Author: Rachel Issac

OnePlus Has Plans to Launch Another Device This Year

OnePlus announced its new smartphone OnePlus 2 just last week, and the company is already talking about a third device which will be released by Christmas, this year.

OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei recently said in an interview with USA Today that they would be bringing out a third device by Christmas, which may or may not have higher specs than the OnePlus 2. He also mentioned that the prototype is a “daily driver,” however, no other information about the device has been shared.

He also spoke about the vision of OnePlus, and said that it was about “working with everyone as partners” while also mentioning that the company would like to make its OxygenOS compatible with “everyone’s stuff”.

“We want to work with other people. By making our own we are already competing with our potential partners before even approaching them and giving them a chance”, added Pei.

He also confirmed that the company will not be expanding to create OnePlus TV or any other smart products in the near future, quoting that it believes “different brands should focus on different things”.

Let us know what you think about the OnePlus 2 and whether you’re looking forward to the release of a third device.

Source: [tw-button size=”medium” background=”#07ABE2″ color=”” target=”_blank” link=”http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2015/08/02/oneplus-carl-pei-interview/30947799/”]USA Today[/tw-button]

August 3, 2015
Samsung Galaxy Note 5 Will Not Include an Expandability Option

Recent leaks by @evleaks, have given us more information about the specifications of the Samsung Galaxy Note 5.

It is now said to come with a 5.66 inch display with QHD resolution. The Galaxy Note 5 is the first in the series to increase the screen size from the current 5.7 inch display, and is said to be powered by Exynos 7420 chipset, also available in the Galaxy S6.

The Note 5 is also said to come with a 4GB RAM space and an internal storage of up to 32 GB, however, it will not come with the option of an expandable memory via a microSD slot. Further leaks also suggest that the camera would be a 16MP unit with a front camera of a 5MP unit.

The Galaxy Note 5 and S6 Edge + are officially scheduled to launch on the 13th of August. However, Samsung hasn’t confirmed any of the above rumours.

Source:[tw-button size=”medium” background=”#07ABE2″ color=”” target=”_blank” link=”http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_note_5_specs_leaked_no_microsd-news-13349.php”] GS Marena[/tw-button]

August 3, 2015
Indian Government Blocks Over 800 Porn Websites

A directive had been passed, late Friday evening, blocking around 800 porn websites. Although, the effect of this legislation may not have taken place all over the country, it is said to become active in a couple of days.

So now when one tries to access a particular porn website, an error message will show, suggesting that the Indian government had asked the Internet Service Provider (ISP) to block the site. This is the result of a PIL that is being held in the Supreme Court asking the government to block citizens from accessing pornography on the internet. In November, the government asked the Internet And Mobile Association of India to curate a list of pornography websites that could be passed on to ISPs.

The list is reported to contain over 800 websites and has been handed over to ISPs by the government under Section 79 of Information Technology Act. The act is in relation to intermediaries and cases where they are involved in its transmission. Chief Justice HL Dattu, had said “Such interim orders cannot be passed by this court. Somebody may come to the court and say look I am above 18 and how can you stop me from watching it within the four walls of my room. It is a violation of Article 21 [right to personal liberty],” while asking the government to come up with a reply within four weeks.

While this move might seem slightly controversial, and dare we say, bordering on interference from the government in personal matters, it is said that one could still access the websites using VPN or proxies. Moreover, the blockade is on the URLs, so the websites could themselves resurface under a different URL.

Let us know what you think about this legislation.

Source: [tw-button size=”medium” background=”#07ABE2″ color=”” target=”_blank” link=”http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/ban-on-porn-govt-blocks-800-adult-websites-more-under-review/article1-1375794.aspx”]Hindustan Times[/tw-button]

August 3, 2015
Airtel to Expand Company Stores By December

Airtel has decided to open up 1000 more stores by December, to give customers a first-hand experience about its 4G services and information about its low-priced handsets.

