Xiaomi Redmi 3S to launch in India next week

Chinese tech company Xiaomi may bring its ultra-affordable phone, the Redmi 3S to India soon. To recall, the Redmi 3S is an upgraded variant of the Redmi 3, which was successor to the popular Redmi 2. The phone was launched in China in the month of June.

Back in March, Xiaomi's vice president for global operations Hugo Barra had revealed during a round-table teardown session (of the Redmi Note 3) that the Redmi 3 phone will not be coming to India anytime soon. In fact, there's even a possibility that Xiaomi may not launch the Redmi 3 in India, at all because launching the Redmi 3 would collide with the Redmi Note 3 and the company wouldn't want that.

"It (the Redmi 3) is a really, really good device. But timing wise it would collide with Redmi Note 3. We really like to launch one device at a time, that's why we decided that we were going to bring the Redmi Note 3 to India, specifically the Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 (MSM8956) version and not bring the Redmi 3, at least for the time being," Hugo had said.

Hugo had however insisted that Xiaomi was open to the idea of launching an upgraded variant of the Redmi 3 here in the near future.

"We are going to be refreshing it with (new) processors, so on and so forth. So there may be an opportunity later to maybe bring a newer version of that product," Hugo had said hinting that the company may launch another variant of the Redmi 3 at some point of time.

Xiaomi launched two variants of the Redmi 3s in China — 16GB and 32GB. The 16GB storage variant comes with 2GB of RAM and is priced at 699 Yuan (Rs 7,000 approximately). The 32GB storage variant, on the other hand, comes with 3GB of RAM and is priced at 899 Yuan (Rs 9,000 approximately).

Xiaomi Redmi 3s specifications and Features

The Chinese variant flaunts a 5-inch HD (1280×720 pixels) display, and is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 430 octa-core chipset. Storage options include 16GB and 32GB options, and there is also a hybrid SIM card slot. This setup allows one to either use two SIM cards, or one SIM card and one microSD card.

In a photography, 13-megapixel rear camera with LED flash, phase-detection auto-focus (PDAF) support, while up front is a 5-megapixel selfie camera. The 16GB variant comes with a 4,000mAh battery, while the 32GB variant comes with a 4,100mAh battery.

It also includes a fingerprint scanner placed at the back, and connectivity options include 4G LTE support, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.1, and GPS. It remains to be seen whether Xiaomi launches the same specifications or modifies something for India, like it did with the Redmi Note 3.

Lenovo Vibe P2 with Snapdragon 625 SoC, 4GB of RAM leaked: Specs and Features

Lenovo's popular Vibe P1 smartphone featuring a massive battery is all set to get a successor, if a new benchmark listing is to be believed. A Geekbench Browser listing showing Lenovo P2c72, believed to be the Lenovo Vibe P2, has surfaced claiming some innards of the unannounced handset. The leaked benchmark of the alleged Lenovo Vibe P2 was first reported by Telefoon Abonnement.

According to the listing, the Lenovo Vibe P2 will sport an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 (MSM8953) clocked at 2GHz. It will feature 4GB of RAM and will run Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow out-of-the-box, and should be upgradable to Android Nougat. Other details about the smartphone aren’t out as yet. But we expect more details to leak as we near an official launch.

Based on available information, the Lenovo Vibe P2 looks to be an upgrade over the Lenovo Vibe P1 and P1 Turbo. It is worth pointing out here that the Lenovo Vibe P1 comes with Snapdragon 615 processor and 2GB of RAM whereas the P1 Turbo has 3GB of RAM.

The Vibe P series has focused on larger battery life as both Vibe P1 and P1 Turbo come with 5,000mAh battery with Quick Charge 2.0 support. The smartphones also come with OTG support. We expect the Lenovo Vibe P2 to also come with a big battery and perhaps Quick Charge support. As far as price goes, the Lenovo Vibe P1 Turbo launched in India for around Rs 18,000, and is currently available for Rs 17,000. The Lenovo Vibe P2 is likely to be available around same price range, or even lesser.

Meanwhile, Lenovo India has confirmed that the K5 Note will be launching in the country on Monday. Lenovo revealed that a new variant of the smartphone is coming to the country with 4GB of RAM instead of the 2GB of RAM seen on the standard variant launched in China in January.

HTC Nexus Marlin render: this is what the phone will allegedly look like

While the likes of the Samsung Galaxy Note7 and Apple iPhone 7 are hogging most of the limelight, we shouldn’t forget about the upcoming Nexus smartphones. Google has tasked HTC to build two Nexus smartphones this year, codenamed Marlin and Sailfish. The Marlin is set to be the more expensive of the two, and this new leak shows exactly how it might look.

The folks at TechDroider have shared a couple of 3D renders of the HTC Nexus Marlin, which have been drawn based on the various reports and rumors. 

When it comes to logos, it’s not clear whether the phone will have just a “G” for Google on the back, or whether the regular “Nexus” and HTC logos are to be included. 

TechDroider says the Nexus Marlin will have an aluminum body, which will make it look like the HTC 10 from the back. The device should feature a fingerprint sensor and a camera on the back.

TechDroider claims that these renders are the most accurate so far, and it has managed to confirm the overall design with sources. That said, we would still advice a bit of caution and suggest that these renders should be taken with the proverbial pinch of salt.

HTC Nexus Marlin specifications

Based on what we have come across so far, the HTC Nexus Marlin is expected to feature a 5.5-inch QHD (2560×1440 pixels) AMOLED display, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 820 or 821 processor, and 4GB of RAM. It is also expected to be available in two storage options — 32GB and 128GB.

