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Hackers Bring Microsoft Cortana’s Android Cousin; Meet Portaña

Microsoft’s personal voice assistant Cortana to land on Windows Phone platform is far from debuting on Android devices, but a group of hackers based in Italy has made it possible. The group, who call themselves OrangeSec, claims to have ported Microsoft’s Cortana to Android. The new personal assistant is named as Portaña.

The hackers made some alterations in Cortana’s program and brought out a version compatible with Google’s operating system. The tweaked version is very much similar to Cortana, but has some limitations. The hackers admit that the project isn’t that impressive and requires users to stay online for work. The reason being, even though it is running on Android hardware, it is still communicating with Microsoft’s back-end servers with the ported interface. To cut it short, you cannot use it to integrate with Android devices like Cortana does with Windows. OrangeSec used combinations of hardware proxies, custom SSL certificates and DNS spoofing for making this project work out. For now, Portaña can communicate in Italian only.

OrangeSec unveiled their mod at the Droidcon 2015 and admitted it to be a concept only. Hence, there are lesser chances of OrangeSec coming up with an official release. It is rumoured that Microsoft is planning to bring the voice assistant for both iOS and Android, but it doesn’t seem to happen anytime soon.

Cortana is named after an artificial intelligent (AI) character from the famed video game Halo. The personality of the voice assistant is also derived from the AI companion of the game. Cortana also offers usual voice-assistance features like setting reminders and calendar, weather and traffic information, writing notes and messages.

The generation of voice assistants kicked off with Apple’s Siri, back with the release of iPhone 4S in 2011. Microsoft soon followed by launching its very own Cortana on Windows 10 PC and smartphones. Meanwhile, Cortana is officially limited to Windows Phone.

April 20, 2015
Sony’s Run Continues, Announces High-End Xperia Z4 in Japan

Sony Corp is pushing hard to overcome the unfavorable circumstances and has launched a premium smartphone to signify its presence in the mobile business. Today has marked the debut of Sony’s latest flagship, the Xperia Z4, in the company’s home ground Japan. The smartphone boasts a aluminum frame and features an Omni-Balance design just like the other handsets in Xperia series.

Weighing a mere 144g at 6.9mm thickness, the device holds a full HD screen of 5.2-inch with 1080p pixel density. The device runs on 64-bit 2GHz octa-core Snapdragon 810 processor bundled with 3G RAM and 32GB onboard storage capacity. The phone features a memory card slot that can hold a MicroSD card of 128GB. Software-wise, the Xperia Z4 runs on Android 5.0 Lollipop.

A robust 20.7MP camera with Exmor RS sensor and BIONZ image processor sits at its back, while the front sports a 5.1MP snapper. The phone gets its juice from the 2930mAh battery, which is quite enough to keep the phone running for a day. Connectivity options include Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Micro-USB port along with LDAC, Sony’s new wireless technology to transmit audio wirelessly.

The phone is water and dust resistant and has got IP6X (dust) and IPX5/IPX8 (water) certification. The phone will be out in Japan this summer in white, black, copper and aqua green color options. Meanwhile, there is no word about its price.

Sony has sold one of the founding units of the company (personal computer segment) and according to top executives, it may exit from the mobile business too. One of the major reasons for Sony to find itself in the deteriorating state is the high price of its smartphones in the budget-sensitive market. The Japanese firm needs to follow the footsteps of Chinese and Indian smartphone firms to retrieve its lost esteem.

The company, once neck and neck with Samsung and Apple, is now left behind in the smartphone race. It is battling with the price pressure by the recently established firms like Xiaomi and OnePlus. A while back, Sony announced to focus on camera sensors and video games instead of TV and smartphones. This may be its last attempt to restore the ailing mobile division.

April 20, 2015
Japanese Market to Receive Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge Without the Samsung Branding

In a strange turn of events, we’re hearing that Japan will be receiving Samsung’s newest flagship – the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge without the company logo. These handsets will instead be dubbed as Docomo Galaxy and au Galaxy, with respect to the associated Japanese telecom service provider. The company has also renamed its Japanese Facebook page to Galaxy Mobile Japan.

One reason being cited is that even though Samsung might triumphant globally, its grip in Japan is not up to the mark. The second reason is that this may be due to communal tensions between Korea and Japan. These are all speculations based on its market evaluations, since Samsung has chosen to remain silent on the subject.

Apple products sell the most in Japan, followed by Sony, Sharp and Fujitsu. When Samsung released the Galaxy Note Edge in November 2014, Samsung chose Japan to be the first country for the release. Sadly, the company received less than 5% market share, selling only ten thousand units four months after its launch. Apple, on the other hand, captured over more than half of the market, attributing mainly to the popularity of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.

