Razer Inc, a Singapore-based American company that specialises in computer hardware specifically for gamers has made its entry into the world of smartphones.&nbsp;

Continuing with its specialisation into gaming hardware, the company has designed a new phone priced at $700, which will be best suited&nbsp;for video games.&nbsp;

The phone is equipped with technology offered by highest of high-end gaming PCs.&nbsp;

The company&#39;s CEO Min-Liang Tan highlighted&nbsp;Razor&#39;s Ultramotion feature&nbsp;which synchronizes the graphics chip in the phone with the screen offering smooth gameplay at high frame rates.

The phone is designed to run on Android games on&nbsp;Google Play store.&nbsp;

Just like most of the newly launched smartphones, the Razer is also launched without a standard headphone jack.&nbsp;

However, it lacks some of the common features of new smartphone including water resistance, OLED screen, ultra-narrow borders without display.&nbsp;The device is designed in an all-aluminium case with a 5.7 inch Quad HD display.

The powerful Qualcomm&#39;s Snapdragon 835 processor has 8GB RAM with the&nbsp;power to store memory equivalent to the amount of memory that comes with many PCs.&nbsp;

The phone has dual front-facing speakers.&nbsp;The side of the phone is also adorned with a fingerprint sensor on the power button.

Razer was founded by Min-Liang Tan and Robert Krakoff and is headquartered in San Francisco, California.&nbsp;

The company announced the launch of the phone on Wednesday, with pre-orders.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The device will be available in the market&nbsp;on November 17.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Razer Inc, a Singaporean based American Company that specialises in Computer hardware specifically for gamers has made its entry into the world of Smartphones

Razer Inc, a Singapore-based American company that specialises in computer hardware specifically for gamers has made its entry into the world of smartphones. Continuing with its specialisation into gaming hardware, the company has designed a new phone priced at $700, which will be best suited for video games. The phone is equipped with technology offered by highest of high-end gaming PCs. The company's CEO Min-Liang Tan highlighted Razor's Ultramotion feature which synchronizes the graphics chip in the phone with the screen offering smooth gameplay at high frame rates. The phone is designed to run on Android games on Google Play store. Just like most of the newly launched smartphones, the Razer is also launched without a standard headphone jack. However, it lacks some of the common features of new smartphone including water resistance, OLED screen, ultra-narrow borders without display. The device is designed in an all-aluminium case with a 5.7 inch Quad HD display. The powerful Qualcomm's Snapdragon 835 processor has 8GB RAM with the power to store memory equivalent to the amount of memory that comes with many PCs. The phone has dual front-facing speakers. The side of the phone is also adorned with a fingerprint sensor on the power button. Razer was founded by Min-Liang Tan and Robert Krakoff and is headquartered in San Francisco, California. The company announced the launch of the phone on Wednesday, with pre-orders. The device will be available in the market on November 17.

Razer designs smartphone for gamers

Tech giant Samsung Electronics plans to hold a media event in New York City to unveil its next Galaxy Note smartphone sometime in the second half of August, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters on Tuesday.

The person, who was not authorised to speak publicly on the matter and so declined to be identified, said the Galaxy Note 8 phone will sport a curved screen that is marginally larger than the 6.2-inch version of the Galaxy S8 smartphone and feature two rear cameras.

The person did not elaborate further on the phone including the pricing.

Samsung Electronics declined to comment on the report.

&nbsp;

The phone is expected to come with a curved screen - marginally larger than the 6.2-inch version of the Galaxy S8 smartphone

Tech giant Samsung Electronics plans to hold a media event in New York City to unveil its next Galaxy Note smartphone sometime in the second half of August, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters on Tuesday. The person, who was not authorised to speak publicly on the matter and so declined to be identified, said the Galaxy Note 8 phone will sport a curved screen that is marginally larger than the 6.2-inch version of the Galaxy S8 smartphone and feature two rear cameras. The person did not elaborate further on the phone including the pricing. Samsung Electronics declined to comment on the report.

Is the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 coming in August?

Andy Rubin, the co-creator&nbsp;of the Android mobile phone operating system, has launched a new company called Essential Products to sell a high-end smartphone and a home assistant device.

Palo Alto-based Essential said the new Essential Phone features an edge-to-edge screen, a titanium-and-ceramic case and dual cameras. The phone sells for $699 and will run the Android operating system. The price pits it against high-end smartphones including Apple&#39;s iPhone and Samsung&#39;s Galaxy S8.

Also Watch:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ipsS4_DV_s">Samsung&#39;s Galaxy S8 review</a>

Essential also launched a household assistant called Home that looks like an angled hockey puck with a screen. The device will compete against Amazon&#39;s Echo and Alphabet&#39;s Google Home speaker, which are powered by the Alexa and the Google Assistant voice services respectively.

Essential confirmed the Home device will let the user choose between Alexa, Google Assistant or Siri. It was not immediately clear how Siri would be available on Essential. While Amazon and Google have released the software needed to embed their assistants on devices they do not make, Apple has not done so.

Essential declined to elaborate on how it plans to embed Siri on the device, and Apple declined to comment.

