Five NEW Android 4.0 tablets to debut at CES 2012

Coby Electronics has revealed that five new Android 4.0 tablets will launch at the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this coming January

The scramble to take the new flavor of Google's Android operating system for a test drive has been pretty intense since the source code was released in the middle of last month. The first commercial hardware products running on Ice Cream Sandwich, though, will not hit the shelves until early in the new year. One of the first to break cover was Acer's Iconia A200 tablet, which is now going to have some company. New York's Coby Electronics will be launching five new Android 4.0 tablets at the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas this coming January.

ARM Cortex A8

Unfortunately, Coby has revealed very little about its new batch of capacitive multi-touch tablets but here's what we can tell you. The five tablets will be available in 7-, 8-, 9-, 9.7-, and 10-inch form factors and will all be powered by an ARM Cortex A8 processor running at 1GHz, supported by 1GB of system memory. It's unclear how much onboard storage will be included (existing Coby tablets have settled on 4 GB) but there will be microSD expansion available.

Also up for speculation at this point is whether the new tablets will be additions to the range or replacements for older models, which currently run on Android 2.2 or 2.3. There will be built-in Wi-Fi and an HDMI out port supporting 1080p output but beyond those few details, Coby is remaining tight-lipped.

The company has hinted that the new Android 4.0 tablets will be easy on the wallet but hasn't revealed exactly how budget-friendly they'll be when they are made available during Q1 2012. We will keep you posted.

QWERTY + Gingerbread + MiniPro = Xperia Mini Pro

The Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini Pro has still to be launched in many territories across the world, but will apparently be making its debut in the Indian market , priced at Rs.15,399. Running on Android 2.3 Gingerbread and bearing a full-fledged 1GHz processor [ a wondrous inclusion ], the size is so handy and the Xperia Mini Pro also features a full Qwerty slider keypad. 
Specifically, the Xperia Mini Pro has a 1 GHz Scorpion processor with an Adreno 205 GPU, part of the Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8255 chipset. It comes with 512 MB of RAM. The Xperia Mimi Pro has a 3 inch capacitive touchscreen with a resolution of 320 x 480 pixels and the great thing is that it runs by the Sony Mobile Bravia Engine. Its 5 MP auto focus camera comes with LED flash , is capable of 720p HD video recording and also features smile detection, geo-tagging and image stabilizing features.

OS	Android OS, v1.6 (Donut), upgradable to v2.1
Chipset	Qualcomm MSM7227
CPU	600 MHz ARM 11
GPU	Adreno 200
Sensors	Accelerometer, proximity, compass
Messaging	SMS (threaded view), MMS, Email, Push email, IM
Browser	HTML
Radio	Stereo FM radio with RDS
GPS	Yes, with A-GPS support
Java	Yes, via Java MIDP emulator
Colors	Black, Red, Pink
	- MP4/H.263/H.264/WMV player - MP3/eAAC+/WMA/WAV player - TrackID music recognition - Google Search, Maps, Gmail,    YouTube, Calendar, Google Talk - Document viewer - Voice memo - Predictive text input

Battery		Standard battery, Li-Po 930 mAh
	Stand-by	- Up to 285 h (2G) / Up to 360 h (3G)
	Talk time	- Up to 4 h (2G) / Up to 3 h 30 min (3G)

SIZE                              Dimensions	90 x 52 x 17 mm
Weight	120 g

Key features :

• Quad-band GSM /GPRS/EDGE support
• 3G (7.2 MBps HSDPA and 5.76 Mbps HSUPA)
• 3" 16M-color capacitive LED-backlit LCD touchscreen, HVGA res (320 x 480), Sony Mobile BRAVIA engine
• Full four-row, slide-out QWERTY keyboard
• Android OS v2.3 Gingerbread
• 1 GHz Scorpion CPU, Adreno 205 GPU, Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8255 chipset
• 512 MB RAM
• 5 MP autofocus camera, LED flash, geotagging
• 720p video @ 30fps, continuous autofocus
• Front facing VGA camera
• Wi-Fi b/g/n and DLNA
• GPS with A-GPS
• microSD slot (32GB supported, 2GB card included)
• Accelerometer and proximity sensor
• Standard 3.5 mm audio jack
• Stereo FM radio with RDS
• microUSB port (charging) and stereo Bluetooth v2.1
• Voice dialing
• Adobe Flash 10.3 support
• 331 hours of standby time

Online Security: 11 Tips to be Followed

Billions of dollars will be spent online over the course of this month and, unfortunately, there are those that will be looking to steal some of it. Make sure you will not be a victim.

There is many reason in the world to shop online. The bargains are there. The selection is mind-boggling. The shopping is secure. Shipping is much fast during the festive season. Even returns are pretty easy, with the right e-tailers. Shopping has never been easier or more convenient for consumers.

But what about the bad guys who lay in wait? ECrime Report for 2011 indicates that use of phishing attacks (where thieves attempt to swindle you out of your sign-in credentials and even credit card info by pretending to be a real website, or even an online bank) is down, as much as eight percent since the second quarter and 11 percent since the third quarter of last year. That's great news—except the same report says sites with malware (malicious code aimed at compromising your privacy) has increased by 89 percent since the second quarter.

