Aakash 2 tablet to be launched in May, says Kapil Sibal

Communications Minister Kapil Sibal on Tuesday said many foreign companies have shown interest in manufacturing the second version of the low-cost tablet Aakash 2 in India. 

"We have invited companies from across the world for manufacturing and many are ready to manufacture it here," Sibal told reporters on the sidelines of the inauguration of World IT Forum 2012. 

"Currently we are looking at the design and other parameters. After we freeze the design and technology, manufacturing will take place. The second version of Aakash will be launched in May," he added. 

The new tablet would have a better 3200m AH battery with a three-hour backup, a 700 MHzCortex A8 processor and a capacitive touch screen which would get over the earlier issues observed in the tablets, Sibal had said earlier. 

The announcement comes even as Canadian firm Datawind, which has been manufacturing Aakash, got into a spat with the Hyderabad-based assembler of the tablet, Quad Electronics, in the last few months. 

Quad has reportedly alleged that it has not got its payments for the initial order of assembling 20,000 tablets. 

Datawind on the other hand said that Quad breached Datawind's intellectual property, circumvented their relationship with IIT-Rajasthan, signed an agreement with them and then sold off their inventory in the open market. 

Aakash 2 is expected to have three times more powerful processor and the resistive touch screen of the older version will be changed to capacitive touch screen. The device which was earlier expected to be launched in April will also become expensive compared to the earlier version which was priced at $35. 

Talking about empowering the masses with 3G and 4G services, Sibal said these services would have limited access to the masses unless the government ensures that the cost of these devices go down. 

"We must develop manufacturing in India," he said while inaugurating the two day forum which will focus on use of ICT in agriculture, education, health and e-Governance, within the overall theme of 'ICT for Sustainable Human Development'. 

The forum will discuss the role of IT interventions in bringing about greater transparency in governance, issues of privacy and security while dealing with public databases, financial inclusion and ways of leveraging wireless technologies. 

Infosys' new campus to create 10,000 jobs in Kerala

Infosys Limited, India's second largest IT company, Wednesday signed an agreement with Technopark for 50 acres of land for setting up a second campus in Technocity near here. 

The agreement was signed by Infosys Senior Vice President H R Binod and Technopark CEO KG Girish Babu in the presence of Chief Minister Oommen Chandy. 

Infosys has two development centres in Technopark Phase-I and Technopark Phase-II, employing about 4,100 professionals. 

Starting its Kerala operations in January 2004 at Technopark, Infosys now has its own campus adjacent to Technopark which forms part of Technopark Phase II Special Economic Zone (SEZ).

Kris Gopalakrishnan, executive co-chairman of Infosys said the company is doing well in Technopark and this reflects the changing investment climate of the state, adding that there were no labour issues at the Infosys centres in Technopark campuses. 

"The Thiruvananthapuram centre is the fastest growing centre of Infosys across the country at 30 per cent annually," said Gopalakrishnan. 

Infosys plans to set up more than 1 million sq. ft. of built-up space and to create employment for 10,000 engineers in the Technocity campus. The possible export from this SEZ campus would be of the order of Rs 1500 crores over the next 5 to 8 years. 

"Setting up of the second campus of Infosys Limited in Kerala will have a major significance for the IT scene in Kerala. At present, Infosys contributes more than 21 per cent of the total IT export of the state with the content of Rs 608 crore out of the total Rs 2,875 crore of IT exports during the financial year 2010-11," said IT secretary P H Kurian. 

During 2012-13, Infosys has plans to add another 3,500 engineers in the existing campus at Technopark Phase-II, thus increasing its exports to Rs 800 crore.

Apple launching iPhone 5 in June

For Apple aficionados, here's good news: iPhone 5 is reportedly set to launch in the coming June. According to a report in CNet, Apple is likely to launch its next-generation iPhone during its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) scheduled for June 11 to 15, 2012. 

The report quotes a television report by TV Tokyo in which a Foxconn recruiter has claimed that Apple plans to hire some 18,000 workers to meet its June deadline for iPhone 5 manufacturing. Foxconn Technology Group is one of biggest suppliers of Apple. 

