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WhatsApp Trends: Here's How Fake News, Videos go Viral

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If you are baffled at the speed at which jokes, videos and GIFs reach your WhatsApp account from groups or friends almost at the same time, remember that such posts are being planned and executed by teams sitting in some corner of the country to bombard the maximum number accounts at one go. 
 
With 160 million users in India, the Facebook-owned mobile messaging app has become a top choice among marketers, social influencers and certain groups to reach them via jokes, videos and GIFs whenever there is a breaking news, a major announcement, a tongue-in-cheek celebrity statement or even a festival, say experts. 
 
"WhatsApp is emerging as a highly susceptible channel for propaganda, misinformation, fake news as well as highly influenceable from the targeted marketing message or advertisement perspective, i.e., digital word-of-mouth," Neil Shah, Research Director (Devices & Ecosystems) at the market research firm Counterpoint Research, told IANS. 
In India, WhatsApp has the highest penetration among any "social-centric" web/app platform available on the nearly 260 million active smartphone users. 
 
"Several marketers are leveraging an infantry of smart or influential folks to develop and spread targeted and viral-natured content. I believe the viral messages developed and spread are not by a single source but many individuals and firms working on this behind the scenes," Shah added. 
 
There are ways to populate the sharing of such viral content but it can be defined in two parts -- content and objective. 
"While objectives and the purposes could be anything, one can easily relate these with driving mass awareness, creating social buzz, dragging public attention on political or public issues or making fun among friends or sharing memes or news," Anoop Mishra, one of the nation's leading social media experts, told IANS. 
 
Social media or digital marketing agencies work behind the content marketing strategies to make stories viral and shareable on WhatsApp. 
 
"Several FMCG companies, major political parties and politicians have their in-house sponsored team of social media warriors to generate and share such content or hashtags on various social media platforms," Mishra noted. 
According to Shah, among several social media platforms, WhatsApp has a clear edge because of its user-friendly approach which has put the platform in a strong (as well as vulnerable position) for flow of both good and bad news or information or any content across the platform. 
 
"Since the degree of separation among different WhatsApp users is theoretically lower, there is a high chance for any information to go viral faster than any other social media platform or even word-of-mouth," said Shah. 
 
With some 150 million active users in India, Facebook is the second-most used social media platform and can also act as a catalyst for proliferation of viral content due to a broader sharing and a greater engagement with the content. 
 
"However, Facebook is quite curated and controlled via an algorithm according to a person's social graph and Facebook's advertising engine and, hence, potentially less viral than Whatsapp," Shah pointed out. 
 
Facebook's third property, Instagram, is also quickly rising to become a popular platform from the perspective of social media influencers to drive rich content for marketers and mainly target millennials. 
 
Is there a revenue model in there for those making posts viral? "Absolutely, wherever there is a greater reach and high engagement for any platform, a potential revenue model certainly exists," Shah stated. 
 
Owing to its "no ads" DNA, WhatsApp has so far been resistant to a direct engagement-driven revenue model. However, with Facebook connecting WhatsApp to its social graph, it unlocks potential for Facebook to work with marketers who, in turn, work with influencers to build a robust value chain. 
 
"Right now with WhatsApp its much more unorganised and influencers are earning directly from the marketers without any Facebook or Whatsapp intervention, unlike the Facebook or Instagram platforms," Shah told IANS. 
 
According to Mishra, the content is being prepared by digital marketing agencies with some earning prospects. 
"But the reality is that more than 80 per cent of the images or videos shared among the WhatsApp groups are downloaded from websites without any personal revenue benefits excepts some blogging sites which are paying their members for posts, comments, likes or to share contentson linked social profiles," Mishra told IANS. 
 
On August 25, WhatsApp made extensive changes to its privacy policy, announcing it would and could share users' personal information, including their phone numbers, with its parent company Facebook -- a move that drew sharp criticism from privacy activists and the Delhi High Court in India. 
 
The move was touted as the first step towards monetising WhatsApp since Facebook acquired it for $19 billion in 2014. 
"Right now, WhatsApp is quite fragmented and unorganised compared to Facebook. We believe this will change fast as Facebook tries to indirectly monetise the power of WhatsApp as a 'content sharing and targeting' platform," Shah added.</div>

WhatsApp Trends: Here's How Fake News, Videos go Viral

If you are baffled at the speed at which jokes, videos and GIFs reach your WhatsApp account from groups or friends almost at the same t...

Is Facebook quietly adding computer art to make your photos incredible?

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Social networking giant Facebook and its photo and video-sharing app Instagram are reportedly set to quietly make your photos incredible by adding computer art to them. 
 
According to The Verge, it has been discovered that for every photo you upload to Facebook or Instagram, the company quietly makes an html page that replicates that photo using ASCII or text characters that lets you blow up your images to massive scale. 
 
Mathias Bynens, a web standards enthusiast from Belgium, noticed it and tweeted about it on Friday. "Take any Facebook/Instagram photo URL… Append '.txt' ? ASCII art … append '.html' ? colored ASCII art," he wrote in his tweet. 
 
