Why Apple MacBook’s Force Touch is the Trackpad of the Future

Steve Jobs had a vision, years ago, that the mouse needed only one button, and it seems his vision is finally realised with the newest addition to its ecosystem, the Apple MacBook. One of the most nerdy aspects about the newly unveiled device is the fact that it comes with a Force Touch trackpad. Force Touch was first introduced months ago with the Apple Watch.

So, what exactly is ‘Force Touch’ technology?

Simply put, it is the mechanism which senses pressure. It is an entirely novel innovation that merges the previously released Multi-Touch with force sensors. That means besides sensing the multiple points of contact on your screen, the new feature can also gauge the amount of pressure put on each contact; detecting the subtle difference between the quantity of pressure imposed. This makes the technology infused devices smarter than any other smartphones and smartwatches in the world.

The current generation of MacBook’s use a ‘Diving Board’ design. The top part of the trackpad remains stable, any part of the lower end can be used to click or right click. The new Force Touch trackpad, gets four new sensors – allowing you to click using any part of the designated surface.

Through the sensors on the trackpad of the gadgets, it can judge a light tap and a deep press, bringing a broad range of contextual controls right to your fingertips. The actions can be categorised in three forms: Force click, Accelerator and Pressure-sensing drawing.

The Force click gives users access to different websites without switching to the other pages. It can bring up the Wikipedia by clicking a word, preview a file in the Finder, and create a new Calendar by applying a little push on the trackpad. You will be in control of adding new shortcuts to apps, such as bringing up the a map of the location just by force clicking the address.

 

The next is accelerator that accelerators the speed of a QuickTime movie. Press harder to fast-forward the shot quickly and if you wish to proceed gradually, steadily apply force on the trackpad. One can also zoom in Maps through the same tactic.

 

The next forte of Force Touch trackpad is pressure-sensing drawing. Draw a signature on the device just like a pen on paper. Put more pressure for a bold stroke and press lightly to get a thin line. This drawing can be used as an attachment for emails.

Apple has slipped the technology in Macbooks and the Apple Watch for now, but it has been learnt that the next iPhone is likely to come with the same feature. This tech has led to the death of the  We can’t wait to try out the Torce Touch for ourselves.

Thanks to Apple Watch, Swiss Watchmakers Headed Towards Troubled Times : Swatch Inventor

Apple’s has finally brought its long awaited Watch to the market, and there have been mixed responses to the new offering.  Now the co-inventor of the Swatch watches says that the new device from Apple can cause serious troubles for Switzerland’s famed watch industry.

Swatch co-inventor Elmar Mock has said that the Apple Watch might put a lot of pressure on traditional watchmakers in Switzerland, and he anticipates an ice age for the industry soon. He said that anything in the range of $500-1000 should be a cause of concern for the industry.

Wristwatches are one of the many prominent offerings from Switzerland along with cheese, chocolate and, of course, the banking system for stashing huge funds. The watch making industry employs tens of thousands of workers and the smartwatch craze might affect their livelihood.

 

Mr. Mock said that the Swiss watch industry hasn’t been innovating enough to keep up with the new challenges from the tech industry. He cited the quartz crisis of 1970’s and 80’s when cheap watch offerings from Japan took over large market shares from Swiss watchmakers. He said that the Swiss industry has the technology to deliver competent product in the age of smartwatches, and they should take proactive efforts to tackle the assault from the tech industry. Elmar Mock warned that if corrective actions weren’t taken, the watch industry might face severe troubles in two to three years.

 

Smartwatches as a segment has a long way to go, and the most glaring deficiency of these devices is the battery life that mostly tends to last a day or two. It adds on as an extra device that regularly demands its moment on the charging plug while a regular watch runs for months or even years on a single battery. This is one of the major causes that discourages folks from buying these new devices. So the watchmakers should anticipate a comfortable run till the time the tech companies figure out the battery side of things.

Google to Finally Add That One Important Missing Feature on Android Wear Smartwatches

Google has decided to fill the gap that makes its Android Wear software fall second in the wearables segment. According to a report by The Verge, the search giant is planning to bring Wi-Fi support to Android Wear software running on smartwatches. If the report is to be believed, then the extended support may come with the next software update.

The next update will diminish the fine line between the Apple Watch and Android Wear-powered wearables. Users can turn on Wi-Fi, and the Android Wear-powered smartwatches will get notifications and run Google Now even if the Bluetooth connection is not available. The new update will bring two additional tweaks – gesture control and improved UI.

The former tool allows users to swipe notifications and Google Now cards on the screen of the device without using the other hand. Despite, one can flick their wrist to do the same. The redesigned user interface was much needed in the Android-powered wearables. With the help of the tweaked UI, one can have easier access to applications and contacts. It will also get easier to switch between apps.

There are certain devices that come with built-in wireless, but because of this missing feature, the use of Android Wear-based wearables is limited. The new update will give a new dimension to a broad range of smartwatches like the Moto 360, the Asus ZenWatch, and the Samsung Gear Live.

 This makes the upgrade of the Android Wear software much more crucial as users may consider switching to Apple Watch. Meanwhile, there is no information on when the company planning to release an update.

Apple Wins Patent for Flexible Sidewall Display That Can Replace Physical Buttons

Just when we thought Apple had revealed everything they built recently, an interesting piece of news surfaced that brought the tech giant back into the limelight. A patent has been granted to Apple Inc. by the USPTO that speaks of a device with a flexible sideway display.

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office published a series of granted patents to Apple that highlights a flexible sidewall display equipped with a mobile device.  The patents were originally filed back in 2013. This flexible side display could replace physical buttons with virtual buttons in future devices.

The patent says that the new flexible display may include one or more flexible layers, which may be mounted under a transparent screen cover of clear glass or plastic. There would be a touch-sensitive layer at the bottom of the flexible display for users to provide input, and also it will give users a clue of what the buttons are or what would be its functions.

 

The patent also notes that the flexible surface will be flat and can be placed anywhere on the front, rear, or sidewall surfaces. It is also said that the tech can replace the physical buttons or may act as a dummy structure. The functions of the virtual buttons will not be fixed, and their operations may be altered based on user input.

New Olympus Stylus SH-2 Comes With Impressive Night Modes

For all those photographers who actually want to get a better view of the nighttime skies, Olympus has a new compact edition camera for you. It has almost been a year since Olympus launched the first version of its stylish compact camera Stylus SH-1. This time they took it to the next level with the launch of Stylus SH-2.

The basic difference that sets this apart from its predecessor is that it has supporting features for shooting RAW images and time-lapse movies. It also happens to have several shooting modes to improve the low light photos and videos. It also has a live composition feature that sets it apart from the nightscape modes.