Reports suggest, that Airtel is in talks with Samsung, ZTE, Huawei and Xiaomi to launch affordable 4G devices starting from Rs. 4000, later this year. Airtel is also said to be expanding, by opening many company-owned company operated (coco) retail outlets. There are already 300 stores, and the company plans to open a 1000 more by December.

According to statistics, Airtel is said to be spread across 1.5 million outlets in towns and villages and covers approximately 86.8 per cent of the population as of March 2015. Airtel, exclusively provides 4G services in over 45 cities via TD-LTE & FDD-LTE technology.

Other competitors like, Reliance Jio Infocomm are said to re-enter the telecom business with a smartphone priced at Rs. 4000 by December, which will offer voice and data services at Rs.300-500 per month.

With Airtel’s competitors also stepping it up, it is to be seen whether Airtel will be the largest 4G providing company. However, Airtel has not confirmed any of these sources.

Source: [tw-button size=”medium” background=”#07ABE2″ color=”” target=”_blank” link=”http://www.bgr.in/news/airtel-to-add-1000-company-owned-stores-by-december-to-support-its-4g-market/”]BGR[/tw-button]

August 3, 2015

Lava Brings Out the New Iris X1 Selfie, Priced at Rs. 6,777

Yesterday, Lava announced the release of its new smartphone – Lava Iris X1 Selfie. The company has priced the smartphone at Rs. 6,777. The device will be available for purchase next week on online retail stores and other multi-brand outlets.

The Iris X1 come with selfie-focusing features such as a 5MP front camera with LED flash supported by the Beaty-Fi Software for further editing. It also has an 8MP f/2.0 aperture, LED flash, rear camera. The camera comes along with various camera modes such as Panorama, HRD Mode, Video Mode, Capture Mode (Smile, Gesture, Voice, Touch), and Burst Mode.

The OS is Android 5.0 Lollipop based and the device comes with a dual-SIM with a 4.5-inch FWVGA (854×480 pixels) resolution IPS display, powered by a quad-core MediaTek MT6580 processor clocked at 1.3GHz,and 1GB of DDR3 RAM.

The device also has 8GB of inbuilt storage that can be expanded up to 32GB by a microSD card. Other features include, 3G, Wi-Fi, USB 2.0, GPS, and Bluetooth. It weighs 140 grams and comes with a 2000mAh Li-Po battery which is said to have up to 13 hours of talk time in 2G and 8 hours 30 minutes of talk time in 3G.

The Iris X1 Selfie comes in various colours, such as, Icy White, Royal Black, and Purple colour variants.

Below are the specifications:

OS	Android 5.0 Lollipop
SIM	Dual SIM (Standby)
Display	4.5-inch FWVGA (854×480 pixels) resolution IPS
Processor	Quad-core MediaTek MT6580 processor, 1.3GHz
Rear Camera	8-MP, autofocus, f/2.0 aperture and LED flash
Front Camera	5MP LED Flash (Beauty-Fi Software)
RAM	1GB DDR3 RAM
Storage	8GB (Internal memory) microSD (32GB)
Miscellaneous	3G, Wi-Fi, USB 2.0, GPS, and Bluetooth options
Battery	2000mAh Li-Po battery
Measurements	133.5×66.0×8.5mm
Colours	Icy White, Royal Black, and Purple
Price	Rs. 6,777

August 1, 2015

Samsung Ups its Game By Adding a Rotating Bezel to the Gear Smartwatch

Samsung has decided to up its game with its new Gear smartwatch installation. This tech wear is said to come with a rotating bezel which can be used for navigating menus, apps, widgets, notifications and can even be used to zoom information, as well as interact with games.

This is the first time Samsung is featuring a round bodied smartwatch. According to rumours, the watch will be unveiled along with the Samsung Galaxy Note 5. It is said to be running the latest version of Tizen 2.3.4 OS with a display of 360×360 pixel resolution. Other speculated features include, an Exynos 3472 dual-core processor, the Mali-400 MP4 GPU clocked at 450 MHz, 768MB of RAM, 4GB of on-board storage, and a 250 mAh battery.

It is also said to have an inbuilt Global Positioning System, accelerometer, gyroscope, barometer, and heart rate sensors. These features look promising, although one can never tell until the product actually releases into the market.

