Motorola announces Ara, a new modular phone concept

We have seen the ambitions Phonebloks concept in the past. But while the idea was definitely amazing, it was hard not to get cynical about its success, considering it was just guy with an idea trying to get the attention of companies around the world to make it a reality.

But what if one of those companies decided to take the idea and do something about it? Presenting the Motorola Ara, a modular phone concept that might actually become real one day.

Just like with Phonebloks, the Ara will have removable modules that will let you replace or upgrade specific parts of the device. This makes repair and upgrading easy but also lets you customize the phone to your exact needs. You can choose only those modules that are important to you and skimp out on the others.

The Motorola Ara project has been in development for a year now, so it's not something Motorola put together when they saw the Phonebloks video. Motorola will also be working with the creator of the Phonebloks concept Dave Hakkens on the Ara project.

Motorola will soon be sending invites to developers to start working on modules for the Ara and an alpha version of a Module Developer's Kit will be released in winter.

Leaked Video: This is How Nexus 5 Looks Like, Epic !

Leaked information, specifications and other details are spinning in the rumor mills for the Nexus 5 from a couple of days now. Just a day before we saw an image for the Nexus 5, which shows the Nexus 5 revolution and now what has leaked out is a video showing almost everything for the Nexus 5.

The seven minute video shows the device from all angles as well as running various applications but without any sound. The phone showed in the video is very much similar to what we all have seen in the leaked images, the android version on the device is showed as Key Lime Pie which seems a little strange at the first glance but the description of the video clearly says that this video was recorded when the software of the phone was in the earlier stage. 

However, the rumored specifications of the Nexus 5 are a 4.95 inch full HD IPS LCD display, supposedly the device will be powered by a 2.3 GHz Quad-Core processor with a Snapdragon 800 chipset along with a 2 GB of RAM, 8 MP camera, a 1.3 MP front facing camera. The device is believed to be run on Android 4.4 KitKat.

This is a leaked video, so people anxiously waiting for the device can calm down as the official news should not be away!

Apple's iPhone 5s and 5c to be available in India from Nov 1

Apple, the iconic maker of iPhones and iPads, yesterday said the latest models of its smartphones will go on sale in India just before Diwali.

The iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c will be available in more than a dozen countries on November 1, including India and Mexico, Apple said in a statement today, without revealing their prices.

Apple has timed the release of iPhones in India before Diwali, which is on November 3. Apple products have previously hit the Indian markets in the last fortnight of November or the the first fortnight of December.

The Iphone 5s, which the California-based firm calls the the most forward-thinking smartphone in the world, and the iPhone 5c, the most colourful iPhone yet, will hit retailers in 25 countries, including Italy, Russia and Spain, from October 25, it added.

The iPhone 5s comes in gold, silver and space grey and the iPhone 5c comes in blue, green, pink, yellow and white.

A contract-free and unlocked 16GB version of the iPhone 5c is available for USD 549 (about Rs 34,700) in the US, while an unlocked and contract-free iPhone 5s can be bought in the US for USD 649 (about Rs 41,000).

Apple releases iOS 7.0.2, fixes lock screen security bug

Apple has released an update for iOS 7 – iOS 7.0.2. The update fixes a bug that let users bypass the passcode security lock screen. The issue was discovered in a matter of hours after iOS 7 was released to the public.

The OS update reads, “Fixes the bug that could allow someone to bypass the lock screen passcode. Reintroduces a Greek keyboard option for passcode entry.”

Passcode on the lock screen gives you a basic level of security. When the passcode is active, no one can access the content on your phone, unless they know the passcode. Bypassing the passcode on iOS 7 was a bit tricky. Users needed to access the control center by swiping up from the bottom of the display and accessing the alarm clock. After that, hold the power button for a while which will give you the option to switch off the phone. Cancel that option. After than you can double tap the home button to bring up the multitasking menu, which will give you access to the camera and stored photos along with any logged-in email and social networking accounts.

If you haven’t updated your iOS device to 7.0.2, you can do so by going into the settings option, then “General,” and selecting “Software Update.”

LG G2 India Launch Confirmed For September 30th

LG has rolled out India launch invitations for their flagship smartphone  – the LG G2. The uniquely designed G2 was launched last month globally in an event in New York City on August 7. The company promised to roll out the device globally in over 130 countries in the next eight weeks time. Now the device will finally make its way to India on 30th September.

