Samsung ATIV Odyssey Windows Phone 8 device coming soon

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer just revealed that the Samsung ATIV Odyssey Windows Phone 8 smartphone will be coming to Verizon Wireless this December. The Odyssey is Samsung's first ATIV smartphone in the US and joins the HTC Windows Phone 8X and Nokia Lumia 822 in Verizon's Windows Phone 8 lineup. However, Microsoft did not provide and details regarding Odyssey's specs or pricing.

Courtesy: The Verge

Google announces new Nexus tablets and smartphone

Google announced lots of new hardware today via blog post, after an event in New York was canceled in anticipation of Hurricane Sandy. The major announcements are:

Google Nexus 4: Nexus 4 is Google's latest smartphone, developed together with LG. It has a quad-core processor which means it's super fast, a crisp 4.7" (320 ppi) display that's perfect for looking at photos and watching YouTube, and with wireless charging you just set the phone down on a charging surface to power it up, no wires needed.

• Google Nexus 4 smartphone: Developed with LG, it features a quad-core processor, a 4.2-inch display, 8 MP Photo Sphere camera and a wireless charging feature that lets you power the phone by setting it down on a charging service. It runs Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean) and a feature called Photo Sphere for creating 360-degree panoramas. The phone goes on sale Nov. 13 for $299.

• Google Nexus 7: Nexus 7 now comes in new Wi-Fi models that are 16GB (for $199) and 32GB (for $249). Google also is making a version available with an HSPA+ cellular connection -- $32GB for $299. It's on sale Nov. 13.

• Google Nexus 10: developed with Samsung, offers what Google calls the highest-resolution screen in the tablet marketplace at 300 pixels per square inch. That 2560 by 1600 pixel display will still get nine hours of video playback, Google says. And it has an account-switching feature that lets multiple users share the tablet more easily. The 16GB model goes for for $399; the 32GB model costs for $499. It's available from Nov. 14.

Google also announced updates for Google Now and Google Play

• Google Play: More entertainment, more countries. A ton of great new entertainment items are added to Google Play, such as movies and TV shows from Twentieth Century Fox. Earlier this year the service was expanded service beyond movie rentals and now you can purchase movies and build a library of your favorites in Google Play. Movie purchasing is available in more countries - Canada, the U.K., France, Spain and Australia.

• Google Now: Its predictive-search feature that presents information on a series of cards without the user having to search. In addition to weather and traffic information, cards will now display flight information, restaurant reservations, hotel confirmations and shipping details. 

Courtesy: CNET

HTC OneX JellyBean Update in October for Asia and Europe

HTC announced that Android 4.1 would roll out for its One X and One S handsets in October, and it looks like the company has hit one of its targets.

Android Central reports that the Jelly Bean update has already started rolling out for customers with the HTC One X in Asia and Europe. The Android update will also include HTC's Sense 4+ skin, two new Gallery app views, a refreshed HTC Watch app, and Google Now. There's no word on when the update will hit in the US.

Courtesy: The Verge

IE and Firefox Cake giving tradition

Internet Explorer is no longer the best web browser, its dominated by Firefox and chrome. But it does not stop the Redmond company to stop the its team from continuing its cake-giving tradition with the makers of Firefox.

According to Mozilla employee Matt Brubeck, the IE team began it all when it sent over a cake to congratulate the company on the launch of Firefox 2 in 2006. Since then, the Internet Explorer crew has continued to send over cakes for each new version, though they smartly switched over to less-costly cupcakes when Mozilla began its accelerated 6-week upgrade cycles. 

To return the favor, Matt hand delivered a massive cake to celebrate the launch of Internet Explorer 10 this week to the Microsoft team's headquarters in Redmond, and signed it "Love  Mozilla." Competition  is only in the field of business, not in kindness.

Courtesy: The Verge

Due to Hurricane Google Android event canceled

Google has cancelled a major Android event planned for Monday in New York City due to Hurricane Sandy.

The event was rumored to revolve around the launch of Android 4.2 “Key Lime Pie” and a 10-inch “Nexus 10″ tablet running on the brand-new OS. However, it’ll be at least a little longer before we see that Android update and tablet.

Google sent an email to the the people who have booked their tickets:

“We are canceling our Monday morning event in New York due to Hurricane Sandy. We will let you know our plans as soon as we know more."

It's the second time Google has postponed a launch event in recent memory — last year it moved its Ice Cream Sandwich event after the death of Steve Jobs.

However, it won't make a loss because Microsoft is going to launch Windows Phone 8 on Monday, 29 Oct 12. 

Get your Google back [video]

Got Windows 8? Find yourself missing your Google functionality with all that Bing on board?

Although Windows 8 ships with Internet Explorer and Bing installed in, Google is taking measures to keep users loyal to Chrome and Search, releasing a new instructional video to explain how to install the apps on Microsoft's new OS. 

Titled "Get Your Google Back," the video directs users to go to GetYourGoogleBack.com, which quickly accesses the download pages for Search and Google's browser.

Courtesy: The Verge, Mashable

Watch the video below:

Microsoft Surface RT Pictures

Windows 8 represents another radical shift for Microsoft, as the company bets on tablet computers and other touchscreen devices as the future of personal computing.

The new "Metro" interface offers a tile-based Start screen similar to that of the Windows Phone OS.

Here are some pictures of the newly released Microsoft Surface RT.

[Click on the images to get full view]