WhatsApp Voice Calling Rolling Out Without Invite for Android

WhatsApp Voice Calling

WhatsApp's voice calling functionality is perhaps one of the most 'wanted' features in the tech world off late: everybody seems to want it. After all, we all want what we can't have, don't we. WhatsApp started rolling out the feature for Android some two weeks ago while iOS users are still waiting patiently for it. Even though the feature is now live for Android, users need an invite from someone who has the feature running for them to get started.

Much to users' relief and excitement, a new report now suggests that the feature may have finally gone open for Android users, meaning no longer you would need an invite or even a hack to enjoy WhatsApp voice calling. The startling revelation comes via folks from Android Police who have reported that the "service's calling functionality now seems to be open" for Android users.

There's a catch though. The report adds that you need WhatsApp version 2.12.19 exclusively to run the feature. In case you're running an older version, you cannot enjoy WhatsApp voice calling feature sans invite. Now the WhatsApp version varies with device. The author has version 2.12.5 running on his handset, which is the latest for the device.

In case your device is not supporting v2.12.19 (via Google Play Store) you can download this version from here.

Reportedly, the said update comes with Calls functionality enabled. Further, Android Police reports that you can't use voice calling directly from within the app itself in this version. Instead you will have to go to your phone's contact list to place a network call.

Your Calls tab (in the app) will give you a list of incoming, outgoing, and missed calls but to call someone you will have to head over to your phone's contacts list. You still cannot call someone via the feature if your receiver's version of WhatsApp is not compatible with it, adds the report. In case your recipient is offline while you're calling them, you'll still hear a ring on your side. The recipient will be informed of the missed call next time he/she comes online.

Xiaomi Redmi 2A Launched With 1.5GHz quad-core SoC and 4G LTE

Xiaomi launched Xiaomi Redmi 2A in china. It is available in White, Dark gray, Bright Yellow, Light Green and Pink colors and is priced at 599 Yuan (US$ 97 / 6,049 approx.) originally, but is available at 499 Yuan (US$ 80 / 5,035 approx.) only on April 8th.

Xiaomi Redmi 2A features a 4.7-inch (1280 x 720 pixels) IPS display powered by 1.5 GHz quad-core LCI L1860C processor with Mali T628 dual-core GPU and 1GB RAM. It has an internal storage of 8GB and can be expanded via microSD up to 32GB. It sports a 8MP rear camera with LED Flash and a 2MP front facing camera. It runs on Android 4.4 KitKat with MIUI v6 on top and has 2200 mAh battery.

Xiaomi Redmi 2A

Key Features :

• 4.7-inch (1280 x 720 pixels) IPS display
• 1.5 GHz quad-core LCI L1860C processor with Mali T628 dual-core GPU
• 1GB RAM
• 8GB internal memory, Expandable via microSD up to 32GB
• 8MP rear camera with LED Flash
• 2MP front facing camera
• Android 4.4 KitKat with MIUI v6 on top
• Dual SIM
• 4G LTE/3G, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS
• 2200 mAh battery

Source

SUMO 0.12.3 and MOVE installation in Ubuntu 12.04 LTS

This post will tell you how to install SUMO 0.12.3 and MOVE in Ubuntu 12.04 LTS. 

SUMO (Simulation of Urban MObility) is a free and open traffic simulation suite which is available since 2001. SUMO allows modelling of intermodal traffic systems including road vehicles, public transport and pedestrians. Included with SUMO is a wealth of supporting tools which handle tasks such as route finding, visualization, network import and emission calculation. SUMO can be enhanced with custom models and provides various APIs to remotely control the simulation.

MOVE allows users to rapidly generate realistic mobility models for VANETs simulations. MOVE is built on top of an open source micro-traffic simulator SUMO. The output of MOVE is a realistic mobility model and can be immediately used by popular network simulators such as NS-2.

Execute the following commands one by one 

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install build-essential autoconf automake libxmu-dev default-jre g++-4.4 libproj-dev libgdal-dev libxerces-c2-dev libfox-1.6-dev

export CC=gcc-4.4 CXX=g++-4.4 

SUMO 0.12.3 Installation 

Download Sumo 0.12.3 from here

Extract the downloaded file using the following command

tar xzvf sumo-src-0.12.3.tar.gz 

Now go inside the extracted file using the command cd sumo-0.12.3/ and run the following command

./configure

make

sudo make install

The screenshots of sumo and sumo-gui after successful installation of sumo 0.12.3

MOVE Installation 

Download the MOVE Software from here.

The file that you have downloaded is a java executable file, so you need to run the following command to run the file

java -jar filename.jar (Java required, if you have not installed java click here)

This is the screenshot of MOVE

HTC One Reportedly Receiving Android 5.0 Lollipop Update in India

HTC has started rolling out the Android 5.0 Lollipop update for its 2013 One flagship device  HTC One aka One (M7) in India, Singapore, Malaysia, and other regions.

The Android 5.0 Lollipop update to HTC One (M7) in India is reportedly 774.83MB in size and shipping with build version 7.21.707.105. Notably, this update build version is different from the previously rolled out update build number 7.17.1540.7 (702.52MB) and version 7.19.401.2 (804.78MB), reportedly received by some users in different regions.

So far no changelog provided by the company, but according to user reports, the new Lollipop update packs new Lock screen, Lollipop-style notifications and user interface, improved privacy features, and the addition of a search function within Settings. The Recent apps menu is now said to support multiple pages and removes the current limit.

Source

Sony Xperia Z2 and Xperia Z2 Tablet to Get Android 5.0 Lollipop Update Next Week,Coming to Xperia C3 and T2 Ultra Soon

After announcing the start of the Android 5.0 Lollipop update rollout for its Xperia Z3 and Xperia Z3 Compact smartphones in the middle of March, Sony on Monday has announced that the Sony Xperia Z2 and Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet will start rolling out from next week. Sony also confirmed that it will offer Lollipop update for both the Xperia C3 and Xperia T2 Ultra smartphones. It will confirm the roll out details for these two smartphones in coming weeks.

