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iOS 7.1 Update to be Available Before 11th March 2014

As per rumors Apple is all set to release the first major update to its iOS 7 Operating System. John Gruber from Daring Fireball says that the update will include an app which will stream performances from the iTunes Festival.

The iTunes festival app, which has not been released yet, will require iOS 7.1 to run, says Gruber. With SXSW set to start on Friday, the app and the update, should arrive soon.

Apple’s first iTunes Festival in the U.S. starts a week from today at SXSW in Austin. Apple is going to stream the performances to iOS devices using an app, but I’ve heard from a little birdie that the app requires iOS 7.1 (which explains why the app isn’t out yet). That means iOS 7.1 should ship any day now.

The iTunes festival begins on 11th March 2014, and if this comes out to be true then iOS 7.1 will be available really soon. This update will also bring the CarPlay feature which was just released by Apple. Stay tuned for more information!

[Source]

March 6, 2014
The New HTC One has Two Cameras at the Back, Here is a Close and Clear Look

While we are not far away from the launch of the new HTC One, 25th March 2014. HTC has released various teasers highlighting different USP’s for the upcoming phone, which might not excite many people as we have seen many leaks showing almost everything.

However, the leaks continues and the new one is from Evleaks, the handset seen above sports a high quality polished Aluminum casing designed from a single block just like the HTC One. The leaked image above shows a clear picture of the upcoming smartphone, and the two cameras which people are talking about. It is not clear what will be the use of these camera, but if we look at rumors spinning in the rumor mills the next leak might not be away and will probably end rumors of the use of these camera from better focusing, 3D videos etc.

The M8 will have different specs compared to the HTC One including a 5-inch 1080p display powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8974 coupled with 3GB of RAM and Sense 6.0 UI on top of Android 4.4.2 KitKat.

The front is mostly identical to the HTC One and features a BoomSound speaker setup and lacks physical or dedicated capacitive touch buttons. Here are the images that were sent to us by an anonymous tipster:

[Source]

March 6, 2014
Yahoo! To End Facebook And Google Sign-Ins

Yahoo is planning on removing all of the Facebook and Google login functionality in a move to heighten the overall user experience. This latest move by CEO Marissa Mayer who has been shaking up nearly everything from search to company culture to acquisitions.

“Yahoo is continually working on improving the user experience,” the company said in a statement, noting that the new process “will allow us to offer the best personalized experience to everyone.”

For now, users can still access Yahoo services using their Facebook or Google log-ins. A timeline wasn’t provided for when exactly they will cease to exist.

As TNW reports, the move to integrate Facebook and Google log-ins three years ago came as Yahoo sought to tap on their huge numbers of users — but it seems like CEO Marissa Mayer is keen to take a different route in a bid to reclaim native users and revive its ecosystem.

The first Yahoo service to require the new sign-in process is Yahoo Sports Tourney Pick’Em, a service focused on the NCAA college basketball tournament which begins later this month. News of the change to Yahoo’s Tourney Pick’Em sign-in process was first reported by the technology blog Betanews.

March 5, 2014
Android 4.4 Update Ends Samsung’s Benchmark Boosting

The past few months the folks at Samsung were accused of artificially boosting the benchmark performance of their high-end smartphones, by overclocking the CPU and GPU while the benchmark tests are running. With Android 4.4 KitKat, Samsung has ceased this behavior. The whitelists have been removed, the browser no longer detects SunSpider or Rightware’s Browsermark, and the phone doesn’t display unusual activity or processor clocks when benchmark applications are run.

While the phones do still perform better than their Android 4.2 running counterparts, that should mostly be a result of the under-the-hood improvements made by Google in the latest version of the mobile OS.

According to a report by Ars Technica:

Moving to Android 4.4, that strange CPU activity stops happening. Every single benchmark we ran prompted variable-but-normal fluctuations in CPU speed based on actual activity. Speeds would ramp up for a couple of seconds while the app launched, but once it became idle, the speeds settled back down to where they would normally be.

Compare this to the behaviour in Android 4.3 “where all four cores go right to the maximum speed of 1.9GHz when a benchmark app is opened.”

