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Apple Watch Faces Roadblock in the Swiss Market

Switzerland is known to be the land of exquisite watch makers. For decades, the Swiss watch has been one of the most prominent exports of the tiny European nation. The year now is 2015, and it’s the age of smartwatches. Silicon Valley giant, Apple is ready to launch its new product, the Apple Watch around the world, but it has hit a legal wall in the watchmakers’ nation.

Apple cannot sell the Watch with the name Apple or image of an Apple, which are both central to the branding of the product. The patent to the brand name in the country is held by William Longe, who received it in 1985. This patent is set to expire on December 5 of this year after which the tech giant can bring its new smartwatch to the country.

The patent issue was reported by Swiss broadcaster RTS. Till now there has been no comment from either Apple or the patent authority of Switzerland on the matter. Apple will be bringing its new product to nine countries on April 24th.

Seeing the challenge to their markets, the Swiss watchmakers are raising their game too. Founder of one of the largest watchmaker from the country, Swatch had recently said that the nation’s watch business will head for trouble if they don’t compete with the tech companies. Swatch has already unveiled their own smartwatches, but they look like toys at present. They will have to do a lot better to take on the offerings from Samsung, LG and of course, Apple.

April 6, 2015
The First Glimpse at How Facebook Plans to Integrate WhatsApp

It’s barely been a few days since Facebook gave an adrenaline boost to its Messenger platform by opening it for third-party developers. The independent platform gave users freedom to interact with businesses and made it an all-around service. The social networking giant is now making one more modification to the messaging tool that will incorporate WhatsApp to Facebook.

According to a report by Geek Time, Facebook is testing a new feature on its app for Android operating system that will mark the first major integration of WhatsApp to it parent company Facebook. The company has reportedly added a ‘Send’ button to Facebook’s latest version 31.0.0.7.13. The new feature is a part of the status actions buttons that appear beneath every status update, and it looks exactly like the WhatsApp icon.

As per the source, the button is spotted at the right side of the window for some users (for left-to-right languages) in the recent update. The pictures depicting the new feature inclusion is provided below:

It’s just the first glimpse at how Facebook is planning to play its WhatsApp acquisition. The same report also confirms of a deeper integration between the two that would allow users to send messages directly from Facebook Messenger to WhatsApp. It took Facebook more than a year to merge its buyout with its central tool, but it seems like the parent firm was mulling over on how to use it wisely. The social networking tool seems to be making slow but steady moves, towards becoming the ruler of the messaging market.

Without leaving its ground, Facebook is firming its grasp into several other domains as well. Recently, we reported that Facebook is also developing a new caller ID and call blocking tool ‘Phone‘ and has built a solar-powered drone to beam down internet to the earth.

April 6, 2015
Top 5 Games We’d Love to Play in Virtual Reality

Well, the Oculus Rift’s consumer model edges closer to release and Sony is preparing ‘Project Morpheus’ for the PS4. We’re almost certain that the next chapter of gaming and entertainment is going to be ruled by Virtual Reality. Acknowledging what’s to come, we thought we’d take a look at the games we think could be the best suited for VR space.

Here are the top 5 games we’d love to play in virtual reality:

1. Mirror’s Edge 2

Perhaps the most obvious choice of game to feature Oculus Rift/Project Morpheus compatibility, even the idea of wall-running in virtual reality in Mirror’s Edge 2 is enough to empty your pocket and buy Sony already. If you’ve ever wanted to experience flying through the skyline of a freakishly white city, or getting a first-person view of plummeting to your death from the top of a skyscraper, then this is the best option to walk away from the experience alive. Mirror’s Edge‘s tough platforming and great aesthetic is ideal for virtual reality.

2. Portal 2

If the Oculus Rift and Project Morpheus will tackle with the motion sickness issue, then playing Portal 2 in Virtual Reality would be the only thing you’d be doing on weekends. In this game you would be frequently chastised by sociopathic A.I. that has a penchant for breaking into song at the end of the ride. Puzzle-solving with added adrenaline.

3. Star Wars: Battlefront

There is no news about the upcoming Star Wars: Battlefront game other than that it will be launching soon, but the idea of experiencing the Star Wars universe in virtual reality is an unexceptionally exciting one. While the Battlefront games were typically played in third-person, they’ve always featured a first-person mode, too, and one which will likely be focused in the new game. If this is to be the case, then Battlefront with Oculus Rift/Project Morpheus support would be amazing.

4. Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture

Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture is being developed by The Chinese Room,who previously created ‘Dear Esther’, an atmospheric first-person game that suffered from being a little too pretentious and, frankly, dull. With its apocalyptic setting, Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture has the potential to be much more enjoyable than its earlier version, and if it can bring the atmosphere of Dear Esther to a more interesting game, then this upcoming PS4 title will be a great opportunity for Sony to show off Project Morpheus.

5. Evolve

Evolve’s under the development under Turtle Rock, same people behind the Left 4 Dead series, and from early impressions and screenshots it seems to be L4D with gigantic monsters instead of zombies. This would lend itself well to virtual reality, providing equal amounts of horror and hilarity, if the L4D series is anything to go by.

April 5, 2015
Motorola is Currently Working on a Second Generation Moto 360 : Report

Moto 360 by Motorola was one of the best smartwatches of year 2014. Everyone appreciated it for its simple watch face and round design. Since the time of its launch, rumours started floating about the successor of Moto 360 and today, it another one has popped up.

According to a report by Phandroid, the Schaumburg-based electronics firm is working on a second-generation Moto 360 near its headquarters. The online tech publication claims that the next Moto smartwatch is codenamed as ‘Smelt’ and they have recovered proof of its existence. The source says that it has spotted a device with ‘Smelt’ codename that has been pinging from Mundelein – a city close to Schaumburg – to an anonymous Android developer’s console. The gadget is said to be running on Android 5.1 and sports a screen resolution of 360×360.

The explanation to why ‘Smelt’ could be the next Moto smartwatch is a bit bizarre, but that’s one of the primary grounds of this assumption. The publication says that Smelt defines ‘a small silvery fish that lives in both marine and freshwater’. At the time of Moto 360 testing, the wearable also received a codename of similar fashion – Minnow – which means ‘small freshwater fish’. From the common fish-themed codename, it turns out that the “Smelt” is the upcoming Moto wristwatch.

However, it’s just a presumption and Motorola hasn’t officially stated anything as of now. But this appears to be true in a way since the company has almost had a year to work on its next product.

April 4, 2015
Apple’s New Video Tutorials Demonstrate Apple Watch at its Best

Since the day Apple Watch was unveiled, it has received a heavy number of mixed reviews. Some say it is an overpriced device, while others suggest it will change the way the general audience looks at wearables. The Cupertino-based giant has decided to give its final customers a closer look at the Apple Watch and has released four new videos that demonstrate the Apple Watch at its best.

The videos describe how the Apple’s first smart watch can make your day-to-day tasks a lot easier.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=LHdVkPrdRYg

The company recently updated its Apple Watch web page with four new videos. The clips walk the users through several features of the Watch giving a fair idea about how to use it and what it can do. The first one of the four is an introductory clip that says “Welcome to Apple Watch.” The 4:44 minutes video is dedicated to providing an elaborate detail of its hardware and software concepts like Messages, Digital crown, Force Touch and Faces. The video narrates the power of Apple Watch and how it is a must-have accessory for every iPhone user.

The other three videos are comparatively shorter than the introductory video and finishes within 2 minutes. Each of them focuses on one key feature and demonstrates how to customize the watch. The Faces speaks about how with a long press, all the watch faces come up and you can make a selection from a list. Tap any to make it the new face and customise it as you desire like changing hand colours, adding calendar and weather, and more.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=N6ezjg6-0hU

Similarly, Messages and Digital Touch give an insight into the functionality of the other features. Messages give a tour of sending audio and text messages along with numerous emoji options. The Digital Touch caters to your social habits. The side button below the Digital crown gives access to your friends. You can add contacts, send sketches, taps, messages, and heartbeats to your contacts, and of course, you can ring them any time using the Watch.

Meanwhile, Apple has made public only 4 of the videos, while the official web page depicts 7 more guided tours each with “Coming Soon” tag. These include Phone Calls, Siri, Maps, Music, Activity, Apple Pay and workout. Apple Watch will go on sale on 24th of this month. Needless to say, we’re extremely excited to get our hands on Apple’s first wearable.

You can check out all the videos here.

April 4, 2015
OnePlus Finally Rolls Out OxygenOS for the One

OnePlus One users had been patiently waiting for the fresh operating system – OxygenOS, which the company had announced would release by March end. The deadline passed, however OnePlus didn’t keep its vast user base longing for too long. The Chinese electronics giant today officially unveiled its first, much-talked about operating system, the Oxygen OS, based on Android 5.0.2 Lollipop.

OnePlus updated its official website with an introduction to OxygenOS. The web page reads, “OxygenOS, a Pure Android experience optimized for the OnePlus One.” Below the text are two links, one is the Installation Guide that walks users through the various installation steps, and the other is the Download Oxygen link, clicking on which the download of the OS starts.

