TECH FLASH

Hewlett-Packard India has announced a slew of products including notebooks, detachables and All-in-One PCs. HP SlateBook x2 sports a removable screen that also turns into a tablet. By releasing the magnetic hinge, users can move between the two form factors -— tablet and notebook PC.  Powered by Android and Microsoft Windows 8 operating systems, respectively, these versatile two-in-one devices give people the flexibility to create, consume and share content in more places, claims the company. HP SlateBook x2 runs on Android Jelly Bean 4.2.2 and comes with dual battery system, one battery in the base and other in the tablet to enable users to easily switch from notebook to tablet and back. The SlateBook x2 is priced at Rs 39,990.  HP Split x2 is a two-in-one detachable PC running on Windows 8 operating system and is powered by Intel Core processor. Just like SlateBook x2, it too sports a removable screen that turns into a tablet. The hard disk in the base expands s...

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer says the latest update to Windows is a "refined blend" of its older operating system for PCs and its new touch-enabled interface for more modern, mobile devices.  After some hands-on time with it, the update seems to me patch over an ever-widening chasm.  The issue is that there are over a billion personal computers that use some version of Windows as it existed until last October, when Microsoft unveiled Windows 8.those PCs are responsive to mice and keyboards, not the touch screens and other input methods voice and gestures that represent the future of computing. Making it easier to cross that bridge is one of the goals of Windows 8.1, a preview version of which Microsoft released Wednesday.  After spending several hours with devices running Windows 8.1, it remains unclear to me whether a touch-based environment is what traditional Windows users want to accomplish the productive tasks for which they've come to rely on Windows...

This week the developer teams working for Windows Phone camera and photos have announced that users will soon be able to instantly save full-resolution photos and video to the cloud no matter where they are on our planet. Previously this feature had only been available to select users in limited areas, and a full roll-out wasn’t yet on the books. This week Windows Phone 8 will have its full connection to SkyDrive the whole globe wide. This feature will be available within the next few days to everyone using Windows Phone 8, and will be accessible in Photo settings. Heading to a Windows Phone 8 device’s Photo app, heading down to the three dots (aka More), hitting Settings and SkyDrive will bring up the Auto Upload options. With this option tapped, users will no longer only see two options, they’ll see six. In SkyDrive storage, Windows Phone 8 users will see the ability to upload both videos and photos to the cloud in Good Quality and Best Quality sizes. If a user selects Goo...

In Windows 8, Microsoft  quietly removed  a useful networking feature: ad-hoc networks. In Windows 7 (and previous OSes), the tool could turn your PC into a Wi-Fi hot spot, allowing it to share its Ethernet or other Internet connection with other devices by broadcasting its own network. So, if you paid for Internet  access at  a cafe, or you're at work, and want to share your PC's Internet with your phone or tablet, this feature would let you do that. It is very possible to do this in Windows 8, but the built-in method requires fiddling with the command prompt. And for some of us, walking into that black abyss is daunting. Instead, check out  Virtual Router Plus . It's a free, open-source program that does the geek work for you, allowing you to quickly fire up an ad-hoc network whenever you need one. Once you've downloaded  the file , extract it, and launch the VirtualRouterPlus file within that folder. There's no real  installation  here --...

We compare the Chromebook Pixel with two Apple Macbooks to see if the Google notebook is worth its price. Google has announced its intent of storming into the ultraportable laptop market with the announcement of the brand new   Chromebook Pixel   netbook. The Chromebook Pixel will run on Google's own Chrome OS, that also powered the earlier Chromebooks, but instead of relying on other manufacturers like Samsung and Acer, the Chromebook Pixel will be completely designed and manufactured by Google. The Chromebook Pixel's premium design and pricing make it interesting competition for Apple's Macbooks. Of course, there are certain things that set these laptops apart- the Chromebook Pixel's 13-inch display is also touch-enabled whereas the Macbooks aren't (although it's rumoured that Apple are also headed the touchscreen route for its notebooks). The Macbooks run on a “proper” operating system capable of running full-fledged productivity applications. The ...

Getting Ubuntu onto your Nexus Device may seem like the next cool thing to do, but before you take the plunge, there is a whole lot you need to know! Canonical has   just released   their long awaited Ubuntu Mobile OS for phones and tablets, but it is currently not in its finished state. If you’re itching to flash your shiny Nexus phone or tablet with this early developer build, there are a number of things that you must keep in mind before you begin the process of giving your device a new soul. Compatibility: Currently, the “Touch Developer Preview for Ubuntu” is only compatible with Google Nexus devices, but each device must be running a specific version of the firmware. Here is a neat little tablet that shows the various devices and the required firmware. Device Codename Factory firmware from Google Galaxy Nexus maguro takjuoryakju Nexus 4 mako occam Nexus 7 grouper nakasiornakasig Nexus 10 manta mantaray If you’re wonderin...