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 »
You have to hand it to Google when it comes to making tutorials. A few weeks ago, we had covered their superb section on Gmail, where the folks explained how one could make the most of Gmail and become a Gmail Ninja. Well, they have now come up with a super video tutorial on how to help your grandmother use video chat. Of course, we bet our wallets that it will not be only grandmothers who will be availing of the tutorial. Definitely worth a look for all those who find video chatting a bit intimidating. Of course, Google plugs its own services in video chat here, but heck, given the quality of the tutorial (and the services too), we are not complaining.
Google has updated its Google Maps application for Android devices and while there are some very interesting features, the one that grabbed our attention was that you can actually check the timing of the Delhi Metro service and when the next train is due along your route - the official screenshot above shows the San Francisco metro service details for a route but take our word for it, it works for the Delhi Metro too. Pretty cool, we think, making the application one of the best navigation options for those staying in the Indian capital (AND having Android devices, of course). Other new features include the option to share your location over Latitude as well as read reviews (and add your own) of notable landmarks and places. So now, you can not only search for a Cafe around you, but also find out what other people are saying about it.
There is a catch, of course - the new maps work only with phones running Android 1.6 and above. But then again, they are free, come with navigation options and heck, now we can find out when the next Metro train is due without having to go the station. Surely that counts for something.
With the world getting a dose of football fever, how could one of the most famous tech companies around stay immune. Google has added a number of World Cup touches to all its products. And in best Google tradition, they are wonderfully simple while being effective. There are Chrome extensions and iGoogle desktop gadgets to get you the latest from the tournament, and you can explore stadiums in 3D and even go inside them using Street View in Google Maps. More details are available at www.google.com/worldcup/
But the best touch of them all is the one on search - you just have to search for “World Cup” to get the latest scores or search for “World Cup group A” to get the standings of that particular group, right on top of the search results. This is particularly terrific for cellphone users who are saved the hassle of going to a website and waiting for it to load. Thanks, Google!
Gmail is rapidly becoming one of the most popular e-mail services in the world, with its simple interface and seamless integration with chat. And after some hesitation (thanks to its beta status), even enterprises are now using Gmail. Google, in best tradition, is backing up its service with lots of handy information, the latest being a blog entry on tips for using Gmail at work. Worth a read by all Gmail users, even if they do not use Gmail professionally, as one can always use information like how to set up multiple e-mail accounts from a single interface and how to keep track of one’s tasks. You can read the tips here.
Arguably one of the most popular games of all time, Pac-Man, turns 30 on May 21 and Google has decided to celebrate by literally putting the game on its own home page. So, if you are looking to play Pac-Man, all you need to do is head to www.google.com and you will see the Google doodle (the fancy manner in which “Google” is written) in the form of Pac-Man. Just hit the “Insert Coin” option or wait for ten seconds and the game will start - you just need the direction key to keep moving and avoid the ghosts.
And no, this is not a half-baked tribute to the game. Google has actually equipped the doodle with many unique characteristics from the original Pac-Man. The personalities of the ghosts have been faithfully reproduced: Inky (blue: fickle), Blinky (red: chaser), Pinky (pink: ambusher) and Clyde (orange: slow). Even programming bugs from the original game like a “kill screen” on level 256, have been retained. Yessir, this is Pac-Man all right. And it does not affect the lightning-fast download speed of Google’s home page either. Take a bow, Google…and thanks!
It came in unheralded, like most Google updates, but could prove to be one of the best from the search behemoth. Most of us tech followers know that we can get a 3D perspective of the earth by downloading and using Google’s Google Earth software - well, now you can get a somewhat similar experience in your browser itself, without having to download anything big. All you need to do is go to http://maps.google.com and opt for the “Use Earth View” link that appears on the left of the screen and you will be able to see the earth in 3D, panning and zooming from various angles using your mouse and your onscreen controls. Of course, it does not work well in ALL areas - we would advise you not to try seeing your neighbourhood in 3D, for instance - but when it comes to famous buildings and monuments, it is nothing short of awesome. We are still stunned at how amazing Big Ben and Mount Everest looked, and “stunned” does not quite sum up how we felt when we discovered that we could actually dive underwater to see the wreck of the Titanic.
