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The Final Rumor Roundup : Everything We Know About the iPhone 6

Apple’s products are always the most anticipated ones in the smartphone market and this year is not an exception to the rule. While people eagerly wait for the launch of thehighly anticipated iPhone 6, rumors and leaks fuel their excitement. It is been more than 5 months since we first heard that Apple will launch two iPhone variants this year. Let’s take a moment and look back at the numerous leaks and rumors of iPhone 6 and 6L.

The First Render Appears

Back in May, we saw what Apple was cooking up for the new-gen iPhone. Macitynet.it showed off photos of renders of the 4.7 inch iPhone 6 with upgrades such as a faster processor and NFC capabilities. Reports also mention a 5.5-inch Apple Phablet headed for launch somewhere in the latter part of the year.

Another leak from Inner Exile, a China-based case manufacturer, shows off how the phone will look from the front as well as the back. The reports illustrated the power button’s new location, next to the SIM card tray on the right of the iPhone 6. Some other leaks suggested that the new iPhone 6 will have dimensions of 137.5 x 67 x 7mm in comparison with the iPhone 5S 123.8 x 58.6 x 7.6 mm.

Acquisition of Beats

Next in line was the rumor that the company is going to include Beats earphones with the new iPhone, this came after the major 3.2 billion dollar acquisition of Beats by Apple. Also, other rumors and supply chain chatter revealed the iPhone 6 will contain several highly-anticipated features, including near field communication (NFC), wireless charging, a better 4G antenna, and a much bigger screen.

Another leak from an eBay user gave us high-resolution pictures, of a black and silver handset on which one of the first aptly designed dummy of the iPhone 6. Also, other leaks illustrated that the company could switch to sapphire crystal for future displays instead of Corning Gorilla Glass.

iPad Joins the Race

The blurred lines surrounding the release date of the iPhone 6 are finally sharpened up when an industry insider reported that Apple is planning to launch the device on 15th September. Additionally, the source said that mass shipments of the iPhone 6 from China to the United States will start during the last two weeks of August, and it is likely that Apple will announce the iPhone 6 during the first or second week of September.

More rumors suggested that the bigger 5.5 inch variant of the new iPhone will be called ‘iPhone Air.’ The company first used the “Air” appellation to tag its slim MacBook model, and has later used it for the full-size iPad’s. Both times the end result was a sleek and sexy looker with good performance.

Next in line came the production news that the company has decided to double up the number of iPhone 6 units for this fall. Taiwan’s Business Weekly reported that number of iPhone 6 orders placed is about twice the number that Apple placed for the iPhone 5. Also another leak suggested that 4.7-inch iPhone 6 will have a battery capacity of 1,800mAh to 1,900mAh, while the so-called 5.5-inch ‘iPhone Air’ will sport a 2,500mAh battery.

Also, graphic designer, Martin Hajek, popular for his various dummy mockups, created beautiful renders of the iPhone 6 along with iPad Mini. Also, some leaks suggested that Apple was in talks with major credit card company Visa to collaborate and create an iWallet technology that could revolutionize the way consumers pay for goods.

The Big Box

Finally on the first week of august we got to know about the September 9th event i.e. today where the company is expected to launch the iPhone.

Next up in mid August, a popular leakster posted some images of supposed iPhone 6 in box.

Another leak by Apple Daily, a premier Chinese language newspaper suggested that the 5.5 inch tablet will be called iPhone 6L. Then we heard that Apple is scrambling to get enough screens ready for the new iPhone 6 smartphone. The supply chains who are making displays for the phone said that display panel production suffered a setback after the backlight that helps illuminate the screen had to be revised.

Finally, How Much Will it Cost?

Details about the pricing of the re-vamped iPhones were quite scarce. But during the first week of this month, tech blog TK Tech News posted an image that shows the alleged prices of the 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch iPhone 6 models.

If you convert these purported prices into Indian currency and add the standard import duties, iPhone 6’s 4.7 inch variant will come at the starting price at Rs. 61,900 approx and the 5.5 inch variant may come at starting price of Rs. 71,800. These prices are more than the introductory price of the iPhone 5S, which was launched last year for Rs. 53,500.

