Author: Rishi Baruah

New Panasonic Toughpad, Toughbook Devices are Built to Handle Anything

Panasonic’s new range of products may hold more interest for adventure seekers and mountaineers. The company today has launched two Toughpads and a semi-rugged Toughbook, an expansion of Panasonic’s Toughpad line. The company states that a growing number of organizations see value in a device that boosts employee productivity by expanding the concept of the workspace, allowing tablets or laptop users to do more while on the go between meeting rooms, job sites or office locations.

The two Toughpads, FZ-E1 and FZ-X1, are resistant from a drop of 10 feet on concrete with MIL-STD-810G specifications and is IP65/IP68 dust and water proof. Both devices sport a 5-inch 720p display with a 1.3MP front camera. Memory specification includes 32GB of internal memory which can be expanded via microSD card. The Windows 8.1-based Toughpad FZ-E1 is priced at Rs 1,19,000 while the Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean version, Toughpad FZ-X1 costs Rs 1,09,000.

Panasonic FZ-X1

Panasonic FZ-E1

As for the semi-rugged Toughbook CF-54, it runs on the new 5th gen Intel Core i5-5300U vPro processor. It has a hot-swappable battery option, and its single battery can last up to 11 hours. The new semi-rugged Toughbook CF-54 is the thinnest and lightest semi-rugged PC in its category, according to Panasonic. It is priced at Rs 1,39,000.

Panasonic Toughbook CF-54

The notebook also has a broad range of customization options. Panasonic hopes to increase its presence in the Rugged IT devices segment from 60% to 65% with these latest entrants in this department.

May 20, 2015
Microsoft Launches Office Preview Apps for Android Phones

Android phones were the only devices that were left for Office apps. Following the roll out of Office preview apps for iPhone, Windows Phone and Android tablets, Microsoft has today launched Word, Excel and Powerpoint apps for Android devices. This release will only see the beta, or preview version available. Microsoft said in its statement:

The Office for Android phone apps are modern, optimised for touch and designed to work on the go.

Users will be able to create, open, save files from their Android devices and access them through services like OneDrive, SharePoint, Dropbox and Google Drive. Collaboration within a group project will become easier as Office for Android allows users to track changes, comment and markup documents. These apps are optimised for touch and smaller screens, with the Menu button at the bottom of the screen instead of the top for user-friendly thumb use.

To download the apps, users will have to join the Office for Android community on Google+. Once users have joined, they will receive links for downloading each app separately, for Word, Excel and Powerpoint. But be warned, users will not be able to access these links unless they are approved. Microsoft also recommends a device with at least 1GB of RAM and Android 4.4 or later versions.

May 20, 2015
Apple Quietly Updates the MacBook Pro and Introduces a Cheaper 5K iMac

Just a month ahead of the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), Apple has unveiled two newest additions to its Mac family, the new 15-inch MacBook Pro and the huge 27-inch iMac in India.

The new 15-inch MacBook Pro features Force Touch trackpad that promises of a new level of interactivity to the Mac. Simply put, Force Touch is a mechanism that senses pressure. It is an entirely novel innovation that merges the previously released Multi-Touch with force sensors.

This Mac also has new PCIe-based flash storage that provides up to 2.5 times better performance than its predecessor. It has an Intel Iris Pro graphics and offers additional hours of battery life, with up to 9 hours of wireless web browsing and 9 hours of movie playback. Other than this, standard options include a 2.2 GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of flash, with, of course, Intel Iris Pro graphics.

The new iMac boasts of Retina 5K Display, which has 67% more pixels than a 4K Display. It features a 3.3 GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 processor with Turbo Boost Speeds up to 3.7 GHz and AMD Radeon R9 M290 graphics. It includes 8GB of memory and 1TB of storage, along with four USB 3.0 ports and two Thunderbolt 2 ports that are capable of delivering up to 20Gbps each.

Every Mac will come along with OS X Yosemite. The updated 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display is accessible from today on selected Apple Authorised Stores and is priced at Rs 1,59,900. Configure-to-order options include faster quad-core Intel Core i7 processors up to 2.8 GHz with Turbo Boost speeds up to 4.0 GHz and Flash storage up to 1TB.

The 27-inch iMac is also available on selected Apple Stores and is available for Rs 1,59,900. Configure-to-order options include faster quad-core Intel Core i7 processors up to 4.0 GHz with Turbo Boost speeds up to 4.4 GHz and Flash storage up to 1TB.

