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Live : Launch of the Samsung Galaxy Grand 2

Samsung will launch the new Galaxy Grand 2 in India today starting 12:00 Noon, stay tuned and get the latest updates on iGyaan.

December 23, 2013
Chrome Updates the Web Store Policy Keeping Chrome Extensions Simple

Google has updated its Chrome Web Store policy to keep Chrome fast enough by restricting the extensions on the web browser.

This new policy from Google will start implementing today. With this update, Google is aiming towards extensions that have a single purpose, which is narrow and easy-to-understand. The multi-purpose extensions can crowd the browser UI and slow down the web browsing experience.

The blog from Erik Kay (Engineering Director) notes, a simple and speedy browsing experience has been part of the core principle of Chrome since the beginning. It further notes that Chrome will not use any toolbars as more toolbars reduces the capabilities of the browser. Users would have more control over features they add to their browser. For more information check out the source link below.

[Chromium]

December 21, 2013
Winter Solstice: First Day Of Winter in the Todays Doodle

Google has always been creative with the doodles, we have seen a variety of them on different occasion. For today, Google has released a new Doodle on its homepage to celebrate the First Day of Winter, also known as Winter Solstice.

December 21 is the shortest day and the longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. This is called the winter solstice, which usually occurs on either December 21 or December 22. The Winter Solstice is the shortest day of the year as the sun reaches its southernmost point in the sky. Further, the sun begins moving northward, making the days longer for those in the northern hemisphere.

Countries like America will only see the daylight for 9 hours 32 minutes. Whereas, in Iceland the sun rises at 10 am and the sun sets at 4:49 pm and in countries like Alaska there is not sunrise.

The animated Doodle, created by German illustrator Christoph Niemann, shows a scarf being knitted into the shape of Google’s logo.

December 21, 2013
In Conversation with LG : G Flex, Their Revival, Tablets and Future

LG has been under the radar for a very long time, However, many will agree that 2013 was a good year for LG. After their Association with Google last year for the Nexus 4, LG started to get noticed a lot more in the consumer smartphone scene. We had a chance to visit the LG manufacturing facility in Greater Noida, India, to get a perspective on the current situation of LG smartphones and their future plans.

[pullquote_left] LG hardware is why Google Chose LG for Nexus[/pullquote_left]

Amit Gujral, whose current title puts him as a General Manager at LG Electronics, is also the Marketing head for LG Mobile in India, told us that LG’s hardware is one of the primary reasons Google picked LG for the Nexus 4 and the Nexus 5. The company believes that the success they have faced in 2013 has been purely based on the fact that the LG Optimus G and LG G2 were ground breaking products not only from an LG brand prospective, but also from a Nexus point of view.

LG has also recently announced the LG G Flex, a phone intended for launch in India around Feb 2014 for upwards of Rs. 65000 (US $ 1050). Despite the price, Amit says that the LG G Flex is a “cause for celebration”, stating that wearable and flexible devices are the future.

[pullquote_right] The G Flex is a cause for celebration[/pullquote_right]While Bendable products will be game changers, flexible devices are a step closer in approaching that goal. The most innovative feature is also claimed to be the flexible battery, from LG Chemical, which has truly made a flexible device possible for LG.

LG will also not launch the G Pad 8.3 in India, the company believes that larger smartphones have become a trend. In a market like India, a user prefers a phone call and data capable Smartphone over a non connected large screen tablet.

LG also feels that the technology for making phones truly rugged and truly waterproof is not here yet and it costs a lot at its present capability. “The Indian market is not ready” claims Amit “to understand and pay for this waterproof technology”.

The Self Heal coating from the LG G Flex may make its rounds to the next-gen LG devices as well, with a focus on consumer feedback, Amit expressed simply “If the People want it, we will put it”.

LG plans to eventually bring smartphone manufacture to India, with their two manufacturing plants operational 24 hours a day, and a major chunk of their Smartphone demand from India. LG is also working on something for the safety of women in India, while Amit was not keen to discuss intricate details on their pet project dedicated for the Indian market. An app in all likelihood will be an answer to what it could be.

