Author: Meenakshi Rawat

BlackBerry 10.3.1 Expected to Arrive on 19th February

BlackBerry launched its latest operating system (OS) 10.3.1 few days back, but it was accessible to the privileged users of Classic only. The users of the previously released devices were eagerly waiting for the upgrade and now the Canadian telecommunication company is rolling out the official OS for their BlackBerry 10 models.

The update will bring the Siri-like BlackBerry Assistant to the handsets. Along with that there are many other features that diminishes the need of app installation. There is reverse contrast mode which is extremely good for viewing at night. It turns the screen from black on white, and to white on black. One can also block contacts from calling or texting. One can hide their private pictures with the new OS for which users need to install save gallery tool. The BlackBerry 10.3.1 also claims to have resolved the persisting battery issue. The Battery Saving mode cuts back the unnecessary features that takes a toll on the battery.

The roll out was scheduled for yesterday, but a bug was spotted early on. BlackBerry seems to have resolved the issue. The company hasn’t made any official announcement about the release, but it is likely to happen on 19th February.

February 9, 2015
MediaTek Aspires to Expand Business in India

MediaTek is an established name in the field of technology. Its chips power to many low-priced phones. The Taiwan-based firm wants to expand at our home ground and affirmed the same in a meeting with the Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad today.

The company aspires to make technology accessible to everyone and remarked in an official statement –

MediaTek chairman (MK Tsai) shared his commitment to make technology more accessible for people. He was encouraged by the great market potential that India holds in the field of technology and high tech services. He shared with the Minister that MediaTek is keen on expanding its presence in India.

The maker only designs chips and doesn’t manufacturer them on its own. It gets the products made from its vendors. The Telecom minister made it known the flexible policies and great demand for technology in the country and highlighted the ‘Make in India’ program in which accessible technology is the prime criteria.

Mr. Shankar shared the views of establishing BPOs in rural areas and creating more IT hubs in small towns, which in turn will bring prosperity and growth to the lesser developed parts of India.

February 7, 2015
Corning is Working on a Tough and Sapphire-Like Scratch Resistant Glass

Corning, a name known from producing one of the toughest glasses for mobiles, has fastened its belt to come up with a scratch resistant glass. The Gorilla Glass producer is working on a new project that will combine the toughness of a Gorilla and at the same time add the scratch-resistance property close to sapphire.

The upcoming product dubbed as Project Phire is under development, as announced yesterday by Corning Executive James Clappin. He added that the product will start selling in the market later this year. He further said –

We told you last year that sapphire was great for scratch performance but didn’t fare well when dropped. So, we created a product that offers the same superior damage resistance and drop performance of Gorilla Glass 4 with scratch resistance that approaches sapphire

Corning gets a major part of its revenue from TV displays and fiber-optics. Gorilla Glass, a product of Corning, has gained reputation of the most durable glass in terms of breakage and the company doesn’t want to slip this achievement to sapphire. Meanwhile, Samsung and Apple are the biggest customers of Gorilla Glass and lot many high-end phones like Galaxy Note Edge, iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus use Corning glass. So Corning is planning on an ideal glass that has qualities of both.

The company is pushing its boundaries to come up with a perfect product. This new innovation is expected to be received with the same enthusiasm as its previous offerings.

February 7, 2015
Indian Government May Exempt Startups From Excise Duty and Service Tax

Startups are the foundation of a developing nation and such businesses need to be encouraged. Indian Government has taken a praise-worthy step and is ready to extend support to the India-based startup companies. The Union Government is planning to exempt the budding firms from service tax and exercise duty for a specific period, so that they don’t fail because of money issues.

As per a report by Economic Times, an inter-ministerial group is considering a one-stop registration scheme that will make them eligible for government grants. The group includes Ministry of Science and Technology, Corporate Affairs and the Department of Electronics and IT, and was chaired by Jayant Sinha, Minister of State for Finance. Meanwhile, the proposal is under consideration.

Under this scheme, the startups that are registered under Department of Science and Technology and the ones certified as ‘bonafide’ will be exempted from the above said taxes. This tax waiver will be applicable until they reach certain revenue. Meanwhile, these tech startups pay service tax at the rate of 12.36% along with exercise duty and income tax. Also, if the proposal is enacted, the startups will become eligible for grants up to Rs. 10 crore from the government’s science and technology department.

Nasscom has proposed a three-year moratorium on quarterly regulatory filings and taxes to the government. This will give a boost to the India’s young companies. “Service tax exemption is a much needed proposition. But sops should be more broad-based as majority of successful start-ups are not registered with DST affiliated incubators,” commented Nasscom Product Council Chairman Ravi Gururaj.