On the photography front, there is likely to be a 12-megapixel rear camera, and an 8-megapixel selfie camera up front. The Marlin is also likely to feature bottom-firing speakers (strangely missing in the above renders), a 3,450mAh battery, and USB Type-C port. On the software front, it will run on Android Nougat out-of-the-box.

Google is also widely expected to unveil a couple of Nexus-branded smartwatches. The smartwatches codenamed Angelfish and Swordfish will boast a Moto 360-like circular design, and will run on the latest Android Wear OS.

Samsung Galaxy Note 7 Pre Registration Start: Here's how to watching a live stream

Samsung has made it official that it will unveil the Galaxy Note7 phablet on August 2. The event, called ’7 Unpacked 2016′ is scheduled to kick off on August 2 at 11:00AM EDT in New York or 8:30PM IST. Watching a live stream of Samsung Galaxy Note 7 is here. 

Samsung would be looking forward to market its latest phablet and take the advantage of 2016 Rio Olympics, where Samsung is one of the key sponsors.

Samsung's Official website on start a pre-registration for a upcoming Galaxy Note and fill up all details like First name, Last name, email address, Mobile number, Pin code. 

Than after Ask a one question is What are you looking for in your NextGalaxy? Below some opinions available like 

• A superior camera
• A premium and stylish design
• Enhanced battery life
• Water and dust resistance
• Powerful gaming performance
• Enhanced virtual reality experience

Read a Samsung policy carefully than Enter Captcha and click on register button. 

Samsung Galaxy Note 7 features

Iris scanner: Along with the lock pattern, password and fingerprint scanner, which is embedded within the home button, the Galaxy Note7 will also include Iris scanner for biometric authentication. French publication Nowhereelse has shared some photos, which not only confirms the presence of iris scanner, but also shows off how to set up the authentication feature. Samsung has already launched a business focused tablet in India called “Galaxy Tab IRIS” which brings the iris scanner technology for authentication.
To begin with, users will have to provide an alternative method (pattern lock) to unlock the phablet. During the first setup, users will have to place the phablet at a length of 25-35 cm away from their face, and of course, the screen facing towards them. For the proper iris recognition, users will have to point their eyes towards the two circles on the display. While iris scanner feature is a welcome feature for added level of security, it remains to be seen if it will also allow for Google Play Store purchase and third-party app support like fingerprint sensors.

Waterproofing: Similar to the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge, the Galaxy Note7 is also expected to sport IP68 certification for water and dust resistance. The certification means that the phablet can be submerged in up to 1.5meter water for up to 30 minutes.

Improved S Pen functions: The S Pen stylus is also rumored to come with a slightly improved design. The Galaxy Note 5 had an issue, where inserting the S Pen incorrectly could jam the stylus inside. To ensure that doesn’t happen, Samsung could also redesign the slot on the Galaxy Note7.
Speaking to Korea Herald, Samsung Mobile’s President, Koh Dong-jin confirmed that the new Note phablet will come with improved S Pen functions. ”We have improved ‘note’ functions this time, upgrading software for user convenience. We should compete with our own competitiveness. The most important thing is finding our own way that is well accepted by customers,” he said.

Operating System: Earlier rumors pointed that the Galaxy Note7 could be launched sometime in July and run Android Nougat out-of-the-box. However, considering that Android Nougat is still in developer beta phase, the Galaxy Note7 may run Android Marshmallow, and will later be updated to Android N. One of the Galaxy Note7 variants was recently spotted running unreleased Android 6.1 version. Now, it could be an incremental version with bug fixes or thin chances are such where Google may name Android Nougat version as 6.1.
Like always, the Galaxy Note7 will run on a layer of TouchWiz UI above Android OS. Recently, a revamped version of TouchWiz UI video surfaced online, offering a glimpse at it. From what we can see, the interface looks simpler, cleaner and visually appealing. The quick toggle buttons have become flatter, settings menu has new icons and single tab to access and change settings. You could also add blur effects to widgets to increase or decrease the opacity based on your needs.

Samsung Galaxy Note7 specifications

Display: Based on the recently leaked photos that we’ve come across, Samsung will continue with the metal frame and glass display. As rumored, the leaked photos also show off dual-edge curved display on the front. Some rumors also suggest that a Galaxy Note7 variant with flat display may also be there. From what we’ve come across, it could feature a Super AMOLED QHD display between 5.7-inches and 6-inches in size.

Processor and RAM: Now, here’s a bit of confusion. Earlier rumors pointed to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 823 chipset with 6GB of RAM. However, according to the data logged in the recent benchmark listings, all the alleged Galaxy Note7 variants were spotted running on 4GB of RAM. While 4GB of RAM is more than enough, it remains to be seen if the final Galaxy Note7 comes with 4GB or 6GB of RAM.
On the processor front, while some devices were powered by Snapdragon 820 chipset, a couple of them ran on Samsung’s homebrew Exynos 8893 chipset, which is expected to be slightly upgraded version of Exynos 8890 that powers the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge. Recently, Qualcomm unveiled the Snapdragon 821 chipset, which comes with a slightly overclocked processor and minor improvements. There are chances wherein, the Galaxy Note7 could ultimately be powered by Snapdragon 821 chipset in some regions, and Exynos 8893 in other regions. Going by history, India would likely get the Exynos version.

Storage: All the Galaxy Note7 phablets spotted in benchmarks so far had 64GB of onboard storage. However, rumors also point at 128GB and 256GB storage variants, and it remains to be seen Samsung unveils them.