All you need to get all this and much more is the Google Earth plugin for your browser which is, of course, available free of cost, in best Google tradition. Now, if you will excuse us, we have a planet to explore on our browser. And in 3D too!
More and more people have been moving to Google’s mail service, Gmail, thanks to its ease of use and powerful functions. But like just about everything on the Internet these days, there is a lot more (and we mean a LOT more) to Gmail than just sending and receiving mails or even chatting while you receive mail. There are stacks and stacks of features out there that can make a huge difference to your mailing experience - from being able to use Gmail even when there is no Internet access to seeing previews of YouTube videos, Picasa and Flickr links, and Yelp reviews right inside Gmail, to even sending SMS text messages from Gmail. Of course, it can all get rather confusing, so the good folks at Google have come up with an entire Gmail Tips section to help users out.
And in best Google tradition, this is not just a boring page with bulleted points but a whole lot of fun. Google urges users to become “Gmail Ninjas” and based on their level of usage, classifies them into White, Green and Black Belts, and saves the best tips for power users it calls Gmail Masters. There are more than forty tips here, each of which is explained in simple terms with screenshots thrown in too. A must-read for everyone who uses Gmail and even for those who do not and wonder what all the fuss is about! You can access the tips here.
Phones based on Android have only now started making their presence felt in India, with the release of the likes of the Sony Ericsson X10, the Motorola Milestone and the LG GW620. Even as India comes to grips with Android, PCWorld magazine has come out with a list of what it thinks are the ten best phones running the Android operating system. Yes, not all of them are available in India (yet), but we still think that it makes for some compulsive reading, considering that Android could well emerge as one of the most popular smartphone operating systems in the country in the coming days. You can read the story here.
As the number of Android phones in the country increases, a rather disturbing trend is becoming evident - a number of smartphone manufacturers are selling their devices with older versions of Android and what’s worse, are not providing any option to the user to update them to newer versions. In simple terms, just imagine that someone not only sells you a computer that is running an older version of Windows (say Windows 98) but also prevents you from updating it to a newer version. Sounds ridiculous? Well, that is exactly what seems to be happening. Of all the Android devices in the country, only two - the HTC Legend and the Motorola Milestone - are running the latest version(2.1) of Android. Of the rest, only one - the Samsung Spica - has been updated to the latest version. The others - HTC Hero, HTC Tattoo, HTC Magic, Sony Ericsson Xperia X10, LG GW620, Samsung Glaxay, Acer Liquid - are all running older versions of Android (either 1.5 or 1.6). Continue reading »
There has been a stir in India tech town for the last 24 hours, ever since a few websites reported that BSNL is offering a Huawei phone in Tamil Nadu for as little as Rs 6,500, and for Rs 6,750 with a 3G connection thrown in. There is some confusion over whether it runs Android or Brew, but most of our sources confirm that the phone does indeed exist. Called the U7510, it comes with a full touchscreen, has 100 MB internal memory (expandable to 8 GB), Bluetooth and two cameras - a 2.0-megapixel main camera and a front facing VGA one for video calling. All of which makes it sound like a terrific deal, even if it is just limited to Tamil Nadu.
The only problem is that we have seen no official confirmation of the offer from BSNL - the phone is not on the service provider’s website. Still, if the news is true, then it is surely one of the best value for money offers we have seen on any phone in India (if it runs Android, it becomes the best value for money deal, ever!). We are keeping our fingers crossed that it is true and that such offers will come all over the country shortly.
There are always new tricks coming from Google for Gmail and the latest one is pretty cool. It is called Message Sneak Peak and can be activated through the Labs option in your Gmail. Once that is done, all you need to do to read a message in your Gmail is just right click on it - most of the text will appear in a preview pane that will open up in front of the inbox. So now you can read your messages even while looking at your inbox in the background. If you click on a conversation, you will be able to read all the messages in the conversation by scrolling through different messages.
The only catch we could see was that if the message is particularly long, then the preview pane just shows the initial portion of the message. Also it seems a bit iffy when it comes to handling images, but even then, being able to preview a message by just right-clicking on it is a particularly handy option, especially for those who gets lots of mails. We are using it and would recommend your giving it a try as well.
