iPhone4S vs Galaxy Nexus vs Droid Razr

The smartphone battle has just got hotter. Just days after Apple launched iPhone 4S, Samsung has launched its much awaited Galaxy Nexus powered by brand new version of Android OS, Ice Cream Sandwich. Joining the fray is Motorola's Droid Razr, touted as the world's slimmest smartphone. With Droid Razr, Google-owned Motorola Mobility is reviving its once-popular Razr brand.

Here's how Galaxy Nexus and Motorola Droid Razr stack up against Apple's iPhone 4S, which has already become one of the highest-selling smartphone ever.

Display

iPhone 4S: iPhone 4S features a 3.5-inch LED-backlit TFT screen with 960x640 resolution.

Samsung Galaxy Nexus: Samsung Galaxy Nexus features a 4.65-inch, super AMOLED HD display with 1280x720 resolution.

Motorola Droid Razr: Motorola Droid Razr sports a 4.5-inches qHD Super AMOLED screen with 540x960 resolution.

Camera

iPhone 4S: As anticipated, the new phone packs an 8 megapixel camera with f2.4 aperture. Apple has also included other camera improvements like backside illuminated sensor which Apple claims gets 73% more light than the iPhone 4 sensor. There is also hybrid IR filter and better colour accuracy. For video, the camera will shoot at 1080p HD with real-time image stabilization and temporal noise reduction which will help iPhone users take videos in low light.

Samsung Galaxy Nexus: Galaxy Nexus features a 5 megapixel camera with 1080p HD video capture and a 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera for video calling. According to Samsung, Galaxy Nexus has zero shutter lag. Ice Cream Sandwich OS, which powers Samsung Galaxy Nexus also comes equipped with photo editing tools for removing red eye and cropping.

Motorola Droid Razr: Motorola Droid Razor sports an 8 megapixel camera with LED flash and a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels for video recording. The other improvements include an auto focusing, image stabiliser. The phone also features an additional front-facing 1.3 megapixel camera that allows video calling.

Processor

iPhone 4S: iPhone 4S will be powered by dual-core A5 processor, as found in iPad 2. The company claims that two cores in A5 chip deliver up to two times more power and render graphics up to seven times faster than iPhone 4. The dual-core graphics offer faster and improved 3D experience.

Samsung Galaxy Nexus: Galaxy Nexus will be powered by 1.2GHz dual-core processor.

Motorola Droid Razr: Motorola Droid runs on dual-core 1.2GHz processor.

Memory

iPhone 4S: iPhone 4S has a 512 MB RAM and the device is available in three models 16GB, 32GB and 64GB.

Samsung Galaxy Nexus: As for the memory, the phone will pack 1GB RAM. The phone will come with 16GB or 32GB storage capacity on-board.

Motorola Droid Razr: Motorola Droid Razr packs 1GB RAM and boasts internal memory of 16GB extendable upto 32GB using MicroSD cards.

Battery

iPhone 4S: Apple claims iPhone 4S will offer a much better battery life with as much as 8 hours of 3G talk time, 6 hours of browsing (9 on Wi-Fi), 10 hours of video playback and 40 hours of music.

Samsung Galaxy Nexus: Samsung Galaxy Nexus has a 1750mAh battery.

Motorola Droid Razr: Motorola Droid Razr claims to have a battery life of 12.5 hours talk time, 8.9 hours of video playback.

Connectivity

iPhone 4S: iPhone 4S can run on both CDMA and GSM networks. With AirPlay feature, iPhone users can wirelessly stream the data phone to HDTV and speakers via Apple TV. In addition, with AirPlay Mirroring, whatever you do on your iPhone appears on the HDTV at the same time.

Samsung Galaxy Nexus: Samsung Galaxy Nexus can runs on WCDMA and UMTS networks. On the connectivity front, the device has Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and Near Field Communication (NFC) and a USB 2.0 port.

Motorola Droid Razr: Motorola Droid Razr can run on 4G networks, LTE, HSDPA, CDMA. The other connectivity options include Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and mini HDMI port.

Dimensions

iPhone 4S: iPhone 4S measures 115.2 x 58.6 x 9.3mm and weighs 140 gram. The new device retains the same 3.5-inch (diagonal) Retina display as found in iPhone 4.

Samsung Galaxy Nexus: Samsung Galaxy Nexus measures 135.5 x 67.94 x 8.94mm, the phone weighs mere 135 gram.

Motorola Droid Razr: Motorola Droid Razr claims to be the world's thinnest smartphone measuring 130.7 x 68.9 x 7.1mm and weighing just 127 gram.

