Chip issues could lead to shortages of Samsung Galaxy S8/S8+

        The word out of Korea on the day before the Samsung Galaxy S8 and Samsung Galaxy S8+ are to be unveiled, is that Qualcomm has been having a problem turning out enough Snapdragon 835 chipsets to meet Samsung's production schedule. In addition, Samsung's own Exynos 8895 SoC, which powers its flagship phones in most parts of the world, is also suffering from production delays. The Snapdragon 835 chipset will be employed on U.S. versions of the Galaxy S8/S8+. Both chips are made using the 10nm process, which could explain the low yields achieved by Qualcomm and Samsung.

        Industry analysts believe that Samsung's sales could suffer as supply of the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ fail to match up with the expected heavy demand for the new phones. Last month, serial tipster Evan Blass sent out a tweet in which he blamed poor yields of both the Snapdragon 835 and Exynos 8895 chipsets for a one week delay in the launch of both phones. Originally expected to be released on April 21st, Blass is now looking at a launch date of April 28th for the two handsets.

        The Galaxy S8 will feature a 5.8-inch display with a resolution of 1440 x 2960. 4GB of RAM is inside along with 64GB of native storage. A 256GB capacity microSD slot will be on board. A rear-facing 12MP camera is equipped with an aperture of f/1.7, while an 8MP front-facing selfie snapper adorns the front of the phone. A 3000mAh battery is in charge of providing the juice needed to run the handset.

Elon Musk’s Neuralink wants to boost the brain to keep up with AI

     Famous entrepreneur Elon Musk has a new company focused on developing the capabilities of the brain through technological augmentation. It’s been known for some time that Musk was working on brain-computer interface tech as a means to help ensure humans can keep pace with the accelerating development of artificial intelligence.
    Neuralink isn’t going to be focused on upgrading ordinary human brainpower at first, however, according to the WSJ report. Instead, it’ll explore how brain interfaces might alleviate the symptoms of dangerous and chronic medical conditions.These could include epilepsy and severe depressive disorder, according to the report. These efforts could build on existing therapies that use electrodes in the brain to treat symptoms of Parkinson’s, giving Neuralink a starting point with established science and an easier path to approval for human use. Clearing that lower hurdle would then set up the company for its longer-term goal of human augmentation.
     The CEO sees AI as a risk that could potentially affect humanity at large, and his decision to pursue this potential solution likely seems as imperative to him as does the necessity of expanding our intergalactic colonial footprint, or weaning ourselves off of fossil fuels.

Samsung to sell refurbished Note 7s

    Samsung's Galaxy Note 7 has turned out to be a very enigmatic handset - despite the massive recall at the end of 2016, many people are still interested in the device. At the end of this February, several rumors indicated that refurbished Note 7s would be sold in emerging markets starting from June. The tech giant came out with a statement recently, crudely outlining the roll-out of the entire process:

Regarding the Galaxy Note 7 devices as refurbished phones or rental phones, applicability is dependent upon consultations with regulatory authorities and carriers as well as due consideration of local demand.

     This basically means that release dates and markets will be selected by the company after it establishes the level of interest in a given area.No specifics were given as to how exactly are those phones refurbished, but an entirely new battery with a smaller capacity (3,000 to 3,200 mAh) seems more than compulsory. Note 7 units that are unfit for refurbishment will be broken down into parts which will be reused or sold. 

 

Tweet sent by Andy Rubin includes photo partially revealing his iPhone/Google Pixel challenger

   The person responsible for creation of android, Andy Rubin is developing a handset that will challenge high-end phones like the Apple iPhone and the Google Pixel series. Rubin, known as "the father of Android," is working through a new company he started which goes by the name Essential Products.

    A tweet posted by Rubin includes a photograph that shows him holding his new phone. The images on the screen confirm that the phone is powered by Android, and the handset appears to sport thin bezels and rounded edges. A message that Rubin included with the tweet says, "I'm really excited about how this is shaping up. Eager to get it in more people's hands..."

Apple release iOS 10.3 update-see what's new

    Good news! Apple just released the iOS 10.3 update and it's a major one. In testing since January 24, the iOS 10.3 update adds important features and changes to the operating system. Owners of the Apple AirPods can now use the "Find My AirPods" feature to try and discover their lost earbuds. The new Apple File System (APFS) is introduced, optimized for flash storage and offering improved encryption, better backups, and more efficiency. Moreover, new features are added to Siri. Also, Apple's CarPlay app has also been redesigned. New feauters have been added to the app.

Facebook's new Direct feature is literally Snapchat

    Facebook has been putting a lot of work into making its apps look and behave more like Snapchat recently. The most visible example of that is Messenger Day. Also newly introduced Facebook stories which is just like it's Instagram's counterpart.  It's not immediately clear whether this is a separate thing from Messenger Day, or if it's the same, but simply rebranded and placed in the main Facebook app, but in any case the new addition is bound to displease users, as it's the very first thing one sees at the top of their News Feed. the new Direct feature allows you to send a photo or video to friends, which can only be seen once, after which it gets deleted forever. This feature is a plain copy of snapchat. With increase in competition between Facebook and Snapchat, Facebook has tried to compete with Snapchat by  opting to make their new services pretty much identical to their Snapchat counterparts. The new features should currently be rolling out to iOS and Android users, though a specific timeframe hasn't been provided yet.

Why fingerprint gestures should become the norm for all smartphones

    Last year, alongside the great influx of smartphones equipped with fingerprint scanners in all price ranges, a new trend emerged in the Android world, which, albeit on a small-scale still, is something that should turn into a mainstay of all smartphones. Almost all flagship phones and also many mid rangers had a fingerprint sensor. Fingerprint sensor should become mainstay feature in smartphones because of following reasons.

1.Fingerprint scanner gestures can help make one-handed operation easier on bigger screens.
2.There's nothing to lose, but a lot to gain.

    As the screen size in smartphones is increasing introduction of fingerprint sensors can help in accessibility. It is easily assessable. Moreover, its features will be increased and it can be used to perform different functions using gestures.

Samsung Galaxy S8 rumor update

   Samsung's latest flagship device is just around the corner. Rumors are flying left and right about the upcoming device in Galaxy series. Lets take a look at what is expected from the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S8.
   The biggest rumor so far is that there are going to be two versions of the phone  i.e. S8 and S8+. S8 is rumored to have screen size of 5.7 inch whereas S8+ is expected to have screen size of 6.1 inches. Both versions will have curved edges on both sides. Moreover the bezel size will be reduced drastically. Fingerprint sensor is supposed to be at the back beside the camera. Camera will not get a major change. It will be a simple upgrade to the previous model.
   The most exciting feature rumored is Samsung's very own vice assistance. It will rival Apple's Siri and Google's voice assistance. The phone will be announced on 29th of March and will be available in markets in mid April.