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Priyanka Chopra who started shooting in Kashmir for Saat Khoon Maaf has her first of her 7 screen husbands, Irrfan Khan, frantically preparing for his part of a love-stuck poet. Irrfan had started his career as a film actor with the role of a love-stuck poet in Govind Nihalani's Drishti where he had got to make love to the older woman, the beautiful Dimple Kapadia. In Saat Khoon Maaf again, Irrfan plays a besotted lover-boy, this time wooing Priyanka Chopra. And to help Irrfan get passionately poetic, there's the inimitable Gulzar's poetry that would be used for Irrfan's character. Gulzar Saab has apparently written some of his most romantic lines ever for Irrfan to woo Priyanka with. A diehard Gulzar fan, Priyanka can't wait to be wooed with the luscious poetry that Irrfan would be reciting. The trick is to make Irrfan look much younger than his age for the role of the Cupid-challenged poet. The makeup artiste has been working since last week o

The tall, dark and handsome hunk from American series 'Heroes', Sendhil Ramamurthy, is making heads turn even before the first look of Gurinder Chadha's It's A Wonderful Afterlife has been revealed in India. The LA-based actor, who was recently cast as a CIA agent in the noted US spy drama Covert Affairs opposite Piper Perabo, was approached by Chadha in December 2008 to meet for the role of Raj, opposite British-Indian debutant, Goldy Notay, who plays Roopie. "Sendhil flew to London and we had lunch," informs Chadha. "He said he was determined to be in one of my films and happily he was perfect for the role; a good-looking out of towner who has not been in touch with Roopie and her family for a while. Sendhil was great on set, extremely disciplined and conscientious, and he made many a female heart flutter when he did a take - and some guys too!" she laughs. Remarks Sendhil, "I had some time off between Season 3 and 4 of 'H

Vidya Balan spoke on the Globalization of Mainstream Indian Cinema at the14th Wharton India Economic Forum (WIEF). Balan, who has never failed to deliver a brilliant performance in her films, was recently invited to the prestigious Wharton School in Pennsylvania to be part of the 14th Wharton India Economic Forum (WIEF) to speak on the subject of Globalization of Mainstream. The actress spoke on moving beyond parallel and cross-over films, and how mainstream Indian films are now making their mark on international audiences. Reveals a source, "Vidya Balan spoke on how mainstream Indian Cinema is going global in every way possible as international production houses including Warner Bros and Disney are producing Indian films, and how Indian movies are being watched by over 90 countries and are consistently recognized across international film festivals." Vidya was part of a panel that discussed the achievements, shortcomings, and future prospects of the Indian film

After having debuted with the hardcore action flick Balwaan , almost two decades ago, Suniel Shetty went on to experiment in various genres right from romance, to comedy to socially relevant films. However, those fans who have been pining to see 'Anna' in an action role can finally smile as the actor is all ready to start his next film which is an action film. The film in question is a remake of the popular Malayalam film Keerthichakra and will be directed by Major Ravi (an ex-Indian Army Major). Major Ravi, who has been associated with directors like Priyadarshan and Rajkumar Santoshi in the past, had directed the original version starring Mohanlal which was a runaway success. Speaking about the film, Suniel says, "Yes... I am excited about doing an action film after a long while. The original version Keerthichakra was a huge success and I hope that the Hindi remake also does well. I play the role of an officer who leads a team of 10 young commandos. My

The core cast of Anees Bazmee's rom-com Thank You just got bigger. After Akshay Kumar, Sonam Kapoor and Bobby Deol, Irrfan Khan has been added to the cast in a pivotal role. Suniel Shetty and Celina Jaitly play another couple in the film. Says Anees, "I've worked with Suniel and Celina before and enjoyed the experience. But with Irrfan I'm working for the first time. He is perfect for the part of Bobby Deol's boss." Irrfan has a crammed year ahead. As soon as he finishes Saat Khoon Maaf , he heads for Canada to shoot for Anees Bazmee's Thank You . Says Irrfan, "Yes, I'm doing Anees' film. I've always wanted to work with Anees Bazmee. It's always advisable to include spicy food in your cuisine. That's why I'm doing Anees' Thank You . The role is perfect. And I get to work with another lovely girl Sonam Kapoor."