August 1, 2015
Samsung Announces Price Cut Rates For the S6, S6 Edge in Europe

We had earlier reported that the Samsung S6 and S6 Edge would be announcing a huge price cut, due to the fall in their sales during the last quarter. Today, the exact amount of this price drop has been announced in Netherlands, Europe.

The Galaxy S6 (32GB) had originally been priced at 699 Euros (approx Rs.49,250), but will now be priced at 599 Euros (approx. Rs.42,199), which is 100 euros less. The Galaxy S6 Edge (32GB), on the other hand, has had a further drop of 150 euros, from 849 euros (approx. Rs.59,800) to 699 euros (approx. Rs.49,250).

The Galaxy S6 (64GB) will be for 699 euros (approx. Rs.49,250) and the S6 Edge will be 799 euros (approx. Rs.56,300). It is also rumoured that the Galaxy S6 edge + Phablet (32GB), will start at 799 euros, bringing it at par with the S6 Edge smartphone.

Despite the price cuts, the S6 and S6 Edge are still within the range of a high-end phone, however these discounts are expected to increase sales in the future.

It is to be noted that these price cuts are applicable only to the Netherlands, and might differ in other countries, including those, within the Euro zone.

Source: [tw-button size=”medium” background=”#07ABE2″ color=”” target=”_blank” link=”http://www.gsmarena.com/new_prices_surface_for_the_galaxy_s6_and_s6_edge_in_europe-news-13342.php”]gsmarena[/tw-button]

August 1, 2015
Samsung Introduces Apps to Delete Bloatware in China

Samsung Electronics, was sued in Shanghai, China over its alleged involvement in blocking Galaxy users in China from deleting applications. Samsung has been asked to address the issue of less storage space due to pre-installed apps otherwise known as bloatware. The particular device in question is the “N9008S” model, called the Galaxy Note 3 in Korea.

The Chinese version of the Note 3 is said to come with 44 pre-installed apps, which reduces its storage by a fair amount. Therefore, Samsung is now distributing apps that allow consumers to delete pre-installed apps in all Galaxy devices.

However, this change is specifically caters to Chinese consumers and does not affect the rest of the world. Would you like Samsung to introduce bloatware deleting apps in India too? Let us know.

Source:[tw-button size=”medium” background=”#07ABE2″ color=”” target=”_blank” link=”https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/tech/2015/07/133_183780.html”] Korea Times[/tw-button]

August 1, 2015
Amazon Now Sells Refurbished Samsung and Xiaomi Smartphones At Cheaper Rates

The Consumer Electronics (CE) section of Amazon.in has started a new pilot project that sells refurbished smartphones, at cheaper prices, from brands like Samsung and Xiaomi. The smartphones are said to come with 6 months or higher warranty period and are revamped by the brands itself.

Consumer Electronics occupies the top three slots at amazon.in and over the last six months, the selection available for purchase by customers has grown by nearly 150% and the customer demand is also said to have shot upwards. With smartphones being the fastest growing category, statistics say that over 82 smartphone brands are now available for purchase to customers.

The devices are clearly marked as ‘Refurbished, so as to distinguish them from the brand new models. However, as of now, the pilot now is limited to a few brands, though Amazon plans to expand this segment in the coming months.

The reason one can trust these refurbished products, is because, they are firstly brand-refurbished smartphones and one has a 100% guarantee, easy returns and premium guaranteed deliveries applied to these products.

Let us know if you would buy a refurbished product.

August 1, 2015
Google Glass Makes a Comeback With Updated Features

As reports previously suggest, Google Glass is making a comeback with a new pair of spectacles. The latest news, is that Google Glass 2 is actually being tested quietly in various workplaces. Reports also say, that the new version is already being used in “industries such as health care, manufacturing and energy.”

Sources from the Wall Street Journal suggest that the device features “a button-and-hinge system to attach it to different glasses”, instead of it being a full pair of spectacles. Therefore, Google is re-imagining their design to eliminate the previous hang ups of its device, such as style. In the process, we should perhaps soon get a ‘tech wear’ gadget that isn’t ugly or odd looking.

