Tag: update

Roadmap Shows Upcoming Marshmallow Update for Samsung Devices

It’s been a couple of months to the launch of the latest version of Android 6.0 Marshmallow, and yet the the OS has only been installed on about 0.3% of Android devices so far. The job of rolling out the latest update lies on the OEMs. Today, there’s finally some good news for eager Samsung users.

Samsung Galaxy Note 5

For those who own Samsung devices, a leaked document reveals possible dates for the Marshmallow update. The updates will take place in three phases. Samsung Note 5 and Galaxy S6 Edge+ users will likely receive the update in December, though the exact date is not revealed. The Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge will receive the Android update in January 2016. Meanwhile, older models like the Galaxy Note 4 and Note Edge are expected to receive their’s in February.

There’s no word yet on when the Galaxy S5, Alpha and the Galaxy A and E-series will receive the update since it’s still pending approval.

November 16, 2015
YU Rolls Out Cyanogen 12.1 Update for Yureka and Yureka Plus

The official Cyanogen 12.1 update for Yureka and Yureka Plus has begun rolling out. Some of the highlights include a Live Display feature which adjusts the screen based on environmental conditions. This would ensure better readability in sunlight and a softer, dimmer screen during the night. Your eyes will definitely be happier about this update.

Another feature of this update is the calendar which is integrated with the email. This allows you to sync emails from different sources like Gmail and Exchange in the calendar, making sifting through appointments and reminders easier and more convenient. It also allows scheduling of appointments directly from an email.

The redesigned UI for the folders and app drawer allows one-handed-use of the device to the user, while also reducing visual clutter. YU also promises better performance and an over-all improved sound experience with an updated audio FX UI.

It is time to get your YU devices updated, folks, and tell us about your experience in the comments below.

November 4, 2015
Sennheiser’s Orpheus: Most Expensive Headphones in the World At $50,000

Sennheiser will soon release it’s new set of headphones, Orpheus with a price tag of $50,000 (no, that’s not a typo) or Rs. 32,75,000. About twenty five years ago, the company had come out with Orpheus HE90, which soon came to be known as the best headphones money can buy. There were only 300 of those made by the company, and they came with an amplifier at a cost of about $16,000.

Sennheiser Orpheus in 1991

After almost a quarter of a century since 1991, Sennheiser is ready with an updated version of the Orpheus. The company had been working on the gadget for over a decade now. German craftsmanship and over 6,000 components that include gold-vaporized ceramic electrodes, platinum-vaporized diaphragms, and Carrara marble amplifier housing from Italy -same as the one used by Michelangelo -all have gone into making this beauty. Clearly, these headphones are not meant for metro rides or listening to music on the laptop.

All these intricately chosen components improve sound quality and audio experience. Digital amplification takes place directly in the headphones and therefore steers clear of any disturbance that might have happened because of cord travel of the sound. Sennheiser plans to make the Orpheus available starting mid-2016 and would keep the production at a 250 piece per year. Time to bring out the piggy bank and start saving up, folks!

November 4, 2015
Android M Update to Roll Out for Honor Phones in February 2016

Huawei’s latest update is likely to get Honor users excited. The company has announced February 2016 as the time when Android Marshmallow 6.0 would be available as an update for Honor handset owners. Huawei made the announcement on its Twitter India handle.

Coming soon! Starting February 2016, we will be rolling out Android M to honor phones. pic.twitter.com/BN3gwPqs6g

— Honor India (@HiHonorIndia) November 1, 2015

However, the company is yet to announce when will this update be made available for other Huawei phones other than Honor. Looks like Huawei is busy basking in the success of Nexus 6P, the first Nexus device by the company.

In other news, Huawei is expected to hold an event on the 5th of November which could mark the announcement of its new chipset, Kirin 950. There could also be the announcement of the Huawei Mate 8, the first phone by the company which runs on this chipset. Watch this space for more news about the company.