Also, yesterday we saw series of photos and videos of what the leaker claimed to be a fully functional iPhone 6. The leaker also uploaded a brief video demonstrating Touch ID on the device.

Well, that’s all we got from numerous leaks around the internet. Anyhow, there are some surprises that Apple has control over and that can’t be leaked, so there is still a lot to look forward to for tonight’s event. Apple is expected to launch two iPhones- a 4.7 inch variant and 5.5 inch variant and company’s first ever wearable, iWatch today at 10 AM PST (10:30 PM IST).

September 9, 2014
New Details About Apple’s iWatch Design Leaked

Apple’s September 9th event is few hours away and rumors are still flying high. A latest leak on Reddit supposedly depicts the specs and diagrams of Apple iWatch. While plenty of images purporting to be the new iPhone 6 have made it to the internet, Apple has managed to keep the iWatch under wraps – until now.

The images, posted on Reddit, allegedly show CAD design drawings of the iWatch chassis and components, including a mic and speaker. Descriptions accompanying the images claim that the iWatch will feature a multi-touch, flexible screen that will “add a new dimension to the UI.”

The Reddit user who posted the images, called OwenCarlyle, says the watch will also support Siri, Apple’s voice command system. The Reddit user also claimed that the iWatch will last for more than a day on a single charge, will be waterproof to 60m and won’t have any external connection points which could line up with past reports of the smartwatch features wireless charging.

The leaker also claims that the device will go into mass production sometime this January while describing the wearable computer as “the most complex and expensive product to manufacture to date.” Purported schematics are labeled as coming from Quanta, which has been reported to be Apple’s manufacturing partner for the device.

Other images show renders of various components of the devices, such as the microphone and speaker, although one blurry photo purports to show the iWatch housing, which is rectangular in shape. Apple is widely expected to unveil a wearable device alongside new iPhones on today. The event is due to start at 10:30 IST.

September 9, 2014
Moto Hint : It’s Not Just a Bluetooth Headset

Fiction has influenced technology many a time. Jules Verne’s Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea inspired the invention of Submarines that opened a whole new world to us which was previously hidden in deep waters. Recently Captain Kirk’s handheld communicator from Star Trek inspired the Mobile Phones, which have completely changed the way we communicate.

Now Motorola has something in its kitty that promises to give you the feel of actually interacting with your phone without the need of any physical interface. This seems as if inspired by Spike Jones’ ‘Her’. The device in question is the Moto Hint. It even looks like a more practical version of the device that the protagonist wore to interact with Samantha (the AI assistant.)

The Moto Hint looks like a practical version of the device from the movie Her

The Moto Hint is a peanut-sized Bluetooth headset that lets you do a lot more than what a usual Bluetooth hands-free device does. Perhaps this is the reason folks at Motorola prefer to call it wireless earbud or an “earable,” which doesn’t really sound appealing to the ears. The Hint does, in fact, give a hint of what the future of wearable headsets is going to look like.

Using the Moto Hint you can literally control the most important features of a smartphone using just your voice. You can read and write messages, get navigation assistance, post on social media and much more. Motorola has the distinction of superior voice interaction on its devices starting with the previous generation Moto X. The new Moto X takes that ability further and brings in custom phrasing that lets you make your own custom phrase instead of the usual ‘OK Google’ phrase on Android.

Moto hint offers 3.3 hours of battery back-up that is good for a start. It is compatible with any Bluetooth enabled phone. A sensor on the device detects when it is in the ear and it automatically powers on. Now as it’s powered through Google, it will still just reply to the query. Hopefully, Motorola will bring an anthropomorphized voice assistant like the Cortana and Siri to make it feel like a two-way interaction.

This device will also rekindle the Bluetooth era that had just recently lost steam. If the Moto Hint works as it’s advertised, we will again have people all around us who seem like they’re talking to us but they’re actually posting a twitter update. Hopefully using hashtags vocally will make them realize how stupid they sound, and that will bring them back to the typing interface. The Moto Hint still deserves a chance for its innovation, and we’ll wait for it to come to our shores. The Moto Hint is priced at $149.99 (roughly Rs. 9,000), while its powerbank, the Power Pack Micro is available for $39.99 (roughly Rs. 2,400).

