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Legal Trouble For Apple, Company Could Face $862 Million Penalty

The tech giant has found itself at the centre of legal trouble with a US jury. It has been ruled out that Apple is using technology patented by the University of Wisconsin. The patent in question involves the chips used in iPhone, iPad Mini, and iPad Air.

Apple was sued last year in April by the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) and now it may have to pay a fine of almost a billion USD. WARF claims that the A7, A8, and A8X processors used in the iPhone 5S, 6, and 6 Plus were developed from technology that had already been patented by the University in 1998.

If during the course of the legal proceedings, it is discovered that Apple used the technology in its devices while having knowledge of the patent, the fine amount may go up.Irrespective of whether or not Apple has to pay this ridiculously huge fine, there is some more trouble in store for the company. Last month, WARF sued Apple for the technology used in its newest iPhones and iPad Pro. WARF has had a track record of suing tech companies in the past, including a law suit with Intel in 2008 which lasted for almost a year.

October 14, 2015
Moto X Style Goes Up For Pre-Order in India

Moto X Style is now up for pre-order on Flipkart. It is a stylish variant of Moto X Play which was launched in our country, last month. The pre-orders for the phone had begun on the 8th of this month and it is now up for grabs.

The phone was earlier announced to go on pre-order today at midnight but it has arrived early, priced at Rs. 29,999 for the 16 GB variant, and Rs. 31,999 for the 32 GB variant. Motorola’s newest device has a 5.7 inch display and Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 chipset. For specs and other details of Moto X Style, take a look at our previous post.

[tw-button size=”large” background=”#07ABE2″ color=”” target=”_blank” link=”http://www.flipkart.com/moto-x-style/p/itmeajtqebm7yc9b?pid=MOBEAJTQ4QEAJZ2H&ref=L%3A-7172985180974723403&srno=p_2&query=moto+x+style&otracker=from-search&affid=bhnagpalgm”]Pre-Order Now [/tw-button]

Watch our unboxing and the hands on review here:

October 14, 2015

Samsung Reveals its Second Tizen-Powered Smartphone at Rs. 8490

Samsung has unveiled a new super budget smartphone called the Z3 at Rs.8,490 today. It comes with a dual SIM connectivity and a 5 inch HD Super AMOLED display. Here is what Samsung’s second Tizen powered smartphone looks like :

The Z3 is powered by the Qualcomm MSM8916 Snapdragon 410 with a Quad-core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A53 CPU and an Adreno 306 GPU. It also comes with 1GB of RAM space and an 8GB internal memory that is expandable up to 128GB via a micro SD card.

On the camera front, it comes with a 8MP primary camera and a 5MP secondary camera. Other connectivity features include Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n connection, Bluetooth v4.1, GPS, microUSB v2.0 and radio.

The Z3 is run on the Tizen OS version 2.4 and is fueled by a 2,600mAh battery. Lastly, it comes in three colour variants – gold, black and silver.

Here are its specifications:

Samsung Z3	Specifications
Display	5 inch HD Super AMOLED
OS	Tizen OS version 2.4
Processor	Qualcomm MSM8916 Snapdragon 410
CPU	Quad-core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A53
GPU	Adreno 306
RAM	1GB
Internal Storage	8GB expandable up to 128GB via microSD card
Primary Camera	8MP
Secondary Camera	5MP
Connectivity	Dual SIM, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n connection, Bluetooth v4.1, GPS, microUSB v2.0 and radio
Colour Variants	Gold, Black and Silver
Battery	2,600mAh
Price	Rs.8,490

October 14, 2015

Disney is Helping Make ‘Iron Man’ and ‘Star Wars’ Bionic Hands For Kids

Some stories can melt your heart in an instant. Disney has always been something for children and the child in you. So, it pleases one to hear that the mass media and entertainment giant will be helping a UK-based start up in making prosthetic hands for children more appealing. And how will Disney help with that? By doing it the Disney way, of course.