The Essential Home takes a page from Apple&#39;s privacy play book. Like an iPhone, the Home will do much of the processing for voice and image recognition on the device itself rather than sending data to remote servers.

Essential also said the Home device will communicate with home appliances like lights and thermostats directly over the home network, rather than sending data to remote servers. Apple&#39;s HomeKit system takes similar approach.

Rubin, Essential&#39;s CEO, co-founded Android and sold it to Google in 2005. He ran Google&#39;s mobile efforts until 2013 before a brief stint running the firm&#39;s robotics division. He left Google in 2014 to focus on starting hardware companies.

Investors in Essential include Chinese tech company Tencent Holdings, iPhone contract manufacturer Foxconn, Redpoint Ventures and Altimeter Capital.

Essential plans to announce a ship date for the devices in the next few weeks. The company did not say whether it planned to sell the phone directly to customers online or in physical stores.

Essential for the first time revealed its staff on its website, listing Wolfgang Muller as head of channel sales. Muller previously ran North American retail operations for phone maker HTC, according to his LinkedIn profile, suggesting that Essential plans to sell phones through retail stores, carriers or both.

(Reuters)
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Investors Chinese tech company Tencent Holdings, iPhone contract manufacturer Foxconn, Redpoint Ventures and Altimeter Capital

Andy Rubin, the co-creator of the Android mobile phone operating system, has launched a new company called Essential Products to sell a high-end smartphone and a home assistant device. Palo Alto-based Essential said the new Essential Phone features an edge-to-edge screen, a titanium-and-ceramic case and dual cameras. The phone sells for $699 and will run the Android operating system. The price pits it against high-end smartphones including Apple's iPhone and Samsung's Galaxy S8. Also Watch: Samsung's Galaxy S8 review Essential also launched a household assistant called Home that looks like an angled hockey puck with a screen. The device will compete against Amazon's Echo and Alphabet's Google Home speaker, which are powered by the Alexa and the Google Assistant voice services respectively. Essential confirmed the Home device will let the user choose between Alexa, Google Assistant or Siri. It was not immediately clear how Siri would be available on Essential. While Amazon and Google have released the software needed to embed their assistants on devices they do not make, Apple has not done so. Essential declined to elaborate on how it plans to embed Siri on the device, and Apple declined to comment. The Essential Home takes a page from Apple's privacy play book. Like an iPhone, the Home will do much of the processing for voice and image recognition on the device itself rather than sending data to remote servers. Essential also said the Home device will communicate with home appliances like lights and thermostats directly over the home network, rather than sending data to remote servers. Apple's HomeKit system takes similar approach. Rubin, Essential's CEO, co-founded Android and sold it to Google in 2005. He ran Google's mobile efforts until 2013 before a brief stint running the firm's robotics division. He left Google in 2014 to focus on starting hardware companies. Investors in Essential include Chinese tech company Tencent Holdings, iPhone contract manufacturer Foxconn, Redpoint Ventures and Altimeter Capital. Essential plans to announce a ship date for the devices in the next few weeks. The company did not say whether it planned to sell the phone directly to customers online or in physical stores. Essential for the first time revealed its staff on its website, listing Wolfgang Muller as head of channel sales. Muller previously ran North American retail operations for phone maker HTC, according to his LinkedIn profile, suggesting that Essential plans to sell phones through retail stores, carriers or both. (Reuters)

Android co-founder Andy Rubin launches new company, unveils Essential Phone

Google is offering a four-month free subscription on its music streaming service Google Play Music for new subscribers, allowing users to scan up to 50,000 songs from their music library.

Typically, Google offers a 90-day free trial when a user signs up, but the offer has been extended by one month, reported The Verge.

Users can listen to custom radio stations on their computer or mobile device using Google Play Music service.

However, users who use the free service face ads on their app, unlike those subscribers who pay around $10.&nbsp;

Such users can also listen to over 35 million songs, download music to listen offline, and get access to YouTube Red.

Though Google has offered similar deals in the past, it was not clear how long the deal would remain active.

(IANS)

Google offers a 90-day free trial when a user signs up for its music service, but the offer has now been extended by one month

Google is offering a four-month free subscription on its music streaming service Google Play Music for new subscribers, allowing users to scan up to 50,000 songs from their music library. Typically, Google offers a 90-day free trial when a user signs up, but the offer has been extended by one month, reported The Verge. Users can listen to custom radio stations on their computer or mobile device using Google Play Music service. However, users who use the free service face ads on their app, unlike those subscribers who pay around $10. Such users can also listen to over 35 million songs, download music to listen offline, and get access to YouTube Red. Though Google has offered similar deals in the past, it was not clear how long the deal would remain active. (IANS)

Google Play Music now offers free subscription for four months

Nubia brings its M series in India with the launch of M2 Lite. This being Nubia&rsquo;s first smartphone with a 16 MP front camera, includes an inbuilt soft LED flash&nbsp;and an f2.0 wide-aperture lens which, in theory, should enable the phone to produce sharper images in low light. It sports a 5.5 inch screen and boasts of premium features like a 2.5D glass front and a metal uni-body design.&nbsp;

At 7.5 mm, the smartphone is sleek and fits nicely in hands. It is powered by an Octa-Core 64-bit CPU, 4GB RAM and 32GB of inbuilt storage. With up to 128GB of expandable memory, storage space is not going to be problem.&nbsp;

The mid-range budget smartphone space is slowly getting saturated with almost all the manufacturers launching similar specced phones within a very competitive price bracket. It is nifty features and ease of use that actually matters.

