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MWC 2016: Coolest Gadgets that Went Unseen

The Mobile World Congress is over, and the 4-day event saw some exciting innovation in the world of technology. There were new, next-gen smartphones unveiled, virtual reality and 360-degree cameras and more. While a lot of focus was given to flagship smartphones and VR technology, there were those that went quietly into the background. Here’s looking at some of the coolest technologies that may have gone unnoticed.

Project Tango

Last month, Google and Lenovo announced plans of a partnership to build and sell the first smartphone that can make use of the former’s take on 3-D Augmented Reality technology. Google likes to call this tech fondly as ‘Project Tango’. At the MWC, Google and Lenovo showcased Project Tango to an eager audience.

This tech will help support smart devices figure out space and motion just like humans do, allowing the devices to understand their surroundings in a 3-D view, and track their path as they move through them. Using ‘Project Tango’, a device can map the dimensions of the room, essentially projecting it on the screen in a 3-D form.

Project Tango Development Kits were earlier launched to help developers create apps to better use this technology. Future uses of Tango could be apps that use 3-D augmented reality technology to help you decide how a piece of furniture will look in your room. Several interactive games could also be made using ‘Project Tango’. Possibilities, in all honesty, are endless.

FlexEnable Flexible Bracelet

Secretly, we all wanted to see displays that are curved and rollable. Indeed, this is where technology is heading to next and FlexEnable has perhaps raced ahead to bring us a screen that you can wrap around your wrist. The company showcased a prototype device of its flexible bracelet.

The device uses plastic transistors to achieve the kind of bend that it does, creating what the company calls OLCD (organic liquid crystal display) screens. FlexEnable says that these displays can achieve the same resolution as normal LCDs only brings some flexibility to it. The display cannot flex and bend at will and will require OLED displays for that to happen, but this prototype is just a peek of what flexible displays in the future could look like.

Epson Moverio BT-300

Epson has quickly grabbed the empty space left by Google in the augmented reality glass department. At the MWC, Epson unveiled its Moverio BT-300 AG glasses. It comes equipped with an OLED display which projects an image in front of the eyes that feels around 80 inches in size. All of this is powered by a Intel Atom X5 processor and Android 5.1.

The glass comes with 6 hours of battery life after which the display will stop working and will simply act as any other pair of spectacles.

LG Rolling Bot

LG unveiled not only its modular flagship G5 smartphone but also its ‘friends’. The company revealed a bunch of accessories and modular features for the G5 among which is this Rolling Bot that acts as your rolling home surveillance.

The Rolling Bot has an 8MP camera, speaker and laser that can be controlled via the home’s Wi-Fi through an app on the G5. The company says that the Rolling Bot is designed to keep your pets busy while your out, keep a check on them using images and videos from the camera. The speakers on the bot let you communicate with you pet as well. Price and availability are yet to be announced.

Xperia Ear

Sony may not have wowed its audiences with its smartphones at the MWC, but it did bring some pretty cool smart accessories to the floor. Sony announced three big innovations in the form of peripherals: a projector, a life-blogging camera, and an in-ear personal assistant. The best amongst the three, the Xperia ear. It is a tiny Bluetooth-connected ear piece which acts like a voice-controlled personal assistant which can take calls, send messages, get traffic updates or check the weather and even help you finding your way around the city. Step ahead towards the future we say.

The earpiece is comfortable and discreet and is compatible with Sony’s own software while also being equipped with the power to use Google Now helping users take advantage of Android’s ever-expanding voice control functions.

February 27, 2016
LG Confirms G5’s India Launch for Next Quarter

LG India has announced that it will launch the recently unveiled LG G5 in the country in the next quarter. The phone come with a set of innovative modular accessories that add to its functionality.

Speaking about the launch of the device, Mr Amit Gujral, Marketing Head – Mobiles, LG India, said,

We are really happy to see all the positivity around the LG G5 ever since its global unveil at the MWC. In fact, in a survey conducted in Korea the LG G5 topped consumer preference leaving its closest competitors trailing far behind. We hope to make this available to users in India very soon and are optimistic that consumers will love its revolutionary design and features.”

Coming to the phone, the LG G5 sports a 5.3-inch QHD display (1440×2560 pixels) and features an always-on display technology much like the one found on the new range of Galaxy S7 devices. It is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 SoC paired with 4GB of RAM and 32GB of inbuilt storage that can be expanded using a microSD card.

