Author: Rishi Baruah

YouTube Gets Ready To Bring 4K Videos Running at 60 FPS

A few months back, YouTube introduced the 60FPS video playback. Now YouTube has taken a step further by introducing 60FPS video on YouTube, at 4K. The video baron has started to experiment with videos that run smoothly and are ultra high-def.

First spotted by TechCrunch, a low-key secret playlist of only 6 videos has been put out by YouTube which can be played at 60FPS in 4K resolution. For the videos to work in full resolution, the devices playing them must be capable of displaying ultra HD resolution. In addition to sharper video, the movement appears far smoother in comparison to common frame rates of 24fps and 30fps.

At present, there are many 4K displays in the market but there isn’t enough content out there to do justice to these high definition displays. The internet connectivity is also an issue in a country like India which is known for its dismal speeds. But it would still be encouraging for people who has invested heavy sums of money in 4K televisionsto know that the most prominent streaming service now has content that makes full use of the high-def displays’ capabilities.

Here is the series of 4K videos that are available on YouTube.

March 28, 2015
Supreme Court of India Junks Section 66 A, Upholds Freedom of Speech

Starting the day on the right note, the Supreme Court today deemed Section 66A of the Information and Technological Act as unconstitutional. This Act granted police the power to arrest anyone for sending out offensives messages from computers, mobiles or any other communication portals. The law had a maximum penalty of 3 years for the offenders. The Court stated that freedom of expression was directly affected by the Section 66 A of the IT Act and hence the law needed to be quashed.

Commenting on its decision, Supreme court said that such law hampers with the freedom of expression which is one of the pillars of a democratic nation like India. The court ordered the section to be removed from the law books, as there have been several cases where Section 66A was misused by the authorities.

The first PIL was filed after two girls in Maharashtra were arrested for a post on Facebook relating to a famous political figure. Several other cases soon came to light which led to mass protest against the draconian law. Below are some of the examples were the section was misused by the authorities to suppress descenting voices:

1. Jadavpur University professor Ambikesh Mahapatra was arrested for forwarding comic strips on Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee on Facebook in 2012.

2. A tourism officer in Varanasi was arrested for uploading “objectionable” pictures of Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and senior SP leader Azam Khan on Facebook.

3. Activist Aseem Trivedi was arrested in 2012 for drawing cartoons of Parliament and the Constitution to portray their ineffectiveness. He was arrested on charges of sedition, leading to an array of huge protests.

4. Recently, a class 11 student was arrested for making a Facebook post about UP minister Azam Khan.

Petitioners, including several NGOs and civil right groups, argued that the law interferes with the fundamental right of a citizen, Freedom of Speech. The activists as well as the common public applauded the decision of the court.

The Government though had asked the court to uphold the law. They were against the removing the Act and warned that the removal of the same could incite the people into uploading grossly offensive material which could trigger lawlessness, public anger or violence. The Government stated that the Act cannot be declared unconstitutional, merely because of the possibility of ‘abuse’.

Lastly, the court said that terms like ‘illegal’, ‘grossly offensive’, ‘menacing characters’ are vague and empty expressions which are more likely to be misunderstood and abused. It also added that ‘what may be offensive to some, may not be offensive to others.’

After weeks of protesting against the tyranny of the Indian Government banning Beef, the AIB Roast and the documentary India’s Daughter; this news provides much-needed relief. It reassures and reminds us that we have a strong judicial system which protects us from our ruling government; if and when the need arises.

March 24, 2015
Karbonn Enters the Mobile Accessory Game, Introduces Power Banks and Screen Guards

Karbonn, one of the major Indian smartphone makers, is looking to diversify its offerings. Other than its range of smartphones, the company will soon be selling a variety of power banks and screen guards.

The power banks which will be available in three power variants, 5,000 mAh, 7,000 mAh and 10,000 mAh. The 7,000 mAh and 10,000 mAh devices are equipped with dual charging ports, so that you can charge two devices at once. The 10,000 mAh power bank is fitted with a LED torch which can also be doubled up as a TF card reader and has an LCD, which indicates the amount of charge left and power capacity.

Karbonn is also offering screen guards under the brand name ‘Ultra Clear’. The company claims that the screen guards offer high touch sensitivity and include anti-fingerprinting coating.

