Apple iPhone SE Hands-on Review

What is the iPhone SE?

The iPhone SE is no longer Apple's latest phone, that honour goes to the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. They might not be radical redesigns, but new features are plentiful. Both are water-resistant, have stereo speakers and a wider colour gamut screen. You'll have to say bye to the headphone jack though, as it's been ditched.

Phones getting bigger and bigger, but the iPhone SE totally bucks the trend. This is a phone that's easy to use with one hand. Yes the the Samsung Galaxy S7, HTC 10 and iPhone 6S Plus are great handsets, but for many of us they’re simply too large.

How can a phone with a three year old design do it? Apple has given people a choice with the iPhone SE. The compact body is rare these days, but even though it's small it packs a mighty punch. This is a very powerful and capable phone. It can boast the same top-notch internals as the iPhone 6S, a snazzy pink (sorry, Rose Gold) hue and support for Apple Pay. Normally small phones are hamstrung, the iPhone SE isn’t.

Design and display

The iPhone SE is an exact clone of the older 5S. It is difficult to spot the differences as there's hardly any. However, it is slightly slimmer and lighter. The comfort of a smaller phone is something only stubborn users of iPhone 4, 4S, 5 and 5S users will reckon. There is still a substantial percentage of such users in the country and especially globally. Also, there are several iPhone 6 users who wants to go back to the smaller version. For them, the prowess of latest iPhone 6S in the body of 5S is indeed a special edition. However, this might put off many first time buyers, especially for the price.
On the display front, again there is no major difference. Everything looks good in the small screen with a resolution of just 1136 x 640 pixels. 3D Touch is absent in the iPhone SE. Overall, the display is crisp with good contrast and viewing angles.

The new Night Shift mode makes a huge difference in darkness. It puts less strain on the eyes. Night Shift is introduced in the latest iOS 9.3 update, the feature is not supported on all older 4-inch iPhones. While 5S supports it, 5 and 5C doesn't.
The SE version has a solid build and is sturdier than the newer versions. It is compact, lightweight and is made exclusively for one-hand usage. It is also available in Rose Gold colour.

Camera and Performance

This segment is a major upgrade for older iPhone users. The iPhone SE has the camera of the 6S along with Live Photos. The 12MP rear camera is capable of shooting 4K videos along with slo-mo and time-lapse videos. There is a dual tone LED Flash at the back and on the front screen flashes to lighten selfies, like in the 6S.
Under good lighting conditions, the camera shoots good photos, but images shot under low-light without Flash will leave users desiring for more. While camera quality is good, it is not at par with the 6S or the older iPhone 6.

The iPhone SE is powered by the latest Apple A9 processor with M9 motion-tracking and PowerVR GT7600 graphics. The device is smooth and here are no glitches in performance. It might look small but it is not at all 'less powerful' than the 6S -- all iPhone users will vouch for this at least.
If you are into gaming on small screen, apps like Asphalt 8: Airborne run with ease. In short, it has the horsepower of the iPhone 6S.
The fingerprint scanner or Touch ID is included in the SE and it is fast. The phone is backed by a 1,624mAh battery. The battery life is slightly better due to a smaller low-resolution screen of the SE. Users can squeeze in one day in a full charge easily.

Verdict
The iPhone SE is the cheapest phone Apple has launched in recent years globally. However, Rs 20,200 for 16GB version and Rs 21,999 for 64GB variant are obviously over-priced. While the smaller iPhone makes perfect sense, the current pricing is a deterrent. Once, the re-imported iPhone 5S goes out of stock in India and also with the iPhone 7 launch, the prices of SE is bound to drop. The iPhone SE prices in India will simply help Apple to boost sales of the other existing iPhones for now.
The SE is just a matter of choice for people who prefer to use small screen and Apple doesn't want them to use old hardware to run new apps.

