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Android

Moto M Reportedly Receiving Android 7.0 Nougat Update in India

by Loknath Das April 5, 2024

written by Loknath Das

Moto M Reportedly Receiving Android 7.0 Nougat Update in India

HIGHLIGHTS
The smartphone was launched in India last year
Moto M packs a MediaTek Helio P15 processor
The smartphone was recently made available offline as well
Lenovo’s Moto M, which was launched last year in India, has now according to user reports started receiving Android 7.0 Nougat update in the country. To recall, the Android 6.0 Marshmallow running Moto M smartphone was launched in two variants in India – the 32GB + 3GB model priced at Rs. 15,999, and the 64GB + 4GB version priced at Rs. 17,999.

The Android 7.0 Nougat update for Moto M, as per user reports, comes with a considerable size of around 1.5GB. Apart from the new version of Android, the update also brings along Duo video calling app to the smartphone.

While the other changes that come along with Android 7.0 Nougat should also be expected, the changelog doesn’t mention changes apart from the ones mentioned above. The Moto M’s Android 7.0 Nougat update rollout was first reported by FoneArena
The dual-SIM (Nano-SIM) Moto M – the first Moto smartphone with an all-metal body – sports a 5.5-inch full-HD (1080×1920 pixels) IPS display with 2.5D curved glass on top. The new Moto smartphone is powered by a 2.2GHz quad-core MediaTek Helio P15 processor.

In terms of optics, Moto M comes with a 16-megapixel rear camera with Phase-Detection Autofocus (PDAF), and at front, it features an 8-megapixel camera for selfies. The connectivity options offered by the smartphone include Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth v4.1, GPS/ A-GPS, 4G VoLTE (with support for Indian LTE bands), USB Type-C (USB 3.1), and a 3.5mm audio jack.

While Moto M was initially sold exclusively on Flipkart, the smartphone was recently made available for purchase offline as well and that too as the same price as its Web counterpart.

[“Source-gadgets.ndtv”]

April 5, 2024 0 comment

Internet

Smartron srt.phone Launch, Flagship Nokia Android, WhatsApp Update

by Loknath Das April 5, 2024

written by Loknath Das

Smartron srt.phone Launch, Flagship Nokia Android, WhatsApp Update, and More: Your 360 Daily

HIGHLIGHTS

Smartron srt.phone price in India start at Rs. 12,999
The Surface Laptop is available for pre-order for $999
Apple set a new March quarter record for India

After some teasing back in February, Smartron has launched the srt.phone which is inspired by the “dependability” of Sachin Tendulkar himself. It has been launched in two storage variants in India, available exclusively from Flipkart from Wednesday itself, in a Titanium Grey colour variant. The 32GB variant priced at Rs. 12,999, and the 64GB variant priced at Rs. 13,999. Launch offers include a Rs. 1,500 discount when you exchange your old phone, free Sachin Tendulkar-design back covers worth Rs. 599, and free extended Smartron t.care warranty worth Rs. 1,499. Axis Bank Buzz credit card holders get an additional 5 percent cashback.

The Smartron Sachin Tendulkar phone runs on Android 7.1.1 Nougat and sports a 5.5-inch full-HD (1080×1920 pixels) display. It’s powered by a Snapdragon 652 SoC that’s coupled with 4GB of RAM. For optics, srt.phone rear camera sports a 13-megapixel sensor with PDAF, a dual-LED flash, and an f/2.0 aperture, while a 5-megapixel wide-angle lens camera is in the front.

Smartron also says one Android security update will be provided every quarter, while at least three major updates will be released for the Sachin Tendulkar phone. The Flipkart listing is touting an Android O update will be available for the smartphone.

Nokia flagship Android phone leak hints at Snapdragon 835 SoC
HMD Global has so far launched the Nokia 6, Nokia 3, Nokia 5, and Nokia 3310 (2017) and now, a fresh report sheds light on the rumoured flagship could potentially shape up to be. MyDrivers reports that the Nokia flagship will sport a metal jacket, but doesn’t dive any further into design details apart from that. The Nokia flagship Android phone has earlier been rumoured to sport a Snapdragon 835, 4GB or 6GB of RAM and a 23-megapixel sensor. The name of the device has not been revealed, but it is expected to launch sometime in June.

