The Game of SmartWatches – 2015

Greetings Friends, It is March 01st 2015 and Mobile World Congress (MWC 2015) is upon us in Barcelona. While we wait for Samsung and HTC to announce their flagship devices for the year, Huawei has surprised a lot of tech pundits with the announcement of their arrival into the SmartWatch industry. Here’s a few snapshots of the device:

Business

Huawei SmartWatch

Accessories

Urban

Huawei Watch

Athletic

Signature

The specifications of the Huawei Watch are yet to be revealed and that includes any pricing information. Much is to be learnt about this device and the crucial details about its battery life, screen-resolution and handset compatibility. All that is known from the videos that were leaked is that the device sports a sapphire glass display and stainless steel unibody casing.

What is interesting is the fact that this device mimics the Android Wear front runner Motorola Moto 360 and the Apple Watch in some smart ways. They have borrowed the digital crown concept from the Apple Watch. Their notifications and interface albeit built on Android Wear has a striking resemblance to the Moto 360.

What could set this device apart is the fact that it does not have a compromised screen compared to the Moto 360 which loses a small portion of its circular screen to accommodate the sensors built in. Here’s a comparison of the two to understand what I am hinting at:

Motorola Moto 360

Huawei Watch

Huawei Watch

The videos of the device have since been pulled and made private. But luckily we have found alternative URLs and here they are:

Intro to Android Wear: As this is our first post on Android Wear and the Smartwatch category, we would like to give you readers a quick guide on the various brands and use cases of Android Wear devices. Google has taken a keen interest in connected devices off-late and this is evident from their acquisitions in the recent past with Nest Labs and Waze (GPS based location tracking system software). But over the past year or so, Google has dipped its fingers into the smartwatch category and seems to have got the right ingredients for partners to cook up the best recipes. Google has built a platform by the name “Android Wear”. You could find a lot more information on Android Wear by clicking the link. Some of the more prominent players already in the market are listed here:

Sony SmartWatch 3

Motorola Moto 360

Asus Zen Watch

LG G Watch R

Samsung Galaxy Gear

Some of the simple yet extremely useful use cases are shown here:

Needless to say that when two of the largest tech firms in the world are in this space already, it is one that will dominate the years to come in terms of innovation and money. With one of the largest organizations in China (and by some respect the world), Huawei getting into this space with some tasteful delight it is only going to make things more feisty with competition. In the end, we the consumers will be the winners with a plethora of choices available. If you are an Apple faithful then head down to this page for more information: Apple Watch Thank you for your time, I hope this post has helped you a bit in deciding which one to go for or not. Regards, TeCH_SiD

OnePlus breathes new “OxygenOS” (Details & Poll)

It’s been sometime since we’ve seen any software updates from the latest darling of the android world – OnePlus. February it was announced that we would see some updates on the new ROM being built post the rough experience OnePlus has had with Micromax. Micromax (an Indian leader in handset manufacturing and sales) claimed to hold an exclusive deal with Cyanogen to sell its Micromax devices in India.

It was already revealed that the new ROM for the device would be called “OxygenOS” and that it would be bloatware-free or in other words as close to stock Android (5.0 Lollipop) as possible. Well they did deliver on that promise but not to everyones expectations. They revealed the team responsible in building the new ROM and they also revealed the new logo for the ROM

Besides this they also gave some information on the team members.

More on that can be found here: OnePlus Blog

Overall I think it is a good way to keep customers engaged by having your star team interact with them, but it would have been better had they done it on the date of the release. There’s a cute little note on why the release might take a little longer.

“Because this is our first major software release, we have to ensure that everything is solid and stable before making it available for download. We wouldn’t ask you to settle for anything less, and we appreciate your patience.”

However it is also widely known from their recent twitter account that the ROM build is currently already in testing phase and release is not too long away. So lets wait and watch when and how this release of “OxygenOS” pans out and how it turns out to be compared to the highly acclaimed CyanogenMod M11 ROM currently running on the OnePlus One.