Cameras: The cameras on the Samsung Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge have been praised a lot. In our review and camera shootout between the high-end flagship smartphones, we’ve seen the Galaxy S7’s 12-megapixel camera with dual-pixel technology outperform the competition. And Samsung may use the same camera module on the Galaxy Note7 as well. There are also other rumors doing rounds that the Galaxy Note7 could employ dual-camera setup at the back, but we will have to wait and see if Samsung goes ahead with it, or keeps it for the Galaxy S8.

Connectivity: The Galaxy Note7 could be Samsung’s first device to come with the new USB Type-C port for data transfer and charging. Being a reversible connector, you don’t need to worry about which side is upside down, while plugging in. Another advantage of USB Type-C is that it brings faster data transfer speeds.

Battery: Rumors point to a 3,600mAh or 4,000mAh battery on the Galaxy Note7. It is also expected to come with fast charging and wireless fast charging feature, just like the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge.

Samsung Galaxy Note7 Price

The Galaxy Note7 is expected to be priced around €849, which is approximately Rs 63,000. This is quite higher compared to the Galaxy Note 5, which was launched for Rs 53,900.

Apple's iPhone 7 and 7 Plus Pre-Orders Could Start 9th September

Last week, leakster Evan Blass claimed that this year’s iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus would be launched sometime during the week of September 12. Blass has now followed up with another claim, saying that Apple plans to start taking pre-orders for the upcoming iPhones on Friday, September 9. As is the norm, Apple only starts pre-orders for its new iPhones a couple of days after it has unveiled them.

Confirmed: Pre-orders start on the 9th. You can extrapolate the launch event date from there. https://t.co/gwoPzIM1dI

— Evan Blass (@evleaks)


If pre-orders for the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus are to kick off on September 9, then Apple will likely host its event on September 6, which is a Tuesday. In comparison, last year’s iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus were unveiled on September 9, they were up for pre-orders on September 12, and eventually went on sale on September 25. Apple has yet to announce an official date of launch, so we would advice a bit of caution, despite Blass’ stellar record.

Based on what we have come across so far, the upcoming iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus aren’t expected to look a lot different from last year’s iPhones. There will however be enough changes to keep buyers interested, including redesigned antenna lines, no 3.5mm audio jack, and also a new color variant reportedly called ‘space black’.

As for specifications, the iPhone 7 is expected to feature a new A10 processor, 2GB of RAM, while the iPhone 7 Plus variant will feature 3GB of RAM. One of the biggest differences will be on the camera front with the iPhone 7 Plus variant featuring a dual-camera setup. Other new features expected are TouchID sensor with Force Touch, and waterproofing capabilities. There are also rumors of Apple launching a third variant, called the iPhone 7 Pro.

Microsoft Pix is a great alternative to Apple’s default iOS camera app

Mcrosoft is not a real contender in the smartphone business when it comes to hardware, but the company keeps launching exciting new apps for other platforms – or buying cool mobile apps – in its quest to dominate iPhone and Android. One such app from the software giant is Pix, a “smarter” camera app that’s supposed to take better pictures than the default iPhone camera app. Or, at least, that’s what Microsoft says.

Available as a free download from the App Store, Pix uses artificial intelligence to enhance pictures automatically and deliver the best possible result for each shot, according to Microsoft. The best part of it is that the user doesn’t have to deal with any manual controls – there are already plenty camera apps like that.

Additionally, Pix converts a bunch of similar images into a moving Live Image, but only if it thinks the motion in the scene is interesting. The app also integrates Microsoft's Hyperlapse feature. In addition to recording stabilized time-lapses, in its latest incarnation it also allows you to turn existing images into time-lapses or simply stabilize previously recorded video footage.

Instead, Microsoft does it all automatically for you, managing focus, exposure, color and other settings. Each time you press the shutter, the app captures 10 frames, from which it selects up to three best versions for you to review. The app automatically deletes the discarded versions so they don’t consume any storage space.

Pix also pays attention to what is happening in the photo, focusing on human subjects to adjust focus and make people look good. Here’s a comparison shot between Pix and the default iPhone camera app, as featured by Microsoft:

Furthermore, if the app thinks there’s motion in a shot that’s worth saving, it’ll also save a Live Image for you, which is Microsoft’s own version of Live Photos, made of all the frames it captured for a shot.

Did you know? WhatsApp has a hidden Olympics emoji, Here's how to use it?

The Rio Olympics are just around the corner. As the world gears up for the biggest sporting event, WhatsApp is showing some love for Olympics with a hidden emoji. The emoji is the official Olympics symbol, which are the five rings joined together. This emoji is available on Android and iOS versions of WhatsApp, and on WhatsApp web as well. Read on to know how this emoji works.

On Android, the emoji is easy to use as it does not require any code to unlock the emoji. You just have to click on the emoji icon and select the emoji tab under the football emoji. The Olympics emoji is in the last row, next to the bowling pins emoji. That’s pretty easy for any Android user, right.

It isn’t that easy for iOS users, though. The emoji is not enabled by default for iOS users. To use this emoji, iOS users will have to either copy the emoji sent by someone else or copying a code to unlock it. The code reads like this – ◯◯◯◯◯.

That said, we have learnt that not all Android users were able to use and see the Olympics emoji right now. For some Android users, it appeared as five black rings which are shown above. This could be because the feature may still be rolling out to a lot of people. Also, we were using the latest beta version of WhatsApp for Android to use the new emoji. On the brighter side, iOS users were able to view the Olympics emoji regardless of the official version or beta version of the app.

