Free Apps To Beat TRAI’s 100-SMS Per Day Rule

For those addicted to instant messaging, fret not over the telecom regulator’s  100 sms per day cap. A host of apps like WhatsApp and Nimbuzz can help you get around the problem.

1. Nimbuzz: If you don’t have a smartphone, there’s no need to feel left out.

Nimbuzz, A free software  links you to friends through the internet and even works on a cheap phone. The free app works on every phone and is not restricted to only smartphones. It allows you to send messages  to other instant messenger applications like Windows Live, Google Talk or Facebook. The app also allows free voice calls to other Nimbuzz users over WiFi or 3G without using any voice minutes. For a symbian phone which does not have push mail service Nimbuzz helps you stay connected. Just log in and Nimbuzz gives you multiple options— Chat, text messages, phone calls,  sharing of  pictures or multimedia files— all for free.  The only thing you have to pay for is your internet!.

You can download the app here.

Cnectd : For a different flavour, try  Cnectd— a mobile messaging and social networking free application for smart phones.  The best thing about it is that it uses very little of your phone battery but works just like the BlackBerry Messenger. It  does everything Nimbuzz can, but only on smartphones. You can download the app from http://getjar.com/Cnectd.

 WhatsApp: WhatsApp Messenger  is another free  cross-platform mobile messaging app which allows you to exchange messages without having to pay for SMS. Messaging is clean and simple and you can share unlimited video and audio files. WhatsApp is available for iPhone, BlackBerry, Android and Nokia and yes, those phones can all message each other! Moreover, it prompts everyone on your contact list to download the application on their phones.

Download the app here.

GroupMe: A free app that lets you create groups and start conversations with multiple people. Once you add the people you want to create a conversation with, just start typing. Each group receives its own phone number that everyone in the group is assigned to.  It offers the ability to include pictures in messages, make conference calls and send questions to Facebook and Twitter. The app works on Android, BlackBerry and Iphone devices.

You can download the app here.

But if you are willing to spend a little, start saving up now and buy youself a BlackBerry that enables unlimited instant messaging among BlackBerry users.

The World's First Flexible Cell Phone...

Samsung Galaxy Skin: So tough it can be hit with a hammer

Your flexible friend? Samsung to release bendy-screened phones 'in Spring 2012' - so tough they can be hit with a hammer

By Rob Waugh

The Galaxy Skin phone will be so flexible you can roll it up - and may be in shops early next year

Demonstrations of 'bendable' screens have been a staple of technology shows ever since there were screens small enough for us to carry.

This week, Samsung has given the strongest sign yet that the hi-tech devices might become reality.

The company demonstrated 'bendable' AMOLED screens 4.5 inches across and just 0.3mm thick in January this year.

Reports this week hint that phones using the technology - which can be 'rolled up' and survive hammer blows - will appear in the second quarter of next year.

The technology relies on atom-thick layers of 'graphene' - sheets of carbon atoms - sandwiched together, protecting a layer of liquid crystal 'screen'.

Earlier this year, reports leaked that Samsung had the capacity to manufacture large amounts of the screen by 'early 2012' - but no one knew what they might be for.

Samsung later released pictures of a concept phone using the technology - the Galaxy Skin.

The phone would be no mere novelty.

Phones using Graphene screens would be practically unbreakable, and offer an instant advantage over every other smartphone on the market.

Now, according to reports in the International Business Times, the handsets could be on sale early next year.

The report was remarkably specific, stating that the handset would offer specifications including a high-resolution 800×480 flexible AMOLED screen, eight megapixel camera and 1Gb of RAM as well as a 1.2GHz processor.

Those specifications sound suspiciously similar to the spec of Samsung's current flagship, the Galaxy S II, however.

Will Findlater, editor of Stuff magazine told Mail Online today, 'AMOLED is already the mobile screen technology to beat, so if it’s as good as promised, flexible AMOLED could put an end to smashed smartphone displays - and tablets, which are even more fragile.'

Samsung's Galaxy Skin - unveiled as a concept earlier this year - could be on sale as early as Spring 2012, according to recent reports

Layers of 'Graphene' - atom-thick layers of carbon - will be used to create paper-thin 'foldable' screens in the Samsung Galaxy Skin

'The potential for tablets that can fold to the size of a smartphone is especially exciting – you could have two gadgets for the price of one,' says Findlater.

It's perhaps wise to be a little sceptical however.

