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Micromax Teases Lollipop for Yu Yureka, Devices to Receive Update Shortly

The Yu Yureka smartphone will soon be getting the Android Lollipop 5.0 update, as the company has posted a Lollipop teaser on its Facebook page. This could only indicate that the devices will be receiving the update in the next few days. The handset was launched with Android 4.4 KitKat based CynagoenOS 11, and with the new firmware update it will get CyanogenOS 12.

Meanwhile, the company has assured that the Yu Yureka will be the first handset to get Lollipop based Cyanogen update. The new update should bring with it a plethora of new features and customisation options. Owners of Yu Yureka can expect usual software updates from Google, but we’re sure it’s the updated CyanogenMod features that everyone would be looking forward to.

Yu Yureka’s Lollipop teaser on its official Facebook page

The image uses a dot-to-dot game to tease the update, with the numbers ending at ’26’. Does this indicate that the update starts rolling out on March 26? We have a feeling that we’ll know sooner than later.

The device already boasts an impressive set of specs at a very attractive price point, and the latest software update should attract more customers to an already great performing device.

Do check out our review of the Yu Yureka below:

March 9, 2015
Moto Turbo Goes Up for Pre-Order on Flipkart; Pricing Revealed

Less than a week back, Motorola India Head confirmed that Moto Turbo will soon be arriving in India and today, the company has officially put the device up for pre-order. The Schaumburg-based telecommunication company released the handset at the online retail website Flipkart for Rs. 41,999, and is taking pre-orders starting today.

The new Moto Turbo sports a 5.2-inch Quad HD display with 565 ppi pixel density. Powered by quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 processor, the device holds Adreno 420 GPU and 3GB of RAM. A water-repellent coating is incorporated on the screen that protects the device. The battery support of Moto Turbo is 3,900mAh and it also comes with Motorola’s Turbo Charger feature that powers the device for up to seven hours of usage in just 15 minutes of charging.

The optics of the phone are also top-notch. A 21MP autofocus snapper with dual-LED flash sits at the back along with other features like slow motion video, burst mode, auto HDR, Panorama, and few more. Though the front camera is a conventional 2MP. The device runs on Android 5.0 Lollipop and the connectivity options include Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 4G LTE with LTE Cat 4 and Micro-USB.

Flipkart is trying to lure the potential buyers with few deals like 100% cashback for 25 lucky customers and extra 10% off on Moto Turbo with American Express Cards. The handset is estimated to release in the third week of March.

Click here to pre-order now.

March 9, 2015

Xiaomi Redmi 2 Expected to Arrive in India this Week

Xiaomi is apparently prepping the launch of its Redmi 2 smartphone in India with the expected launch date as March 12. The device is being teased through an online contest which allows interested customers to win priority passes to purchase it without the hassle of going through flash sales. The contest is a puzzle of sorts asking people to find hidden keywords inside it. Check out the image below:

It seems a lot of Facebook users have already cracked the code with words such as Snapdragon, wideangle, expandable and matte. Which suggests that the device may be the Redmi 2. Essentially because the Redmi 2 runs on a Snapdragon 410 chipset and also supports quick charging functionality. In addition, it also features expandable storage and a 28mm wide-angle lens with f/2.2 aperture on its rear camera.

iGyaan spoke to the Xiaomi’s spokesperson, who refused to confirm the arrival of the handset. We do hope the cyberspace isn’t jumping to quick conclusions. We’ll have to wait for a few more days for an official confirmation.

The contest is still open and interested users can head over to the company’s official website or Facebook page for more details. We can expect the Redmi Note 2 to be priced somewhere around Rs. 7,000.

Check out the key specs below:

Display	4.7-inch IPS LCD, 720p HD
OS	Android 4.4.4 KitKat
Processor	1.2GHz quad core Snapdragon 410
RAM	1GB with Adreno 306 GPU
Memory	16GB storage (expandable up to 32GB)
Camera	8MP rear, 2MP front
Battery	2200mAh

March 9, 2015

Samsung Has Already Received Record Pre-Orders for Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge

The two newest flagship smartphones by Samsung, the Galaxy S6 and the Galaxy S6 Edge, seems to be the much needed ray of sunlight for the South Korean electronics manufacturer. The company is still to announce its launch date, but the phones have already established a record even before its release. According to The Korea Times, Samsung has received record orders of 20 million for the Galaxy S6 and the curvy Galaxy S6 Edge.

