Search results for: “yotaphone”

Russian Government Runs a Troll Army Just to Promote the YotaPhone

It is long known that Russia has a large troll army (paid bloggers) that manipulates online content and works extensively to diffuse a positive picture of the government. According to The Guardian, hundreds of trolls spread a word in praise of Russian President Vladimir Putin, on depravity and injustice of the west, and most surprisingly, to promote the Russian-made YotaPhone.

The Guardian stated that it contacted two of the former employees of the troll enterprise, out of which one disclosed that they were employed unofficially and were paid cash in-hand to promote the YotaPhone. The international publication said that it located leaked set of documents that speak of an opaque company structuring the image of the smartphone. One of the documents recovered was “technical task sheets” that gave an angle to the hired writer so that they flash the scripted “conclusion” to the commenters.

It is also reported that the manufacturing company has no clue about the government’s strategic plan and the administration is doing it without informing the producer; however it works in their favour. Every thing is carried out behind proxy servers so that their original location remains concealed.

It should be noted that the Russian government has stakes in the smartphone company Yota, but it appears that the case is the other way round. Russian administration seems to be doing undue advertising of YotaPhone to establish itself in the international smartphone market.

If it was all about advertising the phone globally, then the trolls have done their job well. However, it doesn’t seem like the gadget needed such a huge strategy behind the curtain. YotaPhone is a one of a kind device that boasts two back to back displays and that too with remarkable display sizes of 4.3-inch. It has accumulated positive response from tech reviewers worldwide.

April 3, 2015
Original YotaPhone Sees Major Price Cut, Now Available for Rs. 12,999

Amazing announcement has arrived from the Russian smartphone company Yota. The first-generation YotaPhone has seen a jaw-dropping price cut of Rs. 10,500, and now is available at a price of Rs. 12,999 exclusively at Flipkart. The introductory price of YotaPhone was Rs. 23,499.

YotaPhone is the world’s first dual-display device that has one LCD screen and another E-Ink display. The phone came in light at CES event 2013 and started rolling out in December that year. The original YotaPhone is powerful and competes with the latest high-end phones. It flaunts a 4.3-inch HD display and an E-Ink display of the same size. The device is powered by a dual-core Snapdragon 400 processor clocked at 1.7 GHz paired with 2 GB of RAM. Running on Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean, the phone houses 32 GB of inbuilt storage. A 13MP rear snapper and a 1MP secondary shooter sits on the top of the handset.

The company has announced yet another device in the Yota line-up, YotaPhone 2, which has been available in the European market since last month. The company said that the YotaPhone successor will soon head to China and remaining Asian nations by early 2015. The handset will come at a price tag of RUB 33,000 in Russia, which translates to Rs. 37,500.

The price drop is an indication that the YotaPhone 2 might hit the Indian shores soon. In the sub-15000 category, YotaPhone becomes a must.

January 23, 2015

Next-Gen YotaPhone Goes Official, Sports an AMOLED and E-Paper Display

Remember Russian President Vladimir Putin gifting the next-generation Yotaphone to the Chinese President during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Beijing? Yes, that same phone called the YotaPhone 2 has been officially announced and is already setting benchmarks when it comes to innovation.

The YotaPhone 2 has got some improvements over its predecessor. It features a 5-inch 1080p AMOLED display and a 4.7-inch QHD e-Ink touchscreen, which is way better than the 4.3-inch of the previous model. The e-Ink paper display on the smartphone is similar to the e-Ink display we find on Amazon’s Kindle readers, and shows up notifications, clock, weather, etc. while the front display is the standard display we find on other smartphones.

It runs on Android KitKat and is powered by a 2.3GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 chipset along with 2 GB of RAM. The phone has 32 GB internal storage space. On the camera front, YotaPhone 2 sports an 8MP camera on the back and a 2MP camera on the front. It gets its juice from a 2,500mAh battery. Have a look at the key specs below:

Specifications	YotaPhone 2
Display	5-inch Full HD AMOLED display 4.7-inch always-on E-paper display
Processor	2.3 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800
Storage	32 GB
RAM	2 GB
Camera	8 MP Rear Camera 2 MP front camera
Battery	2500mAh
Operating System	Android OS, v4.4 (KitKat)

The phone is expected to release for general sales in Russia this December. Though, it is expected to arrive in India some time in the future, as the official website lists India as one of the countries where the handset will go on sale. For the time being, interested users can register on the Yota’s official website to get more updates.

