Researchers develop method to wirelessly charge several cellphones simultaneously

By IANS /  18 Feb 2017 , 12:47

If you thought wireless charging in smartphones was a new thing, you are mistaken as researchers have found a new method to power devices without connecting them to cords.

The new method developed by Disney Research, published in the journal PLOS ONE, for wirelessly transmitting power throughout a room enables users to charge electronic devices as seamlessly as they now connect to WiFi hotspots.

The researchers demonstrated their method, called quasistatic cavity resonance (QSCR), inside a specially built 16-by-16-foot room at their lab.

They safely generated near-field standing magnetic waves that filled the interior of the room, making it possible to power several cellphones, fans and lights simultaneously.

“This new innovative method will make it possible for electrical power to become as ubiquitous as WiFi,” said Alanson Sample, associate lab director and principal research scientist at Disney Research.

“This in turn could enable new applications for robots and other small mobile devices by eliminating the need to replace batteries and wires for charging,” added Sample.

According to Sample, wireless power transmission is a long-standing technological dream.

“In this work, we’ve demonstrated room-scale wireless power, but there’s no reason we couldn’t scale this down to the size of a toy chest or up to the size of a warehouse,” Sample noted.

The QSCR method involves inducing electrical currents in the metalised walls, floor and ceiling of a room, which in turn generate uniform magnetic fields that permeate the room’s interior.

This enables power to be transmitted efficiently to receiving coils that operate at the same resonant frequency as the magnetic fields.

The induced currents in the structure are channelled through discrete capacitors, which isolate potentially harmful electrical fields.

“Our simulations show we can transmit 1.9 kilowatts of power while meeting federal safety guidelines,” Chabalko said, adding that this was equivalent to simultaneously charging 320 smartphones.

Snapchat might be working on a 360-degree camera equipped Android phone: Report

Image Credits: Reuters

By IANS /  18 Feb 2017 , 12:43

Photo-sharing mobile service Snapchat is reportedly planning to launch an Android smartphone that will give consumers more control over the camera features.

“A California-based marketing firm has unveiled a concept handset equip with a 360-degree camera, buttons that let users scroll through filters and a one touch capture function for easy sharing,” Daily Mail reported.

The device might also inlcude a lock screen that allows users to easily swipe for Snapchat notifications and updates, messaging, and syncing with Spectacles. It may also pack Discover screen that combines GPS and maps, Snapchat Stories, and advertisements.

Earlier this year, Snap Inc., parent company Snapchat, has made its long-awaited initial public offering (IPO) filing public, seeking to raise up to $3 billion.

Snapchat aims to derive most of its revenue from advertising where it will compete against Google, Facebook and Twitter.

Snap Inc. has recently rolled out major changes in its app that will make it easier to navigate the app with a universal search bar that’s always accessible at the top of the app.

Snapchat is also introducing “Our Story” — a new global live story that any user can contribute to at any time.

Jharkhand and Microsoft sign MoU to leverage Cloud technology to drive digital ambitions

Image: Reuters

By IANS /  18 Feb 2017 , 10:19

Jharkhand on Friday signed an MoU with Microsoft India at the ‘Momentum Jharkhand: Global Investors Summit and Trade Exhibition’ to leverage Cloud technologies to drive the state’s digital ambitions.

“As per the MoU, Microsoft will support the state government to explore Cloud, machine learning and mobile-based solutions to improve citizen services and provide better facilities in the fields of education and agriculture,” a press release of the company said.

Jharkhand has been using an advanced IT infrastructure to provide citizen services and is aggressively driving technology-led programmes such as ‘Skill India’ and ‘Digital India’.

As per the Friday MoU, Microsoft will help the government access the best of Microsoft’s technology and expertise for the improvement of digital services to citizens and drive digital inclusion in the state.

Speaking on the occasion, Umesh Prasad Sah, IT Director at Department of IT and e-Governance of Jharkhand government, said, “Microsoft will work with Jharkhand government to support the development of Cloud and mobile-based solutions and support the use of machine-learning and advanced visualisation to help solve challenges in the fields of agriculture and education.”

Commenting on this association, Country General Manager at Microsoft India Sanjeev Gupta said, “Over the past year we have experimented with Cloud, mobile and machine learning based solutions for better citizen connect as well as to help students and farmers in India. We are happy to bring the power of Microsoft Cloud technologies, machine learning and data analytics to Jharkhand.”

“We look forward to supporting the Jharkhand government in its effort to enhance citizen services and drive digital inclusion,” he added.

Microsoft has been working closely with several state governments in India to support their digital infrastructure, enhance their citizen services and drive efficiencies in their administrative and governance operations.

Pokémon Go update brings new gameplay features as new Pokémon arrive

By tech2 News Staff /  17 Feb 2017 , 17:03

Yesterday we reported that Pokémon Go will be getting the highly awaited update that will bring new second generation Pokémon to the game. Well, the game has been updated to version 0.57.2 and new Pokémon from the Johto region have officialy started appearing.

The new update brings in a bunch of new features as well making the overall gaming experience slightly better. For instance pokéballs and berries can now be easily accessed when you encounter a Pokémon. Speaking of which, the two new berries have also started appearing when you spin the disc on a pokéstop. Nanan berry calms down the Pokémon making it less erratic while a Pinap berry can be used to get extra candy when you catch the Pokémon.