The startups in India are burdened by bad regulations and the pattern needs to be altered. The new proposal will have flexible regulations for budding as well as failed start-ups. The failed ones can shut down in a day with just a single page submission. Moreover, it would be a big step in favour of low-budget budding firms to grow and flourish in their respective industries without any pressure.

February 7, 2015
World’s First Ubuntu Phone to Go on Sale on 9th February

Ubuntu, a powerful, fast, and clean operating system (OS) debuted over two years back, but failed to make space in this over-flooded market. But finally, the operating system has got direction and an Ubuntu Phone is coming out next week.

Titled Aquaris E4.5 Ubuntu Edition, the phone is built by the Spanish company BQ. The low-budget handset sports a 4.5-inch qHD display. It is powered by MediaTek Quad Core Cortex A7 processor clocked at 1.3 GHz paired with 1 GB of RAM and a Mali 400 GPU. The device has an internal storage capacity of 8 GB along with a battery of 2150mAh. An 8MP rear shooter and a 5MP front snapper sits on the handset.

The phone is expected to be priced at $195 (somewhere around Rs. 12,000) and will go on sale in Europe on February 9 via flash sale model.

Ubuntu Phones will come with a new user interface (UI) called Scopes that will change the way we interact with our phones. “A new UI paradigm, designed to deliver content and services directly to categorized home screens, giving users a rich, unfragmented experience.” Scopes will give categorized home screens to pull content from multiple sources. Users can get the content from YouTube, Vimeo and other sources on the same page.

A new operating system means native apps need to build up. But Canonical, the company behind the operating system, doesn’t want its users to wait that long. It is making a way to port apps from its desktop Linux distribution Ubuntu to the Ubuntu Phones. So, around 1,000 apps would be available to download. It has been learnt that WhatsApp is not backing Ubuntu, so the instant messaging service will not be a part of it for now.

Canonical is planning to release it in the US market soon. An Ubuntu-based smartphone is a big step by the company and was much-needed to bring it to mainstream. It would be interesting to see how users respond to the new OS.

February 7, 2015
Apple Tests Faster Photos App for OS X to Replace iPhoto

Last year, Apple announced that it would discontinue its consumer photo library, iPhoto, and Aperture, the professional photo editing suite. The company has finally made up its mind. Recently, the firm released a developer version of the iPhoto successor app called Photos for OS X and soon it will be followed by a public Photos beta. The update will be absolutely free and will release for Mac users by spring this year.

The new app is expected to have a cleaner design and a file management system that is more convinent. As per the previous declaration by Apple, the new Photos app will be linked to iCloud, which is Apple’s photo backup.

As per The Verge, the new Photos app is just like iPhoto, so users would not have any problem navigating the app. Photos for OS X has four main tabs – Photos, Shared, Albums, and Projects. It contains all your photos in chronological format. Shared holds images from the shared photo streams, and an activity feed for likes and comments on those streams. Albums simply carries albums created by users and Projects stores slideshows. It’s a storefront for products with printed photos like cards, books, calendars, and so on.

Not just this, Phtotos for OS X can perform many other functions. The Albums section can segregate different kinds of images, e.g. panoramas, slo-mo videos, and time lapses. The app is said to be really fast, no matter how many pictures you stuff in it.

The central feature is its amazing syncronization capabiliy. If someone clicks on a picture from the iCloud-connected iPhone, it will automatically appear on the Photos app on Mac. Overall, the new app sounds quite promising and with this big step, the app should be able to gain some attention.

February 6, 2015
WhatsApp Adds Voice-Calling Button on iOS, Tests Voice Calls on Select Android Devices

WhatsApp’s big plans for the new voice calling feature have been received well by the crowds. After receiving news that the instant messaging service is being tested for Android devices, the company has released a voice-calling button for iOS users.

The news broke out yesterday evening and it is very easy to use. A calling button in WhatsApp appears on iOS handsets within the chat window. This button is placed next to the contact name and profile picture. The app uses phone’s dialler for making outgoing calls.

The voice calling button, next to the profile picture.

Though, the changelog of the update doesn’t notify about the calling feature and mentions addition of Dynamic Type support throughout the app, quick camera button in chat that let’s you quickly choose a recent camera roll photo, but it’s there in the new update.

For Android, WhatsApp is currently passing on the feature to a select number of users, so we’d recommend you to keep a lookout for the update. Once WhatsApp is satisfied with the response of the service, it would be available for everyone to use.

The reason that this upcoming feature is so popular is that it would allow users to make calls without having to pay for the call (only for their data service.) Few days back, WhatsApp rolled out the voice-calling feature to select users became viral and only people with invite could use the new tool. But it was barely useful as other people with the same feature could only be contacted.

