FireChat lets you chat without a data connection

Move over WhatsApp. Here comes a revolutionary chatting app that has taken the mobile messaging to another level.

With this, you are able to send and receive messages even when you do not have an actual Internet or Wi-Fi data connection.

Yes, you read it right.

This iOS-enabled app uses Apple's Multipeer Connectivity framework essentially a peer-to-peer feature that lets you share messages with other app users nearby.

"FireChat allows the device to connect directly to others nearby using Bluetooth, peer-to-peer Wi-Fi or traditional Wi-Fi networks so you do not actually need a data connection," Micha Benoliel, CEO of Open Garden firm that developed the app was quoted as saying.

The Apple's Multipeer Connectivity APIs can be used for everything from collaborative editing and file sharing, to multiplayer gaming and sensor aggregation, said a report in wired.com.

How does it function?

The app browses for other users nearby while simultaneously broadcasting to peers that it is available to connect to. According to the company, this "Nearby" mode works best when the devices are within 30-feet.

This allows you to be invited into a "session" with multiple users. Each user has to be within range of just one member of the chat, so the mesh can spread outwards and cover a lot more range as more people join in.

Once a session invitation is accepted, you can directly communicate with those other users independent of a cellular signal or Wi-Fi access.

This creates what is called "wireless mesh network".

According to Benoliel, "Messages also get deleted as soon as you close the app so you remain anonymous."

However, in "Nearby" mode, you do not have any choice over who receives your messages they go out to anyone within range, the report added. There is also an "Everyone" mode, which sends the messages over a data connection so you can chat with friends who are not physically nearby. This is being segmented into chatrooms of 80 users each as the initial rush of downloads made it untenable to keep all users on a single chat.

Apple sold 700 million iOS devices by last October. Many are already using the latest Multipeer Connectivity-supporting version of iOS.

Within a week of its launch, FireChat has been being downloaded from the App Store more than 100,000 times a day.

HTC One (M8) 'High Performance Mode' benchmark-boosting confirmed

We have been hearing reports that handset manufacturers optimise their phones to perform better in benchmarks than real world usage, and Samsung was famous embroiled in such a controversy for its Galaxy S4 flagship.

However it seems HTC considers this as a potential feature rather than 'cheating' or 'fixing'. HTC, on being asked about suspected benchmark rigging, said that its latest One (M8) flagship features a 'High Performance Mode', which detects a benchmark app and produces the best possible performance.

(Also see: Apple iPhone 5s vs. Sony Xperia Z2 vs. Samsung Galaxy S5 vs. HTC One (M8))

On Friday, a report raised benchmark rigging suspicions on HTC One (M8)'s impressive performance on AnTuTu benchmark tests that had floored other mobile heavyweights like Samsung Galaxy S5, Sony Xperia Z2 and LG G Pro 2. The report then cited AnTuTu X (a special edition of the benchmark to prevent fraud and cheating) results of the One (M8), results that were significantly different from the device's original AnTuTu scores.

(Also see: HTC One (M8) vs. HTC One)

Following up, CNET's Eric Mack tried to get answers from the Taiwanese handset maker. The company responded:

"Thanks for your email about the HTC One (M8). Benchmarking tests look to determine maximum performance of the CPU and GPU and, similar to the engine in a high-performance sports car, our engineers optimize in certain scenarios to produce the best possible performance. If someone would like to get around this benchmarking optimization there are ways to do so, but we think most often this will not be the case.

For those with a need for speed, we've provided a simple way to unleash this power by introducing a new High Performance Mode in the developer settings that can be enabled and disabled manually. The HTC One (M8) is optimized to provide the best balance of performance and battery life, but we believe in offering customer choice, as there may be times when the desire for performance outweighs the need for battery longevity."

HTC also revealed that the 'High Performance Mode' feature is currently not available in the One (M8) US model, but admitted that it will be rolled out in upcoming software update.

