Google To Launch A Third Pixel Device Codenamed “Taimen”

With no releases yet, from Google this year, recent reports have claimed that Google will be launching two Pixel successors codenamed “muskie” and “walleye” in 2017. A separate fresh report has, however, taken the number up to 3. Rumors suggest that Google might launch a third device along with the Pixel successors, and it will most likely be codenamed, “Taimen”. This seems legit, considering codenames of previous Google Pixel smartphones.

The report claims that “Taimen”, which is actually the name of a fish, will have a larger screen than “Muskie” and “Walleye”. Google is apparently working towards launching “Taimen”, along with “Muskie” and “Walleye”, sometime in 2017. While it is being speculated that “Taimen” could either be a Pixel tablet or a Pixel smartphone, there is no concrete evidence on it. However, the report claims that sources have confirmed it to be a smartphone.

Previous leaks have suggested that the Google Pixel 2 has been codenamed as “Walleye”, whereas the Google Pixel XL 2 has been codenamed as “Muskie”. The Pixel 2 is expected to be launched with a better camera than its predecessor while the Pixel XL 2 is expected to be the larger of the two smartphones by Google, just like in the case of the first-gen Pixel.

The three devices are expected to go on sale in the third quarter of 2017, in the usual refresh cycle from the company.

What is the Apple Spring event? New iPhone 7, iPhone SE and iPad Pro could be unveiled – all you need to know

What is the Apple Spring event? New iPhone 7, iPhone SE and iPad Pro could be unveiled – all you need to know

EXCITED Apple fans are awaiting confirmation of this year’s “Spring” event when new products will be unveiled.

With the date and location still yet to be announced, we take a look at when it might be held and what could be showcased.

When will the Apple Spring event take place?

The hotly anticipated event takes place in March each year, but a date for 2017 has not been confirmed.

Apple’s spring event in 2015 took place on Monday, March 9.

The tech giant’s event the following year took place on Monday, March 21.

This could indicate that the event will also fall on a Monday in March this year… but invites haven’t been sent out yet.

Macworld has predicted it will take place on March 20.

There are some indications that it might take place in April.

In many Apple stores in the US 12.9in iPad Pro’s are listed as “Available Apr 4.”

What will Apple announce at the Spring event?

Rumours are circling that Apple is planning to reveal several new products at once.

Industry analysts expect updates and refinements to existing product lines – rather than a brand new Apple Watch-style announcement.

Analysts have also said it is unlikely the iPhone 8 will unveiled – as this is more likely to be showcased in September.

What you can expect to see –

• A red iPhone 7/iPhone 7 Plus: Rumours suggest Apple will be unveiling a new red colour option for the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. Pictures shared on social media have been getting Apple fans excited. The firm has been producing red products since 2006 to contribute to the Global Fund’s fight against HIV/AIDS. It is assumed that the price of the red iPhones will be very similar to existing models. This means prices will start at £599 for the iPhone 7 and £719 for the iPhone 7 Plus.
• New iPad Pro: Apple is thought to be about to announce a new 7.9inch, 9.7inch, 10.5inch, and 12.9inch iPad Pro. The first model was released in September 2015 with prices ranging from £549 to £1,029. Apple CEO Tim Cook said earlier this month: “We’ve got some exciting things coming up on iPad and I’m optimistic about where things are headed.”
• iPhone SE 2: It is rumoured that Apple may launch a new iPhone SE with upgraded storage. The new model will reportedly feature a 128GB storage option – joining the existing 16GB and 64GB models. Prices for the iPhone SE are speculative at the moment. The 16GB version sells for £379 and the 64GB version sells for £429.
• Apple Watch accessories: It is deemed unlikely that Apple Watch will unveil a new model. However in past events they have released new straps – so this may be repeated this time around.

Where will the Apple Spring event be held?

The location, along with the date, is still yet to be confirmed.

The tech giant has announced that it will open Apple Park in April – it’s brand ring-shaped headquarters.

This could mean we may be waiting until then for the Spring event.

