Transform your iPad into a Home Theater with Belkin’s Thunderstorm iPad 4 Speaker Case

Belkin has announced a new way to experience music, movies, and games on the iPad in the form of an integrated speaker case. This accessory, powered by Audifi technology, features front facing speakers and full bass response.

The Thunderstorm features a sound mode button which cycles through four different modes that optimize the output for gaming, music, movies, and conference calls. This means you can get the best sound in each situation with very little effort.

“Apple’s latest iPad with retina display provides the highest quality visual experience, and Thunderstorm Handheld Home Theater delivers amplified audio to match for complete content engagement and shareable entertainment,” says Nate Kraft, director of product management at Belkin. “It is a truly portable speaker case that seamlessly integrates with the iPad 4 to create a unified experience whether you are at home or on the go.”

In addition to the hardware device, there is an included app and a free month of Hulu Plus. Combine this with a built-in stand and a 10-hour battery and you have an impressive media experience.

There are several downsides to this device and the first is that it only works with the iPad 4 and its lightening connector. Another downside is that the size and weight of the added hardware will make gaming and holding the iPad for long periods of time harder.

Belkin lists the following features:

• Powerful, immersive sound from full range, high efficiency, ported speaker system.
• Your iPad sits seamlessly in the enclosure.
• Free Thunder app provides extended control with three different soundscapes
• Normal – Perfect for music and web video
• Wide – Great for movies. Broader soundscape with simulated accentuated middle channel to lend clarity and presence to dialogue.
• Super Wide – Spreads the soundscape out to its fullest extent.Games will absolutely explode off the screen.
• USB connector provides full access for iPad power and audio.
• Comfortable and easy to hold. Lightweight, perfectly balanced enclosure with comfort grip surface.
• Multi-fold cover provides variety of viewing angles.
• The Thunderstorm is currently available for $199.99 on the Belkin website.

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Is Apple Moving to Plastic Bodies for Low Cost iPhone and iPad?

Rumors of a low-cost version of Apple’s mobile devices have been in the pipeline for sometime now. There have been mockups, concept photos, supposed leaked images, and even a concept video of what a low-cost iPhone might look like. Until now, these rumors and speculations have been just that. Apple’s recent quarterly earnings call even suggested that the low-cost iPhone has already been on the market in the form of the iPhone 4 and 4S.

However, a recent report from the China Labor Watch shows that, at least one of Apple’s suppliers is working hard on a plastic backed mobile device.

Blog site 9to5Mac noted that a full report from an undercover CLW member describes a day in the life of a worker at Pegatron, one of Apple’s biggest manufacturing supply partners.

In addition to calling out a large amount of labor violations, the report noted a couple of things that point to evidence of the purported low-cost iPhone.

The statement from the CLW notes that Pegatron is currently assembling products for Apple, “Including iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, and low-priced plastic iPhones.”

In addition, one of the journal entries from the CLW member states, “Today’s work is to paste protective film on the iPhone’s plastic back cover to prevent it from being scratched on assembly lines.”

Based on the information in the report, dated early July of 2013, the plastic backs for the low-cost iPhone are not yet in mass production at Pegatron. If other factories are on the same pace, it is likely that the cheaper model will not launch this fall, but is one of Apple’s many products that will launch “throughout 2014.”

While none of these rumors have pointed to a low-cost iPad, it is likely that Apple is working on a cheaper tablet as well. Currently, the company holds less than half the market share of tablets. One way to gain traction would be to produce a tablet that could compete better with the likes of Amazon’s Kindle Fire. A $250 iPad would be a big hit with consumers that are just entering the tablet market. Plus, I know I would love to have a blue-backed iPad. It would be so cute.

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Installing Windows 8.1 (Troubleshoot Problems)

Microsoft has officially launched the preview version of Windows 8.1 and the update is available as a free download for all Windows 8 users.

How to Install Windows 8.1

It takes three steps to install Windows 8.1 on your Windows 8 computer but before you do that, here’s a word of caution. When the final version of Windows 8.1 becomes available later this year, you’ll have to reinstall all the software apps should you decide to upgrade from Windows 8.1 Preview to Windows 8.1 Final. The documents and files will be preserved.

1. Download this patch (~10 MB) and run the .exe file.
2. Restart the computer and you’ll get a prompt to download the Windows 8.1 upgrade from the Windows Store.
3. Open the Windows Store app and download the upgrade (1.5 GB). Follow the wizard to complete the installation of Windows 8.1.