Earlier, Samsung was caught rigging the Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy S4 to artificially boost benchmark scores.

(Also see: HTC One (M8) India launch in April; compatible with country's 4G LTE networks)

HTC unveiled its One (M8) after months of leaks, at an event in New York in March. The One (M8) runs Android 4.4.2 KitKat with the company's brand new Sense 6 UI on top, which HTC calls the biggest upgrade since Sense debuted. The phone is powered by a 2.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor, alongside 2GB of RAM. The HTC One (M8) comes with a 5-inch full-HD display and will be available in 16GB and 32GB storage options, with support for expandable storage via microSD card (up to 128GB).

HTC One (M8)

• KEY SPECS
• 
  

Display

5.00-inch

Processor

2.3GHz

Front Camera

5-megapixel

Resolution

1080x1920 pixels

RAM

2GB

OS

Android 4.4.2

Storage

16GB

Rear Camera

4-Ultrapixel

Battery capacity

2600mAh

LG L70 Dual with Android 4.4 KitKat launched at Rs. 15,000

After launching the LG L90 Dual in India, the South Korean company has quietly launched its second 'L Series III' smartphone in the country, the L70 Dual. The smartphone is now listed on the company's site at Rs. 15,000. However, there is no word on the availability of the LG L70 Dual.

Notably, the LG L70 Dual was available at an e-commerce website for Rs. 14,500, alongside LG L90 Dual, which finally launched last week.

The LG L70 Dual, as the name suggests, comes with dual-SIM (GSM+GSM) functionality. The LG L70 Dual runs Android 4.4 KitKat out-of-the-box, which is a highlight of the device in LG's budget smartphone line-up. The smartphone also features LG Optimus 3.0 UI customisation on top.

The L70 Dual features a 4.5-inch IPS LCD display, packing a WVGA (400x800 pixels) resolution and a pixel density of 207ppi. The smartphone comes with 1GB of RAM, and is paired with a 1.2GHz dual-core Snapdragon 200 processor alongside an Adreno 302 GPU.

It sports a 5-megapixel rear autofocus CMOS camera and also houses a 0.3-megapixel front-facing camera. It comes with 4GB of built-in storage, which can be expanded up to 32GB. Connectivity options on the LG L70 Dual include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, AGPS, EDGE, GPRS, micro-USB and 3G. The device will be backed-up by a 2100mAh removable battery. The LG L70 Dual measures 127.2x66.8x9.5mm in dimensions.

The LG L90 Dual, which went official earlier in March, also features dual-SIM functionality and sports a 4.7-inch IPS display with qHD (540x960 pixels) resolution. Powered by a 1.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon 400 processor with 1GB of RAM, the L90 Dual comes with 8GB inbuilt storage, which is expandable via microSD card (up to 32GB). The L90 sports an 8-megapixel rear camera and a 1.3-megapixel front camera. A 2540mAh removable battery backs the device. The LG L90 measures 131.6x66x9.7mm in dimensions, with no word on weight.

LG unveiled the third-generation of its L Series smartphone range, the L90, L70 and L40, at MWC 2014.

LG L70 Dual

• KEY SPECS
• 
  

Display

4.50-inch

Processor

1.2GHz

Front Camera

0.3-megapixel

Resolution

480x800 pixels

RAM

1GB

OS

Android 4.4

Storage

4GB

Rear Camera

5-megapixel

Battery capacity

2100mAh

LG G2 mini pricing revealed via online retail listing

LG G2 mini, which is scheduled to hit the European market in April, has been listed on two German online retail websites for EUR 349 or roughly Rs. 28,800. Notably, LG has not yet announced a price for the G2 mini, and it might arrive in India at a rather different price. Also to be noted, is that the online retailers might be offering G2 mini at an inflated price ahead of the smartphone's official release.

LG G2 mini, the compact version of the company's current flagship smartphone, the LG G2, was announced for global launch starting April by the firm.

