Samsung Galaxy A9 Pro gets certified by TENAA

Samsung launched the Galaxy A9 in December last year, and soon after reports suggested that Samsung is working on a beefed up version of it, called Galaxy A9 Pro (model number SM-A9100). Since then, the Galaxy A9 Pro has surfaced on  benchmarking websites (1, 2), revealing key specs.

Now, the Galaxy A9 Pro has been certified by China's Telecommunication Equipment Certification Center or TENAA, giving us the first look at the device and confirming the rumored specs.

As per TENAA listing the Galaxy A9 Pro will have a 6-inch 1080p Super AMOLED display and equipped with octa-core Snapdragon 652 SoC, 4GB RAM and 32GB internal storage (microSD card support). For imaging there is 16MP rear camera and 8MP front facing camera. The Galaxy A9 Pro supports 4G LTE and runs Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow.

For comparison sake, the Galaxy A9 comes with 3GB RAM, 13-megapixel rear camera and runs Android 5.0.1 Lollipop. The rest of the specs is similar to Galaxy A9 Pro.

It is also likely that the Galaxy A9 Pro will have a fingerprint scanner embedded into the home button and support Samsung Pay.

There are no details when Samsung will announce the Galaxy A9 Pro, but since it has passed TENAA, an official announcement is expected soon.

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Lenovo is reportedly working on a 4.7-inch ZUK smartphone

A rumor coming out of China suggests that Lenovo's sub-brand ZUK is reportedly working on mini phone that will sport a 4.7-inch 720p display. The mini ZUK would appeal to those who would prefer, smartphones with a smaller screen size instead of 5-inches and up screen.

The 4.7-inch ZUK will come in two variants, one will have 2GB RAM & 16GB storage, while the other will have 3GB RAM & 32GB storage. It is said to be equipped with 2GHz octa-core MediaTek Helio P10 processor w/ Mali T860 GPU and will have fingerprint scanner, though it's placement is unclear for now.

Apart from this not much is known of the mini ZUK smartphone.

ZUK so far has launched only one smartphone, the ZUK Z1, and is yet to launch in India. The Z1 comes with 5.5-inch 1080p display, Snapdragon 801 w/ Adreno 330 GPU, 3GB RAM, 64GB inbuilt storage, 13MP rear & 8MP front camera, USB Type C port, fingerprint sensor, 4100mAh battery and 4G LTE support. The international version runs Cyanogen OS.

It is also not known whether the 4.7-inch ZUK will run Cyanogen OS or Android.

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Ola launches low cost service 'Micro' to counter UberGo

Ola has launched a new service called Ola Micro. It is a low-cost service, priced at Rs. 6/km, and aimed at taking on UberGo - priced at Rs.7/km. 

The Ola Micro will be available in seven cities in India, which includes Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Chennai, Pune and Hyderabad. The time charges and per kilometre rates are consistent across these cities at Rs. 1 per minute and Rs. 6 per kilometer. The minimum fare is Rs. 60 in Delhi, and Mumbai, Rs. 50 in Bengaluru, Chennai, Pune, and Hyderabad.

By comparison, UberGo has a base fare of Rs. 40, minimum fare of Rs. 50, a per km charge of Rs. 7, and per minute charge of Rs. 1. UberGo has a lower base fare than Ola Micro, which means for a usual two to four kilometre drive UberGo would be slightly less expensive than Ola Micro, while for more than four kilometer Ola Micro would be cheaper.

Ola has also revealed the card models under Ola Micro will include Hyundai Eon, Wagon R and Datsun Go.

Ola also says that it has over 70 percent market share in the country with presence in over 100 cities. Ola Chief Finance officer Rajiv Bansal said that the company is focusing on growing its business rather than making profits.

Google I/O 2016 website goes live, registration begins March 8

Google will soon open registration for its 2016 I/O developer conference, which is scheduled to take place between May 18 to May 20 at the Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View, California. The I/O 2016 website has gone live and registration windows open from March 8, and ends March 10.

The general admission tickets costs $900 (Rs. 61,000), while an academic admission tickets cost $300 (Rs. 20,000). Google will select applicants randomly after the registration period is over, and will send them an email with further details. Applicants can only buy one ticket if selected and can request for a refund any time before April 29.