Xiaomi Redmi Pro With OLED display, Deca-Core Helio X25 SoC, Dual Rear Cameras Launched: Price, Specs and Features

Xiaomi has finally launched the much-anticipated Redmi Pro smartphone at an event in China today.  The Redmi Pro is the first Xiaomi smartphone to come with a dual rear camera setup, which allows you to add DSLR-like bokeh effects to your photos after you have shot the photo thanks go the secondary depth sensing camera. It is also Xiaomi’s first smartphone to come with MediaTek’s Helio X25 deca-core processor.

The smartphone will be available in three variants - Helio X20 (3GB RAM + 32GB storage) at CNY 1,499 (roughly Rs. 15,100), Helio X25 (3GB + 64GB) at CNY 1,699 (roughly Rs. 17,100), and Helio X25 (4GB + 128GB) at CNY 1,999 (roughly Rs. 20,200).

The Xiaomi Redmi Pro features a brushed metal body with 2.5D glass, and comes in gold, silver and dark grey color options. 

Xiaomi Redmi Pro Specs and Features : 

The Xiaomi Redmi Pro sports a fingerprint sensor on the ceramic home button, and a 5.5-inch full-HD OLED display with a pixel density of 342ppi, a 100 percent NTSC colour gamut, and 2.5D curved glass. The smartphone bears a brushed aluminium body, with CNC-chamfered edges, and a USB Type-C port.

Xiaomi Redmi Pro is its dual rear camera setup, with a 13-megapixel Sony IMX258 sensor with a 5-lens module, an f/2.0 aperture and PDAF autofocus, coupled with a 5-megapixel Samsung (unspecified) sensor for the secondary depth-sensing camera. The dual-tone flash module sits between the two lenses. On the front, it bears a 5-megapixel camera with an 85-degree wide-angle lens and an f/2.0 aperture. 

The other highlight of the Xiaomi Redmi Pro is the 2.5GHz deca-core MediaTek Helio X25 SoC, coupled with a Mali-T880 GPU, that's available on the 4GB RAM + 128GB storage variant, while the 3GB RAM + 64GB storage variant has the same processor clocked at 2.3GHz. Xiaomi says this makes the smartphone its 'most powerful Redmi ever'. As we mentioned, there is a variant powered by a 2.1GHz deca-core MediaTek Helio X20 SoC as well.

The smartphone bears a hybrid dual SIM (Nano-SIM + Micro-SIM) slot, with support for a microSD card (up to 128GB) in place of the second SIM card. Connectivity options on the Xiaomi Redmi Pro include 4G LTE - as well as VoLTE support - Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n with Direct functionality, GPS/ A-GPS, Bluetooth v4.2, It bears a 4050mAh battery. The Xiaomi Redmi Pro runs Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow out-of-the-box wrapped under MIUI 8.

Lenovo Vibe K5 Note to feature 4GB RAM, launch on August 1: Price, Specs and Features

We all know that date of the Lenovo Vibe K5 Note launch has been pushed to August 1. Ahead of the launch, Lenovo has posted a new teaser of the Vibe K5 Note that reveals the smartphone will come with 4GB of RAM. Earlier rumors had said that the smartphone would come with 2GB of RAM. The latest teaser also suggests that the Vibe K5 Note could be different than the China variant, Lenovo K5 Note, which is priced around Rs 11,300 (1,099 Yuan).

Lenovo Vibe K5 Note Specs and Features:

The smartphone will flaunt a 5.5-inch full HD (1080p) IPS display. Under the hood is MediaTek’s 64-bit Helio P10 octa-core processor clocked at 1.8GHz, and paired with Mali-T860 GPU. On the storage front, the smartphone comes with 16GB internal storage and a microSD card slot for further expansion.

On the camera front, the K5 Note sports a 13-megapixel rear camera with dual LED flash and an 8-megapixel front-facing camera for selfies and video calling. The smartphone also supports Lenovo’s TheatreMax technology and ANTVR headset to convert games and videos in virtual reality. At the back of the smartphone is a 1.5W speaker with Dolby ATMOS surrounds sound support, and a fingerprint scanner for biometric authentication.

Armed with a 3,500mAh battery and support for fast charging, connectivity options include dual-SIM card slots, 4G LTE support, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth and VoLTE. On the software front, the runs on Android 5.1 Lollipop wrapped under Vibe UI. It remains to be seen if the Indian variant will run on the same OS or come with Android Marshmallow out-of-the-box.

Image Source :- Lenovo India 

Corning's new Gorilla Glass 5 survives drops “up to 80%” of the time from 1.6 metres

Corning, the popular glassmaker for mobile devices, on Wednesday unveiled Gorilla Glass 5 for flagship devices. The company said that the Corning Gorilla Glass 5 in its internal lab tests survived up to 80 percent of the time when dropped face-down from up to 1.6 metres. Corning claimed that the new glass was tested on all type of surfaces including rough ones. Corning Gorilla Glass 5 is now commercially available and is expected to be seen on devices later this year.

The company claimed that it is the leader in cover glass industry and said that over 4.5 billion devices used Corning Gorilla Glass worldwide including more than 1,800 product models across 40 major brands. Notably, Corning Gorilla Glass 5 has been unveiled almost two years after the launch of its predecessor, Corning Gorilla Glass 4.

The glassmaker stressed that Gorilla Glass 5 has been designed keeping in mind consumers' top issue - screen breakage. Apart from breakage, Corning says that Gorilla Glass 5 will offer cover glass that's suitable for touching, typing, and swiping the content.

