Author: Parul Ritvik Sood

Google Play Store Increases its Return Window to a Fair 2 hours

Google’s Play Store return policy is one of the best feature the company provides. It has been appreciated by Android community a great deal. The service offers you the option of returning an app you’ve just paid for and downloaded. You can do this by simply heading back into the Google’s store, hit the refund tab, and you’re done.

Obviously, there is a time limit for the refund policy which has been fluctuating since it started because of the reluctant developers who were worried about the loss. Earlier, when the service started Google offered 24 hours to initiate a refund which was bit extreme according to the developers. Then the company pulled down the timeframe to 15 mins where it stood until now.

Google has once again changed its refund policy and increased the return window to a fair 2 hours timeframe. The new 2-hour window strikes a happy medium between the old 24 hours options, giving you a decent length of time to try out an app but not so much that you’d be able to fully utilize an app or finish a game and then return it.

Windows Phone lets willing developers give users a trial period for apps before purchase but mostly you don’t get to play with all the features of the app which defeats the point all together. Apple’s App store in comparison, offers no refund or trial options for the apps and games. Guess it’s time to get apps from Google directly instead of looking for APK files from untrustworthy websites.

September 11, 2014
Logitech Brings the World’s Fastest Gaming Mouse to India

Xbox and Playstation has changed the demographic of our gaming system, however, the thrill is exaggerated when you play the games on your desktop with the good old keyboard and mouse, that is if you ask a hardcore gamer. To fuel the thrill of PC gaming, Logitech, which is of course a leading gaming peripherals maker, has launched its brand new gaming mouse, Logitech G402 Hyperion Fury Ultra-Fast FPS.

The new Hyperion Fury Ultra-Fast FPS has already been named as the world’s fastest gaming mouse. It comes with Logitech’s exclusive Fusion Engine sensor technology that can reliably track over 500 inches per second (IPS) and Logitech’s exclusive Delta Zero sensor technology for unrivaled accuracy.

Ashok Jangra, Cluster Category Manager, India & South West Asia, Logitech said “After three years of intensive R&D, it is a moment of pride for Logitech to finally launch the fastest ever gaming mouse- Logitech G402 Hyperion Fury. The light weight design delivers high speed moves, unprecedented precision with maximum accuracy, which makes the mouse an essential device for a FPS (first person shooter) gamer. With Fusion Engine, it allows you to make fast, furious swipes which enable you to dominate the battlefield.”

The Fusion Engine in Hyperion Fury solves a problem all FPS players face while playing a high-end game; their mouse can’t track as fast as they can move. By combining optical sensor technology with an accelerometer and gyroscope, the company has managed to create Fusion Engine which provides unmatched tracking speed.

The Hyperion Fury has 8 programmable buttons which can be customized according to the gamer’s need with Logitech Gaming Software. The Logitech exclusive Delta Zero technology ensures pinpoint accuracy for Hyperion Fury. Four DPI settings can be accessed in an instant, so you can shift down for pixel-perfect sniping or shift up for high-speed maneuvers, all with maximum precision.

The Logitech G402 Hyperion Fury Ultra-Fast FPS Gaming Mouse is available in India with the price tag of Rs 2,495. The price is great for the awesome gaming experience that it offers.

September 11, 2014
Apple to Roll out iOS 8 on 17th September

We all saw the launch of the new iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus and Apple Watch on 9th September. We were all so excited to see the new designs of the hardware that we almost forgot that these new hardwares will be powered by the company’s new mobile software, iOS 8.

First appeared back in June at WWDC 2014, iOS 8 is one of the biggest software updates of the company in recent years. Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, at the September 9th event also announced that the company will roll out the new iOS 8 to the public on September 17, just a week after the Apple event. It comes with great new features which have been previewed by us in the video below.

The new iOS come with interactive notifications, third-party keyboard support, new photo editing tools, Snapchat-like self destructive messaging, new integrated health programing system called HealthKit and many more. Check out our full review here.

September 11, 2014
iPhone 6 vs iPhone 6 Plus : Is the Bigger Screen Worth the Extra Bucks?

Months of heavy speculation about Apple revealing two new phones this year, was confirmed at the mega event held in Cupertino California on 9th September. They arrived with much fanfare and we finally got to meet the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus. Both the devices are larger and much thinner in size; the iPhone 6 comes with a 4.7-inch screen and its bigger sibling, the iPhone 6 Plus sports a 5.5-inch one. However, there is a hundred dollar difference between the two.

