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Micromax Canvas 5 to Take On Devices by Motorola and OnePlus

With only a few hours left for the launch of the Micromax Canvas 5, speculations are high about the device. We expect it to fall under Rs. 20,000 and therefore take on handsets by Motorola and OnePlus that fall under a similar bracket.

The OnePlus X, launched on the 29th of October is priced at Rs. 16,999 for its entry level variant. Motorola’s Moto X Play, which was launched earlier this year in July, costs Rs. 18, 499 for its 16 GB variant and thus also falls within the same price bracket. Another Motorola device to provide competition to Canvas 5 is Moto G (3rd Gen) whose price starts at Rs. 11,999 for the 8 GB variant.

On the specs front, we expect Canvas 5 to have a 5.2-inch full HD screen, Corning Gorilla Glass 3, and a 3GB RAM. While some of the specs are similar to its predecessor, the Canvas 5 is expected to have improved where it needed to. The device is also likely to sport a slim and sleek design.

We’ll soon have all the specs and a detailed hands-on with the Canvas 5. Watch this space for more.

November 4, 2015
Rumour: Apple to Launch a 4-inch iPhone Early Next Year

Ming-Chi Kuo, a reliable Apple analyst has shared a note today which suggests the launch of a 4-inch iPhone early next year. Kuo says the company is working on a 4-inch handset likely to make an appearance in the first half of 2016.

Unofficial render of the iPhone 7

The phone, the analyst says,“resembles an upgraded iPhone 5s”. The new device is going to be different from its predecessors in many ways. Unlike the plastic body of iPhone 5c, Apple is likely to opt for an all-metal body this time, while also ditching 3D Touch. However, the iPhone will also feature an A9 processor. Post a launch early in 2016, about 20-30 million units will be ready for shipment by the end of next year.

When it comes to iPhone 7, Kuo believes that Apple will pretty much remain consistent with its pattern of the third quarter release of the iPhone. Both the 4.7 inch and the 5.5 inch iPhone 7 variants are expected to come equipped with the A10 chip, along 2 GB and 3 GB of RAM respectively.

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November 4, 2015
Facebook Wants Some Employees to Switch from iPhone to Android

According to reports, Facebook employees simply have too much love for the iPhone. So much so that the company’s chief product officer Chris Cox is forcing some employees to shift to Android. The reason behind this is that Facebook needs to know how its social networking site is doing across all platforms and not just on high-end iOS devices.

According to Cox, Facebook workers need to be “reporting bugs and living in the same experience that most Facebook users experience today,”

Facebook’s primary goal is to enter as many markets as it can. This means that the company has to tailor its software for every platform emerging across devices both advanced and old. Facebook is also keen on entering markets in developing nations where internet speeds are slow and older devices are still commonplace.

“I am mandating a switch of a whole bunch of my team over to Android, just because people, when left up to their own devices, will often prefer an iPhone.”

iPhone might be popular in some countries like the U.S., U.K .,and China but Android still dominates globally with around 82% of smartphones on Android’s operating system. Furthermore, the Android devices range from low-end to high-end. Thus, in order to study how Facebook functions in Android, employees will need to have a hand-on experience with it.

The seriousness of Facebook’s aspirations is also understood when this news is clubbed with last week’s decision to have ‘2G Tuesdays’. The new initiative will see employees work for one hour ever Tuesday on 2G connections. This will give employees an “opportunity to experience for themselves the slow mobile Internet speeds found in developing countries.”

November 3, 2015
Daniel Craig Refused $50 Million Android Product Placement in ‘Spectre’

A James Bond movie is a hotbed for product placements. That’s because Bond himself has a rich taste when it comes to cars, watches and everything else and only prefers the luxurious side of life. Bond films are characterized by Aston Martin cars, Rolex and Omega watches and the latest in Q technology. So, there is no way that Bond would be caught with a phone that does not keep with his image.

However, too much product placement can damage the image of the character as well. Which is why the latest James Bond flick, Spectre, has cut down on endorsing products. This also included not giving Bond a smartphone. Both Bond star Daniel Craig and director Sam Mendes refused offers by Sony and Samsung to have Bond stylishly carry their smartphone.