For the rest, who are not able to attend the I/O event, Google will have a live stream of the event - I/O Live.

Every year, Google at it I/O reveal it plans for the upcoming years, and introduces the next version of Android, this year's version being Android N.

WhatsApp for Android, iOS gets support for sharing documents

Popular messaging service WhatsApp has updated its app for Android, iOS and Windows 10 Mobile. While Android and iOS gets new features, Windows Phone gets minor UI tweaks.

WhatsApp for Android finally gets the option to share document. Currently you'll be able to share PDF documents, and it is not known when Word documents and other formats will be available. The document sharing option appears in the sharing menu alongside other options. The update bumps the WhatsApp version to 2.12.454 and is being rolled out in phases, so it will take a while to reach you're device.

The new version of WhatsApp for iOS also get document sharing feature (PDF supported), and allows users to share images, videos and documents from third-party apps such as Google Drive, Dropbox and OneDrive. 

The update also brings improved design for browsing photos and videos, gives you the option to add solid colors to chat background, and let's you zoom in on videos while they're playing. Another key feature is that you'll now see 'Blue Ticks' (indicating that the message has been read by the other party) directly from the main WhatsApp chat list. The update bumps the WhatsApp version for iOS to 2.12.14.

WhatsApp update for Windows Phone bring changes to the UI, minor tweaks to message spacing, improved notifications and change to a user's profile page, with the status now highlighted at the bottom of the page. Unfortunately the Windows Phone version doesn't get the document sharing feature.

Download WhatsApp - Android | iOS | Windows Phone

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Android N leak indicates redesigned notification shade, quick settings panel, Hamburger Menu, and absence of app drawer

Google's I/O is a few months away, and now there are rumors of what we can expect from Google's next Android OS, Android N.

First up, an official video of Google Maps app has revealed a major design change in Android N - the app drawer. The mock up video shows the absesnce of app drawer on the bottom panel instead there are three apps - Dialer, Contacts and Camera.

Google has denied the changes, stating the that the video showed an inaccurate version of its UI and does not relate to future software changes. However, the removal of app drawer might be a trend being followed., the recently launched LG G5 did not have an app drawer, and Chinese smartphone makers such as LeECo, Huawei, Xiaomi and Lenovo's proprietary skins and ROMs don't have app drawers.

Meanwhile, Android Police says that Google's next Android OS version will have more than just cosmetic changes. The publication has shared a few-mock up screen shots of Android N, showing tweaks in notification tab and quick setting panel. As per the screenshot, the notification tab will show more details, while the quick settings panel gets an edit tab, so that users can make any changes to the toggles. One thing missing is the expandable WiFi and Bluetooth option.

Lastly, a recent finding on the Android's official developer site, reveals a screenshot showing Day-Night theme in the system settings and Hamburger Menu in settings app. The Hamburger Menu when tapped, open up side drawer, and displays all additional settings that can be accessed. The Day/Night theme mode lets users to change the background color of native applications. This featured was included in the Android M preview 1, but was removed in the final release.

Note that, the screenshots and shared video claimed to be from Android N, may be an early version of the OS and is not the final build. We can expect Google to bring a lot of changes to the OS in the final build. Earlier rumors also claimed the Android N will get split screen multi-tasking support

Oppo R9 camera-centric smartphone with high end specs launching March 17

Oppo at MWC 2016 unveiled its SmartSensor image stabiliser and Super VOOC charging technology. The chinese smartphone maker is expected to utilize the new technology in its upcoming flagship, the Oppo R9, the sucessor to the R7. Oppo has skipped R8 and directly moved to R9.

Oppo has announced that the R9 (and R9 Plus) will be unveiled at an event in China on March 17. The Oppo R9 will be a camera-centric smartphone and is rumored to come with top of the line specs.

The invite teser confirms that the Oppo R9/R9 Plus will come with Android 6.0 Marshmallow-based color OS, fingerpint sensor embedded into the home button, 4GB RAM, 64GB storage and support VOOC Super Flash Charge technology.

We can also expect Oppo to use its proprietary, SmartSensor on the R9, which it touts to be the world's smallest optical image stabilizer that has been included in the camera sensor itself. 

