BlindSquare, Launch Center Pro, GV Connect and Wordbox, updated and become the first Apps for iOS to offer Fleksy predictive touch keyboard instead of iOS default

Close on the heels of announcement by Syntellia that it would be making it’s Fleksy predictive touch keyboard SDK available to other developers to incorporate in their own iOS apps, the first 4 apps to take advantage of this have now hit the App Store.  

They are BlindSquare, Launch Center Pro, GV Connect - Call & SMS client for Google Voice and Wordbox - Simple Beautiful Text Editor.  These Apps have been updated as of today to give you a option of either using native iOS keyboard or the Fleksy predictive touch keyboard.

A little bit about the Fleksy, It is a stand alone keyboard App for iOS and Android and only today it announced that it introduced a new SDK for its gesture-based keyboard with the aim of convincing developers to bake it into their Apps.  The Fleksy blog stated that 

 “That means any developer can incorporate Fleksy into his app, giving his users the choice to type with our award-winning keyboard.” 

You can download the stand alone Fleksy keyboard App for your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch from Apple Store here.  

You can download the updated Apps for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch by clicking on the link below

 

BlindSquare

Launch Center Pro

GV Connect - Call & SMS client for Google Voice

Wordbox - Simple Beautiful Text Editor

Sony launches on-the-go functionality USB drives which can be used with your Android smart phones and tablets

Circa 2013, the only way to use a USB drive (Pen drive) on your computer would be through the PC application, through a paid App or by rooting your smart phone or tablet.  Circa 2014 Sony's new release will mean that you can now use the USB drive (Pen drive) directly with your smart phone. So no more worries if you are not into rooting and/or your smart phone/tablet has a limited memory, Sony mobile USBs will now solve almost all storage problems.

Yes Sony, today announced the release new pen drives with 8GB, 16GB and 32GB storage that are compatible with smartphones and tablets.  They will be bringing USB on-the-go functionality to your Android smart phones and tablets.  This gamechanger devices will have twin options "2-in-1 devices"  You can either use them as USB 2.0 or with microUSB connectors which essentially means that you can connect them with your smart phones and tablets and also your PCs and Laptops.  

Viviano Cantu, director of consumer media marketing, Sony Electronics, while announcing the release said, 

"These new drives combine convenience, peace of mind and performance and are perfect for mobile multi-tasking."

If you are worried that this will cost a bomb dont worry they are relatively costlier then the normal USB drives but not that expensive.  A 8GB version will cost around $19.99 (approx. Rs 1240.00) while the 16GB one will be at $29.99 (approx. Rs 1860.00) and the 32GB version will set you back by $62.99 (approx. Rs 3906.00). 

This new Sony mobile USB drives can be used with Android devices running on Ice Cream Sandwich and Jelly Bean but as of now not on Android 4.4 KITKAT.  Sony said that it is working to bring support for devices running on the newest Android KitKat version. You can use this pen drives  to copy data between devices or as additional or temporary storage for your smartphones and tablets.  As per Sony, these drives are pretty strong and will come with locking caps to avoid any kind of damage and the body can withstand everyday knocks and pocket bumps.

These pen drives are expected to release globally in January 2014. Just hope that the drives are available at the quoted price in India.

Twitter Page Rank down to ZERO is it revenge of Google or are corporate wars fought over page ranks

Today Google unveiled its second pagerank update for 2013 and surprise surprise, Twitter has been given a big Zero!!! This was discovered by my fellow blogger Robin Sharaya of Askoverflow.com 

This is highly surprising considering Twitter had a 10/10 page rank as on yesterday.  Though no reasons or explanations are forthcoming from both Google or Twitter, it is just to hope that this isnt another case of corporate wars fought on the internet.

Another thing to note that there is big ambiguity in the Twitter's page rank because moonsy gives both www.twitter.com and twitter.com's a nil rank, while the http://bagics.com/pr.html still gives www.twitter.com 10/10 while it ranks the naked domain at 0/10.  

The ranks will be clearer tomorrow when the dust is settled.

Update : As I said in the post, there was this ambiguity which has now been removed and www.twitter.com and twitter.com have been given 10/10 pagerank.  I would also bring to notice that even Amazon was given a 0/10 pagerank!!!

Google updates Google Page Ranks for websites for second time in 2013, many big PR sites get booted in 2013'second updation

Today Google updated its Page Ranks for websites and blogs and I am thankful to my readers and visitors that ComboUpdates got a GPR of 2/10.  In fact my associate sites TechWorm and TropicalPost also got a GPR of 2/10, a hearty congrats to them as well.

