One of the most futuristic innovations till date, Project Ara, set tongues wagging all across the world due to its sheer concept. The fact that one could have a smartphone with detachable components that can be replaced, seemed novel and right out of a sic-fi movie. However, once Google took this initiative under its belt, there was no looking back.
Although, we were all waiting for this lego like phone to hit the markets starting in Puerto Rico, this year, it looks like we are going to have to wait at least another year. A launch Puerto Rico might not happen at all. Reports suggest that the prototyping phase of the phone has taken longer than was expected and Google is now looking at locations in the United States to launch the phone.
The successful Google Hangouts has now been given its very own space by Google. As of last evening, the messaging service will not be restricted to just Google+ and Gmail. You can just go to hangouts.google.com to start talking.
The site puts Hangouts’ three key features — instant messaging, voice calls, and video chats — front and center, with big buttons to start up each of them. Thus, this change is going to allow every type of user to be on hangout in comparison to just those, who were always on Gmail and could hence use the facility.
It is natural for Google to have invested their time into giving Hangouts its own web service and a modern design. There are a large number of people using Google accounts and it only made sense for the company to pick up on that and make it easier and convenient for everybody, just like Facebook did, by separating its messenger.
The Verge stated that the Hangouts app has been overhauled on both iOS and Android, bringing it up to date with Google’s Material Design style and making the service a bit easier to use. So now, anyone can use Hangouts in any manner they wish, without its strings being attached to Gmail or Google+.
The Redmi Note 2 turned out to be a huge success in China, soon after its launch last week. Xiaomi claimed to have sold 800,000 units in just 12 hours, which set a new record for the company. With this success riding on their backs, one would assume that the device will launch in India as well, however, the company stated that it had no such plans.
Unfortunately, for Indian fans, Xiaomi has run into some legal tussles and hence, will refrain from launching the Note 2 in India. The Redmi Note 2 and Redmi Note 2 Prime run on MediaTek’s Helio X10 chipsets and hence Ericsson filed a patent infringement lawsuit against the Chinese company, barring it from launching a device that boosted Xiaomi’s success rate. However, the court has allowed the company to sell devices running on Qualcomm’s silicon.
A Xiaomi spokesperson commented:
We are continuously evaluating new products that can be launched in India. But, as of now we do not have plans to launch Redmi Note 2 in India.
The case was filed because of Ericsson’s Standard Essential Patents for wireless technology standards like GSM, Edge and 3G. Ericsson is supposed to licence their patents under the FRAND (Free Reasonable and Non-Discriminatory) terms. However, they claim that Xiaomi did not pay them any royalty before or after using technology innovations that were covered under their patents.
We hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it looks like all Redmi Note 2 fans are going to have to wait a while or look for other options.
An Apple iPhone prototype has reportedly been created, and the new device is said to come with a tri-core CPU on the Apple A9, a single-core number of 1811 and a multi-core score of 4577. These statistics are more than the HTC One M9, out of water.
More reports by Geekbench reveal that the iPhone 6S might have 2GB of RAM with a tri-core CPU running at 1.5 GHz.
The iPhone 6S and 6S Plus are said to release on the 9th of September 2015. Stay tuned for more updates like these.
Meizu, one of China’s top 10 smartphone brands, is said to be soon launching a new product in India on the 26th of August 2015.
Reports suggest that this new product could be the MX5 smartphone which was announced in China back in June this year. The expected pricing of this product is quoted as being in the sub-20,000 range.
The MX5 is priced at 260 euros (approx. Rs.18,826) with features such as – a 5.5 inch screen with an AMOLED captive touchscreen and a 20.7 MP camera and a 5MP front camera.
The MX5 is reportedly being closely followed by other Chinese vendors, especially OnePlus. As Kiranjeet Kaur, Research Manager with IDC’s Asia/Pacific MobilePhone team said:
“Key to the success of the Chinese vendors has been popular flash sales through online players such as Flipkart, Snapdeal and Amazon. At the same time, they also focused on bringing more 4G phones at affordable $100-150 price points which is left unattended by Indian and global vendors”.
It is yet to be seen whether India will be the new battlefield for Chinese vendors.
