Wind Turbines & Automobile Engines To Benefit From Cheaper Magnetic Alloy

Currently, the high performance permanent magnets that are used in wind turbines as well as automobile engines make use of a rare earth element called 'Dysprosium' which is really costly and not available in abundance. As an alternative to this traditionally used material, a team of researchers from AMES Lab (U.S. Department) involving Karl A. Gschneidner (from Materials Sciences and Engineering), Arjun Pathak and Mahmud Khan among others, have given birth to a new magnetic alloy that used 'Cerium' which is a plentifully available rare earth material. The new alloy made up of iron, neodymium and boron co-doped with cerium and cobalt is 20-40% cheaper than the one containing dysprosium. Scientists at AMES laboratory believe that the new alloy holds potential for given serious competition to the sintered magnets that have been used for so many years. 

The new alloy (which replaces dysprosium by cerium) has the ability to resist demagnetisation at high temperatures. Their experiments showed that the material performed better than any other material at temperatures more than 150° C. This means the alloy can be used as a permanent magnent in high-temperature applications with ease. 

Image: Researcher Arjun Pathak arc melts material in preparation
for producing a new type of magnet.​

This is definitely not the first attempt to find a substitute for the permanent magnet used in our car's engines. Most experiments where cerium was used would fail because the alloy would lose its permanent magnet properties above a certain temperature. Therefore, when the AMES Lab team used co-doping with cobalt, they not only retained the properties, but also performed better.

Manufacturers currently rely heavily on dysprosium and the demand for the scarcely found material is too high in comparison to the pace of its recycling and mining. Therefore, finding an alternative alloy would be a great boon for our automobile industries.

What are your thoughts about the new research work? Share with us in comments below.

TATA Nano GenX Easy Shift [Pictures] Getting Ready For May 2015 Launch

A lot of buzz got around as TATA initiated a campaign called # WeTheNanoGen as it was prepping to take the wraps off the latest variant of its people's car, now called, GenX TATA Nano. Though the car is set to be launched in May 2015 (2nd May being a probable date), the company has revealed its images via their social media accounts on Facebook and Twitter. The new facelift version of Nano is called the 2015 GenX Nano Easy Shift and it is slated to feature (AMT) Automated Manual Transmission. In the first version of Tata Nano, many consumers had lodged serious complaints against the car. However, in subsequent versions (Nano CNG eMax and Nano Twist XT) the company did its best to feature improvements. With Nano GenX Easy Shift, the company hopes to remove all setbacks and is leading people to have high expectations from the small car. 

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It goes without saying that the Nano GenX will be the most affordable car in India featuring automatic transmission given the track record of the company sticking to its 'cheapest' label. The major highlights to look forward to are the cosmetic changes to the car and some modifications in specs. For instance, as you can see from the image below, the car comes with the bright Sangria red colour, ear-to-ear wide bumpers and a functional tail gate (a feature that's a relief because riders no more have to fold the backrest to load/remove the luggage, even though there's no mention of increase in boot space). We hear that 110 litres of luggage space has been promised.

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Speculations suggest that the GenX Tata Nano variants will be XE, XM, XT (Manual) and XE, XT (Automatic). The Nano variants are said to offer a mileage of 21.9 kmpl and a significantly increased fuel tank capacity of 24 litres.

Some reports reveal that the Nano GenX AMT will get the same 624 cc MPFI petrol engine that delivers power of 37.5 bhp and a max torque of 51 Nm. Talks about the arrival of a 'creep function' are also making rounds. This function is said to be really helpful for those commuting daily in heavy traffic as it makes the vehicle crawl after releasing the brakes without the use of the accelerator. 

The company has started taking booking for the next generation Tata Nano with a down payment of Rs. 5,000. The company has also introduced a scheme for existing Nano owners. Called 'Power of 1+1', this campaign lets you get the best exchange price for their cars in addition to a special loyalty bonus of Rs. 20,000. So as to increase it sales, Tata has also made tie up various financial institutions that will offer the best interest rates for those taking car loans.

That's all we know about the GenX Nano so far. We've heard that in addition to the bright red seen in the picture, the car will also be offered in white, gold, blue, purple, silver and red color options. We will update the topic to add more details as the launch becomes official. Till then, let us know your thoughts about the new Nano in comments below.

