Category: Tech

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

Google Makes the Gmail App an Integrated Inbox for All Your Email Accounts

Google understands the need of users to maintain several accounts at a time, and has found out a hassle-free solution to help bring them all in one place. Google has announced a Gmail update for Android users that makes Inbox a unified place to access emails from your multiple accounts. Which simply means, whether you have a Yahoo account or an Outlook ID, you can add them all to send and receive messages through the consolidated Gmail app.

The Gmail update holds a new option called ‘All Inboxes’. This option comprises of a list of all your added accounts and one can continue the conversation from different handles through ‘All Inboxes’. This upgrade relieves users from the inconvenience of hopping from one tab to another.

Along with providing a combined Inbox, the internet giant has added a slew of other features too. Like Gmail, Google has added a threaded conversation support to other accounts as well, which keeps the emails in an organized manner. The messages remain stacked at a place as one conversation. Also, the upgrade opts for a smarter search tool. Users can find better results with the improved auto-complete feature which makes their search quicker.

Followed by them are a few other inclusions like more responsive animations and larger attachment previews. A button of ‘Save to Drive’ can be spotted in the update where users can save the files with a single tap.

The official blogpost of Gmail states that the upgrade was made available from yesterday onwards, and Android users can update Gmail to find the changes. Meanwhile, the company hasn’t notified about its roll out for iOS users as of now, but it is expected to arrive soon.

March 31, 2015
Indian Government Puts Greater Stress On Using Open Source Software

The software markets around the world are dominated by US based products. With the revelation of the NSA snooping on the data of major companies like Google, Microsoft and other players, the governments around the world have become vary of using such products. The Indian government too is taking measures to reduce the dominance of US based products in its workflow and hence has introduced a new Open Source Software(OSS) Policy.

With the use of open source software, the government intends to bring greater transparency. It is also looking to invest in propriety software for official functions. The development costs of OSS’s are also lower than the big brand software.

An official statement said that the new policy will be applicable to the central government institutions, and state governments will have to induct the policy when they upgrade their e-governance systems. It also added that under the Digital India program, the government intends to bring low-cost, but high-quality services to the citizens and OSS are an optimal way of going about with the plans.

All government institutions, under this policy, would have to consider OSS for implementing the E-governance model. The source code of these softwares will be available to community/adopter/end-user to study and modify the software. These softwares will also be “royalty-free.”

India’s stand for open source software is appreciable and will lead to greater transparency. The governments of US, UK, Germany and many European nations have stressed on OSS platforms too. India’s crowdsourcing platform, MyGov.in has already been built on open source platforms.

March 31, 2015
Xiaomi to Bring Out a Sub-Rs. 5,000 Smartphone on April 8 : Report

Xiaomi is known as an electronics firm that offers premium handsets at a reasonable price range. Since long, rumour mill has suggested Xiaomi is planning to release an entry-level smartphone. The same device has now appeared online through a leaked image. The handset is expected to debut on April 8 and will cost 499 Yuan (approximately Rs. 5,000).

From what it appears from the first look of the upcoming phone, it seems to be a cheaper version of Redmi 2. Some reports have also surfaced that throw light on the inner details of the smartphone. According to Chinese blog Mydrives.com, the phone will sport a 4.7-inch (720x1280p) screen. A 1.6GHz Leadcore LC1860 quad core processor, along with 1GB of RAM. The device will run on Android 4.4 KitKat with MIUI skin on top.

Coming to its optics, an 8MP rear camera paired with a 2MP secondary shooter will sit on the device. The storage option includes 8GB of inbuilt space, which at this point of time is unknown if it would be expandable.

Until now, it is not known if the smartphone will make it to countries outside China, but some online publishers are claiming it may arrive in India by April 8. Few days back, Xiaomi teased a picture of a dress that had a NSSJ caption on top. The smartphone is stated to launch today at the occasion of the company’s fifth anniversary.

The launch event can take place anytime soon. We will keep you updated with information on the availability of the latest device as soon as something arrives. Keep checking back.

March 31, 2015
After Spending Heavily On Spectrum Auction, Telecom Companies Might Increase Tariffs

The spectrum auctions have come to a close, and the government has received total payment of Rs. 1,09,874.91 crores this time around. But what might be a good amount of revenue for the government, might not be good news for the mobile subscribers in India says Moody, the global financial credit rating agency. It means that the telecom companies might soon hike their tariff’s to make up for lost resources.

Moody said that the high rates of spectrum will tremendously increase debts and is negative for the credit of the telecom companies, and they would increase their tariffs to address the issue. It said that the hike will be gradual so as to keep their market.

