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Grand Theft Auto 5: Features

And there are tons of things players can spend their cash on. Weapons, armour, clothes, masks, car upgrades, custom jobs and properties and businesses are all up for grabs. As was the case with GTA 4, GTA 5 is set on a sprawling map filled with activities to occupy players for ages.

Los Santos is Rockstar’s cracked version of Los Angeles and anyone who has been to the City of Angels will crack a wry smile at the recognisable landmarks and neighbourhoods it contains.

The city is simply bursting with events and mini-games. Players can take part in a round of golf, a game of tennis or even attempt a triathlon. They can improve their aim at a firing range, transport contraband via land or air or engage in a spot of skydiving. Incidentally, each time you use one of the three characters in the game in some sort of activity, you level up their abilities.

If you play a lot of tennis, your stamina will go up. Spend some time at a firing range and your skill in firearms will increase. No activity is a waste and God knows, there’s enough of them to keep players engaged for hours.

The map of Los Santos also feels looser, less claustrophobic than GTA 4’s Liberty City. While we at T3 love 2008’s Rockstar flagship release, we have to confess that the constraints of the Liberty City gridlock prompted us to drop a small fortune on cabs.

This hasn’t been the case in Los Santos; it’s possible to navigate the streets, highways, back roads and off-road routes without taking your foot off the gas and given the beauty and attention to detail of the world around you, driving for extended periods never feels like a chore.

In truth GTA 5 harkens back to the Bacchanalian sense of chaotic freedom that existed in the earliest third-person GTA games (III, Vice City and San Andreas). In Los Santos, you’re restricted only by a lack of attention and your lack of imagination. This is a town where you can enjoy a rollercoaster ride, race down the side of a mountain on a bicycle or buy a parachute, nick a dirt bike and then head off into the hills for a spot of motorised base jumping.

Grand Theft Auto 5: Plot

There’s also a rather decent story underpinning all of this action – even though it will strike fans of the gritty GTA 4 as somewhat more hyper and more deranged. Rockstar North has always presented GTA as a twisted satire on American culture, but given the extreme turn politics and media in the USA have taken in recent years, GTA 5’s satirical edge is sharp enough to sever bone.

The three protagonists at the centre of GTA 5 are all pretty unsympathetic characters, although it’s a testament to how well written they are that they’re not bad company for the 26+ hours it’ll take players to blaze through the main story mode.

Franklyn is a hustler from a rundown area of Los Santos who has grown tired of boosting cars for a repo business and is looking to make his mark as a professional criminal. His job causes him to cross paths with Michael, a retired heist man who is being driven slowly insane by his selfish family.

Franklyn’s looking for a mentor. Michael, even though he initially doesn’t know it, is looking for a protégé and, most importantly, a way to end the mind-numbing tedium of his day-to-day routine. It’s not long before their activities bring them to the attention of Trevor, a violent former partner of Michael’s from back in the day. Once he’s added to the mix everything goes sideways.

IFA 2013 has kicked-off, bringing with it a swathe of new gadgets to get excited about. We're seeing updates and new launches left, right and centre. Here we're pulling together the best of the best, the devices you should be getting excited about, the sort of thing you might add to your Christmas list.

We're battling through the press conferences and announcements, bringing you plenty of action from the show floor before the show opens to the public. But the things that really catch our eye you can read about here. We'll be adding to this feature as we get to grips with more exciting tech.

You can follow all our IFA 2013 news via our IFA 2013 homepage, but if you're after the best devices all in one place, you've landed on the right page. 

Sony Xperia Z1

Undoubtedly one of the highlights of the show, the Sony Xperia Z1 takes a great phone and makes it better. The design has been tweaked slightly so its better in the hand and now has a waterproof 3.5mm headphone socket. But it's under the skin where the biggest changes have been made.

Microsoft has already announced it will be shipping the Xbox One with Forza 5 to replace the promised FIFA 14 bundle, after that ran out. Now we're hearing the new slimmed-down Xbox 360 will launch with FIFA 14 included.

