As expected, Microsoft is all set to announce the new major version of the Windows OS. In line with the developing rumors, Microsoft has rolled out the invites of the Windows 9 event which is going to be held on September 30th in San Francisco. The event will focus on enterprise and power users of Windows, with Joe Belfiore and Terry Myerson leading a discussion about the future of Windows.
The company is expected to roll out the “Windows Technical Preview” at the event or soon after, so that developers and enterprise customers can test the number of changes the company has made. The recent rumors and leaks had suggested the addition of a new Start menu, a virtual desktops feature, and a Notification Center.
Microsoft is also expected to fine-tune its desktop user interface to improve and flatten the traditional icons along with some changes in the taskbar for Contara integration and virtual desktop. Other changes are expected to come on a regular basis. The Windows Technical Preview will be available until the operating system is complete and ready for release next year.
YouTube is huge. It’s practically impossible for a single human being to watch all that there is on this massive website. Most importantly, the state of the internet in India is well known. The poor connectivity and the pricey access to internet lead many to stay away from watching multimedia-heavy content like videos. Watching videos on mobile data connection is a big no-no as they can incur massive costs.
The folks, who do have regular access to a decent internet connection, still prefer to save the videos through some semi-illegal means to avoid buffering. Now Google is going to officially allow Indian YouTube users to watch their favorite videos offline for as many times they want.
Ceasar Sengupta, Google Vice President Product Management said “YouTube is popular here. You watch some videos again and again. How awesome would it be if you could keep watching them again and again without having to pay for data, and take the videos with you wherever you go?”
India still is a massive video subscriber as a whole. According to comscore, the total online video audience in India saw growth of over 70 per cent in 2013 with the average viewer watching 18 per cent more videos and spending 28 per cent more time viewing them. YouTube alone gets over 60 million unique users a month and about one-third of the traffic coming from mobile phones. The country as a whole watches about 3.7 billion videos per month.
This will be the second gift to India from Google after the launch of the Android One devices. India has no shortage of amazing YouTube talent. Sure iGyaan is awesome, but there are folks who are doing some amazing stuff too. This move by Google will help take these talents even further as people can just save the videos offline and take them to areas with no internet and propagate the video. Though that won’t increase the view count on YouTube, it will still bring the awesomeness of Indian YouTubers to a new, wider audience.
It appears that Google is seeing India as a major market. India is the first country where Google has introduced the Android One line-up of phones. It can also be the case that the huge Indian diaspora at Google is helping to develop their homeland. Whatever the case may be, the Indian population can only benefit from the inflow of innovative resources from this gigantic corporation. Let’s hope to see this partnership grow and hopefully someday soon, India will become testing grounds for the Google Fibre. That day will be celebrated as a second Diwali.
So, we have waited long for the Android One devices. The phones were announced at the Google I/O this year, and they are finally here for the world to see. Today Google launched the three phones that it had announced previously.
The Micromax Canvas A1, Karbonn Sparkle V And Spice Dream Uno is the trio that will begin the big Android One experiment. The phones are presently only available online and will be in stores from next month. They went on sale at 3.30PM today.
Canvas win has a recognizable camera design which is the best amongst competitors
As mentioned earlier, Android One is Google providing standard specifications to OEM’s so that they can provide those features to low-cost devices directly. These devices come with the latest Android operating system, i.e., KitKat 4.4. They all have similar specs and are different only in the way they are designed. Out of these three devices, Micromax gets the pole position on the designing front. The Canvas A1 has a beautiful wooden-like platform for the main camera on the back of the device.
Karbonn Sparkle V comes in many color options.
All these devices have a 4.5 inch FWVGA (854 x 480 Pixels) displays and are powered by a 1700 mAh battery. The processor on the devices is a MediaTek SoC with a 1.3GHz quad-core processor and Mali 400 GPU paired with 1GB of RAM. On the back, the devices have a 5 MP camera with LED Flash. For selfie convenience, the phone provides a 2 MP camera.
