Reliance Jio may announce an extension of its free services on Dhirubhai Ambani’s birthday

Reliance Jio started its journey on Dhirubhai Ambani’s birthday, 28th December last year when it opened its network for all of its employees. And there has never been a dull moment ever since including a massive war of words with the telecom operators to announcing free services through its ‘Welcome Offer’ for a year for all subscribers on the day of the commercial launch on 5th September 2016. Jio’s welcome offer was supposed to end on December 31, 2016. 

We are hearing from sources that Reliance Jio has big plans to announce the extension of free services for another three months on the birthday of the founder of Reliance Industries and father of Mukesh Ambani, Dhirubhai Ambani. This announcement could mean that Jio subscribers can continue to use Jio services for free till March 2017 and the telecom operator can continue to add more subscribers with the extension of free services. 

While it will be good news for the Jio customers but in the recent past,Jio subscribers have complained about the data speed deteriorating and calls failing . Reliance Jio has blamed the telecom operators for calls failing on Jio’s network, Jio has been in a major spat with telecom operators over the issue of ‘points of interconnection’ that essentially connects calls from one network to the other. Jio has complained about Airtel, Vodafone, Idea not complying with their licence agreement by not providing enough PoIs to Jio which is causing the huge amount of call failures on Jio network. As for the data speed it has seen a massive dip since the time of the commercial launch as the network has been loaded with a huge amount of subscribers hoping to use free services. 

The telecom operators in the country already have an issue with the long running trial testing service of Jio , even the telecom regulator of India, TRAI has specified a limitation on the number of days a trial offer can be offered, which is 90days. While it will be difficult for Jio to continue to offer free services to consumers but Jio has also said in the past that it would not be fair to charge customer if the services are not up to the mark. 

Symantec agrees to acquire LifeLock for $2.3 billion

Symantec has agreed to acquire LifeLock, a consumer identity-theft protect service for $2.3 billion. The acquisition of LifeLock will make Symantec the world's largest digital safety platform for consumers and families.

The deal has been approved by board of directors of both companies and is expected to close in the first calendar quarter of 2017. Symantec says it will finance the transaction with cash on the balance sheet and raise $750 million of new debt. LifeLock is believed to have over 4.4 million customers. This acquisition will create the world's largest consumer security business with annual revenues of over $2.3 billion.

"As we all know, consumer cybercrime has reached crisis levels. LifeLock is a leading provider of identity and fraud protection services, with over 4.4 million highly-satisfied members and growing.  With the combination of Norton and LifeLock, we will be able to deliver comprehensive cyber defense for consumers," said Greg Clark, Symantec’s CEO. "This acquisition marks the transformation of the consumer security industry from malware protection to the broader category of Digital Safety for consumers."

Symantec says people's identity and data are a prime targets of cybercrime and the security industry must step up its services in order to defend the users. "With the acquisition of LifeLock, Symantec adds a new dimension to its protection capabilities to address the expanding needs of the consumer marketplace," said Dan Schulman, Symantec’s Chairman of the Board.

"After a thorough review of a broad range of alternatives, our board of directors unanimously concluded that Symantec is the ideal strategic partner for LifeLock and offers our shareholders a significant premium for their investment, at closing," said Hilary Schneider, CEO of LifeLock. "Together with Symantec we can deploy enhanced technology and analytics to provide our customers with unparalleled information and identity protection services. We are very pleased to have reached an outcome that serves the best interests of all LifeLock stakeholders."

LifeLock turned into a public company in October 2012. ZDNet reports LifeLock's shares have gained roughly 40 percent this year and has a market cap of $1.95 billion. LifeLock has 855 employees and is based in Tempe, Arizona.

BSNL offers 3G data for Rs 56 per GB with one year validity

NEW DELHI: State-run BSNL is now offering 80 GB of 3G data for Rs 4498, valid for one year, according to a report by RTN Asia. The plan ultimately breaks down to Rs 56 per GB with one year validity.

BSNL’s data plan is similar to the long term data plans offered by other telcos like Bharti Airtel, Vodafone and Idea Cellular where with an upfront and subsequent payments one can get 3G/4G data for as less as Rs 54 per GB.