February 6, 2015
Apple Watch to be Used by Major US Hospitals for Health Report

Smartwatches are built with an aim to use technology to make lives easier for its users. Many manufacturers have now launched smartwatches to keep up with the wearable technology race, but it seems like Apple is working hard to remain at the top of this game. A new report states that Apple’s healthcare gadget is the top choice of major US hospital doctors to monitor patients.

According to a survey conducted by Reuters, top hospitals prefer Apple’s smartwatch rather than the wrist-worn gadgets by Samsung and Google. The hospitals are in talks to start a program of Apple’s HealthKit service that will assist doctors read the recorded health information like blood pressure, weight or heart rate, so that the chronic conditions can be detected.

The Apple Heathkit gathers data such as glucose measurement tools, tracking apps to measure food intake and exercise and Wi-Fi connected scales. The forthcoming watch, set to release in April, is expected to come with some features that would allow doctors to view the heath records of a person just by sending it through the watch.

The Chief Clinical Transformation Officer Dr. Richard Milani clarified the use of Apple Watch saying, “If we had more data, like daily weights, we could give the patient a call before they need to be hospitalized.” An industry advisor John Halamka spoke about the use of Apple Watch commenting, “Can I interface to every possible device that every patient uses? No. But Apple can.”

The health technology is growing at a rapid speed and there are chances that Apple will invest more by 2018 in technology including apps, wearables, virtual care and remote monitoring.

February 6, 2015
Xiaomi Reportedly Setting Up a Manufacturing Unit in India

Xiaomi is doing incredibly well in India as well as overseas. Infact India is one of the most critical markets for Xiaomi both in terms of user base as well as revenue. That’s the reason, the heads at Xiaomi are seeing India as the major market place. A report has arrived which says that the China-based smartphone manufacturer may enter India soon.

The Chinese producer is planning to expand outside China, and India and Brazil are reportedly the possible destinations. With latest updates coming from Digitimes, the Chinese giant has joined hands with Inventec and the former company will be doing its manufacturing business in Chennai, India, through the Inventec. It is said that the smartphone production will commence in second or third quarter of 2015.

A few days ago, Xiaomi said that it would soon retail its devices in India on its official Mi India website, rather than Flipkart. It shows the company’s inclination towards the Indian smartphone market. Additionally if this deal does materialise there would be an even further reduction in the prices on account of savings due to custom duty and octroi.

Meanwhile, there is no official word from the company and these continue to be mere speculations. An event is going to take place on February 12 in San Francisco, in which Xiaomi is expected to make certain announcements including this one.

February 5, 2015
Google Gtalk’s 9-Year-Reign to Come to an End on 16th February

Google’s IM service Gtalk after 9 fulfilling years will come to an end on 16th February. The internet search giant has decided to push its user base to Hangouts, the new app for chat.

The company is shutting down its Gtalk service on February 16, which will be replaced by Hangouts. Google declared the same via chat saying that Google Talk app for Windows will go non-functional on February 16, 2015 and users can download Hangouts Chrome feature to continue chatting.

Hangouts is also very user friendly to use and offers many more features with a convenient interface. It shows when the person was last seen, allows to chat with multiple people at a time, allows video calling and packs many more features than the Gtalk.

This move was obvious and Google is not being unfair by taking down Gtalk. The company gave users ample time to get used to it by announcing it on May 2013. Hangouts is the future of Google, but it is also true that Hangouts is not widely accepted. However, one cannot deny that the instant messaging application is the need of the hour as it provides smooth integration between PC, tablet and mobile.

February 5, 2015
This Normal Looking Keyboard Conceals an Android Computer

What can your keyboard do? Let’s see… Typing and nothing else? Then this may sound exciting to you. There’s a new keyboard that is works and looks like a keyboard, but its actually an Android computer.

This small machine is powerful; don’t go by its size. The keyboard-cum-computer is titled as OneBoard Pro+. It has a a 1.8GHz quad-core Rockchip RK3288 processor, 2 GB of RAM and runs on Android 4.4 KitKat. It has 16 GB of storage plus an SD card slot along with an USB OTG for extra space. The mean machine turns your computer monitor or TV into an Android machine when connected with a power cable, USB plugs and an HDMI port. The mechanical keyboard sports an aluminium chassis, backlit RGB key-caps and Cherry MX switches.

The cool and innovative keyboard has been developed by Bejing-Cool Computer Co. There have been keyboards that are portable and can be moulded, but this is something amazing.

As the keyboard can transform a monitor and TV into a computer, this doesn’t mean your PC will sit in a corner eating dust. The OneBoard Pro+ has a video pass-through that lets you switch between your normal computer and the new Android machine. The keyboard is not cheap and comes at a price of $300.

