Lava Iris Alfa started getting Android 5.0 Lollipop update

Lava has released Android 5.0 (Lollipop) update for its Iris Alfa smartphone, months after it rolled out the update for the Iris Fuel 50 smartphone. It was launched back in January earlier this year running Android 4.4 (KitKat). To remind you, the Iris Alfa has a 5-inch FWVGA IPS Full Lamination display, 1.2 GHz quad-core processor, 5-megapixel auto focus rear camera with LED flash and VGA front-facing camera, 1GB RAM, 8GB internal memory with expansion slot and a 2200mAh battery.

The Android 5.0 Lollipop brings Material Design with bold, colorful, and responsive UI design, better notifications, battery saver feature, better security including Android Smart Lock, New Quick Settings, Improved network handoffs, flexible sharing, faster, smoother and more powerful experience with ART and more.

The Android 5.0 update for the Iris Alfa smartphone is available over-the-air (OTA). You can go to Menu > Settings > About Phone > System Updates and check for update, which will download it automatically. You can check out the steps to update the smartphone here.

MasterCard working on Facial recognition App technology for payment authentication

Not that we need one, but MasterCard is giving us a reason to take a selfie. The company is working on a new payment method that will let you pay by simply taking a selfie.

A latest report from CNN Money states that MasterCard is testing new facial recognition technology that would let customers verify their identity online by taking a selfie. The experimental feature uses your camera’s front-facing camera and facial recognition technology so that you can pay with your face. In order to use the upcoming function, customers will be required to download the MasterCard app on their phone. This app then converts the photo into 1s and 0s using facial recognition technology, and transmits it over the internet to MasterCard, which compares it with a stored code representing the cardholder’s face. If the two codes match up, then the purchase will be approved.

“The new generation, which is into selfies … I think they’ll find it cool. They’ll embrace it,” Bhalla says. “This [app] seamlessly integrates biometrics into the overall payment experience”.

said MasterCard chief product security officer Ajay Bhalla.

The biometric system is called ID Check, created by MasterCard in partnership with Google, Apple, BlackBerry and Samsung. MasterCard’s facial recognition feature will roll out to only about 500 users at first and they will use either a fingerprint or a selfie to verify identity. If all goes well, the company will start rolling out its new plan starting this fall. Bhalla says the image like other biometric forms will be converted to a format such that a person’s photo is neither stored nor transmitted in its normal construction. MasterCard is even working on pay-with-your-voice technology

Panasonic P55 Novo with 5.3-inch Display 1.4Ghz Octa-Core Processor 13MP Camera with Triple Flash Light Android 4.4 At Rs 9,290

Panasonic has launched the Panasonic P55 Novo, its latest smartphone in the P Series. It has a 5.3-inch (1280 x 720 pixels) HD IPS display, is powered by a 1.4 GHz Octa-Core processor and runs on Android 4.4 (KitKat). It has a 13-megapixel rear camera with triple LED flash and a 5-megapixel front-facing camera with LED flash for capturing better selfies in low-light.

It comes with dual SIM support, similar to other Panasonic smartphones and comes with Peel Smart Remote app that lets you control TV, DVD Player, AC and other appliances using IR LED sensor easily. It has Double Tap to Lock/Unlock and Smart Swipe, wherein a combination of number of fingers & direction of swipe can help user perform various predefined functions.

Panasonic P55 Novo specifications

5.3-inch (1280 x 720 pixels) HD IPS display
1.4 GHz Octa-Core processor
1GB RAM, 8GB internal memory, expandable memory up to 32GB with MicroSD
Android 4.4 (KitKat)
Dual SIM with dual standby
13MP rear camera with Triple LED Flash, 1080p video recording
5MP front-facing camera with LED flash
3.5mm audio jack, FM Radio
Smart IR-based remote Control
Dimensions: 147.9×73.8×8.15mm
3G HSPA+, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS
2500mAh battery
The Panasonic P55 Novo comes in Champagne Gold, Smoke Gray and Midnight Blue colors and is priced at Rs. 9,290.

Commenting on the launch, Manish Sharma, Managing Director, Panasonic India said:

With consumer priorities changing radically, we believe in enhancing customer experience by providing them with smart technology on the go. With the new smartphone, we are here to to offer a new dimension wherein the model has been specially designed to provide easy accessibility to consumers looking for a single app to control all home devices.

