TOI launches apps for iPad, iPhone, Android and BlackBerry

The Times of India, India's most-read newspaper and most-visited news site, has made a big-bang entry into the world of apps with the launch of iPad, iPhone, Android and BlackBerry apps. The apps use the latest advances in technology to give users the best browsing and reading experience on their devices.

The iPad app was launched on Monday (March 28) evening, and within hours it became the top free app in the India App Store of iTunes. In the US App Store too, under the free "news apps" category, it was steadily moving up, and was way ahead of other Indian news apps. The iPhone, Android and BlackBerry apps of TOI were launched on Wednesday (March 30). The iPhone app too is already ahead of many leading international news apps in the App Store. The Times of India is the only Indian newspaper to have apps for all these platforms. Apps for more platforms are coming soon.

Announcing the launch of the apps, Mr Rishi Khiani, CEO of Times Internet Ltd, said: "The future belongs to mobile devices, especially smartphones and tablets. Our apps aim to deliver our premium offerings to our readers who belong to the highest strata of society and are quick to adopt these devices."

The apps not only offer the in-depth and analytical coverage that is the hallmark of TOI's print editions, but also bring you news as it happens 24x7. Taking full advantage of the wide variety of content available with the Times Group, the apps offer a rich multimedia experience. They have photo galleries and videos from a range of categories including news, sports and entertainment.

TOI's iPad app marries the look and feel of print to the unique tablet experience. It also brings you Speed News, a first-of-its-kind service in the world, launched by timesofindia.com a few months ago. This service brings you minute-by-minute news updates from over 500 Times of India reporters in more than 80 cities across the country.

Acer replaces CEO after weak outlook triggers selloff

Taiwan's Acer, the world's No. 2 PC vendor, replaced its chief executive in a surprise move on Thursday, barely a week after it gave a downbeat outlook that wiped more than $1 billion off its market value in four days.

Its Italian chief executive, Gianfranco Lanci, will leave the company immediately due to differences over the strategy needed to counter the runaway success of the tablet market, which has cannibalised Acer's profits.

Chairman J.T. Wang taking over in an acting capacity, Acer said in a statement.

Acer, one of Taiwan's best-known brands, has been a dominant force in the PC business, particularly in the low-cost notebook segment. It said it will now focus on the tablet sector as well, an area where it has been slow in gaining traction against rival products such as Apple's hot-selling iPad.

"The industry has changed too much, that's why our successful formula in the past has to be adjusted," Wang told a news conference announcing the change.

"We will not keep talking about being the world's No.1 notebook maker anymore. Rather we need to a leader in mobile devices. We'll pursue brand value and profit and then we'll talk about quantity."

Google's new phone to double as credit card

Web giant Google has masterminded a mobile phone that doubles as a wallet.

Instead holding up checkout queues as customers rifle through their purses to find the right card, they will simply swipe the phone past an electronic reader to pay. And experts claim it is a safer method of payment than magnetic strip credit cards, a newspaper reported.

Google has teamed up with Citigroup and Mastercard to develop the mobile payment system specifically for the Android phone. They have also consulted VeriFone Systems, which makes credit card readers for cash registers. The phone will also store shopping habits and trends so that retailers and businesses can more efficiently target consumers with discounts and advertisements.

Google is not expected to get a cut of the transaction fees, according to Wall Street Journal. Initially, holders of Citigroup-issued debit and credit cards would be allowed to pay for purchases by activating a mobile payment application developed for one current model and many coming models of Android phones, it said.

Experts have claimed that it is safer method of payment than the traditional credit card. "Because it's contact-less there's a perception people can grab it from thin air, but it's actually a more sophisticated technology than credit cards with a magnetic stripe, making it more difficult to steal a consumer's payment information," said Nick Holland, a mobile-transactions analyst at Yankee Group.

Disclaimer: All information on this news has been compiled from their respective official websites or through public domain sites and leading newspapers. Although, we have taken reasonable efforts to provide you with accurate information, but we assumes no responsibility for the accuracy (or inaccuracy) of the Information and would advise you to verify it from the official product provider. We cannot guarantee that the information on this page is 100% correct. If you would like to advertise on our site please contact us

BlackBerry signs Indian-led company for tablet apps

BlackBerry maker Research In Motion (RIM) has entered into a deal with Indian-led Polar Mobile for exclusive development of apps to enhance appeal of its soon-be-launched PlayBook tablet.

A leading mobile content solutions enabler for large media companies, Toronto-based Polar Mobile is headed by Indian-origin Kunal Gupta. It has already developed over 180 apps for RIM's BlackBerry smart phones .

At about 20,000 RIM's app store compares poorly with Apple and Google's Android operating system which boast almost 290,000 and 150,000 apps respectively.

Apple's iPad alone has over 60,000 apps specifically for it. Over 290,000 iPhone apps can also run on the iPad at lower resolution.

But with RIM's decision to run Android applications on its tablet, PlayBook users could get access to 200,000 more apps.

Microsoft files EU competition complaint against Google

Microsoft Corp stepped up its rivalry with Google Inc on Thursday by filing a formal complaint with the European Commission claiming Google systematically thwarts Internet search competition.

It is the first time Microsoft -- itself the target of anti-competition action in the United States and Europe -- has filed a complaint with regulators over competition issues.

In its complaint, Microsoft claims Google engages in a "pattern of actions" that impede competition unfairly, giving numerous examples of what it believes are anticompetitive acts.

Google controls more than 90 percent of the Internet search advertising market in Europe, well ahead of Microsoft's rival Bing, which is struggling to make inroads into Google's market share.

Google did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment on the complaint.

Disclaimer: All information on this news has been compiled from their respective official websites or through public domain sites and leading newspapers. Although, we have taken reasonable efforts to provide you with accurate information, but we assumes no responsibility for the accuracy (or inaccuracy) of the Information and would advise you to verify it from the official product provider. We cannot guarantee that the information on this page is 100% correct. If you would like to advertise on our site please contact us

Microsoft working on new software for mobile payments

Microsoft is working on a version of its Windows Phone software that will let users buy merchandise with a flick of the handset at a checkout counter, two people familiar with the plans said. Microsoft plans to include mobile-payment technology in new versions of its operating system for smartphones as part of an effort to narrow Google's lead in handset software, said the people, who asked to remain anonymous because the features aren't public. The first devices boasting these features may be released this year, the people said.

The company joins a growing list of software providers aiming to benefit from rising demand for ways to purchase products and services on the go. Mobile payments may be used in $245 billion in transactions in 2014, up from $32 billion in 2010, according to Gartner chief executive officer Steve Ballmer is under pressure to regain mobile-software market share lost to Apple, maker of the iPhone, and Google's Android.

The phones running Microsoft's new software will be based on so-called Near Field Communication, which lets devices communicate wirelessly with objects immediately nearby. NFC technology enables payments and also lets consumers use a handset for other tasks, such as redeeming coupons and loyalty points at local merchants.

Mobile-software providers are weaving NFC support into their operating systems. Google has made NFC part of Android for mobile devices and in December introduced the first Android phone with NFC capabilities. Apple is said to be working on adding the feature to its mobile operating system, people familiar with the company's plans said in January.