Top news this week: Micromax Canvas Turbo, iPad Air, Nokia Lumia 2520, Batman Arkham Origins and more!

This has been a really busy week for the tech world. We saw a bunch of global events, a host of new launches and so many smartphones, tablets and laptops that we lost count… well, almost. In case you were tied up or otherwise lost in the constant flow of new devices, here’s our pick of the top tech news that you should know about:  

AMD launches the R9 290X graphics card, starting at $549
AMD has launched the Radeon R9 290X graphics card, which is the company’s flagship model in its new R9 series of GPUs. The graphics card uses the Graphics Core Next architecture and can make good use of AMD’s Mantle API. With it, game developers can harness GCN’s capabilities. It is also equipped with the new TrueAudio technology. Made to perform for UltraHD (4K) and AMD Eyefinity technology, the RadeonR9 290X GPU is essentially one of the best GPUs that one can currently get.

Huawei launches the Ascend P6 in India for Rs 29,999
Chinese smartphone manufacturer Huawei has now launched the Ascend P6 in India today with a price tag of Rs 29,999. Earlier known as the world’s thinnest phone, the P6 is mere 6.18mm in thickness. The device was last seen when the company showed it off in the international market at an event in June, and has now made an official appearance in the Indian market.

Huawei has announced the Ascend P6 in India

ARM announces new embedded chip architecture for cars, hospitals, factories
A new architecture for embedded chips that bumps up the power and precision systems used in a variety of products has now been announced by ARM. The ARMv8-R architecture will allow companies to manufacture embedded chips that are faster and more power-efficient. The company has said that the chips based on this new architecture will be able to automate more operations and handle more advanced communication features. The chips can be applied to a number of systems, including car brakes, medical devices and factory systems.

First Tizen tablet launched in Japan, aimed at developers
Tizen, the Linux-based operating system for mobile devices, is back in the news, this time with word about a new tablet that is out in the Japanese market. The OS, which is being back by companies like Samsung and Intel, is now being seen in a brand new device aimed at developers. There has not been any word from the company about this new tablet being available in any other market for now. The current Tizen build kit, coming from Systena, seems to be a pretty decent deal.

Batman: Arkham Origins out now
Batman is back in the limelight. The latest game in the Arkham franchise, titled Batman: Arkham Origins, is out now. The game is available on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 through retail channels and will set you back by Rs 2,999 on either of the consoles. The PC version, while available through digital distribution platform Steam for a heavy $49.99 (Rs 3,072 approx) price tag, will be seeing a retail release on November 8.

Arkham Origins is out in India

LG G Pro Lite dual SIM phablet now available online for Rs 18,300
LG’s G Pro Lite, a device that had officially been announced for the international market, has now found its way to the Indian market. The phablet is up for grabs online at a price of Rs 18,300.This mid-range phablet comes with dual SIM support, along with a bunch of other features, making it a good deal for the price tag it sports.

Micromax launches Canvas Turbo in India for Rs 19,990
Micromax has now launched its new flagship smartphone, the Canvas Turbo for Rs 19,990. The phone was last seen when the company roped in Hollywood biggie Hugh Jackman as the brand ambassador for the Canvas line-up, and there have been a host of speculations and rumours surrounding the smartphone. We now have the official list and the company has not disappointed.

BlackBerry launches flagship Z30 smartphone in India for Rs 39,990
BlackBerry has now launched the company’s latest flagship smartphone, the Z30, in India for Rs 39,990. The newest installment is the fourth smartphone added to the BlackBerry 10 category. The Z30, from all the specifications, looks to be the largest and the most powerful device from the company till date, running the latest BlackBerry 10.2 OS.

BlackBerry has launched the Z30 in India for Rs 39,990

Canon launches PowerShot S200 digital camera in India for Rs 19,995
Canon India has launched its new PowerShot S200 in India. The latest entrant in the PowerShot range, the camera comes in a pocket-sized, compact body. Also packed in is a Controller Wheel and Control Ring that aims to make shooting images comfortable for both people who wish to shoot only with auto as well as for those who wish to shoot with the manual mode.

BlackBerry starts rolling out 10.2 update, adds instant previews, improved keyboard
BlackBerry has announced the roll out version 10.2 of its operating system across the world. The BlackBerry 10.2 brings out a set of nifty features such as instant previews, smarter keyboard, natural sounding video and voice conversations and more.  Blackberry users can update their devices to this new 10.2 version once they get the alert in the notifications section of the BlackBerry Hub. Another option is to manually check for software updates in the “System Settings” menu and select “Software Update”.

