Author: Parul Ritvik Sood

Intel Plans to Launch Thumb-sized Gadget that Turns Your Smart Devices into a PC

Intel, in an event yesterday, disclosed its plans to release thumb-sized ‘compute sticks’ next year. This thumb-sized technology will plug into smart TVs or monitors, and promises to bring more than typical content streaming capabilities. Even though, there are a handful of such products such as Chromecast from Google that lets you stream your content from your android phone to smart TVs, they are limited to just simple streaming.

Unveiled by Kirk Skaugen, Intel PC Client Group General Manager, the shrinked PC is expected to feature the company’s Atom processor. Along with that, it will come with a chunk of memory with a USB input for power, an HDMI output for display, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for network and peripheral connectivity. If that sounds familiar, that’s because numerous companies have released near-identical devices as add-ons for TVs, typically using system-on-chip processors based on the ARM instruction set architecture and Google’s Android operating system.

Intel has subtly hinted that this thumb-sized stick is so much more than the simple streaming device. Intel has already been playing cards against ARM and its multitudinous licensees in the mobile market as expected, and it appears that the ‘smart-stick’ market is next. However, Skaugen did not get into the details of the operating system that will run on the gadget when it launches next year.

What he said was that the devices will be an extension to laptops and mini-desktops. It will bring x86 computing to fanless designs. It is quite obvious that the device will run on low-power Atom processors that could also be used into TV sticks like Google Chromecast and Amazon’s Fire TV stick.

Thumb PCs have been already available and typically run on Android OS and ARM processors. They might be quite late to enter the market but based on what Skaugen said, it seems like the company is in with more interesting and general-purpose plans.

November 21, 2014
Twitter Now Lets You Share Public Tweets via Direct Message

Twitter has evolved considerably over the past few years with small updates and iterations. The micro-blogging website continuously comes up with new features to make itself and the app more interactive and user-friendly.

Recently, another new feature has just arrived on Twitter. After URLs through direct messages (DMs) were made possible again and search was upgraded, the online social networking service has now rolled out a feature that gives you the ability to send public tweets through DMs. The feature comes as a part of the latest update to the social media network and is available on iOS, Android, Twitter for web and Tweetdeck.

Product Manager Sachin Agarwal announced this update on Twitter’s official blog saying that the update is available from today across platforms globally. “With today’s update you’ll be able to share a Tweet privately with any of your followers. To do this from your mobile app, long-press the Tweet in your timeline and choose ‘Share via Direct Message’,” he explained.

If you want to share a tweet from either the iOS or Android mobile apps, long-press the Tweet in your timeline and choose ‘Share via Direct Message.’ On twitter.com and TweetDeck, tap the ‘••• More’ icon and select ‘Share via Direct Message.’ The person you share a tweet with will get a push notification, and the tweet will display directly in the conversation.

The changes will arrive today on nearly all platforms, web and mobile included, and on the desktop through TweetDeck. TweetDeck for Mac, and apparently – as no mention was made – the Twitter desktop app are delayed in receiving the update, however.

The new option is not exactly a highly demanded feature among Twitter users, but it will be a nice addition for those who have private conversation on the network, as it will allow a lot of users to shift from public content and open discussions to more private conversations.

November 21, 2014
Apple iPad Air 2 and Mini 3 to Make a Footfall in India Today

Cupertino-based giant Apple is reportedly planning to release the new iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3 in India today. The company launched the iPad Air 2 as well as the iPad mini 3 last month. Popular PC vendor ITNET Infocom lately confirmed (via Twitter) that the new Apple iPad series slates will hit the Indian stores today. “iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3 coming tomorrow,” said the ITNET Twitter handle.

The company has already announced the pricing for the products in India. The iPad Air 2 will be available at Rs. 35,900 for the 16 GB Wi-Fi only model, while the iPad mini 3 will sell at a price of Rs. 28,900. The iPad Air 2 models with only Wi-Fi comes in 64 GB and 128 GB of storage variants, and will cost Rs. 42,900 and Rs. 49,900 respectively. Besides this, the Wi-Fi only iPad mini 3 models with 64 GB and 128 GB of storage capacities will cost Rs. 35,900 and Rs. 42,900 respectively.