As per rumors the Oppo R9 will flaunt a 5.5-inch 1080p screen, 16MP rear camera, 13MP front camera and 3700mAh battery, while the R9 Plus will have 6-inch 1080p display, 16MP front and rear camera, and 4120mAh battery. As for the processor, the R9/R9 Plus is rumored to be equipped with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 820 SoC or MediaTel's Helio X20 SoC (w/ ten cores)

Google starts Selling Cardboard and Other VR Headsets on Google Store

Google is now selling Cardboard VR viewer on its Official U.S store. You can now purchase it from the new dedicated VR section of the online Google store. Each unit costs $15, and there is also a 2-unit pack that will cost $25. The Carboard viewer holds Android and iOS devices with screen sizes ranging from 4-inch and 6-inch.

Google is also selling Mattel View-Master VR and Goggle Tech C1-Glass VR viewer on the store. Matter; View-Master VR is designed for kids and includes kid-friendly VR apps and videos and YouTube. The View-Master starter kit cost $29.95 and works Android and iPhone models that have 4-inch to 6--inch screen. It also includes a sepecial adapter for the iPhone 5, 5s and 5c.

The Goggle Tech C1-Glass VR viewer has a lightweight, portable design. It clips on to your smartphone to offer you with VR experience. It also works with Android and iOS handsets with screen sizes 4-inch to 6-inch. The viewer costs $14.99. 

Google Cardboard Viewer - $15, Pack of 2 - $25  

Mattel View-Master VR Starter Pack � $29.99 
Goggle Tech C1-Glass VR Viewer � $14.99

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Huawei P9 leaked live photos show dual rear camera setup and fingerprint scanner

Huawei's upcoming flagship, the P9, last month appeared in render images, and now we've gotten the first look of the P9 in live photos. 

The photos confirms that the P9 will have a dual-camera setup. The rear camera will be accompanied by LED flash and laser auto focus. There P9 will have a metal body and include a square-shaped fingerprint scanner at the back.

According to the leak, the Huawei P9 will sports a 5.2-inch 1080p display and powered by octa-core Kirin processor with 3GB RAM along with 32GB on-board storage (no details on expandable storage). The P9 will house USB-C connector at the bottom and will pack a large 3900mAh battery. The dual-camera on the rear are said to feature 12-megapixel sensor, that could be the first result of Huawei-Leica partnership.

As for the release date, the Huawei P9 is expected to be unveiled in Q2 2016.

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Apple iPhone 7 reportedly to be 6.1mm thick; ditch headphone jack, camera bump; gain stereo speakers

Apple is reportedly making the next iPhone thinner than the previous iPhone models. It was previously reported that Apple would be ditching the 3.5mm audio jack, and make some other changes to make the iPhone 7 slimmer.

Now according to Japanese tech blog Mac Otakara, the iPhone 7 will have a design same as the iPhone 6 and 6s model, but will be thinner by almost 1mm. To recall the iPhone 6s is 7.1mm thin.

In line with previous reports, the report claims that the iPhone 7 will ditch the 3.5mm headphone jack. This also means that the lightning port will be an all-in-one port supporting both charge and headphone. Apple is also said to do away with the small camera bump at the rear, so that the rear camera stay flush with the body of the phone. Also to make the iPhone 7 slimmer, the lightning port cutout will be thin, allowing reduction in size.

The new iPhone will come with aluminum material and the same level of water resistance as the iPhone 6s. The report also mentions that the iPhone 7 will sport a dual-speaker setup and will not have the antenna lines on the back.

As usual we can expect the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus at Apple's keynote event that happens in September. But before that, on March 21, Apple will host a media event where the 4-inch iPhone (iPhone SE), 9.7-inch iPad Pro (iPad Pro Mini) and new Apple Watch bands are expected to announce.

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Lenovo Vibe K5 Plus India launch set for March 15

The Lenovo Vibe K5 Plus that was unveiled at MWC 2016, Barcelona, will soon be making it to the Indian shores, as the comapny has sent out invite for the launch event of Vibe K5 Plus in on March 15.

Lenovo entered the Indian smartphone market in 2012,  but became a serious competitor in the market lqast year (2015) with the launch of A6000 at Rs. 6,999. Since then Lenovo has launched a dozen of smartphones in the below Rs. 10,000 segment and has been enjoying a successful run in the market. One of the most popular handset to date remains the K3 Note.

