Swipe smartphone

Swipe Sense is a Rs 9999 smartphone with a fingerprint sensor on its back

Swipe Sense has placed itself in the elite league of smartphones which look to offer an added layer of security to their users via a fingerprint scanner. This device has been launched at Rs 9999 in India, and it has the said sensor located on its rear surface.

Notably, another company named iberry had recently introduced a fingerprint scanner-equipped phone as well, in the form of the Auxus Note 5.5. But while that smartphone costs Rs 13990, this one is cheaper and it comes with not one but two batteries.

Yes, a duo of 2250mAh power units come bundled with the handset thus reducing the need for portable chargers. The dual SIM Swipe Sense runs Android 4.4.2 KitKat, and carries onboard a 5.5-inch qHD display. 1GB of RAM and a 1.3GHz quad core processor also form part of its offerings.

The device moreover, features an 8MP main camera with LED flash and a 3.2MP front shooter. There’s 8GB worth of stock storage onboard which can of course be further expanded till up to 32GB using its microSD card slot.

A look at the specs of the Swipe Sense:

- Display: 5.5-inch qHD, 540×960 pixels
- OS: Android 4.4 KitKat
- Processor: 1.3GHz quad core
- Memory: 1GB RAM, 8GB storage (expandable up to 32GB)
- Camera: 8MP rear, 3.2MP front
- Battery: 2250mAh (two)

The minimally named Swipe Sense will be out in the market in the coming days dressed in a black colored body. Like we said, its price has been set at Rs 9999.

Maruti stylish sedan

Spotted a stylish sedan from Maruti being transported in the capital!

Late in the wee hours of this past weekend, we spotted a silver chrome finished sedan while on our way to the International Airport. It was right outside our hotel and seemed to be in transit!

We snuck a closer look to find no logo or name on the car and none of us could recognize the make either - it could very well be the new CIAZ.

Judging from all the hype on twitter of late, this could very well be the same car that has been making headlines since last week. It had aerodynamic grooves on the side along with a pumped up rear bumper, which definitely makes it look cool.

The photograph clicked on our iPhone gives out some faint details of the car its still not confirmed whether this is the new sedan from Maruti or not.

If at all this is the new Ciaz, it might well be equipped to take on other cars in the same segment and is definitely going to be on the radar for all the sedan lovers.

Android One

The first Android One smartphones are coming in early september

New Delhi: Android One is Google's take on what affordable smartphones should be, and starting early next month the first wave of these devices should make their way to the market. According to the Economic Times, the devices will be priced between Rs 7,000 and Rs 10,000, which is slightly above the target price of $100 (approx Rs 6,000).

Google's partners – Micromax, Karbonn and Spice – will each launch at least one device initially, providing users an experience similar to that of mid-to-high-end smartphones. In an essence, Android One is a minimum hardware standard which the three Indian manufacturers have to follow.

The devices will be powered by quad-core processors, which will most likely be supplied by MediaTek, following news of Google tying up with the chip making giant. The devices will come equipped with 1GB of RAM, little internal storage, but will offer users the capability to expand memory.

Apart from this, smartphones being launched under the Android One umbrella will come with screen sizes ranging from 4.3-inch to 4.5-inch at first. The devices will run on Android 4.4.4 KitKat, but will receive the Android L update sometime in October, which is mighty close to the expected launch date of Google's new software.

Great performance and timely updates directly from Google is what should set Android One devices apart from the rest. The concept which the company is adopting is mighty similar to what has made Motorola so successful, especially in the low and mid-range smartphone markets.

The report adds that Google might roll out the Android One program in other emerging markets following its debut in India. The company chose the market as its first due to the fast paced growth, and an incredible demand for low and mid-range devices.

Android One may seem like a superficial term for a set of hardware standards for manufacturers, but Google will take it much further with other activities. The Internet giant made a mention that it would tie up with operators to provide cheap data packs for users of these devices, and will also spend Rs 100 crore on marketing activities.

Google is putting such a great amount of focus to make sure Android One will be successful, which in turn rewards it with a large number of users of its services. The move also future-proofs the dominance of Android, with many first-time smartphone users being inducted into the Google ecosystem.