A spacious, 5.2-inch IPS LCD display with an amazingly thin bezel graces the front of the LG G2. Its resolution of 1080 by 1920 pixels ensures that everything on it will look nice and sharp, especially knowing that a standard RGB sub-pixel arrangement has been implemented. The screen panel will be countering the sun’s rays with 450 nits of maximum brightness output. 

The device will carry a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor (with 2GB of RAM), which will have four Krait 400 cores clocked at 2.26Ghz and the company’s new Adreno 330 GPU clocked at 500Mhz. This SoC is a huge upgrade over the Snapdragon 600, and should allow for next-generation 3D gaming (when it arrives).

Storage on the general model is 32GB with a microSD card slot included for further expansion. LG has opted to switch to nano-SIM for its latest handset.

The LG G2 has a 13-megapixel shooter at the back with Optical Image Stabilization and a front-facing 2.1-megapixel camera, a 3,000mAh battery and Android Jelly Bean 4.2.2 Jelly Bean right out of the box. The LG G2 will be the first commercially available handset with support for 24bit,192kHz audio output.

Nokia Lumia 1020 to be available first week of October

The Nokia Lumia 1020 is coming to the Indian stopre shelves in the first week of October. No beating around the bush here people, because we all know how many of us are waiting eagerly for the device.

Nokia has been incredibly tight lipped about the Indian launch date and while the U.K. saw the phone launching in its market today for a whopping 600 pounds, the Indian market will be seeing the phone in the first week of October. While the price of the phone is still a mystery, quite possibly due to the current fluctuation in the rupee value.

The Nokia Lumia 1020 I the upcoming Windows Phone from Nokia, one that combines the much talked about 41-megapixel 1/2 inch sensor along with a fast f/2.2 aperture and an optical image stabilization system that has proven to be quite amazing. 

Besides the camera, the phone also runs off the Windows Phone 8 operating system and is powered by a Snapdragon S4 Pro processor (dual core clocked at 1.5 GHz) and 2GB of RAM. While the Lumia 1020 may not have a microSD slot, it does come with a generous 32GB of on-board storage

Micromax launches 8-inch Canvas Tab P650 for Rs. 16,500

Micromax has launched the Canvas Tab P650 Android tablet, making it the first tablet in the Canvas series. The Android tablet enabled with voice-calling feature will be available at a price of Rs. 16,500 and can be purchased via e-commerce sites and retailers across the country.

The new Canvas Tab P650 has an 8-inch IPS (1024x768 pixels) display, powered by a 1.2 GHz quad-core processor and is bundled with 1GB of RAM. It sports a 5-megapixel rear camera along with 2- megapixel camera on its front. In terms of memory, it offers a solid 16GB of in-built storage which is expandable up to 32 GB via a microSD card. It has a 4,800 mAh battery which can deliver up to 5 hours of browsing.

With reference to connectivity, the tablet features a SIM-card slot voice calling so it has a SIM-card slot, 3G support, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS. It runs on Android 4.2.1 Jelly Bean and Micromax assures that it can be upgraded via OTA updates. The tablet comes preloaded with apps like Spuul, M! Security, Music Hub and Opera Mini. The Canvas P650 will also be available in White and Blue colours.

“With today’s launch, we aim to extend the Canvas experience to our users on the tablet PC’s, supported by an entire eco-system of applications,” said Micromax Co-Founder Rahul Sharma. “The Canvas Tab promises a seamless experience to the consumers.”

iOS 7 : The Good And The Bad

While developers around the world have been running iOS 7 on their iDevices for quite some time now, commoners began receiving the much hyped and much awaited update last night. 

We take a look at the good and the bad things that Apple has introduced in the new OS.

The Good

1. Multi-Tasking

In iOS 7, Apple has completely retooled the way multitasking (or switching between apps if we want to be a tad more precise) works. While beckoning the app switcher in iOS 7 remains the same — a quick double tap on the home button — the entire implementation has been completely retooled.

Apps can now take advantage of full background multitasking but as always, you don’t have to close apps for battery saving reasons. Apple does a great job of freezing them in place so they don’t suck up your battery life.

2. Control Center And Notification Center

The first thing each iDevice owner did after jailbreaking his/her device was to add shortcut toggles for simple utilities like turning WiFi on and off, Airplane mode, BlueTooth etc. Finally, Apple decided to incorporate this feature into the OS itself, with iOS featuring a brand new Control Center. 

