Google Inc. is launching a salvo against Facebook Inc.

For years, Facebook users have been able to search and invite Google contacts to join their social network through a single mouse-click. But ever wonder why the reverse was never true: why isn't there a button allowing Google users to import Facebook friends into their contacts list?

Back in September, Google CEO Eric Schmidt wondered about this during an appearance at a Google Zeitgeist conference. And in response, last night Google made a subtle change to the Terms of Service in its Google Contacts API, as first reported by TechCrunch.

The change means Web sites will not be able to automate the import of a user's Google contacts into their own database, unless they reciprocate the exchange.

"We have decided to change our approach slightly to reflect the fact that users often aren't aware that once they have imported their contacts into sites like Facebook they are effectively trapped," Google said in a statement.

This doesn't mean you can't import Gmail contacts onto Facebook, managed by Facebook Connect, you'll just have to add them automatically or export Gmail contacts to your hard drive first.

Yahoo and Hotmail have reciprocity deals with Facebook where contact information gets exchanged both ways, and are still available through Facebook Connect.

Facebook did not respond to a request for comment.

Bright Telecom has launched India’s first dual SIM, dual mode phone (G-588) under 'G-Fone' brand

Bright Telecom has launched India’s first dual SIM, dual mode phone (G-588) under 'G-Fone' brand. The dual SIM, dual mode means, the phone can have GSM + GSM or GSM + CDMA.

The G-588 dual mode phone is a full QWERTY keyboard loaded device having a nice 2.2-inch screen display. It comes with Nimbuzz preinstalled that makes it more useful for social networking for the networking buffs.

This G-Phone is incorporated with many features like Bluetooth, FM radio, WAP/GPRS, MP3 / MP4 player, Video recording, playback and expandable memory of up to 8GB.

There is also a 1.3 MP camera for the camera buffs to take nice snaps. The company has also customized the set to suit the Indian customers by putting an Indian Calendar having major festivals and cultural events of India.

This dual SIM, dual mode G-Phone is a strange gift for the Indian customers that comes for Rs. 4,799.

Reliance Communications has tied up with Polycom Inc.

Reliance Communications has tied up with Polycom Inc., the global leader in tele-presence, video and voice solutions, to introduce the world's first wireless, high-resolution video conferencing service. The service will be marketed through the Reliance ADA Group's retail arm, Reliance Webstore.

Bundling the easy-to-use Polycom QDX 6000 system with dedicated VPN connectivity through the Reliance Netconnect Broadband+ wireless broadband data card, the service significantly lowers the price barrier to adopting video conferencing and is expected to be a mass enabler of video conferencing usage across multiple industry verticals in India. The offering will be available at a price point below Rs.2 lakh and a connectivity plan of about Rs.1,500 a month has been specially designed for this service. This plan covers 10 GB of usage in a month. Additional usage will be billed at the rate of 50 paise per MB. The jointly developed offering will extend affordable, plug-and-play video conferencing to organisations of all sizes, enabling them to realise immediate productivity and efficiency benefits from real-time, face-to-face visual communication. According to Reliance Webstore Director and CEO Sarup Chowdhary, “with Polycom alliance, we are making video conferencing a simple plug-and-play operation that can be deployed and used virtually anytime, anywhere.” The Polycom QDX 6000 video conferencing system delivers high-resolution video and CD quality audio, along with simple-to-use content sharing capabilities even at a bandwidth of 256 kbps. Using this service, even family events can be webcast live by event managers on a pay-per-use basis.

Facebook plans to open an operations and support center in India

Facebook said Monday it plans to open an operations and support center in India in order to better serve its U.S. and international customers.

"As more and more people share and connect on Facebook, we are growing our operations and teams to support them around the world," said Don Faul, Facebook's director of global online operations, in a blog post.

Facebook's new center in India will be based in Hyderabad, which is home to numerous, multinational tech companies.

"By having multiple support centers in a variety of time zones, we can provide better round-the-clock, multi-lingual support," said Faul. He did not specify how many workers Facebook plans to hire at the Hyderabad center.