Microsoft announced that FIFA 14 will arrive on the Xbox One only for first day pre-orders, while stocks last. Of course that's not literally as it's a digital edition that's being bundled.

The Xbox 360 FIFA 14 bundle will land at retailers on 27 September - the day FIFA 14 is released.

For £170 you'll get a new Xbox 360 with 250GB HDD and Xbox One inspired straight-edge design along with a copy of FIFA 14. But hurry if you're eager as these will likely be limited too.

Recently, we saw Apple introduce a new plastic iPhone. Why plastic? Because it's cheaper, sure. But it's also one of the smartest industrial design decisions Apple has ever made. 

Manufacturing the 5C: Harder, better, stronger

I can't put a dollar figure on what Apple's bill of materials for the 5C is, but it's safe to say that by going with plastic, they're saving a lot. And not just on material costs-also on time and labor. An aluminum iPhone has to undergo multiple stages of CNC machining and anodizing. These are very time consuming processes that require an enormous number of man hours to oversee them. In contrast, an injection-molded plastic shell can be produced in just one or two operations. 

But the real key to the 5C design isn't just injection molding it out of plastic. It's injection molding it out of a single piece of plastic. This creates a stronger, simpler part-and it's going to produce much faster yield rates than Apple can currently get with the iPhone 5/5S. 

This efficiency is the key to reducing costs on the iPhone 5C compared to aluminum iPhones. In the time it takes Apple to produce just one housing for the aluminum iPhone, they can make multiple plastic iPhones. The ability to produce iPhones quicker is a key feature for Apple as they try meet demand, especially in developing countries. 

So yes-the iPhone 5C's plastic housing is cheaper because the material is less expensive. But the primary cost reduction is due to the fact that it takes fewer steps manufacture, which reduces the time and labor involved. I have no doubt that the 5C will become the best seller in Apple's iPhone lineup overnight, if for no other reason than that they can produce so many more of them. 

Cheap chic

Is Apple's design team giving up much, in terms of the 5C's aesthetics? Plastic is cheap, but it also feels cheap, right? Well, that depends on the quality of the plastic, but more crucially, the injection molding process. In this area, Apple is world class. Just look at the quality of the plastic housing on Apple TV, AirPort routers, or the EarPods. 

The iPhone 5C's hard plastic back gives us a glimpse into Apple's design process. Most plastic cases are made using a mold that includes holes for the speakers, buttons, and the camera. But with the 5C casing, Apple is choosing to use a CNC machine to create these holes after the shell has already been made. Why? First of all, this yields a stronger part. If those holes were included in the injection molding process, hot plastic would have to flow around them. This creates weak points in the plastic. By machining those holes out, the plastic around the holes is just as strong as the rest of the shell. These cases will be stronger than the norm. 

Second, the CNC solution allows Apple to focus on making the housing as seamless as possible. In most plastic products, you can see a faint line-called a "witness line"-that reveals where the two parts of the mold came together. By not molding the holes, Apple only has to make sure they eliminate one witness line-along the glass display edge of the housing. In fact, you can see the CNC polishing wheel process they use for eliminating that witness line here: 

Third, CNC machining these holes gives them a much tighter tolerance than if they were simply molded into the part. Visually, this makes them look crisper and makes the fit between components like the SIM card tray and buttons feel very precise. 

Apple also added an additional step of spray coating the backplate with a clear lacquer hard coat. This gives the plastic some of the qualities glazing gives pottery: It helps prevent scratching, makes the shell look extremely glossy, and completely changes how it feels in our hands. Instead of feeling like glossy plastic, the 5C should feel like ceramic. 

Even the most minute elements of the 5C were designed to reduce the amount of detail found on the body of the 5S. The volume and lock buttons are the same color as the plastic back, which means they blend into the housing. The headphone jack, lightning connector, and screws have all been tinted black to match the black display glass, too. I'll say it again: Less. Visual. Clutter. 