LG introduced the LG G2 mini as the "the smallest LG G Series phone yet" ahead of the Mobile World Congress 2014 event in February without availability details.

The Korean consumer electronics giant in a statement confirmed the LG G2 mini will be available in several variations (3G/4G LTE, Single/Dual SIM) and four vibrant colour options including Titan Black, Lunar White, Red and Gold depending on the region.

LG said that the G2 mini roll-out will begin in April in CIS countries, followed closely by markets in Europe, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa. Exact availability details for these and other countries will be announced locally by LG soon.

LG G2 mini runs on the Android (http://gadgets.ndtv.com/tags/android) 4.4 KitKat, and features a 4.7-inch IPS LCD display with a qHD (540x960 pixels) resolution.

The G2 mini features different chipsets for different variants, with the LTE and 3G versions featuring 1.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon 600 processors - MSM8926 for LTE, and MSM8226 for 3G. The Latin America LTE variant (LATAM LTE) will feature a 1.7GHz Nvidia Tegra 4i chipset.

All variants of the LG G2 mini will also come with a 1GB of RAM. The device's camera options include an 8-megapixel rear (with flash support) and a 1.3-megapixel front facing shooter. The LATAM LTE variant will feature a 13-megapixel rear camera instead.

The LG G2 mini comes with 8GB of onboard storage with an option for its expandability via microSD card. The device also supports 4G connectivity. The battery capacity of LG G2 mini is 2440mAh.

According to LG, the G2 mini will sport dimensions of 129.6x66.0x9.8mm, and weigh in at 121 grams. Connectivity options will include Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g/n), A-GPS, and NFC (4G LTE version only).

Samsung Galaxy S5 up for India pre-orders for Rs. 1,500 booking amount

Samsung Galaxy S5 is now up for pre-orders in India. Customers can book the phone by paying Rs. 1,500 on the Samsung India online store to be amongst the first to receive the phone when it becomes available on April 11. Of course we still do not know the exact price of the smartphone, but Samsung has announced it will be between Rs. 51,000 and Rs. 53,000.

(Also see: Samsung Galaxy S5 vs. Samsung Galaxy S4)

The biggest new features being touted on the Samsung Galaxy S5 include a fingerprint scanner on the home button, a heart rate sensor placed near the 16-megapixel rear camera module, and the IP67 certification that makes it dust and water-resistant.

(Also see: Samsung Galaxy S5: 10 big new features)

The Samsung Galaxy S5 being launched in India comes with the Adonis Prime2 (Quad 1.9GHz + Quad 1.3GHz) + XMM6360 octa-core chipset and 3G connectivity. The company says it may launch the 4G-variant once networks mature in India.

The Samsung Galaxy S5 runs Android 4.4.2 KitKat out-of-the-box. It features a 5.1-inch Super AMOLED display with a 1080x1920 pixel full-HD resolution. It comes with 2GB of RAM and will be available in India with 16GB storage option only, with microSD card expandability up to 64GB.

(Also see: Apple iPhone 5s vs. Sony Xperia Z2 vs. Samsung Galaxy S5 vs. HTC One (M8))

The Galaxy S5 sports a 16-megapixel rear camera with HDR (for video as well), and a 2.1-megapixel front-facing camera. The rear camera can record UHD video @30 fps along with HDR and video stabilisation functionality.

Connectivity options include Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac with MIMO functionality, ANT+, Bluetooth 4.0, USB3.0, NFC, and Infrared remote functionality. It features a 2800mAh battery, rated to deliver 21 hours of talk time, and 390 hours of standby time. The smartphone weighs in at 145 grams, and has dimensions of 142x72.5x8.1mm.

