Author: Rosheena Zehra

Watch the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge Launch via 360-degree Live Streaming

As we get closer and closer to the Unpacked event on 21st February at MWC where Samsung is all set to launch its Galaxy S7 devices, updates about it just keep pouring in. And now, according to the latest announcement from Samsung, this launch event can be watched all over the world via a 360-degree live stream on PCs, Android and iOS devices, as well as on Samsung’s own Gear VR head set.

Watching the event on an iOS or Android device requires the download of Samsung’s official Unpacked 360 View app. For Gear VR users, the Unpacked 360 View app can be downloaded through the Oculus store.

Watching the event in the 360-mode would allow users to choose from four different positions. These include centre stage, stage left, stage right or the auditorium. The event can also be watched on the official website where once again viewers would be allowed to choose from four different camera positions.

So far there have been lots of ‘leaked’ images and renders of the devices, along with specifications. With only three days to go for the official launch, watch this space for more updates.

February 19, 2016
A Galaxy S7 Edge Unit Appears Online for Sale in Dubai

A Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge unit has appeared on the Dubai counterpart of Craigslist called Dubizzle. It’s being sold for 4500 AED or approximately $1100 (about Rs.75,000). The phone comes with all accessories inside the box.

There have been lots of leaks over the last couple of days, outing design details of the Galaxy S7 Edge and this latest development shows this S7 Edge unit to be in line with them. But nobody can really be sure of the authenticity of this device which has been “imported from USA”. It may very well turn out to be a dummy unit.

According to reports so far the Galaxy S7 Edge will come equipped with a 5.5-inch QHD AMOLED display when it finally released at the MWC this year. The device wiill be powered by a Samsung Exynos 8890/Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 SoC and paired with 4 GB of RAM, and a 12 MP rear camera with f/1.7 aperture. A 8 MP selfie camera is expected at the front of the phone. The phone will come in two storage variants, 32GB and 64GB which will be further expandable via a MicroSD card.

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February 17, 2016
Tim Cook Refuses to Provide FBI With Specialized Encryption Code

In December, 2015, Calif, San Francisco, became victim of a cold-blooded shooting incident orchestrated by Syed Rizwan Farook and his wife, Tashfeen Malik. Fourteen civilians were shot dead before the couple was taken down by the police. It was later confirmed that Rizwan Farook’s phone, an iPhone 5c, was in custody with the authorities.

After two months of failed attempts of unlocking it, the court ordered Apple to provide an encryption code that would take down the security measures of the device. Judge Sheri Pym asked Apple to provide specialized software that would bring down the security, while also getting rid of the feature which erases all data from the phone after a couple of unsuccessful attempts to log in.

It was later confirmed that the auto-delete feature has been deactivated and that authorities are using brute force attack to unlock the code. According to Apple, a method of this kind would take decades to move past the security encryption of the phone. In fact, a supercomputer would take over five years to crack such a six-digit code.

He may look it, but he’s not pleased.

Apple has accepted that it is pretty much impossible to break into an Apple device which is running on iOS 9. In the wake of these events, Apple was requested by FBI to provide a unique encryption that would allow them to retrieve security key to Rizwan Farook’s iPhone. Apple refused to offer a solution that would allow FBI to bypass the code for it believes this would be detrimental for the security of iPhone users all over the world.

“We have great respect for the professionals at the FBI, and we believe their intentions are good…The FBI may use different words to describe this tool, but make no mistake: Building a version of iOS that bypasses security in this way would undeniably create a backdoor. And while the government may argue that its use would be limited to this case, there is no way to guarantee such control,” Tim Cook wrote on the Apple website.

Apple has been very conscious of its users’ privacy from the start. Only a few days ago the company had declared it would never reveal personal details of iPhone users to the police. And now comes this very clearly stated message from the company. Tim Cook is definitely not overly pleased by FBI’s demands and has made his stance clear. Has he opted for the right plan of action by protecting users’ privacy all over, or should he just go ahead and provide the authorities with the encryption?