Hamburger and steak

What will be missing from the 5C, though, is the feeling the 5/5S has when you pick it up. Even a year later, the aluminum iPhone feels impossibly thin and light. But comparing the plastic iPhone to the aluminum iPhone is a bit like comparing a gourmet hamburger to a gourmet steak. Both use the highest quality ingredients, but they're designed for different audiences and occasions. 

I prefer hamburger. In white, thank you. The iPhone 5C has fewer speaker holes, no dual-sided chamfers, no secondary glass pieces at the top and bottom, and no thin plastic dividers on the sides to make the external antenna work. It's almost like Apple decided to use one of those simplified, outlined icons in its "Made for iPhone" program as the basis for this design. 

It's this simplicity that makes the 5C a much cleaner option compared to the aluminum 5S. By making the manufacturing process cheaper and more efficient, Apple has found a brilliant way to actually improve the design of the iPhone.

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) said it has partnered with the UK government to set up a scholarship on cyberpolicy for Indian professionals working in diverse fields.

The 'Chevening-TCS Scholarship', launched in collaboration with UK's Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO), will be the world's first cybersecurity and public policy education programme, TCS said in a statement here.

The programme builds on considerable interaction at various levels between India and the UK on cybersecurity.

"By drawing on TCS's technical expertise and FCO's policy knowledge, we have been able to create a scholarship programme that will help future leaders prepare for the increasingly complex world of cybersecurity and policy," TCS country head (UK & Ireland) Shankar Narayanan said.

The programme intends to develop expertise and skills in the areas of cybersecurity, information assurance and online governance challenges, India's largest software services firm said.

It will be taught by Cranfield University, an organization with expertise in the areas of cybersecurity and global security, at its campus in Shrivenham, UK.

The programme is targeted at mid-career professionals. In the first year, six Indian nationals will be selected to undergo a 12-week programme at the British university. The project will run for an initial period of three years with the first course expected to start in February 2014.

Olympus has revealed its new flagship camera, the OM-D E-M1. While the mirrorless camera builds on the success of the E-M5, it's actually been designed as the successor to the last DSLR the firm produced, the E-5. As such, the camera boasts a chunky grip and manual controls galore. There's also a 16 megapixel sensor with no optical low-pass filter, a speedy autofocus system and built-in Wi-Fi.

The OM-D E-M5 was a big hit for Olympus, which is presumably why it will remain on sale alongside the new camera. It charmed people with its retro good looks, and introduced many people to the potential of mirrorless cameras. Now, a year later, Olympus thinks it's created a truly DSLR-beating camera in the OM-D E-M1, which combines the portability of mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras with the manual controls and image quality normally associated with DSLRs. It's hard to imagine the company releasing another mirrored camera after this.

Everything about the Olympus OM-D E-M1 screams high-end. Its 4/3-inch, 16 megapixel Live MOS sensor is anti-aliasing filter free, meaning it should be capable of shooting more detailed images. This is paired with a new TruePic VII image processor enabling an ISO range of 100 - 25,600. Also present is the impressive 5-axis image stabilization from the PEN E-P5, which helps to bag sharp hand-held shots, even at large zoom ratios.

The new shooter is also capable of continuous shooting at a not-too-shabby 10 fps (though this drops to 6.5 fps with continuous AF), and can record up to 50 RAW files at this pace. A new Dual Fast AF system is also said to be the fastest ever seen on an Olympus camera. However, while it combines both phase detection (as seen on DSLRs) and contrast AF (used in mirrorless and compact cameras) it does so differently to hybrid systems like that on the Sony NEX.