Xiaomi Mi In-Ear Headphones Pro HD Launched in India at Rs. 1,999

Xiaomi Mi In-Ear Headphones Pro HD Launched in India at Rs. 1,999

The Mi In-Ear Headphones Pro HD is priced at Rs. 1,999
The headphones have a rounded 45-degree angle in-ear design
The headphones will be available from March 10
Xiaomi in December launched the Mi In-Ear Headphones Pro HD for the US market. The headphones will now be available in India via Mi.com from Friday, March 10, 2017 from 12:00pm IST at a price of Rs. 1,999 and will be offered in Silver colour.
The Xiaomi Mi In-Ear Headphones Pro HD come with dual-dynamic and balance armature drivers. The company claimed earlier that the dual-dynamic driver "keeps the bass and mid tones mellow, and is made with graphene material that pumps out sounds with fuller and richer details". The company added that the balanced armature driver "retains the rich details of the high notes for the main melody, so you get to experience tri-band equalisation effect."
"To achieve a balance in the bass, mid, and high audio ranges, we included dual dynamic and balanced drivers in our all-new Mi In-Ear Headphones Pro HD. The larger dynamic driver is responsible for the lower audio ranges, whereas the smaller dynamic driver takes care of the higher audio ranges," Xiaomi explains on the product page.
The Xiaomi Mi In-Ear Headphones Pro HD come with inbuilt natural sound equaliser and a stretchable TPE matte wiring for durability and less tangling. Mid-range frequency is improved on these headphones compared to the Mi In-Ear Headphones Pro.

The headphones have a rounded 45-degree angle in-ear design for a more comfortable fit. The set will come with 4 pairs of earbuds of different sizes (XS, S, M, and L). There's a built-in microphone for voice calling and the accessory weighs around 17 grams. The Xiaomi Mi In-Ear Headphones Pro HD comes with a sensitivity rating of 98dB, and impedance of 32 Ohms, and a frequency response range of 20-40000Hz.

Demand for the Nokia 3310 is ‘unprecedented’, according to UK retailer

Demand for the Nokia 3310 is ‘unprecedented’, according to UK retailer

“UK retailer Carphone Warehouse says pre-orders for the 3310 are off the charts”

The Nokia 3310 (first impressions), which was unveiled at the recently-concluded MWC has gone on pre-order in the UK. Carphone Warehouse is the only retailer in the country currently taking pre-registrations for the feature phone, and says the demand for the 3310 has been ‘unprecedented’.


“Levels of pre-registrations at Carphone Warehouse are incredibly strong, proving that it’s not all hype and that consumers really want to get their hands on one,” said Andrew Wilson, UK director of buying at Carphone Warehouse.

The 3310 is something of a cult product, and has a massive fan following worldwide. The relaunched classic boasts features like a 2.4-inch colour display, 2MP camera with flash and even a modern version of the popular Snake game. While many users are keen to get their hands on the phone just for nostalgia’s sake, the actual use cases of the phone are limited in several countries around the world. This is primarily because the 3310 is a 2G-only device, and 2G networks have been switched off in major markets like the US and Australia.

The Nokia 3310 is expected to land in India in May or June this year. Priced at €49 in Europe, it’s expected to cost around Rs 3,000 when it lands in India, which will make it expensive for a feature phone. It’s uncertain how much of the interest in the 3310 will translate into sales for HMD Global, so we’ll just have to wait and watch.

Alcatel A5 LED brings the disco to your pocket with its modular LED cover

“Alcatel A5 LED brings the disco to your pocket with its modular LED cover”

The technology backing our smartphones has evolved so much over the years that nearly every brand offers models boasting narrow bezels,  top-end specs and metal/glass designs. While this increased competition amongst manufacturers has helped bring down the cost of smartphones and spoilt the consumers for choice, it has become tough for the companies to deliver products which offer something unique. At its MWC booth in Barcelona, Alcatel, a smartphone brand which mostly thrives in the budget segment, managed to attract a lot of attention owing to its A5 LED smartpho
The Alcatel A5 LED employs the concept of semi-modularity in a similar fashion as we saw on the Moto Z family. The LED back panel demoed at MWC features an array of multicolour LEDs which are fully customisable via a dedicated app and can be used to assign certain colours or patterns to various contacts or notifications. These LEDs can also sync up to the music which you’re playing on your phone, thereby making vibrant patterns and animations. The other options for snap-on rear covers include a battery pack and a speaker with a kickstand, again similar to the Moto Mods.

