Chevrolet Beat - New advertisements arrive

Post the launch campaign was announced last year, General Motor's have released 5 new advertisement clips on their YouTube channel for Chevrolet Spark (Beat). The first one is titled as "Wanted" which captures the new radials with a fresh chrome styling below the grill around fog lights, all the new TVC's capture the essence of global presence of this car while it now prepares for a US launch.

Check out the first clip below, links to other videos

Inspiration Clip | Our Little World Traveller Clip | Chevy Spark Souvenirs | Adventurers

Pitfall - A classic arcade game

If you can't get enough of Temple Run game play on your Android device, here's another addictive running free to play arcade game that arrives on Google Play store by the name Pitfall, from Activision Publishing. which is inspired by the original 1982 game by the same name.

I must say it is a welcome change from lot of other games that started copying what Temple Run had done and your experience tends to get saturated playing games with similar theme and setting, I hoped Agent Dash would be little different, however it also followed almost same style of game play. In game character in this title is Pitfall harry who is your Indian Jones on the run with a hat and whip, backed with good background score that suits an adventure movie.

I liked the camera angles used in the game play that also allow you to play with a 2D scrolling screen display, a little variety in character moves while swiping up or down avoiding obstacles, check out the video below by AndroidCentral

Android Christmas 2012 App Sale

It's that time of the year when both Apple and Google have lot of good deals on their online app stores, probably the best time to download some noteworthy games and  popular apps. Get going and grab some apps from publisher's like EA, Gameloft, Rovio Mobile etc.

Here's a list of some of them on sale which I happened to browse through on Google Play store.

1) Wild Blood from Gameloft (Game) - $0.99
2) Max Payne Mobile (Game) - $0.99
3) Dead Space (Game) - $0.99
4) Need for Speed Most Wanted (Game) - $0.99
5) Plants vs. Zombies (Game) - $0.99
6) Grand Theft Auto 3 (Game) - $0.99
7) The Game of Life (Game) - $0.99
8) Monopoly Millionaire - $0.99
9) Tetris (Game) - $0.99
10) Order & Chaos Online (Game) - $0.99
11) Avengers Initiative (Game) - $0.99
12) Facedroid - Android Facebook (Social Networking) - $0.99
13) Draw Race 2 (Game) - $0.99
14) Car Dashboard pro (Utility) - $0.99
15) IM+ Pro - (Chat) - $0.99
16) Zombie Driver THD (Tegra Device compatible game) - $1.75
17) Call of Duty Black Ops Zombies (Game) - $2.99
18) Mini Motor Racing (Game) - $0.99
19) Cut the Rope HD (Game) - $0.99
20) Turbo Fly HD (Game) - $0.99
21) Sketchbook Mobile (Productivity) - $0.99
22) Clouds & Sheep Premium (Game) - $0.99
23) Guns'n'Glory (Game) - $0.99
24) OfficeSuite Pro 6 + (PDF & HD - Productivity) - $0.99
25) DocumentsToGo Full version key (Productivity) - $8.95
26) Amazing Alex HD (Game) - $0.99
27) Jotter (for Galaxy Note) - $1.99
28) Angry Birds Space HD (Game) - $0.99
29) Superbrothers Sword & Sworcery (Game) - $1.99

Watch Dogs - Everything is connected

If you had being following a series aired on Star World by the name Person of Interest, you would be in a better position to relate to the plot of this upcoming game from Ubisoft - Watch Dogs, another Open World Stealth game which has got me interested, it's trailer caught my attention on YouTube recently.

The much touted AI system rumoured to be the roving eye for the government to keep a watch on it's citizen is in the heart of this game, a concept in gaming never tried before. I can anticipate it would turn out to be a key element in driving the plot within the game and slow motion action stuff combined with stealth and skill also seems to be included in the game. 

I have being already awed by Far Cry 3 graphics this year, if you take a look at the game play trailer, there's a similar effort visible in capturing very detailed and natural ambient lights around the character, rain effect looks rich and pretty realistic, I already have few game titles on my wishlist for 2013 like Crysis 3, Army of Two 3, Splinter Cell Blacklist and now this one looks a promising contender too.

