Author: Sanket Vijay

OnePlus 2 Mini Leaked in Benchmarks

OnePlus has been busy this year trying to expand its smartphone lineup. The company not only released a 5.5-inch OnPlus 2 a couple of months ago, but also a smaller 5-inch OnePlus X. But OnePlus isn’t quite happy just yet. It looks like the company is planning to go even smaller with a 4.6-inch OnePlus Mini. Apparently, GFXBench has data on an alleged OnePlus Mini device that was recently discovered.

Now its important to know that there is very little credibility to this data as it is possible for anyone to spoof a device on the internet. However, if the benchmark does turn out true, it would take one back a couple of months when people were confused whether the OnePlus X is actually the OnePlus Mini.

OnePlus 2

The OnePlus device listed would feature a 4.6-inch, 1080p display, a Snapdragon 810 SoC, potentially 4GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, a 12-megapixel rear camera, a 5-megapixel front, all running on Android 5.1.1 OS.

There is some credibility to the story if one remembers the confusion behind OnePlus X being called OnePlus Mini before launch. While the OnePlus X came with a complete design change, going for an Onyx and glass and the limited edition Ceramic bodies, the OnePlus Mini will likely be a miniaturised version of the OnePlus 2. If this is the case, then the company will likely go with the same design aesthetics as it did with the OnePlus 2.

Source

December 15, 2015

Qiku Q Terra: Unboxing and Hands-On

There is something unique about the Chinese smartphone companies. They just keep on coming with phone after phone that look pretty great. Qiku is the latest entrant in the smartphone game. The joint venture Qiku Network Technologies Co Ltd launched its first phone, the Q Terra, around two weeks ago priced at Rs. 19,999 (with invite) and Rs. 21,999 (without invite).

The Qiku (pronounced cheeku) Q Terra is a massive phone. The 6.0-inch screen does indeed look big especially when the display covers the sides end-to-end. The phone is on the bulky side, however the smooth metallic finish with a curved design makes it great to hold.

The Qiku Q Terra is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 64-bit processor and comes with a 3GB RAM. Along with this it also has a 16GB of internal storage capacity that is expandable up to 128GB. It has a 6 inch FHD display with 1080 X 1920 pixel resolution.

The exterior incorporates a magnalium alloy unibody, made from aluminum alloy.On the camera front the Q terra uses a DuoScopic Camera System that integrates two 13MP Sony back cameras – a IMX278 color sensor along with a B/W IMX214 sensor. Adding to this, the phone also offers an 8MP front camera with f/2.4 aperture.

Android 5.1.1 Lollipop-based 360 OS, which is a custom ROM built by Qihoo 360. You won’t find an app drawer here but the overall UI is snappy and fluid. The display of the Qiku Q Terra is quite clear, and bright, and does equally well both indoors and outdoors.

The Qiku Q Terra comes with a dual camera set-up with 13-megapixel on the rear with autofocus and dual-LED flash. There’s also an 8-megapixel camera on the front.

The 3,700mAh battery is big and will provide you with enough and more juice to last you through the day. Whether or not the company’s decision to have an invite system is right or not is up for debate. The device itself is pretty solid in this price bracket. Let us know what you think of the Qiku Q Terra in the comments below.

Specification	Qiku Q Terra
Display	6-inch full HD display, Corning Gorilla Glass 3
Resolution	1920×1080 pixels, 386 ppi
Dimensions	157.60 x 79.80 x 8.60 mm
Weight	207g
Chipset	Qualcomm Snapdragon 808
CPU	2.3 GHz Quad-core processor
GPU	Adreno 430
RAM	3 GB
Front Camera	8 MP f/2.4
Rear Camera	13 MP f/2.2
Storage	16 GB
Expandability	Up to 128 GB via MicoSD
Battery	3,700 mAh battery
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz b/g/n WCN3680 / Bluetooth 4.0/ 4G LTE
Operating System	Android 5.1.1 Lollipop-based 360 OS
Price	Rs. 19,999 (invite)/ Rs. 21,999 (without invite)

December 14, 2015

Has Apple Given Up on its Final Cut Pro X Video Editing Software?

You may be familiar with Apple’s Final Cut Pro X video editing software that was touted as quite a breakthrough in the software world. However, after its launch four years ago, the software has earned the complete opposite title for itself. It has come to be a software that video editors love to hate. Quite rightly so, as the Final Cut Pro X focused a lot less on professional photography than it was supposed to.

