Author: Rishi Baruah

Check Out the World’s First Pain Relieving Wearable

Not every wearable is about sleep tracking or counting steps. Among the many wearables showed at CES 2015, a useful one was called Quell. It is a drug-free service that helps in relieving chronic pain. The technology used for this device has been developed by Neurometrix, a company from Harvard Medical School which specialises in Neurotechnology.

This device consists of a strap that is worn around the affected part of the body, with its electrode touching the skin. When activated, it stimulates the nerves, in turn sending a message to the brain to release endogenous opioids- the body’s natural defence against pain. This brings relief within 15 minutes.

The main advantage of this device is that it is portable and can be carried along almost anywhere. The correct stimulation has to be attuned the first time, and Quell then automatically selects the same each time. iOS already has a supporting app and Android one is on its way.

The only shortcoming would be the user will have to keep on buying the electrodes periodically. Normally, this would cost $250 (approx Rs. 15,773), but pre-ordering would cost $199 (Rs. 12,555). Details about its mass availability is still uncertain, though the device is currently up for pre-order on Indiegogo. The device has already reached $250,000 in pledges.

March 14, 2015
Is OnePlus 2 Arriving Next Month?

Rumours of the OnePlus One successor have been in the news for quite some time. One retailer even had such a phone listed on a website, even though the design and the look of the phone were not unveiled. The same Chinese retailer, Geek Buying, has recently claimed the handset could be launched on 17th of April this year. Though, much like before, there are no such confirmations from the company as of yet.

As specified by geekbuying.com, the phone will sport a 5.5-inch 1080p display with Snapdragon 805 soC, much like the previous model. There is also a mention of a 16MP primary camera and a 5MP front camera, and is based on Android 4.4 with a 3GB RAM support.

In January this year, Carl Pei announced that it may take OnePlus close to six months to launch the OnePlus Two.

[quote text_size=”small” author=”Carl Pei” author_title=”Co-founder of OnePlus”]

The OnePlus One has been selling pretty well across the world. In addition to the launch countries, it was launched in India late last year, and despite of initial hiccups involving Cyanogen and Micromax, OnePlus One has managed to do pretty well. Just a couple of days back, it was launched in 16 more countries in Europe.

[/quote]

Since OnePlus One was launched in April last year, this story may have some truth in it. However, we’d rather wait for an official confirmation from the company before jumping to conclusions. Another reason we would doubt the leak are the images accompanying the story show the Cyanogen logo at the back of the device. The company has made it clear that they are now developing their own OS aka OxygenOS. Although we have to admit, it would be exciting to see what OnePlus might have in store for us with the Two.

Till we see the next iteration, go ahead and watch our review of the OnePlus One.

March 14, 2015
BSNL Shifts To Next Generation Networks Technology For Fixed Line Services

Ravi Shankar Prasad, Union Minister for Communication and Information Technology, has inaugurated the Next Generation Networks (NGN technology) for the fixed line services of BSNL today at the Bharat Sanchar Bhawan, New Delhi.

According to their statement,

At present, BSNL plans to convert 14 million telephone lines with NGN technology. This is expected to cover more than 80 percent urban customers and approximately 90 percent rural customers. However, it is anticipated that the entire fixed line customers will have NGN facility by December, 2017. Initially, BSNL plans to invest approximately Rs.1,000 crores in upgrading the TDM technology with NGN technology.

The prominent feature of the NGN is that one network can transport all kinds of information or services by condensing these into packets, much like the Internet. Commending BSNL on the introduction of the new technology, Ravi Shankar Prasad said that this technology would help India in accomplishing the aims of the Digital India program of the Prime Minister. The voice calling feature on this new technology will be available at the same rate as the present BSNL fixed line service . Although, video calls may be charged a bit higher.