Are you looking forward to the new ROM “OxygenOS” – Tell us by taking this quick poll below:

NFC Automation – Nearer Than You Thought!

Greetings Friends,

The focus of this post is on a relatively new technology in the consumer domain – NFC.

What is NFC?

Near field communication (NFC) is a set of ideas and technology that enables smartphones and other devices to establish radio communication with each other by touching them together or bringing them into proximity, typically a distance of 10 cm (3.9 in) or less. ~ wikipedia

Intro – ‘Apple Pay’

Recently Apple introduced a new payments technology called Apple Pay. This is not entirely a new technology, only new to Apple to be honest. It is something that has been available on Android devices for almost half a decade now. The only differences being that Apple Pay is restricted to Apple devices and runs along with their proprietary finger print recognition module called TouchID. Together they seem to make a formidable combination when it comes to security and hence it is bound to gain more traction than other players. However the introduction of Apple Pay is only going to boost the NFC tech industry according to industry pundits.

NFC on Android:

Google introduced its Google Nexus S with built in NFC capabilities almost half a decade ago in 2010. This is a technology that relies on close (hence ‘Near’) proximity between two sensors. This is similar to the technology used in the RFID tags you have seen at retail outlets while buying clothes.

It involves the following elements to make life easier in a variety of ways:

1. NFC Capable Smartphone
2. NFC Tags/Stickers and
3. NFC Controlling App to configure the tag to perform certain task(s)

In case you have all three of these, please read on. If you are missing any one of these or more, continue reading as it won’t kill you to know a little more about a relatively new technology that could potentially save you loads of time when it comes to deciding between phones that have NFC and those that do not.

What can NFC be used for?

Several tasks (usually quick yet mundane and involving several steps) can be automated quickly using NFC technology. Here are some of the basic examples.

Tasks: (Not comprehensive or exhaustive)

• Enabling/Disabling:
  • Wifi
  • Bluetooth
  • 3G/4G(LTE)
  • Auto-rotate
  • Airplane mode
  • Silent/Vibrate/Normal modes etc.
• Set brightness to high/medium/low

Actions:

• Direct browser to a particular URL/website;
• “Like” a particular Facebook page;
• “Follow” a particular twitter handle;
• Launch a particular YouTube video;
• Register interest in a particular product;
• Count the tap as a single unique unit;
• Load vCard details

Store Data:

• Store vCard details
• Location data
• Custom data
• Save text
• Configure WiFi network

and many such tasks, actions and data can be programmed onto an NFC tag. I hope this post has triggered some fresh ideas on how NFC can be used to make your lives better. Do feel free to add them down in the comments section and I shall probably make a video out of these suggestions.

Apps:

1. “Trigger” – to configure and perform tasks using NFC, Bluetooth and Wifi
2. “NFC Tools” – to configure NFC tags to perform desired tasks
3. “NFC Tasks” – to perform actions/tasks programmed using the ‘NFC Tools’ app onto an NFC tag

Tags:

1. “Tapto” from Amazon.in
2. “Topaz512” from Amazon.in
3. “NTAG213” by Tagstand on Amazon.com

NOTE: These are not my recommendations for best NFC tags/apps but just options I have seen on Amazon.in and .com

How to Configure An NFC Tag – Video

NFC – Video

I hope you have read most of my recent posts and have found them interesting. If you have any comments and/or suggestions, feel free to jot them down under the comments section below the blog post. I look forward to reading them and bettering my content.

Thank you for your time… “Keep Reading!”

Regards,

TeCH_SiD…

TeCH Update – 05th Feb 2015

Greetings Readers,

I thought of summarizing and presenting to you some of the most significant news that have been doing the rounds in the tech world yesterday. So here they are:

1. Xiaomi Does Not Intend To Enter The U.S. Market Anytime Soon:

Chinese hardware manufacturer and new poster child of the mobile masses – Xiaomi is conducting an SFO based event this 12th of February. However Hugo Barra, (one of the key figures at Google previously who then joined Xiaomi as VP-International) insists that they are not entering the US market anytime soon. This could very well be a check on the interest levels of the company’s products amongst American audiences, carriers.