Samsung has made no official announcement regarding the product, and while they definitely can manufacture the technology - it was freely on show earlier this year - the 'gulf' between that and a working phone ready to go into mass production is huge.

'Flexible' screens have been demonstrated in various forms since as early as 2004 - with tech insiders suggesting that laptops or e-Book readers might one day take the form of a 'pen' housing a processor with a 'sheet' of paper-like screen wrapped around them.

Other ideas have included using tiny, flexible screens like electronic Post-it notes.

Facebook Is Tracking Your Every Move on the Web; Here’s How to Stop It

By Alan Henry

The Issue: Facebook's Social Apps are Always Watching

Over the weekend, Dave Winer wrote an article at Scripting.com explaining how Facebook keeps track of where you are on the web after logging in without your consent. Nik Cubrilovic dug a little deeper, and discovered that Facebook can still track where you are, even if you log out. Facebook, for its part, has denied the claims. Regardless of who you believe, here's how to protect yourself, and keep your browsing history to yourself.

The whole issue has stirred up a lot of debate in privacy circles over the past few days. Here's what the fuss is about, and what you can do to protect your privacy if you're worried.

For quite some time now, Facebook's user tracking hasn't been limited to your time on the site: any third-party web site or service that's connected to Facebook or that uses a Like button is sending over your information, without your explicit permission. However, Winer noticed something mostly overlooked in last week's Facebook changes: Facebook's new Open Graph-enabled social web apps all send information to Facebook and can post to your profile or share with your friends whether you want them to or not.

Essentially, by using these apps, just reading an article, listening to a song, or watching a video, you're sending information to Facebook which can then be automatically shared with your friends or added to your profile, and Facebook doesn't ask for your permission to do it. Winer's solution is to simply log out of Facebook when you're not using it, and avoid clicking Like buttons and tying other services on the web to your Facebook account if you can help it, and he urges Facebook to make its cookies expire, which they currently do not.

Digging Deeper: Logging Out Isn't Enough

Nik Cubrilovic looked over Winer's piece, and discovered that logging out of Facebook, as Winer suggests, may deauthorize your browser from Facebook and its web applications, but it doesn't stop Facebook's cookies from sending information to Facebook about where you are and what you're doing there.

Writing at AppSpot, he discovered that Facebook's tracking cookies-which never expire, are only altered instead of deleted when a user logs out. This means that the tracking cookies still have your account number embedded in them and still know which user you are after you've logged out.

That also means that when you visit another site with Facebook-enabled social applications, from Like buttons to Open Graph apps, even though you're a logged out user, Facebook still knows you're there, and by "you," we mean specifically your account, not an anonymous Facebook user. Cubrilovic notes that the only way to really stop Facebook from knowing every site you visit and social application you use is to log out and summarily delete all Facebook cookies from your system.

Why You Should Care

If you're the type of person who doesn't really use Facebook for anything you wouldn't normally consider public anyway, you should take note: everything you do on the web is fair game. If what Cubrilovic and Winer are saying is true, Facebook considers visiting a web site or service that's connected to Facebook the same thing as broadcasting it to your friends at worst, and permission for them to know you're there at best.

Facebook says that this has nothing to do with tracking movements, and that they have no desire to collect information about where you are on the web and what you're doing. They want to make sure that you can seamlessly log in at any time to Facebook and to sites and services that connect with it and share what you're doing.

In fact, a number of Facebook engineers have posted comments to Winer's original post and Cubrilovic's analysis pointing this out. There's also some excellent discussion in this comment thread at Hacker News about the issue as well. Essentially, they say this is a feature, not a problem, so if you have an issue with it, it's up to you to do something about it.

What Can I Do About It?

Whether or not Facebook is tracking your browsing even when you're logged out, if you don't want third-party sites to send data to Facebook, you have some options. You could scrub your system clean of all Facebook.com cookies every time you use Facebook, but a number of developers have already stepped up with browser extensions to block Facebook services on third-party sites. Here are a few:

• Facebook Privacy List for Adblock Plus is perfect for those of you who already have AdBlock Plus installed (get ABP for Chrome or Firefox). Just download the subscription and add it to AdBlock Plus to specifically block Facebook plugins and scripts all over the web—including the Like button-whenever you're not visiting Facebook directly.
• Facebook Disconnect for Chrome keeps Facebook from dropping those tracking cookies on your system in the first place, and disables them when you're finished using Facebook-enabled services. It's essentially an on/off switch for third-party access to Facebook servers, meaning you'll still be able to log in to Facebook and use the site normally, but when you're visiting another site or using another application, that site or service won't be able to use your information to communicate with Facebook.