WhatsApp for Android gets separate video calling button
WhatsApp has quietly released a new stable update for Android users that brings some tweaks to the UI, most notably, a new video call button and the relocation of the attachment button. The new additions to WhatsApp were first reported earlier in March when they showed up for beta users (v2.17.93). The new tweaks don’t scream out change, but are minimalistic in nature, similar to Google’s Material Design philosophy that is being tried out for YouTube.

Microsoft Windows 10 S, Surface laptop launched
At an event in New York on Tuesday, Microsoft introduced Windows 10 S as a simpler, more secure operating system meant for students. Software for this OS is tied to the Windows Store, which means students can only run apps downloaded from the Store. According to Microsoft, Windows 10 S is built from the ground up keeping in mind classrooms and since students can only download apps from the Store, chances of being exposed to potentially dangerous apps are slimmer.

Microsoft’s hardware partners like HP and Acer will be the first ones to launch laptops running the new OS. The HP ProBook x360 eEducation Edition and Acer TravelMate Spin B1 will be the new models and will carry a price tag of $299 (roughly Rs. 19,200).

Alongside the new OS, the company also announced the Surface Laptop, that will start shipping on June 15, starting at $999 (roughly Rs. 64,000). It sports a 13.5-inch PixelSense touchscreen display with 1080p resolution and base specs of an Intel Core i5 CPU, 4GB of RAM, and a 128GB SSD. The biggest highlight is that the Surface laptop is rated to offer up to 14.5 hours of battery life. Complementing this launch, Microsoft also launched an updated Arc Touch Mouse called Surface Arc Mouse.

Last but not least, Microsoft also announced a full-featured version of its desktop Office 365 application for education, which is coming to the Windows Store. The Office 365 for education suite of apps is free for all students and teachers – and it includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Teams, and other classroom tools.

Apple India has ‘record’ March quarter
Apple announced its results for the January to March quarter on Tuesday and the company had plenty to cheer about its performance in India. “We set a new March quarter record for India, where revenue grew by strong double digits,” Apple CEO Tim Cook said . Apple’s Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Luca Maestri later added that India was one of the markets where Apple’s quarterly revenue grew by “over 20 percent”.

However, the company also reported a surprise fall in iPhone sales for its second quarter on Tuesday, indicating that customers may have held back purchases in anticipation of the 10th-anniversary edition of the company’s most important product later this year.

Jelly, ‘world’s smallest 4G Android smartphone’, launched
A very interesting smartphone has made its way on KickStarter looking for crowd funding, simply called Jelly. This mini-sized smartphone supports Android 7.0 Nougat, dual-SIM (Nano+Nano), and 4G connectivity. Manufactured by Shanghai firm Unihertz, it claims to be the “smallest 4G Android smartphone” in the world. The Jelly with 1GB RAM/ 8GB Storage is priced at $109 (roughly Rs. 6,900) and the Jelly Pro with 2GB RAM/16GB storage is priced at $125 (roughly Rs. 8,000).

Apple iPhone 8 slated to arrive in 2018?
So far, the anniversary edition of the iPhone is expected to come with augmented reality features, new Touch ID tech, OLED display, and edge-to-edge panel design, and much more. Because of all these new additions, there have been several alleged production issues reported that may cause a delay in the release of the iPhone 8. The note obtained by Business Insider cites supply chain sources to suggest that “key component shortages and technical challenges could delay the release of a high-end iPhone 8 device this fall.”

Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 SoC set to launch on May 9
Chipset maker Qualcomm has sent out press invites for an event in China on May 9, where it is set to launch the much-talked about Snapdragon 660 SoC. The Snapdragon 660 SoC may have custom Kryo cores just like on Snapdragon 820 or might use a combination of four Cortex-A73 CPUs clocked at 2.2GHZ and four Cortex-A53 CPUs clocked at 1.9GHz. The GPU tagged with the SoC will be an Adreno 512. It’s expected to go into mass production in second quarter of 2017 and is expected to power phones from Oppo and Vivo.