Samsung already withdrew its TV television business in 2007 when the product sold only 0.1% in the Japanese market. Though not having a good start in Japan, Samsung hopes the name change reverses their fortune in Japan.

To read about Samsung S6 and S6 Edge, click here. Here’s are quick hands on with the devices:

April 20, 2015
Xiaomi Plans to Invest in More Than a 100 Start-ups

Chinese electronics giant Xiaomi, which was once a start-up, has now grown to become the third largest consumer electronics firm in the world. It has gained a foothold in its home market as well as the native markets of other renowned electronics titans. The tech major is working towards turning every budding business into an empire.

According to a recent report, Xiaomi is betting on emerging businesses to help them copy the growth model of the company. The CEO of Xiaomi has announced that the company plans to invest in hundred startups to help them financially. This step is in accordance with the earlier move to back 20 startups that has shown productive outcomes.

Lei Jun commented about its plan that Xiaomi’s strategy is to enable the company into an “ecosystem empire” with major focus on software firms. He further stated –

We plan to move full steam ahead in its quest to become an ecosystem empire.

Investing in software firms would help Xiaomi link anything; consequentially aiding its product portfolio expansion.

Recently Xiaomi’s backed robotics manufacturer Ninebot acquired Segway. The buyout seized the attention of the industry-watchers as a small industry is expanding rapidly, but more than that, it was a call for big celebration for Xiaomi. Late last year, Xiaomi became the world’s most valuable technology start-up after gaining $1.1 billion from investors.

Xiaomi has made use of its small associates and has launched a bunch of smart products such as air purifiers, smart bulbs, smart televisions, etc. With its new approach to software firms, we may soon hear of some unconventional innovations amongst their smartphones.

Meanwhile, Xiaomi has shown significant interest in the Indian market. It has announced to establish a physical warehouse and an R&D center in Southern parts of India.

April 20, 2015
4 Important Announcements to Look Forward to This Week

In the coming days, India will be enticed with the arrival of many new products by popular companies; namely, Xiaomi, OnePlus, Asus and Micromax. Some of the companies have attempted to keep things mysterious, but we’re fairly certain we’ll be seeing some heavy-hitting devices unveiled.

Here’s everything you should expect to see this week:

Xiaomi

Last week Xiaomi announced a ‘Global Mi Phone Premiere’ which will take place in New Delhi on 23rd of April. The company had tweeted about the same and the image read as ‘I Is Coming’. It may well be possible that a new handset, likely the Mi5 or the Mi 4i, may be unveiled. But, we cannot be too sure of that. The conference will be addressed by Lei Jung, CEO and Co-Founder, Bin Lin, President and Co-Founder and Hugo Barra, Vice President of Xiaomi Global.

i IS COMING. Register for our global Mi phone premiere in New Delhi on 23 April. http://t.co/H8GdKvulca #MiLaunch2015 pic.twitter.com/0pxgSe4Mu0

— Mi India (@MiIndiaOfficial) April 10, 2015

OnePlus

OnePlus teased a new product that will be unveiled on 20th of April. The poster reads ‘You’re Invited’ along with a tagline ‘From here on out, anything could happen.’ The new product is highly anticipated to be the OnePlus Two since last year, around the same time, OnePlus launched their flagship phone, the OnePlus One. Although, there is a catch. At the MWC 2015, OnePlus had teased a gaming console. Gaming device or the next flagship? We will find out soon enough.

From here on out, anything could happen. #NeverSettle pic.twitter.com/pK84nYrzcd — OnePlus (@oneplus) April 17, 2015

ASUS

Asus first showcased the Zenfone 2 at the Consumers Electronic Show last year in Las Vegas. India will be receiving three variants of the handset. Powered by a 3,000 mAh battery and running on a 64-bit 2.3GHz Intel Atom processor Z3580 with PowerVR G6430 GPU, the Zenfone is packed for power and performance. More details of the device will be unraveled at the launch event that will take place on 23rd April.

3 variants of #Zenfone2 for India. Gear up to see what others can’t see. pic.twitter.com/p4n6BSC5rk

— ASUS India (@ASUSIndia) April 6, 2015

To know more about its specs and features here.

Micromax

In a series of tweets, Micromax disclosed that it is all set to release its newest affordable smartphone, the Canvas Spark. The device is said to have a 4.4-inch display and is expected to be priced at Rs. 6,000. Also, the presence Snapdeal logo confirms an exclusive partnership between the two companies for online sales. The event will take place on 21st April.