The Vibe K5 Plus will aim to recreate the success run enjoyed by other Lenovo branded smartphones in the country. However the Vibe K5 Plus will face tough competition from LeEco's popular Le 1s and the highly anticipated Xiaomi's Redmi Note 3.

The Lenovo Vibe K5 Plus offers a premium metal unibody design. The specs include 5-inch 1080p IPS display, Snapdragon 616 SoC w/ Adreno 405 GPU, 2GB RAM, 16GB inbuilt expandable storage (up to 32GB), 13MP rear camera (w/ LED flash, 1080p video recording), 5MP front snapper, 4G LTE, Dolby Atmos and a 2750mAh battery.

The pricing will be the main factor here. Considering the specs, the price could be between Rs. 6,500 to Rs. 7,500, and Lenovo could opt for the flash sale model to sell the device, to create enough curiosity among buyers to buy the smartphone.

Amazon India Moto sale: Rs. 1,000 discounts on smartphone, Rs 2000 off on Moto 360

Recently Motorola started selling the Moto G 2015 and Moto G Turbo Edition on Amazon India. Now the Lenovo owned brand has brought two more devices to the e-commerce retailer �Moto E 4G 2015 and the Moto 360 smartwatch. 

In addition, Motorola, as a part of inaugural offer, is also offering discount and cashbacks on Moto products. The discount period starts today and will last till March 3 or till stocks last. The offers will be available on both Amazon India website and app.

Discounts on Motorola smartphones on Amazon.in

• Moto G Turbo Edition � Rs. 11,499 (Rs. 1000 off)
• Moto G (3rd Gen) (16 GB) � Rs. 9,999 (Rs. 1000 off)
• Moto G (3rd Gen) (8 GB) � Rs. 8,999 (Rs. 1000 off)
• Moto E (2nd Gen) 4G � Rs. 5,999 (Rs. 1000 off)

Discounts on Motorola Moto 360 (2nd Gen) on Amazon.in

• Moto 360 2nd Gen (46 mm) (Black Metal) Bracelet � Rs. 21,999 (Rs. 2000 off)
• Moto 360 2nd Gen (46 mm) Natural Metal with Silver Case and Cognac Leather Band  � Rs. 18,999 (Rs. 2000 off)
• Moto 360 2nd Gen (42 mm) (Black Leather Band) � Rs. 17,999 (Rs. 2000 off)

Motorola is also offering extra 10% off (upto Rs. 1500) on purchase of these devices with SBI Debit or Credit Cards. 

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Apple's 9.7-inch iPad Pro may sport 12MP rear camera with 4K video support

Apple's upcoming tablet is said to be the mini version of the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, that will have a screen size of 9.7-inch. As per new rumors the 9.7-inch iPad Pro may include camera specs that top the 12.9-inch sibling.

9to5Mac reports that the 9.7-inch iPad Pro might have a12-megapixel rear camera, with the same sensor found as iPhone 6s. To remind you, the iPad Pro (12.9-inch) has an 8-megapixel rear camera. And just like the iPhone 6s, the 9.7-inch iPad Pro's rear camera is capable of recording 4K videos.

Besides, a better camera and smaller display, the 9.7-inch will have the same hardware features of the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, that includes Apple A9X SoC, a four speaker setup, Apple Pencil support, a Smart Connector

The 9.7-inch iPad Pro is expected to launch alongside the 4-inch iPhone SE and new Apple Watch bands on March 21.

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Microsoft HoloLens Development Edition can be pre-ordered for $3000, ships March 30

Microsoft back in October, last year announced that the Hololens Developing Kit will be available in Q1 2016 for $3000 (Rs. 2 lakhs), and as promised the Redmond giant has started taking orders for the HoloLens Development editions for developers.

Developers who have already applied and are accepted for the program will start receiving invitations to purchase HoloLens. The augmented reality headset will begin shipping on March 30 to the U.S and Canada. Other interested, developers can apply at hololens.com/developmentedition.

Microsoft also revealed new information about the hardware as well as details about its in-built apps and games. The Development Kit comes bundled with a Bluetooth 4.1 Clicker to interact with the holograms. This accessory enable users to manipulate object and trigger commands. Also included in the box are replacement noise pieces.

