Showing posts with label FoneArena. Show all posts
Showing posts with label FoneArena. Show all posts
Wednesday, 22 February 2017
Samsung Flow will allow Galaxy smartphone users to unlock Windows 10 PC with fingerprint
Samsung Flow Android app will soon get an update that will allow Galaxy smartphone users to remotely unlock their Windows 10 PC. Currently, Samsung Flow allows Galaxy Tab Pro S users to unlock their tablet with a compatible Galaxy smartphone’s fingerprint scanner.
Samsung confirmed in reply to a Samsung Flow user that an upcoming update for Samsung Flow is in the works and it would be released for all Windows 10 PCs after the next major Windows 10 update that is expected in April. Moreover, Samsung Flow will also allow compatible Galaxy phones to enable its mobile hotspot so a Windows 10 PC can stay connected on the road via its Wi-Fi hardware. In addition to fingerprint authentication using a Galaxy smartphone, the app also lets users check their smartphone notifications and reply to them from the PC, transfer content, and share app activity from the paired smartphone.
Tuesday, 21 February 2017
Gionee India extends DOA policy from 7 to 30 days to return smartphones
Gionee today revised its Dead on Arrival (DOA) policy, which allows customers to return any Gionee mobile phone, which has developed a functional Defect within 30 Days of purchase from 7 days.
A DOA handset must qualify the following conditions:
- Functional defect within 30 days of Activation/Proof of purchase (whichever is earlier)
- Handset box should be supported by original invoice with IMEI details
- Box, Handset and all original accessories should be available
- No sign of major scratches, damage, tampering, liquid damage or user defects• Defect must be re-produced in service center
- Customer approaches Authorized Service Centre with the defective handset along with Box and all accessories.DOA shall not be considered under the following conditions:
- In case the defect is not reproduced at SVC Center.
- Any Software related issues. viii. Issues related to all kind of Accessories
Gionee currently has 460 exclusive service centers across India, which will go up to 650 by end of 2017. These are equipped to handle complaint upto L3 level and also include specialized zones for product demonstrations, customer interactions and face-to-face service for handheld devices. The company plans to open 35 premium exclusive service centers in India in 2017.
Commenting on the new move, Uday N. Pandey, Head – Service, Gionee India, said:
Gionee has always been a leader known for bringing in innovationin products and services for its customers always. Our commitment is consumer satisfaction and to ensure that we reach out to all our consumers across the country through exclusive service centers. The extension of the period in DOA policy will empower the customers to report to us if they are facing any technical issue with a smartphone and we will get it rectified. The new policy is elevating our commitment to consumers by prioritizing their needs.
Google is testing VoLTE calling support for select Project Fi subscribers
Google said that it is testing VoLTE network connections for some Project Fi users. With VoLTE, phone calls use 4G LTE that results in better call quality and faster data connections. However, VoLTE will not use your monthly data to offer the service.
The company posted in Project Fi forum that it has started testing VoLTE with a subset of its users. VoLTE calls on Project Fi are most likely to work only when it is running on T-Mobile’s network. Google did not mention when all the Project Fi subscribers will get the VoLTE support.
Alena, Project Fi Community Manager posted in a forum,
You can tell you’re making a VoLTE call because your signal indicator will continue to display LTE instead of falling to H [HSPA] when you make or receive a call.
Introduced in 2015, Project Fi is Google’s own wireless service that was made open to all usersin the US in March 2016. It works with Pixel, Pixel XL, and Nexus 5X and 6P.
WhatsApp Status starts rolling out for Android and iOS, takes on Snapchat and Instagram Stories
After testing out WhatsApp Status back in November last year and rolling out the feature for beta users last week, WhatsApp today officially announced that it will start rolling the Status feature that lets you add photos, videos and emojis to status messages from today. This is similar to Snapchat and Instagram Stories.
This coincides with WhatsApp’s 8th birthday on February 24. WhatsApp Status allows you to share images and videos with your friends and contacts on WhatsApp, and the status updates are end-to-end encrypted similar to WhatsApp messages.
Similar to Snapchat and Instagram Stories, WhatsApp status disappears after 24 hours. You can tap to move to the next status, edit and post photos, videos and GIFs as your new status. This will be a major addition to WhatsApp as until now you can only write plain simple text with emojis as your status update. Users will have the ability to control who can see their status updates from privacy settings.
Sunday, 19 February 2017
Skype Preview for Android and iOS adds Messaging and In-call reactions, Find panel and more
Microsoft has updated its Skype Preview for Android and iOS with a lot of new features that are meant to make conversations more expressive and entertaining. It has new in-call reactions that let people add live emoticons, photos, and text to video calls. Integrated camera now supports emoticons, stickers, and annotations and lots more.