Missing features and issues essential to professional video production in FCPX included lack of edit decision list (EDL), XML and Open Media Framework Interchange (OMF) support, inability to import projects created in previous releases of Final Cut Pro, and a lack of a multicam editing tool (which it tried to fix in later updates), among other things.

Basically, the software was so maligned by the public that its very own creator, Apple, has now refused to endorse its use internally. In a job listing for Assistant Editor under Beats by Dre, the Final Cut Pro X software seems to be completely missing from the positions required skills and know-how.

Judging by this, it looks like Apple has finally called it a day with its software, which is currently lying under a layer of dust. But Apple may not forget about the software entirely, and will likely have to do something about it in the near future. Whether the Cupertino company will go for a complete overhaul or return with minor updates is unknown.

Via: The Verge

December 14, 2015

Xiaomi Launches the Redmi Note Prime in India with 4G

Mi India is all set to launch its second ‘Made in India’ smartphone, the Redmi Note Prime, on Amazon.in. The device will go on sale starting 10.00am on the 15th December.

Mi India has been teasing the launch for a few days now, posting on its social media page with the hashtag #PrimeisComing. Xiaomi had announced in August that it would manufacture its devices locally in India as part of PM Narendra Modi’s push for ‘Make in India’. The first device launched by Xiaomi was the Redmi 2 Prime. Commenting on the launch of the Redmi Note Prime, Manu Jain, India Head, Xiaomi said:

“We are really happy to be able to deliver to our promise of continuously innovating and catering to the needs of our Mi Fans. With the launch of Redmi Note Prime, we are glad to provide our Mi Fans an opportunity to upgrade to an even more powerful smartphone with an expanded memory and dual-SIM capabilities. The 3100 mAh high-capacity battery, coupled with MIUI optimisations, has enabled Redmi Note Prime to achieve the most impressive battery performance yet. Local manufacturing shows Xiaomi’s commitment to being a part of fabric of India and we are truly excited to roll out our second ‘Made In India’ offering for our Mi fans.”

The Redmi Note Prime is an enhanced version of the Redmi Note 4G. The Note Prime features a 5.5-inch HD IPS display (1280 X 720 resolution, 267 PPI), a Snapdragon 410 Quad-core 64-bit processor, 16 GB internal storage and 2 GB of RAM.

On the camera front, the Note Prime sports a 13MP rear with f/2.4 aperture and a 5.5MP front. Finally, the device runs on a 3,100mAh battery pack. The device is being manufactured in Sri City, Andhra Pradesh, in partnership with Foxconn Technology Group.

As mentioned earlier, Xiaomi has tied up with Amazon.in for the launch of the Note Prime. The device is priced at Rs. 8,499 and will be available on Amazon.in and Mi.com starting tomorrow.

Noor Patel, Director Category Management, Amazon India said, “We are excited to be the partner of choice for Xiaomi and offer our customers exclusive access to the new Redmi Note Prime. Xiaomi has been one of the most popular smartphone brands on Amazon.in, witnessing a continuous growth in demand. We see this as a great opportunity to offer customers across India the ease, convenience & joy of shopping for another great offering from the company.”

Here’s the spec table of the Redmi Note Prime:

Specification	Redmi Note Prime
Display	5.5-inch HD IPS,
Resolution	1280×720 pixels, 267ppi
Chipset	Qualcomm Snapdragon 410
CPU	64-bit 1.2GHz quad-core processor
GPU	Adreno 306
RAM	2 GB
Front Camera	5.5 MP f/2.2
Rear Camera	13 MP f/2.4
Storage	16 GB
Expandability	Up to 32 GB
Battery	3.100mAh battery
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz b/g/n / Bluetooth 4.0/ 4G LTE
Operating System	Android 4.4 KitKat-based MIUI 7
Price	Rs. 8,499

December 14, 2015

Huawei Honor 7 Enhanced Edition with Android 6.0 is Official

Huawei wants to bring its Honor brand to the U.S and it plans on doing that at the CES 2016 next month. Along with this comes the announcement of an enhanced version of the Huawei Honor 7. The enhanced edition will have Android 6.0 Marshmallow pre-loaded, as well as Huawei’s EMUI 4.0 skin running on top.