News of Facebook's plans to open a center in India comes less than a week after the company said it will open a new facility in Austin, Texas.

That center will eventually house about 200 sales and operations workers. Facebook, which is headquartered in Palo Alto, Calif., was lured to the area by $200,000 in economic development incentives from local authorities.

"Both of these offices will allow us to better serve the more than 400 million of you now using Facebook worldwide, as well as our growing numbers of advertisers and developers," Faul wrote in his blog post.

"We are now hiring people to join the online sales and operations teams that we're forming in these locations," wrote Faul.

"The new offices come at a significant time in our international growth," Faul said.

"Seventy percent of the people using Facebook are outside the U.S. and are accessing the service from more than 70 languages," said Faul, adding that the social networking site has more than 8 million active members in India.

Nokia has filed a patent for a phone that would recharge itself (self charging)

In what seems to be a first of its kind, Nokia has applied for a patent for a technology that would allow future cellphones to charge themselves up - without the need for a power socket.

Ever since mobile phones shed off their image as basic communications devices to become multimedia powerhouses, battery life has been a cause of concern. As the processing power and features grow exponentially, the rate of growth of battery technology to charge these power hungry devices is almost at a standstill. It then becomes imperative that we look for alternate sources to power our phones rather than just depending on a power adapter. This is what Nokia has done.

The concept of this new device involves the use of heavy components inside the phone being supported on a sturdy frame. The frame will be able to move along two sets of rails, giving it the ability travel up and down (or side by side). These rails have strips of piezoelectric crystals at each end. These will generate electricity to charge the device whenever they are compressed using a capacitor that will briefly store the generated electricity and use that to charge the battery. This also means that the natural movement of the phones during travel and the times when they are inside our pockets, these piezoelectric crystals could be at work - slowly charging our phones.

This is just at the conceptual stage and there is no word if this design and concept will ever make it to a mainstream production Nokia.

Panasonic promoting its new 3-D televisions at the retailer's U.S. stores.

Panasonic, makers of the popular Viera HDTV line, announced that its new 3D TVs will go on sale in the United States later this week.

The new VT25 plasma HDTVs will arrive this Wednesday, as part of a joint promotion with Best Buy. The launch event will take place at Best Buy's Union Square store in New York City, and Best Buy will have demo units at hundreds of stores across the country, according to Engadget.

According to reports, one new model, a 50-inch 3D set (with included Blu-Ray player and 3D glasses), will cost around $2,500 at launch. That's roughly $2,000 less than its price in Japan. The lower price stateside is to help Panasonic reach its goal of selling 1 million 3DTVs this fiscal year.

Given the recent increase in 3D theatrical releases (e.g. Avatar, Up and the recently released Alice In Wonderland), it's no surprise that major HDTV manufacturers are making a serious 3D push.

Introduce two phones from Microsoft Corp. in about May or June that are targeted at teenagers

Verizon Wireless, the largest U.S. wireless carrier, will introduce two phones from Microsoft Corp. in about May or June that are targeted at teenagers, two people with knowledge of the companies’ plans said.

The models will have easy access to social-networking sites and include keyboards for text messaging, according to one of the people, who asked not to be identified because the plans aren’t public. The phones will be made by Sharp Corp. and carry the Microsoft and Verizon Wireless brands, the other person said.

Until now, Microsoft has focused on providing its mobile Windows software to phone makers, rather than offering a model under its own brand. The move would parallel Google Inc.’s decision to sell the Nexus One phone, which uses that company’s Android operating system. Microsoft is seeking to recapture a larger share of the phone market after Android and Apple Inc.’s iPhone lured away customers from Windows.

By moving directly into wireless phones, Microsoft and Google could risk hurting their relationships with other manufacturers and service providers. Microsoft will continue to work closely with handset companies that make Windows phones and the mobile carriers that sell them, the person said.