Benchmarks are useful tools, but they are not, or should not be, the deciding factor in purchasing a device anyway but we’re glad to see Samsung moving away from this behavior on older devices. The real test will come with the launch of the Galaxy S5.

March 5, 2014
Pebble 2.0 Beta App Updated And Available For Developers
Today Pebble officially pushed out version 11 of the Pebble 2.0 Beta app for Android. The update brings with it fixes that are said to offer “considerably” improved stability as well as firmware installation enhancements, fixes for sideloading issues and tweaks to make MyPebble load faster.

For those users who have the smartwatch, the company notes that you’ll need to remove previous Beta versions and install this one.
- PebbleKit JS localStorage is now sandboxed for each app
- Many improvements to onboarding and FW installation
- Issues with sideloading apps in some circumstances have been fixed
- Some issues with loading JS configuration views after the app has been quit have been addressed
- JavaScript app logs printed via ADB are cleaner
- MyPebble now loads faster
- Known issue: Pairing a Pebble during onboarding may not succeed. If you run into problems, exit the Pebble app. Remove the pairing entry from Android BT settings & your Pebble. Then pair manually using BT settings.
You’ll need to uninstall version 10 before you install this one, and any javascript-based apps will need manually reinstalled.
March 5, 2014
Google Launches Indoor Maps in India
Google announced indoor maps for a number of public spaces such as malls etc today. After giving us the street view for the historical monuments, Google will now provide view for malls.

The indoor maps launched today include locations like:
- Shopping Centres
  - Bangalore
    
    Ascendas Park Square Mall
    
    Gopalan Arcade Mall
    
    Gopalan Innovation Mall
    
    Gopalan Legacy Mall
    
    Gopalan Signature Mall
    
    Inorbit Mall Banglore
    
    Orion Mall
    
    The Forum
    
    UB city
  - Bhopal
    
    Ashima Mall
    
    C21 Mall
  - Chennai
    
    Ampa SkyWalk
    
    Bergamo
    
    Forum Vijay Mall
    
    Ramee Mall
    
    Spectrum
  - Coimbatore
    
    Fun Republic Mall
  - Chandigarh
    
    DLF City Centre
    
    Fun Republic Mall
  - Dehradun
    
    Pacific Mall
  - Delhi
    
    Ansal Plaza, Khel Gaon
    
    Ambience Mall Vasant Kunj
    
    DLF Emporio Mall, Vasant Kunj
    
    DLF Place Saket
    
    DLF Promenade Mall
    
    MGF Metropolitan Saket
    
    MGF Square City
    
    Pacific Mall (Tagore garden)
    
    Select City Walk Saket
  - Ghaziabad
    
    Pacific Mall
    
    Shipra Mall
    
    The Opulent
  - Goa
    
    Caculo Mall
  - Gurgaon
    
    Ambience Mall
    
    Ansals Palam Vihar
    
    MGF Mega City
    
    MGF Metropolitan Mall
    
    Sahara Mall
  - Hyderabad
    
    Inorbit Mall
    
    Manjeera Mall
    
    Prasadz
  - Jaipur
    
    MGF Metropolitan Mall
    
    Pink Square Mall
    
    World Trade Park
    
    Triton Mall
    
    Crystal Court
  - Kochi
    
    Abad Nucleus Mall
    
    Bay Pride Mall
    
    LuLu International shopping mall
  - Kolkata
    
    City Centre
    
    City Centre II
    
    Merlin Homeland Mall
  - Lucknow
    
    Fun Republic Mall
    
    West End Mall
  - Ludhiana
    
    West End Mall
  - Moradabad
    
    West End Mall
  - Mumbai
    
    Fun Republic
    
    Growel Mall
    
    Inorbit mall Malad
    
    Inorbit mall Vashi
    
    Korum Mall
    
    Palladium Mall
    
    R City
  - Noida
    
    Ansals
    
    Centre Stage Mall
    
    Great India Place
  - Pune
    
    Amanora Park Town
    
    Inorbit Mall
    
    Kumar Pacific Mall
    
    Phoenix Market City
  - Raipur
    
    City Centre 36
  - Vadodara
    
    Inorbit Mall
- Museums
  - Delhi
    
    National Gallery Of Modern Art
  - Hyderabad
    
    Salar jung
- Convention Centers
  - Hyderabad International Convention Center
- Retail
  - Bangalore Hypercity, Inorbit Mall
The list above shows all the locations where indoor maps can be used via Google Maps. In some locations, users will have the option of using the indoor My Location feature. Which allows you to move up or down a level in a building with multiple floors, the map will automatically update to display which floor you are on.
March 5, 2014
Sony Launches Xperia E1 With Walkman Key, Dual SIM, Starts at 9,490 INR

