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Nexus 7 Experiencing Performance Issues Post Lollipop Upgrade

Well, Android 5.0 Lollipop got all of us excited when we got hold of it. The new operating system (OS) update is described as a ‘quantum leap forward’ by Google and has got an overwhelming response from the critics, escalating the desire for the software exponentially.

However, it’s just one side of the story. Many early adopters of the Android’s latest upgrade are complaining about the new OS. One of the most talked-about issues is that the update causes Google’s own Nexus 7 tablet to run slowly and crash repeatedly.

The users have also complained on Adobe forums that installing Air apps would show a non-descriptive error message, “-505”. On this, Adobe said that it had not been aware of this ‘critical’ bug before Tuesday and had escalated it to Google. According to a post by Program Manager Chris Campbell, the issue has been ‘escalated to Google,’ seemingly pointing the finger at the search giant rather than in its own camp. Campbell said that the company had not been aware of what he described it as a ‘critical’ bug before November 18.

Although, the first wave of the update has already reached the users, many Android-based smartphone makers are withholding the OS till the device testing is complete. It is quite notable that most of the complaints appear to be related to Google’s own-branded smartphones and tablets.

Nvidia, LG and Motorola have also released Android Lollipop update for some of their handsets and tablets. Dozens of complaints have been posted to Google’s forums stating that owners of the 2012 version of the Nexus 7, in particular, are experiencing performance issues. If nothing else, Google is likely working quickly to ensure these problems are fixed as more devices are expected to receive the update soon.

It has been a weird year for both the mobile operating system giants. Even the new iOS launch was mired in complaints regarding decreased performance and Apple had to face some flak for that. The pressure of bring new product in the earliest possible time to leads to bugs like these. Updates are fast becoming the buzzword for judging an operating system so it is advisable to the companies to take time with their homework so that they can give a quality update. As the old saying goes slow and steady gives the best bug-free update, or something like that.

November 20, 2014
KIRAN : Samsung’s Tizen-Based Answer to Google’s Android One

Two months back, some reports spilled the beans that the new low-end smartphone by Samsung will run on Tizen OS. However, details about the same were quite sketchy then, but now information has been leaked.

After cancelling the Samsung Z project, the Korean company is now focusing on the low-end of the marketplace for its Tizen-based smartphone. The first handset to run the new OS is expected to be Z130H. According to SamMobile, the rumoured Samsung SM-Z130H is codenamed KIRAN, however, the official name is not known.

In addition to this, the report claims that it has been able to obtain icons, lock screen themes, and default wallpaper from a system dump of the Tizen 2.3 OS on the device. According to the leak, the KIRAN is powered by a dual-core Spreadtrum SC7727S processor clocked at 1.2 GHz and a Mali-400 graphics processing unit. The smartphone will be packed with only 512 MB of RAM, but there’s no mention of internal memory.

On the back, the device features a 3.2-megapixel camera with LED flash, while its front camera is a VGA. The smartphone sports a WVGA (480×800 pixels) display of unknown size. Connectivity-wise, the KIRAN will offer dual-SIM capability along with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS with A-GPS support and microUSB 2.0. FM Radio will also be included in this phone.

Moving on, the Tizen interface will rather closely mimic Samsung’s TouchWiz UI for Android. It has basically the same general design language. Samsung with KIRAN is trying to achieve what Google couldn’t with Android One. An earlier report hinted that Samsung would launch its Tizen-based smartphone this month in India. As of now, there is no announcement from the South Korean giant regarding any Tizen-based smartphone launch in the country.

November 19, 2014
iPhone 6 Successor Might Feature a ‘DSLR Quality’ Camera

It’s hardly been three months since the launch of the latest flagship from Apple, the iPhone 6. But it’s the next-gen model which is now on everyone’s radar. According to a recent report, the successor of the iPhone 6 might feature a camera that is capable of DSLR level performance. Sources close to the Cupertino giant have revealed in a podcast that the next-gen iPhone will have two lens system. Apple blogger John Gruber, who has a long history with the company, attributes the information.

