Apple Music Service Goes Live With New iOS 8.4 Update

Updating your smartphone’s firmware to the newest update is recommended for users as it not only improves the performance but it also brings in new features to your device. Who wouldn’t want that? While it is good habit to keep your devices up to date, there are certain issues that new updates could bring. For instance when Apple announced the new iOS 8 update, users started facing Touch ID issues, battery problems, Wi-Fi connectivity problems, Bluetooth problems, and so on. Apple is known to be quick on fixing bugs and it did so by rolling out incremental updates with iOS 8.2 and 8.3. Today Apple has released yet another update, iOS 8.4, for iPhone and iPad users. Apart from bringing bug fixes and improvements in performance, the new update also comes with a revamped Music app and Apple's on-demand streaming music service, Apple Music. The iOS 8.4 update is now available for all supported iDevices and along with Apple Music, brings the 24x7 Beats 1 radio service to over 100 countries.The new music service has been one of the most talked about features from Apple this year as it offers the entire iTunes store music library to users at a monthly fee and users get the service free of charge for the first three months. However some users are reporting that Apple Music comes with an auto-renewal setting, which means at the end of the three months, users will be charged automatically via their iTunes ID. Thankfully, the auto-renewal setting can be switched off in case you don’t like the service or are just not in the mood for paying the subscription. When Apple announced the service, the subscription was priced at $ 9.99, but it seems that the cost of the service in different countries will differ. For instance in Thailand and Indonesia the service is $5 (Rs. 300) per month, in the Philippines and Russia it is $3 (Rs. 180) and Indian customers can avail the monthly service for just while in India it is available for just $2 (Rs. 120).  While this does sound exciting, it should be noted that the content might also differ for different countries. Users are also reporting that the new Music app refreshes your music library and might remove every single song that you have on your device, so better be careful before you go for an update to iOS 8.4. To update your iOS device you need to connect it to your PC and run iTunes which will guide you through the update process. Alternatively you can go to your device’s setting and check for the OS update under the Software Update tab. Updating your mobile OS can be risky but if you follow instructions, you should end up with a smooth running device. There have been cases when Android users updated to the new Lollipop update and ended up hating the revamped volume setting and issues with memory and battery drain. Yes, there are certain ways that you can downgrade your system, on iOS and Android, but that would mean a whole lot of tinkering with your device and high-chances of losing your data. But if you are willing to take the risk and are technically sound, then the process requires you to enter the recovery mode and then install an older OS firmware file.  

SwiftKey Update Brings New Indian Languages On Android

Android gives you the freedom of choosing whatever keyboard you are comfortable with, something which Apple brought in one of their iOS updates. One of the most popular third-party keyboards is SwiftKey which can be easily downloaded on any Android device and can replace your default keyboard. Since Android natively supports a number of Indian languages, SwiftKey for Android offers regional languages such as Devanagari, Tamil and Gujarati scripts. Today the app has been updated and brings in support for additional Indian languages including Bengali, Punjabi, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, Assamese, Oriya, Konkani and Manipuri.Not only does the set of languages make it easy and intuitive for users, but like contextually relevant word predictions, the new update brings in a set of contextually aware keys for these new languages. This helps in maintaining the structure of the words that you type as the keyboard suggests the next letter to maintain the flow of the word. Other changes include access to characters on the secondary layout by pressing and holding the key in the same position on the primary layout, just like in a traditional Android keyboard. This is something that the developers should have added long time back as it makes it easier to type texts. For emoji-lovers there is added support for emoji prediction for regional languages including Bengali, Punjabi, Kannada, Telugu, Assamese, Oriya, Sinhala and Urdu.The new update comes right after when SwiftKey was accused of a security flaw that put over 600 million Samsung smartphones vulnerable to attacks from hackers who could spy on users. Hopefully the developers have dealt with the issues and fixed the security flaw in the new update.      

