#Google celebrates Thanksgiving with animated doodle

Google is celebrating the traditional holiday of Thanksgiving with its latest doodle showing an animated film having all an array of woodland creatures sitting down together for a feast. 

Thanksgiving is celebrated by millions on the fourth Thursday of November in the US and on the second Monday of October in Canada commemorating a harvest festival celebrated by the Pilgrim Fathers in 1621. 

According to the Independent, the holiday is marked by religious observances and 'giving thanks' as people prepare and eat a meal together. 

The meal usually includes a Turkey, served alongside winter vegetables, cranberry sauce and pecan or pumpkin pie for dessert. 

The report said that in an extremely rare coincidence this year, Thanksgiving overlaps with the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah, sparking the nickname 'Thanksgivukkah' and adding turkey-shaped menorah to some dinner tables.

#Idea launches dual-sim Android handset for Rs 8,999

 Telecom operator Idea Cellularlaunched a new Android-powered dual-sim smartphone Aurus 4 priced at Rs 8,999.

The latest addition in Idea's Aurus series of 3G smartphones, the Aurus 4 features 4.5-inch display, 1.3 GHz dual-core processor running on Android Jelly Bean, 1800 mah battery and 5MP primary camera with video calling facility, Idea Cellular said in a statement.

"The young and savvy youth of India has a huge appetite for content on mobile, but is deterred due to highly priced smartphones in India. Idea is bridging this gap by offering 3G smartphones packed with high-end features at relatively low price," Idea Cellular chief marketing officer Sashi Shankar said.

Recently, Idea had launched its five-inch smartphone 'Ultra'. The company has previously sold over six lakh devices from a dozen models in the 3.5-inch, four-inch and 4.5-inch categories in the Indian market.

Idea Cellular will retail the new handset through its own retail and service outlets across major 3G markets -- Gujarat, Maharashtra & Goa, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh & Chhattisgarh, Kerala, UP West & East, Haryana, J&K and HP.

Idea Cellular has more than 128 million subscribers in the country.

#Microsoft blocks censorship of #Skype in China

Microsoft has made it harder to monitor calls and chats over its Skype phone service in China, a freedom of expression advocacy group said, as the Chinese government steps up censorship of the internet. 

Skype said it had ended an eight-year joint-venture with Hong Kong-based TOM Group - 51% owned by Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-Shing - and found a new partner in China. 


"After careful analysis of the new Skype, we believe that Microsoft have lifted all censorship restrictions on their China product," the advocacy group, GreatFire, said on Wednesday. 

"All user calls, chats and login information are encrypted and being communicated directly to Microsoft via HTTPS. This is a complete about-face for Microsoft from the TOM-Skype era, when all information was processed by TOM and stored by TOM on servers located in China with absolutely no privacy controls in place." 

A Microsoft spokeswoman in China declined to comment and a public relations official at Skype's Asia-Pacific regional office could not immediately be reached. 

Skype's new partner in China is Guangming Founder (GMF), a joint-venture of Beijing-based newspaper Guangming Daily and the Founder Group, a Beijing technology conglomerate established by Peking University, according to the new GMF-Skype website. 

The Skype-TOM partnership has come under criticism from rights groups for allowing censorship and surveillance. Studies have shown the TOM-Skype service was subject to blacklisted keyword checks that could trigger monitoring of its users. 

New censorship measures
Foreign internet companies must tread a careful path in China to exploit bountiful business opportunities without compromising a carefully-nurtured image as champions of open societies and free speech. 

In 2010, Google conducted a partial pull-out from China on the basis of censorship and after it suffered a serious hacking episode that the company said emanated from China. 

Google's search market share in China fell to 1.7% last month from 12% in August 2010, although its Chinese business has benefited from strong demand for its Android software. 

Websites such as those of Facebook, YouTube - which is owned by Google - and Twitter are all blocked in China by what is known as the "Great Firewall". 

