Disney Has Launched The 'Star Wars' App

You can now keep all the 'Star Wars' paraphernalia in your pocket thanks to a new Disney and Lucasfilm's new mobile app. The app, released recently, is essentially a 24-7 hub for all things 'Star Wars', CNET.com reported.

Most notably, the app has augmented-reality feature. The Force Trainer section transforms your phone into a lightsaber as you train with the same kind of remote Luke Skywalker uses in the original 'Star Wars' movie, and the Augmented Reality section puts a virtual Stormtrooper or BB-8 droid on your screen after you scan one of their custom posters.

There's also a weather hub that tells you which 'Star Wars' planet your city feels like. For example, at about 18 degrees Celsius, Minneapolis feels like Endor at the moment.

The app also has a section that features all kinds of 'Star Wars' reaction graphic interchange format (GIFs), official videos from the 'Star Wars' universe and a sound board with classic quotes from all your favourite characters.

That is not all. The app also has a section that lets you take a 'Star Wars' selfie that you can share with your friends on social media.

So don't delay and just download the app and get the thrill.

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OnePlus 2 Will Feature A 3,300 MAh Battery

The OnePlus 2 handset has just been revealed to be packing a decently sized battery, thanks to the company's Reddit session where they interacted with the fans. It was mentioned that the device would have a 3,300 mAh battery pack.

In the same thread, the company also mentioned that the handset will be smaller than the OnePlus One. To show this, the company posted an image of a wooden back OnePlus One and mentioned that the device had the OnePlus 2 under it (image above), suggesting that the handset would be thinner and shorter as well.

Rumors have suggested that the OnePlus 2 will pack the same 5.5-inch 1080p display as the One, so it will be interesting to see how the size has been reduced here.

As for availability and purchasing, the company mentioned that users of the OnePlus One will be given priority for the OnePlus 2. So current users of the OnePlus flagship are front in line to get the OnePlus 2 when it is made available soon.

Another bit of information revealed by the company was with regards to the network bands supported by the handset. The Asian and European model will supposedly come with support for GSM 850, 900, 1800, and 1900MHz, WCDMA bands 1/2/5/8 and FDD-LTE bands 1/3/5/7/8/20, so a wide range of frequencies are covered here.

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Gmail Now Uses Artificial Neural Networks To Filter Spam

Gmail's spam filters have always been pretty good, but now they're getting a shot in the arm. Google's rolling out its artificial neural network technology, currently used in the likes of its Search and Now apps, to help reduce the weight of unwanted email even further.

The filters that Google has used in the past have been based around rules written by engineers, but now they'll be able to learn for themselves. Using information garnered from your clicking of "Report spam" and "Not spam" buttons, the networks will help learn themselves what constitutes spam and what doesn't. In a blog post, Google explains that the new feature will "detect and block the especially sneaky spam."

The AI will also learn about your individual preferences, too. "While your neighbor may love weekly email newsletters, you may loathe them," writes Google. "The spam filter can now reflect these individual preferences." Finally, the filters will also be able to do a better job of spotting impersonation - the kind used for phishing attacks - to ensure you're only shown genuine email. All of which means your Gmail inbox should be a little clearer from now on.

[Google via Engadget]

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Motorola Moto G price slashed by Rs 3,000; now available for 9,999

In a bid to counter its rivals in the budget segment, Schaumburg-based handset maker Motorola has slashed price of its Moto G smartphone (2nd generation) by Rs 3,000.

Now, Moto G will be made available for purchase at Rs 9,999. The smartphone was earlier available for Rs 12,999 from Flipkart.

4G enabled Moto G features 5-inch IPS display with 720 x 1280 pixels resolution and 294ppi pixel density. It is clocked at Qualcomm Snapdragon 400, 1.2 GHz quad-core processor complimented by 1 GB worth of RAM.

On the storage front, the device gets an internal storage capacity of 16GB, externally upgradable to 32GB through a microSD card. Moto G device also features a 4G enabled modem.

