How To | Activate the all-new Facebook "Timeline" Profile

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced the new redesign for the site’s profiles coming soon called “Timeline”

The site founder unveiled some of the biggest changes in the site's history with the introduction of the new 'timeline' profile pages at the company's f8 conference in San Francisco.



Mark Zuckerberg said the new profile page had been designed so that, 'you can tell the whole story of your life on a single page'.

Timeline is wider than your old profile, and it's a lot more visual.  The first thing you'll notice is the giant photo right at the top. This is your cover, and it's completely up to you which of your photos you put here.

As you scroll down past your cover, you'll see your posts, photos and life events as they happened in time. You choose what's featured on your timeline. You can star your favorites to double their size or hide things altogether.

Although the feature has been announced, it is not yet available to the public – only developers. A beta version is available for developers now, but for the rest of us, it seemed that we’d have to wait a few weeks before we were able to use Timeline.

• Log into your Facebook account.

• Enable developer mode, if you haven’t already. To do this, type “developer” into the Facebook search box, click the first search result.

• Hit the "Allow" button.

• Click “Create New App”.

• Give it a random display name and namespace, and check the “I Agree” box and hit continue.

• Then a security check is required. Enter the captcha in the space provided and click submit.

• You’ll be directed to the Facebook Developers main page. Here, click on “Open Graph” on the left-hand column.

• Fill in whatever you want in the following fields. Create a test action for your app, like “read” a “book”, or “eat” a “sandwich”. Then click “Get Started.”

• Scroll to the bottom of the page and then click on “Save Changes and Next”. Again click on “Save Changes and Next” and finally click on “Save and Finish”

• You may have to wait a bit for your app to be processed. Just go back to your homepage and wait for your invite to enable Timeline.

• You’ll then be greeted with a window that says “Introducing Timeline — A New Kind of Profile.” Click “Get it Now,” and that’s it.

Take a look at this video featuring the all-new Facebook TimeLine Profile.

While the new design is sure to make a few people unhappy, my sense is that most users will embrace it, and while Facebook will allow folks to not switch for some time, everyone will eventually have to switch to the new profile page, so as usual it’s a “like it or leave it” proposition that has worked so far for Facebook.

Blown away with this Timeline feature in Facebook? Share your opinions and reactions . We'll surely get back to ya' soon..!!

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Just In | Windows 8 : Features & Developer's Preview Download

Microsoft has unveiled the details of its much-awaited Windows 8 OS and released the Windows 8 Developer's Preview for download.

Just after Microsoft released a video showing off how fast can Windows 8 boot from a cold start - in just 8 seconds! - and other rumors doing the rounds, Microsoft has followed it up by a release of a Developer Preview to the Public.

As this is a Developer's edition which is designed to make users familiar with this new OS and moreover to debug the errors that might come up while using this edition which when reported by the developers can be rectified by Microsoft for a flawless version of Windows 8 lined up for a 2012 release. But for those who can't stop themselves from getting their hands on this OS, they can simply download the different Developer Preview editions offered by Microsoft.

With the all-new Metro UI being the stand-out feature in this edition, Windows 8 would offer a lot more when released later in 2012. Some of its features are listed below:

• Aero Auto-Colorization : Here's something that doesn't address the critical nuts-and-bolts of Windows 8, but could be fun: Aero can be set to automatically change the colors of your Windows theme based on the primary colors of a desktop wallpaper image you use. There's already a program that does the same thing for Windows 7 called Aura.
• App Bar : A toolbar UI element in "Metro-style" applications that is typically hidden until needed and houses commands, which are generally UI elements like buttons and other graphical controls.

• Charms : A set of five icons - Search, Share, Start, Devices and Settings - available from in the Edge User Interface, which appears when you swipe into the interior of the screen from the right side of the screen.
• Cloud Integration : The Windows 8 Explorer interface will access Microsoft's cloud services, possibly SkyDrive and Windows Live Mesh. SkyDrive is an online storage space that you can put your files in, and Mesh lets you sync your other Windows computers and mobile devices remotely.
  