Moody also mentioned that the companies would be able to recover a good amount of their departed fortunes with the increase in demand for 3G data plans. Telecom Minister of India, Ravi Shanker Prasad said that as per expert analysis, the annual load on the companies will be Rs. 5300 crore.

The latest telecom auctions saw significant spending on the parts of the network providers. Idea Cellular made a commitment to pay Rs. 30,306.98 crore followed by Airtel at Rs. 29,130.20 crore and Vodafone with Rs. 29,959.74 crores. Other telecom companies too pitched thousands of crores to secure spectrum and stay in business.

It is also being said that due to the massive investment in spectrum acquirement, the companies might slow the expansion of their 3G and 4G services. They might hold off major investments for the next phases of upgrades. So this would also be a disappointment for the users who have been waiting to use their new LTE enabled smartphones to their maximum potential. So dear Indians, brace up, the hike is coming.

March 31, 2015

Microsoft Lumia 640 and the Bigger 640 XL Expected to Land in India Next Month

At the recently concluded tech carnival, Mobile World Congress, Microsoft brought to the world two affordable smartphone innovations, Dual SIM Lumia 640 and Lumia 640 XL. The handsets come preloaded with Windows 8.1 and offer free Office 365 for one year. The Lumia smartphones are now making way to the Indian land and as per reports, both the devices will hit the Indian market in early April.

As per India Today, the company is presently importing the devices from Vietnam, and a total of nine batches have made it to Mumbai. As per the import/export tracker, the Lumia 640 is priced at Rs. 4,683, while the bigger Lumia 640 XL will cost slightly higher at Rs. 6,710. However, it should be noted that these are not the final prices, and the original price could be a tad higher.

Recalling the key specifications of the handsets, the Lumia 640 sports a 5-inch HD display which is protected by Gorilla Glass 3. The company has equipped the device with 1.2GHz Qualcomm 400 quad-core processor paired with 1GB RAM and 8GB storage. It comes in four colour options – cyan, orange white and black.

The rear camera is 8MP and comes bundled with LED flash. A 1MP snapper with wide angle lens sits at the upfront. For now, the handsets will ship with Windows 8.1, but it will soon upgrade to Windows 10.

On the other hand, Lumia 640 XL is the bigger sibling of the Lumia 640. It has a 5.7-inch screen and packs the same processor as that of Lumia 640. It comes with a 13-megapixel camera with LED flash and Carl Zeiss optics, and the front has a 5MP shooter with wide angle lens. A bigger battery of 3,000mAh is fitted onto the phone which keeps the device running for a full day usage.

Both the devices come in two variants – 3G and LTE. As always, the LTE variants will cost slightly higher than the 3G version.

Have a look at their spec sheet:

SPECS	MICROSOFT LUMIA 640	MICROSOFT LUMIA 640 XL
Display	5-inch IPS (294ppi)Gorilla Glass 3	5.7-inch IPS LCD (259ppi)Gorilla Glass 3
Processor	1.2GHz Qualcomm 400 quad-core	1.2GHz Qualcomm 400 quad-core
RAM	1GB	1GB
Storage	8GB	8GB
Expandable Upto	128GB	128GB
Main Camera	8MP	13MP
Front Camera	1MP	5MP
Battery	2500mAh	3000mAh
Operating System	Windows 8.1	Windows 8.1
Price	€160 (near Rs. 11,000)	€220 (near Rs. 15,000)

In case you missed our hands-on video, do watch the clip below:

March 30, 2015

LG Quietly Releases Spirit with Android Lollipop in India, Priced at Rs. 14,250

Earlier today, LG announced the global roll out of its four mid-range smartphones – Magna, Spirit, Leon, and Joy; all these devices were officially launched in February this year, ahead of MWC. Just a few hours after the announcement, one of the four models made an appearance on LG India’s official website. It is listed on the company’s India-specific website with a price tag of Rs. 14,250. The device comes in two different colour options.

Throwing light on the specifications of LG Spirit, the device holds an HD 720p touchscreen display of 4.7-inch. It features a 1.3GHz quad-core processor bundled with 1GB of RAM. The onboard storage space of the phone is 8GB, which can be extended via MicroSD card up to 32GB. LG Spirit runs on default Android 5.0.1 Lollipop with the company’s UI on top.

The phone features an 8MP camera at the back with LED Flash and autofocus, while the front holds an average 1MP shooter. The device comes with connectivity options like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS/ A-GPS, and Micro-USB. A battery of 2100mAh is equipped with the device along with the key feature ‘Knock Code’.

The dual-SIM handset is slightly curved to fit in the palm of the user. At a price of Rs. 14,250, the phone will get a tough competition from lowly priced Yu Yureka and Xiaomi Redmi 2.

