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Unboxing The New Moto 360

Motorola Launched the new Moto 360 In India today. While the previous gen eventually dropped out of stock at a price of Rs. 13,999. The top of the line 46 mm Black with Steel Strap of the Gen 2 Variant has an MRP of 23,999 on the box.

The watch adds a bunch of features over the previous gen, also different case sizes and easily changeable straps.

Check out our unboxing Video Below.

Moto 360 Gen 2

Display?

Corning® Gorilla® Glass 3
Backlit LCD
Mens 42mm and Womens: 1.37” (35mm), 263ppi (360 X 325)
Mens 46mm: 1.56” (40mm), 233ppi (360 X 330)

Watch case dimensions

Mens:
46mm diameter by 11.4mm high
42mm diameter by 11.4mm high

Womens:
42mm diameter by 11.4mm high

Processor

Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 400 with 1.2 GHz quad-core CPU (APQ 8026)
Adreno 305 with 450MHz GPU

Sensors

Accelerometer, Ambient Light Sensor, Gyroscope, Vibration/Haptics engine

Battery

Mens 42mm and Womens: 300mAh – Up to 1.5 days of mixed use with Ambient off. Up to a full day of mixed use with Ambient on.
Mens 46mm: 400mAh – Up to 2 days of mixed use with Ambient off. Up to a full day of mixed use with Ambient on.
Wireless charging with charging dock included

Memory

4GB internal storage + 512MB RAM

Connectivity

Bluetooth® 4.0 Low Energy
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g

Microphone

Dual digital mics

December 1, 2015
Moto 360 Gen 2 Launches in India Today

Launched earlier this year at IFA Berlin ’15, the Moto 360 Gen 2 has arrived in India today. Find our unboxing video here:

The Moto 360 comes in two different sizes – a 42 mm male and female version, and a male-only 46 mm model. The difference between the male and female version is that the latter attaches itself to a thinner 16 mm strap while the former is compatible with a 20 mm strap only. The 46 mm variant is compatible with a strap that measures up to 22 mm. While the size of the straps differ, all models have a thickness of 11.4 mm.

The bands of the watch can be chosen from metal and leather. Though there is also a silicon option available for the band, it won’t be arriving in India any time soon. This year, Motorola has clearly been very influenced by the fashion world and all the latest trends within the design industry.

Thus it’s come up with two models, two sizes and up to 300 different ways to customize your Moto 360. However there will be only 5 of these variants that will be made available in India and they are: 42 mm with black leather, 42 mm with cognac leather, 42 mm blush rose gold, 42 mm silver metal, 46 mm black metal. Other than the size and range, there have been very subtle changes to the new design from the previous Moto 360, such as – a re-positioning of the button to the 2 o’clock position and one can even customize the finish of the small bezel that surrounds the display. With respect to the processor, Motorola has upgraded its device with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor.

They have also further improved the battery life and say that the 46 mm watch will last up to two days between charges, while the 42 mm watch will be able to last about a day and a half.

The watch is compatible with iOS 8.2 and above and therefore can be coupled with Apple devices. Other important features of the Moto 360 Gen 2 includes customize-able watch ‘faces’. Other than a bunch of options provided by Motorola, users can also use their own pictures as the watch-face.

The Live Dials of Moto 360 Gen 2 give access to summarised information in one glance. Depending on what matters to the user most, the watch will give weather updates from among footsteps count, rate of heart activity and calorie count etc. The Moto Body is a feature that will keep an account of not just footsteps and heart rate, but also sleep patterns and nutrition of the user.

Additionally, the watch is rated at IP67 which means it can be soaked in 1 m (3.3 ft) of water for half an hour. The watch further boasts of voice controls.

With a starting price of Rs. 19,999 ,this device goes on sale at 7:30 PM today on Myntra and Flipkart. To find more details about the Moto 360 Gen 2, click here.