Installation Issues with Windows 8.1

If you have issues downloading the Windows 8.1 upgrade, make sure that the system language of your existing Windows 8 installation is set to US (English). Open the command prompt in elevated mode (search for “command” in the Charms menu, right-click Command Prompt icon and choose Run as Administrator) and enter the following command:

dism /online /get-intl

This will tell you the base language of your Windows 8 (it should be en-US).

To switch to a different language in Windows 8, open the Control Panel and search for “language.” Now choose “Add a Language”, expand the “English” group and choose US from the list (see how-to). Remember to move English (United Status) up the languages list to make it the primary language of your Windows 8.

It is important to note that Microsoft doesn’t recommend changing the primary language for installing Windows 8.1 especially when you are running the RT version of Windows 8.

Error: “The update is not applicable to your computer”

The other major issue with installing Windows 8.1 is with the patch file itself. When you try running the .exe, it may throw up an error saying “The update is not applicable to your computer.”

The error may come up even if your computer’s configuration matches the system requirements of Windows 8.1. Fortunately, there’s a simple fix available to help you get around this common error.

1. Create a new folder in your c: drive (say temp) and save this file (Windows8-RT-KB2849636-x86.msu) to your c:\temp folder.
2. Open the command prompt as an administrator and switch to the c:\temp folder.

cd c:\temp [Enter]

3. Next type the following command inside the temp folder to unarchive the patch:

Expand –F:* Windows8-RT-KB2849636-x86.msu .

4. You’ll find a bunch of new files in your temp directory. Now type the following command to install the Windows 8.l patch:

DISM.exe /Online /Add-Package /PackagePath:Windows8-RT-KB2849636-x64.cab

The command prompt will say “processing 1 of 1″ and, after a while, you will be prompted to restart the computer. Type “y” (without quotes) and the patch will be installed.

Now when the machine restarts, you’ll asked to download the Windows 8.1 upgrade from the Windows Store. If you’re lucky, the installer will download in the background else, like many others, you may see another error that says “The Windows 8.1 Preview isn’t available right now. Please try again later.”

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Is Feedly a worthy replacement of Google Reader?

On July 1, we say goodbye to Google Reader, a handy tool for bringing headlines and articles from your favorite websites into a single place.

With Reader, I've been able to see at a glance all the updates from various news services, blogs and company websites I follow. Although many of these items relate to work, I have added a few fun topics, too, including news on Antarctica and a daily dose of passive aggressive notes that people send each other.

I have spent a lot of time curating Reader, so I'm not keen on seeing it die.

Fortunately, there's an afterlife. Google has made it easy to move your list of sites you follow, known as feeds, to another service. And many of those rival services have made it easy to accept those feeds, especially after Google said in March that it would retire Reader.

Reader's demise comes as little surprise. Google says usage has declined since Reader made its debut in 2005.

RSS feeds - for really simple syndication - used to be a popular way to keep track of multiple websites without having to visit each and every one. Content comes to you, through readers such as Google Reader. More recently, though, Twitter and Facebook have performed a similar role in discovering content. I myself have logged on to Reader less frequently because keeping up with more than 150 feeds from dozens of sites became overwhelming.

Yet I still check it now and then for a glimpse of what's out there.

As July 1 approached, I looked at a half-dozen alternative services. All of them are free, like Reader. It didn't take long to find one that exceeds what Reader offers in many ways, though a few omissions will leave me missing Google's offering.

The service that stands out is Feedly. An update available Wednesday allows Feedly to run on just about any major Web browser. The service also is available through apps on the iPhone, the iPad and Android devices.

Transferring your feeds from Reader is easy.

Most other services require you to create a data file of those feeds using a Google tool called Takeout. It's fairly straightforward, but you then have to save the file to your computer and import that to the service. In one case, only one of the more than 150 feeds survived the transfer because of some glitch.

With Feedly, you can skip that step. Simply log in with your Google account, and all that gets done automatically. There's also no need to create and remember a separate Feedly account. You use your Google credentials each time you're back.

On Reader, I have my feeds organized by category into folders. Those categories remain intact on Feedly, though they appear alphabetical rather than topical, as I had arranged them on Reader. It isn't too difficult to reorder them.

Feedly excels in highlighting the most popular items from all your feeds, based on sharing and other interactions on Feedly and elsewhere. Simply visit a page called "Today." Under the default layout, you see headlines and the first sentence or two of each item. You can click on any item for more.

