Author: Meenakshi Rawat

These Powerful Lithium-ion Batteries Will Power Project Ara’s Smartphones

In spite of compelling features and specs, the only thing that annoys the users of high-end phones is the battery life. Smartwatches too suffer from the same issue. SolidEnergy, a startup formed in 2012, seems to have resolved the energy problem with its new lithium-ion battery. This battery can store far more lithium ions and can last twice as long between charges.

The new cells replace the conventional graphite electrode with a thin sheet of lithium metal foil, which is capable of storing more lithium ions. This replacement is potentially dangerous and such experiments have either stopped working or have caused explosion, when tested previously. SolidEnergy has been able to overcome the problem by using an ultra-thin metal anode and an electrolyte that both have solid and liquid parts.

These batteries are reportedly coming to Project Ara. The Founder and CEO of SolidEnergy Dr. Qichao Hu commented on the same saying –

Our battery basically makes the Project Ara phone more practical. Right now, one of the major challenges with this phone is that the battery life is too short

The company has also managed to trim down the size of the battery. It can be recharged 300 times while retaining 80 percent of its original storage capacity than the other prototypes that can be recharged only a few times.

SolidEnergy says that amid of most announcements of battery breakthroughs, this one should be taken with some caution. The company says that making a small number of high-performance prototypes is easy, but producing the same in large numbers can be difficult.

The company plans to roll out the new Lithium-ion battery for mobile devices in 2016, while the same technology will be infused in electric cars in 2017. Check out the video below to understand the battery technology better:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxNAJuFUmSY

February 4, 2015
Samsung to Introduce Apple Pay-Like Payment System With Galaxy S6

Samsung wants its next flagship Galaxy S6 to overtake all existing records and attain the top spot among the users. The South Korean firm is taking every possible measure to ensure this and according to a Korean media report, the company is geared to launch a new payment system, Samsung Pay, with the Galaxy S6.

The Korean Times stated –

Samsung Electronics’ new smartphone Galaxy S6, set to make its debut at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona in Spain next month, will look a lot like Apple’s iPhone 6, sources said Monday

As per the report, the producer has already partnered with VISA as one of the payment partners in the system. The Samsung Payment System will be based on LoopPay technology. Through the new fingerprint sensor embedded on Galaxy S6, users can pay by just touching LoopPay-enabled cards. The rumour going around is that the device will sport a non-swipe fingerprint sensor that requires you to place your finger and hold it for a minute like the iPhone.

Meanwhile, talks have surfaced that LoopPay is working on cases for Galaxy S5 and Galaxy Note 4. These cases would be touch-enabled and will allow making payments through phones like the upcoming Galaxy S6. As of now, there is no information about Samsung Pay coming to Note Edge, but we expect the company will extend support to this device as well.

There are a lot of speculations about the forthcoming flagship by Samsung; as many wait anxiously for its upcoming launch at the MWC. Samsung has used many tactics to market this phone, but only time will tell whether it will live up to its expectation.

February 4, 2015
Coming Soon: Dine-and-Dash Using Zomato’s Cashless Payment Feature

The popular restaurant discovery service Zomato is getting bigger and better with every passing day. After spreading its reach to more than 22 nations across the globe, Zomato is leaving no stone unturned to become everybody’s to-go service. The restaurant search service recently introduced a new feature that allows you to pay from the app itself, without peeking into your wallet for a card or hard cash.

The cashless payment system on the app is launched in Dubai as of now, but the company will soon release it in India this year. The Co-Founder and COO of Zomato, Pankaj Chaddah, confirmed the same in a conversation with a leading publishing daily.

We definitely plan to introduce it in India over the course of the year. Once we see how this does in Dubai however, we’ll get a better idea as to what we can expect when we roll it out on home turf.

Let’s take a look at how the Zomato’s cashless feature works. When a person visits a partnered restaurant and checks in through the app, the ID gets connected to the billing system. It totally depends on the user how he/she wishes to pay. If the customer opts to pay through the cashless payment option, the payment method integrates with the billing system of the restaurant and the amount gets deducted.

The company said that Dubai was the ideal city to test the new feature as credit card users. On the other hand, Indians prefer to pay the bill via cash and not by card. Meanwhile, users can pay through the app at the participating restaurants, but the company will continuously be adding more restaurants to its list.

