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 Apple’s alleged roadmap for 2014 includes a 4.7” iPhone first and then another, 5.5-inch, phablet-sized iPhone coming later in the year.A brand new iWatch is also expected to arrive in 2 different sizes, and all of that insight is coming from KGI Securities analyst Ming Chi Kuo, a person with mostly good track record in regards to Apple. A disclaimer to all this is due, though. Keep in mind that 'good track record' does not mean perfect, and Kuo has also erred in the past, so keep a healthy grain of salt about all this - let's not forget that we have nothing but rumors at the moment. With this in mind, it's clear that new iPhones and iWatch are far from everything that Apple has up its sleeve in 2014. An iPad refresh is coming up, as well as a new, lower-cost iMac, an Apple TV upgrade, and a 12” ‘ultra-slim’ MacBook and MacBook Pro. In a research note to clients, Kuo not just mentions the allegedly upcoming products, but he also maps the launches, revealing that the new 4.7” iPhone, the iWatch and the iPad refresh should happen at the end of the third quarter, while the phablet-sized, 5.5” iPhone is expected to arrive right in the midst of the Holiday shopping season, around the end of Q4. What will those upcoming product look like? SOURCE: PhoneArena |
Friday, 11 April 2014
4.7' iPhone first, 5.5' iPhone later and iWatch in two sizes
Thursday, 10 April 2014
ZIPA attracts over $3.2bn projects, wants spice wealth fully tapped
Wed Apr 09, 2014 |
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 The Zanzibar Investment Promotion Authority (ZIPA) has so far attracted 519 projects in different sectors with a proposed capital of USD3.2bn.But the investment promotion agency feels that little has been done by local and foreign investors to tap the potentials of the Isles unique economy—spices--by adding value. ZIPA Executive Director Salum Nassor made the appeal recently in London during his presentation at the Tanzania-UK Trade and Investment Summit, 2014 which attracted more than 150 British investors. Known as ‘the Spice Islands’, Zanzibar is renowned for its exports of quality exotic home-grown spices to the world market. The spice sector offers great potential for expansion and creation of forward linkages through value addition, he said, adding that Zanzibar has variety of traditional spices including cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, black pepper and chillies. “There are many untapped opportunities especially on traditional spices, investors can inject money in value addition and processing products such as perfumes, perfumed soap, medication and food processing items. Nassor said that investors in Zanzibar are protected both constitutionally and through international conventions such as the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) and International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). Others are Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property (CPIP) and the Convention on Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitration Award (CREFAA) According to him, there are also investment potentials in construction of modern commercial port at Mpigaduri area. He said such investments are done under concessional arrangements between the investor and the government. Tourism is the leading sector, representing more than 64 percent of total investment projects. The other sectors are fisheries, manufacturing, construction, electric power, gas, water supply, transport, communication, real estate, education, tour operations, health and social work. According to ZIPA, currently the leading investors in Zanzibar with their percentages in brackets are Kenya (44), UK (19), United Arab Emirates (9), South Africa (7), Swiss (3), Italy (9), Mauritius (3), Poland (3), the Netherlands (2) and Belgium (2). SOURCE: IPPMEDIA |
Exim Bank hits 20bn/- profit mark
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 EXIM Bank Group, with operations in Tanzania, the Comoros and Djibouti has hit 20bn/- profit mark, the firm’s audited financial results for the year ended December 31, 2013 shows. The results released recently reflect 21 per cent increase in profit from 16.5bn/- reported in 2012. The bank’s balance sheet grew by 18 per cent from 967bn/- to cross a 1tri/- mark, after hitting 1.14tri/-, as the country’s fifth largest bank in Tanzania. Customer deposits grew modestly by 11 per cent from 723bn/- to 804bn/- following a strategic decision to focus on low cost deposits. Loan and advances portfolio recorded a growth of 23 per cent from 455bn/- to 559bn/-, with disbursements well diversified to all sectors of the economy. Further, the increase in value of investments available for sale and business profit resulted to a significant growth of the shareholders’ fund by 43 per cent from 109.4bn/- to 157bn/-. The Exim Bank Chief Finance Officer, Mr Selemani Ponda, said the impressive results and the on-going performance improvement demonstrated potential growth of the Bank. “Last year we aggressively implemented growth strategies through mobilisation of low cost deposits and operational efficiency that ensured customer satisfaction,” said the CFO. He added, “As