Ipad air 2 and ipad mini 3 coming tomorrow

— ITNET (@itnetinfocom) November 20, 2014

Apple India home page has been updated with iPad Air 2 photos saying ‘Change is in the Air.’ Previously, the page showed the iPhone 6 series images since its official launch in September. Now, the change in Apple’s home page has given way to the speculations that the new iPad series tablets might get released this weekend.

The new refreshed Air is 18 percent thinner with a thickness of just 6.1 mm. As expected, it is powered by the new Intel A8x Chip, a 2nd gen 64-bit architecture, which is 12 times faster than the current one. Apple claims that the graphics performance of the new iPad Air 2 is 180 times faster, which gives console-like gaming experience on the iPad Air 2.

iPad mini 3

On the other hand, the iPad mini 3 is a minor upgrade over last year’s iPad mini 2. It features a 7.9-inch (2048×1536 pixels) display and is powered by a 64-bit A7 dual-core processor paired with M7 co-processor and 1 GB of RAM. It also features a 5-megapixel rear camera, 1.2 megapixel front camera, a battery that is good enough to last 10 hours, and a TouchID sensor. On the software front, it too runs on iOS 8.1.

November 21, 2014
Google’s New Contributor Service Lets You Pay to Make Ads Disappear

Well, ads irritate each one of us when we browse through the internet. However, in exchange for free content, you have to view some ads that will compensate the cost of creating the content for you people. It’s a clash that has become a major pain point for news websites and other publishers. The rise of ad blockers, which let people surf the web without these annoying ads, is also blocking their revenue. Anyhow, Google has found a way out to this problem, Google Contributor.

The trial is in the US only, and like many of Google’s new undertakings, Contributor is invitation only for now. The contribution, which is handled through a user’s Google account using whatever payment method they have chosen for the service, doesn’t go to all of the participating websites, but is only triggered when that user visits a specific site. That way, as a Google spokesperson said, readers or users can support only the websites and publishers whose sites they visit frequently.

Google has experimented with similar methods in recent months. In June, it announced Fan Funding for YouTube, which lets viewers make donations up to $US500 to the video channels they enjoy the most. Currently in beta, channels must enable the service first, and fans need a Google Wallet account in order to make a donation. Meanwhile, it’s only available for Australian, US, Mexican and Japanese residents.

November 21, 2014
Qualcomm Announces its Entry into Server Chip Market

Qualcomm, after excelling in the market of smartphone processors and cellular chips, is aiming to target the data centre markets with new server chips based on ARM technology. Qualcomm CEO Steve Mollenkopf revealed during a meeting with financial analysts that the firm is working on chips for the data centre. However, he didn’t give away any specific product details.

This means that Qualcomm will join the already established companies like AMD, AppliedMicro and Cavium, which manufacture chips based on ARM Holdings’ 64-bit ARMv8-A architecture. The company stayed quiet on important questions, such as how many cores, how fast will they work and when they will be available?

He did say, however, that the market for ARM server processors could be worth $15bn by 2020 and that Qualcomm plans to capture a piece of it. Qualcomm sees big opportunities with the Internet of Things (IoT) and views it as the next logical step from the mobile era in that wearable technology and all those connected gadgets will be gathering enormous quantities of data that need to collect in a data centre.

Qualcomm is the world leader in ARM chips for smartphones with around 58 percent revenue share, according to market research firm Strategy Analytics. In fact, the Chinese government has accused it of having a monopoly in the region, despite local competition from the likes of Allwinner, MediaTek, and Rockchip.

Mollenkopf did not reveal as when Qualcomm will bring a server chip to the market, but he stressed on the fact that it would take time for the company to build this new business.

November 20, 2014
Come January End, Android One Devices Will Get Their Lollipop

The latest Android mobile OS Lollipop has already hit the devices such as Google’s Nexus 5 and Nexus 7 tablet. However, it was uncertain till now that when will Android One devices get the new update.

