Top 10 Smartphones of 2012

Top 10 Smartphones of 2012:

As the sun of 2012 will set for the very last time in a few days from now, the year was a remarkable success for the tech-frenzy world out there.  There were various smartphones that emerged with surprising splashes through out the year and some which impressed us to a great extent after a long and tiring hours of testing.

Today lets have a look at the the top 10 smartphones that the year brought for the global tech industry.

10) Sony Xperia S

Sony Xperia S was released back in the early days of the year, in February. It proved to be the most susccessful smartphone of the brand, succeeding the Xperia T. Probably among the best android handsets that one can get right now.8)

9) Orange San Diego

The phone is also popularly known as X900 in India and Megafon Mint in Russia. This smartphone was released back in June 2012 and released with an instant attraction as it was one of the first ones to hit the market having Intel Atom processor.

8) Huawei Ascend G300

This phone was launched to the Vodafone company. The Huawei Ascend G300 managed to cram in a wealth of decent tech for a price that belied its power.  It has a smart and robust design, good battery life, a great screen and punches above its weight in the budget phone performance stake.

7) Samsung Galaxy Note ll

Soona fter its release in September this year, Sansung Galaxy Note ll became an instant success with more then three million sales inside a no time. This proved to be a hugely successful mobile Android device. People love the big screen and this gives you a 5.5-inch HD Super AMOLED display.

6) Google Nexus 4

Google Nexus 4 promises to provide you with great specs packed in a beautiful design and with a price that the competitors cant match. It was launch in November and has been lead to diversified sales.

5) HTC Windows Phone 8X

Launched in November, HTC Windows Phone 8X was one of the first handsets to release with Windows Phone 8.  The 8X has an 8MP camera that shoots well in good light and wider camera than most on the front for better self-shots. It’s a gorgeous, colourful handset – and runs the latest greatest Windows operating system.

4) Nokia Lumia 920

This version of Nokia Phone was released in November and was the first Nokia smartphone to come with the windows phone 8 software. Soon after its release, it became an instant competitor to the HTC 8X.

3) Apple iphone 5

iPhone 5 was probably the most anticipated smartphones of September. It packs a dual-core 1.6GHz Apple A6 processor. it's one of the most beautiful, usable smartphones ever.

2) Samsung Galaxy S lll

Samsung Galaxy S lll was released back in May. The phone was most anticipated as it became the most pre-ordered gadget in history. The Samsung Galaxy S3 is a prince among Android phones, no question, and it's packed with pace-setting tech, including its gorgeous HD AMOLED screen and quality 8-megapixel camera.

1) HTC One X

The HTC One X is a touchscreen-based, slate-sized smartphone designed and manufactured by HTC. It runs the Android 4.0.4 mobile operating system with the HTC sense 4.0 graphical user. By date, it was the first HTC phone to be equipped with a quad core processor and made it the fastest HTC phone to date. The Phone was released early in the year, in February.

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Quad-core Galaxy S III 4G arriving on Optus and Telstra with Android 4.1

Quad-core Galaxy S III 4G arriving on Optus and Telstra with Android 4.1:


Samsung’s LTE-capable flagship, the Galaxy S III 4G, is on its way to Australia with some shiny new Android 4.1 software. The 4.8-inch quad-core device will be coming to Optus’s newly-launched LTE network this month and Telstra’s later in October, with faster connectivity sure to inspire regret among those who sprung for the non-LTE version. Since the phone offers both four cores and LTE, it’s likely that it will have the quad-core Exynos and separate LTE antenna configuration found on Samsung’s Korean variant. At launch there will be two colorways on each carrier — grey and black on Telstra, and white and blue on Optus, but you won’t be able to start comparison shopping just yet. Optus already has its pricing up, but Telstra says its won’t be revealed until the phone launches next month.

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13 Best Alternatives To eBay That Would In 2013!!

13 Best Alternatives To eBay That Would In 2013!!:

We all live in a much modern world, where we are updated with every single bit that happens around the world. And in this modernization, the most important and basic thing that should be, and is taken under consideration is the massive amount of facilities available to us in almost every aspect and every sector of the things related to us.

