Acer launches 'Swift 5' laptop in India with 14.9 mm thickness at Rs 79,999

The laptop is 14.9-mm thin and sports a 14-inch FHD display with narrow bezels and Acer "Color Intelligence" technology

Expanding its popular "Swift" series, Taiwanese hardware and electronics brand Acer on Wednesday launched "Swift 5" in India for a starting price of Rs 79,999.

Weighing only 970 grams, the device features 8th-Generation Intel Core processor and will be available at Acer exclusive stores and other retailers, the company said in a statement.

"We are ecstatic with the newest addition 'Acer Swift 5' to our range of 'Swift' series laptops in India. This is another record breaker by being one of the lightest laptops at 970 grams," said Chandrahas Panigrahi, CMO and Consumer Business Head, Acer India.

The laptop is 14.9-mm thin and sports a 14-inch FHD display with narrow bezels and Acer "Color Intelligence" technology that optimises screen colour, brightness and saturation.

It also has Acer "TrueHarmony" with Dolby Audio Premium technology that provides powerful audio while Skype for Business certification ensures video conferencing and Cortana integration.

The device runs Windows 10 platform and comes with 8GB DDR4 RAM, 512GB SDD storage and battery back-up of up to eight hours.

Samsung to bring Galaxy S9, Galaxy S9+ in India on Tuesday

Although prices are yet to be announced, Galaxy S9 may cost around $720 and S9+ nearly $840

The much-awaited Samsung Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ -- unveiled at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2018 last month -- are set to be launched in India on March 6.

Pre-bookings for the Samsung flagship devices began in the country on February 26.

Pre-booking for the 64GB variant of Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ -- available in black, blue and purple colours -- was done for an advance payment of Rs 2,000. The 256GB variant of both the devices will be available only in black.

In the US, Galaxy S9 is priced at $720 (about Rs 47,000) and S9+ at $840 (nearly Rs 54,000).

Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ will go on sale globally on March 16.

Although prices are yet to be announced, Galaxy S9 may cost around $720 and S9+ nearly $840.

In terms of specifications, Galaxy S9 and S9+ are powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor.

The S9 houses 4GB RAM whereas the S9+ has 6GB RAM. The S9 comes with 3,000mAh battery while the S9+ houses 3,500mAh battery.

The Galaxy S9 and S9+ cameras have a "Super Speed Dual Pixel" sensor with dedicated processing power and memory to take high-quality pictures.

Samsung's "Dual Aperture" (F1.5 / F2.4) -- the world's first such feature in any smartphone -- automatically lets in more light when it's dark and less light when it's too bright, taking photos that are crisp and clear.

The "Super Slow-mo" video captures 960 frames per second. The "Slow-mo" videos can also be turned into GIFs.

The Galaxy S9 and S9+ also offer automatic "Motion Detection", a feature that detects movement in the frame and automatically begins to record -- all users have to do is set up the shot.

The devices now support expandable memory of up to 400GB with a Micro-SD Card.

Surprise! OnePlus 3, 3T also had OnePlus 5T's face-unlock feature all along

The face-unlock feature in earlier devices works flawlessly and is almost as quick as the one in the latest flagship

Chinese smartphone maker OnePlus has been promoting face unlocking as one of the OnePlus 5T, besides other upgrades that the phone brings. The feature is promised to roll out in the OnePlus 5 with the Android Oreo update. However, the yesteryear’s flagships are said to have been kept out from the list of phones that get the feature in the software update.

If you are using one of the earlier OnePlus flagships – OnePlus 3 and OnePlus 3T – and thinking of upgrading to the OnePlus 5T only for its face-unlock feature, we have a reason for you to stick around for a little more.

It turns out, the face unlock feature has all along been available in the OnePlus 3 and OnePlus 3T devices as well -- sitting within the settings options. And, it works flawlessly -- almost as quickly as the one in the latest flagship.

