Category: Tech

Latest Technology News, Alternative, Bio-Tech, Medical, R&D and Innovations

Is Samsung Finally Calling A Truce By Paying Apple $548 Million?

It has been almost five years since Apple sued Samsung for infringing smartphone patents. Finally, Samsung has decided to pay up an amount of $548 million before the 14th of December 2015. This decisions was reached up on, after a joint court statement from both companies that agreed on it. However, the statement notes that Samsung “continues to reserve all rights to obtain reimbursement from Apple,” if the invoice is not received before the weekend; while Apple has disputed these rights in the same document.

According to reports, Samsung said that it is only paying the money because an appeals court refused to block a judgement ordering it to pay. They intend to continue pursuing reimbursement if the U.S Patent and Trademark Office invalidates the patents and if the U.S Supreme Court takes up the request for review. Both companies are said to have dropped all the non-US cases while leaving only two main disputes that still have a way to go in courts.

“I don’t think it’s over, but hopefully we’re getting close,” said Robert Stoll, a patent lawyer with Drinker Biddle in Washington

This particular sum of money ($548 million) is allegedly part of a case that dealt with Apple’s “pinch to touch” technology; that the company claims has been copied by Samsung. The patent on this has been invalidated by the PTO, but Apple is still challenging that decision.

Honestly, though we’re all sick of this fight. Both mega tech companies fighting about one copying the other. It is high time they learn to co-exist with one another regardless of who is copying whom. At the end of the day, we all know who is getting the real credit. So, if Samsung is copying Apple, the latter should only feel flattered.

December 5, 2015
Five Gadgets That You First Saw In Movies

In the 21st century we have almost every gadget that was ever portrayed in The Jetsons, and if we don’t then it is probably in the making. Agreed, we don’t have efficient flying cars yet, but we’re pretty sure it is ‘coming soon’. So, in memory of all the great movies that have inspired human to create futuristic gadgets; here is a list of some very cool devices/gadgets that have been inspired from our favourite Sci-Fi movies.

December 4, 2015
Best Tech Gifts for the Holiday Season

It’s December and everyone is looking forward to the holidays. It’s the time to plan out what you’re going to gift your loved ones or yourself. If you’re into the tech sides of things, then we have some ideas on what you could get this season.

PlayStation 4

Here’s why PlayStation 4 should be on your Christmas shopping list. Sony has been slashing the price of the 500GB PS4 globally for the past few months. Recently, India received the price cut as well. The PlayStation 4 is now available for Rs. 31,599, while the new 1TB console is priced at Rs. 36,550. So for those who were waiting for the next-gen console can now get it at a pretty neat price.

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Samsung Tab A

The Tab A is a simple device worth picking up if you’re not looking toward the high-end range. The tablet is not only affordable but offers many premium apps for free. The design is slim and lightweight, almost comparable to the iPad Mini. The Tab A is powered by a 1.2 GHz Quad Core processor. and runs on Android 5.0 Lollipop.

Those who are looking to get the most bang for their buck should consider the Tab A, which is currently available at a discounted price tag of Rs. 18,000.

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OnePlus 2

OnePlus recently announced that its ditching the invite system for the OnePlus 2 starting tomorrow. This news comes at the perfect time for OnePlus fans who have been waiting to get their hands on the flagship device. An invite-free OnePlus 2 makes will surely grab fans during the holiday period, if stocks last until then.
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Moto 360 (2nd Gen)

Smartwatches have yet to catch on in India, but if you’re in the market for wearable technology that is affordable then the Moto 360 (2nd Gen) is the watch for you. The Moto 360 comes in three different sizes – a 42 mm male and female version and a male-only 46 mm model. The bands of the watch can be chosen from metal and leather.

With respect to the processor, Motorola has upgraded its device with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor. The Android Wear smartwatch is also compatible with iOS 8.2 and above and therefore can be coupled with Apple devices.

Philips Digital Photo Frame

Since the holiday season is all about getting together with friends and family, one needs a gadget that can display all the memories. And since traditional photo frames are practically obsolete (thanks to the digital age), here’s a digital photo frame that can store hundreds of digital photos. with its 128GB storage capacity.

The 7-inch screen will display the stored pictures and change them depending on your setting. The frame supports HD pictures as well. The frame is priced at Rs. 3,395 and is a thoughtful gift for a loved one.

