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Iberry to launch "India's first" Android 4.0 tablet in March

Yes, we’ll be seeing many Ice Cream Sandwich-based tablets at MWC, but we’ll probably have to wait a bit to get our grubby hands on this Android 4.0 goodness. Or will we? Apparently, iberry HK, a Hong Kong- based electronics manufacturer has set up shop in Chennai and is all set to launch India’s first Android 4.0 based tablet. They just may be able to pull it off, as besides some existing tablets that have already got ICS, the big guns will only start trickling in a little later.

Wishful thinking?

We don’t have any information regarding this tablet right now, other than the fact that it will be called the Auxus AX02 and that it will run ICS. The company currently has two products available and both run on Gingerbread. The AX02 will feature a 7-inch capacitive touchscreen, feature HDMI-out and will most likely sport a dual-core CPU. If the image shown above is the actual tablet, then we can see the front facing camera and what seems to be a physical home button, of sorts. This is a bit odd, since Google is trying to do away with any physical buttons on a device. That may change when the product actually launches. 

Iberry seem to have jumped the gun a bit by claiming that they will launch India’s first ICS tablet, or do they know something that we don’t? Is it actually possible that we won’t see any ICS-based tablets before April? Only time will tell.

Microsoft to unveil Windows 8 on February 29

SAN FRANCISCO: Microsoft on Wednesday revealed plans to unveil a test version of its latest Windows computer operating software later this month.

The US technology titan sent out invitations to a "Windows Consumer Preview" event to be held on February 29 at a hotel in Barcelona during a Mobile World Congress gathering in that city.

Microsoft promised to release more information closer to the end of the month.

The introduction of a test, or beta, version of Windows 8 to the public is expected to be accompanied by the opening of an "app store" stocked with mini-programs tailored for the next-generation operating system.

In December, Microsoft began wooing developers for a February opening of its first Windows Store intended to feature third-party applications crafted for computers powered by the Redmond, Washington-based firm's software.

It will take on Apple and Google in the booming market of fun, hip or functional programs built for smartphones, tablets and computers.

Microsoft's fiscal second-quarter profit fell very slightly as lagging computer sales to cash-strapped consumers in the United States and Europe hurt its core Windows business.

Microsoft's key Windows unit reported a 6 percent dip in sales to $4.7 billion.

PS Vita maps and video recording: hands-on with firmware v1.6 (video)

As promised, version 1.6 of the PlayStation Vita's firmware went live today, so we thought we'd check it out ahead of the system's US launch. The two headline features are a new Maps application and video support for the front and back cameras, and the only other change I noticed is that the Home button now glows blue whenever the power is on, instead being reserved for notifications.

The Maps application might as well be a direct port of Google Maps for iOS. The two apps are essentially identical feature-wise, though the Vita interface has been tweaked to be consistent with other apps for the system. Where it differs from and arguably betters the iPhone app is in its presentation — with such a large screen, it can display much more at the same time. Loading data is a little slow, though, with checkerboarding once you scroll the slightest bit in any direction. It seems sluggish next to an iPhone at similarly zoomed-out settings, but then the Vita has more data to load and render at once.

I tested the app on my Wi-Fi model, which doesn't have onboard GPS hardware, but found it kept track of my position reasonably well when I was walking around with a Pocket Wi-Fi mobile router. Compass performance was very accurate, though unlike the iPhone app the map doesn't rotate with your positioning — instead, the marker itself displays a directional arrow, which I actually think is easier to follow. Overall, Maps is a solid addition to the Vita's feature set, but is unlikely to replace whatever app you currently keep in your pocket.

The omission of video recording from the Vita's Photos app at launch was more of a curiosity than a gaping hole in functionality, as the VGA cameras' still performance indicated that the results wouldn't exactly be pretty. Sure enough, I can't see myself using the feature much in future, as video recorded on Vita suffers from the same problems as the still photos. As you can see from the samples in the video below, you'll be dealing with overexposed highlights, blurry texture, and washed-out color before you even think about the 640 x 480 resolution. I suppose there was no reason not to include the functionality in the first place, but it's unlikely to match or even come close to the hypothetical smartphone we have to assume most Vita owners will also be carrying.

LG readying Galaxy Note challenger

It will be called the LG Optimus Vu and will feature a 5 inch screen with 4:3 aspect ratio.

LG has teased a video of its latest smartphone, named as Optimus Vu, which will sport a 5 inch screen with 4:3 aspect ratio. This will be pitched against the Samsung Galaxy Note which also has a 5 inch screen though with a 16:9 aspect ratio.

The difference in aspect ratio means that the Optimus Vu will be broader but shorter than the Samsung Galaxy Note. Whether that will help users in having a better grip of the device is something that will be clear only when one gets it in the hand.

According to a website (androidadvices.com), which cited a US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) report, the device has Android 2.3.5 Gingerbread operating system. But we can expect it to have Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update when it will be released in the market.