If you add ".html" to the end of that URL of the photo, you will get the coloured ASCII version. Similarly, If you add ".txt" to the end of that URL, you will get a black-and-white version. 
 
"We have reached out to the company for the reasoning behind this hidden-but-cool 'feature' - there is probably some boring backend explanation," the report noted.</div>

Is Facebook quietly adding computer art to make your photos incredible?

Social networking giant Facebook and its photo and video-sharing app Instagram are reportedly set to quietly make your photos incredibl...

Apple wants to rebuild and sell its refurbished iPhones from China in India

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Many like us, do feel that Apple in a way is using India as a market to get rid of its older products. Older iPhones are re-launched and sold at unreasonable prices with hardware that is at times almost 5 years old. The problem with these older devices is not that they can be used for one or two years until they need to be discarded, but the fact they have to be discarded so early, leading to mounds of electronic waste in the country. 
 
According to a report in the Indian Express, Apple is trying to set up a factory to rebuild and sell its refurbished iPhones coming from China, in the country. The Cupertino giant had approached the government with a proposal a few years ago, but was quickly rejected for reasons related to e-waste by the Environment Ministry’s Technical Review Committee. 
 
Apple according to the new filing mentions that its refurbished devices should not be considered as “second hand” since the units that will be sold through official channels will be quality checked and also come with the standard one year warranty; something that is also available with a newer device. 
 
However, in its defense, Apple made it clear that its devices are good quality ones and it is the low-cost ones that the government needs to be worried about when it comes to e-waste. In the same filing, the San Francisco based company specified that it has plans to begin its refurbishing operations in low numbers, but that it would ramp up depending on the availability of units coming from China.</div>

Apple wants to rebuild and sell its refurbished iPhones from China in India

Many like us, do feel that Apple in a way is using India as a market to get rid of its older products. Older iPhones are re-launched and...

Facebook closes gap with Google, the Internet's most powerful company

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Facebook is growing at an exceptional pace as it enters adolescence, propelling it into a better position to challenge Google as the Internet's most powerful company. 
 
Facebook's fourth-quarter report Wednesday provided the latest gauge of the company's impressive strides. 
 
It marked the first time that Facebook's quarterly revenue has surpassed $5 billion — more than fading Internet star Yahoo now generates in an entire year. Facebook's earnings also more than doubled to $1.56 billion, even as the Menlo Park, California, company invests heavily in virtual reality, artificial intelligence, Internet access in remote parts of the world and a mobile ad network for services other than its own. 
 
The performance lifted Facebook's stock by $11.37, or 12 per cent, to $105.82 in extended trading after the report came out. 
 
Although Google remains three times larger by revenue, Facebook has been closing the gap as it sells more mobile advertising on its addictive social-networking app. And it's just beginning to mine revenue from its trendy Instagram service and a rapidly expanding video library. 
 
This spring's debut of the Oculus Rift headset, part of the virtual-reality technology that Facebook bought for $2 billion in 2014, could open another lucrative market. Google is now hiring more virtual-reality specialists, a sign that is trying to catch up with Facebook in a still-nascent field that could transform computing. 
 
Social networking remains Facebook's foundation. The service picked up another 46 million users during the final three months of last year to expand its worldwide audience to 1.59 billion users. 
 
"I'm excited about our progress and the chance to build something great for the future," Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg told analysts in a Wednesday conference call. 
 
Google, now a part of the recently created Alphabet Inc., is thriving too, with more than 1 billion users on its search engine as well as its YouTube video site and its Android software for mobile devices. That makes it unlikely that Facebook will topple Google anytime soon. 
 
Powered by the world's dominant Internet search engine, Google still sells the most digital advertising by a wide margin. Just how much more will be disclosed Monday, when Alphabet is scheduled to announced its fourth-quarter earnings. Alphabet is expected to report fourth-quarter revenue of nearly $17 billion, after subtracting ad commissions, nearly triple what Facebook generated during the same three-month period. 
 
But consider this: Facebook will be turning 12 years old next week and it just posted revenue of $5.8 billion in its latest quarter. At the same stage of its existence in September 2010, Google's net revenue stood at $5.5 billion. 
 
What's more, Facebook's revenue is climbing at a more rapid clip than Google's was at a comparable stage. Facebook's revenue in the past quarter represented a 52 per cent increase from the same time a year ago. When it turned 12 years old, Google's quarterly net revenue rose 25 per cent from the previous year. 
 
In another sign of Facebook's progress, its share of the digital advertising market rose from 8 per cent in 2014 to 10 per cent worldwide last year, according to the research firm eMarketer Inc. Google's share shrank from 32 per cent in 2014 to 30 per cent last year. 
 
That's still a lot of ground for Facebook to make up, but it's not impossible, given the digital dossiers that it has compiled about its users' passions, friendships and other services that they visit while signed into the social-networking service. 
 