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February 17, 2016
Instagram Adds Two-Factor Authentication to Ensure User Privacy

Privacy scare is high in the virtual space lately and rightly so. Incidents of personality theft and phishing on virtual media platforms are only rising with every passing day. As a result, it’s become imperative for various social media platforms to up their privacy. Having said that, Instagram’s announcement about two-step verification for its users comes less as a surprise and more as a welcome, much-awaited development.

Instead of requiring only the username and password to log in, this two step verification would also require a unique code to log into Instagram. There has to be a verified mobile number mentioned in your account details. When you try to log in, a code would be sent as a message to this number which would then be required to log in.

If a hacker does indeed end up with your account details, the new security tool would ensure that you are still protected by way of a code sent on the verified mobile number. If your Instagram account is about posting pictures of your last meal, you can ignore this update and move on. But if there truly are some trade secrets hidden behind those pictures, it is for you.

As Instagram continues to increase its user-base, with many celebrities and businesses using official Instagram accounts, this new verification process is a relevant development. Users can definitely feel safer about their Instagram identity now.

February 17, 2016
UK Researchers Develop 5D Disc to Store 360TB of Data Over 13 Billion Years

There is no end to the data that is being produced every single day all over the planet. From selfies to controversial art to international documents of utmost secrecy, to name a few -the data being produced and stored regularly is equivalent to the space on 10 milliion Blue-ray discs.

As data production continues to increase exponentially, there also arises an urgent need to find a way to store all of it. However, it looks like the University of Southampton may have just found the solution. A team of researchers at the university have developed a tiny 5-dimensional (5D) disc capable of storing 360 terabytes of data over 13.8 billion years. Yes, they like their numbers accurate.

Important texts like the Magna Carta and King James Bible have already been stored in the memory of the disc. This virtually means that the texts have a very good chance of out-living the human race.

“It is thrilling to think that we have created the technology to preserve documents and information and store it in space for future generations. This technology can secure the last evidence of our civilisation: all we’ve learnt will not be forgotten,” says Professor Peter Kazanksy, a member of the research team.

The technology had its first experimental demonstration in 2013 when a 300 kb digital copy of a text file was recorded in 5D. With the ability to withstand temperatures as high as 1,000°C, to last 13.8 billion years at 190°C and all eternity at room temperature, the disc is also called “Superman memory crystal”.

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February 17, 2016
Scientists 3D Print an Entire Human Ear in Lab

The unthinkable has happened. Researchers have managed to develop a 3D printer that is capable of bioprinting tissues to be used in transplants. These transplants can include muscle, bone, cartilage and even an entire human ear, which is precisely what the team has achieved.

The study has been published by researchers at Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine and has provided modern medicine with a 3D printer called the integrated tissue-organ printer (ITOP). It is the first of its kind printer capable of printing human-scale tissue constructs.

Even though the technology has still not been tested on humans, the team has tried it with lab rats where 3D printed tissues were attached to them. These tissues included bioprinted bone tissue which were then analysed after a period of 5 months. It was discovered at the end of the set duration that the implants were completely free of necrosis, while also showing presence of new vascularised tissue.

This incredible development has ushered in endless possibilities for people requiring muscle repair treatment post accidents or diseases. Even though currently the study is only in its nascent stages, it has some big achievements to its credit. We can only hope for the progress graph to move upwards from here.

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February 17, 2016
Apple Brings Technology to Fashion at Met Gala This Year

From wearables to 3D printed shoes and dresses at this year’s CES, technology and fashion are two forces whose paths have been crossing pretty frequently lately. It is only natural that this fusion gets a formal acknowledgement as Met Gala 2016 gears itself to bring technology and fashion together aptly naming its fashion event this year -“Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology”.

When we say technology one of the first few names to pop up in our heads includes Apple. Consequently, it’s no big surprise the Cupertino based tech giant is partners with the Costume Institute for the this year’s Met Gala fashion event.

Andrew Bolton, who is the curator for the Institute describes the event as “unraveling the hand-machine conundrum”, which refers to the chasm between hand-made and machine-made fashion.

Issey Miyake’s “Flying Saucer” ,dress unveiled in 1994, was made entirely using machine sewing -indicating a clear presence of technology in fashion.

Therefore the event aims to bridge the gap between technology and fashion -no more seen as opposing forces. The two are brought together in a celebration of the successes of both fashion as well as the technology.

