Nokia revealed that the Nokia 808 PureView runs Nokia Belle OS Feature Pack 1, which brings a number of improvements. Also, they have some good news and some bad news for owners of current Belle devices too, depending on what device you have. The good news is that if you have Nokia 701, 700 or 603, then youll be getting the feature pack soon. The bad news is that other devices (like the older ones that launched with Symbian^3 or the Nokia 500) are not invited to the party. Heres some more good news/bad news - the 701 and 700 will both have their CPUs bumped to 1.3GHz by the update, matching the 808 PureView. The Nokia 603 will remain on 1GHz. The Belle Feature Pack 1 update also brings a new, faster, HTML5-capable web browser, the Microsoft Apps and the latest version of Nokia Maps. Dolby Digital Plus and Dolby Headphone will enhance the audio experience for both music and videos. Belle FP1 will also improve the user interface though details on that are scarce - the multitasking bar has been updated and the notification bar is "even better". There are 20 new widgets included too. The release for Belle Feature Pack 1 is planned for sometime in the next few months. Source
In the world of Wireless speakers, there are plenty to choose from. I’ve reviewed quite a few this year. Just last week, I had reviewed the Ultimate Ears Boom speakers, in which I was very impressed with them. Those come in all sorts of colors and are a bit pricey. They are around $200, although Amazon often has them even cheaper. Ultimate Ears also has a Mini Boom speaker, that is half the size and half the price. Normally, when you get a speaker that is half the size and half the price, there are some things you have to give up. Which we know that very well with the Nexus line. However, with the Mini Boom, there’s not much you’re giving up. When compared to the Boom, the sound is almost the same, battery life is 15 hours on the Boom and 10 hours on the Mini Boom. But other than that you’re not really losing anything else. Although I do like the style of the Boom better than the Mini Boom, but that’s just my opinion.
Build Quality and Hardware
The outside of the Mini Boom, appears to be made of the same grippy plastic you’ll find on the Nexus 7 and Nexus 5. It’s actually quite nice to have on there. While the front and back is of course the actual speaker. And yes, sound does come out of the back of the speaker too. On top, you’ll find all your controls. That’s the volume rocker and the Bluetooth button. The NFC chip is also on the top. On the back You’ll find the power button, as well as the microUSB port to charge it and the 3.5mm headphone jack.
Overall, I’m very impressed with the build quality of the UE Mini Boom. Although I’d like to see it a bit bigger, it’s still great for watching movies or listening to music. The Mini Boom is very lightweight, actually. Especially for having a battery that’s large enough to play for 10 hours. Which I can say it goes well past the 10 hours of continuous play back.
Double Up and the Mini Boom App
Similar to the Boom, the Mini Boom also allows you to connect two Mini Boom’s to one device. However, I was only given one for a review, so I wasn’t really able to test that out. But I will say, that it should work as well as it did on the Boom from last week. Which worked out very well. So because o that, I really didn’t use the app, as I didn’t need too.
My favorite feature of this small speaker was the NFC. I know it may not seem like a big deal. But when you review as many Bluetooth and Android devices as I do, being able to just tap your phone or tablet on the speaker and have it connect automatically is a great thing. Supertooth did it on their Freedom Bluetooth Headphones, and UE has done it on both their Mini Boom and Boom speakers, and I really love the idea.
Sound Quality
I used the Mini Boom for about a week (and over the Christmas holiday) along with my Moto X. It worked out very well. In fact, I thought it was even a bit too loud on it’s lowest setting. Since I like to have music in the background when I’m writing or working, it was just a bit too loud for me. But that’s really not a bad thing, especially considering the size. There is a video down below comparing the Mini Boom’s sound to the Boom and to the Moto X speaker. So those wondering about the sound quality can hear it for themselves, although it may be a bit difficult to tell on a video. I really liked the sound quality on this small speaker, it can definitely get pretty loud.
I’m always asked, what’s the best Bluetooth Speaker around? And usually its by someone that doesn’t want to pay a couple hundred for a speaker. And at this point, I think I’m going to have to recommend the Mini Boom. It is $99, which still might be a bit pricey for some people, but for the quality of the sound and build of this speaker, it’s definitely worth the money. Not to mention the battery life. Out of all the Bluetooth speakers I’ve reviewed this year, I don’t think I’ve reviewed one that lasted as long as the Mini Boom or the Boom from Ultimate Ears. I’m looking forward to more speakers like this in 2014 though.