• Full size

  

  Disconnect for Chrome and Firefox is a new plugin from the developer behind Facebook Disconnect, but it doesn't stop with Facebook. Disconnect takes protection to a another level and blocks tracking cookies from Facebook, Google, Twitter, Digg, and Yahoo, and prevents all of those services from obtaining your browsing or search history from third party sites that you may visit. The app doesn't stop any of those services from working when you're visiting the specific sites, for you can still search at Google and use Google+, but Google's +1 button likely won't work on third party sites, for example. The extension also lets you see how many requests are blocked, in real time as they come in, and unblock select services if, for example, you really want to Like or +1 an article you read, or share it with friends.

Ultimately, the goal of all of these tools is to give you control over what you share with Facebook or any other social service, and what you post to your profile, as opposed to taking a backseat and allowing the service you're using to govern it for you. What's really at issue is exactly how deep Facebook has its fingers into your data, and how difficult they-and other social services-make it to opt out or control what's sent or transmitted. That's where extensions like these come in.

However you feel about it, Facebook likely won't change it in the near future. If you're concerned, you should to take steps to protect your privacy. As a number of commenters at Hacker News point out, it's not that there's anything inherently "good" or "evil" about what Facebook is doing-that would be oversimplifying an already complex topic. It's really an opt-in/opt-out issue.

What do you think of the assertions? Do you think Facebook has a vested interest in knowing as much about you and your browsing habits as possible, or is this much ado about nothing? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

source: lifehacker.com

Navigation Friendly Phones

GPS-enabled phone, check. Mapping software, check. Smooth running of maps on the phone, uncheck?

You can't have a map to everywhere (it is not advisable either!) but you can surely have a phone that supports map apps and helps you explore new surroundings or just find your way out of a forest. Check out the phones that are best suited for interruption-free navigation.

Blackberry 9900, Price: Rs 32,490

Bold 9900 is different from other Blackberry phones because apart from touch display, it has a keypad that can be used for typing in the destination. Also, you can install Google Maps, Waze and MapmyIndia Sygic on this phone though it comes with BlackBerry Maps.

SPECS: 2.8-inch display; 5 MP camera; 8GB onboard memory, 32GB expandable; A-GPS, Bluetooth, 3G, Wi-Fi; 130 gm; 1230 mAh battery.

Nokia N8, Price: Rs 22,000

With Nokia's Ovi Maps pre-installed, you don't need any other software. Select maps from the main menu and the device will instantly build a satellite connection and track your current position. The voice directions are useful when you are driving alone. Good at multitasking, you can switch between other applications as well.

SPECS: 3.5-inch display; 8 MP camera; A-GPS support with OVi Maps, Bluetooth, 3G, Wi-Fi; 135 gm; 1200 mAh battery.

Apple iPhone 3G S, Price: Rs 19,990

If you recently brought an iPhone 3GS, thinking that it is, after all, an Apple iPhone, don't worry. Even the Phone 3G S is good at handling navigation. Similar in many respects to the iPhone 4, it comes with Google Maps and digital compass for navigation.

SPECS: 3.5-inch display; 3.15MP camera; 16GB/32GB; A-GPS with digital compass; Google Maps on board.

HTC Wildfire S, Price: Rs 13, 500

You don't want to spend much but still wish to experience navigation experience on your phone? Try out the HTC Wildfire S. Powered by a 600MHz processor, it might not offer you the best and smoothest navigation but it isn't bad either. Once again an Android offering, this too has Google Maps on board.

SPECS: 3.2 inch display; 5 MP camera; 512 MB RAM, 32GB expandable; 3G, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi; 105 gms; 1230 mAh

Samsung Galaxy S II, Price: Rs 30,000

Touted to be the fastest smartphone in the industry, the Galaxy SII is powered by 1.2GHz dual core processor along with 1GB RAM. Hence, be it launching applications, browsing applications or even using AGPS, everything happens within a fraction of a second. The big capacitive bright display makes text input really very simple and the Google Maps on board along with digital compass offers an excellent navigation experience.

