How to take care of Smartphone in Monsoon

You can't leave a gadget at home just because it is raining outside. But how do you stay connected and at the same time protect your gadgets during India's rather long monsoon?


SMARTPHONES

Since the phone is with you 24x7 they stand the highest risk of getting wet. Even if you are using a good cover to protect it from dust and scratches, it won't be good enough to stop the water from getting in. All smartphones have multiple ports through which water can seep in and damage the circuit board. 

You can get over this problem by buying covers like the Capedase for iPhone that come with plugs for these ports. There are also special covers that protect the phone from water damage, like the Grifiin Survivor Case. Such options are available for all smartphones, though at a cost. Prices start from Rs 1,500.

Dry Case for smartphones: Rs 2,699

This is a crystal waterproof case for smartphones and portable music players that offers full functionality. You can suck out all air with a hand pump provided in the kit.

TIPS:

A Bluetooth headset is made for these conditions. Keep your phone safe in the bag inside a zip pouch and continue to answer calls on the handsfree.

Want To Switch From IPhone To Android? New Google Drive Update Will Make It Smooth

Google is pushing aggressively, to make the switch from iPhone to Android as easy as possible. Ever since Google released its Pixel smartphones, they are now a direct, face- to- face competitor with Apple. It is really evident from Google’s Switch to Android guide for iPhone users.

Now, with an upcoming update, Google plan to make the transition as worry free as possible. Google is adding a new feature to Google Drive app for iOS that will back up your important data from iPhone to the Google Drive. And once you switch to an android phone, whether its Pixel or Galaxy, these data will be automatically available as you set your phone up.

The feature will back up your contacts, calendar and camera roll. This is considered to be Google’s answer to a similar effort Apple made with iCloud on Android to help out people make the switch to iPhones. However, Google drive cannot yet back up your text messages or music from iPhones. You can access these feature under the Backup tab in Google Drive for iOS.

Xiaomi Mi6 In Developement: Company Asks for Specs Via Poll

Recently, Xiaomi launched Mi Note 2 and kind of Bezelless device, Mi Mix at an event in China. Earlier, we were waiting global launch of Mi NOte 2, but recently a Xiaomi Official has stated that it will remain exclusive for China.

It’s been 6 months since the launch of the Mi 5 in the Global market. After that no other Xiaomi Device has been launched at such a GLobal scale. Now all eyes are on Mi 6. Xiaomi has started development for the same and they are asking for the suggestions via poll about what they want in the Mi 6.

They have given 3 options and here they are as follows:

First on the list is a Snapdragon 8xx-powered model with a 20-megapixel camera, 4 GB RAM, 32 GB storage and a ‘light metal body’. The second device would offer dual cameras with OIS, 4 gigs of RAM and 64 GB storage in a ‘curved glass body’, but it would be powered by a Snapdragon 65x SoC instead. The last option suggests another Snapdragon 65x-powered effort that would again included dual cameras, but no OIS. There would, however, be 6 GB RAM, 64 GB storage and a light metal body like the proposed Snapdragon 8xx model.

Well, If we see Mi 5 launch date, than we can expect the Mi 6 at the same time around February march launch.

Flipkart Aims 30% More Reach With Big Billion Days 2016

The biggest online shopping festival is launching as Amazon, Flipkart, Snapdeal and other key online marketplaces are upping the ante for their annual sale events. One of the major events is Flipkart’s ‘The Big Billion Days’ (BBD) that launches on 2nd October and concludes on 6th October.

As a concept, Big Billion Day was launched in 2014 as a one day sale initiative across categories. But over time, it has moved to a 5-day long full-fledged sale event with different categories opening on different days.

As opposed to The Big Billion Days 2015, which was an ‘App only’ sale, this year the sale is being extended across all platforms - App, website and m-site. To re-establish its connect this year with the users, Flipkart has announced the rollout of an integrated campaign that is one of the largest marketing initiatives being undertaken by the company this year.

Flipkart, which is aiming to grow its customer base as it launches its largest marketing campaign this year, recently said that it crossed 100-million registered users. “We aim to get 30% more reach this year with our campaign for Big Billion Days and will spend more than 20% of our budgets on digital channels to do this,” said Samardeep Subandh, Chief Marketing Officer at Flipkart.