Changelog for Xperia Z Series

• Fresh, streamlined looks – based on Google’s material design, but retaining our minimalistic approach to interface and application design.
• New look notifications and lock screen – with fully customizable settings, so you only get the information you really need.
• Multi user profiles and guest mode – making it easy for family and friends to use your device, or the creation of dual environments for work and play.
• Android for Work – not only are business-ready Xperia smartphones and tablets unique devices for work – with waterproof form factors, great battery life and productivity features – they will now also be part of the Android for Work ecosystem.
• Better storage control and customisation – with the option to easily move applications from internal memory to SD card – giving you more control over your content, particularly useful for devices with slightly less space.

Cyanogenmod 12.1 Download and Changelog

Cyanogen has just announced that it will release Cyanogenmod 12.1 (CM12.1) Based on Android 5.1  .The team is currently cleaning up their codebase after merging the latest AOSP release of Android 5.1 after which the nightlies will start rolling out. According to the official blog post Cyanogenmod 12.1 download will become available later this week.

Cyanogenmod 12.1

Cyanogenmod 12.1 Changelog (CM12.1)

• CM12.1 to adhere to the Material Design guidelines of Google
• New floating button for the CM Messaging app
• New rounded circular avatars for contacts
• Added support for Android Wear
• FM Radio and AOSP Broswer have received UI redesigns
• CyanogenMod File Manager has received a Material UI overhaul
• New features like ZIP/RAR files and secure storage support have been added to Cyanogenmod File Manager

Cyanogen has also announced that it has removed unified builds from multiple devices since they were giving issues with NFC and other sensors in the device.

Confirmed devices to receive CM12.1 (Cyanogenmod 12.1) nightly

• Nexus 6
• Nexus 9
• Moto Maxx
• Moto X 2014
• Moto G 2014
• Moto E 2014
• Droid Maxx
• Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4
• Galaxy Note 4 US Cellular
• Galaxy Note 4 Spring and T-Mobile
• Galaxy Note 3 T-Mobile
• Galaxy Note 4 Intel
• Oppo N3
• LG G3 (d850,d851,d852,d855)
• Sony Xperia L
• Sony Z3
• Sony Z3 Compact
• Sony Z3 Tablet

Cyanogenmod 12.1 Download (CM12.1 Download)

• Nexus 6 CM12.1 Download
• Galaxy S4 CM12.1 Download
• Motorola Moto E Unofficial CM12.1 Download
• Oppo Find 7 Unofficial CM12.1 OTA
• Galaxy Note 3 Unofficial CM12.1 OTA

Source

Asus ZenFone 2 to Launch in India by Last Week of April

The Asus ZenFone 2 is set to launch in India by the last week of April. It has not announced if it is bringing all the Zenfone 2 variants to India. 

Asus ZenFone 2

Asus Zenfone 2 ZE500CL Features :

• 5-inch (1280 x 720 pixels) display with Corning gorilla glass 3
• 1.6 GHz dual-core Intel Atom Z2560 processor
• 2GB RAM
• 16GB internal storage, Expandable via microSD up to 64GB
• 8MP rear camera with LED flash
• 2MP front facing camera
• Android 5.0 Lollipop
• 4G LTE / 3G HSPA+, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS
• 2500 mAh battery

Available in Red, Black and White colors priced at NT$ 4,990 ( US$ 158 / Rs. 9,930 approx.)

Asus Zenfone 2 ZE550ML Features :

• 5.5-inch (1280 x 720 pixels) display with Corning gorilla glass 3
• 1.8GHz quad-core Intel Atom Z3560 with PowerVR G6430 GPU
• 2GB RAM
• 16GB internal storage, Expandable via microSD up to 64GB
• 13MP rear camera with LED flash
• 5MP front facing camera
• Android 5.0 Lollipop
• Dual SIM
• 4G LTE / 3G HSPA+, WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS
• 3000 mAh battery

Available in Red, Grey, Black, White colors and Gold priced at NT$ 5,990 ( US$ 190 / Rs. 11,920 approx.)

Asus Zenfone 2 ZE551ML Features :

• 5.5-inch ( 1920 x 1080 pixels) display with Corning gorilla glass 3
• 1.8GHz quad-core Intel Atom Z3560/2.3GHz quad-core Intel Atom Z3580 processor with PowerVR G6430 GPU
• 2GB/4GB RAM
• 16GB/32GB/64GB internal storage, Expandable via microSD up to 64GB
• 13MP rear camera with LED flash
• 5MP front facing camera
• Android 5.0 Lollipop
• Dual SIM
• 4G LTE / 3G HSPA+, WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS\
• 3000 mAh battery

Available in Black and White colors priced at NT$ 6,990 ( US$ 221 / Rs. 13,909 approx.)

Available in Black and White colors priced at NT$ 8,990 ( US$ 285 / Rs. 17,890 approx.)

ZTE Nubia Z9 Max and Nubia Z9 Mini Launched with Android 5.0 Lollipop

ZTE has launched new Nubia series smartphones, the Nubia Z9 Max and Nubia Z9 Mini, in China. The Nubia Z9 Max is the company's first smartphone that runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor. ZTE Nubia Z9 Max is priced at 2499 Chinese Yuan (US$ 402 / Rs. 25,116 approx.) and will go on sale from 16th April. ZTE Nubia Z9 mini is priced at 1499 Chinese Yuan (US$ 241 / Rs. 15,065 approx.) and will go on sale from 2nd April.

ZTE Nubia Z9 Max features a 5.5-inch (1920 x 1080 pixels) Full HD IPS display with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 powered by Octa-Core 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 SoC (4× 2GHz A57+ 4×1.5GHz A53)  with 600 MHz Adreno 430 GPU and 3GB RAM. It has an internal storage of 16GB and can be expanded via microSD up to 128GB. It sports a 16MP camera with LED Flash and a 8MP front facing camera. It runs on Android 5.0 Lollipop with nubia UI 2.8 on top and has 2900 mAh battery.

