Facebook on Monday added a new feature to its Messenger application. The new feature allows users to share their location with others for up to an hour live. This was made to compete with the competitors like Apple and Google Maps who have started to give similar tools to users.
Facebook brings live location Sharing to Messenger
Facebook has revealed the most used messages sent by people to friends and family on it messenger app. "How far away are you?" or some similar kind of message.
It happens to be what people are saying, what they're interested in the most
Stan Chudnovsky, Head of product for Messenger
You could previously share location to people, but now it can be done live. So, now whenever a user shares his location with another user, the other user can track the person up to one hour live. Messenger though once being the part of the biggest social media platform has now become mostly a separate application entity. Facebook has been implementing a lot of changes into Messenger to make it different from the social media platform.
Google last week added a similar feature to its vastly popular Google Maps application. This was done to boost engagement and increase the market share of the application.
Though Google and Facebook have started to provide such features, Apple is not far behind and has had such a feature for some time now in its Messages application.
Facebook sees this feature as a game-changer as it can help people keep a track of their loved ones, they can co-ordinate with each other, it can also be used as a safety feature, amongst much more.
As announced by Facebook this update will be made available globally, extremely soon.
Do you think this will be a helpful feature in the Messenger application? And will you use it? Leave your answers in the comments section below.
Samsung plans to sell the Note 7 refurbished with a battery change
Samsung Electronics on Monday declared that it plans to refurbish the recalled Note 7 smartphones. After the battery inside the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 is changed, they plan to start the sales again.
Image Courtesy: Samsung
All the Samsung Galaxy Note 7's in the market got recalled in October, and the smartphone lineup was totally scrapped from the market. Samsung made quite a lot of efforts in the two months the smartphone was on sale to resolve the battery problem but was unable to do so.
After lots of research, Samsung found manufacturing defects in the batteries else the phone was perfectly fine. All of this raised rumors regarding Samsung trying to recover their losses by changing the battery and selling the Note as a refurbished model in some countries.
Image Courtesy: Samsung
The Galaxy Note 7 was a super-hit phone in the market. It sold 3.06 million units before the recall which was done after 2 months from the launch of the phone. When Samsung recovered the smartphones they did not disclose any of their plans for the units. And the market was left open for speculation. Though there were reports that refurbished units might sell after the whole research was done and the problem got rectified.
When will the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 Refurbished hit the markets:
Regarding the Galaxy Note 7 devices as refurbished phones or rental phones, applicability is dependent upon consultations with regulatory authorities and carriers as well as due consideration of local demand.
Samsung issued statement
Currently, the firm has not chosen the markets where the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 Refurbished will be available. Also, no price points or release dates have been selected.
Samsung also said that the units that do not make the final cut. Are to be sold as refurbished and will be disassembled. Samsung will reuse all the components inside the smartphone.
Nokia 150 Dual SIM is now available in the India. The Nokia 150 is priced at Rs.2,059 and can be purchased through Amazon India and Flipkart
Nokia has made the Nokia 150 Dual SIM available to the Indian market. The 150 is priced at Rs.2,059 and can be purchased through Amazon India and Flipkart. HMD Global which now owns Nokia announced the Nokia 150 back in December 2016. Two feature phones were unveiled the Nokia 150 and the 150 dual SIM.
.
Nokia 150 Dual SIM is a no frills phone, it is just a simple feature-phone. The 150 has a 2.4-inch display with a resolution of 240X320p, running on Nokia Series 30+ software. Along with the phone, you get Snake Xenzia, and a try-and-buy Nitro Racing by Gameloft pre-installed.
The Nokia 150, comes with a 1020mAh battery which as per Nokia provides 22 hours of talk time and 25 days of standby time. You can charge the 150 using a standard USB 2.0 charger. Also, the Nokia 150 keeps the Nokia legacy in mind and comes with a built-in MP3 player, Bluetooth 3.0 with SLAM and FM Radio. It even sports a camera with a LED flash, which doubles as a torch. You can also expand the internal storage of the 150 with the help of a microSD card up to 32GB(already included in the box).