The toughest screen just got affordable. #MicromaxCanvasSpark Coming Soon! pic.twitter.com/YrkMr9xgwI

— Micromax Mobile (@Micromax_Mobile) April 16, 2015

April 20, 2015
WhatsApp Hits 800 Million Monthly Active Users

WhatsApp is one of the biggest success stories in the tech industry; the app is miles ahead of its competition. To announce another major accomplishment, CEO and Founder of WhatsApp, Jan Koum took to his official Facebook page and stated that the popular messaging app now has 800 Million Active users. He also stressed upon the fact that there is a major difference between registered users and active users.

On the other hand, Facebook announced last month that its Messenger app had managed to acquire 600 million active users within the short span of four months. Facebook, which owns both its Messenger as well as WhatsApp, has decidedly kept the two apps separate.

[quote text_size=”small” author=”Jan Kuom” author_title=”CEO and Founder of WhatsApp”]

WhatsApp – now serving 800,000,000 monthly active users. Reminder for the press out there: active and registered users are not the same thing :)

[/quote]

In the past couple of months we’ve been hearing about WhatsApp’s slow takeover in the voice calling segment. Android users have been the first ones to receive the voice calling update, while iOS and Windows users wait in line.

April 18, 2015
OnePlus Expected to Announce a New Device on 20th April

There are several exciting things coming up next week. Two days before OnePlus’ competitor, Xiaomi, makes its global smartphone announcement in India, OnePlus may grab its spotlight. The Chinese company hinted via Twitter, that they might be launching something big on 20th April. Although they’ve decided to keep things mysterious. The image simply reads, “You’re Invited” along with a tag line “From here on out, anything could happen.”

From here on out, anything could happen. #NeverSettle pic.twitter.com/pK84nYrzcd

— OnePlus (@oneplus) April 17, 2015

Yesterday several reports surfaced that the company had decided to unveil the OnePlus Two in June. Could it be possible that OnePlus decided to move up the date, to stay ahead of the competition?

The OnePlus Two is rumored come with a massive 5.5-inch display with a 16MP primary camera and a 5MP front camera. Along with that, we might see a Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor and powered by a 3,300mAh battery.

But, the OnePlus Two is just one of the several possibilities. At the MWC 2015 in Barcelona, OnePlus Co-FOunder teased that the company was working on an entirely new category of product and hinted out three posters. The posters come with the captions: ‘Start a New Game’, ‘For The Fun Of It’ and ‘You’re in Control.’ The three posters hints out more towards a gaming device or a console.

OnePlus shot to fame after the release of the OnePlus One, a device that delivered high-end specifications at affordable rates. Sometime back, OnePlus also released the OnePlus Power Bank that houses 10,000mAh of power.

Which new device is in store for us will only be revealed on 20th April. Till then, keep checking iGyaan for updates.

April 18, 2015
Halo: Spartan Strike is Now Out for iOS, Steam And Windows

Halo is back again with its newest top-down shooter game. Partnering with Vanguard Games, Microsoft Studios and 343 Industries have launched Halo: Spartan Strike. The new story is touted to be different from previous releases.

The new story is based in the Halo universe on New Mombasa in the year of 2552. The game consists of 30 different levels while maintaining the objective of leading the UNSC troops through jungles and cities against Covenant and Promethean foes. For aid, the player has a huge arsenal of weapons, abilities and vehicles. In addition to this, players can buckle up against each other in a variety of weekly challenges to earn the top spot on the leaderboard. The achievements can be earned to attain new avatars or emblems on Xbox One.

The game is available for $5.99 on iOS, Windows and Steam. For iOS and Steam users, you can also avail Halo: Spartan assault as a bundle for $9.99. The Indian Windows Store lists the game for Rs. 379. Once purchased on any Windows device, this game can be played across different platforms too. This includes syncing of the game data and progress, as long as it is connected to Steam.

April 17, 2015
Google Search Results Will Soon Include a List of Relevant Apps to Download

Google, as we all know, is a powerful search engine which has given us the power of endless knowledge on our fingertips. Yesterday, it introduced a super useful new tool called ‘Find My Phone’ which helps locate missing Android smartphones and today, it revealed a feature that suggests apps based on your search.

Through the newly developed feature called App Indexing, users will come across more relevant content on the web, along with applications notification on your Search page. That means, besides other results that usually pop up on your screen, applications suggestion relevant to your search will also be made available on your handset.

For example, if you type ‘Give me instructions to make perfect tea’ then a list of standard search results together with applications recommendations will appear before you. The application suggestions will come with an Install button that will take the users to the App Store for installation. Once installed, the app will take you straight on to the required content within it. The service will start for Android users sometime next week.

