DIGITAL SANKALP

Google officially launches its election portal in India

<div dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ez_lTeNPMr0MIr6rqp1NP30CA0iqB3xfJm3mLFWz3KDBD7KNRSC8vLAwzmJ5lgGP27PVI7RqkuebA7_h6HIhY5jxrCdnppmH7s-xQ19wQ-nOx_jdoE6ZbQYN9NJq8KaxOKJqlGh4rHkq/s1600/google-hyd-big-753469.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5952343435337935010" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ez_lTeNPMr0MIr6rqp1NP30CA0iqB3xfJm3mLFWz3KDBD7KNRSC8vLAwzmJ5lgGP27PVI7RqkuebA7_h6HIhY5jxrCdnppmH7s-xQ19wQ-nOx_jdoE6ZbQYN9NJq8KaxOKJqlGh4rHkq/s320/google-hyd-big-753469.jpg" /></a> After Facebook, Google has jumped on the bandwagon of polls in India, the world's biggest democracy, by setting up an election portal that gives all polls and politics related news to users in India.The US-based search engine major Thursday launched its election portal which also provides information on political parties."Election portal will serve as a one-stop destination to help voters get answers to their elections and voting-related queries to make an informed decision," <a href="http://gadgets.ndtv.com/tags/google">Google</a> said in official blog.In the first phase of the launch, the portal will cover news information and videos related to state elections in Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Mizoram covering news from leading publications and broadcasters both in English and Hindi.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGxZIK7WOfITml2Byrnwqpal7Q2Ke5BFhvsTzSnypsqPiWzMQkNIZWfAA1ArX3TCbR4Brg87QDyeIPVrYHOINZUDLJboDnLBYAFoIliOdK-waup-dicFulhbmeI2BrN9HWCabCNexgmoi4/s1600/google-indian-election-portal-page-635-756392.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5952343449216773490" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGxZIK7WOfITml2Byrnwqpal7Q2Ke5BFhvsTzSnypsqPiWzMQkNIZWfAA1ArX3TCbR4Brg87QDyeIPVrYHOINZUDLJboDnLBYAFoIliOdK-waup-dicFulhbmeI2BrN9HWCabCNexgmoi4/s320/google-indian-election-portal-page-635-756392.jpg" /></a>Users will also be able to watch content hosted by <a href="http://gadgets.ndtv.com/tags/youtube">YouTube</a> partners on elections and links to Hangouts done by political representatives in the recent past.Earlier this month, social networking site <a href="http://gadgets.ndtv.com/tags/facebook">Facebook</a> joined hands with the Association for Democratic Reforms to help the voters access election candidates' criminal, financial, educational, professional information directly on their mobile via Facebook using USSD technology.Facebook launched 'Register to Vote' feature, which seeks to promote its users to exercise their voting rights.The feature encourages users to add on his/her Facebook timeline as a life event that the person has registered to vote and share this story with other connected users.<a href="http://gadgets.ndtv.com/internet/news/internet-users-in-india-set-to-reach-243-million-by-2014-report-446653">With over 200 million Internet users</a> in the country, the Internet audience in India has reached a critical scale and it will play an important role in influencing decisions of a large proportion of the urban Indian population in the upcoming elections, Google said."Elections related search queries on Google have shown a considerable increase and the interest in news information related to elections and politics have started to peak," Google India Head of Public Policy and Government Relations Chetan Krishnaswamy said.Leading political parties are active on most social media platforms, and users will be able to access all information sent out by the political parties on platforms like YouTube, <a href="http://gadgets.ndtv.com/tags/google-plus">Google+</a> and connect directly with the candidates in their constituency, he added. </div>

Google officially launches its election portal in India

After Facebook, Google has jumped on the bandwagon of polls in India, the world's biggest democracy, by setting up an election portal ...

12:52 am

Google officially launches its election portal in India

Google officially launches its election portal in India

After Facebook, Google has jumped on the bandwagon of polls in India, the world's biggest democracy, by setting up an election portal ...