May 19, 2015
WhatsApp Will Soon Allow You To Make Purchases And Download Apps

When Facebook acquired WhatsApp for $19 billion last year, we weren’t sure how the social media giant would make use of the messaging app. However, at the F8 conference 2015, Facebook announced a new Business for Messenger initiative, through which the company might be able to make some profit. According to this initiative, Business for its Messenger app will give users the choice to install apps and make purchases with the Facebook Messenger app itself.

The company said that they would include some of the features of Facebook Messenger and experiment with it on WhatsApp, to promote business to consumer communications that could be paid up by marketers.

[quote text_size=”small” author=”David Wehner” author_title=”Facebook’s Chief Financial Officer”]

We think that enabling that [business to consumer] messaging has an excellent business potential for us. As we learn those things, I think there are going to be opportunities to bring some of those things to WhatsApp, but that’s more longer-term than the near-term.

[/quote]

Facebook CEO, Mark Zuckerberg says that once WhatsApp reaches 1 billion users, will business through the messaging app is meaningful. For now, WhatsApp has got around 800 million users. After the $22 billion acquisition by Facebook, WhatsApp Chief Jan Koum said that the messaging app will be ad-free.

Currently, Facebook is working with more business partners and will soon begin Business for its Messenger app.

May 19, 2015
Apple’s Latest Acquisition May Finally Help it Compete Against Google Maps

Apple has been facing stiff competition on its Maps services from Google Maps. But, according to MacRumors, one company has been added to Apple’s roster to help it improve its Mapping service exponentially. The Silicon Valley technology company has confirmed the purchase of Coherent Navigation, a Bay Area global positioning company that will help Apple to further boost its location technology and services.

Google maps has always been ahead of the game

Coherent Navigation was formed back in 2008 and focused on creating commercial navigation services that were based on partnerships with companies like Boeing and Iridium, a satellite network operator. This company has worked on highly precise navigation technologies, which are accurate to up to 3-5 metres. Coherent Navigation had also worked on autonomous navigation and robotics previously. The company is known for its High Integrity GPS system, which combined signals from mid-earth orbit GPS satellites with low-earth satellites to offer improved precision and accuracy.

According to MacRumors, some key employees have started working for Apple, including CEO Paul Lego in January and co-founders William Bencze and Brett Ledvina in April. Their Linkedin profile also confirmed that they are working at Apple. The company’s website is currently offline but was updated to Apple servers on 30^th April.

For now, neither Apple nor Coherent Navigation has provided any information about how this partnership will be moved forward or what technology would be used. It is likely that Apple may show off the new navigation system at the WWDC next month. Watch out, Google Maps!

May 18, 2015
SKYEYE Nano Drone is the Smallest QuadCopter Yet

Drones are the newest thing technology has to offer right now. From delivering pizzas to being used in disaster management, drones are slowly playing an indispensable role in society. With technology getting smaller day after day, it wont be surprising if one day you could just carry around a drone in your pocket. Yes, TRNDLabs, which specialises in developing unique and innovative products, have successfully built the world’s smallest drone called ‘SKYEYE Nano Drone’.

With dimensions measuring less than 2-inches at 1.57″ x 1.57″ x 0.87″, the quadcopter comes in three different modes: Beginner, Advance and Seasoned Flight Veteran. The bright orange coloured drone is equipped with RTF (Ready-to-Fly) technology and six-axis flight control system with adjustable gyro sensitivity. The most awesome feature of this device is the Aerobic Flip capability and possesses LED lights for night time flight.

It is powered by a 100mAh Li-Polymer battery and takes approximately 30 minutes to charge fully. On a full charge, its flight time is up to 7-8 minutes. TRNDLabs also said that if thrown into the air while throttling up, the drone will self-stabilize. The device’s remote has a coverage up to 50 metres.

The SKEYE Nano Drone is billed at $60 but is currently retailing at a promo price of $34.99 (Rs.2,200). You can order SKYEYE Nano drone from here. The company offers free shipping to anywhere in the world.

May 18, 2015
Top LTE-Capable Budget Smartphones Under 10K

4G LTE is deemed to be roughly 10-20 times faster than 3G standards. With the popular carriers embracing 4G LTE and offering attractive tariff plans, smartphone makers have come out with a handful of budget devices with LTE support.

Want a future-proof smartphone but don’t have the budget to shell out money for a high-end device? We are listing the top 4 LTE capable Smartphones under 10K:

Motorola Moto E (Gen 2) 4G

Priced at Rs 7,999, the Motorola Moto E is one of the highly recommended phones available in the market within Rs 10,000. This handset sports a 4.5-inch qHD display with 960×540-pixel resolution. It is powered by a 1.2GHz Snapdragon quad-core processor paired with 1GB RAM. It can store 8GB of data internally and can be expanded via microSD up to GB. Other than this, the handset also features a 5-megapixel primary camera, VGA secondary camera, 2,390mAh battery, and connectivity options like dual-SIM card slots, LTE support, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS. It runs on Android Lollipop.