a result of these strategies, fee-based income recorded a significant growth of 33 per cent from 22.8bn/- last year to 30.4bn/-.” The International Business demonstrated marked improvement with a strong performance of 26 per cent pretax profit growth year on year of Exim Bank Comoros to 3bn/-, thus contributing 15 per cent to the Group profit. The other subsidiary, Exim Bank Djibouti which was opened late 2011 showed improved business performance and expects to break-even this year. During the year, net interest income grew by 1 per cent from 45bn/- 45.4bn/-. Foreign exchange income posted a significant growth at 73 per cent from 4bn/- to 6.9bn/-, while other fees and commission recorded an increase of 24 per cent from 17.7bn/- to 22bn/-. “We are excited with this trend in our performance reflecting growth in all our business segments. Our total operating income increased by 12 per cent from 67.7bn/- to 75.8bn/-,” said Mr Ponda. As the result of recovery efforts and continued monitoring, the quality of the loan book significant improved during the year, where gross Non-performing assets to total gross loan ratio dropped from 14 per cent to 9 per cent. As it aspires to offer international standards banking services, the bank scooped overall winner of top customer focused banks in Tanzania out of about 52 banks operating in Tanzania. The training centre- ’Exim Academy’ got ISO certification in an endeavour to manage talents as well as part of staff retention strategy. EXIM Bank (Tanzania) Limited was established in 1997 and expanded its market by opening subsidiaries in Comoro (2007) and Djibouti (2010), hence become the first local bank to go offshore. SOURCE: DAILY NEWS |
The Xperia Z2 has liquid heat-pipe cooling technology
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 A DigiTimes report revealed that Sony is the second smartphone vendor to adopt liquid heat-pipe cooling technology for its products, namely the Xperia Z2.The first company to move on from the mainstream graphite carbon fiber solution used for heat dissipation was Japan's NEC, with its MediaS X06E Snapdragon 600-powered smartphone. Around that time, Samsung and Lenovo were also looking up the technology together with Taiwan-based thermal module makers. While specialized heat pipes for smartphones are already available for mass production, the two technological giants decided against adopting them for the time being. Compared to PC and laptop heat-pipes, which range from 0.003 inches (0.8mm) to 0.08 inches (2mm) in diameter, smartphone pipes measure only 0.02 inches (0.6mm). They are said to have better heat-dissipation effects than graphite carbon fiber sheets. Although cooling technology doesn't seem to be an obstacle for device performance right now, heat pipes could become common in next year's flagship models. It goes without saying that, as chipsets and basebands grow increasingly powerful, they will be emitting larger amounts of heat. The Sony Xperia Z2 was delayed until June in Hong Kong and other markets. Meanwhile, it is speculated that Verizon will launch the smartphone in the US as an exclusive in the second half of 2014. Over at the UK, it seems the new Xperia flagship won't be coming in May, as previously reported. Allegedly, it's not the heat-pipes, but a shortage of specific parts that contributed to the postponement. The smartphone was revealed at this year's MWC in Barcelona, and was supposed to arrive on time to spar with Samsung and HTC's new contenders. Ironically enough, it's possible that overheating and build problems with the Xperia Z2 have contributed to its delayed release in broader markets. Users in Singapore, where the smartphone has been selling for about a week, reported that the Z2 is overheating while recording 4K-video, to an extent where the camera app gets shut down. In addition, owners have found a small gap between the phone's display and body, which could compromise the phone's waterproofing. Both issues are being investigated by Sony at the moment. SOURCE: PhoneArena |
Adobe Announces Lightroom Mobile For iPad & iPhone
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 Adobe has announced that it is bringing Lightroom to mobile devices, starting with the iPad and then later to the iPhone.Just like the desktop version, the Lightroom app will enable you to work with RAW photos, as well as smartphone images, so that you can make the most of your photos and give them a professional finish. However, if you want to take advantage of Adobe’s new service, you will have to subscribe to Creative Cloud. Users have been asking Adobe for a mobile app for some time, so what can they expect to get? Well first of all it automatically syncs with Lightroom 5 on the desktop. It works with pretty much every image format, imports photos direct from your iOS device camera roll and comes with a built-in slideshow feature. Once you are happy with your beautifully edited images, you can then upload them to your favourite social network through the app’s sharing option feature. Lightroom mobile has been given a new interface so that it works well on an Apple device screen. The image takes up the majority of the display, with the sliders and touch-optimized controls filling the rest of the space. All the tools you need to edit your image are here, so you can adjust the exposure, colour and tone, just like in the desktop version. As mentioned earlier, you are required to be a Creative Cloud member and you have four options to choose from:
SOURCE: TechBeat |
Twitter's new profile design kinda looks like Facebook
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 Twitter's forever tweaking its service with new features and visual touch-ups, and today its revealed a fresh redesign for web profiles that makes imagery ever more prominent.We actually saw much of what's new teased on Twitter's test channels a couple of months ago, including the larger, G+-like header photo and bigger, Facebook-esque profile pictures. There are several changes to how tweets appear on your user page, too . You can pin a tweet, forum-style, to the top of your ramblings as a sort of extension to your bio, which is less visible under the left-aligned profile pic setup. Furthermore, your 'best tweets,' defined by how much other users have interacted with it, will be enlarged to draw attention to them. Also, when you're scanning the profile pages of others, you can now filter out tweets that don't contain any visual media, or those that don't have replies. New accounts get the redesign straight away, and all others will see their profile pages change in 'the coming weeks.' SOURCE: Engadget |
Samsung's suppliers getting ready to build parts for 2K tablets
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 A report published on Wednesday, says that Samsung's suppliers are getting ready to build parts for tablets with 2K resolution screens.Coming from industry sources, the report adds that the slates are expected to be 10 inches in size, and should be launched later in the year. Most of the components for the tablets are coming from suppliers inside China. Those familiar with Samsung's plans, say that the Korean based manufacturer is turning to Chinese suppliers in an effort to cut costs. Besides making components for 2K slates, these companies are also working on new low-cost parts for manufacturers working on handsets sporting 2K resolution displays. As 2014 progresses, we should see more flagship phones shipped with screens offering resolution of 1440 x 2560. There already have been models introduced with QHD glass, such as the Oppo Find 7. There is speculation that the LG G3 and Samsung Galaxy Note 4, among others, will be released with a 2K resolution display. SOURCE: PhoneArena |
Sprint confirms April 11th release date for the Samsung Galaxy S5; pre-orders start today
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 The nation's third largest carrier, Sprint, is starting today to accept pre-orders for the Samsung Galaxy S5.After a $50 mail-in rebate and a signed two-year contract, the Galaxy S5 will set you back $199.99. The price of the device sans contract is $649 and those using Sprint Easy Pay will be asked to cough up $27.09 monthly for 24 months. The Samsung Galaxy S5 does support Sprint's tri-band Sprint Spark network, which currently offers download speeds as fast as 60Mbps. The phone will be released April 11th, says Sprint, and is available in Charcoal Black and Shimmery White. For those who banded together with 9 complete strangers, or family or friends to create a Framily plan account, the mobile operator will toss in a free Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 7.0 tablet. To get the tablet, you will need a data plan for it and you will be asked to affix your signature on a two-year pact. 'Samsung Galaxy S 5 is exactly the type of device Sprint Spark and Sprint Framily were designed for. Galaxy S 5 customers will be able to do more than ever with their smartphone, and they will appreciate the ability to use all three bands of 4G LTE wireless network spectrum available on the Sprint network for an enhanced LTE experience and won’t want to wait for a slow network to catch up while they’re enjoying the incredible features of this exciting device.'-David Owens, vice president of Product, Sprint Matching the other carriers offering the devices, Sprint is also accepting pre-orders for the Samsung Gear 2 ($299.99) and Samsung Gear 2 Neo ($199.99) smartwatches, both powered by Tizen. And for $199.99, you can reserve a Samsung Gear Fit health tracking wrist band. SOURCE: PhoneArena |
HTC One (2013) gets run over by a forklift, what do you think happens?
A Reddit user met the misfortune of having his 2013 HTC One ran over by a forklift. Fortunately, the One and its machined aluminum armor are notoriously tough, and got through the perilous situation with only a shattered display and some dents and scratches.
Assuming its owner has had the smartphone for less than six months, he's eligible for a free one-time screen replacement via HTC's Advantage program. And, while the dents are unapologetically ugly, they are battle scars - the One will be wearing them with pride and showing them to the ladies.
Meanwhile, we're not so sure the poor forklift got away intact after it jumped the HTC One. Good thing that it wasn't its bigger, bulkier brother, the HTC One (M8), or that tough-guy forklift would have been destroyed!