For all those who thought that if Anil Kapoor vanished in reel life in Mr. India , Sridevi did the same vanishing trick in real life, here's a piece of news that will really sound music to your ears! After having ruled and reigned over everyone's hearts alike with her performances in the silver screen as well as giving a zillion FMCG products an image makeover ( read 'endorsing') the Queen Bee is back yet again...not to vanish this time round, but to endorse Vanish washing powder. Sources close to Bollywood Hungama confirmed the news saying, "It took slightly larger-than-usual time for the ad director to convince Sridevi to sign on the dotted line. But, once she was convinced then there was not looking back! She went all out to shoot for the ad and extended her full co-operation, something that she has always been known for". Repeated attempts to contact Sridevi proved futile.

Lenovo’s Skylight smartbook was meant to be shipping sometime this month, but the company has confirmed that the US launch window for the Snapdragon-based ultraportable has been pushed back to July. A Lenovo spokesperson told Laptop that “With any new product that we introduce, we owe it to our customers to get it right and we would rather take the little extra time that sometimes takes to finalize a product,” though given the company’s other launch plans for the Skylight it’s possibly an issue with their carrier partner in the US, AT&T, that is holding up the smartbook. That’s because Lenovo are apparently pushing ahead with a slightly delayed May release for the Skylight in China, followed by other markets in June, before it makes its US arrival come July 2010. Presuming that the 3G-enabled smartbook will be launching with carrier partners in each of those other locations, it looks possible that it’s wireless negotiations rather than hardware/software holding things up. Lenovo

Mitsubishi have announced their latest range of 3D-capable DLP HDTVs, the 638 Series, 738 Series and 838 Series, spanning sizes from 60- to 82-inches and all packing Full HD 1080p. In addition to high definition pictures and 3D support there’s also an optional integrated 16-speaker 5.1 channel Dolby Digital surround sound system and optional StreamTV internet connected widgets for access to Vudu movies, Pandora, Flickr, Picasa, Facebook, Associated Press, The New York Times and more. All three Series pack three HDMI ports with CEC, HDMI-PC Compatibility, and two Component/Composite video inputs. The 738 Series (available in 60, 65, 73 and 82 inch sizes) adds in StreamTV functionality, support for a WiFi 802.11n USB dongle, and then various image processing systems: a Plush 1080p 5G 12-bit Video processor, Smooth120, EdgeEnhance, DeepField Imager, Advanced Video Calibration and Universal Remote Control. Finally, the 838 Series (65, 73 and 82 inches) packs a 6-speaker 32W audio system

NEC has been offering up replacements for some of its older large screen displays that are aimed at businesses needing to display information in lobbies and other locations. The company has today unveiled a new LCD called the V321 that is replacing the MultiSync LCD3215. The new V321 is a 32-inch LCD with a native resolution of 1366 x 768 and a contrast ratio of 3000:1. The LCD is rated for a brightness of 450 cd/m2 and has features to prevent the panel from getting images burnt into the screen. Other features include video wall capability for up to 25 displays. A special cooling system keeps the display running and a scheduler turns the screen off automatically when not needed. The V321 has a wealth of connectivity options including HDMI, DVI-D, 5 BNC (RGB/HV, DVD/HD or composite video), 15-pin D-sub, S-Video and composite video in/out. The V321 will ship this month for $649.

Dell is one of the largest computer makers in the world and the company is rolling out a new line of notebooks for business users called the Latitude E-series. The series is kicking off with three models including the E6410, E6510, and E6410 ATG notebooks. Both the E6410 and E6510 notebooks are mainstream machines. The big difference in the two is the 6410 is a 14.1-inch screen machine and the 6510 is a 15.6-inch machine. The former started at $1,129 with the latter kicking off at $1,164. Both machines offer Core i5 and i7 CPUs, DDR3 RAM, HD resolution screens, and come in three colors. The E6410 ATG is a semi-rugged version of the 6410 with a 14.1-inch screen that meets MIL STD 810F for shock, vibration, temperature, humidity, and altitude. The entire series has Energy Star and EPEAT certifications and more. Security features available include fingerprint authentication, contactless card readers, one-time password tokens, and single sign on capability.