Sony India today introduced Xperia E1, a new Android smartphone to which the company claims will provide great audio quality and more. Sony has launched the Xpeira E1 in two variants, the single SIM variant is priced at 9490 INR, whereas, the Dual SIM variant is priced at 10,490 INR.

This mid-range device from Sony sports a 4 inch display with a resolution of 800 x 480 pixels(233 ppi). The device is powered by a 1.2 GHz dual core MSM8210 processor and packed with a 512 MB RAM and 4 GB storage.

The Xperia E1 comes with loud 100Db speaker that can produce a loud and clean sound With ClearAudio+ mode, it can instantly enhance the listening experience and optimize balance of frequencies while xLOUD ensures tracks sound as good as they should. As Sony has focused this phone to be music friendly, they have equipped it with a dedicated Walkman key and shake to change song feature.

The Sony Xperia E1 is equipped with a 3 MP camera, runs on Android and is powered by a 1700 mAh battery with power mode. The Dual SIM variant will be available starting 10th March, and the Single SIM variant will be available by 25th March in Black, White and Purple color options.

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[toggle title=”Press Release “]Sony India today introduced Xperia E1, a new Android smartphone that brings Sony’s leading audio technologies together with expertise in display, design, performance and content to create a smartphone independently recognized as the “best smartphone in its class”. The new Xperia E1 and E1 Dual will be available at all Sony Centers and major electronic stores across India and will be priced at Rs 9,490 and Rs 10, 490 respectively. Please find attached the press release and images of Sony Xperia E1. Introducing Xperia™ E1 – The best music experience now in a smartphone · Incredible music with a super-clear 100dB speaker · Enjoy music with dedicated WALKMAN key and Shake control · Blaze through apps and the internet with the fastest processor in its class and fast data speeds · Experience all of this through the bright and clear 4” WVGA display encapsulated in the latest Sony design 05th March, 2014: Sony India today introduced Xperia E1, a new Android smartphone that brings Sony’s leading audio technologies together with expertise in display, design, performance and content to create a smartphone independently recognized as the “best smartphone in its class”. The best in its class Xperia E1 is mid-tier smartphone with seriously premium credentials. A solid feel, fast processor and vivid 4” display combined with fast data speeds provides an all-round performance that is unrivalled by any other phone in its class, whilst its audio experience and content offer provides real differentiation. Great music everywhere Sony’s audio heritage can be clearly heard in Xperia E1 as key technologies come together with the 100Db (with 100Db on your Xperia™ E1, even a motorcycle won’t interrupt your music), speaker to produce a louder, cleaner sound that can hold its own in any environment. With ClearAudio+ mode, instantly enhance your listening experience and optimise the balance of frequencies whilst xLOUD ensures that your tracks sound as good as they should – loud and crystal clear. Intuitive WalkmanTM controls Sony’s WalkmanTM technology hails from more than 30 years of premium audio experiences and Xperia E1 builds on this. Shake-to-shuffle controls and a dedicated “long press to launch” WalkmanTM button ensure that loading and navigating your tracks couldn’t be easier, whilst the latest generation of Sony’s “WALKMAN” App makes short work of combining on and offline music, creating playlists, as well as playing and sharing tracks. Crystal clear 4” display All of this is controlled from the vivid 4” touchscreen. Drawing on Sony’s background in TV technology, Xperia E1 incorporates expertise from across Sony’s digital display technologies to provide an immersive visual experience. Whether watching movies or viewing photos, the display looks both vibrant and clear. The heart of your Sony experience Xperia E1 connects via Bluetooth™ to Sony’s extended eco system so whether it’s through the SBH20 Stereo Bluetooth™ Headset for those who prefer to keep their music to themselves, Xperia E1 remains at the heart of your connected Sony music experience. Dual SIM, no compromise Available in both dual and single SIM variants, Xperia E1 offers a new experience through the incorporation of Sony’s latest generation of dual SIM technology. You can set up both SIM cards independently with custom ring tones and instant, simple switching between SIMs before making calls or sending texts, whilst Sony’s dual SIM management technology – means that you can keep both SIMs active, never missing a call, even when talking on one of them. Xperia E1 and E1dual features: · 4” WVGA (800 x 480) display · Fast 1.2 GHz dual core processor with 512 MB RAM and 4GB storage · WalkmanTM key, shake to shuffle and hardware controls for easy music control · 3 MP camera · 1700 mAh battery with stamina mode The new Xperia E1 and E1 Dual will be available at all Sony Centers and major electronic stores across India[/toggle]
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March 5, 2014
Micromax Canvas Knight Launched With 16 MP Camera, Octa-Core CPU at 19,999 INR

