Category: Tech

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

Top 5 Phones Most Likely To Run The Android L When it Launches

The Android L is one of the most comprehensive updates to the Android operating systems. Google went down to the rudimentary pieces of the OS and reimagined the functioning of the Android system. Now as everyone is eagerly waiting to take a spin on the Android L, we bring a list of phones that will be the first to get the L update. You can buy these phones today as they are all future proof.

So here we go:

5.Samsung Galaxy s5

Samsung’s present flagship will be the first to get the Android L release in the Galaxy stable.

4. LG G2/ LG G Pro2 /LG G3/ LG G Flex

LG in an exclusive conversation with iGyaan hinted that they will release it on these four phones once Android L hits the market. These phones are already LG’s best sellers and they would be a good bet for now.

3. Moto X/Moto E/Moto G

As Moto’s awesome revival is dedicated to Android based X, G and E, these phones will surely get updated to the latest Android L. They will be the first phones after the Nexus devices to get the updates.

2. HTC Flagship

HTC is the most eager company to induct the Android L across all its Blinkfeed running devices. This is a great news for current HTC users. Phones like HTC One M8, M7, the One Mini and the HTC Desire line of kitkat phones will be the first to evolve into Android L as soon as possible.

1. Nexus 5 – Developer Preview Out Now

Nexus 5 already has the developer preview out for Android L and Boy, does it look good. We’ve been having lots of fun with the L and you can get it right away too. Even though its a beta testing version, its still very stable, has brilliant performance and excellent battery life thanks to Project Volta.

July 5, 2014
Is iPhone 6’s Buddy Going To Be The ‘iPhone Air’?

Less than an year ago, we were introduced to iPhone 5s and now rumors are gathering about its replacement, which should, if previous versions are taken in consideration, be called the iPhone 6.

Will it be bigger, or stay the same size? Will it have standout features? Will it be joined by an iPhone 6C, or the iWatch? Everyone is anxious to know what Apple is planning to do with the new Flagship phone. Sadly we need to wait till September for an official word.

A new report from China details an astonishing new launch date for another iPhone variant from Apple. The report is accompanied with alleged pricing details, as well as the name of the anticipated larger 5.5-inch iPhone 6 variant: The iPhone Air. The company first used the “Air” appellation to tag its smaller MacBook model, and has later used it for the full-size iPad’s. Both times the end result was a sleek and sexy looker with good performance.

When the next-gen iPhone lineup does launch sometime this fall, many expect the handset to feature a complete redesign with a relocated sleep/wake button, slimmed-down profile and advanced innards like an “A8” processor. It is also believed that Apple plans to differentiate the denoted 5.5-inch version from its smaller variant by adding on features like optical image stabilization and higher storage capacities.

The report are pointing out to a September 25th release of the new iPhones. However, it is unlikely if the Apple’s history of Friday releases of previous iPhones are taken into consideration.

Apple has ‘Air’ variants for its Mac as well as iPad’s. Only the iPhones weren’t touched by Apple’s “Air”. This would be a momentous year if they do decide to launch an ‘iPhone Air’. It will be great to see Apple bring its slim on as its the pioneer of slim technology. We have already heard the rumour that Apple is planning to go for flatter headphones jack with the lightening port. Apple has no problems throwing out technology that they find redundant and soon the world follows. So it would be fun to see how the next avatar of this legendary device turns out in reality.

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July 4, 2014
A Simple Trick That Allows You To Access ‘Ok Google’ From Anywhere

Moto X had a great feature which allowed users to reach Google Now from anywhere, even from the lock screen. It is a particularly useful feature when you are on the move or want to write a reminder instantly. Google announced that it will bring the Moto X like ability to all Android phones but that will take a while. Now a reddit user pr01etar1at has figured out a crack to have the same features on your 4.3 and above phones before Google officially releases it for your phone.

Following some simple steps you can have Ok Google hotword detection from anywhere on your device. We would like to warn you though that this might not work on all phones.

All you need to do is search for “Ok Google Everywhere” on your search bar. Now when you go back to the Voice setting menu, you will get new options in the voice detection section. The options will let you set the detection capability according to your discretion.