The offers that started with $5 million escalated to $50 million (Samsung’s offer). Samsung was additionally ready to pay $5 million to Craig for being seen using an Android phone in the movie with Samsung’s logo. However, both offers were rejected after judging the phones to be too lackluster for Bond.

“Beyond the $$ factor, there is, as you may know, a creative factor whereby Sam and Daniel don’t like the Sony phone for the film (the thinking, subjectively/objectively is that James Bond only uses the ‘best,’ and in their minds, the Sony phone is not the ‘best’),” wrote Andrew Gumpert, President of Worldwide Business Affairs and Operations for Columbia Pictures.

Another reason behind shunning Android could be because of its cheap image and notoriety for suffering security vulnerabilities like Stagefright that happened only a few months ago. This surely does not keep with the image of an international super-spy.

Spectre has surpassed Skyfall, the previous Bond film, in the opening week at the box office. The film has grossed $80.4 million in UK alone. The movie will hit theaters in India on 20th November.

November 3, 2015

Samsung Launches Galaxy On5 and On7 in India

Samsung’s newest mid-range ‘On’ series has officially launched in India. The On5 and On7 are the first set of devices in this group. We have been talking about it for a while and now we have all specifics and particulars for you.

Looking at the On5 first, the device sports a 5-inch (126.7mm) HD touchscreen display and is equipped with a 1.3GHz quad core processor under the hood. It features a 1.5GB RAM and an 8GB storage, a portion of which is occupied by the OS. On the camera front, the On5 has an 8MP primary camera with auto-focus and a 5MP front.

Samsung Galaxy On5 iGyaan 1 — Samsung Galaxy On5

Moving on to the On7 and you see a slightly bigger screen at 5.5-inch (138.6mm) HD display. The On7 runs on a 1.2GHz quad core Sanpdragon 410 processor and a 1.5GB RAM. The storage is the same as the On5 at 8GB and both are expandable up to 128GB via MicroSD card slot. Bith the devices are dual SIM. The On7 houses a 13MP primary camera with auto-focus and a 5MP front.

Samsung Galaxy On7 iGyaan 0 — Samsung Galaxy On7

Now, given that the On7 is the bigger of the two phones in terms of pricing, one would expect the processor to be better as well. But surprisingly that’s not the case. Furthermore, the specs and price of the On7 is quite similar to the Galaxy J5 except for a bigger battery in the On7 at 3,000mAh. This begs one to question why exactly Samsung felt the need to introduce a new series when it already had one that covered the price range.

The devices are touted as youth friendly and come an Ultra Data Saving mode that compresses data and saves up to 50% data charges for greater networking and browsing. The devices also come with RadioMix which is an Apple Music-like streaming service that lets you stream millions of songs and also offers curated music based on your preference.

The On5 is priced at Rs. 8990 while the On7 costs Rs. 10,990. The devices will be sold exclusively on Flipkart starting midnight tonight. Stay tuned for a detailed hands-on with both the devices. Till then, have a look at the specs table below.

Specs	Galaxy On5	Galaxy On7
Display	5.0-inch HD TFT	5.5-inch HD TFT
Resolution	1280 x 720 pixels	1280 x 720 pixels
Chipset	Exynos 3475	Snapdragon 410 MSM8916
CPU	1.3GHz Quad Core	1.2Ghz Quad A53
GPU
RAM	1.5GB	1.5GB
Primary Camera	8MP(F/2.2) w/ LED Flash	13MP(F/2.1) w/ LED Flash
Front Camera	5MP(F/2.2)	5MP(F/2.2)
Storage	8GB	8GB
Expandability	Up to 128GB via MicroSD card slot	Up to 128GB via MicroSD card slot
Battery	2,600mAh	3,000mAh
Connectivity	Bluetooth 4.1, WiFi b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct, GPS, Glonass	Bluetooth 4.0, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, GPS, Glonass, Beidou, NFC O (option)
Operating System	Android 5.1.1 Lollipop	Android 5.1.1 Lollipop
Price	Rs. 8,990	Rs. 10,990

November 3, 2015

Unboxing and Hands On : Samsung Galaxy On 5 and Galaxy On 7

Samsung has today launched two new handsets the On5 and the On7 in their ongoing efforts to take over the budget market. The handsets are not a lot different from their previous edition J series phones and appear to be identical in terms of design to last year’s design lineage for Samsung.

