Windows 10 for phones shows some considerable changes for the Live Tiles

Well Windows Phone users are very eagerly waiting for its next update with build 10070, which is the Windows 10 for phones update to be coming to its devices soon. Well, the recently leaked image for the handset shows up the Live Tiles packed up nicely within the screen size. These screenshots have emerged from the Samsung ATIV S which shows Tiles with standard size separated by narrow borders.

However, this might be scaling issue as the platform is still under development. With a screen size that of the ATIV S, the smaller tiles would nicely fit in places allowing the larger tiles to utilize the space in a better way for the final product.

As for build 10070, it is said to be quite buggy, not to be unexpected given the Insider program. It is great to work with the program and provide feedback, but Windows 10 is not ideal as a daily driver.

The overall look shows that as compared to the Windows 8, the upcoming OS makes better space utilization of the screen and would look great on device such as the Lumia 1520.

Windows 10 for phones shows some considerable changes for the Live Tiles

Vivo teaser shows superior front camera for its X5 Pro for capturing 32MP selfies

Vivo always comes up with devices that would surprise its fans and many smartphone lovers across the globe. The Vivo X5 Max is one of the thinnest handset with just 4.8mm of thickness and the upcoming Vivo X5Pro is expected to have some unique camera features on-board.

A recent released teaser from the company shows that you could even capture some superior and detailed 32MP selfies. You might read it twice! This means that the front camera for the Vivo X5 Pro will allow you to see all the minute details for your face like wrinkles and blemishes. However, we believe the chances for the actual 32MP sensor are slim. The actual camera would be either 8 or 13MP and would be making use of the software interpolation technology. Such a technology has been earlier by Oppo to capture high-resolution images.

In addition to the special camera, the handset is expected to have a round metal frame and 2.5D curved glasses. The display would be 6-inch with 3GB of RAM memory and a 3500mAh battery life. The device would be having the octa-core 64-bit Snapdragon 615 chipset and would be running the Android 5.0 Lollipop skinned with the company’s own Funtouch OS UI. The Vivo X5 Pro is expected to be released on May6/7.

Vivo teaser shows superior front camera for its X5 Pro for capturing 32MP selfies

Microsoft’s Continuum for Phones can turn your Windows 10 phone into a full PC

With Windows 10, Microsoft is focusing on better integration and unifying its rather fragmented operating system to work across all platforms to offer an optimum and seamless experience across all devices. As a part of this process, Microsoft has announced several new features in Windows 10 at its BUILD 2015 developer conference. One of them is the Continuum for Phones feature that will transform a smartphone running Windows 10 into a desktop PC when connected to a bigger screen.

Initially when Microsoft had first presented Windows 10 at its BUILD conference in 2014, it had revealed that its main aim was to unify all the devices running the software. Now with the Continuum feature, developers will find it very easy to make apps that will adjust automatically according to the device. The apps built for Windows 10 will be universal apps which can work on any device from a smartphone, to a PC or a TV.

Microsoft has undertaken a lot of efforts to build the whole software and its no wonder that a smartphone can transform to show a desktop layout when it is connected to a big screen. During the on-going developer conference, Joe Belfiore took to the stage and showed how it works. He hooked up a smartphone to a monitor, keyboard and mouse. Immediately the UI of the phone adapted to the new inputs & outputs.

Although the Interface seen on the screen was not exactly like what Windows 10 looks on a PC, the apps shown did look like it, especially the Power Point. The monitor needs to be an HDMI monitor and you can simply connect your smartphone to it and make any changes you want to your Power Point presentations by using the big screen and the tools as in a PC. Even Excel and Photos worked well on it. According to Belfiore, this feature would work very well when developers build apps that “scale across form factors” and the company is now providing them with tools for it.

“What we’re trying to show here today, is our unique vision for phones and enabling them to scale up to a full PC-like experience,” said Belfiore.

The demonstration by Belfiore was very impressive and it would be interesting to see that apart from Office, what other uses of the Continuum could be.

Well, the Continuum for Phones feature is not going to be available on existing Windows Phones. Smartphones need to comply with certain requirements in order to be compatible with Continuum and able to offer support for a second screen. So this feature will run on new devices that comply with the requirements. Microsoft plans to reveal more details about it soon.

Microsoft’s Continuum for Phones can turn your Windows 10 phone into a full PC

Microsoft Edge, the new Windows 10 browser that can run Chrome extensions, announced

Microsoft is busy developing its next Windows operating system, Windows 10 which is currently in public beta testing and is likely to be released in the middle of 2015. The Windows 10 theme is unification and it will unify all Microsoft devices around a common kernel and will also provide integration with Microsoft’s services and platforms. For this, the company is rebuilding most of its software components including its browser, the Internet Explorer whose time is up anyway.

