iBall Slide 3G Q7218 Tablet Debuts in India, Priced at $102

iBall just debuted a new tablet, a model called iBall Slide 3G Q7218, that’s available in India, priced at $102. The new product is available on e-tailers like Flipkart and Amazon, as well as brick and mortar stores.

The tablet has a 7 inch WVGA display, a 1.3 GHz quad core processor and Android 4.4 as the OS. There’s 512 MB of RAM inside, a 2500 mAh battery and 8 GB of storage. I have to say that the RAM is not exactly impressive, but for this price it’s pretty OK. There’s also a microSD card slot included in the mix, plus a combo of two cameras, a 2 MP one at the back and a VGA front shooter.

iBall has included here dual SIM support, 3G connectivity, WiFi, Bluetooth, USB OTG and FM radio. The new tablet is not alone in the new lineup, since it joins the recently launched Slide Octa A41 in iBall’s product portofolio. The design is pretty basic with a rectangular format and rounded edges.

ASUS Transformer Book T100 Chi (07H) is Coming and There’s Proof About That

Apparently, there’s a new ASUS Transformer Book coming and the new model is dubbed T100 Chi (07H), plus it may integrated a new type of Intel CPU inside. The WiFi Alliance has certified a certain ASUS Transformer Book T100 Chi, as the document below states.

The product may be shown at next month’s CES 2015 and sold during the summer for around $700. The product is expected to offer WiFi dual band support, Bluetooth and 3G, as well as Windows 8. Rumor has it that the Llama Mountain device is related to this model, so we may be dealing with a 2 in 1 hybrid with Intel Core M Broadwell CPU inside. It will adopt a fanless format and a dock keyboard obviously.

The impressive part here is the size, since the slate is said to be around 6.8 mm in waistline and weigh 550 grams. The design of the product will probably be similar to the one of the Transformer Book T300Chi, one of the detachable units that were appreciated by connaisseurs at Computex 2014. The series also includes the Transformer Book T90 Chi, with Windows 8.1 as well and that one was certified back in October.

Expect a 10.1 inch screen on the T100 Chi.

Skype offering free US and Canadian calls to users in India

Skype has just announced an offer exclusive to users located in India. Indian customers can now call domestic landline or mobile number in the US or Canada absolutely free until March 1st 2015.

The offer applies to both existing and new users, all you need is a Skype account and an internet connection to make calls over. You can then use the phone dialler from within the Android app, along with accompanying national calling codes, to call US and Canadian numbers free of charge.

In the New Year, Skype users in India can connect with friends and family in the US and Canada without having to worry about call charges. Both existing and new Skype users can benefit from this offer,
​

The offer is already up and running and will expire in March next year. Don’t forget that all calls between Skype users over the internet are already free. If you want to make the most of the offer, you can download Skype for free from the Google Play Store.

This startup will help you ride to work and back with ones you trust

Ah! The traffic in an Indian city. A scenario so lamentable that office goers justify why they were late in one word. “Traffic”.

Nevertheless, there are many ways to get to your office, you could drive or ride on your own, hire a cab or an auto rickshaw, avail the office cab facilities where available, and if you are really, really lucky, walk to your office.

RideIT, a Hyderabad based startup, offers an alternate solution. Or at least tries to address the problem. This is a ride-share matching service exclusively for working professionals could find people traveling the same route to work.

You choose a route, the point of pick up, and connect with other carpoolers. I cannot term it as a carpool alone, since motorbikes and auto rickshaws are also included. The users can refer to the price listed or discuss the cost-sharing beforehand.

The concept seems simple enough but the trend is yet to catch on in the country. “A major reason for this is because of no strong support/incentive from the government,” says Rahul Jacob, co-founder of the Hyderabad based startup. Besides, there is a grey area of the law, Section 66 of the Indian Motor Vehicles Act, which prohibits using private vehicles for hire or rewards.

Nevertheless, in the last two years many ride-share startups have sprung up in different cities, like Orahi, Rindingo, Let’s Drive Along, and the more recent addition, Tripda.

At a time when taxi operators have been facing the heat from the government, this seems like a viable option. But what about the safety of the users?

