Category: Tech

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

Get a Hand On Experience Of the OnePlus 2 Using Your Ola App

Ola has announced its exclusive partnership with OnePlus 2 today. This initiative will be available on the Ola app across 5 cities, that include – Bengaluru, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai and Kolkata.

This partnership means, that all Ola users can request for a free OnePLus 2 experience at their doorstep, by clicking on the OnePlus 2 icon that will be live on the Ola app. Users can use this app to get OnePlus invites and freebies and a few lucky ones will also stand a chance to win the OnePLus 2 invites.

“This is the first time ever, that an on-demand platform in the country is bringing an exclusive experience for its users, with the new OnePlus 2. Users can request a OnePlus 2 experience at their doorstep within minutes, straight from their Ola app, with the same ease of booking a cab with one touch. We are excited about this partnership and look forward to our users experiencing the OnePlus 2 before anyone else does in the country.” – Sudarshan Gangrade, Vice-President – Marketing at Ola

This is not the first time that Ola has come up with innovative ways to engage with customers – just recently they went app-only and thereby increased their customer base. However, the app-only system is debatable, but this new collaboration seems like it could definitely help Ola expand their reach.

This initiative will be available on the 17th and 18th of August 2015 in Bengaluru and Chennai, 21st and 22nd in Mumbai and 25th and 26th in Kolkata and Delhi. So watch this space and mark your calendar.

August 11, 2015
Here’s How Force Touch Will Work on the iPhone 6s

Back in March, when Apple unveiled its new MacBook it brought out minor tweaks which would soon turn out to be major innovations of the future.

Along with the MacBook came the USB Type-C, their refined Battery tech and most importantly, Force Touch technology. It was the first time, the three elements had been introduced by a major commercial company.

Thanks to several leaks, it has now been confirmed that the next iPhone will also include some of these elements. We know that the trackpad of the MacBook uses the Force Touch, but how will it be implemented on the iPhone 6s?

Simply put, it is the mechanism which senses pressure. It is an entirely novel innovation that merges the previously released Multi-Touch with force sensors. That means besides sensing the multiple points of contact on your screen, the new feature can also gauge the amount of pressure put on each contact; detecting the subtle difference between the quantity of pressure imposed.

The current generation of MacBook’s use a ‘Diving Board’ design. The top part of the trackpad remains stable, any part of the lower end can be used to click or right click. The new Force Touch trackpad, gets four new sensors – allowing you to click using any part of the designated surface.

Here’s how the upcoming iPhone is expected to use the technology :

To enhance your music experience: Now, instead of clicking the actions button on the right side of each track listing, one can just deep press on the listing for a song and immediately options to add the song to your playlist or to listen to it later, will appear.

Shortcuts are said to become even shorter: The user can now apparently just press the phone on the app icon and be directly navigated to the Voicemail tab or even the Favourite or For You tabs.

Navigation can be simpler: With just a touch on the destination, one is said to be able to directly start navigating. So, instead of clicking on the navigation logo and then clicking another button to actually start navigation, one can get direct navigation with a single touch.

Some other features: One is said to be able to view or preview webpage links, address or contact names, maps, definitions to words etc directly, with the use of Force Touch.

Reports suggest that Apple plans to expand the Force Touch technology by incorporating it beyond their core apps and operating system for developers to be able to ship iOS 9 App Store apps. Apart from this, the new and rumoured 12.9 inch iPads are also said to feature the Force Touch.

The expected unveiling date of the iPhone and new iOS-based Apple TV is said to be on the 9th of September 2015.

Source: [tw-button size=”medium” background=”#07ABE2″ color=”” target=”_blank” link=”http://9to5mac.com/2015/08/10/force-touch-on-iphone-6s-revealed-expect-shortcuts-faster-actions-across-ios/”]9to5mac[/tw-button]

August 11, 2015
Future Tech: Scientists Take First Step Towards Developing 3D Mouse Cursor

Over the years, our knowledge about technology has become so vast that we can now create 3D holograms and programs to interact with us. We have mastered the fields of robotics and flying vehicles. But, all our advances have started with an ordinary single click. Yes, a single click of a mouse that hovers the cursor to our desired files and folders.

