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Samsung planning Galaxy S5 for January 2014?

Samsung management is making plans to launch its next-generation Galaxy S5 flagship in January, to go on sale in February, a report from Korean site Joseilbo notes. Pocket-lint is unable to confirm the rumour, but there is some evidence as to why Samsung would move the launch up from its usual March/April date.

The Samsung Galaxy S4 has sold more than 20 million worldwide, yet insiders note the Galaxy S4 has missed the company's internal sales projections, even though record revenue has been hit. With Galaxy S4 demand declining and the iPhone 5S now on the market, Samsung may want to shake things up a bit earlier.

It's worth noting the Consumer Electronics Show is in January, though we're not too sure if we can see Samsung making a big announcement at such a large event. Then again, we wouldn't put it past the company. Joseilbo says to expect mid-January to help juice sales for its flagship Galaxy line, citing internal Samsung meetings.

It's still early days, but according to reports we can expect Samsung to drop its traditional plastic design and go for an all metal chasis like HTC did with the HTC One. This has long been a complaint for Samsung hardware. While speedy, the plastic build is annoying in the eyes of some customers. Additionally, a Exynos 5430 64-bit CPU and 16 megapixel camera with optical image stabilization are expected.

Facebook asks if you 'really' like it

In a first-ever self examination survey, Facebook will be gauging its users’ attitudes towards the site, and how the attitudes evolve over time.
The social media giant has formed its first ‘feedback panel’, where people will be surveyed for six months to check their level of satisfactions with the site and why they change.
According to Huffington Post, the site will be analyzing how users respond to ads and stories in their News Feed in a bid to learn which ads make its members happiest.

Facebook’s product manager for ads in News Feed, Fidji Simo said that the site wants to understand how users feel about ads, so that as the company grows its business, it is able to maintain the right balance between the advertisers’ needs and the users’ experience.

The site will be inviting certain members of its community and the participants will also be asked if they observe variation in the quality and quantity of ads delivered to them, and how they predict their Facebook usage might change in the future.

As Facebookers are the most irritated by ads, according to the ACSI 2013 survey; developer of the feedback panel and a user experience researcher at Facebook, Judd Antin explained that the real purpose of the survey is to connect changes in attitudes over time to the experience which might be driving those changes.

The report said that the first feedback panel will be limited to English-speaking users in the US, though it will include a cross-section of people who are representative of Facebook’s US population as a whole.

Specs of Samsung's curved screen smartphone leak

Specs of Samsung's rumoured curved screen smartphone
have leaked online.

Image credit: AndroidSAS

NEW DELHI: The race for the first curved smartphones is on and South Korean giants Samsung and LG are eyeing to draw first blood. Samsung has already announced its plans to launch a phone with curved screen this month, while LG has not confirmed plans to unveil such a device yet.

After rumours of LG bringing out the curved G Flex phablet hit the internet, specifications of Samsung's curved smartphone have also leaked online.

Tech website AndroidSAS has leaked the specifications of the upcoming Samsung smartphone. Contrary to earlier reports, it says that Samsung would not be bringing out a curved variant of the Galaxy Note 3, but instead would release an all-new handset.

The report states that the device would feature a 4.7-inch curved display with 1280x720p resolution. This phone is said to be powered by a quad-core CPU and have 2GB RAM as well as an 8MP camera with dual-LED flash.

While there is no word about the battery of the upcoming curved screen Samsung phone, it is expected to run on Android 4.3 (Jelly Bean) out of the box. The report says that the phone will be part of Samsung's Galaxy line-up.

Recently, media was abuzz with news of LG's 6-inch large G-Flex smartphone, with rumours hinting at a November release.

Curved display is already commercially available in large-screen televisions. LG Electronics and Samsung had started selling curved OLED TV sets this year priced at $9,000.

Samsung is also said to be working on a new line of top-end smartphones, named Galaxy F, rumoured to be launched next year. Phones under this range will have a metal body, which has a more premium feel compared to the plastic casing that the company uses in its Galaxy S and Galaxy Note handsets. Rivals like Apple and HTC use metal casings in their phones.

Tata Nano emax coming this October

New Delhi: The CNG version of Nano will be launched this month during navratras. This version of the car has been named as ‘emax’. A spokesperson from Tata confirmed that the CNG powered Nano is on course to hit showrooms this October.

Tata Nano emax CNG was unveiled at the Horizonext where Tata Motors showcased a total of 8 vehicles. The company also revamped the Nano which received some cosmetic as well as feature changes. The Nano emax CNG sports an automatic CNG cut-off system and fuel quality checking system. The Nano CNG will get 623cc twin cylinder petrol engine which can be tuned to both, CNG and petrol. So this version is equipped with CNG as well as petrol tank. The petrol tank will be helpful to the users to drive the car for longer distances. The driver can switch the car from CNG mode to petrol mode.It is being reported that select showrooms in Mumbai and Delhi have started taking bookings for the CNG variants. With the festive season around the corner, the launch of the Tata Nano emax could be a big boost for the sales of the company.