SPECS: 4.3-inch display; 8 MP camera; 16GB internal memory; A-GPS, 3G, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi; 116 gm; 1650 mAh battery.

Apple iPhone 4, Price: Rs 34,500 (16 GB)

The next version of the iPhone is in the offing, but this doesn't mean the iPhone 4 isn't worth considering. The retina display is a killer and the A-GPS support along with digital compass is all you can ask for. Google Maps comes pre-installed on this phone. With plenty of navigation software and location-based apps available on App Store, you can do a lot more with this device.

SPECS: 3.5-inch display; 5 MP camera; 16GB/32GB onboard memory; A-GPS with digital compass, Wi-Fi, 3G; Google Maps on board.

LG Optimus 2x, Price: Rs 25, 499

If you have a tight budget and cannot afford to shell out Rs 30,000 for Samsung Galaxy SII, consider the LG Optimus 2x. It is powered by 1GHz dual-core processor and looks super fast in comparison to many other smartphones with a single core processor. The big and bright display can easily compensate for a navigator screen and the Google Maps pre-installed are good for basic routing.

SPECS: 4-inch display; 8 MP camera; 8GB onboard storage, 32GB expandable; A-GPS support with Google Maps, Bluetooth, EDGE, Wi-Fi, 3G; 139 gm; 1500 mAh battery.

Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc, Price: Rs 27,270

A perfect blend of beauty with brains is what you will say about the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc. Even with a 4.2-inch capacitive touch display, it is lightweight and looks stylish. By accessing settings, you can switch on GPS and enjoy navigation on the preinstalled Google Maps.

SPECS: 4.2-inch display; 8 MP camera; 320 MB storage memory, 32GB expandable; A-GPS with Google Maps, EDGE, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 3G; 117 gm; 1500 mAh battery.

Microsoft Teases Windows 8 Feature

Could the '8' in Windows 8 represent how many seconds it takes Microsoft's newest operating system to boot?

A new video, posted on the Building Windows 8 blog, shows that the much-anticipated, re-designed followup to Windows 7 can boot from power-off to start screen on a notebook PC in under ten seconds. This would make it--as many of you running Windows 7 know--much, much faster than the current Windows.

Check this out:

Windows 8 is able to boot so quickly, according to the blog post, by putting the "kernel sesion" into hibernate mode rather than closing it down completely (as happens on current Windows machines). Rather than having to completely boot back up from nothing, your computer will now essentially come back from hibernate mode after you power down. For a full, more technical explanation of how Windows currently shuts down versus how it will shut down in Windows 8, read the Microsoft engineer's explanation here.

The cynics out there will say that it's a good thing this new Windows boots so quickly since you have to restart it so often, and the blog post even mentions that the team is working on "reducing the number of required restarts due to patching running code" for their updated OS. Still, if the Microsoft engineering team can replicate the speed shown in this demo on a wide scale, then Windows 8 just got a great new feature.

The Building Windows 8 blog launched in August and offers users gradual sneak peeks at the development of the OS.

Microsoft debuted Windows 8 at AllThingsD's annual conference in June 2011, and the interface appeared radically different from what Windows users are used to. What was shown off at that conference resembled the Windows Phone mobile interface much more than it did the more familiar Windows for PC. When it launches, Windows 8 will be optimized for touch-and-slide gestures on tablets and smartphones (Mac's Lion OS X, too, has been "iOS-ified," taking on several touch-and-slide capabilities familiar to iPhone users).

For now, there is no word on a release date for Windows 8, though Steve Sinofsky, President of Windows and Windows Live, told Engadget in June that they were set to release a new Windows build once every two to three years: Windows 7 was released on October 22, 2009.

Android Phones To Monitor MNREGA

Google’s sweethearts, the little green robots, are getting all dusty and dirty in rural India these days. No, they aren’t on a vacation in these rustic farmlands but are rather doing some serious chores. Android phones are now being used by officers to monitor the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) projects in Bihar.

The District administration of Munger in Bihar has started this initiative and inspectors of MNREGA schemes in all panchayats have been given Android smartphones that have Bizframe’s Mobile Inspector app pre-installed on them.

Project officials are now able to send detailed reports of workers on site, pictures of working labor force and image proofs of social audit meetings, which are tagged with the GPS location of where the pictures were clicked.

The site supervisors can also complete their project reports and send them immediately over mobile networks thus saving several hours of clerical paper work each day.