New features in Skype Preview for Android and iOS
- In-call reactions: you can now add live emoticons, live text and even real-time photos to your video calls. We all know a picture speaks a thousand words, and now you can amp up those video calls, especially when you’re keeping pace with a busy group.
- Integrated camera:quickly swipe to capture those precious moments. Make them your own by adding emoticons, stickers and annotations, then promptly share them in the chat.
- Messaging reactions:respond to any message from your contacts with multiple reactions. Reactions can be used for any purpose: voting, showing excitement, or just for fun.
- Find panel: easily find and share links, news, sports results, restaurants, the weather, videos and more without leaving the app. No more switching back and forth between apps; we’re making it easy to bring the content you care about to the conversations that matter.
You can download Skype Preview for Android from Google Play and the Skype Preview for iOS is available in limited capacity through Apple’s TestFlight.
YouTube will kill 30-seconds unskippable ads in 2018
YouTube’s most irritating 30-seconds unskippable ad format will go away next year. Google told the Campaign in a statement that it will kill this ad format in 2018. The video service will instead introduce more frequent six-second unskippable ads starting next year.
A YouTube spokesperson told the Campaign,
We’re committed to providing a better ads experience for users online. As part of that, we’ve decided to stop supporting 30-second unskippable ads as of 2018 and focus instead on formats that work well for both users and advertisers.
The company further said that it will continue with 15 and 20-second non-skippable ad format however, you will see more six-second bumper ads in 2018.
Apple reportedly working with Broadcom for wireless charging solution
It has been reported a couple of times that the next generation iPhones will support wireless charging. According to JPMorgan analyst Harlan Sur (via CNBC), Apple has been working with Broadcom on a new customized wireless charging solution that could be seen on future iPhones.
Apple and Broadcom have reportedly been working together on a wireless charging solution for approximately two years, added the report. Sur is not sure whether the feature will be included in this years iPhones due to “caution around the battery-related recall” of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo expects that all three iPhones released this year will have wireless charging. Earlier it was reported that only the top-end iPhone with OLED display will come with wireless charging.
JPMorgan analyst Harlan Sur wrote in his note,
We believe the glass back cover is conducive to wireless charging as it reduces signal interference versus a metal casing. It is possible for Apple to add proprietary features such as fast charging or extended charging to differentiate itself from the pack and enhance the value of its own hardware ecosystem.
This week, Apple joined Wireless Power Consortium an industry group that develops a widely-used Qi wireless charging standard that is present on many smartphone.
Saturday, 18 February 2017
Google Home will now let you shop with the help of Google Assistant
You will have to sign up for payments inside the Goolge Home app by heading to More Settings, scroll to the bottom of the screen and select “Payments.” Once you sign up for payments via Google Assistant in the Google Home app, you can get started by saying “Ok Google, how do I shop?” There are no additional service or membership fees if you shop via Google Home through April 30, 2017. Google notes that the selection of items available through voice ordering may be slightly different from the one on the Google Express homepage.
Amazon Echo already lets users shop from its own store. Google said it will continue to add new features and enable purchases for other apps and services via Google Home in coming months.
Tata Motors and Microsoft sign a deal for connected cars
Tata Motors and Microsoft India has announced a strategic agreement to improve connected car experience for Indian customers. The company will leverage Microsoft’s connected vehicle technologies that bring together artificial intelligence (AI), advanced machine learning, and the Internet of Things (IoT) capabilities.
The first vehicle showcasing the vision for these enhanced driving experiences will be unveiled at the 87th Geneva International Motor Show on March 7, 2017.The company also said that the “user interface application” will be unique. It will offer features such as advanced navigation, predictive maintenance, telematics and remote monitoring features. The partnership will offer features like point-of-interests for restaurants, shopping and route assist tips for driver depending on the location and their profile.
The platform will also provide timely alerts about the health of the car to ensure that it is well maintained and does not break down in the middle of a trip. It will even offer firmware over the air (FOTA) and software over the air (SOTA) updates protocols, key vehicle settings can be updated remotely, over the cloud. These will help cloud based diagnostics and the ability to use insights from vehicle data to prevent warranty and recall issues, and offer new services that improve user experience.
Guenter Butschek, CEO & MD, Tata Motors, said,
With the aim to develop innovative and technologically leading products that excite customers, we at Tata Motors, understand the need for a connected ecosystem that can integrate into the digital lives of customers. We are using Microsoft’s connected vehicle technologies on Azure intelligent cloud to bring the digital lives of our customers into the cars they drive. Making the most of fast-paced innovation cycle that Microsoft has to offer, we will create a fully connected and seamless driving experience for our customers.