September 8, 2014
Google’s New Technology Has a Super Sharp Sense of Object Recognition

Recent technology advancement has opened the possibility of more sophisticated image recognition features. Even though in recent year various researchers have come up with significant discoveries, the automatic object recognition in images is still considered tricky. However, Google is all set to change that. In other word, the internet giant has just come up with very sophisticated detection system hat can easily spot lots of objects in a scene, even if they’re partly obscured.

“This effort was accomplished by using the DistBelief infrastructure, which makes it possible to train neural networks in a distributed manner and rapidly iterate. At the core of the approach is a radically redesigned convolutional network architecture. Its seemingly complex structure (typical incarnations of which consist of over 100 layers with a maximum depth of over 20 parameter layers), is based on two insights: the Hebbian principle and scale invariance.” the Google research blog reads.

The result of this groundbreaking technology is far deeper scanning system that can both identify more objects and make better guesses, and will be able to spot tons of mundane items around you.

This technological advances will enable even better image understanding and the progress can be directly transferred to Google products such as photo search, image search, YouTube, self-driving cars, and any place where it might be useful to understand depth, perception and imagery.

September 8, 2014
Review : Micromax Canvas Nitro A310
Micromax has been reworking strategies for quite some time, and after their launch of the Canvas Gold, the company has kept it low key. Meanwhile, Motorola with their Moto G and Moto E along with Xiaomi with their Mi3 and Redmi 1s have really made a dent in the market.

The Micromax Canvas Nitro A310 is the company’s answer to all that, but does it really fulfil that goal? Lets find out!

Overview

The Canvas Nitro A310 is well built phone with good specs, in the right price bracket. However with the competition looming it may not match up in terms of hardware capabilities. The strategy to launch it with online partner Snapdeal is also similar to what we have seen in the past, Motos and the MIs and their launch with Flipkart.

Hardware

The Micromax Canvas Nitro A310 comes with a Mediatek Mt6592 Octa Core Chipset clocked at 1.7 GHz on all eight cores. The phone also has 2 GB of RAM and a Mali 450 MP2 GPU. The Nitro runs on a 2500mAh battery and has 8 GB of inbuilt storage, out of which roughly 5.2 GB is available to the user.

The front is laden with a vivid 5 inch IPS LCD display with a resolution of 1280 x 720 px, for optics on the rear the phone gets a 13 MP camera with auto focus and 1080p video capture, the front remains a fixed focus with a 5 MP resolution. Cameras are capable of HDR and low light photography, video has electronic stabilisation, and you can initiate the camera with a gesture “V” sign to click pictures from a far.

Unboxing Video

Build Quality and Design

Unlike its predecessors, the Canvas Nitro A310 is built on a plastic chassis, giving it a much lighter and less sturdy feel compared to the likes of the Canvas Gold. However the phone is still well built and feels like it can take a fall or two (not that we’d recommend it). The front has a tiny lip that nicely protects the front LCD of the phone, but on from a flat table placement or a flat drop. There is no mention of Gorilla Glass, although some generic “strengthened” glass has been used.

The back panel has a leather look (read: exactly like the Note 3) however it has a much better defined design, overall appeal and touch. The back panel is also very sturdy and not flimsy at all, which one would expect. We are not too sure about this blue colour, as it may not appeal to every one, it’s how one would say “different”.

Camera

Micromax focused a lot with the camera on the new Micromax Canvas Nitro A310, they have added several new camera features as standard. Things mostly which can be had with an app, but its is always much better to have features integrated with the OS and UI. An inbuilt camera specific widget lets you take shots by focusing on what you want to do, selecting from 5 different modes.

Front Back ; lets you take one picture from the front facing camera and one from the rear facing camera and combine it as a single image.

Stable ; just like the name says, waits till your hands are stable before taking a picture.

Selfie ; A selfie mode lets you click better selfies, however this works best with “V shot gesture” mode.

Refocus; lets you add blur to all areas except the area you select, more like a software version of HTC’s dual camera setup.

Coming to the hardware, the camera is based on a BSI Sony sensor with an f2.2 aperture and has excellent focus capabilities. Images captured indoors, as well as outdoors are accurate in colour reproduction and contrast. HDR was particularly good, and can really reproduce required details in the images.