However, Airtel’s scheme would cost Rs 5770 for 80 GB of data which is 30% more than BSNL’s plan. Also, Idea’s plan for 80 GB would cost Rs 5500 per year. However, private telcos allow customers to choose their consumption of data, hence a lower amount with minimal consumption.

Also, with private operators, subscribers can get both 3G and 4G data, while BSNL is offering only 3G at the moment. BSNL is running the schemes only till Nov 30, after which rates and plans are likely to change.

The telco is also offering 60 GB for Rs 4000, 36 GB for Rs 2800 and 18 GB for Rs 1500, valid for one year. The plans are suitable for loyal customers of BSNL who are willing to go for a lump sum payment.

BSNL is also offering unlimited broadband for first six months in Tamil Nadu circle with charges of Rs 249 each month. The download speed is 2 Mbps up to 1 GB, and up to 1 Mbps beyond.

Trump threatened 'such problems' for Amazon, but Jeff Bezos has little to worry about

Try to buy signature men's wear from Donald Trump's corporate website, and you'll be directed to Amazon.com, where a navy blue necktie will cost you $29.99 and a cashmere blue coat runs close to $110.

It's the same Amazon that Trump harshly criticized during his campaign, saying it operated a monopoly with an unfair tax shelter that's somehow propped up by CEO Jeff Bezos's ownership of The Washington Post.

"Believe me, if I become president, oh do they have problems," Trump said at a rally in February. "They're going to have such problems."

Much of his anger was directed at the Post, which assigned at least 20 reporters to investigate his life during the campaign and published particularly damaging stories about his philanthropy, or lack thereof.

But what kind of problems could a Trump presidency actually inflict on Amazon, the site that's the default marketplace for his branded men's dresswear.

Nothing in the president-elect's proposed tax policy would hurt Amazon. In fact, quite the opposite is true.

The business tax rate would be reduced to 15 percent from 35 percent today, which would likely bolster Amazon's net income now that the company actually makes money. As for sales tax, Amazon collects it on items shipped to the 29 states and the District of Columbia where it's required.

Meanwhile, any connection that Trump tries to make between Amazon's business and the Post's influence ranges from conjecture to nonsense, like when the president-elect suggested that Bezos uses the newspaper's losses as a way to lower taxes paid by Amazon. 

Bezos bought the newspaper in 2013, more than 16 years after Amazon's IPO. The e-retailer has operated at either a loss or at near breakeven from the beginning.

Reliance Jio 4G SIM will now be home delivered

Reliance Jio services are expected to come out of the beta stage in January 2017. As the date of full launch of paid services comes closer, the new kid on the block is experimenting with new ways to enroll customers. To start with the company has started a pilot programme; to get Jio SIMs home delivered for individuals. Airtel tried a similar strategy when it launched its 4G services some time back.

The Jio pilot programme will be rolled out in a phased manner and individuals will receive an invite to schedule a Jio SIM delivery at home at a time of their choice. The program is currently in beta and is being rolled out area wise in Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Chennai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Pune, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Vizag, Chandigarh and Jaipur.

In another initiative, Jio is offering housing societies and offices the option to invite a company representative to set up a desk where users can get a SIM activated instantly through their Aadhar card. Users can avail this option through Jio’s website or by giving a missed mobile call to 1-800-200-200-9 and get the invite link. Users can register their interest on jio.com/en-in/register-interest.

Reliance’s free Welcome Offer is expected to end December 31, and after the free subscription is over; users will have to buy a 4G plan as per their requirement. Jio promises the cheapest 4G plans, at Rs 50 per GB. Reliance Jio will be offering 2GB of data for Rs 299 a month, 4GB at Rs 499 per month, 10GB at Rs 999, with the highest plan of 75GB for Rs 4,999. Users will also be getting unlimited data from 2am to 5am.

MobiKwik announces parternership with BSNL

New Delhi, November 18: Mobile payments company MobiKwik on Friday announced its partnership with Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) for cashless payment of bills.

The tie-ups will enable BSNL’s 38 million users to pay their phone bills without standing in queues and will also enable customers to tide over the current currency shortage due to demonetisation of high-value bank notes.

“MobiKwik urges people to transact with wallets and digital money as much as possible,” said Mrinal Sinha, Chief Operating Officer, MobiKwik, in a statement.