12:52 am

Samsung Galaxy S5 to come in two variants, ship alongside next Galaxy Gear: Report

<div dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcGlrv9FxBo-Dfavy3I_2xyeDT4BrVGj4IBq_ZCq16_FmZ7mqqlzr3d7_YoudyzON-YDBF3LIYzjLMhH0A8Poh4_a6Fcc_OUlE3vnKlftp8sa68IRj5oObEnR0OahtEDQu6g_9XbXHUC4H/s1600/samsung-glass-door-logo-635-783705.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5952342707694673986" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcGlrv9FxBo-Dfavy3I_2xyeDT4BrVGj4IBq_ZCq16_FmZ7mqqlzr3d7_YoudyzON-YDBF3LIYzjLMhH0A8Poh4_a6Fcc_OUlE3vnKlftp8sa68IRj5oObEnR0OahtEDQu6g_9XbXHUC4H/s320/samsung-glass-door-logo-635-783705.jpg" /></a> Samsung's next flagship smartphone, expected to be called the Galaxy S5, might still be far from confirmed, but a new report suggests that the device will hit mass production in January 2014. The report also expects the speculated successor of Samsung Galaxy Gear to be launched alongside the rumoured Galaxy S5.Korean publication, <a href="http://www.etnews.com/news/device/device/2875591_1479.html" target="_blank">ET News</a> reports that the South Korean manufacturer plans to release two versions of the alleged Galaxy S5. As per the report, there will be two variants of the Galaxy S5: a premium variant which will sport a metal chassis and a flexible OLED, and a variant which will come with the usual plastic body, as found on other Galaxy smartphones.Earlier this week, a new set of images purportedly revealing the supposed metal frames of the rumoured Galaxy S5 was spotted online.Further, the report speculates that Samsung will initially manufacture around 8,00,000 to 1 million units of the alleged Galaxy S5 in January, and will increase the number up to 6 million units in February. Samsung is likely to release the Galaxy S5 in March or April 2014, according to the report.Sammobile has revealed some of the specifications of the alleged Galaxy S5, with two variants expected to be powered by 64-bit Exynos chipset and Snapdragon chipset (no word on this would be the new Snapdragon 805 chipset. Also expected on board is 3GB of RAM, a 16-megapixel camera, a 4000mAh battery and Android 4.4 KitKat with TouchWiz UI on top.Earlier reports had suggested that Samsung's next-generation of high-end smartphones, including the rumoured Galaxy S5, would be equipped with a 16-megapixel camera, but didn't indicate the type of module.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZK3MXi5GJe1emFoo2JbgnYYnNNmIUTKg5d3_TXOJgCwVjf3gYT5hhrp6vBEydLYffI9vmVpkDjHeP1UyJHyrBsoDhw2Ym88PSFQ5GrIshmcvGdI3apqv-X0LnJADv8aNVIo3l4YxEMJY3/s1600/samsung-galaxy-gear-12-big-787158.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5952342721448961202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZK3MXi5GJe1emFoo2JbgnYYnNNmIUTKg5d3_TXOJgCwVjf3gYT5hhrp6vBEydLYffI9vmVpkDjHeP1UyJHyrBsoDhw2Ym88PSFQ5GrIshmcvGdI3apqv-X0LnJADv8aNVIo3l4YxEMJY3/s320/samsung-galaxy-gear-12-big-787158.jpg" /></a>In addition, the ET News also claims that Samsung is also busy developing the successor to the Galaxy Gear smartwatch, and that it might launch along with the alleged Galaxy S5. The next generation Samsung Galaxy Gear is said to be 15 to 20 percent thinner than the current smartwatch. As of now, there is no word on specifications of the rumoured Galaxy Gear smartwatch.A recent report has suggested that sales figures Samsung's first wearable device, the Galaxy Gear smartwatch, had been disappointing. However, Samsung countered the claim immediately after, and said that it sold 800,000 smartwatch units in 2 months. </div>

Samsung Galaxy S5 to come in two variants, ship alongside next Galaxy Gear: Report

Samsung's next flagship smartphone, expected to be called the Galaxy S5, might still be far from confirmed, but a new report suggests ...

12:49 am

Samsung Galaxy S5 to come in two variants, ship alongside next Galaxy Gear: Report

Samsung Galaxy S5 to come in two variants, ship alongside next Galaxy Gear: Report

Samsung's next flagship smartphone, expected to be called the Galaxy S5, might still be far from confirmed, but a new report suggests ...

