WhatSim Lets You Use WhatsApp for Free While Roaming Worldwide

 

WhatsApp is one of the most popular instant messaging services worldwide, with the company recently announcing 700 million monthly active users. Now, in an attempt to woo the large WhatsApp user base, an Italian company has launched WhatSim, a WhatsApp-only SIM that comes with a plan that will let you use the popular messaging app for free while travelling across about 150 countries.(Also see: WhatsApp Now Available via Your Desktop Browser)
Manuel Zanella Rngineer, Founder and CEO of Zeromobile, the company behind WhatSim, says, "WhatsApp is the future of mobile communications. Its only "limit" is the data connection especially when you are traveling because the roaming charges are expensive and you can't always find Wi-Fi everywhere and it is not always free. As someone who appreciates and uses WhatsApp, I tried to figure out how to get around this problem. That's why WhatSim is an extraordinary opportunity for WhatsApp."
For EUR 10 (approximately Rs. 714), users will get a SIM card (standard worldwide shipping is EUR 5 - Rs. 350 approximately) unlimited text messaging for a year. While sending and receiving text messages, location updates, and contacts via WhatsApp is free, users will have to buy credits for sharing multimedia messages such as photos, videos, and voice messages. How much you get for your credits depends on where you are travelling.
Zanella further explains, "The solution we have developed is simple and intuitive. With €5 you get 1000 credits that you can use, for instance, to exchange 50 photos or 10 videos in many countries around the world. There are no limits to sharing your position and contacts. This way we guarantee the utmost transparency. Buying a recharge is quick and easy: just go to our website even from your smartphone and soon even from a dedicated app."
WhatSim is available to buy via the WhatSim website, with the company also planning to make it available via "network of local distributors in over 100 countries."
Of course this is not the first time someone's offering a SIM with unlimited WhatsApp usage, though earlier attempts have been limited to a specific country. Last year, WhatsApp, in partnership with E-Plus, a mobile telecommunications operator in Germany, started selling prepaid SIMs that offered unlimited WhatsApp usage.

Xiaomi Mi Note With 5.7-Inch Display and Snapdragon 801 SoC Launched

  January 15, 2015

inShare1

Xiaomi on Thursday launched its new flagship smartphone - the Mi Note phablet - which was previously teased by the company with the tagline "The bigger the better."The company announced a pricing of CNY 2,299 (roughly Rs. 23,000) for the 16GB model, while the 64GB model of the Xiaomi Mi Note will come at CNY 2,799 (roughly Rs. 27,900).
Lei Jun, Xiaomi CEO, revealed the handset at an event in Beijing and stressed that smartphones are at the centre of its strategic goals. Jun also claimed that the new Mi Note is the "best looking phone in the company's history." Additionally, Jun at the event also showcased Mi Headphones that will cost CNY 499 (roughly Rs. 5,000).
Xiaomi, also referred to as China's Apple, compared its new Mi Note phablet to the iPhone 6 Plus. The company also contrasted the Xiaomi Mi Note's camera that's level with the smartphone body with the iPhone 6 Plus' camera that protrudes.
The dual-SIM and dual-standby Xiaomi Mi Note with Micro-SIM and Nano-SIM card support features a 5.7-inch full-HD (1080x1920 pixels) Sharp JDI display offering a pixel density of 386ppi. It also packs Corning Gorilla Glass 3 for protection. The handset sports metal frames.
Jun also revealed that the new Xiaomi Note features a 2.5D glass at the front while the back features 3D glass for protection. The phablet is just 6.95mm thin and weighs 161 grams.
The Xiaomi Note phablet features a contrast ratio of 1400:1 and auto-adjusts dynamic contrast pixels. For the areas more exposed it reduces contrast, while for lower exposure it increases contrast. It also packs an anti-glare display. The phablet sports a 13-megapixel rear camera with a six-element lens, OIS, a Sony CMOS sensor, and two-tone flash from Philips. There is a 4-megapixel front-camera also onboard with large 2-micron pixels. The Xiaomi Mi Note also sports a dedicated chip for audio (ESS ES9018K2M) and the company touted that it sports "highest quality of audio on any phone". It offers 24-bit/192KHz lossless playback support.
The phablet is powered by a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor clocked at 2.5GHz alongside 3GB of RAM and Adreno 330 GPU. The Xiaomi Mi Note also supports 4G LTE connectivity and is backed by a 3000mAh battery with Quick Charge 2.0 technology.

