Facebook makes Messenger app mandatory for messaging

Facebook is removing messaging functionality from its iPhone and Android apps, so users will have to download the standalone Messenger app if they want to send and receive messages on the social networking site.

Facebook says that the decision to make Messenger a mandatory installation was made after getting a worldwide positive response to the app. Currently, users chat through the Messages tab located on the bottom toolbar in the main Facebook app, but now the tab will redirect users to download the Messenger app instead. Once installed, a message received in the Facebook app will switch the user over to Messenger to chat. Users accessing Facebook from Windows Phones, the mobile Web site, iPads Paper or via desktops, will be able to use the built-in chat without the need for a separate app.

The social networking giant is sending push notifications and email explaining that chat is disappearing without the standalone app to its users.

Says the social network: "In the next few days, we're continuing to notify more people that if they want to send and receive Facebook messages, they'll need to download the Messenger app. As we've said, our goal is to focus development efforts on making Messenger the best mobile messaging experience possible and avoid the confusion of having separate Facebook mobile messaging experiences. Messenger is used by more than 200 million people every month, and we'll keep working to make it an even more engaging way to connect with people."

Source: Techcrunch

Next US elections may see Modi-style hologram campaigns

Inspired by Narendra Modi’s hologram election campaigns in India, the next US elections may see similar use of hologram technology by leaders such as Hillary Clinton and Ted Cruz. HologramUSA, the company which claims to have rights to US rights to the technology used for Modi holograms in India, has already begun groundwork on creating virtual versions of the US leaders.

The company has opened an office in Washington. It has hired Jeffrey Taylor, of U.S. Government Relations International, who has previously worked as chief of staff for former Republican Representative David McIntosh. According to Taylor, he will be soon approaching the Republican and Democratic National Committees. 

Taylor goes on to say people might see holograms of Ronald Reagan and John F Kennedy. . “This is not necessarily a partisan thing,” he says. According to him, the holograms may achieve same success in the US as it did in India. 

"A general or a politician or a head of corporate can project themselves physically in a life-size projection that is completely believable at a matter of a few feet," said Alki David, who heads up Hologram USA.

Narendra Modi’s hologram-based public rallies had garnered worldwide attention. It is believed that it’s the first time hologram technology has been extensively used in a general election. One of the popular use of hologram until then had been a posthumous performance by Tupac Shakur in 2012. 

In the US, we can expect use of a much high tech version of the hologram technology as compared to what we saw in India. Success in India shows holograms’ effectiveness in reaching out to a larger number of people regardless geographical challenges. 

Source: Businessweek

Nvidia to improve low-res LCD display performance

Nvidia researchers have discovered a way to quadruple display resolution by stacking low cost LCD panels on top of each other. Nvidia calls this technique cascaded displays, and has already built a prototype using a 3D printer that looks similar to the Oculus Rift.

To make the display Nvidia researchers users two 7-inch 1280×800 LCD monitors and  removed them from their casings. Then they removed the backlight from one panel which will eventually be the front panel in the stack. A quarter wave film is placed between the two panels to reduce polarization conflict. The two panels are placed in front of each other, with a slight (quarter-pixel) offset that acts as a "shutter” for a cluster of four pixels on the rear panel. Nvidia is also developing a special software to drive this new cascaded display.

Nvidia says that cascaded displays could be instrumental in developing cheap, ultra-high-resolution screens that can be used in making head-mounted displays like the Oculus Rift. The Rift, currently uses a low-resolution screen which can be unpleasant when the pixels are really close to the eyes. By stacking the LCD's the screen resolution would be quadrupled to provide a wider field of view. The images produced by the cascaded display are not as good as the full resolution target image, but is vastly improved from the original 1,280 x 800 panels. The panels are also less bright than a typical screen and have poor viewing angles, but could pave the wave to make affordable, high definition electronics.

Nvidia has recently launched the Shield gaming tablet powered by a Nvidia Tegra K1 SoC with a quad-core 2.2 GHz processor coupled with 2GB of RAM. The tablet has an 8 inch display with 1920 x 1200 pixels resolution. It is available in 16GB (Wi-Fi only model) and 32GB (Wi-Fi +LTE model) variants. It supports dual auto-focus 5MP cameras. Nvidia is also offering an optional wireless gaming controller with the tablet. 

