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iPhone 5se Production begins, Manufacturers Launch Cases

Whispers making their way out from the manufacturing centres in China and Japan suggest that what could be the next iPhone, the 5se, may already be rolling off the assembly line in a bid to be ready for a March 2016 launch.

After witnessing decline in sales of iPhones, Apple looks in no mood to let things get worse in the coming quarters and hence is planning to launch a smaller screen variant of the iPhone for emerging markets where buyers can’t pay as much as their counterparts in western economies.

The iPhone 5se, news of which has not even been confirmed by Apple yet looks to become a reality very soon.Number of case makers have started to come up with custom cases for the next iPhone, seemingly confirming to the world the plans of Apple for launching this phone soon.

KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who has an outstanding track record making forecasts about the iPhone or iPad, expects the 4-inch device to resemble the iPhone 6. Case maker Rearth USA has also released renders of a case for what it is calling the Apple iPhone 6c.

Latest reports further suggest that Apple had come up with this idea of the 4 inch iPhone last year only but was waiting for the perfect time to bring it to the markets.

The iPhone 5se is expected to be powered by the A9 chipset, and come equipped with an 8 MP or 12 MP rear-facing camera and Live Photos. The handset will miss out on the 3D Touch feature The display could be the same as on the last 4- inch iPhone, the 5c.

The 5se will be offered in two storage options, 16 GB, and 64 GB. Pricing is expected to be around $450 (approximately Rs 30,000).

January 29, 2016
Microsoft Launches Nokia 230 Dual SIM in India

Feature phones still exist and they’re still going strong. This is established by Nokia, a brand known for making feature phones that the human race grew up on. Microsoft today announced the launch of a brand new feature phone, the Nokia 230 Dual SIM in India.

The Nokia 230 Dual SIM brings some flavour to the feature phone category with a premium look and feel to it thanks to its metallic construction. The phone is designed for those who want a high-end phone as far as feature phones are concerned, and are not too fond of making that leap to touchscreen devices.

Speaking at the launch, Ravi Kunwar, Director- North, Microsoft Mobile Devices, “Amidst the burgeoning market for touch-enabled smartphones, there was a latent need in the market for a premium quality, non-touch feature phone with enhanced features.”

On the specification front, the Nokia 230 Dua SIM sports a 2.8-inch QVGA display with up to 32GB of memory via MicroSD. The handset comes with 2MP front and back cameras with LED flash and an aluminium back for a sturdy hold.

Other features include Opera Mini Browser, Bing Search, MSN Weather, FM Radio, MP3 and video player, and Bluetooth audio support for headsets.

The handset’s 1200mAh battery promises up to 23 hours of talk time and 22 days of standby time. All of this comes at a price of Rs 3,949. The Nokia 230 Dual SIM is available in Silver and Dark Silver colour options.

January 28, 2016

OnePlus X Goes On Open Sale Permanently

OnePlus X goes invite-free and is now on open sale…forever. A video of an incredibly excited Bobba Fett (pay attention, Star Wars fans) doing a happiness-jig is here to convey the same.

We just made the #OnePlusX invite-free forever. Find out why: https://t.co/xdLOV1CcGW #NoInvitesDance pic.twitter.com/0OZBFP9Vho

— OnePlus (@oneplus) January 28, 2016

The announcement was made on OnePlus’s official forum. The post also announced free standard shipping for orders above $100 (about Rs. 6,800).

“…we hope that this development will make the process of purchasing your very own OnePlus X as smooth and effortless as it can possibly be,” says the company..

OnePlus also announced a slight hike in the price of its power banks. After seven calendar days from the day of the announcement, the OnePlus Power Bank would be priced at $19, instead of the previous $14.99. Additionally, shipping regulations inhibit the order of more than two Power Banks. If the order includes 4 units, it would automatically be split into two separate orders.

Coming back to OnePlus X, find below our hands-on video and the complete specifications of the device.

Specification	OnePlus X
Display	5-inch full HD AMOLED screen, Corning Gorilla Glass 3
Resolution	1920×1080 pixels, 441ppi
Dimensions	140 x 69 x 6.9 mm
Weight	138 g (Onyx)/ 160 g (Ceramic)
Chipset	Qualcomm Snapdragon 801
CPU	2.3 GHz Quad-core processor
GPU	Adreno 330
RAM	3 GB
Front Camera	8 MP f/2.4
Rear Camera	13 MP f/2.2 ISOCELL
Storage	16 GB eMMC v5.0
Expandability	Up to 128 GB via MicoSD
Battery	2,525 mAh embedded rechargeable battery
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz b/g/n WCN3680 / Bluetooth 4.0
Operating System	Oxygen OS based on Android 5.1.1
Price	Rs. 16,999 (Onyx)/ Rs. 22,999 (limited edition Ceramic)

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January 28, 2016

BlackBerry Priv Launches in India

BlackBerry Priv launches in India today, after having been unveiled for the first time in October, at a price of Rs 62,999.