SOURCE: PhoneArena
Wednesday, 9 April 2014
Microsoft boasts 12M Office for iPad downloads in one week
| 2M Office for iPad downloads in one week Sat Apr 05, 2014 |
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 In the one week that Microsoft's Office for iPad has been on the loose, more than 12 million people have downloaded the productivity suite, the company says.Microsoft announced the numbers via a tweet that said, 'More than 12 million downloads of Word, Excel, PPT & OneNote for #iPad from the @AppStore <3 #OfficeforiPad.' The tech giant unveiled its Office apps for Apple's iPad tablet last week. The apps are a set of tools for managing and creating documents. In unveiling Office for iPad, Microsoft has taken a calculated risk with hopes that iPad users will forgo free alternatives such as Google Docs and Apple's iWorks software. Under Microsoft's 'freemium' approach, the applications are free to download, so a user can view a document or presentation without needing a paid subscription. However, Microsoft does require a $10 monthly subscription to Office 365 before users can edit or create a document. The iPad apps -- Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote -- are available for download from the App Store for no charge. Though 12 million downloads is certainly a lot, Microsoft didn't divulge how many new subscribers it's gotten for Office 365. 'We talked about Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote for iPad having more than 12 million downloads. We're extremely pleased with the Office for iPad interest we've seen from consumers and business alike,' a Microsoft spokesperson told CNET. 'We have no additional details to share.' SOURCE: CNET |
Microsoft flips 12-year girl from wanting an Apple iPad to buying a Microsoft Surface 2
Mon Mar 24, 2014 |
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 Here is an interesting little story. A 12-year old girl recently put together a presentation showing the reasons why she should buy an Apple iPad.Her father tweeted the Microsoft Surface team and Samsung asking both to rebut his daughter's iPad presentation. Microsoft responded with a video that convinced the girl to switch from favoring an iPad to buying a Microsoft Surface 2. Not only do we have the original presentation that the 12-year old made for the iPad, we have Microsoft's response and the video showing the moment when she picked up her new tablet. You can see it all below. Kudos to Microsoft for taking the time to get involved in what was the sale of one tablet. But not only has the company probably won a customer for life, once this story gets around, Microsoft probably will win over a number of new customers for its Surface 2 slate. SOURCE: PhoneArena |
New details about iOS 8 surface following WWDC announcement
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 We have to commend Apple for being able to maintain such a diligent update schedule for iOS.Each year, we learn about some of the neat new features to come, then we see them put into action with a new device a few months later. It is a proven recipe and from the looks of things, we will not see the Cupertino clan change that approach at WWDC in June. Now that we know WWDC will be held June 2-6, we are seeing reports that detail what iOS 8 will have in store for consumers and how Apple will drive developers to expand the ecosystem for the iPhone, iPad and beyond. Codename: Okemo Regarding iOS 8 specifically, we have learned that it has been codenamed “Okemo,” which as far as we can tell, was borrowed from a popular ski resort in Vermont. Visually speaking, iOS 8 will not depart from Jony Ive’s design motif. Functionally, iOS 8 will add a host of health and fitness related features to the experience. In addition to the health parts, Apple Maps will apparently also reach parity with solutions offered by Google and Microsoft (Nokia). That will be something most interesting to observe since Apple Maps seems to have been in a perpetual beta stage since taking the helm a couple years ago. Healthbook From a fitness and health perspective, there will be a “healthbook,” which leaked last month. It will track nearly everything related to your personal physical condition. From aggregating personal health data, like blood work to blood sugar levels, to fitness activity, gathered by apps and accessories, the health book will be about the closest you can get to carrying around your medical file with you, without the stacks of paper. The healthbook will also include emergency card data, which will provide important basic information to first responders, age, weight, medications, blood type, or even if you happen to be an organ donor. Apple Maps Apple Maps will retain the familiar user interface, but underneath a monumental overhaul has taken place which should improve basic mapping data, and obviously better clarity to imagery. Location data will be improved and augmented by better cartography data, and clearer labeling for points of interest, bus stops, airports and train stations. One new feature that is expected to be added is public transit directions, something that Google and Nokia have had for years. What is notable about that is this was previously stated by Apple as something the company would leave to third-party developers. Of course, that was something outlined by Scott Forstall in 2012, and as we all know, he no longer works at Apple. iTunes Radio, Voice-over-LTE Other tidbits we are learning about iOS 8 involve the possibility of breaking iTunes Radio into its own app in an effort to push better promotion and growth of the service. Though, given it has only been available for six or seven months, iTunes Radio has made a respectable showing. Voice-over-LTE (VoLTE) will also be supported in iOS 8 which should be intriguing. The challenge then will be if carriers support the feature later this year. T-Mobile does in select markets (thanks to MetroPCS), but the rest of the carrier gang is still testing things. Messaging and Notification Center Messaging in iOS 8 may also offer the ability for the user to select messages to be deleted automatically after a certain period of time. Users should be able select if messages are deleted after a month, or perhaps a year. The feature can also be disabled for those that never delete their messages, but it will prove handy for those who may have storage problems. The Notification Center will be simplified a little, removing the “Today,” “All,” and “Missed” tabs and combining or streamlining how they are presented. Apple may implement features that incorporate more notifications, but that is not yet confirmed. Of course, Apple will be implementing iOS 8 to be a faster performer and reportedly the focus is on making the camera on newer generation hardware even faster. Enhanced text editing and game developer tools should also be in the mix for iOS 8, not to mention updates to the flagship Apple OS X 10.10 for the MacBook, iMac, and Mac Pro. All-in-all, a solid list of things to look forward to at WWDC 2014. Now, we will just sit back and watch the rumor mills go crazy with anticipated hardware specifications for the next iPhone. SOURCE: PhoneArena |
