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Skype co-founder Janus Friis is backing a new communications startup called Wire. Pitched as a “modern communications network", Wire aims at bringing "simple, beautiful conversations” to your mobile, tablet, and desktop.
Available on Android, iOS and OS X the Wire messaging app features voice calling, group messaging, and the ability to share pictures, video, music, and more. Wire says it has developed its own in-house audio technology that makes audio “crisp and clear,” built to be compatible with standard WebRTC, which will mean plugin-free communications directly from your browser. The audio quality of Wire's voice calls is supposed to be exemplary, with its use of the Opus open source audio codec.
“Skype was launched more than a decade ago. A lot has changed since then — we are all used to free calls and texting, and we have taken to carrying our computers in our pockets. It is time to create the best possible communication tools, as beautiful as they are useful. Wire is just that.”
Friis said in a statement.
The mobile messaging app market is currently crowded with apps like WhatsApp, Viber, Line, WeChat and so on. Hence, Wire has to offer something additional in order to attract users.
App link - Android, iOS and OS X
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O2's Chief Executive Officer, Ronan Dunne, has claimed that reports of a takeover of the operator by rival Three UK is unlikely. Earlier this week, reports surfaced that Three could join both BT and Vodafone in eyeing up either EE or O2 for an acquisition but O2's CEO says that a Three takeover is the least likely of all scenarios.
At a media dinner, Dunne stated:
"At the back end of last year some analysts told me that their main prediction for this year was that Three will buy O2"
"All I would say is I slept very soundly that night."
Dunne also attempted to stave off potential suitors by claiming that consolidation is not the right avenue for the market to take as a takeover of O2 by one of the other three networks would result in only three operators in existence which would in turn lead to reduced competition and higher prices for customers.
Whilst Dunne may have been trying to make O2 an unsuitable prospect for a merger/acquisition, the fact remains that at the right price, the company's parent Telefonica will sell. We've already heard that the Spanish giant is aiming to raise capital and improve their credit rating by getting rid ...
Yota Devices launched the YotaPhone 2 in Russia yesterday. It was officially launched at an event in London few hours back. Originally announced at the MWC earlier this year, the YotaPhone 2 has a a 5-inch (1920 x 1080 pixels) AMOLED display, is powered by a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor and runs on Android 4.4 (KitKat). It has a full-touch control on its always-on electronic paper display (EPD) on the other side. The full-touch E Paper screen offers up to 50 hours of battery life when reading on the always-on display.
YotaPhone 2 specifications
5-inch (1920 x 1080 pixels) AMOLED multi-touch main display
4.7-inch (960 × 540 pixels) EPD full touch rear screen
Android 4.4 (KitKat)
2.3 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor
8MP auto focus rear camera with LED flash, 1080p full HD video recording
2MP front-facing camera
Dimensions – 144 x 69.5 x 8.9 mm; Weight – 140g
2GB RAM, 32GB Internal memory
3.5mm audio jack, FM Radio
4G LTE / 3G, WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n /ac, Bluetooth v4.0, GPS w/A-GPS + GLONASS
2550 mAh battery with wireless charging
The YotaPhone 2 is priced at 699 Euros in Europe and 555 GBP in the UK. This converts to about US$ 860 or around Rs. 53,000, which is costly compared to the first-generation YotaPhone. It ...
LG is one of the old horses in the smartphone market, but is a new one to enter the ‘minis’ trend. With the likes of Samsung and Sony pushing the compact battle to a whole new level, it was high time LG got into the game.
LG launched its compact variant of its flagship smartphone, the G3 Beat a couple of weeks ago. The device takes after the G3 in design, but the similarities are deep with the internals being completely different.
LG G3 Beat comes with the highly appreciated G3 design with metal chassis and brushed aluminium like plastic rear, but the smartphone falls under the affordable midrange sector. We had a chance to spend some quality time with the G3 Beat and here’s what we think about LG’s first mini smartphone.
Unboxing
LG G3 Beat comes in a standard retail package. As always, the box has the company’s branding on top, while there’s a mention of some of the key hardware specifications of the device on the back.
First up inside the box you find the smartphone itself and on further inspection you can find the headset, A/C adapter, micro USB cable, some leaflets and a battery.
Unlike many ...
Samsung Galaxy A7 is inching closer to its launch. The third device from Samsung's metal A series is mere 6.6mm thick making it the thinnest smartphone made by the company yet.
