2016: A defining year for gaming

It has been a defining year for the gaming industry. Indeed, the year 2016 was a launch pad for many elite titles in both mobile and console gaming.

Although there had been many games that swept us off our feet, two in particular took the entire world by the storm.

PokemonGo enthralled enthusiasts the world over, who tried to capture the furry creatures and battle for gym control.

However shortlived the fever may have been, the entire world felt the effects of this addictive game, So much so that the government bodies across the world had to issue cautionary advisory to the players.

Although a dying breed now, you may still come across some chatting enthusiastically about the appearance of or capture of a rare pokemon.

But what came out as a shining example -- after fourteen instalments of the Battlefield series -- was the battlefield 1 from the house of EA. I personally love this game for its multiplayer gaming, going back to brutal historical battles in the backdrop of World War 1.

This game captures the imagination and thrill of fighting on the battlefield empowering the player with World War 1 weapons including bolt-action rifles, automatic and semi-automatic rifles, artillery, flamethrowers, and mustard gas to combat opponents.

Asus Zenfone 3 Max: Review

Buying a smartphone today can be challenging. Not because one doesn't have many options but because one is spoilt for choice. India is a key focus market not only for established but also for new players. Asus too joined the bandwagon with its wide range of offerings that fits everyone's needs. And the Zenfone 3 Max is designed for those who want lasting battery backup.

This is one good looking device. The ZenFone Max 3 has got curved edges with metallic unibody design, which makes it look and feel premium. This is a 5.5 inch device, with a 2.5D glass touchscreen. Navigation keys are placed below the display.  There is a metallic strip running on the top as well as the bottom. The camera module along with the flash sits on the top and is followed by a fingerprint scanner and Asus branding at the bottom. The device is 8.3mm thick and weights 175 grams. Its curved edges makes it comfortable to grip in a single hand. The SIM card tray sits on the left edge, 3.5 mm jack on the top, power and volume keys on the right and the charging port along with speaker grill on the bottom panel.

The ZenFone 3 Max packs in a 1.4Ghz Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 octa-core 64 bit processor paired with 3GB of RAM. The phone comes loaded with Zen UI, which is nowhere close to stock Android UI but is still decent. Shortcuts and widgets are placed on the homescreen whereas the app tray icon at the bottom contains all the apps. Asus has loaded this device with a lot of Asus apps - MyAsus Service Center, ZenTalk, ZenFone Care, Amazon Kindle, Puffin, ZenCircle, etc.. One cannot uninstall most of these apps, only disable them. The Zenfone 3 Max is capable of performing daily tasks with ease. It can handle emails, web browsing, streaming videos, casual gaming without any lag. While the videos appeared bright and crisp on the display, audio output isn't extraordinary. The device doesn't have any heating issue, which is a plus point. The Zenfone 3 Max features a 16MP rear camera with f/2.0 aperture. The images captured looked good on the phone's display offering rich colours and details. But transferring them to a bigger screen revealed it lacked sharpness. The low light shots captured over the low light shooting mode captured some good images. The 8MP front facing camera is good at capturing selfies but only in well lit surroundings. The device can capture 1080p videos. It also has electronic image stabilization but works only while shooting videos at 720p resolution.

The biggest plus point of the Max is its 4100 mAh battery, which easily lasted a day and a half on a single charge. Where most of the smartphones struggle to last a day with a single charge, it still had 30 per cent battery left at the end of the day with heavy usage.

Bag it or Junk it: A good looking smartphone with great battery backup.

Price: Rs 17,999
Rating: 4/5
Plus: Design, Battery
Minus: Bloatware

Norton boosts security and privacy protection for android devices

In today's digital age with apps ruling our world, our sensitive data is at threat of being released to unidentified sources.

Cyber security companies are constantly working towards improvising solutions. Norton by Symantec, one of the leading cyber security companies, has beefed up its Norton Mobile Security for Android with new features such as App Adviser feature, Report Card and Norton Safe Search and Web Protection.

Since January 2016, the company claims to have identified 6,464,472 new pieces of malware apps and 5,741,834 new pieces of greyware - apps with potential privacy issues or intrusive behaviors.

The Report Card feature offers users a 360-degree view of mobile device's security and privacy status, which can help them in taking control of and overcome potential mobile threats and privacy risks.

Within this feature, subscribers can take advantage of the enhanced Privacy Report and see where mobile apps are sending their photos and other personal information.

It also offers an easy-to-understand list of potential privacy vulnerabilities, like past unsecure Wi-Fi connections, so users can understand what data might be at risk and course correct.

It is integrated with Norton Safe Search and Web Protection protects users from visiting malware-infected sites and blocks phishing websites helping to protect devices from sites that can install ransomware, Trojans and other threats. It also protects users by displaying a website's safety and shopping ratings before a user visits the site.

This security solution has an anti-theft capabilities and contacts backup to help users find their device and restore lost information.
 
"We are seeing a significant uptick in customers installing Norton mobile solutions and believe it is due to people seeking ways to protect their devices, which are loaded with sensitive and personal information," said Ritesh Chopra, Country Manager, Norton by Symantec.

"With every update to Norton Mobile Security, we aim to enhance security capabilities and increase proactive protections to fend off today's privacy risks and security threats."

The top five permissions majority to apps seek are sending promotional emails and SMS, accessing contacts, accessing mobile data, bookmark history and camera. These could put any device to risk, adds Chopra.

With over 18 million downloads from Google Play Store in India, Norton by Symantec has been focusing and penetrations through different channels. The company is tying up with telecos and insurance companies for bundling it with phones. For OEM tie-ups, the solution comes pre installed on Jio's LYF smartphone.

"Last 12 to 18 months have been really busy. We are in talks with OEMs, both multinational and national players for their India specific handsets," adds Chopra.

