At HTC’s Double Exposure event in New York, we saw the launch of the Desire EYE, a smartphone with a serious focus on the camera. Now, the company has silently put a listing for the HTC One (M8 EYE) on their chinese web store. The HTC One (M8 EYE) is essentially the same as the HTC One (M8) that launched earlier this year, but with one major hardware difference.
The M8 Eye appears to be the standard model in every respect except for the fact that the 4MP UltraPixel shooter has been replaced by Sony’s 13MP IMX214, the same sensor used on the HTC Butterfly 2 and the HTC Desire EYE. However, unlike the Desire EYE, the front-facing camera is still a 5MP sensor. The new M8 will ship with the same ‘Eye Experience’ software as the HTC Desire Eye the company announced earlier this week.
According to the official website, the HTC One (M8 EYE) includes the new HTC EYE Experience features like Face Fusion, HTC Split Capture, and advanced face tracking features for conferencing. The fact that this is a fairly silent launch from HTC seems to suggest that this may be a device exclusively for the Chinese market.
Earlier we reported that Samsung Galaxy Note 4 would arrive in India on 10th October, however there seems to be a slight delay. Samsung has sent out invites for an event scheduled for 14th October where we can expect to see the highly anticipated Galaxy Note 4, the company’s new flagship phablet.
However, the invite does not clearly mention the Note 4, though says that Samsung will showcase ‘the neat galaxy’. The launch is scheduled two weeks before Diwali, one of the most prominent Indian festivals. We can also expect the phablet to go on sale before Diwali.
Galaxy Note 4 is now the company’s flagship tablet, which has a 5.7 inch QHD display. Samsung claims that despite the higher resolution, the Galaxy Note 4 will deliver 7.5% more battery life; it has a 3220 mAh battery which features fast charging technology. Meanwhile, under the hood, the Galaxy Note 4 will be powered by an octa-core processor (1.9GHz quad-core + 1.3GHz quad-core) coupled with 3GB RAM. It offers 32GB internal memory with support for expandable memory of upto 64GB.
It will have a 16MP rear camera with OIS, along with a 3.7MP front snapper allowing users to take wide-angle selfies. They’ve added a fingerprint scanner feature along with a heart rate monitor on the back. The Korean manufacturer has also included a barometer and a hall sensor in the phablet.
The Galaxy Note 4 will be available in four colour variants namely Charcoal Black, Frost White, Bronze Gold, and Blossom Pink.
According to sources, the production of the larger iPad has been delayed to early next year by Apple suppliers due to high demand for the flagship iPhone 6. Anonymous Apple suppliers have told WSJ that the iPad was to go on a large scale production in December, though the high demand of iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus has led Apple to delay the production of the larger 12.9 inch iPad.
“The top priority for the supply chain is to meet the overwhelming demand for the larger screen iPhones. The output of the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus remains unsatisfactory,” a supply chain source said, “It would be challenging for display makers to split resources and spend a few months to ramp up production for a new large screen iPad now.”
Apple revealed that it sold more than 10 million new iPhones in the first weekend since launch September. Pre-orders for the Indian sub continent have started as well. This time around, the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus have been listed at Rs 53,500 and Rs 62,500, respectively. The 64GB version of the iPhone 6 is priced at Rs 62,500, the 128GB version will be available for Rs 71,500. Meanwhile, the 64GB version of the larger Apple iPhone 6 Plus will retail at Rs.71,500 and the 128GB variant of the phone will be available for Rs 80,500.
The Nexus series are Google’s star Android devices which showcase true stock Android power every year. As we get closer to this year’s Nexus launch, rumours are flooding our feeds illustrating what the Nexus 6 might look like. Much like the older Nexus devices, the new will most likely showcase the very latest Android L build. Here’s what you can expect from the Google’s next:
Nexus 6 or Nexus X?
The device has been named “Shamu,” or Moto S, depending on which website you follow, but those are most likely just code names, much like Hammerhead was for the Nexus 5. It is also said that the Moto S is a reference to a likely Verizon-exclusive Droid-variant of the upcoming Nexus. As you might already know, it’s been suggested that Google might shake up the naming convention. The most popular replacement for Google’s numeric tradition is to simply call it Nexus or even Nexus X.
Who is making it?