ZTE Nubia Z9 Max

ZTE Nubia Z9 Max Key Features :

• 5.5-inch (1920 x 1080 pixels) Full HD IPS display with Corning Gorilla Glass 3
• Octa-Core 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 SoC (4× 2GHz A57+ 4×1.5GHz A53)  with 600 MHz Adreno 430 GPU
• 3GB LPDDR4 RAM
• 16GB internal storage, Expandable via microSD up to 128GB
• 16MP camera with LED Flash
• 8MP front facing camera
• Android 5.0 Lollipop with nubia UI 2.8 on top
• Dual nano SIM
• 4G LTE, Bluetooth 4.1, WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (Dual Band), GPS, MHL 3.0, USB OTG
• 2900 mAh battery

ZTE Nubia Z9 mini features a 5-inch (1920 x 1080 pixels) Full HD IPS display with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 powered by Octa-Core 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 (4×1.5GHz + 4×1.0GHz) SoC with 550 MHz Adreno 405 GPU and 2GB RAM. It has an internal storage of 16GB and can be expanded via microSD up to 128GB. It sports a 16MP camera with LED Flash and a 8MP front facing camera. It runs on Android 5.0 Lollipop with nubia UI 2.8 on top and has 2900 mAh battery.

ZTE Nubia Z9 mini

ZTE Nubia Z9 mini Key Features :

• 5-inch (1920 x 1080 pixels) Full HD IPS display with Corning Gorilla Glass 3
• Octa-Core 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 (4×1.5GHz + 4×1.0GHz) SoC with 550 MHz Adreno 405 GPU
• 2GB RAM
• 16GB internal storage, Expandable via microSD up to 128GB
• 16MP camera with LED Flash
• 8MP front facing camera
• Android 5.0 Lollipop with nubia UI 2.8 on top
• Dual nano SIM
• 4G LTE, Bluetooth 4.0, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n/ac (Dual Band), GPS/aGPS
• 2900 mAh battery

Lenovo A7000 Expected to Launch in India on April 7th

Lenovo has started to send out the invites for its upcoming event in India scheduled on April 7th. The invite doesn’t reveal much expect the date of the event and DOLBY ATMOS logo. However, it is expected that the company will announce the successor to Lenovo A6000 in the form of Lenovo A7000. Lenovo A7000 was recently unveiled during MWC 2015 event earlier this month.

Lenovo A7000 features a 5.5-inch (1280 × 720 pixels) IPS display powered by 1.5 GHz Octa-Core MediaTek MT6752M processor with 16-core Mali-T760 GPU and 2GB RAM. It has an internal storage of 8GB and can be expanded via microSD. It sports a 8MP autofocus camera with LED Flash and a 5MP front facing camera. It runs on Android 5.0 Lollipop and has 2900 mAh battery. It is available in Onyx Black and Pearl White colors and priced at $169 (Rs. 10,450 approx.).

Key Features :

• 5.5-inch (1280 × 720 pixels) IPS display
• 1.5 GHz Octa-Core MediaTek MT6752M processor with 16-core Mali-T760 GPU
• 2GB RAM
• 8GB internal memory, Expandable via microSD
• 8MP autofocus camera with LED Flash
• 5MP front facing camera
• Android 5.0 Lollipop
• Dual micro SIM
• 4G LTE / 3G HSPA+, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 and GPS
• 2900 mAh battery

Xiaomi to Launch New Devices on March 31st

Xiaomi celebrating it's 5th year by launching new products on March 31 in China, says the company’s CEO Lei Jun. 

"With all your support and company over the years, Xiaomi is turning 5 next month. We have prepared big surprises for Mi fans who have loved Xiaomi all the way," notes the blog.

Xiaomi's new smartphones has been spotted in the benchmarking website. The new smartphone is dubbed Xiaomi Ferrari. According to the benchmark the smartphone features a 4.9-inch 1080p full-HD display powered by 1.6 GHz octa-core Snapdragon 615 processor and 2 GB RAM. 16GB storage sporting a 13MP rear camera and a 5MP front camera. It will run Android 5.0 Lollipop right out of the box. Considering that the popular Xiaomi Redmi 1S got a successor in the form of the Redmi 2, it is likely that the Xiaomi Ferrari is the successor of the Redmi Note.

5 days to go and the new product will be open to all. Let's wait for 31st March.

OnePlus One Users in India to Get CM12S OTA Update Soon

Here's some good news for Indian OnePlus One fans. The company has confirmed that OnePlus One owners in India will receive the Android Lollipop-based CM12S software update. Responding to a user query on Twitter, Carl Pei, director, OnePlus global confirmed that Indian users will receive the new build of CyanogenMod as an over-the-air update.

OnePlus earlier this month provided deadlines for the rollout of the promised Lollipop updates for its One smartphone, promising the CM12S-based build along with the first stable build of the firm's own OxygenOS before the end of the month.

The Chinese smartphone manufacturer says the Lollipop-based Cyanogen OS build will be released on or before March 30 as an OTA update, while the OxygenOS build will be released on or before March 27 as a ROM download.

.@hescoresgalores no it's not. CM12S will be delivered via OTA.
— Carl Pei (@getpeid) March 23, 2015

Xiaomi Ferrari Smartphone Benchmark Spotted

Xiaomi's new smartphones has been spotted in the benchmarking website. The new smartphone is dubbed Xiaomi Ferrari. Xiaomi Ferrari has been spotted on GFX benchmark.

According to the benchmark the smartphone features a 4.9-inch 1080p full-HD display powered by 1.6 GHz octa-core Snapdragon 615 processor and 2 GB RAM. 16GB storage sporting a 13MP rear camera and a 5MP front camera. It will run Android 5.0 Lollipop right out of the box.

No word on the availability of the device and cost.

Facebook Unveils 'On This Day' : A New Way to Look Back at Photos and Memories on Facebook

Facebook Unveils 'On This Day'

Facebook today unveiled a new feature that lets users look back at photos and posts from the current calendar date in past years. "On This Day" feature lets you look back at things you have shared and posts you’ve been tagged in on Facebook.

According to the official blog, "On This Day shows content from this date in the past. For example, you might see past status updates, photos, posts from friends and other things you’ve shared or been tagged in – from one year ago, two years ago, and so on. Only you will see this content unless you decide to share it with your friends".

Facebook's new On This Day feature will be accessible on both desktop and mobile in the bookmarks menu, search, News Feed stories, and also on a dedicated page - https://www.facebook.com/onthisday.