However, the above mentioned design seems to be created as a work tool, although reports suggest, that Google is also looking to make a new consumer version, eventually.

The Google Glass 2 is also reported to come with a better Intel processor, and a longer battery life that will be supported by a magnetically-attached, external battery pack. These improvements have been made due to common complaints about the Google Glass and its technological progress.

The new version is also said to feature a “longer, thinner” display, which can be “moved vertically as well as horizontally,” and will be better proofed against any damage and water.

However, it is yet to be seen whether the Google Glass 2 will surpass the Google Glass in its functionality, practicality and design. Do you think the Google Glass will work this time around? Let us know.

Source: [tw-button size=”medium” background=”#07ABE2″ color=”” target=”_blank” link=”http://www.wsj.com/article_email/google-quietly-distributes-new-version-of-glass-aimed-at-workplaces-1438283319-lMyQjAxMTI1MDMzMDczNjA3Wj”]Wall Street Journal[/tw-button]

[tw-button size=”medium” background=”#07ABE2″ color=”” target=”_blank” link=”http://9to5google.com/2015/07/13/google-distribute-glass-enterprise-edition-exclusively-through-glass-for-work-partners/#more-112234″]9to5google.com[/tw-button]

August 1, 2015
Xiaomi Rumoured to Release a Windows 10 Powered Tablet Soon

The new operating system by Microsoft has been stealing all the limelight lately. According to a known Chinese analyst Pan Jiutang, Xiaomi is said to be launching a Windows 10 powered tablet in the ongoing quarter. It is said to be a successor to the Mi Pad tablet launched in May, last year.

It is not known whether the tablet will support the standard Windows 10 version or the Windows 10 Mobile version. Although Microsoft has generally suggested the use of the standard edition for tablets with displays larger than or equal to 8 inches.

The device is rumoured to release on the 16th of August 2015 along with the new version of the company’s MIUI user interface. However, Xiaomi has not made any official confirmations.

Source: [tw-button size=”medium” background=”#07ABE2″ color=”” target=”_blank” link=”http://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_tipped_to_launch_a_windows_10_tablet_soon-news-13330.php”]GizmodoChina[/tw-button]

August 1, 2015
This Windows 10 Feature May Be Using Up Your Internet Bandwidth

As people are slowly learning and getting used to the Windows 10 updates, some of them stand out, here is one. A feature called the Windows Update Delivery Optimization gives Microsoft the permission to share parts of your Internet bandwidth, with others.

This feature saves and uploads parts of your updates files that have been downloaded via Windows Update & Windows Store service, then depending upon your settings, will share that with people on your local network, or people on the internet.

“Delivery Optimization downloads the same updates and apps that you get through Windows Update and the Windows Store. Delivery Optimization creates a local cache, and stores files that it has downloaded in that cache for a short period of time,” says the description.

This feature is enabled in all desktop editions of Windows 10 by default; however it only shares files on the local network. There is an option to turn off this feature, one needs to go to the Settings > Update & security > Windows Update > Advanced options. After that, select the ‘Choose how updates are delivered’ and turn off the ‘Dicovery Optimization’ feature.

Image Source: NDTV Gadgets

The feature, is one of the few that could annoy users, just like the Wi-Fi Sense did. The Wi-Fi sense is a feature that was previously available on Windows Phones, whereby it shares the user’s Wi-Fi credentials to all contacts on Facebook, Outlook & Skype.

Source: [tw-button size=”medium” background=”#07ABE2″ color=”” target=”_blank” link=”http://thenextweb.com/microsoft/2015/07/30/windows-10-steals-your-bandwidth-to-send-other-people-updates/”]TheNextWeb[/tw-button]

August 1, 2015
Here’s How You Can Switch Back to Windows 8.1

After the launch of the Windows 10, it has been getting many positive reviews especially because it has been expected to replace all the features that Windows 8/8.1 lacked, such as the much loved, Start button.

