The heated debate over Net Neutrality doesn’t seem to end up anytime soon. In response to the online protest initiated by TRAI, the independent telecommunications authority received over 1.5 lakh e-mails within two days. Now, the protest has touched one million mark.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has received more than one million emails in support of Net Neutrality from the citizens of India. The statement was made by a voluntary group managing the ‘Save the Internet’ program. The figures are of until yesterday, and the emails are continuously flooding TRAI’s Inbox.
As per a report, netizens have been bombarding the TRAI with 50 emails every minute. This resulted in the campaign hit one million mark within just 12 days. The creators of savetheinternet.in were surprised as they expected the campaign would not last more than 15,000 emails.
TRAI put up a consultation paper called “Regulatory Framework for Over-the-Top (OTT) Services” and asked users for their comments. April 24, i.e. today, is the last date of submit your vote and make your voice heard. Click here to back the movement.
Many celebrities and well-known personalities from different fields have come in support of free internet. Rahul Gandhi is the latest to join the club and ask for freedom of the internet.
The time for which we all had been waiting for has come. Xiaomi has finally pulled the curtain off the ‘i’ mystery and showcased the world, Xiaomi Mi 4i. The Chinese electronics manufacturer has been teasing the device for quite some time. As speculated, the fresh handset is an affordable variant of Xiaomi Mi 4 and comes at a price of Rs. 12,999.
Talking about the exterior of the handset, the Mi 4i sports a polycarbonate unibody. It weighs a mere 130g and features dimensions 138.1mm x 69.6mm x 7.8mm. As compared to the original version, the Mi 4i is slightly smaller and lighter than Xiaomi Mi 4.
The device has a 5-inch Full HD OGS IPS display with 441ppi pixel density. The screen comes with a new technology called Sunlight display that adjusts the brightness when outdoors. The processor powering the phone is a 64-bit octa-core Cortex-A53; the four cores clocked at 1.7 GHz and the other four at 1.1 GHz. The device has 2GB of RAM and 16GB of inbuilt storage onboard. The phone doesn’t have a MicroSD card slot. There is an Adreno 405 catering to graphics quality. On the software front, the Mi 4i runs on Android 5.0 Lollipop with the company’s MIUI 6 on top.
Coming on to the camera, then the Mi 4i has a changes camera setup. The phone boasts a 13MP shooter with F/2.0 aperture along with dual-LED Flash and Autofocus, while the front is a 5MP shooter with F/1.8 aperture. The camera app has got some new features like image filters. Besides that the current tools have been modified to provide better picture quality such as HDR and Beautify.
The dual-SIM device is powered by a 3120mAh battery. Connectivity options include microUSB 2.0, Bluetooth 4.0 and Wi-Fi. The handset will be available in white, blue, orange, yellow and pink colour options. The handset will be available from April 30 on e-commerce site Flipkart. Meanwhile, users can register to for the same today from 8pm.
Lenovo has launched its newest A-series phone, the A5000 in Russia and has priced the handset at RB 12,000 (roughly Rs. 14,500). Although, there are no details or dates mentioned about its release in other markets, Times of India has confirmed that the Lenovo A5000 will be arriving in India soon. The most attractive feature of this phone would undoubtedly be the 4000mAh battery which may play an important role in its marketing. According to the company, the battery gives 792 hours of standby on 3G.
Official listings show the phone would not support 4G LTE. The dual SIM phone comes with a 5-inch HD IPS display (720×1280 pixels) and is powered by a 1.3GHz quad-core MediaTek processor. It comes with 8GB of internal storage and 32GB of expandable memory. It has an 8MP primary camera and a 2MP FF front camera. Connectivity options include GPRS/EDGE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, GPS/ A-GPS, Micro-USB, and Bluetooth. Measuring 140×71.4×9.98mm, weighing 160 grams, the phone comes in two colours; black and white.
Though there is no official date for the India release, the Chinese company has recently launched the A7000. With this new variant, it can be concluded that Lenovo is expanding its line of budget phones to cater different requirements of different groups in the country.
The ASUS Zenfone series is a highly appreciated lineup in the Indian smartphone market. The Taiwanese electronics maker already has Zenfone 4, 5 and 6 in its India handset portfolio and today, it expanded its ZenFone range in the country with the launch of ZenFone 2. The latest iteration is a mid-range smartphone and known to boast the powerful 4GB of RAM.