All that data could help Facebook deliver ads tailored for each individual's interests even better than Google has done by analyzing search requests, emails and people's locations, eMarketer analyst Debra Aho Williamson said. 
 
"I wouldn't underestimate Facebook," Williamson said. "They have shaken up multiple types of businesses and completely changed the way that people communicate." 
 
Google knows better than to dismiss the threat posed by Facebook. After all, when it went public in 2004, Google was still smaller than Yahoo. It didn't take long for Google to trounce Yahoo, partly because its rival focused on being on an all-purpose destination while overlooking the lucrative business of search advertising. By contrast, Google has been vigilant about protecting its search business while developing YouTube, Android and other popular products such as Gmail and the Chrome browser. 
 
Investors are betting on both companies. Facebook's stock climbed 34 per cent last year, while Alphabet's stock (formerly Google's) surged 47 per cent. Meanwhile, the Standard & Poor's index dipped 1 percent. 
 
"Some people have been wondering if Facebook wins, does that mean Google loses?" said Rosenblatt Securities analyst Martin Pyykkonen. "For now, I think both of these stories can win. They are the two big gorillas in digital advertising."</div>

Facebook closes gap with Google, the Internet's most powerful company

Facebook is growing at an exceptional pace as it enters adolescence, propelling it into a better position to challenge Google as the Int...

WhatsApp goes down briefly in India, four other nations

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Facebook-owned smartphone messaging service WhatsApp temporarily crashed in an array of countries from the US to India, potentially affecting hundreds of millions of users. 
 
Reports of people having trouble with WhatsApp in countries including Japan, India, Malaysia, Colombia and the United States hit the Internet about 0200 GMT Tuesday. 
 
The outage appeared to be resolved in most locations in an hour or so, according to Downdetector.com, which calls itself "the weatherman for the digital world." 
 
Comments posted by users indicated they were having intermittent difficulties with WhatsApp during the problem period. 
 
Facebook did not respond to an AFP request for comment. 
 
The disruption came on the heels of media reports that Facebook is working behind the scenes to integrate WhatsApp more snugly into the world's leading social network by providing the ability to share information between the services. 
 
California-based Facebook bought WhatsApp for $19 billion in late 2014 and the messaging service has grown to nearly a billion users.</div>

WhatsApp goes down briefly in India, four other nations

Facebook-owned smartphone messaging service WhatsApp temporarily crashed in an array of countries from the US to India, potentially aff...

Apple expected to report lowest iPhone sales in history

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Apple Inc is expected to report iPhone sales increased slightly more than 1 per cent in the holiday quarter when it announces earnings on Tuesday, its slowest growth ever and far from the double-digit growth investors have come to expect. 
 
The iPhone 6S and 6S Plus, which boasted record weekend sales when they launched in September, are now facing weak demand, according to analysts, because they have fewer distinguishing features than their popular predecessors. 
 
The new iPhones also face tough comparisons with the strong sales of their older siblings. 
 
Apple tapped into a crucial market when it unveiled its bigger-screen 6 and 6 Plus phones in 2014, grabbing the attention of Asian customers, who had previously lapped up phablets from players such as Samsung Electronics. 
 
"Apple has become a victim of their own success as the blockbuster iPhone 6 product cycle was hard to replicate as many customers are either buying an older, cheaper iPhone 6 or waiting for the iPhone 7," FBR Capital Markets analyst Daniel Ives said. 
 
China, the company's fastest-growing market, may also have weighed on first-quarter results, as a slowdown in the country's economy forced consumers to tighten their purse strings. 
 
Analysts estimate Apple sold 75.5 million iPhones in the October-December quarter, a 1.3 per cent increase from a year earlier, according to research firm FactSet StreetAccount. 
 
This compares with a nearly 46 per cent year-over-year jump in iPhone sales in the first quarter of 2015. The slowest growth in quarterly iPhone sales so far has been 6.8 per cent, in the second quarter of fiscal 2013, according to data from Statista. 
 
To make matters worse, Apple is expected to forecast a drop in iPhone sales for the March quarter – the first time that sales will fall since the iPhone was launched in 2007. 
 
This was foreshadowed by disappointing March-quarter forecasts from the company's Asian suppliers such as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co and Largan Precision Co Ltd. 
 
Apple is expected to sell 54.6 million iPhones in the March 2016 quarter, according to FactSet. The company sold 61.2 million iPhones between January and March, 2015 - a 40 per cent year-over-year increase. 
 
Analysts said the company will have to wait until the launch of the iPhone 7, expected later this year, to return to growth, as buyers upgrade to the latest version. 
 
Analysts, technology blogs and company watchers say the iPhone 7 could include waterproofing, wireless headphones and use its new force touch technology to kill off the home button. 
 
Apple shares closed down 1.98 per cent at $99.41 on Monday. They have fallen nearly 10 per cent since the start of October, steeper than a 2.2 per cent decline in the S&P 500 index. 
 