Moving forward Aug. 23, 2013 I am writing to let you know that I will retire as CEO of Microsoft within the next 12 months, after a successor is chosen. There is never a perfect time for this type of transition, but now is the right time. My original thoughts on timing would have had my retirement happen in the middle of our transformation to a devices and services company focused on empowering customers in the activities they value most. We need a CEO who will be here longer term for this new direction. You can read the press release on Microsoft News Center. This is a time of important transformation for Microsoft. Our new Senior Leadership team is amazing. The strategy we have generated is first class. Our new organization, which is centered on functions and engineering areas, is right for the opportunities and challenges ahead. Microsoft is an amazing place. I love this company. I love the way we helped invent and popularize computing and the PC. I love the bigness and boldness of our bets. I love our people and their talent and our willingness to accept and embrace their range of capabilities, including their quirks. I love the way we embrace and work with other companies to change the world and succeed together. I love the breadth and diversity of our customers, from consumer to enterprise, across industries, countries, and people of all backgrounds and age groups. I am proud of what we have achieved. We have grown from $7.5 million to nearly $78 billion since I joined Microsoft, and we have grown from employing just over 30 people to almost 100,000. I feel good about playing a role in that success and having committed 100 percent emotionally all the way. We have more than 1 billion users and earn a great profit for our shareholders. We have delivered more profit and cash return to shareholders than virtually any other company in history. I am excited by our mission of empowering the world and believe in our future success. I cherish my Microsoft ownership, and look forward to continuing as one of Microsoft’s largest owners. This is an emotional and difficult thing for me to do. I take this step in the best interests of the company I love; it is the thing outside of my family and closest friends that matters to me most. Microsoft has all its best days ahead. Know you are part of the best team in the industry and have the right technology assets. We cannot and will not miss a beat in these transitions. I am focused and driving hard and know I can count on all of you to do the same. Let’s do ourselves proud. Steve
Download our latest issue of Mashdroid , the latest issue focuses on IFA 2013 held in Berlin from the 4th to the 6th of September .The latest issue previews some of the best gadgets unveiled including the Sony Xperia Z1 "honami" , the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 , Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 and the Qualcomm Toq smartwatch .....click here to read it online , or tap share and then download .!!!
Getting fit has got a lot easier with the rise of smartphones and their various fitness tracking tools and apps - but which shiny new smartphone should you plump for if youre thinking of shedding the weight?
If youre serious about getting fit and want a smartphone to help you then dont just go out and buy the first shiny handset you see, because some are a lot more suited to that all important task of personal betterment than others. Weve got you covered with the best of them, handily split into five different categories.
Best water and dust resistant phone: Sony Xperia Z1
If you want to go biking through the forest with your phone in tow then its worth ensuring its dust proof, otherwise it might not work quite so well by the time you get home. Likewise if you want to take your phone out for a jog in the rain youd better make sure its water resistant.
The Sony Xperia Z1 ticks both of those boxes, as its IP58 certified as dust proof and water resistant for up to 30 minutes at depths of up to 1.5 metres (in freshwater), so if youre feeling really brave you can even take it swimming.
Not only that, but its also a top flight phone in other ways, with a 2.2 GHz quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM and a 5 inch 1080p display.
Also consider: Samsung Galaxy S4 Active
The Samsung Galaxy S4 Active isnt quite the phone the Sony Xperia Z1 is. Its not as attractive, thanks to being shorn of the smooth lines, and has a less impressive camera. But with a 1.9 GHz quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM and a 5 inch screen its almost as good in most other ways.
Crucially its also IP67 certified dust and water resistant, which means you can submerge it in fresh water up to 1 metre deep for up to 30 minutes.
Best for built in fitness features: Samsung Galaxy S4
The Samsung Galaxy S4 does so many things right. From its powerful 1.9 GHz quad-core processor and 2GB of RAM, to its impressive 1080p 5 inch screen its a flagship phone through and through.
But thanks to a handy built in app called S Health its also a surprisingly useful tool for fitness fanatics.
S Health is a fairly comprehensive fitness tracker, which lets you log your workouts, your weight, your blood pressure and what food and drink youve consumed.
As well as manually entering activities and foods it can also automatically keep track of how many steps you take throughout the day (using the built-in sensors) and can be used to set and track long term goals.
There are even a range of compatible accessories available to help you get more out of the app, covering everything from a fitness tracking wristband to scales and blood pressure monitors.
Also consider: iPhone 5S
One of the more unexpected things about the iPhone 5S was that it includes an M7 motion coprocessor, the sole purpose of which is to track any motion picked up by the iPhones accelerometer, gyroscope and compass.
Some other phones use their main processor to do this, which means having the CPU active even when the phone is idle and uses a lot of battery as a result.
The M7 on the other hand uses very little battery as it has a clock speed of just 150 MHz. So in combination with fitness tracking apps it can keep track of your movement all day everyday with minimal impact on your phones battery, and can port the data to a number of apps.
Best small, light and portable phone: Nokia Lumia 620
If youre keeping active then you really dont want your phone weighing you down. So having a light handset, not to mention one thats small and very portable is desirable.
In general smartphones seem to be getting bigger all the time, with the likes of the Sony Xperia Z Ultra approaching tablet territory with a 6.4 inch screen.
But it is still possible to get some fairly compact handsets and the Nokia Lumia 620 is one such phone. With a screen of just 3.8 inches this thing is pretty small. Its full dimensions, if youre wondering, are 115.4 x 61.1 x 11mm, so while its not the slimmest phone around its quite compact overall.