With this launch, Apple is expected to return to its normal iPhone launch cycle. For, except for iPhone 4S which was launched in October 2011, all the previous-generation iPhones have been launched during Apple's WWDC event. 

Some earlier reports in South Korean media too suggested June launch for the sixth-generation iPhone. These reports also said that the new iPhone will have a sharper and bigger 4.6-inch "retina" display. The high-definition "retina" display -- containing several times as many pixels within the same area -- is used in the latest iPad launched last month. 

Sales of the iPhone, first introduced in 2007 with the touch screen template now adopted by its rivals, account for around half of Apple's total sales.

Facebook hires software engineers from India to fill US posts

Facebook, the world's largest social networking site, is doing something that no domestic or multinational company has done before - hire software engineers from India for positions based in the United States. 

Typically, global firms such as IBM and GE hire in India for positions here and send some of these recruits abroad for specific projects. However, Facebook's open invitation in a newspaper advertisement last week seeking applicants "to work in the US" is being regarded as a first. 

"It is unusual and I haven't seen anything like this," said Sharad Sharma, the chair of industry body Nasscom's software product forum. The advertisement in The Times of India pointed applicants to an online coding challenge for 86 open positions in software engineering in Chicago, Dublin ( Ireland), New York and Seattle. 

Those who solved the puzzles were promised a phone interview. The online test is being done in partnership with InterviewStreet, a startup founded by Vivek Ravhishankar, a graduate of the National Institute of Technology in Tiruchirapalli. Facebook is a client of InterviewStreet. 

Facebook declined to comment for this story. The California -based company has filed for an initial public offering which is expected to value it at around $100 billion. India, where it has some 46 million users, is one of its fastest-growing markets and an important source of talent. 

Facebook has a development centre in Hyderabad and last year it hired an NIT-Warangal graduate for its office in Palo Alto in a campus interview. Ajit Isaac, chief executive at Ikya Human Capital, a Bangalore-based HR solutions company, was of the view that Facebook might have conducted a survey to find out what kind of people work well at their company. 

"The desired results at their Hyderabad office might have made them to hire some talent for the US." Ganesh Shermon, country head for the human capital practice at the Indian arm of audit and advisory KPMG, described Facebook's move as an "interesting development" if the company is willing to get those hired from India a work permit. 

According to Prabhakaran Murugaiah, founder and CEO at Corp-Corp, a Virginia-based technology staffing company, companies hiring from India for jobs based in the US is rare, but this will probably increase because of talent shortage in the world's largest economy. "Unemployment in the technology space is only 3.7%, which is virtually zero talent available for the current skills in demand," he said. 

"The current wave and exponential growth in cloud, mobile, big data and IT security will create several thousands of jobs in next 6 to 18 months." IT services and business process outsourcing firms employ some 2.5 million people in India and are stepping up hiring in the US in the face of strong sentiment against offshoring of jobs. 

Facebook's hiring plan and its ability to get the India hires work permits will happen in the backdrop of complaints by domestic software firms about higher visa scrutiny.

Laptops, mobiles, computers to cost more: Budget 2012

Personal computing gadgets and accessories, including desktops, laptops, tablets, printers, UPS and mobile phones, will cost more thanks to a hike in excise duty from 10% to 12%. 

S Rajendran, chief marketing officer of Acer India, said: "The prices of all our PCs will rise by 2%. A Rs 25,000 PC will now cost an extra Rs 500." Even imported products, which will now attract an additional 2% countervailing duty, will become more expensive. 

Sabyasachi Patra, executive director, MAIT, said the prices of services provided by hardware providers , such as maintenance, would go up. He said the hike in service tax could also increase the prices of personal software products. 

Vinay Deshpande, CEO of Encore Software, maker of products like the Simputer, said the removal of Customs duty on LCD panels would have a marginally positive impact, but that would be largely negated by the higher excise duty and service tax. 