Below are the specifications of LG Spirit:

SPECS	LG SPIRIT
Display	4.7-inch 720p
Processor	1.3GHz quad-core
RAM	1GB
Internal Memory	8GB
Expandable up to	32GB
Camera	8MP rear, 1MP front
Battery	2100mAh
Operating System	Android 5.0.1 Lollipop
Price	Rs. 14, 250

March 30, 2015

Microsoft Expected to Take on Chromebooks with Inexpensive Windows 10 Laptops

While Microsoft enjoys a supremacy in the laptop OS domain with Windows, Google is on top of the mobile operating system game with the widely accepted Android by its side. But the search engine giant has also managed a foothold in the hardware arena with its popular Chromebook series. To recoup its audience, the Windows is planning to roll out two new inexpensive products that can counter Google’s Chromebooks.

According to the online publishing portal Digitimes, the company will release two affordable notebooks in mid-2015. These laptops will be 11.6-inch in size and will run on the latest Windows 10. The price of the notebooks will range from $149 to $179 at the max and will target the education and consumer markets. Unlike bigger laptops with powerful processors and graphics, the forthcoming devices are said to perform basic tasks like internet surfing, social media usage and Microsoft office processes.

If the source is to be believed then the laptops will house Intel’s Bay Trail-T CR (BTCR) processors. The one for educational purposes will be manufactured by electronics company Elitegroup Computer Systems (ECS) while, for the consumer market, the company will collaborate with China-based 3 Nod to manufacture the laptops.

It has also been learnt that Microsoft may expand its project and release more models in larger sizes to compete with Google’s 11.6-inch, 13.3- inch, and 15.6-inch notebooks.

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March 30, 2015
HTC One E9+ Spotted on the Company’s China Website

There was recently rumours about an HTC’s new device known as the A55 which flaunted some amazing specs. The device was to be a part of the company’s Desire line of handsets. Now the company has gone ahead and quietly posted the A55 on its Chinese website but with a new name. It is now called the HTC One E9+.

The specifications for the device is close to what was previously rumored about the A55. It sports 5.5″ Quad HD display and is powered by a 64-bit, octa-core MediaTek MT6795M chipset along with 2GB RAM. It offers 16GB of internal storage which is expandable, but the limit hasn’t been stated yet. The device will be juiced up through a 2800 mAh battery.

It offers a 13 MP camera at the back and 4MP UltraPixel camera in the front. It features a metal frame design and would be a refreshing change over last year’s HTC One E8 which had an appealing design but was made of plastic. The device runs HTC Sense 7 UI based on Android Lollipop.

There are a few discrepancies in the websites relating to specs at the moment, so some of these specs may change with updates to the website. But looking at the features, it appears that like last year, HTC plans to bring a slightly stripped down version of its flagship, the HTC One M9. The One E9+ will be available in meteor grey, gold sepia, and two-tone classic rose gold colour options.

March 30, 2015
India Preps its Own Navigation System With the Launch of IRNSS-1D

We have known for a while that India is working on its satellite-based positioning system called Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS.) This will be a competitor to the US-operated GPS system which is the most prominent navigation system around the world. ISRO has launched PSLV-C27, which carries in itself the IRNSS-1D, which is the fourth satellite in the constellation of seven satellites which will make up for India’s own operating system.

Today’s launch was previously supposed to be held March 9th, but it was postponed due to technical issues in one of the sub-systems. IRNSS-1D has a mission lifespan of 10 years. It will provide navigation, tracking and mapping services. This is the fourth satellite in the constellation of seven satellites. The four satellite will be capable of offering navigational assistance on their own, but the other three satellites will add more accuracy to the system. Once completed, the IRNSS would be on par with US-based GPS system.

IRNSS will be made of a constellation of seven satellites.

IRNSS will be accessible from mobile devices and navigational systems, just like GPS. It will offer terrestrial and marine navigation, assist in disaster management, help track vehicles and will also provide visual and voice navigation for drivers. The system will be established this year and cost the taxpayers a sum of Rs. 1420 crores. IRNSS will focus on South Asia so India’s neighbours can also benefit from it.

The Kargil War of 1999 had incited a need for an in-country navigation system. The US government back then had refused the request of the Indian government to use the navigation system to keep track of enemy movement. This led to the inception of the IRNSS, and now it has reached the half way mark to completion. India is not the only country which wants to break the dominance of GPS and US influence in the navigational front. Russia with its GLONASS system is already in the market while European Union’s Galileo positioning system and China’s Beidou Navigation Satellite System are in the planning stages.