The App Indexing program is beneficial to developers and users alike. Users can get app suggestions without browsing through millions of apps on Play Store and for developers, it will make their apps more discoverable. The app makers just need to implement the App Indexing API onto their applications.

Developers can get more information on the App Indexing API here.

April 17, 2015
Xiaomi Announces Mi Note Pro’s Arrival Date and a New Limited Edition Mi Note

The Chinese upstart manufacturer Xiaomi recently launched a special black edition of the Mi Note. The Black version adds to the already released Mi Note Bamboo and Mi Note Pink edition, along with the original white version. The Black Mi Note Edition is currently up for sale in China for $400 (approximately Rs. 25,000).

Other than the change in design, specifications and features of the Mi Note Black Edition are similar to the original version. It holds the identical 5.7-inch display with 386ppi pixel density with 2.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon 801 processor providing computing power to the device.

The company hasn’t mass produced the Black Mi Note and only 30,000 units of the special version will be available. Hence, we’re almost certain that this edition will not be arriving in India.

Meanwhile, we have also learnt about the Mi Note Pro is arriving on May 6 in China. The device was announced alongside Mi Note in January. The CEO of Xiaomi Lei Jun announced through his Weibo account about the availability of the Pro edition of the Mi Note.

Recalling the specifications of Xiaomi Mi Note Pro – the smartphone flaunts an enticing 2560×1440 at 515ppi screen (2k display) and is powered by 64-bit Snapdragon 810, along with 4GB of RAM and 64GB version internal memory space. The device has 3000 mAh battery and comes with 13MP rear and 4MP front camera. The handset runs on MIUI 6 based on Android 4.4 KitKat.

The Mi Note Pro is priced for 3,299RMB, which is about $532 dollars or Rs. 32,800.

April 17, 2015
Later This Year Microsoft Apps Will Come Bundled With Cyanogen

After months of battling rumours, Cyanogen has officially confirmed that they are partnering with Microsoft. They commented that they will be bringing Microsoft’s useful apps integrated on their popular OS soon. The two companies have supposedly been negotiating for quite some time to create a Cyanogen version which features Microsoft applications.

In an email to The Verge, Cyanogen CEO said:

People around the world use Cyanogen’s operating system and popular Microsoft services to engage with what matters most to them on their mobile devices. This exciting partnership with Microsoft will enable us to bring new kinds of integrated services to mobile users in markets around the world.

Cyanogen said that it would be pre-installing Microsoft apps on its modified Android OS, starting later this year. It means users will have access to Microsoft apps such as Bing, OneDrive, Outlook, OneNote and Microsoft Office. In turn, Microsoft will be experimenting with a number of Android apps. This project has been taken up to lure away consumers’ dependance on the Android applications. It seems like the win-win partnership between Microsoft and Cyanogen.

April 17, 2015
Cyanogen Announces Official Cyanogen OS 12 Update for Yureka Devices

Cyanogen has started pushing its exclusive Cyanogen OS 12 update based on Android Lollipop to Yureka devices. The India-based smartphone firm revealed that the L update is a major design overhaul. Along with better touch and design of the UI, enhanced animation is said to add more depth to the interface. The update lets users personalize application notifications, which are now better integrated with the lock screen.

Cyanogen took to Twitter to announce the same –

Our Lollipop (‘L’) update is rolling out to YUREKA owners today. Treat yourself to OS 12. @YuPlayGod #CyanogenOS http://t.co/vVnnSo0ppW

— Cyanogen (@cyngn) April 16, 2015

The YU Founder Rahul Sharma commented on the update –

The Cyanogen OS 12 update is a product of our passion and dedication towards reinventing and redefining the consumer experience and I am extremely excited to share it with our community.

Many new tools and design options are incorporated in the L update along with two key features, App Themer and Cyanogen email. The App Themer offers extra theming features, down to the granular ability to theme individual apps. The novel Cyanogen email, powered by Boxer, adds Exchange support, multiple account integration, and canned responses for quick replies to the OS. The statement released by YU remarks, “Boxer has also included great customization bells and whistles that lets the consumers select a different LED color for email notifications, and choose what happens when they swipe left or right on a message.” Boxer’s premium version is free to all Cyanogen OS users.

Other features of the L update include improved privacy on the smartphone; users can create guest profiles to effectively control the usage of their device and can also freeze app screens for restricted user actions. The update supports Indian languages like Malayalam, Marathi, Bengali, Tamil and Telugu.

