Author: Rishi Baruah

Exclusive: LG G4 to Arrive in India by Early June

LG released their latest flagship yesterday at dedicated events held in New York and London simultaneously. The LG G4 lived up to expectations, and was exactly the handset leaked by Evan Blass (@evleaks), weeks ago. For now, the phone is set to be released only in its native country, Korea. Now iGyaan has learnt from a reliable source that the LG G4 is slated to release in India by early June this year. For the UK market, the smartphone is launching on 28th May, and the Indian market will shortly follow after.

The G4 features a 5.5-inch Quad HD display that utilizes dot technology for higher brightness and contrast. It runs on a six-core Snapdragon 808 processor along with 3GB RAM. It has 32GB of internal storage which can be expanded up to 128GB via a microSD card. Android Lollipop is the OS of choice for this device. It also has a 13MP camera with f/1.8 aperture, colour spectrum and optical image stabilization.

You can check out the spec table below for more details:

SPECIFICATION	LG G4
Display	5.5-inch Quad HD LCD display 2560 x 1440 resolution
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 with X10 LTE
RAM	3GB
Primary Camera	16MP
Front Camera	8MP
Storage	32GB
Expandable Up to	128GB
Battery	3,000mAh
Operating System	Android 5.1 Lollipop with LG UX 4.0 on top
Price	Not Yet Revealed

Pricing of the device has not been mentioned yet. But we’ll know soon enough, as the smartphone releases officially in Korea.

April 29, 2015

Epic Flagship Spec Battle : LG G4 vs Samsung Galaxy S6 vs iPhone 6 Plus vs HTC One M9

LG pulled off a big show yesterday and introduced its 2015 star flagship, the LG G4. The company is betting big on the new device and claims that it offers an exceptional visual experience. So, we decided to check out how this new flagship stands up against the major flagships already available in the market. We are pitching the LG G4 against the Samsung Galaxy S6, iPhone 6 Plus and HTC One M9.

Have a look at the difference in specs:

Specs	LG G4	Samsung Galaxy S6	iPhone 6 Plus	HTC One M9
Display	5.5-inch Quad HD LCD display 2560×1440 resolution	5.1-inch QuadHD Super AMOLED 1440×2560 pixels	5.5 inch Full HD 1080×1920 pixel resolution	5.5 inch HD 1080×1920 pixel resolution
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 with X10 LTE	2.1 GHz Quad + 1.5 GHz quad Exynos 64-bit	1.4 GHz Dual-core A8 chipset	2.0 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 chipset
RAM	3 GB	3 GB RAM	1 GB	3 GB
Storage	32 GB	32 GB	16/32 GB	32 GB
Expandable Upto	128GB	Non-Expandable	Non-Expandable	128 GB
Main Camera	16 MP	16 MP, Optical Image Stabilization, Autofocus, LED flash	8 MP Optical Image Stabilization, Face Detection Autofocus, dual-LED	20 MP autofocus, dual-LED Flash
Front Camera	8 MP	5MP	1.2 MP	Ultra Pixel
Battery	3,000mAh	2550mAh	2915mAh	2800mAh
Operating System	Android 5.1 Lollipop with LG UX 4.0 on top	Android 5.0.2 Lollipop	iOS 8	Android Lollipop

Looking at the specs, LG G4 shows the might to take on its competition. It is one mammoth of a device in terms of the camera, display and battery life. Coming out with an additional 128GB external storage capacity is an advantage for the LG G4. We’re also hearing good things about its leather-clad design and style. However, we’d like to get our hands on the device before we make any further comparisons.

Read about the LG G4 here, or you can compare notes of the difference between the LG G4 vs LG G3 here.

April 29, 2015

LG G Watch R, Moto 360 to Reportedly Face a Price Cut on Google Play Store

It seems smart watches are on a price-slashing spree. A few months back, Motorola’s Moto 360 smartwatch got a price cut of $70 on Amazon and Best Buy. Now, Google Play too is said to be offering the smartwatch at a bargain, bringing down the cost to $180, permanently.