Use This Free Tool To Check The Page Rank Of Your Blog Or Any Web Page !

Check More URLs - Click here to refresh the page and check more URL's

Click on the Pagerank button and copy the code to put it in your website/blog!

Interesting thing about this years second page rank updation (yes the first was in Feb 2013)  is that many top blogs and websites have been deranked from their previous high perch.  This must be a direct result of the Google's Hummingbird updation of search algorithm.

WWW.COMBOUPDATES.COM

Google released the Google Page Rank update despite the Head of the Webspam team at Google denying that Google would release page rankings in current calendar year.

Hope you got the Pagerank you wished for.

Cheated.... by Nestle and Google, ditches on the promise of first 1000 to get Nexus 2013 in India...gives Nexus 7 2012 1B032A

Friends we have been cheated...  There is no other word for what Nestle has done to the hopes of thousands of Indians who took part in the KITKAT contest with a hope of winning Google Nexus 2013 with latest OS Android 4.4 on it and as did the 989 winners who won the contest. This was the announcement the contest page made from day one :

All the contest winners were expecting the new Nexus 7 2013 which was released in India and is shipping for Rs.20999.00.  And from the letter and image received from a fellow blogger, Mihir Wagle, it appears that Nestle is shipping this :

Letter received by Mihir Wagle

Nexus 7 received by Mihir Wagle

The irony is that the winners have already indemnified Nestle and Google by signing a 'No Dues Certificate'  The NDC was signed in good faith by all the winners but it seems that Nestle is not keeping its promise.  It is known the this contest was launched by Google and Nexus to announce the arrival of its new operating system Android 4.4 KITKAT and has been successfully completed in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia where the winners have been given the Google Nexus 2013.  Why this discrimination against us, Indians.  Somebody at the top of the organising committee is answerable for this.

Some naysayers may argue that what difference does it make for we have won Nexus 7 ?  But in this day and age there is something called professional ethics.  By not keeping the promise made of "You guys are among the first 1000 in India to take a break with the all new Nexus 7 tablet" the contest organisers have made a fool out of the winners.  

Surely the contest organiser know that Google Nexus 7 2012 has thousands of users in India

I request all you winners to kindly come and comment on this post. This may wont change the outcome of the contest but I hope this will make the contest organisers aware that we Indians cannot be taken for granted...  

A friend and a blogger Manu has posted this image online which clearly shows the model number of the Nexus 7 which is being given to us as a prize.

Another reader Dev Vaikul has aptly Tweeted this image which I think surmises our despair !!!

Kitkat Nexus 7 Contest in India - Feeling Tricked & Sadly Disappointed.@Android @KITKAT @KitKatIndia @RedmondPie pic.twitter.com/LTQOYH5buO

— Dev Vaikul (@Dev_Vaikul) December 4, 2013

I request you to kindly like this post on Facebook, Tweet this on Twitter (you are requested to use the handle #nexus2013forIndia  )and plus this post on your Google Circles and forward to as many friends, Indians and others so that they come to know what kind of raw deal we have got... 

And hope that Nestle and Google realise their folly and send the latest Nexus 7 2013 to the winners!!!

A reader Ajit has sent this images which clearly confirm that we have been taken for a ride 

Update :

Friends it seems that KitKat International was unaware of this entire episode.  It has promised us via Facebook that it has spoken to its Indian counterpart and to get our issue resolved amicably. The message was received last night (6.12.2013) and since today and tomorrow are holidays we have to wait until Monday for KitKat India to respond.  

Keep up the good work fellas

Latest update :
KITKAT India has Tweeted and made a post on Facebook giving a flimsy reason 

We hear you’re unhappy. Winners got the Nexus7 tabs available in India in Sept (contest date). The new version launched only in Nov.
— Kit Kat India (@KitKatIndia) December 7, 2013

FIFA World Cup Fever : FREE iOS and Android Apps launched, will stream the final draw live to your mobile screens

“From the Bundesliga to the Barclays Premier League, MLS to La Liga, the World Match Centre provides unrivalled coverage of 197 leagues across the globe,” this is what the description of the App launched by FIFA for Android smart phones and iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch  says.  And what it says is true, this FREE App offers you complete information of anything related to football right across from the Americas to Asia. 

A must have App for football fanatics and fans the App also has a packed gallery of images powered by Getty Images.  It has a breaking news feature which gives you latest interesting news in the world of football or soccer.  The App also has videos from FIFA TV studio and archives.  

