Category: Tech

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With ‘Android for Work’, Google Wants to Make Android Devices Office-Friendly

Google’s Android OS is the only operating system that has touched almost every part of the globe. It has topped over all the other major softwares such as BlackBerry OS, Windows, and iOS. The search giant now intends to strengthen its stand in the enterprise environment by introducing a initiative called “Android for Work”.

Today, Google introduced “Android for Work” that focuses on making Android devices more office-friendly. Through this, users can manage their content and can keep their professional data separate in silos, without merging it up with personal content.

Android OS lags in the business segment. However, smartphones and tablets running on Android sell like hot cakes, but they are underutilized in the workplace. Google’s mobile ecosystem was missing out on apps and features that users can bank upon for the security of their business content. The company might be able to bridge that gap with the introduction of new business centric features.

‘Android for Work’, works on four primary components. The gadgets running on Android Lollipop will be able to make the most of this service. IT team of a company can create profiles of the individual and can install apps to isolate their work data from the personal content. Next in the list is the Android for Work app which is built for devices running on Android 4.0 and above. The app delivers secure mail, calendar, contacts, documents, browsing and access to deployed work apps.

The third component, Google Play for Work, allows IT professionals to install and manage recommended apps on the handsets of the users running Android for Work. The company has created a suite of business apps for email, contacts and calendar, which offers both Exchange and Notes and provides document editing capabilities.

The internet search giant has partnered with well-known names like Box Citrix, VMware, HTC, LG and Sony, who are helping them in bringing out a more secure, manageable and innovative Android platform. BlackBerry has extended support through providing a cross-platform EMM (Enterprise Mobility Management) solution to manage devices.

Google has an extensive user base, which can be used to reach out to more audience through their software. The company announced the project eight months back and has launched it now after testing it thoroughly. Google is trying to make Android devices simple and essential for people to use at work and there will definitely be more updates coming to this initiative as enterprises are a profitable market for any tech company.

February 26, 2015
Lenevo.com Hacked in Response to Superfish

Lenovo has recently been in the news for all the wrong reasons. Cyber-security experts reported that the a pre-installed adware called on Lenovo computers made them vulnerable to hacking. Lenovo is also facing a class action lawsuit after admitting that it willingly installed the adware on their systems. The company seems to have really touched a nerve as a group of hackers called Lizard Squad have taken over their website.

The Message currently showing on Lenovo’s website

When some users went to visit the site in the morning, instead of the usual content they just found a slideshow. The slideshow had webcam pictures of kids with a Twitter link claiming to be members of Lizard Squad. If you visit the website, now all you get is an apology page stating that the website is unavailable and will come online soon.

We’ll comb the Lenovo dump for more interesting things later.

— Lizard Squad (@LizardCircle) February 25, 2015

The hackers have also gained access to Lenovo’s emails and data. The group is claiming that it will be combing through all the data that it has captured. We might even anticipate leaks like the previous Sony hack.

Superfish removal bricks some devices? Great work Lenovo pic.twitter.com/phXiBS3KzO

— Lizard Squad (@LizardCircle) February 25, 2015

The hackers have already released screenshots of emails that say that some devices got bricked when users attempted to remove Superfish adware themselves. Superfish has become a major bone in the throats of Lenovo. The company had till now enjoyed a healthy fan base, but the adware seems to have the potential to severely tarnish the company’s image. Come back to iGyaan for more updates on Lenovo.

February 26, 2015
Get Ready to Port Your Mobile Number Anywhere Across India

Over the past few years, it has gotten easier and easier to gain access to a mobile phone. Indians currently own over 94,40 crore mobile handsets. The government has now made it easier for Indians to travel across India, with one number across the nation.

Starting May 3, you would be able to port your number to any mobile circle of India and also change your mobile operator. The change came into effect after TRAI changed the regulations on the matter.

