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Apple Rolls Out CarPlay, Allows More Fun Use of iPhone in the Car

Apple has officially announced CarPlay, which is a new in car interface that will be compatible with Ferrari, Mercedes and Volvo cars.

CarPlay has been designed from the ground up to provide drivers with an incredible experience using their iPhone in the car,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s vice president of iPhone and iOS Product Marketing. “iPhone users always want their content at their fingertips and CarPlay lets drivers use their iPhone in the car with minimized distraction. We have an amazing lineup of auto partners rolling out CarPlay, and we’re thrilled it will make its debut this week in Geneva.”

Once iPhone is connected to a vehicle with CarPlay integration, Siri easily access your contacts, make calls, return missed calls or listen to voicemails. When incoming messages or notifications arrive, Siri provides an experience by responding to requests through voice commands, by reading drivers’ messages and letting them dictate responses or simply make a call.

Users can easily control CarPlay from the car’s native interface or just push- and-hold the voice control button on the steering wheel to activate Siri. Vehicles from Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz and Volvo will premiere CarPlay to their drivers this week, while additional auto manufacturers bringing CarPlay to their drivers down the road include BMW Group, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai Motor Company, Jaguar Land Rover, Kia Motors, Mitsubishi Motors, Nissan Motor Company, PSA Peugeot Citroën, Subaru, Suzuki and Toyota Motor Corp.

[Apple]

March 3, 2014
Samsung is Rumored to Launch a New Leather Wrapped Chromebook

After the launch of its flagship Galaxy S5, Samsung is also focusing on other products. Started from the Galaxy Note 3, the leather like back panel is adopted by the Galaxy Grand 2, and now it seems that Samsung is planning to launch other devices with the same approach.

As per Evleaks, Samsung will launch a Google Chromebook wrapped with the leather like plastic coating that the company loves so much these days. Not much information is available on this, but if rumors are to be believed, we can expect a Samsung Chromebook with leather like coat really soon.

March 3, 2014
Nokia X Gets Hacked To Run Google apps

The recently launched Nokia X, the Android powered device that is intended to promote Microsoft’s services via Android, has been hacked to run Google’s services instead. Basically, you will now be able to run any Google Mobile Services – PlayStore, Gmail, Maps, Notes, etc, on the device.

The forked version of Android will not include Play Store or any Google App, like Chrome, Maps etc, however, it can still manage to run the Android applications you want. These X smartphones from Nokia will instead include, Skype, Here maps, Outlook and more services.

The first thing to remember about running Android is that any attempt to release a feature or app exclusively for one device family will only result in the hack/mod-minded Android community extracting and sharing said treasure with those running other Android-based devices.

The hack is pretty simple and we could see a good number of Nokia X models running Google services in the future. A developer named KashaMalaga, by using the popular rooting application, FramaRoot, which lets you avail admin privileges in just one-click, found a quick way to bypass the Nokia X’s bootloader and make it fit for installing a modified version of the operating system (custom ROM).

[Via]

March 1, 2014
Google Now Shows Restaurants Menu Through Cards, Works Only in US For Now

Looking up for a restaurant near by ? Google can now help you when you are starving and want a good place to treat your taste buds.

Google has included new cards on Google Now, which allow users to search menu’s of their favorite restaurants or any place nearby. It will not only show menu’s but will also divide it and show breakfast, lunch and dinner separately. Furthermore, these new Google cards will also show prices of the food items, which will help users to plan a pocket friendly meal. However, this feature is only available in the United States but should be available for other markets soon.

Google Now accepts various commands now, like make phone calls, Get directions, send messages, set reminders, it can answer many of your questions, schedule meetings, play music and movies, set alarms and even open up applications in the smartphones. Having said that, don’t be surprised if you get a Google Now card suggesting you to eat at your favorite restaurant.