The Samsung Galaxy On5

The new Galaxy On5 is priced at Rs 7999 and is a younger sibling to the On7. While both handsets appear to be identical, there are a few major differences.

The On5 has a Exynos heart with 1.3 GHz on the clock, along with 1.5 GB of RAM. The display has a resolution of 1280x720px on the 5 inch glass. The main camera is 8 MP and the front camera is a 5 MP both with f2.2 lenses and 1920 x 1080p video capture.

The back has a soft touch plastic that mimics leather in look. The phone is capable of taking two 4G enabled sim cards along with expandability of upto 128 GB. The inbuilt storage on the phone is 8GB.

Samsung Galaxy On5

The UI is snappy and quick and not much more than you can expect from an Rs. 8000 phone. The camera app is also custom Samsung and offers many of the new app features, including PRO mode and quick launch.

The Samsung Galaxy On7

The On7 on the other hand has a larger 5.5 inch display albeit the same resolution at 1280 x 720p.

The chipset is completely different as the On 7 uses a Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 which is clocked at 1.2 GHz on 4 cores. 1.5 GB of RAM and 8 GB of storage complete in internals. A 3000 mAh battery powers the On 7 vs the 2600 mAh on the On 5.

The camera on the back gets a bump up to 13 MP ( actually 12.8 MP) along with a slightly improved f2.1 lens. The front captures 5 MP stills and both cameras capture 1080p video.

The On 5 and On 7 are identical in design and looks and are completely made from plastic parts. The extensive use of plastic makes them lightweight, however, cheapish looking.

With Micromax set to launch the next canvas tomorrow, waiting might be a good decision.

November 3, 2015
Samsung Galaxy J3 Passes FCC, To Launch Soon

It’s hard to keep up with the number of devices under Samsung’s belt. It seems like everyday sees a new Galaxy phone being launched. The company recently launched a new line of budget smartphones as the ‘On’ series. Now, Samsung is expected to come out with a successor to the J2 (which was launched in September this year), the Galaxy J3.

Early last month, the J3 was listed on GeekBench and has now passed the FCC. This means that the device could be made official soon. The certification documents only reveal that the device carries a model number of SM-J3109, and was tested for 2G, 3G, and LTE.

From what the GeekBench listing has told us, Samsung’s Galaxy J3 sports a 5-inch 720p display and is powered by a Snapdragon 410 SoC with 64-bit Cortex-A53 CPU. The handset comes with a 1GB RAM and 8GB internal storage, which is expandable, an 8MP primary camera and 5MP front. The phone will run on Android 5.1.1 Lollipop.

November 2, 2015
Apple Rumour: iPhone 7 to Have OLED Display

iPhone 7 is still a year away, but that has not stopped the rumour mill working day and night to bring you every little piece of speculated news. Earlier, there were rumours that the upcoming flagship device from Apple will lose the home button. Now, we have fresh rumours regarding the screen of the iPhone 7.

According to AppleInsider, the iPhone 7 will sport an OLED display thereby giving up on LCD display that it has relied on so far. Apple followers will know that the Apple watch is the only Apple device to sport an OLED display currently. In 2013, Tim Cook has expressed his distaste for the OLED displays calling them “awful” when it came to colour saturation.

However, it looks like Tim Cook may have changed his opinion now. One reason behind this change could be that OLED displays have improved considerably since they were first introduced. OLED offers a deeper black and can do without a backlight, which means that devices can be slimmed down. It is clear that Apple will look to make it’s upcoming flagship sleeker, slimmer, and perhaps wider than its predecessors, and an OLED display will certainly help with that.

Concept

As of now, LG has been supplying Apple with OLED displays for the Apple Watch and will probably do so for the upcoming iPhone as well. Meanwhile, Samsung is also trying to become a supplier for Apple’s wearable device and reports suggest the Korean manufacturer also wants to supply displays for the iPhone 7 and has already shown some sample OLED display panels for Apple to consider.