Nubia adds a host of software features as an add on for enhancing usability. It has the ability to have two social media accounts in one phone, enabling you to keep your personal and proffesional lives separate. Moreover, it also has split screen and screen recording built into natively which power users would love for sure.&nbsp;

Its NeoPower 2.5 suite extends battery life of the 3000 mAh polymer battery and comes with 118 new power optimization features. The processor&rsquo;s big little architecture also aides in powerful energy efficiency. M2 Lite also come with the customized edition of NeoVision 6.0 just for the M2 series, which enables a strong multifunctional camera. It also comes with 9 beauty modes and 90 mods to capture every mood exquisitely.

Priced at Rs. 13,999, M2 Lite will be available in two colors - Black and Gold, on Amazon.in starting from May 09, 2017 at 12:00 PM.

(WION)

Nubia M2 Lite, the latest smartphone by Nubia bringing its M series in India

Nubia brings its M series in India with the launch of M2 Lite. This being Nubia’s first smartphone with a 16 MP front camera, includes an inbuilt soft LED flash and an f2.0 wide-aperture lens which, in theory, should enable the phone to produce sharper images in low light. It sports a 5.5 inch screen and boasts of premium features like a 2.5D glass front and a metal uni-body design. At 7.5 mm, the smartphone is sleek and fits nicely in hands. It is powered by an Octa-Core 64-bit CPU, 4GB RAM and 32GB of inbuilt storage. With up to 128GB of expandable memory, storage space is not going to be problem. The mid-range budget smartphone space is slowly getting saturated with almost all the manufacturers launching similar specced phones within a very competitive price bracket. It is nifty features and ease of use that actually matters. Nubia adds a host of software features as an add on for enhancing usability. It has the ability to have two social media accounts in one phone, enabling you to keep your personal and proffesional lives separate. Moreover, it also has split screen and screen recording built into natively which power users would love for sure. Its NeoPower 2.5 suite extends battery life of the 3000 mAh polymer battery and comes with 118 new power optimization features. The processor’s big little architecture also aides in powerful energy efficiency. M2 Lite also come with the customized edition of NeoVision 6.0 just for the M2 series, which enables a strong multifunctional camera. It also comes with 9 beauty modes and 90 mods to capture every mood exquisitely. Priced at Rs. 13,999, M2 Lite will be available in two colors - Black and Gold, on Amazon.in starting from May 09, 2017 at 12:00 PM. (WION)

Nubia M2 Lite launched in India

&nbsp;

After teasing the name for quite a few days, Xiaomi has finally launched the much-awaited Redmi Note 4 in India. The phone comes in three variants - 32GB (with 2GB RAM) at Rs 9,999, 32GB (with 3GB RAM) at Rs 10,999 and 64GB (with 4GB RAM) at Rs 12,999, and will go on sale from next week. All the models are expandable up to 128 GB via an SD card.

The first sale for the Redmi Note 4 is scheduled for January 23 (at 12 PM). The phone will be available on Mi.com and Flipkart with no pre-registrations.

Encased in a unibody design, the Redmi Note 4, which is the successor to the Redmi Note 3, features a metal body and a 5.5-inch full HD display. According to the company, the Note 4 is the first Redmi smartphone to feature 2.5D curved glass on the front.

The phone is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 octa-core processor, which is claimed to be the first chipset in its class to use 14nm FinFET technology. This new technology is said to be more power-efficient than processors based on 28nm technology. As a result, the Redmi Note 4&#39;s 4100mAh battery is touted to last an average 25 per cent longer than the Redmi Note 3.

Talking about its cameras, the Redmi Note 4 sports a 13 megapixel CMOS camera with Phase Detection Autofocus (PDAF) for faster focusing, f/2.0 aperture, and a Backside Illuminated (BSI) sensor with 1.12-micron pixels, which can capture more light than its predecessor. The front of the phone, however, has a 5 megapixel, f/2.0 aperture camera.

The Redmi Note 4 is said to be fully compatibility with India&rsquo;s LTE cellular networks, including support for LTE Band 5 used for Voice over LTE (VoLTE), which enables HD calls to be carried over 4G.

The Note 4 is a dual-SIM phone, but it comes with a hybrid SIM slot. This means that the phone can either support two SIM cards or one SIM card and a microSD card.

Apart from the usual Dark Grey and Gold, the Redmi Note 4 will also be available in a new matte black finish.