We all agree to this fact that discovery of Internet is a revolution in history of mankind. That has benefited us a lot. We all get benefited from it to the fullest in our respective areas and fields of interest. It has made some very tedious jobs much easy, in particular selling and purchasing of products.





eBay, as you all pretty much aware of the name, is regarded as the king of on line marketing. Where buyers and sellers get the best possible opportunities and a supportive platform to interact with one another and get jobs done. No doubt it is "The King". But some of our friends out there are unhappy from eBay and have complaints regarding it. This for sure creates a gap, that has to fulfilled with a suitable alternative. Making this job easy, my today's post provides a list of best possible alternatives that can be used instead of eBay!

eBay Alternatives!

So folks listed below, in no particular order are some of the best alternatives that can serve the purpose well and which can be used instead of eBay to buy and sell products you wish and desire.

1) ioffer.Com!

This is the type of website that supports auction format to buy and sell products. Buyers as well as sellers both get supportive opportunities. Not only this it also allows sellers to sell their products at fixed price. The best thing about this on line market is the swaps and trades platform, where sellers can maintain a free of cost account to maintain a list of products to sell or in which interested to buy. And the only fee to be paid here is the one at the time of selling.

2) ArtFire.Com!

This on line market place provides services for a selective category that includes craft supplies, vintage goods and fine arts material. There is no fee of anything on this website unless you open a pro account there, for which you have to pay a monthly subscription. Apart from all these, it provides you the best customer services and some pretty useful information on different topics like SEO tools Google analytics etc.

3) Etsy.Com!

This is yet again the type of website that provides a supportive on line market place to sell products for those who either create craft items from their own hands or supply them. It has the most unique and cultural following of buyers. There is no such fee and fee is only charged for listing items. Some restrictions are present which include that the items should be handmade by someone 20+ in age or should be on a commercial scale.

4) eBid.Net!

This is relatively smaller version of the famous eBay having all the same features like auctions, fixed price transactions and storefronts. The unique and notable feature it has is the "Ninja listing tool" that allows users bulk uploading. The rest it has a pretty reasonable fee structure.

5) TIAS.Com!

This is the oldest on line market place that deals in antiques, jewelery, crafts items and much more. With this it has within it bunch of formats categorizing items. It also provides a pretty neat customer service. As far as fee details are concerned, they do have a minimum fee requirement, but if a seller’s TIAS commissions are higher than the minimum fee, then only the commission is paid. apart from all these the other services they provide includes the submission of auctions automatically to eBay and the sending of listings to over 2000 classified ad networks. Pretty impressive folks.

6) Ruby Lane.com!

The most elegant and unique on line market place having the most decent following. It deals in collectibles, vintage items and high end antiques. A pretty impressive number of users find it a much profitable venue but with them some consider it a pretty expensive one too with high fee tariffs. Well it certainly depends on the type of sales performed folks.

7) Amazon.Com!

This is yet the best non-auction plat from that encourages good deals. Amazingly, their selling prices are even less than that of eBay, thus attracting a great deal of people. Here you can easily form accounts. Fee per sales is taken from the individual accounts while monthly subscriptions from those who form a professional account. The benefit professional account holders get is that they are able to add their products while this cant be done through individual accounts.

8) Bonanza.Com!

This is general on line merchandise type and not an auction type market place where you can buy sell fashion items, collectibles etc. The best part of this market place is that it has the lowest fee, which attracts most of the users who wish to reduce the over head costs.

9) Delcampe.Net!

Yet again an on line auction market place where you can buy collectibles of every sort and antiques. It has the most reasonable tariff structures and with them the most appropriate modes of payments.

10) bidStart.Com!

This is yet again the same type of on line auction market place which specializes in collectibles of every sort. As far as its tariff details are concerned, they are pretty interesting reduced to half of those at eBay. So if we just consider this fact, it is worth giving a try.

11) eCRATER.Com!

As far as this on line market place is concerned, millions are products are listed here as it is both a free web store builder and an on line market place. The best and unique thing about this market place is the option to import stuff directly from eBay.

12) Storenvy.Com!

This is yet again a pretty distinctive on line market place or rather a store that hosts a number of small businesses and entrepreneurs with a huge large collection of products. The best part about this place is the free of cost services provided to both, buyers and sellers.

• 13) Ealtbay.Com!

This is yet again a pretty neat on line market place to auction your belongings or to buy your desired product. This was basically formed for those products who, being legal, got banned at eBay. It has the most reasonable tariffs with the most easy modes of payments like PayPal etc.