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December 4, 2015
Top 5 Best Looking Phones of 2015

Technology never ceases to surprise us and 2015 just proved this right. The year saw some brilliant smartphones being introduced to the market. Devices with high end specs, snazzy designs and all kinds of technological breakthroughs previously unencountered entered the tech circuit. Some handsets, however, were prettier than others, and we cannot help but talk about them in this top 5 of the most stylish smartphones this year.

1. Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge and S6 Edge+

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Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ is the company’s first big S series phone, as an add-on to the Galaxy S line of devices. The Galaxy S6 edge+ was designed to one up the iPhone 6 Plus in terms of specifications and hardware. But it did not simply stop there -the device is not only high on specs but the Galaxy S6 Edge and Edge+ with their curved screen and glass back are both a beauty to behold.

2. iPhone 6s and 6s Plus (Rose Gold Variant):

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With iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, Apple did not make major design changes. In fact the only design change was that the new iPhones were heavier and thicker than their predecessors. Looks like the entire Bendgate-controversy did make Apple sit up and listen. The one design change that Apple did introduce, however, was a new colour variant -the rose gold.

Though the Apple device is not the only device to offer a rose gold variant, another example being that of Huawei’s Mate S, it’s definitely one of the most popular. Before the Apple haters get started -it is not us but the market which affirms this -the rose gold variant was the most pre-ordered version of the new iPhones.

3. Moto X Style and Moto X Pure:

The versions of these two smartphones that launched in India did not fare too well on the looks front. But the Moto Maker available outside India allows you to customise you device in great detail. From the back to the front, to the colour and texture and feel -pretty much all of it can be altered and modified depending on the taste of the user. Moto Maker has not arrived in India yet, but if sources are to be believed, it should be here soon. Looks like the day when you get to lay your hands on a customised Moto X Pure or Style in India is not far.

4. OnePlus X

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OnePlus X was the company’s second device launched this year, closely preceded by OnePlus 2. OnePlus X was a bit of a downer in terms of performance and user interface, but that did not keep it from becoming one of the best phones in the price bracket. It’s also a very pretty looking phone with its slim and light body, very reminiscent of iPhone 4s. Despite its glitches with SD card and camera software, OnePlus X manages to do well solely based on looks.

5. HTC One A9

This device received a lot of hate and became a topic of great discussion owing to its iPhone-‘inspired’ design. Having said that, One A9 is indeed a very impressive looking smartphone for the metal unibody frame is a winner no matter which brand sports it. The curved edges and glass screen gives the device a premium look. The team behind the design of the One A9 have stated that great amount of time and attention has gone into its design, which does feel true.

December 4, 2015
Yu Announces Cyanogen And Android Updates for Yuphoria

Yuphoria has announced that the 12.1 Cyanogen update would start rolling out starting today, along with Android 5.1.1 Lollipop and software version: YOG4PAS47N. The update will be rolled out in phases over the coming two weeks and include features like app drawers and folders redesigned to enhance accessibility.

LiveDisplay would be able to adjust the screen based on environmental conditions and Calendar Together with Email would let the user share availability and schedule appointments. Additionally, the company also promises an enhanced and smoother user interface, along with substantially increased support of codecs for video and audio playback

December 4, 2015
Xiaomi To Roll Out Marshmallow Update For the Mi 4 and Mi Note Soon

Android 6.0 Marshmallow has been making the rounds pretty efficiently and is now expected to reach Xiaomi’s Mi 4 and Mi Note very soon. This piece of information was revealed in a Weibo post by Xiaomi’s MIUI operations manager.

Xiaomi Mi 4

If this does happen, then the Mi 4 and Mi Note would be the first of Xiaomi’s devices to receive the Marshmallow update. Further reports also suggest that the update will not bring a change to the company’s interface.

Mi Note Pink Edition

The Xiaomi Mi 4 flaunts a 5 inch 1920 x 1080 pixels IPS display and is powered by a 2.5 GHz Quad-core Snapdragon 801 processor paired with 3 GB of RAM. The handset gets in juice from a 3,080mAh battery.

The Mi Note flaunts a 5.7-inch 1080p display, is powered by a Snapdragon 801 processor and comes with 3 GB RAM. The phablet is available in 16 and 32 GB variants and is fueled by 3000mAh battery.

