Category: Tech

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

New YouTube Upgrade to Shut Down App Support for Older iOS Devices and More

The video-sharing website YouTube has made some alterations, which is making its app dysfunctional on some aging devices. In a recent statement, YouTube announced to have upgraded its Data API, which implies that the YouTube app will not work on certain devices of 2012 model and older.

The upgrading of the Data API Version 2 to Version 3 will render the app inaccessible on the aforementioned models. The list of devices includes older iOS devices, Google TV running on versions 1 and 2, second-gen Apple TV, older smart televisions, and Blu-Ray players. Google said the app support for previous versions have already started to shut down, and will completely end by the last week of April.

There will be no way for the aged devices to access the YouTube app. iPhone, iPads or iTouch gadgets with iOS 7 or above will only be able to access the YouTube app. The company says the new API will bring in new video viewing experience and can be accessed from any screen. Starting from Monday onwards, users with API Version 2 will receive a warning video that reads, “YouTube is upgrading to a newer version, which is not supported by this device or app. To learn more and see where you can watch YouTube, visit www.youtube.com/devicesupport”.

Meanwhile, the web version on the handsets will still work. Users will older devices can access YouTube simply via visiting the mobile site, provided it supports Flash/HTML5.

April 21, 2015
Qualcomm to Tap Samsung to Build Next-Gen Snapdragon 820 Chip

Qualcomm has long association with one of the world’s largest semiconductor foundry Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC). The latter firm has provided some of the cutting-edge chips like Snapdragon that are fitted to most of the high- and low-end smartphones of the decade. But Qualcomm seems to giving a break to its customary practice and is planning to head towards Samsung for the next-generation Snapdragon processor.

As per a report by Re/code, Qualcomm will make use of Samsung’s manufacturing arm to build the upcoming Snapdragon 820, stated an insider. This means we might see the high-end 2016 smartphones powered by a Snapdragon processor manufactured at Samsung’s chip-making plants. Meanwhile, it is heard that Apple has also given the contract to Samsung for the A9 chips.

The present Snapdragon 810 made by TSMC lags behind Samsung’s own Exynos 7, equipped with the latest Galaxy S series handsets. Unlike previous processors, the Snapdragon 810 heats up and slows down immensely after certain minutes of usage. This led to a major loss to Qualcomm, who lost a major chunk of its customers because of the problematic Snapdragon 810 processor.

Samsung also has an edge over TSMC as it uses thinner 14nm transistors instead of 20nm used at TSMC. A thin wiring adds benefits to the phone. As the wires are slim, the chips would be small and smaller chips costs less. Smaller chips also give a better battery performance.

Qualcomm has all reasons to turn to Samsung as Snapdragon is the major revenue factor for the company. To regain its lost clients, the global semiconductor firm may make a switch and tie up with the Korean company for improved chips. It is welcoming news for Samsung who has shown tremendous growth in the smartphone, as well as hardware business.

According to the source, the Snapdragon 820 will have built-in LTE modem along with a graphics core and a custom-designed Qualcomm processor. For now, both Samsung and Qualcomm hasn’t slipped any information, and we have to wait for an official announcement for the authenticity of the report.

April 21, 2015
Microsoft Expected to Roll Out Windows 10 by July End

Back in March, Microsoft announced the release of the highly-anticipated Windows 10. The company said that the latest OS would come this summer in over 190 countries and 111 languages. Microsoft hasn’t yet disclosed when the latest Windows is going to debut, but we have some details about its arrival.

As stated by TechCrunch, Windows 10 will release at the end of July. The online tech publisher contacted some officials who disclosed the release date of the next Windows OS.

In October 2014, Microsoft released the Technical Preview of Windows 10 that allowed users to view and test the new OS first hand. The Redmond-based firm has high expectations from its latest operating system and is offering it free for its Windows 7, 8.1 and Windows Phone 8.1 users for one year. The new Windows marks the comeback of the Start Menu, which was absent in the previous Windows 8 version. It has some exceptional features like Project Spartan and Cortana. With Project Spartan, users can have an all-new experience while browsing the web. Further developments include tweaks and enhancements to its menu, screen, and other features like Cortana.