Docomo unveils instant translator glasses in Japan

An NTT Docomo engineer demonstrating the glasses.
(credit: AFP)

Japanese telco NTT Docomo has unveiled augmented reality glasses that translates a menu in real time, that's set to be ready in time for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
The device overlays the wearer's first language on to unfamiliar text, instantly translating them, according to AFP on Tuesday.  The glasses were introduced at the Combined Exhibition of Advanced Technologies (CEATEC) fair in Japan.

A Japanese menu being translated into
English via the glasses. (credit: AFP)

"Character recognition technology enables instant language translation for users travelling abroad and reading restaurant menus and other documents," said Docomo in the report. This will be especially helpful for travelers as foreign language menus are not commonly found in non-tourist areas in Japan.

The glasses can also turn any flat surface into a touchscreen. A finger ring relays positioning information to the device, allowing wearers to "touch" tags or perform an Internet search--a concept similar to that seen in movies such as Minority Report.

Another application involves facial recognition where the user can look up somone's identity, and other details such as job titles, from his or her smartphone directory.

Docomo's unveiling of the device comes more than half a year after the introduction of Google Glass by the Internet giant amid intensifying interest in wearable technology. Google Glass currently translates via voice, but has yet to marry Google Translate to its device.

AR Rahman-themed phones launched by Celkon

Celkon Mobiles has launched its first AR Rahman-themed
smartphone, named RahmanIshq AR45, in India at
 Rs 7,999.

KOLKATA: Celkon Mobiles has launched its first AR Rahman-themed smartphone, named RahmanIshq AR45, in India. Branded as a music smartphone by the manufacturer, it has dual speakers with K-class amplifier for an enhanced music experience. The launch of this phone marks the commencement of Rahman's global tour.

The RahmanIshq AR45 smartphone has a 4.5-inch screen and runs on Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean) layered with a proprietary user interface. It packs a 1.2GHz dual-core processor and 512MB RAM under the hood and has a 5MP rear camera with Smile Capture feature.

Connectivity options in the new RahmanIshq AR45 are 2G, 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and microUSB. This phone also has a 9.9mm thick body 4GB internal storage, Shake & Transfer technology to transfer data, 2,000mAh battery.

AR45 would be available from October at Rs 7,999 across the country.

As the chief guest at the event, Rahman said, "I always believe that technology is very important in the world of music. RahmanIshq stands testimony to this and is a concept dedicated to spreading awareness of how technology needs to blend seamlessly with music for optimum output."

Commenting on the launch and association with RahmanIshq, Y Guru, chairman and managing director, Celkon, said "Partnering with the Mozart of Madras for RahmanIshq is a noteworthy achievement for the company. We are proud to share that our customers can also enjoy the special tune composed by the veteran himself for RahmanIshq that will be used extensively for the RahmanIshq smartphones. Affordable innovation is the genesis of RahmanIshq."

Facebook will now let users edit posts on the internet and Android

Facebook is now letting users edit their posts.

The change will first affect the web and Android version of Facebook, with the iOS app following soon after. The feature will be rolled out gradually and to combat post baiting, will also allow users to view a history of changes.

Comment editing was introduced in mid-2012 but Facebook has never let people edit actual posts. Until this feature, the only way to edit posts would be to completely delete them, removing any comments or likes.

While simple, this is a feature a lot of Facebook users have been wanting for a long time now.

Google announces Android KitKat contest; winners to get Nexus 7

Google has started an Android KitKat contest in India under which it is assuring to provide Nexus 7 to 1000 winners.

All you have to do is to buy a KitKat chocolate with Android logo on it. Each of these KitKat will have a special eight digit code on inside the wrapper. Then you have to SMS that code to 09880298802. To SMS, type KITKAT<8 digit code>, and then send it to the said number. However, the offer is available on KitKat 2F, 4F and Dark versions only.

You can winners list on Android KitKat page; they will also contact if you emerge as a winner. The contest was started on 27th September and will be valid till 15th November.

Google had earlier this month announced that the next version of its Android operating system will be called Android 4.3 aka Kitkat.

Microsoft Office 365 Launched for Students

Microsoft has launched the Microsoft Office 365 targeted at the youth and college going students in India. At the budget rate of Rs 87 per month, the tech giant is offering the service for Rs 4199 for a period of four years.