Recently at Mobile World Congress(MWC) Barcelona, Nokia also unveiled its new smartphones. The Nokia 6, Nokia 5 and Nokia 3 along with the iconic Nokia 3310. Which the company confirmed on Friday that the Android smartphones will launch in the second quarter of 2017(April-June). And the 3310 would be launching before them. Also confirming these phones will launch in India at the same time at an affordable price.
Everyone in India is aware that the free services being provided by Reliance Jio are going to end on March 31. After which the users will have to start paying for the services. So that the customers aren't shocked Reliance Jio has started a Jio Prime membership for the customers. The Jio Prime service can be availed by the customers by paying a nominal fee of Rs.99 to subscribe. After becoming a subscriber you can enjoy the services at a heavily discounted price. But after Reliance Jio prime being only subscribed by 25% of all the Jio subscribers, Jio might extend the deadline by a month as per some of the Jio executives.
Reliance Jio Prime deadline to be extended
The report shows that Jio Prime has only been subscribed by 25 percent of all the subscribers of Jio. And due to this, there are talks inside the Jio boardrooms about extending Jio Prime by a month. Reliance Jio is yet to finalize and announce the decision to the public. And if this decision is made Reliance Jio Prime membership can be availed till April 30, 2017.
Last month was big for Reliance Jio, they had achieved 100 million subscribers on their network. This was announced during the same event that the Prime membership was announced. According to the reports Jio, this far has only managed to convert about 22-27 million users into Prime subscribers. And 31st March being fast approaching does not give Jio enough time to rope in a huge amount of users into purchasing the prime membership.
A research conducted by Bernstein a brokerage firm showed that Jio users would likely continue to use the services even after the free offers end. A survey conducted by the Bank of America-Merrill Lynch. Showed that 84 percent of the pre-existing Jio customers will take up the Jio Prime offer. Which currently shows that most of the users are still waiting for the last second to subscribe. And are in hopes for even better options.
This is a big blow to Reliance Jio as they want a huge market share. Their current plans for prime members are for Rs.303(will be the same as the Happy New Year Offer), Rs.149, and Rs.499 or higher plans.
Apple and a Chinese phone-maker were having design patents disputes between them, and as per the ruling by a Chinese court Apple has won the case. This will help overturn the ban due to which Apple could not sell the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus in China.
Apple wins design patent case against Shenzhen Biali
May 2016, a patent regulator in Beijing asked Apple to stop selling iPhones after a company named Shenzhen Baili Marketing Services lodged a complaint against Apple. They claimed that the patent for its mobile phone 100c was being infringed by the Apple iPhone.
Apple and its Chinese retail partner Zoomlight felt the case against them wasn't having any ground. Thus, took the company to the Beijing intellectual property court.
After almost a year-long battle, Apple on Friday got the ban removed. The court issued a statement saying that - Apple and Zoomlight did not violate Shenzhen Baili's design patent for 100c phones. The court also ruled that the regulator didn't follow the proper procedures in ordering the ban. And also there wasn't sufficient proof to the claim. The design of the iPhone does not violate any intellectual property rights.
In a related ruling, Apple had motioned the court to strip Shenzhen Baili of its design patent. For its 100c smartphones, which got denied by the court.
MuveAcoustics A-Star and A-Plus portable speakers launched in India by Zeeva Electronics. These are high-quality portable speakers for music lovers who like to carry their tunes with them everywhere. These distinctive type speakers are crafted for all your needs and then some, at just Rs.3,999 and Rs.2,999 respectively.
MuveAcoustics A-Star
The MuveAcoustics A-Star lets you indulge in a captivating music experience with great sound and powerful bass wirelessly. You can utilize the A-Star anywhere you want whether it is in the comfort of your room or be it in the woods when you go for camping. The MuveAcoustics A-Star is having an extremely durable body which lets it take a beating or two also it is having IPX-6 water resistance rating so you don't have to worry about it getting a few splashes of water. It also has a six-hour long battery life on a single charge.
