Author: Meenakshi Rawat

Microsoft Opens its Official Retail Store on Amazon

It’s been long since the multinational company Microsoft has been functional in India, but only now has it set up a store here. Microsoft has joined hands with popular e-commerce website Amazon to trade its hardware and software products within the country.

The initiative is commenced to bring all Microsoft products under one roof and provide customers with best offers. The company made an official announcement,

Consumers buying Microsoft products at the Microsoft Brand Store on Amazon.in would enjoy a number of benefits, including exclusive products across various Microsoft product categories. Consumers will also have access to unique bundles available only at the Microsoft Brand Store.

The brand store has the following six categories under which you can select a product and make a purchase. These categories are Xbox, Windows Phone, Windows 8.1, Office, Accessories and Laptops & Tablets.

The exclusive offer on the brand store includes Xbox One Assassin’s Creed Bundle. It includes three free games – Unity, Black Flag and Dance Central Spotlight and an additional wireless controller free worth Rs. 3,999. Another exclusive offering includes Xbox One FIFA Bundle free FIFA 15 and a free wireless controller for Rs. 34,990.

The list adds Microsoft’s recent release Lumia 535. The store offers no discount on the device and it comes at the launch price of Rs. 9,199. Another deal that is tempting is the offering Nokia Lumia 1320 at a massive discount of Rs. 9,000, a price cut from Rs. 23,999 to Rs. 14,999. The device has an impressive 6-inch HD display and a 5MP camera to capture pictures.

Yet another surprise by the company in the store is the Nokia Lumia 730, a phone with 5-inch qHD LCD display. It houses a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 processor clocked at 1.2GHz together with 1 GB of RAM. It sports a 5MP front and rear camera. The 8 GB of internal storage capacity along with 15GB of free OneDrive cloud storage makes the phone a nice pick.

There are many more options to choose from.

December 15, 2014
Slimmest Phone in the World ‘Vivo X5 Max’ Out in India for Rs. 32,980

Earlier, we reported that the world’s slimmest smartphone will be making its debut in the Indian market soon and today it was officially unveiled. The Chinese electronic giant announced the Vivo X5 Max, which has beaten the present record holder Oppo R5.

With just 4.75 mm thickness, the phone has given slim a new definition. The device is announced at a price of Rs. 32,980, which is a bit more than expected. The X5 Max comes with a 5.5-inch Full HD display and has a screen resolution of 1080x1920p. It runs on 64-bit octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 and is packed with 2 GB of RAM and Android 4.4 KitKat. On the camera front, it has a 13MP rear camera and a 5MP front snapper. The device offers dual-SIM card slots with support for 4G LTE and TD-SCDMA. It holds Hi-Fi 2.0 audio and a Yamaha YSS-205X chip as well.

Oppo confirmed that its upcoming release, the R5, would not be that expensive and will come in a price bracket of Rs. 25,000 and Rs. 30,000. The R5 will launch later this month.

As told previously, BBK Electronics has partnered with Viacom 18 to promote the device. Through this joint venture, the Vivo X5 Max will be advertised on the following platforms: MTV, VH1, Colors and Comedy Central. Also, the company is likely to launch more smartphones in the market within the range of Rs. 7,000 to Rs. 40,000.

December 15, 2014
Indian Government Files a Legal Case Against Google

It looks like tough times for Google are not going to be over anytime soon. After facing oppressive laws in Spain over the news service of Google, the internet search giant is under scanner in India as well. Of late, The Survey of India (SOI) filed a complaint against Google saying that it has been misleading people. As per the complaint lodged with Dehradun police, the multinational search giant has been disseminating wrong information about the coordinates of the Indian boundaries.

A senior official from the technical wing of the SOI stamped the news saying, “The faulty coordinates were noticed in Jammu & Kashmir and the northern side of India which are not as per our maps. The decision to file a written complaint was taken after consulting the highest level of authority.”

However, the police seems skeptical on this take of SOI. When inquired from the police official Anil Joshi about how far is the news reliable, he conveyed that the police is still on it. He commented that officials are trying to figure out the authenticity of the complaint. Meanwhile, the complaint has been forwarded to the cyber cell team as they will be heading all further investigations. And once they come to a conclusion, the subsequent course of action will be decided then on.

December 15, 2014
WhatsApp on Web Might be a Reality Soon

The popular cross-platform mobile messaging tool WhatsApp has made a mark in the smartphone arena and now the service is planning to make its grip on the web platform as well. If the rumours are to be believed, WhatsApp may soon come up with a web version of its widely-accepted messaging app.