Out of the 50 brokerages that cover Apple, 43 have a "buy" or higher rating on the stock. Their median 12-month price target is $141.50. 
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Apple expected to report lowest iPhone sales in history

Apple Inc is expected to report iPhone sales increased slightly more than 1 per cent in the holiday quarter when it announces earnings ...

Samsung launches Gear S2 smartwatch at Rs 24,300; Gear VR headset at Rs 8,200 in India

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South Korean electronic giant Samsung on Thursday launched Samsung Gear 2 -- a sleek and smart wearable and Gear virtual reality (VR) headset -- for the Indian consumers that will enable them augment and personalise their entertainment experience like never before. 
 
Boasting a smart circular design, the Gear 2 device is available in two different variants -- the Gear S2 - priced at Rs 24,300- and the Gear S2 Classic - priced at Rs 25,800. 
 
"Samsung Gear 2 is a true testimony to our commitment to provide breakthrough technology to make lives of our cunsumers better," Manu Sharma, director, marketing IT & Mobile at Samsung India, said during a media interaction here. 
 
Apart from the the Gear 2, Samsung also launched its mobile VR headset -- Samsung Gear VR -- to provide "next level" mobile entertainment experience to consumers. The virtual reality headset carries a price tag of Rs 8,200. 
 
"The Gear VR presents the unique opportunity for consumers to get an immersive, interactive Virtual Reality experience. Samsung will be at the forefront of this exciting revolution to create furthur 'wow' moments in our consumers' lives," Sharma added. 
 
The device is compatible with Galaxy smartphones, including Galaxy Note 5, Galaxy S6 edge+, S6 and S6 edge.</div>

Samsung launches Gear S2 smartwatch at Rs 24,300; Gear VR headset at Rs 8,200 in India

South Korean electronic giant Samsung on Thursday launched Samsung Gear 2 -- a sleek and smart wearable and Gear virtual reality (VR) h...

Why WhatsApp is doing away with the $1 subscription fee and how it plans to make money now

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WhatsApp, the world's most popular messaging service, has announced that it is dropping its token $1 fee still levied on some users. Because WhatsApp doesn't have any other ostensible source of revenue, it has left many wondering about how the company intends to keep on going. 
 
The primary reason why WhatsApp is doing away with its subscription fee for using WhatsApp after the first year is that making customers pay even small amounts remains difficult in many countries where access to credit cards and bank accounts for making online payments remains complicated. Much of WhatsApp's about a billion users are from the developing world where online payment is still catching up. 
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WhatsApp has also been lax in enforcing its subscription fees. For example, it hasn't been actively charging its users in India any fee even after the multiple years of usage. The company says that it doesn't want it users to fear about losing access to friends and family in case they are unable pay for the subscription.</div>
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This change is expected to happen over the next few weeks across different versions of the WhatsApp app.</div>
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At the moment, revenue isn't really a big worry for the company that was acquired by Facebook for $22 billion in 2014, but questions arise about how the service seeks to remain financially viable. Does this mean that WhatsApp will introduce ads, similar to that we see on Facebook?</div>
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WhatsApp is quite clear about what it thinks of advertising. "Advertising isn't just the disruption of aesthetics, the insults to your intelligence and the interruption of your train of thought," the company had stated its position on the matter in a blog post from June 2012.</div>
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Because advertising is user data driven and WhatsApp's stated principle is not to mine user data and therefore it wants to "avoid ads." WhatsApp says it has no plans to introduce ads to offset the loss of fees.</div>
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Instead, the seven-year-old company is seeking to bank upon businesses which are very actively using the service to reach out to and hear from customers.</div>
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They say they will start testing tools this year to let customers communicate with businesses. WhatsApp could make restaurants, airlines and credit card firms pay to contact consumers seeking to replace text messages and phone calls, but they aren't providing details.</div>
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Why WhatsApp is doing away with the $1 subscription fee and how it plans to make money now

WhatsApp, the world's most popular messaging service, has announced that it is dropping its token $1 fee still levied on some users...

Apple to pay Italy $348 million after tax fraud probe

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Apple has agreed to pay Italy 318 million euros ($348 million) to settle a tax dispute after the US tech giant was investigated for suspected fraud, the country's tax agency said Tuesday. 
 
The company's Italian subsidiary and several of its senior executives had been under investigation for fraud over its alleged failure to comply with obligations to declare its earnings in Italy between 2008 and 2013. 
 
According to Italian daily La Repubblica, Apple Italia should have paid corporation tax of 880 million euros for the period. 
 
But, after months of negotiations, the tax authorities agreed to close the case in return for a cheque for 318 million. 
 
The tax office spokesman confirmed the newspaper's report was accurate but would not divulge further details. 
 
Apple Italia did not respond immediately to a request for comment on a case which could set a precedent for other European countries' dealings with the company. 
 
The settlement comes against a backdrop of mounting controversy over the tax arrangements of multinational groups who use cross-border corporate structures to reduce their tax bills. 
 
Apple Italia is part of the company's European operation which is headquartered in Ireland, a country with one of the lowest levels of corporation tax in the European Union. 
 