 

The stylus SH-2 has a 1/ 2.3 inch 16 megapixel BSI CMOS Sensor with a 24x (f3.0-6.9 25-600mm) Optical Zoom lens which can open as wide as 24 mm and also has a 460K dot-resolution touchscreen. It has a 5-Axis system borrowed from the OM-D E-M1 and the 5-Axis IS should provide steadier and sharper images than many compacts. Particularly in low light conditions and especially when you are using telephoto lens. It can also prove to be rather handy while shooting videos.

Like the SH-1, the SH-2 shoots full HD videos at 1080/60p along with the perfect capture of the stereo sound, has Wi-Fi (though no NFC) to pair with smartphones and retains the 3-inch touchscreen. For enthusiasts, Olympus also includes a full manual shooting mode in case one actually wants to go beyond the automatic options and with a single click on the camera’s record button in Nightscape mode one will get the optimum results required for dark scenes.

The only let down features is the absence of NFC and the aperture range which is not at all ideal for low-light shooting with the zoom lens.

Design wise the SH-2 is nearly identical to the previous version, with the exception of different looking chenille covering on the body which is made up of aluminum alloy with a sheet of leather stitched in the front and weighing only at 10 ounces, this particular camera can prove to be an ideal one for travelling. SH-2 is supposed to hit the markets in April at a price tag of 400$ (Approximately Rs. 25,000 in INR value).

Timex Run x50+ is a Training Tool That Works With Both Android and iOS

Major smartphone brands like Sony, Samsung, Motorola, and recently Apple, have jumped into the smartwatch division and have left behind the traditional watchmakers. The iconic timepiece brand Timex is putting all efforts to restore its image and has added a device to its connected devices portfolio.

The new Timex IRONMAN Run x50+ is a tech-driven smartwatch made especially for athletes. It is basically for folks who undergo aggressive training and want the features of a smartband in a smartwatch.

The International Marketing Manager of Timex Sports & Outdoors, Bart van Schijndel, said –

"For nearly three decades, Timex has provided athletes with technology solutions to enhance their training experiences. The brand is excited to launch the new Run x50+ watch – an evolved training tool for runners of all levels."

The Run x50+ sits comfortably at the wrist and connects to your phone, whether Android or iOS. It lets you stream and control the workout information through the fitness apps in the smartphone. For now, the feature is limited to iOS only, but it will soon arrive for Android handsets as well. One can get notifications like incoming calls, text alert, Facebook notifications, emails, and more on the sunlight-readable display.

Other pivotal features include volume control, pause, play option that can be controlled through the Run x50+ on a smartphone. The free Timex Connected app lets you set watch features. You can set appointment reminders, phone finder and watch finder as per your convenience. The latest addition to the Iron Man series can survive water splashes and go deep in water up to 5 metres.

Timex hasn’t provided any information on the price and availability of the watch, but we expect it’ll arrive in India soon.

Upcoming HTC E9 Specs Leaked, Sports 3GB RAM and Bigger Camera

HTC recently unveiled their flagship or the year 2015 at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. The device was an upgrade over the previous generation devices and addressed the criticisms against the earlier device. HTC is now reportedly about to launch the One E9, which will be a successor to the E8 launched last year.

According to various rumors, the HTC One E9 will be a major upgrade over the last year’s version and will be competing in the market as a phablet. The device is expected to be launched in the mid to high range segments.

The reported image of the new HTC One E9.

The E9 is touted to sport a 5.5 inch Quad HD display which would make it the first HTC device to feature the ultra high definition display. Even HTC’s latest flagship, the One M9 sported a Full HD display.

The biggest change is HTC’s bet on MediaTek 64-bit 8-core processor for the new device instead of the usual Qualcomm Snapdragon line of chipsets. The E8 flaunted a Snapdragon 801 chipset. The handset is also expected to feature 3 GB RAM, 32 GB of storage with expandable storage and will be juiced up by a 2800 mAh battery.

On the camera front, the E9 is said to sport the 20 MP shooter we saw on the new M9. According to the leaked image, the device now features a massive camera on the back. For the front camera, it is said that the standard model of the device will house a 13 MP shooter on the front while a premium version of the E9 will sport a 4 MP ultrapixel camera.

Now these reports are still based on rumours so we cannot confirm the authenticity of these reports. The E9 does look like a considerable upgrade over the One E8, but we have to wait for official confirmations to be sure. Overall, like e8 was a stripped down version of the M8, the E9 seems like the slightly pocket-friendly version of the One M9.

Asus ZenFone 2 Price Revealed; India Launch Expected in April

 

 

Asus at CES 2015 revealed the ZenFone 2 promising a March release date for the handset. The Taiwanese company, as promised, on Monday announced the Asus ZenFone 2 in Taiwan and also unveiled new variants of the handset.According to a Korean publication, apart from Taiwan, the ZenFone 2 will be available in China, Hong Kong, Singapore and France starting in March while other countries such as Italy and other Southeast Asian markets including India will launch in April. The Asus ZenFone 2 will be also released in Brazil in June.
The new ZenFone-series (via Asus Taiwan) include the Asus ZenFone 2 ZE551ML (4GB RAM) priced at TWD 8,990 (approximately Rs. 18,000); the Asus ZenFone 2 ZE551ML (2GB RAM) at TWD 6,990 (approximately Rs. 13,900); Asus ZenFone 2 ZE550ML comes at TWD 5,990 (approximately Rs. 11,900), and Asus ZenFone 2 ZE500CL priced at TWD 4,990 (approximately Rs. 9,900).
The Asus ZenFone 2 ZE551ML, as seen above, will be available in two RAM variants - one with 2GB of LPDDR3 RAM, and another with 4GB of LPDDR3 RAM.
Asus at the launch had claimed that the ZenFone 2 is the "industry's first smartphone" packing 4GB of RAM. The 4GB RAM variant is powered by a 64-bit Intel Atom Z3580 quad-core processor running at 2.3GHz while the model packing 2GB of RAM is backed by a quad-core Intel Atom Z3560 clocked at 1.8GHz. The ZenFone 2 ZE550ML is also powered by the same Intel Atom Z3560 chipset. The basic ZenFone 2 ZE500CL model features a 1.6GHz dual-core Intel Atom Z2560 processor. All the versions support expandable storage via microSD card (up to 64GB).