The power banks will be available March 25th, Wednesday, onwards on Snapdeal. The 5,000 mAh power bank is priced at Rs. 999. As of now, there is no word on the price of the remaining power banks or the screen guards. As for the screen guard, it will be available in retail stores as well as e-commerce portals.

March 23, 2015
Revamped Apple TV To Get An App Store And Siri

Apple is bringing back its focus on Apple TV which has been awaiting an update for a while. Apple is expected to introduce new revamped Apple TV at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC). It will have an App Store and a will provide a Software Development Kit (SDK) to help developers populate it.

The reports are still speculatory and Apple hasn’t given any official confirmation yet but several experts are confident of the development. The device is expected to be powered by an A8 SoC along with enhanced storage facilities.

The updated Apple TV will feature SIRI and an App Store.

To make it easier to operate the new Apple TV comes with Siri’s voice assistance. Competing systems like Amazon Fire TV already introduced voice assistance on their devices, so it was about time Apple caught on.

Apple has already said that the Apple TV plays a major role in its HomeKit ecosystem. HomeKit is a framework in iOS 8 for communicating with and controlling connected accessories in a user’s home. It gives users the ability to control their garage doors, light bulb adapters, door locks, and other house hold items. Users would require Siri enabled Apple TV to control these devices. So you can expect Apple to bring more proactive upgrades for the Apple TV from now on considering how crucial it is for its future home automation business.

March 21, 2015
Facebook Probably Planning a New Caller-ID and Call Blocking App Called “Phone”

Facebook might have accidentally popped a small glance at the next major app coming from its stable. A message popped up on the Android app of some Facebook users which gave an indication that the social media giant is working on a new app called “Phone.”

The feature popped out with a FB-only tag and showed a dialer icon. However, on tapping the icon, it led to a ‘no page found’ error. It is said that the feature is still in works and the link might have accidentally showed up in the users feed. A report from Android Police stated that the Phone button seems like a replacement for a dialer and will automatically block spam calls and show detailed information about the incoming calls.

Whatsapp, which was acquired by Facebook last year, has also rolled out their version of the calling feature that allows you to make voice calls to one another using data connection or WiFi data. As of now, the only problem Whatsapp may be facing regarding the calling feature is the lag-time in between a call.

Facebook has already rolled out voice calling feature on Messenger. Android and iOS users in can call anyone through this app, consuming only cellular or WiFi data. The feature came to India last year. Now we hope Facebook doesn’t force us to download a whole new app to clutter our devices again. Instead they can include the feature in their existing app like Whatsapp did with their latest update.

March 21, 2015
OnePlus Goes Beyond Smartphones, Teases New Gaming Hardware

Recently, at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2015 in Barcelona, Co-Founder of OnePlus, Carl Pei, hinted that it might be working on a new product category. Pei suggested that the new product may not fall under the category of a smartwatch or a tablet. Now, OnePlus has released a series of three images, which have been posted on the company’s website. Each of the images clearly indicate that the Chinese company is interested in playing games.

The posters come with the captions: ‘Start A New Game’, ‘For The Fun Of It’ and ‘You’re in Control.’

The first image shows a red circle with a tagline “Start a new game”, the second image shows a line depicting the logo of the company and reads, “For the fun of it”, whereas the last image portrays a pair of hands holding something which could be larger than a gaming controller and says, “You are in control.”

[quote text_size=”small” author=”Official OnePlus Forum Post”]

It’s been a little over a year since OnePlus was founded, and while we launched with our flagship killer smartphone, we have, and always will be, a technology company. Innovation and revolutionary ideas that shake up the industry are what OnePlus has built itself upon.

[/quote]

OnePlus shot to fame in 2014 when it released its flagship Android phone, the OnePlus One. This phone delivered all the specifications of top end flagships, only much cheaper. By the look of the three images, the best guess a person may make is of a gaming console.

Xiaomi has already stepped into the uncharted water of gaming with the release of the Mi Game Controller, a bluetooth-enabled game controller back in January. It seems like it is now time for OnePlus to follow the same path.

March 20, 2015
Samsung Bets On 128 GB Storage To Boost Sales of Affordable Devices

Samsung has been losing the interest of budget device buyers as its competition has been offering better specs and features to the customers. So how does Samsung take on this challenge? The Korean electronics giant decided to offer 128GB storage options to in its affordable smartphone line-up.