 

Operating system

iPhone 4S: The iPhone 4S uses iOS 5. iOS is very simple to use. It is simple, effective and efficient. Also with iOS 5, Apple has overhauled the notification system, thereby removing one of the biggest drawbacks its mobile OS had.

Samsung Galaxy Nexus: Samsung Galaxy Nexus features the just-launched version of Google Android, Ice Cream Sandwich, which has 'talk-to-type' technology, image-editing tools, off-line search for emails and support for mobile payments.

Motorola Droid Razr: Motorola Droid Razr runs on Android 2.3 Gingerbread.

World's Fastest Condom!

New condom takes only 3 seconds to put on

Washington, Oct 21 : A South African designer has come up with an ingenious invention: a condom that can be applied in less than four seconds. Dubbed Pronto, the condom aims to be quicker and easier to apply than conventional brands with the hopes of encouraging more people to use them.

Reported in blog Springwise on Tuesday, inventor Willem van Renburg saw the need for a better condom living in a country with the highest population of people infected with HIV in the world.

"The condom is contained within a foil pack -- which also acts as the applicator -- and is packaged in a protective sleeve," writes Springwise. The product website features a video with instructions on how to apply the condom: crack the pack in half and slip the plastic applicator apart, then roll the condom down and snap the applicator off the condom -- all in one swift movement.

After years of development and testing, the Pronto condom is ready for global distribution. The product launched in South Africa in February and plans to grant distribution licenses around the globe, with the first license just given to a company in Switzerland, according to the company. But the Pronto comes at a cost: a three-pack sells for R33.95, about 1 per condom.

In other condom innovations, British biotech company Futura Medical has created a new condom, currently known as CSD500, that is coated on the inside with a vasodilator gel that increases blood flow and results in a stronger, longer-lasting erection.

The product is nearing final regulatory approval, and condom company Durex announced its aim to unroll the condoms in Europe by the end of the year.

Watch a demo:

Click here for sex videos and live cams.

Broadband Subscribers In India, By Service Area

By Saptarishi Dutta

In  a time period from August 2010 to April 2011, the total number  of broadband connections in India have shot up by 20.57%. The North East, that includes Meghalaya, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Nagaland & Tripura had registered  the maximum growth with 31.42% albeit on a low base. Total number of connections for April 2011 stood at 44,036. On the other hand, Delhi ( including NCR) registered the minimum growth of 4.35% taking its total connection base to 10,05,750.

As on April 2011:

- Maharashtra had the maximum connections with 20,37,796, an increase of 1.06% from March 2011.
- Jammu and Kashmir had 5,3907 connections- the lowest after North East.
- The average growth rate from March 2011 to April 2011 had been 1.24%.
- Andhra Pradesh registered the maximum growth rate of 2.12% with 11,38,688 connections while Karnataka witnessed the minimum growth rate of 0.59% with 12,22,528 connections.

Data Source: TRAI, via RTI

Share data sources with us: contact nikhil@medianama.com

Source: medianama.com

Apunba Lup Warns Irom Delhi Meet Attackers

Imphal, Oct 21 : The working committee of the Apunba Lup, while strongly condemning Wednesday's attack on a meeting held at the national capital in solidarity with Irom Sharmila Chanu's unrelenting campaign against AFSPA, has warned the perpetrators not to repeat such an act in the future.

A conglomerate of several civil bodies of Manipur, the Apunba Lup is currently spearheading the people's campaign against the controversial Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, which gives sweeping powers to the armed forces to shoot on mere suspicion. The Lup was formed in the wake of the brutal rape and murder of Thangjam Manorama Devi by Assam Rifles soldiers in July 2004 in Imphal East.

Suspected Hindu right wing activists, numbering over 20, had reportedly attacked the public meeting held at Delhi University campus on Wednesday. During the unprecedented onslaught, the attackers in an apparent bid to disrupt the gathering, hurled tomatoes and potatoes at Sharmila supporters.

Some of the perpetrators sporting black head bands shouted slogans in support of the Indian Army and ostracizing Manipur.

After a verbal showdown between the perpetrators and the campaign supporters, a physical confrontation followed between the attackers and the meeting organizers before the arrival of Delhi Police.

"We strongly condemn the unwanted act triggered by vested interests. It was an act against humanity," said Elangbam Johnson, assistant coordinator of the working committee of Apunba Lup.

"We warn the perpetrators not to repeat such a barbaric act in the future and if so they should face all consequences arising out of it," Johnson added. He said the Apunba Lup will continue to struggle against the oppressive military act.

