In case you’ve been keeping an eye out for HTC’s Facebook button with a mobile phone attached, the HTC ChaCha, you’ll be happy to know we’ve just received our review unit and have been putting it through its paces. By which we mean pressing that Facebook button. A lot. That and staring confusedly at the G1-style chin that afflicts the surprisingly great hardware keyboard.



Despite the full keyboard and the separate arrow keys, the 2.6″ 320×480 screen is still very much capable of receiving touch input, partially belying the low-end impression this particular form factor has come to be associated with among Android handsets. However, the lack of Flash support despite an 800 Mhz processor and the non-standard resolution denying access to the entirety of Android apps means this is certainly closer to the featurephone end of the Android scale.

No doubt the Facebook tie-in must have occasioned more than one groan and cry of “why didn’t we think of that?” in competitor’s halls. It will also be a huge selling point if only on account of its simplicity, even if there are no other bells and whistles to it and the Facebook integration doesn’t really extend further than that solitary button.

It is, however, small, supremely pocketable, it sports a reliable and gloriously clicky little keyboard and about the quickest access to Facebook short of having it beamed straight into your brain.

Diamond-encrusted iPad from Camael

Camael has unveiled iPad ornamented with 1kg of 18 carat gold and 300 carat flawless diamonds. Priced at $1.2 million, it is the world’s most expensive iPad. It is also adorned with black diamonds on the home button and the Apple logo on its rear. Camael will happily customize your million-dollar iPad with the gems of your choice.
Camael’s stunning collections also include customized iPhones, Blackberrys, iPods and car key fobs. After completion, each Camael product is independently inspected and certified by a leading accredited jeweler.
If $1.2 million is a little on the high side for your budget, you can always step down to the gold-plated iPad for trivial$146,000.


Diamond-encrusted iPad from Camael

Of all the words in the dictionary, you never associate elegance with Notebooks. But a look at the Split Concept, and I’m sure you will agree with me. Über elegant with a chic cover, the notebook is split into the various components like a tablet screen, independent keyboard, mouse and reading remote pen. All assemble together to become one great notebook or can be used individually.

Designer: Jung Dae Hoon

what's the best way to launch a phone that's left us waiting with anticipation for seven months? HP's answer is to quietly release it on its European store without any pomp or circumstance. We have no idea why the company chose to start selling the Pre 3, its new flagship phone, without any media buzz; the important thing here, however, is that theSIM-free device is now available for purchase on the Palm Eurostore. The phone can be all yours for £299 -- the equivalent of $490 in the US -- which is a respectable price point for a no-commitment smartphone of its caliber. So far we've only seen the phone get pushed out across the pond; European retailers Clove and Box are following HP's lead by offering the Pre 3 as well, just in case the official store runs out of stock. It's probably not too likely, given the company's lack of marketing efforts on this particular launch, but we could always be surprised. After all, we've been waiting for seven months.

Update: PreCentral just received an official statement from HP confirming that the Pre 3 is indeed launching in Europe, and more information will be available for the US soon. Here's the full quote:

HP is excited to begin its regional rollout of Pre3, the only phone today that offers users a slide-out keyboard coupled with a large touchscreen and the fastest speed (1.4GHz processor – the fastest on the market). We expect to share additional information for U.S. customers soon.

So that's it -- a four-line announcement to launch the Pre 3. But hey, it's at least something.

Apple pushes the release of iPad 3 devices not later than 2012.




Taiwan-based publication Digitimes reported recently that Apple has just canceled its iPad 3 supply schedule for the second quarter of the year, which means the next-generation iPad is unlikely to be available until 2012.

“Apple was originally set to launch its iPad 3 in the second half of 2011 with a supply volume of 1.5-2 million units in the third quarter and 5-6 million in the fourth quarter, but Apple’s supply chain partners have recently discovered that the related figures have all already been deleted,” the sources pointed out.

According to the source, the yield rate of a 9.7-inch panel with a Retina display resolution of 2,048 x 1,536 may be the main reason for the delay, since Apple’s other supply partners – Samsung Electronics and LG Display – have been unable to reach a good yield rate.

“Sources from panel players also pointed out that the 9.7-inch panel with high resolution requires a much larger backlight source and a single edge light bar is hardly able to reach satisfaction levels. Due to iPad 3′s requirements over the physical thinness, rich color support and toughness will all conflict with the panel’s technology restrictions; therefore, this could cause a delay in the launch.”