The new features will be available to the existing Android subscribers through an app update. However, a new consumer can purchase the security software with one year license fee of Rs 599 to start with. These new features have been first rolled out for Android platform and has not been launched on iOS yet.

BenQ launches W11000 UHD home theatre projector

One of the leaders in projector segment, BenQ has announced the launch of a new digital home cinema projector. The W11000 is priced at Rs 3,99,000.

The W11000 is a true 4k UHD with Razor-Sharp 8.3 million pixel detail with 3840x2160p resolution.
It has 2,200 lumens brightness, 16:9 aspect ratio with lamp life of 3,000, 4,000 and 6,000 hours for normal, eco and smart eco mode, respectively.

It has a highly optimised 4K optical system then employs 14 high-resolution elements, a true zoom system, and special low-dispersion lens coatings to preserve spectacular visual quality for an authentic digital cinema experience.

Capable of projecting up to 95 to 180-inch clear image size, it can project up to a maximum of 300 inch.

It has a THX HD display certification for cinematic performance. It also supports 4k auto-upscaling from 1080p signal.

Interface options include LAN, IR In, PC, two HDMI ports, USB Mini B, 12v trigger and RS-232.  

OnePlus 3T with Snapdragon 821 chipset launched for Rs 29,999

After launching the OnePlus 3 in June this year, OnePlus has announced an upgraded edition to the flagship smartphone. The  OnePlus 3T packs in a better processor (Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 processor), a bigger battery and a better selfie camera.

Priced at Rs 29,999, the OnePlus 3t will go on sale starting December 14, exclusively on Amazon India. The device will be manufactured in India.

The two smartphones look exactly the same. It features a 5.5-inch full HD display with Corning Gorilla Glass 4 protection. Weighing 158 gm, it is 7.4 mm thick. It is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 processor over the Snapdragon 820 processor on the OnePlus 3.

Paired with 6 GB of RAM, the OnePlus 3T will be available in two storage capacities - 64 GB and 128 GB.

OnePlus has updated the camera, too. It features a 16-MP still camera with Sony IMX 298 image sensor and 4k video recording. Even the front camera has been updated from an 8 MP to 16 MP fixed focus with f/2.0 and 1080p video recording.

HTC launches Desire 10 Pro in India at Rs 26,490

HTC India has announced the launch of its new smartphone, the Desire 10 Pro for Rs 26,490. Claiming to offer flagship-level features, the highlight is the 20-MP rear camera and 13-MP front-facing camera with features such as laser auto focus, BSI sensor, auto HDR, panorama mode and continuous shooting for the rear. There is a voice selfie and love make-up modes for capturing selfies.

Featuring a 5.5-inch full-HD display, HTC has opted for Corning Gorilla Glass protection. It runs on MediaTek Helio P10 64-bit Octa-core processor and is paired with 4 GB of RAM.

It has internal storage of 64 GB and expandable memory of up to 2 TB. It has Android 6.0 onboard with HTC Sense user interface.

HTC has also added its own BoomSound profile headset and a dual microphone with noise cancellation. Connectivity options include Bluetooth 4.2, Wi-Fi, 4G LTE and HTC Connect for wireless streaming media from the phone to compatible multi-room audio system, TVs, etc.

There is a 3,000-mAh battery onboard and it supports fast charging.

OnePlus 3T specifications, price and availability in India

OnePlus 3T is the latest device launched by the Chinese company but they are not touting it as the flagship device. The company is playing it fair by calling the device just an upgrade instead of a new flagship as the device will hardly change externally.

The new device will come with a boost in all specifications that matter the most, for every smartphone user.

The OnePlus 3T will come with an updated device with a new and powerful Snapdragon 821 chipset. Other than that the device will come with an improved front facing camera with a resolution of 16 MegaPixel.

The third prominent and most advertised feature is the new battery and its faster capability to dash charge. The company claims to provide a day's charge in 30 minutes.

The availability of the new model in India has not been specified but the company did mention that India will be among the first countries to receive it along with US, China and Hong Kong. The device is scheduled to launch in US on November 22 and on November 29 in China.

The new OnePlus 3T will come in two variants. The 64GB variant will come at a price of $439 (Roughly Rs 29,800) and the 128GB will be priced at $479 (Roughly Rs 32,500). Considering that the current version is mostly low on stock, the company might replace it with the newer version.

Jio might soon launch 4G feature phones with free voice calling at Rs 1000

Jio will be launching a series of cheap 4G feature phones that will come with VoLTE capability.  This can be another groundbreaking achievement if the Mukesh Ambani-owned company is able to deliver.

The Indian phone user base is still governed by feature-phone users. Despite the smartphone revolution in the past couple of years, 65 per cent of phone users are still sticking to feature phones as their daily drivers.

According to a report by Economic Times, Reliance Jio will soon launch a new product category.Given that 2G feature phones still sell in high-numbers, these devices are similarly priced and yet offer much more productivity in the form of 4G capability and free voice calls.

The telecom company will be partnering with Indian smartphone manufacturer Lava for the hardware and might also sell with dual branding.

In the current market for 4G phones, the cheapest devices are selling at a minimum price of Rs 3,000. Jio plans to bring that bracket lower to Rs 1,000-Rs 1,500 by launching an this new product category.

YouTube launches YouTube Kids in India

YouTube on Wednesday announced the launch of YouTube Kids in India, an app the company has built with parents and children in mind that makes it easier for kids to find videos.
 
YouTube has already launched the app in over 20 countries and it has seen over tens of millions downloads so far, the company said. The standalone apps makes it easier for children find videos on topics they want to explore and is available on Google Play and App Store.
 
"YouTube Kids is our first step in reimagining YouTube for families. YouTube Kids comes to India at a great time for millions of India families, as it provides children access to content that will enrich their lives abs create new opportunities for learning, " Malik Ducard, YouTube's Global head of family and learning said at the launch.
 