Calling it an enhanced version means the device is bound to bump up a spec or two. The new version will feature 32 GB of internal storage rather than 16 GB as seen in the original Honor 7. Other specs remain the same, however, with a 5.2-inch screen with an aluminium body. On the camera front, it comes with a 20MP rear camera with PDAF, fast focus (0.1s), and Sapphire lens cover. The front camera is 8MP along with 26mm wide angle lens, and front faced soft light feature.

The device will be powered by the Kirin 935 chipset with octal-core 2.2GHz CPU and Mali-T628 GPU. 3 GB of RAM, 3,100mAh battery and a fingerprint scanner add the final touches to the device. The Honor 7 Enhanced Edition is currently available in China and will make its way to the U.S soon.

The original Honor 7 was launched in India at a price of Rs. 22,999. No word yet on when the enhanced version will come to India. The

December 14, 2015
Ex-BlackBerry CEO Lands Another Company in Trouble, Gets Sued For It

If you thought you were having it rough today, think again. Turns out that ex-BlackBerry CEO Torsten Heins just can’t seem to catch a break – even at his new job as CEO of a wireless charging technology company called Powermat Technologies. Heins, who left BlackBerry back in 2013 after overseeing the gigantic failure of the BlackBerry 10, is now being sued at his new workplace by three members of his own board for allegedly “operating without an approved budget and steering the business into insolvency.”

In fact, one of the three members is Powermat Technologies very own founder and former CEO Ran Poliakine. The suit alleges that Heins and three other executives have created “serious trust crisis” by running the company without an approved budget. Of course, Heins and his fellow executives have denied the allegations.

“Powermat is optimistic that the court will see through the substantial misstatements and malicious half-truths leveled by the former CEO and allow the company to continue the substantial progress it has made over the past year,” the company said in a statement sent to Business Insider.

The lawsuit was filed in October and there has been no progress since then. It will be interesting to know how Heins will try get out of this one. It’s sufficient it to say that the past few years have not been kind to the man.

December 12, 2015
New Yahoo App Helps You Find Your Favourite Shows And Movies

Ever find yourself in a state where you just have to watch a new TV show or movie but just don’t know where to begin? Yes, there are a number of streaming sites out there that cater to the movie and TV junkie in you, but seldom do you find someone to tell you where to start. Yahoo has heard your plight and has come out with an app that generously tells you what to watch and where you can watch it.

The app is called Yahoo Video Guide runs through all of your available services to find where your favorite shows are playing. Once it does that, a simple click will take you to that episode or movie if it is available from one of your streaming services. The app also lets you purchase the videos as well.

But that’s not all the app does. We all have preferences based on our current mood. So, the app also features a Mood Picker, which suggests videos based on your mood. There are GIFs that correspond to your current state of emotions. Pick the GIF and the app will do the rest.

Yahoo Video Guide is available for free from Google Play Store for Android users, and the App Store for iOS users. The app is yet to be made available globally.

December 12, 2015
Huawei’s New Nexus Smartphone with Snapdragon 820 Could Launch in 2016

We all know that the new Snapdragon 820 chipset is the new big, bad chipset that will make its way into a number of flagship devices in 2016. The new and more powerful chipset has already been confirmed for upcoming devices like the Mi 5 and some Galaxy S7 variants. Now, news around the tech block is that the next Huawei-made Nexus device will feature the next-gen Qualcomm chipset.

Huawei Nexus 6P

As you may know, this year’s Nexus 6P is the first to be manufactured by Huawei, and the device, which has been well received by many, featured a Snapdragon 810 chipset. Apart from the fact that the next flagship Nexus device should sport a Snapdragon 820 chipset, nothing much is known at the moment. It is also likely that the next device will be metal-made (like the Nexus 6P).

We’ll know more about devices that will sport the new chipset early next year.

December 12, 2015
Google’s Now on Tap Makes it Easier to Take Screenshots with Android

Android users running on Marshmallow will no longer need to awkwardly take screenshots. A new update to Now on Tap gives you an easy option to take screenshots minus the lingering in your Gallery. Yes, the new update will let you take temporary screenshots, share it with whomsoever you want, and will get rid of the image after you’re done.

You will now see a share button at the bottom left corner of Now On Tap’s pop up menu. Generally, screenshots are for instant sharing of say a game score you want to brag about or some interesting meme you found on the internet and just had to send it to your friends, after which you really won’t be needing that ever again.

