Coolpad Note 3, A budget phone to suit your needs

Smartphones are getting smart day by day, the addition of new features and the performances are being available in budget to fit in your pocket. So lets, talk about the new Coolpad Note 3, which was a hit in flash sale on Amazon.in

What can you expect in under 10K phone in India, a dual sim phone with a decent camera and an ok performance specs of either dual core/quad core Qualcomm or Mediatek processor with 1-2 GB RAM.

No, this is not the specs that is really bringing our attention to write this post. Well we know the dominance of Chinese manufactures dominating the Indian Market for a very long time and even Xiaomi being one of the leaders on mobile manufacturer on Indian market with their awesome flagship Mi3 and its predecessor Mi4 and Mi4i hasn't got to break the record for being a phone with multi featured spec phone.

But one of the feature that really got us to notice on Coolpad Note 3 is its fingerprint sensor and its huge 3 GB RAM onboard for Rs.8,999/- is now a big deal. Powered by Mediatek MT6753 Octa-core 1.3 GHz Cortex-A53 gives an optimum performance for day to day use and even gaming.

Display 
Coolpad Note 3 sports a 5.5-inch display that offers vibrant colours and decent viewing angles. It offers HD (720x1280p) resolution, delivering pixel density of 267ppi. While the display doesn't pack a lot of pixels (per inch), we didn't notice a lot of pixilation. The panel offers good brightness levels and is very responsive to touch.

Design
Coolpad Note 3 doesn't really doesn't have the design as the flagship phone, but its decent enough to look premium.
As per the company the finish prevents staining. The back cover is removable and hides the sealed battery, a stacked micro-sim+microSD card and a secondary micro-sim card slot. The fingerprint sensor is also at the back, slightly recessed just below the 13MP camera lens and LED flash. The speaker grill is towards the bottom on the same side.

Software
Coolpad Note 3 runs Android 5.1 Lollipop with the company's Cool UI 6.0 skin running on top. It features unified app launcher-homescreen navigation and a highly customised interface that supports themes. It comes with customized system apps and some third party apps are also preloaded.

Hardware & performance
Coolpad Note 3 is powered by a 1.3GHz 64-bit Mediatek MT6753 octa-core processor, the phone is the only one in this price range to come with 3GB of RAM. It offers 16GB storage expandable up to 64GB via microSD card.

In terms of connectivity, the dual-sim phone comes with support for 4G LTE, 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS. Both sim slots support 4G LTE. The Coolpad Note 3 is backed by a 3,000mAh battery.

Camera
Coolpad Note 3 has a 13MP rear camera with a 5 piece lens arrangement, f2.0 aperture and 1.4 micron pixel size. The camera is accompanied by an LED flash and supports full-HD 1080p video recording.
The phone has a 5MP front camera for clicking selfies

Bottomline
Priced at Rs 8,999, the Coolpad Note 3 smartphone offers hardware specs that are available in only high-end smartphones — fingerprint sensor, 3GB RAM, 3,000mAh battery, good camera and HD display.

In terms of features, the smartphone is quite unlike any other handset in this segment. Coolpad Note 3 is the only sub-10,000 smartphone that comes with a fingerprint sensor and 3GB RAM.

However, it has its set of downers -- it's heavy, lacks a Full-HD display and the design doesn't really inspire.

You can definitely go for it, if you are ok with just its HD display, for now you can only get on Amazon.in for Rs8499 with Rs500 off as we write this article. So grab it now before its too late.

To buy you can see the below amazon link or click this buy link which you would be redirected to Amazon.

Meet the new, reversible USB

The official design for the next-generation, reversible USB has been finalised, and it can be plugged in upside down.

USB 3.0

 

The USB 3.0 Promoter Group has announced that it has finalised its redesign of the USB.

Called USB Type-C, the specification -- which was announced last December -- aims to solve several problems with current USB design; possibly the most exciting of which is the eradication of "right way up" with a reversible plug. Like Apple's Lightning connector, it can be plugged into its port either way.

The new USB is also designed both to be small enough to fit mobile devices, yet robust enough for laptops and tablets.