Release date January 2015 Form factor Touchscreen Dimensions (mm) 155.10 x 77.60 x 6.95 Weight (g) 161.00 Battery capacity (mAh) 3000 Removable battery No SAR value NA Display Screen size (inches) 5.70 Touchscreen Yes Touchscreen type Capacitive Resolution 1080x1920 pixels Hardware Processor 2.5GHz  quad-core Processor make Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 RAM 3GB Internal storage 16GB Camera Rear camera 13-megapixel Flash Yes Front camera 4-megapixel Software Operating System Android  Java support Yes Browser supports Flash Yes Connectivity Wi-Fi Yes Wi-Fi standards supported NA GPS Yes Bluetooth Yes NFC No Infrared No DLNA No Wi-Fi Direct No MHL Out No HDMI No Headphones 3.5mm FM No USB Micro-USB Charging via Micro-USB Yes Proprietary charging connector No Proprietary data connector No Number of SIMs 2 SIM 1   SIM Type Micro-SIM GSM/ CDMA GSM 3G Yes SIM 2   SIM Type Nano-SIM GSM/ CDMA GSM 3G Yes Sensors Compass/ Magnetometer No Proximity sensor Yes Accelerometer Yes Ambient light sensor Yes Gyroscope No Barometer No Temperature sensor No

Dell Launches New XPS and Alienware Laptops at CES 2015

  January 07, 2015

inShare3

Dell at CES 2015 on Tuesday announced its all new XPS and Alienware laptops for 2015."The new products announced today raise the bar in every category, with style, substance and software solutions customers can only get from Dell," said Sam Burd, Vice President, Client Solutions Product Group, Dell. "Whether you are a gamer, always on the go or buying a laptop or desktop for everyday use, Dell is building in the features and functionality customers care about."
The new Dell XPS laptops come in two screen sizes, 13-inch and 15-inch, and are dubbed the Dell XPS 13 and Dell XPS 15.
The Dell XPS 13 is touted as the "smallest 13-inch laptop on the planet" by the company because of its compact form factor and lightweight design at a mere 1.17kg.
The new 13-inch Dell XPS laptop also features a edge-to-edge 'infinity' display with bezels of 5.2mm. The company says that it's "the world's first virtually borderless infinity display", with a 13-inch display fit into the size of a typical 11-inch laptop.
The XPS 13, with Windows 8.1, comes with an optional 13-inch UltraSharp Quad-HD+ infinity (3200x1800 pixels) touch display, apart from the standard 1920x1080 option.
There's also the Dell XPS 15, with its 15-inch UltraSharp 4K Ultra-HD touch display, which according to the company is "the highest resolution panel available on a 15-inch laptop today" - though it has not specified the resolution further than saying the display contains 8 million pixels.
Both the XPS 13 and XPS 15 come with the fifth-generation Intel Broadwell U Core processors, from the 2.1GHz Core i3 to 3.2GHz Core i7 CPUs. Storage options include 128GB, 256GB or 512GB SSD, with a choice of 4GB or 8GB of RAM.
The Dell XPS 13 is available starting Tuesday from $799 (approximately Rs. 50,000), while the Dell XPS 15 will be launched soon from $2,349 (approximately Rs. 1.48 lakhs).
Dell's popular gaming PC brand, Alienware, has also got two new thinner and lighter laptops - the Alienware 15 and Alienware 17 laptops. The new models use elements such as copper, aluminium and carbon-fibre composites for the outer shell.
Both the 15-inch and 17-inch Alienware gaming laptops feature Intel Core processors, AMD Radeon and Nvidia GeForce GPUs, and are also compatible with the Alienware Graphics Amplifier (sold separately). Dell says that the Intel Core i7 models will even automatically overclock when you plug your laptop into the Alienware Graphics Amplifier.
The 15-inch Alienware comes with an optional 4K display, but there is no 4K option for the 17-inch variant. The Alienware 15 weighs in at roughly 3.2kg, making it the lightest 15-inch Alienware laptop made by the company.
The Alienware 15 is available from Tuesday starting $1,199 (approximately Rs. 76,000), while the Alienware 17 starts from $1,499 (approximately Rs. 95,000).

