News: No-contract IPhone on the Way
AT&T Mobility put some asterisks on its iPhone 3G pricing.
In the latest news release disclosing terms and monthly rates for iPhone 3G service plans, the carrier hinted at the upcoming offer without saying anything about when it will become available. Now freedom will come with a price — US$599 for an 8Giga-byte iphone and $699 for a 16Giga bite iphone but this will marks the first time consumers in the United States are capable to buy an iPhone without being tied down to a 2 years contract.
However, the no-contract phone is likely to have a narrow appeal, he said.
“That’s a pretty hefty premium you’re going to pay over an iPod Touch,” Gartenberg said.
The phone most likely would still be locked for use only on AT&T’s network, said Jupiter Research analyst Michael Gartenberg. But buyers could choose a pay-as-you-go plan for voice service — there is no prepaid data plan from AT&T — or just use the device as a media player and calendar and access or connect to the Web via its Wi-Fi radio. Unlike the slimmer iPod Touch, the iPhone has a camera and a small speaker. The several third-party applications coming to the iPhone later this month most probably also could be used without a service plan.
This means current AT&T customers with handsets other than the iPhone will have to pay $399 for an 8G-byte iPhone 3G or $499 for the 16G-byte model unless they are due for a phone upgrade discount.
Any AT&T customer upgrading to the iPhone 3G will be charged an upgrade fee of $18 instead of the standard $36 activation fee that newcomers to AT&T will pay. Those who bought a 2G iPhone on or after May 27 will be able to swap it for a 3G model and pay only a restocking fee. However, anyone upgrading from a 2G iPhone to the new model will have to enter into a new two-year contract under a 3G iPhone plan.
The iPhone 3G is set to go on sale July 11. On Tuesday, AT&T revealed details of the four plans it will offer for the iPhone 3G. They range from $69.99 per month, for 450 anytime minutes and 5,000 night and weekend minutes, to $129.99 per month for unlimited anytime minutes. All the plans include unlimited data but not an SMS (Short Message Service) package. Taxes are extra.
On Tuesday, AT&T said the iPhone 3G’s vaunted $199 price would only be available to three kinds of customers:
• people who bought the iPhone before July 11
• customers new to AT&T, or ones activating a totally new line
• existing AT&T customers who are eligible for an upgrade discount
Dell: Determined to launch Greener PCs by 2010
Saturday, Albert Esser, Dell’s vice president of power and infrastructure solutions, said in a statement that “Our customers are inspiring us to address the environmental challenges facing our planet. We’ve listened to them and are designing next-generation technologies that dramatically reduce energy consumption, drive meaningful cost savings and help achieve a low-carbon economy.”
The Company is working with its vendors to get additional energy-efficient components, like memory, power supplies and chipsets. Dell noted in a release that it plans to trim down the energy usage by altering the circuit designs, fans and power management features in its computers. Dell chairman and CEO Michael Dell said last month that the company is effective on a desktop computer that will make use of 70 percent less energy and be 81 percent smaller than a standard machine which is currently in use. The innovative machine will be the “company’s smallest and most environmentally responsible consumer desktop PC,” and will come in recycled and recyclable packaging.
10 More Languages Added TO Google Translate
If you’re thinking of writing a mail to that Romanian, non-English speaking Internet friend of yours, Google just made life simpler for you Google Translate (beta), the translation service from the company, now offer translation services for 23 languages. The newly featured languages take in Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Finnish, Hindi, Norwegian, Polish, Romanian and Swedish. These join the list of existing languages including English, Chinese (Simplified, Traditional), Arabic, Dutch, French, German, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.
Users can now translate text and web pages as well as operate upon cross-language searches between any two languages that Google offers.
Google has also added an option of “Detect Language” that automatically helps the user to identify the language of the text they’re trying to translate. The longer the text, the more precise it will be. For those who have set in the Google Translate My Page gadget in their website to grant it global reach, these new languages will automatically come out.
Not only can you translate typed-out text with the help of this service, you can also perform cross-language searches, translate Web site text to any of the languages that the service supports.
