Thursday 31 October 2013

Turn Your Smartphone Into a Microscope for $10

Whether you want to take some crazy macro photography or you just need to do a little laboratory work, Instructables user Yoshinok shows off how to turn your smartphone into a microscope for just $10.

The build here uses some plexiglass, bolts, nuts, a focus lens, and a laser pointer. The actual macro photography comes from using a cheap lens from a laser pointer, and the rest of the build is for the stand so you can actually take steady pictures. The magnification you get is pretty surprising, so head over to Instructables for a bunch of sample photos and the full guide.
via LifeHacker

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Neurocam Analyzes Your Brainwaves to Take Photos For You

Pressing a button is so 20th century. And winking or asking Google Glass to do it for you seems like quite a lot of effort, too. So, for the truly lazy, Neurocam analyzes your brainwaves to work out when you want a picture taking.

Demoed at Japan’s Human Sensing 2013 conference, Neurocam uses brainwave sensors that have cropped up in, to gauge your interest on what’s happening around you. Judging on a scale of 0 to 100—they don’t say exactly how that scale works, sadly—it’ll start recording video when the value tops 60. That footage is then turned into a 5-second GIF, reports DigInfo.
The neurocam arose from the neurowear project, which is involved with items that use brain-waves and bio-sensors, like necomimi, which works using brain-waves. The algorithm for quantifying brain-waves was co-developed with Associate Professor Mitsukura at Keio University.
In the future, the project team aims to create an emotional interface, which could link a range of devices and services to people’s individual thoughts and feelings.
via Gizmodo

Monday 28 October 2013

Samsung phones could see magnetic resonance charging in 2014

On the heels of a recent investment into a company that is working on a certain type of wireless charging, Samsung is reportedly set to make the technology available on their devices, starting next year. By including magnetic resonance technology, Samsung could allow your device to charge in just about any scenario.
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The wireless charging we currently take advantage of on most mobile devices is Qi charging, which requires a docking station or charging pad. Your device must maintain contact with the pad, but doesn’t require any plugs or connections. We’ve seen a form of wireless charging that creates a small field on top of Qi charging, but magnetic resonance is a bit different.
While all wireless charging operates in the same fashion — creating a field of power — magnetic resonance essentially creates a larger field, allowing for your devices to charge without actually needing to come into contact with anything. Magnetic resonance also has the ability to transmit power through solid objects like tables or walls.
The upside is huge, as it could theoretically create a power grid throughout a room, office, car, or even building. The downside is that the safety implications are unknown, and wireless charging is still searching for a standard. With differing technologies and various companies backing them, the wireless charging situation is still taking shape. Samsung happens to have a stake in just about every consortium, technology, and company around, so they may just be a good barometer for how things will take shape with wireless charging.
via AndroidCommunity

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Add a PDF Converter to Windows Context Menu using Cometdocs

A common situation many users face when dealing with digital documents is having to convert PDF files to other formats such as Word, JPEG, TXT etc. Fortunately, there are a bunch of PDF converters out there that can get the job done, though finding the best one can become tedious at times. Cometdocs for desktop brings the conversion features to Windows. The tool makes document conversion a breeze, thanks to its context menu integration. And besides converting PDF to many other formats, it also lets you easily create PDFs out of other files.

Convert-To-Cometdocs
For those unfamiliar with Cometdoc’s web service, it provides 1 GB of free storage space that you can use to host files, in addition to the ability to convert documents between different formats. You need to create an account with the service before you can use all these features. The desktop application also requires you to create a Cometdocs account first, if you don’t have one already. Upon launch, Cometdocs for desktop asks you to sign in with your account; just input your email and password credentials, and click Sign In. The tool then begins running in the background.
Converting PDF files to other formats using Cometdocs is dead simple. It creates a ‘Convert To’ submenu in the context menu of PDF files. To convert a PDF to any of the supported formats, simply right-click your desired file and then hover your mouse over the Convert To submenu to see a list of supported formats. You will be amazed to see how many output formats this tool supports, including Microsoft Office files (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), TXT, LibreOffice files, AutoCad (DWG, DXF), and image files (JPEG, PNG, BMP, GIF, TIF). All you have to do is click your desired format, and the application will do the rest.
The application is available free of cost and works on Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7 and Windows 8.
VIA

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Password Creation Rules and Common Sense Tips

Passwords are essential in the computing world: from using a password to sign in to your operating system to passwords for accounts on the Internet. The following guide looks at the most important rules when it comes to the creation of passwords. If you follow all of them, you make sure that your passwords are secure. While there is still the chance that someone will be able to decrypt them or steal them, the impact that this have will be less than for the average user who may use the same password on all services.