Coming to what OnePlus’ first own operating system has to offer, then the foremost notable point of the OS is that it’s light with subtle essential features. It comes with a slew of features such as smart off-screen gestures, improved file manager and Quick Settings. Users can wake the screen up by performing simple gestures on the lock screen of the OnePlus One. These include O to start camera, V to toggle flash, and pressing three fingers together to play music.

OxygenOS offers a customizable lock screen and allows users to switch between hardware and software navigation keys. The Quick setting feature offers users to add, remove and re-arrange tiles with with few simple clicks.

OnePlus commented that instead of gimmicks and bloated features, they have focused on performance and battery life. It’s the first version of OxygenOS and the firm wants to shape it to ensure a smooth experience for its customers. The tech major has asked feedback from the One users to further make the OS better and user-friendly.

https://youtu.be/Tn4hHhIHLxk

April 4, 2015
Gionee Launches the Elife S7 in India Priced at Rs. 24,999

Gionee showcased to the world its super slim flagship smartphone, the Elife S7, at MWC this year. The Chinese smartphone manufacturer today brought the handset to India at an introductory price of Rs. 24,999. The device beats the present sleekest smartphone holder, the Elife S5.5, and boasts comparatively lesser dimensions and weight.

The Elife S7 is 5.5mm thick and features 139.8×67.4×5.5mm dimensions. The new smartphone is 6.5gm lighter than the Elife S5.5 and weighs a mere 126.5gm. Considering the exterior of Elife S7, then the device sports an aluminium magnesium unibody design. It flaunts a 5.2-inch Super AMOLED full HD screen with 1920×1080p resolution. A Gorilla Glass 3 display protects it from accidental slips.

Taking about the innards of the phone, Gionee Elife S7 is equipped with a 1.7GHz MediaTek MT6752 64-bit octa-core processor with Mali-T760MP2 GPU. It has 2GB of RAM and 16GB of onboard storage space, which is expandable via MicroSD card slot. The gadget is powered by Android 5.0 Lollipop.

It fits a 13MP snapper at the back with LED Flash and auto-focus, together with an 8MP shooter upfront. A 2700mAh battery is loaded with the device to keep it running for one full day. The dual-SIM device comes with connectivity options like LTE support, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

Meanwhile, the successor of the S7 might be arriving in India in June, as per Times of India. Temporarily titled as Elife S8, the expected device could carry a 2.5GHz Snapdragon quad-core processor with 3GB RAM. The device will reportedly pack some enhanced photography capabilities with 16MP rear and 8MP front camera. Meanwhile, the Chinese firm hasn’t come out with any such information and the news about Elife S8 should be taken with a pinch of salt.

At Rs. 24,999 the Gionee S7 seems to be priced higher than its competitors in the market. We’d recommend prospective buyers to go for the OnePlus One instead. Especially since the company released its very own operating system based on Android Lollipop 5.0.2 called the OxygenOS.

Check out our full review of the flagship killer here:

April 4, 2015
Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge Getting Better Pre-Orders than Predecessor

Samsung is finally breathing a sigh of relief with the number working once again in their favor. The Korean smartphone and electronics giant has seen a bump in the number of pre-orders received for their latest marvels : The Galaxy S6 and The Galaxy S6 Edge .

The number is much higher claims Samsung, than the pre-orders received for the Galaxy S5, which was simply the poorest selling Samsung Galaxy S series phone ever.
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Samsung has tied in a lot of schemes and payment options in India with the handsets making them easily accessible to the end buyer. The company has also brought back 0% EMI schemes in India to lure their buyers into getting onto the Galaxy S6 bandwagon.

Reports have confirmed that, even though the numbers of pre-orders globally are extremely high, they are 70% less than what were received for the Apple iPhone 6 and 6 Plus at the time of their launch and linger in the 1-2 million bracket vs the 8-9 million received by Apple.

Samsung and its partners are aiming for heavy sales, but the numbers are not expected to beat Apple’s best selling Smartphones till date. In Q4 alone Apple sold 75 million of iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus units, taking a heavy lead on the Samsung Galaxy S6 and the S6 Edge which are yet to launch.

Watch our hands on Video Below.

April 4, 2015

HTC Launches Desire 826 with Dual Front-Facing Stereo Speakers Priced at Rs. 25,990

Recently HTC brought to its Indian fans a much-awaited smartphone, the Desire 826. The device falls in mid-range category and comes at a price of Rs. 25,990. Launched in colour options White Birch, Blue Lagoon and more, the handset will be available with major retailers soon.

