Sony Tablet

Sony Tablet

One large screen for immersive entertainment Let your multimedia live large on a 23.8cms (9.4) wide touch screen with 1GB RAM, up to 32GB storage, infra-red remote control, ergonomic smooth and smart design, WI-FI and optional 3G.

Smooth and smart design Sony Tablet is designed ergonomically to fit into your hand and shift its weight closer to your palm. This unique design makes it feel lighter and more comfortable while reading and watching content on the move. Its design also provides a more natural angle for typing and browsing while sitting down.

Sony’s amazing TruBlack™ display By controlling the refraction of light between the LCD and the screen, Sony’s TruBlack™ panel will blow you away with more vibrant colors and truly amazing image quality.

Control all your media devices Insert your memory card Control your TV, Blu-ray Disc™ player, HiFi system, even your cable box from your Sony Tablet S. With a USB(Micro A/B) interface and SD card slot, transferring photos and files is easy. The built-in infra-red Universal Remote is compatible with any brand, so you can flip channels or adjust the volume of your entire entertainment system from one screen.

Share your content easily Whatever you’re watching or listening to on your Sony Tablet, you can watch or listen to it on your TV, Home cinema system, network speakers andVAIO notebook. Use the built-in DLNA media apps and your home network and “throw” your personal video, music clips or photos to Home Entertainment devices*

Easy to use This tablet is built for multitasking – browse the web, connect with friends or listen to music while typing away on the large keys of your full on-screen keyboard. Swift speed and response Sony’s latest software technology brings you fast web browsing, an amazingly responsive touch panel and a more intuitive user interface. Android operating system The smooth user experience of the Sony Tablet S and its standard Android 3.2 operating system.

Capture them. Capture yourself. Snap photos and shoot videos of the world around you with a 5-megapixel rear camera. There’s also a front-facing camera for recording your own antics.

Get your game on with PlayStation® Enjoy games for PlayStation™ Certified devices that you already love from the original PlayStation®. This is the first PlayStation™ Certified tablet ever, which means you get out-of-the-box gaming with PlayStation favourites Crash Bandicoot and Pinball Heroes. There are also thousands of Android™ games to download at Android™ Market. Watch gaming demo » Social Keep in touch while you touch. Social Feed Reader allows for at- a-glance viewing of pre-selected social media updates. Not all social media services supported by the application Built-in Apps The Sony Tablet™ S comes with pre-installed apps and unlimited possibilities. Explore Android apps Installed on your tablet are a selection of entertaining and informative Android apps to make your everyday experience even more fun and productive. Browse through thousands of Android apps on the web and download in seconds.

Sony Tablet S Review

Honda City Price

Rs 6,99,000* – Rs 10,22,500*
Honda City Reviews

Honda City facelift is launched today at a grand event in Delhi and the prices are out in open. Honda CityCorporate priced at Rs 6.99 lakh is the cheapest among the lot, while the others six are Honda City E priced at Rs 7.70 Lakh, Honda City S priced at Rs 8.20 Lakh, Honda City V MT priced at Rs 8.70 Lakh, Honda City V AT priced at Rs 9.42 Lakh, Honda City V MT w Sunroof priced at Rs 9.50 lakh and last but not the least Honda City V AT w Sunroof priced at Rs 10.22 lakh (all prices ex-showroom Delhi) which have joined the bandwagon. The car maker has played intelligently like always and come up with strategic pricing. The most popular entry level sedan will now surely sell like hot cakes in India. The top end variants also get a sunroof in the new Honda City. To talk about the changes, chrome-plated front grille, updated front and rear bumper, 10-spoke alloy wheels and turn indicators on rear-view mirrors, new tail lamps are the fresh features added on the new car. Interior gets cruise control, chrome inserts on dashboard, leather seats, new central console and new Blue combination meter now. Bookings for the New City will start immediately at all Honda dealers nationwide however deliveries will begin from January 2012.

Honda City Review

Honda City Overall

Honda City has emerged as the best-selling car in C+ segment now. Honda City is a marvelous sedan car which has ruled in its segment for more than a decade now. The first Honda City in India was launched back in 1998. Since then a lot of changes have been brought to the sedan on Indian soil. 2012 Honda City is the present model available in the country.

The Honda City sedan clocks major share of sales in India because of the Honda’s global vision of creating products that maximize the joy of customers, with speed, affordability and low CO2. In India Honda City has also been awarded as the “Car of the Year” in 2009. Its instant success is testified by the fact that the 3rd generation Honda City has sold nearly 1.36 lakh units since its launch in September 2008 and cumulatively 3.76 lakh units since its first launch in India in 1998. Honda City has 11th time achieved No.1 Rank in JD Power Initial Quality Survey in the mid size segment which is a record in itself.

