Nokia's Cheapest 3G Phone Launched for just Rs.4499

Nokia has launched its most affordable 3G handset in the country earlier today with the launch of the Nokia 2730 Classic.
The phone, priced at just Rs. 4499, comes loaded with a host of features rarely seen on a device in is price range. The 2730 Classic packs in Ovi Mail, Nokia Messaging, Nokia Life Tools, and full HTML browsing as well. It also comes with Opera Mini preloaded.

The 2730 Classic has a 2-inch QVGA display that can display 262k colours. At just 88grams, the phone is quite light-weight. As expected, it runs Nokia's S40 interface. The 30 MB of internal memory can be augmented using a microSD card and the phone comes with a 1GB card - preloaded. It offers a maximum of 7.4 hours talk time and 16.5 days standby time. Music lovers on a budget can rejoice - thanks to the 3.5mm slot this one comes with. If that wasn't all, there is Bluetooth and microUSB support as well.

There is a decent 2 megapixel camera at the rear that should be good enough for casual imaging. Along with 3G, it also supports class 32 EDGE - making it a good device for browsing while on the move. There's FM Radio with RDS as well.

The 2730 Classic should make a decent buy for a feature packed, cheap first phone.

What's the buzzz all about...? GOOGLE BUZZ

Google adds 'Buzz' to Gmail

Fuelling Competition: Google Co-founder Sergey Brin, participates in a panel discussion in Mountain View, California
Source: Wall Street Journal

Google Inc. launched a new service to bring social updates such as photos and Web links into Gmail and some Google mobile products, in a challenge to Facebook Inc. and other social media sites where people go to check up on their friends.

FEATURES

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  Dubbed Google Buzz, the service allows users to post and browse content from people they regularly communicate with over Gmail in a new stream-like interface.

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  People can choose to follow content from other Google users and Google tries to figure out what's relevant, surfacing some updates directly into a users' inbox.
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  People can consume the stream of information through a left hand menu under a user's inbox.
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  Beginning soon, they will also be able to post and view updates from Google's mobile Web site or Buzz mobile software application.

Todd Jackson, the product manager for Buzz, described the service as "a new world inside of Gmail." "There has always been a giant social network beneath Gmail," he said

The service borrows features from a variety of social media sites; whether it can stand out and fill a new need remains unclear. Like Facebook, Buzz allows people to post content publicly or privately and comment on posts. It also allows users to "follow" others, a model popularized by Twitter.

What does Facebook has to say?
Social networking giant Facebook, said in a statement that the company hadn't used Google Buzz but was "supportive of technologies that help make the web more special and the world more open" "(We) are interested to see how Google Buzz progresses over time"

The Distinguishing Factor
Buzz plans to distinguish itself by helping people aggregate other social sites. To start, users can connect Buzz to other Google Web sites, along with Twitter and Yahoo Inc.'s Flickr. Mr. Jackson said connecting the service to Facebook in the future was "something to think about."
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Apple's iPad tablet Launched!

At the Yerba Buena Center of Arts in San Francisco, Apple has unveiled its heavily anticipated tablet - iPad. With 9.7-inch capacitive IPS technology based display panel, the new iPad runs iPhone OS 3.2 operating system. Checking emails, browsing web, watching HD movies and photos, reading eBooks, playing games and many more tasks can be performed on the iPad. Apple will offer iPad in two variants - WiFi only and WiFi+3G with three different internal memory capacities ranging from16GB, 32GB and 64GB.

The price of the WiFi only iPad starts $499 (Rs. 24,000 approx.) while the WiFi+3G version is priced $130 (Rs. 6,200 approx.) extra and starts at $629 (Rs. 30,200 approx.). Apple iPad would be available in late March for all countries but the international pricing would be announced later in June. The WiFi+3G iPad models would be available by late April.

WiFi - 16GB for $499, 32GB for $599 and 64GB for $699
WiFi+3G - 16GB for $629, 32GB for $729 and 64GB for $829

The new Apple iPad is 0.5 inches think and weighs just less than a kilo, this tablet features 12 multi-touch designed specifically for it. This iPad is based on iPhone OS 3.2 and will run over 140,000 apps listed in the App Store. The best part is that every app is supported to work in portrait as well as landscape mode. The 9.7-inch IPS technology displays clear, consistent and crisp images with 1024x768 pixel resolution support.

The capacitive screen's touchscreen support is touted to be amazingly responsive to the multi-touch gestures and is accurate. This screen will come with finger-print resistant oleophobic coating just like in iPhones and iPod Touch devices.

Featuring the new iPhone OS 3.2 operating system, Apple has also debuted iBookstore that will include books by independent and major publishers. For reading eBooks from the iBookstore, Apple brings special iBook app to browse, buy and read them. Apart from that, users can also access iTunes Store with a revamped user interface to browse, buy and download music, podcasts, videocasts, videos and TV shows.

The iWork productivity suite with multi-touch support also debuts on the iPad. One can find Pages App for documents, Keynote App for presentations and Numbers App for Presentation from App Store for $10 each. Web browsing is made flamboyant by Safari browser.

It promises battery life of up to 10 hours. This iPad is also connectable to a Projector with small USB data cable with 30-pin connection support.

Apple offers iPad in two flavours for data connectivity - WiFi only and WiFi+3G. Apart from that, the iPad will also support Bluetooth 2.1 with EDR technology. The iPad also features accelerometer useful for gaming and other applications.

Just like iPhone and iPod Touch, the iPad features standard 30-pin connector which can be used to connect it to a Mac or PC for data transfer as well as charging. Built-in mic, speakers and 3.5mm audio jack to hook in any pair of headphones are a few other features which are included.

For information on iPad Vs. Kindle Vs. HP Slate (yet-to-be-launched) click here

TECH-WATCH - HTC TOUCH 2

The Wow Features..!

Ø Comes with Windows Mobile 6.5 pre-loaded on it

Ø Touch2 also boasts of Microsoft Exchange support and,

Ø Microsoft's My Phone backup service support.

Other Details...

Ø 2.8-inch TFT-LCD touch screen display with QVGA resolution

Ø Touch2 also features 3.2 megapixel camera and internal GPS antenna.

Unfortunately, there isn't an accelerometer in Touch2.

Ø At the moment, it has been launched with Reliance GSM network, so, it sounds like exclusive.

Ø Price: Rs. 22,490 through authorized HTC resellers.

Ø Verdict: For a GSM phone without 3G, the price seems to be high.