Google ready to launch Music Beta, online music service, for testing

Internet search gaint  Google Inc. expectedly rolled out a new online music service called Music Beta at the annual I/O developers conference Tuesday in San Francisco.

Music Beta is available through invitation only for a testing phase (to request an invitation, click here). Users will be able to upload their jams, create playlists and listen to their music via the Web or on a smartphone or tablet with the music app available free from the Android Market (click here). Recently played songs and selected albums will also be available offline, according to the Music Beta site.

Google, like Amazon's online music service, has yet to acquire licenses from major record labels. So far no music can be purchased directly through Music Beta, which currently functions like a "passive" locker system that allows users to listen only to music they have uploaded. With licenses, Google and other online music service operators could give users access to tunes stored in central servers and other expanded offerings for smartphones, tablets and on computer browsers.

The system ratchets up the competition among Google, Amazon and Apple to offer music storage and portability for the next generation. Apple is already negotiating with top record labels to acquire licenses to beef up its own online music service.

Amazon's service, launched March 28, allows users to store their music library into an Amazon Cloud Drive (which can store other types of files and data too) and play back their music using Amazon's Cloud Player, which is available on the Web and in the form of an app for Google Android phones and tablets.

Tata Docomo introduces Micro SIM

Tata Docomo, the GSM arm of Tata Teleservices, today announced the launch of its micro SIM cards, for its 3Gservices, for those devices which otherwise do not have enough space for regular SIM cards or even mini-SIMs.

The company offers quite a few plans on micro SIM. After purchasing the micro SIM, a user has to first get it recharged for Rs 109 which allows the user to enjoy all the available 3G services for 30 days with 500 MB free data download.

They also offer highly affordable plans for unlimited usage, on prepay as well as postpay. For data intensive users, such as downloading games, movies and music, you can subscribe to an unlimited plan on 3G for Rs 1,000 per month.

Recently the company has launched 3G WiFi hub that enables multiple users and devices to share wireless Internet access and stay connected on the go.

Tata Docomo launched it 3G services in India in November 2010. 3G enables you to enjoy services like live streaming, video calling and high speed data transfer via your 3G compatible devices.

As of now, Bharti Airtel has the highest number of 3G subscribers in the country with 3 million subscribers followed by Tata DoCoMo with 1.5 million users.

Teen sells kidney to buy Apple iPad 2

A teenager in China reportedly sold one of his kidneys so he could buy an Apple iPad 2, according to reports from Chinese media.

Identified as simply Zheng, the 17-year-old took to the Internet to find a way to raise money so he could buy himself an iPad 2, according to Shanghai Daily.

"I wanted to buy an iPad 2 but could not afford it," Zheng told the Daily. "A broker contacted me on the Internet and said he could help me sell one kidney for 20,000 yuan."

So, on April 28, the high-schooler left his home in the Anhui province to have his kidney removed in the Hunan province of China, according to reports from both Shanghai Daily and the Global Timesnewspaper.

Zheng got his 20,000 yuan, which is equal to about $3,100, and returned home with a laptop and an iPad 2, according to a report from the BBC.

When Zheng's mother noticed the computers and a "deep red scar on his body, which was caused by the surgery," the teen confessed to selling his kidney.

NBC got video footage of what it says is the boy's kidney-removal scar and aired it on the Today show.

After learning what Zheng did, his mother went straight to the police, who so far have been unable to track down the organ broker, the reports said.

However, police have learned that the hospital where Zheng had his kidney taken out "was not qualified to perform organ transplants," the Shanghai Daily report said. "The hospital claimed they had no idea about Zheng's surgery because the department that did the surgery had been contracted to a Fujian businessman."

Samsung Galaxy S2 vs HTC Sensation

We've been treated to a cornucopia of high quality mobile phones recently, but it's a certain two that have got the tongues wagging: the dual-core majesty of the HTC Sensation and the Samsung Galaxy S2.

We've reviewed them both already, but so often we're asked the question of 'which should I buy?'

So here's TechRadar's detailed and in-depth look at the differences between the two handsets - and if you still can't decide after reading through our guide, then we can only suggest you toss a coin in your local phone retailer.

Build quality

There's a marked difference between the HTC Sensation and Samsung Galaxy S2 when it comes to the design of the devices – which basically comes down to thickness and weight.

The Sensation has a plastic and aluminium chassis combined with a relatively heavy glass front – this line-up means the 148g weight of the phone is lighter than the likes of the Desire HD, but markedly heavier than the Galaxy S2, which weighs in at a sublime 116g.

The Galaxy S2 is also by far the slimmer of the two phones, offering a stupidly thin chassis that's just 8.5mm thin, meaning it fits beautifully in any pocket and will make you panic on occasion simply because you might not be able to feel it and you'll think a pickpocket has come along.

What's odd about the HTC Sensation is that despite the aluminium chassis, the phone still feels a little plastic-like in the hand. This is exacerbated by HTC's decision to make the whole rear of the phone an antenna, meaning the whole rear peels away to leave just a phone and screen

Buffalo Launches 512GB SATA III 6Gbps SSD

Buffalo has added a new 512GB SATA III solid state drive to their range this week with the immanent launch of their new SSD-N512S/MC400 on to the Japanese market. The new SSD-N512S/MC400 is capable of a 405MB/s of data transfer rate (reading speed).

The new Buffalo SSD-N256S/MC400 256GB SSD was released last week in Japan for 72,200 Yen or around $883.

However no information on pricing or worldwide availability has been released as yet, but as soon as it becomes available we will let you know. But I would expect the new double capacity drive would be in the region of 140,00 Yen $1,600.

Microsoft shows off new Windows 8 operating system

Microsoft Corp. (MSFT-Q24.10-0.12-0.50%) showed off a version of its next operating system at technology conferences in the United States and Taipei, as some PC makers grumbled over restrictions on their involvement in the development of the system.

The world’s largest software company is expected to launch the new system, code-named Windows 8 and highlighting touchscreen features optimized for tablet computers, in the next 18 months, as it races to catch up with Apple Inc (AAPL-Q344.36-1.74-0.50%).

 

 

But Microsoft has told chipmakers who want to use the system for tablets to work with only one manufacturer to speed up the delivery, Bloomberg and Dow Jones news reported, sparking worries among some PC vendors that they will be left out.

In demonstrations at the D9 conference in Palos Verdes, California, and the Computex show in Taipei, Microsoft executives showed a starting page that resembles Microsoft’s latest phone software, with live ‘tiles’ manipulated by pressing and swiping the screen.

The demonstration shows Microsoft is making progress toward the new operating system, which it promises will run on a range of hardware devices from traditional PCs to laptops and tablets, using both touchscreen and mouse and keyboard commands.

The company said in Palos Verdes that it was “not out of the game” in tablets, a view backed by some in the industry.

“The fact that it’s a year or two years after the iPad doesn’t really matter. There is already a lot of built-in infrastructure,” Adrian Crisan, Sony’s director of engineering for VAIO and Mobile of America, told reporters in Taipei on Thursday.

“Today Apple is first on one thing and Microsoft is first for another and, overall, it’s going to be a race and whatever customers will like, they will buy.”

Separately on Thursday, U.S. chip maker Qualcomm Inc. (QCOM-Q57.63-0.17-0.29%) said it would collaborate with Microsoft on the next version of Windows for its Snapdragon family of processors