Before the Delhi meeting was started, volunteers of 'Save Democracy, Repeal AFSPA' welcomed Sharmila's supporters in New Delhi.

Demanding repeal of the army Act, Sharmila (39) has been on a hunger strike since November 5, 2000. She embarked on her extraordinary mission a couple of days after Assam Rifles personnel mowed down 10 civilians, including a child bravery award winner, near a bus stand in Imphal West. She is being forced-fed through her nose by the government at the security ward of Jawaharlal Nehru hospital, close to her Konpal Kongkham Leikai residence in Imphal East.

Northeast India Emerging As Rubber Hub

A scene from a rubber plantation near Kochi in Kerala. Photo: H. Vibhu.

Guwahati, Oct 21 :  The North-East is emerging as the rubber hub of India as experts believe that large-scale cultivation of the crop can bridge the shortfall in supply amid rising demand.

Traditionally, rubber is grown in the southern states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu, but an increase in demand for the crop has resulted in a search for other regions where cultivation can be pursued.

Rubber planting has not expanded to the desired extent in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Maharashtra and Orissa, where climatic conditions support their growth.

“We believe that now we have to look to the North-East to produce more natural rubber,” Mr K.G. Mohanan, Additional Rubber Production Commissioner of the Rubber Board, said.

A search was launched and it culminated in attempts by the board to grow rubber in Assam, Tripura, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh, he said.

“Though the agro-climatic conditions prevailing in some parts of the region are moderately suitable for planting rubber, it has been proven through experimental plantation that under appropriate agro-management practices, the commodity can be grown as an economically viable crop,” Mr Mohanan said.

As per reports, the Soil Conservation Department of Assam planted rubber in the state as early as 1950s and the first commercial planting was done by Tripura’s Forest Department in 1963.

Encouraged by the success of pilot plantations, the Tripura Government had set up Tripura Forest Development Plantation Corporation Ltd (TFDPC) in 1970, while seven years later, the Government launched a pilot scheme for the economic settlement of tribals displaced because of rubber farming.

Mr Mohanan said substantial progress in rubber plantations in the region was achieved during the V11th Plan, when the Centre sanctioned a scheme for Accelerated Rubber Development in the North-East.

Exploratory surveys done by the board in the past indicated that a total of 4,50,000 hectares of land in the region is suitable for rubber plantations.

Another positive aspect is that the region is generally free from the major plant diseases that are prevalent in the traditional belt and soil is sufficiently ‘deep’ and easy to work, he said.

“However, proper care has to be taken in selecting land as water-logging and erosion are a common problem,” he observed.

Rubber planting helps in socio-economic development of the rural people and has proven to be an effective programme for economic settlement of tribals.

Scientifically raised rubber plantations provide a green leguminous ground cover and a green umbrella cover. They purify the atmosphere and improve soil properties, he said.

Eviction Notice For Marrying Non-Tribals

Aizawl, Oct 21 : Two Mizo women, of Mizoram-Assam border town Bairabi, were given eviction orders by the NGO Coordination Committee of the town, asking them to leave the town and join their non-tribal husbands.

The eviction orders were slapped on Mapuii and Zorampari and some of their belongings were thrown out of their homes on October 18 by the activists of the NGO Coordination Committee of the town, boasting the only rail link between the state and the rest of the world. All the political party leaders also participated in the eviction.

C Lalbiakenga, president of the Young Mizo Association (YMA), Bairabi Hmar Veng branch and Lalbiakzama, secretary of the Joint YMA, said the YMA had passed a resolution in 2001 that any village girl marrying a non-tribal should live with her husband, where the latter belonged.

Mapuii married a non-tribal timber trader from Rajasthan in 2005 and Zorampari also married a non-tribal two years later. Both of them have children from their respective marriages.

The NGO Coordination Committee first served the eviction notices in September, asking the women to leave Mizoram before the end of September and a reminder on October 11, after which their belongings were thrown out of their homes on Tuesday.

Mapuii was reported to have been in Rajasthan, visiting her husband, when the NGO activists entered her house and threw out some of her belongings.

Deputy commissioner of Kolasib district, Niharika Rai, appealed to the NGO Coordination Committee to cancel the eviction notices and sent additional DC, Zairemmawia, and sub-divisional police officer, Francis L Ralte, to Bairabi on Tuesday.

The officials informed the NGOs that they had no authority to evict the women and appealed to them not to take law into their hands. The NGO Coordination Committee, however, rejected the appeals, saying, "we would take steps for the good of our society and the town."