The international publishing daily put forth the detailed pre-order numbers of the two devices saying 15 million of S6 have been booked through mobile carriers and the edgy S6 Edge are demanded as much as 5 million.

The company hasn’t commented anything on the issue, but if the figures are true then the company may soon regain the top position in the smartphone market. The 20 million pre-orders is a good start for the company and it seems like the demand will keep increasing post the launch. However, the handsets have not reached the end consumers until now. Once it rolls out for the buyers, it will then become clear if the demand has matched the supply.

In case you missed the hands-on video of the S6 and S6 Edge, check out the clip below:

March 9, 2015
Here’s What You Can Expect From Apple’s ‘Spring Forward’ Event

Apple will be holding an event today, the 9th of March where it will finally launch its long teased Apple Watch. This is a whole new product segment for Apple, and the industry is waiting to get their hands on the device to see for themselves if it matches the hype.

There might be some hidden surprises at the event, but here’s what you can expect to see:

The Battery Fiasco

The battery has been a cause of concern for the potential consumers. It has been claimed in multiple reports that the Apple Watch might have a dismal battery backup. Some reports even went on to say that the device might just have a battery life for 5 hours of active usage while others said it might run for two-three days on low power mode. Replying to the concerns, Apple Chief, Tim Cook recently said that the Apple Watch will run for a full day, and its charging will be faster than the iPhone. We will finally get to know more details on the battery performance and will also learn how Apple plans on increasing the battery efficiency of the device.

Apps Maketh The Watch

Apple Watch is first of all a smart device, and the smartness of the device depends on the apps it has to offer. During its launch, Apple showed some amazing clock faces including the amazing Astronomy and Disney based watch faces. It also has some unique gesture supports that will make it easy to use and to interact with others.
At present, the apps on the device will work in conjunction with the iPhone apps. The company plans to bring native Watch apps in the future. Apple has already said that the Watch will support Apple Pay, which means the device has NFC so we might also see some NFC-based apps too. Tim Cook has already said that Watch might replace the car keys in the near future.

What’s The Price, Eh?

During the unveiling of the Apple Watch, its price was stated to be $349, which is expected to be the price of the basic variant of the device, the Watch Sport. The price of Apple’s other Watch offering is yet unknown. Apple has also brought the Edition collection of the watch which are made of premium materials such as Rose Gold surface and Sapphire Crystal display. These smartwatches will also come with a multitude of strap and accessory options. Though, for Apple customers, pricing is not a major issue, but this time around they’ll probably be cautious before buying an all new device. Some reports have indicated a price of above $1000 as the average price for the device, which sounds a bit exorbitant. With that hefty a price tag Apple has to make a good case for its product to attract users to its Watch corner.

Hmm… What Else?

Apart from the major Apple Watch launch, the Cupertino-based tech giant is also expected to bring out some new upgraded devices in its other product line-up. 9to5mac had reported in January that Apple might be ready to bring a 12 inch-notebook that would probably have a body similar to the current 11-inch MacBook Air. This new device is only expected to hold two ports, a headphone jack and the new C-Type reversible USB port. This new laptop will also do away with the internal fans and the touchpad, so this seems to be one of the usual experiments of Apple for the market whose success can influence future product designs. The lack of ports might disappoint potential buyers, but Apple might just end up introducing a new accessory to address consumer plight.

Apple might also introduce iOS 8.2 with Apple Watch support. This new update will have the new companion app for the Watch and will let you use the device in conjunction with your iOS devices. The new emoji’s, which got the fans excited will only arrive after a few months when Apple brings out the iOS 8.3.

To Conclude

Overall, it’s a show about the new Apple Watch and it is targeted at the customers who have been eagerly waiting to own the companion device for their iPhones. While we know about most of the features of the Watch, Apple will be making its final case before bringing the device out for the customers to try. The smartwatch segment of the market is slowly coming to maturity and with Apple’s addition to the list, all major brands have placed their contenders in the market. We have to wait till next quarter to know how Apple’s latest product segment is received by the public.