As per a report by AndroidWorld.nl, the screenshot of the HTML programme above encodes word ‘WhatsApp Web’. In addition to that, the code also embeds logging into a web service and checking online status, the later feature is seen on the mobile version. However, there is no definite evidence in support to the report, and an official announcement from the largest mobile service is still awaited.

In today’s day, where everything is about seamless interconnectivity between web and mobile, WhatsApp shouldn’t remain constricted to smartphones.

Meanwhile, WhatsApp is the only popular messaging service which doesn’t have a web version. Its competition such as Line, Viber, Telegram and WeChat allow users to text both via phone and web. With a user base of over 600 million, the tool definitely needs a web version.

December 15, 2014
Tried and Tested : Top 5 Personal Safety Apps That Need a Permanent Spot on Your Device
Safety has become a primary concern of every individual, especially women. The recent Uber incident in the capital goes to show that taking safety precautions no longer remains an option, but has become a necessity.

Our phones are loaded with many apps to amuse us, but there is an urgent need to install one of the below listed emergency tools to make sure your loved ones and family knows your whereabouts in hard times. These apps are quite handy and you will always feel a support with any of them on your phone.

We are jotting down top 5 apps that will safeguard you in uncomfortable situations:

VithU

This emergency application alerts your contacts added in the app with just the push of a power button twice consecutively. The recipients receive the message, “I am in danger. I need help. Please follow my location.” The app keeps updating recipients with your location details every 2 minutes.

Pros:
- Instant and facilitates locating you with your present position.
- Convenient to use.
- Offers safety tips in an emergency situation with ‘Tips Feed’ option.
- Compact (acquires only 2.2 MB space on your device.)
Cons:
- Doesn’t record background sounds.
Women’s Security

With this, only a finger touch is enough to notify your recipients. It records surrounding voices for 45 seconds and sends out an alert (through mail and message) along with your location.

Pros:
- Works even without a working internet connection.
- Recording remains hidden within the device.
- Easy usability.
- Comes in handy with 517KB size.
Cons:
- Doesn’t offer continuous tracking of the person in trouble.
Safetipin

It is a complete safety package. It lets you know about how secure the area is where you are residing. Tracking and alarm features locating friends and family over GPS, and let them track you. The personal safety app keeps you updated about the possible harassment threats and precautions to be taken to keep yourself safe.

Pros:
- Directory option to find local emergency help numbers.
- Helps locate nearest police station, hospital or pharmacy, and suggests directions to reach there.
- Allows views sharing about locations.
Cons:
- Needs a working internet connection.
- Doesn’t have an instant access button to notify in emergency.
Scream Alarm!

Scream Alarm! is an app which makes a very high scream for you. This feature is a boon when you experience a potential threat.

Pros:
- Makes a loud, shrill woman’s scream.
- Helpful to make passers-by learn that you need help.
Cons:
- Requires unlocking the screen first to activate it.
- Doesn’t inform contacts that you need help.
- Doesn’t facilitate sending location and other vital information.
- Sound recording not available.
Nirbhaya: Be Fearless

Another app to keep you safe is Nirbhaya: Be Fearless, which allows you to send messages and call contacts added in the app. All you need to do is press the power button. Also you can shake to send an emergency message.

Pros:
- Shake feature sends a message even when the phone is locked.
- Informs about the safety level of areas.
- Instantly dispatches emergency message.
- Gives an alert about the potential unsafe area.
Cons:
- You might alert your close ones even when there isn’t an emergency.
December 15, 2014
OnePlus Director Confirms India to be One of the First Countries to See the ‘OnePlus Two’

OnePlus One is received blissfully by the Indian users and why not, the phone is such a great offering at a marginal price. The Co-Founder of OnePlus and the Director of OnePlus Global, Carl Pei, is immensely delighted with the overwhelming response to ‘One’ and has thanked all the Indian OnPlus fans to make the device a success.

Carl shared his views in an official blog post saying, “As a company that’s not yet even a year old, and has no track record on which to stand upon, your faith in our product and vision is humbling. We know we made you wait a while. We understand the wait could be frustrating, but looking back, we are glad that we waited until all pieces were in place.” He also mentioned that India is an important marketplace and the country wouldn’t be lagging behind in receiving the upcoming smartphones from the company.