Rumors of the iPad 3 have been buzzing around even before the debut of iPad 2. Some reports claimed that Apple is aiming to add a higher-resolution display for the iPad’s release on fall, while some justify that there will be no new iPad devices to be launched this yea

Lenovo Thinkpad W700DS (approx Rs 2,10,000) 
This laptop is ideal for engineers who can use its additional pull-out display to run multiple programs. Its regular screen is a massive 17 inches, making this laptop rather inconvenient to lug around. It comes with 4 GB RAM and a 250 GB hard drive, and all the other bells and whistles you'd expect from a high-end Thinkpad.

However, for the money you'd spend on this dual screen laptop, you'd be able to (almost) buy two Tata Nanos!







Alienware Area 51 (approx Rs 2,10,000)

For over a decade, this computer has been on the wishlist of gamers everywhere. Its latest version comes with a core 2 duo processor and a 1 TB hard drive. Its video capabilities include an Nvidia GeForce 9800 GT in dual SLI configuration and 1 GB of graphics memory. The machine's designed to run even the most demanding of games with ease, and it's really the ultimate portable device for gamers.

As always, the best part about the Area 51 is the radical Alienware design that never fails to impress

Rock Xtreme SL8 (approx Rs 2,30,000)
When it comes to the ultimate gaming experience on a laptop, it's a toss up between this and the Alienware Area 51. With 8GB of RAM and a Core 2 Quad Extreme processor, the SL8 packs quite a punch. It also sports a Nvidia 9800 GT video card with 1 GB of memory to give you exactly what you need as you play some of the most graphically advanced PC games

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Voodoo Envy H-171 (approx Rs 4,00,000)

This 17-inch laptop comes with with an Intel Core 2 Extreme X6800 processor, 4GB RAM, twin Nvidia Quadro FX Go 2500M graphics chipsets, and dual 250GB hard drives. In other words, it's pimped out! It also has a high resolution display of 1900x1200 pixels, and comes in a variety of colours and designs!

After paying that much for a laptop, we'd probably never take it anywhere in fear of dropping it

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Ego for Bentley (approx Rs 10,00,000) 

Shaped like a fancy handbag, this laptop is aimed at wealthy women, or women with wealthy husbands! This is, more than anything else, a fashion statement, and not some new-age gizmo that's going to set you apart from the mere mortals around you. It has a 160 GB hard disk and 2 GB RAM.
Basically, all you get for the big gaping hole in your pocket is a Bentley logo and leather on a laptop that looks like a cross between a ladies' purse and a clamshell iBook









Tulip E-Go Diamond (approx Rs 1,60,00,000) 

It took us a while to count those zeros too! This is a ridiculously expensive laptop that's meant for vanity purposes only! It's made of solid palladium/white gold plates that are set with thousands of 80 carat, brilliant-cut diamonds. The laptop's Tulip logos are made with rubies. As expected, its hardware is nothing to write home about, with a 160GB hard disk and 2 GB RAM.
So if you're looking to buy a laptop as an investment in precious metals and gems, you should put this one on your list to check out

Luvaglio (approx Rs 4,50,00,000) 

Luvaglio a.k.a 'the million dollar laptop' is a made-to-order laptop from a British company that only caters to the tech needs of a privileged few. This hand-crafted laptop also happens to be the first self-cleaning notebook in the market, and it has some "functional" bits of jewellery as well. As far as its technical features are concerned, this computer has a 128GB Solid State Drive, built-in USB support and Blu-Ray among other standard features.
The jury's still out on whether this laptop actually exists--no one's seen any sign of it since it was announced over a year ago. Some believe that this was just a publicity stunt to draw attention to a fledgling luxury goods company

Sony has officially cut the price on the PlayStation 3 in all major markets, the company announced in Germany on Tuesday. The 160GB system will now be $250 in the United States, 250 euros in the European territories, and 24,980 yen in Japan. The price drop is effective immediately in all territories except Japan, where the price drop will begin on August 18.