LG has had a truly successful year in terms of their handsets, with the Optimus G, Optimus G Pro, the LG G2, Nexus 4 and Nexus 5 doing exceptionally well in all markets including India, the G Flex may as well be LG’s next premium grace.

[youtube url=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mJ9rIH3W8Y”]

December 20, 2013
Google Fined $1.2 Million By Spain For Violating Privacy Laws

Spain on Thursday fined Google for breaking the country’s data protection law. The charge by Spain authorities claim Google for combining personal information from its many different online services and also failing to inform users clearly on how Google uses their data.

Earlier, Google’s new privacy policies were questioned by six European countries, but Spain is the first of them to charge Google with a fine. Spain fined Google €900,000 which is $1.2 million for violation of data protection laws.

The AEPD has found that Google does not give users enough information about which data collected and for what purpose uses, combines those obtained through different services, preserved for an indefinite time and impedes the exercise of the ARCO rights

“Inspections have shown that Google compiles personal information through close to one hundred services and products it offers in Spain, without providing in many cases the adequate information about the data that is being gathered, why it is gathered and without obtaining the consent of the owners,” said the Spanish Agency for Data Protection in a statement.

However, this is not a huge amount for a company like Google, but it is not about the money here. Google will probably have to make privacy policies that will work for every country’s law and not target on any individual’s privacy.

December 20, 2013
Microsoft To Appoint CEO By Early 2014

Microsoft has stated that they will not be naming a new CEO in 2013, defying speculation that the board wanted to make the announcement before the end of the year. The announcement came via a post on the official Microsoft blog by John W. Thompson, a member of Microsoft’s board of directors.

John Thompson said that the company has filtered its list of candidates from 100 to 20 to a smaller, though unspecified, number.

According to the Guardian, Thompson further said that as the list of potential successors has been narrowed and they have done deeper research, which is expected to be completed in the early part of 2014.

The frontrunners in the CEO race include ex-Nokia chief Stephen Elop, Ford CEO Alan Mulally, Microsoft’s cloud computing head Satya Nadella among others.

After spending 13 years running Microsoft, Steve Ballmer might be turning in his key to the men’s room for a coach’s whistle as there is talk he might coach his son’s high school basketball team. While he will be missed, there are those who would like to see a replacement named quickly. Certainly, the new CEO will have a lot to work with considering Microsoft’s huge variety of product offerings.

December 18, 2013
Samsung Merges Camera and Mobile Divisions

Samsung has recently merged two of its major divisions. The company has merged its digital imaging division with its mobile phone business. The reason for this reshuffle is not shared by the company yet.

Merging of these two divisions might not show any drastic impact in the coming years, but it clearly shows the company’s interest to work on better cameras for its mobile phones. Nowadays, consumers are mostly worried battery life and camera of the smartphone they buy, and for cameras the connectivity options are something which adds a drastic difference. With this reshuffle it seems that Samsung has some future plans to work on this.

In a statement to ET News, Samsung also says that the primary goal is to “integrate the technical know-how of the two business divisions into competency for differentiating our smartphones.”

We will have to wait and see what are the plans for the company in the future. However, it will not be wrong to expect camera improvements in the Samsung smartphones, much like HTC’s ultrapixel and Nokia’s pure view. What do you think ?

[Source]

December 14, 2013
Google Maps Now Available in 25 More Countries
Anyone who has used Google Map Navigation will probably know how important it can be at some point or other. Be it searching a good place for a meal or searching the way to home from an unknown place, Google Maps has helped in most cases.

