Category: Tech

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

Google’s Inbox Update Lets You Email Through Your Wrist

People are still itching to getting their hands on the Google’s new email client Inbox, though the company is all ready to update the new app. The task-oriented email client has been widely appreciated for its de-clustered and powerful algorithms that sought out your emails based on priority.

The new 1.2 version of Google Inbox will bring Android Wear support, letting you check mail, send replies and mark completed items from the comfort of your wrist. Earlier, when an email through Inbox was sent to your Android Wear device, it only let you dismiss or open the message on your device. This new update now allows you to read the entire message, reply, and mark it as done, without your phone.

Additionally, Inbox is getting an improved tablet layout, which is better optimised for devices with larger screens, especially for Nexus tablets. The new update has brought some useful features in the core app too, including suggestions for reminders and a better tablet interface.

The update is already rolling out to the users worldwide starting from the US. However, if you don’t want to wait and manually install it, you can download the .apk here.

December 18, 2014
OnePlus Now Temporarily Banned from Selling Phones in India

It seems that trending smartphones aren’t easy to get their grasp on for Indian consumers. After Xiaomi, now its the Chinese device manufacturer OnePlus who has been banned by the Delhi High Court from selling, promoting or for that matter, even importing its devices on Indian soil. Thanks to Micromax, the order has come a day after the Indian manufacturer appealed to the Delhi High Court that OnePlus infringed on their India exclusive agreement with Cyanogen.

Micromax said-

We incurred major expenses for creation of a brand exclusivity for providing to Indian customers mobile phones with Cyanogen operating systems it would suffer irreparable harm and loss if the defendants (OnePlus) are permitted to continue with their illegal acts in violation of the agreement between Micromax and Cyanogen

Cyanogen had apparently signed a deal with Micromax for exclusively offering CyanogenMod OS devices in India. Owing to this exclusive agreement with Micromax, Cyanogen stated that OnePlus devices in India would not be receiving CyanogenMod updates from the company either. In addition, OnePlus One units sold in India would also be deprived of Cyanogen branding as well.

Micromax also has an exclusive license for the whole of South Asia, while OnePlus has a non-exclusive license for the entire world except China. Meanwhile, OnePlus argues that CyanogenMod informed them of the termination of their collaboration, just a fortnight before their launch in India. Cyanogen, on the other hand states that their agreement with Micromax technically cancels all prior agreements.

It will be interesting to observe whether OnePlus follows the same path of their Chinese compatriot Xiaomi, who face a similar ban.

December 18, 2014
ISRO’s Heaviest Rocket Successfully Lifts Off With An Unmanned Crew Module

The resurgence of the space age seems to be right around the corner. This year saw two orbiters reaching Mars from earth, one of them being India’s Mangalyaan or Mars Orbiter Mission. The Rosetta mission set new horizons for humanity by being the first man-made object to reach a comet. Nasa successfully tested the Orion capsule that might someday take astronauts to Mars. The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), which is still on a high of success of the Mangalyaan, today hit another milestone when they launched the GSLV Mark III.

GSLV mark iii at the launch pad.

It is the heaviest rocket in India’s space arsenal with a mass of 630,000 Kilograms. The rocket today carried an unmanned prototype crew capsule (CARE) which will someday, hopefully soon, carry astronauts into space. This might be the ride of the next generation.

GSLV Mark III or LMV3 shot off into space at 9.10 AM from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre. The rocket is a part of the third generation of Indian rockets and is a completely new vehicle. The first stage of the rocket called L110 is powered by two Vikas engines which are derived France’s Viking series used on Ariane rockets. The second stage of the rocket was loaded with liquid nitrogen to stimulate propellant instead of real fuel. Today’s launch was conducted to test the flight validation of the launch vehicle and its new telemetric systems along with the crew module.

CARE was an unmanned crew module that tested India’s capability of sending astronauts in space.

This was the first attempt by India to send a crew module up in space. The module is called the Crew Module Atmospheric Reentry Experiment (CARE). The module separated at an altitude of 126 KM and began its descent towards the surface. The parachute successfully deployed and brought the module safely down in the Bay of Bengal about 180 km off the Andaman Nicobar Islands where it will be retrieved by the coast guards.

Today’s launch is one significant bookmark in the pages of ISRO’s history. Amongst the developing states, India’s space organization holds special mentions for its achievements despite low budgets. Space research involves all sciences and it results in the invention of technologies that improve the way of our existence. A country can achieve a great deal if it invests in its scientific infrastructure and it is encouraging to see India’s proactive engagement with the space outside the atmosphere. We certainly wish to see the Indian flag on the moon someday!