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Lightning accessories for iPhone 5

A flurry of Lightning connector accessories for the iPhone 5, iPad mini and iPad are hitting the market from JBL, Belkin, Scosche and iLuv, among others, giving users more choices beyond what Apple offers.

Lightning is an 8-pin connector, which is smaller than the 30-pin ports that have been on iPhones, iPads, and iPods for years. The switch had users grumbling as the new connector rendered older cables and accessories like speaker docks and chargers obsolete. Apple’s strict certification had delayed the release of third-party Lightning accessories by months, but companies such as Bose have pledged to ship products soon.

JBL’s speaker docks

JBL OnBeat Micro with Lightning for iPhone 5

Harman International has introduced two JBL speaker docks—the OnBeat Micro and Venue LT—that connect to iPad mini, iPhone 5 and the newest iPad via a Lightning cable. The $99 OnBeat Micro is a portable speaker dock that can charge and play music from the iPhone 5. The speaker has a 20-watt amplifier and can bring “noise from ceiling to floor for up to five hours when it’s using batteries,” according to the company. The speaker dock uses four AAA batteries and also has a USB port to charge other mobile devices.

While the OnBeat Micro is highly portable, the $199 Venue LT is a tabletop speaker dock offering more powerful sound. The Venue LT offers Lightning and Bluetooth connectivity, so users can connect wirelessly even from older iPhone and iPad models. The speaker docks will be available mid-to-late December or early next year, a Harman International spokesman said.

Scosche’s chargers

Scosche StrikeLine retractable charger with Lightning and USB 2.0

Scosche Industries has announced Lightning-compatible charger accessories that carry 12 watts of power to recharge devices faster. TheStrikeDrive car chargers, priced from $25 to $50, and StrikeBase home chargers, priced from $35 to $50, are available in 5-watt to 12-watt models. The 5-watt model charges an iPad mini in four and three-quarter hours, and a 12-watt model can charge the same device in three hours, according to the company. The 12-watt chargers also include Micro-USB ports to charge other popular Android smartphones and tablets. For $29.99, Scosche is taking orders for the two-in-one Strikeline retractable Lightning and Micro-USB cable. Some of the chargers could be available worldwide by mid-to-late December, but it “could be early February before the entire line is available,” a company spokesman, Mark Olson, said in an e-mail.

Belkin’s accessories

Belkin’s Car Charger with Lightning connector for iPhone 5

Belkin’s 1.2-meter Car Charger with Lightning connector for iPhone 5 is shipping for $29.99. For the same price, Belkin is also offering the Charge + Sync Dock with Audio Port for iPhone 5, which is sized to fit the smartphone. The dock has a headphone jack and a stereo system can be connected through an AUX cable. An existing Lightning cable can be used with the dock to sync the iPhone 5.

iLuv chargers

iLuv EnergySeal Micro-Size Car Charger with Lightning

iLuv this week announced the $44.99EnergySeal Micro-Size Car Charger, a 1.8-meter long Lightning-to-car charger connector. Also announced was the $29.99 Premium Coiled Charge/Sync Cable, a Lightning-to-USB 2.0 cable that is also 1.8-meters long and compatible with most USB chargers. The cables will become available in January, a company spokeswoman said.

Apple’s cable offerings

Apple’s $29 adapter or $39 cablemeasuring 20 cm connect the iPhone 5 to 30-pin accessories. Apple is also selling a Lightning-to-USB cable for $19, and a Lightning-to-Micro-USB cable for the same price.

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The Week in iOS Accessories

At long last, third-party Lightning-connector accessories, for the latest generations of iPhone, iPad, and iPod, are starting to hit the market, and those add-ons form the bulk of this week’s accessory roundup.

Fender's Squier USB Stratocaster guitar.

Fender: There are many, many accessories out there that let you connect your guitar to your iPad and make sweet, sweet music. Now Fender has launched the $200 Squier USB Stratocaster Guitar, which skips the middlemen—er, middleaccessories?—altogether by letting you plug the guitar directly into your Apple devicce. A built-in analog output also lets you use the Squier USB as a traditional guitar. Rock on!

iHome's iW3

iHome: The $300 iW3 is an AirPlay-enabled wireless speaker system that streams music from your iOS device or Mac, though you can also dock and charge your iPhone, iPad, or iPod with the speaker system. The iW3 is portable, thanks to a rechargeable battery, and is available in black, silver, or red.

iLuv: This week marks a pair of new Lightning cables from this company: The $45iAD 1530 EnergySeal is a car charger for your Lightning-connector-equipped iPhone, iPad, or iPod; and the $30 iCB261 Premium Coiled Charge/Sync Cable with Lightning Connector is a six-foot, coiled USB-to-Lightning cable for—as you’ve probably guessed—charging and syncing. Neither was available for shipping as of this writing; iLuv didn’t say when the products would be available.