For the sake of the ‘value-for-money’ seeking Americans I hope Xiaomi devices hit your shores soon.

Source: Technobuffalo

2. “Paper” Given Free To Promote “Pencil” Sales:

The popular drawing/sketching/painting app called “Paper” by 53 (Company name – FiftyThree or 53) yesterday announced that the so far paid ‘in-app purchase’ will be available free of charge from today.

Quick, download it from here: Paper App

They have done so to improve the sales of the hardware device by the name “Pencil”, shown above. The “Pencil” by 53 is a slick new device that when paired with the iPad can be used to draw practically anything.

Check out their awesome video: Pencil by 53

Source: Macrumors

3. Worlds Most Expensive “Typo” – By Ryan Seacrest

Ryan Seacrest (the popular TV Celeb of American Idol fame) had launched an external case for the iPhone with a physical keyboard. This case bears a stark resemblance to the keyboard that a lot of Blackberry devices have (refer image below). The courts had ordered ‘Typo’ to stop sales for the same reasons, yet the order was not honored by the company. This has now resulted in a fine of $860,000 that Typo must pay Blackberry. What needs to be mentioned however is that Blackberry had demanded a compensation of $2.6 million (in penalties) + legal charges, so its isn’t as bad as it seems. 

Fun Fact: $860,000 is just about 1/75th Ryan’s annual salary and about 1/350th his net worth according to CelebrityNetworth.com.

Source: Macrumors

4. Swatch Is About To Enter The Smartwatch Game Soon:

The swiss watch giant apparently has made it clear that they are entering the smart watch industry. Their first smartwatch is expected to be launched in the next two to three months. This puts it head-on against Apple’s AppleWatch release dates expected to hit shores around April 2015.

Game on Apple!

Source: Macrumors

5. Fresh Breath Of “OxygenOS” For OnePlus One Soon:

OnePlus, the Chinese manufacturer that has created a lot of buzz with their first device the OnePlus ‘One’ has announced their new ROM’s name – “OxygenOS”. This device although has been announced for more thanhalf a year has not seen widespread adoption, thanks in part to the extremely lean supply of devices. The new ROM OxygenOS is expected to be as close to stock android Lollipop (Android 5.0.X) as possible with as least bloatware as possible. This has a lot to live up to considering the freedom of customization CyanogenMod has given and users have gotten used to.

Source: OnePlus Facebook

Special Mention: Next post is going to be on Mr. Satya Nadella (CEO, Microsoft)

Thank you for your time…

Regards,

@TeCH_SiD

Tech Design – Apple vs the new ONE on the block!

Greetings friends,

I have taken a very radical approach to thinking about product design today. I have decided to set my Apple biases aside (have done for close to a week or so now) and write an objective piece on how OnePlus has taken product design to a whole new level riding on the shoulders of many others. Let’s dive right into it, shall we?

Product Packaging:

Apple is known for its immaculate attention to detail for their products, including their packaging. Regardless of which product you choose amongst their line-up, they are the gold standard when it comes to packaging tech and quality. What Apple takes pride in with their packaging is the fact that it is minimal and avoids wastage in material and hence saves space while shipping. This plays a significant role in saving the planet by shipping more phones in fewer flights.

Well Bravo! But it is time to move on as other companies have started reducing their carbon footprints as well.

The OnePlus One comes in a slick new book-like case that is not only awesome to unbox but truly functional too. Argument could be that they haven’t put everything in one box. The charger block comes in a separate box.

The packaging is not only brilliant but so is the thought behind each and every item inside the box. The charging/USB cable for instance is flat and does not entangle like the ones you get with other devices. It even comes with a recoil band that helps keep it from wearing over time. The SIM tray removal pin comes inside a rubber cover of it’s own that can be clubbed on a keychain. Although why we’d log that around all the time puzzles me. However nice touch. They also have included a NanoSIM to MicroSIM adaptor for switchers from the iOS devices. “Smart or Cocky? You decide!”
Reference images – below.