December 1, 2015
Huawei Teases Their Upcoming Device Showcasing a Swiveling Camera

Huawei released a teaser of their upcoming phone, revealing a camera that flips back to front. Therefore, this phone will take high quality pictures and selfies just like the Oppo N1, which offers a camera that swivels around, allowing the user to take selfies with its 13MP camera.

This teaser was posted bu Huawei’s Portugal division, however, there are no further reports on this phone. The company has been doing well globally, with reports stating that it had the largest gain in the global smartphone market share between July to September 2015.

Huawei released its first stock Android handset with Nexus 6P and has recently introduced the Huawei Mate 8 which is expected to arrive with the new Kirin 950 chipset.

December 1, 2015
Blackberry Exits Pakistan Due To Government’s Data Requests

Blackberry is withdrawing its services and operations in Pakistan, and has ascribed ‘security concerns’ as the main cause. Earlier in July, the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority sent out notifications to the country’s mobile phone operators stating that BlackBerry’s BES servers won’t be allowed to operate in the country starting December due to “security reasons”.

These “security reasons” have not been specified, but speculation suggests that it has to do with the fact that the Pakistani government requested for an unrestricted access to their customers’ information/data. Blackberry refused to consent to this request and has therefore, received the notification to shut down.

“The truth is that the Pakistani government wanted the ability to monitor all BlackBerry Enterprise Service traffic in the country, including every BES e-mail and BES BBM message; but BlackBerry will not comply with that sort of directive.” said BlackBerry.

However, the government had only requested for Blacberry’s BES servers, the company has decided to stick to its decision of exiting the country altogether.

December 1, 2015
Sony Unlocks Seventh PS4 Core, Gives it an Edge Over Xbox One

The tussle between PlayStation 4 and Xbox One for the title of ‘ultimate gaming console’ has been gong on for a while now, with no clear winner. Now, some new reports have suggested that Sony has quietly released an SDK that will boost Sony’s position over Xbox One in terms of graphics.

Apparently, out of the eight Jaguar cores that is found in the PlayStation 4, two had been reserved for the operating system and other vital console tasks. Now, if the reports are true, then Sony has opened up one more core to developers to work on more graphically detailed games.

In a similar move, Microsoft released an update for Xbox One last year unlocking more GPU bandwidth and another of the system’s cores, giving developers access to the event core. However, the loss of the seventh core meant that Microsoft had to sacrifice certain Kinetic performance like voice commands – a feature that was quite popular with the system.

Now, while tests reveal that the Xbox is slightly faster than the PS4, the latter dominates in frame rates and higher resolution graphics. Sony’s console features a 1.84 teraflop GPU, while Microsoft’s is 1.31 teraflops. With the event core unlocked by Sony, the GPU increases by 0.13, which can be used by developers if they so choose.

PS4 users won’t see major changes soon, and it will take a while before developers begin work on more graphically advanced games. Sony has managed to sell more hits of the PS4 than Microsoft has with the Xbox One. One of the reasons behind this is Sony’s decision to slash the price of the console around the world. We’ll have to wait for a weeks before we get a clear picture on Sony’s rumoured update.

December 1, 2015
Moto 360 Gen 2 : Everything You Need to Know

Since, Motorola is planning to launch the Moto 360 Gen 2 in India today, we’re going to tell you everything you need to know about the fashionable tech accessory. But, before we begin take a look at our hands-on video:

Design:

The Moto 360 will arrive in three different sizes – a 42 mm male and female version and a male-only 46 mm model. The difference between the male and female version, is that the latter attaches itself to a thinner 16 mm strap while the former is compatible with a 20 mm strap only. The 46 mm variant is compatible with a strap that measures up to 22 mm. While the size of the straps differ, the models are all 11.4mm thick.

Size isn’t the only point of variation the Moto 360 offers; it comes with a variety of bands to pick from – metal, leather and silicon. However, the silicon version will not be arriving in India any time soon. The smartwatch also comes with gold, rose gold and silver cases and bands. You can use “Moto Maker” to personalise the Moto 360 Gen 2 with over 300 styles.