"Interest in the USB Type-C connector has not only been global, but cross-industry as well," said USB 3.0 Promoter Group chairman Brad Saunders. "Representatives from the PC, mobile, automotive and IoT industries have been knocking down our door anticipating this new standard. This specification is the culmination of an extensive, cooperative effort among industry leaders to standardize the next generation USB connector as a long-lasting, robust solution."

The USB is comparable in size with micro USB 2.0 Type-B connectors, with a port size of 8.4 by 2.6mm, yet will be compatible with SuperSpeed USB at 10Gbps (USB 3.1). It will also support USB Power Delivery up to 100W, with additional support for scalable power charging and future USB performance needs.

It won't, of course, be compatible with existing USB plugs and receptacles. While the industry begins the slow transition, USB Type-C ports will coexist with other USB ports on devices, and new-to-existing cables and adapters will be made available so that consumers will be able to use the new connector with their existing tech.

The specification for USB Type-C can be downloaded from the USB Implementers Forum.

Article by Michelle Starr

How to securely overwrite deleted files with a built-in Windows tool

Most Windows users know that when you delete a file on a PC, it isn't truly gone and can still be recovered. In fact, those deleted files are actually just sitting there on your hard drive until they are overwritten with new data.

To truly wipe data, users often turn to apps like CCleaner or Eraser that wipe free space for you. But Windows also has a built-in feature called Cipher that will overwrite deleted files for you and may even free up some extra disk space in the process.




Commanding Windows

To use Cipher we have to dive into an area of your Windows machine that some hassle-free readers may have little experience with: the Command Prompt.

Don't worry, though. While the command line can be a scary place, Cipher is a fairly safe feature. That said, it's always best to make sure you have your data backed up before giving something like this a try.

Also, make sure you type the command correctly to avoid any unintended consequences. Cipher isn't just a tool to overwrite deleted data it can also be used to encrypt data, which is not what we want in this case.




Dump the deletions

To get started you have to open a command prompt. To do this in Windows 8.1, hit the Windows key + S and type command prompt into the search box. Wait for the results to show up and then click the command prompt option. In Windows 7, it's easiest to click on Start > Run and then type cmd into the box and press enter.

Now for the easy part. If you have a standard Windows installation type or copy and paste the following command: cipher /w:C

What this tells Windows to do is to start the Cipher program. The '/w' switch says to remove any data from the available unused disk space, and C tells Windows to carry out this action on the C:\ drive.

If your data is on a different drive such as a partition labeled D:\ simply substitute C for the correct drive letter. For most people, however, C will be the right choice.

Now, just sit back and wait for Windows to do its magic. This is one of those tasks you should run when you're not using your PC. Consider running it overnight or during downtime on the weekend.

Windows will also advise you to close as many running programs as possible to help the machine do a better job of clearing up your hard drive.

Not only will cipher clean up your drive, it may also have the added benefit of returning some extra disk space to you

Article by Ian Paul

The World's First Commercial Space Launchpad Is To Be In South Texas

Elon Musk has announced that Space X is to build the world's first commercial space launchpad-and it will be near Brownsville in south Texas, reportedly America's most impoverished region.

The state is pushing over $15 million into the facility, which is hoped to create 300 jobs and inject $85 million in capital investment into the local economy. The cash injection comes from numerous sources, including $2.3 million from the Texas Enterprise Fund and $5 million from the Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation.

Governor Rick Perry explained that "Texas has been on the forefront of our nation's space exploration efforts for decades, so it is fitting that SpaceX has chosen our state as they expand the frontiers of commercial space flight." The plan is contingent upon final approval of local agreements and receipt of additional required permits, but, otherwise, an economy in need looks like it's about to get a hi-tech shot in the arm.

Article by Jamie Condliffe.

PLAYING VIDEO GAMES IS GOOD FOR CHILDREN

According to the British news site The Telegraph, Oxford University recently found that a small amount of regular video game play can be beneficial for teens and children.