Pankaj Rana, Business Head – Mobility Division, Panasonic India said:

Indian customers are curious to have multiple options in a single device and keeping that need in mind, we came up with the P55 Novo – an all in all innovative smartphone meeting the needs of our smart users. Panasonic’s advanced technology that’s important to our customers has been seamlessly integrated into this smartphone. This is a step further to make the smartphones smarter and intuitive.

Flipkart added image search to find visually similar products in it’s Android App

Flipkart has introduced its new Image Search feature for its apps. This is uniquely designed for Flipkart’s fashion category and will allow you to search for visually similar products on Flipkart just by uploading a photo. This will let you find fashion products of same color, pattern or style on Flipkart, said the company.

You can also browse a range of similar products by tapping directly on the product. This will save time and also helps you to find exact dress you are looking for easily, instead of usual step-by-step navigation. The company said that it plans to use the in-built features such as camera and bring an offline-like experience with just a few clicks.

The Image Search feature is currently in beta and will be available soon through an app update. The company plans to introduce more such innovative features in the coming months.

Regarding the new feature, Flipkart’s Chief Product Officer Punit Soni, said:

Discovering a fashion product online varies from user to user and is more complex as compared to other categories. A lot of fashion purchase decisions are influenced by similar products seen by users. The image search feature provides a way to find similar products on Flipkart as well as reduces the search/ browsing time, making the overall product discovery and shopping experience simple.

This is in line with our ambition to create a very intuitive thoughtful mobile experience that is universally accessible to everybody, regardless of whether they use text or visuals to communicate with us.

Download Flipkart App

Digital India: All You Need To Know

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today launched the Digital India program, which essentially comprises of various initiatives aimed at digital empowerment, improving digital infrastructure and offering on-demand governance and services. From building broadband highways, easing mobile connectivity and mainly promoting e-governance, the Digital India mission’s main aim is to bridge the connectivity gap between the rural and urban areas.

Here are the top 10 services launched by the government

1. DIGILocker – This initiative looks to minimize the usage of physical documents. It is a dedicated personal storage space for e-documents as well as Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) of e-documents issued by government departments. Individual locker will be linked to the resident’s Aadhaar number, and enable sharing of e-documents across agencies whenever required. The sharing of these e-documents will be done through registered repositories thereby ensuring the authenticity of the documents online, and also minimize the loss and damage of important documents like birth certificate etc.

2. Bharat Net – This initiative will work towards building high-speed digital highways to connect all 2.5 lakh Gram Panchayats of country by next year. This would be the world’s largest rural broadband connectivity project using optical fiber.

3. MyGov app – The PM also launched the mobile version of the MyGov.in website. This platform encourages citizen engagement in governance, and the app will do the same on mobile.

4. eSign – An initiative to eradicate forgery and fraudulent signature, the eSign framework would allow citizens to digitally sign a document online using Aadhaar authentication.

5. National Scholarships Portal – This new service is said to be a one-stop-solution for end-to-end scholarship process right from submission of student application, verification, sanction and disbursal to end beneficiary for all the scholarships provided by the Government of India.

6. Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) app – To further the Swachh Bharat mission, the government has launched this app and would be used by people and Government organizations.

7. E-education – The program looks to provide high-tech education using technology like smartphones, apps and Internet services. It can also be used to provide education in far-flung areas where it may not be possible for teachers to be present in person. The education can be imparted through virtual means as part of the program.

8. E-health – This initiative aims at providing timely, effective and economical healthcare services to all, especially to the ones that have little access to healthcare services. This service too will be linked to Aadhaar numbers, and will make getting lab reports and OPD appointments easier. The Online Registration System (ORS) under the eHospital application has also been introduced.

This application provides important services such as online registration, payment of fees and appointment, online diagnostic reports, inquiring availability of blood online etc, the government claims. With this initiative, one can skip the hassles of registration and other formalities at hospitals by merely identifying self through the Aadhaar Number, select hospital and department, select date of appointment and get the same through SMS.

9. Next Generation Network (NGN) – This is a BSNL initiative which looks to replace 30 year old exchanges, with this new IP-based technology to manage all types of services like voice, data, multimedia/ video and other types of communication services.

10. Wi-Fi hotspots – BSNL has undertaken large scale deployment of Wi-Fi hotspots throughout the country for Internet access on smatphones while on-the-go. The initiative has already kicked off with the government offering free Wi-Fi at tourist places like Taj Mahal, and spots at Shimla too.

The government even launched the official website for the Digital India program, and you can take a look at it here.