Microsoft says that the HoloLens requires you to have a PC running Windows 10 and Visual Studio.

Hardware-wise, the HoloLens Development kit includes Intel 32-bit processor w/ custom-built Microsoft Holographic Processing Unit (HPU), 2GB RAM, 64GB storage, 2-megapixel camera (720p), 4 x microphones, WiFi and Bluetooth 4.1.

It also houses a range of sensor that include an ambient sensor, 4 x environment understanding camera and an inertial measurement unit. The HoloLens dosen't weigh more than 579g and promises two to three hours of battery life when in use, and two weeks on standby on a single charge.

Microsoft HoloLens also comes with an assortment of games and apps. There are a total a seven of them, three of which are games - Fragments, Young Coker and RoboRaid, (more details here) and the rest four apps - HolStudio (allows you to make use of hand gestures, voice commands to create 3D objects), Skype (lets you communicate with others as if both the parties were in the same room), HoloTour (offers a 360-degree panoramic view of various places) and Actiongram (available later this year). The apps and games are aimed at enhancing the HoloLens experience and getting you started with the augmented reality world.

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No SD820 powered LG G5 for Latin America, will get SD625 + 3GB RAM model

The LG G5 was launched at MWC 2016, Barcelona with innovative design and top-notch specifications. However, the hardware specs of the G5 may vary from region to region.

The LG G5 comes with a Snapdragon 820 SoC with Adreno 530 GPU and 4GB RAM. Apparently, LG will opt for a lower end processor for Latin America. The LG G5 that will be released in Latin America will be powered by Snapdragon 625 SoC with Adreno 510 GPU and 3GB RAM. Other features such as the storage, camera and battery remain unchanged.

LG's decision to use Snapdragon 625 SoC, instead of the powerful Snapdragon 820 SoC was made after taking into consideration several factors including feedback from network operators and the currency appreciation in the region.

Unfortunately, the LG G5 Latin America model will not offer support for the LG 360 VR. This is due to lack of interest in the VR technology in the region, according to LG.

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HTC Vive VR headset now up for pre-orders for $799

The highly anticipated HTC Vive VR headset Consumer Edition is now up for pre-order, along with all the accessories. HTC has also announced pricing of the Vive VR headset for select markets. Unfortunately India is not included in the list. 

The pre-order bundle includes the Vive headset two wireless controllers, two �base stations,� a link box (to connect to your PC), and a pair of Vive earbuds. The bundle will also include three games- Google's 3D-painting Tilt Brush, Fantastic Contraption and Job Simulator.

In the U.S the HTC Vive VR headset will cost $800 (Rs. 55,000).  HTC is limiting the bundles to one per customer and the headset will ship starting from April 15. Customers can choose between credit card or pay-pal as mode for payment. For credit card payments, a hold will be placed on the card when you make the order, while the paypal accounts will be charged at full at the time of placing the order.

To use the Vive you will need a capable PC that runs a Intel i5-4590 / AMD FX 8350 or greater, has at least NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 or AMD Radeon R9 290 graphics and 4GB RAM.

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Vivo Xplay 5 and its Lite variant photos and details surfaces

The world first smartphone with 6GB RAM, the Vivo Xplay 5 will break cover on March 1. Ahead of the official announcement a couple of live photos of Xplay 5 has surfaced online. In addition, specs of XPlay 5 variant with 4GB RAM has also been leaked.

For those hearing the brand Vivo for the first time, the smartphone maker is based in China and is known for their sleek devices. Vivo branded smartphones are already available in India, but are not popular as its Chinese counterparts, Lenovo, LeEco and Xiaomi.

Coming to the live photos, they are in line with what we have seen in earlier leaks. The handset will have a premium build, and sport a metal body and have a slightly dual curved edge display.

With the inclusion of 6GB RAM, the Vivo Xplay 5 will offer seamless multitasking, and we can expect it to break benchmark records.

Vivo has already confirmed that the Xplay 5 will be armed with Snapdrgaon 820 SoC, and as per rumors the handset will have 5.5-inch QHD display, 16MP rear camera, 8MP front camera and a 4300mAh battery.