Conducted on nearly 5,000 children aged 10-15 with varying levels of game playing habits ranging from no time spent playing to multiple hours per day, the study concluded that children who spend an hour or less each day playing video games tended to be better adjusted and happier individuals.

"Young people who engaged in a little video game playing were associated with being better adjusted than those who had never played or those who were on video games for three hours or more," the study said. "Those who played video games for less than an hour...were associated with the highest levels of sociability and were most likely to say they were satisfied with their lives. They also appeared to have fewer friendship and emotional problems, and reported less hyperactivity than the other groups."

The study went on to explain why the games these children played were beneficial, stating that the games gave the kids "a wide range of novel cognitive challenges, opportunities for exploration, relaxation, and socialization with peers" that rivalled the benefits of "non-digitally mediated" forms of play.

The children who engaged in moderate amounts of play spanning from one hour to three were found to display no positive or negative effects, while children who played "excessive" amounts of more than three hours a day were found to be less well-adjusted than their counterparts. The study suggests, however, that this was largely due to the fact that the children missed out on other "enriching activities" and were possibly exposed to themes and content better suited for adults in their gaming time.

The study also mentions that factors such as family life and personal relationships tended to have a much more significant effect on a child's behaviour than their game-playing habits.

Report author Dr. Andrew Przybylski concluded that the effects on children both positive and negative were relatively small, which indicates that "both the broad fears and hopes about gaming may be more exaggerated."

Article by Cassidee Moser.

Meet Intel's SoFIA, the super-cheap smartphone chip created in Singapore

The company is trying to bring the cost of smartphones down to as little as $50.

Intel CEO Brian Krzanich demonstrating a SoFIA-based phone at IDF Shenzhen 2014.

SINGAPORE -- Poke around an industrial suburb here and you might stumble across a building whose signage tells you it belongs to a German company named Infineon. But back in 2011, Intel purchased the wireless portion of this business and renamed it Intel Mobile Communications.

Outside, the place retains the Infineon branding, as the other parts of the company still exist, but depending on the floor you visit, it's definitely Intel inside. This Singapore office is the home of SoFIA -- short for "Smart or Feature phone with Intel Architecture" -- a technology that holds the key to Intel's future as a force in the mobile world.

What is SoFIA?

Announced last December, SoFIA is a new mobile chip that's set to debut at the end of this year. Designed for budget smartphones, SoFIA is set to give Qualcomm and Mediatek a run for their money in this rapidly growing part of the market.

Intel has packed a dual-core Atom Silvermont processor into a 28nm system-on-chip (SoC) design that also crams in a 3G modem. An LTE 4G quad-core version will appear at a later stage. Intel declined to reveal more about performance at this point, saying only it expects it to be on par with current offerings from its competitors.

"Dual-core" should mean basic smartphone functionality and a reasonable user experience, but Intel is surprisingly bullish on how much a phone powered by SoFIA will cost. A spokesperson told CNET that "Intel's SoFIA could pave the way for smartphones costing as little as $50 in Indonesia and other emerging markets."

Intel is apparently still in discussion with its phone-making customers and declined to reveal any names. We do know that earlier this year at Mobile World Congress, Intel announced agreements with Lenovo, Dell, and Foxconn, while Asus is already churning out Intel-powered phones and tablets. It's no great leap to guess where we can expect the first SoFIA-powered handsets to come from.

SoFIA's beginnings

While the idea originated at Intel, it was the former Infineon team in Singapore that got the ball rolling.

The final concept of SoFIA, however, was solidified away from the hustle and bustle of Singapore's city, at a small beach resort. Loh said the location was "free of distractions" for the team as they worked on nailing down the design.

The end result was the foundation of the new SoC, and a plan for Intel's renewed assault on the mobile market.

Why SoFIA?

Integration is key to SoFIA, Intel says, specifically to reduce costs. SoFIA integrates the 3G modem and the processor, although other wireless features such as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi would be on other chips. This means phone makers can choose which parts to include or exclude to match their budget.

Integrating everything into a single chip is possible, but one reason this wasn't done is time. "The RF technology actually has a longer lead time to integrate. If you try to integrate everything, your time to market will be challenging," says Loh.

