Author: Happy Nagashetti

Thanks to Apple Watch, Swiss Watchmakers Headed Towards Troubled Times : Swatch Inventor

Apple’s has finally brought its long awaited Watch to the market, and there have been mixed responses to the new offering. Now the co-inventor of the Swatch watches says that the new device from Apple can cause serious troubles for Switzerland’s famed watch industry.

Swatch co-inventor Elmar Mock has said that the Apple Watch might put a lot of pressure on traditional watchmakers in Switzerland, and he anticipates an ice age for the industry soon. He said that anything in the range of $500-1000 should be a cause of concern for the industry.

Wristwatches are one of the many prominent offerings from Switzerland along with cheese, chocolate and, of course, the banking system for stashing huge funds. The watch making industry employs tens of thousands of workers and the smartwatch craze might affect their livelihood.

Mr. Mock said that the Swiss watch industry hasn’t been innovating enough to keep up with the new challenges from the tech industry. He cited the quartz crisis of 1970’s and 80’s when cheap watch offerings from Japan took over large market shares from Swiss watchmakers. He said that the Swiss industry has the technology to deliver competent product in the age of smartwatches, and they should take proactive efforts to tackle the assault from the tech industry. Elmar Mock warned that if corrective actions weren’t taken, the watch industry might face severe troubles in two to three years.

Smartwatches as a segment has a long way to go, and the most glaring deficiency of these devices is the battery life that mostly tends to last a day or two. It adds on as an extra device that regularly demands its moment on the charging plug while a regular watch runs for months or even years on a single battery. This is one of the major causes that discourages folks from buying these new devices. So the watchmakers should anticipate a comfortable run till the time the tech companies figure out the battery side of things.

March 11, 2015
Xiaomi Officially Confirms, Redmi 2 is Arriving in India on March 12

Every time you think the Xiaomi mania has cooled down, the Chinese smartphone powerhouse drops a new product in the market that restarts the waiting line. Xiaomi is expected to launch the successor to its budget superhero, Redmi 1S in India. The company has sent out the invitation to the launch event of a new device scheduled on March 12, 2015.

The device is named Redmi 2 and was launched at CES this year. The device has a 4.7 inch 720p HD display like its predecessor and is now protected with Corning Gorilla Glass 2. The device runs on MIUI 6 which is based on Android 4.4 Kitkat.

Redmi 2 is powered by a 1.2 GHz, Snapdragon 410 processor. In some markets it is available in two variants, one with 8 GB memory and 1 GB RAM whereas the other variant flaunts 16 GB internal memory and 2 GB RAM. It is not sure of yet if Xiaomi will be bringing both the variants in the Indian market, but the options do sound great.

On the camera front, the device still sports an 8 MP camera on the back while the front camera is updated to 2 MP. The battery also gets bigger at 2200 mAh.

It is an exciting device and considering the success of the Redmi 1S, you can expect the handset to find a lot of takers. The pricing of the device would be essential in taking on the competition as the market has many contenders in the budget segment such as the Lenovo A6000 and the Moto E (Gen 2).

We’ll get you hands-on and full review of Xiaomi’s latest offering for India soon, keep checking back with iGyaan for more.

March 11, 2015
The Innards of the New Apple Macbook Are Made Mostly of Batteries

Apple finally brought the Apple Watch to the market. The smartwatch line up comes with varied shapes, features and customization options. They are a bit on the pricier side but with their premium look and Apple logo, they may not find it difficult to find customers. But along with the much-awaited smartwatch, Apple also launched the revamped Macbook with a thickness of just 13.1 mm. Even with the slim design, most of the insides of the new notebook is made up only of batteries while a tiny portion is taken by the other hardware bits.

Apple Redesigned their batteries for the new device to maximize battery availability.

The new Macbook’s have been put through immense redesigning process. The battery design, as well as the insides of the device, have been designed to offer maximum battery storage space.