While, some people enjoy using Google Maps Navigation others do not have access to it yet. This will soon change as Google has added 25 new countries to take an advantage of this features. Here are the countries which recently got access to Google Navigation:
- Andorra
- Bangladesh
- Bhutan
- Burundi
- Central African Republic
- Croatia
- Djibouti
- Gabon
- Guadeloupe
- Haiti
- Lesotho
- Libya
- Maldives
- Mongolia
- Puerto Rico
- Republic of Congo
- Samoa
- Serbia
- Sierra Leone
- Somalia
- Togo
- Tonga
- Tunisia
- Vanuatu
- Zambia
The Google Maps Navigation is now available on approximately 100 different countries. However, few countries like Algeria, Bahrain and Russia do not support the navigation in all regions. The company says’s they are trying to bring the Navigation Beta to more countries gradually. Google Maps Navigation (Beta) requires at least Android OS 1.6 and comes included as part of Google Maps for Android v3.2 and higher. For more information you can check out the source:

[Google]
December 14, 2013
Twitter For Mac Users Gets Updated to Version 3.0, Brings Detailed Tweets and More

Not very long ago, Twitter updated its mobile application with in-line media previews. And now, the company is doing the same with Mac computers. The Twitter application for Mac users gets updated with some new features.

The Twitter 3.0 for Mac users bring in-line photo views and detailed tweets. The Timelines now display previews for Twitter photos, making it easier to go through new Tweets. Whereas, now when you click a Tweet, you’ll be taken to a detailed view that includes photos, favorite and retweets , and other Tweets in the conversation.

Other than adding new features and some tweaks the company has also changed the design of the application to make it cleaner and more modern.

[App Store]

December 13, 2013
YouTube Will Now Allow Live Streaming For All Verified Channels

YouTube is no doubt one of the most visited website on the internet today. The company announced the Live Streaming feature last year itself but it was not available to everyone by then. YouTube claims to have seen creators across music, gaming, sports and more categories using the power of live videos and creating an amazing experience for their audiences.

Now, Google wants the rest of the world to take advantage of Live Streaming. YouTube will now soon allow all verified accounts and accounts with good standings to use the Live Streaming feature. You can check if you have access to this feature by visiting the account feature page or simply by checking if it is available on the video manager. Users can also launch Google+ Hangouts directly on YouTube streaming live.

The Live Stream feature might bring in a flood of videos as it gets available to everyone. For now, YouTube says this should be available in next few weeks.

December 13, 2013
Windows Phone and Windows RT May Soon Be Free Of License Fees

The Verge is reporting that sources close to Microsoft have indicated the company is seriously considering making Windows Phone and Windows RT available to device manufacturers free of charge. Microsoft would most likely move to a free licensing model with the upcoming “Threshold” update, the next major Windows update rumoured to bring back the Start menu.

The majority of Windows revenue currently comes from licensing Windows 8 and Windows RT to OEMs. However, Microsoft’s recent acquisition of Nokia’s handset division virtually eliminated any significant Windows Phone licensing revenue, as the Finnish manufacturer was responsible for 80% of all Windows Phone shipments.

It is expected that Microsoft will try to make up for the revenue loss through apps and services, the company has experimented with running ads in Windows 8 apps so something along the same lines can be implemented in those operating systems as well. The aim is to combat Android, but it remains to be seen if free versions of its mobile operating systems will entice OEMs to develop more Windows Phone and Windows RT powered devices.

December 12, 2013
Gmail for Android Gets Updated With Universal Attachment, Vacation Responder and More

Smartphones are full of applications, and almost every morning we get an update for one or other applications. Following the tradition, Google today updated its mailing application for Android, Gmail is now updated with some more features.

Gmail application for Android has now got additional useful features. Today’s update add features like Vacation Responder, which can be set using the application from the mobile itself and will notify everyone who sends you an email that you are out on an vacation. Furthermore, Google has also added an universal attachment feature which will allow users to attach any kind of file through email(documents, PDFs, zip files).

Other features include enhanced performance of the application on low memory devices. Google has also update the application adding an option to print your emails, but this option is however available only to users on Android KitKat. The update is spreading gradually, so be patient for your turn.

[Gmail]

December 12, 2013
Now You Can Create Your Own Google Street View, Even With a Smartphone Camera

Google’s Street View has shown us various places closely, and it seems now Google wants us to see even more places. In order to capture images for the Street view, Google uses various techniques one of them is called the trekker. We saw the trekker(image below) when Google launched Street view for the Indian Monuments.

However, Google wants people to now submit there own Street View, which means users can now now take multiple pictures of the place they like and put in Street View. To get started, users just need to create photo spheres using Android phone or a DSLR and then share them on Views, which is a special section made for these kind of images. After that, users simply need to connect them on a map.

