Author: Sanket Vijay

Can BlackBerry Make a Comeback with the Priv?

It’s been a while since BlackBerry has made any sort of major statement in the mobile world. There was a time when BlackBerry had so much going for it as it stood apart from the typical smartphones on the tech circuit. BlackBerry loyalists loved a great deal of what the QWERTY-centric phone was providing.

Pretty soon people started expecting more -more apps, more services, more everything, which BlackBerry was having a tough time providing. But you can’t say the company didn’t try. The BlackBerry Bold range were a great set of handsets by the company. It did have most of your favorite social media apps such as Facebook, Twitter, BBM chats. It also looked great and had a distinctive BlackBerry feel to it with finger-friendly QWERTY keyboard that was more premium than the Curve.

BlackBerry Bold

The problem the Bold lineup was facing was that it lacked a lot of native apps. Around 2010, the iPhone did not face this problem and neither did the Android devices, which is what made many people trade in their BlackBerry devices for an iPhone or an Android phone. After the influx of Android devices, BlackBerry got pushed to the sideline. It was no longer ‘cool’ to own a BlackBerry. By 2011, BlackBerry was almost out of sight.

In 2013, BlackBerry made a comeback with the Z10 and Q10 which ran on the BB10 OS. The reactions towards the devices were mixed but overall it was fairly positive. While the Q10 had the traditional QWERTY keyboard, the Z10 went full touchscreen. This move was expected from a company that was literally trying to save itself. But it did not quite work well. The phones came equipped with BB10 OS. Now while the Z10 could make full use of the new OS but didn’t, the Q10 didn’t even have a chance. Quite evidently, the new OS was made for a full display. Yet the Z10 had the same problem as its predecessors – lack of native apps.

BlackBerry Z10

Jumping to present day -we see that BlackBerry is trying to make a comeback again with the new Priv. Much has been said about the Priv, which is like a hybrid of the Z10 and Bold. Judging solely on the renders of the device that have been seen, the Priv looks great. It looks attractive and the slide-out keyboard does not seem to hamper the device’s sleek look which is still distinctively BlackBerry at heart.

BlackBerry Priv

The phone features a full touchscreen display and a slide out keyboard to please fans of both types. Yes, there are still people out there who love the feel of a keyboard even though almost every device today is based fully on touch. Along with this, images of the Priv also suggest that the device has a curved display much like the Samsung Galaxy Edge. Furthermore, the phone is going big on security -a feature BlackBerry is already known for. There is a special security app for the device that monitors it for any threats. Also, it will also be the first Blackberry phone that will run on Android.

The specs of the Priv sound good, too. It will come with a Snapdragon 808 processor and 3 GB of RAM with 32 GB extendable storage. It features a 5.5 -inch curved display with a 1440×2560 pixel resolution and 537ppi. Finally, the Priv has an 18 MP primary camera and a 5 MP front. With a reasonable price tag, we could see BlackBerry right back into the game. Only time will tell if people are ready to go back to BlackBerry or if the company is a little too late.

Would you be willing to give the new Blackberry Priv a try? Tell us in the comments below.

October 9, 2015
Google India Launches Public Transport App for New Delhi Residents

Commuting in Delhi is about to get a whole lot easier. Google India announced a new app today called Delhi Public Transport. It is an experimental app from the Google Maps team designed for New Delhi residents to get around on public transport.

The idea is to make life easier for those who use buses and metros to commute. The app works in offline mode so you won’t have to worry about choppy connectivity when looking for transit directions. It also provides directions and timetable of Metros and buses. You will now get directions from any bus or metro stops, and find out if they are running late.

“In addition to having lots of useful information available offline, Delhi Public Transport also provides you with public transport news and delay information when you do have a connection, all packed into a small app of about 1 MB download size.”

Initial reviews of the app have been very favorable. Users have requested the company to launch the app in other parts of the country as well. The app is still in its early days and Google India is looking to improve on it through customer feedback. So go ahead and download the app, now available on Google Play Store, and let the team know what you think about it.