There have been immense efforts and breakthroughs in the miniaturization of the internal components but the battery technology still has a long way to go. So Apple decided to offer maximum space to the battery in the device. The company says that the new Macbook has 35% more battery capacity in comparison with the current mainstream technology. Apple has made every attempt to make most of the available space and has packed in as much space as possible with the newly designed battery.

The miniaturized logic-board is covered all around with batteries.

The new MacBook packs in a high definition 2304×1440 display that will demand a great deal of energy. Even with such high-def display, Apple claims that the ultra slim notebook offers a full day of battery life. It is also said to offer 9 hours of battery life when browsing the web continuously and 10 hours worth of iTunes film playback with a single charge.

Apple has been known for its tryst with the slim. It was one of the first companies to introduce the ultra-thin laptops with the MacBook Air, and now it has taken things further with the new MacBook lineup. Even with the barrage of smart device offered in the market, a notebook is still an essential device for work and entertainment purposes. Apple’s efforts in making the notebooks more portable, yet more powerful will surely be appreciated by the consumers in the market.

March 10, 2015
Apple Introduces the Thinnest Keyboard With the New Macbook

Apple yesterday re-introduced the product line of Macbook, but this time, it comes with a complete makeover. It is thinner than any other product in the laptop market. Apple says one of the major changes in the new Apple Macbook is the addition of a new keyboard that helps to slim the device down further.

Apple has done away with the traditional “scissors” and inducted a new “butterfly” mechanism. This new design allows for a shorter keystroke that the company claims helps in more precise typing and fewer errors. The company also claims that the design of the keyboard is 40% thinner than the regular keyboards and is four times more stable in comparison.

To make it easier to work in low light conditions, the keyboard also features a LED light under each key. This allows for more light and better visibility of the keys in comparison to other keyboards.

Check out how the new keyboard comes together in the video below.

March 10, 2015
Here’s What You Can Expect From Apple’s ‘Spring Forward’ Event

Apple will be holding an event today, the 9th of March where it will finally launch its long teased Apple Watch. This is a whole new product segment for Apple, and the industry is waiting to get their hands on the device to see for themselves if it matches the hype.

There might be some hidden surprises at the event, but here’s what you can expect to see:

The Battery Fiasco

The battery has been a cause of concern for the potential consumers. It has been claimed in multiple reports that the Apple Watch might have a dismal battery backup. Some reports even went on to say that the device might just have a battery life for 5 hours of active usage while others said it might run for two-three days on low power mode. Replying to the concerns, Apple Chief, Tim Cook recently said that the Apple Watch will run for a full day, and its charging will be faster than the iPhone. We will finally get to know more details on the battery performance and will also learn how Apple plans on increasing the battery efficiency of the device.

Apps Maketh The Watch

Apple Watch is first of all a smart device, and the smartness of the device depends on the apps it has to offer. During its launch, Apple showed some amazing clock faces including the amazing Astronomy and Disney based watch faces. It also has some unique gesture supports that will make it easy to use and to interact with others.
At present, the apps on the device will work in conjunction with the iPhone apps. The company plans to bring native Watch apps in the future. Apple has already said that the Watch will support Apple Pay, which means the device has NFC so we might also see some NFC-based apps too. Tim Cook has already said that Watch might replace the car keys in the near future.

What’s The Price, Eh?

During the unveiling of the Apple Watch, its price was stated to be $349, which is expected to be the price of the basic variant of the device, the Watch Sport. The price of Apple’s other Watch offering is yet unknown. Apple has also brought the Edition collection of the watch which are made of premium materials such as Rose Gold surface and Sapphire Crystal display. These smartwatches will also come with a multitude of strap and accessory options. Though, for Apple customers, pricing is not a major issue, but this time around they’ll probably be cautious before buying an all new device. Some reports have indicated a price of above $1000 as the average price for the device, which sounds a bit exorbitant. With that hefty a price tag Apple has to make a good case for its product to attract users to its Watch corner.

Hmm… What Else?