“It is a deliberate decision on our part to restrict the access to working professionals,” says Jacob. “The trust factor is higher when you deal with folks with similar backgrounds.” RideIT’s 5,100 users have been authenticated through his or her official office email address to ensure that the travel companion is an employee of an established company.

RideIT is planning a launch of the iOS and Android apps in January and expects to customize the app towards gated communities and colleges in the near future. The firm is also planning to expand to cities beyond Hyderabad. The idea which, was conceptualized at the Infosys Hyderabad campus, has won an award for its social initiative.

The question remains: will carpooling actually ensure that you reach your office in time? I doubt it. After all the pickup driver might show up 10 minutes late at your location and say: “Traffic”.

See: This intercity ridesharing startup wants everyone to save money, reduce carbon emissions

Google wants to make Shopping more like Amazon with one-click buy – report

Amazon is quite possibly one of the most impressive success stories in the hallowed hall of internet-based corporations. What started as a humble online bookstore with an unusual name has now expanded to encompass seemingly everything: shopping, media, cloud storage, remote computing framework, and even mobile devices. It has partially-automated shipping warehouses and wants to deliver packages via drones. Heck, its founder Jeff Bezos has even purchased The Washington Post. The only thing Amazon isn’t successful at seems to be making a killing in profits, as the company’s customer-friendly business model doesn’t lend itself especially well to Apple-esque financial gains. Still, investors are absolutely smitten with the company.

To say that everyone wants a piece (of Amazon) is an understatement, and though many companies hope to aspire to its level of greatness, none have truly succeeded on a multi-national level… yet. According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, however, Google is actively seeking to become a more visible and vicious competitor.

Changes planed by Google would reportedly affect the way the Google Shopping portal operates: as things currently work, users are presented with links to retailer’s websites wherein they can purchase the desired item(s) they searched for. The drawback of the current shopping method is that users are less likely to complete a purchase because the third-party site would require registration, both of personal and payment information, in order to complete the sale. The more work that needs to be done, the less likely any given person is to do it.

The solution is therefore to simplify matters. Apparently the folks at Mountain View have offered online retailers to create a “buy” button for the Google Shopping site, thus serving to emulate the “one-click ordering” offered by Amazon: this will ensure potential customers go through Google to complete their purchase, and, as shopper’s information would already be on-file [with Google] the transaction would indeed be a one-click affair sans any kind of extra work.

OnePlus partners with Waves to bring MaxxAudio to the One

OnePlus may be in the middle of expanding into new regions, but the company is also focused on refining its flagship One smartphone too. Today, the company announced that it has partnered up with Waves to bring MaxxAudio software to the OnePlus One.

Waves may be a familiar named to audio enthusiasts, the company is a leading developer of studio grade digital audio plugins and professional audio hardware solutions. OnePlus is interested in the company’s MaxxAudio software suite, which is designed to enhance the quality of audio playback on your PC, TV, laptop, smartphone or tablet. Wave’s MaxxAudio has numerous other partnerships with big names the smartphone industry, including with ARM, Qualcomm, and Wolfson.

The full MaxxAudio suite contains familiar equalization options, along with surround sound, spatial imaging, noise reduction, and compression options, among others. OnePlus seems to be making partial use of the suite, absorbing MaxxAudio’s EQ, Phycho-Acoustic Bass Enhancement, High Frequency booster and Spatial Imaging technologies into the One’s AudioFX app.

Our team worked closely with MaxxAudio to perfect the software integration through the new version of the AudioFX app we developed. - Steve Kondik, CTO of Cyanogen Inc.
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OnePlus has also apparently tuned MaxxAudio specifically for the handset’s speakers, as well as Silver Bullet and JBL E1+ headphones. The app also includes a selection of 10 EQ presets, where you will find the usual array classical, jazz, metal, hip hop and other options.

These MaxxAudio improvements will be making their way to the OnePlus One via a “major” CyanogenMod update in January.

Pebble 2.3 Beta brings support for Android Wear-ready apps

While smartwatches, in one form or another, have been around for a number of years, Pebble is arguably one of the very first to have had any real mainstream appeal. Since its debut, Pebble has been pretty quiet on the hardware front (aside from the Pebble Steel) but they have consistently improved the software experience.