Furthermore, there needs to be a better way to take screenshots without having to press down on the Volume Down and Power Button together. And let’s admit it, getting the timing right isn’t always easy.

Now on Tap takes care of both these issues. When you tap the share button, it takes a temporary screenshot that you can share through Twitter, post it to Facebook, or send it as a text. Once you’ve shared the image, the screengrab disappears rather than fill up your precious internal storage. However, if you do choose to keep it around for a while longer, you can by simply sharing it Google Photos or Gallery.

It’s a neat little update that helps declutter your phone of screenshots as well as provides an elegant way to take them as well. The update will rollout everywhere over the next few days.

December 12, 2015

HTC Desire 828 Launched in India at a Price of Rs. 19,990

Last month HTC unveiled the Desire 828 smartphone along with the One A9. The Desire 828 will now come to India on the 14th of December. This model comes with a 5.5 inch display with 1080 x 1920 pixels resolution and is powered by the Mediatek MT6753. It is run on the Android OS, v5.1 (Lollipop) and has a dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by) connectivity.

It also comes with a storage of 16GB that is expandable up to 2 TB along with 2GB of RAM. On the camera front, the Desire 828 features a 13 MP rear camera and HTC UltraPixel front. The Desire 828 is the first model in the Desire lineup to feature Optical Image Stabilisation in its main camera. The device is packed with a Li-Ion 2800 mAh battery and supports a micro USB v2.0.

“We are proud to unveil the first HTC Desire phone to feature Optical Image Stabilisation in its main camera and HTC UltraSelfie™ for a remarkable imaging experience and unparalleled selfies. With the HTC Desire 828 Dual SIM, we deliver an exquisite and personalised experience to our customers,” said Mr Faisal Siddiqui, President HTC South Asia.

The HTC Desire 828 Dual SIM comes in Dark Gray and Pearl White colours. And will be available exclusively on Flipkart for the consumers to buy from December 14, 2015 (12am) onwards at a price of Rs. 19,990.

Here is a spec table of the HTC Desire 828:

Specifications	Desire 828
Display	5.5 inches
Resolution	1080 x 1920 pixels
Chipset	Mediatek MT6753
CPU	Octa-core 1.5 GHz Cortex-A53
GPU	Mali-T720MP3
RAM	2GB
Storage	16GB expandable up to 200GB
Rear Camera	13 MP
Front Camera	HTC UltraPixel
Battery	Li-Ion 2800 mAh battery
Operating System	Android OS, v5.1 (Lollipop)
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot, GPS, Bluetooth
SIM	Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by)
USB	microUSB v2.0
Price	Rs. 19,990

December 11, 2015

Samsung Galaxy S7 Design Leaked in New Video

A new short video leaked online by popular leakster @onleaks and uSwitch shows off what could be the design for the upcoming Galaxy S7 flagship devices.

The video shows a very S6-like design for the S7 only with more rounded sides that works well with the 2.5D glass on the front and back. The render also shows just one card slot for the SIM, which means that it is likely that the S7 will not support MicroSD card.

You also see a protruding camera lens on the back similar to its predecessor. The camera is also rumoured to house a 20 MP ‘BRITECELL’ camera sensor technology.

The S7 Plus shown in the video measures 163.32 x 82.01 x 7.82mm. The 6-inch device pushes the front-facing camera to the top right end. One must take the rendered video with a pinch of salt. The actual device may look a little different but @onleaks has so far had a near 100% accuracy when it comes to leaked renders.

That being said, renders have a way of showing some added thickness and bulge in certain areas (as was the case with the Nexus 6P camera bar, which didn’t protrude as much as the renders suggested). You can expect the finished product to look slimmer and cleaner.

The Galaxy S7 devices are rumoured for a 21 February unveiling. We’ll have more details about the flagship devices as we get closer to the date.

Source

December 11, 2015
Panasonic’s HX-A1 Action Camera is Now in India

Panasonic has just launched a small wearable camera that can capture incredible pictures in darkness unlike any other camera. The HX-A1 Ultra Compact wearable camera weighs at a measly 45 grams. The camera is light so that it goes hands-free and can record in Full HD and has a slow motion mode capable of shooting 60fps at 720p or 120fps at 480p.

