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Lenovo K5 Note Launched with Helio P10 SoC

It hasn’t even been a month since Lenovo launched the K4 Note in the Indian Market and it looks like its successor is already here for China. The company has just made the K5 Note official, and the handset comes with an all-metal body.

The K5 Note sports a 5.5-inch Full HD LTPS display and is powered by a Mediatek Helio P10 SoC with 64-bit octa-core processor and Mali-T860 GPU. It has 2GB RAM and 16GB internal storage. On the camera front, the handset features a 13MP unit in the front and an 8MP shooter at the back. It packs in a 3,500mAh battery that supports fast charging and runs Android 5.1 Lollipop with Vibe UI on top.

Other features include a fingerprint scanner on the back that can be used to make payments as well as capture photos. The K5 Note offers support for dual-SIM, 4G LTE, as well as VoLTE. It also features a 1.5W speaker on the rear with Dolby Atmos surround sound effect.

The design of the K5 Note looks completely different when compared with the K4 Note. There are no front-facing dual speakers here. Furthermore, the K5 Note sports an all-metal body while the K4 Note had a plastic back. The specs are slightly different as well. The new K5 Note comes with the newly launched Mediatek Helio P10 SoC. However, the RAM here is at 2GB whereas the K4 Note had 3GB.

It is possible that the K5 Note will be exclusive to China much like the K4 Note is to India. The handset is available in Gold and Silver color options and comes with a price tag of RMB 1,099 (Rs 11,500) in China, which is around the same price as the K4 Note. Registrations are already open and it will have its first flash sale this week in China.

January 25, 2016
2016 MacBook Range Set for a Possible June 13 Unveiling

Apple updated its MacBook range during this time last year, and fans and industry experts expect the tech giant to do the same this year too. Unlike how things have gone for the iPhone, Apple has managed to keep a tight lid on the information leaking out of Cupertino for its range of MacBooks.

But from whatever little is known courtesy of reports circulating on the Internet, one big upgrade that the 2016 MacBook range will see the inclusion of newer Skylake processors up from the present fifth-generation Broadwell chipsets. This upgrade could be significant in the sense that it will bring to the new lineup better performance with its improved hyperthreading architecture.

Additionally, for devices such as the MacBook Pro range the Skylake mobile CPUs are expected to deliver up to 2.5 times faster processing performance, 30 times better graphics performance, and three times the battery life of earlier generation processors owing to the 14nm chips used for manufacturing them.

To top it off Integrating Skylake will also allow the company’s complete lineup to run on the same core hardware from end to end, thus making life a lot easier for prospective customers around the globe.

Though there were rumors earlier of major design change, but such chatter has quietened a bit off late, and it is expected when it comes to aesthetic design no remodeling to the upcoming MacBooks will be seen.

Reports peg Apple to introduce the revamped MacBook lineup at its Worldwide Developers Conference in June, and possibly a larger 15-inch version could also be unveiled sometime in March which would be some surprise.

January 25, 2016
HTC Working on a Smartwatch and Desire Tablet

Today’s HTC news is not about smartphones but smartwatches and tablets. Whispers and rumours have been floating about that HTC is set to join the growing list of brands to have their own smartwatches. That and a new tablet being spotted on GFXBench are what’s trending today.

Talking about the smartwatch first, HTC is said to be working on a proper smartwatch after having partially launched the HC Grip fitness band last year. We say partially because the band was launched as a part of an Under Armour Healthbox package that included a chest strap for heart rate monitoring, a smart scale and smart sneakers. The package was launched at CES earlier this month.

The rumor about a smartwatch in the works was revealed by popular leakster @evleaks. However, not much is known about the smartwatch at this time. Some past rumours have suggested that HTC’s smartwatch would use Android Wear as its platform and that the watch would sport a round display.

On the tablet front there are some concrete facts. The alleged tablet was spotted on GFXBench with some key specs listed. The tablet called Desire T7 will be the first-ever tablet under the Desire series and will likely sport a 6.9-inch display with HD (1280 x 720) resolution.

The Desire T7 comes with a Spreadtrum SC8830 quad-core processor clocked at 1.3GHz. It is supported by a Mali-400 GPU and 1GB of RAM. There is 16GB of internal storage. The tablet is also listed to feature a 5MP primary and secondary camera and will run on Android 5.0 Lollipop.