JBL's OnBeat Micro

JBL: Lightning-connector speaker docks for the iPhone 5 are finally hitting the market, and JBL is offering two: The $100 OnBeat Microand the $200 OnBeat Venue, the latter of which also accommodates the new iPad and iPad mini. Both devices charge your iPhone while playing music from it; the OnBeat venue can also play music wirelessly via Bluetooth. The OnBeat Micro is designed for mobile use; fill it up with AAA batteries and you can take it outdoors to get the most out of your music.

Kubxlab's mOna stand.

Kubxlab: Without the iPad, the $30 mOna iPad Stand looks like a pair of modernist salad tongs from Ikea. With a tablet in place, the device looks more like what it really is: a sleek, elegant stand that lets you view your tablet in landscape or portrait orientation, providing a variety of viewing angles for the most comfortable view of the screen.

Qmadix's Signature Stylus

Qmadix: The $20 Signature Stylus is a combination of a stylus and a pen—with a foam, capacitative tip on one end and an ink pen on the other—which means you can be ready to make your mark on the touchscreen or paper. The stylus comes with an extra foam tip.

Sajid Creative: The $49 Touchtype case (see the top of this article for a photo) lets you combine Apple’s Bluetooth Wireless Keyboard with any full-size iPad inside one stylish case for your mobile typing and computing needs. The case comes in smooth, gray polyurethane or, if you want to spend an extra $50, black leather.

Scosche: This accessory maker has unveiled an entire line of cables and chargers to plug into your iOS device’s Lightning-connector, including the $30 StrikeDrive car charger and the $35 StrikeBase wall charger. There’s also a $30 StrikeLineretractable charging and syncing cable. Scosche hasn’t announced when the products will be available; you can sign up at the company’s website for notification.

USBFeber's combo pack of iPhone camera accessories includes a mini tripod.

USBFever: A photographer often needs an array of tools to capture just the right shot. If you’re an iPhone photographer, chances are good that USBFever’s $99, descriptively namedFisheye + Wide Angle (+ Macro) + 2X + 9X + 12X Telephoto Lens Combo for iPhone 5 has the right tool for you. The package includes a fisheye lens, a wide-angle lens, and three different telephoto lenses to choose from. It also includes a back cover for your iPhone 5 that serves double-duty as an attachment mount for the lenses, as well as a small tripod for stablizing your photos. It includes just about everything you need for iPhone picture taking.

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Gree to shutter OpenFeint in December as developers consider alternatives

It doesn’t seem all that long ago that we were talking about all the major games being released with OpenFeint integration. As one of the bigger and better options for Android developers, users enjoyed its features such as leaderboards, achievements, friend lists, and cross-platform compatibility. Think XBOX Live for mobile games and you’re on the right track. Well, all that wonderful stuff comes to an end end next month as Gree will be closing down OpenFeint on December 14.

To be clear, Gree is actually hoping to migrate developers and titles over to its own network. In a normal world that doesn’t seem all that bad and game-changing (oooh a pun!). The problem, however, is that developers don’t have very much time to make necessary changes to their titles.

“Our game GoNinja has had over 1.5 million downloads on Android and iOS,” developer George Deglin told GamesBeat. “Even if we push an update in time, thousands of our users won’t know to download it and will get a failed game. It’s very frustrating.”–VentureBeat

With less than a month to swing into action, developers have to consider their options. It’s not an insurmountable task and there are a few choices that immediately spring to mind. Amazon’sGameCircle is perhaps one of the biggest names out there, but we think of Scoreloop andPapayamobile. Another option that could be worth checking out is Swarm, which is an up and coming service that has already garnered millions of users. If you’ve played Beach Buggy Blitz these last few months then you’re already familiar with how it works.

However each developer ends up dealing with the situation, one thing is certain. Some of your favorite games could be in for a real shake up as it pertains to scores, achievements, and other social stuff.

