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Rovio Rolls Out Angry Birds Transformers for Android

As expected, Rovio Entertainment, makers of once-popular Angry Birds, has released Angry Birds Transformers for the Android platform. This means, the new Angry Birds game, about 129 MB in size, is now available for download via Google Play.

Announced back in June, this new mobile game is very different from the previous Angry Birds games, and features the popular Angry Birds characters running and using a range of different weapons hitting targets in the background including pigs, buildings and more.

In the latest title by Rovio, the birds and pigs have been transformed into ‘Autobirds’ and ‘Deceptihogs’ (inspired by Transformer’s Autobots and Decepticons), respectively. More of a run-and-gun shooting pastime, the game accomplishes what it sets out to do – provide Android users with an easy pick-up-and-play time killer. You control the attack of a chosen transformer which will blast the pigs in the background, as they balance on physics-based platforms.

The Angry Birds Transformers for Android is compatible with devices running on Android 4.0 and higher. The game also comes with in-app purchases. Last month, the company launched Angry Birds Stella globally, available on Android, iOS, Amazon Fire, BlackBerry 10 OS and NOOK platforms. In the Angry Birds Stella, Stella and friends try to save Golden Island from the villains, Gale and the wicked green pigs.

October 31, 2014
Google Hangouts Now Allows Free One-Minute International Calls

Google has already created a user base niche for its international calling service through Google Hangouts that uses your data connection for calling. Now, stepping ahead in the game, the company recently announced that it is extending its international call support for Hangouts, i.e. the users, from now on, can make ‘the first one minute phone call in twenty-five different countries absolutely free of cost’.

Though, this one free minute might not sound like very much, but Google has listed some of its uses on its official blog post. The company states, “You can say a lot in just 60 seconds. In honor of time-hackers everywhere, Hangouts wants to help you say it for free. We’re making the first minute free for calls to phone numbers in twenty-five different countries around the world.”

The blogpost further reads that this new feature is somewhat like leaving a live voicemail to someone who’s overseas. And of course, if you want more time to talk with someone in another country on Hangouts, Google will let you do so for a price.

“Don’t worry, if you need a bit more than a minute, we’ve got you covered there too. As always, phone calls with Hangouts are free for most numbers in the US and Canada, and our international rates are super low. You can make phone calls from every device where you use Hangouts, and also with Hangouts Dialer on Android. So, what are you waiting for? Pick up your phone (or grab your tablet or computer) and show us what can you get done with sixty free seconds.” Google writes.

October 31, 2014
Xiaomi is Reportedly Working on a Mid-Range 9.2-inch Tablet

Xiaomi has become a star among Android lovers. Despite catering to a few select Asian countries, the company has come a long way since last year. It very recently became the world’s third-largest smartphone maker, lagging behind only Samsung and Apple. However, it seems like Xiaomi isn’t closing the year just yet.

According to the GFXBench listing, Xiaomi is working on a 9.2-inch tablet. The mysterious tablet dubbed as Xiaomi 2014811 includes a 9.2-inch screen with 720p screen resolution. On the hardware front, it is said to come with a 1.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon 410 processor with Adreno 306 GPU, paired with 1 GB of RAM and 8 GB of internal storage. It is said to run on Android KitKat and supports connectivity options like Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.

However, it is still under wraps as whether it will come with voice calling over the cellular network or not. If it does, the tablet, despite its huge size, will attract a lot of customers.

October 31, 2014
Kerala Declares an Internet Strike Against High Mobile Data Charges

If you own a smartphone, you know the state of the Indian mobile internet. The speed is pathetic, the access is limited, and the prices are high. The options are limited too as the major companies are monopolistic with the prices being increased unanimously across the board. In the age of heavy inflation, the data charges are a severe blow to the pocket. So the young folks in Kerala are going for an innovative way to protest against these arbitrary rises in data charges by organizing an internet hartal.

Today on the 31st of October, the data subscribers will be disconnecting from their data connections. It is called the All Kerala Internet Hartal. The organizers have said that the reason behind the hartal is to protest against the day to day increase in the prices of data packs. The protest is specifically targeted at AVoId ( Airtel, Vodafone and Idea) who have now become mind-bogglingly huge with a massive number of users dependent on them.

The folks are fed up with their inability to share their grievances with the companies, to which the companies tend to lend a deaf ear. Hartals are a proven way of civil disobedience, and this will definitely make the point across to the other side.