April 17, 2015

Exclusive: HTC One M9 to Release in India in the Next Few Months

At an event held on 14th April, HTC, in an unprecedented move, announced the arrival of the HTC One M9+ instead of the One M9. The phone, which was first announced at MWC 2015, was all ready to be greeted by Indian consumers, when HTC showed up with the One M9+ instead.

Don’t think we’re complaining; the M9+ comes with a larger screen, a better display and the same sleek design as the M9. However, for people who’d like an option of both, you’re likely to get one within the next few months. At the launch, a senior HTC official hinted to iGyaan that the One M9 might arrive in India soon.

Throwing light on the HTC One M9’s specifications, the 5-inch Full HD Display phone runs on a 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 Octa-Core processor and houses 3GB of RAM. With a storage of 32GB, the memory slot is expandable up to 128GB via microSD. The imaging department includes a 20MP Autofocus BSI Sensor primary camera capable of shooting 4K videos and HTC Ultra Pixel Front camera. The phone derives its power from a 2840mAh battery and the OS runs on Android 5.0.2 along with HTC Sense 7.

Here’s a quick look at its specs:

Specs	HTC One M9
Display	5-inch Full HD (1920×1080p)
Processor	64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 octa-core
RAM	3GB
Storage	32GB, expandable up to 128GB
Main Camera	20MP with Auto-focus, BSI sensor
Front Camera	HTC UltraPixel
Battery	2840mAh
Operating System	Android 5.0.2 Lollipop with HTC Sense 7
Price	Unknown

At the event, HTC also commented that the Indian market is quite unique when compared to the rest of the world. Keeping that in mind, HTC picks and chooses its line-up for our country carefully.

Check out our exclusive hands on with the HTC One M9 at MWC 2015.

April 17, 2015

Here is How You Can Test the LG G4 Before its Official Launch in India

A good news for LG enthusiasts, LG Electronics India will be selecting a handful of Indian consumers to test out the new LG G4 smartphone before its official launch on April 28th. This is being done as a part of the company’s consumer experience campaign in India.

The individuals will be selected based on their entry responses. The chances of being selected will increase when application experiences are shared on different social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter. Once selected, a LG G4 handset will be given to the winning participant for 30 days, and they will be given a list of assignments to carry out during the testing period.

[quote text_size=”small” author=”Mr. Amit Gujral” author_title=”Marketing Head, LG Mobiles India “]

A smartphone doesn’t solve its purpose if it tops all the speed and benchmark tests but fails to satisfy the consumer needs. Realizing this, LG India is bringing this exciting and unique way to get our most important mobile product of the year, the LG G4, close to the consumers. I hope that the consumers like this offering by LG and participate in large numbers in this programme.

[/quote]

The Korean firm had slipped out details of their latest flagship in bits and pieces. From the teasers made official by the company, we can conclude the LG G4 will boast an all-new interface UX4.0 with a f/1.8 aperture camera. It is also been said that the phone will have an enhanced 5.5-inch Quad HD display and a 2.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor with either a 2GB or 4GB RAM. It will be powered by a 3,000 mAH battery and run on 4.4.4 KitKat.

In order to participate in this competition, you may check LG’s official website and social media pages (Facebook, Twitter) for more details.

Read more about the LG G4 here.

April 16, 2015
Twitter Revamps its Homepage to Lure New Users

Only yesterday Twitter hinted that a new and friendlier user interface is on its way, and today, Twitter has confirmed the news is true. The social networking service has rolled out the new web interface in US today, providing a new experience to its users.

The official blog post of Twitter reads –

Starting today, when you go to the twitter.com homepage, you’ll find interesting topics to explore like Politics, Pop Artists and even Cute Animals. Click on the topic and you’ll see a timeline of Tweets from some of the most popular accounts in that topic. It’s rich real-time content, just like the Twitter experience for users who log in.

Twitter states the new homepage will be made accessible to other regions as well in due time. The page for signed-out users displays three columns with a header that welcomes the users and invites them to see ‘What is happening right now.’

The left column includes categories like News, Sports, Entertainment, Science and Technology, etc. which is divided into more sub-groups. The middle column shows thumbnails with titles like ‘Business News, people and sites’, ‘Country Artists’, etc. These clickable thumbnails take users to another login page that shows highlights of that particular section. The right column is kept for Login or Sign Up.

Right now, users can directly check out tweets without logging 0nto Twitter. The company said an approximate of 200 million people visit profiles without signing in. Hence, if they manage to convert even a small percentage of the visitors into active users, the company will grow significantly.

April 16, 2015

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Xiaomi

OnePlus

ASUS

Micromax

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HTC One M9