Telecom companies in India are putting us through a lot these days. If it’s not the ever increasing bills we face monthly, it’s the incessant call drops. We now know a trick for iPhone users that will help detect the amount of network you have, other than the signal bars. Field Test Mode makes things slightly easier.
How to initiate Field Test Mode on an iPhone:
1. Open the phone’s keypad, as if making a call.
2. Add *3001#12345#* and hit the call button.
3. Now on the top left corner you will see a number indicating your network strength.
If you hit the home button, the sign will return to signal bars. Here’s how you can retain the number:
Follow the earlier three steps. Once the page appears on your screen, hold your power button till “Slide to Power Off” comes on the screen. Release the power button, and hold the Home button until Field Test Mode quits. You can now tap on the signal bar, to switch between the bar and numbers. To opt out of this, you can simply restart your iPhone.
How to Read the Numbers : It’s simple – the lower the number, the more likely you are to experience bad signal. Anything lower than -110 is a problem, and anything above -80 is considered good. With this feature, you’re more likely to know when you would be experiencing problematic call drops.
The world in which we live in is now filled with technology. Perhaps, we cannot even imagine our lives without being connected to one another. But, what if you had no choice but to give up the comforts of technology and live in the 80’s era today?
This is what goes on in the small town of Green Bank, located in West Virginia. Green Bank falls within the National Radio Quiet Zone. It is possibly one of the quietest places in the world, where you won’t find any cell phone reception, no Wi-Fi, not even a radio or a television. However, this town is not technologically backward and here’s why.
The reason why Green Bank is cut off from the world in terms of Internet or any other digital form of communication, is because it is home to the world’s largest fully steerable radio telescope on earth – the Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope (GBT),which is operated by the National Radio Astronomy Observatory. The GBT is the reason this town is electromagnetically silent.
Radio telescopes work by identifying electromagnetic waves that come from distant galaxies. These signs are so faint that the slightest emission of radio waves from electronic gadgets can be in a conflict with the readings of the radio telescopes. For this reason, all cell phones, Wi-Fi, radio and other communication devices are banned. There are no cell phone towers for miles around; no music plays on the radio or soap performances on the television. Even petrol cars are not allowed because gasoline engines use spark plugs to ignite the fuel-air mixture, and electric sparks produce electromagnetic waves.
Almost all types of radio transmissions and individual electronic devices are banned here so that the powerful Green Bank Radio Telescopes can work without disturbance.
So, how is the lifestyle there?
With a population of just over 150, this tech-free life is somewhat a bliss. People are able to interact on a more personal level, without the existence of various technological devices. If one needs to use a phone, the now vintage, pay phone is readily available. However, the lack of awareness about modern technology could also have its downside.
Some of the residents are not even aware of the technological advances elsewhere in the world, after living under the shadow of the giant telescope for so long.
A short documentary has been made and uploaded on Seeker’s Network YouTube Channel, where journalist Laura Ling asks the principle scientist, Jay Lockman about the residents of Green Bank. He says:
“In a sense, I feel like I live in a little wonderland. Because we have this great science going on here. And I suppose that there are people that can’t imagine living without cellular service, but for most of human history, you know, we managed quite well. Think of it as living in 1980.”
Due to an electromagnetic free environment, people all around the world are slowly taking up residence here. Especially people suffering from electromagnetic hypersensitivity, a condition unrecognized by the scientific community in which exposure to electromagnetic fields is thought to trigger symptoms such as headache, fatigue, stress, sleep disturbances, rashes and muscle pain.
Watch the documentary below and be astounded by their mobile-free world.
Would you be able to survive in such a world? Let us know your thoughts in the comments, below.
The Apple iPhones seem to be very efficient in every respect, except for the fact that they do not ever come with a dual-SIM feature. This may or may not be a huge factor for many people, but there are a select few perhaps,s who would like to use just one phone for their work as well as their personal calls/messages/emails.
Kickstarter has the perfect solution to your problems, if you are in the latter category of users. They aim to launch a product called Piece that allow the iPhone 6 and other older iPhone models to handle two different SIMs on one phone.
The gadget is small enough to fit in a wallet, without jutting out and can connect to the iPhone via Bluetooth. It is said to have a slot for your second SIM and has a battery that lasts for up to 150 hours.