Open Bionics is the name of the UK-based start up that focuses on low-cost 3D-printed prosthetics. The company is also a part of Disney’s Techstars Accelerator program. Disney is giving Open Bionics royalty-free licenses to create prosthetics modeled off of Iron Man, Elsa from Frozen, and a glowing, buzzing ‘lightsaber hand’ familiar to millions of Star Wars fans.

But the fun doesn’t just end with the design. It also does things, too. Take the lightsaber hand, for example. You can turn on a set of LED lights that illuminate the prosthetic which also give off the lightsaber-like buzzing sounds. A button also lets you change the saber’s colour because fans know that characters like Luke Skywalker, Yoda and Darth Vader favour different couloured lightsabers.

Similarly, the Iron Man gauntlet will let the child shoot off “rockets”. Well, not really, but with the LED lights and sounds and a vibrating motor it does give off that feeling. But the prosthetics aren’t just expensive toys. They’re made to help the child and provide physical therapy while having fun. The motor gives a haptic feedback to the child when he non-threateningly fires from the Iron Man gauntlet and also serves to indicate the strength of the grip being exerted by the child. Apart from serving a fun light show, the LED lights also lets parents and doctors understand what signals are being sent to the device.

Open Bionics CEO Joel Gibbard told Independent that, “the power of these prosthetics is that the public perception is completely different. All of a sudden they’re not being asked how they lost their hand, they’re being asked where they got their cool robot hand, how does it feel, and how does it work?”

Earlier this year, Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) himself paid a visit to a seven-year old boy and gave the kid a custom-made Iron Man prosthetic gauntlet. Watch the video below that is sure to bring a smile to your face today.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEx5lmbCKtY

Open Bionics is hoping to make a big difference with these prosthetic hands and is aiming to have them available by the end of next year at a reasonable price of around $500.

October 14, 2015
New OnePlus X Teaser Reveals Specs and Launch Date

A listing on Amazon, which has since been taken down, showed us a device called the ‘OnePlus Mini’. According to the listing, this handset will come with a 5 inch display, along with a 1080 pixel resolution and will be powered by a MediaTek MT6795 processor. It will also house 32GB internal storage with 2GB of RAM. Here is what OnePlus India’s general manager, Vikas Agarwal has to say:

“We’re introducing a new device by the end of this year. Diwali would be the ideal time..”

The OnePlus Mini is also said to feature the Force Touch technology, similar to the 3D Touch display available on the new iPhone 6s and 6s Plus. Apart from this leak, OnePlus has posted a new teaser on its India Facebook page showing off the OnePlus X that will be unveiled on the 29th of October, 2015.

Hence, taking a cue from the leak and the teaser, we can safely assume that OnePlus might announce two different smartphones by the end of this year. However, there have been no official reports about the OnePlus Mini, so we’ll just have to sit tight and find out what the Chinese smartphone maker has in store for us until the 29th of October.

October 14, 2015
iPhone 6s Sales Dubbed As ‘Disappointing’ By Reports

Pacific Crest, an investment bank, revealed on Sunday that the latest Apple smartphone has so far sold less than the expected number analysts had in mind. The expected numbers are around 76 million while the shipments so far have been of around 67 million iPhones.

Within three days of its launch on 25th September, Apple had gone ahead to make an official statement of how the sales have been unprecedented in the history of iPhones with 13 millions devices sold by 28th September. In the light of these claims, Pacific Crest’s report comes as a surprise. The company claims that Apple has seen a drop in the demand of the phones since then, resulting in reduced orders being placed by Apple to its suppliers. Pacific Crest commented on it and said:

“In contrast to the launch of the iPhone 6 last year, we note: … less than 10% of the carrier stores we surveyed have been sold out of iPhones; last year, carriers didn’t have iPhone stock on hand until November…almost all carriers surveyed indicated that iPhone 6s sales were down y/y, compared to the iPhone 6.”

iPhone 6 had sold as much as 74.4 million devices, giving Apple the most profitable quarter any tech company had ever seen. Things don’t seem to be following the same pattern this year. Let’s see how the numbers stand for Apple by the end of this year.