The PlayStation 3 model with more storage is also seeing its price cut, with the 320GB system now being sold for $300 in the US, 300 euros in European territories, and 29,980 yen. "In addition, a limited edition inFAMOUS 2 bundle is now available at participating retailers across North America. The bundle retails for $299 and includes a 320 GB PlayStation 3, a copy of inFAMOUS 2 and a 30-day membership to PlayStation Plus," SCEA's CEO Jack Tretton wrote on the official blog of PS3

Sony also used this opportunity to show off the success of the system. "Since its release in 2006, PS3 has gained tremendous support from fans around the world and its cumulative worldwide sales reached a milestone of 50 million units as of March 29, 2011," Sony said in the statement. "Equipped with future proof cutting-edge technologies including the sophisticated processors, Cell Broadband Engine and RSX, as well as the Blu-ray disc (BD) player and HDMI terminal, PS3 has continuously enhanced its value to consumers through system software updates to support new features and services including stereoscopic 3D content playback and support for the PlayStation Move motion controller."

Google's Photovine sharing app goes live

'Plant a photo and watch it grow'


Google's photovine app is, suprisingly, iPhone only


Google has released its new Photovine photo-sharing app into the wild for iOS users.

The new application which, strangely enough, is only available for Apple devices, has been available in private beta but is now live on the App Store for all users.

Photovine allows users to add photographs taken on the device's camera to "Vines" which are thematic collaborations from all users of the application.

Vines are effectively categories, so you can add your own pictures to threads like "At My Bedside" or "Things I see when travelling" or "Sunrises."


Plant a photo

You can also start your own Vines, hence the tag-line "plant a photo and watch it grow."

The app isn't just limited to interacting with random users of the service, you can sync Photovine with your Facebook and Twitter contacts to enable you to follow friends' activities more closely.

The Photovine service resembles the likes of Piictu and Instagram with a touch more social thrown in, as we

Are you still in search for the best handsets in the market? Take a look at the short list below, and discover the new mobile phones that are slated to hit the shelves this year. This rundown also reveals most of the phone’s features and price, helping you decide which handset to purchase.


Grid4 Smartphone

Slated to be released in the fourth quarter of 2011, the Grid 4 is an Android phone produced by Fusion Garage. The upcoming handset is said to have the GridOS — a new mobile operating system which promises to provide an interactive experience to users.

Features:
4-inch (800×480) display
1GHz Qualcomm MSM8255 processor
512MB RAM
16GB internal storage
5MP rear camera with autofocus and LED flash
0.3-megapixel front facing camera
GPS
Bluetooth
WiFi
1300mAh battery
Micro USB connector
Slots for micro SIM card and microSD card

Price: $399 (without contract)






LG Revolution 2

The Revolution 2, a new Android smartphone to replace LG’s Revolution, will be hitting the shelves on October 20, 2011. It is expected to be equipped with the Google Android 2.3.4 operating system and Verizon’s 4G LTE network.

Features:
4.3-inch 720p HD display with 1280 x 720 pixels resolution
1.5GHz dual-core processor
1GB RAM
16GB internal storage
8-megapixel rear camera
2MP front-facing camera

Price: To be Announced






Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray SO-03C

The Xperia Ray SO-03C is a Touch Bar phone which will be launched by Japan-based NTT DoCoMo on August 27, 2011. The handset will be likely to highlight some advanced features, including the Google Android 2.3 OS and a 3.3-inch touch screen Reality Display utilizing the Mobile BRAVIA Engine.


Features:
8.1MP camera with face-detection and AutoFocus
xLOUD audio system
POBox Touch 4.3 Text Input System
3.3-inches (480×854) display
2GB MicroSD memory card
32GB MicroSDHC memory card
Available in Pink, White, and Gold colors

Price: To be Announced






Acer Iconia Smart

Acer’s newest smartphone, the Iconia Smart, is slated to be released sometime in September 2011. Introduced at the Mobile World Congress 2011 event in Barcelona, the handset will be running on Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) OS.

Features:
4.8-inch (1024 x 480) Touchscreen Display
1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor
8MP rear-facing camera with LED flash
2MP front-facing camera,
512MB RAM
8GB internal storage,
MicroSD card slot (expandable up to 32GB)
Accelerometer sensor
720p HD video recording support
WiFi
Bluetooth
HDMI

Price: 499 Euro or about $700








Samsung Galaxy Xcover

Samsung has finally unveiled their newest installment into the Galaxy series, the Galaxy Xcover. Set to be released on October 2011 in Germany, this smartphone is dust-proof, dirt-proof, and can be sunk in water for up to 30 minutes.



Features:
Google Android 2.3 Gingerbread OS
3.6-inch display
HSDPA 7.2Mbps
Wi-Fi
3.2MP camera with LED flash
150 MB storage
512 MB RAM

Price: To be Announced