal health and fitness goals.
- Path is the personal network designed to bring you closer to your friends and family.
- Pocket, the leading way to save web content to view later on any device, brings text-to-speech article playback to GALAXY Gear.
- RunKeeper is the personal trainer in your pocket, helping you track your runs, set your goals, and stay motivated.
- TripIt from Concur makes it easy to organise travel plans in one place.
- Vivino Wine Scanner allows you to take a photo of view any wine and get to know all about it instantly.

Additional Features 
- Smart Relay, S Voice, Memographer, Voice Memo
- Auto Lock, Find My Device, Media Controller, Pedometer, Stopwatch, Timer
- Safety assistance: In case of emergency, press a power button 3 times continuously, and then user’s location information is transferred to the saved contacts with message.
- 2 Microphones (Noise Cancellation), 1 Speaker