The overall look of the Desire 826 is no different than the other Desire series phones. With a weight of 183g, the smartphone boasts a 5.5-inch Full HD 1080p display. The phone features two SIM card slots that supports 4G LTE network. Powered by a 64-bit octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 clocked at 1.7GHz, the Desire 826 packs 2GB Of RAM and 16GB of internal storage space. There is an additional card slot to expand the memory of the phone up to 128GB. The phone runs on Android Lollipop.

Coming to its camera specifications, then HTC Desire 826 has a powerful 13MP rear camera with auto-focus and BSI sensor. The camera can record videos at 1080p. The front also flaunts an equally aggressive camera of 13MP that features auto-focus and a BSI sensor. HTC BoomSound with Dolby Audio Surround is fitted onto the device that gives a high quality sound environment. The handset is the first to boast dual front-facing stereo speakers.

The Desire 826 gets its juice from the 2600mAh Li-polymer battery, which is enough for a single day of usage. Connectivity options include stereo audio jack, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and micro-USB port. The sensors housing the device include Accelerometer, Proximity sensor, Ambient light sensor, Compass sensor and Magnetic sensor.

Here’s a quick look at its specifications:

Specs	HTC Desire 826
Display	5.5-inch Full HD 1080p
Processor	1.7GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 615
RAM	2GB
Internal Memory	16GB, 128GB expandable
Camera	13MP rear, 13MP front
Battery	2600mAh
Operating System	Android Lollipop
Price	Rs. 25,990

April 4, 2015

LG Confirms the G4 Will Come With a 5.5-inch Quad HD Display

Much has been spoken about LG’s next flagship, but till now they’ve only been rumours. However, an official confirmation has arrived from the display manufacturing unit of the company which confirms that a newly-developed Quad HD LCD panel will be fitted on to LG’s forthcoming flagship.

LG Display brought out a 5.5-inch QHD IPS panel that offers a resolution of 1440×2560 pixels. The pixel density stands same as LG G3, at 538ppi, but the company claims that the new display technology offers richer and more accurate colour quality. As compared to the 100 percent gamut of the latest available LG smartphone, the upcoming device display would have a 120 percent colour range.

Also, the contrast ratio of the next LG flagship is enhanced by 50 percent as compared to the standard QHD LCD panels, while brightness is upped by 30 percent. The modifications help users have a better view of the screen especially under bright sun. It should be noted that the display upgradations would not hamper the battery consumption at all, and users can experience better display with the conventional battery of the device.

More details about the LG G4 will unfold on its official launch on April 28. Keep checking back for updates.

April 4, 2015
Now Run Android Apps on Windows and Mac Using Google Chrome

Back in September, Google released a beta project ARC (App Runtime for Chrome) that allowed Android apps to run on Chrome OS. Now the news has surfaced that speaks of its compatibility on every desktop version of Chrome. This means any user running the latest Chrome browser can download and run the Android apps on different platforms like Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux.

As aforementioned, the project is in beta stage and is officially designed for developers only. But one can download the .apk file of any Android app and install it on their desktops. All you need to download is the ARC Welder tool where you can find the official .apk files of all the Android applications from Play Store.

The ARC project is a double benefit initiative targeted at customers and developers alike. Customers can port any Android-powered app to the desktops, developers can test any app by submitting it on ARC. The application to run softwares is based on Android 4.4 KitKat, giving users access to a range of standalone apps like Twitter, Facebook, Facebook Messenger and a wide variety games.

It’s a nice push by Google to make every laptop or Macbook running Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux its platform. Through the project, the internet giant has given folks an easy way to peek into the gigantic Android world and experience it.

April 3, 2015
Russian Government Runs a Troll Army Just to Promote the YotaPhone

It is long known that Russia has a large troll army (paid bloggers) that manipulates online content and works extensively to diffuse a positive picture of the government. According to The Guardian, hundreds of trolls spread a word in praise of Russian President Vladimir Putin, on depravity and injustice of the west, and most surprisingly, to promote the Russian-made YotaPhone.

The Guardian stated that it contacted two of the former employees of the troll enterprise, out of which one disclosed that they were employed unofficially and were paid cash in-hand to promote the YotaPhone. The international publication said that it located leaked set of documents that speak of an opaque company structuring the image of the smartphone. One of the documents recovered was “technical task sheets” that gave an angle to the hired writer so that they flash the scripted “conclusion” to the commenters.

It is also reported that the manufacturing company has no clue about the government’s strategic plan and the administration is doing it without informing the producer; however it works in their favour. Every thing is carried out behind proxy servers so that their original location remains concealed.

