Security features of new Rs 1000 and Rs 500 notes

A look at the security features of the newly-launched Rs. 2,000 and Rs. 500 notes from the RBI's stable.

Rs. 2,000 (colour: magenta)

* Is a part of the Mahatma Gandhi (New) series, with a motif of India's Mars orbiter, the Mangalyaan on the reverse

* Size: 66mm x 166mm

Front side:

1. See through register where the numeral 2,000 can be seen when note is held against light

2. Latent image of 2,000 can be seen when the note is tilted

3. Devanagari denomination

4. Portrait of Mahatma Gandhi

5. Micro letters 'RBI' and '2,000'

6. Colour shift security thread with 'RBI' and '2,000'

7. Guarantee clause, Governor's signature and RBI emblem on the right

8. Watermarks of Mahatma Gandhi and electrotype 2,000 numeral

9. Number panel with numerals growing from small to big on top left and bottom right sides

10. Denominational numeral with Rupee symbol, 2,000 in colour changing ink

11. Ashoka pillar emblem

For visually impaired:

12. Rectangle with Rs.2,000 in raised print on right

13. Seven angular bleed lines in raised print

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Rs. 500

The size is 63mm x 150mm, colour is stone grey with Red Fort and Mahatma Gandhi's image on each sides

Features:

1. See through register in denomination numeral

2. Latent image of the denomination numeral

3. Denomination numeral in Devnagari

4. Orientation of Mahatma Gandhi's portrait changed

5. Windowed security thread changes from green to blue when note is tilted

6. Guarantee clause, Governor's signature, RBI emblem shifted towards right

7. Portrait and electrotype watermarks

8. Number panel with numerals growing from small to big on top left and bottom right sides

9. Denomination in nuemrals with Rupee symbol in colour changing ink (green to blue) on bottom right

10. Ashoka pillar emblem on right

For visually impaired:

11. Circle with Rs. 500 in raised print on the right

12. Bleed lines on left and right in raised print

LG G6 could be available much sooner than Galaxy S8

With LG’s G5 not a home run as many would have hoped, many are looking forward to seeing what LG has in store for a 2017 flagship. Last year, the LG G5 was announced at MWC. But with Samsung rumored to skip out MWC this year, LG would have more of the limelight for itself.

But it could be that LG is aiming for an even earlier commercial release for the LG G6. A Korean media outlet ETNews reports that LG is aiming to have the G6 out in stores a whole month earlier than the LG G5, which launched on the first of April in the US.

So instead of waiting about a month after announcing a phone, LG might be able to announce the G6 at MWC and then launch a commercial release much more quickly. If LG is even more ambitious, it can plan its own launch party and skip MWC altogether.

There is a window of opportunity for LG to drop a new smartphone with Samsung’s rumored release of the Galaxy S8 to come later, and the same window is also when Apple’s iPhone sales become stagnant. A smartphone release with a strategically planned date of release, supported by a strong ad campaign in the very beginning should help LG sell more units overall.

The LG G6 is rumored to be drastically different than its predecessors. The company will supposedly be going for an all-new design that implements both metal and glass, which results in the removal of the removable battery and the potential of water-resistance and wireless charging are on the table. There’s even been word of an iris scanner on the G6, but that myth is yet to be confirmed or debunked. Only time will tell.

MWC is scheduled for February 27 through March 2 in Barcelona, Spain. We won’t be seeing the Galaxy S8 here as far as rumors are concerned. So this year’s show will definitely be in interesting one.

BlackBerry Mercury tipped to be coming to Verizon

The yet-to-be-announced BlackBerry Mercury smartphone will be available from Verizon in the United States. This was revealed by well known tipster Roland Quandt in a tweet late last week.

So far, it was being said that the Mercury - which features a physical QWERTY keyboard, a la original BlackBerry phones - will be the last device to be released by the Canadian company, but Quandt revealed that it is in fact being built by TCL - design is from BlackBerry though.

Specs-wise, the phone is said to be powered by a Snapdragon 821 chipset and sport a curved display with a screen size of around 4.5-inch. It is also rumored to pack in a large battery, enough to get the handset through two days of use.