December 4, 2015
OnePlus 2 Goes on Sale Without Invite Starting Tomorrow

OnePlus fans rejoice. The much-hated invite system will end starting tomorrow – for the OnePlus 2 smartphone. Yes, you will no longer need an invite to get your hands on the OnePlus 2, the company stated in its forum. The open sale begins on December 5 at midnight with both the OnePlus 2 and the OnePlus X up for grabs. However, the OnePlus X will get to enjoy this freedom until the 7th of December.

We know that the invite system was OnePlus’ way to control demand and supply. This strategy has been employed quite well initially. So much so that the company managed to sell around 30, 000 handsets of the OnePlus 2 in China within 64 seconds of the launch. The numbers for reservation slowly hit millions. Yet the company continued with the invite system even after supply overtook demand.

The decision to rid the invite system for the OnePlus 2 comes at a time when demand for the device is seeing a fall. Certainly, OnePlus has an excess of stock at the moment, which is one of the reasons the company has been keeping a number of open sales lately as well as sending out invites repeatedly. Not only is it trying to push out its handsets, but it’s also trying to sell its accessories as well with heavy discounts.

In a blog post, OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei also stated that the company will be giving discounts on accessories and covers. Owners of a OnePlus smartphone will get 90 percent off on all accessories for their devices.

However, the decision to go invite-free doesn’t mean that it won’t suffer from stock shortage. If demand does pick up, it might just slow down the time it takes to get the phone into your hands. For example, the 16GB OnePlus 2 is currently out of stock and it’s not clear when it will return.

“The invite system has been crucial to letting us scale our operations and has given our fans a unique way to share OnePlus with the people in their lives,” writes Pei. “But we are always trying to enhance the OnePlus experience for you and taking risks to push ourselves and show real improvements. That’s why we’re making the OnePlus 2 invite-free… forever.”

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. The device is currently priced at Rs. 24,999 (64GB). So, for those who have been eager to get their hands on the OnePlus 2, the wait ends tomorrow.

Additionally, if you’re in the market for the OnePlus X, you will be able to purchase it without an invite until December 7. The 16GB OnePlus X (Onyx) is currently priced at Rs. 16,999.

Source

December 4, 2015
Google Now Lets You Hear and Reply to Messages With Voice Command

Google Now has come out with yet another feature that will allow you to ask to hear your last messages and then proceed to give them to you.

The voice command “show me my last messages” will lead Google Now to list your newest five SMS messages. It would first ask if you wish to hear them, followed by if you wish to reply to them. However, the user has to word the command either as “show me my last messages” or “show me my latest messages” for Google Now to decipher it correctly. A variation of these two manners might lead Google Now to simply open your Gmail messages and leave it at that.

Additionally, this feature only works with carrier SMS messages. It is pretty much useless for Google Voice for SMS as of now. But if you use carrier SMS, it doesn’t care much for the default SMS app and should work with anything.

December 4, 2015
HP to Work on High-End Tablets Priced Similar to Apple iPad

HP Slate 7 came out in 2013 and since then the tablet-business for the company has not been too smooth. HP had aimed to increase sales by keeping the prices low, but that couldn’t work for the company. The manufacturer decided to modify its tactics this year, the Cyber Monday sale being an example. This year, HP conducted a liquidation sale to sort out the inventory of its low-priced slate-tablets.

Additionally, HP has split itself into two companies -one aims at enterprises, the other at consumers. Tablets for “business mobility” will now be part of production of the company. President of Personal Systems at HP, David Coughlin says the tablets will now aim at retail, education and health care.

“We are going to focus where there is profitability and growth and will not chase the low-end tablet market. We are focusing on business mobility to deliver tablets built for field service, education, retail and healthcare,” says David Coughlin

As HP got rid of pretty much most of it low-range tablets, the tablets still on the website have similar price tags as iPads. HP Envy 8 Note are two consumer tablets available on the website. They feature an Intel Atom chipset and are priced at $329 and $429 respectively. These tablets are further equipped with a stylus controlled interface.

iPad Pro with the Apple Pencil

The lowest price tablets by HP are two variants of the HP Slate 8 which include an 8-inch device powered by Snapdragon 801 along with Android 5.0 pre-installed. These tablets are priced at $469 and $499.