  
  
• History Vault: Windows' long-time "restore to a given point in time" function will be renamed History Vault. It will be a more robust tool that takes a "snapshot" copy of the entire contents of your Windows 8 computer's hard drive and then lets you easily restore things to that prior system state.

• Internet Explorer 10 : The new version of Microsoft's web browser - IE 10 - will be available in a desktop version.

• Lock Screen : The new lock screen for Windows 8, which appears after you put your computer to sleep or restart or lock your computer. Notifications such as new email alerts, Wi-Fi availability and other essential, user-chosen information will be pushed to this screen.

• Picture password : A new method of logging in to Windows 8 that involves a photo or touch gestures and swipes.
• Refresh Your PC : A new service in Windows 8 that reinstall Windows from scratch as it automatically backs up all of your photos, music, videos, and other personal files and your Metro-style apps and then reapplies everything back to the system.

• Start Screen : Here is the start screen in the ‘Metro’ view (the classic start bar “desktop” view is still available). Users can scroll side-to-side, much as they would on an iOS or Android phone, for different groups of applications. Immediately to the right of this homescreen is the media hub.

• Tiles : These are the UI elements found in the Windows 8 Start screen that replace icons and represents applications in form of "tiles" also known as "Live Tiles". Tiles are said to be "pinned" to the Start screen & when removed they are "unpinned."

• Windows Store : Microsoft's online store for Windows 8 applications, which will consist of both Metro-style apps and traditional applications. Users can install Metro-style apps on up to five Windows PCs. Trial versions of Metro-style apps will be available.

• Zoomed Out View : Users can zoom out from this view to see all of their apps at once. This is also where you can move entire blocks at a time closer to the homescreen. For example, if you want Games immediately next to your homescreen, or on the homescreen itself, you can pick up the entire block and drag it to the left.

With so much to offer and the Developer's Preview edition already been downloaded over 500000 times, the truly innovative feature and UI are extremely compelling and do grab one's attention!

Blown away with this Metro UI? Interested in knowing more about this Windows 8 OS? Share your opinions and reactions . We'll surely get back to ya' soon..!!

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Coming Soon | AT&T announces Windows Phone Mango Devices

US mobile operator AT&T is soon going to launch its new range of Windows Phone Mango Devices and would offer updates to its entire range of phones.

Just as the launch of Windows Phone Mango was being speculated in every corner of the World, AT&T broke the news with an announcement that it is soon going to launch 3 new "4G" handsets - the HTC Titan, the Samsung Focus S and the Samsung Focus Flash - that would rum on the latest version of Microsoft OS - Windows Phone Mango.

Following is a brief introduction to the specs of these newbie's.

HTC Titan :

This phone comes up as an awe-inspiring brute, sporting a 4.7inch SLCD display running on a single core 1.5GHz processor along with 512MB of RAM. It comes equipped with a 8MP rear camera and a 1.3MP front facing camera.

Samsung Focus S :

This phones bags a 4.3inch super AMOLED plus display running on a 1.4GHz processor along with a 8MP rear camera and 1.3MP front facing camera for video calls.

Samsung Focus Flash :

This phone comes with a 3.7inch super AMOLED display - no plus included in this as in Samsung Focus S - running on a 1.4GHz processor and equipped with a 5MP rear camera and a front camera whose resolution is not know as of now.


Along with these 3 new launches, AT&T would also update the entire range of its phones which currently run on an older version OS with Windows Phone 7.5

All 3 new-launches are expected to hit the shelves by Q4 this year and for those who are waiting to get there old version updated to Windows phone 7.5 would have to wait till 'this fall'.

Excited about these 3 new smartphones running on Windows Phone Mango OS ? So are we . Share your opinions and reactions . We'll surely get back to ya'soon..!!

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Just In | iPhone 5 Specs Leaked

Vodafone incidentally gave a sneak peak into the specs of the much-awaited iPhone 5. If the specs outed by Vodafone are anything to go by, the all-new iPhone 5 would soon be arriving with in 16GB and 32GB storage flavors along with 2 color options - black and white - as speculated earlier.