One suggestion that we’d like to give Google is giving an option for customizing the hotword. Considering the fact that Google’s Android is the World’s most selling operating system, once folks get a hang of this voice assistant, we’ll start listening to “Ok Google” everywhere. A personalisable hotword would come really handy for situation like those.

July 4, 2014
Project Volta to Increase Android L Battery Performance

At the recently concluded Google I/O, the new Android L was showcased and it has received unanimous admiration. Even though Apple has won this year’s developer conferences by creating a new seamlessly interconnected universe; Google has a few surprises in the battery efficiency arena with its own Project Volta.

Project Volta aims to bring fundamental enhancement in Android for better battery life.

Battery technology has lagged in competition to almost all other elements of the phone designs. Within a short span of time, we have gone from HD to 2K phone screens. We have 4K video recording, better processors, better RAM, even the OS’s are competitive and getting better with each release. The loser in this entire race has been the battery. Even though, the phone manufacturers have compensated by making bigger batteries but almost all of them give only about a day’s worth of backup in their respective phones.

Google is working on the lines of its previous Project Butter initiative during the release of Android 4.1. Project Butter was directed towards making fundamental changes in Android to make it more efficient, smooth and lag free. There was also the Project Svelte, which was directed towards running the Android 4.4 on low-end devices, thereby making KitKat a truly inclusive Android operating system.

With Project Volta, Google introduces a slew of measures to find enhancements to the Android system to increase battery efficiency. Google hopes to fix fundamental flaws in its software architecture to address the battery issue.

Google invented a tool called the Battery historian for the developers to access what apps were using battery at a specific period. Using this, developers got to play around with the various variables which could help to make the best use of the precious juice in the battery.

ART helps increase performance remarkably

Android is also completely incorporating the Android Runtime or ART and switching over from Dalvic runtime in a bet to improve efficiency and speeds. ART is available for testing on the Android 4.4, if some of you want to let your inner nerd flow. The difference between the two is that Dalvic compiles code every time an app starts and thereby waking the processor and in turn sucking in some juice every time. On the other hand, ART compiles and optimizes the codes well in advance thereby requiring less power to run apps.

JobSchedular API will help batch multiple functions at once to increase efficiency.

Project Volta also introduces a new Job Scheduler API. With this, developers could program certain apps to work only when corresponding conditions are met. So instead of individual apps arbitrarily asking for processor access, multiple functions can be batched together and done at once for minimum use of battery life so that you can spend that extra juice for watching “dogs and babies” videos on YouTube.

Apart from this Android also inducted the battery saver mode which has been seen on manufacturers like Samsung and HTC. When the phone reaches the predetermined low battery level, the processor is slowed down, screen is dimmed, animations are reduced and the radio usage is decreased. This option is to maximize the last few moments of the battery before finding the sanctuary of a plug point.

Ars Technica’s test showed a 36% increase in battery efficiency

These efforts seem to be showing some results as Ars Technica did an extensive test and found the Android L to be 36% more battery efficient, and that’s quite impressive.

There have been some efforts by the markets to address the battery issue. The Oppo Find 7 is a good example. With its fast charging VOOC charger, the Find 7 boasts of charging 0-75% battery in 30 minutes. Apart from this the market is also flooded with power-banks but they become just one more extra piece of equipment to charge and carry around. What is needed is a back-to-drawing-board study of the battery and maybe Google should make it a priority at the Google X (its semi-secret research facility) now.

With the amount of dependency we have on our smartphones and the information they hold on us, battery technology should be a priority research. The company that delivers the best battery improvement will surely emerge a winner in this over-saturated market. It’s about time that Smartphones got some Smart Batteries.

July 3, 2014
Facebook Bought The World’s Third Biggest Video Ad Seller, LiveRail

Facebook, in what has become an almost monthly affair, announced yesterday that it has the bought video ad tech startup LiveRail. Facebook seems to be on a roll. It has acquired close to 45 companies, with its largest acquisition being the purchase of WhatsApp, Oculus and Instagram. It had acquired WhatsApp for $19 billion, Instagram for $1 billion and Oculus for $2billion.

Now the social networking giant, keeping up the pace, has acquired LiveRail on Wednesday, with no terms of the deal disclosed. Though according to the grapevine, Facebook might have paid between $400 million and $500 million for LiveRail.

