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Check Out Microsoft’s New Browser ‘Project Spartan’

Anyone who has been a fan of Windows, has also made fun of Internet Explorer. With the rise of new and lighter internet browsers like Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer lost the race miserably. The main reason was the heavy size of the browser and its inability to catch up with the latest trends such as extension support, tools and much more.

However, with an exciting new announcement at yesterday’s event, Microsoft has taken its first step to change all that. At the Windows 10 event, Microsoft announced the much-talked about browser app which is codenamed Project Spartan. Microsoft’s new browsing app is a clean browser with a lot of shiny new features and convenient integrations with other Microsoft services.

There’s a “note-taking mode” that lets you draw over the pages with a stylus or add comments with a keyboard, then save the results on OneNote. So picture this, while you’re browsing through a webpage, you spot an important sentence; you can use this tool to highlight the section and then share it further.

A clean “reading mode” formats a page like a book and adds a syncable reading.

Note Taking Mode

But these are not the major features of the new browser app. Just like everything else Microsoft announced yesterday, Spartan has Cortana built into it. Microsoft has taken a big leap with Cortana for Windows 10. Considering that the company joined the race much later than rivals Apple and Google, it’s good to see that Cortana has been deeply integrated in the company’s offering.

With a slew of interesting new features, Spartan seem like a great replacement for the Internet Explorer. It promises to be a simple, fast and smart browser that efficiently ditches Internet Explorer’s dismissal brand image.

January 22, 2015
Desktop Version of WhatsApp is Now a Reality

There are rumours and then there are premeditated rumours. WhatApp’s web version was the second one. We have been hearing about the web client of the the popular messaging app for a long time now. Yesterday, the company officially announced a web app that will turn your Google Chrome browser into a WhatsApp window.

It is a web app not a native client for your desktop, that means you need to be connected to the internet on your phone for the web app to work. It basically mirrors the app on your phone onto the web site. To use it, you need log onto the WhatsApp web page, scan a QR code with the WhatsApp mobile app, then get to typing your messages from there.

This is necessary, presumably, because WhatsApp uses your phone number and SMS verifications rather than usernames/passwords. This currently works on Android, Windows Phone, and BlackBerry, but not on iOS.

One of the main limitations of the app is its dependence on the mobile network, so if your phone dies because of the low battery, the web client won’t work either. However, it is just a start, we expect the company to add more feature and support for other browsers as well as iOS in coming months.

We tried to connect our Android device with the web client, but it seems the update hasn’t reached the Indian shores yet.

January 22, 2015
Microsoft Holo Lens will bring Holographs to Life on PC

Microsoft is banking big on its new piece of technology which will bring holographic imagery to the end consumer.

Holo Lens is a mere headset which when connected with any PC running Windows 10 will merge and blur the lines between the digital and the physical. The kit will come complete with a set of APIs that enable developers to create holographic experiences in the real world.

With Windows 10, holograms are Windows universal apps and Windows universal apps can work as holograms, making it possible to place three-dimensional holograms in the world around you to communicate, create and explore in a manner that is far more personal and human.

The Holo Lens is wireless and will project the holograms in high definition and allow for a surround sound audio experience. Built directly into the hardware is a dedicated Holographic Processing Unit “HPU” ensuring a smooth transition between the software to the virtual world.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aThCr0PsyuA

January 22, 2015
Windows 10 is a Free Upgrade for Existing Windows 7 and 8.1 Users

Microsoft has basically followed in Apple’s path, and made Windows 10 a free update for their existing consumers. There are limitations and this will only be applicable for the first year, which does not seem to be much of an excuse for complaining.

To explain it further Microsoft states :

This is more than a one-time upgrade: once a Windows device is upgraded to Windows 10, we will continue to keep it current for the supported lifetime of the device – at no additional charge. With Windows 10, the experience will evolve and get even better over time. We’ll deliver new features when they’re ready, not waiting for the next major release. We think of Windows as a Service – in fact, one could reasonably think of Windows in the next couple of years as one of the largest Internet services on the planet.

Enterprise customers are not left behind and continue to get the same service and support as previous paid “enterprise” versions.

More Here..

January 22, 2015
Microsoft Windows 10 Official Makes Apps Universal

Microsoft has taken the curtain off the next version of the largest used OS aka Windows and just like rumors suggested they skipped the 9. The next version of Windows aka Windows 10.

Microsoft has followed in the lines of Apple and mostly Mobile methods by making an upgrade to Windows 10 free for all Windows 7, Windows 8.1 and Windows Phone 8.1 users. Calling Windows mostly a service and not a product.

The biggest news that fits into the picture is the seamless integration with Apps across hardware segments, Microsoft has been gunning for this and with Windows 10 it may have become more of a reality.

Now coders will have to make one app which will work across platforms including mobile, tablet and PC.