Display:

The 42 mm and 46 mm variants have a 1.37 inch and 1.56 inch LCD display respectively, both with Gorilla Glass 3 protection. The 46 mm version comes with a 360 x 360 pixel resolution and 233ppi, while the 42 mm version has a display resolution of 360 x 325 and 263ppi.

Features:

The Moto 360 Gen 2 is powered by a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor, an Adreno 305 GPU and comes with a 512 MB of RAM space with a 4GB internal storage on board. Connectivity options include Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. The watch also supports a GPS connectivity, however it only comes with the Sport range (which unfortunately isn’t arriving in India yet).

It is compatible with Android smartphones as well as iPhones due to Android Wear’s move into the Apple Store. The Moto 360 has a unique feature called Live Dial, which allows its users to set dials on their home screens.

The smartwatch also supports the Moto Body software, that keeps a tab on calories burnt and bpm stats with the help of an optical heart rate monitor. It is packed in with a 400 mAh and 300 mAh battery for the 46mm and 42mm versions respectively. Both variants will come with a charging dock station.

Price:

Globally the Moto 360 Gen 2 is priced at $299.99 to $429.99 depending on the model. So, in Indian rupees, it should approximately range between Rs.16,668 to Rs.28,669.However, we’ll just have to wait until it is launched to get the accurate price.

Meanwhile what we know is that the Moto 360 will be launching in five variants in India – the 42 mm with black leather, 42 mm with cognac leather, 42 mm rose gold female, 42 mm silver metal, and the 46 mm black metal. Watch this space for more updates.

December 1, 2015
DJI Osmo Launched in India

For the first time ever, DJI will be brining its hand-held camera into the Indian market. The company today unveiled the DJI Osmo, which uses DJI’s signature three-axis gimbal stabilisation technology that eliminates the problem of shakiness that goes with traditional cameras.

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“DJI consistently refines the way cameras move in space – whether they are in the air or on the ground,” said Michael Perry, DJI’s Director of Strategic Partnerships at the Mumbai launch event. “With the Osmo, we have created a camera specifically designed to capture a smooth moving image regardless of filming conditions.”

The Osmo comes standard with a 4K, 12MP camera with a 1/2.3-inch sensor and a 94-degree field of view lens. It is also compatible with DJI’s Zenmuse camera series. The Osmo is all about controlled shooting. It’s main USP is that it provides a smooth video experience. The trigger allows you to toggle between multiple modes of operation.

“Traditional handheld cameras are either shaky, or require bulky stabilizers that are difficult to set up,” Perry continued. “The Osmo moves the experience of handheld filmmaking from capturing what happened, to sharing expressive, smooth video that shows what an experience was like.”

The Osmo comes with these smart filming functions:

Panorama – Take a picture and the camera will automatically pan around 360°, taking and stitching overlapping photos to create a panorama shot.

Long Exposure – Make handheld long-exposures crisp using the camera’s stabilisation technology.

Slow Motion – Capture slow motion shots at 120 frames-per-second (fps) up to 1080p.

The Osmo also comes with additional accessories such as a tripod, extension rod, bike mount, universal mount and a straight extension arm.

The Osmo is available in India in 10 key cities including Mumbai, New Delhi, Bangalore and Chennai, and will also be available through direct shipping anywhere in the country. The camera is priced at Rs. 69,990.

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November 30, 2015
Snapdragon 820 Single-Core Benchmark Score May Mean Good Times for Xiaomi Mi5

We all know by now that the Snapdragon 820 processor is the next big thing by Qualcomm, and it will be seen in many of the major flagship devices set to come out next year. We also know that Xiaomi’s Mi5 will be among the first devices to sport the newest chipset.

Earlier, single-core score of the Snapdragon 820 was placed at 2162, which was quite underwhelming give that the latest A9 chipset from Apple has a score close to 2500. However, a new score of 2300 points was revealed by a popular leakster. Though it is still not on par with Apple, it is still a better score and keeps hopes alive for better performing devices next year. In fact, the new score was achieved with the upcoming Mi5.