(WION)

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 4, which is the successor to the Note 3, comes in three variants

After teasing the name for quite a few days, Xiaomi has finally launched the much-awaited Redmi Note 4 in India. The phone comes in three variants - 32GB (with 2GB RAM) at Rs 9,999, 32GB (with 3GB RAM) at Rs 10,999 and 64GB (with 4GB RAM) at Rs 12,999, and will go on sale from next week. All the models are expandable up to 128 GB via an SD card. The first sale for the Redmi Note 4 is scheduled for January 23 (at 12 PM). The phone will be available on Mi.com and Flipkart with no pre-registrations. Encased in a unibody design, the Redmi Note 4, which is the successor to the Redmi Note 3, features a metal body and a 5.5-inch full HD display. According to the company, the Note 4 is the first Redmi smartphone to feature 2.5D curved glass on the front. The phone is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 octa-core processor, which is claimed to be the first chipset in its class to use 14nm FinFET technology. This new technology is said to be more power-efficient than processors based on 28nm technology. As a result, the Redmi Note 4's 4100mAh battery is touted to last an average 25 per cent longer than the Redmi Note 3. Talking about its cameras, the Redmi Note 4 sports a 13 megapixel CMOS camera with Phase Detection Autofocus (PDAF) for faster focusing, f/2.0 aperture, and a Backside Illuminated (BSI) sensor with 1.12-micron pixels, which can capture more light than its predecessor. The front of the phone, however, has a 5 megapixel, f/2.0 aperture camera. The Redmi Note 4 is said to be fully compatibility with India’s LTE cellular networks, including support for LTE Band 5 used for Voice over LTE (VoLTE), which enables HD calls to be carried over 4G. The Note 4 is a dual-SIM phone, but it comes with a hybrid SIM slot. This means that the phone can either support two SIM cards or one SIM card and a microSD card. Apart from the usual Dark Grey and Gold, the Redmi Note 4 will also be available in a new matte black finish. (WION)

Redmi Note 4: Xiaomi launches new affordable phone in India

UPDATE: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/science-tech/moto-m-with-full-metal-body-launched-in-india-prices-start-at-rs-15999-10098">Moto M with full metal body launched in India; prices start at Rs 15,999</a>

Lenovo is all set to unveil its much-awaited Moto M smartphone in India at an event in Mumbai. The key highlight of the phone is that it is the company&rsquo;s first all-metal Moto smartphone. While the event is taking place in Mumbai, the company is live streaming it for fans and enthusiasts to watch it live from the comfort of their couch. The event begins at 12:30 PM IST.
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Lenovo is all set to unveil its much-awaited Moto M smartphone in India

UPDATE: Moto M with full metal body launched in India; prices start at Rs 15,999 Lenovo is all set to unveil its much-awaited Moto M smartphone in India at an event in Mumbai. The key highlight of the phone is that it is the company’s first all-metal Moto smartphone. While the event is taking place in Mumbai, the company is live streaming it for fans and enthusiasts to watch it live from the comfort of their couch. The event begins at 12:30 PM IST.

Watch live: Moto M India launch

Samsung Electronics Co Ltd&#39;s shares fell to their lowest level in nearly two months on Monday after the tech giant told customers to switch off and return their new Galaxy Note 7 smartphones due to fire-prone batteries. 
 
Investors had wiped 15.9 trillion won (14.3 billion) off the South Korean firm&#39;s market capitalisation as of 0303 GMT, as a series of warnings from regulators and airlines around the world raised fears for the future of the flagship device. 
 
&quot;Some said initially the Galaxy Note 7 could be the best smartphone ever, but now it&#39;s possible the phone will go down as the worst ever,&quot; IBK Securities analyst Lee Seung-woo said, predicting weak sales in the fourth quarter. 
 
Samsung Electronics&#39; common shares were down 6.3 per cent to 1,476,000 won each after touching their lowest level since July 12, and were on track for their biggest daily percentage drop in more than four years. 
 
Analysts said the recall could torpedo Galaxy Note 7 sales and have a lasting impact on the $211 billion company&#39;s brand image, which could derail a recovery in its smartphone market share against rivals like Apple Inc. 
 
The global smartphone leader on Saturday urged all customers to turn off their Note 7s and return them as soon as possible as part of the recall which it voluntarily initiated on Sept. 2. 
 
Unprecedented 
 
The recall is unprecedented for Samsung, which prides itself on its manufacturing prowess. Some analysts estimate the firm might lose $5 billion won worth of revenue after accounting for recall costs. The company had said it had sold 2.5 million Galaxy Note 7s that need to be replaced. 
 
Nomura said it had cut its forecast for Samsung&#39;s third-quarter mobile operating profit by 900 billion won to 3.1 trillion won in the wake of the Note 7 recall. 
 
&quot;Even if Samsung puts Note 7s with new batteries in the market it won&#39;t sell as well as it had initially,&quot; HMC Investment analyst Greg Roh said. 
 
&quot;Long-term, it will cost Samsung significant marketing spending to ensure the next products can overcome this issue.&quot; 
 
The Note 7 problems are a major blow to Samsung&#39;s efforts to build on the strong sales of its Galaxy S7 smartphones launched in March. 
 
The firm was beginning to claw back smartphone market share and had tried to pre-empt Apple by launching the almost $900 Note 7 on Aug. 19, about a month ahead of the latest iPhone release. 
 