New 4D Printing Tech Will Leave You In Awe As It Uses 'Time' As 4th Dimension

As the world still remains spellbound about the exciting new applications in the world of 3D Printing, here's an awesome innovation from University of Wollongong & ACES researchers that has potential to stir a great revolution in the field of additive manufacturing. Called '4D Printing', the new research work talks about using external stimuli such as water or heat for changing the shape of a 3D printed object after it's completely produced. Since the shift in shape is done post production, the team uses 'time' as the 4th dimension in the new technology now called 4D printing. The new tech holds key to take 3D printing to an awesome new level where the possibilities in applications are limitless (be it construction or robotics, medicine or automation).

The Wollongong & ACES researchers want you to imaging a 3D printed structure that is built layer by layer, with the only modification that the materials are able to transform themselves from one shape into another. With the ability to change shape or even the function of the object on-demand and over a set period of time, 4D printing technology is extending the potential of 3D printing. By combining smart actuating and sensing materials with additive manufacturing techniques, the team has been able to successfully develop a versatile yet convenient method to manufacture custom-designed sensors. They have created a 4D printed smart valve that actuates in response to its surrounding water’s temperature. 

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Tapping into the field of soft robotics, the team developed a 'smart valve' by 4D printing of hydrogels that are mechanically robust and thermally actuating. The valve operates autonomously in that it closes itself when in contact with hot water. The printed hydrogels are made up of an interpenetrating network of alginate and poly(N-isopropylacrylamide). The most interesting thing about this tech is that the fully functioning device is ready to be used right from the top of the 4D printer, meaning that no separate assembly is needed. 

The existing 4D printed objects use water absorption or thermal shape memory to demonstrate impressive change in shape. However, they are slow to respond and show limited reversibility. The ACES and Wollongong University researchers have built a relatively faster & reversible skeletal muscle-like linear actuation & incorporated it in a smart valve. We are only looking forward to what the future holds as additive manufacturing takes new twists and turns.

What are your thoughts on 3D and 4D printing? Share with us in comments below.

Gecko inspired tiny robots move stuff 100x their weight

Engineers at the Stanford University in California have designed tiny robots that can move stuff about 100x their own weight. These new tiny, yet super-powered robots will be showcased at the International Conference on Robotics and Automation in Seattle (ICRA 2015). Robotics engineers deriving inspiration from nature is not very new. At CrazyEngineers, we've been following such machines curiously for a long time now. Considering the smaller form factor of these nano-bots, their weight-lifting capability is simply mind blowing!

The key element adopted by the creators in designing and developing these robots is the adhesives on the contact areas. Inspired by geckos, the engineers covered the adhesives with tiny rubber spikes to create exceptional grip on the surface. Under pressure, the spikes bend and thus the contact surface area grows which results into added stickiness. When the robot wants to move legs, the rubber spikes straighten out and can detach from the surface without much effort. 

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The video below shows these tiny bots in action. You'll quickly relate their movement with that of insects. While a set of legs moves forward, the other ones firmly stay in place to support the load. All the sophisticated computer algorithms ensure that the movement of the legs is in perfect synch to avoid fall. All this super-cool engineering leads to exceptional power capabilities in these robots. A tiny robot weighing just under 10 grams can move 1Kg load. The most impressive among these robots is the one named μTug. It weights just about 12 grams but can drag weight that is close to 2000x heavier. Just for the sake of analogy - imagine yourself dragging a blue whale.

Skype for India App: Engineered for Indian 2G/3G Networks

Microsoft owned Skype Corporation is designing a new version of their Internet telephony cum video-calling software specifically for Indian 2G and 3G networks. Microsoft recently had a team of specialists study the current state of Skype adoption in India and found out that the rival messengers like Viber were providing much better services that work on relatively slower 2G / 3G networks in India. The company decided to develop a special version of Skype app for India that will address issues that exist because of slower networks.

While no information was provided on the ETA for the app, it's expected that Skype will launch the app in the next 2-4 months. The app is likely to be very lightweight and consume very limited resources on the client devices viz. budget phones powered by Windows operating system. Microsoft is likely to target wider adoption of the app through their Nokia Asha and Lumia cellphone models. We do not have information whether Microsoft will target Android and iOS platforms as well for the new app.

With number of Internet users likely to be world's second largest by 2016, second to China, it's no wonder that India is an important target group for Microsoft's Skype. The competition among the internet telephony services providers in India is huge with established players like Skype and the market disruptors like WhatsApp that recently launched voice calling services.