Liverail connects marketers to publishers on web and mobile. It automates the sale of video ads for publishers including Major League Baseball, ABC Family and Dailymotion. The start-up, which was founded in 2007, helps companies ranging from sports to entertainment optimize delivery of video ads on mobile and the web through real-time bidding and its proprietary market data. The company claims it delivers 7 billion video ads a month. Rather than negotiating deals over the phone or in person, publishers can upload their video inventory to LiveRail’s system, which provides buyers via real-time auctions. Publishers can also use LiveRail’s ad technology to process upfront deals without all the paperwork that can delay a campaign from airing at the right time and fashion.

[quote text_size=”small” author=”Brian Boland” link=”http://newsroom.fb.com/news/2014/07/facebook-to-acquire-liverail/” author_title=”VP, Ads Product Marketing, Facebook”]

We believe that LiveRail, Facebook and the premium publishers it serves have an opportunity to make video ads better and more relevant for the hundreds of millions of people who watch digital videos every month. More relevant ads will be more interesting and engaging to people watching online video, and more effective for marketers too.

[/quote]

Facebook plans to keep LiveRail’s existing business of selling ads for non-Facebook publishers in operation. Though the company declined to comment on any plans to sell Facebook’s own video ad inventory through LiveRail.

Facebook undoubtedly is the biggest social media platforms. It has a base of 1.28 billion daily active users worldwide and so it offers a greater reach than TV. It launched its Premium Video Ads service with a test last December for Summit Entertainment’s ‘Divergent’ and opened it up to a select group of marketers this spring. In May, NBC became the first TV network to use the Facebook autoplay video ads to promote their shows.

Facebook has around 5.8% share of all global digital ad revenues in 2013, up from 4.1% the year prior. While, in the U.S., the social networking giant held 18.4% market share of digital display advertising in 2013, overtaking Google for the first time, according the statistics.

Of all the purchases made by Facebook recently, the Livewire purchase seems like the safest bet as it already have a bustling user base and profitable business model. After some hefty money spending, this ones a more crafty investment by Mr. Zuckerberg.

July 3, 2014
iSketchnote: This Smart iPad Cover Will Digitalize Your Doodles

A company based in Grenoble, France called Iskn has developed an iPad cover that lets you mimic your physical doodlings in the digital realm called iSketchnote. Iskn’s mission is to combine the natural experience of familiar tools with the power of digital technology. They have successfully accomplished this by giving us this amazing iPod cover.

This could be the perfect cross-platform product for those individuals who prefer to use pen and paper instead of digital words, but they’d also like to have a digital copy for easy sharing. The iSketchnote can be connected to a PC or a Mac via USB, so those who don’t own an iPad will still be able to use the product. The company is soon planning to offer bluetooth services as well.

The iSketchnote is equipped with an array of sensors inside it to catch each and every stroke your pen makes on the paper placed on the iPad cover. You can use any kind of paper on this cover, while you have to use special kinds of pens that come with a ring-shaped magnet embedded in them. These special pens look like regular ball-point pens but work in unison with the cover that can also detect the color and tip of the pen being used.

Once you are finished with whatever you were doing on the notepad or paper, you can save the digital copy of your work, watch replays of your scribbling process and you can easily share it through e-mail or social media.

The start-up spent two year to develop the prototype of the iSketchnote. They have raised funds for the production through Kickstarter with the pledged goal of $35,000. The product can be pre-ordered on their official site for $358 USD.

Watch the video below to understand the technology better:

July 3, 2014
Samsung Galaxy Mega 2 Specs Leaked

We have been hearing rumors about the new successor of the Samsung Mega series for quite some time, and now it seems like Samsung is finally pulling up its sleeves and getting ready to launch.

Recently, the Galaxy Mega 2 has had most of its important specs leaked because a pre-production unit has been put through the paces of a well known graphics benchmark. It is said that the handset maker might offer a plus-size device with a budget-friendly price tag.

Specs of Samsung Galaxy Mega 2 as per the GFXbench

Benchmarks on GFXbench disclosed a 5.9-inch display that targets a low to mid-range market, though earlier rumors suggested that the new device will sport a 6″ display (a slight difference). However, Samsung has maintained the same resolution as its predecessor at 1,280 x 720 pixels.