Samsung Galaxy S5

• KEY SPECS
• 
  

Display

5.10-inch

Processor

1.9GHz

Front Camera

2.1-megapixel

Resolution

1080x1920 pixels

RAM

2GB

OS

Android 4.4.2

Storage

16GB

Rear Camera

16-megapixel

Battery capacity

2800mAh

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Neo now available via company's online store at Rs. 38,990

Galaxy Note 3 Neo is now available via Samsung's India online store at Rs. 38,990. The phablet is available in two colour variants, black and white.

Like other members of the Galaxy Note phablet series, the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Neo comes with a S Pen stylus. The Galaxy Note 3 Neo is powered by a hexa-core processor (dual-core 1.7GHz Cortex A15 + quad-core 1.3GHz Cortex A7). It runs Android 4.3 Jelly Bean out-of-the-box.

The 'budget' variant of the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 comes with a 5.5-inch HD (720x1280 pixels) Super AMOLED display; 2GB of RAM; 16GB inbuilt storage, which is further expandable up to 64GB via microSD card, and a 3100mAh battery. The new phablet from Samsung sports an 8-megapixel rear camera with LED flash and BSI sensor, while there is a 2-megapixel front-facing camera also featuring BSI sensor. Connectivity options on the device include Wi-Fi, GPS, GLONASS, NFC, Bluetooth, Infrared and 3G.

(Also see: Samsung Galaxy Note 3 vs. Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Neo)

The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Neo comes with preloaded app galore: Samsung ChatON, Samsung WatchON, Samsung Link, Screen Mirroring, S Voice, S Health, Group Play, Smart Scroll, Smart Pause, Air View, Story Album and S Translator among others. The S Pen comes with Air Command and Easy Clip feature, and also supports Multi Window and S Note.

The Galaxy Note 3 Neo also features access to Club Samsung content store, where users can enjoy music, movies, mobile TV, concerts in nine Indian languages.

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Neo

• KEY SPECS
• 
  

Display

5.50-inch

Processor

1.7GHz

Front Camera

2-megapixel

Resolution

720x1280 pixels

RAM

2GB

OS

Android 4.3

Storage

16GB

Rear Camera

8-megapixel

Battery capacity

3100mAh

HTC Desire 310 with dual-SIM support launched at Rs. 11,700

The HTC Desire 310, after being announced earlier this month for the Taiwanese market, has finally reached Indian shores and is now listed on HTC India's official website. The HTC Desire 310 is also available for purchase from various online retailers, at a price tag of Rs. 11,350.

The HTC Desire 310 runs Android 4.2 Jelly Bean out-of-the-box and notably features BlinkFeed, Video Highlights and Offline Reading mode. The dual-SIM (GSM+GSM) smartphone also features a 4.5-inch display with a resolution of FWVGA (480x854 pixels) resolution.

The Desire 310 is powered by a 1.3GHz quad-core MediaTek MT6582M chipset, coupled with 512MB of RAM. It includes 4GB of built-in storage, which is expandable up to 32GB via microSD card. It sports a 5-megapixel rear camera (with full-HD video recording), while there is a 0.3-megapixel front-facing camera. 

The HTC Desire 310 comes with Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Micro-USB, EDGE, GPS, and 3G connectivity options. The smartphone packs a removable Li-Po 2000mAh battery. It measures 131.44x68.03x11.25mm and weighs 140 grams.

While the HTC Desire 310 Black colour variant is already sold out (Rs. 11,350) on Snapdeal, its White colour variant is still available for Rs. 11,479. The handset is also available with The Mobile Store for Rs. 11,358.

HTC launched its latest flagship smartphone, the HTC One (M8), on 25 March. The phone is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 SoC and comes with a duo rear camera setup.

Apart from announcing immediate retail availability in some regions for the HTC One (M8), the Taiwanese handset maker also launched the Developer and Google Play editions of the One (M8).