Sony PlayStation 5 could launch in 2018
The PlayStation 5, PS5 or whatever Sony calls its next console may release sooner than you think. According to Macquarie Capital Securities analyst Damian Thong the PS5 could be out before the end of 2018. His prediction was cited in a Wall Street Journal report on Sony’s recent financial earnings wherein it came to light that the company shipped 60 million PS4s. If so, it fuels speculation that Sony could show off new hardware at E3 2017.

Facebook Messenger ‘Instant Games’ now rolling out
Facebook announced that it is rolling out Instant Games on Messenger and that it is introducing the new features that the social media networking giant previewed to developers at its F8 conference last month. The updated Instant Games on Messenger will be rolling out over the next few weeks worldwide for both Android and iOS mobile platforms.

HTC U 11 video teaser reveals design details
HTC’s ‘squeezable smartphone’ is making headlines every day, and now, a fresh teaser from HTC brings more design details of what is expected to be called the HTC U 11, ahead of its May 16 launch in Taiwan. The teaser video has the date and its tagline ‘Squeeze the Brilliant U’, with a blue smartphone taking shape with a thin sleek frame, and metal edges, where the sensors are expected to be located. The phone’s logo at the back is revealed, however the small video refrains from giving us a full-blown look at the device.

[“Source-ndtv”]

April 5, 2024 0 comment

Tech Update

Android Pay, eh? Yes, the Digital Pay Solution Is Being Rolled Out In Canada

by Loknath Das April 5, 2024

written by Loknath Das

Android Pay Canada, eh? Yes, the Digital Pay Solution Is Being Rolled Out In Canada

Canadians now have a faster and simpler option to pay for their purchases.

Android Pay Canada

Android Pay is now officially available in Canada.

In an official blog post, Google (NASDAQ:GOOGL) announced the mobile wallet’s latest expansion.

Contactless Payments For Canadians

Android Pay in Canada accepts MasterCard and Visa. It also supports debit cards from major banks including CIBC, Scotiabank, Desjardins and BMO.

With the mobile wallet, Canadian users will be able to make payments at hundreds of thousands of shops. These include Pizza Pizza, Petro-Canada, Tim Hortons, McDonald’s and Sears Canada.

Google said it will add more features, banks and store locations in the coming months. This will make it easier for customers to pay with their Android phones.

Other Markets on Google’s Radar

In a rather short span of time, Android Pay has gained a solid user base in the United States. Since its launch in 2015, Android Pay has had 1.5 million new registrations per month on average in the U.S. alone.

As it now makes inroads into the Canadian market, it’s essential for businesses to take it seriously. This is especially important because Google has some big expansion plans this year.

Reports suggest Google will make Android Pay available in new markets such as Taiwan, Spain, Russia and Brazil.

Why Mobile Payments Should be On Small Business Owners’ Priority Lists

In the mobile payment segment, Google is up against big names such as Apple and Samsung.

These brands are focusing on this area because of its enormous growth potential. Data supports this assertion. According to one study, the global mobile payments market is estimated to reach $3,388 Billion by 2022. The growth will, of course, be driven by growing consumer demand for these services.

For businesses, mobile payment apps provide an opportunity to satisfy customers and gather useful data to anticipate demand. So if you haven’t considered this option yet, it’s time to rethink your strategy.

Image: Google

[“Source-smallbiztrends”]

April 5, 2024 0 comment

Tech Update

Kodi anger as Samsung Galaxy S7 Android update ‘breaks’ popular app

by Loknath Das April 5, 2024

written by Loknath Das

Samsung Galaxy S7 kodi update

Samsung Galaxy S7 update has broken the Kodi app

After months of waiting, Samsung recently began pushing out its Android Nougat update to its huge range of smartphone and tablets.

This upgrade brings a number of improvements to devices including the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge.

However, it also appears this update could cause some issues for users of the popular Kodi player.