It’s not just a new range of 3D DLP HDTVs Mitsubishi want to tell us about; the company also have a somewhat more affordable new line-up of sets in their 2010 Unisen Immersive Sound range. The 40- to 55-inch HDTVs in the new 154 Series, 164 Series and 265 Series each have edge-lit LED backlighting, 120Hz picture, a 16-speaker sound bar and StreamTV for internet-connected Vudu, Flickr, Pandora, Facebook, Twitter and other widgets. Each set has four HDMI ports, surround sound outputs, Deep Color and x.v.Color, together with a USB input. The 164 Series adds integrated WiFi for music and video streaming, Bluetooth A2DP support and various picture-tweaking systems, while the Diamond 265 Series gets an 18-speaker system, 240Hz picture and an optional iPhone remote control app, among other things. The range kicks off with the 40-inch LT-40164 at $1,699, climbing all the way to $3,199 for the LT-55265. Interestingly, despite the StreamTV branding there doesn’t appear to be any connection th

Ah, the ASUS Eee Keyboard. Delayed so long there was a fair chance humans might have evolved not to have fingers by the time it hits the shelves, we’re still unable to actually go out and buy the nettop-in-a-keyboard-with-a-touchscreen but at least we can look at ASUS’ latest promo for the device. In the video demo, the main focus is the multitouch touchscreen and all the different ways it can be used. Rather than solely positioning the Eee Keyboard as a machine for your lounge, ASUS also want you to know that you can take it into the office and do proper work on it, too. Last month, ASUS CEO Jonney Shih told us that the Eee Keyboard would arrive sometime this month, though with this particular product we’ve learnt to take everything with a sizeable pinch of salt. Still, there could nonetheless be a market – however niche – for a media PC baked into a keyboard, we’ll just wait until the first reviews to find out.

It’s the last of HTC’s trio of devices from MWC 2010 and, dare we say it, it’s perhaps the least anticipated. Still, the HTC HD mini has the potential to make a fair few fans, with the capacitive touch technology of the wildly popular HD2 shrunk down into a far more pocket-friendly package. Check out our video unboxing, some comparison shots with the HD2, and a few first-impressions after the cut. Windows Mobile 6.5 – even with HTC’s Sense UI – doesn’t get much attention these days, especially withWindows Phone 7 on the horizon, and it’s worth remembering that there’s no chance of an official WP7 upgrade for the HD mini. Not only does its 600MHz processor and 3.2-inch HVGA capacitive touchscreen fall short of the minimum requirements, it has the wrong buttons too. Still, Sense does make WinMo a more comfortable place to be in, and the HD mini is certainly easier to control single-handed than the broad, flat HD2. Build quality is high, with the slightly-flexible rubber backing plate

My wife drives an SUV that has a big LCD screen in the dash. I have often wished that the screen could be used to show some the navigation apps from my iPhone when we are driving in her car. Nokia and Continental have teamed up to work on tech that will allow this sort of thing to happen. The two firms are working on tech that will replicate, sync, and allow control of apps on devices right on a screen in the car. That means you could start and use Ovi Maps for instance on the dash display rather than trying to use it on the small phone screen. Nokia’s part of the program includes the integration of Terminal Mode protocol, which is in the final stages of standardization for mobile devices. Continental is finding various ways to integrate Terminal Mode into infotainment devices in vehicles. This tech will make a great addition to vehicle technology like Sync in my Mustang.

I live in an area where the local cable company has all of five HD channels. That means that 99% of the homes in my neighborhood use satellite with DirecTV or Dish Network. I really like the DirecTV service I use since it offers more HD stations than Dish. Dish has a new DVR that makes me jealous though. The new Dish VIP 922 DVR packing Slingbox technology inside has launched. The device is the first DVR in the world to integrate Slingbox tech inside and since Dish parent company EchoStar owns Sling Media the odds of the tech making its way to other satellite providers is nil. The DVR also has a 1TB drive which make same weep for the paltry 20GB HDD inside my DirecTV DVR. The Sling tech inside should mean that tossing your recorded shows onto other screens around the house is a breeze. Official pricing isn’t offered, but rumors peg the price at $695 outright or $200 for a lease. A lease with a satellite provider means you give them the $200 and they let you use the DVR as long as you k

We mentioned yesterday that Canon had unveiled a pair of new professional camcorders called the XF305 and XF300. Canon also announced a pair of new CompactFlash recording devices that can move video shot on the new camcorders to an internal HDD for storage. The FS-CF and FS-CF Pro DTE recorders are compatible with Canon’s line of HDV and Mini-DV camcorders. The devices support 1080 24F, 25F, and 30F with 50i and 60i frame rates in QuickTime and M2T formats. The device also support 1080i 60 and 50 in MXF OP Atom format. The point of the devices is to allow pro camera crews in the field to offload video recorded directly on CF cards in their camcorders to the FS-CF devices for storage. The Pro version has a color LCD that can be used to play the content back and logs metadata wirelessly during recording. Both will ship later this month with the FS-CF selling for $995 and the FS-CF Pro selling for $1295.

