<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><root available-locales="en_US," default-locale="en_US"><static-content language-id="en_US"><![CDATA[<p>V<strong>isual Delight</strong><br>The slim beauty, Sony<strong> Xperia S</strong>, has just been launched in India. In a universe where phones have begun to look alike, the Xperias have a distinct look — the Xperia S is no exception. A flagship feature of this smartphone is its HD imagery. Ironically, the screen on initial handsets has had problem with a yellow tint when in high temperatures, but this should see a fix before too long. It has a 4.3 inch screen with 1280×720 pixels resolution, but you can switch to another screen such as a Sony tablet or TV with a swipe on the phone. There is a 12 megapixel camera which uses a button to go straight from sleep to shoot. The Xperia S has launched with the Android 2.3 or Gingerbread operating system but an upgrade to 4.0 has been promised soon. Now where have we heard that before!<br><br><strong>Somewhere In The Middle</strong><br>Here's another Galaxy in the Samsung universe, bringing the total to 17 phones of different kinds. The <strong>Galaxy Ace Plus</strong> is a refresher on the Ace, an option for those who can't see themselves paying Rs 30,000 for a smartphone, but don't quite want a diminutive and underpowered model either. The Ace Plus is 3.6 inch — about an inch smaller than the premium Galaxy S II. That brings it into the price tag of Rs 18,150, though it's available for at least 2,000 less at online stores. It runs on Gingerbread and may not make it to Ice Cream Sandwich — not that it matters overly. It has a 5 megapixel camera and no front camera at all, so forget video calling. It runs on a 1GHz Qualcomm Scorpion processor with 512MB of RAM. The storage onboard is just 2GB, but an SD card can take you to 32GB. Connectivity options are standard.<br><br><strong>Built For Business</strong><br>Keep your eye on ultrabooks as they begin to flood the Indian market. The <strong>Folio 13 </strong>from HewlettPackard is a sturdy performer. With a battery life between 7 and 9.5 hours, this ultra runs on a 1.6GHz Intel Core i5 2467M processor with the now standard 4GB RAM. It has two USB ports — again, a pattern on ultrabooks and even on more recent notebooks. It has a card slot. There's a webcam, particularly good Altec Lansing audio, and a screen on which verdicts vary from dim to bright. There are lighter ultrabooks, but at 1.5 kg, it's not bad. At Rs 69,990, it is good value for money, considering some expensive ultrabooks launched recently. The Folio is straightforward and neat with its brushed aluminum lid. The touchpad has been reported as being a bit stiff. Overall, it's business class.<br><br>(This story was published in Businessworld Issue Dated 30-04-2012)</p>
BW Reporters
Mala Bhargava has been writing on technology well before the advent of internet in Indians and before CDs made their way into computers. Mala writes on technology, social media, startups and fitness. A trained psychologist, she claims that her understanding of psychology helps her understand the human side of technology.