The new Honda City is exceptional is all senses. It leaves the competitors far behind and spectators watch this new car in an awe. It still flaunts the legendary style but at the same time adapts to the need of the hour so as to provide elegance to the owners. There has to be a feeling of pride when you stand beside your car or when you get inside it. Honda City lets you feel that pride. The new car is specifically adorned with cosmetic changes in the exterior as well as interior front so that every Indian buyers do not loose variety in City sedan.

The arrow shot form in the design of this car makes it dissolve in the air while on run. Electric sunroof is the major and most attractive addition from the preceding model. Further the headlights of the vehicle are very sharp which adds to its compatibility. 2012 Honda City leaves no room of question as Honda has worked aggressively on the facial aspects of the car. New premium chrome 3 slat front grille holds the signature Honda’s emblem. Front bumper has been rendered more sportiness and same is the case with rear bumpers which are given reflectors at the bottom. 10 spoke alloy wheels makes the car look luxurious while drive. The 2012 Honda City also receives Turn indicators on ORVMs (Outside Rear View Mirror). Carnelian Red Pearl and Sparkling Brown Metallic are the two body colors added in the wish list of 2012 Honda City, thus making a total of 6 colors.

Not just the striking new looks but many value added features are given to new Honda City. Once stepped in the new Honda City, one would never like to come out. It’s such a plush experience to watch the premium beige seats done with high quality fabric and adore the equipments used in the City that leaves everyone rapt. New Blue combination lights enlighten the graphic meter to make it more endearing. Improved modern Centre Control Panel with stylish Chrome fittings gives the car an upmarket feel. Interiors are very spacious because of the multiple storage facilities available. To add to the convenience with music Honda City is equipped with advanced integrated audio panel. The introduction of new feature like Cruise Control System in high end models complements the look of the sedan car and makes it lavish with a deluxe feel.

The New Honda City now comes with enhanced ground clearance of 165 mm, 5mm more than its predecessor giving it an extra bit of comfort on bumpy roads. The length of the new City is 4440 mm (20 mm longer than its predecessor).Honda City is spread over 7 variants now-Corporate, E, S, V MT, V AT, V (Sunroof) MT and V (Sunroof) AT. The last two models are added in the 2012 Honda City and were not present in the previous version. This has turned all eyes towards Honda showrooms now.

ABS (Anti-Lock Braking System) with Brake Assist (BA), Dual SRS airbags, pre-tensioner seat belts and G-CON (G-Force Control Technology) body with a high integrity survival zone make sure that the passengers are provided with active and passive safety in the car.

The new Honda City is only cosmetic and no change has been done under its skin. The Honda City still comes equipped with a powerful 1.5L, 4 cylinder and 16 valves new generation i-VTEC engine that delivers a good balance of 118PS power along with excellent fuel economy of 16.8 km/l (Test results as per Rule 115 of CMVR). In line with the Honda’s policy of reducing impact on the environment the engine is E10 compliant and has Euro IV emission levels. Further the 5-speed manual and automatic (in select models) transmission with paddle shifts offers much more convenience in handling the car. The unique Paddle Shift gear transmission option makes you able to switch gears without using the clutch pedal. Honda City has a Rack and Pinion type of steering system having a minimum turning radius of 5.3m. Front brakes are disc type while the rear brakes are drum type. Fuel tank capacity of the vehicle is 42 litres.

The innovation and design theme that Honda has put in City is phenomenal and other car makers definitely need to pull up their socks now as Honda City is back in roaring action.

Honda City Models

Honda City Models

Honda City Corporate This is the new Honda City Corporate variant. The Corporate grade of the City comes with all new Black interiors and will appeal to customers who are looking for affordability in a premium sedan. This is the base model powered by a 1.5 l petrol engine mated to 5 speed manual transmission. It is the most light weight variant (1085 kg) among all. Other features are SRS Airbag, ABS with EBD, BA, G CON seats, etc.
Honda City E This model will be offered with Beige interiors and addition of Integrated Advanced Audio System, body color door handles, body color ORVM and mud guards.
Honda City S This variant comes with added value in form of alloy wheels and measures 1100 kg.
Honda City V MT This is the high end variant with the same engine configuration. This variant comes with Cruise Control; Turn Indicators on ORVMs, Fog lamps, Chrome door handles, 10 spoke alloy wheels and Body color mud guards.
Honda City V AT This is also the top-end variant similar to V MT. However, the only change in this is the Automatic Transmission which is mated to the i-Vtec engine. A 5 speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters makes the drive smooth.
Honda City V MT Exclusive This is also the top end model. A sunroof is added to the model and cost higher than the V MT due to sunroof. However, the petrol engine is mated to manual transmission.
Honda City V AT Exclusive This model is the costliest among all and comes with sunroof and 5 speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters.
Compare Honda City Models