AMD’s rumored plans to take on Intel Turbo Boost have been confirmed, with the company quietly acknowledging that their upcoming hexacore processors will support a dynamic clock boost technology called AMD Turbo CORE. Like with the Intel system, the six-core AMD Phenom II CPUs will be able to overclock up to three heavily-taxed cores by up to 500MHz, while the remaining cores are left idle (saving power and reducing heat output). It’s a simpler system than Intel Turbo Boost, which uses more dynamic clock speed alterations, but AMD reckon the reduced complexity will mean that other CPU management technologies – such as Cool’n'Quiet – will continue to work as expected. All Phenom II processor models will react in the same way, with a preset Turbo CORE maximum speed. AMD are planning a Black Edition six-core Thuban processor with a basic core clock speed of “over 3GHz, substantially” and Turbo CORE support, but the technology will also be used in other six-core and four-core process

The iPad has been on store shelves for less than a week, and already there are mutterings about the next model. According to an unusually self-referential DigiTimes report – which quotes someone else working at DigiTimes – Apple are planning to launch a “5- to 7-inch version of the iPad” in Q1 2011, targeted at the ereader market and for those users not wishing to do much in the way of text input. The speculation comes from Digitimes Research senior analyst Mingchi Kuo, who has apparently been told by “upstream component sources” that Apple are looking at a sub-$400 price for the new ultraportable. It’s not the first time we’ve heard whispers of multiple iPad models, though a 5-inch version does seem relatively close in size to the iPod touch; as far back as September last year, Apple were said to have been experimenting with a 7-inch prototype iPad.

HP have said they are well on the way to developing storage technology capable of packing 20GB into a square centimeter. The new system relies on memristors or “memory resistors”, where an ultrathin film of titanium dioxide is blasted with an electrical current to move individual atoms and thus change the material’s resistance. HP’s team have created not only a 3D array of memristors – which work in a similar way to how the brain’s synapses function – but increased their switching speed to match that of traditional silicon transistors. The advantage is primarily one of size and thus memory density. Whereas current transistor-based memory is manufactured on 30-40nm processes, HP have created memristors just 3nm and which can switch on and off in around a nanosecond. The 20GB-in-one-square-centimeter claim could, HP physicist Dr Stan Williams reckons, be delivered in less than three years time, but the technology has the potential to scale significantly beyond the limits of transisto

After taking Sony to task for yanking “Other OS” support from the PS3 in their latest firmware update, v3.21, George Hotz – aka geohot – has followed up on his promise to develop a custom firmware build that bypasses the new restriction. The new firmware, which is yet to be publicly released, maintains the ability to install third-party OSes on the PS3, but without the gamer losing access to the PlayStation Network. “This can be installed without having to open up your PS3, just by restoring a custom generated PUP file, but only from 3.15 or previous. It’s possible this CFW will also work on the slim to actually *enable* OtherOS; I’ll know when my infectus gets here.” George Hotz In fact, Hotz also reckons that it might be possible to use the new custom firmware on a newer PS3 Slim to enable “Other OS” functionality, something that version of the console never had to begin with. The tweaked firmware must be installed on a PS3 running a version previous to 3.21, however; if you ignore

Your iPad is tucked up snug and warm in your rucksack as you head off to airport security, but do you need to whip it out and put it in a cold x-ray tray? According to the TSA, the answer to that is no; having been pestered half to death by travel-weary bloggers, they’ve confirmed that your iPad – along with your Kindle, nook, or any other “electronic items smaller than the standard sized laptop” – can stay in your bag. Anything electronic that’s laptop sized or larger – including consoles, DVD players and the like – has to come out and go in a tray. Interestingly, the TSA includes netbooks in among the former category, meaning the budget ultraportables shouldn’t have to be pulled out. Apparently security staff are being trained on the policies, though we’re hearing that people are still being given conflicting instructions at airports. We’d suggest following those instructions rather than protesting too loudly; otherwise you might find yourself sitting uncomfortably for your fligh

