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A Galaxy S7 Edge Unit Appears Online for Sale in Dubai

A Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge unit has appeared on the Dubai counterpart of Craigslist called Dubizzle. It’s being sold for 4500 AED or approximately $1100 (about Rs.75,000). The phone comes with all accessories inside the box.

There have been lots of leaks over the last couple of days, outing design details of the Galaxy S7 Edge and this latest development shows this S7 Edge unit to be in line with them. But nobody can really be sure of the authenticity of this device which has been “imported from USA”. It may very well turn out to be a dummy unit.

According to reports so far the Galaxy S7 Edge will come equipped with a 5.5-inch QHD AMOLED display when it finally released at the MWC this year. The device wiill be powered by a Samsung Exynos 8890/Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 SoC and paired with 4 GB of RAM, and a 12 MP rear camera with f/1.7 aperture. A 8 MP selfie camera is expected at the front of the phone. The phone will come in two storage variants, 32GB and 64GB which will be further expandable via a MicroSD card.

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February 17, 2016
Tim Cook Refuses to Provide FBI With Specialized Encryption Code

In December, 2015, Calif, San Francisco, became victim of a cold-blooded shooting incident orchestrated by Syed Rizwan Farook and his wife, Tashfeen Malik. Fourteen civilians were shot dead before the couple was taken down by the police. It was later confirmed that Rizwan Farook’s phone, an iPhone 5c, was in custody with the authorities.

After two months of failed attempts of unlocking it, the court ordered Apple to provide an encryption code that would take down the security measures of the device. Judge Sheri Pym asked Apple to provide specialized software that would bring down the security, while also getting rid of the feature which erases all data from the phone after a couple of unsuccessful attempts to log in.

It was later confirmed that the auto-delete feature has been deactivated and that authorities are using brute force attack to unlock the code. According to Apple, a method of this kind would take decades to move past the security encryption of the phone. In fact, a supercomputer would take over five years to crack such a six-digit code.

He may look it, but he’s not pleased.

Apple has accepted that it is pretty much impossible to break into an Apple device which is running on iOS 9. In the wake of these events, Apple was requested by FBI to provide a unique encryption that would allow them to retrieve security key to Rizwan Farook’s iPhone. Apple refused to offer a solution that would allow FBI to bypass the code for it believes this would be detrimental for the security of iPhone users all over the world.

“We have great respect for the professionals at the FBI, and we believe their intentions are good…The FBI may use different words to describe this tool, but make no mistake: Building a version of iOS that bypasses security in this way would undeniably create a backdoor. And while the government may argue that its use would be limited to this case, there is no way to guarantee such control,” Tim Cook wrote on the Apple website.

Apple has been very conscious of its users’ privacy from the start. Only a few days ago the company had declared it would never reveal personal details of iPhone users to the police. And now comes this very clearly stated message from the company. Tim Cook is definitely not overly pleased by FBI’s demands and has made his stance clear. Has he opted for the right plan of action by protecting users’ privacy all over, or should he just go ahead and provide the authorities with the encryption?

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February 17, 2016
Instagram Adds Two-Factor Authentication to Ensure User Privacy

Privacy scare is high in the virtual space lately and rightly so. Incidents of personality theft and phishing on virtual media platforms are only rising with every passing day. As a result, it’s become imperative for various social media platforms to up their privacy. Having said that, Instagram’s announcement about two-step verification for its users comes less as a surprise and more as a welcome, much-awaited development.

Instead of requiring only the username and password to log in, this two step verification would also require a unique code to log into Instagram. There has to be a verified mobile number mentioned in your account details. When you try to log in, a code would be sent as a message to this number which would then be required to log in.

If a hacker does indeed end up with your account details, the new security tool would ensure that you are still protected by way of a code sent on the verified mobile number. If your Instagram account is about posting pictures of your last meal, you can ignore this update and move on. But if there truly are some trade secrets hidden behind those pictures, it is for you.

As Instagram continues to increase its user-base, with many celebrities and businesses using official Instagram accounts, this new verification process is a relevant development. Users can definitely feel safer about their Instagram identity now.