It is likely that the new Mega 2 will be Samsung’s first smartphone to run on 64-bit processor with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 quad-core chipset. There are also rumors floating that the new Samsung Mega 2 may run on Android L. Galaxy Mega 2 will have 720p HD resolution, 2GB of RAM, 8GB of internal storage, a 12 MP rear camera, and a 5 MP front shooter for selfies.

Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3, released last year

Other Galaxy Mega 2 features listed on GFXbench includes accelerometer, barometer, Bluetooth, gyroscope, compass, GPS, light sensor, NFC, proximity sensor and Wi-Fi. Apart from these features not much is known about the phone’s specs or when it will be released. It is said that with the Mega 2, Samsung is trying to introduce low-end Note-like phones in the mid-range segment.

July 2, 2014
Samsung Launched iPad Rival, The Galaxy Tab S

Samsung has launched its two latest tablets, Galaxy Tab S 10.5 and 8.4. The two models are scheduled for a mid-July release in both 3G and 4G LTE variants. The new Samsung Galaxy Tab S tablets were first unveiled on June 13 at an event in New York. This new line of high-end tablet computers, obviously, rivals against Apple’s iPad.

As far as specs and user experience are concerned, Samsung has done a great job but the prices are higher than what Apple is offering. The Galaxy Tab S features Super AMOLED displays. AMOLED stands for active-matrix organic light-emitting diodes which are already found in smartphones made by Samsung and a few other manufacturers. But until now, tablets haven’t used them because larger AMOLED screens are difficult to produce.

Besides producing richer colours, AMOLED allows the Galaxy Tab S tablets to be thinner and use less power because screens typically don’t require backlighting. Samsung did release an AMOLED tablet in 2012 which didn’t sell well because it was too expensive. The new ones will be priced more competitively. The Galaxy Tab S tablets are a quarter of an inch (6.6 millimeters) thick, which is thinner than the iPads. The smaller version is also lighter than the iPad Mini, while the larger one is about the same as the iPad Air.

Galaxy Tab S 10.5 and 8.4 are powered by an Exynos 5 Octa processor (1.9GHz quad-core+ 1.3GHz quad-core), and 3GB RAM. The devices run Android 4.4 (KitKat) with Samsung’s customized UI. These feature 16GB internal storage and a microSD card slot that supports cards of up to 128GB. Both the variants sport 8MP rear cameras with LED flash and a 2.1MP front-facing cameras. In terms of connectivity, the tablets offer Wi-Fi (including 802.11ac), Bluetooth 4.0, IrLED, 3G and voice calling capabilities.

The new tablets will also allow users to make calls and the device can be unlocked using a fingerprint. The tablets can support up to eight user profiles, so members of a single family can get separate home screens simply by swiping their finger on the sensor.

Until now, iPad rivals have succeeded largely by undercutting Apple on price, and better hardware hasn’t been enough. AMOLED screens could change that, because Samsung certainly have an edge with it. The Galaxy Tab S range will be available in India at Rs 37,800 for 8.4 inch and Rs 44,800/- for 10.5 inch variant. It comes in two colour options, Titanium Bronze and Dazzling White.

July 1, 2014

Xolo Launched its First Windows Smartphone

Xolo, following the footsteps of Micromax, has also joined hands with Microsoft to launch a new Windows 8.1 device for the Indian market. Xolo Win Q900s is similar to the devices in Micromax Canvas Win range.

With the launch of Win Q900s, Xolo becomes the second domestic player to launch Windows Phone OS based smartphone in India after Micromax, which released two devices Canvas Win W121 and Win W092 for priced Rs. 9,500 and Rs. 6,500 respectively, earlier this month.

Following the trend of exclusively tying up with an e-commerce website, the Xolo Win Q900s is available on pre-order on Snapdeal. As a special offer the introductory price on the website is Rs. 9,999, while the device is set for a launch in July for a price of Rs 11,999.

The weight of the WIN Q900s is its biggest selling point. It weights all of 100gms, making it one of the lightest smartphones around.

The new Xolo Q900s sports a 4.7-inch HD (1280 x 720p) IPS screen with OGS technology and ships with the Microsoft’s latest Windows Phone OS v8.1, Snapdragon 200 series quad-core processor, Adreno 302 graphics engine, 1GB RAM, 8GB inbuilt memory (expandable up to 32GB) and 1,800 mAh battery which can power the phone up to 23 hours of talk-time and close to 263 hours under standby mode.

