LG G6+, LG G6 (32GB) Price Revealed

HIGHLIGHTS

• The smartphones have been released via three mobile carriers
• LG G6+ comes with 128GB of built-in storage
• Both LG smartphones feature 5.7-inch FullVision display
  
• LG launched its G6+ smartphone and a 32GB variant of LG G6 earlier this month in South Korea. While the company didn't announce the pricing and availability of the smartphones at the time, it has now made them available for purchase in the country. The LG G6+ has been priced by the company at KRW 957,000 (roughly Rs. 54,100) while the LG G6 32GB storage variant has been made available at KRW 819,500 (roughly Rs. 46,300).

  Both LG G6 (32GB) and LG G6+ have been made available by the company through three carriers in the country from Friday. To recall, the new LG G6 variant comes with 32GB built-in storage and the new LG G6+ packs 128GB storage. While LG launched three different versions of G6 in different markets, some with wireless charging support and others without, the LG G6+ with 128GB inbuilt storage comes with all of those features into a single package.

  In addition to 128GB inbuilt storage, LG G6+ will come packed with wireless charging support as well as high-fidelity quad-DAC feature in all markets. On the other hand, the LG G6 32GB variant comes with just half the inbuilt storage of the original, with no further specification enhancements.

  While the specifications have been kept nearly the same, the company has introduced new colours with the freshly released models. The LG G6 32GB comes in a non-optical Terra Gold, non-optical Marine Blue, and an already available Mystic White model, while the LG G6+ has been made available in Optical Astro Black, Optical Marine Blue, and Optical Terra Gold.

  In terms of features, both LG G6+ and LG G6 come with a 5.7-inch (1440x2880 pixels) QHD+ FullVision display with a taller-than-usual aspect ratio of 18:9. The smartphones are powered by a quad-core Snapdragon 821 processor coupled with 4GB of RAM. In terms of optics, both smartphones come with a 13-megapixel primary rear camera and a 5-megapixel at front.
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Hackers Can Guess PINs, Passwords From Brainwaves: Study

HIGHLIGHTS

• Hackers can guess a user's passwords by monitoring their thoughts
• Electroencephalograph (EEG) headsets allow users to control robotic toys
• EEG headset is currently available to consumers online
  
• Hackers can guess a user's passwords by monitoring their thoughts, according to scientists including those of Indian origin who suggest that brainwave-sensing headsets need better security.
  Electroencephalograph (EEG) headsets allow users to control robotic toys and video games with the mind.
  Researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham in the US found that a person who paused a video game and logged into a bank account while wearing an EEG headset was at risk for having their passwords or other sensitive data stolen by a malicious software programme.
  "These emerging devices open immense opportunities for everyday users," said Nitesh Saxena, associate professor from University of Alabama.
  "However, they could also raise significant security and privacy threats as companies work to develop even more advanced brain-computer interface technology," said Saxena.
  The team, including PhD student Ajaya Neupane, used one EEG headset currently available to consumers online and one clinical-grade headset used for scientific research to demonstrate how easily a malicious software programme could passively eavesdrop on a user's brainwaves.
  While typing, a user's inputs correspond with their visual processing, as well as hand, eye and head muscle movements. All these movements are captured by EEG headsets.
  The team asked 12 people to type a series of randomly generated PINs and passwords into a text box as if they were logging into an online account while wearing an EEG headset, in order for the software to train itself on the user's typing and the corresponding brainwave.
  "In a real-world attack, a hacker could facilitate the training step required for the malicious programme to be most accurate, by requesting that the user enter a predefined set of numbers in order to restart the game after pausing it to take a break, similar to the way CAPTCHA is used to verify users when logging onto websites," Saxena said.
  The team found that, after a user entered 200 characters, algorithms within the malicious software programme could make educated guesses about new characters the user entered by monitoring the EEG data recorded.
  The algorithm was able to shorten the odds of a hacker's guessing a four-digit numerical PIN from one in 10,000 to one in 20 and increased the chance of guessing a six-letter password from about 500,000 to roughly one in 500.
  "Given the growing popularity of EEG headsets and the variety of ways in which they could be used, it is inevitable that they will become part of our daily lives, including while using other devices," Saxena said.
  "It is important to analyse the potential security and privacy risks associated with this emerging technology to raise users' awareness of the risks and develop viable solutions to malicious attacks," he said.
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Lenovo Vibe Phones Affected by Critical Vulnerability Spotted by FireEye's Mandiant

HIGHLIGHTS

• Research firm Mandiant informed Lenovo about this last year
• The fix is now available for select Vibe phones
• It is recommended that you download the security patch soon

Lenovo Vibe P1 smartphone was launched in October 2015. The phone comes with a 5.50-inch touchscreen display with a resolution of 1080 pixels by 1920 pixels at a PPI of 401 pixels per inch. Lenovo Vibe P1 price in India starts from Rs. 14,732. 