About three months back, Microsoft had announced Project Spartan, successor to the Internet Explorer, that has a totally new look and feel. Now Microsoft has announced at its BUILD 2015 event that Project Spartan will be known as Microsoft Edge. That’s right, Microsoft’s new web browser will now be Microsoft Edge and it will come as a default browser with Windows 10. The company says that Microsoft Edge will be available “on the widest range” of devices running Windows 10.

One good thing about the new browser is that it is not just old IE with a new makeover. The new Microsoft Edge is totally new and different and is bound to provide tough competition to Google’s Chrome, Mozilla Firefox and Opera. Microsoft Edge preview shows that it has several unique features and functions which Microsoft surely hopes will click with the users and pay rich dividends.

Microsoft Edge has Cortana digital voice assistant and OneDrive integrated into it. It will also offer annotation tools allowing users to type, draw or write notes directly on a web page and then save or share it. There’s also the ‘reading mode’ that removes unnecessary formatting from pages and improves their readability.

Edge’s New Tab page is worth mentioning. It’s screen is filled with a number of shortcut tiles and widgets giving you info like latest news, weather or some apps you might like. On the top of the page you will see a list of sites you visit most.

Microsoft Edge will also support Chrome and Firefox extensions. With just some minor modification in code, existing extensions can be brought to Edge. During the event, this feature was demonstrated successfully with extensions for Pintrest and Reddit.

The Edge will release with Windows 10 in mid-2015. Microsoft’s new browser sure seems to have some great features with a new UI and may prove to be a powerful alternative to Chrome and Firefox. However, only time will tell.

 

Microsoft Edge, the new Windows 10 browser that can run Chrome extensions, announced

Would you like to fly in a Star Wars R2-D2 themed jet? All Nippon Airways is building one

The second teaser trailer of Star Wars: Episode VII –  The Force Awakens was released recently much to the delight of Star Wars fans. Disney and Lucasfilm has also partnered with Twitter to introduce emojis of several Star Wars characters like #C3PO, #Stormtrooper and # BB8 on the social network.

Japanese airline All Nippon Airways has also joined the Bandwagon by announcing its plans to release a dreamliner themed on one of the most popular Star Wars characters, the adorable droid R2-D2.

Tokyo-based All Nippon Airways plans to style one of its Boeing 787-9 dreamliner jets like the R2-D2. The plane’s nose will be painted to look like R2-D2 with its characteristic blue and white stripes and other graphics looking like the droid’s various ports. The jet also bears a big Star Wars logo on its back.

This artist image released from Japan’s airline All Nippon Airways (ANA) on April 17, 2015 shows ANA’s Bowing 787-9 aircraft into the colors of R2-D2 robot of Star Wars. Japanese air carrier ANA will place the special colored jetliner in service in this autumn. AFP PHOTO / ALL NIPPON AIRWAYS—EDITORS NOTE—HANDOUT RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE – MANDATORY CREDIT “AFP PHOTO / ALL NIPPON AIRWAYS” – NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS – DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTSALL NIPPON AIRWAYS/AFP/Getty Images

This is a joint promotional venture to promote All Nippon’s international routes as well as Disney’s upcoming Star Wars movie. The ‘Star Wars’ jet liner will debut in fall while the movie itself is set to release in December this year around Christmas.

The R2-D2 jet is the first Star Wars themed jet and marks the beginning of the 5-year ‘Star Wars’ project of the All Nippon Airways.

Would you like to fly in a Star Wars R2-D2 themed jet? All Nippon Airways is building one

Satellite Pictures Revealed Tesla’s “Gigafactory” in Nevada Desert

Tesla’s gigafactory construction has been underway since last July. It is located in the middle of Nevada desert which is difficult to access to public. As Elon Musk mentioned in the interview with Forbes in 2013, the gigafactory will be a giant facility which is capable of producing all the lithium-ion battery production in the world in one factory. Elon Musk is the CEO of Tesla Motors.

When the gigafactory has finished, it will be measured at a total of 5 million square feet which are comparable to the size of a football field and Boeing 747. It is also worth about $5 billion.

Tesla is planning to manufacture its lithium-ion battery from renewable energy from a variety of sources like solar panels, wind turbines and hydroelectric plants which aims to power about 500,000 electric cars by the year of 2020. Electric cars are another project by Tesla Motors.

Based on satellite image provided by Mashable by CartoDB in February, it is hinted that the site will be blocked off by a security gate and the roof is covered by solar panels. This is consistent with Tesla’s preliminary mockups image which is released beforehand.

The visualization is made possible due to collaboration of map-editing software CartoDB and satellite imager DigitalGlobe.