Apart from the major Apple Watch launch, the Cupertino-based tech giant is also expected to bring out some new upgraded devices in its other product line-up. 9to5mac had reported in January that Apple might be ready to bring a 12 inch-notebook that would probably have a body similar to the current 11-inch MacBook Air. This new device is only expected to hold two ports, a headphone jack and the new C-Type reversible USB port. This new laptop will also do away with the internal fans and the touchpad, so this seems to be one of the usual experiments of Apple for the market whose success can influence future product designs. The lack of ports might disappoint potential buyers, but Apple might just end up introducing a new accessory to address consumer plight.

Apple might also introduce iOS 8.2 with Apple Watch support. This new update will have the new companion app for the Watch and will let you use the device in conjunction with your iOS devices. The new emoji’s, which got the fans excited will only arrive after a few months when Apple brings out the iOS 8.3.

To Conclude

Overall, it’s a show about the new Apple Watch and it is targeted at the customers who have been eagerly waiting to own the companion device for their iPhones. While we know about most of the features of the Watch, Apple will be making its final case before bringing the device out for the customers to try. The smartwatch segment of the market is slowly coming to maturity and with Apple’s addition to the list, all major brands have placed their contenders in the market. We have to wait till next quarter to know how Apple’s latest product segment is received by the public.

Come back to iGyaan to know more about the details of the Apple event on Monday.

March 9, 2015
Google Eyes Virtual Reality to Expand its Android Ecosystem

Google has been proactively expanding the reach and utility of the Android ecosystem. It is now on smartphones, tablets, TVs, smartwatches and even in cars (with Android Auto). Now the tech giant is looking at a whole new arena to establish its dominance, and they have chosen the field of virtual reality.

Virtual reality as a new device ecosystem is growing rapidly. Major brands such as Samsung, HTC, Sony and others have unveiled their VR headsets that will be arriving in the market soon. In our first person experience with these headsets, we have found them to be promising, and it had tremendous potential as a new consumer medium. It is, therefore, obvious that Google wishes to be a frontrunner in the game.

HTC recently forayed into Virtual Reality with the HTC Vive

The report was published in the Wall Street Journal, but Google hasn’t confirmed it as of yet. The report says that the Silicon Valley powerhouse has engaged tons of engineers to create a version of Android for the VR devices. This version will also be given out for free just like all the other Android counterparts.

Google has already ventured in the VR game with its low-cost cardboard project. Users can get the affordable glasses, install the cardboard app, and they are ready for the VR experience. But the professional VR headsets offer more features than the cardboard contraption. A VR version of Android might include functionalities for touch controls and improved features. As of now it is not clear how the VR version of Android would look like, but with the right partners, Google might end up at the top of one more segment of the electronic market. Also, as it is a free offering, it might encourage other brands to step in the VR game to increase competition. This will also lead to an increase in the number of apps, games and other content for the VR headsets. It seems the age of virtual reality is finally upon us.

March 7, 2015
Hands On | Lenovo A7000

Lenovo had been in the news before MWC 2015 for all the wrong reasons. The revelation of the Superfish bug brought public outrage towards the company along with an incident of their website getting hacked. Well, Lenovo pulled a brave face and introduced the new A7000 that looks like a great multimedia handset that comes with a pocket-friendly price tag.

The Lenovo A7000 is a great handset to look at. It is available in black and white color variant and feels like a premium device. It might feel a bit bulky with its 8 mm thickness, but it makes the device feel robust. The device is comparable with its sibling, the A6000, that the company unveiled at the CES 2015.

The A7000 has a spec sheet that will enthuse any multimedia enthusiast on a budget. It has a 5.5 inch, 720 x 1280 pixel display with a density of 267 ppi. It is powered by a Octa-core, 1.5 GHz Mediatek chipset along with 2 GB RAM. The handset sports 8 GB internal storage that can be expanded up to 32 GB. It runs Android 5.0 out of the box and is juiced up by a 2900 mAh.

The A7000 also has some good listing in its camera space. It has an 8 MP main shooter and a 5 MP selfie shooter. The images clicked from the device were found to be crisp but we need to bring the device to test it out thoroughly.