OPPO Joy Plus

OPPO launched the Joy smartphone back in April 2014. After almost a year after, OPPO launched its successor, the OPPO Joy Plus. The dual-SIM smartphone runs on Android 4.4.2 KitKat united with the company’s ColorOS 2.0 UI. Display features include a 4-inch WVGA IPS screen with 480x800p resolution and 234ppi pixel density. It equips a 1.3GHz dual-core MediaTek (MT6572) coupled along with a 1GB RAM. The memory capacity of the device comprises of 4GB of internal memory, which can be extended up to 32GB via microSD card. It has a 3MP primary camera with LED flash and a 0.3MP front shooter and picks up power from a 1,700mAh removable Li-ion battery. On the connectivity front, the Joy Plus offers 3G, GPRS/EDGE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Micro-USB and Bluetooth options and is priced at Rs 6,990.

Lenovo A7000

According to a source cited by Times of India, the Lenovo A7000 will cost users somewhere around Rs. 8,999 to Rs. 9,999. Talking about the specifications, the Lenovo A7000 sports a 5.5 inch HD display. It is powered by a 1.5 GHz MediaTek True8Core processor with 4G LTE. It boasts 2 GB RAM and 8 GB internal storage which is expandable through MicroSD. The smartphone runs on Android 5.0 Lollipop. While looking at the camera, this device offers an 8 MP shooter on the back and a 5 MP front camera on the front. It gets its juice from a 2,900 mAh battery.

Yu Yuphoria

Not long after Micromax set up a new company by the name YU Televentures and launched a new device called the YU Yureka, the company launched the new YU Yuphoria. The device is the first to be designed by YU and is Made in India. It has been launched at a price of Rs. 6,999. It runs on a Qualcomm 410 64bit Chipset, with a 1.2 GHz Quad-Core CPU and Adreno A306 GPU, with 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of storage and 64 GB expandability option. It has an 8MP primary camera and a 5MP front camera. The battery is kept at 2230 mAh and is priced at Rs. 6,999

Click here to register for Yuphoria.

May 18, 2015
This App ‘Shuffles’ the Spam Out of Your Life

Tired of picking up spam calls and receiving undesired emails? We’ve all had unwanted calls and emails. As a solution, a new mobile app has been developed by Shuffle Ventures, Inc. for filtering out such problems.

This app, called Shuffle, lets you create additional and temporary phone numbers that is directly integrated with your iPhone and can be used to call, text or receive voicemails. The virtual number works in harmony with the native phone number, thus allowing you to call or text from both without any hassle.

If a phone number became discredited by spammers or telemarketers, you could just delete it, and no one can reach you on that number again.

The newest update of this app is the ability to create your email aliases that can filter your spam mail from your main inbox. The ID can easily be used for public mail subscriptions.

Primarily, you can set up different “shuffle” numbers and emails for your personal and social connections, work colleagues, other secondary businesses, dating services, job searches, social networking sites, etc.

Charges for a single number per month are $1.99, and you have the option of renewing it. If yes, then the number is charged per call transaction.

For now, this app can be downloaded on iTunes, and we can expect an Android version in the coming few months. Worth the wait!

May 16, 2015
WhatsApp’s Latest Update for Android Now Available on Google Play Store

WhatsApp is out with their new update and is sure to easy on your eyes. Earlier, WhatsApp had released the new update with a new Material Design and UI, but only to a handful of users as beta versions. After a month of anxious waiting, the update is now available for everyone to download through the Google Play Store.

The new build (version 2.12.87) has a dark green background that earlier was grey in colour. The top bar that holds the Search and Setting buttons has been enlarged as compared to the previous update. This top bar hides itself when you scroll downwards. When you click on a friend’s profile, you will find that the person’s picture is big enough to be viewed easily as a profile picture. The new chat screen looks very light and bright, maybe because of the fresh aura of the dark green interface. From the Emoji perspective, the only change you will see is a white background on the emoji list. While calling through WhatsApp, the caller’s name will be highlighted in bigger fonts with smaller and more minimalistic icons.

This update can now be downloaded on Android devices from the Google Play Store. As of now, we do not have any knowledge about the new update for the iOS, Windows or Blackberry devices. Keep checking this page out to stay updated.

Just to be made clear, some users received this update few weeks ago. This update was actually the beta version of the same. The final version is being talked about in this article.

Click here to read more about WhatsApp Voice Calling feature.