Microsoft executive Robbie Bach, who oversees the mobile- phone business, said in January that it would be “very, very difficult” for Google to sell its own phone while keeping manufacturers and carriers for other Android handsets happy.

Different Tack

With its phone, Microsoft will take a different tack than Google, said the person familiar with the matter. While the Nexus One is only available from Google, Microsoft’s phone will be sold by Verizon, the person said. The phone stemmed from a Microsoft project code-named “Pink.”

Brenda Raney, a spokeswoman for Basking Ridge, New Jersey- based Verizon Wireless, declined to comment, as did Jay Cudal, a spokesman for Microsoft. Chris Loncto, a spokesman for Osaka, Japan-based Sharp, also declined to comment.

Microsoft dropped 4 cents to $28.59 in Nasdaq Stock Market trading at 4 p.m. New York time. Verizon Communications Inc., co-owner of Verizon Wireless, fell 4 cents to $29.23 on the New York Stock Exchange.

Verizon is increasing its lineup of smartphones in a bid to get more revenue from data plans, which customers must buy to access the Internet or download applications. Smartphone shipments will increase 46 percent worldwide this year, research firm Gartner Inc. said. That compares with estimates for total mobile-phone market growth of as much as 13 percent.

Cliq, Sidekick

The phone is intended to address a similar audience as Motorola Inc.’s Cliq or T-Mobile USA Inc.’s Sidekick, one of the people said. In 2008, Microsoft acquired Danger Inc., which makes the software for the Sidekick. The Cliq includes software called Motoblur, which serves up Twitter messages, pictures and contacts to the phone’s home screen.

Microsoft will probably spend more money marketing its new mobile Windows software than the Pink phone, said Matt Rosoff, an analyst at Kirkland, Washington-based Directions on Microsoft. That will smooth over relationships with handset makers and carriers that are Microsoft partners, he said. Microsoft said last month that the software, called Windows Phone 7 Series, will be available in handsets by the holidays.

“They will say, ‘Windows phones is where our investment is going. You should be betting on that,’” Rosoff said. “They did keep a team working on the successor to the Sidekick and that’s what this is. This is a legacy of Microsoft being a big decentralized company doing a lot of things and seeing what wins. It’s not quite the same situation as with Google.”

Touch Screens

Rosoff said the Pink phones won’t run the new Windows software. Windows Phone 7 will offer touch-screen features, letting handsets work more like the iPhone. The software, unveiled at a conference last month, also has a new design and connects with Microsoft’s Xbox Live online games and Zune music service.

Microsoft’s Windows dropped to a 7.9 percent share of the worldwide smartphone software market in the fourth quarter, from 12.5 percent a year earlier, while the iPhone and Android posted gains, according to ABI Research.

The iPhone took 16.6 percent of the market in the fourth quarter, up from 10.8 percent the previous year, Oyster Bay, New York-based ABI said. Android climbed to 8.5 percent from 1.7 percent.

The Wall Street Journal reported last month that the Pink phones would be made by Sharp and go on sale as early as the spring. Technology Web site Gizmodo posted yesterday what it said were photos of one model.

Microsoft launching a feature phone with Verizon Wireless

Microsoft will be launching a feature phone with Verizon Wireless in the US, based on Windows CE but not compatible with the forthcoming Windows Phone 7 Series.

Rumours of a Microsoft feature phone have been knocking around for a while. It was codenamed "pink" and supposedly built to replace the venerable Sidekick using the skills Microsoft acquired when it bought the previous owner, Danger. But now Gizmodo has photographs and technical details of two handsets to be launched in July on Verizon, proving that Microsoft has eyes on much more than the smart phone market.

Even from the scant details available it's clear that neither handset is Windows Phone 7 Series - despite having lots of social networking hooks and the ability to download applications. Those applications will be developed using .NET, but without the feature set of 7 Series, and probably only in partnership with Microsoft.