Watch the entire launch progress right here.

December 18, 2014
Back to the Basics : BlackBerry Goes Retro with the Launch of ‘The Classic’

Struggling phone manufacturer Blackberry today officially announced ‘The Classic’, probably a last throw of the dice to save the company going into complete oblivion. The company has high hopes from the newly launched Blackberry classic, which sports a full QWERTY keypad mirroring the design which made Blackberry a market leader during its heyday. Notably, the Classic is significantly smaller than the BlackBerry Passport, which the company launched earlier this year . The Classic is aimed at customers looking for that original BlackBerry experience.

The phone sports a 3.5 inch square touchscreen with a resolution of 720×720 pixels, unlike the 4.5 inch screen of the Passport. Thus, it makes for easy one handed usage with the physical QWERTY on-board. On the inside, the phone will be powered by a dual-core Qualcomm processor bundled with 2GB of RAM. Hence, the phone is not meant for running those high-end gaming titles, but more for browsing and surfing.

In addition, the phone also sports an 8MP primary camera along with a 2 MP front cam. The Classic runs on the BlackBerry 10 OS, though it can also run Android apps which are accessible via Amazon’s Appstore which come pre-loaded on the device. Along with that, the Canadian manufacturer has added the BrickBreaker game on the Classic, which should encourage the BlackBerry fans.

Though, the Classic may not appeal to today’s digital savvy generation; as it’s made for people who long for the retro BlackBerry experience. The company says ‘The Classic’ is available starting today “through local carriers around the world,” and AT&T and Verizon have confirmed they will sell the device in 2015, though carrier pricing has yet to be announced. The Classic is also available unlocked through BlackBerry and Amazon’s online stores for $449.

As of now, there’s no information regarding The Classic’s price and availability in India, stay tuned with iGyaan to know when and at what price this device will enter Indian soil.

December 18, 2014
Top 5 Photo Filters and Editing Apps Available For iPhones

Today’s smartphones offer image quality that is at par with point and shoot cameras. With high megapixel sensors and optical image stabilization, more and more people are taking photos with their smartphones and leaving their digital cameras behind. This has created greater demand for picture enhancement before you share them on social media or print. Having a top-notch photo editing apps in your arsenal can help you brighten your shots, crop away unnecessary details, fine tune colour and apply innovative special effects. With this massive influx of photo sharing ushered in by the iPhone and social media, photo editing and filter apps have massively grown in popularity.

We are listing 5 of the best photo filters and editing apps available for the iPhone.

1. Afterlight

Afterlight is a photo editing app aimed directly at the Instagram user, featuring easy to use, smooth and adjustable filters, photo frames, and other useful photo editing tools like the double exposure editor. In addition, users can also apply textures and light leaks, slider-adjustable filters, transformantion and straightening tools.

2. FaceTune

Rather than providing a powerful set of all around photo editing features, FaceTune focuses on making your selfies and portraits look as beautiful as possible. FaceTune offers users a variety of tools for touching up your photos, which include tools for whitening stained teeth, red-eye adjustment, colourizing greying hair, and pimple and blemish removal. In addition to the photo touch ups, the app also comes with a variety of tools for tweaking lighting and focus, adding filters, rotating and flipping photos, as well as more extreme photo transformations.

3. Retrica

Retrica provides a slightly different take on a photo filter’s app. The app starts up in camera mode, but right from the camera you can customize your picture before you even take it. This enables you to perfectly match your photo with filters, frames, tilt shift and more. From there, you share your photo in the manner you like.

4. PicLab HD

If motivational posters or funny Internet memes are your thing, then PicLab HD is the perfect app for you. PicLab HD makes it a snap for users to edit photographs and add slick decorations and captions for your own custom image. Filters allow for quick photo effects, while fine tuning brightness, saturation etc. Layer-based editing, multiple text styles and packs, as well as numerous overlays, illustrations and other art effects then allow you to get your message across with artistic or quirky typography.

5. Cymera

Cymera is a multi-purpose app that is designed to be used as both a camera and photo editor. It has everything you need in a Smartphone camera and photo editor to help you capture and edit images. Cymera offers huge variety of hand-picked filters, shooting modes, face detection, collage effects and many decoration options.

December 18, 2014

Secret’s Out! OnePlus Reveals the Cheapest Power Bank Yet

The wait is finally over! The device teased by OnePlus is finally revealed. OnePlus launches the OnePlus Power Bank available soon for a mere $ 14.99 in both Sandstone Black and Silk White.