Just last month, Pebble introduced massively improved notifications for Android users, making it so you could see any notification from your phone on your watch. And now Pebble is taking things a step further by introducing actionable notifications to the platform — at least for those that sign up for the Android Beta and have at least Android 4.0 or higher.

To get the job done, Pebble is actually piggy-backing off Android Wear apps. In other words, any Android app that has been updated with AW notification support will now work with Pebble watches as well. That means you can now delete and reply to messages and email, Hangouts and so much more.



It is important to note that Pebble doesn’t have a microphone and so you can’t use voice reply, thus somewhat crippling actionable notifications when compared to Android Wear. Still, there’s no denying this is a solid step in the right direction and is a great way to up the number of apps that support the Pebble platform. For more details, check outPebble’s blog.

What do you think of this news? Is it a sign that the next-gen Pebble (whenever it comes) may continue to push forward by piggybacking off the efforts of Android Wear and perhaps even Apple Watch for those using it on iOS?

HTC’s latest Hot Deal gives you 50% off all accessories!

Continuing their recent holiday tradition, HTC has put up this week’s Hot Deals promotion. Following last week’s case sale, HTC is offering up all of its accessories for 50% off — this includes various cases, car kits, chargers, speakers, screen protectors and more.

As for the most intriguing deals? While there’s quite a few good deals on cases and more, for me at least, the HTC Fetch (now $29.99) stands out the most. With the Fetch, you simply press a button and the keychain device can buzz your phone, and vice versa.

For those wondering, the prices listed on the Hot accessories page already have the 50% discount baked in. In usual fashion, there is said to be only limited supplies, so you’ll want to act fast. What do you think, picking up any of these for yourself, or to use as stocking stuffers for this holiday season?

Google giving away LotR: Fellowship of the Ring free today in select regions

Tis’ the season for giving, and that’s exactly what Google is doing. For those in the United States at least, you can now pick up the first Lords of the Ring movie for free, in HD.

Normally priced at $12.99, this is a pretty solid freebie, especially for fans of the Hobit and LotR series, and fantasy movie lovers in general. We should also mention that Two Towers and Return of the King have been marked down to $6.99, $3 off — meaning you can pick up the whole trilogy for just $14. It’s unclear what countries will see LotR: Fellowship of the Ring for free, though it’s worth noting that we have heard reports that users in Brazil also have access to the movie for free.

Google seems to be doing a similar promotion today in at least a couple different regions such as giving Sherlock Homes away in the UK, Polar Express in France and National Lampoon Christmas Vacation in Canada. There are likely other freebies to be had outside of this as well. Is Google giving away any movies or other goodies today in your region? If so, let us know about it in the comments!

“OK, Google” voice command making its way to Google Drive

Google has been hard at work the past few weeks, updating all of their apps to Material Design and adding new features to most of their apps. They’re not done with updates quite yet, as the company is beginning to push out a new update to Google Drive. In hopes to make searching for documents a bit easier, Google is adding “OK, Google” hotword support from the Google app on your phone.

Announced on their Google+ page earlier today, the update will let users search for files in the Drive app through a simple voice search using the Google app. For example, say, “OK, Google, search for holiday letter on Drive.” The Google search app will seek out your desired file and open it once it’s found. Searching by voice is definitely something Google doesn’t want to give up on, and it’s even more apparent now that they’re adding the functionality to more apps. Just last month, the search giant added third party app support to work with “OK, Google” functionality, so it’s nice to see this feature make its way to their own apps.

Along with hotword support, Google is also adding support for viewing and sharing custom maps you create with the Google My Maps app. Google explains that the update should be rolling out within the week to all Android users, so be sure to check the Play Store for your update. If you have yet to download Google Drive, you can do so here.

Samsung reportedly in talks to launch their own mobile payment system

Google Wallet and Apple Pay have both helped advance the future of payment technology for the better. Take your phone out, press a few buttons or swipe your finger, and you’re all set to be on your way. Naturally, Samsung would like to join in on the fun, as they’re reportedly in talks with startup LoopPay to create a mobile payment method of their own.