[Google]

March 1, 2014
FIFA 2014 Now Available On Windows Phone Store

One of the latest football games is now available for download in the Windows Phone Store. FIFA 14, was available on Android and iOS devices since a long time, and is now available for Windows devices as well.

FIFA 2014 on Windows store free of cost, with EA hoping to bring in revenue by way of in-app purchases, which includes Ultimate Team points or even for the unlocking of additional game modes. The game not only includes currency that lets you spend cash to save time, but there are three modes (Manager, Tournament, and Kick Off) that are only available after a paid upgrade.

FIFA 2014 features 33 leagues, more than 600 licensed teams and more than 16,000 players, from the English Premier League and La Liga to the German Bundesliga and more. You can even listen to commentary in English, French, German, Italian and Spanish.

[Windows Store]

March 1, 2014
Report : Microsoft Developing Free Windows 8.1 Operating System

Sources close to Microsoft have reported this week that the company is currently developing and experimenting with a new free version of its Windows 8.1 operating system.

Bing, which will be at the center of the low-cost operating system, is already growing as a platform and Microsoft hopes that will continue into the future.

While early versions of the software have leaked online, we understand that Windows 8.1 with Bing is an experimental project that aims to bring a low-cost version of Windows to consumers.

Considering that the company has already cut licensing fees by as much as 70%, Microsoft is already looking to make Windows 8.1 a low-cost OS for manufacturers interested in using the platform.

More details of a low-cost Windows 8.1 operating system as well as the merging of Windows RT and Windows Phone are expected to be made available by Microsoft during their Build conference later this year.

[Via]

February 28, 2014
Micromax Funbook Ultra HD P580 With 7.8″ HD Display Available For 11,990 INR

Micromax has silently added a new 3G enabled tablet in its vast range of products. The Funbook Ultra HD P580, is now available at an e-commerce website for 11,990 INR.

The new Funbook Ultra HD sports a 7.8 inch IPS HD display with a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels. This tablet is powered by a 1.2 GHz quad-core processor which is coupled with a 1 GB of RAM. The Funbook Ultra is packed with a 8 GB of inbuilt storage which is expandable upto 32 GB via MicroSD card.

Furthermore, this device is equipped with 5 MP rear camera and a 2 MP front facing camera, which can be used for video calls as this device comes with voice calling as well as 3G. The Micromax Funbook Ultra HD P580 tablet runs on a 3600 mAh battery, and runs on Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean.

[Via]

February 28, 2014
Boeing Black Announced : A Tamper Proof Smartphone

Boeing Co. on Wednesday unveiled a smartphone that appears to come straight from a James Bond spy movie.

The long-rumoured “Black” Android spy smartphone, which has the ability to self-destruct if tampered with, will soon be a reality, according to a patent filed by the aerospace and defence contractor.

“Boeing’s Black phone will be sold primarily to government agencies and companies engaged in contractual activities with those agencies that are related to defense and homeland security,” the filing states. “The device will be marketed and sold in a manner such that low level technical and operational information about the product will not be provided to the general public.”

The Android device has a 4.3-inch diagonal screen, dual 1.2 gigahertz ARM Cortext APU processors and weighs 170 grams. It includes hardware-level security modules and “configurable inhibit controls” to protect the device, its data and transmitted information. The phone also has modular design and expansion port that lets customers add additional sensors or enhancements, such as satellite connectivity or expanded power capacity.

Due to the phone’s security features, Boeing is releasing few details about the wireless network operators or manufacturer it is working with, and has not provided a price or date by which the phone might be widely available, but said it has begun offering the phone to potential customers.

February 27, 2014
Apple Details iPhone 5s Touch ID Scanner

Apple has updated its iOS Security document to include intricate, detailed information pertaining to the Touch ID sensor that is found on the iPhone 5s.

Apple reiterates that Touch ID and its Secure Enclave store only data from scanned fingerprints, rather than actual images. Using a secure boot process, the Enclave – a coprocessor inside of Apple’s A7 processor – verifies and signs information independently of other iOS hardware and software.