“The specific thing I heard is that next year’s camera might be the biggest camera jump ever. I don’t even know what sense this makes, but I’ve heard that it’s some kind of weird two-lens system where the back camera uses two lenses and it somehow takes it up into DSLR quality imagery,” said Gruber.

But there could be other possibilities that we cannot ignore. For instance, the HTC One M8 has a ‘dual camera’ feature that includes two sensors that work in tandem to produce images. So what exactly this ‘two lens’ system refers to is still unclear.

The iPhone camera is still considered to be one of the best in the industry, adding DSLR quality to it will just put it miles ahead of the competition. Other smartphone manufacturers like Sony, Samsung, etc. use 16-20 megapixels, while iPhone still carries an 8MP resolution sensor.

The first iPhone ever launched came with a 2MP camera, which was upgraded to 3.2 MP in the iPhone 3GS, while iPhone 4 had a 5MP camera. Though, it was in 2011 when the camera was significantly enhanced to 8 MP in the iPhone 4S, and is still stuck with the same.

So, an upgrade to the iPhone camera is certainly long due. We are likely to find out next year if this turns out to be a reality or just one of the many rumors that pop up before every iPhone launch.

November 19, 2014
Nokia Gets Overwhelming Response on Play Store for The Z Launcher

Nokia may be down but in no way out. After announcing its upcoming N1 tablet, the Finnish giant has now declared its Z launcher on the Google Play Store. Originally announced earlier this summer with a limited beta program, Z launcher is a third-party Android home screen and launcher for Android. The app has received an overwhelming response from its users. It has been downloaded over half a million times within few hours of its announcement.

The Z launcher has an entirely different take on the home screen. It removes the hassle of multiple home screens and provides users with one single page. The new launcher can analyse users’ habits and displays apps that they need most depending on the time of the day. It also allows users to search apps quickly on the surface of the screen; for instance, an F shape will pop up Facebook and other apps that start with the letter F.

Nokia has done some fine-tuning with the Z launcher with improvements to speed and performance, scribble recognition and better prediction algorithm. The app is available for devices running on Android 4.1 to Android 4.4. As of now, the Lollipop version has not been rolled out, but we can expect Nokia to release a compatible version very soon.

November 19, 2014
Google Summons Artificial Intelligence to Boost Image Search

Google’s image search is one of the best offerings from the search giant. It has helped millions of students to easily finish their projects a night before submission. It has also helped folks get easy access to the database of images that they can use for free without crediting the source. It also comes handy when using shopping apps that let you look for products by just clicking an image. With a variety of options to search for the perfect image, this is the go-to address for anyone looking for images. Now Google is bringing in Artificial Intelligence (AI) to boost the performance of this valuable tool even further.

The project is led in partnership with Stanford University. The AI system is said to have the most advanced image recognition skills in the world. It is able to recognise the contents of the image better than any other tool out there.
The new system being an AI system is capable of learning from its actions. The researchers feed the system with images and captions. It then recognizes the relation between the caption and image and uses the information for the next search.

The new system being an AI system is capable of learning from its actions. The researchers feed the system with images and captions. It then recognises the relation between the caption and image and uses the information for the next search.

The team believes that there are multiple uses of technologies like this. They speculate that soon the teams will be ready to help the blind understand images and provide alternate text for images in parts of the world where mobile connections are slow. This, apart from the obvious use of helping folks, let’s find the right image on Google.

Though the uses of this new system sound amazing, there are certain concerns. First of all, this technology can come really handy for surveillance. There are already concerns about the privacy rights of citizens in this CCTV camera-aided Big Boss state we live in now, where all our actions are captured wherever we go. It might also lead to a system like the one in the movie Eagle Eye. Tesla founder Elon Musk has recently stated that getting Artificial Intelligence online is like summoning the demon, and we won’t be able to control it. Google’s new system is more powerful than all other systems. But they should definitely create an off switch, just in case.

November 19, 2014
Falling Sales Lead Samsung to Decrease its Smartphone Portfolio By 25-30 Percent

Things haven’t been great for Samsung lately. The company’s phones are being berated for their generic designs and offering low specs at high price. It is also facing a profit margin that is lower than before it unveiled the Galaxy line of phones. Looking at the numbers, it can be said that the company is going on a reinvention drive.