Samsung has already introduced 128 GB internal UFS storage on its latest flagship, the Galaxy S6. Now the company is planning to offer the huge internal storage in its phones and tablets that are lower in the price listings.

The new 128 GB 3-bit NAND-based eMMC 5.0 storage would adorn the future line of affordable devices from Samsung. It will also help in recording high-definition videos and multi-tasking in those smart-gadgets. This massive storage option will be a boon to multimedia hoarders who always have to depend on SD cards and Cloud storages for their content.

It is not sure as of yet as to when this technology would come to Samsung’s lower end devices. While Samsung figures out when it can bring the storage, it should also work towards bringing attractive devices that sell on their own merits, like many other devices in the affordable segment. That would help Samsung more in the long run instead of flaunting individual features.

March 20, 2015
OnePlus One Price Hiked In Europe, Update For India To Follow Soon

On Wednesday, OnePlus announced a hike in the price for the One in the European market. The company cited the decline in value of the Euro as the reason for increase in the price of the handset. OnePlus also mentioned in its press statement there would soon be an announcement about the pricing strategy of the One in the Indian market.

At present, the pricing of the 16GB OnePlus One in Europe will be €299 (Rs 20,000), which currently is at €269 (Rs 18,000). The 64GB variant will be up for €349 (Rs 23,500) from the present €299 (Rs 21,999). The change in price will come in effect from 25th March onwards. Until that date, the handsets will be available at their current prices. The company stated that the instability of Euro is the biggest reason for the price hike. The company has been selling the products at a loss in Europe following the fall in the price of the Euro. In the light of the rate changes, OnePlus has hiked up the price in markets that use Euro as currency.

[quote text_size=”small” author=”OnePlus Blog”]

As you may know, the Euro is quite unstable at the moment. Last year, many other companies insured themselves against this volatility by launching devices with higher prices in Europe than in other markets. This is something that we opted not to do, as we are committed to maintaining razor-thin margins in order to give the most value back to our fans. Unfortunately, as the value of the Euro continued to drop, our razor-thin margins began to turn into 0 margins. Due to the current value of the Euro, we are now selling devices at a loss in the EU. In the light of these exchange rate shifts and trends, we will be making some changes to our pricing structure for the One in markets that use the Euro as currency

[/quote]

The OnePlus accessories won’t be affected by the hike and will be priced as before. The details on future pricing of the OnePlus handsets in India has not yet been released but the company asked to expect an announcement soon. To bring back to mind, the 16GB Silk White OnePlus One is presently selling in India at Rs. 18,999 while the 64GB variant is priced at Rs. 21,999.

March 19, 2015
TAG Heuer Collaborates with Google, Plots its Way Through the World of Smartwatches

Tag Heuer, the world renowned high-end watch making company, will soon be announcing that it is working on building its own smartwatch. Chief Executive Office, Jean-Claude Biver told Bloomsberg in an interview that the company will be officially making a statement tomorrow about its partnership with Google and Intel. As Switzerland lacks the necessary resources in technology, the partnership with Silicon Valley giants will only benefit the company.

Intel has been signed to supply the processor, while there is no official word on how Google will be of help. It’s an easy assumption to make that the company would be incharge of providing a seamless OS experience, with Android Wear. Tag Heuer has taken us the mammoth responsibility of designing the watch-case and crown. Biver is also suggesting a Tag Heuer smart watch may come with dials, such as an analog watch.

[quote text_size=”small” author=”Stéphane Linder” author_title=”CEO, TAG Heuer”]

I don’t see us taking a big risk unless we find a way to make luxury watches looking like real luxury watches that provide very easy-to-use, smart information that isn’t complicated—and don’t just replicate the mobile phone.

[/quote]

Tag Heuer stated that the craftsmanship of making this particular model will be very different than its traditional watches. Hence, the Research and the Development Business department has been split up into two.

In this age of Smartwatches, traditional Swiss Watch industries might be heading towards extinction. Swatch co-inventor Elmar Mock has said that the Apple Watch might put a lot of pressure on traditional watchmakers in Switzerland, and he anticipates an ice age for the industry.

We could be looking at a luxury Android Wear smart watch. Its availability and price have not been revealed. We will have to wait till tomorrow to find out the answers of these questions.

