OnePlus One Comes to India

Earlier, Indian tech enthusiasts were highly disappointed for unavailability of the OnePlus One smartphone in the country. Answering these enthusiasts’ grievances, the Chinese manufacturer has finally launched the phone in the Indian market exclusively through Amazon.in.

Sale and after-sales

Don’t get too excited. It is not as easy as choosing a product, placing an order and getting a home delivery. There are couple of hurdles here that you will have to cross. Firstly, the phone can be bought only by invitation. In other words, you will have to have the invitation to purchase it. Secondly, right now the company has made only 64 GB variant in the Indian market, which will cost Rs. 21,999, while 16 GB version is expected to be available only from next month.

Amazon has announced 10 days return policy. On the other hand, OnePlus has partnered with HCL for after sales service.

No Cyanogen

People who were looking forward to have OnePlus One with Cyanogen will be disappointed. Cyanogen has joined hands exclusively with Micromax to launch their operating system in India through its upcoming smartphone YU. Therefore, the same will not be available on OnePlus One in India.

Let us know

Cyanogen or no cyanogen, I am looking forward to hear from you how the phone works. If you get an invite and decide to buy it, let us know its review. We are keen to hear from you!

Motorola Finds a Keylink

Many of us have a habit of leaving our mobile or keys here and there. And then, we do not find it when we need it. Or even worse! When we are late for work, they would just refuse to appear. If it is the mobile that decides to hide, we can still track it by calling ourselves. However, what if the key gets lost completely?

To solve this problem, Motorola has showcased their unique Keylink, which can be connected to your smartphone via Bluetooth. You can attach this small device to your keychain. Download the Motorola Connect app for your Android or iPhone. Press the button on the Keylink to ring your phone. If it rings properly it means your smartphone and the Keylink is now paired.

Now you can use the keylink to locate your smartphone. Just press the button on the Keylink and your device will start ringing even if it is on silent mode and help you locate it. Similarly, if your keys get lost, you can use the Motorola Connect to make the Keylink ring.

The small Keylink device is powered by a small coin sized cell. The battery is expected to last up to a year. You can easily replace it in case it is drained.

The great news is that the Keylink is already available for purchase. If you are in US, you can just walk in to the T-Mobile Store or visit Motorola.com to purchase it for $24.99.

Personally, I do not know how useful it is to use the Keylink. However, I am sure it has laid a foundation of a new thought of finding objects using technology using new-age technology. The day is not far when we will be finding our misplaced objects by just entering its name in the search bar of the app. Only time will tell the story!

P.S. - Not necessarily you have to attach the Keylink to your keychain. You can also attach it to the anything that you lose often e.g. a flashdrive, a TV remote, etc. 

REACHit: Lenovo’s New App

In order to find or access the particular file at any point and time, I use several services such as Google Drive, Dropbox, One Drive, etc. And ‘the same old story’ with me is, I do not find the required file or photo just when I need it. I log in & out of all these services. But alas! Few days later the same file emerges magically when I am searching for some other file. Huh! It is completely mind boggling to manage all this data. And frustrating too!

 

But now, seems like Lenovo has heard my prayers. The company has launched an app that will manage all these accounts. Lenovo REACHit has been designed to access, organize, search and share files from any of these data storing services.

Search it!

REACHit connects a user’s PC, Android or iOS device and multiple cloud storage accounts from Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox and Box. Hence, it is easier to store, search and share. Using a simple search bar, users can search for a particular document across the devices and storage locations. If you wish to use it on your Windows, it integrates into Windows File Explorer for searching storage locations within the Windows operating system.

Move it!

That’s not it. You can also move files between devices and storage locations through REACHit. So that you can access and edit files while even on the go.

“We are extremely excited about launching REACHit but this is only the beginning. We have lots of cool ideas and features that we’ll be using to enhance REACHit’s functionality. But even more important than those we are looking to drive a model where our customers ‘vote’ on what we should do next and provide us with feedback to direct our future development,” said Vice President, Ecosystem and Cloud Services, Lenovo, Mark Cohen.

Availability

The REACHit is now available for free download on Google Play store and Apple Store. Lenovo’s devices will come pre-loaded with this app from early next year.

I have already downloaded this app. Until I review it, you do share your experiences with it. 