As part of the marketing exercise, Flipkart has rolled out a series of videos that will attempt to inform the consumers that it is not just another sale event but the ‘Sale Event’ of the year. The key message that is derived from the campaign sums up the entire event - “ITNE mein ITNAAAA milega”. It communicates that no matter what one’s budget is, BBD increases its value with the unbeatable offers it has across categories. So staying within budget, one can upgrade or buy more and not let the budget dictate one’s shopping aspirations.

Conceptualized and executed by Lowe Lintas Bangalore, the brief shared to the agency was to land the fact that BBD is not just another sale event but rather it is the ‘Sale Event’ in India. To cut across the clutter and differentiate itself, Flipkart opted to use kids and show them in witty yet real situations.

Highlighting the creative thought-process behind the campaign, Arun Iyer, Chief Creative Officer, Lowe Lintas said, “Like most important events, The Big Billion Days have come to be an important event in the Indian context. These are the days when consumers unleash their inhibitions and go on a shopping spree with much gusto. The campaign thought ‘ITNE mein ITNAAAA milega’ is a colloquial expression that captures how Indians like it when they receive something extra by paying a small sum. This thought has been captured well by the kids that act as orchestrators of the message. It was an exciting campaign to work on, and we hope consumers like it as much.”

iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus Pre-Orders Open on Amazon, Flipkart

Apple's iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus have gone up for pre-orders via Amazon India and Flipkar. The latest iPhone models come in 5 colours including Jet Black and Black, with Apple having revealed the India prices for the entire iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus lineup earlier, alongside the shipping date of October 7. Both Amazon and Flipkart have dedicated pages for pre-orders.

The iPhone 7 will start at Rs. 60,000 for the 32GB variant. The iPhone 7 Plus will start at Rs. 72,000 for the same storage capacity. The 128GB and 256GB variants of the iPhone 7 will be priced at Rs. 70,000 and Rs. 80,000 respectively, while the iPhone 7 Plus will priced at Rs. 82,000 and Rs. 92,000 for the corresponding storage capacities.

Both Amazon India and Flipkart have unveiled pre-order offers for the smartphones. On Amazon, the company has detailed exchange offers along with a full list of eligible phones. Those who use the exchange offer will get additional cashback worth Rs. 4,000 in the form of an Amazon Gift Card. The company has also unveiled a 'no cost EMI' option, and those that opt for this will get cashback up to Rs. 8,000 as an Amazon Gift Card.

Customers who pre-order the smartphones on Amazon and sign-up for a 1-year Amazon Prime membership get a Rs. 500 Amazon Gift Card. Another offer (which lasts till October 14) for iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus buyers who download and sign into the Kindle app will get 80 percent off on Kindle eBooks (up to a maximum of Rs. 1,000 Kindle store credit).  The same offer extends from October 15 to October 30, but the maximum store credit will be reduced to Rs. 300. The company has also detailed that the recently unveiled 1+9GB Vodafone offer for new 4G handsets is applicable as well.

As for Flipkart, the company is detailing an exchange offer that can give a discount of up to Rs. 24,500 on the price of the smartphones. Those who use Citibank credit cards will get cashback up to Rs. 10,000.

The new iPhone 7 series sports a refreshed design and the rear antenna bands have been redesigned to make them less prominent than before. Both the phones feature a brand new home button that uses Taptic vibrations to simulate a physical tap. The iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus also come with IP67 water and dust resistance.

New Nokia smartphones confirmed for Q4 2016

Industry rumblings are pointing towards a bit of a Nokia revival in the not too distant future, with the the company’s marketing chief recently insisting that Nokia will “rise again”. Now, Nokia executive Mike Wang, president of the joint management team in China, has confirmed that 3 or perhaps 4 new Nokia-branded Android devices are set to be unveil in the fourth quarter of 2016. These devices will be split between new smartphone and tablet launches.

While the company expects to make an announcement or two before the end of 2016, the actual launch could be pushed back into early 2017, depending on testing and development. HMD, the Finnish company made up of ex-Nokia and ex-Microsoft employees that snagged the licensing rights to the brand earlier this year, will be the ones designing these new Nokia handsets, which will then be manufactured by Foxconn.

The company didn’t spill any details about the specifications of its upcoming smartphones and tablets, nor their targeted price points. However, a rumor that appeared earlier in the year suggests that Nokia is planning two premium phones, which will be powered by Android 7.0 Nougat. The Nokia smartphones are reported to feature 5.2 and 5.5-inch QHD OLED displays, a Snapdragon 820 processor, a 22.6MP camera, and a metal body with water and dust resistance.