Here’s how to enable the face-unlock feature in the OnePlus 3 and OnePlus 3T devices running on the Android Oreo operating system:

Step 1: Go to settings and look for ‘security & fingerprint’ option and click on it

Step 2: In the security & fingerprint option, there is another option of ‘Smart Unlock’ under the device security tab

Step 3: The smart unlock option provides 5 different ways that can be used to unlock the device – On-body detection, Trusted places, Trusted devices, Trusted face and Trusted voice. Click on Trusted face option to set up the face-unlock feature

Step 4: Find a place, which is not too bright or too dim before setting up the face-unlock feature, and hold the phone at the eye level

Step 5: The phone recognises your face in the same manner as the OnePlus 5T does. (more)

Gionee M7 Power with 18:9 screen, 5000 mAh battery launched: Details here

The phone will be available across retail stores in three colour options -- Blue, Gold and Black -- starting November 25

Chinese smartphone manufacturer Gionee has launched the Gionee M7 Powersmartphone with an 18:9 aspect ratio screen and 3D photo feature at Rs 16,999. The phone will be available in three colour options -- Blue, Gold and Black -- across retail stores in India starting November 25.

The phone can be pre-booked on Amazon India from November 17 to November 24. Customers who pre-book the device can avail of exclusive offers -- such as a 6-month warranty for free one-time screen replacement, extra Rs 3,000 off on exchange or 10 GB extra data from Jio for 10 months on a recharge of Rs 309 and above. Additionally, there will be no-cost EMI options on credit cards.

Coming to the smartphone features and specifications, the phone sports a 6-inch HD screen in the 18:9 aspect ratio – FullView, as the company calls it. The smartphone has a 5,000 mAh battery powered by Gionee’s intelligent power management system. The phone is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 435 processor, coupled with 64 GB storage and 4 GB RAM.

The M7 Power is equipped with a 13-megapixel rear camera with f/2.0 aperture and an 8MP front camera. The rear camera features a 3D photo mode that takes a three-dimensional picture, after which a live photo can show the object from multiple angles.

“M7 Power is an intuitive product, which in true sense is a device that promises to empower its users with superior quality and seamless experience with many firsts to its credit from the 3D photo concept to a full view infinity display. Thus, reinforcing our ambition to be featured among the top 5 brands in 2018,” said David Chang, Global Sales Director, Gionee India at the launch.

Foldable iPhone coming! Apple partners LG for OLED smartphone screens

The foldable iPhone panel production could start from 2020

As Samsung plans to launch a bendable smartphone "Galaxy X" in 2018, Apple has reportedly begun work on a foldable iPhone with LG Display.

According to a report in the Korean website The Investor, Apple has decided to go with LG and not Samsung (Samsung OLED displays are the best in the industry) owing to the fear that specifications could be leaked as Samsung is its arch rival.

"According to The Bell, LG Display recently created a task force to develop a foldable OLED screen for the new iPhone model," the report said on Thursday.

The Foldable iPhone panel production could start from 2020.

LG has reportedly completed its own foldable OLED panel prototype and has been upgrading the durability and the yield rate.

The company recently started its first OLED production for phones at its E5 plant in Gumi, North Gyeongsang Province.

Apple is also considering investing in LG to speed up OLED production.

Meanwhile, Samsung is exclusively supplying panels for the latest iPhone X -- the first OLED iPhone.

"Amid Samsung's near monopoly in mobile OLED production, Apple has been strengthening its partnership with LG Display, its long-time LCD partner," the report added.

In 2017, Samsung will hold approximately 89 per cent of the AMOLED (active matrix OLED) display panel market, analysts at UBI Research said recently.

Currently, some smartphones that feature OLED screens are iPhone X, Samsung Galaxy S8, Samsung Galaxy S8+, Samsung Galaxy Note 8, OnePlus 5, LG V30 and Vivo X9s.

The Samsung "Galaxy X" is likely to make an appearance during the CES consumer technology show in January.