To go along with it, LG’s G Watch R also received a $50 price cut, bringing the new price to $250. LG announced its new G Watch R smartwatch in August, and it’s one of the most elegantly designed smartwatches we have seen. The link to buy the products has currently been taken down, but it should be up shortly.

The Moto 360 has been one of the most-wanted wearables in the market. The Moto 360 has a 1.65 inch display that is protected by Gorilla Glass. The water-proof watch runs on Android Wear and gives timely updates based on the location like weather, traffic, time, reminders, etc.

It is very likely that the price cut has been done to clean out space for new inventory of premier smartwatches. Motorola has been rumoured to be working on a Moto 360 successor which boasts a 360×360-pixel screen. Although, nothing has been confirmed till now.

April 29, 2015

LG G4 vs LG G3: Is it Worth the Upgrade?

Finally, LG has released its long awaited flagship today at an unveiling event held in New York and London simultaneously. Here, we will have a look at the major differences between the LG G3, which was released last year in May, and the G4. Comparing notes to answer ‘What is the real difference?’

From the specs point of view, the 5.5-inch QHD resolution G4 is packed with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor with 3GB RAM. It has 32GB of internal storage that is expandable up to 128GB. It has a 13MP camera along with f/1.8 aperture, color spectrum and optical image stabilization. The 8MP front camera also has a f/1.8 aperture. Connectivity options include LTE-Advanced support, 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1 and NFC.

Let us compare the newly-launched device with its predecessor below:

SPECIFICATION	LG G3	LG G4
Display	5.5 inch QHD1440×2560 resolution	5.5-inch Quad HD LCD display 2560 x 1440 resolution
Processor	2.5 GHz Quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801	Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 with X10 LTE
RAM	3GB	3GB
Primary Camera	13MP	16MP
Front Camera	2.1MP	8MP
Storage	32GB	32GB
Expandable Up to	128GB	128GB
Battery	3100mAh	3,000mAh
Operating System	Android 4.4 KitKat	Android 5.1 Lollipop with LG UX 4.0 on top
Price	Rs. 37,500	Not Yet Revealed

From the table above, we can see that there is not much difference between the two handsets. The G4 is primarily taken the lead on the camera specifications, especially the front camera. The G4 has won the race by featuring an 8MP front camera as compared to G3’s 2.1MP front shooter. The screen size remains the same, except that the G4 packs a higher resolution than the G3. The only spec where the G3 is above is in the battery department. But then, how much difference can 100mAh make? The display, camera and the processor specifications may make the LG G4 a good choice over the LG G3.

The pricing of the G4 has not been revealed yet, and it will be available in the Korean market from tomorrow. Details of its availability outside have not been disclosed. Keep checking iGyaan for new updates.

April 28, 2015

This Remarkable New Ad Campaign Will Make You Think Twice Before Littering

Ad agency, Ogilvy & Mather has come up with an ingenious method to curb littering in the streets of Hong Kong. By using the DNA lifted off the litters and Snapshot DNA phenotyping, they’re now recreating the faces of the litterbugs.

The campaign, known as ‘The Face of Litter’ was formulated after Hong Kong Clean up, Ecozine and the Nature Conservancy joined hands for the same cause. The campaign was launched on Earth Day and will be targeting key locations. Using the DNA, visual representations of the litterbug will be created and put up across the city and online. This gives a warning call to other litterers too.

[quote text_size=”small” author=”Reed Collins” author_title=”Chief Creative Officer Ogilvy & Mather Group Hong Kong”]

This campaign is one of a kind, It’s interactive. It’s innovative. It’s our own science experiment that we’re using to create social change. Litter is such a major problem in Hong Kong and thanks to technology we can now put a face to this anonymous crime and get people to think twice about littering.

[/quote]

Check out the video below that explains how the whole procedure works:

Overall, the country has been battling the problem of pollution for a long time. Each year, 300 million tons of waste gets generated. This initiative may seem small, but it is a start.

