WhatsApp To Introduce ‘Call via Skype’ Feature

It’s no secret that WhatsApp, the popular instant messaging client is working on adding free voice-calling capability to its text messaging app. The company has even announced it themselves, but as we move closer to the promised launch timeframe of this feature, we are learning several new information. As per the what has been spotted inside the codes of its iPhone app, the service may have a quick “call via Skype” video chatting option.

Tech blog MakTechBlog says that it found a reference of Microsoft’s instant messaging client while investigating the codes of WhatsApp’s iPhone app. The blog also found several other interesting references including ‘Call Mute’, ‘Call Hold’, ‘Call back’, ‘Call me in X minutes’, ‘Call back message’, ‘Call Notifications’, and ‘Separate screen for call logs’ in within the codes that suggest how full-fledged this feature will be when it rolls out.

With the “Call via Skype” feature, the service may have plans to give users a one-click option to turn the ongoing audio-calls or text conversation into a video chat. As the blog mentions, it isn’t as surprising to see Skype integration on WhatsApp, as its parent company Facebook too had partnered with Skype to launch its video chat service.

As per the features mentioned in the code, WhatsApp also seems to have a ‘do not disturb’ option in mind, as traces of ‘driving mode’ has been spotted in the code. Last month, in within the codes, it was also found that the company was working on a web client version for its app.

Kodak entered Smartphone Market with InstaMatic 5 Android Smartphone

The latest entrant into the smartphone realm is none other than Kodak, though what it has unveiled today is less of a camera running Android, and more of an actual smartphone. It looks like one and has smartphone specs, so it’s definitely (just) a smartphone.

The Kodak IM5 comes with midrange innards mostly, except for the camera which features “unique image management software”. More on that in a bit.

The handset has a 5-inch 720p touchscreen, a 13 MP rear snapper with LED flash, a 5 MP front camera, 1GB of RAM, 8GB of built-in storage, and microSD card support.

Running the show is an unnamed 1.7 GHz octa-core processor, though the clock speed makes us think it’s part of a MediaTek chipset (probably the MT6592). The Kodak IM5 runs Android 4.4 KitKat, and it will be updated to Android 5.0 Lollipop, even if a clear timeline for that hasn’t been given (or a reason for it not launching with the latest software in the first place).

Expect the IM5 to become available in Europe towards the end of March, followed by a global rollout later on. It will cost €229, and when it eventually lands in the US you’ll be able to pick one up for $249 (sans contract of course).

Camera-wise, you’ll get an app that will let you quickly edit photos, share them on social media, or directly print them, since it’s apparently going to be “compatible with home printers”.

This is clearly just an attempt to capitalize on a very well known brand, since the hardware is nothing spectacular. Whether enough people will fall for that remains to be seen.

HERE Maps Partnerd with BMW To create new Driving Experience

HERE announced that it has partnered with BMW to create a new driving experience. Dubbed as “Intelligent Drive,” it utilizes Nokia’s HERE navigation and mapping services.

BMW ConnectedDrive displayed the BMW i3 equipped with cloud-based connectivity and a HERE app that synchronises digital devices such as a smartphone with the vehicle’s navigation system. The “Intelligent Drive” will allow your car to learn the tank level at which you usually refill and automatically search for gas stations when you get to that point. It will also offer  smart parking recommendations, share your destination and ETA and get safety alerts for hazards, speed restrictions and traffic.

“We believe consumers are looking for more than just a smartphone on wheels. HERE, which sits at the intersection of the consumer and automotive industries, can help automakers act quickly to radically upgrade the driving experience into a truly connected one, that consumers want and expect.”

said Ogi Redzic, HERE’s senior vice president, connected driving.

Using HERE, the BMW i3 can also share destination addresses or estimated times of arrival with contacts, via text or email. In addition, HERE also announced a set of companion apps for Android and iOS that aim to help drivers with various recommendations. It is also developing applications for BMW on TV, smartwatches and other mobile devices.

Facebook acquired Speech Recognition Startup Wit.ai

Facebook acquired an 18-month-old speech recognition startup Wit.ai. The financial details of the deal have not been disclosed.

California-based Wit.ai was founded by Alexandre Lebrun. It is basically a platform that lets third-party developers incorporate its open-source speech recognition software into varied products like robots, smart home products like thermostats and even apps.

Talking about its acquisition, the startup wrote on its blog, “Facebook has the resources and talent to help us take the next step. Facebook’s mission is to connect everyone and build amazing experiences for the over 1.3 billion people on the platform – technology that understands natural language is a big part of that, and we think we can help.”

With Wit.ai’s core product offering being ‘turning speech into actionable data’, we cannot help but speculate that Facebook will sit on the drawing board and sketch out a way to embed this speech recognition feature into its social media platform.