password

Password Creation Rules

1. Passwords need to be strong
There is no definition of what strong means in regards to passwords. The general consensus is that passwords need to be of appropriate length and complexity. I prefer to use passwords of 16, 20 or even more characters if the service allows it. Longer passwords are harder to memorize, but that is only a problem if you are not using a password manager that does that for you. So, if you are using a password manager, you only need to remember the master password for it and nothing else. And that master password should be very secure (mine is 40+ characters). Strong also refers to the characters used in the password. It is best to combine
  • Upper and lower case letters
  • Numbers
  • Special characters
to increase the strength of the password.
2. Passwords need to be unique
This is an important rule, even though it is not the most important rule. The basic idea behind making passwords unique is that if someone gets hold of one of your passwords, they can’t use it for other services that you are a member of. A single strong password that has a low probability of being stolen makes it less likely that this ever happens, even if it is the only password used by a user. That’s in theory only though, as there are means of stealing passwords without having to decrypt them first. This can be through social engineering, keyloggers or software that records network traffic. It is also important to note that unique means also that you can’t use the username or a slight derivation of it as your password.
3. Passwords can’t be in the dictionary
There are two major types of attacks against an encrypted password to decrypt it. Brute-Force attacks that try every possible character combination imaginable, and dictionary-based attacks that use a dictionary file. The latter is a lot faster as it just have to go through all the words in a dictionary, and maybe in addition some combinations or additions (two dictionary words combined, or adding 1 to the end of each word). This includes popular terms, like favorite sport teams, pet or human names, sequences on the keyboard (qwerty, asdfyxcv) or artist names, and all personal information about yourself or your family including the name of the street, your school, license plate of your car or your favorite family vacation.
4. Password Managers do all the work for you
While it may be an impossible task for most users to create and memorize strong unique passwords for every service they use, it is not really something that most users need to worry about, as password managers can do all the heavy lifting for them. Password managers such as KeePass or LastPass help you generate and remember secure unique passwords. Even the built-in password manager of the browser can be of use. While not all come with password generation options, they do save all passwords that you create on the Internet so that you do not have to remember them all individually.

Common Sense

Along with the creation of secure passwords come guidelines that help you make sure that no one else gets hold of your passwords.
  1. Be cautious about public computer systems. Since you do not have full control over the system, you do not really know what is running in the background. It is best not to type your passwords on these systems at all. If you do use them, make sure you log out of all services that you have signed in during the session. I’d also recommend to clear the cache, cookies and browsing history.
  2. Do not send your password to anyone, not your friends, family or someone claiming to be a support member of a service you use.
  3. If a server gets hacked, or you have the feeling that your account got compromised, change the password immediately even if it is false alarm or if there is only a slim chance that someone can actually decrypt your hopefully secure password.
  4. Make sure your password manager is properly protected. If you use your browser’s password manager, make sure you protect it with a Master Password. If your browser (Chrome) does not have that option, do not make use of the password manager in the browser, but use another tool for it.
  5. Change all insecure or weak passwords if you still have any.
  6. Make sure the password for your email account — the one associated with accounts you use on the Internet — is also secure. Someone who manages to get into your email account can use the “password recovery” option of Internet services to create a new password for accounts to gain access to them.

VIA
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Saturday 26 October 2013

Facebook’s New Warning

When most people think of Facebook, they think of a social media website that takes up your time and energy while being highly addictive. People use it as a platform to express their feelings, to rant about politics, to ask questions, to display photos of themselves or generally to stalk someone and possibly their family. However, Facebook has been in the news again, but this time for videos, and not the ones of kittens playing in teacups or a drunk trying to climb an escalator, these videos are about decapitation. These videos of poor victims having their heads removed from their shoulders in a gruesome fashion has angered many as they easy to see if they appear in the user’s feed, and what has angered people even more is that the fact that to join Facebook requires you to be over the age of 13, therefore many minors have access to these videos. Most of these videos are usually terrorist or militia related where they capture helpless victims parade them in front of a camera ranting on about stuff before guillotining their heads off, either with a knife or a chainsaw.

Facebook had banned these videos but now for some unknown reason they have allowed them back on but as soon as they did it caused uproar, so how did Facebook get around this issue? Did they remove the videos again? No, instead they have decided to insert a warning message at the beginning of the video to warn viewers that what they are about to watch as it contains extremely graphic content and maybe upsetting. I think some of the movies being release today should have these warning, not because of the blood or how gruesome they are but how bad and repetitive they have become, but that is for me to rant about on a different.

How should Facebook tackle things like this in the future? Maybe raise the age to 18? Become stricter with what can be posted but that goes against the “Freedom” that they are offering. I hear people complain about Facebook, but I use it and about 90% for uploading photos of travels for my friends living world –wide to see. I avoid rants and giving my opinions because I am a straight talker and very direct that political correctness fears so I feel it is best just to read and respond to people who ask “How have you been?”. People also need to realize that Facebook is a huge community of people that want to express opinions or believe in different things and if someone disagrees with you then it is easier just to ignore and not let it get to you, after all it is just another ‘keyboard warrior’, if they real feel strong about something then they would do something about it not just type away.

The UK prime minister even tweeted about the situation before the warning messages were added; maybe he helped influence the warning messages to be inserted at the beginning of the videos as he criticized Facebook by calling them irresponsible and how they should put an alert or warning at eh beginning.

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Everything You Need to Know About Windows 8.1

With Windows 8.1, Microsoft has solved many of the problems Windows 8 had in terms of usability while adding a bunch of lovely new features, and in usual fashion, we have covered them all in good detail. If you’re considering making the switch to Windows 8.1, be sure to go through our list of articles first so you know what you are getting into.