It can be observed that the specifications on these devices seem limited in comparison to devices like the Moto E and the Redmi 1S. The advantage these devices have is automatic updates from Google, which keep them up-to-date. This can be a great device for people wanting a stock Android experience.
The companies have chosen different online retail partners for their devices. While Micromax chose Amazon as their exclusive Android One partner, Spice and Karbonn chose Flipkart and Snapdeal respectively. You can expect some competition amongst these e-tail giants too.
This is just the beginning for Android One. Google plans to involve new partners. It has announced that Acer, Alcatel, ASUS, HTC, Intex, Lava, Lenovo, Panasonic and Xolo will soon be launching smartphones under the Android One program.
These phones are pocket friendly and will encourage others to make similar devices
On the price front, the Karbonn Sparkle V is priced at Rs.6399. The Micromax Canvas gets a price tag of Rs. 6499, while the Spice Dream Uno is the cheapest with a tag of Rs. 6299.
As expected, the phones come with 6-month free update and app download package from Airtel. In a press statement, the Chief Product Officer of Bharti Airtel, Anand Chandrasekaran said, “Android One customers on Airtel will be able to stay updated on the latest Android version and update all their apps at no additional data charges. Customers can enjoy 100 MB of data per month for 6 months for software updates and 200 MB per month for 6 months for app downloads and updates on the first prepaid active Airtel SIM inserted in the Android One device.”
The phones come with 6 month data plans from Airtel
Overall, the Android One line of devices seem like Google’s direct link to the lower-end consumers. The biggest issue with Android platform is high levels of fragmentation, devices running older versions of the OS are still available for sale in the market. With the lessons learnt by this initiative, the Android team may be able to provide a better integration of its OS across devices.
It will be interesting to see how this experiment pans out in India as Google intends to expand the initiative to Indonesia, Philippines and other South Asian countries by the end of 2014. It also plans to take to more countries in 2015. It seems the end of woes of lower-end Android customers is close to being over.
Google has unveiled the first Android One phone in India. The phone will come from the Indian Phone company, Karbonn and will be called the Sparkle V.
The Karbonn Sparkle V is a Dual Sim phone. It comes with Android Kitkat 4.4 out of the box. It has a 4.5 inch FWVGA (480×854) display. The device carries 1 GB RAM and is powered by a 1700 mAh battery.
The internal memory on the device is 4 GB and is expandable up to 32 GB. Sparkle V has a 5 Megapixel camera on the back and a 2 MP camera on the front. It also comes with sensors such as G-Sensor, Proximity sensor, Light sensor, E-Compass and Gyro Sensor.
The phone is future proof as it will automatically update to the next available version of operating system. The makers claim that the phone is capable of handling HD games and provides smooth multi-tasking ability. The phone offers users a variety of applications and features which are pre-loaded in the phone.
Android One is an initiative by Google to bring a standard Android experience across all Android devices. They want to decrease the burden of R&D on small smartphone companies by providing them with standard hardware options for their devices.
Google has been bringing its devices in partnership with various companies. For its Nexus lineup of devices Google had partnered with the likes of Samsung, LG, Asus and others. Now for its affordable line-up of devices the company will be partnering with some prominent Indian brands such as Micromax, Karbon and Spice. But how does this matter to the average smartphone buyer? Well, here is how.
1. Quality Control
Through this project Google can make sure the end customer is getting the same experience that it had intended. The phones will be marketed at a price of Rs.6000 but will not be light on features as it will have Google approved hardware.
2. Specifications
The phones are expected to feature the standard set of features such dual-core chip, 5MP camera, removable SD card, 4.5 inch display and Media Tek processor. Further specs will be cleared after the launch.
3. Full Android Experience
Services such as Google Play are absent from some low-cost devices which make it hard for users to get access to important services. With Android One, this problem goes out of the window. Google will ensure full functionality of these devices.
4. Updates
Android updates are a giant pain. The large variation of devices makes it difficult to provide updates for each specific phone. The Android One phones are expected to get regular updates. The updates will help fix various bugs that diminished the performance of the devices over time.