Oppo R5 Review: Haute Couture Candidate

 

 

  January 12, 2015

inShare1

Haute Couture is a French phrase used to refer to the practice of creating high fashion, custom-fitted garments which are mostly suited for models walking the ramps in cities like Paris, London or Milan. With smartphone manufacturers across the world racing to launch models that can turn heads, we might be looking at a new wave of phones that can be elevated to the level of haute couture.
From painstaking manufacturing processes to expensive materials, the major brands are trying to outdo each other. We can be assured that this is a thing when an 800-pound gorilla like Samsung, which has resisted design innovation like the plague, starts experimenting with premium materials - thus was born the Samsung Galaxy Alpha (Review | Pictures).
The Oppo R5 is a device that fits right into this new wave of smartphones. The company has focussed on engineering a slim device that creates an identity for itself, using custom materials and hand-polishing the R5. Or, so it claims.
Is the Oppo R5 ready to walk the ramp in the company of lookers such as the HTC One (M8) (Review | Pictures), Gionee Elife S5.1 (Review | Pictures), and iPhone 6 (Review | Pictures)? Does it sacrifice performance for the sake of beauty? We find out.
Look and feel
When the Oppo R5 was announced, the Chinese smartphone major went a little overboard with the marketing spiel about its design. Sample a few statements from their press releases: "Oppo has created a delicate balance between ergonomic practicality and efficiency", "After extensive research, the design team settled upon a frame for the R5 that is as attractive as it is easy to handle", and "hand-polishing the R5 ... brought a personal touch of excellence which can be seen in premium Swiss watches."
While these statements do seem like hyperbolic marketing (not surprisingly), Oppo's enthusiasm is actually warranted in the case of R5's design. Notwithstanding its obvious resemblance to the iPhone 5s, the Oppo R5 is an attractive device.
The 'micro-arc frame', which is what Oppo calls the stainless steel chassis with chamfered edges, looks rather premium. The company claims it commissioned a customised coating material for the phone's metal backplate, which is thinner than ordinary paints. The smoothness of the glaze on the backplate feels really great. In fact, we'd say that despite the fairly large dimensions of the Oppo R5 - 148.9x74.5mm - it feels comfortable to hold. This is due to a combination of multiple factors including the asymmetrical micro-arc frame, smooth metal backplate, 155g weight and thin borders on either sides of the display.
However, the design of the Oppo R5 is not completely bereft of flaws. For one, the camera bump sticks out from the sleek body like a sore thumb. Also, the bump makes the phone top-heavy and as a result it has a tendency to topple over. In a bid to make a smartphone as thin as a few sheets of paper stacked on top of each other, Oppo has eliminated the 3.5mm audio jack which is a staple in all current smartphones. Instead, Oppo provides a Micro-USB to 3.5mm adapter in the box. This is inconvenient because one has to remember to carry the adapter everywhere. The Micro-USB port and a microphone for phone calls are on the bottom.
Like many other metal phones we've tested, there are two plastic strips on the top and bottom edges for cellular and Wi-Fi reception. The left edge of the phone houses the power button and the volume rocker, which have fairly good tactile feedback. Oppo has lined up the earpiece, two sensors and the front camera above the phone's screen.
The 5.2-inch screen takes up most of the front and has Corning's Gorilla Glass 3 for protection from scratches. This AMOLED screen outputs visuals at a resolution of 1080x1920 pixels. The colour saturation is bearable but the high contrast ratio is a letdown. Also, there is a distinctive black border around the display which is quite distracting. The viewing angles are pretty good and sunlight legibility is also serviceable. The Oppo R5 does not have the best 1080p display on a phone, but it gets its job done.
Specifications and software
The Oppo R5 packs a Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 SoC inside. This SoC supports 64-bit applications and has four 1.5 GHz Cortex-A53 cores plus four 1.0 GHz Cortex-A53 cores. It also includes an Adreno 405 GPU. The R5 has 16GB of internal storage space of which around 3.91GB is used by the OS. There is no memory card slot for additional storage but the phone supports USB On-the-Go.
The phone has a 13-megapixel primary camera with a Sony Exmor IMX214 BSI sensor, which is also used in the OnePlus One. On the front is a 5-megapixel shooter with an 88-degree wide angle lens. Both the cameras have an f/2.0 aperture. On the connectivity front, the Oppo R5 includes Wi-Fi a/b/g/n and Bluetooth v4.0. Also, it can connect to LTE on Indian cellular networks. 
The R5 runs Android 4.4.2 with Oppo's Color OS skin on top of it. Oppo's take on skinning the Android OS is quite neat, when compared directly with the competition. There is no app drawer, like iOS and the skins other Chinese manufacturers such as Gionee and Xiaomi use. We like the cool music player widget on the first home screen, and the fact that Oppo bundles useful third-party apps with the phone instead of bloatware. NearMeCloud lets you back up contacts and text messages to the cloud; Theme Store allows you to skin the phone according to your preferences; Security Centre has a cornucopia of useful functions such as app encryption, data monitor and power manager; and WeChat is good alternative to the uber-popular Whatsapp.