Windows-8.1-New-Features

Without further ado, here’s quite literally everything you need to know about Windows 8.1, and more!
  • New Start Button & Improved Start ScreenThe single biggest complaint among Windows 8 users has been the lack of a Start button that has been a part of Windows since the early 90s. Windows 8.1 brings that back, along with an improved Start screen experience.
  • New Features & Changes In Lock ScreenThe lock screen gets its fair share of enhancements as well, including but not limited to wallpaper slideshow, more lock screen app notifications, and camera access.
  • Improved Multitasking & Snap FeatureWhen using Modern apps, there is no better way to multitask than with ‘Snap’. Windows 8.1 builds on top of the solid base set by Windows 8, allowing you to snap more apps together and in different screen ratios.
  • Revamped PC Settings AppWindows 8?s PC Settings app could only change settings for a very limited part of the system, so you had to launch Control Panel every now and then. That won’t be the case for most users with the updated ‘Modern’ PC Settings app in Windows 8.1.
  • New Unified Smart Search FeatureThis is one of the less talked about features in Windows 8.1, and we feel it deserves a lot more attention because – simply put – it is game-changing. OS-level searching doesn’t get any better than this!
  • Built-In Image Editor In Photos AppMicrosoft beefs up the stock Photos app to include basic image-editing features. These are good enough for use before uploading on Facebook and Twitter.
  • Deeper SkyDrive IntegrationSkyDrive integration in Windows 8 was dismal at best. In Windows 8.1, it’s so seamless, you won’t know the difference between what’s online and off (assuming you have a fast internet connection). For tablet users, this alone should be reason enough to make the jump to 8.1.
  • Revamped Xbox Music App With Free Radio StreamingPandora, Spotify, Rdio, Songza, Stereomood, iTunes Radio – Microsoft has a lot of tough competition in the music streaming market so they’re seriously stepping up their game with the new Xbox Music app.
  • Boot To Desktop & Other Navigation OptionsYou spend most of your time on the Desktop, so why not boot directly to it? We discuss Windows 8.1?s ‘Boot to Desktop’ feature, along with other customizable navigation options that improve overall usability.
  • Hands-On With The New Modern UI Apps In Windows 8.1Another strong reason to update to Windows 8.1! Microsoft has included a handful of new, beautifully designed stock apps including Alarms, Calculator, Sound Recorder, Health & Fitness, Reading List and more. We’ve reviewed some of the more elaborate apps separately.
Whew! That was a really long list. I wasn’t convinced of upgrading to Windows 8.1 when I started out writing this blog post, especially since 8 is just running so well on my machine, but now I think I just might make the jump! Features like Boot to Desktop, the 9 ‘Lesser Known’ new features, the deep SkyDrive integration, and the new Start Screen make it sound worth the risk.
To make the jump, just launch the Windows Store app. You’ll see the upgrade option right away. If not, go to this link here. It’s a free upgrade for Windows 8 users. The rest can purchase Windows 8.1 directly online or off.
VIA

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Cover for Android: A Lockscreen Replacement App

Contextually aware apps are all the rage these days, but until now, we hadn’t seen a good lock screen that adjusted to what you want, when you need it. Cover for Android might change that. Cover is a lockscreen replacement app that promises to learn when and where you use the apps on your device. This is accomplished through cell towers and WiFi signals, which then gives the app the information needed to display shortcuts to the apps you tend to use where you are, whether it’s home, work, or in transit.
The app tray fits six shortcuts, which also allow you to peek inside the app by sliding to the side. In addition, Cover lets you multitask by jumping between apps using a drawer that slides out from the right hand side, and lets you set a custom ringer volume and wallpaper based on time and location.


If you’re interested, click at this link and request an invite.
VIA

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Friday 25 October 2013

Bye Bye Facebook? People Slowly Disconnecting From The Social Media World


Social media has changed our lives in many ways, reuniting with old friends, letting the world know what you do or what you want them to think that you do. Photos of cats, rants about politics, religion, the disabled etc, websites like Facebook and Twitter allow and endorse this. Facebook was founded in February 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with his college roommates, and now it is a global phenomenon that has taken the world almost when it comes to social media. These days though some people are turning off their social media sites saying that the sharing of information has gotten out of hand with people knowing too much about someone. Imaging breaking up with your partner of 10 years then you have to see what they are up to after the break up, even if you delete them you may encounter them through mutual friends etc. Also some people have been caught out on rants, sober and drunken, which may have cost them their relationships, respect or their jobs. Like most things in life, there are advantages and disadvantages with things, it depends how you treat it.

Facebook has been involved in thousand of scandals and claims, with it accused of spying for governments, pushing its opinions on people as well as publishing and allowing videos that some people may call inappropriate. Imagine a world where we all became disconnected with each other, do you think you would try harder to stay in contact? Think about how you can access Facebook and check people’s profiles and have an idea what they had done that weekend just by looking at statuses, photos and comments, which would show more and probably explain better than an e-mail. It is probably still hard for the millions on line to close their Facebook account as some may be addictive, however though many are slowly starting to do it. Has Facebook had their day? Will something new come along? Will it be like Myspace? Or can they gain access to a bigger market such as China, where Facebook is blocked to encourage the largest population to get involved? Only time will tell.

Source: Sky News – Technology

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15 Great New Technology Gadgets For DIY Fans