The new version of Windows will also come with voice assistant “Cortana”. The center of the Cortana experience is housed in the “Notebook”, which should be familiar with those on Windows Phone. Opening this Notebook will show you just what she knows about you.

You can do voice search as well as voice to text typing, which will be a much appreciated add-on.

With previous version of Windows leaving everyone complaining, Microsoft execs are pretty much sure that they have rebuilt their OS from the ground up, and unlike Windows 8 it is not a hasty decision or rollout.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teoZk3QEc40

Along with Windows 10 Joe Belfiore demonstrated new versions of Powerpoint and Outlook for a better productivity experience.

January 22, 2015
Sony Brings Out High Performance Headphones and an Audio Amplifier in India

Audio has always been Sony’s strong suit. They are, of course, the creators of the legendary Walkmans that changed the way we listened to music. When the mobile phone era came about, then Sony brought that experience in their line of multimedia phones which sold like hot cakes. Lately the company hasn’t had a good time on the business side of things, but it hasn’t stopped them from bringing new products to the market. Now the company has brought two new products to India that it claims will deliver the best possible audio output.

MDR Z7

First of the new launches is the MDR-Z7 headphones. Sony has installed newly developed 70 mm drivers in these headphones. Sony claims that MDR-Z7 has special silver-coated OFC (Oxygen Free Copper) cable that reduces signal transmission loss. It is said to be capable of critical high frequencies that are “faithfully reproduced right up to 100 kHz”. Sony claims it can recreate studio quality sound.

The second device from the company is the PHA-3 high-resolution sound amplifier. This device takes in audio input from any source and enhances its quality. The PHA-3 can be connected to your smartphone, Walkman, or PC with a USB cable, and digital signals are directly sent to the portable headphone amp. It has a dedicated power source that supplies power lavishly without consuming the smartphone’s battery.

PHA-3

When put together, Sony claims that the two products, establish a unique balanced connection circuit in which the left and right channel signals are transmitted separately to MDR-Z7. This results in minimal cross talk and crystal clear sound.

These are professional grade products and are priced accordingly. The MDR-Z7 headphones are priced at Rs. 41,990 while the PHA-3 audio amplifier has a price tag of Rs. 74,990.

January 21, 2015
Chrome Extension Streamus Adds a Super Convenient Music Player to Your Browser

Late last year, YouTube launched its highly anticipated music service YouTube Music Key. Unfortunately, not everyone had access to it as the service was invite-based. The ad-free service was available to selected users at the cost of $7.99 per month. Other options trim down to inconvenient apps that require you to sign in to websites or don’t allow background listening. However, there will be no longer a need for any of them.

Streamus, a Chrome extension, is a new music service that simply uses YouTube content and plays it through a convenient music player. The extension sits on the top right corner of the address bar and pops up when chosen. It is very simple, and cuts off the need to visit YouTube to search for music.

You can also make a playlist, hear your favourite tracks, and can share the same with your friends via a URL. There is also an option of radio from where you can listen to the national and international stations. All in all, it’s an amazing player to get a quick access of your favourite tracks.

January 21, 2015
Revenge of the Fallen : Nokia Expected to Make a Comeback in 2015

Nokia has been missing in the manufacturing game lately because it has been in Microsoft’s shackles for some time. Nokia’s Devices and Services business were sold to Microsoft which was deemed as Noika’s end. But that wasn’t the case.

Nokia N1

Nokia surprised us with the announcement of its tablet last year, the Nokia N1. As per the Microsoft contract, the Finnish company is not allowed to manufacture smart devices until 2016. However, the company found a loop hole in the contract and hired Foxconn to manufacture. The Nokia N1 tablet was launched in China which has been successful till now with two batches of the devices already sold out.

The company sold out everything they had, twice in China; the third batch is set to arrive soon. The company is taking baby steps to get grip of their market, with China as their main market. Till now, we have seen only one device from the revived company but it is said that Nokia is working on other smart devices as well.

Nokia C1 had been major news in past with handful of leaks suggesting it to be real. Recently, another Nokia-branded product has been leaked via images. Even though there are no specifications and other hardware details leaked, the leak suggested this laptop will launch along side Nokia C1, sometime this year.

The leaked image shows the alleged Nokia Laptop along with Nokia C1 smartphone and N1 tablet. The Nokia N1 also saw some similar leaks before it was officially launched.

Watch our exclusive video on Nokia below.

January 21, 2015
Dropbox to Soon Drop Support for Macs Running OS X 10.5 or Older Versions

Upgrade your iMac’s to OS X 10.6 or above, or Dropbox will not work on your system. This statement has come from Dropbox itself who has notified users of older versions through an email that their services will be discontinued on the systems running OS X 10.5 and below. The support for the older version will be taken back starting 18th May.

