While Microsoft enjoys a supremacy in the laptop OS domain with Windows, Google is on top of the mobile operating system game with the widely accepted Android by its side. But the search engine giant has also managed a foothold in the hardware arena with its popular Chromebook series. To recoup its audience, the Windows is planning to roll out two new inexpensive products that can counter Google’s Chromebooks.
According to the online publishing portal Digitimes, the company will release two affordable notebooks in mid-2015. These laptops will be 11.6-inch in size and will run on the latest Windows 10. The price of the notebooks will range from $149 to $179 at the max and will target the education and consumer markets. Unlike bigger laptops with powerful processors and graphics, the forthcoming devices are said to perform basic tasks like internet surfing, social media usage and Microsoft office processes.
If the source is to be believed then the laptops will house Intel’s Bay Trail-T CR (BTCR) processors. The one for educational purposes will be manufactured by electronics company Elitegroup Computer Systems (ECS) while, for the consumer market, the company will collaborate with China-based 3 Nod to manufacture the laptops.
It has also been learnt that Microsoft may expand its project and release more models in larger sizes to compete with Google’s 11.6-inch, 13.3- inch, and 15.6-inch notebooks.
There was recently rumours about an HTC’s new device known as the A55 which flaunted some amazing specs. The device was to be a part of the company’s Desire line of handsets. Now the company has gone ahead and quietly posted the A55 on its Chinese website but with a new name. It is now called the HTC One E9+.
The specifications for the device is close to what was previously rumored about the A55. It sports 5.5″ Quad HD display and is powered by a 64-bit, octa-core MediaTek MT6795M chipset along with 2GB RAM. It offers 16GB of internal storage which is expandable, but the limit hasn’t been stated yet. The device will be juiced up through a 2800 mAh battery.
It offers a 13 MP camera at the back and 4MP UltraPixel camera in the front. It features a metal frame design and would be a refreshing change over last year’s HTC One E8 which had an appealing design but was made of plastic. The device runs HTC Sense 7 UI based on Android Lollipop.
There are a few discrepancies in the websites relating to specs at the moment, so some of these specs may change with updates to the website. But looking at the features, it appears that like last year, HTC plans to bring a slightly stripped down version of its flagship, the HTC One M9. The One E9+ will be available in meteor grey, gold sepia, and two-tone classic rose gold colour options.
There is good news by Xiaomi for those who missed the chance to own a Mi Pad in the first open sale held on March 24. The Chinese electronics major is holding a second sale today through its exclusive online partner Flipkart, and just like the previous time, users are not required to register for the device. The tablet is on open sale and it’s available to buy 12 noon onwards today.
The Beijing-based firm spread the word about the sale via Facebook –
The Mi Pad is one superior tablet that has the specifications of a high-end device. It is affordably priced at Rs. 12,999. The Mi Pad is thin at 9.4mm and sports a 7.9-inch IPS display with a resolution of 2048×1536. The tablet is powered by a 2.2 GHz Nvidia Tegra K1 SoC ARM Cortex-A15 processor, 2GB RAM and 16GB inbuilt storage space. The Xiaomi tablet runs on Android 4.4 KitKat with MIUI skin on top. The device comes with an 8MP rear camera and a 5MP front camera, and has a powerful battery of 6700mAh.
Google is leaving no stone unturned to take humankind into the future. From ruling the internet industry to creating self-driving cars, Google has left its imprints everywhere. Now, the search giant wants to use its technological expertise to advance medical science. Pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson announced its partnership with Google and said that both companies would develop advanced robots to assist surgeons with operation.
For this deal, Google’s Life Science division will be working closely with Ethicon, a medical device making company in Johnson & Johnson family. Google threw light on the collaboration and what can be expected from it with the following comment:
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It will help explore how the latest innovations in computer science and advanced imaging and sensors could be integrated into tools that help surgeons as they operate.
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Both companies hinted that Ethicon will be responsible for surgical instruments development and Google will deal with data. They will bring together their capabilities, intellectual property and expertise to make an innovative robotic-assisted surgical platform possible.
The advanced technology will help operating room experts to get a better picture of the interior body parts and assist in carrying out a successful operation. A software platform will also be developed that can figure out abnormalities in crucial features like blood vessels, nerves, and other silent diseases that thrive in the body. It will help people in detection of diseases at the primary stage and minimize trauma and scarring and accelerate post-surgical healing.
Google has been actively participating in biotechnology since past few years, and its Life Science division is dedicated to devising measures to benefit the world. A while back, it invested a contact lens that can measure the glucose level in the wearer’s blood. The Silicon Valley giant is becoming a bigger part of our life with each passing day.