It seems like we’ve been waiting months for the Logitech Squeezebox Touch, and that’s probably because we actually have. First announced back in September 2009, with an initial delay until February this year and then again for the more nebulous “couple of months”, according to a posting in the Slimdevices forums the Squeezebox Touch is finally shipping. Centered around a 4.3-inch color touchscreen, like other products in the Squeezebox family the Touch hooks up to a central media server app running Squeezebox Server; you’ll need the latest version of the free app, 7.5.0, in order to use it. However, the Squeezebox Touch also has an SD card slot and a USB port, meaning you can play back music locally too; SD cards up to 32GB are supported, together with external memory keys and hard-drives. You can also view Flickr photos and play internet radio and Pandora. Connectivity includes analog and digital outputs for hooking up your stereo, since there are no integrated speakers, and you ge

Samsung Electronics have announced two new laptop webcam CMOS sensors, the S5K6A1 and S5K5B3, which the company reckons are good enough to grab real-time HD video at 30fps. Intended for video conferencing and recording, the 1.3-megapixel S5K6A1 and 2.1-megapixel S5K5B3 chips also support a high-speed VGA mode for low-bandwidth connections. Meanwhile they’re also smaller and have better low-light performance. The 2.1-megapixel CMOS captures full 1080p HD at 30fps with a component height of less than 4.5mm, while the 1.3-megapixel CMOS grabs 720p HD at 30fps capability and is less than 3.5mm high. The S5K5B3 also packs an embedded solid state auto focus enhanced depth of field (EDoF) function, which allows it to also shoot business cards held up close to the lens for optical character recognition. Samsung is sampling the new cameras now, and expects them to hit mass production in the second half of 2010.

Do you have a jewel in your life? You know, that one prized possession that you couldn’t live without? If you don’t, or if you’re looking to add one to your growing collection, we’ve got a perfect fit for you. It’s the Joule, and it’s specifically manufactured to be a luxury stand for your new iPad (you got one, right?). It’s designed as the first solid prop-up base for the iPad, and each one is created from a heavyweight, machined solid aluminum. Plus, it’s really shiny, and that should go great with your new tablet. The Joule comes from a long line of luxury stands, most of which you could have seen on iPhone and iPod Touches. The Joule for the iPad comes in two different variations: polished finish or anodized black. You can even engrave your name, a picture, or a logo in it if you so wish, thanks to customized laser engraving. How does it hold your iPad and not scratch it like crazy? There’s a velvet lining inside the holding part, so that it gets held securely, yet safely inside.

Lenovo wants the limelight today, it seems. At least this time around we’re not hearing talks they’re going to buy up another company. Nope, this time we’ve got a good ol’ netbook. It’s good to be doing what you do best, right, Lenovo? (That’s probably debatable, but let’s not focus on that, shall we?) Lenovo has officially announced an updated netbook for the US region, and it’s called the IdeaPad S10-3s. Thankfully, the price tag isn’t as big as the name. This model is an update to the S10-3s models currently available, and it’s coming with the same chicklet keyboard that’s becoming all the rage lately. However, if you look at the image long enough, you’ll start to notice that the keyboard has a slight curved design to it. We’re not sure if that’s a good thing or not, but apparently Lenovo thinks it’s going to appeal to the consumers out there. We’ll have to wait and see. Specs wise, we’re looking at an Intel Atom N470 processor, and a 10.1-inch 16:9 widescreen High-Def LED backlit d

So, Palm’s not doing too well. At least, that’s what the numbers are telling us. And if you’re the type of person that likes to assume, then we can assume until the cows come home why this is happening. It will usually (for most of us) boil down to the fact that their two webOS handsets aren’t the best handsets to show off Palm’s excellent mobile Operating System. While the Pre did great for its release, the Pixi fell under the Pre’s shadow, and since then, there hasn’t even been the faintest of mentions (from the company, officially) of any new hardware coming out any time soon. It looks like Palm stock has taken a turn (for the better?) on Wednesday, thanks to some hedge fund investors. What’s all the hub-bub about? According to the reports from these hedge fund investors, it’s looking like Lenovo may be in a place to take over the dwindling phone manufacturer. These are strictly rumors, which isn’t a surprise in of itself, but it’s surprising to see these rumors actually stimulatin

Lenovo’s attempts at all-in-one PCs have so far been confined to their consumer-centric lines, but with the ThinkCentre A70z they’re pushing for your office (or at least your home-office). A sober black monolith with a surprisingly affordable price tag, Lenovo have paired the A70z with ambitious boot-time promises; is that enough to score a place on your desk? Check out the full SlashGear review after the cut. System Overview and Features Hidden behind the 19-inch 1,440 x 900 display is a 2.93GHz Intel Core 2 Duo E7500 processor together with 2GB of memory and a 320GB hard-drive. Graphics are courtesy of Intel’s GMA 4500 chipset, and there’s a side-mounted DVD burner, integrated stereo speakers, webcam and a total of six USB 2.0 ports. Network connectivity includes WiFi b/g/n and gigabit ethernet, though Lenovo don’t offer either FireWire or eSATA for high-speed data connections. Performance Still, given the GMA 4500 graphics, Lenovo aren’t expecting the A70z to replace your console.