Now if you’re thinking about investing in one of these devices, you need to really think it through. Here are some differences that could help determine your decision.

Design

Both devices are made of aluminum and have a hard glass front. Also, there is a steel Apple logo at the back of the phone, that gives them both an elegant but still tough look. There are bare minimum changes in the design, the only difference is the size. As the name suggests, the iPhone 6 Plus is a lot larger than the smaller iPhone 6. Some of you may find it a bit too big for your hands. Also, at 7.1mm the iPhone 6 Plus is bit thicker, while the iPhone 6 is 6.8mm thick.

Screen and Display

As mentioned above, the iPhone 6 Plus comes with a 5.5-inch display while the iPhone 6 is at 4.7-inch. Previous iPhones, in the last few years, have come with much smaller screens in comparison to other high-end Android phones like Galaxy Note series and the Nexus series. However, there is no significant difference in display technology between the two. Both use IPS displays with ion-toughened fronts. As expected, iPhone 6 Plus gets a higher resolution and pixel density. Where the iPhone 6 has a display of 326ppi (same as iPhone 5S), the iPhone 6 Plus offers 1080p resolution.

Camera

One of the biggest disappointment at the event was that Apple decided to stick to an 8 megapixel cameras. The new camera in the iPhones is an 8-megapixels with f/2.2 and 1.5 micrometer pixels. Although, Apple claims that the new camera comes with a better low light performance and focus than the previous generation iPhones. The iPhone 6 offers digital image stabilisation, while the iPhone 6 Plus comes with higher optical image stabilisation (OIS), hence giving the bigger variant an edge in terms of camera. Both devices are also equipped with the 1.2-megapixel FaceTime HD camera, with f/2.2 aperture.

Battery life

The iPhone 6 have the same battery life as iPhone 5S that lasts about 10 hours. The iPhone 6 Plus gets a better battery life which can last upto 16 hours on a single charge, and that is pretty impressive considering the size of the device. The larger device claims 24 hours of 3G talk time, the smaller 14 hours, however, the company did not reveal the actual capacity yet.

Processor

Both phones are equipped with the same processor and a dual-core 1.4GHz 64-bit CPU. According to the company, the new Apple A8 processor offers 20 per cent better CPU performance than the Apple A7. All in all, compared to the original iPhone, the new processor in the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus is rated to be 84 times faster. Furthermore, Apple says the new A8 is up to 50 percent more power-efficient and will be able to sustain battery-sucking tasks for longer without heating up.

Storage

Not that we are surprised, Apple iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus do not offer you expandable memory option. Anyhow, Apple’s new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus will provide users more storage than ever before, excelling out at an impressive 128 gigabytes of space on high-end models of its two new handsets. An iPhone 6 Plus with 128GB of internal storage will be a ‘Holy Grail’ for on-the-go multimedia experience, offering enough memory for a hundred SD-quality films or 25-plus HD ones.

Verdict

Big or Small? Apple made sure that there is no weak link between the two iPhones. Both the devices have same screen tech, the same processor and similar-grade cameras with only a considerable difference is the screen size and the battery life. However, we prefer that extra display space of the iPhone 6 Plus and its greater battery life makes it more of a power user device. Keeping this and pricing in mind it will be better to spend some extra money get that extra real estate on the screen and battery life.

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September 11, 2014
Does the Apple Watch Make Sense For the Indian Market?

Yesterday at the massive event held at Cupertino California, Apple announced its long-awaited smartwatch, the Apple Watch. And we have to admit, this revolutionary device looked stunning. Square face with detachable straps, Apple Watch has an easy to understand interface for working with standard applications. It’s user-friendly, equipped with the new ‘Apple Pay’ remote payment system, and, obviously, comes with amazing watchfaces. With three choices to choose from, Apple Watch, Sport, and Edition, there ought to be something for everybody.

Well, everybody here might refer to be restricted to people from developed country. How much is Apple’s newest technology feasible for a country like ours, where tech such as NFC and Apple Pay wouldn’t be of much use?

Clearly, Apple has put lot of brains and research in the Watch. However, the starting range US$349 (INR 22,000 approx), Apple’s Watch seem quite expensive in Indian market which is ruled by value for money budget devices. The Indian handset market is ruled by Android-powered smartphones. It seems to be a major setback that the Apple Watch requires an iPhone to operate. Which makes its real price much, much higher.

Second major setback, India doesn’t have kind of technology to fully experience the power of Apple Pay, which will be one of the selling points of this device other countries. In India, over the past year, there have been several NFC trials for ticketing in Delhi Metro, in Delhi buses and a movie halls in Mumbai, which failed.