Sony dipped its toes in the field of augmented reality two months back with the launch of SmartEyeglass. The electronics maker is now putting the transparent lens eyewear on sale in 10 countries across the globe.
The smart glass going on sale is the Developer Edition of AR eyewear and comes at a price of $840. The 10 countries where it will be accessible are Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, UK, and the USA. It is a Developer version, the general audience will get their hands on the device in a while. Only the business customers of the following countries would be able to get their holds on the AR tool.
For a while now, an influx of augmented reality devices has increased in the technology sector. Earlier Google came up with the Google Glas, which was pulled back from the market recently. Microsoft also stepped in the arena with the introduction of the HoloLens and gathered appreciation for bringing alive a cordless, self-contained Windows computer with holographic capabilities.
The Sony SmartEyeglass is a see-through binocular that superimposes text, symbols and images into the natural field of view. It projects a virtual image through the holographic elements to the user. The wearer can get updates of bus times, directions, and much more in front of their eyes. The device connects to the Android smartphone and mimics the behaviour of the SmartEyeglass.
For in-depth information on its working, check the video below:
Since the arrival of Xiaomi in India, the Chinese manufacturer has been selling phones through the exclusive online partner Flipkart. Now, the company is giving a boost to its business on the Indian soil. China’s largest smartphone maker has adopted the offline sales policy in the country and will retail its smartphones through the brick-and-mortar outlets of The Mobile Store.
The company head of India operations Manu Jain notified about the same with his statement –
This will be the first time we’re getting into offline trade in India. In China, about 20-30% of total sales come from telecom operators’ stores while the rest come from our online store – Mi.com
Now, one can walk into any of the 55 outlets of The Mobile Store in Delhi-NCR and own a Redmi handset. Meanwhile, the company has drawn out two models, Mi 4 and Redmi Note 4G for sale, and they can be grabbed at the price range of Rs. 19,999 and Rs. 9,999 respectively. The sale begins from Saturday, 28th March, onwards.
Xiaomi Mi 4
For the moment, only the national capital’s stores offer the devices, but The Mobile Store will soon make them available in its 300 stores across the nation. The stores will not only retail the phones but will also offer repair service, as announced by Himanshu Chakrawarti, Xiaomi Chief Executive.
Meanwhile, the company’s association with the e-commerce partner still exists, and all the Xiaomi products will be available on Flipkart as always. The Indian online retail channel appreciated Xiaomi’s step and said that the brands sold on Flipkart are always welcome to explore alternative channels.
Redmi Note
Over the past year, Xiaomi has undertaken rigorous efforts to establish itself in the Indian market. It is building up its Research and Development centre in Bangalore and has inaugurated its India-centric online store Mi.com in India. Anyone can order authentic Mi accessories like headphones, power bank and other products from there.
It is also estimated that the Chinese electronics brand can start its own smartphone store in India if the offline programme goes well. The company has received tremendous response in the country for offering impeccable devices at afforable rates. Lately, it launched its new budget superstar, Redmi Note 2, in India which is available via flash sale on Flipkart. We hope that the trial proposal gets a thumps up and we finally bid farewell to the entire flash sale shenanigans as they have become tiring now.
In spite of being almost a year old, OnePlus has earned a reputation for being a renowned smartphone brand. For now, it has just OnePlus One in its Devices segment, but the Chinese manufacturer announced earlier this month that it would soon launch an entirely new product in April.
OnePlus turned down all the possibilities of the new device being a smartphone, tablet, or a smartwatch, and declared that it will be a ‘game changing’ product. Now, it seems like we have an idea of what the company was talking about.
OnePlus made the announcement during an Ask Me Anything (AMA) session on Reddit, and what came out from the conversation was unpredictable. The forum administrator David S. replied to the queries saying that the upcoming product would be a drone. It’s not certain if he was trolling, but his comment reads, “It’s a drone, the DR-1 and we start selling it next month.”
It’s surprising to hear that how drone technology, at this point of time, could be a game changer when many companies have already come up with remarkable unmanned aerial vehicles. For now, the OnePlus fans have to wait till April for the company to officially make an announcement.
When Lenovo unveiled its latest offering, the A7000 at MWC this year, it was evident that the smartphone can stand against the likes of Xiaomi Redmi Note 4G and YU Yureka. The smartphone is expected to come to Indian shores on April 7 and the company has sent out invites for the same. Along with its all-round specification, users have one more reason to own a Lenovo A7000.