When using Micro Four Thirds lenses to shoot stills, the E-M1 uses 81-point contrast detection in Single AF, and a combination of contrast and phase detection to shoot in Continuous AF. However, when using older Four Thirds lenses – which can be mounted with an adapter – it only makes use of its 37 phase detection points. This is good news for Four Thirds DSLR shooters who should be able to get the same sort of speed performance out of their older lenses on the new mirrorless camera as they do their DSLRs. Only contrast detection is used when shooting video with Micro Four Thirds lens (so no Canon 70D-like magic) and it's manual focus only for Four Thirds lens.

The construction of the Olympus OM-D E-M1 is another area where it can rival all but the toughest of DSLRs. Featuring a rugged magnesium casing and 60 gasket rings, it is dust, splash and freezeproof down to -10 degrees Celsius (14° F). Thanks to use of a 2x2 Dial Control system (as seen in the PEN E-P5) and addition buttons, there's all the access to manual settings that most photographers are going to need or want.

Sitting at the top of the camera is a new electronic viewfinder which covers 100 percent of the frame, has a 2,360K dot resolution and boasts a 1.48x magnification, meaning it's as big as the optical viewfinders on many Full Frame DSLRs. Unlike slow EVFs of old, it has a lag of just 0.029 seconds, which Olympus says is quick enough that you won't even notice it. There's also a 3-inch tiltable LCD touchscreen on the rear with a 1,037K dot resolution which comes into its own for shooting in awkward positions or video. The OM-D E-M1 can shoot Full HD 1080p video at 30 fps and is the first Olympus camera to feature a standard external microphone input.

Other things worth noting about the new flagship camera include that fact that it has a shutter speed that goes to 1/8000 second, this is important if shooting with fast lenses in bright conditions. The TruePic VII image processor can also help to get the best out of older Olympus lenses by automatically recognizing them and adjusting processing to deliver the best quality images.

Wi-Fi capabilities are also built in, allowing not just the wireless sharing of images, but also remote shooting with the ability to mirror the Live View LCD on your phone’s touch screen and switch between shooting modes and make adjustments to things like aperture and shutter speed.

Measuring 130.4 x 93.5 x 63.1 mm (5.1 x 3.7 x 2.5 in), the Olympus OM-D E-M1 is available to pre-order now, ahead of release in October. It will cost US$1,400 body-only.

Rs.75,481/-

Dimensions

Height: 130.4 mm

Width: 71.4 mm

Thickness2: 10.4 mm

Weight: 158 g

Volume: 96.9 cm³

Display and User Interface

Display size: 11.43 cm

Display resolution: WXGA (1280 x 768) 

Display features: PureMotion HD+, Brightness control, High brightness mode, Refresh rate 60 Hz, Sculpted glass, Easy to clean, Nokia Glance screen, Lumia Color profile, Wide viewing angle, Corning Gorilla Glass 3, Sunlight readability enhancements

Display colors: TrueColor (24-bit/16M) 

Aspect ratio: 15:9 

Pixel density: 334 ppi

Display technology: ClearBlack, AMOLED 

Touch screen technology: Super sensitive touch 

Sensors: Ambient light sensor, Accelerometer, Barometer, Gyroscope, Proximity sensor, Magnetometer

Keys and Input Methods

User Input: Touch 

Operating keys: Volume keys, Camera key, Power/Lock key

Form factor

Form factor: Monoblock touch 

Connectivity

SIM card type: Micro SIM 

Charging connectors: Charging Pads, Micro-USB

AV connectors: 3.5 mm audio connector 

System connectors: Micro-USB-B 

USB: USB 2.0 

Bluetooth: Bluetooth 3.0 

Bluetooth profiles: Object Push profile (OPP) 1.1, Hands-free profile (HFP) 1.5, Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP) 1.2, Audio/Video Remote Control Profile (AVRCP) 1.4, Phone Book Access Profile (PBAP) 1.1

Wi-Fi: WLAN IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n 

Wi-Fi security modes: WPA2 (AES/TKIP), WPA, WPA-Personal, WEP, WPA2-Personal, WPA-Enterprise, WPA2-Enterprise, PEAP-MSCHAPv2, EAP-SIM, EAP-AKA