At just 127g its also pretty light and while its a budget handset its no slouch as a smartphone either. Its 1 GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor and 512MB of RAM may not sound too impressive but they serve it well and Windows Phone 8 is far from resource hungry at the worst of times.
With the popularity of Google Glass seemingly on the rise, we’re going to be hearing more and more stories of how folks integrate it into their lives and where the line should be drawn. A few months back, we told you about Cecilia Abadie, a California woman who was cited for driving while wearing a pair of Google’s tech specs. Abadie was originally pulled over for speeding, but when the officer saw she was wearing Google Glass, she was given a citation for “Driving w/ monitor visible to driver,” something which is illegal in California.
However, as it turns out Abadie isn’t going to have to pay that ticket. According to Reuters, a California Judge recently threw out the citation on the basis that the officer couldn’t prove she was operating Google Glass while driving. Apparently just wearing it while driving isn’t enough to warrant a fine, but rather the officer writing the ticket has to prove it was functioning while the user was behind the wheel. While Abadie was able to avoid the fine on a technicality, we wouldn’t be surprised to see legislators work on developing laws that specifically concern operating wearables like Glass while driving.
In fact, a few states in the US have already started working on such legislation, while the UK has banned driving while using Google Glass entirely. Google Glass has yet to leave its testing phase, but is expected to do so sometime this year. While still in testing, each pair of Glass costs $1500, a price tag that’s definitely keeping the user base small for the time being. When it becomes more widely available commercially, the headset is expected to cost less, which might open the floodgates in a manner of speaking.
Once Glass is in the hands of more consumers, it’s likely we’ll see more instances like this one hitting headlines. This particular case has already gained a lot of attention, so we’ll probably begin to see more lawmakers paying attention to the possibility of folks using Google Glass behind the wheel. It’ll be interesting to see what kind of laws involving Google Glass are proposed after the next few months, so keep it here at Android Headlines for more.
The latest portable speaker from Logitech, the X100 Mobile Speaker, breaks audio convention again with a round design. Its a no-frills low-priced product for music lovers with active lifestyle. It is spec-ed with a 5-hour battery life, Bluetooth connectivity, built-in mic that supports handsfree voice calls, 3.5mm line-in for the direct sound, micro USB port for ease of charging. Its surface is rubber-coated for ruggedness and durability. There is a mini handle to sling the X100 through cords or carabiner to secure it on your bag.
Compared to the UE Mini Boombox, the X100 plays louder at maximum volume, sounds brighter and clearer, but lacks warmth and stereo. The bass output is just as weak. But at S$69, it is a great price for a quality-build product from a reliable brand. Its design also allows you to hang the X100 around, which is not possible with the Mini Boombox. Consumers who need a more hifi-sounding portable speaker should look at the Bose SoundLink Mini, which will not disappoint.
It has been revealed that Apple will not be merging its desktop OS X operating system, with iOS, its smartphone operating system, as the company feels it would be a "waste of energy."
Phil Schiller, Apples marketing executive, on the eve of Macs thirtieth anniversary, stated that "We dont waste time thinking, But it should be one [interface!] How do you make these [operating systems] merge together? What a waste of energy that would be," to Mac World in an interview.
"The reason OS X has a different interface than iOS isnt because one came after the other or because this ones old and this ones new," added Craig Federighi, Apples software head. "Instead, its because using a mouse and keyboard just isnt the same as tapping with your finger."
Federighi also added that they do not want to create an impression among their users that Mac and iOS is created by two different companies by merging both. "You dont want to say the Mac became less good at being a Mac because someone tried to turn it into iOS," he said. "At the same time, you dont want to feel like iOS was designed by [one] company and Mac was designed by [a different] company, and theyre different for reasons of lack of common vision."
Microsoft, Apples biggest rival in the PC/ laptops space, has been working towards merging its desktop and smartphone operating systems for a while, with of course, the tablet category the true meeting point of portability and productivity. The Redmond-giant to that end released its desktop Windows 8 operating system with a touch-friendly interface, featuring Metro-style apps, which were first seen on the Windows Phone platform. To aim at ARM-based devices, the company also made Windows RT, or an ARM-compatible version of Windows 8.
However, the much vaunted shared Windows NT kernel between the new Windows operating systems never really bore any fruit, with us not seeing any major Windows software making its way to the Windows Phone platform, or vice versa. Hopefully, the Windows Threshold update, expected to arrive as Windows 9 for desktop in April 2015, will work further towards the convergence of devices. The exact changes in the proposed OS version are not clear as of yet, but the "Metro 2.0" feature in the OS version is said to focus on enhancing Microsofts new apps and tiles.
