Tag: design

Instagram’s New Icon is the Centre of All Internet Hate

While there are much more heinous things in the world, like crime and terror. It seems that the world has taken a strong stand against the redesign of one of the most popular apps on everybody’s smartphone today.

Leave it up to Facebook to take something you love (like your profile page) and replace it with something millions have to get used to (like the Facebook timeline). Agreed at first this bitter change in unacceptable, but then most people do what they should; accept it and not do a single thing about it.

The same is the case with Instagram’s new brand redesign. While the App may not be half bad, the icon itself is the center of all terror. To be honest, we couldn’t agree more :

https://twitter.com/zara_mann/status/730586324470616064?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

https://twitter.com/joshuatopolsky/status/730400484901654528?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

https://twitter.com/MattTurner4L/status/730489367383429121?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

https://twitter.com/carlyaquilino/status/730563920373649409

What do you think of Instagram’s new logo ? Let us know below.

May 13, 2016
The LG G5 Just Made Smartphones Interesting Again

As a chunk of the world awaited Samsung’s release of their yearly flagship revision, LG got on stage and announced the G5. The Korean company which has remained an underdog in comparison to Samsung massive fan appeal may finally bring back its glory of the Nexus 5.

With a first look the all aluminum design is a stark reminder of the Nexus inspired design and while the LG G5 resembles the Nexus 6p it is much smaller and more rounded. Which the location of the fingerprint scanner and the bump of the camera module almost falling exactly in place.

The LG G5 has a 5.3 inch 2560 x 1440 pixel display which also features a new always-on technology which consumes a fraction of a single percent of battery power per hour.

Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 820 chipset, 4GB of RAM inside the G5. LG now actually offers two camera module on the back: a regular 16-megapixel image and a 135-degree wide angle 8-megapixel camera. with both offering different features and capability.

But with all of the above, the G5 is a mere upgrade with beefy specs and power to boot. Where it radically changes the perception of a flagship smartphone, is by offering a modular 3 tier design.

The LG G5’s bottom compartment slides out, and along with it the 2800 mAh battery. Once removed the module can be interchanged, presently LG offers two, and with third party manufacturers getting access the possibilities are vast. The ones on offer include a camera grip that adds advanced hardware controls for use with the main camera on the device and a beefier stack for a better grip in the hand. The module also doubles up as a battery pack, offering 1200 mAh of additional juice in today’s battery hungry age.

Of course, the personal preference and the more interesting module is the LG Hi-Fi Plus, an external 32-bit DAC and amplifier combo unit, manufactured in collaboration with Bang & Olufsen. It supports native DSD playback and will come with a pair of H3 B&O Play earphones.

Audiophiles have been long carrying portable amps and DACs and LG aims to remove that additional problem and this may work out really well for a lot of people.

LG has basically taken one step forward towards making a truly modular phone a reality. Now if we could just replace out the chipset and the camera we are golden.

LG has dropped a panic bombshell on the audience and the tech industry, and the world should take notice. This is the evolution of smartphone design, and with the future only closer to what modular requirements each customer would have.

Samsung has done little with the Galaxy S7 and the Galaxy S7 Edge, a safer play, giving the consumer what they wanted. Hybrid sim-slot and waterproofing, are majority changes in the Galaxy S7 in comparison.

February 22, 2016
Leaked iPad Air 3 Case Images Suggests Potential Design Changes

Apple will hold a press event in March where it will announce new Apple Watch models along with a new and updated iPad Air. Latest update from this front comes in the form of a leaked case design for the iPad Air 3 which suggests potential design changes.

The image that appeared online shows a cut-out for the Smart Connector. Apple had introduced this feature first in the iPad Pro, to ensure stable connections with other devices. Looks like the Smart Connector could feature in the iPad Air 3 as well.

The leaked design also shows four cut outs for speakers -a feature reported only a couple of weeks ago. The cut-out for the camera on the back is also longer and bigger, hinting at the presence of rear camera flash for the device.

However, rumours that stem from cover designs should be taken with a hint of salt. Cover designs are often conceptualised and circulated without an official confirmation from the company, as is true for this iPad Air case as well.

The iPad Air 3 is expected to be launched in March, alongside iPhone 5se and the new Apple Watch variants.

February 1, 2016
LG G5 Leaked Images Reveal Dual Camera Design

If reports are to be believed the much awaited flagship the G5 from the South Korean tech giant, LG will be unveiled next month at the Mobile World Congress. As the launch date nears, more information through secondary sources is making its way to the media.