The recall forced Samsung to halt sales indefinitely in markets such as the United States and push back launches in other regions such as Europe. 
 
(Reuters)

Samsung Electronics' common shares were down 6.3 per cent to 1,476,000 won each after touching their lowest level since July 12

Samsung Electronics Co Ltd's shares fell to their lowest level in nearly two months on Monday after the tech giant told customers to switch off and return their new Galaxy Note 7 smartphones due to fire-prone batteries. Investors had wiped 15.9 trillion won (14.3 billion) off the South Korean firm's market capitalisation as of 0303 GMT, as a series of warnings from regulators and airlines around the world raised fears for the future of the flagship device. "Some said initially the Galaxy Note 7 could be the best smartphone ever, but now it's possible the phone will go down as the worst ever," IBK Securities analyst Lee Seung-woo said, predicting weak sales in the fourth quarter. Samsung Electronics' common shares were down 6.3 per cent to 1,476,000 won each after touching their lowest level since July 12, and were on track for their biggest daily percentage drop in more than four years. Analysts said the recall could torpedo Galaxy Note 7 sales and have a lasting impact on the $211 billion company's brand image, which could derail a recovery in its smartphone market share against rivals like Apple Inc. The global smartphone leader on Saturday urged all customers to turn off their Note 7s and return them as soon as possible as part of the recall which it voluntarily initiated on Sept. 2. Unprecedented The recall is unprecedented for Samsung, which prides itself on its manufacturing prowess. Some analysts estimate the firm might lose $5 billion won worth of revenue after accounting for recall costs. The company had said it had sold 2.5 million Galaxy Note 7s that need to be replaced. Nomura said it had cut its forecast for Samsung's third-quarter mobile operating profit by 900 billion won to 3.1 trillion won in the wake of the Note 7 recall. "Even if Samsung puts Note 7s with new batteries in the market it won't sell as well as it had initially," HMC Investment analyst Greg Roh said. "Long-term, it will cost Samsung significant marketing spending to ensure the next products can overcome this issue." The Note 7 problems are a major blow to Samsung's efforts to build on the strong sales of its Galaxy S7 smartphones launched in March. The firm was beginning to claw back smartphone market share and had tried to pre-empt Apple by launching the almost $900 Note 7 on Aug. 19, about a month ahead of the latest iPhone release. The recall forced Samsung to halt sales indefinitely in markets such as the United States and push back launches in other regions such as Europe. (Reuters)

Samsung shares slide as Note 7 recall takes toll

Samsung has delayed its premier smartphone's shipments to South Korea due to quality control problems

Samsung Electronics Co Ltd is down to a two-week low on Thursday over concerns of mobile earnings after it delayed shipments of its Galaxy Note 7 smartphone and reports of exploding batteries. Late on Wednesday the tech biggie announced the delays for quality control testing and also said Galaxy note shipments to South Korea’s top three mobile carriers had been stopped for the time being, crushing investor hope for strong second-half mobile earnings. Quality control problems, if confirmed, could be a major blow to the world's top smartphone maker, which was banking on the Galaxy Note 7 to defend sales momentum against the new Apple Inc phones expected to be unveiled on September 7. "Apple is supposed to show off the iPhone 7 next week and this issue (with Samsung) has emerged, so the current state of things do not look good," HDC Asset Management fund manager Park Jung-hoon said. Though a components pick-up will buttress overall profits, Park said mobile operating profit might decline by up to 200 billion won for July-September. The mobile division accounted for about 54 per cent of Samsung Electronics’ January-June operating profit of 14.8 trillion won ($1 = 1,120.8100 won). Hyundai Securities said in a report released that the Galaxy Note 7's problems should be resolved within a "few weeks". (WION with inputs from Reuters)

Delayed shipments of Galaxy Note 7 amid 'battery explosions' threaten Samsung

As a Syrian migrant arriving in Berlin, Munzer Khattab could barely say a word in German, let alone fill out a pile of forms in the language. So over the past year, Khattab has not only learned German but also worked with five other Syrian refugees or asylum seekers to design a smartphone app to make forms less daunting. 
 
The app, called &#39;Bureaucrazy&#39;, to be launched in January, will translate various forms into Arabic and English for newcomers facing a pile of paperwork ranging from registering with authorities to opening a bank account. It will also provide them with a map with Berlin offices that all newcomers need to navigate and deal with other questions about red tape that can leave asylum seekers in knots. 
 
Khattab, 23, who fled his coastal hometown of Latakia last year to avoid military service in Syria, said the inspiration came as he ploughed through more than a dozen registration forms in German after arriving in Berlin. 
 
&quot;Even when we asked Germans they had problems understanding the forms,&quot; Khattab told the Thomson Reuters Foundation in a telephone interview. 
 
&quot;If the Germans found them unreadable, how could we [migrants] read them?&quot; The app&#39;s name stemmed from Khattab, whose first language is Arabic, being caught out mispronouncing the word &#39;bureaucracy&#39;. &quot;Someone heard it and said &#39;Bureaucrazy? What did you say? That&#39;s a cool name&#39;,&quot; said Khattab. 
 