While most technology requires 3D modeling, the mouse cursor continued to play along the 2D frame. But now, advancing a step further into the 3D world, some scientists have developed techniques to enable computer cursors to interact in 3D for single or multiple users in both, local and remote, collaboration scenarios.

Unveiled at the SIGGRAPH 2015 conference in Los Angeles, researchers from the University of Montreal say the innovation of such technology would help designers to modify their creations in 3D at a whole new level.

Lead researcher Professor Tomas Dorta from the university’s school of Design, said:

Our new technology challenges the notion of what a cursor is and does.

Professor Tomas Dorta, explains that the cursor becomes a drawing and controlling plane. They explained that, for now, the technology uses a tablet to hover the cursor around in a 3D environment, but as time passes by, will soon be used in smartphones and smartwatches.

The team explained how the cursor selects objects in space. The users just sweep the 3D cursors through. Dora added that for manipulations of objects, the users can use signs and movements such as pinching and orientation.

Scientists have also stated that the technology would be able to be used in a wide range of fields like architecture, medicines and computer games.

For example, for an interior designer, while designing a room, they can test different furniture options according to the scale and even work on interior detailing.

This wasn’t a gimmicky rebirth of the cursor, it’s about rethinking how humans interact with computers as part of the creative process.

The technology has been named as Hyve-3D system and the 3D cursor and is supported by Univalor, the university’s technology commercialization unit and, Hybridlab Inc., a startup. Several patents are due for signing.

August 11, 2015
Report : Samsung Galaxy S7 to Come With a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 Chipset

Samsung has not even released its Galaxy Note 5and S6 edge+, and there are already leaks and rumours about the Galaxy S7.

According to reports, today in China, a document depicting an internal Samsung communication suggested that “Jungfrau”, which is rumoured to be the code name for the Galaxy S7, is being added to the company and along with it the “MSM8996” , which is the model number for the Qualcomm Snapdragom 820, as part of its software development plan for Android M.

This suggests that Samsung may be beginning to test the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 inside its next flagship. This also means that after the company’s usage of an Exynos silicon chipset throughout 2015, it is again planning on using Qualcomm chipsets for its devices.

Reports also say that Qualcomm’s new chip should be out in devices by the end of 2015.

August 11, 2015
Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 2 Leaked

The image of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 2, which is due for release soon, has been leaked, along with a picture of the box too. Latest reports suggest that the device will be priced at $177 (Rs.11,303 approx.)

The Redmi Note 2 is said to have been certified by the TENAA in China and that there will be two variants of this handset – a Snapdragon 615 SoC version, and a MediaTek MT6795 chipset version.

The other rumoured specifications include – a 5.5-inch 1080 x 1920 resolution screen, 2GB of RAM with 16GB of non-expandable storage, 13MP rear and a 5MP camera in front. The device measures 8.05mm thin and weighs 159 grams and comes with a 3100mAh battery and the Android 5.0.2 is pre-installed.

The Xiaomi Redmi is expected to be unveiled on the 13th of August 2015, along with the rumoured Xiaomi’s MIUI 7 UI and the Samsung’s Unpacked event in New york. Watch this space for more details.

Source: [tw-button size=”medium” background=”#07ABE2″ color=”” target=”_blank” link=”http://www.phonearena.com/news/Xiaomi-Redmi-Note-2-image-is-revealed-along-with-its-box-and-pricing_id72441″]Phone Arena[/tw-button]

August 10, 2015

This is One of the Cheapest 4G Enabled Smartphones You Can Buy Today

Phicomm has launched its second smartphone in India today, called the Energy 653, and priced it at Rs.4,999. This is in direct competition with the recently launched Micromax Canvas Xpress 2, which comes with a price tag of Rs. 5,999. The homegrown company at the time proclaimed that it had brought out the cheapest 4G enabled smartphone in the market.