More on the Story Here

How To Convert Mobile Into A Universal Remote

Your smartphone can do more than you think. With some additional hardware or apps, it can remotely start your car, control various appliances in your home, control A/V equipment like TVs & home theatre systems and even your PC.

Read on to find about the various free apps and systems available today that allow your smartphone to work as a universal remote control.

Remotely control your home

Crestron is one of the leading brands for home automation. Although each installation usually comes with its own universal remote control, Crestron also provides apps for iOS and Android devices.
These apps connect to the Crestron system using Wi-Fi (for seamless access anywhere ) and allow you to remotely control any home appliances or gizmos that are wired into the system. Plus, you need not be at home to control your air conditioning or lighting for instance - you could do it from anywhere you have a data connection . The Android and iPhone/iPod Touch apps are free, but the iPad app costs a hefty $99.

Remotely start your car

Viper SmartStart for your Car enables you to lock, unlock or start your car using an iOS, Android or BlackBerry smartphone. For this to work, you need a Viper security system and smartphone module installed in your car.
The app also remembers where your car was parked and shows directions on your phone using augmented reality. Currently , SmartStart only works with US-based GSM providers, though the company is working on making the app work anywhere. For more information check out www.viper.com

Remote apps for PC/ Mac

Mobile operating systems offer a number of applications to control various aspects of your PC/MAC. You can choose to control just the mouse pointer and input text or you could control various applications such as the audio player, video player, presentations and so on.
Each app requires a small server application installed on your PC/MAC, which is also available for free.

Android

Gmote is a free application that lets you control your PC, MAC or Linux music and video player over Wi-Fi . It shows various controls on screen with the album art in the background and can even be used to browse and select files for playback.
Another free (ad-supported ) app called WIN-Remote offers connections to your Windows PC over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. It provides control over almost everything - browser, task manager, video/audio players, image viewers and even presentations.
If you want to control specific media players, the Android Market and Apple App Store have free apps for common ones like VLC, Windows Media Player, Media Player classic, XBMC, iTunes & Foobar.

iPhone/iPod Touch

One of the best free remote apps for the iPhone/iPod Touch is Logitech Touch Mouse. It connects to your machine over Wi-Fi and converts the 3.5-inch display into an input device. You get full control over the mouse pointer with multi-touch gestures thrown in too.
An onscreen keyboard can be used to enter text input when required. Apple's own free app called 'Remote' is perfect when you just want to control iTunes.
Similarly, there are apps like i-Clickr to control presentations , VLC remote for VLC player, PowerDVD remote and a Remote X app that lets you control a variety of media players with a single interface.

BlackBerry

Vectir's Bluetooth/Wi-Fi Remote allows you to launch and control VLC Media Player, iTunes, Windows Media Player and even PowerPoint presentations . It even has a remote desktop feature to view and control the desktop from your BlackBerry or Android device. Like Logitech's offering, mouse and keyboard input can be done using your phone.
The app can be used for free for the first 30 days, after which you will need to purchase a license for the desktop server app (a one-time purchase of $10) from www.vectir.com. Unlike the others, Vectir also supports Java ph

Micromax Takes A Jab At Apple With A Cheeky Ad

By Rajat Agrawal

This has to be one of the most brazen advertising targeting the iPhone we have seen in the longest time (remember those cheap Chinese rip-off with iOS screenshots?).

Micromax today released its “i (can afford this) Phone ad campaign that talks about its A70 Android phone, priced at Rs 7,999.

Yeah, the features are just about okay (a 600 MHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, anyone?) but we have to take our hats off for creativity and sheer guts.

Facebook Robbed You?

Facebook stole every contact and phone number in your phone – here’s how to undo the damage

By Zach Epstein

This may come as a shock considering how seriously Facebook takes your privacy, but if you’re a Facebook user with one of Facebook’s mobile applications installed on your iPhone or one of several other smartphones, you’ve been robbed. Each and every contact stored on your phone is probably now also stored on Facebook’s servers, as was re-re-rediscovered by Facebook users this past week.

Whether or not people in your contact list even have Facebook accounts, their names and phone numbers are likely now in Facebook’s possession.

There is probably a clause buried deep within Facebook’s terms and conditions that makes this invasion of your privacy OK on paper, but odds are still pretty good that it’s not OK with you.

Complete instructions outlining how to remove all of your contacts’ phone numbers from your Facebook account can be found below. Whether or not the data will be completely wiped from Facebook’s servers is unclear, but we’ll leave that for the lawyers to figure out.

