Author: Rishi Baruah

Later This Year Microsoft Apps Will Come Bundled With Cyanogen

After months of battling rumours, Cyanogen has officially confirmed that they are partnering with Microsoft. They commented that they will be bringing Microsoft’s useful apps integrated on their popular OS soon. The two companies have supposedly been negotiating for quite some time to create a Cyanogen version which features Microsoft applications.

In an email to The Verge, Cyanogen CEO said:

People around the world use Cyanogen’s operating system and popular Microsoft services to engage with what matters most to them on their mobile devices. This exciting partnership with Microsoft will enable us to bring new kinds of integrated services to mobile users in markets around the world.

Cyanogen said that it would be pre-installing Microsoft apps on its modified Android OS, starting later this year. It means users will have access to Microsoft apps such as Bing, OneDrive, Outlook, OneNote and Microsoft Office. In turn, Microsoft will be experimenting with a number of Android apps. This project has been taken up to lure away consumers’ dependance on the Android applications. It seems like the win-win partnership between Microsoft and Cyanogen.

April 17, 2015

Exclusive: HTC One M9 to Release in India in the Next Few Months

At an event held on 14th April, HTC, in an unprecedented move, announced the arrival of the HTC One M9+ instead of the One M9. The phone, which was first announced at MWC 2015, was all ready to be greeted by Indian consumers, when HTC showed up with the One M9+ instead.

Don’t think we’re complaining; the M9+ comes with a larger screen, a better display and the same sleek design as the M9. However, for people who’d like an option of both, you’re likely to get one within the next few months. At the launch, a senior HTC official hinted to iGyaan that the One M9 might arrive in India soon.

Throwing light on the HTC One M9’s specifications, the 5-inch Full HD Display phone runs on a 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 Octa-Core processor and houses 3GB of RAM. With a storage of 32GB, the memory slot is expandable up to 128GB via microSD. The imaging department includes a 20MP Autofocus BSI Sensor primary camera capable of shooting 4K videos and HTC Ultra Pixel Front camera. The phone derives its power from a 2840mAh battery and the OS runs on Android 5.0.2 along with HTC Sense 7.

Here’s a quick look at its specs:

Specs	HTC One M9
Display	5-inch Full HD (1920×1080p)
Processor	64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 octa-core
RAM	3GB
Storage	32GB, expandable up to 128GB
Main Camera	20MP with Auto-focus, BSI sensor
Front Camera	HTC UltraPixel
Battery	2840mAh
Operating System	Android 5.0.2 Lollipop with HTC Sense 7
Price	Unknown

At the event, HTC also commented that the Indian market is quite unique when compared to the rest of the world. Keeping that in mind, HTC picks and chooses its line-up for our country carefully.

Check out our exclusive hands on with the HTC One M9 at MWC 2015.

April 17, 2015

Here is How You Can Test the LG G4 Before its Official Launch in India

A good news for LG enthusiasts, LG Electronics India will be selecting a handful of Indian consumers to test out the new LG G4 smartphone before its official launch on April 28th. This is being done as a part of the company’s consumer experience campaign in India.

The individuals will be selected based on their entry responses. The chances of being selected will increase when application experiences are shared on different social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter. Once selected, a LG G4 handset will be given to the winning participant for 30 days, and they will be given a list of assignments to carry out during the testing period.

[quote text_size=”small” author=”Mr. Amit Gujral” author_title=”Marketing Head, LG Mobiles India “]

A smartphone doesn’t solve its purpose if it tops all the speed and benchmark tests but fails to satisfy the consumer needs. Realizing this, LG India is bringing this exciting and unique way to get our most important mobile product of the year, the LG G4, close to the consumers. I hope that the consumers like this offering by LG and participate in large numbers in this programme.

[/quote]

The Korean firm had slipped out details of their latest flagship in bits and pieces. From the teasers made official by the company, we can conclude the LG G4 will boast an all-new interface UX4.0 with a f/1.8 aperture camera. It is also been said that the phone will have an enhanced 5.5-inch Quad HD display and a 2.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor with either a 2GB or 4GB RAM. It will be powered by a 3,000 mAH battery and run on 4.4.4 KitKat.

