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Micromax Brings Out the Canvas Knight Cameo

Indian smartphone manufacturer Micromax recently released a mini version of their Canvas Knight phone. The phone is to be known as the Canvas Knight Cameo A290. The phone will be scaled down version of its bigger sibling.

The 4.7 inch display on the Knight Cameo has a resolution of 720p. The phone is powered by a MediaTek MT6592M chipset, which sports a 1.4 GHz “true octa-core” CPU. The internal storage on the device is 8 GB which is expandable. The phone has 1 GB of RAM.

The main camera on the device is an 8-megapixel shooter whereas for selfies the front of the devices sports a 5 MP camera. The software comes with the options for object erasing and cinemagraphs. It is capable of full HD recording.

Cameo comes in classy color options

The Knight cameo runs Android Kitkat 4.4.2 and has a 2000 mAh battery. The phone comes in Pure Black, Black and Gold, and White and Gold color options, which gives them a premium feel.

The phone is already available on ebay.in at a price of Rs. 12,350. The phone is decently speced and it can make some good following around it. A bit stronger spec sheet in terms processor and RAM would have made it more attractive but we’re guessing they can take a risk.

August 16, 2014
Apple Might Name the New 5.5-inch Model ‘iPhone 6L’

We’ve been hearing about the next generation of the new redesigned iPhone a hell lot. All rumors point toward bigger screens for the next iPhones, and now a Chinese website claims Apple is going to name the 5.5 inch version of the revamped device as ‘iPhone 6L’.

The leaked pictures of purported iPhone 6L by Apple Daily, a premier Chinese language newspaper, shows the device has a purple interior and is juxtaposed with a 4.7-inch iPhone 6.

Leaked Image by Apple Daily

It’s unclear how the site discovered the name (it doesn’t appear on any of the photos), so we’re taking this news with a pinch of salt. The report reveals three components bound for Apple’s rumored 5.5-inch iPhone, which some predict will launch alongside — or shortly after — a new 4.7-inch version of the smartphone.

Apple Daily reported that iPhone 6L will have 2915mAh Battery

The 5.5-inch iPhone 6L is shown with a high-capacity 2915mAh battery, which is nearly twice the size of the 1810mAh power pack inside the 4.7-inch iPhone 6, both which are notably larger than the 1560mAh battery on the iPhone 5s. Also, the new iPhone(s) are said to be built with nearly-unbreakable sapphire-crystal screens. Though, it seems that the new screen is creating trouble for the company, which may result in higher price and a delayed release date.

Another rumour has pointed out that Apple is working on making these large size phablets/phones comfortable to use. The report points out that Apple has made the area around the home button significantly smaller than on the iPhone 5s, thus leaving a lot more space for the display without making the phone’s basic frame significantly larger.

Leaked image by uSwitch

It is also noted how Apple has thinned out the side bezels on the iPhone 6 compared to earlier releases, which will again allow it to have phones with larger displays that could still fit comfortably in your hands.

However, as much as these reports seem exciting, nothing can be confirmed till we see Tim Cook and his Cupertino crew reveal the new iPhones.

August 16, 2014
Techies at Work: Making India Proud

“The U.S. is looking to India as more than just a marketplace for our defense products, but as a technology, aerospace and strategic partner for our future endeavors”, said Kit Bond, a former US Senator. The current global technology scenario, clearly, highlights the rise of Indians in the worldwide market and as Indians, we take pride in it. After all, what is a country without its countrymen? And what do we toil for, if not our own country?

As India celebrates its 68^th Independence Day, we bring to you the top Indian techies from all over the world that have done all they can and more to make India proud.

1. Satya Nadella

CEO, Microsoft

Born in a Telugu family in Hyderabad, Satya Nadella replaced Steve Ballmer as the CEO of Microsoft. He joined Microsoft in 1992 and since then, has worked at various projects including the company’s transformation from client services to cloud infrastructure and computing.