The reason behind the massive leap in prices is the advance of messaging apps like Whatsapp, Hike, Snapchat and others who have caused a severe dent in the SMS revenue. The telecom companies have to pay a heavy sum for renting the spectrums to provide the services, and they want to squeeze every last penny of profit for the sum they invested. But they can also do this by providing cheaper internet and count on the massive users they will bring for the company, specially at the speed Indians are buying smartphones.

People participating in the protest have also used the analogies from history. One of them has given the reference of bread strike in England. “…once in England when bread companies increased their prices, the whole country did not buy bread for few days, and the company had to decrease their price,” says a message.

The sorry state of the internet in India calls for protests like this. We at iGyaan understand the need for a real internet revolution in this country. In the coming days, we’ll be announcing a massive initiative demanding a model internet which compliments a nation that sends spacecrafts to Mars. Keep checking the space for more details in the future.

As for the hartal today, if you agree with the stand of the folks in Kerala, you can support them by switching off your data packs for the day. You can also organize a hartal in your own state. It is also a great way to get rid of all that noise in the digital world and have a glance at the beautiful 3D physical world, at least for a day.

October 31, 2014
Samsung Galaxy A Series Expected Arrive in Early November

Samsung’s Galaxy A series has been in rumors since the past few months, but with the revelations made by a Tech journal, Korea IT Times, it is now clear that Samsung is all set to launch the new A series smartphones as early as next month. The new handsets that are said to be the Galaxy A3, Galaxy A5 and Galaxy A7 are expected to come with a premium metallic material, just like Galaxy Alpha. According to the report submitted by Korea IT Times, the smartphones will be launched in China first, followed by selected markets, and will be available shortly after the launch.

It is said that the new Galaxy A series is directly targeted at Xiaomi, which was recently designated as the third-largest smartphone maker in the world by IDC. While Xiaomi is only catering to selected Asian countries, it has swelled its shipment three times since last year, only lagging behind Samsung and Apple.

According to the earlier reports, the Galaxy A7 is set to feature a 5.2-inch 1080p display, octa-core processor, 2 GB of RAM, 16 GB internal storage, a 12-megapixel camera, and a 4.7-megapixel front camera. On the software front, it will run on Android 4.4.4 KitKat out of the box.

As for Galaxy A5, it is said to come with a 5.2-inch HD display, 1.2 GHz quad-core processor, 16 GB internal storage, a 13-megapixel rear camera, a 5-megapixel front camera, and a 2,300mAh battery.

Both the devices are set to launch in China next month with other select markets to follow. However, the news has surfaced that they might not see a mainstream launch like many other Galaxy phones in the west.

October 31, 2014
New HP Sprout Seamlessly Blends Physical with the Digital World

HP had announced recently that it would be unveiling an all new form factor, and it’s here. HP calls it the ‘Sprout’ and it connects the digital and analog with an ease that till now was only possible on Sci-fi features.

Sprout consists of two screens. The first one is a 23-inch LCD screen with 10 point multi-touch capabilities. The second and more interesting one is a 20 inch touch mat which is capable of 20-point multi-touch. The touch functionalities are integrated under the mat.

The Illuminator is where all the magic happens.

What makes the Sprout fully functional is the ‘Illuminator’, which sure sounds like a name for a cyborg. The Illuminator is made up of a set of imaging technologies that are pooled together and placed on an extended arm on the top of the LCD display. It holds in itself a 14.6-megapixel digital camera, a DLP projector, and Intel’s RealSense 3D camera. The 3D camera lets users easily scan 3D Objects and being working on them right away.

HP has created its own UI called the Workspace that is built on Windows 8.1 interface. The company will be releasing a Software development kit for the developers to create app for this innovative new product.

With the specs on hand this is a creative professionals dream come true.

It is powered by a 4th generation Intel Core i7 Processor. The graphics are taken care of by an NVIDIA GeForce GT 745A graphic card with 2GB DDR3 dedicated memory. It comes with 8 GB DDR3 SDRAM (2x4GB and is expandable up to 16 GB). The device flaunts 1TB SATA 6G Solid State Hybrid Drive with 8GB flash acceleration cache. It will also sport an Adonit Jot Pro stylus to write and draw comfortably, and it can be attached magnetically to the upper-right side of the Sprout display.

Sprout is targeted mostly toward artists, designers, architects, publishers and other creative professionals. It will cost $1,899, which is a great price for a debut product with such innovative features. It ships with a 20-inch touchscreen monitor, a physical keyboard and a mouse. Though you may want to do away with the peripherals and just use the digital keyboard and feel its fantastic, futuristic pleasures.