Apple has also tied up with several app developers to create useful apps for their watch. One of the important features which was welcomed yesterday, with a round of applause from the audience, was the ability to open hotel room doors by simply tapping the Apple Watch to the door. This feature was brought out with collaboration with Starwood Hotels, a popular chain in the US. They’ve even teamed up with American Airlines, to automatically show you your flight information and a copy of your boarding pass on your watch. With such apps, Apple Watch eliminated the need to carry around magnetic plastic cards provided by hotels and the need to safe-keep your boarding pass. However, it will take a long time before Indigo Airlines or Taj Hotels invest to work on such technology.

We wouldn’t say that this wearable would fail in our country. It still has several interesting features which would make life simpler, no matter where you’re located on the globe. Apple’s ecosystem is undeniably very strong. The way it lures consumers into the endless arena of iPods, iPhones, Macs, App Store, iTunes Store, and Apple TV is enviable.

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September 10, 2014
The Smartwatch Battle Begins! Apple Watch vs Moto 360

Apple’s first attempt on the still nascent wearable market was huge, with people eyeing Tim Cook’s wrist the moment he entered the stage. Apple Watch (not iWatch) will be priced at $349 and will be available by early 2015. It will come in three variations – Apple Watch, Apple Watch Sport and the Apple Watch Edition. The wearable will be compatible with iPhone 5, 5S, 5C, 6 and 6 Plus.

There are already quite a few competitors trying to define what should a smartwatch look like on your wrist. However, Google beat Apple in that race by just a few months by releasing Android Wear. One of the crowd’s favourite is Moto 360 which was launched last week, priced a hundred dollars less at 250$.

The smartwatch technology is still in its infant stage. Apple is known for its innovations and setting trends like it did with iPods and iPads; the Apple Watch is anticipated to have the same impact. However, both Moto 360 and Apple Watch both have their strengths and weaknesses. A quick rundown to help you decide which one to buy, once the devices are available.

Interface

Both companies have provided several interestingly themed watch faces which can be changed easily to suit your mood. Agreed that our watches are getting smarter, but the basic function of the watch is to tell time every time we look at the device. Apple Watch display turns off when you aren’t looking at it. When you turn your wrist, it’ll light up again only showing information when you want it.

In Moto 360, colors pop on the display, and everything is easily viewable, even in direct sunlight. However, when the display is dimmed it darkens after a few seconds of inactivity, but the time is still visible. Though, it is very hard to see outdoors. Waking up the watch is as simple as lifting your wrist; same as on the Apple Watch.

On-The-Go Information and Notifications

Main aim of smartwatches since their earlier days has been to minimize handset use by integrating phone notification with the smartwatch on your wrist for a easy and more convenient experience. In Apple Watch all notifications coming through your phone will pop up on your watch. If the app developer chooses to, they can enrich that notification to let you do a lot more with it — replying to messages or even taking actions, like accepting a Facebook friend request. All together, it sounds fairly decent.

Google’s smartwatch platform is all about notifications, which uses most of its interface. In Moto 360, all of your notifications are routed to it, and you can swipe through the phone to view them all, dismiss them, and even act on some of them. That said, you can’t use them as easily as Apple hopes to allow.

A good smartwatch, in my opinion, is the one gives you what you want, when you want it, without having to do to much. To some extend both Apple and Motorola have achieved that. Apple promises that the person sitting next to you would not be able to tell that you’ve received a notification. The notification buzz will simply give the effect as if someone is tapping you lightly on your wrist. You can customise the apps which you’d like notifications from. It will use the Bluetooth and Wi-Fi from the iPhone for all communication purposes. The built-in speaker phone and microphone can be used to receive calls and use the built-in Siri. With a simple tap on the digital crown, Siri can be activated.

The Moto 360 can do a number of things, such as display incoming calls and texts, measure your heart rate, pull up directions from Google Maps, count your steps, and tell you the weather. The idea behind Android Wear is that the watch should display contextual information before you even need to ask for it. Google Now has always been really capable, and its ability to predict and surface information that you’re interested in is built right into Android Wear. So, for example, if your favorite IPL team has a match at 7 p.m. tonight, Android Wear would display that information on your wrist automatically.