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Microsoft officials informed IndianExpress that in future majority of CPU / GPU processing is likely to happen in the cloud and not on the client's device. This will allow for the lower-end devices to run complex applications and even play graphics intensive games. Microsoft is reportedly working on integrating their latest technology called HoloLens with Skype which will allow the users to actually see people they are calling in real time.

Skype is also working with the Government of India to solve the issues related to cyber security. There is an ongoing debate over the net neutrality which is going to affect the way Skype and other services are provided in India. Do let us know your thoughts about the new lightweight Skype for India.

Making Transparent Bullet-Proof Glass Out Of Clay: A U.S. Naval Research Laboratory Innovation

The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) has refined the process of making a special ceramic material called as Spinel that can serve as an alternative to conventional bullet-proof glass. Dr. Jas Sanghera who heads the team at the NRL says that spinel is actually a mineral called as magnesium aluminate. He also claims that the material is tougher, stronger and harder than glass and with the new manufacturing process that they invented the material can be moulded into any shape. This means they can be used, not just for military applications like armour but also for protecting consumer durables like camera lenses and smartphone displays. Conventional bullet-proof glass is made by pressing alternating layers of glass and plastic sheeting together and this prevents infrared wavelength of light. This means they cannot be used to protect a drone’s lens that has night-vision capabilities. The spinel however allows infrared light to pass through it, making it an excellent protection for UAV cameras. The team also says it can be fitted to the high-power military lasers that are used to obliterate missiles.

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The team at NRL took ten years to develop a process called as sintering to make Spinel. Old methods for manufacturing spinel dictated that you had to melt the raw material, ceramic at temperatures of 2000 degrees centigrade. This was an expensive and energy hungry method and the NRL wanted to change that. The spinel made by the NRL is a polycrystalline material that is formed by pressing different types of crystal materials together. Sintering is the process of making spinel with the help of a hot press. The team put in the ceramic powder in a hot press under vacuum. The powder gets squashed together and the entrapped air is removed and the result is a clear glass-like material. To prevent cloudiness in the glass, the team added lithium fluoride which lubricates the powder particles to reduce friction and prevent the powder from moving around. If you want to improve the optics of the spinel, all you have to do is polish and grind the spinel just like you do with gems.

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Dr. Sanghera says that the process is scalable and depending on the mould of the press you can make glass of any shape and size. The NRL is planning to license the manufacturing process not just to the Department of Defence but also to commercial manufactures.

Lenovo A5000 Features Android Kitkat | Quad Core | 4000 mAh Battery

Lenovo has been on fire ever since the launch of its spectacular A6000 smartphone whose sales began in January this year exclusively via Flipkart. The company has silently unveiled yet another A-Series phone in India with Lenovo A5000 that is reportedly priced at Rs. 10,250. The news about the phone came to light when Mahesh Telecom posted an image on Facebook along with the the phone's complete features list. It has only been a day after A5000 was officially launched in Russia for $227 (~Rs. 14,300) price tag. There's no official word from Lenovo India as of now, however since we've got our hands on the specifications, let's see if they fit its pricing.

Coming with a 5 inch IPS capacitive touchscreen (with 1280 x 720 pixel resolution), more than 300 dpi and 16 Million colors, the Lenovo A5000 has a 1.3 GHz Quad Core [MediaTek MT6582] processor as its engine. Special nano coating makes the screen A5000 resistant to liquid splashes. At dimensions: 71.4 x 9.98 x 140 mm, the phone weighs about 160g which isn't very light weight. Powered by Android 4.4 KitKat operating system, the phone packs 1 GB RAM, internal memory: 8 GB with MicroSD support up to 32GB.

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The biggest USP of the phone is its 4000 mAh (Li-Polymer) fast charging, non-removable battery which is said to deliver a talk time of up to 17 hours on 3G and up to 33 days on standby. The rear 8 megapixels with autofocus and LED flash looks alright and a 2 megapixel snapper on the front comes with fixed focal length lenses

Launched in two color options - Black & White, the phone supports two SIM card slots (Micro + Mini). On the network and connectivity front, the Lenovo A5000 offers GPRS, EDGE, HSPA + data, Wi-Fi 802.11 b / g / n, 2G & 3G, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS/A-GPS and Radio.

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What are your thoughts about the new Android phone in India? Share with us your opinions about the Lenovo A6000 via comments below.