Update: HTC has issued a statement detailing a market operating price of Rs. 11,700, and the headline has been updated to reflect the official price.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier now available for Android and iOS

Gameloft has finally released its much talked-about mobile game, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, for Android and iOS via the Google Play store and Apple iTunes App Store. The game is not yet listed on the Windows Phone Store, though it had been announced for the platform.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier has arrived days before the release of its movie version. Last month, when the teaser video of the gaming app was revealed by Gameloft, we assumed it would arrive along with the film on 4 April.

The game lets users play as Captain America, who is supported by a small team of S.H.I.E.L.D to fight against a number of superpower villains - Taskmaster, King Cobra, Puff Adder, the Winter Soldier and others. The users can borrow some help from the Falcon or the Black Widow if they find themselves in a tough spot in the game when fighting against the villains and other enemies.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier game also includes an asynchronous multiplayer feature with which users can play against each other through different clans. One can compete on league leaderboards and can earn extra rewards in limited-time events.

Different fighting techniques and Captain America suits can be unlocked as users progress through the game. The mobile game's art and graphics are inspired by comic books.

Unfortunately, the 'demo version' on Android only lets users play two levels for free, after which users would have to go through some in-app purchases to continue. The iOS version of Captain America: The Winter Soldier however, is a paid $4.19 app, unlocked from the get-go.

The Captain America: The Winter Soldier is sized at 20MB (initial install) and requires Android 4.0 Ice cream Sandwich OS version to run. The application, as seen on the Google Play Store listing page, is getting some mixed reviews from the users who have downloaded the game.

On the iTunes App Store, Captain America: The Winter Soldier is listed at 93.6MB, and is compatible with devices running iOS 7.0 or higher.

BlackBerry restocks Z10 smartphones in India at Rs. 17,990

Canadian smartphone maker BlackBerry on Wednesday replenished stocks of its Z10 touchscreen model that was sold out in India after a 60 percent discount on the price.

"BlackBerry Z10 has now been restocked across BlackBerry's retail network across the country and on Flipkart.com," the company's director for distribution in India, Sameer Bhatia, said in a statement.

The device will be available for Rs 17,990, according to the statement.

BlackBerry launched the Z10 about a year ago for Rs 43,990. The price was dropped to Rs 29,990 in September.

On February 25, the company offered the phone at Rs 17,990 for a limited period. The model sold out within a week, although it was available on some e-commerce sites at a 22-50 percent higher price.

Blackberry lowered handset prices in the face of losses due to declining sales and build-up of inventory across the globe. In December, the company offered incentives on handset sales, especially devices built on its latest platform BlackBerry 10.

BlackBerry posted a loss of $4.4 billion in its third quarter ended November 30, mainly due to unsold handsets.

The company recorded a primarily non-cash, pre-tax charge against inventory and supply commitments of approximately $1.6 billion in the quarter of fiscal 2014, which was primarily attributable to BlackBerry 10 devices.

During the quarter, BlackBerry sold about 4.3 million smartphones to customers, of which 3.2 million were BlackBerry 7 devices, including models such as the BlackBerry Curve, Bold and Torch.

HTC Desire 616 with octa-core MediaTek chipset, 5-inch display leaked

HTC may have just launched its 2014 flagship smartphone, the One (M8), however the Taiwanese handset maker is reportedly working on a new smartphone dubbed HTC Desire 616, which is said to pack an octa-core processor.

Phone Arena has spotted the alleged HTC Desire 616 at Tenaa, a Chinese certification website, and also claims that the device has now been approved by Chinese authorities.

The alleged Desire 616 (Desire 616w) is made out of plastic, instead of the metal body seen on the HTC One (M8). According to the listing, the alleged Desire 616 sports a 5-inch HD display and will run dated Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean. The rumoured Desire 616, if comes out to be true, will be Taiwanese giant's first octa-core smartphone and will be powered by a 1.7GHz octa-core MediaTek processor (presumably the MT6592) alongside 1GB of RAM.

Other leaked specifications include an 8-megapixel rear camera accompanied by an LED flash; measures 142x71.9x9.1mm and weighs 150 grams. The alleged Desire 616 is likely to be available in five colour variants namely Black, Blue, Red, White and Yellow.