As of now users can use the facility of Mobile Number Portability (MNP) to change telecom operators within a telecom circle, which is usually a state.

This action is a follow-up to the amendments issued by the Department of Telecom (DoT) on the 3rd of November 2014. It stated that MNP is to be implemented within six months from the date of passing of amendments.

This will come handy to folks who have to change their place of residence at regular intervals. It will also let users keep their numbers while on long trips without incurring massive roaming charges. A consumer friendly decision will be welcomed by people across the nation.

February 26, 2015

Motorola Outs Moto E (Gen 2) With a Bigger Screen, LTE and Android Lollipop

Last night, Motorola made an announcement that made Moto E fans jump with joy. The company brought out the upgraded version of the popular device – the Moto E (Gen 2), which is another significant addition to its affordable smartphone lineup. The US-based firm introduced two variants of the phone – Moto E (Gen 2) and Moto E (Gen 2) LTE. The earlier one is priced at $119.99 (Rs. 7,400 approx.), and the latter is priced slightly higher at $149.99 (around Rs. 9,200).

The company stated on its blog post –

We’re introducing the next generation, packed with more features and functionality to give people around the world even greater access to life’s possibilities – without a hefty price tag.

The design has been kept the same, and the familiar circular edges, camera and speakers sit on the device. Both the handsets come with double the in-built memory storage than Moto E, i.e 8 GB. The company has stuffed the next-gen phone with many new features like Quick Capture, Active Display and more.

The new Moto E packs very much the same set of specs, but the one thing that will catch your attention is the bigger 4.5-inch screen. However, the quality of both 3G and 4G model is just like the last generation Moto E, qHD (540×960 pixels) display. Both the phones run on Android 5.0 Lollipop. The LTE version is a bit faster than the other model and is powered by 64-bit quad-core 1.2 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 410.

Unlike Moto E, users can now personalise their devices. The new interchangeable, colourful bands and grip shells are introduced that gives the phones an appealing look. The bands come in six different shades (Golden Yellow, Turquoise, Blue, Raspberry, Purple, Red) and for back plates any colour can be chosen from Golden Yellow, Charcoal, Turquoise, Blue, Raspberry. The handsets are up for grabs in more than 50 countries in North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia.

Check out the detailed specifications of both Moto E (Gen 2) handsets:

SPECS	Moto E (gen 2)	Moto E (gen 2) LTE
Display	4.5-inch qHD	4.5-inch qHD
Processor	1.2 GHz quad-core Snapdragon 200	1.2 GHz quad-core Snapdragon 410
RAM	1 GB	1 GB
Storage	8 GB	8 GB
Expandable Upto	32 GB	32 GB
Main Camera	5 MP	5 MP
Front Camera	0.3 MP	0.3 MP
Battery	3100 mAh	2500mAh
Operating System	Android 5.0 Lollipop	Android 5.0 Lollipop
Price	$119.99 (Rs. 7,400)	$149.99 (Rs. 9,200)

February 26, 2015

Microsoft Office 365 is Now Free for Eligible Students Worldwide

Microsoft has finally expanded the free Office 365 subscription for eligible students and teacher globally. The open service was earlier limited to the students of the US only.

The company made the announcement through its official blog post that reads –

Millions of students around the world are eligible for free Office from their school and today [Tuesday] we are announcing that we’ve made it easy for all eligible students globally to sign up themselves to get Office 365 and install free Office, Microsoft confirmed via its Office Blogs.

Students just need to have a valid e-mail address, and they can sign up for a free Office 365 subscription. The users will get access to the latest versions of MS Word, MS Excel, MS Powerpoint, OneNote, Access, and Publisher. These programs can be installed on PCs, Macs and on up to five mobile devices including iPad, Android, and Windows Tablets. Students will also gain a massive storage space of 1TB on OneDrive and Office Online to keep their files safe.

