Tech Info

iOS 8 to Be Available for Download on September 17: See If Your Device Is Eligible

Apple on Wednesday announced that iOS 8 will be available for the iPhone 4s, iPhone 5c, iPhone 5s, iPod touch 5th generation, iPad 2, iPad with Retina display, iPad Air, iPad mini and the iPad mini with Retina display, starting September 17.

However, Apple states that SMS Continuity will be available as a free update to iOS 8 in October, and that iCloud Photo Library will be made available as a beta at around the same time. Additionally, Apple Pay will also be available in the US as a free update to iOS 8 starting October for the recently announced iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. Interestingly, the iOS 8 Golden Master edition is already available via the iOS Developer Center.

(Also see: 10 New iOS 8 Features)

The iOS 8 update brings new features for Messages and Photos app, predictive typing for Apple's QuickType keyboard, Family Sharing, the new Health app and iCloud Drive. "We're excited for hundreds of millions of users to begin experiencing iOS 8, with incredible features that offer new ways to use your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch," said Craig Federighi, Apple's senior vice president of Software Engineering. "iOS 8 also creates an extraordinary environment for developers, providing them the ability to create amazing new apps like never before."

(Also see: Apple Launches iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus)

Messages app is overhauled in iOS 8 to now feature a tap to share voice, photos and videos. Users can now share multiple photos and videos at once, and browse through all of them within a conversation from one place. Group messaging gets the ability to add and remove contacts, and the option not to be disturbed or to leave a conversation entirely. One can also choose to share their current location from within Messages for an hour, a day or longer.

In the Photos app, Apple had added tweaks which allow photos to automatically straighten horizons, and using updated editing tools a user can quickly adjust light and colour with a swipe. For deeper fine-tuning, a user can access individual tools to adjust exposure, brightness, contrast, highlights, shadows and more.

(Also see: Apple Unveils 'Apple Pay' Mobile Wallet and Payment System)

Even the keyboard has received an update where it understands the way users communicate to suggest favourite phrases enabling them to type entire sentences with a few taps. Additionally, what the QuickType keyboard learns is kept private, encrypted on your device and never sent to the could. Third-party keyboards are also available, so developers can offer additional layouts and input methods system-wide.

(Also see: iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, Watch Price Revealed; 128GB iPhone Now a Reality)

The new Health app gathers the information from the app or fitness device of the user's choice and presents a combined overview in a single place. Users will be able to gather and monitor their own fitness metrics using apps such as MyFitnessPal, RunKeeper and Strava. HomeKit connects home devices seamlessly with Apple devices to better manage accessories like lights, thermostats, door locks and garage doors.

(In comparison: iPhone 6 Plus versus iPhone 6 versus iPhone 5s versus iPhone 5c)

Family Sharing with iOS 8 claims to make it easier communicate and share purchases. It automatically keeps everyone connected by creating a shared family photo stream and calendar, and provides an option to locate family members and their devices.

Continuity features in iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite bring Mac and iOS devices together. When the iPhone or iPad is near a Mac, Handoff lets you start an activity on one device and pass it to the other. Now the SMS and MMS messages that previously only appeared on your iPhone appear in Messages on all your devices.

Nvidia Shield Tablet 32GB LTE With Tegra K1 SoC Up for Pre-Order

Chipmaker Nvidia has started taking pre-orders for the recently unveiled Nvidia Shield Tablet LTE (32GB) at $399 (approximately Rs. 24,000).

The new Nvidia Shield Tablet LTE is now available for pre-order in the US and Europe, while the tablet will ship starting September 30. The company notes that the LTE version of the tablet is a "fully unlocked device" and has the capability to support up to 70 carriers worldwide.

While launching the Nvidia Shield Tablet (16GB) Wi-Fi only tablet in July, the company had promised that a 32GB variant with 4G LTE support will be launched later in the year.

Additionally, Nvidia also announced three new Android games optimised for the Shield Tablet - Beach Buggy Racing, BombSquad, and Broadsword.

The Nvidia Shield Tablet is touted as a "high-performance tablet", and has been "built specifically for gamers," according to the company. The tablet features an 8-inch 1920x1200 pixels display. Both the 16GB and 32GB variants support expandable storage up to 128GB (via microSD card).

The Shield Tablet is powered by an Nvidia Tegra K1 chipset, featuring a 192-core Kepler GPU, and a 4+1 quad-core ARM Cortex A15 CPU clocked at 2.2GHz. It comes with 2GB of RAM. The tablet sports dual cameras - 5-megapixel camera at the back and front.

The tablet is based on Android 4.4 KitKat to allow users to play Android games (with access to the Google Play store), browse the Web, and enjoy other tablet features along with a stylus for drawing on the tablet surface. The device also allows streaming of games from a PC desktop or notebook computer, or from the Nvidia cloud.

The tablet comes preloaded with the company's Shield Hub app, which lists over 400 optimised games. In July, Nvidia, alongside its ShadowPlay gameplay recording technology, also announced Twitch integration that let players record or broadcast gameplay to the streaming service.