Amazon Prime Video coming to India in December 2016

The arrival of Amazon Prime as well as Prime Video in India has been anticipated for a very long time now. Leaks and rumours regarding the same date back to a few years ago, when Amazon introduced their Fire Tablets in India, which were pretty much useless without Prime support. 

Amazon Prime 
After years of limbo, Amazon finally launched Prime in India on the 26th of June this year at a staggeringly low Rs 499 per year. Prime currently offers free one-day and two-day delivery with no minimum order size, Prime-member only deals and early access to some deals on Amazon. 

Prime Video: Game changer? 
But now, according to a report by Mashable, Amazon is all set to launch Prime Video in India and it will be included in the Prime subscription charge. This means that for just Rs 499/year or Rs 42/month, Indian users will not only get access Prime Video and its immense catalog of movies and tv shows but also benefits like free one day delivery, no minimum order size and exclusive deals. 

It must be noted that the current price of Rs 499/year for Amazon Prime is an introductory offer which will later be increased to Rs 999/year. But even at Rs 999/year (Or Rs 84/month), Prime Video will be insanely cheaper than Netflix in India. 

Way cheaper than Netflix and HotStar 
Netflix’s Indian plans currently start at Rs 500/month and go all the way upto Rs 800. HotStar, Star Network's rival service is also more expensive at Rs 1200/ year. If this report turns out to be true, Amazon Video could be the game changer for video streaming in India. It could do for video streaming, what Jio has done for the telecom industry! 

Increasing local content library 
Amazon has been taking steps to bolster its local content library. Recently, it announced a long-term agreement with Dharma Productions that will make the catalogue of existing as well as upcoming Bollywood movies from the Karan Johar-led banner available on subscription-based streaming service Prime Video India. 

Additionally, It has entered into a similar agreement with T series and has acquired the rights for spin offs of Bollywood Hits like Bahubhali, Chota Bheem and Super Bheem. It has already announced a new animated series centred around Bahubhali. 

Amazon has also reportedly paid $10,000 to bid for the online rights of the Indian Premier League. 

Top Gear is now The Grand Tour 
After being fired from Top Gear earlier this year, Jeremy Clarkson along his two mates Richard Hammond and James May left BBC and crossed the ocean to join the folks over at Amazon Prime. 

Their new motoring show, ‘The Grand Tour’ will launch on Amazon Prime on November 18 and as things seem to be unfolding, Indian viewers will be be able to watch the trio at a very reasonable price. 

Amazon Prime: Still missing a few features 
While Video is now coming, there are a few aspects of Amazon Prime in India that are still lacking as compared to its US counterpart. We still don't have access to Prime Music, their could storage service as well Kinde Owners Lending Library. 

Lenovo Vibe K4 Note Launched...!

Lenovo has launched the Vibe K4 Note, successor to the popular K3 Note smartphone. Carrying a price tag of Rs. 11,999, the Lenovo Vibe K4 Note will be available exclusively from Amazon India in its first flash sale on January 19, with registrations beginning Tuesday.With this launch, Lenovo has clearly stated its intention to offer superior overall experience at a competitive price. The K4 Note takes multimedia experience to the next level by integrating Dolby Atmos powered dual front speakers, TheaterMax cinematic experience along with two affordable accessories- ANT VR headset and Skullcandy Ando earphones.The company also launched a Lenovo Vibe K4 Note bundle with AntVR virtual reality headset, priced at Rs. 13,299. The first few flash sales will only feature the Lenovo Vibe K4 Note VR Bundle, at a special price of Rs. 12,499. The VR headset features a stand alone price of Rs. 1,299. It will be available in its Tuxedo Black colour variant.