Now, read while you bathe: Amazon launches water-proof Kindle at Rs 21,999

With 7-inch 300 ppi display, the device fits over 30 per cent more words per page and it has the fastest page turns of any Kindle

Amazon on Thursday launched its most advanced e-book reader 'Kindle Oasis' that features company's highest-resolution 'Paperwhite Display' and is the first waterproof (IPX8) device.

The all-new Kindle Oasis is available for pre-order for Rs 21,999 for the 8GB model and Rs 28,999 for the 32GB model (WiFi + free 3G). The device will start shipping from November 13.

'Kindle Oasis' has a battery life measured in weeks and has fast-charging capability that allows it to go from zero to fully-charged in less than two hours.

"Ten years ago, we introduced our first Kindle with the mission of delivering any book every written in 60 seconds or less," said Dave Limp, Senior Vice President, Amazon water-proof Kindle Devices, in a statement.

"With a larger 7-inch, 300 ppi display, waterproof design, the all-new 'Kindle Oasis' is our most advanced Kindle ever. Its thin, light, and waterproof design allows readers to stay engaged in the author's world in even more ways and places than ever before," added Limp.

With 7-inch 300 ppi display, the device fits over 30 per cent more words per page and it has the fastest page turns of any Kindle.

The crisp and laser-quality text reads like paper with uniform display lighting and no glare, even in bright sunlight.

It has a 3.4mm display that features strongest cover glass and a new aluminium back. 'Kindle Oasis' can be immersed in up to two meters of fresh water for up to 60 minutes.

Customers can also buy covers that open like a book, automatically waking the device when opened and putting it to sleep when closed.

The water-safe fabric covers can be purchased for Rs 2,999 and come in indigo, charcoal and sandstone colours. The premium leather covers are available for Rs 3,999 and come in black ad merlot.

Google Pixel 2 camera sets new record, beats Apple iPhone 8 & Samsung Note8

According to DxO review, the Pixel 2 smartphones score an impressive 98 points out of 100, which is 9 points more than yesteryear's Google Pixel and 4 points more than dual camera clad iPhone 8 Plus

Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL devices might lack the luster of flagship smartphones but they possess some major enhancements that not only give them an edge but also help them race past over the competitors in some of the departments.

Notwithstanding absence of dual camera lens set-up, which has been a common feature followed by Apple and Samsung in their flagship iPhone 8 Plus and Samsung Galaxy Note8, both the handsets sport singular 12-megapixel shutter.

The 12-megapixel camera in Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL is one of the key feature among many others that has been getting a lot of attention. The camera not only outshines in terms of performance, it also takes away the title of ‘best camera in mobile phone’ from Apple iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus.

According to DxO mark review, the Pixel 2 smartphones score an impressive 98 points out of 100, which is 9 points more than yesteryear’s Google Pixel and 4 points more than dual camera clad iPhone 8 Plus. With this score, the Google Pixel 2 sets a new record for overall smartphone camera quality.

Boasting the success of Pixel 2 camera performance, the Google team shared a bunch of videos and photographs allegedly taken from the device to showcase the imaging capabilities of the smartphones and provided below are some of the samples:

Malware stored in synthetic DNA can take over PC: Study

Discovery of a new hacking method reverberates as DNA data storage becomes more widespread

University of Washington researchers figured out a way to use biology to infect computers with malicious code.

In their experiments, the researchers stored malware in synthetic DNA and demonstrated how that code can compromise a computer analyzing the DNA after it has been run through a gene-sequencing machine.

The danger of such an attack is still years away, the researchers said, adding they haven’t seen evidence of hackers attempting this sort of breach. The experiments highlight a new type of threat that could allow sophisticated coders to gain control of computer systems if precautions aren’t taken.

Also Read : Facebook introduces a dedicated home for videos

Tesla's upcoming semi-truck will be able to drive itself, move in platoons

Chinese quantum satellite sends 'unbreakable' code

“This is something [the genomics industry] and the U.S. government should be concerned about,” said Tadayoshi Kohno, a computer-science professor at the university and a member of the research team.

