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  • Winner | Best In-Ear Earphones | iGyaan Tech Awards 2014

    Winner | Best In-Ear Earphones | iGyaan Tech Awards 2014

    When it comes to headphones, some people prefer the in-ear earphones as opposed to the overhead ones. However, even for these comfort, sound quality, design and affordability are the most important factors.

    Voting is now Closed! The Winner for the Best In-Ear Earphones in the iGyaan Tech Awards 2014 is Sennheiser CX 300.

    The winner of the giveaway is announced HERE.

     

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  • Winner | Best Mid Range Headphones | iGyaan Tech Awards 2014

    Winner | Best Mid Range Headphones | iGyaan Tech Awards 2014

    For those who love their music but cannot cough up the cash, we have compiled a list of the most stylish, affordable headphones with brilliant sound quality which are comfortable to wear, within the Rs. 30,000 range.

    Voting is now Closed! The Winner for the Best Mid Range Headphones in the iGyaan Tech Awards 2014 is Sony MDR 7506.

    The winner of the giveaway is announced HERE.

     

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  • Winner | Best Premium Headphones | iGyaan Tech Awards 2014

    Winner | Best Premium Headphones | iGyaan Tech Awards 2014

    There’s no better way to spend the wettest winter and sludgiest monsoon than by blocking out the droning traffic and noise left over in the wake of the festive season and listening to some amazing tracks. The perfect match of headphones should give brilliant acoustics along with base (preferably noise cancellation), should be stylish looking and comfortable to wear.

    Voting is now Closed! The Winner for the Best Premium Headphones in the iGyaan Tech Awards 2014 is Senheiser HD 800.

    The winner of the giveaway is announced HERE.

     

     

     

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  • Winner | Best Portable Speakers | iGyaan Tech Awards 2014

    Winner | Best Portable Speakers | iGyaan Tech Awards 2014

    The market for Bluetooth speakers has exploded in the past few years, and with good reason: quality has increased and prices have dropped. The best portable speakers should have a good design which is lightweight and suitable for travel. It should have a great audio quality and all in an affordable package.

    Voting is now Closed! The Winner for the Best Portable Speakers in the iGyaan Tech Awards 2014 is Bose Soundlink iii.

    The winner of the giveaway is announced HERE.

     

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  • Winner | Best Smartwatch | iGyaan Tech Awards 2014

    Winner | Best Smartwatch | iGyaan Tech Awards 2014

    Wearables still aren’t quite mainstream products, but smartwatches have grown in popularity, not to mention quality. The best handy device delivers notifications on your wrist so you can see who’s calling or texting without constantly whipping out your phone. A good smartwatch also allows you to control your music and keep tabs on your workouts.

     

    Voting is now Closed! The Winner for the Best Smartwatch in the iGyaan Tech Awards 2014 is Moto 360.

    The winner of the giveaway is announced HERE.

     

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  • Winner | Best Fitness Tracker | iGyaan Tech Awards 2014

    Winner | Best Fitness Tracker | iGyaan Tech Awards 2014

    Determined to lose weight and stay fit? With a host of new fitness trackers there’s never been a better time to shape up. The best one’s can track your movement, calories burned and sleep patterns. Others monitor heart rate, are stylish to look at and fit perfectly into your lifestyle.

    Voting is now Closed! The Winner for the Best Fitness Tracker in the iGyaan Tech Awards 2014 is Samsung Gear Fit.

    The winner of the giveaway is announced HERE.

     

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  • Winner | Best Power Bank | iGyaan Tech Awards 2014

    Winner | Best Power Bank | iGyaan Tech Awards 2014

    Who has the time to charge their smartphone today? That’s exactly the reason why we have power juicers. A good power bank should be portable, light weight, capable of charging your device quickly and should be rugged and sleek looking.

    Voting is now Closed! The Winner for the Best Power Bank in the iGyaan Tech Awards 2014 is Xiaomi Mi Powerbank.

    The winner of the giveaway is announced HERE.

     

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  • Winner | Best Affordable Phone | iGyaan Tech Awards 2014

    Winner | Best Affordable Phone | iGyaan Tech Awards 2014

    Looking for an amazing smartphone with the best features within the price range of 10,000 and 20,000? This smartphone packs more than modest specifications and latest features all within an affordable budget.