The Priv, which was first unveiled in October, is a make or break project for BlackBerry as it sees it leaving its own OS behind in search of greener pastures that Android provides. This shift by BlackBerry is being seen as a move aimed at helping the ailing company’s return to its previous highs. BlackBerry in its previous interactions with the media had also hinted the company may soon unveil another Android phone this year.

In terms of specs, this offering from the Candian company comes loaded with decent firepower. The Priv on the outside has a 5.4-inch dual-curved Plastic AMOLED screen with a maximum resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels (540ppi). Under its beautiful display, the device packs a Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 Hexa-Core, 64-bit processor with an Adreno 418 GPU clocked at 600 MHz.

BlackBerry Priv further boasts of 3GB low powered RAM and internal storage of up to 32 GB, which is expandable up to an impressive 2 TB. The battery pack that makes this device run is rated at 3410 mAh. It is also equipped with an 18 MP dual-flash Schneider-Kreuznach certified camera to click amazing pictures.

BlackBerry, which has dubbed the Priv as the ”secure smartphone powered by Android”, is going to roll out the smartphone ‘pre-loaded with the brand new BlackBerry DTEK application, designed to help you manage and protect your privacy.’ BlackBerry claims that the DTEK app will tell you which apps access your personal data and shows the overall security assessment of your device.

Specs	BlackBerry Priv
Display	5.4-inch dual-curved Plastic AMOLED
Resolution	2560 x 1440 pixels (540ppi)
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 Hexa-Core, 64-bit processor
GPU	Adreno 418
RAM	3 GB
Storage	32 GB
Rear Camera	18 MP dual-flash, Schneider-Kreuznach certified
Front Camera	2 MP
Expandability	2 TB
Battery	3410 mAh
Connectivity	Bluetooth v4.1, A2DP, EDR, LE, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot, GPS with A-GPS, GLONASS, NFC and microUSB v2.0 (SlimPort 4K)
OS	Android OS, v5.1.1 (Lollipop)
Price	Rs. 62,999

BlackBerry Priv will be up for sale on Amazon.in starting 30th January.

January 28, 2016

iPhone 7 Rumoured to Sport Dual-Camera Set-Up

In today’s update about the iPhone 7, we have speculations from Ming-Chi Kuo, the Apple analyst from KGI. In the latest KGI memo, Kuo further strengthens the rumours of a dual-camera set-up for the iPhone 7 Plus.

The note was released on Wednesday in which Kuo talks about Apple maintaining its trend of coming out with two iPhone models in 2016 as well. We expect to see iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus at the September event this year.

The iPhone 7 would be a 4.7-inch model with the regular iSight camera built on LinX imaging technology. The iPhone 7 Plus, however, with its 5.5 inch screen will have two variants – one with a single camera, while the other would feature a dual-camera design. This design would include two sensors, both marked at 12 MP each. While Optical Image Stabilisation is a feature iPhone users are already used to, optical zoom is something we can look forward to in the new device, along with a whole new set of features like bokeh effects and variable focus this design change is likely to bring.Kuo further speculates that all iPhone 7 Plus models will not have the new dual-camera set-up. Only 25%-35% of shipped models will sport the new feature. Apple is gearing up for some complicated production that involves high costs with two variants of just the iPhone 7 Plus. It would be interesting to see how it pans out for the Cupertino-based company.

Source

January 28, 2016
LG K10 and K4 Smartphones to Launch Globally

LG unveiled the K10 at CES early this month and launched the device in South Korea last week. Now, LG has announced that the K10 along with the K4 will roll out globally in the coming weeks. LG says the handsets will be available in Europe this week and will be launched in Latin America, Middle East and Asia in the coming weeks.

Specifications of the K10 model launched in Korea reveal the device to have a quad-core 1.2 GHz CPU, backed by 1.5GB of RAM, while internal memory is 16GB. In terms of camera, the device sports a 13MP rear unit and a 5MP front shooter.

The measurement of the phone will be 146.6 × 74.8 × 8.8mm and it will weigh 140g. On the outside will be a nice 5.3 inch, 720p display. The phone will come equipped with Android 5.1 Lolipop, and will pack a 2300 mAh battery to keep it going through the day. Connectivity options on the much-awaited phone include Wi-Fi (802.11 b, g, n), Bluetooth 4.1, NFC, USB 2.0, and Micro SD. It will be available in three color options Indigo, Black, and White.