The LG G5 comes packing a 16-megapixel and 8-megapixel rear camera, with the former featuring a 78-degree lens and the other with a 135-degree wide-angle lens. The front of the phone houses an 8-megapixel camera. Other features of the LG G5 include a 2800mAh battery with Quick Charge 3.0.

Connectivity options on the phone include 4G LTE, USB Type-C port compatible with USB 3.0 standard, NFC, Bluetooth 4.2, and Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac. The LG G5 will come running Android 6.0 Marshmallow out of the box and will be available in Silver, Gold, Pink, and Titan colour options.

February 26, 2016
Vivo XPlay 5 With 6GB RAM Live Shots Leak

Vivo, a popular Chinese smartphone brand had earlier announced a March1 launch of the XPlay 5 – the first smartphone to sport a 6GB RAM. It was only a matter of time before leaked images were leaked showing off the design of the phone before the launch event.

Recently, the alleged Vivo Xplay 5 posed for the camera, giving us a glimpse of what the handset may look like when it’s officially available. Live shots reveal a real unit which is a definitive proof of the Vivo XPlay 5’s design.

Details about the specifications are scarce at the moment but from what is known, the XPlay 5 will come with a Snapdragon 820 processor along with 6GB of RAM. As for the rest, it is expected that it will sport a dual curved display, which brings a certain Samsung model to mind. The live image shows a beautiful design of the XPlay 5 with a metal body and the curved sides.

Not much has been revealed about the phone as Vivo has kept it under wraps. The handset is expected sport 6.0-inch QHD with 1440×2560 pixel resolution. Other likely features are a 6MP primary camera on the rear side, 8MP snapper on the front and a massive 4300mAh battery.

February 26, 2016

Union Budget 2016 : What to Expect

With the Union Budget 2016 hardly days away, the nation’s eyes are on the Finance Minister Arun Jaitley’s suitcase which holds in itself the blueprint of the plan which will not only affect big Multi National firms and small startup companies but each and everyone of us.

From IT firms, automobile manufacturers to mobile phone makers, everyone has their wish lists set that will help them grow in this vibrant and growing market that India is right now, but what about the average tech-loving citizen that you and me represent? Let’s take a look at what the budget holds for tech addicts like you and me.

Allocation of resources for improving existing telecom and Broadband Infrastructure

We might have access to fancy 4G phones, and expensive computers in our country, but what good is it if there isn’t a proper infrastructure at the service providers end to run these devices the way they should? But the government wants to change all that with the upcoming Union Budget 2016.

Call drops, and slow broadband connections could soon become a thing of the past with the government looking to substantially invest in improving the infrastructure in the coming year. The Telecom ministry has a proposal to allocate Rs.7,350 crore to Universal Obligation Fund which focuses on increasing infrastructure across the country.

Push for Startups and Entrepreneurs

With the push by the government towards the ‘Start Up India, Stand Up India’ initiative, we may see more tax breaks, concessions and budget allocation towards developing the infrastructure and skills to encourage entrepreneurship in the country.

According to analysts, the Government is likely to raise the Service Tax exemption bar for Small & Medium Businesses. The service tax limit is expected to be raised to Rs 25 lakh from the current Rs 10 lakh. The moves will mark a significant advance in ease of doing business and pave the way for the growth of young entrepreneurs and startups across the nation.

Apart from this, Startups could also enjoy benefits in the form of exemption from paying income tax for the first three years and a massive 80% rebate on filing a patent application.

Hike in VAT and Sales Tax

With the shadow of the Goods and Service Tax(GST) which will subsume all other indirect taxes under it looming large over the economy, the government with the new budget will look towards a new round of tax hikes to bring all indirect taxes such as VAT and Sales Tax as close to the 17.5% rate of GST.

Though this move is good for fiscal consolidation, and will most likely not last for over a year, this increase in the tax rate could make products such as mobiles, laptops, cameras etc significantly more expensive and as a result, hamper consumer demand.

Subsidy to See Cars/Mobiles Get more Affordable

With the government pushing for its pet project, the ” Make in India” Campaign, a number of new companies are expected to start rolling out mobile phones, automobiles and other consumer durables which will cost significantly less because of tax exemptions they will enjoy under the Make in India program. The companies are expected to trickle down the benefit that they enjoy from the governments end to help provide products to the end consumer at more affordable price points.