The top model of the Asus ZenFone 2 will feature 4GB of RAM alongside 32GB inbuilt storage and 5.5-inch full-HD display while the ZE551ML model will also feature a 5.5-inch full-HD display; though it will pack just 2GB of RAM alongside 32GB of storage.
The Asus ZenFone 2 ZE550ML, on the other hand, features a 5.5-inch HD display coupled with 2GB of RAM and 16GB inbuilt storage. The ZenFone 2 ZE500CL is the basic model of the series and features a 5-inch HD display alongside 2GB of RAM and 16GB of built-in storage. It only supports single-SIM, unlike other variants in the ZenFone-series.
All four variants runs the company's new ZenUI based on Google's Android 5.0 Lollipop. The Asus ZenFone 2 ZE551ML (4GB and 2GB of RAM) and ZenFone 2 ZE550ML both sport 13-megapixel rear PixelMaster camera while there is a 5-megapixel front camera on board as well. Both the ZenFone 2 ZE551ML models feature dual-tone flash. The Zenfone 2 ZE500CL sports an 8-megapixel rear PixelMaster camera alongside a 2-megapixel camera.
For connectivity, both the ZenFone 2 ZE551ML models and the ZenFone 2 ZE550ML include 4G LTE (Cat 4. support with up to 150Mbps download speeds), dual-SIM, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC, GPS, and GLONASS. The ZenFone 2 ZE500CL supports 3G connectivity apart from dual-SIM, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC, GPS, and GLONASS.
Both the ZenFone 2 ZE551ML models and the ZenFone 2 ZE550ML are backed by a 3000mAh battery while the Zenfone 2 ZE500CL features a 2500mAh battery.
Asus at the launch in January had claimed that the ZenFone 2 models support fast-charging technology and can charge up to 60 percent in just 39 minutes. It includes sensors such as accelerometer, proximity, ambient-light, gyroscopic, and digital compass.

2015: The Year of the Wireless Charger?

 
Got a phone charger you can lend me? No, I need the new type... Oh, forget it."
To ease the stress of a dying mobile phone battery and the hassle of bundling wires into your bag, designers are hoping to make 2015 the year of the wireless charger.
Companies at the Mobile World Congress, a top telecom fair which wrapped up Thursday in Barcelona, Spain, promised that soon you will just place your phone on a table or lamp stand for it to absorb electricity through a wireless surface.
South Korean giant Samsung included wireless charging capability in its new flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S6, unveiled on March 1 in Barcelona.
Swedish furniture-maker Ikea meanwhile announced a line of bedside tables, lamps and desks equipped with wireless charging spots to be launched in Europe and North America in the coming weeks.

"This is probably the year of the wireless charger," said Kevin Curran, a senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, ahead of the mobile fair.
"A lot of the top-end phones now by default are coming with a wireless charger. You just have to put the phone onto a mat or onto a stand."
If a phone has a wireless charging receptor, just placing it over the charging pad on one of these items will transfer power to it.
The piece of furniture itself is not wireless, drawing its power from the mains, but no wire is needed to plug into the phone.

Standard adaptersDifferent rival technologies for wireless charging have emerged over recent years.
For their devices, Samsung and Ikea opted for the Qi standard -- a system developed by the Wireless Power Consortium, an alliance of some 200 different companies founded in 2008.
The Qi consortium claims its standard is the most widely used in the world with charging points in 3,000 hotels, restaurants, airports and public spaces. It says its system can be used in 80 models of mobile phone and various types of car.
The product announcements at the Barcelona show "will allow a big step forward," eventually freeing users of cumbersome charging wires, said Inge Tauber of the German company L&P Automotive, part of the Qi project.
"People have no need to fear that their chargers will become obsolete, because these bases will be compatible with the new generations of smartphone."
Even smartphones that were not made with a wireless charging receptor can be fitted with adaptors in the form of an outer case or other minor accessory costing from about 10 euros ($11).

Wireless charging race
Qi is competing with two other standards, PMA and A4WP, which between them group some 200 other telecom, computing and electronics firms.
The PMA and A4WP camps will merge in mid-2015 "to accelerate the growth of this nascent market," they said in a statement.
Tauber denied this competition would hold back the industry from developing a common standard for compatible charging pads. She reckoned it would drive it towards a "homogenous standard".
Makers of smartphones have so far failed to find a common standard for any kind of charger, despite attempts such as the European Union's bid to impose universal chargers by 2016.
Analysts said it was tricky to estimate the potential value of the market for wireless chargers.
The Wireless Power Consortium estimates that 50 million chargers were sold in 2014.
According to technology consultancy Gartner, in that year consumers bought 1.8 billion handsets - which typically come with a charger included.
"In the next few years they will all have wireless chargers in-built," Curran said

Micromax Teases Lollipop for Yu Yureka, Devices to Receive Update Shortly

The Yu Yureka smartphone will soon be getting the Android Lollipop 5.0 update, as the company has posted a Lollipop teaser on its Facebook page. This could only indicate that the devices will be receiving the update in the next few days. The handset was launched with Android 4.4 KitKat based CynagoenOS 11, and with the new firmware update it will get CyanogenOS 12.

Meanwhile, the company has assured that the Yu Yureka will be the first handset to get Lollipop based Cyanogen update. The new update should bring with it a plethora of new features and customisation options. Owners of Yu Yureka can expect usual software updates from Google, but we’re sure it’s the updated CyanogenMod features that everyone would be looking forward to.

Yu Yureka’s Lollipop teaser on its official Facebook page

The image uses a dot-to-dot game to tease the update, with the numbers ending at ’26’. Does this indicate that the update starts rolling out on March 26? We have a feeling that we’ll know sooner than later.

The device already boasts an impressive set of specs at a very attractive price point, and the latest software update should attract more customers to an already great performing device.

Moto Turbo Goes Up for Pre-Order on Flipkart; Pricing Revealed

Less than a week back, Motorola India Head confirmed that Moto Turbo will soon be arriving in India and today, the company has officially put the device up for pre-order. The Schaumburg-based telecommunication company released the handset at the online retail website Flipkart for Rs. 41,999, and is taking pre-orders starting today.

The new Moto Turbo sports a 5.2-inch Quad HD display with 565 ppi pixel density. Powered by quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 processor, the device holds Adreno 420 GPU and 3GB of RAM. A water-repellent coating is incorporated on the screen that protects the device. The battery support of Moto Turbo is 3,900mAh and it also comes with Motorola’s Turbo Charger feature that powers the device for up to seven hours of usage in just 15 minutes of charging.

The optics of the phone are also top-notch. A 21MP autofocus snapper with dual-LED flash sits at the back along with other features like slow motion video, burst mode, auto HDR, Panorama, and few more. Though the front camera is a conventional 2MP. The device runs on Android 5.0 Lollipop and the connectivity options include Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 4G LTE with LTE Cat 4 and Micro-USB.