Currently, BSNL has more than 36000 telephone exchanges. Out of these, 28000 are in rural areas. These exchanges are working on the Time-Division Multiplexing (TDM) technology that provides only voice calls. NGN will help to provide both, the fixed line telephony and broadband from the same telephone exchange. The government has planned to invest approximately Rs 1,000 crore is to upgrade the TDM technology.

March 14, 2015

Karbonn Announces the Titanium Mach Two, Priced at Rs. 10,490

Aiming to expand the Titanium series, Karbonn has launched its latest handset, the Titanium Mach Two. The phone weighs a mere 112 gms and is sleek at 6.3 mm.

The device is encased with Corning Gorilla Glass 3, which makes it resistant to scratches. The device holds a 5-inch HD IPS display and is powered by a 1.4GHz octa-core processor with 1GB of RAM. It consists of 8 GB of internal storage, which is expandable up to 32 GB via microSD card. An 8MP camera with BSI sensor is equipped at its front and back.

Running on Android OS 4.4 KitKat, the Mach Two offers some interesting features like the Smart Eye function, Swipe and Shake for music player, Face Beauty Mode, and few more.

The device is currently available only in deep blue colour and can be purchased at a price of Rs. 10,490. It comes with a free protective silicon case.

With so many reliable, affordable smartphones in the market, Karbonn’s present offering doesn’t seem to stand out. We have a strong feeling it will get lost in the crowd. Xiaomi recently came out with its new Redmi 2, and Motorola too has released its next-gen Moto E. Both these devices hold a similar set of specs and are priced significantly lesser. Other gadgets that can be pitted against the Mach Two are Lava X5 and Yu Yureka.

Check out the specifications of the Titanium Mach Two below:

Specs	Titanium Mach Two
Display	5-inch HD IPS display
Processor	1.4GHz Octa-Core processor
RAM	1GB
Inbuilt Memory	8GB
Expandable Up to	32GB
Rear Camera	8MP
Front Camera	8MP
Operating Stystem	Android 4.4 KitKat
Price	Rs 10,490

March 13, 2015

Report : LG is Working on a G4 Phablet, Expected to Arrive Later This Year

Samsung may soon have a competitor in the already competitive market of phablets. LG is expected to launch its first flagship phablet in the coming few months. According to sources, LG plans to roll out the smartphone, named as the ‘G4 Note’, undoubtedly made to measure up against the likes of the Samsung Note line and the iPhone 6 Plus. LG has also filed for the trademark at the Korean patent office in February. The development sounds exciting, though we certainly hope that instead of blatantly copying their competitor, they come up with a more creative name.

Nothing has been disclosed about the device apart from its name. In a recent interview, Juno Cho, CEO of LG Mobile, stated that they want LG to push ahead to become the third largest smartphone manufacturer in the world.

In its history of smartphones, LG had launched the Optimus Vu back in 2011. It featured a 5-inch screen with a 4:3 aspect ratio and an inadequate stylus integration. This device did not manage to make a mark in the smartphone market, and neither did its next two iterations.

According to the Korea Herald, LG has major plans to fuel up its smartphone line-up, with the G4 Note phablet and an unknown device that is stated to be more powerful than the G-series. Cho also mentioned that several high-end devices are planned to be released in 2015, and the customers will have more than just the G4 to look forward to.

March 13, 2015
NVIDIA GTX 960M and 950M Processors Bring High-Powered Desktop Gaming To Notebooks

Some time ago, NVIDIA had launched the GeForce GTX 980M and 970M processors for notebooks. Now, to turn up the heat on the competition a bit more, the chip maker has added GeForce GTX 960M and 950M to the GTX 900M lineup. Nvidia is mainly aiming for notebooks from ASUS, Lenovo, Alienware, Acer and HP. Both the processors features Maxwell architecture, including 640 CUDA cores and are built on 28nm process.

These new processors are very powerful and hence can be used for purposes other than gaming, for example video editing and creating 3D graphics. Acer has announced that a new batch of its existing line of Aspire V Nitro Black Edition laptops will offer the GeForce GTX 960M as an option.