October 14, 2015
WhatsApp Rolls Out 3D Touch Support For iPhones 6s

Apple introduced the 3D Touch with their latest iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s plus. It is, without a doubt, one of the coolest technological improvements from the company in a long while. As you may know already, the 3D Touch makes navigating apps a whole lot easier with the ability to ‘Peek and Pop’, as Apple calls it.

Apps like Instagram, Twitter and Facebook have already begun rolling out updates that make use of the 3D Touch feature. Now WhatsApp joins the list as well. The messaging service rolled out its latest version yesterday and the description mentions how you’ll be able to make use of the 3D Touch feature with your latest iPhone.

While not many found the previous update (starring a message by tapping and holding the message) all that useful, the new update is sure to be a treat for iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus users out there who want to get as much out of the 3D Touch feature as they can. As the update mentions, the 3D Touch feature will now allow you to quickly Peek and Pop pictures, videos, links, contact cards, and locations that you send and receive in chats.

Another update is not 3D Touch related but worth a mention. The WhatsApp interface is now mirrored and optimized for right-to-left languages like Arabic.

October 14, 2015
Xiaomi’s Mi 4c Offers Similar Specs as the Nexus 5X, but at Half the Price

Yesterday saw the official launch of Google’s Nexus 5X with pre-orders having already begun on Amazon. By now you must be aware of what the Nexus 5X has to offer and the price of the phone as well. Just to refresh your memory, the Nexus 5X will come at a price of Rs. 31,990 for the 16 GB variant and Rs. 35, 990 for the 32GB variant in India.

From what the phone offers in terms of specs, the price is a bit steep, especially when you compare it with the China-only Xiaomi Mi 4c, The Mi 4c comes very close to the Nexus 5X, at least specs-wise. The Mi 4c has a 5-inch display and is powered by a 1.8 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 64-bit processor, 2 GB RAM and USB Type-C port, all similar to the Nexus 5X.

On the camera front, the Mi 4c has a 13 MP primary camera and a 5 MP front, whereas the Nexus 5X features a 12.3 MP primary camera and a 5 MP front. On paper, the Mi 4c seems to have a better camera, however, the Nexus 5X has 1.55 micron pixels that allows for sharper images that can take on the iPhone 6 camera.

Xiaomi’s Mi 4c has a bigger battery at 3,080mAh when compared to the Nexus 5X’s 2,700 mAh battery. In terms of performance, you’ll find both the devices at par, giving a smooth and fast handling.

Keeping these specs in mind, we come to the prices. If the Mi 4c launched in India, the price of the device would have been around Rs 13,500 for 2GB RAM and 16GB internal storage, and around Rs 15,500 for 3GB RAM and 32GB internal. In comparison, the Nexus 5X starts at Rs. 31,990 for the 2 GB RAM and 16 GB internal. Clearly, the Mi 4c offers almost the same specs but at half the price.

October 14, 2015
Xiaomi Set to Unveil Mi5 with Helio X20 SoC on October 19

Xiaomi is all set to launch its next-gen flagship phone, the Mi5, at an event on October 19 in China. The company announced the event on Weibo. The event may also see the launch of the rumoured Mi Band 2.

From what we know so far, the Mi5 will have a Helio X20 chipset and will not come with the Snapdragon 820 as production of the chipset has been delayed. Other features expected in the Mi5 include 5.2-inch Quad HD (1440×2560) AMOLED display, 4GB RAM and 16/64GB of Internal storage.

The Mi5 is also rumoured to sport a 16MP rear camera with dual LED flash, 8MP front camera and a battery of 3,030mAh capacity. A fingerprint sensor can also be expected as many new devices are now coming out with the feature. The expected price of the Mi5 is around 1,999 Yuan (Rs. 20,500 approx.)