Source: Nvidia

London Mayor says it will be first city to get 5G

While we wait for complete 4G coverage in India, London Mayor Boris Johnson seems to be looking ahead at even faster connection speeds. Johnson has announced that London will be the first city to get a major 5G network, promising even faster internet connections.

Further, reports say that the University of Surrey will be the cornerstone behind the development of the network. The 5G network was announced as a part of the long term infrastructure plan from now till 2050. A 5G network will allow smartphone users to download full length movies in a matter of seconds. The standards for 5G networks is still unclear though and the city is yet to explain them.

Interestingly, reports have said that many businesses in London still complain about slow broadband speeds, stemming speculation that the promise of 5G is premature. British MP, Meg Hillier, is hosting a roundtable to discuss the problems with broadband in Tech City and Shoreditch, Venture Beat reported, via Tech City News.

These network though will take a long time to roll out, even in London, let alone India. Currently, some states in India have recieved 4G connectivity, but the network is yet to cover the entire country.

Source: Venture Beat.

Xiaomi Mi3 goes on sale in India again in about an hour

The much awaited second wave of sales for the Xiaomi Mi3 begins in about an hour now. The smartphone, which has caused quite a storm in the market went out of stock in 38 minutes and 50 seconds last time.Interestingly, Flipkart also says that the registrations for the third wave of sales will begin at 6 pm today, which is only four hours after the second wave begins.

Not only is this an indicator of Xiaomi’s confidence in terms of the number of sales, but it also shows that the company has received many registrations already. The company had hit 1,00,000 registrations last time. That said, given the popularity of the smartphone, it is not surprising that the registration numbers are high.

For your information, Xiaomi is known to bring small stocks to the market at a time. Reports have said that the last stock included only 10,000 units. The company does this to avoid losses from surplus and unsold stock. So, if you’re planning to buy an Mi3, then make sure you’re ready and logged in to Flipkart well in advance. 

Swatch Touch to integrate fitness tracking capabilities by 2015

Wristwatch maker Swatch plans to equip its Swatch Touch line with electronic functions to measure personal fitness by 2015, in an effort to tap into wearable device market.

The Swatch Touch is touch-screen enable wristwatch that was launched in 2011. The watch comes with a limited range of functions including alarm, time, chronograph, and date. Swatch has rejected partnerships over smartwatches in the past. Swatch Chief executive Hayek stated that the company is planning to use its own electronic components to ramp up the Swatch brand Touch.

Swatch Chief Executive Nick Hayek told Sunday’s Neue Zuercher Zeitung am Sonntag, a Swiss weekly. "Beginning in 2015, we will integrate fitness functions into Swatch Touch. It will remain a watch, but will have all today’s usual functions to monitor physical fitness.”

Last week Swatch denied reports that the company is working with Apple on a wearable device with interactive functions. A spokeswoman for Swatch Group stated that the report was unfounded and the only business relationship Swatch Group had is with mobile phone makers was as a supplier of integrated circuits and other electronic components.

The wearable device market is growing with Fitbit, Nike FeelBand, Samsung Gear Fit and Android Wear watches. Samsung has already launched its Gear Live and the iWatch is expected to be released in fall, the smartwatch wearable market is on the verge of a boom. According to reports spending on wearable electronics will reach $19 billion by 2020 and the total unit shipment is expected to cross 150 million units.

Source: Reuters

Google and Motorola are probably building the next Nexus phone

Over the weekend, rumors have been circulating of a 5.9 inch Nexus phone being built by Motorola.

Sources have found the existence of a new Nexus device in the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) code base, codenamed "Shamu." As we have encountered this naming scheme earlier, we know Nexus devices are named after fish. The previous Nexus 5 was called “Hammerhead” and the 2013 Nexus 7 was called “Razor” in the AOSP code base.

If the rumors are to be believed the device may get a November release and would share the market with other phablets like the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and the Sony Xperia T2 Ultra. If we take Google’s head of Android engineering Dave Burke’s interview given to Readwrite into account, 

“Android Silver doesn't mean that Nexus is going away”

we can say that the Nexus program is very much alive and we could see a Nexus device in the future.