“Wit.ai has built an incredible yet simple natural language processing API that has helped developers turn speech and text into actionable data. We’re excited to have them onboard,” Facebook said in a statement.

Wit.ai currently has more than 6,000 developers using its platform, and the company clarifies that its existing platform will remain available for all to use and will eventually also become entirely free.

Government Approved Largest Spectrum Auction worh Rs 64,840 Crore

The Union Cabinet yesterday approved the largest ever telecom spectrum auction that is targeted to fetch at least Rs 64,840 crore from the sale next month.

The government will sell 380.75 megahertz of second generation (2G) spectrum in three bands — the premium 900 MHz, 1800 MHz and 800 MHz. Spectrum in 2100 MHz may also be put on auction simultaneously after Defence Ministry vacates it. The Cabinet, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved a reserve price of “Rs 3646 crore pan-India per MHz in 800 MHz, Rs 3980 crore for 900 MHz band pan India excluding Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and J&K; Rs 2191 crore pan India (excluding Maharashtra and West Bengal) in 1800 MHz band,” an official statement said here today.

Reserve price for 2,100 MHz was not announced today. Government had garnered about Rs 62,162 crore from the last auction in February 2014. Proceeds from this year’s auction will help government reach its fiscal deficit target of 4.1 per cent of GDP. As per the tentative timelines drawn by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), last date for submission of application is February 2 and bidders will be pre-qualified by February 13. The auction will start on February 23. Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said the government intends to auction third generation or 3G spectrum in 2,100 MHz simultaneously. ”What had been pending for last many years, that is 5 MHz in 2,100 MHz from Defence, we have been able to do it,” he told PTI.

The focus of the February auction, he said, “is to provide adequate spectrum, prevent hoarding, fair competition, improve telecom services for consumers and adequate revenue for government.”  The reserve or auction start price approved today is the same as the one recommended by the Telecom Commission, except in the case of 900 MHz. The Telecom Commission had proposed a reserve price of Rs 3,695 crore for each MHz in 900 Mhz. Against this, Cabinet approved reserve price of Rs 3980 crore.

“The estimated revenues from this auction are Rs 64,840 crore (excluding 2100 MHz spectrum) of which Rs 16,000 crore is expected to be realized in the current financial year,” the statement said. At the reserve price of last auction, airwaves were valued at about Rs 48,685 crore. Government had put on the block about 385 MHz of radiowaves in 1800 MHz band, and 46 MHz in 900 MHz band. During that auction, all the spectrum in 900 MHz band got sold but 78 Mhz in 1800 MHz band remained unsold.

Any company holding a universal service license to provide telephony services or eligible to obtain the same, can bid in this year’s auction. Successful bidders have to pay within 10 days 33 per cent of the final sale price in case of 1800 MHz. The same is 25 per cent in case of 900 MHz and 800 MHz, the statement said. ”There shall be a moratorium of two years for payment of balance amount of one time charges for the spectrum, which shall be recovered in 10 equal annual installments,” it said.

In 800 MHz band, 103.75 MHz in all service areas is being put on auction while 177.8 MHz in 900 MHz band is being sold in 17 telecom circles or service areas. 99.2 MHz will be auctioned in 15 circles in 1800 MHz band, it said. There are total 22 telecom service areas in the country and the price of spectrum in each circle is different. Telecom Commission has recommended auctioning 184 Mhz in 900 Mhz band across 18 service areas and 100.2 Mhz in 1800 Mhz band in 15 service areas. The quantum of spectrum for auction in 1800 Mhz has been reduced by Cabinet.

The 900 Mhz and 1800 Mhz band are used for providing GSM based mobile services by companies like Airtel, Vodafone, Idea, Uninor. The 800 Mhz band is used for CDMA based mobile services by companies like MTS, Tata Teleservices and Reliance Communications. The base price of Rs 3,980 crore for each megahertz of spectrum in premium 900 Mhz band for the upcoming auction, is over 10 times higher than what telecom operators paid earlier. The spectrum in 900 Mhz held by Airtel, Vodafone, Idea and RCom through their licences is expiring in 2015-16. These are being put up for auction. The base price of Rs 3,646 crore per Mhz for 800 Mhz (CDMA) band– nearly 17 percent higher than the price suggested by Trai. It is also more than base price fixed by government for November 2012 auction.

There were no buyers of CDMA spectrum in November 2012 auction as companies felt spectrum price was too high to make a business case. MTNL has proposed to surrender its CDMA spectrum in Delhi and Mumbai. BSNL has proposed to surrender one block of 1.25 Mhz CDMA spectrum in 10 service areas. As per DoT, after taking into account CDMA spectrum of MTNL and BSNL, only 103.75 Mhz can be placed for auction in February.