The ruling Communist Party sees censorship as key to maintaining its grip on power, recognizing that social media offers a platform for citizens to air grievances and criticism of the government, a potential trigger for social unrest. 

The government unveiled new measures in September threatening jail for spreading "rumors" online. The measures mostly target domestic internet services such as Sina's Sina Weibo, China's most popular microblogging service. 

Outside China, Skype's security and privacy protection have been under the spotlight following revelations, disclosed by Edward Snowden in his leaks of US National Security Agencydocuments, that the online communication service was part of the NSA's PRISM program to monitor communications through some of America's biggest internet companies.

#Jolla: First Sailfish OS smartphone goes on sale

A team of ex-Nokia engineers is launching a smartphone based on the former world No. 1 cellphone maker's old software, hoping to grab a share of a highly competitive market.

The Jolla handset's Sailfish operating platform is based on MeeGo software, which Nokia abandoned in 2011 when it switched over to using Microsoft's Windows Phone.

The 4.5-inch phone features an 8-megapixel camera, supports 4G internet connections and includes Nokia's HERE maps covering 180 countries. It is compatible with some 85,000 apps by Google's Android.

It will first launch in Finland on Wednesday and then in 135 other countries.

Jolla was founded in 2011 after Nokia laid off thousands of workers as it lost market share to rivals. It has over 90 employees in Finland and Hong Kong.

#Android KitKat: It’s not so sweet for Nexus 4 users

After waiting several weeks, most of the Nexus 4 users have received an update for their phones that installs Android 4.4 aka KitKat on their devices. But these users are finding that the KitKat experience differs significantly on their phones compared to what Nexus 5 users get even though Nexus 4 is just one-year-old device and is supposed to run the 'pure' version of Android. 

In terms of user interface, KitKat offers several small but useful improvements over AndroidJelly Bean. Nexus 5, which is the launch device for KitKat, features a transparent notification and navigation bars. Also, the app drawer on the phone has translucent effect, through which a user can see the default wallpaper in the background. 

On Jelly Bean, notification and navigation bars are solid black. Similarly, the background in app drawer is also solid black. 

On Nexus 4 the same user interface has been retained even when the device has been updated to Android KitKat. 

The bigger and cleaner looking icons, which are part of Android KitKat on nexus 5, are also not available on Nexus 4. 

Compared to Android Jelly Bean, Android KitKat is not a major change in terms of user interface, even on Nexus 5. It looks cleaner and adds a few user interface elements, but most of the improvements are under the hood. 

With virtually none of these new elements available on Nexus 4, in terms of looks it is hardly different from Android Jelly Bean. 

"I used KitKat on my brother's Nexus 4. It's very boring," said Shamal Harkison, an Android enthusiast. 

Other than the lack of user interface elements, new wallpapers and bigger icons, KitKat on Nexus 4 also lacks the deep integration with Google search found on Nexus 5. For example, option to access Google Now through a swipe from left to right on the home screen on Nexus 5 is not available on nexus 4. On Nexus 4, users still have to swipe up from the home button. 

The "OK Google" command, which is available on Nexus 5, to perform search through voice commands is not part of Android KitKat on Nexus 4. 

But, the integrated phone launcher, which searches not only the local contacts but also publicly available phone numbers, is available on KitKat in Nexus. The new Hangout app, which integrates SMS and Google Talk is available, but it is not set as the default option. 

The KitKat user interface on the older Nexus 7 tablet is similar to the one on Nexus 4. 

Though they miss out on the user interface changes, users of older Nexus devices get other benefits that are part of Android KitKat. For example, the under-the-hood changes in the OS make Nexus 4 and Nexus 7 feel a bit faster with KitKat compared to the same devices running Jelly Bean. 

For some users, battery life has improved with the KitKat while a few others report a decrease in it. 

Install the KitKat user interface manually
To get the similar user interface, including Google Now on the left most screen and "OK Google" feature, Android users can manually install Google Experience Launcher (GEL) which is available as APK file on various websites. However, Harkison said the "side-loaded GEL lags badly". 