The Lenovo Vibe P1 is powered by 1.5GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 processor and it comes with 2GB of RAM. The phone packs 32GB of internal storage that can be expanded up to 128GB via a microSD card. As far as the cameras are concerned, the Lenovo Vibe P1 packs a 13-megapixel primary camera on the rear and a 5-megapixel front shooter for selfies.

The Lenovo Vibe P1 runs Android 5.1.1 and is powered by a 4900mAh non removable battery. It measures 152.90 x 75.60 x 9.90 (height x width x thickness) and weigh 189.00 grams.

The Lenovo Vibe P1 is a dual SIM (GSM and GSM) smartphone that accepts Nano-SIM and Nano-SIM. Connectivity options include Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth, NFC, USB OTG, FM, 3G and 4G (with support for Band 40 used by some LTE networks in India). Sensors on the phone include Compass Magnetometer, Proximity sensor, Accelerometer and Ambient light sensor.
About Lenovo
Founded in Beijing in 1984, Lenovo acquired IBM's PC business in 2005, and first became the world's top PC maker in 2013. It entered the Android and Windows tablet market in 2011, began selling Android smartphones in 2012, and acquired Motorola Mobility from Google in 2014. The company has also launched an online-only sub-brand for smartphones called Zuk in China.

Lenovo Vibe P1

• REVIEW
• KEY SPECS
• NEWS
• PRICE IN INDIA

• Design
• Display
• Software
• Performance
• Battery life
• Camera
• Value for money

• Good
• Great battery life
• Good performance and features
• Improved software
• Decent display

• Bad
• Heavy and aesthetically average
• Camera has some problems
• Fingerprint sensor is limited in function

BUY AT

• Lenovo VIBE P1 (Grey, 32GB) - OFFER
  Rs. 15,999

Lenovo Vibe P1 detailed specifications

GENERAL

Release date	October 2015
Form factor	Touchscreen
Dimensions (mm)	152.90 x 75.60 x 9.90
Weight (g)	189.00
Battery capacity (mAh)	4900
Removable battery	No
Colours	Grey, Silver
SAR value	0.67

DISPLAY

Screen size (inches)	5.50
Touchscreen	Yes
Resolution	1080x1920 pixels
Pixels per inch (PPI)	401

HARDWARE

Processor	1.5GHz octa-core
Processor make	Qualcomm Snapdragon 615
RAM	2GB
Internal storage	32GB
Expandable storage	Yes
Expandable storage type	microSD
Expandable storage up to (GB)	128

CAMERA

Rear camera	13-megapixel
Flash	Yes
Front camera	5-megapixel

SOFTWARE

Operating System	Android 5.1.1
Skin	Vibe UI

CONNECTIVITY

Wi-Fi	Yes
Wi-Fi standards supported	802.11 b/g/n/ac
GPS	Yes
Bluetooth	Yes, v 4.10
NFC	Yes
Infrared	No
USB OTG	Yes
Headphones	3.5mm
FM	Yes
Number of SIMs	2
SIM 1
SIM Type	Nano-SIM
GSM/CDMA	GSM
3G	Yes
4G/ LTE	Yes
Supports 4G in India (Band 40)	Yes
SIM 2
SIM Type	Nano-SIM
GSM/CDMA	GSM
3G	Yes
4G/ LTE	Yes
Supports 4G in India (Band 40)	Yes

SENSORS

Compass/ Magnetometer	Yes
Proximity sensor	Yes
Accelerometer	Yes
Ambient light sensor	Yes
Gyroscope	No
Barometer	No
Temperature sensor	No

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HTC Desire 10 Pro 'Explosion' That Burnt a Woman's Hand Is Being Investigated by the Company

HIGHLIGHTS

• A woman claims her HTC smartphone exploded
• The smartphone was allegedly not charging at the time
• HTC says it is looking into the customer's report
  
• When one hears of a smartphone exploding, the first thought that occurs to us is of Samsung's Galaxy Note 7 - a fact that's telling of just how much the product recall and its aftermath pervaded both daily life and popular culture. Now, a new isolated incident has come to light involving a smartphone by HTC. Earlier this week, a woman on Facebook announced that her HTC Desire 10 Pro exploded, burning her fingers. HTC says it's investigating the customer's report.

  Making the claim in a Facebook photo earlier this week showing a bandaged hand, Nidhi Kapoor said her 'HTC 10' exploded on June 21. She added that the smartphone was not on call or charging when it exploded.

  Gadgets 360 contacted HTC for comment, and were provided the following statement, "HTC is aware of the customer's report and we are working to investigate as quickly as possible. As always, our customers' safety is a top priority."