October 8, 2015
iPhone 6s Users Facing Battery Problems Due to Faulty Samsung Chips

If you’ve got your money ready for the new iPhone 6s that is due to hit Indian stores on the 16^th of this month, you may want to make sure you buy the right one. The internet is buzzing with news of some iPhones 6s units having shorter battery life than others. The reason behind this is that there are two producers of the A9 processor – Samsung and TSMC.

Apparently, the chips from the two firms are not identical. Chipworks, a site that specializes in teardowns, noted that Samsung’s A9 processors use a 14-nanometer processor while TSMC uses 16-nanometer. Early testing revealed that Samsung’s A9 chip fares poorly on battery performance when compared to TSMC’s chip.

Apple’s partner-cum-rival Samsung has produced nearly half of the A9 chipset found in the latest iPhone 6s, while around 70% of iPhone 6s Plus phones have a TSMC processor. A Redditor recently posted tests of a pair of iPhone 6s Plus phones, one having Samsung’s A9 processor and the other having TSMC’s. It was found that TSMC gives an extra two hours of battery life compared to Samsung’s processor under identical conditions.

TSMC A9 Processor

Samsung A9 Processor

“Ran this test a couple times and results were consistent,” wrote Raydizzle on Reddit. “Always about a 2 hour difference in duration. Both phones were tested using the same backup, same settings. Also tried testing them as new phones and results were similar.”

Furthermore, you won’t be able to tell which processor you’re buying when you purchase the iPhone 6s. However, there is an app called Lirum Device Info Lite that can detect whether the new iPhone has a Samsung A9 processor or a TMSC one along with every other information regarding the specs of your device. Once you download the app, click on ‘Model’. If your model is N66MAP or N71MAP, you’ve got a TSMC chip. If it says N66AP and N71AP you got the Samsung one.

October 8, 2015
This Awesome Camera Has 16 Lenses, Shoots 52 MP Images

Point-and-shoot cameras have become somewhat of a relic in the smartphone age. Not that you don’t spot the occasional DSLR user around some touristy place, but the charm of it all seems to have been lost. Why would you go for a bulky camera when companies like Samsung and Apple give you some of the best quality cameras right in your smartphone? Well, there’s a company called Light, a photography startup that is looking to bring back the magic of point-and-shoot cameras, with a twist.

Light has devised a way of turning a point-and-shoot camera into something you don’t see too often. The company has crammed 16 cameras into one body. This quirky idea will be seen in the company’s latest camera rightly called L16. A quick glance of the L16 and it looks like a simple rectangular shaped black device with a silver button on top. The design also sports 16 different groovy-looking circles on the face that provide a little bit of technological brilliance.

This is what Light’s founder Rajiv Laroia calls a “silent revolution”. By using the technology of miniaturized cameras used in smartphones, Light has developed the L16. The idea is to replace bulky DSLR cameras with a smaller, lighter, and sleeker looking device that is easy to carry around.

The L16 can create images of up to 52 megapixels by combining an array of shots from 16 inexpensive 13 megapixel lenses with a variety of focal lengths. There are five 35mm modules, five 70mm ones, and six 150mm modules. There’s a 5-inch touchscreen on the back where you’ll handle all the controls like settings, zoom, and focus. Light says that this sort of approach to photography should give great images even in low light while also reducing image noise. It also runs on Android and has WiFi so you can share images straight from the camera.

Pre-orders for the camera have already begun at a price of $1,299. After November 6th the price tag will jump to $1,699. First orders of the L16 are not expected to ship until next summer. At this price range you can get a decent DSLR with a few lenses as well, but the company is sure that the L16 is the future of photography and that the DSLR’s time is almost up.

October 8, 2015
List of Smartphones to Receive Android 6.0 Marshmallow Update
By now you’re probably aware that the latest Android 6.0 Marshmallow update has begun rolling out. You might also have an idea of what the new update offers such as the Now on Tap and Doze features, among other things. But what’s really making everyone wonder is whether or not their Android devices are eligible for the update.