February 17, 2016
UK Researchers Develop 5D Disc to Store 360TB of Data Over 13 Billion Years

There is no end to the data that is being produced every single day all over the planet. From selfies to controversial art to international documents of utmost secrecy, to name a few -the data being produced and stored regularly is equivalent to the space on 10 milliion Blue-ray discs.

As data production continues to increase exponentially, there also arises an urgent need to find a way to store all of it. However, it looks like the University of Southampton may have just found the solution. A team of researchers at the university have developed a tiny 5-dimensional (5D) disc capable of storing 360 terabytes of data over 13.8 billion years. Yes, they like their numbers accurate.

Important texts like the Magna Carta and King James Bible have already been stored in the memory of the disc. This virtually means that the texts have a very good chance of out-living the human race.

“It is thrilling to think that we have created the technology to preserve documents and information and store it in space for future generations. This technology can secure the last evidence of our civilisation: all we’ve learnt will not be forgotten,” says Professor Peter Kazanksy, a member of the research team.

The technology had its first experimental demonstration in 2013 when a 300 kb digital copy of a text file was recorded in 5D. With the ability to withstand temperatures as high as 1,000°C, to last 13.8 billion years at 190°C and all eternity at room temperature, the disc is also called “Superman memory crystal”.

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February 17, 2016
Scientists 3D Print an Entire Human Ear in Lab

The unthinkable has happened. Researchers have managed to develop a 3D printer that is capable of bioprinting tissues to be used in transplants. These transplants can include muscle, bone, cartilage and even an entire human ear, which is precisely what the team has achieved.

The study has been published by researchers at Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine and has provided modern medicine with a 3D printer called the integrated tissue-organ printer (ITOP). It is the first of its kind printer capable of printing human-scale tissue constructs.

Even though the technology has still not been tested on humans, the team has tried it with lab rats where 3D printed tissues were attached to them. These tissues included bioprinted bone tissue which were then analysed after a period of 5 months. It was discovered at the end of the set duration that the implants were completely free of necrosis, while also showing presence of new vascularised tissue.

This incredible development has ushered in endless possibilities for people requiring muscle repair treatment post accidents or diseases. Even though currently the study is only in its nascent stages, it has some big achievements to its credit. We can only hope for the progress graph to move upwards from here.

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February 17, 2016
Hydraulic Pop-Up Urinal that Hides During the Day to Surface in Australia

Perth City, in Australia, has seen ultra high-tech urinals being installed in the city which might help us understand what public urinals of the future look like. These are believed to be Australia’s first pop-up urinal in the city’s suburb of Northbridge, according to Seven News.

These pop up urinals will appear on Friday and Saturday evenings for the late-night crowd and then hide away underground during the day.

The Urilift as it’s called is a self-cleaning urinal that has previously been seen in some European cities before and comes at a price of (US$124,381) Approx Rs 85,35,646. The Urilift urinal can be used by three men at a time “in complete privacy”.

The Urilift requires an operator to hydraulically hide, and unhide the urinal with a remote, taking around two minutes to complete the process. Pretty neat indeed!

February 17, 2016
Huawei P9 Leaked Renders Confirm Dual Camera, Metal Body Design

Samsung and LG are not going to be the only brands at the MWC 2016 next week who will get to show off their flagship devices. If rumours are to be believed, Huawei will also be present at the event and will be unveiling the Huawei P9. We have some renders today to tell us what might be the look of the device as well as hints at some new features.

The renders reveal an all-metal design for the Huawei P9. What the images also show us is a dual rear camera setup and a fingerprint scanner at the back. If you look close enough, you’ll also notice a 2.5D curved screen on the front of the device. The bezels look pretty thin on the front while the power button and volume controls fall to the right side. The renders also show possible color options for the P9 in gold, white, pink and gray.

On the specs front, the P9 is likely to come with a Kirin 950 SoC, 4GB of RAM and a 5.2-inch display, none of which have been confirmed yet, of course. Late last month, there were also rumours that the P9 will come in multiple variants. What is expected is that Huawei besides launching its top of the line P9, will also come out with a cheaper P9 Lite, and a phablet the P9 MAX.

The last variant which Huawei plans to bring to the market as a treat for all its fans will be a beefed up variant of the P9, and will come with premium features.