Ireland taxes corporate earnings from normal business activities at a rate of 12.5 per cent, which compares with a standard 27.5 per cent rate in Italy. 
 
Earlier this month, Apple chief Tim Cook described accusations that the world's richest company was sidestepping US taxes by stashing cash overseas as "political crap" and insisted: "We pay ever tax dollar we owe." 
 
The settlement of the tax dispute will not halt the criminal investigation into the conduct of three Apple Italia executives but will likely reduce the severity of any sanctions they may face, La Repubblica said. 
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Apple to pay Italy $348 million after tax fraud probe

Apple has agreed to pay Italy 318 million euros ($348 million) to settle a tax dispute after the US tech giant was investigated for sus...

Apple accounts for almost half of smartphones and tablets activated over the Christmas week

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Apple came away the winner in mobile device holiday sales worldwide amid a shift to bigger screens, a survey showed. 
 
The survey by the Yahoo-owned analytics firm Flurry showed Apple accounted for 49.1 per cent of smartphones and tablets activated over the Christmas week, compared to 19.8 per cent for South Korean rival Samsung. 
 
"Christmas is traditionally the biggest day of the year for new smart-device activations and app downloads, and 2015 was no exception, with new device activations and app installs shattering record after record," Flurry vice president Jarah Euston said in a blog post Monday. 
 
The survey found more consumers around the world opting for large-screen smartphones or "phablets," which are often used in place of a tablet computer. 
 
Apple entered the phablet market last year with the iPhone 6 Plus and upgraded it this year with the 6s Plus. 
 
"Of course the introduction of an Apple phablet - and subsequently the iPhone 6s Plus - had a lot to do with the strength of phablets," Euston said. 
 
"But that's not the whole story. When we examined the form factor distribution by operating system we saw that for the first time phablets accounted for half of all Android devices! The popularity of the Samsung Galaxy Note and its imitators have changed the Android game, especially in Asian markets." 
 
For Apple buyers, around 12 per cent of purchases with phablets, according to Euston. 
 
"This appears to be coming at the expense of medium phones and small tablets as more users opt for the size in between the iPhone and iPad Mini," she said. 
 
Overall, 27 per cent of the devices were phablet-sized, which generally means a display of 5.5 to seven inches (about 14 to 18 centimeters). 
 
"In the early days it appeared that phablets were stealing share from tablets," Euston said. "For the first time in 2015 though, it appears consumers are opting for phablets - not instead of a tablet - but instead of a smaller-sized phone." 
 
Although Apple held its dominant position, its market share was down 2.2 points from a year ago while Samsung added 2.1 percentage points, Flurry said. 
 
Microsoft devices accounted for just two per cent of the market, down from 5.8 per cent in 2014, and Sony fell out of the top five. 
 
South Korea's LG was fourth with a 1.7 per cent share and China's Xiaomi accounted for 1.5 per cent. 
 
Christmas was the biggest day of the year for app downloads, with more than twice as many installations as on a typical December day, according to Flurry. 
 
"For app developers who scrambled to ship apps before the holidays and spent heavily on app marketing, it appears that the efforts have paid off," Euston said. 
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Apple accounts for almost half of smartphones and tablets activated over the Christmas week

Apple came away the winner in mobile device holiday sales worldwide amid a shift to bigger screens, a survey showed. The survey by th...

InFocus M680 Smartphone

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   GENERAL</h2>
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Brand - Infocus</li>
<li>Model ID - M680</li>
<li>Processor - 1.5 GHz 64bit Octa Core Processor</li>
<li>Operating System - Android 5.1 Lolipop</li>
<li>Screen Size - 5.5 Inch</li>
<li>Internal Memory - 16 GB</li>
<li>Camera -  13 MP </li>
<li>Sim Type - Dual SIM</li>
<li>OS - Android</li>
<li>Color - White & Black</li>
<li>RAM - 2 GB DDR3 </li>
<li>Release date - 21 Dec 2015</li>
</ul>
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   MEMORY</h2>
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Internal Memory - 16 GB</li>
<li>External Memory - Approx 32 GB</li>
</ul>
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   CAMERA</h2>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Primary Camera - 13 MP</li>
<li>Secondary Camera - 13 MP</li>
<li>Flash - Yes, LED</li>
<li>Other Camera Features - F2.4 Large Aperture, 4X Digital Zoom, Exposure Compensation, Continuous Shooting, Scene Setting, White Balance, Face Recognition, Beauty Shot</li>
</ul>
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   BATTERY</h2>
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<li>Battery TypeLi-Ion PolyBattery Capacity2600 mAh</li>
</ul>
<h2>
   INTERNET & CONNECTIVITY</h2>
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<li>Bluetoothv4.0</li>
</ul>
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   MULTIMEDIA</h2>
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<li>Music Player - Yes</li>
<li>Video Player- Yes</li>
<li>Audio Jack - 3.5 mm</li>
</ul>
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   ADDITIONAL FEATURES</h2>
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<li>Sim Size - Micro</li>
<li>Call Features - Call Waiting, Call Forwarding, Call Conference</li>
<li>Other Features - Email, Push SMS, SMS, IM, Document Viewer</li>
</ul>
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   IN THE BOX</h2>
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<li>In Sales Package Handset </li>
<li>Charger</li>
<li>USB Cable</li>
<li>User Manual</li>
</ul>
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  Review video</h2>
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InFocus M680 Smartphone

GENERAL Brand - Infocus Model ID - M680 Processor - 1.5 GHz 64bit Octa Core Processor Operating System - Android 5.1 Lolip...