NFC: Secure NFC for payment, Sharing, Pairing, Tagging

Other wireless connectivity: Wi-Fi Channel bonding 

Data Network

WCDMA network: 900 MHz, 2100 MHz, 1900 MHz, 850 MHz

WCDMA max data speed DL: HSDPA - 42.2 Mbps 

WCDMA max data speed UL: HSUPA - 5.76 Mbps 

GSM network: 850 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 1900 MHz

GSM max data speed DL: EGPRS 236.8 kbps 

GSM max data speed UL: EGPRS 236.8 kbps 

Power Management

Battery model: BV-5XW 

Battery capacity: 2000 mAh

Battery voltage: 3.8 V

Removable battery: No 

Maximum standby time: 16 days

Maximum talk time (2G): 19.1 h

Maximum talk time (3G): 13.3 h

Maximum music playback time: 63 h

Video playback time: 6.8 h

Maximum Wi-Fi network browsing time: 6.7 h

Wireless charging: Yes, with accessory cover 

Processor

Processor name: Qualcomm Snapdragon™ S4 

Processor type: Dual-core 1.5 GHz Dual-core 1.5 GHz

Memory

User data storage: In device, SkyDrive cloud storage

RAM: 2 GB 

Mass memory: 32 GB 

Free cloud storage: 7 GB

Height: 129 mm

Width: 70.6 mm

Thickness2: 8.5 mm

Weight: 139 g

Volume: 78 cm³

Display and User Interface

Display size: 11.43 cm

Display resolution: WXGA (1280 x 768) 

Display features: ClearBlack, Brightness control, Orientation sensor, High brightness mode, Refresh rate 60 Hz, Corning® Gorilla® Glass 2, Sculpted glass, Easy to clean, Nokia Glance screen, Lumia Color profile, Wide viewing angle, Sunlight readability enhancements

Display colors: TrueColor (24-bit/16M) 

Aspect ratio: 15:9 

Pixel density: 334 ppi

Display technology: AMOLED 

Display height: 97 mm

Display width: 58 mm

Touch screen technology: Super sensitive touch 

Sensors: Ambient light sensor, Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Proximity sensor, Magnetometer

Keys and Input Methods

User Input: Touch 

Operating keys: Volume keys, Camera key, Power/Lock key

Form factor

Form factor: Monoblock touch 

Connectivity

SIM card type: Micro SIM 

Dual SIM: No 

Charging connectors: Micro-USB 

AV connectors: 3.5 mm audio connector 

System connectors: Micro-USB-B 

USB: USB 2.0 

Bluetooth: Bluetooth 3.0 

Bluetooth profiles: Object Push profile (OPP) 1.1, Hands-free profile (HFP) 1.5, Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP) 1.2, Audio/Video Remote Control Profile (AVRCP) 1.4, Phone Book Access Profile (PBAP) 1.1

Wi-Fi: WLAN IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n 

Wi-Fi security modes: WPA2 (AES/TKIP), WPA, WPA-Personal, WEP, WPA2-Personal, WPA-Enterprise, WPA2-Enterprise, PEAP-MSCHAPv2, EAP-SIM, EAP-AKA

