Archive for the ‘Operating Systems’ Category

Numbers from Apple’s WWDC 2012

Tuesday, June 12th, 2012

As usual, Apple has revealed a slew of statistics to illustrate how it is leading the field. Here are some of the more interesting numbers from WWDC 2012.

Apple and WWDC 2012 in numbers

Apple and WWDC 2012 in numbers

There are now  650,000 apps in the App Store, out of which 225,000 are specific to the iPad.

In its four years of existence, 30 billion apps have been downloaded from Apple’s App Store, with US$5 billion for all app sales.

There are 400 million iTunes accounts with credit card. 140 million iMessage users send > 1 billion messages a day.

There are 365 million iOS devices out there, with 80% of these on the current latest iOS 5.

Apple contrast this with the Android’s profile, where slightly less than three-quarters of Android devices are still on Android 2.3.

To date, 26 million copies of Lion OS have been sold. Overall, there are 66 million Mac users.

First Apple WWDC 2012 without Steve Jobs

Monday, June 11th, 2012

A year ago, Steve Jobs made his last appearance at an Apple WWDC. This year, Tim Cook helms his first WWDC as Apple’s CEO.

Apple's WWDC 2012 is from 11-15 June in San Francisco.

Apple's WWDC 2012 is from 11-15 June in San Francisco.

The annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) this year is being held from June 11 – 15 at San Francisco’s Moscone West. Tickets were sold out in a mere two hours when it went on sale in April.

Here’s a quick roundup of some of the revelations from the opening keynote presentation on first of the 5-day conference.

MacBooks / OS X Mountain Lion

Refreshed MacBook Air & Next-generation MacBook Pro ships today.
In comes Ivy Bridge processor and USB 3.0, out goes Ethernet and FireWire 800 ports, MacBook Air becomes thinner and lighter, MacBook Pro gets 60% faster graphics performance.
Retina display in MacBooks: 220ppi with 2880 x 1800 resolution.
Highest-resolution notebook display in the world.
Retina Display support: Final Cut Pro, Aperture and Diablo3 now supports 220ppi display.
AutoCad and Photoshop support in the works.
iPad-style Dictation is introduced to Mountain Lion for Macs.
Speak directly into native Apple software, Microsoft Word and Facebook.
AirPort Express available now.
Pocket WiFi router supports simultaneous dual-band.
New OS X feature: Power Nap.
Mac updates emails, notifications and photos, and backs itself up while charging.
OS X Mountain Lion available on Macs in July.
Free upgrade for new Mac purchases between now and arrival of the new OS.

iOS 6

iOS 6 unveiled Beta today, full release in the fall.
More than 200 improvements: launch apps with enhanced Siri, and it comes to iPads, FaceTime over cellular data.
Supported: iPhone 3GS and up, 2nd gen iPads and up, 4th gen iPod touch.
Enhanced Siri launches apps and comes to new iPads and eventually into cars.
Siri to get into the car with Eyes Free: demo: Toggle Siri on by tapping a button the steering wheel.
iOS 6 to get Do Not Disturb feature from Mountain Lion.
Select which push notifications to mute and which to stay on.
iOS 6 integrates more tightly with Facebook, Twitter and App Store.
Share directly from core apps like Maps, Photos and Safari.
Safari offers unified search across the web, browser history and bookmarks.
Following in Chrome’s footsteps.
iCloud Tabs syncs Safari web-browsing across all devices.
Simultaneously see all the tabs open on any device.“IOS 6 will include Apple’s own mobile mapping software to compete with software from Google. TomTom will supply Apple with map data and related content.” – statement from TomTom.
Enhanced Safari features.
Multitouch to help navigate tabs, upload images directly, Offline Reading List.
Passbook provides one-stop purchase of tickets and boarding passes.
No more paper QR-codes and tickets.
Apple replaces Google Maps with own Maps app.
Maps comes with Yelp integration and turn-by-turn navigation, and 3D.

PC Show 2012 Promotions: Asus

Thursday, June 7th, 2012

Asus will be at the PC Show 2012 at Suntec Singapore at Booths B2007, A2004, and A2008.

Brochure for Asus PC Show 2012 promotions for notebooks, netbooks, Ultrabooks, Zenbooks, Slate PCs, and Transformer tablets.

Click on picture to view/download PDF of Asus PC Show 2012 brochures.

Here’s the brochure for Asus PC Show 2012 promotions for notebooks, netbooks, Ultrabooks, Zenbooks, Slate PCs, and Transformer tablets.

PC Show 2012 promotions: Motorola

Thursday, June 7th, 2012

Motorola smartphones and accessories will be at the PC Show 2012 at Suntec Singapore.

Look for smartphones and tablets at the booths of SingTel (L6, B2003), StarHub (L6, B2009), and M1(L6, B2019).

The MotoACTV and accessories can be found at Newstead (L3, B303) and Nubox (L3, B312).