HTC One (M8): all you need to know
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 HTC’s new flagship smartphone features a number of hardware and software improvements. For example, there's the much-talked-about “Duo” camera (it sports two cameras on its back).It also comes with a 5' display, ann upgraded processor and a more intense metal finish. Moreover, HTC has added a fresh layer of polish to its Sense user interface, while it has introduced expandable storage with a microSD card slot, and - best of all - it’s putting the device on online store shelves through many major carriers right away! Battery Life Believe it or not, the new HTC One (M8), with its 2600 mAh battery, tops the mighty LG G2 marathon runner, and its 3000 mAh unit, in our battery test. As you can see below, the One (M8) lasted 7 hours and 12 minutes of screen-on time in our grueling test load, while the G2 scored 6 hours and 48 minutes. In fact, crossing the 7-hour mark on our battery test typically signifies entering the phablet endurance realm, as those big-screen handsets usually have place inside for much larger than the average batteries. We can only say kudos to HTC for this spectacular achievement, which is bringing us a 5-inch handset that is only outlasted by giant phablets like the HTC One max, or the Oppo N1. The HTC One (M8) also flaunts an extreme power-saving mode, that lets it last about 30 hours on standby, even with 10% battery capacity left. What are the other key features of the new HTC One? 1. “Duo” rear camera The all new HTC One is the first smartphone coming with two cameras on its back (that are not there just for 3D image capturing!). The main camera is below, and it’s an UltraPixel (4-megapixel) camera with wide, f/2.0 aperture. This camera is capable of firing images extremely quickly, as it takes it only 0.3 seconds to focus. 2. ’Duo’ camera effects: After-shot image focus selection The biggest highlight of the ‘Duo’ camera is clearly the UFocus effect, a function that allows you to selectively adjust the focus in an image after it’s captured. Note that not all images are suitable for such editing. 3. ’Duo’ camera effects: ‘bokeh’, overlays, and more The new HTC One’s camera can also add a shallow depth of field (bokeh) effect to images, blurring the backgrounds to portraits and other suitable shots. There are plentiful other editing options as well - one can add seasonal adorments like falling leaves, or snowflakes to images. 4. Even louder front speakers: HTC BoomSound HTC brought a small revolution to smartphone audio with its BoomSound speakers in the 2013 HTC One, and this year it is doubling down on its effort. The new One comes with the same front-facing dual speakers, but now, they are 25% louder, delivering even richer and cleaner sound, as per HTC. 5. More intense metal finish There is metal, and then there is even more intense metal. HTC has improved on the aluminum unibody design of the original One, and in the new One (M8) the body extends to the front, wrapping up the whole screen. It’s also indeed a ‘more intense’ metal construction, featuring 90% metal component against 70% on last year’s model (last year's model came with plastic on the sides, while on the new one, metal extends all the way up to the front). 6. Cutting edge hardware: latest Snapdragon 801 quad-core chip inside The new HTC One is coming with the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 system chip, which runs at a blazing fast 2.3GHz. The chip is, of course, capable of running the latest games, and it’s roughly on par with other top-shelf offerings from companies like Samsung and Sony. 7. Comes with expandable memory - up to 128GB microSD cards supported Last year’s HTC One came with an excellent unibody aluminum design, but that brought forth a compromise - it did not feature expandable storage. HTC is now fixing that by adding a microSD card slot that supports up to 128GB of storage cards. 8. Features all new HTC Sense 6.0 with motion gestures The new HTC One is powered by a refreshed version of HTC Sense. The new version is 6.0 and it comes with flatter looks, but most notably - with motion gestures. You can now double tap on the screen to wake up the phone, and other timesavers include the option to hold down the volume button in landscape mode while the phone is locked to gain quick access to the camera. In addition to that, HTC is introducing a new and improved BlinkFeed, improved battery savings mode and more. 9. Comes with innovative new cases and covers Not particularly a new feature, the new cases and covers of the HTC One (M8) are definitely worth a look. We’re particularly fascinated with the new HTC Dot View case that protects your phone in style, giving you a quick peek at things like the weather, time, date and missed notifications. 10. Release date: available right away! Best of all, the new HTC One is available for purchase online right away for all major US carriers. Verizon Wireless will be the first operator to stock it on its retail shelves, while other carrier branded versions will arrive to brick and mortar stores on April 11th. SOURCE: PhoneArena |
BlackBerry fans, here are some new BlackBerry Z3 hands-on photos
