Gregarius » éléments par Max Nottingham

éléments par Max Nottingham

HTC launches the One A9 with iPhone-like design and Android 6.0 software, priced at $399

Publié: octobre 20, 2015, 7:07pm CEST par Max Nottingham

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At an event on Tuesday, HTC announced the launch of One A9, "the best HTC smartphone in years", according to the company. The handset comes with a big promise. HTC claims that it will deliver the latest version of Android to the One A9 within 15 days of its availability.

The metal-clad HTC One A9, which looks very similar to the iPhone, comes with a 5-inch Full HD 2.5D AMOLED display with Corning Gorilla Glass 4 protecting the screen. It is powered by a Snapdragon 617 octa-core processor with integrated X8 LTE, and offers users a choice between a 2GB or 3GB of RAM. For storage, users get to pick between 16GB and 32GB, with both variants supporting microSD card for external storage.

On the camera front, there’s a 13-megapixel sensor at the back with OIS, and an UltraPixel shooter on the front. The company says that the selfie camera can capture 300 percent more light than conventional smartphone cameras.

The company also spent several minutes explaining the audio capability of the One A9. The handset comes with HTC BoomSound integrated into the headset combined with Dolby Audio.

On the connectivity front, the handset comes with support for optional HTC Rapid Charger 2.0 which can offer up to 75 percent faster charging. These are just numbers without the much needed context, so we will have to check the device ourselves to see how accurate the company’s claims are.

The biggest attraction of the handset is its Android 6.0 Marshmallow software. It is the third handset after Google’s Nexus 6P and the Nexus 5X to ship with the latest version of Google’s mobile operating system. The company also mentioned that it would offer the latest Android software version within 15 days of its release.

The HTC One A9 comes in Opal Silver and Carbon Gray, Deep Garnet, and Topaz Gold color options and starts at $399 and will start shipping beginning November 2015.

What if Google announces Play Store and Android apps support for Windows 10 Mobile devices?

Publié: octobre 6, 2015, 1:39am CEST par Max Nottingham

Chatter on Twitter suggests that Google will be present at Microsoft's grand "Windows 10 Devices" event tomorrow, and it would announce Android apps support for Windows 10 Mobile devices. Bolstering the theory is the two company's seemingly improving relationship, the biggest testament of which was up on display when the two recently agreed to drop 20 patent lawsuits they had filed against each other. If it indeed true, what does it mean for Microsoft's mobile operating system? Revival.

It's no secret that Android and iOS are the two dominant mobile operating systems out there -- whether you like it or not. Windows Phone has been playing catch up ever since its inception -- quite literally as Microsoft was late to arrive in the mobile operating system party. Perhaps it didn't get the memo. This race left the company's mobile operating system non-beneficial for mobile developers to make apps for it. And how can you blame them? Windows Phone had less than 5 percent of market share. So a majority of these developers never made apps for Windows Phone.

The company, on its part, did plenty of things to get these apps. We also saw developers like Rudy Huyn who took it upon themselves to make Windows Phone versions of several popular apps. This too, to a large extent, didn't yield any positive result.

But Microsoft was long from quitting. The company announced several ways for developers to port their Android and iOS apps to Windows Phone. The company also announced universal apps to make it easier for developers to quickly make mobile app versions of their desktop applications. But that too largely seems like a missed opportunity.

Act 2: Run Android apps on Windows 10 Mobile.

It's not a new idea, per se. The possibility of running Android apps on Windows Phone handsets has been talked about for years. We also saw developers forcibly run port of Android apps on Windows Phone handsets and manage to do it on several occasions. But Microsoft never hinted its interest to announce support for Android apps on its handsets, and Google's terse relationship with Microsoft -- just one Google app on Windows Phone Store (also remember the Google-Microsoft-YouTube fiasco?), made it pretty clear that Google wasn't going to help Microsoft in saving Windows Phone.

But things are changing. "Google and Microsoft have agreed to collaborate on certain patent matters and anticipate working together in other areas in the future to benefit our customers", Google had said after the two companies recently decided to resolve several of their patents issues.

But that hasn't stopped the rumor mill from offering yet another claim of such a possibility. If Google does step on the stage at Microsoft's event tomorrow, the company will be able to tap on more devices, whereas Windows Phone handset users will be able to use many of the apps they need to stick to the platform. We will know for sure tomorrow.

How to Install Android 6.0 Marshmallow on Nexus 5, 6, 7, 9 using Windows PC or Mac

Publié: octobre 5, 2015, 8:54pm CEST par Max Nottingham

Google has released Android 6.0 Marshmallow, the latest iteration of its mobile operating system. The update will be rolled out over the air for a number of handsets starting from Nexus 6, Nexus 5, Nexus 7 (2013), and Nexus 9, but you can speed up the process by using the factory images.

As you might be familiar, factory images need to be installed on your device manually. In case you don't remember the procedure, here's how you can get the latest flavor of Android on your device.

Step 1. Back up your files. If your bootloader is not unlocked already, you will lose all personal content. Same goes for a clean install.

Step 2. Download the correct version of the Android 6.0 Marshmallow factory image for your device. You can download the files from here.

You will also need to enable USB debugging on both your device smartphone or tablet. To do so, you need to go to Settings menu and scroll down to the About placard. Click on this for seven times and you will see a confirmation message stating you're a developer now. Now go back, and you'll find a Developer option, upon entering, you will find an option to enable USB debugging.

Step 3. Once you've downloaded the image, extract the files (and also all the individual files) into an easily accessible folder and grab drivers and tools that are required for your computer to interact with your device.

Windows users need to download the necessary drivers, ADB and Fastboot tools. They are available through the official Android SDK Tools, which you can grab from here. Mac users do not need to grab any drivers, but the ADB and Fastboot tools are still required, so get the Mac version of the Android SDK Tools from the link above.