Subsidy on smartphones budget smartphones can also be expected which will further help the government in connecting the far reaches of the country to the big cities. As it stands, Tier 2 and 3 cities in the country thrive on these devices and increasing smartphone reach through such tax reductions will only help the whole growing smartphone ecosystem in the country.

Union Budget 2016	What to Expect
Telecom and Broadband Infrastructure	Proposal to allocate Rs.7,350 crore to Universal Obligation Fund to improve infrastructure.
Startups and Entrepreneurs	Service tax limit expected to be raised to Rs 25 lakh. Exemption from paying income tax for the first three years. Massive 80% rebate on filing a patent application
VAT & Sales Tax	Major Hike in taxes from their respective rates closer to the 17.5% of GST. To affect prices of mobile phones, cars, and consumer goods directly.
Tax exemption on Manufacturing	Subsidy on products to increase under the “Make in India” program. Will see Cars/Mobiles Get more Affordable in the coming year.

February 26, 2016

This Caffeine Bracelet Will Satisfy Your Caffeine Fix

Ever need that morning, afternoon or midnight caffeine fix but find that the coffee is all over? Or have you just grown tired of waiting in line at your favourite coffee shop? Coffee is an addiction that is embraced by the world and it was only expected that technology would make it easier to get your daily caffeine dose without having to face the above-mentioned problems. Enter Joule “caffeine bracelet”.

This new bracelet delivers caffeine straight into your bloodstream via a process called “transdermal administration”. All you need to do is strap on the bracelet, and the skin will absorb the caffeine. This may not leave coffee stains on your teeth but it may stain your skin.

There are a couple of reasons why the makers of Joule, backed by a well-funded Indiegogo campaign, decided to create a caffeine bracelet. Firstly, the skin is said to absorb caffeine a lot faster than by drinking it. Secondly, the bracelet will provide you with a regular dose of caffeine at regular intervals so as to prevent the body from crashing. Lastly, the video below will make you want to buy the bracelet even if you ignore everything we just said.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNndA7uzcwc

Is this caffeine bracelet healthy or just borderline insane, we don’t know yet. But it sure does sound cool.

February 26, 2016
Apple’s Next iPad to be a 9.7-inch iPad Pro Variant

We’re less than a month away from the next Apple event that will see the launch of (at least) two new products – the iPhone 5se and iPad Air 3. Now, while we have a good amount of knowledge about the iPhone 5se, there’s very little that we know about the iPad Air 3 apart from rumours that it will sport the latest A9X chipset along with the iPhone 5se.

Latest rumours doing the rounds suggest that the new iPad is merely a 9.7-inch variant of the 12.9-inch iPad Pro. It will be powered by the Apple A9X SoC, carry quad-speakers, and contain 4GB of RAM, similar to that seen in the iPad Pro. In other words, the iPad Air 3 will, in fact, be an iPad Pro, only smaller.

iPad Pro with the Apple Pencil

The 9.7-inch iPad Pro will support the Apple Pencil and a smaller version of the Smart Keyboard using the magnet-based Smart Connector seen in the 12.9-inch version. The new, smaller iPad Pro will be available in the same color options as the larger model (Silver, Gold and Space Gray). It also will be available in Wi-Fi (32GB and 128GB) and Wi-Fi+ Cellular (128GB) just like the 12.9-inch iPad Pro.

From what these new reports tell us, it seems that Apple is beginning to blur the lines between its various tablet models. We could be seeing a new iPad that borrows the USP from the Air, Mini and Pro, combining it into one light, small, and powerful tablet. If this is the case, then the upcoming 9.7-inch tablet may just see the end of the Mini and Air, eventually.

However, the iPad Mini is still Apple’s most affordable tablet among the three, so it may not kill that off just yet unless it manages to price the new 9.7-inch iPad Pro right. It is also unconfirmed whether the smaller iPad Pro will fall under 440 g in order to fall under the ‘Air’ category as well. It begs one to question whether the iPad Air ($499 – $799) will be appealing once a more powerful iPad Pro with the same size and weight enters the market and is priced closer to the former.