Microsoft has tied up with major institutes and colleges in the country to offer the service to students. According to Ramkumar Pichai, "University students will love the capabilities of new Office. Office 365 University will be a trusted and integral part of students' everyday always-on, always-connected life, taking full advantage of the cloud and touch capabilities, all at the best price."

The service will ensure that students can easily access all MS files like Word, PowerPoint, Excel, OneNote, Outlook, Publisher and Access. The service will be synced with two PCs or MACs at a time so students can sync their home systems and one another source. Also, Microsoft is offering additional 20 GB Premium SkyDrive Storage to boost sales.

Microsoft Office 365

The company has already collaborated with most colleges and institutions in India and students will have to specify their university credentials before gaining access to the program. Incase a student does not find a particular college listed, additional information about the same can be provided and then access can be gained.

While most science course run a duration of four years, there are multiple other courses which are not longer than three years for graduates and two years for post graduates. In such a scenario, members will be able to use the system for a period of 4 years. 

According to Tarun Malik, Director of Product Management and Strategy at Microsoft India, “Four years is the usual length of a college course that is why the subscription will be for a minimum of that period.”

Microsoft hopes to create an interest in the youth by this move. Also, Office 365 will enable youth of explore all of MS Office tools at once and will also aid the ailing tech giant’s sales. With a rise in alternate services and options, Microsoft needs to push their offerings and promote them among the youth segment which is more open to experimenting and trying out newer products. Whether Microsoft Office 365 manages to penetrate and create an impact, time will tell. 

WhatsApp introduces one-press voice texting, to be rolled out on all operating systems in 24 hours

The company announced the availability of this new feature while announcing that it has now hit the 300 million monthly active users mark.

Instant messaging service WhatsApp has rolled out an update that lets you now send voice texts by just pressing one button.

The company announced the availability of this new feature while announcing that it has now hit the 300 million monthly active users mark.They garnered a whopping 50 million new active users in just 2 months.

With this new feature, you can record and send voice clips with one press of the mic icon.

According to a report in AllThingsD, WhatsApp users now send 11 billion messages and receive 20 billion messages per day - up from 27 billion total in June.
WhatsApp has began rolling out voice messaging for all of its apps, on iPhone, BlackBerry, Android, Windows Phone and Nokia.

Simple and easy:
What's interesting about this feature is that it is simple with less taps on the screen to get the job done.
You just press the record button to record your message and let go of the mic icon once ur done to send the message.
If you decide not to send the message then you just swipe to the left to delete the recording.
There is no time length limit when recording a message therefore users can get as creative as they want.
Another interesting feature is that the playback of a voice text will automatically switch from handset's speakers to its earpiece when the device is held to your ear.
The mic icon also turns blue when recipients have listened to the message .

Feature available in 24 hours
In the report it is also mentioned that WhatsApp with its strength of just 45 employees will push the new voice feature simultaneously on all its platforms and will make it available to all users within 24 hours.

Facebook and WeChat already have the voice texting feature but what's interesting about Whatsapp is its one press voice text feature.
Siddhartha Bhavsaar, a businessman and an active user of WhatsApp from Mumbai is quite happy with the update, " I hate typing. Voice messaging will be so much easier and fun!"
One of the last useful update rolled out by WhatsApp was to allow its users to send batches of photos in one go.
Divya Saboo, a mass media graduate from UPG College of Management in Mumbai feels that the realms of conversation has increased ten-folds. " With family, you normally conversate in your regional language. With voice text now on WhatsApp I can easily communicate with my mother who does not know English effectively."
Rahil Shaikh, a design proffessional does not really think it makes much of a difference. "To voice chat, I will call the person. Why would I voice text and then wait for a reply on WhatsApp. The app is great for free texting and group chats, but there is no need for voice text."
This feature does not need the app updated and will automatically appear on your device once it is rolled out.
Wonder if 'instant video' is the next update from WhatsApp. We can only wait and hope.

Google: No humans read your emails

NEW DELHI: In a vicious attack on Google, Microsoft has alleged that the company violates the privacy of Gmail users by reading their emails to serve up advertisements.

Microsoft, which competes with Google, has also launched a website - www.scroogled.com - that talks about "Google's practice of going through the contents of all Gmail emails to sell and target ads". Google said no humans went through the mails; only algorithms determined the ads.

Param Yuva II: India's fastest supercomputer

The Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) launches India's fastest supercomputer, Param Yuva II.

Param Yuva II—the fastest supercomputer in India and 62nd fastest in the world—has been upgraded to 524 teraflops which is about 10 times faster than the present facility.

"In terms of power efficiency, it is better than most supercomputing systems and would have achieved 33rd position in the November 2012 List of Top Green 500 supercomputers of the world," claimed C-DAC.

"With an investment of Rs.16 crore, Param Yuva II was developed in a record three months," reported The Economic Times.