For more information on the unique features of Windows 10, click here.

April 21, 2015
Here’s How You Can Watch Xiaomi’s “Global Mi Phone Premier” Live

The forthcoming Xiaomi event is going to be grand in many ways. It’s the first time that the Chinese electronics firm has chosen India for Global Mi Phone Premier and today, Xiaomi announced another first. The firm came up with a statement saying that the global Mi event will be live streamed on April 23 at 3.30pm IST. Users can visit the official Mi page to watch the event live.

For now, the Mi page features a countdown to the event. On April 23, the timer will be replaced by a live streaming video for the Xiaomi fans. Also, the live stream of the event will be in English for the majority of the world to understand. The audience sitting in their homes can also participate in the live event by sending tweets with hashtag #MiLaunch2015.

As we all know, the launch event is open for all, and anyone from fans and media can walk in to witness the launch of the new phone.

Xiaomi teased the new smartphone with a tagline “i IS COMING”. Since then, much has been speculated about the forthcoming device. There have been reports that the next device is the low-end version of the Mi 4. A device with title Mi 4i was also spotted on the GeekBench3, which brought to light scare details of the phone.

Fortunately, there are just two more days for the new device to launch, and it will put an end to all the anticipations. Keep checking back for more updates on the next Mi Phone.

April 21, 2015
Nokia May Make a Comeback in the Smartphone Market Next Year

Microsoft acquired Nokia’s devices and services business for a heavy sum of $7.2 billion last year. The Finnish company can no longer use the Nokia brand name on smartphones till Q4 2016, and on feature phones for ten years. Once the biggest smartphone maker in the world failed to catch up with the fast-growing market trends set by Apple and Google. But, as most of us considered, it was not the demise of the titan.

Nokia is planning to bounce back to the smartphone business sometime next year. Reports by online publishing daily Recode suggest that Nokia is gearing to make a comeback in the mobile business, and is working on several new ambitious projects including virtual reality. The company has so far released only two products – an Android app called Z Launcher and the Nokia N1, also dubbed as the first Nokia-branded Android tablet.

The 6600 was one of the most popular devices by Nokia and was almost the star of the movie, Cellular.

It is expected that Nokia will employ the same strategy for the new device as it used for the N1 tablet. The device was launched last year along with a brand licensing agreement with Foxconn. The Finnish company hopes to find a similar brand licensing agreement partner for its next release.

There has been reports that Nokia has “a lot of great stuff in development’, but there is no certainty about the upcoming Nokia product or if the company is making a comeback by 2016. Therefore, the news should be taken with a pinch of salt.

With its latest acquisition of Alcatel-Lucent for $16.5 billion, together as Nokia Corporation, the company has set its sights on Virtual Reality, Internet of Things and Cloud Computing, and is ready to greet the world with brand new treats.

April 21, 2015
Google Gives Android Wear a New Look With the Latest Update

The search engine major is geared to update its smartwatch operating system that would bring Android-run watches a step closer to Apple Watch. Lately, Google announced to update Android Wear to bring a slew of new features that are simple, fast and would make Android watches convenient to use.

The foremost significant feature of the new update is the always-on mode that is now extended to the apps. With the update, Android Wear will support a low-power, always-on mode that would allow apps to stay in the background in black and white. The screen will remain on, showing just a minimal amount of data and will save the battery life as well. The feature is helpful especially with shopping lists, map directions, music controls and fitness apps. The screen turns back to full colour when the user is actively looking at it.

Google has reduced the dependability on your smartphone with the latest Android Wear update. The Android smartwatches can now operate independently “as long as your watch is connected to a Wi-Fi network, and your phone has a data connection.” Yes, the Android Wear now supports Wi-Fi. Users can move the smartwatch beyond the Bluetooth range of their handset, which was the only connecting medium until now. The Android Wear device will now receive notifications, send messages, and use all your favorite apps.

The fresh update will sort of change the way users interact with their smartwatch. Google has added a few gestures to improve usability. Now, one can scroll the screen up just by a flick of the wrist and don’t need to empty your hands to operate the watch.