To activate this, there is a special iOS app that lets you manage the Piece SIM. This device also allows you to locate your handset when the two devices are more than 30 feet apart. So in case you forget to carry your Piece, your iPhone automatically beeps, in order to remind you that you’re forgetting something important and vice versa in case you leave your iPhone – then your Piece starts beeping.
The campaign has is around the corner and has already amassed a healthy amount of $35,000. The device is small and affordable at $70, that is, around Rs.4,533, and is said to start shipping sometime around September.
The Piece is also compatible with Android devices and will also release an Apple Watch App as soon as it crosses $100,000 in funding.
The Unpacked Event, saw the launch of two devices – the Galaxy Note 5 and the Galaxy S6 Edge+. The S6 Edge+ is the bigger and the edgier sibling to the glamorous Galaxy S6 Edge.
The Galaxy S6 Edge+ is noted to have a bigger display but yet is a smaller and more compact when compared to devices like the iPhone 6 Plus which have a smaller 5.5 inch display. The S6 Edge seemed to be the only premium look and feed Samsung device which even came close to the iPhone 6. But, with the S6 Edge+ it seems like that mission might have reached closer to its target, especially by excluding the expandable memory feature.
The device seems almost impeccable when it comes to its design – the S6 Edge had an aluminum frame and was protected by the Gorilla Glass 4 on both sides, this feature has been retained by the S6 Edge+ too. However, the new device looks sleeker with a display that extends up to the edges of the curved screen.
The S6 Edge had been applauded as being the first dual edged display smartphone and the S6 Edge+ continues to be applauded with a slight change of making the edges softer and thereby enhancing the visual appeal of the smartphone, the bigger stance of the phone allows for more display real estate.
Fast Wireless Charging
Samsung has kept most of the hardware intact loosing some pixel density to the larger display. However the LPDDR4 RAM sees a bump up to 4 GB and so does the battery by about 400 mAh.
The new S6 Edge+ features fast wireless charging, which is a mix of the fast charging seen on the S6 along with a new wireless charging standard developed by Samsung, which is said to fully charge the handset in about 120 minutes wirelessly.
SideSync
The S6 Edge+ along with Samsung’s new Galaxy Note 5 both support a new feature called SideSync which is much like Apple’s continuity however it goes further by letting you use your phone from the computer screen and share files. This feature is also said to work on both Windows and Mac platforms.
For a comparison between the specs, take a look at the spec sheet below:
Features
Galaxy S6 Edge
Galaxy S6 Edge+
Display
5.1 inches (1440X2560 pixels)
5.7 inches(1440X2560 pixels)
Processor
Exynos 7420
Exynos 7420
OS
Android OS, v5.0.2 (Lollipop), upgradable to v5.1.1 (Lollipop)
The Galaxy Note 5 is the newest Flagship for Samsung. The phablet category maker that changed everything for Samsung gets an overhaul, it also is a change in the way Samsung thinks design.
Last year the Note 4 was a Samsung first too, when the Phablet saw an Edge variant and a metal framed body construction. Learning heavily from that and the uber-success of the S6 in global markets, the Galaxy Note 5 is an all new metal and glass clad flagship for the company and prospective buyers will be pleased.
Samsung does also bring the flaws of the Galaxy S6 into the mix. Many have disliked the non removable battery and non expandable store on the Galaxy S6 and the Galaxy Note 5 also lacks in the same areas. Samsung brings an all new Gorilla Glass 4 front and back to the Note device, with coloured glass panels as seen on the S6 and S6 edge. Last year’s Note 4 took a more traditional Samsung approach of the leather look back panel seen on the Note 3 and Galaxy S5. This year the more premium looking Samsung Galaxy Note 5 will grab all the attention prior to the next iPhone launch, especially because that is what the company was gunning for.
Samsung seems to have liked what they did with the Galaxy S6 and the S6 Edge, as they bring the same Octacore chipset as on the S6 and S6 Edge onto the Note 5. The LPDDR-4 RAM and newer camera optics, all of which are shared by younger siblings the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge, have also been added to the Note 5 (the Note 5 gets 4 GB RAM). The Note 4 was run on Snapdragon chipsets, and with instability issues, Samsung chose not to use the Snapdragon chipsets and rather went with their own chipsets on the Note 5 as well.