The service provider says that if users, after the decided date, still run their Macs on Leopard or earlier OS X versions, user will be signed out of the Mac app automatically. Although, the Dropbox service will continue to work. The person would not be able to sign in again till he/she gets a newer version of the OS X.

The company assured the users that even if they don’t update, their photos, videos and other files are safe with them. The same can be accessed through the official Dropbox website.

One of the users using older OS X version stated the issue on the Dropbox Forum page –

We noticed that you’re running the Dropbox desktop application (client) on an older operating system (OS X Tiger 10.4 or OS X Leopard 10.5). We’re writing to let you know that as of May 18th, Dropbox will no longer support these older versions of OS X.

Meanwhile, the app developers have given enough time to get the systems upgraded as the changes will come into effect on 18^thMay.

January 21, 2015
Netflix Plans to Expand Worldwide in the Next Two Years

America, Europe, US and few more have privileges to access certain web content, while other nations face geoblocking. Willing viewers have to use Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) to stream their favourite programs. But Netflix has some interesting plans that will stop the need of VPNs; without permanently blocking the services to these sites.

The video-streaming giant Netflix recently made an announcement according to which TV shows and films will be available to the audience worldwide. That means people of all nations would be able to watch TV shows right at the time of their broadcast. NetFlix said that it was planning for expansion that will cover whole of the globe. This development will be complete within two years.

Meanwhile, the company said that its terms are the same. It can restrict access to users who use VPN to fetch content where they don’t have the right. From the statement, it is clear that Netflix wants to make the web content wide-reaching and break the geoblocking barriers. Netflix CEO and Co-Founder Reed Hastings said that their main goal for now is providing global content.

[We] had the vision to start to figure out how to get global rights for some of the content by moving up the food chain. And we have been pushing on that dimension, where we can get the global rights and we don’t have to go country by country across 200 countries, but instead can provide the producer upfront money, guaranteed money, and get great access.

According to the Chief Content Officer, Ted Sarandos, studios would be interested in this deal and from this, their operations would streamline. To increase the viewership, Netflix is in preparation to telecast 320 hours of completely original content this year. Meanwhile, HBO is also launching its stand-alone streaming service.

This move by Netflix will be welcomed by the countries as the viewership of their shows is immense worldwide.

January 21, 2015
Amazon Offers Gift Coupons Instead of Refunds for the Yureka Price Glitch

The much-awaited Yu Yureka went on sale but not without some issues. The folks at YU claimed to have sold 10,000 devices in 3 seconds, but some users reported that the company only sold around 3,000 devices. Then a technical glitch at Amazon led to some users getting a price of Rs.12,499 instead of the original price of Rs.8,999. Amazon said that it will compensate for the heightened prices. But the compensation, which was given in the form of Amazon gift certificates, has enraged the buyers.

A screenshot of an email received by an Facebook user from Amazon has been doing rounds on social media. It shows the company offering a gift certificate instead of a refund. The gift certificate is said to work across all Amazon services like Kindle eBooks and apps. It seems Amazon doesn’t realize yet that when Indians say they want their money back, they mean they need their ‘money back’. A gift certificate or store credit is just not an option.

Amazon shouldn’t have a lot of issue in refunding back the money. As the monetary transaction was done digitally it, would have been rather easy for the company to return it back to the original account.

It’s not sure as of yet as to how many customers were affected by the glitch and both Yu and Amazon have not commented on it. The phone itself has received some favorable reviews but the glitches in sale can hamper its prospects. A second sale for the Yu Yureka will take place tomorrow, the 22nd of January at 2PM. Hopefully, Amazon is ready to take on the task this time around.

January 21, 2015
Tizen-Powered Samsung Z1 Gets a Poor Response from the Indian Market

Samsung’s latest offering, the Tizen-powered Z1, was meant to be a ray of sunlight for the South Korean-based firm. The company expected to gain a foothold in the market by reaching maximum number of customers, subsequently boosting its declining market value. But things didn’t go as planned.

After its release on 14^th January, Samsung Z1 gained many responses, but almost all negative. The phone reviewers, as well as consumers, criticised its camera resolution and the dearth of applications for the device.

Samsung Z1 packs an ordinary set of specs, but what makes it stand out from the other available choices is the Samsung’s own operating system,Tizen, that has been developed to compete with Google’s Android.

For now, Tizen has a long way to go before it can battle with the already established contenders. The lack of apps turns out to be the biggest disappointment of the Tizen-powered smartphone.

Customers responded that it’s not the cheap smartphones they look for, but its the specifications that make the device. The South Korean electronics producer put its point forward saying that the Z1’s exclusive benefits are its simple interface, long battery life and faster page-loading speeds, which are all thanks to Tizen.

