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iPhone 7 to Skip the Camera Hump and Antenna Band at the back

Apple’s iPhone 7 isn’t expected to launch anytime before September but that does not mean we won’t get to know what it will be like before the launch date. In today’s dose of iPhone rumours, we bring to you news that will be music to most ears.

According to latest reports, the iPhone 7 body will appear very similar to the design scheme used for the iPhone 6 and 6s, but with two very notable exceptions.

To start things off, Apple will do away with the slightly protruding camera module present on the iPhone 6 and 6s. On the iPhone 7, the camera is said to sit flush with the rear casing, enabled by a thinner camera module. Earlier we had reported that Apple was looking at new camera tech for what is expected to be a leaner iPhone 7.

The second change that this latest report talks of is the removal of antenna bands at the rear of the handset. Antenna bands along the sides would still be present on the new iPhone.

iPhone 7 is expected to come in two variants. The smaller iPhone 7 will come equipped with a 4.7 inch display, while the 7s will feature a beautiful 5.5 inch OLED diplay, with a full body speaker grill, and could even support Li-Fi. It is also expected to skip on the 3.5mm jack in favour of a system that will see audio accessories being connected to it via the lightning port.

February 3, 2016
Leaked Images of Lumia 850 Suggest a 5.4 Inch Screen

Looks like there is some good news in store for Microsoft fans. As new leaked images of Lumia 850 appear online, there seems to be hope for this device making an appearance in 2016. It is expected to be powered by a Snapdragon 617 chipset.

The leaks suggest the screen-size to be marked at 5.4 inches, along with a front facing flash and something that could potentially be an iris scanner for Windows Hello. Images also suggest presence of a micro-USB port, which doesn’t look like Type-C but a 2.0 port. There is also a 3.5mm jack at the bottom.

There are rumours suggesting that the Lumia 850 may have been cancelled, but if it does make it to the market, the device would be available in four colour variants -white, gold, dark silver and black. We’ll keep you updated as more information becomes available.

February 3, 2016
Vodafone Launches 4G Services in Delhi and NCR

After successfully launching its 4G services in Kerala, Karnataka and Kolkata, Vodafone has now announced the release of its next-generation 4G network in Gurgaon, soon to be followed by Delhi and the NCR in regular phases.

Running on an 1800 MHz band of the spectrum, the service can be used on all smartphones with 4G support, and will make the overall experience of downloading and streaming media efficient and enjoyable. The 4G Mobile Wi-Fi would support connectivity for up to 10 devices.

The company also has a series of offers up its sleeve that include high-speed 4G SIMs, but also free 4G upgrade for those already using Vodafone SIMs. Users can enjoy up to 3 months of access to free television, movies and music on Vodafone Play as part of their Vodafone 4G subscription. Vodafone Music, HOOQ, an on-demand video service, and Hungama Play, are some of the other services users would be able to avail as part of their subscription.

Currently, Vodafone is offering data packs ranging from 35 MB which costs Rs. 11, going up to Rs. 2,499 for 20 GB. The company is also offering door-step delivery of postpaid 4G SIMs for requests that are received before 4 PM on the day the request is made. Vodafone has also become country’s first network provider to provide 4G international roaming in the UK, Romania, Spain and Netherlands.

February 3, 2016
Feast Your Eyes on Ashton Kutcher in the New Moto X Force Promotional Video

Motorola has gone all out with Moto X Force promotion. The company has now released a video for the phone which has Ashton Kutcher in it. Yes, you heard us right. Technology meets this Hollywood sweatheart as they put people’s phones through drop-tests. Check out the video below.

https://youtu.be/EAt0TUCzoWM

The video proposes a theory that people are actually in love with their phones. This theory gets attested as people are put through lie detection tests and asked unease-inducing questions. The reactions were more than just entertaining, to say the least.

Moto X Force, first unveiled globally as Droid Turbo 2 last year, released in India on the 1st of February. The highlight of the phone is its shatter-proof display, which Motorola claims, is the first of its kind in the world for a smartphone. Check out our drop test for the device where we dropped it from a height of 1000 feet and judge for yourself. Click here for a complete review of Moto X Force.

February 3, 2016
iPhone 5se and iPad Air 3 to be Unveiled at the Apple Event on 15th March

Rumours have been circulating about an Apple event slated for sometime next month which will see the company unveil the new 4-inch iPhone and updates for the Apple Watch, along with the iPad Air 3 which is also expected to make an appearance at this event.

Though no concrete information has been available about this event but sources now reveal that this event will take place on the 15th of March.

According to reports, a new Apple Watch being launched is unlikely but news about the launch, and information regarding what to expect from the next Apple Watch when it finally arrives is surely on the cards. The existing Apple Watch is also going to receive some new band options and refreshed software.

