Tech Tricks

Microsoft Can't Decide If It's Giving Away Windows 10 For Free

2015-06-22T12:51:00.001+05:30

In an announcement on Friday, Microsoft dropped the unusually generous news that it is giving away free copies of Windows 10 to anyone who participates in the beta Insider Program for Redmond's latest OS. Sound a little too good to be true? You bet.

As noted by Ars Technica, Microsoft has since sneakily updated its blog post announcing the move, changing some crucial language:

Previously it said that signed up members of the Insider Program running a preview version would "receive the Windows 10 final release build and remain activated." Now it says only that they will "receive the Windows 10 final release build."

Moreover, Microsoft added some clarifying language, saying that "It's important to note that only people running Genuine Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 can upgrade to Windows 10 as part of the free upgrade offer."

Seems pretty clear, then: only users upgrading from Windows 7 or 8 will get a free upgrade, which is in line with Microsoft's previous announcements.

But that's not all! On Twitter this evening, Microsoft exec Gabriel Aul stated in no uncertain terms that anyone with a prerelease build of Windows 10 (with a registered Microsoft Account) would remain activated on the final version of Windows 10.

@ZacB_ @joebelfiore Yes, as long as running a prerelease build connected with registered MSA:http://t.co/vlaGyfwzbr
June 21, 2015

Reading between the lines, it seems that Microsoft might be providing a way for individual users to upgrade, without making the whole process above board. Microsoft makes most of its Windows money off businesses and OEMs, the companies that sell new PCs already running a (licensed, paid-for) version of Windows. The wording in the latest blog post implies that upgrading to full-fat Windows 10 will work; it just won't be officially sanctioned by Microsoft, meaning that businesses will still have to pony up for the upgrade.

We reached out to Microsoft for comment, and will update if anyone manages to clarify this mess.

[Microsoft, Ars Technica]

Amazon Will Soon Start Paying Authors Based On E-Book Pages Read

2015-06-22T12:50:00.000+05:30

What if we lived in a world where authors earned royalties not based on how many books they sell, but on how many pages we read? The idea, which would have been preposterous 10 years ago, is not only possible with modern technology, it's something Amazon will be test driving this summer.

Beginning on July 1st, authors who self-publish through Amazon Kindle's Direct Publishing Program will become part of a new publishing experiment. Currently, Amazon divvies up a pot of money to its native authors each month, based on the number of times their e-Books are "borrowed" through two separate Kindle services: Kindle Unlimited, a standalone, $9.99 / month subscription service, and the Kindle Lending Library, an Amazon Prime membership perk. In the new scheme, authors will be paid for each page that remains on the screen long enough to be parsed, the first time a customer reads the book.

What this system will essentially do is reward authors who write cliffhangers and page-turners; books that can keep the reader hooked. As The Atlantic explains, the payment scheme will also help neutralize the sentiment among authors of longer books that they're being shortchanged:

Amazon's letter to writers who publish through its Kindle Select program explained that the formula was changing because of a concern "that paying the same for all books regardless of length may not provide a strong enough alignment between the interests of authors and readers." Amazon is being clever: While the authors of big, long, and important books felt that they were shortchanged by a pay-by-the-borrow formula, they probably didn't expect that Amazon would take their proposal a step further. Instead of paying the most ambitious, long-winded authors for each page written, Amazon will pay them for each page read.

Book length is still going to matter under the new system, but in a slightly more nuanced way. On the one hand, authors will have more incentive than ever to keep their work from growing tediously (an unreadably) long. But on the other, the author of an action-packed, 100 page novella might stand to earn more if he can stretch his book out without letting the pace suffer.

One way or another, it seems, some authors are about to bid farewell to the old publishing saying "It doesn't matter how many people read your book, only how many buy it."

[The Atlantic]

WhatsApp And AT&T Fail To Keep Our Data Safe, New Study Finds

2015-06-22T12:47:00.000+05:30

Concerned about NSA snooping? Better get rid of WhatsApp and AT&T. That, at least, is one takeaway from the Electronic Frontier Foundation's annual "Who Has Your Back?" scorecard, which tells us which tech companies are doing a reasonabl job protecting user data, and which are failing abysmally.

As Americans have become increasingly aware of (and peeved by) government spying, we've started judging our tech services and gadgets not only on their quality, but on whether they can safeguard our data. The EFF, a nonprofit focused on digital rights, rates companies based on transparency to consumers about government data demands and content removal requests, data retention practices, and public positions on electronic backdoors.

In addition to WhatsApp and AT&T receiving piss poor grades, Google slipped up for the first time, earning only three stars compared with a perfect five in 2014. The tech giant was penalized on two major counts: The fact that it no longer discloses the full extent of its data retention, and diminished transparency regarding government data requests.

Still, the latest report wasn't all doom and gloom. Apple, Adobe, Yahoo, Dropbox, and Sonic.net each received high marks, and overall, scores were way up compared with the first such study conducted in 2011. On the whole, tech companies seem to be shifting their data privacy stances in the right direction-but they've got a long road ahead before Americans begin trusting them again.