    Voting is now Closed! The Winner for the Best Affordable Phone in the iGyaan Tech Awards 2014 is Xiaomi Mi 3.

    The winner of the giveaway is announced HERE.

     

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  • Sony Cyber Attack : Timeline of Events Leading Up to ‘The Interview’ Release

    Sony Cyber Attack : Timeline of Events Leading Up to ‘The Interview’ Release

    Seth Rogen and James Franco’s new comedy about the assassination of Kim Jong-un was the most prominent piece of geopolitical news of the past month. A group of hackers had wreaked havoc on Sony Pictures; they threatened a 9/11 style attack if the movie was allowed to release. Heeding to concerns raised by several theatre chains, the company said that it won’t object if the chains choose not to screen the movie. That move brought in comments from all sides of the spectrum, from severe criticism for being anti-free speech to support for ensuring the safety of moviegoers. After many hassles, Sony has finally released the movie on multiple platforms.

    We trace out the bizarre course of events that finally led to the film’s release.

    The Interview shows two American Journalists assassinating North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
    The Interview shows two American journalists assassinating North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

    On June 11: the first trailer of The Interview releases online. Following this, on June 25, North Korea issues a tough response to the trailer calling it “an act of war” and said there will be a “merciless response”, if the movie was allowed to release.

    November 24: the employees of Sony Pictures, across the country, received a shock in the morning when they saw all their computers were compromised. There was just one message on the screen that said that the system was hacked by Guardians of Peace or #GOP. They said they have taken all the data hostage and would release it if their demands were not met; it wasn’t sure at the time what the demands were. They claimed to have stolen up to 100 terabytes of data. Sony calls it an IT issue and says the company is looking into it.

    A week after the attack, the first wave of release started to show up. The hackers release four movies online before the release dates. These films soon found their way on torrent sites. Soon after this, hackers released the salaries and social security details of former and current employees.

    Coming to the start of December, the story takes a nasty turn when the hackers start releasing stolen emails. It takes a teenage gossip mode when details of various conversations between Sony executives and others start leaking out. The leak that Sony Pictures Chief Amy Pascal called Angelina Jolie “a spoilt brat” lead to an awkward moment when they met. Amy’s emails also saw racially tainted discussion about the American president.

    There were awkward moments between Stars and Sony since revelations leaked by the hackers
    There were awkward moments between Stars and Sony following the revelations by the hackers

    December 4: We get news that North Korea might be one of the suspects in the case. The hermit kingdom denies any involvement. But its involvement seems to get more evident when the hackers call for a stop on the release of The Interview, calling it a movie of terrorism. This further strengthened the idea of North Korea’s involvement.

    December 6: The incident starts taking the shape of terrorism when multiple employees of Sony Pictures start receiving threatening emails. Some days later the hackers comment saying that they are about to offer a Christmas gift for the people, which consists of more leaked data.

    The hackers leaked scripts and details of future movies including the next James bond movie.
    The hackers leaked scripts and details of future movies including the next James bond movie.

    December 15: The frustration starts to grow in the entertainment industry against the leak. This follows the release of the draft of the new James Bond Movie ‘Spectre’. Academy Award winning writer Aaron Sorkin scolds the media in an op-ed in the New York Times for reporting using stolen data. Brad Pitt also joins to condemn the media calling it an assault on privacy and comments saying that they are profiting by colluding with terrorists.

    December 16: the most inflammatory threat comes from the group. They threaten a 9/11-style attack on cinemagoers if The Interview is allowed to release; this spooks a lot of cinema chains in the country. Sony also gets slapped with a class action suit by former employees who blame the company for not being vigilant with their data.

    December 17: Other studios start claiming that the GOP attack and subsequent threats might deter other moviegoers from coming to the theatre thereby dampening the profit making holiday season for everyone.

    [quote text_size=”small” author=”Barack Obama” author_title=”President, United States of America”]

    We cannot have a society in which some dictator someplace can start imposing censorship in the United States.