Oppo provides users with a few more functions than stock Android, to play around with, including Smart Gesture controls and motion control. After tweaking the settings to suit our preferences, we were happily swiping through photographs in the gallery by waving over the screen and using a double-tap to wake the device from standby.
Camera
The default camera app on the Oppo R5 is nothing flashy but gets the work done. The simple app has a neat drawer that can be pulled out from the bottom of the screen and there are a ton of "apps", which is what Oppo intends to call the camera modes. Normal, Ultra HD, Slow Shutter and the like are present by default. One can hit the Add App button to find more. We found the Ultra HD, HDR and After Focus apps particularly intriguing.
The Ultra HD app is similar to the implementation on the Oppo Find 7, where information from ten images can be extrapolated to create a composite 50-megapixel image which is supposed to be sharper. We noticed that these images take up a lot of space, and that captured details weren't sharp enough to justify using this mode as default. 
We loved how Oppo's HDR algorithm did a great job of capturing a wide a dynamic range, and not by just artificially increasing the exposure. After Focus  essentially allows users to manipulate the focus of an image after it has been shot. Unfortunately, in our testing process we noticed that it was a case of hit or miss. Sometimes we got really good shots where we could change the focus from the subject to the background without losing the integrity of the blur effect in the shot.
(click for full size)
By default, the 13-megapixel camera captures some really great images. The colours are natural - not over-saturated or dull. Details are intact even when zoomed in and there is no pixelation. Even the colour temperature is just about right - not too warm or too cold. A minor gripe we have is that the camera has a problem with the exposure settings and as result sometimes we got overblown highlights. Of course, the capable HDR mode can solve this problem without any hassle. Even the low-light performance is pretty decent, with noise levels being low. But the camera is guilty of artificially enhancing the light in some sections where it was really dark.
The 5-megapixel front camera can capture some really good selfies with great colour reproduction and details. Also, the 1080p video captured by the primary camera doesn't skip frames and retains details as well. On the other hand, 720p slow motion video captured at 120fps is not a patch on the performance of some of the other cameras we've tested.
(click for full size)
Performance
In our review of the Yu Yureka (Review | Pictures), we found that the Snapdragon 615 is a great mid-range chipset. The Yu Yureka scored higher in our tests because it uses a 720p display. So, with the benchmark results of the Oppo R5 we now have a reference point for future phones with 1080p displays and Snapdragon 615 SoC.
In AnTuTu 5.5 and Quadrant, the Oppo R5 scored 25,594 and 14,116 respectively. In the 3DMark Ice Storm test the phone scored a more than respectable 8,863 points. In day-to-day usage the phone didn't face any hangups or stutter at any point. We were more than happy with the gaming performance as well. However, opening resource-intensive apps caused the upper part of the backplate to become hot immediately. Thankfully, it wasn't unbearable but smartphone companies need to find a solution that works especially if they are going to make anorexic smartphones.
The Oppo R5 played all the videos we tried without any hiccups. Despite its slim exterior, the Oppo R5 doesn't compromise on the quality of the speakers. The sound was loud and clear with no distortion at high volumes. The call quality was average at best. We faced a few call drops occasionally and the person on the other end sounded robotic at times. The bundled headset is of the in-ear kind and is a little too heavy on bass sounds, which people might prefer.
Unlike another slim smartphone, the Gionee Elife S5.1, which had better-than-average battery performance, the Oppo R5 falters. The R5 lasted only 6 hours and 46 minutes in our rigorous battery test. This is average at best and we noticed that the phone lost charge quicker than other phones in standby. Fortunately, the 2,000mAh battery can charge really fast - up to 75 percent in 30 minutes - thanks to the bundled VOOC fast charger Our first brush with this feature was when we reviewed the Oppo Find 7 (Review | Pictures), though this time around the charger is smaller.
Verdict
When we reviewed the Gionee Elife S5.1, we were concerned that the race to make the slimmest smartphone was getting slightly out of hand. The Oppo R5 doesn't change that perception but it definitely has a few redeeming features. For one, the phone screams "look at me, I'm attractive" thanks to its gorgeous yet ergonomic design. We liked the fact that despite its slim profile, it is pretty sturdy and the ergonomics are good too. It is not without caveats, though.
We don't think the exclusion of a standard 3.5mm jack was a good tradeoff. Also, the heating issue we've come to associate with slim smartphones is present in the Oppo R5 as well.
Priced at Rs. 29,990, the Oppo R5 is asking for a premium considering its specs list and overall performance. That said, we'll cut Oppo some slack for this since we can quite clearly see that this phone is built well and was designed to turn heads. If you are looking for performance over style, we'd suggest looking at the Moto X (Gen2) (Review | Pictures) instead, which by itself isn't a bad looking device.