[SFGate]

Chrome Should Soon Be Easier On Your Mac’s Battery

2015-06-14T14:32:00.001+05:30

Whatever the relative merits of the various browser options, there’s one big advantage that Apple’s homegrown Safari has over most of the competition – using it as your browser can have a significant positive impact in terms of battery life on portable Macs. Now, Google is hoping to close that gap with upcoming changes to Chrome.

Chrome already got a new feature that can disable crappy Flash ads and win you back some battery cycles, but there’s more in the pipeline. Per senior Chrome engineer Peter Kasting outlining future steps on Google+, we’re going to see changes to the way Chrome handles rendering of background tabs (i.e., the ones you aren’t immediately looking at), and eking out some minor but important gains in the CPU efficiency of searching with Google.

There’s a lot more going on, most of which is designed to help Chrome match or approach CPU efficiency found in Safari. Kasting even goes so far as to say the Chrome team has “no intention of sitting idly by (pun intended) when our users are suffering.” Groaning about Chrome’s efficiency cost in the Mac power user realm is indeed quite common, but it’s interesting to see Google so on the nose about the issue.

This is coming to the Chrome beta channel in a little over a month, which means general release probably a few months down the road. I’ve pretty much converted to Safari full-time at this point, but I’m definitely interested in seeing what a more battery-friendly Chrome has to offer.

Via TechSpot

Google will announce Android M at I/O keynote this month

2015-05-07T18:56:00.000+05:30

Just as it's done in years past, Google will unveil the latest version of Android at its annual I/O developer conference. The company hasn't officially come out and confirmed this directly, but a session description that briefly appeared as part of the I/O schedule made specific mention of "Android M." (The session in question has now been removed from Google's I/O website.) When it was announced in 2014, Android 5.0 was first known as "Android L" before Google revealed its final "Lollipop" name months later. And while that version has so far made it to just 10 percent of all Android devices, Google isn't slowing down any in pushing the operating system forward.

Sadly the I/O session descriptions don't offer too many details on what to expect; the "Android at Work" session only says Android M "brings power of Android to all kinds of workplaces." Google has already started putting Android everywhere it can; it's on phones, tablets, in cars, powering TVs, and even running on Chrome OS. Now it sounds like there'll be a greater focus on making Android a force in the enterprise — and Google obviously needs developers to play a role in that.

IMPROVED NOTIFICATIONS AND MORE POWERFUL VOICE CONTROLS COULD BE COMING IN ANDROID M

Another session focused on "interruptions" hints that the company has been working to refine the new approach to notifications that came alongside Lollipop. Yet another session mentions something called "Voice Access" and suggests Google wants to let users control every feature of Android apps (and the device they're running on using only their voice. This would expand beyond the "OK Google" commands that are possible now. Google describes Voice Access as such:

Mobile hardware has adopted the touch screen as the primary mode of input. And with 1 billion active Android users, there’s no sign of this slowing down. What if you could provide users with a new method of access to your apps with little to no development overhead? In this talk, we introduce Voice Access, a service that gives anyone access to their Android device through voice alone. We will focus on simple steps developers can follow to ensure that Voice Access provides an optimal experience within their apps.

Tesla announces 38,000 pre-orders for Powerwall home battery

2015-05-07T18:53:00.000+05:30

During Tesla's earnings call, CEO Elon Musk just announced that the company has so far taken 38,000 reservations for its Powerwall home battery. "The response has been overwhelming. Like, crazy," Musk said. He went on to describe the reception to Tesla Energy's introduction as "crazy off the hook." Tesla has also tallied 2,500 reservations for the PowerPack. Musk said this actually equates to more like 25,000 since reservations averaged around 10 Powerpacks each. "The volume of demand here has just been staggering," he said. "It really feels like, man, the stationary storage demand is just nutty. Like, worldwide, it’s just crazy."

Those are strong numbers for Tesla's latest venture, and Musk sounds downright giddy. But the early success also means that some customers will be dealing with an extended wait. "There’s no way we can possibly satisfy this demand this year," Musk admitted. "We’re basically sold out through the first half of next year."

Credit : Original Source

Aircel starts offering unlimited calling at Rs. 21 and introduces new Data offer

2015-05-07T18:46:00.003+05:30

Aircel has introduced slew of offers for its subscribers in Maharashtra circle. New packs offer affordable SMS, calling and data services to Aircel subscribers.

SMS Packs Rs 16 & Rs 19

SMS pack Rs 16 offer 100 daily local/national SMS(1st 2 @ Rs 1) and comes with 30 days validity. Rs 19 pack offer 250 local/national SMS for 30 days validity. The SMS packs offer a full month SMS benefits for at affordable rates.

Unlimited 2G Data packs Rs 128 & Rs 148

Both Rs 128 and Rs 148 data pack offer unlimited 2G internet with FUP of 4GB. While Rs 128 comes with 30 days validity, Rs 148 comes with 40 days validity. Earlier Rs 148 pack was offering only 2GB data and 28 days validity.