Before being announced the CEO of the company on 4 February 2014, Nadella was working as the President of the Server and Tools Division. His desi reason for success, he mentions, is the leadership and teamwork skills he learns from cricket!

2. Padmasree Warrior

CTO, Cisco Systems

Padmasree Warrior is the current CTO (Chief Technology & Strategy Officer) of Cisco Systems and the former of Motorola Inc. Born and raised in the city of Vijayawada in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh, she has worked for 23 years at Motorola and 7 years (and still counting) for Cisco Systems.

At Cisco, she is responsible for strategic partnerships, mergers and acquisitions, integration of new business models, incubation of new technologies and talent. Earlier this year, she was listed as the 71st most powerful woman in the world by Forbes magazine.

3. Amit Singhal

Senior Vice President, Google Inc.

Amit Singhal, also called a “Google Fellow”, is the current Senior Vice President of Google Inc. A product of IIT Roorkee, Mr. Singhal is also the head of Google’s core ranking team. He joined Google in 2000 and has worked sincerely towards its development ever since.

According to New York Times, he is the master of what Google calls its “ranking algorithm” — the formulae that choose which Web page provides the most suitable answer to a user’s question. Prior to joining Google, he worked in AT&T Labs.

4. Shantanu Narayen

President and CEO, Adobe

He started his career at Apple and is currently, the President and CEO of Adobe. His journey includes various other landmarks such as Silicon Graphics and Pictra Inc. Born in Mumbai, raised in Hyderabad, Mr. Narayen is currently the Board Member of Dell Inc., Adobe Systems and University of California at Berkeley.

He was one of the most hard working and inspirational forces behind Adobe’s $3.4bn attainment of multi-media company Macromedia in 2005. His 16 year career at Adobe reflects the Indian technology talent that currently resides in the creative technology tool industry.

5. Vinod Dham

Managing Director and Founder, Indo US Venture Partners

This list will not be complete without the ‘Father of Pentium’. An inventor, entrepreneur and venture capitalist, Mr. Dham is a celebrated Indian among all techies from the world for his contribution to the development of highly successful Pentium processors from Intel.

A respected alumnus of Delhi College of Engineering, he specialized in solid state electronics – the technology which forms the basis for the storage that is found in every smartphone and tablet as well as many laptops. He led the development of the Pentium processor, and also co-invented Intel’s first flash memory technology.

August 15, 2014
Motorola to Announce Moto 360, X+1 and G2 on 4th September

In case September wasn’t already exciting enough for you, Motorola has now decided to hold one of its biggest announcements of the year on September 4th. The press invite says it all, we are going to be introduced to the next Moto X, the next Moto G, the hotly anticipated Moto 360 smartwatch, and what seems to be a cool new bluetooth headset accessory at the event.

Recapping the rumoured specs of the X+1, the company’s flagship is expected to feature a 5.1” or a 5.2” Full HD 1080p display, a Snapdragon 801 chipset with a 2.5GHz quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, a 12MP rear-facing shooter, and a healthy 2,900MAh battery.

One of the most anticipated wearables of the year

As for the Moto G2, the device will bump up the screen size to 5” while maintaining the 720p resolution, a Snapdragon 400 chipset with a 1.2GHz quad-core processor and 1GB of RAM, along with an 8MP rear camera. Once again, the device will be dual-SIM compatible. There are reports claiming the price tag to be €250, which is a bit of a disappointment considering what a bargain the original Moto G was.

The Moto 360 needs no introduction. Ever since its announcement in March this year, we’ve had a ton of leaks, revealing almost every detail there is to the watch. A beautiful metal body, a 44mm circular round dial, wireless charging, and the latest Android Wear platform. There’s not a lot more that we can ask for. The price of the watch is rumoured to be around the €249 mark, which is a bit steep when compared to its other Android Wear siblings.

The event falls right in between some of the biggest tech announcements of the year, including the Galaxy Note 4 and the iPhone 6. Along with those two, IFA Berlin also kicks off on the 4th of September. Motorola will really need these products to be special if they want to make an impact.