With HDR

Without HDR

You get a good deal of details with the camera, especially up close to your subject.

Performance and Gaming

The Micromax Canvas Nitro handles day to day usage without any problem, and for once this phone does not heat up at all, mostly pertaining to the fact that the device is made entirely out of plastic. At any pint of time the total amount of free RAM is approximately 600+ MB, leaving you to wonder where the phone is utilising in excess of 1.3 GB of RAM. The included clean up app does open up about 120-140 MB of RAM, but that is still less considering that the device is running on KitKat.

Benchmarks and Gaming Video

We did see some hiccups in Gaming while gunning for high end games, and we also noticed quite a lot of frame loss, we plan to revisit gaming separately post the launch of the handset. Audio quality is excellent, however you might end up with your hand on the speaker ever so often, muffling up the sound.

Phone, Networks and Battery

Signal quality is excellent indoors as well as outdoors, audio is good on a call whether incoming or out going. As far as networks are concerned the plastic body definitely improves any WiFi connectivity issues faced by the previous generation of Canvas phones.

Battery life if good for one day’s use with the included 2500 mAh battery, which is removable and replaceable by the user. You will get an average talk time of 5-6 hours with both SIM cards placed in the phone.

If you are a light user you can easily run into the second day, however a charge a day would be recommended to keep you in a healthy battery position.

Multimedia And Android

The display is really good on the Micromax Canvas Nitro A310, it has excellent levels of black which are deep and blend in with the accurate blacks of the bezel. Video playback was good after the initial hiccups we faced (old version of Youtube App) and viewing angles are fantastic. The phone’s display works well indoors and outdoors and you will totally appreciate media consumption on the display, despite the fact that it is a 720p screen.

The OS is mostly stock Android 4.4.2, with minor customisations and mostly preloaded applications by the company, the UI also looks clean and is responsive. The set of apps including Quick Look (aka Blinkfeed for non HTC devices) and the new lock screen are excellent and work really well in providing notifications and quick update of news. Both of these can easily be turned off or replaced using custom launchers and lock screen replacements from the Play Store.

Screenshots

Conclusion

While most will argue the hardware powers of the Xiaomi Mi3, the Micromax Canvas Nitro is aimed to be more for those who want a less hectic approach to buying a phone. With an octa-core chipset and 2 GB of RAM, bundled with a 13 MP camera and expandable storage, the Micromax Canvas Nitro does have it positives. The biggest being the fact that the phone will be available to those who want to buy it, easily and how.

The Micromax Canvas Nitro is a step in the right direction for Indian manufacturers, especially considering they are taking huge flack from companies like Xiaomi and Motorola who are basically now playing in their space.

[tw-column width=”one-half”]
GOOD THINGS
- Good Build
- Good Specs
- Great Pricing
- Excellent 720p Display
- Good Battery Life
[/tw-column]
[tw-column width=”one-half” position=”last”]
BAD THINGS
- Plastic Body
- Gaming Shabby
  [/tw-column]
September 8, 2014
What We Hope to See at Apple’s Mega Event on 9th September

It has been way too long since the internet has been abuzz with rumours about the much-awaited iWatch and the next iPhone 6. Love ’em or hate ’em, you have to admit that Apple has a history of making some fine products. And after reading plethora of leaks over the past few months, we’re excited to finally find out what Apple has in store for us this year.

With Apple’s September 9th event only a few hours away, we’re still witnessing the last round of leaks and rumours. Few hours ago, a leak has shown us the working iPhone 6 for the first time.

The company had sent press invites last week with the cryptic statement ‘wish we could say more’ in the typical Apple style. The event will be held at Flint Center for the Performing Arts in Cupertino, California which is the same venue where Apple debuted the Macintosh computer in 1984, 30 years ago. It is said that the venue is chosen to pay a homage to the company’s first big achievement with another groundbreaking device, the iWatch.

It is expected Apple will showcase two iPhones this year, same as last year (iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C). However, this year the second variant will not be a step down but will come with the bigger screen and better innards. Anyhow, there are numerous rumors and it is hard to keep track of it all but there are some important advancements and iterations which are expected to come with these three devices.

Lets take a moment and dissect what Apple has in store for us and what we want from the new-gen Apple devices.