Few Unboxing Images for Golden Color 32GB version of iPhone SE which I've purchased 2 weeks ago from Flipkart for 21,999  are as below:

Everything You Need To Know About the New OS X 10.10 Yosemite

Everything You Need To Know About the New OS X 10.10 Yosemite

At the annual Worldwide Developers Conference 2014, Apple didn’t only announce the upcoming iOS 8 mobile operating system, they also unveiled their next-generation OS X 10.10 Yosemite. The new OS follows the footsteps of OS X Mavericks, and comes with a handful of new features on board. The good news is: it will be available this fall as a free upgrade for people running on OS X 10.9 Maverick.

OS X 10.10 Yosemite will come with a cleaner user interface, with flatter icons and translucent bars. As we said, it has taken some of the design cues from iOS, and features improved features, icons, buttons and even a new system font for improved readability. There’s also a dark mode that dims the entire interface for improved focus while you’re working.

Apple has also improved the notification center in the new version, giving users a lot more detail. There’s a Today View in the notification center, which give users an overview of everything, such as upcoming events, reminders, stock information and more. You can even add widgets from the Mac App Store to customize the notification center, and display the things which matter to you.

There’s an improved spotlight search as well — it went through some enhancements on iOS as well. In addition, the built-in apps have received major updates as well, including Mail, Messages and Safari. Apple also introduced a new app called iCloud Drive, which is a Dropbox alternative, and give users the ability to save their files in the cloud so they are accessible on every device — Mac, iPhone, iPad and even Windows PCs. Thew new messages app gives users the ability to receive and respond to iMessages, and SMS messages on their Mac.

Another interesting feature is the ability to make and receive calls on your Mac. OS X 10.10 Yosemite and iOS 8 works in conjunction with each other, so that you can make and receive calls on your Mac, no matter where your iPhone is in your house. It’s not just the phone calls, the messages on your iPhone are also available on your Mac. Now, if you are working, you don’t have to look for your iPhone if you receive a message — iMessage or SMS — and respond it directly.

There’s a new Handoff feature as well, which was discussed in iOS 8 as well, and lets users connect all their Apple devices, and work with them. You can continue on any device you own, for example, if you started writing an email on your iPad, and decided to switch to your Mac, you can continue it from where you left off on the iPad.

The new OS X 10.10 Yosemite also features a new Instant Hotspot feature, which basically uses your iPhone as a hotspot. There’s no setup required, and it will connect to your iPhone when both devices are in range. It will be displayed in the WiFi menu on the Mac, and shows the amount of battery left as well as the signal strength. Interestingly, it will disconnect from the hotspot when it’s not in use to save the battery life on your iPhone.

The new OS X 10.10 Yosemite will be released later this fall, possibly alongside the iOS 8. However, if you’re an enrolled developer, you’ll be able to grab it from the online Apple portal. Apple also said there will be a public beta later this summer so that normal users can try the new OS and give their feedback

10 Excellent Features Introduced in the latest iOS 8

10 Excellent Features Introduced in the latest iOS 8

Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) 2014 has kicked off in style, with the Cupertino-giant unveiling it’s upcoming mobile operating system dubbed as iOS 8. While the design is almost the same as iOS 7 except a few new animations, Apple has introduced many new features and enhancements to make the OS better than its predecessor. If you missed the Apple keynote yesterday, here’s everything you need to know about the upcoming iOS 8:

1. Compatibility
Apple has a history of providing support for old devices. When iOS 7 came it out last year, it came with support for the good old iPhone 4 as well. And, this year, the latest iOS 8 will be compatible with iPhone 4S as above — sorry iPhone 4 owners, but you’ll not get iOS 8. The complete list of devices include, iPhone 4S/5/5S/5C, iPad Mini, iPad Mini with Retina, iPad Air, iPad 2, iPad with Retina and iPod 5th generation. This is a handsome list of devices, meaning that all popular iOS devices will get the update.

2. Health and Fitness Dashboard
As rumored before, the new iOS 8 comes with a Health dashboard which give users the ability to measure fitness-related metrics, such as calories burnt, heart rate, cholesterol level, sleeping patterns, and more. What’s even more interesting is the way the data is collected. Some of it comes from wearables such as Nike bands, while others come from apps and third-party sources such as Mayo Clinic. It also let users create an emergency card, which is displayed on the lockscreen for emergency purposes.