Along with high-end smartphones, HMD is expected to unveil two new Nokia feature phones in the next 6 months. Nokia also completed a $191 million acquisition of Withings in May, opening up an avenue into the connected halth market. Clearly Nokia is working to get itself back into the smartphone game, but are you excited to see what the company has to offer after all this time?

Nokia to be back with two new Android smartphones

Following up on its plans to license its brand name and start selling smartphones, Nokia is all set for a comeback to the markets with the release of two new Android smartphones this year. According to a report on MyDrivers, a Chinese tech website, Nokia is working on two Android based smartphones.

okia’s smartphones are to be manufactured by HMD Global, which now holds license to sell Nokia branded smartphones for the next 10 years. Another report by GizmoChina says that the two phones are expected to be flagship devices with Nokia’s trademark design language.

There are a lot of leaked photos which making rounds on the internet that claim that two smartphones are likely to feature 5.2-inch and 5.5-inch displays. The report says both the devices will sport OLED display with Quad HD resolution.

Nokia smartphones will be powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon and will be running on Android Nougat. As Android N official launch is likely to happen in October, it is expected that Nokia phones will debut only after the Nexus launch.

Nokia sold its mobile phone business to Microsoft in 2014 after bearing losses in previous years. Under the agreement, it was excluded from bringing out its phones and tablets till 2015 end. So it is expected the company will come with Nokia devices this year.

Moto G4 and G4 Plus Review

Three years ago, Motorola gave smartphone shoppers an affordable new budget option in the form of the first-gen Moto G. In the years since, we've seen the Moto G really grow up, in more ways than one. Not only has the Moto G grown from a 4.5-incher to its current 5.5-inch screen size, but it's also become a more and more capable handset, and one delivering an ever-growing number of configuration options.

That's more true than ever in 2016 with the arrival of the Moto G4 family, offering three distinct base models, including the Moto G4 Plus, which pushes the limit with some flagship-caliber specs like 4GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, laser-assisted auto-focus, and a fingerprint scanner. While it's always nice to see a manufacturer making its phones more capable, has the Moto G lost some of its mid-range underdog charm along the way?

We've been spending some time with two of the three new Moto G4 models, the standard Moto G4 itself and the higher-end Moto G4 Plus, in the interest of finding out. Is this family still a smart choice for smartphone shoppers looking to keep costs low? Is it worth splurging on the Plus model's upgrades? Read on to find out.

In the box:

Moto G4 (Plus)
Micro USB cable
TurboPower charging adapter
Introductory guide
Safety notice

The Moto G4 and Moto G4 Plus are two phones cut from the same cloth, with nearly identical appearance. Both phones represent a significant departure from last year's Moto G design, dropping the speaker underneath the display and instead moving it up top to the earpiece, and revamping the rear dimple/camera layout: while the iconic Motorola dimple is back, this time it's a part of the removable back panel itself, and lives separate from the camera assembly above it.

That removable back panel may allow for some after-market Moto G4 customization, but the real action takes place before you even get the phone out of its box. Motorola's Moto Maker online tool allows shoppers to personalize their handsets with options for alternate front bezel colors, camera accents, and yes – even the back panel (which you can also get engraved with a short message). It would have been nice for those back panels to feature a range of material options in addition to the all colors currently available, but for a budget phone the variety available isn't bad at all.

While the Moto G4 is far from alone in the 5.5-inch space, there's something about Motorola's design that makes these handsets feel slightly larger than most – and if we were forced to try and pin that down, the big, round curves around the handsets' edge may have a lot to do with that. Despite their size, these phones feel seriously light, and we almost wish they came in a little more substantial than they do with their shared 155g mass.

Motorola's clear that neither G4 is waterproof nor intended to be submerged, but the phones still get a water-repellant nano-coating to help keep them functional through the occasional light splash – just don't go nuts.

Xiaomi is giving away smartphones for Re 1 to celebrate it's two-year anniversary in July

The company is hosting special flash sales between July 20 to 22, with amazing offers and disscounts up for grabs.

To commemorate it’s two-year anniversary in India, Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi is hosting a festival celebration This month. From July 20 to 22, the company will offering some crazy flash sale deals, slashed prices, as well as completely new items.

