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Amazon has finally unveiled the rumored Fire TV streaming box along with its Fire game controller. It plugs into your HDTV and lets you stream movies and TV shows at up to 1080p resolution, listen to songs, use apps, play games and more. It is powered by a 1.7 GHz quad-core Snapdragon S4 pro processor, 2GB RAM and has 8GB of internal storage. It runs on Android-based OS Fire OS called Mojito, similar to the Kindle Fire tablets.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHoNQrxG_8M
It also comes with a Amazon Fire TV remote with built-in microphone for voice search and access to Netflix, Prime Instant Video, Hulu Plus, WatchESPN, YouTube, and more. WWE Network, MLB.TV, WATCH Disney Channel, WATCH ABC, and Twitch would be available soon.
The ASAP (Advanced Streaming and Prediction) feature predicts which movies and TV episodes you’ll want to watch and buffers them for playback before you even hit play—instant start. It also has Amazon FreeTime, X-Ray for movies, TV shows, and music and more.
It lets you play games like Minecraft Pocket Edition, The Walking Dead, NBA2K14, Asphalt 8, Riptide GP2 and more Android. You can download both free and paid games from the Amazon store. You can play these games using Fire TV remote, the Fire TV app for smartphones and ...
Nokia and Android has been a pipedream that geeks and avid smartphone users have held out for years now. That we'd actually see one in 2014 at the cusp of the Nokia - Microsoft merger is not something we'd expected in our wildest dreams. That said, the phone was announced alongside two other devices ie the Nokia X+ and XL at MWC last month and is now available in retail. We brought your our first impressions of this AOSP running device from the show floor and here's the complete low down on the Nokia X.
Hardware
Before we get into the inevitable software teardown let's start off with a quick hardware overview. Without a doubt, the Nokia X is the best looking device anywhere close to it's price point. With a design that brings influences from both the Asha and Lumia side of things, we're very impressed by what Nokia has been able to achieve at this price point.
The front side of the phone has a 4 inch display with black bezels. Replacing the three buttons seen below Android devices is a single capacitive back key. As we'll find out soon enough, this is just the beginning of the differences from standard ...
Apple is considering buying a unit of Renesas SP Drivers, Japan-based chip maker for smartphone displays, according to a report from Nikkei. Renesas SP Drivers is a joint venture between Japanese chipmaker Renesas, Sharp and Taiwanese manufacturer Powerchip. The chipmaker already provides drivers and controllers for iPhone’s liquid crystal displays that is responsible for quality, performance and phone’s overall energy efficiency.
Apple is already in talks with the company to acquire 55% stake for 50 billion yen or $479 million in the company, according to the report. Sharp would sell its 25 percent take in Renesas SP to Apple on request, after the transaction, while Powerchip will retain 20% of its stake. According to WSJ, Renesas has said that the report was not based on something that the company had announced, although it was exploring various options with the unit.
Apple has acquired several companies in the past for iPhone and iPad components. This includes security firm AuthenTec, semiconductor maker PA Semi, flash-memory maker Anobit and PrimeSense, which develops 3D sensors for motion tracking.
Rumors have already started flowing in about the iPhone 6 variants with 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch displays. At least the iPhone 6 with 4.7-inch screen is expected in September. Renesas ...
Samsung, like all smartphone manufacturers these days, has followed the trend of releasing a flagship smartphone and shortly sometime after that releasing a "Mini" version of the flagship with toned down specifications. Samsung has been following this approach for the past two flagships - Samsung Galaxy S3 and Samsung Galaxy S4.
According to SamMobile, the trend is likely to continue with the Samsung Galaxy S5 as Samsung is preparing a mini version of the latest flagship. The Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini was a disappointed as it sported just a qHD display with mid-range specifications. The rumored Samsung Galaxy S5 Mini will be coming with a 4.5inch 720p HD SuperAMOLED display and will be powered by a quad-core Snapdragon processor and the chipset powering the device is expected to be a Snapdragon 400 unit.
The other specifications of the device include a 16GB internal storage, 1.5GB RAM, 8MP rear camera and a 2MP front facing camera. The phone will be fueled by a 2100mAh battery and in terms of specifications, the Galaxy S5 Mini looks very much like a Samsung Galaxy S3. Just like the flagship, the Galaxy S5 Mini will also be water resistant and will have IP67 certification. There will also ...