    [/quote]

    December 18: The Federal Bureau of Investigation says that it is ready to link North Korea with the attack. Sony finally pulls the plug on The Interview, which also leads Seth Rogen and James Franco to cancel further promotional events for the movie. Sony also cancels DVD and VOD of the movie. This results in widespread criticism of the company, many saying that it has bowed down to terrorists subsequently encouraging them and defeating the bedrock of democracy.

    December 19: US authority officially links North Korea with the attack. President Obama says Sony “made a mistake” in pulling back the movie saying, “We will respond proportionately and in a space, time and manner that we choose.” He also added, “We cannot have a society in which some dictator someplace can start imposing censorship in the United States.”

    December 24: Google and Microsoft get in talks with Sony to release the movie on their platform. Independent theatre owners too join in the release, but the big chains still stay a safe distance away.

    December 25: The movie is released on Google Play and YouTube movies. Seth Rogen tweets saying “…Freedom has prevailed!…” As soon as the movie hits the internet ,it is on the torrent sites and is downloaded massively. But the reviews for the movie are mixed.  

    It is a bit unsettling though that one of the biggest movie studios in the world was brought to its knees after this attack. It has been said that the company would need millions of dollars and may take years to recover from this attack. One thing is true though that this was an act of terror and if Sony did back down, as it was planning to, it could have set a precedent for other criminals to follow. It took the reassurance of the President of the United States to get the movie out to the public.

    This incident has forced other major institutions to strengthen the security of their digital infrastructure. This hack has shown that in our present world, information is power, and your own data can be used against you. The technology sector should now put more focus on prevention of cyber-attacks and there is a need for training more professionals in cyber security. It’s time for the nerds to lead the war.

  • Revisiting 2014 : Top 10 Social Media Highlights of the Year

    Revisiting 2014 : Top 10 Social Media Highlights of the Year

    Well, it was quite a year for social media. People posted close to 500 million tweets per day, Ellen clicked a selfie, Queen of England photobombed a stranger and Kim Kardashian attempted to break the internet. Needless to say, a lot went down this year.

    We are listing top 10 social media highlights of the year 2014.

    1. Ellen’s Oscar Selfie

    This picture was taken by actor Bradley Cooper and featured some of the world’s most recognised faces. The selfie clicked during this year’s Academy Awards included Meryl Streep, Jennifer Lawrence, Brad Pitt and Kevin Spacey. It was retweeted on Twitter more than 2 million times by the time the ceremony was over, causing the microblogging website to briefly collapse.

    2. Yo!

    yo-app

    This app’s sole function was to send the user’s friends the word ‘yo’ as a text and audio notification. Since its release, Yo has been downloaded over 3 million times and has over 100 million Yo’s sent in one day. The app had managed to reached number 3 spot on the iOS App Store, but has been dropping ranks since. Yo went viral within days, causing the app to crash a number of times. Critics have shunned it as nonsensical, however, some say its simplicity is what made it super popular. 

    3. WhatsApp Blue Ticks Cause a Frenzy

    WhatsApp2

    Few months back, WhatsApp added an unnecessary feature in the form of blue check marks. These indicated that the recipient had read the message. Earlier, in the interest of privacy, WhatsApp added the choice to conceal the ‘last seen’ notification that informs the other party when that person was last available on the messaging platform. Same happened with the new ‘blue tick’ feature. The instant messaging app quickly did some damage-control and added the option to hide ‘Read Receipts’ feature.

    4. Stranger Kissing

    First kisses are awkward. And scary. And uncomfortable. And if you’re lucky, it can be romantic enough to make your knees wobble. Los Angeles-based filmmaker Tatia Pilieva, along with Wren Studio, created a short video by asking 20 strangers to kiss for the first time on camera. The result was a candid look at love, romance and chemistry. The sexy advert inspired plenty of parodies.

    5. #AlexfromTarget

     


    An Internet meme of a young Target employee bagging items took the Web by storm. He became a viral sensation after thousands of teens tweeted a photo of him working at Target. A photo of the handsome young man, which appears to have been taken without his consent, exploded on Twitter, prompting various publications from BuzzFeed to Washington Post to cover the Internet’s latest obsession.

    6. Kim Kimkardashian’s Attempt to Break the Internet

    Paper magazine’s winter issue, with the cover shot of Kim Kardashian by Jean-Paul Goude, set out to #BreakTheInternet.  She didn’t succeed, but she did have everyone talking about the revealing shoot.