Pricing of the K10 is set at a tag of KRW 200,000( Approx Rs 11,037), but expect it to be priced a bit higher when it hits Indian shores.

Meanwhile, the K4 is powered by a MediaTek MT6735M SoC and sports a 4.5-inch (480 x 854 pixel resolution) IPS display. RAM is at 1GB, while internal memory is 8GB, which is expandable. The device packs in a 1,940mAh battery.

In terms of camera, the K4 features a 5MP rear unit and a 2MP front. Offering dual-SIM functionality and 4G LTE support, the handset runs Android 5.1.1 Lollipop. It measures 131.9 x 66.7 x 8.9mm and weighs in at 120g. No word yet on the pricing of the K4.

January 28, 2016

Spec Battle: Lenovo Vibe X3 vs Asus Zenfone 2 vs Moto X Play vs Huawei Honor 7

Lenovo today launched its flagship Vibe X3 smartphone in India. The device comes packed with a ton of features and improvements over its predecessor including a brand new design language and ergonomics.

The Vibe X3 comes with a 5.5-inch full HD 1080p IPS display with Gorilla Glass 3 protection. It will be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor, Adreno 418 GPU and 3GB of RAM. Internal storage is at 32GB which is expandable up to 128GB via MicroSD card slot.

We compare the Vibe X3 which is priced at Rs 19,999 with a few phones with similar price tags and specifications to see which one does better. Have a look at the table below.

Specs	Lenovo Vibe X3	Asus Zenfone 2	Moto X Play	Huawei Honor 7
Display	5.5-inch Full HD, Gorilla Glass 3	5.5-inch Full-HD	5.5 inch, Corning Gorilla Glass 3	5.2-inch FHD display (423ppi).
Resolution	1080 x 1920 pixels (401ppi)	1080×1920 pixels (401ppi)	1080 x 1920 pixels (~403 ppi pixel density)	1080 x 1920 pixels (~424 ppi)
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor	2.3GHz quad-core Intel Z3580	Qualcomm MSM8939 Snapdragon 615	64-bit octa-core Kirin 935
GPU	Adreno 418	PowerVR G6430	Adreno 405	Mali-T628 MP4
RAM	3GB	4GB	2 GB	3GB
Storage	32GB	64GB	32GB	16GB
Rear Camera	21-megapixel PDAF, Sony IMX230 sensor with 6P lens and f/2.0 aperture	13MP, AF, dual LED flash	21 MP rear, auto-HDR, dual-LED flash	20MP PDAF
Front Camera	8MP	5MP	5MP	8MP
Expandability	Up to 128 GB via MicroSD	Up to 64GB	128GB MicroSD card slot	Up to 128GB via MicroSD
Battery	3500mAh	3000mAh	3,630mAh	3,100mAh
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot, Bluetooth v4.1, A-GPS, GLONASS, NFC, microUSB v2.0	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot, bluetooth v4.0, NFC	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, dual-bandBluetooth v4.0, Micro USB v2.0	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, WiFi Direct, hotspot, bluetooth v4.1, NFC
OS	Android 5.0 Lollipop	Android 5.0 Lollipop	Android 5.0 Lollipop	Android 5.0 Lollipop with EM UI 3.1 on top
Price	Rs 19,999	Rs. 17,999	Rs 19,999	Rs 22,999

January 27, 2016

Safari Crashing on iPhones and Macs World Over

Just this morning Apple couldn’t stop talking about its quarterly profits. But now comes another update from the company which it would try its best to shove under the carpet. The Safari browser is crashing all over the world when the user tries to run a search from the address bar in both iOS and OS X.

We hate to say it but a glitch like this would have been unthinkable when Steve Jobs was around. But ah, gone are the good old days as users struggle with crashing browsers globally.

Steven Troughton-Smith, an iOS developer, says Safari’s search engine suggestion feature is to be blamed for this. The problem can be taken care of by disabling this feature or by using the browser in private mode for now, according to Smith. Additionally, not everyone has faced this problem because some users have the search suggestions cached locally or they’re still able to reach Apple’s servers owing to a DNS cache.

Apple is yet to release an official comment -we’ll update you as soon as it does.

January 27, 2016

Lenovo Vibe X3 Launched in India

The successor to last year’s Vibe X2 will make its way to Indian markets today. Lenovo has launched the X3 flagship in India at a price of Rs 19,999. With this, the company has now launched three products in India this year – the first and second being the Lenovo K4 Note and A7000 Turbo, respectively.