Motorola's PC Show 2012 promotions for the Defy XT, RAZR, and ATRIX 2 smartphones; XOOM 2 tablet; MotoACTV and accessories.

Motorola's PC Show 2012 promotions for the Defy XT, RAZR, and ATRIX 2 smartphones; XOOM 2 tablet; MotoACTV and accessories.

The Motorola Defy XT smartphone is debuting at this PC Show.

Here are two brochures for Motorola’s PC Show 2012 promotions smartphones & tablets and MotoACTV & accessories; as well as four product brochures for the Defy XT, RAZR, and ATRIX 2 smartphones and the XOOM 2 tablet.

New smartphone: Nokia 808 PureView

Wednesday, June 6th, 2012

Nokia’s monster-imager smartphone hits the shelves (S$839) in Singapore tomorrow, in Black and White.

The Nokia 808 PureView runs on Nokia Belle (Symbian OS 10.1) and features a camera with a 41-megapixel sensor, complete with Carl Zeiss optics.

Nokia 808 PureView will be available in Singapore tomorrow (S$839), in Black and White.

Nokia 808 PureView will be available in Singapore tomorrow (S$839), in Black and White.

The smartphone is available in Black and White and will will debut at the PC Show 2012 tomorrow at the booths of Nokia and all three major local Telcos SingTel, StarHub and M1.

41-megapixel camera sensor

41-megapixel camera sensor

The Nokia 808 PureView was first unveiled in February this year at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, together with a slew of other phones from Nokia.

The Nokia 808 PureView shoots photos at default 5MP resolution and Full HD 1080p videos. Pixel over-sampling technology is used to process image information (details, sharpness and colour) captured in the 41MP sensor into the final high-quality 5MP photo that is saved to memory.

The camera outputs photos at 2, 3, 5, 8, 34 and 38 megapixels resolution and comes with a powerful Xenon flash and LED video light.

The high-performance Carl Zeiss optics gives three times lossless zoom for stills, and 1080p full high-definition (HD) video recording with up to four times lossless zoom, giving you a smooth and completely silent zoom experience.

Black and White

Black and White

The Nokia 808 PureView’s camera activates in less than a second, and photos and full HD videos can be sent straight to Facebook or Flickr for sharing – at the touch of a button.

Photos and videos can be sent to another NFC-enabled phone with a simple tap. The phone can also be hooked up to a HDTV via HDMI or wireless streaming to view the phone’s contents on the big screen.

The new Nokia 808 PureView is the world’s first device to include Rich Recording that enables distortion-free audio recording at CD-like levels of up to 140 dB, which was previously only possible with advanced external microphones.

Nokia Belle OS

Nokia Belle OS

This promises faithful sound recording from the lowest base levels to the highest trebles – whether you are at a concert or at a cozy recital!

The phone also features Dolby Headphone, which is exclusive to Nokia smartphones.

With Dolby Headphone, you can get Dolby surround sound playback from any stereo headphone, so you can enjoy superb surround sound quality with movies, music, and even YouTube videos for an amazing entertainment experience everywhere.

The specifications of the Nokia 808 PureView can be viewed and downloaded below.

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Samsung GALAXY S II LTE for SingTel 4G

Tuesday, June 5th, 2012

The Samsung GALAXY S II LTE is now available at SingTel (S$298).

Samsung GALAXY S II LTE is now available at SingTel (S$298)

Samsung GALAXY S II LTE is now available at SingTel (S$298)

SingTel officially launched its 4G services for smartphones in Singapore yesterday. From today, customers who purchase a 4G-enabled handset with a SingTel Flexi and iFlexi plan can enjoy the 4G service.

The Samsung GALAXY S II LTE (S$298) is one of three handsets available at launch. The other two 4G smartphones are the HTC One XL (S$318) and the LG Optimus LTE (S$198).

The specifications of the Samsung GALAXY S II LTE can be viewed or downloaded below.

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New Android smartphone: LG Optimus True HD LTE

Monday, June 4th, 2012

The 4G LTE smartphone from LG will be launched in Singapore on 7 June 2011. With an RRP of S$898 (without line), those interested can purchase it from SingTel at S$198, to start enjoying 4G speeds.

LG Optimus True HD LTE will be available from 7 June at S$898 (without line) and S$298 with a SingTel contract.

LG Optimus True HD LTE will be available from 7 June at S$898 (without line) and S$298 with a SingTel contract.

SingTel officially is launching its 4G services for smartphones in Singapore today.

From tomorrow, customers who purchase a 4G-enabled handset with a SingTel Flexi and iFlexi plan can begin enjoying the 4G service.

The LG Optimus True HD LTE (S$198) is one of three handsets available at launch. The other two 4G smartphones are the HTC One XL (S$318) and the Samsung GALAXY S II LTE (S$298).

The LG Optimus True HD LTE has a 1.5 GHz dual-core processor, running on the Android 2.3 Gingerbread OS platform, which is upgradeable to the Android 2.4 Ice Cream Sandwich OS platform.