Lenovo Vibe K4 Note specifications

• 5.5-inch (1920 x 1080 pixels) IPS 178 degree wide-view display, with 450 Nits Brightness, 1000:1 contrast, Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection

• 1.3 GHz Octa-core MediaTek MT6753 processor with up to 450MHz Mali T720-MP3 GPU

• 3GB DDR3 RAM, 16GB internal storage, expandable memory up to 128GB with microSD

• Android 5.1 (Lollipop) with Vibe UI

• Dual (micro) SIM

• 13MP rear camera with dual-tone LED flash, PDAF, f/2.2 aperture, ISOCELL sensor

• 5MP front-facing camera

• Dimensions: 153.6 x 76.5 x 9.15~3.8mm; Weight: 158g

• Dual front-facing speakers, Dolby ATMOS, 3 microphones, Wolfson WM8281 audio codec

• 3.5mm audio jack, FM Radio

• 4G LTE / 3G HSPA+, WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS, NFC, USB OTG

• 3300mAh (Rated) built-in battery / 3400mAh (Typical)

The company announced that a premium leather cover, as well as wood covers would be launched soon. The smartphone also sports dual-front speakers, alongside Dolby Atmos audio. One of the highlight features of the handset is its fingerprint scanner, placed below the camera module on the rear panel. Sensors include a digital compass, accelerometer, proximity sensor, and ambient light sensor.

The company is also touting the TheaterMax technology on the Vibe K4 Note, which converts regular content to immersive VR content.

"More than 50 percent of digital content is consumed on mobile devices today, and smartphones continue to be people's' primary personal entertainment device. We expect the proportion will continue to grow in the future and the expectations of newer, more sophisticated functionalities along with it. Lenovo TheaterMax, powered by Lenovo VR, sets us apart with our commitment to design cutting-edge smartphones that meet the needs of consumers at an extremely friendly price-point," said Sudhin Mathur, Director- Smartphones, Lenovo Group.

Microsoft unveils Chromecast-like wireless display adapter

Microsoft has unveiled a Google Chromecast-like wireless display adapter for Miracast screen streaming. The adapter is available for preorder for $60 in the United States and Canada and will be available in stores from October.

The Wireless Display adapter has a two-headed cable with 3.46 inches dongle and an HDMI jack on one end while on the other end it function as a USB. The heads are compatible with projectors, TV and monitors which can transform the display into a receiver for mobile phone. With Miracast technology the user can be able to stream or stretch out the screens with compatible devices. Microsoft stated that the Wireless Display Adapter provides a reliable connection that may cover up to 23 foot radius. It is compatible with Miracast-enabled Windows 8.1 devices, as well as Android 4.2.1 or later based smartphones or tablets. Read: Microsoft introduces cross-platform Bluetooth mobile keyboard

Brandon LeBlanc of Microsoft said in a blog post, "Today we’re announcing the Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter, which connects to an HDTV, monitor, or projector and will let you easily share content from any Miracast-enabled device – including many PCs and Tablets running Windows 8.1. With the Wireless Display Adaptor, I don’t have to worry about getting everyone to huddle around a device. All the content I care about, along with audio, is easily shared on the big screen." - See more at: 

Google launched Chromecast “dongle” for $35 earlier this year. Chromecast has a beta app that allows the user to stream Android’s display into the TV. It is restricted to streaming from apps like Hulu, Netflix, YouTube and Chrome on Chromecast.

Snapdeal recently launched a Chromecast like media streaming dongle Teewe for an affordable price of Rs 1,999. Teewe has to be hooked up with your TV’s HDMI port and can be controlled by a smartphone app. It lets you stream content from YouTube, movies, photos and music stored on your PC once connected to the same Wi-Fi network.

Slow Windows 8 Startup??

There are a lot of people who say that their windows 8 machine slows down after a few weeks of installation.Many people downgrade to Windows 7 due to this problem.Though we don't know the correct reason for this,there is a trick to make windows 8 go again to its ultra fast boot speed.It is described below.

*goto control panel
*Select Power Options
*Select what the power button does from right panel

*Select Change Settings that are currently unavailable
*Uncheck fast Start up
*Reboot system twice
*Again Turn on fast startup
*And after a boot up you will probably you will get back speed
(Make sure no CDs or USB Devices except mouse and keyboard are inserted at time of startup)

Google Search app for Android gets Glass-like voice commands

Google has released a new update for its search app for Android that lets you use voice commands to activate camera and click pictures. Google has stated in a blog post that the camera will be activated in the user's preferred mode also.

Android users will just need to tap on the microphone icon on the Search app, or say 'Ok Google' to launch the default camera app with voice commands like 'take a picture' for launching the camera app in camera mode, and 'record a video' for opening the app in video mode. You don't have to use the recommended phrases, for example, even "open camera" will also work.

