NASA confirms Liquid water on Mars

October 1, 2015

NASA has confirmed the existence of liquid water on Mars, during warmer seasons, after the publication of a research in Nature Geosciences.

This info came from data from NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO), a spacecraft that studies the planet from the orbit.

MRO recognized the appearance of several dark spots on Mars that appeared and disappeared depending on the temperature and seasonal changes. The argument is supported by leaks that show the liquid water flow downwards from a hill.

Tentatively, this isn’t the first study or report regarding the revelation of water on Mars. Scientists are of the view that Mars once had been a home of an ocean over 4 billion years ago. And current revelations from Mars Curiosity Rover also depict the presence of some liquid over the Martian Surface.

The arguments among scientists over presence or absence of water on Mars has taken a rather comical turn. Alfred McEwen, planetary geologist, Planetary Image Research Laboratory, joked in “Scientific American”,

Congo! You discovered water on Mars for the 1000^th time

Scientists have supported their arguments and ideas due to the appearance of dark streaks or spots on Mars, called Recurring Slope Lineae (RSL). The streaks show a varying a pattern as they fade during colder season and reappear during the hot season.

Michael Meyer, scientist for the Mars Exploration Program at NASA said,

“The streaks appear in spring, and escape in the fall.”

Ojha, geomorphologist Lujendr has also voiced his views on it saying:

“Something is hydrating these salts, depending upon the seasons, as it appears in the springs but fades in the falls. So the water on Mars is briny rather than pure one. Though salts lower the freezing point of water. Even if RSL are slightly underground, then the surface would be a little bit colder than the Mars surface and it will allow water to stay on Mars rather than vanishing.”

The presence of water on Mars is a universal phenomenon and the human race, as a whole, is looking at the consequences that will be fruitful for us.

Samsung announces $99 Gear VR Headset with Oculus for Galaxy Phones

Jia Khan

September 26, 2015

Oculus has announced several gadgets in a conference at Dolby Theater in LA where it also announced a set of streaming apps like Netflix. But the mind-blowing announcement was the Gear VR headset that is going to be sold just for $99.

This new device is more elegant and lighter than the previous versions released by the company. The Gear VR Headset features a trackpad, back button and motion sensors to sense acceleration and gyroscopic position but it is still dependent on a smartphone screen to work.

Phone screens are simply docked into this headset using a USB cable.

The VR headset now support more Galaxy phones mostly the recent flagships like Galaxy Note 5, Galaxy S6 Edge+, Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge. Samsung has declared this model to be nearly 22% lighter than its predecessor.

This headset features improvised touchpad and enhanced gaming and video experience.

One will also be able to view Facebook’s newly launched 360-videos. JK Shin, CEO Samsung Electronics stated

“Samsung has got hands on the latest cellphones and I must say that unveiling Gear VR last year was nothing exceptional. We are looking at virtual reality as the coming future and the partnership with Oculus on Gear VR will bring some revolutionary technology for the users.”

Earlier edition of Gear VR received immense positive response from the public. Peter Koo, Samsung Mobile’s VP technology strategy also declared partnerships with Twentieth Century Fox and Lions Gate Entertainment Corp.

The purpose of the partnership is to bring movies to Gear VR, including the Alien trilogy, Hunger Games and Pulp Fiction.

This device will be officially available this fall. Gear VR Headset will hit the markets this fall and will be available for under $100.

Pebble Launches Round Smartwatch

Jia Khan

September 25, 2015

Pebble has launched a new version of its smartwatch range, named Pebble Time Round, after the successful voyage of the predecessors Pebble Time and Pebble Time Steel.

The new device features an impressive circular frame rather than the previous square shaped one and much resembles the Moto 360 and Huawei Watch.

The most awesome feature of Pebble Time Round is that it is much thinner and weighs a mere 28 grams which is almost half the weight of the smallest Apple Watch.

This watch is almost 100 grams lighter than its predecessor that measured a 42mm Round. The Round of the watch is 7.5mm thick that makes it quite thinner, just like a band on your wrist.

Pebble claims this watch to be the smartest, thinnest and lightest of all other smartwatches. The always-on round e-paper display adds much to this watch and it seems quite easy to access the desired option.