November 2, 2015
Facebook Updates Messenger in a Bid to Make Phone Numbers Useless

When the Facebook Messenger was launched for the first time in August 2011 as a standalone app for mobile phones, it was unclear where the company is headed with it. No doubt it was very convenient to have quick access to all Facebook messages, but the app didn’t serve any other purpose beyond that. In the face of other IM services like WhatsApp and Blackberry Messenger, the app was almost useless.

Other than eating up a lot of the phone memory and battery, Facebook Messenger for mobile phones did not do much. However, with the recent updates to the Messenger it seems Facebook might be headed somewhere with it.

Post the update of the Facebook Messenger, users would no longer require phone numbers to communicate with each other. Only your name and Facebook Messenger would be sufficient for people to contact you. The “Other Folder” would cease to exist and the user would have the option of accepting or rejecting new requests.

Messages of people in your Facebook contact list or those whose phone numbers are recorded in your synced phone would be directed towards your inbox. The others would simply fall under the category of ‘pending’ messages.

A message from a contact would be differentiated from one from a stranger and therefore would be presented to the user accordingly for response. Therefore those worried about privacy concerns can let go of the anxiety. Additionally, ‘ignoring’ people’s requests on the Messenger won’t give them any notification. So you can ignore the messages away without the fear of coming across as a sociopath.

This development in the Messenger seems like an attempt by the company to provide people a new mode of communication where they don’t even have to depend on phones or emails. They would instead have to depend on Facebook.

October 28, 2015
New iOS 9 Update Brings Tons of New Emojis, Live Photos Improvements

It’s about time you got an emoji that lets you ‘flip the bird’. Wait, let’s rephrase that. It’s about time you got some new ways to express while messaging. Apple has released it’s latest iOS 9.1 update that comes with two major features.

The first is related to Live Photos. Live Photos will now be able to sense when you move your hand higher or lower, and will ignore the movements.

The second new feature is a lot more exciting. The latest updates brings over 150 new emoji characters which include taco, burrito, cheese wedge, money eyes, and the middle finger. Yes, you read that right. There is now an emoji that lets you send a middle finger to anyone if you find yourself unable to express your feelings through the word.

There is a catch, though. The new emojis can be sent only to those who have updated to the iOS 9.1. So, non-iOS users and iOS users still on the older version will not know when you’re giving them the finger. Some would say there is a certain evil joy in that too.

Apart from these changes, iOS 9.1 includes new features and compatibility updates for upcoming Apple products like the fourth-generation Apple TV and the iPad Pro. The new Apple TV requires iOS 9.1 for setting up. The new update also fixes a lot of bugs such as unresponsive Calendar, issues with Game Center and some issues with Mail search, among other things.

In case you haven’t already updated your iPhone to the new iOS 9.1 update, you can do so now. For those who don’t know how to get it done, simply head over to Setting > General > Software Updates and hit on ‘Download and Install’. You can also connect your device to the computer and update via iTunes. Once installed, play around with all the new emojis and show some love to your friends by sending them the finger.

October 22, 2015
We Can Expect to See Android Marshmallow 6.0 on the LG G4 Soon

A report has confirmed that LG will begin to roll out the highly awaited Android M 6.0 in the G4, in the coming week. Rejoicing? Hold on. They plan to do this only in Poland though and then roll out the update to other countries.

LG marketing, VP Chris Yie said in a statement:

“By working closely with Google, LG has been able to bring Android 6.0 to the G4 ahead of any of our competitors,”

Unveiled back in April, the latest flagship from LG’s stable, LG G4, is available with a price tag of Rs. 41,500 in India. One of the most highlighted features of the device is its powerful camera. It boasts a 16MP camera with f/1.8 aperture (widest aperture on any smartphone camera) equipped with Optical Image Stabilization 2.0, color spectrum sensor, and Laser Auto Focus functionality.

The bad news is you have to have an LG G4 somewhere in Poland to be ecstatic about this news because LG hasn’t announced any other phone they will be making the update available on. However, the good news is that it means that we can see the update in India, soon.

Stay tuned for more information and updates on iGyaan.

October 15, 2015
Google Officially Begins Rolling Out Android Marshmallow

Android 6.0 Marshmallow is finally out and ready for Nexus users. The latest OS upgrade began rolling out yesterday and is destined for universal acceptance. The Marshmallow update is perhaps the most juiciest Android update to come out in a while with features such as Now on Tap, Doze, and many others that is sure to deliver some happiness for users. We have already mentioned some of the best new features of the Marshmallow.

Just a quick recap. There are features that will make your life a little more easier such as the new ‘cut, copy, paste‘ option that can now be found right above the text, he ‘Doze‘ feature that reduces background activity to give you a longer battery life, and ‘Now on Tap‘ that offers a variety of suggestions on practically any page you visit, among other things.

Furthermore, security permissions for apps is now more like iOS where you will be asked for permission while performing a particular task rather than having to worry about what all you end up accepting when downloading a new app.

Brian Rakowski, VP of Product Management, released a blog yesterday welcoming the launch of the new Marshmallow update and listed out some of the highlights of the new operating system. He also mentioned the Nexus devices that are scheduled to receive the update “over air”, which are Nexus 5, Nexus 6, Nexus 7 (2013), Nexus 9 and Nexus Player. The recently launched Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P will be released with the Marshmallow update pre-installed.

October 6, 2015
Return of ‘Batman: Arkham Knight’ to PC Leads to an Interesting Response

‘Batman: Arkham Knight’ made its debut in June this year, followed by issues in running the game on the PC. While the game worked smoothly on PS4, PC and Xbox owners weren’t so lucky. Consequently, Warner Bros. Interactive withdrew the game to take care of the issues, after having already sent out review codes for PS4 debug kits.

Under Valve’s Steam refund policy, the buyer could return an imperfect item and replace it with the updated version later. Thus, customers had managed to get their money refunded for the glitched PC version of the game.

Now the company has launched the game in a revamped version, promising to have fixed all the earlier issues. Warner Bros, said in official statement:

“As many of you know, we released a major patch for Batman: Arkham Knight PC a few weeks ago. While there were significant performance improvements made to the game, the teams are continuing to work on the additional updates that were outlined in our previous post. We expect these updates to be ready at the end of October, at which time the PC version will be made available for purchase. In addition, support for all DLC that has been released for the console versions will be in place.

Thanks again for your continued patience and support. We’ll be sure to update everyone as soon as the update is live.”

However, despite efforts, Warner Bros has failed to appease its already disappointed customers. One has to take a look at the internet to know people’s sometimes indifferent, sometimes annoyed reaction to this bit of news. Gamers feel ticked at the waiting period Warner Bros put them through. Consequently, many feel that simply an updated ‘Batman: Arkham Knight’ is not enough.

Let’s see if the new version manages to deliver all that it promises.

October 3, 2015
Apple iOS 9 Update Fixes Lock Screen Privacy Bug, Improves Performance

The iOS 9.0.2 comes only a week after the release of iOS 9.0.1, the first update of iOS 9 which was released to buyers on 16th September. This update promises users a smoother, glitch free experience and boasts of various features. The list of new things in the update are, as revealed by Apple in an official statement, are as follows:

“This update contains bug fixes and improvements including:- Fixes an issue with the setting to turn on or off app cellular data usage
– Resolves an issue that prevented iMessage activation for some users
– Resolves an issue where an iCloud backup could be interrupted after starting a manual backup
– Fixes an issue where the screen could incorrectly rotate when receiving notifications
– Improves the stability of Podcasts.”

The most important feature of this new update is fixing the lock screen vulnerability. Earlier, hackers had come up with a basic seven step procedure to use Siri to gain access to the user’s contacts and photographs. The latest iOS 9 update has taken care of this security threat.

iOS 9 had rolled out last month with some significant changes to Siri and the entire user interface experience. It includes not only some major updates to the App store and all Apple-based apps but also allows for a multi-tasking feature for the iPad screen.

This update, which comes within a week of the last one, fixes bugs related to iMessage, iCloud, Podcasts and security on the latest iPhones. Let’s hope the new iOS offers the smoothness Apple promises, and not lands the company in another series of update fails, system glitches and hacking trouble that seems to have plagued the company recently.

October 2, 2015
Apple OS X El Capitan Available Today as a Free Update

Apple announced today that the latest update to its desktop operating system will be available for free for all Mac users. Apple claims to make features like Windows Management, built-in apps and Spotlight search part of its OS X EI. Performance improvements, to make everyday activities like launching and switching apps, opening PDFs and accessing email, will also be made part of it.

These added features are expected to make the Apple experience more refined and provide better system performance. Apple promises dozens of new features with this one, but we’ll have to wait before the company can deliver them smoothly and successfully. Its hands have been a little more than full with App Store glitches, crashing iOS updates and malware attacks in the recent past. Let’s see if Apple manages to steer clear of them and prove why it has been an undisputed name in the tech world for so long now.

OS X El Capitan is available as a free update starting Wednesday, 30th September from the Mac App Store. It supports all Macs introduced in 2009 and later, and some models introduced in 2007 and 2008.

September 30, 2015
Hacking Trouble Continues for iOS 9
Heads up, iOS 9 users. In what seems to be another of the many disappointing updates about Apple, it has been revealed that your photos and contact details are open to access by others in seven basic steps. This comes in wake of the recent breach of security in Apple’s iOS App Store.

If you thought your iPhone’s lock code and TouchID can protect your data from hacking, it’s time to burst that little bubble with the following seven steps:
1. The first step requires you to enter a wrong password four times on your PIN-protected Apple device which runs on iOS 9.
2. Next, the fifth time that is, first three numbers should be entered, and then press and hold down the home button to launch Siri instantly. Right after this, enter the 4th digit.
3. On getting a response, ask Siri for the time. Add a new Clock now by tapping on the Clock icon.
4. Once the new clock has been added, write anything in the Choose a City field, followed by a double tap to get the copy and paste option.
5. Next you choose the ‘All’ option, followed by ‘Share’, and then the ‘Message’ icon in the Share option, where, once again you type anything.
6. Now tap ‘Return’, and double tap on the top contact name.
7. And finally, finish off by selecting ‘Create New Contact’, followed by ‘Add Photo’, and at the end ‘Choose Photo’.
And in this manner, a hacker would have gained access to your entire phone library. However, there is a way to protect your data against this. Disabling Siri on the lock screen by going to the Settings Menu is a way to prevent it. From Settings, select Touch ID and Passcode and then disable Siri. The device would now have to be necessarily unlocked for Siri to work.

While iOS 9 tries to set its feet amidst the quicksands of tech-glitches, it’s better to stay wary of hacking-threats looming overhead. Let’s see what is the next exciting piece of news we get to hear about Apple’s newest devices.

Source: [tw-button size=”medium” background=”#07ABE2″ color=”” target=”_blank” link=”http://www.gizbot.com/apps-software/apple-ios-9-lets-anyone-bypass-security-code-access-photos-contacts-in-7-simple-steps-028384.html”]Gizbot[/tw-button]
September 25, 2015

New Vertu Signature Touch Comes at a Starting Price of Rs. 6,50,000

The cat is finally out of the bag as Vertu announces its official upgrade to Signature Touch. The smartphone will now sport a Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 810 chipset and a RAM of 4 GB.

Touch will also feature 5.2″ display covered with sapphire crystal and a 1080p resolution. The main camera would be of 21 MP along with 4K video capture, while the selfie camera is a puny 2.1 MP. The internal storage of the phone is 64 GB, expandable up to 2 TB. Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC are the connectivity options packed in this beauty, along with 4G LTE support . The operating system is Android 5.1 Lollipop, and Vertu’s own concierge goodies.

With its release date on the 18th of October, the phone will be available for pre-order in some countries from 28th September to 8th October. Price would be located within the bracket £6,500 (Rs. 6,56,000 approx) – £13,700 (Rs. 13,84,000 approx) depending on the buyer’s choice of the combination of metal and exotic leather. And no, these figures are not typos – just when you thought Apple was stealing the show for the most ridiculously expensive gadgets.

Here’s a spec sheet of all features of Signature Touch:

Specification	Signature Touch
Display	5.2″ display covered by a 5th Generation solid sapphire crystal screen
Resolution	1080p
Chipset	Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 810
Processor	64bit Octo-core
RAM	4 GB
Storage	64 GB of internal memory
Expandability	2 TB
Rear Camera	2.1 MP
Front Camera	21 MP
Battery	3160 mAh (min 3010 mAh) Li-ion
Operating System	Android 5.1 Lollipop
Connectivity	Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC
Price	£6,500 (Rs. 6,56,000) – £13,700 (Rs. 13,84,000)

Source: [tw-button size=”medium” background=”#07ABE2″ color=”” target=”_blank” link=”http://www.gsmarena.com/updated_vertu_signature_touch_goes_official_with_snapdragon_810_and_4gb_of_ram-news-14147.php”]GSM Arena[/tw-button]

September 24, 2015

Apple Releases Bug Fixes For iOS 9

Last week, Apple released its latest operating system which came with its fair share of bugs and glitches to the annoyance of many. This is not a new phenomenon as last year’s iOS 8 saw perhaps the most number of bugs. However, Apple is now working quickly to remove the issues with its new update. The new iOS 9.0.1 update is ready to be installed today and it removes some, not all, of the bugs that Apple users have been facing.

Issues such as broken alarms and timers, distorted paused videos in Safari and Photos, and one the left users stuck on the ‘Slide to Upgrade’ screen, preventing them from using their device unless they rolled back to iOS 8, have been fixed with the latest update. Despite the bugs, the iOS 9 has seen the highest adoption rate so far with more than 50 percent of devices already on the latest OS. Clearly, Apple fans have not been deterred by news of users having issues downloading the OS on the first day.

The release of iOS 9.0.1 mirrors that of iOS 8.0.1 which also came out just a week after the release of OS 8, though to much ire as the second update to iOS 8 did not seem to fix bugs but rather created more. Users reported that iOS 8.0.1 was breaking cellular reception and other features like Touch ID. Apple is not looking to make the same mistakes again with this latest update.

For those who haven’t updated your iPhone or iPads yet can do so today (and after midnight in India). Do not expect all your troubles to disappear right away. Let us know if the latest iOS 9.0.1 has made your life more easier.

September 24, 2015
Over 50% of All iPhones Upgrade to iOS 9

Following its release on Wednesday, September 16th, iOS 9 has become the most successful and swiftly adopted iOS so far. The speed with which users went ahead to update their devices led Apple to affirm that more than half of all iPhones have iOS 9 now.

The new operating system comes with a better, faster version of all characteristic Apple features, along with additions, which are bound to woo users. iOS 9 is equipped with a power-saving mode, a feature that allows you to place a FaceTime call and watch a video simultaneously, a smarter Siri, scribbling functions in the Notes app, and an improved Apple Maps that now includes transit directions.

The update process has been made easier by Apple. Memory and storage issues, which have been a concern with the recent iPhones, have also been taken care of with this update. The iOS 9 takes no more than 1.3 GB of space as compared to the 4.6 GB of iOS 8. Users are also able to temporarily delete apps which will be restored once the update is complete.

The new iPhone 6s and 6s Plus will be available for sale Friday onwards. iOS 9 is their operating system by default. Apple expects to set new records in its sales come the 25th of this month.

All this seems to be comforting news for the company grappling with a series of problems in its software this week. Failed iOS updates were followed by a cyber attack on numerous apps in Apple’s App Store. However, the reduced update speed for Android users have inevitably made Apple’s stats look prettier than they are.The fact that different companies allow updates to OS Lollilop on their handsets at different times have allowed upgrades to iOS 9 to be the most to any OS in such a short period of time. Despite a few hiccups following the fancy Apple event earlier this month, Apple has managed to maintain its stable position in the tech world.

September 22, 2015