TechTalks Now

How long could you go without checking your Smartphone? How about your teen? On any given day you will notice people so engrossed with their phones that they are missing the world around them. If you have teens, chances are you witness this phenomena on a daily basis. There might be times that leave you questioning if your teen is addicted to her Smartphone. Alcoholism and drug addictions are often the first images to spring to mind when people think about addiction- not Smartphones. However, people are easily addicted to a variety of stimulants that go beyond illegal substances. Shedding light on teen Smartphone addictions will help address this serious issue facing our society. What Is Smartphone Addiction? Recently, there has been a lot of research regarding electronics and the impact they have on our brain activity . A lot of people view Smartphone addiction as something to joke about, but it is a problem that many people suffer from. Scientists also claim there ma...

February 23, 2015  by  Amy Williams   Leave a Comment The majority of children born today will have access to mobile smart devices early on in their lives. Parents are constantly questioning how young is too young? When should I buy my child a smartphone or tablet? With digital devices being a relatively new introduction into our day-to-day lives, it’s hard to tell how they will affect our children’s development in the long-term. But studies are already underway, and experts have drawn some conclusions to help parents make these tough decisions. Though each child will experience technology in a different way, this infographic “When Should I Buy My Child A Smartphone (Or Tablet)?” compiles these general guidelines to help parents get a better sense of when when their child is most likely to succeed and most likely to be hindered by exposure to different types of media and devices. When do you think you’ll buy your child their first device? How soon is too soon t...

Guest Blog By: Amy Williams Many people envision the stereotypical substance abuse, gambling, or obsessive compulsive disorders. People tend to pigeonhole dependencies into extreme categories and often overlook the very real addiction that can be caused by Smartphones.  Addictions can be debilitating and wreak havoc on a person’s family and professional life. Something as simple as texting or checking a game can quickly become a real problem if it interferes with how a person functions in their daily activities. The stark reality is that people can become  addicted to a Smartphone. The Signs of Smartphone Addiction In this day and age, it is hard not to rely on technology and all the conveniences it offers. Smartphones have simplified our lives, but they have nurtured our dependency on vibrations, soft glows, and instant messages. There is even a name describing this phenomena, nomophobia. This raises the question, “Is it possible to be addicted to a Smartphone?” ...

Google  has announced the rollout  of  Android  6.0 Marshmallow, which means that eligible Nexus devices will get it via an OTA update soon. Some manufacturers such as Motorola might ensure that the update reaches your phone sometime soon, but most people will have to wait for quite some time to get this update. However, if you are lucky enough to own a Nexus smartphone or tablet, you can manually download and install  Android 6.0 Marshmallow  on your device. We still recommend the OTA update but if you can't wait, then try this method at your own risk, after you  backup all your data . (Also see:  Six Superb Android 6.0 Marshmallow Features ) Android 6.0 Marshmallow is currently available for the following devices -  Nexus 6 ,  Nexus 5 ,  Nexus 9 Wi-Fi ,  Nexus 9 Cellular ,  Nexus 7 (2013) Wi-Fi ,  Nexus 7 (2013) Cellular , and Nexus Player.. Here's how to manually install Android 6.0 Marshmallow on t...

Most smartphones today pack huge, high-resolution screens, powerful processors and lots of memory to multitask and handle really complex tasks. This also unfortunately means that they struggle to handle a full day's worth of heavy usage, and so power banks are now a must-have accessory. The same can be said for our laptops, and the need to tether them to the plug point grows as the battery ages. Most of our consumer electronics devices come with Lithium ion and Lithium Poly batteries that are geared for quick recharging, and not for long term life. Often, you're better off replacing your battery instead of upgrading your laptop, because of how quickly the battery ages. Whether you're using a smartphone, tablet, or laptop, here are some general purpose tips on prolonging its lifecycle and usage between recharge cycles. 1) Keep it cool Exposing the battery to high temperatures can be more stressful than cycling. According to  Battery University , which r...

  In case you missed the earlier online festive season sales, the Amazon Great Indian Diwali Sale is back. You'll find offers across all categories on Amazon from 26th to 28th October. We've got the best deals in technology from the first day of the Amazon Diwali sale right here. Here are a few tips to help you make the most out of the Amazon Great Indian Diwali Sale: 1) Almost all decent deals would be a part of Lightning Deals. This means a limited set of products will be available at a special price and you'll have just 15 minutes to checkout. 2) In case you miss a Lightning Deal, it's always wise to join the waitlist. 3) Most Lightning Deals are renewed once they end, so make sure you don't give up easily. 4) Use a Citibank card to make a payment to get an additional cashback of 10% on the items available during Amazon Great Indian Diwali Sale (maximum cashback of Rs. 1750). 1. Apple iPhone 6S Apple's iPhone 6S may have been the m...