After you have installed Android SDK Tools, open the program and download Google USB Driver (again, only for Windows users) and Android SDK Platform-tools. Mac users may have to go to System Preferences, open the Security & Privacy section and allow the program to run manually, and also install Java (first Apple's distribution then Oracle's) for it to work.

Once the aforementioned files are downloaded on your device, copy the contents of the Android SDK Platform-tools folder (which can be found where Android SDK Tools is installed/extracted) to the folder where you have extracted the factory image.

Step 4. For Windows users who have installed the program, type in "adb reboot bootloader" (without the quotes). The screen will give you a confirmation when everything goes fine. Now type in "fastboot oem unlock"..

Mac users can quickly do this is by tweaking a system setting first. Go to Settings > Keyboard > Shortcuts > Services, and check on 'New Terminal at Folder' option. Once done, go to the folder where the files found in the factory image are stored and right click on it. You would see an option wherein you're required to type the same commands, that is: "./adb reboot bootloader" and then "./fastboot oem unlock". It will take a few minutes of time. If you see any error, follow the procedure once again.

Step 5. On Windows, for a clean install you will have to run the "flash-all.bat" file. If you just want to upgrade, edit the aforementioned bat file first and remove the "-w" sequence from the last fastboot command.

On Mac, also for a clean install, type in "./flash-all.sh" (without the quotes) in Terminal. However, for it to work, you have to edit the sh file and add "./" in front of each fastboot command. As far as upgrading goes, follow the same advice as given above to Windows users.

This will flash all of the needed files. Your phone will restart and will take more time than usual to boot for the first time.

Are you excited about Android 6.0?

Google reveals Nexus 6P and Nexus 5X price in India

Publié: septembre 29, 2015, 8:17pm CEST par Max Nottingham

At a media event in San Francisco, Google launches the new Nexus smartphones. Called the Nexus 6P and the Nexus 5X, both handsets come with high-end specifications and several enticing features. While the handsets aren't going to be available in India until later this year, we now know how much money you need if you want to purchase either of the devices.

Google India has -- interestingly -- published the price information of the Huawei-made Nexus 6P, as well as the LG-made Nexus 5X. This is interesting because Google doesn't usually offer this kind of information until it is ready to launch the handset in the country -- at least that was the case with previous Nexus smartphones in India.

Cutting to the chase, the Nexus 6P, being the most powerful handsets among the two, is priced Rs 39,999 (for the base 32GB variant), whereas the update to the 2013's Nexus 5X will cost you Rs 31,990 (for the base 16GB variant). Both the handsets are very well priced, in my personal opinion. As you may remember, the Nexus 6's launch retail price point of Rs 44,000 didn't sit well with many users. The handset is now available for Rs 33,800 (though you can get it for around Rs 30,000 from e-commerce website Flipkart).

For a refresh, the Nexus 6P sports 5.7-inch WQHD AMOLED display with a pixel density of 515ppi. It is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 810 processor and paired with 3GB of RAM. Other features of the handset include a 3,450 mAh battery, a 12.3 rear camera with dual-LED flash that supports OIS and can record videos in 4K resolution. It comes in 32GB, 64GB, and 128GB storage options.

The Nexus 5X sports a 5.2-inch FHD display. It is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 808 SoC paired with 2GB of RAM. Other features of the handset includes a 12.3-megapixel rear camera, a 2,700mAh battery, and internal storage option of 16GB and 32GB. Both the handsets come with USB Type-C port and offer a fingerprint scanner. Both the handsets run the latest version of Google's mobile operating system: Android 6.0 Marshmallow.

Google launches the Android 6.0-powered Pixel C -- a rival to Microsoft's Surface

Publié: septembre 29, 2015, 8:01pm CEST par Max Nottingham

In addition to two new Nexus smartphones: Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P, Google at its media event in San Francisco today refreshes its tablet lineup. The company is calling its new tablet the Pixel C which, unlike the Pixel notebook lineup, doesn't run Chrome OS, but instead it runs the "latest and greatest" version of Android: 6.0 Marshmallow.

Unlike smartphones that continue to sell like hotcakes, tablets shipment figures aren't that pleasing. Everyone from Google to Apple to Samsung is struggling to entice users. Which brings us to the recent modern era where companies aren't trying to sell you a large tablet to just consume media content, and do basic emails. They are selling you a device that can be just as productive as the laptop.

The Pixel C is no exception. It's a 10.2-inch tablet with a gigantic screen resolution of 2560×1800. It is powered by an Nvidia Tegra X1 processor and comes paired with 3GB of RAM. Much like the iPad Pro, and Surface Pro 3 tablets, the Pixel C offers an optional Bluetooth-enabled keyboard. It is priced at $149 and comes in aluminum and leather options. It connects with the tablet magnetically (so no kickstand or clasp) that charges itself inductively when it is physically in contact with the device.

The 32GB variant is priced at $499, whereas the 64GB variant will set you back $599. The company says that it will begin shipping the device as well as the keyboard in time for the holidays.

Google launches Huawei-made Nexus 6P and LG-made Nexus 5X

Publié: septembre 29, 2015, 7:13pm CEST par Max Nottingham

The new Nexus smartphones are here. Google at its media event today in San Francisco announces the Nexus 6P and the Nexus 5X. The Nexus 6P, which has been manufactured by Huawei comes equipped with top-of-the-line hardware modules, while the LG-made Nexus 5X offers major improvements to 2013's Nexus 5.

The real deal is the Nexus 6P, which can truly compete with rivals' flagship smartphones. It looks like the Nexus One, from the design standpoint, and comes with full metal unibody shell. There are four color options to choose from: aluminum, graphite, frost, and gold.

