TechPlus+: June 2015

iBall Splendo PC-on-a-Stick With Windows 8.1 Launched at Rs. 8,999

iBall in partnership with Microsoft India has launched its first PC-on-a-stick device, dubbed Splendo. The Windows-based mini computer, which is meant to turn a TV into a PC or Smart TV, has been priced at Rs. 8,999.

The iBall Splendo will go on sale in early July across the country and will also be available via online and TV retail channels.

Much like other PC-on-a-stick devices, the iBall Splendo can also fit in a pocket. It is powered by an Intel Atom quad-core processor and runs Windows 8.1. It comes with 2GB of RAM while packing 32GB of inbuilt storage.

The device is just required to be plugged into the HDMI input of the TV for a complete Windows PC experience. Some of the features offered by the Splendo include HD graphics, multi-channel digital audio, a microSD card slot, regular USB port, Micro-USB port, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0. The device has a fan-less design and comes with a one-year warranty from the company.

Commenting on the launch, Sandeep Parasrampuria, Director, iBall said, "iBall Splendo PC-On-Stick is one such device which will be useful for every home and office conference room providing different dimensions to use the PC as well as get great multimedia and internet experience by attaching it to the TV. A true convergence of technology for every age group and for every need."

Vineet Durani, Director Windows Business Group, Microsoft India said, "The iBall Splendo is for people who love devices and want to be connected all the time using multiple form factors. These users are tech enthusiasts who love gadgets, have access to multiple TVs at home, love the Smart TV experience and use Windows for browsing, social networking and multimedia consumption."

Back in April, Google launched the Asus Chromebit offering a computer-on-a-stick with Chrome OS. The Chromebit could be plugged into a display to turn it into a PC.

Sunday, June 21, 2015
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A Big Change (Emoji could replace PIN codes in online banking)

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PINs and passwords could soon be a thing of the past, after a British firm developed the world’s first emoji-only passcode

A British technology firm has launched the world’s first emoji-only passcode, allowing people to log into their banks using four emoji characters, instead of traditional PINs or passwords.

The characters are selected from a bank of 44 emoji. Intelligent Environments, the company that invented the system, claims that emoji are mathematically more secure than traditional four digit passcodes, because there are 480 times more permutations.

The system also prevents hackers from identifying common and easily obtainable numerical passcodes, like a date of birth or a wedding anniversary.

Wednesday, June 17, 2015
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Google Play gift cards are now available in India

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Google India has announced on its official blog that Google Play gift cards — called prepaid vouchers in the country — are now available at retail stores.

India is one of Android’s fastest-growing markets, but its extremely low credit card penetration rate is a challenge for Google as it goes after sweet, sweet app revenue. The tech giant is taking steps to make it easier for people to purchase from Google Play, however, and the latest is the launch of prepaid voucher cards.

The cards, which come in increments of INR 500, 1000, and 1,500 INR (or USD $7.80, $15.60, and $23.40), will be rolled out in Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Kolkata, and Jaipur over the next few weeks and sold at electronic retail chains Vijay Sales and Spice Hotspot.

Google Play’s prepaid vouchers can be used to purchase any kind of digital content in the store, including apps, movies, and books.

Previously, Google Play customers in India without a credit card had to resort to a number of workarounds, including virtual credit cards issued by banks or purchasing gift card codes from online sellers.

While Google Play offers direct carrier billing in many countries with low credit card penetration, India is not currently one of them, but that may change soon

Tuesday, June 16, 2015
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You can now score a free Android app every week from Google Play

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Google has quietly launched a Free App of the Week program in the Google Play store, giving Android users a little something to look forward to every seven days.

The first offering of the lot is Daniel Tiger Grr-ific Feelings, a $3 educational app from PBS with a set of games and activities for kids aged two to five. It’s buried in the Google Play’s Family section, and you’ll need to navigate there to get the offer or click here to get the app for free.

Google previously hasn’t had a mechanism to offer paid apps for free — once a developer lists their paid app as free, they can’t change it back and charge money for it again. The new deal uses an automatically applied discount code that brings the app’s cost down to zero.