Pei seized the attention of the Indians OnePlus One fans with his comment, “We have some big plans in the works, India. And while it took a while for us to get the One to you, we promise that won’t be the case in the future. India will be one of the first countries to see our newest products in the future.” This ascertains the fact that like we will be the first one to see the forthcoming ‘OnePlus Two’.

The Chinese manufacturer feels that there is a need to establish an office in the country and it is working hard in this direction. Pei mentioned that the company is planning to set up a local headquarters in Bangalore, which is said to house a GM, local marketing and logistics team, along with Research and Development team. India will soon be having a local PR to update us with its all important company advancements.

Well, with this post, the OnePlus has kept us longing for the future OnePlus gadget.

December 14, 2014
Xiaomi Adamant to Fight Back High Court Order; Assessing Legal Options

Post the verdict of Delhi High Court to ban Xiaomi handsets in India, the Chinese smartphone maker spoke openly for the first time. In a conversation with Economic Times, Xiaomi India Head, Manu Jain, said that the company will comply with the court orders to stop the sale of its smartphones in India, “We have not been served the notice till now, but we know about the issue. If the court has asked us not to do it, we won’t do it.”

He further said, “We would want to be 100% compliant with Indian rules and regulations.” The smartphone manufacturer is trying every possible bit to fight back legally on the issue, “We will explore all options including legal options on what can be done. Our lawyers and legal teams are working on it, but we don’t know how this will proceed.”

Redmi 1s, one of Xiaomi’s most popular handsets is no longer available on Flipkart

Apologizing to the Xiaomi enthusiasts for the inability to deliver handsets, the International Operations Head, Hugo Barra, commented on the prevailing issue and the drew light on the company’s take to deal with the situation. “We have been forced to suspend sales in India until further notice due to an order passed by the Delhi High Court. As a law abiding company, we are investigating the matter carefully and assessing our legal options,” said Barra.

Meanwhile, registration is closed for both for Redmi 1S and Redmi Note and the upcoming flagships have also been suspended in the country. Yes, that means the upcoming Mi4 will not be available in our country for some time.

The Delhi High Court imposed the ban after hearing the allegations by Ericsson of infringing eight of its registered patents. The company cannot assemble, import, sell or advertise its devices until 5th February.

As of now, both the companies have been asked to submit the list of devices sold by them. Along with that, they have to furnish revenue details generated by the sale of the devices.

December 13, 2014
Google Confirms it Will Halt Production of Nexus 5, Limited Units Available Till Q1 2015

Google’s latest revelation is making all Nexus 5 lovers rush to retail websites. The multinational corporation has confirmed that it has stopped the production of Google Nexus 5 and only limited stock is left.

When asked about the status of the red and white versions of the Nexus 5, Google’s spokesperson commented:

Once they are gone, they’re gone, so we’d suggest people get them while they can

In a statement to The Verge, the company stated that the Nexus 5 will continue to be available for sale on Google Play and through select retailers in Q1 2015.

As of now, both 16 GB and 32 GB versions of the model are out of stock on Google Play Store. However, you can still buy one from select retailers like eBay and few more. With this move, it seems like the company is pushing people to its latest release, the Nexus 6.

December 12, 2014
Indians Can Now Watch YouTube Videos Offline on their Smartphones

YouTube received an enthusiastic response when it announced that it will soon facilitate audience with viewing videos offline. The company kept its word and recently launched its offline feature during a press event.

With this new feature, users can watch videos even when offline through the YouTube app. However, to make it possible, one has to first download the video using thier data pack or Wi-Fi. Once the desired video is taken offline, it can be watched buffer-free within the time frame of 48 hours.

The Vice-President of Engineering, YouTube commented:

[quote text_size=”small”]

Already, we’re seeing over 40 per cent of our traffic in India come from mobile devices. By launching this offline experience on YouTube in India today, we hope to help people move past the challenges of data connection, speed and cost to enjoy a smooth, buffer-free version of YouTube.

[/quote]

The offline video service works like when you chose to download a desired video, it asks you for the playback quality of the same. One you chose the quality of the video, it downloads and automatically adds it to the offline section for you to watch it later.

Ajay Vidyasagar, Regional Director of YouTube commented that India is the fifth-largest market for partner revenue in the world. Features like this will just make this stronger. He believes that we could get into the top three markets very soon.

The online video channel has partnered with different music companies and production houses in India like Saregama, T-Series, Shemaroo and Yashraj Films to provide content. The service has also been launched in Indonesia and the Philippines, along with India.