Lava Iris Alfa L Is The Latest Entrant In Android Smartphone Market In India

Lava Mobiles is back with a new big-sized smartphone called the 'Lava IRIS Alfa L' priced at Rs. 8000. It looks like the phone is an upgraded version of the company popular Lava Iris Alfa smartphone. Having a 5.5 inch screen with a qHD (960x540 pixel resolution) IPS display, the phone brings an awesome 8 megapixel camera on the rear and an average 2 megapixel snapper on the front. Running on the latest Android version 5.0 (Lollipop), as is evident from the phone's several promotional images, the Iris Alfa L packs 1 GB RAM and 8 GB internal memory (microSD support up to 32GB is present of course). Set to tackle the biggies in the market likes Xiaomi Redmi 2 and Moto E 2nd generation, the smartphone is going to be soon made available across various stores in India.

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A 3000 mAh Li-Polymer battery accompanies this device and the 9.3 mm thick body puts the phone's weight to 165 gms. Equipped with all the necessary sensors i.e Accelerometer, Proximity, Magnetometer and Ambient Light Sensor, the Lava IRIS Alfa L offers Dual SIM (GSM + WCDMA) support and up to date connectivity with Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi, GPS and microUSB 2.0.

We would love to know your thoughts on the new entrant in the market in the form of Lava Iris Alfa L. Share your opinions with us in comments below.

Priced At Rs. 6999, Micromax Canvas Tab P480 Tablet Features Dual SIM | Quad Core

• The folks over at Micromax recently shared in a press release that a new 7-inch tablet called 'Micromax Canvas Tab P480' is slated to go on sale by April end in India. The homegrown manufacturer has several other Android tablets in the similar price range. It seems that the company has decided to launch a tablet for different set of specifications to cater every kind of user. As for the specifications, there's nothing new or pathbreaking about the tab, however if buyer's are looking for Dual SIM (GSM+GSM) connectivity and Quad Core processing power, this tablet is as good as any other in the Indian market.
  
  Featuring a 7 inch touchscreen with a 1024 x 600 pixel (WSVGA) resolution, the Canvas Tab P480 is said to have a really smooth UI with the feather-touch swipe experience. The user can be rest assured about connectivity with support for 3G, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0 all on the features list. As stated above, a Quad Core processor clocked at 1.3 GHz resides as the tablet's engine and the makers share that it makes way for superior graphics in games and apps. 1 GB RAM, 8 GB internal storage and microSD card support up to 32 GB on the Canvas Tab make up for sufficient storage space for basic usage.
  
  

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  On the tablet's rear end, there is a 5 megapixel auto focus camera and on the front there is a 2 megapixel snapper. The camera supports (720p) HD video recording & playback. The shutterbugs will find that camera just about alright. A huge 3000mAh battery is said to offer 9 hours of talk time and approx 169 hours of standby time.
  
  With that we come to the end of the important specifications that you ought to know about the Micromax Canvas Tab P480 priced in India at Rs. 6,999 (a tag that's most commonly found in high-spec smartphones these days).
  
  What are your thoughts about the new Android tab? Share with us in comments below.

Vector Watch Promises 30 Day Battery Life; Compatible With Android, iOS & Windows

When the big guns in the industry who have worked at Timex and Nike collaborate with a company, the product that they create is one of finesse. Here's a brand called Vector launched as a result of partnership between Steve Jarvis, ex-designer at Nike, Joe Santana, ex-CEO of Timex; Steve Jarvis, ex designer at Nike and Andrei Pitis, the CTO at Vector. At the Basel's jewellery event in Switzerland, Vector Watch was launched as a new smart timepiece that should compete with the likes of Apple Watch and Moto 360. The Vector smartwatch is not only compatible with the three most popular operating systems - Android, Windows and iOS (for running apps, alarms and notifications), it has taken a lot of people by surprise with the promise of a battery life that lasts 30 days.

