Windows Phone Challenge from Microsoft, dare you phone against Windows Phone and win Rs.1000.00

Microsoft it so sure that its Windows Phone can beat your current smart phone pants down, it has started a challenge in India to endorse the fact.

Microsoft challenges you to see for your self whether your smart phone has what it takes to beat Windows Phone.  You will have to perform simple tasks with your phone and Window Phone and if your smart phone wins, Microsoft will hand over Rs.1000.00 to you.  Sweet! Like the Samsung did with stare for 60 minutes campaign in Europe for Samsung Galaxy SIV, Microsoft has invited you to for the challenge here in India.  The challenge kicked off  yesterday from the silicon city, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Chennai.  

Don't fret if you have missed the June 1 appointment, the challenge will continue till 30th of June 2013.  It will be held in six cities of India viz. Bangalore, Chennai, Coimbatore, Delhi, Hyderabad and Mumbai. 

All you have to do is visit the Microsoft's Windows Phone Challenge website, check out for the dates available for your city and visit the Mall listed there in.  If you are not winning the 1K with your smart phone, don't be dismayed, Microsoft is offering goodie bags for all those participate in the challenge.  

It is offering other gifts as well with the purchase of Windows Phone at the places listed in the website.  Windows is also promoting the challenge on Twitter using the hashtag #MyNextPhone. 

You can also follow the challenge on the respective Facebook page for the city you live in.  Visit the challenge website here and my  wishes to you.   Happy hunting and best of luck.

Vijay Prabhu

Another feature on the new Google +, a photo search feature which many users don't know

The newly updated Google+ has a very rich feature which many Google+ users don't know of.   This new Google+ feature is capable of recognizing people, objects, animals in the user's photo.  And the new feature is available both on the PC and the newly updated Android App also.  

To start off you have to go to the top right corner of the Google+ page and select Photos.  Now you can search your photos in the navigation bar.    Type in any keyword in the search option and all the results pertaining to the keyword will show up on the screen.

This feature is particularly impressive for Google + users who have tons of images in Google +.   I did a search on my photo stream with keyword 'Sea' and I was pretty impressed with the result.  In fact except for 3 images, all the rest had sea (visual) in the image.  And man that was amazing!

You can also download the Chrome 27 here and get spoken reply to your search.  Boy, Google is giving us best gifts for May.

So if you don't know about it already, now is the time to sift through the tons of images you have on Google+  and Plus this article if you liked it.

Vijay Prabhu

The next big thing after MWC 2013 for techies, the 2013 Google I/O to be kicked of on 15th May 2013

Another favourite of the techies and the hardware providers world over the Google I/O will begin on 15th May, 2013.   An Android App already is available here giving out the detailed schedule and conference agenda.  The search king Google though, has failed to index its own App on its own search engine.  The search throws up Android Google I/O 2012 App, but visiting the page will give you the correct App.

Another crazy thing Google I/O App for Android has done is when you post from the App the message is sent with a hashtag #io13.   So what if its competitors send out message to everybody from it saying #io13 Buy i****e now or #io13 Buy N***a today. 

Now back to normal things.  Google I/O stands for Input/Output or 'Innovation in the Open' take your pick.  It was started way back in 2008 and focuses on technical, in-depth sessions on building web, mobile, and enterprise applications with Google and open web technologies such as Android, Chrome, Chrome OS, Google APIs, Google Web Toolkit, App Engine, and more.   And this years Google I/O is going to be no different. 

The rumour mills are agog about Google announcing a Second Generation Google Nexus 7 at the annual jamboree.  As per the KGI Research Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo the next gen Nexus 7 will also be manufactured by Asus as the earlier ones.  The new Nexus 7 will have a 7 inch display of the LTPS kind and have a 1920 x 1200 (WUXGA) resolution.  Unlike its older siblings it will be powered by a Quad Core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro processor (APQ8064).  The detailed specs are given in the image below

And whats more the brand new Nexus will have a camera on the rear.  It will be a 5MP one and will be accompanied by a “HD front-facing camera".   The Nexus 7 will also feature NFC chip besides the regular  Wi-Fi and Bluetooth presence.  The Nexus 7 will also wireless charging capability to replenish its massive 4000 mAh battery. 

The most important part which will interest all Android lovers and followers is that this Nexus will run on Android 4.3 Jelly Bean and not Key Lime Pie as many expected.  There is no word on internal storage the device will have but it should come up with 16GB and 32GB versions.

Will keep you updated on the happenings at the Google I/O conference when it kicks off on 15th May 2013.  Till then kindly post in your comments on this article.

As of now the Google has already announced some good news like the Google Play Games, unlimited songs for US users and the multi phone racing game.  Look forward to more news from the Google guys

Vijay Prabhu