According to multiple sources from ReCode, Samsung has discussed a deal with LoopPay, a mobile payment startup, and already has a working prototype on a Samsung device. The rumored payment method is very similar to both Google Wallet and Apple Pay, though it differs in some key areas.

The technology would still require you to take out your mobile device to complete the payment, but unlike Google Wallet and Apple Pay, LoopPay doesn’t just work with NFC. LoopPay’s “magnetic secure transmission” technology is backwards-compatible with legacy terminals, and the built-in hardware makes payments by means of a small electromagnetic field that closely resembles that of a credit card swipe. To complete the payment, all users would need to do is tap the phone near the credit card swiping terminal… and that’s it. This allows the payment method to be compatible with both NFC payment modules as well as credit card swiping terminals. What’s more, the card information will likely be secured on Samsung devices by using the fingerprint sensor, much like we see with Apple Pay.

Earlier this month, LoopPay CEO Will Graylin told ReCode that their technology would launch in a mainstream smartphone sometime in 2015. Before we get too ahead of ourselves, though, Samsung hasn’t officially reached a deal with LoopPay quite yet, and sources say “the deal could still fall apart.”

Is the world ready for yet another form of mobile payment? Let us know what you think!

Shed some tears with Apple’s latest commercial

Shed some tears with Apple’s latest commercial

Apple’s marketing strategies have always been genius. The company aims to connect with its users. It’s never about what a tablet can do, it’s about what you can do with it. This is why these commercials are so “like-able”, they touch our feelings and make us reate.

Such is the case with Apple’s latest ad, which they have dubbed “The Song”. Give it a watch, it’s actually very sweet.

Opinion: *Tear*

SANEI G786 - 7.9" IPS Screen Android 4.4.2 MTK8382 Quad-core 3G Tablet review

SANEI G786 - 7.9" IPS Screen Android 4.4.2 MTK8382 Quad-core 3G Tablet

SANEI G786 comes with MTK8382 quad-core CPU; Android 4.4; 2 SIM card 2 Standby, 3G WCDMA; Bluetooth, Miracast, GPS.

MTK8382 Performance
Based on the ARM® Cortex®-A7 quad-core processor and ARM® Mali™ GPU, MTK8382 makes the tablet runs smoothly. Enjoy yourself with stream videos, smooth-flowing gaming, web surfing and more!

Dual SIM Card Support, 3G WCMDA
Manage your work and play with the Dual SIM connectivity on the SANEI G786. Always stay in touch with friends and family, and talk your heart out with its Voice Calling feature. Surfing the Internet smoothly with 3G WCDMA network.

GPS, Bluetooth 4.0, Miracast...
By integrating support for MediaTek's leading connectivity solutions including Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi, FM receiver and GPS.

Dual Camera to Capture Wonderful Moments
Dual front and back camera allows you to never miss capturing a moment. One touch sharing allows you to upload your hotographs and videos to your favorite social networks. The camera is 2 MP front and 5 MP Rear.

LG 34UM65 Ultra Wide Monitor Unboxing!

LG 34UM65 Ultra Wide Monitor Unboxing!

Here's me unboxing LG 34UM65, a 34-inch ultra-wide LCD monitor with resolution of 2560x1080 pixels. Unboxing of this: http://bit.ly/34um65 Overall, I am very satisfi...

www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4LxNPROg34&feature=youtube_gdata
by zedomax on youtube

Xolo makes the Xolo Q900s Plus official claims lightest smartphone title

Xolo, the budget smartphone manufacturer has announced a new phone in the market called the Xolo Q900s Plus. This new device is the upgraded version of the Xolo Q900s which was launched back in July. The company claims that the Q900s Plus is the lightest Android smartphone available today, but at 100 grams, it has the same weight as the older model. Notable upgraded tech specs include a HD 4.7-inch display instead of qHD resolution and Android 4.4 KitKat OS out of the box instead of Android 4.3. Xolo has listed the device on it's website for $133 (RM465) but has not revealed any details about its availability of any possible Malaysia release date. The full tech specs and features of the device are given below. 