The Nexus 6P features a 5.7-inch WQHD AMOLED display with a pixel density of 515ppi. It is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 810 SoC and paired with 3GB of RAM. There's a 3,450 mAh battery that should easily see your phone last for a day on high-end usage.

Other features include a 12.3 rear camera with dual-LED flash. It supports OIS and can record videos in 4K resolution. Also, it can record videos in slow motion with up to 240 frames per second support. It comes with Android Sensor Hub, which automatically activates the ambient display when you pick the phone up, among other features. As for storage, there are three different variants to choose from: 32GB, 64GB, and 128GB.

The Nexus 5X comes with a 5.2-inch FHD display. It is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 808 SoC paired with 2GB of RAM. On the camera front, the handset comes with a 12.3-megapixel rear camera with laser-assisted autofocus, dual flash, and support for 4K video shooting. Other features of the handset include a 2,700mAh battery, and internal storage option of 16GB and 32GB. There are black, white and ice blue color options to choose from.

Both the handsets come with USB Type-C port and offer a fingerprint scanner that can also be used with Android Pay to quickly tap on the scanner and make the transactions. And of course both the devices run the latest and greatest version of Google's mobile operating system: Android 6.0 Marshmallow.

The Nexus 6P starts at $499 going all the way up to $649 (the 64GB variant costs $549). The Nexus 5X starts at $379. Pre-order for both the handsets begins today on the company's official website. Google says that it will start shipping the handset in the United States in October through its official channel. Carriers won't be selling the handset this time, do note.

For that price, you will also get a free 90 day trial of Google Play Music and folks in the United States will get a free 90-day trial of Google Play Music. You also get a $50 Play Store credit. In addition, the company introduced a $69-worth Nexus Protect program wherein it will provide mechanical and accidental damage coverage for two years from the date of purchase.

Xiaomi is indeed making a laptop, to begin shipping it in first-half of 2016

Publié: septembre 24, 2015, 2:32am CEST par Max Nottingham

Xiaomi, which has earned a name selling insanely cheap-priced smartphones, smart TVs, a smart band, and a range of other smart products, is indeed making a laptop. Inventec, one of the company’s manufacturing partners has confirmed.

In an interview with Taipei Times, Inventec Corp chairman Richard Lee said that Xiaomi Inc’s first notebook computer product not only exists but it is set for shipments in the first half of 2016.

“I am upbeat about the business outlook for Xiaomi’s notebook computers, as the firm has more than 200 million registered smartphone users”, Lee said.

Lee further noted that he believes that the forthcoming notebook will sport a cheap-price tag -- much like Xiaomi’s other products including and especially its smartphones. “I am not sure if the smartphone approach will be applicable to notebooks, but I expect Xiaomi’s entry into the notebook industry to bring something new to the market”, he said.

So how does he know all of this? It’s because Inventec, which has previously worked with Xiaomi on many products, is working with Chinese technology conglomerate to manufacture the notebook, and the shipment timeframe is set for the first or second quarter of 2016. “We will start shipping Xiaomi’s notebook computers in the first or second quarter of next year”, he added.

The company will ship the notebook in China. At this point it is not known whether the notebook will run Windows 10. The good news is that Xiaomi has plans to start selling several of its products in the US and UK among other regions later this year. So that forthcoming laptop is likely to ship to your place soon enough. The image on the top is 100 percent fake, do note.

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 10547 arrives with improvements to Start, Tablet Mode and more

Publié: septembre 18, 2015, 8:28pm CEST par Max Nottingham

Microsoft has released Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 10547 for testers on the Fast ring. The build comes with a number of new features and tons of improvements to Start, Microsoft Edge, and Tablet Mode, among others. Let's dive into it.

Beginning with Start, the company is now allowing users to add a 4th column of medium-sized tiles to it. Until today, users could only have three medium-sized tiles. This adjustment will also allow users to add two large-sized tiles side-by-side if that's what they want.

To enable it go to Settings app > Personalization > Start and select "Show more tiles". Insiders who want more than 512 tiles on Start will be pleased to note the limit has been raised to 2048 in this new build.

Microsoft realizes that many users who are running Windows 10 on a touch-capable device could use some handy additions. With the new build, users can now snap apps in Task View.

"When in Tablet mode, from Task View you can now snap apps to left and right, replace a previously snapped app with another (teeter) and swipe down to close an app", writes Windows chief Gabe Aul in a blog post.

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In addition, the company is also updating several apps to add new features. The Photos app, for instance, now comes with a folder view, making it easier for users to see OneDrive and PC folders -- the company recently added a similar feature to Windows 10 Mobile with a preview update. Groove, Mail and Calendar, Store, and Maps applications have also received updates.

If you're a developer, there are some treats for you as well. The company has introduced support for Object RTC in Microsoft Edge. The ORTC APIs will allow real-time audio and video communications directly inside Microsoft Edge without the need to install any plugins.

The company has also improved the touch input. "The text input panel now expands as you write to provide more space in Latin languages," Aul notes. Furthermore, the text input mode panel will not open automatically when you're not in Tablet Mode or have an external Surface keyboard hooked up to your device. Not an earth shattering addition, but something many will find handy.

There are a couple of other welcome additions as well. Find the changelog below.

We have fixed a lot of the underlying causes of the critical error dialog Insiders were seeing with Start. And search should work more consistently now when interacting with Start.
The notification icon for Action Center should no longer light up even though there weren’t any new notifications.
We fixed an issue where the Battery fly-out text was truncated in certain languages.
When choosing background shuffle, we’ve enabled the ability to shuffle backgrounds randomly instead of the order they appear in the folder.
You can now use Cortana with local accounts as well as with a Microsoft account.
We have fixed several issues with audio -- including issues specific affecting Realtek audio devices.