The app has been designed keeping children in mind and has a bright and playful design. The kid-friendly app has larger images, bold icons and also offers voice search to let children find videos even if they can't spell it.  Users can browse channels and playlists in four categories: Shows, Music, Learning and Explore.
 
There are some parental control features also on the app such as -- Search Settings, which allows parents to make a choice about how broadly they  their child to explore; built-in timer, sound settings, passcode etc. Kids can also stream the YouTube Kids on big screen using Chromecast, Appple TV, game consoles or smart TV.
 
Kids shows is one of the most popular original content category on YouTube and popular channels like ChuChu TV, Videogyan, Wow Kidz etc. have millions of subscribers on the platform. Most India YouTube and learning creators will be adding new shows exclusive to the platform on the occasion of the launch, the company informed.

BlackBerry launches two new Android handsets, DTEK50, DTEK 60

BlackBerry has announced the launch of its two new handsets in the Indian market - the DTEK 60 and DTEK 50. After failing to win the customers with its BB 10 operating system, BlackBerry adopted Android OS and had launched Priv last year. 

The two new smartphones are touted to be the world's most secure Android smartphones with the security aspect built-in to the root level. Although running on Android OS, the smartphones will continue to have special features such as BlackBerry Hub, BlackBerry's security, privacy and more.

The BlackBerry DTEK50 features a 5.2-inch full HD display and runs on Qualcomm Snapdragon 617 octa-core processor along with 3 GB of RAM. It has a 13-MP rear camera and an 8-MP front facing camera. It comes with 16 GB of internal storage with support for expandable memory of up to 2 TB. The DTEK50 is powered by a 2,610-mAh battery and runs on Android 6.0 Marshmallow and has been priced at Rs 21,990.

Priced at Rs 46,990, the DTEK 60 boasts a 5.5-inch Quad HD display. It has a metal frame and looks premium. This is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 64-bit quad-core processor paired with 4 GB RAM. The internal storage is 32 GB with support for 2 TB external memory through microSD card.

DTEK60 also features a 21-MP auto-focus rear camera and an 8-MP front facing camera with front flash. Support Type C connector for charging, it packs in a 3,000-mAh battery with Quick Charge 3.0.

With the launch of DTEK50 and DTEK 60, BlackBerry has announced Optiemus Infracom Limited as the distribution partner for promoting BlackBerry handsets in the Indian market.

Lenovo launches Phab 2 Plus for Rs 14,999

Lenovo has launched the Phab 2 Plus for Rs 14,999 in the Indian market. Touting a dual camera at the rear, it is not the same 'Phab 2 Pro', the first Google Project Tango enabled smartphone, yet comes with the Augmented Reality mode in its camera app.

The Phab 2 Plus features a 6.4-inch full HD display with the 2.5D glass at the top. It is powered by MediaTek MTK8783 octa-core processor with 3 GB RAM. It has 32 GB internal storage and 128 GB expandable storage.

It packs in a dual 13-MP rear cameras with Futjitsu Milbeaut Image Signal Processor that gives professional features like Augmented-Reality special effects, instant focus and fast F2.0 lenses. Lenovo claims that it can be used for capturing images crisp low-light  shots,  high  contrast  while retaining lifelike colors, high detail in the shadow areas and a captivating background blur. The camera software also incorporates a manual mode as well as other special effects. It packs in a 4050mAh battery and comes with fingerprint scanner, and built-in apps including McAfee security, Netflix and Swiftkey. It has also got Dolby Atmos and Dolby Audio Capture 5.1 surround sound support.  Priced at Rs 14,999, it will be available exclusively on Amazon India.

The launch of Phab 2 Plus comes after the launch of the Xiaomi Mi Max measuring a 6.44inch full HD display. The Mi Max powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 processor with 3GB RAM and 32GB onboard storage is priced at Rs 14,999.The Prime version of the Mi Max packs in Qualcomm Snapdragon 652 processor with 4GB RAM and 128GB internal storage. Unlike the Phab 2 Plus, the Mi Max packs in a 16MP rear camera.

No WhatsApp for these Android, iOS, Windows phones after December 31

WhatsApp has revealed that it will be stopping support for a number of devices by the end of this year. Before smartphones, Nokia's Symbian was one of the most dominating operating system in the phone market. Despite featuring on legendary Nokia devices, the operating system seems to be coming to an absolute end very soon.

The most popular instant messaging application, WhatsApp has released a statement mentioning the operating systems that won't receive support from the company after the end of 2016. The announcement was made back in February this year.  

The Facebook-owned company believes that the technology needed to incorporate the latest features and security within the app is not available on these operating systems. The blog post stated, "while these mobile devices have been an important part of our story, they don't offer the kind of capabilities we need to expand our app's features in the future." 

These are the operating systems that will not have access to Whatsapp after December 31:

BlackBerry OS and BlackBerry 10

Nokia S40

Nokia Symbian S60

Android 2.1 and Android 2.2

Windows Phone 7.1

iPhone 3GS/iOS 6

The instant messaging company recommended upgrading to a newer Android, iPhone, or Windows Phone before the end of 2016 to continue using WhatsApp.

Samsung wants its employees to learn from the Note 7 crisis

Samsung Electronics wants its employees to be more careful with their work. The South Korean Giant's Chief Executive Kwon Oh-hyun on Tuesday said, "We have a long history of overcoming crises."

Though the company head did not mention the Note 7 debacle in particular, the inference was pretty clear when he mentioned the word "crisis".

In a Thomson Reuters report the head is stated saying, "Let us use this crisis as a chance to make another leap by re-examining and thoroughly improving how we work, how we think about innovation and our perspective of our customers."