It should be noted that the Russian government has stakes in the smartphone company Yota, but it appears that the case is the other way round. Russian administration seems to be doing undue advertising of YotaPhone to establish itself in the international smartphone market.

If it was all about advertising the phone globally, then the trolls have done their job well. However, it doesn’t seem like the gadget needed such a huge strategy behind the curtain. YotaPhone is a one of a kind device that boasts two back to back displays and that too with remarkable display sizes of 4.3-inch. It has accumulated positive response from tech reviewers worldwide.

April 3, 2015
BSNL Aims to Install 2,500 3G and 4G Wi-Fi Hotspots Across The Country

BSNL officially announced that it will be investing Rs 7,000 crore in setting up WiFi hotspots with 3G, 4G networks across the country within the next 3 to 4 years.

[quote text_size=”small” author=”Anupam Shrivatava” author_title=”Chairman and Managing Director of BSNL”]

Wi-fi is an obvious choice for BSNL going forward but it alone cannot be successful. It has to be integrated with 3G, 4G network so that the customer can be seamlessly transferred to WiFi. In two to three years, we will be investing Rs 7,000 crore to set up integrated WiFi across the country.

[/quote]

BSNL has already started rolling out the service in places like Varanasi and aims to extend it to more tourist spots by the end of this year. Additionally, BSNL has also partnered along with QuadGen Wireless for setting up Wi-Fi hotspots on a revenue sharing basis. QuadGen will be setting up WiFi hotspots in the South and the West Zone under the terms of the partnership. Anupam Shrivastava says they aim to set up at least 2,500 WiFi hotspots around the country.

In the words of M S S Rao, Chief General Manager of BSNL Telecom, since huge amounts have been invested in the spectrum auction, it is a high time to invest in the networks. BSNL seems to be taking the right steps in ensuring that all part of our well connected.

April 3, 2015
Microsoft Brings Document Scanning App ‘Office Lens’ to Android and iOS

Microsoft’s last year release ‘Office Lens’ was a big hit in the Windows app arena – and for good reason. The mobile scanning app is a handy tool that lets users take picture of a document and convert it into a editable file format. The same application has now arrived for Android and iOS smartphones, as confirmed by Microsoft.

The hardware and software firm announced through its official blog post that it has released an Android Preview of the Office Lens on Google Play Store and a full-fledged version of the app for iOS users on the Apple Store. The app is free for download on both the platforms and one can start editing their pictures once the scanning tool is installed on the device.

The uses of Office Lens are varied. As mentioned above, the tool turns a phone into a scanner and scans the picture of the required document, such as menus, receipts or business cards. The cropping feature is pre-installed within the app through which users can cut the required image and discard the rest. The desired image then converts into an editable file which can be saved it in any format of your choice, i.e. Word, PowerPoint presentation or PDF.

Meanwhile, Android users have only received a preview of the app. Users can experience the amazing features of the app only when they join Microsoft Office Lens Android Preview community on Google+. However it’s easy to get the application, but the company could have shrinked the process to one-click download, as they have done for iOS users. For now, Android users have to follow these three steps: Join Community > Become a Tester > Download ‘Office Lens Preview’ from Play Store.

Microsoft has made Office Lens a cross-platform productivity tool from a Windows-only app. The company is well aware of the reach of the Android and iOS platforms and, hence, is pushing the largely appreciated feature from the minute share of the Windows market to the colossal app communities.

April 3, 2015
The Upcoming Assassin’s Creed Chronicle Will Visit India

Ubisoft recently released a trailer of the upcoming Assassin’s Creed Chronicle, each exploring a different locale. As seen in the trailer, the storyline takes place in China, Russia, as well as India.

The first chronicle takes place in China, where the players will play as the female assassin, Shao Jun, and experience the downfall of the Ming Dynasty. The next is based in India and is the story of Arbaaz Mir, an assassin in the era of the Sikh Empire at War in 1841. Lastly, the story of Nikolai Orelov, set against the backdrop of the Red October in Russia.

Climax Studios is handling development on this trio of titles in conjunction with Ubisoft Montreal. The games will feature a 2.5D perspective, each with their distinct art style. Assasin’s Creed: China edition will be releasing on April 21st for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC on April 21st for North and South America, followed by the release in European countries the day after. The remaining two titles, which are based in India and Russia will be released separately later this year. Release for India has not yet been disclosed.

Assassin’s Creed Chronicle: The unique 2.5D graphics

Each Chronicle will be priced at $10 (Rs. 641). Players who have the Assassin’s Creed Unity Season Pass will be able to download the ACC: China with no extra cost.

You can check out the trailer below:

April 3, 2015