According to recent reports, the Lollipop update for the Android One phones is ready and consumers may start seeing it on their phones as early as the middle of December. This means that starting next month, you can expect your Android One to get an update via OTA.

Although Google has remained quiet about the update to Android One devices, Spice, the company which made Dream Uno phone for Android One programme, has stated that the Lollipop update to its users will be rolled out by the end of January. “We plan to provide Lollipop in our Android One devices around January 2015 and the update will be available for all Dream Uno users in India,” stated Prashant Bindal, CEO, Spice Mobility.

The Android One initiative was taken by Google to boost the smartphone adoption rate in emerging markets. Google launched Android One handsets with great promises not just by the company, but also by the homegrown players that collaborated with the search giant and came out with inexpensive handsets. Though, the Android One smartphones, which are priced at Rs. 6,399 onwards, have been advertised more than any other handset launched by the three companies, they failed to get the desired response.

India is the first country where the California-based firm’s Android One devices have been launched. Roll out across other markets like Indonesia, Philippines, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka will follow in coming months.

November 20, 2014
Yahoo Steps Into the Shoes of Google as Default Search Engine on Firefox

Of course, Google is the ultimate king of internet search engines and there is no doubt in it. With almost all the popular browsers using Google Search as their default search engine, the American internet giant enjoys a monopoly in the social-networking arena.

Well, Yahoo is trying to revive its lost glory and has taken a major step to challenge the supremacy of Google over internet search. Starting in December, Firefox will use Yahoo as its default search engine in the United States on mobile and desktop.

“I’m thrilled to announce that we’ve entered into a five-year partnership with Mozilla to make Yahoo the default search experience on Firefox across mobile and desktop,” Yahoo Chief Executive Marissa Mayer wrote in a Wednesday blog post. “This is the most significant partnership for Yahoo in five years.”

It is estimated that Google has been paying Mozilla around $100 million for the privilege of being the default search engine used in the Firefox browser. That deal, last renewed for a three-year period in 2011, has come to an end and will not be renewed as Yahoo has grabbed the contract for the next five years.

“Our teams worked closely with Mozilla to build a clean, modern, and immersive search experience that will launch first to Firefox’s U.S. users in December and then to all Yahoo users in early 2015. The interactive and integrated experience also better leverages our world-class content and personalization technologies.” Mayer wrote. She further talked about the company’s vision saying, “At Yahoo, we believe deeply in search – it’s an area of investment and opportunity for us.”

Market leader Google accounts for 67% of searches from US desktop computers. That compares to about 20% for Microsoft and 10% for Yahoo, according to research firm comScore. Let’s see how much popularity this American multinational giant gains with this deal.

November 20, 2014
Nexus 7 Experiencing Performance Issues Post Lollipop Upgrade

Well, Android 5.0 Lollipop got all of us excited when we got hold of it. The new operating system (OS) update is described as a ‘quantum leap forward’ by Google and has got an overwhelming response from the critics, escalating the desire for the software exponentially.

However, it’s just one side of the story. Many early adopters of the Android’s latest upgrade are complaining about the new OS. One of the most talked-about issues is that the update causes Google’s own Nexus 7 tablet to run slowly and crash repeatedly.

The users have also complained on Adobe forums that installing Air apps would show a non-descriptive error message, “-505”. On this, Adobe said that it had not been aware of this ‘critical’ bug before Tuesday and had escalated it to Google. According to a post by Program Manager Chris Campbell, the issue has been ‘escalated to Google,’ seemingly pointing the finger at the search giant rather than in its own camp. Campbell said that the company had not been aware of what he described it as a ‘critical’ bug before November 18.

Although, the first wave of the update has already reached the users, many Android-based smartphone makers are withholding the OS till the device testing is complete. It is quite notable that most of the complaints appear to be related to Google’s own-branded smartphones and tablets.

Nvidia, LG and Motorola have also released Android Lollipop update for some of their handsets and tablets. Dozens of complaints have been posted to Google’s forums stating that owners of the 2012 version of the Nexus 7, in particular, are experiencing performance issues. If nothing else, Google is likely working quickly to ensure these problems are fixed as more devices are expected to receive the update soon.