12:49 am

Satya Nadella: The Indian-American who could be the next Microsoft CEO

<div dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho-fSgZ7dL-jq9XU3tWHCpWYU8AC25iGMBUx1YvAI-vMPWfSeDfLwpgjRNSXTNp-lgexduD4HqppgmuWDqrHCVZ_5ImrFJXUyl1tZbGETPVxHOsMEOcNeoKDDst4XHv6yZVpIgnIbwyPtn/s1600/Satya-Nadella-Microsoft-CEO-Candidate-635-765033.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5952340479542449698" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho-fSgZ7dL-jq9XU3tWHCpWYU8AC25iGMBUx1YvAI-vMPWfSeDfLwpgjRNSXTNp-lgexduD4HqppgmuWDqrHCVZ_5ImrFJXUyl1tZbGETPVxHOsMEOcNeoKDDst4XHv6yZVpIgnIbwyPtn/s320/Satya-Nadella-Microsoft-CEO-Candidate-635-765033.jpg" /></a> Since Steve Ballmer announced his retirement from Microsoft in late-August, everyone has been speculating who will be the new Chief Executive Officer. Microsoft at the same time had announced its intentions to transform itself into a devices and services company, and said it was looking for a CEO candidate that will be there for the "long term" to guide the company. The hunt begins The search for Microsoft's new CEO is being directed by a special committee appointed by the company's board of directors. The search committee includes both Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer, and will be considering both external and internal candidates. The announcement triggered further speculation, with a vast list of potential candidates making the rounds of the rumour mills. Certain names have risen to the top of that list however, with several reports quoting sources familiar with the matter further corroborating the potential candidates. External candidates included Ford's CEO Alan Mullaly and Nokia's former CEO Stephen Elop, someone with close connections with Microsoft before, and indeed after the purchase of Nokia. Internal candidates included Tony Bates, who currently heads Microsoft's Business Development and Overall Strategy, and Satya Nadella, who heads the Redmond giant's Cloud and Enterprise Group.   While Tony Bates, as the former CEO of Skype, is quite well-known even in non-technology circles, Satya Nadella is a relatively less famous figure, having spent the majority of his career (21 years) at Microsoft. With Nadella said to have made the final shortlist alongside Mullaly, let's take a look at the man who could be the next Microsoft CEO. Who is Satya Nadella? Born in 1969 in Hyderabad, India, Satya Nadella finished his schooling at the Hyderabad Public School, and earned his Bachelor of Engineering degree in Electronics and Communication from the Manipal Institute of Technology. He, like so many of the engineers at the time, then completed his engineering education abroad, with a Master of Science degree in Computer Science from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Finally, he rounded off his education with a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Chicago. Nadella started his career at Sun Microsystems, before moving to Microsoft in 1992, where he joined as a Program Manager in the Windows Developer Relations group. Nadella quickly rose up the ranks, becoming the Senior Vice President of Research & Development for the Online Services division, the Vice President of the Microsoft Business Solutions group (MBS), and notably, the President of the $19 billion Microsoft Server and Tools Business. During his meteoric rise, the Indian-American also founded and led the 'Microsoft bCentral' small business online services group, was general manager for the company's Commerce Platforms group, and is considered responsible for spearheading the development of the Microsoft Commerce Server, Microsoft BizTalk Server, Microsoft Office Small Business, and Microsoft Dynamics ERP and CRM products. Nadella is also considered to have played a significant part in Microsoft's foray into advanced technologies like digital rights management (DRM) and interactive television (ITV). As the head of the company's Server and Tools Business, Nadella spearheaded the 'transformation of the business and technology from client-server software to cloud infrastructure and services,' according to Microsoft. Perfect for the top-spot at Redmond? Currently, Nadella is Executive Vice President of Microsoft's Cloud and Enterprise group, and in Microsoft's words, is responsible for building and running the company's computing platforms, developer tools and cloud services.   With his experience, Nadella seems to fit the envisioned role for the new CEO of Microsoft perfectly, a company that is hoping to metamorphose from a software giant into a devices and services company, a move heralded by the acquisition of Nokia's mobile division, first announced in June 2012, and development of the Surface tablet range. John Thompson, who is chairing the search committee, had described the role at Ballmer's retirement announcement: <blockquote>"The board is committed to the effective transformation of Microsoft to a successful devices and services company. As this work continues, we are focused on selecting a new CEO to work with the company's senior leadership team to chart the company's course and execute on it in a highly competitive industry." </blockquote> Bill Gates had also recently outlined the requirements for the CEO role at Microsoft, saying: <blockquote>"It's a complex role to fill - a lot of different skills, experience and capabilities that we need. It's a complex global business the new CEO will have to lead. The person has to have a lot of comfort in leading a highly technical organization and have an ability to work with our top technical talent to seize the opportunities." </blockquote> Apart from the evidently relevant experience in the services field, Nadella as an internal candidate may arguably be preferred over external candidates, who will take time to learn the ropes at Microsoft. </div>