Well, you don’t have to wonder anymore. We have a list of devices of major smartphone companies that will receive the Marshmallow update in due time. The Nexus phones are the first devices eligible for the updates, as it has usually been the case. Google’s recently launched Nexus 5X and 6P come pre-installed with the Android 6.0 OS, also called Android M. Other OEMs will soon be releasing it for their smartphones as well.

Major flagships will first receive the update followed by the second batch of phones. Here is the list of smartphones from Samsung, LG, Motorola, HTC, Xiaomi, Asus and other brands that are scheduled to get the update. Check it out to see if your phone made the cut.

Samsung
- Galaxy Note 5
- Galaxy S6
- Galaxy S6 Edge and Edge+
- Galaxy S5
- Galaxy Note 4
- Galaxy Alpha
- Galaxy A7, A8 (A3, A5 and Galaxy E series to receive it later on)
LG
- LG V10
- LG Class
- G3, G4
- Flex 2
- G2
- G2 Pro
- G Flex
Motorola
- Moto X Pure Edition
- Moto X Style
- Moto X Play
- Moto (Gen 2)
- Moto G
- Moto Turbo
- Droid Turbo
- Moto Maxx
Sony
- Sony Xperia Z5 series
- Xperia M5
- Xperia C5 Ultra
- Xperia Z3+
- Xperia Z3 series
- Xperia Z2
- Xperia Z Ultra GPE
- Xperia Z1
HTC
- HTC Desire Eye, 816, 820 and 826
- HTC One M9, M9+, E9, E9+, M8 and M8s.
Xiaomi
- Mi 4
- Mi 4i
- Mi Note
- Mi Note Pro
- Redmi Note 2
- Redmi 2 Prime
- Redmi 2
- Redmi Note (2014)
- Redmi 1S
Asus
- ZenFone 2 series
- ZenFone Laser
- ZenFone Deluxe
- ZenFone Selfie
- ZenFone 6
- ZenFone 5
- ZenFone 4.
October 8, 2015
Travellers Asked to Declare iPhone 6s on Arrival in India

Those trying to get their hands on the latest iPhones from abroad via the grey route market could land in deep trouble. Also, those who bring in the phones from outside into India without paying duty are likely to be fined.

Mumbai Customs has seen a growth in the number of iPhones 6s and iPhone 6s Plus smuggled into the country. Since the 25th of last September, around 200 handsets have been seized at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai from foreign returning passengers.

“We seized 200 of the latest iPhone models, valued at Rs 1.23 crore, over the last week. They were being smuggled into India by fliers from Singapore, Hong Kong, London, Dubai, etc. We have increased screening of baggage, besides profiling of passengers,” said Milind Lanjewar, Additional Commissioner, Customs.

Customs has issued a press release informing fliers to “voluntarily declare iPhones to customs on arrival.” They also warned that passengers picked up from the Green Channel will be liable to pay a fine, and those carrying iPhones in commercial quantities are likely to be arrested.

“For goods above Rs 45,000, technically passengers have to declare but most people are not aware of it. A duty of 36% is levied on the amount above this limit,” Lanjewar said. This means that duty will be levied if a passenger is carrying even a single iPhone, if the value of it exceeds Rs. 45,000.

India prices released by Apple distributor Ingram Micro on Tuesday pegged the 16 GB iPhone 6s at Rs 62,000 and the 16 GB iPhone 6s Plus at Rs 72,000 with successive variants having higher price tags. Basically, all the prices exceed the permissible free duty limit.

“As the models are still to be launched in India, passengers are trying to smuggle these iPhones for monetary benefit by sale through grey market,” the authorities have said.

Other parts of the country are also tightening the noose and are on the look out for more such cases, which is expected to rise with only 10 days to go before the official launch in India. Apple has sold over 13 million units of these phones since the launch across US, UK, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Puerto Rico and Singapore.