By Pranav Arora

August 15, 2014
Sony Launches Affordable Headphones and Earphones in India

Sony India announced the launch of three new products in its audio range, including two new headphones and an earphone, priced Rs 790 onwards. The latest range claims to deliver the best quality sound, providing acoustic characteristics needed to reproduce music.

These products include MDR-AS200, an earphone that is best suitable for people who engage in sports, and two new headphones in the bass-rich range of MDR-XB headphones.

1. MDR – AS200

If you want to incorporate music in your sporting routine, this is the friend you need. MDR-AS200 has a 13.5mm highly sensitive driver which provides premium sound. Most importantly, it commits to be a water resistant and sweat proof product. This set comes at a very competitive price as well. An adjustable ear loop that fits an assortment of ear sizes makes it a product that would suit your comfort. Further, MDR-AS200 has a flat serrated cord allowing a tangle free experience. This model is available in orange and blue color options and is priced at Rs. 790.

2. MDR – XB250

This is an ideal headphone for people with an affinity towards music with rich bass. The 30mm dynamic driver not only delivers a powerful sound, but it also succeeds at keeping the bass level high. The slim, swivel folding style of the headphones make it convenient for the user to stash it in their handbag. The flat serrated cord and pressure relieving ear pads provide a tangle free and an extended comfort experience respectively. This model is available in black and white color options and is priced at Rs. 1,490.

3. MDR – XB450

In the same bass-rich range of MDR-XB headphones, MDR-XB450 has a unique style with a frequency response of 5Hz-22000Hz. The high quality, powerful sound is provided by the 30mm dynamic driver which keeps the bass component high. Convenient to store because of its slim, swivel folding style, this range is perfect for a comfortable experience while commuting long distances. The flat serrated cord allows a tangle free experience. This model is available in black, white, red, blue and yellow color options and is priced at Rs. 2,190.

August 14, 2014
Next Generation Reversible Type-C USB Ports Ready to Hit the Market

Universal Serial Buses (USB’s) have changed the way we interact with our computing devices. Before their massive use, computer peripherals had different sockets for each kind. With the advent of the USB, it all changed, and we had the luxury of multiple devices following similar connection protocols. The USB was capable of taking care of almost all the gizmos we wanted to connect to our computers and gave birth to a whole new market of USB devices.

Fast forward to the mobile revolution. The mobile ecosystem got a major boost, first from the mini USB and then from micro USB, which virtually replaced all other propriety connectors. The standard micro USB gave immense convenience to folks who could just juice up their devices using their friends chargers instead of finding the adapter made for their phone.

The reversible Type-C will be a lot more convenient than the present USB

The new Type-C USB intends to take convenience to the next level. Its makers say that they’ve completed work on this innovation and this USB can be incorporated in mobiles as well as bigger devices. The shining glory of Type-C is its reversibility. Which means that you don’t have to keep turning the USB around till the planets align in the exact positions for it to go into the slot.

The only issue with this next generation USB is that it can’t directly function with the older design. But the problem can be easily fixed using adapters. And the folks who now grumble that it’ll take long to integrate this new USB into devices, just remember the times when every company had their own propriety connector. When the market demanded a standard cable, all these companies had to oblige and then the micro USB became a standard across almost all devices. The connectors are also capable of 10 Gbps of bandwidth so they’ll definitely be welcomed by the users. The technical details of the Type-C USB will be unveiled soon.

August 14, 2014
HP and Google had Planned for an Enterprise Nexus Device

Just when we got to know that Motorola might bring out the next Nexus smartphone, it is now being reported that HP and Google were to partner together for an enterprise Nexus device.

The Information reports that the two tech giants have been having talks to bring enterprise specific devices and were planning to expand Google Now for enterprise needs.

Google and Apple had previously made the decision to quell all the lawsuits they had been hurling at each other in the past. The companies had decided to compete in the market instead of the courthouse, and this seems to be the beginning of the market wars. Just a few weeks back Apple had partnered with IBM to bring enterprise solutions through its iOS ecosystem.