It was reported just a few days back that the company was launching ‘Project Zero’ to reinvent its next flagship from scratch. This model will be an inspiration that can be later carried down the food chain. But apart from creating a new product, the South Korean giant will shelve as much as a quarter of its devices.

Head of Investor Relations Robert Yi has said that the cuts in the portfolio can be up to 25 to 30 percent. Presently, Samsung’s margins from its mobile and information technology business squeezed to just 7% in the third quarter that ended September. It is at the lowest level since the end of 2008, before it launched its first Galaxy smartphone. This should be worrisome as the mobile business has almost become the face of the company, and a loss would severely affect the company’s perception in the eyes of its consumers.

Samsung is also getting beat by brands like Xiaomi, Motorola and local brands who are rapidly clearing the dominance of Samsung devices in the market. The company got a massive jolt this year when it dropped to second spot in India and China. This must have finally led the company to see the light and create a new strategy.

It’s not sure as of yet as to what devices will get the boot but considering the massive stock of the Grands and Primes and Autobots and Decepticons, there is a scope for decreasing the number of devices in the portfolio. The company is also targeting the mid and lower segment of the market where the maximum volume of the sales takes place.

Samsung has the potential and resources for beating Xiaomi at its own game. It even has enough financial cushioning to take some unwanted hits. So, it would be advisable to Samsung to take on some more serious risks and give the consumers an offering that will actually be aspirational.

November 19, 2014
Micromax Launches Cyanogen-Powered Brand ‘Yu’ for Advanced Users

Micromax, the second biggest smartphone company in India, has some great plans for the upcoming future. Now with the intention of providing a unique user experience, the company unveiled their new brand called Yu.

According to the company’s Yu Televentures, will be a wholly owned subsidiary of Micromax Informatics. It’s the offspring of a tie-up between Micromax and Cyanogen. Cyanogen is, of course, known world over for making one of the best custom ROM’s for Android smartphones. So this tie-up will surely mean good things for the Indian consumers.

Micromax co-founder Rahul Sharma said “This will be a game changer, not just in India, but globally too. Yu has been envisioned for building an ecosystem of connected devices and offer customized experience to users.”

Considering the use for a device with heavy customizability is for advanced users, the products of the brand Yu will be sold online. The company is currently in talks with e-commerce companies to pave a path for the roll out of these devices. The first device from this brand will be introduced next month.

In line with the open source nature of Cyanogen, Yu will be setting up a forum where the users can contribute with ideas and tweaks for the operating system. The suggestions from this forum might get incorporated in the fortnightly updates. For folks who complain about the unavailability of updates on Indian manufacturers, this should be welcoming news.

November 18, 2014
Flipkart Tempts Buyers with a Rs.10,000 Off on the New Nexus 6

We reported earlier today that the new Motorola-build Google Nexus 6 has gone up for pre-orders at the popular e-commerce website Flipkart, with an interesting proposition of Rs. 10,000 cashback if you replace it with the new iPhone 6 or 6 Plus. However, the device is still appearing with a ‘Coming Soon’ tag on the ‘Device’ section of the Google Play Store.

Google had already confirmed the pricing of the Nexus 6 for India through the Google Play Store listing. According to the listing, Nexus 6 32GB version will retail for Rs. 44,000, while the 64 GB version is priced at Rs. 49,000. The phone will be released in two colour options in the country – midnight blue and cloud white. Last month, Google launched the new smartphone Nexus 6 in the country, along with Nexus 9 tablet, Nexus Player and Android 5.0.

Flipkart’s pricing for the 32 GB and 64 GB variants are the same as the official Google Play prices of the Nexus 6, at Rs. 44,000 and Rs. 49,000 respectively.

The company has introduced an exchange offer under which customers will be given a cashback of Rs. 10,000 on both the versions of the Nexus 6 smartphone. Interestingly, Flipkart is offering Rs. 10,000 cash back if you exchange your iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus with the new Nexus 6. If anyone is rethinking their recent purchase of Apple’s latest flagship, they can opt for this offer.