For now, the feature is released for Zomato iOS only, but Android users can expect it soon.

February 4, 2015
Google Brings Mortgage Calculator into Search for Quick Calculations

Google today launched a new feature that will help new homeowners make quick calculations of their mortgage amount. The internet search giant has added a mortgage calculator in the Google Search that will allow users to adjust interests and check which financial options fit their needs. The option works on both desktop and mobile.

According to the company, users can ask Google questions like “How much can I borrow at $200 a month?” or “At 5% APR how much can I borrow over 10 years?” and Google will answer them instantly, eliminating the need to jump to another website. The company says that users can even adjust the mortgage amount, interest rate, mortgage period and can choose other options that match your interest. You can even take advice if needed. The new feature seems handy and useful.

Along with total mortgage amount, one can also check the monthly payments for the mortgage amount. Meanwhile, this service is only available for UK-based users and there is no information when is it going to launch in other countries.

This small feature eliminates the need to recheck the amount with middlemen. Once again, Google making our lives a little simpler.

February 4, 2015
Lollipop 5.0.2 Slowly Rolls Out for 2012 and 2013 Cellular Nexus 7 Devices

Slowly but steadily, all Nexus devices are getting the latest Lollipop 5.0.2 update. Back in November, Google released the newest version of Lollipop for Wi-Fi only devices, and now the company has started releasing the same update for the cellular variants of the Asus Google Nexus 7 (both 2012 and 2013). Google has posted factory images on its official Developers page.

Users can download and install the update from the Google Developers > Nexus Factory Image.

The recent upgrade comes with build number LRX22G on the Nexus 7 (2012 and 2013) tablets. The company has directly jumped from Android 4.4.4 KitKat to Android 5.0.2 Lollipop, skipping Lollipop 5.0 and 5.0.1.

There is yet no information about the OTA (over-the-air) update and but users can keep a check on it by clicking Settings > System Update. The OTA update is expected to roll out soon.

February 2, 2015
LG’s Next Flagship Expected to Come With an Impressive Spec Sheet

LG’s last year’s releases LG G3 and G Pro 2 were received well by both the users and critics. The company is now apparently gearing up to unveil its next flagship LG G4. But as the launch date approaches, speculations are rife about the phone boasting some top-notch specs.

If we believe the rumours to be true, then the next LG G4 would be one beast of a device. Packing a display of 5.3 inches, the device will be powered by the latest 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor paired with impressive 4 GB of RAM. The G4 will run on Android 5.0 Lollipop and will sport a 16MP wide-angle camera.

According to GSMArena, LG G4 might pack a 3K display of 1620×2880 resolution. If this turns out to be true, the G4 will be the first ever phone to feature such a high-quality screen. There are also talks that the next flagship from LG will not come with a stylus. The South Korean giant has recently filed a patent for another handset called LG G4 Stylus, which would be the successor to the mid range LG G3 Stylus handset.

All the rumoured specs seem top notch, but if the phone houses a 3K display, 4 GB RAM and the speedy Qualcomm 810 processor, it would definitely not be pocket-friendly.

The much-awaited phone is expected to arrive in the second quarter of this year.

February 2, 2015
Fresh Round of Rumours Emerge About Apple’s 12.9-inch iPad Plus

Seeing users’ inclination towards large screen sizes, Apple is adopting the new trend and will soon launch a 12.9-inch iPad. The MacBook Air-sized iPad is named as iPad Plus. The iPad Plus was expected to debut last year alongside the iPad Air 2, but the company called off its release in view of production issues.

The online Chinese website Weibo has revealed the features of the forthcoming Apple tablet saying that the 12.9-inch iPad Plus will feature a 2K display. The device is expected to be extremely light, less than 700 grams, and as thin as 7mm.

The iPad Plus is said to have a mammoth battery of 11,000mAh, which would be 50% more capable than the iPad Air 2.

The source also remarked that that the Cupertino-based firm may halt the sales of iPad Mini 3 for people to focus on iPad Mini 4, whereas the iPad Mini 2 will continue to sell in the market.