We are excited to see the different types of Street View experiences that everyone will contribute. For example, this feature can now enable environmental non-profits to document and promote the beautiful places they strive to protect. It also opens up a new tool for photographers to showcase diversity in a specific location — by times of day, weather conditions or cultural events — in a way that Street View currently doesn’t cover.

Evan Rapoport, Product Manager, Google Maps & Photo Sphere, shared a self made Street View for a location visited in a vacation. The Street View shown below is made with help of a Nexus 4 and DSLR.

Views: Dunluce Castle Stairway by Evan Rapoport

For more information check out the source below.

[Google Blog]

December 10, 2013
Scroogled: Do You Hate Google Chromebooks ? May Be Not, But Microsoft Does

Microsoft’s Scroogled(anti-Google) campaign might not be loved by everyone, but that does not stop the company to do even more. After the launch of Anti-Google merchandise the company is now targeting the Google Chromebook.

Microsoft, has something new for viewers in its Scroogled campaign. Microsoft hates Google Chromebooks and wants you to feel the same. We all know the merits and demerits of a Chromebook, it does not work on most of things when offline, cannot run Microsoft Office and few more applications. Microsoft released a video highlighting these facts, but is it worth the hate ?

Check out the video below:

[youtube url=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wAgB5J1gSQ”]

What do you think ? Windows 8 or Chromebook ? it is your choice completely, as these videos can not change the mind of a person who wishes to buy a Chromebook. Somehow, this video is another attempt from Microsoft which is not liked by people.

Just few days back, the Scroogled campaign got famous with a video featuring the famous Pawn Star Rick Harrison. The video shows a lady trying to sell her Chromebook in the Pawn shop in order to get a ticket to Hollywood. Rick Harrison says, ‘When you are not connected(to the internet), it pretty much is a brick’. You might want to watch the video below:

[youtube url=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-y2mqoDjQXI”]

These kind of advertisements are not new for Microsoft, remember the less talking, more doing? Microsoft targeted iPad in its Windows 8 advertisement. What do you think of these ads from Microsoft ?

December 9, 2013
Microsoft, Facebook & Google Says ‘Current Laws and Practices Need to be Reformed’
Microsoft, Facebook, Google, LinkedIn, Yahoo and AOL have together asked the world’s governments to reform its current laws and practices.

All of these companies have issued a letter to the government directly and also posted it in various publications to spread it worldwide. This is what the letter says:

The undersigned companies believe that it is time for the world’s governments to address the practices and laws regulating government surveillance of individuals and access to their information.

While the undersigned companies understand that governments need to take action to protect their citizens’ safety and security, we strongly believe that current laws and practices need to be reformed.

Consistent with established global norms of free expression and privacy and with the goals of ensuring that government law enforcement and intelligence efforts are rule-bound, narrowly tailored, transparent, and subject to oversight, we hereby call on governments to endorse the following principles and enact reforms that would put these principles into action.

All of this will work on five principles as per these companies:
1. Limiting Governments’ Authority to Collect Users’ Information
2. Oversight and Accountability
3. Transparency About Government Demands
4. Respecting the Free Flow of Information
5. Avoiding Conflicts Among Governments
All these companies have openly acknowledged the government’s need to take actions for the public good. Here is what the CEO’s of these company have to say:

Reports about government surveillance have shown there is a real need for greater disclosure and new limits on how governments collect information. The US government should take this opportunity to lead this reform effort and make things right.”

—Mark Zuckerberg, CEO, Facebook

People won’t use technology they don’t trust. Governments have put this trust at risk, and governments need to help restore it.”—Brad Smith, General Counsel and Executive Vice President, Legal and Corporate Affairs, Microsoft

The security of users’ data is critical, which is why we’ve invested so much in encryption and fight for transparency around government requests for information. This is undermined by the apparent wholesale collection of data, in secret and without independent oversight, by many governments around the world. It’s time for reform and we urge the US government to lead the way.”

—Larry Page, CEO, Google

[Reform Government Surveillance]
December 9, 2013