Xiaomi MIUI 6

Xiaomi rolls out MIUI 6: Looks heavily inspired by Apple’s iOS 7 UI

Xiaomi has announced MIUI 6, the latest version of its popular custom Android UI, bringing a design change that will have more than a few people thinking of iOS 7.

A more colourful, minimalist interface with supposedly enhanced security features awaits developers who have booted the new OS. Devices such as the upcoming Mi 4 andhotselling Xiaomi Mi 3, will receive the MIUI 6 official update in the next couple of months after another round of developer testing.

Xiaomi claims to have made MIUI 6 less distracting and there’s definitely a big change when you compare the existing MIUI5 to the upcoming version. Xiaomi has chosen to use big white spaces accented with bright colours within its core apps, which immediately call for comparisons with iOS 7. In particular, the calendar, mail apps and the gradient-heavy iconsremind us of Apple’s mobile OS.

A lot of the skeuomorphic or real-world design elements have been toned down, which is evident in the clock, and calculator app, both of which sport a much cleaner look now. Similarly the camera app has been toned down, with the big target buttons replaced by clearer targets that float on the screen. It does add a great deal of cleanliness to the camera UI, which earlier had broad bands on top and bottom with the icons.

The lockscreen has changed as well. MIUI 6 shows you the number of pending notifications on the lock screen and users can get to the app showing it directly by pulling up on the number. Xiaomi has also added non-intrusive notifications for incoming calls and messages when you are already doing some other task.

The new features in the dialler

It’s not just the looks that have changed. The dialler app for example has been greatly enhanced. Now MIUI will show you caller ID for unknown numbers a la TrueCaller out of the box. In addition you can mark certain service numbers and also manage your carrier’s customer care hotline through the dialler, removing the need for you to listen to machine recording when getting in touch with them.

This wouldn’t be MIUI without a bunch of themes for the new version, but right now we expect only the few themes that the company has created in the new OS. As developers soak themselves in the testing, we could see more themes pop out.

Of course when it comes to Xiaomi, the big controversy is about how the company tries to copy Apple in its hardware and software design. Apple was by no means the first company to introduce a flat UI design, but it did get a lot of attention for its major redesign last year.

Mail app looks very much like the iOS app

It certainly doesn’t help that Xiaomi’s website for the new OS and its use of pictures is very close to Apple’s own website. So we are not surprised that many people are calling MIUI 6 a straight iOS rip-off, but there are some interesting features that are exclusive to MIUI such as customisable notification toggles, the themes store and the comprehensive permissions manager. So yes, there are similarities but there are enough differences for us to not just talk about MIUI 6 as an iOS 7 rip-off.

Moto G2, Moto X 2 and Moto 360

Motorola 4 September event invite teases Moto G2, Moto X 2 and Moto 360

Motorola is holding a media event in Chicago on 4 September, where it is widely expected to announce new versions of the Moto X and Moto G smartphones, as well as provide more details on the upc,ong Moto 360 smartwatch.

The event takes place on the same day as the IFA technology trade show in Berlin, where Samsung, Sony, LG, Huawei and others are expected to reveal new smartphones, tablets and wearable devices.

The invitation doesn’t explicitly say what the event will feature, but includes sketches of two phones with X and G written on them, along with a watch - these of course are thought to second-generation Moto X and Moto G handsets, and the Moto 360 watch.

Critics praised both the Moto G and Moto X for offering quality hardware and unmodified versions of Android on a budget, both at the mid-range and high-end of the smartphone market.

Specifications claiming to be for the Moot G2 leaked last week and point towards a 5-inch screen, up from 4,5in on the current Moto G, and an improved camera, up from five to eight megapixels.

Meanwhile, the second generation Moto X is, according to leaked specifications, set to have a 5.2-inch Full HD display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080, a quad-core processor with 2GB of RAM, 32GB of storage, a 2-megapixel front camera and a 12mp rear shooter.

As we all know, the Moto 360 is a smartwatch running Google’s Android Wear operating system, features a round screen, and a design widely acknowledges at the best-looking smartwatch to date. We expect to see a firm release date and price from Motorola.