Of the 1,500 or so new developer APIs and over 100 new user features mentioned by Steve and Co. yesterday, only a handful were covered in any detail. As usual, Apple was careful not to reveal anything about the next generation iPhone hardware expected to launch this summer. Fortunately we can spelunk the iPhone OS 4 SDK developer preview for hints of what's to come. TUAW found a new "iChatAgent" process running on OS 4 devices -- purpose, unknown -- but surely an indicator that Apple's finally set to launch a mobile iChat app, right? The fact that Apple hasn't already is one of those great iPhone / iPad / iPod touch mysteries. We've also peeled back the SDK to find evidence supporting those rumors of a front-facing camera(AVCaptureDevicePositionFront), flash (AVCaptureFlashModeOn/Off/auto), and torch/flashlight (AVCaptureTorchModeOn/Off/Auto) all declared in the AVCaptureDevice.h. Who cares, right? Front-facing video cameras have been been implemented on a va

Time to get those speculative juices flowing again. Pre Central have unearthed the above O2 Germany promotional poster displaying a Palm Pixi stood in front of such smartphone luminaries as Sony Ericsson's X10 and Motorola's Milestone. Given that the Pixi has yet to make the hop over the Atlantic, their supposition is that we're looking at its Plus variant and that this early flier is indicative of a soon-ish release for the Euro-bound Plus devices from Palm. Can we be any more specific than that? Why yes we can, thanks to Laurent Guyot, a French PR chap, who indicates an April 27th launch date for the Pre and Pixi Plus on the SFR network. Put as much trust into this info as you feel appropriate, though it does look like a resoundingly logical time to get these handsets out into eager European hands.

Apple's already got a veritable novella describing things you can't do with the iPhone as a developer -- create apps that execute their own code is the biggie, obviously, blocking technologies Flash and Java in the absence of a loophole -- but it seems they've locked down the ecosystem just a little further today with the release of the iPhone OS 4 beta SDK. Check out this snippet from the developer's agreement: Applications may only use Documented APIs in the manner prescribed by Apple and must not use or call any private APIs. Applications must be originally written in Objective-C, C, C++, or JavaScript as executed by the iPhone OS WebKit engine, and only code written in C, C++, and Objective-C may compile and directly link against the Documented APIs (e.g., Applications that link to Documented APIs through an intermediary translation or compatibility layer or tool are prohibited). What does that mean, exactly? Well, it means that technologies like Adobe's iPhone

Apple did quite a bit today bringing its iPhone OS up to feature parity (and sometimes beyond) when compared with other modern smartphone platforms, and here's one piece not discussed today that we've been long wanting: web and Wikipedia search directly from Spotlight. WebOS and Windows Phone 7 have had it since inception, and Android's had it since Donut, and we're pretty happy to say that our OS 4.0-equipped iPhone is now also among the ranks, just 13 months after it first got a search bar. There you have it, folks, iPhone Spotlight is now useful.

Sure, you devoured every word of the liveblog (or perhaps just casually refreshed throughout the day, who are we to judge), but if you want to see the Steve Jobs-delivered iPhone OS 4 keynote with your own two eyes, the streaming video is now online. Multitask your way on over!

So now that Apple's finally addressed (well, sort of addressed) the 800-pound gorilla known as multitasking, it's time to take a good, hard look at how iPhone OS 4 stacks up against Redmond's completely redesigned mobile monster that's destined to hit handsets toward the end of the year. Though the two companies have taken vastly different paths to get to where they are with their mobile strategies today, there are some striking similarities between the platforms; take that multitasking we already mentioned, for example -- both iPhone OS and Windows Phone are looking to keep processor and battery utilization to a minimum by putting the emphasis on managed services for background apps rather than just letting them run roughshod over your fragile hardware. Of course, there are some striking differences, too -- so let's have a look, shall we?

