Android finds a way to curb piracy

Android has introduced Market License Server which gets pinged by both genuine and pirated apps so the developers can find out and remotely deactivate the app or charge the users.

To counter the scourge of piracy of applications, Android has come up with a way, called Market License Server, through which the app developers can actually verify whether the app running on a smartphone is a legitimate one or not.

If used, this facility let the apps, even pirated copies, to ping the servers of developers which will in turn find out whether it is a pirated one or not.

The developers will have then two options — they can either block the pirated app right away or they can switch the user to a lighter version of the app so they can switch to the paid version later, if they so desire.

Till recently, major video game publishers such as Gameloft avoided Android Market because of rampant piracy of applications. Some analysts believe the users paid more money to the iOS platform because for quite some time it was the only app store in the market which is more secure.

Another reason for heightened piracy over Android is due to the fact that in iOS devices users need to jailbreak their devices to install pirated apps, which involves more effort and therefore users prefer to buy genuine apps mostly.

Nokia to launch X7 next month in India

The phone features the latest version of Symbian, called Anna, a 4 inch Amoled display, and a stylish new look.

Nokia is preparing to launch its new smartphone X7 in the Indian market. The device will feature the latest version of Symbian operating system, called Anna.

"We are planning to launch X7 in this quarter in India," a Nokia spokesperson told 'The Mobile Indian' without divulging the exact date of launch.

Nokia has positioned the X7 as an entertainment smartphone, and has given it a four inch Amoled screen that displays 16 million colours and 640 x 360 pixel resolution, as well as high quality sound output.

X7 features a brand new look and feel along with an improved interface for fluid gesture movement, which Nokia claims is very responsive.

Symbian Anna has a new browser as well, which is expected to be three times faster than the existing browser.

X7 will feature a preinstalled 8GB memory card that can be upgraded to 32GB, and it has 320MB of internal memory functioning as its RAM/ROM.

The display is made of Corning's Gorilla Glass, which protects it from minor scratches and breakage from accidental falls. To add more strength to the phone, Nokia has designed it in a stainless steel shell, which will enhance its longevity too.

The device measures 119.7 x 62.8 x 11.9 mm but is comparatively thin around the edges and weighs 146 grams.

It offers next generation Pentaband 2G/3G network connectivity and 802.11 b/g/n WiFi support along with Bluetooth 3.0 and USB connectivity. The installed 1200mAh battery is expected to give up to 450 hours of standby and 4.5 hours of talk time on 3G networks, and will support the phone for longer on 2G.

The Nokia X7 will cost around 380 Euros, which translates to approximately Rs 25,000.

Android 3.1 update coming in June to Acer and Asus

The update to Acer and Asus devices will bring additional support for a variety of USB based peripherals and accessories.

Asus, which will introduce its Eee Pad Transformer tablet in India next month, has announced that it will offer an Android 3.1 update over the air starting this June. It will announce the country-wise schedule in June itself.

EeePad transformer, as the name suggests, is a 10.1 inch tablet that can also become a netbook once attached to its keypad dock. Transformer currently ships with Android 3.0, and is one of the first devices to get the updated version.

Another tablet to get this update in June will be the Acer Iconia A500 tablet, which was launched in India just a couple of weeks ago. However, Acer officials have refused to comment on the expected release of the update for Indian users.

Motorola Xoom, which is yet to be launched in India, is also getting this update. This is important for many in India as the tablet is already available through several e-commerce websites such as Homeshop18.com.

Android 3.1, which is also known as Honeycomb, has user interface improvements that make it faster and more efficient to use. Along with it, UI transitions throughout the system and across standard apps are also improved.

The update will provide additional support for a variety of USB based peripherals and accessories such as keyboards, mice, game controllers and digital cameras.

The browser has undergone a complete overhaul, bringing support for popular web standards such as CSS, 3D animation, and CSS fixed positioning to all sites.

It also adds support for playback of embedded HTML5 video content. Users will now be able to save web pages, including all styling and images, locally for offline viewing.