Samsung’s OLED displays have been praised over the past few year while Apple’s displays have been wanting. Switching from LCD to OLED will undoubtedly give users a better visual experience with the iPhone 7. Apple has yet to confirm the reports. A concept video of the iPhone 7 was posted by FreeMind. The actual device may be far from it, but the concept does look good. Follow this space for all the latest news on the iPhone 7.

November 2, 2015
Android M Update to Roll Out for Honor Phones in February 2016

Huawei’s latest update is likely to get Honor users excited. The company has announced February 2016 as the time when Android Marshmallow 6.0 would be available as an update for Honor handset owners. Huawei made the announcement on its Twitter India handle.

Coming soon! Starting February 2016, we will be rolling out Android M to honor phones. pic.twitter.com/BN3gwPqs6g

— Honor India (@HiHonorIndia) November 1, 2015

However, the company is yet to announce when will this update be made available for other Huawei phones other than Honor. Looks like Huawei is busy basking in the success of Nexus 6P, the first Nexus device by the company.

In other news, Huawei is expected to hold an event on the 5th of November which could mark the announcement of its new chipset, Kirin 950. There could also be the announcement of the Huawei Mate 8, the first phone by the company which runs on this chipset. Watch this space for more news about the company.

November 2, 2015
Drones and 3D Printers Soon to be Used For Delivering Post in Australia

Postal services in Australia are all set to get more tech-savvy with the help of 3D printers and drones. While Third World countries like India still struggle with basic technology, Australia is all set to incorporate sci-fi Hollywood-like gadgets in their postal system.

The CEO of Australia Post, Ahmed Fahour, said the service is discussing its plans with online retailers to make drones available in regional communities. As part of the same plans, 3D printers will also be installed in Post offices. Fahour commented,

“Some things you want, like household items, could be printed right there and then rather than waiting for it. This is the new world, the technological revolution as opposed to the industrial revolution.”

A fund of 14 million USD has been to set up to provide finances for these plans. They would be provided by the Melbourne Accelerator Programme of University of Melbourne, an initiative for entrepreneurs.

Drones have earlier been seen in Prime Air program of Amazon. The ones to be introduced in Australia will be similar to those and will be able to carry packages weighing up to 2 kilograms. GPS and back-up motors will be some of the technology they’ll come equipped with, to be able to deliver the package on the right address.

November 2, 2015
Micromax Launches Canvas Mega E353 with 5.5-inch Display

Micromax today launched a new smartphone, called Canvas Mega, that is priced at Rs. 8,320. The phone is available online and offline at select retailers. Micromax and Intex have been at loggerheads to claim the second top spot in the Indian market.

The Canvas Mega sports a 5.5-inch display with HD resolution. It is powered by a 1.4GHz MediaTek octa-core processor with 1GB of RAM and 8GB interns storage expandable up to 32GB via MicroSD card slot.

Other features of the Canvas Mega include a 13MP primary camera and a 5MP front, a 2,820mAh battery, and dual SIM. It also comes with the usual connectivity features that include 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, and Micro USB 2.0 port. For a phone below Rs. 9000 the Canvas Mega isn’t the greatest device in the block.

The Coolpad Note 3, for example, is one f the better phones under Rs. 9000. It offers 3GB of RAM and 3,000mAh battery. The front and back cameras are similar to the Canvas Mega, but supposedly capture better photos.

Diwali is nearing and the shopping spirit is in the air. So those looking for a phone below the Rs. 9,000 range can add Micromax’s Canvas Mega to the list. The phone is listed on Flipkart currently with no information regarding the official launch.

October 31, 2015
HTC One M9e Launched in China With One A9’s Camera

Adding to the fray of HTC’s complicated naming scheme, the company’s newest smartphone HTC One M9e (phew!) has been launched in China. Notice the presence of the ‘e’ here as opposed to the previous One M9, the M9+, the One E9, the E9+ and so on.

This device seems to be a hybrid of M9 and A9 with a 13 MP OIS camera and 1080p recording, minus 4K. The smartphone further incorporates the OneM9+ chipset -the MediaTek MT6795T Helio X 10. This is a step up from the Snapdragon 617 in the One A9 and therefore is capable of 2160p video recording.