The rest of the specs of the Alcatel A5 LED include a 5.2-inch HD IPS display, an octa-core MediaTek MT6753 processor mated to 3GB of RAM along with a 2,800mAh battery. The device gets an 8MP rear snapper, a 5MP front shooter and runs Android Marshmallow.

Retailing for €200 (~Rs 14,000), the Alcatel A5 LED could be a game changer considering it is the first to bring the concept of modularity to budget smartphones. We sure hope the phone makes its way to India…

Moto G5 and G5 Plus: Metal finish, larger cameras boost these budget Androids

Moto G5 and G5 Plus: Metal finish, larger cameras boost these budget Androids

Now two different screen options, but no radical upgrades for these budget wonders.

Lenovo has announced the Moto G5 and G5 Plus, the next generation of its budget G-series phone line.

The angle is the same as that of the Moto G4 phones: good hardware for relatively little money. But this time the two phones have greater differences.

The Moto G5 has a 5-inch screen, the Moto G5 Plus a 5.2-inch one. Both displays use 1080p panels and both are larger than those of the Moto G4 duo, which have 5.5-inch screens.

Their processors are different too. The Moto G5 has a Snapdragon 430, the Moto G5 Plus a Snapdragon 625 CPU. Each SoC is driven by eight Cortex-A53 CPU cores, but the Snapdragon 625 is clocked at up to 2GHz instead of up to 1.4GHz. They also have different Adreno GPUs. The Snapdragon 430 is a great entry-level chip; the 625 a decent mid-range one.

At first glance the Moto G5 may appear to have the better camera, with 13 megapixels to the Moto G5 Plus’s 12. However, the best sensors of 2016 were also 12MP. We expect better results from the G5 Plus, which also has phase detection autofocus and a faster lens (f/1.7 versus f/2.0 for the G5).

To compensate for the larger display, the G5 Plus has a slightly larger 3000mAh battery, to the Moto G5’s 2800mAh, and supports Motorola’s ultra-fast Turbo charging. The G5 offers more conventional 10W "fast" charging.

Similarities include Android 7.0 Nougat software, a front fingerprint scanner less ugly than on the Moto G4 Plus, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Phew. Lenovo has also chosen to keep the good old micro USB connector rather than switching to USB-C.

These are also the first Moto phones to have metal bodies. However, don’t expect these budget wonders to feel like flagships that cost two or three times as much. While the backplate of these phones is aluminium, the sides are metal-effect plastic, cutting down the cost of manufacture, not least because there’s no cutting of socket holes into metal required.

What we have here is a pair of budget phones not radically upgraded from those of the last generation, aside from perhaps in camera quality with the G5 Plus—and to confirm that we'll need some hands-on time.

As with all Moto G phones to date, the price is attractive: the Moto G5 starts at €199/$229, for the 2GB RAM, 16GB storage version. The Moto G5 Plus starts at €279/$299 for the 3GB RAM, 32GB edition. We don’t have UK prices for these yet, but you can expect, at best, perhaps £180/£250.

OnePlus 5 to Launch in April: All You Need to Know of the Waterproof Phone

OnePlus 5 to Launch in April: All You Need to Know of the Waterproof Phone

Chinese smartphone manufacturer OnePlus will launch the successor to OnePlus 3 this year. The Chinese tech firm will skip launching the OnePlus 4 and directly unveil the OnePlus 5 that is expected to feature a ceramic body and be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor. This year's edition of OnePlus is expected to be waterproof and sport a 5.5 inch Quad HD AMOLED display.

There have not been many talks about the next 'flagship killer' from OnePlus but the promise of featuring a Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset and an even bigger RAM has got OnePlus enthusiasts excited. The OnePlus 5 is expected to be powered by the powerful Snapdragon 835 SoC and is likely to earn an extra 2GB of RAM for a total 8GB. This year's flagship model is likely to be seen as early as April 2017.