The team will present the results of its experiments, conducted in late 2016 and 2017, at a security symposium in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, on Aug. 17.

The hack makes use of technology in which digital bits of data are converted into synthetic DNA. Researchers believe DNA data storage could prove far more durable than stashing information on hard disks and flash drives, which last just a few years and can crash without warning. The nascent technology converts the 1s and 0s of computing’s binary code into A, C, G and T, the letters that correspond to DNA base types, adenine, cytosine, guanine and thymine. Read more

OnePlus 5 to be launched in India at Rs 32,999; here is what the device looks like

The much-awaited smartphone is expected to initially have two variants -- 64GB/6GB and 128GB/8GB

Company News :Chinese smartphone maker OnePlus is gearing up for the launch of its much-awaited flagship OnePlus 5 on June 22. And, according to latest reports, the smartphone is initially going to be available in two variants and a price tag of Rs 32,999 for the base model.

A True-tech.net report mentioned the price quoting "reliable sources" and said OnePlus 5 would be launched with two storage and RAM variants – 64GB/6GB and 128GB/8GB. According to the report, the base model, with 64 GB of storage and 6 GB of RAM, might be priced at Rs 32,999, while the premium version with 128 GB of storage and 8 GB of RAM could retail at Rs 37,999.

Recently, a teaser image posted on microblogging site Twitter by OnePlus showed that the OnePlus 5 smartphone would have dual rear cameras placed horizontal at the top left of the device. It also revealed that the upcoming smartphone might offer black as a colour option.

OnePlus on Twitter

Follow

OnePlus ✔@oneplus

Carl drops the mic this week! Check out his post on the forums to learn how your feedback makes us better. http://onepl.us/op5details

View image on Twitter

 Follow

OnePlus 

✔@oneplus

Carl drops the mic this week! Check out his post on the forums to learn how your feedback makes us better. http://onepl.us/op5details 

4:31 PM - 8 Jun 2017

 
•  4747 Retweets
 
•  612612 likes

Twitter Ads info and privacy

• 4747 Retweets
• 612612 likes

Twitter Ads info and privacy

Of late, OnePlus has been teasing the upcoming flagship through subtle tweets and images on other social media channels. Not much information has been divulged yet about the device, except CEO Pete Lau confirming that the phone would use a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor.

Sony Xperia XZ Premium with 4K screen launched in India at Rs 59,990

On pre-booking from June 2 to June 11, you get Rs 8,990 SRS-XB20 Wireless Bluetooth Speaker for free

Sony India has launched in the country its flagship smartphone, the Xperia XZ Premium, at Rs 59,990. The smartphone, the first to feature a whopping 4K display and a powerful 19-megapixel camera capable of recording incredible slow motion videos, had been unveiled during the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2017.

In terms of specifications, the Sony Xperia XZ Premium offers top of the line innards. The smartphone sports a 5.5-inch high dynamic range (HDR)-ready display, with 4K (2160 x 3840) resolution and covered with Gorilla Glass 5 for protection from scratches and accidental drops. Powering the device is Qualcomm latest Snapdragon 835 processor that features Snapdragon X16 LTE modem, which supports a speed of up to 1 Gbps, and Adreno 540 graphic processing unit (GPU) for smoother graphics.

Also Read : Micromax launches VoLTE-ready Yu Yureka Black with 4 GB RAM for Rs 8,999

The major attraction of the device is its 19-megapixel rear camera, capable of recording slow-motion video in 960 frames per second (FPS). There are multitudes of extra camera features for photography enthusiasts and professionals which make the Xperia XZ Premium a heavy-weight in its league.