The OnePlus Power Bank supplies 10,000 mAh of power, enough to provide three full charges for your OnePlus One. The device features lithium-polymer technology, which will make the device incredibly light and portable.

The company promises sleek lines, gentle curves with a soft glow LED indicator. Additionally it is said to have safety features preventing overcharging and overheating.

Detailed specifications include-

Colour variants	Sandstorm Black or Silk White
Battery type	LiPo
Capacity	10,000 mAh
Charging Time	5.5 hours (approx)
Dimensions	142.8 × 72.6 × 16.2 mm
Weight	220g
Safety features	Electrostatic, short-circuit, overcharging, overheating protection
Price	$14.99

The advertisement logo “We’ve got 10,000” and the four dots on the poster (similar to that of Xiaomi) made it quite evident that the device was going to be a power bank.The Portable Powerhouse from China promises no more sitting next to an electric outlet at the airport ever again!

Earlier today OnePlus was sued by Micromax for infringement of patents; as a result they may face a sales ban in India.

December 17, 2014

Lava Iris Win 1 Unboxing and Hands On

Lava’s latest device, the Iris Win 1 has landed in our hands. Check out the unboxing of the new Lava Iris Win1. It runs on a Windows 8.1 operating system and was launched for a mere Rs. 4,999. It comes packed with a Quad Core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, a 5 MP primary camera, 1 GB RAM and 8 GB ROM.

Here are our first impressions about the handset:

December 17, 2014
Thanks to Micromax OnePlus One May Face Sales Ban in India

After the dejection that set on Indian smartphone consumers after the ban on Xiaomi, a new development might infuriate them further. Micromax has filed an infringement complaint calling for a ban on sales of OnePlus devices as it now owns exclusive rights to sell Cyanogen devices in India. The fans of the flagship killer have waited for a long time to get their hands on the exclusive device, and this development might backfire on Micromax.

Micromax is going to launch its own brand of CyanogenMod powered devices called ‘YU’. The company states that it incurred massive costs to create an exclusive brand for selling Cyanogen powered devices in India. The devices are up for launch tomorrow, 18th of December.

According to Livemint, the complaint was registered at Delhi High court and Micromax secured a temporary injunction in the case. The court has ordered OnePlus to refrain from marketing, selling and shipping its popular handsets in India. But to give the Chinese company some relief, the judge allowed them to sell all the remaining stocks they have on hand. OnePlus began selling the handsets on 2nd of December.

OnePlus has a non-exclusive right to use CyanogenMod‘s trademark and software all across the world except China. While Micromax has an exclusive license for South Asia, this might become a major hindrance in the growth path of the OnePlus. The company had major plans for India, including bringing the next generation OnePlus Two in India, but it is yet to be seen what this development leads to. OnePlus also informed the court that Cyanogen intimated them about the exclusive agreement with Micromax just a fortnight before its India launch. The court told OnePlus that it could sue Cyanogen but that can only be governed by the laws of California where the agreement was signed.

It might not actually mean the end of the Chinese company’s India journey. OnePlus is already planning a new OS based on the latest Android L update, but this will lead to the demise of its most appreciated feature, the CyanogenMod.

Micromax on the other hand can gather a bad public reputation following this development. Though they are right in the technical and legal aspects of things, but the public opinion might shift against them and that too just a day before their brand launch. The company will have to bring something exceptional to take on the massive popularity of the OnePlus One.

Micromax if you don’t want to face immense public ire, you better bring something that blows our minds or else you’ll be seen as the killer of the flagship killer in India, and you really don’t want to be that company.

In other (OnePlus) news, they’re launching a secret device today, any guesses what it might be?

December 17, 2014
Xiaomi to Resume Sales of Redmi 1s from December 23rd

Update : The company has updated Redmi Note’s Flipkart page and now the popular phablet is up for registeration. The sale will start at 2PM on 23rd December.

For those who missed out on the opportunity to acquire the Redmi 1s earlier, here is your chance. Hugo Barra, Xiaomi’s VP announced on the Mi India Facebook page that his company will be holding yet another flash sale on December 23rd through their online partner Flipkart.

Last week the Delhi High Court had announced a ban on the sale of Xiaomi devices in India due to patent infringement. However, a day ago the High Court passed an order allowing the company to sell devices powered by Qualcomm chipsets.

Without wasting any time, Xiaomi’s VP Hugo Barra announced through their social media page that Xiaomi will be resuming the sale of the Redmi 1s through Flipkart on December 23rd. He also added in this post that the Redmi Note (4G variant) is not far behind.