lot of today’s new technology gadgets are designed for basic consumer use, like smartphones and tablets and various other electronic devices. There are, however, quite a few new gizmos that will be of great help when it comes to construction, repairs, maintenance and other DIY projects. Here are some of the top ones to make it on the list:
New Technology Gadgets
1.Wireless Inspection Camera – these cool gadgets let you peek into hard to reach locations with its flexible shaft supporting a digital camera and a flashlight. Very, very useful for gauging the integrity of materials hidden behind walls or under floorboards.
2.Infrared Thermometer – these new technology gadgets let you measure temperature from a safe distance away. A must-have gizmo for cooking, chemistry or metallurgy.
3.Laser Distance Measurer – need an accurate reading with the snap of a finger? This nifty device will let you do just that; eschewing the need for walking and reaching all over the place.
4.Digital Protractor – need a quick measurement of angles that is 100% accurate 100% of the time? This useful little tool will do just that in a matter of seconds.
5.DC/AC Clamp Multi-meter – this is an absolute must for those working with electrical work as it lets you test AC and DC connections as well as true root-mean-square voltage. Get these new tech gadgets ASAP if you work with appliances and electrical connections.
6.Magnetic Car-Charged LED Flashlight – these new technology gadgets are great for those that do a lot of driving during the night. Truckers, teamsters, police officers and even hunters will always have a fully-charged flashlight without having to rummage around for it.
7.Emergency Jump Starter Kit – this portable power bank not only charges a wide array of devices but can also help start up a car when its battery runs out. Keep one with you just in case.
8.OBDII Car Reader – this nifty device will let you check your car’s onboard diagnostics (OBD2 or OBDII) via a laptop or connected Android device. It’s great for checking if your car is performing as expected.
9.Multi-Function Vehicle Monitor – if you want to read the data while driving then these monitors will do just the trick. Simply install one inside your car and you’ll be good to go.
10.Magnetic Project Mat – tired of losing tiny screws and other metallic components? Fret not for these latest gadgets are made of low-power magnetic materials – strong enough to hold stuff in place but weak enough to prevent damage to electronics.
11.54-Bit Driver Kit – a compact screwdriver kit with a whopping 54 bits for various screwing and unscrewing needs. Need we say more?
12.Conductive Ink Pen – this is a great product that works well with a variety of new technology gadgets. Simply lay out a route with the ink, let it dry and boom – you have a quick and easy circuit just like that.
13.Compact Survival Can – if you get lost far away from civilization, you will have a better shot at surviving if you have one of these cans stowed away. They contain a lot of useful gear, ranging from matches and a compass to a fish hooks and fishing lines.
14.All-Purpose Putty – this nifty substance is useful for a wide range of quick fix-it solutions, from forming childproofing sharp corners on furniture to protecting wires on routers that provide Internet access to your home.
15.Static Electricity Eliminator – this little tool is great for getting rid of static buildups while working with electricity or wearing negatively charged materials. Just grasp the eliminator and touch it to a grounded object to get rid of your built-up charge.

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Are Cheap Android Phones Worth Buying?

Cheaper android phone doesn’t means running mobile devices with older version of software. Time has long gone when mobile devices used to feature old versions of software’s and supports old applications when they lose their niche in the market. Happy times, now mobile phones are featured with new version of software’s, applications and support all the required necessity for individual from gaming to social networking, video calling and more.
Spend your money wisely you can still bag a mobile with 1GHz chip with 4inch display within range of Rs 4500-8000. With same strength, durability and performance to those of high specs Smartphone’s these big screen cheaper android mobile handsets are in the market.
cheap android phones
Software: You can easily find a cheaper android handset with Android 4.0 (ice-cream sandwich) as compared to Android 4.1 (Jelly bean), Android 4.2(Jelly bean) or Android 4.3 –Jelly bean (recently introduced) in the mobile devices. The cheaper version of mobile phones comes with such quality software specification that allows user to spend considerable amount on these phones without hesitation.
Hardware: You can get fairly impressive hardware that can support your phone in this budget. Chip starting around 800MHZ to 1GHz are respectable in this budget. They provide enough power using web browser and social networking. The screen display can have a resolution of around 480*320 with 3-4 inch screen display varying in sizes. Generally these phones are supported by TFT LCD screens of normal size. Regardless how cheap your phone is you can expect a touch screen that is remarkable at it end. Within this budget you can get a camera with 3MP-5MP of clear quality which is enough to take pictures and you can even shoot a video.
Accessories: These phones are supported with microSD card along with an internal storage from 2-4GB. They come with 3.5 mm headphones and have a battery and charger along with them.
Huawei Ascend Y300: This mobile phone has 4inch display, 1GHz dual-core processor and runs Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean. It has display of 4inch with 800*800 resolutions. Powered by 1,700mAh battery and 5MP camera this phone is must buy. It measures 124mm long, 64mm wide.
Samsung Galaxy Fame: This mobile phone has 3.5-inch screen, 1GHz single-core processor and runs Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean. It has display of 3.5-inch screen with 320*480 resolutions. Powered by 1,300mAh battery and 5MP camera, this phone is one of the attractive phones by Samsung. It measures 113mm long and 62mm wide. This phone can support 6 hours of talk time.
LG Optimus L5 II: This mobile phone has 4inch display, 1GHz dual-core processor and runs Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean. It has display of 4inch with 800*800 resolutions. This phone is powered by 1,700mAh battery and 5MP camera with an LED flash. It measures 117mm long, 62mm wide and 9mm thick. It has a power button, volume rocker, Micro-USB port and 3.5mm headphone jack around the sides. L5 II comes with a tiny 4GB of built in storage.
Acer liquid Z2: This mobile phone has 3.5-inch display, 1GHz single-core processor and runs Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean. It has display of 3.5-inch with 320*480 resolutions. It has 3MP camera and it measures 124mm 110mm long and 61.5mm wide. The Acer Liquid Z2′s is a small, low-resolution screen and single-core processor phone.
Vodafone Smart 3: This mobile phone has 4inch display, 1GHz single-core processor and runs Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean. It has display of 4inch with 800*800 resolutions. This phone is powered by 1,500mAh battery and 5MP camera with LED flash.

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Wednesday 16 October 2013

Android Mini PC “Halo” Review by Redferret.net

androidminiquadcoretvpc
Redferret.net recently reviewed Android Mini PC and was impressed. With a title reading “Halo Android Mini Quad Core PC TV – yes, your TV is now more powerful than your phone, get over it…” you know it’s going to be good.
Nigel of redferret.com started off with going through the contents of the box and seemed to be satisfied writing:
The product comes in an attractively designed package, with the full range of bits and pieces you’d expect, including a competent user guide, an HDMI cable and a USB power block with charger cable. Gone are the days when you got a bare bones white box and a flimsy photocopied user manual.
halominipctv2
Then moving on the the “Halo” TV Box itself, the verdict was even better. Praising the box’s speed and versatility we read:
This is a crackingly fast unit, and really eats up the data processing, which you’d expect with the quad core 1.6GHz processor and quad core graphics processor cranking away. The device runs apps flawlessly, is great for surfing and for running high resolution video from video apps such as iPlayer or YouTube, and the games run brilliantly. The one thing with games of course, is the fact that you really need a games controller to play properly, because a keyboard and mouse, or trackpad, really can’t mimic a touchscreen well enough.
halominipctv8
If you are interested in the in depth video review, check out the video below! Summary