Along with that, there are other offers as well like a free three-month subscription to Flipkart First, a cashback of Rs. 1,500 on the purchase of various monthly EMI’s via HDFC/ICICI bank and free pre-selected eBooks worth Rs. 2,100.

The phone has the same metal structure as of the Moto X and also presumably will have the same strength. The button locations are the same, and thanks to the minimal bezel design, the Nexus 6 looks a lot less big.

The smartphone features a 5.96-inch Quad-HD AMOLED display, 2.7 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 processor, 3 GB of RAM, 32/64 GB of internal storage and 3220 mAh battery with wireless charging support.

November 18, 2014
The Secret’s Out! Nokia Unveils N1, a Tablet that Runs on Android

Hell yeah! That’s what we said when we finally saw what was inside that black box that Nokia teased us with this morning. Having paid a tribute to the company last week we couldn’t have been happier with the launch of a new digital device with the name Nokia branded on it.

The Nokia N1 is the first device from the company in its new era. The 7.9 inch device immediately reminds you of the iPad mini. With a thickness of 6.9 mm, the device is as thin as a tablet can get. It will also be the first device to come with the new reversible c-type USB.

First device to come with the new reversible USB

The N1 also comes strong on the spec sheet. The device is powered by 2.4GHz quad-core Intel Atom Z3580 processor along with 2GB of RAM. It has 32GB of storage. It gets its juice from 5300 mAh battery. All these will lead to some amazing performance on the 2048 x 1536 resolution display on the device.

On the camera front, the Nokia N1 flaunts an 8-megapixel camera at the rear, and a 5-megapixel version at the front. The overall design of the device is unapologetically iPad-ish. Looks like Nokia isn’t taking a lot of chances with its first attempt back in consumer electronic business and is taking it safe.

The Z-launcher on the N1 has some unique features.

A feature of the N1 that is unique to it is the Z-launcher that is based on Android 5.0 Lollipop. The Z-launcher lets you write text on the screen, and it can then perform tasks or search the device or the internet. It gives you a list of apps and contacts that change based on where you are and what you’re doing. The launcher is available on Google Play store starting today.

The branding on the device could have been better in terms of placement and design.

From the looks of it, the only thing that we found disappointing was branding on the device. A more prominent engraved or embossed logo would have been more appreciable. The bit that is really appreciable is the fact that this is the first device to hold the c-type USB. It was high time we got over the constant twisting of USB’s to find the ideal moment under the stars when it fits in the port. Who better than Nokia to lead an innovation. The device will be priced at $249 and will be first launched in China by early 2015.

November 18, 2014
Apple’s Latest iOS Update to Speed Up Old Devices

As expected, Apple rolled out the second update iOS 8.1.1 for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. While the last update brought features like Apple Pay, return of the Camera Roll and fixed bugs with third-party extensions, iOS 8.1.1 is essentially a usability update.

The new iOS 8.1.1 update includes a number of bug fixes, improved overall stability, and most importantly, performance improvements for older devices including the iPhone 4s and iPad 2. Apple says that the latest release should speed up the iPad 2 and iPhone 4s, two of the company’s old generation devices.

These devices, while technically supported with iOS 8.0, suffered a performance hit as a result of increased demand for the new OS, and this update should help make life easier for those who’ve already upgraded. Updating old generation devices to the major upgrade can often result in degraded performance, making the user experience slower and worse than it had been before.

Apple says the latest release should speed up the iPad 2 and iPhone 4s.

The same was experienced with iOS 7 last year, and now again Apple is working to make things better for customers who are still holding onto their old gen devices. Usually, the company provides a list of particular bugs and the updates fix, but this time around, the company has not done so. Anyway, the main feature of this update appears to be increased performance for iPhone 4s and iPad 2.

Along with the iOS update, the company has also rolled out an update for Mac devices. OS X 10.10.1, as it is called, is the first update to Apple’s Yosemite. According to the company, the new update will result in “better Wi-Fi reliability, improved Microsoft Exchange connections, and fixes for reliability in Mail when sending messages using ‘certain’ email providers.”