The Moto G is undoubtedly one of the best “cheap” phones out there. It retails for $179 or $199 depending on the storage size you choose. Which normally for phones in that price range you’re getting a single-core processor, and a qHD display. But not with the Moto G. Instead your getting a 720p 4.5-inch display, quad-core Snapdragon 400 processor, 1GB of RAM, and a 2070mAh battery. Oh and did I mention KitKat is already being pushed out to it?
At the Moto G launch event, Motorola did show us some of their plans for the Moto G. Which includes removable back covers and grip shells for the device. Today, those grip shells went on sale, on Motorola’s site. They are available in five different colors. That’s Chalk, Black, Royal Blue, Lemon Lime, and Cherry. All five colors are listed as in stock right now and are selling for $19.99 a piece.
So what’s so different about these compared to the normal removable back covers? Well the grip shells have a rubber bumper which protects your device, as well as, allowing you to get a better grip on your phone, so you won’t drop it. Which is always a good idea to have. Remember that the back covers are removable, so you can use different colors, and buy a few of these shells to go on your Moto G. It may not be as cool as the Moto X’s back colors, but thee you can change anytime you want. While the Moto X you’re stuck with your colors, unless you decide to buy a new Moto X.
At the time of writing this, the Moto G Grip Shells are only available on Motorola’s website. But I’m sure they’ll make their way to Amazon and other retailers that are selling the Moto G, very soon. How many of you have picked up a Moto G from Amazon, Google Play, Verizon, Best Buy, or even Motorola’s website?
Samsung Giorgio Armani W820/W8200 slider phone sporting such things as 3.1-inch AMOLED WVGA (800×480 pixels) touchscreen, HSDPA, Bluetooth, 5-megapixel camera, and a T-DMB mobile TV receiver. From what I can tell, since we’re talking about an Armani phone (i.e. premium), it will probably come with same powerful guts the Samsung Jet has, in order to properly render all screen graphics.
Samsung Giorgio Armani W820/W8200 slider phone Featuring a golden trim around its screen, this slider phone offers a 3.1-inch WVGA AMOLED touchscreen display, a 5MP camera, a front camera for video-calling, T-DMB, Bluetooth and HSDPA connectivity. sporting such things as 3.1-inch AMOLED WVGA (800×480 pixels) touchscreen, HSDPA, Bluetooth, 5-megapixel camera, and a T-DMB mobile TV receiver. Samsung Giorgio Armani (W820/W8200) Slider phone will occupy different cellular operators, but also features a phone, most likely, will be the same. It is possible that new products will be the case with gold-plated side
BlackBerry has announced the BlackBerry 10 OS version 10.2.1 update that activates the FM hardware present in existing BlackBerry 10 handsets, adds actionable lock screen notifications, brings picture password for unlocking, and a few other features.
The latest software update - that has already begun rolling out in India and other regions - will activate the FM hardware already present in BlackBerry Z30, BlackBerry Q10 and BlackBerry Q5 handsets. The update also brings actionable lock screen notifications, which means you can now tap to open a message that appears on the lock screen, letting you respond to an important message quickly or to check messages more discreetly.
BlackBerry 10 OS version 10.2.1 brings picture password for quick unlocking that lets you unlock your BlackBerry 10 phone using a combination of a picture and a number (0-9) of your choice, which you place at a particular point on the image. When you try to unlock the phone, the picture will appear along with a grid of random numbers. To unlock, simply drag the grid so the number you selected overlays the particular point on the image.
The update includes a new feature that lets you filter messages and notifications in the BlackBerry Hub using a pinch gesture. The release also brings a new incoming call screen that lets you swipe to the left to answer or swipe right to ignore a call. If you cant take the call right now, you can respond via BBM, SMS or email by choosing from a list of standard automated responses or with a custom message.
Other new features in the update include SMS and email groups, customisable quick settings menu, an offline reading mode in the browser, optional automatic software updates, device and battery monitor, and the ability to set an account as your preferred contact sync option.
While some users have already reported receiving the update, in case you bought your BlackBerry 10 device from an operator, it may be a while before the update shows up on your handset, as the operator needs to finish its own testing before giving the rollout a green light.
Back in July, we told you about a handset called the the Meizu MX3. The phone is top-shelf all the way from the 13MP camera on back, to the Exynos 5 Octa SoC under the hood. The 5.1 inch screen carries resolution of 1080 x 1920 and where we were growing up, that was called FHD, Mister. And there is more to the MX3 that makes those reading about this bad boy yearn for it to escape to a major carrier. Android 4.2 is driving the phone and Meizu even has its own Flyme 3.0 UI, which is a modded Android 4.2 with capabilities for one-handed use.
What makes us eager to write about the Meizu M3 is not the new press photo of the device, although it does show some changes since we showed you the device last month. The flash, which was above the camera lens earlier, is now below the snapper. No, what gave us the impetus to mention the handset is a leaked image that shows the different versions of the phone starting with the 16GB model (and even here there is one 16GB version with NFC support and one model without) ranging to the 32GB model, the 64GB variant and the 128GB Meizu MX3.