The fourth model is set to offer a display whose size would lie between the P9, and the P9 MAX, with QHD resolution output. It will also feature additional RAM and storage. The fourth variant on top of this will feature an improved camera: a dual lens, dual (12 MP) sensor configuration described as a second-generation technology.

February 17, 2016
Pilot Takes iPhone Time-Lapse Video of Plane Landing

A pilot has graciously created a time-lapse video on his iPhone showing us an airplane landing at London’s Heathrow airport. The video gives us a glimpse into what a pilot sees just moments before landing, during landing and after. Check out the video embedded below.

Approach to runway 27R .@HeathrowAirport .@visitlondon #approach #london #landing #avgeek #fly #pilot pic.twitter.com/0spnqfDW8D

— the player pilot (@theplayer_pilot) February 11, 2016

The short 25-seconds video was posted on Twitter by @theplayer_pilot, showing the plane approaching runway 27R. “Heathrow is a very busy airport but is straightforward enough, there are no mountains or anything too tricky, but we are always prepared for anything,” the unnamed pilot, who flies to Heathrow around four or five times a month, told GetWestLondon.

He continued, “Flying is amazing, I feel privileged to be a pilot and see the things I do, as pilots we have views of the world only really we get to see. We get to see sunrises and sunsets all over the world and on some night flights at Heathrow it doesn’t even get dark!”

February 17, 2016
“Freedom 251” India’s Most Affordable Smartphone Launches

Manufactured by Noida-based Ringing Bells Pvt. Ltd with support from the Indian government, “Freedom 251” is India’s answer to ultra low-cost mobile phones manufacturing across the border in China. The phone is priced at Rs 251(Approx $4) mark will be unveiled today at an event in New Delhi by Union Defence Minister Sri Manohar Parrikar.

The phone on the specifications front comes quite loaded for the price, and will see a 4-inch qHD (960×540 pixels) display adorns the front of the phone. Under the hood, it will come equipped with a Qualcomm 1.3GHz quad-core processor along with 1GB of RAM. The internal memory on offer is 8GB which can be further expanded up to 32GB using a microSD card.

The Freedom 251 comes with a 3.2-megapixel autofocus camera at the back and a VGA camera on the front. Connectivity options include 3G support. It will come running Android 5.1 Lollipop out of the box. In line with the market its targeting, the phone will be preloaded with apps like Women Safety, Swachh Bharat, Fisherman, Farmer, Medical, WhatsApp, Facebook and YouTube among others.

Ringing Bells is offering a one year warranty on the Freedom 251, and already has above 650 service centres across the country.

February 17, 2016
Five Smartphones with Great Battery Life

Short battery backup has for long been considered the smartphone’s Achille’s heel. With so many apps and services eating away at your smartphone’s battery, keeping the phone away from the charger, and in your hand at the time of need has become a difficult task to achieve.

Today we bring to you a list of smartphones that come with the promise of great battery life, enough to carry the burden of your calls, work, play, browsing for at least a day. So without further ado, here are the phones.

Moto X Force

The most expensive phone in our list, this phone comes with hefty price tag of Rs.49,999 for the 32 GB variant and Rs 53,999 for the 64 GB variant. This is the same phone that was launched globally last year as Droid Turbo 2 and made its way to India earlier this month with its much talked about ‘shatter shield’ display that as visible in our 1000 Foot Mega Drop Test does indeed work.

On the specs front, Moto X Force packs a 5.4 inch Quad HD display with a resolution of 2560×1440 pixels. It is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 octa-core chipset along with 3 GB of RAM. The two internal storage options of 32 GB and 64 GB are expandable up to 2 TB with the help of a microSD card.

The Moto X Force packs a 21-megapixel snapper with f/2.0 aperture, dual-LED flash and Phase Detect Autofocus around the back, and a 5-megapixel selfie camera with flash and f/2.0 aperture

The phone is powered by a mammoth 3760mAh battery with Quick Charging support and the battery working in conjunction with the minimalistic Android skin approach gives the user a phone that lasts over a day on medium-heavy usage

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Asus Zenfone Max

Asus India’s latest entrant to the already crowded market is a phone that sets itself apart from the crowd. The new Zenfone handset promises what most phones can’t offer, a long battery life with decent performance at an extremely affordable price.