User can also try third-party launchers like Nova and Go to get KitKat user interface on their older Nexus devices. 

While it is not new for companies to not offer all features of an updated operating system on an older device - many features available in iOS 7 are not available on iPhone 4 or iPhone 4S - it is surprising to see Nexus 4, which has very capable hardware, getting a different version of KitKat compared to the one used on Nexus 5.

#Apple plans to make screen a fingerprint sensor

Apple's new TouchID fingerprint sensor is one of the key features of the newiPhone 5S, but its functionality is limited to unlocking the device and authenticating app purchases. However, it looks like Apple is planning to further build this biometric technology and may make the whole touchscreen a fingerprint sensor. 

As per a patent application filed with the World International Property Organization, Apple wants to patent a technology that enables it to use the Home button as a trackpad (similar to the one seen in BlackBerry Curve phones). This technology also transforms the touchscreen into a fingerprint scanner. 

Apple's technology will allow users to navigate the menu and apps using just the Home button. This patent filing has led to speculation that the trackpad technology would debut with a large-screen iPhone. Apple is said to be currently working on iPhones with 4.8-inch and 6-inch screens. 

With this technology, users will be able to move to the right or left directions by "twisting" or "revolving" their thumbs on the Home button. An upwards swipe on the Home button would open the multitasking menu. The patent filing also shows that it can be used as a joystick while playing games. 

Though the technology has provision for making the whole touchscreen into a fingerprint sensor, the patent filing says that only a select portion of the display will be used as a scanner. For example, apps like Mail and Banking, which require more security, will scan the fingerprint to confirm the identity of the device's owner. 

The technology will also allow users to create shortcuts via on-screen gestures. Thus, they will be able to launch and return to commonly used apps like Mail and Camera from any app they are using with specific gestures. The patent filing also shows that touch-typing will be improved in upcoming Apple gadgets as the technology will recognize users' typing patterns on the screen. 

First look: #Nokia Lumia 1520, #HTC One Max

I find giant phones hard to carry and use, but I'm well aware that many people like the bigger images and text they offer.

These so-called phablets, with screens measuring about 6 inches diagonally, are nearly as big as the smallest tablets. Unlike tablets, they can make phone calls over cellular networks.

Two new ones are worth considering. Neither comes with a stylus, a signature feature of Samsung's 5.7-inch Galaxy Note 3, which is one of the most popular phones of its size. But the 5.9-inch HTC One Max and the 6-inch Nokia Lumia 1520 both have larger screens than the Note.

Nokia Lumia 1520 ($585 without contract, $199 with contract through AT&T)
The 1520 runs Windows Phone 8, which has a sliver of the smartphone market -- and thus fewer software developers making apps for it. But apart from that, the 1520 is a decent phone.

It's also among the first Windows phones of its size.

What I like about Windows' approach to bigger phones is that text and images don't simply get blown up. The software adapts the layout to take advantage of the larger screen.

With big Android phones, including the Max, you see about the same amount of content that you would on a smaller phone, just somewhat enlarged. With larger Windows phones, you get a third column of apps on the home screen. You can preview two lines of emails rather than one, and you see more contact information at once for people in your address book.

There's also a new driving mode, which lets you block incoming texts and calls when you're near a Bluetooth device associated with your car. You can set it up to send automated replies to say you're driving.

Windows phones of all sizes come with a free Office app to read and touch up documents. With iPhones and Android phones, the app is available only as part of a $100-a-year Office 365 subscription. None of these Office apps are meant for heavy-duty work, though.

To me, the iPhone 5S is the best camera phone for everyday shots, but the 1520's camera does a great job in low-light situations. It has the same camera technology as the 4.5-inch Lumia 1020, though a software fix gets rid of the 1020's tendency to make images too yellow.

To keep the camera thin, Nokia dropped the 1020's protruding lens and sacrificed resolution. The 1520 can take photos of up to 19 megapixels, instead of 38 megapixels on the 1020. Still, that's more than most phones. Grabbing and storing all those pixels takes time, so both phones tend to be slower than most cameras in snapping shots.