By flicking upwards from the bottom of the screen, you can enable or disable Airplane Mode, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Do Not Disturb; adjust the volume and brightness; pause or play music; enable AirDrop and AirPlay; and quickly access your camera’s LED light (for use as a flashlight), timer, calculator, and camera.

The Notifications panel also undergoes a makeover with it being divided into 3 categories. 

3. AirDrop

In iOS 7, not only can you quickly send photos, videos, and contacts using AirDrop, but just about anything from any app that has the share button (with the exception of music). The only problem is that it only works on iPhone 5 or later because of the chip architecture in the iPhone 4S. 

4. Email Management

Swiping right on an email in iOS 7 lets you delete the message, as always. But now it also reveals a “More” icon that you can tap to see more options, including the ability to move the email into a folder, mark it as unread or mark it as “junk.” With so many third-party apps vying to be your go-to iOS mail app, Apple seriously needed to beef up Mail—and it did, with this and other enhancements.

 

The Bad

1. Icons

When Apple gave the world its first glimpse of iOS 7 in June, professional designers and ordinary iPhone users alike were struck by the radical visual changes that the company had made to its signature mobile operating system. While Apple touted the brighter, flatter, and simpler design as the “biggest change to iOS since the introduction of the iPhone,” members of the design community denounced the new interface as “ugly,” ”childish,” and “inconsistent.”

At the center of the criticism were iOS 7′s new home screen application icons, whose lush, metaphorical designs were replaced by colorful, geometric abstractions. Safe to say they aren’t pleasing everyone.

2. Rough Installation

After downloading iOS 7, it took us six tries to actually install it. Granted, we attempted to install the OS the day of its release, late in the night—which was probably peak time for Apple’s servers. But we still think Apple should have been able to predict the demand and been better prepared. 

3. Siri

Siri continues to get better, it’s still nowhere near being a feature that won’t frustrate you more than help you.

Many times, it won’t be able to connect or won’t have an answer, and anytime it can’t help you quickly, it ends up taking up much more of your time as you dig through the phone to find an app you realize you should have opened in the first place. 

4. Awkward Contrasts

When Apple showed off iOS 7 in June, it was pretty proud of how the new icons seemed to float above the background wallpaper to create an almost 3-D effect. In real life, the interaction between iOS 7 and the screen background is challenging at best. Because groups of apps stored together no longer are set off with a black background and white border, they adapt to the wallpaper colors behind them.

The results are mixed. Sometimes, you get offsetting contrast, sometimes you don’t. Worse still, the white text is often not so easy to read against the background, because the new font is thinner. You may find yourself experimenting with wallpapers to get it right.

What do you think? Which features impressed you the most and which made you flinch? Let us know in the comments section below!

Sony launches waterproof Xperia Z1 smartphone for Rs. 44,990

Electronics major Sony on Wednesday launched waterproof premium smartphone Xperia Z1 for Rs.44,990 with an aim to double its share in the high-end mobile phone market to 20 %.

Xperia Z1 takes over as the new flagship smartphone from Xperia Z, which was launched six month ago. It has a faster processor, sturdier body and higher camera resolution as compared to its predecessor. This is the Japanese manufacturer's seventh product launched in India since April this year.

The company is also offering free 8GB data download on Vodafone, free accidental insurance for six months and EMI scheme with the device. Xperia Z1 comes with free access to movies, songs and TV shows with Xperia Z1. Only content under Sony Music, Sony Entertainment andSony Pictures brands will be available to users as part of this scheme.

Xperia Z1's 20.7MP camera has 27mm wide-angle G Lens optics - similar to the Carl Zeiss lens - and a Bionz image processor, which is a first for any smartphone. The device has a large 1/2.3-inch sensor, which is used in Sony compact cameras, and F/2.0 aperture that helps improve photo quality under low light conditions. The phone is capable of streaming live videos to Facebook as well.

Other features of the Xperia Z1 include a 5-inch LCD display with 1920x1080p resolution and Triluminous technology. The device runs on the 2.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor, paired with 2GB RAM. It runs on Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean) and comes with 16GB internal storage and supports microSD expansion up to 64GB. Connectivity options in the device include 2G, 3G, 4G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, microUSB 2.0 and NFC.

Just like other top-end Sony smartphones, the Xperia Z1 is resistant to water as well as dust and features shatterproof and scratch resistant glass. Its 3,000mAh battery delivers talk time of up to 15 hours, says Sony.

