Moto X (Gen 3) to go official in August-September 2015

If you're one among the many Motorola Moto X fans out there, there's some pretty amazing news coming in for you. The fact that it's official makes it all the more exciting. Motorola has unwittingly announced its plans for its next generation Moto X handset, more importantly its possible launch timeframe.

Motorola's President, Rick Osterloh while answering a question on micro-blogging website Twitter as part of the #AskRickO initiative has spilled some candid beans about the Moto X (Gen 3). According to Osterloh, "Motorola will be trying to keep a roughly annual cycle for all its products, including the Moto X."

What this essentially means that we may see the next Moto X launch sometime in August or September of 2015, since the Moto X (Gen 2) was launched sometime around this period last year.

Sadly, details about the next Moto X's internal hardware and specifications are all but scarce at the moment. We did hear some time back that Motorola's next flagship will be powered by the Snapdragon 810 SoC. The Moto X (Gen 3) may end up being that flagship, but that's not a certainty.

Google Nexus 6

Google Nexus 6
Rs 44,000
Rating: 4/5
Plus: Display, design, price
Minus: Heats up, bulky
For Nexus 6, Google has worked with Motorola and the design looks identical to Motorola's Moto X 2nd Generation. Weighing 184 grams, the Nexus 6 has got a six-inch quad HD display with 1440x2560 pixel resolution and 493 pixel per inch density. Everything looks bright and crisp on this screen. There is an aluminium frame running around the edges.

The rear panel is non-removable. It has the camera lens with a circu-The camera interface needs some time to get the hang of it. The camera locked the focus instantly and the still images looked good. My review unit had 32 GB internal storage, out of which 25.98 GB was user accessible. And it doesn't support expandable memory card. The Nexus 6 lasted me a day on a single charge when used carefully. But it did heat up when used for heavy graphic apps for longer duration. private data such as photographs. More profiles can be added to the phone. The icons look different and refreshing. There are three folders on the home screen - Google, Create and Play. The typical capacitive keys for home, back and multitasking have got geometrical designs. The back key is a triangle, home key is a circle and square is for multitasking. The 13 MP camera with the dual LED flash in the ring works well. lar LED flash followed by Motorola's M logo and the Nexus branding. The SIM slot is placed on the top. While I could navigate through the phone using one hand, I often feared dropping it.

Samsung launches Galaxy S6, S6 Edge in India

Samsung Electronics has announced the launch of its two new flagship smartphones, the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge for the Indian market, at a press conference in New Delhi. Announced earlier this month during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, the smartphones will go on sale starting April 10.

Breaking free from the typical Samsung smartphone design, both the flagship smartphones have got a refreshing look.
The Samsung Galaxy S6 features a 5.1 Quad HD display with 2560×1440 pixel resolution and 557pixel per inch. Running on Android Lollipop operating system, it has got Exynos Quad 2.1GHz + Quad 1.5Ghz Octacore application processor and is paired with 3GB of RAM. It weights 138 grams and packs in 2550mAh battery.

 

 

The Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge shares a similar spec sheet as of the Samsung Galaxy S6 apart from the battery and changes in the dimensions. In addition, it has got a dual edge display. Even this smartphone features a 5.1inch Quad HD(2560×1440) Super AMOLED display with 577ppi and dual edge. It weights 132 grams and has got a 2660mAh battery onboard.

DataWind launches PocketSurfer smartphone at Rs 1,999

DataWind, Akash tablet maker, has launched the most affordable smartphone starting at just Rs 1,999 in collaboration with Reliance Communications.

The new range of PocketSurfer smartphones is powered with free unlimited internet browsing for one year on Reliance.

The new PocketSurfer smartphones allow the consumers to join the digital age at an affordable cost.

The PocketSurfer 2G4 has a 3.5 inch screen, Dual SIM, EDGE network while PocketSurfer 3G4 is a four inch, Dual SIM, Dual camera, 3G network compatible smartphone.