The Galaxy A7 has appeared in China's TENAA under the model number SM-A7009 and was first spotted by PhoneArena. The phone is slimmer than the Samsung Galaxy Alpha, which comes in at 6.7mm and also than the iPhone 6 that measures 6.9mm. According to the TENAA listing, the Galaxy A7 sports a 5.5-inch full-HD display and will be powered by 1.5 GHz eight-core 64-bit Snapdragon 615 SoC. It has 2 GB RAM, 16 GB internal memory, 12 MP camera at the back and a 5 MP shooter up front.The A7 will be 4G LTE enabled and will come running Android 4.4.4 KitKat.
It also seems like the Galaxy A7 will be available in China at launch through carrier China Telecom. Last week the Galaxy A7 visited FCC and prior to that it had appeared at GFX benchmark. The smartphone is said to be the costliest of the three as it will be priced between $450-$500, as per previous report. Also, it is touted that the Galaxy A7 will be sold in selected countries as ...
Google has released a Device Assist app that offer tech support for Android One, Nexus and Google Play Edition devices. The app as the name suggests assists users in troubleshooting problems, tips and more for the aforementioned devices.
The Device Assist app aims to help users understand how to use their Android device and offers help with issues related to features like GPS, connectivity and battery and give tips on how to use new features and improve the device’s performance. It will proactively help with issues like GPS, connectivity settings, battery options and so on.
In addition the app will also help Google Play Edition and Nexus owners to fast track Google’s live support. Users will be able to get answers to their questions faster and easier. Prior to this they had manually search the web for solutions to their problems. Moving on the app provides a list of common tasks and how to perform them, like taking a screenshot and customizing notifications. All the tips and suggestions are based in a card style format.
At present the Device Assistant app is available only to US users who own a Nexus, Google Play Edition. It must be noted that Android One devices are not present in the ...
It looks like more and more smartphones are receiving the Android 5.o update. Yesterday Sony rolled out Android 5.0 Lollipop update to Xperia Z Ultra GPE and today Samsung Galaxy S 5 (SM-G900F) is receiving the Lollipop update, according to a report from SamMobile.
The report stated that the OTA to version G900FXXU1BNL2 has begun to hit the SM-G900F model in Poland and may hit other European countries soon. Galaxy S5 got the Android 4.4.3 KitKat update in June and as per previous SamMobile report, the smartphone was expected to receive the Lollipop update this month.
Samsung has continued with the TouchWiz interface but has also added some Material Design features to the Galaxy S5. The phone will lock screen notifications, heads-up alerts, multi-user support for phones, Smart Lock, MirrorLink and so on. It is not known when will the Android 5.0 Lollipop update hit global Galaxy S5 owners.
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Motorola unveiled the second generation Moto X and Moto G earlier this year. Now a fresh rumor from a Greek website is stating that the new Moto E is also in the making.
As per the website, the new Moto E will sport a 4.5-inch qHD (960×540 pixels) display, and is said to be powered by a 1.2GHz Snapdragon 400 quad-core processor paired with 1GB of RAM, which is the same as last year’s Moto G. Additionally, it may have a LTE enabled chip which could either be the quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 or even the newer Snapdragon 410. The phone will run on Android 5.0 Lollipop out of the box.
Just to compare the original Moto E had a 4.3-inch (960 x 540 pixels) qHD display and is powered by a 1.2 GHz dual-core processor, 1GB RAM, 4GB internal memory, expandable memory with microSD. Motorola has not yet mentioned about the new Moto E yet.
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Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) has taken wraps off new Bluetooth technology. Dubbed as Bluetooth 4.2, it boasts of faster connection speed, stronger privacy controls and better Internet connectivity.
The upgraded Bluetooth will enhance the compatibility of smart things and make connections between devices even more secure. Bluetooth 4.2 allows for a direct connection to internet routers and hot-spots using low-power IPv6/6LoWPAN protocols. This could prove hugely beneficial for small, low-power IoT devices and home automation, as well as the next generation of wearables.
"Bluetooth 4.2 is all about continuing to make Bluetooth Smart the best solution to connect all the technology in your life – from personal sensors to your connected home. In addition to the improvements to the specification itself, a new profile known as IPSP enables IPv6 for Bluetooth, opening entirely new doors for device connectivity. Bluetooth Smart is the only technology that can scale with the market, provide developers the flexibility to innovate, and be the foundation for the IoT.”
said Mark Powell, executive director of the Bluetooth SIG in a statement.
On the privacy front, Bluetooth 4.2 includes new protections against Beacons, which can locate and send notifications to nearby Bluetooth devices. Some retailers use Beacons to track and alert their shoppers, ...