The update also provides two fixes for enterprise customers. One makes the Mac App Store report that an Apple Remote Desktop update is available even when it’s not true, and another allows you to append search domains for partially qualified domain names when performing DNS lookups.

November 18, 2014
How YouTube’s New Music Key Service Can Revolutionise the Music Streaming Industry

YouTube has launched its long-awaited music subscription service called Music Key in beta version. The new service comes with a $7.99 price tag for an initial promotional period, with a standard rate of $9.99 per month. YouTube Music Key offers access to Google Play Music’s entire library, as well as providing ads-free music videos, background playback capabilities, and offline caching for viewing without a connection.

To kick off the service, YouTube opens with a private invite-only beta, offered just to the heaviest music consumers on the site. However, if you are desperate to try the new service, you can sign up for Google’s other music series Google Play Music commit to $10 monthly, and you get to be a YouTube Music Key subscriber as well (and yes, you get 2 months free subscription for Music Key with it).

YouTube is the No. 1 place for folks to discover new music. Also, music videos don’t air on MTV anymore, but all of the latest pop acts release their videos on YouTube. Justin Bieber launched his career on YouTube, Harlem Shake became the song of the decade here. Top 40 doesn’t define the music scene anymore. This makes YouTube new subscription service a big deal. The video-sharing website has become a one-stop website for music videos, cover songs, lyric videos, reality shows, ‘Soldier coming home’ videos and pretty much everything. YouTube knows well that the lines between music and everything else are more blurred than before.

The company is going to make most of it with this new service. “Overall, we rely on the information that we get from our partners, or from the video uploader,” explained the YouTube spokesperson Matt McLernon in an interview. “So there are very specific cases like members of the music community, say a label or a publisher, where it’s very clear that it’s music, but the thing that makes YouTube so unique in the music space is, not only is there the traditional music side that everyone knows and loves, but with 300 hours of music and video coming to YouTube every minute, and much of that being music, there’s this whole spectrum of what people call music, or consider music, or share as music.”

The strategy YouTube has adopted is feedback-based, which is a good sign. The beta version is designed to help Google define music not just by its own standards, but by the standards of using the service for listening and watching. The aim of the beta version is to attract the most dedicated YouTube music fans, who will then offer up feedback including “why isn’t channel x included,” or “why is this here when it doesn’t seem like it should be?”

“We want it to be from both sides – we rely on the information the uploader puts in their YouTube video, but we also want to be an active part in that,” McLernon stated. “This is the same concept of what we use to determine recommended or related videos. All the different signals that we’re aware of that would tell us people are playing these videos in the same way that they would play these types of music videos.”

The company’s goal is to develop the service in the same way they developed their advertising partnership program, which started as something the company chose you out to participate in. It was complete with iterated agreements, and eventually opened its doors to all YouTube creators and uploaders to opt into.

Music downloads on iTunes are not selling the way they used to, CDs have become almost non-existent in stores, and streaming music sales keep rising. Matt admits that based on how well the beta version is received by the early users, it’s definitely possible that we’ll see the model applied in one way or another to other categories within the streaming video site too. However, Google has a big task ahead to figure out how they want to proceed with the Music Key.

November 18, 2014
OnePlus Promises After-Sales Service to Indians on Units Purchased Globally

It’s just a few days left for the roll out of OnePlus in India. The Chinese company has won millions of hearts with this amazing device that gives a whole new meaning to all in one. Now, it has taken a while to come to India, but the fans of the device have purchased it from the outside market. For such ardent fans, the company has a gift to express its gratitude.

OnePlus has announced in a forum post that if users have bought their device from official channels, they’ll be eligible for warranty coverage in India. The company will cover the after-sales services of these devices’ owners. The catch is that the users will be able to get the warranty locally and so will have to wait till the company’s customer support is all setup in the country. The terms of service will also be based on local warranty terms.

The company is in its setting up mode and is hiring people. The China-based manufacturer is calling folks to check out their Careers page. This would also be a good opportunity for people to work with a fast growing company and with cutting edge technology. Most of the opportunities are in China, so it would also be a good chance for folks who want to experience new cultures.