Further, the report speculates that the yet-to-be-launched octa-core HTC smartphone might be a China-exclusive device. At the moment, there is no news about when the Taiwanese handset maker would launch the alleged Desire 616, globally.

Earlier on Tuesday, HTC unveiled its One (M8) after months of leaks, at an event in New York.

The Taiwanese handset maker, unlike its many Android smartphone maker rivals, had announced the availability and price of the HTC One (M8) immediately after the global launch in selective markets like the UK and US. The HTC One (M8) is expected to reach India by the third week of April, as revealed to NDTV Gadgets by the company.

The HTC One (M8) comes with a body that's '90 percent metal' and exudes the same premium feel as its predecessor, the HTC One.

Samsung Galaxy S5 price in India Rs. 51,500, claims retailer

The Samsung Galaxy S5's price has been leaked ahead of its 27 March 2014 launch in India. TheSamsung Galaxy S5 is said to be priced at Rs. 51,500, while the new smartphone from South Korean giant is expected to be available for pre-order with a booking amount of Rs. 1,500. However, there is no word whether the pre-order will start on Thursday after Samsung India officially announces the Galaxy S5 in India, or later.

The news comes from a Twitter user named Manish Khatri, who is a retailer (Mahesh Telecom) in Mumbai. Khatri writes, "Prebook #SAMSUNG #GALAXYS5 (Rs. 51500/-) by paying Rs. 1500/- , 15 percent cashback on citicard .emi 6/12/18 month (condition apply)."

The tweet clearly reveals that the Galaxy S5 might be available with attractive offers from the company such as 15 percent cash back scheme, with numerous EMI payment options. Notably, Khatri has since removed the tweet.

However, NDTV Gadgets has learnt from its sources that the price is still being considered by Samsung India and may change before the announcement on Thursday.

If Samsung does launch the Galaxy S5 at the said price, it would be contradicting earlier reports that emphasised that the 2014 flagship smartphone will be cheaper than the Galaxy S4 at launch.

(Also see: Samsung Galaxy S5 launch price roundup)

It's worth pointing out that the Galaxy S5 will be available in India starting 11 April 2014 - the same date as Samsung had announced as global availability (150 countries) at its Galaxy S5 unveiling at MWC 2014.

The biggest new features being touted on the Galaxy S5 by Samsung include a fingerprint scanner on the home button, a heart rate sensor placed near the 16-megapixel camera, and the IP67 certification that makes it dust and water-resistant. The smartphone also features a new design in terms of the back panel now being perforated, and available with four colours at launch, along with optional designer back panels.

For those unaware, the Samsung Galaxy S5 runs Android 4.4.2 KitKat out-of-the-box. It features a 5.1-inch Super AMOLED display with a 1080x1920 pixel full-HD resolution. It comes with 2GB of RAM and will be available in 16GB and 32GB inbuilt storage models, with microSD card expandability up to 64GB. The Galaxy S5 sports a 16-megapixel rear camera with HDR (for video as well), and a 2.1-megapixel front-facing camera.

Connectivity options include 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac with MIMO functionality, ANT+, Bluetooth 4.0, USB3.0, NFC, and Infrared remote functionality. It features a 2800mAh battery, rated to deliver 21 hours of talktime, and 390 hours of standby time.

Samsung Galaxy S5

• KEY SPECS
• 
  

Display

5.10-inch

Processor

2.5GHz

Front Camera

2.1-megapixel

Resolution

1080x1920 pixels

RAM

2GB

OS

Android 4.4.2

Storage

16GB

Rear Camera

16-megapixel

Battery capacity

2800mAh

Canon EOS 1200D DSLR with 18-megapixel sensor launched at Rs. 30,995

The Canon EOS 1200D was officially announced in February just prior to the CP+ exhibition in Tokyo, Japan. The Canon EOS 1200D entry-level DSLR has finally made its way to Indian shores. The camera, which was launched on Wednesday in India, will be available at Rs. 30,995 for the body.