October 7, 2015
A Quick Look At All The Latest Offerings By Microsoft

In our previous post we spoke at length about Microsoft’s new Surface Book; the new notebook deserved the limelight. At the event yesterday, the company also unveiled other devices as well.

Here’s a quick look at what all we got to see:

Surface Pro 4

The widely expected follow up to the Surface Pro 3. The Windows 10-powered Surface Pro 4 comes with a 12.3-inch display, that is just slightly larger than its predecessor, and Intel’s latest 6th-generation Core M and i-series processors.

The Surface Pro 4 also features an improved backlit keyboard, a more responsive keypad, and a trackpad that has a five point multi-touch functionality and a fingerprint reader. Like the Surface Book, the Surface Pro can also use Microsoft’s new Surface Pen. The stylus offers 1,024 levels of pressure sensitivity and also comes with an eraser.

Quite clearly the Surface Pen is a direct challenge to the Apple Pencil, and Microsoft did not hesitate to take a few jabs at its competition. “It’s kind of funny, there’s a Pencil out there without an eraser,” said Microsoft’s Panos Panay just before unveiling the upgraded Surface Pen 4 stylus.

The Surface Pro 4 comes out on October 26th and will start at a price of $899.

Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL

Now a look at non-Surface products. Microsoft unveiled the two new Windows 10 smartphones, the Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL.

As earlier leaks have suggested, the Lumia 950 sports a 5.2-inch OLED display with 564 ppi and Qualcomm 6-core Snapdragon 808, a 20 MP primary camera with optical image stabilization. The Lumia 950 XL, on the other hand, comes with a 5.7-inch display with 518 ppi,powered by an 8-core processor and will also feature a 20 MP primary camera like the 950.

Both phones come with 32 GB of internal storage, a microSD card, and USB Type-C connector. The devices will ship in November with a price tag of $549 and $649, with the XL version costing $100 more.

Continuum Mode

The Continuum Mode is for your Lumia devices, which allows you to plug your handsets into a special adapter that connects to your desktop monitor so that you can use your phone like a regular PC. It’s tiny, easy to carry around and looks like any old USB hub.

It’s basically like looking at a bigger version of your phone’s display. The mode creates a full Windows 10-style desktop that you can navigate using the keyboard and mouse or even your phone. Universal apps, such as Mail and Word are scaled up version of the mobile apps. This is Microsoft way of telling us what the future of computing looks like, and it’s pretty neat.

The Continuum Mode feature is also available for the Surface Book and Surface Pro 4.

Microsoft Band

Here comes the Microsoft’s answer to smartwatches. The company unveiled the second version of the Microsoft Band. The first version that came out even before the Apple Watch was a bit confusing to say the least. It wasn’t a smartwatch and it wasn’t a fitness tracker, but rather a $199 device with a tiny display that showed you notifications and apps.

The second version hopes to fix the flaws. The new version has a more responsive touch and sports a tougher Gorilla Glass. The device also boasts of features such as an 11th senor (barometer) that tracks elevation changes in real-time for the fitness crazies out there. Microsoft Band is priced at $249 and will be available from the 30th of October.

October 7, 2015
Hands On with Android 6.0 Marshmallow

The latest Android Marshmallow is out and we all want to know if the new features, that have been hogging the spotlight for a while, are what they boast of or not. An early hands on with the latest operating system will give you an idea of what to expect.

We look at a few key features that are touted to be big game changers for Android.

Now on Tap

This is the biggest feature of Android Marshmallow and one that the company is banking on the most for the success of the latest operating system. Now on Tap is a feature that can be launched in any page by pressing and holding the Home button. Once you do that, the feature will suggest some helpful information based on certain important keywords on that page. So, for example, if you’re reading some news article, Now on Tap will provide you some suggestions based on that particular news story, which could be certain names that figure in the story, or a google search of the background of the story.

While this feature suggest usefulness, there are times when Now on Tap just doesn’t offer much information at all. It basically depends on the page you’re in. Another thing is that Now on Tap comes up with what it thinks are useful information and not necessarily what you may find useful. You could be looking for A but shows you M instead.

