Motorola launches its Aura in India at a price tag of Rs. 1.11 lakh

Amidst reports of Motorola shutting shop in India, the company launched its ultra-premium phone, the Motorola Aura. The handset is priced at a whopping Rs. 1,11,492 and was launched by none other than AB Jr., reports Tech2.0.

Apart from the avant-garde design of the phone, the other thing to note is the display with 16 million colours and 300 dpi resolution. Motorola claims the custom-engineered rotating mechanism composed of over 200 high precision individual parts. Turning AURA over reveals a window into its mechanical heart-gears composed of Rockwell 50-55 hardened steel and 130 precision ball bearings.

Nuance Communications bags India's only award at the MWC this year

Kudos to Nuance Communications for winning India's only award at the Global Mobile Awards at the MWC 2009. For the uninitiated, Nuance Comm. is the company behind the omnipresent T9 predictive text dictionary in mobile phones.

Nuance was awarded in the category of ‘Best Use of Mobile for Social and Economic Development’ for the Airtel-T9 Vernacular Messaging Campaigns in various Indic languages. Three Cheers to that!

HTC service centres in India

Managed to lay my hands upon the complete list of HTC service centres in India with contact numbers and email ids. Hope this is useful for HTC users in India.

City		Name	Address	Contact No.	email
PATNA		Salora International	Rajendra Path,Free Press Lane , Patna 8000001	0612- 2320059	oad-service-patna@salora.com
KOLKATA		RT Outsourcing Services Ltd	RT Outsourcing Services Ltd, 2, Rippan Street, Kolkata-17	033-22264371,22277895	chirasreedey@gmail.com
KOLKATA		Salora International	5 , Commissarite Road, Histing , Near Ordance Club, Kolkata	033-22230573	oad-service-calcutta@salora.com
BHUBNESHWAR		Salora International	A11 ,Sahid Nagar,Bhubneshwar	0674-2543252	oad-service-bhubneshwar@salora.com
GUWAHATI		Salora International	2nd floor.Munni market,opp. ICICI bank,bhangaghar	0361-2452156	oad-service-guwahati@salora.com
NEW DELHI		Salora International	D-13/4 Okhla Ind. Area Phase II, New Delhi 110020	011-29207158/55/56	hvc@salora.com
NEW DELHI		Cell NET	L1 Mahavir Enclave, Palam Dabri Road, Near Dwarka Gate, New Delhi 45	011-45521200	cellnetservice@gmail.com
NEW DELHI		Vaishnavi Services	A-1,Acharya Niketen, Mayur Vihar Phase - 1	011-4304355,9871877888, 9910888885	Vaishnavi.services@gmail.com
NEW DELHI		Mobile Phone India	114, DLF Central Arcade, DLF City-II,Mehrauli Gurgaon Road , Gurgaon	4011165,9891042595, 9891002234, 9910107001	manishbatra20@gmail.com
NEW DELHI		RT Outsourcing Services Ltd	RT Outsourcing Services Ltd. 7, Local Shopping complex, Okhla Phase-II, Opp.- C Lal Chowk, New Delhi-20	011-40648841, 42	rtdelhi.it@rteservices.com
GURGAON		Sheetla Communications	Sec 17,18 T point Near Air force station old Delhi Road	9310222290	sheetla_com@yahoo.com
CHANDIGARH		Salora International	SCO-327,2nd floor Sector -40D, Chandigarh	0172-2622850	oad-service-chandigarh@salora.com
LUDHIANA		BM Services	Shop No 6, Pearl Palace, Ghumar Mandi road, Ludhiana - 144001	0161-3012929	sagguamit@yahoo.co.uk
JALLANDHER		Salora International	682-L,1st Floor , Johal Market , Model Town Jallandhar	0181-2440395,2465005	oad-service-jallandhar@salora.com
JAIPUR		RT Outsourcing Services Ltd	RT Outsourcing Services Ltd, 17-B, Satya Marg, Nand Puri Market, 22 Godown, Jaipur-302004	0141-5181850,2210481	se.jaipur@rteservices.com
JAIPUR		Salora International	Certified Sony Ericsson Service Centre, 105, Firs Floor, Paradise, Sarojini Marg, C Scheme Jaipur	0141-2366481, 2370023	oad-service-jaipur@salora.com
JODHPUR		Surana Enterprises	160, Sec.7 Ext. New Power House Road Jodhpur	0291---9414127957, 0291-2645348
KANPUR		DKG Mobile	FFD 06 IIIrd floor Somdutt plaza,The Mall kanpur -01	0512-2304240	dkg_mobiles@yahoo.co.in
LUCKNOW		Salora International	Suraj Deep Complex, D-Block, Swatantra Bharat Complex, 16 - Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow	0522-2208205, 2207030	oad-service-lucknow@salora.com