It has been a weird year for both the mobile operating system giants. Even the new iOS launch was mired in complaints regarding decreased performance and Apple had to face some flak for that. The pressure of bring new product in the earliest possible time to leads to bugs like these. Updates are fast becoming the buzzword for judging an operating system so it is advisable to the companies to take time with their homework so that they can give a quality update. As the old saying goes slow and steady gives the best bug-free update, or something like that.

November 20, 2014
Top 5 Websites that Let You Send Fax for Free

Before there were emails and video conferences, fax machines were the convenient mode of instant communication. It was one of the fastest way to send important documents and memos across the sea. However, there were some glitches and it led to the wastage of paper. You needed a print out of the document first to send it over. Fax is still deep-rooted in many parts of the world. Some enterprises still hold on to the fax machines for their documentation and office matters. In case you don’t have a fax machine, you have to run around looking for shops to send a fax. But not anymore.

Here is a list of websites that will send your faxes for free:

1. eFax

Well, as the name suggests, this is one of the most popular websites to send faxes over the internet. However, eFax is not a free service but you get 30 days trial. You will get a local fax number to send and receive faxes. This service is running since 1977 across 49 countries including India. After the free trial, you can go for a monthly plan.

2. Superfax

It is the most popular website with pricing in Indian currency and office in India, which adds credibility. It is an email to fax service which gives you free demo account for three days. You will get 10 incoming and outgoing faxes with the demo account. After three days, you can sign up for an annual or a lifetime plan.

3. Speedfax

Another Indian company, SpeedFax is also an email-based service to send and receive faxes. You get three days trial pack and after that you can go for six months or one-year plan.

4, SendFreeFax

Sending a fax from this is similar to sending an online SMS. This service is only for Indians and it is absolutely free. To use this service, you do not have to enter a country code. It is basically a hassle-free service, however, we can’t comment on the credibility of the website.

5. Popfax

It is quite the same service as all the above with one added advantage. You can use this service from your mobile and yes, you do not need credit card to use this trial. The website provides services in 500 cities across 20 countries.

November 20, 2014
KIRAN : Samsung’s Tizen-Based Answer to Google’s Android One

Two months back, some reports spilled the beans that the new low-end smartphone by Samsung will run on Tizen OS. However, details about the same were quite sketchy then, but now information has been leaked.

After cancelling the Samsung Z project, the Korean company is now focusing on the low-end of the marketplace for its Tizen-based smartphone. The first handset to run the new OS is expected to be Z130H. According to SamMobile, the rumoured Samsung SM-Z130H is codenamed KIRAN, however, the official name is not known.

In addition to this, the report claims that it has been able to obtain icons, lock screen themes, and default wallpaper from a system dump of the Tizen 2.3 OS on the device. According to the leak, the KIRAN is powered by a dual-core Spreadtrum SC7727S processor clocked at 1.2 GHz and a Mali-400 graphics processing unit. The smartphone will be packed with only 512 MB of RAM, but there’s no mention of internal memory.

On the back, the device features a 3.2-megapixel camera with LED flash, while its front camera is a VGA. The smartphone sports a WVGA (480×800 pixels) display of unknown size. Connectivity-wise, the KIRAN will offer dual-SIM capability along with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS with A-GPS support and microUSB 2.0. FM Radio will also be included in this phone.

Moving on, the Tizen interface will rather closely mimic Samsung’s TouchWiz UI for Android. It has basically the same general design language. Samsung with KIRAN is trying to achieve what Google couldn’t with Android One. An earlier report hinted that Samsung would launch its Tizen-based smartphone this month in India. As of now, there is no announcement from the South Korean giant regarding any Tizen-based smartphone launch in the country.

November 19, 2014
‘Back To the Future’ Style Auto-Lacing Shoes are Here, Finally!

Well, Michael J. Fox made them popular in 1980s, even though they were pure science fiction. If you are ‘Back to the Future’ fan, you must be knowing what I’m talking about. Yes, someone has finally built McFly’s auto-lacing shoes.