Check out the blackout trailer for this game

Visit the official site for this game to check out the demo showcased during E3 2012 event

Invisible Umbrella

The good old Umbrella has evolved over time from a plain black piece of cloth that has help us keep dry (at least some part of us) during rains, it could now witness a next step of evolution with a concept design by designers Je Sung Park and Woo Jung Kwon call the Air umbrella. 

This concept design aims to create a cover of air blown through a simple plastic stick keeping rain drops at bay, what remains to be seen is how it can work in real life as the intensity of rain needs to be gauged to match it with equal force of air blown through the stick.

You can read more about this here

Article courtesy: Gajitz

Smile Please - Optical Illusion with tattoo

Creative optical illusion created with a tattoo on the forearm by a tattoo artist Helma van der Weide from Netherlands with her her daughter Lotte van den Acker in this pic who is passionate about photography, a retro camera has being used to click this pic which was launched in 1957, the Asahi Pentax 35mm SLR

Internet - A Decade later

Check out an interesting video that takes a look at the interesting journey of internet since the last decade Video made by Matt Coady

The Internet: 2002 vs 2012 from Matt Coady on Vimeo.

Galaxy Note 2 packed with computing power

Galaxy Note 2 has sold impressive 5 million units in 2 months, this powerhouse phablet has being put to test in a video feature by a user coldfustion, showcasing how Note 2 can extend it's processor capability as a PC, Turns out this phone performs very well in complimenting basic computing requirements.

With JellyBean updates to roll across most recent Samsung flagship devices it would get interesting to see how would it improve the overall performance of this device, working around with floating browser on the LED monitor is great for multi tasking. Google is also planning to strengthen it's Chromebook positioning in a fiercely competitive portable computing market, however with mobile phones flexing processing power muscles do netbooks and low cost portable laptops stand a chance to compete?

Check out the video below

MobiBuzz Newsletter 1

News from mobile industry - What's buzzing?

What's The Best Strategy for monetizing mobile apps in India?

Check out this article from PCQuest which throws light on a discussion held at “Emerging era of mobility” panel at IT.Biz conference 2012, developer panel shared their views on how to take on the freemium model on a very strong Android platform in India.

Also take a look at some interesting statistics about mobile industry in India via the iShopper Mobile Trends Report here.

And check why 98% Indian traveller's are so into expressing their interests and opinions online about their travel experience.

Mobile phones have being known to cause relationship trouble not just between couples, but they are good enough to drive your friends away says a research report.

Did you Know! Texting is 20 years old now, The first SMS was sent on December 3, 1992, when a 22-year-old British engineer called Neil Papworth - an employee of the technology company Sema - used his computer to send the message "Merry Christmas" to an Orbitel 901 mobile phone.

Google Play inching in closer to iOS app store in 2012, however the trench of revenue earning potential is still a concern, check this article here.

There's a social networking app available for kids between age 5 - 13 years on iOS which goes by the name Everloop Goobit, read more about this here

Where's Social Media Heading in India: Facts and Figures

Explosive adoption of Social, Mobile and Digital continues to swell in India which presents some astonishing facts in numbers which show a huge potential for continuous growth.

Some stats to start of with from this article featured on wearesocial.net

• India has 137 million internet users – more people than the total population of Japan.
• More than 60 million people in India use social networks – equivalent to the total population of Italy
• India is home to a staggering 934 million mobile subscriptions – equivalent to more than 13% of the world’s entire population

Twitter and LinkedIn are also popular amongst Indian netizens, with each claiming more than 15 million users.

YouTube has particular appeal for Indian audiences too, with 20 visitors every single second. Each month, almost 56 million visitors from India consume more than 4 billion videos – 25% of them via mobile devices.

Of all these statistics, what remains to be seen how companies can use this growth to their advantage in order to facilitate the e-commerce transition to compliment their brick and mortar retail business model, given that the urban/rural digital divide still exists in India on a large scale.

Luv Shuv tey SMS

There are lot of relationship based counselling sites and forums sharing tips on questions posted by love birds who are looking out for some advice on how to handle their dating/marriage etc.  Here's a site which is a Q&A service on dating questions.