However, Now on Tap does provide information when it finds something good, there’s no doubt about that. It makes it easier to find out things if you’re lucky to get the right keyword info. You no longer have to leave one app to begin search in another. It’s a good start but a perfect one.

Cut, Copy, Paste made easy

This may not look like a big change but even small ones are welcomed if it makes life just one second faster. The new cut, copy, paste option now features just below the text, rather than at the top of the screen, which makes reachability that much better. You’ll find you can get work done faster that way if you’re working on some document.

Doze

This is a feature that will find acceptance from all. Who doesn’t appreciate a feature that helps save battery life? Here’s the thing about Doze – you won’t see it work with your eyes. Everything happens in the background. The phone detects when it’s not being moved or touched and then reduces the background activity to conserve battery.

Does it really work? We kept the phone untouched for half an hour and made notes of the change in battery percentage, and based on what we’ve found it does seem to work. It’s safe to say that you can expect at least 30 minutes of extra battery life with the latest update, which is what Google has promised.

Doze uses your phone’s accelerometer to know when your phone is at rest. The ‘Doze’ feature, however, will only work if your phone is kept on a table or hard surface and will not work if you’ve kept it in your pocket, or if it senses motion.

“By offloading sensor processing from the main CPU to the Android Sensor Hub, we’re able to run at a fraction of the power budget.” Google’s Dave Burke explained last week.

Control over Permission and Privacy

It’s always good to know just how much your phone is accessing your apps. Before the Marshmallow upgrade, you were basically allowing your newly downloaded apps to access everything from your location to your photos. Now, however, you can say yes or no to specific permissions within an app, which gives you more control over the information that is given to the app.

This feature has already been seen in the iOS and it is perhaps one of the more obvious influences here.

App waterfall

Your ‘app drawer’ is the place all your apps are kept, both used and unused ones. It exists so that you don’t have to clutter your Home screen with all the native and foreign apps that are there in your phone. Android has not neglected that. You will now see that the drawer moves horizontally making it a simple scroll screen rather than swiping your thumb from right to left. What’s more, you also have a search bar on top of the drawer that allows you to type the app you’re looking for instead of wasting time searching for it normally. A similar feature appeared with the iOS 9 upgrade that had a search bar in the Settings menu.

These are just a few features that we thought to mention on our initial use. The Marshmallow upgrade promises a lot more and we’re sure to find new things as we continue to explore. Here’s a list of devices that are eligible for the Android upgrade. If your device is in it we suggest you go ahead and download it and have a little fun yourself.

October 7, 2015
Microsoft’s Surface Book is a Gorgeous Piece of Machinery

If you want to put on a spectacular show, you need to learn a thing or two from Microsoft. Not only did the company showcase some jaw dropping devices such as the Lumia phones and the Surface Pro 4, along with a bunch of other delectables yesterday, but it also had an ace up its sleeve. We knew the devices that were expected to be revealed at the event, however, Microsoft cleverly managed to hide perhaps their best creation yet, until last night.

Arguably the star of the show, Microsoft unveiled the Surface Book laptop and it is simply gorgeous. The Surface Book is Microsoft’s very first laptop, so to say. Though it is surprising since the Surface Pro was pegged as the laptop killer. But once you’ve had a glimpse of the Surface Book all is forgiven. This 3.34 pound Windows 10 laptop features a 13.5-inch display with a ridiculously high 3,000 x 2,000 pixel resolution and 267 ppi optically bonded to the screen. So it goes without saying that videos and images are as crisp as it’s going to get.

It’s Microsoft’s first laptop but it’s more than just a laptop. Consider it a laptop-tablet hybrid if you will. The screen is fully removable so that it can be used as a tablet. You can also pop the screen back on and flip it around and have the keyboard as a stand.

It is a silver metal laptop but looks different than the MacBook, but challenges the MacBook in every way. One of the highlights in the design is the Surface Book’s hinge, which Microsoft calls a “dynamic fulcrum.” From the side it appears it can flex and bend, and leaves a little gap when the laptop is closed, but also elevates the display at an angle.