UPDATE: A Facebook spokesperson delivered the following official statement via email: “Rumors claiming that your phone contacts are visible to everyone on Facebook are false.

Our Contacts list, formerly called Phonebook, has existed for a long time.

The phone numbers listed there were either added directly to Facebook and shared with you by your friends, or you have previously synced your phone contacts with Facebook.

Just like on your phone, only you can see these numbers.”

1. Visit facebook.com from a PC and log in
2. in the top-right corner of the screen, click on Account and then Edit Friends
3. In the menu on the left side of the screen, click on Contacts
4. Here, you will see that each and every one of your contacts in Address Book are listed along with their phone numbers… wipe the look of shock and disgust from your face
5. On the right side of the screen, click on the “this page” link
6. Follow the instructions on this page — you’ll have to disable contact-sync in Facebook’s mobile app if it’s enabled — and click the Remove button

Note: Many users note that Facebook’s mobile apps now carry disclaimers that mention the fact that Facebook is taking your data.

Of course Facebook does currently include a disclaimer, though the wording makes no mention of this data being stored on its servers until manually deleted by the user.

Even still, this has not been the case with all versions of the app, and there are also numerous reports from users who claim to have never synchronized their contacts with Facebook’s mobile apps, yet still find all of their contact data stored on Facebook’s servers.

Apple’s A6 Production Begins

Production of Apple’s next-gen A6 processor begins at TSMC; A6 devices to launch Q2 2012

By Zach Epstein

Trial production of Apple’s next-generation A6 mobile processor has begun, Taiwan Economic News reports.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. has kicked off a test run of A6 chipsets — which could be 28-nanometer SoCs that feature dual or quad-cores and ARM-based architecture according to earlier reports — and Apple devices carrying the new chips are expected to be released in the second quarter next year at the earliest, according to multiple anonymous industry sources.

Reports dating back to June suggested that Apple dumped Samsung following multiple patent disputes, and the company would instead utilize TSMC for production of its next-generation A6 processor.

This new Taiwan Economic News report contradicts earlier rumors, however, which claimed that TSMC had begun its trial run of A6 chips last month. This could be a new test run, or earlier reports could have been misguided, of course.

Taiwan-based TSMC is the world’s largest contract microchip manufacturer.

Read More here

Top Budget Android Smartphones

Android has been flooding the smartphone market in various categories, from low range to super phones, to dozens of manufacturers, from Spice to Samsung. We're bringing you the best phones available, in a limited budget. Check them out!

HTC Google Nexus One

 

Before we get into any other phone, I'd like to talk about the Google Nexus One. Even though the device hasn't been officially been launched in India, many stores are selling at around Rs 15,000. The Nexus One is probably the best deal in the budget.
Powered by a 1Ghz processor, running on Android 2.3 Gingerbread (an update is available), the Nexus One has lots of potential.

Spice Mi-410

Spice's latest smartphone, the Mi-410, runs on Android 2.2 Froyo, powered by a 1Ghz processor. The Mi410 boasts a 4.1-inch capacitive touchscreen, and has a 5mp rear camera with 720p HD video recording, flash, and also has a front facing VGA camera for video calling.
The device would cost you Rs 14,000, and is an amazing deal at such a low price.

Samsung Galaxy Ace

Samsung Galaxy Ace is a stylish looking Android 2.2 Froyo smartphone, powered by an 800Mhz processor. With a screen of size 3.5-inches, and a 5mp camera with a flash, the device seems promising, and worth the money. The Galaxy Ace would cost you Rs 14,000.
Samsung has also promised Android 2.3 Gingerbread update for the Galaxy Ace soon, making it a powerful competitor in the mid-range segment.

HTC Wildfire S

The HTC Wildfire S, a successor to the hugely popular Wildfire is a decent phone, with some great looks, and amazing build quality. The device is running on Android 2.3 Gingerbread, and is powered by a 600Mhz processor. With a 3.2" screen, the device really stands out of the rest, as the screen is of very high resolution.
At the back, the Wildfire S has a 5mp camera with an LED Flash. The HTC Wildfire S will cost you Rs 13,500.

Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini Pro SK17i

The Sony Ericsson Mini Pro runs on Android 2.3 Gingerbread, and is powered by a 1Ghz processor. With a 3.0" screen, you wight not get the best browsing experience, but it still is pretty decent. The Mini Pro has a slide out QWERTY keyboard, for heavy texters and the social soul in you.
With a 5mp rear camera with LED Flash, and 720p HD recording capabilities, the Sony Ericsson Mini Pro is a great deal at Rs 15,399.

Motorola Defy

The Motorola Defy, know for it's tough build, is a dust, sand, and water proof device. Running Android 2.2 FroYo, the Defy is powered by an 800Mhz processor. It has a 3.7" capacitive screen, which is of a great resolution (480x854), and has a 5mp Auto-Focus camera with an LED flash.
The Motorola Defy is a pretty thick device, provided it has a solid build. The Defy would cost you Rs 15,000.

LG Optimus One P500

The LG Optimus One P500, is a great phone for its price. Running on Android 2.2 Froyo, and a Gingerbread update promised by LG, the phone is powered by a 600Mhz processor. Boasting a 600Mhz processor, the Optimus One has a 3.2mp camera without LED Flash. The LG Optimus One P500 should cost you about Rs 10,000.
I have used and tested the Optimus One P500 earlier, and believe me, it's pretty fast, and doesn't lag at all.

Dell XCD35

The Dell XCD35, running on Android 2.2 Froyo, is powered by a 600Mhz processor. There are some ROMS for the Dell XCD35 to upgrade it unofficially to Android 2.3 Gingerbread. Boasting a 3.5" capacitive touchscreen, with a better resolution (480x800) than that of the Optimus One, it has a 3.15mp camera without LED Flash.
The Dell XCD35 should cost you around Rs 10,000 in the market.

Samsung Galaxy Pop

The Samsung Galaxy Pop, believed to be one of the best options in the sub 10k range, is powered by Android 2.2 Froyo, and Samsung has promised the 2.3 Gingerbread update soon. It is powered by a 600Mhz processor, and boasts a 3.14" capacitive touchscreen.
The screen though, is a 256K colours one, which pixelates some graphics, and doesn't allow you to play HD games on it. The phone also has a 3mp camera without LED flash and is priced at Rs 8,250.

Micromax A70

The Micromax A70, a successor to the Andro A60, is a decent budget phone. It looks very similar to the HTC Google Nexus One, runs on Android 2.2 FroYo, and is powered by a 600Mhz processor. It has a 3.2" capacitive touchscreen, with 256K colours. More interestingly, it has a 5mp rear camera, and a VGA secondary camera for video calling, a first in this range.
The A70 is priced at Rs 7,600.

Google+ Personalities To Add To Your G+ Circles

Google+, the latest Google-developed service to break into the social networking scene, seems to be a hit.

Though initial reviews of Google+ were mixed, its user base is growing at a staggering rate. According to Google CEO Larry Page (himself a Google+ user), the service has already passed the 10-million member mark, and those users share over a billion pieces of content per day.

Already, there are a number of Google+ users who are taking advantage of all the robust platform has to offer. To help new Google Plusers get started, we've compiled a list of 35 active users you should be following as the service gets off the ground. By adding these social personalities to your Google Plus Circles, you'll be able to enjoy a constant stream of quality content.

TECH: Marissa Mayer

Marissa Mayer is a senior executive at Google. She has been very active on Google+, sharing photos of her new Chihuly glass art installation.
Follow +Marissa Mayer

COMEDY: Ben Huh

Ben Huh is the CEO and founder of Cheezburger, the company behind I Can Has Cheezburger and FAIL Blog. He's a "watchman who watches the Internets", searching for funny clips.
Follow +Ben Huh

TECH: Kevin Rose

Kevin Rose is the founder of social content aggregator Digg. He is an active angel investor in the tech community.
Follow +Kevin Rose

CELEBRITY: Ashton Kutcher

Ashton Kutcher might be best known as an actor, but he's also a significant investor in over a dozen tech startups.
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TECH: Tom Anderson

Tom Anderson is known as the guy who founded Myspace. Now happily "retired", he has reappeared in the tech scene as a respected voice on Google+.
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MEDIA: Anthony De Rosa

Anthony De Rosa is the social media editor at Reuters. He discusses breaking news, media and technology.
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TECH: Jeff Jarvis

Jeff Jarvis is an editor and publisher of the NY Daily News, journalism professor and tech blogger.
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ARTS: Juergen Hoebarth