“Corning has a 165-year history of delivering life-changing innovations,” Bayne said. “Gorilla Glass 5 is the latest example of Corning applying its material-science expertise to solve tough consumer challenges in a way that impacts people’s everyday lives. 

Corning, citing a study based on Toluna's Quicksurvey panel, claimed that over 85 percent of smartphone users drop their phones at least once year while 55 percent drop it three times or more. The study also said that over 60 percent smartphone users reported dropping their mobile devices between shoulder and waist height. The study was based on numbers noted on an average of an 11-country study of global smartphone users and included countries such as the US, Brazil, France, Germany, and India among others.


Announcing the new Gorilla Glass 5, John Bayne, Vice President and General Manager, Corning Gorilla Glass, said, "With each successive generation of Corning Gorilla Glass, we have taken cover glass technology to new levels. Gorilla Glass 5 is no exception, extending Corning's advantage in drop performance over competitive glasses. With many real-world drops occurring from between waist and shoulder height, we knew improving drop performance would be an important and necessary advancement."

Facebook Messenger hits 1 billion monthly active users, 10 facts you should know

Facebook thanked their billion users in a blog post on Wednesday the number of users of its Messenger application had topped one billion, a key milestone as it seeks to expand the platform to new services. The growth in Messenger gives greater reach to Facebook, which is moving to create a "family" of applications beyond the social network.

"As part of this journey to one billion, we focused on creating the best possible experiences in modern day communications," said Facebook vice president David Marcus in a statement.

"We remain focused on helping connect people to the people and businesses who matter most."

Facebook now owns three apps with more than 1 billion users. Starting with Facebook app which is the most popular, with 1.5 billion monthly active users. WhatsApp crossed 1 billion monthly active users in February 2016. Facebook owned Instagram too has over 500 million monthly active users.

To celebrate the same Facebook has a new Easter egg hidden in the Messenger app. All you need to do is send a balloon emoji to any of your friends, and the animation should automatically appear on the screen. However it looks like a temporary feature just like the flower emoji reaction Facebook used during Mother’s Day.

While you sit back and send the balloon emoji to celebrate the milestone, here are 10 facts you should know about Facebook Messenger.

Facebook Messenger is now used by 1 billion users every month.

People send over a billion messages every month between customers and business. The company says that the number has more than doubled in the past year.

Facebook Messenger now is the second most popular iOS app after Facebook.

Messenger app has been downloaded more than 1 billion times on Android platform.

More than 22 million GIFs are sent every day via Messenger which translates to about 254 GIF’s per second.

Every month, an average of more than 17 billion photos are shared with friends and family through Messenger app.

Facebook keeps updating its sticker packs frequently. As of now, there are more than 250 sticker packs available on Messenger with more than 4,000 stickers. More than 380 million stickers are sent every day.

Facebook Messenger offers secret games like basketball and football. The games are so addictive that people have played 1.2 billion games of basketball.

People make around 10 percent VoIP calls globally through Messenger app.

Since its launch earlier this year, over 18,000 bots have been created on Messenger and over 23,000 developers have signed up for Wit.ai’s Bot Engine since then.

Asus Says Republic of Gamers GX700 with liquid cooling Launched in India, priced at Rs 4,12,990: Specifications and features

Taiwan-based technology major Asus on Wednesday announced the launch of world's first liquid-cooled laptop in India, the ROG GX700, priced at Rs. 4,12,990. The company also launched the ROG Strix GL502 gaming laptop in India.

Part of Asus' Republic of Gamers lineup of gaming hardware, the ROG GX700 premium gaming laptop comes with a detachable ROG-exclusive Hydro Overclocking System cooling module that has dual 92mm radiators the company says are capable of dissipating over 500W of heat. It is bundled with ROG-themed suitcase to lug it around. Users can choose use the traditional cooling system if they want, without the overclocking module.

The ROG GX700 is powered by a sixth generation Intel 'Skylake' Core i7-6820HK processor that's clocked at 2.7GHz (Turbo up to 3.6GHz). It comes with 16GB of DDR4 RAM that can be expanded up to 64GB. For graphics, the company has provided a dedicated Nvidia GeForce GTX 980 GPU with 8GB of GDDR5 VRAM.

The laptop is also the world’s first 17-inch real 4K UHD gaming device to feature NVIDIA G-SYNC for stunning visuals. The company also unveiled its latest ROG Strix GL502, a compact 15.6-inch gaming laptop with 4K display that delivers breathtaking visuals. The ROG GL502 starts at Rs 127,990.

Asus India said the Hydro Overclocking System not just provides unmatched cooling capabilities to ROG GX700 but also opens up the possibility of superior overclocking. The CPU can be overclocked up to 48 percent and the DDR4 memory can be overclocked by up to 43 percent.

The Asus ROG GX700 will only be available through request on the Asus India site, and limited stock is available, the company warned.

Asus also launched the ROG Strix GL502 in India, a 15.6-inch compact gaming laptop with up to a 4K UHD display. The base model ROG Strix GL502 starts at Rs. 1,27,990 with a full-HD display, Intel Core i7-6800HQ processor, and a dedicated Nvidia GeForce GTX970M GPU. It will be available via regular online and offline retail channels.

With the new line-up for its flagship ROG series in India, ASUS India is eyeing to capture 50 per cent share of the gaming laptops market in India by next year.