More on the look of things, the Surface Book has a backlit keyboard and keys with 1.6mm of travel, which Microsoft is particularly proud of. It’s calling it “perfect” saying that it’ll type almost silently. And to top it off, the laptop comes with a large glass trackpad with five points of touch sensitivity. The Surface Pen stylus attaches magnetically to the side of the laptop as well as the Surface Pro 4.

Let’s talk about the interiors now. The laptop has the latest Intel Core i5 and i7 processors and Nvidia GeForce GPU with GDDR5 memory. The dock includes two USB 3.0 ports and an SD card slot. Here’s the cherry on the cake – the machine will give you 12 hours of battery life on a single charge. Are you listening, Apple?

Microsoft claims this is “the fast is the fastest 13-inch laptop ever made anywhere on any planet.” And the company also added that it will be twice as fast as the MacBook Pro. We can’t stress it enough, but the Surface Book is a beauty of a machine and the company seems to have nailed every aspect of it. The laptop will go on sale October 26th and is expected to have a steep price tag starting at $1,499. Follow this space as we’ll be looking at other devices Microsoft unveiled yesterday.

Till then, check out the video of the Surface Book below in all its glory.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVfOe5mFbAE

October 7, 2015
Facebook Tops Networking, WhatsApp in IM Apps in India

It comes as no surprise really that WhatsApp is the most popular messaging app in India, according to reports by global research consultancy firm TNS. Facebook remains the most popular social networking site in India with 51% of users logging in daily, while 56% users are on WhatsApp daily.

“The social networking market of India is Facebook centric, which is fueling the adoption of Facebook Messenger also as the IM platform for private messaging. However, WhatsApp is by far the most popular IM platform in India.” TNS India executive director Parijat Chakraborty commented.

When compared to countries such as Thailand (78%), Taiwan (75%), and Hong Kong (72%), India’s Facebook usage is much lower. Interestingly, India is the second largest base with over 125 million users for Facebook. The Unites States comes first.

In Asia-Pacific, three out of five internet users or 61% are now instant messaging on a daily basis, while four or 82% are using it on a weekly basis, the report said. “the popularity of IM has soared over the past year, with a 12% uplift in daily usage globally as more people opt for closed messaging platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and WeChat”, it added.

The numbers are out now and it goes to show just how much WhatsApp and Facebook has taken over our lives. TNS has said that social media will continue to hold a strong position allowing content to go more viral and the challenge for brands is to create content that consumers actually want to see.

October 7, 2015
Leak : Android-Powered BlackBerry Priv’s Camera, SoC and More

BlackBerry Priv’s leaks are coming faster than the company perhaps expects. New images have surfaced courtesy N4BB that show close-up shots of the display and the camera, revealing and confirming some specs of the Priv that we have already mentioned earlier.

The first image shows that the Android-powered phone will be powered by an SoC (either Snapdragon 808 or 810) with 64-bit processor. The next image confirms the primary camera sensor. The Priv will feature an 18-megapixel Schneider Kreuznach primary camera and is capable of shooting Ultra HD video in 4K @30 fps. It will also feature a 5-megapixel front-facing camera.

We also know that BlackBerry is going big on security and privacy, which is why the device is called Priv (privacy and productivity). Another image shows a new app that is called BlackBerry Safeguard that shows the security status of your device based on its settings and the apps installed. As the image below shows, the app will also allow you to see how other apps are using your information, set a pattern lock, scan your device for malicious software, and more.

Other features previously mentioned include a 5.4-inch curved display with a Quad HD resolution of 1440 x 2560 pixels, and 3 GB of RAM. The phone is expected to come with Google’s Android OS, but it is not clear yet as to which version of Android it will feature. The design of the Priv brings back some elements of the BlackBerry Z30 that users grew to love such as the glass-weave back plate. The hint of carbon fiber styled back also sets this device apart from other Android phones.