October 31, 2014
It’s Done! Lenovo Now Officially Owns Motorola

Today, Motorola officially announced that Lenovo has completed the acquisition of Motorola Mobility and the company is now a part of the Lenovo family.

Lenovo Group Ltd has finally closed its $2.91 billion acquisition of the Motorola handset unit from Google Inc and is preparing itself for a fresh attack on the U.S smartphone market. The purchase comes as Lenovo, the world’s leading PC maker, is trying to integrate its business into various segments and establish itself as a smartphone maker with global appeal.

Back in 2012, Google acquired Motorola Mobility and its patent for $12.5 billion but was unable to revive the company to its old glory.

“The iconic Motorola brand will continue, as will the Moto and DROID franchises that have propelled our growth over the past year,” explains Rick Osterloh, Motorola President, “We will continue to focus on pure Android and fast upgrades, and remain committed to developing technology to solve real consumer problems.”

“Google will maintain ownership of a majority of the Motorola Mobility patent portfolio, while Motorola will receive a license to this rich portfolio of patents and other intellectual property,” says Lenovo. Google’s CEO Larry Page said, “Motorola is in great hands with Lenovo, a company that’s all-in on making great devices.”

October 30, 2014
Here’s the First Look at the Working Prototype of Google’s Project Ara

Remember Phonebloks, the folks who came up with a revolutionary concept of a phone that can be easily updated and save the environment with the massive e-waste generated each year? The project was taken up by Motorola and named project Ara. The project got passed on to Google after Motorola’s departure from the company, and it seems that they have been working hard to get the concept to reality.

Dave Hakkens, the Dutch designer who was the brains behind Phonebloks paid a visit to one of the contractors working on Project Ara. NK Labs is one of the dozen contract partners who are assisting Google in bringing out this new generation product.

In the video, the engineer assembled various modules onto the device, and it worked. The device is operational and is running an Android operating system. The modules included the LED, battery, application processor, loudspeaker and USB charging bits. The camera and other complex features may be added later, but this is a great start for the project.

Google had announced last week that it will be establishing independent stores where users can go and buy their choice of swappable modules. Paul Eremenko from Google had said that they will be creating a free and open platform on the lines of the Android project. The devices are expected to run Android Lollipop, and the “Spiral 2? prototype will be introduced on January 14th, 2015 at the next developers conference. Now this is one technology we can’t wait to get our hands on, not only is it economically viable, it has an environmentally conscious approach towards technology.

October 30, 2014

Samsung Galaxy Alpha Unboxing and Hands On

Specs	Samsung Galaxy Alpha	Samsung Galaxy S5	iPhone 6	Moto X (Gen 2)
Display	4.7 inch 720p HD (312 ppi)	5.1 inch Full HD (432 ppi)	750 x 1334 pixels, 4.7 inch (326 ppi)	1080 x 1920 pixels, 5.2 inch (424 ppi)
Processor	Exynos 5 Octa 5430 (1.8GHz quad-core Cortex A15 + 1.3GHz quad-core Cortex A7)	Exynos 5 Octa 5422 (Quad-core 1.9 GHz Cortex-A15 & quad-core 1.3 GHz Cortex-A7)	Apple A8, Dual-core 1.4 GHz Cyclone (ARM v8-based)	Qualcomm Snapdragon 801,Quad-core 2.5 GHz Krait 400
RAM	2 GB	2 GB	1 GB	2 GB
Storage	32 GB (non-expandable)	16/32 GB (expandable upto 128GB)	16/64/128 GB (non-expandable)	16/32 GB (non-expandable)
Camera	12 MP Main, 2.1 MP Front	16 MP Main, 2 MP Front	8MP Main, 1.2 MP Front	13 MP Main, 2 MP Front
Battery	1860 mAh	2800 mAh	1810 mAh	2300 mAh
Operating System	Android Kitkat v4.4.4	Android Kitkat v4.4.4	iOS 8, upgradable to iOS 8.1	Android OS, v4.4.4 (KitKat), upgradable to Android L

October 30, 2014

Latest Flipboard Update Adds Large Number of Customisation Options

Flipboard, a popular news aggregation app, has rolled out a new update Flipboard 3.0, which involves better curation of the millions of customized magazines that readers have created — using recommendation technology from Zite, acquired earlier this year.