According to a source citied by Times of India, the Lenovo A7000 will cost users somewhere around Rs. 8,999 to Rs. 9,999. The price range will put it directly at odds against the Yu Yureka and the Redmi Note. This is the first commercial handset to boast Dolby Atmos technology. Interestingly, the company has chosen a Dolby Atmos sound equipped movie theatre as their event venue.
Talking about the specifications, the Lenovo A7000 sports a 5.5 inch HD display. It is powered by a 1.5 GHz MediaTek True8Core processor with 4G LTE. It flaunts 2 GB RAM and 8 GB internal storage which is expandable through MicroSD. The device is 7.9 mm thick and weighs just 140g. The smartphone runs on Android 5.0 Lollipop.
On the camera front, this budget device offers an 8 MP shooter on the back and a 5 MP selfie camera on the front. It gets its juice from a 2900 mAh battery that might just cut it for its massive display.
The USP of the device is the Dolby Atmos sound, the technology make the content sound like it is coming from all directions. You will, of course, require a pair of headphones to get the true Atmos experience.
Keep checking iGyaan for more updates on the Lenovo A7000.
On March 18, we broke the news that OnePlus will be releasing the upgrades; CM 12S and OxygenOS. The Chinese electronics manufacturer promised the OnePlus One users that OxygenOS, the Lollipop-based ROM, will officially be made public on or before March 27, which is today. But OnePlus has missed the deadline leading to disappointed customers who were really looking forward to their Lollipop updates.
OnePlus notified its users saying that there will be further delay in the release of the update. The company representative David posted on Reddit –
We are gonna be giving away the 5 devices sometime tomorrow, yes :(
However the company is ready to give away five 64GB OnePlus One smartphones as promised, It is not the first time OnePlus missed a deadline for the launch of its new OS. It had previously declared that it will release its own new operating system Oxygen on February 12, but didn’t carry out the roll out.
OnePlus is a young smartphone brand that has released just one smartphone till now. It is planning to expand its line of devices and is expected to launch a second smartphone soon. It’s certain that the delay would be because of the company’s efforts to bring out a stable version, and we appreciate its dedication. We hope that the firm will not keep its users waiting for long this time and will release OxygenOS as soon as possible.
When Bill Gates and Warren Buffet, two of the richest individuals on the planet join their hands to form the Giving Pledge, it was seen as a call to action to the bourgeois population to engage in philanthropic efforts. About 128 billionaires have joined the initiative and agreed to donate most of their wealth to charity. The list includes the likes of Mark Zuckerberg, Richard Branson, and Elon Musk. Now Apple’s current CEO; Tim Cook will now join the ranks of the affluent philanthropists.
Tim Cook has announced that he will be giving away most of his wealth to charity. He wants to have enough to pay for his 10-year-old nephew’s college education. Tim Cook, being the CEO of the company that made the biggest profit ever in history recently, has a quite a healthy savings account, as you can imagine. His estimated wealth currently is said to be around $785 million.
Tim Cook has worked with Apple since 1998 and has led the company since 2011 when Steve Jobs stepped down.
The announcement was made in an interaction with Fortune magazine. He said that he has already started donating money to various unspecified causes and is looking forward to developing a more systematic approach for his donations.
The 54 year old, has commanded the Apple ship since 2011 when its illustrious founder Steve Jobs stepped down. Under his watch, the company has brought several new products including the new Mac Pro, recent iPhones, and the new Apple Watch.
Tim Cooks wealth may not be at par with the likes of Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg, but it does present an encouraging scene where billionaires and millionaires show interest in the public good. We hope this trend catches on, and we get to see more individuals with massive capital interested in investing the people instead of stashing that money in offshore banks.
At the Facebook F8 developers conference recently, the social media powerhouse announced a slew of new updates for the Messenger app to make it a formidable messaging tool. The addition of third party apps to the ecosystem is the most prominent upgrade to the new Messenger platform. But Apple might prove a major hindrance to Facebook’s plans.
Facebook inducted third party apps on its Messenger platform to make it a more powerful messaging tool.
Apple, the makers of iOS devices, have strict policies in place for apps on its App Store. Section 2.25 of the App Store Review Guidelines, states, “Apps that display Apps other than your own for purchase or promotion in a manner similar to or confusing with the App Store will be rejected.” The addition of support for third party apps on the Messenger platform puts it directly in conflict with the above app store policy.