Anant Maheshwari, President, Microsoft India said,
We are excited to partner with Tata Motors as they embark on a new journey of innovation with Microsoft Azure cloud. Using IoT, AI and machine learning technologies, we will provide vehicle owners in India and across the world with a safe, productive and fun driving experience.
Thursday, 16 February 2017
Apple’s latest patent hints at built-in fingerprint reader into iPhone display
Apple has been granted a patent by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for a new fingerprint reading technology. The patent titled “Interactive display panel with IR diodes” was originally filed in 2014 and first spotted by AppleInsider.
As per the patent, the technology could replace the physical home button that is present at the bottom of iPhone’s screen. The fingerprint reader will be embedded in the display instead of the home button. This would allow users to touch a device’s touchscreen to activate a virtual home button. The technology was invented by LuxVue that was acquired by Apple in 2014. This patent was subsequently assigned to Apple.
iPhone debuted in 2007 with the iconic home button which was simply used to get back to the home screen in iOS. However in 2013, Apple unveiled Touch ID fingerprint sensor that was used to unlock the device and authenticate mobile payments via Apple Pay. Just yesterday, it was reported that Apple iPhone 8 might come with an iris scanner. Apple is expected to bring major design changes to iPhones this year as it is will be company’s 10th anniversary.
Wednesday, 15 February 2017
How to AirPlay and Mirror content from your Apple iPhone, iPad and iPod touch
AirPlay is Apple’s implementation that allows its product users to wirelessly stream audio, video, photos or device screen between devices.
Today, to those of you who don’t know how it’s done, we’ll tell you how to stream or mirror content on AirPlay enabled device from your Apple iPhone, iPad or iPod touch.
First of all what you can AirPlay? And to where? You can AirPlay photos of videos from an iOS device to an Apple TV or you can AirPlay music from an iOS device to an Apple TV, AirPort Express or AirPlay enabled speakers.
How to AirPlay content?
- You need to connect to the same Wi-Fi network on your iOS device and on the device that you are trying to play the content on.
- Once connected to the same network, open Control Center on your iOS device and swipe horizontally to find the Now Playing screen.
- Find the list of available AirPlay devices and then select the device that you want to play your content on.
- That’s it! Enjoy your content on a big screen.
How to Mirror your iDevice?
- You need to connect to the same Wi-Fi network on your iOS device and on the device that you are trying to play the content on.
- Once connected to the same network, open Control Center on your iOS device and tap AirPlay Mirroring.
- If you are promoted a passcode on your TV screen, punch that in on your iOS device and you start mirroring.
- Note: Mirroring is possible only on Apple TV.
Tuesday, 14 February 2017
Google App Alpha update with Google Assistant for non-Pixel phones pops up online
Those who signed up for the Google app Beta channel previously are now getting the “alpha” release of the Google app v6.13 update, which as per the users has lots of bugs.
It seems this update is said to come with the ability to add payments information to Google Assistant on Pixel smartphones, Lite mode, and offline search. To our surprise, the Google Assistant also appeared on the Non-pixel phones as well with this update.
Also, the v6.13 update brings the Google Assistant to several non-Pixel smartphones including Samsung Galaxy Note 5, Nexus 6P and more. While this roll out of Google Assistant is pretty unfortunate, the setting page in the Google App is recognizing these devices as Google’s Pixel lineup.
Accessing Google Assistant is pretty much the same as accessing Google Now. When you access it for the first time, it will greet you with “New! You just got the Google Assistant.”
Other features are the Lite mode, which basically changes the layout of the web page into a simpler form that consumes fewer data. Also, there is a ‘Recent’ feature, that lets you take a look at the previous searches done by you.
Nokia to launch 4.9G technology by the end of 2017
Nokia said it will introduce its 4.9G technologies by the end of 2017 that will allow operators to enhance their network performance and manage the higher infrastructure demands on the path to 5G.
A 4.9G MIMO Adaptive Antenna will increase cell capacity by up to five times, while a new 4.5G Pro AirScale Micro Remote Radio Head (RRH) will allow operators to take advantage of unlicensedspectrum to enable Gigabit speeds. It will provide significant increases in capacity and several Gigabits of speed-per-second on the path to 5G.
Nokia said in a statement,
Nokia 4.9G will provide significant increases in capacity and several Gigabits of speed-per-second on the path to 5G. The introduction of the AirScale massive MIMO Adaptive Antenna is a milestone in the delivery of 4.9G, driving capacity increases for megacity deployments.