Priced at Rs. 22,999, ZenFone 2 holds quite a good spec sheet. It has an edge over many the high-end smartphones and competes with devices like Huawei Honor 6 Plus, iPhone 5c, and LG G3. We have pitted it against the flagship killer of 2014 i.e. OnePlus One and here are the differences between the two.
Specs
OnePlus One
ASUS ZenFone 2
Display
5.5-inch Full-HD, 1080×1920 pixels
5.5-inch Full-HD, 1080×1920 pixels
Processor
2.5GHz Quad-core Snapdragon 801
2.3GHz quad-core Intel Z3580
RAM
3GB
4GB
Storage
64GB, non-expandable
64GB, expandable up to 64GB
Camera
13MP Rear and 5MP Front
13MP Rear and 5MP Front
Battery
3100mAh
3000mAh
Operating System
CyanogenMod 12
Android 5.0 Lollipop
Price
Rs. 21,999
Rs. 22,999
As you can see in the table above, both OnePlus One and ASUS ZenFone 2 bear nearly the same specifications. Both the devices have a 5.5-inch Full-HD display, 64GB onboard memory, 13MP primary shooter, and 5MP selfie camera. The One has a slightly bigger battery and stuffs a Snapdragon processor, while the new ZenFone houses an Intel chipset. The ZenFone is priced Rs. 1,000 higher than the OnePlus One.
OnePlus has an edge over the ZenFone as it give a variation to the users by offering CyanogenMod which can now be upgraded to CyanogenMod 12 or Oxygen OS now. The ZenFone 2, on the other hand, comes with Android 5.0 Lollipop. We won’t be able to give a final verdict till we’ve reviewed Asus’ new flagship. Stay tuned, more coming up on iGyaan.
We have to admit that the Phone app on our smartphones is really basic. It just performs limited number of functions like keeping call log and allowing users to make a call. However, Facebook aims to change our call making experience. The social networking service has brought out a smart app that is a blend of TrueCaller, Google Search, Google Maps, and WhatsApp. Hailed as ‘Hello’, it’s an Android-only dialler that works in conjunction with your Facebook account.
The Hello application is a product of Facebook’s Messenger team. It connects the Facebook data with the contact info on your device, and pops up relevant details of the incoming and outgoing calls. No worries if your phone book is narrow, you’ll still get to know the name and other available details of the caller via Hello. Users have the choice to block possibly spam numbers and avoid unwanted calls. Meanwhile, TrueCaller is best known for this feature.
Users can also find businesses with the Hello tool. Meaning you can start a search for a restaurant right in the Hello app and can call for a reservation. The tool comes with direction support, subtracting the need to start off Google Maps to get directions.
Its features don’t end here. With Hello installed on the device, one can text and make calls for free. Hello links with the Messenger app and allows users perform both the functions using cellular data.
Hello is available for free on Google Play Store for the US, Brazil and Nigeria. The tool is likely to arrive in more countries soon. Check out the video below to know how it works:
The much-awaited flagship by Taiwanese consumer electronics firm has finally arrived in India. Today, ASUS introduced the latest ZenFone 2 with 4GB RAM in the Indian market. The smartphone was first showcased at CES this year. The ZenFone 2 enfolds some top-notch specifications that give it an edge over other smartphones in the budget segment. The device will be available in India exclusively on Flipkart.
ASUS has launched the ZenFone 2 in four variants – ZE551ML (4GB RAM) with 64GB and 32GB inbuilt storage, ZE551ML (2GB RAM), and ZE550ML. The former one is a top-tier device, while the other three have comparatively lower specifications. The ZE551ML with 4GB RAM comes in two storage versions. The one with 64GB storage space will cost customers Rs. 22,999, while the 32GB model will cost Rs. 19,999. The ZE551ML (2GB RAM) variant is launched at Rs. 14,999 and the ZE550ML will be available for Rs. 12,999.
ASUS ZenFone 2 ZE550ML (both 4GB and 2GB of RAM) sports a 5.5-inch full-HD (1920x1080p) IPS display with Gorilla Glass 3 protection. On the other hand, ZenFone 2 ZE550ML features a 5.5-inch HD screen. A 64-bit 2.3GHz Intel Atom processor Z3580 is equipped to the ZE550ML with 4GB RAM. It’s 2GB RAM version, along with ZE550ML has a 64-bit 1.8GHz quad-core Intel Atom Z3560. All the handsets run on Android 5.0 Lollipop OS with custom ZenUI on top. All the variants can expand up to 64GB via MicroSD card.