Come back to iGyaan to know more about the details of the Apple event on Monday.

March 9, 2015
After Conquering Music, Shazam to Start Recognising Physical Objects

Shazam, the music app that allows you identify music, is extending its scope by including visual identification. Shazam set up in 1999 and gained its wildly popular reputation because of its ability to identify any string of music at a click of a button. Now, the app can sell songs the user has identified, thanks to fortified deals with all major music streaming services like Spotify and Deezer. It is also one of the top 25 most downloaded app for years.

At the Mobile World Congress 2015, Chief Executive of Shazam, Rich Riley told Reuters,

Shazam is already a verb. We want to expand the universe of what you can Shazam. The famous blue button that our users love will remain on the home screen but will be able to do much more.

This new feature looks like an advanced version of Google Goggles. This update will soon let users identify or learn more about anything they point out at. For example, you could point your phone at a cereal box to get in-depth nutritional information, or at a DVD case to buy the soundtrack from your device.

Shazam has raised $30 million for recruiting new members to its team and sign partnerships with publishers and content companies. Riley also said that the funds would give Shazam some flexibility to choose whether the next money-raising exercise are on the public markets or the private markets.

March 7, 2015
Women’s Day Special : 5 Interesting Gadgets to Gift Your High-Tech Mom

It’s the day to shower the women in your life with love. However, it is always a task to find the perfect gift for your loved ones. Don’t worry, iGyaan is here. We’ve already covered brothers and sisters, now we are listing 5 gadgets to gift your mom to make her feel special.

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5. Dropcam Pro

Over the years, having acquired a ton of valuable belongings, we’re sure she doesn’t want people messing with her prized possessions. That is where Dropcam Pro comes into focus. This Wi-Fi video monitoring camera doesn’t need to be attached to a PC, it streams its high-quality security footage through your home router.

 

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4. Gunnar Computer glasses

These computer glasses are designed for those looking for more coverage in a bold classic look. It featuring adjustable nose pads and spring hinges, and can fit most head shapes comfortably. Available in amber and crystalline lenses, as well as a wide range of prescriptions, they will be the perfect gift for your mom, saving her eyes from that extra stress given by digital screens.

 

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3. Snugg MacBook leather Cover

This one would make for a handy gift. The chic MacBook leather cover comes with high quality soft Nubuck interior with Magnetic flap to secure her Macbook. It also includes card slot to store Business cards, Bank cards, USB sticks and huge pockets for charging cables and a smartphone.

 

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2. Withing WS-50 Smartbody analyser

One of the best ways to help your mother stick to a diet is by setting up the Withings WS-50 Smart Body Analyzer in the livingroom. This WiFi scale replaces that old rusty junk sitting on your bathroom floor with a clean, polished and most importantly, ultra-precise weight and body fat measurer. The health-focused Withings has an iOS and Android app to go along with its updated scale, and it picks up your heart rate and keeps tabs on indoor air quality.

 

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1. Apple iPhone 6

If you’ve got the money to spend, what better than the new iPhone 6? Apple’s new flagship comes with a treated Aluminum chaise. It’s bigger and thinner than the earlier version. Currently several major e-commerce sites in India have slashed the price down of the smartphone considerably; the timing couldn’t be better.

 

March 7, 2015
Google Eyes Virtual Reality to Expand its Android Ecosystem

Google has been proactively expanding the reach and utility of the Android ecosystem. It is now on smartphones, tablets, TVs, smartwatches and even in cars (with Android Auto). Now the tech giant is looking at a whole new arena to establish its dominance, and they have chosen the field of virtual reality.

Virtual reality as a new device ecosystem is growing rapidly. Major brands such as Samsung, HTC, Sony and others have unveiled their VR headsets that will be arriving in the market soon. In our first person experience with these headsets, we have found them to be promising, and it had tremendous potential as a new consumer medium. It is, therefore, obvious that Google wishes to be a frontrunner in the game.