The basic functionality of the watch has been simplified by bringing ahead the apps and contacts. Just touch the watch face and users can start send messages immediately and start apps.

Also, Google has added hand-drawn emoji support as a mode to communicate with your friends. Android Wear will understand the hundreds of different emojis drawn by you and send it via message or text.

The update will be coming over the next few weeks, starting with the new LG Watch Urbane. All the other Android watches will soon follow.

April 21, 2015
Reliance Jio to Provide High-Speed 4G Services via Three Frequency Bands

Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited, headed by Mukesh Ambani, has announced its plans to launch the 4G network services through an integrated system. As per the company statement released recently, “RJIL plans to provide seamless 4G services using LTE in 800MHz, 1,800MHz and 2,300 MHz bands through an integrated ecosystem.”

Reliance Jio or RJIL is an Internet access and telecommunication company headquartered in Mumbai and is a subsidiary of Reliance Industries Limited. This company is the only pan-India operator with Broadband Wireless Access spectrum and uses commercial LTE services for providing 4G across India with over 22 telecom circles.

Reliance successfully acquired the 1800 MHz spectrum for 14 circles back in 2014, and in March 2015, Reliance acquired the spectrum in 800MHz and 1800MHz in over 13 circles. The company states the Mobile Switching Centre Code (2G network element that controls the Network Switching Subsystem elements), Mobile Country Code and the Mobile Network Code (both are used in combination to identify a mobile phone carrier using GSM or LTE networks) has also been allotted.

Reliance has asserted that it hopes to provide high-speed services in domains like education, healthcare, security, financial services, government-citizen interfaces and entertainment. The company claimed that access to innovative and empowering digital content is of utmost priority. It is learnt that Reliance is working with strategic partners to aid it in installation and testing activities.

April 20, 2015

OPPO Launches the Affordable Joy Plus in India, Priced at Rs. 6,990

After a year of launching the OPPO Joy smartphone in April 2014, the Chinese electronics manufacturer has brought out its successor, the Joy Plus for the Indian market. The affordable handset holds almost identical specifications as the previous iteration, but comes with increased RAM.

[quote text_size=”small” author=”Mr. Tom Lu” author_title=”CEO, OPPO Mobile India”]

Our aim at OPPO India is to provide our customers with ground-breaking technology at affordable prices. The Smartphone market in India is constantly evolving and we intend to reach across sections through our budget Smartphone, Joy Plus. We are looking at aggressive market penetration this year and we are confident that Joy Plus, packed with latest features will provide our customers more personal and reliable mobile experience.

[/quote]

The dual-SIM smartphone runs on Android 4.4.2 KitKat integrated with the company’s ColorOS 2.0 UI. Display details include a 4-inch WVGA IPS screen with 480x800p resolution and 234ppi pixel density. It equips a 1.3GHz dual-core MediaTek (MT6572) bundled with 1GB RAM. The memory capacity of the device comprises of 4GB of internal memory, which can be extended up to 32GB via microSD card.

It has a 3MP primary camera with LED flash and a 0.3MP front shooter, and picks up power from a 1700mAh removable Li-ion battery. On the connectivity front, the Joy Plus offers 3G, GPRS/EDGE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Micro-USB and Bluetooth options. Overall, the phone measures 124x63x9.9mm and weighs about 125grams. The phone is finished with a Frost Matte Gold Frame.

The phone will soon be available in various stores across India at a price of Rs. 6,990.

Check out the spec-sheet below to get a clear idea:

Specification	OPPO Joy Plus
Display	4-inch WVGA IPS, 234ppi pixel density
Processor	1.3GHz dual-core MediaTek (MT6572)
RAM	1GB
Primary Camera	3MP
Front Camera	0.3MP
Internal Memory	4GB
Expandable Up to	32GB
Battery	1700mAh
Operating System	Android 4.4.2 KitKat with ColorOS 2.0 UI
Price	Rs 6,990

April 20, 2015

Moto E (Gen 2) 4G Goes Up For Sale Tonight Priced at Rs. 7,999

After the huge success of Moto E (ten 2), Motorola has finally introduced the LTE version of the second-generation Moto E in India. Today, the company has announced the roll out of the same starting tonight at 12am. The bigger Moto E successor comes at a price of Rs. 7,999.