The 16GB variant is rumored to be priced at 1999 CNY which translates into $327 USD. But it might take more to impress your friends, so figure that the 128GB model of the Meizu M3 will run you the same as other flagship phones which means you might have to whip out six Benjamins to take the handset home with all of that native storage on board.
Meizu hasnt made this official yet, but the unveiling is said to be taking place soon. Even so, its a shame that we might never see this model take flight from the China region.
The Nikon 1 is Nikons late foray into mirrorless system, and chose to size the sensor as 1-inch (13.2 x 8.8mm), which is larger than most compact cameras but smaller than the Micro Four-thirds. With this size, the obvious concern is the image noise. Well, my review is not going to address that, but I am going to share with you the experience of using this camera.
Design and Handling The Nikon V1 has rather few buttons, but they seem sufficient for what this camera requires. My white-colour gloss coated review copy comes with 10mm (equiv. 27mm) f/2.8 lens. Small as it is, the camera body is thick and heavy to house the same battery as the latest D800 - imagine the power.
The V1 comes with built-in EVF, which adds a bulge on top of the camera. Im not a fan of EVF, but I must say the quality has improved over the years and it comes in handy when its too bright to see on the large LCD monitor. An accessory port - not standard hot shoe - allows you to fit an external flash, external microphone, GPS unit.
The camera interface menu is also simple: just 3 main menus: playback, camera, and settings. You can scroll the menu items without lag using the wheel dial. The menu animation is also fast and the fonts clear and it really helps in finding the required settings.
Nikon V1 lets you access the AE-L, EV compensation, Focus mode, and self-timer easily. Depending on the mode, the "F" button lets you make one additional quick setting change.
I wasnt quite sure why Nikon provided options to switch between mechanical and electronic shutter, when the former is limited to 1/4000s and the latter can go up to 1/16000s. However, the flash sync when using mechanical shutter is 1/250s while the electronic shutter only supports 1/60s.
What I Like Oooh, I LOVE the ability to fire 10, 30 and even 60 frames per second. If you need to capture action shots, this is the camera to own. Plus, the continuous AF is in my view the fastest, which gives me renewed confidence in using this mode instead of re-focusing as I always do. The AF speed is also one of the faster ones in the market. The LCD screen is sharp and bright. Battery life is great.
When it comes to image quality, Nikon V1 has the lowest pixel-count among the latest mirrorless camera systems. The lower resolution probably help to keep the noise level low and despite the race for higher pixel count, 10 megapixel is sufficient for casual photography. Smaller file sizes help the V1 to handle the enormous frame-per-second count.
What I Dislike
The V1 is too bulky for the sensor size, maybe Nikon needs to fit the DSLR-grade battery to power it up.
The ON/OFF button is too flat and I find it hard to locate it by feeling it.
After filling the camera buffer, the playback images are slow to load and it freezes the interface. And you cannot shoot video until the buffer if flushed.
The video record button doesnt work for Motion Snapshot and Smart Photo Selector.
The video resolution for the Still Image mode is fixed at 720p. You have to switch to the Movie mode to shoot in your desired resolution. Likewise, the still image resolution for Movie mode is fixed with no focus point options.
There are only 4 modes on the mode dial. If you want to switch the PASM modes, you have to access the menu. This is a move perhaps to make the Nikon V1 less technical for the basic users.
The mode dial is easily turned accidentally during handling of the camera, because its next to where the thumb is as you grab the camera. This results in wrong shooting modes at times when I was handling the V1 in a hurry, and incorrect shooting parameters.
The zoom lever design doesnt allow me to change the parameters as swiftly as a wheel dial.
The burst images are not grouped together when playback. So if you just took 60 identical images using 60fps, you have to scroll through all 60 images.
White body is prone to paint chipping.
The Nikon V1 is still small whem compared to a DSLR like D300.
Rounding Up
Nikon has created a unique selling point for the Nikon 1. Very fast continuous focusing, very high frame-per-second, makes the Nikon V1 a great camera for action shots. When a customer switches on the camera, the first thing that will impress them is the LCD quality, and Nikon has it. It is clear to me that Nikon 1 is not positioned to be a compact version of a DSLR, but one that offers fast image capture, delivers adequate shooting controls, and simple controls for the general user. Now, if only they reduce the size of the camera and redesign the mode dial. But like every other mirrorless brands, its a matter of time that Nikon expands the range to cater to a wider market, if it grows large enough.
Still doing surveys online? Tired of registering your email to random accounts that simply would just spam you? Why not make some extra cash doing the things you probably already naturally do on a day to day basis anyways: unlocking your phone. Introducing Locket, an android phone app that pays you to unlock your phone.
First Impression: Yes, you can now make some extra cash by just unlocking your phone. Sounds crazy, but Locket does exactly that. By putting the ads right on the locked screen, companies can ensure that consumer will see their ads. As a consumer, we can either read more about the ads or explore more - either way, you will still get that extra cash.