3. Improved Notification Center and Multitasking
The new iOS 8 brought some much needed improvements. One of the most notable ones is the interactive notifications, a new feature which give users the ability to respond to notifications from the Notification Center. This means you can reply to your emails, messages or texts without leaving the app you’re using. You can even comment or like Facebook posts from the notification center.

In addition, the new operating system adds more content to the multitasking screen. Along with the opened applications, the multitasking screen on the device now shows your favorite contacts so you can contact them from the multitasking window.

4. Messages
There are some new features for the messaging app as well. Now, you can send voice notes, images, and even create groups where you can multiple contacts and get in touch with them — send images, voice notes, video clips and make calls. You can even share your location with the group of friends, to let them know where you are, or if you’re waiting to meet them.

5. QuickType Keyboard
The new OS also comes with an improved version of the keyboard, which they call it QuickType. Personally, I feel like the existing iOS keyboard is already very good, but the new one makes it even better. The new keyboard suggests words periodically to complete the sentences —  the prediction capabilities demoed during WWDC keynote looked pretty good. It even recognizes whether you’re writing in the Mail or Messages app. At the moment, the predictive text is optimized for 14 countries, including US, UK, Canada,

6. Family Sharing
This is another interesting feature which give family members the ability to share their iTunes content, such as app purchases and iBooks with other members of the family. Once enabled, you can even access content from other family members. You can even set up a family photo stream where images taken by your family members on all devices. It’s not just sharing content, you can even find out where you family members are on a map, which is similar to the Find My iPhone app.

7. iCloud Drive
iCloud Drive is a cloud storage service which lets users save their files, documents and other media files online, and access them on any iOS device you own. It’s not just iOS devices, you can even view and work with the files on your Mac or PC.

8. Handoff
The new Handoff feature is another notable one introduced in the iOS 8. The new feature connects iOS devices together so you can work in conjunction. This means you can start writing an email on your iPhone, and continue where you left off on your iOS device and vice versa. It even lets you check and reply to messages from your Mac, and you can even answer calls on your Mac or iPad, provided its running the latest OS X Yosemite and iOS 8, respectively. No need to find out where your smartphone is when you are working.

9. Spotlight
Spotlight is the new iOS search feature, which let users search for anything, such as their installed apps, iTunes content, and much more. It will show you everything, even from third-party sources such as Wikipedia or any news related to the searched query.

10. Touch ID And New APIs
This is another interesting access Apple is giving to third-party developers. Previously, Touch ID was only accessible for security purposes to unlock your device or to make iTunes purchases. But, with iOS 8, developers can create apps which can make use of the sensor. It’s not just the Touch ID access, the new SDK comes with 4,000 new APIs for developers to explore the capabilities of the OS.

11. Release Date
The developer preview of iOS 8 is already available for registered developers so they can test their apps, and explore the new APIs for their apps, to make full use of the operating system. For consumers, the operating system will launch this fall, and possibly with the new iPhone. Apple is rumored to be working on two new iPhones which are expected to see the light of the day this fall, possibly with a bigger screen.

There you go folks. I think Apple has done a commendable job with the latest iOS 8 operating system, adding new features and enhancements, and much more. What do you think about iOS 8? Let us know using the comments below

Apple Unveils OS X Yosemite

Apple Unveils OS X Yosemite With New Continuity Features and More

Apple on Monday at its WWDC Keynote announced OS X Yosemite, the latest iteration of OS X which the company says has been redesigned and refined with a "fresh, modern look, powerful new apps and amazing new continuity features." Apple also unveiled iOS 8.

"Yosemite is the future of OS X with its incredible new design and amazing new apps, all engineered to work beautifully with iOS," said Craig Federighi, Apple's Senior Vice President of Software Engineering. "We engineer our platforms, services and devices together, so we are able to create a seamless experience for our users across all our products that is unparalleled in the industry. It's something only Apple can deliver."

According to Apple, OS X Yosemite has been redesigned and refined with a fresh modern look where controls are clearer, smarter and easier to understand, and streamlined toolbars put the focus content without compromising functionality. Translucent elements reveal additional content in the app window, providing a hint at what's hidden behind and taking on the look of the desktop. App icons have a clean, consistent design and an updated system font improves readability.