The iPhone 5se which is going to be the big announcement at this event except for the possible addition of some extra curves at its edges, and an overall “less shiny” look will look very much like the iPhone 5s. It is expected to be priced around the $450( approx Rs. 30,000), and will be available in either 16 or 64 GB of storage. It will be powered by an A9 chip.

February 3, 2016
MediaTek Helio X20 Facing Overheating Issues

It looks like MediaTek’s top of the line offering, the Helio X20 is already running into trouble. This Dec-Core beast which comes with the promise of never before seen power on a smartphone will allegedly bring along with it more heat than it can handle.

The SoC much like the 810 is being accused of producing too much heat, and if industry sources are to be believed, it could be overlooked by manufacturers in the coming months just like the 810 initially when Samsung turned it down because of the overheating issues it brought along with it.

Mediatek-Helio-X20-Deca Core

Reports also suggest that the Helio X20 has done so poorly in its trials with phone manufacturers when it came to managing its thermal outputs that it has already been rejected by HTC, Lenovo, Xiaomi amongst others for their upcoming phones.

Needless to say, all these are just murmurs for now making their way to and fro across the trusted land of Internet, so waiting for something official before sounding the X20s death knell is highly recommended.

February 3, 2016
This Computer Program Can Read Your Thoughts

Welcome to the future where computers read your mind and Artificial Intelligence is on the cards. A new computer program developed by a team of researchers at the University of Washington in Seattle can decode your thoughts with the help of electrodes.

This program requires electrodes to be implanted in the mind of the subject. Based on the chemical changes that thoughts lead to, these electrodes would convey electrical signs which can then be read to decipher a person’s thoughts. The entire decoding process takes no more than a few milliseconds after an image is seen by the subject.

“Clinically, you could think of our result as a proof of concept toward building a communication mechanism for patients who are paralyzed or have had a stroke and are completely locked in,”says Rajesh Rao, a neuro-scientist at the University of Washington.

Any development in communication of this kind between a human and a machine is a huge leap -it could be of immense use for people who cannot speak or have any kind of trouble conveying their thoughts. This specific program, however, is not the first of its kind. There have been similar developments in the past where researchers recorded brain waves of viewers in the form of movie clips people were watching at the time.

Professor Xavier uses Cerebro, a computer, to amplify his powers of telepathy in X-Men. Could complex communication between computers and humans be here in the real world as well?

In this experiment conducted by Rajesh Rao’s team, a difference was observed between neural patterns when people saw images of houses and images of faces. Additionally, there were also different kinds of brain signals the computer required to decode the thoughts. Both these sets of patterns work in unison to help researchers understand the responses of the human mind, and decoding them in real time, better. More research in the field can help neuroscientists map the entire brain and its responses one day,

Source

February 3, 2016
Microsoft to Build Under Water Data Centers

Building data centers underwater might sound bizarre but in the age where cars are starting to drive themselves, and computers can read the user’s mind, is it really something to be shocked at? Microsoft certainly doesn’t think so.

The global tech giant is currently working on something that it calls “Project Natick”, and its website states its purpose: “to understand the benefits and difficulties in deploying subsea data centers worldwide.”

No joke, it’s really happening. Microsoft has researched and tried out underwater data centers. This project was first proposed in 2014, and now it has effectively tested an underwater data center as part of Project Natick.

Microsoft said of the project, “Project Natick is a Microsoft research project to manufacture and operate an underwater data center…Project Natick reflects Microsoft’s ongoing quest for cloud data center solutions that provide rapid provisioning, lower costs, high responsiveness, and are more environmentally sustainable.”

The trial project which gave satisfactory results included a steel capsule placed 30 feet under the water in the Pacific Ocean. The capsule was covered with a range of sensors to monitor the kind of environmental challenges the capsule faced. Microsoft has revealed the findings of this trial project have given them great encouragement, and Microsoft has stressed that this could be the future of data center installations.

Data centers, which power basically everything we do on a daily basis contain thousands of computer servers which generate enormous amounts of heat which when not controlled properly can lead to crashing of these servers. Microsoft engineers say putting the data centers under cold ocean water could fix the problem.

Microsoft has also revealed that this new radical solution may be easier to install than current solutions which takes up to 2 years. The new system would be up and running in not more than 90 days.

February 3, 2016
Netflix Wants to be a Premium Service Provider in India

Netflix has made comments which are bound to ruffle some feathers across the country. The company declares that it aims to be a premium service provider, not meant for the average consumer in India.

“We are after a small base of English-speaking people, who travel abroad, are wealthy and want to watch the latest shows that are being launched in the US,” said a senior Netflix executive.

The company has made sure that payment of its services can only be made through a credit card, already putting a filter for the choice of its users. Netflix launched in India last month with the Basic plan that costs Rs. 500 per month, and the Premium one which is priced at Rs. 800 per month. Users can try the service for free for the first one month by signing up at www.netflix.com/in.