Khattab and his partners developed the app as part of a program in computer-coding they are taking at ReDI, a Berlin non-profit school with a mission to integrate refugees. It won a local software development contest and later drew praise at the Startup Europe tech conference earlier this year. 
 
The developers believe it will help migrants fleeing violence and poverty, more than a million of which have entered Germany in the past year. 
 
&quot;Everyone has the same problem: they come to Berlin as newcomers from Spain to Italy, and they have the same problems that we had,&quot; Khattab said. 
 
(Reuters)

The app, developed by Khattab, will translate various German forms into Arabic and English for newcomers facing a pile of paperwork

As a Syrian migrant arriving in Berlin, Munzer Khattab could barely say a word in German, let alone fill out a pile of forms in the language. So over the past year, Khattab has not only learned German but also worked with five other Syrian refugees or asylum seekers to design a smartphone app to make forms less daunting. The app, called 'Bureaucrazy', to be launched in January, will translate various forms into Arabic and English for newcomers facing a pile of paperwork ranging from registering with authorities to opening a bank account. It will also provide them with a map with Berlin offices that all newcomers need to navigate and deal with other questions about red tape that can leave asylum seekers in knots. Khattab, 23, who fled his coastal hometown of Latakia last year to avoid military service in Syria, said the inspiration came as he ploughed through more than a dozen registration forms in German after arriving in Berlin. "Even when we asked Germans they had problems understanding the forms," Khattab told the Thomson Reuters Foundation in a telephone interview. "If the Germans found them unreadable, how could we [migrants] read them?" The app's name stemmed from Khattab, whose first language is Arabic, being caught out mispronouncing the word 'bureaucracy'. "Someone heard it and said 'Bureaucrazy? What did you say? That's a cool name'," said Khattab. Khattab and his partners developed the app as part of a program in computer-coding they are taking at ReDI, a Berlin non-profit school with a mission to integrate refugees. It won a local software development contest and later drew praise at the Startup Europe tech conference earlier this year. The developers believe it will help migrants fleeing violence and poverty, more than a million of which have entered Germany in the past year. "Everyone has the same problem: they come to Berlin as newcomers from Spain to Italy, and they have the same problems that we had," Khattab said. (Reuters)

Bureaucrazy: The smartphone app created by Syrian refugees to cut through German bureaucracy

Apple announced yesterday the sale of its billionth iPhone, a milestone for the company as it seeks to keep momentum in a competitive smartphone market. 
 
Chief executive Tim Cook made the announcement at a staff meeting at the company&#39;s California headquarters. 
 
&quot;IPhone has become one of the most important, world-changing and successful products in history,&quot; he said in a statement. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s become more than a constant companion. IPhone is truly an essential part of our daily life and enables much of what we do throughout the day. Last week we passed another major milestone when we sold the billionth iPhone. We never set out to make the most, but we&#39;ve always set out to make the best products that make a difference.&quot; 
 
The news comes a day after Apple reported a drop in iPhone sales over the past quarter, a second straight drop after uninterrupted growth since its introduction in 2007. 
 
Apple sold 40.4 million iPhones in the quarter ending June 25, down 15 per cent from a year earlier, highlighting concerns over growth for the iconic smartphone. 
 
The quarterly results underscored the challenges for Apple, which has built a huge business around the iPhone but is unlikely to see continued growth, due to a saturated smartphone market and increased competition. 
 
Apple has been seeking to diversify its product line and move into services for a more stable revenue base, while keeping users in its ecosystem with offerings such as music, connected cars and its Apple Watch. 
 
(AFP)

'iPhone is truly an essential part of our daily life,' Apple CEO Tim Cook said in a statement

Apple announced yesterday the sale of its billionth iPhone, a milestone for the company as it seeks to keep momentum in a competitive smartphone market. Chief executive Tim Cook made the announcement at a staff meeting at the company's California headquarters. "IPhone has become one of the most important, world-changing and successful products in history," he said in a statement. "It's become more than a constant companion. IPhone is truly an essential part of our daily life and enables much of what we do throughout the day. Last week we passed another major milestone when we sold the billionth iPhone. We never set out to make the most, but we've always set out to make the best products that make a difference." The news comes a day after Apple reported a drop in iPhone sales over the past quarter, a second straight drop after uninterrupted growth since its introduction in 2007. Apple sold 40.4 million iPhones in the quarter ending June 25, down 15 per cent from a year earlier, highlighting concerns over growth for the iconic smartphone. The quarterly results underscored the challenges for Apple, which has built a huge business around the iPhone but is unlikely to see continued growth, due to a saturated smartphone market and increased competition. Apple has been seeking to diversify its product line and move into services for a more stable revenue base, while keeping users in its ecosystem with offerings such as music, connected cars and its Apple Watch. (AFP)

Apple announces sale of billionth iPhone

Shares in Japan&#39;s Nintendo&nbsp;surged on Friday as consumers flocked to try out its new Pokemon GO smartphone game, raising hopes that the company&#39;s long-awaited shift into mobile gaming will pay off.