5. Free Data Services
Google says that it has partnered with networks to provide free access to updates. It means that the users wouldn’t have to wait for access to Wi-Fi hotspots to get system updates. How this works, would be made clear at the launch.
If the Android One devices are successful, Google will be able to easily maintain its lead in the mobile OS game. Android has already percolated to various devices. Google can concentrate on making Android more desirable on device apart from smartphones, thereby giving a standard, recognizable operating system that will bring an ease in dealing with multiple devices.
There is a lot hanging on the success of Android One. The initiative has already attracted a lot of attention from the competitors. The launch today will clear if Google’s latest experiment is appreciable or just a marketing gimmick. Keep checking this spot for more.
Google will uncover the first of its series of budget smartphones under the much anticipated Android One today. This initiative gives a key set of references for hardwares to help phone manufacturers make minimal cost smartphones. The phones will be unveiled by Sundar Pichai, Google’s SVP of Android, Chrome & Apps in New Delhi.
Google is expected to launch a range of Android One smartphones, mostly priced under Rs 6,000, via domestic online stores. These have been developed in partnership with local mobile phone manufacturers such as Micromax, Karbonn and Spice. These smartphones are expected to be loaded with top-end features such as dual core chip, 5 MP camera and 4.5-inch display.
Indian tech market has been ruled by budget friendly and value for money devices. The company first unveiled the Android one initiative in June this year at Google’s annual I/O conference as a move to take the platform to markets where low-priced phones with fewer features and less memory are in high demand.
By modifying the working framework, some programming and packaging it with Google’s own service, its web search tool, Android One will help scale up the business for Google.
Android One is tipped to be a game changer in the smartphone market, delivering a better experience to users. The race to make the least expensive smartphone pressed with specs is just going to get bigger as more companies are looking at the budget segment of the Indian market.
The Market has been recently flooded by Chinese smartphones, and everyone is confused. The question, however, has always been : are these phones really worth of all the hype they create?. The Xiaomi Mi3 showed us that a great phone package can come for a decent price, and the Redmi 1s is taking it hard to the competition.
One phone is still missing from the equation and with its arrival in India soon, does the OnePlus One threaten the existence of many brands here in the country? Lets find out.
Overview
The OnePlus One is a complete device when it comes to hardware and build quality. Thanks to the inclusion of CyanogenMod the software is mostly community dependent and is expected to get great support for a long period of time.
Hardware
The OnePlus One comes with top notch hardware for its time, apart from the 5.5 inch LTPS display with a 1920 x 1080p resolution, Gorilla Glass 3 :
The OnePlus One is superb, the fact is that anyone who has seen the phone in my hand, especially the sandstone variant, has been amazed with the way this phone looks and feels. The brilliance is in fact in the overall look of the phone, it’s just the right size, has just the right amount of chrome and metallic accents, subtle logos, simple buttons and the nicely printed Cyanogen at the back helps too.
The built of the phone is also pretty superior, although we wouldn’t say the phone can be dropped several times (especially because if you break it, you will go through hell to get another one). The display is protected with Gorilla Glass 3, but it’s not the ultimate form of protection, and thanks to the large damageable screen real estate, one should be extra careful. The back is a solid plastic, coated with the sandstone finish in the 64 GB variant and a polycarbonate white on the 16 GB variant, both of which feel great and look great too.
Display and Camera
The LCD is impressive, it’s quick and bright, has great viewing angles and the touch is very sensitive. We also found colours to be very accurate. You do have several display modes that will help you adjust between temperatures and also customise the display of the phone as per your colour tone preference. Video playback is great, and deep blacks and greys are separately identifiable resulting in a viewing experience that will leave you satisfied.
The camera on the OnePlus One is equipped with a 13 MP Sony BSI sensor, which by far is the best implementation of the equipment. Shutter Lag is close to none, the response times are amazing, shot composition accurate, focus fast and colours are deep and rightly defined. The camera is equipped with a dual led flash with one amber and one white light, giving the device the ability to correctly compose the shots, especially so, in low light conditions.