The Bigger The Better

As we all know, Apple’s been working on not one, but two iPhones: a 4.7-inch version and 5.5-inch phablet for people who think iOS 8 needs more real estate to breathe. Debates have raged over whether Apple will cover those displays in ultra-durable sapphire crystal. However, recent rumors have suggested that the company won’t take the plunge, but instead they’ll offer 128GB versions of the new phones.

Exciting Upgrades

It is also been said that there will be more upgrades — a faster chip, increased resolution and improvements to the camera. Also, it is said that Apple will include NFC in the new iPhones. This will simplify the process of pairing an iWatch (if NFC is also included in the device) and an iPhone as well as both can be used to encourage mobile payment directly. A feature many companies are trying to achieve but have failed until now.

Affordable Prices

It’s highly unlikely, but we can dream. It is said that 5.5 inch iPhone 6L will be $50-100 more than the 4.7 inch variant. Recent leak suggested that Apple iPhone 6 with 4.7” display will purportedly cost 6,663 HKD, 7,671 HKD, and 8,679 HKD . The aforementioned prices are for devices with 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB of built-in memory respectively. According to the leak listing of prices, the iPhone 6 with 5.5-inch display is unsurprisingly more expensive (it is rumored to have more powerful hardware on board). It is reportedly priced at 7,923 HKD for the 16GB model, 8,931 HKD for a 32GB unit, and 9,687 HKD for a device with 64GB of onboard memory. If you convert these purported prices into Indian currency and add the standard import duties, iPhone 6’s 4.7 inch variant will come at the starting price at Rs. 61,900 approx and the 5.5 inch variant may come at starting price of Rs. 71,800.

The Super Cool New OS

Well, also iOS 8 will make its debut with these devices and anyone with an iPhone 4S or later will be able to download iOS 8 on Sept. 17. The company added tons of developer tools for home mechanization, heavy gaming performance and extensions in abundance. There’s a lot of polished new apps and add-ons that is expected to earn rave reviews.

Siri Becoming More Helpful

Siri can now be activated by saying “hey Siri,” rather than pressing the home button. She can now understand more languages and accents. The best part? Apple has gone ahead to integrate a music-recognition feature, so you can know which tune is being played instantly, without wasting time to open an app. You have the option to download the song instantly from iTunes, and if you’ve installed Shazam, you can save the song in your tabs.

The Wearable Trend : iWatch

It is quite amazing that Apple has managed to keep most of its iWatch details a secret. It is said iWatch won’t be available after it is launched with iPhone 6 which goes on sale on the Friday of the week following the event — in this case, Sept. 19. The smartwatch category is certainly experiencing a boom, although it’s still unclear if consumers really want them. The iWatch could be the product to take smartwatches mainstream, but to do that, it needs to do something that no other wearable does.

Extensive Sensors

Rumors say the iWatch will have a curved-screen design, come in two sizes and have multi-day battery life. But based on early leaks of the software, its highlight will be the extensive sensor data that it gathers about the wearer’s health. The unveiling of the new iWatch will connect the dots between the Health app, which was unveiled at WWDC 2014, iPhone 6 and wearables.

How Apple Plays the Beats

This event will also be the first event after Apple has acquired headphone-maker Beats. While it’s only been a month, it’s still a bit early for the first Beats project with Apple company, we may see the beginning of the collaboration or at least an appearance by Dr. Dre.

September 8, 2014

Micromax Launches Canvas Nitro A310, We Unbox it!

Recently, the Indian smartphone market has taken a toll with the arrival of the Chinese brand Xiaomi and well, the resurgence of Motorola. These companies have taken over the Indian budget-smartphone segment by giving us amazing specifications at aggressive prices.

Micromax, the homegrown smartphone maker, is trying to get back on the horse and get a hold of the lost ground it once ruled. Today, Micromax launched a new Canvas flagship model called the Nitro A310 which will be exclusively available on Snapdeal.

The device runs on 1.7 Ghz octa core MediaTek chipset with 2GB of RAM and 8GB of internal memory which is expandable upto 64GB. The Canvas Nitro A310 is powered by 2500mAh battery.

