TechGazing

Apple’s launch of a new display, iMacs and a much beefed up Mac Pro might have grabbed the headlines, but we must confess to being most intrigued by the company’s release of what it calls the Magic Trackpad. Quite simply, it looks just like the trackpad you see on a notebook, only it is a separate piece of hardware that connects to your computer using Bluetooth and well, then behaves exactly like a trackpad on one of Apple’s notebooks does (it’s even made of the same stuff - “same advanced touch-friendly and wear-resistant glass surface,” to quote them Cupertino fellas). You can swipe your way through pictures, scroll up and down using intertia scrolling, and of course, use the famed multi-touch pinch-to-zoom that the iPhone made so famous!
So you might say, what is so special? Nothing much if you use a notebook, but if you are using a desktop, we think this beats the pants off a conventional mouse. And heck, it is built of the same aluminum material that is used for Apple’s wireless keyboard and is of the same angle and height, making it a real sight for eyes that are sore and otherwise! Even if you do have a notebook, this would not be a bad idea, considering that it offer 80 per cent more area than the trackpads found on Mac notebooks. Well worth $69, say we! We are waiting for it to come to India already.

The iPhone 3G kicked off the era of the mobile apps - software that you could install on your phone to get extra functionality. While smartphones (like those on Symbian Series 60 platform and on Windows Mobile or BlackBerry OS) might have an edge in the app business, it is entirely incorrect to assume - as some people do - that apps can be installed ONLY on smartphones. In fact, you can get a very decent array of mobile apps for most mid-segment (beginning from Rs 6,000) phones - “if it has a colour display and connect to the Net, it is a fair chance it will support apps,” as one app guru told us.

And we just went and cherry-picked six of the best that we think would even make the dumbest-seeming phone almost as good as a smartphone. Continue reading »

The iPhone 4 might be attracting a lot of controversy over its signal reception, but it already has a fan in one of the biggest names in Bollywood - Amitabh Bachchan. The Big B made no secret of how much he likes the device when he recommended it to yet another Bollywood superstar, Shah Rukh Khan.

It all happened over Twitter with Shah Rukh tweeting: “iPad…iMac…nokia…kindle…so much wifi around me feel like a holographic 3d image of myself in space.Marconi we’ve come a long way baby.” Bachchan promptly responded: “shahrukh ! May I add to your wifi world of confusion - get the iphone4 .. It is just incredible ! Ha ha” Of course, we do wonder where Shah Rukh got a Kindle with WiFi (none officially exists), but even then, we doubt the iPhone 4 - or any tech device - has ever had a bigger endorsement. We do hope this will make Apple bring the device to India sooner than expected!

It is not really official, but the tech rumour market in India is abuzz with the news that the new iPhone, iPhone 4, will be seen in India in September. Both Vodafone and Airtel are expected to offer the phone to their users. The 16 GB model is likely to carry a price tag of around Rs 35,000, while the 32 GB model will cost about Rs 40,000. Those are stiff prices, in best iPhone tradition, and one can only hope that the service providers will come up with some subsidy, allowing users to get their hands on the phones for a lower price, while locking them in to a contract. Mind you, that did not happen with the iPhone 3G and 3GS. That said, there will be those who will be willing to shell out even Rs 40,000 for the latest edition of a phone that is being hailed as the best in the world, reception issues notwithstanding.

It is easily one of the most coveted gadgets in the world, having made the cover of both Time and Newseek,  single-handedly reviving the tablet industry, and adding a whole new dimension to accessing content on the move.We are talking of the Apple iPad. Such is its attraction that thousands of people in India are already queuing up for it, even though it has not been officially released in the country, asking relatives and friends abroad to get them a unit or simply picking one up from the grey market. If you are one of those swayed by the iPad and are itching to get one, our advice to you is simple: wait. And no, we are not saying that because we are jealous (hey, we do not have an iPad yet - there! we have confessed it), but because of some very valid reasons. Continue reading »

Apple has just addressed one of the biggest complainst about the iPhone - the absence of multi-tasking. The latest update to the iPhone OS, called iOS 4,brings multi-tasking to the device they call the Godphone as well as a host of other features, such as the option to change wallpapers (yep, believe it or not, you could not do so earlier), get all your e-mail in a unified mailbox, and organising apps in folders (once again, this was not available earlier). There are also significant improvements in terms of speed and battery consumption, as well as the addition of iBooks, Apple’s new e-book reader, although you still cannot purchase books directly from the Apple iBookstore in India.

