FACEBOOK BUYS STARTUP TO LINK WITH MORE MOBILE PHONES

Facebook is buying Israeli start-up that specializes in software that connects any type of mobile phone to the leading social network and the other popular internet destinations.

Facebook on Monday confirmed that it is acquiring Snaptu  with an eye toward extending it's reach to hundreds of  millions of mobile phones that don't feature the computer-like capabilities of smart phones.

'As part of our goal to offer the people around the world the oppurtunity to connect and share on mobile devices, "We're exited to confirm that we have recently signed the agreement to acquire Snaptu," Facebook said in an email response to AFP inquiry.

"As part of Facebook, Snaptu's team and technology will enable us to deliver an better mobile experience on feature phones more quickly.

Snaptu was founded in 2007 with a stated goal of making available on "feature phones" innovative services people access routinely on smart phones.

Nearly 1.6 billion phones were sold last year world wide, with 296.6 million of them were sophisticated smart phones, according to figures released in last month by industry tracker garnet.

In January Facebook launched a new software application for mobile phones which was co-developed by Snaptu.

"We'll be working hard to develop a richer and more advanced application on virtually every mobile phone," Snaptu said.

IS AMAZON WORKING ON ANDROID KINDLE?

Amazon has been wonderfully successful with it's kindle e-reader, offering a light weight reader at an affordable price. But the pizazz of ipad 2 and dozens of Android-based tablets that are slowly making their way off of conveyor belts and onto store shelves is rekindling a number of unanswered questions about the next generation of Amazon's e-reader.

First and foremost, will Amazon release a color kindle? If the decides to go down the color rabbit hole what OS will it choose? And finally will it still be primarily a e-reader, or will a color kindle compete with other tablets on market by offering it with e-mail , more     impressive apps and videos.

Although Jeff Bezos, Amazon chief Executive, he said in the past that the color kindle is "multiple years" away, new job listing on 126 web site, the division of Amazon that makes the kindle, show that company is building up it's team of Android developers, which might involve developing softwares for color screens.

At least five new jobs were added in the last week alone seeking developers with Android programming experience.

Now this could simply mean that Amazon is hiring engineers to work on new software to work on other Android devices. But it could also pave the way for a kindle that runs Android, which would in turn be color device. The current kindle runs the Linux OS.

It's up for debate that Android kindle is good for Amazon , or better for Google with tablets becoming a more competition over no.of apps available for the platform, Amazon would have lot of catching up to do if the company decide to introduce entirely new tablet OS.

What do you think? Should Amazon join the force with Google and develop an Android kindle, or should the company stick to it's own platform?

BOY AVOIDS ROBBERY BY FACEBOOK UPDATE

What will you do if your home is being robbed by  a bunch of thieves? Then add your Grandmother and your 17 year old sister to the equation who had been tied down by the thieves.

Do you take the direct approach and confront them? Or do you act like a chicken and try to escape? Or you hide in the attic with your laptop?

Yes, that's exactly what Nitesh Bhakta did, a 20 year-old student of University of Georgia and resident of Cartersville.

The moment he saw robbers he hid in attic with his laptop and sent out a Facebook status asking for a help.

"I just heard my Grandmother screaming and then I heard a guy asking for money. The moment that happened I ran to the attic with my laptop," he says in a video post on the internet.

His Facebook status reads "HELP, ROBBERS, NO PHONE", which initially attracted a lot of jokes, but soon when his replies did not seem funny his best friend responded.

Soon the cops intervened and arrested one of the suspects while the other suspects escaped.

The police admitted that if Facebook alert had not popped, they would have never known about the heist.

HTC LAUNCHES DESIRE Z

HTC launches HTC Desire Z android-based smart phone in India, featuring the new HTC Sense UI. Previously the company released HTC Desire HD, HD7 and Mozart.

HTC has been forefront at the android revolution with no.of successful devices like Desire. While Android devices dominating their current portfolio. HTC is quickly adopting Windows phone 7 platform.

With HTC Desire Z they intends to take their framed multimedia experience and combine it with powerful business functionality, which will be supported through the slide-out keyboard and 800 MHZ Qualcomm processor. The Desire Z provides a fool suite of connectivity of tools for people on the go with a plush web experience on 3.7-inch screen and comfort of QWERTY keypad. The company also integrated multimedia features such as 5- Mega pixel with HD recording. It will come Pre-loaded with document 2 go, which will enable  document editing to the device.

Aside from Desire z launch company also launched the latest iteration of their HTC  Sense technology, which is an android skin. For a long time HTC Sense has been acclaimed as best Android skin and now they have further   advanced technology. HTC will provide a variety of enhancements that improves how people capture, create ,share and access multimedia content.

HTC also announced HTCsense.com support through which users can manage their mobile phone experience from their HTC phone or personal computer. People easily locate their missing phone by triggering handset to ring loudly, even if it set to silent, or to flag it's location on map. If phone's lost or stolen, users can remotely lock the phone forward calls and text to another phone, send a message to the phone to arrange it's return or remotely wipe all personal data from it.

Currently HTC Desire will be available at all authorized HTC dealers at mrp of 25,590. 