Additionally, FIFA will stream the FINAL DRAW to be held next week on December 6th, live on the App.  If you have booked your place at the biggest sporting spectacle of 2014, the App will keep you updated with information with the schedule, some exclusive destination guides, FIFA Coca-Cola world rankings, team rankings of both men's and women's teams.

Keeping in mind the popularity of football in the European continent, FIFA has released the App in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese in addition to the default English. You can download the FIFA app for your Android smart phones and tablets from the Google Play Store and for your iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch from the Apple Store. 

Time to say Fooooobaaaall!!

HTC gets a face palm, HTC One Mini banned in United Kingdom from 6th December after losing court case on Patents to Nokia

As if struggling sales, no new launches, cheaper and better competition and falling share prices were not enough, a United Kingdom today passed a ruling that will effectively ban HTC  One Mini in the whole of United Kingdom.  

The court case which has been raging over past couple of years has now come to its logical conclusion with Nokia winning the Patents Infringement rights hands down.  The court case between Nokia and HTC was in regard to a hardware component being used in HTC One and HTC One Mini in total violation of the Patents held by Nokia.  

As I had predicted in May, 2013, this may yet be the final nail in the HTC's coffin.  HTC was lucky enough to escape with a ban on just HTC Mini because the Hon Judge felt that banning HTC One being a flagship smart phone will cause considerable damage to the manufacturer.  The Judge also gave HTC some time to appeal.  

But for HTC One Mini its is adiós UK because it'll still have to suspend UK imports of HTC One Mini until that second hearing comes to its logical conclusion.

Mega App for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch released, comes with a whopping 50GB FREE cloud storage

Only months after it was launched for Android smart phones and tablets, Mega Ltd. of Megaupload today launched its Mega App for iOS devices.    Megaupload's Kim Dotcom had promised the Apple App in month of July 2013 so this shouldnt come as a surprise.  

The Mega for iOS device is a FREE download and comes with a cloud storage of whopping 50GB.   The Mega App also has a pro version if you are a avid megauploader.  The pro version which gives you 500GB cloud storage space and 1000GB bandwidth costs $10.99 (Rs.682.00) per month and $119.99 (Rs.7440.00) per year. While the Free App with free 50GB storage should be enough for any avid iOS user, in case you want to upgrade to the pro verion you can do so from in-App purchase.

The Mega App for iOS allows you to preview and stream supported media files as well as let you send file and folder links directly within the App. The only condition is that you should have a iOS device running on iOS 6.0 and up.  The other downside of this App and megaupload in particular is that no one can be pretty sure for how long it will last.  Kim Dotcom has run afoul with the authorities time and again so use this one as a temporary backup rather than a permanent one.

Interested You can download Mega for your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch from Apple iTunes Store here. 

In case you own a Android smart phone or tablet a similar App is available, kindly read about it here.

After winning the Kitkat Contest, where is my Nexus 7 2013 : A question to the contest organisers ?

Exactly two weeks have passed since I received the messaged from the Nestle guys that my documents were found in order and I should get the delivery within 6 - 8 weeks.  I am waiting and so are the 897 others (there are total 898 winners as per the KIKAT contest winners list).

Now my patience and the patience of the winners including the commentators on this post is wearing out fast.  A probable winner Kruti Patel has filed a complaint on a redressal portal, which I think was premature on the winners part.  The Nestle has promised delivery within 6 to 8 weeks and counting the contest date of 22.11.2013, by all accounts the maximum time Nestle should deliver the Google Nexus 7 2013 (16GB) is  3rd Jan to 17th Jan, 2014.  

It seems that many of the winners (actually most) have not received any confirmation message like I did.  Here also I would opine that as long as the Nestle or the Agency (GroupM) has not called you explicitly informing you the non receipt of the documents, it is safe to assume that your documents have reached and have been accepted.

I would once again like to congratulate and thanks the winners for not only winning the Google Nexus 7 2013 but also making comboupdates a lot of fun and answering queries of winners.

1. Manu Prasanna Kumar 

2. Abhishek Mishra

3. Vishal Vodro

4. Sreeraj (sorry I got your name wrong the first time)

5. Parthokarmakar

6. Deepak M.S.

7. Dhairyadev Arora

8. Pam

9. Anita Swain (she is a dear friend and she won two!!)

10. Ravi Sekar Reddy 

11. Anshul Bahukhandi (Bro you will receive your Google Nexus 7)

12. KKK

13. Ricky Gourea

14. Shankar 

15. Olo (I dont know what your real name is)

16. Sushrut Sharma

17. Mayur Patil

18. Pawan Kumar

19. Tanu

A blogger who goes by the name Unknown and the very helpful Anon gentlemen who have given their valuable inputs. 