The update is free and works on iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4 and the 3rd generation iPod touch. While iPhone 3G users can also update their phones, they will not be able to access most of the new features, most notably the multi-tasking. Mind you, at 378 MB, it is not exactly a small download. Still, it is well worth it, given the features it adds to what we think is the best phone in town.

It is small and light enough to be carried one-handed, looks terrific and still manages to pack in enough computing muscle to embarrass a number of computers in the market today. We are talking of the latest version of the Mac mini, Apple’s incredibly compact computer, which was launched a few hours ago. It is little over half a foot in length and width (19.7 cm), stands a mere 3.6 cm tall, and tips the scales at an ultraportable 1.36 kg - all in a beautifully crafted aluminum frame. And within it lies a Core 2 Duo 2.4 GHz processor, 2GB RAM, a 320 GB HDD, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and a NVIDIA GeForce 320M graphics processor.  All for a price in the vicinity of Rs 44,900. There is a new HDMI port, an SD card slot and considerably improved graphics, thanks to the 48-core processing power of the NVIDIA GeForce 320M (it is not still cutting-edge enough for high-end games but handy enough for most graphics tasks). One thing that is missing is the power adapter, thanks to a new integrated power supply.

Not bad, eh? Yes, you will have to shell out extra for a display, a keyboard and a mouse, but considering that this is a Mac and runs the latest version of Snow Leopard, we still think it is very good value for money.

Mac fans (and PC ones too) in India will be able to get their hands on Apple’s recently announced MacBook in early June, according to our sources. The new version of the MacBook, which comes with better processor speed, improved onboard graphics and most significantly, a staggering battery life of up to ten hours, will carry a price tag beginning from Rs 60,900. Considering the fact that this is also going to be one of the lighter MacBooks of recent times (weighing just above 2 kg), there are many who feel, that given the processor power (Intel Core 2 Duo 2.4 GHz), graphics ability (NVIDIA GeForce 320M) and battery life, this is perhaps the best notebook for those who do a lot of graphics-rich work on the move, and find the MacBook Pro (which begins at around Rs 72,000) beyond their budgets. Difficult to argue with that, we think.

Apple managed to deliver every tech lover’s dream yesterday - better machines at lower prices - when it announced its latest range of MacBook Pros. While most attention has been focused on the fact that these notebooks come with more powerful processors, better graphics and better battery life (upto a staggering ten hours in the case of the 13 inch MacBook Pro and nine hours in the 15 and 17-inch models), what a lot of people seem to have missed is that Apple has actually cut the prices of the entire range - some models are now more than Rs 20,000 cheaper than their previous versions. Continue reading »

The dust has yet to settle over the announcements made by Steve Jobs about the new iPhone OS, iPhone 4.0, which we think marks a new chapter in the history of the device they call the Godphone. There more than a hundred new user features in the update, which, alas, will be available only for iPhone 3GS and iPod touch 3rd generation users, later this summer. These changes vary from the minute and seemingly trivial to the comprehensive and game-changing. Rather than list out the lot for you, we decided to highlight the five that we think are the most important. Continue reading »

It is getting close to a week since it hit the market, but the buzz around Apple’s iPad refuses to die down. Now, unnamed sources have claimed that Apple is working on a smaller version of the gadget, to be released next year. The rumoured iPad “mini” would have a 5-7 inch screen as compared to the 9.7 inch screen seen on the current one. The price of the device will also be slashed, bringing it closer to USD 400, as compared to the USD 499 that it commands right now. The reason for this minitiarisation (is that a word?) evidently is the fact that some users have found the existing iPad a bit too big to use comfortably.

So, will Apple shrink the iPad? As with most things from the Cupertino company, we cannot really say. However, we do think it is a tad unlikely as a 5-inch iPad would be dangerously close to one of Apple’s best selling products, the iPod touch. Seven inches? Well, that does seem a bit more likely, but would it make a significant size change? Hmmm…pardon us, but we are a tad cynical about this rumour. Still, one never knows with Apple, does one?