The FCC, which tests devices for compliance to US standards, has reportedly mentions that the device has 1024 x 768 pixel resolution based screen with an 8 megapixel camera and has features like Android Beam (NFC for Android), WiFi Direct for faster file transfer, Bluetooth 3.0 and a front camera as well.

As per the teaser of LG, the handset will have four capacitive buttons. The design of the device is quite interesting with very rectangular shape, which looks very smart and elegant in the first look. Infact, it resembles LG's Prada 3.0 smartphone.

Samsung Galaxy Note is currently selling at Rs 29,000 and features a dual-core 1.4 GHz Exynos microprocessor with Mali-400 MP dedicated graphics processor. The Galaxy Note also features a 1 GB RAM along with 16 GB memory onboard as storage memory. Its 8 megapixel camera comes with LED flash capable of recording 1080p full HD videos at 30 fps. There is a front facing 2 megapixel camera as well that can provide self-portrait shots and video calling. It is slated to be upgrades to Android 4.0 in the next couple of months.

Can $35 tablet open Internet to India's masses?

With more than 100 million citizens online, it's home to more Internet users than nearly every other country. Yet when it comes to Internet penetration - the percentage of the population with access - India is near the bottom of the global rankings.

It's one of those curious and seemingly contradictory statistics that illustrates both the developmental challenges facing countries such as India, and the massive growth opportunities for investors in emerging markets.

Canadian entrepreneurs Suneet and Raja Singh Tuli are staking the future of their company, Datawind, on the potential of emerging markets. Datawind recently won an Indian government con-tract to produce low-cost tablets for the Indian market.

The initial contract was for 100,000 tablets, but Datawind's executives believe orders for the product could in-crease to 10 million units if not more.

But, Datawind was not initially focused on the developing world. In fact, before younger brother Suneet saw an ad for the tender in an Indian news-paper, Datawind had its sights set firmly on Western markets.

"[Our] focus was to get the product ready for the U.S. and U.K. . and figure out how we were going to launch in those markets," says Mr. Singh. "In-stead of focusing on [a few countries] and trying to do half a million units, what if I focused on one country that had a potential to do hundreds of millions of units?"

After scrambling to assemble a proposal and a prototype in time, Datawind beat out four other manufacturers and secured the contract.

Including the government subsidy, Datawind's Internet-enabled tablet, the Aakash ("sky" in Hindi), will be sold for $35, approximately the same price as a mobile phone without Inter-net access.

"Six billion people in the world today use mobile phones, but only two billion of those people have access to the Inter-net," says Mr. Singh, "An affordable Internet-enabled tablet could bridge that gap and bring billions of new Internet users online."

If things go as Mr. Singh hopes, Datawind could emerge as a leader in the race to tap the vast economic potential of the Indian sub-continent.

But not everyone is convinced that the low-cost tablet will succeed. Mark Warschauer, an education and technology professor at the University of California, Irvine, is one such skeptic.

"The Aakash has gotten lots of publicity, but there are a lot of sub-$100 tablets coming out of China," says Mr. Warschauer. "And from the reviews I've read, they're pretty junkie. They're slow, and battery life is low, the interface is so clunky, and the software doesn't load right."

He points out that users might find the devices more frustrating than they are worth. Indeed, recent reports indicate these same concerns could also plague the Aakash.

Meanwhile, the Singh brothers are moving full-steam ahead. Four new manufacturing facilities in India are in development, and Datawind is negotiating deals with the governments of Thai-land, Turkey and others that will be announced in the coming months.

"I strongly believe that the flood gates for the next billion Internet users have opened," says Mr. Singh, "They'll come on board because the price barriers have been broken."

Nokia cuts 4,000 as it moves manufacturing to Asia

Nokia plans to cut 4,000 jobs as it moves manufacturing to Asia, the ailing mobile-phone company said today.

The cuts will take place this year at factories in in Komarom, Hungary, Reynosa, Mexico and Salo, Finland, though the factories will continue some work.

"Shifting device assembly to Asia is targeted at improving our time to market. By working more closely with our suppliers, we believe that we will be able to introduce innovations into the market more quickly and ultimately be more competitive," said Niklas Savander, Nokia's executive vice president of markets, in a statement.

Asian countries such as Malaysia, Thailand, Taiwan, and most notably China have become powerhouses of manufacturing, offering not just relatively inexpensive labor but also increasing levels of industrial and design expertise, engineering resources, and proximity to component suppliers.

The price is right, but harsh working conditions in China have become a public-relations mess for Apple, which uses contract manufacturer Foxconn to build iPhone and iPads. Apple is not alone in relying on Chinese manufacturing, though.

Nokia, under the new leadership of Stephen Elop, has dramatically transformed already by scrapping its Meego and Symbian operating systems in favor of Windows Phone. Later this month at the Mobile World Congress show, it looks like Nokia will debut a new high-end Windows Phone model.

Nokia's three factories won't close, though operations are being scaled back. "They give us a unique ability to both provide customization and be more responsive to customer needs," Savender said.

For employees who lose their jobs, Nokia will offer financial support and help finding new local jobs, the company said.