Aspire V Nitro Black Edition laptop

One of the features of the processor is the BatteryBoost which lets users enjoy longer playtime than previous gaming notebooks. It provides more battery backup, even if the user is playing off-cord. Users can choose between the best graphics performance or the best battery life, according to the application they are using. Other features include ShadowPlay activation. Users can record full-resolution videos for sharing on YouTube or stream live to Twitch.

As of now, only the Acer V Nitro will be offering the GTX 960M service. Alienware, ASUS, HP and Lenovo would be releasing the upgraded version soon.

UPDATE

For a limited period, customers who purchase the GeForce GTX 980, GTX 970, and GTX 960 graphics cards, or a notebook with a GTX 970M or above, will get a code for a digital copy of the game. Labelled the ‘Undeniably Epic’ bundle, it will be authorized for purchases from Flipkart, Snapdeal and computer stores that are a part of Nvidia’s retail network.

March 13, 2015
Silk May Be The Key to Longer Lasting Li-Ion Batteries

In today’s world, where almost everyone is dependant on battery-burning devices, research in the field of extending battery life has been on its peak.

A new study has suggested that Silk can be used to make rechargeable Li-Ion batteries last longer. Li-Ion batteries have found a major place in today’s era of technology. The reasons for its acceptance stands in its above average battery life and small size. However, demand for these batteries to last longer on a single charge is increasing steadily, and the same is being researched upon. One such research has led to the creation of a new green material that is derived from silk and can be used to create Li-Ion batteries that last longer.

Scientist, Chuanbao Cao, and his colleagues from Beijing found out a way to process natural silk to create carbon-based nanosheets that could potentially used to store energy in devices. This material can store five times more lithium than graphite, which is critical in improving battery performance. This worked perfectly, completing 10,000 cycles with only a 9% loss in stability.

As of now, the team has been able to install silk-based materials effectively only in prototype batteries and super-capacitors. It could be the first step in yielding longer lasting batteries in thousands.

March 13, 2015

VAIO Unveils its First Smartphone With a 13MP Rear Camera

No longer a part of Sony, VAIO Corporation is aiming at the smartphone market. The Japanese manufacturer of personal computer is geared to launch its series of smartphone and has unveiled its first handset called the VAIO Phone. The new device is Android-based and falls in the mid-range smartphone category.

The device sports a 5-inch IPS display of 720p resolution. It is equipped with a 1.2 GHz quad-core (unknown) processor bundled with 2GB RAM for multi-tasking. The onboard storage space is adequate at 16GB, which can be expanded up to 64 GB via microSD slot. The device gets pepped up through the 2500 mAh battery at the back of the phone.

The camera specifications of VAIO Phone are pretty impressive. A 13MP rear camera along with 5MP front snapper sits on the phone. The device runs on Android 5.0 Lollipop.

SPECS	VAIO Phone
Display	5-inch IPS display, 720p resolution
Processor	1.2 GHz Quad-core processor
RAM	2 GB
Storage	16 GB
Expandable Upto	64 GB
Main Camera	13 MP
Front Camera	5 MP
Battery	2500 mAh
Operating System	Android 5.0 Lollipop

The VAIO Phone was announced through Japanese MVNO B-mobile today. It will land in Japan on Friday i.e. on March 13 for $420. The company hasn’t stated if the phone will launch in other countries or not.

March 12, 2015

Google Helps You Visit The Mount Everest Region Without Moving a Muscle

Users can now glide along the trees, mountains and even visit remote villages, thanks to Google’s Street View. Teaming up with Apa Sherpa, who holds the record for reaching the peak of Mount Everest 21 times, and Nepalese non-profit organization, Story Cycle, Google has managed to scale and photograph the Khumbu region of Nepal for ten days. This created the new Street View images and has helped in improving the maps of the area the Sherpa people have called home for centuries.