Now for the more important bit which Apple seems to have ignored right from the beginning – ‘device comfort’ in the hand.  I bet you’ve not thought of this before. Over the years, the iPhone has come a long way in product design and it has almost set the standards with their product and packaging design. However, they now seem to have taken a break in developing breakthrough designs. The iPhone looks and feels incredibly sexy in your hand and even better in photos. But does it really serve the purpose of being a good phone while using it? Of course it is a very subjective topic but do you fell comfortable holding it WITHOUT A CASE? If your answer is Yes then you are a minority with sweaty palms.

To me it is far from a comfortable design to hold. Jonathan Ive is brilliant, no doubt but he’s designing great looking phones. Someone needs to remind him that the phones are going to be held and used, not only clicked pictures of. Right from the first iPhone the devices have had extremely smooth surfaces and have inevitably been slippery.
Now cut to the OnePlus One. This device has two variants – 16Gb white and 64Gb sandstone. The sandstone model feels like soft sandpaper and apparently the white model had the feel of baby skin. Besides these OnePlus also has a few other backs that can be bought to customize the look and feel of the device.

The gallery above shows us the difference in material design. The iPhone as always stellar in material design yet not the best fit for a human hand, read Slippery. Especially humans with smaller hands. The OnePlus One is not the most comfortable for smaller hands either but thanks to the slightly sharp edges and the soft sandpaper material (on the 64Gb Sandstone model) it feels extremely reassuring when taken out from a trouser pocket. Whereas the iPhones are dangerously slippery when picked out from one’s pocket. The Apple device accessories industry is thriving thanks to this fact.

However these are my personal opinions and do not stand true for ever user.

Conclusion:

Although a lot can be said about the design language Apple undertakes with its products and the quality of build being far superior to anyone (maybe HTC comes close with its One recently). It is a case of what feels premium does not necessarily be the best for the customer. My vote is for the OnePlus One for the sheer brilliance in choice of material for the back of the device which is what brings out the perception of quality in the consumers mind and also is a highly functional design element. Despite not using premium material like aluminium all around the device they have pulled off design magic with it.

However I would strongly suggest you try out both devices (yeah good luck finding a OnePlus One!) and then come to a conclusion yourself.

Note: I am and for the foreseeable future will remain an Apple Fanboy.

2015 – Connected EVERTHING! – “The Possibilities, Oh My!”

Greetings Friends,

Last year 2014, was touted to be the year of the wearable devices. Unfortunately there wasn’t all that much of a craze around wearable devices as much as manufacturers would have wanted there to be. A lot of tech pundits have attributed this lack of enthusiasm to the delay in expected release of the Apple Watch. They seem to believe that once Apple launches a category or enters it, the other players (whether they were early or late) tend to get a lot more traction in sales for some reason.

Drool worthy? I know it is! But enough about the Apple Watch and my “i” biases…

Today we talk about the ‘Internet Of Things’ (IoT) industry. Simply put, it is the industry where all devices are in some form or the other connected to the web and by effect connected to each other.

The year 2015 seems to be the year a lot of other dumb electric home appliances, gadgets, gizmos, cars, homes are about to be given their own lives. “The life that is the Internet.”

Imagine if your home knew that your car is about 200 meters away and approaching towards it. It could immediately start opening the garage doors so you do not have to. It can set the thermostat ON and set the right temperature by the time you are inside so you come into exactly the environment you want to. The fridge senses you approaching and is ready with a healthy serving of fresh juice to be poured into when you present the glass (or wine if that’s what you fancy).

Imagine – What if the moment you are awake in the morning, your home knows it and switches the lights in the bathroom on (assuming that’s where you’ll want to go next, or you could program it differently). Your house knows when you exited the bathroom and your coffee is piping hot ready. Your house had switched on the coffee maker in time for you to come grab a mug full. All this because you were wearing a connected fitness band that told your house that you are awake along with accumulating your health related statistics.