However, some users might still want to revert to the Windows 8/8.1, due to technical reasons such as certain bugs not being patched yet into the Windows 10, etc. Windows 10 has a rather simple method of downgrading right back to Windows 8/8.1 until you are ready – one can just go to the Upgrade & Security option and choose Recovery.

Image Source: BGR

The downgrade might give you certain problems such as apps not opening or running, but one just needs to reinstall them. Although it is still suggested to stick to Windows 10, considering the free upgrade and good reviews.

Source:[tw-button size=”medium” background=”#07ABE2″ color=”” target=”_blank” link=”http://reviews.gizmodo.com/psa-windows-10-isnt-a-risk-free-upgrade-1720936691″] Gizmodo[/tw-button]

August 1, 2015
Samsung Galaxy S5 Neo with 2GB RAM and a 16MP Camera Unveiled

With the earlier announcement of the cheaper version of the Galaxy S5, that is, the Samsung Galaxy S5 Neo, leaks about the device have been pouring in. Just recently an online retailer, Belsimpel, a Dutch e-commerce website, has leaked the price of the Samsung Galaxy S5 Neo, quoted at EUR 429 (roughly Rs. 30,000). The device has been on pre-order on a lot of e-commerce websites and is rumoured to start shipping by the end of next month.

According to leaks, the Samsung Galaxy S5 Neo has a similar design as the Samsung Galaxy S5. However, it runs on the Samsung’s octa-core Exynos 7580 processor instead of the Galaxy S5’s Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 SoC. The modem is advertised to be supported by Cat.6 LTE speeds of up to 300Mbps and a front camera of 5MP.

Other specifications include a display of 5.1 inch Super Amoled full-HD (1080×1920 pixels) resolution, and 2GB of RAM, being quite similar to the Samsung Galaxy S5.

The smartphone is said to come with Android 5.1 Lollipop. Camera-wise it features a 16MP rear camera with Auto-focus, which has been paired with a 5MP front camera. Samsung wasn’t available for comments to confirm the rumour and are said to be working on the Galaxy S6 Edge Plus and Galaxy Note 5 due to release on August 13th 2015.

July 31, 2015
ExtraVerso: The Phone Cover That Defies Gravity

Have you ever felt like wanting to watch a tv show or YouTube video on your phone, without having to hold it for an hour? Well, ExtraVerso is the answer to your problems. ExtraVerso is a phone cover that has been developed by Flavio and Benedetto, two young entrepreneurs from Italy, that helps us be lazier than we already are.

Here is what it does:

How it works is, the material on the cover has a suction effect on flat and glassy surfaces. The good thing about this material is that it doesn’t stick to your hands or pockets and doesn’t attract dust either!

The ExtraVerso sticks on glass, mirror, whiteboards, metal, marble, tiles and computer screens. The cover is made up of two parts- a 3M adhesive that has been developed for being repositionable without leaving any residue on your phone & a lateral bumper that protects the edges of your phone.

One of the best features of this cover is that it is not bulky. The cover + the lateral bumper only add 1.5mm of thickness to the phone, keeping it light and stylish. It also comes with various colours and designs and is even customizable.

A couple of things you might be able to do without having to hold your phone unsteadily are: shoot time-lapse videos, watch a cooking show while actually cooking, getting your make-up right, watching a tv show while eating, and of course take hands-free selfies with a timer.

The ExtraVerso covers and bumpers are available for all iPhone 5/5S, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, Samsung Galaxy S5, Samsung Galaxy S6 phones. It has also been supported and pledged by many established designers & design houses such as Uber, John Galliano, Superga, E. Marinella, K-Way and Ermenegildo Zegna.

The price of the cover ranges from $20 to $999. However, the ExtraVerso only caters to a certain niche as of now, due to lack of funding, but hope to make the product available everywhere both online and offline, soon.

Source: [tw-button size=”medium” background=”#07ABE2″ color=”” target=”_blank” link=”https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/extraverso-the-phone-case-that-beats-gravity#/story”]IndiGogo[/tw-button]

July 31, 2015