Health and Fitness

The Moto 360 has a heart rate monitor on the underside, that’s good for getting a causal fix on your overall health, but it will not be much of use for vigorous workouts sessions. On the Moto 360 are three pre-installed apps for measuring your overall health. Fit shows how many steps you’ve taken during the day, can measure your heart rate, and lets you set a goal for the number of steps you take each day. In a similar vein, Heart Activity displays how many minutes you need to be active during each day (it’s set at 30 minutes), and how close you are to completing that goal.

Apple Watch promises to take over and take it to a whole new level. Instead of simply tracking daily activities, the watch will actually encourage you to be more active. It has two key apps for this; the first will map your fitness activity through the day, while the second and the more important one, will help you set goals and then help you achieve them.

Thirty-Party Apps

For wearables to entice prospective buyers, third party apps were needed and both Motorola and Apple understood that. Apple has already experimented with certain third-party apps. Developers will be able to create custom notifications for the home screen. For example, the City Mapper will remind you to get off at the right station, the BMW app will direct you to where you would’ve parked your car and the Nike app will allow you to challenge your friends to go for a run.

It’s been a few months, and Google says there are already thousands of apps that support Android Wear. Facebook Messenger, for instance, will now send messages to Wear and can accept responses dictated over voice. Though, we’ve seen a handful of good apps that run specifically on Wear, but no one has actually gave us any breakthrough app yet.

Style

Since watches are worn all the time, it’s important that they look good. The design and style should suit you well. The Apple Watch will be available in six designs. The watch comes with a mechanism which would make it super easy to switch between the straps. The straps include a sport band, soft quilted leather and stainless steel options. And since one size does not fit all, Apple has also developed smaller sizes.

The Moto 360’s 1.56-inch-diameter round display is big, bold, and feels a lot larger than a square display. It has a 320×290 resolution, effectively, at 205ppi. Actually, it’s not fully round there’s a bit of a black bar on the bottom. Apple has done great job by giving us variety, but Moto 360’s round dial and sleek look has already garnered many fans.

A biggest setback is that the Apple Watch will be compatible with only with iPhone 5, 5S, 5C, 6 and 6 Plus, on the other hand the Moto 360 isn’t as exclusive or biased to its own brand. Apple definitely stands out with its sophisticated and extensive sensors. Unlike Moto 360, Apple Watch seems to do much more than just showing you notifications. It seems both the devices have the right components, they just need to get some developers to come up with more compelling apps.

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September 10, 2014
Qualcomm Announces Snapdragon 210, a Cheap Chipset with LTE Support

Qualcomm dominates the mid-range and premium smartphone space with its chipset, while the low-end entry market was ruled by MediaTek, until it launched its premium LTE octa-core chipset recently. According to IDC, around 40 percent of the smartphones shipped in 2014 Q3 are powered by MediaTek, versus 27 per cent by Qualcomm with NVIDIA and Intel holding less than one percent share.

As we know, entry level market is where the money is these days, with budget phone flooding the market. It’s no surprise that Qualcomm’s striking back by offering an LTE-enabled SoC, the Snapdragon 210, for the entry-level market.

As expected, Qualcomm’s new 28nm low-power Snapdragon 210 isn’t a powerhouse chipset like other high-end chipsets you find in the flagship smartphones usually. However, it’s still a complete package in itself. The chipset boasts 1.1 GHz quad-core Cortex-A7 CPUs, Adreno 304 GPU, Bluetooth 4.1 and 802.11n WiFi, along with support for display resolutions of up to 720p, up to 8-megapixel cameras (1080p video capture and playback; H.265 codec supported to cut bandwidth by half) and QuickCharge 2.0. More importantly, this chip supports multi-mode 3G as well as dual-mode LTE (up to Cat 4 at 150 Mbps with 2×10 MHz Carrier Aggregation) and dual-SIM.

The Snapdragon 210 will be the only chipset in the market that will offer LTE Advanced in the sub-$100 device category, hence the company doesn’t need to worry about any competition. Of course, it’ll all depend on the device manufacturers to hit that sub-$100 spot using this new chip, though Qualcomm will also be lending a hand with its upcoming Snapdragon 210 smartphone and tablet reference designs. The only hiccup we see is that these devices won’t launch until some time in the first half of 2015.

September 10, 2014
Lenovo Announces 7-inch Tablet Available Exclusively on Amazon
Lenovo has launched a new tablet in India called the S5000 Tablet. The company claims it to be the slimmest tablet at 7.9 mm and weighs 246 grams. The Lenovo S5000 sports a 7-inch HD IPS display (1280 x 800 resolution) with 350-nits brightness and a 60 percent color gamma.