For the much-vaunted IT services industry, the absence of any new tax-saving measures means the smaller companies among them will likely suffer a setback

Apple, Facebook slammed for stealing personal info

A small group of US smartphone owners has filed a lawsuit demanding that Facebook, Twitter and other makers of smartphone "apps" pay dearly for mining people's contact lists. 
The suit filed in federal court in Austin, Texas on Monday listed Apple among the defendants, arguing that mini-programs are not allowed on the company's coveted iPads, iPhones and iPod Touch devices without its approval. 
Lawyers representing the 13 Austin smartphone owners argue that the applications invaded people's privacy by "stealing" personal address book data. 
A hot trend toward making applications "mobile and social" resulted in smartphone users' contact lists being tapped into to help find friends or family members that people might want to connect with in online communities. 
But the lawsuit argues that delving into address book data without express permission is an invasion of privacy. 
The list of defendants included "Angry Birds" game creator Rovio and US videogame giant Electronic Arts, as well as career-centered social network LinkedIn. 


"Essentially, on the cheap and on the sly these defendants have impermissibly mined their App users' phones for contact data," lawyers stated in court documents made available online Thursday. 

The suit calls for a court order barring the practice and for the 18 companies listed as defendants, including Facebook and Twitter, to pay substantial cash damages. 
For such a case to succeed, lawyers must prove app users suffered quantifiable harm. Attorneys also want class-action status to represent anyone who may have used one of the offending apps.

Infosys to double R&D engineers in India

Infosys Ltd, India's No. 2 software services exporter, expects to double its product research and development engineers to 1,000 in India, the company said on Thursday.

They will work in areas including digital electronics, internet commerce and healthcare, according to the company.

Earlier this week, chief executive S D Shibulal said that Infosy has a pretty strong pipeline and expects the number of large order wins in the current quarter to be in line with the previous quarter, 

He also said that the company's 100 largest customers had finalised spending plans for 2012 and that their budgets were generally unchanged from the previous calendar year. 

"I would at this point maintain that it is flat year-on-year," he said in a telephone interview. 

Infosys, the bellwether for the Indian IT services industry, has won orders in the $100 million-$250 million range in the current quarter and may land more such large deals by the time the quarter ends this month, he said. 

"Last quarter we had multiple large deal wins. There is nothing telling me at this point that this quarter will be any different. We have quite a few large opportunities in progress and our win ratios are very good," Shibulal said.

Budget 2012: Impact on IT

NEW DELHI: Finance minister Pranab Mukherjee today presented budget for the financial year FY 2012-13. Though the Budget 2012 pledges reforms, it does little to trim the ballooning fiscal deficit.

Here are some highlights of the Budget 2012 that will have direct and indirect impact on the IT industry:

* Increase in service tax means your monthly phone bills will go up. 

* LCD and LED panels exempted from custom duty. To impact prices of TVs, laptops and PC monitors positively. 

* Mobile phone parts exempted from basic customs duty. May have a positive impact on prices of low-end handsets being manufactured in India. 

* Restrictions on venture capital investment removed. Likely to help tech start-ups. 

* No change in corporate tax. Status quo for IT Inc who feared an increase in tax outgo. 
* Defence budget raised to Rs 1.93 lakh crore. Will partially help telecom software, signalling equipment companies. 

* Aadhar platform to drive Public Distribution system. Digitisation of PDS to help IT sector. 

* Tax law amended, seems to be eying Vodafone-like transactions
* Share of manufacturing in GDP will be increased. Will partially go towards telecom manufacturing too. 

* Telecom towers made eligible for viability gap funding 

* Mobile-based fertilizer management system for transparent transfer of subsidy. Fertiliser subsidies implementation to change by using more. 

20 best mobile phones in the world today : Updated

What's the best mobile phone? Our verdict on the best smartphone / best phones - constantly updated

We've all got at least one mobile phone each, right? The trouble is, how do you decide which is the best one for you?

If you've read our list of the hottest pre-release new mobile phones and are still stumped, well, this is where we make it easy. Because here we have our continually-updated comparison of the top 20 best smartphones you can get in the UK.

The last update saw the Samsung Galaxy S2 nabbing the top spot - the combo of Android 2.3 and a beautiful screen in a tightly packaged body saw it head straight to the top of the pile.

But now Apple has finally brought out another version of the iPhone (see our iPhone 4S review) and the Nokia Lumia 800 suggests Windows Phone might have something to offer, so check out our list to discover the perfect phone for you.