I request you all to start commenting here.  I will post any update, mail or SMS I receive from Nestle or GroupM.  You can also add me to your Google Plus circle and send me any updates you may get.  

The comments load slowly after reaching the 200 comments limit. You are requested to click on the 'notify me' box in case you want the updated comments in your email inbox.  

This is in continuation to the earlier posts

Nestle KITKAT contest, extension of date and the delivery schedule for Google Nexus 7 2013 to the contest Winners

and

Winning the Google Nexus 7 with KitKat contest, a dream come true

You are also requested to share this article on your Circle or Facebook so that most winners can give their insights 
Regards
Vijay

Hey friends Google is advertising Nexus 7 on the search tab itself 

Clicking on the tab takes us to the Google Play Store here where the Nexus 7 is listed  for Rs.20999.00.

UPDATE :

SMS received from +919555290764 :Congratulations, this is from KITKAT.  I would like to inform you that your audit is cleared...your Tab will be despatched soon.

Nice but no information about the make :((

Cheated.... Please visit this post and bring it to the notice of Nestle, Google and the world

SMS vulnerability all Nexus phones including your newly acquired Nexus 5 lets anybody make it go crazy or stop functioning, check out the fix here

Security researcher Bogdan Alecu has found out very high risk and new SMS vulnerability in the Nexus phones.  This vulnerability can be used by any hacker or attacker to force your Nexus smart phone to overide whatever you are doing and malfunction, restart, freeze or even lose network. 

Bogdan's finding were brought to light in the PCWorld and all Nexus phones right upto the latest Nexus 5 are affected.  The attack operation is simple and easy to execute.  Any potential attacker has to just send 30 flash SMS messages to your Android 4.0 above based Nexus phones.  This messages get displayed immediately on your screen and cause the the phone malfunction.  

The report further adds that the loophole exists because the Nexus phones do not automatically alert users with an audio tone on receiving a flash message.  This allows the potential hacker to send several messages one after another which causes the Nexus to go mad due to radio failure or a full system reboot.  

Alecu added that he found the vulnerability in all the three latest Nexus smart phones running on Android v4.0 to v4.4 but it didnt work on other phone models he tested, concluding that this vulnerability exists only in Nexus devices.  

On his part he has reported the issue to Google but Google is yet to take any action.  Therefore Alecu has build a Android firewall App to stop this exploitation through rapid Flash SMS bombardment. 

The App called Class0Firewall is available in Google Play Store here and provides a workaround to you.  You can install the App and set a threshold for the number of flash messages (called Class0 messages) you can receive successively.  This negates the vulnerability completely. To avoid your precious Nexus from being attacked you can also set how long the messages will stay blocked till Google comes up with a patch or fix for this issue.

Samsung ChatON with instant Chat, SMS and MMS integration for Android smart phones and tablets

Follow the leader has always been the mantra of tech firms. Close on the heels of Google merging its Hangout with SMS and MMS Samsung has updated its popular chatting App ChatON to support for SMS and MMS on the Android platform. With a new update, Samsung ChatON users will be able to see their phone’s native messaging combined with ChatON messages now. 

This update now takes Samsung ChatON to version 3.2.115 and is mainly for bringing the SMS and MMS integration to the App.   The users in Brazil and Germany get a bonus, ChatON users there will even see contacts on ChatON buddy list in addition to a combined stream for messages and chat. The update also brings a new notification badge indicating the number of unread messages on the ChatON.

The ChatON update for Android tablets brings far more changes then the smart phone update.  ChatON will get a new UI design and you will also be able to change the background of “My page” and upload multimedia contents such as images, videos and location information on PostON. 

Reader may note that ChatON is installable on any Android smart phone and tablet running on Android version 4.4 Ice Cream Sandwich and up. If you are interested in getting the newly updated ChatON for your Android smart phone and tablet you can download Samsung ChatON from the Google PlayStore here.

Nokia to give free WhatsApp App through OTA update next week for Nokia Asha 501

Nokia Asha 501 users in India can be a part of the most popular cross-platform messaging app WhatsApp when Nokia releases a Over the Air update for Nokia Asha 501.  This was revealed by Nokia on its official blog.  The update will be released in next week as per the blog.

