HIGHLIGHTS

• Reliance Jio is expected to launch a DTH service and broadband network
• Jio Money app is expected to get a huge push as well
• A Reliance Jio 4G VoLTE-enabled feature phone is expected to release

Reliance Jio has upended the whole telecom industry of India, and it doesn’t seem to be slowing time anytime soon. The company is expected to continue its low-cost telecom services, but diversify into more areas, such as DTH and home broadband. And going by the experience with Reliance Jio’s telecom unit, the upcoming services will likely be ultra-low cost and cause major disruption in their respective segments. In addition to these, there will be more hardware products to look forward to. Having spoken to various sources within Jio, we have a fair idea in terms of what to expect from the company in the future. Here is a look at 5 things you can expect from Reliance Jio this year:

1. Jio DTH service

Reliance Jio is expected to launch Direct-to-Home (DTH) TV service, reportedly with 350+ channels, out of which over 50 will be HD channels. To use the service, customers will need to have the JioTV app and Jio SIM on their phones, and the connection will require a Jio home broadband connection. The hybrid Reliance Jio DTH set-top box will allow users to get cable channels as well as streaming services on their TV, similar to the Airtel Internet TV set-top box [launched recently](http://gadgets.ndtv.com/tv/news/airtel-internet-tv-set-top-box-with-netflix-preloaded-chromecast-built-in-launched-at-rs-4-999-1680423). The DTH service will be integrated with Jio’s cloud storage platform, and the content will be saved online to stream; in fact, users will have the option to watch week-old TV content on the service, without the need for local storage. Expect features like voice controls, ability to play games over the cloud, and more.

Which brings us to the next Jio service that’s already being tested in many areas.

2. Reliance Jio broadband service

Reliance Jio is widely expected to launch a Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) broadband service, which will deliver speeds up to 1Gbps. The pilot program has already started, Reliance Industries said in its Q1 regulatory filing and will be expanded to more cities soon. The service also got a mention in September when Mukesh Ambani launched Reliance Jio operations. The high-speed optical fiber service will likely come bundled with Jio services. There is no word on the Reliance Jio home broadband launch date and price yet.

Users having the Jio home broadband service are reportedly getting speeds between 70Mbps and 100Mbps. One user has tweeted screenshots showing download speeds of 743.28Mbps in Pune. However, it is not the only broadband service offering 1Gbps speed, as ACT Fibernet has already launched its gigabit service in Hyderabad.

3. Jio Money

While not exactly a new offering, you can expect Reliance to promote Jio Money in a big way this year. You can already use Reliance’s payment service at select retail outlets, and of course at various places online, but soon you can expect to use your mobile to pay for various things like metro rides and at convince stores. Sources tell Gadgets 360 Jio is also working on a solution where receipts related to all purchases made via Jio Money will be managed in the cloud for you.

4. 4G VoLTE feature phone

4G VoLTE-enabled feature phones by Reliance Jio is in the offing, with the image of one leaked online already. The feature phone in the image sports hardware buttons for MyJio, JioTV, JioCinema, and JioMusic apps. A report says the VoLTE feature phone will have Spreadtrum chipsets, though talks are said to be on with Qualcomm and MediaTek as well. The feature phones are said to be priced at Rs. 999 and Rs. 1,500.

5. Home automation and other smart products

Reliance already has its brand of Reconnect accessories, and you can expect a lot more products to become available under that range this year. What’s more, the group is also said to be working on a range of home automation products that will of course work with the Jio network to let you be in control no matter where you are. The company is also working on a new app called Jio MediaShare that will let you easily stream content on your mobile devices from your PC or laptop. Jio has also developed Chromecast-like devices that let you enjoy the same experience on the big screen. The ability to start watching content on one screen and continue on another, seamlessly, is being touted as a big feature.

Of all the Jio services in this article, you can expect the first four to become widely available and adopted this year - how many of the home automation and entertainment products release this year remain to be seen, as the company has still not decided on timelines for the same.

Which Jio service are you looking forward to the most? Tell us via the comments.

                                           source: gadgets 360

Create 3D scenes using pre-made models and your own creations

How to use Microsoft Paint 3D

If you’ve ever wanted to experiment with 3D but found most modelling tools too complicated, the new Paint 3D app in Windows 10 could be just what you’re looking for.

The replacement for the good old Paint program is meant to be easy to use for sketching in 2D, modelling 3D objects and bringing the two together in a 3D scene. You’ll be able to turn photos into 3D models, add colours and textures to models you make from 3D, and make a 3D model you can share with your friends, view on HoloLens or print out on a 3D printer. Remember, it’s still a preview, so not all the features are ready yet and you’ll need to be a Windows Insider to try it.

Don't have the software yet? Learn how to install Microsoft Paint 3D.