You can also share the item on a number of social networking sites. That freedom isn't available on Reader, which confines sharing to Google's own Plus service.

My four main complaints with Feedly

1. You can save a link to read later, but it would have been better had Feedly fetched those items as well so you can read them offline.

2. Although the service lets you email items to others, you have to go through stand-alone software such as Outlook, which is often tied to your work account. By contrast, Reader lets you email over the Web using Google's own Gmail service.

3. With Reader, items are automatically marked as read as I scroll down, so that they won't reappear the next time. Feedly does that, too, in a non-default layout that most resembles Reader's. That part is good. But while Feedly offers additional layout options, it doesn't take full advantage of its greater breadth. It would have been nice to have auto-marking when scrolling in those layouts as well.

4. Many websites let you easily add their feeds by clicking on a button. Reader is usually among the options, but Feedly isn't yet. Instead, you must copy and paste the Web address for the feed into Feedly. But Feedly is better than Reader at suggesting feeds to add, if you don't have specific ones in mind for a given topic.

I did try one other service that makes it as easy as Feedly to transfer feeds from Reader and discover new ones. But that service, called Pulse, does require you to set up a separate Pulse account or use Facebook's - not Google's. If you can get past that added hassle, Pulse does the rest of the work for you once you log in to your Google account. There's no Google data file to create, save and import.

Unfortunately, articles are presented as tiles, similar to what you see in Microsoft's oft-criticized Windows 8 operating system. That works fine when you're choosing apps on a tablet computer. On desktop and laptop computers, I find a list much easier to read and scroll through. I had a backlog of more than 20,000 articles, and I wasn't about to click on 20,000 squares.

There are dozens of other services I didn't get a chance to try. Some of them are more geared toward mobile devices. Others are still in development. For example, a popular site called Digg promises one on June 26, just five days before Reader's cutoff.

I'm sure there's one out there that matches or exceeds what Feedly offers, but I saw no need to look further.

Feedly has tripled its user base to 12 million since Google announced Reader's retirement. The growth has given Feedly incentive to work on new features. Feedly has also designed the system so that outside developers can build apps for it. You can use one to run Feedly on BlackBerry phones, for instance.

Feedly isn't perfect, but switching to it will make Reader's demise easier to accept.

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Sony Xperia Z Ultra now available online for Rs. 44,990

The Sony Xperia Z Ultra smartphone, which had been listed as 'coming soon' on online store Saholic, a day back, has now got a price tag of Rs. 44,990.

The listing promises a delivery time of 7 days for Delhi PIN-codes, so it's likely that Sony might make an official announcement within this week. It also bundles a 16GB memory card with the phone.

The Sony Xperia Z Ultra sports a sleek look with a thickness of 6.5mm, and weighs 212 grams. It features a 6.4-inch full-HD display with a resolution of 1080x1920 pixels and boasts of Sony's proprietary BRAVIA Engine 2. It is powered by a 2.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor coupled with 2GB of RAM. It offers 16GB of internal storage that can be expanded up to 64GB via microSD card. The Xperia Z Ultra sports an 8-megapixel Exmor RS rear camera and a 2-megapixel front facing camera. The device includes LTE, NFC, Wi-Fi, 3G, DLNA and Bluetooth connectivity options. It has a 3000mAh battery that Sony claims could deliver up to 14 hours of talktime and 768 hours of standby time.

Just like the Xperia Z and Xperia Z Tablet, the Xperia Z Ultra is also dust and water proof and comes with IP55 and IP58 certification. The Sony Xperia Z Ultra comes with handwriting recognition support and the device's screen can work with a pencil or a stylus/ pen that has a tip of more than 1mm(in diameter). It also comes with new and updated Sony Media Applications that include apps like Walkman, Movies and Album.

Last month, the company announced the Xperia Z Ultra for select markets and it was expected that the phone would be globally launched in Q3, 2013.

Meanwhile, Sony introduced the 'Big Xperia Xchange' offer that includes a minimum assured discount of Rs. 5,000 when customers exchange their old smartphone for a Sony Xperia Z or Xperia ZL.

It's worth mentioning that Sony has not officially confirmed the pricing of the Sony Xperia Z Ultra. It has also not shared any information on the availability of the phone.

