Gphone to be launched in Sept!!!

If what I hear and read is true, there is a good chance that the rumored Google Phone “Gphone” will be out soon. It’s expected to have a worldwide launch in Sept. Google is taking the discreet way and not creating all that hype that we seen for the iPhone.

As for us Indians I feel there is a good chance we will have the Gphone in stores way before iPhone. Talks are on with Indian service providers like Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Essar, and Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) for an exclusive launch on any one of their respective networks. I must add that I’m keener to get my hands on the Gphone than on the iPhone.

Microsoft cracks down AutoPatcher Service

Microsoft has apparently decided to call it quits for this third-party software to update windows. Many Windows users including me are disappointed. Now we will have to go back to doing the dirty job ourselves once again; just imagine the plight of the sysadmins who will have to go personally to each PC under them to update Windows. So far the talks are in progress of shutting the AutoPatcher services but even then let’s all hope that they come out with a solution or an alternative.

AOL & MTNL Co-branded Portal

AOL a media & entertainment division of Time Warner and India’s MTNL a leading broadband provider in Delhi and Mumbai have forged a strategic alliance. The alliance has lead to the launch of a co-branded portal http://mtnl.aol.in. The portal will offer a combination of AOL services like e-mail, IM, with content on entertainment, news, sports etc. along with MTNL services like games, tariff plans, etc. This way MTNL’s Triband users will have a default destination to immense content and as Mr. J.Gopal (Executive Director MTNL) put it “World Class Internet Experience for MTNL users”. The tie-up at the moment is only content based but let’s hope that it be more than just that. The company representatives didn’t disclose of any future plans.

iPhone in India very soon??

Well we all know that the iPhone has made it in and out of the shelves of Apple stores in the US. But the question we Indians, on the other side of the globe are asking is; when will it be available here? Many of us thought that it would be available in the grey market within a month after its release, unfortunately not happening. Grey market dealers who were thinking of making big bucks from the iPhone mania have lost hope.

Couple of weeks before the release of the iPhone in the US, Wipro / HCL were to sign a distribution deal with Apple. There has been no further update on that. Even before them, it was Reliance who approached Apple but in vain. If at all any company manages to strike a deal they will be the exclusive distributors for iPhone in India. Whosoever be the distributor for the iPhone in India will have struck gold because companies generally get 2-3 percent on the sale of a handset.

As for those who thought they could buy the handset from the US through a relative or friend. Just for your info. handsets sold in the US are network locked i.e. they won’t work on any other network. The iPhone is locked to the AT&T network. So if you wish to use the iPhone here you’ll have to unlock it which is possible only by request or by hacking. As for requesting AT&T to unlock the handset, they are bound by Apple and when it comes to hacking the iPhone you can use the internet to be your guide.

For now it’s best to drop the idea and wait for a company to strike a distribution deal with Apple. Hopefully this should happen by the time the next generation of iPhone is released. With most bugs taken care off and the iPhone rumored to turn 3G, it’ll be a much better phone.

Skype login Issue

Well some of you maybe facing problem logging into Skype. Do not worry it is nothing to do with your cable operators. Skype is facing a software issue since yesterday. Yesterday in the Skype news segment it was posted that engineers at Skype will fix the problem in the next 12-24 hours. Well work is still in progress and they will have it working as soon as possible. Villu Arak from Skype reported “We’re on the road to recovery. Skype is stabilizing, but this process may continue throughout the day”. Click here to keep yourself updated with the happenings at Skype. So let’s keep our fingers crossed and hope that the issue is resolved and we can continue to use the service Skype offers us.

Posted by Frazier.

fring now supports your Sony Ericsson P1i

Yes, fring now supports your P1i! With fring supporting the P990i, it seemed only a matter of time that the newly launched P1i would join the list of supported handsets. Well it has; I’m sure you will be happy to fring from your newly purchased Sony Ericsson P1i handset.