Once on the page, you can choose to subscribe to notifications so you’ll be alerted when you have memories to look back on. You can also edit and delete old posts, or decide to share your memories with friends.

Modern Combat 5: Blackout goes free for iOS and Android

Modern Combat 5: Blackout

Gameloft has decided to make Modern Combat 5: Blackout free for iOS and Android. The new update brings the controller support (I could have sworn it was there before too), new soldier class, and a new weapons class. But if you’re someone who paid for the game, you receive Veteran Status, which gets you unlimited energy for life, veteran exclusive kill sign and camo, and 200 credits.

According to Valeriu Ispir, Gameloft’s Product Manager, “This update makes Modern Combat 5 available for free to millions of new players, and adds controller support, more weapons, a new class and more. All of our current players are getting Veteran status, with unlimited energy, and some other goodies as a thank you for their support. Ultimately, the switch to free-to-play means the game will have a longer lifetime, so we can invest more in the long-term update plan and in the servers which need to support a significantly larger player base. One thing we’re not messing with is the competitive balance players have come to expect in Modern Combat.”

Download your game from here iOS, Android.

Huawei Honor 6 Plus and Honor 4X Smartphones Launched in India

Huawei launched two smartphones in India namely Honor 6 Plus and Honor 4X. The smartphones will be exclusively available through Flipkart. It comes with free screen replacement within 1 month after purchase and 15 months warranty. The company also said that the phone’s warranty will not be void if the phone is rooted. Honor also offers up to Rs. 14,000 worth freebies from freecharge, hungama music, Coupon Dunia and Yatra.com for all the Honor series, including the new phones.

Huawei Honor 6 plus is available in Black, White and Gold colors and is priced at Rs. 26,499. Huawei Honor 4X is available in Black and White colors and is priced at Rs. 10,499.

Huawei Honor 6 Plus features a 5.5-inch (1920 x 1080 pixels) in-cell LTPS display powered by Octa-Core (4×1.8GHz Cortex A15 4×1.3GHz Cortex A7) Hisilicon Kirin 925 processor with Mali T628-MP4 GPU and 3GB RAM. It has an internal storage of 32GB and can be expanded via microSD up to 128GB. It sports a Dual 8MP camera rear cameras with Dual LED flash and a 8MP front facing camera. It runs on Android 4.4 KitKat with Emotion UI 3.0 on top and has 3600 mAh battery.

Huawei Honor 6 Plus

Honor 6 Plus Key Features :

• 5.5-inch (1920 x 1080 pixels) in-cell LTPS display
• Octa-Core (4×1.8GHz Cortex A15 4×1.3GHz Cortex A7) Hisilicon Kirin 925 processor with Mali T628-MP4 GPU
• 3GB RAM
• 32GB internal storage, Expandable via microSD up to 128GB
• Dual 8MP camera rear cameras with Dual LED flash
• 8MP front facing camera 
• Android 4.4 KitKat with Emotion UI 3.0 on top
• 4G LTE Cat6 / 3G HSPA+, WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n (dual band), Bluetooth 4.0, NFC, GPS / GLONASS
• 3600 mAh battery

Huawei Honor 4X Plus features a 5.5-inch (1280 x 720 pixels) HD IPS display powered by 1.2 GHz Quad-Core Snapdragon 410 (MSM8916) processor with Adreno 306 GPU and 2GB RAM. It has an internal storage of 8GB and can be expanded via microSD up to 32GB. It sports a 13MP rear camera with LED Flash and 5MP front facing camera. It runs on Android 4.4 Kitkat with Emotion UI 3.0 on top and has 3000 mAh battery.

Huawei Honor 4X

Honor 4X Key Features :

• 5.5-inch (1280 x 720 pixels) HD IPS display
• 1.2 GHz Quad-Core Snapdragon 410 (MSM8916) processor with Adreno 306 GPU
• 2GB RAM
• 8GB internal storage, Expandable via microSD up to 32GB
• 13MP rear camera with LED Flash
• 5MP front facing camera
• Android 4.4 Kitkat with Emotion UI 3.0 on top
• Dual SIM
• 4G LTE / 3G HSPA+, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS
• 3000 mAh battery

Zebronics Zebpad 7t500 Launched with 3G and Voice Calling at Rs. 7,490

Zebronics has launched Zebpad 7T500 tablet in India priced at Rs. 7,490. It is available in silver color and will be available across retail stores.

Zebronics Zebpad 7T500 tablet features a 7-inch (1024 x 600 pixels) capacitive touch screen display powered by 1.2 GHz dual-core Cortex A7 processor with Mali 400 GPU and 1GB DDR3 RAM. It has an internal storage of 8GB and can be expanded via microSD up to 32GB. It sports a 5MP rear camera with LED flash and a 2MP front facing camera. It runs on Android 4.4 KitKat and has 2800 mAh battery.

Zebronics Zebpad 7t500

Key Features :

• 7-inch (1024 x 600 pixels) capacitive touch screen display
• 1.2 GHz dual-core Cortex A7 processor with Mali 400 GPU
• 1GB DDR3 RAM
• 8GB internal storage, Expandable via microSD up to 32GB
• 5MP rear camera with LED flash
• 2MP front facing camera
• Android 4.4 KitKat
• Dual SIM 
• 3G HSPA+ (via SIM card slots), WiFi 802.11 b/g/n , Bluetooth, GPS
• 2800 mAh battery

Commenting on the launch of the Zebpad 7T500 tablet, Pradeep Doshi, Director, Topnotch Infotronix India Pvt ltd (Zebronics) said, "Zebronics has been offering innovative yet affordable products across various categories for over a decade now and our loyal customer base is a living testimonial to our claim. Empowering and delighting our customers through technology has been at the core of all our offerings. This makes us consistently innovative and diversifying into newer portfolios enabling customers to harness the power of computing technology. The Zebpad will surely offer an engaging, entertaining and enriching experience for our customers."

Xiaomi Redmi 2 and Xiaomi Mi 4 64GB Variant to Go on Sale Today in Flipkart

Xiaomi India is set for the first flash sale of Xiaomi Redmi 2 in India. Alongside you have the MiPad tablet available for purchase. The Chinese company also has its 2014 flagship, the Xiaomi Mi 4, going on sale on Tuesday in its 64GB variant.