Redferret’s final conclusion:
This little box is actually a marvel of engineering, cramming a huge amount of very cool tech in a box around the size of a matchbox. The device copes excellently with just about everything you can throw at it, including games, browsing, media and movie playing and the works. The only main issue we had with it, and this seems to be common with most of these current Android dongles, is the camera, which we had problems getting to work. The resolution of the camera is also not yet as good as it could/should be, but we’re confident that these issues will be fixed fairly soon as the technology matures.
Overall it’s a great way to upgrade your old television to a new intelligent (smart?) TV, and let you access the growing amount of content which is being delivered via your Internet connection.
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What you should know about flexible displays (FAQ)

Samsung, LG, and others have been showing off flexible displays and even a prototype phone for years, but it’s only now that flexible displays are going commercial.
Samsung’s Galaxy Round raises a lot of questions about what a flexible display is and isn’t, what the word really means, and just what kinds of benefits a bendable display would bring to a smartphone or any other gadget.
flexible_screen1
  • What is a flexible display anyway?
When Samsung (or LG, or anyone) talks about a flexible display, they’re talking about the organic light-emitting diode, or OLED, layer — located beneath the cover glass — that’s now made using flexible materials (like plastic) rather than rigid glass.
  • How is the Samsung Galaxy Round different from the curved screen of the Galaxy Nexus?
The Samsung Galaxy Nexus (and Nexus S) boasted a slightly curved screen that was meant to more snugly hug your cheek. In this case, it was the glass top that contoured, not the OLED material below.
  • Does the Galaxy Round bend?
No. For the Galaxy Round, Samsung is using a 5.7-inch “full HD super flexible AMOLED” display, but that doesn’t mean it’s going to flex in your hands. The device is deeply curved, but the phone’s body is rigid and will not bend when you move it.
  • Then why do people keep saying it’s flexible?
Part of the confusion stems from the many definitions of what flexible means. Like we mentioned, the flexion can refer to just the OLED or LCD, to the glass, or even to both. Beyond that, there are many forms that a flexible display can take. In the case of the Galaxy Round, the display is conformable, meaning it’s not flat. “Contoured” is another word that’s often used.
Companies making such devices bend the display at some point, say vertically in the case of the Round, but then fix the whole caboodle in place. Another type of flexibility is “bendable.” Think of these sort of like credit cards. They flex a little bit, but don’t completely fold in half.
Then there’s a third category, foldable displays, which do just what you think. Finally, there are rollable displays, often called the holy grail of flexible displays. To picture this type, just think about a perhaps less extreme version of a scroll, or a Fruit Rollup, and you can see where the concept’s going.
  • Why would anyone want a flexible display anyhow? What are the benefits?
The benefits for a curved display like the Galaxy Round aren’t immediately clear.
However, there are some pretty significant benefits for displays that can flex. For one, they could be more durable (especially when you drop them), largely because they might use plastic, which has some give, instead of glass. Plastic also can make the devices thinner and lighter, and it can allow for products in different shapes beyond the standard rectangular screen.
Note that this may not always be the case. Even plastic can break if you stress it enough, and glass-makers are also designing flexible glass, but more on that below.
Still, the durability issues raises the question: Why not just make a regular phone with a plastic display? We’ll likely see that too, some experts say, but there are some things a flexible display can do that others can’t.
Imagine being able to fold up your phone or tablet and put it in your pocket, or unroll a screen to serve as a map. These could even be incorporated into clothing or jewelry or other items where the screen needs to have some give. The future potential for flexible displays is huge if hurdles are overcome, even though we may not yet know exactly what their uses will be.
  • What else is a flexible display good for?
Although we have yet to determine just how practical or even desirable a smartphone is that you can bend and twist, there are some good, practical uses for display technology that can be formed into S-curves and still respond to touch. Here’s one: a wraparound touch display that covers the band of a smartwatch or other wearable. And here’s another: an all-touch car dashboard that spills far beyond the confines of its usual 8-inch rectangular home.
Flexible displays — on both the inside and out — are going to be a hot topic in the months ahead. Whether gimmick or convenience, it’s going to be fun to watch what happens next.
read more at cnet

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Samsung_flexible_AMOLED_phone 

11 essential apps for webmasters when using the latest android phones.


11 essential apps for webmasters when using the latest android phones.