Satellite Pictures Revealed Tesla’s “Gigafactory” in Nevada Desert

Sony Will Launch Ultra HD 4K TV which is thinner than iPhone 6 This Summer

Sony is launching two models of UHD TVs which are thinner and lighter than the rest of TVs which has launched by the company so far. The top half of the television will be thinner than the bottom half of the device as the components such as HDMI and USB ports are found at the bottom half of the television.

The two models are the X900C which comes with two versions, 55 inches and 65 inches while the other model, the X910C comes with 75 inches. All the models will have screens which are virtually bezel-less and almost run edge-to-edge even though the bezel is not as thin as Samsung TVs. However, it is definitely better compared to other televisions which have been released by Sony beforehand.

The televisions will run on X1 processor which capable of producing picture quality of 3840 x 2160 resolutions. Therefore, the color definitely will be brighter and shaper. The downside is that it is a little bit slow and there are not many apps which is compatible with the device yet.

On top of that, both models will come on Google’s Android TV which the user can have full access to Google Play, Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, Amazon Instant Video and many more. 65-inch X930C will be priced at $4500 while 75-inch X940C will be priced at $8000. Pre-order will be available starting on Sunday from Sony website whereas online retailers and physical shops will be available in May.

Sony Will Launch Ultra HD 4K TV which is thinner than iPhone 6 This Summer

LG- Google team up to give LG G4 users 115GB of free cloud storage on Google Drive

LG has just announced its new flagship smartphone, the 5.5-inch LG G4 with leather back and it is set to give tough competition to Samsung’s latest flagship Galaxy S6 and the Galaxy S6 edge.

Now, Samsung has partnered with Microsoft to bring Microsoft services and apps to its Android phones Galaxy S6 and S6 edge which also includes OneDrive among others. Since Google’s partners have to include the entire suit of Google apps in their phones, Google’s Drive got competition from OneDrive in these Samsung phones from the word go.

The Samsung-Microsoft deal also includes 100GB of extra free cloud storage space to Galaxy S6 and S6 edge users on OneDrive for a period of 2 years, which takes the total free storage space to 115GB. Not to lag behind, Google has partnered with LG to provide the exact same 115GB free storage space on Google Drive on it’s recently announced LG G4 smartphone.

Google already gives Android users 15GB of storage on Google Drive and now LG G4 owners are going to get additional 100GB making it 115GB of free storage space. This was announced when LG’s officials were giving details about the new flagship.

Companies making Android phones are greatly dependent on Google for the Android OS and have to be a part of all partnership programs which Google wants. It is no secret that Samsung wants more control over its Android smartphones than what Google is prepared to give. Perhaps its deal with Microsoft is sort of a rebellion against Google’s authority. Not to be left behind, Google has taken the opportunity offered by LG to advance its agenda too.

LG- Google team up to give LG G4 users 115GB of free cloud storage on Google Drive

LG G4 with leather back goes official: Official Images

Since a past few days, the LG G4 has been making quite an amount of buzz and today the Korean tech giant has finally announced its flagship handset officially. Needless to say the LG G4 will be giving an direct competition to the recently announced Samsung Galaxy S6 and the Galaxy S6 Edge. Let us take a detailed look at all the features of the handset.

Scroll to the bottom for all its official images

Design

At the first view, the design pattern of the LG G4 looks quite similar to its previous flagship the LG G3 with some very subtle changes to it. The new flagship is bit more rounder, slightly bigger and edgier as compared to the LG G3. The LG G4 has more ergonomic design to hold in hand with a better curvature in its height. The back panel of the handset has been given a premium look with a genuine leather finish replacing the previous plastic back cover. There is also another option for the diamond-shaped pattern of the handset. Additionally the good news for the users is that the handset has got an removable back cover and also the provision for the microSD card slot.

The handset weights just 155 grams and measures with dimensions of 148.9 x 76.1 x 6.3mm.

Display

Looking to its display, the LG G4 has a 5.5inch QHD display with 1440 x 2560 pixel resolution and an excellent 538ppi density. There have been some very considerable improvements done in the device in terms of its thinness, contrast ratio, brightness, color gamut, touch function and power consumption. On paper this is 120% color gamut, 30% increase in brightness and a 50% higher contrast ratio compared to the previous model. These enhancements in the display helps to easily work with the users eyes with proper brightness and sharpness.

Hardware Machine Power and Camera

The LG G4 comes with the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 chipset. Due to some heating issues seen with the Snapdragon 810 chipset, the company decided to op for the 64 bit (808) hexa-core chipset that comes with four ARM Cortex A53 and two Cortex A57 cores in addition with the Adreno 418 GPU for graphics control. The device has got a 3GB of powerful RAM memory in addition to this.

The handset comes with a reasonably good 3000mAh of battery life and the company promises that under “normal usage” conditions one full-charged battery is sufficient for a complete day of usage.