The first flash sale for the Xiaomi Redmi 2 for registered users will begin at 2pm IST on Tuesday. The company in a tweet on Tuesday revealed that the first sale will have 50,000 Redmi 2 units up for sale and also claimed it had received over 300,000 registrations for the first sale of the handset. The Xiaomi MiPad will be available without any registration.

The fifth flash sale for the Xiaomi Mi 4 64GB will start at 5pm IST on Flipkart for registered users. No word on the number of unit for the fifth flash sale.

Xiaomi Redmi 2

Key Features Xiaomi Redmi 2 :

• 4.7-inch (1280 x 720 pixels) IPS display
• 1.2 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 (MSM8916 ) 64-bit processor with Adreno 305 GPU
• 1GB RAM
• 8GB internal storage, Expandable up to 32GB via microSD
• 8MP rear camera with LED Flash
• 2MP front facing camera
• Android 4.4 KitKat MIUI v6 on top
• Dual SIM
• 4G LTE/3G, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS
• 2200 mAh battery

Over 3 lakhs of registration! We'll have 50k of #Redmi2 available for sale later at 2pm! http://t.co/c3eEi6zDhk pic.twitter.com/bR2DHPGAsZ
— Mi India (@MiIndiaOfficial) March 24, 2015

HTC One M9 Android 5.1 OTA Update

HTC has started releasing the first OTA Download for the new HTC One M9 device. The device is yet to hit the market but it has released the update to software version 1.32.401.15 and it is based on Android 5.1 lollipop. The update is around 327MB. In the latest v1.32.401.15 update HTC has addressed this issue which was previously thought to be a hardware problem. As of now the OTA is not available for download, once we get the OTA we will post the link.

HTC One M9 receives first OTA update. ROM version is 1.32.401.15 (327.21MB)
— LlabTooFeR (@LlabTooFeR) March 23, 2015

iBall Slide Q40i Tablet Launched with Android 4.4 KitKat at Rs. 4,999

iBall has launched a new entry level wi-fi only tablet iBall Slide Q40i in India. It is priced at Rs. 4999 only. The company confirmed that the tablet will be available in India across retail stores, though no word whether the handset will be also available online. 

iBall Slide Q40i features a 7-inch (1024x600 pixels) display powered by 1.3GHz quad-core processor and 512MB RAM. It has an internal storage of 8GB and can be expanded via microSD up to 32GB. It sports a 2MP rear camera with LED flash and a 0.3MP front facing camera. It runs on Android 4.4 KitKat and has 2500 mAh battery. 

iBall Slide Q40i

Key Features :

• 7-inch (1024x600 pixels) display
• 1.3GHz quad-core processor
• 512MB RAM
• 8GB internal storage, Expandable via microSD up to 32GB
• 2MP rear camera with LED flash
• 0.3MP front facing camera
• Android 4.4 KitKat
• 2500 mAh battery

Commenting on the launch of the iBall Slide Q40i, Sandeep Parasrampuria, Director, iBall said, "iBall Slide Q40i is with amazing five benefit feature to the users right from the power of quad-core processor to the entertainment on HD display and FM wire-free. Not to forget the dual camera included. We are sure this will be excellent for every household to possess one."

Intex Aqua Xtreme V Launched with 5-MP Front Camera at Rs. 11,290

Intex has added a new device to its Aqua series, the Aqua Xtreme V. It is priced at Rs. 11,290.

Intex Aqua Xtreme V features a 5-inch HD (720x1280 pixels) IPS display with Dragontrail glass powered by 1.7GHz true octa-core MediaTek (MT6592) processor and 2GB RAM. It has an internal storage of 16GB and can be expanded via microSD up to 32GB. It sports a 13MP rear camera with LED flash and a 5MP front facing camera. It runs on Android 4.4.2 KitKat and has 2000 mAh battery.

Intex Aqua Xtreme V

Key Features :

• 5-inch HD (720x1280 pixels) IPS display with Dragontrail glass
• 1.7GHz true octa-core MediaTek (MT6592) processor
• 2GB RAM
• 16GB internal storage, Expandable via microSD up to 32GB
• 13MP rear camera with LED flash
• 5MP front facing camera 
• Android 4.4.2 KitKat
• Dual SIM
• 3G, GPRS/ EDGE, Wi-Fi, Micro-USB, Bluetooth, and FM radio
• 2000 mAh battery

BBM Protected for Android and iOS devices from BlackBerry

BBM Protected

BlackBerry has rolled out BBM Protected support for Android and iOS. Until now this service was only for BlackBerry device users, now they have rolled out for both Android and iOS users. It uses encryption keys which are generated by the communicating mobile devices themselves. It is part of the BBM Protected IM service which offers the standard IM app-like features along with boosted security.

According to their official blog, "BBM Protected offers an enterprise-grade secure instant messaging service with all the features of a consumer IM app, the hardening of on-premise security together with the convenience of a cloud service. All messages are encrypted using keys generated by the communicating mobile devices themselves. This BlackBerry innovation effectively prevents ‘man in the middle’ hacker attacks, providing greater security than competing encryption schemes, and earning BBM Protected FIPS 140-2 validation by the U.S. Department of Defense".

Android 5.0 Lollipop Update Rolling Out to Samsung Galaxy S5 in India

Samsung has started rolling out Android 5.0 Lollipop to its 2014 flagship device, Samsung Galaxy S5. The Android 5.0 Lollipop update for the Samsung Galaxy S5 is being pushed out over-the-air (OTA) and a notification should pop up when the update becomes available. Users can also manually check for the update by going to Settings > About phone > Software update on the Galaxy S5.

The update is about 875MB in size and it takes about 3GB of memory to install the OS. The version number of Android 5.0 Lollipop for Samsung Galaxy S5 was reported to be G900FXXU1BNL2 with an Android LRX21P build. The update brings a Material Design features that brings bold colors and refreshed UI, better performance, improved battery life to the Galaxy S5. The major changes will include the lockscreen notifications and guest mode, which allows the user to create different profiles within the phone.