Unlimited A to A calling packs Rs 21 & Rs 44

Aircel has introduced Rs 21 and Rs 44 packs offering Unlimited Aircel to Aircel local Calls between (5:00 AM to 5:00 PM), A2A rest of the day and other local calls @ 1.4p/2sec. Rs 21 comes with a validity of 28 days and Rs 44 offer 60 days of validity.

Aircel has re-ignited the mobile tariff price war by bringing down cost of SMS, voice and data offering at the same time. Recently TRAI had reduced interconnect charges which has enabled Aircel to further lower its tariff.

Thanks to Shashikant

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Google to announce Android M and Voice Access at I/O 2015 this month

2015-05-07T18:44:00.000+05:30

Google’s I/O developer conference is soon going be held in San Francisco this month and the event is going to be a platform for many new announcements, including the forthcoming version of Android operating system succeeding Lollipop. As we know,Google is going in Alphabetical order when naming the OS and after L, there comes “M”. So, the forthcoming version, as of now, is being dubbed as “Android M”. It could be Marshmallow or Macaroon, but that’s just our guess.

Although the company has not made any official announcements regarding what’s going to be launched at the conference, but as per the public description of the I/O schedule, it mentions Android M. The Verge, found out that, “Android at Work” states that Android M “brings power of Android to all kinds of workplaces.” However, the reference was removed from the site shortly. We assume that to be Google’s way of teasing the upcoming launches.

As a matter of fact, Google has been pretty active in launching fresh OS versions every year, however the adoption of these updates is moving at turtle speed. For instance, Android 5.0 Lollipop, still runs on merely 10 percent of Android devices, which is menial when compared to other OS versions.

Moreover, Google is also planning to launch “Voice Access” feature at the conference. The feature would enable users to control their apps through voice commands. It would be integrated with Google Now and developers would be required to integrate it with their apps so that users can access it via voice commands. Also, it is not clear if this new feature will be specific to Android M or it

Original source here

Lenovo's super-light LaVie Z laptop is now available

2015-05-03T21:44:00.000+05:30

If you've been jonesing for a featherweight laptop but feel that Apple's MacBook rubs you the wrong way, you're in luck: as promised, Lenovo is now selling the LaVie Z andLaVie Z 360 in the US. Both 13-inch systems largely resemble what you saw in January, and strike a careful balance between brisk performance and a light design that won't strain your shoulder when it's in your bag. They share Quad HD screens, fifth-generation Core i7 processors, 8GB of RAM and a 256GB solid-state drive. The only big difference is the 360's namesake convertible touchscreen, which turns your PC into a makeshift tablet.

Lenovo may have been optimistic about what it could deliver this month, though. The standard Z is ever-so-slightly heavier than claimed at 1.87 pounds, and the models available now are significantly more expensive than what we were quoted a few months ago. You're looking at $1,700 ($1,500 after a discount) for the regular LaVie Z, and $1,850 ($1,699 on sale) for the 360 -- that's at least $200 higher than expected. It's entirely possible that lower-end versions are coming, but you'll have to pay a premium if you simply can't wait.

Original source here

Amazon's voice-guided speaker juggles your IFTTT tasks

2015-05-03T21:30:00.000+05:30

You can tell Amazon's Echo speaker to directly control certain apps and services, but what if you want it to send information to other apps that you use more often? That's where IFTTT's new Alexa channel might save the day. Give the Echo a command and IFTTT will relay certain tasks to key apps. You can deliver your to-do list to Gmail when you ask the speaker about your itinerary, for example, or add your grocery items to Evernote without touching your phone. Frankly, this makes the Echo a lot more useful in daily life -- you no longer have to change some of your app habits to make the most out of Amazon's audio cylinder.

Original source here

List of smartphones in india eligible for Windows 10 technical preview

2015-03-29T01:03:00.000+05:30

The Windows 10 update for smartphones, tablets and personal computers will bring every device to a common platform for providing a unified experience. So it is essential that the update is devoid of issues. In order to be thorough with the pre-testing, Microsoft has released a list of smartphones which will be eligible for getting the next build version of the Windows 10 technical preview.

When Microsoft first released the technical preview, only a handful of devices were covered under it and even the likes of the Lumia 1520 and Lumia 930 were skipped. Microsoft then released a statement that it was working on adding more devices to the preview lineup. The company was working on ‘partition stitching’ till now which would allow for re-sizing of the system partition. This has allowed a lot more devices to be added to the list of devices eligible for a technical preview.