Talking about its camera, the handset sports a 16MP primary shooter to its back with a wide aperture of f/1.8 beating out the f/1.9 aperture of the Galaxy S6. The camera sensor is powerful to allows almost 80% of light which means that the LG G4 can produce excellent quality photos even in low light conditions. And thus easily capturing moving subjects. The front camera is also an 8MP shooter giving out good output in selfie images.

The “ultra-thin IR filter” prevents the infrared light from entering the camera lens which means the 8MP front camera would give out selfie images with even more natural and accurate images.  The OIS module adds the third axis, which means that the range of image stabilization has been extended to third dimension in addition to the X and Y. this is one of the first smartphone to also feature color spectrum sensors. The sensors read the RGB valus accurately and improves the color accuracy of the ambient light along with the infrared light reflected from the objects. The sensors use this information to adjust the flash color and white balance.

User Interface

In comparison to the LG G3’s simple UI, the LG UX 4.0 is more stylish with a more colorful experience. There is not much change in the overall look of the UI but looks a bit more tab cartoony when compared to the Sense 7 and TouchWiz. This new UI from the company has got even more features and shortcuts. Just by double tapping the rear key, the Quick Shot feature is activated to take some quick images even if the display is off.  Users can even aggregate information from multiple apps with the help of Smart Bulletin. The device runs the latest Android 5.0 Lollipop.

The camera handle also has got different photographic features like simple and basic controls, manual controls and creative controls.

Price and release date

The handset is expected to be made available by end of May in more than 170 countries with its off-contract price to near $600 approximately. The LG G4 is said to having six different leather color variants and the base model to be in Ceramic White with 3D patterns, Gold and Metallic Grey. Take a look at some of the official images of the handset.

LG G4 with leather back goes official: Official Images

Apple releases three new Apple Watch Ads ‘Rise’, ‘Up’ and ‘Us’ highlighting its usefulness

Apple has released three new Apple Watch ads on its YouTube channel just prior to its official worldwide launch. The new ads titled ‘Rise’, ‘Up’ and ‘Us’ focus on three important uses of the device: Time, Health & Fitness and Communication. These are the three aspects which Apple CEO Tim Cook highlighted while introducing the Apple Watch.

Many feel that there is really no need for a smartwatch, that it is more of a style statement. The entry of Apple Watch has surely generated some excitement in the smartwatch market and Apple is highlighting its functions through ads so that people get interested and convinced to buy one.

The first ad “Rise” shows people using their Apple Watch for their morning activities, to wake up, see & answer incoming messages and use it when they commute.

The second ad “Up” shows people using the health and fitness features of the watch for working out and other activities like setting up fitness goals or using it while exercising etc. It also highlights the “stand” notification which alerts users with “Time to Stand” when they are working or commuting.

The final ad “Us” focuses on the Apple Watch’s communication features such as draw pictures, send animated emojis, heart beats or taps to the wrists of others wearing the Apple Watch.

At the end, all the three ads declare “The Watch is here”. Apple’s earlier marketing campaign focused on showing Apple Watch on the wrists of celebrities, models and athletes but now it appears that Apple is showing the device being used by common man.

Apple releases three new Apple Watch Ads ‘Rise’, ‘Up’ and ‘Us’ highlighting its usefulness

BMW Developing AR Driving Glasses to Help You Drive Better for Mini

BMW has come up with an augmented reality glasses for the company’s subsidiary company, Mini. The research prototype has already finished and currently it enters testing period. The glasses will have an old-fashioned goggle design concept as designed by BMW with the help of AR-focused design firm Osterhout Design Company.

The device is powered by Qualcomm 805 Snapdragon processor and a 2GB RAM with two HD displays. The control functions are activated by buttons on top of the frames.  The glasses will be able to show navigation details, speed and other information overlaid onto a heads-up display. On top of that users will be able to connect it to the smartphone via Mini’s app which then can be used to receive incoming calls by using controls on the steering wheels. Moreover, it is able to do texts.

The glasses are designed not only to be used mainly in the car, however, there is a feature to guide drivers from their parking spot to their destination and back again. According to Mashable, the glasses are able to recognize the address on the promotional flyer. On top of that there are additional cameras at the side of the car which will help drivers to check blind sports or aid them with parallel parking.

However, there are things that need to be improved as it is just a prototype. One thing is that when the prototype was used for 15 minutes and including a brief calibration process, the device becomes considerably hot.

BMW Developing AR Driving Glasses to Help You Drive Better for Mini

A Teardown of Apple Watch Revealed Deactivated Blood Oxygen Measurement Sensor

 

Apple Watch was released recently. iFixit, a repair company, has opened up the device in order to show us what are the components which can be found in the device. Apparently, there are additional sensors which are not announced by Apple embedded inside Apple Watch. These sensors are the sensors used to measure the oxygen level in the human blood. However, these sensors are disabled.