Apple tells Judge it is ‘Impossible’ to Unlock New iPhones

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Apple told a U.S. federal judge that accessing data stored on a locked iPhone would be “impossible” with devices using its latest operating system, but the company has the “technical ability” to help law enforcement unlock older phones. 
 
Apple’s iOS 8 and above offer end to end encryption to the smartphone buyers. The data stored on iPhones running on iOS 8 and above is therefore impossible to be unlocked without the owner’s knowledge. The law enforcement agencies in United States however feel otherwise. They have filed a suit against Apple to make the data stored on iPhones available to them through the US department of justice. 
 
Apple made this submission in a brief filed on Monday, after a federal magistrate judge in Brooklyn, New York, sought its input as he weighed a U.S. Justice Department request to force the company to help authorities access a seized iPhone. 
 
In the submission before the court, Apple said that for the 90 percent of its devices running iOS 8 or higher, granting the Justice Department’s request “would be impossible to perform” after it strengthened encryption methods. It also said that the devices running on iOS 8 and above contain a feature which prevents anyone from accessing the data without the device’s passcode, including Apple itself. 
 
The feature was adopted in 2014 amid heightened privacy concerns following leaks by former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden about NSA surveillance programs. 
 
Apple, however, told U.S. Magistrate Judge James Orenstein it could access the 10 percent of its devices that continue to use older systems, including the one at issue in the case. But it urged the judge to not require it to comply with the Justice Department’s request.</div>

Apple tells Judge it is ‘Impossible’ to Unlock New iPhones

Apple told a U.S. federal judge that accessing data stored on a locked iPhone would be “impossible” with devices using its latest operat...

Facebook adds 'Photo Magic' facial-recognition feature to Messenger

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Facebook is offering a feature called Photo Magic that will automatically address a message so it can be sent quickly to Facebook friends identified in a picture. The option relies on the same image-recognition technology that attaches people's names to Facebook posts. 
 
With this twist, Facebook is deploying the technology in its Messenger application to make it more convenient to distribute pictures to a few friends and family members. 
 
Facebook will highlight Photo Magic in a Messenger update that will start rolling out Thursday to users of Apple's iPhones and smartphones running on Google's Android software. It will still be up to each individual to decide whether they want to activate Photo Magic. After the feature is turned on, it can still be switched off at any time. 
 
The update is being distributed to a broad audience after a month of testing among smartphone users in Australia. Facebook is planning to make Photo Magic available to Messenger users everywhere in the world except in Canada and the European Union. 
 
Messenger currently has more than 700 million users, about half the size of the audience on Facebook's social network. 
 
Facebook is counting on Photo Magic to foster more allegiance to its Messenger app as it competes against other competing services such as Snapchat that have become particularly popular among teenagers and young adults. 
 
If Photo Magic is turned on, it is supposed to promptly figure out if any of the people in a picture belong to the smartphone owner's circle of Facebook friends. If some are found, Photo Magic creates a messaging thread that allows a user to send the picture to all the identified parties with two clicks. 
 
About 9.5 billion pictures are already sent through Messenger each month, according to Facebook. The Menlo Park, California, company believes the volume will be even higher if Photo Magic's automation is successful in making it less of a hassle to pick out the images and figure out which people might be interested in seeing them. 
 
As part of the Messenger upgrade, Facebook is also including an option that will allow users to change the colors of their exchanges with different friends, and switch the formal name of a recipient to a nickname, such as "mom" or "dad." Until now, Messenger's address book mirrored the names listed on people's Facebook profiles.</div>

Facebook adds 'Photo Magic' facial-recognition feature to Messenger

Facebook is offering a feature called Photo Magic that will automatically address a message so it can be sent quickly to Facebook friend...

Videocon launches its first 4G phone (Z55 Krypton) in india

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Videocon Mobile Phones has launched its first 4G smartphone - Z55 Krypton - in India. The phone, which runs Android Lollipop 5.1 OS, includes a 13 megapixel rear camera and a 5 megapixel front camera. 
 
Priced at Rs 7,999, the Videocon Z55 Krypton features a 5-inch HD IPS screen with Dragon Trail X glass atop, which is claimed to protect the screen from scratches. 
 
Under its hood is a 1.3 GHz quad-core processor paired with 1 GB of RAM. The phone has an internal storage space of 8 GB (expandable up to 32 GB). 
 