You can also expect some news regarding Windows 10-powered laptops and tablets from Xiaomi. Earlier, the company stated that it would start production of its laptop in the first quarter of 2016. Follow this space for more on Xiaomi’s event.

Update: Sorry folks, it turns out the Mi5 will not be unveiled on Monday. The company denied the rumours on Weibo.

October 14, 2015
Lenovo To Launch Two New Smartphones in India on October 21

Lenovo has released an invite that doesn’t reveal much except that an event is set to take place on the 21st of October at 11 am in New Delhi. The event is most likely for the launch of Lenovo’s smartphones in India that include the Vibe P1 and the Vibe P1m.

The phones were unveiled at IFA last month, which also saw a host of other Lenovo devices such the iDeaPad, Moto 360, and Lenovo PHAB Plus.

The Vibe P1 smartphone comes with a 5.5-inch 1080p display with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection. It is powered by a 1.5GHz Snapdragon 615 64-bit octa-core processor, 5000mAh battery, OneKey Power Saver and Rocket Charge. It also supports the 5G WiFi with its very own WiFi Boost. The talking point of both the P1 and P1m phones is the massive battery and quick charging capabilities.

The Vibe P1m sports a 5-inch HD (1280×720 pixels) display and is powered by 1GHz MediaTek MT6735P processor paired with 2GB of RAM. It also features a slightly smaller 4000mAh battery. One of the main talking points here is the massive battery and quick charging capabilities found in both the phones.

The expected pricing of the Vibe P1 is $279 (Rs 18,167 approximately), while the Vibe P1m is priced at $159 (Rs 10,353 approximately).

October 14, 2015
Apple Announces New iMacs, Including the Awaited 21.5-inch 4K Model

Apple wowed us with their event back in September and kept the suspense alive as they remained tight lipped about the iMacs that were not released at the time. Well, the wait is over and they are here!
Apple launched its new Retina 4K display for the 21.5-inch iMac and a 5K display for the 27-inch iMac in California, today.

The much anticipated display makes photos and videos even more crystal clear than they were in the pervious iMacs. The exterior of the iMacs sport Thunderbolt 2 ports and more storage options that makes the desktop look promising.

In addition to this, Apple also announced a number of wireless accessories like the Magic keyboard 2, Magic Mouse 2 and (obviously) Magic Trackpad 2. These devices, we guess, are magical due to the fact that they have rechargeable batteries and require no aid of disposable batteries, whatsoever.

We saw the introduction of Force Touch technology to the iPhone 6s and Apple has taken that a step forward by introducing the technology to the Magic Trackpad of the desktop.

Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president, Worldwide marketing said:

“From the first iMac to today, the spirit of iMac has never wavered — deliver the ultimate desktop experience with the latest technologies, gorgeous displays and cutting-edge designs,”

Specs wise, it has a 4096 x 2304 resolution and 9.4 million pixels, which is reportedly 4.5 times more than the standard 21.5-inch iMac display. The 27-inch iMac features a Retina 5K display with a resolution of 14.7 million pixels. 5K and 4K displays feature a wider P3-based colour gamut that provides a 25 percent larger colour space.

The 27-inch iMac with Retina 5K display now comes with sixth-generation Intel Core processors. The new 21.5-inch iMac with Retina 4K display, on the other hand, features a fifth-generation Intel Core processor and is enhanced by Intel Iris Pro Graphics. The Thunderbolt 2 ports come with 20Gbps data transfer speeds for external drives and high-performance peripherals. The RAM has also been improved across the board from 8GB of 1600MHz LPDDR3 to 8GB of 1867GHz LPDDR3, upgradeable to 16GB.