According to tips received by Gizmodo the two handsets, both of which feature the sliding keyboards so beloved by Americans, are based on Windows CE but with a different graphical layer and fewer features than 7 Series. They are also CDMA devices, which realistically limits them to the US at launch, though a GSM variant is always possible. The handsets clearly don't conform to the physical requirements for a 7 Series phone, and are unlikely to be as highly-specified.

It shouldn't really come as a surprise that Microsoft is paying attention to the "feature phone" end of the market - that's where everyone else is looking these days. Samsung's Bada is aimed squarely at providing downloadable applications to feature phones, and Qualcomm's BREW is being reinvented as the solution to that problem too, not to mention that it's where Symbian is hoping to make its new home now that MeeGo has moved in upstairs.

The problem for Bada is that for the moment it needs the same processing power as a smart phone, while Symbian and BREW are much more suited to that market. Microsoft's ability to do things with limited resources is somewhat patchy. The company has generally preferred to wait for the hardware to get cheap enough for its software, but this time it's Apple that's depending on the trickle-down effect while Microsoft attempts to fit a quart into a pint pot.

Apple restricted adult and porn app in the store

It was found that there are many app available in Apple store which was having adult or porn theme is now being removed and restricted by Apple authorities.

Although it was approved by Apple before but might be because of the complaint of Apple users decision to remove or restrict is enforced by authorities. Now Apple users cannot download this app to their iPhone or iPod touch device

Good news for Apple users download limit is raised to 20GB

Previously download of iPhone app with Apple 3G was limited up to 10MB, recently Apple has raised this limit to 20GB so as to enable you to download more and may be larger app on your phone.

It was really annoying getting massage to connect to Wi-Fi to download podcast more then 10GB, now this raised limit will bring down your BP.

You never know in future Apple might be kind enough to announce more download limit.

   

AT&T is gearing up to offer android Motorola MOTOBLUR smartphone

AT&T has added Motorola BACKFLIP with MOTOBLUR to its variety of phones with their wireless services.

With this MOTOBLUR Now everything is where you want it – in one place, on tap.

Your friends, pics, emails, messages, and Facebook, MySpace and Twitter happenings.

MOTOBLUR is the only service that can sync them all, with continuous updates and back ups. There are no logins or apps to open, and your data's always safe. Talk about socialized.

Features of MOTOBLUR is as follows:

1. Meet the fully customizable home screen that's as unique as you are. Your Facebook, MySpace and Twitter happenings are right there, along with your emails, messages, news and favorite apps and widgets. All just the way you like them.
2. Why open separate apps to see all your stuff? Your texts, emails and social network messages arrive together on MOTOBLUR's unique Messages widget. All with your friends' profile pics.
3. Customize your home screen with your favorite widgets and short cuts. They'll grab your information and stream it to you. And you can arrange it all with a tap, drag and drop.
4. MOTOBLUR's unique Happenings widget combines your friends' emails, status updates, photos and more, all right on your home screen. No logins, no apps.
5. Only MOTOBLUR has Facebook™, MySpace and Twitter synced together and built right in on your home screen. So you can update your status to all of them at once, right then and there.

Other Specifications of MOTOBLUR:


3G : GSM, 3G, WiFi, EDGE Class 12, GPRS Class 12
ANDROID™ PLATFORM: Android™ 1.5
DISPLAY: 3.1", HGVA (320 x 480 pixels); 3:2
CAMERA : 5 MP, 4x Digital Zoom, Automatic Focus, Cropping, rotating, Geo Tagging image editing tools.
MUSIC PLAYER: Playback - H.264, H.263, MPEG 4, YouTube; Video Streaming: MPEG 4, 3GP,  MPEG-4/H.263 video capture, AAC, MP3, WAV, MIDI, AMR NB, AAC+ playable formats, Audio, Video
BATTERY TYPE: 1420 mAh Li Ion
STANDBY TIME: up to 325 hrs / 13.5 days
EMAIL: Corporate (Exchange), Gmail™, IMAP, POP3, Attachment and browser document viewer (Microsoft Office® and pdf), HTML email composer
MULTIMEDIA MESSAGING (MMS) 
TEXT MESSAGING (SMS)
INSTANT MESSAGING (IM): Google Talk™, AIM, Windows Live Messenger, Yahoo Messenger
IMAGE FILE FORMATS: BMP, PNG, GIF, JPEG, Animated GIF (for email and download)
VOICE MAIL: Standard Voice Mail, Visual Voice Mail
WEB BROWSER: Full HTML browser, Android Webkit
SYNCHRONIZATION: Support for Corporate calendar, email and contacts (Exchange 2007), Google™ contacts, calendar and Gmail™, Facebook™ contacts and messages, MySpace contacts and messages, Twitter tweets, Photobucket, Picassa, Yahoo Mail all via MOTOBLUR
BLUETOOTH® TECHNOLOGY: Stereo Bluetooth® technology v2.0 + EDR (profiles supported: HFP, HSP, A2DP, AVRCP)
WIFI: 802.11 b,g
DATA ACCESS
CONNECTOR TYPE: Micro USB
DATA TRANSMISSION RATE: USB 2.0 High Speed
GPS AND LOCATION SERVICES: GPS, Google Maps™, Google Latitude™, Google Maps Street View, eCompass
HEADSET JACK: 3.5 mm
MOTOROLA MEDIA LINK
SPEAKERPHONE
CALLER ID: On main display, Picture ID, Ringer ID
AUTOMATIC ANSWER
AUTOMATIC REDIAL
CALL LISTS: Recent calls, frequent call
CALL TIMER
CALL TRANSFER
CALL WAITING
CONFERENCE CALLING: Group call
EMERGENCY DIAL
MUTE CALL
NOISE REDUCTION:Dual microphone noise cancellation
ON HOLD CALL
PHONE BOOK
SPEED DIAL:Quickstore Private IDs, Quickstore Phone Book, Group IDs, SDG Lists
VIBRACALL
VOICE DIALING
WAIT AND PAUSE DIALING
GMAIL™
GOOGLE MAPS STREET VIEW
GOOGLE MAPS™
GOOGLE MARKET PLACE™
GOOGLE SEARCH™8
GOOGLE TALK™
GOOGLE VOICE SEARCH™
YOUTUBE™
BUSINESS: Quickoffice with Document Viewing
ENTERTAINMENT
MUSIC AND AUDIO: Amazon Music Store, imeem, Shazam
NAVIGATION TOOL
OPERATING SYSTEM: Android™ 1.5
BACKLIGHT
CUSTOM NAVIGATION
DEDICATED KEYS
DEDICATED KEYS: Volume control, Camera, Back, Search, Menu, Power/Lock, Home
KEYPAD LOCK
LIGHT-RESPONSIVE DISPLAY
QWERTY KEYBOARD
TOUCH SCREEN
VIRTUAL KEYBOARD
VOICE COMMANDS
RINGTONE FORMATS: AAC, AAC+, eAAC, eAAC+, MP3
RINGTONES: Preloaded and downloadable
WALLPAPERS: Preloaded and downloadable
DISPLAY TYPE: TFT
COLORS: Titanium; Winter White
WEIGHT: 5.6 oz; 163 grams
SIZE (H X W X D): 2.3 x 4.5 x 0.6 in.; 114 x 58 x 15.6 mm
DISPLAY SIZE: 3.1-in.; HGVA (320 x 480 pixels); 3:2
ANTENNA TYPE: Internal
CALCULATOR
CALENDAR: Calendar, Corporate (Exchange) calendar
CLOCK: Alarm clock
FLIGHT MODE
MEMORY: 2 GB microSD pre-installed
ACCELEROMETER
NETWORKS: WCDMA 900/1700/2100, GSM 850/900/1800/1900, HSDPA 7.2 Mbps (Category 7/8), EDGE, GPRS Class 12, AGPS
REMOVABLE MEMORY: supports up to 32 GB microSD
SENSORS: Proximity Sensor, Ambient Light Sensor