Samsung Galaxy Mega 2 went on sale in India back in October for Rs. 20,900 as the successor to last year's Mega series. This time Samsung decided to release only one phone called Mega 2 with a 6-inch HD display, compared to 6.3-inch HD screen on the Mega 6.3 and 5.8-inch qHD screen on the Mega 5.8. It has a faster processor and looks better than the Mega 6.3. Is the Samsung Galaxy Mega 2 a good upgrade? Is this worth the price? Let us find out in the complete review.
Unboxing
We unboxed the Samsung Galaxy Mega 2 smartphone recently. Check out the unboxing.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDFFY75566g
Box Contents
Samsung Galaxy Mega 2 in Brown Black color
2-pin charger (5V-1.5A)
micro USB cable
Headset with microphone
User manual
2800 mAh battery
Display, Hardware and Design
The phone has a huge 6-inch HD TFT 16:9 display at a resolution of 1280 by 720 pixels with a pixel density of about 245 ppi. The display is good with vibrant color output and the viewing angles are good too, but we felt that the Mega 6.3 had a better and sharper display. Since the display is glossy it is prone to fingerprints and also attracts dust easily.
It has a 5-megapixel front-facing camera, compared to 1.9MP camera on ...
Spice Retail has launched Stellar 520n, an upgraded version of the Spice Stellar 520 that was launched back in July. It has 5-inch HD OGS display, is powered by a 1.3 GHz quad-core processor, runs on Android 4.4 (KitKat), has a 8-megapixel rear camera with LED flash and a 2-megapixel front-facing camera. It has 8GB of internal storage compared to 4GB of storage in the Stellar 520. It comes pre-loaded with WhatsApp and Opera.
Commenting on the launch, Prashant Bindal, CEO, Spice Mobility Ltd, said:
We are delighted to launch the Stellar 520n exclusively on Amazon, thereby offering our customers a superior product and retail experience at the same time. The Stellar 520n is a great product offering the perfect combination of great aesthetics and superior performance. We are convinced that with Amazon’s excellent reach and our great product, this exclusive tie up will enchant our customers.
Spice Stellar 520n specifications
5-inch (1280 x 720 pixels) HD capacitive touch screen IPS display
1.3 GHz quad-core processor
1GB RAM, 8GB internal memory, expandable memory up to 32GB with MicroSD
Android 4.4 (KitKat)
Dual SIM
8.3mm thick and weighs 150g
8MP rear camera with LED Flash, BSI Sensor
2MP front-facing camera
3.5mm audio jack, FM Radio
3G HSPA+, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS
2000 mAh battery
The Spice Stellar 520n is priced ...
Earlier this week, we reported that AirDroid 3 beta has started testing for Windows and Mac. Today, AirDroid 3 has officially come out of beta and launched on Android.
The latest version of the popular web based management app further enhances multitasking capability between your smartphone and desktop computer. It comes with anupdated UI and a few new features, but the biggest change is the addition of stand-alone clients for Windows and OS X.
AirDroid 3 also brings end-to-end encryption for SMS, app notifications, contact info, and other data sent between your Android devices and the AirDroid desktop app. The company said the encryption feature uses “typical public-key cryptography,” as well as some security technology the company developed in-house.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHSYHft_HSo&list=UUPlSVbzA__QT4gPKsc02kHg
In addition AirDroid 3 includes AirMirror, which allows users to wireless display all of the activities on your phone, directly to a desktop. A wireless transfer feature allows transferring of files from device to device.
App link - AirDroid
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Lenovo has launched the Lenovo S580, the company’s latest budget smartphone in the S-series in India. It has a 5-inch HD display, is powered by a 1.2 GHz Quad-core Snapdragon 200 processor and runs on Android 4.3 (Jelly Bean). It has a 8-megapixel autofocus rear camera with LED flash and a 2-megapixel front-facing camera.
It comes pre-installed with Lenovo’s proprietary DOit apps for seamless data sharing, security and syncing. It has 3G connectivity, dual SIM support with dual standby, packs 1GB RAM, 8GB of internal storage with expansion slot and a 2150mAh battery.
Commenting on the new launch, Sudhin Mathur, Director- Smartphones, Lenovo India, said:
Lenovo has been in the forefront of product innovation offering consumers a range of superior value for money smartphones. The new range of S series smartphones are stylish and feature rich suiting the users’ aspirations. The S580 is an amalgamation of stylish design, blazing fast processing speeds, and integrated Lenovo proprietary apps making it a unanimous choice for users looking at smartphones at a sub 10k price category.