Okay, so we're currently holding our breath while the developer preview of iPhone OS 4 installs on our 3GS -- a process that seems to be, uh, not going so well, but we wanted to share these quick shots we took from the simulator in the meantime. The dock is now 3D, like the one in Snow Leopard and on the iPad, multitaskingworks just like you'd expect -- you can swipe left and right to see more open apps -- and the Game Center app is present, although not functional. There's also Events and Faces in the Photos app, which you'd expect after the iPad version got them. We've got our fingers crossed that our latest restore attempt is going to work, so check back in a few for a video walkthrough, but hit the gallery below in the meantime! Update: Wonder of wonders, we actually got the bugger working! We're doing video right now, let us know what you want to see -- and check out some on-device shots below.

The Tour branding never made a lot of sense -- RIM's most recently-released high-end portrait QWERTY device for CDMA networks occupies the same market position as the Bold over on GSM networks, so the name difference is kind of arbitrary and more than just a little bit confusing. It's all good, though, because CrackBerry has confirmation here that the Tour's replacement -- the 9650 -- is going to be wearing a Bold badge loud and proud around back by the 3.2 megapixel camera. It's not clear exactly when Sprint and Verizon are going to launch this sucker, but it's patently obvious that they both will -- it's just a matter of time -- so you may as well start prepping your eulogy for that infernal trackball now.

We'd previously heard rumors that Quattro Wireless was Apple's consolation prize after a deal with bigger mobile advertising rival AdMob fell through, and Steve Jobs confirmed it on no uncertain terms at the Q&A session following today's iPhone OS 4.0 event: "we tried to buy a company called AdMob... but Google snatched it away." Indeed they did, though that deal hasn't yet been approved by the Federal Trade Commission while Apple's already up, up and away with its iAd solution, so it seems like everything shook out for the best -- if you're an iPhone developer, anyway.

Got your iPhone developer credentials handy? Then you'll want to head straight on over to the iPhone Dev Center, where you can now download the iPhone SDK 4 beta and get a taste of what everyone else will see this summer (or fall). And don't worry too much if you're not among the lucky iPhone devs, we've got you covered on all the details of iPhone OS 4

Apple just announced Game Center, which is a social gaming network for the iPhone -- it sounds a lot like Xbox Live, actually. It's has a friend system, leaderboards, and achievements -- and we're guessing it'll blow up out of the gate, given how many games are on the platform. It's being previewed in iPhone OS 4 right now, and it'll launch later this summer. We're hunting for more info, we'll let you know!

If you were wondering exactly what Apple had in mind with its acquisition of Quattro Wireless a few months back, the picture gets a little clearer today with the announcement of the iAd mobile ad platform alongside iPhone OS 4.0 today with the company saying that iPhone devs have a billion "ad opportunities" per day. The idea is to keep users in the apps to see interactive, "emotional" ad content as often as once every three minutes -- not to "yank" them out, as Steve puts it -- while developers are rewarded with a 60 percent cut of the revenue. Ads are hosted and served by Apple, and while there'll be some sort of approval process, Steve's describing it as a "light touch," so it probably isn't the same process traditional apps go through. This makes things considerably more interesting for the mobile advertising business as a whole, since Google's been trying to seal the deal on an acquisition of industry leader AdMob for a while

Just a bit more than a year after we first laid eyes on iPhone OS 3.0, Apple is back with the latest big revision of the OS that powers the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. iPhone OS 4 is shipping this summer (iPad in the fall), and the developer preview will be out today. iPhone 3GS and new-gen iPod touch will get all the features, but some features won't make it to the iPhone 3G, original iPhone, and older iPod touches. The biggest new feature is multitasking, which Apple says is going to be the "best" implementation in the smartphone space, though it's obviously not the first. App switching is activated by double tapping the home button, which pulls up a "dock" of currently running apps, and Apple claims it can do this without hurting battery life or performance for the front app. Unfortunately, this multitasking won't be available for devices older than the 3GS and new iPod touch . Multitasking is just one of seven different new "tentpole" feat

You heard that right, people -- iPhone OS 4 just brought multitasking to the platform! Apple says they've figured out how to implement third party multitasking without hurting performance or battery life, and they're demoing it now -- you just double click the home button and see a list of your apps, and you can just tap to switch between apps. The system actually runs the services apps need in the background -- the apps don't need to do them individually, so it's not a "true" multitasking system, but it seems plenty effective. There are seven services: background audio, which allows you to use the standard pop-over iPod controls, Voice over IP, which can receive calls in the background, location services for GPS and social networking (there's an indicator if any service is tracking you), updated push notifications with local notifications, task completion so you can finish things like uploads in the background, and fast app switching, which lets apps slee