The gist of the policy is that Apple doesn’t allow apps to set up their own app store on their ecosystem. If the policy is enforced against the Messenger platform, it will be a major downer for Facebook. As of now Apple has given no indication about its policy towards the new messaging platform. But we might get to hear something soon as Apple might still be studying the situation. Considering the massive market for Apple devices, Facebook is likely to get a deal sorted out to prevent a rejection from the App store.
Samsung recouped the lost reputation with the launch of Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge this year at MWC. Both the handsets received tremendous positive response by customers over the world. The Galaxy S6 received lofty admiration because of its powerful processor and unbeatable specs, but it also carries with itself a some flaws that fails to impress a vast section of Samsung fans. The latest Galaxy handset doesn’t have a removable battery, expandability option to hold more content, and is not waterproof. The Korean firm now is aiming to overcome the weak points and is reportedly bringing out a new smartphone called ‘Galaxy S6 Active.’
According to the rumors, the new Galaxy S6 Active will be an overhaul of Galaxy S6 and will boast features like detachable battery, MicroSD card space and few more. The word about the S6 Active is spread by a Reddit user who claims to have drawn information from a Samsung representative. The source reports that the next smartphone from S series will not have a fingerprint sensor or a heart rate monitor. It is said to pack the same set of specs as that of S6, but the camera will be altered to bear low resolution. As said earlier, the phone is anticipated to hold a removable battery which is supposed to be bigger than that of S6. The protective features include water and dust resistance.
He also stated that Galaxy S6 Active could bear buttons at the front, just like Galaxy S5 Active. It is expected to come out in Mid-summer. From what the user has disclosed, it is clear that Samsung doesn’t want to lose any single potential customer. The extra storage and bumped battery will surely lure users who earlier made up their minds to switch because of the hyped price of the higher variants.
There are no further details about Galaxy S6 Active and the device is in developmental stage. Another Samsung device that the company is planning to bring out is Samsung Galaxy Xcover 3, as per the same source. The smartphone houses the identical features as that of the S6 Active and will come with dust and water resistance, removable battery, and MicroSD card space.
Meanwhile, it should be noted that these are just rumors and the company hasn’t authenticated any of these reports. Customers who view the Galaxy S6 Active as a better alternative to the Galaxy S6 have to wait till summer to own this still rumored device.
Samsung is all set to bring out its Virtual Reality headsets, the Gear VR in the hands of the consumers. The Korean electronics firm along with Oculus is rolling out the Innovator Edition of VR headset to the developers who will be able to purchase it from the 100 Best Buy retail locations. The sale of the VR Headset Innovator Edition will start from tomorrow i.e. March 27, 2015.
For now, the virtual reality headset will be available in the retail stores of the US. One can stroll into a Best Buy store and grab one for $199. The Innovator Edition of VR Gear is compatible with Galaxy Note 4 smartphone. Drop the Note 4 or the Note Edge into the VR headset and the phones display will do all the work. It lets the user indulge into the immersive virtual experience and gives you a tour of an alternate world. The Best Buy has exciting offer in store for those who don’t own a Galaxy Note 4. Willing buyers can buy a combo of the Note 4 and VR Headset at discounted rates.
We got a chance to try out the Gear VR at Samsung’s event in Bangkok and we were quite impressed by the graphics. The device lets you watch movies while sitting in a giant empty theatre. If you don’t like the empty theatre then you can easily shift to the Moon, yes with the Gear VR you can watch your favourite movies on the moon with the Eagle lunar module next too. We loved the brief experience and hope Samsung gets it to our shores soon.
With the launch of its new flagships, Samsung has also unveiled a new version of the VR headset. The new iteration is compatible with the two latest handsets, the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge. The latest edition is built to fit the smaller screen of the smartphones and is not on sale till yet. It is likely to arrive post the arrival of Galaxy S6 and its edgier counterpart on April 10.
Samsung finally launched products which are worthy of the Korean giant’s stature in the tech industry. The Galaxy S6 and its curvy sibling the S6 Edge bring unique features to the market that set a standard for others to follow. Samsung paid heed to all the criticisms directed towards it and built a smartphone that seeks to address all the issue and take smartphones to the next step.
Here are the ten features of the new Galaxy S6 and the S6 Edge which make it stand apart from the rest of its competition.
Fact #1: Metal and Glass
Samsung has been making Android smartphones since the early days of the operating system. Smartphones are its most prominent product, but the company was criticised lately for bringing products with lackluster designs and made mostly of plastic. So this time around Samsung gave its devices the premium look and feel that its target consumers were looking for. The new flagship handsets are crafted with metal and glass which makes them flaunt-worthy. It has an aluminium frame and is strengthened with Gorilla Glass 4 on both sides.