April 28, 2015

Huawei Unveils the Affordable Honor 4C with a 13MP Camera and 5-inch Display

After launching the Huawei P8 at an official event on 15th April, Huawei released yet another handset today, the Honor 4C. With a price tag of 799 Yuan (Rs. 8,150), the phone will directly compete against the Micromax Yu Yureka and Xiaomi Red Mi Note 4G.

From the specs point of view, the 2GB RAM Honor 4C sports a 5-inch 720p display and is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 Octa-Core processor and a HiSilicon Kiri 620 Octa-Core chipset. Camera specifications include a 13MP f2.0 aperture primary camera and a 5MP front camera. Internal memory offers 8GB of storage and a microSD slot. It runs on Android 4.4 KitKat and feature a 2,550 mAh battery.

The phone is being offered in black, white, blue, gold and pink color options. For now, the handset is up for sale only in China and will be available through online portals only. The handset will be available on Huawei’s Vmall online store and Alibaba’s Tmall store on 7th May, registration are now open on both the online retailers.

Specifications	Honor 4C
Display	5-inch 720p Display
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 Octa-Core processor
RAM	2GB
Storage	8GB internal, microSD
Primary Camera	13MP
Front Camera	5MP
Battery	2,550mAh
Price	Rs. 8,150, (tentative)

April 28, 2015

Activision Unveils Crucial Gameplay Details and More About Call of Duty: Black Ops 3

After showing off the teaser a few weeks ago, Activision has now revealed few more crucial details of one of the biggest first-person shooting franchises of all times, Call of Duty: Black Ops 3. The company announced the official trailer of Black Ops 3 which shows the game taking a leap into the future. The third installment seems to dig deep into the military science-fiction. Check out the trailer below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58Pspqx0XGs

The new game aims to hold its franchise fans spellbound. The creators of the game have developed new characters, landscapes, and weaponry, which can be customized as players progress. The modes introduced in the latest game are – Zombie, Campaign, and MP.

Another big alteration coming with Black Ops 3 is the multi-player mode. Developers have raised the stakes in the single-player campaign, turning it to an optional one-player to four-player co-op game. In this mode, players can share information about threats during gaming. As the game has been designed keeping four players in mind, playing in single-player mode may prove difficult.

While the first Black Ops was set in 1960 and the second part in 2025, this edition is set 35 years later in 2060. In the third part, you play as a member of a prototype Black Ops unit that has cybernetic enhancements with mission briefings of a missing CIA team in Singapore.

Treyarch’s popular military shooter saga is due to release on November 6 this year for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC. Its release date in India isn’t specified yet.

April 27, 2015
These 20 Images Capture the Devastation of Nepal Earthquake

On Saturday, April 25, Nepal was hit by a 7.8-magnitude earthquake. At least 2,500 people have died in this disaster till now, and the number is still increasing. Thousands of people are missing in Nepal following the earthquake, and the rescues teams are constantly working to reach the needy stuck under the pile of bricks.

The earthquake also triggered deadly avalanches in and around Mount Everest. Below is a set of images that captures the image of devastation:

Image Source: QZ

Image Source: abcnews

Image Source: nbcnews

Image Source: time

Image Source: abc.net

Image Source: thestar

Image Source: timesofisrael

Image Source: huffingtonpost

Image Source: allindiaroundup

Image Source: wsbradio

Image Source: www.cnn.com

Image Source: abc7

Image Source: inforum

Image Source: washingtonpost

Image Source: inforum

Image Source: chicagotribune

Image Source: 3news

Image Source: nbcnews

Image Source: chicagotribune

Image Source: dawn

April 27, 2015
Facebook and Google Have Been Instrumental In Locating Nepal Earthquake Survivors

A destructive earthquake shocked Nepal for two days and left nearly 2,200 people dead, and many more were left injured or missing. It was one of the most dangerous earthquakes whose epicenter originated 17km south of Kodari, Nepal and measured 7.9 on the Richter scale. At this hour of crisis, many technological powerhouses have made it easier for rescue workers and family members to reach out to missing people.