December 4, 2015
Motorola Spotlight is How Google Revolutionised Art and Technology

Back in 2013, Motorola and Google together came out with Spotlight Stories – a interactive medium to tell stories which puts users inside an animated featurette. The user would have to turn and tilt their phone in all directions and angles to let the story unfold, and follow the character on its journey.

The first Spotlight Story was Windy Day in October, 2013, followed by Buggy Night in 2014, for Moto X phones.

https://youtu.be/Fa0so7mjS_s

Google got on-board the most talented and brilliant team for the first two installments of Spotlight. The director for the films was Jan Pinkava, creator and co-director of Ratatouille, and veteran animator Mark Oftedal -the animator of films like Toy Story and A Bug’s Life.

The third Spotlight Story, Duet, which came out in 2014, completely outdid the previous Stories as French animator Glen Keane provided the most breathtaking film so far.

With these three films Google had revolutionised story-telling and art by fusing it with technology. Mobile graphics processors now not only rivaled the capabilities of video game consoles such as that of PS3 and Xbox 360, but also put the tech to a very interactive use for the average smartphone owner. Gone were the days of the primitive world of Candy Crush and Angry Birds.

Don’t believe us? Take a look at the Glen Keane film below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qnQqXr838E

“…with Duet we learned to coax rather than control. Because of the nature of this virtual world technology there were no individual shots cut together. It is all one continuous living moment. I think of it less as a traditional film and more as a visual poem,” explains Keane.

The Story can be viewed in its interactive form on the Moto X, Moto X (1st Gen.), Moto G (2nd Gen.) and Moto G 4G LTE. Take a quick look at what it’s like to follow a Spotlight Story.

https://youtu.be/VAJXkZ0WB_o

The interactive element of the Stories makes sure they last for as long as the user desires. The amount of time they want to spend exploring the world of Spotlight Stories directly determines how long the film will run for. The more the camera is moved, the longer the story will last. Thus, there is not only an element of physicality, but also direct involvement on the part of the viewer, who is now also the story-teller.

This mobile-specific story-telling experience however did not go down too well with all users. The internet saw its own set of frantic questions about disabling Spotlight Stories. But there will always be haters now, isn’t it?

December 4, 2015
Yahoo Relaunches Messenger, Attempts to Take on Facebook

Yahoo announced today that it’s launching an entirely new Messenger platform on mobile, web and within Yahoo mail that is faster, smarter and better than ever before. You may remember that Yahoo Messenger did exist many years ago, much before WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger took over the world. Yahoo is back and wants to level the playing field a little – and it has the app to do so.

Yahoo Messenger introduces a whole bunch of new and unique features. Like on WhatsApp, you can name each conversation group like maybe one for “drinking buddies” and another for “office peeps”. Anyone in the group can add another chat buddy.

But messaging isn’t the only thing the app boasts off. One of the highlights of Yahoo Messenger is photo sharing that unlike any other messaging service today. Since Yahoo owns Flickr, it was able to harness the latter’s powerful photo management platform.

“In most messaging apps, you have to decide between quality or speed,” explained Austin Shoemaker, senior director of product management for Yahoo Messenger to Engadget. iMessage, for example, allows you to send high-res photos, but it takes awhile to do so. WhatsApp, on the other hand, downgrades images in order to send them quicker. “But we thought: Why not have both?”

“The new Yahoo Messenger achieves both speed and quality by streaming photos into the conversation,” explains Shoemaker. “A small preview of the photo is uploaded and appears in the conversation. The original photo is then uploaded in the background.”

Moreover, if you send multiple photos at once, they’ll be displayed horizontally underneath the message rather than vertically as is the case with mostly all messaging services out there. On the new Yahoo Messenger, you can simply swipe through the photos from left to right. This way, Shoemaker says, you can view the photos while remaining in the context of the conversation.

But that’s not all Yahoo Messenger does. You can also send GIFs, similar to Facebook’s Messenger service. Yahoo Messenger also pulls an Instagram where you can double tap to ‘like’ or ‘heart’ a message. Finally, and this might just win heart here, you can also ‘unsound’ a message. if you sent a photo that you regret, you can easily delete it from the thread later on and it’ll be wiped from the conversation history. And this rule stands not just for photos but for messages and GIFs as well.

The Yahoo Messenger app is available on Android and iOS starting today. Though it will take some time for the app to be made available everywhere.