As for the Android Silver program, which is supposedly taking over from the Nexus lineup, it is being kept under tight wraps and Google hasn't revealed what it is or what are its future prospects but these new rumors have given us reason to believe that both the programs are under works and are not stepping on each others toes.

Do let us know what do you think about the Nexus “6” in your comments below.

Source: Android Police Via: Ars Technica

Google, IEEE offer $1 million as prize for a laptop sized power inverter

Google in partnership with Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE), has started a 'Little Box Challenge' to design and build a kW-scale power inverter.

The device can be used to convert renewable energy, including solar and wind, into current for home and vehicles. The Little Box challenge is that the new device has to be of the size of a small laptop.

"We are looking for someone to build a kW-scale inverter with a power density greater than 50W per cubic inch. Do it best and we will give you a million bucks," Google said in a blog post.

Google believes that this will help "change the future of electricity". "We believe that inverters will become increasingly important to our economy and environment as solar PV, batteries, and similar power sources continue their rapid growth," Google said.

Google added that the new power inverter would help increase efficiency, while bringing down costs. It stated that by making the power inverter smaller, would help bring electricity to the most remote parts of the planet.

"A smaller inverter could help create low-cost microgrids in remote parts of the world. Or allow you to keep the lights on during a blackout via your electric car's battery. Or enable advances we haven't even thought of yet," Eric RaymondBSE -2.39 % from Google's Green Team wrote.

The last date for registration for the 'Little Box Challenger' is September 30, 2014 and the grand prize winner will be announced in January 2016.

Google has been expanding its role in advanced energy and the internet giant has made investments in solar and wind projects to power its data centers. Recently the California based company has hired electronics engineers for their “Bottom Up Grid” project, which the company states aims to “fundamentally change the world of power.”

Source: Google

LG D635 with Windows Phone 8.1 leaks

Internet is abuzz with rumours that LG is working on a Windows Phone-based smartphone  under model number LG D635.

According to Alan Mendelevich, the founder of cross-promotion network AdDuplex, the new LG smartphone was spotted in the network’s database. The smartphone is expected to feaure a 5-inch 720p display. So far, there's no other information about the specifications and availability of the device. Speculations are the phone might be a mid-range device.

AdDuplex Stats teaser: LG D635, WP 8.1, 720p, 5" spotted.

— Alan Mendelevich (@ailon) July 25, 2014

Back in May this year, a LG smartphone with Window Phone operating system had leaked. Dubbed as the LG Uni8, the smartphone was speculated to feature a Snapdragon 800 chipset and 1080p screen. Though, reports suggest image of the Uni8 could be a hoax.

Interestingly, information about the LG Windows Phone smartphone comes amid rumours of HTC working on a Windows Phone version of its flagship One M8.

Source: Phonearena

Google Mapathon 2013 comes under CBI scrutiny

CBI has registered a preliminary enquiry (PE) against Google over Mapathon 2013, organised in February-March 2013. The internet giant has been accused of violating laws by mapping sensitive areas and defence installations, prohibited by Indian law.

The CBI has registered the PE based on a complaint filed by Surveyor General of India’s office to the Union Home Ministry, where Google was accused of mapping several areas which were not included in the maps of the country. The internet giant had not taken permission from Survey of India before organising a mapping competition in February-March 2013 when they asked citizens to map their neighbourhoods, including details related to hospitals and restaurants.

Google has come under the government scanner for the Mapathon 2013 and the complaint was first received on March 25th last year. Delhi Police had planned to conduct a probe into the allegations before filling an FIR against the internet giant. BJP's MP Tarun Vijay had also raised the issue of Google violating India's defence rules on mapping in its Mapathon 2013 contest. He added that the  campaign posed a serious threat to India's national security.   

As per the National Map Policy 2005, "the responsibility for producing, maintaining and disseminating the topographic map database of the whole country, which is the foundation of all spatial data, vests with the Survey of India".

Responding to queries, Google India said, "We are in touch with relevant authorities and take national regulations and security very seriously. We are not aware of any privacy issues and have nothing more to share at this point in time."

Earlier this month Google has announced support for Maps in Hindi to cater to Hindi speakers in India. The option has been launched for popular places of interest as well as for turn-by-turn text navigation. 

