Author: Nitya Uppal

Apple Officially Confirms – iPhone 6s Arrives on 9th September

This time last year we expecting big things from Apple. The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus were on their way, and the rumour mill was working hard and fast to deliver the latest. This year we’re expecting another upgrade – we’re looking forward to the iPhone 6s.

Apple has officially confirmed that its mega ‘iPhone’ event for 2015 would be held on 9th September 2015. Which means after months of deciphering rumours, we finally get to see what the Cupertino-based tech giant has in store for us this year. The formal invites for the event reveal that it will be held at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco.

Apple is expected to reveal two iPhones at the event and then ship them later that month. The phone will be first shipped to Apple’s ‘first-tier’ countries – Germany, Australia, Canada, France, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, the U.K. and the U.S, and mainland China.

As a small recap – the device is rumoured to have a Force Touch display, an “A9″ processor, and 2 GB of RAM.

According to rumours, there may be a multitude of ‘other’ new arrivals, since the company has decided to host the event in a larger auditorium. However, you should definitely expect to see the iPhone 6s, 6s Plus along with a brand new Apple TV.

As always, watch this space for the latest updates.

August 28, 2015
LG to Bring Out an ‘Edgy’ Smartphone To Compete With S6 Edge+

According to rumoured reports, LG might have a smartphone to challenge the S6 Edge+. These reports have been fuelled by the kind of technology that LG has today for turning such a device into reality.

LG already has a bunch of smartphones that have the flexible display feature along with LCD and OLED panel types. The OLED technology has been used by Samsung to create its curved active-matrix OLED (AMOLED) display in its Edge products.

However, if we look at LG’s G Flex, it is based on LG’s P-OLED technology which is said to be far more flexible than Samsung’s OLED technology. If LG really wants to compete with Samsung it might have to create a more mainstream mobile product that is based on their OLED technology.

Further reports suggest that LG Display has confirmed to invest 8.5 billion dollars into the development of the next-gen OLED displays, for products ranging from a TV set to mobile electronics.

When it comes to display quality, resolution and cost of production, we see Samsung with its AMOLED display and LG with its P-OLED display. The latest G Flex 2 comes with a 1080p resolution which is much lesser than the QHD panel found in Samsung’s latest phones.

However, LG had just recently unveiled a selection of “wallpaper” TVs which are said to be as thin as a credit card and as is also easily bendable. These TVs also come with a selection of concave and convex designs, which can be adapted for a mobile phone if necessary. There are no reports though, about whether LG is planning to use this technology and expand it towards its mobile phones too.

This plastic-OLED is said to offer a cost advantage over other typical glass OLED displays. The company has not made any official announcement about any of their plans, but, if the G Edge appears, it is said to be LG’s first flagship to make use of the company’s advanced OLED panels.

In conclusion, we can say that LG is perhaps looking to fall within the mainstream smartphone market with its new OLED technology. Perhaps we can expect some new devices with global launches soon.

August 24, 2015
Weekly Tech Highlights : Marshmallow, WhatsApp Web for iOS and More

This week was loaded with new product releases and announcements from around the world. We have compiled a list of news that made the rounds.

Google M Gets a Name!

We were debating over M&Ms, Malteasers and even – Malai Kulfi. However this year’s Android name is Marshmallow. This news was announced by Dave Burke, Android’s VP of Engineering via his Twitter account on Monday. Reports also suggest, that Google has released a “near-final” SDK version of the new operating system for developers.

Click here for more details.

WhatsApp Opens Up its Web Service to iOS Users – Finally!

The WhatsApp web client had been launched in January 2015 and has since been available to Google, Windows, Blackberry and Nokia operating systems. However, this is the first time it has been available for Apple’s smartphone device. This service allows you to send and receive messages on your computers and phones.

Click here to read more.

India Pricing of the Samsung S6 edge+ Revealed

The S6 Edge+ has now been launched in India as well. The smartphone is priced at Rs 57,900, and will go on sale from August 28 onwards. From what we hear, only the gold and silver colour variants with 32GB storage will be made available in India.

Click here for more info.