Honda City Mileage, Average And Fuel Economy

The new i-VTEC with EFI (Electronic Fuel Injection) technology of Honda City offers high engine performance with increased fuel economy. The company claims a mileage of 16.8 kmpl for the manual transmission models and 15.6 for the automatic transmission models. Experts believe that it offers mileage around 14kmpl in city roads while on highway it gives 17kmpl which makes it the quite fuel efficient car in its segment.
Honda City Power

The new Honda City is available in total seven variants powered by a 1.5 litre petrol engine that produces 118 Ps of power @ 6600rpm and 146 Nm torque @ 4800 rpm. The 1497 cc i-VTEC engine is made of 4 cylinders with 16 valves and takes fuel through electronic fuel injection system. 2012 Honda City is available in both manual and automatic gearbox.
Honda City Colors

These colors are available with all variants of Honda City

Taffeta White
Carnelian Red Pearl
Bold Beige Metallic
Sparkling Brown Metallic
Urban Titanium Metallic
Alabaster Silver Metallic
Honda City Acceleration & Pick-Up

There has been no change in the engine specification of Honda City and the same 1.5 litre petrol engine is doing it duty in the new facelift. The 1497cc powerplant of new Honda City offers great acceleration to cross the mark of 100 kmph in just 10 seconds and enables it to achieve the top speed mark of 170kmph.
Honda City Exterior

View Honda City Exterior Pictures
The 2012 Honda City has been reviewed from all angles. A new fascia has been given to the Honda City and the new looks are totally enticing. Adding a sunroof to the option list has taken Honda City far ahead of competitors. It looks amazingly beautiful with the first-in-class electric sunroof which lets sunshine and fills the compartment with breeze all over. The outside rear view mirrors are dressed elegantly with turn indicators, an added practical option. In the front the look is changed with a premium chrome radiator grille. Ample of chrome gives a feeling of luxury and holds Honda badge proudly. The ground clearance is enhanced considerably at 165 mm thus giving a top-notch stance to the car. New Honda City is in no way an underdog. It has everything to lure Indian customers. The new 10 spoke alloy wheels are commendable and look jaw-dropping while the car moves. A new set of rear combination tail lamps are rendered to the 2012 Honda City sedan enhancing its style quotient. Bumpers are completely changed right from front to rear and are given much sporty look following the arrow shoot design. At rear, reflectors are placed intelligently below the bumpers. All these new features make the car truly exceptional.

The new Honda City has dynamic styling. Honda uses the reflector lenses in its headlamps instead of the more expensive projector type headlamp that reduces the overall manufacturing cost of this car. From the rear side the new Honda City seems like a BMW 3-series.

Exterior Measurements

The dimension of the new Honda City are- its length is 4,440mm, width is 1,695mm and the height of this car is 1,485 mm. The wheelbase of the car is 2550 mm and the total ground clearance is 165 mm. These measurements are standard throughout the range of Honda City but the kerb weight varies accordingly. The kerb weight values are as follows-Honda City corporate-1085 kg, Honda City E-1090 kg, Honda City S-1100 kg, Honda City V MT-1095 kg, Honda City V AT-1145 kg, Honda City V MT (Sunroof)-1110 kg and Honda City V AT (Sunroof)-1160 kg.

Honda City Interior

View Honda City Interior Pictures
Honda City falls in the C+ segment sedan car with royal interiors and seating capacity for 5 people. The interiors of the New Honda City integrate an elegant and attractive design. The rich Beige interiors with superior seat fabric and improved neo Centre Control Panel with stylish Chrome garnish gives the car an upscale feel. The instrument cluster of Honda City is also placed to the most appropriate place for easy access. The New City adorns a soft lit Blue Meter Graphic which lends even more premium-ness to the car. The interiors of the new Honda City are very attractive with dual tone dashboard. The Corporate grade of the City comes with all new Black interiors and will appeal to customers who are looking for affordability in a premium sedan. Honda City offers stylish, spacious and comfortable room with generous leg space, excellent front visibility and enough head space for a 6 ft tall person. The all new Honda City interiors are designed to meet the needs of customers by providing a variety of convenient, multi-purpose storage places.