Modeling itself as a premium brand is undoubtedly a tried and tested marketing strategy. At the expense of being dubbed as elitist, brands all over have tried similar tactics, and it has worked wonders for them -Apple being an example. Let’s see how the Indian consumer reacts to this. Let us know what you think of this move by Netflix in the comments below.

February 2, 2016
LeEco Sells 70,000 Units in 2 Seconds of Flash Sale, Sets Multiple Records

LeEco, previously called LeTV, unveiled its devices last month to much self-created hype, and held its first flash sale for the Le 1s “superphone” in India today. All the song and dance around the device clearly worked in the company’s favour as it ended up setting multiple records in the smartphone industry with their first flash sale.

According to reports, LeEco sold 70,000 units in just the first two seconds of the flash sale. It was pretty much a blink and miss it moment for consumers, many of whom were left without available Le 1s units for purchase. The sale took place on 2nd February at 12 PM on Flipkart.

The company set three records with these numbers of sold units -largest number of phones sold in a single flash sale, shortest duration for the sale of so many devices, and the largest number of pre-sale registrations, which by the way was about 600,000.

“I am amazed by the numbers. This sales figure is a new milestone and sets a benchmark for all other brands in the industry”, says Ankit Nagori, Chief Business Officer of Flipkart.

The device is marked at Rs 10,999 and was available in one variant, with pretty impressive specs for the price. The Le 1s comes equipped with a MediaTek X10 Turbo running at 2.2 GHz. It houses a VR6200 GPU, 3GB RAM with 32GB storage.

The ‘SuperPhone’ also supports Dual Sim 4G connectivity, backed by a 3000 mAh battery. It’s a slim device of 7.5 mm, and boasts of a 5.5-Inch Full HD display, with a clarity of 403 ppi. Find all other details of the Le 1s here.

February 2, 2016
Samsung Galaxy S7 Leaked Photos Reveal Back Design

Some more leaks regarding Samsung’s Galaxy S7 flagship devices are out to keep you satisfied for the day. While there have been many renders showing the front of the device, not much attention has been paid to the back. Well, popular leakster @evleaks has just revealed images of what could be the back of the Galaxy S7.

From the images, it looks pretty certain that Samsung going by the Galaxy Note 5 design language, which we’re not complaining about as the Note 5 was a beautifully crafted device. The Galaxy S7 variants look like they will come with a glass back and curved towards the edges.

Unconfirmed reports have suggested that the Galaxy S7 will come in four variants – Galaxy S7, Galaxy S7 Plus, Galaxy S7 Edge, and Galaxy S7 Edge Plus. All of the devices, including the 5.1-inch S7 will come with a curved back, while the ‘Edge’ variants will curve at the front.

Other rumours include Exynos 8890 and Snapdragon 820 chipsets and a 12MP 1/2.0″ primary sensor. Samsung will hold is ‘Unpacked’ event on the 21st of February where it will unveil the flagship Galaxy S7.

February 2, 2016
WhatsApp Reaches 1 Billion Users

The Facebook-owned, and arguably the world’s most popular instant messaging app, Whatsapp has reached a major milestone today. CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced on Tuesday that the app was now being used by a Billion people around the globe, with 42 billion messages along with 1.6 billion photos and 250 million videos beaming across through WhatsApp servers daily.

Zuckerberg through his Facebook profile conveyed, “One billion people now use WhatsApp. There are only a few services that connect more than a billion people. This milestone is an important step towards connecting the entire world. WhatsApp’s community has more than doubled since joining Facebook. We’ve added the ability for you to call loved ones far away. We’ve dropped the subscription fee and made WhatsApp completely free. Next, we’re going to work to connect more people around the world and make it easier to communicate with businesses.”

Facebook bought the mobile messaging app in 2014, in a deal worth $19bn which back then was described by many analysts as not the best move forward for Facebook. Though most such doubts have been cast away but a couple of questions still linger.

Jack Kent, mobile analyst at IHS reacting to this news said, “WhatsApp still trails behind local competition in some key markets. There are big markets where WhatsApp isn’t the dominant player. WeChat in China has more than 500 million users, while Line is popular in Japan, and Kakao Talk is big in South Korea. But WhatsApp is certainly the most internationally successful.”

February 2, 2016
LeEco’s Le Max Pro Powered by Snapdragon 820 Passes TENAA

LeEco took over January with a storm. The company that was formerly known as LeTV stole the spotlight at CES 2016 earlier this month by unveiling the Le Max Pro – the world’s first smartphone powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 820 chipset. Now, it looks like the device is ready to hit the markets for sale.

The Le Max Pro has been greenlit by Chinese telecommunication authority TENAA, which means the sale of the device will begin pretty soon.