Xiaomi Mi 3 fourth sale gets over in 2seconds,next on August 19

Xiaomi Mi 3 fourth sale gets over in 2.4 seconds, next on August 19

Still failing to provide the adequate stock for Mi 3 smartphone in India, Chinese smartphone Xiaomi today saw its fourth sale getting over in just 2.4 seconds. While the timing is 0.4 seconds more than last week, the company had also offered 5,000 more unitsthan the third sale of 15,000 units.

With around 150,000 registration for today’s sale, it is not surprising to see that it got over so fast but the registrations clearly show that it will take at least a couple of months to get some sort of normalisation in the demand and supply.

Xiaomi revealed that it is continuing the weekly sales and the next Mi 3 sale will take place on August 19 and the registrations of the sale are now open at Flipkart.

There is no word on how many units the company plans to import for the fifth sale but we hope that number is over 20,000 units.

If you are getting tired of waiting for the phone, we will suggest you check out Asus Zenfone 5 or Moto G smartphones as the alternatives.

Hyundai launches Elite i20, price starts at Rs 4.9 lakh

Hyundai Motor India today launched all new version of its premium compact car i20 priced between Rs 4.9 lakh and Rs 7.67 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).

The second generation model -- i20 Elite -- would compete with the likes of Maruti Suzuki's Swift and Volkswagen Polo, priced between Rs 4.42 lakh and Rs 7.99 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).

Commenting on the launch, Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL) Managing Director & CEO B S Seo said since the launch of first generation i20 in December 2008, the company has so far sold 7.34 lakh units in the country.

"We remain committed to the Indian market. The all new Elite i20 would help further enhance the company's market share in India," Seo added.

The petrol versions of the car are priced between Rs 4.9 lakh and Rs 6.46 lakh while the diesel variants would retail between Rs 6.09 lakh and Rs 7.67 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).

The company said the Elite i20, which is built on a completely new platform to replace the existing i20, would further add to the company's strategy of enhancing volumes.

The Elite i20 is being launched globally for the first time in India.

The Elite i20 was designed at Hyundai Motor's Design Centre Europe in Rsheim, Germany.

In the January-July period of 2014, the company sold 2,35,432 cars in India, translating into a market share of 21.6%.

During the same period last year, the company's market share was 20.4%.

Xiaomi Mi3 buy

Next batch of Xiaomi Mi3 to sell on Flipkart Tuesday

The third batch of smartphones manufactured by Chinese firm Xiaomi went up on sale last Tuesday and the smartphones were sold out within two seconds.

A total of 15,000 units were put on sale by the company last week. The Chinese firm had used Raksha Bandhan as an opportunity to market its next round of smartphones.

The Mi 3 is priced at just Rs 13,999 and it has got Snapdragon 800, which makes it the cheapest high-end phone available in the market. It is competing with the likes of the Nexus 5, Galaxy S4, Xperia Z at nearly half the price.

The sale of next batch is scheduled to start tomorrow exclusively on Flipkart tomorrow. Registered users will have to register again to participate in tomorrow's sale. The registrations are still open.

Sources said that over 35,000 phones have been sold by Xiaomi in India since it was launched on July 22. On the first day of sale, the smartphones were sold out within 40 minutes and the second batch sold in five seconds. 

Samsung, Xiaomi or Micromax

Samsung, Xiaomi or Micromax: The smartphone leader depends on the market report you read

The past few weeks have seen the revelation of shipment figures and revenues for the quarter just ended, and along with it numerous reports, indicating that the smartphone market is in the throes of change in India and China, two major markets for mobile manufacturers.

But the challenge for casual analysts and industry watchers is to sift through this torrent of reports and market trackers to see if there’s a common pattern to be followed. However the numbers vary from one research firm to another, and revelations from former analysts point out that even those released by companies may be wildly inaccurate. So which one is the truest count?

Samsung, which led the China smartphone market for many years, has now been dethroned by Xiaomi, according to Canalys. “Despite challenges in China, Samsung retained its global lead with a 26% share, though it was its lowest global share in two and a half years – down from 32% in Q2 2013 and 31% in Q1 2014,” the research firm said.