Well, it didn’t take time before Phicomm took over its glory. Another one in the market with the same price tag, is the ZTE Blade Qlux, which also is LTE enabled.

The new smartphone, Energy 653, features a 5-inch HD (1280×720 pixels) display, and is powered by a 1.1GHz Snapdragon 210 quad-core processor, an Adreno 304 GPU chipset, and a 1GB of RAM. It also has an 8GB internal memory, expandable up to 64GB via microSD card.

The rear camera comes with an 8MP display with f/2.4 aperture and LED flash, while the front has a 2MP selfie camera. Connectivity options include dual-SIM card slots, 4G LTE support, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 and GPS with a battery of 2,230mAh. The device is run by the Android 5.1 Lollipop out-of-the-box and is currently, said to be the most affordable 4G LTE capable smartphone in India, along with an HD display.

On paper, it seems like quite a good deal for the price. Here are the full specifications:

Features	Phicomm Energy 653
Display	5-inch HD (1280×720 pixels)
OS	Android 5.1 Lollipop out-of-the-box
Processor	1.1GHz Snapdragon 210 quad-core processor
RAM	1GB
Storage	8GB internal memory, expandable to 64GB using a microSD card slot
Rear Camera	8MP display with f/2.4 aperture and LED flash
Front Camera	2MP selfie camera
Connectivity	dual-SIM card slots, 4G LTE support, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 and GPS
Battery	2,230mAh
Price	Rs.4,999

The Energy 653 is said to be exclusively available on Amazon India. Click here to buy now:

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August 10, 2015

Panasonic Launches Eluga Icon, Priced at Rs.10,999

Panasonic India is all set to launch its new smartphone – the Eluga Icon at Rs.10,999. Panasonic has exclusively tied up with Amazon.in for this project, which has gone live today, on its ‘Exclusive’ page.

Image Source: Amazon.in

The Eluga Icon comes with a 5.5 HD IPS screen and promises an enhanced colour display, it will also support the new 4G/LTE band network with a 1.5 GHz True Octa Core Processor, allowing one to truly enjoy the games and video experience with its speed.

The camera has an 8MP front camera and a 13MP rear camera with auto focus and LED flash. Other features include the ICON User Interface that provides single access to apps and arranges them in thematic folders , it also supports the iSense, Smart Awake, Air Swipe, Mediatek Hot-Knot and Blink Play.

“At Panasonic, we believe in incorporating phenomenal features in our devices which cater to the changing customers demand. In line with this, we have come up with our new Eluga Icon which offers advanced features like the Smart iSense Technology which supports Single Tap & Blink Play which in turn enhances user experience.” said Mr. Pankaj Rana, Business Head – Mobility Division, Panasonic India

The Eluga Icon is supported by a 3500mAh battery, weighing 147 gms, a RAM space of 2GB and a 16GB ROM that is expandable to up to 32GB.

Here are the specs:

Features	Panasonic Eluga Icon
OS	Android
Display	5.5 HD IPS screen
Processor	1.5 GHz True Octa Core Processor
Item Weight	145 g
Product Dimensions	7.9mm Uni-body Eluga
Storage	16 GB ROM expandable upto 32 GB
RAM	2GB
Rear Camera	13 MP with auto focus and LED flash
Front Camera	8MP
Wireless connectivity	Bluetooth, WiFi Hotspot, Wi-Fi Direct, Global Positioning System, FM, 4G/LTE.
Special features	Video Calls, Dual SIM, GPS, Music Player, Video Player, E-mail, FM Radio, Accelerometer, Proximity sensor, Ambient Light sensor
Form factor	Touchscreen Phone
Colour	Slate
Price on Amazon	Rs.10,999

August 10, 2015

Google is Reworking Its Android One Strategy In India

According to reports, Google is set to relaunch its Android cut-price smartphone project in India with a goal of delivering an efficient Android device at an approximate rate of $50 (Rs.3,187 approx.). Android One is a set of specifications that helps manufacturers make cheap and good quality smartphones. This project launched in New Delhi last September, but has struggled since.