Gorak Shep is the closest one can get in this virtual trek. Also, indoor imagery of the Everest Summiteer Lodge, which was built by Apa Sherpa in 1996, can be accessed to. Apart from these, other interesting sights includes lodges, schools, monasteries, clinics, etc.

“My hope is that when people see this imagery online, they’ll have a deeper understanding of the region and the Sherpa people that live there,” Apa Sherpa said in a blog post. “The region has much more to offer than just the mountains.”

The Mount Everest is not the only wonder to come to Google Street View. Users can take a virtual trip to the South American Amazon rainforests, visit the pyramids in Egypt, France’s Bordeaux region, etc.

March 12, 2015
Google Nexus 5 is No Longer Available for Purchase

Google’s 2013 flagship smartphone, the Nexus 5, which debuted alongside the second generation Chromebook Pixel, will no longer be available for purchase. As promised by the search giant, the flagship remained up for sale during the first quarter of 2015, but now, its MIA in Google’s Play Store and the newly formed non-Play store.

The phone’s page reads ‘The Nexus 5 is no longer available for sale.’ It implies that users who are interested in a pure Google smartphone will have to opt for the expensive Motorola Nexus 6.

Specs of this smartphone included 5-inch display in Full HD (1920 x 1080), the modern Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM and either 16GB or 32GB of non-expandable internal memory. With this processor and 2GB of RAM running pure vanilla Android, the device was smooth as butter.

The Nexus 5 is not the only product that Google has stopped. The very first Chromebook Pixel, a high-end laptop that is powered by Chrome OS, is unavailable for purchase too. It seems like Google is on a clean-up spree, which could have something to do with the introduction of the new Chromebook Pixel with two USB Type-C connector.

Nexus 6 is Google’s flagship phone and can be purchased from the Play Store.

March 12, 2015
After Conquering Music, Shazam to Start Recognising Physical Objects

Shazam, the music app that allows you identify music, is extending its scope by including visual identification. Shazam set up in 1999 and gained its wildly popular reputation because of its ability to identify any string of music at a click of a button. Now, the app can sell songs the user has identified, thanks to fortified deals with all major music streaming services like Spotify and Deezer. It is also one of the top 25 most downloaded app for years.

At the Mobile World Congress 2015, Chief Executive of Shazam, Rich Riley told Reuters,

Shazam is already a verb. We want to expand the universe of what you can Shazam. The famous blue button that our users love will remain on the home screen but will be able to do much more.

This new feature looks like an advanced version of Google Goggles. This update will soon let users identify or learn more about anything they point out at. For example, you could point your phone at a cereal box to get in-depth nutritional information, or at a DVD case to buy the soundtrack from your device.

Shazam has raised $30 million for recruiting new members to its team and sign partnerships with publishers and content companies. Riley also said that the funds would give Shazam some flexibility to choose whether the next money-raising exercise are on the public markets or the private markets.

March 7, 2015
Narendra Modi is Among the 30 Most Influential People on the Internet

According to a recent report published by Time Magazine, Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, is among the 30 most influential people on the Internet. Can’t say we’re surprised. This list also includes US president, Barack Obama.

The list analyses social media followings, site traffic and the overall ability to drive news. According to the data, Narendra Modi has nearly around 38 million followers on Facebook and Twitter. It is more than any other political world leader, with the exception of President Obama.

Modi is an enthusiastic user of social media and uses this method to communicate with the people. According to Time magazine, “Unlike many of his contemporaries, Modi recognises that social media can be invaluable when trying to reach India’s 200 million-plus online population directly,”

The number one world leader on this list is US President, Barack Obama, who is the most liked leader on Facebook and the most number of followers on Twitter. According to the report, the reason is that Obama doesn’t mind making a meme out of himself for pushing an agenda. A video showed Obama using a selfie stick and many other props to drive people to sign up for heath insurance under the Affordable Care Act. This video was viewed by more than 50 million people within days.

Among the others included in the list are reality star Kim Kardashian, singer Justin Beiber, actress Gwyneth Paltrow, Actress Yao Chen, singer Shakira, founder of the blog ‘Humans of New York’ Brandon Stanton and TV personality, Jimmy Fallon.