ZenFone Max features a 5.5-inch HD (720×1280 pixels) IPS display which has 10 finger touch support and comes with anti-fingerprint coating. The phone is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 quad-core processor which is paired with 2GB RAM, Android 5.0 Lollipop operating system and Adreno 306 graphics processor.

The Zenfone Max comes with an enormous 5000mAh battery. It is not only a phone that won’t die on you mid way through the day but can also double up as a portable charger for other power hungry devices that might need some assistance. It’s only drawback is that does not come with any kind of fast charging tech.

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Honor Holly 2 Plus

Honor Holly 2 Plus is a budget offering from the Chinese smartphone maker Huawei. It comes with decent under the hood specs. The phone sports a 5-inch HD display and is powered by a 1.3GHz quad-core Mediatek MT6735P processor and Mali 720 GPU, paired with 2GB of RAM.

It features a 13MP rear camera and a 5MP on the front. Connectivity options include dual-SIM and 4G LTE support The phone is offered in a 16GB variant and supports expandable storage via a microSD card.

One of the strong points of the phone is its massive 4,000 mAh battery which does good in daily usage. The phone easily lasts a day on medium-heavy usage. The Honor Holly 2 Plus also comes with Smart Power 3.0 which at the switch of a button can give over 10 hours of phone usage for a 10% charge. It also is equipped with and quick charge capability which considering the size of the battery was really needed.

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Lenovo Vibe P1

The Vibe P1 features a 5.5-inch Full-HD (1080×1920 pixels) IPS display with Corning Gorilla Glass 3. It is powered by a Snapdragon 615 octa-core processor clocked at 1.5GHz with Adreno 405 GPU; 2GB of RAM and 32GB storage with expandable storage via microSD card. The device features a 13-megapixel rear camera and a 5-megapixel front; dual-SIM with dual 4G LTE support.

The Lenovo Vibe P1 comes equipped with a huge 4900mAh battery that Lenovo promises is good enough for 45 hours of talktime, and 30 days of standby. It also supports Quick Charge 2.0 to get an impressive 60% charge in 30 minutes.

The phone also comes with a power-saver slider, which switches the phone quickly between normal battery consumption and an extreme power saving mode. The Lenovo P1 can also double as a power bank to charge other devices, and as such the device comes highly recommended.

Lenovo Vibe P1m

The Vibe P1m, on the other hand, sports a 5-inch HD (1280×720) display. It is powered by a 64-bit quad-core MediaTek MT6735 processor with 2GB RAM and 16GB storage. Like the Vibe P1, the P1m supports expandable storage as well.

The Vibe P1M is the battery life is one the best in the market. The phone comes with a 4,000mAh battery unit which manages to deliver on its promise. The phone’s lightweight specs, with the 4000mAh battery makes the Vibe P1m lasts for more than a day and a half and without even including power saving options.

February 17, 2016
iPhone 7 to Sport High-Res Front Camera with 4K Video Capture

In a news that will excite Apple and non-Apple fans alike, the upcoming iPhone 7 will have the most powerful front camera by the Cupertino-based giant yet. The front camera will be able to capture high resolutions stills and 4K video recording as well.

It looks like Apple’s focus on selfies remains high. The company has understood the trend of the hour and wants to deliver the best possible camera for that. With the iPhone 6s, Apple had introduced a whopping 5MP front camera ( a major bump from the 1.2MP of the iPhone 6) with Retina Flash as well as a GIF-like feature with Live Photos.

The Retina Flash feature intelligently lights the subject with a colored flash, calculated by first flashing a neutral white flash by amping up the display, then almost immediately re-flashing the screen with a selected color. The selected color is typically an amber hue as it delivers a more flattering flash than a pure white screen would.

With the iPhone 7, Apple will likely stick to a 5MP front and Retina Flash only the images will get a lot more color, sharpness, and detail with high-res capability, and with 4K recording, selfie videos are going to be the next big thing. We may just see the front camera being the new primary option for photography rather than the rear.