Google recently started testing a new dedicated 'Explore Nearby' button that will give users details about their current location, weather conditions and nearby places of interest. 

Source: ET

Windows Phone 8.1 to support folders on home screen, smart cases

The new Windows 8.1 update from Microsoft is reportedly going to bring folder support to your smartphone. Also, the new update will come along with support for interactive cases and accessories like those used by Samsung, HTC, LG and others. According to a report by The Verge, HTC is working on a version of its HTC One with the Windows platform.

Users will now be able to drag interactive live tiles over each other to create folders, the same as can be done with app icons on Android and iOS for a long time now. In addition, the support for interactive cases would allow smartphone makers to design smart cases like HTC’s Dot View case, LG’s smart cover etc. for Windows phones. Considering that HTC is working on a version of its One (M8) smartphone for the Windows platform, the Dot View seems to be more likely.

Further, the new update will also bring speech recognition for car owners, who can now trigger speech using Cortana when inside a vehicle. Windows will also include support for 1280x800 pixel screen resolution and 7-inch devices now along with Voice over LTE support. The Verge cited sources close to the development, saying that the new update could be launched as soon as next week.

Microsoft seems to be closing the gaps between Windows and moredominant platforms like Android and iOS with the new update. The company has made efforts to bring more manufacturers into the Windows Phone game and if reports are to be believed, it is succeeding.

Source: The Verge

Imoji lets you turn your selfie into an Emoji sticker

A new application called Imoji allows you to turn any image into a custom sticker or emoji to use with your iMessage. Users can download the app for free from the Apple App Store.

The iOS app lets you create stickers of your own using any image you find on the web, or from a photograph or from any image in your iPhone’s photo gallery. The app comes with a set of simple tools to zoom, crop, and cut out your image so it appears like a real emoji or sticker. Users have any option to create public or private emojis, tag them and use it within any iMessage text. Imoji also offers a search screen where you can look for emoji already designed and shared by other users on the app.

Imoji was the brainchild of Tom Smith, co-founder of Offline a monthly mobile magazine. The team behind Imoji, stated that the app has been in testing with over 100 content creators and it has already pushed out “multiple thousands” of stickers before its public launch. The team added that celebrity faces are the most popular on the app.

The company plans to introduce more social features which will allow users to follow favorite content creators on the app and also earn points when their emoji are sent. The team is working on a business model where some of the emoji in its database could be sponsored by big brands.

"Emojis are great at communicating an emotion or tone in a text message so they will continue to play a part in the way people communicate. Where we think things are heading is a more flexible and creative form of communication, one which adds a new dimension to a text message. We've designed Imoji to be just that," said Tom Smith, one of Imoji's six founding members, stated in an interview.

Emoji's are gaining popularity across social networking and chat apps. Recently a new iOS app called Emojli was launched that is an emoji based social network which doesn't support text, but communicates only using symbols/ Emojis. Usernames and status updates on the site all are just emoji based.

Source: Techcrunch

Flipkart goofs up, delivers Xolo Q900s instead of Xolo Win Q900s:Who's Mistake?

A bunch of customers who had ordered the newly announced Xolo Win Q900S Windows Phone smartphone from the popular online shopping portal Flipkart have reportedly received the Android version of the smartphone instead. This error has probably happened as Xolo has an Android running smartphone with a similar name, Q900S while the WP running smartphone is named as the Win Q900S.

Flipkart has not yet given any official statement on this issue, so our suggestion is to avoid ordering the smartphone until there is some clarification given from Flipkart.

Unsatisfied customers have started posting their grievances on the product page.

Raj Tanwar: 

Blunder !!! Its not a windows phone

Its is a gross error that they are mentioning its a windows phone. I placed an order yesterday and the phone received today is an android phone with same number and model. I was shocked. Be careful before placing an order !!!