Fact #2: Wireless Charging
Both the Galaxy S6 and the S6 Edge offer wireless charging that supports major standards including Qi charging.
Fact #3: Quick Charge
The new flagships feature Quick Charge capability that allows you to get 4 hours worth of juice with just 10 minutes of charging.
Fact #4: Non-Removable Battery and No Expandable Storage
Samsung had in past flaunted the fact that you can easily pull off the back cover, pop in your secondary battery, and you’ll be ready to go. Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge are the first smartphones from the company to feature a unibody design with no removable battery and expandable storage. Samsung said that they were confident of their battery’s features, so they decided to lock it in. The phones are available in 32, 64, and 128 GB storage options.
Fact #5: The First Dual Edge Curved Smartphone
The Galaxy S6 Edge is a one-of-a-kind device. It is the only handset in the world to have a dual edge display. Samsung hasn’t really added a lot of features to the two curved displays, but they sure look fantastic. The curved displays are open for developers to innovate so we might see new utilities for the edge displays in the future.
Fact #6: Gorilla Glass 4
The premium metal and glass design asks for ingredients that look appealing while being tough and robust. Corning Gorilla Glass 4 is one of the strongest protective glass in the world, and the new Galaxy S-series flagships are covered with it on both front and back ends.
Fact #7: Samsung Pay
Mobile payments are the next step in payment technologies. Apple has already introduced the NFC-based payment system called Apple Pay with the new iPhones. Samsung went further and introduced Samsung Pay, a mobile based payment method that even works with conventional credit/debit card readers. Your payments will be secure as they will have to be authenticated with the phones inbuilt fingerprint reader located in the home button.
Fact #8: Flagship Camera
Both new Galaxy S flagships feature amazing camera modules. Both these devices have f/1.9 mm lens on both front and back cameras which ensure that you get bright photos and great night-time imagery. The 16 MP main camera with F1.9 on the back also comes with OIS, so you get fantastic images and videos devoid of any shakes.
Fact #9: Powered By Exynos
Samsung has previously marketed devices based on its homegrown processor, Exynos along with Snapdragon options. This time around, Samsung has put the task of powering the new flagships solely to the new octa-core Exynos chipsets based on 14 Nm architecture.
Fact #10: Samsung Knox
Considering the prices of these premium devices, you can guess that its target audience is the executive and businessman on the move. Mobile devices are playing a major role in the enterprise ecosystem. It’s important here that the crucial enterprise data remain secure while being convenient to access. Samsung Knox attempts to do just that. You can have two device in one, for professional and personal use. With Knox, your enterprise data remains separate and secure from your personal data. Samsung Knox also addresses several security concerns of the Android ecosystem and thereby becomes a valuable addition to the new smartphones.
Xiaomi embarked on a journey into the tech segment on March 31, 2010. The company has had a splendid time in the world of electronic equipments and the brand went bigger and bigger every passing year. On March 31 this year, the Chinese manufacturer will become five-year-old and it has some big plans to celebrate the fifth anniversary with its fans.
According to Gizmo China, Xiaomi is geared to release some products that are different from its present offerings. Xiaomi’s co-founder Lin Bin posted an image through the company’s official account on Weibo which suggest that the next product from Xiaomi would be women-centric.
As one can see, the teaser image comprises an outline of a dress with a feminine pink background. A text in block letters NSSJ in written on the top of the dress. The dress is enough a hint to inform users that the upcoming product would cater to females.
Apart from that, Xiaomi is shifting its focus from sleek construction and curvy edges to being more fashionable. As per a conversation between Bin Lin and a fashion group, it appears like Xiaomi is collaborating with the fashion group to bring out a gadget that is high on fashion.
Meanwhile, there is no information if Xiaomi will launch an all-new device or will just give a fashion angle to its already existing line of gadgets. But according to Times of India, it could launch a mid-range smartphone codenamed ‘Ferrari’. The handset appeared on the graphics benchmarking website GFXBench.
If the source is to be believed then the next device could be a 4.9-inch FHD device with 1.6GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 octa-core processor, Adreno 405 GPU and 2GB of RAM. The phone is said to pack 16GB of internal memory storage along with 12MP rear and a 5MP front-facing camera. The phone will run on Android 5.0 Lollipop out of the box.
The best part is that users don’t have to wait for long. We are less than a week away for March 31 and buyers will get to know about the devices shortly at the forthcoming event.