Samsung Electronics has been facing the heat of explosive Note 7s as they still haven't figured out the specific reason behind the failure of those handsets. The investigation, that was being focussed on batteries alone, has now expanded to other components of the smartphone.

The biggest recall in the history of modern technology and the eventual halting of productions is estimated to burn a $17 billion hole in Samsung's pocket. The company has registered the lowest earnings from the mobile division since the past eight years.

All you need to know about the new 2016 MacBook Pro Series

Apple is out with the MacBook Pro 2016. The Cupertino giant unveiled the new line-up of MacBook Pros on Thursday. According to the company, the new MacBook line-up is the amalgamation of high intensity processing and portability.

Compact Design with a few sacrifices

The new Pro will be is 14-17 percent thinner and nearly half-a-pound lighter than the previous versions of the Retina MacBook Pro and will also occupy lesser volume. Though the device ends up being much more compact, the user will have to sacrifice connectivity due to the lack of ports. The new Pro line-up will only feature 4 USB-Type C thunderbolt ports. Both Touch Bar Notebooks will feature 4 USB-C Thunderbolt 3 ports that are capable of handling power. The Notebooks won't be featuring an escape button but it still features the 3.5mm head-phone jack.

All-new Touch Bar

The new 15-inch and 13-inch Macbook Pros come with an interesting Multi-touch bar which will be replacing the traditional row of function keys. The Touch Bar will change the key set up according to the application running on the screen and will be customizable according to the user's needs. There's no haptic feedback to the keys that can otherwise be found on the main touch pad of the machine.

MacBook's first Touch ID 

Another first for these new MAcBooks will be the TouchID, located right next to the new row of touch-bar. A long-press on TouchID will turn the computer off. The Butterfly keyboard that was found on the MacBook, will be featuring in the new set of MacBook Pros. While this might be an unpleasant addition for many, the company claims that the keyboard will provide better key-travel. 

Brighter and more colourful Retina Display

The notebooks will feature a Retina display, which according to Apple is brighter by almost 67 per cent higher contrast ratio and  a brightness of 500nits. LG built a 5K display specifically for the new Macbook Pro.

Double sized trackpad

Along with that, the notebooks feature a massive new trackpad which according to Apple is pretty adept at palm-rejection. The trackpad is twice the size of the previous MacBook Pro and has a taptic engine underneath. The trackpad will be featuring the force touch functions, similar to what can be found on the MacBook Air.

Marginally evolved performance

In the performance segment, the new 15-inch MacBook Pro will feature a quad-core Core i7 processor, AMD Radeon Pro graphics with up to 4GB of video memory, and up to 16 GB of RAM.  The 13-inch MacBook Pro will feature either an i5 or i7 processor along with an Intel Iris GPU.

Price

The MacBook Pros seem to have updated their prices as well but this might not please the prospect buyers. The 13-inch MacBook Pro without Touch bar will be available at Rs 1,29,000. It is only available in a i5, 256SSD model.

The 13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar will cost around Rs 1,55,900 for the i5 variant and 1,72,900 for the i7 variant.

The 15-inch variant will cost a whopping Rs 2,05,900 for the i5 variant and Rs 2,41,900 for the i7 variant.

Best speakers and earphones you can gift this festive season

Nothing can match up the delight of gifting a speaker or a Bluetooth headset to someone who loves and lives music. Here are some of the best options worth considering.

Bose QC35: A perfect companion for music lovers. This wireless noise cancellation headphone offers a comfortable fit. Its foldable design makes it easy to carry around. Bose QC35 connects over the Bose Connect app on an Apple iPhone as well as any Android device. A single charge can last up to 18 hours in wireless mode. There is also a 3.5-mm jack that can turn it into a wired headphone, minus noise cancellation. Price: Rs 29, 363

JBL Flip 3: Anyone who is into adventure would love the JBL Flip 3. This is a splash-proof portable Bluetooth speaker with 3,000 mAh rechargeable battery. It has a 16W high bass speaker which delivers great stereo sound good enough for a small room as well as for outdoors. It can also be used for answering calls. Available in different colours, it weighs 449 only grams. Price: Rs 7,899.

Samsung Gear IconX: This stylish pair of wireless earbuds can do much more than Bluetooth headsets, which are used for answering calls and listening to music. IconX earbuds, called fitness earbuds, can monitor heart rate, track distances travelled and calories burnt, and store songs in its 4-GB internal space without the need to carry the smartphone. IconX has a touch-sensitive surface that can be tapped to carry out tasks. It connects to a smartphone over Bluetooth 4.1. The accompanying compact case used to store the ear buds bundles up as a charging dock that stores charge as well. Price: Rs 13,490

LeEco Bluetooth Speaker: LeEco's Bluetooth speaker is compact and looks lively. It has a cylindrical shape and boasts bright colours. Made up of plastic, it has speaker grills on all the sides, offering 270-degree surround sound. There is a circular button at the top surrounded by circular LED that indicates the mode of the speaker. The sound output is loud and the speaker can give close to seven hours of music playback. Go ahead and gift it to a music lover. Price: Rs 1,999

Microsoft unveils Surface Studio, Surface Book; continues with the same Surface Pro 4

After some flagship smartphone launches, it time to talk about the computing devices. Microsoft hosted its Surface Event where the company has announced the new hardware as well as the software.

The Surface Book laptop looks has got the same look and design with improved innards and has got double the graphic performance with 30 percent more battery life. Claimed to be the most powerful Surface Book, this laptop is powered by Intel i7 processor. Microsoft has redesigned the cooling system with an additional fan. The battery life has been increased to 16 hours from 12 hours. It has also got a detachable display that transforms it into a tablet. The Surface Book will be available with 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB configurations for $2,399, $2,799, and $3,299, respectively.  