Microsoft Paint 3D comes with a set of videos and tips to help you get started, but the Remix option is the best way to learn the ropes

1. Get started with Paint 3D

The first time you open Microsoft Paint 3D you have to accept the Terms and Conditions. You'll then see this set of tips and tutorials to help you get started. You can watch some video tutorials to show you how to work with Paint 3D or jump straight in to making your own projects, but the easiest way to start is to join the Remix 3D site and try out the regular projects, like this one to create an autumn landscape. Don’t worry if you click past the tips and want to open them again; just close Paint 3D and reopen it. 

The Remix 3D community lets you share 3D models with other users and download new ones

2. Join the Remix 3D community

Looking for ideas? click the Remix 3D icon on the far right of the toolbar (it looks like a group of people). Not only will that let you share your 3D creations with other people; you can also look at what others in the Remix 3D community have created, and download 3D models you can use in your own images. You can even export 3D creations from Minecraft into Remix 3D. It’s a great way to get inspiration and building blocks to help you get started. Use boards to keep track of models you like, or browse Remix 3D online.

Microsoft Paint 3D supports 3D models created in other programs, and you can create your own from two-dimensional doodles

3. Grab a model and start editing

Your scenes can be a mix of 2D images and 3D shapes. To get 3D models, you can draw 3D shapes freehand with the Doodle tool, drag and drop the built-in 3D shapes, import FBX and OBJ format models from other 3D software or 3MF and STL files designed for 3D printers – or you can use 3D models from Remix 3D.

Here we’ve opened a 3D model of a tree and an acorn from Remix 3D. Select a model and you can resize it or copy and paste to use it several times; or you can use the controls to tilt, swivel and arrange your objects behind or in front of each other. The animated tip on the left shows you what you can do.

You can turn your doodles into cutouts that can be positioned within a scene, or turn them into stickers that can wrap around a 3D object

4. Turn 2D drawings into 3D models

As well as using 2D pictures (such as photos) as the background or for textures, you can also turn 2D drawings into 3D models. We drew these flowers with the different brushes, then selected them individually and clicked the Make 3D button. It's like cutting out a paper drawing; the drawing still flat but you can tilt it in space or put it behind other objects. If you want to make your 2D drawing fully three-dimensional, click Make 3D, then click the Make Sticker button. You’ll be able to stick the drawing onto 3D models and it will wrap around the contours, just like a sticker on a real object.

With Microsoft Paint 3D, you can paint straight onto 3D models with a variety of brushes and textures

5. Paint models and add backgrounds

You can paint directly onto 3D models using the different brushes; we’ve used that to make the tree more colourful. Remember, you’re painting on the 3D surface, so you might want to rotate the model to paint the side and then turn it back. Experiment with the different brushes, and different finishes: matte, glossy, dull and polished metals. If you don’t like the way any of them come out, use the Undo tool or the Time Machine slider (click the icon that looks like a clock). To insert a photo as a backdrop, just copy it in Explorer and click Paste.

You can import photos and apply them to 3D models as textures in Microsoft Paint 3D

6. Use a photo as a texture on a model

To give the acorn a face, we used the sticker feature in Paint 3D. Choose the eye and mouth stickers, then drag them onto the model and they'll mold to the shape of the surface. You can resize stickers and change the angle when you apply them, but you can’t select them later to make changes; you have to use Undo to go back and try again.

We drew the dog using the built-in shape tools in Paint 3D; there are lots of basic shapes and figures to choose from. Instead of a sticker, we used a texture to colour the dog. You can choose from the standard textures or click Add my Own on the Custom pane to use a photo.

Paint 3D's Doodle tool lets you transform your drawings into three-dimensional models

7. Draw 3D shapes freehand

There are six 3D shapes you can use to make your own models: square, sphere, cylinder, capsule, cone and doughnut. If you need a 3D shape that’s not on that list, you can draw it yourself with the 3D Doodle tools. The soft edge Doodle tool puffs up the shape you draw, like blowing up a balloon. We've used it to draw a cloud.

The sharp edge Doodle tool doesn’t distort the shape you draw as much; it just extrudes it, and you can pull the (flat) sides in and out to change how wide the model is.

Saving your work as a project menas you'll be able to return to it and continue editing later

8. Save your creation

Once you have all your objects in the scene, you can arrange them in 3D space. Select a 3D object and click the tool on the left of the bounding box that lets you drag the object backwards and forwards on the stage – behind or in front of the other objects or even inside them. You can also add 2D and 3D text to the scene if you want to include a message. Use the effects to choose a tint to the lighting.

Once you're happy with the results, use Save, Export or Publish to Remix 3D if you’re completely finished. If you want to come back and keep working, make sure you choose Save Project or you won’t be able to edit anything later.

The best free photo editor 2016

Whatever your level of expertise, there's a free photo editor that will give you all the tools you need to make your pictures look amazing. These are our three favorite free tools for optimizing your images.