Aqua Filter
Without HDR
HDR
Indoor
The Camera also does 4K video, which in this day of flagships is only restricted to a few. You also get time-lapse and slow motion video at 120 fps on 720p which works really well. Video is really smooth and jitter free, and the end resultant is rather satisfying, included preview filters and pre shooting tweaks make it easy to compose and deliver the right kind of footage.
The sensor is bright with a f/2.0 aperture , giving it a great deal of low light visibility, although noise is still prevalent on low light images.
Multimedia and Performance
Thanks to the mix of the high end specs as well an a fantastic display, Multimedia capabilities are right up there with all other flagship devices. In certain cases even better so than the other. The low end on the spectrum for OS functions in the background, less busy Cyanogen OS and 3 GB of onboard RAM really improve things on the OnePlus One.
Performance wise, the OnePlus One aced all benchmarks and kicked it in gaming, with little of no lag on high end graphics and all games running on full juice. Impressive day to day usage and the fluidity of the performing tasks is really appreciable.
Considering the kind of awesome experience you get with the OnePlus One, we feel that the company should’ve just called it “Two”. because it offers double the experience of any regular manufacturer smartphone, with performance, gaming and built.
Benchmarks and Gaming Video
Cyanogen and Android
Today Android is really in a good place, and with Android L on the verge of launch, a lot is expected from the OS. Generally one should choose hardware that not only supports the update, but a manufacturer that is willing to do so. In most case scenarios you would have to wait months before the next big Android OS would be pushed out by manufacturers. The last version of Android aka Kitkat is now available throughout the segment, however it was announced a year back, and yet today some phones ship with Jelly Bean.
OnePlus One Runs on Cyanogen and it’s a great user experience.
With the Oneplus One and Cyanogen Mod OS, you will never have to worry about that, this group of developers managed to run Android on the HP Touchpad, and now it is updated to Android 4.4.4. So with the Oneplus One you can not only expect quick updates, you can also expect some nifty features and usage improvements.
The UI is very customizable and theme-able using their theme changer and by downloading themes from Play Store, and other resources. Cyanogen allows you to mix and match different elements of different themes to make the one perfect theme for you.
Conclusion
The OnePlus One is not here yet, the company is busy working out a strategy and will have the phone in India, as early as Sept-Oct 2014. However, for a price sensitive market like India, the cost of the phone will be a major factor. Another big deal is the fact that the company is doing away with its invite system, and hopefully by the time they arrive in India, they can ensure supplies to the huge and impatient market.
Where companies like Xiaomi have really gained respect and market share simply by cutting down admin, distribution and marketing costs, OnePlus may bring the One at a premium in India.
The Oneplus One is expected to be priced around Rs. 21500 for the 16GB variant and Rs,. 25000 for the 64 GB variant. Although the prices are more than the $ price, they are much less than the Indian price of major flagships. So for the price of one LG G3, HTC One M8 etc you could typically get , “One Plus One” = 2 phones.
If you can get your hands on an invite today, do not think twice and get the phone, in fact you should have owned it yesterday. As far as warranty issues are concerned, the company has great service support, but you will have to deal with shipping to their support centers overseas, or wait for the Indian one/s.
When iOS 8 was announced back in WWDC 2014, one of the main highlights of the new update was the inclusion third-party keyboard apps. This meant that developers would be able to bring third-party keyboard apps to the iPhone, a feature users have been waiting for since practically the launch of iOS.
With this new feature, apps like SwiftKey was expected to be part of the new OS but a new keyboard app is something most iPhone users probably never even expected. The upcoming Popkey keyboard app offer users a totally different keyboard which comprised entirely of animated GIFs.
With this new keyboard you’ll be able to browse featured and trending GIFs, upload your own, save your favorites, and quickly access the GIFs you recently used. You can also browse based on keywords: For instance, tapping LOL will bring up a collection of funny GIFs. There are separate sections for “LOL,” “shocked,” “facepalm,” “swag” and other ideas/words frequently expressed in GIF form.
While iMessage already supports inline GIFs (via copy and paste), Adrian Salamunovic, co-founder of WorkshopX, the company behind PopKey, says this app streamlines the process of searching and sending. Much like the existing emoji keyboard in iOS, PopKey contains different themed sections, each of which will include dozens of GIFs. But rather than keywords, the app is organized by reactions and emotions.