The Surface Studio All-in-One touchscreen desktop PC comes with a starting price tag of  $2,999 and offers a 28inch screen with 13.5million pixels. It is the world's world's thinnest LCD monitor at 12.5mm. It's powered by Intel's 6th generation processors and has got Nvidia GTX 980M GPU in the premium model, with a 965M in the lower-priced configurations. The screen can be adjusted to 20  degree, making it convenient to draw  on. It supports various peripherals including the Surface Pen and the new Surface Dial. 

While Microsoft has announced an upgraded version of the Surface Book laptop and a Surface Studio, the company has decided not to update its popular Surface Pro 4. There hasn't been any specifications update either. The Surface Pro 4  continues to retail starting at $899 with a Core m3 processor, 4GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. The higher-end models continue to have the same specifications.

Other than the hardware, Microsoft has a lot more to talk about. The company talked about the next release of Window 10, which is free - Windows 10 Creator. Microsoft is now focusing on 3D and believes anyone should be able to create 3D content. It has launched Paint 3D, which makes 3D creation easy for everyone. Microsoft has also introduced affordable Virtual Reality accessories to the Windows 10 PC starting $299.

Apple unveils new MacBook Pro with OLED strip 'Touch Bar' and 'Touch ID'

Marking the 25th anniversary of Apple's first notebook on October 25, Apple took the stage to announce its new, redesigned Macbook Pro at At the 'Hello Again' event in Cupertino, California. The new MacBook Pro comes with a thinner design and as appeared in the leaks has got the 'Touch Bar' with Retina Display above the keyboard. The all new 'Touch Bar' replaces the existing function buttons with on-screen keys. It is more than just a regular function key as the virtual buttons on the strip are changes based on the apps being used. The Touch Bar places controls right at the user's fingertips and adapts when using the system or apps like Mail, Finder, Calendar, Numbers, GarageBand, Final Cut Pro X and many more, including third-party apps. For example, the Touch Bar can show Tabs and Favourites in Safari, enable easy access to emoji in Messages, provide a simple way to edit images or scrub through videos in Photos and more.
Apple has also integrated the Touch ID into the power button. Once the fingerprint is enrolled in the Touch ID on the new MacBook Pro, one can quickly unlock the Mac, switch user accounts and make secure purchases with Apple Pay (abroad) on the web with a single touch. Touch ID enables a quick, accurate reading of your fingerprint and uses sophisticated algorithms to recognise and match it with the secure element in the new Apple T1 chip.
The new MacBook Pro features bright and colourful Retina display , has a larger Force Touch trackpad and an audio system with double the dynamic range. The 13-inch MacBook Pro At just 14.9 mm thin, which is 17 percent thinner and 23 percent less volume than the previous generation, and weighs 1.37kg. The new 15-inch MacBook Pro, at just 15.5 mm thin, is 14 percent thinner and 20 percent less volume than before, and weighing just 1.83kg. The new lineup is powered by sixth-generation dual-core Core i5 with eDRAM, dual-core Core i7 with eDRAM and quad-core Core i7 Intel processors to deliver pro-level processing performance while conserving energy. The new 15-inch MacBook Pro features powerful Radeon Pro discrete graphics delivering up to 2.3 times more performance than the previous generation; while the 13-inch MacBook Pro comes with Intel Iris Graphics. All models feature SSDs with sequential read speeds over 3Gbps and Thunderbolt 3 which consolidates data transfer, charging and twice the video bandwidth in a single port - allowing users to drive a 5K display and power their MacBook Pro with a single cable. Apple has retained the 3.5mm jack, however, the USB ports are replaced with four Thunderbolt 3.0 ports.
13-inch and 15-inch models are set to be available within three weeks in the US, starting at $1799 and $2399. Apple had revealed the India pricing in a press released but later issued an updated press release with no India specific pricing and release date. The earlier email received stated the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar and Touch ID will be priced starting at Rs. 1,55,900 while the 15-inch model will start at Rs. 2,05,900.

Google Pixel, Pixel XL to go on sale in India from October 25

Google's Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones will go on sale starting October 25 in offline as well online portals. "The future is exciting. And by future we mean 3 days from now. #Pixel will start reaching stores on 25th October #madebygoogle," the official Google account tweeted on Saturday.

While announcing the launch of the smartphones in San Francisco earlier this month, Google had revealed that India will be amongst the first six countries to receive the new devices by the end of October.

Innovation at a Price

Motorola created a flutter in the smartphone market with the announcement of Moto Z with Moto Mods - a modular phone - in June this year. It promised that adding a new feature, or module, would be as easy as snapping on a rear cover. We tested the Moto Z using the projector mod to see how it worked.

The display of the Moto Z is stunning. With its 5.5-inch display and 1,440 x 2,560 pixel resolution protected by Gorilla Glass 4, watching videos on it was a delight. It is sleek - has a thickness of 5.2 mm and weighs 136 gms only. The power and volume controls are placed on the side, and the Type C charging port is at the bottom (the 3.5-mm jack is absent). Its specifications don't disappoint - Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor paired with 4 GB of RAM, 64 GB of internal storage, and Android Marshmallow operating system. The 13-MP rear camera captures good images. The phone was able to handle basic tasks as well as heavy graphic games with ease.

My Moto Z review unit came with a wooden rear cover and an Insta-Share projector mod. The projector mod, made of plastic and weighing 125 gms, is like a thick cover that instantly snaps to the rear of the device. It packs in a 50 lumen projector lens that can project as far as 70 inches on any flat surface at a maximum resolution of 854x480p. The projection mod has a kick-stand that can rotate up to 180 degrees - this means it can be comfortably used to project on a wall or a ceiling. The automatic keystone adjustment setting comes handy here. Snapping the projector mod onto the phone and pressing the power key turns the projector on. There is a slider to adjust the focus of the projection.