The company is working with the US service provider Sprint and will demonstrate the technology using 3D Beamforming software to deliver throughout gains of up to eight-fold up link and five-fold down link at Mobile World Congress 2017. The demonstration will leverage commercially-available devices operating on TD-LTE band 41.
Frank Weyerich, head of Mobile Networks Products at Nokia, said
Nokia introduced 4.5G Pro and 4.9G last year to allow operators to implement network capacity increases where and when it made sense for them. Now we are delivering features that will maximize their resources, speed deployment times and cut power and costs especially in the most densely populated locations. We are making 4.5G Pro a commercial reality now and working with customers to innovate with solutions to their network densification and evolution challenges in 4.9G and beyond.
Sunday, 12 February 2017
Google Photos will now make animations from video, rotate photos and more
Google Photos has been updated with new features that will help you with easy discovery of old photos, animations for videos and auto rotation of photos.
First up, Google Photos will now help you rediscover old memories of the people in your most recent photos.p, Google uses machine learning to find an old photo you might have taken long back with the faces that appear in your recently taken photos. Secondly, Photos will now offer highlights photos from a certain person whose images are present most in your camera roll. For example if you have been taking lots of pictures of your baby, it will aggregate the best photos of your baby and show them to you as recent highlights.
Next up, Google Photos will now offer small animations from your videos. The app will create small looping GIF videos that are present on your device which can be shared via various channels. Finally, the update will now allows Google Photos to suggest rotations for those photos that are sideways. Once you review the photos, they will be automatically rotated.
ZTE nubia Z11 miniS with 5.2-inch 1080p display, Snapdragon 625, 4GB RAM, 23MP camera announced
ZTE’s nubia just announced nubia Z11 miniS, the company’s latest smartphone in the Z11 series in China. It packs a 5.2-inch 1080p 2.5D curved glass display, is powered by an Octa-Core Snapdragon 625 processor and runs on Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) with nubia UI 4.0. It has a 23-megapixel rear camera with Sony IMX318 sensor, LED flash, phase-detection auto-focus (PDAF) for quick focus in 0.1 seconds, and a 13-megapixel front-facing camera.
It has 4GB of RAM, 64GB /128GB of internal storage with hybrid dual SIM support that lets you use the second slot as a microSD expansion slot when required. It also has aircraft-grade aluminum unibody design and a fingerprint sensor on the back the can unlock the phone in 0.2 seconds.
ZTE nubia Z11 miniS specifications
- 5.2-inch (1920 x 1080 pixels) Full HD 2.5D display, 85% NTSC color gamut, 450nits brightness, 1500:1 contrast ratio, Corning Gorilla Glass protection
- 2GHz LPDDR3 Octa-Core Snapdragon 625 processor with Adreno 506 GPU
- 4GB LPDDR3 RAM, 64/128GB (eMMC 5.1) storage, expandable memory up to 200GB with microSD
- Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) with nubia UI 4.0
- Hybrid Dual SIM (nano + nano/microSD)
- 23MP rear camera with LED Flash, Sony IMX318 sensor, PDAF, f/2.0 aperture, 6P lens
- 13MP front-facing camera, Sony IMX258 sensor, f/2.2 aperture, 80-degree wide-angle lens
- Fingerprint sensor
- Dimensions: 146.06×72.14×7.60mm; Weight: 158 grams
- 4G VoLTE, dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11 ac, Bluetooth 4.1, GPS + GLONASS, USB Type-C
- 3000mAh battery
nubia Z11 miniS comes in Gold, Silver and Gold with Black colors and is priced at 1499 yuan (US$ 222 / Rs. 14,870 approx.) for the 64GB version and the 128GB storage version costs 1899 yuan (US$ 281 / Rs. 18,830 approx.). It is now available for order in China and goes on sale from October 25th.
Vodafone India creates new Guinness World Record with largest paper recharge voucher
Vodafone India has created a 62 ft 5.5 inch by 40ft 1 inch (2503.53 sq ft or 232.32 sq mtr) paper recharge voucher in Agra. The telecom operator has created a Guinness World Record with this initiative.
Vodafone says it has created the huge paper recharge voucher to celebrate the assortment of offers available through paper recharges of varied denominations. This achievement by Vodafone UP-West, was certified by Swapnil Dangarikar, Adjudicating Officer, Guinness World Records.
Dillip Kumar Ganta, Business Head- UP-West, Vodafone India said,
We have made significant investments on ramping up our network in UP West and Uttarakhand for Vodafone SuperNet™, Vodafone’s best network ever. With Vodafone SuperNet™ our customers in cities, towns and villages in the circle can remain confidently connected with their loved ones at all times through voice and mobile internet. UP West has a significant pre-paid base and it has been our endeavour to ensure our basket of offerings cater to the unique needs and usage patterns of different customer categories. Creating the world’s largest voucher is one way of highlighting this customer centricity and reflects our dedication to provide best services to the stakeholders.