HTC recently forayed into Virtual Reality with the HTC Vive

The report was published in the Wall Street Journal, but Google hasn’t confirmed it as of yet. The report says that the Silicon Valley powerhouse has engaged tons of engineers to create a version of Android for the VR devices. This version will also be given out for free just like all the other Android counterparts.

Google has already ventured in the VR game with its low-cost cardboard project. Users can get the affordable glasses, install the cardboard app, and they are ready for the VR experience. But the professional VR headsets offer more features than the cardboard contraption. A VR version of Android might include functionalities for touch controls and improved features. As of now it is not clear how the VR version of Android would look like, but with the right partners, Google might end up at the top of one more segment of the electronic market. Also, as it is a free offering, it might encourage other brands to step in the VR game to increase competition. This will also lead to an increase in the number of apps, games and other content for the VR headsets. It seems the age of virtual reality is finally upon us.

March 7, 2015
Narendra Modi is Among the 30 Most Influential People on the Internet

According to a recent report published by Time Magazine, Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, is among the 30 most influential people on the Internet. Can’t say we’re surprised. This list also includes US president, Barack Obama.

The list analyses social media followings, site traffic and the overall ability to drive news. According to the data, Narendra Modi has nearly around 38 million followers on Facebook and Twitter. It is more than any other political world leader, with the exception of President Obama.

Modi is an enthusiastic user of social media and uses this method to communicate with the people. According to Time magazine, “Unlike many of his contemporaries, Modi recognises that social media can be invaluable when trying to reach India’s 200 million-plus online population directly,”

The number one world leader on this list is US President, Barack Obama, who is the most liked leader on Facebook and the most number of followers on Twitter. According to the report, the reason is that Obama doesn’t mind making a meme out of himself for pushing an agenda. A video showed Obama using a selfie stick and many other props to drive people to sign up for heath insurance under the Affordable Care Act. This video was viewed by more than 50 million people within days.

Among the others included in the list are reality star Kim Kardashian, singer Justin Beiber, actress Gwyneth Paltrow, Actress Yao Chen, singer Shakira, founder of the blog ‘Humans of New York’ Brandon Stanton and TV personality, Jimmy Fallon.

March 7, 2015
Hands On | Lenovo A7000

Lenovo had been in the news before MWC 2015 for all the wrong reasons. The revelation of the Superfish bug brought public outrage towards the company along with an incident of their website getting hacked. Well, Lenovo pulled a brave face and introduced the new A7000 that looks like a great multimedia handset that comes with a pocket-friendly price tag.

The Lenovo A7000 is a great handset to look at. It is available in black and white color variant and feels like a premium device. It might feel a bit bulky with its 8 mm thickness, but it makes the device feel robust. The device is comparable with its sibling, the A6000, that the company unveiled at the CES 2015.

The A7000 has a spec sheet that will enthuse any multimedia enthusiast on a budget. It has a 5.5 inch, 720 x 1280 pixel display with a density of 267 ppi. It is powered by a Octa-core, 1.5 GHz Mediatek chipset along with 2 GB RAM. The handset sports 8 GB internal storage that can be expanded up to 32 GB. It runs Android 5.0 out of the box and is juiced up by a 2900 mAh.

The A7000 also has some good listing in its camera space. It has an 8 MP main shooter and a 5 MP selfie shooter. The images clicked from the device were found to be crisp but we need to bring the device to test it out thoroughly.

Lenovo’s multimedia credentials are amplified here with the addition of Dolby Atmos audio in the device. When listened to on headphones, the sound from the smartphone feels like it’s coming from all the directions, thereby gives a fuller audio experience. According to Lenovo, the A7000 can enhance sound quality of any content for the pleasure of the user.

For the user interface, the A7000 runs the Vibe UI, which is based on Android 5.0 Lollipop. It borrows features like multitasking panel from the stock Android but, fortunately, offers capacitive buttons below the display instead of placing it within the UI.