Force Touch: Apple’s Secret Weapon

Apple undoubtedly makes brilliant gadgets and it’s all because of the number of innovations that the company incorporates in its devices. With the iPhone 5S, Apple introduced the Touch ID fingerprint scanner, it wasn’t the first handset to do so, but it created a huge buzz and forced manufacturers like Samsung and HTC to follow Apple’s path. This year Apple is relying on a brand new innovation called Force Touch. The Apple Watch was the first device to feature this and the new glass based trackpad on the wafer-thin Macbook also incorporates this feature.  Apple describes it as the "most significant new sensing capability" butwhat is Force Touch? Well basically it senses how hard the user is pressing down on the trackpadwhich can then be used to show more options to users. The sensors can detect more than one type of tap. A light tap can perform a certain action and a harder tap can perform something else. For instance you could press on the display harder to increase the volume or just forward a video. The Force Touch trackpad on the new Macbook has a customisable feature called Force Touch. This lets you adjust the feature's sensitivity, so that you can finely adjust the pressure required for certain actions. The trackpad also comes with Force Sensors that allow the user to click anywhere instead of relying on just the bottom of trackpad as it was on the previous Macbooks.There is also a Taptic Engine, which senses when a user taps on the trackpad and provides a haptic feedback to acknowledge the action. The trackpad doesn’t move and while the Force Touch trackpad sounds like it clicks and feels like it clicks, it doesn't actually click. This feature is also available on the recently announced Apple Watch.If reports are to be believed, then Apple is already working on incorporating this new feature into the upcoming set of iPhones this year and is also said to bump up the production next month. This would mean that the new iPhones will have a complete overhauling of how users will interact with the handset thanks to the new Force Touch feature.  

The Return of the Knight

Micromax is now one of the biggest tech brands in India and a couple of months back news reports suggested that the indigenous brand surpassed Samsung in terms of smartphone sales figures. While the company has been making some decent smartphones, their latest handset is an update for last year’s flagship, the Canvas Knight. Like its predecessor, the Canvas Knight 2 has a unibody design with a glass front and back finish with a metal frame in the middle but this time, Micromax has put in a much better effort. Yes the looks are inspired from the iPhone 6, but it is impressive for something under Rs. 20,000. The smartphone is lean with a thickness of just 6.3mm which is one of the slimmest in the market. The display size is 5-inches with a 1280x720 resolution, which is fairly decent. Probably a 1080p resolution would have done more justice.  The Canvas Knight 2 runs on the latest octa-core processor from Qualcomm, which is interesting to notice as Micromax had been relying on MediaTek for their processor chipsets until last year. The smartphone runs on stock Android Lollipop with some minor customizations and some preloaded apps. The performance is smooth and there were no issues in running apps and games. This is something that Micromax has improved over the past few months.    The rear camera has a 13MP resolution which isn’t extraordinary but does a decent job. The app comes with a variety of modes and settings which primarily only changes the colour temperature, tone and shutter speeds to compensate for different situations. The quality of pictures is great but does lack details especially when shooting in low light conditions.   Last year was all about providing a flagship experience at a mid-range price; the Canvas Knight 2 doesn’t make the cut. The Canvas Knight 2 is a fine deal if you want good looks and a decent performance package, sadly though, it doesn’t live up to its expectations and definitely not as impressive as the Canvas Knight.  

Lenovo Announces K3 Note Smartphone In India

Lenovo is expanding its smartphone business, not just in India, but globally ever since it acquired Motorola last year. The company, like many other brands, has shifted its focus on making budget smartphones for the Indian market. The newest smartphone that company announced today was the K3 Note. As the name suggests the handset is large device with and comes with a 5.5-inch display.The handset is basically an update for the previously launched Lenovo A7000 with a set of updated hardware. For instance you get a 1080p full HD display compared to the 720p HD display, 16GB of storage rather than 8GB, an upgraded 13MP rear camera along with a 5MP front camera. Lenovo has also added USB OTG that allows you to directly connect external storage to the smartphone, this is actually a good proposition for a smartphone at this price. The looks are exactly like the A7000 with a plastic finish and you also get same Dolby Atmos sound enhancement on the device as well as 4G connectivity.The Lenovo K3 Note is priced at Rs. 9999 and will be available exclusively via flash sales on Flipkart. Registrations for the device start today and the product will be available from next month. The handset will definitely be a disappointment to consumers who have already opted for the A7000 as the K3 Note sounds a much better option for just an extra 1000 bucks.