This attempt could put Russia on the smartphone map of the world, largely dominated by American and Asian manufacturers. But as we already mentioned, the first official phone is in Chinese hands, the Russian manufacturer might have been a bit naive to hand over the only unique consumer device to the world’s photocopier nation.

December 3, 2014

Russian President Gifts Dual-Screen YotaPhone 2 to Chinese President

You don’t see a lot of tech news about Russia unless it’s about its new global infractions that have almost become a daily affair. Russia doesn’t have a huge name in the consumer technology market. But one Russian company has merged the smartphone and the e-reader to make a unique dual-display device.

YotaPhone recently made a footfall on the Indian shores. The phone is being sold exclusively on Flipkart in India. The phone’s next version, the YotaPhone 2, has found its first owner in Chinese President Xi Jianping.

President Putin Gifting President Xi Jinping the YotaPhone 2. (Source: RT screen grab)

Russian President Vladimir Putin gifted the next generation phone to the Chinese President during the ongoing Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Beijing.

YotaPhone 2 has got some improvements over its predecessor. It features a 5-inch 1080p AMOLED display and a 4.7-inch QHD e-Ink touchscreen, which is way better than the 4.3-inch of the previous model. It runs on Android KitKat and is powered by a 2.3GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 chipset along with 2 GB of RAM. The phone has 32 GB internal storage space.

Yotaphone 2 is a considerable improvement over its predecessor.

On the camera front, YotaPhone 2 sports an 8MP camera on the back and a 2MP camera on the front. It gets its juice from a 2,550mAh battery. The phone is expected to release for general sale in Russia this December. It will come to European, Chinese and South-East Asian market in the first quarter of 2015.

Well, now that the phone is in Chinese hands, we can expect a million copies coming out soon all over the world. Russia might have inadvertently handed the only unique consumer device to the world’s photocopier nation.

November 10, 2014
Dual Screen YotaPhone Comes to India Exclusively on Flipkart

YotaPhone is a one of a kind device. It features two back to back displays. The phone is developed by Russian company Yota, which makes some really cool products. The phone has now arrived in India and will be available exclusively on Flipkart for a price of Rs 23,499.

The YotaPhone comes with two 4.3 inch displays. One display is a 720p HD LCD screen with a pixel resolution of 342 ppi. The second screen is an ‘always-on’, 640×360 pixels E-Ink display with a resolution of 170 ppi.

It’s a perfect device for those who want to have a good e-reader along with the functionality of a normal smartphone in one device. The 4.3 inch screen is equivalent to the Moto E, which is a decent size for a multimedia device.

Yotaphone runs on Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean. It is powered by a 1.7 GHz Snapdragon dual-core processor with 2GB of RAM. It has 32GB internal storage. The device gets its juice from 1,800mAh battery. It has a 13 MP rear camera with LED flash along with a 1MP front camera.

Abdul Karim Sawan, Vice President for Yota Devices, said on the launch, “Yota Devices combines a smartphone and e-reader into one device for those who enjoy reading on-the-go even in the brightest sunlight. You can save images and information on the second screen, and it stays there, even if you lose battery power. You can save anything on the always-on display from a map to a boarding pass. Information, like a missed call or meeting reminder, stays on the always-on screen until it is no longer needed.”

The device is brought to India in a tie-up with Jumbo Electronics. It is a leading IT, telecom and consumer electronics retailer and distributor from the UAE. The phone will go on sale on Flipkart on October 17.

October 16, 2014
Dual Screen YotaPhone May Come to India Soon

Russian Smartphone manufacturer Yota is now ready to step onto the Indian soil. The company is probably going for a tie-up with Flipkart. The Indian E-tail giant accidently listed the phone on their site before taking it off moments later.

The phone listed on the website is the Yota C9660, which was showcased at CES 2013. It is a one of a kind device. The USP is its back-to-back dual screens. On one side is the usual LCD screen, while the other side is an eye-friendly E-ink display which is great for reading e-books.

Both screens have 4.3 inch displays. The LCD is a 720p HD screen(342 ppi) whereas the opposite side has a 640Ã—360 pixels E-Ink display (170 ppi).

The phone is powered by a 1.7 GHz Dual core, Snapdragon 400 processor. It comes with 2 GB of RAM and 32 GB of internal memory. The phone is currently running Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean but might be upgraded to Android KitKat through OTA updates. It gets its juice from an 1800 mAh battery.