Operating on the Vector system, the Vector watch has been unveiled in two form factors - the round-faced Luna and the rectangular Meridian designs. To suit the preferences of the customers, the Vector Watch can be bought in different kinds of steel finishes and get either leather or link straps. If you like to keep your options open, you can even use the bands interchangeably. The company wants to keep the design minimal with a focus on what a wrist watch is basically supposed to do - show time. The smarter features such as showing appointment from the calendar will be displayed along the edges of the smartwatch and notifications can be sensed by a small vibration. This is followed by the message which is visible as long as the wearers raises their watch arm. Take a look at the three designs below -

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Coming back to the most impressive feature on the Vector Watch, the 30 day battery life claim. That has been made possible with the use of the low-power consuming custom OS and the monochrome memory LCD screen. The company wants developers to create various apps for the Vector watch platform. Moreover, since these smartwatches follow the If This Then That (IFTTT) web based service, users can customize their commands for conducting specific functions on their watches.

Coming to the pricing, the Vector Watch Luna model is going to retail at $349 and the Meridian model will sell at $199. The company hasn't announced a release date as of now. What are your thoughts on the Vector Watch's features and pricing? Share with us in comments below.

Sony Launches PumpX Speaker With Bluetooth And NFC Support

Sony has launched PumpX, a portable speaker for personal entertainment. The device contains two 10W speakers that have support for Bluetooth and NFC as well. Sony claims that the wireless-chargeable speaker has the battery life of five to twelve hours and is capable of delivering music for five hours of continuous use. PumpX (SRS-X2) lets user stream music via smartphone or tablet and also packs a built-in microphone for hands-free call management. The virtual surround sound speaker can be charged via USB.

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PumpX with its simple design offers impressive surround sound of 20W and is small enough for easy carrying. The device supports Bluetooth 3.0 or a standard 3.5mm audio and several devices using NFC for quick connection and easy pairing. Though compact, PumpX gives listener an impression of room-filling sound. It features two channel bass-reflex speaker system with two full-range speakers. For convenience, it has built-in microphone and LED indicator.

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There’s a microUSB slot for charging the speaker and user may enjoy music while it charges. The speaker is powered by 5V DC supply or built-in lithium-ion battery. PumpX measures approximately 171 x 60.5 x 56.5 mm and weighs about 500gm. PumpX speaker is available in Black, White and Red across all Sony Centres in India along with several other prominent electronic stores. It comes with a price tag of Rs 7990 and customers would get a USB adapter, a carrying pouch and a couple of reference guides with the package.

Intex Aqua Xtreme V Launched At INR 11,290 - Specs & Features

After launching an entry-level smartphone Intex Aqua Amoled, last week, the Indian mobile manufacturer has now introduced a new budget smartphone- Intex Aqua Xtreme V. A successor to Intex Aqua Xtreme, the smartphone is listed on the company’s official website and can be grabbed at INR 11,290. The main difference between the two phones is that the Xtreme V comes with 16GB of inbuilt storage while rest of the specifications are almost similar. At the time of launch of Aqua Xtreme, the company had promised Android 5.0 Lollipop update and we can expect the same with its successor.

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As far as the specifications are concerned, the phone flaunts a 5-inch HD (720x1280 pixels) IPS display with Dragontrail glass for protection and runs on Android 4.4.2 KitKat out-of-the-box. It is equipped with a 1.7GHz true octa-core MediaTek (MT6592) processor coupled with 2GB of RAM and supports 16GB of inbuilt storage which can be expanded up to 32GB via microSD card. The device sports a 13-megapixel rear camera with LED flash, and a 5-megapixel front-facing camera. Other camera options include continuous shot, face beauty, Panorama, face detection, live photo mode and smile shot. Connectivity options include 3G, GPRS/ EDGE, Wi-Fi, Micro-USB, FM and Bluetooth 4.0. It packs a 2000mAh battery that the company claims to deliver up to 7 hours of talk time and up to 180 hours of standby time. The dual-SIM (GSM+GSM) phone weighs around 120 grams and is available in Black, Grey, and Red colours.

Let us know your views on this new budget smartphone from Intex. Share with us in comments.

LG Introduces Minibeam Portable LED Projectors PF1500 And PW800

South Korean electronics maker LG just introduced two new products in its LED projectors range. According to the LG press, these new products are portable projectors that will come under the Minibeam range. This time LG has focused on the portability and durability of the projectors. PF1500 and PW800 are the two new debutants of the Minibeam series. Both projectors are manufactured for different purposes. Let's go through some of the product specifications and find out how they are different from each other.