The G5 which was already speculated to come with market disrupting feature of a modular attachment such as removable battery pack at the bottom will also house dual cameras at the back, amongst other changes.

A new set of leaked images of a LG G5 unit wearing a sturdy case have surfaced on the internet which provides some valuable insight into the upcoming flagship. The leaked images reveal a pair of 16-megapixel and 8-megapixel cameras on the back. There’s also a flash and what looks like a fingerprint sensor below.which is also expected to double up as the power button.

Cutouts on both sides of the device for the volume rocker and SIM card slot are also visible in the pictures. A single speaker grill is also visible on the bottom of the phone. All this will be housed on a body with dimensions of 149.4 x 73.9 x 8.2 mm.

Other rumors suggest it featuring a 5.6-inch QHD display along with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 SoC and an 8 MP selfie snapper.

January 26, 2016
Apple Watch 2 set for a Possible September Launch

According to latest rumours, it has been claimed that the new redesigned Apple Watch might not be ready before September. According to these reports Apple will talk about the Apple Watch at an event in March, but will only unveil a new range of band color options and other accessories.

Apple will unviel the new bands at this rumored March event and also announce the release of watchOS 2.2, a software update that adds some minor functionality to Maps and lets iPhones sync with multiple Apple Watch devices.

A redesigned new iteration of the Apple Watch isn’t expected to be unveiled by Apple later this September, along with the iPhone 7. It is expected that the second-generation Apple Watch will likely feature new hardware functionality, and come equipped with more health-focused sensors. A front camera is also being expected.

January 23, 2016
Samsung Galaxy S7 Design Leaked in New Video

A new short video leaked online by popular leakster @onleaks and uSwitch shows off what could be the design for the upcoming Galaxy S7 flagship devices.

The video shows a very S6-like design for the S7 only with more rounded sides that works well with the 2.5D glass on the front and back. The render also shows just one card slot for the SIM, which means that it is likely that the S7 will not support MicroSD card.

You also see a protruding camera lens on the back similar to its predecessor. The camera is also rumoured to house a 20 MP ‘BRITECELL’ camera sensor technology.

The S7 Plus shown in the video measures 163.32 x 82.01 x 7.82mm. The 6-inch device pushes the front-facing camera to the top right end. One must take the rendered video with a pinch of salt. The actual device may look a little different but @onleaks has so far had a near 100% accuracy when it comes to leaked renders.

That being said, renders have a way of showing some added thickness and bulge in certain areas (as was the case with the Nexus 6P camera bar, which didn’t protrude as much as the renders suggested). You can expect the finished product to look slimmer and cleaner.

The Galaxy S7 devices are rumoured for a 21 February unveiling. We’ll have more details about the flagship devices as we get closer to the date.

Source

December 11, 2015
These Are Five Phone Design failures You Should Know

“If at first you don’t succeed, try, try, try again”, reads a famous proverb; and the mobile phone industry did take this one very seriously. It is only after a series of miscalculations and faux pas has the smartphone now become one of the savviest tech gadgets to carry around. So let’s take a look at our past and see what our ancestors might have thought to be uber cool.

Nokia 7600

Let’s just look at this phone for sometime. Among the various questions that confound us, one of them is just where is the keypad? And that is not even the most important question. What was Nokia thinking by revealing this mobile phone in 2007, just when Apple launched the iPhone? Anyway, to answer the question about the keypad, there’s a 2 inch display and if you look at it hard enough you’ll see that it is surrounded by alphanumeric buttons on the sides and other keys (Menu and navigation keys) below the screen. Oh, and this tear drop Nokia phone was created for ‘fashionistas’. Well, we didn’t see Anna Wintour carrying it. ‘Nuff said.

Nokia 7280

If you thought Nokia would learn from their previous mistakes, you thought wrong. At least previously we only asked about the keyboard; over here? Where is anything? Nokia thought that a lipstick shaped phone would be more fashionable than a tear drop. They were technically right, but this lipstick is making tears drop from our eyes. This phone has a 35 mm x 20 mm display and no keypad. That’s it. Just look at it until it disappears.