For protection, the device makes use of Coring Gorilla Glass 3 and includes Multi-touch support. It runs on the Android OS v5.0.2 Lollipop platform. The decent performance in this device is possible due to the Qualcomm MSM8926 Snapdragon 400 chipset running on the Quad-core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A7 CPU architecture. It includes an Adreno 305 graphics solution as well. It is quite basic in nature but keeps up with your day-to-day graphical tasks.
It comes with an 8-megapixel camera on the rear surface with features like auto focus, LED flash, Geo-tagging, Touch focus, panorama, HDR, and face-detection and a 2-megapixel camera on the front. It sports 2390 mAh battery for long lasting usage.

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OnePlus 2 Will Sport A 5.5-Inch Display And A Heavier Build Compared To The Predecessor

According to a new leak, the OnePlus 2 smartphone will feature a relatively heavier build compared to the predecessor, despite sporting the same 5.5-inch display.

It is possible that the company is focusing on using more premium materials this time around and perhaps a bigger battery, which could influence the overall weight. The smartphone will supposedly weigh 166 grams, which is about 4 grams heavier than the OnePlus One.

The report goes onto say that OnePlus might be looking to settle with a 5.5-inch 1080p resolution display for the handset, the same display size and resolution as the predecessor, which is a bit of a letdown for fans as it was widely expected that the device would pack a Quad HD display panel.

Given that the device is confirmed to be packing 4GB of RAM, a Snapdragon 810 processor and a fingerprint scanner (faster than Touch ID), one would imagine that the display would complement these hardware aspects very well. But since this is still a rumor, we suggest you take it with a pinch of salt as the company is yet to comment on it.

OnePlus has also revealed that the smartphone will be priced lower than $450 (Rs 28,500 approx), suggesting a price increase from the predecessor.

OnePlus will officially announce the flagship on the 27th of July in a VR themed event. The company will start shipping out VR cardboard glasses specifically for this event from the 3rd week of July for Rs 99. These can be bought exclusively from Amazon India.

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This Messaging App Will Keep All Spam Texts At Bay

Almost a week ago, the team at Truecaller told us that they are planning something big. At that time, it was hard to fathom that they would be mulling another app, and that too a messaging app.

Mind you, this is no ordinary messaging app that would enable you to share a few lines, images, stickers with your loved ones. In fact, Truecaller claims that their new app, Truemessenger, will help you keep spam messages at bay.

We are all aware that SMS messaging is a popular means to connect with people. But do you know, it accounts for the majority of all messages sent globally, and represents about 8 trillion messages annually. The popularity of SMS, and that it is an open network of communication, similar to email, has led to an increase of commercial and marketing-related messaging.

If numbers are anything to go by, these spam SMSes account for 15% of all SMS messages sent globally, and represents 1.2 trillion spam messages each year. Truemessenger seeks to address this global problem of spam. The aim of this app is to ensure that your SMS inbox is organized and you are able to block and filter spam SMS messages seamlessly.

This is the third app from Truecaller's stable, the other two being Truecaller and Truedialler. As of now, the app is only available to users in India and only on the Android platform but it is expected to be available in other platforms soon.

Commenting on the launch, Alan Mamedi, CEO & co-founder of Truecaller, said "With Truemessenger we've reimagined the SMS app experience by making it more social and putting control back into the users' hands so they always know who they are communicating with."

To get this app, head to the Google Play Store and download it from there. After installation, when you fire up the app, it will ask you to login with your number and if you are registered before with either Truecaller or Truedialer, the same credentials will work.

For this app to work its magic (or what it claims), you will have to make this as your default messaging app. Following which it will prompt you to identify Spam senders in your inbox. Overall, it looks like a straightforward app and we shall be posting a review of it soon to let you know how good or bad it is.