Flipkart is trying to lure the potential buyers with few deals like 100% cashback for 25 lucky customers and extra 10% off on Moto Turbo with American Express Cards. The handset is estimated to release in the third week of March.

Huawei’s Forthcoming Flagship Officially Teased, Likely to Feature a Massive Battery

Chinese manufacturer Huawei is all set to announce its next flaghsip the Ascend P8. The company has officially released a teaser image of the upcoming flagship, which primarily focuses on the smartphone’s battery.

The teaser image was posted on Huawei’s Weibo account, with the battery icon appearing within the numeric ‘8’ itself. However, we’ve seen super sleek flagships from Huawei in the past, hence the P8 featuring a colossal battery unit is highly unlikely.

Though going by the teaser, we can expect the P8 to get something big in terms of battery and power saving features. It could be that Huawei has managed to fit in a huge battery unit in a relatively slim device.

Official sponsors for the North London football club Arsenal, the Huawei P8 will be unveiled in London on April 15th, while rumour mill suggests that the phone will get a 5.2-inch Full-HD display, an octa-core Kirin 930 processor bundled with 3GB of RAM, a 13-megapixel camera with a dual LED flash and OIS.

5 Reasons Why Facebook Messenger is Already Leading with Whatsapp in the Race

Gone are the days when SMS was the only text messaging option on mobile phones. The arrival of smartphones has changed this perspective and several messaging have come up. These days, most of the communication is happening via free internet messaging using the chatting applications. Two of the most popular messaging apps are Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp.

To remind you, WhatsApp was acquired by the social networking firm Facebook in February 2014 for $22 billion. Hence, the fight in the messaging space between the two apps that are owned by the same company is pretty interesting. WhatsApp has over 700 million users and this number is increasing by the minute. Also, the application has started getting new features to make it competent enough as its rivals.

 


On the other hand, Facebook as a social network is quite popular and its messaging application, Facebook Messenger is also getting into the mainstream. The app has got many features similar to any other messaging application for smartphones.
While there are many who consider WhatsApp is the best one just because everyone has it installed in their smartphone, it is not the case. We have come up with five reasons that will suggest that Facebook Messenger is already ahead of WhatsApp. Take a look below to know them in detail.

Facebook is Free

Facebook Messegner is free to use for lifetime, and it is likely to remain the same forever. WhatsApp, on the other hand, is free to use only for one year and later, you will have to pay $0.99 per year to use the service. Well, it might not seem too expensive as you can send messages, audio, photos and videos with your loved ones for free at less than a dollar per year. But, Facebook Messenger does not even charge that small amount to render the service.

Free Voice Calling Within Application
Facebook Messenger supports making voice calls via the application using internet. You can directly call any person who is on your contacts list in the application and also read the call log whenever you need. On the other hand, WhatsApp is yet to rollout such a feature to its users.

 

Recently, there have been reports that WhatsApp has come up with the voice calling feature via the application, but it is available only to a small set of Android users and the others are yet to receive it. It is said that you will receive the feature only if you have the latest version of it and if you receive a call from another user who has that feature.

Send Stickers Via Facebook Messenger

Usually, messaging applications have different sets of emoticons to communicate in an interesting and funny way. But, Facebook Messenger is one among the few that has stickers that will add more fun to the mundane conversations. Rather than using the standard smileys, you can download the additional sticker packs from the Facebook Sticker Store. These stickers are very nice adding a new life to the conversations.

 

WhatsApp does not support stickers like Facebook Messenger or Viber. It does provide support to a huge array of emoticons representing different things, but it would be a welcome feature to see stickers on WhatsApp.

Facebook Messenger Need No Number

While WhatsApp requires your phone number to create an account, Facebook Messenger does not need it. This way, anyone who has your phone number can get contact you on WhatsApp. But, the case is different with Facebook Messenger as only those who are your friends on the social network will be a part of the messenger. Moreover, the application does not require you to provide your mobile number to use the service. Also, WhatsApp shows when you were last seen, but this issue is not with the social network’s messaging app.

Facebook Chat Heads

Facebook’s Chat Heads notification feature helps you in messaging with who ever you want to without quitting the other applications that you are using at that time. You need to switch between the apps to do the same. Once you enable the Chat Heads option, it will pop up on the screen when you are playing a game or watching a movie or anything else. You can move the chat head anywhere you want in the screen or close it as well without exiting from the other app that you are using.

 

Such an option is not available on WhatsApp that is a downside. You will have to access the messages that you receive via the app only by opening it.
 
Conclusion

Though we have mentioned that Facebook Messenger is the best one in different aspects, you can use the application that all your friends and family members are using. You will have to keep both the apps on your smartphone to communicate with your dear ones.

Mittal urges Zuckerberg to indulge in philanthrophy if he wants telcos to provide free internet

Taking on social networking giant Facebook’s ambitious ‘free internet’ plans, telecom major Bharti Airtel chief Sunil Mittal has said the companies should do ‘philanthropy’ if they stop charging for mobile internet. Facebook has launched an ‘internet.org’ initiative under which users can access internet free of charge for select websites if they come through a partner telecom operator.
Incidentally, Airtel Africa is one such partner for Facebook, while rival Reliance Communications has partnered Facebook in India for this initiative, which is based on assumption that bringing more people to the internet fold by offering them free service initially is good for the industry.
Mittal, who met Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg here at the Mobile World Congress, said that the social networking major is right in its thinking that such a would expand the market, but telecom operators also need to get their revenues and charge for the services.
“I told him (Zuckerberg) that you are right that this (internet.org) expands the market. At the end, you must understand that we (telecom operators) need to charge you for something. SMSes have gone more or less, voice is going down and they (Facebook) recognise that,” Mittal said in a media interaction here.
“If you are going to make the data free, then let’s do completely philanthropic projects. Government must make spectrum free, there should be free network, but it is not happening,” the billionaire industrialist said, while adding that telecom companies were as such not making large money.
The comments, incidentally, come at a time when a high-pitched auction is underway in India for spectrum and committed bids worth about Rs 86,000 crore have come in within first four days of bidding — crossing the minimum targetted amount of Rs 82,000 crore. The auction will resume tomorrow, as more unsold spectrum is left and there are expectations that the overall auction may cross Rs one lakh crore.
Telecom companies say they invest billions of dollars in spectrum, network and other operations, but they argue that internet-based entities offering pseudo-telecom services are piggy-backing on the mobile operators’ networks without bearing much investments on their own.
At the same event here, UK-based telecom giant Vodafone’s global CEO Vittorio Colao reportedly said about Facebook’s free-of-cost internet plan that “it is almost like Zuckerberg does philanthropy, but with my money.”
Mittal cautioned that investments in mobile networks by industry will go down as Internet-based messaging and calling services are ‘cannibalising’ revenues of telecom firms.
“He (Zuckerberg) is saying that make Internet.org lite version of Facebook free of data charge, so that people will upgrade. People will come to internet for the first time. The point is that it is self-serving for them,” Mittal said.
Telecom operators have been facing pressure on their financials from the emergence of a number of Over-The-Top (OTT) firms like Facebook (through its WhatsApp messaging service), Skype and Viber, which on their part claim to be helping telecom operators grow business.
“We (telecom operators, social media and over-the-top players) are good for each other but they, regulators and politicians must understand that networks’ investment must be on reasonable terms. Gone are the days when telecom companies were making large amounts of money,” Mittal said.
“OTT players must understand pains of the mobile industry. Sometimes we are seeing as gatekeeper, bad guys. The fact of matter is spectrum – there is cost, network there is cost and tariff has gone up by o ..
In December, Airtel had announced separate charges for Internet based calling services but withdrew it after an outcry on social media.
“The rate that we announced was exactly the same rate as a voice call. If you do one minute VoIP (internet based calls) in kilobyte terms it would be exactly the same as voice call. It was exactly the same as one minute call,” Mittal said.