Lenovo S580 Specifications
5-inch (1280 x 720 pixels) HD IPS display
1.2 GHz quad-core Snapdragon 200 (MSM8212) processor
1GB RAM, 8GB internal memory, expandable memory up to 32GB with microSD
Android 4.3 (Jelly Bean), upgradable ...
Intel has collaborated with luxury eyewear brand Luxottica to produce smart eyewear. The duo will incorporate smart technology into premium, luxury, and sports eyewear.
Luxottica Group is maker of most of the world’s most recognized eyesore, including Oakley, Persol, Armani, Coach and more. The company said that frames developed with Intel would serve very specific purposes and would not compete with its existing deal to manufacture and distribute Google Glass.
The growth of wearable technology is creating a new playing field for innovation. Through our collaboration with Luxottica Group, we will unite our respective ecosystems and bring together Intel's leading-edge silicon and software technology with Luxottica's design innovation and consumer expertise. We expect the combination of our expertise to help drive a much faster pace of innovation and push the envelope of what's possible."
said Intel CEO Brian Krzanich in a release.
At present details about the smart eyewear are rare. In March this year, Luxottica group had signed a deal with Google Glass. The first device from Intel and Luxottica is expected to launch in 2015. 
NTT Docomo has expanded its inbound LTE roaming service in Japan for customers from the Azores, Australia, Christmas Island, Greece, Madeira, New Zealand and Portugal. This will enable customers from 37 countries and regions have access to Docomo's extra-high-speed LTE network (up to 150Mbps), Xi (read crossy) when traveling in Japan beginning December 5. SmarTone users in Hong Kong can also enjoy Docomo's roaming service in Japan starting from December 5th, 2014.
NTT Docomo launched 150Mbps Xi LTE service in Japan last year. Since then the company has been expanding its LTE service. The company will also expand its outbound LTE roaming service for Docomo subscribers traveling in Australia, New Zealand, Romania, Singapore and Slovenia from December 5. This will enable Docomo subscribers to roam on LTE networks in 32 countries and regions.
This is widest international coverage offered by any network operator in Japan, says the company.
SanDisk Corporation has launched SanDisk Ultra Fit, the company's latest high-speed USB 3.0 compact Flash Drive for PCs and other devices. This comes in 16GB, 32GB and 64GB memory variants, offering reliable storage in minimal space. The 64GB and 32GB versions offer write speeds up to 10 times faster than standard USB 2.0 drives, while the 16GB version offers up to 5 times faster write speeds than standard USB 2.0 drives.
Commenting on the launch, Rajesh Gupta, Country Manager India, SanDisk Corporation, said:
As a leader in the flash storage space, our goal has always been to deliver the best, most reliable products. While there are other USB 3.0 products on the market, SanDisk’s Ultra Fit USB 3.0 Flash Drive offers consumers superior performance and impressive capacity in an extremely compact design.
SanDisk Ultra Fit USB 3.0 specifications
32/64GB: Transfer up to 10 times faster than standard USB 2.0 drives; up to 130MB/s read speed
16GB: Transfer up to 5 times faster than standard USB 2.0 drives; up to 130MB/s read speed
Available Capacities: 16GB, 32GB and 64GB
SanDisk SecureAccess software for password protection and 128-bit encryption
RescuePRO file recovery software (one-year subscription)
USB 3.0 enabled (USB 2.0 compatible)
Dimensions: 19.1 x 15.9 x 8.8 mm; 0.75 x 0.63 x ...
With an aim to help Indian small and medium businesses get an easier online presence, Google has launched "Google My Business" app. Available for the free the app is currently present on Android and iOS.
The new app will also work across desktop and will enable SMBs to create and update their business info on various Google products such as search, maps and Google plus from one place for free. The users can use the service in Hindi and English. Google My Business will help SMB owners to create and update their business info on Google Search, Maps and Google+.
"We have plans to bring down barriers that inhibits SMBs in India from embracing the internet. Globally, over 2 million businesses use our advertising platform to find potential buyers on the internet. India is now the third largest internet market. To get the first 100 million internet users, it took 10 years, but the second 100 million came within two years. More interestingly, in the next 1.5 years, we'll get the next 100 million users,"
said Suryanarayana Kodukulla, head of SMB sales, Google India.
Google My Business will even makes SMBs easier to expand their customer base and manage operation using a smartphone inspite of a ...
