Motorola Unloads Good Technology After Just Two Years

Is Motorola shying away from its aspirations to compete with Research In Motion for business customers? That's what the sale of its Good Technology unit to Visto might suggest. Motorola bought the mobile messaging company just two years ago, but the company's fortunes have been on a steep decline since then, and it could be ready to refocus on the consumer market. Struggling mobile phone maker Motorola (NYSE: MOT) announced Tuesday that it will sell Good Technology -- its "push" email, calendar and contacts unit -- to Visto. Terms of the deal, which is expected to close at the end of the month, were not disclosed. The sale comes just a little more than two years after Motorola acquired Good Technology in an attempt to compete with BlackBerry maker Research In Motion (Nasdaq: RIMM) for a larger share of the business customer market. The sale of Good Technology is part of Motorola's strategy for turning around its flagging mobile device business by making it leaner and more focused on the consumer market. It also rids Motorola of a troublesome asset. In 2006, Visto sued Good Technology for infringing on patents associated with its push email and synchronization technology. Motorola's stock was up 3.58 percent to US$3.76 per share in mid-day trading on Tuesday.

Windows Washing: Microsoft Talks Up Tweaks Following Public Beta

Microsoft has detailed some of the changes it plans to make following its public beta of the Windows 7 OS. Meanwhile, remarks made by the president of a Taiwan laptop manufacturer suggested the final version of Windows 7 may arrive as soon as this fall. Vista, however, remains the company's flagship product, and as such it needs regular service. An SP2 release candidate has been made available to select parties.

With its big round of public beta testing out of the way, Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) is apparently moving quickly to the next milestone on the Windows 7 upgrade path. On Thursday, the company revealed some of the changes users can expect to see in the upcoming Windows 7 Release Candidate (RC) -- possibly the penultimate stage prior to the release of a final product -- in its Engineering Windows 7 blog. Looking at feedback garnered during the first round of public beta testing, Microsoft has been working on incorporating some needed changes. "It should be no surprise, but the Release Candidate for Windows 7 will have quite a few changes, many under the hood, so to speak, but also many visible. The goal of having a fully functional Beta was to make sure we received reliable feedback and not a lot of 'hey this doesn't work at all' sorts of reports. This has allowed us to really focus on delivering a refined RC where the changes we made are all the reflection of feedback we have received," wrote Chaitanya Sareen, senior program manager at Microsoft.

With Gmail Offline, Google's Package Is Almost Too Good to Pass Up

Recently, Google began experimenting with a way to make Gmail accessible offline. Download an applet, get yourself synced up, and suddenly you're able to write and read stored mail even when you have no Web access. It's not perfect, but setup is generally smooth and it works well, writes reviewer Jack Germain. After a year in development and testing, Google (Nasdaq: GOOG) last month added an offline mail client to provide local access to mail folders when there is no Internet connection.Gmail Offline is still experimental and limited to synchronizing a maximum of 10,000 messages. It does not yet provide offline access to other Google features such as Calendar and Documents, but that capability is rumored to be in the works. It is not yet a perfect solution, but it does work rather well.Gmail Offline makes using the free, Web-based email service more efficient and useful. It solves the nagging problem of not having access to data stored in email folders. Until now, the absence of an offline mail reader has been a major reason for not using Web-based services like Google as a primary email delivery system.The ability to continue work tasks regardless of Internet access puts Google in the forefront of the free Web-based email providers. The addition of the offline email component leaves me with no compelling reason to use other Web-based products such as Yahoo (Nasdaq: YHOO) Mail, Windows Live (aka Hotmail or Messenger Live) or Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) Outlook, which is an offline email application.Until Gmail, with its ample gigabytes of online storage, I couldn't see much use for Web-based email in general. However, working on numerous computers in several locations, I can use Web-based email to centralize my email activity. Google's calendar and document storage, along with its latest feature of offline email access, makes the package almost too good to pass up.

The Nokia 5800 XpressMusic

While it may not be Nokia's first touchscreen phone (anyone out there remember the 7710?), the 5800 XpressMusic is certainly the first to come out of Finland with a mainstream appeal. What we've alternately known as the "Tube" throughout much of its development cycle is the first production device to run S60 5th Edition -- the fourth major overhaul of Nokia's ubiquitous smartphone platform since 2002 and the first to support fingers, styli, and high-res displays. Speaking of high-res displays, the 5800 comes equipped with an impressive 3.2-inch 640 x 360 resistive touchscreen to go along with its 3.2-megapixel autofocus cam, Carl Zeiss optics, dual LED flash, GPS, WiFi, 3.5mm jack, and a microSD slot with support for 16GB cards. It'll be available in three versions -- European HSDPA, North American HSDPA, and GSM only -- and ships this quarter in black, red, and blue for €279 (about $392) unlocked with an 8GB card thrown in for good measure.

"What iPhone did was to bring the touch element to a multi-media converged device. Since we are already the leader in converged devices in India, Nokia 5800 will be a revolutionary launch from our stable. Our touchscreen bet will have the latest features and will be packed with music." said Nokia India's MD, D Shivakumar.