It is being said that the OnePlus 5 will be available in five colour variants including gold, white, black, ceramic and blue. If you are wondering why OnePlus is skipping OnePlus 4 and launching the 5th edition directly, then you should know that in China number four is considered unlucky.
It is also expected to house a big 4,000 mAh battery with an internal storage of 64GB. The OnePlus 5 is also expected to run on the Android 7.0 Nougat.
On the camera front, the OnePlus 5's camera might feature a new flash feature - the retina flash and sport a 16 megapixel rear camera along with a 8 megapixel rear camera.


The upcoming OnePlus 5 might also have D-touch facilities coupled with a fingerprint sensor and quick charging and it is expected to launch around Rs 30,000.

Moto Anniversary Sale Starts Today: Discounts and Exchange Offers on Moto M, Moto Z Play, and More

HIGHLIGHTS

1. Moto G (3rd Generation) 8GB will be available at Rs. 7,999. 
2. Extra 10 percent discount for IndusInd Bank credit card users. 
3. Discounts and offers available on entire Moto smartphones range. 

Celebrating three years of its presence in India, Lenovo-owned brand Moto has offering discounts and exchange offers on its smartphones available via Flipkart. The 'Moto Days' anniversary sale starts February 20 and ends the next day, and customers can get discounts of up to Rs. 20,000 while purchasing select Moto models in exchange for their old handsets, along with flat discounts of up to Rs. 1,000.
The offers and discounts will be available for the entire range of Moto smartphones available on Flipkart including Moto Z, Moto Z Play, Moto M, Moto G Turbo Edition, Moto E Power, Moto E, and Moto G (2nd Generation). Along with the offers, the company is offering 10 percent discount to IndusInd Bank credit card users.
As part of Moto Days, customers will be able to get upto Rs. 20,000 off on exchange of their old smartphone (as against up to Rs. 18,000 currently) when purchasing Moto Z, Moto Z Play, and Moto M smartphones from Flipkart. The company is offering flat Rs. 500 off on Moto E Power and Rs. 1,000 off on Moto G Turbo Edition smartphones, which will be available at Rs. 7,499 and Rs. 8,999 respectively.

Moto Nexus 6 (32GB) will be available at Rs. 19,999 (usual price of Rs. 21,999) while the 64GB storage variant of the smartphone will be available at Rs. 25,999 (currently available at Rs. 29,999) as part of Moto Days celebration on Flipkart. Moto G (3rd Generation) 8GB will be selling at Rs. 7,999 (currently available at Rs. 9,999) while Moto G (2nd Generation) 16 GB will be available for Rs. 6,999 (usual price of Rs. 8,999).

Interested customers can also choose to purchase Moto E (2nd Gen) 4G 8GB at Rs. 5,999 (currently available at Rs. 6,999) or Moto E (2nd Gen) 3G 8 GB, which will be available at Rs. 4,999 (currently available for Rs. 5,999) as part of the two-day celebration offer on Flipkart.

5 Reasons why Moto G5 is worth the wait

Lenovo owned Motorola smartphones are favoured by many Indians over other Chinese competitors. When it comes to brand value, Motorola is out of the few brands that are considered as ‘trusted’ along with brands like Samsung, Sony and HTC. While HTC and Sony are lagged behind in the race, Moto has always been proactive in terms of innovation and marketing. 

Looking back at the success of Motorola’s mid-ranger Moto G 4th Generation, we have high hopes from the upcoming Moto G 5th Generation. It is now confirmed that the smartphone will be rolled out during the MWC 2017, and several rumours around the device have surfaced recently. It is highly possible that the device will have a basic G5 variant and a Plus version like previous year. 

Adding up all the leaks and rumours, we have got a blurred picture of the upcoming Moto G smartphone. Unlike many other OEMs, Lenovo always brings Moto smartphone to India soon after its global launch. Moto G 5th Generation will be targeting sub 15k segment of smartphones and here is why it is worth the wait. 