It seems that 2016 will see a face-off between Snapdragon 820 and Exynos 8890. Earlier today, we mentioned that the Exynos 8890 had a record score on AnTuTu with the Samsung Galaxy S7. January will see the first set of phones to arrive with the new processors including the Mi5 and (perhaps) Galaxy S7.

November 30, 2015

Everything You Need to Know About Microsoft’s Lumia 950 and 950 XL

Microsoft held an event last month where it unveiled a slew of products that included the new flagship smartphones – Lumia 950 and 950 XL. The devices have finally been launched in India. The Windows 10-powered handsets boasts of top notch specs and performance. Here’s everything you need to know about Microsoft’s newest Lumia devices.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snEIjWR4lQw

Display

The Lumia 950 sports a 5.2-inch AMOLED display with 2560×1440 pixel resolution and a pixel density of 564 ppi for clear, sharp images. The 950 XL, on the other hand, comes with a larger 5.7-inch IPS display with 2560×1440 pixel resolution and a pixel density of 518 ppi. This is the first time Microsoft has used QHD display in its Lumia lineup.

Design

Except for the camera housing at the back, the Lumia 950 XL is basically a scaled-up version of the Lumia 950. The devices sport Gorilla Glass 4 on the top while the rest of the body is made of polycarbonate, which is quite grippy. In other words, the plastic feel of the device will find both acceptance and criticism from users. Though the devices are made for a firm grip, the look itself may feel too generic, and one may expect more from a flagship device. It is also likely that Microsoft has focused a lot more on specs than design, perhaps going for affordability.

Processor

The Lumia 950 is powered by a hexa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor with 3GB of RAM while the 950 XL packs in a 64-bit octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor with 3GB of RAM and features a liquid cooling technology, similar to the one found in the Surface tablet computer, which will keep the temperature of the processor low.

Both the devices are offered in 32GB storage option and come with a MicroSD slot that allows up to 200GB of expandable storage.

Camera

Both the devices sport a 20MP primary camera with triple LED flash and fifth generation OIS, all of which promises detailed low light pictures. The devices also come with a 5MP front-facing camera and a physical camera button.

Software

Even though the devices fail to make a mark on the design and hardware front, the software truly wins the battle for Microsoft. The Lumia devices are the first set of smartphones to feature Microsoft’s latest Windows 10 operating system. Windows 10 is the company’s effort to try and bridge the gap between smartphones, tablets and PCs.

One of the biggest USP of the new Windows 10 is the Continuum feature which lets you “use your Lumia 950 like a PC by connecting it to a bigger screen, keyboard and mouse with Microsoft Display Dock, an optional accessory that enhances the new Windows 10 Continuum experience for phones — and simultaneously charges your device.”

While the above mentioned features are some of the main highlights of the device, the Lumia smartphones also come with standard connectivity options like Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth v4.1, NFC, USB Type-C, GPS with A-GPS and GLONASS. Sensors include Accelerometer, Ambient light, Barometer, Gyroscope, Magnetometer and Proximity.

Finally, the 950 and 950 XL are fitted with 3000mAh and 3,340mAh batteries, respectively. The devices are priced at Rs. 43,699 for the 950 and Rs. 49, 399 for the 950 XL. Here’s a detailed spec list of both devices.

Specification	Lumia 950	Lumia 950 XL
Display	5.2-inch Quad HD AMOLED	5.7-inch Quad HD AMOLED
Resolution	2560×1440 (564 ppi)	2560X1440 (518 PPI)
Processor	64-bit hexa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor	64-bit octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor
GPU	Adreno 418
RAM	3 GB	3 GB
Storage	32 GB	32 GB
Rear Camera	PureView camera with 20MP sensor, Zeiss optics, OIS,triple LED natural flash, and4K video recording	PureView camera with a 20-megapixel sensor, Zeiss optics, OIS, triple LED natural flash, and 4K video recording
Front Camera	5MP wide-angle 1080p front-facing camera	5MP wide-angle 1080p front-facing camera
Expandability	200 GB	200 GB
Battery	Removable 3000mAh battery	Removable 3,340mAh battery
Connectivity	Wi-Fi: MIMO, WLAN IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac Bluetooth 4.1	Wi-Fi: MIMO, WLAN IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac Bluetooth 4.1
OS	Windows 10	Windows 10
Price	Rs. 43,699	Rs. 49,399