The biggest event of the festival are the special flash sales on all three days. Fans will be able to purchase Xiaomi devices for just Rs 1. July 20 will see the Mi5 and the 20000mAh Mi power bank on sale, July 21 will have the Redmi Note 3 and Mi Band, and July 22 will host the Mi Max and Mi Bluetooth Speaker. All you have to do to participate is share the post on Facebook by July 19, and then be ready on the Xiaomi website at 2pm. Be sure to keep your adrenaline running high, because only a very limited number of devices are up for grabs.


In addition, Xiaomi is also adding some new items to the roster, at 10am from July 20 to 22. The 10000mAh Mi Power Bank for Rs 1,299, Mi Capsule Headphones for Rs 999, and Mi In-Ear Headphones Pro Gold for Rs 1,799 will all make an appearance. You can also catch some special offers on other devices, exclusively on the Xiaomi app. The Mi 5 Gold will be available with free Mi In-Ear Headphones Pro Gold for Rs 24,999, the Mi Max with a phone case for Rs 15,248, Redmi Note 3 with a phone case for Rs 10,198, Mi 4i with Mi USB Cable and Mi USB Fan for Rs 11,999, and more will be available.

Xiaomi is also offering up free smartphones for people that play the match game on its website, so make sure you give it a whirl; you might end up being a lucky contestant.

Samsung Galaxy Note 5 is popular globally.

Samsung Galaxy Note 5 was the most popular smartphone globally in the first half of 2016.

Xiaomi's budget smartphone Redmi Note 3 has emerged as the most popular smartphone in India, Samsung Galaxy Note 5 is popular globally.

Antutu, the popular mobile benchmarking app has announced its list of popular smartphones. According to the release, Samsung Galaxy Note 5 is the most popular smartphone globally, while Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 ruled the popularity index in India and China.

Samsung dominated the list of Top 10 popular smartphones in the world with six of its devices in the list. Samsung Galaxy Note 5 was followed by Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 edge, Galaxy S7. Samsung Galaxy S7 edge was the sixth most popular device.

Samsung recently reported significant profit growth on the back of Galaxy S7 sales. The Korean smartphone giant is set to launch next Galaxy Note smartphone on August 2.

While Samsung topped the list, the surprise element was Xiaomi Redmi Note 3. Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 3 was the fifth popular Android device, and was the most popular device in India, China, Hong Kong, Russia, Vietnam and Russia.

Antutu uses its benchmark data to rate the devices. The popularity rating is for the first half of 2016. Antutu is currently the most popular benchmarking tool used by both enthusiasts as well as average user.

View Spefications and Buy from Flipkart Click Below :
SAMSUNG Galaxy Note 5

Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 is the most popular smartphone in India and China

Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 was the most popular smartphone in most Asian countries in the first half of 2016.

Antutu, the popular mobile benchmarking app has announced its list of popular smartphones.

According to the release, Samsung Galaxy Note 5 is the most popular smartphone globally, while Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 ruled the popularity index in India and China.

the surprise element was Xiaomi Redmi Note 3. Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 3, was the most popular device in India, China, Hong Kong, Russia, Vietnam and Russia.

Antutu uses its benchmark data to rate the devices. The popularity rating is for the first half of 2016. Antutu is currently the most popular benchmarking tool used by both enthusiasts as well as average user.

According to Antutu, India seems to be in awe of Chinese smartphones. While Xiaomi topped the popularity list with 12.45 per cent, OnePlus 2 was the second most popular with 7.7 percent.

Chinese internet ecosystem company, LeEco (formerly known as Letv) which entered India last year with Le 1s and Le Max smartphones seems to have gained good following among Indian smartphone users. The company’s budget smartphone, Le 1s was the third most popular smartphone.

Micromax and Intex which hold the largest share among smartphone users in India could not make it to the list. However, Antutu notes that Micromax’s Yu brand is well received in India.

View Spefications and Buy from Flipkart Click Below :

Redmi Note 3

Asus is bringing Marshmallow to ZenFone Zoom and ZenFone Selfie

As far as Android 6.0 Marshmallow updates go, Asus is a laggard. Eight months after Marshmallow was released, Asus only rolled out the update to two of its phones – the ZenFone Laser, in May, and the ZenFone Max in early June. In contrast, Samsung, LG, or even HTC have updates out for a ton of their devices.