Apple Begins Replacing iPhone 6 Plus’ With Faulty Cameras

Apple Inc. has announced the launch of its iSight Camera replacement program for the iPhone 6 Plus. This program is said to help replace the camera module in some of the iPhone 6 Plus devices that have allegedly come with a faulty rear camera.

Click here for more info.

Upcoming Android Devices Will Come With Less Google Bloatware

Android users all around the world will soon be getting less bloatware on their phones. Therefore apps like – Google+, Google Play Games, Google Play Books and Google Newsstand will not come pre-installed.

Click here for more info.

Meet the 16 Year Old Who’s Challenging Google Search

16 year old, Anmol Tukrel is an Indian-origin Canadian citizen who is now challenging the Google search engine. He has designed a personalised search engine that he claims is 47 percent more accurate than Google and is 21 percent more accurate, on an average.

More info here.

Silent Circle Announces the Second Edition of its Super Secure Smartphone

The second edition of Silent Circle’s privacy-focused handset, called Blackphone 2 has been made official. This device is now available for pre-order, however, the price has not been announced as yet.

More details here.

Asus Deluxe Edition Zenfone 2 Comes With a Massive 256GB Internal Storage

Asus has unveiled the Deluxe Special Edition of Asus Zenfone 2 in Brazilon Friday. The feature that makes this phone truly ‘deluxe’ is the fact that it comes with a 256 GB of internal storage.

Specs and more details here.

August 23, 2015
Micromax to Create Its Own Forked Android OS Soon

Micromax is now the newest company to start its own operating services and apps. Taking a cue from Xiaomi, Microsoft and Samsung the new OS, as reported, will run on all of Micromax’s devices.

This project has been started by the new technology head at Micromax, Ashish Agarwal. This OS is said to be a platform developed on Google’s Android. The first few smartphones that will come with this OS are expected to arrive by the end of the financial year and will be affordable.

Micromax co-founder Vikas Jain told ET:

“We’re excellent with partnerships and we don’t want to reinvent the wheel,”

The above statement has confirmed the fact that the new OS will not break away from Android. Micromax’s goal is to invest in software in order to differentiate itself without alienating its consumers and developers.

Previously, we have seen Micromax tie up with Cyanogen for the Yu range, through a fully owned subsidiary. They are also investing in start-ups such as Healthifyme and MiMedia – services that can be integrated into their devices.

Final reports suggest that the new forked Android OS is being developed in Bengaluru. Stay tuned for more updates.

August 23, 2015
How to Become a Twitter Pro in 10 Short Steps

I can’t count the number of times I’ve been told, “I have a Twitter account, but I’m not really active”, or “I forgot my password and never bothered to retrieve it.” The most comical retort was, “with hashtags now on Facebook, what’s the point of Twitter?”. That answer was accompanied by a sharp know-it-all tone and a odd look implying that I was stupid for asking why he wasn’t active on Twitter. Yes, because Twitter’s 200 million strong community has been solely built on the thrill of hashtagging.

If you have no clue about what this site is about, then you should know that Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging site which is used to send and read short 140-character text messages, called “tweets”. As one of the big guys of social media, this one has managed to step away and create a special segment for itself. Even I was late to arrive to the Twitter party, but quickly realized why everyone was so addicted to it.

For beginners, it can be a bit tricky to understand. Here are our tips and tricks for every Twitter newbie. Once you get into the Twitter zone, its hard to step out.

1. Set Up House

Once you register yourself to get started, you can customize the standard profile picture, background etc. Out of everything the most important would be coming up with a relevant description about yourself. Sonam Kapoor’s bio reads, “a female actor who lives to eat and read in that order”, Ellen DeGeneres went for, “Comedian, talk show host and ice road trucker. My tweets are real, and they’re spectacular.” and Narendra Modi with a simple, “Prime Minister of India”. You get the idea. Ideally it should be a clear message to potential followers about what to expect from your tweets.

2. “Um, but what do I tweet about?”

Remember a couple of years back fresh on Facebook, every single thought/action became a Facebook status. That was before we realized that those posts were only being read by our friends and family. This is where Twitter steps in. As a Micro-“Blogging”site, it’s a space where it’s not only acceptable but you’re actually encouraged to write freely (within 140 characters, of course). It’s a lot about personal branding, your true ideas and interests come out to play. Here you can use your voice and interact with new people.