After a series of litigations there is finally something to look forward for the Xiaomi fans. Stay updated with iGyaan for details regarding the next flash sale.

December 17, 2014
Microsoft Launches the 4G-Capable Nokia Lumia 638 at an Affordable Price

Redmond giant Microsoft has launched its budget 4G compatible smartphone, called the Nokia Lumia 638. The phone will be available exclusively at the company’s new Microsoft Brand store on Amazon India and is priced at Rs. 8,299. Pre-orders for the Nokia Lumia 638 will kick-ff from tomorrow.

Specs on the smartphone include a 4.5 inch FWVGA (480×854 pixels) ClearBlack LCD display with Gorilla Glass 3, a 1.2 Ghz quad-core Snapdragon 400 SOC chipset along with 1 GB of RAM. Optics will just include a 5 MP rear auto focus camera. On the memory front, there’s an 8GB of internal storage with microSD card compatibility (up to 128GB). Powering the smartphone would be a 1830 mAh battery while the OS on board would be Windows Phone 8.1 with Lumia Denim update.

Commenting on the launch, Raghuvesh Sarup, Director – Marketing, Nokia India Sales Pvt. Ltd. (a subsidiary of Microsoft Mobile Oy), said, “With the Lumia range we have always focused on delivering new experiences and features to our consumers at affordable price points. Now, we are introducing Lumia 638 which is the most affordable 4G smartphone on Windows Phone 8.1. It builds on the success of the Lumia range in the fast growing affordable smartphone segment and aims to address the consumers’ demand for a device that lets them enjoy uninterrupted video content. We are confident of the success of the Lumia 638 as a comprehensive package and are certain that the device will help us consolidate our position in the affordable smartphones segment further.”

In addition, consumers on Airtel postpaid in Bengaluru can avail upto 5GB of free data on 4G for 2 months. The offer will be valid until 31st March 2015. The Nokia Lumia 638 is being touted as the most affordable 4G compatible smartphone yet.

December 16, 2014
Microsoft Lumia 535: Attractive, yet Affordable

Microsoft is going for an aggressive push for its Windows phone family. Since the acquisition of the Nokia mobile business, the company has gone ahead to replace the iconic brand name with its own. The new line of devices have garnered some praise for their unique designs and fast performance. In the affordable line of Windows devices stands the Lumia 535 which is a great Windows 8.1 device.

The Microsoft Lumia 535 gets its processing provice from a quad-core 1.2 GHz Snapdragon 200 processor. It features 1 GB of RAM and an internal storage of 8 GB that is expandable up to 128 GB; storage is literally no issue on this device. To make life even easier, the device comes with 15 GB of cloud storage. The device is juiced up through a 1905 mAh battery.

The display on the device might be a slight letdown. It has a 5-inch qHD (960 x 540) with Corning Gorilla Glass 3. You can find multiple devices offering 720p HD displays in lower price points. On the camera front, the device gets its image capturing abilities from Nokia’s exceptional legacy in phone cameras. The device has a 5 MP camera on the back and a wide angle lens for selfies in the front.

The device also carries Nokia’s Here maps system that is considered one of the best navigation apps out there. The device comes with special offers that might make it inviting. There are multiple color options available for the Lumia, which makes the device appear quite youthful.

The Smartphone in its entirety is a worthy purchase, but it comes for a price of Rs.9,199. Microsoft should consider slicing the prices as much as it can so that people who want to give it a try wouldn’t have to think twice before going for it.

This is a sponsored post

December 16, 2014
Amazon All Set and Ready for the Micromax ‘Yu’ Launch

Micromax’s CynogenMod-powered new brand called ‘Yu’ is just a couple of days away. Amazon, which would be exclusively launching the device, is all prepped to host the new brand. A new page for the brand is up and it will get a lot of folks excited.

Using the strengths of CyanogenMod’s amazing features, Micromax hopes to climb up the ladders in the points tally. This may be possible as CyanogenMod is one of the most appreciated custom ROM’s out there which not just gives you amazing customization features, it also adds regular updates. The updates bit would really help Micromax’s image as the company has been constantly berated for its low quality after sales support.

Amazon is presently hosting a page that simply shows an unmarked phone with the words “Are you ready to Play God” written on it. It is followed by a tagline that says “The Zeus of phones is about to arrive,” which rather sounds like an overstatement.

The accompanying video on the page flaunts the customizability features. But weirdly the phone that they are featuring looks pretty close to the OnePlus One – the smartphone that can be credited with bringing CyanogenMod in the mainstream.