The company announced the pre-order availability of the Nvidia Shield Tablet LTE on its official blog post and said, "The new 32GB Shield tablet with 4G LTE gives you even more ways to game. And it can be yours for only $100 more than the basic version of Shield tablet. In July, we introduced the Shield Tablet, the ultimate tablet for gamers, with 16GB of storage and Wi-Fi. The result was a tremendous response from gamers, consumers and the media alike. Now we're offering twice the storage, so you'll be able to enjoy more games, more movies, music and photos, and more of your favourite apps."

Nvidia Shield Tablet (LTE)

Rs. 32,990

KEY SPECS

Display

8.00-inch

Processor

2.2GHz

Front Camera

5-megapixel

Resolution

1920x1200 pixels

RAM

2GB

OS

Android 4.4

Storage

32GB

Rear Camera

5-megapixel

Battery capacity

See full Nvidia Shield Tablet (LTE) specifications

SanDisk Launches 512GB Extreme Pro SDXC Card in India at Rs. 51,990

After announcing it last week, SanDisk on Wednesday took the wraps off what it is calling the "world's highest capacity SD card" - the 512GB SanDisk Extreme Pro SDXC UHS-I memory card - at an event in Mumbai and it is priced at a steep Rs. 51,990.

The card is targeted at still photographers and videographers who shoot 4K Ultra High Definition (UHD), 1080p (FHD) videos, and capture photographs in high-speed burst mode. The American storage company also went on to launch what it claims to be the world's fastest microSD UHS-I memory card, the 64GB SanDisk Extreme Pro SDXC UHS-I. These microSDHC and microSDXC UHS-I cards are available in capacities of 32GB and 64GB which start at Rs. 4,700 and go right up to Rs. 9,700.

SanDisk claims that the 512GB Extreme Pro SDXC UHS-I card can deliver write speeds of up to 90MB/s and transfer speeds of up to 95MB/s. Additionally, the card is built and tested to work in harsh conditions as a result of which they are temperature proof, water proof and shock proof. It also has a lifetime limited warranty and has support for RescuePRO Deluxe data recovery software (download required) for recovering accidentally deleted images. All SDXC and SDXC-I (UHS-I) enabled host devices should be able to use the card without issues. On the other hand, the 64GB SanDisk Extreme Pro SDXC UHS-I card features Class 10 and UHS Speed Class 3 (U3) ratings.

Speaking at the event Rajesh Gupta, Country Manager India, SanDisk Corporation said, "Features like 4K Ultra HD video recording, which were once only available on high-end device, have quickly gained popularity and adoption and we are committed to enabling the next generation of video capture and sharing with these cards."

The Extreme Pro SDXC UHS-I memory card is also available in 128GB and 256GB variants but surprisingly SanDisk hasn't revealed the prices yet.

LG G3 Beat With Laser Autofocus Camera Launched at Rs. 25,000

The LG G3 Beat, which went up for pre-order last week at an Indian e-commerce website, has now been officially launched at Rs. 25,000. The handset is however not yet listed on the company's India website.

Initially announced in July, the LG G3 Beat features the same 'Floating Arc Design' as seen on the LG G3 (Review | Pictures), with smooth curved sides and gradually tapered edges. The highlight of the G3 Beat is its 8-megapixel rear camera which comes with the Laser Autofocus sensor seen on the G3, while there is a 1.3-megapixel front camera as well.

As the LG G3's mid-tier variant, the G3 Beat comes with a 5-inch IPS display offering 294ppi pixel density. The company has dropped the screen resolution from QHD (1440x2560 pixel) on LG G3 to the considerably lower HD (720x1280 pixel) resolution on the LG G3 Beat.

The smartphone runs Android 4.4.2 KitKat out-of-the-box, much like the G3, and is powered by a 1.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon 400 processor clubbed with 1GB of RAM. It comes with 8GB of inbuilt storage with microSD card expansion and is backed by a 2540mAh battery.

Some of the preloaded software features from the flagship on the G3 Beat include Touch and Shoot, which allows a touch anywhere on the display to focus and shoot; Gesture Shot, which begins automatic three-second countdown before the picture is snapped by just a hand gesture; Smart Keyboard, and QuickMemo+, LG's overhauled note taking app.

Connectivity options on the LG G3 Beat include Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth, GPRS/ EDGE, A-GPS, GLONASS, NFC, Micro-USB, 3G and 4G LTE support. The phone measures 137.7x69.6x10.3mm and weighs 134 grams. It is available in Metallic Black, Silk White, and Shine Gold colour variants.

The LG G3 Beat is currently available to buy in Gold, Silk White and Metallic Black colour variants.

"The LG G3 Beat represents our commitment to the mid-tier smartphone market that demands mature technology, proven performance, great innovation and an attractive price, all in a single device," stated Swoon Koon, LG Electronics India MD in a press statement.