If that still doesn't help, well, there's always our extensive mobile phone reviews pages as well - or check out our personally crafted smartphone buyer's guide:

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And when you've decided what new phone to buy, why not cash in your old one with our phone recycling price comparison service?

Here are our rankings for the best mobile phones around, currently available in the UK. Look here for the 20 best cellphones available in the US.

Number 20: HTC Wildfire S

 

20. HTC Wildfire S

The HTC Wildfire S might only be an evolution of the popular Wildfire, but it's proven to be an attractive handset in its own right.

It was a little bit too pricey when it first launched at over £200, but subsequent price drops have seen it come in at a much more palatable £130.

It's got the same Sense UI as it's bigger brothers, and a neat-enough screen too. It's not the fastest handset in the world, but we're still fans.

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Quick verdict

Not a behemoth by any stretch of the imagination, the Wildfire S is definitely worth considering if you want a smartphone experience without shelling out the cash.

• HTC Wildfire S review
• Compare HTC Wildfire S offers

Number 19: HTC ChaCha

 

19. HTC ChaCha

The glut of Facebook phones promised at Mobile World Congress last year might not have materialised, but the ones we have been given aren't half bad.

Our favourite is the HTC ChaCha, with a highly-usable keyboard and a dedicated Facebook key for publishing whatever it is you're doing to the social network.

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It's not the most advanced smartphone around, but one that's nicely entrenched at the cheaper end of the scale and still runs the latest version of Android.

Quick verdict

The HTC ChaCha is primarily a Facebook phone, but even if you're not a huge fan of the blue social network you're getting a decent BlackBerry rival and a snappy OS to boot.

• HTC ChaCha review
• Compare the best HTC ChaCha offers

Number 18: HTC Rhyme

 

18. HTC Rhyme

When deciding on the top 20 best mobile phones in the world, it's sometimes tempting to only look at the super-skinny, action-packed expensive phones that promise you unlimited power and status just by owning them.

But equally, there are those that serve another purpose, which is to provide a half-decent smartphone at a more than half-decent price - and the HTC Rhyme achieves that.

Maybe it will only appeal to women (which appears to be the focus), although a second non-purple colour might save it from that fate. Still, we have a lot of love for HTC and even for 'mid-range' phones they have a lot of capability – the HTC Rhyme simply displays that to a tee.

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We liked the solid build and swish soft-feel/aluminium unibody design. We even liked the purple colour, which we think looks pretty classy.

The Sense 3.5 update had some nice touches, such as the lockscreen shortcuts. The camera is only 5MP but still produces some nice shots, and the phone is essentially a capable blank slate with some cool accessories that you can customise to your heart's desire.

Quick verdict

While the HTC Rhyme is a stylish version of a phone that's already great in its own right, this mid-range smartphone doesn't bring anything new to the table except a few fancy accessories - but will attract those stylistas looking for something that isn't yet another iPhone clone.

• HTC Rhyme review
• Compare the best HTC Rhyme deals

Number 17: Google Nexus S

 

17. Google Nexus S

The first Android 2.3 phone to land on the market was also one of the first with NFC capabilities and a curved chassis with Super AMOLED screen from Samsung.

It's a 'Pure Google' experience, which means no messing about waiting for networks to bring you the update; if Google likes it, you'll have it (for the foreseeable future, with the Ice Cream Sandwich update landing).

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The build quality might feel a little suspect at first, but it's robust enough and sits in the hand well, and that screen is just superb for the internet and media.

It's now a darn sight cheaper than the Samsung Galaxy Nexus too - so if you're hankering for a pure experience on a budget, it's definitely worth checking this out.

Quick verdict

It's not the best handset on the market by any stretch, and it's not much better than a simple update to the Samsung Galaxy S. But what we do like about this phone is the simple Google experience - if you're after Ice Cream Sandwich on a budget with no frills, then this will be the way to do it.

Plus the NFC chip means you can do some cool stuff in the future too, like using Android Beam to send links or YouTube videos to friends by bumping phones.