The past few days might have been dominated by launches of a host of smart(and not so smart)phones, but that does not mean that the non-phoney world has been sitting quietly. Google India has with typical lack of hullaballoo introduced a Shopping option in its search at www.google.co.in. Basically, what this means is that when you search for something, you will now get options of websites from where you can actually purchase it. To quote the release, “the system scans millions of Indian Web pages and extracts product names, prices and images. With the help of this new technology, Google users will receive information from more than 30 thousand Indian Internet sites enabling them to research a variety of products in just one page.”
Users can compare prices from different stores for a product and even specify a price range - say, they can search for a Nokia phone between Rs 15,000 and Rs 20,000. Using the Shopping tool is simplicity itself — just enter the product name into the search box at www.google.co.in, and then, on the Results page, click on the “Show Options” link, and then select “Shopping”. Once you start seeing shopping results, you can customise your options as required.
It’s perfect for all those who love to compare prices before making a purchase. We love it already!
We will need to beg your pardon for that excessively long headline (although you must have noticed that we have something like a penchant for them), but we have just got news from a very reliable source that the Samsung Galaxy i7500, which was launched in India almost at the same time as the HTC Hero, and which had commanded a price in the vicinity of Rs 25,000 plus a few months ago, is now being sold for Rs. 13,000! Now that is a staggering proposition if one considers the specs of the i7500 - the 3.5 inch AMOLED touchscreen, 1500 mAH battery, 11.9 mm profile, and of course, every connectivity option in town, along with a VERY decent 5.0 megapixel shooter. Of course, there is a chance that what our source witnessed was just a one-off, but even this, this is a heck of a deal for any person looking for an Android phone, as it plonks the Galaxy well below the likes of the HTC Tattoo, the HTC Hero and even the just-released LG GW620. In fact, it puts it right next to Samsung’s own Galaxy Spica which is much more modestly specced but costs around Rs 12,500.
Ever been stuck in a city with no idea of how to get to your destination? Well, Google Maps might be able to help you. Google’s popular mapping application, which already supported step-by-step directions for most Indian cities has thrown in information about public transport too. So one can not only see the route one has to follow but also which bus or local train/metro to take to get to where one wants. What’s more, the information is available on both computers and mobiles, making it perfect for those who want it in a hurry. Computer users will have to head to the Google Transit page, while cellphone users can download Google Maps for Mobile. Currently, transport options are limited to the Chennai MRTS, Delhi Metro, Kolkata Metro and Hyderabad’s Multi Modal Transport System, but we have been told that these will increase, as will the number of Indian cities covered by the software.
Now, that’s something, especially when you consider that Google Maps also has the Latitude feature which lets you see your friends online (provided they are logged in), chat with them and even map a route to them.
It is literally the biggest Buzz in tech town. And seems to be in no mood to die down. We are referring to Google Buzz, the new service from Google that adds a vast element of sharing to the already pretty power-packed Gmail. We have been tinkering around with Buzz for the past day or so and to be honest we can frankly say that we are very impressed indeed. Yes, we are not saying it is perfect, and no, we are not sure whether it will wipe out Facebook as some pundits are saying, but all in all, it might just redefine e-mail very much in the way Gmail did a few years ago. There are seven reasons why we love Google Buzz: Continue reading »
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.
With the world getting a dose of football fever, how could one of the most famous tech companies around stay immune. Google has added a number of World Cup touches to all its products. And in best Google tradition, they are wonderfully simple while being effective. There are Chrome extensions and iGoogle desktop gadgets to get you the latest from the tournament, and you can explore stadiums in 3D and even go inside them using Street View in Google Maps. More details are available at www.google.com/worldcup/
Gmail is rapidly becoming one of the most popular e-mail services in the world, with its simple interface and seamless integration with chat. And after some hesitation (thanks to its beta status), even enterprises are now using Gmail. Google, in best tradition, is backing up its service with lots of handy information, the latest being a blog entry on tips for using Gmail at work. Worth a read by all Gmail users, even if they do not use Gmail professionally, as one can always use information like how to set up multiple e-mail accounts from a single interface and how to keep track of one’s tasks. You can read the tips 
Arguably one of the most popular games of all time, Pac-Man, turns 30 on May 21 and Google has decided to celebrate by literally putting the game on its own home page. So, if you are looking to play Pac-Man, all you need to do is head to www.google.com and you will see the Google doodle (the fancy manner in which “Google” is written) in the form of Pac-Man. Just hit the “Insert Coin” option or wait for ten seconds and the game will start - you just need the direction key to keep moving and avoid the ghosts.