February 2, 2015
Specs of HTC’s Next Desire Series Smartphone A55 Leaked

With HTC’s next flagship One M9 aka Hima lined up for release, HTC is not planning on releasing any more flagships this year. According to reports, another high-end device by the Taiwanese electronics manufacturing firm is in the making and it is not a flagship. The upcoming phone, titled A55, falls under the Desire series and boasts impressive specs, just like any other high-end phones.

If the rumours are to be believed, then the A55 will sport a 5.5-inch QHD display. The device will be powered by the 64-bit octa-core MediaTek MT6795 chipset, along with 3 GB of RAM. Running on Android 5.0 Lollipop with the company Sense 7.0 UI on top, the phone will house an internal storage capacity of 32 GB.

On the camera front, the A55 is expected to flaunt a robust rear camera of 20MP, together with 13MP front shooter or 4MP UltraPixel Front Camera. The BoomSound speakers infused on the handset will give users a sound quality that is loud and clear. The A55 is supposed to have Bluetooth 4.1 as the connectivity option and a battery of 3,000mAh.

The A55 will release in two variants: Single SIM for EMEA markets (Europe, the Middle East, and Africa) and dual SIM for Asian markets. The device will be available in three colour options – White Rose Gold, Gray, and Brown Gold. There is no information about its price yet.

February 2, 2015
Things to Know About the New WhatsApp Voice Calling Feature

After launching WhatsApp on the Desktop, the instant messaging service WhatsApp has finally started rolloing out the much-awaited voice calling feature to select users for beta testing.

Here are three things you should know about the recently added voice calling tool:

Invite System

As the voice calling feature on WhatsApp is releasing to selected customers, all the users will not be able to enjoy it on their devices as of now. The company said that there is an invite system and a person with the update can send invites to their friends by giving them a call.

Easy calling

The instant messaging service has kept things simple. Until now there was an attachment option in the chat record of every person, but now a call icon has been added to make a call. Also, there would be an option to put the phone on speaker while calling.

Call Log

If you think you can just make and receive a call, then this may surprise you. WhatsApp has an organised call log system where the app keeps a track of your recent calling history. That means you will be notified of the missed calls as well.

Have a look at this video to better understand the voice calling feature:

February 2, 2015
Switching from iOS to Android? Then This Guide is For You
Apple has garnered a reputation for being the most genuine and reliable brand for many years. Its iOS smartphones, Macbooks and the upcoming Apple smartwatch have seized the attention of the audience. In spite of this, the fact also stands true that there are also some dissatisfactory customers who wish to switch from iOS to Android.

For those who have been using the iOS platform from the beginning may find it hard to switch to Android. The operating system may intimidate first-time users as it works quite differently. Use this guide and transfer music, contacts, messages, videos and other relevant documents to your new Android smartphone.

Transfer Contacts

Before you land on to the Android platform, the first thing you need to do is back up your iOS device. Contacts are important need to be saved in top priority. Transferring data through iCloud is extremely easy. Just keep in mind these simple steps:
1. Sign into iCloud and click Contacts.
2. Select all contacts by pressing Command+A.
3. Go to the cog wheel icon and tap Export vCard; a VCF file with all the contacts will download.
4. Plug in the Android device and copy the VCF file onto your Android.
5. Import the copied contacts from the Contacts or People app.
Another way to copy contacts is through iTunes:
1. Plug your iPhone via USB and open iTunes.
2. On the Info tab on the Menu bar, tick Sync Contacts with.
3. Choose Google Contacts.
4. Type in your Gmail Username and Password in the new window and click Apply.
5. All your contacts information along with numbers and email addresses will store on Gmail and Apple alike.
As the contacts are now on your Gmail account. Your new Android smartphone will ask you for an option to sync on the first boot. Just add the Gmail account and your contacts will automatically appear in a list on the device.

Sync Calendar

Syncing Calendar is not an easy job, but SmoothSync for Cloud Calendar will make it convenient for you. Get started with these few easy steps on your iOS device:
1. Open SmoothSync for Cloud Calendar and login to your iCloud account.
2. On the next window, select calendars you wish to sync.
Now, it will take care of the rest. All the important events and notifications will now come on your Android device.