JAMMU		KINGS ELETRONICS	D-238,Karan Market,IndiraChowk,Jammu	0191-2565615	vivekkalramgr@yahoo.com
MEERUT		Ashawani Care	19 chotta Bazar,lal kurti bazzar,MEERUT	121-2640909	vhscare@yahoo.com
UTTARAKHAND		Allied info-tel	28-A,Khurbara,Near National Agencies,Dehradun	9837062101
BANGALORE		Salora International	Salora Intl Ltd. Blue Moon Xlant, No.-388, 9th Main, Sector- 7. HSR-Layout, near Mangammana Palya,Bangalore-34	080-41662360	oad-service-bangalore@salora.com
BANGALORE		RT Outsourcing Services Ltd	RT Outsourcing Services Ltd, 2nd floor, Sunbeam 1/1, Langford (Facing Eagle), Langford Town, Bangalore-560 025	080-40504999	rtsupport.blr@rteservices.com
BANGALORE		Ovez Communication	10,G4 Richmond Plaza next to Nikhar Jewellers Richmond Circle	080-22481234, 22482222	ovez_communications@yahoo.com
CHENNAI		Salora International	New No. 8 Old No. 34 Jumbulingam Street Nungambakkam, Chennai- 600034	044-28251332	oad-service-chennai@salora.com
CHENNAI		Vimas Intek	Y-177,AnnaNagar,Near Iyyappan Temple,Chennai.	044-26192991, 42693883	vimas@airtelmail.in
CHENNAI		Iconet communication	86- Ist Avenue, Indira Nagar,ADYAR Chennai-20	044-42105500,42138800	adyar@iconetcellular.com
HYDERABAD		Maha Technolgies	Maha Technolgies, Room No 509, Taramandal Complex, 5-9-13 Saifabad, Hyderabad 500004	040-30283991	hariprasad.mahatechnologies@gmail.com
SECUNDERABAD		Salora International	1-1-167/2, Ist Floor, Abdullah Mansion,Alexander Road,Behind Hari Hara Kala Bhawan, Secunderabad-3	040-27807315, 27807316	oad-service-secunderabad@salora.com
COCHIN		Salora International	40/822-C2,C3 Second floor,Erumbayil Complex Iyyattil Junction, Chittoor Road, Cochin -11, Ernakulam	0484-2374747,	oad-service-cochin@salora.com
VISAKHAPATNAM		Bright Solutions	47-9-14, Ganta Arcade, 3rd Lane, Dwarakanagar, Visakhapatnam	0891-2598774, 9866228226
MUMBAI		RT Outsourcing Services Ltd	RT Outsourcing services Ltd, Mahajan Compound, Behind Union Bank, LBS Marg, Vikhroli (W), Mumbai -400079	022-65247592, 95,	rtmumbai@rteservices.com
MUMBAI		Salora International	Dahnushree building,office no-2,mezz floor,Solanki Marg, near Minerva Cinema	022- 23063664	oad-service-mumbai@salora.com
MUMBAI		Taipan Electronics	4,Raj Heights, MG Road ,Near Vohra colony,Kandivili W Mumbai 400067	222808443	taipan.india@gmail.com
PUNE		Salora International	1548 A,Sadashive Peth Near new Vishweshwar bank,off Tilak Road Pune-30	020-24328845	oad-service-Pune1@salora.com
PUNE		RT Outsourcing Services Ltd	RT Outsourcing Services Ltd, Room Number 310 Manish Plaza, NIBM Road,Kondhwa Pune-48.	020-40100915,918	htc.pune@rteservices.com
NAGPUR		Pioneer Technology Services	Pioneer Technology Services. E-14 3rd floor Rajkamal Complex, oppesite Panchsheel Cinema Wardha. Road Nagpur -440012	9923987198, 0712-6625113/4/5/6
SURAT		P9 Services	3, Kalindi Caves Appt.,Opp. Dayalji Ashram,Majura Gate, Surat - 395 002.	0261-2471999	p9services@gmail.com
INDORE		Salora International	310- Shalimar Corporate centre South Tukogunj, Indore	0731-2514164	oad-service-indore@salora.com
BARODA		Shreeji Times	61/66, marble arch, opp. Vanijya bhavan,ground floor baroda	0265-2337083	bvtanna1@gmail.com
AHMEDABAD		Salora International	SALORA INTERNATIONAL LTD , 101, KALASH BUILDING, NR. JAIN temple , OPP new HDFC BANK. , NAVRANGPURA.AHMD	079-26562754, 9974036228	oad-service-ahmedabad@salora.com
AHMEDABAD		JBM Services	JBM Services, 210, Pawan Plaza Complex, Nr. Sardar Patel Statue, Naranpura, Ahmedabad-380013 (Guj.)	079-30082500/ 9913128625	bootcom2000@gmail.com

LG unveils world's first 'Transparent mobile phone'

The tag for the 'world's first' always has some interesting twists and turns, right from the gimmicky to the bizarre. This time its LG who has come up with the world's first transparent mobile phone, which has a glass like see through keypad. No word on pricing or other details though.