The S5000 is a mid-range 7-inch tablet priced at Rs 10,999. Considering the budget price, it’s not surprising that the tablet is also pretty disappointing in terms of features.

It runs on a 1.2GHz quad-core MediaTek processor backed by 2GB of RAM, so it should work well for average use such as web browsing and light gaming. There’s a 5MP main camera and a 1.6MP selfie camera for video calls.

The S5000 is lumbered with a 3,450mAh battery, which Lenovo claims provides more than eight hours of battery life. It comes with 16GB of internal storage, though you can’t expand it with a memory card. The S5000 comes in a silver-coloured case that gives it a more premium finish compared with other cheap tablets available in the market.

On the downside, the S5000 runs the outdated Android 4.2 operating system. Lenovo promises a 4.3 OTA update, but it still isn’t good enough when compared to the Android 4.4 KitKat tablets that are now easily available. The Lenovo S5000 is available exclusively on Amazon India.

Key Specifications
- CPU: MTK Quad Core, 1.2GHz MT8389 (3G) /8125 (WIFI)
- Screen: 17.78cm (7) of HD (1280×800) IPS screen | 350 nits, 60% color gamma
- Size & weight: 7.9mm & 246g/249g
- Cameras: 5.0M AF rear | 1.6M front camera
- Storage: 16GB eMMC storage
- Memory: 1GB LP DDR2
- Battery: 8+ hours | Li-Ion polymer, 3450mAh
- Operating System: Jelly Bean Android 4.2 OS (OTA update to 4.3)
- Ports: Micro USB (OTG function)/3.5mm audio jack
- Sensors: Accelerometer (G-sensor), GPS, Brightness (Ambient Light), vibration function, hall sensor
- Connectivity: 802.11bgn WiFi, Bluetooth 3.0/4.0
- Touch: 5 point Multi-touch
- Audio: Speaker, 3.5mm Audio and mic jack, Microphone
September 9, 2014
The Final Rumor Roundup : Everything We Know About the iPhone 6

Apple’s products are always the most anticipated ones in the smartphone market and this year is not an exception to the rule. While people eagerly wait for the launch of thehighly anticipated iPhone 6, rumors and leaks fuel their excitement. It is been more than 5 months since we first heard that Apple will launch two iPhone variants this year. Let’s take a moment and look back at the numerous leaks and rumors of iPhone 6 and 6L.

The First Render Appears

Back in May, we saw what Apple was cooking up for the new-gen iPhone. Macitynet.it showed off photos of renders of the 4.7 inch iPhone 6 with upgrades such as a faster processor and NFC capabilities. Reports also mention a 5.5-inch Apple Phablet headed for launch somewhere in the latter part of the year.

Another leak from Inner Exile, a China-based case manufacturer, shows off how the phone will look from the front as well as the back. The reports illustrated the power button’s new location, next to the SIM card tray on the right of the iPhone 6. Some other leaks suggested that the new iPhone 6 will have dimensions of 137.5 x 67 x 7mm in comparison with the iPhone 5S 123.8 x 58.6 x 7.6 mm.

Acquisition of Beats

Next in line was the rumor that the company is going to include Beats earphones with the new iPhone, this came after the major 3.2 billion dollar acquisition of Beats by Apple. Also, other rumors and supply chain chatter revealed the iPhone 6 will contain several highly-anticipated features, including near field communication (NFC), wireless charging, a better 4G antenna, and a much bigger screen.

Another leak from an eBay user gave us high-resolution pictures, of a black and silver handset on which one of the first aptly designed dummy of the iPhone 6. Also, other leaks illustrated that the company could switch to sapphire crystal for future displays instead of Corning Gorilla Glass.

iPad Joins the Race

The blurred lines surrounding the release date of the iPhone 6 are finally sharpened up when an industry insider reported that Apple is planning to launch the device on 15th September. Additionally, the source said that mass shipments of the iPhone 6 from China to the United States will start during the last two weeks of August, and it is likely that Apple will announce the iPhone 6 during the first or second week of September.

More rumors suggested that the bigger 5.5 inch variant of the new iPhone will be called ‘iPhone Air.’ The company first used the “Air” appellation to tag its slim MacBook model, and has later used it for the full-size iPad’s. Both times the end result was a sleek and sexy looker with good performance.

Next in line came the production news that the company has decided to double up the number of iPhone 6 units for this fall. Taiwan’s Business Weekly reported that number of iPhone 6 orders placed is about twice the number that Apple placed for the iPhone 5. Also another leak suggested that 4.7-inch iPhone 6 will have a battery capacity of 1,800mAh to 1,900mAh, while the so-called 5.5-inch ‘iPhone Air’ will sport a 2,500mAh battery.