Satya Nadella: The Indian-American who could be the next Microsoft CEO

Since Steve Ballmer announced his retirement from Microsoft in late-August, everyone has been speculating who will be the new Chief Executiv...

12:41 am

Xolo Q500 smartphone with quad-core Snapdragon 200 launched at Rs. 7,999

<div dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxOIQhobe1od5gyIBu9CjhXcP_0Dqog7hw501BAbZJgj_QwWXsgp6tVQVkb7IjkXCH8sOG6rRDcVHePojY4hMULabE4V-zrtuUPMvYqK9SIGXasaz6ecTAH09qfQH3uf0uyfDHZIRBDUNM/s1600/xolo-q500-launch-635-713666.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5952339829595571538" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxOIQhobe1od5gyIBu9CjhXcP_0Dqog7hw501BAbZJgj_QwWXsgp6tVQVkb7IjkXCH8sOG6rRDcVHePojY4hMULabE4V-zrtuUPMvYqK9SIGXasaz6ecTAH09qfQH3uf0uyfDHZIRBDUNM/s320/xolo-q500-launch-635-713666.jpg" /></a> Xolo has launched its latest Q series smartphone, the Q500, at Rs. 7,999, and has made it available in the Indian market. The new Xolo smartphone expands the company's Q smartphone series which already includes phones such as <a href="http://gadgets.ndtv.com/xolo-q-600-898">Xolo Q600</a>, <a href="http://gadgets.ndtv.com/xolo-q700-755">Xolo Q700</a>, <a href="http://gadgets.ndtv.com/xolo-q800-900">Xolo Q800</a>, <a href="http://gadgets.ndtv.com/xolo-q900-1109">Xolo Q900</a>, <a href="http://gadgets.ndtv.com/xolo-q-1000-817">Xolo Q1000</a>, <a href="http://gadgets.ndtv.com/xolo-q1000s-997">Xolo Q1000S</a>, and <a href="http://gadgets.ndtv.com/xolo-q2000-1125">Xolo Q2000</a> all of which are powered by quad-core processors. However, unlike the other Q series smartphones, the Q500 bears a Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 processor. The <a href="http://gadgets.ndtv.com/xolo-q500-1150">Xolo Q500</a> runs Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and supports dual-SIM (GSM+GSM) functionality. It features a 4-inch WVGA (480x800) display with One Glass Solution (OGS) and boasts a pixel density of 233ppi. It sports a 5-megapixel rear autofocus camera with LED flash and also houses a VGA front-facing camera. The Xolo Q500 continues the Q range tradition and equips a 1.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 with Adreno 203 and 1GB of RAM. The Xolo Q500 is the first budget smartphone which is powered by a Snapdragon 200 processor, which has been a chipset of mid-range smartphones like the HTC Desire 500. The Xolo Q500 smartphone includes 4GB of inbuilt storage that is further expandable up to 32GB via microSD card. It packs a 1450mAh battery which the company claims delivers up to 16 hours of talktime and up to 290 hours of standby time. Connectivity options on the Xolo Q500 include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS/ AGPS and 3G. The Xolo Q500 comes with dimensions 118.5x63x10.7mm. The Xolo Q500 comes preloaded with X-TransPic app which the company claims can help users translate Hindi words to English and also read out the detected text by using text to speech functionality. Recently, Xolo launched its <a href="http://gadgets.ndtv.com/mobiles/news/xolo-q2000-quad-core-phablet-with-55-inch-hd-display-launched-at-rs-14999-444317">Q2000 quad-core phablet for the Indian market</a> at Rs. 14,999. The Q2000 is dual-SIM device with support for GSM+GSM, and runs Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. The 5.5-inch IPS display on the Xolo Q2000 features a 720x1280 pixel resolution, boasting of a pixel density of 267ppi. The Xolo Q2000 is powered by a quad-core 1.2GHz MediaTek 6589W processor with a 357MHz PowerVR SGX544 GPU. The Xolo Q2000 includes 1GB of RAM and 8GB of inbuilt storage which is further expandable up to 32GB. The Q2000 also sports a 13-megapixel rear autofocus camera with a 'BSI 2' sensor and flash, while there is also a 2-megapixel front-facing camera onboard. The Xolo Q2000 packs a 2600mAh battery which the listing claims can deliver up to 17 hours of talktime and up to 520 hours of standby time. Xolo Q500 key specifications<ul><li>4-inch WVGA (480x800) display with a pixel density of 233ppi</li><li>1.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 with Adreno 203</li><li>1GB of RAM</li> <li>4GB inbuilt storage, expandable up to 32GB via microSD card</li><li>5-megapixel rear autofocus camera with LED flash </li><li>VGA front-facing camera</li><li>Dual-SIM (GSM+GSM)</li><li>Android 4.1 Jelly Bean</li><li>Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS/ AGPS and 3G</li> <li>1450mAh battery</li></ul> </div>