The way that it supposed to work is that the sensors will send pulses of light down through the skin and measure the oxygen molecules which reflect the light back. However, this can be interrupted by arm hair, sweat and dirt which make the measurement to be not accurate.  The sensors are placed at the back of Apple Watch. If this issue has been solved, then most probably the function can be turned on via software update.

It seems like Apple wants to focus more on health through its new feature HealthKit which allows all the health and fitness apps to work together and provide the user with some useful information about his/her own health. HealthKit feature is available starting from iOS 8.

Apple Watch is available in three models, Apple Watch, Apple Watch Sport Edition and Apple Watch Edition.

A Teardown of Apple Watch Revealed Deactivated Blood Oxygen Measurement Sensor

Apple Watch and its MagSafe magnetic charger is Qi-compatible

As we know, the Apple Watch will be using a magnetic wireless charger MagSafe. It is an inductive charger and snaps on to the back of the watch magnetically and works like any other wireless charger. It can charge the Apple Watch from 0 to 80% in 1.5 hours and up to 100% in about 2.5 hours.

It seems that the MagSafe charger is compatible with Qi wireless technology. AppleInsider has obtained a video which shows a Moto 360 smartwatch getting charged with Apple Watch’s MagSafe magnetic charger. Moto 360 uses Qi wireless charging technology and in the video, when it was placed on the MagSafe charger, it got fully charged.

In view of the above, we can say that even the Apple Watch could get charged with a Qi-compatible charging mat, although the video does not show it. Apple has not announced anything about Apple Watch compatibility with the Qi wireless standard. These accessories are easily available in the market and 3rd party Qi accessories are being used for charging iPhones.

Qi, pronounced Chee, means “natural energy in Chinese. The Qi charging system consists of a power transmission pad on which the portable device to be charged is placed and charging is done through “resonant inductive coupling.” This technology is being used in most Android Wear smartwatches and some high-end Android phones too.

Interestingly, Apple Watch will be the first Apple device to support wireless charging. Earlier, Apple did not seem much interested in this technology. Phil Schiller, Apple’s marketing head had said in 2012 that the convenience offered by this technology was questionable because you still needed to plug it into a wall. “Having to create another device you have to plug into the wall is actually, for most situations, more complicated,” he said.

Apple Watch, though Qi-compatible, does not have power mat-like charger. It’s charger consists of a cable with a small magnetic connector at one end that snaps on to the watch and a traditional plug for plugging into a power source on the other.

 

 

Apple Watch and its MagSafe magnetic charger is Qi-compatible

Bezelless Oppo handset leaks in its all glory

There has been quite a rumor regarding a bezelless handset from Chinese manufacturer Oppo to be coming soon and now the device is said to have been leaked in some of the most comprehensive leaks of its images and even a video showing up the device.

The company is said to be working in developing its own indigenous technology for the bezelless handset considering some design implications as the risks of breakage. The company has arrived with a solution which bends the light emitted from the pixels at the screen edges providing an edge-to-edge display illusion. Additionally, the display panel would be surrounded by a rim that will ensure the strength requirements are met. The key issue would be the front glass panel which would be of the prime importance for this handset.

The leaked images show that the handset has got a unique look. Moreover, its rival competitor ZTE is also planning to release a similar handset called as the Nubia Z9. For the meanwhile, enjoy the images and the video below (click the link below for the video).

http://video.sina.com.cn/view/249471473.html

Bezelless Oppo handset leaks in its all glory

The next Samsung flagship might possibly have a dual-camera setup

After HTC initiated the concept of dual-camera setup in its HTC One M8, many other handset manufacturers like Huawei (Honor 6 Plus) and others seem to be following the same path. The dual-camera setup helps in capturing extra depth of information with adding some extra dimensions to images. Now the recent reports coming from the industry show that Korean tech giant Samsung is also coming with a similar dual-sensor camera pattern for its upcoming flagship. Moreover, the reports shows that the dual-camera is currently the new “buzz word” at Samsung Electronics.

However, currently there is no information as to how far have the company reached in its testing of the dual-sensor cameras. Moreover, the functionality and the reason behind the use of the dual-camera is also not revealed. Till now we have seen the two cameras to be used in order to bring in more depth to the images and allowing to re-focus the image after you have captured it. However, they could also be used in properly adjusting the backlight brightness and even for smoother zooming and faster tracking of moving objects.

As translated by Google a quote coming from Samsung Electronics says, “The Company currently has four concepts for the development of dual camera (backlight correction, zoom shooting, highlight, high-speed shooting), which will be complete in the second half of the year, and they will be adopted in the first half of next year.”

source: iNews 24 (translate)

 

The next Samsung flagship might possibly have a dual-camera setup

Lenovo K80 is a new high-end flagship with 4GB RAM and 4000mAh of battery life

Earlier this year, Asus announced its Zenfone 2 as the first smartphone to come with a 4GB of RAM memory which was later followed by the Mi Note Pro too having 4GB of RAM. Now its another Chinese handset maker Lenovo who has recently announced its new high-end flagship the Lenovo K80 which has got a 4GB of TAM memory.