Micromax has launched its much awaited and first Ocat-Core device in the Indian market. Micromax Canvas Knight is launched at a price of 19,999 INR and will be available online at the company’s website starting Wednesday.

Canvas Knight sports a 5 inch display with a resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels and a pixel density of 443ppi. The device is powered by a 2 Ghz Octa-Core MediaTek MT6592T processor and is equipped with 2 GB of RAM and comes with 32 GB inbuilt storage which cannot be expanded.

The Canvas Knight offers dual-SIM support, runs Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean and is packed with a 2350 mAh battery. The device is equipped with a 16 MP rear camera with OmniVision CameraChip sensor and M8 Largan Lens,and a secondary 8 MP front facing camera.

Commenting on the launch, Rahul Sharma, Co-Founder, Micromax said, “Canvas Knight is another milestone for Micromax to bring the best combination of technology, style and affordability for the masses.” He further added, “With the launch of Canvas Knight, our first octa-core smartphone, we have yet again raised the bar of affordable innovation in the country”.

March 5, 2014
Facebook Messenger Now Available For Windows Phone 8 Devices

Microsoft declared that the Facebook Messenger application will be available soon on Windows Phone 8 devices at the MWC. This application is now available to download at the Windows Phone Store.

The application offers same kind of Facebook’s chat experience, which includes group conversations, photo sharing, stickers and more. While users get these options, they also miss on some, like voice messaging options, and chat heads are not available. However, this should not be a reason for users to not use the application, you can download it from the source link below.

[Source]

March 5, 2014
Oppo Confirms Two Variants Find 7, Coming Soon

Oppo was rumored to launch the Find 7 soon. This was also surrounded with rumors like this device will be equipped with a 50 MP camera and more.

Sometime back, Oppo had teased that ‘they are coming’, rumors also suggested that the company is looking to launch two variants of its flagship. Find 7 will launch in two variants, possibility is; one with a 5 inch 1080p display and the other with a 5.5 inch 2K display. Oppo has also used an image to show two variants of its new flagship on twitter.

Apart from the rumors of a 50 MP camera and two display sizes, this flagship is also rumored to come up with a 4000 mah battery and a memory card slot to expand the storage of the device. We will update you with more information as we hear it, Stay tuned.

March 5, 2014
Micromax Canvas Blaze HD now Available For 16000 INR

Micromax Canvas Blaze HD 16 is the successor to the Canvas Blaze which was launched in December last year. The company listed this product on its official website sometime back and now it is available at a price of 16000 INR.

This device sports a 5 inch IPS display with a resolution of 720 x 1280 pixels. Micromax Canvas Blaze HD is powered by a 1.2 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 processor coupled with a 1 GB of RAM. Furthermore, the device is equipped with 4 GB of inbuilt storage, which can be further expanded up to 32 GB via microSD card. The device sports an 8 MP rear camera and 2 MP front-facing camera. It is packed with a 2000 mAh battery, and runs on Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.