Xolo Q500 smartphone with quad-core Snapdragon 200 launched at Rs. 7,999

Xolo has launched its latest Q series smartphone, the Q500, at Rs. 7,999, and has made it available in the Indian market. The new Xolo sm...

12:38 am

Samsung Galaxy S Duos 2 dual-core 4-inch smartphone launched at Rs. 10,999

<div dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJRpCuq1dXM6WpoZY4OV3l_yZniU0mb8Y60fSJ0RlNJJPV5GTrayhoaD3ISrPTJG6w7bHC90aH07Fn2O1YmoWrs1ZhdADJBEgePqhW-XHDpVqa8uTAKh5N0g7ylA8bIKP4RF3h6GkgCCrG/s1600/samsung-galaxy-s-duos-2-listed-700497.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5952339342106171234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJRpCuq1dXM6WpoZY4OV3l_yZniU0mb8Y60fSJ0RlNJJPV5GTrayhoaD3ISrPTJG6w7bHC90aH07Fn2O1YmoWrs1ZhdADJBEgePqhW-XHDpVqa8uTAKh5N0g7ylA8bIKP4RF3h6GkgCCrG/s320/samsung-galaxy-s-duos-2-listed-700497.jpg" /></a> After being leaked in full via <a href="http://gadgets.ndtv.com/mobiles/news/samsung-galaxy-s-duos-2-leaked-in-images-specifications-expected-at-rs-11230-452338">images, prices and specifications</a>, Samsung's latest smartphone the Galaxy S Duos 2 is now official. The smartphone is now listed on the <a href="https://www.samsungindiaestore.com/Products/Mobiles/Galaxy_S_Duos_2_GT-S7582UWA" target="_blank">Samsung's India online store</a> for Rs. 10,999. However, there is no word on the availability of the device, with the page providing a 'Notify Me' option for consumers.The Galaxy S Duos 2 is also available through online retailers for a discounted price of Rs. 10,730, quoting roughly 3 business days of delivery time.The <a href="http://gadgets.ndtv.com/samsung-galaxy-s-duos-2-1151">Samsung Galaxy S Duos 2</a> comes with a 4-inch WVGA (480x800) TFT display and is powered by a 1.2GHz dual-core processor (unspecified chipset). It is a dual-SIM (GSM+GSM) smartphone and runs Android 4.2 Jelly Bean with TouchWiz UI on top. The Galaxy S Duos 2 sports a 5-megapixel rear camera with LED flash and also includes a VGA front-facing camera. The smartphone comes with 768MB of RAM and 4GB of inbuilt storage, which is further expandable up to 64GB via microSD card. Connectivity features on the Galaxy S Duos 2 include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, EDGE, GPRS and 3G. There is a 1500mAh battery backing the device which the company claims can deliver up to 8 hours of talktime and up to 280 hours of standby time. The Galaxy S Duos 2 has dimensions of 121.5x63.1x10.57mm, and weighs 118 grams.Recently, <a href="http://gadgets.ndtv.com/mobiles/news/samsung-galaxy-grand-2-with-52-inch-display-android-43-launched-450517">Samsung announced the successor</a> to the <a href="http://gadgets.ndtv.com/samsung-galaxy-grand-duos-534">Galaxy Grand</a>, the <a href="http://gadgets.ndtv.com/samsung-galaxy-grand-2-1136">Galaxy Grand 2</a>. Though, the South Korean handset maker has not revealed the price for Galaxy Grand 2 and has also not announced the availability details for the smartphone.The Samsung Galaxy Grand 2 runs Android 4.3 Jelly Bean out-of-the-box. The Galaxy Grand 2 is a dual-SIM device with support for GSM+GSM. It features a 5.2-inch HD TFT display with a resolution of 720x1280 pixels.The Galaxy Grand 2 is powered by a 1.2GHz quad-core processor alongside 1.5GB of RAM. It sports an 8-megapixel autofocus rear camera accompanied by an LED flash. It also houses a 1.9-megapixel front-facing camera. It comes with 8GB inbuilt storage, which is further expandable up to 64GB via microSD card.Samsung Galaxy S Duos 2 key specifications<ul><li>4-inch WVGA (480x800) TFT display</li><li>1.2GHz dual-core processor (unspecified chipset)</li><li>768MB of RAM</li> <li>4GB inbuilt storage, expandable up to 64GB via microSD card</li><li>5-megapixel rear camera with LED flash </li><li>VGA front-facing camera</li><li>Dual-SIM (GSM+GSM)</li><li>Android 4.2 Jelly Bean with TouchWiz UI</li> <li>Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, EDGE, GPRS and 3G</li><li>1500mAh battery</li><li>121.5x63.1x10.57mm</li></ul></div>