December 12, 2014
Instagram User Base Surpasses Twitter, Hits 300 Million Monthly Users

Twitter has been around for a while, and has established itself as one of the top social media giants. However, this time around, the photo-sharing Instagram has made its foot firm. Instagram says that now 300 million people use its photo-sharing app every month; this figure was 200 million nine months back.

[quote text_size=”small” author=”Kevin Syatrom” author_title=”CEO, Instagram”]

Over the past four years, what began as two friends with a dream has grown into a global community.

[/quote]

The numbers depict the clear picture of the achievement of the app. It is reported that almost 70 million pictures are shared on a daily basis and 30 billion+ in total.

It is also looking out to launch verified badges for famed personalities like celebrities, athletes and brands so that people don’t get fooled by fake accounts. This feature has already been in use by Twitter and Facebook and has helped these websites increase their following.

The new features of Instagram include deactivation and deletion of fake accounts. The recent statistics don’t include the fake account holders.

December 11, 2014
Huawei Officially Announces Ascend P7 in India for Rs. 24,799

We have been waiting for the launch of Huawei’s new Ascend P7 since its launch and finally the day has arrived. The Chinese smartphone manufacturer has released the phone for the Indian market. It is priced at Rs. 24,799. Ascend P7 stepped silently into the country last month through e-commerce website Flipkart.

The head of Consumer Business Group, Huawei Telecommunications India, Allen Wang, commented on the launch that the P7 has received positive response globally.

Huawei’s Premium ‘P’ series is one of the most popular series from Huawei’s next generation smartphone league. Earlier in 2014, we introduced a marquee product named Ascend P6 that received excellent response from Indian consumers. With the launch of Ascend P7 in India, we endeavour to strengthen our connect with the young and tech savvy consumers by redefining excellence in craftsmanship and camera experience. The Ascend P7 has already received very positive response globally and we hope to replicate the global success in India.

Ascend P7 comes with a 5-inch Full HD (1920×1080 pixels) display. It is powered by a HiSilicon Kirin 910T quad-core 1.8 GHz processor. It runs on Emotion UI 2.3 which is based on Android 4.4 KitKat . The phone houses 2 GB of RAM and has 16 GB of internal storage capacity.

On the camera front, it is equipped with a 13MP Sony BSI sensor at back and the 8 MP camera at front takes care of your selfie needs. The 2500mAh battery provides enough juice to last for a whole day of normal usage. If you have some queries regarding this model, do check our review:

December 11, 2014
Tips and Tricks to Make Your Smartphone Theft-Proof
Smartphones have become an integral part of our lives. They save us the hassle of carrying around cards and other vital data as it has become an all-in-one device that contains and protects all our important information.

Smartphone theft has become a usual affair and we hear of it every now and then. But have you ever considered the thought that you might become a victim or misplace your precious device one day? Luckily for us, several smart apps have released and by installing them, you can easily locate and retrieve your device if misplaced or lost. We strongly recommend you to download one before you find yourself in a similar situation.

Given listed are some anti-theft apps and steps to install them:

Save your IMEI Number

Before anything else, save your IMEI number. The IMEI is the first thing you need once you lose your phone. Note it down anywhere else other than your device.

Download Find My iPhone

It’s a free application that supports all iOS devices. It helps you locate your lost phone, and remotely lock and swipe your iOS device, if needed. Find My iPhone requires an iCloud account. It’s easy to install and use. Just follow these simple steps:
- Go to Settings on the home screen
- Tap iCloud option
- Click Accounts and then sign in
- Scroll down and turn on the Find My iPhone slider; it will turn green
Once you turn it on, you will receive a message notifying that this will turn on GPS on your device.
- Tap Allow to turn Find My iPhone on
Get Prey Anti-Theft

This is another free app for iOS to track down your device. Along with showing the current location of the lost iPhone, this app also keeps a track of the locations where your device was used. Besides informing you about the location of the thief, the app clicks a picture of the thief, making it easy to recognise. Steps involved in installing this app:
- Download the Prey Anti-Theft application
- Create an account within the app; you will get a verification e-mail
- Open the email and Verify your account
- Login to your account on Prey’s web interface
- Download the iPhone app and install it
- Click Already a Prey User and fill in the required details
- Configure your device by using setting on the web browser
- Turn it to MISSING when your device gets lost
Prey allows you to register three devices on a single account.