HPC-D in For Vertical Split

Silchar, Oct 21 : The Hmar People’s Convention (Democratic), a breakaway faction of Hmar People’s Convention, is about to split into two factions.

Factional rivalry started within the outfit about two weeks back after its top echelons impeached its founder president, Lalhmingthanga Sanate, a 52-year-old Hmar community member from Manipur and a political science graduate from St Edmund’s College, Shillong.

The outfit has its strongholds in Mizoram and in adjacent Manipur and Cachar and Dima Hasao districts of Assam.

Insurgency watchers in Mizoram said Sanate’s ouster has not only fuelled factional rivalry in the otherwise close-knit rebel group, but has also created confusion within the intelligence community of the state.

Observers surmised that Sanate was ousted at the behest of leaders who had always been opposed to his soft stance during talks with the Mizoram government, adding that the same leaders were now rallying behind John F. Hmar, the outfit’s popular information secretary.

Hmar, according to the sources, is pitching for an autonomous district council, comprising Hmar-inhabited areas in Mizoram, as a condition for coming overground and laying down arms.

Mizoram chief minister Lalthanhawla had, however, vigorously opposed this.

The chief minister had made it clear that his government could only consider revamping the present district development council granted in 1994 to the HPC, then led by Hmingchungnung Lalhmingthanga.

There are at present about 5 lakh Hmar people in Mizoram.

In the meantime, the HPC (D), in a statement signed by information secretary John F. Hmar, has condemned the present wave of violence in Dima Hasao district since the killing of James Dimasa, the former home secretary of the militant outfit, DHD (J), near Haflong on October 13.

The outfit called for an immediate end to the violence and preservation of peace and racial harmony in the district.

India Urges Singapore To Freeze Bank Account Of Rebels

By PANKAJ SARMA

Niranjan Hojai

Guwahati, Oct 21 : The Centre has urged the Singapore government to investigate an account in a bank of that country which allegedly belongs to the Dima Halam Daogah (Jewel) .

An official source told The Telegraph that the ministry of external affairs has sent a letter of request to the Singapore government through the Indian embassy seeking a probe into the particular bank account, which was allegedly used by the rebel outfit for funding militant activities.

The Centre has also asked the Singapore government to take necessary steps like freezing the bank account.

The Centre moved the Singapore government after an investigation conducted by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) into the money-laundering activities of the rebel group revealed that the account was allegedly opened by the self-styled commander-in-chief of the DHD (J) Niranjan Hojai under a fake name of Nirmal Rai about a couple of years ago. The ED has found that a huge amount of money was withdrawn from that account by Hojai, which was subsequently used to purchase arms and ammunition for the outfit and also for DHD (J) leaders’ travel to countries like China, Thailand, Malaysia, South Africa and Nepal.

Hojai holds a Nepali passport in the name of Nirmal Rai and he is suspected to have travelled to all these countries with the passport.

The source said that the ministry of external affairs moved the Singapore government on a request made by the Union finance ministry after the judge of special court, Kamrup issued a letter of request to investigate DHD (J)’s overseas bank accounts.

“If investigation by Singapore authorities proves that the bank account was opened by Niranjan Hojai and it was used for funding militant activities, then necessary action will be taken against him under the relevant provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA),” he said. He said that the DHD (J) leaders, including Hojai, had also bought landed property and invested crores of rupees in travel agency, hotel business, real estate and investment firms in Nepal from illegally acquired proceeds and extortion money.

A similar letter of request was also sent to the Nepal government by the external affairs ministry through Indian embassy in Kathmandu for attachment of these properties, the source said.

He further said that Niranjan Hojai is suspected to have visited China a few years back with an objective to develop rapport with the authorities there and to facilitate procurement of illegal arms from agents there.

The ED had registered a case against DHD (J) in December last year after the leaders of the group -- including Hojai and outfit’s chairman Jewel Gorlosa — were named by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in the multicrore-rupee fund diversion case of the Dima Hasao (formerly North Cachar Hills) Autonomous Council to the outfit’s coffers.

The ED is tracking the rebel outfit’s money trail and their overseas investments.

Investigations had also revealed that the militants with the help of their associates channelled crores of rupees siphoned off from development funds meant for the Dima Hasao district from Guwahati to Calcutta through two hawala operators, Rabi Agarwal and Imdad Ali.

“The money was converted into dollars in Calcutta by two Mizo conduits of the outfit, George Lawmthang and Malsawmkimi, before illegally transferring it to the DHD (J) leaders, including Hojai, in Nepal and Singapore through hawala channels,” the source added.