Via AndroidGuys

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Microsoft Working On 7-inch Gaming Tablet Called Xbox Surface

Back in June, Microsoft took most of the tech world (especially its OEM partners) by surprise by unveiling its own tablets called Microsoft Surface with a 10.6-inch display to take on Apple’s iPad and Android-based tablets.

The Verge now reports that according to their sources Microsoft is also working on a 7-inch gaming tablet called Xbox Surface.

Interestingly, few hours before Microsoft’s June event, there were speculations that the software giant was planning to launch the 7-inch Xbox Surface tablet. The Verge reports that the leaked specifications of the 7-inch tablet are accurate.

The Xbox Surface will likely include a custom ARM processor and high-bandwidth RAM designed specifically for gaming tasks. We’re told these specifications could be altered to accommodate an unannounced Intel SoC and that the Xbox Surface is being developed independent of specific hardware architecture. Microsoft’s Xbox Surface won’t run a full version of Windows, rather this 7-inch tablet will run a custom Windows kernel. Messaging and other tablet functions may be supported, but the focus is on gaming.

Here’s a screenshot of the specifications from our June post:

According to the report, Microsoft plans to manufacture the Xbox Surface tablet and the next generation Xbox console dubbed “Xbox 720″ in the same factory.

It remains to be seen when Microsoft will launch the 7-inch tablet. Would you be interested in gaming focussed 7-inch tablet?

[via The Verge]

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Google Nexus 7 vs. iPad Mini Compared

Google Nexus 7 vs. iPad Mini Compared:
We compare the Google Nexus 7 and the iPad Mini based on device specifications and features. With Apple trying to say their iPad Mini is a better option by comparing nothing more than a webpage and its size seems a bit close minded so we have decided to go through everything and see how they rally compare. Not actually having an iPad Mini in hand does pose some difficulty when comparing some features so we will leave those out for now.

Apple iPad Mini

Google Nexus 7

Operating System:	iOS 6	Android 4.1
Display:	7.9 inch IPS 1024×768 (163ppi)	7 inch IPS 1280×800 (216ppi)
Size:	7.9 x 5.3 x 0.28 inches	7.8 x 4.7 x 0.41 inches
Weight:	0.68 lbs/308 grams	0.75 lbs/340 grams
Processor:	Dual-core A5	Quad-core Nvidia Tegra 3
Storage:	16GB, 32GB, or 64GB	8GB or 16GB
Camera:	5MP rear, 1.2MP front 1.2MP front	1.2MP front
Battery Life:	10 hours (rated)	10.1 hours (tested)
NFC:	No	Yes

As you can see from the comparison above the Nexus 7 still seems to hold up against the iPad Mini and even beat it in some areas. While the iPad Mini has an A5 that is comparable to the quad-core Tegra 3, it falls short of the display and smaller form of the Nexus 7. Ultimately it will come down to the question of wanting the iPad Mini because you are an Apple fan or the Nexus 7 because you are not.




Via: www.android-advice.com

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Tim Cook apologizes for Apple Maps, points users to third-party apps

Apple CEO Tim Cook has issued an official statement apologizing for falling short in delivering the best experience possible with the new Maps app. In his letter, Cook explains that in order to include features like turn-by-turn directions and voice integration, Apple “had to create a new version of Maps from the ground up”. He never addressed why but we already have a pretty good idea: they failed to reach a mutually beneficial compromise with Google over the aforementioned features in Google Maps for iOS.

The apology may win Apple some goodwill with disgruntled customers. Cook says they’ll keep working non-stop until Maps lives up to the high standards that are expected of their products. Interestingly enough, the letter also suggests that users frustrated with Apple Maps can try third-party alternatives by downloading map apps like Bing, MapQuest and Waze from the App Store, or use Google or Nokia maps by going to their websites and creating an icon on their home screens to the web apps.

Despite all the criticism surrounding the switch to a new maps system, customers have continued to buy the iPhone 5 in droves and update their existing devices to iOS 6. Less than a couple of weeks since its release, already more than 100 million iOS devices are using the new Apple Maps, with that number growing every day.

Here's the full text from Apple CEO Tim Cook's letter:

To our customers,

At Apple, we strive to make world-class products that deliver the best experience possible to our customers. With the launch of our new Maps last week, we fell short on this commitment. We are extremely sorry for the frustration this has caused our customers and we are doing everything we can to make Maps better.

