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A Smartphone With 10,000 mAh Battery That Will Last You 10-15 Days

Oukitel is reportedly working on a phone that comes equipped with 10,000 mAh battery. Could this mean gone are the days of power-banks and bulky battery cases? The company’s new smartphone K10000 will last 10-15 days per charge under ‘normal’ usage.

Yes, this does seem a little too good to be true, and your doubts are not unfounded. The phone has a modest quad-core 1GHz MediaTek processor, 720p screen, 8-megapixel rear camera, 2-megapixel front cam and only 16GB of expandable storage.

Basically, the device is more like a power bank which has a basic phone attached to it. Don’t be surprised if there is not 3G or LTE support on the K10000. The phone is priced at a $240 (about Rs. 16,000) and begins shipping on January 21st.

This won’t be the first of its kind device though. Recently, a Chinese company too launched a phone with 9,000 mAh battery. However, once again that was the only highlight of the device, with its low end specs and bulky design. There seems to be still a long way to go before companies start combining decent specs with a long-lasting battery in their smartphones.

December 14, 2015
3-D Printed Soles in Shoes Combine Fitness With Technology

World’s new obsession from the world of tech seems to be with 3-D printing these days. From pens that let you create miniature structures from out of thin air to printers that print three-dimensional metallic objects – 3-D printing has seen some quite impressive breakthroughs lately.

The latest in the development of this realm is shoes with 3-D printed soles to meet the specific requirements of each wearer. Researchers at New Balance are looking into creating a mid-sole which takes care of the demands of a person who lands on their heels as well as one who uses the mid-region of the foot.

The team is working with a Boston based design studio called Nervous System to design a sole which can be customised and therefore be user-specific. Jessica Rosenkrantz, Nervous System’s creative director mentions the use of a proprietary elastomer to create a geometric structure equipped with a sensor grid inside it.

Depending on the date collected by this sensor, the shoe-sole will be customised making sure the wearer gets the most efficient and optimised experience. Brands like Adidas have experimented with 3-D printed soles recently and employed similar biomechanics in their running shoes. Following suit, New Balance too aims to introduce its shoes with 3-D printed midsoles in 2016.

December 13, 2015
Ex-BlackBerry CEO Lands Another Company in Trouble, Gets Sued For It

If you thought you were having it rough today, think again. Turns out that ex-BlackBerry CEO Torsten Heins just can’t seem to catch a break – even at his new job as CEO of a wireless charging technology company called Powermat Technologies. Heins, who left BlackBerry back in 2013 after overseeing the gigantic failure of the BlackBerry 10, is now being sued at his new workplace by three members of his own board for allegedly “operating without an approved budget and steering the business into insolvency.”

In fact, one of the three members is Powermat Technologies very own founder and former CEO Ran Poliakine. The suit alleges that Heins and three other executives have created “serious trust crisis” by running the company without an approved budget. Of course, Heins and his fellow executives have denied the allegations.

“Powermat is optimistic that the court will see through the substantial misstatements and malicious half-truths leveled by the former CEO and allow the company to continue the substantial progress it has made over the past year,” the company said in a statement sent to Business Insider.

The lawsuit was filed in October and there has been no progress since then. It will be interesting to know how Heins will try get out of this one. It’s sufficient it to say that the past few years have not been kind to the man.

December 12, 2015
New Yahoo App Helps You Find Your Favourite Shows And Movies

Ever find yourself in a state where you just have to watch a new TV show or movie but just don’t know where to begin? Yes, there are a number of streaming sites out there that cater to the movie and TV junkie in you, but seldom do you find someone to tell you where to start. Yahoo has heard your plight and has come out with an app that generously tells you what to watch and where you can watch it.

The app is called Yahoo Video Guide runs through all of your available services to find where your favorite shows are playing. Once it does that, a simple click will take you to that episode or movie if it is available from one of your streaming services. The app also lets you purchase the videos as well.

But that’s not all the app does. We all have preferences based on our current mood. So, the app also features a Mood Picker, which suggests videos based on your mood. There are GIFs that correspond to your current state of emotions. Pick the GIF and the app will do the rest.