Transport Music

Building a music library of your choice is a hard done effort of many years. You cannot afford to lose it. The easiest possible way to transfer music files from iOS to Android is to download Music Manager on a system that has both Google Music and iTunes.
1. Sign in to Google Music.
2. Once the Music Manger is downloaded and installed, select iTunes option as the present music storage option.
3. Choose Upload all songs and playlist. The songs will then be uploaded on the app apart from your iOS handset.
4. You can now transfer your music library to your Android device.
Shift videos and photos

Out of many ways of transferring pictures and videos from iOS handset to Android, the easiest one is to connect your iOS handset and Android device to a computer via USB cable.
1. Locate both the devices in My Computer folder.
2. Open the storage of both the devices.
3. Locate DCIM on the iOS device.
4. Select the images and drop them into the Android storage folder.
5. Images of the iOS phone will now appear on your Android device.
This drag-and-drop method is the simplest and least time consuming than the wireless transfer option.

Relocate text messages

Some of you might find it useless, but for some others messages are as important as contacts, music and photos. The transferring of iMessages to Android is not an easy job; it’s a three-step process, which is simplified below:
1. Connect iPhone to your computer and open iTunes.
2. On the bar at left, right click on your phone name and choose Backup.
3. A file with random name will save on your system.
4. Transfer this file to your Android device storage.
The messages are in your Android device but are not yet readable. Convert them to a readable format through iSMS2droid.
1. Download iSMS2droid and install it.
2. Open the application and choose Select iPhone SMS Database.
3. Locate the backup file just transferred to your phone.
4. A pop-up will ask you for your permission to load SMS.
5. Tap All and the conversion will start.
Post the conversion, another app needs to be installed – SMS Backup & Restore.
1. Open the app and choose Restore.
2. Select the converted file from the directory and click Restore All Messages; the restoration will commence.
3. A pop-up will show the restored message number along with those that cannot be restored.
Once you are done with relocating your stuff, visit Google Play Store. A whole new world of apps is waiting for you!
January 31, 2015
Check Out Dolfi, World’s Smallest Washing Machine that Fits in Your Palm

Machine wash is comfortable; however, it isn’t always gentle. But there is a device that will wash all your clothes with the utmost tenderness and wouldn’t leave even a pinch of dirt on your clothes. Dolfi, a tiny device that is a washing machine.

Dolfi is the next-gen cleaning mechanism and uses ultrasonic technology to wash clothes. The technique is not new and is long being used in the industry and medical practices for thorough cleaning. In the automobile industry, ultrasonic technology is used to separate oil and grease from motor parts.

Dolfi uses multi-frequency transducer that creates modulated wideband progressive sound waves. These sound waves travel through water and even from minuscule high-pressure bubbles. These bubbles implode into millions of micro-jet liquid streams. These liquid streams are so tiny and powerful that they wash away all the dirt from the fabric.

Because it is small like a soap bar, Dolfi is portable. Just soak your dirty clothes in water with detergent and put Dolfi in that water. With this, you are done. Dolfi will silently work on your clothes, pushing dirt out of them. The equipment has been developed and tested by a Swiss company.

The technology, presently on Indiegogo, has gained huge popularity and has raised $212,468 till date. Check out the video below to know more about Dolfi:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0oWKr6_ttx0

January 31, 2015
Microsoft Announces Paid Windows 10 Service Plans for Enterprises

Few days back, Microsoft unveiled the much-awaited consumer version of Windows 10. The company announced that the upgrade will be free for the buyers for one year, but unfortunately, the free deal doesn’t extend to the enterprise segment.

The confirmation came from the General Manager of Security at Microsoft, Jim Alkove, who stated in a blog post –

Windows 7 Enterprise and Windows 8/8.1 Enterprise are not included in the terms of free Windows 10 Upgrade offer we announced last week…

He further added, “Windows 7 Enterprise and Windows 8/8.1 Enterprise are not included in the terms of free Windows 10 Upgrade offer we announced last week, given active Software Assurance customers will continue to have rights to upgrade to Windows 10 Enterprise offerings outside of this offer – while also benefitting from the full flexibility to deploy Windows 10 using their existing management infrastructure.”

The company wants to attract more business for upgrade and has rolled out two new operating system service plans for firms to get updates. These are Long Term Servicing Branch and the Current Branch for Business.