The ZenFone 2 packs a 13MP PixelMaster rear camera with dual-LED Flash along with a 5MP selfie snapper. The rear shooter also offers 52MP Super Resolution mode. A 3000mAh non-removable battery is fitted with all the ZenFone 2 models. The handsets are dual-SIM and offer dual active support. The devices have ZenMotion touch and gesture control support features common in them.
Here’s the specs sheet of the four handsets:
Specs
ZenFone 2 ZE551ML (4GB RAM)
ZenFone 2 ZE551ML (4GB RAM)
ZenFone 2 ZE551ML (2GB RAM)
ZenFone 2 ZE550ML
Display
5.5-inch full-HD 1080p
5.5-inch full-HD 1080p
5.5-inch full-HD 1080p
5.5-inch HD 720p
Processor
2.3GHz quad-core Intel Z3580
2.3GHz quad-core Intel Z3580
1.8GHz quad-core Intel Z3560
1.8GHz quad-core Intel Z3560
RAM
4GB
4GB
2GB
2GB
Storage
64GB (Expandable up to 64GB)
32GB (Expandable up to 64GB)
32GB (Expandable up to 64GB)
16GB (Expandable up to 64GB)
Rear Camer
13MP with dual-LED Flash
13MP with dual-LED Flash
13MP with dual-LED Flash
13MP with dual-LED Flash
Front Camera
5MP
5MP
5MP
5MP
Battery
3000mAh
3000mAh
3000mAh
3000mAh
Operating System
Android 5.0 Lollipop with ZenUI
Android 5.0 Lollipop with ZenUI
Android 5.0 Lollipop with ZenUI
Android 5.0 Lollipop with ZenUI
Price
Rs. 22,999
Rs. 19,999
Rs. 14,999
Rs. 12,999
In case you missed our review of ASUS ZenFone 2, watch the video below:
Zomato is collaborating with the cab company, Uber, to help customers book cabs to the restaurant they are planning to eat at. This announcement came after Zomato acquired NexTable, an online table reservation app based in Charlotte, North Carolina.
This partnership has been rolled out to Zomato users across 27 cities across 13 countries including India, Australia, Canada, UK, Indonesia, South Africa, New Zealand, Philippines, Qatar, Turkey, Portugal, UAE and the US. The feature is already live for users in London and South Africa, and it will roll out soon in the other countries mentioned.
Commenting on the new feature, Pankaj Chaddah, Co-Founder and COO of Zomato, said:
[quote text_size=”small” author=”Pankaj Chaddah” author_title=”Co-Founder and COO of Zomato”]
We’re constantly looking for ways to make every meal, for everyone, a great experience. This partnership makes eating out more convenient with the Zomato app connecting to Uber services seamlessly.
[/quote]
How does it work? Once you have found a suitable restaurant on the Zomato, an Uber button appears on the restaurant page. This shows the estimated fare and the time required for the cab to arrive at your location, hence serving your needs. Seems like a favourable development for both the companies, as well as the customers.
During a conference call a few day back, CEO of Yahoo, Marissa Mayer spoke about a special new product the team has been working on. The new service will go against the likes of Apple’s Siri, Google Now or Microsoft’s Cortana. She stated that Yahoo is developing an interest in search in the mobile sector and will focus on “what happens when you involve context and personal information like email.”
According to Business Insider, the new service has been code-named ‘Index’ and it will come in the form of a smartphone app. Yahoo hopes to release a beta version of the same by the second quarter of this year.
Mayer explains the new app would search information somewhat like Google Now, and probing for information in the user’s inbox may help people give better results. Quoting an example to help understand the working of the app, she explained that if a user had booked a flight from John F. Kennedy Airport, then Index would find information related to the airport or flight, by using the information in the inbox – instead of fishing out information about President Kennedy.
The voice assistant idea may seem unoriginal from the user point of view, but Yahoo is willing to place a bet on this ambitious project.
A couple of days back, there had been reports that Google was planning to launch its own US mobile wireless service. Now, the company has made its plan to bring wireless services public. Google’s new venture gives users an alternate way to curb data usage and keep their phone bills low.
Dubbed as ‘Project Fi’, the new Google-run network service is a customizable package that switches between Wi-Fi and cellular networks. It eradicates boundaries and gives customers freedom to use the network in their hometown and during international travels at the same rate. The service is only available for Nexus 6 smartphones as of now, and will work with newer models soon.
The blog post of Google reads –
Similar to our Nexus hardware program, Project Fi enables us to work in close partnership with leading carriers, hardware makers, and all of you to push the boundaries of what’s possible. By designing across hardware, software and connectivity, we can more fully explore new ways for people to connect and communicate.