Lenovo has announced its K80 to compete with the Asus Zenfone 2 and resembles many similar features to the Zenfone 2. Let’s take a dig into the specs for the device.

The Lenovo K80 comes with a 5.5inch 1080 full HD display. Under the hood lies the powerful 64 bit Intel Atom chipset clocked at 1.8GHz. The handset also supports LTE connectivity. To its back lies a 13MP primary camera that comes with OIS. The built storage space of the device stands to a whopping 64GB supported with a battery capacity of 400mAh. The handset measures just 8.5mm of thickness and comes in three different color variants of silver, black and red.

The handset would be available from April 30^th in China for a price of 1,799 CNY. Its bit toned down variant with 2GB of RAM and 32GBof internal storage would come at 1,499CNY.

Lenovo K80 is a new high-end flagship with 4GB RAM and 4000mAh of battery life

Sony Xperia P2 in the works, could be Sony’s new flagship for international markets in place of Xperia Z4

Sony has recently announced the much awaited Xperia Z4 but only for its domestic market Japan. Later, we heard rumors that the Japanese tech giant would be outing another flagship phone for the international markets that is to be released in May this year.

We now have a new leak from the Chinese website cnbeta.com who has posted images, specs and dimensions of a Sony smartphone touted as the Xperia P2 which may be this second flagship meant for the global markets. Sony had released Xperia P about three years back and may be planning to revive its Xperia P series with Xperia P2.

The Xperia P2 is a high-end model appearing slightly boxy with an all-metal back and a transparent band like its predecessor. Its thickness ranges between 8.9mm and 10.9mm which is quite thick compared to the slim phones coming out now-a-days but its battery is an impressive 4,240 mAh justifying it.

Xperia P2 specs include a 5.2” Triluminos IPS display with 1920 x 1080 pixels (FHD) resolution, a 64-bit octa-core Snapdragon 810 processor clocked at 1.9GHz, 3GB of RAM, 32GB of native storage, 12.1MP rear camera with 1/2.3 Exmor RS CMOS with 4K video recording and a 5.1MP front-facing camera.

As such, the specs of the Xperia Z4 are almost same except the rear camera, which is 12 MP in Xperia P2 against 20.7MP in the Z4 model. So speculations are rife whether this would be Sony’s new flagship for the international markets.

Sony Xperia P2 in the works, could be Sony’s new flagship for international markets in place of Xperia Z4

You can now send directions to your Android phone from your computer via Google Search

Google has introduced a new web feature with which you can send map directions to your Android phone even before you start out from your office or home.  If you are going someplace and don’t know how to get there, you can now send directions from Google Search to your Android phone in advance before you start.

For this, your phone must be linked to your Google account. Once you have made sure it is, you have to just type “send direction” in the Chrome omnibox or Google’s homepage. After that, type out the address where you want to go. If you have multiple devices, check at the top right corner to see that you are sending directions to the correct phone. You can use the prompt to select the correct Android device. Choose the route and click on the “Send directions to my phone” link present at the bottom.

The Google Maps app in your Android phone receives the directions. When you get in your car, open Google Maps in your phone and it will show you the map with the location you have typed. When you click the navigation icon, you will get directions to your destination.

Readers may recall that Goggle has recently introduced the “Find my phone” feature on Google Search to locate your misplaced or lost phone.

 

 

You can now send directions to your Android phone from your computer via Google Search

Nokia set to produce Android smartphones in 2016, to shift R&D to China

There have been several rumors and speculations suggesting that Nokia was planning to re-enter the smartphone market as soon as its contract with Microsoft allows it to do so. Well, those rumors are proving to be true and the company is indeed planning to return but it will join the Android bandwagon and not return to the Windows platform.

According to the non-compete clause in the agreement between Microsoft and Nokia, the Finnish company could not produce any smartphones under its own brand name up to 31 December 2015 and feature phones up to a decade. Nokia has already started working on Android smartphones which it will launch in 2016 after the non-compete clause ends.

According to a report in the Chinese website politics.scdaily.cn, this has been confirmed by Nokia China’s president Mike Wang himself. Wang has revealed that the company will be manufacturing the Android-powered smartphones in its Sichuan facility in China. He also mentioned that the company’s global R&D center will be shifted to Sichuan, China.

In China, Nokia will get the opportunity to enter the Chinese smartphone market and compete with the likes of Lenovo, Xiaomi, ZTE and Oppo.