They’ve provided a 13MP Sony camera with f/2.2 aperture. The selfie camera has a 22mm wide angle lens with a f/2.4 aperture and ov5648 bsi sensor. On the home screen Micromax has provided 5 quick widgets – Photo, Video, Front, Back, and Stable shot. Another interesting feature they’ve provided are the in-built gestures which can be used to customise the screen and to activate apps (as demonstrated in the video). The device comes with Oleophobic coating, an anti-fingerprint layer and will come in two colour variants – white and blue. The back has a leather finish, inspired by Napa Leather.

The Micromax Canvas Nitro A310 is available on Snapdeal for Rs. 12,990. After losing a large number of prospective buyers to the Mi3 and Moto G, now Micromax attempts to fight back.

Specs	Micromax Canvas Nitro A310
Battery capacity (mAh)	2500, Removable
Display	5 inch HD IPS Screen 1280X720px
Processor	MediaTek 1.7GHz octacore
RAM	2GB
Internal storage	8GB
Rear camera	13 megapixel
Flash	Yes
Front camera	5 MP
Operating System	Android 4.4

September 8, 2014

Ahead of Official Launch Leaked Video Shows a Working iPhone 6

There has been a steady stream of rumors and leaks about new-gen iPhone 6 prior to the launch of the device tomorrow, September 9th. Now, a user of the Chinese social networking website, Weibo, has posted a series of photos and videos of what he claims to be a fully functional iPhone 6.

While there is no way to confirm the authenticity of the video, it seems to be untampered and real. The leaker has also uploaded a brief video demonstrating Touch ID on the device, suggesting the this is a legitimate iPhone 6. Through picture it seems that the device is 4.7 inch version of the new iPhone 6.

The look of the device is pretty much the same and in line with previous leaks and rumors. However, this is the first time we have seen the device powered on. There is not much revealed, but we can see a new Passbook icon which features a magnetic credit card at the top, assumingly for the fact you are now going to be able to pay using your iOS devices. Also, the added screen space has allowed the company to add an additional row of icons on the app screen.

Anyhow, there is still lot to see what Apple has in store for us. Apple is expected to launch two iPhones- a 4.7 inch variant and 5.5 inch variant and company’s first ever wearable, iWatch tomorrow 10 AM PST (10:30 PM IST).

September 8, 2014
IFA 2014 : Samsung Introduces Android-Powered Printers

Samsung has brought out a slew of devices at IFA Berlin this year. The major ones of course were the Galaxy Note 4, the Note Edge, Gear S and the Gear VR, but apart from these there are also some other innovative products brought by the company. One of them is an Android powered printer.

Printers have come a long way, but they still have the usual connectivity issues. In the age of mobility and instant access we don’t want to deal with the whole PC to printer connectivity scenario. This is where Samsung’s Smart MultiXpress printers come in handy.

Samsung has released 10 Smart MultiXpress models, and these are designed to work without being setup through a PC. They have a 10.1 inch touchscreen to help you navigate through the printer. You can search and print documents from web browsers, emails, maps, images and other types of content.

The 10.1 inch display will let your print documents from the web.

These printers are compatible with Samsung Cloud Print and Samsung’s XOA printing platform. To add even more convenience, the printers are also NFC available. You can easily print your documents remotely.

According to Samsung, the printers are will make business’s more efficient and productive. These devices have faster processors to speed up the printing process. Samsung claims they also offer longer lasting toner and drum technologies thereby bringing down the maintenance costs of running them.

So if you are working in one of those offices which have regular printer issues, Samsung’s Smart MultiXpress Series MFP printers might be the solution you were looking for.

September 6, 2014
IKEA’s Parody of Apple is Hilarious

Swedish furniture manufacturer IKEA has brought out a new advertisement for their catalog and it is hilarious. The USP of the ad is that it parodies Apple’s style of promotional videos.

The ad is for IKEA’s new catalog that they satirically call the “BookBook”. From Apple’s signature animation styles to graphics, the ad takes on them all. Some of the features like scrolling through the Bookbook, bookmarking and sharing will make you LYAO.

Apple is about to present its most revamped iPhone yet. So in the wait for it, this ad helps to fill up the void till the 9th of September. So go ahead and check out the video, it will surely make your day.

