MapmyIndia launches Connect, allows users to mirror their smartphone/tablet on a bigger screen

MapmyIndia has launched a new device called Connect, that allows users to mirror their smartphone or tablet to their preferred screen of choice.The idea behind the device is to break free from the hassles of screen size without any wired connection. The device will be compatible with both Android and iOS platforms, and the Miracast tech used would make it completely wireless.

It also aims at better navigation experience for users. With Connect, users with a car AV system can make use of this service using the MapmyIndia maps application. It allows users to view content like apps, videos and games from their mobile devices onto a larger screen including television. It comes with AV and Micro USB connectivity options.

Priced at Rs.12,990, the device comes bundled with a USB cable, DLNA- Miracast convert switch, Wi-Fi Antenna, Wi-Fi/RCA/Power cable and an owner's manual which comes with hardware manual, a warranty card and terms of use.

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Logitech G602 wireless gaming mouse launched

Logitech India has launched a new wireless gaming mouse called G602. Logitech says its new mouse delivers 250 hours of battery life, and features Delta Zero sensor technology.“Gamers always need the high on features yet convenient products to give them an edge on the gaming grid. The gaming environment has undergone a tremendous change in the last decade and is currently marked with contests and multi-player rivalry. With G602, you get the freedom from cords, clutter and any sort of game interference,” says the company in a release.

The Logitech G602Wireless Gaming Mouse is available in India for about Rs. 6,495.

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HTC One Max, 5.9-inch quad-core Android phablet launched

HTC has officially launched its One Max smartphone in India with MRP of Rs. 61,490 and MoP of Rs. 56,490. HTC is also offering two new accessories with the One Max - HTC Mini+ and HTC Fetch – which cost Rs. 7,799 and Rs. 2,399 respectively.The company is offering 50GB of Google Drive storage for two years with the smartphone. Moreover, there's a power flip cover available with the phone that provides an additional 1,200 mAh battery.

The HTC One Max runs Android 4.3 Jelly Bean with HTC Sense 5.5 and BlinkFeed. The smartphone/phablet is powered by a Snapdragon 600 chipset with a 1.7GHz quad-core Krait 300 CPU along with the Adreno 320 GPU and 2GB of RAM. It comes with 16GB of built-in storage, and memory card support for up to 64GB additional storage. The smartphone has the Ultrapixel camera and 2.1MP front-facing camera.The smartphone also has the Fingerprint Scan feature that unlocks phone and launches favourite apps with a swipe.

HTC One Max supports 3G, GPS, Wi-Fi EEE 802.11 a/ac/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC, DLNA, HTC Connect and microUSB 2.0. The smartphone comes with a 3,300 mAh battery, which is rated to deliver talktime up to 25 hours.

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Winamp to shut down, llamas all over the world

Winamp, the popular desktop music player will be shutting down. AOL  has announced that it will be closing down Winamp (and its related services) on December 20, following which, the software will be unavailable to download from official websites.Winamp still remains one of the most popular music players on desktops but ever since the advent of the iPod and iTunes and the more recent emergence of streaming players like Spotify, user share has dipped. In 2004, Nullsoft, the developer of Winamp, was bought by AOL for $80 million. Even now, Winamp is said to generate about $6 million of revenue annually for AOL, so the reason behind the decision to shut it down remains a strange one.

    The first version of Winamp (0.2a) was launched in 1997 as freeware by Justin Frankel and Dmitry Boldyrev with a focus on minimalism and MP3 playback. Winamp continued to evolve and soon after v2.0 released, it quickly became one of the most downloaded software on Windows. Winamp3 was released in 2002, following which in 2003, Winamp 5, the biggest visual change in the player’s history (and the final ‘major’ version upgrade), was launched. Winamp v5.66 was released yesterday, and will probably be the final official update for the music player.

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IRCTC launches e-wallet scheme to make simple ticket booking

Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has been making various efforts to make ticket reservation/cancellation process easier for people. IRCTC has now taken one step further in this direction as it launches a new e-wallet scheme for users.

According to an IRCTC official, the current system takes a relatively long time as the customer is directed to a bank's service, from IRCTC service, to make the payment and the again redirected to the IRCTC website.Only PAN card verified users can register for the e-wallet scheme. In case of cancelling a ticket, IRCTC will credit the refund to the e-Wallet account next day.

The official asserted that there are many instances when customer's login in the IRCTC website expires during the money transaction, thus money is deducted from user's account but he is unable to retrieve the ticket.E-wallet scheme ensures the customer is not directed to the bank's server for the payment, ultimately saving considerable time and increasing accuracy. 

The official reveals the new initiative has received good response since its launch in the second week of this month.So far, about 4,000 registration have been made for the IRCTC e-wallet scheme.

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Google Play launched Newsstand app

Newsstand app for Android users. The app combines subscriptions from newspapers, magazines with content from blogs and other sources.Google Play Newsstand app includes both paid subscriptions and Flipboard-like newsreader content in a card view. Once the user opens Newsstand, the app takes you to "Read Now," that has breaking news, trending articles from publications that you follow. and other items that Newsstand thinks you will enjoy based on your reading history.

Newsstand brings to you to articles and stories from some of the world’s top newspapers like The Financial Times, The Australian, The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal as well as popular magazines like The Economist, The New Yorker and pouplar blogs like TMZ and The Verge."It’s a nice, highly designed feed that is tailored for you and your personal interests," says Scott Dougall, director of product management for Newsstand. "The more you use it, the better it gets. Even on day one, it’s super relevant."

"With the swipe of a finger, you can browse full length articles, with beautiful images, audio and video right inside the app. You can access these articles even when you're offline or bookmark them to read later," said Google in a blog post about the app.

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Facebook Messenger with phone number integration for iOS and Android

Facebook had announced that the phone number integration with the Messenger app was in limited beta testing on iOS till now. But, as of this morning, you can download the updated Facebook Messenger app on your iPhone or Android smartphone. This option now gives the app the added flexibility of allowing you to message your friends who are in your phone’s contacts list, but not on Facebook.The interface has been given a makeover as well, with the cleaner look and a redesigned icon.

Clearly the pressure is now on Whatsapp, with Facebook Messenger also jumping in the fray for a pie of the instant messaging market. The current IM ecosystem leader was already facing pressure from the BlackBerry Messenger, which has seen a rather exciting launch recently, and already added more than 10 million users on Android alone in the first week of launch. Whatsapp currently has around 300 million users, and counting.

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New Lord of the Rings game announced by Warner Bros

Warner Bros. has officially announced a new Lord of the Rings game for next-gen consoles called Middle- Earth: Shadow of Mordor, an open-world action game set in the time frame between The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings.It fits somewhere between the 'LOTR' trilogy and 'The Hobbit'. The protagonist will be a lone ranger by the name of 'Talion' as he journeys deep into the heart of Mordor before it turns into a wasteland. Folks at Monolith will also be exploring the 'Nemesis system', one in which every player shapes the villains they encounter according to their gameplay style.

Via press release, here's WB describing the game:

'In Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor, players explore an original story of vengeance and redemption as they take control of Talion, a ranger whose family is murdered at the hands of Sauron and his army the night they return to Mordor.Developed for next-gen consoles, Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor introduces the Nemesis System, a powerful and dynamic gameplay mechanic that allows players' actions to shape enemy relationships and characteristics to create personal and unique story and gameplay arcs that are persistent even after death. Players experience a unique game every time as the dynamic world reacts and adapts to their choices'. Developed by folks at Monolith Studios, Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor will be available on the PC, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS3 and PS4 in 2014.

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