Narendra Modi is Among the 30 Most Influential People on the Internet

 

According to a recent report published by Time Magazine, Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, is among the 30 most influential people on the Internet. Can’t say we’re surprised. This list also includes US president, Barack Obama.

The list analyses social media followings, site traffic and the overall ability to drive news. According to the data, Narendra Modi has nearly around 38 million followers on Facebook and Twitter. It is more than any other political world leader, with the exception of President Obama.

Modi is an enthusiastic user of social media and uses this method to communicate with the people. According to Time magazine, “Unlike many of his contemporaries, Modi recognises that social media can be invaluable when trying to reach India’s 200 million-plus online population directly,”

The number one world leader on this list is US President, Barack Obama, who is the most liked leader on Facebook and the most number of followers on Twitter. According to the report, the reason is that Obama doesn’t mind making a meme out of himself for pushing an agenda. A video showed Obama using a selfie stick and many other props to drive people to sign up for heath insurance under the Affordable Care Act. This video was viewed by more than 50 million people within days.

Among the others included in the list are reality star Kim Kardashian, singer Justin Beiber, actress Gwyneth Paltrow, Actress Yao Chen, singer Shakira, founder of the blog ‘Humans of New York’ Brandon Stanton and TV personality, Jimmy Fallon.

Xiaomi Redmi 2 to sell in India on March 12

Xiaomi will soon start selling a new device in India starting from 12th March as is indicated by their latest facebook post. The Chinese behemoth is running a crossword puzzle contest, where you could win priority pass by spotting features related to the upcoming device.

Some of the words in the puzzle include Snapdragon, Wide Angle and Expandable, which hint at Redmi 2, the successor of very successful Redmi 1S in India. This also makes sense, since the dates conflict the arrival of new Moto E in India, which will be available in the same price bracket.The handset was originally launched in China at the start of this year. It improves upon Redmi 1S without changing too much. There is the same 4.7 Inch IPS LCD HD display with 312 pixels per inches, powered by 1.2 GHz quad core Snapdragon 410 with 1 GB RAM and 8 GB internal storage. You can further extend this by another 64 GB using MicroSD support.Software remains Android 4.4.4 KitKat based MIUI6, but a Lollipop update is under works. There is a decent 8 MP rear camera and a 2 MP front facing unit for photography. Battery capacity has been slightly bumped up to 2200 mAh. The handset is likely to be priced around 6,500 INR and will challenge the new Moto E which is set to arrive starting from 6,999 INR.Like always, you will need a bit of divine blessing, to successfully buy it from the first flash sales

WhatsApp Says WhatsApp Plus Users Will Face Temporary Bans, Not Permanent

A few days WhatsApp began banning those users who had been using third party applications like WhatsApp+. The messaging app stated privacy concerns for the ban. WhatsApp has come out and said that the move is just temporary, and users can follow some easy steps to start using their service again.

The bans were handed down for a 24 hour period. Users could uninstall the third party app and install a fresh version of the official app from the app store, and they would be re-instated back. But recently a Google+ post saying that Whatsapp is starting a Permanent Account Disable purge caused a lot of concerns amongst the users.

WhatsApp has come out to clear the air. Earlier, WhatsApp used to ban the third party app users for a period of 24 hours, and the message showed up with a countdown clock, but now it’s extended indefinitely and the countdown clock has been removed. The company said that the third party app users will be unblocked only after they have uninstalled the third party app. They are not permanently banned from the service.

WhatsApp had claimed piracy and security concerns for the ban. It cited the case of Snapchat where users’ personal content were hacked in through third party app. So if you want to use the official WhatsApp app, you would have to delete WhatsApp+, WhatsApp Reborn, OgWhatsapp or any other third-party client from your smartphone.

This feels like a case of arm-twisting by the messaging giant, but it sure is needed to increase security. There is accountability with the official app, but there is none with third party apps. It’s better to take the safer approach than trade your personal information for a few new emoticons on a third party app. WhatsApp is anyways introducing features such as voice calling soon, so you would be better off sticking with the official WhatsApp.

‘iPhone 6s’ Likely to Come with 2GB RAM, Force Touch and a Pre-Installed Apple SIM

 

Apple’s bigger and better iPhone 6 and the Plus versions were a game changer. They successfully reminded the world why the company is the top smartphone maker in the world. They are a major reason for the enhanced demand of iPhones in the past year. The Cupertino-based beast is not lost among the admiration, and is working towards bringing out an even better iPhone 6 successor.

The next iPhone, expected to be called the iPhone 6s, is in works. The information came through a reliable source of Apple Insider who said that the next iPhone will ship with an upgraded 2GB RAM and an Apple SIM. The inclusion of 2GB is long overdue, and with the latest Apple flagships packing so many unique features, this bump up was much required. All iPhones released after iPhone 5 pack 1 GB of RAM.

The concept of Apple SIM debuted last year when it was fitted onto the iPad Air 2. The source says that Apple may pre-install the SIM on the next iPhones so that users can choose from a variety of short-term plans from select carriers in their countries for the devices.