Perhaps the world could do without a new Web browser. Google's Chrome, despite being a resource and battery hog, manages to get the work done for most, while Windows 10 continues to help Microsoft Edge be the default browser for millions of users. Jon S. von Tetzchner, co-founder and former CEO of  Opera , believes that his Web browser dubbed Vivaldi can compete with the likes of Chrome  and find its own user base. Ten months and over two million downloads since the release of Vivaldi's first technical preview in January, Norway-based  Vivaldi  Technologies announces on Tuesday that its Web browser has grown mature to enter the beta phase of its life. It is available for download by anyone from the  company's website . Vivaldi's beta version label brings with it several features and improved stability, the company tells Gadgets 360. We've been testing the beta version for a week now and can recommend our readers to give it a try. It's fast, it's ...

One of the nation's most storied tech companies will split in two this weekend, another casualty of seismic shifts in the way people use technology - and big-company sluggishness in responding. Hewlett-Packard was an early pioneer of what became the model for Silicon Valley startups: Founded in 1939 by two Stanford graduates in a Palo Alto, California, garage, HP was long celebrated for its engineering know-how and laid-back corporate culture. It made hefty profits as it grew into a multinational giant that sold a wide range of computer gear and commercial tech services. But after struggling to keep pace with recent trends like the rise of smartphones and cloud computing. HP's board decided last year to create two smaller companies, each with a narrower focus. HP  Inc. will sell personal computers and printers;  Hewlett Packard  Enterprise will sell commercial computer systems, software and tech services. Starting Monday, each will trade separately on the New ...

Google, after  launching its first OnHub Wi-Fi router  in August this year, on Tuesday introduced the device's next generation model made by Asus. To note, TP-LINK made the first router. The  Asus  OnHub Wi-Fi router is priced at $219.99 (roughly Rs. 14,300), $20 (roughly Rs. 1,300) more than its predecessor, and can be pre-ordered from Google's own online store, Amazon and Newegg. While Google and Amazon have not yet mentioned when the router would be shipped, Newegg clearly states the devices to start shipping on November 3. Like the first router, the cylinder-shaped Asus OnHub links with the  Google  On app on Android and iOS devices. To recall, the app lets users know who is connected with the particular  OnHub  router and how much Internet data they are consuming. The new router brings the Wave Control feature, to boost the Wi-Fi speed for a particular device by simply waving a hand over the router. In addition, Google promi...

Lenovo on Friday launched its affordable hybrid laptop series with the new Yoga 700. The 2-in-1 laptop is available in 11-inch and 14-inch screen sizes with starting prices of $649 (roughly Rs. 42,400) and $799 (roughly Rs. 52,200) respectively in the US. The India pricing and availability details are not yet known. The Yoga 700 can be used in four different modes - laptop, tablet, tent, and stand. The audio on both Windows 10  (64-bit) laptops is powered by Dolby DS1.0 Home Theatre tech. The  Lenovo  Yoga 700 (14-inch) features a full-HD 10-point multi-touch IPS display with 700:1 contrast ratio and runs up to sixth generation Intel Core i7 processors with Intel HD Graphics 520 and 8GB DDR3L RAM. Users also have the option to include Nvidia GeForce GT 940M discrete GPU as well. It comes with up to 256GB SSD inbuilt storage  and features a HD (720p) webcam as well. The connectivity options include Wi-Fi 802.11 ac (dual band), Bluetooth 4.1, USB 3.0, USB...

Canon on Monday marked its entry into the field of ink tank printers with the launch of 4 products as part of the new Pixma G series of printers. The Pixma G Series range starts at Rs. 9,595 for the basic model (Pixma G1000) and goes up to Rs. 16,795 for the model (Pixma G3000) with Wi-Fi connectivity. The replacement ink bottles are priced at Rs. 499 per unit, for colour as well as black. The printers will be available across the country later this month. Regular inkjet printers come with a design where the ink tank is situated on the printhead, which means the ink volume in such tanks is usually pretty low and has to be replaced frequently. Ink tank printers - which have been available from the likes of  HP  and Epson until now - solve this problem by moving the ink tanks to a separate physical location, which means you can now have bigger, independent ink tanks. This design also minimises the wastage associated with tank-on-printhead design in terms of head-cleaning...