The Priv might have a November launch, though BlackBerry is expected to make an official announcement on it later this month.

Image Source: [tw-button size=”medium” background=”#07ABE2″ color=”” target=”_blank” link=”http://n4bb.com/blackberry-priv-64-bit-4k-video-confirmed/”]NFBB[/tw-button]

October 7, 2015
RoboHon is a Tiny Robot Phone That is All Kinds of Adorable

We bring you news straight from Japan, and it’s tech related. So yes, it has something to do with robots. But this time its not just any robot. It’s Japan doing what it does best – making a smartphone that looks like a cute little robot.

Move over, Pepper, there’s a new robot in town and it’s called RoboHon. This tiny robot smartphone is the latest creation announced by Sharp and designed by Tomotaka Takahashi, and it is jammed full of skills and features. If you ever decide to leave your sleek and thin smartphones for a bipedal robot phone with arms and legs and a mouth, then this is what you need. You’d also need to move to Japan for it, but that’s besides the point.

RoboHon is an 8-inch robot with a 2-inch screen on the back and a camera and projector built into its face. This phobot (phone + robot) can walk, talk, dance, raise its arm to get your attention, and can also connect to LTE and WiFi. RoboHon has facial recognition, and voice recognition built-in too. So it can identify people and act accordingly, telling them they have a new message or to smile for the camera. You can also set reminders and RoboHon will respond like Siri, though a lot less creepy. It also promises to be there to cheer you up when you’re feeling blue.

Now, this robot phone is not exactly going to be easy to fit in your pocket, and is the complete opposite of how other smartphones are evolving, but hey, its still an adorable looking robot, so that’s reason enough to bring a smile to your face. Sharp says it will release RoboHan in Japan in the first half of 2016. Watch the video of the multi-purpose, joyful tiny bot below. We’re sure it’s going to be the best thing you’ve seen all day.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=55&v=HQtIlxe_ZkY

October 6, 2015
Google Officially Begins Rolling Out Android Marshmallow

Android 6.0 Marshmallow is finally out and ready for Nexus users. The latest OS upgrade began rolling out yesterday and is destined for universal acceptance. The Marshmallow update is perhaps the most juiciest Android update to come out in a while with features such as Now on Tap, Doze, and many others that is sure to deliver some happiness for users. We have already mentioned some of the best new features of the Marshmallow.

Just a quick recap. There are features that will make your life a little more easier such as the new ‘cut, copy, paste‘ option that can now be found right above the text, he ‘Doze‘ feature that reduces background activity to give you a longer battery life, and ‘Now on Tap‘ that offers a variety of suggestions on practically any page you visit, among other things.

Furthermore, security permissions for apps is now more like iOS where you will be asked for permission while performing a particular task rather than having to worry about what all you end up accepting when downloading a new app.

Brian Rakowski, VP of Product Management, released a blog yesterday welcoming the launch of the new Marshmallow update and listed out some of the highlights of the new operating system. He also mentioned the Nexus devices that are scheduled to receive the update “over air”, which are Nexus 5, Nexus 6, Nexus 7 (2013), Nexus 9 and Nexus Player. The recently launched Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P will be released with the Marshmallow update pre-installed.

October 6, 2015
OnePlus Mini: Leaked Specs and Everything Else

Here’s the thing you need to know about the upcoming OnePlus phone – it’s going by two different names. There have been many leaks over the past few weeks about a new OnePlus phone that is a miniaturized version of the OnePlus 2. The phone is being called OnePlus Mini or OnePlus X, depending on which source you follow. Recent discussions about the phone are tilting more towards OnePlus Mini now. But we discussed OnePlus X last week so it’s anyone’s guess, really.

We have brought out some rumoured spec leaks of the OnePlus Mini/X a couple of weeks ago that was spilled by AnTuTu Bencmark, and now we have an anonymous source that’s backing it up. Since the new reports come as an anonymous tip, you should not completely trust the authenticity of it. However, some specs do seem right for a phone that is said to fall below the $250 price tag.