Five Gadgets To Take On Your Vacation

There is no denying the fact that technology has taken over our lives, be it our homes, offices or even at our favorite eatery. People are getting more indulged into gadgets as they have started penetrating into our daily lifestyle.  The same goes when one is travelling. It has become a necessity to pack a bunch of gadgets and accessories before you head out, so here are a few gadgets that you should definitely take along. Portable chargerThis is the most crucial thing to have on your vacation as it helps you charge your smartphone, music player, tablets, and so on. Make sure you get a high capacity charger so that it lasts long. Your best bet will be anything above the 10,000mAH capacity, something which Xiaomi and Asus offer or even the Huawei’s 13,000mAH portable charger is a great companion. KindleIf you love reading, then you know how annoying it can be stuff your books into your suitcase. A Kindle is a great companion as it is really tiny and fits almost anywhere. Plus, you are not limited to just one book; you can carry your whole collection with you. The most affordable version of the Kindle starts at Rs. 5,999 and buying e-books is quite simple.  SmartphoneThis is a no brainer, but there are still some people who don’t fancy using a smartphone, but it can actually do wonders. A good feature packed smartphone can be a perfect companion on your vacation as it acts as your camera, your music player as well as your guide as it can provide you with info on the spot.   HeadphonesLong flights can get boring and a little annoying with kids around. Carrying a good pair of headphones, or even earphones can help you forget them all. There are a variety of headphone and earphone makers including Sony, Sennheiser, Audio Technica, which are offering some quality products from Rs.1500 to about Rs.20,000. CameraIf you want memories, you need a camera. While smartphones do provide amazing results, a good camera will always be a step ahead. DSLRs can get a heavy on the budget as well as your luggage, so why not go for a mirrorless camera like the Nikon J series or the brilliant Sony Alpha 6000. And if you are the adventurous kind, the Nikon Coolpix AW130 is the best waterproof, shockproof and freezeproof camera that you can get your hands on.  

The Pretty Phablet

HTC has moved on to make phablets since last year and we have seen a bunch of high-quality smartphones that offer a combination of good looks and performance. This year we saw a new high-end phablet from the Taiwanese smartphone maker which is an update to last year’s One E8. The One E9+ comes with an exquisite design, something that HTC has always been careful about. Even with a plastic finish, it is one of the best looking Android devices this year, and it feels better than the company’s metal flagship, the One M9+.  The handset comes with a dual colour design and the unit we got came with a white back and golden finish on the front and the edges. Overall the smartphone is quite slim and feels light for a device that is this big. The handset comes with a 5.5-inch Quad-HD (2560x1440) display which is sharp and offers bright colours. On either sides of the display there are two speakers with HTC’s patented BoomSound technology, which are probably the best speakers to have on a smartphone. The only small issue with the design is how HTC has made the power and volume buttons. They are quite flushed in with the body and definitely take some time to get used to. The device is powered by a MediaTek octa-core processor running at 2GHz along with 3GB of RAM. This provides ample power to do your daily tasks like browsing or checking mails and Facebook and is great for multitasking, although the graphics processor is not very good as some of the high end games didn’t feel very smooth. The storage comes with a 16GB inbuilt memory which can be expanded further with a microSD card. The device also comes with two nanoSIM card slots, in case you are travelling or own two phone numbers. The battery backup is good enough but nothing out of the ordinary, so one can manage to run a full day on light usage with its 2800mAh battery.   Just like the One M9+, you get Android Lollipop on the One E9+ along with Sense 7 UI on top. The UI is buttery smooth and thanks to the support of themes, feels more colourful and gives users a more personalized touch.   In the camera department we get a 20MP rear and a 4MP (Ultra-pixel) front camera for selfies. The phone manages to take pictures very quickly and offers zero shutter lag. HTC has been trying to provide a good camera experience in its handsets, and while some features and modes are quite good, the quality pictures still need some improvement. The pictures come out fairly good but don’t expect amazing results. Low light results can be disappointing and on some occasions even pictures in well lit conditions don’t offer amazing details.   The One E9+ is not the best Android phablet for its price (Rs. 36,000 approx) but gets points for its looks and a smooth UI experience. If that is something that you are looking for, then this device will impress.  (This story was published in BW | Businessworld Issue Dated 13-07-2015)