How to enable Apple News on iOS 9 outside United States

Publié: septembre 17, 2015, 7:29pm CEST par Max Nottingham

Apple, on Wednesday, released iOS 9, the latest software version of its mobile operating system. The iOS 9 update comes with a number of features including Apple News, a news reader app that works as an RSS feed fetcher. It's an interesting app as it allows immersive visual effects that are not available on any alternative. But if you live outside the US, you might not be able to use the app as it is not available for you yet. But there's a way you can get the app on your iPhone or iPad. Follow the instructions mentioned below.

The trick is very simple. You just have to change your region settings to the United States to make Apple believe you live there. Once done, you should be able to see the News app on your homescreen. Here’s the elaborate guide to get the News app on your Apple device.

Step 1. Go to Settings app, and tap on General options.
Step 2. Tap on Language & Region, and select the Region option.
Step 3. Look for United States and select it when you find it, and tap Done.
Step 4. Your device may ask you to confirm the change, answer in affirmative.
Step 5. Once done, reboot your iPhone or iPad.

This will make Apple News app available for use via the home-screen. You can go back to settings and change the region to your original place. For some users, this is making the News app disappear. If that happens, you need to change it back to the United States, and not change the settings again.

It needs to be pointed out that Apple is likely to release the News app to other regions in the forthcoming software updates. It's up to you whether you want to wait or change settings to cut to the chase.

At $300, Elephone Vowney flagship smartphone dual-boots Android 5.0 and Windows 10 Mobile

Publié: septembre 17, 2015, 6:12pm CEST par Max Nottingham

Back in April, we reported that Chinese smartphone manufacturer Elephone planned to launch a handset which would dual-boot Windows 10 Mobile and Android 5.0 Lollipop mobile operating systems. Five months later, that phone has been officially launched. Called the Elephone Vowney, the smartphone is priced at $299.99 and goes on sale from September 30.

As for the specifications, the Elephone Vowney sports a 5.5-inch QHD display (2560 x 1440) with a pixel density of 535ppi. It is powered by an octa-core MediaTek MT6795 processor clocked at 2.2GHz coupled with 3GB of RAM. It comes with 64GB of inbuilt storage with support for a microSD card should you want more.

Other features of the Elephone Vowney include a 20.7-megapixel rear camera (Sony Exmor IMX230) with autofocus capability and support for 4K video recording, there is an 8-megapixel front-facing camera to go along with it. On the battery side, the dual-SIM capable handset, which also features a fingerprint scanner, comes with 4200 mAh cell. The company is also offering an additional battery of 3800 mAh.

More excitingly, the Elephone Vowney dual-boots Android 5.0 Lollipop and Windows 10 Mobile. In a nutshell, for $300, you're getting a smartphone with top-of-the-line hardware specifications with two operating systems. The phone goes on sale in China on September 30. The good news is that the company has started to expand beyond its Chinese boundaries, which means that the phone could launch near you in the future.

Microsoft to kill Zune services on November 15

Publié: septembre 16, 2015, 9:45am CEST par Max Nottingham

Remember Microsoft Zune? Yeah, the last ounce of it is set for a demise later this year. The company has announced that it will be retiring the Zune music service on November 15.

The company's attempt to take on Apple's iPod music players, will not allow users to stream or download content from Zune after November 15, says Microsoft. Content purchased with DRM might not also have playback support if the license of it could not be renewed, but MP3 files you own should mostly work without an issue.

Launched on November 14, 2006, Zune players never really gained significant traction, despite Microsoft releasing so many variants of it. Back in 2012, Zune's companion Zune Music service was closed and its content was moved to Xbox Music. A year later, its support for Xbox Video was pulled.

But what happens to those who have Zune Music Pass subscriptions? Microsoft says that it will migrate those to the company's Groove service. For those unaware, Groove is a media player that works on Xbox One, Windows 10, Android as well as iOS devices. Groove allows users to play files stored in OneDrive across multiple platforms.

For those who are on Zune's monthly or 3-month plans, Microsoft says that it would switch them to Groove's $9.99 a month scheme. Similarly, people with a Zone yearly subscription will be provided with the annual Groove Music Passes which cost $99.90 a year.

'Dislike' button is officially coming to Facebook, says Zuckerberg

Publié: septembre 16, 2015, 1:41am CEST par Max Nottingham

dislike

Facebook is ready to deliver one of the highly-requested features that millions of users have repeatedly asked for: a dislike button. The social juggernaut has started to work on it, Mark Zuckerberg told an internal corporate Town Hall, reports multiple publications.

"I think people have asked about the dislike button for many years," Zuckerberg reportedly said. "Today is a special day because today is the day I can say we’re working on it and shipping it".

The idea behind the 'dislike' button is a bit different than you would expect, however. Instead of allowing users to downright express their disapproval about things as is the case with Reddit -- the forthcoming button will allow users to show empathy and support.

'Like' isn't the right response to a death or other remorseful news. You cannot show your support by liking such updates, that's the area Facebook is targeting with the 'dislike' button. "What they really want is the ability to express empathy. Not every moment is a good moment," he said.

As per the report, Zuckerberg noted that he had been long contemplating whether to introduce this feature. In the past, he has discarded such an idea on numerous occasions, saying that it didn’t seem right. Here’s what Zuckerberg said in a Q-and-A session last year. “Some people have asked for a dislike button because they want to say, ‘That thing isn’t good.’ And that’s not something that we think is good for the world. So we’re not going to build that”.

Perhaps the company could introduce a '♥' button which works universally for a range of emotions. Regardless, this could boost up the user engagement on Facebook. Zuckerberg didn’t have a launch timeframe in mind at this point.

Image Credit: Shutterstock / Sarawut Aiemsinsuk

Apple could soon allow you to remove unwanted stock apps from iPhone, according to Tim Cook

Publié: septembre 15, 2015, 6:37pm CEST par Max Nottingham

Apple CEO Tim Cook has addressed one of biggest annoyances in the otherwise excellent iPhone. Cook has said that the company is aware that not everybody is a big fan of several stock apps -- more popularly known as junkware, crapware, bloatware -- in the iPhone lineup, and it intends to step back and (almost certainly) give users the ability to remove them.

