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Pebble Time is the First Coloured e-Paper Smartwatch with 7-Day Battery Support

Smartwatches are the current hottest trend everyone wants to cash in on. The biggest problem with certain wearables is that they are only compatible with particular handsets. Meet the new smartwatch by Pebble Technologies that is smart in a real sense and can adjust with any smartphone, whether iOS or Android.

With Pebble Time, users don’t have compromise, and the watch itself adjusts meeting the needs of the user. The screen of Pebble Time is an e-paper display, just like new YotaPhone 2 and Kindle – a first for any smartwatch. The screen is covered with Gorilla Glass, and the coloured display enhances the overall appeal of the smartwatch. Pebble claims that the battery of the smartwatch can last up to 7 days. However, there’s a catch, and that is that the Pebble timepiece is not touchscreen.

So how do you operate the device? There is a microphone onboard making it convenient to have a phone-like conversation. Users can reply to the messages by pushing keys, and there’s also a gyroscope for motion sensing. The new user interface (UI) is focused on a timeline that highlights what’s important over the course of the day. There’s a new app menu, which loads and cache apps as required. You can connect these apps to the timeline, organising all relevant information.

There are three buttons on the right-hand side of the screen and one on the left. The buttons have been adjusted to easy grip, and one can push each of them effortlessly without any unintentional pressing of the other ones. The top button is for check past events, the middle for present and the third one refers to the future. The smartwatch offers hassle-free customization options, and one can affix any band to the core machinery having 22mm pin.

Pebble Time is a $179 smartwatch that is on Kickstarter as of now. It is the fastest project to raise $1 million on Kickstarter in approximately 30 minutes.

There are many good smartwatches out there, but the Time stands apart. It’s affordable, and the USP is its cross-platform functionality that would have attracted the numerous backers. Early investors can get the Time for $159, but the concession is for supporters only. The watch will retail at a price of $199 once the campaign completes.

February 25, 2015
Apple to Enable Siri to Understand Indian English

English is a really fluid language. It takes the shape depending on the person who is speaking it. Folks from all parts of the world add their bits to language in terms of accents, slangs, and references. While this diversity makes it unique, it also makes it hard for a voice detection system to understand these various different shades of one language. Apple is trying to make its voice assistant more competent in this regard and is giving it an ability to understand Indian English.

If you are wondering what Indian English is, we suggest you go watch a couple of Russell Peters stand-up acts and get back here. Now, coming back to the story, according to 9to5mac, in the latest iOS 8.3 beta release, Apple has added support for Siri to grab Indian English.

This feature will be available for devices like the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. This update also adds support for Russian, Danish, Dutch, Portuguese, Swedish, Thai and Turkish.

One really useful feature of this new update is that it will allow Indians to use the dictation feature without faking a douche-y American or British accent.

Google has a larger user base in the country, and so they have already released support for Indian English on Google Now. Google also plans to offer support for Hindi soon which would help to further grab the market, especially in the mid and affordable segments. All this seems to project the importance of the Indian consumers for smartphone makers. It also indicates that support for Indians will keep getting better in the coming future.

February 25, 2015
iGyaan MWC 2015 Special | Discussing the Future of Smartphones

The Mobile World Congress is just around the corner and as always the expectations from the conference are high. We got together an amazing panel to discuss how MWC 2015 might influence the popular smartphone landscape. We have an excellent panel of Tech expert Ankit Vengurlekar AKA Gadgetwala, fashion blogger Sukhneet Wadhwa AKA Ms Coco Queen and Socialgiri Co-founder Suhail Ahmed Reshi.

Check out this fun panel in action right here on iGyaan.

If you like the video, then share the word around, and if you have any questions or queries, you can drop them in the comment section below or send out a tweet to @iGyaan.

February 24, 2015
The Future of Chipsets Showcased at ISSCC 2015

Chipsets are at the heart of all the smart devices around us. The silicon revolution has led to a rapid change in the way people do work and lead their daily lives. Each year the most prominent names in technology along with the engineers congregate at the International Solid-State Circuits Conference (ISSCC) to delve into the future of chip technology. This year’s conference presented a lot of interesting presentations that might help to improve the performance of chipsets in the future.

Here are a few of the innovations that might change the world of technology in the near future:

Intel’s Move towards 10Nm and 7Nm

Intel is one the foremost names that pop into your mind when you hear the term microprocessors. The company is making proactive efforts to introduce chipsets based on 14 Nm transistors. Intel wants to further challenge Moore’s law that states that the number of transistors to be incorporated on a chip will double every 24 months. In the coming future, the company plans to bring out 10 and 7 Nm chipsets. As Silicon is not stable at these tiny sizes, the company would need to look for a replacement. One of the materials it has cornered is the indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs) but more details are available yet. Intel has stated though that the first 10 Nm chipsets won’t be out before 2017.