If you own a Nokia Asha 501 all you have to do is download the update and install the WhatsApp App.  When you log into WhatsApp for the first time on the Asha 501, WhatsApp will automatically be able to find and add contacts from your contacts list of the people who are already using the service. 

WhatsApp also allows all the features which are available to other phones to Asha 501 users like you can add emoticons to messages or add photographs and video files as well as record and send voice messages. You will also be able to see all the WhatsApp activity via Fastlane, the second home screen on the handset that acts as a short cut to favourite apps and content.

In another news, Nokia also announced that WhatsApp will come pre-insta1lled on the recently announced Asha 500, Asha 502 and the Asha 503 which will be available in India shortly.

Instagram finally comes to Windows Phone 8 in beta avatar, but it lacks all the Instagram essentials options

After promising users about Instagram for Windows Phone since May 2013, the publishers of Instagram today finally published the Beta version of Instagram on Windows Phone store.  The App was made available almost after three years since it landed on Apple Store.

The beta version is free to download and works on all Windows Phone 8 devices like the Lumia 520, Lumia 620 etal but there are some serious issues with the all new Instagram beta App.  For starters you can take any photos with the App.  For some peculiar reason the worlds most popular and famous photography sharing App can not take snaps from within the App rather you have to use the default or the native camera to snap pictures and import them into the Instagram and share them on the Instagram social engine. This is not the only anomaly, the new beta App cant be used for the video feature.  Yes, you cant use the Instagrams video feature too with this App.

The publishers say this is a beta version hence it is being run for a testing purpose.  The publishers also add that the new features will be available as soon as the beta testing is over but know one knows when.  

"We wanted to make Instagram available to people with Windows Phones as quickly as possible, so we focused on creating an awesome experience with Instagram's core features. We're not finished, and our team will continue developing the Windows Phone app to keep releasing features and bringing you the best Instagram possible."

A rather meek App but a must have if you are a avid photographer and would like to reach out to the millions of Instagramers online. You can download the App for your Windows Phone 8 from Windows Phone Store here.

Android 4.4 KITKAT powered 16GB Nexus 5 to be available in India on 25th November, 2013 for Rs.29990.00, 32GB version to be released later

The latest buzz in the smart phone world, the Nexus 5 made by LG of South Korea is to be released in India on Monday, 25th November, 2013.  

Sadly only the 16GB version will be available as of now for the Indians.  Though the Google Play list the price of the 16GB Black Nexus 5 at Rs.28,999.00 it will be sold in the physical shops and online portals for Rs.29990.00.  You can buy the 16GB Nexus 5 in LG Shoppes or LG branded stores starting Monday and it will be available elsewhere after 2 to 3 days.  The Google Play sale will also go live on Monday but the delivery will be a big issue.  

The Google Nexus 5 manufactured by LG is the most innovative smart phone to be launched in recent times after the Moto X.  The Nexus 5 boasts of the Googles latest operating system, the Android 4.4 KITKAT aboard it.  Specwise it is a masterpiece for the price announced by Google.  The Nexus 5 boasts of a 4.95 inch full HD display with LG patented in-cell touch technology.  The Nexus 5 will run on a quad core Snapdragon 800 processor clocking a speed of 2.3GHz and runs on  2GB of RAM.

For creativity it comes with a 8MP rear camera with OIS, LED Flash, Auto Focus and the front shoot is a 1.3MP affair.  For connectivity the Nexus 5 has all the necessary options like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC and expansion slot for MicroSD card.  The Nexus 5 will come in 16 and 32GB versions with 16GB available as of now.

For my money, Google Nexus 5 will change the price equation in the mobile market.  Its very competitive pricing and nice specs will lead to a churning among the major players like Samsung, Apple, Sony and HTC.  As of today, the high end smart phones cost anywhere between Rs.35000.00 and above.  With Google Nexus 5 entering the fray at sub Rs.30000.00 and Motorola announcing plans to launch Moto g in India soon, the Indian buyer may indeed have a very happy ending to the otherwise very dull year.

Nestle KITKAT contest, extension of date and the delivery schedule for Google Nexus 7 2013 to the contest Winners

This is in continuation to my Winning the Google Nexus 7 with KitKat contest a dream come true article which was very much appreciated by the readers and well as participants in the contest.  I am writing this post to clear many a doubts which have come up in the minds of all the participants of the Nestle KitKat Contest.  This post became necessary on two counts.  