Apple Insider has also stated the possibility of Force Touch on next iPhones. The feature was introduced with Apple Watch, which makes the device a bit brainy. Force Touch uses tiny electrodes around the flexible Retina display to distinguish between a light tap and a deep press, and trigger instant access to a range of contextually specific controls. This feature adds the possibility of embedding more gestures on to the device.

Now Ubuntu Based Phones Attempt to Take on Android Devices

Android is the undoubted top dog of the smartphone operating system. Its closest adversary, the iOS lags behind in terms of market numbers. There is no third party challenger to its dominance either; major operating systems like Windows, Blackberry, Firefox, etc. are still struggling to create a space for themselves. In this situation, some companies are looking at Ubuntu as an alternative to the behemoth called Android.
Ubuntu is one of the most popular Linux-based operating systems in the world. It is a light operating system that is developed by UK-based Canonical Ltd. and is offered free of cost. Canonical had previously announced the smartphone version of Ubuntu back in 2013 and tried unsuccessfully to fund it through crowdfunding. The company later partnered with mobile makers BQ and Meizu and the operating system is now finally seeing the light of day.

BQ’s Aquaris e4.5 Ubuntu Edition

At the MWC 2015, BQ and Meizu showcased their Ubuntu based devices. BQ had already unveiled its Ubuntu device earlier, and it is called the Aquaris E4.5 Ubuntu Edition. It comes with a 4.5-inch qHD display along with a 8MP camera and is powered by a 1.3 GHz quad-core MediaTek processor. This will be an affordable device and will be priced at $195 (Approx. Rs. 12,000).
Meizu’s phone, on the other hand, is based on its MX4 handset. It flaunts a 5.36-inch 1920 x 1152 display with a 20-megapixel camera and is powered by an eight-core MediaTek 6595 processor. This phone will have a better appeal in the market in comparison to the offering by BQ.

Meizu’s MX4 Ubuntu has better features and design amongst the two devices.

The Ubuntu OS is fairly new and would lack the apps that would attract the consumers. To make it easy for developers to easily create apps for the ecosystem, the OS offers categorized home screens called ‘Scopes.’ This scopes can be used to plug in content from apps like Instagram, Grooveshark, Soundcloud, etc. The company says that by using these specific Scopes, developers wouldn’t have to go through the lengthy process of coding apps to optimize them for Ubuntu.
Canonical also has long term plan for the ecosystem, and it intends to bring seamless interconnectivity between the various Ubuntu devices. But it is still unsure as to how this operating system would challenge the dominance of Android and attract consumers to a new user experience. We’ll only know for sure about he prospects of the Ubuntu OS when the devices finally come to the market.

Best of MWC 2015 : The Gadgets to Get Excited About

This year’s MWC in Barcelona was no different, we saw a slew of innovative devices – from curved to waterproof smartphones to super-thin tablets and trendy smartwatches. With the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona coming to a close, we have handpicked some of the best moments from this year’s edition.

Here’s our pick of some the best products showcased at this year’s MWC.

Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge

As expected, Samsung announced two versions of the flagship – one with the standard screen while the other one is a curved display. Samsung has certainly improved upon certain aspects of its current flagship. Despite having a non removable battery, the design is certainly a notch up compared to its boring bland predecessor. And how can we miss out on the S6’s curved sibling, the S6 Edge is one weird looking thing you might actually want.

HTC One M9

The latest flagship from the Taiwanese manufacturer gets an all new classy outer shell. A slightly beefier 64 Bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 runs this handset along with 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of storage. Some would argue HTC has brought the same design aesthetics with its latest flagship, we quite like the device. Everything runs on a highly optimized 2800 mAh battery, bundled with Android Lollipop 5.0.2 out of the box and HTC’s new Sense 7 promises a major improvement in the battery life, and out of experience there is a big difference. The quick charge also improves the charge times and you will be on the go in just a few.

Sony Xperia Z4 and M4 Aqua

Sony pretty much surprised all of us by not launching a successor to the Xperia Z3. Though they did announce a super sleek Xperia Z4 tablet along with a IP68 certified Xperia M4 Aqua smartphone.

The Xperia Z4 tablet is about as slim a tablet can get, with thickness at a mere 6.1 mm and weighing a meager 393g. The device will work with PlayStation 4 Remote Play, allowing users to stream the games straight on the console. The tablet will launch in two variants – LTE and Wi-Fi-only.

Meanwhile, the M4 Aqua, as the name signifies is a IP68 certified water proof device, which prevents it from any damage until 1.5m underwater for up to 30 minutes. It’s got everything you would ask of a mid range smartphone. We were left quite impressed with device during our initial hands-on.

HTC Vive

It seems we finally have a headset that really matters. HTC and gaming giant Valve tag team to bring out their own Occulus competitor – the HTC Vive. Everyone’s going bonkers over its dual 1200x1080p resolution display experience, which according to iGyaan’s Editor-in-Chief isn’t easy to describe.

HTC has collaborated with many game developers such as Vertigo Games, Wemo Labs, Google, Owlchemy and others to generate content for the HTC Vive. The headset is slated for a launch this year, it seems the VR war gets more intense by the day.

Microsoft’s Folding Keyboard

Microsoft has been coming up with some great accessories recently, and the Redmond giant yet again showcased a nifty little folding keyboard for iOS and Android. A great alternative for those constantly on the move, it certainly redefines the whole concept of a portable keyboard.

Huawei Talkband B2

Huawei announced its Talkband B2, an enigma of sorts as it acts as a fitness band, an earpiece, all merged into one. It can make calls when paired with an Android device or an iPhone, act as a fitness tracker, but what is really amazing is the fact that it can transform into an earpiece.

Sandisk’s 200GB Memory Card

Sandisk announced a massive 200GB microSD Card at MWC 2015, claimed to be the largest commercially available microSD card. The card will sell for about $400 when it arrives in Q2 of this year, and your phone should be compatible with SDXC standard to make the card work. It is claimed to have transfer speeds of about 90MB per second, or approx. 1,200 photos per minute.

30,000 YU Yureka Units Go Out of Stock in 7 Seconds

Micromax subsidiary YU held the eighth flash sale today on Amazon India. Even after months of its launch, it has received an amazing response from the users. The flash sale kicked off today at 2 pm and the flagship killer went out of stock in mere 7 seconds.

The YU Yureka is an easy favourite since it offers superior specifications at a budget price of Rs. 8,999. The 5.5-inch device runs on Android-based Cyanogen OS 11 and features Cat. 4 4G LTE connectivity. With 64-bit 1.5GHz octa-core Snapdragon 615 SoC, 2GB RAM, and 2500mAh battery, YU Yureka offers a massive rear camera of 13MP.