The price is competitive and plays a crucial part for Nokia to gain a foothold in the touchscreen market as most high end phones like iPhone, Samsung Omnia are priced above 30k.

Microsoft Zune (second generation, 80GB, black)

Product Summary The good: The 80GB Microsoft Zune MP3 player features a 3.2-inch glass LCD; a user-friendly interface; exceptional navigation control; audio and video podcast support; a superlative FM radio with RBDS information; wireless syncing and sharing; high-quality earphones; revamped Zune Marketplace PC software; Zune Pass subscription music support; good audio quality; and a built-in composite-video output. The bad: The Zune is a PC-only device that requires its own software and still does not support older WMA-DRM9 music files; Zune Marketplace does not offer TV or movie downloads; the USB connection is proprietary; no Wi-Fi music streaming; and the EQ feature has been removed. The bottom line: The Zune has blossomed from an ugly duckling into a worthy iPod alternative. Specifications: Device type: Digital player / radio ; Digital player supported digital audio standards: WMA , WMAPro , Audible , MP3 , AAC ; Digital storage media capacity: 80 GB ; Price range: $162.96 - $399.99

Tornado-detecting dual-iPhone alarm clock

Taking a page from the boombox trend of the 1980s, iPod-docking alarm clocks are taking on an absurd amount of features in an effort to stand out from the herd. Case in point: the iLuv iMM183, a dual-dock alarm clock capable of charging two iPhones or iPods. This little bedside beauty comes with a remote control, FM radio, EQ control, aux input, and last but not least--an NOAA emergency alert system with localized weather warnings. Aside from the emergency/weather alert display, you're basically looking at the same iLuv iMM173 we saw last year. Still, the list of iPhone-supported alarm clocks is pitifully short and if you're a two iPhone family living in a hurricane zone, the iLuv has you covered.

Google to release Picasa beta for Mac

Google plans to release on Monday a beta version of Picasa for Mac OS X, helping Apple fans catch up to Windows and Linux users already employing the free tool for editing, cataloging, and uploading photos. The Mac version largely matches the features in Picasa 3 for Windows, said Jason Cook, Picasa's marketing manager. Though the company has been scrambling to include some secondary features such as geotagging and the ability to get photos printed, the core abilities of Picasa are present, he said. Picasa lets people edit and print photos, create collages and movies, and add labels, star ratings, and tags. More significantly, given Google's cloud-computing focus, it also lets people upload their images to the company's online Picasa Web Albums site where images can be shared. Google acquired Picasa in 2004. "We have many Mac users," Cook said, though declining to offer any estimates, "and we think they'll be excited about this. It makes the Picasa Web Albums experience better." Online photo sites are great for several reasons, but problems can arise when people manage separate and different set of images. They often upload only a selection of photos on a PC, for example. Sometimes people upload images to an online site that never make it to the PC. And sometimes people add tags, captions, and titles online but not to the versions on their computers. Picasa takes one important step in dealing with this potential rat's nest: when a person edits a photo on the PC, Picasa updates the version stored online. The reverse isn't true, though, but bidirectional synchronization is "something we're thinking about," Cook said. "We want to make sync as useful as possible." Synchronization with the Mac's bundled iPhoto software is another area where people should tread carefully, though Picasa offers cautionary alerts to try to avert any trouble, Cook said. Picasa for the Mac doesn't interfere with iPhoto, he said, but for example when a person uses Picasa to edit a photo, iPhoto still shows the original, which Picasa preserves. And Picasa will read ratings and tags from iPhoto, but not vice-versa.

Apple to expand DRM-free music, new pricing

Apple has cut deals that will finally enable iTunes to offer songs free of copy protection software from the three largest music labels, according to two sources close to the negotiations. In exchange, Apple has agreed to become more flexible on pricing, the sources said. Under the terms of the deal, song prices will be broken down into three categories--older songs from the catalog, midline songs (newer songs that aren't big hits), and current hits--said one of the sources. Apple has offered songs free of digital rights management protections from EMI for more than a year. But EMI accounts for less than 10 percent of music sold in the U.S.; these new deals will expand iTunes' DRM-free library to include songs from the other three major labels (Sony BMG, Universal, and Warner Music).

Apple and the music labels have also apparently come to terms on over-the-air downloads, according to a source. That would allow iPhone owners to download songs to their mobile devices via cell networks and without the aid of Wi-Fi. Apple, which closed the deals last week, could announce the agreements as early as Tuesday at the Macworld Conference and Expo in San Francisco. Apple did not respond to requests for comment. DRM-free songs are something that many iTunes users have requested for some time. However, the celebration over their appearance at the country's largest music retailer may be overshadowed by increased prices on some hit songs, which might be seen by some as an Apple surrender on pricing. Apple fans have long applauded the company for holding the line on pricing despite loud complaints from the major music labels. The good news is that the price of catalog music is falling to 79 cents per song. The labels will get an opportunity to price some hit songs for more than 99 cents but eventually those songs will drop to 79 cents, according to one source. Before iTunes users get too worked up, they should remember that song prices at iTunes haven't increased in five years. According to the Consumer Price Index, a 99-cent song in 2002 would be worth $1.17 today. Not only will new music downloads be free of copy-protection software, but Apple and the labels will begin removing DRM from music already available in the iTunes Store, the source said. However, it's unclear what will happen to songs that have already been purchased.