The President and CEO of DataWind, Suneet Singh Tuli, emphasized on the power of internet.

Now, swap your Android phone for an iPhone and get paid

Are you an Android user and fancy owning an iPhone 6? You could have an added incentive to do so, if Apple extends its trade-in programme to accept rival smartphones, according to media reports on Tuesday.

The company is planning to offer in-store credit for Android users turning in their old smartphones, the Daily Mirror reported.

It is not a bad option especially for people who are tired of theirSamsung Galaxy Note Edge, Nokia Lumia 930 and similar smartphones.

At present, anyone looking to upgrade to a new iPhone can put older Apple devices towards the cost of the purchase. Apple, in turn, will safely recycle, re-purpose or dispose of the old gadgets.

Apple has run the iPhone Reuse and Recycle trade-in programme since 2013 and enjoyed a comfortable boost in sales as a result. It introduced an iPad equivalent last year.

Until now the initiative has been limited to Apple devices, but accepting the likes of Samsung, Nokia or BlackBerry smartphones for credit is a relatively easy way to start getting iPhones into even more hands.

According to Apple site 9to5 Mac, the company will start the programme in the coming weeks once Apple store employees are up to speed.

Apple's retail staff will determine the trade-in value of each device by considering how much wear and tear it has undergone.

This would not be Apple's first attempt to coax non-iPhone users into choosing its devices over competing Android and Windows Phone models.

In September last year, Apple posted a guide on its website explaining how to move over content from an old Android device to a new iPhone.

The detailed guide included information on swapping contacts, mail and calenders as well as photos, music and videos.

The Gionee S5.1 succeeds the S5.5 as the world's thinnest phone.

The Gionee S5.1 succeeds the S5.5 as the world's thinnest phone. Like the S5.5, the S5.1 is beautiful. This phone has shed a few millimetres and is super sleek at 5.1mm.

The design seems to be inspired by the iPhone 5S, with the metallic rim on the sides. The 4.8inch HD display is sharp and offers good sunlight legibility. The power and volumen keys are on the left side, while the charging port and the 3.5mm jack are at the bottom.

 

 

Gionee has added a wet-hand mode where the touch responds even when operated with wet hands. The S5.1 runs on Android KitKat and has Amigo UI. Gionee has added a bunch of pre-loaded apps. For those who aren't comfortable with the Amigo UI (like yours truly), downloading the Nova launcher works.

The device isn't a powerhouse as it has a 1.7 GHz Octa-core processor by MediaTek and is paired with only 1GB of RAM. Even with no app running in the background, only 305MB of RAM is free.

Blackberry launches high-security tablet, SecuTABLET

BlackBerry said on Saturday it was launching a high-security tablet, developed with International Business Machines andSamsung Electronics, seeking to extend its range of secure mobile devices.

The SecuTABLET, based on Samsung's Galaxy Tab S 10.5 and being presented by BlackBerry unit Secusmart at tech fair CeBIT 2015 in Germany, reflects the Canadian company's stress on secure connections for governments and businesses as it seeks to preserve a niche market after a drubbing in recent years at the hands of emerging smartphone makers such as Apple.

"Security is ingrained in every part of BlackBerry's portfolio, which includes voice and data encryption solutions," said Dr Hans-Christoph Quelle, chief executive officer of Secusmart GmbH, in a statement on the new device.

The device was undergoing certification by the German Federal Office for Information Security for secure rating, the statement said, adding that the new tablet used the same security technology as the Secusmart Security Card.

How you can make voice calls on WhatsApp

WhatsApp has reportedly started rolling out its calling feature to users.

WhatsApp's voice calling feature is available on the app's 2.11.528 version from the Play Store and version 2.11.531 from the messaging app's website. The feature is also activated in case users get "invited" by another via a call.