On the camera front the Yotaphone provides a 13 MP camera on the back but has a paltry 1 MP front camera for selfies.

There haven’t been any official announcements as of yet, but this is one interesting device that comes with some decent specs. It is a great device for those who like to read on their mobile devices but don’t want to carry e-readers like Kindle. It is a true amalgamation of the best of mobile devices, and we’d definitely like to take it for a spin.

October 1, 2014
Pebble Time is the First Coloured e-Paper Smartwatch with 7-Day Battery Support

Smartwatches are the current hottest trend everyone wants to cash in on. The biggest problem with certain wearables is that they are only compatible with particular handsets. Meet the new smartwatch by Pebble Technologies that is smart in a real sense and can adjust with any smartphone, whether iOS or Android.

With Pebble Time, users don’t have compromise, and the watch itself adjusts meeting the needs of the user. The screen of Pebble Time is an e-paper display, just like new YotaPhone 2 and Kindle – a first for any smartwatch. The screen is covered with Gorilla Glass, and the coloured display enhances the overall appeal of the smartwatch. Pebble claims that the battery of the smartwatch can last up to 7 days. However, there’s a catch, and that is that the Pebble timepiece is not touchscreen.

So how do you operate the device? There is a microphone onboard making it convenient to have a phone-like conversation. Users can reply to the messages by pushing keys, and there’s also a gyroscope for motion sensing. The new user interface (UI) is focused on a timeline that highlights what’s important over the course of the day. There’s a new app menu, which loads and cache apps as required. You can connect these apps to the timeline, organising all relevant information.

There are three buttons on the right-hand side of the screen and one on the left. The buttons have been adjusted to easy grip, and one can push each of them effortlessly without any unintentional pressing of the other ones. The top button is for check past events, the middle for present and the third one refers to the future. The smartwatch offers hassle-free customization options, and one can affix any band to the core machinery having 22mm pin.

Pebble Time is a $179 smartwatch that is on Kickstarter as of now. It is the fastest project to raise $1 million on Kickstarter in approximately 30 minutes.

There are many good smartwatches out there, but the Time stands apart. It’s affordable, and the USP is its cross-platform functionality that would have attracted the numerous backers. Early investors can get the Time for $159, but the concession is for supporters only. The watch will retail at a price of $199 once the campaign completes.

February 25, 2015
Revisiting 2014 : 10 Most Epic Gadgets Released in 2014

From Virtual reality to 3D printing, the past 12 months have been a whirlwind of impressive new gadgets and game-changing innovations. Apple launched a handful of devices including iMac with Retina 5K display, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus and most notably, the Apple Watch. It was big year for Virtual Reality as well with Google’s, simple yet intelligent, Cardboard project, Samsung’s Gear VR and Oculus Rift’s $350 development kit coming into the market this year.

We look into 2014’s most epic and innovative releases:

10. YotaPhone 2

YotaPhone 2 was officially announced earlier this month and is already setting benchmarks when it comes to innovation. The YotaPhone 2 has got some considerable improvements over its predecessor. It features a 5-inch 1080p AMOLED display and a 4.7-inch QHD e-Ink touchscreen, which is way better than the 4.3-inch screen of the previous model. The e-Ink paper display on the smartphone is similar to the e-Ink display we find on Amazon’s Kindle readers. It shows notifications, clock, weather, and is great for reading books and other readables in an eye friendly display.

9. Google Cardboard

Google Cardboard is a fold-out cardboard smartphone mount that, when combined with lenses, a magnet, a piece of hook-and-loop fastener, rubber band and held against the face, affords a virtual reality experience. Impressive, right? This is a DIY project from Google can can be made right at your place with minimal investment. In order to build it, all you need is a pair of lenses with a 40mm focal distance to keep the phone’s screen in focus some magnets, velcro and a rubber band. Thats it, with this tiny tinkering, you’ll be ready to hit the virtual reality experience. And if you don’t want to take the efforts of making one, you can always find ready made Cardboard headset for just $20-$40.

8. Vibso headphones

Build by designer Renaud Defrancesco, Vibso headband is made of a transparent acrylic glass and sends music vibrations across its surface to the user’s ears. The VIBSO headphones play music via Bluetooth and has a vibrating electromagnet that is hidden under an opaque plastic cover on top of the head and helps create the sound for the wearer. The electromagnet works like a speaker and has a connecting element that causes a membrane to vibrate and create sounds. The membrane, in this case, is made in a two-mm-thick transparent acrylic glass. Defrancesco used acrylic glass because it transmits sounds well and is flexible and easy to form.