“On-Body Detection” Smart Lock Feature Rolling Out by Google

“On-Body detection” Smart Lock

Google is adding a feature to Android's smart lock that can detect when the smartphone is being held or carried. The On-Body detection feature makes sure that your smartphone remains unlocked when you are holding your device or carrying it with you. It uses the accelerometer in the phone to detect its orientation. The new feature aims to significantly cut down the number of times users need to enter a passcode to unlock their phones while they are out and about. The feature is yet to be announced officially, but it was spotted in some phones recently.

Android Lollipop devices are likely to get the feature in the coming days as the feature was first spotted on Nexus 4 and is being rolled out to Nexus devices. Only a limited number of users are noticing the new Smart Lock feature, indicating that Google plans to roll out the feature slowly.

Users can try to activate the feature on devices running the latest Google Play Services ( 7.0.97). Some non-nexus users running Android 5.0 have notified that the feature has been added. The feature might utilize the specific heart rate rhythm of a user to remain unlocked in the future. Analyzing body temperature and voice identification might also be utilized for improved security.

Acer C910 Chromebook Launched With Intel Core i5 Processor, Priced at $499.99

Acer C910 Chromebook

Acer has launched an upgraded version of its education-focused Chromebook C910 that will be available in the US starting April. The Acer Chromebook C910 will be available at a suggested retail price of $499.99 (approximately Rs. 31,200), which is $200 higher than the older version that was launched in January.

The updated Acer Chromebook C910 now comes with fifth-generation Intel Core i5-5200U processor, compare to Intel Broadwell-based Celeron or Core i3 processor options in the predecessor. Acer's new Chromebook C910 also retains the durability features from previous version. The company says it can withstand daily damage and features shell that can withstand up to 60kg of pressure, corners that can withstand drops from 45cm, and reinforced hinges for increased durability. Acer also touts that the C910 features "largest touchpad on any Chromebook" till date.

The Acer C910 Chromebook (C910-54M1) features 4GB of RAM, 32GB of SSD storage and a 15.6-inch full-HD (1920x1080 pixels resolution) display. The company claims that the Chromebook can deliver up to 8 hours battery life, while connectivity options include Wi-Fi 802.11AC with MIMO technology, Bluetooth 4.0, USB 3.0, USB 2.0, and HDMI ports. It weighs 2.2kg and measures 393x256x24.2mm.

Acer's Carlos Siqueiros, Mobility Business Manager, Acer America said on the launch, "The new faster performing Acer C910 Chromebook with an Intel Core i5 processor is raising the bar for Chromebook performance. The advanced technology will boost productivity and help our education and commercial customers get the most out of their Chromebook experience for collaboration on important projects and research."

Source

Android 5.1 Lollipop Soon for Moto X Gen 2

Soon after Google released Android 5.1 lollipop for Nexus devices, now Motorola is ready with their Android 5.1 update for Moto X Gen 2. Moto X Gen 2 will be soon getting Android 5.1 lollipop. All the Moto X users were waiting for Android 5.0 lollipop and now Motorola has skipped 5.0 and they will be getting Android 5.1 lollipop.

According to the official blog, these are the changelog for Moto X Gen 2

Notifications & Interruptions

• Block interruptions until your next alarm. This choice will show only when you have an alarm set within the next 12 hours. It will prevent you from missing an alarm when you choose ‘No interruptions’.
• You can choose to enter a scheduled downtime early. For example, if you are going to bed early and change your notification settings, you can choose “Until your downtime ends”. This option will be visible when within 4 hours of the scheduled start of your downtime.
• Adds icons to the volume settings panel that match those that will show in the status bar (None, Priority).
• You can now alter notification volume controls while media is playing. With the volume controls showing, a tap on the bell icon will bring up notification volume controls.

Heads-up Notifications

• In addition to dismissing a heads-up notification, you can now swipe it up to remove it from your screen. It will remain in your notifications tray and you can dismiss it later.

Quick Settings

• You can quickly select different Wi-Fi access points or different paired Bluetooth devices with a new pull-down menu on each tile. Conditional settings tiles that only show if you use the feature - like “Invert Colors” or “Hotspot” - can now be hidden via a long-press on the tile.

Camera

• Reduces noise in low-light shots and improves responsiveness of the viewfinder with the front-facing camera (selfie).

Device Protection

• Lost or stolen devices will remain locked until you sign in with your Google account, even if reset to factory settings. Note that you must have a Google account on the device to automatically enable this feature and set a PIN, password or pattern screen lock.

Performance

• Improvements in the Android Runtime (ART) lead to faster application launch times.

Lockscreen

• If you have enabled Ambient Display, the minimum swipe distance has increased to reduce accidental interactions.

Bug Fixes

• Clock in the status bar isn’t updating and alarms are not going off
• Can’t delete SMS messages when the SIM card is full
• No ringer audio while making an outgoing call
• Calculator floating point calculations
• Chrome crashes on launch
• Frequent restarts while watching Netflix
• Wi-Fi will not automatically reconnect to your home Wi-Fi
• Wi-Fi not connecting after being idle all night
• Wi-Fi connection issues with multiple routers in one location
• Bluetooth discovery is not triggered when you refresh settings
• CPU wakelocks that contribute to heavier battery drain
• Connection and synchronization issues with MS Exchange servers
• Incorrect default APN
• Can’t unlock the SIM with a PIN/PUK code
• Can’t play ‘pinned’ content
• General stability improvements

All the Moto X Gen 2 users can check for their update. Go to settings > About Phone > System Updates. After the update is successful, your phone will be updated to version 23.1 38.

Download Android One OTA Android 5.1 Lollipop

Android One started rolling out Android 5.1 lollipop. Yesterday Android 5.1 lollipop was rolled out for Spice UNO. Here is how you can upgrade your Android One device to Android 5.1 Lollipop. You don't have to factory reset your device before flashing, as this is an OTA update you can just flash it & get updated to Android Lollipop 5.1 even without losing any data.

How to Install Android One OTA

• Download the OTA
• Place the zip on your Android One device.
• Boot into stock/any custom recovery.
• Select the zip placed on your sd card & flash it.
• Reboot, be patient, first boot will take some time.
• Enjoy!

You can download the OTA for Micromax Canvas A1, Karbonn Sparkle V, Spice Dream UNO and Symphony Roar A50 from here.

Google Launches Virtual Tour of Nepal's Everest Region

Google launched a virtual tour of Nepal’s Everest region on Thursday, allowing armchair tourists a rare glimpse of life in one of the toughest and most inaccessible places on earth. The Street View project takes viewers into the heart of the Sagarmatha national park, home to the world’s highest mountain, where icy blue rivers run below snow-capped peaks, monks play traditional music and yak-herders navigate precipitous stone-strewn trails.

Armed with two single-lens tripod cameras and a 15-lens custom-built “Trekker” unit designed for backpacks, teams traveled on foot to capture more than 45,000 panoramic images of the remote villages inhabited by the ethnic Sherpa community in the eastern Himalayas.

Google worked on the project with Kathmandu-based start-up Story Cycle and Nepalese mountaineer Apa Sherpa, who scaled Mount Everest a record 21 times before he retired from climbing and set up an educational charity.

“Everyone in the world knows Mount Everest but very few people know how hard life is in these villages,” said Apa Sherpa, who was forced to drop out of school at 12 and work as a porter after his father died.

“Thanks to Google Street View, everyone can see these villages and understand that people here need help. Hopefully we can then raise funds to build more schools and hospitals for them.”

Nepal’s Sherpa community, who have long labored as guides and porters on mountaineering expeditions, hope the project will promote the region and raise funds to improve access to education, offering future generations a way out of the high-risk climbing industry.

‘BETTER OPPORTUNITIES’

Visitors to the Google Street View Web site can scroll through a slide show of 360-degree views created by digitally stitching together thousands of 75-megapixel photographs, or click on the online map to see images of individual sites.

“Googlers, Story Cycle employees and Apa Sherpa spent about 11 days on the move last March, using the tripod cameras and fisheye lenses to shoot inside monasteries, schools, clinics,” said Raleigh Seamster, program manager for Google Earth Outreach. Google held a digital mapping session in the Himalayan town of Namche, where around 50 locals chipped in with suggestions of places to add to the online map.

Lodge-owner Tenzing Sherpa was among those who attended the session and said he hoped the initiative would attract more tourists.

“These online maps are a good source of information for visitors and if more tourists come here, it will create more opportunities, better opportunities than working on the mountain,” he told AFP.

Apa Sherpa, now 55, first climbed the 8,848-meter high peak as a porter, and described the feat as “a dream that had never been mine.” “My dream is that one day, young kids in Nepal won’t have to risk working on the mountain as porters or guides, they will be able to get an education and build better lives for themselves,” Sherpa told AFP.

Sixteen Nepalese guides, including 14 members of the Sherpa community, died last April in an avalanche, marking the deadliest accident to hit the world’s highest peak. “Sherpas die on the mountain every year -- no one pays attention. This time it was the biggest disaster on Everest, so it hit the headlines, but we have lost many people over the years,” Sherpa said.

Among the project’s supporters was Kancha Sherpa, now in his eighties, who worked as a porter on the landmark 1953 Everest expedition, which saw Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay become the first people to summit the peak.

Since its launch in 2007, Google Street View has captured some of the world’s most far-flung and scenic destinations, including the Amazon forest, Antarctica and Canada’s Arctic tundra. -- AFP

Android 5.1 Lollipop update Rolling Out for Spice Dream UNO

Spice has announced that Android 5.1 (Lollipop) update is now rolling out for the Spice Dream UNO (Mi-498) smartphone. Google launched Android 5.1 Lollipop with Android One smartphones. It announced it would roll out the update for Indian users soon. Now Spice has become the first player to announce Android 5.1 update for its Dream Uno and Dream Uno H Android One smartphones.

Change Log

• Silent mode added after missing on Android 5.0
• General improvements in system stability
• Improved RAM management
• Fixes for sudden app closures
• Improved battery management
• Excessive consumption of network devices when used Wi-Fi fixed
• Issues with wireless connections fixed
• Problems with Okay Google function solved
• Notifications problems solved
• Some sound problems experience by certain devices fixed
• Other improvements and changes
• Changes in the Material Design color palette (after users complaints, possibly for a higher version though)

Source

Sony Xperia J1 Compact Launched With 20.7MP Camera

Sony launched another compact device with 4G LTE dubbed Sony Xperia J1 with a price tag of $490. It will be up on pre-orders starting March 27Sony will launch this device through NTT DoCoMo on April 20, It will be up on pre-orders starting March 27.

Sony Xperia J1 features a 4.3-inch HD (720x1280 pixels) display powered by 2.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor and 2GB RAM. It has an internal storage of 16GB and can be expanded via microSD. It sports a 20.7MP rear camera with LED flash and a 2.2MP front facing camera. It runs on Android 4.4.4 KitKat and has 2300 mAh battery.

Sony Xperia J1 Compact

Key Features :

• 4.3-inch HD (720x1280 pixels) display
• 2.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor
• 2GB RAM
• 16GB internal storage, Expandable via microSD
• 20.7MP rear camera with LED flash
• 2.2MP front facing camera
• Android 4.4.4 KitKat
• IPX5/IPX8 water and dust protection
• 4G LTE, GPS/ A-GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, and NFC
• 2300 mAh non-removable battery

Microsoft Lumia 430 Dual SIM Launched

Microsoft launched the company's most affordable smartphone till date, the Lumia 430 Dual SIM. It's going to be cheaper than Lumia 435 which was launched earlier this year. It is also upgradable to Windows 10 in future, says Microsoft. It is available in bright orange and black colors and is priced at US$ 70 (Rs. 4,384 approx.)

Microsoft Lumia 430 Dual SIM features a 4-inch (800 x 480 pixels) LCD display powered by 1.2 GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 processor with Adreno 302 GPU and 1GB RAM. It has an internal storage of 8GB and can be expanded via microSD up to 128GB. It sports a 2MP fixed focus rear camera and a VGA front facing camera. It runs on Windows Phone 8.1 OS with Lumia Denim on top and has 1500 mAh battery.