The new Today view in Notification Center gives users a quick look at everything they need to know with widgets for Calendar, Weather, Stocks, Reminders, World Clock and social networks. Users can even download additional widgets from the Mac App Store to customize their Today view. Spotlight now appears front and centre on the desktop, and adds new categories of results, so they can view rich suggestions from Wikipedia, Maps, Bing, App Store, iTunes Store, iBooks Store, top websites, news and movie showtimes.

Built right into the Finder, iCloud Drive stores files of any type in iCloud. iCloud Drive works like any other folder on Mac, so users can drag documents into it, organise them with folders and Tags and search for them using Spotlight. With iCloud Drive, users can access all files in iCloud from Mac, iPhone, iPad or even a Windows PC.

Safari has a new streamlined design that puts the most important controls at users' fingertips. A new Favorites view gives quick access to your favourite websites, and a powerful new Tabs view displays thumbnails of all open web pages in one window.

Safari also gives users more control over their privacy, with separate Private Browsing windows and built-in support for DuckDuckGo, a search engine that doesn't track users. When users search for popular or common terms, new Spotlight Suggestions appear along with the suggestions from their search provider. Safari supports the latest web standards, including WebGL and SPDY, and support for HTML5 Premium Video Extensions. Apple says with its Nitro JavaScript engine, Safari is over six times faster than Firefox and over five times faster than Chrome when executing JavaScript found in typical websites.

The new Mail app on OS X makes editing and sending attachments easier than ever. With Markup, users can quickly fill out and sign forms and even annotate images and PDFs from within Mail. Mail Drop allows you to easily send large videos, images or files up to 5GB from the Mail app to any email address. Messages has a new look and delivers even more options for communicating with friends and family. Now users can add titles to ongoing message threads so they are easy to find, add new contacts to ongoing conversations, or leave those conversations users no longer want to follow. With Soundbites users can create, send and listen to audio clips right in Messages.

Apple says the new continuity features in Yosemite make Mac and iOS device perfect companions. When a user's iOS device is near their Mac, Handoff allows the user to start an activity on one device and pass it to the other. Instant Hotspot quickens the process of using the iPhone's hotspot. SMS and MMS messages that previously only appeared on the user's iPhone now appear in Messages on all devices. Users can even send SMS or MMS messages directly from their Mac and make or receive iPhone calls using their Mac as a speakerphone.

Yosemite also delivers platform technologies that make it easier for developers to create OS X apps. SpriteKit makes it easier to incorporate realistic motion, physics and lighting in games, and integrates with SceneKit reportedly bringing 3D casual gaming within reach of any developer. Storyboards for Yosemite and Xcode 6 take advantage of the new View Controller APIs in AppKit to make it easier to build apps that navigate between multiple views of data. New APIs allow developers to integrate Handoff into their own apps and create Today view widgets for distribution through the Mac App Store. Share Menu extensions add new destinations to the Share Menu, and new APIs let developers create custom Share Sheets.

The developer preview of Yosemite is available to Mac Developer Program members starting Monday. Apple is also introducing the OS X Beta Program, which gives customers early access to Yosemite and invites them to try out the release and submit their feedback. Mac users can participate in the OS X Beta Program for Yosemite this summer and download the final version for free from the Mac App Store this fall. Customers interested in signing up can visit www.apple.com/osx/preview for more details

Here’s the list of iPads and iPhones compatible with iOS

Here’s the list of iPads and iPhones compatible with iOS

Moments ago Apple unveiled iOS 8 with a number of new features. Our favorites include Continuity that lets you take calls and messages on iPad and Mac apart from being able to seamlessly continue working from one device to another, the ability of third-party apps to finally be able to talk to each other and that users will now finally be able to download third-party keyboards. Apple has announced that iOS 8 will be available this Fall, which is also when we should see new iPhones and iPads. Along with the new kit, Apple also released a list of iOS devices that will be able to upgrade to iOS 8 when it is available.