Yahoo Video Guide is available for free from Google Play Store for Android users, and the App Store for iOS users. The app is yet to be made available globally.

December 12, 2015
Huawei’s New Nexus Smartphone with Snapdragon 820 Could Launch in 2016

We all know that the new Snapdragon 820 chipset is the new big, bad chipset that will make its way into a number of flagship devices in 2016. The new and more powerful chipset has already been confirmed for upcoming devices like the Mi 5 and some Galaxy S7 variants. Now, news around the tech block is that the next Huawei-made Nexus device will feature the next-gen Qualcomm chipset.

Huawei Nexus 6P

As you may know, this year’s Nexus 6P is the first to be manufactured by Huawei, and the device, which has been well received by many, featured a Snapdragon 810 chipset. Apart from the fact that the next flagship Nexus device should sport a Snapdragon 820 chipset, nothing much is known at the moment. It is also likely that the next device will be metal-made (like the Nexus 6P).

We’ll know more about devices that will sport the new chipset early next year.

December 12, 2015
Apple Filed a Patent for Waterproof iPhones Last Year

Earlier this week, Apple publicly revealed filing for a patent for waterproof devices. The paperwork was completed in June 2014 and is centered around making iPhones waterproof using rubber or “self-healing elastomer” that gains or loses its shape to protect the device from moisture and dust.

Ports like that of chargers or headphones on the phone would be protected with a rubber covering that would be removed when an external device or chord is to be inserted. Once the external device is removed, the rubber device would go back to covering the port.

Depending on the kind of elastomer, it can provide protection against dust, debris, water, and gas. Hello, pretty pictures in all kinds of environmental conditions.

Companies like Samsung and Sony have employed waterproof tech in their devices in the past. Having said that, this patent does not mean whether we can expect the iPhone 7 to be entirely water-resistant.

At the same time, it should be kept in mind that iPhone 6s and 6s Plus are modeled on similar principles of water-resistance and are definitely more resilient than previous Apple devices. Let’s see if the iPhone 7 actually turns out to be the hardiest of all the iPhones so far.

December 12, 2015
Google’s Now on Tap Makes it Easier to Take Screenshots with Android

Android users running on Marshmallow will no longer need to awkwardly take screenshots. A new update to Now on Tap gives you an easy option to take screenshots minus the lingering in your Gallery. Yes, the new update will let you take temporary screenshots, share it with whomsoever you want, and will get rid of the image after you’re done.

You will now see a share button at the bottom left corner of Now On Tap’s pop up menu. Generally, screenshots are for instant sharing of say a game score you want to brag about or some interesting meme you found on the internet and just had to send it to your friends, after which you really won’t be needing that ever again.

Furthermore, there needs to be a better way to take screenshots without having to press down on the Volume Down and Power Button together. And let’s admit it, getting the timing right isn’t always easy.

Now on Tap takes care of both these issues. When you tap the share button, it takes a temporary screenshot that you can share through Twitter, post it to Facebook, or send it as a text. Once you’ve shared the image, the screengrab disappears rather than fill up your precious internal storage. However, if you do choose to keep it around for a while longer, you can by simply sharing it Google Photos or Gallery.

It’s a neat little update that helps declutter your phone of screenshots as well as provides an elegant way to take them as well. The update will rollout everywhere over the next few days.

December 12, 2015
Tesla Makes iPhone Covers Out of Leftover Seat Leather

Leftovers and iPhone covers -yes, those words in the same sentence -in a very unusual turn of events, Tesla has made covers for the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus using leftover leather from car-seats. Looks like the world can’t get enough of iPhone covers. After OnePlus, Tesla follows suit with its cases for iPhone 6 and 6 Plus.

Tesla’s Model S is a very popular car, leading the company to increase its production to 50,000 cars per year. Larger production inevitably means larger amounts of waste. However, the car manufacturer found a way to not only put this waste to good use, but also make money out of it.

The company has made iPhone cases out of leftover leather meant for its car-seats. The covers are priced at $45 and for an added $5, Tesla will add some credit card slots to it as well. The cover will protect its contents from RFID readers, claims the company.