The app, which has over 100 million users, has lost some of its buzz to Facebook which has increasingly been used by social networkers for aggregated news. Flipboard now lets you pick from 34,000 topics to help narrow down what specifically matters most to you, and presents curated, topical stories in a form of ‘Personal Magazine’ that pops up as soon as you open the app. This Personal Magazine includes stories shared by friends, and also the top stories from popular topics you’ve followed like hygiene, business, lifestyle, etc.

Flipboard has added a new feature called ‘The Daily Edition’, an editorially curated news section which gets pushed to you every morning at 7 AM, much like Yahoo News Digest. The Daily Edition is a quick list of main news stories across a variety of topics like sports, business and more, and is selected by an in-house team led by Josh Quittner, Time’s former Director of Digital Editorial Development.

While these new features proved to be hugely popular, the Flipboard Co-Founder and CEO Mike McCue said that after watching readers create more than 10 million magazines on a wide variety of topics, it became obvious that a lot of worthy content was getting lost in the shuffle, because there weren’t enough discovery tools.

The company also said that their new algorithm for the selection of the news combines the user’s preference and element of surprise together, which has been the result of the Zite acquisition in March.

The fact that users can choose from more than 30,000 topics now, makes Flipboard the most comprehensive online magazine app. The topic engine also pulls in ‘magazines’ that other Flipboard users have put together. So, for example, you like potato salads, the app will create a steady feed of stories it finds from across the web.

“That’s the magic here,” Mr. McCue spoke, “It’s people’s perspectives coming together with an algorithmic curator to create something that’s almost like a bionic curator.”

October 30, 2014
India May Plan a Sequel to the Successful Mars Orbiter Mission

The day India reached Mars was one of the proudest moment for the country in recent years. The spacecraft, also known as Mangalyaan took an epic voyage of close to ten months to reach the red planet. A feat that is achieved by only 50% of the space crafts and the Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) achieved it in its first try. Now it seems that the scientists, while riding in the thrill of their phenomenal achievement, have begun toying with the idea of a second rendezvous with the neighboring planet.

S.K Sivakumar, Director of the ISRO Satellite Centre said that the Indian MOM of 2013-14 should have a successor, but as of now it is not an active thought, neither is it in the realm of any planning yet.

The director also added that his organization has achieved much maturity ever since the success of MOM. But any proposal for a second Mars mission will have to be first passed by the Advisory Committee for Space Science (ADCOS,) a think-tank that advises the government on its missions.

The Oppurtunity to reach Mars arrives every 26 months, so ISRO may send a craft by 2018.

MOM was especially lauded for being a cheap project. But considering the massive waiting period and uncertainties involved, ISRO should dig deeper into its pockets for more audacious plans for a sequel. A lander would ideal to launch, and if successful, it will again make India, the first developing country to land a rover on Mars.

The window of opportunity to reach Mars efficiently arrives every 26 months. The next window opens in 2016 which would too early for a launch. Hence, the scientists are contemplating a 2018 launch if at all it is sanctioned. We hope ISRO does plan this and it sparks scientific interests amongst the population, especially the youth and push a science-oriented culture.

October 30, 2014
YouTube Updates Itself to Support 48 and 60 FPS Videos

The ultimate video destination, YouTube, has come up with an excellent gift for the gaming community. The video sharing site has now introduced support for the 48 and 60 fps videos which will result in some sweet gameplay videos.

YouTube has already uploaded three videos as examples for the new service. Currently, this support service is only available for Chrome and Safari browsers. You may also watch the videos in resolutions of 720p and higher.

The higher frame rate means smoother motion and more detailed visuals. This will come handy for gamers as well as those who share their projects using YouTube. This, though, won’t result in older videos getting updated to the current frame rate.

YouTube had promised this feature back in June and has finally made it available. So, if you were waiting to upload and flaunt some of your sweetest gaming escapades, this is your moment now.

October 30, 2014
Truecaller Brings Out the Truedialer App for Outgoing Calls

Truecaller is an app that put caller ID on an adrenaline rush. Developed by True Software Scandinavia AB, the app has gained immense prominence since its launch specially because of its multiplatform access. The app also keeps itself updated through social media integration and keeps the phonebook up-to-date with pictures and birthdays. The company now has released a new app called Truedialer that will let keep a track of the numbers you are dialing.

Truedialer will provide instant access to relevant information about contacts that users are trying to dial. When users dial a number that isn’t present in their phonebook, they will be able to see the name and a profile photo of whom they are about to dial before they place a call. This will come really handy for folks who don’t have the time or patience to store contacts in the phonebook individually.