 It's been a while since we last saw the BlackBerry Z3, codenamed 'Jakarta'.Now, BlackBerry's first BB10-powered, entry-level phone has posed for the camera of Indonesian website Detik. The new hands-on photos confirm, once more, that the Foxconn-produced BlackBerry Z3 is a rectangular slab of black plastic with a 5-inch 540x960 display and a grippy texture on its back. It also has a dual-core CPU, a gig and a half of RAM, and 8GB of storage space. The ones who have held Jakarta said that it's a solid phone, and its hardware is still able to handle the majority of BB10 and Android apps. Not at all bad for a sub-$200 brand-name handset that's set to launch in Indonesia next week. Hopefully, the Z3 will satisfy BlackBerry's initial pursuit of the emerging markets. In the meantime, feel free to bump up your screen's brightness and take a look at these photos. SOURCE: PhoneArena |
Tuesday, 8 April 2014
There may soon be a Google Camera app in the Play Store with 3rd party extension support
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 Google has been slowly expanding its Google layer of apps on top of the open source Android system. It has already replaced the stock browser, email app, gallery, calendar, and keyboard.Next up looks to be the camera app, which is a change that has been expected. What wasn't expected is the report that Google's camera app could offer 3rd party extension support, much like the Windows Phone Lens feature. According to a new report from Engadget, Google is currently testing a camera app that will be launched into the Play Store, which will add quite a few impressive features. Apparently, the app will feature a new UI, a portrait mode that will blur the background, improved panorama and Photo Sphere options, and fixes for framing, which should eliminate any variations between what you see on screen and what appears in your photos. The app may also be opened up for 3rd party extensions, which would allow developers to 'create and import custom effects' in the Google camera app. This sounds similar to the Lens feature that you'll find in Windows Phone 8, which allows apps to use the stock camera app with added layers on top. The only downside to this whole plan is that the Google camera app may require Android 4.4, which would limit the reach of the app at first. Of course, there is also the fact that if this is a Google app added to the Play Store, there will eventually be more Google-centric features, which we don't know about right now. SOURCE: PhoneArena |
Gmail's mobile app may soon let you snooze and pin messages
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 As useful as the mobile Gmail client can be, it hasn't always stacked up well against third-party apps with special tricks up their sleeves.If features that Geek.com spotted in a test version of Gmail for Android make the cut, though, you may have more reasons to stick with Google's official app. The experimental software lets you snooze messages until you're ready to deal with them -- if you'd rather not look at a bill until the day it's due, you can. Alternately, you can pin email to make sure an important conversation stays on top. Finance, Purchases and Travel tabs have also slipped into the interface alongside more familiar sections. There's no guarantee that any of the new features will survive the testing process, but at least some of them should be useful enough to reach a publicly available version of Gmail. SOURCE: Engadget |
Fake Android anti-virus app taken down Tue Apr 08, 2014
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 Virus Shield, by developer Deviant Solutions, was a handsome, apparently easy-to-use security app for Android devices.For $4, the app promised hassle-free, ad-free security for Android users, without impacting battery life or performance. And, mostly, Virus Shield delivered - no ads, no fuss. The only minor fly in the ointment? Virus Shield did exactly nothing to protect your Android device against viruses and was as bogus as a three-dollar bill from the outset. The fraudulent nature of the app was outted Sunday by the blog Android Police, and has subsequently been removed from the Play Store. What's noteworthy is how successful Virus Shield apparently was the app made it into several 'top paid' lists on the Play Store, and was apparently purchased more than 10,000 times since its release on March 28, making it at least a $40,000 payday for the mysterious Deviant Solutions. A raft of allegedly fake reviews and high ratings helped propel Virus Shield to the top of the Play Store. Android is still far and away the most popular target for mobile malware, according to F-Secure. Fully 97% of new mobile malware threats in 2013 were directed against Android. Generally, fake apps take the form of copycat *.apk files downloaded from the Internet, instead of the Play Store these purport to be freeware versions of popular paid apps. But, as Virus Shield indicates, criminals are getting more creative in the way they go after Android users. Last month saw reports of a cryptocurrency mining app called Coinkrypt making its way around certain corners of the Internet, hijacking hardware and using it to mine Dogecoin, Litecoin and Casinocoin. SOURCE: ITWorld |
Google reportedly looking to simplify home entertainment with Android TV
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 Google has been edging away from the original Google TV concept for a while, but it now looks like the company is ready to make a sharper break from its past.The Verge claims to have documents revealing a new Android TV release with a more conventional (if very slick) living room interface. Rather than stress apps or the web, the new OS would rely on a familiar, simplified card layout centered around accessing content quickly. It would put more emphasis on home screen suggestions, and it would be easy to resume media you were playing on your phone or tablet. There are also mentions of gamepad support, suggesting that games may play a more important role this time around. We don't know just when the new Android TV software would reach screens and set-top boxes -- the folks in Mountain View aren't commenting. If the leak is accurate, though, we'll at least know that the search giant isn't fazed by Google TV's past challenges. SOURCE: Engadget |
CCleaner Android App in Testing