In a wide-ranging interview with BuzzFeed News, the company's chief executive talked about privacy concerns with the new iPhones, the company's claim of iPad Pro being a desktop replacement, and more importantly, why it doesn't allow users to remove stock apps -- for example, Calculator, Stocks, Tips, Watch -- from their iPhones or iPads.

apple_stock_apps

Cook said that as of now, there are several technical complications that could arise if a user removed one of the stock apps. You see, these apps talk to each other, have integration with Siri, and also the core system, hence removing them could cause issues. "This is a more complex issue than it first appears. There are some apps that are linked to something else on the iPhone. If they were to be removed they might cause issues elsewhere on the phone", he told BuzzFeed News.

But the company realizes that many of these apps could be removed, should a user not want them to stay on their shiny iOS devices. Cook reassured users that the company is looking into it and would likely give users the ability to remove the said apps in future.

"There are other apps that aren't like that. So over time, I think with the ones that aren't like that, we'll figure out a way [for you to remove them]. … It's not that we want to suck up your real estate, we're not motivated to do that. We want you to be happy. So I recognize that some people want to do this, and it's something we're looking at", he added.

Bloatware isn't a new thing nor exclusively prevalent on Apple devices. It's an industry-wide issue. Most Android smartphones and tablets, for instance, come with dozens of Google apps. And it's not limited to smartphones and tablets. Remember the Superfish fiasco on Lenovo laptops from earlier this year? But on Android devices, users have the ability to disable many such apps. On iPhones and iPads, this issue is more concerning because of the limited storage users get, and the extra price they are supposed to cough up to buy a high-storage variant.

Are you looking forward to removing some of these stock apps from your Apple device? Tell us in the comments section below.

You guys realize the iPad Pro will fail, right?

Publié: septembre 13, 2015, 7:49pm CEST par Max Nottingham

At its media event on September 9, Apple unveiled the iPad Pro, a 12.9-inch tablet. Touted as a productivity device, the company hopes that the iPad Pro will be the future of computing. Need a tablet? Use the iPad Pro. Need a laptop? Plug-in the $169 keyboard accessory and begin typing. The problem, however, is that at its current state, the iPad Pro is an awfully large tablet and iOS mobile operating system, which the device runs, isn't good enough to replace your desktop operating system.

After talking to a number of people -- both tech enthusiasts as well as average Joes -- one thing was pretty clear to me: nobody finds the iPad Pro exciting. A couple of people are actually looking forward to the iPad mini 4, which is the successor to the iPad mini 3, and largely carries the same hardware as the last year's iPad Air 2.

Plenty of people carry iPad (or iPad mini) to work and use it to watch movies and shows or read magazines during the long commute. Many people use these devices at home for reading and playing games. These are the people who represent the large part of Apple's userbase. The 12.9-inch display is a deal-breaker for many as it is uncomfortably large to hold and watch content on while traveling. Which leaves us to the smaller subset of the market which is looking for a device that could be used to make designs, edit videos and do things that are expected from a laptop.

And therein lies the biggest problem. Apple's iOS is among the finest mobile operating systems, but at its current state, it is not in a position to compete against Windows, or even its sibling, OS X. While Apple has laced the new operating system with several features such as Split-Screen, and Pinch-to-Zoom among others that truly make the device capable of performing multitasks, the experience is not so great yet.

Starting with the homescreen, the company's decision to show just 20 apps on a page is a big design flaw. Just look at the image above and try to appreciate the amount of whitespace that has been thrown your way. Compare that with the Surface Pro 3, the device to which the iPad Pro will be largely competing against. The company seems to have completely missed out on a huge opportunity here.

The second issue is apps. The company noted that the iPad Pro comes with a desktop-class processor (which is faster than more than 80 percent of laptops that shipped last year), but what are you going to do with that high-end chipset? Apart from Office suite, which arguably offers sub-par experience to its desktop counterpart, there aren't many apps that could come together to replace the experience that its desktop counterpart offers. The operating system just doesn't seem to be designed for such a large screen.

Coupling that to the $799 starting price point, and an additional $169 for the Smart Keyboard, there are plenty of better laptops out there including company's own MacBook Air lineup, and a plethora of laptops running Windows and Linux builds.

What's your take on the iPad Pro? Will you be purchasing one?

New Apple TV's limitations are deal-brakers

Publié: septembre 10, 2015, 9:43am CEST par Max Nottingham

Apple just unveiled its new Apple TV at a media event. The set-top box, which is part gaming console as well, boasts several new functionalities including the iOS-based tvOS, support for voice-search Siri, and a new app store designed just for the media streaming device. Despite all these features, there are a couple of off-putting limitations that you should consider before purchasing the new Apple TV.

The Apple TV was rumored to be a great gaming console with support for tons of iOS titles. But when Apple stepped on the stage to make the announcement, not only did the company not announce those features, making it clear that not all the iOS games will support the TV, a couple of things that the company did unveil now are making the whole package, which starts at $149, less exciting.

As mentioned on the company's website, there is no persistent storage for apps or games on Apple TV. This means that data of every app a user will download -- or a developer will create -- would require to be stored in iCloud. Also, the maximum size of an app is limited to 200MB, making it apparent that you should not expect to play high-end games on it.

Another off-putting thing about the Apple TV, which was also true for the all the previous generations of the set-top box, is a USB port -- or lack thereof. The lack of USB port makes it impossible for one to connect a USB storage drive to enjoy locally stored files. This might not be a big deal for many, but those who were expecting to connect hard-drives to the Apple TV will be disappointed.