Since the upgrade many Galaxy owners have posted messages on forums complaining that they can longer hear audio when using the app.

One Kodi fans added a message on Reddit, saying: “My Kodi worked perfectly on a Samsung Note 5 up until Sprint pushed an Android update yesterday.

“Now, Kodi 17.1 opens fine, looks fine, but as soon as it boots, loud noise is all you get for audio.

“It almost sounds like white noise, but also sounds like it could be some sort of audio file.

Apps we'd love to see make the jump from Apple TV to the Kodi Add-On store

A number of users have blamed Kodi for the problems but now the popular service has suggested that, “Samsung broke it.”

Kodi posted a message on Twitter feed which reads: “You have a @SamsungMobile phone or tablet with Android Nougat and get static noise with Kodi? Sorry but Samsung broke it with their update.”

It’s currently unclear what is causing the issue or when there will be a fix for it.

Some users say they’ve tried removing the update but have still suffered the same results.

One message on Reddit reads: “I’ve tried uninstalling and reinstalling Kodi both from the Google Play store and downloading and installing Kodi directly from the Kodi download page, same result.”

Kodi update Samsung

The news of this issue comes as Kodi has just released an upgrade to its popular player.

Kodi users are now being urged to download this latest update after the team behind the popular service deemed it necessary to push out a new release.

The new v17.3 software has been launched just a few days after fans of the service were told to upgrade to v17.2.

Kodi says that it felt it necessary to quickly launch another upgrade to sort some minor bug and security issues.

Along with these fixes the new software includes a patch which stops malicious subtitle zip files that could potentially infect and harm users’ media players.

It was claimed by security company, Check Point, that Hackers could take control of a computer, smartphone, tablet or smart TV by manipulating subtitle text files.

[“Source-ndtv”]

April 5, 2024 0 comment

Internet

Google to Integrate Digital Assistant Technology With Android TVs

by Rajdeep April 4, 2024

written by Rajdeep

Google Assistant on TVs

Owners of Sony Bravia, Sharp Aquos and other Android powered TVs will soon be able to interact with devices via voice commands using Google Assistant.

Owners of Android powered TV’s will soon be able to interact with their systems using voice commands.Google this week announced plans to bring its voice-activated Google Assistant to Android TVs in coming months in keeping with the company’s commitment to integrate the digital assistant technology in virtually all of its products over the next few years.The integration will allow owners of Android powered TVs such as the Sony Bravia, Sharp Aquos and Xiaomi Mi to do things like search for TV shows, browse channels and play content from places like Netflix and YouTube using voice commands.When Google makes Assistant available on set top streaming devices like the Nvidia Shield, owners of Android TVs will be able to do things such as controlling the smart lighting system in their homes via voice commands.

“No more typing or struggling to get to what you’re looking for,” said Sascha Prueter, and Gummi Hafsteinsson, Google’s director of Android TV and product lead of Google Assistant respectively, in a blog. “Just ask the Google Assistant for help and you’re off to the races.

Google’s plans call for the Assistant to become available on all Android TVs in the U.S. running the Android 6.0 Marshmallow or Android 7.0 Nougat versions of the operating system in coming months. The company has not disclosed when the digital assistant will become available on Android TVs in other regions of the world.Google Assistant is similar to Apple’s Siri and Amazon’s Alexa. It is designed to give users a way to interact with their phones, apps, tablets, computers and other devices in an intuitive manner using conversational speech. The technology is a product of Google’s investments in technologies such as machine learning and artificial intelligence over the past several years.When Google CEO Sundar Pichai announced Assistant last October he described it as technology that is central to the company’s efforts to better position itself in an increasingly AI-centric world.The company has already integrated the technology into its Google Allo smart messaging app and more recently into its Amazon Echo-like Google Home voice-activated speaker. The latter integration enables users to check local weather conditions, make reservations at restaurants and shows or to conduct searches on Google Search via voice commands.Going forward Google has said it will use Assistant to enable voice-command capabilities in many of its hardware and software products. As examples, Prueter, and Hafsteinsson pointed to Google’s plans to integrate Assistant into smartwatches running Android Wear 2.0 and Android power infotainment systems installed inside vehicles.Google last month opened up the development platform for Assistant to third party application developers as part of its effort to allow more apps and services to be accessed directly through Assistant. The goal is to let developers create interfaces that allow users to interact directly or indirectly with their applications via voice commands.For example, the developer of a food ordering application or a ride-sharing application can use the platform to build interfaces that enable interaction via Google Assistant.