The 9.7-inch iPad Pro will be available in Silver, Gold and Space Gray and will also be available in Wi-Fi (32GB and 128GB) and Wi-Fi+ Cellular (128GB) just like the 12.9-inch Pro. The new iPad Pro and iPhone 5se will be announced at a press event on March 22.

February 26, 2016
Microsoft Officially brings Project Astoria to an end

In a sad turn of events,the United States based tech giant, Microsoft, has announced that its shelving of making a Windows Bridge for Android, a tool which would have allowed turning Android apps into universal Windows apps able to run on all types of Windows devices.

“Project Astoria” was brought into existence at the 2015 Build conference alongside “Project Islandwood.” The latter gave developers a platform to port over iOS apps to numerous Windows 10 devices (including Xbox and PCs). Interestingly, while microsoft has called time on “Project Astoria”, its sister, “Project Islandwood” is still alive. This news also comes on the heels of Microsoft’s much talked about aquisition of cross-platform application development company Xamarin.

Throwing more light on the move, Kevin Gallo, director of program management for the Windows Developer Platform team for Windows 10 at Microsoft, wrote in a blog,

“We received a lot of feedback that having two Bridge technologies to bring code from mobile operating systems to Windows was unnecessary, and the choice between them could be confusing. We have carefully considered this feedback and decided that we would focus our efforts on the Windows Bridge for iOS and make it the single Bridge option for bringing mobile code to all Windows 10 devices, including Xbox and PCs. For those developers who spent time investigating the Android Bridge, we strongly encourage you to take a look at the iOS Bridge and Xamarin as great solutions.”

February 26, 2016
HTC One M10 to Feature a “Compelling Camera Experience”

HTC has been busy finishing up and polishing its upcoming flagship device, the HTC One M10. So much so that it refused to unveil the device at the MWC along with other heavyweights like the Galaxy S7 and LG G5. This, however, may be an interesting play on HTC’s part in order to see what its competitors brought out first. We can all agree that the MWC saw Samsung, LG and Xiaomi unveiling flagships all with new camera technologies. And it looks like HTC plans on doing the same with the One M10.

According to HTC’s Chief Financial Officer Chialin Chang, the One M10 will offer a “very, very compelling camera experience.” This statement comes following the MWC 2016 that saw some groundbreaking new innovations in camera technology. Chang is confident about the One M10’s camera “after seeing what’s going on in the market.” He further agreed that he experienced other new handsets unveiled at the MWC 2016, including the Samsung Galaxy S7 and the LG G5.

When HTC announced the UltraPixel technology with the One M8, fans were expecting a camera that would deliver some spectacular photographs. But the One M8 failed to deliver. The company went back to the traditional megapixel with the One M9 which again wasn’t well received, not when the market is incredibly tough with the likes of Samsung, LG and Apple.

It is now rumoured that HTC will once again use the UP technology in the One M10. This may be a huge gamble on the part of HTC to back its camera technology. But if the company has managed to learn from its mistakes, the UP technology could be exactly what HTC had intended. The rear camera is rumoured to sport a 12UP module with OIS and autofocus while the front still is unknown. If HTC wants to be a contender in the camera department, knowing that Samsung has upped its camera specs in the Galaxy S7, then nothing short of 5UP for the front and some absolutely spectacular images that compliment a Quad HD AMOLED display will be accepted by fans.

In order to wow the mass, the One M10 will need to come with some truly redefined features and design language. HTC is well aware of the competition now post MWC and will no doubt be busy for the next few weeks until the April launch to tweak and perfect its flagship device.

Also Read: 4 Features We Want to See in the HTC One M10

February 26, 2016
Apple to Launch iPhone 5se on 22nd March

The iPhone 5se has become one of the most talked about upcoming phones these days, and one of the worst kept secrets of the industry as leaks ranging from design schematics to internal hardware have already leaked on the Internet.

But, that said and done, for the ones who are waiting eagerly for it, the wait has just gotten a bit longer. New reports coming out of South Korea suggests that the phone’s launch has been pushed back a week now, and it will now be unveiled at an Apple even event on 22nd March, 2016.

For the one’s who don’t know, the iPhone 5se will come equipped with an A9 chip found on the iPhone 6s. It will pack 1GB of RAM, but the most interesting thing about the phone is its 4.7-inch display and its design which is said to mimick the iPhone 5s except for a few crucial changes.Pricing strategy of the phone should see us paying over Rs 30000 for the 16GB variant of the phone.

