Android 5.1 Lollipop Update Rollout Announced for Spice Android One Phones

The domestic handset brand however has not revealed the changelog for
the update. It notes, "The Android Lollipop 5.1 update is the latest
version of Android operating system and offers a significantly
improved smartphone experience with an enhanced visual appeal, user
interface and general improvements in system stability."

Both Spice Dream Uno and Spice Dream Uno H ran Android 4.4.4 KitKat
out-of-the-box.

So far there has been no official announcement regarding the rollout
of Android 5.1 Lollipop; though Google released Android One
smartphones in Indonesia running Android Lollipop build 5.1
out-of-the-box.

A leaked changelog for Android 5.1 tipped that the build brought
improvements corresponding to bugs that were reported since Android
5.0 Lollipop release: addition of silent mode; improvements in system
stability; improved RAM management; fixes for sudden app closures;
improved battery management; excessive consumption of network devices
when used Wi-Fi fixed; fixes for issues with wireless connections;
fixes for Ok Google function; fixes for notifications problems; some
sound problems experience by certain devices fixed, and changes in the
Material Design colour palette.

Android One phones in India started receiving Android 5.0 Lollipop
update in the last week of February. Despite Google's promise to
deliver the Android updates soon after they are released to Android
One phones; the company has disappointed consumers with months of
delay in Android 5.0 Lollipop update.

Last month, Spice Mobility launched its new Android One smartphone in
Indonesia, Nepal and Sri Lanka.

Commenting on the rollout of update, Prashant Bindal, CEO, Spice
Mobility Ltd said, "In line with our brand promise "Always the
latest", we are delighted to be the first player to release the
Android Lollipop 5.1 update, exclusively for our Spice Dream Uno users
in India."

India to Launch Fourth Navigation Satellite on March 9

India will move closer to its own satellite navigation system with the
launch of its fourth satellite tentatively slated for March 9, a
senior official of the Indian space agency said on Monday.

"The launch is tentatively planned for March 9 evening around 6.35pm
IST. However final green signal for the launch will be given days
ahead of the satellite launch," M.Y.S. Prasad, director, Satish Dhawan
Space Centre, part of Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro).

He said the satellite has been tested and mated with the rocket and
the heat shield will be closed Monday.

"Full test will be done again Tuesday and the rocket will be moved to
the second launch pad on March 4," Prasad said.

According to him, the space agency's Launch Authorisation Board (LAB)
has to give the final nod for the rocket's flight.

The LAB meeting is slated for March 6.

The 59-hour countdown is expected to begin on March 7 morning.

Weighing 1,425kgs, the fourth of the Indian Regional Navigation
Satellite System (IRNSS) satellite-IRNSS-1D would be flown into space
in an Indian rocket called Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle-XL.

After its successful launch and commissioning IRNSS-ID is expected to
make India among select group of countries having its own satellite
navigation system.

The satellite has a life span of around 10 years.

Currently India is knocking at the door step of an exclusive space
club - navigation satellite system owing club - that has the US,
Russia, China and Japan as members.

Though the full system comprises of nine satellites - seven in orbit
and two on the ground as stand-by - the navigation services could be
made operational with four satellites, ISRO officials had said
earlier.

Each satellite costs around Rs. 150 crores and the PSLV-XL version
rocket would cost around Rs. 130 crores. The seven rockets would
involve an outlay of around Rs. 910 crores.

The entire IRNSS constellation of seven satellites is planned to be
completed by 2015.

The first satellite IRNSS-1A was launched in July 2013, the second
IRNSS-1B in April 2014 and the third one in October 16, 2014.

Once the regional navigation system is in place, India need not be
dependent on others.

The IRNSS will provide two types of services - standard positioning
service and restricted service. The former is provided to all users
and the latter is an encrypted service for authorised users.

The IRNSS system comprises of two segments - the space and the ground.
The space segment consists of seven satellites of which three will be
in geostationary orbit and four in inclined geosynchronous orbit.

The ground segment consists of infrastructure for controlling,
tracking and other facilities.