The latest Android phones are great all-around devices, especially when functionality and versatility come into the picture. The platform is so much more open for people to fiddle around with, especially on an unlocked Android phone where specialized apps can work best.
Webmasters will appreciate – this openness, especially when these cool Android phones apps come into the picture and they can manage hosting and service providers wherever they have internet access:
1. Webmaster’s HTML Editor Lite – a cool source code editor that works with HTML, PHP, JS and CSS. Scored 4.0 from more than 820 reviews and has been downloaded 100,000 to 500,000 times. Requires Android 1.6 and up to work properly.
2. Dividet HTML Editor Lite – a more expansive editor that works with HTML, HTML5, PHP, JS, CSS, XML and plain text. Scored 4.9 from 11 reviews and has seen 100 to 500 downloads. Needs Android 2.2 and up to work.
3. Dream Edit (Free) – uses a syntax highlighter to make PHP, HTML, JS, and CSS easier to work with. Has a paid version but the authors are not quite clear on the benefits of upgrading from free to pro. The free version scored 3.4 from more than 50 reviews and has seen 1,000 to 5,000 downloads. Needs Android 2.2 and up.
4. Unix Admin – excellent for webmasters looking to work with FTP, SFTP, FTPS, SSH, local FS, WebDAV, HTTP and HTTPS on various site hosting service provers. Scored 4.6 from nearly a hundred reviews with 1,000 to 5,000 downloads. Works on the best Android phones running on 2.2 and up.
5. V7N Webmaster Forum – need advice for marketing, development, SEO, blogging and finding a reliable service provider? This app is just what you’re looking for. Scored 5.0 from 3 reviews and has been downloaded 100 to 500 times. Works on cheap Android phones running version 1.5 and up.
6. WebmasterRadio.fm – an excellent podcast and radio network for business-to-business (B2B) purposes. Excellent source of ecommerce information on the latest Android phones. Scored 4.2 from nearly a dozen reviews and has seen 500 to 1,000 downloads. Needs Android 2.2 and up to work properly.
7. Stack Search – this is an excellent resource for those that are still finding their way around managed and hosting websites. It helps with queries related to a variety of subjects, from web applications to role-playing games. Scored 4.6 from more than two dozen reviews and has seen 5,000 to 10,000 downloads. Works on old and new Android phones running on 1.6 and up.
8. Domainer Tools – basic whois app that works with domain names and IP addresses. Scored 3.8 from 4 reviews and has been downloaded 100 to 500 times. Works on Android 2.2 and up.
9. DNS Lookup and Whois – a more expansive app for quickly tagging the aforementioned Internet access details of a particular site. Scored 3.3 from nearly two dozen reviews with 5,000 to 10,000 downloads. Needs Android 2.2 and up to work.
10. Servers Monitor – a useful app for checking server ping, ports and customized information on the latest Android phones. Scored 3.6 from more than two dozen reviews and has been downloaded 1,000 to 5,000 times. Needs Android 2.1 and up to work properly.
11. FTP Server – this aptly named app turns the best Android phones into mobile access points where you can manipulate files and folders on your PC. Scored 4.5 from 675 reviews with 100,000 to 500,000 downloads. Needs Android 2.1 and up.
Keep these apps in mind and you’ll turn your latest Android phones into mobile productivity platforms that let you do so much more even when you’re away from your computer!


Read more: http://computersight.com/computers/11-must-have-apps-for-webmasters-using-the-latest-android-phones/#ixzz2hxFikZ8k



The Story Behind The Android Logo

The well known Android mascot is called Bugdroid. But it is not the original, very first Android mascot. Dan Morrill, head of developer relations for the platform, had to present a slide for the internal developer launch of Android. As a last-minute solution, he started to draw a mascot with Inkscape software, and the mascot called Dandroid was born.
The Dandroids experienced a period of popularity around Google’s offices, but shortly thereafter, Irina Blok came through with her brilliant Bugdroid design that has become the face of the operating system. Irina Block is a is a professional designer, art director.
Here are some pics about Dandroid and the first versions of the famous Bugdroid.
dandroid1dandroid2 android_exploration1
Irina Blok may have drawn one of the most recognized logos in the world, but her association with the green Android has not made her famous. Blok can think of only one incident when she garnered the public’s attention for designing it. In 2010, she and her 6-year-old daughter were in a movie theater waiting for “Alice in Wonderland” to begin when an Android logo flashed on the screen. Her daughter, Blok recalls, suddenly stood up and yelled, “My mommy invented that!” Everyone in the row in front of them turned around to stare. Blok was so embarrassed, she says, that she sank down behind her tub of popcorn.
The Bugdroid logo was bor, when Blok worked as a designer at Google. As Google prepared to endorse the Android software platform for mobile devices, Blok and her design-team colleagues were told to create a look for the software — something that consumers could easily identify. The logo, she was told, should involve a robot, and so she studied sci-fi toys and space movies — anything that might help her create a character. In the end, she took inspiration from a distinctly human source: the pictograms of the universal man and woman that often appear on restroom doors. She drew a stripped-down robot with a tin-can-shaped torso and antennas on his head.
While Blok worked on her design, she and her colleagues agreed that the logo, like the software, should be open-sourced. “We decided it would be a collaborative logo that everybody in the world could customize,” she says. “That was pretty daring.” Most companies, of course, defend their trademark from copycats, and million-dollar lawsuits have been filed over the rights to corporate insignia. This one would remain free.
In the years since, the Android logo has been dressed up as a ninja, given skis and skateboards and even transformed into a limited-edition Kit-Kat bar. Blok (who is now creative director at Edmodo, a social network for students and teachers) says that creating the logo was like raising a child: “You give a life to this individual, and then they have a life of their own.”
via The New York Times | Android Community