MIT’s Low Power Radio for the Internet of Things

Low power sensors for IoT devices from MIT.

Internet of Things (IoT) is the next major technological arena where all the major brands are putting their focus in. One of the major hurdles in the process is to create a sensor that only comes active when its required to and hence leads to least current leakage. Most of the times, the sensors will just stay idle until they have been summoned. A system that almost shuts down the leakage will be more efficient, in the long run. MIT researchers have showcased a picowatt radio that significantly brings down the current drain. To achieve this, the team had to break down the radio system design so that most of the circuit can run at the lowest possible voltage.

AMD unveils Carrizo Laptop Chips

AMD Carrizo

US based Chipmaker, AMD have unveiled the new Carrizo chipsets. Based on 28 Nm processes, AMD claims this chip will lead to 40% efficiency and hence better performance over its predecessor, Kaveri. Carrizo also offers better power saving capabilities that is one of the most demanded features in consumer electronics. One more feature that will excite the takers will be its on-chip H.265 video decode capability. The devices running on Carrizo will be out in the second or third quarter of this year and will also be cheaper than their Intel counterparts.

February 24, 2015
Android 5.0 Lollipop Update Now Rolling Out For Android One Devices

Google, today, has revealed that it has begun rolling out Lollipop update to a small number of Android One devices in India. This roll-out process will be gradual and on a weekly basis, hence only some randomly selected devices will get the update via OTA, with users on Wi-Fi having a better chance at getting these updates.

[quote text_size=”small” author=”Ceaser Sengupta” author_title=”Google Product Management Director, in a Google+ post.”]

To those with Android One phones in India, here’s where we are with the over-the-air (OTA) update that will bring Android Lollipop to you soon. We’ve already started rolling out Lollipop to a small number of phones in India. This is a gradual process and so each week we’ll push the OTA update to more phones selected at random (pro-tip: connecting over WiFi will increase your odds). We thank you again for your patience, and please stay tuned for further updates.

[/quote]

It can be recalled that Android version 5.0 was launched back in November 2014, and the Android One users were supposed to be among the first few to receive this update. Unfortunately, that never happened and Lollipop is way past its scheduled time of arrival on the Android One devices.

The Nexus line-up of devices have already received the update back in November and manufacturers like Motorola, HTC and Samsung have already started rolling out the update to few of their smartphones.

As of now, the exact version of the Lollipop for Android One phones has not been revealed yet, but it most likely will be Android 5.1. There are presently three Android One devices in India, Karbonn Sparkle V, Micromax Canvas A1, and the Spice Dream UNO. The owners of these low-cost devices will be pretty excited after this news.

February 24, 2015
Samsung Galaxy S6 Expected to Debut in India in Mid-April

Samsung’s upcoming flagship Galaxy S6 is the next big thing everybody is waiting for. It is scheduled to unveil at Barcelona on March 1 at the Mobile World Conference (MWC) 2015. The global launch is just around the corner and a fresh round of rumours suggest that it will possibly land in India in April.

With global launch date drawing nearer, the Korean firm is expected to make things clearer soon. As per IBN Live, the handset will be up for pre-bookings from March itself and the registrations will open for only a couple of weeks.

Considering the rumours, the Galaxy S6 looks promising and this is what Samsung needs at this moment; a powerful, value for money and an exceptional device. The company is said to have revamped almost everything – from design to software and hardware – it could prove to be a saviour for the drowning electronics producer. With Samsung’s market share following a steep fall in every segment (recently, the tablet segment), Galaxy S6 is its one hope.

February 24, 2015
Google Chrome Now Offering Added Protection From Malicious Sofware

Search engine giant Google is expanding its SafeBrowsing initiative to make sure its users accidentally don’t download malware while browsing. Apart from the warnings prior to downloading, the Chrome browser from now on will pop up a red flag (like the one below) in case users visit a site that may encourage them to download malware.

Google is also asking site owners install its Webmaster Tools to help them tackle any threats and stay on top of any possible issues. Google will in return provide technical support to resolve any issues that may be caused by sites that encourage people to download malicious programs.

Even Google search now incorporates signals that identify such deceptive sites. This change reduces the chances you’ll visit these sites via search results. In addition, Google is actively disabling Google Ads that lead to sites with unwanted software.