NFC: Secure NFC for payment, Sharing, Pairing, Tagging

Other wireless connectivity: Wi-Fi Channel bonding 

Data Network

WCDMA network: 900 MHz, 2100 MHz, 1900 MHz, 850 MHz

WCDMA max data speed DL: HSDPA - 42.2 Mbps 

WCDMA max data speed UL: HSUPA - 5.76 Mbps 

GSM network: 850 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 1900 MHz

GSM max data speed DL: EGPRS 236.8 kbps 

GSM max data speed UL: EGPRS 236.8 kbps 

Power Management

Battery model: BL-4YW 

Battery capacity: 2000 mAh

Battery voltage: 4.2 V

Removable battery: No 

Maximum standby time: 18 days

Maximum talk time (2G): 18.3 h

Maximum standby time (3G): 440 h

Maximum talk time (3G): 12.8 h

Maximum cellular network browsing time: 6 h

Maximum music playback time: 55 h

Video playback time: 6.6 h

Maximum Wi-Fi network browsing time: 7.2 h

Wireless charging: Yes, with accessory cover 

Processor

Processor name: Qualcomm Snapdragon™ S4 

Processor type: Dual-core 1.5 GHz Dual-core 1.5 GHz

Memory

User data storage: In device, SkyDrive cloud storage

RAM: 1 GB 

Mass memory: 16 GB 

Free cloud storage: 7 GB

Sometimes the rumor mill is a little off the mark. Motorola's Moto X was originally thought to be a high-powered superphone that would make geeks salivate. When the phone actually arrived, though, it brought tame specs and more focus on the user experience. Apple's iPhone 5c was rumored to be an aggressive play at the budget smartphone market. What we actually got there, though, was a phone that was only a little cheaper than Apple's most expensive flagship. Are either of the phones worth taking a look at? Let Gizmag try to help, as we compare the specs and features of the iPhone 5c and Moto X.

SIZE

WEIGHT

BODY

DISPLAY

PROCESSOR

RAM

STORAGE

CAMERA

BATTERY

OS

PRICE

 

One of the best things about Apple's latest iPhones is the slick new iOS 7software that runs the devices. But that souped-up operating system could end up hurting sales because the free software upgrade will also work on iPhones released since 2010, giving owners of the older models less incentive to buy Apple's newest products.

Perhaps unwittingly, even Apple's software boss Craig Federighi alluded to this potential problem while he was bragging about iOS 7 at the company's unveiling of its new phones Tuesday. He predicted that anyone who elects to install the software will feel "like they're getting an all-new device."

I understood what Federighi meant once I was able to see the iOS 7's improvements in action on Apple's two new iPhones, the 5C and the 5S. Although Apple announced iOS 7 at a conference three months ago, Tuesday marked the first time the company allowed reporters to experience the software hands-on.

Although the iPhone 5C is less expensive than its predecessor, the iPhone 5, iOS 7 almost made it look fancier than previous generations. As an iPhone 5 owner, I was feeling a bit envious until I remembered that I'll be able to spiff up my device, too, when the software is released on Sept. 18. The operating system will work on the iPhone 4 and later models, iPad 2s and subsequent versions, and the iPod Touch that came out late last year.

iOS 7 looks much different than previous versions of the operating system because it no longer displays iPhone apps as three-dimensional, embossed objects meant to mirror their real-world counterparts. The icons instead are flatter and more colorful.

Any significant change in design typically upsets users familiar with the old way of doing things, but I suspect the complaints about iOS 7 will be muted unless there are some terrible bugs in the software that weren't evident during the brief time that I was given to experiment.

I am fairly certain most people who download iOS 7 are going to be pleased. The software makes it easier to navigate around an iPhone and adds some compelling new features.

The additions include the ability to stream music through an advertising-supported service called iTunes Radio and five free apps that used to cost consumers anywhere from 99 cents to $4.99 apiece. The free apps are Apple's photo-editing tool, iPhoto, and video-editing program, iMovie, as well as work-oriented apps called Pages, Numbers and Keynote.

Apple doesn't appear to be removing any popular apps built into the operating system, as best as I could tell. The company did that last year when it replaced Google's mapping app with its own navigation system only to be ridiculed for misguiding users with shoddy directions. Apple isn't bringing back Google Maps with iOS 7, but it is promising that its alternative is getting better.

The software upgrade also will make it easier to take better pictures on the iPhone and automatically sort photos into different categories to denote particular events. I particularly liked a feature that lets you control how the camera operates by toggling between options at the bottom of the screen with the swipe of a finger. Once the camera is open in iOS 7, the choices include taking a square, panoramic or standard photo. The bottom-of-the screen controls also include an option to switch to video mode.