There’s no firm launch date for PopKey, but you can sign up to be notified when the app launches on their website.
A 16-year old boy, Arsh Shah Dilbagi, has developed a device that helps people with developmental disabilities, like Locked-In Syndrome and ALS, to communicate using only their breath. Dilbagi entered Google’s Global Science Fair to showcase his device and became the only finalist from Asia to get selected this year.
The device which he calls ‘TALK’, turns the breath into signal which are read by Morse code and then converted into speech. A student of 11th standard at DAV International School, Panipat, Arsh claims that the device even allows almost entirely speech impaired and paralyzed people to communicate like never before.
The devices like this, which comes under Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) device category, are usually very expensive like the kind used by physicist Stephen Hawking. However, TALK will be the world’s cheapest and fastest AAC. Dilbagi says it is not possible for all those who have motor-neuro disabilities to afford an AAC device that costs $7,000 (Rs 4.26 lakh).
“AAC devices available in the market are very expensive, slow, bulky and not generic. I decided to find a better solution — an AAC device which is faster, portable and generic and costs only $80 (Rs 5,000), making it affordable to the large population,” he explains.
Dilbagi further explained that TALK expects a person to be able to give two distinguishable exhales with varying intensities, for converting them into electrical signals using a microphone. The signals are processed by a microprocessor, called the ‘Morse engine’, which labels the short exhales as ‘dots’ and longer exhales as ‘dashes’. These are further interpreted through the Morse code which converts the signals into words and then sends them to another microprocessor for synthesizing them into voice. According to Dilbagi, TALK features two modes – one to communicate in English, and the other to give specific commands and phrases. These are communicated in nine different voices enabled according to gender and age.
“I even got predicted results by testing the device on a person suffering from encephalopathy (global brain dysfunction) and Parkinson’s disease,” he has claimed in his proposal to Google. He adds, “In the future, I would like to add auto-predictions to my computing engine and integrate TALK with modern technology like Google Glass to make it easier for people with developmental disabilities.”
This kind of invention shows how this country has capable minds who can produce incredible innovation. So if you think you have a great idea, get on it. Doesn’t matter what your age is or where you come from. As long as you have a great idea, you trust it and are ready to undertake dedicated hard work, you can, “Change the World”. However, we cannot help but think how boring Hector Salamanca from Breaking Bad would have been if he had this device, it’s good that guy only had a bell to blow up.
Love it or hate it, the long-awaited Apple iPhone 6 is here to stay. For Apple lovers it was time to meet the world of multimedia friendly big screens with the company releasing two variants this time, the iPhone 6 and the 6 Plus.
Folks on twitter were also pretty excited with the launch and here are some of their reactions:
Some Were Appreciative:
Waking up to hear the news that the iPhone 6 has 128 GB has me saying OMG like: http://t.co/P6htBmIIfW
So excited for the Apple Watch. For centuries, we’ve checked the time by looking at our phones. Having it on your wrist? Genius. #AppleLive — Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) September 9, 2014
At the end, Samsung’s sponsored Twitter Trend didn’t go unnoticed:
Nikon has launched a new hybrid camera D750. It combines the best features from Nikon’s D810, and the company’s flagship D4S, and wraps them inside a smaller, lighter body. Nikon D750 is full frame DSLR that slots in between the D610 and D810. Replacing the crowd’s favourite D700, this new camera is actually the lightest among Nikon’s traditional pro series.
The D750 has a 24-megapixel FX format CMOS sensor, an Expeed 4 image processor (the same one seen in the much pricier D810), a more light-sensitive 51-point autofocus system, and an ISO range that stretches from 100 to 12,800. It weighs around 750g, it’s significantly lighter than both the D4S and D810, and even bests Nikon’s D610 and Canon’s full-frame EOS 6D
.