March 19, 2015
LG Brings the World’s First 105-inch 5K Television to India at Rs. 59,99,900

Today, LG announced the nation-wide release of the world’s first 105-inch 5K television in India. This television beast was first showcased back at CES last year and comes at a price of Rs. 59,99,900. The device was showcased as a part of the company’s annual tech show in New Delhi.

The MD of LG Electronics India Soon Kwon stated India as one of the important market places and said –

India is a strategic market for LG. So we have been thinking in terms of a product mix based on global products as well as locally designed products. This is important to stay ahead.

Being 5K, the picture quality of the mammoth television is quite high. The gigantic screen offers a more realistic viewing experience. With a CinemaScope aspect ratio of 21:9, users can frame their movies with authentic cinema formatting and can remove the black bars from top and bottom.

Meticulous approach has been adopted to the audio quality of the 5K television. The 7.2 channel surround sound solution rated at 150W is equipped with the massive piece, designed by audio specialists Harman Kardon. The smart TV runs on Web OS and comes along with the Magic Remote. The curved display uses an IPS panel and incorporated LG’s True 4K Engine Pro. This allows the Smart TV to eliminate ‘visual error’ and even upscale low-res videos to almost HD level.

Apart from the 5K television, LG has announced the release of LG G Flex 2 in India.

March 18, 2015
Here’s Why the OnePlus Power Bank Hasn’t Arrived in India

OnePlus Powerbank, one of the most powerful devices by the company, was introduced in December last year. With a price tag of $14.99 (approx Rs. 950), the device delivers a massive power with 10,000 mAh. Enough to charge a OnePlus handset three times in a row.

Unfortunately the release date of 17th March (i.e. yesterday) was meant for US customers only. For potential buyers in Europe and India, the wait has been extended indefinitely.

OnePlus’ Compact and Powerful Power Bank

According to the company, the logistics are being ironed out for smooth processing. Due to the fact the OnePlus power banks are pure batteries (and not connected to any other product); they require special shipping requirements. Due to the safety concerns posed by the power banks in large numbers, the IATA (International Air Transport Association) have tightened the rules and regulations concerning the same and airlines enforcing these regulations more strictly.

Also keeping in mind the fact that administering battery certification is time-consuming. Different countries have different requirements and regulations. OnePlus’ hope of finalizing the certifications did not go as quickly as they had previously assumed.

From the above facts, the OnePlus Power bank may not be seen in the Indian market soon, but its clear that the company is working to get them here as soon as possible. Although we have a feeling, the fuel banks may be worth the wait.

March 18, 2015
Latest Google Chromecast Update Adds a Super Useful New Feature

The Google Chromecast has given a new meaning to entertainment by allowing us to stream content onto our television sets with minimum difficulty. The only minute problem with this had been, that you could only control the content using your smartphone or laptop, by opening the app you are running on Chromecast and put in the commands like play/pause. But now, for the first time, Google’s Chromecast allows you to pause and play videos using your television’s infrared signals, thanks to the device’s 27946 firmware update. So basically, you can now control Google Chromecast using your TV’s remote.

The device works on HDMI-CEC, the same modus operandi which allows the Chromecast to turn on the Smart TV. This feature was tested with selected applications like WatchESPN, HBO Go, YouTube, Google Play Music.

For this to work, you can check whether your television has HDMI-CEC enabled from the manual, and a remote with a dedicated play/pause button. The HDMI-CEC enabled device, the Chromecast or the TV, can then be controlled using the one remote without any further setting up.

Chromecast already supported HDMI-CEC from day one, but the feature was limited only to switching on/off the television set or switch inputs to cast media. Also the fact that there was no surety whether it would work on all the television sets since not all sets are HDMI-CEC enabled.

March 17, 2015
Apple Watch Rumoured to be Coming to India in June

If rumours are to be believed, you might get a closer look at the Apple Watch sooner than you expected. During the massive ‘Spring Forward’ event, Apple had announced the arrival date of the Apple Watch, however only for a few lucky countries.

10th April onwards, in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, the UK and the US, Apple Watch will be available for preview, try-on by appointment at Apple’s retail stores, and available for pre-order through the Apple Online Store. Although, in the usual Apple style, the actual ‘on sale ‘date lands later on 24th April.

Unfortunately, India did not feature in the list of the first countries. But according to gizmodo.com, the potential sale of the Apple Watch in India might be a result of the country emerging as an important market for many brands.