Mr Anandan, the managing director in India and Southeast Asia, has reportedly attributed this to supply chain issues that are imported from China, however, the plans for a reboot are said to be revealed in “the next few weeks”. The Android One phones, when launched last year, were priced at about $100 (Rs. 6376 approx.) but, it has been reported that the company would like to target the cost-conscious smartphone users in India and price the phones at $31 to $47, that is around Rs.2000 and Rs.3000.

Over the new few years Google aims “to bring to market high-quality, even more affordable devices… from 6,000 rupees to 5,000 rupees, 4,000 rupees to 3,000 rupees”, he added.

However, there are certain problems that Google faces in India, one of them being – the small size of the local market for digital advertising accompanied by India’s slow bandwidth that hampers their apps such as YouTube and maps; both of which require fast internet connections.

Their response to this, is to fend off local competitors by developing products that are suitable for Indian customers with slow data connections. And an example of this, would be their recently launched offline versions of YouTube and Maps.

It is yet to be seen whether this Google initiative will catch up with the Indian market, and 10 years from now, which big company will dominate India’s ever growing online population.

Source: [tw-button size=”medium” background=”#07ABE2″ color=”” target=”_blank” link=”http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0%2F6009c540-3ce0-11e5-8613-07d16aad2152.html#axzz3iNsgHeJK”]ft.com[/tw-button]

August 10, 2015
Xiaomi Expected to Launch its First Made-in-India Smartphone Today

Last year in July, when Xiaomi entered the Indian market, it took the country by surprise. More than its potential buyers, the Chinese smartphone manufacturer managed to shake up the ground for its competitors. Today, a year later, the company has come a long way. Xiaomi is going to launch its first ‘Made in India’ smartphone, in Visakhapatnam, today. The launch will be conducted by the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, N Chandrababu Naidu; this event will also see Xiaomi make announcements for further expansion plans in India.

The seed of this project is said to have been planted, when the CM visited China, earlier this year. The event today will see CEO Xiaomi India, Manu Jain delivering the welcome address and Hugo Barra, VP Global Xiaomi, briefing the audience on the ‘Journey of Xiaomi in India’. It has also been reported, that Secretary DIPP, Govt. of India, Amitabh Kant, will be the Guest of Honour.

With India estimated to become the second largest smartphone market by 2017, after China, it is said, that many companies will be looking to invest in India, in the near future. However, China is not the first country to show interest in India, and specifically Andhra Pradesh; Japan and Malaysia have all shown an interest in being partners in capital construction and have also come forward to contribute to the construction of people’s capital. It has also been reported that PM Narendra Modi suggested Naidu to send a delegation to cities like Astana and Asghabat, to study and incorporate some of the best practices they follow.

Xiaomi is the third largest smartphone maker in the world, following Samsung and Apple, that has come to Visakhapatnam to launch its first main-in-India smartphone. The phone is being re-branded as MI and is looking forward to a successful launch.

Source: [tw-button size=”medium” background=”#07ABE2″ color=”” target=”_blank” link=”http://indianexpress.com/article/technology/mobile-tabs/chandrababu-naidu-to-launch-first-made-in-india-xiaomi-phone-on-monday/”]Indian Express[/tw-button]

August 10, 2015
Tips and Tricks to Keep Your Laptop Cool

Things tend to heat up a lot in the summer, especially all our electronic devices that we use everyday. Many laptops bake because the fan on the bottom is blocked, and the hard drive then quickly crashes. By using one (or all) of these techniques, you can keep your laptop cool and efficient without squandering your money on a cooling pad, we have got five really simple hacks for you:

1. Use egg cartons as Trays

Flip some empty egg cartons over and you will get plenty of airflow. Plus point, you won’t burn your legs if you want to actually put your laptop on your lap. It is not the best-looking thing, but it is affordable and gets the job done. An ugly setting is better than an overheating machine.