The iPhone case will sport Tesla’s logo and has now found itself located on the list of strange items the company has sold in the past. A golf towel, leather driving gloves that also work with touchscreens and a crown jewel made from leftover leather are some of its other unusual items.

December 12, 2015
GoPro’s First Ever Drone to be Called ‘Karma’

GoPro has revealed that its camera equipped drone, all set to arrive in early 2016, would be called ‘Karma’. It was first teased in October using camera footage recorded at 2.5K resolution, as could be made out by YouTube viewing option of 1440p. The same footage was used in the latest tease. GoPro claims that the video was not stabilised in post-production, thereby suggesting a decent camera capability of the drone.

If sources like Forbes are to be believed, GoPro ventured out to make its own drone once a partnership for the same with DJI fell apart. Karma is rumoured to be priced somewhere between $500-$1000. Signing up for the news could help you win a GoPro Karma in the company’s official giveaway.

December 12, 2015

HTC Desire 828 Launched in India at a Price of Rs. 19,990

Last month HTC unveiled the Desire 828 smartphone along with the One A9. The Desire 828 will now come to India on the 14th of December. This model comes with a 5.5 inch display with 1080 x 1920 pixels resolution and is powered by the Mediatek MT6753. It is run on the Android OS, v5.1 (Lollipop) and has a dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by) connectivity.

It also comes with a storage of 16GB that is expandable up to 2 TB along with 2GB of RAM. On the camera front, the Desire 828 features a 13 MP rear camera and HTC UltraPixel front. The Desire 828 is the first model in the Desire lineup to feature Optical Image Stabilisation in its main camera. The device is packed with a Li-Ion 2800 mAh battery and supports a micro USB v2.0.

“We are proud to unveil the first HTC Desire phone to feature Optical Image Stabilisation in its main camera and HTC UltraSelfie™ for a remarkable imaging experience and unparalleled selfies. With the HTC Desire 828 Dual SIM, we deliver an exquisite and personalised experience to our customers,” said Mr Faisal Siddiqui, President HTC South Asia.

The HTC Desire 828 Dual SIM comes in Dark Gray and Pearl White colours. And will be available exclusively on Flipkart for the consumers to buy from December 14, 2015 (12am) onwards at a price of Rs. 19,990.

Here is a spec table of the HTC Desire 828:

Specifications	Desire 828
Display	5.5 inches
Resolution	1080 x 1920 pixels
Chipset	Mediatek MT6753
CPU	Octa-core 1.5 GHz Cortex-A53
GPU	Mali-T720MP3
RAM	2GB
Storage	16GB expandable up to 200GB
Rear Camera	13 MP
Front Camera	HTC UltraPixel
Battery	Li-Ion 2800 mAh battery
Operating System	Android OS, v5.1 (Lollipop)
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot, GPS, Bluetooth
SIM	Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by)
USB	microUSB v2.0
Price	Rs. 19,990

December 11, 2015

Samsung Patents Phone With Interchangeable Camera Options

Samsung seems to be on a roll with 18.4 inch tablets to phones that unfold into a tablet. Now reports have emerged about a new Samsung patent. This patent shows different camera options for a phone-like device that include a regular camera, one with a bump and another that seems equipped with optical zoom and an exchangeable lens.

The phone is also drawn in a number of different shapes, suggesting how each phone’s size and shape will be determined by the camera paired with it.

There is another device-design as well which shows something thin like a phone with a thick camera module and a camera-like grip on one end. A shutter-key which is equipped with another button also prefigures on the design.

It is unsure what the future of these devices will be, however it gives us a fair idea of what is keeping Samsung busy these days.

Source

December 11, 2015
Samsung Galaxy S7 Design Leaked in New Video

A new short video leaked online by popular leakster @onleaks and uSwitch shows off what could be the design for the upcoming Galaxy S7 flagship devices.

The video shows a very S6-like design for the S7 only with more rounded sides that works well with the 2.5D glass on the front and back. The render also shows just one card slot for the SIM, which means that it is likely that the S7 will not support MicroSD card.