According to Androidpolice.com, the feature gets activated after users receive a call on WhatsApp from someone who already has the feature enabled. After the call, the messenger's new feature is activated immediately after the app is closed and reopened again.

Once activated, there will be a three-tab layout on the WhatsApp homescreen showing calls, chats and contacts.

The calls tab shows incoming, outgoing and missed calls with precise timings. 

Sony VAIO set to launch its first smartphone

Sony's VAIO Corporation has now announced a phone through Japanese MVNO B-mobile in a bid to enter the smartphone market.

The 7.95mm thick smartphone, running on Android 5.0, is aNexus 4 look-alike and features a 1.2GHz quad-core processor, a 5-inch 720p display, and a 13-megapixel camera,The Verge reported.

The mid-range smartphone has a glass back panel with a staid black front. It seems the phone would certainly not make it to the US or Japan market but could be a choice for VAIO lovers.

The Japanese site Blog of Mobile claims that the smartphone is nearly identical to a Panasonic Eluga U 2 available in Taiwan.

VAIO's entry in the smartphone market is going to be intriguing as Sony struggles to maintain its reputation.

Xiaomi launches Mi Pad tablet in India for Rs 12,999

Chinese handset maker Xiaomi on Thursday announced the launch of its first tablet for the Indian market. The Mi Pad, unveiled at a press conference in New Delhi, has been priced at Rs 12,999 and will be available starting March 24.

The Mi Pad tablet, released in China last year, features a 7.9-inch IPS Retina display with 2048x1536 pixel resolution with 324ppi. It has a Corning Gorilla Glass 3 screen.

Running on the Android KitKat operating system, it is powered by a Nvidia Tegra K1 Soc ARM Cortex-A15 processor clocked at 2.2GHz and is paired with 2GB of RAM.

The tablet has a customized user interface as it runs on MIUI 6. It has an 8MP rear camera, a 5MP front-facing camera and 16GB of onboard storage.

Connectivity options onboard include WiFi and Bluetooth 4.0. Weighing 360 grams, it packs in a 6,700 mAh battery and will be available only in white colour.

Unlike Xiaomi smartphones, the Mi Pad tablet does not require any prior registration and can be purchased through online retailer Flipkart.

Motorola launches 3G compatible new Moto E for Rs 6,999

Motorola, the handset manufacturer, on Tuesday launched the third generation (3G) compatible new Moto E with an introductory price of Rs 6,999 available from March 11 midnight exclusively on Flipkart.

"The Moto E 4G LTE (fourth generation long term evolution) version will be available in India very soon after the 3G version," Amit Boni, general manager, Motorola India, said in the national capital.

The phone is targeted at the people who had feature phones earlier and have just started to use smartphones.

This phone will have a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor with a 1.2 GHz quadcore CPU and advanced graphics.

It has a 4.5 inches display with 2390 mAh battery and also comes with five megapixel rear camera and a front camera.

It runs on Android Lollipop, the latest version of the operating system.

Apple may delay production of larger iPad till September

Apple will reportedly delay the start of production on its larger, 12.9-inch iPad until around September due to problems involving the display panel supply.

Production on the bigger tablet had been scheduled to begin in the current quarter, said a report by Bloomberg News citing people familiar with the company's plans as saying

Motorola to launch Moto E (2nd Gen) on March 10 in India

Motorola has sent invites for an event on March 10 in New Delhi, which hints at the launch of the second generation of theMoto E in India. The Moto E second gen is getting a massive upgrade from the first generation model of the device, which became wildly popular in the country.

The phone features a 4.5-inch qHD screen, a fast quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 processor clocked at 1.2GHz and 1GB. The phone also has a 5-megapixel auto focus camera on the back and has a VGA camera on the front.

Notably, the Moto E will be one of the first phones in the market to run Android 5.0 Lollipop in an unadulterated form out of the box. The phone is also said to support 4G LTE networks and have 8 GB of internal storage which can be expanded via a microSD card slot.