Worthy camera upgrade 
When it comes to a good camera smartphones in budget segment, the Moto G 4 Plus has an upper hand over the competitors. Similarly, the Moto G5 is expected to continue the same legacy of having the best camera in the segment. According to rumours, the smartphone will feature a 12/13-megapixel rapid focus camera with Sony IMX362 sensor, f/1.7 aperture and PDAF on the rear. 

Apart from the rear camera, Moto G 4th Generation has an impressive front camera as well. The successor is expected to come with a 5-megapixel camera just like its predecessor. 

Display has always been a charm 
Moto has always favoured AMOLED panels in its smartphones. Although the Moto G4 Plus had an IPS panel, it highly possible that Moto G5 Plus will come with an AMOLED screen. Lenovo recently used Super AMOLED display in Lenovo P2 smartphone, which makes it possible for the company to go with it the same on Moto G5 Plus. To keep the price low for Moto G5, the company may go for an IPS panel instead. 

It is expected that the G5 will have a 5.2-inch display whereas the G5 Plus will come with a 5.5 inch panel. Both the phones will come with a full HD display (1920 x 1080p) resolution. 

Turbo charge is life saver 
Moto G5 and G5 Plus are rumoured to come with 2800mAh and 3000mAh batteries respectively. Both the models are support for Turbo Charging, which is Lenovo’s proprietary fast-charging technology. 

The smartphone is expected to ship with a bundled Turbo charger, which is another reason that makes it a perfect mid-ranger. 

All new metal unibody design 
The new Moto G is likely to come with an all new metal back. It will be a huge improvement over last year’s plastic design. It may add a little bulk to the device, but it will surely feel more premium and robust in hand. 

Looking at the leaked pictures, the new Moto G surely has a better looking design with major changes in terms of quality and material. 

Hardware 
According to leaks, Moto M is supposed come with an oct-core processor clocked at 2.0 GHz, which is likely to be the Snapdragon 625 processor. If the leak comes out to be true, then the Redmi Note 4 will face some serious competition in its segment. 

Moreover, it is rumoured to have 3GB and 4GB variant. 

Our thoughts 
Motorola is a consistent performer in its budget smartphone segment, be it the Moto X Play or the Moto G4 Plus. We have the same expectations from the upcoming G series smartphone from the company. If the rumours turn out to be true, the device will surely put an impact on the existing market. 

What Samsung’s Bixby AI will be made of?

What Samsung’s Bixby AI will be made of?

Samsung could include a dedicated hardware button to run Bixby on the model.

Samsung’s upcoming smartphone Galaxy S8 is confirmed to incorporate a digital voice assistant, known to be called Bixby, however, did any one wonder what it will be made of.

Last year, Samsung announced the acquisition of Viv Labs, a firm run by a co-creator of Apple’s voice assistant Siri. A month later, the smartphone giant confirmed to launch an artificial intelligence digital assistant service for its upcoming Galaxy S8 smartphone. Many speculated that the rumoured Samsung’s voice assistant Bixby will be based on Viv Labs program, but it will not be.

According to a report by Wall Street Journal, Bixby will be an upgraded version of Samsung’s S Voice rather than an artificial intelligence program running on Viv Labs’ technology.

An earlier report claimed that Bixby is designed to “answer voiced question from users” and Samsung could include a hardware button dedicated to it.

Moreover, a trademark application filed by Samsung with European Trade Mark and Design Network has reportedly revealed Bixby’s logo.  In the filing, the logo resembles the alphabet ‘B’ as well as the numerical ‘8’.

“It will represent smartphones, mobile telephones, portable computers, tablet computers, interactive computers software enabling exchange of information, software for searching and retrieving information across a computer network, software to enable the provision of information via communication networks and so  on,” the description in the trademark application reads.

The Galaxy S8 is expected to be launched at a separate event in New York on March 29.

Apple’s next iPhone might cost more than $1000 thanks to OLED displays

Apple’s next iPhone might cost more than $1000 thanks to OLED displays

iPhone rumor season is upon us — as if it ever ends — and the latest claims that the next iPhone will cost upwards of $1000 (at least, for the most expensive model).