The lite variant of Xplay 5 will be equipped with 5.43-inch QHD Super AMOLED display, Snapdragon 615 SoC, 4GB RAM, 128GB storage, 16MP rear camera, 8MP front camera, 3600mAh battery and Cirius Logic CS4398 DAC.

The Vivo Xplay 5 will be officially unveiled at an event on March 1 at 7:30pm China time (5pm IST).

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Apple iPhone SE reportedly to launch on March 21

Apple is holding a media event in March where it is expected to launch a 4-inch iPhone, iPad Pro Mini and new Apple Watch bands. The media event was rumored to take place on March 15, but a new report from BuzzFeed suggests that the event will be on March 21.

It is worth noting that the event is one day prior to Apple's March 22 showdown with the U.S government over a motion that would compel Apple to hack an iPhone used by one of San Bernardino terrorists to help FBI and other intelligence agencies for accessing data.

Meanwhile more details related to name, pricing and specifications of the 4-inch iPhone has surfaced. The 4-inch iPhone so far has been called by many names- iPhone 6c, iPhone 7c and till now it was iPhone 5se. However, according to a new report the 4-inch iPhone will be called iPhone SE. SE stands for Special Edition.

Additionally analyst Ming Chi Kuo at KGI Securities in a research note mentioned that the iPhone SE will have a design similar to iPhone 5s, but with slightly curved edges. It will come with an A9 SoC w/ M9 co-processor, 12-megapixel rear camera, Apple Pay and 1642mAh battery.

As per Kuo the iPhone SE will be priced between $400 and $500. He claims that the iPhone 5s will get a 50 percent price cut, so it coulbe be available for around $225 off-contract. Kuo also estimates 131 percent growth in 4-inch iPhone shipments, which will be around 37 million units in 2016. 

Apple iPhone SE rumored specs

• 4-inch display
• A9 SoC w/ M9 co-processor
• 12-megapixel rear camera
• 1.3-megapixel front camera
• support for larger panorama for video recording
• Barometer for tracking elevation in the Health app
• Live Photos, no 3D Touch support
• NFC chip for Apple Pay
• Apple Pay
• 1642mAh battery
• Space Gray, Silver, Gold, Rose Gold color options.

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WhatsApp to discontinue support for Blackberry 10, Symbian and Windows Phone 7.1 by year end

Facebook owned popular messaging platform WhatsApp announced that it would discontinue its services for older operating systems by the end of this year.

WhatsApp in a blog post said that it will stop supporting smartphones running dated operating system including BlackBerry 10 Nokia S40, Nokia Symbian S60, Android 2.1, Android 2.1 and Windows Phone 7.1.

On discontinuing the service on the aforementioned OS, WhatsApp says that "they don�t offer the kind of capabilities we need to expand our app�s features in the future."
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If you're using devices running the aforementioned operating system  WhatsApp suggests "upgrading to a newer Android, iPhone, or Windows Phone" if you want to keep on using the service.

WhatsApp's messaging service that started in 2009, currently has more than one billion active monthly users.

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Raspberry Pi 3 to have on-board WiFi, Bluetooth

The Raspberry Pi is a low cost single-board computer that has a credit card sized form factor. So far, there has been two models of the Raspberry Pi computer along with a miniature version, and now a new FCC filing suggests that the Raspberry Pi 3 is in the works.

The Rapberry Pi 3 will have a design similar to the earlier Raspberry Pi mini computers. In the earlier models the Raspberry Pi board had a Ethernet jack, but none of them had on-board wireless support, instead you had to connect a wireless adapter to the USB port.

As per the FCC filings the third generation Raspberry Pi board will have Bluetooth 4.0 LE and WiFi. The WiFi will support 2.4GHz networks, suggesting that it will support 802.11b/g/n. The pictures posted in FCC website, reveals that the Raspberry Pi 3 will have an HDMI port, Ethernet Jack, 4 x USB ports, a microSD card reader and a 4-pin connector.

In addition a seperate leak suggests that the Raspberry Pi 3 will have 1.2GHz 64-bit processor, making it the first Raspberry Pi model to have a 64-bit chip.

There are no details when the Raspberry Pi 3 will release how much it will cost, however we can expect the product to be priced around $35, since the earlier models were priced same.

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