Motorola is also making a 3G only version of the phone, which is powered by an older Qualcomm Snapdragon processor. In fact, the pricing is already out for the 3G model. The phone will cost Rs 6,999 and will be likely be sold exclusively via Flipkart like its predecessor. This information was revealed in a YouTube video that the company had posted.

Micromax launches Canvas Fire 4 smartphone at Rs 6,999

Noted Indian smartphone manufacturer, Micromax has launched its latest smartphone. The device, Canvas Fire 4, has been priced at Rs 6,999. The device will sell on e-commerce sites and retail stores.

The smartphone will run on the latest Android 5.0 Lollipop OS, and will have a 4.5 inch FWVGA display with Corning Gorilla Glass 3. It is powered by a 1.3GHz quad-core processor and will have 1GB of RAM.

The rear and front cameras are 8MP and 2MP respectively. The Canvas Fire 4 is backed with a 2000mAh battery, the device is said to have a standby time of 300 hours. Other features include a dual front speakers and Cirrus Logic Wolfsam Stereo DAC audio output. It also has an expandable memory of 32GB.

Micromax was recently in the news for its Canvas Selfie, which was launched earlier. The highlight of the smartphone are 13MP cameras on both sides.

The Canvas Fire 4 will come with pre-loaded apps such as Newshunt, Paytm, Snapdeal, Saavn, Clean Master, Quikr to name a few.

Sony launches the ultra-slim Xperia Z4 tablet

Sony launched its 10.1-inch tablet, the Xperia Z4 tablet at MWC event. The Z4 will be the successor to the Xperia Z2 tablet. The tablet is scheduled to launch by June and will come in only wi-fi as well as 4G LTE models. There is no confirmation regarding the price but the tablet will be launched in Black and White colour.

The ultra-slim Z4 tablet is just 6.1 mm thick, which makes it slimmer than a lot of phones including the iPhone 6. The tablet is also IP65 and IP68 certified for dust and water resistance, the company claims that the tablet can survive 30 minutes in 1.5 meter deep water.

The 10.1-inch display is an IPS Triluminos panel that features a resolution of 2560x1600 pixels which yields a pixel density of 300ppi and is covered with scratch resistant glass. The tablet will run on the latest Android Lollipop 5.0.

The tablet will be powered by the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 SoC which is a 64-bit processor. For multitasking the chipset is supported by three gigs of RAM and an Adreno 430 GPU for graphic intensive tasks.

Samsung unveils new Galaxy S6 smartphones to compete with Apple

Samsung Electronics, the South Korean tech giant, unveiled its latest Galaxy S6 smartphones, featuring a slim body made from aircraft-grade metal, in a bid to reclaim its position as the undisputed global smartphone leader from Apple.

Designed from scratch in an operation dubbed 'Project Zero', the Galaxy S6 and its curved-edges variant are critical for Samsung's plans to reverse plunging smartphone revenues that led to its first annual earnings fall in three years in 2014.

We listen to our customers and we learn from our missteps," JK Shin, Samsung's mobile chief, told a packed hall in Barcelona ahead of the annual Mobile World Congress trade show, where the Galaxy S6 and the Galaxy S6 edge were unveiled on Sunday.

By some estimates, arch-rival Apple surpassed Samsung as the world's top smartphone maker in the fourth quarter, with record sales of the big-screen iPhone 6 and 6 Plus.

High speed 5G internet may be available by 2020

Scientists are testing the speed for 5G service for the first time, and it may available sooner than you thought.

By 2020, it may just be possible have record-breaking speeds to mobiles, where you can download 100 movies in just 3 seconds, the Daily Star reported.

Researchers at the University of Surrey managed to record an incredible one terabit per second speed during a recent test, and this service is around 65,000 times faster than current 4G speeds.

5GIC director Professor Rahim Tafazolli, said that they had developed 10 more breakthrough technologies and one of them means we can exceed 1Tbps wirelessly.