Yu comes to town on the 18th of this month, and we hope with this new release, Micromax raises the standards of Indian made devices. The company has also talked about the possibilities of wearables in the future, which would help it compete with the big brands. It has constantly risen up, and Cyanogen can help the company to rise further in the game. All it needs to do now is revamp and strengthen its after sales service because that will add immense credibility to the company’s reputation.

December 16, 2014
Xiaomi to Resume Sales (But There’s a Catch)

Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi has been reportedly granted some reprieve after announcing the ban on the sale of their handsets in India last week. As per a tweet by Press Trust of India (PTI) the Delhi High Court today permitted the sale of their smartphones powered by Qualcomm chipsets till January 8 in India.

Prior to the ban, the company was selling two smartphones in the country: Redmi 1S and Redmi Note. Redmi 1s runs on a Qualcomm chipset, while Redmi Note is powered by a MediaTek processor. This release would imply that Xiaomi can sell the Redmi 1s for nearly a month. Additionally, Xiaomi had earlier planned to launch Redmi Note 4G in December, which is also powered by a Qualcomm processor implying that this too could be sold till January 8th.

Delhi HC permits Xiaomi to sell and import Qualcomm chipset based handsets till January 8.

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 16, 2014

However no official word is out on the much awaited Xiaomi Mi4. Although Xiaomi planned to launch this device with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801, however it still remains to be seen whether they will go ahead with the launch or wait patiently till the dust settles.

Last week the Delhi High Court had passed an injunction suspending any import or sale of smartphones in India due to patent infringement complaints by Swedish telecom giant Ericsson. The court is scheduled to hear the case on February 5, so it is likely that Xiaomi phones will again be banned in the country from 9th January unless the court passes another similar order.

However, in the mean time, Xiaomi has three more ‘Happy Tuesdays’ in which they can resume their flash sales and reach out to maximum number of aggrieved customers.

December 16, 2014
Lava’s Affordable Iris Fuel 60 Comes with a Massive 4000 mAh Battery

Indian smartphone company, Lava has launched the Iris Fuel 60. The phone’s USP is the massive 4000 mAh battery which extends its usage time and decreases the frequency of charging. The phone also has multiple gesture features which might make it more attractive to the buyers.

The Iris Fuel 60 is only 1000 mAh short of Gionee’s Marathon M3 which comes with 5000 mAh behemoth. But while the Marathon M3 can set you back by Rs. 13,999, Lava’s big battery bombshell comes at a rather affordable price of Rs. 8,888.

But even at a low price, the device isn’t short on accompanying specs. It comes with a quad-core, 1.3 GHz processor along with 1 GB RAM, which is the same as the Marathon M3. The internal storage stands at 8 GB; that is expandable up to 32 GB, a standard at this price point. It also provides USB OTG support which will take its storage capacity further.

The device flaunts a 720p HD IPS display and is protected by scratch resistant Corning Gorilla Glass 3o. The main camera on the device is a 10 MP shooter while on the front is a 2 MP shooter. The device presently runs on Android 4.4, but the company claims that it will soon be bringing an Android L update for the device.

If battery woes are your biggest concern for a smartphone, then this phone can be your ideal option. It has pretty much the same specs as the Marathon M3 but comes at Rs. 5000 cheaper at a loss of 1000 mAh worth of battery storage. Lava has put a serious contender in the big battery game.

December 16, 2014
Yosemite’s Popular Continuity Feature is Now Compatible With Older Macs

Back in mid-2014, we saw the release Apple’s OS X update Yosemite. The revised version was free to upgrade. However, there was a minor glitch in this set-up, some of its prominent features only supported Macs with Bluetooth 4.0. One such feature of the new update was Continuity/Handoff, but according to the latest revelation, this feature can now run on older Apple desktops as well.

Continuity is a term used by Apple for a range of new features that bring the iOS and Mac OS X devices closer. It offers you to seamlessly shift between Mac OS X and iOS devices; you can pick up on one device right where you left off on the other.

According to an update by a user on Reddit, the Continuity/Handoff tool can be activated just by adding a simple tool on your Mac. This tool makes the hardware compatible by adding Bluetooth 4.0 dongle to run Continuity on your 2008 Macs or later.

Continuity Activation Tool 2.0 has been released! Enable Continuity on many Macs from 2008 and later just by adding a Bluetooth 4.0 USB dongle. Many thanks to the community for the excellent beta testing work!

Given below is a list of Macs that will support Continuity. You can also learn about the Continuity Activation Tool on github.

December 16, 2014