[Source:- gadgets.ndtv]

April 4, 2024 0 comment

Internet

Dropbox Paper Enters Open Beta; Android and iOS Apps Launched

by Rajdeep April 4, 2024

written by Rajdeep

Dropbox Paper Enters Open Beta; Android and iOS Apps Launched

Dropbox Paper, the online tool to collaboratively create and edit documents, has moved from its private beta phase to a public beta and the company has also announced that it is launching the app for its service on both Android and iOS.

The company said on its blog that Dropbox Paper was created with the intention of being a tool to create collaborative documents and share important information with team members. There have been over a million documents that are already created during Dropbox Paper’s private beta and the company has used the feedback to improve certain components of its service.

“With that input (feedback), we’ve made improvements like enhanced tables and image galleries; desktop, Web, and mobile notifications; and powerful search to help you quickly find the docs you need,” the company said in its blog.

With the new mobile apps, users will be able to get project updates, make edits, and respond to feedback even when they are on the move, the company added.

You can join Dropbox Paper’s public beta by signing up over here.

Apart from just plain words, Dropbox Paper also allows you to communicate with the rest of your team by embedding images, videos, and other media. If you connect your Google Calendar with Paper, it can create a custom notes document for your next meeting and automatically share it with the attendees.

The Dropbox Paper app is already available for Android users worldwide, but is available only the in US right now on iOS. Users from the European Union will get access to the iOS app soon, the company said in its blog.

[Source:- gadgets.ndtv]

April 4, 2024 0 comment

Tech Update

EU’s Antitrust Chief Looking Closely at Google’s Android

by Rajdeep April 4, 2024

written by Rajdeep

The European Union antitrust chief, who has already charged Google with favoring its own shopping service in internet searches, said on Monday that she was now examining its deals with phone makers and operators.

The comments by European Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager follow a year-long investigation into Android, the world’s most popular operating system for smartphones, triggered by two complaints.

A decision on the shopping service could come this year. Like the Android case, it could lead to a fine of up to $7.4 billion or 10 percent of Google’s 2015 revenue, and force it to change its business practices.

Vestager said big companies should not try to protect themselves by holding back innovation.

“That’s why we’re looking closely at Google’s contracts with phone makers and operators which use the Android operating system,” she said at a conference organized by the Dutch competition authority.

“Our concern is that, by requiring phone makers and operators to pre-load a set of Google apps, rather than letting them decide for themselves which apps to load, Google might have cut off one of the main ways that new apps can reach customers.”

The Commission said last year that it was also investigating whether Google had prevented smartphone and tablet manufacturers from developing and marketing modified and potentially competing versions of Android.

Another area of concern was whether Google had illegally hindered the development and market access of rival applications and services by bundling some of its applications and services distributed on Android devices with other Google products.

April 4, 2024 0 comment

Tech Update

Google Charged With Abusing Market Dominance of Android, Faces Hefty Fines

by Rajdeep April 4, 2024

written by Rajdeep

Google found itself under fire again on Wednesday from EU antitrust regulators who say it abused the dominant position of its Android mobile operating system, a move which could hit a key money-spinner for the company.

The charges by the European Commission open up a second battle with the world’s most popular Internet search engine, putting it at risk of hefty fines and radical changes to its business practices.

google-legal3-G-ss-1920 Google is already facing EU charges of promoting its own shopping service in Internet searches at the expense of rival products, a case which has dragged on since late 2010 and marked by three failed attempts to resolve the issues.

“We believe that Google’s behavior denies consumers a wider choice of mobile apps and services and stands in the way of innovation by other players.”