The first 4G smartphone from Videocon comes packed with a 2200 mAh battery and includes features like Dual SIM, FM radio among others.</div>

Videocon launches its first 4G phone (Z55 Krypton) in india

Videocon Mobile Phones has launched its first 4G smartphone - Z55 Krypton - in India. The phone, which runs Android Lollipop 5.1 OS, in...

OnePlus 10,000mAh power bank up for sale again in India at Rs 1,399

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OnePlus' 10,000 mAh power bank, which was out of stock on its exclusive partner Amazon India for quite some time, is now back on sale in India.</div>
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The company has decided to sell the power bank for a limited period at the same old price of Rs 1,399, before it starts selling it at an increased price.</div>
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"Unfortunately, an increase in production and operational costs have led to an increase in product price that will come into effect starting 2016," says OnePlus in a press note, adding, "We are offering the limited stock of OnePlus Power Banks on the Amazon India starting 2 PM, today, December 18, 2015 onwards" at the same price of Rs 1,399.</div>
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The 10,000 mAh Lithium-Polymer OnePlus Power Bank is available in Sandstone Black and features dual USB ports for simultaneous charging two devices and battery indicator LEDs.</div>
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In a press note sent to the media, the company has also explained the reason that why its power bank was not available to buy in the last few months.</div>
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"We understand your frustration at not being able to get your hands on the OnePlus Power Bank but we've had to battle some regulatory hurdles as well as a mind-numbingly lengthy product certification process. But, things are about to change. We are very pleased to inform you that all of the required processes have been cleared," explicates OnePlus.</div>
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OnePlus 10,000mAh power bank up for sale again in India at Rs 1,399

OnePlus' 10,000 mAh power bank, which was out of stock on its exclusive partner Amazon India for quite some time, is now back on...

Facebook’s ‘Your Year in Review’ can now be edited to show off your best memories

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After rolling out Facebook’s ‘Year in Review’ which focused on both, the good and the bad events around the world from the past twelve months, we now have an new ‘Your Year in Review’ that is appearing on the New Feed. While many may have dreaded such a feature in the past, the new ‘Your Year in Review’ can actually be edited and then shared with your Facebook friends.</div>
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What this also means is that you can now edit out all the bad stuff that happened over the past twelve months like break ups, friends who aren’t your friends anymore and technically fix ‘Your Year in Review’ timeline.</div>
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“We heard feedback last year that we need to do more to select the photos that are most enjoyable to people and make it easier for them to edit the photos they see and share in their Year in Review. So we’ve applied a unique set of filters to Your Year in Review to reduce the chance we’ll show you a photo you don’t want to see.” said a Facebook spokesperson. “Any photo that we suggest that you’d rather not include can be easily removed or replaced, and you can choose whether you want to enjoy this experience yourself or share it with friends.”</div>
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The ‘Your Year in Review’ basically comprises of ten photos selected by Facebook that it thinks are the most interesting (liked or commented) ones. A user can edit his post by clicking on the ‘edit’ button to change and adjust what they would like their friends or family to see. The feature has begun rolling out from December 16 and users should begin to see their ‘Your Year in Review’ promotions in their News Feed.</div>
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Facebook’s ‘Your Year in Review’ can now be edited to show off your best memories

After rolling out Facebook’s ‘Year in Review’ which focused on both, the good and the bad events around the world from the past tw...

Microsoft announces availability of Skype for Business for Android

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After working on feedback for the past few months from users in its preview program, Microsoft has announced general availability of its Skype for Business for Android app. 
 
With a new dashboard design, it brings the contact search bar, upcoming meetings and most recent conversations to one place. It features better contact management and additional authentication and security options. The app now supports modern authentication which is utilized by other Office clients. Modern authentication also enables IT admins to configure multi-factor authentication for users of the Skype for Business Android app. With multi-factor authentication, users are required to acknowledge a phone call, text message or an app notification on their device after correctly entering their user name and password. 
 
The new Skype for Business app for Android is now available in the Google Play store. Android users with Lync 2013 will be automatically updated to the Skype for Business app based on their device settings. 
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Microsoft announces availability of Skype for Business for Android

After working on feedback for the past few months from users in its preview program, Microsoft has announced general availability of i...

Brazil court orders 48-hour nationwide ban on WhatsApp

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A court in Brazil on Wednesday ordered cellular service providers nationwide to block the popular WhatsApp smartphone application for two days. 
 
The unprecedented 48-hour blockage was to implement a Sao Paulo state court order and was to take effect at 0200 GMT Thursday, although it was not immediately clear if service providers would acquiesce to the order. 
 
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The court said WhatsApp had been asked several times to cooperate in a criminal investigation, but had repeatedly failed to comply. 
 
A judge in Piaui state tried but failed earlier this year to block the app. 
 
Authorities say they cannot disclose details of the criminal investigation because it is an ongoing case. 
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Brazil court orders 48-hour nationwide ban on WhatsApp

A court in Brazil on Wednesday ordered cellular service providers nationwide to block the popular WhatsApp smartphone application for two d...