The smartphone includes 8GB of inbuilt storage that is further expandable up to 32GB via microSD card. It also sports a 8 megapixel rear camera with a single LED flash, a 2-megapixel front-facing camera, and comes with a 1800 mAh battery which is rated to deliver up to 14 hours of talk time and up to 246 hours of standby time on 3G network. In terms of connectivity, Xolo Win Q900s supports Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS and 3G connectivity.

Key Specifications:

Display	4.7-inch HD (1280x720p) IPS screen with OGS technology
OS	Windows 8.1
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 series quad-core processor with 1.2GHz CPU speed
GPU	400MHz Adreno 302
RAM	1GB
Storage capacity	8GB, expandable up to 32GB
Camera	Main: 8.0-megapixel camera with PureCel(TM) sensor, LED flash, auto-focusFront: 2.0-megapixel camera
Battery	1,800 mAh (Li-Pol)
Network	2G & 3G
Add-ons	Dual-SIM slots, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, micro-USB v2.0,
Dimensions	135.8 x 67.2 x 7.2 mm
Weight	100 g
Price	INR 11,999;(INR 9,999: Special pre-booking offer at Snapdeal )

July 1, 2014

Sony Finally Launches A7S With 4K Video Capture in India

Adding to its extensive camera market, Japanese Electronic giant Sony has launched three new cameras in its Alpha range of DSLR segment and cyber-shot range; A77 II, A7s and Rx100 III.

Sony Alpha A7s

The highlight of the launch is the A7S which brings in 4K video quality for professional photographers and videographers. Successor of A7 and A7R, the camera features a new 12.2 effective megapixel 35mm full frame Exmor CMOS sensor with a BIONZ X image processor which will allow it to shoot at a sensitivity range of ISO 50–409,600. It is also the first model to utilise the entire width of a full-frame image sensor for 4K video. Priced at Rs 1,54,990, the A7s will start selling in mid July.

In video mode, the A7S can output 4K video at QFHD (3,840 x 2,160) to an optional external 4K compatible recorder, and can record full HD (1,920 x 1,080) at frame rates of 60p, 60i, 30p and 24p directly to a compatible memory card. Video modes can be changed from full-frame to APS-C (super 35mm equivalent) if desired, and in this crop mode, the camera can support high frame rate 120fps shooting at standard HD resolution (1,280 x 720p), creating a 5x slow-motion effect.

Sony Alpha A77 III

Secondly, the company has also launched three models of A77 II, priced between Rs 84,990 to Rs 1.14 lakh. It features a 79 autofocus detection points with 24.3 megapixel image sensors and already available in the market. It will also come with an on-board Wi-Fi that allows one-touch connection with smartphones and tablets.

CyberShot RX100 III

The last addition to Sony’s camera market is an update of its popular Cyber-shotTM RX100 camera. The Cyber-shotTM RX100 III comes with an upgraded lens and faster image processor and a retractable OLED Tru-FinderTM with ZEISS T. The camera will have enhanced movie features and a 180-degree tilting LCD. The camera will have a 20.1 effective megapixel back-illuminated 1.0-type Exmor RTM CMOS sensor. The camera is priced Rs 54,900.

July 1, 2014
Micromax Canvas Gold A300 Review
Micromax has recently transitioned into a newer dimension of phones, from bulky and dated phones running older versions of Android, the trend is now to get shapely, sleek devices with Android KitKat out of the box. The current flagship, aka the Micromax Canvas Gold A300, is a testament of that, and while the Canvas Knight was burning our desires (quite literally), the Golden boy here may have turned our mood around. Let’s see how it holds up.

Overview

[pullquote_left]The oddly questionable gold colour is far from that of the iPhone 5s[/pullquote_left]

The Canvas Gold A300 is yet another flagship Canvas phone from the company that promises a roundup of interesting elements. A good set of specifications, great build quality, design and good optics, giving it a big thumbs up on the premium look and feel. Even though most have called it a replica of the iPhone 5s in a bigger version, the oddly questionable gold colour is far from that of the iPhone 5s.