The 3.5 MP camera with 1/3-inch MOS sensor has a 0 Lux Night Mode for low-light recordings. The camera also features IR filter (night mode) and loop recording, which keeps recent hour of scenes by deleting earlier scenes if you happen to record for over an hour.

The Wi-Fi-enabled wearable camera can be hooked up to a Multi Mount onto goggles, shoulder bags, helmets, or onto a tripod using a Tripod Mount. The built-in Wi-Fi can be used with the Panasonic Image App on your phone or tablet to position the camera, adjust shooting settings and start recording.

speaking on the occasion Mr. Mr. Gaurav Ghavri, Product Head, Panasonic India, said, “Panasonic India has made a sustained effort to grow in the market by offering our innovative and technologically advanced products to cater to the ever evolving customer needs in the camera segment. The introduction of HX-A1 wearable camera defines Panasonic’s unrelenting pursuit of providing unmatched experience creating excitement in the action camera market.”

The HX-A1 is perfect for your wedding photography or any event which involves a lot of hustle bustle to capture those fleeting moments on camera. The camera also comes with a slew of accessories like twin mount, extended battery, strap adapter, wind jammer, clip mount and suction clip mount.

The HX-A1 wearable camera is available in India at a price of Rs. 19,990 on Snapdeal, which is a good Rs. 5000 cheaper than the GoPro Hero 4.

December 9, 2015
iOS 9.2 Adds Mail Drop and Siri Support for Arabic

Apple released iOS 9.2 update, which comes with a few handy improvements and bug fixes especially for Apple Music, News and Mail.

Apple Music now lets you create new playlists when adding a song to a playlist. Earlier, you could only add to playlists that were already there before rather than letting you create new ones as and when you discover songs. The ‘Classical’ music section has been updated so you can browse works, composers and performers within the Apple Music catalog.

Apple News is another app that gets a major update. You now have a new section called Top Stories a feature that enables users to “stay current with the most important news of the day, selected by the Apple News editorial team.” However, the app is yet to make itself available in India.

The third major update goes to the Mail. Apple has finally increased the attachment size to 5GB for Mail Drop. In the past, the Mail Drop feature was limited to the Mail app for Mac.

There are also a host of minor add-ons like Arabic language support for Siri, 3D Touch functionality for iBooks and USB camera cable support for iPhone. The update is live right now so go ahead and update your Apple device(s).

December 9, 2015
Xiaomi is Being Sued by a US Firm for Patent Infringement

Xiaomi is being sued by a US firm by the name of Blue Spike, LLC. In a complaint filed in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, Blue Spike has alleged that several of Xiaomi’s mobile devices, including the upcoming Mi 5 and Mi 5 Plus, are infringing on a patent titled “Data Protection Method and Device”.

Other handsets that are included in the lawsuit are the Mi 4, Mi 4 LTE, Mi 4c, Mi 4i, Mi Note Plus, Mi Note Pro, Redmi 1S, Redmi 2, Redmi 2 Prime, Redmi 2 Pro, Redmi 2A and Redmi Note 2. However, the Mi 4 and Redmi 2 Pro have already cleared FCC.

But what really makes one stamp a giant question mark on this story is that the US firm doesn’t appear to have much credibility to its name. The company claims its business revolves around Address Space Layout Randomization (“ASLR”) software, systems, and technology. However, their website seems to show no clients or products. All this suggests that Blue Spike LLC, which has also filed lawsuits against other companies like Google and Apple, is merely a patent troll.

Source

December 8, 2015
Scientists Create 3D Printed Blood Vessels Using ‘Bio-Ink’

The ability to one day print organs is what medical 3D printing industry is after. However, it’ll still be a while for that to become a reality. Human vasculature is incredibly complex and difficult to print accurately, but a team from the Lawrence Livermore National Library (LLNL) seem to have found a way to 3D print blood vessels.

The California-based team used special 3D bioprinters to print an initial structure out of cells and other organic materials and then to augment it using ‘bio-ink’ – a material designed to be compatible with living human tissue.

As the video above shows, the researches printed two small blood vessels out of bio-ink before injecting blood and other essential nutrients through the vessels. Eventually, the capillaries grew and connected the two vessels. This brings us one step closer to actually seeing almost realistic artificial tissue samples and even transplants.

December 7, 2015