It lived up to the claims of '70-inch projection', but the viewing experience was disappointing. While it is understandable that the clarity and the colour reproduction cannot match with that of the phone's display, the colours looked completely washed out when projected. For instance, the green colour in the video on the phone appeared greyish green when projected. The Projector mod heated up within a few minutes of projection. Instead of projecting videos, I ended up watching movies on the phone itself, using the mod as a stand (a very expensive one at that!). Motorola has packed in a 1,100mAh battery to the mod, which gives close to one hour of projection time.

Google announces its latest Android's name and it's called Nougat

Sorry Nutella enthusiasts. Android has finally settled for Nougat.

Google on Thursday has finally announced the name of its latest Operating System, Android N. The next version of Android, likely to be Android 7,  will be called Android Nougat. Google officially made the announcement on Snapchat and Twitter and also, posted a video unveiling the look of the latest Android mobile software.

As the Android naming history goes by, it was widely speculated that the latest version, too, will be named after a sweet treat, following the league of Kitkat, Lollilop, and Marshmallow. So, the new flavour turns out be Nougat.

Google had first displayed Android N in March through a developer preview. At Google I/O in May, the company said that the latest version of its Android OS will be named with the help of user suggestions. The name, thus, was intended to be crowdsourced and Google received millions of submissions from all over the world.

The Android Nugget comes with a host of new features. It supports multi-window mode, has a better notification system and comes with a newly added VR mode, which will give an extra edge to virtual reality viewers.

The users will be able to get its hand on the new Android version in the coming few months. Till then, wait for the treat.

Google launches Chromecast Ultra, 4k video streaming dongle

Google has announced the launch of an all new Chromecast device at the Pixel smartphone launch event in San Francisco. Claiming to have sold 30 million Chromecast devices, Google has launched a new dongle Chromecast ultra that supports 4k video streaming. Equipped with a powerful hardware, Google claims it to be the fastest Chromecast ever.

It has got improved Wi-Fi connectivity and can load videos 1.8 times faster than the standard Chromecast.

The Chromecast Ultra continues to have the same circular design as the previous model and has got the 'G' logo instead of the 'chrome' badge. The Chromecast Ultra has been priced at $69 and go on sale in November. Google will be launching Chromecast Ultra in 16 counties around the world.

Panasonic launches 4G phablet in India priced at Rs 9,290

Panasonic India on Wednesday launched a new Rs 9,290 4G phablet ELUGA I3 for a better daylight reading experience for Indian consumers.

ELUGA I3 comes with a 5.5 inch HD IPS display and supports 4G VoLTE technology for rich data and voice experience.

"With ELUGA I3, we believe we will surely address some major consumer concerns by providing them with a better viewing experience and more productivity on-the-go", said Pankaj Rana, business head (mobility division), Panasonic India, in a statement.

ELUGA I3 operates on Android 5.1 (Lollipop) with the Panasonic FitHome user interface. The device comes with 5 MP front camera and 13 MP rear camera with LED flash.

The phablet is powered by a 1.3 GHz Quad Core processor with 2 GB RAM and 16 GB internal memory expandable up to 32 GB.

The device also has dual SIM slot integrated with Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth and GPS.

Motorola launches Moto 360 Sport for Rs 19,999

After launching the 2nd generation Moto 360 in India in December last year, Motorola has now announced the launch of the Moto 360 Sport.

Priced at Rs 19,999, it features rubber body and silicon straps and will be available at Flipkart.com

The Moto 360 boasts a 1.37 inch (35mm) display with 263 points and Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection. It has got a 45mm diameter by 11.5 mm high. Running on Android Wear, it works with Android as well as iPhone through the app.

It is IP 67 certified, which makes it dust and water resistant. Sensors onboard include Barometric Altimeter, Accelerometer, Ambient light sensor, gyroscope, vibration/haptics engine and optical heart rate monitor.

The smartwatch is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 with 1.2GHz quad core CPU and Andreno 305 with 450 MHz GPU. It has got 4GB of internal storage and 512MB of RAM.

The Moto 360 Sport is equipped with 300 mAh battery and support wireless charging.

This smartwatch also features built-in WiFi that can track the running distance, without having to carry the phone. The watch can be used to receive notifications for the upcoming emails, calls, messages, Whatsapp and more.

The Moto Sport 360 will be available with Black silicon strap and will compete with other smartwatches including the Fitbit Blaze, Samsung Gear 2 smartwatch and the slightly expensive Apple Watch. 

Samsung launches Galaxy S7, S7 Edge in India

Samsung announced the launch of its next flagship smartphone, Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge, for the Indian market.
Priced at Rs 48,900 (Galaxy S7) and Rs 56,900 (Galaxy S7 Edge), the devices will go on sale from 17th of March. The company has also introduced a pre-booking offer, where people who pre-book the device between 8-16 March, will get a Gear VR worth Rs 8,200 free with the device.

Both the smartphones run on the Samsung's Exynos 8890 Octa processor and are paired with 4GB of RAM. They are equipped with the latest Android operating system, Marshmallow OS with TouchWiz UI and have 32GB internal storage with expandable memory support of up to 200GB. The devices are IP 68 certified, which makes them water and dust resistant.

They also have an 'Always On' display for accessing notifications and calendar updates from the lock screen itself.

The Galaxy S7 boasts a 5.1inch QHD Super AMOLED display, its thickness is 7.9mm and weighs 152 grams.

While the Galaxy S7 Edge features a 5.5inch QHD dual edge curved display and is 7.7mm thick and weighs 157 grams.

The smartphones have 12MP rear camera with f/1.7, 26mm, phase detection autofocus, OIS, LED flash and 5MP front facing camera. They have an improved low light photography as well.

The phones are equipped with 3,000mAh and 3,600mAh batteries with Quick Charge 2.0 and Wireless Fast Charging feature. Connectivity includes dual SIM 4G LTE, NFC, WiFi and GPS.