We launched Maps initially with the first version of iOS. As time progressed, we wanted to provide our customers with even better Maps including features such as turn-by-turn directions, voice integration, Flyover and vector-based maps. In order to do this, we had to create a new version of Maps from the ground up.

There are already more than 100 million iOS devices using the new Apple Maps, with more and more joining us every day. In just over a week, iOS users with the new Maps have already searched for nearly half a billion locations. The more our customers use our Maps the better it will get and we greatly appreciate all of the feedback we have received from you.

While we’re improving Maps, you can try alternatives by downloading map apps from the App Store like Bing, MapQuest and Waze, or use Google or Nokia maps by going to their websites and creating an icon on your home screen to their web app.

Everything we do at Apple is aimed at making our products the best in the world. We know that you expect that from us, and we will keep working non-stop until Maps lives up to the same incredibly high standard.

Tim Cook
Apple’s CEO

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Hands-on with BlackBerry 10 running on Dev Alpha B Hardware!

Hands-on with BlackBerry 10 running on Dev Alpha B Hardware!:

CrackBerry's BlackBerry 10 OS preview shows off revamped Flow UI, BlackBerry Hub, Active Frames, BlackBerry Messenger and more!

CrackBerry had the opportunity yesterday to get an early hands-on preview of the BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha B device that will be given to developers in attendance at BlackBerry Jam Americas.
Beyond the hardware, we also got another great look at the upcoming BlackBerry 10 operating system in action, which this time we can both talk about and actually show you. And in true CrackBerry style, we're not just bringing you one hands-on video of BlackBerry 10 in action, but two.
While BlackBerry 10 has been kept very well under wraps to date, the videos and photos below provide a much better feel for what we can expect of BlackBerry 10 when it hits the market early next year.  
 

Hands-On with BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha B Videos

In this video, yours truly takes the helm of the device, walking through this BlackBerry 10 preview on the Dev Alpha B.

 
And in this video, Research In Motion's Michael Clewley takes us through the BlackBerry 10 experience on the Dev Alpha B.

 

BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha B Hardware

left: Dev Alpha B; right: Dev Alpha 

If you're wondering why a Dev Alpha B? it's because RIM ran out of Dev Alpha devices, of which 5,000 were originally made. Both devices deliver the same experience to developers, though there are some differences. 
Visually, the external casing of the Dev Alpha B is slightly chunkier with squared-off corners, and features a removable battery door. There's also a raised lip at the bottom of the front of the phone (which we found can make the swipe up action a little trickier than on the Dev Alpha).

left: Dev Alpha B; right: Dev Alpha 

We were told the hardware internals and specs of the Dev Alpha are very representative of what the first BlackBerry 10 full touchscreen device will hit the market with. Under that battery door is a 1800mAh LS-1 battery, so as previously rumoured you can safely bet that's the battery we'll see in the first BlackBerry 10 full touchscreen phone.

Removable battery door (note the NFC antenna), 1800mAh LS1 battery 

And while the original Dev Alpha shipped with the PlayBook OS running on it, the Dev Alpha B will be running a stripped-down version of BlackBerry 10. The flow UI will be there, as will be some of the core apps, including BlackBerry Messenger and the web browser. Developers with the original Dev Alpha will be able to download the same OS build that's on the Dev Alpha B. 
 

BlackBerry 10 Changes, Highlights and Impressions 

The BlackBerry 10 Lock screen is fun to play with :)

The version of the BlackBerry 10 OS that is featured in this post is more feature complete than the version developers will receive on their Dev Alpha hardware. And yes, what we're looking at here more closely approximates what the we experienced when we went hands-on with the real BlackBerry 10 phones that will be hitting the market next year. So when we wrote about the 10 Things We're Looking Forward To in BlackBerry 10 so far, you can now see exactly what we're talking about.
There are a lot of little details here that we can micro-analyze, so for now we'll focus on the big changes and features that were highlighted to us during our briefing.
 