Meanwhile, the Indian electronics brand has announced the successor of its first smartphone. Codenamed “Project Caesar“, the phone will come with the Android Lollipop version of Cyanogen OS.

Micromax Canvas Fire 4 With Android 5.0 Lollipop Launched at Rs. 6,999

Micromax, at the time of MWC 2015 trade show in Barcelona, has launched a new handset in India, the Canvas Fire 4. The smartphone is priced at Rs. 6,999 and is available both on e-commerce websites and physical retail stores starting Monday. The handset is not yet listed on the company website.
The Micromax Canvas Fire 4 runs on Android 5.0 Lollipop and features a 4.5-inch FWVGA (480x854 pixels) resolution display with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection. The handset is powered by an unspecified 1.3GHz quad-core processor, coupled with 1GB of RAM.
The smartphone also houses an 8-megapixel rear and a 2-megapixel front-facing camera. Backed by a 2000mAh battery, the budget Canvas Fire 4 can deliver up to 300 hours of standby time. The handset also sports dual front-firing speakers and Cirrus Logic Wolfsan Stereo DAC (WM8918) to enhance the audio output. While inbuilt storage has not been detailed, Micromax says the handset supports storage expandability via microSD card (up to 32GB).

Some of the pre-loaded apps on Micromax Canvas Fire 4 are Newshunt, Paytm, Dr. safety, Snapdeal, Saavn, App Center, MAD, Ask me, Clean Master, Quickr, and Chaatz. The handset's specifications match a lot with the recently launched Canvas Pep. However, the Canvas Fire 4 comes with better camera and battery capacity.
Micromax last month launched its the Canvas Selfie at Rs. 15,999. Some of the key specification of the handset are 4.7-inch HD (720x1280 pixels) IPS display, 1.7GHz octa-core processor, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of inbuilt storage which is further expandable via microSD card (up to 32GB), 13-megapixel front and rear cameras, and 2300mAh battery.
The highlight of the Micromax Canvas Selfie is its 13-megapixel front and rear cameras that are both accompanied by LED flash modules and Sony sensors. The smartphone's features few inbuilt camera tools such as eye enhancement; face slimming; skin smoothening; teeth whitening; remove oil; fade dark circles, and make-up.

LG G Flex2 First Impressions: The Experiment Stabilises a Little

The first LG G Flex was a fascinating phone; not just because of its curved screen, but also because it could take a lot of abuse. The rear was designed to resist scratches and could actually heal itself from mild surface abrasions. The body, including screen and battery, could be flexed enough to nearly flatten it out. However, it was shockingly expensive and had a low-resolution screen that didn't do it any favours. Some people might have paid the full price of Rs. 68,000 at launch time, but obviously not enough, and it is now languishing even after a 50 percent price drop.LG's second-generation G Flex phone - the LG G Flex2 - loses some of its signature flexibility but gains a lot of appeal. This isn't some outlandish, impractical device anymore, proof that LG really has thought about how and where a phone with a curved screen might fit into people's lives.
LG's booth at MWC in Barcelona was buzzing with activity, particularly around this device. Crowds of people were jostling to hold and feel the G Flex2. Access was difficult, but we did manage to spend some time with a demo unit. Here are our first impressions.
The LG G Flex2 is visually striking. We saw two different colours on display: a dark grey and a very rich red. Both were extremely glossy and had dramatic sunburst finishes. The red is very eye-catching, which is definitely not going to be to everyone's taste.
The next thing we noticed about the G Flex2 was that it felt a lot slicker than its predecessor. The original LG G Flex was bulky and had it not been for its shape, would have been rather unappealing. This year's model stands on its own as a very slick, attractive device - something you'll want to turn over in your hand and examine from every angle.
The LG G Flex2 is not meant to be bent, although it is just about flexible enough to resist damage if accidentally sat on. In this sense, LG seems to have focused on the parts of its idea that actually worked, which is a good move all around.
The front and sides are quite clean, thanks of course to the company's campaign to move buttons to the rear. Clearly, this trend isn't disappearing anytime soon. While it might have worked on some of LG's past devices, we found that the shape of this phone and the particular shallowness of the buttons made us press them by accident all the time. We had to fiddle around to find a comfortable grip and avoid the buttons, though this could be less of a problem as one spends more time with the device.
Another thing worth noticing on the rear is the sensor for LG's laser autofocus system which we saw on the very impressive. The camera has a dual-LED flash and optical image stabilisation. It can take 13-megapixel stills and 4K video.
Unlike its predecessor, the G Flex2 has a removable rear cover. Thanks to the curve, the 3000mAh battery is not a single block and so it is not removable. Only the SIM and microSD card slots can be accessed. The cover also has an improved anti-scratch coating with more effective self-healing capabilities. LG demonstrated this with a rather aggressive demo involving metal-tipped brushes on a mechanical platform.
The company is also touting software improvements on the G Flex2, particularly with regard to the camera app. When using the front-facing camera, the phone will let you trigger a countdown timer by holding up a fist and then unclenching it. This lets you position the camera and get a nice shot without reaching for a shutter release control on-screen or on the rear. You then only have to lower your hand and tilt the phone flat to see the shot you just took. It's a particularly clever touch, since the first thing anyone does is check the photo they've just taken.
There's also Glance view - swipe downwards on the screen when the phone is asleep to see important information such as upcoming appointments. The G Flex2 runs Android 5.0 but LG's custom UI is much the same as it has been for the past year or so.
Under the hood is a 2GHz octa-core Snapdragon 810 SoC, making this one of the first devices running it to debut. There will be a version with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage and another with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage space. LG's website says that microSD cards of up to 2TB are supported, which is the limit of the microSDXC format - cards of that capacity are not expected to be available for many years.
The screen receives a size cut to 5.5 inches, which is a lot more manageable, but also a resolution bump up to 1080x1920. This is very welcome, especially since we wouldn't have accepted any less on a device this premium.
The main question that remains unanswered about the LG G Flex2 is how it will feel to own and use over a long period of time. We will have to wait for a review unit to reach us before we can come to any such conclusions. In the brief time we were able to spend with a unit tethered to the table at LG's booth, we were both impressed and intrigued.