New HP ultraportable first to use AMD Neo chip

Another Netbook? No, not exactly. Hewlett-Packard's new Pavilion dv2 is an ultraportable, thank you. And the new Athlon Neo silicon inside from Advanced Micro Devices will try to prove that point. AMD is introducing new chips at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas that target the no-man's land between Netbooks and notebooks. Typically, these designs are referred to as ultraportables--the most salient examples being Apple's MacBook Air, the Toshiba Portege, and the Sony Vaio TT series. So what makes AMD's platform different? In one word, price. Ultraportables fall into the boutique category of laptops: very stylish, very slim, very light--and very expensive. Usually ranging between $1,500 and $3,000. HP's notebook with Athlon Neo silicon cuts the price in half. The Pavilion dv2 will start at $699 and top out at $899 for standard configurations.

The dv2, at 3.8 pounds, is slightly heavier than ultraportables that typically weigh between 2.5 and 3 pounds. It is 0.9-inches thick, slightly thicker than more expensive ultraportables like the MacBook Air. But the Pavilion dv2 will pack features such as an AMD-ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3410 separate (discrete) graphics chip, a relatively large hard disk drive (HP lists drives up to 500GB), and a 12.1-inch LED screen. Features that differentiate it from Netbooks and put it squarely into ultraportable territory. AMD Athlon Neo silicon details(Credit: AMD) The dv2 will also come with WWAN (Wireless Wide Area Network) options as well as standard Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. Bahr Mahony, AMD's manager of mobile products, said in an interview that one of the few ultraportables available today with discrete graphics is the MacBook Air, but this starts at a whopping $1,800. (The Air uses Nvidia's GeForce 9400M graphics and Intel's Core 2 Duo low-voltage processors.) The Athlon Neo platform can handle 1080p HD playback and a "casual" gaming experience with realistic 3D graphics, using the optional ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3410 graphics chip. AMD's Athlon Neo processor--formerly code-named "Huron" under the platform codename "Yukon"--runs at 1.6GHz and has a power envelope of 15 watts, comparable to Intel ULV (Ultra Low Voltage) Core 2 Duo processors that power ultraportables today. AMD's Neo does fall short in one respect, however. Currently it is only single-core, whereas Intel ULV processors are dual-core at a comparable power envelope, and, moreover, typically integrate 6MB level-2 cache memory to boost performance. AMD's Neo has only 512K of cache memory. A dual-core chip, code-named "Conesus," will come in the second half of this year, according to AMD's Mahoney. The first HP Pavilion dv2 ultrathin notebook is expected to be available from HP in the second quarter.

Lenovo Unveils Giant Two-Headed Laptop( ThinkPad W700)

Lenovo's latest behemoth notebook PC sports two monitors -- a 10.6-inch screen slides out of a 17-inch screen for dual-monitor multitasking. Weighing in at 11 pounds, the W700ds makes for a tough schlep, but it pack a big hardware punch for those who need workstation power that's more easily transported from one spot to another than a full-blown workstation.

As gadget makers gear up to show their wares at the 2009 Consumer Electronics Shows (CES) in Las Vegas, Chinese hardware maker Lenovo debuted a host of new laptop PCs, the most striking of which offers users a dual-screen configuration. The ThinkPad W700ds features a 17-inch primary screen with a 10.6-inch slide-out secondary screen. It is the first mobile workstation with two built-in displays, according to Lenovo, and will enable users accustomed to working with two monitors the ability to operate in a mobile environment. Prices start at $3,663. Along with the dual screen ThinkPad, Lenovo also unveiled three new Y Series laptops ranging in size from a 16-inch model to a 14-inch notebook, priced between US$829 and $1,199. Lenovo also gave its S10 netbook a makeover, adding new multimedia and networking features. The newly outfitted S10 retails for $350. Rounding out the new PCs is the IdeaCentre A600 desktop, which includes an Intel (Nasdaq: INTC) Core 2 Duo processor, optional ATI (Nasdaq: ATYT) graphics card and a hard drive with up to 1 terabyte of storage . Available in April, the desktops start at $1,000.

The ThinkPad W700ds is not just about the displays, however. The mobile workstation also includes optional features such as Intel's mobile quad core and extreme processors, dual hard drives with RAID (redundant array of independent drives) configurations and Nvidia's Quadro FX mobile graphics hardware. It includes up to 8 GB of high-speed DDR3 memory as well as a choice of solid state drive storage or traditional hard disk drives with up to 960 GB of storage. On the multimedia end, the system offers an optional DVD disk drive and high-speed UDMA (Ultra Direct Memory Access) compact flash reader, support for Dual Link DVI, Display Port and VGA, a 7-in-1 multicard reader and five USB ports. Connectivity options include WiFi with select models offering WiMax support. Security-wise, the dual screen laptop includes an optional fingerprint reader and hard drives with full-disk encryption.