InFocus India to launch Windows 10 laptops under Rs 25,000 in February

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US-based InFocus which forayed into the Indian market with its M2 smartphone in March this year, has a wide range of products scheduled for their India launch in 2016. While the company so far has been competing only in the smartphone space, it now has a clear roadmap for the next year to venture into other segments including laptops, TV and wearables.</div>
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Sachin Thapar(Country head Infocus): First of all, I don’t agree it’s heated up; the market is growing at a phenomenal pace and therefore, there is a huge room for a new brand to enter. And especially for a brand like us because we are trying to offer consumers the world class quality at very affordable prices.</div>
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If you look at existing players in the market, once they offer a good product, the price is high. And if it’s a good brand, the price is even higher. And if you look at other players which offer products at competitive prices, the quality suffers in terms of touch responsiveness, display, and finish. So definitely, there is a room for somebody to come and offer quality products at competitive prices. So that is the space which we identified when we entered, and we think is still available to us. And the result, so far, has been good.</div>
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We will launch television sets either by the end of this month or early next month. And laptops will be introduced either during January-end or in February. We need to figure out the launch timings and delivery schedules, and the prices of TV will be below 10K and for laptops below 25K.</div>
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So, we are going to launch them in 24 inches, 32 inches, 40 inches and 50 inches. We are trying to bring in 60 inches as well. It’s the same portfolio that we showcased this year.</div>
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We have already got 137 customer service centres, possibly spread in 122 cities across the country. We have a dedicated call centre support. We, perhaps, are the only company in the mobile industry which is publishing spare part costs which a customer has to pay when the device is out of warranty. So, we are that transparent.</div>
 
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InFocus India to launch Windows 10 laptops under Rs 25,000 in February

US-based InFocus which forayed into the Indian market with its M2 smartphone in March this year, has a wide range of products sche...

What’s New on the iPhone 6S

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The latest Apple product is being released, and Mac lovers have been lining up to get their hands on the iPhone 6s. So what makes this product so special? Besides the expected software updates and advanced Touch ID, faster 4G and Wi-Fi connections, a sleeker design with a rose gold finish and of course iOS9; what are some of the new features that iPhone-fanatics can look forward to? Since Bend-gate there have been speculations regarding just how durable the latest iPhone will be. Apple have addressed this and have engineered a new alloy of 7000 Series aluminium, the same used in the aerospace industry, to ensure your phone won’t bend in your pocket. But that’s not all they have to offer. 
 
 
 
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See some of the top new specs below: 
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3D Touch</h3>
This is perhaps the most exciting of the new features of the iPhone 6S. This revolutionary technology combines software and hardware to bring a new dimension of functionality to using your phone. As well as the now familiar touch gestures like Tap, Swipe and Pinch, 3D Touch introduces what Apple refers to as “Peek and Pop”. Basically, with 3D Touch your phone registers how much pressure you put on your screen. If you select an icon/message/web page, it will open or Peek out; so you get an idea of what it contains. If you want to go into that web page or message you just have to press a little harder and it will “Pop” open. It also enables the user to make even shorter shortcuts to the camera, messaging and map apps from the home screen. Seeing Apples iPhone 6S in action, it appears to be a sleek transition and one which makes the phone that bit more covetable to this tech-loving writer.

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Breath-taking New Camera</h3>
The camera in the iPhone 6S has 12 megapixels and the shots it takes are absolutely stunning. It’s clearer than my own vision. Apple claims that a camera this good won’t need re-touches or filters on photos – although I doubt that will stop all the Instagrammers out there. If anything, this will just step up their game. The new iPhone can also take videos four times 1080p meaning your videos will look like something from the silver screen, in the palm of your hand. 
 
Do you take a lot of selfies? The front facing camera – for Facetiming and selfie-taking – is high definition 5 megapixels. All the better to see yourself with. The iPhone 6S also has a new function: Retina Flash, a flash three times brighter than the previous generation. This, combined with Apple’s True Tone Tech, allows you to have perfectly lit selfies no matter where you’re taking the photo. 
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Live Photos</h3>
As well as having a crisp and clearer shot, the iPhone 6S also enables the user to take Live Photos, literally capturing a moment in time just before and after you take the photo, with movement and sound. Like sleeker gifs if you will. You can activate the live photos simply by selecting a photo and you can also view them on your other Apple devices, and share them around. 
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Computer-Like Performance</h3>
The iPhone 6s is run by a 64-bit A9 chip. This chip empowers the iPhone 6S which 70% faster CPU (than the previous iPhone) and 90% GPU; meaning you can enjoy games, apps and videos with far better results. Apple goes for far as to say that it is as immersive as playing a video-game on your desktop or game console. 
 
So, will you be lining up with the rest of them to get this beauty? 
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What’s New on the iPhone 6S

The latest Apple product is being released, and Mac lovers have been lining up to get their hands on the iPhone 6s. So what makes this prod...

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