The stakes are higher in the Android case for Google which made about $11 billion from ad sales on Android phones with Google apps such as Maps, Search and Gmail last year.

“A competitive mobile Internet sector is increasingly important for consumers and businesses in Europe,” European Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager said in a statement.

“Based on our investigation thus far, we believe that Google’s behavior denies consumers a wider choice of mobile apps and services and stands in the way of innovation by other players,” she continued.

It said about 80 percent of smart mobile devices in Europe and in the world run on Android, the mobile operating system developed by Google.

Google has breached EU antitrust rules, the Commission alleges, by requiring manufacturers to pre-install Google Search and Google’s Chrome browser and preventing manufacturers from selling mobile devices running on competing operating systems based on the Android open source code.

It is also charged with giving financial incentives to manufacturers and network operators to pre-install exclusively Google search on devices.

April 4, 2024 0 comment

Tech Update

Android N preview brings revamped emoji, new graphics API

by Rajdeep April 4, 2024

written by Rajdeep

Google has released Android N Developer Preview 2, providing a look at features we’re likely to see in the next official version of its mobile operating system.

The new preview includes a number of significant updates to both the device’s user interface and the back-end processes and APIs that developers rely on. The most immediately visible update is a move to a new Unicode 9 compatible emoji set.

This not only adds modifiers that allow you to define emojiskintones and a handful of new emoji, including the ever-useful bacon and facepalm, but also marks the complete revamp of Googles’s standard emoji style. The smiley-inspired amorphous yellow Google emoji blob has been ousted in favour of what Google VP of Engineering Dave Burke describes as “a more human-looking design”.

Of more interest to developers is the addition of Google’s new Vulkan 3D rendering API, “geared at providing explicit, low-overhead GPU (Graphics Processor Unit) control to developers and offers a significant boost in performance for draw-call heavy applications.” Vulkan’s API supports multi-threading, allowing cores to be used in parallel to improve graphics performance.

The final highlighted new feature gives apps the ability to define internal shortcuts that users can place on their launcher. For example, a mapping app could create a shortcut that instantly works out how to get you home, a messaging app could give you a shortcut to contact your best friend and a media app could generate a temporary shortcut to the next episode of that series you’re binge-watching.

The features build on those included in the last developer preview release, which introduced Android’s forthcoming split-screen and multi-window modes to give tablets more of a traditional desktop environment.

[Source:- Wired]

April 4, 2024 0 comment

Tech Update

Blackberry to launch cheaper Android smartphones in 2016

by Rajdeep April 4, 2024

written by Rajdeep

Blackberry is yet to give up on its Android efforts as chief executive John Chen announced that the Canadian giant will launch two mid-range Android phones this year.

The last financial results of the company showed that it’s expensive Priv smartphone, selling in India for Rs. 62,990, had failed miserably to drive up sales for the ailing company. The company had actually sold 600,000 units compared to Wall Street expectations of 850,000 units.

In an interview with The National website, Chen said that one of the smartphones will have a full touchscreen form factor while the other will come with a physical Qwerty keyboard. He also said that the prices of the smartphones will be around $300-400 (approximately Rs. 20,000 – Rs. 26,600).

However, Chen has admitted that the Android-based Priv smartphone “was too high-end a product” for enterprise customers and as a result the company cut down the price of the handset last week to $649 (approximately Rs. 43,000) down $50 (roughly Rs. 3,300) from the launch price of $699. The price cut has not been announced in India yet and the slider phone continues to retail for Rs 62,990 via Amazon and offline retail stores.

Blackberry had launched the phone in February in India. It runs on Android 5.1.1 Lollipop, features a 5.4-inch QHD (1440×2560 pixels) Amoled display and runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 hexa-core processor (1.8GHz dual-core Cortex-A57, and 1.44GHz quad-core Cortex-A53) clubbed with 3GB of RAM; 32GB of expandable storage; 18-megapixel rear camera; 2-megapixel front-camera, and 3410mAh battery.

[Source:- Hindustantimes]

April 4, 2024 0 comment