It uses a 51-point autofocus system that’s near identical to the higher-end cameras, so you get 15 cross-type AF sensors, 11 of which work up to f/8. The D750 supports burst shooting at 6.5 frames per second in full resolution, which may come as a slight disappointment for those hoping to use it for sports or fast action.
The D750’s greatest strength is its low-light performance. Its ISO range extends from 100 to 12,800 (plus Nikon’s Hi2 mode offers an equivalent of ISO 51,200), and this thing can practically see in the dark and focus at -3EV. That’s a first for any Nikon DSLR. It’s better than what the D810 can manage; even the D4S is only capable of focusing as low as -2EV.
However, the light weight doesn’t come at the cost of functionality. The D750 includes a new 3.2-inch tilting LCD, built-in Wi-Fi, and space for two SD cards. It’s the company’s first FX format camera to have a tilting LCD screen which is 3.2-inches diagonally. It is the first camera to have built-in WiFi which has been crammed into a body that’s thinner than usual. It shoots 1080p at 60, 30, or 24fps with full control over aperture whenever you’re filming. A Power Aperture feature, borrowed from the D810, smooth outs transitions when you’re adjusting aperture.
The Nikon D750 will be available with price tag of $2300 which falls between the $1900 D610 and the $3300 D810. It’s got the same resolution sensor as the D610 as well as a similarly compact design. The D750 is going on sale from September 23rd in a body-only configuration. A kit including Nikon’s 24-120 f/4 lens will follow up in October.
Apple’s latest flagship is finally out and the new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus will be available in India from the 17th of October. Many of you are probably waiting to get your hands on one. Though it shows marked improvements from its previous iteration, the new iPhone faces stiff competition from its Android rivals. Furthermore, Apple has been criticized to adopt the new technologies and design in a very slow pace. With handful of smartphones already offering the same technology and productivity, Apple’s new iPhone flagship has already been mocked.
We are listing top 5 smartphones which you can buy instead of iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus.
5. HTC One M8/E8
HTC’s flagship is regarded as one of the best Android flagships right now. Sure, it has its flaws, but there’s still a lot to love about it. The HTC One (M8) measures 5-inch, with a chassis of 146.4 x 70.6 x 9.4mm. When compared to the smaller model, it’s clear that the HTC One (M8) is a lot bigger. The HTC One (M8)’s 5in Super LCD3 screen is one of the many reason tech critics love this smartphone.. Throw on top a pixels per inch count of 441 ppi, and the HTC One (M8) boasts a crisp, clear and sharp display protected by super-strong Gorilla Glass 3. The HTC One (M8) is one of the most modern, accomplished smartphones we’ve seen in terms of design. With a fill metal body and elegantly curved edges, it more than matches the iPhone 6.
4. Google Nexus 5
The Nexus 5 has a very competitive display with LG’s “True HD” IPS+ LCD technology which provides some pretty sharp visual quality. It has a 1920 x 1080 pixel full HD resolution on a 4.95-inch panel at 445ppi. Apple’s iPhone 6 launch revealed the company’s new mobile payment system, Apple Pay, which combines Touch ID with NFC to allow you to pay for items at point of sale counters equipped with contactless card readers. However, Nexus 5 gives you great alternative to this with Google Wallet and the built-in NFC and that too at a cheaper price tag.
3. Xiaomi Mi4
Xiaomi Mi4 provides you with better screen resolution density of 441ppi when compared to the iPhone 6/6+ which are at 336ppi and 401ppi respectively. Xiaomi uses Quad-core 2.5 GHz Krait 400 compared to iPhone 6’s Dual-core 1.4 GHz Cyclone. Also you get 1GB of RAM extra in Mi4 and a better cameras too (Mi4 – Rear: 13 MP + Front Facing: 8 MP vs iPhone 6 -Rear: 8 MP + Front Facing: 1.2 MP). And yes, don’t forget with the pricing, you can buy three Mi4 together in the price of one iPhone 6, once they are launched here that is.
2. OnePlus One
The OnePlus One shares the same display size as the iPhone 6 Plus at 5.5-inches. It has powerful video recording and imaging capabilities, strong performance components and much more, all at an extremely low price point. The phone also uses CyangogenMod 11S, which allows for an amazing amount of flexibility and freedom, unlike Apple’s iOS, which has several restrictions. Also, the OnePlus One costs a third of the iPhone 6 Plus and offers most of the same features.