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Leaked Hardware Details Of The Xiaomi Mi 5 And The Mi 5 Plus

A new leak has revealed the existence of the Mi 5 Plus, which could well be an advanced version of the Mi Note Pro. This is accompanied by hardware details of the Mi 5 handset.

It is shown that the Mi 5 will come with a 2.5D glass covering the edges, which will give it a very premium look, while the size will be 5.2-inches, apparently. The resolution is said to be 2560x1440 or QHD, which was always expected from a Xiaomi flagship.

Further, the Mi 5 is expected to feature a 16MP rear camera, a 13MP front camera, a Snapdragon 810 processor, a 3,000 mAh battery and Android 5.1 Lollipop. Details on the RAM are yet to be disclosed, but we expect it to be 4GB, given what we're expected to see from the competition later this year.

The Mi 5 Plus on the other hand is a specs powerhouse if this revelation is anything to go by. The handset is shown to be carrying a 5.7-inch QHD display along with the recently unveiled Snapdragon 820 chipset.

This Plus variant is also said to be packing a 23MP rear camera with optical image stabilization and a 12MP camera for selfies. The 3,500 mAh battery on board the Mi 5 Plus is said to be accompanied by Qualcomm's Quick Charge technology which can charge the device in quick time (0-100% in 50 minutes).

It's still too early in the day to comment on the authenticity of this leak, but considering what we know about Xiaomi as a company, it doesn't seem far fetched to expect two high end flagships to be unveiled before the end of the year.

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OnePlus 2 RAM Revealed

The OnePlus 2 looks like it'll be one powerful phone, with OnePlus taking to its blog to announce one more spec for the upcoming handset: staggering 4GB LPDDR4 RAM.

"With LPDDR4, you'll see faster loading times, smoother gameplay, and never-before-seen energy saving features," OnePlus wrote on its blog.

"Not only will the experience on the OnePlus 2 be smoother and sleeker, but your battery life will benefit as well."

Observers will note this is one more GB of RAM than the OnePlus 2's predecessor, the OnePlus One.

OnePlus power

The OnePlus 2 is already set to come sporting a Snapdragon 810 SoC processor, which will be powerful enough to utilize the 4GB of RAM at its fullest.

The only other specs confirmed (in slow, almost weekly trickles) include the new reversible USB Type-C port, a fingerprint scanner equipped with Android Pay and a price tag lower than $450 (about £291, AU$604).

Set to launch on July 27 (with a VR stream), it'll be a couple weeks more before we find out all the details of the OnePlus 2.

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LG's Touchscreen Tech To Make Laptops Thinner And Lighter

Touchscreen laptops with Full-HD displays are about to get thinner and lighter thanks to a new type of display tech from LG.

Instead of adding an extra touch panel on top of the LCD to provide touch functionality, LG's Advanced In-Cell Touch (AIT) panels embed a touch sensor within the LCD panel itself.

This shaves 1mm (or 25%) off the panel's thickness and reduces its weight by 200 grams (around 35%) compared to a conventional 15.5-inch touch-embedded full-HD panel.

LG reckons that it also makes for a brighter and clearer picture due to the removal of the glass panel, while making touch super-responsive - even when wet.

AIT-based panels have been used on smartphones such as the LG G4, but it's the first time the tech has made its way to larger devices such as laptops.

In talks

In a statement, LG said that it has agreed to supply 14- and 15.6-inch AIT panels to several PC makers and is in talks to supply other panel sizes. It revealed no plans to manufacture them for devices with higher-resolution displays than 1080p.

However, the company is looking to make AIT-based panels for 2-in-1 hybrids and touchscreen laptops that have pen functionality - such as the Surface Pro 3 and Asus T300 Chi.

LG is readying its new panels for the second half of the year, which is set to usher in a new generation of touch-optimized laptops running Windows 10.

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How To Transform The Overall Look Of Your Gmail

Unless you're the rare breed that uses Outlook, or have switched to Inbox, you're no doubt familiar with the look of Gmail's web interface. Now, through Gmail's settings, themes and some selected add-ons, you can easily transform that look to better suit your tastes.