Ads are also dynamic, from regular ads, to videos and even coupons - most importantly, all ads looks beautiful. Each ads pay $0.01 per unlock and you can cash out using your PayPal account ($10 minimum).
Test Drive: Due to the fact that they will load some ads on your front screen, it will definitely consume a little bit more battery. However, I do not notice a significant decrease in battery life. To enhance use, you may want to remove all screen lock feature as it will make it seems like an extra chore to unlock your phone. The lock screen is very fluent and does not slow up my phone.
One thing I do notice, ads does not necessarily cash out every time you unlock your phone - they limit you to earn $0.01 per swipe and up to $0.03 per hour. The app is still under Beta, so as more advertiser jump on board, this limit may change over time.
Opinion: Locket has definitely changed how consumer view ads. This model will force users to view the ads as it not only benefit the brand, but also the consumer (as they also get paid). I love how the ads are simple pictures that you can explore more as an option (instead of something that may clogged up your phone). The app does not alter the performance of my phone and has been generating some small dollars on the side.
Locket is definitely something I would recommend, especially if you hate ads, as you are making some small cash without even knowing.
Editor Note (08/12/2013): Just earned my first $10 from Locket. Money is transferred directly to my Paypal account within 3 business days. Overall I am happy.
No doubt the Samsung OmniaPRO B7330 is a phone of extremely smooth industrial design. I have had this phone for some time now – over nine months, and still love it.
The Samsung B7330 has a surprisingly large 2.6” 320x320 display fitted into its tiny frame and this sits above a nicely curved full QWERTY keyboard – almost feels like a shrunken down BlackBerry Bold.
With a thickness of under 11mm, the Samsung OmniaPRO B7330 is very compact and, despite the inevitable fingerprint marks, attractive – its ok if you mistake its black solid plastic covers as some kind of light metal.
The Samsung B7330 has a d-pad for navigation for its Windows Mobile 6.5 OS.
QWERTY Keypad
Around it you’ll find the send and end keys, home and back, and two soft keys for context sensitive functions. The keys are nicely bevelled and matt plastic like the keyboard and are easy to locate and press.
The keys are not spaced out as such, but are raised. My only criticism here is that I sometimes continually press the wrong button when typing and also often miss some letters - you have to press to type not just nudge. The Samsung OmniaPRO B7330 is not for those like me with larger thumbs - finger nail typing will suffice but slows down overall speed and accuracy.
The phone has a volume rocker and USB charge/data port on the left and a microSD slot and camera shortcut key on the right.
Audio, Photos and Video
I use the Samsung B7330 for recording voice at events, meetings and interviews – it records well in High, Medium or Low quality Mp3, AMR and WAV.
The phone also takes good quality photos and videos with its 3 mega-pixel camera. I have used the phone to record a few YouTube videos. Like every phone, just don’t rely on the phone’s video sound outdoors or at loud events.
I also hate that Samsung did not put a 3.5mm jack on the phone.
Productivity
I also use Samsung OmniaPRO B7330 to receive emails on the go.
I have found that I can quickly correct a Word, Excel or simple Powerpoint presentation on the move and later transfer it to my desktop at the office – does well with work productivity.
The only problem with office applications is you cannot create new documents on the phone. You need to save a blank Word or Excel template on the phone prior then you can edit that one and save a new document.
The other challenge is I still can’t access Windows marketplace from South Africa for some reason – so have to mostly download Java based apps from the internet.
The phone was released in 2009, so don’t expect it to run certain apps like Whatsapp for Windows…
Performance
Looking at speed on the phone, I found the Samsung B7330 generally quite responsive but it let itself down by unpredictable lagging and lock-ups. Clearly, these are the sort of issues which could be addressed by firmware upgrades.
Overly
Overall the Samsung OmniaPRO B7330 is solid, feels good in the hand, with a nicely balanced weight and doesn’t suffer from any creaks or undue flex. Despite the challenges said above, its general build quality is good – and won’tbe throwing it away anytime soon!
Times used to be, your Uncle Arnie would tend his prize pig all year leading up to the county fair, and when the time came the family could all go watch him accept the blue ribbon for his prime pork. But now that marijuana is legal for recreational use in Colorado, the planners behind the Denver County Fair have decided to join in and add a few new contests to bring ambitious competitors to the fair.
Of course you’ve got a category for Best marijuana plant (quality, not potency, and plants will at the fair only in photo form), and then there are the contests that are more consumer-related like fastest joint rolling (using oregano instead of pot) and a Doritos eating contest. It’s unclear whether it will be Nacho Cheese or Cool Ranch flavor.
Other categories: Best hemp fabric; Best homemade bong; Best brownie recipe; Best roach clip and Best tie-dye. No marijuana consumption will be allowed on-site, however, so any brownie-testing won’t be at the actual fair.
Organizers of the fair, which runs from Aug. 1-3, say it’s all about celebrating the local happenings.