Nokia Launches N1 Tablet with Android Lollipop

Today, Nokia has surprised one and all with the launch of their N1 tablet. There are couple of things worth noticing in this device. For the first time, the company has teamed up with Google to bring Android to their device. Also, it is one of the first devices, apart from the newly launched Nexus devices, to have the Android Lollipop 5.0.

Another novel feature about this device has to be the Z Launcher. This app helps to manage apps and stay organized. With scribbling of a letter or two, this launcher helps to find the app that the user is looking for. That’s not it. The app is smart enough to suggest apps depending on the time and location.

The other features of the phone include 2.4Ghz Intel Atom quad-core processor and 7.9” display. It is 6.9 mm thin and will be available in two colors – Lava Grey and Natural Aluminium.

Talking about the product, Head of Products, Nokia Technologies, Sebastian Nyström said, "We are pleased to bring the Nokia brand back into consumers' hands with the N1 Android tablet, and to help make sophisticated technologies simple."

The phone is expected to be available in the market by Q1 of 2015. We just can’t wait to see the combo of Nokia and Android. Let’s see how it turns out.

Give Your Nexus 5 the Sweetness of Lollipop

In the previous post we talked about the release of Android 5.0 a.ka. Lollipop for the Nexus 5. Unable to contain our anticipation we finally manually updated our Nexus 5 with the Android 5.0 image from the official Android website. Flashing it on our own was fun. We did meet a few hiccups while installing the new update but in the end everything went well. The efforts paid-off and we now have a brand new like Nexus 5, delightfully sporting the Lollipop.

We followed the updating process to the T and it surely helped a lot. Firstly, we uninstalled the old USB driver of Google from our computer and installed the latest USB driver from the here.

How to upgrade the Nexus 5 with the latest Lollipop 5.0 ?

We also made sure we had latest ADB and Fastboot installed on our computer.If you do not have it installed you can head over to this link and install the Minimal ADB and Fastboot tool.

Backing-up data is also one of the prerequisites of installing the update via adb sideload. We used SMS Backup and Restore to backup our SMSes.

You can turn on sync and upload your Photos to your Google+ album or any other such cloud space that you use. Take a backup of your Whats app media as well.

Don’t forget to sync your other personal date like contacts, calendar, reminders etc.

After making sure that all data is backed up you can proceed with the installing process.

Download the Lollipop OTA Update zip file from here. Copy it in your PC and rename it to something you could remember, like updatelollipop.zip

You might also need to install the Universal Windows ADB Driver to automatically add the driver when you go into the recovery mode.

Also, make sure you have turned on the USB debugging option in the Developers Options in Settings. Those who have not turned on Developer Options on your Nexus 5, go to About Phone – click 7 times on the build number and the Developer Option will be unlocked in the About Phone.

Now switch off your Nexus 5 and enter the Fastboot mode by pressing the Volume Down Key + Power Button simultaneously. Once you are in the Fastboot mode you need to navigate to the Recovery Mode by using the Volume keys. Press the Power Button to select and enter the Recovery Mode.

After that you need to press the Power Button and then press and hold the Volume Up button.

Once you enter the Recovery Mode, use the Volume Buttons to highlight the Apply Update From ADB. Press Power Button to select.

Now connect your Nexus 5 to the PC. Open the folder which contains the updatelollipop.zip file. While pressing the shift button, right click the mouse and click on ‘Open CMD window here’.

To make sure, your PC is recognising your Nexus 5 in the recovery mode, go to Device Manager and look for ADB Android Device or Nexus 5.

In the CMD window type ‘adb sideload updatelollipop.zip’ without the inverted commas. Hit enter to start the process.

If you have installed the right USB drivers and ADB properly installed, you will see the zip file being send to the Nexus 5.

Hurray!

Allow it to do the rest and within 10 minutes or so, you too will be rocking the latest Android Lollipop on your Nexus 5. And you are done!

Visit again to know more about thr Lollipop and its features

Disclaimer: The above process worked for our Nexus 5 device having the build no. KTU84Q. Please make sure you update the Nexus 5 having the same build no. Users are requested to do the above stated manual installation at their own risks. Technigully and its contributors are not responsible for any damage occurred to your device while installing the update. 

Nexus 5 Users Get Their Own Lollipop

The news of delayed release of Android 5.0 aka Lollipop update on Nexus 5 had disappointed the users thoroughly. It was also rumored that Moto X and Moto G would get the update sooner than Nexus 5 users, which only added more distress to the waiting Nexus owners.