While the base version of the new Moto E costs Rs. 6,999, the LTE variant of next-gen smartphone is priced Rs. 1,000 higher than the standard variant.

Recalling the specifications of Moto E (Gen 2) LTE, the device touts a bigger 4.5-inch qHD (540×960p) screen and a 1.2 GHz quad-core Snapdragon 410 processor as compared to the Snapdragon 200 processor of the 3G model. The handset features 1GB of RAM and 8GB of inbuilt storage capacity, expandable up to 32GB.

A rear camera of 5MP is fitted onto Moto E (Gen 2) LTE, while the front has a 0.3MP shooter. Running on Android 5.0 Lollipop, the device comes with a 2390mAh battery.

Unlike the Moto E, users can now personalize their devices. The new interchangeable, colourful bands and grip shells have been introduced that give the phone an appealing look. The bands come in six different shades (Golden Yellow, Turquoise, Blue, Raspberry, Purple, and Red) and for back plates any colour can be chosen from Golden Yellow, Charcoal, Turquoise, Blue, and Raspberry.

It would be interesting to see if the new model can secure the amount of traction acquired by the first device in the E series.

Use this link to purchase the device:

April 20, 2015
Hackers Bring Microsoft Cortana’s Android Cousin; Meet Portaña

Microsoft’s personal voice assistant Cortana to land on Windows Phone platform is far from debuting on Android devices, but a group of hackers based in Italy has made it possible. The group, who call themselves OrangeSec, claims to have ported Microsoft’s Cortana to Android. The new personal assistant is named as Portaña.

The hackers made some alterations in Cortana’s program and brought out a version compatible with Google’s operating system. The tweaked version is very much similar to Cortana, but has some limitations. The hackers admit that the project isn’t that impressive and requires users to stay online for work. The reason being, even though it is running on Android hardware, it is still communicating with Microsoft’s back-end servers with the ported interface. To cut it short, you cannot use it to integrate with Android devices like Cortana does with Windows. OrangeSec used combinations of hardware proxies, custom SSL certificates and DNS spoofing for making this project work out. For now, Portaña can communicate in Italian only.

OrangeSec unveiled their mod at the Droidcon 2015 and admitted it to be a concept only. Hence, there are lesser chances of OrangeSec coming up with an official release. It is rumoured that Microsoft is planning to bring the voice assistant for both iOS and Android, but it doesn’t seem to happen anytime soon.

Cortana is named after an artificial intelligent (AI) character from the famed video game Halo. The personality of the voice assistant is also derived from the AI companion of the game. Cortana also offers usual voice-assistance features like setting reminders and calendar, weather and traffic information, writing notes and messages.

The generation of voice assistants kicked off with Apple’s Siri, back with the release of iPhone 4S in 2011. Microsoft soon followed by launching its very own Cortana on Windows 10 PC and smartphones. Meanwhile, Cortana is officially limited to Windows Phone.

April 20, 2015
Sony’s Run Continues, Announces High-End Xperia Z4 in Japan

Sony Corp is pushing hard to overcome the unfavorable circumstances and has launched a premium smartphone to signify its presence in the mobile business. Today has marked the debut of Sony’s latest flagship, the Xperia Z4, in the company’s home ground Japan. The smartphone boasts a aluminum frame and features an Omni-Balance design just like the other handsets in Xperia series.

Weighing a mere 144g at 6.9mm thickness, the device holds a full HD screen of 5.2-inch with 1080p pixel density. The device runs on 64-bit 2GHz octa-core Snapdragon 810 processor bundled with 3G RAM and 32GB onboard storage capacity. The phone features a memory card slot that can hold a MicroSD card of 128GB. Software-wise, the Xperia Z4 runs on Android 5.0 Lollipop.