Samsung Galaxy S Duos 2 dual-core 4-inch smartphone launched at Rs. 10,999

After being leaked in full via images, prices and specifications , Samsung's latest smartphone the Galaxy S Duos 2 is now official. Th...

12:36 am

Get bent

<div dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRVuj-Th1HQFLYFOjPggyuyD5JmjE1KzrkvqFXchyphenhyphen5dTlV0V5J7zXbsjPGxnXW-GRU9nCBfWMYveSK4MlSO_vJzC-DrQGxDHZ-7KAVcJaB8eydSrroXqWvT7xteso9u7Upkrqeya3TA0yi/s1600/Samsung_Galaxy_Round_Official_02-630x420+copy-737672.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5952141504218231186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRVuj-Th1HQFLYFOjPggyuyD5JmjE1KzrkvqFXchyphenhyphen5dTlV0V5J7zXbsjPGxnXW-GRU9nCBfWMYveSK4MlSO_vJzC-DrQGxDHZ-7KAVcJaB8eydSrroXqWvT7xteso9u7Upkrqeya3TA0yi/s320/Samsung_Galaxy_Round_Official_02-630x420+copy-737672.JPG" /></a> Get bent Samsung have launched the world's first curved screen smartphone dubbed Galaxy Round. So what does the world's first curvaceous smartphone have? Not much to make us throw our money at it, that's for sure. The 5.7in 1080p OLED smartphone comes with a 13MP camera and a sole novelty feature called "Round Interaction" – a quick way to check the time and notifications by simply tilting the Round upwards. Apart from that, it's your average smartphone. We love you Samsung but enough with the gimmicks.   You can't run and you can't hide either Picking up from last year, Facebook has tweaked its privacy settings. The new update will not allow users to hide from people searching for them on the social networking site's Graph Search. So if you've been hiding so that no crazy stalker can ever find you, well good luck with that now. However, just because you're found doesn't mean your content is available to them. Users can still decide which – if any at all – content is visible to strangers and pesky family members they're trying to avoid.   Gold rush Two weeks ago we told you about <a href="http://www.gqindia.com/content/plastic-gold%E2%80%A6-what-were-you-thinking">Samsung going gold</a>, well here's HTC following suit. The only difference in this scenario is that HTC have gone a mile ahead and actually used 18ct gold on its flagship One device, choosing to put just five of them out there. The front and back of the phone is plated with the precious metal while the unibody isn't made of gold. The handset is valued at £2,750 and is exclusively made for the MOBO awards and will be given to winners in the Best Newcomer Category.   Google Maps just gets better and better After a visually stunning redesign, Google Maps' new update now allows for multiple destinations. Users can now add up to nine destinations on the map and can shuffle the order of those destinations based on travel convenience. Additionally, users will see location snapshots to help them navigate through and can also see "upcoming events" at those places. Headed to that gig but haven't a clue how to get there? Here you go. </div>

Get bent

Get bent Samsung have launched the world's first curved screen smartphone dubbed Galaxy Round. So what does the world's first cu...