All leaks and rumors have claimed that the new Google Nexus will be made by Motorola. Considering Google’s decision to sell Motorola Mobility to Lenovo in January this year, while retaining many of the company’s patents, this comes as a small surprise. Though, it seems both companies have a healthy relationship, as Motorola handsets are one of the first ones to get Android updates. Earlier it was believed that Google will rope LG or HTC to make the new Nexus Device. Instead, recent rumors illustrates that HTC got the nod for the Nexus 9 tablet.
Design
The new Nexus device is said to be a super-sized, more powerful version of the Moto X. While there are a lot of photos and videos leaked regarding the new Nexus device, the reports illustrate that the appearance of the device is basically going to be a scaled up 2nd generation Moto X with some minor tweaks to make the larger size easier to use. It is also said that it’ll have the same aluminum frame, and the company has apparently relocated the phone’s lock and volume buttons down to make them more reachable.
Others speculate that Google might consider releasing two separate Nexus devices—a 5.9-inch and a 5.2-inch, but the rumors about any smaller version have been remarkably thinner than those about the bigger one. One of Moto X’s main draws is Moto Maker, the smartphone’s dedicated customization site that lets customers pick specific colors, accents, and materials. However, Google is possibly planning its own Nexus-based design tool that can personalize your phone to an even greater degree with your own photography or maps of specific places.
Nexus X Concept
Innards
A Nexus 6 benchmark has appeared, showing it’ll outperform top phones like the LG G3 and the Samsung Galaxy S5. The information leaked in the listing suggests the phone will have a 2.65GHz quad-core CPU, almost certainly the Snapdragon 805, and 3GB of RAM. The listing for the Nexus 6 has appeared on Geekbench, one of the top benchmarking utilities. It shows the Nexus 6 or Nexus X will offer more power than the current crop despite, with any luck, costing significantly less. The Nexus 6 scores 3,199 points in the Geekbench 3 test, roughly 10% more than top phones like the Samsung Galaxy S5. The phone may come to need that extra power as the Nexus 6 is believed to have a 2560 x 1440-pixel screen.
Price
Nexus devices are known for proving pricing rumors wrong every time they debut in the market. They often seem much cheaper than what the specs and user experience would demand. The only price leak we’ve seen is a relatively sketchy one from TKTechNews, who reportedly spotted a listing for a Nexus X device for $420 for 32GB and $450 for 64GB without contract.
When will it be available?
Google has never made a big deal about its Nexus releases. Last year, the Nexus 5 got a press release and a silent-yet-immediate rollout in the Google Play store. It is believed that google is planning to do something similar this time around with the release date being near the end of October.
One of the big requests from gamers has been custom user interface themes for their Xbox One. Now, Xbox Head Phil Spencer has confirmed that Xbox One owners will eventually be able to take in-game screenshots and customize the look of their console’s dashboard.
“I was told themes and background pics are something that we are working on and screenshots, you know people beat me up on screenshots,” Spencer said on a recent Inner Circle podcast episode (check out the full episode below). “The team has done a great job with the monthly updates, some of the things are just a prioritization and are a time in development.
“But I know that people like to customize the look of their dash,” he added. “And I think both themes, backgrounds and screenshots are things I know people want so we are going to deliver on them. But we can’t give a when yet.”
The talk about themes really kicked into high-gear when a concept video from YouTube user Prime Ghost Gaming posted the a promo piece for the Xbox One (Below).
Microsoft’s newest console has already received a number of monthly updates that have added a host of features that weren’t present at the console’s launch, including a new media player, better SmartGlass functionality, and external hard drive support.
These days Adobe is expanding its Creative Cloud offering with the new cloud based Photoshop software, which is on its beta testing stage right now. But, the company is not limiting itself to cloud and desktop software. In a recent video post, Adobe demonstrated some of the future possibilities for its creative applications Photoshop, Illustrator, and Premiere, when used on various professional devices.
Through Adobe Creative Cloud, users are able to access the applications across smartphones, tablets, laptops and desktops, making the creative process seamless and intuitive. While some of the techniques shown in the video are very far from being released to the public, it’s still a good showcase of the exciting possibilities that could result from this partnership.