3. Follow, Reply, Favourite, Retweet

That’s all there is to it. To break it down: Retweeting is sharing with your followers a post you’ve liked. By Favourite-ing, you can create an archive of the tweets you’ve liked, without them showing up on your feed. Lastly, follow accounts which seem like you’d like reading everyday. Here, instead of simply following a publication, you can use the search tab and look for your favourite columnist. Next thing you know you’ve started a debate with them about their last article.

4. Sticking to 140 Characters

Since the worldwide standard length of SMS was 160-characters, the founders of Twitter thought they’d stay well within that number. Is it mandatory to stick to 140 characters? No, not really. Though a long tweet is broken up and link leads you to a new page. Your followers wouldn’t appreciate that, they’d rather have the whole bite in one go. Don’t worry, while learning the art of tweeting, you tend to get used to the art of shortening sentences and getting straight to the point.

5. Loosen Up

“Having a private Twitter account is like owning a shop, but not letting anyone buy stuff from it.” You can imagine the number of times that was retweeted. The main point of Twitter is to get conversations started with complete strangers. How is that going to ever happen unless you allow them to scan through your profile?

6. Basic Etiquette

Also known as, “How Not to be Annoying on Twitter”. Like every major social media, Twitter has it’s own rules for socially accepted behaviour. One of them is that you have to give credit where credit is due. When retweeting, use RT followed by the originators Twitter handle, and then the tweet you’ve copied. Also, while a healthy debate on Twitter is appreciated, don’t use the forum to vent your frustrations. You cannot build a healthy community of followers if you’re constantly arguing or criticizing.

7. Combining Your Social Media

Every Social Media has its particular function, so don’t muddle them up. Clicked a beautiful picture? Share it on Instagram. Want to connect with an old friend? Search on Facebook. Have something to say to no one is particular? Type it out on Twitter. Managing social media can get tough, luckily we have several apps which help out. Hootsuite is our favourite pick; it allows you to create a single dashboard for all accounts, schedule posts and get an analysis of the number of profile visitors.

8. The Difference Between a Mention and a Reply

If you simply mention a Twitter handle within a tweet, it shows up on your feed and is visible to your followers. But if y0u start a tweet using someone’s Twitter handle you’re directly responding to them. Only you and that person, along with the few people that follow the two will be able to see the tweet.

9. Top Twitter Apps

There are several apps which would make your Twitter life similar. Choose between Tweet Lanes, Tweetings, Twicca, Twiddle, Robird etc. These apps customize and put the experience you enjoy to the forefront. There are stories of people finding love, job and friends on Twitter. Its an open forum which may be right up your alley, you might not know it.

10. How to Use Hashtags

#Never #EVER #Like #this. To reiterate what the purpose of hashtags really is – it hyperlinks your post to other posts which are tagged under the same characters. So for example, if you’re attending a concert you can check out the tag #ColdplayTour2014 and you’ll see everything other people attending the same concert might’ve posted. Or before visiting a new restaurant, to get an idea about what the place might be like you could hashtag its name and get real user reviews. If you hashtag commonly used words (#like #this), it is only going to link you to other idiots who would’ve done the same.

If you haven’t already, check out this hilarious skit by Justin Timberlake and Jimmy Fallon on using hashtags:

August 23, 2015
WorldPenScan X Review : A Pen with Super Powers
With time, we have given super (read smart) powers to our phones, laptops, cars and even, washing machines. Next in line, is Super Stationary. It’s helpful, needed and makes us wonder why no one thought of it before. A product which comes under this category is the WorldPenScan X. Using this portable pen, you can scan sentences from a physical document and convert it into editable text. More so, it understands and translates over nine languages. The gadget is available for $149 (approx. Rs. 9723).

It started off as a Kickstarter project, and 264 backers contributed $34,652 to get the project rolling. On paper, it sounds like an extremely useful device to have around. So, here we check out if the device is worth the hype.

