System builders

	XP will be available on PCs from smaller computer makers known as "system builders" until January 31, 2009. Also, the low-end Windows XP Starter Edition will continue to be available in emerging markets until June 30, 2010.

How Windows XP will survive death

Come June 30, and sun will set on probably one of the most loved operating systems: Windows XP. With just two weeks left to the XP's official "kill" date, it seems fans have not been successful in persuading the Redmond giant to extend the XP deadline. Here's looking into how XP, which analysts term as the biggest competition for Microsoft's latest OS Vista, can continue to live after its termination.

HP debuts Puma laptops

NEW DELHI: Hewlett-Packard recently launched eight laptop models based on Puma chip platform from Advanced Micro Devices.

These include the Pavilion dv4, Pavilion dv5, Pavilion dv7 and Compaq Presario CQ50.

Puma, unveiled at the Computex exhibition in Taipei, includes a dual-core Turion X2 Ultra processor, an M780 chipset and a Wi-Fi chip. The notebooks also come with ATI's Radeon HD 3000 graphics chips.

One of the main advantages of the Puma platform is the chipset, which includes a hardware decoder for high-definition video formats, such as Blu-ray. With this feature, the processor utilisation rate remains low while watching a high-definition video.

Previous AMD products, as well as Intel's current notebook chips, relied on the processor for this task.

world's fastest supercomputer

Scientists unveiled the world's fastest supercomputer on Monday, a $100 million machine that for the first time has performed 1,000 trillion calculations per second in a sustained exercise.

A peek into the all new iPhone

SAN FRANCISCO: June has arrived and for Apple fans and investors that means just one thing -- a new iPhone.

Rumours are rife that Apple iPhone is all set to get an update on June 9, the opening day of Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference. News sites and blogosphere are buzzing with speculation and anticipation about the second-generation iPhone. In fact, according to reports, Apple has been cutting down on manufacturing, as it readies a new model. Although, AT&T stores in US still have phones in stock, the supply has largely dried up in the Apple's retail outlets. Phone's current model has been out of stock at the company's online US and UK stores since early May. Here's looking into what all new the iPhone 2 will have in terms of looks and features. Also, why Apple needs to revamp its hot selling phon

A new look





The encore to the original iPhone, which launched nearly a year ago amid unprecedented industry buzz, is widely expected to be the main attraction when Chief Executive Steve Jobs takes the stage at Apple's developers' conference next Monday.

The new iPhone will be accompanied by support for corporate e-mail and a slate of new programs that could help boost sales of the devices, which sport a touch-sensitive screen, wireless Internet access and iPod-style media functions.

"The thing for Apple is to be able to leverage the iPhone for further innovation, or they run the risk of being the next (Motorola) RAZR, which was iconic in its own way, but for which innovation did not come fast enough," Shiv Bakhshi, director of mobility research for market research firm IDC.

Apple has declined to comment on what Jobs will announce, but analysts are betting he will show off a long-rumored phone running on a so-called 3G, or third-generation, network.

That would address one of the chief complaints about the current iPhone: the speed at which it calls up Web pages on AT&T Inc's pokey EDGE network.

That is a particularly important concern in Europe, which is ahead of the United States in building new networks and where sales of the iPhone have lagged.

"I see 3G as important for the U.S. but essential for overseas," analyst Avi Greengart of Current Analysis said of a faster iPhone.

"It will be appreciated by technology enthusiasts and anybody who wants to get fast Web browsing outside the hot spots."

A new iPhone may be a catalyst for Apple stock, which has risen 50 percent over the past three months, to a close of $186.10 on Monday. Investors have regained confidence that demand for the company's Macintosh computers and iPod media players is holding up amid fears the U.S. economy is headed for recession.

Thomas Weisel analyst Doug Reid raised his price target on Apple shares on Monday to $225 share from $195, citing strong demand for its laptops and sales of up to 16.5 million iPhones next year.

There is also speculation Apple could bow to a cellphone industry practice and offer a subsidized iPhone, an arrangement where AT&T could kick in a couple hundred dollars to make the devices more affordable. AT&T already gives Apple a slice of the monthly service fees it gets from iPhone subscribers.

"We think that actually Apple could talk about a very disruptive business model, or a change in their business model, embracing subsidies where necessary, multiple carriers to help get the iPhone into more hands," Lehman Brothers analyst Ben Reitzes told a conference call last week.

But more important than the actual hardware will be new services and programs that can tap the increased power.

Some reckon that will include the ability to download songs from iTunes using the cellular network. IPhone users now have to be connected to a Wi-Fi network to get music from Apple's online store.

Apple will also roll out its highly anticipated support for corporate e-mail, a capability it showed off earlier this year and that is expected to give iPhone a push into business, which now overwhelmingly use Research In Motion Ltd's Blackberry devices.