HTC at a live press event in New York launched the new Desire Eye. The phone is the first of a kind phone designed to allow users to capture front and rear images in 13 mega pixels. The latest flagship of the company is a follow up of HTC One M8, which has one of the favourite Android smartphone among the Android enthusiast.
The Desire lineup has been earlier considered as a mid- range budget smartphone, however, the new HTC Desire Eye competes with the likes of Moto X , iPhone 6, OnePlus One and LG G3. Heres a spec comparison of HTC Desire Eye with other flagships form the smartphone giants.
Apple has sent out invites for its October 16 event, wherein the company is all set to unveil its new line of iPads. The invite says, “It’s been too long”. Well, we’ve barely recovered from the last event where Apple announced the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. The iPhone maker is expected to unveil the new iPads as well as an updated iMac line.
Multiple reports over the past week have pointed to the next iPad landing with a Touch ID fingerprint sensor directly targeted towards enterprise customers along with Apple Pay, though without the counterpart near-field communications (NFC) chip.
It’s also the first time new iPads have made an appearance since the Apple-IBM deal was announced in mid-July. Apple CEO Tim Cook called Apple’s new partnership with IBM a “catalyst for future iPad growth.” Apple is also expected to finally launch its new operating system, dubbed Yosemite. It comes with a number of “continuity” features that bridge the divide between its desktop and mobile devices and platforms, such as ‘Handoff,’ which allows users to transition working in-app from one device to another.
Recently, there were reports of Apple planning to launch a gold iPad Air 2. According to another report, new versions of the 9.7-inch iPads which are expected to be unveiled at the Oct 16th event will include a golden coloured rear metal cover in addition to the silver and gray that are already available in previous products.
It is also noted that the logo on the invite is similar to the one Apple used to mark the 30th anniversary of the Mac earlier this year, which has sparked the hope for a refreshed line of Mac computers.
So, the Apple logo from the invite is the same as the Mac 30th anniversary logo. So, new Macs indeed. pic.twitter.com/cn3aEcCCS5
HTC has essentially held its ground as a Mobile Smartphone manufacturer in the past years. With the new Nexus Tablet, reportedly being made by HTC and the launch of this new RE camera, it seems like HTC is in for a change of events.
Green
Orange
Mounting Strap
The new HTC RE camera is a take on GO Pro style action cameras but HTC calls it the first camera that is designed to be held, and fits naturally and comfortably in the palm of your hand. It will come in various colors and sizes with various mounting options and accessories.
Specs wise the RE is pretty impressive too, A 16MP 1/2.3” CMOS sensor with an Ultra wide angle: 146° lens (f/2.8) captures 1080p, 30fps FHD video and 720p, 4x slow motion video and it also has a Time-lapse video recording mode.
Inbuilt is an HD microphone and speaker along with rating for durability – IP57 Dust & Water Resistant IPx7 (body), IPx8 (with cap). The camera houses a 820 mAh battery which is rated for 1,200 16MP photos; 1 hour 40 min of continuous FHD video recording. it comes with an 8GB card loaded and supports upto 128 GB cards offering good storage capacities.
The RE is fairly lightweight at only 65.5 grams, and measures just 96.7 x 26.5 mm, and for sensors you have a Grip sensors and a Gyroscope. The camera will work over Bluetooth 4.0 and Wifi N and will work with iOS 7 and above along with all KitKat equipped Android phones.
The best thing, it comes with a standard 1/4 inch tripod thread and separately bought battery charger that screw in to the bottom to add additional battery capacities.
The idea and the design will replace most bloggie-selfie cameras and especially for Video Loggers and Video bloggers this might become a handy accessory.
HTC at a live press event in New York launched the new HTC Desire Eye. The phone is the first of a kind phone designed to allow users to capture front and rear images in 13 mega pixels. Other specs mostly make it compete with several flagship smartphones out there, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 chipset clocked at 2.3 GHz.
The HTC Desire Eye also boasts a 5.2-inch full HD 1920 x 1080p IPS LCD display, along with BoomSound speaker config. The cameras however, are the highlight of the Desire Eye, with a set of 13 MP cameras, and dual led flash on both sides, the rear camera is a f/2 aperture lens equipped module, whereas the front camera has a f/2.2 aperture lens setup.U
HTC has also added nifty features for the HTC Eye experience with face tracking, screen share, split capture, face fusion, live makeup, auto selfie, voice selfie, photo booth, crop me in.