The first product in the Minibeam lineup is the PF1500 model or as it is alternatively Minibeam Pro. This is the top-line model and it can deliver an output with Full HD (1920 x1080) resolution. Speaking of the projection capability, this one can project diagonals up to 120 inches which is a fairly big projection and has a optical zoom functionality which can enlarge a image with a 1.1 factor. The brightness of PF1500 projector is 1400 ANSI lumens. This projector can mirror your phone, tablet or laptop wirelessly and it also supports sound via bluetooth pairing which saves the hassle of complicated wired setup of sound systems. PF1500 has very compact dimensions - 132 x 220 x 84mm and weighs around 1.5 Kg.

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The second product on the list is the PW800 which has a different focus area because it has a TV tuner built inside and thus named as Minibeam TV. Minibeam TV has a low output resolution than Minibeam pro which is 1280 x 800 pixels and it can project diagonals upto 100 inches. Brightness of PW800 is of 800 ANSI lumens. This well equipped projector is more compact and light weight than Minibeam Pro and it weighs only 0.6 Kg with dimensions set at 140 x 140 x 50mm.

Moving to the durability, LG claims that both these projectors have same life time of 30,000 hours, which translates to 10 years if they are used 8 hours daily. They will be available in US and Korean market by this month and rest of the world will get these in coming weeks. Price of PF1500 is 999 USD as per the listing on Amazon and price of PW800 is confirm yet. What are your views on these portable projectors? Share your views through comments in the comment section below.

Datsun I2 Car's Launch In India To Happen Within 18 Months, Shares Nissan

If you were following the launch of Datsun Go+ MPV in India during the month of January this year, here's some exciting news from the company. The Japanese automobile giant, Nissan has decided to launch its brand new Datsun I2 car in Indian market within next 18 months. Though it is being said that the Datsun I2 will be placed below the Datsun Go car, we recommend reading about the Datsun GO+ pricing and specifications here. Now, the news about Datsun I2 car's India launch came to light when Nissan India president, Mr. Guillame Sicard told Reuters about it. Touted to be priced below Rs. 3,24,000, making it the cheapest Datsun car in India, the I2 is going to be the most affordable product from the company yet. 

For keeping the cost that low, it is being said that, Datsun will be manufacturing the I2 in India (most probably at the Chennai-based manufacturing unit) while using locally made car components. To be based on the new Renault-Nissan Alliance CMF-A platform, the small Datsun I2 car may be inspired from the Datsun Redi-Go concept that we saw at this year's Delhi Auto Expo. 

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It is going to be a challenge for Nissan's Datsun to maintain good fuel efficiency without compromising on either the car's quality or safety. Since last year, the company has been able to sell more than 62,000 cars in India. Speaking of the company's success, another noteworthy achievement in the completion of a decade of operations for Nissan India. To mark the day, the company celebrated with “The Nissan Carnival”, an experiential event to showcase the well known products and technologies at their Buddh International Circuit office in Greater Noida.

We will be eagerly waiting for the Nissan Datsun's I2 car's technical specifications announcement from the company. The launch might happen sometime during mid 2016. What are your thoughts on a new entry level car from Nissan? Share with us in comments below.

Moto X (2nd Gen) Android 5.1 Update - The Features & Bug Fixes To Wait For

While most of us are still getting acquainted with Android’s Lollipop version, the 2nd generation of Moto X is all geared up to get a new update to Lollipop. It is no secret that the users are facing some significant issues with the Android 5.0 OS. Maybe that is why Android has quickly come up with the Android 5.1 update and they are all ready to soak test it with the Moto X 2014 in the coming few weeks. Let’s look at the important updates and bug fixes that Android 5.1 has to offer.

Notifications and Interruptions

If you set your alarm at any time within next 12 hours and select the ‘No Interruption’ option, then you won’t get any notifications (messages or anything else) by the time the alarm rings. One other important change that this update is bringing is the ability to changenotification volume while watching a media like a video. Along with the volume control of the media, there will be a bell icon clicking on which would bring up the notificationvolume controls. Additionally, if you see a heads-up notification then instead of clicking the dismiss button you can swipe up to dismiss the notification from your screen. This notification would be present in notification tray and can be dismissed later.

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Quick Settings and Camera

If you are an Android Lollipop user, you know that if you need to connect to a separate Wi-Fi point or a different Bluetooth device than your latest one, you need to click on the name to select the required point/device. In the Android 5.1 update, there will be a pull-down menu on the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth tile which will allow quick access to required point of connection. Also the conditional settings tile like ‘Invert colours’ or ‘Hotspot’ that shows up if you use it constantly can be removed by long pressing on the tile, a facility not available in Android 5.0.