The inclusion of colour options on the Note 5 means that Samsung is now targeting a wider array of prospective buyers, especially those who have loved the gold and blue variants on the S6. While the company had chosen a more traditional black and white approach last year with the Note 4.
This years Note 5 will also see cover options and accessories all of which are built to highlight and use features like the new S-Pen with ease.
The S-Pen is also new, with a click mechanism at the back that lets you easily mount and unmount the pen from the Galaxy Note 5. The S-Pen software features are also improved with a simpler UI and a dark scribble note mode which basically lets you scribble a note when the screen is turned off.
What is also new in the Note 5 when compared to Note 4 is Samsung Pay, a transaction system designed and made to run with virtually all credit card machines globally. This will currently be launched in the US and Korea and will later be available to the world.
Samsung Pay
Samsung has also added something that they call fast wireless charging into the mix with their new Galaxy Note 5. The Samsung Galaxy S6 supported fast charging via microUSB and wireless charging over various standards. Samsung claims to have combined these technologies and have launched a fast wireless charger, which in theory should also be backward compatible with the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge.
Feature
Galaxy Note 4
Galaxy Note 5
Display
5.7 inches with a Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen
Along with the Galaxy Note 5, Samsung has also launched the much awaited high-end Galaxy S6 Edge+, and we finally have all the official information.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Q-p-zkydLQ
The Galaxy S6 Edge+ has a 5.7” Quad HD Super AMOLED 2560 x 1440 (518ppi) dual edge screen and is protected by the Corning Gorilla Glass 4. The device runs on the Android OS, v5.1.1 (Lollipop) with an Octa core (2.1GHz Quad + 1.5GHz Quad), 64 bit, 14nm processor.
The device comes in two variants – 32GB and 64 GB both with a 4 GB RAM. The primary camera has a 16 MP, 2988 x 5312 pixels, optical image stabilization, autofocus, LED flash while the front camera has a 5 MP, dual video call, Auto HDR one.
Other connectivity features include Wi-Fi , dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot, a bluetooth v4.2, GPS and a nano-SIM.The S6 edge+ come with a non-removable Li-Ion 3,000mAh, fast charging both, wireless charging compatible with WPC and PMA and has been launched in various colours such as – White Pearl, Black Sapphire, Gold Platinum, Silver Titanium etc. The price of this product will be announced on the 19th of August 2015, along with the Galaxy Note 5.
Samsung has also announced the launch of its new smartwatch Gear S2 which will take place at the IFA Berlin Launch Event in early September. Watch this space for more updates and details.
Last year, when Samsung unveiled the Note 4 Edge at a pre-IFA event, the world was shocked. No one was expecting to see a phablet with a curved display. It stood out in the crowd for its unique screen, which extends and runs over onto the right side of the device. Unlike 2014, most of the details of this year’s Note were revealed before the official unveiling. We can finally fast forward through all the rumours and leaks and find out what the Note 5 is all about. Here is the official introduction to the Galaxy Note 5:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CppgLnNM1PE
The Note 5 was launched today in New York, at the Samsung Unpacked event along with the Samsung S6 Edge+.The Note 5 comes with a Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen and 16M colours, a 5.7 inches display with a 1440 x 2560 pixels, all protected by the Corning Gorilla Glass 4.
The phablet runs on the Android OS, v5.1.1 (Lollipop) with a Octa core (2.1GHz Quad + 1.5GHz Quad), 64 bit, 14 nm processor. It does not have an expandable microSD slot, but comes in two variants – 32GB and 64 GB, both with a 4 GB RAM. The S-Pen this time comes at the bottom of the phone with a spring system which makes accessing it a lot more fun.
In the photography section, the Note 5 comes with a 16 MP, 5312 x 2988 pixels, optical image stabilization, autofocus, LED flash primary camera and a 5MP front camera. Other connectivity features include, Wi-Fi 802.11, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot, the Bluetooth v4.2, with GPS and NFC support.