The HTC Desire Eye is also IPX7 certified so it can take a 1 meter dip for about 30 mins. You get a 2400 mAh battery pack and nano sim card slots.
The Desire Eye is LTE enabled globally and will come with 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of inbuilt storage, expandability will allow you to add upto 128 Gb via a MicroSD card.
Combined with the portable RE camera and the EYE software experience, HTC is essentially trying to capture the new age youth, those who have traditionally had a keen eye for taking pictures and most importantly “selfies”.
The design and built of the HTC Desire Eye, is essentially like the Desire 820 which was recently launched.
HTC has updated its Zoe offering and added the new EYE camera features to its new lineup of devices and a software update will enable this on previous gen “Compatible” devices. With the new Eye software, HTC plans to improve front camera experience, it enables face tracing even on video calls to get crisp focus on your face.
HTC has launched a new HTC M8 Eye, which is essentially the same hardware as the HTC One M8 with the new Eye update. Which will be shipped out to existing M8 devices within 15 days according to HTC.
Combining simultaneous photos and videos taken on the front and back cameras into one split-screen image or video, something similar to the FrontBack App/ Crop-Me-In lets you be the creep in your own pictures by cropping yourself into your images or basically making “photoshop” like quick edits on the go.
Voice Selfie removes the need for awkward hand contortions by enabling you to trigger the shutter release with a simple command. Simply “say cheese” as soon as you’ve struck the perfect pose or trigger the video recording with “action” or “rolling” commands. HTC says they will allow customizations on this soon.
New HTC EYE adds earlier experiences such as face fusion, and Live Makeup, where you can set the desired level of skin smoothing and preview the effect in real-time before the image is captured.
The new Zoe comes with a live video editing App, which will allow you to fuse in your pictures and video along with music to create fun films on the go. HTC called these highlight reels.
Zoe 1.0 brings flexibility to the community, enabling short, medium and long Zoes that can be made up of just a couple of still images. HTC has enabled the streams from RE to be featured in Zoe video highlights are automatically generated and ready to share. Stay tuned for updates.
HTC is launching a new flagship and not a lot of details are out for it. The event is called “Double Exposure” and the lifestream for it has been activated. The event is expected to go live in a few hours from now so we will get more info then. But speculations have been a plenty thanks to the name, we know it has something to do with cameras. Let see what this Taiwanese giant has in mind.
Sony India today announced the launch of its latest wireless headphones, the MDR-XB950BT Extra Bass Bluetooth Headset. The latest pair from the audio stable of Sony looks and sounds a little different than some of its earlier over-ear Bluetooth headphones.
The headset implements support for SBC, AAC, and aptX wireless audio streaming codecs with an electronic boost circuit for more substantial low end. The headset features 40mm dome drivers to deliver a frequency response of 3 to 28,000 Hz with a sensitivity of 102 dB/mW when used passively with the supplied cord. In wireless operations, the headphones can transmit a frequency response of 20 to 20,000 Hz approximately 30′ by using the A2DP Bluetooth.
The headphone come with NFC that offers a One-touch connection with smartphones, allowing users to listen to rich wireless sound with soaring highs and rich, solid lows. Further, it also feature a built-in microphone, letting users take calls and chat hands-free while on the move.
Calls can be answered and terminated with a simple push of a button on the headset. When a call is over, any music or media that was playing will automatically resume. The swiveling earcups fold flat for greater portability and the headset comes with both a micro-USB cord for charging as well as a stereo connecting cable for passive operation.
Also, Sony is providing an option of a premium leather carrying case exclusively with the MDR-XB950BT. The new wireless headset is already available on online and offline stores for Rs. 12,990.
Forget #bendgate, iPhone 6 Plus users have discovered a new problem with the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. The online uproar started after some iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus owners got strands of hair caught between the screen and the aluminum frame of the iPhone. And soon after, Hairgate caught on and started trending.
It is difficult to decipher whether there is any real issue, but Twitter users have made #hairgate a rising social media trend, leading major news outlets to glomp on the story. Bearded iPhone users have also complained that their facial hair gets yanked during calls, leading to the separate trend #beardgate.