Google announced on its Google+ page yesterday, "Now with the Google Search App on Android, you can just tap the microphone or say "OK Google", then "take a photo" or "take a video."

Another feature announced is 'listen to TV' that works like Shazam. "If you happen to miss the name of one of the songs while watching, just tap the mic in your #GoogleSearch app (or say "OK Google") and say "listen to TV". You'll find out the title, artist and other cover versions," Google notes. The update has been launched in US only for now.

Google 3.0 update also gives SwiftKey-like abilities to the stock Android Keyboard. The keyboard app will keep track of your typing habits, lingo, preferred words, etc. and offer personalized suggestions accordingly. Google has set the feature on by default, but users can change it in the Google Keyboard settings menu.

Indian Student develops a shoe that charges phones while walking

12th class Indian student develops water proof shoe that charges your phone by walking.

Rajesh Adhikari, a 12th class student from Nainital has created a shoe that can charge a mobile phone.

Adhikari stated that he got the idea of making the water proof charger due to heavy snowfalls in Nainital that usually led to power shutdown in the city for long hours. This inspired him to make a powerhouse out of a shoe that utilizes the energy generated out of the footwear when a person walks.

Apparently, the charger can also be used to light a bulb at home when there is no electricity by installing a battery in the shoe. Adhikari is now working on further modifications on the design that will make this shoe a wireless phone charger.

Adhikari explained, "When we raise our feet, the spring gets released and the dynamo starts revolving, which generates current. We can charge our mobile phones while we are walking."

Recently, three Bangalore based engineering students launched a free voice calling service called FreeKall, for those who don't have internet access. Registered users can make domestic and international calls for 12 minutes in 24 hours while un-registered users can make 3 minute calls. The service makes money by making people listen to 10 second advertisements every 2 minutes during calls. Freekall has tied up with a media agency called Streetsmart Media Solutions for the advertisements. Once the service goes live, registered users will be able to make unlimited calls. The company is aiming for nearly $30 million in revenue by the end of the next fiscal year.

Aircel introduces free Facebook access plans for its subscribers

Aiming to tap social networking enthusiasts in the country, Aircel has launched a new scheme under which it offers free access to Facebook.

Telecom service provider Aircel has introduced a new plan under which it offers free access to Facebook for three months. Called 'Facebook for All' plan, Aircel will offer new customers free 50MB per month data on Facebook for 60 days after activation. After 50MB usage, users will have the option to access Facebook at 2p per 10 KB.

For existing users, the operator is offering 50MB for 30 days. Users can activate the plan by dialling *121*999#.

Currently, Aircel is offering this service in Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi and Maharashtra. The plan will be rolled out in other circles very soon.

“Aircel has positioned itself as a data leader by constantly innovating products and services aimed at redefining user experience, especially the youth.

“Over 75 million people access Facebook through their mobile phones in India and more than 60 per cent of Aircel customers who have data enabled handsets consume Internet on their phones. Considering this trend, the launch of the ‘Facebook for All’ service is a strategic and natural step to re-iterate our commitment towards increasing data proliferation and usage of Internet in the country,” Anupam Vasudev, Chief Marketing Officer, Aircel, is quoted as saying.

“‘Facebook for All’ by Aircel is a great initiative that will make the Internet affordable...,” said Kevin D'souza, Head of Growth and Mobile Partnerships, Facebook India.

Aircel's new Facebook access comes shortly after Uninor launched similar social networking plan. Uninor had announced new scheme under which it offers unlimited access to Facebook and WhatsApp for Rs. 15 per month.

CCI imposes fine of 1 crore on Google for non-cooperation

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has imposed a fine of Rs. 1 crore on Google for not co-operating in ongoing antitrust cases. In response, Google has expressed disappointment and assured commitment for co-operation in the investigations.

"The order was passed on a reference made by the DG to CCI alleging inter alia non-cooperation by Google in the pending investigations," the CCI said in its order.

The DG was conducting investigations into the informations filed by M/s Matrimony com private limited and Consumer Unity & Trust Society (CUTS) against Google for allegedly abusing its dominant power in the markets of online search and search advertising.