1. Galaxy Note 4
Samsung’s newly launched Note series flagship has been appreciated by reviewers even before it has started shipping. The phone includes all software features of Galaxy S5, in addition to features optimised for the S Pen stylus that Apple can’t even think of touching. Samsung Note 4 has a QHD resolution (2560x1440p) while Apple’s new iPhone 6 has a full-HD display (1920x1080p). The Note 4 also packs in more pixels per inch at 515ppi compared to iPhone 6 Plus (401ppi). This means text and images would look sharper on the Note 4. Also, the Galaxy Note 4 is considered as one of the most powerful Android devices around.
Apple has for long been the king of attack ads. The famous Mac ads starring Justin Long, which went viral before people knew what viral videos were. The company took jabs at Microsoft’s Vista operating system. But it seems Apple has met its match in Samsung, its top competitor in and out of court.
Samsung has recently started baiting Apple. The company had recently brought a campaign calling iPhone user’s “Wall huggers” targeting the phones low battery life. Apple released its new iPhone this week, and Samsung was ready with a barrage of new ads.
This time Samsung went on a serious offensive and brought out six ads taking on Apple. The Ads are titled, “It doesn’t take a genius” and are set in a replica of Apple’s genius bar. The satirical ads are meant for Samsung’s latest Flagship, the Galaxy Note 4. They target every aspect of the new iPhone, from the botched Livestream of the launch event to the lack of S-Pen for the iPhone.
The attack ads also take on the new Apple watch. The tagline in the end says ‘The next big thing is already here” a reference to their Samsung Note 4 and the new Gear S.
The ads are fun to watch and hopefully Apple will buck up and get back into the game of attack ads. If there’s one thing viewers love is a good old battle of wits. So the balls in your court Apple, show us what you got!
Google’s Play Store return policy is one of the best feature the company provides. It has been appreciated by Android community a great deal. The service offers you the option of returning an app you’ve just paid for and downloaded. You can do this by simply heading back into the Google’s store, hit the refund tab, and you’re done.
Obviously, there is a time limit for the refund policy which has been fluctuating since it started because of the reluctant developers who were worried about the loss. Earlier, when the service started Google offered 24 hours to initiate a refund which was bit extreme according to the developers. Then the company pulled down the timeframe to 15 mins where it stood until now.
Google has once again changed its refund policy and increased the return window to a fair 2 hours timeframe. The new 2-hour window strikes a happy medium between the old 24 hours options, giving you a decent length of time to try out an app but not so much that you’d be able to fully utilize an app or finish a game and then return it.
Windows Phone lets willing developers give users a trial period for apps before purchase but mostly you don’t get to play with all the features of the app which defeats the point all together. Apple’s App store in comparison, offers no refund or trial options for the apps and games. Guess it’s time to get apps from Google directly instead of looking for APK files from untrustworthy websites.
In times when people are still dealing with the news of the massive iCloud hack, they woke up this morning to the news of another giant leak. This time it was Google Accounts turn. Russian hackers have leaked about 4.93 million Gmail passwords. You can access the entire Google ecosystem using just one password and this was seen as a cause of worry.
The account details were leaked on a Bitcoin forum called btcsec.com by a user named Tvskit. The leaker claimed 60% of these accounts were active.
Google immediately slammed the claim. It tried to calm the fears with a blog post that said “We found that less than 2% of the username and password combinations might have worked, and our automated anti-hijacking systems would have blocked many of those login attempts. We’ve protected the affected accounts and have required those users to reset their passwords.”
Maybe it’s a way of hackers telling you that it has been a long while since you’ve changed your password, so it’s time that you did. Previously, a Russian Gang had claimed that they had stolen over 1.2 Billion passwords. The solution even then was to change the passwords. It’s a necessary measure that needs to be taken regularly. Google this time asked its users to go for two-step verifications to keep their accounts more secure.