Nokia has already launched its powerful Nokia N1 tablet powered by Android Lollipop. The tablet has been designed by Nokia and produced under brand licensing agreement by Foxconn who will also take care of its marketing and distribution.

So, are you looking forward to Nokia’s re-entry into the smartphone market?

Nokia set to produce Android smartphones in 2016, to shift R&D to China

LG G4 spotted in Iran with one model showing dual SIM support

Few images of the alleged LG G4 has appeared in Iran which showed the premium handset with plastic back and leather back models. An icon at the screen bottom in one of the images show that the handset supports dual SIM and it seems that the variant would be available in Iran. The LG G4 is expected to be unveiled on the 28^th of April at a special event in New York.

The upcoming LG G4 is tipped to be having a 5.5-inch screen with a QHD 1440 x 2560 pixel resolution and a pixel density of 534ppi. The machine power will be the 64-bit Snapdragon 808 chipset with hexa-core CPU supported with an Adreno 418 GPU for graphics handling. The handset would be having a 3GB of RAM memory along with a microSD card slot for the expandable memory. The back side would be hosting a 16MP primary camera with f/1.8 aperture and the front would be having a 8MP secondary camera. The device would be running the latest Android 5.0 Lollipop on-board having a battery capacity of 3000mAh.

Moreover, there also have been rumors circulating about the LG G4 Note a more powerful version of the LG G4 coming ahead this year to pitch an competition against the Galaxy Note 4. The LG G4 Note is said to come with a 4GB of RAM memory, a Snapdragon 810 chipset and the G Pen support. This handset is expected to be unveiled in the second half of this year.

source: Zoomit.ir (translated)

LG G4 spotted in Iran with one model showing dual SIM support

AUO to get iPhone panel orders, including the one for the 4” iPhone 6c

There has been quite a amount of rumors going on in the industry about the launch of the iPhone 6c ahead this year. Some of the sources from the industry show that Apple has considered AU Optronics as an alternative display supplier for the upcoming iPhone 6S/iPhone 7 or the smaller 4” iPhone 6c.

According to those “supply chain sources” Apple is planning to diversify its screen panel suppliers for its upcoming smartphones. Apple seem to have faced some issues with the current irregular supply chain for its smartphones and it wants to streamline things. AUO is reported to be in line and might already have started making the 4.7 – 5.5 inch LTPS In-Cell displays.

Moreover, some other report coming from Taiwan show that AUO made display screens including those for the 4” panels won’t be seen until 2016. This can probably mean that we might have to wait for the smaller 4” iPhone 6c up to as long as next year.

source: Digitimes

AUO to get iPhone panel orders, including the one for the 4” iPhone 6c

Take a look at how huge can be the iPad Pro/Plus

There has been a lot of buzz regarding Apple coming with a larger sized tablet the Apple iPad Pro/Plus reported to be having a 12.9 inch screen. Apple seems to be launching this large sized tablet majorly for the business and educational markets. The Apple iPad Pro/Plus will be taking straight away the competition with the Microsoft Surface Pro 3.

Last week, Sony Dickson arrived with another photos of the iPad Pro/Plus wherein it was seen that one of the cases was measuring dimensions of 307mm x 222mm. this was very similar to the speculation that was made last month wherein the actual tablet had shown up the dimensions at 305.7mm x 222.6mm x 7.2mm. this can also eb a good reason as to believe that the case was actually made for the Apple’s upcoming large-sized slate.

This leads us to strongly believe that this particular accessory must be made for the 12.9inch iPad. Some of the images captured by the French blog NEW has compared it with the 9.7inch Apple iPad Air 2 along with the alleged cases for the iPad Pro/Plus which shows how huge the upcoming Apple tablet could be.

Moreover, other previous leaks have also claimed that the tab;et would be having a quad-speaker system and another port on the side of the slate shows that it could be for a USB-C connector. The tablet is expected to go official later this year. Take a look at the comparison images below.

Source: NWE (translated)

Take a look at how huge can be the iPad Pro/Plus

Xiaomi patents new fingerprint scanning technology, may use it in Xiaomi Mi5

We had heard rumors a few months back that Xiaomi Mi5 will have a fingerprint scanner on its home button similar to iPhone 6 or Samsung Galaxy S6. Now we have a report that the Chinese mobile maker has registered a patent application for new fingerprint scanning technology.

According to the Chinese website news.mydrivers, Xiaomi has filed a patent that has been published by the State Intellectual Property Office, China for a method for fingerprint implementation on touch buttons of mobile devices. There is a possibility that this new fingerprint scanning method will be used by Xiaomi in its next flagship Mi5. Xiaomi currently does not have this technology and if it gets the patent, the company can use its own fingerprint scanning technology in its next flagship.