In India, Counterpoint Research says Samsung is still the leader in the smartphone game, but Micromax is the overall kingpin in the mobile market, and is snapping at the Korean company’s heels. However, Samsung itself has scoffed at these findings and said that there’s no threat at the moment. “Leave aside downtrend; we saw growth in the second quarter value-wise and volume-wise. Based on actual off-takes done through syndicated research, we continue to lead the market by a significant margin. The No. 2 brand is a fourth of our size,” Samsung India’s vice-president for marketing (mobile and IT) Asim Warsi told Economic Times last week.

In worldwide figures too, Samsung let slip its lead, according to IDC. According to this data, Samsung has 25.2 percent of the market at the end of Q2 2014. Note how this figure is lower than Canalys’s report.

More discrepancies pop up when you look at who follows Samsung in these reports. IDC says Apple, Huawei, Lenovo and LG make up the top five, with the US company netting a market share of 11.9 percent. Canalys has Apple on second place with 12 percent, Huawei and Lenovo in third and fourth, but Xiaomi on fifth. One can see a pattern here with Xiaomi on Canalys’s report.

Back in 2010 too a similar discrepancy was noted in the numbers reported by IDC and Gartner. As this post on Asymco says,  for the 2010 market, the two firms had a discrepancy of 77 million mobile devices in their total phone estimates. That’s a huge number by any standard.

It’s not just with smartphones or mobiles that research firms have been dropping the ball. A look at the PC market also reveals a big discrepancy in the way IDC and Gartner, two of the biggest in the business, reported Q2 numbers for PC vendors. Apple Insider  says both reports had Apple losing market share to different degrees, but Apple’s own earnings call to investors showed that Macs were one of the positives for the company in this period.

In an interview with Fortune magazine a former IDC researcher says, “The mantra became, preserve the growth rates; to hell with the actual numbers. Even the growth rates are fiction. The fudge is in the “others” category, which is used as a plug to make the numbers work out. In fairness, we did do survey work, calling around, and attending white box conferences and venues to try to get a feel for that market, but in the end, the process was political. I used to tell customers which parts of the data they could trust, essentially the major vendors by form factor and region. The rest was garbage.”

The report goes on to say that most companies are aware of this fudging of numbers, but did not raise any issues since it was convenient. Executives at major vendors would get bonuses tied to official numbers from IDC, according to the interview.

The obvious takeaway is that market reports are not all that they’re made out to be. They could be an indication, but even then they cannot be assumed to be bona fide. So let’s not be quick to coronate a new king or proclaim a ‘Nokian’ death based on these.

Audi A3 sedan

The much eagerly awaited Audi A3 sedan is finally here in India and starts from just Rs. 22.95 lakhs

Date: 7th August 2014

Venue: J.W. Marriott, Aero City, Delhi

Name of Vehicle: Audi A3

Price:  Starts at Rs. 22.95 lakhs (ex-showroom, New Delhi)

Variant	Price (in lakhs)
A3 35TDI	22.95
A3 40TFSI	28.95

Description:

Trust the big German luxury car manufacturer Audi to come up with something innovative at the launch of its A3 sedan in India, and so it did. Near the banquet room, Audi India had set up a gallery to take pictures that describe the new car as "The Next ____ Thing", and for the blank, they had several adjectives which could be picked up by a media representative and then clicked.  Apart from this, the company also came up with car-shaped pen drives, which came as an interesting surprise.

In the initial half of this launch, Mr. Marcus Gleitz. Senior Designer at Audi, explained the design philosophy behind the new vehicle. Form and values have been used to come up with the core design of A3, along with influences from the worlds of architecture and fashion.

The A3 sedan would have a first-mover advantage in the entry level luxury category, as it is a compact sedan which would compete against hatchbacks A-Class from Mercedes and 1-Series from BMW. In the Audi product portfolio which currently has three categories (Q Range, A Range and Sort Range), it creates a new space. Sportiness, emotion and progressiveness have been kept in mind while creating the new design. However, in terms of headlamps and front grille, it certainly looks a lot like its cousins A4 and A6. 