A seasoned "Bro" would share his view on a text or SMS conversation screenshot posted by girls indicating if "he is into you" "he's not into you or "the verdict is still out", like this one below.

Love is lot complicated and even more while a couple is going through the dating phase, it may not be the exact way of assessing a guy's feelings for a girl, but any advice for a doubtful mind is helpful enough.

Check out the site here 

Best of Gangnam Style Parodies

Gangnam parody videos have being flooding YouTube ever since the original song released, this song has got flash mobs and different versions being made across various countries, the latest one "Punjabi" style has a very catchy and desi feel to it. Check out few other videos as well which make good alternate versions of this song and some funny kid videos as well

1) Punjabi Style

2) Oppa Indian Style

3) London based Indian artist's version of Gangnam

4) Another Bangla Parody

5) A kid who needs to hear Gangnam style song to eat

6) A bunch of kids going with freestyle dancing on the song

7) Toddler animation dancing to the song

8) The best of all versions I liked is this cute little kid, just watch him

Facebook data leak and a Durga pooja pandal

If social media gives you a privacy scare every now and then, here's another news that has surfaced about a Bulgarian blogger who purchased a data leak of 1.1 million facebook users for just $5, which consists of facebook user profile URL, their complete names and facebook emails.

On the surface it does not look like much of a sensitive data leak, however the price at which has got sold is what should be the worrying factor, possible impact of such data being leaked is listed below:

• Send more convincing phishing emails, using the Facebook user’s profile URL, first and last name, and login email, to obtain more information.
• Use a password cracker to discover the user’s Facebook password to accompany the login email, allowing them to hack the account and discover more information.
• Use the name and login email together to reconstruct the user’s actual identity.

The person who sold all the information was reportedly collecting information via Facebook and Twitter apps from the past 6 months, comprised of details of users from US, UK, Canada and Europe. Facebook has already begun investigating this incident and has mentioned that it stands committed in its efforts to safeguard user data and would continue to investigate this individual who tried scraping user data.

Read more about this here

Back home in India, during this years Durga pooja in a town of Suri from West Bengal a facebook user spotted a pandal made with a Facebook page design, if you take a close look at the image it looks to be a very detailed and creative representation (Original article source and image credit: http://lighthouseinsights.in)

Windows 8: Embracing a whole new experience

Microsoft India held a launch event for Windows 8 yesterday marking the arrival of it's new OS that promises to bring a significant change to the overall computing experience which would be fast, fun and fluid, also enabling consumers to use Windows 8 beyond the PC.

Reliance Digital, one of the largest electronics stores in India also unveils New Windows 8 on 26th October, 2012, after the last version being announced a year and a half ago.Along with multi touch capability infused, and support for up to five touches, It will strike a chord with the present trend and act as a trigger to its sales. Besides, this integration will pave way for network of touch sensitive LCD monitors. It will also surprise its users with the new features, an in- built system applications that will serve as a quick access bar for most sought after features and apps. Be it sharing, accessing hard drives or your settings, charm is at your service. It also supports device integration enabling you to stream video from your computer to your Xbox and enjoy a great viewing experience on your HDTV.

(Information Source – Reliance Digital Stores)

What went on while preparing for Windows 8 launch?

Microsoft has being seriously overhauling a gamut of services it has launched over the past few years like Xbox gaming service that was being morphed into an all around entertainment source for the entire family, scrapping erstwhile music service called Zune and paving way for Xbox Music which has close to 30 million tracks in it's library (not available in India yet). Windows 8 OS for mobile phones is also scheduled to launch on October 29, Microsoft also organised an AppFest earlier this year in Bangalore hosting a coding marathon which saw 2,567 developers coding non-stop for 18 hours creating a Guinness record. 

Efforts to attract developers for making apps on WP8 (Windows Phone 8) mobile platform is yielding results for Microsoft, surely it has a lot of catching up to do in comparison to Google and Apple when it comes to making inroads into building a credible app library, as per a company statement it has close to 1,00,000 apps and games as of now and it is surely to grow further with a committed support Microsoft has being getting from mobile manufacturers like HTC, Samsung and Nokia.

Surface tablet also aims to bridge the gap between a PC and Smartphone user already on the windows platform where a slew of android tablets already occupy the mid and lower segment of the tablet market and iPad still ruling the roost. 