Sony Ericsson Jalou F100i

Do you know why this one has a visible keypad? Because it’s not Nokia! Regardless even Sony Ericsson Jalou F100i has its faults. First of all, it’s called ‘jalou’, which means jealousy in French, and unfortunately for them, it arouses none. The Sony Jalou was created especially for women and that is why the display could also double up as a compact mirror. Yes, Sony really understood women, they don’t really want to get any work done, they just want to look at themselves in the mirror. Hopefully, most people stayed away from this futile attempt at fashionable smartphone making.

HTC G1

The HTC G1 was ironically called the “Dream”. Now, compared to the last few phones we mentioned, it probably is a dream. But it still falls short in design with his rather chunky and bulky looking keypad and screen. However, this seems to be its only fault, so it does look like we were getting closer to the “dream” of owning a modern and sleek cellphone.

Vertu Boucheron Cobra

Just when you thought things were getting better, Vertu brought to us the Boucheron Cobra. Yes, a snake is one of the sleekest reptiles we have around, but putting them on a mobile phone will not make it look sleek, even if it is embedded with the costliest Swarovski diamonds. Yes, those are real diamonds on a rather ugly looking snake, which has been dumped on a rather small and expensive (Rs 1.75 crore approx) phone. This snake doesn’t look powerful or sleek and neither does the gadget. Luckily for us, Vertu has learnt from its mistakes and now creates better looking phones with a similar if not higher price tag.

December 8, 2015
Oppo’s New Handset Seems Heavily ‘Inspired’ by the iPhone 6 Plus

After design overlaps between HTC’s One A9 and iPhone 6, looks like Oppo has also joined the league with its new smartphone. As hardware leaks of Oppo’s latest addition to the world of smartphones emerge, we see a device with a metal uni-body which looks very similar like that of the iPhone 6 Plus.

HTC had given its device a dash of originality by placing its camera in the centre of the back of the phone. Oppo, on the other hand, has refused to be too creative with its design -its camera is located exactly where it is in an iPhone. The only thing different is the orientation of the LED flash.

To add this, there are also other identical features which include a bottom-firing speaker grille, headphone jack and port for charging, all positioned on the underside of the phone.

What is this charm of Apple that has captivated both consumers and manufacturers all over? Whether you hate it or love it, or love to hate or hate to love it -either way it’s hard to ignore the presence the Apple in the tech world. Do you think the design of the iPhone is actually as popular as all other companies are making it out to be?

Image Source

November 24, 2015
iPhone 7 to be Waterproof and Have 3GB of RAM

There’s still about 10 months left before Apple comes out with its next flagship devices, and yet there have been tons of rumours and speculations already in the air about every little detail related to the iPhone 7.

Research company TrendForce has revealed some more dirt on the iPhone 7. Apparently, the highlights of the next generation of iPhones will be a 3GB RAM and waterproof design. These are supposed to be the defining new features of the iPhone 7, though as usual, you should take these rumours with a grain of salt. Furthermore, it seems like only the iPhone 7 Plus variant will get the bumped up RAM.

TrendForce also reiterates what many sources have speculated that a 4-inch iPhone is in the offing and will see an early 2016 release, while the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus will be unveiled sometime during the second half of 2016.

Lastly, while Apple will likely beat its own sales performance next year with an estimated 260 million units, the Cupertino giant, however, might not manage to take the smartphone sales crown from Samsung, which is expected to sell around 310 million units next year.

Source

November 21, 2015
Apple Rumour: iPhone 7 to Have OLED Display

iPhone 7 is still a year away, but that has not stopped the rumour mill working day and night to bring you every little piece of speculated news. Earlier, there were rumours that the upcoming flagship device from Apple will lose the home button. Now, we have fresh rumours regarding the screen of the iPhone 7.

According to AppleInsider, the iPhone 7 will sport an OLED display thereby giving up on LCD display that it has relied on so far. Apple followers will know that the Apple watch is the only Apple device to sport an OLED display currently. In 2013, Tim Cook has expressed his distaste for the OLED displays calling them “awful” when it came to colour saturation.

However, it looks like Tim Cook may have changed his opinion now. One reason behind this change could be that OLED displays have improved considerably since they were first introduced. OLED offers a deeper black and can do without a backlight, which means that devices can be slimmed down. It is clear that Apple will look to make it’s upcoming flagship sleeker, slimmer, and perhaps wider than its predecessors, and an OLED display will certainly help with that.