November 30, 2015

Microsoft 950XL Launched With 5.7 Inch Display and Windows 10

Microsoft has unveiled the 950 XL at an event in New Delhi, showcasing a sleek design and a 5.7inch Quad HD display. The Lumia 950 XL is one of the two phones that have been revealed; both of which run on the Windows 10 OS.

The 950 XL that comes with a 151.9 x 78.4 x 8.1 mm dimension, weighs only 165g and is encased within a polycarbonate protection. It comes in two colours – Black and White; and has three physical buttons – power, volume and camera. On the storage front it comes with 3GB of RAM space and 32GB of internal storage which is expandable up to 200GB via a microSD card, and also supports OneDrive storage.

The Windows 10 powered handset comes with a 5.7-inch Quad HD AMOLED display with 2560×1440 resolution and 518 ppi pixel density, and also being protected by the Corning Gorilla Glass 4. It is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor with Octa-core CPUs and 64-bit capabilities. On the camera front it comes with a 20MP PureView rear camera with 4K recording and a 5MP wide-angle front camera with 1080p resolution.

Connectivity options include Wi-Fi: MIMO, WLAN IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, 4G LTE and Bluetooth 4.1. The handset is packed with a removable 3340mAh battery that supports wireless charging too and is priced at Rs.49,399.

Here are the specifications:

Specifications	Lumia 950 XL
Display	5.7-inch Quad HD AMOLED
Resolution	2560×1440
Density	518 ppi
Chipset	Qualcomm Snapdragon 810, Octa-core 64-bit
RAM	3GB
Storage	32GB
Expandable Upto	200GB and One Drive Storage
Rear Camera	20MP, PureView, Zeiss optics, OIS, triple LED natural flash, and4K video recording
Front Camera	5MP, wide-angle 1080p
Battery	Removable 3340mAh battery, USB-C fast charging, wireless charging
Operating System	Windows 10
Connectivity	Wi-Fi: MIMO, WLAN IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.1, 4G LTE
Price	Rs.49,399

November 30, 2015

Microsoft Lumia 950 Launched in India

Microsoft launches its Windows powered Lumia 950 in India -a phone which is being touted as the phone that works just like your PC and runs on Windows 10. It features a 5.2 inch Quad HD display and measures 8.25 mm in thickness.

Lumia 950 comes equipped with Cortana, Microsoft Office and the Windows Store, and can be connected to a bigger screen, keyboard and mouse using an additional accessory called Microsoft Display Dock. The Displa Dock also charges your phone simultaneously. While the apps run on the big screen, the user can still continue to make calls and receive messages on the phone at the same time.

The handset further boasts of a 20 MP main PureView camera, capable of 4K video capture; the front camera is marked at 5 MP. Nokia 950 has 32 GB of internal storage, expandable up to a 200 GB using a microSD card. The battery of the phone is of 3000 mAh. The phone is available in two colour variants -black and white, and is priced at Rs. 43, 699.

Find other specs of Nokia 950 below:

Specification	Lumia 950
Display	5.2-inch Quad HD AMOLED
Resolution	2560×1440 (564 ppi)
Processor	Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 808 processor, Hexa-core CPUs and 64-bit support
GPU	Adreno 418
RAM	3 GB
Storage	32 GB
Rear Camera	PureView camera with 20MP sensor, Zeiss optics, OIS,triple LED natural flash, and4K video recording
Front Camera	5MP wide-angle 1080p front-facing camera
Expandability	200 GB
Battery	Removable 3000mAh battery
Connectivity	Wi-Fi: MIMO, WLAN IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac Bluetooth 4.1
OS	Windows 10
Price	Rs. 43,699