The patent is primarily for integration of fingerprint recognition on touch buttons, using a glass layer over the touch button to provide protection, impart structural strength and improve the aesthetics. As we know, Apple has made use of sapphire glass for protecting its Touch ID technology inside the home button.

The English translation of other details mentioned in the patent application is as follows:

“The device comprises a bottom fingerprint sensors and optical sensor provided in the terminal equipment of the cover glass; fingerprint identification circuit connected fingerprint sensor for fingerprint recognition sensor and the fingerprint information analysis and processing, obtain fingerprint analysis ; host processor, and an optical sensor and fingerprint identification circuit connections for the monitored optical sensor light information received to determine whether cover glass touch button operation; identity authentication based on fingerprint analysis results obtained fingerprint identification circuit.”

Xiaomi Mi 5 is expected to feature a 5.2-inch 1440 x 2560 pixels QHD display, a quad-core 2.7GHz Snapdragon 805 processor with Adreno 420 GPU, a 3GB of RAM, 16GB/64GB of built-in storage, a 16MP rear camera, an 8MP front-facing camera and a 3,600 mAh battery.

Xiaomi patents new fingerprint scanning technology, may use it in Xiaomi Mi5

Google Keep allows you to ‘Take notes on the go’ on your Android Wear Smartwatch

After a major Android Wear update recently, it is now the turn of the Google Keep app which will now allow you to much more from the gadget on your wrist. The new update contains changes in the User Interface. It allows you to view your notes such as the shopping list right from your Android Wear smartwatch. You won’t have to take out your smartphone out of your pocket or purse to do it.

On top of it, you can do it hands-free. You can either start Google Keep from the app list or you can just say “Ok Google, open Keep” and the Keep will open up, allowing you to check your notes on your wrist itself.  You can browse through all your notes and reminders through Google Keep by swiping up or down and when you want to see a particular one, just tap it and it will open. You can even add a new note by tapping the plus sign and saying “Ok Google, take a note.”

The new update supports recurring reminders as well. So you can now set up recurring reminders from your smartwatch. You can even add labels to the notes in the Google Keep’s Android app and also on the web. You can use labels like “To-dos”, “Important” etc. This will help you to stay more organized. The labels will appear on your Android Wear smartwatch.

You can download the Google Keep app. from Google Play for free. It works on Android devices with Android 4.0 Ice Cream version and above. You can get the web version from the Chrome Web Store.

Google Keep allows you to ‘Take notes on the go’ on your Android Wear Smartwatch

ASUS ZenFone 2 with 4GB RAM and other variants launched in India

ASUS has launched ZenFone 2 in the Indian Market at an event held in New Delhi. It includes ZenFone 2 with 4GB RAM and other variants. The devices will be available online exclusively through Flipkart with prices ranging from ₹12,999 (about $204) for the basic model to ₹22,999 (about $361) for the high-end variant.

 

 

The ZenFone 2 ZE551ML model will be available in three variants:

• Top-end model with a 5.5-inch full-HD display with 1080 x 1920 (FHD) resolution and 401ppi pixel density powered by 64-bit quad-core Intel Atom Z3580 CPU clocked at 2.3GHz and PowerVR G6430 GPU for graphics.  The handset has a 4GB of RAM, making it the first smartphone to have it. This model will come with 64GB ROM or internal storage and will be priced at ₹22,999 (about $361).


• Model with same configuration but with half the built-in storage i.e. 32 GB will cost ₹19,999 (about $314).


• The third ZenFone 2 ZE551ML variant having 5.5-inch full-HD display, Intel Z3560 CPU 2GB RAM and 16GB inbuilt memory will be available for ₹14,999 (about $235).

The fourth variant of ZenFone 2 is the entry-level model ZE550ML featuring a 5.5-inch 1280 x 720p display, quad-core Intel Atom Z3560 processor clocked at 1.8GHz, 2GB RAM and 16GB built-in storage available for ₹12,999 (about $204).

 

 

All the ZenFone 2 variants will have dual-SIM, microSD card slot, LTE connectivity, 13MP rear camera, 5MP front camera and 3,000mAh battery. All models will come with Android 5.0 out-of-the-box topped with Zen UI.

The 13MP rear camera has an aperture of f/2.0 that will give good photos even in low-light conditions. It has zero shutter lag and has “the world’s best HDR technology” according to the company. The 5MP front-facing camera boasts of a beautification mode. The 3000mAh battery is fast-charging and charges from 0% to 60% in just 39 minutes. The ZenFone 2 features 4G LTE/3G HSPA+, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n and GPS connectivity.

Pre-orders for the ASUS ZenFone 2 have started on Flipkart and the retailer is offering several incentives such as 40 winners will get 100% cash back, flat 30% off on Myntra and ₹3,000 worth of GoCash.

 

 

ASUS ZenFone 2 with 4GB RAM and other variants launched in India