“We look at the trends and what’s happening in our city, and we want to reflect that,” the fair’s marketing and creative director tells USA Today.
In order to enter you must 21 or older to attend activities in the “pot pavilion,” an area separate from the main fairgrounds so as not to shock your Uncle Arnie.
“We have a lot of families and kids at the fair, of course, and we wanted to be respectful of that,” the creator director explains.
A Korean publication ran by former Samsung employee is reporting that the company has held meetings so as the next Galaxy S5 flagship edition be brought forward.
In fact, Naver cites insiders who claim that the Galaxy S5 would be teased as early as January 2014, and be announced the next month, in February. That coincides with the MWC expo, and it doesnt seem far fetched that Samsung is going to unveil something major around those dates. The rush is apparently due to sagging sales of the Galaxy S4, the sources claim, and Samsung has decided to shorten the life cycle to 9 months instead of the usual eleven or so, and this reason we heard mentioned by another Korean publication just two days ago.
Theres never been so much competition to the previously unchallenged Galaxy line flagships as this year, and apparently Samsung has decided to strike back earlier than anybody else. To show that they mean business, the insiders claim, Samsung is ready to equip the Galaxy S5 with a 64-bit Exynos processor, 16 MP camera with optical image stabilization, fingerprint scanner, and the speculated Design 3.0 phase metallic chassis.
All of these weve heard already to be announced or in the works by the company, including the gamechanging (for Samsung) chassis made of metal, so the unknowns are how it will all be put together in a design that is different than anything shown by Sammy so far. Weve no qualms about the top-shelf 2014 specs, just very curious about the final decisions of the so far fairly orthodox Samsung design team. PhoneArena
As if patent wars couldn’t get any crazier, some companies seek “justice” even with the absence of products in violation. The sue happy company known to many as Apple, has struck again, this time bringing up the past, and Samsung is the target.
Patents are essentially a piece of paper. That paper allows for a company to have rights on an invention, making it illegal for other companies to duplicate. This is a great way to protect inventions and ideas, but in the world of technology, it becomes something different. The rate of which technology advances, is unbelievable at times, and new ideas are always coming to fruition. From a business aspect it makes sense, but from a consumer point of view, it is a way for the company to ensure that we buy their product over another. The problem with the logic, is that many of us don’t buy a device based on one thing, one feature or material used. Apple seems to attack this issue in a different way. They tend to patent anything they can, to make sure no one has what they have. Giving us, the consumer fewer options to choose from when we go shopping for a new device.
This is the case for Apple vs. the world, but right now we are talking about Apple vs. Samsung. In November of 2013, Apple was awarded the chance to re-file a suit against Samsung. Apple took that chance, and asked U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh, to oversee the end of sales in the U.S. of the Samsung devices in question. The suit would ban around 20 Samsung devices that infringed upon a design and utility patent held by Apple.
Amongst the 20 devices were smartphones and tablets alike, the part that may blow your mind, so get ready, is that the devices have since been pulled from store shelves in the U.S., where the suit applies. That’s right, it is no longer possible to get the product pulled off the shelves, instead it seems to be more of a principle thing, a way to punish Samsung so that they learn their lesson. Foss Patents shows the official filing, and in the details of the suit, Apple had this to say, “Samsung’s claim that it has discontinued selling the particular models found to infringe or design around Apple’s patents in no way diminishes Apple’s need for injunctive relief,”.
This has become more than a war to Apple, this seems to be personal, and a way for them to show everyone, they are not safe. Apple wants to be sure that Samsung doesn’t try and “infringe” on their patents again. Samsung, has no choice currently but to show any workarounds they may have for the patent infringements, even if they aren’t selling the devices anymore. Samsung said they have them in the works, but have yet to unveil them.
It doesnt surprise experts that some debit and credit card numbers stolen from Targets computer systems may have surfaced among nearly 100 fake credit cards seized by police in Texas this week.
Even so, they say the bust is unlikely to lead authorities directly to the hackers behind the breach, given the vast, labyrinthine nature of the global market for stolen data.
According to police in McAllen, Texas, two Mexican citizens arrested at the border used account information stolen during the pre-Christmas Target breach to buy tens of thousands of dollars worth of merchandise. But the U.S. Secret Service said Tuesday its investigation into the possibility of a link between the Target data theft and the arrests remains ongoing.
In the aftermath of the breach, millions of Americans have been left to wonder whats become of their precious personal information. Chester Wisniewski, senior security adviser for the computer security firm Sophos, says in cases where such a massive amount of information is stolen, criminals generally divide the data into chunks and sell the parcels in online black markets.
In many ways, those markets behave much like any legitimate marketplace ruled by the forces of supply and demand. Groups of higher-end cards are worth significantly more than those with lower credit limits and so are cards tied to additional personal information, such as names, addresses and zip codes, which make them easier to use.
After thieves purchase the numbers, they can encode the data onto new, blank cards with an inexpensive, easy-to-use gadget. Or they can skip the card-writing process and simply use the card numbers online.