As previously mentioned, the OnePlus Mini will feature a 5-inch display with 1920 x 1080 resolution cloaked in 2.5D Gorilla Glass 3 or Gorilla Glass 5.The Mini will be powered by MediaTek’s Helio X10 chipset with a 2.2 GHz octa-core Cortex-A53 CPU.

2 GB of RAM and 32 GB expandable storage can also be expected. So far so good. In the camera department, however, there are changes to earlier rumours. Now it is suggested that the phone will not feature dual camera set as earlier renders have shown. Instead, there will be one 13-megapixel Sony IMX258 rear sensor with f/2.0 aperture, 4K @ 30fps video recording capabilities, and a Dual-Tone LED flash.

It is likely that the OnePlus Mini camera and display will be similar to the recently launched Xiaomi Mi 4c. There have been no changes concerning the design of the phone as shown in the renders above (except the dual camera). It is very likely that the company is steering clear from recreating a OnePlus 2 design as it has received some flak for it.

The battery is said to be either a 3000 mAh or 3100 mAh, which you’ll charge through a USB Type-C port and is also said to come with Quick Charge support. Other features include a fingerprint sensor on the back, an FM radio, a MT6630 wireless SoC, Bluetooth 4.1, an IR Blaster, a 1.2W front-facing speaker and a NFC chip for Android Pay, which was missing from the OnePlus 2. Both the NFC chip and Quick Charge support are likely to come with the Mini despite not having been featured in the bigger device.

The device is expected to be priced at $250. The anonymous source has also revealed that the phone is likely to make an appearance in November or December, though other sources say it could be launched this month. So keep your eyes open and ears to the whispers as we bring you more on the upcoming OnePlus device.

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October 6, 2015
LowRes Coder App for iOS Lets You Create Your Own 8-bit Games

Have you ever had a great game in mind but never could get it past the idea stage because you just didn’t know how? Well, there is an iOS app called LowRes Coder that allows you to create that 8-bit game you’ve always wanted to ever since you played Snakes and Space Invaders all those years ago.

The LowRes app for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch provides you the tools to program retro looking games and demos, and you don’t need to be a programming genius to do so. With this app you can be the designer and the developer. It is a user-friendly way to create your very own game and run it on a virtual game console once you’re finished.

The app uses basic programming language that is easy to understand. It is the “classic” language that programmers used a long time ago, and it is perfect for anyone who is keen on knowing how programming works. Consider it as a beginners guide to programming, if you may. The app uses three sound generators, 8×8 pixel sprites, 16 colours, and 64×64 pixels. It is inspired by 8-bit systems with an integrated BASIC interpreter and editor.

Have an idea? Run with it

Before you jump to a new page to start creating your codes, you need to know what to write. The app comes pre-loaded with games like Snake, Tennis, Racing, and Galaxy (some nostalgia for all). You can open any one of them and program more features into them, to make them more unique and fun. The sample lines give you an idea of how codes are written so that you can create your own game from scratch. If you’re new to programming this is a great way to learn the basics.

See what others are creating

There is a big community of amateur programmers out there who just love to make their own hopping, jumping, slithering games. The app lets you publish your games on your own profile page, which is then visible by the community. You can check out others games and have others try out yours. Its a great way to get ideas, inspiration, and share your passion for programming.

What are you waiting for?

You’ve probably got an idea of what this app does for you. And if you are the curious type, you’ll appreciate an app that gives you the potential to one day, go beyond 8-bit gaming. This app won’t turn you into coding savants, but it’ll set up the basics. The app allows you to create new games and make changes to pre-loaded ones, which is pretty neat for a free version. Even if you’re not into coding right now, the app lets you play tons of games on the community, till you get an idea of how easy it is to make them.

The free download limits the amount of lines you can use to 24 (you can do a lot in 24), however, if your dream game is a little more complex than that, you can go for the full version via in-app purchase for $2.99. You can download the app here for iOS users. Code on, people.

October 5, 2015