The Xperia XZ Premium boots Android Nougat v7.1 out of the box and features 4 GB of RAM, besides 64 GB of built-in storage expandable via microSD card. The phone is fitted with a 3,230 mAh battery that supports Quick Charge 3.0 and an adaptive charging layer on top for quicker battery refill. The Xperia XZ Premium is IP65/68-certified, so it can withstand water and dust abuse with ease.

Pre-booking of the Sony Xperia XZ Premium will open from June 2 and go on till June 11. Sony is offering a SRS-XB20 Wireless Bluetooth Speaker, worth Rs 8,990, for those pre-booking the smartphone during the offer period. The smartphone will go on sale at all Sony Center, select retail outlets and Online exclusively on Amazon.com.

OnePlus 5 launch imminent; company halts 'flagship' OnePlus 3T production

OnePlus 5 is due to be launched soon and it will feature Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 835 processor

OnePlus has announced that its latest flagship OnePlus 3T, will soon be discontinued. The production of OnePlus 3T has already reached the end of its production life, and sale of the devices will continue till the stock lasts.

The latest development comes days after the company’s CEO revealed that the next flagship smartphone OnePlus 5 will be launched soon and will feature Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 835 processor.

Recently, the China-based smartphone manufacturer OnePlus teamed up with DxO, a software company with expertise in image processing software, to enhance the photography capabilities of the upcoming OnePlus 5 smartphone.

Also Read : Smartphones, TVs with new colour-changing surface offer 3 times resolution

In a blog post on the OnePlus official forum, the company said: "We are happy to announce that we have teamed up with DxO to enhance your photography experience with our upcoming flagship, the OnePlus 5. DxO is perhaps most well-known for creating the defining photography benchmark, the DxOMark. They’ve got years of imaging experience and expertise, both for professional cameras and for smartphones."

"But we can only go so far in telling you that we’re excited to be working with DxO. Our friend Etienne Knauer, SVP Sales & Marketing at DxO, had this to say: “OnePlus has always been one of the leading innovators in the smartphone industry, and we are proud to partner with them and support their exciting mobile photography strategy.” (more)

WannaCry 'ransomware' virus, a vulnerability stolen from the NSA: Microsoft

WannaCry - "ransomware" has locked up more than 200,000 computers in more than 150 countries

Officials across the globe scrambled over the weekend to catch the culprits behind a massive ransomware worm that disrupted operations at car factories, hospitals, shops and schools, while Microsoft on Sunday pinned blame on the US government for not disclosing more software vulnerabilities.

Cyber security experts said the spread of the worm dubbed WannaCry - "ransomware" that locked up more than 200,000 computers in more than 150 countries - had slowed but that the respite might only be brief amid fears new versions of the worm will strike.

In a blog post on Sunday, Microsoft President Brad Smith appeared to tacitly acknowledge what researchers had already widely concluded: The ransomware attack leveraged a hacking tool, built by the US National Security Agency, that leaked online in April.

"This is an emerging pattern in 2017," Smith wrote. "We have seen vulnerabilities stored by the CIA show up on WikiLeaks, and now this vulnerability stolen from the NSA has affected customers around the world."

He also poured fuel on a long-running debate over how government intelligence services should balance their desire to keep software flaws secret - in order to conduct espionage and cyber warfare - against sharing those flaws with technology companies to better secure the internet.

"This attack provides yet another example of why the stockpiling of vulnerabilities by governments is such a problem," Smith wrote. He added that governments around the world should "treat this attack as a wake-up call" and "consider the damage to civilians that comes from hoarding these vulnerabilities and the use of these exploits." Read more

Vivo V5s: At Rs 18,990, it's a wallet-friendly smartphone for great selfies

The phone has neat looks and the Apple design influences are apparent

Vivo is one Chinese brand that has created a niche in the Indian smartphone market for its top-of-the-line camera and music experience.

With the smartphone penetration maturing and demand for high-end devices retailing at competitive prices continuing to grow in the country, Vivo, with its strong offline presence, has been investing substantially in the domestic market.