Nokia Android smartphones leak: Snapdragon 820, 2K Displays, IP68 certification confirmed

Nokia is preparing to release two new smartphones this year. Nokia which had a non-competent deal with Microsoft had earlier announced its plan to license its brand name and start selling smartphones.

Nokia’s smartphones are to be manufactured by HMD Global, which now holds license to sell Nokia branded smartphones for the next 10 years. The latest leak hints at those plans coming through.

According to GizmoChina, the two phones are expected to be flagship devices with Nokia’s trademark design language. A leaked photo hints at comeback of polycarbonate shells with bolder design and expressive patterns.

The two mobiles which have leaked are likely to feature a 5.2-inch and 5.5-inch displays. The report says both the devices will sport OLED display with 2K resolution.

As one would expect from a Nokia device, the smartphone is reported to feature a 22.6MP primary camera.

The  nokia power user report also suggests that Nokia smartphones will be powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 chipset and will be running Z-Launcher UI based on Android Nougat. With Android N final launch likely to happen in October, its likely that Nokia phones will debut only after Nexus launch.

The Smartphone likely to come with IP68 certification, which effectively means they will be highly resistant to water and dust on the similar lines to phones like the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge and Galaxy S7.

The Finnish company's decision to choose Windows Phone platform proved to be the wrong one, and the company had to eventually sell its handset business to Microsoft for a consideration of $7.2 billion (roughly Rs. 48,340 crores) in 2014.

The GizmoChina also reports that the device will be priced at 3,000 Yuan (approximately Rs 30,140). 

WhatsApp update a new font called FixedSys, here’s how to use it in your chats

Facebook-owned WhatsApp has finally realised that it's high time that it offers users an option to change font. The company has silently rolled out a new feature on the WhatsApp's Android app which allows user to type in a new font. The font is similar to Fixedsys in Windows. This iconic monospaced font was initially included in Microsoft’s Windows 1.0 OS, back in 1985. And just to relive the nostalgia, you now use it in your WhatsApp messages too.

Also, while the new font is a welcome move from WhatsApp, using it is difficult and can be even be tiresome. This is because users will have to put backquote symbol (`) three times before and after the text they want to change the font of.

So, if you want to type "Hello" in the new font on WhatsApp then, you will have to type it like this- ```Hello````. 

The feature is also available on the iOS app. The font change cannot be accompanied with other formatting options like bold or italics.

LG X Screen with dual Screens launched in India and Priced at Rs. 12,990 : Specs and Features

LG India on Monday launched the X screen smartphone in India, priced at Rs. 12,990. The smartphone will be available exclusively via Snapdeal from Wednesday. Launch offers on the LG X screen include Rs. 650 cashback for SBI users, a free subscription to Hungama Play and Hungama Play Apps, and a Vodafone 4G data offer.

The highlight of the LG X screen is its dual display setup - the Always On display, similar to what we've seen on the LG V10 and the LG G5, is 4.93 inches in size and comes with with a resolution of 720x1280 pixels. The second display, which measures 1.76 inches diagonally and is placed about the primary display, has a resolution 520x80 pixel.

The LG X screen's second display will show notifications for apps, calls without interrupting the current activity or just display music controls. The second display also allows users to check time, date, battery status and other notifications without ever having to turn on the phone.

It's this secondary display that LG is using to tout the X screen as the "first phone with SOS mode." The secondary display will show the SOS button, and the panic button can be activated by pressing the power button five times in a row.

LG X Screen specifications and Features

The smartphone has 4.3-inch In-cell touch display with HD resolution. It runs on Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow and is powered by a 1.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 processor along with 2GB of RAM. It comes with 16GB of internal storage and supports expandable storage up to 1TB via microSD.

For photography, the LG X screen comes with 13-megapixel rear camera and 8-megapixel front-facing camera. 

Connectivity options include 4G, Bluetooth 4.1, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n and NFC. It is backed by a 2,300mAh battery, which the company claims to deliver 780 mins of talktime on 3G.

Now iPhone Users Get Reliance Jio Preview Offer with 3 Months Unlimited Data and Calls

Earlier this week Reliance Jio kicked off its Preview Offer to select Samsung Galaxy smartphones. Now the carrier is planning to offer the same to select Apple iPhone users. The offer is likely to be announced next week.

Reliance Jio will extend the offer to users of VoLTE enabled iPhones, which includes the iPhone 6 , iPhone 6s , iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6s Plus and iPhone SE. The offer will include unlimited voice calls, SMS, data and entertainment services that includes live TV streaming, video on demand and music on demand, which would be free for three months.

To avail the offer (once it goes live), iPhone users should download the MyJio app from the App Store and generate a code to get the Reliance Jio SIM card from any of the Reliance Digital or Digital Express stores across the country. One would be required to fill the CAF (customer acquisition form) and provide valid address and ID proofs along with a passport size photograph to get the SIM activated.

It is also rumored that Reliance will be extending these offers to other brands in the coming weeks, with test SIMs handed out to other brands with VoLTE enabled smartphones.

Reliance Communications (RCom), owed by younger brother Anil Ambani, piggybacked on Reliance Jio’s network to migrate its CDMA users to 4G. RCom and Reliance Jio have a spectrum sharing agreement.

Messenger For Pokémon Go V1.4 APK Latest Version Here

Pokemon Go has been a runaway success and no matter where you go, you will find people playing the game and trying to catch 'em all. One feature that has been missing from Pokemon Go is in-game chat. There is no way for people to talk to each other by sending messages or posting in bulletin boards.