In order to participate in this competition, you may check LG’s official website and social media pages (Facebook, Twitter) for more details.

Read more about the LG G4 here.

April 16, 2015
Twitter Revamps its Homepage to Lure New Users

Only yesterday Twitter hinted that a new and friendlier user interface is on its way, and today, Twitter has confirmed the news is true. The social networking service has rolled out the new web interface in US today, providing a new experience to its users.

The official blog post of Twitter reads –

Starting today, when you go to the twitter.com homepage, you’ll find interesting topics to explore like Politics, Pop Artists and even Cute Animals. Click on the topic and you’ll see a timeline of Tweets from some of the most popular accounts in that topic. It’s rich real-time content, just like the Twitter experience for users who log in.

Twitter states the new homepage will be made accessible to other regions as well in due time. The page for signed-out users displays three columns with a header that welcomes the users and invites them to see ‘What is happening right now.’

The left column includes categories like News, Sports, Entertainment, Science and Technology, etc. which is divided into more sub-groups. The middle column shows thumbnails with titles like ‘Business News, people and sites’, ‘Country Artists’, etc. These clickable thumbnails take users to another login page that shows highlights of that particular section. The right column is kept for Login or Sign Up.

Right now, users can directly check out tweets without logging 0nto Twitter. The company said an approximate of 200 million people visit profiles without signing in. Hence, if they manage to convert even a small percentage of the visitors into active users, the company will grow significantly.

April 16, 2015
Indian Scientist Invents the World’s First Self-Sustaining Camera

A team led by T.C Chang Professor of Computer Science, Shree K. Nayar, built the world’s first fully functional self-powered video camera that can produce an image per second in a well-lit environment. The resolution is not great, but it can go on recording forever.

Here’s the explanation of the working of the machine: When the camera sensor is exposed to light, the pixels use photodiodes to generate electricity. This helps the sensor to measure the intensity of the light that is then used to produce images. In the case of Nayar’s prototype camera, the team used a 3D printer to construct the body of the camera. The camera takes advantage of a photodiode’s ability to be used in both, a digital camera (photoconductive) and solar cells (photovoltaic). When exposed to light, the camera sensors switch between capturing an image or are used to generate and charge other devices like a phone. After measuring the intensity of light, these sensors convert the light into electricity, which in turn powers the camera.

Nayar states that, even if the invention is at its toddler stage, this could help in boosting a new generation of cameras, like security cameras, CCTV camera or any other camera that works round the clock without needing to be powered. Nayar’s team will present their work officially at the Rice University in Houston April 24-26.

The video below demonstrates the video quality of the camera.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13dKKJxSKeg

April 16, 2015

Asus ZenFone 2 | Exclusive Unboxing and Hands On

Recently Asus introduced the successor to its affordable Zenfone series, the Zenfone 2. The company also announced that there are three variants of the device that would share the Zenfone 2 name. Chinese tech giants, Xiaomi and OnePlus, who have successfully created a niche in the Indian market, may find themselves facing severe rivalry in the mid-range category.

The Asus ZenFone 2 box consists of:

An Asus ZenFone 2 Handset.
Documentation including Warranty card and User Guide.
Earphones (Although, our box did not)
Standard Asus Charger
USB Cable

The phone is expected to launch on 23rd April, exclusively on Flipkart with an expected price tag of Rs. 19,000. The device comes with a 5.5-inch 1920x1080p IPS Display, protected by Gorilla Glass 3. It is powered by an Intel Atom 23580 Quadcore processor with 2.3 GHz CPU. One of its notable features is that the phone comes with two variants of RAM; 2GB RAM and 4GB RAM. The one we unboxed came with 4GB RAM. The juice is supplied by an adequate 3000mAh non-removable battery and the smartphone comes pre-loaded with Android 5.0 Lollipop.

The device is well-built and similar to the LG G3, and HTC One M8 in terms of its colour finish. Its User Interface was clean, fast and responsive. In our initial impressions, we did not experience any lag.

Asus Zenfone 2 has a 13MP primary camera and a 5MP front camera. The dual LED flash paired with the rear camera, comes in two colours, to help you get the right white balance. Both the microphones consist of the noise cancellation feature, thus enabling you to talk with least hassle.