It's not just about the OS any more

Windows 8 has being designed and developed to change the way we work on our computing devices like doing away with the system tray we have being so accustomed to view all these years on the previous windows platforms, bringing in apps, live tiles to work on and a similar experience I would get using my Xbox service which also has tiled layout, a browser included as well on the console now. 

An app called SmartGlass would be launched this month to enable this integration windows experience for consumers using Windows 8 installed on their PC, WP8 enabled smartphone (also extending support to iOS and Android phones) and the Xbox 360

Windows 8 is built to work on the ARM processing platform (read more about this here) that allows more vendors to manufacture hardware that supports adoption of Windows 8 OS, Microsoft has also strengthened the security on it's new OS with better anti-malware protection and improved windows defender performance.

Microsoft has also followed a very sensible approach in offering a discounted upgrade to genuine Windows OS users in India, who can move on to Windows 8 Pro for INR 1999 (Limited period offer), Looking forward to upgrading my laptop to the new Windows 8 experience today, just ran the windows 8 upgrade assistant, a little clean up to follow before the new install

Celebrating the spirit of triumph

Navrati just got over and there is no better way to start preparing for Diwali by starting off another round of festive season on this occasion of Vijaya Dashmi, here's wishing you all and your families a Very Happy Dusshera celebrating our spirit of never giving up to the problems that we deal in our daily life, let the fragrance of joy and victory spread like the flowers of Marigold that would be a part of all the decorations across millions of homes in our country today.

The journey of good waging battle against evil has passed on across ages, this fight was never limited to battlefield grounds, from the reflection of our society today in an arrogant government, faceless opposition, corruption, terrorism, rape, molestation, female fetal killings and much more that surrounds us with all the noise, hue and cry, it reminds us there is always a battle going on somewhere, with a hope that someday we would get over with this struggle.

Here's an interesting case study which is related to a campaign that Google ran based on Ramayana for the Asia launch of Google Chrome,partnering with Fantasy Interactive Inc. and OgilvyOne Singapore, project titled as "The Story of Ramayana" brought to life by Google Chrome.

It is a website with interactive content developed with HTML5 and CSS that promotes Google products with character illustration inspired out of Indian, Thailand and Indonesia culture where Ramayana folklore is very popular amongst the masses. Google also got an an impressive TVC campaign for promoting Chrome in India on Tanjore paintings theme. Guess mythology and cultural history still relates very strongly to us which is good for the wired and always connected generation.

Leaving you with a animation video feature on Dussehra by SK Media

 

Taking the wind out of bollywood romance

 

It seems the entire galaxy of Bollywood big wigs is imploding into an unknown abyss this year, Yash Chopra is that shining star that took away all that remaining force of brilliance as he passed away yesterday. He was not just the King of Romance as known to most movie goers.

Apart from making some movies ahead of his time, he also worked hard to keep the business of movies profitable for people associated with it, from a generation of single screen cinema which evolved to multiplex movie going experience, there is probably anything to do with cinema he may not be related to. Foundation of YRF studios and production banner paved way for promoting new talent and making movies that did not just stick to the theme of romance.

Here are few lines of tribute by me for this wonderful producer and director whose contribution to Indian cinema would not be forgotten in years to come, RIP Yash Chopra

 

Looper Movie Review: Karma meets time travel

Went to watch Looper with no expectations at all, must say it exceeded all possible one's for a science fiction movie. Thankfully I did not have to forcibly wear 3D glasses for this one to watch this one like other stereoscopic post processing 3D converted movies. Looper is set in the year 2044 in Kansas where Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays a hit man Joe Simmons, who works for a gang that helps clean up mess from the future as assassins their targets are sent to them from year 2074. They work on a contract/code which they are not allowed to break.

Their contract ends in retirement from the gang when they kill their future self and get paid in gold bars instead of silver for the regular killings, Joe is shown to be a junkie who has surrendered to this lifestyle of killing to earn a living, frequenting the bar owned by the boss of his gang, who has being sent from the future to run the looper gang. These assassins surely have a rich lifestyle in a economically ruined futuristic America depicted in the movie. Which takes you to a thought that Joe is already running in a loop living his life like a hamster running on a treadmill.