Overview

Its basic function is to scan and transfer data onto any mobile device or PC. An added perk includes, translating sentences into multiple languages. The box includes, the pen, a much-needed user manual, a standard charging cord and documentation. Once you unbox the device, to get started you need to install an app onto your PC or your mobile device. Since we’re constantly on the go, we decided to pair the pen with the iPhone 5. We downloaded the app which accompanies the device called ‘WorldPenScan X’. This device can be paired with Android devices, Windows, as well as Mac. In the box, they’ve provided a CD with the needed software. If you don’t have a CD Drive on your laptop/PC, you can download the software from their website (click here.)

Download the iOS app here and the Android app here.

Build Quality and Design

The WorldPenScan X resembles old-school fluorescent-coloured highlighting pens, which were the reason our dreary school books were covered in multiple colours. It is slightly large, so tedious to hold over a period of time and has an outer covering of shiny, slippery plastic along with a plastic cap. To ensure that dust doesn’t settle within the scanner, we’d strongly recommend you hold on to the cap. To clean the scanning port, use a soft brush and wipe it clean frequently.

The plastic is complemented with a rubberised panel on the device, which helps with the grip and ensures that it can be used for long hours. Other than the slippery body, the build is solid and its size ensures that the device is handy. Thanks to the sturdy build, you’re okay with tossing it into your bag.

Coming to the app, its interface is simple to understand and easy to use. Pairing the device couldn’t have been simpler – all you need to do is turn on the Bluetooth of your phone and launch the app. At the same time, make sure that the Pen Scanner is turned on; and you’re good to go.

Sharing options

The UI

Quick Translation

Capturing the words

Usage

The device does require charging however it isn’t necessarily tedious. We charged it once fully, and it has been in use for a few days now. Once you have gotten past connecting your smartphone to the WorldPenScan X, using it on an everyday basis, is a breeze. After using it for a few weeks, here are some of the points we noted:
1. It doesn’t have a LED indicator to indicate the usage or battery feature.
2. Secondly, while it is an ingenious device, it is not so accurate. It has a tendency to pick up letters which weren’t in the document being scanned.
3. You cannot be flippant while using the scanner, the words need to highlighted slowly and carefully.
4. If the wheel isn’t properly pressed it fails to deliver accurate results.
5. One of the major disappointments would be that it cannot read someone’s handwriting. No matter how neatly you try and write (we tried.)
6. Lastly, the scanning side of the device has an extremely helpful arrow which gives a clear idea of where you should be pointing the pen scanner at.
A major plus – the device automatically switches off when it detects it is not in use. This, we suspect, is the reason for its long battery life. However, you can’t charge it and use it at the same time.

We do wish that they had added a bigger head, since the device fails to read fonts bigger than a certain size. We tested multiple font sizes, anything above the standard 25pt, the pen has trouble reading.

Conclusion

While it has small issues that it needs to overcome, it serves the purpose. It manages to convert printed documents into editable text, which is quite a feat. If even a small part of your everyday work life revolves around copying text from a document, we’d strongly recommend you invest in the WorldPenScan X. Even though the device itself needs certain refinements, it’s a step in the right direcion. We’d recommend every office to have it’s own World Scan X. Like we said, it is the Stationary from the future.

Click here to buy now.
August 20, 2015
New Documents Confirm the Apple Car; Company Hunts for Test Locations

Up until now, all we knew about Apple’s mysterious car project is that the company had been on a recruiting spree, hiring about a hundred new professionals from Tesla, Ford, Mercedes-Benz and the like. They have also hired former deputy director of the Autonomous Systems Lab at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Paul Furgale.

These are several factors which strongly indicate that the iPhone manufacturer may soon be bring out its very own iCar. Now, a recent report by the Guardian confirms that the iCar is not just a baseless theory and is indeed in the works. The reports speaks of Apple’s execs meeting with GoMentum Station, a 2,100-acre former naval base near San Francisco. The base is closed to the public and is guarded by the military. These factors alone make it the perfect secure environment Apple needs to test its upcoming project.

This, at the same time indicates that Apple may already have a car which is ready to hit the roads.

This initiative from Apple Inc. comes at a time when many other software companies are looking at opportunities in the automobile industry by creating software savvy, driver-less cars. Google and Uber have also been reported as developing and testing what might be called the next-gen automobiles.