To be clear, that isn’t a huge deal considering that the top-of-the-line iPhone currently costs more than $900. Still, Fast Company reports that Apple may be switching from LCD displays to an OLED display, which would cost the company more to make the phone. The report also cites sources as saying that the memory in the next iPhone will be upgraded, another contributing factor to the rising cost.

This forthcoming phone represents 10 years of the iPhone, leading many to believe that Apple may call it “iPhone X.”

Rumors suggest that the next flagship iPhone will measure in at 5.8-inches, which is a bit bigger than the iPhone 7 Plus.

Diverging a bit from the current strategy, the next iPhone is said to be released alongside two models that are the same size as the iPhone 7 (4.7-inch) and iPhone 7 Plus (5.5-inch), which will likely be called the iPhone 7S and iPhone 7S Plus respectively.

Trusted KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Quo wrote late last year that only the iPhone 8 (or iPhone X) will come with the new OLED display.

Along with the new display and the bigger size, rumors suggest that the back of the phone will be made of glass, and that the sides of the phone will be made of stainless steel instead of aluminum.

But perhaps more exciting is that Apple may be ditching the Home button, placing it under the display for a fully touch interface. In fact, sources are claiming that the next iPhone may not have any physical buttons, instead using touch-sensitive portions of metal for the volume/lock buttons.

Of course, Apple isn’t expected to announce the next phone until Fall 2017, so nothing is set in stone. But if the OLED rumors in particular hold true, you might want to start prepping your bank account for a slightly more expensive purchase come September.

Moto G5 Plus live image leaked, reveals 5.2-inch display and 3,000mAh battery

Moto G5 Plus live image leaked, reveals 5.2-inch display and 3,000mAh battery

“The Moto G5 Plus will feature a 2.0GHz octa-core SoC, a 12MP rear camera and a fingerprint sensor”

Lenovo is expected to unveil its next-gen Moto G series devices – the Moto G5 and G5 Plus – at its pre-MWC event on February 26th in Barcelona. Ahead of the unveiling, we have already seen a number of photos of the Moto G5 Plus. Now, another alleged live image of the Moto G5 Plus has surfaced on the interwebs, revealing a couple of its key specs.


The protective film on the screen of the Moto G5 Plus suggests that the phone will feature a compact 5.2-inch full HD display. The device will be powered by a 2.0GHz octa-core processor. It will come with a 12-megapixel ‘Rapid Focus’ primary shooter, a fingerprint sensor embedded into its home button, NFC and a 3,000mAh battery with TurboPower fast charging support. It is expected to boot Android Nougat out of the box, and will arrive with exclusive Motorola software experience.

As per the earlier reports, the Moto G5 and G5 Plus will go on sale right after the unveiling at MWC. They are expected to be launched in India in March.

Sony Xperia Z5 successor to be showcased at MWC 2017

Sony Xperia Z5 successor to be showcased at MWC 2017

Sony has already sent out media invites for an event to happen on February 27 at MWC 2017. While we are sure that the company might be making some interesting announcements at the end of this month, it might not unveil any flagship smartphone at the tech show.

The Sony Yoshino that was spotted in leaks long back is claimed to feature a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor and a gorgeous 4K display. If the Japanese tech giant introduces a flagship this month, it might anyways not be able to release the device until the Samsung Galaxy S8 is released as the latter is claimed to use up the whole bunch of Snapdragon 835 SoCs for its release in April. To avoid that, Sony is speculated to have delayed the launch of its flagship smartphone for a later date. The device is likely to be present at the tech show, but showcased behind closed doors.

At the MWC 2017, Sony will be launching four mid-range Xperia smartphones based on Android OS. Going by the existing rumors and speculations, these mid-range phones are said to be codenamed BlancBright, Keyaki, Hinoki and Mineo. Talking about the Xperia Z5's sequel, the smartphone's launch frame comes in line with the recent reports suggesting that the Snapdragon 835 processor will not be released widely until late April. If Sony really wants to use the latest processor from Qualcomm to operate in its flagship, it needs to wait as the processor is highly powerful and efficient than the earlier chips from Qualcomm.