Chrome door handles, Door armrest with fabric inserts and silver ling on door makes one feel as if he/she is sitting in an aircraft. Advanced integrated audio panel with USB/AUX/MP3/AM/FM with front and rear speakers and a wireless audio remote keeps the entertainment quotient going. Air conditioning with heater is powerful enough to bid goodbye to heat. The steering is easily be tilted as per convenience of the driver and is given with audio controls on it. Cup holders, driver seat adjustments, chrome plated hand brake knob, tweeters and floor mats lets one feel like a king in Honda City.

Interior Comfort

Cruise control feature has been newly added in the 2012 Honda City. This system automatically controls the speed of a motor vehicle in top end variants. The rear seats of Honda City are set a bit higher than its front seats so that all passengers sitting on the rear seat can get a good view out, and all seats are comfortable enough. Under the rear passenger seats of Honda City, a powerful blower is placed with special and advanced compressor along with the under seat ducts that offers an unforgettable total comfort experience. Other features which provide comfort in 2012 Honda City sedan are power windows, power door mirror, power door lock, rear and front seat centre armrest, Fuel consumption display with warning, accessory socket, day/night mirror, headlight alarm, key alarm, foot rest, headlight adjuster for its height, driver side pull pocket, keyless entry, front seat back pocket, passenger vanity mirror and coat hanger.

Interior Measurements

Honda City has raised the ground clearance and still has good amount of headroom. Honda City designers changed the seat rail design and also reduced the thickness of cushion (though its comfort is maintained) to reduce the seating position of driver by 15mm. Its rear seats offers storage space under it and Honda claims that you can store your umbrella there.

Honda City Engine Capacity & Performance

All the variants of Honda City are equipped with the same capacity engine -1.5L (SOHC), i-VTEC engine that offers high engine performance. Its 1497cc powerplant produces 118PS power at 6600 rpm and 146Nm torque at 4800 rpm. There are 4 cylinders in this engine and the engine features 4-valves per cylinder, with larger 28mm diameter intake valves by Electronic fuel injection. Its valve area is increased by 4% and it reduces the overall pumping losses and offers maximum output. The mighty engine is mated to a synchronized 5 speed manual with an option of Automatic transmission in the high end variant. Honda India claims to deliver a class-leading 16.8 kmpl mileage with new Honda City.

Honda City Wheels

As for the wheels, the new Honda City gets either steel wheels or 10-spoke alloy wheels with 15 inch size (15×5.5J). The tubeless tyre sizes of new Honda City are 175/65R15. Alloy wheels are added in the 2012 Honda City which makes it look fantastic.
Honda City Braking & Handling

The larger diameter disc brakes at the front wheel compared to the older version of Honda City and the new brake master cylinder has been made longer but with a smaller diameter. Drum brakes do their duty in the rear wheels. Honda claims that it allows a more powerful brake booster performance and offers a lower pedal ratio for a more linear brake pedal feel. ABS (Anti lock Brake System) with EBD (Electronic Brakeforce Distribution) offers high safety in case of instant braking. The rack and pinion steering system with power assist makes the drive butter smooth. McPherson Strut with Stabilizer and coil spring suspension is used in the front and torsion beam axle with stabilizer and coil spring suspension is used at the rear.
Honda City Handling & Safety

The new Honda City offers more safety features, especially for pedestrians. The engine hood hinges, front fenders, front grille and front windshield support structure are especially designed to absorb energy easily and bend out of the way whenever possible for better pedestrian collision safety. Other safety features include dual front SRS air-bags, active headrests to prevent whiplash injuries for the front passenger and driver, with the usual combination of ABS (Antilock Brake System) and EBD (Electronic Brakeforce Distribution). Rear windshield defogger is very helpful in winters, while the G-CON structure creates protective shell around the passengers thus reducing the impact of a crash. The crumple zones ensure added safety of passengers and pedestrians. An extremely protective pretension seatbelt and limiting force-control belt arrangement is present in 2012 Honda City for keeping the inmates in position after an impact.
Honda City Stereo & Accessories

The new Honda City is packed with the advanced integrated audio system that facilitates passengers to connect any of the advanced equipments like iPod, MP3 player, USB Memory and Mobile phone with MP3 player. This advanced audio system offers high quality sound with advanced functionalities and it comes with steering mounted audio controls and separate remote controls that enhance driving comfort. Front and rear speakers provide high quality sound inside the cabin.