Imagine – When the water in your fish tank becomes too thick and mucky for the fishes to breathe, your fish-tank (smart) automatically starts the process of cleaning it. When your pet dog/cat is running around the kitchen, a smart dispenser automatically senses it and provides the right kind of food at the right time and also measures healthy eating habits depending on whether your pet ate completely or not and/or is asking for more…

See the possibilities yet? Truly they are limitless…

I know, your brain is going wild with imagination. Security systems, fitness devices, cooking systems, heating systems, refrigeration, water systems, power, water etc. can all be working with each other to provide a more efficient and harmonious experience for the living being. Ironically we humans would no longer be the only living beings anymore. This is as close as inanimate objects would be to getting a life. At least for now. And I have only scratched the surface with the possibilities. I can’t wait to see what developers and hardware manufacturers are going to give us this year. It is going to be exciting times ahead…

Here are some of the most common (already existent) smart devices for the smart home of tomorrow, NO TODAY!

Do you have any awesome scenarios that you may think might excite you with wearable devices and connected-everything or IoT devices. Do comment below… Look forward to reading your comments.

Thanks for reading…

Regards,

TeCH_SiD…

iPhone 6/6+ on Vodafone – Bundled Plans 2.0

Dear Readers,
Thank you for your time. I appreciate your interest in my blog post and more importantly in technology. I’d like to bring to your notice the first (actually second if you consider Reliance with their iPhone 5S deals last year) real push by a telco giant (second largest in India – Vodafone) for postpaid cellular plans with a bundled mobile device. This particular one is significant as it has the most sought after mobile devices in the world – iPhone 6 and 6+.

Vodafone – iPhone 6 plans

This is significant at many levels.

• Firstly it is the biggest push by an international telco in tie up with an international handset manufacturer in India where bundled plans are far from common.

Secondly it is a huge push driving the significance of mobile data as a huge business for telcos and hence the bundling.

Telcos like Idea Cellular are pushing for mobile internet at a grass-root level and now at semi-urban levels too by starting their own internet learning initiative with the IIN (Idea Internet Network).

Effective Cost To Consumer (CTC):

The iPhone 6 retails at Rs.53,500 via Infibeam. Via this plan the final amount you’d be paying considering you are going for the basic iPhone 6 (16GB) model, regardless of the color option would be – Rs.3,599 * 24 = Rs.86,376. Subtract the cost of the device from it and you’d be paying an effective monthly overhead of Rs.1369.

But please remember, this is not what it looks like – a daylight robbery by Vodafone. What they have included is the plan for your monthly usage. The most basic pack is the Vodafone ‘iPhone 6k plan’ which gives the user 6000 local & STD minutes, 6GB of 3G data and 1500 SMS. Without much research into the actual price (and don’t hold me for this) for this plan I’m pegging it at around Rs.1500 per month. They are giving it at Rs.1369 effectively.

Does it make sense to go for this plan?

Well to be honest, this plan is not for everyone. If you have a postpaid plan and are paying a good Rs.1500 and above on a monthly basis and are not too picky about your usage amounts, then this is perfect for you. For heavy users, there’s another plan which is the ‘iPhone 10k plan’ For an additional 500 bucks, you get an additional 4000 minutes, 4GB more data and 1000 SMS. Pretty good value for money if you consider you’re getting a kickass iPhone 6 along with it.

What’s the Downside?

Like they say:

If it seems too good to be true, it most probably is!

Well luckily this isn’t the case with this plan with Vodafone. It isn’t a jaw dropping plan with cheap pricing and kickass features bundled with the best device on the planet. So don’t worry about being conned into something. Having said that, DO REMEMBER You are getting into a contract for TWO years (24 months or 720 days) with Vodafone.