Cortana, Microsoft's own take on a virtual personal assistant, is all set to be revealed at the //build/ developer event today in San Francisco. While we still haven't heard anything straight from Microsoft regarding Cortana yet, it's own property, Bing, which will power Cortana, now has references to the long awaited assistant. Cortana has been rumoured to be like Apple's Siri and Google Now combined, with it offering personalized results, recommendations and more, apart from setting your alarms, reminders etc like Siri.
Inside the Bing personalization settings page, we are presented with renewed options with respect to search options. If the image above is not clear enough, here is the text inside -
Clear personal info
When you’re signed into your Microsoft account, Microsoft services like Cortana, Bing Apps, and Bing services personalize your experience. This personalization will be impacted when you clear the information below and will be reflected on all devices where you have authenticated with your Microsoft account.
Interests
This will clear your saved favorites and interests in Cortana and related Bing apps and services.
Other Cortana data
To provide personalized recommendations, we upload some info from your Windows Phone, such as your calendar, contacts, location, and browsing history. If you clear this info, ...
ZTE unveiled the Grand S II at the CES 2014 earlier this year. ZTE has launched the smartphone in China. It has a 5.5-inch (1920 x 1080 pixels) full HD IPS display based on One Glass Solution (OGS) technology, powered by a 2.3 GHz Quad-Core Snapdragon 801 processor (instead of Snapdragon 800 at the time it was announced) and runs on Android 4.3 (Jelly Bean) OS. It comes with a 13-megapixel rear camera with LED Flash, Sony sensor, full HD video recording and a 2-megapixel front-facing camera.
It has three microphones for noise reduction that makes voice calls clearer. It also supports 4G LTE. There were rumors that the phone would have 4GB RAM, after a ZTE smartphone appeared on Tenna certification database, but this has 2GB RAM and 16GB of internal memory. ZTE also offers an exclusive 32GB variant with 3GB RAM.
ZTE Grand S II specifications
5.5-inch (1920 x 1080 pixels) OGS display
2.3 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor with Adreno 330 GPU
Android 4.3 (Jelly Bean) OS
13MP auto focus camera with LED Flash, 1080p HD video recording
2MP front-facing camera
2GB RAM with 16GB internal memory / 3GB RAM with 32GB internal memory
4G LTE / 3G HSPA+, Bluetooth, WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n (Dual Band), GPS/aGPS
3000 ...
Google has somewhat tackled the problem of fragmentation by releasing its core apps as separate applications in the Google Play Store, but it is only a small towards a very big problem. According to Engadget, Google is working on a separate Camera application for Android smartphones that it will soon launch on Google Play Store.
According to the report, the new camera application will come with features that the current flagships like HTC One M8 have. It will reportedly include the fake depth of field effect that is available in HTC One M8. In addition to this feature, some fo the other rumored features that will be present in the Google Camera app include - improved Panorama assist and high resolution Photosphere. The camera interface will also see a change and the camera viewfinder will give the 100% crop of the final image.
But the biggest rumor is that Google will allow third party extensions to add effects in the default camera application. This far fetched rumor will probably allow users to add third party filters and effects through the Play Store.
Considering that this report is from Engadget's sources aware of Google's plans, this information should be taken with a pinch of ...
Xbox One, the latest gaming console from Microsoft, surprised a few by being the first console to have HDMI input for TV, and support for a unified TV channel guide, with voice activated navigation. The voice commands, using the next generation Kinect, might have performed well enough for most, but there is a better way to control the console now. Smartglass, the app that acts as the second screen input for Xbox One, is now in a separate beta channel which lets users preview the new and upcoming features. Amongst the latest features that are going to be added to this app later are support for One Guide, the channel guide that was initially usable only on the console, and a universal remote that can give out commands through the Kinect's IR blaster.
Read more: Xbox One release date in India
This new added functionality comes at a time when Microsoft is rolling out its TV integration features to other markets in Europe and Asia. Using the Smartglass app on either your Windows tablet or phone, one can change the channels in One Guide, add favorites, quickly change channels or just browse the listings without it being intrusive on the Xbox One's ...