Samsung has also come up with 'Samsung Concierge' service that gives user an option to direct chat with Samsung's help desk for pick and drop services and also a standby device if needed. 

Lenovo launches Vibe K5 plus for Rs 8,499 in India

After getting a good response at the Mobile World Congress 2016 in Barcelona last month, Chinese technology major Lenovo on Tuesday launched its mid-price range smartphone Vibe K5 Plus in India.

Priced at Rs.8,499, the smartphone will be available for purchase exclusively via Flipkart starting March 23.

Apart from a 12.7 cm full high definition display and stereo speakers encased in a metal body, the device offers a 2GB RAM and a Qualcomm 64-bit Snapdragon 616 Octacore chipset for seamless multimedia experience.

"With the K5 Plus, we want consumers to 'knock out' their existing smartphones and upgrade to a better performing phone," Sudhin Mathur, director-smartphones, Lenovo India, said in a statement.

The device comes with Dolby Atmos experience over headphones that go well with the TheatreMax technology for a complete cinematic experience on a smartphone.

Vibe K5 Plus's sensitive Gyro, when combined with the AntVR headset (sold separately), helps with real-time orientation when using the phone for Virtual Reality applications.

The smartphone is equipped with a 13-megapixel primary camera and a 5-megapixel front shooter. It comes with a 16GB onboard memory and is powered by a 2,750mAh battery.

The device is available in champagne gold, platinum silver and graphite grey.

Xiaomi's Redmi Note 3 launched at Rs 9,999

Chinese smartphone manufacturer Xiaomi has announced the launch of the Redmi Note 3 in India. Unveiled in November last year, the Redmi Note 3 launched in India will be the company's third device to be made in India and will run on Qualcomm 650 processor.

Aiming to disrupt the sub Rs 15,000 market, the Redmi Note 3 has got a full metal body with a non removable rear. It is 8.7 mm thin and weights 164 grams. The Remdi Note 3 boasts a 5.5inch full HD display with features such as sunlight display and reading mode. The one launched in India doesn't run on MediaTek chipset. Instead, it has got the Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 processor with 16MP camera and dual SIM slot. One of the slots also bundles as the memory card slot for expandable memory.

Running on MIUI  7 based on Android Lollipop operating system, it has also got an IR blaster and a fingerprint sensor. On connectivity front, it supports 4G LTE, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and GPS. It features a 16MP rear camera with auto focus and full HD video recording and a 5MP front facing camera.

Xiaomi has launched the Redmi Note 3 in two variants - 2GB RAM with 16GB onboard storage and 3GB RAM with 32GB storage.

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 is priced at Rs 9,999 for 16 GB variant  and will be Rs 11,999 for 32 GB variant. The Redmi Note 3 will go on sale starting March 9 exclusively on Amazon India and Mi.com

The Redmi Note 3 will give tough competition to the Moto G Turbo and LeEco 1s.

WhatsApp to withdraw support for BlackBerry, Symbian and Windows Phone 7.1 OS

The popular messenger service WhatsApp will stop working on BlackBerry, Symbian and Windows devices sometime this year.

While celebrating its 7th anniversary, WhatsApp through a blog post announced that they will be withdrawing support for BlackBerry OS (including BB OS 10), Symbain 60, Symbian 40, Windows Phone 7.1 and devices running on Android 2.1 and 2.2 devices.

The post stated, "When we started WhatsApp in 2009, people's use of mobile devices looked very different from today. The Apple App Store was only a few months old. About 70 percent of smartphones sold at the time had operating systems offered by BlackBerry and Nokia. Mobile operating systems offered by Google, Apple and Microsoft - which account for 99.5 percent of sales today - were on less than 25 percent of mobile devices sold at the time."

WhatsApp will withdraw the support for the above mentioned OS by the end of this year. The company believes that while these mobile devices have been an important part of the story, they don't offer the kind of capabilities WhatsApp need to expand app's features in the future.

Ringing Bells starts refunding money to customers

Noida-based Ringing Bells, which has promised to sell smartphones for Rs 251 apiece, has started refunding money to customers due to negative speculation around its claim.

"There was a lot of negativity around us so we have decided to take money from customers only after delivering phones to them. We are refunding money to those who have paid for booking the phones and giving them an option of cash on delivery," Ringing Bells Director Mohit Goel told PTI.

About 30,000 people paid for booking the phones and over 7 crore people registered for it. The payment was facilitated by CCAvenue and PayU Biz.

OnePlus 3 to be launched in second quarter of 2016

During the last couple of years, we have seen new brands coming up with some quality hardware and giving fierce competition to some of the well established brands.

OnePlus is one such name that garnered a lot of attention with the launch of its OnePlus One smartphone. Last year, the company launched its first successor, the OnePlus 2, which was followed by the launch of a slightly affordable OnePlus X.

So far there has not been any information about the launch of OnePlus 3, but a recent report by Cnet which quoted the company's co-founder Carl Pei, revealed that OnePlus 3 can be launched by the end of the second quarter of 2016.

Though not many details have been revealed about the upcoming flagship device yet, the report says the device will feature a new design and will not be on the lines of OnePlus 2.

Pei also stated that OnePlus 3 will be available as an unlocked device in US as well as other markets.

He also said that the company is looking into 'better buying process' but there isn't any clear mention of abandoning invite system. OnePlus will continue to offer free shipping on its devices and will also accept payments with credit card, rather than only via PayPal.

Xiaomi launches Mi 5 at Mobile World Congress 2016

Xiaomi today launched it's much awaited flagship smartphone Xiaomi Mi5 at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain.

This flagship smartphone comes almost a year and half after Mi 4, of which the company claims to have sold over 16 million units across the world till date.