As seen on the Vodafone SureSignal listing, Vodafone is going to come up with a whole new range of phones along with this much-awaited iPhone 5. Although Vodafone has already removed the page of SureSignal listing, but a snapshot of the link confirms this alleged 'leak'.

If rumors are anything to go by, the next-gen iPhone 5 would not feature a 64GB capability, as in iPod Touch and iPad. Also, the phone is expected to have a 8MP or higher resolution camera and would feature the same A5 proccesor as in iPad 2.

On being asked to comment on how this alleged 'leak' happened, Vodafone played it safe stating that it would 'look into' the matter soon.

Interested in knowing more about the much-awaited iPhone 5? Share your opinions and reactions . We'll surely get back to ya' soon..!!

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Just In | Android 'Jelly Beans' to follow 'Ice Cream Sandwich'

With Android 'Ice Cream Sandwich' still waiting in the wings to be released, rumors have it that the next Android version would be called 'Jelly Beans'.

Although, there was a very little we knew about the Android 'Ice Cream Sandwich', rumors have it that the next version of the Android would be called as Android 'Jelly Beans'

If sources are to be believed, the Jelly Beans version of Android would serve as an improvement over the Ice Cream Sandwich, which itself served as an OS for both tablets and smartphones.

Android ICS made its first appearance at the Google I/O Conference back in May this year when it was officially announced to be launched. Later, Google's Eric Schmidt came up with a statement stating that the Android ICS would release inside 2011, in October or November, to be specific.

Nothing yet is known about the release of Android Jelly Beans but, surely, it would be quite a way off. With Android 'Ice Cream Sandwich' still waiting in the wings to be released, Android next version 'Jelly Beans' has already been lined up and surely Google has 2 'game-changers' on its hand that would surely take its Android Market to new levels of success.

So, after an I for 'Ice Cream Sandwich' followed by a J for 'Jelly Beans', is Google planning for a 'K'-for name for the next version of Android? Who knows!

Interested in knowing more about the Android 'Ice Cream Sandwich'? Share your opinions and reactions . We'll surely get back to ya' soon..!!

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Review | 'Droid Bionic' : Attacked; Killed; Reborn

Motorola's most-awaited launch of the year - The 'Droid Bionic' smartphone in now available in the market with a price tag of $299.99

The Droid Bionic is a Verizon 4G LTE product powered by a dual-core processor and has an ability to transform into a Linux-based PC. After a long wait of about 9 months - from the time it was first announced at CES on 5th January this year - this phone is finally up for the grabs.


So is it worth the wait, then?




Hardware

The phone features an impressive 4.3inch qHD display offering a bright and eye-popping resolution. On the left side, the phone is equipped with  micro-USB and micro HDMI ports while on the right side lies a solitary volume controller. The power button and the headphone ports feature on the top of the phone with a 8 MP camera at the back with a 1080p video recording capability.The phone has a striking similarity to Droid X2's designing and layout.But then, Droid Bionic is Verizon's thinnest LTE phone till date - just 13.3mm thick - and weighs 159grams and it doesn't feature the physical buttons that featured on the Droid X2. Rather, the phone comes with 4 touch buttons for different functions.




Software

The Droid Bionic runs on Android Gingerbread 2.3.4 version. The five homescreens offer great customization to the users and the with a huge screen and a predictive keyboard, writing a message is never a problem. A double tap on the home button shows all the five homescreens at one go. While a normal bootup would clock around some 50seconds, if the phone is put in sleep mode it boots up in a more teneable two seconds. The phone comes with the latest Google Talk app with video chat option and some new apps like QuickOffice and Motoprint.


Performance & Battery Life

The Droid Bionic comes loaded with a 1700mAH battery - the largest battery on any LTE device -offering greater longitivity to the users. On moderate usage the phone offer quite a brilliant resistive battery that can last up for almost a day.


On the performance front, the Droid Bionic surely doesn't disappoint. The TI OMAP processor, running at 1GHz and equipped with 1GB RAM, the phone can render through webpages very swiftly, loads applications snappily and offers a very impressive feddback to its users.