However, there is no reason to be sad or disappointed now. Apparently there was some bug in the device that caused the delay. The said bug was believed to drain the battery erratically. As officially stated by Google, this bug was the reason behind the postponing of the big update from November 3^rd to the next week. But it seems that the issue has now been sorted out and the Nexus 5 will finally receive its much-awaited update.

Yes, we have official great news from Google that Android 5.0 a.k.a the Lollipop has started rolling out on Nexus 5 from today. Therefore, if not today, may be in a couple of days, you would get your share of “Lollipop”.

Now for those who can’t hide their enthusiasm head over to the Settings on your phone – About Phone – System Update – Check Now to see if your update is ready and waiting for you.

Why such excitement?

Are you still wondering why this update is so much in the news? The Lollipop is one of the major operating system updates that Google has released.

The biggest refashioned feature is the Material Design which allows app developers for integrating the new design pattern easily into their apps.

Along with its fresh look, Android Lollipop commits improved flexibility and connectivity. One of its main features is that it connects all your devices which run on android. Even if you switch between your phone your tab or a wearable. You can continue playing songs, photos, apps and even recent searches exactly where you left it.

Additionally, the design of the Lollipop adapts to the device. For example, the operating system shows your inbox along with the message you are reading. So that you can also see the new e-mail that arrives while you are reading the earlier one. Just like Microsoft Outlook.

On the performance part, the Android 5.0 Lollipop brings in a much smoother and powerful computing experience. It will now run ART Runtime which has permanently replaced the DALVIK Runtime.

Moreover, Lollipop also lets you customize settings as per your choice. You can now choose whose message is eligible to disturb you while at work and respond to it from the lock screen itself.

For further details of its new features, kindly head over to Google’s official page for Android Developers.

And yes, don’t forget to share the good news with us when the update hits your Nexus 5. 

LG G Watch R: Watch it. Wear It.

It seems like technology will soon dominate the fashion industry. On the backdrop of the recent fashion war of wearables, LG has released their android LG G Watch R Wearable against Motorola’s newly updated Moto360. It has a full circular screen and comes in black color.

The unique feature of this watch is the perfect combination of a traditional watch and android. Below are the specifications of the watch.

LG G Watch R is available in Google Play for $299. 

Office for iPhone, iPad and Android Tablet Preview

Starting today, Microsoft has released two new versions – Office for iPhone and Preview of Office apps for Android tablets. Simultaneously, the company has also updated Office app for iPad. iPhone customers and iPad holders having  iOS 7.0 or later can download the app and update respectively from today.However, Android tablet owners need to wait to have the first look of the Office. Although, they can sign up for app today onwards. Availability of the app for android is expected in early 2015.

Here are some early screenshots of the app for the Android brought to you by Microsoft.

PowerPoint for Android tablet preview

Inking feature in the PowerPoint for Android tablet preview

Check spelling in the Word for Android tablet preview

Add tables and charts in the Excel for Android tablet preview

Nexus 6 is “Coming Soon” to India

Finally there is some good news for Indian Nexus fans. The latest version of the phone, Google Nexus 6 manufactured by Motorola, is expected to be available in the country soon. Flipkart.com has enlisted the device in its catalogue stating “coming soon”. There is no word on the price tag yet.

Click here to know more about the phone’s features.

Keep an eye out for its availability!

Get your Gmail App Lollipopped

 

Google is all set to launch its much-awaited Android Lollipop. We can be sure of it, as it is gradually coating its apps with Lollipop sweetness. First in line is our beloved Gmail app.

Google will soon start rolling out Gmail 5.0 update on Google Play. The new update brings a pleasant change to its design and functionality. On the design front, all the persistent gray has been replaced with a welcoming red. You can see it in the header and status bar. Also, buttons have got a curve, all the squarish blocks are now circular and pretty. For instance, the + sign for composing a new mail has been replaced with a trendy red circular button at the bottom of the app. You will also notice that the mails also have a circular button with images instead of the old square frames.

The navigation drawer has been redesigned too. You can now view your tabs and switch between multiple accounts more smoothly.

Apart from the beautifying touches, Gmail will now allow users to manage all their accounts from multiple email clients.

If you can’t wait for an update, head straight to earlygapps to grab its Apk file, which you can install manually.