The Vibe X3 was first unveiled in China last year. At the time Lenovo had introduced three variants of the Vibe X3 including two Qualcomm-based models and one MediaTek powered versions called the Vibe X3 Lite.

The smartphone that makes its way to India comes with a 5.5-inch full HD 1080p IPS display with Gorilla Glass 3 protection. It will be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor, Adreno 418 GPU and 3GB of RAM. Internal storage is at 32GB which is expandable up to 128GB via microSD.

On the photography front, the Vibe X3 will come equipped a 21-megapixel PDAF rear camera featuring Sony IMX230 sensor with 6P lens and f/2.0 aperture, phase detection autofocus and 4K video recording. The device also has a Pro Mode and Smart Assist feature which suggests best framing angle for a picture. On the front is an 8-megapixel camera. The Vibe X3 will also feature dual-sim technology and have LTE, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi among others connectivity options. It gets a massive 3,600mAh battery with Quick Charge 2.0 to keep it going through the day.

The device also includes an IR Blaster with Intelligent EPG that gives you the best programmable content. The TheatreMax feature implements VR technology and stereoscopic rendering that takes the content already present in your device and allows the Ant VR headset to focus on the content to give a large screen experience.

The smartphone also comes with Dolby ATMOS integration for sound and fingerprint scanner at the back as well as NFC. Dual front-facing speakers promises the best sound output with less distortion. From UI perspective, the Vibe UI starts fro stock Android perspective. There is enough customizability and is the fastest Vibe UI ever, according to Lenovo.

The Lenovo X3 is available for Rs 19,999 and will be available on Amazon India starting at 2pm tomorrow.

Specs	Lenovo Vibe X3
Display	5.5-inch Full HD, Gorilla Glass 3
Resolution	1080 x 1920 pixels
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor
GPU	Adreno 418
RAM	3GB
Storage	32GB
Rear Camera	21-megapixel PDAF, Sony IMX230 sensor with 6P lens and f/2.0 aperture
Front Camera	8MP
Expandability	Up to 128 GB via MicroSD
Battery	3500mAh battery
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot, Bluetooth v4.1, A-GPS, GLONASS, NFC, microUSB v2.0
OS	Android 5.0 Lollipop
Price	Rs 19,999

January 27, 2016

Samsung Galaxy S7 Phones to be Launched Alongside an Upgrade Program

If Korean sources are to be believed, Samsung is expected to launch a new upgrade program for its devices. This upgrade would go hand in hand with the sale of the new Galaxy S7 devices in March, reports Korea’s ET News.

The S7 family of smartphones would be the first devices to benefit from this upgrade. It will initially be available only in South Korea and soon the upgrade would be rolled out to other markets as well.

The upgrade is a direct reminder of the same move by Apple which allowed customers to get the iPhone 6s for a monthly rent, and allows them to trade it in for a new device every year. Now, Samsung is going to do something similar. The program would involve a fixed amount of payment to be made by customers on their Galaxy devices. In return, they would be able to upgrade them year after year.

The latest additions to Samsung’s Galaxy line-up -the S7 and S7 Edge – are expected to be unveiled at the company’s Unpacked event prior to the Mobile World Congress next month. Watch this space for all the latest developments on the Galaxy S7 front.

January 27, 2016
Apple Reports Quarterly Profit of $18.4 Billion, Sets New Record

Another year another record quarterly earnings by Apple. The Cupertino-based giant announced their fiscal first quarter earnings ended December 26, 2015. A record quarterly revenue of $75.9 billion with a profit of $18.4 billion, the largest in history. This is a little over than the numbers Apple raked in the same quarter the year before, which was the largest ever recorded by a single public corporation then.

“Our team delivered Apple’s biggest quarter ever, thanks to the world’s most innovative products and all-time record sales of iPhone, Apple Watch and Apple TV,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “The growth of our Services business accelerated during the quarter to produce record results, and our installed base recently crossed a major milestone of one billion active devices.”

Now that the earnings are in, Apple has provided their prediction for the second quarter, which is the first three months of 2016 for the company. It expects to generate between $50 billion to $53 billion in revenues which is down from $58 billion in revenues it booked for the same quarter last year.

“Our record sales and strong margins drove all-time records for net income and EPS in spite of a very difficult macroeconomic environment,” said Luca Maestri, Apple’s CFO. “We generated operating cash flow of $27.5 billion during the quarter, and returned over $9 billion to investors through share repurchases and dividends. We have now completed $153 billion of our $200 billion capital return program.”