It is always good to hear that a company cares about its after-sales service. It is a field in which Indian companies are still lagging behind, leaving the consumers to suffer. After-sales service is an important aspect of a device’s sale, and the companies which provide quality service will see a better future in the market. We hope that other Indian brands will take a clue from OnePlus and would work towards making their product better.

November 18, 2014
A Day After Discussing a Possible Comeback, Nokia Teases a Mysterious Black Box

While the world was grieving the demise of Nokia as a mobile phone brand, seems like it was business as usual at Nokia’s office. The company is trending now because of a tweet which shows a mystery device with just the tagline that says “18.11.14 We’re up To Something.”

Guess what? We’re up to something. http://t.co/AFq4dUFI9S #thinkingahead #Slush14 pic.twitter.com/sqERYpz0Vc

— Nokia (@nokia) November 17, 2014

We had heard yesterday that Nokia’s new chief was telling investors that the company might make a comeback to the consumer electronics market. He said the company can pursue brand licensing. He also said that this was a thought for a long term plan. But guess that wasn’t going to be so far of in the future after all.

Considering the device is going to be unveiled today, we will have all the juicy bits by the end of the day, but that hasn’t stopped social media speculators from doing their job. There are many thoughts about what the device could actually be. The most prominent opinion seems to be that it’s a set top box based on Android TV, like the recently launched Nexus Player.

Nokia has come a long way and has a solid reputation and goodwill in the market. Looks like Nokia is ready to utilize its most important resource, its faithful consumers. Nokia cannot get back into the handset business for quite a while so it’s important that it have a good device in its kitty to return back the consumer market with a warm welcome. We just have to wait till the end of the day to know what all the fuss is about.

November 18, 2014
Google Nexus 6 Pre-Orders to Start Today in India

Google’s flagship device Nexus 6 has been listed on Flipkart for a while now. However, the listing is going to drop the ‘Coming Soon’ tag as the new Nexus will be up for pre-orders in India today.

Presently, Flipkart’s Google Nexus 6 page mentions that there are ‘0 days to go for the Nexus 6’. Earlier, we surfaced the news that the 32 GB variant will be available at a price of Rs. 42,999. Google officially confirmed the pricing of the Nexus 6 in India by listing it on the Google Play store earlier this month.

According to the listing, Nexus 6 32GB version will retail for Rs. 44,000, while the 64 GB version is priced at Rs. 49,000. The phone is expected to release in two colour options in the country – midnight blue and cloud white. Last month, Google launched the new smartphone Nexus 6 in the country, along with Nexus 9 tablet, Nexus Player and Android 5.0.

The phone has the same metal structure of the Moto X and also presumably will have the same strength. The button locations are the same, and thanks to the minimal bezel design, the Nexus 6 looks a lot less big.

The smartphone features a 5.96-inch Quad-HD AMOLED display, 2.7 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 processor, 3 GB of RAM, 32/64 GB of internal storage and 3220 mAh battery with wireless charging support. Nexus 9, which is also listed as ‘Coming soon’ on the Play store, powers Android 5.0 Lollipop, 64-bit NVIDIA Tegra K1 Dual Denver processor clocked at 2.3 GHz.

November 18, 2014
Microsoft is Offering Lumia Smartphones for a Free Two-Week Trial

Microsoft is giving its consumers a chance to try out Lumia smartphones for free on a trial basis. After ending the Nokia brand, the Redmond based giant is attempting to increase the popularity of its devices by giving customers a free two-week trial of its Lumia range.

To avail this trial, all you need to do is to fill in your name along with some other details on a web form and mention why you want to try out the device. The devices that are a part of this initiative include Lumia 630, Lumia 735, Lumia 930, Lumia 830, Lumia 1520 and Nokia X (a non-Lumia device and instead runs a forked version of Android.)

The ‘Terms and Conditions’ further states that the devices will be given out on a trial period of two weeks with an age requirement being 16 years or more. To sign up for this trial offer, head over to the Lumia conversations blog and fill in the details provided by the company.

Want to try your luck? You can sign up here.

November 17, 2014