While a lot of uncertainty looms over the smartwatch, you can expect an unveiling of the tablet at the MWC in February. HTC is also likely to mention the smartwatch at the event or would save it for March where the company will hold a separate event for the launch of the HTC One M10.

January 25, 2016
Samsung Reportedly Working on the Massive Galaxy A9 Pro

According to latest reports coming out of Samsung’s manufacturing and assembly units in China, a new beast of a phone is under works for the coming months. If reports are to be believed, the company is working on a new extra-large smartphone which, according to sources, might be called Galaxy A9 Pro.

There is nothing concrete on the specs of the phone, the A9 Pro bearing the device model number SM-A9100 is expected to be an enhanced version of the Galaxy A9 which was released last month.

The Galaxy A9 that went official last month sports a 6-inch, 1080 x 1920 pixels display, and is powered by an octa-core Snapdragon 652 processor, so it is expected the A9 Pro will come equipped with a higher resolution display. There are faint murmurs about it being equipped with a better processor too. The phone will reportedly also come on board with 4GB RAM and 64GB inbuilt storage. The hardware will interact with the user through Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) out of the box. A battery pack of 4000mAh will power the Pro, similar to the original.

Samsung A9 which has only been launched in China, and there is no news regarding its India launch, so expect the A9 Pro to take some time to find its way across the border and into our market. But when it does, this beast of a phone can be expected to sell for around the Rs 35,000 mark.

January 25, 2016
Apple to Launch 4-Inch iPhone and iPad Air 3 in First Half of 2016

Just a couple of days ago, reports suggested that Apple’s upcoming 4-inch iPhone was going to be called the iPhone 5se, which meant and “enhanced” iPhone modelled on the iPhone 5’s design language. Now, according to KGI analyst and trusted insider Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple is likely to unveil the third generation iPad Air along with the iPhone 5se in the first half of 2016.

From what we’ve come to know so far in terms of specs, the iPhone 5se will be powered by the A8 chipset with the M8 motion co-processor as was seen in the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus.

Furthermore, the miniature iPhone will sport an 8MP rear camera and a 1.2MP front, again similar to the iPhone 6. What the iPhone 5se borrows from the current iPhone 6s is the Live Photos feature that records a video of 1.5 seconds before the shutter is snapped and 1.5 seconds after, the result being a GIF-like video that makes it look like the photograph has come alive.

Not much is known about the iPad Air 3 at this time. The reason behind an early launch of the tablet is because a refreshed iPad Air was ignored last year in favour of the iPad Pro and iPad Mini 4. We’ll learn more about the tablet at Apple’s March event.

January 25, 2016
Apple iPhone : The best $150m Investment Ever?

Apple Inc. is one of the biggest companies in the world, and the iPhone the biggest reason behind the Cupertino-based company being up there racking up record revenue figures year after year.

iPhone truly has been the Kohinoor in Apple’s assortment of gems, the nuke missile in its arsenal of weapons that it uses to deal knockout punches to its enemies. It is the one device which has become synonymous with Apple’s very being.

For most it is the device which encapsulates the essence of Apple’s quest for innovation, creativity and quality. It is like the phoenix that rises from its own ashes, reinventing itself after each financial cycle all so that it could mint Apple some more money.

According to estimates, Apple under Steve Jobs spent close to $150 million developing the concept of the iPhone. Put that in perspective with the fact that since that huge gamble, Apple has sold over 600 million iPhones, generating revenues running into hundreds of billions of dollars, and it becomes clear as daylight why the iPhone has to be the best investment the world has ever seen.

Industry estimates claim that Apple today is selling record number of phones. They peg profit margins on the new iPhones to be as high as 70 percent. That percentage is unusually high and especially notable considering that many of its competitors usually work on margins which are not even in the same ball park as Apple’s.

The main reason why Apple has managed to achieve such margins is because it has managed to work around the wants, and needs of the buyer. To its credit the iPhone has never gone down the path of vulgarity in trying to woo consumer. Unlike its competition, it never jumps in your face with “Market Leading” flashy specs, nor does it chase and hound you with the aim of coercing you into believing that a 10-Core processor is the need of the hour just because the calendar says it’s 2016.

iPhone being the iPhone does not promise you the moon and the stars just to make you throw more money at it. Rather the phone just stands there looks pretty with the promise of a phone that will give you that and some more. It comes across as a stable trustworthy product, and with its own swag tells you, “if you don’t have an iPhone, well then you don’t have an iPhone” and in the process it not only makes you happy, but also helps it to seal its place in history as the biggest cash cow that the industry has ever seen.