All Secure Enclaves can function independently even if a kernel is compromised and each one contains a unique ID inaccessible to other parts of the system and unknown to Apple, preventing the company or any other third parties from accessing data contained within.

“Each Secure Enclave is provisioned during fabrication with its own UID (Unique ID) that is not accessible to other parts of the system and is not known to Apple. When the device starts up, an ephemeral key is created, tangled with its UID, and used to encrypt the Secure Enclave’s portion of the device’s memory space,” the document said.

“Additionally, data that is saved to the file system by the Secure Enclave is encrypted with a key tangled with the UID and an anti-replay counter.”

And while the A7 processor deals with data from Touch ID, this information is encrypted by the scanner, making it unreadable to the rest of the phone. Only Secure Enclave can authenticate the data.

“It’s encrypted and authenticated with a session key that is negotiated using the device’s shared key that is built into the Touch ID sensor and the Secure Enclave,” the document reads. “The session key exchange uses AES key wrapping with both sides providing a random key that establishes the session key and uses AES-CCM transport encryption.”

Apple has also spelt out that it has strict no-third party app rule when it comes to TouchID data. “Touch ID authentication and the data associated with the enrolled fingerprints are not available to other apps or third parties,” reads the document.

February 27, 2014
Google’s Project Ara Conference Announced

Google today revealed the first details of its Ara Developers’ Conference, a series of events that’ll focus on getting devs up to speed on the current and upcoming features of Project Ara. A new follow-up profile by TIME indicates we could see the device come to market by next year, with a $50 price tag to start.

That MDK should be released in early April, Google says, as a free and open platform specification, along with a reference implementation that will help would-be Ara module developers to create their own piece.

The event will take place in Mountain View, California, and will be streamed online to the whole world. In fact, Google claims that Project Ara is designed for 6 billion people. This indicates that Android maker may be working on a highly affordable modular phone for the masses.

Project Ara began as a project in the Motorola Mobility skunkworks, but after the news that Lenovo would buy the smartphone company, Google confirmed that it would be keeping the Ara team.

Headed under the Advanced Technology and Projects (ATAP) division, the platform is meant to be a single hub onto which the user can place their own hardware. This means CPUs, cameras, sensors, screens, baseband, modems, connectivity, storage – the whole gamut.

February 27, 2014
Report: Samsung Galaxy S5 is Said to be Cheaper than its Competition

Samsung has just launched the Galaxy S5 at the Mobile World Congress 2014. While, the company has unveiled the device and all of its features, the price of the Galaxy S5 still remains unsaid.

However, putting some light on how well priced the Samsung Galaxy S5 will be, the Korean Media has reported that the device will be priced lower than its competition(Sony Xperia Z2). Samsung will partner with various carrier providers internationally and that might include India as well, this can be true after considering what happened with iPhone 5s.

Meanwhile, considering other rumors the Galaxy S5 is also said to be priced cheaper than the launch price of the Galaxy S4. Which means cheaper than 41,500 INR and this definitely, does not sound realistic. The official details should not be away, as this device will be launched on 11th April in 150 countries.

If you have not, check out our Hands-On video and benchmark video below:

[youtube url=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5_tzwTNXU4″]

[youtube url=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJehUF6JeUM”]

[Via]

February 27, 2014
Micromax Canvas Blaze HD Listed Online

Micromax is said to be working on the Canvas Knight, which will be the new flagship device for the company. However, working on the launch of the flagship device does not stop the company to showcase their mid-range smartphones.

Micromax has listed two new smartphones on its official website, Canvas Blaze HD and Canvas Duet II. The Blaze HD EG 116 is the successor to the Canvas Blaze which was launched in December last year.

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.

Just like its predecessor, this device will also come with MTS partnership, as the company’s logo is embedded at the back of the device.

[Micromax]

February 27, 2014
The New HTC One Will Launch On 25th March 2014

We have seen various leaks for the new HTC One aka M8, resting all those leaks and rumors; HTC has confirmed that they will launch their new flagship on 25th March 2014.