Better late than never, Asus is now bringing Marshmallow to the ZenFone Zoom and the ZenFone Selfie.

The updates are described on Asus’ ZenTalk forums(ZenFone Zoom and ZenFone Selfie), though the “changelog” is largely just a list of apps that Asus had decided to remove from the devices.

The ZenFone Zoom will lose Asus Backup, Google Play Books, Games, and Newsstand, Google+, and ZenFlash. You can still get these apps from the Play Store, if you wish. Factory-resetting the device will rid you of Asus Email, Asus Calendar, Asus Messaging, Asus Browser and Asus Music. Asus points you to Google’s homologous apps for alternatives.

The list of bloatware coming off the ZenFone Selfie after the update is even longer, and includes apps like Mirror, Omlet, and Dr. Eye. Just from their names, it doesn’t sound like you’ll lose much with the update.

We have a full listing of Marshmallow features here, but highlights include Google Now on Tap, Doze mode for improved battery life, and the granular permission model that gives you control over exactly what apps can access on your phone.

Now a smartphone app to manage your privacy preferences

The privacy assistant app can learn the user's preferences and quickly recommend the most appropriate settings, such as with which app to share the user's location, or contact list.

In the field test, people accepted almost 80 per cent of the recommendations made by the privacy assistant and indicated they were more comfortable with their privacy settings than without it.

Researchers are developing a personalised privacy assistant app that can simplify the task of setting permissions for your smartphone applications.

That is a job that requires well over a hundred decisions, an unmanageable number for the typical user, researchers from Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) in the US said. The privacy assistant can learn the user’s preferences and quickly recommend the most appropriate settings, such as with which app to share the user’s location, or contact list.

Google could be building its own smartphones and smartwatches

After a first PC (Chromebook Pixel) and a tablet (Pixel C), Google reportedly has its own smartphones and smartwatches in the pipeline, optimised for use with the web-search giant’s mobile operating systems.

The Telegraph reports that Google could be gearing up to release its own smartphone by the end of 2016. Until now, Google has relied on its Nexus devices — manufactured in collaboration with various tech firms — as a means of releasing products that get the best out of the latest version of Android.

Now, the firm apparently wants to go it alone with handsets manufactured in-house and under its own name, optimised for use with its mobile OS — starting with Android Nougat, due Autumn 2016. That said, two new Nexus devices built by HTC are also scheduled to land in autumn 2016.

Modular mobiles use interchangeable “blocks” to boost performances or replace faulty parts. The smartphone could come with six modules (extra screen, camera, memory, speaker, etc.), with the main display, processor and RAM all housed in the phone’s unmodifiable main block. A developers’ kit is due out in the autumn before commercial release expected in 2017.

A pair of smartwatches in the pipeline

According to the specialist website, Android Police, Google may also be working on two watches featuring Google Assistant, an even more intelligent version of Google Now. These would be optimised to run Google’s wearables operating system, Android Wear 2.0.
Google is reportedly working on two models — one relatively basic, low-cost watch, and a more high-tech model with more features (4G, GPS, heart-rate monitor, etc.) and boosted battery life. These are said to go by the codenames Swordfish and Angelfish.
These products — if they really exist — could be unveiled at a specially dedicated event in the autumn.

Google Now on Tap update adds app translation, barcode/QR scanner, and more

Building on a new text selection and search feature introduced last month, an update to Now on Tap adds the ability to translate foreign languages found in any app. On Tap can now also read QR and bar codes, as well as suggest interesting articles and videos as part of a new Discover feature.

The new translate feature works from any app or webpage. Activating Now on Tap on a screen that contains a sizable amount of foreign language will bring up a “Translate this screen” card followed by what language is being translated. The Google app will then pop up the translated page in a new window.

Unfortunately (but understandably), only the contents of that immediate screenshot are translated and not the rest of the page. The translate feature is currently available for phones with the language set to English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Portuguese, and Russian, but it can translate several more languages, including Japanese.

Last month’s update added the ability to officially use Now on Tap in the camera app to search for famous landmarks. On Tap can now recognize bar codes on packaged products and QR codes. Finally, this update adds a “Discover more…’ card for certain topics. Tapping it will bring a stream of articles and videos so that you can learn more of a topic.

As with other Now on Tap updates, the new features are enabled server-side and already showing up for many users.