Exterior Design

From the outside, you can marvel at the Audi singleframe design,  which has a diamond-designed grill and comes with new rings. Bi-xenon headlamps are standard, which lend  a low slung appearance to the vehicle. The side profile is muscular and contour-lined and its roof is like that of a Coupe. Modified and large inlets can be seen on the front bumper.

 

Interior design 

To say that Audi has loaded the A3 with technology is nothing else but an understatement. The MMI Touch with a Navigation Plus has a touch-sensitive control and the drive system is very similar to iDrive in BMW. The MMI comes with several infotainment components and also has a 7-inch retractable screen. Among the components are a DVD oplayer, 2 SD card readers, a Bluetooth interface and a jukebox with 20 GB hard disk and Audi music interface. In terms of comfort and safety, 2 Zone Automatic air conditioning is standard, in addition to 7 airbags and a safety bonnet.  A rear view camera has been provided for the driver's convenience.

 

What is under the hood

The A3 comes with two engine options, one of which runs on petrol and the other on diesel. Maximum power from the 40TFSI petrol engine is 180 bhp with 250 Nm of peak torque. Similarly, the 35TDI diesel engine generates 143 bhp of peak power and 320Nm of maximum torque. The cars are powered by S tronic dual clutch transmission, which is 7-speed for the petrol and 6-speed 
for the diesel variants.

Special Features:

•     Daytime running lights at the front.
•    Jet turbine-like vents for the AC.
•     S Line exterior package.
•     Milano leather for upholstery.
•     Electrically adjustable front seats.
•     40TFSI- 0-100 kmph in 7.3 seconds.
•     A3 35TDI- Amazing fuel efficiency of 20.38 kmpl.

Notes:

•     Audi is looking to record double digit growth in 2014.   
•     With the A3, the company would look to target self drivers. Most Audi vehicles such as the A4, A6 and A8 are driven by chauffeurs in India.
•     It is a global product but meant to excite the Indian audience.

iPhone 6

Apple sets Sept 9 iPhone event: report

 Apple has scheduled a September 9 event to unveil its long-anticipated large-screen iPhone, the online news site Re/code reported Tuesday.While reports have been swirling in recent weeks about the new handsets, this was the first with a precise date.
Apple did not immediately comment.
Re/Code said the event would be to announce Apple's next-generation iPhones, with screen sizes stretched to 4.7 and 5.5 inches and with a faster processor.
Apple sold some 35 million iPhone in the past quarter, lifted by growth in China, but its share of the smartphone market has been shrinking globally.
The research firm Strategy Analytics said the rival Android operating system captured 85 percent of the worldwide market in the second quarter, and is threatening to marginalize rival platforms.
Apple's global market share fell to 11.9 % from 13.4 % a year ago, according to that survey.
Samsung, which has been selling large-screen phones and a wide variety of other handsets, has become the world's largest smartphone maker with a 25 percent market share, according to analysts.
Apple typically updates its product cycle in the second half of the year, getting a lift from holiday sales.
Last year it unveiled the iPhone 5S and the lower-priced iPhone 5C in September, getting record sales at the launch.
Apple is working on a new operating system which allows for mobile payments and includes a health platform. The system iOS8 is expected to be in the new iPhones.
But some analysts say Apple needs to come up with a new innovation to keep leadership in the tech sector. Reports say Apple is working on a smartwatch and a new interactive television, but the company has said little about this.

ASUS Chromebox

First look: Hands-on with ASUS Chromebox series launched in India for Rs 21,000 onwards

ASUS launched the its first Chromebox series in India with three models – Chromebox CN60 with Intel Celeron processor, Chromebox CN60 with Intel Core i3 processor and Chromebox CN60 with Intel Core i7 processor priced at Rs 21,000, Rs 36,500 and Rs 58,000 respectively. We had a chance to play around with the device for some time at the event.

It houses 16GB M.2 NGFF SSD and offers 100 GB of free Google Drive storage for two years. The Celeron model comes with 2GB of RAM whereas the Core i3 and Core i7 models come with 4GB RAM. We were not allowed to open the Chromebox to show the internals, as that voids the warranty. But we managed to click some photographs of the Chromebox as a standalone device as well as in use. But first let us see how portable the Chromebox is.