The company said that the offer can be availed only if schools do have a licensed software. The schools must license the Office in order to get benefitted from the provided service. Meanwhile, students can click here and enter the school-provided email address to access free Office. Teachers can do the same clicking here.

February 25, 2015
Report : Samsung’s Forthcoming Galaxy S6 Likely To Get An Outrageous Price Tag

Samsung’s upcoming flagship is creating quite a buzz. With only a few days left before its official announcement in Barcelona, a new report suggests that Samsung is launching both the curved and the normal Galaxy S6 at a rather outrageous price point. Moreover, carriers are also reportedly having a hard time getting enough stock of the curved Galaxy S6, suggesting that Samsung might be having manufacturing issues with its curved display.

Much has already been revealed about Samsung’s forthcoming flagship, with the Korean manufacturer expected to announce the Galaxy S6 at the Mobile World Congress next week. The new report also confirms there will be two versions of the Galaxy S6 – a normal version and a curved version sporting curved edges on either sides of the device.

In both cases, pricing is quite exorbitant, apparently higher than the iPhone. For the non curved display – European pricing is €749 ($849), €849 ($963), and €949 ($1,076) for the 32GB, 64GB, and 128GB models respectively. While for its curved variant, the source says one can add €100 to each of the above figures.

Meanwhile, Indian pricing will be a lot more complex than simply converting Euros to Rupees, thanks to our rigid tax structure. But even without considering external variables that would affect the overall pricing, both the upcoming flagship variants are priced way above the launch price of the Galaxy S5. This could be a cause for concern unless the hardware is truly spectacular.

Expect the Samsung Galaxy S6 to be unveiled at an unpacked event in Barcelona on Sunday. We’ll be there to bring you live updates, stay tuned for more.

February 25, 2015
Samsung Showcases First Ever 10nm Processor Technology

With mobile phones going for slimmer and thinner designs, its components are also going narrower in size. So far, all high-end phones are equipped with 28nm or 20nm size system-on-chip (SoC), but Samsung has showcased the sleekest ever SoC that makes a dent in the mobile hardware market.

Today, at the International Solid State Circuits Conference (ISSCC), the Korean manufacturer demonstrated the 10nm FinFET semiconductor manufacturing process. It’s the world’s first SoC to come in such a minimal size and is expected to be more powerful and energy efficient than the existing offerings. Meanwhile, the latest processor, Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 is built on a 20nm die size. On the other hand, Samsung’s in-house Exynos 7420, said to be embedded on the upcoming Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge flagship devices, uses a 14nm SoC.

Samsung Electronics Semiconductor President, Kim Ki-nam explained the new manufacturing process as a major step in the evolution of the Internet of Things (IoT). He said that it allows more power efficient chipsets at smaller and smaller sizes. It’s also learnt that Samsung is planning on releasing a memory built on the same 10nm die process.

The company has solidified its steps in the hardware segment and the refurbishment of its in-house operating system Tizen is going in full swing. Samsung has given decent competition to Intel and Qualcomm. Since the Korean firm has just presented the idea, it is not going to come anytime soon (maybe in a year or two).

February 25, 2015
HTC One M9 Will be Everything That the One M8 Wasn’t

Samsung’s Galaxy S6 is definitely the most awaited device at the MWC 2015. This launch of this device will be a make or break moment for the Korean giant that has struggled recently to attract the consumers towards its devices. The other major device that will attract a lot of shutterbugs would be HTC’s One M9, successor to the popular M8. Here’s how HTC will introduce a device that attends to all the limits of its previous generation offering.

A Higher Resolution

HTC One M8 was unveiled in the March of 2014. The device featured a 5-inch full-HD display, but a lot has changed in the display department of flagship smartphones since then. LG G3, Nexus 6 and Note 4 have all placed their bets on the Quad HD (2K) displays. If the rumors are to be believed, HTC will continue on with the 1080p display, but there might just be a chance that the company surprises its audience with a higher definition display.