Get Lookout

Lookout is an all-around anti-theft app for Android devices, which locks your phone and displays a custom message once your phone gets lost. Also it lets you swipe the data if your device falls into the wrong hands. Just like the anti-theft apps for iPhone, this Lookout too clicks a picture of the culprit. Install the app with below mentioned steps:
- Go to http://lookout.com/ and download Lookout
- Sign up with all the necessary information and get started
- Tab Missing Device option
- Tap Locate to locate your device
- Tap Scream to sound the alarm on your phone
- Click Wipe to delete all the data
Download Cerberus

Just like Lookout, Cerberus takes the photo of the suspect when someone makes an attempt to unlock your phone.
- Download Cerberus
- Sign in and fill all the details like Username, email address and password
- Configure Cerberus by ticking Wrong unlock code, Alarm stopped, Message dismissed and other options
With this, you are set. Now, whenever you lose your cellphone, it will make a loud sound even if on silent and will track down the location along with taking a picture of the culprit.
December 11, 2014
Google Translate’s Latest Update Decodes Speech and Text Within Pictures

Google Translate has become an essential feature of the internet. It is one of the primary tools used by folks world over to learn about other corners of the world. The service by Google lets you translate an entire website with just a couple of clicks. With the growth of global interconnectivity, consumer translator mediums have become more and more useful. Google is constantly working towards making its translator better and hence keeps actively updating the features. This time around Google is reportedly giving its translator the ability to decipher speech in addition to the text within pictures.

According to a report by Android Police, the updated Google Translate will use Google’s Word Lens to do the same. This will aid users in translating directions, menus, signs in foreign language into an understandable expression. Meanwhile, the conversation mode of Google Translate lets people of different languages hold discussion, but with the new feature, chatting would be much more instant.

With the new update, users don’t have to chose the language as the app will do it for you. It will automatically detect the speech and decode it. As for now, it recognises seven languages in total – English, Italian, French, German, Russian, Portuguese and Spanish. However, we can expect the inclusion of other languages later. The new feature can only translate the above listed languages to English and vice versa e.g. Russian message cannot be converted to Spanish or to any other language else than English.

December 10, 2014
Android Devices Vulnerable to Lurking Malware That Sends Out Private Data

Google’s mobile operating system Android is used in many devices such as tablets, smartphones, smartwatches and more. The OS is convenient to use and for that reason, its sale is recorded more than the combined sales of Windows, iOS and Mac OS X in 2012, 2013 and 2014. However, this is also true that Android is the weakest OS and an prey to malware and Trojans.

A new discovery has showcased that a Trojan named ‘Android SMSSEND’ is lurking. It is a threatening Trojan virus that steals essential data from your Android smartphone and leaks confidential information to all those in your contact list. This is done by sending messages to your contacts. The sensitive information that it dispatches illegally includes IMEI number, device ID, device type, contacts, pictures, passwords and personal banking information.

It is estimated that Android SMSSEND can install spyware, track your phone location, illegally access text messages and harm your system. Although, Google uses a malware scanner Google Bouncer to keep a close watch at these viruses, but the scanner seems inadequate. Whenever a user installs a third-party app, a warning message appears on screen to alert the user about the suspicious app.

It’s highly advisable not to download and install applications from untrusted sources. Also, one should run full system scan after every 3-4 days. In case, you are installing an application, read all the permissions beforehand. To save your data, it is recommended to take regular backup of the device. Last but not the least, one should avoid using unknown Wi-Fi networks as they may not be secure.

December 10, 2014
16 MP Handheld HTC RE Camera Rolls Out in India via Snapdeal

Earlier in October, we disclosed that HTC’s RE camera will be coming in India for Rs. 9,990 and now the device has finally arrived in the country via Snapdeal. These handheld cameras are amazing gadgets to click pictures on the go.

The HTC RE features a 16MP sensor with a 146-degree wide-angle lens and is capable of recording full HD videos, 120 fps slow-motion videos, time-lapse videos as well as Zoes. It comes with an inbuilt HD microphone and speaker. The 820mAh battery can record Full HD videos for 1 hour 40 minutes. An 8GB storage card is preloaded in the camera, while it supports a storage capacity of up to 128 GB.

There are just two buttons at the device: click button and the slow-mo button that don’t let you fumble between modes. The RE camera works with both Android and iPhone devices and has connectivity options like Bluetooth 4.0 and Wi-Fi. Coming at a price of just Rs. 9,990, this camera is a must-buy. Check out our review of the HTC RE camera here.

December 9, 2014