Price: Rs.3,999
MuveAcoustics A-Plus
The MuveAcoustics A-Plus, on the other hand, is also a Bluetooth portable speaker. The MuveAcoustics A-Plus is having almost the same sound as the A-Star but a much deeper bass. The A-Plus also comes with a nylon strap like the other one so that you can carry it around. It is having a bigger battery than that of the A-Star and gives a playback time of seven hours.
Price: Rs.2,999
Zeeva has been in the consumer electronics industry for more than three decades and has launched MuveAcoustics in India in partnership with the famous Indian cricketer Virat Kohli. MuveAcoustics was launched in India on January 1, 2017, and has been started to cater the needs of the Gen-Next consumer.
The MuveAcoustics products are exclusively available on Amazon.in & Croma Stores.
Brainwavz recently launched their latest B-series earphones, The Brainwavz B100 and B150 in India. The B-series earphones by Brainwavz come integrated with Balanced Armature speaker technology. Which is known to produce high-grade audiophile quality sound at an affordable price. The Brainwavz B100, according to the company are the most affordable Balanced Armature earphones available in India.
Design and Build
The Brainwavz B100 comes with an over-the-ear design which for some is an effort to get in the ear, but once you get used to it, it's really comfortable. The earpieces have an unusual crescent shape but fit really well in the ear. The main drivers have no Brainwavz branding and are made of plastic. There is an 'L' and 'R' marking to aid better fit. The plastic helps to drain down the weight but doesn't give an elegant finish as the metal does.
The cable comes with rubber coated over an oxygen-free copper core. The cable looks very normal. The rubber coating gives it a sporty look with a subtle touch. The cable is bent near the earpiece for over the ear design. The over the ear design helps the earphones to stay in place while running or jogging.
The earphones have a standard 3.5 mm 'L-shaped' jack which is compatible with most of the devices in the market. The jack is also gold-plated which while providing durability complements the overall look of the earphones.
There are six pairs of silicone tips included with the package(two each of small, medium and large). There is also a pair of medium comply T-100 foam tips included which provide noise isolation as well as superior comfort in the ear. A velcro to wrap the earphones and a clip is included with a strong carrying case for people who travel frequently.
Overall, the Brainwavz B100 has a very subtle design with more emphasis to build quality and comfort rather than the looks. They aren't for flaunting off but certainly very useful for a daily usage. There is, however, no inline microphone which is a major concern concerning the price of these earphones.
Technical Specifications
The earphones run on a Single Balanced Armature driver with the impedance rating of 50Ω. The sensitivity of the earphones is rated at 110 dB at 1 mW. The frequency range of these earphones is at 15 Hz-to-22 kHz. They come with an over the ear design with an oxygen free copper cable and a 3.5 mm gold-plated jack. All these technical specifications prove the quality of earphones but are a bit boring.
Performance
We tested the Brainwavz B100 on various devices with a variety of sound file types. The Brainwavz B100 has good mids and lows but we felt like the highs were a bit off. The balanced armature technology provides good sound for long conversions, as well as pop music and the bass is really good.
The only problem we faced was while shifting the song from one type to another, the adjustment would take a bit of time to get it right. This would not be a problem for most as people do not shift genres as often as we did in our testing.The absence of an in-line microphone obviously causes inconvenience during phone calls. The over the ear design makes sure the earphones stay in the ear while running or jogging. The noise cancellation is great which is partly due to the balanced armature technology and partly due to the comply tips included. The silicone tips included are of pretty good quality but feels uncomfortable in long sessions compared to the comply tips.
The absence of an in-line microphone was felt, as it would have helped in answering calls. The over-the-ear design makes sure that the earphones stay where they are meant to be at all times. The noise cancellation is great in these earphones, which is partly due to the balanced armature technology that they come with and also due to the comply tips supplied in-the-box with these. The silicone tips included are of good quality.