Samsung Launches A3 and A5

Samsung Mobile has unveiled two new smartphones namely A3 and A5. Both the devices feature trendy look and full metal unibody design. Additionally, they are optimized for social networking. Let’s have a look at their features:

Samsung A5

• 1.2GHz Quad-Core Processor
• Android KitKat (4.4)
• 5.0” HD Super AMOLED display
• Rear camera: 13MP AF with LED Flash
• Front camera: 5.0MP
• 16GB Internal memory + micro SD slot (up to 64GB)
• 2GB RAM
• Supports 4G
• Battery 2,300 mAh

Samsung A3

• 1.2GHz Quad-Core Processor
• 4.5” qHD Super AMOLED display
• Android KitKat (4.4)
• Rear camera: 8MP AF with LED Flash
• Front camera: 5.0MP
• 16GB Internal memory + micro SD slot (up to 64GB)
• 1GB RAM
• Supports 4G
• Battery 1,900 mAh

Google Fit: Your ‘Fitting’ Health Partner

Seems tech companies are being health conscious nowadays. On one hand, Apple iPhone 6 incorporates Health App, while Fitbit has recently launched its wearable to keep a track on your fitness record. On the other hand, after releasing an update featuring fitness tracking for Wearables, Google has just introduced a new app that will manage your data with regards to workouts and fitness.

Google Fit, the new app, detects activities like walking, biking and running. You can also set your fitness goal and follow your track record. The highlight of the app is that it is compatible with Android phones, tabs, wearables and also the web.

The app supports all devices having Android Ice Cream Sandwich and above versions. Head to Google Play to try it out. 

It’s an Honor! Huawei brings Honor 4X Smart Phone

Huawei gets the Honor for bringing something clutter-breaking. Huawei has announced the Honor 4X smart phone with something special - a 64 bit architecture! That’s right, this baby runs a 64 bit Snapdragon 410 Processor.

Still not impressed? Here’s something more. This is a phone that supports almost every network in the world. Even the 4G FDD/TD LTE Bands. It definitely means one thing; there might be only one Honor 4X model for the entire international market. Unless of course Huawei chooses to bring some different models.

Heavy on features but light on pocket, Priced at CNY 1299 (roughly 13,000 INR) Honor 4X is a budget smart phone powered by Qualcomm MSM8916 Snapdragon 410 Quad Core 1.2Ghz 64 bit processor. A Qualcomm processor means better compatibility with a number of games.  Also, it is fuelled by a huge 3000mAh battery. Coupled with the already power efficient Snapdragon, it’s really worth every penny.

Now, let’s delve a little deeper into the phone.

Operating system: Android Kitkat 4.4

CPU model: MSM8916

CPU frequency: 1.2Ghz

Screen

Screen Size:        5.5 inches

Resolution:         1280 × 720

Storage

RAM:     2GB

ROM:    8GB

Maximum storage expansion: 32 GB

Camera

13 MP back-illuminated camera, F2.0 aperture

Front shooter camera 5 MP, support sparkling self-timer, panorama

LED flash

Video capture: Rear- FHD 1080P Full HD video, Front - HD 720P

Connectivity

Wi-Fi: 802.11 b / g / n, up to 72Mbps

WLAN Direct     

Bluetooth: V4.0

USB: USB 2.0

Europe to rise to Honor

As the rest of the world sleeps peacefully, Europe will rise to Honor in approximately 25 mins!

Huawei, the leading Chinese mobile manufacturer is all set to launch its latest Honor 4X mid-range mobile phone tonight at 6.30 pm GMT. "For the brave" the Honor teaser commercial explains how the soon releasing phone/phones is for the braver breed who want something better, something more technologically advanced, which goes beyond steep prices, shiny labels and designer tags. Check the teaser video for yourself here Bringing you right out of hihonor.com,

Huawei will be launching phones which promise Clearer- industry leading screen ratio and display definition, Faster- industry leading downloads, processor and photo capture


Further- industry leading battery life and smart power consumption We hope the Honor range of smartphones by Huawei will bring some interesting features as promised by the its launch website. For now, let's not speculate and just stay tuned ourselves to what Huawei brings to the table.

OnePlus One Available for Pre-order Only for an Hour

OnePlus One, a highly appreciated Cyanogen flavored Android smartphone, is known to be the best in class. However, till today only a handful of lucky enthusiasts having invitation to buy could possess it. But this Chinese manufacturer seems to have changed its mind to sell the same.