Seeking to protect its console business, the Japanese group had for many years resisted introducing mobile games with its best-known characters such as Super Mario Bros and Pokemon, finally yielding to investor calls last year when it announced a tie-up with mobile specialst DeNA Co.

Its first mobile title, Miitomo, was only launched in March after some delay and was also a social networking-style application, leaving investors disappointed and impatient.

But Wednesday&#39;s launch of Pokemon GO in the United States has seen the title shoot up to become the No 1 free app in Apple Inc&#39;s US iTunes store. It was also launched in Australia and New Zealand this week and is expected to be rolled out in Japan soon.

Many reviewers said they were keen on the game although they hoped that technical glitches would soon be resolved. Shares of Nintendo jumped 10 per cent to their highest level in more than two months with the stock the most heavily traded by value on Tokyo&#39;s main board and giving the firm a market value of about $23 billion.

The game, in which players search out and capture Pokemon characters and battle it out, is free but it also offers in-app purchases for power-ups and extra items.

&quot;It has more (monetisation) than we expected; as users build their Pok?mon inventory, spending money becomes needed to store, train, hatch and battle,&quot; Macquarie Securities said in a note to clients, adding that purchases so far in Australia were not being driven by big spenders but by a large number of users.

The company has promised four more smartphone games in the financial year to end-March and has said it expects mobile gaming to help boost annual operating profit by a third to 45 billion Yen ($450 million).

Nintendo also plans to release its next console globally in March 2017.

&quot;The company has huge intangible assets like characters but it hasn&#39;t been trying to use them seriously. But the success of its Pokemon GO shows the company has got great content,&quot; said a fund manager at a UK asset management firm in Tokyo.

(Reuters) 
&nbsp;

Its first mobile title Miitomo was launched in March and was also a social networking-style application, leaving investors disappointed

Shares in Japan's Nintendo surged on Friday as consumers flocked to try out its new Pokemon GO smartphone game, raising hopes that the company's long-awaited shift into mobile gaming will pay off. Seeking to protect its console business, the Japanese group had for many years resisted introducing mobile games with its best-known characters such as Super Mario Bros and Pokemon, finally yielding to investor calls last year when it announced a tie-up with mobile specialst DeNA Co. Its first mobile title, Miitomo, was only launched in March after some delay and was also a social networking-style application, leaving investors disappointed and impatient. But Wednesday's launch of Pokemon GO in the United States has seen the title shoot up to become the No 1 free app in Apple Inc's US iTunes store. It was also launched in Australia and New Zealand this week and is expected to be rolled out in Japan soon. Many reviewers said they were keen on the game although they hoped that technical glitches would soon be resolved. Shares of Nintendo jumped 10 per cent to their highest level in more than two months with the stock the most heavily traded by value on Tokyo's main board and giving the firm a market value of about $23 billion. The game, in which players search out and capture Pokemon characters and battle it out, is free but it also offers in-app purchases for power-ups and extra items. "It has more (monetisation) than we expected; as users build their Pok?mon inventory, spending money becomes needed to store, train, hatch and battle," Macquarie Securities said in a note to clients, adding that purchases so far in Australia were not being driven by big spenders but by a large number of users. The company has promised four more smartphone games in the financial year to end-March and has said it expects mobile gaming to help boost annual operating profit by a third to 45 billion Yen ($450 million). Nintendo also plans to release its next console globally in March 2017. "The company has huge intangible assets like characters but it hasn't been trying to use them seriously. But the success of its Pokemon GO shows the company has got great content," said a fund manager at a UK asset management firm in Tokyo. (Reuters)

Nintendo shares soar as new Pokemon mobile game captures hearts

The Indian makers of a $4 smartphone hope its low price will allow millions of the poorest to own a mobile phone in a market which at present has seen only 10 per cent penetration. 
 
But labour rights campaigners worry that the push to churn out cheap handsets and tablets may lead to greater abuse of workers&#39; rights in India, world&#39;s fastest-growing smartphone market. 
 
Ringing Bells&#39; Freedom 251 smartphone, whose launch in February crashed the company&#39;s website, is priced at Rs251. 
 
On Thursday, the company&#39;s chief executive Mohit Goel said the first shipment of about 200,000 handsets was due next week. 
 
Ringing Bells pays fair wages to its workers and its pricier models will help offset the cost of the $4 phone, he added. 
 
&quot;Our vision is to make mobile phones more affordable to the millions of poor Indians who do not own one,&quot; Goel told Reuters. 
 
India sold 103 million handsets last year, an increase of 29 per cent on the previous year.&nbsp; 
 
With only one in 10 Indians owning a mobile phone, there is enormous potential - much of it at the lower end of the market where dozens of local and foreign brands are vying for customers with some handsets selling for less than $25. 
 
However, the pressure to keep costs low is pushing manufacturers to pay low wages, rely on cheaper contract labour and insist on unpaid overtime, activists say. 
 
&quot;Responsibility of the supply chain and workers lies with brand companies,&quot; said Gopinath Parakuni, general secretary at Cividep, a workers&#39; rights campaign group. 
 
&quot;Our regulations simply aren&#39;t strong enough to ensure workers in the electronics industry are taken care of,&quot; he said. 
 