The A7000 has a good features list, and while we still have to test it out for ourselves, it looks it can take on the likes of Redmi Note and Yu Yureka. A slightly generous expandable storage of at least 64 GB would have done good for the consumers, as well as the company. Lenovo has said that the device will be priced at $160 (approx Rs. 10,400), which is a bit pricier than its competition in the Indian market. But Lenovo can take advantage of the shortage of stocks of the other devices to attract customers to itself.

Update: Lenovo A7000 launches in India, Priced at Rs. 8,999.

March 7, 2015
WhatsApp Says WhatsApp Plus Users Will Face Temporary Bans, Not Permanent

A few days WhatsApp began banning those users who had been using third party applications like WhatsApp+. The messaging app stated privacy concerns for the ban. WhatsApp has come out and said that the move is just temporary, and users can follow some easy steps to start using their service again.

The bans were handed down for a 24 hour period. Users could uninstall the third party app and install a fresh version of the official app from the app store, and they would be re-instated back. But recently a Google+ post saying that Whatsapp is starting a Permanent Account Disable purge caused a lot of concerns amongst the users.

WhatsApp has come out to clear the air. Earlier, WhatsApp used to ban the third party app users for a period of 24 hours, and the message showed up with a countdown clock, but now it’s extended indefinitely and the countdown clock has been removed. The company said that the third party app users will be unblocked only after they have uninstalled the third party app. They are not permanently banned from the service.

WhatsApp had claimed piracy and security concerns for the ban. It cited the case of Snapchat where users’ personal content were hacked in through third party app. So if you want to use the official WhatsApp app, you would have to delete WhatsApp+, WhatsApp Reborn, OgWhatsapp or any other third-party client from your smartphone.

This feels like a case of arm-twisting by the messaging giant, but it sure is needed to increase security. There is accountability with the official app, but there is none with third party apps. It’s better to take the safer approach than trade your personal information for a few new emoticons on a third party app. WhatsApp is anyways introducing features such as voice calling soon, so you would be better off sticking with the official WhatsApp.

March 7, 2015

Hands On | Gionee Elife S7

Gionee is known for making some of the most stylish phones in the market. Their recent offering called the Elife S7 is one of the slimmest phones in the market. At MWC 2015, the company brought the latest edition to its S family of devices, and it’s called the S7. Let’s take a look this new device and how it compares to the previous devices from Gionee’s stable.

Design has always been Gionee’s USP, and it continues that with the S7. With a thickness of 5.5 mm, the Elife S7 is comparable in slimness with its sibling, the S5.5. As with the other devices in the S-family, the S7 is slim yet sturdy. It has a vibrant display with great viewing angles. The front and the back end of the devices are secured with Corning Gorilla Glass that also add a premium feel to it. The slim bezels around the display make the content pop out.

Specs-wise, the device has some great innards. It has a 5.2 inch, 1080p display with a pixel density of 424 PPI. Its processing needs are handled by a 1.7 GHz, MediaTek processor along with 2 GB RAM. It is a dual SIM device and gets its juice from a 2750 mAh battery. One major issue we have with this device is the lack of expandable storage and only a 16 GB storage option.

The S7 is great on the camera front, as has been the case with Elife devices. It has a 13 MP camera on the back and an 8 MP camera for your Selfie considerations. The images from the S7 look fantastic, albeit a bit over-saturated. The front camera is fantastic and is comparable with the back cameras of many devices in the market.

The Elife S7 runs Amigo UI 3.0 which is based on Android 5.0 Lollipop. This user interface is easy to learn and light to operate. It borrows some features such as recent apps and pm screen capacitive buttons directly from stock Android. It has customization features such as chameleon that lets you create color tones for the device according to your liking.

Overall the device looks and feels good for the price. Gionee is expected to launch the device in the European markets for EUR 399 (Approx. Rs. 24,000) which is fairly reasonable. It’s good that Gionee went with the thickness of 5.5 mm as it feels sleek yet safe in the hands. Now if Gionee can only take care of the storage issue, it might find a good number of takers in the market.