A robust 20.7MP camera with Exmor RS sensor and BIONZ image processor sits at its back, while the front sports a 5.1MP snapper. The phone gets its juice from the 2930mAh battery, which is quite enough to keep the phone running for a day. Connectivity options include Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Micro-USB port along with LDAC, Sony’s new wireless technology to transmit audio wirelessly.

The phone is water and dust resistant and has got IP6X (dust) and IPX5/IPX8 (water) certification. The phone will be out in Japan this summer in white, black, copper and aqua green color options. Meanwhile, there is no word about its price.

Sony has sold one of the founding units of the company (personal computer segment) and according to top executives, it may exit from the mobile business too. One of the major reasons for Sony to find itself in the deteriorating state is the high price of its smartphones in the budget-sensitive market. The Japanese firm needs to follow the footsteps of Chinese and Indian smartphone firms to retrieve its lost esteem.

The company, once neck and neck with Samsung and Apple, is now left behind in the smartphone race. It is battling with the price pressure by the recently established firms like Xiaomi and OnePlus. A while back, Sony announced to focus on camera sensors and video games instead of TV and smartphones. This may be its last attempt to restore the ailing mobile division.

April 20, 2015
Xiaomi Plans to Invest in More Than a 100 Start-ups

Chinese electronics giant Xiaomi, which was once a start-up, has now grown to become the third largest consumer electronics firm in the world. It has gained a foothold in its home market as well as the native markets of other renowned electronics titans. The tech major is working towards turning every budding business into an empire.

According to a recent report, Xiaomi is betting on emerging businesses to help them copy the growth model of the company. The CEO of Xiaomi has announced that the company plans to invest in hundred startups to help them financially. This step is in accordance with the earlier move to back 20 startups that has shown productive outcomes.

Lei Jun commented about its plan that Xiaomi’s strategy is to enable the company into an “ecosystem empire” with major focus on software firms. He further stated –

We plan to move full steam ahead in its quest to become an ecosystem empire.

Investing in software firms would help Xiaomi link anything; consequentially aiding its product portfolio expansion.

Recently Xiaomi’s backed robotics manufacturer Ninebot acquired Segway. The buyout seized the attention of the industry-watchers as a small industry is expanding rapidly, but more than that, it was a call for big celebration for Xiaomi. Late last year, Xiaomi became the world’s most valuable technology start-up after gaining $1.1 billion from investors.

Xiaomi has made use of its small associates and has launched a bunch of smart products such as air purifiers, smart bulbs, smart televisions, etc. With its new approach to software firms, we may soon hear of some unconventional innovations amongst their smartphones.

Meanwhile, Xiaomi has shown significant interest in the Indian market. It has announced to establish a physical warehouse and an R&D center in Southern parts of India.

April 20, 2015
4 Important Announcements to Look Forward to This Week

In the coming days, India will be enticed with the arrival of many new products by popular companies; namely, Xiaomi, OnePlus, Asus and Micromax. Some of the companies have attempted to keep things mysterious, but we’re fairly certain we’ll be seeing some heavy-hitting devices unveiled.

Here’s everything you should expect to see this week:

Xiaomi

Last week Xiaomi announced a ‘Global Mi Phone Premiere’ which will take place in New Delhi on 23rd of April. The company had tweeted about the same and the image read as ‘I Is Coming’. It may well be possible that a new handset, likely the Mi5 or the Mi 4i, may be unveiled. But, we cannot be too sure of that. The conference will be addressed by Lei Jung, CEO and Co-Founder, Bin Lin, President and Co-Founder and Hugo Barra, Vice President of Xiaomi Global.

i IS COMING. Register for our global Mi phone premiere in New Delhi on 23 April. http://t.co/H8GdKvulca #MiLaunch2015 pic.twitter.com/0pxgSe4Mu0

— Mi India (@MiIndiaOfficial) April 10, 2015

OnePlus

OnePlus teased a new product that will be unveiled on 20th of April. The poster reads ‘You’re Invited’ along with a tagline ‘From here on out, anything could happen.’ The new product is highly anticipated to be the OnePlus Two since last year, around the same time, OnePlus launched their flagship phone, the OnePlus One. Although, there is a catch. At the MWC 2015, OnePlus had teased a gaming console. Gaming device or the next flagship? We will find out soon enough.