Instead of taking the "super smartphones" approach, which Loh calls a "beauty contest" where the most powerful phone wins, Intel's philosophy is that SoFIA should be "good enough to fulfil the user experience."

"In this segment, the performance is tied to the user's need and you're not going to see 4K 5-inch displays," he added.

What SoFIA means for Intel

Interestingly, SoFIA isn't made at the company's own foundries. Instead, Intel will have Taiwanese foundry TSMC making the initial wafers to "speed time to market." The company has plans to bring manufacturing back in-house in the future.

Furthermore, there are plans to transition to a 14nm design next year. This will give it a lead over the competition when it does, especially in power efficiency. Rival Qualcomm's plans for a similarly sized 14nm chip have not been confirmed -- though rumors persist of the company's plan to engage Samsung for trial runs. Given the timelines, it's very possible Qualcomm will have 14nm chips in 2015 as well.

In the meantime, Qualcomm will have the lead with its upcoming 20nm chips, but these are meant for higher-end devices than SoFIA's target segment. While the average consumer won't much care, the effects trickle down in the form of more performance, even at a low price.

Intel still has plenty to do to catch up. The company is far behind its competition, according to IDC data, with less than 1 percent of smartphones sold in the first quarter of 2014 running Intel chips. SoFIA, when it's finally available, won't be a game changer overnight.

"It's not even about giving Intel an edge; it's about just keeping them in the ballgame in the first place," said IDC analyst Bryan Ma. "They still need some time before moving SoFIA to 4G, and in the meantime, competitors like Qualcomm and MediaTek are still expected to drive the bulk of the smartphone market.

"In my opinion SoFIA is a necessary move for Intel, and in fact is encouraging evidence of the 'new' Intel way of thinking: being much more flexible (and in turn, faster) rather than insisting on having everything done completely on Intel technology," Ma added.

The future of Intel in Asia

Intel isn't just looking to its Singapore lab for new ideas. According to an Intel spokesperson, the company's factory in the nearby Malaysian city of Penang is the birthplace of many of the smartphone and tablet reference prototypes it's working on.

Whether or not Intel's bet on SoFIA pays off, it shows the company is looking to Asia for more than just hardware partnerships. Given Intel's reputation as the behemoth of the semiconductor business, even current heavyweights of the mobile industry will be smart to have a plan in place for when SoFIA makes its presence felt.

Smart shoes vibrate you in the right direction using Google Maps

Lechal shoes and insoles work with Google Maps on your phone to buzz your feet when it's time to turn.

These shoes and insoles have a brain.

When you're out running, walking, or biking, it's inconvenient and potentially hazardous to keep your eyes glued to the map on your phone. Imagine if your shoes told you which way to go without you ever having to take your eyes off the road or sidewalk. That's the idea behind the Lechal smart shoes and insoles from Ducere Technologies.

The shoes sync over Bluetooth to an app that pulls your path from Google Maps. The shoes buzz to tell you which direction to turn. A buzzing right shoe means to hang a right. A buzzing left shoe means to go the other way. The shoes were originally designed to help people with visual impairments navigate more effectively, but the company's founders soon realized there could be a much wider market.

Potential uses for the Lechal go beyond just getting somewhere. They can also be used to send proximity alerts to phones, notifying tourists of interesting landmarks nearby. The footwear will alert you should you accidentally try to leave your phone behind so you don't get stuck out in the middle of nowhere. The shoes also aspire to work as a wearable fitness monitor, tracking steps and calories burned.

Interested buyers can sign up to be notified when preorders start. The shoes are expected to cost around $135/£80/AU$144 (a price that's in keeping with a high-end pair of athletic shoes) and ship this September. Ducere Technologies says sales to the general public will help subsidize Lechal footwear for the visually impaired.Keeping the insoles and shoes juiced up requires slipping a rechargeable battery into the very back of the insole or behind the heel of the shoes. The charger itself is kind of fancy. Dubbed "the world's first interactive charger," it's designed to give audio feedback as to its charging levels when you snap your fingers.

Article by Amanda Kooser