Source : [tw-button size=”medium” background=”#07ABE2″ color=”” target=”_blank” link=”http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/aug/14/apple-self-driving-car-project-titan-sooner-than-expected”]The Guardian [/tw-button]

August 17, 2015
Along with iPhone 6s, Apple Expected to Reveal New Magic Mouse and Keyboard

With Samsung’s major Unpacked event out of the way, we now have two big events to look forward to in September – IFA Berlin and Apple’s iPhone unveiling. Apple’s annual event, held in September, usually showcases the latest iteration of its flagship smartphone, along with which Apple also throws light on several other peripherals. Last year, along with the iPhone 6, 6 Plus all the attention was grabbed by the Apple Watch.

We’re now hearing that this year we can expect to see the upgrades to Apple’s Magic Mouse and Wireless Keyboard. According to a FCC filing, the two accessories will see a major overhaul in the connectivity department. They will get rid of the Bluetooth 2.1, and jump to the latest, Bluetooth 4.2. This should smoothen the interaction between the main device and the accessory.

Along with this, there is also a mention about the battery used within the two devices. According to the reports, the company may include rechargeable batteries, instead of the swappable kinds that are currently in use. All in all, the AA batteries will be replaced by integrated lithium battery packs.

Source : [tw-button size=”medium” background=”#07ABE2″ color=”” target=”_blank” link=”http://www.slashgear.com/new-apple-mouse-keyboard-incoming-with-bluetooth-le-14397335/”]Slash Gear[/tw-button]

August 17, 2015
This iOS Trick Will Let You Test Your Signal Strength At All Times

Telecom companies in India are putting us through a lot these days. If it’s not the ever increasing bills we face monthly, it’s the incessant call drops. We now know a trick for iPhone users that will help detect the amount of network you have, other than the signal bars. Field Test Mode makes things slightly easier.

How to initiate Field Test Mode on an iPhone:

1. Open the phone’s keypad, as if making a call.

2. Add *3001#12345#* and hit the call button.

3. Now on the top left corner you will see a number indicating your network strength.

If you hit the home button, the sign will return to signal bars. Here’s how you can retain the number:

Follow the earlier three steps. Once the page appears on your screen, hold your power button till “Slide to Power Off” comes on the screen. Release the power button, and hold the Home button until Field Test Mode quits. You can now tap on the signal bar, to switch between the bar and numbers. To opt out of this, you can simply restart your iPhone.

How to Read the Numbers : It’s simple – the lower the number, the more likely you are to experience bad signal. Anything lower than -110 is a problem, and anything above -80 is considered good. With this feature, you’re more likely to know when you would be experiencing problematic call drops.

August 16, 2015
BlackBerry Doesn’t Want to Quit; Launches Porsche Design P’9983 Graphite for Rs. 99,990

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you would know the key smartphone buying trend these days; people want their money’s worth, it’s as simple as that. BlackBerry ran a winning streak at the beginning of the noughties, however it is currently struggling to keep up with a market dominated by companies selling affordable smartphones.

Today, BlackBerry announced the addition of another smartphone in its range of Indian offerings – the BlackBerry Porsche Design P’9983 Graphite, priced at Rs. 99,990.

If anyone ever decides to buy this phone it will surely be for its design. According to the company’s statement the device has been created by Porsche Design and uses quality materials. It includes a graphite stainless steel colour frame and keypad features crafted glass-like keys.

The smartphone comes with a 3.1-inch display, 720×720 resolution and 330ppi. It is powered by a 1.5GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 (MSM8960) processor complemented by 2GB of RAM. Storage capability is 64GB which is expandable up to 128GB. Camera-wise BlackBerry is offering a measly 8MP rear camera, and 2MP front camera. The smartphone is fuelled by a 2100mAh battery.

Note to BlackBerry: If you do decide to offer a smartphone which is priced a lakh, the least you can do is offer top notch specs.