November 30, 2015

Samsung Gets the 128GB DDR4 RAM Ready For Mass Production

Last year, Samsung had introduced a 64GB 3D TSV DDR4 DRAM, and now it has revealed that it has begun mass production for the first ever TSV (through silicon via) DDR4 (double data rate-4) in 128 GB modules. Joo Sun Choi, Samsung’s executive vice president for Memory Sales and Marketing says:

“We are pleased that volume production of our high speed, low-power 128GB TSV DRAM module will enable our global IT customers and partners to launch a new generation of enterprise solutions,”

The new 128 GB TSV modules will be made up by 144 DDR4 chips; these chips are further structured into 36 4 GB DRAM packages containing four 20nm based 8GB chips. The design of this new module will allow for better signal transmission as compared to other conventional ones. It also comes packed with 4GB master chips embedded for data buffer function. Therefore, it will cut power consumption by 50% and can also provide speed of up to 2,400 Mbps.

Apart from all of the above, Samsung is looking to produce 20nm 8GB DRAM chips, higher performance modules with 3,200 Mbps and 2,667 Mbps speed and even looking to open applications for higher bandwidth memory. Let’s hope it all comes around.

November 30, 2015
Samsung Galaxy S7’s Exynos Chipset Scores Over 100k On Antutu Benchmark

Samsung’s new chip-set – the Exynos 8890 has earned a record score of 100K in the AnTuTu benchmark test; this new chip-set is also expected to come packed within the upcoming Galaxy S7. The Exynos 8890 has beat out competition from the likes of Huawei’s Kirin 950 SoC (79K points) and the Mate 8, which secured more than 94K points.

The Exynos 8890 is expected to be incorporated in a number of high-end Galaxy series devices next year. AnTuTu isn’t the only benchmark where the chipset has scored high points; it has also scored a top-score of 6,908 points on the multi-core test and 2,294 on the single-core test on Geekbench. The Exynos 8890 has been manufactured by the 14 nm FinFET process, that promises to be energy efficient.

Despite rumours that this is the chipset that will power the upcoming Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge; further reports also mention that Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 820 chip could also be in this race to power the Galaxy S7. Stay tuned for more updates.

November 30, 2015
Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates to Work Together on Clean Energy

The Facebook and Microsoft founders have teamed up to work together on solving problems related to climate change. Mark Zuckerberg has announced that he and his wife, Priscilla Chang will join forces with Bill Gates in an initiative called Breakthrough Energy Coalition that aims to invest in zero-carbon technology all over the world. The organisation’s membership includes other names like Richard Branson, Jeff Bezos, Jack Ma, and Masayoshi Son.

This announcement has been made just ahead of the the UN Climate Control Conference in Paris later this week. American President Barack Obama and Microsoft founder Bill Gates are expected to unveil an initiative called Mission Innovation at the Paris event.This initiative will work with governments all over the world to double public investments in energy research.

The 19 countries which have already signed up to be part of Mission Innovation will increase their investment in energy-research to $20 billion by 2020; India is part of this list of countries. Even though Mission Innovation and Breakthrough Energy Coalition are separate programmes, they will work side by side to achieve their common goal of working on clean, sustainable energy sources.

November 30, 2015
Amazon Teases Drone Prototype in Video for Future Deliveries

A new video released by Amazon shows a drone delivering goods to their destination. The company boasts of the drone being able to detect obstacles in its way to steer clear off, while possessing the ability to fly for 15 miles. The video which was released yesterday, also used Top Gun’s Jeremy Clarkson to convey its message.

The drone lands on a strip with the company’s logo on it in the video. The strip has been put there by the family that has placed the order. This suggests that the landing strip may be necessary for the drone to get to its location.

While the tech seems fancy and futuristic, Amazon is yet to get its clearance from Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The plan to put a delivery-system in place that uses drones was first announced in December 2013 by Amazon. Let’s see what the future holds for it.

November 30, 2015