After a relatively slow start, the global positioning system (GPS) has become a standard feature of pretty much every phone in the Rs 10,000-plus category and some even below it. But having GPS on a device is not enough - you really need to use it to its fullest extent to make the most of it. And believe it or not, there is much more to it than just finding your way around town and geotagging pictures. The folks at PCWorld have come up with a great article showing just what one can do with a GPS phone, and we recommend it you give it a thorough read if you have one. Read it even if you do not have it - we are sure it will convince you to invest in one. Read the article here.
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 »
We love tutorials that talk about how to get the most out of a gadget without getting tangled into technical jargon, which is why we love PCWorld’s tutorial on how to make your travel photographs memorable. There are no references to complex camera settings or tech tweaks here, just a lot of simple common sense. Best of all, there is no talk even of the camera model you are using - these are tips that can be picked up and used even by someone using the most basic point-and-shoot in town. All right, we have said enough - now check out the entire tutorial (which is in the form of a slideshow) here.
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.
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 »
The grey market holds a lot of attraction for a number of people looking for tech products. In many cases, it provides people with products that have not been officially released in their countries (consider the iPad) and in others, allows them to buy a product at a much lower rate - a grey market iPhone 3GS for instance comes for around Rs 28,000 as compared to its prim and proper counterpart, which costs in the vicinity of Rs 35,000. However, making a purchase from the grey market comes with its own set of pitfalls, some of which can be significant. Here’s a look at five of the biggest ones. Continue reading »
We think that Windows 7 is one of the best operating systems seen in recent times, but that does not mean that it is beyond improvement. While Microsoft will doubtless be working away at a number of tweaks and enhancements that will make the OS better and easier to use, the folks at PCWorld (bless ‘em) have come out with an entire list of 17 software applications that will make Windows 7 even better to use. There is lots of good stuff here, ranging from applications that let you adjust Windows taskbar to those that improve the performance of the operating system and make applications easier to use. And the best thing of all is that all these applications are absolutely free to use.
We would definitely recommend your trying out some, if not all, of them. It definitely beats waiting for the next service pack from Windows. You can check them out here.
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.
It has been around for a while now and has definitely become our favourite version of Windows at Techgazing, but there is a lot that we still do not know about Windows 7. While there are any number of guides on the OS on the Internet, we felt that the easiest way to get up to speed with how to best make use of Windows 7’s features was to contact Microsoft, the company that made it.
We did so, and the folks at Microsoft (bless them!) responded by sending us no fewer than SIXTEEN tips and tricks about the coolest Windows of them all. And we think that all of them are worth trying out. Continue reading »
How do you buy gadget for someone who not just brought you into the world but has also played a major role in ensuring that you turned out the way you have? Yes, is is Mother’s Day on May 9 and if you are thinking of buying your mum a tech toy to show how much she means to you, we would suggest a fair degree of caution and preparation. For, let’s face it, mums are not generally the most tech-savvy people on the planet (heck, they do not need technology, unlike us lesser humans), but they sure are going to try their best to use whatever their offspring gives them (after yelling at them that there was no need for anything, of course. Of course!). While there are stacks of gadgets out there that might appeal to mothers, we have shortlisted five that we think are surefire hits with most mums. Continue reading »
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.
Vodafone has been painting billboards all over Delhi with ads of its 3G USB Modem. On the face of it, it is a hell of a deal - for Rs 7,000, you get unlimited data usage for all states other than Maharashtra, Goa, Madhya Pradesh (where the rate is Rs 7,499), as well as the USB modem, which itself is worth Rs 2599. Not too bad really, if you consider that you should be getting 3G speeds from the modem. The problem is that you will get these speeds only OUTSIDE India. In India, you will have to be content with the considerably - and we mean considerably - slower speeds on the EDGE network (the normal speeds you get on most mobile handsets).
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.
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 »
One of the biggest decisions any person wanting to get into photography has to make is about which camera to choose. There are no end of options in the market today, ranging from basic point and shooters to DSLRs. All of which makes for a very confusing mix indeed. Which is why we really love PCWorld’s slideshow on the art of choosing a camera, which explains the different features and facets one has to keep in mind while going for a camera. A must-read for all aspiring shutterbugs. And for some established ones too, we daresay. We do wish they would not keep plugging their own listings, though. Still, no one’s perfect, we guess.
After a relatively slow start, the global positioning system (GPS) has become a standard feature of pretty much every phone in the Rs 10,000-plus category and some even below it. But having GPS on a device is not enough - you really need to use it to its fullest extent to make the most of it. And believe it or not, there is much more to it than just finding your way around town and geotagging pictures. The folks at PCWorld have come up with a great article showing just what one can do with a GPS phone, and we recommend it you give it a thorough read if you have one. Read it even if you do not have it - we are sure it will convince you to invest in one. Read the article here.
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.
We think that Windows 7 is one of the best operating systems seen in recent times, but that does not mean that it is beyond improvement. While Microsoft will doubtless be working away at a number of tweaks and enhancements that will make the OS better and easier to use, the folks at PCWorld (bless ‘em) have come out with an entire list of 17 software applications that will make Windows 7 even better to use. There is lots of good stuff here, ranging from applications that let you adjust Windows taskbar to those that improve the performance of the operating system and make applications easier to use. And the best thing of all is that all these applications are absolutely free to use.
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 
It has been around for a while now and has definitely become our favourite version of Windows at Techgazing, but there is a lot that we still do not know about Windows 7. While there are any number of guides on the OS on the Internet, we felt that the easiest way to get up to speed with how to best make use of Windows 7’s features was to contact Microsoft, the company that made it.
How do you buy gadget for someone who not just brought you into the world but has also played a major role in ensuring that you turned out the way you have? Yes, is is Mother’s Day on May 9 and if you are thinking of buying your mum a tech toy to show how much she means to you, we would suggest a fair degree of caution and preparation. For, let’s face it, mums are not generally the most tech-savvy people on the planet (heck, they do not need technology, unlike us lesser humans), but they sure are going to try their best to use whatever their offspring gives them (after yelling at them that there was no need for anything, of course. Of course!). While there are stacks of gadgets out there that might appeal to mothers, we have shortlisted five that we think are surefire hits with most mums. 