Conclusion
The Brainwavz B100 is aimed at the Balanced Armature earphones market, which is highly untouched in India. Priced at ₹4,199, the B100 are one of the most reasonably priced earphones considering the build quality and the technology used. The sound is good, they are comfortable, and the build quality is sturdy. The only problem is the absence of an in-line microphone.
Samsung has launched its Mobile Payments Service in India: Samsung Pay
Samsung today launched its mobile payments service Samsung Pay in India. It can be used to make purchases, and make the payments at the point of sale(POS) terminals across the world.
Samsung Pay has available already been available in some parts of the world, and now India also has joined the others, but with a slight twist. Which is that Samsung Pay allowed people to pay with only their debit and credit cards worldwide, but in India, Samsung has also included payments through the Paytm wallet and also the government’s Unified Payments Interface(UPI). Samsung also has now partnered with a huge number of issuers, banks to make a payments eco-system. These include Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Axis Bank, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, SBI Card, Standard Chartered Bank and much more.
Samsung Pay: An easier and more secure way to pay
Samsung has tried making the Samsung Pay a highly secured platform with military grade encryption by adding three levels of security, which are fingerprint authentication, card tokenization, and Samsung’s mobile security platform KNOX.
They have tried to make Samsung Pay very easy to access, as a user simply needs to swipe up on the screen, select a card, authenticate with PIN or fingerprint and place the phone near the POS terminal.
Samsung Pay utilizes two methods to make payments, one is by the use of Near Field Communication(NFC) technology and the second one is Samsung's patented Magnetic Secure Transmission(MST) technology. MST replicates a card swipe by transmitting magnetic waves from the device to the POS terminal, making the payment. And NFC works by sending your card token into the NFC reader in the POS machine and transmitting the data.
Samsung Pay will be able to work everywhere, even the older POS machines without the NFC reader thanks to its MST technology.
Mr. HC Hong, President and CEO, Samsung Southwest Asia and Mr. Amitabh Kant, CEO, Niti Aayog launching Samsung Pay in India. Image Credits: Samsung
Quotes on Samsung Pay
Samsung Pay is an example of how we continue to push the boundaries of innovations to make life simpler and better for consumers. I am confident Samsung Pay will redefine digital payments and contribute to Digital India.
Mr. HC Hong, President and CEO, Samsung Southwest Asia
When we launched Samsung Pay, our goal was to enable consumers across the globe to make payments that are simple, secure and accepted almost everywhere. Over the past year and a half, this vision has evolved into building a complete digital wallet solution, allowing customers worldwide to not only make payments but also use membership and transit cards, receive deals and rewards and more.
Mr. Thomas Ko, Global GM of Samsung Pay
Our insights show that convenience, security and acceptance are seen by consumers as the most important influencers when choosing among different digital payment options,With Samsung Pay, we give our consumers the smartest way to make digital transactions by far. Samsung Pay is highly secure through the signature KNOX Platform, fingerprint authentication and tokenization. We have partnered with major banks and card networks to give our consumers the widest range of choices, and are working on bringing more and more partners on board soon.”
Mr. Asim Warsi, Senior Vice President, Mobile Business, Samsung India.
Samsung Pay
Samsung with its "Make for India" initiative, has committed to building products and services as per the Indian consumer's needs. Thus while introducing the new service Samsung also gave support for the famous online wallet in India Paytm and the government's UPI payments. Samsung has partnered with Axis Bank to provide its UPI services.
Since its initial launch in July 2015, Samsung has rapidly expanded to service to various regions. After its launch in India, Samsung Pay is now available in 12 countries worldwide.
Though Samsung Pay expanding its worldwide reach is also facing competition with many other brands who are trying to do the similar thing, like - Apple Pay, and Android Pay.
What after mobile payments
After Samsung goes ahead, it plans to introduce more services in the application for the customers. Now they plan to expand their services and support various gift cards, membership cards, transportation cards and also allow people to utilize the service at ATM's.
Devices Samsung Pay will work on
It currently is available for the Galaxy S7 edge, Galaxy S7, Galaxy Note 5, Galaxy S6 edge+, Galaxy A5 (2016), Galaxy A7 (2016), Galaxy A5 (2017), Galaxy A7 (2017), and also the Samsung Gear S3.