Hardware and Build

Running the Canvas Gold A300 is an Octa-Core Mediatek 6592T chipset clocked at 2.0 GHz tied up with 2 GB of RAM and 32 GB of Storage. 25GB of the 32 GB is available to dump your media, games and files. The rear camera is a 16MP shooter with a 5MP front camera which does an impressive job with selfies (see camera section)

The front has an impressive and vivid 5.5 inch 1920 x 1080p display this is surprisingly visible outdoors and has good viewing angles. The phone has dual SIM capabilities and can run data on 3g on both cards. The Sim slots comprise of a full size SIM slot and a micro SIM slot on either side of the device.

The phone is manufactured out of a “single billet” of aluminium alloy with slots for antennas in plastic on the rear of the device. The phone is readily available in two variants, a Gold+White and the Gold+Black, the only difference being the plastic inserts and the colour of the bezel.

Apart from the exceptionally golden – gold colour the phone has a pretty good design, and the metal is nicely finished to give a great feel in the hand. The beveled edges of the phone quite replicate the iPhone look, seen specifically iPhone 4 and up. The flat lay-on-the table design will be appreciated by owners quite a lot, although a fatter lip for the front would have given a strong protection to the screen albeit taking away a bit of the slim profile of the smartphone.

Phone and Networks

The phone is unique in many ways, instead of selection your data network, you can have data on either SIM, which is great. The weird combination of Sim card sizes may work for some people, especially if they don’t want to cut/get micro SIM cards vs. regular sized ones.

The networks are strong and audio in and out of the phone is impressive. The network remains positively active even during tower switches, and we didn’t see a huge problem with dropped calls.

The WiFi seemed a bit low to us, and in our initial tests seemed weak.

Multimedia, Display and Camera

For most media is playable on the Canvas Gold A300, and we found nothing to complain about, the audio could be a little bit louder in our opinion. The music output from the headphones is a lot more impressive when compared to any previous handset, the “flaming knight” included.

As far as the video playback goes, the display does a fantastic job, jitter-free vibrant video playback. The phone is capable enough and will deliver a good experience to most users.

The camera system is a good hardware and software upgrade, and the 16 MP sensor is big enough to give a noise free low light performance. The day shots are noteworthy and brilliantly saturated to give a larger than life photography experience. The camera app is simplistic and new features like 99 shot continuous burst along with tap-hold to track subjects actively will come in handy for video.

Video capture frame rates are slow to display on the screen, in fact when you are capturing video there seems to be a lag in the screen aka the viewfinder. But, we were testing a pre-production software and apparently this has been fixed in the final build. Video is captured at a resolution of 1920 x 1080p at 30fps just like many other handsets in this bracket.

Performance and Gaming

The Canvas Gold A300 is a star performer scoring great results on benchmarks and showing excellent performance in daily use overall. You will be happy multitasking on this handset as it can handle app switching very well and thanks to inbuilt RAM management the phone automatically drives resources to the active application. The apps in the background use the adaptive suspend from Android KitKat.

Thanks to all this software and management goodness, the gaming experience is excellent, with heat at a minimum. The device does heat up from around the camera with extended periods of use, however the minute you are done you will be happy to put the phone in your pocket and move out. Games have a superfluid experience along with excellent touch screen feedback and responsiveness.

Battery Life and Conclusion

The battery on the Canvas Gold A300 lasts a good full day of use, and thanks to KitKat and power management you will not be searching for the charger in a hurry. The bloatware on the Canvas Gold A300 has been brought down to a minimum, and most of the preloaded apps useful, those which are not required can be gotten rid of.

With a software update thanks to FOTA, the device may get Android L (hopefully) and with the company working to fix their service issues the Micromax Canvas Gold seems like a good overall product. With little or no complaints from the hardware and excellent UI including a new keyboard (Swiftkey) pre loaded for use, most will be happy with the device out of the box.

With more options in this price bracket including Gionee Elife S5.5, the Moto X and the Desire 816 it will mostly come down to user requirements.

Review Video

[tw-column width=”one-half”]

GOOD THINGS
- Build Quality is Impressive
- Powerful Hardware
- Great Battery
- KitKat and FOTA Updates
- Cameras are sharp
[/tw-column]

[tw-column width=”one-half” position=”last”]

BAD THINGS
- Strange Gold Colour
- No Lip around Display
- No Included Case
[/tw-column]
June 30, 2014
Microsoft Rumored to Launch its Own Smartwatch This October

We start this new week with a fresh rumor about Microsoft’s plans to come up with a new Smartwatch. After Google and Apple, its arch-rivals, investing huge in the wearable technology, Microsoft also may enter this segment with the launch of a Smartwatch this October.