Also, graphic designer, Martin Hajek, popular for his various dummy mockups, created beautiful renders of the iPhone 6 along with iPad Mini. Also, some leaks suggested that Apple was in talks with major credit card company Visa to collaborate and create an iWallet technology that could revolutionize the way consumers pay for goods.

The Big Box

Finally on the first week of august we got to know about the September 9th event i.e. today where the company is expected to launch the iPhone.

Next up in mid August, a popular leakster posted some images of supposed iPhone 6 in box.

Another leak by Apple Daily, a premier Chinese language newspaper suggested that the 5.5 inch tablet will be called iPhone 6L. Then we heard that Apple is scrambling to get enough screens ready for the new iPhone 6 smartphone. The supply chains who are making displays for the phone said that display panel production suffered a setback after the backlight that helps illuminate the screen had to be revised.

Finally, How Much Will it Cost?

Details about the pricing of the re-vamped iPhones were quite scarce. But during the first week of this month, tech blog TK Tech News posted an image that shows the alleged prices of the 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch iPhone 6 models.

If you convert these purported prices into Indian currency and add the standard import duties, iPhone 6’s 4.7 inch variant will come at the starting price at Rs. 61,900 approx and the 5.5 inch variant may come at starting price of Rs. 71,800. These prices are more than the introductory price of the iPhone 5S, which was launched last year for Rs. 53,500.

Also, yesterday we saw series of photos and videos of what the leaker claimed to be a fully functional iPhone 6. The leaker also uploaded a brief video demonstrating Touch ID on the device.

Well, that’s all we got from numerous leaks around the internet. Anyhow, there are some surprises that Apple has control over and that can’t be leaked, so there is still a lot to look forward to for tonight’s event. Apple is expected to launch two iPhones- a 4.7 inch variant and 5.5 inch variant and company’s first ever wearable, iWatch today at 10 AM PST (10:30 PM IST).

September 9, 2014
New Details About Apple’s iWatch Design Leaked

Apple’s September 9th event is few hours away and rumors are still flying high. A latest leak on Reddit supposedly depicts the specs and diagrams of Apple iWatch. While plenty of images purporting to be the new iPhone 6 have made it to the internet, Apple has managed to keep the iWatch under wraps – until now.

The images, posted on Reddit, allegedly show CAD design drawings of the iWatch chassis and components, including a mic and speaker. Descriptions accompanying the images claim that the iWatch will feature a multi-touch, flexible screen that will “add a new dimension to the UI.”

The Reddit user who posted the images, called OwenCarlyle, says the watch will also support Siri, Apple’s voice command system. The Reddit user also claimed that the iWatch will last for more than a day on a single charge, will be waterproof to 60m and won’t have any external connection points which could line up with past reports of the smartwatch features wireless charging.

The leaker also claims that the device will go into mass production sometime this January while describing the wearable computer as “the most complex and expensive product to manufacture to date.” Purported schematics are labeled as coming from Quanta, which has been reported to be Apple’s manufacturing partner for the device.

Other images show renders of various components of the devices, such as the microphone and speaker, although one blurry photo purports to show the iWatch housing, which is rectangular in shape. Apple is widely expected to unveil a wearable device alongside new iPhones on today. The event is due to start at 10:30 IST.

September 9, 2014
Google’s New Technology Has a Super Sharp Sense of Object Recognition

Recent technology advancement has opened the possibility of more sophisticated image recognition features. Even though in recent year various researchers have come up with significant discoveries, the automatic object recognition in images is still considered tricky. However, Google is all set to change that. In other word, the internet giant has just come up with very sophisticated detection system hat can easily spot lots of objects in a scene, even if they’re partly obscured.

“This effort was accomplished by using the DistBelief infrastructure, which makes it possible to train neural networks in a distributed manner and rapidly iterate. At the core of the approach is a radically redesigned convolutional network architecture. Its seemingly complex structure (typical incarnations of which consist of over 100 layers with a maximum depth of over 20 parameter layers), is based on two insights: the Hebbian principle and scale invariance.” the Google research blog reads.

The result of this groundbreaking technology is far deeper scanning system that can both identify more objects and make better guesses, and will be able to spot tons of mundane items around you.

This technological advances will enable even better image understanding and the progress can be directly transferred to Google products such as photo search, image search, YouTube, self-driving cars, and any place where it might be useful to understand depth, perception and imagery.