Google has been criticized in the past, though it’s nice to see the company living up its motto “Don’t be evil”, trying to make the cyberspace a safer place for everyone.

February 24, 2015
Life of Jobs: The Man Who Designed the Future

Today marks the 60th birth anniversary of Steve Jobs, the founder of the revolutionary technology institution, Apple. Steve Jobs is a cultural icon and is credited with giving a second life to Apple and establishing it as Silicon Valley’s royalty. He died on October 5, 2011, aged 56, but left a lasting legacy.

Steve did not just change the world of computers but led the way in changing the way we watch movies, stream music and consume content on various devices. He is also credited for giving the world some of the best-designed consumer electronics. We look into some of the greatest achievements of this phenomenal individual.

It’s a Mac Mac World

When you talk about the history of personal computing, Apple comes out as one of the major pioneers of the revolution. Their desktop computers that employed a graphical user interface and a mouse were instrumental in creating more engaging interaction with the digital machines. Steve had also founded NeXT computers that boasted technologically advanced features. In fact, Tim Berners-Lee invented the World Wide Web on a NeXT computer at CERN. Apple’s computers are considered the most sought after machinery by creative as well as corporate consumers.

iPhone to Rule Them All

There are many claimants for the spot of the first smartphone maker. Companies like HTC, Nokia, Microsoft had been in the field of portable computing, but Apple will be considered the standard bearer for the smartphone revolution. With the iPhone, Jobs sold to the world the idea of a key-less, touch-based device that would be at the core of the new age economy. The app market for smart devices also mushroomed all over the world. The recently launched 6th generation iPhone handsets were a major success in the market and gave the company their most profitable quarter ever. iPhone’s features inspired Google’s Android ecosystem which brought smartphone access to a larger population.

Music On-The-Go

“One more thing” is one of the most identifiable catchphrases from Steve Jobs. The iconic three words were spoken before the launch of a game-changing device, the Apple iPod. The portable music player revolutionized the world of music; it set the tone for a plethora of handheld music players, a concept later absorbed into smartphones.

Stream The World

Apple’s iTunes service also led to a major shift in the manner in which people consumed video and music content. Through the iTunes store, subscribers could buy music, music videos, television shows, audiobooks, podcasts, movies, and more. We now have services like Netflix, Hulu, Spotify and others who have risen to become the major forces in the streaming business and used by people worldwide.

Animated Story

In 1986, Steve purchased Pixar Animation Studios from George Lucas. The studio rose to prominence with the release of Toy Story in 1995. It also released several box office hits such as Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Ratatouille, WALL-E, andUp. Pixar was purchased by Disney in 2006.

Apple Computers Company was founded in 1976. It was named in remembrance of a happy summer Jobs had spent picking apples. Apple recently launched the new generation of its iPhone line of devices and with that it had its best quarter earnings ever. Steve had been defined by many as “the master evangelist of the digital age” and a “futurist.” Hopefully, he would have appreciated the path Apple is treading on right now.

February 24, 2015
Lollipop Update Delayed Until March for OnePlus One Devices

At the launch of OnePlus One in India, the Chinese producer confirmed that it will release the latest Android update for the One devices within three months. It’s been exactly three months since (on 23rd February) and the Indian One users are still deprived of the highly acclaimed update.

The Co-Founder of OnePlus Carl Pei took to Twitter and apologised for the company’s failure in delivering the latest Android OS on time. He announced that it will be delayed further for a few more weeks and will arrive sometime in March. The delay period is for both the operating systems – OxygenOS and CyanogenMod 12S.

@rajarshi_10 We released an L alpha a while ago, but a more stable build (OxygenOS & CM12S) will need to wait until March. Sorry for delay!

— Carl Pei (@getpeid) February 23, 2015

The company is said to be working on an upgrade called CM12S, which will be based on Lollipop. Meanwhile, OnePlus’ own operating system OxygenOS is in progress, and it will also run on Android Lollipop. For now, an Alpha built of OxygenOS is out. Since we already know, Indian OnePlus One devices will not receive any more updates from Cyanogen, and, as a result, current OnePlus One devices run on Google’s Android v4.4 OS.

Users can advance to the CyanogenMod 12S by simply updating the handset, but if someone wishes to install OxygenOS on their devices, they have to wipe out their phones completely. For now, the users have to wait patiently until March for either of the upgrades.