Though there are hardly any details about the device Microsoft is coming up with, Tom’s Hardware, an online publication, has reported “trusted source with knowledge of the development has verified some of that information and provided us with additional details about the device.”

Microsoft’s watch is ditching the popular chunky appearance wand has gone with a slim band design.

For starters, the source confirmed the earlier rumors about Microsoft’s plan of preparing a cross-platform Smartwatch with the ability to continuously track your heart rate and sync the data to your devices.

It has also been said that the device might be dropping the popular chunky appearance we’re seeing on the current Smartwatches like the Gear and the G Watch. Instead, Microsoft will go for a slim band design that is said to resemble a thinner, flatter version of the Nike Fuel band. Details about the hardware are less, though it is said that there are 11 sensors under the hood and a mix of chips including some from TI and Atmel.

Like the rest of the rumors, the timeline for the watch’s release date isn’t too certain. But it is said that Microsoft could be targeting for an October release. Also the Smartwatch won’t just tie in with Windows Phone devices, but will also work with both iOS and Android smartphones.

The market is just starting to explode with wearables, with Apple announcing its first iWatch later this year and Samsung expected to launch a Smartwatch in the summer that can independently make calls. Google is also aiming big in this segment with the launch of Android Wear at this year’s Google I/O.

June 30, 2014
Top 5 App that Every Movie Buff Should Download

Being a movie buff is not an easy task, your desktop usually overflows with new downloads and it’s hard to keep track of every movie you watch. I used to juggle with my movie collection and all the film-related stuff. Until now. I have found a perfect solution: my Smartphone. There are loads of apps that let you manage films, watch trailers, play games etc. I have listed 5 of my favorite apps that I think every movie-buff should have:

1. Flixster

Flixster is a very popular app that gives you an on-hand experience of equally popular website of same name. The app enables you to compare movie ratings and tastes with film buffs around the net. In addition to user ratings, Flixster grants you instant access to a flick’s freshness rating at aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, which it owns. You can also use it to find movie information, showtimes, maps and ticket prices, or to watch trailers. The app is well suited for both; a one-stop shop for planning a night out or as an app that will help you brag about your film knowledge.

2. Scene it?

This one is one of my favorite movie apps of all time. Makers of the app, Screenlife, started out with DVD and card-based party games for film buffs. Which then evolved and spread to consoles such as Xbox 360, PlayStation and Wii, social media sites such as Facebook, and now to the mobile platforms of iPhone and iPad. The app serves up trivia, images and video optimized for mobile devices. It’s designed for party play, and the iPad hi-def version is amazing. Available genre packs include comedy, romance and horror, as well as the Twilight series, the Harry Potter series and the TV show “30 Rock.”

3. My Movies

My Movies is just the right app for a typical movie buff. Simply add your movies manually or scan their bar codes using your phone’s camera, and you’re off and running. You can browse details about your flicks, watch trailers for movies in your collection and search and filter by type (DVD, Blu-ray, HD DVD), genre, watched, parental rating levels, production years, personal categories and online status. It’s also a handy way to keep track of which movies you’ve loaned out and it might prevent you from buying a movie you already own on VHS, Beta, DVD, special edition and Blu-ray.

4. RunPee

Well it’s true, nobody can make it through the Lord of the Rings trilogy without making a trip to the bathroom. As an unfortunate consequence you sometimes miss most important part of movie. Well, RunPee is an app that will solve this problem. This app lists slow times in each film best suited for taking care of business, it also tells you how long you can be away (usually four minutes) and what you’ll miss. The app also lists what happens in the first five minutes of the film, and whether there’s a teaser clip waiting for you after the credits roll.

5. BookMyShow

We couldn’t complete the list without mentioning the most useful one for India. The mobile counterpart of the popular ticketing website BookMyShow is as effective as its web version. It provides every possible option you get in desktop version. It’s the mere simplicity and clean interface of this app that makes ticket booking very easy.The interesting thing is it shows if any of your friends on Facebook are also gonna watch the same movie.