• 1.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 processor with Adreno 302 GPU
• 1GB RAM
• 8GB internal memory + expandable storage via MicroSD card
• 4.7-inch 1280 x 720 pixel resolution OGS IPS display with Dragon Trail Glass protection
• 135.8 x 67.2 x 7.2 mm |100 grams
• 8MP rear camera with LED flash + 2MP front camera
• Dual SIM Support, 3G HSPA+, Wi-Fi, GPRS/ EDGE, GPS/ A-GPS, Micro-USB
• Android 4.4 KitKat OS
• 1800 mAh battery

[Source]

The Highscreen ICE 2 is another Russian smartphone with two displays

Highscreen has announced a new phone in the market called the Highscreen ICE 2 which features dual displays, much like the Yotaphone models. Although the brand is not famous internationally, it is owned by a well-known German company called Vobis Computers and has been operating in Russia for the past 5 years selling products like tablets, notebooks and other accessories. Unlike the Yotaphone 2, the ICE 2 features a tiny secondary display beside the rear camera which can deliver small pieces of information like incoming calls, text messages, notifications, weather updates and the time. Another highlight of the device is the notification light on the home button which can be configured with up to seven different colors for each app notification. Other tech specs include a 1.7 GHz octa-core Mediatek MT6592 processor, 2GB RAM, 16GB internal storage with MicroSD expansion, 4.7-inch 1280 x 720 pixel HD display, 13MP Sony rear camera and 2MP front camera. The device runs on Android 4.4 KitKat OS and comes with a 2550 mAh capacity battery onboard. The Highscreen ICE 2 dual screen smartphone will go on sale in Russia for $250 (RM962) in three colors – white, blue and grey. No details about Malaysia release dates or pricing so far.

[Source]

Tags: Highscreen ICE 2, Highscreen ICE 2 Malaysia, Highscreen ICE 2 Malaysia price, Highscreen ICE 2 specs,Highscreen ICE 2 specification, Highscreen ICE 2 review, Highscreen ICE 2 features, Highscreen ICE 2 Malaysia release date, Highscreen ICE 2 Malaysia launch, Highscreen ICE 2 announce, Yotaphone, Yotaphone 2

Huawei Ascend Mate 7 Monarch Edition announced for $710

Huawei recently announced a special edition of the existing Ascend Mate 7 called the Huawei Ascend Mate 7 Monarch Edition. This special version retains the same design as the original phone but brings in a lot of other upgrades to justify the name. The Monarch version replaces the Gorilla Glass on its 6 inch 1080p display with a much more scratch resistant Sapphire glass. The company has also increased the internal storage from 32GB to 64GB of which 54GB is available to the user. This additional storage coupled with the expandable memory slot, which takes MicroSD cards up to 128GB increases the total storage to 182GB. The phone comes in gold color and its owners get a special VIP card which will give them 1 hour quick repair facility for any kind of problems with the device. Other tech specs are the same as the original model, which includes an octa-core HiSilicon Kirin 925 processor, 3GB RAM, 13MP rear camera, 5MP secondary camera, 4G LTE support and a fingerprint sensor. The device runs on Android 4.4.2 Kikat OS with Emotion UI 3.0 and comes with a large 4100 mAh battery. Huawei has priced the Mate 7 Monarch edition at $710 (RM2480). No details about a Malaysia release or pricing yet, but the original Ascend Mate 7 is available to purchase in the country for RM1799.  You can also check out our product demo of the original model as well.  

[Source]

Tags: Huawei Ascend Mate 7 Monarch Edition, Huawei Ascend Mate 7 Monarch Edition Malaysia, Huawei Ascend Mate 7 Monarch Edition Malaysia pric, Huawei Ascend Mate 7 Monarch Edition specs, Huawei Ascend Mate 7 Monarch Edition specification, Huawei Ascend Mate 7 Monarch Edition review, Huawei Ascend Mate 7 Monarch Edition features,Huawei Ascend Mate 7 Monarch Edition Malaysia rele, Huawei Ascend Mate 7 Monarch Edition Malaysia laun, Huawei Ascend Mate 7 Monarch Edition announce, Huawei Ascend Mate 7