List of smartphones in india eligible for Windows 10 technical preview

Microsoft Lumia 430
Microsoft Lumia 435 Dual SIM
Nokia Lumia 520
Nokia Lumia 525
Nokia Lumia 530 Dual SIM
Microsoft Lumia 532 Dual SIM
Microsoft Lumia 535 Dual SIM
Nokia Lumia 620
Nokia Lumia 625
Nokia Lumia 630
Nokia Lumia 630 Dual SIM
Nokia Lumia 638
Microsoft Lumia 640 Dual SIM
Nokia Lumia 720
Nokia Lumia 730 Dual SIM
Nokia Lumia 735
Nokia Lumia 820
Nokia Lumia 830
Nokia Lumia 920
Nokia Lumia 925
Nokia Lumia 1020
Nokia Lumia 1320
Nokia Lumia 1520

The company has further stated that a device may be pulled out from the list of supported devices if a bug is discovered at a later stage. Just in case you notice that a device has not made it to the list of devices as of now (namely the Lumia 520), it may get added to the list later on. Microsoft hasn’t disclosed as to when the next build version of the update is coming, but we can expect it to start rolling out in the next few weeks.

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Microsoft Lumia 640 and Lumia 640 XL Announced

2015-03-05T17:55:00.002+05:30

Microsoft has launched the Lumia 640 smartphone at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2015 in Barcelona. The smartphone comes with a 5-inch HD ClearBlack IPS display (1280 x 720 pixels) with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection, and is powered by a quad-core Snapdragon 400 processor. It runs Windows Phone 8.1 and sports an 8-megapixel auto focus rear camera with LED flash along with a 1-megapixel front camera. It has 8GB of internal storage, further expandable up to 128GB via microSD card. It supports connectivity options such as 4G LTE / 3G (depending on the variant), Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS / aGPS.

The phone will be available in Single SIM / Dual SIM 4G variants and Dual SIM 3G variant. Also, Microsoft is offering 1 year of free office 365 subscription with 1TB of One Drive storage and up to 60 minutes of free international Skype calls per month. It will be available in orange, cyan, matte black, and white colors for a price of 139 Euros (US$ 155 / Rs. 9,625 approximately) for the 3G model and 159 Euros (US$ 177 / Rs. 11,000 approximately) for the LTE variant, without taxes and subsidies. Microsoft would start rolling it globally from April.

At the event, Microsoft also unveiled the Lumia 640 XL, which is a larger variant of the Lumia 640 smartphone. The device features a 5.7-inch HD display ClearBlack IPS display (1280 x 720 pixels) with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection, a 13-megapixel auto focus rear camera with LED flash and a 5-megapixel front camera. It is powered by a quad-core Snapdragon 400 processor and runs Windows Phone 8.1. It will also be available in Single SIM / Dual SIM 4G variants and Dual SIM 3G variant. It has 8GB of internal storage, further expandable up to 128GB via microSD card. It supports connectivity options such as 4G LTE / 3G (depending on the variant), Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS / aGPS.

The Microsoft Lumia 640 XL will come in orange, cyan, black, and white color options. The device is priced at 189 Euros (US$ 211 / Rs. 13,080 approximately) for the 3G variant and 219 Euros (US$245 / Rs. 15,160 approximately) for the LTE variant, without taxes and subsidies. Microsoft would start rolling it globally from March. Here also, Microsoft is offering 1 year of free office 365 subscription with 1TB of One Drive storage and up to 60 minutes of free international Skype calls per month.

Microsoft Lumia 640 specifications

5-inch HD ClearBlack IPS display with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection

1.2 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor and 1GB RAM

8GB internal storage, expandable up to 128GB via microSD card

Windows Phone 8.1 with Lumia Denim, upgradable to Windows 10

8MP rear camera with LED flash and 1MP front camera

4G LTE / 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS / aGPS

2,500 mAh battery

Microsoft Lumia 640 XL specifications

5.7-inch HD ClearBlack IPS display with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection

1.2 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor and 1GB RAM

8GB internal storage, expandable up to 128GB via microSD card

Windows Phone 8.1 with Lumia Denim, upgradable to Windows 10

13MP rear camera with LED flash and 5MP front camera

4G LTE / 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS / aGPS

3,000 mAh battery

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Xolo Q600 Club With A 4.5-Inch Display With DTS Audio

2015-03-05T17:53:00.000+05:30

Xolo has unveiled the Q600 Club in India for a price of Rs. 6,499. The company listed it online on its official website, however, the device is already available through many third-party online retailers at a lower price tag.

The Xolo Q600 Club is a Dual SIM smartphone and runs Android 4.4 KitKat out-of-the-box. It comes with a 4.5-inch FWVGA display with a pixel density of 218ppi and 480×854 pixels resolution. It is powered by a 1.3GHz quad-core MediaTek MTK6582M processor with 512MB of RAM along with a Mali-400 MP2 GPU.

The phone sports a 5-megapixel rear camera with LED flash, and a 0.3-megapixel VGA front camera. It features 4GB of internal storage, which can be further expanded up to 32GB via microSD card. The Q600 Club supports connectivity options such as 3G, GPRS/ EDGE, A-GPS, Wi-Fi, microUSB, and Bluetooth 4.0. There are also many sensors on-board such as accelerometer, ambient light sensor, and proximity sensor. It is backed by a 1,800 mAh battery, which is touted by the company to deliver up to 8.67 hours of talk time on 3G and up to 19.69 hours of talk time on 2G. The device measures 131.5 x 66 x 9.7 mm.