To get a clearer idea of the specs, you can check out the table below:

SPECIFICATION	ASUS Zenfone 2
Operating System	Android 5.0 Lollipop
Screen Size	5.5-inch 1920x1080p IPS Display
RAM	4GB
Battery	3000mAh Lithium Poly-ion Non-Removable
Processor	Intel Atom 23580 Quadcore processor
CPU	2.3 GHz
Front camera	5MP
Rear Camera	13MP
Price	Rs 19,000 (Tentative)

Check out the in-depth video below

April 15, 2015

OnePlus to Release OnePlus Two Along with a Cheaper Alternative By End 2015

The OnePlus Two can easily be considered as one of the most awaited devices of 2015. But it may not be the only new phone coming from OnePlus. A report published by Bloomberg suggests that the Chinese company may be working on a cheaper alternative as well.

Bloomberg said the OnePlus Two is set to launch in the third quarter of 2015, adding that a friendly cheaper alternative is due to release at the same time. OnePlus has not yet confirmed the news.

The OnePlus Two is expected to have almost the same features as the OnePlus One while adding an up-to-date processor, a 5.5-inch 2K display and a bigger battery. It is also rumoured that the new phone could also feature a high-tech biometric scanner. This could potentially increase the pricing of the device. Maybe, because of this, OnePlus might be working on a cheaper option along with it – catering to a wider audience.

The report also states that OnePlus aims to sell between 3-5 million smartphones in 2015, and 10 million by the end of 2016. OnePlus also revealed that the company is now gearing up to enter a new product this month, which is neither a smartphone nor a tablet. We’ll have to wait and see what’s up ahead, and knowing OnePlus, our hopes are high.

April 15, 2015

Along with M9+ and E9+, HTC Announces the Desire 326G Dual SIM for India

Along with the HTC One M9+ and M8+, HTC today brought out the Desire 326G Dual SIM. The handset is protected by a removable polycarbonate exterior and sports a 4.5-inch (480x854p) display. It is powered by a Quad-Core Spreadtrum SC7731G chipset clocked at 1.2GHz bundled with 1GB of RAM. With 8GB of internal memory and an additional 32GB via microSD card, the storage facility seems ample.

It has a primary camera of 8MP and a front snapper of 2MP. The main camera is loaded with different features such as ‘Smile To Capture’, ‘Burst Shots’ and is capable of shooting 1080p resolution videos. The phone comes pre-installed with Zoe TM Highlights, an app that allows users to create, edit and share videos easily. A 2000 mAh removable battery supplies power to the device.

HTC Desire 326G Dual Sim will be available in White Birch and Black Onyx colours at all major retailers in India from the second half of May. As of now, its price has not been disclosed yet.

Have a look at the specs table below:

SPECIFICATIONS	HTC Desire 326G Dual Sim
Operating System	Android (no specific details given)
Display	4.5-inch (480x854p)
RAM	1GB
Battery	2000mAh
Processor	1.2GHz Quad-Core Spreadtrum SC7731G
Internal Storage	8GB
Expandable Up to	32GB
Primary Camera	8MP
Front Camera	2MP
Connectivity	Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 and Micro-USB

April 14, 2015

Flipkart Backs Off From Airtel Zero, Sticks to the ‘Larger Cause of Net Neutrality’

After facing a barrage of criticism for tying up with the controversial Airtel Zero plan, e-commerce giant, Flipkart, has withdrawn out of the service. According to a Flipkart spokesman, the e-commerce giant has taken the wise decision to walk away from their partnership with Airtel and instead they want to commit themselves to the ‘larger cause of Net Neutrality’.

A week back, Flipkart caused a major outburst when they announced that they would be joining Airtel Zero. This act allows companies to buy data from telcos and offer their consumers free internet access. This lead to violation by discriminating various Internet services on the basis of price.

Here’s the complete official statement from Flipkart:

We at Flipkart have always strongly believed in the concept of net neutrality, for we exist because of the Internet. Over the past few days, there has been an enormous amount of debate, both internally and externally, on the topic of zero rating, and we have a deeper understanding of the implications. Based on this, we have decided on the following:

We will be walking away from the ongoing discussions with Airtel for their platform Airtel Zero.