However life would someday push you off your treadmill and lock you into another loop where you are forced to think how you are going to break a vicious cycle that could continue the way it is, and this is where movie takes a head start when Joe's friend Seth visit's him requesting a place to hide, as he failed to kill his own future self and allowed allowed his loop to run. 

Joseph Gordon-Levitt looks more like the Max Payne with his classy Jacket and tie attire in a slick hairstyle while smirking at the table with his boss when he questions him about the whereabouts of Seth, he finally gives up the code of the secret hideout at his apartment under his living room rug, from where Seth is picked up by a wannabe Kid Blue (still learning to handle the long barrel 45-70 caliber pistol) to be executed who kills his future self as well.

After this incident Joe is confronted by his own future self as his next target, and here comes Bruce Willis who has faster reflexes to avoid getting killed by Joe's blunderbuss shotgun, he becomes that loop on the run which Joe has to close to avoid getting killed by his own gang. As the events move forward you are taken into the parallel story line of Joe's future where he grows up to become Bruce Willis and discover's love of his life quite late, leading a peaceful life somewhere in china, loses his wife to the gangsters of a faceless crime lord "Rainmaker", he decides to get back in the past to hunt this Rainmaker down which gives you a deja vu feeling of Terminator plot.

Movie gather's pace from here and marks entry of Emily Blunt as Sarah protecting his 10 year old kid Cid (Pierce Gagnon), who plays the young Rainmaker strikingly well and gives you the creeps with his performance, Director Rian Johnson's vision of futuristic society in 2044 is far away from what we see in most sci-fi movies, most directors use CGI to build their imagination of future with high rise and slick structures, or depicting wastelands and deterioration over a crumbling ecology. You would see Joe driving through lush green barns and the city scape has a mix of chaotic social set up, with cars running on solar panels and flying bikes driven by loopers. 

Joe keeps a hidden stash of silver bars from his killing's at his apartment so you can be rest assured even if all currencies crash, Silver and Gold would never loose their sheen in future as well, you would not get to see much techno glitz, however there is a scene where Bruce Willis is accessing a desktop with a motion controlled interface working with his fingers. Looper stands strong on the story line as a movie and does not rely on CGI or action to back up it's story, after the movie was over i notice there was no background score to the ending credits, still this movie leaves you pondering and I feel karma itself runs in a loop across time to infinity, Looper is definitely one of the best sci-fi movie I have watched in recent times, no spoilers here on my review, go ahead and enjoy this movie on the big screen.

I rate Looper 4/5, let me know your comments on my review and your rating for Looper in case you have watched this movie.

Want a Social Jhappi? try Facebook Hug Jacket

I had read about some device which got showcased at Tokyo Game Show about brain kiss, as if human race is facing shortage real kisses now comes a Like-A-Hug, a wearable social media jacket. Every time someone likes your Facebook post, photo, video or status this vest inflates like a life jacket.

Companies into marketing are actively toying the idea of interactive/digital clothing and this could be just the right start in this direction, Imagine you returning home wearing this jacket with a big grin on your face thinking, "Oh man I was SO swelling with Joy the entire day!" 

A social media PR agent reporting how many time's he/she counted jacket inflating throughout the day for a Facebook company/product page, and well it does not just stop here it also has gesture response to being de friended, poked or followed. read more about this here

Need help popping popcorn?

Need help popping popcorn, meet Popinator which is a voice activated popcorn shooter that fulfils your snacking dream, not sure how close is this device to reality and ready to go on sale featured on the PopCorn Indiana website. This gadget could sell well with gamer's engaged in an intensive moment and craving for a snack. watch the video below.

iOS 6 maps fail effect on Eric Schmidt?

Looks like Eric Schmidt had to ride the invisible horse dance gone viral, iOS 6 maps fail excitement is so difficult to Hide ;-), this dance jig lasted for few seconds but worth a watch. Something an Android fan boy would do if an iLost Apple fan boy comes across asking for directions!

BTW Tim Cook has already issued and apology about the problems reported by iPhone 5 users

 

 It does not stop here, there is an Android app now that teaches you steps to practice the Gangnam style dance, link here