The company said that the integrated Truecaller technology works in conjunction with Truedialer. But the company has no plans of bringing the two apps together, though that would have been more convenient.

Truecaller co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer Nami Zarringhalam said, “Until now, phone dial pads have not truly improved since the feature phone days. With the same infrastructure that powers Truecaller, our ambition with Truedialer is to replace the phone’s phonebook app.” It is clear that the company intends to make the phonebook obsolete. Truecaller currently has over 85 Million users worldwide, and it’s a healthy market for the company to try out their new app.

For now the phonebooks on our phones are safe. But you can easily expect an app to replace it just like the contacts app replaced the physical phonebooks. Truedialer is currently available for free download at the Google Play store and at Windows Phone App Store.

October 30, 2014

Lenovo Introduces the New Yoga Tablet 2 With a Convenient Keyboard Option

Lenovo has become a star among the PC lovers with its range of Yoga products. The original Yoga, a 13-inch Ultrabook whose screen could fold all the way back, became a favourite of all be it a professional or a student. Recently the company added a spinoff Yoga tablet into its Yoga collection.

Blurring the lines between the ultrabooks and tablets, the company has now launched new Yoga tablet called the ‘Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2’, which is the same size as the original Yoga Ultrabook. The new tablet has been designed with a kickstand that folds out on the back, and an optional keyboard which works in sync with the tablet with any contact. Now, the tablet line-up includes 8-10 inches tablets both on Android and Windows platform.

The 13-inch tablet, which is as sharp as the Ultrabook with a screen resolution of 2,560×1,440, runs on a Quad-Core Atom processor with 4 GB of RAM. The battery life is rated at 15 hours in a single charge, which is far better than the Ultrabooks available in the market at present.

The tablet is also lighter than the usual Ultrabooks, weighing around 2.27 pounds. It also comes with a premium audio system which includes 5 W subwoofers. However, the new tablet doesn’t include a projector, which was the main highlight of the company’s previous offering.

The new Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2 will be available from November at a price of $699, which includes the keyboard and a cover.

Specs	Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2
Processor	Intel Atom Processor Z3745 (2M cache, 4 cores, up to 1.86 GHz)
Display	13-inch IPS, 2,560×1,440
Memory/ storage	4 GB/64 GB
Ports	microHDMI, microUSB, audio in/out, microSD
Camera	1.6 MP (front)
Battery	12,800 mAh, up to 15 hours
Connectivity	Wi-Fi (a/b/g/n), Bluetooth 4.0
Dimensions	12.8×8.7×0.2-0.6 in; 324.1x221x3.7-14 mm
Weight	2.27 lbs (without keyboard)

October 30, 2014

BlackBerry to Bring QWERTY Back with the New ‘Q20’ Classic

BlackBerry, once the definition of a smartphone, has lost most of its market since the advancement of Apple and Google’s mobile ecosystems. It tried its hand at touchscreen phones but didn’t manage to create a whole lot of buzz. It seems like, in a desperate attempt to stay valid in the touchscreen era, BlackBerry is going back to its roots. The company will be releasing the new BlackBerry ‘Q20’ Classic, which will take it back to the ‘Bold’ era.

BlackBerry’s recent and unique release, the BlackBerry Passport, has given an inclination to go back to its traditional looks. Passport’s square display received mixed reviews but was appreciated for the unique features like the touch-enabled touchpad that lets you scroll through the pages with ease.

Passport received mix reviews but was appreciated for its unique features.

The ‘Q20’ Classic is expected to release later this year. The device will come with nostalgic features such as a top row of navigation keys and a trackpad. The phone will run on the BlackBerry 10 OS and will have a bigger screen than its predecessors. The company also claimed that their application catalog has grown over the years.

The company still has a steady following in the enterprise and government segment. These are the folks who want maximum utility off their devices so that the gadgets can assist them in their busy schedule.

BlackBerry’s CEO, John S. Chen, recently published an open letter for the loyal BlackBerry users to create a buzz for the upcoming Classic. Chen said in the letter, “It’s tempting in a rapidly changing, rapidly growing mobile market to change for the sake of change – to mimic what’s trendy and match the industry-standard, kitchen-sink approach of trying to be all things to all people. But there’s also something to be said for the classic adage, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it.” This statement signaled their return to their original design philosophy.

October 30, 2014

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Specs

Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2