New Apple TV's limitations are deal-breakers

Publié: septembre 10, 2015, 9:43am CEST par Max Nottingham

Apple Watch gets watchOS 2 with support for native apps; new bands and cases

Publié: septembre 9, 2015, 10:02pm CEST par Max Nottingham

Apple Watch 3

At a media event today, Apple announces an update to the Watch. The Cupertino-based company announces watchOS 2 with support for native apps, and on the hardware side, the new gold and rose gold aluminum Apple Watch Sport models. Available as a free upgrade, watchOS 2 will become available on September 16.

At the event, where the company also unveiled the iPhone 6s, the iPhone 6s Plus, the iPad mini 4, the iPad Pro, some much-anticipated features for the Apple Watch were announced. Among many new features, the company said that watchOS 2 is bringing support for native apps -- finally you can run an app on the Watch, instead of mirroring it to your timepiece, as well new watch faces. The company said that it would make apps faster and more fluid.

There are a couple of handy tiny improvements as well. watchOS 2, for instance, also comes with new communications features including the ability to respond quickly to Mail with dictation. There are also features like 'Smart Replies' even using emoji characters.

"Our customers love Apple Watch and tell us its incredible health and fitness features are having a huge impact on their lives," said Jeff Williams, Apple's senior vice president of Operations. "We're excited to expand Apple Watch's functionality with watchOS 2 and offer even more personal choice with beautiful new styles and colors".

As mentioned, the company is also expanding the accessory collection of the Watch with new case colors, and fresh new bands. The Apple Watch Sport's aluminum case now comes in gold aluminum and rose gold aluminum variants, with bands available in lavender, antique white, stone and midnight blue options. The Apple Watch Sport silver aluminum is now available with new orange or blue Sport Bands, the company announced.

The stainless steel Apple Watch is now also available in two-toned Classic Buckle in black or saddle brown. The space black stainless steel case is available with a black Sport Band. The Apple Watch Edition now includes an 18-karat rose gold case with a midnight blue Classic Buckle.

Moving forward, Apple Watch bands for the entire Apple Watch Sport and Apple Watch collections now also have four new Sport Band colors in fog, turquoise, vintage rose and walnut.

Yu Yunique launches in India, offers 4G LTE for Rs 4999 ($75)

Publié: septembre 8, 2015, 2:13pm CEST par Max Nottingham

Yu Televentures, an online subsidiary of Micromax, today launches its third smartphone. Targeting the growing affordable smartphone market, the company introduces Yu Yunique. The 4G capable handset packs in an impressive set of specifications for just Rs 4,999 ($75).

The Yu Yunique sports a 4.7-inch HD (1,280 x 7,20 pixels) display and is powered by a 64-bit capable Snapdragon 410 quad-core SoC clocked at 1.2GHz with Adreno 306 GPU. It has 1GB of RAM, and 8GB of internal storage, with support for a microSD card should you need more storage. On the software front, the handset runs Android 5.1 Lollipop.

Other features of the Yu Yunique include an 8-megapixel rear camera, and a 2-megapixel sensor at the back. It comes with a 2,000mAh non-removable battery, which could offer up to 270 hours of standby time, the company claims. The dual-SIM capable smartphone supports 4G LTE, 3G, Wi-Fi and other standard connectivity options.

The Yu Yunique will compete with Xiaomi's Redmi 2, XOLO LT900 LTE, Lenovo's A2010. The handset will be available for purchase via flash sales on e-commerce portal Snapdeal.com.

Samsung Galaxy Note 5 launches in India starting at Rs 53,900 ($800)

Publié: septembre 7, 2015, 10:40am CEST par Max Nottingham

At an ongoing media event in New Delhi, India, Samsung today launches the Galaxy Note 5, its latest flagship phablet device, in the country. Unlike the Note 4, and several other Galaxy smartphones and phablets, the Note 5 is comparatively well priced. The South Korean technology conglomerate announced that the Note 5 will be available for purchase starting Rs 53,900 (roughly $800), and will go on sale starting September 20.

Unveiled at an event last month, the Galaxy Note 5 is the company's latest flagship phablet device. It sports a 5.7-inch QHD Super-AMOLED display with a pixel density of 515ppi. It is powered by a 64-bit octa-core Exynos 7420 SoC with four Cortex-A57 cores clocked at 2.1GHz, and four Cortex-A53 cores clocked at 1.5GHz, coupled with 4GB of LPDDR4 RAM. It comes in two storage variants: 32GB and 64GB, and doesn't support microSD card. On the software side, it runs on Android Lollipop with TouchWiz UI on top of it.

Other features of the handset include a 3,000mAh non-removable battery, which supports Fast Charging and wireless charging technologies. It also comes with a 16-megapixel rear camera with f/1.9 aperture and OIS features, and a 5-megapixel sensor placed up front. The camera comes with several new features including a Live Broadcast ability.

As for connectivity, the Galaxy Note 5 supports 4G LTE Cat. 6 modem and offers support for India's 4G LTE bands. Other connectivity features include Bluetooth 4.2, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, GPS/ A-GPS, and a Micro-USB 2.0 port.

It will be available in Black Sapphire, Silver Titanium, and Gold Platinum color options. The 32GB variant is priced at Rs 53,900, while the 64GB version will break your bank by Rs 59,900 (roughly $900).

Microsoft releases beta of Skype Universal Messaging app

Publié: septembre 6, 2015, 11:06pm CEST par Max Nottingham

The long-anticipated Skype Messaging app is finally here. That is, if you have a Windows Phone smartphone, and just happen to be running Windows 10 Mobile developer preview. The company quietly released the new messaging client on Sunday.

The Skype Universal Messaging app, as evident in the screenshots and descriptions, comes with a user interface that seems very similar to the built-in messaging app on Windows Phone 8.1 and above. The app, as you would expect, also offers a quick option to do voice calling.