To keep those photos organized, a Storyteller app automatically groups photos by date and location, if that feature is on when taking shots. I like that as you zoom in on a map, photos split off into smaller groups and are shown down to the street corner or backyard where you took them.

Nokia also has a new Refocus app, which takes up to eight shots with varying focus, so you can decide later whether you'd rather have the foreground or the background come in sharper. You can even have the app blend the shots so that everything's in focus.

Nokia Corp phones are often overlooked because they don't run one of the dominant operating systems. Besides having a good camera, I find colours on the screen more vibrant than on other phones. Before you buy, check the Windows online store to make sure the apps you want are available. It's getting better, but apps tend to come to iPhones and Android devices first.

HTC One Max ($600 without contract; with two-year contract: $250 through Sprint, $300 through Verizon)
The Max is largely a giant version of the regular, 4.7-inch HTC One. HTC expands on Android by offering a home screen with a mosaic of customized content -- such as your favorite news sites and content shared by friends on Facebook and Twitter. That can get annoying and clutter up the phone, but you can turn that off if you prefer a traditional home screen experience.

Where the Max differs is in offering a fingerprint scanner for bypassing the security password. Unlike the iPhone 5S, the Max launches a different app depending on which finger you use. That gives you quick access to Facebook, the camera or whatever app you designate. Sadly, unlike the iPhone's sensor, the one on the Max often fails to recognize my prints. The feature is supposed to make one-hand operation easier, but I end up using my other hand anyway to type in the password.

The Max, like the standard One, promises better low-light shots. The camera is 4megapixel, compared with the minimum 8megapixel that most high-end phones have. Instead, HTC makes the sensor for individual pixels larger to pick up more light. Night shots don't come out as dark.

However, the sensors sometimes pick up too much light, so lights on store signs and Christmas trees bleed together and wash out colors. And with fewer pixels, images aren't as sharp when blown up.

I like how the One's Gallery app automatically organizes your photos by events, based largely on time and location. Another feature turns selected shots from an event into a short video, with customizable music and special effects. Although the standard One has these features, the Max removes a 30-second cap and lets you choose your own tunes, rather than ones included.

Both Ones come with Zoe, a feature that takes up to 20 shots in three seconds so you can choose the one with the right smile or action.

Samsung's Note 3 is lighter and easier to hold, but the Max is a good choice if you really need an Android phone that's even larger than the Note.

#Micromax launches Canvas HD A116i for Rs 13,500

Micromax looks to be in a phone-launching frenzy these days. The company seems to have quietly released a new smartphone—the A116i—which can be picked up through various online retailers. The phone has quite a varying price tag, ranging between Rs 12,090 to Rs 13,500. It is a dual-SIM phone that runs on Android 4.2 Jelly Bean out of the box and sports a 5-inch 720p display, giving it a pixel density of 294ppi.

Under the hood, it is powered by the ever-popular MediaTek MT6589 quad-core processor clocked at 1.2GHz alongside a PowerVR SGX 544 GPU to handle the graphics side of things. It also has 1GB of RAM, which seems to be the standard for mid-range smartphones these days. Connectivity options include 3G, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. All of this is kept alive by a 2,000mAh battery.

Photographers will be able to use the 8 megapixel camera on the back, which features an LED flash. There is also a 2 megapixel front-facing camera for video-calling and selfie-related purposes. It has 4GB of internal memory, out of which 1.77GB is available to users. If this seems to be too low for you, don’t worry; you can expand the memory up to 32GB by using a microSD card.

Here's a quick refresh of the specs:

• 5-inch display with 720p resolution
• 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
• 8 megapixel camera; 2 megapixel front-facing camera
• 4GB internal memory expandable up to 32GB via microSD

All in all, judging by the hardware, the A116i seems to be a revision model of the A116, which was launched in early 2013. The smartphone was Micromax’s flagship at the time, and boasted of impressive hardware.