February 17, 2016
4 Features We Want to See in the HTC One M10

HTC is just a couple of months away from unveiling its next flagship smartphone, the HTC One M10. A lot is riding on the company to deliver a device that is truly groundbreaking. Indeed, HTC needs to have something great in the One M10 if it still wants to compete in the highly competitive smartphone world. We’ve seen a bunch of leaked images and rumoured specs that haven’t really excited the masses so far. But the final device could be a different case. In order to have a winner on its hands, here are some features that we expect to see in the One M10.

A New HTC Design Language

HTC One M7

For a moment let’s forget about the recent leaked images and renders of the One M10. Let’s forget that HTC has gone with a design language similar to the One A9, which was heavily criticised for being an iPhone 6 rip-off, though HTC would contend that Apple copied them first. Such is the way inspiration works in the tech world. There was a time when HTC had a great design language with its M-series, the One M7 being one of the company’s best in design. It was something that was truly HTC’s own.

Barring the fact that HTC messed up with the One M9, the M lineup (especially the M7 and M8) was praised for its metallic unibody build, BoomSound dual front speakers that were widely appreciated, and a premium feel attached to it. But the company has recently hit a block in terms of design. What the company needs is to rely less on what companies like Apple have achieved with the iPhone and more on coming up with a new design language while still having traces of the old.

Latest render of the One M10

Honestly, fans would still appreciate the BoomSound dual speakers on the front only a little more refined. A curved metallic back for a better hold, a minimalistic and sleek design, and an almost bezel-less screen could together have made for a great-looking phone. If LeEco can manage that with the Le 1s than HTC can too.

HTC’s UltraPixel Technology Needs to Shine this Time

When HTC announced the UltraPixel technology with the One M8, fans were expecting a camera that would deliver some spectacular photographs. But the One M8 failed to deliver. The company went back to the traditional megapixel with the One M9 which again wasn’t well recieved, not when the market is incredibly tough with the likes of Samsung, LG and Apple.

It is now rumoured that HTC will once again use the UP technology in the One M10. This may be a huge gamble on the part of HTC to back its camera technology. But if the company has managed to learn from its mistakes, the UP technology could be exactly what HTC had intended. The rear camera is rumoured to sport a 12UP module with OIS and autofocus while the front still is unknown. If HTC wants to be a contender in the camera department, knowing that Samsung has upped its camera specs in the Galaxy S7, then nothing short of 5UP for the front and some absolutely spectacular images that compliment a Quad HD AMOLED display will be accepted by fans.

At Least One Bumped Up Specification

Let’s be honest, life in today’s world is all about getting there first. This though applies even for technology. People are wowed with a device that manages to beat its competition in bringing out the a first in something. Either that or you try to make an existing technology even better. LeEco took everyone by surprise when it brought out the Le Max Pro – the first smartphone with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 820 chipset – when everybody was looking towards Samsung’s Galaxy S7.

The rumoured specs of the HTC One M10 aren’t all that special. They’re pretty much what is expected from a flagship device in 2016. You have a Snapdragon 820 chipset in the One M10 which will also be seen in the Galaxy S7, LG G5, Xiaomi Mi5 and many more to come. If HTC wants its device to stand apart, it needs to offer one specification that other OEMs aren’t. Maybe bumping up the RAM to 4GB might do the trick, or maybe it’s just not enough. Even if HTC manages to fit in a battery big enough to handle a Quad HD AMOLED display and gaming without giving up completely by the end of the day, it would be appreciated.

Thinner, Sleeker BoomSound or a Multi-Purpose Fingerprint Sensor (or Both)

One M10 Early Render

It was the BoomSound speakers that gave HTC’s M lineup a new direction. HTC now needs to introduce a new unique feature that will give the M10 purpose. If you’re going to replace the speakers with a physical home button that might also house a fingerprint scanner, then the sensor could do a lot more than simply unlocking the phone. In fact, having the BoomSound front speakers and the fingerprint scanner at the back would have been perfect. Alas, that’s perhaps asking too much.

HTC could have indeed kept the BoomSound speakers, making the grill thinner and closer to the top and bottom edges so as to save space and deliver on sound at the same time. Some renders (like the one above) also showed the same imagination, but the new images that reveal the One A9-like design show no trace of a speaker at all. It could still be that HTC has moved the speakers to the bottom, and if it manages to get the same quality it just might do the trick. Furthermore, if that indeed is the case then the headphone jack would have to move to the top.