The Pebble Time Round Smartwatch comes in different variants including 14mm and 20mm versions coated with either black, silver or rose color.

Pebble claims that this watch provides a longer power backup that can last for almost two days after just 15 minutes of charging. Analysts think that this feature will make this watch fly higher.

Just like its predecessors, Pebble Time Round will also surface with color e-ink display and will be compatible with Android OS and iOS.

Pebble has also released a new version of SDK for the app developers to design the apps according the shape and requirement of this watch. Along with long power backup, Pebble also claims this watch to be water proof to be used in rainy conditions.

Currently, Time Round is only available at Pebble Official Site and costs just $249 but it will be available at different retailers like Amazon, BestBuy and Target by the start of November this year.

Microsoft Band 2 is sleek with Curved Screen – Leak

Jia Khan

September 21, 2015

Microsoft is reportedly working on the successor model of its wearable, dubbed Microsoft Band 2, which is going to be unveiled in the company’s October 6 mega event.

Some pictures of the upcoming device have surfaced with a tag “MicrosoftInsider.es” and the source claims that the pictures of Band 2 are totally genuine and authentic.

The pictures reveal a new classy design for the wearable device that supports a curved screen with metallic touches physical buttons placed on its side. Analysts think that the physical buttons will enable better and comfortable navigation.

Microsoft Band 2 will not only serve as a social connector but includes some fitness features like tracking one’s steps during walks or some sort of exercise.

The curved screen is the most fabulous feature of the new band which will now allow the Band to fit exactly to the wrist structure of the user.

The leaked snaps show the Microsoft band 2 has a smaller curve on the bottom side compared to the screen but still, something is better than nothing.

The physical buttons on the side, somehow, look odd but the metallic finish has given it a better look. One thing that seems to be unchanged is the thickness of the device which is almost the same as was seen in its predecessor.

Somehow, it looks little bit chubby at the bottom and upper ends.

The sensors are almost the same as those found in the first generation Microsoft Band. These include the heart rate monitor, accelerometer, GPS, microphone, ambient sensor, Galvanic Skin Response (GSR) and UV sensor.

In addition, Microsoft Band 2 will also monitor and measure the height of workouts.

Microsoft Band 2 will support platforms like Windows Phone, iOS and Apple and such devices will be able to use Health app by Redmond to help in exercise and workout.

It is rumored that the device will also feature sleep monitoring. Microsoft Band 2 will be unveiled on October 6 event next month.

Microsoft Office 2016 launches Next Week

Jia Khan

September 18, 2015

Microsoft is set to launch Office Suite 2016 next week, most probably on September 22. The software was rumored to initially be offered to professionals and domestic users only.

Julia White, GM of Office 365 Technical Product Management, confirmed the rumors floating around saying:

“You may have heard the rumors but I am happy to confirm that Office 2016 will be broadly available starting on September 22.”

Some of the new features include Maths input tool for Word, improved PowerPoint, cloud integration, Excel and a Darker theme. In addition, it also offers easy file sharing, more efficient grammar check and Real Time Presence in Word.

According to Microsoft, more than 1 million users have used Office 2016 on Mac and Windows platform since it was launched on Windows Preview.

Mobile users can access the utility free while it is being offered at the rate of £95 to students, office and home consumers.

The recent update is for the existing desktop version instead of Universal suite which is more touch friendly and is available on laptops, phones and tablets.

The desktop version will remain the most powerful and practical version and will smoothly run on older systems as well.

Office 2016 also provides OneDrive Outlook attachments, latest interface, IT tools and multiple user editing. Microsoft is also facilitating users with regular update alerts which will benefit users with advanced security patches and latest specs.

Self-driving cars can be fooled by fake cars, pedestrians and other bogus signals

Jia Khan

September 9, 2015

A recent study has revealed that Uber, Google and Apple’s self-driven cars can be misdirected through fake signals via laser.

Jonathan Petit, scientist at a software security organization Security Innovation, has highlighted a huge vulnerability in the self-driven cars through LIDAR system which is the face of the car.