Here we are with the latest messaging app for all those die hard Pokemon Go fans. Yes the Messenger for Pokemon Go is out and it has all the features loaded that you may be looking for such a messaging app. We are bringing the Messenger for Pokemon Go v1.4 Apk which is the latest apk app and you can have the following features included in this version of the app.

Messenger for Pokémon GO helps you to communicate with trainers in your area. Find others to conquer gyms together, catch rare monsters or start lure modules.
You don´t have to leave the app.
Pokémon GO Messenger has floating chat bubbles so you can always stay in the game while chatting with people around you.

Location based chat
Share your location with one click
Floating chat bubbles
No need to exit the game
Integrates into gameplay

Messenger for Pokémon GO v1.4 Apk: Link

Idea Cellular Cut 2G, 3G, 4G data pack rate by up to 45 per cent across all Circles

Idea Cellular has announced that it has slashed mobile internet rates to offer more value to its prepaid customers on the 4G, 3G and 2G data packs. Idea Cellular is India’s third-largest telecom operator with a subscribers base of over 175 million.

“We want to ensure that benefits of internet are reaped conveniently by every individual, through our innovative, customized and affordable products. This will enable the Internet revolution and its impact to be felt in every part of the country,” said a company statement, citing Chief Marketing Officer Sashi Shankar.

"Now Idea users can get up to 45 percent more data benefits on sachet packs below 1GB. Idea offers a wide range of 4G, 3G and 2G sachet data packs priced between Rs. 8 and Rs. 225," the statement said.

The statement added that the 2G data pack priced at Rs. 19 which previously offering 75MB data for 3 days, will now offer 110MB data for 3 days - a 45 percent increase in data.

Similarly, a 4G/ 3G data pack for Rs. 22 which offers 65MB data for 3 days, will now give 90MB 3G data for 3 days, which is a 38 percent in data.

Idea Cellular isn’t the only carrier that has slashed mobile internet rates. Earlier this week, Airtel announced the launch of ‘Happy Hours plans‘ for prepaid customers that offer 50 percent data back on in-app downloads.

Lenovo to launch Vibe K5 Note in India next week: Specs and Features

Lenovo is all set to launch its K5 Note smartphone in India. The company today announced on its Facebook Page (Lenovo Mobile India) that the K5 Note will arrive, five days later, on July 20. 

The K4 Note successor was launched in China in January at a price of $167, which roughly translates to Rs 11,189. Going by specifications of the device, it wouldn't be surprisingly to see Lenovo pricing the K5 Note aggressively at under Rs 12,000.
Available in Golden and Silver colour options, Lenovo K5 Note flaunts a 5.5-inch HD display with 1920x1080 pixels resolution. It runs on Android 5.1 Lollipop operating system. With the older K4 Note recently receiving Android Marshmallow upgrade, Lenovo is expected to offer the update soon on the upcoming K5 Note as well.

The smartphone is powered by a 1.8 GHz octa-core MediaTek Heli P10 processor clubbed with 2GB of RAM. The onboard storage of the handset stands at 16GB which can be expanded further up to 128GB via microSD card.

The smartphone also comes equipped with a fingerprint sensor and Dolby Atmos for enhanced user experience. For photography, the smartphone features a 13MP rear camera with dual tone LED flash and an 8MP front snapper for clicking selfies. Its connectivity options include 4G, LTE, 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS. It offers dual-nano SIM functionality and is backed by a 3,500 mAh battery.

It would be interesting to see whether Lenovo bundles the ANT VR headset along with the device as it did with the earlier K4 Note. 

Here's the first look at Samsung Galaxy Note 7 iris Scanning Technology: Price, Specs and Features

Samsung has made it official that it will unveil the Galaxy Note7 phablet on August 2. The event, called ’7 Unpacked 2016′ is scheduled to kick off on August 2 at 11:00AM EDT in New York or 8:30PM IST. Simultaneous launch events will also be taking place in London and Rio de Janeiro. It is not just the date that Samsung has revealed, but it has also talked about why the upcoming phablet will be called the Galaxy Note7, and not the Galaxy Note 6. The report further states that Samsung would be looking forward to market its latest phablet and take the advantage of 2016 Rio Olympics, where Samsung is one of the key sponsors.

Samsung explains the reason behind the naming scheme in a blog post on its website — “First and foremost though, you might be curious as to why it’s called Galaxy Note7 instead of Galaxy Note 6. There are a couple reasons why. First, the Galaxy Note7 will  complement our Galaxy S7 and S7 edge, and unify our product portfolio. Second, the Galaxy Note7 will minimize confusion about the latest mobile technology from Samsung, and provide full alignment with Galaxy S smartphone.”

Samsung’s Galaxy Note7 has been in the rumor mills for quite some time now, and we already had a fair idea about its name and a possible launch date. As the company explains, by skipping a generation, it is bringing parity between the Galaxy Note and the Galaxy S series.

Just a few hours ago, we came across leaked live photos of the Galaxy Note7, showing off the phablet from different angles. A handful of other leaked photos also confirmed the presence of iris scanner for biometric authentication. Now, the highly-anticipated Galaxy Note7 phablet has been certified by the FCC.  Here’s a complete roundup of the rumored specifications and features that we are likely to see in the Galaxy Note7.

Samsung Galaxy Note 7 variants

With the phablet closer to launch, Samsung has received FCC certification for six of Galaxy Note7 models that are bound to be available with different carriers in North America. These models include SM-N930P (Sprint), SM-N930W8 (Canada), SM-N930V (Verizon), SM-N930T (T-Mobile), SM-N930A (AT&T) and SM-N930R4 (U.S. Cellular). While it doesn’t reveal any features and specifications, the certification does mean that Samsung ready with the final version of the Galaxy Note7 for launch.