One of the reasons was the extension of the contest by Nestle.   The Nestle today extended the contest upto 22nd November 2013.  And in this five days it will be giving out 100 Google Nexus 7 2013.  The reasons for this extension has not been given by Nestle but it can be safely assumed that these 140 Google Nexus 7 2013 tablets (100 + 40 are part of the original 1000 tablets but due to some reason the contestants/participants may not have been confirmed and/or they would not have sent the required documents to Google.  Another reason may be that the Nestle couldnt verify the authenticity of such documents.

But do remember that Nestle/its agency GroupM made a call to each of the contestants whose documents had not reached Ms.Subarna Nandy.  Some of the contestants have sent the documents through SpeedPost, the caller from GroupM had requested these winners to resend the documents alongwith a photocopy of the Nestle KITKAT wrapper, if available.  

It is safe to assume that if you have not received such a call asking you to resend the documents from GroupM means that your documents are in order and Nestle will deliver the Google Nexus 2013.

The Google Nexus 2013 delivery schedule.  The Nestle today began sending SMSes to the winners informing them thus :

This is to inform you that we have received your documents and they are upto mark..your gift will reach your doorstep after 15th november within 6-8 weeks..for queries you may contact 09555290764

regards nestle

I received this message today at 10.00 am in the morning.  Further I also received a email from Nestle stating that the delivery will take place within next 6 to 8 weeks.

In this regard I would assume that the delivery process has been initiated by Nestle and we should our Google Nexus 2013 within the end of November.  Those staying in remote areas may get it by mid December.

Another of the most asked question on the previous post was that which Google Nexus 2013 will Nestle give.  In my opinion Nestle will give out the latest Google Nexus 7 2013 16GB.  My belief comes from this image posted on the contest page.

In this image from Kitkats contest page, it is clear that the winners will be given a ALL NEW NEXUS 7 TABLET and you will be among the first 1000 to get it.

Others may have different opinions but I am going to stick with this one.  I also think that the 6-8 weeks given by Nestle is a generalised maximum period so that anxiety does not set in among winners. Those staying in cities and Metros will get it earlier than those staying in remote places.

I would also like to thank my reader Manu Prasanna Kumar who went out of the way to answer the queries of readers.  I would also like to thank a certain Anonymous visitor who sadly wants to remain anon,  who time and again gave valuable comments on the readers queries.  I hope both of you will continue helping out the readers as well as me.

Hope you get your GOOGLE NEXUS 7 2013 soon and believe me it is the most wonderful tablet I have laid my hands on!!!

For those who have not won, you can still try your luck for next four days.  Remember there is no fixed strategy as such, just plain luck.  

KITKAT contest will close today :)

Read this post for further happenings on the Google Nexus 7 2013

After winning the Kitkat Contest, where is my Nexus 7 2013 : A question to the contest organisers ?

Cheated.... Please visit this post and bring it to the notice of Nestle, Google and the world

Apple releases iOS 7 patch for Apple Store vulnerability, but dont download the 7.0.4 patch yet if you intend to jail break your iPhone

Apple on Thursday released the fix for all sorts of bugs it was facing on its iOS 7 version.  The version number is called 7.0.4 and build number "build 11B554a." is now available for all iOS 7 devices viz. iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch.

The fix is important because Apple claims to have finally fixed a very critical security flaw which let anybody make a purchase from the online Apple Store without a valid password.  The security bulletin released by Apple gave following comments

Vulnerability assigned as CVE-2013-5193 

 "A signed-in user may be able to complete a transaction without providing a password when prompted. This issue was addressed by additional enforcement of purchase authorization."

The above released patch restores the necessary authentication check and will allow app store transactions only if anybody has a valid Password henceforth.  The update also addressed an issue that would cause FaceTime calls to fail sometimes.

You are requested to update your iOS 7 devices immediately as per Apple's suggestion.  The easiest method to install the 7.0.4 update is to can download and install it through iTunes. You can also try OTA by going to your device Settings and selecting General > Software Update.

However a word of warning for those who intend to jailbreak their iOS 7 devices.  In his tweet, posted Nov 14, master iOS Jail Breaker @MuscleNerd advised via Twitter that those waiting for the official Evasion iOS 7 jailbreak  to avoid the 7.0.4 patch

Those at 7.x waiting for JB, maybe treat 7.0.4 as exercise in restraint. Won’t affect JB if you slip up, but test your ability to avoid it!
— MuscleNerd (@MuscleNerd) November 14, 2013

He also Tweeted that those applying the iOS 7.0.4 patch may have a iOS device which cannot be jailbroken i.e. the process may be irreversible

…but for those enjoying the 6.x JB, avoid 7.0.4 . There’s no going back (always worth saying that for sake of JB newbies)
— MuscleNerd (@MuscleNerd) November 14, 2013 

However another jail breaker has Tweeted that the iOS 7.0.4 is a safe update.