  The Taiwanese smartphone maker also clarified that the smartphone in question was in fact an HTC Desire 10 Pro - not an HTC 10 as Kapoor wrote - and that the incident occurred outside of India.

  Kapoor in her Facebook post goes on to say that HTC didn't provide her with a satisfactory response in the time between the incident and the revelation, alleging the company repeatedly asked for her email ID and the smartphone's IMEI number. Let's wait and see how this case unfolds.

  The HTC Desire Pro was unveiled in September last year, and made its way to India in November.

  The devices we carry around in our pockets and hold to the side of our faces are not immune to mishaps, and some of these can be disastrous. Smartphones (and pretty much most modern portable electronics) bear lithium-ion batteries, which, if improperly handled, can catch fire and even explode. There've been numerous cases in the past, and as we mentioned, Samsung was caught in the headlines this past year thanks to the Galaxy Note 7's explosive battery.
  

  HTC Desire 10 Pro

  Rs. 23,290

  Buy

  • REVIEW
  • KEY SPECS
  • NEWS

  • Design
  • Display
  • Software
  • Performance
  • Battery life
  • Camera
  • Value for money

  • Good
  • Striking looks and good build quality
  • Lean Android skin
  • Cameras perform well
  • Display is sharp and vivid

  • Bad
  • No Wi-Fi ac, NFC or USB Type-C
  • Close up shots can be tricky to capture
  • Rear body texture scuffs easily
  • A bit too expensive

  
  

  BUY AT

  • HTC Desire 10 Pro (White Pearl, 64GB)
    Rs. 23,290
  • HTC Desire 10 Pro (Polar White, 64GB)
    Rs. 26,999
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Battery-Less Cellphone Prototype Harvests Energy Out of Thin Air

HIGHLIGHTS

• The prototype uses backscatter communication technology
• It can currently only make calls and send texts
• A more advanced version is in the works

A team of researchers at the University of Washington has come up with a working prototype of a cellphone that doesn’t require a battery to make calls or send text messages – instead, it harvests energy from thin air, more specifically, radio signals. Right now, all it features is an LED light and buttons on a circuit board, however, a more advanced prototype with an E Ink display and better call quality is in the works.
The projected was spearheaded by UW research associate Vamsi Talla, working at the lab of UW CSE associate professor Joshua Smith. Talla has been working on several wireless connectivity projects that have made headlines in the recent past, including the breakthrough Passive Wi-Fi system unveiled last year. The Passive Wi-Fi system, being commercialised by Smith’s startup Jeeva Wireless, uses 10,000 times less power than traditional Wi-Fi systems by utilising backscatter communication technology. Backscatter tech uses reflections of signals (whether existing or new) to communicate, allowing a network of passive and active devices where the signals themselves are a source of power and the medium of communication.
Talla’s also worked on a way to power electronics, including cameras, using Wi-Fi signals. Other work includes a way for power-constrained devices like medical implants to communicate with smart devices by converting Bluetooth signals into Wi-Fi. This use of backscatter communication between more than one type of technology is being called ‘Interscatter’ by the UW team, short for ‘inter-technology backscatter’.
The UW researchers’ work on battery less smartphones further developed this backscatter communication technology. Along the lines of its Passive Wi-Fi system, which “decoupled the digital and analogue operations involved in radio transmissions” to get create low power Wi-Fi transmissions, the team realised it had to go one step further for cellphone signals.
"Converting analogue human speech to digital signals consumes a lot of power," said Talla in a statement to Wired. "If you can communicate using analogue technology, you're actually more power efficient,” he added, explaining that the battery-less cellphone uses digital backscatter signals to dial the numbers, and then used analog backscatter signals to make the voice call. As it is the passive device in network, the cellphone will use background radio signals to power it.
Talla notes that for the battery-less cellphone to work, it needs a nearby powered base station that’s converts the cellphone’s signals and connects to the digital cellular network. In the current implementation, Skype is used to connect, and the smartphone has a range of just 15 metres from the base station due to the low-power signals being used by the team. Once the technology is commercialised however, the base station could be a Wi-Fi router or even a conventional mobile base station, which with higher power signals could greatly boost.
For now, the way the prototype works is similar to a radio, requiring the user to press a button to switch between talking and listening. As we mentioned however, Talla is working on a more advance prototype with an E Ink display that can let the user send texts, better call quality, and perhaps even a camera. He adds that the current price of the prototype – built with readily available components – is less than a normal mobile phone, and the cost will only go down with mass production. One of the concepts that emerged from the development is idea of giving every smartphone a battery-less calling and texting component, to which it falls back when it loses battery power – ensuring the user will always be able to communicate.
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