"Skype Messaging, Calling and Video 'Preview' is a new way to experience Skype features. It integrates individual Skype features where you'd expect them - Skype messaging into Messaging and Skype calling into Phone apps for the fastest way to make calls and send messages", the app description reads.

"It also adds quick access to Skype video calling. With Skype built in, you'll be able to reach anyone who uses Skype on iPhones, Androids, even PCs with just a couple of clicks."

The app is currently not available from the Windows Phone Store for some reasons, but you can download it from the company's official website. Being in its beta phase days, don't expect the app to be very responsive and crashproof. How do you like the app? Feel free to share your feedback in the comments section below with our Windows Phone enthusiast community.

Microsoft kills several Lumia apps in a streamlining effort

Publié: septembre 6, 2015, 2:52pm CEST par Max Nottingham

Having trouble locating Lumia Storyteller, Lumia Beamer, Photobeamer, and Lumia Refocus in the Windows Store? Quit trying; they are no longer available to download. That's because Microsoft has pulled these services from the official store as part of its ongoing “streamlining” efforts, it announces in a blog post.

The company has pulled Lumia Storyteller, Lumia Beamer, Photobeamer, and Lumia Refocus apps, and noted that those who have it installed on their device, will stop receiving any app updates after October 30, 2015. The said apps won't be able to offer online services. Lumia Panorama and Video Uploader are also among the affected apps, and they too won't receive any updates from the company.

The company said that it is discontinuing these standalone services from the store to focus on the Photos and Camera apps for Windows 10 Mobile. Photos and Camera apps will borrow several of the features from the outgoing apps, the company noted on a blog post.

The move comes months after Microsoft rebranded several of the Nokia services, and let go more than 7,500 people from the company. Do note that those who use the aforementioned apps can continue the service, provided they don't delete the apps from their smartphone.

Amid Windows 10 controversy, Microsoft quietly releases privacy botching features to Windows 7 and 8

Publié: septembre 1, 2015, 8:32pm CEST par Max Nottingham

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It's been roughly a month since the release of Windows 10, Microsoft's newest desktop operating system. It packs in several enticing features including the digital assistant Cortana. But despite all the interesting offerings, Windows 10 isn't sitting well with many. Privacy advocates have criticized Microsoft for introducing several features that are seemingly concerning to those who care about their privacy. To make things worse, the company has now rolled out some of these annoying features to Windows 7 and Windows 8.

First spotted by Ghacks, some of the recent updates that Microsoft rolled out to Windows 8 and Windows 7 set a computer to regularly send reports of a machine's activities to Microsoft. The update dubbed 3068708, for instance, introduces the Diagnostics and Telemetry tracking service on the computers it is installed on. "By applying this service, you can add benefits from the latest version of Windows to systems that have not yet upgraded. The update also supports applications that are subscribed to Visual Studio Application Insights", Microsoft describes the purpose of the update.

The 3075249, on other hand, "adds telemetry points to the User Account Control (UAC) feature to collect information on elevations that come from low integrity levels". Moving on, the 3080149, "updates the Diagnostics and Telemetry tracking service to existing devices. This service provides benefits from the latest version of Windows to systems that have not yet upgraded. The update also supports applications that are subscribed to Visual Studio Application Insights".

The 3075249 and 3080149 updates are optional to download though the 3068708 update is being flagged as a recommended install by Microsoft. This essentially means that users who have Windows Update set to automatically snag new patches from Microsoft will get this feature. Though, as PCWorld notes the update is only functional in the systems that participate in Microsoft's Customer Experience Improvement Program. If you're one of those, the bad news is that opting out of it isn't as easy as you would like.

Photo credit: Stanislaw Mikulski / Shutterstock

Microsoft releases Cortana to India, Australia and Canada for Windows 10 Insiders

Publié: septembre 1, 2015, 8:14pm CEST par Max Nottingham

Microsoft on Tuesday announced that it is bringing Cortana, the company's digital assistant, to several new regions, including Japan, India, Australia, and Canada. The feature is available for users as an optional download on Windows 10 build 10532 (to be also available in the later builds). If you're in any other region, sadly, there is nothing here to get you excited.

Back in July, Microsoft had announced its plan to bring Cortana to more regions. As promised, folks in Japan can now use the digital assistant in their local language. The headline feature comes as an optional download.

Cortana is also available in Australia and Canada, Windows head Gabe Aul noted in a blog post. He further noted that an early version of Cortana in English language is now available for Insiders in India as well.

In July, the company had noted that Cortana would understand local dialects, phrases, and accent when it launches in the aforementioned regions. Aul assures today that an update with an improved voice will be rolled out to Insiders in the world's second most populous nation later this month.

"With these rollouts, we hope to learn a lot from your feedback as we continue to improve the experience and refine it for each market".

Next on the conquest map of Cortana is Brazil and Mexico where Aul assures that the company will be bringing the feature soon. Also, French-speaking folks in Canada are up for a treat soon, too.

Update: The story has been updated to make some clarifications.

Like it or not, Apple Watch is selling like hotcakes

Publié: août 27, 2015, 9:32pm CEST par Max Nottingham

Truth is, many people were hoping the Apple Watch to be a massive failure. But while Apple's first wearable hasn't been the sleeper success folks at Cupertino might have hoped for, it hasn't exactly been a non-success either. According to the unerring research firm IDC, about 3.6 million Apple Watch devices were sold in the second quarter of 2015.

The Apple Watch, which went on sale about six months ago, is the second most popular wearable device on the market, as per the latest figures disseminated by IDC. Apple managed to ship about 3.6 million Apple Watches in the second quarter of 2015. The Apple Watch is only behind Fitbit fitness trackers in the wearable space. Fitbit is estimated to have sold 4.4 million units fitness wearables.