Tech Mahindra approached Satyam for merger - report

MUMBAI (Reuters) - Indian software services firm Tech Mahindra Ltd has approached embattled rival Satyam Computer Services for an all-share merger, the Economic Times reported on Tuesday, sending shares in both companies higher. Tech Mahindra, a unit of Indian tractor and utility vehicle maker Mahindra & Mahindra, is looking for a deal that could involve gaining control of the combined entity, the newspaper said, citing an unnamed person with knowledge of the development. "Anything that offers strategic value to Tech Mahindra would be of interest to the group," it quoted an unnamed executive of Mahindra & Mahindra as saying. The paper also reported a fund manager had said Tech Mahindra was in touch with Satyam's bankers Merrill Lynch. Analysts said a merger would help Tech Mahindra, which is now focused on the telecoms sector. "It would mean a broadening of its business model," said a technology analyst at brokerage Pioneer Intermediaries. Shares in Tech Mahindra rose 9.6 percent to 310.80 rupees by 0500 GMT, while shares in Satyam were trading up 4.25 percent at 174 rupees on hopes of deal, despite a denial from Tech Mahindra. The vice chairman and managing director of Tech Mahindra said the company had not approached Satyam or its merchant bankers with a merger proposal. "It is pure fiction at this point in time," Vineet Nayyar told Reuters.

USB LIGHT FOR YOUR LAPTOP/ PC

Main Features :- Usb Light For Laptop, Pc, Notebooks Convert A Usb Port On Your Laptop Into A Source Of Light. Airplanes Or Trains, Waiting Lounges And Even Car Or Taxis In Your City Wont Wailt You Anymore. Unique In Shape, The Usb Light Plugs Into A Usb Port Of Your Laptop Or Desktop Computer To Provide A Steady Bright Liht : Without Draining Your Battery Powered By The Usb Port On Your Laptop, Be The Envy Of Colleagues In Car Or Your Travelling Companions On The Train As You Casually Plug This Little Gem In And Enjoy The Bright Light. It Does Not Need Batteries Or Power Socket For Powering On : Minimal Battery Drain, It Uses Less Than Five Minutes Per Hour Of Notebook Battery Charge. The Flexible Power Cord Allows The Light To Be Pointed In Any Direction And Coil Up Tightly When Not In Use. This Is Also A Great Gift For The Computerholic Or Serial Surfer In Your Life : They Get A Funky Gadget. The High Quality, Long Life & Led Will Last For Years. Simple To Use ,The Flexible Spring Neck Lets You Position It In The Angle That You Would Like To. It Is Composed Of White Led As The Light Source. Small, Compact And Feather-light, The Usb Light Goes Anywhere And Fits Easily Inside Your Laptop Case. Features And Benefits : No Batteries, Powered By Usb Port Switch : free Design With Virtually Nothing To Break Flexible Neck Precisely Directs Light Beam Minimal Power Consumption For All : day Light System Requirements : Usb Port Dimensions 2.6"L X 11.0"H X 0.5"W

The New MSI Wind U100 Laptop

MSI U100 netbook dojangdoen personalized features of the wind has been released. NetBook 1GB of RAM, of 10.2 - inch display (1024 × 600), a 120-gigabyte HDD, and Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition and 3 - cell battery, 1.6GHz Intel, CPU, and the atoms are provided.

New Mobile Phones - 2009 Craze

A mobile phone , a.k.a mobile, wireless, cellular phone, cell phone or hand phone, has been evolving rapidly since its conception by Martin Cooper who made the first call on a handheld mobile phone on April 3, 1973. Every year mobile phone manufacturers will compete against each other to bring out the best in features and looks to capture the ever growing market of consumers. Anyways, below are the coolest mobile phones, in my opinion, available in 2008 that are worth your attention and maybe, your money too. They are arranged in no particular order.

- Samsung Instinct :

- Samsung Glyde :

- HTC Touch Diamond :