APPLE DELAYS IPAD2 RELEASE IN JAPAN

Apple said Tuesday that it was delaying next week's release of ipad2 in Japan because of earthquake and tsunami which devastated the country.

"We are delaying the launch of ipad2 in Japan while the country and our teams focus on recovery following the recent disaster," Natalie kerris , an Apple spokeswoman told AFP.

"our hearts go out to the people in Japan, including our employees and their families who have impacted by this tragedy," Kerris said.

Apple spokeswoman said that Apple's retail store in the city Sendai on Japan's Tsunami-hit north east pacific coast has been closed.

The apple ipad2 has been scheduled to go on sale in Japan and some two dozen other countries on march25. Apple does not provide a new for the start of sale sin Japan. It said availability in other countries remain unaffected.

Apple's touch screen tablet phones hit stores in US on Friday and some analyst have predicted that i could prove to be an even bigger hit than the original model released in April of last year.

"Apple has sold 3 times more ipad2s in first two days vs ipad1," Global Equity research analyst Trip choudary said.

GOOGLE ALERTS FOR TSUNAMI, LAUNCHES PERSON FINDER

Unlike funny doodles that Google does for important events, it has broken it's own rule of pristine homepage to issue a tsunami warning.

The Google homepage now carries a one line warning alerting the geographies that may face Tsunami waves soon. It says the Tsunami alert for New Zealand, the Philippines, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Hawaii and others. Waves expected over next few hours caused by 8.9 earthquake in Japan.

A great initiative to provide information to the users about natural calamity.

Also like th New Zealand earthquake Google has launched person finder for Japan earthquake too. This helps people trace their missing loved ones by listening them on Google website.

YOU CAN ACCESS THE PERSON FINDER AT http://japan.person-finder.appspot.com/?lang=en 

FACEBOOK TO OFFER MOVIE RENTALS

Forget buying a movie now you just have to "like" it.

In a first time embrace of the tradition-bound film distribution business and emerging world of social media and warner bros has launched an application allowing users to rent and watch movies directly on Facebook starting with the "DARK KNIGHT".

Though online movie rentals have been available for mare than a decade, they've never before been possible on any social networking site. Integrating movie into such sites where people find content based on recommendations and tastes of their friends could be crucial as studios look for new ways to generate revenue online make up for declining DVD sales.

The new offering fits Facebook chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg's  often stated goal "to make everything social." He wants users to be able to engage in all sorts of activities on Facebook, such as e-mailing, plying games, watching videos and sharing photos. 

MORE LEAKS ABOUT APPLE IPAD2 !!!!!

With just about to go for launch of Apple's ipad2, numerous rumours have appeared on the web about the device.

A chinese website DGtle claims to be in possession of ipad2. The images they have uploaded certainly fit the expected hardware specs.

According to images Apple ipad2 is definitely slimmer and has a facetime. The images also show a large loudspeaker which would also bump up the audio performance. It looks more rectangular in the design and also has a curvature in the back.

Gizmocrunch has come up with more startling reports that Amazon. de has prematurely specified the hardware specs and release date of Apple ipad2.

If these specs are to be believed then Apple ipad2 will boast with 1.2 GHZ dual core processor, a camera and notably a "Thunderbolt" port for fast transfer of data and HD video connectivity. According to website the ipad2 has release date of march 17. As of now the link question is not working.

Over next few hours we will clearly know that ipad2 will contain. Who knows this could be another fake mock device from shenzhen and Amazon reports could be just a mistake.

FACEBOOK ACQUIRES GROUP MESSAGING START-UP

Facebook on Tuesday acquired Beluga, a group messaging start-up for mobile phones.

In a letter on Beluga's website the company's co-founder said the acquisition by Facebook would not affect the service and terms of three developers who built Beluga were exited to build our continue for vision for mobile group messaging as a part of Facebook team.

The letter also hinted that Facebook has no plans to quit the service, saying Facebook and Beluga committed to provide new ways to share and communicate group experiences.

In the past Facebook has acquired start-ups to take advantage of  company's developer talent, rather than actual product created by company.

Beluga is one of a series of group chat services that allow people to communicate over chat SMS. Another company that offer this service is Groupme, which recently raised over $10 million in financing.

Mr.siegler of blog Tech Crunch, who first reported the news of acquisition, said one reason Facebook purchased Beluga was to hire the company's three co-founders who were all EX-GOOGLE EMPLOYEES.

NEW EYEBALL TRACKING TECHNOLOGY

A new tracking technology  has been developed by research team of queen's university of Kingston, Ontario which holds the promises to change the advertising world...not in the interest but in the real world.

The new technology uses red eye effect to record number of impressions in a billboard has received which provide valuable information  to the advertiser about how many eyes have actually seen his roadside advertisement.

ANALOG WITH THE REAL WORLD:

The new technology is similar to online world advertising in which advertisers has to pay number of clicks or impressions it's advertisement has received.

HOW THIS TECHNOLOGY WORKS:

Eyebox2 which is a palm sized device with a camera which emits infrared red light is really interesting thing which will catch your attention, It has ability to record images at rapid succession and it can also tell when some one gazes at your billboard and will keep a record for that, thus the advertisers has to pay only per number of visitors
(eye impressions) who actually look into advertisement.