Lenovo’s multimedia credentials are amplified here with the addition of Dolby Atmos audio in the device. When listened to on headphones, the sound from the smartphone feels like it’s coming from all the directions, thereby gives a fuller audio experience. According to Lenovo, the A7000 can enhance sound quality of any content for the pleasure of the user.

For the user interface, the A7000 runs the Vibe UI, which is based on Android 5.0 Lollipop. It borrows features like multitasking panel from the stock Android but, fortunately, offers capacitive buttons below the display instead of placing it within the UI.

The A7000 has a good features list, and while we still have to test it out for ourselves, it looks it can take on the likes of Redmi Note and Yu Yureka. A slightly generous expandable storage of at least 64 GB would have done good for the consumers, as well as the company. Lenovo has said that the device will be priced at $160 (approx Rs. 10,400), which is a bit pricier than its competition in the Indian market. But Lenovo can take advantage of the shortage of stocks of the other devices to attract customers to itself.

Update: Lenovo A7000 launches in India, Priced at Rs. 8,999.

March 7, 2015
WhatsApp Says WhatsApp Plus Users Will Face Temporary Bans, Not Permanent

A few days WhatsApp began banning those users who had been using third party applications like WhatsApp+. The messaging app stated privacy concerns for the ban. WhatsApp has come out and said that the move is just temporary, and users can follow some easy steps to start using their service again.

The bans were handed down for a 24 hour period. Users could uninstall the third party app and install a fresh version of the official app from the app store, and they would be re-instated back. But recently a Google+ post saying that Whatsapp is starting a Permanent Account Disable purge caused a lot of concerns amongst the users.

WhatsApp has come out to clear the air. Earlier, WhatsApp used to ban the third party app users for a period of 24 hours, and the message showed up with a countdown clock, but now it’s extended indefinitely and the countdown clock has been removed. The company said that the third party app users will be unblocked only after they have uninstalled the third party app. They are not permanently banned from the service.

WhatsApp had claimed piracy and security concerns for the ban. It cited the case of Snapchat where users’ personal content were hacked in through third party app. So if you want to use the official WhatsApp app, you would have to delete WhatsApp+, WhatsApp Reborn, OgWhatsapp or any other third-party client from your smartphone.

This feels like a case of arm-twisting by the messaging giant, but it sure is needed to increase security. There is accountability with the official app, but there is none with third party apps. It’s better to take the safer approach than trade your personal information for a few new emoticons on a third party app. WhatsApp is anyways introducing features such as voice calling soon, so you would be better off sticking with the official WhatsApp.

March 7, 2015

Hands On | Gionee Elife S7

Gionee is known for making some of the most stylish phones in the market. Their recent offering called the Elife S7 is one of the slimmest phones in the market. At MWC 2015, the company brought the latest edition to its S family of devices, and it’s called the S7. Let’s take a look this new device and how it compares to the previous devices from Gionee’s stable.

Design has always been Gionee’s USP, and it continues that with the S7. With a thickness of 5.5 mm, the Elife S7 is comparable in slimness with its sibling, the S5.5. As with the other devices in the S-family, the S7 is slim yet sturdy. It has a vibrant display with great viewing angles. The front and the back end of the devices are secured with Corning Gorilla Glass that also add a premium feel to it. The slim bezels around the display make the content pop out.

Specs-wise, the device has some great innards. It has a 5.2 inch, 1080p display with a pixel density of 424 PPI. Its processing needs are handled by a 1.7 GHz, MediaTek processor along with 2 GB RAM. It is a dual SIM device and gets its juice from a 2750 mAh battery. One major issue we have with this device is the lack of expandable storage and only a 16 GB storage option.

The S7 is great on the camera front, as has been the case with Elife devices. It has a 13 MP camera on the back and an 8 MP camera for your Selfie considerations. The images from the S7 look fantastic, albeit a bit over-saturated. The front camera is fantastic and is comparable with the back cameras of many devices in the market.

The Elife S7 runs Amigo UI 3.0 which is based on Android 5.0 Lollipop. This user interface is easy to learn and light to operate. It borrows some features such as recent apps and pm screen capacitive buttons directly from stock Android. It has customization features such as chameleon that lets you create color tones for the device according to your liking.