Camera

A 8MP camera delivers offers satisfactory output as it seemed to click some underexposed images at times with the autofocus taking few extra seconds of shutter lag resulting in a slow camera. Anyhow, the phone is capable of recording 1080p videos which offers an improved video recording experience for the users.




With all the specs of Droid Bionic listed above, here's an overview of this high-octane phone.


The Good

• An impressive slim and sleek design.
• 4.3 Inch qHD display.
• Dual core processor and Verizon 4G LTE.
• Multimedia features are plentiful.

The Bad

• Not-so-cool Motorola's Custom UI.
• Camera shutter lag.
• A dull Display.
• Expensive pricing.

The Verdict

Droid Bionic offers everything one could expect from a high-end phone like this. It's sleek and slim design powered with a powerful processor offers a great experience to the users, if they are willing to pay the price!


Excited about this much-awaited 'Droid Bionic' phone ? Share your opinions and reactions . We'll surely get back to ya'soon..!!

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Review | IFA 2011 - Top 5 Gadgets

With a plethora of latest gadgets to select from, this year's IFA came up with some revolutionary gadgets like Sony Android Tablet P, Samsung Galaxy Note Smartphone, Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 Tablet, HTC Titan Smartphone and Lenovo Ideapad U400 Ultrabooks.

Following are the 5 best Gadgets that were showcased in the IFA this year :


1. Sony Android Tablet P 

In comes the much-awaited launch of the Sony Android Tablet P which is, arguably, the biggest rival to the Apple's iPad 2.

PROS :

• Nvidia Tegra 2 Mobile Processors
• Honeycomb OS
• Two 5.5 inch Touchscreens
• Front and Rear cameras
• USB 2.0
• Wifi
• Better Usabilty
• 3G
• SD Card Slot
• Improved Application support for apps including virtual keyboard or for gaming.

CONS :

• Development of special apps for split-screen design
• Isn't apt for watching videos or movies due to split-screen

2. Samsung Galaxy Note Smartphone

In comes an ace from the makers of Samsung which is surely going to make it tough for the iPhone 5 to rule the markets.

PROS :

• A massive 5.3 inch display having 1200 x 800 WXGA resolution
• Android Gingerbread OS
• 1.4GHZ Dual-core processor
• Front Camera for video calls
• Rear Camera with 8MP resolution
• 108p HD Video recording option
• Offers great experience while watching videos or playing games
• Stylus for more efficient handwriting

CONS :

• A massive screen sometimes making the phone unmanageable

3. Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 Tablet

Samsung showcased a new Galaxy Tab 7.7 Tablet which looked more of a sibling to the Galaxy Tab 10.1.

PROS :

• A humongous 7.7 inch SUPER-AMOLED display having 1200 x 800 WXGA resolution 
• 1.4GHZ Dual-core processor
• Android 3.2 OS
• Samsung's TouchWiz UI
• 108p HD video playback
• Lightweight

CONS :

• As in case of Galaxy Tab 10.1, this Tablet is also 7.89mm thick.

4. HTC Titan Smartphone

HTC showcased there latest smartphone equipped with the latest Windows Phone 7 Mango OS.

PROS :

• 4.5 inch display
• 800 x 480 pixels Resoultion
• 1.5GHz Single-core processor
• Camera with panorama shot option
• User friendly and fits into one's hand comfortably

CONS :

• Slow proccesor

5. Lenovo Ideapad U400 Ultrabooks

Lenovo surprised one and all with the launch of its first ultrabook with a powerful processor from Intel.

PROS :

• Intel Core i7 ULV Processor
• 14 inch display
• Body frame made up of solid block of Aluminium
• AMD Radeon Graphics
• 256GB or 1TB SSD drive options
• 8 hours backup time and 30 days of stand-by time
• Quick boot within 10 seconds

CONS :

• Availability across different countries due to Lenovo's market strategies.

Confused about which one to pick and which one to kick ? Share with us . We'll surely make it easier for you..!!

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