Oppo R5 in pictures

iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus Now Available SIM-Free Unlocked in the US

January 07, 2015

Apple has started offering its iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus as SIM-free (also known as contract-free) and unlocked options in the US.Consumers in the US can now buy the SIM-free iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus from physical stores and online stores including Apple Store. The iPhone 6 16GB model is now available at $649 (Rs. 41,200 approximately), while the iPhone 6 Plus 16GB has been priced at $749 (Rs. 47,600 approximately).
The iPhone 6 64GB and 128GB have been priced at $749 (Rs. 47,600 approximately) and $849 (Rs. 53,800 approximately) respectively. Meanwhile, the iPhone 6 Plus will come at $849 (Rs. 53,847 approximately) for the 64GB variant, and $949 (Rs. 60,180 approximately) for the 128GB variant.
9to5mac reports that the unlocked iPhone 6 ships in 3 to 5 business days. "Unlocked iPhones can be activated for use any carrier, AT&T, Sprint, Verizon or T-Mobile", it adds.
Apple usually launches the SIM-free model of a new iPhone by the end of the year; though the delay in the launch of unlocked iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus can be attributed to the strong demand of both the iPhone models.
Reports suggested that Apple had to adjust the production ratio in favour of the iPhone 6 Plus, as it saw much higher demand than anticipated for the large iPhone models.
The Cupertino based giant had announced that it received a record 4 million advance orders for the both new iPhone models in the first 24 hours of the US pre-orders opening.
To recall, the iPhone 6 has a new 4.7-inch 750x1334-pixel screen, while the iPhone 6 Plus's screen measures 5.5 inches and has a resolution of 1080x1920 pixels. The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are 6.9 and 7.1mm thick respectively. Both phones have been upgraded with high-speed Wi-Fi 802.11ac support and support the TD 2300 LTE band used in India. iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus have an 8-megapixel rear camera and a 1.2-megapixel front camera, with improved sensors when compared with the iPhone 5s. The phones feature the new Apple A8 processor and a motion co-processor labelled M8. Apple promises that both devices will provide better battery life than the iPhone 5s.