Overall the device looks and feels good for the price. Gionee is expected to launch the device in the European markets for EUR 399 (Approx. Rs. 24,000) which is fairly reasonable. It’s good that Gionee went with the thickness of 5.5 mm as it feels sleek yet safe in the hands. Now if Gionee can only take care of the storage issue, it might find a good number of takers in the market.

Update: Gionee Elife S7 arrives in India priced at Rs. 24,999

Specs	Gionee Elife S7
Display	5.2 inches 1080 x 1920 pixels Corning Gorilla Glass
CPU	Octa-core 1.7 GHz, Mediatek MT6752
RAM	2 GB
Internal Storage	16 GB
Expandable Up to	NA
Main Camera	13 MP
Front Camera	8 MP
Battery	2750 mAh

March 6, 2015

Now Ubuntu Based Phones Attempt to Take on Android Devices

Android is the undoubted top dog of the smartphone operating system. Its closest adversary, the iOS lags behind in terms of market numbers. There is no third party challenger to its dominance either; major operating systems like Windows, Blackberry, Firefox, etc. are still struggling to create a space for themselves. In this situation, some companies are looking at Ubuntu as an alternative to the behemoth called Android.

Ubuntu is one of the most popular Linux-based operating systems in the world. It is a light operating system that is developed by UK-based Canonical Ltd. and is offered free of cost. Canonical had previously announced the smartphone version of Ubuntu back in 2013 and tried unsuccessfully to fund it through crowdfunding. The company later partnered with mobile makers BQ and Meizu and the operating system is now finally seeing the light of day.

BQ’s Aquaris e4.5 Ubuntu Edition

At the MWC 2015, BQ and Meizu showcased their Ubuntu based devices. BQ had already unveiled its Ubuntu device earlier, and it is called the Aquaris E4.5 Ubuntu Edition. It comes with a 4.5-inch qHD display along with a 8MP camera and is powered by a 1.3 GHz quad-core MediaTek processor. This will be an affordable device and will be priced at $195 (Approx. Rs. 12,000).

Meizu’s phone, on the other hand, is based on its MX4 handset. It flaunts a 5.36-inch 1920 x 1152 display with a 20-megapixel camera and is powered by an eight-core MediaTek 6595 processor. This phone will have a better appeal in the market in comparison to the offering by BQ.

Meizu’s MX4 Ubuntu has better features and design amongst the two devices.

The Ubuntu OS is fairly new and would lack the apps that would attract the consumers. To make it easy for developers to easily create apps for the ecosystem, the OS offers categorized home screens called ‘Scopes.’ This scopes can be used to plug in content from apps like Instagram, Grooveshark, Soundcloud, etc. The company says that by using these specific Scopes, developers wouldn’t have to go through the lengthy process of coding apps to optimize them for Ubuntu.

Canonical also has long term plan for the ecosystem, and it intends to bring seamless interconnectivity between the various Ubuntu devices. But it is still unsure as to how this operating system would challenge the dominance of Android and attract consumers to a new user experience. We’ll only know for sure about he prospects of the Ubuntu OS when the devices finally come to the market.

March 5, 2015
New Age of Ultron Trailer Shows Avengers Doing What They Do Best

Avengers: Age of Ultron is the most anticipated cinematic adventure of 2015. The movie will get together all the big boys and the badass lady of the Marvel Cinematic Universe(MCU) for the second time. The wait will come to an end on May 1 when the film finally comes to the big screen, but Marvel is leaving no stone unturned to keep the hype going. The Hollywood mega brand has brought out the third trailer for the new movie, and it has everything that will get you excited to pre-book the tickets for the first day of release.

The Avengers are facing their most formidable enemy yet, and they seem overpowered by Tony Stark’s own creation, the Ultron. We get to know more about the epic villain who is voiced by James Spader. The surprise element of the trailer, of course, is the first look of the Vision, who’ll be played by Paul Bettany, who till now was the voice of Jarvis in the MCU movies. In the movie, Vision will be created by Tony Stark to take on Ultron, so that will be a battle worth watching.