Pieces from Chanel and Christian Dior would be part of the collection.The line-up would draw inspiration from Fritz Lang’s sci-fi masterpiece Metropolis, and automobiles and electronics in its design and essence.

February 16, 2016
This New iPhone Bug Will Leave Your Device Unusable

A new iPhone bug has emerged which is capable of rendering your device absolutely useless. Yes, you read it right -absolutely useless. The only way to fix it would be to take it to an Apple Store where in all likelihood they would have to replace it.

This bug supposedly emerged at 4Chan on Thursday and has also been spotted on Facebook and Reddit since. There is one simple way to protect yourself from the bug -to never set your iPhone date to 1st January 1970.

It is unclear at this point why the specific date is causing Apple devices to behave this way but one speculated reason involves time zones and the device’s internal clock. Additionally, this wouldn’t be the first time when Apple users have faced issues related to the clock. In the past, clocks on Apple gadgets have acted up to tell the wrong time and delay alarms.

Find below the troll which appeared online urging people to change the date on their device to the aforementioned January date. It promises an “easter egg” that would put a retro Apple logo on the display of your phone. But let us break it to you -there are no easter eggs in the evil world of the Internet.

Once the date has been entered, and the phone is rebooted, it would refuse to respond. Even connecting it to a computer or using iTunes would not help you reduce it to its non-brick state.

Making this troll even more interesting is the fact that Apple did not start as late as 1976. It should be noted, however, that only those Apple devices which are powered by the A7 processor and later -iPhone 5s and above, iPad Air, iPad Mini 2 and above are susceptible to it.

February 16, 2016
Galaxy S7 Edge May Have a Batman vs Superman Edition

Samsung Galaxy S7 devices are the one of the most anticipated smartphones of 2016, while Batman vs Superman is one of the most anticipated films of 2016. Put them both together and voila! Everyone is paying attention now.

A Korean publication, Naver reports that Samsung is likely to introduce a Batman vs Superman edition of the S7 Edge. If the source is to believed, it will arrive somewhere around March-April. This in turn means, its launch may or may not coincide with the launch of the standard S7 devices as well as the release of the film on March 25th.

Last year Samsung had pulled a similar stunt by toying with the idea of making Avengers-inspired variants of Galaxy S6 Edge. Needless to say, this sent fans, both of the Marvel universe as well as of Samsung, into a frenzy. It was later in 2015, a little after the release of Galaxy S6 Edge, that Samsung came out with Iron Man Galaxy S6 Edge edition.

Though the phone piqued everyone’s curitosity, it was made available only in selected Asian markets (only 1,000 units were made) and costed a fortune. Let’s see if a Batman vs Superman S7 Edge meets a similar fate and gives DC fans something to rejoice about this year. Fingers crossed.

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February 16, 2016
John Hopkins Creates Human ‘Mini-brains’ in Petridish

Researchers at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health have developed “minibrains”. Made up of human cells and neurons, these tiny brains are capable of imitating the human mind in functionality, while also possess the ability to be replicated manifold.

Needless to say, this research is a breakthrough in the world of neuro-sciences with immense potential for the future. One of the direct consequences of this development is that hundreds and thousands of animals being used for testing can now be replaced with these cells. Not only is this welcomed news by the entire rodent-community, it also means more accurate research for humans.

“Ninety-five percent of drugs that look promising when tested in animal models fail once they are tested in humans at great expense of time and money. While rodent models have been useful, we are not 150-pound rats. And even though we are not balls of cells either, you can often get much better information from these balls of cells than from rodents,” aptly puts study leader Thomas Hartung.

These cells were created using a specific kind of protein called induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). Along with proteins, cells from healthy adults form the composition of the mini-brains. In the future, the research also hopes to include cells from people with genetic disorders and specific genetic traits to create mini-brains. This would help with the study and treatment of diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis and maybe autism. At the same time, projects to study viral infections, trauma and stroke are already underway.

The mini-brains measure a 350 micrometers in diameter and are visible to the naked human eye. Researchers claim they can grow a hundred of them in one petri-dish. Production for these mini-brains is expected to begin in 2016 and the researcher group hopes to see them in as many labs as possible.