HTC has equipped this phone with a 13 MP rear camera and an UltraPixel 4 MP front camera. M9e runs on the older Android 5.0 Lollipop featuring HTC sense. On the RAM front One M9e is marked at 2 GB and comes with 16 GB of storage.

In terms of display, the handset is marked at 5 inches with an 1080p screen. The aluminium unibody of M9e supports a single SIM. Connectivity options for One M9e include 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1, and MicroUSB 2.0.

HTC One M9e is priced at CNY 2,700 ($425 or close to Rs. 28,000). Though it has been launched in China, it is unclear when will it be made available in other countries.

October 31, 2015
Google Targets College Audience As It launches a New Chat App

Google has launched a new app called “Who’s down”, which takes its hangouts concept to another level. Not a much higher level though, just a small step up. What we know so far about this app is that it is currently an invite-only app and is restricted to college students. It allows people who are interested in similar things to ‘group up’ and chat on the app.

The app does not require you to sign up with an academic email address, however, it does ask you which college you are from before joining the wait list. Google is clearly trying to expand into the social media sphere in small ways and yet trying to make a its mark. Targeting college students specifically seems to be quite a good business strategy since most of them, especially the freshers, are hooked to their smartphones all day.

Design wise it is typically Google with its blue-white design scheme. Function wise, first you move the slider that indicates you are online or ‘down’ to meet people, then you type in an activity you would like to do or just select an option from the drop down list. Once you’ve voiced your intent, the app will wait for people to respond. The app will eventually notify you if a good number of people respond to your request. The chats that happen in this chat room will automatically get deleted after 24 hours.

This seems like quite an intrinsically thought out app for Google. However, chat rooms and chatting apps aren’t concepts that are so new that nobody else can make it. So, until then, let’s just hope that Google’s pretty interface keeps us hooked.

October 31, 2015
Leaked Images Reveal Details of Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 2 Pro

Xiaomi is reportedly working on a ‘Pro’ version of its recently release Redmi Note 2. A few days ago some leaked images of the upcoming device revealed a sleek, all-metal body as well as a fingerprint scanner. A new leaked image straight from China shows a clearer view of the metal back.

As rightly suggested, the Redmi Note Pro will have a metal body and it will be the first Xiaomi device to feature a fingerprint scanner. The sensor will be just below the the camera and LED flash on the back. You will also notice a speaker at the bottom while the power and volume buttons will be on the right side.

In terms of hardware specs, this model is expected to come with the same specs as seen in the Redmi Note 2. The Redmi Note 2 Pro will likely sport a 5.5-inch touchscreen, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 808 chipset, and at least 2GB of RAM and 16GB of built-in storage with a 3,060mAh battery. On the camera front, the device will likely feature a 13 MP primary camera and a 5 MP front.

With an all-metal design, the Redmi Note 2 Pro can be expected with a price slightly higher than the Note 2, but still in the budget friendly zone nevertheless. The Redmi Note 2 has proved exceptionally successful in China due to its $150 price tag, making it one of the bestselling smartphones in the market currently.

Nothing is official as of yet so the leaks and rumours should not be considered the final word on the Xiaomi device Watch this space for more Note 2 Pro updates.

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October 31, 2015
HTC Desire 728 to Launch in India Soon

HTC recently launched the One A9, but it will be a while before the phone hits the Indian market. In the meantime, you may be interested in the HTC’s Desire 728G that is set to arrive in Indian stores soon.

The news comes from a Mumbai-based retailer that says that the device will be priced at Rs. 17,990. The HTC Desire 728G is a variant of the 728 that was launched in China recently.

The device comes with expected mid-range specs such as a 1.3GHz MediaTek octa-core processor paired with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage expandable up to 2TB via MicroSD card slot.

The handset will also feature a 13 MP primary camera and a 5 MP front camera with 1080p video recording capabilities, a 2,080 mAh battery, and will run on Android 5.1.1 Lollipop. Other connectivity features include dual-SIM card slots, 4G LTE support, Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.1 and GPS.

No further details on the exact date of launch have been revealed yet. Let us know if you’re interested in the Desire 728 or would rather hold out for the One A9 in the comments below.

October 31, 2015