Panasonic Eluga Tapp with 2GB RAM, fingerprint sensor, 4G VoLTE launched for Rs. 8990
Panasonic India has launched Eluga Tapp, the company’s latest 4G smartphone in the Eluga series with support for 4G VoLTE. It has a 5-inch (1280 x 720 pixels) HD IPS display, is powered by a 1.25GHz Quad-Core processor and runs on Android 6.0 (Marshmallow), has a 8-megapixel rear camera with LED flash and a 5-megapixel front-facing camera.
It has a fingerprint sensor below the display and comes with Android for Work’that allows the user to segregate the business apps from personal apps and also protects user’s personal data.
Panasonic Eluga Tapp specifications
- 5-inch (1280 x 720 pixels) HD IPS display
- 1.25GHz Quad-Core processor
- 2GB RAM, 16GB internal memory, expandable memory up to 32GB with MicroSD
- Android 6.0 (Marshmallow)
- Dual SIM
- 8MP rear camera with LED Flash
- 5MP front-facing camera
- Dimensions: 143×71×8.15mm; Weight: 138g
- Fingerprint sensor
- 4G VoLTE, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS
- 2800mAh battery
The Panasonic Eluga Tapp comes in Champagne Gold and Silver Gray colors and is priced at Rs. 8,990.
Commenting on the launch, Pankaj Rana, Business Head – Mobility Division, Panasonic India, said:
As we store more and more information on our phones and share it in ever more riskier ways, Fingerprint scanning has emerged as the most popular biometric technology. Much of the time, our personal information and details are protected by just the few hastily thought-out numbers in our passwords which we store in our phone. The new lightning fast front fingerprint sensor in Panasonic Eluga Tapp gives you a convenient way to unlock your device and secure your personal data. The scanner will be able to recognize your fingers and thumbs in a split second, topped with Android-for-work integration.Panasonic Eluga Tapp makes a mark in the affordable range for a diverse market like India. By introducing Panasonic Eluga Tapp we plan to make a presence in the tier II and tier III cities. This phone comes with top-end features but at an affordable price tag. The HD display, faster processing power and powerful battery empowers the consumer to perform all their task at ease and ensures longer operations. For Panasonic India, it is a step towards making the lives of the consumers easier and their data secure.
HTC Bolt with 5.5 inch 1080p display, 3GB RAM and no headphone jack surfaces
Last month, a render of HTC Boltsmartphone had surfaced. Now, popular tipster Evan Blass aka @evleaks has shared live images of the phone that offers a good look at the phone from all sides.
The HTC Bolt has a typical design which most HTC smartphones sport. Blass says it will feature 5.5 inch 1080p display and come with 3GB RAM, 64GB storage. It has a unibody metal design. At the front it has a front facing camera, earpiece and usual set of proximity and ambient light sensor. Below the display there are two capacitive touch buttons on either sides of the physical home button that comes equipped with a fingerprint sensor.
The left side houses SIM card and micro SD card slots while the right side has the power/lock button and volume rockers. Coming to the back, the flash is seen above the camera module while the laser autofocus module is not seen. The antenna lines are present at the top and bottom. The HTC branding is present at the center. The phone will have 18MP rear camera /2.0 lens and 4K video capture and an 8MP front-facing camera.
The bottom of the phone houses primary microphone, USC Type C and loudspeaker grill. As mentioned in earlier report, the HTC Bolt will not come with a headphone jack. Blass says, the Bolt does offer HTC’s BoomSound audio technology which is only available at the time of the using headphones. The phone will run on Android 7.0 Nougat with Sense 8.0 UI.
There is no word when HTC will make the Bolt official.
Sony to launch at least five Playstation games for Android and iOS by 2018
A new report from Wall Street Journal says that Sony will launch at least five Playstation games for Android and iOS by March 2018.
These mobile games will be released by Sony’s ForwardWorkssubsidiary, which it opened earlier this year in March to focus on mobile gaming. These games will be first unveiled in Japan and other Asian markets, followed by other countries. Currently there are less details about the type of games that will be released for mobile devices. The latest news comes just weeks after Nintendo teamed up with Apple for bringing Super Mario Run to iOS.
ForwardWorks leverages intellectual property of the numerous PlayStation dedicated software titles and its gaming characters and focus on its user base in Japan and Asia. It aims to deliver users to enjoy full-fledged game titles in the new filed of the smart device market.