February 24, 2015
Gmail’s Auto-Complete Glitch Results in Emails Being Sent to Unintended Recipients

Have you ever mistakenly sent an email to the wrong person? Usually it’s our fault for not double-checking before hitting the send button, but right now there is a glitch in Gmail which isn’t helping the cause. A bug is spotted that might, if you’re careless, help you send emails to unintended recipients.

The ‘To’ section of Google’s Gmail is facing an auto-complete glitch because of which, it is prioritising the names of people that are less frequently mailed. The auto-complete feature is designed to suggest addresses regularly used. A number of people have reported on Twitter about being troubled because of the bug.

This Gmail email address autocomplete bug is killing me. Is Google’s new social strategy to have me email people I don’t remember?

— Ryan Singel (@rsingel) February 23, 2015

Google itself confirmed and apologised about the malfunctioned auto-complete feature.

We’re aware of an issue with Gmail and auto-complete and currently investigating. Apologies for any inconvenience.

Google has been working aggressively to make its services better for its users, and this bug being in notice of the company, we can expect them to fix it soon. Until then, make sure to triple check the recipients bar before sending out that confidential email.

February 24, 2015
TRAI Lays Path For Reduction in Your Phone Bills

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has some good news for Indians today. The people of India will soon see a dip in the figures of their telephone bill. The regulatory agency has decided to slash or cancel the interconnectivity charges between various networks.

Telecom companies have to pay the inter-connectivity charges when one of their subscribers calls a person on a different network. These charges are defined as FTC (Fixed Termination Charge) and MTC (Mobile Termination Charge) for wireline to wireless calls.

This move will bring considerable relief to the landline subscribers. TRAI has decided to drop landline to landline and landline to wireless termination charges from 20 paisa to zero. On the other hand, wireless to wireless charges have been decreased from 20 Paisa to 14 paise that will also result in a decrease in mobile tariff.

Mobile telephony has reached the masses really fast since the arrival of affordable devices and connections. While there are over 94.40 crore mobile subscribers in India, there are just 2.7 crore landline subscribers in the country. BSNL told Times of India, that this move will pass on the benefits to the consumers by bringing the tariff down “substantially”.

Uninor, which is a tiny player in the mobile market, has also said that they will be slashing prices. The big trio of Indian mobile arena; Airtel, Vodafone and Idea are currently studying the developments. But when smaller companies will start slashing rates, the bigger players will be forced to follow.

This move will be a slight relief to the country whose cost of living has gone up significantly in the past couple of years.

February 24, 2015
Google Confirms New Chromebook Pixel is on its Way

A fresh round of rumours surfaced that speak of an updated version of Google’s Chromebook Pixel. The Chromebook Pixel is the most premium offering from Google’s Chromebook family. This would be the first update by the company since the original released two years back.

The confirmation of the news that Chromebook Pixel 2 is currently in works was confirmed by Google executives on a YouTube video, which was later made private. The video showed Renee Niemi, who is responsible for running Google’s Android and Chrome programs for work and education. She confirmed at the TeamWork 2015 partner event about the same.

OMG Chrome translated the conversation of Niemi who said –

We do have a new Pixel coming out and it will be coming out soon. We will be selling it… but I just have to set your expectations: this is a development platform…This is really a proof of concept. We don’t make very many of these—we really don’t. And our developers and our Googlers consume 85 percent of what we produce. But yes, we do have a new Pixel coming out.

Chromebooks have gained popularity since last year, and many big companies are investing highly in Google’s project running on Chrome OS. It’s a high-performance gadget and is extremely beneficial for educational and business purposes. Samsung, Acer and Dell have their chromebooks, and they come at a much lower price than that of Google.

There is no news about the display size, the apps it will be equipped with and or any other details regarding the Chromebook Pixel 2. Considering it’s an upgrade, we can expect it to be priced slightly higher that the original Chromebook Pixel, which costs $1,299.

February 24, 2015
Apple’s New $1.9 Billion European Data Centers Will Run Completely on Renewable Energy

Data centers are the bedrock of the smart device revolution. They take care of all the background processes that let us connect with the world using the various apps and service. As the usage base of services keeps increasing, companies have to constantly increase the size and volume of their data centers. These are some heavy energy consuming establishments. Apple is doing its part for the environment by investing 1.7 billion euros ($1.9 billion) to build a data center that runs on 100 percent renewable energy.

Apple will be establishing two data centers; one is Ireland and the other in Denmark. These centers will take on the traffic from their various services such as iTunes Store, App Store, iMessage, Maps and Siri for customers in Europe. Apple claims that this is their biggest project in Europe and will lead to the creation of hundreds of new jobs.