Google’s Person Finder is a free tool that doubles up as a registry or a message board for survivors. This app was developed first during the 2010 Haiti earthquake, and its aggregated data include registries run by CNN, the Miami Herald and the New York Times. This tool can be used by family or friends to locate missing people or loved ones.

Facebook’s Safety Check is a tool that allows people to inform their family members or friends about their safety status. This feature works by accessing the user’s profile information and check-in updates and tracks people near the area of impact.

https://www.facebook.com/zuck/posts/10102050030813611

This feature was first initiated by Facebook on 16th October 2014.

For the current disaster in Nepal, Facebook has mapped every person in Nepal and nearby Indian states within the reach.

Viber cancelled the Viber Out bill system so that users can make calls for free to any mobile or landline number during the stretch of the disaster. Similar steps were taken by BSNL, MTNL, IDEA, Airtel and Vodafone. BSNL, Vodafone, MTNL and Idea have lowered down the call rates to Re 1 for the next three days while Airtel offered free Airtel India to Nepal calls for the next three days.

The earthquake jolted Nepal yesterday whose tremors were felt in Delhi and places of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. The quake flattened down many houses and buildings, including the famous Dharhara tower.

April 27, 2015
Here’s Why It is Difficult for Developers to Create Games for Apple Watch

When Apple Watch went up for sale globally on Friday, nobody thought that games could find a place on Apple Watch. The Cupertino-based firm focused on health and fitness apps incorporated on its Watch, and never talked about any game-related app in its March 9 conference.

However, it sparks a question of whether developers would be able to shrink down games to the size of a 2-inch screen of the device. The gaming market for the smartphones is vast, and with the size of games decreasing year after year, it now seems possible. The preview page of Apple shows only two games.

It was learnt that developers don’t have access to full features of the wearable and development tools. But if any company succeeds to squeeze down a game to the size of the watch, it will have a firm grip on the smartwatch game sector. Apple has made a record-breaking $15 billion in 2014 through games in its App Store, and with estimates of 40 million Apple Watch to sell by year-end, there is a vast market for the developers ahead.

Some game developers have already started to take an initiative. New York-based studio Robot 5 says it has already designed three games that can be played on the 2-inch screen, along with seven more that will complete before the end of June.

Runeblade

Right now, the Apple Watch acts as a screen interface when tethered to the iPhone. Developers are still trying to figure out a way to develop native apps for the Watch. For making games on the wearable, it will need an entirely different mindset, however. Peter Chen, Founder and CEO of Robot 5 Studios says –

The biggest challenge is the complexity of the animations. iPhone games can have animations that are infinitely complex, with full control of each pixel and also of objects movements across the screen. Apple Watch games don’t have this kind of control over pixels and objects, so we have to mimic this kind of behavior.

It is likely that Apple will work on this issue on its launch or after, added Peter Chen. The 18-hour battery life of the wearable is also a problem for the developers.

It is quite evident that creating games for Apple Watch is not impossible. Just like for the iPhone and iPad, creating a set of games for the wearable needs a different approach.

Robot 5 Studios released a teaser of a new game. Check out how it looks like on Apple Watch in the video below:

https://youtu.be/tcwFyJysTG8

April 25, 2015
Steam Workshop Now Allows Mod Developers to Make Money Off Their Work

Steam Workshop, an Internet-based multiplayer and social networking platform, is one of the best platforms where developers can share their add-ons, mods (modifications), maps and items to the games for free. Today, Valve Corporation, creators of Steam, announced that people who create different mods, maps or in-game items can sell and earn of their work through the Steam Workshop.

Steam writes on its official blog:

The Steam Workshop has always been a great place for sharing mods, maps, and all kinds of items that you’ve created. Now it’s also a great place for selling those creations.

With a new, streamlined process for listing and selling your creations, the Steam Workshop now supports buying mods directly from the Workshop, being immediately usable in the game.

The new paid marketplace is updated with the hit game The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, which currently has over 25,000 available mods. An American video game publisher Bethesda Software said many of their fans have been creating mods for more than ten years, and Steam is offering them a chance to earn by doing what they love best.