A Dream Home for the True Blue Apple Fan

Way back in 1950, science fiction giant Ray Bradbury wrote a short story, "There Will Come Soft Rains," about a smart house that did just about everything for its resident family -- including cooking breakfast and keeping track of the bills. Unfortunately, all members of that family, along with all inhabitants of the town, were obliterated by a nuclear explosion. The house, though, kept right on going, complete with robotic mice cleaning the floor. Apocalyptic foreshadowing aside, who hasn't fantasized about a house that makes day-to-day life easier? Certainly the trendy guy on the Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) commercials looks more relaxed -- and like he's having a lot more fun -- than his frumpy, brown-suited, PC counterpart. Perhaps it's because Mac Dude's house is full of gadgets that streamline a busy urbanite's hectic schedule. Maybe he lives in a house something like this one ... Gather Round the Hearth As in many homes today, the centerpiece of Mac Dude's living room is a huge, wall-mounted, high-definition TV. The brand and technology (plasma, LCD) matter less than the size. Fifty inches is a minimum. Compared to this, the small, white Apple TV unit sitting on the shelf below barely is noticeable. Through that little box, though, stream movies, TV shows, and video podcasts to the big screen, all from iTunes. When the host and his guests don't care to watch the glowing screen, they still can listen to audio podcasts and, of course, music through the audio speakers scattered through the house and linked into the home theater system via WiFi . They control all this through the Remote app for iPhone, which also transmits over the house's wireless network. Who wants to carry two clickers around? Cranky Converts Apple TV is the best media convergence device for those who consume most of their media through the iTunes service, Adam Christianson, host of the popular podcast MacCast, told MacNewsWorld. However, some of Mac Dude's friends aren't quite on the all-Apple-all-the-time bandwagon. They love their Macs, but they also like to play by their own rules. One neighbor has manipulated her Apple TV box so she can play any non-DRM content using open source media center software Boxee. Her friends are jealous, because the open alpha phase of Boxee won't be open until Jan. 8. Another friend has a grudge against any type of pay TV. In anticipation of the February deadline for the national conversion to digital television, he got one of those federal government coupons for a converter. Then, he spent US$99 for Roku's Netflix (Nasdaq: NFLX) Player and linked it into his wireless network at home. For the price of less than two months of cable or satellite TV, he brags, he's set to go for movies and TV series. Another option for those who consume media from a variety of sources -- Hulu, Netflix, iTunes, etc. -- is to use a Mac mini as the hub of a home entertainment system, said Christianson. The Inner Sanctum Regardless of their television politics, though, everyone in Mac Dude's gang wants iPod-based media within an arm's reach at any time. In our hero's house, each room has some sort of speaker system, either standalone or with other functionality. It all begins with the iHome alarm clock system that wakes him; a similar model is available in many hotel rooms. The clock-radio-speaker combination continues as the top-selling iPod speaker device in the U.S., Evan Stein, vice president of marketing for SDI Technologies, makers of iHome products, told MacNewsWorld. Mac Dude usually lets the shuffle function on his iPod choose a wake-up tune for him, but he sets the radio tuner on the device to his local NPR station. Sometimes, though, he wants to listen to far-flung radio stations while folding laundry, so our Apple fan downloaded the Public Radio app for the iPod touch he usually keeps in the bedroom. Through this American Public Media program, he can listen to a live stream of any of hundreds of public radio channels whenever he's within range of WiFi. High-Fi Reycling Around the house, Mac Dude has a range of other speaker setups, from lower-end JBL sets to high-fidelity Altec Lansing units. All of them have adapters for the whole iPod family, from the classics up to the new chromatic nanos. Mac Dude has a trusty classic model that won't hold a charge, so he leaves that one seated in its speakers and uses it as a stationary music player. A couple of shuffles have met similar fates in other rooms. It's better to use them than either throw them out or try to hack a battery replacement, he figures. When lounging in the tub, Mac Dude sometimes likes to listen to audiobooks. He's had one too many experiences with valuables going for a dip in the bubbles to trust his iPod touch that close to water, though. He bought one of AquaPac's waterproof MP3 cases because it fits even his older generation iPod nano, and he doesn't like to fuss with sliding iPods in and out of their specialized casings.

Wipro buys Citi Tech for $127m

BANGALORE: Wipro, the country's third largest IT company, on Tuesday announced that it is acquiring Citi Technology Services (CTS) for $127 million (about Rs 600 crore) in an all cash deal. This is Wipro's 16th acquisition since 2002. All of these have been in the IT space, except one Unza in the consumer goods business. CTS, started in 2005, is Citi's India-based captive provider of IT services and solutions to the bank's entities in 32 countries. It has facilities in Mumbai and Chennai, with an employee strength of about 1,650. The company is expected to end this calendar year with a revenue of $80 mn, up from $53 mn in 2007. As part of the deal, Wipro will deliver IT services and solutions to Citi for a period of six years. This agreement, the companies said, will see the delivery of at least $500 mn in service revenues over the period of the contract. Wipro said the CTS acquisition will help in enhancing its remote infrastructure management capabilities and domain expertise. "The application development and maintenance services strengths will help us grow in investment and retail banking," said Girish Paranjpe, joint CEO of Wipro's IT business, at a media conference here. For Citi, the sale of CTS means an exit from all technology related services in India. In October this year, the troubled bank sold its Mumbai-based BPO business, Citigroup Global Services, to TCS for $505 million. Wipro's takeover of Citi Technology Services (CTS) comes at a time when the financial sector across the world has seen a literal meltdown. Girish Paranjpe, joint CEO of Wipro's IT business, said the markets are volatile now, but will give more visibility by mid next year. "In the last 12 to 18 months, the BFSI (banking, financial services and insurance) sector has been the worst hit and will be the first to recover. It will start to recover in 2009," he predicted. As with most other IT companies, Wipro gets the largest proportion of revenues (27%) from the BFSI sector, and this segment has been under severe pressure. Wipro said that apart from providing services to Citi, it will use CTS to look at newer opportunities. "This will add to our recent BPO deal win in Citi's institutional clients group (ICG)," said Soumitro Ghosh, senior VP for finance solutions in Wipro. Analysts say the deal has been reasonably priced and will help the company in its growth and expansion plans. "This is a good decision. Wipro has paid a reasonable amount. They have utilised their cash, which will positively affect their topline and bottomline. And in the expansion mode, this will help the company in vertical growth," said Nilesh Kotak, CEO of financial services firm Dhanvarshaindia.com. Harit Shah, IT and telecom analyst at Angel Broking, agrees the price is not too expensive as CTS is a profitable company. "Also, with the additional agreement Wipro has signed, they have an assured stream of revenue. The area of expertise of CTS -- managed services -- is a growing area and has scope for future opportunities," he said. Last year, Wipro had acquired IT infrastructure management company Infocrossing for almost $600 million, a deal that some thought was too expensive. But Shah said the CTS deal cannot be compared with the Infocrossing acquisition since they are in separate verticals and "are reasonable in their own domains both for value and growth opportunities."