On 27 Oct 2014, whoever wishes to have this phone can order it directly from the company’s website. The twist in the story is that this offer is valid only for one hour starting at 15:00 GMT.

So before you proceed to order, let’s have a look at its solid features:

• Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor with 2.5GHz Quad-Core CPUs
• Integrated 4G LTE connectivity
• 3GB of LP-DDR3 RAM
• Embedded rechargeable 3100 mAh LiPo battery
• 13MP rear camera and 5MP front shooter
• 6 lenses to avoid distortion and color aberration
• Choice of 16GB and 64GB of internal flash memory

Android Wearables Get a Fashion Upgrade!

Google brings an update for wearables, which will unfold an array of new features and a range of new apps. Catch its highlights

Step up to the all new wearable:

As of now, in order to track the route, distance or speed, the phone had to be close to your hand. However, now the new update gives you freedom to keep your phone away. This update supports Wearables with GPS sensor. In a nutshell, wear your watch & track your journey. No phone needed.

Music to Your Ears:

If you love jogging or biking or just listening to music, the new update will free you from having the phone around. You can now store music directly in your watch and enjoy it via your Bluetooth headphones! Additionally, Google Play Music always has tons of music choices in store.

Visit the Store:

Explore and choose all interesting and useful apps for your wearable on the Play Store.

Who can enjoy the update?

Sony’s SmartWatch 3 users rejoice, as it comes preloaded with the new update while incorporating the GPS sensor. On the other hand, LG G Watch, Samsung Gear Live and Moto 360 users will soon get the music feature update.

The Amazing Aqua Amaze

Making this Diwali more dazzling, Intex Technologies has launched Aqua Amaze, a feature packed smartphone. It incorporates Android Kitkat and is further equipped with 13 MP rear camera and 5 MP front camera for taking selfies. To enhance the festive experience of taking pictures, the camera features a new mode, Face Beauty. It will enable you to take perfect picture in high definition colors.

Moreover, the Aqua Amaze features various attractive features such as smart gestures, smart wake, LED indicator, OTG support, etc.

This dual-sim phone will help you to be connected through Wi-Fi, 3G and Bluetooth 4.0. The Aqua Amaze is available at Rs.10,690. 

Behold! The Motorola Nexus 6

It is the first time Google has brought Nexus with Motorola. Here are some of the 'sweet' features of Nexus 6

• Android 5.0 aka Lollipop
• Display: 5.96” 2560x1440 QHD AMOLED display
• 13 MP rear camera
• 2 MP front camera
• Dual front-facing speakers
• CPU: Qualcomm SnapdragonTM 805 – Quad
• Memory: 32 GB, 64 GB

Lollipop Tastes Yummy!

It's Lollipop! Revealing the big secret behind “L”, Google has officially released Android Lollipop. The new version promises more flexibility and connectivity. As you use different devices throughout the day, the new operating system will let you continue to do the activity you left on one device over to your other device. For example you can pick up songs, photos, apps and also searches from where you left on the previous device.

In addition, it has become more customizable. For example, as per your settings, you can still view the message from ‘someone special’ directly from lockscreen if you are busy working, having lunch or just being in the meeting.

Moreover, there is an additional battery saver feature that can extend the battery life by 90 min! 

Along with Lollipop, Google has also released Nexus 6 and Nexus 9 which will come with Lollipop. The good news for current Nexus users is if you are using  Nexus 4, 5, 7 or 10, your device will also be soon upgraded to the latest Android version.

Notable Samsung Galaxy Note 4

Here's something to take note about. After the success of Note 3, Samsung has launched Galaxy Note 4 in the Indian market. The most notable feature of the phone is its fast charging capability. The phone can be charged from 0 to 50% in a mere half an hour! Now, no long waits to get your phone charged. Moreover, the phone is equipped with Ultra Power Saving Mode that ensures the phone does not die when you need it the most.

Other features of Samsung Note-4 include

• 5.7-inch Quad HD (2560 x 1440) Super AMOLED display
• A 16 megapixel rear camera with Smart Optical Image Stabilizer
• A 3.7 megapixel front-facing camera with f1.9
• 3 GB RAM
• 32 GB of on-board storage
• Android 4.4 KitKat
• Fingerprint Scanner