The trailer also packs in some hilarious moments that we have come to anticipate from Marvel’s awesome projects, both on the big screen and television. With director Joss Whedon at the helms, you can be sure that your inner nine-year-old will be unleashed for a couple of weeks after watching this movie. Time to set up the reminder to book the tickets for the first show.

March 5, 2015
LG to Launch the G4 Along with a Brand New Flagship Later This Year

LG was one of the major company that didn’t bring out any major flagship device at the MWC. LG said that they needed to do work on their new device and hence decided to postpone the launch of this year’s flagship. Instead, the company brought four mid-range devices at the conference. The Korean company though had some big news in its kitty; it announced that it would be bringing a new flagship that will be a step above the G-series.

LG Electronics Mobile chief Cho Juno said that the company is working on a new device that will have higher specs than the G4. This device will be brought to the market in the second half of the year. This means that the LG G4 would be losing its status as the LG flagship. There aren’t any more details about this new device as of yet.

Cho Juno did talk about the upcoming LG G4 and gave away some details about the new device. The new G4 is expected to be radically different from the previous generation G-series devices, both inside and outside. It might feature a new metal body along with an overhaul of the software too. They will be unveiling the new LG UX 4.0 before the announcement of the G4. The phone might be announced in the coming few months.

Mr. Juno also said that the company is working on high-performance processors to break free from the Qualcomm ecosystem. There is an indication that the chipset might also appear in the LG G4, but that doesn’t seem like a possibility as of now. The company plans to bring the new chipsets to all the new handset offerings. Samsung has already powered its new flagship, the Galaxy S6 with its homegrown Exynos processor. It seems the companies are doing everything in their power to establish a unique space for themselves in the brutal terrain of the smartphone market.

March 5, 2015
Podo is a Tiny Camera That You Can Stick Anywhere for a Photo Booth Experience

The Selfie culture refuses to die down. Every major pop culture personality has posted a selfie of their moment in time, even the Pope found himself in selfie. There has been a barrage of accessories in the market such as cameras, selfie sticks, drones and other products whose sole purpose is to give you that perfect self-portrait. A new Kickstarter project called Podo is a tiny camera that you can stick anywhere and use it to click selfies.

Podo is a tiny square camera that is easy to carry around and is ready to get clicking at a moment’s notice. It can take 8-megapixel photos and video at 720p/30 fps. It has 4 GB of internal storage and has a 600 mAh battery that the company says will be good enough for shooting two hours of video. The device can be controlled with an Android or iOS smartphone through Bluetooth and the companion app. It also has a ring flash with 8 LED’s which lights the scenes better than the conventional flash.

The camera offers multiple shooting options. You can set it to click single snaps, double exposure and burst sequences. You can also use the video mode that records 15-second clips for your Instagram feed. Podo also lets you shoot timelapse in Auto Mode and exports it in the form of video or animated GIF.

The USP of the device, of course, is that it can be stuck on any solid surface, as claimed by the developers. The stickable back is attached to a hinge that lets you adjust the tilt of the camera which will be convenient for the users to frame their images.

On Kickstarter, Podo has managed to generate a lot of buzz. As of now, It has gathered $93,708 against its goal of $50,000 with 47 more days to go. Early backers will get to own the device for $79 which is fairly pocket-friendly. So if you are a selfie maniac, this device looks like a must have for you.

March 5, 2015
5 Interesting Upgrades on Samsung’s New Flagships That You Should Know

Samsung finally launched its long awaited and much hyped Galaxy S6 in two variants. The Korean electronics giant has faced a lot of criticism in the past for their lackluster devices and boring user interface. So when the time came to answer the criticism, Samsung went back to the drawing board and introduced two new designs for its flagship.

Let’s look at the upgrades in these new Samsung flagship and how it can take on its competition.