Project Fi makes use of Wi-Fi hotspot or specific 4G LTE networks, together with the US mobile networks of Sprint and T-Mobile, the venture partners. Here’s how it works: if you are connected to a Wi-Fi hotspot and leave the Wi-Fi coverage area, your call will seamlessly transmit to cell networks. The service requires a special SIM and is supported in over 120 countries without roaming charges.
Another revolutionary development that comes with Project Fi is that phone numbers adopt “a multi-screen world”. This means your number works with all your devices like a phone, tablet or laptop. You can connect any device that supports Google Hangouts, whether it works on Android, iOS, Windows, and start a chat. It cuts down the dependency on your smartphone and makes every device a ready-to-use handset.
Google’s new project is unconventional in the sense that it charges customers only for the data consumed. It breaks the standard procedure of dispatching a bill for the unused data as well, which is practiced till date. Google says, “Project Fi takes a fresh approach to how you pay for wireless, manage your service, and get in touch when you need help.” There is one plan for all, and in case a user doesn’t utilize the pack called, Google will simply refund the variance.
Here’s how Project Fi works:
For $20 a month you get all the basics (talk, text, Wi-Fi tethering, and international coverage in 120+ countries), and then it’s a flat $10 per GB for cellular data while in the U.S. and abroad. 1GB is $10/month, 2GB is $20/month, 3GB is $30/month, and so on. Since it’s hard to predict your data usage, you’ll get credit for the full value of your unused data. Let’s say you go with 3GB for $30 and only use 1.4GB one month. You’ll get $16 back, so you only pay for what you use.
For now, Project Fi is invite-based, and customers need to request an invite on their site to get the service. Meanwhile it’s available only in the US, but India can expect to receive it sometime later. Check the video below to understand it better:
One of the reliable and affordable power banks in India, Mi Power Bank, was unavailable on Flipkart since long. The e-commerce website has now restocked its cart with both the variants of Mi Power Bank – 5200mAh and 10400mAh. The 5200mAh version will come at a price of Rs. 599, while the latter one will cost Rs. 999.
Xiaomi has also launched a 16000mAh power bank, but it’s not out for sale yet. The highest capacity portable charger will go on flash sale on April 24 at 12 noon.
Coming back to the available Mi Power Bank variants, the Mi 5200mAh external charger boasts an elegant design and is extremely portable. It can charge a regular-sized battery (2100mAh) twice, e.g. iPhone 5s can be charged two times on a full charge. On the other hand, the 10400mAh power bank on a complete charge can refill a regular battery four times.
Meanwhile, Mi Power banks are available on Flipkart only, and its latest online partners Snapdeal and Amazon India are yet to stuff their carts.
After weeks of delay, OnePlus finally rolled out the much-awaited CyanogenMod OS 12 (CM OS 12) based on Lollipop. It was only for a few days that the release sustained and after that, the company decided to halt its roll out. The Chinese smartphone brand did have a sold reason for this. They announced that the OTA update of CM OS 12 had been paused temporarily to add a new feature called “OK OnePlus”.
The Co-Founder of OnePlus commented on the issue on Twitter. His quote is captured in the screenshot below:
As per his comments, the roll out will resume mid-week with the new ‘OK OnePlus’ feature. He also added, “Those who don’t want to wait, feel free to flash manually.” The new tool on OnePlus One functions similar to ‘OK Google’ on Android phones. It will also work when the device is in sleep mode; a feature that was introduced with the Moto X.
For folks who have updated their One devices with CM 12 will also be able to access the feature. Users with the pre-installed operating system will receive an OTA update to incorporate ‘OK OnePlus’ tool on their handsets. It is not certain if the Indian version of OnePlus’ custom ROM OxygenOS will get the voice command feature.
The latest CyanogenMod OS 12 update brings some unique features like new Cyanogen email app, Exchange Support, Multiple Account integration and canned responses for quicker replies.
An unbiased internet is a right of all and should not be a distinctive property limited to a privileged few. For the Internet to be a free entity is extremely important for regular internet users, as it is the equally essential for the budding businesses to grow. Start-up firms, who are launching themselves to gain recognition using the internet, need a non-discriminatory medium to establish themselves. For them, an unbiased platform both on the basis of cost and speed is a crucial need.