1. GIMP

The most fully-featured free photo editor around, GIMP is powerful enough for just about any task.

2. Paint.NET

Not quite as feature-packed as GIMP, but Paint.NET's streamlined interface makes everyday photo editing a breeze.

3. PhotoScape

PhotoScape appears simple , but delve a little deeper and you'll find RAW conversion, photo splitting and merging, and animated GIF creation.

                                                                       SOURCE: techradar

Your Facebook Messenger conversations are about to undergo a big visual upgrade and it even has new features that aren’t available on Snapchat just yet.

“Messenger is becoming more real-time and more visual,” explained Stan Chudnovsky, head of product for Facebook Messenger, who noted that emoji and the in-app camera are outpacing overall text message growth. “We looked at that and figured, ‘Why don’t we go all the way?’”

Meet the latest Messenger update, which begins rolling out to smartphones today. It’s mostly been in the hands of employees and influencers designing stickers, but TechRadar was able to spend an afternoon playing around with the new app at Facebook’s Los Angeles office.

There’s a prominent camera button right inside the otherwise familiar iOS and Android chat app, making it easy to snap a photo or record a video. You can then add the sort of stickers, emoji, text, drawings and special effects that Snapchat has popularized. It’s almost all here.

One way Messenger beats Snapchat

Here is what’s really different: Facebook Messenger allows you to reverse the order of operations. Start with a “blank” canvas by throwing the same art into the camera viewfinder, then snap your photo when every sticker is lined up just how you like it.

You can perfectly position yourself behind all of that visual flair in a way that’s more efficient and fun than it is on Snapchat right now. Sure, Snap debuted four new features for its app this week, but it doesn’t have this one – and it’s important.

I posed in front of this classically drawn white coffee mug sticker, for example, having already placed it where I wanted it in the camera first. It was much easier to then arrange myself around the perfectly placed mug, and it allowed me to focus on making a stupid face. This is a better way of telling my friends “I’m working today and require coffee this very minute.”

Then I set up another photo by effortlessly ducking my head underneath a bunch of light rays (no, not stink lines, thanks), telling friends I was at Facebook LA today. The Messenger team intended to make these visual messages expressive and fast, and this does just that.

Brings AOL Instant Messenger ‘Away Messages’ into 2017

Remember AOL Instant Messenger’s away messages? Facebook is bringing that idea back with today’s update thanks to its own unique take on expiring visual messages.

“That was how I’d look at my buddy list,” said Peter Martinazzi, Director of Product Management for Facebook Messenger, recalling way too many sad and lyric-filled AIM away messages. “I’d see what my friends were up to at the time, and then I would message them based on that. This was a really big part of the chat experience.”

Today’s Messenger update is finally bringing a chat status that’s separate from your Facebook status – said to be a long-awaited feature for users – and it too is undergoing a visual retooling. It’s called ‘Your Story’ and it answers that same ‘what are you up to?’ question by allowing you to string together your visually enhanced messages for your friends to see.‘

Your Stories’ expire after 24 hours, just like Snapchat and Instagram’s similar ‘Stories,’ but this one is meant to be seen by your friends. That’s why the AIM away message analogy actually works. In fact, Messenger’s version of Stories appear at the top of the main chat menu, but it’s mainly populated with people you interact with – not every single friend. Even if you reach Facebook’s 5,000 friends limit, the most people that will see ever your stories is 500.

Update: The status message portion of Messenger of the update won't launch everywhere right away, but Facebook said it's rolling out over time.

Facebook’s two big advantages

“It’s less about the volume of people, and more about the right people – the ones you’re already talking to and those conversations get better,” noted Martinazzi, explaining how Messenger’s Stories are different from those seen on Snapchat.

Facebook knows who your friends are more than any other service. ‘Your Stories’ is sorted by the friends you interact with on Messenger and, to a smaller extent, Facebook. That’s currently a huge advantage for the service over something like Snapchat.

There’s also the fact that Messenger is a more straightforward chat app with a familiar user interface (UI). In addition to being used by one billion people a month, Messenger is now seeing hundreds of millions of users everyday, according to the Facebook team.

Messenger is in more hands and the app design is easier to use for non-millennials. That means it has a better chance of taking snaps mainstream. If I ever intend to pry my parents off of SMS and iMessages, I can introduced them to Messenger. I can’t imagine teaching them Snapchat.

For those missing the point: the birthday card analogy

Not everyone knows why they would want to create a visual message to get their point across, but Facebook’s Peter Martinazzi had a great analogy for when it works, likening it to a receiving a personalized birthday card.

“I actually don’t buy birthday cards,” admitted Martinazzi. “But my aunt still buys me birthday cards and when she does, she could just write me a message that says ‘Happy Birthday’ but she goes and picks out the perfect card for me.