Concept

As of now, LG has been supplying Apple with OLED displays for the Apple Watch and will probably do so for the upcoming iPhone as well. Meanwhile, Samsung is also trying to become a supplier for Apple’s wearable device and reports suggest the Korean manufacturer also wants to supply displays for the iPhone 7 and has already shown some sample OLED display panels for Apple to consider.

Samsung’s OLED displays have been praised over the past few year while Apple’s displays have been wanting. Switching from LCD to OLED will undoubtedly give users a better visual experience with the iPhone 7. Apple has yet to confirm the reports. A concept video of the iPhone 7 was posted by FreeMind. The actual device may be far from it, but the concept does look good. Follow this space for all the latest news on the iPhone 7.

November 2, 2015
New iPad Pro Might Come With a Keyboard and Force Touch

Apple had launched its first generation 9.7 inch iPad in April 2010, followed by the iPad mini with a 7.9 inch display in October 2012. Now, according to reports, Apple is planning to launch the new iPad Pro with a 12.9 inch display this year, at their upcoming event on the 9th of September 2015.

Further sources have suggested that the iPad Pro could have a 2732 x 2048 pixel resolution and might have design aspects similar to the iPad Air. 9to5mac says that the iPad Pro will “literally look like a big iPad.” Other design features say that it will also have an aluminum shell, a FaceTime and iSight camera.

This device is also expected to come with the Force Touch technology, that Apple is planning to introduce in the next set of iPhones – iPhone 6s and 6s Plus. This is what 9to5mac says about the new iPad Pro:

“The stylus will open up the door to enhanced drawing and design apps on the new iPad, and the integration with the Force Touch screen will allow the stylus and the iPad Pro to work differently based on the levels of pressure applied by the stylus to the iPad’s display.”

Apple is apparently designing the iPad Pro to be compatible with a Bluetooth keyboard and is also allegedly working on a revamped keyboard accessory for the iPad Pro. However, there is no further information on this front, and we’ll just have to wait for the 9th of September to see what Apple Inc. has to offer us this time.

September 7, 2015
Google Gets a Brand New Logo

Looks like Google is working itself through some major changes. Barely a month back, the company’s organizational structure went through a major overhaul. The internet-based tech company announced that it had renamed itself as Alphabet. Making Alphabet the umbrella company that owns Google and the other companies that Google owned. With Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin running Alphabet as CEO and President, respectively, while Sundar Pichai became the new CEO of Google under Alphabet.

To go with the new grown-up company, it now has a new look.

Google has already updated it on its homepage and it posted this animated video to showcase how it has changed over the past 17 years:

In a blog post the company explains that it has evolved over the year. From being a single search engine website, to now working on a variety of platforms – Search, Maps, Gmail, Chrome and more. The company will be rolling out the update on other platforms soon.

Any thoughts on Google’s new look?

September 1, 2015
Xiaomi Set to Rip Off Samsung’s Smartphone Design

Xiaomi has made it no secret that it is ‘inspired’ by Apple’s design language. Across the Chinese company’s massive product range – there are plenty of uses of white, mixed with the smooth silver aluminium finish. Now according to reports surfacing in China, Xiaomi is working on a smartphone with a dual curved edge display. Sounds familiar?

Samsung’s unique ‘edge’ design was first unveiled last year at IFA on the Note 4. The company introduced a one-of-a-kind design which stands out in the crowd for its unique screen, which extends and runs over onto the right side of the device. And if you’re thinking the curved panel is simply a marketing gimmick, you’re wrong.

The extended side screen is super functional as well – it has 7 scrollable panels which are customisable. When the smartphone is locked, the side-panel can be used to have a quick look at notifications and get faster access to certain features such as time and date display, flashlight, camera, messages and even a ruler. Preferred apps can also be shifted to the side panel, frequent use of which will help users conserve battery life.

After the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 Edge, S6 Edge and S6 Edge+ have also utilised this design.

According to the rumour, the upcoming ‘edgy’ Xiaomi smartphone features a 5.2-inch display with a 1440×2560 QHD resolution (565ppi). It is expected to be powered by a Snapdragon 808, hexa-core CPU and Adreno 418 GPU. With respect to availability and pricing – it may arrive in October priced around Rs. 26,000 (approx.) Xiaomi is not the only one, it has been reported that LG is also working on a similar design.

Xiaomi has made it its business to bring high-end products at affordable pricing. The effort is appreciable by millions using their products, we’re just not sure if Samsung will be too happy to hear about this.

September 1, 2015