Petit would present his research paper at Black Hat Europe security conference in November where he will highlight how laser and pulse generator can misguide a self-driven car to believe that there is other traffic around.

It is very easy to fool a LIDAR (laser ranging phenomenon of an autonomous car) by creating echoes that appear to be vehicles in the surrounding. The process is quite easy if one has a low-power laser and some operating device (like Arduino or Raspberry Pi).

Petit has managed to attack the cars from a distance of almost 330 meters and his results are fruitful. It is rather a prank with a car, to give the car some acceleration or a sudden stop. He said that:

“Poor inputs for an autonomous car will provide poor driving decisions.”

LIDAR technology costs in tens of thousands and Google has adopted almost $70,000 / €62,800 LiDAR sensing unit on its self-driving vehicle.

The car can be attacked from any angle, from sides, front and back and this wouldn’t alarm the passenger of the threat. Petit says that the echo phenomenon may indulge the car, alarming it that something is very much close to it and ultimately it has to make some decision quickly.

This would not allow the car much time to consult its GPS even and the decision would be quite abrupt.

Fiat Chrysler has remarked that this would allow the hackers a complete control over the car using media services.

Autonomous cars have always been a subject of controversy and after this recent research, the reliability of these cars has been pushed again.

Huawei Watch to launch this Month with Full AMOLED Display

Jia Khan

September 1, 2015

After the successful launch of Samsung and Apple Watches, Huawei has also entered the race and has released complete specifications of its upcoming, Huawei Android Watch.

This watch will hit the market in three different colors including silver, black and gold. Huawei Watch will feature a 400x400p full HD display that makes almost 286ppi.

Huawei Watch will provide a pleasant display owing to its Sapphire crystal glass panel that is basically meant to provide safety. Plus point of Huawei watch is that it could be wirelessly charged.

Huawei Watch will be powered with a speedy Qualcomm APQ8026 1.2 GHz processor which has been coupled with a 512 MB RAM. The specs are kept high so as to ensure a competitive performance.

Huawei Watch interfaces seamlessly with android phones. The company has also provided 4GB of internal memory capacity. Huawei watch comes with an eye-catching design and it includes a gyroscope, accelerometer and barometer.

An important thing to understand is that this device is just water resistant, not water proof. Another tiny mic is included in the phone to record and implement voice commands on Google.

The watch will provide hours of usage due to its 300mAh battery, USB cable and power adaptor.

Huawei has announced that this watch will soon be made further compatible. The connectivity options are quite awesome including Wi-Fi capabilities and it will have very powerful Bluetooth 4.0/4.1 connectivity options.

The officials haven’t made any proper statement regarding the prices but it is pretty sure that Huawei Watch will be released later this month.

Huawei watch has to compete with its rival watches like Samsung Gear watch and Apple watch. The specs reveal this device to be awesome but still we have to wait for its release to lay our hands on it.

Tesla Model S P85D got 103 out of 100 in Consumer Reports’ rating System

Nitish Singh

August 29, 2015

The Tesla Model S P85D blew away all tests Consumer Reports threw at it and scored 103 out of 100 in the rating system. The all-wheel-drive electric sedan had done better than any car ever did, breaking the Consumer Reports’ Ratings system.

“The car is brutally quick, with instant acceleration. The car’s thrust is forceful and immediate. Its near-instant g-forces can otherwise be achieved only by leaping off a building—literally.”

Says the magazine.

Sports Car Acceleration

Well, let’s just put what the car did to gain some insight. For starters, it started and accelerated from 0 to 60 miles per hour in just 3.5 seconds.

This is achieved by an “insane mode”, included in the Tesla Model S P85D which gives it acceleration comparable to sports cars.

Now admittedly there are faster cars out there in the market, but Consumer Reports said that due to being super energy efficient with this sort of acceleration. And hence the 103 out of 100 went to P85D.

The car also gives great energy efficiency. Fueling off a mere gallon, the car can go 86 miles (138 km), as per the report from the Consumer Reports.

A programmer Bjorn Nyland had driven the Tesla Model S for 452.8 miles (728.7 km) on a single charge, cruising at an average speed of 25 miles per hour (40 km per hour), though the Consumer reports rates it at 200+ miles.