7. Epson Wireless Workforce WF-100

Touted as the world’s smallest and lightest mobile printer yet, the WF-100 comes with built-in wireless and Wi-Fi direct capabilities to hook up to your laptop, tablet or any Android phones. The printer uses a rechargeable battery that charges via a USB port. It can print both A4 as well as 4X6 inch photos. It prints at the speed of 6.7 pages in a minute for black and 3.8 pages per minute for color.

6. LIX – 3D Printing Pen

London-based startup LIX created the smallest 3D printing pen in the world, a device that enables users to doodle in the air. Milled from aluminum and measuring 164mm x 14mm, it allows users to make objects in just a few seconds, including calligraphy, accessories and one-off prototypes. With functionalities similar to 3D printers, the USB port chargeable LIX pen quickly melts and cools colored plastic, which enables the pen to create rigid and freestanding structures on demand. Drawing in the air, now its cool or what?

5. DJI Phantom 2 Vision+

The DJI Phantom 2 Vision+Quadcopter comes with a GPS based navigation system, flies for up to 25 minutes, and has the capability to take still photos and shoot streaming video. The $1,200 price tag may make you lose the interest, but this drone is known of its exceptional flying capabilities and its powerful camera.

4. Blackphone

The Blackphone is a smartphone developed by SGP Technologies, that provides encryption for phone calls, emails, texts and internet browsing. SGP Technologies is a joint venture between the makers of GeeksPhone and Silent Circle. Blackphone’s Security Center in PrivatOS gives control over app permissions, such as the bundled Silent Phone and Silent Text services that encrypt communications so no one can eavesdrop on voice, video and text calls.

3. GoPro Hero4 Black

GoPro’s latest offering, the Hero4 lineup builds on the legacy and comes with great new upgrades. On the top of the line-up is the Hero4 Black, which comes at a price of $499. It shoots 4K video at up to 30 frames per second, giving you some incredible eye-popping visuals. Apart from that, it shoots Full HD (1080p) at 120 frames per second so you can play with some sweet slow-motion action shots. And of course, it offers 12-megapixel photos for folks who want a selfie at an epic destination.

2. Oculus Rift Developers Kit

The Oculus Rift DK 2 is an amazing piece of hardware, and while it’s far from ready for consumer use, it delivers a highly compelling experience that shows exactly how easy it is to get lost in virtual reality. From a gaming perspective, there’s no doubt that this is one of the most interesting new pieces of hardware. Oculus claims that the display works at 75 Hz, which is above the standard 60 Hz refresh rate. On their website, Oculus calls its display a low persistence OLED display, to eliminate motion blur and judder, two of the biggest contributors to simulator sickness. The 5.7 inch Note 3 display might address the pixilation issue and probably save people from the day long motion sickness they feel after wearing these headgears.

1. Apple Watch

Among other things, 2014 marked the return of Apple. Its iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus rollout was usual – full of giddy anticipation and excitement. The two models did not just break sales records globally, but they put Apple back on the front row. Apple also launched another product which is probably 2015’s most awaited device called the ‘Apple Watch’ (not iWatch). Apple is entering a completely new market category by bringing out the first Apple Watch. This smartwatch, expected to be out in early 2015, will come in three variations – Apple Watch, Apple Watch Sport and the Apple Watch Edition. The wearable will be compatible with iPhone 5, 5S, 5C, 6 and 6 Plus.

December 28, 2014
Editor’s Pick : The Week in a Video

Quite a few exciting things went down this week. So we decided to chart it out for you, here’s the weekly round up:

1. OnePlus Launches in India – Read more about it here.

2. We’re giving away 50 OnePlus invites. – Read more about it here.

3. Micromax Brings Out ‘Yu’ – its own developers forum. – Read more about it here.

4. Meet the YotaPhone 2- Read more about it here.

5. Apple Expected to Open Up 500 Retail Outlets in India – Read more about it here.

6. Indian Government Plans Rs.10,000 Start Up fund – Read more about it here.

7. Xiaomi banned in India- Read more about it here.

8. Google halts production of Nexus 5 – Read more about it here.

9. Nexus 6 Goes on Sale, Unavailable till Christmas – – Read more about it here.

December 14, 2014