It came in unheralded, like most Google updates, but could prove to be one of the best from the search behemoth. Most of us tech followers know that we can get a 3D perspective of the earth by downloading and using Google’s Google Earth software - well, now you can get a somewhat similar experience in your browser itself, without having to download anything big. All you need to do is go to http://maps.google.com and opt for the “Use Earth View” link that appears on the left of the screen and you will be able to see the earth in 3D, panning and zooming from various angles using your mouse and your onscreen controls. Of course, it does not work well in ALL areas - we would advise you not to try seeing your neighbourhood in 3D, for instance - but when it comes to famous buildings and monuments, it is nothing short of awesome. We are still stunned at how amazing Big Ben and Mount Everest looked, and “stunned” does not quite sum up how we felt when we discovered that we could actually dive underwater to see the wreck of the Titanic.
Phones based on Android have only now started making their presence felt in India, with the release of the likes of the Sony Ericsson X10, the Motorola Milestone and the LG GW620. Even as India comes to grips with Android, PCWorld magazine has come out with a list of what it thinks are the ten best phones running the Android operating system. Yes, not all of them are available in India (yet), but we still think that it makes for some compulsive reading, considering that Android could well emerge as one of the most popular smartphone operating systems in the country in the coming days. You can read the story 
As the number of Android phones in the country increases, a rather disturbing trend is becoming evident - a number of smartphone manufacturers are selling their devices with older versions of Android and what’s worse, are not providing any option to the user to update them to newer versions. In simple terms, just imagine that someone not only sells you a computer that is running an older version of Windows (say Windows 98) but also prevents you from updating it to a newer version. Sounds ridiculous? Well, that is exactly what seems to be happening. Of all the Android devices in the country, only two - the HTC Legend and the Motorola Milestone - are running the latest version(2.1) of Android. Of the rest, only one - the Samsung Spica - has been updated to the latest version. The others - HTC Hero, HTC Tattoo, HTC Magic, Sony Ericsson Xperia X10, LG GW620, Samsung Glaxay, Acer Liquid - are all running older versions of Android (either 1.5 or 1.6). 
The past few days might have been dominated by launches of a host of smart(and not so smart)phones, but that does not mean that the non-phoney world has been sitting quietly. Google India has with typical lack of hullaballoo introduced a Shopping option in its search at www.google.co.in. Basically, what this means is that when you search for something, you will now get options of websites from where you can actually purchase it. To quote the release, “the system scans millions of Indian Web pages and extracts product names, prices and images. With the help of this new technology, Google users will receive information from more than 30 thousand Indian Internet sites enabling them to research a variety of products in just one page.”
Ever been stuck in a city with no idea of how to get to your destination? Well, Google Maps might be able to help you. Google’s popular mapping application, which already supported step-by-step directions for most Indian cities has thrown in information about public transport too. So one can not only see the route one has to follow but also which bus or local train/metro to take to get to where one wants. What’s more, the information is available on both computers and mobiles, making it perfect for those who want it in a hurry. Computer users will have to head to the 
It is literally the biggest Buzz in tech town. And seems to be in no mood to die down. We are referring to Google Buzz, the new service from Google that adds a vast element of sharing to the already pretty power-packed Gmail. We have been tinkering around with Buzz for the past day or so and to be honest we can frankly say that we are very impressed indeed. Yes, we are not saying it is perfect, and no, we are not sure whether it will wipe out Facebook as some pundits are saying, but all in all, it might just redefine e-mail very much in the way Gmail did a few years ago. There are seven reasons why we love Google Buzz: 