The proposition that was being examined between the two companies was the prospect of bringing Google Now to the corporate environment. Google would try to simplify data gathering and access through Google’s personal assistant.

Being an enterprise device, the hardware had high-end encryption. It is said that Google wasn’t appreciative of the hardware that HP brought into the deal, and hence, the talks have apparently failed.

This surely doesn’t seem like the end of Google’s pursuit to bring convenience in enterprise mobility. The mobile environment in the corporate arena is up for grabs, and the monetary rewards will be massive. There is a massive opportunity here, and the company that gives the perfect enterprise mobility solution will be rewarded the way Microsoft was rewarded with its desktop computer business. This war will sure be fun to watch and follow.

August 14, 2014
Apple Bans Use of Hazardous Chemicals in iPhone, iPad Assembly

Five months ago, Chinese and American labor right groups petitioned Apple to investigate the use of potentially hazardous materials in its iPhone and iPad assembly process. The company has announced that it will make changes, banning the use of at least two chemicals.

China Labor Watch and Green America asked the company to abandon the use of benzene and n-hexane in the production of the iPhone. These chemicals can also be found in substances including paint strippers, industrial cleaning products and household cleaners. Benzene is a known carcinogen, and n-hexane has been linked to nerve damage.

Demonstrations against the use of hazardous chemicals in the production of iPhones outside an Apple Store in New York April 25, 2014.

A four-month investigation at 22 factories found no evidence that benzene and n-hexane endangered the roughly 5,00,000 people who work at the plants, according to Apple. No traces of the chemicals were detected at 18 of the factories and the amounts found at the other four factories fell within acceptable safety levels, the Cupertino, California, company said.

Nevertheless, Apple decided to order its suppliers to stop using benzene and n-hexane during the final assembly of iPhones, iPads, iPods, Mac computers and various other accessories. What’s more, Apple has made it mandatory for all its factories to test all substances to ensure that they don’t contain benzene or n-hexane, even if the chemicals aren’t listed in the ingredients.

Workers assembling iPhones

“This is doing everything we can think of to do to crack down on chemical exposures and to be responsive to concerns,” Lisa Jackson, Apple’s vice president of environmental initiatives, said in an interview with The Associated Press. “We think it’s really important that we show some leadership and really look toward the future by trying to use greener chemistries.”

Jackson also said that they asked manufacturers to find safer alternatives and ban the use of the chemicals in the final assembly process. Apple will require its manufacturers to test all cleaning agents and degreasers before they’re used in production to make sure there are no hidden chemical risks.

Apple is believed to have assembled an advisory board to further reduce the use of toxins in the company’s products and supply chain.

August 14, 2014
Amazon Launches Live App Testing for Android and Fire Devices

Amazon recently launched a new developer tool called Live App Testing. The new tool basically allows the developers to distribute your apps in the Amazon Appstore to a pre-defined set of testers for the purpose of gathering feedback, improving quality, increasing stability and optimizing the experience before their app goes live for everyone to download. This testing apps feature can also take advantage of Amazon’s full suite of developer services, including in-app purchases, in a production environment.

Live App Testing creates a version of your app that is only distributed to select testers, which are invited by manually adding email addresses. Testers receive an invite via email with instructions to download the test app and begin testing against Amazon’s production environment (the full suite of Amazon services including in-app purchasing) on any Android or Fire device. Amazon ensures that only the set of testers you defined are the ones that can test your app. Once your app is running, you can either end your test, or promote your test to an upcoming version that has fixes and finishing touches in place.

What’s interesting is that Amazon is supporting Android devices, well it only further intrudes Google’s enclave, though it is not clear how far the support extends. It’s also worth emphasizing that this isn’t just for Kindle Fire devices: the tool offers support for all Amazon’s Fire devices, including the Fire TV and Fire phone.