The new Honda City is equipped with an effective and powerful air conditioning system with heater, offering the atmosphere that passengers require. Its powerful blower with advanced compressor, along with rear under-seat ducts offers an unforgettable driving experience with total comfort.

Honda City Pros & Cons

Honda City Pros :

Spacious, Comfortable, Fuel Efficient.

Honda City Cons :

Absense of diesel model

Honda City Specifications

Honda City Variants

Variants Transmission Engine Description Mileage Power AC Power Steering Central Locking
City Highway
New (Petrol) Manual 1497cc
4 Cylinder 16 Valve 14.0 17.0 118PS at 6,600 rpm Standard Standard Standard
E (Petrol) Manual 1497cc
4 Cylinder 16 Valve 14.0 17.0 118PS at 6,600 rpm Standard Standard Standard
S (Petrol) Manual 1497cc
4 Cylinder 16 Valve 14.0 17.0 118PS at 6,600 rpm Standard Standard Standard
V MT (Petrol) Manual 1497cc
4 Cylinder 16 Valve 14.0 17.0 118PS at 6,600 rpm Standard Standard Standard
V AT (Petrol) Automatic 1497cc
4 Cylinder 16 Valve 11.0 16.8 118PS at 6,600 rpm Standard Standard Standard
V MT Exclusive(Petrol) Manual 1497cc
4 Cylinder 16 Valve 14.0 17.0 118PS at 6,600 rpm Standard Standard Standard
V AT Exclusive(Petrol) Automatic 1497cc
4 Cylinder 16 Valve 14.0 17.0 118PS at 6,600 rpm Standard Standard Standard
Honda City Price

Honda City Variants Price

Honda City prices were updated on 17 Dec 2011

Variants New Delhi Bangalore Mumbai Chennai Pune Hyderabad Kolkata
New (Petrol) 6,99,000 7,08,500 7,33,091 7,11,500 7,12,468 7,11,500 7,06,000 Get On Road Price
E (Petrol) 7,70,000 7,80,500 8,07,554 7,84,000 7,84,836 7,84,000 7,77,000 Get On Road Price
S (Petrol) 8,20,000 8,31,000 8,59,993 8,35,000 8,35,800 8,35,000 8,27,500 Get On Road Price
V MT (Petrol) 8,70,000 8,82,000 9,12,431 8,85,500 8,86,763 8,85,500 8,78,000 Get On Road Price
V AT (Petrol) 9,42,000 9,55,000 9,87,943 9,59,000 9,60,150 9,59,000 9,50,500 Get On Road Price
V MT Exclusive(Petrol) 9,50,500 9,63,500 9,96,857 9,67,500 9,68,814 9,67,500 9,59,000 Get On Road Price
V AT Exclusive(Petrol) 10,22,500 10,36,500 10,72,369 10,41,000 10,42,201 10,41,000 10,32,000 Get On Road Price

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  Up to 2x Faster Processors

  With all-new quad-core and dual-core processors, the new MacBook Pro isn’t just faster. It’s phenomenal.

  Read more

• 
  

  Up to 2x Faster Graphics

  The 15- and 17-inch MacBook Pro feature discrete AMD Radeon graphics for stunning visuals.

  Read more

• 
  

  Ultra-Fast Thunderbolt I/O

  New input/output technology lets you connect high-speed peripherals and high-resolution displays.

  Read more

• 
  

  FaceTime HD Camera

  Now when you make video calls with FaceTime, your friends will see you three times more clearly than before.

  Read more

• 
  

  Multi-Touch Trackpad

  The spacious Multi-Touch trackpad lets you use gestures to control and interact with what’s on your screen.

  Read more

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  Long-Lasting Battery

  Even with faster processors and graphics, the new MacBook Pro lasts an amazing 7 hours on a single charge.

  Read more

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Introducing Thunderbolt.
The fastest, most versatile I/O ever in a notebook.

Imagine accessing multiple streams of uncompressed HD video — from your notebook — at speeds that let you edit an HD feature film in real time. That’s how Thunderbolt technology will connect the next generation of high-performance peripherals to the next generation of computers — starting with MacBook Pro. Ultra-fast and ultra-flexible, the Thunderbolt pipeline is more than 12 times faster than FireWire 800 and up to 20 times faster than USB 2.0, and it offers unprecedented expansion capabilities. It changes what you can do on a notebook.