At Microsoft's BUILD conference, Stephen Elop took the stage and announced the new Nokia flagship ie the Lumia 930. The phone will ship with the latest release of Windows Phone dubbed as Windows Phone 8.1. Essentially the international variant of the Lumia Icon, it brings top of the line specifications with a very cool new design that is a departure from the Fabula design language.
The phone has a 5 inch full HD display at the front and is being powered by a 2.2Ghz Snapdragon 800 processor. Users will get 32GB of storage onboard though unfortunately this cannot be expanded. The camera is a PureView module similar to that on the Lumia 1520 and is being accompanied by a dual LED flash. As you'd expect, the phone has built in optical image stabilization and will also come with the four directional microphones that were present on the Lumia 1520, Lumia Icon. Additionally it will have a new SensorCore feature that will gather distance and additional activity related data and tie it into Microsoft's Bing Health and Fitness apps. The SensorCore chip should function similar to the M7 unit on the iPhone 5s. The phone also includes Qi based wireless charging to ...
While the Nokia Lumia 930 is the company's flag bearer for Windows Phone 8.1, the entry level segment remains critical. To meet the demands of the audience in this category, Stephen Elop today announced the Lumia 635 alongside the Lumia 630 today. The phone's trump card is that it brings LTE connectivity at an exceptionally low price point.
The specifications of the phone include a 1.2 Ghz Snapdragon 400 processor paired with a rather abysmal 512MB of RAM. Built in storage is 8GB and you'll be able to expand that via the microSD card slot. On the front, the device has a 4.5inch FWVGA display with a Gorilla Glass 3 covering on top of it. Something unique here is that alongside the Lumia 630, the 635 is the first Windows Phone device to have onscreen controls. It will be possible for developers to decide if they want to allow users to swipe away the controls in applications.
The camera module is a 5MP AF unit that unfortunately loses out on the LED flash. Nokia has also bestowed the Lumia 635 with the new SensorCore technology from the 930 and the handset will be able to track your activity data and integrate it ...
Rounding up the entry level Windows Phone 8.1 handset segment is the newly announced Lumia 630 handset. The phone will ship in both single SIM and dual SIM variants. The phone shares internals with the other budget handset announced i.e. the LTE packing Nokia Lumia 635.
Internally, the phone is powered by a 1.2 Ghz Snapdragon 400 processor and a surprisingly limited 512MB of RAM. Both variants of the Lumia 630 will ship with 8GB of storage that can be expanded via the micro SD card slot. Over on the front, the phone has a 4.5 inch FWVGA display covered with Gorilla Glass 3. The Lumia 630 along with the 635 are the first devices to have on screen buttons instead of the capacitive controls seen so far on Windows Phone devices.
The phone has a 5MP AF capable camera unit at the back and will also support SensorCore. SensorCore is a chipset based function that tracks your activity data throughout the day and integrates it with the Bing Health & Fitness application. Running Windows Phone 8.1, the handsets will have proper integration for dual SIM functionality and will distinguish between the two lines by using distinct color identities. The Nokia ...
Microsoft has finally revealed Windows Phone 8.1, the long awaited update to its mobile platform. Packing lots and lots of new features, the operating system finally gets up to speed in several departments. Starting from the action center, the parallax wallpapers to Cortana, the intelligent digital assistant, it would be safe to say that the OS has finally come of age. It may be a little late, but it is definitely not a little minor update, as it brings with it the potential to change the ecosystem of devices it runs on. The update, announced today, will be available for all Windows Phone 8 devices in the coming months, while enthusiasts can get a hold of this update in the first half of April. Besides that, the OS will come pre-installed on all the new Windows Phone devices, including the just announced Nokia Lumia 930 and the Lumia 635 and the Lumia 630 Dual SIM phone.
Highlights of Windows Phone 8.1
Action center - Notifications center on Windows Phone, finally!
Cortana - Highly personal digital voice assistant
Start screen wallpapers - Parallax scrolling for the wallpapers
Lock screen themes - Make your own lock screen animations or use presets
Word Flow keyboard - Like Swype, but ...