The CCI also directed Google to co-operate with the investigations by furnishing such other informations/ documents that may be required by the DG during the course of further investigations.

Expressing disappointment over the development, Google said in a statement: “While we are confident that our products are compliant with competition law in India, we continue to cooperate fully with the CCI's extensive and ongoing investigation."

The new development comes shortly after Google wrapped up its antitrust case with the European Union. Google, however, may face more troubles in India as unlike the U.S. and EU, Indian laws don't allow settlement process and withdrawal of complaints filed with the CCI.

Indian entrepreneurs can build next Google: Eric Schmidt

India's entrepreneurial innovators have the potential to build the 'next Google' if the country 'plays its cards right' and ensures Internet access for millions of its citizens, Google's executive chairman Eric Schmidt has said.

In an essay written for the book 'Reimagining India: Unlocking

The Potential of Asia's Next Superpower' edited by global consulting firm McKinsey, Schmidt dubbed India 'an Internet laggard' saying he feels Internet in the country today is like where it was in America in about 1994 - four years before Google was even born.
He said India must increase its Internet penetration across towns and cities, a move that will have a positive impact on its economy and society.
The former Google CEO said he witnessed the creative potential of India's people all around him in Silicon Valley where India-born entrepreneurs account for?40 % of start-ups.
'Just think what will happen when India's entrepreneurial innovators are able to create great global companies without leaving their country. They will change?the world. Hundreds of large firms focused on the Internet will be founded and will succeed by focusing purely on Indian consumers, Indian taste, Indian style,?Indian sports.
'Can anyone of those companies ultimately become the next Google? Of course.'
'That may not happen for quite a few years. But if India plays its cards right, we will soon see Indian engineers and small businesses tackling Indian problems first, then exporting the solutions that work best,' Schmidt said.
With a total population of 1.2 billion, India has over 600 million mobile-phone users but only about 150 million people regularly connect to the Internet.
In 2011, India's Internet penetration rate was 11%, 'far below' that of developed nations where penetration rates average 70%.
India's Internet penetration rate is less than a third of China's penetration ratio of 38 % and less than half of those in developing countries, which average 24%.
'By any reasonable definition, India is an Internet laggard... In spite of its well deserved reputation as one of the world's leading IT and software development hubs, India is far from being the connected society many foreigners imagine,' Schmidt said.
The number of India's broadband users, 20 million, is even smaller, Schmidt said however adding that India is on the cusp of a connectivity revolution.
'I believe India has the chance to leapfrog its current connectivity challenges, bring Internet access to a majority of its citizens - and even raise its penetration ratio to 60 or 70 % within the next 5-10 years,' he said.

HCL shutting down PC manufacturing business

Declining PC sales in the global market has finally started to take a toll on the PC makers, who have already been exploring new avenues with tablets and ultrabooks. PC maker HCL Infosystems has announced it is phasing out its PC manufacturing business – a move that is aimed to help the company better margins and focus on the services and distribution.

"We will be stopping manufacturing. My distribution today does lot of distribution of PCs of multiple brands... We will be in PC distribution and in after-sales services but will not manufacture HCL branded products some time in the future," HCL Infosystems CEO and managing director Harsh Chitale is quoted as saying.

Without disclosing the timeline for the phase out, Chitale said the plan is underway but "manufacturing is not something that is keeping me awake, it's not part of HCL story now".

On possibilities of job cuts, Chitale points out less than 3% of employees of HCL's 15,000-strong full-time employees are part of the manufacturing vertical.

"Of this less than three per cent are in manufacturing, while some will immediately find opening in repair services, the remaining people who could lose their jobs would be less than the natural monthly attrition rate," he said.

According to a TOI report, the PC business contributes about 8%, which is around Rs. 1,000 crore, to the company's overall revenues. With growing popularity of smartphones, tablets and phablets, HCL's PC business had been under an immense pressure. The Rupee's value against the Dollar and other currencies has also hit the Indian PC market, considering the fact that about 90-95% of the components are imported.

Research firm IDC's report for Q1 2013 showed a record dip in PC shipments worldwide. PC makers shipped 76.3 million units in the first three months of 2013, which is a 13.9% decline over the same period in 2012.