February 26, 2016
MWC 2016: Best New Phones with New Technology

The Mobile World Congress 2016 is at an end now and the 4-day event has seen some incredible new technology with groundbreaking advancements. On the smartphone front, some spectacular flagship devices and other phones were on display with next-gen specifications and technology. Here’s looking at the best new phones with new technology that were unveiled at the MWC this year.

Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge

It was at MWC’s Unpacked event on the 21st of February that saw some of the biggest technological unveilings. The unpacked event saw Samsung unveil its flagship Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge. The next Galaxy devices come promising spectacular design language and next-gen performance and specifications.

The 5.1-inch S7 Super AMOLED display with quad HD resolution. Two SoC configurations are offered – one being the new Exynos 8890 and the other being Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 820. The device comes with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage as well as a MicroSD card slot this time around and the battery is 3000mAh. A fingerprint sensor is housed in the home button.

The S7 Edge comes with a 5.5-inch Super AMOLED display with quad HD resolution. A Snapdragon 820 processor powers the device along with 4GB RAM and 64GB storage and 3600mAh battery pack.

New Technology – The Galaxy S7 brought with it a brand new Dual Pixel technology for its rear camera. The Dual Pixel, essentially, is an improvement or a natural evolution from the Phase-Detection Auto-Focus technology used by many other smartphones. Firstly, Samsung downgraded from 16MP found in the S6 to 12MP in the S7. The decision to do this was to focus more on quality rather than quantity. The 12MP sensor brings 56% bigger individual pixels with1.4um pixels as compared to the S6.

To understand Dual Pixels one needs to first wrap their heads around PDAF. PDAF traditionally uses less than 10% the total number of pixels equipped with focusing photodiodes and uses it strategically in the sensor area to focus on a subject. This requires more time for focusing. Dual Pixel, on the other hand, uses a 100% of the pixels for extremely precise and fast focusing. Using the whole of the pixels also allows more light in.

LG G5

LG G5

Undoubtedly, the award for the most innovative new smartphone has to go to LG for its modular G5 handset. LG went ahead of Samsung at the Unpacked event and quite surely ‘dropped the mike’ on stage with its spectacular G5 flagship. The G5 has a full metal body and comes with impressive specifications but the what sets the phone apart from its competition is the fact that it comes with modular attachments which for now can be utilised to enhance the camera and battery of the phone.

On the specifications front, the LG G5 comes packing a primary 5.3-inch QHD LCD display with 3D Arc Glass on top. It also has a cool Always-on feature that lights up the display for access to important updates. The phone’s construction is full metal unibody and is powered by a Snapdragon 820 chipset, paired with 4GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage, expandable by upto 2TB with microSD cards.

New Technology – Next-gen specifications aside, the G5 is and will be about its modular design. The modular nature of the phone exists for what LG calls ‘G5 and Friends’, that are modular attachments to enhance the camera and battery of the phone.

Most interesting of the lot was the LG Cam Plus module which can be attached to the G5 through the battery slot giving the user “comfortable grip and convenient control of a DSLR” for better imaging and also adds to the battery of the phone taking the capacity up to 4000mAh.

Next is the Hi-Fi Plus with B&O Play module. This is a Hi-Fi DAC audio player which is perfect for audiophiles. It can also play high-definition audio files encoded in 32-bit at 384KHz.

Xiaomi Mi 5

Xiaomi yesterday unveiled its own flagship Mi 5 following Samsung and LG and still managed to impress all. The Mi 5 comes packed with top-of-the-line specifications and a pretty attractive design language with a 3D glass or ceramic back option, all at an impressively low price of RMB 1,999 (approx. Rs 21,000) for the base model.

The device sports a 5.15-inch Full HD IPS display, a 1080p resolution, ultra-bright 16-LED backlighting with 2.5D curved glass on the front and Corning Gorilla Glass 4. It is powered by the Snapdragon 820 chipset and Adreno 530 GPU. No surprises there. It packs 3GB of RAM and up to 32GB of flash storage, while the Pro variant features a 4GB RAM and 128GB flash, however, there is no MicroSD card slot to be seen. Both variants feature a fast LPDDR4 RAM for a snappy user experience.