New sensors will let smartphones detect toxic gases

MIT researchers have developed new low-cost chemical sensors that can enable smartphones or other wireless devices to detect trace amounts of toxic gases.

Using the sensors, researchers hope to design lightweight, inexpensive radio-frequency identification (RFID) badges to be used for personal safety and security.

Such badges could be worn by soldiers on the battlefield to rapidly detect the presence of chemical weapons – such as nerve gas or choking agents – and by people who work around hazardous chemicals prone to leakage, researchers said.

“Soldiers have all this extra equipment that ends up weighing way too much and they cannot sustain it,” said Timothy Swager from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the US.

Oppo annonces new F series smartphone

     Oppo annonces new F series photo centric smartphone

 

 

 When choosing a smartphone, there are many factors to take into consideration, and its camera capabilities are one of them. After all, what’s the point of having such a powerful phone with a large display and a high resolution, if your camera is terrible at taking photos? Unless of course photography is low on your priorities, then that would be a different story.
The good news is that for smartphone photography enthusiasts, the folks at OPPO have recently announced that they are planning on launching a new mid-range series of smartphones that will be part of its F-series. According to OPPO, the F series of phones will be part of the company’s core products in 2016 and there will be a lot of attention paid to its camera quality and capabilities.
Unfortunately, at the moment it is unclear as to what kind of specs we might be able to expect, but the first handset of the lineup is said to be the OPPO F1 which should launch in a wide range of markets later this month, so we guess we’ll just have to wait and see what kind of photo-centric specs we might expect.

According to OPPO’s VP and Managing Director of International Mobile Business, Sky Li, “We are very excited to introduce the F series, which will allow an even wider range of users from all around the world to experience OPPO’s outstanding photography technology.”

Must have software for your laptop

             Must have software for your laptop

 Antivirus Software:- Download an antivirus software as soon as your PC is setup with the basic applications. There are some free antivirus software like... AVG – http://free.avg.com AVAST – http://www.avast.com/free-antivirus- download. Although they are free, both software work well to protect your laptop from viruses and they constantly update their software so you are guaranteed upmost protection...

Download Manager:- Download manager is a program that allows you to download programs and date from the internet. You can download several files at once and allows you to resume downloads if you get disconnected halfway. A free but good one:- FlashGet – http://www.flashget.com...

Microsoft Office/Open Office:- You need definitely need a word processor, spreadsheet and a presentation software. The most used one is Microsoft Office. There is a free version called OpenOffice that performs almost the same function and is compatible with most Microsoft’s Office. Download it at http://www.openoffice.org. Open Office is good enough for every day tasks, unless you need to send and receive important documents to companies/clients...

Compression Software:- This software will help to compress one or more files into a smaller file so you save space and shorten the time to upload and download the files. The 3 top free software:- 7-Zip – http://www.7-zip.org. IZArc – http://www.izarc.org/download.html PeaZip – http://peazip.org...

Backup Software:- One of the most important things you need to do regularly is backing up your laptop. If your hard disk crashes or is damaged, then you have a good chance of losing your data. It will take you a whole day to install all applications and applying the latest updates from the internet when you install your laptop from scratch. You can save a lot of time by using backup software so that you can retrieve important data.
Backup Software These are some of the few good and free backup software in the market:- Backup Maker – https://www.ascomp.de FBackup – http://www.fbackup.com Genie Timeline Free Edition – http://www.genie9.com/free_products/free_timelin e.aspx Toucan – http://portableapps.com/apps/utilities/toucan...

Mirroring Software:- An essential software though rarely use. It makes a mirror image of your entire hard disk so that if you want to reinstall your PC, you can do it by restoring the mirror image. A free mirroring software:- Macrium Reflect – http://www.macrium.com/reflectfree.aspx. Create the mirror image of your hard disk only after you have installed all the basic software for your laptop and store it onto DVDs. Whenever you want to reinstall your PC you can do so within an hour or so by using the software...

Xiaomi- Smartphone maker

Xiaomi- the dark horse in smartphone industry

Xiaomi Inc.

It is a privately owned Chinese electronics company headquartered in Beijing, China. It is the world's 4th largest smartphone maker. Xiaomi designs, develops, and sells

smartphones , mobile apps, and related

consumer electronics.