LG enters the Arena

LG has introduced its latest touchscreen device at the MWC - the LG Arena. The phone features a 3 inch WVGA screen with S-Class user interface. (Nothing to do with the Merc, of course, it's LG's new 3D touch interface). Also worth mentioning is the 5MP camera, a FM transmitter to hook up the phone with your car audio system and Dolby Mobile.

HTC & Vodafone create 'Magic' with Android

The speculations have come true! HTC & Vodafone have announced the HTC Magic - the latest phone on Android platform. The HTC Magic has a 3.2 inch QVGA touch screen display and features a trackball and navigational buttons for quick, easy access. The HTC Magic includes a variety of email options such as Google Mail™, POP3 and IMAP as well as Google Talk™ for instant messaging. The device looks strikingly similar, but does not sport a slide-out QWERTY keypad like its earlier avatar, the T-Mobile G1. It will be available exclusive to Vodafone customers initially in UK, Spain, Germany and France and non-exclusively in Italy with more countries to follow.

Methinks the HTC Dream will come to India with Airtel (due to HTC's recent alliance with Singtel to launch it in South Asia) and the HTC Magic through Voda. What say?

Nokia comes up with a slew of announcements in MWC

The big daddy of mobile phones is surely in overdrive as far as announcements, launches and alliances goes. The company has launched its first 8 megapixel cam phone, the N86, and claims that the phone "is comparable to that of a high quality, stand-alone digital camera." The 2.6 inch screen is a bit of a dampener though, when compared to the recent launches by other smartphone manufacturers.

Nokia also launched 2 business-centric devices - E55 and E75, to spruce up their enterprise device portfolio, an upgrade to their Navigator - the 6710, which has been integrated with Ovi and the latest in the Classic series - the 6720.

In the meantime, the company has also announced its alliances with Skype, Qualcomm & Adobe apart from launching their app store on Ovi. Phew!

HTC beefs up the Touch Pro, Touch Diamond

HTC too has created a flutter by launching newer versions of the Touch Pro and Touch Diamond (calling them HTC Touch Diamond 2 & Touch Pro 2), with massive all-round upgradations, both in looks and specs. The beauties are currently on the Windows Mobile 6.1 platform, but can be upgraded to WiMO 6.5 later for free! The devices also feature HTC's new Push Internet technology, that promises faster access to the net.

The Touch Diamond 2 incorporates a larger 3.2-inch high-resolution wide-screen VGA display for a greater viewing area in a design just 13.7mm thick. The phone also includes a new touch sensitive zoom bar for even faster zooming of Web pages, emails, text messages, photos or documents.

The Touch Pro2 features a high-resolution 3.6-inch widescreen VGA display for an expanded viewing area and large finger-friendly QWERTY keyboard, which can be tilted at an angle.

Microsoft's swanky new Windows Mobile 6.5

Well, this one was a long time coming! Microsoft launched its latest Mobile OS - the Windows Mobile 6.5. From whatever can be made out from the pics so far, the interface looks definitely sleeker, with the 'honeycomb' style menu and bigger icons. Will it shrug off some of the sluggishness that WiMo is notorious for? Remains to be seen. Here are some screenshots and a video.

Samsung unveils the stunning Omnia HD

One of the best phones (spec wise), to be launched thus far at the MWC, the Samsung Omnia HD is no ordinary upgrade. Sporting the Symbian S60 (5th edition), instead of the Windows Mobile 6.1 that the earlier Omnia featured, this stunner also flaunts a 3.5 inch display and a 8 megapixel shooter. What's more, Samsung claims it can record HD videos at 720p. Truly a powerhouse!

MWC: Acer jumps on the smartphone bandwagon, launches the 'Tempo' series

Wow, It's my first post. Will start the first few posts with the biggest and the latest from what is as huge and as significant as he CES for telecom companies - The Mobile World Congress, being held in Barcelona from 16-19 Feb. 

Taiwanese PC/Notebook major, Acer just upped the ante in the already hot smartphone market by introducing 4 new mobile phones at the MWC. The company, which happens to be among the top 3 PC vendors in the world, launched its Tempo series with 4 brand new devices - The M900, F900, X960 and DX900. While none of these phones sport features to make the other biggies lose any sweat, but the entry of this heavyweight sure spells interesting times ahead.