Juergen Hoebarth is the world's first self-proclaimed "G+ pop artist". He finds inspiration from social network design schemes and logos.
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SPORTS/TECH: Mark Cuban

Mark Cuban is a successful Internet entrepreneur. He is also the "keeper of the Larry O'Brien Trophy" -- since his pro basketball team, the Dallas Mavericks, won the NBA Championship in 2011.
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TECH: Natalie Villalobos

Natalie Villalobos is a community manager for the Google+ project. She is a good person to follow if you want all the latest news about Google+, as well as helpful tips for getting started on the social network.
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CELEBRITY: Alyssa Milano

Alyssa Milano is one of the first hollywood celebrities to become active on Google+. According to one of her posts, she's also teaching her mom how to use the service.
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COMEDY: Kassem G.

Best know for his YouTube channel, Kassem G. is a comedian who started out doing stand-up in the local L.A. comedy scene. He uses Google+ to share links and talk with his fans.
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ARTS: Trey Ratcliff

Trey Ratcliff is a photographer and avid traveler. The awe-inspiring photos he shares on Google+ are reason enough to follow him.
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POLITICS/COMEDY: Baratunde Thurston

Baratunde Thurston is co-founder of the black political blog, Jack and Jill Politics, and serves as Director of Digital for The Onion. According to Thurston's Google+ profile, President Barack Obama once called Thurston "someone I need to know".
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MEDIA: Dan Patterson

Dan Patterson is the digital platform manager for ABC News Radio. He posts interesting news bits, photos and charts on Google+ throughout the day.
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ECH: Bill Gross

Bill Gross is founder and CEO of technology incubator, Idealab. He uses Google+ to share insightful commentary on technology-driven innovation.
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TECH: Denise Howell

Denise Howell is host of This Week in Law and writes a column for The American Lawyer. She discusses Internet privacy and law on her Google+ profile.
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MEDIA: Zach Seward

Zach Seward is a social media editor for The Wall Street Journal. He posts an eclectic mix of content that any media buff will find interesting.
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BUSINESS: James Altucher

James Altucher is a hedge fund manager and avid writer. His posts are intelligent, witty, and contain a unique perspective on the world of investing.
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TECH: Guy Kawasaki

Guy Kawasaki is known as an early adopter of social media, and his use of Google+ appears no different. You will find plenty of interesting tech snippets posted to his profile throughout the day.
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CULTURE/TECH: Scott Beale

Scott Beale is the founder of Laughing Squid, a domain for art, culture and technology. You'll find an array of strangely interesting resources on his Google+ profile.
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POLITICS: Newt Gingrich

Newt Gingrich is the first presidential candidate to join Google+.
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TECH: Kelly Ellis

Kelly Ellis is a software engineer at Google. As one of the engineers responsible for Google+, Ellis frequently posts product updates.
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BUSINESS: Richard Branson

Richard Branson, one of the world's best-known entrepreneurs, seems to have taken a liking to the new social network.
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ECH: Robert Scoble

Robert Scoble, who blogs at Scobleizer.com is followed by many in the tech industry because of his close ties with Silicon Valley glitterati.
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MEDIA: Mark Glaser

Mark Glaser is the executive editor of PBS MediaShift. He often discusses new media journalism on his Google+ profile.
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BUSINESS: Chris Brogan

Chris Brogan is a small business consultant, professional speaker and New York Times bestselling author.
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MEDIA: Nicholas Kristof

Nicholas Kristof is a two-time Pulitzer Prize winner, and Columnist for The New York Times. He calls himself "a print dinosaur, trying to evolve into a new media maven".
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COMEDY: Daniel Tosh

Daniel Tosh is an American stand-up comedian and host of the Comedy Central television show, Tosh.0.
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CULTURE: Jillian York

Jillian York is the director or International Freedom of Expression at the Electronic Frontier Foundation. She is also a columnist for Al Jazeera English.
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MEDIA: Andy Carvin

Andy Carvin is a senior strategist at NPR and online community organizer. He is a high-quality poster, sharing an abundance of fascinating content.
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ARTS: Thomas Hawk

Thomas Hawk is a photographer and blogger from Oakland, California. He posts breathtaking images on his profile, with the goal of "making your G+ experience more beautiful one photograph at a time".
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CULTURE: Kim Sherrell

Kim Sherrell is a producer at Intertheory and founder at ArtwalkTV. She's a great resource if you enjoy film and culture.
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