Samsung Pay support will be rolling out to more devices in the upcoming months.
FAQ's
Q- Can you accept money via the application?
A- No, not yet. Though you can transfer money from your Paytm to someone else.
Q- Can other smartphones use the Samsung Pay app.?
A- No, only the list of devices above can use the app.
Q- Can you use the app. in a country where the service isn't introduced?
A- No, you cannot.
Q- What if my phone is stolen?
A- You will have to remote wipe it if you want no trace of anything left. Though even if stolen nobody can use your payment data as it is protected with three layers of security.
Apple Inc. on Tuesday, as we covered before announced loads of new products via their press channels. The California-based tech company unveiled a bouquet of new updated products and accessories.
Though, for all this Apple didn't have a media event for the announcements. They just put all the updates on its website. We have gathered up everything that was launched on Tuesday and bring all of it to you:
iPhone 7 (Product RED)
Apple launched a new iPhone 7 and 7 Plus RED special edition. The iPhone 7 RED is like every other product RED, it is only a color change. It will only be available in the capacity of 128GB and 256GB, also a part of the profits will go into research of HIV/AIDS.
It will become available in India in the month of April.
New iPad
The main attraction between all these launches was the new iPad, which will just be called the iPad. This was announced to be the successor to the iPad Air 2. Though being bulkier than its predecessor it is having a much cheaper price tag. The new iPad will be starting from $329 for the 32GB storage option. It is powered by Apple's A9 chip(Used in iPhone 6s).
From now on Apple will have only two versions of the tablet - The iPad and The iPad Pro.
Improved iPhone SE
Apple also dropped the iPhone SE 16GB and 64GB versions from their line-up, and have replaced them with newer 32GB and 128GB models. Basically, Apple doubled the internal storage of the iPhone SE. And, this change in storage did not cause any price change for the iPhone SE.
Clips - video editing application
Apple also launched a new application along with all these products called "Clips". Clips is a mixture of the popular social networking application Snapchat and its own video editor iMovie. It lets you take images and videos add special effects, edit them a bit and then helps you upload on any of your social networking apps.
Apple Watch bands
Apple also unveiled a few new Watch bands for the people to customize their Apple Watch with. The new options are:
Striped woven nylon
Nike Sport
Apple Watch Hermès Bands.
Apple iPhone 7 cases
Also amongst all these launches, Apple also brought to the market six new iPhone 7 and 7 Plus cases. These include three silicone cases - Azure, Camelia, and Pebble. And also three leather cases - Berry, Taupe, and Pebble.
Apple has unveiled its new iPad today, it will be available to order from the 24th of March, 2017. The price of the new iPad is the shocker as the starting price of the new Apple iPad is $329, which is the lowest-price-ever offered by Apple for a full-size iPad.
Apple also has made changes in their iPhone SE lineup and replaced the 16 GB and the 64 GB models for the 32 and 128 GB versions.
Apple adds a new iPad and variants of iPhone SE into its roster
These updates from Apple for the iPhone SE and the new iPad, are just incremental updates which were announced without a media event. Everyone is guessing that Apple is holding out on the new iPhone SE lineup due to the flagship iPhone launch this fall. The new iPhone is rumoured to have various new features like wireless charging, 3-D facial recognition, and a curved display.
The new Apple iPad replaces the iPad Air 2 and starts from 32 GB of internal storage. It is just under the price of the smaller iPad Mini 4. Which starts at $399 for the 128 GB version.
Alongside the new iPad and the iPhone SE. Apple also announced a new app for video creation and sharing to other iOS devices. This new app, along with the extra iMessage features launched in the recent years. Pushes Apple Inc. forward to compete with the social media giants such as Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat just to name a few.
This new application is called Clips, it lets users add captions, speech bubbles, smileys, etc. to videos. It also helps to share these videos on all social networks including Apple's own iMessage. This application also allows users to add captions using their own voice.