The list is pretty comprehensive and a bit surprising at the same time. It includes the iPhone 4s, iPhone 5, iPhone 5c, iPhone 5s, iPod touch 5th generation, iPad 2, iPad with Retina display, iPad Air, iPad mini and iPad mini with Retina display. We were not expecting Apple to support iPhone 4s and the iPad 2, which are barely able to run iOS 7 but there we have it

Apple iPhone 6 spotted on leaked WWDC slides

Apple iPhone 6 spotted on leaked WWDC slides, could be unveiled at the developer’s conference

Rumors have been rife that Apple is planning on unveiling iOS 8 and the latest OS X 10.10 at its WWDC conference. But now it seems the company is also planning on announcing its much anticipated iPhone 6 at the same event. A video has surfaced online showing off the stage at the Moscone Center in San Francisco as well as some slides featuring iPhone 6 running through a screen behind the stage.
The slides show off the front, back and sides of what appears to be the iPhone 6. The images are consistent with the leaked iPhone 6 dummies we have seen before. The phone in the slides has a silver-white colored chassis and comes with rounded edges, which seem to be based on the design language of the latest generation iPads.

Just to recap, iPhone 6 is expected to feature a bigger screen and will come in two variants, one with a 4.7-inch display and the other with a 5.5-inch display. It is also expected that the iPhone 6 will boast 1704×960 pixels Retina display, which will be 3X the current iPhone’s 568×320 pixels display. The iPhone 6 is likely to come in a slimmer design with curved edges, and might feature a power button on the side instead of the top panel. The phone is also rumored to be powered by a new A8 SoC.

If Apple does take the wraps off the iPhone 6 next week, it will surprise many as earlier reports had pegged a launch for September. This would also be the first time after the iPhone 4 that Apple is unveiling a new hardware at the WWDC

Former Apple CEO John Sculley to launch smartphone brand in India

Former Apple CEO John Sculley to launch smartphone brand in India: Here’s how it could succeed

Naturally, everyone wants a piece of one of the fastest growing smartphone markets in the world. India has seen a number of new brands make an entry in the smartphone market last year alone. From Chinese companies such as Gionee and Oppo, to American PC giants HP to brands such as Japan’s Panasonic, which has given up on the smartphone game back home, but has a big budget for India. Motorola made a comeback with the ultra-popular Moto G.

So it’s no surprise that former Apple CEO John Sculley is planning on adding to the number, according to a report in BGR India. Former Micromax and HTC top exec Ajay Sharma will be leading the business in India. The company will launch a series of smartphone, with the first device said to be coming in April. The supposed price range is between Rs 5,000 and Rs 15,000, which makes us a bit sceptical about the brand’s chances.

In the report, talking about the new company, Sharma is said to have insisted that their “forthcoming devices will have a different positioning and USP.” But in the same price range as most well-known Indian brands, there’s very little head room for playing the brand positioning game. Once again, it could be about the price and specs proposition and as we have said in the past, it takes more than just that.

For one, consumers are more than tired of no after-sales service from many Indian companies. Sculley and Sharma’s company should put that on top of their to-do list. Secondly, people like to know that the phone will receive updates in the future. This is a big shortcoming in many Indian brands, something that Motorola made sure doesn’t plague them with a swift KitKat update for the Moto G.

Secondly, we are hoping that Sculley’s reputation in the industry has made it possible to tie-up some content or value-addition deals. Micromax and the likes have already caught on to this, with bundling of apps and operator eco-system tie-ups, such as free data for using certain services. This is a crucial bait to lure customers.

India has seen tremendous growth in the smartphone segment. IDC’s year-ending numbers say shipments skyrocketed from 16.2 million in 2012 to 44 million last year. The growth is expected to continue as smartphones become less expensive and mobile internet infrastructure improves, but how much of a role the new brands will play in the growth is yet to be determined.

With so many brands in the melee, gaining recognition, especially long-term recognition, is a slow game and involves taking the right steps towards service and value creation. Sculley’s Apple history will no doubt help earn some of that, but a lot more of it will depend on whether the brand is banking on more than just the price and specs to take it through.