As Intel ships 160GB SSD, pricing nags buyers

Intel is now shipping 160GB solid-state drives as it vies with Samsung and Toshiba to deliver high-capacity SSDs that rival hard-disk drives in capacity. Price, however, remains a big obstacle for many consumers. Intel said Monday that it will add 160GB versions of its X25-M and X18-M Serial ATA (SATA) solid-state drive. To date, Intel has limited shipments to its 80GB versions. Laptop-size 2.5-inch versions of the 160GB drive are shipping now; 1.8-inch models for ultraportable laptops will ship next month, Intel said. Larger-capacity drives from other SSD suppliers are also on the way. In November, Samsung said it had begun mass production of 256GB SSDs. And Toshiba recently said it would show a 512GB drive at the Consumer Electronics Show in January that would ship in the second quarter of 2009. Solid-state drives are generally faster at getting data than hard-disk drives (and in some cases, much faster) but pricing is a big hurdle for consumers. Toshiba indicated last week that sample quantities of its new solid-state will range in price from $220 for the 64GB drive to $1,652 for the 512GB drive. That kind of pricing--even if it's for pricey sample drives--is hard to swallow when a laptop-class 500GB hard-disk drive sells for well under $200. "Introductory" pricing for the Intel 160GB solid-state drives is $945 for less than 1,000 units, Intel said. Currently, adding an Intel 80GB solid-state drive option to an HP EliteBook 2530p ultraportable laptop adds $659 over the cost of a 5400RPM 1.8-inch 120GB hard disk drive. Adding a 128GB solid-state drive to an Apple MacBook Air ups the price by about $500.

iPhone Nano cases appear online

Has a rogue case manufacturer once again jumped the gun on an Apple iPhone announcement? XSKN has a section of its Web site that promises an "iPhone Nano" case alongside cases for the iPhone 3G and the first-generation iPhone, as noted by MacRumors. Earlier this month a Chinese Web site called iDealsChina reported that XSKN was working on a case for a purported iPhone Nano that is supposedly shorter and thicker than the iPhone 3G. It still seems a stretch that Apple would be gearing up to release such a device, given the screen size on an iPhone Nano would make typing a chore and could present problems for developers who designed applications with a different screen size in mind. These rumors are not new, however, and it has always seems evident that Apple planned to roll out a family of iPhones over time. An iPhone Nano certainly would give Macworld 2009 a bit of a boost. XSKN prematurely revealed its case designs for the iPhone 3G before that device made its debut in June, so they've at least got a track record of scooping Apple. At the moment, the link on their site for the iPhone Nano case is generating errors, and it may not be long before it disappears entirely.