    7. CIA Joins Twitter

    The Central Intelligence Agency made its Twitter debut on 6th June with this cheeky tweet. Their first tweet was shared more than 50,000 times in its first hour.

    8. Mutant Spider Dog

    This ‘spider dog’ is actually just a cute little pup dressed in a spider costume. But try telling that to the poor victim of this terrifying prank. This Polish prank video starring a “mutant giant spider-dog” was the top trending video this year, according to YouTube, which uses its own methodology blending views, comments, shares and other activity to come up with its annual rundown.

    9. PewDiePie – King of Youtube

    PewDiePie, a 25-year-old Swedish called Felix Kjellberg whose channel is the most viewed on YouTube (with 32 million subscribers, and 4.6 million Twitter followers,) rose to prominence by commenting on video games as he plays them. He appeared on the TV show South Park this year, while a June article in the Wall Street Journal suggested he was making $4 million a year from the adverts attached to his videos. He is also said to be very influential, his videos about the Skate 3 game saw the 2010 title rise back into the top 20.

    10. Kim Kardashian and Kanye West  Wedding Picture

      ????   ???? ???????????? Kim Kardashian West (@kimkardashian)

    Kim Kardashian and Kanye West’s wedding photo made Instagram history by attracting 2.4 million likes – the most ever received by the social media platform. Kim Kardashian, who has 22 million followers on the social networking site, posted the photo of herself kissing new husband Kanye West in front of their wall of flowers back in May. She captioned it with a simple diamond ring emoji.

  • Airtel Violates Net Neutrality; Will Now Charge Extra for Free Call and Chat Services

    Airtel Violates Net Neutrality; Will Now Charge Extra for Free Call and Chat Services

    We have heard the term Net Neutrality a lot this year, mostly in the context of the politically charged conversation that is happening in Washington. Net Neutrality is a bedrock principle of the internet. It says that internet providers cannot pick and choose between different internet offerings. For e.g., internet providers cannot charge extra for YouTube or Skype or any other individual website or service. All websites must get equal speeds, and no service can be charged extra. Internet providers are actively trying to dismantle this principle to boost their revenues further. In India, Airtel has drawn the first blood and has introduced extra charges for Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP).

    Bharti Airtel has brought out the new rates a day after Christmas when it thought no one would notice. The new rates almost feel like the company is holding you upside down and shaking down every last penny you got in your pocket.

    This is the official quote from Airtel’s terms and conditions page:

    [quote text_size=”small”]

    All Internet/data packs or plans (through which customer can avail discounted rate) shall only be valid for Internet browsing and will exclude VoIP (Both Incoming/ Outgoing). VoIP over data connectivity would be charged at standard data rates of 4p / 10 KB (3G service) and 10p / 10 KB (2G service).

    [/quote]

    Here are the new rates:

    Features of VOIP services like Skype, Viber and other free apps Before Now
    Audio Rs. 0.00 Rs. 1.8 – Rs. 3.98 per minute
    Video Rs. 0.00 Rs. 22.50 per minute
    HD-Video Rs. 0.00 Rs. 135 per minute

    Telephony and Internet service providers have seen a dip in their earnings since the advent of app-based messaging and calling services. Services like WhatsApp have brought down SMS usage, and Skype and Viber like services have affected call based revenues for the companies. This has led to expensive internet data packs which have also resulted in protests in the past. The mobile market in India has become monopolistic as the rates have become stagnant across all service providers. There aren’t a lot of choices left for the consumers. But this move by Airtel is a major assault on the freedom of the internet and can lead to even more attacks on net neutrality if not protested right now. The company has made video chatting service more expensive than ISD calling.

    In the information age, internet has become an essential utility, and every day is becoming more intertwined with our lives. We now use it for paying bills, shopping, apply for jobs, gathering knowledge and much more. It has also allowed small start-ups to take on big companies. But by decimating net neutrality, companies like Airtel and others can charge you different rates for different websites. Imagine paying for a browsing data pack, a separate pack for WhatsApp, and an another one for YouTube, and so on. Sounds scary, doesn’t it? Airtel just took a step closer to making that future a reality.