Moreover, the Q600 Club is integrated with special box speakers, which supports DTS audio, smart remote solution and Hot-Knot technology to enable data sharing.

Xolo Q600 Club specifications

4.5 inch FWVGA IPS display with 480×854 pixels resolution
1.3GHz quad-core processor paired with 512MB RAM
Android 4.4 KitKat out-of-the-box
5MP rear camera with LED flash and VGA front camera
4GB internal storage, expandable up to 32GB via microSD card
3G, GPRS/EDGE, A-GPS, Wi-Fi, microUSB, Bluetooth 4.0
1,800 mAh battery

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Google starts rolling out Android Wear 5.0.2 update

2015-02-23T15:50:00.000+05:30

Android wearable users, Google has now started rolling out the Android Wear 5.0.2 update for many smartwatches. The 5.0.2 update is being rolled out to the Samsung Gear Live, Moto 360, LG G Watch, and the Sony Smartwatch 3.

Although, the Android Wear 5.0.2 update is not a major one as it does not add any new feature to the device, but it fixes the bugs and improves the gear security. It also adds performance enhancements to the devices along with some update to Google Play Services. The update also fixes the prolonged issue with the Google Fit Sync, specifically the discrepancies that users were encountering in the step counting mechanism between the smartwatches and smartphones.

The update is, as of now, being rolled out in batches and will reach all the aforementioned devices by next week. For the readers who want to update their watch, make sure that the gear battery is at least 80% charged, as soon as you receive the update notification, simply press “Download” and the update will begin. The build number for the Android Wear is 5.0.2, for Moto 360 is LWX49L and for the Gear Live it is LWX49K.

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Reliance To Launch True Unlimited 2G Data Packs

2015-02-23T15:48:00.000+05:30

We have come to learn through insider sources that Reliance communications will soon be revising the existing 2G data packs in Karnataka circle so as to offer true unlimited 2G data. The packs of which data offerings will be revised are Rs.68 voucher which earlier offered 1GB data for 15 days will now offer unlimited 2G data for 15 days. Rs.99 voucher which earlier offered 650MB for 21 days will now offer unlimited 2G data for 21 days. Rs125 voucher which earlier offered 3GB 2G data for 30 days will now offer unlimited data for 30 days. Rs.195 voucher which earlier offered unlimited 2G data for 45 days will now offer the same benefit plus 3000 local and national SMS for 45 days. Rs.296 voucher which earlier offered 6GB data for 75 days now offers unlimited 2G data for 75 days.

These new 2G data packs are the lowest tariffs prevailing for 2G data in the market and are even lower than the offerings of pure 2G regional players like Uninor who claim to be ‘Sabse sasta’. With this

With this move, Reliance will ensure safeguarding its low-end mobile data subscriber base. We hope to see Rcom extend this tariff revision on a pan-India scale in the coming days.

Note: This is a source based story, do check with CC before opting any plan.

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Motorola slashes price of the Moto E to Rs. 5,990, bundles Moto Deck Bluetooth speaker for free with the Moto XMotorola

2015-02-10T13:58:00.001+05:30

Motorola has slashed the price of the Moto E by Rs. 1,000, reducing it to Rs. 5,999, to mark the one year anniversary of it’s partnership with Flipkart. The company is continuing with the buyback offers that were launched last month. Under this buyback scheme, customers can exchange their old smartphones for discounts of up to Rs. 4,000 and up to Rs. 6,000 on the Moto G (2nd. Gen) and Moto X (2nd. Gen) respectively.

Motorola recently celebrated 3 million devices sold on Flipkart, and to keep up with the festivities, Motorola has a host of offers for the Moto E, the Moto G, the Moto X, the Nexus 6 and the Moto 360. These offers are likely to last the entire week, till the 15th of February, 2015. All purchases of the Moto 360 along with the Nexus 6 get an extra Rs. 10,000 off.

Similar to the Moto G and Moto X, customers can get a discount of up to Rs. 10,000 in exchange for their old smartphones. Motorola is also offering a Moto Deck Bluetooth speaker worth Rs. 8,990 for free with the Moto X (2nd Gen).

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Xiaomi Mi 4 64GB variant to be launched in India on February 24 for Rs. 23,999

2015-02-10T13:56:00.001+05:30

Xiaomi has announced that it would launch the 64GB variant of the device on February 24. As per the company’s official announcement through its official Facebook Page, the Xiaomi Mi 4 64GB would be priced at Rs. 23,999 in India.

When Xiaomi first announced the price of the 16GB variant of the Mi 4, there was a bit of disappointment among Indian consumers, as it was priced just Rs. 2,000 below the OnePlus One

, and lacked a microSD card slot. Many of my friends and colleagues preferred OnePlus One over the Mi 4 for this exact reason, since the OnePlus One comes with 64GB inbuilt storage.