Stay calm. While somewhat alarming, these stats should not keep you from shopping online. You simply need some common sense and practical advice. Follow these basic guidelines and you can shop online with confidence. Here are 11 tips for staying safe online, so you can start checking off items on that holiday shopping list.

1) Use Familiar Websites
Start at a trusted site rather than shopping with a search engine. Search results can be rigged to lead you astray, especially when you drift past the first few pages of links. If you know the site, chances are it's less likely to be a rip off. We all know Amazon.com and that it carries everything under the sun; likewise, just about every major retail outlet has an online store, from Target to Best Buy to Home Depot. Beware of misspellings or sites using a different top-level domain (.net instead of .com, for example)—those are the oldest tricks in the book. Yes, the sales on these sites might look enticing, but that's how they trick you into giving up your info.

2) Look for the Lock
Never ever, ever buy anything online using your credit card from a site that doesn't have SSL (secure sockets layer) encryption installed—at the very least. You'll know if the site has SSL because the URL for the site will start with HTTPS:// (instead of just HTTP://). An icon of a locked padlock will appear, typically in the status bar at the bottom of your web browser, or right next to the URL in the address bar. It depends on your browser.


Never, ever give anyone your credit card over email. Ever.

3) Don't Tell All
No online shopping store needs your social security number or your birthday to do business. However, if crooks get them, combined with your credit card number for purchases, they can do a lot of damage. The more they know, the easier it is to steal your identity. When possible, default to giving up the least amount of information.
4) Check Statements
Don't wait for your bill to come at the end of the month. Go online regularly during the holiday season and look at electronic statements for your credit card, debit card, and checking accounts. Make sure you don't see any fraudulent charges, even originating from sites like PayPal. (After all, there's more than one way to get to your money.)

If you do see something wrong, pick up the phone to address the matter quickly. In the case of credit cards, pay the bill only once you know all your charges are accurate. You have 30 days to notify the bank or card issuer of problems, however; after that, you might be liable for the charges anyway.
5) Inoculate Your PC
Swindlers don't just sit around waiting for you to give them data; sometimes they give you a little something extra to help things along. You need to protect against malware with regular updates to your anti-virus program. PCMag recommends Webroot SecureAnywhere Antivirus (4.5 stars, Editors' Choice, $39.95 direct), which has extras to help fight ID theft, or at the very least the free Ad-Aware Free Internet Security 9.0 (4.5 stars, Editors' Choice).
6) Use Strong Passwords
We like to beat this dead horse about making sure to utilize uncrackable passwords, but it's never more important than when banking and shopping online. Our tips for creating a unique password can come in handy during a time of year when shopping around probably means creating new accounts on all sorts of e-commerce sites.

7) Think Mobile
The National Retail Federation says that 5.7 percent of adults will use their mobile devices to do comparison shopping before making a purchase. (And 32.1 percent will comparison shop online with a computer, as well.) There's no real need to be any more nervous about shopping on a mobile device than online. The trick is to use apps provided directly by the retailers, like Amazon, Target, etc. Use the apps to find what you want and then make the purchase directly, without going to the store or the website. (For more complete information, be sure to also read our tips for shopping safely on a mobile device.)

8) Avoid Public Terminals
Hopefully we don't have to tell you it's a bad idea to use a public computer to make purchases, but we still will. If you do, just remember to log out every time you use a public terminal, even if you were just checking email.

What about using your own laptop to shop while you're out? It's one thing to hand over a credit card to get swiped at the checkout, but when you must enter the number and expiration date on a website while sitting in a public cafe, you're giving an over-the-shoulder snooper plenty of time to see the goods. At the very least, think like a gangster: Sit in the back, facing the door.

9) Privatize Your Wi-Fi
If you do decide to go out with the laptop to shop, you'll need a Wi-Fi connection. Only use the wireless if you access the Web over a virtual private network (VPN) connection. If you don't get one from your employer, you can set up a free one with AnchorFree Hotspot Shield, if you're willing to put up with the ads, or pay $4.99 a month or $44.99 a year to skip the ads. There's even an iOS app version of Hotspot Shield, but that will cost you $.99 per month or $9.99 a year after the first seven days.

Now it is not a good time to try out a hotspot you're unfamiliar with. Stick to known networks, even if they're free, like those found at Starbucks or Barnes & Noble stores that is powered by AT&T. Look for the network named "attwifi," then open a browser to click into the "walled garden" to get final access. You can also find free Wi-Fi at McDonalds, Panera Bread, and FedEx Office locations, not to mention libraries and local cafes.

10) Count the Cards
 Gift cards are the most requested holiday gift every year, and this year will be no exception. Stick to the source when you buy one; scammers like to auction off gift cards on these sites with little or no funds on them.

11) Know What's Too Good to Be True
Once again, McAfee has compiled a Twelve Scams of Christmas list, all things to be aware of while shopping. The "coupon scam" offers of a free product with purchase, in particular an iPad (a very coveted gadget at any holiday) or even holiday job offers. Many of these "offers" will come in via social media. Beware even of your friends, who might innocently forward such a thing. Be very wary even if you get a message from friend claiming he or she has been robbed, especially a friend overseas looking for money to be wire transferred, unless you absolutely can confirm it by talking to him or her personally. Skepticism in most cases can go a long way toward saving you from a stolen card number.