So go ahead and tell your friend to write you a mail in Dutch, or any other language that you can have a handle on!
Microsoft: From Personal Computers to Personal Cars
In the past, telematics was for high-end, luxury cars only. But Last week Microsoft and Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group announced that the companies will “co-develop” the “next generation” of “infotainment systems.” In other words, you’ll be able to get ‘Microsoft Auto’ (name of the operating system) in Hyundai’s cheap cars by 2010.
All car manufacturers can customize and re-brand the system for its customers. The new operating system for cars does not include an end-user UI, which is developed by the car makers using Microsoft tools and specifications.
Currently “Microsoft Auto” customers are driving Ford or Fiat cars using a Microsoft Auto-based, Ford co-developed system branded “Sync” in Fords and “Blue&Me” in Fiats. Ford Sync allows users to integrate MP3 players and cell phones with their cars, allowing for hands-free calling and voice-controlled music selection. There are no particulars yet about what features will be on hand, but we can look ahead to similar functionality to Ford Sync, along with anything else Microsoft can come up with in time for the assembly line. The most recent version of Microsoft Auto3.0 lets you stream music from — and control — mobile phones, iPods, Zunes, Zens and other players via Bluetooth. You can also surf the Internet via Internet Explorer. It also supports GPS. All this is voice-controlled via technology developed by Nuance.
Head of general manager of Microsoft’s Automotive Business Unit, Mr. Martin Tall accentuates that the latest announcement only covers the strategic partnership, and doesn’t feature about the models that might carry the new system, or even how Hyundai Kia will brand it. He also added that Microsoft is keen to develop a strong speech experience with its automotive platform, and looks for a potential where the platform becomes the head unit in vehicles. He also suggested that the car manufacturers are searching for low-cost navigation, and suggested a solution of using dashboard left/right indicator lights for route guidance, rather than an expensive LCD.
XP SP3, Vista SP1 Geared Up for the Second Time:
Windows XP Service Pack 3 is now available for download from Microsoft’s Download Centre, and is also being released via Windows Update. Last week, XP SP3 and Vista SP1 were held back after Microsoft discovered an incompatibility between both XP SP3 and Vista SP1, and Microsoft Dynamic Retail Management Software (RMS), a point-of-sale and store management software designed for small and midsize businesses. Tuesday, the company added a filter to the download sites to keep away the RMS users from service packs.
Microsoft’s Beijing R&D Centre to be all set by 2010
Microsoft broke ground on Tuesday for a new research and development center in Beijing that will house the company’s growing Chinese operations.
The new campus will be fully loaded with solar water heaters and sensors that turn off the lights when a room is not in use, the company said.
Estimated to cost US$280 million, the Microsoft China Research and Development Group is one of the company’s main R&D operations, employing 1,500 researchers in Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen, a city in southern China. The number will rise up to 3,000 researchers, many of which will be housed in the new Beijing R&D center
iPhone: Second Coming
Vodafone announces the launching of iphone in Ten more countries including Australia, the Czech Republic, Egypt, Greece, Italy, India, Portugal, New Zealand, South Africa and Turkey. Customers will be able to buy iphones on Vodafone’s network only later this year. Currently the iphones is sold in just six countries: the U.S., the U.K., France, Germany, Ireland and Austria.
Windows Vista Now Cheaper
It seems as if Microsoft is getting less on its premium products,and there is nothing it can do about it.Microsoft India has made public a wide range of price slashes on the retail versions of its recent graphical giant operating system,Windows Vista.
The price reductions are anticipated to be beneficial for individuals buying their own copy of Windows Vista,the price reduction is effective immediately and will be applicable only for Windows Vista Home Basic, Windows Vista Home Premium and Windows Vista Ultimate editions.The price cut will roll out across 70 countries.