The Edge Samsung Needed

Samsung has been getting heat for its design for a while, but this new metallic look is surely a winner. The S6 Edge especially flaunts a design that looks sleek yet refreshingly new. The price of the device will definitely sting the potential buyers, but it will also give the satisfaction of owning a one of a kind device. The Edge display also offers new features like color coding some contacts so you can know who is calling based on the color displayed by the edge light. The devices are also strengthened with Gorilla Glass 4 on both sides. Smudges may be an issue on this back case, but it sure gives a premium vibe, unlike any other device from Samsung’s stable.

First Samsung Flagship With a Non-Removable Battery

Samsung has for long stuck with the removable battery as it claimed it offered more convenience to the user, but this time around the company has taken away that access. At the launch, the presenter said that they have reached a point where they are confident about the battery performance and hence have introduced a uni-body design. Samsung has also added a fast charging feature that will give the handset 4 hours of juice with just 10 minutes of charging.

Wireless Charging, The way it should be

Its 2015 and we are still haggling with the cables the way we did when the first desktop computers came out. Wireless charging technology has been around for a while but due to certain technical issues, it hasn’t reached devices on the mass scale. The new S6 works with WPC platforms such as Qi charging as well as PMA systems that will let you charge your handset on most wireless charging pads.

Samsung Pay, the mobile payment platform for Now

Apple introduced its mobile payment system last year but will take a while to reach the consumers as it depends on NFC. Samsung went way ahead in the mobile payment game with its offering called the ‘Samsung Pay.’ You now won’t have to wait for retail stores to get NFC payment systems as you can use your S6 to pay through conventional card readers. Just store the credit card information and tap the device on the card readers, and you are done paying. Samsung claims that the details of your transactions will only be visible to you, and no store, not even Samsung can track your card usage.

A Flagship worthy camera

Samsung has put some efforts into the camera of the Galaxy S6, both in terms of hardware as well as the software. The main camera is a 16 MP shooter with OIS that means clear images with no shakes, whereas the front camera is a 5 MP selfie shooter. It has offered a 1.9 mm lens on both sides of the device that attracts more light and hence gives clear, sharp images. The company understands the importance of the camera in the times of social media and hence has introduced instant access to it. By just hitting the home button twice, you will get instant access to the easy to use camera interface. Samsung claims that this gesture control lets you access the camera in just 0.7 seconds so that you won’t have a missed moment with the new Galaxy S6.

To Conclude

Overall this launch from Samsung does address most of the criticism levied on it earlier. The new design language is impressive, and we hope that the company trickles it down in its product portfolio to the lower priced devices. You can also say that Samsung has got the edge display right this time around, as experts had previously expressed concerns about the effectiveness of dual sided curved display. Now we have to wait till it reaches the market to know how it fares with the customers.

Stay tuned for the in-depth reviews of Samsung’s new big boys and more on technology, only on iGyaan.

Watch our hands on with Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge here:

March 4, 2015
Report: Google Might Partner With LG and Huawei for Two New Nexus Devices

Google Nexus 6 from Motorola is one of the best Android devices in the market. The phone’s spec sheet consists of the top notch specs of its time of launch. This year around, it seems like Google has bigger plans for its Nexus and might involve its past partner, LG and join hands with Huawei for its new generation products.

The story is still a rumor so its authenticity cannot be established. A Weibo user who claims to have information on the next Nexus brought the story to light. According to him, LG would be bringing out a refreshed version of the Nexus 6 whereas Huawei might bring a Nexus 5-like product into the market.

Nexus 6 was designed by Motorola and looked like a bigger sibling of the 2nd generation Moto X. The handset is a monstrosity with its 5.9 inch Quad HD display. It also features a ring flash for the main camera and a top of the charts spec listing.

No other details have been furnished as of now. Google might be trying to populate its Nexus product line-up and hence is on a lookout for new partners. Nexus 6 was appreciated, but its size was just too massive for the phablet. With its partnership with LG, Google might try to bring down the size of the device to a more comfortable size like the LG G3, which has a 5.5 inch Quad HD display. We’ll get to know more in the coming months, as the launch of the new generation Nexus draws near.

Till then, watch our hands on with the Google Nexus 6:

March 4, 2015