Update: Gionee Elife S7 arrives in India priced at Rs. 24,999

Specs	Gionee Elife S7
Display	5.2 inches 1080 x 1920 pixels Corning Gorilla Glass
CPU	Octa-core 1.7 GHz, Mediatek MT6752
RAM	2 GB
Internal Storage	16 GB
Expandable Up to	NA
Main Camera	13 MP
Front Camera	8 MP
Battery	2750 mAh

March 6, 2015

Hands On : Up Close With the Bigger and Better Moto E (Gen 2)

Less than a week back, Motorola added one more affordable device to its smartphone lineup. The new addition was the 2015 edition of Moto E. The Moto E (Gen 2) arrived and was showcased at the Mobile World Congress. The device is already up for sale in more than 50 countries and comes in two versions – Moto E (Gen 2) and Moto E (Gen 2) LTE.

At MWC 2015, we got a chance to get our hands on the device.

Speaking of the design of the phone, then Moto E 2015 version features the same plastic design. The circular edges, camera and speakers sitting on the device might remind you of the first-gen Moto E, but there are a lot of features in the new handset like Quick Capture, Active Display and more. It has a superb built and is designed to remain unaffected by accidental drops and falls.

Unlike Moto E, users can now personalize their devices. The new interchangeable, colourful bands and grip shells have been introduced that give the phone an appealing look. The bands come in six different shades (Golden Yellow, Turquoise, Blue, Raspberry, Purple, and Red) and for back plates any colour can be chosen from Golden Yellow, Charcoal, Turquoise, Blue, and Raspberry.

Both the 3G and 4G versions of Moto E tout a bigger 4.5-inch qHD (540×960 pixels) screen. Running on Android 5.0 Lollipop, the 3G version is powered by a 1.2 GHz quad-core Snapdragon 200 bundled with 1 GB RAM and 8GB onboard memory space. The 4G model, on the other hand, is a bit faster with 1.2 GHz quad-core Snapdragon 410 processor with same 1 GB RAM and 8GB memory. Optics of both the versions is identical at 5MP rear and 0.3MP secondary camera. The smartphone arrives in India on 10th March, priced at Rs. 6,999.

March 6, 2015
OnePlus to Start Shipping to 16 European Countries

OnePlus recently announced they’ll be venturing into a new product category, and now surprisingly the company has announced that it’ll be debuting in more European markets for its One smartphone. No specific launch date or prices have been announced, though they have mentioned countries where the smartphone will be launched which includes 16 European countries.

OnePlus will be holding event an in Warsaw on March 9, followed by Prague on March 10 and finally Budapest on March 12. Meanwhile, OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei announced at MWC 2015 that the company is all set to venture into a new product category next month.

He also said that it’ll neither be a smartwatch or a tablet, while word is that the next OnePlus smartphone is likely to get a metal frame, replacing the polycarbonate body its 2014 One smartphone that was simply avante grade.

In addition, those of you interested to get the OnePlus One without those pain staking invites can buy the device every Tuesday on the company’s official website.

March 5, 2015
Instagram Rolls Out One of its Most Significant Updates

When we speak of Instagram, the first thing that hits our mind is a picture-oriented app that narrates stories by means of single pictures. It has been designed to upload one picture at a time with a little description if you want. But now, Instagram is changing the very base of its foundation to help advertisers describe stories through multiple pictures.

The online mobile photo and video-sharing app has debuted a slideshow feature called ‘carousel’ that lets users view to flick a series of photos. From now on, a series of dots will appear below the post to depict that it’s a carousel. One can swipe the pictures left and right to see more images.

The facility to load multiple photos at a time is restricted to advertisers only.

The company wrote on its blog post:

One way to look at it is carousel ads bring the potential of multi-page print campaigns to mobile phones—with the added benefit of taking people to a website to learn more.

Also, there is a ‘learn more’ button at the bottom of the dots that takes user to the advertisers’ website. The format is still not fixed and the company is working for a more systemic and appealing design. The new button will directly push a huge chunk of customers to the advertised website, profiting their business.

The spokeswoman of Instagram announced that it was cracked for brands for experimental purpose, “Once we iterate and see how people engage with the content, [we] may explore the possibility of bringing it to other types of users on Instagram.”

Well, this clearly shows that a stable version for users will soon follow. You can watch the below video to have a clear picture of how carousel works:

March 5, 2015