September 8, 2014
What We Hope to See at Apple’s Mega Event on 9th September

It has been way too long since the internet has been abuzz with rumours about the much-awaited iWatch and the next iPhone 6. Love ’em or hate ’em, you have to admit that Apple has a history of making some fine products. And after reading plethora of leaks over the past few months, we’re excited to finally find out what Apple has in store for us this year.

With Apple’s September 9th event only a few hours away, we’re still witnessing the last round of leaks and rumours. Few hours ago, a leak has shown us the working iPhone 6 for the first time.

The company had sent press invites last week with the cryptic statement ‘wish we could say more’ in the typical Apple style. The event will be held at Flint Center for the Performing Arts in Cupertino, California which is the same venue where Apple debuted the Macintosh computer in 1984, 30 years ago. It is said that the venue is chosen to pay a homage to the company’s first big achievement with another groundbreaking device, the iWatch.

It is expected Apple will showcase two iPhones this year, same as last year (iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C). However, this year the second variant will not be a step down but will come with the bigger screen and better innards. Anyhow, there are numerous rumors and it is hard to keep track of it all but there are some important advancements and iterations which are expected to come with these three devices.

Lets take a moment and dissect what Apple has in store for us and what we want from the new-gen Apple devices.

The Bigger The Better

As we all know, Apple’s been working on not one, but two iPhones: a 4.7-inch version and 5.5-inch phablet for people who think iOS 8 needs more real estate to breathe. Debates have raged over whether Apple will cover those displays in ultra-durable sapphire crystal. However, recent rumors have suggested that the company won’t take the plunge, but instead they’ll offer 128GB versions of the new phones.

Exciting Upgrades

It is also been said that there will be more upgrades — a faster chip, increased resolution and improvements to the camera. Also, it is said that Apple will include NFC in the new iPhones. This will simplify the process of pairing an iWatch (if NFC is also included in the device) and an iPhone as well as both can be used to encourage mobile payment directly. A feature many companies are trying to achieve but have failed until now.

Affordable Prices

It’s highly unlikely, but we can dream. It is said that 5.5 inch iPhone 6L will be $50-100 more than the 4.7 inch variant. Recent leak suggested that Apple iPhone 6 with 4.7” display will purportedly cost 6,663 HKD, 7,671 HKD, and 8,679 HKD . The aforementioned prices are for devices with 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB of built-in memory respectively. According to the leak listing of prices, the iPhone 6 with 5.5-inch display is unsurprisingly more expensive (it is rumored to have more powerful hardware on board). It is reportedly priced at 7,923 HKD for the 16GB model, 8,931 HKD for a 32GB unit, and 9,687 HKD for a device with 64GB of onboard memory. If you convert these purported prices into Indian currency and add the standard import duties, iPhone 6’s 4.7 inch variant will come at the starting price at Rs. 61,900 approx and the 5.5 inch variant may come at starting price of Rs. 71,800.

The Super Cool New OS

Well, also iOS 8 will make its debut with these devices and anyone with an iPhone 4S or later will be able to download iOS 8 on Sept. 17. The company added tons of developer tools for home mechanization, heavy gaming performance and extensions in abundance. There’s a lot of polished new apps and add-ons that is expected to earn rave reviews.

Siri Becoming More Helpful

Siri can now be activated by saying “hey Siri,” rather than pressing the home button. She can now understand more languages and accents. The best part? Apple has gone ahead to integrate a music-recognition feature, so you can know which tune is being played instantly, without wasting time to open an app. You have the option to download the song instantly from iTunes, and if you’ve installed Shazam, you can save the song in your tabs.

The Wearable Trend : iWatch

It is quite amazing that Apple has managed to keep most of its iWatch details a secret. It is said iWatch won’t be available after it is launched with iPhone 6 which goes on sale on the Friday of the week following the event — in this case, Sept. 19. The smartwatch category is certainly experiencing a boom, although it’s still unclear if consumers really want them. The iWatch could be the product to take smartwatches mainstream, but to do that, it needs to do something that no other wearable does.

Extensive Sensors

Rumors say the iWatch will have a curved-screen design, come in two sizes and have multi-day battery life. But based on early leaks of the software, its highlight will be the extensive sensor data that it gathers about the wearer’s health. The unveiling of the new iWatch will connect the dots between the Health app, which was unveiled at WWDC 2014, iPhone 6 and wearables.