June 30, 2014
Android TV : Could it Mean Third Time Lucky for Google?
Google has been trying very hard to get into our living rooms for long time now. Google TV was introduced way back in 2010 with the first Google TV’s being made by Sony and Logitech. In the second generation of devices, LG, Asus and others had also partnered on Google TV. But sadly, Google TV wasn’t a success. Nor was the Nexus Q which was a media-streaming entertainment device introduced in June 2012. Even Nexus Q wasn’t much of a success and later was replaced by Chromecast which was launched at last year’s Google I/O.

Though, it seems like Google’s new Android TV may have a bright future ahead of it. Since Google has only showcased the developer-kit of the Android TV called ADT-1, you won’t be able to buy it for a while. But that won’t be an issue once manufacturers begin selling their consumer-facing devices later this fall. Android TV is still in pre-production, so a lot of things are likely to change between now and its final release.

Unlike its previous effort in smart TV software mentioned above, Android TV will work with a number of different chipsets. It’s designed to enable Android developers to create apps using the same Android toolset that they use for mobile phones and tablets.

Android TV will play movies and TV shows, and users will be able to control it via mobiles phones and tablets. Google Engineering Director Dave Burke showed off how the system works to enable search and navigation either via text or voice. He even showed off the ability to control the TV via an Android Gear Smartwatch.

Chromecast will run on Android TV with full support, so users can beam content from their mobile devices straight to the TV. The new platform also enables users to launch an app store developed specifically for a 10/UI.

According to Google, the OS will be available for smart TVs (Sony and Sharp have signed on to build televisions with the OS built in), media streamers, set-top boxes, cable boxes and micro consoles. This platform will be ideal for those manufacturers that are interested in getting into the smart TV businesses, but don’t have the resources to develop their own ecosystem. It’s a good opportunity for smaller companies and start-ups to help building the Android TV hardware.

Google pointed out some technical requirements to ensure that Android TV doesn’t offer an inconsistent user experience such as:
- 2GB of RAM,
- 8GB of flash storage,
- WiFi and/or Ethernet,
- Bluetooth 4,
- Play-ready DRM,
- Widevine level
Companies also suggested to incorporate mics for voice input, and standardized controller button mapping. These guidelines are cricial because the system needs to be powerful enough to handle graphic-intensive games, entertainment apps and connectivity between the TV and mobile devices via Google Cast which Google is focusing on with Android TV.

No one can give a final verdict for Android TV as yet, company has a long way ahead as far as it is concerned. Of course, a lot will depend on the pricing of the new software which has to compete with the already settled Smart TV makers.
June 29, 2014
Apple Launches an Updated 16GB iPod Touch With a Low Price Tag in India

It’s been two years, Apple has’t come up with any notable updates about its iPod Touch products. Without any formal announcement Apple decided to launch its 16GB iPod touch in India. The new device comes with a 5MP iSight camera as well as a lower price tag.

Earlier, the 16GB variant was the only member of the iPod family that came without a rear camera and was available only in Silver color. Now, like the 32GB and 64GB variants, it will come with a 5-megapixel iSight rear camera capable of recording full-HD video and will be available in Pink, Yellow, Blue, Silver, Space Grey, and Red color.

The iSight camera is the same which was found on the aged iPhone 4. The updated and cheaper 16GB iPod touch now comes with pricetag of Rs 16,900. The other sizes are getting a price drop, too. The 32GB is priced at Rs 20,900, and the 64GB is for Rs 24,900. This is probably because of the continued slide in iPod sales as more people shift to smartphones as their preferred mobile entertainment device.

All members of the iPod touch family now feature the same 4-inch Retina display, 5-megapixel iSight camera, Apple A5 SoC, and FaceTime (front-facing) camera. The A5 processor is also used in the iPhone 4S. The iPod touch runs iOS 7 with support for Siri, Apple’s virtual assistant. The company claims 40 hours of battery life with audio playback, and 8 hours of video playback.

Apple had launched its ‘iPod’ range of portable media players in 2001 and its various versions include iPod Shuffle, iPod Nano, iPod Touch and iPod Classic. According to the company’s annual report, Apple globally sold over 26.3 million units of iPods in the year ending September 28, 2013.

June 28, 2014