Sony teases with mystery laptop

CES 2009 is fast approaching, and rumors of new laptops are everywhere. This week though, the focus is on Sony. Though enterprising news outlets have dug up hints at new products from the likes of Dell and Lenovo weeks before the big gadget exhibition, Sony is outing itself as having a new portable PC that will "change the way you think about laptops." A clock counting down the days and hours until January 9, when the new product is scheduled to appear, popped up on Sony's New Zealand site, as pointed out over the weekend by Engadget. Putting the teaser in context of the photo of the oddly-shaped Sony device that popped up on the FCC's Web site two weeks ago, it certainly seems likely that this will be a notebook unlike what others are offering. But the question is, will it be a Netbook? Sony has been conspicuously absent from the Netbook market among its Windows-wielding brethren. (Apple has held out too, but it's not price-matching with other PC makers.) Netbooks have taken off in the past 12 months, moving from a quirky offering from Asus to the form factor that's giving the PC industry a whiff of hope. All the major manufacturers are on board, and it's paying off now since the price tags are cheaper than standard notebooks. However, how it will hurt them in the long run (dragging down average prices of notebooks, cannibalizing lower-end laptop models) is still to be determined. The argument for Sony keeping out of the low-end fray is certainly there. Sony--like Apple--fancies itself a maker of luxury devices and is loath to get into price wars with the likes of Dell and HP. (Of course, it didn't want to wrestle with the lower-tier Vizio and Westinghouse in LCD TVs either, but the reality of the HDTV market forced Sony's hand.) The electronics giant has also objected to the Netbook concept several times publicly. In February, Sony's head of its Vaio group in the U.S. called the Netbook movement "a race to the bottom," though by July Sony Electronics President Stan Glasgow refused to confirm or deny plans for such a product. Most recently, though, a Sony exec in the UK told ZDNet UK that Sony is "not in for the moment" when it comes to Netbooks, clearly not ruling it out completely. Netbooks, are they are now, "are not properly designed for consumer needs," Nicolas Barendson told ZDNet. Does that mean that they have an entirely new design that will meet the needs of people looking for a Netbook-like device? Perhaps. But the key will be the price, and low-cost laptops are not Sony's cup of tea. So if they do edge into Netbook-like territory, expect them to market it like something other than a laptop, and more like another kind of portable consumer device.

Microsoft grants Windows XP a reprieve

Some PC makers now have an extra four months to sell Windows XP. The BBC reported Monday that Microsoft has extended the deadline for smaller PC builders and resellers to obtain licenses for the discontinued operating system from the previous deadline of January 31, 2009 to May 30, 2009. "Microsoft is making accommodation through a flexible inventory program that will allow distributors to place their final orders by January 31, 2009; and take delivery against those orders through May 30, 2009," a Microsoft representative said in an e-mailed statement. "This is not an extension of sales." Even after May 30, however, it's still not the end of XP. The operating system will be available on ultra-low-cost PCs until June 30, 2010, and the low-end Windows XP Starter Edition will continue to be available in emerging markets until the same date. Plus, big PC makers plan to offer PCs with Vista Ultimate and Vista Business that have been factory downgraded at customers' request until July 30 next year.

Lenovo ThinkPad X301

Earlier this year Lenovo released their ThinkPad X300, a great notebook for the business minded. Recently, the X300 has been updated to the ThinkPad X301 model. With many improvements from its already great predecessor, you can expect great things from the X301.

Performance : The base configuration is equipped with 2GB of RAM and an Intel Core 2 Due (1.4GHz) U9400 Ultra Low Voltage processor. The ThinkPad X301 achieved a PCMark Vantage score of 3157, which is 400 points higher than most ultraportables. It’s a great score, but still falls about 60 points shy of the Sony VAIO VGN-Z530N’s and almost 500 points shy of the Lenovo ThinkPad X200.

Wi-Fi and Battery Life : The 802.11a/g/n Wi-Fi moves data at an excellent speed of 20.8 MB/s at a distance of 15 feet from the access point, and 18.7 MB/s at 50 feet. These are nice improvements over the 16.7 MB/s and 16.1 MB/s averages presented by the X300, and made for a pleasant surfing experience. Although the default configuration does not include integrated mobile broadband, you can add a 3G connection from AT&T ($80) or Verizon Wireless ($150), which also features integrated GPS. The X301 will support WiMAX and Ultra-Wideband technologies when they become available. When it comes to long battery life, the X301 definitely falls short by quite a bit. Its six cell battery lasted only 3 hours and a half during tests. On the same test, Sony’s VAIO VGN-Z530N lasted 5 hours. A little more should be expected out of ultraportable laptops when it comes to battery life (at least 4 hours). The X301 didn’t fare so well on all of its graphics tests. On the 3DMark03 benchmark, the X301 (which is powered by an Intel GMA X4500MHD graphics card) netted an 1812, a score that’s 400 points higher than its competitors and its predecessor the X300. However, the 3DMark06 score was 200 points less than other machines in its category. F.E.A.R was also tested in auto-detect mode, and the game ran at a miniscule 14fps. When the settings were increased to maximum, it ran at only 6fps. W.O.W ran at 27.4fps, which is okay, but it is important to remember that this is not a gaming laptop, and should not be expected to out perform Alienware, for example. Lenovo’s X301’s boot-up time was a little slower than expected. The X301, with its 64GB SSD, took about 1 minute and 37 seconds to boot-up Windows Vista, almost 30 seconds slower than the average ultraportable and 48 seconds slower than the older X300. The SSD did not disappoint and definitely lived up to its fast transfer time copying a 5 GB folder in about 2 minutes and 40 seconds, however. The SSD has a transfer rate of 32.4 megabytes per second, which is miles ahead of the 13.4 megabyte per second transfer rate of competitors using mechanical drives. If 64GB does not fill your needs for capacity, an upgrade option is available for a 128GB SSD, which costs $400.

iPhone users love their Wi-Fi

A new report from the mobile advertising company Admob says that 42 percent of iPhone Internet requests came from Wi-Fi hot spots rather than AT&T's 3G wireless network in November. This is quite a bit higher than most Wi-Fi capable phones, which typically average about 10 to 20 percent.