11:48 am

Luxury, simplified

<div dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1sgPDGaGHFguXvbtcqnfmDoPGpl8B_dhQbncw1esux5eD1aYSZ7tpcPXqX0ltuTHDD5fziU8ZlGz_zlJe970xh5HTNf25OSRwvihd_WVQFEfW_WAesuCDXawQTCuk7Q4kDSHIidNR06bA/s1600/MERIDIIST_mobile_and_case_seduction_picture-733847.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5952141060764753634" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1sgPDGaGHFguXvbtcqnfmDoPGpl8B_dhQbncw1esux5eD1aYSZ7tpcPXqX0ltuTHDD5fziU8ZlGz_zlJe970xh5HTNf25OSRwvihd_WVQFEfW_WAesuCDXawQTCuk7Q4kDSHIidNR06bA/s320/MERIDIIST_mobile_and_case_seduction_picture-733847.jpg" /></a> There's a reason why the world's elite have their retinue of personal assistants, butlers and secretaries – they couldn't be bothered with the minutiae of running their lives. The mundane annoyance of scheduling appointments and responding to a tirade of emails is not something a mover and shaker will be bogged down with. Of course, this will translate into the choice of their personal electronics – specifically, their cell phone.   There are feature phones, there are smartphones, and then there are luxury phones. When it comes to the best of the Android pack or the ever-flaunted iPhone, we're all too familiar with the usual suspects. They pack a ton of features, have the latest and greatest capabilities, and will shadow your every waking moment with a corresponding app – but there are two key problems: they add to the complexity of an already-busy existence, and they are anything but exclusive (little surprise to see a known flagship phone in the hands of so many folks you might encounter each day).   We recently caught up with Eugine Clement, General Manager, TAG Heuer Meridiist, who showed us a couple of phones that actually do lend new perspective to this rarefied segment of products: luxury, and ultra-exclusive personal communication devices that only ever make their way into the hands of a select few. These phones are crafted on two key premises – offering a simplified and uncluttered user experience, and delivering the highest quality in an exclusive package. And these phones accomplish this to a T. The interface is reminiscent of those phones of the 90s – icons laid out in a grid, which you cycle through via a 4-way button. They run on a bespoke operating system that primarily delivers phone, texting and basic emailing functionality. There's no app store, no Whatsapp and definitely no Temple Run. But when it comes to audio quality – both in-call and ringtone – they are designed to offer the best you've likely ever heard.   Then there's the exclusivity. Every one of these phones includes access to a private concierge service (free for the first year, 1,500 Euros per year after) that you can access from anywhere in the world and use to requisition the downright hare-brained to the most urgent of requests. And the materials used to craft this phone exude exclusivity: scratch-proof sapphire crystal (103 carats worth), satin brushed or polished stainless steel, diamonds, calf and alligator skin (there's pink alligator and rose gold if that's your thing, or if you're considering scoring serious brownie points with the better half). Need more personalization? You can have it laser engraved to your specification. And true to their watch making legacy, much of this phone and its 400-odd mechanical components is hand-assembled.   We could talk about its 28-day power reserve, its 7-hour talk time, its dual SIM slots, or even that little single-line display that subtly shows notifications but really, this phone isn't in the game for those kinds of reasons.  It's meant to deliver a communication experience that isn't marred by the incessant chatter of today's app ecosystem and to-the-second message notifications. It's meant to convey the unmistakable sense that the owner has, good and proper, arrived in life. And it enables the owner to focus on the stuff that truly matters – calling and texting the important people in their life while leaving the multitasking and mindless scurrying to the minions and lesser mortals.   What we liked: Solidly crafted, very high-end materials, focuses solely on what phones were primarily meant for – talking and texting. What we didn't: That nosebleed price tag. But hey, when did exclusivity ever come cheap? Killer feature: The private concierge. Much fun could be had with this. Price: Rs 3 lacs to 15 lacs </div>

Luxury, simplified

There's a reason why the world's elite have their retinue of personal assistants, butlers and secretaries – they couldn't be b...

11:47 am

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Luxury, simplified

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