Microsoft Lumia 430 Dual SIM

Key Features :

• 4-inch (800 x 480 pixels) LCD display
• 1.2 GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 processor with Adreno 302 GPU
• 1GB RAM
• 8GB internal storage, Expandable via microSD up to 128GB
• 2MP fixed focus rear camera
• VGA front facing camera
• Windows Phone 8.1 OS with Lumia Denim on top
• Dual SIM
• 3G, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS / aGPS
• 1500 mAh battery

Xolo LT2000 Launched With 4G LTE Support at Rs. 9,999

Xolo launched Xolo LT2000 with 4G LTE connectivity in India. It is available in Black color and is priced at Rs. 9,999. It is available exclusively from Snapdeal.

Xolo LT2000 features a 5.5-inch (1280 x 720 pixels) HD IPS display with Dragontrail glass powered by 1.2 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 processor with 400 MHz Adreno 306 GPU and 1GB RAM. It has an internal storage of 8GB and can be expanded via microSD up to 32GB. It sports a 8MP auto-focus rear camera with LED Flash and a 2MP front facing camera. It runs on Android 4.4 KitKat and it is upgradable to Android 5.0 Lollipop and has 2920 mAh battery.

Xolo LT2000

Key Features :

• 5.5-inch (1280 x 720 pixels) HD IPS display with Dragontrail glass
• 1.2 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 processor with 400 MHz Adreno 306 GPU
• 1GB RAM
• 8GB internal storage, Expandable via microSD up to 32GB
• 8MP auto-focus rear camera with LED Flash
• 2MP front facing camera
• Android 4.4 KitKat, Upgradable to Android 5.0 Lollipop
• Dual SIM
• 4G LTE / 3G, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS
• 2920 mAh battery

Micromax Canvas Juice 2 Launched with Android 5.0 Lollipop and 3000mAh battery at Rs. 8,999

Micromax launched Micromax Canvas Huice 2 AQ5001 smartphone with massive battery capacity. It is available in Silver color and is priced at Rs. 8,999.

Micromax Canvas Juice 2 AQ5001 features a 5-inch (1280 x 720 pixels) HD display with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 powered by 1.3 GHz quad-core MediaTek MT6582 processor and 2GB RAM. It has an internal storage of 8GB and can be expanded via microSD up to 32GB. It sports a 8MP auto focus camera with LED flash and a 2MP front facing camera. It runs on Android 5.0 Lollipop and has 3000 mAh battery.

Micromax Canvas Juice 2

Key Features :

• 5-inch (1280 x 720 pixels) HD display with Corning Gorilla Glass 3
• 1.3 GHz quad-core MediaTek MT6582 processor
• 2GB RAM
• 8GB internal storage, Expandable via microSD up to 32GB
• 8MP auto focus camera with LED flash
• 2MP front facing camera
• Android 5.0 Lollipop
• Dual SIM
• 3G, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS
• 3000 mAh battery

Motorola Moto E Gen 2 4G Variant Listed on Flipkart

As Motorola had already said that it will be releasing the 4G variant of Moto E later, Flipkart has already updated their website with a coming soon tag. Motorola had launched the 3G variant of Moto E Gen 2 in India earlier this month.

Motorola Moto E features a 4.5-inch (960 x 540 pixels) qHD display with Corning Gorilla glass 3 powered 1.2 GHz quad-core Snapdragon 410 processor with 400 MHz Adreno 306 GPU and 1GB RAM. It has an internal storage of 8GB and can be expanded via microSD up to 32GB. It sports a 5MP rear camera and a VGA front facing camera. It runs on Android 5.0 Lollipop and has 2390 mAh battery.

Motorola Moto E Gen 2 4G

Key Features :

• 4.5-inch (960 x 540 pixels) qHD display with Corning Gorilla glass 3
• 1.2 GHz quad-core Snapdragon 410 processor with 400 MHz Adreno 306 GPU
• 1GB RAM
• 8GB internal storage, Expandable via microSD up to 32GB
• 5MP rear camera
• VGA front facing camera
• Android 5.0 Lollipop
• 4G LTE, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS
• 2390 mAh battery

Microsoft will let you Upgrade to Windows 10 for Free, Even if you're running a Pirated Version

Microsoft said, Windows 10 will be available to 190 countries and 111 languages this summer. Microsoft had already announced that it will offer a free upgrade to Windows 10 for customers running Windows 7, Windows 8.1 and Windows Phone 8.1 if they upgrades within the first year after it is released. Now Microsoft has surprised everyone with saying that its promised free Windows 10 upgrade will be also be given to users of non-genuine Windows 7 and higher operating systems.

Terry Myerson, who runs Microsoft's operating systems unit, announced the plan at the WinHEC technology conference in Shenzhen, China. "We are upgrading all qualified PCs, genuine and non-genuine, to Windows 10," he said in a telephone interview with Reuters. The plan is to "re-engage" with the hundreds of millions of users of Windows in China, he said, without elaboration.

It has announced a strategic partnerships with Lenovo, Tencent and Qihu 360 in China for smooth Windows 10 upgrade. Lenovo will offer Windows 10 upgrade services at 2,500 service centers and select retail stores in China when the Windows 10 upgrade is available. "Strategic partnerships with Lenovo, Tencent and Qihu 360 will help Windows 10 reach hundreds of millions of customers in China and spur adoption of Windows 10 worldwide," noted Mayerson on Windows blog.

Android 5.0.2 Lollipop Rolling Out on Sony Xperia Z2 As Well

Sony Xperia Z2 Android 5.0.2 Lollipop

Sony started rolling out Android 5.0.2 firmware update for the Xperia Z2 (D65XX) as well. Sony had started rolling out Android 5.0 Lollipop update for Xperis Z3 and Xperia Z3 Compact devices. The upgrade will hit first devices in the Nordics and Baltics regions. The company has promised Android 5.0 Lollipop for entire Z series devices.

According to xperiablog, Android 5.0.2 firmware update for the Xperia Z2 (D65XX) is rolling out. So far no details on the changelog for Xperia Z2 smartphones. If you are using Xperia Z2 smartphone check your settings for the software update.