New Technology – The Mi 5 comes with a 16MP Sony IMX298 sensor with PDAF, DTI image enhancement and a new 4-axis OIS technology. It is in the 4-axis OIS that Xiaomi really delights itself. The rear camera promises to capture great images and videos with superior focus. This holds true thanks to its new OIS technology that uses 4-axis rather than the traditional 2-axis that most other smartphones currently use.

The 4-axis OIS basically gives you more stability under shaky conditions. While traditional 2-axis OIS can work around rotational movements, the 4-axis can handle transversal as well, because shakiness comes in all directions.

The 4-axis OIS technology corrects shake in close shots and can capture accurate movement in distant shots as well. All of this translates into smoother, sharper and blur-free images and videos even in low light. Check out some of these camera shots to know just how well the Mi 5 camera works under various settings.

Cat S60

As big name brands set themselves to launch their latest and greatest phones at the Mobile World Congress 2016, a brand which makes relatively niche products, Cat, stole the limelight with an offering that might not give any of the flagships a run for their money in terms of specs, but lacks behind none in terms of innovation.

The Cat S60 is a 4.7-inch 720p display device powered by Snapdragon 617 with 3GB of RAM and 32GB storage. The phone runs Android 6.0 Marshmallow and offers 4G LTE connectivity. It also comes with a 13MP main camera, 5MP front camera. A massive 3,800mAh battery powers the device.

New Technology – The Cat S60 comes with two very unique features – a FLIR thermal imaging camera and the first waterproof rating to a depth of 5 meters for up to an hour on this rugged phone.

The handset features a military-grade thermal imaging C2 camera module from FLIR. This is the same technology used in the Intel-powered Daqri smart helmet, enabling the Cat S60 to show temperature changes.

The sensor is the smallest of its kind, and can measure surface temperatures from a distance of up to 100ft. It can see through obscurants such as smoke, and is aimed at building professionals, utility workers, and outdoor sport enthusiasts.

February 25, 2016
MWC 2016 : Five Best Tech Innovations On Display

Phones, and then some more phones expectedly dominated the proceedings at the Mobile World Congress 2016, as big name players such as Samsung, LG along with first timers such as Xiaomi launched new flagship devices, but the MWC wasn’t only about smartphones this year.

This was the year when MWC went beyond just smartphones and explored deeper corners of the consumer tech industry. On show were products and technological innovations ranging from VR headsets, 360-degree cameras, home security robots, convertible tablet/laptop hybrids and much more during. So let’s rewind and take a look at the best technological innovations that MWC brought to us in 2016.

Super VOOC Quick Charging and SmartSensor Image Stabilization

Oppo’s much-hyped, “Wow the World,” event did not bring too much to the tech world in terms of hardware, but in terms of technological breakthroughs, it was second to no event and showcased technology that could seriously change the way phones perform in the future.

Oppo brought to the world the “SmartSensor Image Stabilization,” technology which is the first sensor-based image stabilization tech in the world, along with Super VOOC quick-charging technology which can charge a 2500mAh battery 45 percent in five minutes of charging, and 100 percent in about 15 minutes. Now that is quick.

OPPO’s take on fast charging is brilliant in the sense that it uses low-voltage to charge batteries. Most types of fast charge work by pushing out more amps, but VOOC keeps your standard amperage, reducing the risk of overheating or battery damage.

Xperia Ear

At the MWC 2016 Sony announced three big innovations in the form of peripherals: a projector, a life-blogging camera, and an in-ear personal assistant. The best amongst the three, the Xperia ear. It is a tiny Bluetooth-connected ear piece which acts like a voice-controlled personal assistant which can take calls, send messages, get traffic updates or check the weather and even help you finding your way around the city. Step ahead towards the future we say.

The earpiece is comfortable and discreet and is compatible with Sony’s own software while also being equipped with the power to use Google Now helping users take advantage of Android’s ever-expanding voice control functions.

Nokia OZO camera

The Mobile World Congress, 2016 saw a lot of interesting devices, and one very interesting device that the tech world came across was the Nokia Ozo VR camera which will in all probability be the first cinema grade virtual reality recorder. The device comes with the capability to record and store up to 45 minutes of audio and video

Nokia Ozo, is a camera like none other which combines live streaming, live monitoring, automatic stitching (a process used to blend the separate camera feeds) and 3D audio and video. With the Ozo Nokia could alleviate the headaches and obstacles faced by early VR filmmakers. With the Ozo, Nokia will look to establish itself as the go-to VR production solution and become the market leader in this growing segment.