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February 16, 2016
Smart Rings Are the Future of Fashion (Or Not)

Smart rings are the latest fad in both tech as well as the fashion world. You may love them, you may hate them but you sure can’t ignore them. These little pieces of jewellery (or technology?) can be used to send basic commands on smartphones, receive notifications of calls and texts, and connect to other devices using Bluetoooth. Having said that, let’s take a look at what we have been offered by way of smart rings so far.

MOTA DOI SmartRing

Capable of being paired with your Android or iOS device, this smart-ring would notify the user of emails, calls and messages. Depending on the usage, the company claims its smart-ring is capable of lasting 24 to 72 hours with a single charge and can be charged with a wireless charging source. The ring is available in “two majestic colours” – read: black and white. Priced at $200, MOTA can be pre-ordered here. It will be available starting April 2016.

Ringly

This is a smart-ring for the fashion-conscious techie. The ring has no external signs of being a gadget and it can very easily pass for an innocent piece of jewellery. But look closer and think again for this offering by Ringly is capable of notifying you of messages, social media updates and reminders of fitness and parenting apps. There is an entire range of different styles and designs offered by the company for the user to choose from. Pricing starts from $195 and the rings can be purchased here.

NFC Ring 2016

A crowd-funded Kickstarter project, NFC ring can be “used to unlock doors, mobile phones, transfer information and link people”. It comes in many options and variantsvto suit individual preferences. The ring is waterproof for up to 50m and it never requires charging. No, we did not make a typo -no charging ever. Pricing for NFC rings start at $29 and they can be purchased here.

Smarty Ring

Started as an Indiegogo crowd-funded project, Smarty Ring never made it to the market. Though things are quite unclear about its current status, this truly is one of the coolest concepts for a smart ring. The Smarty Ring is a chic, little gadget that aims to fulfill all functions of a smartwatch. The ring according to the concept was capable of supporting Bluetooth along with a battery that would last up to 24 hours. Even though the project reached its budget goals in December 2013, we have still have no news of its shipping. Fingers crossed until we get another update on this front.

Pulse Ring

This one doesn’t win a lot of points on style, or even utility, but it’s simply here for old time’s sake. One look at the ring means a trip down the memory lane -with its retro touch and feel, the ring is a reminder of a time when things were simpler in the tech circuit. Pulse Ring is capable of tracking your pulse, telling the time and playing grandparent to the smart-rings of today. The ring is priced at £22.99 on Amazon.co.uk.

February 16, 2016
We Can’t Wait For Sony’s Shiny New E-Ink Remote to Arrive in India

A couple of months ago, Sony launched a crowd-funding platform, a la Kickstarter, for its own new products. Called First Flight, the platform is one of company’s attempts to get itself back on its feet by increasing profitability. The platform includes crowd-funded projects, along with allowing customers to directly buy or pre-order products developed by Sony workers.

The latest updates from Sony’s First Flight comes in the form of an e-ink device called ‘Huis’, pronounced as ‘house’, which is also the first project of the platform. It is a remote for your smart-home allowing you to control lights and remote controlled devices. How is it different from the many other such devices out there, you ask? To begin with, it is fully customizeable, is very low on power-demands and has support for IR, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.

The remote works with television sets, music systems, lights, air conditioners and pretty much anything that is capable of communicating with a remote (barring any pets of the feline origin). Watch technology make your life so much easier as remotes for so many different gadgets get condensed into one with Sony Huis.

Though there is no word yet on when Huis would be made available globally, Sony has already begun taking orders for it in Japan. Currently it costs ¥27,950 or about Rs. 30,000.

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February 15, 2016
Apple to Invest 150 Crores for a Tech Development Centre in Hyderabad

After big names from the tech-industry like Google and Microsoft, Apple is all set to enter the Indian terrain, and how. The company is starting with a $25 million dollar investment along with about 4,500 potential job openings in Hyderabad. The centre is expected to open by June 2016.

The centre will span an area of 250,000 square feet in the real estate firm Tishman Speyer’s WaveRock facility. This project is expected to cost Apple a whopping Rs.150 crores.Though it will open as early as in June, executions of fully-fledged operations won’t start as late as the end of this year.