August 14, 2015
Deal of the Day : LG G4 Gets Cheaper Than the Rest

LG in an official press statement revealed, that the LG G4 will now be available at a cheaper price. The smartphone which was only made available in India by the end of June, is already facing a price cut. LG’s flagship for 2015 which was initially launched with a price tag of Rs. 51,500, is now available for Rs. 45,000 for the Leather back cover variant and Rs. 40,000 for the ceramic white variant. The company also stated that the LG G4 Stylus is now available for Rs. 21,000 (down from Rs. 24,990).

The company says that the promotion is for the upcoming festive season, with no mention if the price cut is temporary or permanent. It looks like LG is following in the footsteps of Samsung, which is notorious for slashing prices of their devices soon after the launch. This is one of the reasons we wouldn’t recommend anyone to pick up the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 at its launch price.

Coming back to the G4, it features a 5.5-inch Quad HD IPS LCD display (2560x1440p resolution) that uses quantum dot technology. The screen is protected by a Gorilla Glass 3. The processor fitted on the device is a 1.8GHz Hexa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor with an Adreno 418 GPU. The device also come with a 3GB RAM, an internal storage space of 32GB, which can be expanded via a MicroSD card up to 2TB. The smartphone runs on Android 5.1 Lollipop.

It boasts a 16MP camera with f/1.8 aperture (widest aperture on any smartphone camera) equipped with Optical Image Stabilization 2.0, color spectrum sensor, and Laser Auto Focus functionality.

The camera on the phone offers a manual operation mode which brings in a variety of options like exposure, white balance, color temperature, ISO, aperture, RAW mode and many other features. The front facing camera with 8MP also with f/1.8 aperture. The handset is powered by a removable 3,000 mAh battery.

With a 10k price cut, now would be the right time to pick up the LG G4. Its main competitors at the moment, Samsung Galaxy S6 and the iPhone 6 are available for a price of Rs 41,900 (32GB variant) and Rs. 45,830 (16GB variant), respectively.

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August 14, 2015
5 Major Announcements You Missed From Samsung’s Big Event

Last night, Samsung unveiled its newest flagships at a grand event held in New York. Other than the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 and the Galaxy S6 Edge+, there were several major announcements which caught our attention.

Here’s a quick wrap up of everything important the company announced:

The Physical Keyboard Accessory

This one is a welcoming addition for anyone who misses punching on good old buttons while texting. At the event, Samsung announced a strap-on keyboard for the new S6 Edge Plus and the Note 5. The built-in keyboard which also works as a cover and has been aptly named ‘Keyboard Cover.’ When the keyboard cover is strapped on the screen, the smartphone automatically recognises it and the screen is adjusted accordingly.

The company hasn’t revealed the cover’s availability or pricing, just yet.

Samsung Pay Takes a Leap Ahead

Samsung has taken a big step forward in the e-payment game. Unlike its competitors, which only work on specific card terminals, the company claims that their phones will be able to entirely replace the credit card system. They’re no longer solely relying on the NFC system for payments, hence you can swipe for a payment anywhere you want. The addition of magnetic secure transmission tech will make it usable with any store’s standard credit card swipe reader. Along with credit cards, it will also store memberships cards. The only question remains is if it’s secure.

Samsung Pay will launch in the US on 28th September.

Directly Broadcast to YouTube

Live streaming is one of the current tech trends and Samsung has found a unique way to use the feature on its new phones. Instead of downloading a third-party app, you can use a feature on the camera terminal to directly stream to YouTube. With this, Samsung jumps ahead of apps such as Meerkat, Periscope etc.

Samsung Finally Makes Good Use of the ‘Edge’

Other than a few nominal features on the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and S6 Edge, there was not much value to the curved edge display. Now the company has added an extremely useful functionality to the display. You can pin your most used apps on the edge, and swipe to launch. The feature is called ‘Apps Edge’.

The Gear S2

Samsung chose the Unpacked event to tease the new Gear S2 smart watch. The model seems to have stylised itself quite a bit, with a round face, metal body and new user interface. It likely to run on Samsung’s Tizen OS rather than Android Wear, like the original Gear S. It will be unveiled on 3th September.

Read more about the Note 5 here and for the S6 Edge + here.

August 14, 2015
Everything We Know About the Galaxy Note 5

A whole lot of information is already available about the Note 5, including hands on images that were made public a while back. The phone is getting its official launch today, and here is everything we know so far.