The Le Max Pro sports a 6.33-inch display with QHD resolution powered by Snapdragon 820 chipset. The device will be equipped with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. The camera is said to feature a 21MP sensor for the rear and a 4MP sensor for the front.

Pricing and other details have yet to be revealed. LeEco launched the Le 1s and Le Max in India on the 20th of January with the first flash sale for the Le 1s having concluded today. Reports are that the LeEco received over 5,30,000 registrations for the Le 1s. The flash sale today saw the Le 1s being sold out in less than a minute. With the kind of response LeEco has received from the country, it looks like the Le Max Pro could be the next phone to enter the Indian market.

February 2, 2016
Le 1s Sold Out Under a Minute in its First Flash Sale

LeEco (formerly known as LeTV) unveiled to eager audiences a couple of days back the Le 1s. This budget phone from the Chinese phone maker has finally arrived in India, and earlier today was on sale exclusively through Flipkart.

The device is marked for a price of Rs 10,999 and retailed via its first flash sale which lasted for just about a minute. According to the company it had received over 5,30,000 registrations for the first flash sale.

The phone on offer was available in one variant, with pretty impressive specs for the price. The Le 1s will come equipped with a MediaTek X10 Turbo running at 2.2 GHz. It will house a VR6200 GPU, 3GB RAM with 32GB storage.

The ‘SuperPhone’ also supports Dual Sim 4G connectivity, backed by a 3000mAh battery pack in only one color option. It’s slimmer than the Le Max at 7.5 mm, and boasts of a 5.5-Inch Full HD Display, with a clarity of 403 ppi.

The Le 1s has a couple of other fancy tricks up its sleeve. It comes with the LeTouch Mirror Faced fingerprint scanner which will be the first finger scanner in the world with mirror surface. It also comes equipped with USB Type- C charging, and fast charging which will enable it to be used for 3.5 hours on a 5-minute charge.

The design is a full metal double chamber unibody design. It will be made completely out of Aircraft grade aluminium, and just like the Le Max, will be bezel-less.

Coming to the camera, the phone comes loaded with a front 5 MP shooter, and a rear 13 MP high definition rear shooter. It will have a ‘Blue Glass Infrared Filter’ F2.0 aperture and High CSR Flash for great looking pictures. The camera is pretty good and the quality is sharp, especially in outdoor conditions.

February 2, 2016
Canon Unveils 4K-Capable EOS-1D X Mark II

Canon has lifted the veils on its updated flagship DSLR with 4K-shooting, the EOS-1D X Mark II. The main attraction here is, of course, the ability to record DCI 4K (4096 x 2160) video at an impressive 60p, a feature mainly seen in camcorders and cinema cameras. As much as this DSLR is big on videos, it’s equally big on stills as well with a 20.2MP full-frame CMOS sensor, as well as dual DIGIC 6+ processors.

The camera coes with two card slots – a CFast 2.0 card slot and a CF card slot for older media cards. The DSLR comes with an improved sensitivity with a native ISO 51200 which can be expanded up to ISO 409600. The 4K shooting, however, will be limited to a sensitivity range up to ISO 12800 while HD is available at up to ISO 25600. All this along with other camera settings can be operated through a 3.2″ 1.62m-dot touchscreen LCD.

Added to the DCI 4K (4096 x 2160) recording, the Mark II also comes with a true 24.00 fps shooting option in all modes and can shoot in Full HD at up to a speedy 120 fps. Internally, the 4K video at 60p has an impressive 800 Mbps bit rate, while 24/30p have a 500 Mbps bit rate, ensuring sharp footage with minimal artifacting.

Dual Pixel CMOS AF for a full-frame sensor and Movie Servo AF provide a major boost in autofocus in video. This provides exceptional speed and accuracy, which is complemented by the touchscreen that lets the user simply tap the area to change focus.

Meanwhile, low-light shooting gets a bump with f/8 support, all 61 points and working at down to -3 EV with the center point. Still capturing is now faster, where full-resolution 20.2MP raw files can be captured with full-time AF and AE metering at a rate of 14 fps.

Canon has implemented a Digital Lens Optimizer technology that stores lens aberration data in the camera and almost instantly corrects peripheral brightness and chromatic aberration, as well as distortion and diffraction. This ensures maximum resolution and detail from the 20.2MP CMOS sensor.

The camera is dust and water resistant, which makes it hold its own in the most diffuclt weather conditions and scenario. Connectivity features include a PC sync port, a microUSB 3.0 transfer port, and an Ethernet port in addition to the Mini HDMI (Type C) and audio connections. The Mark II is compatible with batteries of the orginal 1D X, though the camera will work at slightly reduced continuous shooting rates. The EOS-1D X Mark II is expected to begin shipping in April at a price of around $6,000 (body-only), or $6,300 for a premium kit that includes a 64GB CFast card and an Extreme PRO CFast 2.0 Card Reader/Writer.

February 2, 2016