The Tesla Model S P85D has better brakes and handling than the standard Model S, which also had a decent Consumer Reports rating.

But all this comes at a cost. And to be precise the cost is $127,820 (25,308,360 Naira). Now that is very well beyond the budget of most of us. Plus the car also has other down sides.

If you’re going on a long journey than fore-planning is something you should think about. Driving an all-electric car can be tricky and a bit of concern if you don’t know any nearby charging stations.

Again if one considers the 6-digit price tag, then it is worth mentioning that the interior fittings aren’t that luxurious compared to other luxury cars.

But anyways, the car is an “Automobile milestone” and “a powerful statement of American startup ingenuity” says Consumer Reports.

Goodbye Xbox One Mini, it was good while you were a Rumour

Nitish Singh

August 28, 2015

The Xbox One is a fairly large gaming console. And as Sony had released “mini” PlayStations like the PS Vita, Microsoft it appears will not walk the same path.

Phil Spencer, Microsoft’s head of Xbox, has posted on twitter, denying any such launch. The launch was supposed to be during October 2015.

So what created the hype for Xbox One Mini?

Well, a Chinese blog, earlier this year had details about a slimmed down version of the Xbox One coming this October.

The blog said it would be about one-third the size of the current Xbox One. The device was also rumored to be quieter and the Blu-Ray player would be removed.

That is, if games were to be played, they had to be downloaded.

This would in turn be favorable to Microsoft, as they would be able to realize their original online-centric vision for Xbox One.

Microsoft had envisioned Xbox One as an all-in-one living room device. It would be the star of your entertainment center and seamlessly blend streaming services like TV along with gaming.

The step would also reduce the price of the bulky beast.

The miniature version would have been a logical and accurate step in that direction. At least the Windows Media Centre fans would have loved the Xbox One mini.

But, alas, it’s now just a concept, even devoid the status of a rumor. We won’t see the device in reality- or would we?

Upon asking Phil Spencer, he replied on twitter with a “not real” statement. This declaration by no means negates the possibility of a redesigned Xbox One.

It’s just a wait and watch game, after all, Xbox 360 took quite a while to get redesigned to our Xbox One.

Meanwhile, Xbox will have some exclusives coming their way this Fall. So while you wait, enjoy titles like Halo 5: Guardians, Forza Motorsport 6 and Rise of the Tomb Raider.

LG introduces world’s first 4K OLED TV in India

Jia Khan

August 26, 2015

LG has introduced the first ever 4K OLED TV in India. LG’s new gadget has been named EF9500 OLED 4K TV and increases LG’s 4K TV offerings for the year to three. The new release include both curved screen and flat-screen OLED TVs.

LG had earlier introduced the LG EG9600 and EG9700 models of Curved OLED 4K TVs while LG EC9300 is a Full HD Curved OLED TV model.

The new LG EF9500 4k OLED TV has been launched in two variants, the 55-inch model that costs $3849 (Rupees 3,84,900 or 769,800 Naira) and the 65-inch model that hangs a price tag of $5799 (Rupees 5,79,900 or 1,159,800 Naira).

This new TV features a transparent water clear screen that lacks holes or nuts even on the back. The 4K OLED TV supports 3D graphics along with Harmin Kardon sound technology. 3D glasses are available provided with the TV.

Howard Lee, Director-Home Entertainment, LG. said

“LG has beaten others in the run of innovation. With this enhanced technology TV, we can assure an ultimate immersive cinematic experience.”

This newly launched TV has WRGB technology inside that powers 33 million color sub-pixels (more than 27 million in available in flat-screen TVs). This helps in sharpening and brightening the colors so as to improve the contrast ratio. The display offers a sleek design at just 5.9mm thickness.

OLED is not yet popular but the marvelous technology at the back end has wowed the world. LG is also working to enhance the technology to make it cost effective, because from the price tags listed above OLED TVs are not for the faint-hearted.

LG said that OLED TV was once considered to be next generation of LED TVs that would rule the world and LG has now made it possible!

The new technology by LG is eye-catching but still prices will have to go down if OLED TVs will stand a chance.

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