Micromax, one of the top smartphone players in the Indian market, was rumoured to get into the Windows Phone game for a long time. We had expected the name to pop up when Microsoft announced new partners in India like Xolo, Lava and Karbonn, but it didn't until now, when Microsoft revealed additional two partners, Micromax and Prestigio, at their Build 2014 keynote. Micromax now joins a big list of partners who are committed to bring Windows Phone 8.1 devices into the market. Bringing a seismic change of sorts to the ecosystem, the Windows Phone 8.1 update enables better hardware compatibility, with which a reference device from Qualcomm was developed. Adding on-screen button support and increased chipset compatibility has enabled players like Micromax to join the Windows Phone ecosystem.
Today we announced two more partners - Prestigio in Europe and Micromax in India – to further ensure that individuals around the world will have access to the amazing experience that only Windows Phone delivers consistently across all price points.
Microsoft's Joe Belfiore showed off a Micromax device, on stage, at the Build keynote, in which he said that the new partnership is a result of the reference device development with Qualcomm and ...
One of the more interesting announcements out of the BUILD conference today was Microsoft's announcement to make Windows free for a whole host of devices. Traditionally OEMs have paid up to $15 per handset sold as licensing fee for Windows Phone 8. This has proven to be a hindrance in the growth of the operating system especially in the lower segment. With cost sensitive players like Micromax getting on board the Windows Phone bandwagon, this move makes all the more sense.
Another benefit of removing the licensing fee will be in attracting handset manufacturers towards introducing more Windows Phone devices as they will no longer have to pay any licensing costs to Microsoft. It is a well known fact that Android OEMs have to pay Microsoft between $3-$6 as a patent licensing fee for every Android device that they sell. By opting for Microsoft's free operating system, this figure can be removed from the equation which'll give them a bigger incentive to introduce Windows Phone handsets.
The announcement states that Windows will be made free for all devices under nine inches and this includes tablets too. Referred to as Windows for Internet of Things, it will include an year of free Office ...
Cortana, once popular for being Master Chief's personal assistant, is now truly digital, as it takes the form of Windows Phone's own virtual assistant. Cortana is Microsoft's take on Siri and Google Now, currently the two popular voice assistants for iOS and Android respectively. While Siri took a more personal approach to an assistant, Google took it another way with contextual search and ambient presence, while Cortana is trying to marry the both. Powered by Bing's neural networks, Cortana literally takes advantage of all the data mined over the search engine's life time. And not only that, it will learn you like Google Now on actions and like Siri on personal detail, which makes it a decent competitor to Google.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nX9P6skzZNU
Read more about Windows Phone 8.1 here
While the video above doesn't give a lot of detail on Cortana, it captures the idea that it is based on. Bing's massive data of the internet powers Cortana's results and simultaneously aids in machine learning. It also powers the natural language interactions, nonsensical questions included. It can tell you when you have your next flight and can even tell you when to start, according to the traffic conditions from Here Maps. So, in terms ...
Nokia has announced Nokia MD-12, the company's new portable wireless speaker. It has NFC support to pair your smartphones easily and the built-in vibrating actuator on the base promises thumping bass when placed on most surfaces. It also has a built-in rechargeable battery that promises about 15 hours of playback on full charge. It weighs just 180 grams.
It has a microphone, so that you can use it as a speakerphone once your phone is connected to the speakers. It also has a AUX in port and comes with a cable in the box to connect other devices to the speakers. Nokia has not revealed any technical specifications of the device. The Nokia Device Hub app would let you manage the speaker and other connected accessories, offers app recommendations for your accessories and lets you see where you used them last time, in case you misplaced it, says the company.
The Nokia MD-12 wireless speaker would retail for 39 Euros (Rs. 3210 approx.) and comes in yellow, green, orange and white colors. It is expected to go on sale some time in Q2 2014.
Amazon has finally unveiled the rumored Fire TV streaming box along with its Fire game controller. It plugs into your HDTV and lets you stream movies and TV shows at up to 1080p resolution, listen to songs, use apps, play games and more. It is powered by a 1.7 GHz quad-core Snapdragon S4 pro processor, 2GB RAM and has 8GB of internal storage. It runs on Android-based OS Fire OS called Mojito, similar to the Kindle Fire tablets.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHoNQrxG_8M
It also comes with a Amazon Fire TV remote with built-in microphone for voice search and access to Netflix, Prime Instant Video, Hulu Plus, WatchESPN, YouTube, and more. WWE Network, MLB.TV, WATCH Disney Channel, WATCH ABC, and Twitch would be available soon.