Internet of Things with Tech Kakis #005

Our collaboration with KL Gadget Guy and Nasi Lemak Tech continues with episode 5 of our Tech Kakis discussion group. This time around we talk about the Internet of Things which basically means every device is connected to the Internet. While this may seem like a fad, it does mean that eventually you would be able to remote control your everything or in turn get notified of everything. For example your Internet linked refrigerator could let you know if the stuff you bought has expired or what stuff you may have in cooler. We talk about other connected devices like the Samsung Gear S, the Philips smart LED light bulb and so forth. Check out the full video below:

Tags: Tech Kakis, Tech Kakis 005, Internet of Things, TechNave.com, KL Gadget Guy, Nasi Lemak Tech

Alienware Alpha Micro Gaming PC Unboxing

Alienware Alpha Micro Gaming PC Unboxing

Where I got my Alienware Alpha from: http://tinyurl.com/q52y7q3 Click here to check out Loot Crate: http://lootcrate.com/ReviewTechUSA (Use the Promo Code "RTU" to s...

www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEeJAzd2-2c&feature=youtube_gdata
by ReviewTechUSA on youtube

GAMEBAND UNBOXING!

GAMEBAND UNBOXING!

HEY GUYS! TODAY I WANTED TO SHOW YOU THIS AWESOME THINGER MOBOBBER. SO I DID. Checkout GameBand here! http://www.gameband.com/ ▻COME PLAY ON MY MINECRAFT ...

www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTm278UgkMg&feature=youtube_gdata
by MunchingBrotato on youtube

CUBOT GT72+ Dual-Core MTK6572 WCDMA 512 4GB ROM 4inch Bar Phone

$68 for CUBOT GT72+ Dual-Core MTK6572 WCDMA 512 4GB ROM 4inch Bar Phone

Newfrog offers 30% off for CUBOT GT72+ Dual-Core MTK6572 WCDMA 512 4GB ROM 4inch Bar Phone.

Tencent forms partnership and invests in Japan’s Aiming Games

Chinese social and gaming giant Tencent has recently made an investment in Japanese mobile game developer Aiming, according to a press release posted on Aiming’s site. The total sum Tencent invested has not been revealed, but the agreement also includes a cooperative partnership that will see Tencent distributing Aiming’s games across greater China and Aiming distributing Tencent games (with a non-exclusive license) in Japan.

The partnership makes sense for both parties, as both companies have the rights to several popular mobile games that could be lucrative when they’re released into new markets. Tencent and Aiming are, in essence, just trading rights: Tencent gives Aiming’s games a new market in China, and Aiming gives Tencent’s games a new market in Japan.

Aiming’s popular mobile titles include Lord of Knights, Valiant Legion. The company previously developed games for PC and browser platforms, but has been focused on mobile since 2011.

See: Can Alibaba compete with Tencent when it comes to games?

(Source: Aiming)

This post Tencent forms partnership and invests in Japan’s Aiming Games appeared first on Tech in Asia.

Plex app for Android updated to better embrace mobile

Plex is pushing out an update to their Android app that better embraces the fact that it is a mobile app, and not just a forgotten piece of an awesome media system.

Perhaps that was a little dramatic. The Plex app for Android is $4.99 in the Google Play Store and now offers a handy new large list of features, perfect for bringing your media streaming to the next level.

Plex is a free multi-part media system that allows you to setup a media server in your own home, and watch that content across your devices. The Android app has been a welcome addition to this setup, and the newest features found in version 3.7.1.286 add better playback options, new layouts and more. The full update list looks something like this:

• Support for playlists.
• Bigger playback notifications with a dismiss button.
• Better category management in settings.
• Improved Queues.
• Different media types can now coexist, instead of separating audio from video.
• Playback can be resumed from where you left off last.
• Persistent through the app being closed.
• Default setting to play unwatched TV shows and seasons.
• Your On Deck list now has continuous playback of episodes.

As you might imagine, a smattering of bug fixes and performance improvements are along for the ride as well.



While the overall Plex system, including server software and media players for your PC are all free, the company charges for what they call the Plex Pass, which, if nothing else, allows you to stream your content beyond the local network of your own home internet.

Plex for Android has been found for free through the Amazon app store in the past, but the $4.99 price tag in the Google Play Store is generally accepted as worth the price by those that have taken the plunge.

What do you say, are any of these features on your list of must-haves for the Plex app for Android?