2. Keep the surrounding cool

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Keep a cool atmosphere. Try putting your laptop in an air-conditioned or cool area to allow your system to cool down and prevent it from heating.

3. Clean out the Dust

Dust are the main reason laptops and computers heat up. There are many ways to address this problem. The simplest way is to buy a can of compressed air and spray it into the vents in swift and short bursts. Be sure your laptop is switched off and unplugged before doing so. You can also use a cotton swab to clean out any visible dust or suck it out using a computer vacuum.

4. Check and adjust your settings

Make sure your laptop is set up to manage a heavy graphics load. Gamers and movie watchers, this mainly concerns you. At the same time, if your software runs fine as is, do not update it unnecessarily. The goal is to reduce your machine’s workload. If your BIOS settings were freshly updated, for example, and your fan starts acting up shortly after that, you might try reinstalling them. Decreasing your screen’s brightness, unplugging U.S.B. powered devices and terminating idle apps that are hogging up CPU time will also further cool things down.

5. Give it some rest

If you have a desktop and a laptop, divide your time between the two. Don’t sleep/hibernate/shut down every other second. If you just logged on to check your e-mail, better to leave your laptop on than to turn it off shortly after, especially if you may use it again later that day. Your laptop might not be able to take as much exploitation as your desktop, so treat it with care.

August 10, 2015
You Will No Longer Be Tricked Into Installing Chrome Extensions

Google has decided to take control over ‘inline installations’ that promise exciting features and then latch themselves on to your Chrome Web browser using random plugins.

Starting September 3rd, 2015, Google will restrict the installation of such extensions. The inline installation allows developers and web publishers a convenient option to make readers install their extensions without leaving the website.

The extensions can be found on the Chrome Web Store. However, publishers also found a way to embed a shortcut to it – so when a reader clicks on the install button, an installation dialogue automatically appears on the website, instead of the reader getting redirected to the Chrome Web Store first.

“It’s an important step to maintain a healthy extension ecosystem for users and the vast majority of extension developers who don’t use deceptive tactics.” says Google.

This feature soon began to annoy users, as the developers who maintain various advertisements claiming to offer free software updates etc. tricked users into installing their own extensions as well.

Google will now monitor any unwanted or mysterious extension and redirect them to the product page of that extension in the Chrome Web Store. This is to allow the user to decide whether he/she wants to install that particular extension or not.

However, it is also reported that inline installations will continue, but just not the unwanted ones.

Source: [tw-button size=”medium” background=”#07ABE2″ color=”” target=”_blank” link=”http://chrome.blogspot.in/2014/05/protecting-chrome-users-from-malicious.html”]Chrome Blogspot[/tw-button]

August 9, 2015
Report: We Might See the Samsung Galaxy S7 By This December

In a usual scenario, we would see a new Samsung S series handset being released in the second quarter of every year. However, if reports from Phonearea are right, we may soon see a new Galaxy S7 in the market. Reports read that the company has adopted the new ‘Agile’ process instead of the traditional ‘Waterfall’ method.

The Agile methodology means creating a project with simple beginnings and building it up by dividing development into modules that are executed as fast as possible. The project gets tested and assessed every time a module gets completed, but the main advantage of this method is that the product can easily be replaced mid-way due to the flexibility of modular development. This goes in contrast with Waterfall development that basically implies a very precise plan, and once you finish a critical stage of the project, you can no longer go back.

If the S7 applies the Agile methodology, we may see a new S-series devices in the next edition of the Mobile World Conference.

For now, we have absolutely no clue about the specs and the design of the Galaxy S7. Few reports suggest that Samsung is still deciding between a Qualcomm processor and one of its own Exynos chips. But, if the device is slated to be releasing in December, we may hear a word or two soon enough.