Interestingly, as we’re closer to 2015 when McFly arrives in the future, a company is set to launch the first shoes with auto-lacing capabilities. The shoes named as Powerlace P-One doesn’t look similar to the sneakers in the movie, however, they certainly get the job done.

The company has launched a Kickstarter campaign to launch its first auto-lacing shoes and they are looking to raise some $577,000 to make the project a reality. A pair of Powerlace P-One costs around $155 under the early bird deal and its market price will go to $170 when it will be released.

The Kickstarter page explains, “The mere insertion of the foot automatically engages the lacing system’s mechanism. The activation of the small lever found at the lower rear end of the shoe unlocks the power system. It’s really that simple! The total energy required for the lacing system’s mechanism is provided for by the weight of one’s body. The Powerlace shoe has been extensively tested in laboratories and has been subject to the wear and tear conditions when in actual use.”

With 56 days left to reach its goal, the team has already raised over $19,500 and should start shipping the shoes in May 2015 if the funding is successful. The Powerlace shoes have a simple mechanism for auto-lacing that doesn’t involve any voice commands, complex chips, apps, batteries or motors.

November 19, 2014
IBM Verse Integrates with Social Media to Declutter Your Inbox

IBM has launched a new e-mail application, for its enterprise customers, that integrates social media, file sharing and analytics to learn a user’s behavior and predict interactions with co-workers.

Verse e-mail application is built to eliminate as much clutter as possible. The app learns your habits and puts the highest priority people and tasks at the top level. You’ll know if a key team member e-mails you during lunch hours, or that you have a meeting in 10 minutes.

In fact, IBM Verse is said to have a certain level of sentience. Since it is capable of picking up your e-mail habits, and at the same time sends the highest priority people and tasks right to the very top, it minimizes the chance of you missing out on an important e-mail.

It also allows users to transform e-mail content into a list of blogs and social media, view the relationships between different employees in an e-mail, mute a chain and search through attachments. The e-mail’s interface pins a user’s most frequent contacts, schedule and lists of assignments to a dashboard for easy access.

“We came at this from the perspective that this is about changing the game, not just incremental improvements in e-mail,” said Jeff Schick, IBM’s General Manager of Social Solutions. “Guided by analytics, IBM Verse learns your behaviors to adapt to the way you work, wherever you work. And because it’s built for business, it understands you have special security and privacy needs, too.”

IBM Verse runs on IBM’s SoftLayer cloud with the company’s enterprise-grade security. IBM officials say that a beta release will be available to select clients and partners this month. A freemium version delivered via the IBM Cloud marketplace will be available in the first quarter of 2015. IBM Verse will also be offered as an app for both iOS and Android.

November 19, 2014
Reeljuice is World’s First Portable Charger Which Works With Any Device

Let’s face it. If you’re a serious mobile device user, it is necessary for you to have a power pack always. Portable chargers are one of the most popular secondary devices we use these days. Even though they are very convenient to carry, there is always a chance that you forget either cord or the adapter. Well, now it’s about to change.

Reeljuice is the world’s first backup battery pack with built-in universal charging cable, so you’ll always be prepared to recharge your phone or tablet. It features a 48-inch long, retractable charging cable which can be used to charge an array of popular devices available in the market.

Reeljuice is the only portable power solution in the world that integrates patented, retractable, cord reel technology. It is created by a team of designers and engineers, who have received worldwide acclaim for their innovative products. The developers stated that they have patented the technology, and it’s not just for micro USB devices. The backup battery pack works with iOS devices too. Along with the regular micro USB cable, the power bank also features a Lightning adapter so that you can charge your iPhone or iPad on the go.

The power bank comes with a 10-Watt rapid wall charger which can be used to charge the device anywhere. The developers claim that Reeljuice can power your smartphone up to 6 times on one full charge. It comes in two capacities: 4,800 mAh and 10,400 mAh.

Designed by Lynktec, Reeljuice launched a Kickstarter funding campaign last month to meet the raw material and production charges. They have pledged $78,000 goal, and half of it has been achieved while there are still 27 days more left. If you feel this your ultimate problem solver (it is mine), you can head to their Kickstarter page and back this project. Shipment to investors is expected to start by April next year.