We can see the front panel with the display, physical home button flanked with the capacitive touch buttons and volume buttons on the left edge. Another photo shows the top of the device with visible antenna lines, but similar to the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge, the IR blaster is missing from the Galaxy Note7 as well.

Samsung Galaxy Note 7 features

Iris scanner: Along with the lock pattern, password and fingerprint scanner, which is embedded within the home button, the Galaxy Note7 will also include Iris scanner for biometric authentication. French publication Nowhereelse has shared some photos, which not only confirms the presence of iris scanner, but also shows off how to set up the authentication feature. Samsung has already launched a business focused tablet in India called “Galaxy Tab IRIS” which brings the iris scanner technology for authentication.

To begin with, users will have to provide an alternative method (pattern lock) to unlock the phablet. During the first setup, users will have to place the phablet at a length of 25-35 cm away from their face, and of course, the screen facing towards them. For the proper iris recognition, users will have to point their eyes towards the two circles on the display. While iris scanner feature is a welcome feature for added level of security, it remains to be seen if it will also allow for Google Play Store purchase and third-party app support like fingerprint sensors.

Waterproofing: Similar to the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge, the Galaxy Note7 is also expected to sport IP68 certification for water and dust resistance. The certification means that the phablet can be submerged in up to 1.5meter water for up to 30 minutes.

Improved S Pen functions: The S Pen stylus is also rumored to come with a slightly improved design. The Galaxy Note 5 had an issue, where inserting the S Pen incorrectly could jam the stylus inside. To ensure that doesn’t happen, Samsung could also redesign the slot on the Galaxy Note7.

Speaking to Korea Herald, Samsung Mobile’s President, Koh Dong-jin confirmed that the new Note phablet will come with improved S Pen functions.  ”We have improved ‘note’ functions this time, upgrading software for user convenience. We should compete with our own competitiveness. The most important thing is finding our own way that is well accepted by customers,” he said.

Operating System: Earlier rumors pointed that the Galaxy Note7 could be launched sometime in July and run Android Nougat out-of-the-box. However, considering that Android Nougat is still in developer beta phase, the Galaxy Note7 may run Android Marshmallow, and will later be updated to Android N. One of the Galaxy Note7 variants was recently spotted running unreleased Android 6.1 version. Now, it could be an incremental version with bug fixes or thin chances are such where Google may name Android Nougat version as 6.1.

Like always, the Galaxy Note7 will run on a layer of TouchWiz UI above Android OS. Recently, a revamped version of TouchWiz UI video surfaced online, offering a glimpse at it. From what we can see, the interface looks simpler, cleaner and visually appealing. The quick toggle buttons have become flatter, settings menu has new icons and single tab to access and change settings. You could also add blur effects to widgets to increase or decrease the opacity based on your needs.

Samsung Galaxy Note7 specifications

Display: Based on the recently leaked photos that we’ve come across, Samsung will continue with the metal frame and glass display. As rumored, the leaked photos also show off dual-edge curved display on the front. Some rumors also suggest that a Galaxy Note7 variant with flat display may also be there. From what we’ve come across, it could feature a Super AMOLED QHD display between 5.7-inches and 6-inches in size.

Processor and RAM: Now, here’s a bit of confusion. Earlier rumors pointed to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 823 chipset with 6GB of RAM. However, according to the data logged in the recent benchmark listings, all the alleged Galaxy Note7 variants were spotted running on 4GB of RAM.  While 4GB of RAM is more than enough, it remains to be seen if the final Galaxy Note7 comes with 4GB or 6GB of RAM.

On the processor front, while some devices were powered by Snapdragon 820 chipset, a couple of them ran on Samsung’s homebrew Exynos 8893 chipset, which is expected to be slightly upgraded version of Exynos 8890 that powers the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge. Recently, Qualcomm unveiled the Snapdragon 821 chipset, which comes with a slightly overclocked processor and minor improvements. There are chances wherein, the Galaxy Note7 could ultimately be powered by Snapdragon 821 chipset in some regions, and Exynos 8893 in other regions. Going by history, India would likely get the Exynos version.

Storage: All the Galaxy Note7 phablets spotted in benchmarks so far had 64GB of onboard storage. However, rumors also point at 128GB and 256GB storage variants, and it remains to be seen Samsung unveils them.

Cameras: The cameras on the Samsung Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge have been praised a lot. In our review and camera shootout between the high-end flagship smartphones, we’ve seen the Galaxy S7’s 12-megapixel camera with dual-pixel technology outperform the competition. And Samsung may use the same camera module on the Galaxy Note7 as well. There are also other rumors doing rounds that the Galaxy Note7 could employ dual-camera setup at the back, but we will have to wait and see if Samsung goes ahead with it, or keeps it for the Galaxy S8.

Connectivity: The Galaxy Note7 could be Samsung’s first device to come with the new USB Type-C port for data transfer and charging. Being a reversible connector, you don’t need to worry about which side is upside down, while plugging in. Another advantage of USB Type-C is that it brings faster data transfer speeds.

Battery: Rumors point to a 3,600mAh or 4,000mAh battery on the Galaxy Note7. It is also expected to come with fast charging and wireless fast charging feature, just like the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge.

Samsung Galaxy Note7 Price

The Galaxy Note7 is expected to be priced around €849, which is approximately Rs 63,000. This is quite higher compared to the Galaxy Note 5, which was launched for Rs 53,900.