The 10 Coolest Crowdfunded Projects of 2014

  January 01, 2015

inShare1

Week after week, we compulsively scour crowdsourcing sites like Kickstarter and Indiegogo to find the coolest projects that you can back - and looking back, 2014 was a really good year. We couldn't possibly have mentioned every single amazing project we saw, and it looks like there's a certain seasonal drift to ideas - at times, every idea on the sites seemed to be strange and terrible, while at other times, there was a surfeit of cool picks.
Though there's no guarantee that all of these projects will result in products that ship, here are - in our opinion - the coolest crowdsourced projects on 2014, arranged by the amount raised, starting with the biggest hit:
1. Coolest Cooler
Raised: $13,285,226 or approximately Rs. 84 crore
See the pitch
The Coolest Cooler will go down in history as a fascinating case study for business majors. Raising $13 million against a target of $50,000, this is one of the biggest crowdfunded projects in 2014; funnily enough though, the project first went on Kickstarter in December 2013 and failed to meet its target. So the moral here is try and try again until you've raised 13 million dollars.
The Coolest Cooler is an icebox that includes USB ports to power your phones, speakers to liven up your picnic, a blender to mix drinks, a LED lid light so you can find things in the box easily, integrated storage for cutlery including a built in cutting-board, and a bottle opener. It's no surprise that people wanted to back this project, but the total amount raised is still mind-boggling.
2. Pono Music
Raised: $6,225,354 or approximately Rs. 40 crore
See the pitch
Musician Neil Young was the force behind the Pono Music Kickstarter - an attempt to re-envision the iPod for audiophiles. The smartphone revolution has been a force for change in many different fields, and one of those areas is audio - it's become easier than ever to carry around high quality audio on a portable device, thanks to improvements in processing power, and easy availability of storage and touchscreens.
3. Micro 3D printer
Raised: $3,401,361 or approximately Rs. 21.5 crores
See the pitch
The Micro 3D is a really cool 3D printer that is small enough to fit on a desktop. What's more, the cheapest funding tier where a reward was the Micro 3D was just $199, making this one of the most affordable options around.
The printer is supposed to ship to users in 2015, and while the print height of 4.6-inches might sound small, that's more than enough to make toys, jewellery and other small items. Comparable products cost twice as much, which is why we think that the Micro 3D is so interesting.
4. Zano drone
Raised: GBP 1,811,321 or approximately Rs. 17.85 crores
See the pitch
The Zano done is an autonomous swarming drone that can use its camera to track a person, maintain a set distance, or even be manually controlled via a smartphone. The tiny palm sized drone is packing a HD video camera, and 15 minutes of smart flight time, with removable batteries.
We loved this project back when it first launched, and still do. The coolest thing though is that the Zano team has promised that the drone will keep evolving - so there will be new capabilities like acrobatic controls which you can add to the drone simply by downloading them on the companion app.
5. Sense Sleep System
Raised: $2,410,741 or approximately Rs. 15.25 crores
See the pitch
The quantified self is becoming a very real thing now, with people regularly buying gadgets that can track their steps, their heartbeat, their blood oxygen and REM sleep. So it's no surprise that one of the Kickstarters from last year that really got a lot of attention was the Sense Sleep System.
This project includes three parts - a "monitor" device you keep in your room called the Sense, which measures the light and sound and temperature conditions. Another tracker called the Sleep Pill clips to your pillow and tracks the slightest movements in the night, while a mobile application completes the picture.