&#39;Who pays the price?&#39; 
 
Last month Cividep and Amsterdam-based GoodElectronics issued a report on Samsung Electronics, the leader in India&#39;s mobile market, which found that Samsung workers were poorly paid with no way to effectively have their grievances addressed. 
 
A Samsung India spokesman said the company complies by all relevant labour laws and regulations wherever it operates.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;Fairness and respect for all are the values that form the foundation of our business,&quot; the spokesman said in a statement. 
 
While most of the 100-odd phone companies in India largely import from China and Taiwan, companies are increasingly heeding Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s call to &#39;Make in India&#39;, an initiative launched in 2014. 
 
Chinese phone maker Xiaomi rolled out its first, locally-made smartphones last year from a facility in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. 
 
The &#39;Make in India&#39; drive to boost manufacturing is aimed at luring more investment, raising economic growth and creating jobs in industries such as electronics and apparel. 
 
But these efforts lack sufficient checks and balances for millions of workers who face archaic labour laws, low wages, few benefits and little job security in businesses that often flout laws on safety or underage workers, activists say. 
 
In India&#39;s electronics industry, working conditions are &quot;among the worst&quot;, according to a 2013 report by Hong Kong-based labour rights non-profit Asia Monitor Resource Centre. 
 
Not all efforts to produce cheap electronics have been successful. In 2008, the Indian government unveiled a $10 laptop that ended up costing more than $100, while a $20 Android tablet sold through a subsidy scheme failed to capture significant market share. 
 
&quot;Companies like to say cheap phones and computers is about digital empowerment and democracy,&quot; said Raphel Jose at the Centre for Responsible Business in New Delhi. 
 
&quot;But we must stop and ask, &#39;what is the real cost of these cheap devices? Who pays the price?&#39; Cheap is not always good,&quot; he said. 
 
($1 = 67.55 Indian Rupees)&nbsp; 
 
(Reuters)

Activists claim that to keep costs low, manufacturers pay low wages, rely on cheaper contract labour and insist on unpaid overtime

The Indian makers of a $4 smartphone hope its low price will allow millions of the poorest to own a mobile phone in a market which at present has seen only 10 per cent penetration. But labour rights campaigners worry that the push to churn out cheap handsets and tablets may lead to greater abuse of workers' rights in India, world's fastest-growing smartphone market. Ringing Bells' Freedom 251 smartphone, whose launch in February crashed the company's website, is priced at Rs251. On Thursday, the company's chief executive Mohit Goel said the first shipment of about 200,000 handsets was due next week. Ringing Bells pays fair wages to its workers and its pricier models will help offset the cost of the $4 phone, he added. "Our vision is to make mobile phones more affordable to the millions of poor Indians who do not own one," Goel told Reuters. India sold 103 million handsets last year, an increase of 29 per cent on the previous year. With only one in 10 Indians owning a mobile phone, there is enormous potential - much of it at the lower end of the market where dozens of local and foreign brands are vying for customers with some handsets selling for less than $25. However, the pressure to keep costs low is pushing manufacturers to pay low wages, rely on cheaper contract labour and insist on unpaid overtime, activists say. "Responsibility of the supply chain and workers lies with brand companies," said Gopinath Parakuni, general secretary at Cividep, a workers' rights campaign group. "Our regulations simply aren't strong enough to ensure workers in the electronics industry are taken care of," he said. 'Who pays the price?' Last month Cividep and Amsterdam-based GoodElectronics issued a report on Samsung Electronics, the leader in India's mobile market, which found that Samsung workers were poorly paid with no way to effectively have their grievances addressed. A Samsung India spokesman said the company complies by all relevant labour laws and regulations wherever it operates. "Fairness and respect for all are the values that form the foundation of our business," the spokesman said in a statement. While most of the 100-odd phone companies in India largely import from China and Taiwan, companies are increasingly heeding Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call to 'Make in India', an initiative launched in 2014. Chinese phone maker Xiaomi rolled out its first, locally-made smartphones last year from a facility in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. The 'Make in India' drive to boost manufacturing is aimed at luring more investment, raising economic growth and creating jobs in industries such as electronics and apparel. But these efforts lack sufficient checks and balances for millions of workers who face archaic labour laws, low wages, few benefits and little job security in businesses that often flout laws on safety or underage workers, activists say. In India's electronics industry, working conditions are "among the worst", according to a 2013 report by Hong Kong-based labour rights non-profit Asia Monitor Resource Centre. Not all efforts to produce cheap electronics have been successful. In 2008, the Indian government unveiled a $10 laptop that ended up costing more than $100, while a $20 Android tablet sold through a subsidy scheme failed to capture significant market share. "Companies like to say cheap phones and computers is about digital empowerment and democracy," said Raphel Jose at the Centre for Responsible Business in New Delhi. "But we must stop and ask, 'what is the real cost of these cheap devices? Who pays the price?' Cheap is not always good," he said. ($1 = 67.55 Indian Rupees) (Reuters)

India's $4 smartphone will further hurt underpaid workers' conditions, campaigners say

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