Launch Date

The smartphone is set to release at Samsung’s annual Unpacked event scheduled for 13th August, 8.30PM IST. The event is being held in Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Centre New York. The company is expected to launch the Samsung S6 Edge+, Samsung Galaxy Note 5 and a surprise device.

Hardware

The back of the box gives us confirmed specifications of the device. The new Note 5 is packing a 5.7-inch Quad HD AMOLED display, a 16MP rear camera and a 5MP front camera with the same f1.9 aperture seen on the Galaxy 6 devices. The main camera will also have Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS) and a new dynamic HDR mode. Just like the Galaxy S6 and the S6 edge the handset will be 4G Enabled and will feature wireless charging technology. The Galaxy Note 5 will be powered by a 64-bit Octa-core Exynos processor paired with 4GB of LPDDR 4 RAM.

Design

Just like the Samsung Galaxy S6, the Note 5 will come in two variants – the regular and the dual-edge variant. It will have design elements borrowed from the S6 and the Note 4. It is also expected that the smartphone will come encased in Gorilla Glass 4, front and back. The glass will be complemented by a metal finish rim.

Available in a bunch of colours, the new Note 5 features rounded edges. While the back of the smartphone is a glossy finish, the edges feature a matte metal alloy/aluminium finish. Much like the previous iteration, the camera on the back is slightly protruding and is paired with the LED flash and a heart rate sensor.

Samsung’s next gen Phablet goes in line with designs of the previous gen. mixed with some elements of their Galaxy S6 line.

At the bottom you have the microphone, along with a USB charging and data synching port, a headphone jack, and the new style S-pen.

Availability

While it will be unveiled tonight (13th August), it will be made available for purchase in India by end-August. Several reports online confirm that the smartphone will go up for preorder on 21st August (in select markets), and on sale soon after that.

Price

Inside sources have revealed that we should expect the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 to launch with a price tag of Rs. 59,900 at launch for the 32 GB. Last year, the Note 4 was launched in India at a whopping Rs. 61,500, and as expected the price fell soon after.

We will be getting official information tonight, Samsung’s annual Unpacked is being held in Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Centre New York. You can watch the event live here. Stay tuned to iGyaan, as we bring you the latest.

August 13, 2015
Deal of the Day: The iPhone Accessory That Helps You fix Storage Issues

iPhone users with 8/16GB smartphones and no expandable storage options know that the available memory vanishes sooner than expected. SanDisk claims to offer an easy solution to this problem. Meet the iXpand Flash Drive; it’s portable and promises to help you easily shift files between devices, subsequently expanding the storage of your iPhone.

The flash drive earlier costed Rs. 4,490 and provided 16GB of extra storage. Currently, thanks to the ongoing Independence day sales, the 16GB drive is available for Rs. 3,499. The reduction in price may be temporary, hence this would be the right time to pick up the handy device.

According to our review, the SanDisk iXpand Flash Drive is a convenient device to have around. If you’re looking to free up some space on your iPhone, it might be the simplest solution available. However, instead you could also invest in extra iCloud storage, that way your files remain online, and can be accessed any place and at any time. On the other hand, with the iXpand, you wouldn’t need an internet connection to retrieve your files. We would, without doubt, recommend the device for its ability to play videos/movies on the go. Read the full review of the device here.

Buy now:

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August 13, 2015
How to Watch Samsung’s Note 5, S6 Edge+ Launch Event Live

With IFA Berlin and Apple’s annual iPhone event, September is always the exciting month for new flagship launches. Seems like that strategy didn’t quite work out for Samsung, since they’re launching their new flagships earlier this time.

Samsung’s annual Unpacked event is scheduled for 13th August, 8.30pm IST. The event is being held in Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Centre New York. The company is expected to launch the Samsung S6 Edge+, Samsung Galaxy Note 5 and a surprise device.

Okay, so wondering how you can watch the event live? By bookmarking this page. Samsung will be sharing the live stream of the event.

iGyaan will also be covering the event, so make sure to stay tuned on our website and follow us on Twitter. You can check back here to watch the events unfold.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4k8jxRQa98s

August 12, 2015