HomeScreen / Flow UI Tweaks 
Lock Screen - Turning the device on, you can now see the useful and fun lock screen experience we spoke of in our earlier hands-on preview. Dragging your finger from the bottom up unlocks the display, and as you move your finger you can literally see through to the OS. The OS will open back to wherever you left off. Quick access to the camera is available through the lock screen, and there's also a preview of message notifications and upcoming appointments. One cool feature that we discovered that's not shown in this video is that you can also swipe down from the top on the lock screen. This will bring you to Bedside mode - it's literally like closing the curtains "good night!" on your phone. 
Horizontal Scrolling in App Drawer - On previous looks at the BlackBerry 10 home screen, the main app drawer of application shortcuts scrolled vertically. This has been changed to horizontal panes, which we think is smart. You can also jump panes and rapid scroll through panes. So if you have 5 panes of apps, you can literally go straight from the first one to the fifth one in a tap. 
Active Frames - When apps are open but minimized, they appear on a dedicated pane on the home screen, where up to the most recent eight running apps are displayed. These are now referred to as Active Frames. Not widgets. Not live tiles. Active frames! Active frames show useful information as decided by the developer. Essentially when an app is a built, the developer can choose what information they want displayed to show in the active frame. And it can be dynamic. For example, with BBM, the Active Frame will update to show you your most recent incoming message. 
BlackBerry Hub - BlackBerry Hub is the new name for the unified inbox on BlackBerry 10, which is a fitting name given that it's so much more than an email inbox. The gesture to jump into the BlackBerry Hub has changed too since what was previewed in May at BlackBerry World. Previously, the gesture was to move from the bottom right corner of the phone and push your way into the inbox. Now you swipe up from the bottom of the phone and then move your thumb to the right. It's a little tricky to explain in words, so be sure to watch the videos. We think it's a brilliant change though. It's more a natural movement for the thumb, and there's this subconscious feeling that the the BlackBerry Hub is ALWAYS there underneath whatever it is you're doing. You can always just pull back the app you're in and it's there.

The BlackBerry 10 Hub is much more than a unified inbox

As for the BlackBerry Hub, it really is much more than unified inbox. BBM, SMS, Facebook, Twitter, Linked in all integrate into it. From the main messages area you an even swipe down to reveal upcoming calendar appointments (awesome feature!). At the launch of the BlackBerry 10 developers will be able to tie into the Hub for delivering notifications, and soon after will be able to tie right into the native Hub.
Quick Settings / Menus - Swiping down from the top of the phone of the screen reveals a quick settings menu. As for menus, with no physical "menu button" on BlackBerry 10 phones, the menu button is represented throughout the operating system via a graphic with three little dots. Core app functionality will mainly be displayed at eye level, but additional features and options are accessible via this menu overflow button. When tapped, the menu slides in and can we swiped away. It's a really clean implementation.
One-Handed UI touches - A great example of the one-handed friendliness of BlackBerry 10 can be found in the web browser. Instead of putting the url bar at the top of the display, where it's out of easy reach of your thumb, it's been moved to the bottom of the browser. Simple. Brilliant. As you use the operating system, you really get that sense that for being a big touchscreen phone, they're doing everything they can to make it feel small, in the sense that everything of importance is accessible from your thumb.
 

BlackBerry App World Now Features Videos, TV Shows and Music!

Movies, TV Shows and Music can be purchased within App World

One of the features we were most excited to see unveiled was an updated BlackBerry App World, which now features the ability to directly purchase Music, Movies and TV shows. That's right, BlackBerry has a full content ecosystem that makes sense! This has been one of our wishes for a long time now - to be able to make content purchases beyond apps and games using your BlackBerry ID.

Content payment via BlackBerry ID includes paypal, credit card and carrier billing

This means video and music purchases can be made via paypal, credit card and even by carrier billing. This also means only needing to manage one account - none of this separate accounts and apps for the 7 Digital Music Store and Rovi Video Store. Finally! 
 

BlackBerry Messenger Amplified!

BlackBerry Messenger gets a BIG overhaul for BlackBerry 10

With ~50 million BlackBerry Messenger users worldwide on current BlackBerry 7 and older Smartphones, it only makes sense that BBM would get a major overhaul for BlackBerry 10 (have to get the BBM-addicted user base out there to upgrade to BB10 phones asap!).  
We're loving what we see here, including the treatment to BBM Groups, which does a much better job at surfacing a lot of the functionality that is currently buried beneath the menu button on BBM. Pictures, Lists and Events are brought to the display layer and take advantage of the active frame functionality found on the BlackBerry 10 homescreen. For example, if a new picture is posted to a BBM group, the newest picture will display on the Active Frame within the Picture's active frame on the Group's homepage. 

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