The Galaxy Note 5 has some very interesting features that allow you to perform various tasks such as signing documents with the S-Pen on your PDF directly, instead of having to print it out. The phablet also comes with some eye-catching accessories and colours such as the silver titanium, gold platinum, black sapphire and white pearl.
The Galaxy Note 5 is powered by a Non-removable Li-Po 3,000mAh, fast charging, wireless charging compatible with WPC and PMA battery. The INR will be available on the 19th of August. So keep watching this space for more details.
Lenovo has reported a rather gloomy fiscal report this year, regarding its PC and smartphone businesses. With the company struggling to keep up its numbers in the market it has decided to lay off about 10% of the company’s employees from its non-manufacturing sector.
Lenovo’s reported revenue is $10.7 billion, which is still lower than the $11.29 billion forecast. It has also been reported that Lenovo’s net income is 5% lower as compared to last year. This situation has led Lenovo to lay off 3,200 people and a total of 5% of Lenovo’s 60,000 staff.
The justification of this move, is to keep the company afloat and running. However, the interesting bit is, that Lenovo is also planning to use the profits earned to restructure the mobile business. It has plans to rethink its handsets and have only a few signature models.
Hence, Lenovo has asked Motorola to take charge of its mobile division. Reports also suggest that Lenovo’s CEO has written a letter to the employees urging them to better the company’s mobile business group and thinks that, with Motorola in charge of the mobile division and Lenovo in charge of the PC division, both companies should be able to bring Lenovo to the forefront, once again.
Xiaomi seems to be on a roll. Along with the launching of the MIUI 7 for China and the new Redmi Note 2, they have released a palm sized WiFi router too.
Known as the Mi WiFi Nano, it is the third of Xiaomi’s router collection that already consists of the Mi Wi-Fi (for enterprise use), Mi Wi-Fi Mini. This compact router comes at the delectable price of Rs. 800 and features 300m 802. 11n network and comes with external PCB antenna.
Other specifications include a micro USB port that allows the device to be powered by a power bank. It can run for 30 hours while being plugged to a 1000mAh Mi Power Bank.The router is available in an assortment of colour options such as black, white, yellow, pink and baby blue.
Xiaomi has unveiled the Redmi Note 2 in China, at its ongoing unveiling event, alongside the MIUI 7. The Redmi Note 2 come in two variants – the Redmi Note 2 priced at Rs.8,080 and the Redmi Note 2 Prime priced at Rs. 10,100 approximately.
The Redmi Note 2 comes with a 5.5-inch full HD (1920×1080 pixels) display powered by a 2GHz MediaTek Helio X10 octa-core 64-bit processor with a 2GB RAM and a 16GB internal storage; while the Redmi Note 2 Prime comes with a 2.2GHz MediaTek Helio X10 octa-core 64-bit processor with 2GB RAM, and a 32GB internal storage.
The Redmi Note 2 comes with a 13-megapixel Samsung/OV rear camera with f/2.2 aperture and 5-element lens and Phase Detection autofocus feature which helps the camera focus in 0.1 seconds. The front camera comes with a 5MP OmniVision selfie camera with Beautify mode. This device features a 3,060mAh battery, with connectivity options such as dual-SIM card slots, 4G LTE support, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, and runs on the Android Lollipop-based MIUI 7 out-of-the-box.
The phablet is said to be thinner and more compact than its predecessor – the Redmi Note 4G and is said to come in five colours – white, black, pink, brown, and light blue.
Here are the specifications:
Features
Redmi Note 2
Display
5.5-inch full HD
Resolution
1920×1080 pixels
Processor
2GHz MediaTek Helio X10 octa-core 64-bit
OS
Android Lollipop-based MIUI 7 out-of-the-box
Primary camera
13-megapixel Samsung/OV rear camera with f/2.2 aperture
Samsung seems to have liked what they did with the Galaxy S6 and the S6 Edge, as they bring the same Octacore chipset as on the S6 and S6 Edge onto the Note 5. The LPDDR-4 RAM and newer camera optics, all of which are shared by younger siblings the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge, have also been added to the Note 5 (the Note 5 gets 4 GB RAM). The Note 4 was run on Snapdragon chipsets, and with instability issues, Samsung chose not to use the Snapdragon chipsets and rather went with their own chipsets on the Note 5 as well.