    A free and open internet is important; it should not just be a service anymore, it should be considered an inviolable right, just like right to freedom of speech. Net Neutrality is supported by big names of the tech world like Google, Facebook, Amazon, and others. Airtel has opened a can of worms that needs to be immediately shut down and buried. In America, even President Obama has stood by the Net Neutrality principle. Airtel needs to mend its ways immediately.

    Here’s John Oliver explaining the importance of Net Neutrality in his own style.

    [poll id=”25″]

     

    Updates:

    1. Minister of Telecom has said that the government is looking into it and will come with a structured response.

    2. According to TOI, Airtel has said that the new VOIP charges are only meant for Audio calls only, video chats can still be done through data packs. The company says that there will be a 6 month cooling off period before the new charges are introduced. They also added that only prepaid customers would have to get the VOIP pack for audio calls.

  • Here is Everything You Need to Know About VR Headsets

    Here is Everything You Need to Know About VR Headsets

    In the year 2014 Virtual Reality(VR) took a giant leap. From the hands of a limited few, the technology has now seeped into the consumer market. Oculus can be credited for bringing the technology to the mainstream. Taking cues from Oculus, several new devices have arrived in the market. Sony got its Project Morpheus and Samsung got the Gear VR headsets. There were also some independent attempts into making VR headsets including Google’s Cardboard project. The question remains – is this just a mere fad or is this technology here to stay? We delve into the past, present and future of VR Headsets today.

    What is Virtual Reality?

    According to a popular online encyclopedia, virtual reality is a computer simulated environment that can simulate physical presence in places in the real world or imagined worlds. It, in essence, creates a world that creates the perception of being in a whole new place. Using various other techniques, VR can create sensory perceptions of touch, smell, sounds and even taste.

    The Journey to Now…

    It’s not really a recent phenomenon in any sense of the word. There have been efforts to create an artificial environment for manipulating the senses since the 1800s. In 1860’s there were art installations that used a 360-degree panoramic mural to create an artificial reality. One of the most prominent examples of this is Sala delle Prospettive by Baldassare Peruzzi.

    Since then, there have been multiple efforts to artistically take the audience into a perceived reality. But in 1968 the first computer artificial reality headsets came to become a reality. Dubbed the Sword of Damocles that was created by computer scientists Ivan Sutherland. It was archaic in every sense of the word. It only displayed wire-frame models and was so heavy that it needed to be suspended from the ceiling, thus getting its name.

    Sword of Damocles was the first computer aided VR headset.
    Sword of Damocles was the first computer aided VR headset.

    In 1991, Sega arrived with the first VR headsets for the consumers. Though it got a tepid response from the press, and there were fears that they could spoil the eyesight of children, this prevented it from getting to the shelves.

    Nintendo tried its hand at VR headsets when it came out with the Virtual Boy in 1995. This device too was a commercial failure, and the users faced discomforts like dizziness, nausea, and headaches after extended use. The device was also lamented for the lack of a head tracking feature and color graphics.

    SONY DSC
    Virtual Boy by Nintendo released in 1995

    Fast forward to 2014, and we see a return with a vengeance of the VR technology. Aided by high processing power of modern day devices and the phenomenal breakthroughs in the mobile technology, it seems like VR has finally found its moment in time. The race was intensified with the purchase of Oculus VR by Facebook. Sony and Samsung soon followed with their own designs. Google tried to bring the technology in the grasps of everyone with the cardboard project, a DIY project through which you can create a stereoscopic VR headsets using cheap ingredients which costs just about $20.

    How do VR Headsets work?

    VR headsets pretty much use the concept of 3D glasses. On the displays, there are two images, one for each eye. These images, when viewed through a stereoscopic lens system, gives a perception of depth in the images. The brain brings together the two images as one and that creates the depth that immerses the user into the artificial world. Advanced VR systems like the Oculus have motion tracking system that responds to the user’s movement. Using hardware like the Omni treadmill, you feel like you are really moving around in the virtual environment.

    The emergence of mobile-based portable headsets has made it a lot easier to access the technology. Devices like the Gear VR, Google cardboard, and ANTVR make it a lot easier to use. These even allow you to look at your movies with a perception of watching them on a big screen. This could possibly mean the end of movie theaters and the expensive popcorn that comes with it.