The price of the full retail version of Windows Vista Ultimate will drop from $399 to $319 and the price of the upgrade version of Windows Vista Ultimate will drop from $259 to $219 and morover upgrade version of Vista Home Premium will drop from $159 from $129.Shop around and you’re likely to get a far better price. For example, right now Amazon.com is selling the full version of Vista Ultimate for $329.99. If similar discounts are available post price drop then Vista Ultimate could fall well below $300 a copy
“Today, there is a transformation taking place in the way consumers purchase software. With the rise of the retail industry in India, we are witnessing increasing demand for off-the-shelf computer software from the do-it-yourself audiences. This reduction in pricing will enable us to reach out to this set of consumers, while at the same time providing our channel partners with a greater opportunity to sell original software,” said Prasanna Meduri, Director – Windows Client Business Group, Microsoft India.
Globally, the revised rates of Windows Vista vary from market to market and the price cut in India is at par with emerging markets.
AOL Takes Over Bebo For $850 Million
AOL added to its bid inorder for increased traffic and advertising knocks as the in competition internet company agreed a $850 million for the social networking site BEBO, inturn getting a chance in the growing social media fraternity.As matter of fact Bebo still walks under the shadows of MySpace and Facebook, it is strong in some foreign markets though,including Britain.
AOL top officials are planning to draw the engaed traffic to AOL’s other free, ad-supported Web sites, especially internationally, while counting on AOL’s instant-messaging communities, AIM and ICQ, to try to grow Bebo in the United States.
“This is going to be the cornerstone of our strategy to really go after the social media space,” Ron Grant, AOL’s president and chief operating officer, said in an interview.
In a Press conference for the reporters, AOL’s Chief Executive Randy Falco called the acquisition “game-changing for AOL,” a move that will power the company’s strategic push into advertising.
AOL has been working out ways to improve ad revenue to pullback steep declines in dial-up Internet subscriptions. After several quarters of strong growth, AOL’s advertising expansion has been slowing, putting pressure on the company’s parent, Time Warner Inc., to sell the Internet unit.Falco said Time Warner’s willingness to spend $850 million in cash indicated its commitment to AOL’s future, though eMarketer analyst David Hallerman likened the move to renovating a home before selling it at a higher price.
Company officials declined comment on recent reports that Yahoo Inc. has stepped up talks with Time Warner about buying or forming a joint venture with AOL as Yahoo tries to fend off a $40 billion-plus takeover bid from Microsoft Corp.
The Bebo acquisition could make a Yahoo-AOL deal less likely by adding one more integration headache to the mix, said Roger Kay, who heads the market research firm Endpoint Technologies Associates.The deal is AOL’s largest since it bought MapQuest for $1 billion in 2000 (not counting AOL’s $106 billion purchase of Time Warner in 2001).San Francisco-based Bebo Inc. has about 100 employees and plans to launch in five countries this year.
Facebook Allows Users To Send Video Clips
“Orkut” The undisputed leader of networking sites has been left behind by Facebook regarding video facilities that the site offers.Orkut has been offering video sharing..Now facebook comes upp with the facility of sending video clips and viewing them.
Paramount Pictures will be the pioneering studio to produce clips of thousands of its movies put up for online use.Under the banner of Viacom Inc. it’s venturing with Los Angeles-based developer FanRocket to launch the VooZoo application on Facebook.
The upcoming feature will allow the users on Facebook to view clippings from famous movies including the likes of “The Ten Commandments”, “Forest Gump,” to send to others on the popular social networking site.Paramount senior vice president of entertainment Derek Broes was quoted as saying that these clips help relive the moment when one saw the movie and would help recall the emotions.The clips last from a few seconds to several minutes.
The studio in return will be advertising the sale of of DVDs of the movies through a buttonvisible after the clip view.It eventually wants to use the application to virally market upcoming releases.For example, VooZoo is withholding clips from the “Indiana Jones” series until it works out a way to market the May 22 release 
of the latest installment, “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.”
FanRocket founder Danny Kastner said he is expecting to get a few hundred thousand users within a couple of months and hinted about the company’s talks with other studios of Hollywood to share their videos.
However such plannings would take time for implementation since Paramount staffers needed more than a year to select clips from the archive and tag them with search terms.Paramount says it has no goals targetted concerning revenues from the new ventur,According to its president,Derek Broes his benchmark for success is that people are joining and sending.