If we were to only consider "smart" watch shipments in the second quarter of 2015, two out of three timepieces was an Apple Watch. The figure further concretes that the Apple Watch has been doing quite well. Major retailer BestBuy had noted that the demand of Apple Watch was so "high" that it has decided to start selling it in all of its retail stores.

"Anytime Apple enters a new market, not only does it draw attention to itself, but to the market as a whole," noted Ramon Llamas, Research Manager for IDC's Wearables team. "Its participation benefits multiple players and platforms within the wearables ecosystem, and ultimately drives total volumes higher. Apple also forces other vendors -- especially those that have been part of this market for multiple quarters -- to re-evaluate their products and experiences".

Experts believe that Apple Watch will soon become the most successful wearable. "Fairly or not, Apple will become the stick against which other wearables are measured, and competing vendors need to stay current or ahead of Apple. Now that Apple is officially a part of the wearables market, everyone will be watching to see what other wearable devices it decides to launch, such as smart glasses or hearables".

But that might be tough. That's because Xiaomi is right behind Apple. The Chinese technology conglomerate, which sells Mi Band (roughly priced around $18), shipped 3 million wearable devices in the same quarter. The company has already started to expand beyond its national territory, moving to India, Indonesia, and plans to ship several of its products in the US among other regions by the end of this year.

Photo Credit: Wayne Williams

Samsung is giving away paid apps and magazine subscriptions with Note 5 and S6 Edge+

Publié: août 26, 2015, 1:05am CEST par Max Nottingham

The retail price of the Galaxy Note 5 starts at around $740 (off-contract) and $250 (2-year contract). Similarly, the Samsung Galaxy Edge+ will set you back by at least $820 (sans contract) and $300 (2-year contract). If that seems like a lot of money to you for the said devices, Samsung is offering an interesting set of goodies -- called Galaxy Gifts -- to offset the otherwise a bit pricey label.

The company is giving away a package of premium apps and subscriptions consisting of paid games including Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft, Driver Speedboat Paradise, PES Club Manager, and Empire: Four Kingdoms. You also get paid apps like Art Rage, Komoot, and Sketch Book for no extra charge. Worth pointing out that some of these are already free via the Play Store, and the company is taking care of in-app purchases, in such cases.

But what's even more exciting is the 6-month free subscription of several popular outlets including The Economist, The Guardian, and the NY Times. Furthermore, you also get one Kindle ebook each month for free, and 6 months Gold for LifeSum, and unlimited access to Scribd.

Moving on, you also get 100 gigs of OneDrive storage for free which is valid for 2 years. You can also save up to $100 using TripAdvisor. To avail this offer, you need to purchase either of the two new devices and use a Samsung account, which is free to create.

Microsoft releases Cortana to Android as public beta

Publié: août 24, 2015, 6:37pm CEST par Max Nottingham

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Microsoft’s Cortana is now officially available on Android. The company announced earlier this year that it would release its digital voice assistant to Android and iOS later this year. Prior to the official release, a private Android beta of Cortana leaked this July. Today the company releases a public beta client of Cortana for devices powered by Google's mobile operating system.

In case you’ve used Cortana on a Windows Phone handset before, it wouldn’t take much time to get settled with it on Android. It maintains the same interface and functionalities. In case you haven't used it before, Cortana is Microsoft's answer to Google's Google Now assistant. You can use Cortana to ask for directions, and get your queries answered, among other things.

Setting it up might take a few minutes. During the first run, it will ask you to sign in with your Microsoft account, a nickname, and ask you to agree to its terms and conditions.

Cortana is also available on the Windows 10 desktop operating system.

Cortana's Android client can be used as a companion app to its desktop counterpart. Once you've integrated both, you'll be able to see all your important phone notifications on the desktop and all of your computer's notifications on your mobile.

Cortana for Android is available for download through the Google Play Store.

Xiaomi releases MIUI 7 beta -- here's how to install it on your smartphone

Publié: août 24, 2015, 6:15pm CEST par Max Nottingham

Xiaomi today releases the highly anticipated beta of MIUI 7 global ROM. The new Android-based ROM is built on Android 5.1 Lollipop and comes with a number of notable features and improvements. If you've recently purchased a Xiaomi smartphone and need assistance with the installation of the beta ROM on your device, here's a guide to help you out.

MIUI 7 beta ROM features several themes and interesting features. Visual IVR, for instance, lets you navigate through the IVR menu without even listening to the caller. The new ROM also features Opera Max to significantly reduce the data usage.

In addition, the new Android-based build offers a claimed 10 percent increase in the battery life and a 30 percent performance boost over Xiaomi's current MIUI 6 ROM. The company says that the ROM has also become snappier, with substantially improved response time.

The MIUI 7 beta ROM is available through the company's forum and supports the following handsets: the Redmi 2, Redmi 1S, Redmi Note 3G, Redmi Note 4G, Mi 3, Mi 4, and Mi 4i.

To install the device, you will first need to download the correct version of MIUI 7 beta ROM for your device. You will need to download both the Fastboot and Recovery images.
Once you've downloaded the file (hold tight, it could take a while as the files weigh around 2GB), you need to rename the downloaded ROM file (Recovery file) into "update.zip" and transfer it to your Android device's "downloaded_ROM" folder.
Once done, launch the "Updater" app on your device and tap on the "reboot to recovery mode" option. This will boot your device to recovery mode. You can now use volume keys to navigate through the option, and the power button to confirm the change.
Choose your preferred language, and select "Install update.zip to System One", and click the option that says "Yes".
This will initiate the installation process. Sit tight, and wait for around 20 minutes while your device installs the latest Android version.

Are you enjoying the MIUI 7 beta? What's your favorite feature about this ROM? Share your thoughts with us in the comment section below.

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