Pricing & Availability

Finally talking about the price, the 27-inch iMac with Retina 5K display is available at select Apple Authorised Resellers. The 27-inch iMac comes in three models priced at INR 148,900, INR 164,900 and INR 188,900. Additional technical specifications are available online at www.apple.com/in/imac/.

The 21.5-inch iMac is available at select Apple Authorised Resellers. The desktop is also available in three models priced at INR 91,900 and INR 107,900 and with a Retina 4K display starting at INR 123,900. Additional technical specifications are available online at www.apple.com/in/imac/.

Lastly, the Keyboard is available at INR 8,300, while the Mouse 2 will be be priced at INR 6,600 and the Trackpad 2 for INR 11,200.
Admittedly, these prices are sky rocketing and seem really unaffordable but Apple promises a better experience, as is the case with all its products. So it’s up to you to empty your pockets, or not.

October 13, 2015

Sony to Launch Xperia Z5, Z5 Premium in India This Month

Mark 21st October on your calendars, because that is the day Sony Xperia Z5 and Z5 Premium are all set to make an appearance in the country. Yes, it’s the same day when the Google Nexus devices go on sale here.

Sony had unveiled these devices, along with Xperia Z5 Compact at IFA earlier this year in September. And now they are being readied to be launched in India. However, Xperia Z5 Compact may not make it to the country. No news of its arrival has reached us yet.

The Sony Xperia Z5 Premium is the worlds first 4k display equipped smartphone. Sony has also included a new fingerprint scanner at an innovative location, right on the power button. The company has not done much about the design apart from adding a matte finish on the Z5 and a ultra glossy finish on the Z5 Premium which will be available in Gold or Chrome. The remaining design is based on the use of metal as a structure and Gorilla Glass 4 on the front and back of all the devices.

The two phones are estimated to cost around Rs. 51,000 – Rs. 60,000. You can check out our hands on of the two devices here. Find the specs of Sony Xperia Z5 and Z5 Premium below:

Specification	Sony Xperia Z5	Sony Xperia Z5 Premium
Display	5.2 inch display	5.5 inch 4K Ultra HD
Resolution	1920 x 1080p	4k – 806ppi
Chipset	Qualcomm Snapdragon 810	Qualcomm Snapdragon 810
Processor	Octa Core – 64 bit	Octa Core – 64 bit
GPU	Adreno 430	Adreno 430
RAM	3GB	3GB
Storage	32GB internal memory	32GB internal memory
Expandability	–	200 GB
Rear Camera	23MP sensor, F2.0 G Lens, 1/2.3 Exmor RS	23MP sensor, F2.0 G Lens, 1/2.3 Exmor RS
Rear Camera Video	4k	4k
Front Camera	5MP	5MP
Front Camera Video	1080p	1080p
Battery	2 days stamina with Qualcomm Quick Charger	3430 mAh battery lasting for up to two days, with quick charge
Operating System	Android 5.1	Android 5.1
Connectivity	4G LTE, Single SIM and Dual SIM	Single SIM and Dual SIM
Miscellaneous	Fingerprint sensor, Colours: White, Graphite Black, Gold and Green	Fingerprint sensor
Price	–	–

October 13, 2015

Airtel to Sell iPhone 6s, 6s Plus; Offers Free 4G Data

Airtel has come up with its exclusive ‘iPhone Infinity Plans’ offering free 4G data worth Rs. 15,000/- for 12 months. Additionally, Airtel also announced today that starting this Friday, 16th October, the company will also be selling iPhone 6s and 6s Plus through 235 of its stores across the country. Out of these 57 of these stores will stay open the entire night so that customers don’t have to wait to get to lay their hands on the new iPhones.

Since Airtel is the only telecom network offering 4G data in the country, Airtel has clubbed the launch of the iPhones with its 4G data plans. All buyers of the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus will also be able to avail the iPhone Infinity plans, which include 60GB of free 4G data over twelve months. The company claims this will enable customers to save Rs.15,000 on their monthly bill.