November 19, 2014
Flipkart Tempts Buyers with a Rs.10,000 Off on the New Nexus 6

We reported earlier today that the new Motorola-build Google Nexus 6 has gone up for pre-orders at the popular e-commerce website Flipkart, with an interesting proposition of Rs. 10,000 cashback if you replace it with the new iPhone 6 or 6 Plus. However, the device is still appearing with a ‘Coming Soon’ tag on the ‘Device’ section of the Google Play Store.

Google had already confirmed the pricing of the Nexus 6 for India through the Google Play Store listing. According to the listing, Nexus 6 32GB version will retail for Rs. 44,000, while the 64 GB version is priced at Rs. 49,000. The phone will be released in two colour options in the country – midnight blue and cloud white. Last month, Google launched the new smartphone Nexus 6 in the country, along with Nexus 9 tablet, Nexus Player and Android 5.0.

Flipkart’s pricing for the 32 GB and 64 GB variants are the same as the official Google Play prices of the Nexus 6, at Rs. 44,000 and Rs. 49,000 respectively.

The company has introduced an exchange offer under which customers will be given a cashback of Rs. 10,000 on both the versions of the Nexus 6 smartphone. Interestingly, Flipkart is offering Rs. 10,000 cash back if you exchange your iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus with the new Nexus 6. If anyone is rethinking their recent purchase of Apple’s latest flagship, they can opt for this offer.

Along with that, there are other offers as well like a free three-month subscription to Flipkart First, a cashback of Rs. 1,500 on the purchase of various monthly EMI’s via HDFC/ICICI bank and free pre-selected eBooks worth Rs. 2,100.

The phone has the same metal structure as of the Moto X and also presumably will have the same strength. The button locations are the same, and thanks to the minimal bezel design, the Nexus 6 looks a lot less big.

The smartphone features a 5.96-inch Quad-HD AMOLED display, 2.7 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 processor, 3 GB of RAM, 32/64 GB of internal storage and 3220 mAh battery with wireless charging support.

November 18, 2014
Goofy New App ‘Super’ is the Perfect Place to Make Bold Statements

After failing at its recent project Q&A app Jelly, Twitter co-founder Biz Stone has come up with another light-hearted app called Super. As simply as it can be put, Super is Twitter with the style of Jersey Shore. Yes, Super lets you share statements starting with ‘The Best’, ‘The Worst’, ‘I Wish’, ‘Check Out’, ‘Don’t Ever’, or a few other prompts. You can sign your name if you wish, and people will be able to see your declaration in ‘Friends’, ‘Everyone’, and ‘Nearby’ feeds.

Creating a new Super post gives you a template ‘sentence starter’ word for your thought on the top left, like ‘we should’ or ‘I love’ before an area for typing your thought. On the lower right, you can add a further message, attribution or quip. Then, you are required to add an image; either from your own camera/library or from a library of art that’s built-in. Users can also add location data to their images so that it can be discovered by those in the area using the nearby feed.

I love how even something so simple can be pretty on Super. (Swipe left to share.) https://t.co/yzEoOqEcop pic.twitter.com/DsSudEO2Hr

— Biz Stone (@biz) November 17, 2014

Like Twitter, it offers you limited words, letting people use witty words and clever wordplay. However, this app is just not about words, pictures are equally an important part of the app. Hence, making it feel equally interesting as Instagram. So, what’s special about Super? The app scans what you write, and then automatically adds a background image and offers a few alternates based on your keywords.

Super also has an anonymous element like Secret called ‘anonymish’ where you can throw a switch when posting. This removes your username from the post. The company pointed out that people could figure out who you are though, as ‘it isn’t designed as an anonymous sharing platform.’

Even though Biz’s last app flopped miserably, Stone doesn’t want to stress this launch that much. “I’ve decided not to come up with some slick and pithy marketing description for Super,” he wrote in a blog post. “I’m also not going to proclaim that it’s the most innovative thing ever or that it’s going to save the world. It’s not, it’s just fun.”

November 18, 2014