May 16, 2015
According to BJP, ‘The Internet Must be Governed’

BJP said the internet is a crucial part of one’s life, and should be governed very carefully without the need to compromise the freedom of speech and expression.

Speaking at an Internet governance event organised by industry chamber Assocham, BJP National Spokesman, Sambit Patra said,

Internet is extremely important and since it is extremely important for governance also, because every person is within the ambit of government, Internet has to be governed in a way that does not take away basic essence of Internet which is freedom of speech and expression.

He also stated that the government had formed a community along with TRAI on Net Neutrality. He said,

Once the TRAI submits its recommendation to the Telecom Commission and then after the commission approaches the government, the government will take the decision in favour of people.

On March, the Supreme Court deemed Section 66A of the IT Act as unconstitutional. This Act granted police the power to arrest anyone for sending out offensive messages from computers, mobiles or any other communication portals with a maximum penalty of 3 years in jail. Sambit Patra stated this Act had been misused in the past, due to vagueness of words.

On the contrary, Congress leader and former Union Minister, Manish Tewari, challenged Patra’s discussion by stating that the Internet should not be governed and must be left the way it is to develop. He supported his statement by saying,

Difficulty is where do you draw the line? Someone may be liberal and may draw the line on the left and someone may conservative may draw the line on the extreme left.

A few days back, the Indian Government came out in support of Net Neutrality. The government hasn’t been issued with a final verdict on the same but is committed to keeping the Intenet open and evenly accessible to everyone. Standing up in support of free internet, Telecom and IT minister Ravi Shankar Prasad in a firm voice said that the practices of blocking and deliberately slowing down or speeding up of lawful content on web should not be allowed. Read more about it here.

May 15, 2015
Candy Crush Will Be Included With the Windows 10 Update

We all have played a fair deal of classic games like Solitaire, Minesweeper and Hearts since the existence of Windows. As for Windows 10, these games will automatically be installed in the system. In addition to these, Microsoft is also tagging partners along to bring in their contribution of games to the new OS. The latest to join the Microsoft wagon is King’s widely popular sugar-filled game, Candy Crush.

According to Windows Blog, Candy Crush Saga will come automatically for customers that download or upgrade to Windows 10 during the launch. This version includes cross-play with iOS and Android devices.

It will quite be an unique experience playing Candy Crush on Windows 10’s smooth OS. King Digital Entertainment turned quite some heels when the game was first released for Facebook in 2012 and made its way to iOS, Android and Windows devices in the same year.

Back in March, Microsoft announced the release of the highly-anticipated Windows 10. The company said that the latest OS would come this summer in over 190 countries and 111 languages. As stated by TechCrunch, Windows 10 will release at the end of July. It is a free upgrade as long as customers claim this offer in the first year of the OS in the market.

For information on the unique features of Windows 10, click here.

May 15, 2015
India Will Be Receiving Only The WiFi Variant Of LG Watch Urbane

Since Apple has released its Apple Watch successfully, many companies like Samsung, Timex, etc. are coming out with their versions of smart watches. LG does not seem far behind in the trend of creating smartwatches. The South Korean manufacturer raised its bar with the revelation of the G Watch R. Later, the company unveiled yet another smartwatch called the LG Watch Urbane. A fusion of style and technology, this watch is for both men and women.

According to NDTV Gadgets, India will be only receiving the WiFi variant of the watch, not the LTE version. As of now, there are no official statements given by the company, although it is expected this week.

Other than this, the LG Watch Urbane boasts of a 1.3-inch circular P-OLED (320x320p resolution) display, just like the G Watch R. Its bezels are narrow, which gives it a more elegant and classy look. The device is driven by 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 chipset paired with 512 MB RAM. The Watch Urbane can hold data in the 4GB inbuilt memory and runs on Android Wear. The 410mAh battery of the smartwatch can be a bit disappointing and one has to charge it time and again to keep it going. The Watch Urbane packs Gyro, Accelerometer, Compass, Barometer and a heart rate sensor.

LG has priced the fashionable smartwatch at $349 (Rs. 22,000 approx). It is available in two variants, silver and gold but there is a nip to it; currently the watch is only available in the US and the sales begin from May 8. We don’t have an official confirmation about the watch’s arrival in India, but it is expected to launch sometime in end May.

May 15, 2015
Nepal’s Homegrown Solar Company Makes an Innovative Contribution to Help Nepal

On 12th May, Nepal was hit by yet another earthquake measuring 7.9 on the Richter Scale. Before this, an earthquake of 7.8 magnitude struck the country on April 25th, leaving more than 20,000 people dead, injured or missing.

