It&rsquo;s that time of the year when we all plan an escape to the mountains, the woods or the seas &mdash; or any other destination that helps lighten up and keep work and worries at bay. The modern traveller knows that a vacation is not a vacation without a set of handy gadgets that lets you flaunt your holiday hotspots on social networking sites. Here&rsquo;s a review of the five must haves that will add zing to your smart travel plans .

Unwind for a gadgetastic summer break

Business Standard

As the original iPad has completed a year, its new version &mdash; iPad2 &mdash; has taken the Indian market by storm. Launched on March 25 in 26 countries across the globe &mdash; it was launched in the US earlier &mdash; the tablet PC is certainly the hottest gadget around. Or that&rsquo;s what it seems with the demand it has generated in the Indian grey market.

Gadget freaks' new fetish -  iPad2

Indians are going to invest in 12 million smartphones this year, says CyberMedia Research. Here&rsquo;s a sneak-peek of the best smartphones money can buy and know what some of these top-end models offer.

Your smartphones get smarter

If you are ready to look beyond Apple&rsquo;s iPad, Creative&rsquo;s ZiiO &ndash; available in both white (7-inch) and black (10-inch) with a choice of 8GB or 16GB of storage &ndash; could be your pick.

Budget choice for tablets

Research In Motion's BlackBerry operating system is world-renowned as being virtually impossible to exploit, but a new study has exposed a virus that specifically targets SMSes sent using the high-end smartphones' Messenger service.

New virus targets data on Blackberry phones

Press Trust of India

Plantronics has introduced a wireless head set for fixed line phones. The CS60, designed for use in offices, is connected to the fixed line phones and extends the benefits of hands free communications

Easy talk

Philips India Ltd and Nike Inc have brought a range of new generation portable sports audio to India. Targeted at the fashion conscious, the stylish Philips-Nike range includes digital radio, MP3-CD

Tuning in

Does your cellphone heat up after just 10 minutes of talk? Is it not giving the standby time as promised by the vendor? If yes, then chances are that your phone runs on a counterfeit battery.


Fake mobile batteries can hurt

Bose Corporation India Private Limited has launched Bose Companion 3 Multimedia Speaker System. The premium computer speakers are sleek and ensure a clutter-free desk-top. 


Rich sound

The Nokia 7710 wide-screen multimedia smart phone is now available in India. The phone comes with a large screen (640 x 320 pixels) and includes a full Internet browser, an integrated music player

Smart Phone

Tracking a lost or stolen mobile handset is no big deal now. All you need to do is to SMS your international mobile equipment identification (IMIE) number. 


Just SMS, get your lost mobile back, says IIM-A e-governance centre

Companies are vying for shelf space in this crowded marketplace for 'all-in-one' gadgets and gizmos. Aiptek has been doing that by offering 'easy-on-the-pocket' devices.<BR><BR>The latest in the

Nifty DV cam for newbies

Samsung Telecommunications India&nbsp;today unveiled a new line of what it claims are 'the world's slimmest mobile phones' -&nbsp;ultra edition series -&nbsp;in India.<BR><BR>"Featuring the world's

Samsung unveils 'slimmest phones' in India

First impression is the last impression, goes the old adage. And it holds true when it comes to gaming; or, to be precise, when it comes to motion-sensor gaming. There&rsquo;s certainly a &lsquo;wow&rsquo; factor to it, which explains the sudden rush of products from Sony and Microsoft in this category. Nintendo Wii already has motion-gaming consoles.

Make your Move

Nokia made a lot of noise over the launch of its latest smartphone. You may wonder what the big deal is. But make no mistake with the N8 &mdash; a new operating system, an evolved form factor and a swanky set of mobile apps makes this latest Nokia device absolutely future-ready. The rise and fall of a smartphone hinges on its hardware, software, and the apps and services available. Nokia intends to walk the talk on all three.

Nokia applies capacitive touch in smartphones

A Bluetooth headset that comes with a self-charging case, a camera that doubles up as a projector &mdash; just some of the gadgets that truly stand out amid the modern electronics crowd. Priyanka Joshi reviews a few of them so that you can decide what to buy this festive season...

Go digital this Diwali!

Extending the DualView concept to the ST series, Samsung has hit the market with ST600 that comes with a 3.5-inch WVGA touch LCD and 1.8-inch front LCD. The dual display feature lets you frame your subject as you shoot.

More than just cameras

Instead of catering to a wider market, luxury labels like Dior, Versace, D&amp;G, Armani and Vertu are happy targetting a handful of high-end customers. Of course, if you are part of the target group for these &uuml;ber-luxe handsets, then their price tags may not be of any importance. Neither probably are the specifications. It&rsquo;s all about being seen with the right toys.

All that glitters now rings

&quot;Our focus for next few years is going to be on energy efficiency, security and connectivity. Ultrabook as category was launched this year. This will change face of computing in next two to three years,&quot; Intel South Asia's Director of Marketing Sandeep Aurora told reporters here.

Ultrabooks to replace laptops by 2013: Intel

Imagine a world where you don't have to pay power bills because you are able to create energy for your requirements, or you can read the mind of the person sitting next to you.

Mind reading, biometric passwords could soon be a reality

India may figure among the 18 select countries where technology giant Google would launch its upcoming smartphone Galaxy Nexus, widely being billed as an iPhone- killer, in its first phase later this month.

Google begins India registration for Galaxy Nexus

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