Taking the information from the two sensors, the Sense mobile app will deliver a detailed picture of your night's sleep, with a high degree of accuracy. That's the idea anyway, and clearly, a lot of people were interested enough to put their money behind it.
6. Anova Precision Cooker
Raised: $1,811,321 or approximately Rs. 11.50 cores
See the pitch
The Anova Precision Cooker raised over $1.8 million against a goal of $100,000, and it is essentially a system that lets you use your smartphone as a controller for a sous-vide cooker. Sous-vide is a pretty old cooking technique that's going through a bit of a renaissance right now, but it's a little difficult to do yourself at home. The Avona sous-vide machine itself has a touchscreen that looks easy to use, but you can also tweak the settings, or pull up settings based on what you're cooking, using a companion app on your phone.
7. Flux All-In-One 3D Printer
Raised: $1,641,075 or approximately Rs. 10.40 crores
See the pitch
There has been a lot of interest in 3D printing this year, but the coolest project we've seen might well be the Flux All-In-One 3D Printer. That's because this printer has a modular design, and it claims to allow users to quickly and easily swap out parts.
This means that you can switch from an ABS plastic extruder making toys, to a laser engraver that can be used to carve a design into a wooden board. Future updates would include parts such as a chocolate extruder, for 3D printed desserts..
8. Earin
Raised: GBP 972,594 or approximately Rs. 9.58 crores
See the pitch
These tiny Bluetooth headsets are going to be a growing category in 2015 as more people want the convenience of wireless accessories, without huge pieces of plastic being strapped to their faces. What's really cool about the Earin is that it is a wireless Bluetooth stereo headset, and each ear is a tiny bud alone - the experience will be like wearing small wired earphones, just minus the wires.
The catch is that these are only for music, so if you want a full headset, you're still going to have to use something like the Motorola Hint - the general design concept of a small earbud coupled with a carrying case that doubles up as a charge station is a compelling one though, and that's why we think this is so interesting.
9. Glyph
Raised: $1,509,506 or approximately Rs. 9.56 crores
See the pitch
We're pretty excited about Virtual Reality in 2015, and 2014 was the year where most of the coolest new devices in this category were announced. Even "old" ideas like the Oculus Rift saw new prototypes, and that company has already made some great progress in VR.
The Avegnant Glyph Kickstarter came out at a time when interest in VR was at an all-time high, and now as the dust settles, VR seems to be well on the way to becoming real. Samsung has a hat in the ring and while the Oculus and Sony's Project Morpheus haven't announced release dates yet, the Gear VR means that commercial consumer-grade VR is finally picking up. The Glyph is another interesting product in the category; though its focus is less on VR and more on reinventing how HMD's work, as it will project the image by firing a laser into your eye!
10. LIX
Raised: GBP 731,690 or approximately Rs. 7,21,30,993
See the pitch
Between 3D printing and VR, it's hard to say which upcoming new technology looks more like the work of science fiction, but this is the year where we're seeing both come to life. The LIX 3D "pen" is a particularly interesting example, since it is essentially a hand held 3D printer, that extrudes plastic, letting you "draw" in thin air.
The results don't look particularly polished - they're more like a child's Play-Doh designs - but when you see it in action, you know you're looking at one of the coolest things in the world.
Did you back any projects on Kickstarter, Indiegogo or other crowdfunding sites? Which of these projects do you think was the coolest? Let us know via the comments.

Tags:Anova Precision Cooker,Avegnant Glyph,Coolest Cooler,Crowdfunding,Earin,Flux All In One,Kickstarter,KotW,Lix 3D Pen,Micro 3D,Pono Music,Sense Sleep System,Zano Drone