If Samsung puts an effort to expand its Tizen-based smartphone line-up beyond televisions and watches, they will get in touch with that segment of the Indian market which is still not accessible to smartphones. Meanwhile, the company hasn’t stated its plan to launch the Z1 in other countries. It says that its only focus, as of now, is India.

January 21, 2015
Google to Shut Down the Google Maps Engine

Google Maps Engine is a tool that lets developers create their own maps on top of Google provided maps. The service now faces a shutdown as the engine is supposedly slowing down. Google Maps will remain functional, but the service to create customized maps will be pulled off.

ZDNet reports that the search giant will end the service in the coming year after which users won’t be able to sign into the service. A rival map maker CartoDB is said to be replacing the service.

Google has confirmed the shutdown and said that they will support the clients who use the Maps for Work product by Google through their contract period. Maps for Work gave enterprises and businesses the power to visualize their business on the map and attract more customers using the various features. There aren’t any reasons cited for the shutdown.

CartoDB hopes to be the replacement of this Google Maps engine and is expected to run on the Google Cloud Platform. It can also be engaged with Google sign-in accounts.

These are some of the moments when big corporations have to do the unfavorable thing. The company had given immense tools in the hands of the people in the form of the Maps Engine. The sting of shutdown will be felt by businesses as well as by Google.

January 21, 2015
Using WhatsApp Plus Might Cost You a Temporary Ban from WhatsApp

Every now and then, you see a pop up notification warning you not to use apps from outside the Play Store; when you side-load apps you open yourself up to all sorts of malware.

WhastApp Plus is an unofficial app which uses WhatsApp’s name and server to get downloads without the company’s permission. There have been various rumors that the company is actually buying the unofficial app because of its popularity. However, WhatsApp has recently cleared the air by initiating a 24-hour ban on users of WhatsApp Plus.

WhatsApp, via FAQ section of it’s website, explained the situation and how the Plus version of messaging service has been running in bad faith.

WhatsApp Plus is an application that was not developed by WhatsApp, nor is it authorized by WhatsApp. The developers of WhatsApp Plus have no relationship to WhatsApp, and we do not support WhatsApp Plus. Please be aware that WhatsApp Plus contains source code which WhatsApp cannot guarantee as safe and that your private information is potentially being passed to 3rd parties without your knowledge or authorization.

Please uninstall your application and install an authorized version of WhatsApp from our website or Google Play. Then, you will be able to use WhatsApp.

The company cleared that the WhatsApp Plus was using its server and that it has banned the unofficial version completely. If you are banned, you have to uninstall the Plus version and have to reacquaint yourself with WhatsApp’s official app from their website or Play Store.

January 21, 2015
Google Partners With Elon to Make Space-Based Internet a Reality

Just a few days back, SpaceX chief, Elon Musk was in the news again when he talked about his audacious plan to connect the world through space-based internet. He said that this would not just benefit the internet users around the world; it will also help connect those last 3 Billion people who still don’t have access to the internet. The plan as anyone can expect would be expensive, but seems like Elon may now have a partner with one of the deepest pockets in the business; the search giant Google.

Elon has stated that the cost of setting up the constellation of satellites would be above $10 Billion. He claims that this system of providing internet would be speedier and more convenient to spread around. The satellites are expected to be connected through a laser based system as Elon doesn’t have rights to use radio waves.

Google will be investing $1Billion in Satellite Internet initiative of SpaceX

According to the Wall Street Journal, Google is interested in investing $1 Billion into the project to kick off the initial stages of the development of the constellation. This deal would be beneficial for Google too as the internet behemoth would find a massive new user base. Google has been known for investmenting in multiple areas to spread the reach of the internet around the world. Previously the company has invested in Project Loon that is an initiative to provide internet through giant helium balloons circling the globe that are equipped to beam Wi-Fi signals down below. Along with that the company was also planning a massive investment in undersea cables to bring 60 Tbps Internet connectivity for Asia.

The main competition to the SpaceX initiative is Greg Wyler’s OneWeb project backed by Qualcomm and Virgin .

Google was also working with Greg Wyler whose project is almost similar to SpaceX’s plan. Greg left Google last year to form his own satellite company called OneWeb. The company is now backed by Virgin founder Richard Branson and chip maker Qualcomm. Richard had earlier said that Elon doesn’t have the spectrum license, and there isn’t a space for a competing company, so SpaceX should join OneWeb’s initiative. But it seems now that with Google’s blessings on their side, SpaceX can make their plans, a reality. It will also be interesting to see how the company manages to provide the service without access to radio waves. Get ready for some big corporate fights on this issue.

For Google, the initiative, to bring the internet through satellites, will also be cheaper than laying those expensive submarine cables. And the rest of humanity will benefit from the access to the internet. This sounds like a win-win for all. The icing on the cake is Elon’s hopes of setting up a human station on Mars from the revenue of the satellite based internet.

January 21, 2015