The past few weeks, reports have been emerging that Apple suppliers have seen a decline on orders, but the earnings tell a different tale. This is partly due to the record-setting sales seen in China. As usual, the iPhones have been the major generators of revenue for the company, but now it also looks like Apple is earning well from its “services” and “other products”. The services consist of things like the app store, iCloud, AppleCare, and Apple Pay, which grew 26 percent year over year to $6.05 billion.

“Other products” includes the Apple Watch and Apple TV, grew its revenue 62 percent year-over-year, bringing in $4.3 billion this quarter.

What does the future look like now for Apple and what new product can become the next cash-cow for the giant is something we’ll just have to wait and see. If recent trend is any sign, then Apple could be making its entry into the virtual reality sector pretty soon.

January 27, 2016
Asus Announces Zenfone 2 Deluxe

Asus has announced a new phone for its much Zenfone lineup. This new phone will be the top of the line variant and will be called Asus Zenfone Deluxe. This new variant will come equipped with an Intel Z3590 chipset which boasts of four processor cores running at 2.5 GHz.

The Zenfone 2 Deluxe will come packing 4GB of low power DDR3 RAM and 256 GB of internal storage. Option to further expand this using a memory card will also be available.

Other than these the variant comes with the same specs as its siblings. There’s a 5.5 -Inch Full HD display with Gorilla Glass 3 protection shielding it from the outside. A 5-Megapixel camera will also be housed at the front with the beautiful display.

At the back will be a 13-Megapixel PixelMaster snapper,and all this sophisticated hardware will be juiced by a decent 3000mAh battery pack.

The Zenfone 2 Deluxe will be available in two designs, Silver Polygon and Night Carbon. No launch date or price has been revealed, but expect it to start retailing for around the Rs 25,000 mark in India.

January 27, 2016
Patent Reveals Smaller, High Resolution Camera for iPhone 7

As revealed by reports, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has granted Apple a Patent for a “Small form factor high-resolution camera” that will see the amalgamation of cutting edge sensor technology with similarly complex optics to create a compact, high-performance camera suitable for use in there future ultra slim iPhones.

The application, aptly titled “Small form factor high-resolution camera,” reveals a spherically curved sensor that would work with three different lenses to focus light onto a sensing surface.

This would be in line with the already strong rumours of a new iPhone for the next year which will be thinnner than anything that we’ve seen before. Apple has also been looking for ways to make the iPhone thinner and add a higher capacity battery, and this particular switch in camera tech will help in achieving this.

But this move will not come without its drawbacks, the biggest being native barrel distortion, or a bubble-like warping of photos. But if reports are to be beileved then Apple plans to fix this with a software solution for this.

Other than this, the next iteration of the iPhone is expected to come with an OLED diplay, with a full body speaker grill, and could even support Li-Fi. It is also expected to skip on the 3.5mm jack in favour of a system that will see audio accesories being connected to it via the lightning port.

January 26, 2016
Xiaomi Mi 5 Teased Ahead of Launch

The long wait and all the speculation has finally come to an end. There is at last official word on the launch date of the much awaited Xiaomi Mi 5. The company Global VP, Hugo Barra has joined in the fun and teased users around the globe with a tweet

#Mi5 is almost here! Xiaomi’s first product launch in 2016, on February 24. It’s everything you imagined, and more.- https://twitter.com/hbarra/status/691934558758031360

Internet has been buzzing with leaks and rumours about the Xiaomi Mi 5, and it looks set to grow in the coming days given the kind of hype that Xiaomi is creating for its upcoming handset.

On the specifications front, not much is known apart from the processor that was earlier disclosed by the manufacturer. But according to reports, the device will be equipped with impressive under the hood specs that should be a match for flagships from other brands

The Mi 5 is expected to boast of a 5.2-inch Quad HD display coated in 2.5D Corning Gorilla Glass 4. It also suggested the phone will have a 6-element 16MP camera on the back with f/2.2 aperture and 4K video recording.

January 26, 2016
Apple iPad Air 3 Schematics Reveal Design Changes

Instead of an iPad Air 3 release a couple of months back, we saw the launch of the iPad Pro instead. However, recent rumours point to the possibility of the iPad Air 3 arriving early this year. And from what leaked schematics of the iPad Air 3 reveal, it could very well be worth the wait.

On the outside, the shape of the tablet appears to be similar in dimensions to its predecessors. The schematics also reveal the iPad Air 3 could be equipped with additional speakers around the tablet, similar to the ones found on the iPad Pro. The schematic shows speakers on the bottom and on the top of the device.

What will also be interesting news is that a cut out below the camera is seen which could well house a flash to complement the shooter. The schematic also shows the survival of the 3.5mm jack on the iPad 3 Air.

January 26, 2016