The Long Term Servicing Branch is designed for the companies who don’t require all the features and plan for long-term installation. To such firms, Microsoft will dispatch security and critical updates. On the other hand, Current Branch for Business, is what Microsoft hopes most companies will opt for. In this, critical patches and security fixes will be installed automatically, and IT people will be able to experience many new features.

The news is no surprise as Microsoft aims at making profit from Windows 10 and business sector is the primary source from which it produces maximum revenue.

January 31, 2015
HTC Brings Out an Upgraded Desire 816G with Octa-Core Processor and 16GB Memory

HTC launched the refreshed version of Desire 816G with an upgraded processor and more internal storage space. The phone will now sport a 1.7GHz octa-core processor and 16 GB of internal memory, it was earlier restricted to 1.3GHz quad-core MT6582 processor and 8 GB internal memory. The remodeled device will cost you Rs. 19,990, which is a 1000 Rupees more than the last year’s offering.

The Vice President and Country Head of HTC India, Faisal Siddiqui, commented at the event:

The new offering under the HTC Desire series is our next step towards a power-packed combination of beautiful design and flagship performance all backed by a powerful 1.7GHz octa-core processor. The HTC Desire 816G is the best buy amongst big screen devices, packing a powerful performance and innovative design perfectly at a great price.

Keeping all the other specifications same, the Desire 816G touts a display of 5.5 inches and has 1 GB of RAM. It runs on Android 4.4.2 KitKat with HTC Sense UI on top. As mentioned above, the internal memory storage has been doubled to 16 GB, which can be further expanded up to 32 GB via a MicroSD card. Sporting a rear camera of 13 MP and a 5MP front snapper, the camera quality is superior. The battery, also unaltered, stands at 2,600mAh.

With improved processor and memory, the HTC Desire 816G can compete with Huawei Honor 3X that falls in same price bracket.

January 31, 2015
Xiaomi Rolls Out MIUI 6 Update for Mi 3 Devices in India

A couple of days back, Xiaomi launched its flagship device Mi 4 which comes with the latest MIUI 6 update. The company announced that it would soon roll out the update for Mi 3 based on Android 4.4 KitKat in India, and the company has kept up its promise.

Xiaomi has released the update for the Indian Mi 3 users, and one can download it from the official Forum page of Xiaomi. It will take some time for the OTA update to appear on the device. Meanwhile, other models like Redmi Note 4G will receive the update by February, while it will reach the Redmi 1S and Redmi Note 3G by March.

The new MIUI 6 has some fantastic features that are simple yet beautiful. The key features of the new Mi User Interface are Motion, Colour Content, Customisation and Security. Also, it introduced animation to apps like Clock, Weather, and Device unlock, etc.

The Dialler has been tweaked to give it a clean look. Now, users can identify unknown numbers, and avoid fraudulent and sales calls. There is a brand new notification panel that has toggles for convenient on and off. Also, the Notifications is divided; so one can classify important and unimportant as per preference. Also, it facilitates you to access notifications through the Lock Screen itself.

The MIUI 6 adds more than 5,000 themes and powerful tools to achieve more in less time. The Calendar has been improved to subscribe your interests ranging from games, holidays to TV shows and more.

January 30, 2015
Google Blames Nexus 6’s Supply Drought for its Revenue Dip

Recently a performance report was released by an analysis firm, Strategy Analytics that declared Apple as the top grosser of year 2014. Apple earned the highest revenue that broke records and Google was nowhere to be seen. The company considers imbalance in demand and supply of the Nexus 6 as the reason for the revenue dip.

Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice President of Google Patrick Pichette said that the supply problem with the Nexus 6 hammered the company’s revenue. He also remarked that the demand of Nexus 6 could not be met, as they faced several production issues.

The company doesn’t aim to produce the products to earn revenue from them. In fact, the company manufactures products as a guide to other manufacturers so that they can implement and improve the latest Android OS onto their products.

Less mobile units means less sale, and less sale directly affects the overall revenue. It’s not the mobile division that fetch the company money, but the Nexus 6 problems contributed to the slow growth rate in other sectors too.

Play Store’s earnings also saw a steep decline, which Patrick stated is because of the rising value of the dollar, especially in Japan. The company has stated the reason for the loss, but hasn’t commented what would its next step to fix it would be.

January 30, 2015