An Amazing Camera

One of the most touted but least appreciated offerings from the HTC One M8 was the dual ultra pixel cameras on the back. HTC realized its folly and released the HTC One M8 Eye with a better camera. This time around as shown by rumors and promotional video, the One M9 will sport a 20 MP camera on the back and an ultrapixel camera on the front.

The Power of the Lollipop

HTC has been at work proactively to provide Android Lollipop updates to its users. The company had set a goal of 90 days from the date of release of Lollipop to provide the update on its devices. Unfortunately, following the report of many bugs with the Lollipop launch, the update has been delayed. It is expected that HTC One M9 will come to the market with Lollipop running out of the box. The user interface as shown in the promotional video clearly shows an HTC Sense like UI with Blinkfeed.

Other Improved Bits

The One M9 will also bring in the Boomsound speakers and advanced photo manipulation tools so that the users can have more fun with the device. HTC also seems to be adding more customization options that are usual offerings of ROMs such as Cyanogen and MIUI. There are a lot of expectations from the M9, but it feels like HTC doesn’t need take a lot of efforts with this new launch. As the One M8 was one of the most appreciated devices of last year, all HTC has to do is take care of a few tweaks, and it will have a promising device,. The HTC One M9 will be unveiled on 1st March, so update your calendar and come check out iGyaan as we’ll be reporting right from the ground at MWC 2015.

February 25, 2015
LG G Flex 2 Goes Up for Pre-Order in Select Countries

LG’s second flexible smartphone G Flex 2 garnered positive first impressions at CES this year. The company promised the customers to make it available as soon as possible and seems like they’ve kept their word. Today, the Korean firm announced the global roll out of the curvy G Flex 2. The device is said to arrive in US, UK, France, Germany, Hong Kong and Singapore first through major carriers.

Carphone Warehouse, a UK retailer, has opened up pre-order of the flagship device, and it will hit the store on March 16. Customers have an option to buy it with or without SIM card. The unlocked, SIM free G Flex 2 comes for £529.99. Many other retailers like Unlocked Mobiles, Clove and more have opened registration for the pre-order of the unlocked device.

This smartphone was acclaimed for being able to restore its original position in less than 10 seconds. The phone is up for grabs in South Korea and folks in North and South America, Asia and Europe will be able to own one post the Mobile World Conference (2 – 5 March).

Coming to its specifications, the 4G LTE-capable G Flex 2 sports a 5.5-inch full HD display. The Corning Gorilla Glass 3 forms a protective covering over the screen. The device runs on pre-installed Android Lollipop and comes with 2 and 3 GB RAM options, depending on the internal memory. A 13MP snapper sits at the back of the smartphone that comes with features like laser autofocus, optical image stabilization, dual-LED flash.

February 25, 2015
HTC One M9 Details Leaked As Promo Videos Go Live

As is often the case with prominent flagship smartphones prior to their official unveiling, virtually all details of HTC’s next flagship are out in the open. With the One M9 all set to be officially announced at the Mobile World Congress 2015, three new promotional videos were published on YouTube by user Upleaks which were immediately removed. Interestingly, the source of the clips is also no where to be seen on YouTube. Though we managed to find a source that currently works. Readers be reminded that videos are in line with leaks in the past, and barely leave room for imagination.

The promotional videos showcased the design of the upcoming flagship, along with its hardware capabilities. Key attributes of the HTC One M9 include a dual-tone metal body, Ultra-pixel front facing camera which can apparently offer better low light selfies, a 20 MP primary camera, and the BoomSound feature has been upgraded with Dolby Audio surround sound.

The video also shows a new home screen focused on the Sense-d Android 5.0 and its new camera unit. HTC has added a slew of improvements to its latest custom UI like better BlinkFeed and a plethora of customisation options.