December 3, 2015
YU Yutopia Launch Pushed Back to December 17

Those eagerly awaiting the new YU Yutopia launch will have to wait a little more. Micromax’s YU Televentures was originally planning to launch the phone on December 7, but has now pushed the date back. YU Televentures’ Rahul Sharma tweeted that the ‘most powerful phone’ will now launch on December 17.

.@YUplaygod Hold your excitement, as we plan to announce something special with YUTOPIA. The most powerful phone now launches on 17th Dec

— Rahul Sharma (@rahulsharma) December 2, 2015

The company has been teasing the device’s capabilities on social media for a while now, posting images taken by Yutopia’s camera. The reason behind the delay, according to the company’s spokesperson, is that they have two smartphones lined up for release and decided to hold a single event for it. No word yet on what the mysterious second device will be.

Follow this space for more on the upcoming launch event.

December 3, 2015
Microsoft Surface Phone to Launch Next Year

A report has emerged clearing the cloud of rumours around a Microsoft Surface Phone -by stating it will be launched in the second half of 2016. Surface head Panos Panay and his team of engineers, the same team which worked on Surfce Pro tablet line, will be responsible for the design of the phone.

The phone will run on Windows 10, and is expected to arrive in May. If previous speculations are to be believed, the Microsoft Surface Phone is expected to be more productivity-oriented instead of specs.

Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft

The device will be a Microsoft flagship, and according to some sources, could be powered by a Snapdragon 820 chipset. Others suggest it would be something much more powerful than the current Qualcomm Snapdragons. The advanced cooling technique of Lumia 950 XL will also be made part of the Surface Phone.

Many believe that the reason Microsoft is not putting in too much effort in a widespread US release of the Lumia 950 and 950 XL is because of Microsoft’s plans to bring out a Surface Phone soon. This could be a reason why the company isn’t investing too much in marketing its new flagships. Watch this space for updates.
Source: Windows Central

December 3, 2015
Samsung Unveils Updated Galaxy A7, A5 and A3 Devices with Metal Bodies

Samsung is back with its updated A-series of devices. The Korean giant unveiled its mid-range Galaxy A7, A5 and A3 devices, which feature OIS and fingerprint sensor.

The updated devices will come with a bunch of new features and specs.The A7 sports a 5.5-inch AMOLED screen with 1920 x 1080p resolution and a 1.6 GHz octa-core processor, 3GB of RAM and 16GB internal storage and 3,300mAh Fast Charging battery.

On the camera front, the A7 features a 13MP primary camera with f/1.9 aperture and OIS. The front camera also features an f/1.9 aperture.

The A5 upgrades to 5.2-inch AMOLED screen with 1080p resolution. 2GB RAM and 16GB storage, octa-core processor and bumps the battery to 2,900mAh as well, 13MP primary camera with OIS and a 5MP front.

Finally, the smallest of the lot, the Galaxy A3, comes with a 4.7-inch AMOLED screen and 720p resolution. The device also features 1.5GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage. The A3 is the only device among the three that won’t feature a fingerprint scanner.

The device also bumps up the rear camera to 13MP with a 5MP front, with both having f/1.9 apertures (no OIS here, though). Follow this space for more on Samsung’s A-series launch. Follow this space for more on Samsung’s A-series launch.

December 3, 2015
Nexus Devices to Get Android Update with New Emoji Next Week

Good news for all Nexus users -stock Android Nexus devices are all set to receive an update as well as new emoji next week. Android’s Hiroshi Lockheimer announced on his Twitter handle that the new emoji will require a “new keyboard, new font, new code”. This, in turn, means a new system update is very much on its way. These designs will be part of the Unicod 8.0 standard, already been incorporated by Apple iOS 9.1

Look! New emoji coming to #Nexus next week. Fonts and tech details shared with OEMs to include in their updates too. pic.twitter.com/GwvKw2d67p

— Hiroshi Lockheimer (@lockheimer) December 3, 2015

However, those without a Nexus phone will have to wait longer for the update to arrive. Lockheimer stays mum on other new features and says he doesn’t want to “spoil all the surprises.”

Get prepared for new emoji -a lion, crab and unicorn -next week if you own a Nexus device. As for Android users without a Nexus device, hang in there for a little bit longer and the update shall be soon on its way.

December 3, 2015