The Thunderbolt port will give you plug-and-play performance with a whole new world of Thunderbolt peripherals, as well as with the Apple LED Cinema Display and other Mini DisplayPort peripherals. You can daisy-chain up to six devices, including your display. And with support for video and eight-channel audio, it’s easy to connect HDMI-compatible devices — like your TV and home stereo — using the HDMI adapter you already have. Current VGA, DVI and DisplayPort adapters are also supported.

Learn more about Thunderbolt

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The new FaceTime HD camera. The difference is clear.

Get more of your friends in the picture with crisp, widescreen HD video. The new FaceTime HD camera gives you three times the resolution of the previous camera — perfect for the brilliant LED-backlit display — along with improved low-light performance. You and your friends can make 720p HD calls from your MacBook Pro to any Mac with a FaceTime HD camera. You can also make video calls to iPad 2, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPod touch and other Intel-based Mac computers.⁴

Learn more about FaceTime for Mac

The new widescreen camera lets you get more friends in on the fun.

• New Widescreen Camera
• FaceTime and Address Book
• FaceTime with an iOS Device

A long-lasting battery. Charge less. Do more.

The new MacBook Pro delivers amazing battery life. And that’s with more powerful processors and faster graphics. An energy-efficient processor architecture with an integrated video encoder, along with automatic graphics switching in the 15- and 17-inch models, all help improve battery life. So you can expect to surf the web wirelessly for up to 7 hours on a single charge.⁵ Or take your entire creative studio on the road for live performances or a location shoot. Advanced chemistry and Adaptive Charging give you up to 1,000 full charge and discharge cycles — nearly three times the lifespan of typical notebook batteries.⁶ And because the MacBook Pro battery lasts up to five years, MacBook Pro uses just one battery in the same time a typical notebook uses three. That’s better for you and for the environment.

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up to 7 hrswireless web

Apple is using a new, more rigorous battery test that measures the results you can expect in the real world — like surfing your favourite sites in a coffee shop or catching up on the latest web videos. Even using this new test, MacBook Pro delivers amazing battery life. For your real life.

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Anytime, Anywhere Access

Now you can get Internet access when and where you need it, because the new MacBook Pro can share the 3G connection on your iPhone 4S or iPhone 4. Check with your mobile provider for details.

It’s very well connected.

When you’re out and about, the latest 802.11n wireless technology in MacBook Pro makes it easy to get connected just about anywhere.⁷ MacBook Pro automatically finds available networks and allows you to join them with a click. Bluetooth wireless technology is also built in, so you can use your favourite wireless accessories straight out of the box.

• 13-inch
• 15-inch
• 17-inch

Ports with possibility.

With the new Thunderbolt port, you can daisy-chain as many as six devices, including your display, to create a fully fledged workstation. Two USB 2.0 ports (three on the 17-inch MacBook Pro) and a FireWire 800 port let you connect your iPad, iPod, iPhone, digital cameras and external hard drives.

The new SDXC card slot on the 13- and 15-inch MacBook Pro models supports up to 64GB cards and makes it easy to transfer all those photos to and from your MacBook Pro, so you can edit and share them on the spot. And the ExpressCard/34 slot on the 17-inch MacBook Pro is perfect for an eSATA adapter — or even a 3G wireless card for times when no Wi-Fi network is available.

Windows operating system, code named Mango, for mobile handsets has several familiar applications of a PC.

The smartphone market, which until now was majorly dominated by Google’s Android and Apple’s iOS, is making space for the new entrant — Microsoft’s Windows operating system (OS). Code named Mango, this new OS for mobile handsets comes powered with many familiar applications of the most popular operating system in the PC world.

And as the new Windows 7.5 OS devices appear in the market, users are now spoilt for choice. Aniket Barve, an engineer in BSNL has pre-booked a Nokia Lumia 800. He claims, “I have seen a few Windows 7.5 devices including HTC’s Radar, and Samsung’s Windows smartphones. None came close to how Nokia has bundled the software on its hardware.” Nokia which has partnered with Microsoft last week announced the launch of two smartphones — Lumia 710 and Lumia 800.

Nokia is already celebrating the successful launch of its latest Lumia series. “Around 79 per cent of consumers have given positive feedback on the handset during testing. We will be coming up with other smartphones on the platform,” confirms Prashanth Mani, general manager at Nokia India.

But Windows platform is not going to be restricted to Nokia alone. HTC too is said to be planning to widen its smartphone category based on Windows 7.5 OS. For now, HTC has just one model, HTC Radar that runs on windows 7.5. “We will focus on more phones in January March quarter, and provide a premium experience on the Windows platform,” says Faisal Siddiqui, country head of HTC in India.