[tw-button size=”medium” background=”#07ABE2″ color=”” target=”_blank” link=”http://www.phonearena.com/news/Galaxy-S7-could-be-ready-by-December-as-Samsung-reportedly-improves-development-process_id72411″]Phonearena[/tw-button]

August 8, 2015
Here’s Why We Might Get Two New Nexus Phones in 2015

We already know that the Nexus 5 is Google’s best product. The device was released in 2013 and had a Full HD display with a 2.3GHz processor. Later on, reports flowed in about the company working on the next Nexus 5 ,2015. But, there was a slight catch. Sources stated that the device would be released in two variants, an LG and a Huawei variant, codenamed as ‘LG Bullhead’ and ‘Huawei Angler,’ respectively.

But, why is Google launching two handsets in the same year? One of the possible reasons is that both the companies have their recognition in different markets. LG has a good success rate in North America and Europe while Huawei has got a loyal customer base in Asia, particularly in China.

Google’s Nexus device will be launched along with the Android Pay rollout, but since Android Pay won’t likely be used in China, LG Nexus devices will not be sold there.

Another possible reason is that Google is trying to reach a settlement with all the Android partners in the Nexus program. But, this raises another question. Why has LG agreed on making its third Nexus device? According to Business Korea, Google wanted to speed up the adoption rate of the Android Pay, hence they pitched to LG, due to their broad audience base, back in America and Europe.

The speculated specifications of the LG Nexus 2015 include a 5.2-inch with 1920 x 1080 display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor with 4 GB RAM. Integrated with Android M, the battery will be of 2,860mAh. Supported by a 16-megapixel dual camera at the back and 5-megapixel in the front, it is also observed that LG Nexus 5 will feature a 3D camera.

The back cover of the upcoming LG Nexus will have three openings, one for the camera module, one for the fingerprint scanner and a square-shaped opening that operates the LED flash.

The devices are slated to release on October 20th.

August 8, 2015
Apple iPhone 6s and 6s Plus Face Production Delays

KGI Securities analyst Ming Chi Kuo, has reportedly said that the mass production for the Apple iPhone 6s and 6s Plus will be delayed by one or two weeks. The orders for iPhone 6 are said to have been cut in order to allow the new models to sell faster.

However, it is said that the delay in mass production will not affect the dates when Apple introduces and launches the new smartphones. The dates are rumoured to be September 11th 2015 and September 18th 2015, for the unveiling and the launch, respectively.

Both the new devices are expected to be made of Series 7000 aluminum, a 12MP camera, a 2GB of DDR4 RAM, along with the Force Touch technology present in the Apple Watch.

August 8, 2015
Xiaomi Set To Open Offline Stores In India By Early 2016

Xiaomi usually sells its devices online, directly to their consumers via online market places and hence save a lot on marketing expenses. However, the Chinese smartphone company has now decided to start selling via offline stores in India.

“We are experimenting with a new sales channel and getting into general trade to increase our reach and to make our products available more easily,” Jain said.

The company had previously entered a partnership with Flipkart and then eventually launched its own online portal – Mi.com. But now, with offline stores in India, it is eying a bigger share in the smartphone industry’s market shares.

Xiaomi is said to be tying up with Redington (India) Ltd., a cellphone distributor in India, while also working on a commission-based model. However, further reports don’t suggest anything apart from this, and Xiaomi might also be working with multiple partners.

The offline sales are to open in thousand to fifteen hundred stores in fifteen south Indian cities – Chennai, Bengaluru, Mysore, and Visakhapatnam being a few. The first phase of offline sales is said to go live in the next 45 to 60 days, and will eventually be available all over India by early 2016.

Manu Jain, India operations head at Xiaomi, has said, that although the cost of doing an offline business is higher, the margins should not be affected too much. He also added that they would not pass on the cost to the consumers and expect sales in India to contribute to over twenty five to thirty percent of the overall numbers.

With this project in tow, reports also suggest that Xiaomi is in talks with a Taiwanese manufacturer Foxconn to make its smartphones in India as well as to introduce air purifiers and televisions here.

August 8, 2015