There are options of getting the Canon EOS 1200D with kits too. The options on the kits are: EOS 1200D + 18-55 IS II lens for Rs. 34,995, and EOS 1200D + 18-55 IS II & 55-250 IS II lenses for Rs. 39,995.

The Canon EOS 1200D (also known as EOS Rebel T5) has an interesting string of features. Featuring an 18-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor, a Digic 4 processor, an ISO range of 100-6400 (boost till 12,800) and 1080p/30 fps video capture, the Canon EOS 1200D is being touted as the most affordable DSLR from its current crop. It also has a 9-point auto-focus system. The Canon 1200D is the successor to the Canon 1100D. You can find more details about the EOS 1200D in our previous coverage.

The Canon EOS 1200D will support more than 70 lenses from the EF range by Canon. "The EOS 1200D is an exciting addition to our DSLR range. With powerful features and user-friendly menus the EOS 1200D is ideal for first time buyers. To further attract potential buyers, the EOS 1200D will be available with an exciting double zoom lens offer, at a killer price," said Andrew Koh, Senior Director, ICP Business Centre, Canon India.

Get the Samsung Galaxy S5 Experience on any Android smartphone

While we wait for the official announcement of the Samsung Galaxy S5 in India on Thursday, here's a chance for you to experience Samsung's flagship smartphone well before it hits stores on 11 April.

Samsung has launched the Galaxy S5 Experience app on Google Play store for smartphones running Android 4.0 and above. The app is available only for the smartphones with at least 1GHz processor coupled with 1GB of RAM (or more) and a screen resolution of at least 480x800 pixels. The Experience app does not work on tablets.

The Experience app only gives users a walkthrough of the main features of the Samsung Galaxy S5. As Samsung also mentioned on its page that, "The app provides interactive introduction on Galaxy S5 and Wearable Devices (Gear2 , Gear Fit) with 4 different categories such as Camera, Speed, Fitness, Life."

Inside the app users can experience different aspects of the Galaxy S5 and Galaxy Gear2 and Gear Fit. It essentially flaunts the features in tabs like Camera, Speed, Fitness, Dust & Water Resistance, Gear and more. These tabs do nothing more than letting the users know what the Galaxy S5 can do and how is it better.

So apart from the camera and speed, users can get to know more about the built-in Heart Rate monitor and Pedometer features through 'Fitness' tab. Also the Gear tab flaunts features of Samsung's Gear 2 smartwatch and Gear Fit fitness band.

Notably the South Korean giant has announced that its Galaxy S5 smartphone, accompanied by the Gear 2 and Gear Fit wearables, is up for preview and pre-order in more than 61 countries starting last Friday (21 March).

Aircel unveils 'Facebook for All' free access offer in select circles

Aircel on Wednesday announced a new offer under which the network carrier would let its new and existing customers access the Facebook app, Messenger app and the mobile version of Facebook for free. Notably, the free access 'Facebook for All' offer is limited by both time and data.

While the offer for new customers entails free 50MB of data per month of Facebook access for 60 days after activation, the existing Aircel users will get the same amount of data for 30 days for Facebook access. Post the free 50MB of usage, the carrier will charge users 2p/10kb.

Aircel customers will also have the option can also opt for special tariff packs for Facebook that will cost them as little as 50p/day or Rs.14 for 28 days (100MB data plan) and Rs. 5 for 5 days (25MB data plan) to be precise.

The service is currently available for Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi and Maharashtra circles. The service will be rolled-out in other regions later.

"Aircel has positioned itself well as a data leader by constantly innovating products and services aimed at redefining user experience, especially the youth. Over 75 million people access Facebook through their mobile phones in India and more than 60 percent of Aircel customers who have data enabled handsets consume internet on their phones," stated Anupam Vasudev, Chief Marketing Officer, Aircel.