September 6, 2014
Apple iWatch Rumored to Come in Two Sizes with NFC and Curved OLED Display

This may be the last round of rumours surrounding Apple’s most mysterious wearable. We’ve been waiting to have a Apple product wrapped around our wrist for quite some time. Now we’re wishing and hoping that Apple unveils it on its 9th September event.

The latest leaks have pointed out to the fact that the expected iWatch might come in two sizes, both with curved OLED displays, will be able to track health and fitness data, and will include NFC for to make mobile payments directly from your wrist.

OLED display has been criticised for having over-saturated colors but now, Apple may use the OLED display for its first ever wearable. An OLED display only needs to light up pixels that are actively in use, meaning that Apple’s watch could potentially display some basic information such as an analogue watch face while leaving the rest of the screen black. Using OLED display can save battery in the smartwatch.

The addition of NFC in the smartwatch comes in line with rumors of inclusion of the same technology in iPhone 6, too. This will simplify the process of pairing an iWatch and an iPhone as well as both can be used for encouraging mobile payment directly from the smartwatch, which many companies are trying to achieve but have failed until now.

It is said one of the main features of Apple’s upcoming iWatch is the variety of health sensors. However, the details about this has been scarce. A heart-rate sensor is believed to be one of them. As far as display sizes goes, reports have varied, however, earlier reports have pointed to sizes between 1.3-inches and 2.5-inches. If this to be believed, Apple’s iWatch will have one of the biggest watch face in the smartwatch market.

September 5, 2014
Moto X Makes its Comeback With Better Specs and an Aluminium Frame

Along with the Moto G (Gen 2) and Moto 360, Motorola has just introduced the much-awaited 2nd gen Moto X. The new Moto X is bigger, bulkier and it boasts a number of new features and designs that should definitely increase X’s demand.

The new Moto X is not much bigger than the previous one, with a 5.2 inch AMOLED display and it is still protected by Gorilla Glass. Moto X 2nd gen is about 0.5 inch wider than last year’s X. However, the refreshed model sports a 1080p full HD display instead of a 720p one.

The screen takes almost all the space on the front, leaving the bare minimum for bezels. It measures 72.4mm wide by 140.8mm tall and weighs 144 grams. To give the device a premium feel, the company has added a smooth piece of aluminium wrapping the entire edge of the phone.

Motorola has kept the Moto Maker customization option alive with a new leather option for new Moto X. Additionally, Moto Maker also now lets you add metal accents to power and volume buttons, speaker grills and the Motorola logo on the back.

At the back, it has an updated 13-megapixel camera lens with 4x zoom and a ring flash. The camera has the ability to capture 4K video instead of just 1080p and it’s also got a new feature called Best Shot.

It essentially maintains a rolling photo cache in the background, constantly capturing additional shots before and after a photo is taken. An algorithm then analyzes those photos to find what it thinks is the “best shot,” filtering out blurry shots or pics of people blinking. You can choose the picture selected by the feature or the original one. Another new camera feature is the “Highlight Reel,” which essentially compiles all of your day’s photos and videos into a single video collage much like Google+ photo highlights.

As far as the hardware is concerned you won’t be disappointed. The device runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor with a 2.5GHz quad-core CPU, an Adreno 330 578MHz GPU and 2GB of RAM. It is powered by 2,300 mAh battery which Motorola claims will last a full day. The new Moto X has four microphones to help reduce background noise, and comes in a “splash guard” water repellent coating and will be available in both 16GB and 32GB variants.

One the software side, new Moto X comes with hand full of softwares same as older Moto X including Migration tool and some of the tools like Touchless Control, Active Display and Motorola Assist have been renamed in the new Moto X as Moto Actions, Moto Display and Moto Assist respectively. Another great iteration in the new Moto X is that instead of ‘OK Google’ as a voice prompt, you can customize the voice command prompt to anything you like.

The company said that they have more than 1.6 million devices stocked for Indian market which only means they will have enough stocks this time. Pricing details are not yet revealed by the company. The new Moto X will go on sale in late september along with Moto 360.