The new update will improve the responsiveness of the front camera of the phone and will reduce noise in case of low-light shots

Performance and Lockscreen

Android operating system’s application runtime environment Android Runtime (ART) has been improved in the update and will work faster leading to quick launch time of applications.

Keeping in mind those who often switch to the ‘Ambient Display’ option, in the update, the minimum swipe distance has been increased to reduce accidental interactions.

Additionally, there are some bug fixes like Chrome crashing on launch, Calculator floating point applications and general stability improvements that the Android 5.1 update will offer. Please check this link to see a full list of updates and bug fixes. 

Acer Introduces Chromebook C910 With Fifth-Generation i5 Processor

Acer recently launched the updated version of its popular Chromebook C910 which packs a better Intel core processor. The previous models of Chromebook are powered by Intel’s i3 and Celeron processors, whereas the recently launched model would have more powerful fifth-generation Intel core i5 5200U processor. The product is globally famous as it is believed to be the perfect piece for educational and office purposes. Acer Chromebook C910 (model no: C91054M1) would be launched in US by April and the other models, introduced in January would be available as well.

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Acer Chromebook C910 features a large 15.6-inch display available in two resolutions- 1920 x 1080 or standard laptop resolution of 1366 x 768. The display comes with Acer ComfyView and anti-glare properties. It is available 32GB internal storage capacity coupled with 4GB RAM. Connectivity options include Wi-Fi 802.11ac with MIMO technology, Bluetooth 4.0, USB 3.0 and 2.0, HDMI support.

The device retains durability as that of previous models. Acer claims that it can withstand daily damage that can withstand up-to 60kg of pressure and corners that can withstand drop from about 45cm. The Chromebook weighs about 2.2kg and has measures 393 x 256 x 24.2 mm. Acer C910 has the largest touchpad among all other Chromebooks. The gadget is powered by a battery which according to Acer, can be used for up-to 8 hours on a single charge. Thus, an average user can easily use it for a single day on a charge.

The device is scheduled to hit US market in April at a price tag of $499.99. It is expected to be made available in other major markets soon.

Now Your Android Phone Will Unlock Automatically In Your Hands Or Pocket

If you are one of those people who has to lock and unlock their smartphone tens of times a day and would love to have an automated solution for it, here's a new feature in Android OS running phones, that you got to love. Known as the 'on-body' detection mode, here's an update to Google's Android that can smartly lock and unlock your smartphone depending on where it is. It means that, if your phone is in contact with your body, it will automatically unlock and if it's just lying on the couch or a table, it will stay locked. This means the feature not only ensures the user's comfort, but also keeps your phone's data safe from an intruder's or thief's eyes.

The simple mechanism behind this feature lies in the fact that most smartphones today have an accelerometer fitted inside the body. Using it, this smart lock feature figures out when your device is in your hands and when it isn't, by determining if it is being continually moved. Now during the time the phone is your hands, it will stay unlocked and get locked only when you put it down. The thing to note here is that, if you pick it up again, you will need to manually unlock it and if the phone is handed over to someone when it is in the unlock mode in your hands, it will not lock on its own. The feature isn't able to recognise the owner, but only whether someone is holding it or not.

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Folks over at AndroidPolice have found that the new feature works on smartphones running Android's 5.0 or above version. The roll out seems to be a gradual one and if you are running the latest version of Google Play Services (7.0.97), it should soon reach your phone.

We believe that the feature is only for the user's convenience and not as a security option. Do let us know if you are seeing the On-Body detection mode in your phone's settings and have you started using it.

Is Facebook Developing TrueCaller Killer App?

What do you do when you have access to all the personal information of hundreds of millions of people on the Internet, and you go by the name of 'Facebook'? Well, you develop an app that tries to put TrueCaller out of business! That's exactly what the rumours on the social media are hinting at. World's largest and currently unbeatable social network is trying to create a dialer application that will mimic the functionality offered by TrueCaller. The app will intend to put an end to anonymous phone calls.

TrueCaller, the app that currently offers this feature has a database of millions of people around the world, which it's collected through its app available on various platforms. Whenever the app senses an incoming call, it quickly looks up its massive database for the information associated with the phone number. The information is then presented on the screen of the phone receiver so that the receiver knows who's calling even if the phone's made from an unknown number.