ASUS Chromebox comes in a compact form factor and houses Intel processors such as Celeron, Core i3 or Core i7 depending on the configuration you have chosen. It houses a dual-band 802.11 Wi-fi b/g/n. Two USB 3.0 ports are placed in the front and there are two more on the rear side.

On the rear side you have the DC power in port, a LAN port, two USB 3.0 ports, an HDMI port, a DisplayPort and a mic-in/headphone out jack. The Intel Core series based ASUS Chromeboxes can output 4K UHD content as well.

Thanks to the compact size, the ASUS Chromebox can be easily VESA-mounted behind your monitor.

Seen above is a Chromebox powering a 4K ASUS monitor. ASUS Chromebox bundles a wireless keyboard and mouse combo along with every Chromebox.

New Icon Helios

The new Icon Helios is incredible

The design mind behind the Bronco is taking it back with all-electric Tesla-based aluminium rocket

Meet the Icon Helios, an Californian dream machine packing an all-electric platform, and bodywork surely dreamed up when Howard Hughes got drunk with Gordon Buehrig.

Actually, that's the analogy Icon's owner, Jonathan Ward, uses to explain his latest vision. "One way or another," he revealed on Twitter, "I will build this car. Looking for the right client to commission it."

A bit of history, first. Icon is famous for building one of TG's favouritest ever cars, the Bronco; a reworked 1972 monster with an entirely new chassis underneath, a box-fresh 5.0-litre V8 up front and a good, solid slug of 400bhp and 400lb ft of torque.

There's a purpose built Atlas II transfer case, custom Dynatrac Dana solid-axle assemblies and independent coilover suspension by Eiback and Fox Racing. So it's a serious, serious bit of kit.

The Icon Helios, then, was revealed to an audience in Oregon, where Ward was presenting his future. "I've finally networked my brains with Elon Musk," he says, indicating that he's hoping to use the Tesla Model X platform, with its selective all-wheel drive and 380-mile pure electric range, to sit underneath this stunning bit of design.

And you have to agree, the Helios is an astonishingly extravagant bit of work. "It's audacious, large, a five passenger car," Ward explains. There's burnished aluminium, exposed copper rivets, leather strapping and that bodyshape inspired by things like the DC-1 experimental plane from the ‘30s.

"I've got a meeting with Ralph Lauren," Ward said last week, "but he doesn't know that I'm going to make him buy this car. I think it's up his alley, because his car collection is the holy grail.

Samsung Galaxy Alpha's

Supplier leaks Samsung Galaxy Alpha's alleged specs

The smartphone may not yet be officially unveiled, but a UK supplier is offering preorders.

Samsung Galaxy S5 may soon have some internal competition.

The rumor mill has been working overtime about the next Samsung smartphone, and now it appears that a supplier in the UK has accidentally leaked the specifications and name of the new device.
As spotted by The Inquirer, smartphone retailer Mobilefun is letting consumers preorder the device, dubbed the Samsung Galaxy Alpha.
If you're in the United Kingdom, you can preorder an unlocked device for £549 ($923). At the time of writing, the webpage is live, says the 32GB smartphone has a "metallic finish," and offers black as the color option.
While there is no mention of a release date, the smartphone retailer says the handset will use Samsung's own Octa-core Exynos 5 processor, Google's Android 4.4.2 Kitkat operating system, a 12MP camera with autofocus, and fingerprint scanner. Other alleged specs:

• 4.7-inch Super AMOLED display, 1280 x 720 pixels (320ppi, or pixel density)

• 4G capabilities

• Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 with A2DP, EDR, LE, Micro USB, GPS

• Camera: 12MP with autofocus, LED flash, video, and secondary 2.1MP camera

According to the site, Samsung has made headway with the Galaxy camera, and the Alpha will be able to capture images in about 0.3 seconds. In addition, the Alpha includes selective focus features, editing, and real-time HDR viewing.

While Mobilefun did not include an image of the new handset, SamMobile -- a generally reliable source of Samsung information -- does and says that the Alpha will be formally announced by August 13 and will be available in both black and white.