According to StatCounter data, mobile OS market in India is presently dominated by Symbian OS with over 60 per cent market share. Android OS follows at about 4 per cent. Windows OS is estimated to have less than 1 per cent market share. “Slowly as more device makers are using the Windows platform, the volumes would become significant going ahead,” notes Naveen Mishra, lead analyst of telecoms practice at CyberMedia Research.

Meanwhile, Microsoft is doing its share to advertise its PC-handset synergies but might face some stiff competition in India. “The smartphone market is very competitive,” says Alok Shende, principal correspondent and co-founder of Ascentius Consulting. Shende classifies smartphone users into two categories – the innovators who for experiment with high-end phones, and others who go for feature phones which offer good value for money. Those with high aspirational value go for Apple and Galaxy, while there is a range of handsets from Sony Xperia, and Samsung on the Android platform for each of these categories. “There is tight competition in all these categories,” he says.

Users like Barve who have experienced Windows 7.5 OS point that Microsoft and Nokia need to build the application ecosystem. He says, “I have read that Windows Marketplace has around 40,000 applications whereas its competitor Apple has over five lakh applications on its app store. Even Android app store has over 3.5 lakh applications and a large number of them are free. Either Nokia or Microsoft need to think on how they can outdo the existing players with Windows apps.”

Well aware of users’ need to have a flourishing app store, Nokia and Microsoft are said to be working on increasing the number of localised applications that will give their devices an edge. “The application ecosystem is growing very fast. Nokia and Microsoft is working with thousands of developers to come up with locally relevant applications for India. In fact, at the time of launch Lumia devices will support close to 1000 apps that have been developed keeping Indian users in mind,” says Mani of Nokia.

Even experts claim that Windows 7.5 comes has certain advantages that extends PC experience to mobile phone users. For example, Microsoft Word, Powerpoint, Outlook can be accessed conveniently on the handset, highlights Mani. “The new Windows OS also packs in latest Microsoft applications like Internet Explorer 9 that many PC users in India wouldn’t have experienced since millions of PC users in India continue to work on PCs with older version of Windows OS.”

The hurdle? Windows 7.5 is primarily meant for the smartphones and so the prices are on the higher end. Nokia Lumia 710 starts at around Rs 18,999 and the Lumia 800 costs Rs 29,999. Windows smartphones from other vendors like the Samsung Omnia W, too, cost about Rs 20,000 while HTC, known for premium smartphones, has one Windows 7.5 device that costs around Rs 24,000. On the other hand, Android, which has been embraced by many handset makers both Indian and Chinese, are as low as Rs 5,000.

Bottom line: Version 10.5.1 of iTunes brings a handful of enhancements to Apple’s ubiquitous media software, including iTunes Match, the cloud-based music-matching service that makes your music available on all your authorized devices.
Review:
As one of the most popular programs for managing music and video content on a personal computer, Apple’s iTunes software has become an indispensable part of our digital life.
Interface
The look and layout of iTunes 10 is essentially identical to that of iTunes 9, with just a couple of noticeable differences. The first is that Apple has updated its logo for iTunes. Rather than the old-school music note-over-CD icon, you’ll see a much more applike image. Still, the company hasn’t figured out how to more broadly represent the jukebox’s multimedia functionality: there’s still just a music note.
There’s also been a slight change to the source menu that runs as a column down the left side. The bright blue icons representing the various submenus have been changed to gray–an odd change in our eyes as it makes them stand out even less, which doesn’t make a ton of sense for menu options. That said, they still offer quick access to your media library, the iTunes Store, Genius features, and playlists. Once a selection is chosen in the source menu, all the relevant content spills out into the large main window, where it can be organized and sorted using an arsenal of sophisticated, spreadsheet-like options or switched into a Cover Flow view that hearkens back to the days of flipping through record crates.
Once you’re in the iTunes Store, navigation links now run horizontally across the top of the window and include drop-down menus to quickly drill down into specific sections, such as Jazz. Front page content is attractively arranged and allows you to launch music and video previews directly, without jumping in and out of specific album and video listings. There’s also an option menu next to every purchase button, allowing you to copy the item’s URL, add to your Wish List, gift the purchase, or share the link on Facebook or Twitter. We’re happy to see that Apple kept all these great enhancements from version 9.
As the primary tool for managing content on iOS devices, iTunes continues to make it easy to find music, apps, podcasts, videos, and more using the navigation buttons across the top. In the iTunes App Store, for example, you can view Apple’s New and Noteworthy apps, Hot apps of the moment, and Staff Picks if you’re looking for app ideas. The iTunes App Store also offers a number of features in the right navigation like Games of the Week, Games starter kits, most popular lists, and other rotating links for more app discovery choices. Similarly, the Podcast, Books, and Video sections all have options for content discovery making it easy to browse for new content for your iOS devices.
New in iTunes 10