ZTE Open, India’s first Firefox OS smartphone, spotted online for Rs 8,590
The ZTE Open, which is officially the world’s first Firefox OS-running smartphone, is now being sold in India for Rs 8,590. The device is now available on eBay India from today. The device was first launched in Spain back in July and came with a price tag of 69 Euros. The device is now officially the first one available for Indian users running the new OS, and we took at look at both the eco system as well as the phone itself.

Mid-range Canvas smartphone

Micromax Canvas Magnus A117 now available online for Rs 14,999
Micromax has now quietly slipped a new mid-range smartphone, called the Canvas Magnus A117 up for sale online. Though there is no official word from the company, the new Magnus A117 mid-range smartphone is listed online on Snapdeal and Flipkart. While the former is selling it for Rs 14,999, the latter has listed the phone as “Coming Soon”.

Apple’s October event:
Apple came with a surprise end October event that did not disappoint. Unveiling a host of new products, we got to see a new Mac Pro , revamped 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pros with Retina display , a lighter, thinner iPad Air as well as a new iPad mini with a Retina display . If that wasn’t enough, the company also rolled out a new OS, the much awaited OS X Mavericks. And did we mention that the new OS is free ? Added to the package were redesigned iWork and iLife apps that were made free with Mavericks and iOS 7 users. 

  iOS 7.0.3 fixes iPhone 5s accelerometer issues, lets you remove animations
Apple has rolled out a new update for devices running on iOS 7. Numbered at 7.0.3, the update is a relatively tiny download, weighing in at roughly 67MB, but brings a few new features as well as some much-needed bug fixes. Features the update brings to the table include iCloud Keychain and a password generator.

Windows RT 8.1 back on the app store

Windows RT 8.1 update fixed and ready for download
Microsoft has now put up a fixed version of Windows RT 8.1 to the Windows Store for download, according to an official statement. The company was last seen removing the operating system from the Store following a number of complaints from users who were facing problems with their installation.

Microsoft reportedly working on prototypes for Google Glass-styled wearable
While Google has been working on getting Glass ready for a consumer release, Microsoft doesn’t want to let its competitor be the only one in the market to do so. Reports are popping up that the Redmond-based software giant is working on its own wearable tech that will rival Google’s Glass. Sources familiar with Microsoft’s project has revealed that the company has asked component makers in Asia to supply components for prototype eyewear. These components include cameras, among other things.

Samsung launches Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 edition in India for Rs 49,990
Samsung has launched the Galaxy Note 10.1 (2014) for Indian users at an event in Mumbai. The 32GB model of the Note 10.1 refresh is priced at 49,990, and will be available in the market by the end of this week. To lure users, Samsung also plans to offer special content gifts via the Samsung app store in India. The Note 10.1 (2014) was Samsung’s surprise element at the IFA held earlier last month.

The new Note 10.1 has many new stylus-related features

Nokia World’s list of announcements this week:
Nokia has also picked this week to roll out a bunch of new devices and we saw several firsts on the list. The Finnish smartphone company unveiled its first 10-inch tablet, the Lumia 2520 . Also seen were two new 6-inch phablets, the budget Lumia 1320 and the top-end Lumia 1520 . Catering to the budget conscious, the company also ‘showed off’ three new Asha devices .  
Lumia users rejoice, Instagram finally coming to Windows Phone
Windows Phone users are going to love this little nugget. Instagram is finally coming to Windows Phone! It looks like the app-makers, who’re only present on Android and iOS, have finally buckled under pressure from Windows Phone users.

Canonical rolls out Ubuntu 13.10 Saucy Salamander
Canonical recently rolled out the latest OS from its roster, Ubuntu 13.10, now available for desktop and smartphones users. The release also comes with a range of mobile core apps made by the Ubuntu developer community, with the list including a browser, calendar, clock, weather app as well as a calculator. The company has also said that it is working with partners to get Ubuntu smartphones to the market by next year

BBM for Android and iOS out now!

BBM for iOS and Android finally here
BlackBerry has finally begun rolling out its much-awaited BBM app on both Android and iOS platforms. BBM for Android as well as iOS is now available. The app’s release comes nearly a month after it was first supposed to hit the App Stores.

Oculus Rift could potentially be a standalone device running on Android
The future for virtual reality gaming seems quite bright, especially with devices like the in-development Oculus Rift and the recent Kickstarter success castAR. In an interview, Oculus’ John Carmack talked about the future of the Rift, and went as far as to state that the VR headset may even see the light of day as a standalone device that runs on Android.

Government wants to provide free Internet-enabled phones to 25 million rural houses
The government has grand plans to ensure connectivity in India. According to a news report by The Hindu Business Line, the Government of India has unveiled its ambitious plan of linking 25 million rural households in the country with free Internet-enabled mobile connectivity. With a one-time fee of Rs 300, the government will provide a phone and a connection by BSNL to those who sign up for the scheme.