Meanwhile, earlier this week a German listing for a smartphone was spotted that looked uncannily familiar to the HTC One M9. The leaked images did look authentic and shows that HTC has moved some buttons around, we may see the power button right below the volume rockers on the right, unlike the M8 where it was located on top, making it quite a task to reach at times given the size of the M8.

HTC One (M9) debuts this Sunday, on March 1 in Barcelona. Make sure you tune in to find out everything about HTC’s new flagship, if there’s anything left to show. Also check out the leaked intro video below:

February 25, 2015
Sony Mistakenly Confirms Xperia Z4 Tablet With 2K Display Ahead of MWC

The approaching Mobile World Conference (MWC) will witness many new smartphones, tablets and other high-end gadgets, and major companies can’t seem to contain their excitement about the event. Samsung and LG have unwrapped some of their devices ahead of the event, and the latest firm join in is Sony.

Recently, Sony gave a glimpse of its next tablet titled Xperia Z4. As per Xperia blog, a brief description along with an image was accidently posted on the Xperia Lounge app of the company. The statement proudly informs of Sony Xperia Z4’s “2K display” and the “latest ultra fast processor”. It also reads that the tablet has “industry leading battery performance.”

The design of the tablet looks sleek and from the picture, it is evident that volume rockers are placed on the right side. There is one circular key below it which looks like a power button. As the information was accidently slipped, details of the device are still under wraps. But one thing is clear that the phone will make an appearance on 3^rd of March in Barcelona.

February 25, 2015
Microsoft Outlook to Drop Facebook and Google Chat Support Soon

Microsoft has today disclosed its plan of removing Google and Facebook chat from its email service Outlook.com. The support will be discontinued within next couple of weeks, as per an e-mail by Outlook to its customer.

The official notification by Microsoft says that the company is removing the Google Talk integration ‘due to Google’s decision to discontinue the chat protocol used by the Google Talk platform’. No reasons have been disclosed as to why Facebook chat support too will be discontinued.

“We understand that this may disappoint some of our customers, but we hope that you’ll try Skype for Outlook.com chat, and voice, video calling, so you can take advantage of the more robust ways to keep in touch with friends and family,” the e-mail message from the Outlook.com team said.

Microsoft says that however Facebook and Google chat are coming to a halt, the People feature that keeps contacts up-to-date will remain unaffected. Microsoft is now attempting to push its own Skype chatting and calling services as an alternative chat option. The email asked its customers to activate their Skype for Outlook.com. As earlier said, the services will be there in Outlook just for few more weeks, and then Skype will be the only option to connect to the people.

February 25, 2015
Pebble Time is the First Coloured e-Paper Smartwatch with 7-Day Battery Support

Smartwatches are the current hottest trend everyone wants to cash in on. The biggest problem with certain wearables is that they are only compatible with particular handsets. Meet the new smartwatch by Pebble Technologies that is smart in a real sense and can adjust with any smartphone, whether iOS or Android.

With Pebble Time, users don’t have compromise, and the watch itself adjusts meeting the needs of the user. The screen of Pebble Time is an e-paper display, just like new YotaPhone 2 and Kindle – a first for any smartwatch. The screen is covered with Gorilla Glass, and the coloured display enhances the overall appeal of the smartwatch. Pebble claims that the battery of the smartwatch can last up to 7 days. However, there’s a catch, and that is that the Pebble timepiece is not touchscreen.

So how do you operate the device? There is a microphone onboard making it convenient to have a phone-like conversation. Users can reply to the messages by pushing keys, and there’s also a gyroscope for motion sensing. The new user interface (UI) is focused on a timeline that highlights what’s important over the course of the day. There’s a new app menu, which loads and cache apps as required. You can connect these apps to the timeline, organising all relevant information.

There are three buttons on the right-hand side of the screen and one on the left. The buttons have been adjusted to easy grip, and one can push each of them effortlessly without any unintentional pressing of the other ones. The top button is for check past events, the middle for present and the third one refers to the future. The smartwatch offers hassle-free customization options, and one can affix any band to the core machinery having 22mm pin.