Xiaomi Mi 5 features a 5.15 inch full HD display, a metal body, 3D ceramic back, which is durable and water resistant. Xiaomi has added a finger print sensor below the display that also bundles as a home button.

The company has designed a sleek device at 7.25mm with a 3000 mAh battery that weighs 129 grams. It will be available in black, white and gold colours.

The device is powered by Qualcomm's latest chipset, Snapdragon 820, which is powering some of the other flagships including Samsung Galaxy S7, Sony Xperia X and LG G5. It is paired with LPDDR 4 4GB of RAM.  

During the launch presentation, the company claimed that the device offers a high score of 142,084 on AnTuTu benchmarks with high specifications. The new chipset used offers double the performance and consumes half the power as compared to the previous generation Qualcomm processor.  

It has Sony IMX298 16MP sensor and Qualcomm Spectra image processor. And also features face detection auto focus, DTI for producing better colours and a 4-axis OIS that helps in capturing better images in low lights conditions as well when hands are shaking. It can capture 4k videos. Other features include sunlight display, reading mode and more.

The device will be available in three variants - the top of the line is called Mi 5 Pro with Snapdragon 820 processor clocked at 2.15GHz paired with 4GB RAM and 128GB storage. It will be priced at Yuan 2699 (Rs 28,302 approximately).

Mi 5 with Snapdragon 820 processor, 3GB RAM and 64GB internal storage is priced at Yuan 2299 (Rs 24,107 approximately) and the third one with Snapdragon 820 processor, 3GB RAM and 32GB storage is available for Yuan 1999 (Rs 20,962 approximaely). It will ship Android Marshmallow with MiUi and packs in a 3000 mAh battery and supports Quick Charge 3.0.

The device will go on sale on March 1 in China and is expected to be launched in India soon. The final price for the Indian market will also be revealed closer to the launch.

Gionee S8 with 3D Touch launched at MWC 2016

Chinese handset manufacturer Gionee has announced its next flagship smartphone at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain. The Gionee S8 claims to feature a 3D touch display and 'dual WhatsApp'.

Priced at 499 euros (approximately Rs 34,000), the Gionee S8 has got a metal design and features 3D Touch pressure sensitive display that is similar to the one on the new iPhones. The display on the Gionee S8 can distinguish between three levels of force - touch select and app, tap to preview the content of an app and press to run the app. It features a 5.5-inch full HD AMOLED display.

But the unique feature is the support for Dual WhatsApp accounts. Gionee claims that users will be able to configure two different WhatsApp and WeChat accounts on a single device.

The Gionee S8 is powered by MediaTek Helio P10 octa-core processor and is paired with 4 GB of RAM.  It runs on Android 6.0 Marshmallow with Amigo OS and comes with 64 GB internal storage and will be equipped with a 16-MP rear camera with f/1.8 and laser autofocus. There will be an 8-MP front facing camera. This is a dual SIM phone with 4G LTE connectivity support. It has also a Hi-Fi an dDTS audio support, fingerprint scanner and a 3,000-mAh battery onboard. 

Xiaomi to launch Redmi Note 3 in India on Mar 3

Chinese electronics company Xiaomi has announced the launch date of the much anticipated Redmi Note 3 in India.

The smartphone would be launched on March 3 at Talkatora Stadium.

The Redmi Note 3 would be available in two RAM and storage versions, one including 2GB of RAM and 16GB of inbuilt storage, and other 3GB of RAM and 32GB of inbuilt storage.

The note would come in different colour variants of dark grey, champagne gold, and silver.

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 was launched in China at around Rs. 10,000 in January this year and is expected to cost the same in India.

Headquartered in Beijing, Xiaomi is the world's fourth largest smartphone maker. Xiaomi designs, develops, and sells smartphones, mobile apps, and related consumer electronics.

The company's founder and CEO is Lei Jun, China's 23rd richest person according to Forbes. The company sold over 60 million smartphones in 2014.

3G phone like Freedom 251 would cost Rs 2,300, according to Telecom Ministry

With questions being raised over the promised price of Rs 251 for a 3G smartphone by new entrant Ringing Bells, the Telecom Ministry has found that a device with such specifications would cost about Rs 2,300.

"The Ministry has analysed the issue and it feels that such a device can be manufactured for about Rs 2,300," sources said.

However, they refused to say if any action will be taken against the company in the matter.

Earlier this week, Noida-based firm Ringing Bells launched the world's cheapest phone -- Freedom 251 -- priced at Rs 251, hogging limelight globally.

Indian Cellular Association, which represents the handset makers industry in India and has members like Apple, Samsung, Microsoft, Lava and Micromax, had also written to Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad.

The body said the bill of material value for a product like this when sourced from the cheapest supply chain cost approximately $40 (Rs 2,700).

When translated into retail price after addition of applicable duties, taxes and distribution and retail margins, the cost of the product would be at least Rs 4,100, it added.

ICA requested the Minister to get into the depth of the issue, saying the price could not be below Rs 3,500 even after a subsidised sale.

Ringing Bells, on its part, said the manufacturing cost of the phone is about Rs 2,500, which will be recovered through a series of measures like economies of scale, innovative marketing, reduction in duties and creating an e-commerce marketplace.

Apart from the jaw-dropping price, the company that was set up five months ago by Amity University graduate Mohit Kumar Goel, is also in the midst of controversy with analysts alleging that its maker has merely rebranded a device by its rival, Adcom.

Analysts allege that the design of Ringing Bells' Freedom 251 handset resembles that of Adcom's Ikon 4, which is already available in the Indian market at Rs 3,999.

Interestingly, most built-in app icons on the Freedom 251 seem to be a direct copy of icons on Apple's iPhone, they added.

Despite the controversies, the device has continued to grab attention from consumers. Following a heavy demand, Ringing Bells suspended bookings for 24 hours yesterday. It resumed bookings on Friday.