Google has updated its Google News & Weather app for Android to version 2.2 that brings several new features. The latest update includes, new weather graphs, searchable news, dark color theme, curated stories from publishers and more. You can check out the complete changelog below.
New features in Google News & Weather 2.2
Changes share icon to universal Android tree style
Adds search function
Dark theme option
Change to standard G+ background image account switcher UI
Material animations (hamburger flip, overflow waves, drop-down refresh spinner
New weather charts (wind, humidity) and new chart UI
Google updated the News & Weather app to version 2.0 earlier this August after several years that brought new design, Google Now-style cards for weather information, spotlight section and more. Last month the version 2.1 update rolled out bringing new animation. The Google News & Weather version 2.2 update for Android is currently rolling out through Google Play.
Skype co-founder Janus Friis is backing a new communications startup called Wire. Pitched as a “modern communications network", Wire aims at bringing "simple, beautiful conversations” to your mobile, tablet, and desktop.
Available on Android, iOS and OS X the Wire messaging app features voice calling, group messaging, and the ability to share pictures, video, music, and more. Wire says it has developed its own in-house audio technology that makes audio “crisp and clear,” built to be compatible with standard WebRTC, which will mean plugin-free communications directly from your browser. The audio quality of Wire's voice calls is supposed to be exemplary, with its use of the Opus open source audio codec.
“Skype was launched more than a decade ago. A lot has changed since then — we are all used to free calls and texting, and we have taken to carrying our computers in our pockets. It is time to create the best possible communication tools, as beautiful as they are useful. Wire is just that.”
Friis said in a statement.
The mobile messaging app market is currently crowded with apps like WhatsApp, Viber, Line, WeChat and so on. Hence, Wire has to offer something additional in order to attract users.
App link - Android, iOS and OS X
via
Asus launched the Zenfone 5 Lite (A502CG), a cheaper variant of the Zenfone 5 in Philippines last month. Now the smartphone is available in India on Flipkart. It has a 5-inch qHD screen with Soda-lime glass screen protection, is powered by a 1.2GHz dual-core Intel Atom Z2520 SoC and runs on Android 4.4 (KitKat). It has a 8-megapixel rear camera with LED flash and a VGA front-facing camera.
It has 1GB RAM, 8GB of internal storage with expansion slot, dual SIM support, 3G HSPA+ connectivity and packs a 2500mAh battery. The design is exactly same as the Zenfone 5.
Asus Zenfone 5 Lite (A502CG) specifications
5-inch (960 x 540 pixels) qHD IPS display
1.2 GHz dual-core Intel Atom Z2520 processor
Dual SIM with dual standby (micro SIMs)
Android 4.4 (KitKat)
8MP rear camera with LED flash
0.3MP (VGA) front-facing camera
10.8 mm thick and weighs 160g
1GB RAM, 8GB internal memory, expandable memory up to 64GB via micro SD
3G HSPA+, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS
2500 mAh battery
The Asus Zenfone 5 Lite comes in Charcoal Black, Pearl White and Cherry Red colors and is priced at Rs. 8,999. Currently only the Black variant is one Sale. Wonder how Asus is going to sell it at this price when the Zenfone 5 A501CG with ...
Acer has announced Iconia Talk S A1-724, the company's first LTE tablet that has voice calling capabilities and dual SIM support after several leaks. It has a 7-inch (1280 × 800 pixels) HD IPS display with 5.9mm narrow bezel on each side, is powered by a 1.2 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 (MSM8916) 64-bit processor with Adreno 306 GPU and runs on Android 4.4 (KitKat).
It has a 5-megapixel rear camera and a 2-megapixel front-facing camera. It has 1GB RAM, comes with 16GB internal storage with microSD expansion slot.
Acer Iconia Talk S A1-724 specifications
7-inch (1280 x 800 pixels) HD IPS display with Zero Air Gap and Anti-Fingerprint coating
1.2 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 (MSM8916) 64-bit processor with Adreno 306 GPU
1GB RAM, 16GB internal storage and expandable memory up to 128GB with micro SD
Android 4.4 (KitKat)
Dual SIM
5MP rear camera
2MP front-facing camera
Dual front-facing stereo speakers
Dimensions: 190x99.8x8.5mm; Weight: 275g
4G LTE/ 3G (with voice calling), WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS
3780mAh battery
The Acer Iconia Talk S comes in blue color and got priced in Taiwan at NT$ 7990 (US$255 / Rs. 15900 approx.) last month. No word on global pricing or roll out details yet.