You also see a protruding camera lens on the back similar to its predecessor. The camera is also rumoured to house a 20 MP ‘BRITECELL’ camera sensor technology.

The S7 Plus shown in the video measures 163.32 x 82.01 x 7.82mm. The 6-inch device pushes the front-facing camera to the top right end. One must take the rendered video with a pinch of salt. The actual device may look a little different but @onleaks has so far had a near 100% accuracy when it comes to leaked renders.

That being said, renders have a way of showing some added thickness and bulge in certain areas (as was the case with the Nexus 6P camera bar, which didn’t protrude as much as the renders suggested). You can expect the finished product to look slimmer and cleaner.

The Galaxy S7 devices are rumoured for a 21 February unveiling. We’ll have more details about the flagship devices as we get closer to the date.

Source

December 11, 2015
Apple Rumoured to be Working on a Customised GPU

After working on its own own processors since the iPhone 5 (Apple A6 chip) and 64-bit CPU, Apple is now rumoured to be working on a customised GPU. The company is exploring in-house solutions for coprocessors and sensors.

In order to get rid of its dependency on PowerVR graphic units, Apple has been working on a proprietary GPU for a while now.

The company’s Korean counterpart, Samsung, is also developing similar tech. Samsung is expected to reveal its first in-house processors and Exynos 8 chipset in the Galaxy S7 early next year.

Even if everything goes smoothly, we cannot expect to see Apple’s new custom-GPU in iPhone 7 in 2016. It’ll probably be a few years before Apple is ready to take this leap. Let’s see how these plans pan out for the company.

December 11, 2015
Facebook Would Soon Allow You to Post Comments Even When Offline

Facebook has announced that they are currently testing an update for its News Feed on Android devices for those with slow internet connection. They plan to enhance their efficiency even on slow connections by taking previously downloaded and unread items and pushing them to the top of all the posts.

The cached items will still be displayed by relevance and will replace the spinning icon that appears at the top of the page when you are waiting for the new posts to load. This will help you view stories that you might have missed, while new posts load in the background.

Furthermore, this update will extend to your interactions with friends on Facebook. Users will now be allowed to post comments on posts even when offline. Obviously, there’s a catch here, your comment will be posted as soon as a connection is detected next. But, you’ll be able to like and share posts without a connection.

Facebook is expected to test and roll out this update soon. It also mentions that users in developed markets will be able to benefit from this especially when they’re stuck in a place with bad connectivity.

Facebook has decided on bringing this update especially to Android devices as stats show that Facebook’s growing user base is emerging in markets within Asia, where the online connectivity in most places is rather slow. Facebook had also previously launched Facebook Lite which is basically a lightweight Android version of the Facebook app to eight countries – Bangladesh, Nepal, Nigeria, South Africa, Sudan, Sri Lanka, Vietnam and Zimbabwe.

Recently, Facebook seems to be responsibly realising the impact it has made around the world and playing an important part in communication and information access. So, if this successfully works out all we can do is reap the benefits of it.

Source

December 10, 2015
Over 70% Android Users Run an OS Which is More Than 2 Years Old

Google revealed earlier this week that 71.6% of Android users are still using the pre-Lollipop version of the OS. The divisions are as follows: 36.6% of devices are still running Android 4.4 KitKat, while a 26.9% of users are still running various versions of Jelly Bean. While the latter was released in 2012 and hasn’t seen an update since October 2013, the former first arrived two years ago.

As for iOS users, a huge 70% of them are running iOS 9 which came out only in September this year. Additionally, iOS 8 is being used to run about 92% Apple devices, an OS released not more than 16 months ago.

Though Android 6.0 Marshmallow has enough things to like about it, many users will have to wait another couple of months before they are able to run it on their devices. The contrast between iOS and Android updates offers an interesting picture. Perhaps the inertia and stagnation which sets in once the users become accustomed to running a specific OS makes them shy away from updates. Other than the availability of the OS what else do you think could keep users away from updating their Android devices?

Source: BGR

December 10, 2015