• Google Nexus S review
• Compare Google Nexus S offers

Number 16: Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini / Mini Pro

 

16. Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini / Mini Pro

Sony Ericsson managed something of an underground hit with the original Xperia X10 Mini range, and has predictably brought the line-up back with a powerful refresh.

The new line-up (the Mini Pro features a keyboard, but is otherwise pretty much identical to the Mini) has a 1GHz processor under the hood and a much bigger 3-inch screen compared to last year's model, which makes a big difference.

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That improved processor also means things like Flash player support too, and while HD video recording isn't the best on test, it's still a decent option to have over other smartphones.

Quick verdict

The Xperia Mini range is a quirky offering that will appeal to those that love the idea of a teeny smartphone.

The price tag is a little too high to dub it truly budget-busting, but if you're after a phone that will fit in any pocket, with or without a keyboard, then this duo is definitely worth checking out.

• Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini review
• Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini Pro review
• Compare the best Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini offers
• Compare the best Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini Pro offers

Number 15: iPhone 4

 

15. iPhone 4

The iPhone 4 was the most impressive iPhone ever when launched, and a big step up from the iPhone 3GS.

The iPhone 4's 960x640 Retina Display was a revelation when it was launched in 2010. It's got 326 pixels per inch, and we're talking tiny pixels, only 78 micrometers wide.

The Retina Display, especially, is hands-down one of the clearest, most enjoyable screens we've seen on a handheld, and the sheer amount of technology packed into the device might no longer be surprising, but it's still worth a gander.

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The 3G reception disappearing problem is gone now with newer builds (although Apple would never admit to it being a problem) and you can finally get the darned thing in white.

But the big win for the iPhone 4 is the fact it runs so much better in the new iOS 5 - it's faster and the battery lasts longer, with a whole heap of functionality making it feel like a brand new phone.

Quick verdict

While the iPhone 4S is clearly the superior device in terms of technology, the lower price of the iPhone 4, plus the fact it looks almost identical to the new version, means this is still a fantastic phone.

Sure, you don't get the likes of Siri's voice recognition on there, but iOS 5 is still a fantastic upgrade to the handset, so if you don't want to splash the cash but want to stay in Hotel Apple, this is a great phone to check out.

• Apple iPhone 4 review
• Compare iPhone 4 offers

Number 14: Samsung Galaxy Note

 

14. Samsung Galaxy Note

Is it a phone? Is it a tablet? Samsung wants us to believe it's a whole new category of device - but let's be honest, it's essentially just a really big phone. Or a really small tablet - depending on how you like your gadgets.

Given the penchant for so many to browse rather than make calls on their pocket device, something with a huge 5.3-inch Super AMOLED screen with industry-leading internals (1.4GHz dual core processor, no less) is always going to impress.

There are very few things we can complain about with the Galaxy Note. Samsung has taken what is already a brilliant handset (the Galaxy S2) and built on it to make an even better one.

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Quick verdict

We can't see Samsung successfully creating a new product category with the Galaxy Note though - we just don't imagine that many businesspeople who hate paper and love media enough to consider carrying this around, even if it doesn't replace a smartphone.

However, if you're a fan of smartphone brawn or can't handle the larger screen sizes of today's tablets, then this device is likely to please on many levels - and we haven't even mentioned the opinion-polarising S-Pen stylus either.

• Samsung Galaxy Note review
• Compare the best Samsung Galaxy Note deals

Number 13: BlackBerry Curve 9360

 

13. BlackBerry Curve 9360

The Curve range has been something of a saviour for RIM in the last few years, with the immensely popular Curve 8520 still selling years after its launch.

The new Curve takes things to another level though, with the new handset offering a superbly sleek chassis, a well-designed keyboard and next-generation functionality thanks to the inclusion of NFC to connect up to other BlackBerry devices, as well as letting you pay for goods on the go.

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It's not got the fastest processor nor the biggest battery on the market, but that doesn't stop it being a cost-effective and useful device, especially when it comes to messaging.

Quick verdict

You'd be forgiven for thinking the BlackBerry Curve 9360 is a premium handset, and we wholeheartedly recommend you consider this if you're looking for a half-decent messaging device. It's not as cheap as the other Curves out there, but a definite contender for those not looking to splash £40-odd a month on a contract.