You can also change you avatar now with some new coloured accessories which is nice to see. Other changes include some changes in the gameplay music, better pokéball throw accuracy, more Pokémon movement when you try to catch them, and some bug fixes. Some special items have also been added to evolve certain Pokémon but they don’t seem to be available as of now or probably are and only appear on a few pokéstops.

As for the new Pokémon, we are seeing them spawn almost everywhere. For now we have managed to catch a few Chikorita, Marill, Sentret, Natu, Whopper and a bunch of others. As for the first generation, they still seem to be around for now.

Apple WWDC 2017 is set to be hosted from 5-9 June in San Jose, California

Image Credit: Apple

By tech2 News Staff /  17 Feb 2017 , 09:58

Apple has announced the dates for WWDC 2017 to host and celebrate the developer community. WWDC 2017 is set to start at 5 June and will go on till 9 June 2017 at McEnery Convention Center in San Jose. WWDC or World Wide Developers conference 2017 is its 28th annual conference where Apple will announce future Apple devices and software updates powering Apple products.

The main aim of the conference is to celebrate and host developers while releasing new and updated tools for the community to take leverage from while inspiring them to unleash their creativity in code. One interesting thing to note is that the new Apple headquarters in Cupertino is located just minutes away from WWDC 2017 venue thereby enabling developers easier access to about 1000 Apple engineers to interact with, share ideas or better understand the nuances in programming for Apple products.

Image Credit: Apple

The company will hold keynote address, get-togethers, sessions and labs for developers. Another significant thing the company is doing is to work with local businesses in San Jose to celebrate the return of WWDC. People who want to attend the conference can apply for tickets in coming weeks around Spring.

The entire event will be live-streamed through Apple Developer website and the WWDC app for Apple TV, iPhone and iPad.

We can expect details around the next major iPhone launch, the iPhone 8 or iPhone X or whatever Apple will choose to call its 10-year anniversary device, next big update to iOS and something regarding the Apple streaming service.

ZUK Edge II could be announced with a curved display and dual-camera setup

By tech2 News Staff /  16 Feb 2017 , 14:42

If you remember Lenovo’s sub-brand ZUK announced the ZUK Edge in China back in December. It has just been a couple of months and it seems that a successor to the smartphone is already in place, well atleast a special edition.

A few alleged images of the ZUK Edge II including a special edition dedicated to Luo Tianyi, a Vocaloid character popular in China, have emerged. As you can see the special edition comes in a distinctive blue shade while the regular Edge II could be offered in black. Also, this model actually has a curved display unlike the ZUK Edge which had a flat panel.

Underneath the display we don’t see any physical button but a faint LED light. At the back there are dual cameras arranged in a vertical layout, again something new for ZUK. There are no specifications or any other details about the handset and considering the ZUK Edge launched just two months back, we are a bit skeptical about this one.

The ZUK Edge came with the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 quad-core SoC clocked at 2.35GHz. There are two RAM variants 4GB and 6GB with 64GB of storage along with a microSD expansion slot. At the back there is a 13MP rear camera with a 1.34-micron pixel Samsung ISOCELL sensor, an f/2.2 aperture, PDAF+CAF hybrid autofocus, and a high-brightness flash.

There is an 8MP camera on the front with a 1.12-micron pixel sensor, and an f/2.2 aperture. It features a USB Type-C (v3.1) port and a unique under-glass U Touch fingerprint sensor that is said to unlock the phone under 0.09 seconds). It also packs in some unique features like a built-in blood oxygen heart rate sensor, a pneumatic altimeter and a UV light sensor. The smartphone runs on Android 7.0 Nougat with ZUI 2.5 on top. Connectivity options dual-SIM slots, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1, GPS/ A-GPS. On the battery front, you get a 3,100mAh unit with Quick Charge 3.0 support.

MWC 2017: The Huawei Honor 8 Pro with dual-camera might make its debut at the event this year

A leaked image of the Huawei Honor V9

By tech2 News Staff /  17 Feb 2017 , 08:45

Rumour has it that Huawei’s Honor 8 Pro will make its debut at the Mobile World Congress 2017 (MWC) event in Barcelona, Spain, this month.

The Honor 8 is available in India and globally. It’s pricing in India places it in direct competition with the OnePlus 3. The Honor 8 Pro is expected to be a premium variant of the existing Honor 8, reports Android Headlines.

The report also adds the that Honor 8 Pro is likely to be the Chinese Honor V9. The V9 was recently spotted on Chinese telecom certification site, TENAA.

The V9, and consequently the Honor 8 Pro, is expected to come with a 5.7-inch QHD display (2560 x 1440), offer 4GB or 6GB of RAM and 64GB or 128GB of storage. The SoC is expected to be a 2.4GHz octa-core unit, but its exact details are unknown. This is likely a variant of the MediaTek Helio architecture. The battery is thought to be a 3,900 mAh unit.

On the camera front we’re expecting to see a 12MP rear camera placed alongside a secondary 12MP camera. The details of the configuration of the cameras is unknown. Huawei’s earlier dual-camera phones, designed in partnership with Leica, placed a colour sensor alongside a dedicated black and white one to enhance image quality.

The front unit is expected to be an 8MP one.

Details of pricing, colours and availability are unknown at this time.