Sync 3

One of the biggest car manufacturer in the world, Ford, is looking at bringing a revolution as big to the motorists experience as what smart capabilities brought along with them to phones a decade back. Ford unveiled the Sync 3 technology for car dashboards which will bring an infotainment system that will allow users to connect to the Sync 3 with their smartphones and access hundreds of applications and services.

Sync 3 is equally adaptable with android and iOS and allows them to enjoy apps and services through the cars dashboard. It comes with an 8 inches touch screen and voice recognition features with easy to navigate and user-friendly interface. Ford claims that the Sync 3 is not just another technology, butt rather it is a whole new level of life-like experience for the users. Looking at its potential we can’t disagree.

4-Axis Optical Image Stabilization

Xiaomi’s latest flagship, Mi 5 sports, a 16-megapixel rear sensor that uses Sony IMX29, but what truly sets the phone apart is the technological innovation on display with the 4-Axis Optical Image Stabilization system on board.

The rear camera on the Mi 5 promises to capture great images and videos with superior focus thanks to its new OIS technology that uses 4-axis rather than the traditional 2-axis that most other smartphones currently use. Xiaomi demonstrated the stability of its camera by comparing it to the iPhone 6s, which is considered to have the best OIS currently in the market.

The 4-axis OIS basically gives you more stability under shaky conditions. While traditional 2-axis OIS can work around rotational movements, the 4-axis can handle transversal as well, because shakiness comes in all directions.The 4-axis OIS technology corrects shake in close shots and can capture accurate movement in distant shots as well. All of this translates into smoother, sharper and blur-free images.

February 25, 2016
LG Says no to Nexus Devices for 2016

2015 saw LG and Google team up to bring a refreshed version of the most popular Nexus phone of all time when they brought to the users the Nexus 5X. The phone came packing upgraded specs over LG’s original Nexus 5, and was available for decent price upon launch.

But regardless of the success that the partnership enjoyed, LG has already come out and declared that it wants out of the arrangement by revealing that it won’t be working with Google for another Nexus phone in 2016.

A spokesperson of South Korean tech company, in a conversation with CNET at MWC, said that LG is looking to take a step back from the Nexus program to “focus on its own brand.” The Spokesperson further added that LG is “totally happy” with the relationship it enjoys with Google its Nexus program, but building a Nexus phone requires a lot of resources that the company thinks would be better spent/utilized in the production of their upcoming phones and other devices.

This move is seen as a step towards LG making a push towards the smart wearables market which so far it has not been able to make a substantial dent in. With the freeing up of resources from the Nexus program LG’s previously recalled smartwatch, the Watch Urbane 2nd Edition LTE looks more probable than ever to be reintroduced to the market in the coming months. LG has also revealed that it has another new smartwatch which will also release in the second half of 2016.

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February 25, 2016
Facebook Brings Variety to “Like” with New “Reactions” Feature

Gone are the days when one would simply express joy, pleasure, happiness, agreement with a simple like button on Facebook. After all, human beings have a lot more expressions than that. Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg has finally accepted the fact and has globally launched 5 new emotions, called ‘Reactions’, alongside the “Like” button.

Zuckerberg took to Facebook (obviously) to announce the launch of the new feature.

“Today is our worldwide launch of Reactions — the new Like button with more ways to express yourself.

Not every moment you want to share is happy. Sometimes you want to share something sad or frustrating. Our community has been asking for a dislike button for years, but not because people want to tell friends they don’t like their posts. People wanted to express empathy and make it comfortable to share a wider range of emotions.”

As seen above, the 5 new reactions include love, haha, wow, sad, and angry. Facebook still doesn’t feel the need for a dislike button to propagate more hate on social media than it already exists. To access the other emotions, all you have to do is move your cursor over the “Like” button and the new faces will appear. For iOS and Android users, you’ll need to press and hold the “Like” button until the “Reactions” pop up.

“Not every moment is a good moment, right? And if you are sharing something that’s sad, like whether it’s something in current events like the refugee crisis that touches you, or a family member passed away, then it may not be comfortable to ‘like’ that post,” Zuckerberg said in a public Q&A.