In Ireland, the town of Athenry, near Galway has been chosen as the site for the data center. The government of Ireland has said that the project will add close to 300 jobs in the country. It is certainly good news for the country where the unemployment rate stands at 10.50 percent of the population.

On the other hand, in Denmark, the City of Viborg in the western part of the country will house the second data centers. The massive investment from the American tech giant was welcomed by the government of Denmark.

The investment will be split evenly between the two sites. Apple’s dedication to renewable energy would get it support from the environmentalists who have long criticized massive tech corporations for utilizing coal-based power.

February 23, 2015
Switching From Android to iOS? This iGyaan Guide Will Help You Out
Switching phones with different operating system is easy, but transferring data between the two can be a task. If you are an Android user and are planning to switch to iOS, then you might be concerned about your contacts, music, calendar, photos and videos. This guide will assist you in making a smoother and effortless shift between the two ecosystems.

The first rule of safe data transfer is backing your device. This way, even if you are stuck at any step, you will have the data with you. Once all your data is backed up, follow the directions below and get started:

Shift Contacts, Mail and Calendar

One of the easy and quick methods to transfer contacts, emails, and calendar to the iOS is by syncing your Gmail account. Go for the below-mentioned steps on your Android:
- Go to Settings > Accounts > Google
- Click on your Gmail account and tap on Sync Gmail, Sync Calendar and Sync Contacts
- This will sync your selected information to your Gmail account. Now open your iPhone and perform the following steps:
- Choose Settings > Mail, Contacts, Calendars and add your Gmail account
- Enable all the options like Mail, Contacts, Calendar and Notes if you wish.
Transfer Photos and Videos

If you don’t wish to lose the pictures and videos on your Android, then Copy My Data or PhotoSync would be the best option to go for. Perform the below-mentioned method to transfer photos, as well as videos:
- Download and install PhotoSync (or Copy My Data) on both iOS and Android.
- Open PhotoSync on Android and make a selection of the pictures
- Tap on the minuscule, Refresh-like red button on the top and select Phone in the next window that will appear
- Tap on the iPhone name in the other window or type in IP address in case it doesn’t appear automatically
- The transfer will begin.
Transfer Music

Music transfer from Android to iOS conveniently through iTunes. Read and replicate the steps below:
- Plug in the Android device to a computer and copy your collection to it
- Install iTunes and go to Library > Music > File > Add Folder to Library.
- Copy all audio files you want to have on your device
- Now without closing the iTunes, attach your iPhone to the computer
- Click Sync on the dialogue box that appears on attaching the iPhone
All your songs will now appear on your iOS device.

Transfer Messages

There are moments your messages carry important information and losing them is no option. Well, this means that you have to shift your messages to the new iOS device. Message transfer is a stressful task, but we have figured out the easiest way for you.
- Download the Phone Transfer app on your computer
- Connect both Android and iOS via USB to the PC.
- A window will appear with Android device on left and iOS on the right. Flip the two if it’s not the case as the destination phone has to be on right.
- Click on Text messages and deselect the rest and press Start Copy
You can now read the transferred messages on the iOS devices.

If you want to know how to transfer data from an iOS device to your Android device, then follow this easy guide.
February 23, 2015
Lenovo Faces Lawsuit Over Pre-Installed Adware

A class-action lawsuit has been filed against Lenovo and Superfish, charging both companies with ‘fraudulent’ business practices. The Chinese manufacturer has confessed that they pre-loaded the Superfish adware as enraged customers have now dragged the company to court demanding an explanation. The adware gives itself total control to take over connections and declare them as trusted and secure, even when they are not secure.

The company now faces court after they admitted to installing Superfish on some of their PCs. Affected laptops include non-ThinkPad models such as G Series, U Series, Y Series, Z Series, S Series, Flex, Miix, Yoga and E Series.

Though, Lenovo has finally rectified the situation by releasing a tool to remove the pre-installed adware, however many feel the company could’ve handled the situation better by responding far earlier than they did. Microsoft and McAfee came to rescue Lenovo out of the mess it created.

[quote text_size=”small” author=”Lenovo”]

We are working with McAfee and Microsoft to have the Superfish software and certificate quarantined or removed using their industry-leading tools and technologies. This action has already started and will automatically fix the vulnerability even for users who are not currently aware of the problem.

[/quote]

Lenovo’s slack attitude towards this situation could pose as a major setback to the company’s reputation and trust; affecting future sales. Meanwhile, the lawsuit has been filed in the U.S District Court for the Southern District of California. Lenovo officials have declined to make any official statements.

February 23, 2015