September 5, 2014
Moto G (2nd Gen) Goes on Sale Today For Rs. 12,999

Motorola has just announced two of its most anticipated smartphones : Moto X and Moto G. The company decided to stick to the previous names, keeping things simple by calling them 2nd Gen devices. The new Moto G has been launched at the price of Rs. 12,999 for 16 GB and is going on sale later today with special offers on Flipkart. The company said that last time around they sold 1.6 million devices through Flipkart for Indian customers, and this time they’ve made sure they have sufficient stock for prospective buyers.

The 2nd Gen Moto G has a 5.0-inch 720p HD IPS display made out of Corning Gorilla Glass. Other improvements to the G include two front stereo speakers and an 8-megapixel rear camera and a 2-megapixel front-facing one.

The new G will also now finally come with a microSD card slot, which is located underneath the back cover. It’ll still come with 16GB built-in storage, but an expandable memory slot is always nice to have. However, underneath is the same 1.2GHz Snapdragon 400 processor and 2,070 mAh battery. The new Moto G still shoots in 720p. However, they considered going for 1080p video capability, to compete with the Xiaomi Mi3.

It’ll ship with Android 4.4 KitKat and is upgradeable to Android L as soon as it is released. It does come with a few Motorola apps like Migrate, which helps you transfer old phone contacts to the new one, and Assist, which provides a voice-activated Drive Mode when you’re on the road.

September 5, 2014
The Moto 360 is Finally Here!

We’ve spent months tracking its every move; it is the only smartwatch which promised style as well as utility. And today, amidst all the September Tech madness, Motorola revealed all the details of its most awaited wearable – the Moto 360.

It has stuck to the classic design that it promised months back. The 1.65-inch display is encased in stainless steel, the watch comes in leather straps and has Gorilla Glass protecting the screen from unwanted scratches. We’re extremely pleased with Motorola’s choice of design. Instead of going for bulk, it has stuck to the sleek style of a traditional wrist watch.

The water-proof Moto 360 is going to be a super useful wearable. Powered by Android Wear, it will give timely updates based on location, such as Weather, Time, Reminders, Location and Traffic. It has been enabled with voice control, so even when you’re driving you can easily ask for directions and traffic updates. “Ok Google” can also be used to send text messages. The watch comes with a charging dock, and the battery life is said to last a day.

Like most wearables, Moto 360 has paid attention to our health needs, and provided a heart activity app that tracks daily routine. Priced at $249.99, we’d say it’s a beautiful meddle of leather, glass and technology. Moto 360 comes in two colour variants – silver and black and will be available in India by late September.

September 5, 2014
IFA 2014 : Samsung Announces its First Waterproof Tablet, The Galaxy Tab Active

It has been raining smartphones at the IFA Berlin 2014, not that we’re complaining. Amidst the madness, Samsung has surprisingly launched a new tablet called Galaxy Tab Active. It is a rugged version of its predecessor and comes with IP67 certification for water resistance and an anti-shock covering that can withstand a 1.2-meter drop.

The Tab Active is the company’s very first dust and water-resistant tablet. However, unlike other water-resistant gadgets in the market, the new Samsung slate isn’t really made for adventure sports, but for businesses.

The Galaxy Tab Active boasts 10 hours of power from a detachable, 4,450mAh battery with POGO pin charging, and a UI designed for tough work. It also comes with the variant of S Pen, named as C Pen. The company has added the digital pen for those who have to wear gloves in their field of work can use as an alternative to standard touch input.

Running Android 4.4 KitKat, the Samsung Galaxy Tab Active features an 8-inch TFT display with 800 x 1200 pixels, LTE connectivity, Samsung KNOX for enhanced security, 1.2 MP front-facing camera, and a 3.1 MP rear camera.

Furthermore, the rugged slate comes with a quad-core 1.2 GHz processor, 1.5 GB of RAM, 16 GB of expandable internal memory, and a 4,450 mAh user replaceable battery (for up to 10 hours of usage). The device weighs 393 grams, and measures 213.1 x 126.2 x 9.75 mm.

The Galaxy Tab Active will be available in both Wi-Fi and LTE variants sometime later this year, and will come with the C-Pen and a Protective Cover right in the box. Samsung is only offering the Titanium Green color option. However, pricing hasn’t been revealed, it is expected to be priced same as the Galaxy Note 4.

September 4, 2014