This system is designed to solve large and complex computational problems. This will provide an opportunity for new scientific endeavors for the research community. Param Yuva II will help in predictingweather, aircraft designing and finding natural resources.

During the inauguration of Param Yuva II, Department of Electronics and Information Technology (DeitY) Secretary J. Satyanarayana congratulated C-DAC Pune for achieving the 500 TF compute power and dedicated the new and powerful supercomputer to the high performance computing (HPC) user community in the country.

DoT panel moots single licence for TV, telecom

A Department of Telecommunications (DoT) panel has recommended a new unified licence for telecom and broadcasting offerings that would enable end users to get a host of services such as mobile, landline, Direct-to-Home (DTH), cable TV from a single company, without the entity necessarily owning the full  infrastructure.

A DoT committee in its report on unified licencing regime under the National Telecom Policy 2012 has proposed a new kind of licence - unified licence (service delivery) - that can be used by its holder to use infrastructure of other companies to deliver all kind of communication services to subscribers.

This new service operator may not be required to own the complete infrastructure for delivering services.

The panel has also proposed another licence - network services - that will own the network infrastructure to be used by services delivery licence holders.

The report, according to sources, said the end user would be able to "interact with only one operator for all his needs such as fixed telephone, mobile phone and broadband access through fixed line, wireless broadband access, cable television, satellite television, IPTV for residential users... Further a single billing would be feasible."

Apple iPhone 5 Vs iPhone 5S; possible specs showdown

Cupertino based company is set to introduce a new version of its handset. Apple iPhone 5 Vs iPhone 5S specs showdown makes interesting reading

The new iPhone is quite near. As per grapevine, Apple’s new smartphone edition will come sometime mid this year. Many rumor mills have exposed the potential specifications of the new iPhone that may either be named iPhone 5S or iPhone 6. The new iPhone is an upgrade to the current version the iPhone 5, which Apple released as an upgrade to iPhone 4S in October 2012. Here we are up to make a comparison between the current iPhone with the rumored specs of the upcoming iPhone version.

Many Apple fans are looking for such a comparison. In a time the market is getting too many powerful Android devices, Apple needs to launch a rather better new iPhone. The existing iPhone is not as competitive to the new line of Android phones that have quad core CPUs, 1080p display panels, 13MP cameras and more. So Apple fans across the world look forward for getting a new iPhone that shows off many features as competitive to the new Android phones. Here is our iPhone 5 Vs iPhone 5S comparison.

Display Screen: The current iPhone 5 sports a 4-inch display. It is for the first time an iPhone edition has received a larger display. All the previous models of the smartphone have a 3.5-inch display. The 4-inch display uses the company’s Retina Display technology with a resolution of 1136 x 640 pixels at a higher 326-ppi.

The new iPhone, at the same time, is said to tout a bit more large display. There is no clear mention about the display size of the handset. Some say it may have a 4.5-inch display and some say it will be a 5-inch one. Of course, to keep pace with the new series of Android phones, Apple should design its new iPhone with a 5-inch FullHD display.

Processor, Power: The iPhone 5 is equipped with Apple’s A6 chipset, 1GB RAM and 16GB/32GB/64GB internal memory variants. The 2013 model of the device is likely to run on a new processor, most likely one powered by Apple’s new chipset like A6X or A7. The device should get 2GB of RAM, plus a new 128GB model. Apple has recently launched a 128GB edition of its iPad for the special use of enterprise customers. Perhaps, Apple may expand its new iPhone with a 128GB model as well.

Camera: The existing Apple smartphone mounts an 8GB rear camera. It can capture high quality images and videos at 1080p. Apple’s innovative iSight sensor is the unique feature of the device. The new iPhone must tout a massive 13MP camera. In order to vie with the new generations of Android phones, Apple should set up a 13MP or larger camera with its new handset. Furthermore, the device should also come with some novel features for quality images and video clips.

Target Audience: Both the phones almost have the same audience. Apple looks to sell its new iPhone versions primarily among its own consumers. Most of Apple consumers are frantic fans of the firm and its products. So even before launching a new device, there will be huge rumors about it. People used to wait in long queues to book or buy a fresh iPhone.

But, with the new iPhone, Apple should also concentrate on some new customers especially from the Android and Windows Phone fronts. The mobile world undergoes a very tough competition now. Many firms have already launched high end FullHD handsets with quad core processors and other rich specs. So Apple should put iPhone 5S or iPhone 6 for those customers, who might otherwise go for an Android FullHD phone.

Regarding pricing, Apple will also be selling its new iPhone with the same price of its predecessors. Apple used to avail its iPhone for prices of $199, $299 and $399 respectively for the 16GB, 32GB and 64GB models on two year data contract. The new iPhone will most likely carry the same price.