The company has released a video on YouTube, which tells about the HTC boomsound from the dual front speakers. In the video; old HTC One is compared with the new HTC One, but the new phone has been censored along with its features. No other information is available, but if rumors are to be believed 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 3 GB of RAM and Sense 6.0 UI on top of Android 4.4.2 KitKat.

Further rumored specs include an UltraPixel camera setup at the back is designed to use an 8mp sensor and a 4 MP sensor as opposed to the dual 5MP setup we have all been hearing. The led flash, like the one seen on the Apple iPhone 5s, is a dual-tone type. We will give you updated, once we hear more till then you can enjoy the video below:

[youtube url=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0brzd7BfM4″]

February 27, 2014
Samsung Details Exynos 5422, 5260 Chipsets

Samsung is adding two new processors to its Exynos family. The Samsung Exynos 5422 is an updated, faster version of the Exynos 5420 octa-core processor, while the new Exynos 5260 is the company’s first hexa-core chip.

The line struggles to compete with Qualcomm when it comes to LTE radio capabilities, so like previous releases we’ll see the Exynos version of the phone in markets where LTE isn’t an option yet. In the US and in parts of Europe where LTE has been steadily growing, we’ll see the Qualcomm variant so users can take advantage of the special bonded download feature Samsung has implemented for the Galaxy S5.

The 5422 has four Cortex-A15 cores clocked at 2.1GHz and four Cortex-A7 cores @ 1.5GHz. This is a good 200MHz upgrade over the previous Exynos 5420 SoC. The 5422, naturally, uses the big.LITTLE ARM architecture, but comes with Samsung’s own tweak – HMP (Heterogeneous Multi Processing) technology. The HMP allows the device to utilize any combination of cores, even all eight, at once.

Another addition to the Samsung’s Exynos family is the 5 Hexa or the Exynos 5260, is seen in the Galaxy Note 3 Neo, which features six CPU cores: two 1.7GHz ARM Cortex A15 cores and four 1.3GHz ARM Cortex A7 cores.

As per Samsung, the Exynos 5 Hexa supports WQXGA (2560 x 1600) display resolution and also supports full-HD (1080p) playback at up to 60 frames-per-second (fps).

Samsung further revealed that the samples of the processor are scheduled for mass production in the first quarter of 2014, while the Exynos 5260 is currently in mass production.

February 26, 2014
A New Record? Goophone Clones Galaxy S5 in TWO Days!

Goophone has come out in support of those who can’t afford the newly launched Samsung Galaxy S5 – by cloning the device in just 2 days and naming it, imaginatively, the Goophone S5.

The Goophone S5 will pack a 5-inch 1920×1080 display and will be powered by a MediaTek octa-core chipset clocked at 2GHz. It will come with 2GB of RAM, 32GB of onboard storage, WiFi, dual-SIM capabilities, a 2,800mAh battery, a 13MP rear-facing camera, a 5MP front-facing camera, and will be priced at $300.

The Samsung Galaxy S5 on the other hand, features a 5.1 inch Super AMOLED Full HD display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. The Galaxy S5 is powered by a 2.5 Ghz Snapdragon 800 processor and runs on Android 4.4 KitKat. This latest flagship from Samsung is packed with a 2 GB of RAM and 16/32 GB internal storage options along with expandability of 64 GB via MicroSD card.

The knockoff S5 obviously contains the “Goophone” branding on the rear shell, but that appears to be the only design element that differentiates the two pieces of kit.

The Goophone S5 will compliment the company’s line of familiar looking offerings, like the Goophone i5S,Goophone i5C, Goophone N3 and the Goophone Smart Watch.

We’re not sure if Samsung will be taking any legal action against Goophone and their blatant and very obvious Galaxy S5 ripoff. The official site for the product is currently showing as “out of stock“.

February 26, 2014