We will be committing ourselves to the larger cause of Net Neutrality in India. We will be internally discussing over the next few days, the details of actions we will take to support the cause.

We will be working towards ensuring that the spirit of net neutrality is upheld and applied equally to all companies in India irrespective of the size or the service being offered, and there is no discrimination whatsoever.

To protest against Airtel’s net neutrality violation, a website has been launched called www.SaveTheInternet.in, using which anyone can send a direct mail to TRAI in support of the cause. According to reports, within three days a record of 1.5lakh petitions were emailed to TRAI.

After Flipkart, many politicians are showing concern and have joined in to pitch in for Internet freedom. Next month, a panel of six members will be set up by the telecom department, who will give in their final take on Net Neutrality.

To know more about Net Neutrality, click here.

April 14, 2015
Lollipop-Based Cyanogen 12 Starts Rolling Out to OnePlus One Devices

Cyanogen 12 is officially out and is currently rolling out to OnePlus One devices first. The update for the rest of the devices will soon follow in the coming weeks. Cyanogen 12 brings Android 5.0 with Material Design language in all its glory on the modified OS.

It also brings a new App Themer feature that allows users to change the styling of the interface, including third party apps. Once updated, users can avail a vast variety of themes, both paid and unpaid.

Along with this, debuting for the first time is the new Cyanogen email, powered by Boxer. This version will be available for free to all Cyanogen OS users. The new Cyanogen mail brings features like Exchange Support, Multiple Account integration and canned responses for quicker replies. Boxer also added customization LED lights for email notifications. More news on the update will follow soon.

It is highly probable that the Yu Yureka devices may receive the Cyanogen 12 update next. Yu announced last month it would soon be releasing the update and have already started working on the beta version.

Till then, OnePlus One users, keep hitting that refresh button.

April 14, 2015

Unboxing and Hands On | Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge Gold

Samsung recently brought out their gold-plated smartphone, Samsung Galaxy S6 Gold, starting at a price of Rs 58,900 for the 32GB variant. Here, we unbox the device – iGyaan style!

As you can see, the phone sports a 5.1 inch Super Amoled screen with a QuadHD resolution with a total of 577 ppi. Powered 2600 mAh battery, the handset is available only with fixed storage of either 32GB, 64GB or 128GB, which are all based on UFS 2.0 (Universal Flash Storage). With 16MP primary camera, it is capable of shooting 4K video as well.

Connectivity options included in the phone are LTE Cat 6, Bluetooth 4.1 and WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac and globally unlocked variants will work on TDD and FDD LTE bands. The most eye-catching feature of this handset is its gold plate. It is also notable that the phone features Corning Gorilla Glass 4 glass panels on both the front and back. The metallic frame that holds the two panels gets a gold treatment too.

The curvy S6 Edge is priced at Rs. 58,900 for the 32 GB variant, Rs, 64,900 for the 64 GB and Rs. 70,900 for the 128 GB variant.

You can know more about the specs and features of the phone in the table below:

Specifications	Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge Gold Edition
Operating System	Android OS, v5.0.2 (Lollipop)
Display	5.1 inches Super AMOLED QuadHD resolution
RAM	3 GB
Battery	2600 mAh
Processor	2.1 GHz Quad + 1.5 GHz Quad Exynos 64-bit
Internal Storage	32/64/128 GB
Expandable Up to	—
Primary Camera	16 MP
Front Camera	5 MP
Price	Rs 58,900 (32GB); Rs, 64,900 (64GB); Rs. 70,900 (128GB)

To know more about Samsung’s latest handsets, click here.

April 13, 2015

Apple Watch Hits One Million Pre-Orders on its First Day

According to reports from Slice Intelligence, Apple’s smartwatch kicked off to a solid start by receiving almost a million pre-orders in the US. Slice Intelligence is a firm that tracks and projects US consumer spendings through e-commerce mail receipts. Slice Intelligence projections showed Apple, on its first day of accepting orders, hit a million pre-orders based on 9,080 online shoppers.

Saw the estimates of 1M Apple Watch pre-orders in my inbox. Won’t be surprised by an official Apple statement tomorrow saying 2M.