“In house testing with side-loaded apps is great for isolating and fixing bugs, but it’s not enough. To be certain that your customers are getting the experience you want them to have, you have to test your app against a production environment,” said Amazon’s Paul Cutsinger.

Live App Testing isn’t meant as a replacement for in-house testing via side-loaded apps. Once you’re done isolating and fixing all the bugs you can, Live App Testing lets you test your app “in the real world” without having to handle setting up the whole test system.

The new testing service is one of many developer tools Amazon has rolled out in recent months. It also offers an A/B testing service, Amazon Maps, as well as APIs for in-app purchases, mobile ads, mobile Amazon Associates, device messaging, GameCircle (game data syncing), and login with Amazon. Earlier this year, Apple also acquired TestFlight, a popular mobile app testing service

August 14, 2014
Specs of Motorola Made Nexus 6 ‘Shamu’ Leaked

Amidst all the confusion about the future of the Nexus line of products, comes a fresh new rumor about the next Nexus smartphone. This time it seems that Motorola is going to be taking the responsibility of crafting the next Nexus, after successful attempts from HTC, Samsung, and LG. A mysterious Motorola device, codenamed ‘Shamu’ (the killer whale), is believed to be at the head of the pack when it comes to potential candidates for the next Nexus. And thanks to benchmarking application AnTuTu, we now have a preliminary spec sheet for Shamu. Prior warning, it’s pretty darn impressive.

So, starting off with the display, the Shamu will indeed go the Quad HD way, boasting of a 2560×1440 pixel display that should provide amazing detail and sharpness.

The Motorola Shamu sure has some impressive specs.

Moving on to the internals, the device will be powered by the next big thing cooked by Qualcomm, the Snapdragon 805, with a quad-core Krait 450 processor clocked at 2.65GHz. This will be coupled with the Adreno 420 GPU and 3GB of RAM.In the camera department, it will have a 13MP lens on the rear, along with a modest 2.1MP selfie camera on the front.

Lastly, the Shamu will be running the latest Android L, adding more credibility to the rumors pointing towards it being the next Nexus. Specs like these surpass even the greatest of flagships currently offered by HTC, Samsung, Sony, and LG. All of this at the Nexus price point? It sure sounds too good to be true.

One final thing, the AnTuTu database lists this smartphone as the ‘Google Shamu’, which all but confirms that this is going to be the search giant’s next flagship, the Nexus 6.

Hopefully, we’ll see an announcement in the near future. Early rumors also suggest that the Nexus 6 will be announced along the with the long-rumored HTC Nexus 8 tablet at an event in September itself.

The next iPhone, the next Galaxy Note, and now the next Nexus too? With all this excitement waiting for us in the coming month, we are very close to taking a recluse till September comes.

By Pranav Arora

August 14, 2014
Samsung Galaxy Alpha: Samsung’s New Design Philosophy Unveiled

The Galaxy Alpha has been surprisingly prone to leaks, like none other in its range. The phone looks like what an arrange marriage between Apple’s iPhone and Samsung Galaxy S5 might lead to. The phone as expected is made of a metal frame and boasts an Octa-core chipset.

Galaxy Alpha had been hot in leakster circuits ever since it was announced but with its official launch, the leakers now have one less device to worry about. Samsung seems to be learning the lessons that the market has been trying to teach it for quite a while. The company has tried a different design approach for this device. Though it resembles the design of the iPhone, it is still a welcome change from all that plastic Samsung has been throwing at the consumers for the last few years.

The phone had seen a lot many leaks before its official release.

The phone is a lot thinner in comparison to its older siblings. The Alpha is 6.7mm thick and weighs about 115 grams. The display on the phone is a 4.7 inch screen with 1280X720 resolution. The styling does look premium on the device. It is anticipated that Samsung’s new design philosophy would also influence the upcoming Galaxy Note 4 which is expected to be made of new materials.