March 30, 2015

Xiaomi Announces Second Open Sale of Mi Pad in India

There is good news by Xiaomi for those who missed the chance to own a Mi Pad in the first open sale held on March 24. The Chinese electronics major is holding a second sale today through its exclusive online partner Flipkart, and just like the previous time, users are not required to register for the device. The tablet is on open sale and it’s available to buy 12 noon onwards today.

The Beijing-based firm spread the word about the sale via Facebook –

The Mi Pad is one superior tablet that has the specifications of a high-end device. It is affordably priced at Rs. 12,999. The Mi Pad is thin at 9.4mm and sports a 7.9-inch IPS display with a resolution of 2048×1536. The tablet is powered by a 2.2 GHz Nvidia Tegra K1 SoC ARM Cortex-A15 processor, 2GB RAM and 16GB inbuilt storage space. The Xiaomi tablet runs on Android 4.4 KitKat with MIUI skin on top. The device comes with an 8MP rear camera and a 5MP front camera, and has a powerful battery of 6700mAh.

Brief details about its specs are provided below:

SPECS	Xiaomi Mi Pad
Display	7.9-inch IPS326 PPI
Processor	2.2 GHz Nvidia Tegra K1 SoC ARM Cortex-A15
RAM	2GB
Internal Memory	16GB
Expandable up to	128GB
Camera	8MP rear, 5MP front
Battery	6700mAh
Operating System	Android 4.4 KitKat
Price	Rs. 12,999

March 30, 2015

YouTube Gets Ready To Bring 4K Videos Running at 60 FPS

A few months back, YouTube introduced the 60FPS video playback. Now YouTube has taken a step further by introducing 60FPS video on YouTube, at 4K. The video baron has started to experiment with videos that run smoothly and are ultra high-def.

First spotted by TechCrunch, a low-key secret playlist of only 6 videos has been put out by YouTube which can be played at 60FPS in 4K resolution. For the videos to work in full resolution, the devices playing them must be capable of displaying ultra HD resolution. In addition to sharper video, the movement appears far smoother in comparison to common frame rates of 24fps and 30fps.

At present, there are many 4K displays in the market but there isn’t enough content out there to do justice to these high definition displays. The internet connectivity is also an issue in a country like India which is known for its dismal speeds. But it would still be encouraging for people who has invested heavy sums of money in 4K televisionsto know that the most prominent streaming service now has content that makes full use of the high-def displays’ capabilities.

Here is the series of 4K videos that are available on YouTube.

March 28, 2015
Google and Johnson & Johnson Come Together to Build Surgery Assistance Robots

Google is leaving no stone unturned to take humankind into the future. From ruling the internet industry to creating self-driving cars, Google has left its imprints everywhere. Now, the search giant wants to use its technological expertise to advance medical science. Pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson announced its partnership with Google and said that both companies would develop advanced robots to assist surgeons with operation.

For this deal, Google’s Life Science division will be working closely with Ethicon, a medical device making company in Johnson & Johnson family. Google threw light on the collaboration and what can be expected from it with the following comment:

[quote text_size=”small”]

It will help explore how the latest innovations in computer science and advanced imaging and sensors could be integrated into tools that help surgeons as they operate.

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Both companies hinted that Ethicon will be responsible for surgical instruments development and Google will deal with data. They will bring together their capabilities, intellectual property and expertise to make an innovative robotic-assisted surgical platform possible.

The advanced technology will help operating room experts to get a better picture of the interior body parts and assist in carrying out a successful operation. A software platform will also be developed that can figure out abnormalities in crucial features like blood vessels, nerves, and other silent diseases that thrive in the body. It will help people in detection of diseases at the primary stage and minimize trauma and scarring and accelerate post-surgical healing.

Google has been actively participating in biotechnology since past few years, and its Life Science division is dedicated to devising measures to benefit the world. A while back, it invested a contact lens that can measure the glucose level in the wearer’s blood. The Silicon Valley giant is becoming a bigger part of our life with each passing day.

March 28, 2015
Sony’s Augmented Reality Glasses Goes Up for Sale in 10 Countries

Sony dipped its toes in the field of augmented reality two months back with the launch of SmartEyeglass. The electronics maker is now putting the transparent lens eyewear on sale in 10 countries across the globe.

The smart glass going on sale is the Developer Edition of AR eyewear and comes at a price of $840. The 10 countries where it will be accessible are Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, UK, and the USA. It is a Developer version, the general audience will get their hands on the device in a while. Only the business customers of the following countries would be able to get their holds on the AR tool.