Facebook already has a ton of information about almost everyone on the planet and with access to people's phone numbers, it can look up all of the required information to uniquely identify any caller. If the number is in the list of commonly blocked phone numbers, the app will automatically block that number. Facebook is also likely to use the call data to personalise advertisements shown to you and for its own marketing, research analysis.

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The app is likely to be called 'Phone'; which ain't a very attractive name for the app. The screenshot leaked by AndroidPolice shows [FB-ONLY] tag along with the name which hints that the app got accidentally leaked from FB's intranet. Hitting on 'Install or Update' led to 404 error page. It's not clear when will FB release this app. Do you think it will be a TrueCaller killer?

Sony Xperia J1 Compact Is Sony’s First SIM-Free Smartphone

While most people are waiting for Sony to release Xperia Z4, Sony on the other hand is constantly introducing new products. After unveiling Sony Xperia M4 and Sony Xperia E4 (LTE) within a period of one month, Sony has launched yet another Xperia variant: Xperia J1 Compact. The most eye-catching feature about this phone is that it is Sony’s first SIM-free phone. The phone is launched only in Japan for now and has the MVNO (mobile virtual network operator) support that will provide voice calls NTT DOCOMO (a phone operator in Japan). 

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The Xperia J1 Compact has 4.3 inch HD display. It is great processing capability thanks to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 800 quad-core processor, Adreno 330 GPU and 2 GB RAM. The phone has 16 GB of internal storage which can be expanded upto 128 GB via microSD card. The Android 4.4 KitKat OS based phone comes with an impressive 20.7 megapixel rear camera with flash and a 2 megapixel front snapper. The phone comes with IP68 certification and that means it is certified to be water and dust resistant. Under connectivity it offers 4G LTE, Wi-fi, Bluetooth 4.0 GPS/A-GPS and NFC. The device has a non-removable 2300 mAh battery and though the exact battery life is yet unknown, but considering the small screen size, it seems that the battery life will be substantial.

The specs of the phone suggests that the phone may seem a good buy for those looking for a small yet powerful handset. It is worth mentioning that this phone is Sony’s first unlocked smartphone to launch in Japan. The phone costs 54,800 yen (28,000 INR). In Japan, the pre-orders for the phone will begin from 27th March while the actual sale will begin from 20th April. International availability of the phone is yet unknown. 

Benelli Launches Five Superbikes In India - Specifications And Prices

Benelli, one of the oldest manufacturers in Italy, launched a range of superbikes for Indian auto market. Benelli has partnered with Pune-based DSK Motowheels to introduce range of bikes priced from Rs 2.8 lakh to Rs 11.81 lakh. These include the entry level model TNT 300, a 300cc two-cyllinder bike, TNT 600i, 600cc model with four-cylinder engine, TNT 600 GT, a tourer-style model, TNT 899, a 898cc four-cylinder bike and three-cylinder TNT R featuring 1131cc engine. All bikes would be assembled at DSK plant near Pune and would be available across India with nine dealers.

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Coming to specifications, TNT 300 has 300cc two-cylinder engine capable of generating 37.73bhp @11500rpm and torque of 26.5Nm @ 10000rpm. It comes with 6-speed gearbox and 16 litres of fuel tank capacity. The front brake is twin-disk while rear one is single-disk brake. It comes with seat height of 795mm and ground clearance of 160mm. the other model TNT 600 has two variants- 600i and 600 GT. As the name suggests, it is a 600cc engine model that can produce 83.90bhp @ 11500 rpm. This one comes with 15 litres fuel tank capacity. Belleni 600 GT variant is almost similar to 600i but with maximum fuel capacity of 27 litres.

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Apart from average-range superbikes, the company introduced two high-end models as well. Benelli TNT 899 features 898cc four-cylinder engine generating maximum power of 118.36bhp @ 9500 rpm and maximum torque of 88Nm @ 8000rpm. This one comes with fuel tank capacity of 16 litres. The top-end model among all five bikes is TNT 1130 R having 1131cc engine. This one is capable of generating maximum power of 155.84bhp @ 10200 rpm and max torque of 120Nm @8400 rpm. TNT 1130 R has 6-speed transmission and fuel tank capacity of 16 litres. The instrument panel all launched bikes include digital speedometer, odometer, trip meter and analogue tachometer. Introducing five bikes, DSK also confirmed to launch a 250cc bike in last quarter.