Features
What started out as a basic jukebox program for ripping and burning CDs and transferring music to your iPod has evolved over the years into a multimedia behemoth capable of handling everything from HD-movie rentals to syncing appointments with your iOS device. In spite of all the bells and whistles that have been tacked on to iTunes over the years, at its core, iTunes still remains an excellent tool for managing your music and video collections.
One of the major feature additions in version 10 is Ping, a social music tool akin to Microsoft’s Zune Social. Ping lets you select your favorite artists to follow, and then provides updated information on new music and concerts in your area (as well as a Twitter-like feed of comments from the artists). In addition, you can connect with your friends through iTunes by sending e-mail invites or by linking to your Facebook account. Ping is also built into the iTunes app, allowing users to access it on the go. Ping started off slow at release with only a few artists to follow, but after a few iTunes updates, Ping blossomed into a full-fledged service. Ping still struggles to catch on, however, and is probably not as widely used as Apple might have hoped.
On the plus side, the latest version of the jukebox does carry over all the great features from its predecessor. There’s the iTunes LP media format, Home Sharing, Genius Mixes, and plentiful device-syncing options. The iTunes LP format treats music fans to a more immersive album experience, filled with liner notes, lyrics, interactive menus, and bonus videos. Though it seemed like a great idea when iTunes 10 first launched, relatively few artists currently have LP versions of their releases at the time of this update (iTunes 10.5.1).
On the video side, you can still expect to get the sort of bonus material and extras found on DVDs to many of the popular movies and TV shows available through iTunes. The format is called iTunes Extras, but just like iTunes LP, none of the added material or special menus can be transferred to an iPod or iPhone.
Apple’s Genius feature, added in iTunes 8, harnesses Apple’s vast collection of iTunes song data to give you educated recommendations when it comes to what music or videos may interest you based on the media you already have. The same data can also be used to create instant 25-song Genius Playlists, built around any song in your library. In iTunes 9, Apple added another use for its Genius song recommendations called Genius Mixes. To minimize the amount of time it takes to launch iTunes and start listening to great music, Genius Mixes are automatic mixes of music from your library based around a common genre, such as rock, classical, pop, or jazz. The effect is similar to switching on a good radio station, surrendering song selection over to Apple’s Genius technology, and trusting it not to mix your Zappa songs with Ella Fitzgerald.
iTunes also allows you to bless locally networked computers with Home Sharing privileges, allowing unrestricted access to their music, videos, podcasts, apps, and playlists, which can be copied between computers directly within iTunes. It’s a great feature for families or any multicomputer household, and can even be set up to transfer any new iTunes store purchases between all of your computers automatically. Of course, content added to your library using means other than the iTunes Store (heaven forbid) is excluded from automatic updates, but can still be transferred manually through Home Sharing.
iTunes Match

New in version 10.5.1, iTunes Match lets you subscribe to match your current music library up with iTunes’ vast music database and stores all your music in iCloud for $24.99 per year. Once subscribed, iTunes scans your library then matches up your songs with the iTunes database. Even if you have songs that aren’t in the iTunes database, they will be uploaded to iCloud allowing you to download them on authorized desktop computers and your iOS devices. It’s important to note, however, that Apple has implemented a hard cap of 25,000 songs for iTunes Match, so those with enormous music collections won’t even be able to sign up for the service. Hopefully Apple will come up with a way to account for users with giant music collections (even if that means offering the capability to designate which songs should be matched), but it seems like a large oversight to not have some way for these users to sign up.
Worth the download?
Updating iTunes is about as inevitable as death and taxes. Try to resist, and some iPod or iPhone update will come along and twist your arm into updating anyhow. And while Apple hasn’t done much to lighten the load of the iTunes installation package (or the bundled QuickTime install that comes with it), it’s hard to complain when the program is free and offers such an impressive range of features. If you’re willing to spend $24.99 a year, the iTunes matching service might be worth the download to get all your music available via the cloud (as long as you have 25,000 songs or fewer). So yes, it’s worth downloading–if for no other reason than to manage your devices and the content to go with it.
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