— Kevin C. Tofel (@KevinCTofel) April 13, 2015

According to Slice reports, 71% of the Apple Watch pre-orders were for the larger 42mm case and 32% of the aluminum Sports Watch. The expensive 19-karat Gold model did not have enough pre-orders to be included in the list. The report also revealed that 28% of the pre-orders included a black Sports band, thus making it the most popular option for its customers. The steel Milanese Loop came in second with 25% after which came the Link Bracelet with 14%.

Apple has not given any verification to the data yet or the official sales figures of the Apple Watch. The smartwatch sales will begin on 24^th April in over nine countries: Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, UK and the US. The company is encouraging pre-orders, which seem to be quickly selling out. The availability of the watches have been pushed to May or June due to the massive demands.

To read more about the Apple Watch, click here.

April 13, 2015
Due to Massive Demand, Shipping of the Apple Watch May Get Delayed to June

It seems customers pre-ordering the Apple smartwatch will have to wait for a month more before the delivery process kicks off. The watch that went up for pre-order with the promise of in-store pickups or home delivery starting 24th of April, have slipped to June for some models due to the massive demand.

The watch officially goes up for sale on 24th April through online portals and appointments in shops. But as soon as the online pre-orders opened up on Friday, Apple’s website listed June as the shipping month for some models and four-six weeks for the rest.

There are a total of 38 models of the Apple Watch set up for pre-ordering via the company’s official online stores in nine countries, namely, Australia, China, France, Hong Kong, Canada, Japan, USA and United Kingdom. Even the most expensive variant of the Apple Watch is listed as shipping in June – with some Edition models shown as ‘Out of Stock’.

Apple officially confirmed Apple Watch’s arrival last year in September, when the iPhone 6 was announced. To know more about the wearable, click here.

April 11, 2015
National Roaming Charges Set to Drop From 1st May

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has issued a statement that mobile phone users will be paying 23% less for calls and up to 75% less for sending texts while on roaming. The reduced roaming charges will come to effect on May 1, 2015.

National roaming service lets subscribers to keep using their number while travelling outside the coverage of their home networks. Companies have offered roaming packs in the past which lets users reduce their roaming charges but a government mandated roaming charges will bring relief for all users.

As laid down by TRAI, For outgoing calls on roaming, the present charges of Rs 1 per minute has been slashed down to 80 paise per minute. As for STD calls, the rates has been slashed from Rs 1.50 to Rs 1.15 per minute.

Incoming calls on roaming will now be charged at 45 paise per minute instead of the earlier 75 paise. Local texts will now cost 25 paise while an STD text will be charged at 38 paise.

The rates for national roaming services were last revised in 2013. Telecom companies have been notified to introduce the new roaming tariff’s from May 1. The telecom companies have already been losing revenue to various messaging apps and hence have started attacking net neutrality in India. This order will further cut down their revenue stream. The companies might respond by raising data tariff’s or push for loose net neutrality laws in the country. Though the slash is a good news for the consumers, the developments in the Indian telecom space needs to be watched more vigilantly.

April 10, 2015
In 12 Hours, Xiaomi Sold Over 2 Million Smartphones Across Seven Asian Countries

On the occasion of completing five years on 8^th April, Xiaomi had decided to give the public something worthwhile. Hence, the Chinese firm staged a 12-hour ‘fan festival’ across seven Asian countries. This event saw a total sale of 2.12 million smartphones, more than 38,000 Mi TVs and over 770,000 smart appliances, amounting to a revenue of RMB 2.08 billion ($335 million).

In the words of Xiaomi, the company has truly established itself as an Internet company, with e-commerce proving to be the best way to reach its customers. In 2014 alone, Xiaomi sold over 61 million handsets worldwide and are aiming to complete a 100 million by the end of this year. This feat has landed them as the third largest mobile manufacturer in the world. The company has been on a tear lately, quadrupling its valuation while other established handset makers, including smartphone giant Samsung, have stumbled.

Xiaomi will soon be launching its Mi.com online store in US and Europe, although this store will only be selling accessories like the Mi band and the ridiculously cheap power banks.

Xiaomi has been grabbing headlines in the Indian market too with the release of the Red Mi, Mi Pad and many other products. You can read more about it here.

April 9, 2015

Author: Rishi Baruah

Specs

HTC One M9