However, it has been regarded as fabricated and misleading. Gordon Kelly, Forbes’ reviewer said, “The gap between the front glass and aluminium does not exist. There is a bevel, but the glass front panel is actually fused to the aluminium and the tiny gap you do see is significantly narrower than a human hair.”
“Furthermore even if a significant gap did exist, hairgate would still make no sense. It has been pointed out that ‘Gapgate’ on the Galaxy Note 4 (where a tangible gap exists in the phablet’s seam) was also present in both the Note 2 and Note 3 designs and owners go by without widespread reports of hair trauma. The Note 3 alone sold 10 million units in 2 months, so that’s a pretty wide test base.” Kelly added.
Meanwhile, Twitter has been flooded with funny tweets about the new false scandal. Apple has faced quite a bit of criticism since the mega launch event in Cupertino. The technology giant had to face massive social media bashing for news that their new iPhone 6 Plus has the tendency to bend in tight pockets. Apple’s biggest competitors like Samsung, LG and HTC got together with some brutal take downs of Apple’s latest flagship in an event dubbed “bendgate”. Adding to the woes was the faulty iOS 8.0.1 update which caused issues in the new iPhone and had to be withdrawn.
It is said that the refreshed version Apple’s iPad Air is going to launch as soon as the end of this month. The rebooted version of the 2013’s hugely popular 9.7 inch tablet is tipped to feature the company’s new A8 system on chip and TouchID, and many other features which debuted with the iPhone 6.
According to reports, suppliers are gearing up to begin production of the next-generation iPad Air dubbed iPad Air 2 later this month.
Design and Hardware
Back in June, Ortud forum shared some images of the dummy unit claiming it’s not a working model but all the dimensions, design, ports and buttons will be in the exact same place. The dummy illustrated the change in the home button which seemed like the Touch ID style from iPhone 5S. All the buttons are in their normal place with the rocker on the side but the lock key on this model is missing. Another big change is a small microphone next to the rear camera.
It is said that the big changes will be on the inside; a new CPU, more RAM and the implementation of TouchID, as well as Apple’s new iOS 8 software will make up the share of USPs for Apple’s 2014 iPad Air. Apple has now launched the iPhone 6 with a next generation A8 processor on board and it is likely Apple will follow suit and use the same technology on the iPad Air 2. On the iPhone 6, the A8 chipset comes with a clock speed of 1.39GHz and on the iPhone 6 Plus it’s a little less powerful at 1.32GHz.
Display
Number of reports have claimed that Apple is adopting IGZO display technology in its next-gen iPad models. IGZO display panels are said to offer better viewing angles, improved colour reproduction, as well as being more power efficient than existing LCD setups. However, it is said that this may not happen because of the never ending production issues. According to Korea’s ETNews, “The reason for this is because Sharp is currently facing low yield issues which will not be dealt with in a timely manner”. For this reason, the report adds, Apple will wait until at least 2015 to debut iPads with IGZO panels, meaning we’re likely to see them implemented inside the iPad Air 3
Color Variants
According to Bloomberg, sources close to the production of the new iPad Air 2 suggest there will be a new colour option. Plans are in place to manufacture a gold version of the new 9.7-inch iPad as well as the usual grey and silver colour options. The publication’s sources claim it is in an effort to increase sales in the iPad market that is, as we know, been flagging recently.
Release Date
Apple has planned a major event on October 16th, and it seems like it would be the day the sleek tablet is unvieled. Last month, Bloomsberg reported that the production of the iPad Air 2 is now underway and Apple is looking to bring the slate to market in late-Q3, early-Q4. They said, “Mass production of a full-sized iPad with a 9.7-inch screen is already under way, with an unveiling projected for the end of this quarter or early next year. A new version of the 7.9-inch iPad Mini is also entering production and will probably be available by the end of the year.”
Earlier, it was believed that Apple might launch the iPad Air 2 alongside the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus. This of course didn’t happen and Apple instead focused on handsets, mobile payments and wearables in the shape of the Apple Watch. With regards to a new iPad Air, nothing so far is known, apart from it being in production and tipped to launch before Christmas. The iPad Air launched in October last year and Apple, known for repeat launch dates, is expected to launch the new iPad Air during the same time frame.