January 24, 2016
Samsung Wants Smartwatches to be Big in India

Samsung launched the Gear S2 smartwatch in India on Thursday. The launch sees company’s entry into the Indian smartwatch market, which isn’t so hot as of now. One of the reasons Samsung delayed the launch of the Gear S2 in India was due to license and the need for the right content. The Gear S2 comes with a starting price of Rs 24,300.

Manu Sharma, Director, Product Marketing, Samsung Electronics India, unveiled the devices at the event and spoke about the importance of the smartwatch trend in the country. Sharma was especially gleeful about the Gear S2 in India which has partnered with Samsung’s R&D Centre, Samsung Research Institute in Bangalore and other third party partners as part of the ‘Make in India’ initiative to cater to the specific needs of Indian customers.

The smartwatch trend in India is still in its early stages. The wave hasn’t really caught on and consumers here aren’t sold on the usability and practicality of a smartwatch. Part of the reason behind this is the lack of any localized applications, tailor-made for the Indian consumer. Smartwatches, after all, is meant as a fitness device, among other things.

Samsung has tried to address this problem in a bid to attract the Indian customers by partnering with apps like Obino Gear Up that monitors and suggests ideal meals based on Indian food preferences along with exercise options. The meal suggestions come from an extensive Indian food database along wth relevant measuring indices like ‘katori’ (a bowl) ensuring enhanced tracking of diet.

Apart from this, the sensors in the watch like accelerometer, gyro sensor, proximity sensor, etc help monitor physical game-play for sports popular in India such as Cricket, Tennis, and Golf, as of now. “We are aiming at providing a differentiated experience altogether with our smartwatches, which consumers can customise as they want. Our main focus is to increase the use cases for Indian consumers,” said Sharma.

The goal as Samsung sees it, according to Manu Sharma, is to make the smartwatch the primary device, something you look at you reach for your smartphone. In order to do that, the smartwatch needs to have enough and more applications to convince users that looking at their wrists is far more practical and efficient than digging into their pockets. Having a smartwatch that has applications customized for the Indian audience is one way to go about it, which Samsung has achieved with the Gear S2. Is it enough for the smartwatch win over the Indian market? Only time will tell.

January 23, 2016
New Teaser – Meet the Moto X Force

Motorola today has come out with yet another teaser for its latest device, the seventh in the series in which it has mocked, and ridiculed its rivals for their fragility. This new teaser following suit from the previous teasers again puts the iPhone and the Samsung Galaxy S6 in the line of fire but this time these two are put in the ring against the Moto X Force which unsurprisingly come out on top without even a scratch.

The teaser is dubbed as ” Meet the Moto X Force” and for the first time in the series of videos it shows Motorola’s offering being put to the same test that its competitors have had to go through in Motorola’s last couple of videos.

The new teaser shows Motorola Mobility’s President, Rick Oserloh join in on the fun. He is seen letting these phones free from a height of about 7 feet. The iPhone and S6 do not survive the fall, while the Moto X Force comes out of the whole experience like nothing even happened.

Motorola claims to have integrated a ‘Moto Shattershield’ technology in the display of Moto Force which, it says won’t “crack under pressure”. Well, brag on Motorola, this is your time.

January 23, 2016
Facebook App To Bring more 3D Touch Capabilities

Facebook which had earlier introduced some 3D touch capabilities to its native iPhone app, has now added some more features for its users. This will be a slow rollout and Facebook will now release more features that can make use of the tech.

The Facebook app will let users of iPhone 6s, and 6s Plus peek and pop to view profiles, take a closer look at photos or to preview web links, pages, groups and events. The app’s icon will also get a new shortcut option along with an option that will take you directly to your timeline.

“We are excited to start rolling out support for 3D Touch in our iOS app so people can quickly and easily peek into a preview of anything they are interested in on Facebook, and pop into that content to see more,” a Facebook spokesperson said, confirming the addition.

But there’s a catch, Facebook has said that it’ll start the roll out of these new 3D Touch tricks first to “a small group of people beginning today,”. The rest of the loyal Facebook community on the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus will get this update “over the coming months.” That’s sounds like a long wait really.