    The other potential uses of the technology

    There are a wide range of uses of VR technology.
    There are a wide range of uses of VR technology.

    Virtual Reality is not just limited to providing quality entertainment and gaming, it has many real world applications too. It can come in handy in multiple fields such as:

    Virtual field Trips

    The best way to learn about a new place is to go there and travel around. It can often be educational to travel. But if you cannot afford the trip, you have virtual reality to your rescue. The virtual tour can show you around the place and using complementary technologies like haptic mediums; you can get to touch and smell your new environment too. It can be a complete immersive experience that you wouldn’t want to come out of.

    Education

    Learning by doing is the best way to acquire knowledge. Using the tools provided by gaming advancements in VR, students can learn to interact with their future workplace. For example, an architect can learn to create buildings and manipulate it in real time, almost like Ariadne in Inception. It can even come handy to school children to bring lessons to them in a more interactive immersive fashion.

    Training

    Several military professionals are trained on VR surfaces. It is a lot more economical than creating real world environments and also decreases the chance of injury while training. It gives the chance to practice their lessons as many times as needed. Pilots are also trained on simulators that actively recreate the flying environment. VR can come handy to train drivers who work in specialized environments such as high terrains or ice roads.

    Medicine

    The technology can be used to train doctors.
    The technology can be used to train doctors.

    Doctors can benefit from some virtual simulations too. Specialized surgeries that require immense precision require constant practice. In an artificially created environment, the surgeon can constantly train on the simulated body to perfect his/her skills that could someday come handy to save real lives.

    Challenges with VR Devices

    VR though has been in development for quite a while, but there are some limitations to the technology to make it more palatable to a mass audience. The confines of graphics and the tracking systems even in the best headsets results in various discomfort for the users. The industry needs to really work on the VR tracking systems.

    The audio too is an important element of an immersive experience. The disconnect between the audio and visuals or low quality audio can also lead to motion sickness and other discomforts. The audio industry is being encouraged to fix the gap to create a more natural environment for the users.

    There are also some issues with the content that can be created for consumption in the virtual world. Some psychologists say that the VR can create a generation of sociopaths who have gotten so used to first person violence that they are desensitized to it. To counter this, there is a need for regulation and codification of content meant for VR headsets. There should also be instruction and education on how to use the technology right so that it benefits all.

    Virtual Reality has come a long way, but there still is long way ahead for the technology to grow.
    Virtual Reality has come a long way, but there still is long way ahead for the technology to grow.

    A Long journey begins now.

    With the processing power up to the mark and graphical interfaces replicating reality better than ever, this is the right time for VR to come out of its cocoon. The smartphone revolution has brought the VR technology in the grasps of everyone. Google’s cardboard project literally makes this technology universal. There is a long way to go with the potential applications of the technology, but its mainstream visibility will speed up its adoption in various fields. There is a lot the technology can offer us, and it’s just the beginning of the access to the virtual world. The immense potential of the technology is still up for unlocking. We’re excited about the prospects of VR, are you?

  • Apple Might Bring Out a Mini Version of the iPhone 6 in 2015

    Apple Might Bring Out a Mini Version of the iPhone 6 in 2015

    The 2014 launch of iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus brought out the whole new design philosophy in Apple’s offerings. Earlier, the company had stuck to the smaller 4-inch screen size. Now it seems like Apple is further experimenting with different screen sizes; the new rumours making the rounds say that the company is planning to launch a mini version of its iPhone dubbed ‘iPhone 6s Mini’.

    According to recent reports by Apple Insider, the specifications of the rumoured mini smartphone will match that of iPhone 5s and the specifications with iPhone 6. In other words, a return to the prior model’s 4-inch display size.

    Apple Insider, citing a note issued by Timothy Arcuri, an analyst with Cowen and Company, to the investors suggests that Apple may launch a new 4-inch iPhone variant in 2015, which will be called iPhone 6s mini. The smartphone will join the current generation screen sizes of 4.7- inch and 5.5-inch.