While the new paid model sounds great for modders and developers, the other side of the coin is that many Steam users who are used to free mods have started to cry foul against the change. Several users have called the move as ‘immoral’ and blamed the creators to be greedy.

In January, Valve announced that new analytical and measurement tools will be introduced to further optimise the sale of user-created content. This tool may help creators get a better idea of which of their mods are more popular.

April 25, 2015
Acer Unveils Range of Products Including Chromebook, Hybrid Laptops And More

Acer launched a variety of new products today at the Next@Acer event that took place in New York. The list comprises of plenty of devices including a new Chromebook, three tablets, several new laptops and a new all-in-one PC.

The new Chromebook 15 CB3-531 has a 15.6-inch screen, and its price starts at $199 (Rs. 12,644). Inside the Chromebook is a dual-core Intel Celeron N2830 processor with 2GB of RAM. With a microSD card, its memory can expand from 16GB inbuilt to 128GB. The company claims that its battery can last up to 11.5 hours. Connectivity options include HDMI, USB 2.0 port, and USB 3.0 port, Bluetooth 4.0 and Wi-Fi.

Chromebook 15 CB3-531

The laptops unveiled today include two Aspire Switch 10 hybrids, whose 10.1-inch IPS screens can be detached. The Aspire Switch 10E (SW3-013) and the Aspire Switch 10 (SW5-015) are powered by Intel Atom quad-core processors. The Aspire Switch 10E (SW3-013) features a 1280×800 pixel HD resolution and the latter features a 1920×1080 pixel HD resolution. Both the hybrids include a 2MP camera, though the SW5-015 only features a front camera. The Switch 10 SW3-013 starts at $279 (Rs. 17,727).

Aspire Switch 10 (SW5-015)

Another laptop introduced is the Acer Aspire R 11 (R3-131T) with an 11.6-inch screen size. It features a 1366×768 pixel HD touch-screen display. The company also introduced the Aspire V 15 (V3-574) laptop, which will ship in August starting at $599 (Rs. 38,060). It runs on Windows 8.1, carries a 15-inch 1366×768 pixel resolution display and an option of HD and full-HD non-touch displays. Acer also revealed new models in the Aspire E series laptops, as well as the Aspire ES series. It will ship in July with price starting at $249 (Rs. 15,821)

Acer Aspire R 11 (R3-131T)

Lastly, Acer launched an all-in-one PC, the Acer Z3-710, which runs on Windows 8.1 OS. You can choose between Intel Core i3/i5/i7, Intel Pentium and Intel Celeron processors, along with a 16GB DDR3L RAM. It is completed with a Nvidia GeForce 840M, 2TB HDD and a 23.8-inch full-HD 1920×1080 pixel IPS display.

Acer also announced new Android tablets – Iconia One 8 and Iconia Tab 10. Both the tablets run on Android 5.0 Lollipop. Acer Iconia One 8 (B1-820) has an 8-inch display and runs on a 1.83GHz Intel Atom quad-core processor with 1GB of RAM. The Iconia Tab 10 (A3-30) has a larger 10.1-inch full-HD (1920×1200 pixels) IPS Zero Air Gap display with Corning Gorilla Glass 4.

Iconia Tab 10 (A3-30)

Along with these devices, Acer also introduced a different genre of devices like a LED projector with Intelligent Ambient Light Sensor, and curved monitor with Nvidia G-Sync Technology. Both are claimed to be the first of their kind.

With the launch of so many devices, it would be interesting to see the market response to the Acer products.

April 24, 2015
BSNL Announces Free Unlimited Night Calling Across India

In an attempt to revive its landline service, Indian telecommunications company BSNL announced an unlimited scheme for its landline users. Under this scheme, users of BSNL fixed line service will be able to make free calls to any landline or mobile operator across the globe during night hours, i.e. between 9pm to 7am. The plan will kick off from 1st May.

BSNL said in a statement –

BSNL has introduced unlimited free calling during night hours from its landline phones to all landline phones and mobile phones of all service provider’s network on all India basis from 1st May. This unlimited free night calling shall be available from 9 pm to 7 am.