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Monday 14 October 2013

New Android Phones Apps: 5 Top Free Baby Monitors On Play

Many new Android phones have advanced voice recognition capabilities – a feature that is immensely useful for baby monitor apps that are designed to alert you whenever your baby starts crying out for you. If you are undecided on what app to install on your new Android mobiles, then this selection ought to help you define what you need and want from your baby monitoring apps:
Android apps
1.Baby Alarm – the aptly titled Baby Alarm will allow old Android phones as set to double as baby monitors; alerting you via phone calls, SMS messages, emails or MSN messages. It also has a few nifty features like playing soothing lullabies when your baby makes sounds or automatic restarts after the alarm is triggered. These advanced features will be restricted after a few weeks and will prompt you to upgrade to the paid version if you still want to use them. Has seen 10,000 to 50,000 downloads with varying app versions to match different versions of Android.
2.Babyphone Mobile: Baby Monitor – this app is great for new Android phones coming out as it uses the Internet to connect two Android phones to a dedicated baby monitor device – even one with a digital camera installed in it. Bring the best Android phones you have with you as the receivers and keep older Android phones as the receiver. The trouble with this app, however, is that it requires recurring fees of 0.99 Euros for 15 days all the way up to 15 Euros for 365 days. A trial version exists to let you check whether the app is for you or not. Downloaded 50,000 to 100,000 times and requires Android 2.2 and up to work.
3.Nanny (Free) – the free version of this baby monitor app is a pretty reliable app that works with current and future Android phones. It will automatically call you when your baby starts crying, and sends you SMS messages when the battery of the monitoring phone starts to go low. The paid version allows for two-way calls and alerts you via SMS when someone calls the phone you are using as a baby monitor. Has been downloaded 100,000 to 500,000 times and works on devices running Android 1.5 or higher.
4.BabyMonitor (by SmartDyne) – this app keeps everything simple by using old Android phones you keep near your baby to call the next Android phones you carry around with you. This version is completely free of ads or charges but requires an Android phone that has an auto-answer feature. Pick this one if you just want a no-nonsense app to alert you when your baby starts crying. Has seen 10,000 to 50,000 downloads and works on the best Android phones running 2.1 and up.
5.Baby Monitor (by Bullfinch Software) – the free version is a pretty advanced baby monitor app – with features like alert options via SMS or phone call, voice playback when your baby cries and two-way communications when you want to communicate directly with your baby. Its paid version lets you use the digital camera of new Android phones to remotely keep track of your child via the Internet. This is what really sets it apart from other baby monitoring apps. Baby Monitor has seen 10,000 to 50,000 downloads and requires Android 2.2 and up to work properly.

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Tuesday 8 October 2013

Skype improvements bring better battery life, synchronized chats

Skype has announced a new architectural update with an intent to improve the popular messaging and video call platform in a world with more connected mobile devices.
Sharing some details about the changes in a blog post, Skype’s Mark Gillet mentions that Skype is now using the cloud to assist clients in delivering chat messages and connecting calls, marking a shift from the p2p nature of the service where a major amount of processing was done on the user’s device.
Skype Windows Messenger merger-578-80
Gillet calls the move to Skype cloud the service’s biggest architectural change in 10 years and says that new technologies are helping the company to promote improved battery life and improved connections.
“Skype clients continue to evaluate bandwidth, connectivity and firewall settings to select the most appropriate path for the call and continue to connect devices for P2P calls across the Internet so that users get audio and video connections that ‘just work” he states.
Skype also credits the cloud for enhancing the performance and quality of its core messaging experience. It talks about the ability to receive messages offline and pushing notifications to the Windows Phone 8 mobile client even when the Skype app is not running, and says that the feature will soon be extended to other Skype mobile clients.

via ndtv.com

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LG has a curved battery to complement its curved smartphone display

Last week it was rumored, and this week it has been confirmed that LG is manufacturing a 6-inch curved display using plastic substrates for use in a smartphone.
lgchem_curvedbattery-590x330
The jury is still out on the benefits on using a curved display in a handset, but the proof will inevitably come from actually using one. However, a curved display does pose some problems for manufacturers because other components aren’t curved. For example, how do you place a large, flat battery in a curved handset?
LG is answering that question by not using the standard rechargeable batteries found in all modern smartphones today. While the company’s display division (LG Display) has been perfecting this new, curved display, LG’s battery division (LG Chem) has been perfecting a curved battery to go along with it. And that battery is already being mass produced.
LG filed a patent for its curved battery back in August 2012 and it was subsequently published in May of this year. The patent describes a layered battery that is enclosed in a flexible pouch. The battery can be formed into a curve shape at point of manufacture by applying pressure to it using curved plates at a temperature of 85 degrees Celsius.
via Geek.com

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How to check email without internet?

Nowadays, more and more people choose Gmail as their primary email account. But how to better use Gmail when computer, cell phone or table is out of internet. Here we introduce an app named offline Google mail which can help you deal with mails without internet.
Offline Google Mail is a free Gmail app which supports offline access on Chrome browser. It can read, reply, search and archive on your Gmail without network access. Furthermore, Google has updated it for mobile web, Android, iOS, Blackberry and Kindle fires devices, so you can install it on your mobile devices. Today, we’re going to show you how to use it on Chrome browser and what features it has.
”offline
Following these simple steps; you will learn how to use Gmail without internet access. (Steps only for the Chrome search engine)
First, open Chrome web browser and go to Chrome app store. Search “Offline Google Mail” and install it.
offline google mail
After installing the app, you can access Gmail in the offline mode. Usually it will pop out a small window asking if you want to use offline mode, click ‘Allow’, it will save your Gmail data/information and sync to the computer. It’s dangerous if you use it on the public or shared computer. So reconsider before you accessing your Gmail account.
”offline
When the offline mail is ready, you should see a simple inbox with the mail headers on the left side and content on the right. On the top left side, a search bar lets you find what you want. Before you start using it, I suggest you click “Time setting” which is on the top right side to choose a period of time you want to save your mails.
”offline
Back to the mail interface, you can do anything you would normally do like Reply, All Reply, Save, Delete, Forward, Move, Label, Ignore, Spam, Print and Mark as unread. There is a menu button on the top right side, click it to take you to Gmail organization feature. It has everything similar with online Gmail inbox and any personal folders that you’ve created before.
You can try to pull the internet plug and start composing and replying mails. When you entering email address, there are type-ahead suggestions email addresses for you to choose. Misspelling can be point out with the red squiggly underlines on the mail body so you can select a correction from a right-click context menu.
If you are not ready to send out, you can just click save button. After you finish your writing, you can attach a file. The mails will be sent out automatically after you plug back the PC internet cable and also you can find the unfinished mails in draft box.
If you want to log out or sign into another account, you can hit the button at the bottom left side.
”offline
With Google drive, Google tasks have been brought to our PC, it will really make the new class of computers useful offline. And all those apps can be used with our mobile phone with different OS, it is really good and convenient when we are in a no-WiFi area. For those who like to use Firefox Brower, offline Google mail can’t access at the moment. We recommend you to view your Gmail in other mail apps, such as, Thunderbird, Outlook, Apple Mail or Windows Live Mail.
”offline
 