Feeling impatient? Can't wait until Moment gets its Android 2.1 upgrade? The kids at SDX-Developers feel you, with one forum member providing a simple, straightforward download link to a 7z archive containing not one but two leaked builds: ECLAIR.DC23 and ECLAIR.DD03. According to the hub-bub, the latter seems to be giving people the most luck, although some are reporting a "faulty" Marketplace. That said, both builds do seem to work with voice and data. And yes, it will wipe your phone completely -- but if you're looking to get into this sort of action you're probably a risk-taker and a heart-breaker anyways. Good luck, and if you brick your phone don't blame us.

Wanna know what exponential growth looks like? Try following Android's progress over the past few months and you'll be treated to plenty of rapidly ascending charts. This latest one from AndroLib is no different, illustrating as it does the ever-increasing influx of new games and applications for Google's mobile platform. Developers must clearly believe Android's growing market share is only going to keep expanding, as last month saw their most productive output yet, with a sweet 9,308 new additions to the Market. Naturally, the same proviso applies as with Apple's inflated App Store numbers -- quantity does not guarantee quality -- but what we're witnessing is surely the solidification of Android as a legitimate and fully fledged member of the smartphone OS upper echelon. And that can only be a good thing.

It's only been a single day since the Tegra 2-powered ICD Gemini promised us a world in which tablet PCs could magically make calls, sport webcams and play Flash content (yes, we're still a bit sore about that), but somehow one man has already managed to get his hands on a prototype of the wannabe iPad killer. The verdict? "Blisteringly fast," according to Stuff.tv , albeit buggy and thoroughly unready for market. The website liberally praised the large, 11.2-inch screen for superb color and detail even as it found the resistive touch controls sluggish, and was blown away by how quickly the 1GHz Tegra 2 dealt with web browsing on Android OS. Sadly, it seems there wasn't time to get Hulu running on the device, and important features (including those webcams) weren't working on this early prototype. But don't worry, the publication says the feature-packed slate won't even hit the company's native UK until August, when ICD expects carrier deals to be

We've been browbeating Nokia for using DRM to "protect" its Comes with Music offering ever since the service launched back in December of 2007 -- a time when the industry was just beginning to shed its DRM shackles. Now get this, the idle talk is over, Nokia just launched its all-you-can-eat (for 12, 18, or 24 months, typically) Comes with Music service in China without any DRM at all. India is on deck as Nokia looks to hook more emerging markets on the (kind of) free music drug. That means you no longer have to strip the DRM illegally to play your downloaded content on devices other than your main PC and Nokia Comes with Music handset. And yes, you can keep the tracks for life after your CWM subscription expires. At launch, Chinese consumers will have a choice of eight (ok, seven really) CWM handsets (X6 32GB and X6 16GB, 5230, 5330, 5800w, 6700s, E52 and E72i) with prices starting at a local equivalent of €140 (the CWM service fee is baked in to the cost, mind you) excl

BlackBerry users feeling left out in the cold by Google's breakneck release schedule for Maps on Androidneedn't fret anymore now that the shiny new 4.0 release has just broken cover today. What's new? Well, the biggies are support for voice search and full Buzz integration (broken into its own layer, so you don't have to deal with it if you don't care to), but they've also finally added in the Labs zone where new Maps features get incubated before going gold. It's available for download now, including support for the OS 5.0 builds that have been making the rounds lately.

We wish we could tell you those were working Intel Moorestown or Atom powered phones, but alas, they are just mockups that were created to illustrate what Chipzilla is hoping to do with its tiny silicon parts and SENS concept platform (not to be confused with HTC's Sense or Samsung's old Sens laptops). Now, we have to warn you to understand this whole SENS thing, you've got to be able to dream big -- the idea is centered around the "phones of tomorrow" being able to understand what we are physically doing through sensors, including accelerometers, audio, location, and so on. In other words, these phones not only know that you are talking on the phone to Mom, but they also can tell you're in a meeting by reading your calendar and cross referencing that information with your geographic location. Still with us? Then once the phone knows exactly what you're doing it can alert your contacts not through text, but with animated avatars. Yes, we just said "av