• BlackBerry Curve 9360 review
• Compare the best BlackBerry Curve 9360 deals

Number 12: Orange Monte Carlo

 

12. Orange Monte Carlo

We've had the Orange San Francisco down as our favourite budget handset for ages now, but it's time in the sun has finally come to an end with the announcement of the Orange Monte Carlo.

Also made by ZTE and badged by the citric network, the Monte Carlo is a superb effort for not much dollar, with a well-integrated processor and a large 4.3-inch screen seeing it fit in well with the current crop of massive smartphones.

The Orange San Francisco 2 surprisingly doesn't make it onto the list - the much-vaunted upgrade lacks the clout of the original.

That screen isn't the best on the market though, especially in bright sunlight, and the camera has been downgraded a little to lower the cost too.

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However, for the price we're more than happy to forgive this, and the Monte Carlo still delivers a decent large-screen viewing experience (if you're indoors...).

Quick verdict

Not every phone needs to cost thousands of pounds to use, and for those that want the latest version of Android, a big screen for movies and a few pounds left over at the end of each month, the Orange Monte Carlo is one of the best phones to go for.

• Orange Monte Carlo review
• Compare the best Orange Monte Carlo offers

Number 11: Sony Xperia Arc

 

11. Sony Ericsson Arc S

When we talk about a Phoenix Phone, it will forever be the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc, and despite only being a few months old, it's already been upgraded to the Xperia Arc S, which makes things even better.

It's taken a right old tumble down our rankings thanks to now being usurped as a flagship device by the Sony Xperia S - but given it's now got a lovely low price, it's only just outside the top ten still in our eyes.

From the beautiful Reality Display with Bravia Engine to the powerful-yet-simple 8.1MP camera with Exmor R technology, this is one of the phones that people actually want to hold and play with when you show it off - plus it now boasts a 3D panorama mode, although you have to hook it up to a compatible big screen TV to view.

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The Sony Ericsson overlay has cool features like an 'exploded widgets' view, and the integration of YouTube searching for videos of songs currently playing is super cool too - plus the Xperia Arc S is now rocking deeper Facebook integration and the latest version of Android: 2.3.4.

OK, it's not dual-core powered, but Sony Ericsson has looked to fix that with a boost to a 1.4GHz processor, and until we start seeing some applications that really start to challenge these smartphones, we're happy to recommend a phone that is slick under the finger, slim in the pocket, satisfying in the hand and kinder than many on the wallet to boot.

Quick verdict

The hardware is extremely impressive, both in terms of looks and performance. Forget the fashionable dual-core phones – when done right, a single-core processor can still do it all, nearly a year after the tech was announced, and it costs a whole lot less.

As it is, we're prepared to overlook the Xperia Arc S' minor flaws thanks to its stunning good looks, superb screen and very decent photo performance. You can't help but love it once you've held its magically thin body and gazed adoringly into its dazzling Reality Display - but it's best checking out the new HD display on the Xperia S before deciding if this is the phone for you.

• Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S review
• Compare the best Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S offers

Number 10: Motorola Razr

 

10. Motorola Razr

Don't be thinking you've got caught in a time vortex - the Motorola Razr of old is back, but in a totally new form factor.

The Motorola Razr is one of those phones that, like the Atrix, we instantly looked forward to when we saw it launched.

A super thin body, oodles of RAM, Kevlar casing and a top end processor are all things we want to see in a phone of this ilk, and it's good to see Moto attempting to compete with the likes of Samsung and Apple.

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Motorola needed a phone like the Razr in its arsenal, and now it has one to be proud of. It's got all the dual-core power of the Atrix, plus a superior screen; more importantly, it's jumped from a squat chassis to a sumptuous slimline affair that glides into the pocket.

Quick verdict

The Motorola Razr is something of a Galaxy S2 clone in a number of ways - but that's no bad thing for a smartphone. It has a decent identity of its own, with Smart Options in particular automating your phone in clever ways.

It's a trifle expensive and doesn't really offer too much in the way of a unique selling point - but it functions well in all areas and those looking for a slightly sharper screen will find a decent pocket-mate here.

• Motorola Razr review
• Compare the best Motorola Razr deals