Pebble Time is a $179 smartwatch that is on Kickstarter as of now. It is the fastest project to raise $1 million on Kickstarter in approximately 30 minutes.

There are many good smartwatches out there, but the Time stands apart. It’s affordable, and the USP is its cross-platform functionality that would have attracted the numerous backers. Early investors can get the Time for $159, but the concession is for supporters only. The watch will retail at a price of $199 once the campaign completes.

February 25, 2015
Apple to Enable Siri to Understand Indian English

English is a really fluid language. It takes the shape depending on the person who is speaking it. Folks from all parts of the world add their bits to language in terms of accents, slangs, and references. While this diversity makes it unique, it also makes it hard for a voice detection system to understand these various different shades of one language. Apple is trying to make its voice assistant more competent in this regard and is giving it an ability to understand Indian English.

If you are wondering what Indian English is, we suggest you go watch a couple of Russell Peters stand-up acts and get back here. Now, coming back to the story, according to 9to5mac, in the latest iOS 8.3 beta release, Apple has added support for Siri to grab Indian English.

This feature will be available for devices like the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. This update also adds support for Russian, Danish, Dutch, Portuguese, Swedish, Thai and Turkish.

One really useful feature of this new update is that it will allow Indians to use the dictation feature without faking a douche-y American or British accent.

Google has a larger user base in the country, and so they have already released support for Indian English on Google Now. Google also plans to offer support for Hindi soon which would help to further grab the market, especially in the mid and affordable segments. All this seems to project the importance of the Indian consumers for smartphone makers. It also indicates that support for Indians will keep getting better in the coming future.

February 25, 2015
The Future of Chipsets Showcased at ISSCC 2015

Chipsets are at the heart of all the smart devices around us. The silicon revolution has led to a rapid change in the way people do work and lead their daily lives. Each year the most prominent names in technology along with the engineers congregate at the International Solid-State Circuits Conference (ISSCC) to delve into the future of chip technology. This year’s conference presented a lot of interesting presentations that might help to improve the performance of chipsets in the future.

Here are a few of the innovations that might change the world of technology in the near future:

Intel’s Move towards 10Nm and 7Nm

Intel is one the foremost names that pop into your mind when you hear the term microprocessors. The company is making proactive efforts to introduce chipsets based on 14 Nm transistors. Intel wants to further challenge Moore’s law that states that the number of transistors to be incorporated on a chip will double every 24 months. In the coming future, the company plans to bring out 10 and 7 Nm chipsets. As Silicon is not stable at these tiny sizes, the company would need to look for a replacement. One of the materials it has cornered is the indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs) but more details are available yet. Intel has stated though that the first 10 Nm chipsets won’t be out before 2017.

MIT’s Low Power Radio for the Internet of Things

Low power sensors for IoT devices from MIT.

Internet of Things (IoT) is the next major technological arena where all the major brands are putting their focus in. One of the major hurdles in the process is to create a sensor that only comes active when its required to and hence leads to least current leakage. Most of the times, the sensors will just stay idle until they have been summoned. A system that almost shuts down the leakage will be more efficient, in the long run. MIT researchers have showcased a picowatt radio that significantly brings down the current drain. To achieve this, the team had to break down the radio system design so that most of the circuit can run at the lowest possible voltage.

AMD unveils Carrizo Laptop Chips

AMD Carrizo

US based Chipmaker, AMD have unveiled the new Carrizo chipsets. Based on 28 Nm processes, AMD claims this chip will lead to 40% efficiency and hence better performance over its predecessor, Kaveri. Carrizo also offers better power saving capabilities that is one of the most demanded features in consumer electronics. One more feature that will excite the takers will be its on-chip H.265 video decode capability. The devices running on Carrizo will be out in the second or third quarter of this year and will also be cheaper than their Intel counterparts.

February 24, 2015