In their FAQs section there are a few caveats listed –

1. “Once activated, the plan cannot be changed for the next 24 months.”
2. EMI transactions (12 & 24 month tenure) are available on following banks/ issuers: American Express | Axis Bank | Citibank | HDFC Bank | ICICI Bank | IndusInd Bank | Kotak Credit Card | RBL Bank | Standard Chartered Bank.

Overall:

Unless you are a die hard phan of Vodafone and Apple (one who has the logo of the fruit company tattooed on one bicep and that of the telco on the other, or plan to get those done soon) don’t go crazy about these. Go for it in a calm and collected manner and think before you sign up for this. You could probably get the device independent of this EMI scheme with a good deal at your bank itself.

“Tread with Caution!”

Fitness Friends

Greetings friends,

Ever since the first generation iPhone was launched, I have been fascinated by its design and usability. I have owned all the models except the 4S and 5. I currently own a 5S and I am loving every single second of it. In this post, I shall focus on fitness and my personal journey towards being a better and fitter me, thanks to the intervention of technology.

In 2008, Apple/Steve announced the App Store. This was the beginning of my love story with what is otherwise commonly known as ‘software’ for a PC or laptop. Ever since the app stores have landed on our ubiquitous smartphones, it has taken a new meaning altogether. It is no longer something one has to go to a shop and look for or download from a site and pay thousands of dollars for it. It is anywhere between $0.99 and a few hundred dollars these days to gain access to the most sophisticated applications one needs to accomplish a lot of their daily tasks. The App Store has been a revelation and one that has changed the usability of a device which was otherwise used as a calling and texting machine into something that is used lesser for those two purposes and increasingly for a lot more.

 

 

‘Fitness’ is one of those things/activities that smartphones are used a lot these days. I for instance have always had my smartphone in my pocket or an armband whenever I have gone out for a run. It has not only helped me track my runs but also has helped in giving vital information to better my performance as a runner.

Ever since my running habits and statistics have changed a lot, for the better. However what remains consistant is the fact that I still use something mobile to track my runs and activities.

Here’s the list of things I use to track my runs and other fitness related activities:

Apps – Hardware – Measurements

Here are the direct links to download these apps if you choose to use them:

• Nike+ Running
• RunKeeper
• Nike+ Fuelband
• Azumio – Heart Rate Monitor

There are loads of other fitness products/apps out there in the markets and app stores, yet few of them come close to satisfying my requirements. However this does not hold true for everyone. Everyone has different needs from their devices and apps that run on them. So I strongly advise that you do your own research on what motivates you the most. For some, it is social pressure that keeps them going and for some it is spousal competition etc.

A simple description of how I use the above mentioned apps and devices is as follows:

Step 01: I launch both RunKeeper and Nike+ Running apps on my iPhone;

Step 02: keep both of them ready to hit the road;

Step 03: put the iPhone in its armband and wrap it around my arms;

Step 04: just before I start running, I hit “Start” on both these apps so they start tracking almost simultaneously;

Step 05: once I begin my run, I also keep the button on my Nike+ Fuelband pressed for a 3-7 seconds for it to begin tracking this event;

Step 06: this triggers a “session” on the Nike+ Fuelband;

Step 07: I keep a check on the device every now and then to make sure they are tracking my run;

Step 08: once I am done with my run, I make sure I end the tracking on both apps and see if they are almost the same. There is bound to be a difference cause it takes at least a couple of seconds between starting the event on both apps;

Step 09: immediately after this I make sure my Fuelband session is ended by pressing and holding the button on it until it says “End” and then starts giving me the stats for that session;

Step 10: I usually ignore the stats as I can see them later as well on the iPhone app for the Nike+ Fuelband. I then make sure I launch one of the heart rate sensing apps and measure my heart rate to log it into RunKeeper.

Bonus Step for those social media fanatics (me included): use the Nike+ Running app to click a selfie and load it onto the app along with sharing it on ‘Instagram’…

So that is it folks, this is how my running and tracking of the runs is done and I hope this helps you decide what apps/tools to use and begin a journey to a better you. Go for it and be a fitter person daily…

Regards,

SiD…