A group of tech start-ups has pushed its concern over the lack of Net Neutrality. The emerging companies wrote an open letter to PM Modi which states the necessity of free Internet to build a Digital India. The letter throws light on the fact that the dream of India to produce the next Google is impossible without a non-discriminatory Internet. The Prime Minister of India, few days back, remarked in his speech that he wants India to be the birthplace of next renowned search engine.
The letter by the small businesses reads, “We dream that an Indian startup may one day become the next Google, Facebook or Amazon. We know that you share our dream. We share another dream with you, the dream of a Digital India. We dream of this as Indians, and also as businesses that wish to serve a fast-growing Indian internet market. These dreams cannot be achieved without the open Internet.”
The message ends up with the comment, “We request that open-house debates be held in major Indian cities after the consultation process is over. We, the start-ups that are at the forefront of creating Digital India, request you to take action now. We need you to protect our nation’s innovation ecosystem.” The open letter is signed by some of the fresh companies like Housing.com, Goibibo, TheSecretKart.com and much more.
Meanwhile, the government has stepped into the matter and will look into the Zero plan. Facebook and Twitter are flooded with various campaigns such as #SavetheInternet, #NetNeutrality, to save the internet from classism.
Most iPhone users have trouble admitting it, but iOS comes with several limitations. One of the major restrictions has been the absence of easy inter-app sharing; more specifically, sending images from the Photos app to WhatsApp directly.
The new WhatsApp update, Version 2.12.1, other than adding the much-awaited voice calling feature, finally gives iPhone users the right to directly share an image from the Photos app with a WhatsApp contact.
The WhatsApp icon has been added to the list of ‘Share’ options.
A feature that Android users have always enjoyed, was a tiresome detail missing from iOS. Earlier if an iPhone user was scrolling through old pictures on his/her smartphone and decided he/she wanted to share one that was clicked in 2013 with a friend via WhatsApp. They would have to open the WhatsApp app, find the friend, and then scroll back in time to retrieve the picture. The new WhatsApp update now cuts back on the long procedure and makes it super easy to share images.
To enable the setup, you would first need to install the update. Then open the Photos App, choose an image and click on the Share button. Scroll through the end of the list and click on ‘More’. From the list of apps, you now have WhatsApp added as one of the sharing options. Enable it, and you’re good to go.
It’s been a while since the cross-platform mobile messaging app debuted its much-talked about free calling service on Android platform. The iOS users were left behind with no access to this feature, but now WhatsApp has released the calling tool for iOS users as well.
WhatsApp update with version 2.12.1 hit the iTunes Store, which states that upgraded app will feature voice-calling on iPhone. Users can make a call to any of their friends and relatives across the globe using the cellular data. WhatsApp stated that it has started rolling out the service, and it will slowly reach all iOS devices “over the next several weeks.”
The latest version is not just about the voice-calling update and introduces a slew of other features, making use of iOS 8’s sharing extensions. With the new version installed, users would be able to share photos, videos, and links right to WhatsApp from other apps. To know more about the useful inter-app sharing improvements, click here.
iPhone users can now also edit contacts directly from the app. One can capture photos and videos within WhatsApp and can send multiple videos before cropping them. A caption can also be added along with the photos, just like Android app.
Meanwhile, WhatsApp recorded a steep increase in its active user base. The CEO of the company said that it now serves 800 million active users, which was 600 million nearly four months back. Covering the iOS users as well, Windows is the only platform left where the voice-calling is still to arrive.
In a series of tweets, few days back, Micromax disclosed that it was all set to release its newest affordable smartphone, the Canvas Spark in India. Today, the company has finally launched the handset at a price of Rs. 4,999. The low-end 3G smartphone will be available exclusively on Snapdeal via flash sale.
Measuring a thickness of 8.5mm and weighing 134g, Micromax Canvas Spark features a 4.7-inch qHD IPS display. The screen has a protection of Corning Gorilla Glass 3 on top. Inside, the handset is equipped with a 1.3 GHz Quad-Core MediaTek MT6582M processor, coupled along a 1GB DDR3 RAM. Memory stats consists of 8GB of internal memory, with 32GB of expandable memory via microSD card.
Fitted on its back is an 8MP primary camera with LED flash, while the front-facing camera is a 2MP snapper. It runs on Android 5.0 Lollipop and comes with support for 21 languages. A 2000mAh battery provides power to the handset.
As stated by the company, the Canvas Spark is the fourth among the new 3G smartphone launched after the S300, D320 and Q324. For booking the device, customers can register on the official Micromax website starting from 12:00 pm on 22nd April.
Check out the spec sheet below for overall details:
