![]()
Front facing cameras have been here for a long time. Primarily used for video calling, the sensors never reached more than 2 megapixels, even when the rear cameras had reached a maximum of 41 Megapixels. But things are changing. Nowadays, bigger front facing cameras have auto focus and are starting to be as good as the ones at the back. All thanks to Selfies.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SECf_P2zp9w
Social media has changed the way we share pictures and selfies are now mainstream. In fact, technology, as mentioned earlier, didn't catch up. People were taking selfies, more of them with rear facing cameras. There were several reasons for that. The rear facing cameras had more resolution, wider angle lenses, auto focus, if needed, and most importantly, good quality output.
The front facing cameras couldn't match them because of various constraints like size, thickness, and to an extent, even the bill of materials. But not anymore, because the camera sensors have gotten smaller, thinner and way cheaper than before so that manufacturers can now use high quality units even at the front, and that's what's happening right now. Most phones now come with a minimum 5 megapixels at the front, with the higher end models opting for faster ...
Microsoft DC-21, a 6000mAh portable power bank has been launched in India on Flipkart. It weighs 145 grams, almost double the weight of the DC-19, but the rounded cylindrical shape makes it compact. It has smooth finish and charged using standard micro USB chargers. It was announced back in October last year and was launched in the U.S. in December.
It has soft LED lights that shows the remaining charging capacity. The company says that it needs up to 4 hours to charge it completely, but it can be charged up to 80 percent capacity in about three hours. It will have 80 percent of power even after six months, since it goes into automatic standby mode. It takes in 1.5A input and offers 1.5A output.
The Microsoft Portable Power DC-21 comes in white, bright green and bright orange colors and is priced at Rs. 3,499 in India. Wonder who would choose this since Xiaomi's power banks are a lot cheaper.
OnePlus launched its 10,000mAh OnePlus Power Bank back in December last year. It is now on sale in the U.S. though the official online store. One Plus says that it is working out the logistics process for a smoother shipping experience for Europe and India, so we can expect it to launch here soon.
It was expected to go on sale early 2015, but it got delayed. Regarding the shipping process and the delay, on the official OnePlus forum, OnePlus said,
Some of you may be aware that shipping “pure batteries” (any battery that is not connected to or inside another product) is extremely complex due to the special shipping requirements. This led to high shipping costs for the batteries, which would've resulted in a more expensive product, and a customer experience not on par with OnePlus standards. We wouldn't ask our fans to settle for anything less. So, we are looking into alternative methods that will bring the Power Banks to European fans without compromising the cost.
You are also probably wondering why there was a delay with the Power Bank release. Processing battery certifications (FCC, CE, and battery compliance) is very time sensitive. Since each country in our global market has different requirements and regulations, all ...
YouTube has introduced interactive cards that will replace annotations on both mobile and desktop. The feature that was showed off in June is now going live.
To add or edit a card, head to the Video Editor and click on the new “Cards” tab. There are six types of cards available upon launch viz, Merchandise, Fundraising, Video, Playlist, Associated Website, and Fan Funding. Depending on the card type, you can customize its image, title, and call-to-action text. The cards have adopted the Material Design style featured in apps like Google Now and each Card stays hidden as a teaser in the top right until you want to see it.
"You can think of cards like an evolution of annotations. They can inform your viewers about other videos, merch, playlists, websites and more. They look as beautiful as your videos, are available anytime during the video and yes, they finally work on mobile.
posted YouTube on a blog.
Video creators will be able to offer more information, connect with their views and link to other videos like before. Cards can be inserted at any point during a clip. YouTube says that its goal is to eventually replace annotations completely.
Microsoft has unveiled Skype for Business technical preview at its Convergence conference today. The launch of Skype for Business replaces Microsoft Lync.
Microsoft will ship with a new client, new server and an updated service within Office 365. Skype for Business will allow you to search for, connect with and chat with other Skype users, whether inside or outside your organization. It will also be integrated into Microsoft Office, so instant messages and voice and video calling with be accessible within Office as well. The service will offer online meetings, enterprise-grade security and compliance and control tools for IT departments.
It also connects Lync customers with any Skype user, regardless of whether or not they are part of their organization. A final version of Skype for Business will be available in April, and you can sign up to the preview over at Microsoft's evaluation site.
Google Now has received an update on Android that will make it easy to send out a message. Users can now "send a Hangout Message" using simple voice commands.
Google Search is getting Hangouts integration. In order to send a message, users will have to say "Ok Google" and "Send a Hangouts Message" and then say your message. Next users will have to say the receivers name and the message will be sent without physically typing it out on the phone.
Yesterday, it was reported that Google is working on an open API for Google Now that will allow any third-party app to display information through the service.
Sony has launched the Xperia E4 dual smartphone in India. It was announced ahead of MWC 2015 and packs a a 5-inch qHD IPS display, is powered by a 1.3 GHz quad-core MediaTek SoC, runs on Android 4.4 (KitKat), comes with a 5-megapixel rear camera with LED flash and a 2-megapixel front-facing camera.
The Xperia E4 dual has new dual SIM technology that lets users set custom ringtones and the dual SIM management technology keeps both SIMs active, so that you never miss a call, even when talking on one of them. The 2300 mAh battery with Battery STAMINA Mode promises 2 days of battery life.
Sony Xperia E4 Dual specifications
5-inch qHD (960 x 540 pixels) IPS display
1.3 GHz quad-core MediaTek MT6582 processor with Mali 400 GPU
1GB RAM, 8GB internal memory, expandable memory with microSD
Android 4.4.4 (KitKat)
5MP rear camera with LED flash
2MP front-facing camera
Dual SIM
3.5 mm audio jack, FM Radio
Dimensions: 137 x 74.6 x 10.5 mm; Weight: 144g
3G, Bluetooth, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, GPS
2300 mAh battery with Battery STAMINA Mode
The Sony Xperia E4 dual come in black and white colors and is priced at an MRP of Rs. 12,490 in India and the MOP or the best buy price of the smartphone is Rs. 12,190.
Google is offering a treat for history lovers and online explorers. The company has added 31 new Indian Archaeological sites and monuments on Google Maps and the Google Cultural Institute.
Google Street View is a technology featured in Google Maps and Google Earth that provides panoramic views from positions along many streets in the world. Sadly, Google Street View does not work in India for regular cities. But Google has partnered with Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to have around 100 national monuments on Street View. Other top Google Street View destinations in India include Red Fort, Qutub Minar, Agra Fort, Lavasa, Lovely Professional University, Humayun’s Tomb, Shaniwar Wada, Jantar Mantar and IIT Bombay
India’s iconic Taj Mahal, which was published on Street View February 2014, has emerged as one of the most popular Asian places for global virtual travelers, according to Google. The company has successfully partnered with Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation, Karnataka Department of Archaeology, Museums and Heritage, Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation to introduce more heritage monuments and archeological sites into their database.
Samsung has introduced Galaxy Tab A in Russia, after a month it was leaked. The Galaxy Tab A series comes in 8-inch and 9.7-inch displays with a resolution of 1024x768 pixels. Both these are powered by 1.2GHz quad-core (Snapdragon 410 probably) processors, runs on Android 5.0 (Lollipop), come with a 5-megapixel rear camera and a 2-megapixel front-facing camera. These are just 7.5 mm thick, much thinner than its earlier mid-range tablets.
These tablets have 16GB of internal storage with expansion slot (up to 128 GB) and come in both WiFi and LTE variants. The 8-inch 4G variant has an earpiece for voice calling.
Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8-inch specifications
8-inch (1024×768) 4:3 display
1.2 GHz quad-core processor
1.5GB RAM, 16GB internal memory, expandable memory (up to 128GB) with microSD
Android 5.0 (Lollipop)
5MP rear camera
2MP front-facing camera
7.5mm thick and weighs 320 grams
4G LTE / 3G HSPA+ (Optional) ,WiFi a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 and GPS + GLONASS
4,200mAh battery
Samsung Galaxy Tab A 9.7-inch specifications
9.7-inch (1024×768) 4:3 display
1.2 GHz quad-core processor
2GB RAM, 16GB internal memory, expandable memory (up to 128GB) with microSD
Android 5.0 (Lollipop)
5MP rear camera
2MP front-facing camera
Dual speakers
7.5mm thick and weighs 457 grams
4G LTE / 3G HSPA+ (Optional),WiFi a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 and GPS + GLONASS
6000mAh battery
These tablets come in black, blue and white colors. The Galaxy Tab A ...
Lava has released Android 5.0 (Lollipop) update for Iris X1 Grand smartphone. It was launched back in January this year and the company had promised to offer Lollipop update for the smartphone at the launch. To remind you, the Iris X1 Grand has a 5-inch (854 x 480 pixels) IPS display, is powered by a 1.3 GHz quad-core MediaTek MT6582M processor with Mali-400 GPU, comes with 1GB RAM, 8GB internal memory with expansion slot, has a 8MP rear camera with dual LED Flash, 2MP front-facing camera and a 2200mAh battery.
Android 5.0 Lollipop brings Material Design with bold, colorful, and responsive UI design, better notifications, battery saver feature, better security including Android Smart Lock, New Quick Settings, Improved network handoffs, flexible sharing, faster, smoother and more powerful experience with ART and more.
The Android 5.0 over-the-air (OTA) update for the Iris X1 Grand is 514.71. You can go to Menu > Settings > About Phone > System Updates and check for update, which will download it automatically. Lava asks users to back up their data before updating. It also advises them to factory reset the phone in order to restore some default system files.
Xiaomi has introduced special Mi Note Natural Bamboo Edition in China. It has bamboo finish on the back with unique texture. The back is just 0.9 mm thick and involves 19 processing procedures to maintain the smoothness of the bamboo. It is 5 grams lighter than the standard Mi Note smartphone.
All the specifications of the smartphone are similar to the Mi Note that includes a 5.7-inch (1920 x 1080 pixels) IPS display with 386 PPI resolution with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection, 2.5 GHz quad-core Snapdragon 801 processor with Adreno 330 GPU, 3GB RAM, 16GB internal memory, MIUI on top of Android 4.4 (KitKat), Dual SIM support, 13MP rear camera with dual-tone LED Flash, 4K video recording, 4MP front-facing camera, 4G LTE , WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n (2.4/5 GHz), WiFi Direct, Bluetooth 4.1,GPS and a 3000mAh built-in battery.
The Mi Note Special Bamboo Edition is priced at 2299 Chinese Yuan and the company has started taking registrations for the sale on March 24th. It will take two to three weeks to ship, says Xiaomi. We unboxed the standard Mi Note smartphone recently, check it out along with the first impressions of the smartphone.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfZiFKPS0HY
OnePlus has finally announced the release dates of Cyanogen OS 12S and OxygenOS for the OnePlus One smartphone. Even though Cyanogen OS 12S entered the Quality Assurance/Quality Engineering stage last month, it faced some technical issues that delayed the release. OnePlus unveiled new OxygenOS logo last month. At that time it said that will be free of any bloatware and will be clean is streamlined for performance. It also said that it can offer better localization and faster updates with the new ROM. It already promised that it will release OxygenOS ROM this month.
Regarding the delay, OnePlus on the official forum, said:
We never intended to keep you waiting. Unfortunately, we ran into some unexpected roadblocks. First, there was an unforeseen OS signing issue, which has recently been resolved. Our camera module had stability issues on Lollipop, and we had to rebuild it for compatibility. Several other crucial drivers, including our Wi-Fi drivers, also needed to be updated to work flawlessly with the upgrade. Admittedly, it took a little more time than we had planned, but we only release updates that we are proud of; that means refusing to take shortcuts or deliver sub-par experiences.
Cyanogen OS 12S OTA update will roll out on or before March 30. OxygenOS ROM will be available ...
Earlier this year there was a report that said that Xiaomi will sell its smartphones via its own website in India. Now it has started selling its accessories and power banks through its own website in India. It is now selling Redmi Note Flip Case, Redmi Soft Gel Protective Case, Mi In-Ear Headphone (Piston), Mi In-Ear Headphones (Basic) and both the Mi power banks on their website.
You can view the list of accessories on a dedicated page. This can be sorted based on your device, category, based on the release date or price. You can also choose to view the accessories that are only in stock. Shipping for items over Rs. 500 is free and you have to pay Rs.50 shipping cost for items below that. Cash on Delivery is also available and PayU will be available soon.
Power banks are listed under separate Mi Power Bank category. Once you you select 10400mAh or 5200mAh power banks, there is now a small Buy Now button on the top right to add it in your cart. It will display Out of Stock if the power bank is not in stock. All these products are sold in India by Rocket Kommerce LLP, an authorized Indian distributor of Mi products, says Xiaomi.
Even though Xiaomi has started selling its products ...
Microsoft has announced a new feature dubbed as Windows Hello, that will let you bid adieu to passwords. Users of the upcoming Windows 10 operating system will be able to sign in to their devices using their fingerprint, their face or even the iris of their eye.
Hello is a biometric authentication that aims at hassle free login and improved security. Windows Hello works by scanning your face, iris, or fingerprint to unlock devices, replacing a PIN or password to gain access to your own machine. Microsoft said that plenty of exciting new Windows 10 devices” that will support Windows Hello. Devices that already have a fingerprint reader and can be upgraded to Windows 10 should also work with Windows Hello. Windows Hello will come to compatible phones, tablets, and PCs later this year once Windows 10 becomes generally available.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AsoSnOmhvU
Microsoft says that the "'biometric signature" needed for Windows Hello is stored locally on a user's device and is not shared on a network. Hardware devices that will include Intel's RealSense 3D Camera will support the face and iris sign-in features of Hello in Window 10. Hello will have "enterprise-grade security" for businesses, governments and other organizations that require that extra amount of protection.
Along with Hello, ...
Front facing cameras have been here for a long time. Primarily used for video calling, the sensors never reached more than 2 megapixels, even when the rear cameras had reached a maximum of 41 Megapixels. But things are changing. Nowadays, bigger front facing cameras have auto focus and are starting to be as good as the ones at the back. All thanks to Selfies.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SECf_P2zp9w
Social media has changed the way we share pictures and selfies are now mainstream. In fact, technology, as mentioned earlier, didn't catch up. People were taking selfies, more of them with rear facing cameras. There were several reasons for that. The rear facing cameras had more resolution, wider angle lenses, auto focus, if needed, and most importantly, good quality output.
The front facing cameras couldn't match them because of various constraints like size, thickness, and to an extent, even the bill of materials. But not anymore, because the camera sensors have gotten smaller, thinner and way cheaper than before so that manufacturers can now use high quality units even at the front, and that's what's happening right now. Most phones now come with a minimum 5 megapixels at the front, with the higher end models opting for faster ...
Microsoft has confirmed that Windows 10 is launching this summer in 190 countries and 111 languages. The software giant has partnered Xiaomi for a Windows 10 program test.
"Through a new program with Xiaomi, one of the top smartphone distributors in the world, a select group of Xiaomi Mi 4 power users will be invited to help test Windows 10 and contribute to its future release later this year. These power users will have the opportunity to download the Windows 10 Technical Preview – installing it and providing their feedback to Microsoft."
posted Xiaomi on a blog.
Under the partnership, Microsoft will offer a select group of Xiaomi Mi 4 users that will be invited to help test Windows 10. It also confirmed that some partners like Lenovo and Tencent will offer “upgrade services” at service centers to get users onto the latest OS. Windows 10 will be offered as a free upgrade to owners of devices running Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows Phone 8.1.
Xiaomi has been a hit with Android phones and this will be the first time its devices will be tested for a different OS. It is not clear if the Chinese company is thinking about exploring a Microsoft's OS.
Motorola has launched a new offer under which it is giving a 3G Moto E (2nd generation) free on a purchase of Moto X 2014. Through MotoMaker you can customize the front and back color, change the color of the trim of the Moto X Pure Edition.
The Moto X Pure Edition is priced at $499.9 which is available in 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB variants. While the Moto E (2nd generation ) supports 3G and LTE which is present not the recently launched Moto E (3nd generation), is being offered for free has a $119.99 price tag. The deal is now live on Motorola’s website, and it will be valid until March 24 at 10.59 am CST.
Check out our Moto X (2014) and Moto E review.
LG has launched its G Flex 2 smartphone with a 5.5-inch 1080p curved P-OLED display in India at the LG Tech Show in Delhi. The display of the second generation G Flex smartphone can bend ranging from a radius of 400mm to 700mm across the front, back, sides and top-to-bottom edges. Check out our LG G Flex 2 hands-on.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvXi9dOqYiA
LG G Flex 2 specifications
5.5-inch (1080 x 1920 pixels ) Full HD Curved Plastic OLED display
2.0 GHz octa-core 64-bit Snapdragon 810 processor
2GB DDR4 RAM, 32GB of internal memory, microSD slot
Android 5.0 (Lollipop)
Dimensions – 149.1 x 75.3 x 7.1-9.4mm, weight: 52g
13MP rear camera with OIS+, Laser Auto Focus and dual LED Flash
2.1 MP front-facing camera
4G LTE-A, WiFi 802.11 ac/a/b/g/n, Bluetooth Smart Ready (Apt-X) 4.1, GPS, SlimPort, NFC
3000mAh battery (embedded)
The LG G Flex 2 comes in Flamenco Red and Platinum Silver colors and is priced at Rs. 55,000 in India. It will go on sale later this month. LG is also planning to launch its Android Wear-powered all-metal Watch Urbane premium smartwatch in India mid-April priced between Rs. 25,000 and Rs. 30,000.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5hHlaDlmPg
We already know that Samsung has been working on a round dial smartwatch that is dubbed as Orbis. Now some more details about the smartwatch have surfaced.
A report is stating that the Orbis smartwatch will be powered by Samsung's own Exynos 7420 processor. This is the same chipset that is used in recently launched Galaxy S6 processor. The main reason for installing the powerful processor is to achieve better battery life. Meanwhile, in same related news, Samsung has filed for a patent with rotating bezel that will be used for navigation on the smartwatch.
Previous reports had stated that Samsung's Orbis smartwatch will not have calling capabilities but the Tizen powered OS watch can decline and accept incoming calls. It is also stated that the smartwatch will support wireless charging.
Google Play has introduces age based rating system for apps and games in Google Play Store. The new system will allow app submissions to be reviewed by staff and enable developers to complete a content rating questionnaire for each of their apps and games to receive objective content ratings.
"We know that people in different countries have different ideas about what content is appropriate for kids, teens and adults, so today’s announcement will help developers better label their apps for the right audience. Consistent with industry best practices, this change will give developers an easy way to communicate familiar and locally relevant content ratings to their users and help improve app discovery and engagement by letting people choose content that is right for them."
posted Eunice Kim, Product Manager for Google Play in a blog.
The system is automated so that developers can answer questionnaires and get a recommended rating quickly that covers advice for parents about how old kids have to be to play the game or app. Google will go with rating systems already in use across the world. The new age based app rating system will be implemented for all apps in the coming weeks around the world.
Google believes that the change will ...
Samsung has announced that both the Galaxy S6 and S6 edge smartphones would be available for pre-order in the UK from 20th March 2015, ahead of the on-sale date of 10th April 2015. It will be available for pre-order from high street retailers and operators including Vodafone, Carphone Warehouse, Three, EE and O2 that were confirmed already.
Both the Galaxy S6 and the Galaxy S6 Edge have a 5.1-inch Quad HD (2560×1440 pixels) 577 PPI Super AMOLED display, powered by a Octa-Core ( Quad 2.1GHz + Quad 1.5GHz) Exynos processor, features 3GB DDR4 RAM and run on Android 5.0 (Lollipop),. These have a 16-megapixel rear camera with LED flash, OIS and a 5-megapixel front-facing camera. These have Cat.6 LTE support. The Galaxy S6 has a 2,550mAh battery and the Galaxy S6 Edge has a 2,600mAh battery.
The Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge will be available in the UK from 10th April, 2015 in 32/64/128GB variants in White Pearl, Black Sapphire and Gold Platinum.