Apple will also launch its iPhone "applications store" that will sell programs made by developers outside of Apple. The service marks an about-face for Jobs, who initially blocked third-party software from the device.

"That's important for developers who can now build this out as a critical platform for Apple," said Michael Gartenberg, an analyst with Jupiter Research. "The potential here is sort of unlimited."

Christian Dior launches cell phones

DELHI: French luxury-goods company Christian Dior unveiled a line of mobile phones, driven by demand in new luxury markets such as China and Russia.

The cell phone offers all the regular features - a touch screen, a camera, ringtones - but with a new gimmick: a miniature phone barely bigger than a USB key. Dior said the mini "My Dior," as it is called, is handy for women who don't want to rummage through their bags to find their phones.

Instead, the mini version of the phone clips to the outside of a bag for easier access and communicates with the main phone, so people can pick up or make calls with My Dior and use the main phone for more complicated functions.

"In the same way that we have developed our watch and jewelry lines, we want to increase sales with the phone," Dior CEO Sidney Toledano said.

Made by a small French manufacturer ModeLabs, Toledano said he expects to sell at least 10,000 of them a year at the beginning and hopes to reach annual sales of $315 million in the longer term. ModeLabs invested several million in research-and-development costs on the new phone, said the company's founder, Stephane Bohbot.

Dior's new phone is priced higher than rival fashion phones, closer to the price range of Nokia premium line Vertu. The price of this luxury phone is a whopping Rs 2, 14,150 ($5000) lakh.

Nokia launches N78 in India

NEW Delhi: Finnish cell phone maker, Nokia has launched Nokia N78 in the Indian market.

With 2.4 inch screen, the phone comes with 3.2 mega pixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics, 70 MB onboard storage capacity, FM radio, MP3 player and GPS system with pre-loaded maps of eight cities.

Other features include, high-speed connectivity via WLAN, HSPDA 3.5G, support for microSD cards up to 8GB, internal speakers and 3.5mm headphones.

Also, the phone packs a feature called 'Location Tagger' application, which automatically tags location data to the picture, allowing users to save pictures by date and by geographical coordinates.

At the launch Vineet Taneja, Head-GTM, Nokia India said, "We are looking at the next generation of Internet that has evolved towards social networking or Web 2.0 where people can participate and share their experiences through communities such as Facebook and Flickr."

He added, "N78 features location-tagging, which merges camera functionality and A-GPS to not only share pictures but also the places where they were taken."

With black surface, the phone is available in two colours, cocoa brown and lagoon blue.

The phone is expected to retail for approximately Rs 19,999.

Intex IN 3333

Intex Technologies displayed a plethora of handsets at Mobile Asia 2008 including Infi I - 0315, Envy I- 1044, Estelo I-3060, Aura I-1224, Ultima I-1170, IN-2020 and its newly-launched Intex IN 3333. IN 3333 is a music phone with integrated FM radio and a voice recorder. The phone has a 1.3 megapixel camera. The phone supports Bluetooth and external memory with a 1 GB memory card bundled. and will be available for Rs 5,000 (approximately).

BlackBerry Pearl 8120

Research In Motion (RIM) showcased BlackBerry Pearl 8120 smartphone at the Mobile Asia. Also called Pearl 2, the smartphone comes with a 2 megapixel digital camera that supports video capture, Wi-Fi connectivity support and an externally accessible memory slot. The smartphone sports a Titanium finish, and weighs about 91g. It packs a 2 megapixel digital camera with 5x digital zoom and enhanced flash that supports video capture in two resolutions (240 x 180/176 x 144) as well as Wi-Fi connectivity. It sports an updated visual interface, and integrates a new font rendering technology. The browser offers a new 'Page View' option that displays full Web page on the screen along with a magnifying glass that allows the users to quickly and accurately point out to- and zoom-in on- specific areas. 8120 features trackball navigation system and SureType keyboard. The phone offers features such as: Speaker Independent Voice Recognition (SIVR) for Voice Activated Dialing (VAD); Bluetooth 2.0 support for hands-free use with headsets, car kits, and other Bluetooth peripherals; a low-distortion speaker phone and support for polyphonic, MP3, and MIDI ring tones.

LG Viewty

The Korean electronics major LG showcased its future line-up of mobile products including recently-launched LG Viewty (KU990), interact-pad based KF600 and interactive touch light-based KF510. Leading the pack is LG Viewty. The phone comes with a 3 inch LCD touchscreen and is equipped with a 5 mega pixel camera. KU990 can record videos at a speed of 120 frames per second, which can be edited and uploaded directly to YouTube. Other features include manual focus option and image stabiliser.