March 7, 2015
‘FREAK attack’ Security Flaw Makes iOS and Android Devices Vulnerable to Hackers

Thanks to a newly discovered security flaw, millions of users surfing through mobile browsers of two top companies are now vulnerable to hackers. Codenamed as FREAK (Factoring RSA Export Keys) attack, the flaw allows hackers to intercept the electronic communication of Apple’s Safari and Andriod browsers from Google.

As of now, researchers haven’t found any evidence of the flaw being exploited by any hacker, but the companies don’t wish to take a chance. The internet search giant, as well as Apple, are working in a direction to fix it.

According to the researchers, the problem has its roots in a decade-old U.S. government policy that prevents consumers from having access to secure encryption.

[quote text_size=”small” author=”Edward Felten” author_title=”Professor of Computer Science and Public Affairs at Princeton”]

This was a policy decision made 20 years ago and it’s now coming back to bite us.

[/quote]

The flaw is caused by poor implementation of the encrypted link between browsers and the websites visited by users. Researchers also found out that they could attack from websites that are considered secure, and make them use weaker encryption for easy hacking. These websites can range from official US government sites like Whitehouse.gov, NSA.gov and FBI.gov to banks.

Meanwhile, Apple has clarified that it will provide a software update to address the vulnerability by next week, while the former on will share the same through device makers and wireless carriers.

March 4, 2015
Tinder Launches The Paid Version Today In US

Dating app, Tinder has launched a new premium service called the Tinder Plus today in the United States. This is a paid service which will cost anywhere from $9.99 to $19.99, depending on the age of the user. Users older than 30 will have to pay the higher end price tag of $19.99 to use this dating app.

According to TechCrunch, pricing ranges is not only based on age, but the location too. Approximately, Tinder users are spread across 140 countries. Users above the age of 28 in emerging countries have to pay as little as $2.99 per month while the same category in developed nations will have to pay $23 per month.

We’ve priced Tinder Plus based on a combination of factors, including what we’ve learned through our testing, and we’ve found that these price points were adopted very well by certain age demographics. Lots of products offer differentiated price tiers by age, like Spotify does for students, for example. Tinder is no different; during our testing we’ve learned, not surprisingly, that younger users are just as excited about Tinder Plus, but are more budget constrained, and need a lower price to pull the trigger.

New features of Tinder Plus includes a Rewind button, which allows the user to recover a match they might have accidentally swiped left. There is also a Passport feature that allows the user to find matches from anywhere in the world. Tinder Plus is also ad-free. Ads will be introduced on the unpaid version of the app later this month.

March 3, 2015
With BlackPhone 2, Silent Circle Vows to Eliminate BlackBerry from the Mobile World

According to Silent Circle, it is not hard to dominate a company that has an estimated 0.4% of the market share. Silent Circle Security was extremely positive at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2015 about the new Blackphone 2 and stated it would end the Blackberry era once and for all.

We’re replacing BlackBerry, we don’t care that BlackBerry’s CEO is throwing nasty things about us onto Twitter. We’re going to dominate them.

Silent Circle made similar claims when they released the first version of the BlackPhone last year. The security hype did not live quite much up to expectations. In August 2014, N4BB pointed out that hacker @TeamAndIRC managed to root the Blackphone in just five minutes by enabling the Android Debugging Bridge (ADB) without unlocking the bootloader.

The new Blackphone claims that they have added quite a few more security features to its new device. Other than that, there is no available information right now. But in order to win over loyal BlackBerry fans, Blackphone 2 must produce something really unique to grab their attention.

The Blackphone 2 has a more premium look and feel than the original device, with an all-glass front and rear along with a larger full HD display, at 5.5 inches across; a faster 64-bit processor and more RAM. It will go on sale later this year.

March 3, 2015

Author: Rishi Baruah

SPECS

VAIO Phone