So far, users have taken well to the new emoji reactions, and, according to Zuckerberg, the “Love” reaction is the most popular of them. “Love is the most popular reaction so far, which feels about right to me!”

Now, while this new feature is a breath of fresh air for users all over, it is also a very interesting new feature that will benefit Facebook in monetary terms as well. As you must be well aware by now, Facebook always collects user data by seeing the user’s interests, likes and whatnot. It uses the data collected to bring you tailored advertisements and suggestions based on user’s interests. You can now, image how the algorithm will work once it starts collecting data from the ‘Reactions’ features.

The company gathers more and more data on how the user reacts to posts and is able to provide richer content on the user’s News Feed based on the user’s interest. So far, Facebook was abe to gather data from the “Like” button, but will now be able to get a more precise idea with the help of the new emoticon reactions. Now, “loving” a post could mean you’re more interested in something that you only “liked” before, and this, over time, will help Facebook prioritise and see on the top of your Feed what you’re more likely to ‘love’ rather than just ‘like’. The feature has already begun rolling out globally and will hit India soon enough.

February 25, 2016
Sony to Host PlayStation VR Event in March

After previous comments from GameStop’s CEO about PlayStation VR launch in Sept-Oct this year, Sony has in new development come out and informed the media that it will hold a press event for the PlayStation VR on 15th March hinting at what could mean that Sony is determined to stick to its orignal promise of a launch in first half of 2016.

Sources reveal that Sony will unveil its PlayStation VR headset during the press event, which will take place in San Francisco.This will be an opportunity for the press to get their hands on Sony’s VR headset just days before the annual Game Developers Conference expo.

The PlayStation VR promises to provide immersive gaming experiences to over 36 million users on the platform through the VR headset, which will stream content from a PlayStation 4 console. Initially, there would be PS VR supported games like Eagle Flight, The Modern Zombie Taxi Co, 100ft Robot Golf, Psychonauts in the Rhombus of Ruin, Rez Infinite, Ace Combat 7, and Golem—a PlayStation VR exclusive for the users to enjoy, but several other games will be added over time.

Upon its launch, the PlayStation VR will enter a crowded market, filled with rivals like the Facebook-owned Oculus Rift, HTC VIve, and Google Cardboard, but all of these require powerful PCs to be paired with the headsets in order to take advantage of VR capabilities of the headset, but PlayStation VR will require only a PlayStation with PS VR headset to run, making it more cost effective than its competition.

February 25, 2016
Apple to Bring Siri for Mac with OS X 10.12 Launch

It has always been clear that Apple’s main focus has been towards its iPhones. Yes, the Cupertino giant has a bunch of other products as well that sometimes tend to get pushed into the background, like its Macs. But that won’t be the case four months from now when Apple launches the OS X 10.12 that will introduce Siri for Mac.

Siri, the personal voice assistant for the iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch will now come to the Mac as well. Apple has been busy testing versions of OS X with Siri for the past 3 years. After working out and polishing the interface, Apple will be ready to launch the feature publicly. Over the years, Apple has improved Siri’s functionality a lot, making it faster, smarter, more responsive and more personalised.

Back in September, news about Apple hiring Artificial Intelligence experts to improve Siri’s functionality made the rounds. Apple had hired at least 86 AI experts to work on machine learning alone, as well as employees with doctorates specializing in AI. It turned out that Apple’s effort did pay off as it launched a new and improved Siri during its September event. In terms of accuracy, Siri beats Google Now and Cortana, according to reports that came out in November.

Coming back to Siri for Mac, the voice assistant will have an icon placed in the OS X menu bar (next to the Spotlight magnifying glass icon) that will activate once clicked. Similar to the way it works on the iPhone, the Siri interface with the trippy colored sound waves will appear on the top right of the screen to indicate speech command.

Siri on the Mac will also have its own option in System Preferences. Siri will be able to respond to “Hey Siri” when the Mac is plugged to a power source, much like it is with the iPhone 6. The upcoming update to OS X is not likely to feature too many changes, but will rather come with some performance tweaks and minor software updates. It is also rumoured that Apple has begun development of iOS 10, and details on that may start pouring in, in the weeks to come.

Source

February 25, 2016