Settings and Layout

Click on the cog icon on the right and straight away you can choose the display density (how much space Gmail puts between interface elements)-this is usually automatically set based on the resolution of your display, but you can set it manually here too.

Then there's the choice of inbox layouts, which can be accessed from the drop-down menu by the Inboxlink on the left. You can abandon the tabbed interface to show important, unread or starred messages first, or even go back to the old priority inbox look.

If you settle for the default option, you can choose the tabs that Gmail shows on screen: Click the small plus icon next to the right-hand tab to set which tabs are displayed. If you remove a tab, then its messages drift back to the Primary folder.

Head into the Settings page from the main menu (under the cog icon) and it's possible to change the number of messages on screen, turn off conversation view, switch between buttons and icons for labels, and show or hide message snippets. The Labs page is worth a look too-there are a number of experimental tweaks that change Gmail's appearance.

Gmail Themes

If you're ready to get a little more creative with your Gmail customizations then try the Themes link from the main menu. The more modern themes are at the top, with the older classic options underneath, and there's a My Photos button if you want to pick an image of your own.

The High Contrast theme is worth a look if you want a little more of a distinction between sections, but there's plenty of choice. If you choose a newer theme (or your own picture) you can change the text shade, vignetting and image blur using the buttons at the bottom.

Blank colors are available too and you can choose More images to see hundreds of high-quality photos hand-picked by Google as suitable for use as backdrops to your messages. If you're stuck for inspiration, there's always the Random option at the end of the list.

Any changes you make are linked to your Google account-your chosen themes will appear wherever you log in.

Third Party Add-Ons

There are a bunch of third-party extensions and add-ons you can install if you've exhausted the customization options inside Gmail itself. Gmelius, for example, is focused on productivity features but can make some interface tweaks too (like hiding the people widget).

Enhancements for Gmail is a Chrome extension that lets you show or hide certain interface elements on Gmail for the web, and it comes with a few useful extras as well-the plug-in can set up desktop notifications, for example. Color Icons for Gmail, meanwhile, does exactly what you'd expect.

Google Redesigned for Firefox is another alternative, allowing you to completely change the look of Gmail (and other Google services) using CSS code added at the browser level. Some users are reporting bugs but if you can get it to work then it's impressive.

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Home Sharing Will Return In IOS 9

Last week, it turned out that Apple had quietly removed Home Sharing from iOS 8.4 in favor of taking your money for an Apple Music subscription. But don't worry: the feature is being reinstated in iOS 9.

In the past, Home Sharing has let you stream your local iTunes library from a computer to your iDevice on the same network. Eddy Cue, Apple's SVP of Internet Software and Services, explained on Twitter that the feature is set to make a return, though:

@inklake We are working to have Home Sharing in iOS 9.

July 6, 2015

But you'll have to wait until the fall for iOS 9. In the meantime, looks like that free Apple Music trial will have to suffice. 

[Apple Insider]

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Motorola Smartphone With Snapdragon 810 And 2K Display Leaked Out

AnTuTu benchmarks has just revealed the existence of a new Motorola flagship, sporting a high end specs sheet. Known as the XT1585 "Kinzie", the smartphone is larger than both Moto X models, so it's likely that this belongs to a new series.

Given that it's still early in the day for this leak, we're not exactly sure if it's the Moto X or some other device altogether, but we hope to learn more as the days progress.

The benchmark listing shows that the Kinzie is sporting a 5.5-inch Quad HD panel as well as a Snapdragon 810 processor, suggesting that this is indeed a high end product. The device is also packing 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal space (21GB available), which is befitting of a flagship handset.

In the camera department, the device is shown to be packing a 20MP rear sensor and a 5MP front facing shooter for selfies. Rounding off the specifications list is the mention of Android 5.1.1 Lollipop.