From here on out, anything could happen. #NeverSettle pic.twitter.com/pK84nYrzcd — OnePlus (@oneplus) April 17, 2015

ASUS

Asus first showcased the Zenfone 2 at the Consumers Electronic Show last year in Las Vegas. India will be receiving three variants of the handset. Powered by a 3,000 mAh battery and running on a 64-bit 2.3GHz Intel Atom processor Z3580 with PowerVR G6430 GPU, the Zenfone is packed for power and performance. More details of the device will be unraveled at the launch event that will take place on 23rd April.

3 variants of #Zenfone2 for India. Gear up to see what others can’t see. pic.twitter.com/p4n6BSC5rk

— ASUS India (@ASUSIndia) April 6, 2015

To know more about its specs and features here.

Micromax

In a series of tweets, Micromax disclosed that it is all set to release its newest affordable smartphone, the Canvas Spark. The device is said to have a 4.4-inch display and is expected to be priced at Rs. 6,000. Also, the presence Snapdeal logo confirms an exclusive partnership between the two companies for online sales. The event will take place on 21st April.

The toughest screen just got affordable. #MicromaxCanvasSpark Coming Soon! pic.twitter.com/YrkMr9xgwI

— Micromax Mobile (@Micromax_Mobile) April 16, 2015

April 20, 2015
WhatsApp Hits 800 Million Monthly Active Users

WhatsApp is one of the biggest success stories in the tech industry; the app is miles ahead of its competition. To announce another major accomplishment, CEO and Founder of WhatsApp, Jan Koum took to his official Facebook page and stated that the popular messaging app now has 800 Million Active users. He also stressed upon the fact that there is a major difference between registered users and active users.

On the other hand, Facebook announced last month that its Messenger app had managed to acquire 600 million active users within the short span of four months. Facebook, which owns both its Messenger as well as WhatsApp, has decidedly kept the two apps separate.

[quote text_size=”small” author=”Jan Kuom” author_title=”CEO and Founder of WhatsApp”]

WhatsApp – now serving 800,000,000 monthly active users. Reminder for the press out there: active and registered users are not the same thing :)

[/quote]

In the past couple of months we’ve been hearing about WhatsApp’s slow takeover in the voice calling segment. Android users have been the first ones to receive the voice calling update, while iOS and Windows users wait in line.

April 18, 2015
OnePlus Expected to Announce a New Device on 20th April

There are several exciting things coming up next week. Two days before OnePlus’ competitor, Xiaomi, makes its global smartphone announcement in India, OnePlus may grab its spotlight. The Chinese company hinted via Twitter, that they might be launching something big on 20th April. Although they’ve decided to keep things mysterious. The image simply reads, “You’re Invited” along with a tag line “From here on out, anything could happen.”

From here on out, anything could happen. #NeverSettle pic.twitter.com/pK84nYrzcd

— OnePlus (@oneplus) April 17, 2015

Yesterday several reports surfaced that the company had decided to unveil the OnePlus Two in June. Could it be possible that OnePlus decided to move up the date, to stay ahead of the competition?

The OnePlus Two is rumored come with a massive 5.5-inch display with a 16MP primary camera and a 5MP front camera. Along with that, we might see a Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor and powered by a 3,300mAh battery.

But, the OnePlus Two is just one of the several possibilities. At the MWC 2015 in Barcelona, OnePlus Co-FOunder teased that the company was working on an entirely new category of product and hinted out three posters. The posters come with the captions: ‘Start a New Game’, ‘For The Fun Of It’ and ‘You’re in Control.’ The three posters hints out more towards a gaming device or a console.

OnePlus shot to fame after the release of the OnePlus One, a device that delivered high-end specifications at affordable rates. Sometime back, OnePlus also released the OnePlus Power Bank that houses 10,000mAh of power.

Which new device is in store for us will only be revealed on 20th April. Till then, keep checking iGyaan for updates.

April 18, 2015