Photography Nostalgia

When photography was still in its analogue era, Edwin Land unveiled the first commercial instant camera in the year 1948. A few years later Polaroid stepped in, improved the process and patented the technology. Sadly, the company couldn’t keep up and today Fujifilm is the sole maker of instant cameras and instant films.The company recently announced a bunch of instant cameras in India ranging from Rs 6,444 to Rs 10,999. The most affordable of the lot is the Instax Mini 8 which comes in a variety of peppy colours including white, black, blue, pink, yellow and purple. It is a simple point and shoot camera which uses a cartridge of instant films which are loaded at the back of the camera, similar to a film-based one. A standard cartridge contains 10 instant films which cost approximately Rs 500 for a pack. This might not sound a very cost effective way to get 10 small photos, but since you instantly get a print, your time and cost to get your photos printed from a photo studio is reduced.The shutter speed of the camera is fixed at 1/60 and the flash always fires, which can be annoying at instances like when you are shooting under the bright sun. The camera is very easy to use as there aren’t any settings on the camera except for brightness control via four modes; Indoors, Cloudy, Sunny and Bright. Basically these settings offer different aperture settings varying from f/12.7 to f/32. The viewfinder on the camera is disappointing as it is very tiny and the coverage area is also very less, which means that what you frame in the viewfinder is not the same in the photos. The small glossy photos definitely give you nostalgia even though the quality is not top notch. Frankly, one cannot expect high quality prints from such a low-priced camera.This camera is not for your everyday usage as a digital camera or even your smartphone offers better quality and are more practical. The instant camera is rather a fun tool to have for those special memories like a birthday party or a trip to Disneyland, or for someone who prefers to have a physical copy rather than staring at his/her display.(This story was published in BW | Businessworld Issue Dated 13-07-2015)

5 Things That Annoy Apple Watch Fans

Apple loves to stir up things and it certainly did so when it announced the Apple Watch back in September last year. The product is now officially rolling out in select countries including the US, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan and the UK. There is still no confirmation as to when fans in India can officially buy the smartwatch, but we can expect an announcement soon. It has been touted as THE gadget to own, but is it really something that you should put your money on? According to early user reports, the device might not be as amazing as one would expect. A number of users have or are planning to return the Apple Watch plainly because it isn’t what Apple claims it to be. Some of the major concerns are: PriceThe cost for the basic Apple Watch starts at $349 (Rs. 21,000 approx) which is as much as a decent mid-ranged smartphone. Spending so much on a device seems pointless as it is just an extension of your smartphone that gives you notifications and updates, the time and a few health stats. Battery LifeMost of the smartwatch makers today are struggling to provide a long battery life and it is the similar case with Apple Watch where users are claiming a battery life of just about a day. This can get annoying as you apart from charging your smartphone, you now have to charge your watch on a daily basis. App supportThe app support is not at par. There are only a few useful apps and native app support is still under works. If that works out only then will the device support third party apps to run on the watch itself rather than syncing with the app on the iPhone. The watch is in its early stages and we can expect the app support to improve, but it will definitely take a few more months. SoftwareThe interface of the Apple Watch is quite interesting however according to early user reports the performance is sluggish. The device doesn’t seem to have a DFU (Device Firmware Update) mode either, which simply means that in case you update your Apple Watch to the watchOS 1.0.1 or the recent watchOS 2 beta update, there is a high chance that you cannot go back to an older version. Why would one want to do that, you may ask, well the new updates are having certain issues with the heart rate monitor. Since users cannot downgrade the software, they are being instructed by Apple to send their Apple Watch back to the company for repairs and on certain occasions are being charged for the service. CompatibilityThe Apple Watch can only work with an iPhone, and in case in the future you decide to move to different platform, your Apple Watch will be useless, and you will be left with just a watch that costs as much as a good smartphone.

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