According to jailbreak guru @MuscleNerd, iOS 7.0.4 should be a safe update! pic.twitter.com/RUTlDmYBnb
— iPadJailbreak.com (@iPadJailbroken) November 16, 2013

As of now it is not confirmed by the leaders of the iOS Jail Breaking Community whether the patch is safe or not.  As such it would be prudent to avoid the iOS 7.0.4 patch, if you intend to jailbreak your iPhone.

A chance to own a iPhone 5c or iPhone 4s, Apple to launch a buyback scheme in India in exchange for smartphones by other mobile manufacturers

Apple is tightening its pants in the prospect of further competition which is heralded by the launch of Google Nexus 5 and upcoming launch of Moto g smart phone in India.  If you remember upto now Apple had been advertising a buyback scheme for buyers wishing to buy iPhone 5s or iPhone 5c but you could only exchange your old iPhones to avail the offer and the discount allowed is Rs.12000.00.

As said above, due to the increasing competition from Samsung as well as our own Micromax and impending launches from LG and Motorola have made Apple rethink its buyback policy.  And at the end of a brainstorming session the marketing strategists at Apple HQ are ready to unleash a new buyback scheme specially for India.

Apple has already despatched the emails regarding this new scheme to its dealers.  As per the new buyback scheme, the phones which will be allowed under exchange are BlackBerry Z10, Q10, iPhone 4 8GB, 16GB, Nokia Lumia 925, HTC Desire 500, Desire 600, One Mini, One Dual SIM, Samsung Galaxy Mega (5.8 and 6.3 inch both), S4 Mini, Galaxy S3, Galaxy S4, Galaxy Note 2, Note 3 and Sony's  Xperia C, Xperia ZR, Xperia Z, Xperia Z1 and Xperia Ultra. The terms and conditions will include that the phone has to be in working condition and preferably with all accessories. 

Apple will give a maximum discount of up to Rs 13,000 in exchange of a any of the above smartphone. To give the dealers an incentive to push forward this scheme, they will earn a commission of Rs 2,000 per device under the scheme.

In exchange for the above said phones you can buy a new iPhone 5c or iPhone 4s less Rs.13000.00.  The only problem is who will want to buy a new iPhone 5c or 4s if they have any of working flagship phones listed above.  I would not bet my life on exchanging my Samsung S 4 for a iPhone 5c or 4s for a paltry 13000.00 when I can get a good Rs.25K plus in the seconds market.

Anyways, for your information, the 16GB, 32GB and 64GB variants of the iPhone 5s are priced at Rs 53,500, Rs 62,500 and Rs 71,500 respectively. The 16GB and 32GB iPhone 5c is priced at Rs 41,900 and Rs 53,500 respectively.  After all the choice is yours.

Lenovo's new Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean powered tablets Yoga 8 for Rs.22999.00 and Yoga 10 for Rs.28999.00

Chinese PC manufacturer Lenovo is shifting the gears with amazing speed.  The worlds largest PC maker (erstwhile IBM) which knows that the future growth in the computing business is to be driven by smart phones and tablets, betting big on tablets.  Hence it has come out with not one but two tablet releases : Yoga 8 and Yoga 10 for Indian buyers.

Both the tablets will run on Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean and have practically the same specs except for the screen size.   The Yoga 8 has a 8 incher display while the Yoga 10 will sport a 10 inch one but both will offer a resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels.

Other than that, both the Yoga tablets will be available in 16 GB versions with Wi-Fi and 3G for connectivity options.  The Yoga available overseas has LTE on it.  Both the Yoga's are powered by  quad-core MediaTek processors.  The Wi-Fi variants have MediaTek MT8125 processor and 3G variants have MediaTek MT8389 processor.   The  Yoga 8 and Yoga 10 run 1GB of RAM and have a 5MP rear camera with auto focus capabilities while the front camera will be a VGA affair.  The buyers will have a option to buy a 32GB version which will cost you more.  There is also a MicroSD expansion slot in case you require that extra bit of memory.