There are 2 ways to see for yourself:
1. Go to www.fring.com, click on ‘download’, select Sony Ericsson P1i and we’ll send you an SMS so you can start fringing in less than a minute!
2. Click here for pictures and screenshots.

fring on the P1i works just like it does on any supported Symbian or Windows Mobile device. You will be able to chat with your buddies in fring, Skype, MSN, ICQ, Google Talk, and Twitter. Also make regular phone calls using Skype or the many other SIP providers. Get fringing on your P1i!!!

fring 3.20 (update for UIQ)

fring has been updated for UIQ phones. The fring 3.20(25) will provide you a better fringing experience as several bugs have been taken care off. Here is a list of fixes/updates in the newer version.

Fixes/Updates in this version include:
1. GSM contacts icons - updated
2. fring doesn’t crash during an incoming GSM call
3. Now supports Chinese
4. Hide/show GSM contacts scroll bar – fixed

So head over here to download the new version of fring and enjoy better frining. If you are a new fringster then follow the instructions by clicking here.

Note: If you are updating fring on your Sony Ericsson UIQ phone, you will also need to install Semc3rdpartytele.sis on your handset (cah1621022_Semc3rdPartyTele.sis).

Vaande Mataram (Hail Motherland!)

Today we celebrate 60 years of independence. On this day let us remember the many lives sacrificed to earn us this freedom. Let’s just focus on the blooming state of our nation. No nation is perfect but all we can do is thrive to achieve perfection. India is progressing, right from time we broke the shackles of British rule; from being an underdeveloped country to now being noticed by the world as a rising nation in terms of business and technology. We are doing really well for a country with such large population and poverty to deal with. Let us be proud of our being Indians. This slogan from 60 years back “Mera Bharat Mahan (My India is Great)” has changed to the times, it’s more youthful; “Mera Bharat Jawan (My India is Young)” just goes to prove our fight to be a greater country. Let us raise our heads high to the Tiranga (Indian Flag) and salute our motherland India “Jai Hind!!!”

Nokia recalls defective batteries

Nokia has recalled for their batteries; model no. BL-5C. Over 46 million of these battries have overheating issues caused after a short circuit while charging. The batteries have been manufactured by Matsushita Electrical Industrial Co. Ltd. Between December 2005 and November 2006. TOI link

In a statement Nokia said, “(The batteries) could potentially experience overheating initiated by a short circuit while charging, causing the battery to dislodge”.

Here are a list of Nokia handsets fitted with the “BL-5C” battery :-
Nokia 1100, Nokia 1100c, Nokia 1101, Nokia 1108, Nokia 1110, Nokia 1112, Nokia 1255, Nokia 1315, Nokia 1600, Nokia 2112, Nokia 2118, Nokia 2255, Nokia 2272, Nokia 2275, Nokia 2300, Nokia 2300c, Nokia 2310, Nokia 2355, Nokia 2600, Nokia 2610, Nokia 2610b, Nokia 2626, Nokia 3100, Nokia 3105, Nokia 3120, Nokia 3125, Nokia 6030, Nokia 6085, Nokia 6086, Nokia 6108, Nokia 6175i, Nokia 6178i, Nokia 6230, Nokia 6230i, Nokia 6270, Nokia 6600, Nokia 6620, Nokia 6630, Nokia 6631, Nokia 6670, Nokia 6680, Nokia 6681, Nokia 6682, Nokia 6820, Nokia 6822, Nokia 7610, Nokia N70, Nokia N71, Nokia N72, Nokia N91, Nokia E50, Nokia E60

Next head over to this link and submit the code outlined in the picture. Batteries will be replaced free of cost.

Spice with Dual-Mode Phones

Spice Mobile has newly launched a dual-mode handset wherein the handset can be used for both GSM as well as CDMA based mobile connectivity. The dual-mode phone will be available for Tier II and Tier III cities.

Spice Mobile is targeting at all those with two cell numbers. Such people will now enjoy the convenience of carrying just one phone and with no need of switching between SIMs. At the moment an estimated 8 percent of the total number of mobile phone subscribers own two numbers.

The dual-mode phone will be available in two variants; D-88 & D-80. The D-88 will support both GSM and CDMA active connections at the same time, while the D-80 will have two GSM active connections. The D-80 is price at Rs. 9,849 while the D-88 is around Rs.11,500.