This scheme covers all major plans of rural and urban areas like landline general plans, landline special plans and all major Combo (landline with broadband) plans. The company said that it will review the responses of its customers after six months; however, they haven’t provided an end date for the scheme.

The Chairman and Managing Director of BSNL, Anupam Shrivastava remarked about the same, “We hope to resurrect our fixed-line business, and we hope that it will attract customers back to fixed-line. There will be some impact on revenues, but with only 10% calls made at night, it may go up to 15% with the offer. However, if we can add more customers, then, it is worth the attempt.”

Since the entry of more versatile mobile operators like Airtel, Vodafone, Tata Docomo and few more, BSNL has been losing its market slowly. Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) is hopeful that the new scheme will yield positive results. In the past five years, fixed landline subscriptions have fallen from 27.83 million in 2010 to 16.93 million in 2015. The latest TRAI data also shows that BSNL was the biggest loser of fixed landlines customers in February, while Airtel emerges as the top gainer. Still, BSNL’s share in the market was 62.26 percent in February.

Recently, BSNL announced that it will be setting up Wi-Fi hotspots with 3G, 4G networks across the country within the next 3 to 4 years. Read more about it here.

April 24, 2015
TRAI Receives More Than One Million Emails in Favour of Net Neutrality

The heated debate over Net Neutrality doesn’t seem to end up anytime soon. In response to the online protest initiated by TRAI, the independent telecommunications authority received over 1.5 lakh e-mails within two days. Now, the protest has touched one million mark.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has received more than one million emails in support of Net Neutrality from the citizens of India. The statement was made by a voluntary group managing the ‘Save the Internet’ program. The figures are of until yesterday, and the emails are continuously flooding TRAI’s Inbox.

As per a report, netizens have been bombarding the TRAI with 50 emails every minute. This resulted in the campaign hit one million mark within just 12 days. The creators of savetheinternet.in were surprised as they expected the campaign would not last more than 15,000 emails.

TRAI put up a consultation paper called “Regulatory Framework for Over-the-Top (OTT) Services” and asked users for their comments. April 24, i.e. today, is the last date of submit your vote and make your voice heard. Click here to back the movement.

Many celebrities and well-known personalities from different fields have come in support of free internet. Rahul Gandhi is the latest to join the club and ask for freedom of the internet.

April 24, 2015

New Lenovo A5000 With a 4,000mAh Battery and 5-inch Display Coming Soon to India

Lenovo has launched its newest A-series phone, the A5000 in Russia and has priced the handset at RB 12,000 (roughly Rs. 14,500). Although, there are no details or dates mentioned about its release in other markets, Times of India has confirmed that the Lenovo A5000 will be arriving in India soon. The most attractive feature of this phone would undoubtedly be the 4000mAh battery which may play an important role in its marketing. According to the company, the battery gives 792 hours of standby on 3G.

Official listings show the phone would not support 4G LTE. The dual SIM phone comes with a 5-inch HD IPS display (720×1280 pixels) and is powered by a 1.3GHz quad-core MediaTek processor. It comes with 8GB of internal storage and 32GB of expandable memory. It has an 8MP primary camera and a 2MP FF front camera. Connectivity options include GPRS/EDGE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, GPS/ A-GPS, Micro-USB, and Bluetooth. Measuring 140×71.4×9.98mm, weighing 160 grams, the phone comes in two colours; black and white.

Though there is no official date for the India release, the Chinese company has recently launched the A7000. With this new variant, it can be concluded that Lenovo is expanding its line of budget phones to cater different requirements of different groups in the country.

Specification	Lenovo A5000
Display	5-inch HD IPS (720×1280 pixels) display
Processor	1.3GHz quad-core MediaTek processor
RAM	1GB
Storage	8GB
Expandable Upto	32GB
Main Camera	8MP
Front Camera	2MP
Battery	4000mAh
Operating System	Android 4.4
Price	Rs. 14,500 (Tentative)

April 23, 2015

Author: Rishi Baruah

Specs

LG G4

Samsung Galaxy S6

iPhone 6 Plus

HTC One M9