January 23, 2016
Xiaomi Mi 5 to be Unveiled on February 24

Xiaomi fans have been eagerly awaiting news on the exact day of the launch of the flagship Mi 5. Over the past few weeks, we’ve seen a lot of rumours and alleged renders of the device that have left little imagination of the specs and design of the handset.

Up until a few days ago it was expected to be launched at the MWC, but a Weibo post today from the Chinese company’s co-founder and Senior VP Liwan Jiang confirmed that the device will be launched on the 24th of February at the company’s spring conference.

Xiaomi has made some obvious changes to the Mi 5 compared to its predecessor, according to recent leaked photos. The home button is present now and the device sports a curved look moving away from the box-like design of the Mi 4. Other specs that are hardly a secret now include a Snapdragon 820 chipset with 4GB of RAM. The storage is 16GB, though a 64GB option is very likely. The device will run MIUI 7 (based on Android 5.1).

On the camera front, the Mi 5 is set to sport a 16MP camera on the back with dual-LED flash and an 8MP selfie camera. The device is complete with a 3,600mAh battery. The Mi 5 is also a dual-SIM handset, both 4G LTE-enabled.

January 23, 2016
Apple Watch 2 set for a Possible September Launch

According to latest rumours, it has been claimed that the new redesigned Apple Watch might not be ready before September. According to these reports Apple will talk about the Apple Watch at an event in March, but will only unveil a new range of band color options and other accessories.

Apple will unviel the new bands at this rumored March event and also announce the release of watchOS 2.2, a software update that adds some minor functionality to Maps and lets iPhones sync with multiple Apple Watch devices.

A redesigned new iteration of the Apple Watch isn’t expected to be unveiled by Apple later this September, along with the iPhone 7. It is expected that the second-generation Apple Watch will likely feature new hardware functionality, and come equipped with more health-focused sensors. A front camera is also being expected.

January 23, 2016
Apple’s 4-inch iPhone to be Called iPhone 5se

If rumors about Apple’s flagship device weren’t enough, you have a whole bunch of them for its lesser sibling. We’ve heard a great deal about Apple’s upcoming 4-inch iPhone. But the one things the rumors and speculations just couldn’t settle on was the name. Today, it’s possible that the iPhone 5se is what the 4-inch device is going to be called.

The 5se as the name suggests will be an “enhanced” version of the iPhone 5s. From what we’ve come to know so far in terms of specs, the iPhone 5se will be powered by the A8 chipset with the M8 motion co-processor as was seen in the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus.

Furthermore, the miniature iPhone will sport an 8MP rear camera and a 1.2MP front, again similar to the iPhone 6. What the iPhone 5se borrows from the current iPhone 6s is the Live Photos feature that records a video of 1.5 seconds before the shutter is snapped and 1.5 seconds after, the result being a GIF-like video that makes it look like the photograph has come alive.

Live Photos is likely to be the only feature the 4-inch device will borrow from the iPhone 6s. It is unlikely to come with 3D Touch capabilities seeing how the mini version is supposed to be friendly on the pocket.

Apple is rumored to hold an event in March for the unveiling of the iPhone 6se. No word yet on the price but will likely be priced around the same as the iPhone 5s. We’ll know more as we approach the launch.

January 23, 2016
OnePlus Teams Up with Amazon to offer great discounts

As a run-up to celebrating India’s 66th Republic Day, the Chinese smartphone maker OnePlus has announced that it will partner with Amazon to provide amazing deals on all its phones between 21-23 January to honour the momentous occasion of the 66th Republic Day with a truly special treat for its fans.

Spread over three days between January 21 – 23, 2016 and coinciding with Amazon’s Great Indian Sale, OnePlus will be offering special festive prices for the first-ever time on particular smartphones.To add to this, the company has also informed that it will sweeten the deal some more for its loyal fans across the country by keeping these phones invite free for these three days. So for those eager to get their hands on the devices today is the last day to purchase them on discount.

And just to prove to its users that it really cares, OnePlus has also announced it will give great discounts to the tune of 20% on all its Premium Accessories.

OnePlus 2 (Sandstone Black, 64GB): Rs. 22,999.