 

Tuesday 1 October 2013

ElectroShopWorld's Choice: “Ceros Motion” – 7 Inch Android 4.2 Phone Tablet, 1.2GHz Quad Core Processor, 1280×800 HD IPS Display, HDMI Port (White)

Introducing the “Ceros Motion”, a 7 Inch Phone Tablet which boasts a 1.2GHz Quad Core CPU, a HD 1280×800 IPS Screen, Android 4.2 and an HDMI Port among plenty of other great specs. This 7 Inch hybrid phone tablet combines the immersive media experience of a tablet with the portability and connectivity of a Smartphone into one portable phablet.


 
Key Features
7 Inch HD IPS Screen – As a Tablet and Phone in one, the “Ceros Motion” boast a brilliant HD display.
Android 4.2 – Smoother, Fast, Better. Android is the OS of Choice for the “Ceros Motion”
1.2GHz Quad Core CPU – As one of the fastest CPU’s on the market, this 1.2GHz Quad Core CPU is sure to handle all your apps without breaking a sweat.
HDMI Port – Quickly hook up the Phablet to your TV and display your multimedia in your living room.
Phone and 3G Functions- Combining the mobility of a Smartphone with the immersive media experience of a tablet, this Phablet lets you make phone calls and surf the web over 3G.

ElectroShopWorld's Choice: “Ceros Motion” – 7 Inch HD IPS Phone Tablet, 1.2GHz Quad Core CPU, 1280×800 Resolution, Android 4.2, HDMI Port (Black)

 
Introducing the “Ceros Motion”, a 7 Inch Phablet boasting a 1.2GHz Quad Core CPU, an HD IPS screen with a 1280×800 resolution, Android 4.2 and an HDMI Port. Designing life-changing products, Ceros aims to bring mobile technology to a broad audience at an affordable price while keeping the quality of the product high. Developed around the idea that technology should facilitate the user to stay mobile, the “Motion” is a true game changer.


 
Key Features
7 Inch HD IPS Screen – The “Ceros Motion” combines the portability and connectivity of a Smartphone with the immersive media experience of a Tablet PC.
Android 4.2 – Be mobile and stay mobile. As a true world class operation system you will have access to an amazing collection of over 700.000 apps in the Google Play store.
1.2GHz Quad Core CPU – The “Ceros Motion” is a true powerhouse of a Phablet. Bring your apps, video and multimedia to life and experience ultra smooth navigation like never before.
HDMI Port – Connect the Phablet to your TV for extra large screen displaying of your media.
Phone and 3G Functions- Make phone calls, surf the web over 3G and more while enjoying the benefits of an ultra large screen.

Windows 8: New Keyboard Shortcuts

With Windows 8 and Windows RT, you can use the keyboard shortcuts you’re already using, and you’ll find new ones too. For example, the easiest way to search on the Start screen is to simply start typing. Not on the Start screen? Press the Windows logo key? Windows logo key and you can quickly switch between Start and the app you’re in.
If you’re not familiar with keyboard shortcuts—or you’d like to see a list of shortcuts in one place—see the bigger list of keyboard shortcuts.
Here are some of the most useful keyboard shortcuts for Windows.

Press thisTo do this
Windows logo key? Windows logo key+start typing
Search your PC
Ctrl+plus (+) or Ctrl+minus (-)
Zoom in or out of a large number of items, like apps pinned to the Start screen
Ctrl+scroll wheel
Zoom in or out of a large number of items, like apps pinned to the Start screen
Windows logo key? Windows logo key+C
Open the charms
Windows logo key? Windows logo key+F
Open the Search charm to search files
Windows logo key? Windows logo key+H
Open the Share charm
Windows logo key? Windows logo key+I
Open the Settings charm
Windows logo key? Windows logo key+J
Switch the main app and snapped app
Windows logo key? Windows logo key+K
Open the Devices charm
Windows logo key? Windows logo key+O
Lock the screen orientation (portrait or landscape)
Windows logo key? Windows logo key+Q
Open the Search charm to search apps
Windows logo key? Windows logo key+W
Open the Search charm to search settings
Windows logo key? Windows logo key+Z
Show the commands available in the app
Windows logo key? Windows logo key+spacebar
Switch input language and keyboard layout
Windows logo key? Windows logo key+Ctrl+spacebar
Change to a previously selected input
Windows logo key? Windows logo key+Tab
Cycle through open apps (except desktop apps)
Windows logo key? Windows logo key+Ctrl+Tab
Cycle through open apps (except desktop apps) and snap them as they are cycled
Windows logo key? Windows logo key+Shift+Tab
Cycle through open apps (except desktop apps) in reverse order
Windows logo key? Windows logo key+PgUp
Move the Start screen and apps to the monitor on the left (Apps in the desktop won’t change monitors)
Windows logo key? Windows logo key+PgDown
Move the Start screen and apps to the monitor on the right (apps in the desktop won’t change monitors)
Windows logo key? Windows logo key+Shift+period (.)
Snaps an app to the left
Windows logo key? Windows logo key+period (.)
Snaps an app to the right


You can find out more about the Start charm, the Search charm, and app commands so you can move around Windows 8and Windows RT quickly.

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