Rumor Roundup: HTC One M9, 12-Inch Retina MacBook Air and Smaller iPhones

Worldtechzone.Com

Mark L is back to tackle the biggest tech rumors of this week! On this week’s episode of Rumor Roundup, Mark talks about HTC readying its next flagship, the HTC One M9, with impressive specs like a Snapdragon 810 processor and a whopping 3GB of RAM and Apple finally releasing the long awaited 12-inch Retina MacBook Air.
Mark also talks about Apple rethinking its phone strategy by releasing a diminutive 4-inch iPhone alongside it’s traditional “s” iPhone updates. All this and more in this episode of Rumor Roundup!

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Ban lifted, OnePlus can sell the One in India once again

Have you ever heard the theory of winning a battle, but losing the war? A judge in India has lifted the sales ban on OnePlus One Android smartphones in India, but is it enough to ‘win the war?’
OnePlus experienced a major let down a short while ago when an agreement between Cyanogen and Micromax led to the ban of sales of the OnePlus One in India. Today’s decision does not fully overcome the problems for the OnePlus team and its customers, instead, we are seeing a temporary lift of the sales ban, and nothing more.
The decision to lift the ban comes from the opinion that fellow smartphone manufacturer Micromax, with its ‘exclusive right to use Cyanogen’s custom Android software’ within India, is not actually in competition with OnePlus in the market. Micromax primarily produces phones for the low end market, where OnePlus has been deemed to target the high end market.

What comes next, you ask? Well, everything will be kicked back to the original judge in a couple weeks, giving all parties some time to look over the situation. We have no idea as yet how things will go when it all lands back in court, where OnePlus will, again, need to try to convince the judge to let them continue sales in the country.
In terms of the ‘war,’ many will see this victory as too little to make a difference. OnePlus can sell the One in India now, however, even if the decision goes their way in a couple weeks, owners of the One will still not be receiving updates to their system – a continuation of the Micromax agreement, check out our initial coverage for more details.
These are tough times for OnePlus in India, do you think this victory will start the ball rolling for success in the country?

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Microsoft Dedicates New Site to People Switching From Mac to Windows

Microsoft has taken repeated shots at Apple’s MacBook lineup, and the Redmond company is taking its efforts even further with a dedicated site for those making the switch away from Cupertino. It’s unclear how successful Microsoft’s cause has been thus far, but it’s not hard to find an ad that takes issue with Apple’s famous laptop family. There’s been one ad in particular that is almost impossible to avoid, and Microsoft’s not stopping there.
The page setup by Microsoft isn’t actually meant for straight up comparisons. Instead, it assumes you’ve purchased (or plan to purchase) a Surface Pro 3 or Windows computer, and details what the process will be like making the switch over from OS X.
“We know moving these memories from one platform to another can be nerve-racking and learning new software can seem daunting,” the site explains. “We want to make the transition as easy as possible. If you currently have a Mac and have questions about switching to Surface Pro 3 and Windows, we designed this site to help get you started.”
Several links are then provided by Microsoft, including getting started with Windows, how to move stuff from a Mac to a Surface Pro 3, and using a Surface Pro 3 with an iPhone, iCloud and iTunes. It’s pretty much all the information you’ll ever need without needing to go directly into a Microsoft dedicated store. Follow Microsoft’s instructions, and the switch should be as painless as possible.
The timing is perfect with Christmas this week. If you just got a Surface Pro 3, or plan on making the switch from your MacBook Air in the near future, Microsoft’s new page is just for you.

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Samsung Galaxy Note Edge Launches With Good Screen at 64,900

Worldtechzone.Com

Samsung has today quietly launched the Galaxy Note Edge in India. The smartphone is priced at Rs 64,900 and will go on sale next month. The launch timeline is consistent with the report from earlier today.
The Galaxy Note Edge was unveiled alongside the Galaxy Note 4 at a pre-IFA event in Berlin. The talking point of the smartphone is its curved display that wraps around the right-hand side. As far as the specifications are concerned, it flaunts a 5.6-inch Super AMOLED display, but with QHD+ resolution, which adds an extra 160 pixels on the third side of the display.

Samsung has launched the Snapdragon variant of the Galaxy Note Edge, so essentially there is a 2.7GHz Snapdragon 805 quad-core processor inside, paired with Adreno 420 GPU and 3GB of RAM. The phablet also features 32GB internal storage, microSD card support, 16-megapixel rear camera with OIS, 3.7-megapixel front-facing camera, and a 3,000mAh battery.
Connectivity options include 4G LTE support, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and on the software front, it runs on Android 4.4.4 KitKat wrapped under Samsung’s TouchWiz UI.
“Samsung continues with its legacy of pioneering extraordinary innovations and setting new benchmarks in the mobile industry. The Galaxy Note Edge is a stunningly beautiful device equipped with a unique curved screen which not only makes the smartphone distinctive but also delivers a unique way to access information and optimizes functionality,” Asim Warsi, VP, Mobile & IT, Samsung India, said. “At Samsung, we relentlessly pursue customer-centric innovation and develop devices that enable consumers to express their unique style. The Galaxy Note Edge’s curved design will make the screen more meaningful to users in their everyday lives.”