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 Just over a year ago we announced Piriform (the software house behind everybody’s favourite PC utility CCleaner) were working on an Android version of their popular desktop software. Earlier this week Piriform finally released a public beta of the CCleaner Android App.To test the app for free, you can sign up to the CCleaner for Android Beta Community which will give you a private access link to the Google Play store. We’ve been playing around with the app for a few days now and really love it. The UI is simple and intuitive – much like the desktop version. From the main page you can quickly analyse your Android device’s internal storage and clean your cache, clipboard, browser history and/or SMS library. Meaning you can improve your mobile’s speed in just a few clicks. This won’t just help your device’s performance, regularly deleting sensitive data on your phone will keep your mobile and all the accounts its connected to more secure in case your phone does fall into the wrong hands. From the Analysis screen you can manually clean apps and check/adjust settings. It was pretty surprising to see how much unneeded data was being stored on our Chrome app, not to mention the amount of access the app has to other areas of the mobile. Most mobile users will have upwards of 50 apps, so freeing up some of the space used by application caches will improve performance more than you think. And thankfully, CCleaner for Android does not affect account info or settings. If like us, you’re constantly snapping pictures CCleaner for Android will be a useful quick app to free up some memory when you get the dreaded device capacity full message. You can also use the app to monitor CPU, RAM and battery levels. Piriform yesterday announced they are also working on custom folder cleaning, rooted device features as well as process management and RAM cleaning. All in all, we’re pretty excited about this little app and it looks like we’re not the only ones. The Beta community has already gained over 22,000 users in the first couple of days. Piriform are currently going through the typical process of ironing out bugs on specific operating systems and devices, but are hopeful of a full launch in the coming months. In line with the company’s software principles, it looks like CCleaner for Android will be a free download. Whether it will match the popularity of their desktop product is yet to be seen. But the early indications are good… TechBeat will keep you up to date with any new developments for CCleaner for Android. SOURCE: TechBeat |
Samsung’s Galaxy S5 Has A Hidden Baby Monitor Feature
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 The Samsung Galaxy S5 has been found to have yet another feature up its sleeve that you may not have even known about. If you are a parent you may be pleased to discover that the popular Android device has a hidden baby monitor app that was discovered within the phone’s settings.Titled as the ‘Baby Crying Detector’, the feature picks up on the sound of a baby crying when placed about a metre away from the infant. If the Galaxy S5 detects that the baby is unsettled, it sends a vibrate alert to the Gear smartwatch-wearing parent. The feature requires that the parent leave the S5 handset in the room with the baby and relies on them owning and wearing the accompanying smartwatch. Samsung is keen to point out that using the Baby crying detector is “not a substitute for human care,” and that a “baby should not be left in a house or building alone, even if you are moitoring your baby.” Common sense really then. This is a great feature if you already own a Galaxy S5 and the Gear smartwatch but it is a pricey alternative to the good old fashioned baby monitor. SOURCE: TechBeat |
Samsung Fingers with flexible display - Samsung's April Fools' joke
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 It’s April Fools’ Day already in South Korea, and Samsung is trying to prank fans with the announcement of Samsung Fingers. In Samsung’s own words, this is the company’s “first wearable glove” (not that we’ve seen any glove that is not wearable), and it packs a whole lot of high-end technology.There’s a 3-inch “flexible UHD Super Emo-LED” display at the center of Samsung Fingers, and an S Laser beam projector just below it. We’re also treated with a 16MP hidden camera, built-in speaker and microphone, 4GB of RAM, 32G/64GB of internal memory, plus a wide variety of sensors - including a thermometer, compass, barometer, and a heart rate sensor. 5G and Wi-Fi 902.11wz will make sure to keep Fingers always connected. Extra features include Talk To The Hand (you can let other people talk to Samsung Fingers while you’re busy, and it will record every word), S Charge (it charges the glove with solar power), and Voice AMP (this literally amplifies your voice and “reduces fatigue from trying to get attention”). This smartglove comes in a few variations, including Samsung Fingers Tough, and a more delicate Samsung Fingers Class. Of course, Samsung does mention at the end of the post presenting Fingers that this is nothing more than an April Fools’ joke. Even so, if we’re thinking about it, a glove similar to this could exist in the future. Or maybe not? SOURCE: PhoneArena |
New Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 10.1 pictured - an announcement could follow soon
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 Only a few days after we saw the Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 7.0, now the Galaxy Tab 4 10.1 appeared in a couple of leaked images, too - thanks, once again, to @evleaks.As its name suggests, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 10.1 sports a 10.1-inch display (with 1280 x 800 pixels), and is the successor to last year’s Galaxy Tab 3 10.1. Like the 7-inch model that was spotted earlier this week, the Tab 4 10.1 has two color versions: black and white. It's features reportedly include Android 4.4 KitKat, a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor clocked at 1.2GHz, 1.5GB of RAM, and 16GB of internal memory. The tablet should have a 1.2MP front-facing camera, and a 3MP snapper on the back. These features won't make anyone drool, and that's why Samsung will probably sell the Tab 4 10.1 for a low price. We still don’t know when Samsung intends to launch the Galaxy Tab 4 series (which should also include an 8-inch model). However, it looks like the company is getting ready to announce the new family of tablets on April 24 - this date is visible on the home screens of both the Tab 4 7.0 and Tab 4 10.1. SOURCE: PhoneArena |
Samsung to move the Galaxy S5 launch date before April 5?