When taking a picture in iOS 7, photographers can also choose a filter to use as they snap the photo rather than waiting to touch up the shot later. When shooting video, shots can be zoomed in while recording. I can't do any of that on my iPhone 5 because it is still powered by iOS 6.

The new system also empowers users to access other open apps more easily by clicking twice on the home button. When you do that, the apps are displayed as tiles that can be scrolled across horizontally so you can more easily see and choose several of them.

Apple is also making it easier to access frequently used controls such as and airplane mode by enabling users to pull up the panel from the bottom of the display screen instead of finding and pressing a settings option.

Other than the new software, the iPhone 5C isn't anything special, as one might expect from a cheaper phone.

The only thing that really distinguishes the 5C from the iPhone 5 is that it's housed in plastic instead of aluminum. Some consumers will no doubt like the plastic alternative because it comes in five colors: green, blue, yellow, pink and white. The price also may be more appealing, with the 5C starting at $99 with a two-year wireless contract, a $100 discount from iPhone models released in previous years.

A higher-end iPhone dubbed the 5S boasts several advantages that aren't available on any other model. The coolest innovation allows you to use your fingerprint to unlock the iPhone 5S instead of relying on a four-digit code that has to be repeatedly typed in. The fingerprint reader can also be used to access Apple's apps and iTunes store instead of a password.

Apple CEO Tim Cook thinks the fingerprint scanner will revolutionize technology security. "There is going to be a whole new generation of kids who grow up not knowing what a password is," Cook predicted during a brief discussion with a small group of reporters after he left the room where Apple was demonstrating its new iPhones.

I found the fingerprint scanner, called "Touch ID," simple to use during my brief test of the 5S. It just took less than a minute for the phone to record the fingerprint on my thumb, instructing me along the way. Once my prints were in the phone's memory bank, all I had to do was lightly press on the home button when the 5S was locked in sleep mode and it quickly opened.

The 5S also contains a faster processor and technological wizardry designed to take sharper pictures and even record slow-motion video. 

Microsoft is expected to unveil the next generation Surface tablets at an event in New York City on September 23rd. The company has already sent press invites to the media, though the software giant hasn't made an official announcement about what it will put onstage.

According to rumours, Microsoft will unveil the Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2 tablets -- both will be the revamped versions of the existing Surface RT and Surface Pro models. Reports suggest the company will not be launching the rumored Surface mini at the September 23 event.

The Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2 will include a two stage kickstand, however both tablets will be very similar to the current models. Microsoft will also be upgrading the new Surface 2 Pro tablet to Intel's new Haswell processor, along with 8GB of RAM onboard. The Haswell upgrade will significantly improve the battery life with up-to two hours of added usage to the Surface Pro 2.

The Surface 2 will come with Windows RT 8.1, although the company plans to do away with the 'RT' name from the actual device. The tablet is expected to feature a 1080p display, with Nividia's Tegra 4 processor. Battery life on the Surface 2 is expected to be around 8 hours with a new Power cover accessory for both tablets that is expected to boost the battery life through a built in battery in the keyboard cover.

It is highly possible that both these devices will be showcased at the September 23rd event, along with a new power cover and a new Docking station accessory.

Bharat Sanchar Nigham Limited (BSNL) has introduced many Special Tariff Vouchers(STV's) with high speed data for prepaid customers under 2G and 3G GSM Mobile Services with various denominations from lower end to higher end.

BSNL has recently introduced Uniform 2G and 3G Prepaid DATA STV’s from 15-08-2013, by converting the default profile as 3G for all customers(2G/3G) with no speed restriction for data. These high speed DATA Special Tariff Vouchers(Boosters) shall be applicable to all the customers of 2G/3G BSNL Mobile Prepaid Plans.

This new major revision of reduced 3G Plan charges to 2G rates and no speed restriction will helps the customer to download and surf the internet with more speed in Home area and in Roaming across the country with high speed data vouchers as follows.