"India is truly a Mobile first country where millions of people are discovering the internet by connecting with people on Facebook through their mobile phones. 'Facebook for All' by Aircel is a great initiative that will make the Internet affordable and we are excited to partner in connecting the world on Facebook," added Kevin D'souza, Head of Growth and Mobile Partnerships, Facebook India

HTC says BlinkFeed app will be available for other Android devices

HTC is not being greedy with its new version of BlinkFeed home screen introduced in HTC One (M8), and has decided it will allow other Android devices to install it via the Google Play store. It has not detailed an exact timeline for this release however, with this week's Play Store listing of the app still showing as incompatible, and without a list of supported devices.

The Taiwanese manufacturer made the announcement in a statement, saying, "Following its popularity with HTC users, HTC will now make HTC BlinkFeed available to other Android devices, launching on the Google Play store soon." The company did not detail the availability of the other Sense-based apps that recently made their way to the Google Play store.

The roll-out via the Google Play store would give HTC a chance to spread the feature to a larger number of users and would allow the firm give away more frequent updates to HTC smartphones as standalone apps. Earlier, the firm updated its BlinkFeed and native Sense apps via system update roll-outs, which can be a cumbersome process with other disadvantages.

The new BlinkFeed version has been introduced in the freshly announced HTC One (M8) alongside the new Sense 6.0 user interface. It features a revamped free-scrolling gesture along with larger images and the option to remove the top weather clock if not set on the default home location. New content managerial options and some UI tweaks are also available.

Details of the BlinkFeed app, such as size and the Android version compatibility, are not yet known. App permissions have been listed, but do not hint at anything significant. The full functionality of the app, and how different it is from the implementation on the One (M8), can only be experienced when HTC makes the app available for download.

Other apps such as HTC Service Pack, HTC SenseTV, HTC Guide and HTC Gallery also made their way to the Play Store ahead of the HTC One (M8)'s launch on Tuesday.

HTC One (M8) with Snapdragon 801, duo rear camera launched

HTC has announced the launch of its latest flagship smartphone, the HTC One (M8). The phone is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 SoC and comes with a duo rear camera setup, in line with the rumoured specifications.

The design and the rest of the specifications of the HTC One (M8) have probably been the tech world's worst-kept secret and will not come as a surprise to anyone that's been tracking this story. HTC One (M8) comes with a 5-inch full-HD display and will be available in 16GB and 32GB storage options, with support for expandable storage via microSD cards of up to 128GB capacity.

( Also see: HTC One (M8) vs. HTC One )

The HTC One (M8) comes with a body that's '90 percent metal' and exudes the same premium feel as its predecessor. The phone comes with 2GB of RAM.

The highlight of the HTC One (M8) is the dual camera setup that puts a 4-UltraPixel camera alongside a depth sensing camera that lets you do cool things like refocussing images after they've been clicked and other stuff. A 5-megapixel front camera is included as well.

( Also see: HTC One (M8): First impressions )

HTC One (M8) comes with Android 4.4.2 KitKat along with a brand new Sense 6 UI on top, which HTC is calling the biggest upgrade since Sense debuted. The phone comes with a 2600mAh battery.

( Also see: HTC One (M8) vs. Samsung Galaxy S5 vs. Sony Xperia Z2 vs. iPhone 5s )

HTC One (M8) will be available in Gunmetal Grey, Amber Gold, and Glacial Silver colour options in select markets starting Tuesday. The India launch is expected in the third week of April.

HTC One (M8)

• KEY SPECS
• 
  

Display

5.00-inch

Processor

2.3GHz

Front Camera

5-megapixel

Resolution

1080x1920 pixels

RAM

2GB

OS

Android 4.4.2

Storage

16GB

Rear Camera

4-Ultrapixel

Battery capacity

2600mAh