Since the release of its first smartphone in August 2011, Xiaomi has gained market share in mainland China and expanded into developing a wider range of consumer electronics, including a smart home device ecosystem. The company's founder and CEO is Lei Jun , China's 23rd richest person according to Forbes. The company sold over 60 million smartphones in 2014.

The company has over 8,000 employees, mainly in mainland China, Malaysia , and Singapore , and is expanding to other countries such as

India, Indonesia , the Philippines and Brazil .

According to IDC, Xiaomi is now the third largest smartphone maker in the world followed by Lenovo and LG at fourth and fifth place respectively. Samsung remains at the first place despite declining shipment volume, followed by

Apple Inc. at second place. Xiaomi also became the largest smartphone vendor in China in 2014, having overtaken Samsung, according to an IDC report.

At the end of December 2014, Xiaomi became the world’s most valuable technology start-up after it received US$1.1 billion funding from investors, making Xiaomi's valuation more than US$46 billion.

Xiaomi entered the Indian market in July 2014 and since then has expanded rapidly in India. Earlier, Xiaomi used to sell exclusively on Flipkart until announced its partnership with both Amazon.com and

Snapdeal on April 7, 2015. This is seen as a bid by the smartphone manufacturer to expand its retail base in India. It has also teamed up with Airtel Store and The Mobile Store to sell some of its selected devices. Later, in Q1 2015, it started its own store and also stopped selling its accessories to Flipkart and other online stores. On its first anniversary in India , it launched its own Mi Store App. On August 11, 2015, it started its first factory in Sricity , Andhra Pradesh in a partnership with Foxconn .

Wal-Mart to offer Smartphone payments in stores

           Wal-Mart to offer Smartphone payments in stores

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is planning to offer its own way for shoppers to pay with their smartphones in its stores, setting itself up as a competitor to Apple Inc. and other companies that already have rolled out mobile-payment technologies.

The retail behemoth is adding a feature to its existing mobile app so consumers can pay at the register with any payment information stored in their Walmart.com account, including gift cards, debit cards or credit cards. The retailer plans to release the payment capability to its 4,600 U.S. stores in the first half of next year, company executives said on Wednesday.

By getting into mobile-payment technology, Wal-Mart will go up against Internet and technology giants like Apple, Samsung Electronics Co. and Alphabet Inc.’s Google which have rolled out their own products to facilitate a shift away from cash and credit cards. It isn’t the first retailer to try its hand in this area. Starbucks Corp. created a payment app build around its loyalty program that allows coffee buyers to pay with their phones in stores while earning points toward free coffee.

But like many large retailers, Wal-Mart has been slow to adopt technology that allows shoppers to pay with phones in stores, in part because not many consumers are rushing to move away from credit and debit cards. Wal-Mart never enabled the register NFC technology needed to use Apple Pay and similar systems for payment.

Daniel Eckert, Wal-Mart’s head of services for the U.S., said the retailer decided to build its own payment system because the other options either only work on particular smartphones or only allow users to pay with a select group of credit or debit cards.

Wal-Mart wanted to create something “that allows customers to use any credit, debit, prepaid card, just as they would normally do if it were plastic,” said Mr. Eckert. About 75% of Wal-Mart shoppers own a smartphone, he said.

With the new system called Walmart Pay, shoppers use Wal-Mart’s app and camera feature to scan a QR code at the register which then connects to the payment cards on file in their Walmart.com accounts. App users also can pay for part of their purchase with cash when using the mobile system.

Wal-Mart’s offering marks a definitive move away from the Merchant Customer Exchange, or MCX, a band of retailers and restaurants that joined together in 2012 to build a mobile payment technology called CurrentC that would help them sidestep the billions of dollars spent on credit-card payments each year. MCX started testing CurrentC in some Columbus, Ohio, retail locations including Target Corp. earlier this year.

Mr. Eckert said the retailer remains committed to MCX and the CurrentC app, and said in the future, Wal-Mart’s app could integrate other mobile payment systems like CurrentC and Apple Pay as a form of payment as it does now with credit cards.

Other retailers have made moves to accept pre-existing mobile-payment options. In August, Rite Aid Corp. started accepting Apple Pay and Google’s Android Pay. Earlier this year Best Buy Co. also started accepting Apple Pay in stores. Target continues “to explore additional mobile wallet solutions,” in addition to its CurrentC test, a spokesman for Target said.