Lenovo on its part is doing its best to promote the Yoga 8 and Yoga 10 launch.  Those who buy the tablet by November 24 can take home an accessory bundle worth Rs 4,000 hamper for the Yoga 8 and Rs 5,000 for the Yoga 10. This includes a sleeve cover, a screen protector and a pair of earphones.

The only problem is that with the impending launch of Nexus 5 with superlative features and Android 4.4 KITKAT aboard it, the future of these tablets sure looks bleak considering the price Lenovo is asking for them.   If you are interested in buying either of the two, do consider buying it before 24th November, 2013 to avail the freebies Lenovo is shipping with them.  The Yoga 8 and Yoga 10 are available in all Electronics/mobiles/Malls as well as on online portals.

Star Wars : Tiny Death Star FREE game for Android and iOS devices, help the Federation build a deadly Death Star brick by brick

If you have seen the Star Wars movies you did know the huge death star that the rebels destroyed.  Well the Federation now needs your help to build an indestructible death star brick by brick.  You are the 'Bitizens' in this Star Wars enterprise and you will have to build and expand the Death Star as if it were your own.  Fear not, the dark side is with you to help you in your endeavour.

The game has been published by LucasArts though the company has been brought over by Disney Inc and is seen to be a amalgamation of the Star Wars franchise with the NimbleBit's Tiny Tower game.  If you have already played the Tiny Tower this game should be a cakewalk for you.  

The idea of the game is that the Empire has run out of money and in order to fund completion of the Death Star the Emperor decides to fill its growing levels with rentable accommodation, gift shops, and Mos Eisley style bars. The game’s sense of humour and gorgeous 8-bit style presentation is definitely its most appealing feature, with a clear love for the original movies and a great line in cheesy remixes of the Star Wars soundtrack.

Leaving that aside this is a marvellous FREE game which is entertaining as well as a good way to pass your time.  The gameplay involves is creating one of several types of level, say a retail one, and filling it with employee.  You then order these employees goods they can sell.  The game is a simple one at start but get a little jarring as you start on the special Imperial levels.  Therefore the first thing to do when you reach this level is build a Elevator so that the Imperial Officers can be pleased and you get extra points. There is a bit of action too, you get to capture the Rebel spies like Luke Skywalker  and co when they try to break into the Death Star. 

You can download the game for your Android smart phones and tablets from Google Play here

iPhone and iPad users can download the game from Apple Store here.
A few pointers for maximising the benefits from the game play
1. Convert your BUX into currency near the start of your Elevator upgrading practices
2. Produce some nice apartments within your first couple of floors
3. Split up your Bitizens (you employees) for all the jobs on the deck
4. Always keep an Extra room for the Super Great Visitors  (Imperial Guests)
5.  Upgrade you Elevator at the first instance
6. Stack up some Imperial Bux (currency) so that you can buy the extra characters for your game play
7. To pass your time be sure to stock up lower tier items.
8. You can earn extra BUX by killing the Rebels
9. Always make your Bitizens do more beneficial work which get you maximum BUX
and finally
10. Constantly upgrading your Death Star will get you the most of your Imperial Bux
Have fun playing the game

Need a simple music player without any frills, get the FREE Clean Music Player for Android Smart Phones and Tablets

How often when you want to hear your favourite song, you have to wait for the native Android music player or the 3rd party Apps to finish scanning, indexing the contents and show you the cumbersome icons and the place holder album artwork.  You sometimes yearn for the PowerMp3 player of yore which just played the music without any hassles.

Publisher Michael Howell has tried to come up with a similar idea with the Clean Music Player for Android smart phones and tablets. The free version is easy to use and gives you best possible music to listen, but if you did rather have all the fancy artwork, I would not advise you to buy the pro version.

Clean Music Player is just what like it is called 'clean'  You have to just go the the directory contain your music content and tap on the music you want to listen to and the music starts.

The free version also comes with Gapless playback and notification controls if you have Android 4.1 and above.  The Android 4.0 version and above will give you lockscreen controls and an equalizer.  

☆ Specify exactly what you want to play by long-click selecting songs and folders. For example, loop a single song by long clicking it, clicking the play button, and turning repeat on. And/or shuffle all your music by long-clicking your music folder, tapping play, and shuffling.

☆ In a long song or audiobook, keep your place with Remember Position, and move around by tapping the numbers next to the seek bar.

☆ If order is important, and the file names are not already sorted, MetaSort them.

☆ Go to sleep to your music using the Sleep Timer.

☆ And search (even using Google Now's "listen to" command).

You can download the free version for your Android smart phones and tablets from Google Play here.