The 4.5-inch 1280 x 720 (16:9 ration) True HD IPS display gives users sharp and crisp images with 2.76 million (1280 x 720 x 3 RGB) sub-pixels.

“Singapore’s 4G LTE mobile networks are taking shape, making the arrival of the LG Optimus True HD LTE in Singapore timely,” said Mr. Scott Jung, Managing Director of LG Electronics Singapore.Content on the smartphone can also be shared through HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) and DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance).

Each purchase of the LG Optimus True HD LTE will come with an Audio Technica headset worth S$168, while stocks last.

The phone has a 1830mAH battery. The specifications of the LG Optimus True HD LTE can be viewed or downloaded below.

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Microsoft Windows 8 Upgrade Offer

Saturday, June 2nd, 2012

Update 2 (18 July, 2012):

Microsoft’s Steven Sinofsky has just announced at its annual sales meeting that customers will be able to get Windows 8 on 26 October, 2012. This will be available both as an upgrade or on a new PC.

Wonder if the Surface will be available at the same date?

Update 1 (2 July, 2012):

Microsoft has announced that users who are currently running Windows XP, Windows Vista or Windows 7  will qualify to upgrade to Windows 8 Pro for US$39.99. Local pricing TBA.

Windows Media Center will also be available as a free option via the “add features” option within Windows 8 Pro after the upgrade.

This upgrade offer will be available in 131 markets and will run through 31 January 2013.

Are you thinking of buying a Windows 7 PC but are hesitating because Windows 8 is not generally available yet? Those who purchase eligible Windows 7-based PCs from today can upgrade to Windows 8 Pro for S$17.99 (incl. GST) later on.

Those who purchase eligible Windows 7-based PCs from today can upgrade to Windows 8 Pro for S$17.99 (incl. GST) later on.

Those who purchase eligible Windows 7-based PCs from today can upgrade to Windows 8 Pro for S$17.99 (incl. GST) later on.

But what is an “eligible” Windows 7 PC? Here’s a summary of the criteria and terms for the Windows Upgrade Offer.

  • Consumers who have bought a Windows 7 PC preinstalled with Windows 7 Home Basic, Home Premium, Professional or Ultimate; and includes a matching and valid OEM Certificate of Authenticity
  • The Windows 7 PC must be purchased new during the eligibility period of 2 June 2012 – 31 January 2013
  • The Windows 8 Pro download must be redeemed before end February 2013
  • The download will be made available to consumers on this offer starting the day Windows 8 is made generally available

Do note that the Windows 7 PC that you buy now will likely not come with a touch screen, so it won’t be able to use the touch interface for Windows 8 when you eventually upgrade.

Get Microsoft Windows 8 NOW!

Friday, June 1st, 2012

Update (18 July, 2012):

Microsoft’s Steven Sinofsky has just announced at its annual sales meeting that customers will be able to get Windows 8 on 26 October, 2012. This will be available both as an upgrade or on a new PC.

Wonder if the Surface will be available at the same date?

Microsoft has announced that the Windows 8 Release Preview is now available for download in 14 languages.

Those who purchase eligible Windows 7-based PCs from 2 June can upgrade to Windows 8 Pro for S$17.99 later on.

Windows 8 Release Preview is available for download now.

Windows 8 Release Preview is available for download now.

Windows 8 is entering the final stages of development and is on the road to general availability.

The Release Preview is available for download here, where you can also view a video of Windows 8 in action.

Notable improvements throughout the platform includes:

  • Improvements to Mail, Photos and People apps since Consumer Preview.
  • Increased personalization options for the Start screen.
  • Improved multi-monitor support.
  • Refinements to the way people find and download apps through the Windows Store.
  • New Family Safety features and enriched privacy and security controls when browsing online, including Do Not Track capabilities being turned on by default with Internet Explorer 10.
  • Enriched support for touch with Internet Explorer 10, including a new capability with Release Preview called “flip ahead” that allows users the option to flip between pages with the swipe of a finger, as well as a touch-friendly Adobe Flash Player now fully integrated into IE10.
  • New Bing apps, including those for Travel, News and Sports

For those planning to purchase new computers that currently come with Windows 7, Microsoft is rolling out the Windows Upgrade Offer program in 131 markets.

From June 2, 2012 to January 31, 2013, those who buy eligible PCs with Windows 7 can purchase an upgrade to Windows 8 Pro for an estimated retail price of S$17.99 (including GST).

Other offers will be announced later to help those with existing Windows 7-based PCs upgrade to Windows 8.

For more details about the Release Preview, check out this inside look from the Windows engineering team.

TODAY! Sony Tablet S and P gets Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich

Thursday, May 31st, 2012

The over-the-air update to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS) for the Sony Tablet S and Tablet P is available from today.

Sony Tablet S and Tablet P gets Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

Sony Tablet S and Tablet P gets Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

Those who own Sony’s Tablet S or Tablet P can expect to see their tablets being upgraded (over the air) to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich from today.