    The publication also noted that Arcuri, in the past, has a mixed track record on Apple iPhone rumors. In January 2014, the analyst correctly predicted some details of the iPhone 6. However, his prediction about a powerful processor for the iPhone 6 Plus turned out to be incorrect.

    If the rumors are true, the new iPhone 6s is more likely to replace iPhone 5c as the company’s low-end offering. Being a low-end phone, the iPhone 6s Mini is also expected to have low-cost internals to keep the price low.

    In the past, Samsung has launched the mini versions of its Galaxy S devices such as the Galaxy S3 Mini, Galaxy S4 Mini and the Galaxy S5 Mini. These mini handsets cater to smartphone customers who prefer a smaller handset and lower cost. With Apple looking into the mini segment of smartphones, the move could help bring wider consumers in the company’s ecosystem.

  • WhatsApp’s Free Voice Calling Feature Captured in a Leaked Screenshot

    WhatsApp’s Free Voice Calling Feature Captured in a Leaked Screenshot

    At the commencement of year 2014, it was learnt that WhatsApp was planning on diminishing the dependability of its users on other calling services and had glad plans of introducing a voice calling feature. Months passed, but there was no sign of the said feature on the cross-platform mobile messaging service. However, a reliable source has come up with some interesting screenshots that depict the calling feature on WhatsApp.

     

    The website Androidworld.nl posted some pictures of the new version of WhatsApp that shows voice calling. The screenshots also suggest that the upgraded version will have a separate window for making calls to WhatsApp contacts and a dedicated call log. Users can keep a tab on missed calls, ongoing calls and received calls through this window. Additionally, it can also include options like call mute, switch to text message, and hang up.

    However, these are just leaks and there is no proof of its authenticity. Jan Koum, WhatsApp CEO, said in an industry conference that the company will surely be rolling out voice calling feature in Q1 2015. The delayed release has been due to some technical complications faced by the development team.

    If WhatsApp succeeds in overcoming all the said hurdles and brings out a version featuring voice calling, it can prove to be a threat for the other services like Viber, Line, Facebook Messenger and more.

  • Samsung Finally Brings Out the Note Edge in India for Rs. 64,900

    Samsung Finally Brings Out the Note Edge in India for Rs. 64,900

    Samsung has brought its edgy new device, the Note Edge to India. The company unveiled the device at the IFA Berlin earlier this year, alongside the Note 4. It was quite a surprise when it was launched as Samsung had done a good job at keeping it a secret. This is a unique device as it has a slightly curved screen on the side that acts a second display and which can be used for viewing notifications without unlocking the main display.

    The device carries pretty much the same specs as the Note 4. The device gets its processing might from a quad-core, 2.7 GHz Snapdragon 805 processor which is supported by 3GB RAM. It has 32 GB internal storage that is expandable up to 128 GB.

    Just like its un-curved sibling, the Note Edge also sports a Quad HD display. The 5.6 inch primary display is coupled with a curved display also known as the edge display. This display can be used to access frequently used apps, check alerts and notifications, news and more. This display stays on even when the main display is covered, so it’s convenient to catch on with the essentials without disturbing the main screen.

    The curved display can be used for accessing alerts, notifications, news and more.
    The curved display can be used for accessing alerts, notifications, news and more.

    The camera was one of the highlights of the Note 4, and it is true for the Note Edge as well. It carries almost all the features of the Note 4 including wide selfies and OIS. The main camera on the device is a 16 MP shooter that comes with optical image stabilization. The camera on the front has been designed keeping selfies in mind. It gives you the option to shoot 90-degree selfies and an option to take even wider 120-degree selfies by panning the device around.

    The S-pen, that separates the Note family from the rest of the smartphones in the market, is incorporated in this device too. Samsung has added improved functionalities to the S-pen this time around. You can use it like a mouse to click and drag multiple files, use smart select to combine multiple files together and it offers better handwriting recognition than previous generation S-pens.

    Samsung claims that the Note Edge has improved battery life. The device has a 3000 mAh battery which is 220 mAh less than the Note 4. Samsung claims that using its adaptive charging feature; the device charges 30% faster than conventional methods.

    The device is priced at Rs. 64,900 and will go on sale in January 2015. It will be available in ‘Charcoal Black’ and ‘Frost White’ color variants in the India.

iGyaan Network
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