Now while these may still not be groundbreaking changes or additions, it is something that would get fans a lot more excited than they are right now. The One M10 will essentially decide the company’s future in the smartphone market, and perhaps the delay to launch the device is due to some last minute tweaks that could work in their favour. We’ll just have to wait and see if HTC has a winner with the One M10 or not.

Have any particular feature you want to see in the HTC One M10? Let us know in the comments below.

February 16, 2016
Mattel’s New ThinkMaker 3D Printer lets you Create your own Toys

At the recent New York Toy Fair, Mattel unveiled the ThinkMaker, a ’70s toy maker that uses modern 3D printing technology. But the new ThinkMaker is a lot more than an ordinary toy maker that could mould bug-like creatures or Creepy Crawlers as they were popularly called.

The new 3D Printing ThingMaker can design complex objects like figurines, jewellery and accessories using the ThingMaker Design app, which Mattel developed together with Autodesk. The toy maker will start shipping this fall and comes at a very affordable price of $300.

There are so many reasons to love Mattel’s new ThinkMaker. At $300, the toy maker is not only cheap, but it can also train kids in 3D designing from an early age. It also engages the child’s creativity as it allows kids to use the ThinkMaker to create a variety of things. Kids will be able to design toys from scratch and the toys can be customised with different colours and textures.

Instead of having to pour liquid plastic into toy moulds as was the case with Mattel’s original ThinkMaker back in 1960, the new ThinkMaker spits them out like any other 3D printer. And the fact that this is a 3D printer that is easy and safe to use makes it a great purchase for kids and adults alike.

February 16, 2016
Apple Brings Technology to Fashion at Met Gala This Year

From wearables to 3D printed shoes and dresses at this year’s CES, technology and fashion are two forces whose paths have been crossing pretty frequently lately. It is only natural that this fusion gets a formal acknowledgement as Met Gala 2016 gears itself to bring technology and fashion together aptly naming its fashion event this year -“Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology”.

When we say technology one of the first few names to pop up in our heads includes Apple. Consequently, it’s no big surprise the Cupertino based tech giant is partners with the Costume Institute for the this year’s Met Gala fashion event.

Andrew Bolton, who is the curator for the Institute describes the event as “unraveling the hand-machine conundrum”, which refers to the chasm between hand-made and machine-made fashion.

Issey Miyake’s “Flying Saucer” ,dress unveiled in 1994, was made entirely using machine sewing -indicating a clear presence of technology in fashion.

Therefore the event aims to bridge the gap between technology and fashion -no more seen as opposing forces. The two are brought together in a celebration of the successes of both fashion as well as the technology.

Pieces from Chanel and Christian Dior would be part of the collection.The line-up would draw inspiration from Fritz Lang’s sci-fi masterpiece Metropolis, and automobiles and electronics in its design and essence.

February 16, 2016
Sony Unveils IMX318 22.5 Megapixel Exmor RS Mobile Camera

Sony today announced a new Exmor R sensor for mobile devices.The sensor will be called the IMX318 and it is the first stacked CMOS sensor with integrated hybrid autofocus and 3-axis electronic image stabilization. The IMX318 is a 1/2.6 type sensor with an effective resolution of 22.5 megapixels. It has a pixel pitch of 1.0 micrometre.

A statement from Sony talking about this launch read,

“The IMX318 boasts a stacked structure and the industry’s smallest unit pixels, which measure 1.0 micrometre in size. With this, the image sensor achieves a compact, type 1/2.6 size suitable for inclusion into smartphones, while still realizing a high resolution of 22.5 effective megapixels, among the top in the industry.”

The sensor is expected to be used in the upcoming Sony Z6, and what’s so exciting about this that it has built in hybrid AF. Sony IMX318 is the first to incorporate this within the sensor’s internal signal processor. The company claims this will result in a focusing time of 0.03 seconds for stills and as fast as 0.017 seconds during 60fps video.

The other major talking point about this sensor is the inclusion of the integrated 3-axis image stabilization. The sensor can correct for pitch, roll, and yaw by taking the input from an external gyro sensor and processing it within its own internal signal processor. This will be more energy efficient as compared to software processing.

February 16, 2016