The base model of the Apple Watch is estimated to start at a price of Rs. 35,000 (approx). The Apple Watch incorporates fitness tracking and health oriented capabilities along with the ability to integrate with iOS and other Apple Products.

The device will be coming in three variations – Apple Watch, Apple Watch Sport and the Apple Watch Edition. And will be compatible to use with the iPhone 5, 5S, 5C, 6 and 6 Plus.

To know more about this device, click here.

March 17, 2015
AAP Takes The First Step Towards Providing Free Wi-Fi In Delhi
Following the news of free Wi-Fi in Kolkata, one of the major poll promises of providing free Wi-Fi to Delhi is now under way by the AAP government. Ideas and suggestions are being crowd-sourced by the public for the same. The Government has set up ten questions by which ideas are being considered for wider consultation. Tips are also being adopted from different countries worldwide which already has established free public WiFi zones. The primary aim of this is to use much of the existing infrastructure to mount routers and other equipments, like electricity poles, etc.

According to AAP, universal access to the Internet is a transformative idea that can empower the citizens of the state. Delhi Dialogue Commission (DDC), an advisory body of AAP government chaired by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, said that it will transform Delhi and become a role model for the rest of India to look up to.

[quote text_size=”small”]

It can be argued that the next greatest enabler of opportunities for the poorest of the poor would come from access to the information highway and Internet, and this will democratise opportunities and empower the ordinary man.

[/quote]

The ten questions asked by DDC are:
1. What should be the ideal level of access of public wi-fi and whether it can be made available right up to citizens’ doorsteps?
2. What are the feasibility and technological challenges and whether the wi-fi should be made available at well-defined public spaces in every neighbourhood?
3. what is the infrastructure and technology required to create the public wi-fi network?
4. What should be the essential services that a government should aim at providing through public wi-fi?
5. What is the capex and opex required to create and operate public wi-fi?
6. What could be a model that makes public wi-fi viable, sustainable and scalable in terms of usage, technology and finance?
7. Can public wi-fi network be made financially self- sustainable if viewed from the welfare service perspective alone?
8. Should there be multiple operators or an exclusive operator in a well-defined zone of the city?
9. What could be the operating architecture that brings all the stakeholders together?
10. What are the advantages and disadvantages of a private enterprise model vis-a-vis a PSU model?
The Delhi Dialogue Commission (DDC) is inviting opinions, ideas, suggestions within 200 words on the above ten questions at [email protected] or the Whatsapp helpline, +919643327265. DDC is also considering case studies of public Wi-Fi from other parts of the world.
March 16, 2015
Google to Help Brands Create Effective Promotional Campaigns On YouTube

Google is the most prominent advertising platform of the internet. With its broad range of offerings, Google provides multiple advertising venues for companies. Google will be debuting its ‘Behind the Scene’ series to showcase the power of branded video content on its YouTube platform. The series will be launched today, with Clean&Clear’s ‘See the Real Me’ campaign, which debuted last year on YouTube. The central idea of ‘Behind the Scene’ series is to showcase the brands and agencies on how to create more gripping video content.

[quote text_size=”small” author=”David Mogensen” author_title=”Head of YouTube Ads Marketing”]

Increasingly we’re hearing from brands that they want to become better content creators on YouTube, but they’re not exactly sure how to do it. We thought instead of telling them how to be better content creators we can show them by highlighting a brand that’s going on the same journey.

[/quote]

This move is targeted at attracting more marketing personal who are focusing on creating branded online content to reach the masses. YouTube is keenly interested to be a beneficiary of the branded content push. The ‘Behind the Scene’ series will be the first of its kind for YouTube. Mogensen said that more of such series could help in educating brands on creating exciting content that strikes a chord with the audience.

Clean&Clear is a Johnson & Johnson skincare owned brand. It launched its ‘See the Real Me’ series on YouTube last year to showcase how real girls, social media influencers and celebrities tackle personal challenges. Clean&Clear produced more than 120 videos and was viewed by almost 30 million viewers.

The ‘Behind the Series’ will include videos on ‘how to create content strategy’, ‘how to spark a conversation with the audience using content’ and ‘how to operationalize content creation’. It will also feature interviews with the executives of Johnson & Johnson and the story of the conceptualization, production and launching of the campaign. This series will also help marketing and advertising students to understand the nitty-gritties of online marketing using the power of YouTube and other social media services.

March 16, 2015