Increasing pressure from regulators has forced Apple to re-think their privacy options concerning user’s personal contacts. Until now, many apps running on the iOS platform were free to download a user’s personal contact information like phone numbers and e-mail addresses without proper consent. The matter came into light after recent revelations of Social Network “Path” downloading user’s address books and keeping them on their servers without permission. The company quickly cleaned up its act by deleting the data and modified the policy.

The exercise has come to a stage, where it’s become a common practice in the industry. Twitter, Foursquare and Instagram are some of the usual suspects when it comes to collecting such data without consent.

Congressmen Henry Waxman and GK Butterfield have come down hard on Apple and have asked them to tweak the current functionality. They have also raised questions as to why Apple has not taken the privacy of the address data as seriously as its user’s location data. In 2011, the revelation that Apple had an in-built database that could track user location created quite a stir. Apple immediately obliged and made sure such data was removed. Much in the same vein, Apple has said that any application currently collecting user data without permission was in breach of its guidelines. In the next upgrade, it has promised to make sure that users will be asked permission before any data is downloaded.

Google Wallet is a web based application that protects cards used to authorize NFC transactions by plucking the phone into a payment point. Its popularity was basically due to the ease of transactions through one’s phone without the need to carry credits cards which had a possibility of misuse by miscreants if stolen. The web based application remains safe even in cases of stolen phones because the operationalisation is PIN controlled and hence is safer than cards.

However, for a second time in a row, Google Wallet has been taken offline causing undue inconvenience to those who would have wanted to use the application. As per Google’s notice, this move is basically a maintenance requirement for a technical fix. The fix is basically directed at removal of trivial issue. While the fix may rid Google Wallet of its technical glitches, the restoration of public confidence may be a harder task. As has happened in the past, instances where some specialist software was capable of unearthing the phone user PIN that operated the Google Wallet software, and hence making users vulnerable to theft of their money and loss of their privacy.

Ice Cream Sandwich is the new version of Android from Google that Samsung’s Galaxy Nexus smartphones’ use. In a patent battle Apple has taken Samsung to the Federal Court in California. Apple has alleged four patent violations which includes voice command search, searching multiple sources to find information, identifying phone numbers from E-mails and slide to unlock phone features. They have requested a temporary ban on the selling of Galaxy Nexus smartphones.

Galaxy Nexus is the only phone in the market that runs on the newest Android version. But soon, there will be many hardware manufacturers who will adopt it, like HTC corp and Motorola Mobility. Both companies are involved in a separate patent battle with Apple.

Steve Jobs was perhaps the most recognizable and most cherished innovator of technology who by the simple act of connecting the dots created products that became the most loved brand of technology. Having beaten his rivals at the very beginning of his career, Steve Jobs created a company that was known for its innovation more than anything else. His demise was a shock and speculations were rife about how the company would proceed with its innovative legacy once the mind behind its success was gone never to return like he once did after his initial ouster from Apple. Just before his death, Apple launched the Iphone 4S in place of the much anticipated and eagerly awaited the world over, Iphone 5. When the initial disappointment subsided, people realized the need for a 4S before a 5 can arrive into the market. Apple had outdone itself again.

Mitsubishi Electric has designed super fast elevator to be fitted in the Shanghai Tower, which is being constructed in Shanghai’s Pudong area in China. The Shanghai Tower, which is presently under construction and expected to open in 2014, has been designed by U.S. architectural firm Gensler and when complete will stand at 632 meters or 2,073 feet and have 128 floors.

This impressive elevator will travel at approximately 40mph,( 1,080 meters, or 3,543 feet, per minute )to ensure a smooth flow of traffic within the Shanghai Tower which will be the second highest sky scraper in the world, after Dubai’s Burj Khalifa.

Running an elevator that achieves such high speeds has required special attention to detail from Mitsubishi. The safety gear is made of ceramic to be able to withstand the heat and friction that will result when it grips the elevator rails in the event of a malfunction in the cables. The gears are in two stages to be able to handle the kinetic energy that will be generated because of the high speeds of this elevator.  A built in generator in each motor in the elevator regenerates electricity reducing the power consumed by this elevator by more than 30 percent.