March 4, 2014
Samsung Officially Launches Leather Wrapped Chromebook 2, Starts at $320

Samsung already has a Chromebook which was available sometime back at a price of $249. Samsung, has now launched the its successor, the new leather wrapped Chromebook 2, which is available in two variants, 11.6 inch and 13.3 inch and runs on Chrome Operating Systems.

Samsung was rumored to launch these new fake leather stitched Chromebook and now the company has officially launched these new Chromebooks.

The 13.3 inch display model comes with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 , which is powered by the Samsung’s latest Exynos 5 Octa processor. This Chromebook is equipped with 4 GB of RAM and 16 GB of internal storage. Samsung claims 8.5 hours of battery life which seems great, this variant is priced at $400. On the other hand, the 11.6 inch display model has a resolution of 1366 x 768, and has a slightly slower processor, and eight hours of battery. But it keeps everything else the same, but this is priced at $320.

March 4, 2014
Oppo’s Find 7 Will Have 50 MP Camera?

The Oppo Find 7 will be announced at a press event which takes place in Beijing on the 19th of March, and now a photo has appeared online which was apparently taken with the camera on the handset. An image sample implies an astonishing 50-megapixel rear camera for the Oppo Find 7, news that should make a few heads turn!

It’s difficult to judge the quality from one image alone, but this prospect is likely to excite plenty of potential buyers. We also wonder whether Oppo will provide an oversampling option, similar to that offered by Nokia’s PureView technology.

At this point, we know that the OPPO Find 7 will be available in two hardware versions. Both will be based on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 801 solution. One will give a screen with a diagonal of 5? Full HD, while the second will make the jump to the diagonal of 5.5″ and resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels.

If the OPPO manufacturer is not playing with our patience and will not encounter other technological difficulties, Find 7 will be the first mobile phone with 2K screen, which says much about the ambitions of the new wave of Chinese manufacturers.

Other specifications on the Oppo Find 7 will include 16GB of built in storage plus 3GB of RAM, the device is expected to come with Android 4.4 KitKat.

Over to the event in Beijing!

[Via]

March 3, 2014
HTC M8 Leaks In Video, Company Cautions Uploader

A young YouTuber by the name of Roshan Jamkatel has posted a 12-minute review of a developer edition HTC M8, the codename for the new HTC One.

The 12-minute video shows off both an AT&T HTC M8’s hardware and software, giving us a glimpse at its dual rear cameras, on-screen buttons and refreshed camera UI. We’re also shown the M8?s microSD card slot, which is housed directly above the device’s volume rocker. There are a number of comparisons to the original HTC One in the video as well, giving us a good idea of just how HTC’s 2014 flagship compares to its predecessor.

The body appears to sport more rounded corners and rear, while the metal chassis remains and navigation keys are moved on screen – all things which fall in line with previous rumours.

The video was taken down from Roshan Jamkatel’s account, after a very threatening exchange with HTC Senior Global Online Communications Manager, Jeff Gordon.

Jeff Gordon supposedly tweeted: “it’s not going to be a good week for you, my friend,” followed by “we have the IMEI and all other info. We’ll be in touch,” but the posts have since been removed.

March 3, 2014
Karbonn To Launch World’s First Android, Windows Phone Dual Boot Handset

Dual-OS phones running Windows Phone and Android are six months away from launch, according to the chairperson of Karbonn, which has apparently signed a deal with Microsoft to produce them.

It is reported that the dual-OS smartphones will be out by June and will target office-going professionals and ‘techies.’

“Microsoft has eased the regulations and is opening up its platform for other players. We signed the agreement two days ago and will launch a range of Windows phones in about three months” – Karbonn CEO Sudhir Hasija

Price is still a mystery and so are the specs; we can only hope this Karbonn will be a high-end device with Snapdragon 800 quad-core chip. While it may seem a bit surprising that Microsoft would agree to share space on a handset, Microsoft has been taking steps to make it easier for manufacturers to install their software. That includes support for Qualcomm’s Android reference designs which would allow a phone maker to use the same hardware for Android or Windows Phone devices.

Reports surfaced recently that it had asked HTC to combine Windows Phone and Android on one device as well.

March 3, 2014