BlackBerry Leap With 5-Inch Display Launched; Curved Display Phone Teased

BlackBerry at MWC 2015 on Tuesday announced a new full-touchscreen mid-range 4G LTE smartphone dubbed the BlackBerry Leap at $275 (approximately Rs. 17,000). The phone, targeted at young mobile professionals, will launch in April in the US. Its release in other markets has not yet been detailed.The single-SIM BlackBerry Leap runs on company's native BB10 (version 10.3.1) operating system. Upfront, the device features a 5-inch HD (720x1280 pixels) Touch display with 294ppi pixel density.
The BlackBerry Leap is powered by a 1.5GHz dual-core Qualcomm MSM 8960 SoC coupled with 2GB of RAM. The camera options on the mid-range BlackBerry smartphone include an 8-megapixel autofocus rear shooter with LED flash and a 2-megapixel front facing camera. The 16GB of inbuilt storage on the device is expandable via microSD card (up to 128GB).

Connectivity options on the BlackBerry Leap include 4G, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth 4.0 Low Energy (LE) and EDR, GPS/ A-GPS, and FM radio. It packs a non-removable 2800mAh battery, measures 144x72.8x9.5mm, and weighs 170 grams. Other specifics of the Leap include dual-microphone for noise cancellation, accelerometer, proximity and ambient light sensors.
To remind you, the same smartphone was earlier tipped in December as the BlackBerry Rio a.k.a BlackBerry Z20, along with press render images and specifications. Then the report had also suggested a price under $300 (approximately Rs. 18,500).
Ron Louks, President, Devices and Emerging Solutions, said of the launch, "In today's mobile world - influenced by trends like BYOD - where personal and corporate data are frequently under attack from hackers, companies and everyday consumers are finding out the hard way that mobile security is paramount. BlackBerry Leap was built specifically for mobile professionals who see their smartphone device as a powerful and durable productivity tool that also safeguards sensitive communications at all times."
Meanwhile, it seems that the Canadian firm wants to fight back for market, and may launch a dual-curved touchscreen smartphone with a slider keyboard in future. The company teased a prototype of the device at MWC and on Twitter.
BlackBerry's official Twitter account posted an image of Louks holding up a phone, noting "What a Surprise! Ron just pulled out a dual-curved, all-touch display with a Keyboard - yes a slider device! #MWC15."
There's no name for the device just yet, but the company describes it as a "dual-curved, all-touch display with a keyboard," with that latter component situated on an old-fashioned slider beneath the display. By far, there is nothing else known about the device not even an expected name.

Lenovo Vibe Shot First Impressions: Shoot in Style

The mid-range smartphone segment in India is filled with some really great, powerful devices. However, these phones are not the best when it comes to camera performance. Microsoft is the only manufacturer, at the moment, that is still making smartphones catering to an audience that wants a good camera; the Lumia 730 and Lumia 830 being prime examples. Lenovo is now trying to bring some variety into this segment by adding the aptly named Vibe Shot into the mix.
DesignAt first glance, it looks like Lenovo is taking the smartphone-camera crossover bit very seriously, which is evident from the design of the Lenovo Vibe Shot. The phone has a camera button, a switch that lets users toggle between the smart and pro camera modes, and a lanyard loop.

Lenovo uses a good mix of metal and glass in the construction of the Vibe Shot. A metal trim runs along the edges of the phone. Additionally, there is a metal strip that takes up 1/3rd of the space on the rear. It lends a lot of character to the otherwise normal candybar design; we think it oozes style. We also felt that the phone has a nice reassuring grip. The 7.3mm-thick phone weighs 145 grams. Our only gripe with the otherwise well-built phone is that the rear is a huge fingerprint magnet.
Specifications, software and cameras
Under the hood, the Lenovo Vibe Shot packs a 64-bit octa-core Snapdragon 615 SoC. There is ample 3GB of RAM and 32GB of inbuilt storage. Unfortunately, there is no memory card slot to add more storage space.
The phone has a 5-inch 1080p panel that has great viewing angles and is packed with pixels. It accepts two Nano-SIM cards. In other connectivity options, the phone also packs support for Bluetooth 4.1 LE. It has a fairly large 2900mAh battery providing it the juice it needs.
Lenovo uses Vibe UI skin on top of Android 5.0 Lollipop but unlike the implementation we saw on the A7000, Lenovo has tweaked all aspects of Lollipop to be in line with Vibe UI's aesthetics.

The main camera on the Lenovo Vibe Shot can shoot 16-megapixel images and has an infrared autofocus, which Lenovo claims can focus at 2x speeds compared to normal autofocus. We did notice that the autofocus on the phone was fast but we couldn't really determine how fast. Also, the camera has OIS and tricolour flash that automatically luminosity based on ambient light conditions. This is bound to be useful for low-light photography.
The front camera can capture 8-megapixel selfies. We took a photo with the main camera under incandescent light and after transferring them to a computer noticed that the images looked sharp and had great colour reproduction as well. We'd definitely love to test it out in regular conditions when we get our hands on a review unit.
Final thoughts
We really think the metal on the body of the Lenovo Vibe Shot is a neat addition. Moreover, if the camera inside the phone manages to outperform other phones in this price range then we really think that Lenovo might have a winner on its hands. The phone is priced at $349 (approximately Rs. 21,600) for the markets in which Lenovo operates. Keep watching this space for our full-fledged review of the phone

Honor 6 Plus India Launch in Late March Alongside Budget 4G Phones

Huawei's Honor brand has announced its expansion plans for the Indian market. The company has confirmed that the Huawei Honor 6 Plus will be launching in India by end of March alongside budget 4G smartphones.The Chinese handset brand however has not detailed names of the other handsets expected to launch in the country.
Announcing the news at the sidelines of MWC 2015, Dragon Yin, President of Honor International Business, said "Honor was launched last year in Western Europe and the success in these markets has made us optimistic. We have already entered 57 global markets only in six months and plan to invest considerably to develop global markets and India as these are very important market for us."
Yin confirmed that Huawei is planning to launch budget 4G phones in the country and ties-in with a report from last year that also claimed the Chinese handset manufacturer's plans to launch 4G smartphones for less than Rs. 10,000 within six months.
"With the launch of 4G in India, we are sure that we will be able to increase our market share by introducing affordable 4G smartphones in India. Our differential lies in our quality, our ability to innovate and each of our products is a result of extensive research and development. We are expecting that the Honor 6 Plus to take the market by storm," Yin further added.
The company also gave some details about Honor units sold last year. According to Huawei, Honor clocked 20 million units in 2014. Huawei India launched the Huawei Honor Holly in the country in October.
Coming back to Huawei's Honor 6 Plus, it was launched in China in December in two variants - one priced at CNY 1,999 (roughly Rs. 20,500) came with 4G connectivity support on only one SIM, while the CNY 2,499 (roughly Rs. 25,700) variant came with both SIM slots supporting 4G networks.