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February 5, 2015
Apple’s New Beats Music Streaming Service is Reportedly Coming to Android

Some six months back, Apple bought the popular audio equipment brand Beats and at that time it wasn’t clear how and where the company going to use it. But now, Apple has started revamping the popular Beats Music streaming service and according to a report, the company will launch the new paid streaming service on the Android platform.

The recent service is entirely designed by Apple and infuses Beat technology and music content under the hood. Based on cloud streaming, the yet unnamed service is centered around the user’s music library. A new search feature is embedded within the app that helps locate songs in the iTunes/Beats catalog. Along with that users will be able to stream music and add songs to their personal library from the catalog itself.

Not only this, but also it is thinking of integrating Beats Music’s Playlist, Activities, and other features to let users access an already prepared music library. There is also news that the company will update Beats’ social networking feature so that people can follow other users and artists.

The service, expected to be priced $7.99 per month, will compete with the already popular apps like Spotify and Rdio, which cost $9.99 per month each.

A Beats Music app is already available for download on the Google Play Store, but it is not the tweaked version. The company has no plans to develop a new app for Microsoft’s platform.

The new service will mark Apple’s first-time effort to build an in-house Android application. It’s not astonishing, and the company could have focused on Android-based apps as Android audience is far widespread than the iOS.

There is no notification about when and on which platform (iOS or Android) it is going to release, but rumours have surfaced that it will release in March this year. There is a possibility that the new Beats Music app may release alongside Apple watch, but these are mere speculations as of now.

February 5, 2015
Apple’s Next Step to Web-Based TV Service Could Revolutionize Ongoing Programmes

Previously, it was rumoured that Apple is likely to work together with cable providers, but we heard nothing other than a Steve Jobs movie and an Apple TV set-top box. However, the Cupertino-based giant plans to penetrate more into the Television segment. Earlier today, some reports surfaced that Apple is in talks with content producers to start its own web-based TV service.

Additional rumours state that the forthcoming service would not be a full offering like the current television programming, but would rather be subscription-based that would telecast select shows. As the content would be web-based, it would be distributed on the internet only.

Apple never commented directly to enter into the Television market, however Eddy Cue, Senior Vice President of Apple, expressed his views on the ongoing TV broadcasts saying that the current TV-watching experience “sucks and needs to be reformed”.

Meanwhile, it is further learnt that the company has already started testing the prototype service at its base in Cupertino.

There is still no confirmation as to when or how this will launch or even how much will it cost; for this, viewers have to wait for an official announcement. However looking back at the success of the Apple TV ;this could be quite a revolutionary step by Apple.

February 5, 2015
Alibaba Tests Drone Delivery Service in China

Drone technology has taken the market by a blow. And why not, there are endless possibilities through which this technique can come to use. Now, e-commerce giant, Alibaba is set up to try drone technology for deliveries in China.

Alibaba is partnering with Shanghai YTO Express Logistics to deliver ginger tea packets to the customers who volunteered for the drone test. The remote-controlled drones will transfer packages to 450 Chinese customers today in Beijing. These drones will fly from the warehouse of Shanghai YTO Express Logistics to different destinations. A deliveryman will stand at the final spot waiting for the parcel and as soon as the drone delivers the packet, the deliveryman on the ground will hand it over to the end customer.

Alibaba’s flagship consumer-to-consumer platform Taobao said in a statement –

For consumers… such a cool consumption experience will give them more surprises

The company says they have notified Chinese Aviation Administration about the unmanned commercial flights as per the regulations issued in 2009.

The largest Internet retailer (sales) Amazon.com had started the drone delivery testing and is awaiting approval from US Federal Aviation Administration for the remote delivery testing in Washington State. The use of drones by the e-commerce websites would make deliveries faster than we could ever imagine.

February 4, 2015
Android One Smartphones Next in Line to Get the Lollipop Update

Google has posted a tweet that might lure customers into buying the low-cost Android One devices. Google India tweeted from its official Twitter handle stating that the company will roll out the Android Lollipop update for Indians in the coming weeks.

Android One users in India — you’ll be getting the Lollipop update in the next few weeks. @androidone

— Google India (@googleindia) February 4, 2015

At a time, when only 2% of the Android devices are powered by Lollipop after three months of release, it’s quite a move by the company. This announcement will please Android One users who have been desperately waiting for the update.

Meanwhile, it was reported that Android 5.1 Lollipop was spotted on Android One devices in Indonesia.

With Lollipop coming to Android One handsets, users will experience improved natural touch screen interactions. The Material Design gets more clear and bolder colours to the screen. Along with that, notifications pop up on the lock screen itself and facilitates dismissing them without unlocking it. Overall, it offers a bloatware-free and seamless Android experience.

February 4, 2015