It went on sale officially over the weekend, and has sold more than 3,00,000 units in next to no time. And the reviews are coming in as well. We are, of course, referring to the latest ubergizmo in town, Apple’s iPad. While we are still waiting for it in India, here are some reviews from leading tech pundits to help you make up your mind:

Walter Mossberg (Wall Street Journal): “The iPad is an advance in making more-sophisticated computing possible via a simple touch interface on a slender, light device. Only time will tell if it’s a real challenger to the laptop and netbook.”

Engadget:” Does the iPad evolve the personal computer in a significant way? Yeah, actually, it kind of does. Despite what you think right now, and despite the limitations Apple has put on some aspects of this device, what it says to the market is significant. The iPad is powerful, elegant, and largely unlike any computer you’ve ever used.” Continue reading »

Apple’s much-hyped iPad goes on sale in the US from tomorrow and from what we have seen and heard, there is interest all over the world in the device. Even in India, people are wondering whether they should ask their friends in the US to pick one up for them. Well, we have come up with a seven-point checklist for users to make up their minds about the iPad. You need an iPad if: Continue reading »

You can accuse us of going a little iPhone 3GS-mad over the past three days or so but then, such is indeed the attention the gadget commands. And after its launch in India got official, we have been literally flooded with queries as to whether it is worth buying the phone, especially given the rather high chances that Apple will be pulling a new one out of its hat in a few month and the fact that it seems to command a high-end price for specs that are modest on paper in comparison to some competing devices.

We did some pondering, asked sources official and unofficial, consulted user sentiment and our conclusion: yes, it is worth going for the 3GS, even though it comes a tad late to India, and in spite of what many think is an inflated price. The rationale for our conclusion is simple: Continue reading »

A couple of days after we had made a post speculating about the possible arrival of the iPhone 3GS in India, Airtel have finally confirmed that the iPhone 3GS is coming to India on 26 March. The 3GS version of the Godphone sports a better processor, camera and battery life, but if you were expecting to come at a relatively low price, we would ask you to curb your optimism. According to the release issued by Airtel, “iPhone 3GS will be available from Rs. 35,500 for the 16GB model and Rs 41,500 for the 32GB model. Airtel iPhone 3GS customers will enjoy 500 MB of free data every month for a year from the date of their iPhone 3GS activation.”

We are going to ponder if that makes it worthwhile to purchase or not, especially considering that a new version of the device is expected in a few months. But in the meantime, all Apple fan boys can rejoice - the iPhone 3GS is finally in India.

It has been rumoured to be on its way for months now, but it finally seems that the iPhone 3GS is now only days away from being released in India. While rumour mills are buzzing about the imminent release on the phone any time this week, what gives the entire affair an official touch is the fact that Airtel has posted a press release saying that it would be bringing ” iPhone 3GS, the fastest most powerful iPhone yet, to India in the coming months.” A mini website for the device has also been put in place at http://www.airtel.in/iphone3gs/. Unfortunately, no details about prices, plans or dates are mentioned, but still, at least it is official now that the iPhone 3GS will be coming to India.

While all iPhone fans will be cheering at the news, we are just hoping that the device is launched soon. After all, if past trends are any indication, it is very likely that Steve Jobs will be showing us a new version of the iPhone in a few months, which would pretty much make the iPhone 3GS appear like an old lady.

Now that it is official that the Apple iPad will be hitting stores in the US on 3 April (no news of an Indian release yet, alas), interest in the device is reaching new dimensions. Every person with the slightest interest in technology is full of questions about Apple’s latest gizmo. If you too have a query or two about the iPad, we suggest you pay a visit to CNet’s All About the iPad (FAQ) in the Circuit Breaker section, written by Erica Ogg and Donald Bell. It pretty much answers most queries, barring that one about an Indian launch (and price). But then, ah, no one is perfect. Definitely worth a look for everyone interested in the iPad.

It is Valentine’s Day tomorrow and people are looking around for stuff to give their loved ones. Speaking for ourselves, we do not think one needs a special day to give the ones we love a present, but ah, that’s a debate for another day and perhaps another blog. Right now, if we were asked for our shortlist of the best things we could give to tech-friendly loved one tomorrow without straining our wallets beyond the Rs. 10,000 barrier, we would recommend these… Continue reading »

It may not be as magical as Steve Jobs made it out to be, but we still think Apple’s iPad packs enough in it to turn the tech world upside down. And no, not because we got five of our seven predictions about it right. In fact, it is the prediction that we got wrong that might make the biggest difference.

Continue reading »