The OnePlus 2 sports a 5.5-inch Full HD display and is powered by a 1.8GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 octa-core SoC, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of internal storage. On the camera front, the device features a 13MP rear and a 5MP front-facing camera. The device runs on Android-powered Oxygen OS 2.0. So, for those who have been eager to get their hands on the OnePlus 2 there will be no better time.

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OnePlus X (Onyx / Champagne, 16GB): Rs. 14,999

It sports a 5-inch AMOLED display (1920×1080), with a primary camera of 13 MP and a 8 MP front. The device runs on a 2.1 GHz Snapdragon 801 chipset. It features a 3 GB RAM with 16 GB internal storage and is expandable up to 128 via MicroSD card slot. The phone includes an alert slider, like the one found on OnePlus 2. The OnePlus X weighs around 138 gm for the Onyx variant

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OnePlus One (Sandstone Black, 64GB): Rs. 17,999

The phone comes with a 5.50-inch touchscreen display with a maximum resolution output of 1080p.
The OnePlus One is powered by 2.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor and it comes with 3GB of RAM. The phone packs 64GB of internal storage cannot be expanded. OnePlus One packs a 13-megapixel primary camera on the rear and a 5-megapixel front shooter for selfies.
It is powered by a 3100mAh non removable battery. It measures 152.90 x 75.90 x 8.90 (height x width x thickness) and weighs 162.00 grams.

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January 23, 2016

Asus Launches Zenfone Zoom in India

After recently launching the Zenfone Max, Asus has now released the Zenfone Zoom in India at a price of Rs 37,999. As the name suggests, the Zenfone Zoom is a smartphone whose main USP is its primary camera. But more on that in a bit.

The Zenfone Zoom has a 5.5 inch full HD display with Corning Gorilla Glass on top, and is powered by a 2.5GHz quad-core Intel Atom processor. The smartphone features 4GB RAM and comes with 128 GB internal storage options. A 3,000 mAh battery pack provides for the juice and the device runs on Android 5.0 Lollipop.

The body metal body is crafted with aerospace grade aluminum and liquid metal molding.

Moving over to the main attraction of the device. The company claims to “reinvent smartphone photography” with Zoom which sports a 13 MP camera that has 10-element lens, 3X optical zoom – world’s thinnest, and optical image stabilization. It also comes with Laser Auto Focus that can capture images in .03 seconds. The back of the smartphone is reminiscent of the Nokia Lumia 1020. Yes, this is a phone for the serious photographer.

Specs	Asus Zenfone Zoom
Display	5.5-inch Full HD
Resolution	1080 x 1920 pixels (403 ppi)
Processor	2.5GHz quad-core Intel Atom
GPU	PowerVR G6430
RAM	4GB
Storage	128 GB
Rear Camera	13 MP 10-element lens, 3X optical zoom, and optical image stabilization
Front Camera	5 MP, f/2.0
Expandability	Up to 64 GB via MicroSD
Battery	3000mAh battery
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot, Bluetooth v4.0, GPS with A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS, microUSB v2.0
OS	Android 5.0 Lollipop
Price	Rs 37,990

January 22, 2016

Apple Hires Virtual and Augmented Reality Expert

it looks like Apple is joining the bandwagon of companies that are focusing on virtual reality technology. This is suggested by the fact that the Cupertino giant recently hired a man by the name Doug Bowman, the Director of the Center for Human-Computer Interaction at Virginia Tech.

Bowman joins the list of recently hired virtual and augmented reality experts, following Apple’s acquisition of Faceshift, Metaio, and Emotient. Apple is trying to learn as much as it can about the world of virtual reality, seeing that its major competitors like Samsung and Microsoft have already made their mark in that realm.

It not clear in any way as to Apple’s plans regarding VR. Bowman’s experience with creating 3D interfaces could be deployed in AR car control systems, which could be incorporated in Apple’s autonomous car (which in itself is a mystery right now). The other speculation is towards a Samsung’s Gear VR-like headset only using iPhones instead. We’ll just have to wait and see what Apple has in mind on that front. One thing is clear, virtual reality is here to stay.

January 22, 2016

Category: Latest

OnePlus 2 (Sandstone Black, 64GB): Rs. 22,999.

OnePlus X (Onyx / Champagne, 16GB): Rs. 14,999

OnePlus One (Sandstone Black, 64GB): Rs. 17,999

Specs

Asus Zenfone Zoom