Several bloggers say they think iPhone users are gravitating toward Wi-Fi more because AT&T's 3G network is not up to snuff. Om Malik at GigaOm said AT&T's 3G service was as unpredictable as Lindsay Lohan's mood. But I don't really think that is the issue. Personally, I haven't had many problems accessing the data network from my iPhone in New York City. I have had dropped calls. But for the most part, whether I'm on Wi-Fi or AT&T's 3G network, downloading e-mail or accessing the Web from my phone works pretty well. I think there are two reasons why iPhone users are opting for Wi-Fi when it's available. And these reasons could provide some interesting lessons for phone manufacturers and wireless carriers. For one, accessing a Wi-Fi access point on the iPhone is easy. I have Wi-Fi access turned on on my phone. Whenever I fire up the browser or download e-mail, a list of available networks pops up. If I'm home or in a network I've already been on, most times the phone will automatically connect via Wi-Fi instead of the 3G network. I don't have to really think about it. It just happens. So most times, as a user, I'm not consciously deciding to use Wi-Fi or not. But whether I choose a Wi-Fi network or not, downloads from the Wi-Fi network are noticeably faster, which is why I have the Wi-Fi option turned on in the first place. So what does this really mean for wireless operators? I think it's pretty obvious. Wireless users want fast networks, especially when they're using a device like the iPhone, which is made for the Internet. They want to browse Web pages and download e-mails quickly. If Wi-Fi is the fastest network available, then people will use it. If AT&T is able to significantly increase the speeds on its network, which the company promises it will do soon, then people will use that network. I also think Admob's findings might serve as a cautionary signal to Verizon Wireless, which has opted not to support Wi-Fi on some of its hottest phones, such as the BlackBerry Storm. Verizon said the Storm, which is a touch screen smartphone that competes head-to-head with the iPhone, didn't include Wi-Fi support because it would eat up too much battery life and make the device too bulky. But I think the lack of Wi-Fi may prove to be a negative for the Strorm, as it could be one factor that pushes some consumers toward the iPhone, if they're considering both devices. The thing is I'm not really sure why Verizon is resisting Wi-Fi. It's true that a device with Wi-Fi capability may access free hot spots rather than the 3G cellular network, but since AT&T and Verizon Wireless require customers sign up for data plans when they purchase these devices, I don't see the carriers really losing any money if consumers use free Wi-Fi hot spots for data downloads. In fact, the carriers may actually benefit from their customers using Wi-Fi more, because it puts less strain on their wireless data networks. The real issue could be that Verizon is afraid of voice over IP services like Skype and Truphone, which allow users to bypass the carrier network to make free and low-cost phone calls.

Toshiba to show 512GB solid-state drive at CES

Toshiba said Wednesday that it will showcase a 512GB solid-state drive at the Consumer Electronics Show next month and begin shipments in the second quarter of 2009.

To date, this would be one of the largest-capacity solid-state drives for use in laptops and come close to matching the size of mobile hard-disk drives. Samsung has begun mass production of a 256GB SSD and Micron Technology is readying a 256GB drive that will ship in March. Toshiba said it is releasing a broad family of "fast read/write SSDs" based on 43-nanometer Multi-Level Cell (MLC) NAND flash technology that will be showcased at CES. MLC technology allows solid-state drive makers to deliver higher capacity drives at lower prices. In addition to the 2.5-inch 512GB drive, the new series of Toshiba drives also includes capacities of 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB, offered in 1.8-inch or 2.5-inch drive enclosures or as SSD Flash Modules, the company said in a statement. Samples of the new drives will be available in the first quarter of 2009, with mass production slated for the second quarter, in the April to June time frame, according to the company. No pricing information was immediately available. The drives achieve a maximum sequential read speed of 240MB per second (MBps) and maximum sequential write speed of 200MBps. This is roughly the same read-write speeds offered by Samsung on its 256GB SSD. Toshiba said it sees SSDs growing to approximately 25 percent of the notebook market by 2012.

Canon PowerShot SX10 IS Review

The Canon PowerShot SX10 IS is the newest 20x ultra-zoom camera on the block, and the first such model from Canon. Offering a massive focal length of 28-560mm, the Canon SX10 also features a sensible 10 megapixels, built-in image stabilisation, tilting 2.5 inch LCD screen, and a full range of manual shooting modes. Gavin Stoker ventured out into the murky grey world of a British winter to find out what the PowerShot SX10 IS has to offer. Website: Canon PowerShot SX10 IS Review

Adobe releases Photoshop Lightroom 2.2

Adobe has updated Photoshop Lightroom to Version 2.2. The latest version extends RAW support to the cameras included in the recent Camera RAW 5.2 release. The latest update also builds-in the camera profiles, previously available from Adobe Labs, that attempt to mimic the camera manufacturers' intended output.

Click the below link to download Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2.2 http://www.dpreview.com/news/0812/08121602adobelightroomupdate.asp