On the hardware front, the Samsung Galaxy has a few things that won’t impress the technologically minded. The device runs on the latest Android Kitkat 4.4.4 OS. It has an unnamed Octa core processor (Quad 1.8GHz + Quad 1.3GHz), and it is most probably an Exynos 5 based chipset. The RAM on the device is 2 GB and has internal storage of 32 GB. It has no expandable storage though. The Alpha has a dismal 1860 mAh battery which might dissuade a lot of folks from getting the device.

The main camera on the Alpha is a 12 megapixel shooter and is accompanied by a 2.1 MP front camera. It is capable of shooting 4K videos. It will retain the usual Samsung features such as Ultra-Power Saving Mode, S Health, Fingerprint Scanner, and Private Mode, amongst others.

The Galaxy Alpha will be available in September and will be available in black, white, gold, silver and blue colors.

August 13, 2014
Huawei Teases to Reveal a New Device

Huawei has sent out press invites for an event to be held on the 4th of September. The invite features a huge number 7, hinting that the device to be released will either be the Ascend Mate 7 or the Ascend D7.

While the model name might not be known, a few specs are believed to feature in this soon-to-be-released device. The star of the show is believed to be a 6” Quad HD (2560×1440) display. The device might be powered by the company’s own Kirin 920 octa-core chipset and a healthy 3GB of RAM.

The minimalistic Invite doesn’t reveal much.

Huawei also believes that this device will be better than both the iPhone 6 and the Galaxy S6. Now, those are some hefty claims. If Samsung doesn’t manage to bring in a Quad HD screen soon, Huawei’s claim may become true.

The rumours don’t stop here, however. If leaksters are to be believed, the company is also going to release a second device with a Full HD 1080p display and 2GB of RAM. This by no way is a mid-ranger, but will only be the lower speced sibling of the Quad HD monster to be released by Huawei.

Seems like September is going to be a busy season for the Smartphone moguls. The battle lines are drawn with Samsung set to release the Note 4, which will be followed by Apple’s iPhone 6 release. With Huawei also staking a claim to gadget greatness, things will surely get interesting for the consumers. Now we really can’t wait for September to come.

By Pranav Arora

August 13, 2014
Top 5 Wearables You Can Buy In India Right Now

Wearables are huge these days – with technology giants like Samsung, Google, Apple and basically everyone else investing huge sums into this relatively new technology. While there are a myriad of wearables available in the international market, only half the number show up on the Indian shore. We are listing top 5 wearables you can buy in India right now.

Pebble Smart

Pebble Smart is a toned down version of more expensive and metal-clad Pebble Steel which is not available in India. This one features a 1.26 inch, 168×144 display along with an ARM Cortex M3 CPU and supports Bluetooth 4.0 LE. The design is also waterproof so you can go for a swim without worrying. Performance and battery life are very good. It may not have the sharpest display, but it would last you several days of heavy usage.

Buy it Now

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Sony Smart Watch 2

Unlike most smartwatches available in the market which beg you to connect the device with your phone, Sony Smart Watch 2 is more like a stand alone smartwatch. However, it can still be paired up with the Sony Xperia Z2/Z Ultra/Z1 for notifications. It includes three capacitive buttons underneath the display, which measures 1.6 inches and has a 220×176 resolution. There’s an array of app support with more than 300 apps supporting the watch, including Facebook and Twitter. It’s also dust and water resistant plus it has that attractive Xperia-like design.

Buy it Now

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Misfit Shine

A lot of fitness gadgets that track your progress are bulky and only come in certain wristband styles. Misfit Shine is the size of a quarter, and can be worn anywhere. The design is diamond-cut from a block of aircraft-grade aluminium and runs on a replaceable battery that lasts up to six months. The Shine syncs easily with its app by placing the metal dot on your phone screen to download data in seconds. It tracks walking, jogging, running, cycling, and swimming (the Shine is waterproof too), and weighs less than 10 grams.

