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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 ...
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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.
Pinterest has raised $367 million in latest round of funding that will lead the company's valuation to $11 billion. The funding was led by Andreessen Horowitz and Bessemer Venture Partnersseen, as per a regulatory filing.
Pinterest also plans to raise as much as another $211 million as per the company's spokesperson that will make the $578 million grand total. The Wall Street Journal reported that the current round includes existing and new investors. This round of funding is expected to close within the next few weeks. The filing comes after a report last month that the company was raising $500 million.
Since its founding in 2009, Pinterest has raised $762.5 million in seven rounds of funding.Pinterest's $11 billion valuation would put the icompany among the ranks of the most highly valued private tech companies in the world.
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 ...
HDFC Bank has launched Chillr, a mobile app that allows users to instantly transfer money to any contact in their phone book 24x7 since it is linked to customer’s bank account. The bank has partnered with MobME, a Kochi-based technology firm, to launch the app. It is available for Android and iOS platform currently, but it will soon be launched for Windows Phone, said the company.
The app lets HDFC Bank customers transfer money to any person in India and is aimed at college students and young professionals. Passwords are not stored on the phone and it can be accessed only with an M-PIN known to the customer alone. This is the latest initiative in HDFC Bank's GoDigital campaign that began on the banks of the Varanasi last year, with the launch of its ‘Bank Aap Ki Muththi Mein’ offering, which literally converts the mobile phone into a bank branch.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyMztfus_ao
Chillr allows HDFC Bank customers send money in 3 simple steps:
Choose the recipient from your list of Chillr contacts
Enter the amount to be transferred & a message to recipient
Enter your secret M-PIN & press PA
Features of Chillr app
Send money to anyone in your contact list by using only your contact's mobile number.
Send money without sharing mobile ...
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 ...
Facebook has added a new feature to Messenger that will allows users to send and receive money. The feature is coming to Android, iOS and desktop in coming months.
Users can link their Master Card or Visa debit cards to the service and use it to message money to one another just. In order to send money, users will have to message a friend, tap the $ icon, enter the amount that needs to be sent and tap Pay button in the top right corner. While to receive the money users will have to open the conversation and tap Add Card in the message.
"We use secure systems that encrypt the connection between you and Facebook as well as your card information when you ask us to store it for you. We use layers of software and hardware protection that meet the highest industry standards. These payment systems are kept in a secured environment that is separate from other parts of the Facebook network and that receive additional monitoring and control. A team of anti-fraud specialists monitor for suspicious purchase activity to help keep accounts safe."
posted Facebook on a blog.
Facebook claims the money you send is transferred “right away,” but the company warns you ...
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 ...
At the Windows Hardware Engineering Community (WinHEC) summit in Shenzhen, China Microsoft has announced that it will release Windows 10 this summer (between June and August) in 190 countries and 111 languages. It also demoed Windows Hello at the event, which uses biometric authentication using a person's face, iris or fingerprint to unlock their Windows 10 device and services.
Microsoft already announced that it will offer a free upgrade to Windows 10 for customers running Windows 7, Windows 8.1 and Windows Phone 8.1 if they upgrades within the first year after it is released. It also released Windows 10 Technical preview last year and Windows 10 Technical preview for phones last month.
It has announced a strategic partnerships with Lenovo, Tencent and Qihu 360 in China for smooth Windows 10 upgrade. Lenovo will offer Windows 10 upgrade services at 2,500 service centers and select retail stores in China when the Windows 10 upgrade is available. Lenovo will also release Windows 10 phones in mid-year 2015 via China Mobile. Xiaomi will test Windows 10 in the form of Technical Preview and release it to the public later this year.
Microsoft also announced that a new version of Windows for small footprint IoT devices will be available for free when Windows 10 launches. This includes ATMs and ...
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.
Aircel has announced a new product offering for the upcoming season of the IPL. Under the "Aircel 1+3 Offer", pre-paid Aircel customers will get a full talktime, Airtel minutes, data usage and more.
For starters, a recharge for Rs 69 will offer a full talk time, 69, Aircel to Aircel minutes and 69 MB of data. This offer is for a recharge on Rs 69, Rs 129 and Rs 209. A successful recharge of any of the above will make the customer eligible to participate in Aircel 1+3 Offer contest that will offer Chennai Super Kings (CSK) fans a chance to meet the team along with their friends.
"We are delighted to launch the Aircel 1+3 Offer that will not only help our customers to join us in the celebration and stay updated on the circketing action as well as seamlessly connected, but also give the lucky CSK fans a dream fulfilling experience and a memorable day.
said Sankara Narayan K, Head SBU-1 (Chennai & Tamil Nadu), Aircel in a press release.
In addition to full talk time offers, Aircel is also providing other Value added services (VAS). The company has also launched ATL and BTL campaigns for the Aircel 1+3 Offer. Aircel also brought back its Rs. 164 ...
Opera has introduced video boost feature on its Opera Coast browser. The video boost feature compresses the overall size of the video data to reduce the number of times the video has to buffer.
In order to activate the video boost feature, users will have to enable the Opera Turbo compression feature. This will automatically switch on the Opera Coast. Opera says that it uses Rocket Optimizer that has been integrated into a web browser. Opera Coast also comprises of more features to speed up your browsing. It claims that the Rocket Optimizer also gives a 60 percent boost in bandwidth capacity.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zeu3whetlkQ
There is a track page-loading status with the progress bar and one can experience faster loading when you go back on secure sites. Finally, users can return to search from the Discover feature by simply swiping down. The sharing feature’s added support for Pinterest, Evernote, Pocket and Kik allows you to do even more online.
App Link - Opera Coast
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
Nintendo is sent to release some of its popular games for smartphones. The Japanese video game maker is teaming up with online gaming firm DeNA Co Ltd to develop and operate gaming apps.
"To ensure the quality of game experience that consumers expect from this alliance of Nintendo and DeNA, only new original games optimised for smart device functionality will be created, rather than porting games created specifically for the Wii U home console or the Nintendo 3DS portable system.
said Nintendo in the statement.
Nintendo is the owner of some of the best-known video game franchises of all time, including Mario, The Legend of Zelda and many more.The games will be original titles created specifically for smartphones, rather than ports of existing titles designed for Nintendo's other hardware platforms like Wii U console and the portable 3DS.. Nintendo and DeNA will jointly develop a new membership service this year that will support various platforms such as PCs, smartphones, tablets and Nintendo’s hardware devices.
Under the partnership, Nintendo and DeNA would buy 22 billion yen worth of shares in each other. As a result, Nintendo will acquire a 10 percent stake in DeNA while DeNA will acquire a 1.2 percent stake in Nintendo.