Microsoft #Xbox One sales top 1 million within 24 hours

Microsoft sold over 1 million of its new Xbox One game consoles within 24 hours of their hitting store shelves on Friday, on par with Sony's PlayStation 4 despite launching in far more countries. 

The new console, which launched in 13 countries, set a record for first-day Xbox sales and is currently sold out at most retailers, Microsoft said in a statement. 

Sony said it sold 1 million PS4 units in 24 hours after launching last Friday in just the United States and Canada. The PS4 expands to other regions, including Europe, Australia and South America, from November 29. It then hits Japan in February. 

Microsoft is locked in a console war with Sony this holiday season. The software giant hopes the Xbox One not only entices gamers but attracts a broader consumer base of TV fans and music lovers with its interactive entertainment features and media apps. 

"We are working hard to create more Xbox One consoles," said Yusuf Mehdi, corporate vice president of marketing and strategy at Xbox. 

Robert W Baird & Co analyst Colin Sebastian has said he expects shipments of 2.5 million to 3 million units for both the Xbox One and PS4 in the fourth quarter. 

Both the PS4, priced at $399 in the United States, and the Xbox One, with a price tag of $499, offer improved graphics for realistic effects, processors that allow faster game play and a slew of exclusive video games.

#HTC One Max launched at Rs 61,490

Smartphone maker HTC has launched its most expensive handset for Indian market, HTC One Max, for maximum retail price of Rs 61,490.

"HTC One Max has largest display from HTC's stable. This is phone comes with stylus, insurance for theft, liquid damage and option to be purchased in monthly instalments," HTC India country head Faisal Siddiqui told reporters.

The phone will be available at market offered price of Rs 56,490.

HTC has jumped to 5.9-inch display screen with One Max, from 4.7-inch screen size phone model.

Siddiqui said that the company is providing six month installment schemes.

"The customer will have to not bear processing and interest charges. We will take care of it," he said.

In this new phone, the company has introduced a scanner below rear camera which save finger print of user and allows secured access of phone to its owner only.

HTC One Max comes with 16GB or 32GB onboard memory that can be expanded using a microSD card slot. It also has a 50GB of additional storage option for free on Google Drive.

The phone has 3,300mAh embedded battery. A normal 4-inch screen size smartphone generally comes with 1,800-2,000mAH battery size.

#iPhone 6 Concept Features Three-Sided Display

Iskander Utebayev has posted a new concept for the iPhone 6 featuring a three-sided display.

The concept puts quick launch icons on the side display along with controls for the music player.

It's unlikely that Apple will release such a design for the iPhone 6. However, Samsung is reportedly planning to release a Galaxy smartphone with a three-sided display that wraps around the edges of the device. In fact, a patent recently surfaced which demonstrated how the interface would work. You can check that out here.

Take a look at the iPhone 6 concept below.

#BlackBerry launches #Porsche Design P'9982 luxury smartphone

Canadian handset maker BlackBerry in association with Porsche Design launched a new all-touch Porsche Design P'9982luxury smartphone. 

Though the price of the handset was not disclosed, BlackBerry said the device is fashioned from high-quality materials and features a customised version of its 10.2 operating system. 

BlackBerry has also launched a second Crocodile model strictly limited to 500 devices globally, it said in a statement. 

The P'9982, which extends the Porsche Design luxury brand's range of modern luxury smartphones, features a satin finished frame, complemented by a hand-wrapped genuine Italian leather back door. 

"Engineered luxury meets powered performance - what has been true for the first Porsche Design smartphone is even truer for the all-touch P'9882," Porsche Design Group CEO Juergen Gessler said. 

The smartphone will be available at Porsche Design stores, select carriers and retailers globally starting November 21, with the exclusive retail launch at Harrods, Knightsbridge, London. 

The limited Crocodile edition will be available from early December, and will be exclusive to the Porsche Design shop-in-shop at Harrods. 

Other BlackBerry handsets with Porsche Design include P'9981 in gold, silver and black.