For a while now, an influx of augmented reality devices has increased in the technology sector. Earlier Google came up with the Google Glas, which was pulled back from the market recently. Microsoft also stepped in the arena with the introduction of the HoloLens and gathered appreciation for bringing alive a cordless, self-contained Windows computer with holographic capabilities.

The Sony SmartEyeglass is a see-through binocular that superimposes text, symbols and images into the natural field of view. It projects a virtual image through the holographic elements to the user. The wearer can get updates of bus times, directions, and much more in front of their eyes. The device connects to the Android smartphone and mimics the behaviour of the SmartEyeglass.

For in-depth information on its working, check the video below:

https://youtu.be/Bx7O_h09HKA

March 28, 2015
It’s Your Time To Speak! TRAI invites Comments on Net Neutrality

Net Neutrality has become one of the most important buzzwords in the tech world over the past years. This simple principle states that all content on the internet should get equal speeds, and internet providers cannot discriminate between the content. So users will get the same speed of access to the Facebook as they would for Youtube. The Federal Communications Commission of America, after a intense public debate, sided with Net Neutrality which was seen as a big win for an open and free internet and seen as a rare instant when the public opinion was considered over corporate interests. Now it’s India’s turn to decide the future of the internet.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India(TRAI) has invited views of Indian citizens on the future of the Internet in the country. The regulatory agency is currently also considering the future course of action for the OTT (over-the-top) players such as apps like Whatsapp, Viber, Skype which let users make calls and send messages at reduced rates in comparison to telecom companies. This is why the government is being pressured by the telecom lobby to create a regulatory framework for these apps which are eating into the revenues of the companies.

Net Neutrality principle states that all traffic on the Internet deserve equal speeds.

Airtel recently was on the receiving end massive of massive public outrage for breaking the internet based services and charging exorbitant rates for them. The public backlash led the company to roll back the decision. This instance exhibited an immediate need for clear net neutrality policies in India.

You can send in your comments by 24th April, 2015 and counter comments by 8th May 2015 on email id [email protected]. You can find more information on the consultation paper on TRAI’s website.

Net Neutrality has been one of the founding principles of the internet which has been around since its early days. Our lives are getting more and more dependent on the internet with each passing day, and so it’s absolutely essential that the consumer demand it to be open and fair. So right now you have been given an opportunity send in your views and if you miss now you won’t have the right to complain later. So go ahead and tell TRAI and the Indian government to bring strong net neutrality policies and preserve the open and free internet.

If you are still not convinced to take action yet, we’ll let John Oliver explain why you should send in your comments to TRAI, right now!

March 28, 2015
Xiaomi Ties Up with The Mobile Store to Sell Smartphones in Retail Stores

Since the arrival of Xiaomi in India, the Chinese manufacturer has been selling phones through the exclusive online partner Flipkart. Now, the company is giving a boost to its business on the Indian soil. China’s largest smartphone maker has adopted the offline sales policy in the country and will retail its smartphones through the brick-and-mortar outlets of The Mobile Store.

The company head of India operations Manu Jain notified about the same with his statement –

This will be the first time we’re getting into offline trade in India. In China, about 20-30% of total sales come from telecom operators’ stores while the rest come from our online store – Mi.com

Now, one can walk into any of the 55 outlets of The Mobile Store in Delhi-NCR and own a Redmi handset. Meanwhile, the company has drawn out two models, Mi 4 and Redmi Note 4G for sale, and they can be grabbed at the price range of Rs. 19,999 and Rs. 9,999 respectively. The sale begins from Saturday, 28th March, onwards.

Xiaomi Mi 4

For the moment, only the national capital’s stores offer the devices, but The Mobile Store will soon make them available in its 300 stores across the nation. The stores will not only retail the phones but will also offer repair service, as announced by Himanshu Chakrawarti, Xiaomi Chief Executive.

Meanwhile, the company’s association with the e-commerce partner still exists, and all the Xiaomi products will be available on Flipkart as always. The Indian online retail channel appreciated Xiaomi’s step and said that the brands sold on Flipkart are always welcome to explore alternative channels.

Redmi Note

Over the past year, Xiaomi has undertaken rigorous efforts to establish itself in the Indian market. It is building up its Research and Development centre in Bangalore and has inaugurated its India-centric online store Mi.com in India. Anyone can order authentic Mi accessories like headphones, power bank and other products from there.

It is also estimated that the Chinese electronics brand can start its own smartphone store in India if the offline programme goes well. The company has received tremendous response in the country for offering impeccable devices at afforable rates. Lately, it launched its new budget superstar, Redmi Note 2, in India which is available via flash sale on Flipkart. We hope that the trial proposal gets a thumps up and we finally bid farewell to the entire flash sale shenanigans as they have become tiring now.

March 28, 2015