“That helps her get her message across,” said Martinazzi. “Right now, the way emoji works, it’s like giving that blank card.

“With the camera, you can kind of put your name behind it.”

Months after Pokemon Go was launched in U.S.A, Niantic finally launched the game in India through a tie-up with Reliance Jio a few days ago. The biggest problem with this move is that no one really cares anymore.

Those who were excited by the game and enamored by it’s A.R. capabilities downloaded the game months ago when it was actually released. Niantic completely missed the boat on the smartphone game’s launch in India.

From a phenomenon to a has-been
When Pokemon Go first launched, it became a phenomenon almost overnight, breaking records left right and center and even crossing behemoths like Facebook and Twitter in terms of active users.

Pokemon Go completely captured the imagination of the public in a way we haven’t really seen before. Seeing people randomly walking on the streets trying to desperately catch the elusive 'Pikachu' became a common sight, even in India.

However, it all died out incredibly fast. While it might be a little presumptuous to say, the truth of the matter is that no one really cares about Pokemon Go anymore. Just like a pop song, which becomes the rage for a few weeks and then completely vanishes from the charts, Pokemon Go has become just a side note in history.

According to a report from app tracking firm Slice, Pokemon Go had lost a whopping 80% of its paying players since its highest point in mid-July. This was in the second week of September. The situation will be worse by now.

Just a fad?
Pokemon Go seems to be suffering from the same fatigue experienced by various fads such as Angry Birds or Flappy Bird: people going crazy over the game and then slowly losing interest.

Niantic hasn't helped its cause by removing features like the nearby system which caused a lot of fan backlash, and the general buginess of the game hasn't found any favors with players.

What does Niantic need to do to revive interest?
The big question here is how will Pokemon Go fare in the coming months. Niantic is at a crucial juncture in the game's lifecycle, where the initial hoopla is dying down and people are starting to lose interest.

Niantic needs to keep users engaged with frequent updates and new features and make sure they reinvent themselves as time goes by. The plethora of bugs and issues in Pokemon Go need to be ironed out and the game needs to start feeling like a finished product.

Is this the beginning of the end?
Pokemon Go is a glimpse into the practical and real world application of A.R. and it will be sad to see it suffer the same fate as that of Angry Birds or Gangnam Style. What do you think? Are you excited for Pokemon Go’s launch in India? Do you think it can reclaim the magic? 

                                                                     source: techradar

Amazon has rolled out its Prime Video service in India today. Amazon Prime Video will give Amazon prime users access to new releases, Bollywood and regional Indian blockbusters, Hollywood movies, US TV shows, kids’ programming and, Amazon Original Series. The app is only available on the Google Play Store at the moment but is expected to make a debut on the Apple App Store soon.

Amazon has also announced that it has started production of new Indian Amazon Original Series featuring top Indian talent and filmmakers, which will also be available exclusively for Prime members. With the launch of Prime Video, Amazon Prime members in India will enjoy an unlimited streaming video, ad-free and on-demand, at no additional cost to their Rs 499 annual Prime membership, the equivalent of just Rs 41.50 a month. To sign-up for a 30-day free trial of Prime membership, customers can visit www.PrimeVideo.com or download the Amazon Prime Video app today. At the end of the free trial, customers can pay for Prime using the same payment methods available on Amazon, including Credit Cards, Debit Cards, Gift Cards, Net Banking, and Cash on Delivery.

“We are thrilled to unveil Prime Video in India—with the largest selection of ad-free, exclusive new release Indian and Hollywood movies and US TV shows and award-winning Amazon Original Series, Prime Video is an awesome service for anyone who loves movies and TV shows, and we’re just getting started.” said Nitesh Kripalani, Director and Country Head, Amazon Video India.

The Amazon Original Indian Series will include diverse genres such as drama, comedy, psychological thriller, biopics, period/action, mythological/fantasy, sports drama and political satire.

Amazon also announced collaborations with authors, producers, writers and directors to develop several new series.

Many new Bollywood and regional blockbusters will premiere exclusively on Amazon Prime Video within a few weeks after their theatrical release; many US TV shows will be available first on Amazon Prime Video day after US broadcast; and popular movies and TV shows will be available from top Indian and international studios including, Yash Raj Films, Dharma Productions, T-Series, Excel, Warner, Paramount, CBS, Everest, SVF, Green Gold, TV Asahi, Lionsgate, NDTV, CBeebies and more.

In addition to English and Hindi, Prime Video will also offer regional movies in Tamil, Telugu, Bengali and Marathi.

Amazon Prime Video will be competing directly with Netflix, which was launched in India in January this year. However, pricing is going to be a key differentiator. While Netflix subscription is available at Rs 650 per month, Amazon Prime Video is available at Rs 499 a year. Apart from the Video app, Amazon is also offering free one-day delivery for a year to users who subscribe to the service.

                                            SOURCE: PCQUEST