This move is a very significant one because Apple has kept its operations confined to mostly the United States so far. Commenting on the same, Jayesh Ranjan, Secretary to IT department in the state of Telangana says,

“It’s a very positive development as Apple has not looked at cities only in India, but across many places in Europe and other parts of the world. Their decision to have the facility in Hyderabad is a strong endorsement of the city as a major IT hub in the country.”

Though Apple has recently announced retail stores in India along with the filing of an official application for the same, this would be the first project where the company becomes an important IT presence in India, inevitably pulling India deeper into the international circuit. Apple had maintained a technology support centre in Bangalore once but it was shut down about a decade ago due to poor quality services. Let’s see what the future holds for this new Apple project in India.

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February 15, 2016
Best Valentine’s Day Gifts for Your Techie-Better-Half

Now that we are done and dusted talking about dating apps, let’s move to the second step -making your techie-Valentine happy with the perfect gift this year. Here’s our guide to shiny, little objects to shop for this year.

FitBit

If your partner is into fitness, look no further than the FitBit range of smart-wearables. From motion trackers to smartwatches, the company offers it all. The most recent addition to its family is FitBit Alta, a chic fitness tracker that can be personalised to suit your style. All FitBit wearables can be bought off Amazon or the official FitBit online store.

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Gear VR

How about spreading some VR-love this Valentine’s? Check out Samsung’s virtual reality head-set called Gear VR launched in India just last month. The Samsung Gear VR Headset is priced at Rs.8,200. Gear VR is available through the company’s retail stores, as well as through Flipkart.

Headphones

This is the perfect gift for all music aficionados. The best part about gifting headphones is that you will always find one that suits your budget. From Skullcandy to Sennheiser to an endless list of brands and designs and colours -you really are spoilt for choice here.

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Portable Speakers

Talking about music lovers, here’s something else to add to the list. Portable speakers are by far one of the best things that happened to music. Connect them to your laptop or smartphone with Bluetooth or choose a bright, colourful AUX chord, which barely cost a dime, and voila! A nice portable speaker would easily fit within Rs. 2000.
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Powerbanks

If your partner finds it hard to stay off their smartphone (no matter how much it may have annoyed you in the past), it’s time to let them know you’re not only willing to accept this trait of theirs, but also encourage it by gifting them a powerbank. This will ensure their phone never runs out of juice again while they never run out of love for you. A decent powerbank would fall under Rs.2000.

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GoPro

After music, it’s time to talk about photography and GoPro is the next big thing on this front. GoPro is the perfect answer to extreme-action videography. If you’ve been looking for a GoPro camera that doesn’t pinch your pocket and yet has some important features such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, your answer lies in the GoPro Hero+ priced at $199.99 (Rs. 13,200 approx).

Kindle

Kindle is the perfect gift for the bookworm in our lives . Ask any bibliophile and they would agree without a second thought how this is the best technological development ever. You could narrow down your choices between the basic, entry level variant or the back-lit Paperwhite. There is also a white colour option you could go for if a black Kindle is too mainstream for you.

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Netflix Subscription

Yes, yes, this is not exactly a gadget and therefore does not belong in this list, but Netfilx just arrived in the country and we cannot stop talking about it. If all else fails and there is absolutely nothing you can come up with -just gift your partner a Netflix subscription – an epicly entertaining gift which is also easy on the pocket.

February 14, 2016
Watch the Video of This Epic Hoverboard Fire Test Fail

Humans may have mastered technology enough to create humanoid robots (and also freak themselves out in the process with the threat of Artificial Intelligence taking over the world). But no matter how advanced we might be on the tech-front, there is still more than just a little tweaking that our gadgets require right now. The hoverboard fire test below would serve to emphasise our point.

https://youtu.be/825cEptCWc4

The video looks so painful that adult supervision is recommended even just for watching it. As the hoverboard beautifully goes up in flames, it justifies the recent hoverboard scare which had led Amazon to take the product off its website.

This pretty, little hoverboard catches fire while charging and spews flames in all directions as a result of over-heating. Watch it burn like a firecracker in the video and let us know if you still think this previously cool piece of tech is still cool enough.

February 13, 2016