It remains to be seen how consumers would react to Mi 4 64GB variant’s pricing, as it is around Rs. 2,000 costlier than the OnePlus One, which essentially offers similar hardware specifications, and comes with Cyanogen OS 11S. What would you prefer between the Mi 4 64GB and the OnePlus One? Please let us know your choice in the comments section below.

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Microsoft confirms Windows Phone 10 update for low-end Lumia phones

2015-02-10T13:55:00.000+05:30

One of the most determined project of Microsoft this year is now witnessing few contours of an official plan. Vice President of Microsoft Operating Systems Group, Joe Belfiore, tweeted to confirm that Windows 10 update for phones will also be rolled out to 512MB RAM Lumia devices. However, few features might be different from the original design depending on the phones, and the roll out might also be variable in nature to many phones. It means that some Lumia phones might not be able to utilize all the features of the updated OS owing to hardware constraints.

While speaking about the Technical Preview build of Windows Phone 10, Belfiore said, “It will be made available to Microsoft Insiders by this month. Also, we’re on track for Insider build coming in February as Terry said at our 1/21 event. We need to complete internal testing first, hang in!” he elaborated. Although, no specific timeline was revealed for the preview to be rolled out to the members.

Belfiore stated that only few phones in the series will be receiving the preview build of Windows Phone 10 whenever it is released to the Windows Insiders. He also confirmed that the Nokia Lumia 520 will support the preview build, but did not reveal that what other handsets are going to support the preview build. The Lumia 520 is one of the most popular Windows Phone device, as it has a market share of around one-third of all the Windows Phones combined.

The screenshot leaks of the Technical Preview build unleashed many new features. The leak has revealed a new interface, which can match the desktop and tablet version, along with an advanced recording app, a redesigned Alarms app, a well detailed Setting menu.

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Microsoft Lumia 435 launched in India for Rs 5,999

2015-02-09T23:51:00.000+05:30

In continuation with it’s aggressive expansion plans into the affordable smartphone market, Microsoft today announced the Lumia 435 dual-SIM phone, which is the most affordable Windows Phone available in India. Running the latest Windows Phone 8.1 OS, the device is priced at Rs. 5,999 and is likely to get the Lumia Denim firmware update soon.
Though aimed at the entry level market, the device packs some impressive hardware housing a 1.2GHz dual-core Snapdragon 200 processor with Adreno 302 GPU. It has 1GB of RAM, 8GB of expandable internal storage and a 4-inch LCD display with a resolution of 800 x 480.

Lumia-435-
On the camera front, the phone sports a 2-megapixel camera at the rear and a VGA front camera. The device also comes with a microSD card should there be need for additional storage space. The device is powered by a 1,560 mAh battery, which is touted by the company to deliver up to 11.7 hours of talk time on a full charge.
The Lumia 435 Dual SIM is expected to raise the bar set by Microsoft with the success of Lumia 520 in the affordable smartphone category.
Lumia 435 Dual SIM specifications:
•4-inch (800 x 480 pixels) WVGA display
•1.2 GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 processor with Adreno 302 GPU
•1GB RAM, 8GB internal memory, up to 128GB expandable memory with microSD
•Windows Phone 8.1 OS with Lumia Denim
•2MP fixed focus rear camera and VGA front-facing camera
•11.7 mm thick and weighs 134.1 grams
•Dual SIM, 3G, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS / aGPS
•1,560 mAh battery with up to 11.7 h talk time.

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Second Generation Moto E specs leaked

2014-12-05T09:43:00.002+05:30

Motorola has been doing pretty well since its second innings began and the all its first generation devices but the Moto E have had their successors hit the launchpad. But the successor of the Moto E is already awaiting its launch and has had its specs leak on to the interweb recently.

First gen Moto E used for illustrative purposes

As per the latest reports which are coming in from Greece, the successor of the Moto E is coming soon and it will bring in quite a decent upgrade over the first generation model. The second generation Moto E will come with a 4.5-inch screen with a resolution of 960 x 540 pixels. At the back will be a 5-Megapixel camera without flash like the current Moto E.

Under the hood will be a 1.2 GHz quad core CPU which will be either a Snapdragon 400 SoC or a Snapdragon 410 SoC. Joining it will be a 1GB RAM. It will run on Android 5.0 Lollipop in all likelihood right from the start. It will get LTE connectivity which is quite a good thing. Information about the pricing is unknown for the time being but the pricing is expected to be on the affordable side of things.

Recently, a Motorola device had showed up on benchmarking which had somewhat similar specs. So this might just be the next best affordable smartphone.

Source:

Next Windows 10 for smartphones will reportedly run on ARM as well as Intel processors

2014-12-05T09:42:00.002+05:30

Microsoft made some important announcements in September about its upcoming operating system, Windows 10. The company announced that it will drop the ‘Phone’ from Windows Phone to make it Windows 10 as its upcoming operating system will be a single, unified platform which will support all types of devices including smartphones, tablets, laptops, PCs, hybrid devices, and wearables. Right now, no one knows about the features of Windows 10 for smartphones but Microsoft will reveal more details about it in January 2015 during a press event.