The wait is over; we are all set to get a glimpse of the much anticipated Windows 8 operating system. The consumer preview is set to be rolled out on February 29 in Barcelona, Spain. The consumer preview is another term for a ‘Beta’ version of a software product, which provides the consumer the first look and feel of the product. The full version of the product, with necessary changes made based on the Beta version will be released later in the year.

Microsoft has sent out invitations to the press about the event. The one big surprise for all is the event chosen for the release. The event during which the release will happen is the Mobile World Congress, an event primarily to showcase Mobile phones and Tablets. It is no secret that Microsoft has long been building an operating system that would operate both on PC’s and tablets. The huge popularity and reach of Apple’s I-Pad triggered such a move.

Microsoft’s trump card is named ‘Metro’, which the company believes will take on the likes of Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android. The company aims to streamline the touch-enabled OS into all its offerings such as PC’s, Mobiles, Tablets, Gaming consoles and more.

Google has introduced its desktop web browser Chrome for its Android handhelds allowing an easy movement between your desktop and your smartphone or tablet. This is a beta version of Chrome and will focus on speed and simplicity. This brings all of Chrome’s fabulous features to your handheld making it super convenient to use on the move.

Users can transfer seamlessly from their desktop to their smart phone or tabloids with easy sign-in and sync, so that any personalization of your browser is accessible wherever you go. This means that your web browsing experience will now be personalized across all your devices as long as you sign-in to your account.

This personalization and uniformity of experience weather on the desk top or the handheld also works on tabs. When you open a tab on your handheld version of Chrome it will automatically also be found on your desktop version just as long as you make sure to sign in. Any bookmarks or favorites saved on one device will also similarly transfer to the other.

Verizon Communications Inc. is all set to enter the online streaming industry in partnership with Redbox to challenge the likes of Netflix. Verizon and Coinstar Inc. the company behind Redbox, made the announcement public, the service offered will be throughout the U.S and can be used also by non-Verizon customers. The move comes as no surprise, as Verizon has set its sights on becoming a leader in home entertainment as it already owns a cable-TV service.

The business model is somewhat close to what Netflix and Dish Network Corp already offers, combining the delivery of Internet movies along with DVD’s. The fine print about the deal has not yet been revealed, although pricing is expected to be way below the $16 mark, which is the minimum subscription for combined DVD-by-mail and streaming plan through Netflix.

In the latest round of legal battles between smart phone makers around the world, Apple has pulled its iPhones and iPads from its German online store but also said that these products will be back soon. This follows a ban placed on Apple products due to a ruling passed last December in favor of Motorola Mobility’s suit in a German Court accusing Apple of illegally using Motorola 3G cellular technology.

Apple’s iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS and iPhone4 and various versions of the iPad carry technology related to the 3G UMTS, and are thus the products that have been taken off their site in Germany. On their part, Apple has a temporary stay of execution on the argument that the Motorola patent is essential to the general development of the industry and thus should be licensed in a fair, reasonable and nondiscriminatory basis and that Motorola was not following these principles in negotiating a licensing deal. Apple’s spokeswoman said that Motorola has repeatedly refused to license this patent to Apple on reasonable terms despite becoming an industry standard patent about seven years ago.

After weeks of waiting, Microsoft’s real-world flight simulator was finally released and has been unassumingly named as Microsoft Flight. The simulator or more simply ‘sim’ will let users soar the skies of Hawaii that have been digitally enhanced to present an accurate version of the real skies. Even the atmospheric conditions will be correspondingly altered as per the real-time weather conditions for enhanced gaming experience. The game promises to deliver on actual superior aerial exploration and users can expect to experience precision flying in locales that will remind them of flying over Hawaii. Although, the absence of dogfights and stealth missions comes as a shock to most who would rather buy an action-oriented game, the intent of the game is to offer Hawaii’s ambience in digital mode through the experience of flying digital counterparts of real planes.