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 The government ban on smartphone sales in South Korea that we talked about yesterday could pressure Samsung into launching the Galaxy S5 earlier than planned.To repeat, the three major South Korean carriers are being punished for illegal subsidizing with a ban on smartphone sales, including the Samsung Galaxy S5. Due to this, the device won't go on sale until about two weeks after its planned April 11 launch date. Although Sammy will debut its flagship phone in about 150 countries simultaneously, postponing the premiere in its home country appears to be undesirable. A source inside South Korea Telecom, the nation's largest carrier, stated that if the S5 launches after April 5, which is when the government ban will hit the telecom, the smartphone will 'have a smaller impact on the market' according to a SK Telecom spokesman. If the S5 debuts on April 11, only LG U+, South Korea's smallest carrier, will have the opportunity to sell it for a short period between April 11 and 27. Obviously, this is unacceptable for Samsung. “Although Samsung is a global company, it is based in Korea. It cannot underestimate the impact of the No. 1 carrier SK Telecom.” - an inside source told the Korean Herald, and added - “Samsung is considering rescheduling the release date before April 5 when SK Telecom‘s business suspension starts.” Another source suggested that an early South Korean launch might affect the global release date as well. Reportedly, the new date is March 27, which is this Thursday. If that's true, then Samsung and the three carriers will have to hastily put together and promote a launch event. In addition, we doubt that the company has produced enough Galaxy S5 units to meet demand. Pouring fuel into the fire, a Korean report suggests that Samsung is facing issues with optics production for the phone's 16MP camera sensor. Due to these difficulties, the company expects to have between 4 to 5 million units ready at launch, while it originally aimed towards 7 million units. Furthermore, pulling the launch event to March 27 means that the phone will sell for about week and a half until April 5 in South Korea, before sales there are suspended. This sounds like an awkward plan, considering the huge initial demand for the phone. Ultimately, we advice against holding your breath for a sudden Thursday launch. But who knows, maybe Samsung and the telecoms will figure out a way to circumvent the government ban and bring the Galaxy S5 earlier than expected. SOURCE: PhoneArena |
Xiaomi confirms 5.5-inch, octa-core Redmi Note phone with teaser
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 The leaked Redmi phone we saw a couple of days ago is coming sooner than we expected, and it now bears an interesting name: Redmi Note.Does it mean we'll be getting a stylus with this Chinese phone? No idea, as Xiaomi's midnight teaser -- pictured above -- doesn't reveal much, other than confirming the 5.5-inch screen (the leak indicates a 720p resolution) and the octa-core processor (1.4GHz or 1.7GHz). What's missing is the unsubsidized price, but it should sit somewhere between the current Redmi's CN¥699 (about $110) and the MI2a's CN¥1,499 ($240) -- so maybe CN¥999 ($160) at most. Folks in China will be able to pre-order at local time 8pm on March 19th using Tencent's Qzone app, which got the exclusive for the Redmi Note's debut sale. For those outside China, your usual gray market channels are standing by. SOURCE: Engadget |
Man Jumps Under Train To Save His Phone
I know our smartphones are important. After a while it even seems like they become an extension of our own bodies. What would ever happen to us if we were stripped of them?
We might not know what the weather was doing, what our friends were doing, what was trending every second of the day, or who had retweeted us throughout the day.
Don’t get me wrong – smartphones (and cell phones in general) are great, but where do we draw the line on their importance in our lives?
Maybe a better question is this: what would you do to protect your smartphone? Would you risk your life to save your precious iPhone (or whatever phone you have)? If you think that’s a ridiculous question I’d agree with you one hundred percent. But at least one person in this world believes his phone is worth risking his own life, as a man recently decided to tempt fate with a New York subway.
On 3/25/14, a man dropped his phone on the subway tracks near Canarsie in New York. Knowing that a train would pass at any moment, he decided to risk his life to go and grab it. He reached the phone in time, but was unable to get off of the tracks before the train came. So what did he do? He laid down on the tracks, of course, and the train ran right over top of him. It sounds like that would be the end of the story, but thankfully it didn’t end at that moment.
Somehow, this particular man got off of the tracks without being injured at all; I can’t comment on his phone, though, as its fate is unknown.
So, I ask again: how much is your smartphone worth to you?
SOURCE: TechBeat
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