How Apple Plays the Beats

This event will also be the first event after Apple has acquired headphone-maker Beats. While it’s only been a month, it’s still a bit early for the first Beats project with Apple company, we may see the beginning of the collaboration or at least an appearance by Dr. Dre.

September 8, 2014
Ahead of Official Launch Leaked Video Shows a Working iPhone 6

There has been a steady stream of rumors and leaks about new-gen iPhone 6 prior to the launch of the device tomorrow, September 9th. Now, a user of the Chinese social networking website, Weibo, has posted a series of photos and videos of what he claims to be a fully functional iPhone 6.

While there is no way to confirm the authenticity of the video, it seems to be untampered and real. The leaker has also uploaded a brief video demonstrating Touch ID on the device, suggesting the this is a legitimate iPhone 6. Through picture it seems that the device is 4.7 inch version of the new iPhone 6.

The look of the device is pretty much the same and in line with previous leaks and rumors. However, this is the first time we have seen the device powered on. There is not much revealed, but we can see a new Passbook icon which features a magnetic credit card at the top, assumingly for the fact you are now going to be able to pay using your iOS devices. Also, the added screen space has allowed the company to add an additional row of icons on the app screen.

Anyhow, there is still lot to see what Apple has in store for us. Apple is expected to launch two iPhones- a 4.7 inch variant and 5.5 inch variant and company’s first ever wearable, iWatch tomorrow 10 AM PST (10:30 PM IST).

September 8, 2014
IFA 2014 : Alcatel Announces 6-inch Phablet, OneTouch Hero 2

Samsung is always ahead of everyone when it comes to announcing large smartphones at IFA, however, this year the Korean electronic giant was not the only one who showed off a massive handset. Alcatel, a French global telecommunications equipment company, also launched a 6-inch phablet, named OneTouch Hero 2.

The device is 7.9mm-thin and has a curved aluminium body, its reasonably light at 175-gram weight with a 6-inch, edge-to-edge display. The device comes with a with a stylus that the company promises will turn the phablet into a “creative enterprise tool.” The Hero 2 is said to recognise scribbled number and text very effectively and also solve complex problems in mere seconds.

On the hardware front, there’s an octa-core 2GHz MediaTek MT6592 paired with 2GB RAM which runs on 3,100mAh battery. There is 16GB storage tucked inside the device with expandable memory up to 32GB with a microSD card.

Company claims that the 13.1 MP rear camera with optical image stabilization can produce pictures at the power of DSLRs. The device doesn’t come with secondary camera, which in this selfie-age is unheard of. Other than that, the device is equipped with usual assortments of 3G/LTE bands, WiFi 802.11a/b/g/n, GPS, AGPS, Bluetooth 4.0 and NFC.

Also, company has come up with the wide variety of accessories for their device ecosystem including “MagicFlip LED,” an HTC-style dot-matrix case and, more notably, a MagicFlip DJ controller that turns the whole phone into a set of mixing decks, complete with retro-style controls.

The company quietly began shipping the device a day before, and it is expected to be priced at around Rs. 27,000, if it comes to India.

September 5, 2014
Apple iWatch Rumored to Come in Two Sizes with NFC and Curved OLED Display

This may be the last round of rumours surrounding Apple’s most mysterious wearable. We’ve been waiting to have a Apple product wrapped around our wrist for quite some time. Now we’re wishing and hoping that Apple unveils it on its 9th September event.

The latest leaks have pointed out to the fact that the expected iWatch might come in two sizes, both with curved OLED displays, will be able to track health and fitness data, and will include NFC for to make mobile payments directly from your wrist.

OLED display has been criticised for having over-saturated colors but now, Apple may use the OLED display for its first ever wearable. An OLED display only needs to light up pixels that are actively in use, meaning that Apple’s watch could potentially display some basic information such as an analogue watch face while leaving the rest of the screen black. Using OLED display can save battery in the smartwatch.

The addition of NFC in the smartwatch comes in line with rumors of inclusion of the same technology in iPhone 6, too. This will simplify the process of pairing an iWatch and an iPhone as well as both can be used for encouraging mobile payment directly from the smartwatch, which many companies are trying to achieve but have failed until now.

It is said one of the main features of Apple’s upcoming iWatch is the variety of health sensors. However, the details about this has been scarce. A heart-rate sensor is believed to be one of them. As far as display sizes goes, reports have varied, however, earlier reports have pointed to sizes between 1.3-inches and 2.5-inches. If this to be believed, Apple’s iWatch will have one of the biggest watch face in the smartwatch market.

September 5, 2014