Gaurav Mishra: 

Flipkart giving Android phone instead of windows phone

A word of caution - I have just opened the pack and really shocked to see that what other reviewers have written is correct. It is xolo q900s model. Android 4.3 with all other specifications similar to what flipkart is mentioned. In fact, before placing order yesterday I have spoken to customer representative as well as their "return" department executive to he the reality check. They told me that what reviewers are writing is "false" and they have not received any return requests also from anyone. So on getting assurance from them, I ordered with one-day delivery option. They have delivered the phone in one day but a wrong phone. I have already registered complaint for returning the phone. They have told me that courier man will come to collect it in 24 hours.

Flipkart will lose faithful customers like me due to such irresponsible acts. Bad thing is that it is by WS retail, their trusted partner.

I am saddened to see that other people are discouraging whistle blowers who have written highlighting the matter. Someone has written that "you could have returned". Had I not seen those discouraging comments, I would also not have ordered. I will now be careful with flipkart in future.

The Win Q900s was launched at Rs. 11,999 back in June and features a 4.7-inch HD (1280x720 pixels) IPS OGS display with scratch resistant Dragon Trail Glass. Other features include a 1.2 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 processor with 1GB of RAM and Adreno 302 GPU, an 8MP rear camera with PureCel sensor and LED flash, a 2MP front facing camera,  8GB of internal memory which is expandable via microSD card, 3G HSPA+, WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS and dual-SIM card slots. It comes packed with an 1800mAh battery and is said to be the lightest Windows Phone smartphone launched till date.

via Phone Arena

OnePlus One India launch confirmed

Another Chinese brand has set its sights on the Indian smartphone market. OnePlus has announced rolling out its invitation-only smartphone  - OnePlus One, also touted as the '2014 flagship killer' – in India soon.

Announcing its India plans, OnePlus says on its forum:

Over the past months, we've seen tremendous interest from India, despite not having launched there. We have many customers in India purchasing to the US, and then asking a friend to bring it over or trans-shipping it. Some have even purchased the device from scalpers. Looking at our traffic, India ranks number 8, outweighing many of our launch countries.

It's safe to say that we're interested in India. Being such a young company, we also know that India is a huge challenge. We're all about creating a great user experience from end to end. We understand that there are lots to learn, consider and set up before we can officially launch in this vast country.

What we could have done was keep everything quiet, and then surprise you guys further down the line when everything was ready. We then thought, why not do it together with our Indian fans? In the end, our success or failure will depend on how well we manage to please our fans. So why not start building this relationship right now?

The OnePlus One has garnered wide attention for its impressive specifications and a unique invitation-only strategy. In terms of specifications, the smartphone has a 5.5-inch LTPS IPS display with 1080 x 1920 pixels resolution and 401 ppi pixel density. It is powered by a 2.3GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor along with 3GB of RAM.

The OnePlus One has a 13MP rear camera with IMX214 sensor and f/2.0 aperture. There's a 5MP front facing camera. The smartphone is available in 16GB and 64GB memory variants -  priced at $249 and $349 respectively.

The smartphone UI is based on the latest Android 4.4 KitKat, though it offers a customised version of CyanogenMod ROM called CM 11S. For connectivity, the OnePlus One supports  4G LTE (region dependent), Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.0, and NFC. It has a 3100 mAh battery.

Of late, we've seen quite a few Chinese companies entering the Indian market. While Gionee is already running extensive campaigns in the country, the most recent entrant is Xiaomi, which launched its previous flagship Xiaomi Mi3 smartphone.

The Chinese brands have succeeded in grabbing wide attention mainly because of their high spec'd smartphones at affordable prices. For OnePlus too, pricing will be the key. While it will compete against the likes of Gionee and Xiaomi, OnePlus will also face competition from already established brands in the country, especially from Samsung and Micromax.

From the lab to the boardroom

Tucson, Ariz. –  Scientists, researchers and engineers at the University of Arizona are coming up with new technologies all the time. Now a new center called Tech Launch Arizona is helping turn those technologies into big business for the city of Tucson.
The idea is simple: University researchers come to Tech Launch with an idea, and the team at Tech Launch works with them to turn that idea into an industry. They provide services like patent licensing, strategic funding and mentoring, and they help make crucial business connections.