Buy it Now

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Samsung Galaxy Gear 2 Neo

As its predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy Gear 2 Neo features 1.63 inch Super AMOLED display, a dust and water-resistant body and a 2 megapixel camera with auto focus. It is a toned down version of the original’s futuristic metallic body. A neat addition is being able to attach your own straps to the Gear 2 Neo. Tizen OS is in place instead of Android and this helps to extend the battery life while focusing more on fitness. A heart sensor and pedometer are included for the same purpose.

Buy it Now

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UP by Jawbone

UP is a fitness tracker that provides you feedback on your activity, calories burned, diet, and sleep, and then guides you towards achieving your goals. The design is fantastic, it is extremely comfortable and pleasant to wear as well.

Buy it Now

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August 13, 2014
Samsung Claim They’re Still Number One in India

Last week, we heard reports that Micromax had dethroned Samsung to become the Number 1 phone manufacturer for Q2 2014 in terms of units shipped. However, Samsung says this is not the case.

Economic Times talked to Samsung President and Chief Executive for South-West Asia, BD Park. He claims that these reports are false. He admitted that sales had decreased in the past quarter, and that the Galaxy S5 did not sell as well as they had predicted. Nevertheless, the company still met its targets, and according to their internal data, still controls more than 50% of the Indian market with more than double the sales of the alleged market leaders, Micromax.

Park further went on to say that “there was some business motive behind the release of such kind of data”, directly pointing the finger at Micromax for releasing false information as a media stunt to increase sales. These are some very serious allegations, and we will have to wait and see if any of these hold true.

The earlier reports were prepared by Hong-Kong based independent firm called Counterpoint Technology Market Research, allegedly being based on “thorough channel checks in terms of sales.” However, CyberMedia Research (CMR) said that while the Korean company was still the leader, the gap between the two had narrowed sharply.

By Pranav Arora

August 13, 2014
Google to Bring 60 Tbps Internet to Asia Through Undersea Route

Google along with some major Asian telecom companies is planning to bring high-speed internet connectivity to Asia using undersea cables that will connect the two sides of the pacific in a technological alliance. The cables will connect western USA to Japan. The data transmission speed of this cable is an astounding 60 Terabits per second (Tbps.)

For this mega venture, Google will partner with some of the major telecom names in Asia such as China Mobile International and China Telecom Global. From Malaysia, there is the Global transit, from Japan KDDI and Singapore’s Singtel will also be a part of this venture.

The cables, aptly named ‘Faster’ will aid in quenching the thirst of massive internet traffic in these growing markets. Google’s senior vice president of technical infrastructure, Urs Hölzle describes the project on his Google+ page as a backbone infrastructure development for its Android system and Google Cloud computing Platform.

[quote text_size=”small” author=”Urs Hölzle” link=”https://plus.google.com/u/0/+UrsH%C3%B6lzle/posts/haJzDXnp9Z4″]

“At Google we want our products to be fast and reliable, and that requires a great network infrastructure, whether it’s for more than a billion Android users or developers building products on Google Cloud Platform. And sometimes the fastest path requires going through the ocean. That’s why we’re investing in FASTER, a new undersea cable that will connect major West Coast cities in the US to two coastal locations in Japan with a design capacity of 60 Tbps (that’s about ten million times faster than your cable modem).”

[/quote]

NEC Corporation will act as a system supplier for the FASTER cable system. NEC has more than 30 years of experience in constructing over 200,000 kilometers of cables (that’s like five times the circumference of Earth.) NEC is one of the world’s top vendors of submarine cable systems.

Google has previously invested in other undersea initiatives too like UNITY in 2008 and SJC (South-East Asia Japan Cable) in 2011. The company’s initiative to speed up the internet will help boost innovation in the countries connected through this network. It will aid in facilitating home grown products that will have an equal opportunity to stand in the world and find consumers in a different part of the world. These forms of infrastructural development have the potential to evolve the human race into one interdependent and functional species which can aim for the stars together. Though the thought is a Utopian one but Google deserves the kudos for investing in real world technological infrastructure which will be beneficial to it, as well as the people.

August 12, 2014