Last month, Mary Jo Foley of ZDNet reported that Microsoft has already started working on Windows 10 for smartphones internally. Later, Microsoft announced that it will provide Windows 10 update to all the Lumia smartphones running Windows 8.1. According to a new report from ZDNet, it appears that Windows 10 will run on ARM as well as Intel based processors, which exactly how Microsoft will be able to run the same operating system on all the platforms. This also means that we could finally see Windows 10 based smartphones with Intel processors based on x86 architecture.

“I’m hearing that Microsoft is still testing the mobile SKU on a very limited basis within the Operating Systems Group at this point. I would think the mobile SKU might need to be dogfooded internally at Microsoft more widely before Microsoft releases it to external testers. But once Microsoft does deliver the Windows 10 mobile bits to testers, ongoing and regular updates will be coming at least monthly, according to sources.”

– Mary Jo Foley, ZDNet.

Currently, there are many brands out there who have launched Windows 8.1 based tablets at very cheap prices featuring Intel Atom processors. This might hint towards even cheaper Windows 10 based smartphones in the future which might give it a tough fight to Android smartphones in the low-end and mid-range segment. Intel’s best smartphone processor right now is the Atom Z3580 which combines 2.33GHz quad-core 64-bit CPU, PowerVR G6430 GPU and can support up to 4GB RAM.

Via | Source

WhatsApp for Windows Phone finally receives an update with new features

2014-10-31T14:54:00.000+05:30

WhatsApp for Windows Phone received an update, resulting in addition of fresh features and refinements. The upgrade contains features transferred by the WhatsApp team from the beta version. This update, has caused quite a stir among Windows Phone users as there has been no update for the app since June.

According to Windows store listing, here is what version 2.11.586 offers:

The app now opens smoothly without any lag
Now users can share the exact location by dropping and dragging the pin
Users can add caption to each photo and video
Easy Crop and rotation of images
Can make chats and groups archive
Each chat or group can have their respective background
Enhanced support for phones with high-resolution display

Are you a Windows Phone user? Are you liking this Whatsapp update? Let us know in the comments box.

Vodafone beats Airtel, Aircel and BSNL in 3G Benchmarking – Chennai

2014-09-04T18:51:00.001+05:30

Marketing teams of Operators claim different exceptional Data speeds and advertise the technology in a way far beyond the practical usage scenarios. Considering the Data growth/statistical figures and Data hunger smartphones, we at Telecom Talk have taken an initiative to check the Quality of 3G Data services provided by operators in real usage scenarios and we name it instant 3G check where speed tests are performed on smartphone with no background data/Sync active and at a location instantly. We have taken into account the situation of a normal user who access Data without any technical knowledge and all they know is they are using 3G Service provided by their respective operator.

Below is the table which gives details of respective operator’s speeds and other details:

3G Speed Test Chennai: These Test Were performed at 1:00am

If everything goes fine every time with service i don’t think CC are required. Just wanted to explain some troublesome situations with 3G Networks we faced while performing this quick check. Signal reception is very fluctuating between H+/H/E and couldn’t even fix to one single cell ID for at least 5 minutes there by the current android phones and the smartphones phones which don’t have 3G Only option in Network settings will have a worst 3G experience where the device will be trying to switch between alternate strong signals and eventually land to E if it’s the strong available signal, there by giving a pathetic customer 3G experience.

Scenario 1: We faced the same condition with Aircel and while testing the speeds the device latched to E and it was very troublesome for us to perform the check. So, we took another device which have 3G only option got it latched to 3G and performed the check and concluded at results. We have earlier faced this kind of situation with BSNL as well which is now seems to be fixed. So, customer pays for 3G and gets this patchy Network experience.

Scenario 2: While testing we also came across a situation with Airtel Network where the Device is latched to H and with full signal strength. It worked flawlessly for sometime and all of a sudden [You can notice from the 3rd trail result in table] the Down-link and Up-link stopped and I’m not even able to open Google on my phone. If this situation continues for longer times and the validity of the 3G Pack expires without utilizing my data balance, just wanted to know if operators are ready to accept this and refund my remaining data balance? So, customer is a victim in the end if not the case.

If more than a single CellID is mentioned in table, this means that device is latched to those sites while testing in progress.

Having very large customer experience centers, wondering if these type of situations are really monitored on big screens and acted upon quickly in case of issues?

Dear Readers, we thrive to perform these kind of Customer centric tests as often as possible by traveling across various circles. We just started with our DATA Centric Qos tests. If you want to share results with proofs in your circle you can mail me on Srikapardhi[at]telecomtalk[dot]info. Do let us know how are you enjoying the Quality of 3G Services via comments. We may be covering such kinds of tests repeatedly in different/same circles at different locations.

Note: Time of the tests/Network issues/exact Geo Location is out of the scope of our tests. Tests are performed in Locations of availability of 3G Network. Devices taken for testing have the speed/technology as tabulated. Maintenance of a cell site/performance/defective cells are also out of the scope of this article. The only scope we consider is the final quality of service a end user experiences.