The ASAP (Advanced Streaming and Prediction) feature predicts which movies and TV episodes you’ll want to watch and buffers them for playback before you even hit play—instant start. It also has Amazon FreeTime, X-Ray for movies, TV shows, and music and more.
It lets you play games like Minecraft Pocket Edition, The Walking Dead, NBA2K14, Asphalt 8, Riptide GP2 and more Android. You can download both free and paid games from the Amazon store. You can play these games using Fire TV remote, the Fire TV app for smartphones and ...
HERE, the location-based service from Nokia announced HERE Drive, HERE Transit and HERE Drive+ last year. HERE Drive came pre-loaded with Nokia Lumia smartphones out of the box and was available for free from Nokia Store for other smartphones. HERE Drive+ app was launched for free with select 9 series and 8 series smartphone ,but it was paid with other Nokia Lumia and other Windows Phone 8 devices.
HERE has extended free HERE Drive+ voice guided navigation benefits in 97 countries for all Windows Phone 8.1 devices. This would let entry-level Nokia Lumia 520 or any Windows Phone smartphones from Samsung or HTC running Windows Phone 8.1 can get HERE+ for free. HERE Transit is also free for all the WP 8.1 users.
HERE Drive+ app with global navigation license was previously priced at 15.49 EUR for some Lumia devices and 34.99 EUR for all the other Windows Phone devices.
The HERE app would also be updated with 3D view of building in select countries, in addition to 3D landmarks, aerial images, two fingers gestures to rotate the map and tilt to activate the 3D mode . HERE Drive+ would also bring the most expected long press to set destination feature.
The HERE Drive+ and all the new features would be available with Windows Phone 8.1 update.
Xolo has officially launched the Xolo Q2500 PocketPad, the company’s latest phablet with a 6-inch HD display in the Q CORE series. It was announced last week and packs a 6-inch (1280 x 720 pixels) HD IPS display, powered by a 1.3 GHz quad-core MediaTek MT6582 processor and runs on Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean) and is upgradable to Android 4.4 (KitKat).
It has a 8-megapixel auto focus rear camera with BSI sensor, LED Flash, 1080p full HD video recording and a 2-megapixel front-facing camera. It comes with dual SIM support with dual standby, 1GB RAM and packs a 3000 mAh battery.
Xolo Q2500 PocketPad Specifications
6-inch (1280 x 720 pixels) HD capacitive touch screen IPS display
1.3 GHz quad-core MediaTek MT6582 processor with 500 MHz Mali 400MP2 GPU
Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean), upgradable to Android 4.4 (KitKat)
Dual SIM (GSM + GSM)
8 MP rear camera with BSI sensor, LED Flash, 1080p video recording
2MP front-facing camera
8.5mm thick
3.5mm audio jack, FM Radio
1GB RAM, 4GB internal memory, expandable memory up to 32GB with MicroSD
3G, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth, GPS, USB OTG
3000 mAh battery
The Xolo Q2500 PocketPad is priced at Rs. 14,999. It also comes with a free flip cover that doubles up as a stand.
Motorola Moto G Forte that was leaked last week has gone official in Mexico. It is just the Motorola Moto G smartphone with a grip shell as we expected. The Motorola Grip Shell for the Moto G was first launched in the U.S. earlier this year and it was launched in India along with the Moto G in February for Rs. 1099. Now it is available for Rs. 999. The Grip Shell has a rubber frame that protects the phone from bumps and drops.
Other than the bundled grip shell, the Moto G Forte has exactly similar features as the Moto G including a 4.5-inch (1280 x 720 pixels) edge-to-edge display at 329 ppi with Corning Gorilla Glass protection, 1.2 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor with Adreno 305 GPU, Android 4.4 (KitKat), 5MP rear camera with LED flash, 720p HD video recording and a 1.3MP front-facing camera. The Moto G Forte comes only in 8GB variant.
The Motorola Moto G Forte is now available in Mexico from local operator Nextel Mexico on contract. It is not clear if it Motorola plans to launch it in other countries.
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