Sony Xperia Z Ultra key specifications

6.4-inch TFT Triluminos display with a resolution of 1080x1920 pixels and Shatter proof sheet on scratch-resistant glass

2.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 quad-core processor

2GB RAM

8-megapixel rear camera with Exmor RS sensor

2-megapixel front facing camera

16GB internal storage expandable up to 64GB via microSD card

Android 4.2 Jelly Bean

LTE, NFC, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi

3000mAh battery

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Canonical looks to raise $32 million via crowdfunding to develop Ubuntu Edge phones

Canonical, the firm behind Ubuntu has announced a crowdfunding campaign to build the first batch of Ubuntu Edge phones.

The company hopes to raise $32 million in 30 days to manufacture a limited batch of 40,000 devices that will run both Android and open source Ubuntu Touch operating systems. Canonical is using the Indiegogo crowdfunding service, which is similar to the more popular Kickstarter, for the campaign and the Paypal electronic payment facility to collect the contributions.

Mark Shuttleworth, founder of Ubuntu, said in a press note, "Ubuntu Edge is the ultimate convergence device - challenging established norms for PCs and smartphones. The crowdfunding approach is a new way to prove demand for cutting edge technologies and new classes of devices, supporting the Ubuntu Edge is the best way to catalyse the next generation of personal devices from the industry."

The innovative Ubuntu Edge phone is said to support dual-boot with Ubuntu phone OS and Android, and will transform into a PC when docked with a monitor with full Ubuntu desktop with shared access to all phone's files.

The Indiegogo project lists the specifications of the Ubuntu Edge phones. The phone will be powered by a 'multi-core' processor coupled with 4GB of RAM and would include 128GB of storage. It will feature a 4.5-inch HD display with a resolution of 720x1280 pixels and would sport a sapphire crystal display. There will be an 8-megapixel rear camera with low-light feature and a 2-megapixel front camera. Other features would include GPS, accelerometer, gyro, proximity sensor, compass, barometer and active noise cancellation. The Ubuntu Edge phone is said to feature stereo speakers with HD audio and dual-mic recording. Connectivity options include LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and NFC. However, the site clearly mentions that the specifications are subject to change.

As of filing this report, the campaign has already raised over 3 million dollars, less than 24 hours after launch.

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AMD eyes gaming consoles to offset slowing PC sales

Advanced Micro Devices forecast stronger-than-expected revenue growth of 22 percent in the third quarter from the second, as the chip maker expands into new game consoles and other markets to offset slowing sales of personal computers.

However, the stock reversed earlier gains on Thursday after AMD said gross margins would fall as it seeks a foothold in game consoles.

AMD, which for decades has competed against market leader Intel Corp in supplying chips for PCs, is rushing to refocus on new markets as consumers buy fewer laptops and more tablets and smartphones.

AMD processors are being used in Microsoft Corp's upcoming Xbox One and Sony Corp's next-generation PlayStation game consoles. These are largely behind AMD's upbeat revenue forecast.

AMD said its gross margin in the second quarter was 40 percent and would fall to about 36 percent in the third quarter. Analysts on average had expected a third-quarter gross margin of 39 percent.

With consumers increasingly playing games on tablets, it is also unclear how many of the new consoles Microsoft and Sony would sell, but optimism about the impact on AMD's revenue has helped drive its stock up 73 percent since the beginning of April.

Bernstein analyst Stacy Rasgon said AMD's gross margin forecast was probably behind the after-hours drop in the company's shares.

AMD's report comes after Intel warned on Wednesday that it does not expect revenue to grow in 2013 due to slowing PC industry.

Global shipments of personal computers dropped 11 percent in the second quarter, the fifth straight quarterly decline in a market that has been devastated by the popularity of tablets.

AMD reported second-quarter revenue of $1.161 billion, down from $1.413 billion in the year-ago quarter. It said third-quarter revenue would rise 22 percent, plus or minus 3 percent, compared with the June quarter. That increase would be about $1.416 billion.

Analysts, on average, had expected revenue of $1.108 billion in the second quarter and $1.223 billion in the third quarter, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

AMD posted a net loss of $74 million, or 10 cents a share, in the second quarter, compared with a profit of $37 million, or 5 cents a share, in the same quarter last year.

The company said its non-GAAP loss per share was 9 cents, better than the 12-cent loss expected by analysts.

AMD's stock declined 3.66 percent in extended trade after closing up 5.94 percent at $4.64.

© Thomson Reuters 2013

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