Move over Google Glass, Canadian companies want in on augmented reality

Augmented reality – looking at the world through an overlay of computer-generated information — was once the stuff of science fiction. But now, with Google's latest project, Google Glass, AR has been thrust into the mainstream.

The company wants its ultra-stylish, high-priced headband to change the way we view the world.

The world, for now, being the U.S., as Google Glass isn't going to be sold in Canada in the near future, no matter how eager some enthusiasts may be.

But that doesn't mean there isn't a Canadian alternative for a wearable computer. Take Epson's Moverio.

Yes, the California company that makes printers and projectors also makes a wearable, transparent display in glasses form, which has been modified into an AR training tool by Edmonton-based Scope Technologies.

The original display "really came out of the R&D side of our projector labs," explains Eric Mizufuka, product manager of Moverio at Epson America in Los Angeles.

"We've been working on projectors for 20-plus years and this particular product has been in existence in our labs for the last four to five."

Samsung Galaxy Note III to have 8-core CPU and 8-core GPU: Rumour

Samsung is on a roll not only with the devices that it is announcing globally, but with the upcoming devices making rounds on the rumour mills. The Samsung Galaxy Note III has been a highlight of these mills for quite some time now and there is new information circulating the Internet about its specifications.

Earlier, we had heard rumours that it would sport a 6.3-inch display. Then we heard some more gossip that it would have a 5.99-inch display. The information about the 5.99-inch display seemed to be stronger though, coupled with an expected 1920x1080 pixel resolution. Now, information is popping up which suggests that the Note III will have an 8-core CPU along with an 8-core GPU. The 8-core CPU is believable as it can be the Exynos 5 Octa, the same chipset that is powering the Galaxy S4. The 8-core GPU is something we will believe when Samsung officially announces the device.

For the rest of its specifications, the Galaxy Note II is expected to house a 13MP camera and also 3GB of RAM. The phablets will run on the latest version of Android, which could either be 4.3 or 5, depending on what Google announces at its annual I/O event. The OS will of course be skinned with Samsung’s TouchWiz UI. We can also expect some of Samsung’s shenanigans to make an appearance on the Note III such as Smart Stay, Smart Pause, S Health, and more.

Gmail and other Google services temporarily unavailable today in India

The Gmail server was reportedly down this morning in India, however things seems to be going fine now.

The glitch has not been reported officially by Google on their website or blog, however users on Twitter were grumbling that Gmail could not be accessed for over an hour.

Users were receiving a 502 error while trying to get through any Google service.

Tweets suggest that users from India were facing a problem. The head of Mumbai Financial Times, James Crabtree said he has been told that the reason for the outage was a power cut in Gurgaon.

502 errors happen because of weak IP communication between servers. Previous reports suggest that Google users have faced similar problems, but this time a wide array of Google services were affected.

Users complaints against Gmail were all over Twitter. One of the Twitter user tweeted "The world is coming to an end . Gmail is down!"

YouTube Announces It Will Shut Down

On Sunday morning YouTube released a video titled “YouTube’s ready to select a winner.”  In it, employees from the video sharing site explain that, starting at midnight on March 31st, the site will go offline.  YouTube staff will then have the unenviable task of selecting the best-ever YouTube video, with a winner announced when the site went back up—in 2023.

“We are so close to the end,” Tom Liston, communications director at YouTube, explains in the video. “Tonight at midnight, YouTube.com will no longer be accepting entries.  After eight amazing years, it’s finally time to review everything that has been uploaded to our site and begin the process of selecting a winner.”

(MORE: The Future of YouTube: More Channels in More Places)

The video, reportedly made in collaboration with the Onion, features cameos from YouTube celebrities like Antoine Dodson, who rose to Internet fame for the viral “Bed Intruder” Auto-Tune video, Matt Harding of “Where the Hell is Matt? 2012,” and Charlie and his brother from “Charlie Bit My Finger.”  Each of them share their dream of winning the title of best-ever YouTube video.

Luckily for YouTube fans, it’s all a big April Fool’s Day joke.

MORE: Psy’s ‘Gangnam Style’ Is Now the Most-Watched YouTube Video of All Time

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=H542nLTTbu0