The company has differentiated itself by introducing the "Moonlight Glow" feature in its Vivo V5 and V5 Plus devices, raising the bar for closest Chinese rivals like Oppo and Gionee when it comes to selfie-focused smartphones.

Taking design cues from Apple, Vivo has now launched Vivo V5s at Rs 18,990.

Here is what works for the device.

The phone has neat looks and the Apple design influences are apparent. One of great features is the fingerprint sensor which is located on the front, below the display, and works just like Apple's Touch ID on iPhone, unlocking the device in a jiffy.

The device runs on Android 6.0 Marshmallow, but it is a modified version called Funtouch OS.

During the review period, the phone was fast and responsive. Playing games like "Asphalt 8: AirBorne" was smooth and social media apps like Instagram and Snapchat worked without hiccups -- even while adding filters.

Read more

Claiming HRA to get harder as govt cracks down on fake house rent receipts

I-T department could now ask for supporting documents to prove that you are a genuine tenant

If you have been producing fake rent receipts to lessen your tax burden there is a bad news for you now.

You may no longer be able to claim income tax deductions for house rent allowance (HRA) by fabricating fake bills. The income tax department may now ask for proof from the tax payer showing that he is a genuine tenant.

According to a report in Economic Times, Dilip Lakhani, senior tax advisor, Deloitte Haskins & Sells LLP said, "The ITAT (Income Tax Appellate Tribunal) ruling has now laid down the criteria for the assessing officer to consider the claim of a salaried employee and if necessary question its justification. This will put the onus on the salaried class to follow the rules in availing the tax rebate.”

ITAT Mumbai recently struck down the HRA exemption claim of a salaried individual for rent paid to her mother. This opens a pandora's box for all salaried people as now an IT officer can ask for proof such as leave and licence agreement, letter to the housing co-operative society informing about the tenancy, electricity bill, water bill and so on.

Till now, a salaried person receiving HRA could escape paying tax on 60% of the amount by submitting a rent receipt. Now, it may not be possible as the department could ask for supporting documents.

This Tribunal ruling comes a few months after the government's decision to cap the loss on property bought with borrowed money. According to this ruling a person producing fake rent receipt will be deemed as counterfeit and no required documents will be available with him. There may not be any genuine rent outflow from the person and in some circumstances even if the person is a genuine tenant, the amount mentioned in the receipt may be more than what's paid.

However, if you pay more than Rs 1 lakh annually towards house rent, then quoting landlord's PAN is mandatory for claiming tax benefit under House Rent Allowance.

• Ajmer shrine head sacked, declared non-Muslim for urging Modi to ban beef
• IPL 2017 gets bigger with sponsors, key players missing in the 10th edition
• Motorola brings Moto G5 to India for Rs 11,999

Apple to start India manufacturing in coming months with iPhone SE: Report

Apple's move comes as it seeks to boost its share in the world's fastest growing major mobile market

Apple Inc will in the coming months start assembling its lower-priced iPhone SE models at a contract manufacturer's plant in the technology hub of Bengaluru, an industry source with direct knowledge of the matter said on Friday.

Apple's Taiwanese manufacturing partner Wistron Corp is setting up a plant in Bengaluru to focus solely on assembling iPhones, a separate source told Reuters earlier this month.

Apple's move comes as it seeks to boost its share in the world's fastest growing major mobile market, where handsets far cheaper than Apple's iPhones dominate. It also comes as smartphone sales growth is slowing in Asia's other massive market, China.

To lower prices, Apple has been seeking to set up local production and has been in talks with the Indian federal government regarding issues such as tax concessions.

The industry source told Reuters the initial manufacturing of the iPhone SE model was not contingent on those concessions.

Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Economic Times newspaper earlier on Friday reported Apple planned to initially assemble 300,000 to 400,000 iPhone SE handsets in India. The industry source told Reuters the numbers would be substantially lower to begin with.

The source also said it was too early to say what other phone models Apple would assemble at the Bengaluru plant. Read more