The Lenovo owned Motorola is expected to unveil a handful of smartphones as we head into the latter part of 2015. The new Moto G is already making its way to the leaks and we're curious to see how the flagship lineup will fare, given the high standards set by the likes of Samsung and LG.

Given Google's willingness to push fingerprint scanning and authentication with Android M, it is said that the upcoming Motorola flagship will also sport a fingerprint scanner by default. Only yesterday we saw OnePlus confirming this particular feature for its OnePlus 2 smartphone that will be revealed on July 27.
[Twitter ]

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IOS 8.4 Disables Home Sharing For Music

With one hand Apple giveth, and with the other, it rips a long-standing feature away with no warning.

As part of the iOS 8.4 update that brought Apple Music, Home Sharing has been disabled for iOS devices. Home Sharing would let you stream your local iTunes library from your computer to your iDevice on the same network. It was a great way to press an old iPad into service by hooking it up to your speakers, and had been an iOS feature since v4.3.

Apple quietly updated its Home Sharing support page to reflect the change - which, by the way, doesn't affect Apple TVs. If you're willing to pony up a little cash, an Apple Music or iTunes Match subscription will probably fill the Home Sharing-shaped hole in your soul, albeit for $15 a month.

[9to5Mac]

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Xiaomi Mi 5 Will Support A Fingerprint Scanner

A new report pegs Xiaomi's upcoming flagship, the Mi 5 to sport a fingerprint scanner underneath for device authentication and wireless payments. There's no word on how and where Xiaomi will implement the technology, but it seems like we'll be in for a big surpris 

Unfortunately, we might have to wait until November to see the unveiling of the Mi 5 according to this report. Perhaps this is to ensure that the Mi 5 will launch with Android M out of the box or maybe just to make sure the new Snapdragon 810 chipset doesn't have any thermal issues as we've seen earlier this year.

Although the report pegs the smartphone to be sporting a Snapdragon 820 processor, it seems unlikely given that the chipset was only recently unveiled by Qualcomm and it probably won't go into production until later this year.

It will be interesting to see the implementation of the fingerprint scanner on the Mi 5 as Google is officially supporting it this time. The likes of Samsung have been using it since the Galaxy S5 now, while HTC also used a fingerprint scanner on the One Max in 2013, so it won't be new to the Android fold.

The Xiaomi Mi 5 is expected to be packing a 5.3-inch Quad HD display, a modified version of the Snapdragon 810 processor, a 16MP camera on the back, 4GB of RAM, 16/64GB of internal storage (no microSD card slot), Android 5.0 or Android M and a 3,030 mAh battery. The handset was originally slated to be unveiled in July, but that doesn't seem to be the case anymore. e with the company's next major flagship.

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Asus To Reveal Budget Zenfone This Month

Asus already has multiple midrange handsets in the market by now. But a new report out of Russia suggests that the company could be looking to bring yet another low cost handset to the markets known as the Zenfone Go ZC500TG.

This means that the device could be priced under the Rs 10,000 mark, making it a competitor to the range of Lenovo and Xiaomi phones that are selling in the market at the same price range.

We've seen the new CPU variants of the Zenfone 2 launching last month along with the camera centric Zenfone Selfie, so the company has been very busy in the mobile industry over the past few months.

As far as the ZenFone Go is concerned, the report mentions that it will be a 3G only offering, which in turn could mean that the pricing will be even cheaper than expected. It must be noted that the other Zenfone 2 models come with 4G LTE connectivity by default.

Further the report from Russia claims that ASUS will use a 5-inch 720p display with the Zenfone Go along with an 8MP rear camera, 2MP selfie camera, 8GB of storage, 2GB of RAM and probably even Android 5.1 Lollipop. There's no word on the processor powering the ZenFone
Go, so we're guessing it will have a Mediatek or the budget Snapdragon 410 chipset inside.

We should expect the launch of the Zenfone Go sometime this month according to this report.

Source

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