The University of Arizona created the center in 2012.
"The mission behind Tech Launch Arizona is to integrate technology commercialization, the minds here at the University of Arizona and the right business advisers into one group," said David Allen, vice president of Tech Launch Arizona.
"We're working with people in this community to help us understand the technologies and get serial entrepreneurs and investors involved early."
The companies they help come from a broad range of backgrounds, including engineering, biology and software development.
Cliff Coss, a chemistry fellow at the University of Arizona, started a company called Glycosurf with funding assistance from Tech Launch Arizona.  The company makes eco-friendly surfactants for use in sunscreen, cosmetics and cleaning supplies.
Coss says Tech Launch helped his company become incorporated, find crucial funding from investors and secure a bigger laboratory to increase production. Glycosurf is now distributing products nationwide.
"It really hadn't turned into anything until TLA showed up and until we started working with them," Coss said. "Now we already have prospective customers. We have all kinds of things already going."
Tech Launch Arizona hopes the startup companies created from university research remain in Tucson as they grow, bringing more jobs to southern Arizona.
Allen thinks the relationship between Tech Launch and the university will enable Tucson to enter the world of technological innovation.
"Ten-fifteen years, you're going to be looking at companies and saying, 'Oh, that came from the University of Arizona.' And those companies are going to be the backbone of our technology economy," Allen said.

Source: Fox News

Tiny drones deploy for US allies

Sergeant Scott Weaver, of The Queens Royal Lancers launches a Black Hornet, Nano UAV from a compound in Afghanistan.(Sergeant Rupert Frere RLC, Crown Copyright/MOD 2013)

Black Hornet, the next generation of tiny combat drones, has arrived.

Norway’s Prox Dynamics PD-100 Black Hornet Block II Personal Reconnaissance System is a tiny drone helicopter that can fit into the palm of your hand. The company says it is the world’s smallest operational unmanned air system.

It may look like a toy remote control helicopter on the wish list of kids young and old, but it’s serious combat tech. Black Hornet is about four inches long and one inch wide. And this little guy is astonishingly light. It only weighs just over half an ounce - that’s like the weight of three sheets of paper.

The entire system, including two Black Hornets, a base station that can fit in your back pocket, a controller and a screen, weighs under three pounds.

How does it work?

There’s no assembly required. As soon as you take it out of box, it is ready to go and can reach top speeds of about 10 miles per hour. Its tiny size and speed are a key advantage because it makes the drone far more difficult for an enemy to detect.

Despite its size, the Black Hornet can spend approximately 30 minutes in the air. The operator can pilot it, but you can also plug in the GPS coordinates and the drone can fly itself using auto-pilot.

The drone has built-in GPS, internal sensors and more. The system is very easy to operate - similar to using an Xbox or PlayStation. The basic training course to become a Black Hornet operator takes only two days.

Given its tiny size and lightweight, the company says that Black Hornet does not pose a threat to other aircraft.

What is it used for?

Black Hornet is a very sophisticated military tool with three cameras tucked into a very small unit – a pretty impressive engineering feat.

On missions, Black Hornet can travel about three quarters of a mile and provide real-time live motion video back to the operator. It can also take HD photos. The tiny drone is extremely quiet and difficult to spot when it’s travelling at speed, making it very handy for stealthy information gathering.

During deployments in Afghanistan for example, the British Army uses Black Hornet to investigate terrain and locate snipers.

While it has been mostly deployed by forces in rural and rugged terrains, it can also be useful for built up urban settings as well. Black Hornet’s quiet noise profile provides a key advantage getting very close to its target remaining undetected.

How is the latest Black Hornet improved?

As you’d expect by its name, Black Hornet's design was inspired by insects.  The early models were built in a way that looked more like insects than mini helicopters.

The latest Black Hornet, the PD-100 Block II, looks almost identical to the first one, but also incorporates big advances inspired by the feedback from forces.  From the sensors to the flight capability, lots of aspects have been improved such as extending the drone’s range, making it faster and even more effective.

Very popular with warfighters, the British military has reportedly invested more than $30 million on Black Hornets to support operations.

Beyond deploying for combat, Black Hornet can be useful for law enforcement, providing urgent situational awareness and search and rescue.  Humanitarian organizations have also found it useful for providing information on areas where they are working to keep their aid workers safe.

Each Black Hornet has a hefty price tag of $30,000 to $50,000, making it a very expensive toy for civilian enthusiasts

Source:Fox News