For more details of the offers and plan, buyers can visit Airtel’s online store. In order to activate the Infinity plan, users can log on to offers.airtel.in from their iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus.

October 13, 2015
Apple Stores to Finally Open in India

In today’s Apple news, Apple Stores will officially open up in India. Apple has tied up with Tata and is set to open at least six Apple Stores at Tata-owned Croma stores by Diwali next month. Croma will dedicate 400-500 square feet in area for Apple at five Croma stores in Mumbai – Malad, Juhu, Oberoi Mall, Phoenix Mall and Ghatkopar – and one in Jayanagar, Bengaluru.

Avijit Mitra, CEO of Infinity Retail, said in an interview with Economic Times that, “We are proud to partner Apple to launch the Apple Store in India and extremely bullish about it. These stores will be modelled on the global design and will offer the best experience to consumers, showcasing the entire range of Apple products.”

The Apple Stores will look just like its global counterparts with the same design, furniture like Apple Store’s signature wooden tables, fixtures and lighting. “These stores will be modeled on the global design and will offer the best experience to consumers, showcasing the entire range of Apple products.” Apple will also personally train the sales staff.

So far, Apple has been selling products through premium resellers who run exclusive brand stores under the franchise name, and through other multi-brand electronic stores as well as e-retailers like Amazon, Flipkart and Snapdeal. With this change, warranty will be extended to globally bought Apple devices.

Responding to the fact that India is one of the fastest growing markets for Apple, the company has been increasing its retail presence in India in the past year with five distributors. It has also sped up the launch of the latest iPhones that will see an October 16 release, and now the Apple Stores is all set to open up by the end of Diwali, with more stores to launch later on in other parts of the country.

October 13, 2015
Nexus 6P | Hands On

Google’s Nexus 6P has officially launched in India today. The company had sent out invites for the event starting at 11 am. The Huawei-made Nexus 6P and the LG-made Nexus 5X released ahead of the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus launch that is set to hit the markets on the 16th.

The Nexus 6P will be made available exclusively for Flipkart. Pre-orders for the phones will start tonight and the devices will begin shipping from October 21. Those who pre-order the Nexus 6P will get a Chromecast dongle worth Rs. 2,999 from Flipkart. The devices can also be purchased later on from select offline retailers such as Croma, The Mobile Store, among others.

The Nexus 6P is priced at Rs. 39,999 for the 32GB, Rs. 42,999 for the 64GB, and Rs. 47,999 for the 128GB variant. The 6P features a 5.7-inch QHD touchscreen, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 810 chipset, with 3 GB RAM, a 3450mAh battery, and a USB Type-C port. The camera sports a 12.3MP sensor with laser autofocus, dual-LED flash at the rear and a rather impressive 8MP on the front. This pure Android phone will run on the latest Marshmallow operating system.

Our initial reactions towards the 6P were quite favorable. One of the main highlights of the Nexus 6P is the Nexus Imprint. The fingerprint sensor on the back is fast and fluid in accessibility, which according to Google only “gets better over time” as it learns more about your unique fingerprint. Another major improvement is the camera. The 12MP rear camera takes crisp and clear pictures even in low light due to the 1.55 micron pixels, which is greater than the iPhone 6s Plus.

Compared to the Nexus 5X, the 6P has a more premium look to it. It has a full-metal body, built out of aluminium with diamond chamfers around the edges. The metallic finish of the body is smooth and feels comfortable in your hand, but is heavier than the Nexus 5X, which comes with a plastic body. One concern that arose regarding the leaked images of the Nexus 6P was just how much the black camera bar on the top would put off users. However, on using the Nexus 6P, the bar seemed like a welcomed change and does not stick out as much as one would think.

The Nexus 6P is on the expensive side, but some improvements especially on the camera front make it worth buying if you’re looking at the market for premium handsets. As mentioned, the Nexus 6P will be available for pre-order tonight on Flipkart.

October 13, 2015