During this phase of time, many technological powerhouses like Facebook, Google, and telephone subscribers pooled in resources for the people of Nepal. Google People Finder app helped a lot of people search for their friends and family while Facebook collected a grand sum of $10 million through its Donation Drive. Companies like Airtel, Vodafone, etc. lowered down their call rates for a few days.

Nepal’s own solar power company, Gham Power, has played a pivotal role in providing relief and helping the victims. Run by Sandeep Giri, Gham Power sprung into action to deploy solar power systems to help lighting up camps and mobile charging stations.

Sandeep Giri says that two major issues interfere while addressing basic needs like medical attention, food, water, and shelter.

Firstly, you don’t want to be in the dark, as it’s scary, you don’t feel safe, and it is also very cumbersome to get, or administer relief without light. Second, in this day and age, your first instinct is to reach out for your loved ones to check if they are okay and let them know you are okay, and when you reach for your mobile phone, it’s dead and there is no place to charge it.

Gham Power has teamed up with many other local solar companies and is right now working with Global Nepali Professional Network to raise money and build as many solar power systems as possible. The project has been named ‘Rebuild with Sun’ and has been launched on Indiegogo campaign. Its initial fundraising goal is $150,000. The contribution has been broken down to provide energy supply in different areas like: $50 provides lights and charging for one family, a hundred dollar buys a 20-watt system that can serve three families and $500 can provide a 100-watt system aiding 15 families and up to 100 phone users.

You can read more about how different tech powerhouses joined hands in an effort to help out Nepal in distress here.

Click here to see the aftermath of the deadly earthquake that hit Nepal on 25^th April.

May 15, 2015

Microsoft Brings the Lumia 540 to India, Priced at Rs. 10,199

Microsoft is steadily pushing itself in the affordable section of the Indian smartphone market. After announcing the Lumia 540 in April, the company launched the smartphone in India today with a price tag of Rs. 10,199.

Throwing some light on the specifications of the device – the Lumia 540 Dual SIM sports a 5-inch display with a resolution of 1280×720 pixels and a pixel density of 294ppi. It is powered by a 1.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 processor, coupled with 1 GB RAM. It has 8 GB of internal storage and can be expanded up to a heavy 128 GB. The camera optics include an 8MP rear camera with a LED flash and a 5MP front camera. Its pre-bookings begin today and will be available in black, white and cyan colors.

The Microsoft Lumia 540 joins a long list of budget smartphones already playing the Indian field. The new entrant may not have what it takes to survive. A couple of days back, Micromax’s subsidiary Yu announced its affordable “flagship,” the Yuphoria. It offers similar specs, but is priced at a mere Rs. 6,999. Clearly, the Lumia 540 will face stiff competition.

Here’s a quick look at the phone’s specs:

Specification	Microsoft Lumia 540
Display	5-inch
Resolution	1280×720 resolution, 294 ppi IPS display
Processor	1.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 processor
RAM	1GB
Internal Memory	8GB
Expandable Up to	128GB
Primary Camera	8MP with autofocus and LED flash
Front Camera	5MP
Battery	2,200mAh
Operating System	Windows Phone 8.1 with Lumia Denim
Price	Rs. 10,199

May 14, 2015

Google’s New Policy Bans Unofficial Chrome Extensions
Next time you might not find your favourite extension on Chrome unless it is available on the official Chrome Web Store. Yes, in a bid to protect its users from malicious add-ons, Google will force them to use only those hosted on the Chrome Web Store.

This policy was first announced in November 2013 and was supposed to go live in January 2014. The plan finally went into effect on May 2014 but was left open to people using the developer version of Chrome, to install their choice of extensions. Google said that this action led hackers tricking users into using the malicious malware.

Extensions manager, Jake Leichtling says:

Affected users are left with malicious extensions running on a Chrome channel they did not choose.

The FAQ page gives more details:
- Users can only install extensions hosted in the Chrome Web store, except for installs via enterprise policy or developer mode.
- Extensions that were previously installed, but not hosted on the Chrome Web Store will be hard-disabled (i.e., the user cannot enable these extensions again), except for installs via enterprise policy or developer mode.
Further, Google said the extensions that are not on the Chrome Web Store and are already installed on Chrome will automatically be disabled and cannot be re-enabled or reinstalled. Unless, of course, Chrome Web Store includes that particular extension to its store.

Google’s new policy may finally help in lowering malicious extensions on Chrome, however, limiting the user’s choices of add-ons.
May 14, 2015

Author: Rishi Baruah

Motorola Moto E (Gen 2) 4G

OPPO Joy Plus

Lenovo A7000

Yu Yuphoria