The Japanese manufacturer also unveiled its range of QX Smart Lens snap-on camera lenses in the country. The QX 10 and QX 100 lenses have been priced at Rs 12,990 and Rs 24,990, respectively. The former has 18MP resolution, while the latter has resolution of 20.2MP. Both these camera lenses can be clipped on to the back of any smartphone and take high resolution photos using the handset.

Introducing Samsung GALAXY Note 3

A7 processor in iPhone 5S not revolutionary: Analyst

 NEW DELHI: While introducing iPhone 5S, Apple also introduced the A7, a new processor that powers the phone. This is a successor to the A6 chip found in iPhone 5 and offers almost two times more performance. The A7 is also the world's first 64-bit smartphone processor.

While Apple talked how great its new processor is, an analyst told TOI that it is evolutionary and "not revolutionary". Apple, unlike companies like LG and Sony that use processors made by firms like Qualcomm and Nvidia, designs its own processors.

"The A7 is a good step forward, but it's far from revolutionary," said Patrick Moorhead, president and principal analyst at Moor Insights & Strategy, which offers technology consultancy to phone and PC companies. Moorhead is a veteran of PC industry and had earlier worked as a corporate vice president at AMD, a company that designs and manufacture processors for computers and tablets.

Apple described the A7 as a processor that "brings 64-bit desktop-class architecture to a smartphone for the first time".

But it looks like the marketing talk. For now the benefits of 64-bit architecture are not apparent, a sentiment echoed by Moorhead. He said, "64-bit adds absolutely nothing to the user experience in mobility because it would require more than 4GB of RAM."

Apple doesn't publicize the amount of RAM in its phones. But iPhone 5 has 1GB RAM and iPhone 5S is not likely to have more than 2GB. The processors that have 32-bit architecture can't make use of more than 4GB RAM. That makes 64-bit processors useful in servers and high-end machines that require more RAM. However, in smartphones and tablets the tasks that require more than 2GB or 3GB RAM are yet to appear.

Processors with 64-bit architecture can also have 64-bit registers that may boost performance. But this requires developers to write code and applications that can utilize the 64-bit hardware in a chip. For now iPhone 5S is the only iOS device with a 64-bit processor. Apps written solely for 64-bit processors will not work on other older iPhones and existing iPads and iPhone 5C. This is the reason why processors in iPhone 5S supports apps written for both 32-bit architecture as well as 64-bit architecture. Unless all iOS devices move to 64-bit processors, developers will mostly write 32-bit apps, making the 64-bit architecture useless in A7.

The performance gains claimed by Apple are likely coming from the improved architecture in the the A7 and not because the A6 is a 32-bit processor while the A7 is the 64-bit processor.

While we do not have many details about the A7 processor in iPhone 5S, it still looks to be a dual-core chip. Theoretically, a high-end quad-core processor like Qualcomm Snapdragon 800, which powers high-end phones like LG G2 and Xperia Ultra, should offer better performance than the A7.

Products based on ARM Cortex-A53 and ARM Cortex-A57 are likely to make the 64-bit processors more commonplace in the world of smartphones by 2015.

Moorhead also said that the M7, a companion core in the A7 that will control accelerometer, gyroscope and compass, was not a very unique concept. "The M7 isn't anything new, as others, like Qualcomm have had what is called a sensor hub," he said.

The other big feature in the A7 that Apple highlighted was compatibility with OpenGL 3.0, which should help iOS developer write better looking games. On Android side, phones powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 and Snapdragon 800 are already OpenGL 3.0 compatible.

Alleged Nexus 5 photos spotted on FCC website

The FCC (Federal Communications Commission) has always been a good source for revealing specs and images of smartphones that are yet to be unveiled in the market. The latest leak from the FCC is about the next generation Nexus smartphone, the Nexus 5.

The Nexus 5 images that have leaked courtesy the FCC are very reminiscent of the leak we saw in the Google video during the unveiling of Android KitKat.

                             

The leaked images showcase the smartphones front and back. The front is very similar to the Nexus 4 but the back of the device has changed. The camera on the back of the smartphone looks larger and the smartphone is said to have a display bigger than the Nexus 4. The Nexus 5 will house a 4.96-inch display with a 1080p resolution.

Google is expected to unveil the Nexus 5 to the world next month. The LG Optimus G was used as a reference design to make the Nexus 4 by LG. We speculate that the recently launched LG G2 may be used as a reference for the Nexus 5. The G2 hasn’t launched in India, but the smartphone has attracted quite a bit of attention in the international market.