Samsung has launched its Galaxy Note Edge in India. The Samsung Note Edge will be available from January first week at a price of Rs 64,900 in Charcoal Black and Frost White colours.
The Note Edge adds a curved screen extention to the Note 4. The rest of the device is the same, but the curved glass just gives it a new dimension by displaying news tickers from partners like Yahoo, or just showing your notifications or night clock in a more subtle manner.
- See more at: http://indianexpress.com/article/technology/mobile-tabs/samsung-galaxy-note-edge-with-curved-screen-arrives-at-rs-64900/#sthash.kYwSX9dw.dpuf

Samsung has launched its Galaxy Note Edge in India. The Samsung Note Edge will be available from January first week at a price of Rs 64,900 in Charcoal Black and Frost White colours.
The Note Edge adds a curved screen extention to the Note 4. The rest of the device is the same, but the curved glass just gives it a new dimension by displaying news tickers from partners like Yahoo, or just showing your notifications or night clock in a more subtle manner.
- See more at: http://indianexpress.com/article/technology/mobile-tabs/samsung-galaxy-note-edge-with-curved-screen-arrives-at-rs-64900/#sthash.kYwSX9dw.dpuf

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Snapchat Removes From Window Phones

Worldtechzone.Com

In lieu of growing security concerns in and around Snapchat, and more importantly, third-party apps serving as alternatives to the popular photo messaging application, Microsoft has taken the onus on itself to safeguard users' interests. Microsoft has taken all third party Snapchat apps off the Windows Phone store.

The move by Microsoft comes after Snapchat reportedly started blocking user accounts found to be accessing the service through third-party non-native apps.

Snapchat has been in the thick of things lately stemming from the fact that the service still has no official APIs for developers to issue. This has resulted in some privacy concerns with respect to the app after the gradual mushrooming of a large number of third-party apps.

Snapchat is currently available for the Android and iOS platforms. A native Snapchat app for the Windows operating system does not exist yet, something that is the soul harbinger of all the misery to Windows Phone users.     

Since official Snapchat apps are available on iOS and Android platforms users can easily remove third-party apps from their devices. The same doesn't hold true for Windows Phone users. Therefore, Microsoft had no option, but to take them all off from its official store.

One of the key advantages of Snapchat is that users' data (both text and images) is not stored for considerable period while using the service. However, the same cannot be said about third-party apps, hence the growing security concern.

Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/technology/story/all-third-party-snapchat-apps-removed-from-windows-phone-store/1/408131.html

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BlackBerry officially launches the Classic, a smartphone for yesterday

BlackBerry today announced the BlackBerry Classic, making official the smartphone that CEO John Chen has teased for the better part of a year. The Classic has a throwback look, as its name alludes, with a full QWERTY physical keyboard, physical navigation keys, and a nearly indistinguishable design from BlackBerry smartphones from years ago, such as the Bold. The Classic is significantly smaller than the Passport, which BlackBerry launched earlier this year, and is actually possible to use in one hand, unlike the gargantuan Passport. BlackBerry says this phone will appeal to those looking for the traditional BlackBerry experience that made those devices so popular so many years ago.

The Classic has a square, 720 x 720 pixel, 3.5-inch touchscreen perched above the keyboard and navigation keys. It's a bit smaller than the 4.5-inch screen on the Passport, and much smaller than the average smartphone's display, but it makes it possible to use the Classic in one hand and still have the physical QWERTY keyboard. The phone is powered by an aging dual-core Qualcomm processor from 2012 paired with 2GB of RAM. That likely won't cut it for modern mobile gaming, but it should be fine for plowing through thousands of emails a day, which is what BlackBerry expects Classic users to do. There's an 8-megapixel camera on the back of the phone, with a 2-megapixel unit on the front.

The Classic runs BlackBerry 10, which offers productivity tools like the Hub, Assistant, and Blend. It also can run Android apps, which are accessible through the Amazon Appstore that's preloaded on the device. BlackBerry diehards will be happy to know that the BrickBreaker game is also available on the Classic and can be played like it was on older BlackBerry smartphones.

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Rahul Mahajan to enter as fifth wild card entry in Bigg Boss Season 8

Se

ems like the makers of the controversial reality show ‘Bigg Boss’ are leaving no stone unturned to raise the TRP of the show. The audience will soon witness lots of twists and turns in the upcoming days.

Few days back, there were reports about show getting extended for a month and now here comes another big piece of news. If sources are too believed, Rahul Mahajan will enter Bigg Boss 8 as fifth wild card entrant.

According to a source, “The makers have approached some of the ex-contestants; especially who had created lot of buzz in the house. This list includes names like Rahul Mahajan, Sambhavna Seth, Dolly Bindra, Imam Siddique and Ajaz Khan. Rahul is almost been finalized; the final dots are yet to be signed. Talks are still going on with the other contestants.”

So what is the reason behind for one month extension? “The show is not at all getting the TRP, so to cope up with the sponsors; the makers have decided to extend the show for a month. Also they feel that bringing some old contestants back will surely impress the audience; especially bringing Rahul Mahajan and Dimpy under one roof after their divorce news will be the best twist so far in this season.”

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