Be Ready to Shell Down for using Whatsapp and other IM Applications, a bad move?

2014-09-04T18:50:00.000+05:30

Instant messaging applications have become an instant hit across the age groups. The Whatsapp- Facebook deal added a new dimension to the Instant messaging application. This made all the developers to focus on IM platform and in turn gave rise to slew of Instant messaging applications and what ensued was a mad gold rush.

The reason why Whatsapp and other leading IM applications are well accepted is because they provided folks with an option to chat with their friends seamlessly, exchange photos, music and also create personalized groups similar to the Yahoo chatrooms.

The best part is that users just have to pay for the Data pack. Whatsapp is elementary in breeding the Mobile Internet ecosystem. Consumers started to invest in Smartphones just because of Whatsapp. It won’t be wrong if we say that it is just because of these IM applications that the Mobile Internet bloomed. Another prize winning feature is the ability of staying connected with your kins in other countries at no extra costs. The darker side is that these IM dug the grave for traditional SMS and caused the telecom operators lots of harm in terms of revenue.

TRAI has decided to meet and decide about the regulation to make companies like the Whatsapp and Viber to pay connectivity charges to telecom companies. Needless to say this revenue will also bring some revenue to the government coffers. Even Gopal Vittal head of Bharti Airtel’s Indian operations’ hinted that Over-the-Top players like WhatsApp, Skype, LINE, WeChat etc should be regulated and should be under some jurisdiction sometime back .

Indian operators are already providing dedicated whatsapp plans like Airtel is offering Whatsapp plan at Rs 38 and BSNL also recently stated offering Whatsapp related plans.

This step comes in wake of the leading Instant messaging applications offering free calls over VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol). Consumers are paying just for the Internet packages and not for the calls and messages.

We feel that this will be a extreme step by the Government and the Telcos will definitely lose revenue on the Mobile Internet packages. It won’t be surprising if the Telcos charge consumers on per Email basis. Something similar seems to be baking on Indonesian turfs as well. Please tell us how you feel if you have to shell down extra for using Whatsapp are you ready to pay?

Email App Acompli Arrives On Android, Adds A “Focused” Inbox That Displays Your Most Important Mail First

2014-09-04T18:45:00.002+05:30

One of the better mobile email applications to emerge in recent months is Acompli, an app designed more so for business and professional users looking for a simple, but powerful tool to manage their email, calendar, and shared files while on the go. Today, the company is bringing its app to Android users, while also launching a new feature called “Focused Inbox,” which is similar to Gmail’s “Priority Inbox” functionality, in that it curates your mail in order to show you what’s most important first.

With the upgrade out now on the iOS version, and the debut of Android, Focused Inbox will be turned on by default.

Explains Acompli CEO Javier Soltero, the goal with the new feature was to create an inbox experience that “immediately starts delivering value” and “doesn’t rely on an excessive triage mechanism,” which is a non-too-veiled reference to the popular mobile email app Mailbox, now owned by Dropbox. Where Mailbox has been built primarily to help people work through their massive inboxes, Acompli instead wants to just put the email you need to see first right in front of you.

A comprehensive review of how well Acompli’s Focused Inbox works isn’t really possible at this time because email curation and prioritization like this takes more than a few days of training before you can really tell how smart a company’s algorithms can become.

However, it seemed to at least not be showing any obvious mistakes when I first tried it.

Unlike Gmail’s Priority Inbox (an alternative setting for those who don’t care for the tabbed interface), which takes into account user actions, like whether you read an email, Acompli tries to determine whether or not you’re actually responding the person in question.

If you do, those emails have more weight than others, allowing it to do more than just remove the obvious pseudo-spam, like email newsletters or social updates, from the Focused view.

Your full inbox is still available, of course – you just pulled down on the main screen and tap the button labeled “Other” to see the rest of your email. And if you don’t care for the new experience, you can disable it in your settings.

But when it’s enabled, by default, you’ll only receive push notifications for your “Focused” messages, and the app’s icon will only display a red badge for the unread items in this part of your inbox. More importantly, perhaps, to email purists, is that none of what Acompli’s doing to re-arrange your email will be reflected in your main email client itself – it’s just giving you a more actionable mobile view.

The addition is one of many new features Acompli has added in recent weeks, having also rolled out integrations with cloud services like Dropbox, iCloud, and OneDrive, in addition to its support of email services like Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook.com and Exchange.

Though the company declines to say how many users are now on Acompli, early data shows it’s a very “burst-y” app used for short periods of time, we’re told. The average user session is just 22 seconds, but retention is high, ranging from 43% to 44%, on average. The app is also used 11 times more frequently than the average productivity app, even though users are spending but a few seconds in it – likely looking for a specific email or file, or writing a quick message or response.

Focused Inbox fits in well with that established pattern of being an app where users just want to get in then get back out quickly.

Original Article