Crooks often have the option to buy cards last used in their area. That way, Wisniewski says, the cards attract less attention from the banks that issued them.
According to police, the pair arrested at the U.S.-Mexican border used cards containing the account information of Target shoppers from South Texas. Police say the two used fraudulent cards to purchase numerous items at national retailers in the area.
The underground markets always have a steady supply of card numbers on sale and their locations are always moving as they try to elude law enforcement, says Daniel Ingevaldson, chief technology officer at Easy Solutions Inc., a firm that sells anti-fraud products and tracks the activity of the online black markets. A big jump in inventory usually indicates theres been a breach of a major retailer. Thats what Ingevaldsons firm saw in the cases of both Target and Neiman Marcus, which also recently reported a breach.
While many of these online bazaars and forums are based in Russia and Eastern Europe, much of the chatter is in English and appears to have been written by Americans, Ingevaldson says.
The types of criminals who buy the card numbers run the gamut, ranging from purely online white-collar crooks to street gangs.
"In reality, card numbers can be bought by anybody with access to the forums and a few Bitcoins in their pocket," Ingevaldson says.
Wisniewski says the people who buy card numbers online and produce the fake cards arent the ones who try to use them. Using the cards is the riskiest part of the fraud scheme, so the task is usually farmed out to others who are often recruited through spam emails. The recruiters then send them fraudulent debit and credit cards and instruct them to buy large quantities of expensive merchandise or gift cards in exchange for a small percentage of their value.
Card users, once caught, often only have a handlers email address to share with police, making it nearly impossible to find the recruiters, Wisniewski says.
Both analysts say Russia and former Soviet countries are a hotbed for hackers behind these kinds of schemes. The region has a large population of highly educated computer science professionals and law enforcement is extremely lax when it comes to fraud that occurs overseas and not in the hackers home country.
Wisniewski and Ingevaldson also believe the original authors of the malicious software used in the Target breach are likely based in Russia or Eastern Europe, as some reports on the breach have suggested. But its unlikely the original programmers do any hacking themselves. They can make a nice living simply selling the code to those who do.
"Keep in mind, it isnt illegal to write these kind of codes, just to use them," Wisniewski says. "And selling them is a lot less risky than taking cards into an Apple store."
All the latest details on Apples refreshed mobile operating system
Apple has launched the all-new iOS 7, featuring a radically overhauled interface, new Control Center, transparent animations and more. The new system will be available for the iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, the iPad 2, iPad third and fourth generation, the iPad mini and the iPod touch fifth generation, likely due to some of the more powerful needs of the new OS. The last major iOS 6 update for Apples mobile devices was mostly hit, but there was a big Maps-shaped miss.
Lots of people were rightly angry about Apple ditching Google data, but beyond that mis-step there were things to like: a more useful Siri (App launching plus the recognition that a world exists outside of the USA), shared Photo Streams, handy Phone app controls such as send to voicemail, and major improvements to Mail, Safari, accessibility and the Camera app.
However, with the new iOS 7 update weve been given the all-new interface, as well as new ways to control the phone and make sure that you dont have to worry about fumbling around in the dark for the torch. Its interesting to note there was nothing about Apple Maps on the iOS being improved, although it did state that its developers have been making great improvements to Maps as well as bringing new features - as well as mapping information being pushed directly to iDevices from a larger Mac or MacBook.
iOS 7 release date
If youre waiting to get your hands on the new iOS 7, its not good news if youre not a developer: the final release will be available in the Fall. Its now available in beta for iPhone developers as of today, and will be coming to the iPad in the coming weeks.
We had heard earlier in the year that the new iOS would turn up on our iPad and iPhone devices a little later than usual: John Gruber claiming that iOS 7 is "running behind", with engineers being pulled from OS X 10.9 to work on it. But the good news is that was cleared up and were now getting a release that puts the new iPhone 6 / iPhone 5S release date around the same time as before, with September the likely time for the reveal. Apple had promised to give devs "an in-depth look at whats next in iOS and OS X", and it certainly did that with a comprehensive look at the new iOS, detailing some of the 1500 new APIs that will be available for the developers to trawl through.
iOS 7 design
A greater synergy between hardware and software design is something Apple is looking to achieve as it moves towards iOS 7. We saw the most overt leak of iOS 7 from Apple-loving site 9to5 Mac, before the launch, and it looks like it was bang on the money with the render it created from the preview it was shown.
In reality, we saw a heavily-overhauled new operating system, one that bore more than a few similarities to Nokias MeeGo in colour and layout. For instance, the icons have been given a more rounded feel, as well as being given a colour overhaul. The font has also been tweaked as well, with some fancy-looking schematics showing how some things have been changed height wise... although it does look pretty similar though. Control Center is now a pervasive part of the whole ecosystem, allowing users to swipe up from the bottom of the screen to control everything from the Airplane Mode to the integrated Flashlight. Music is still available in this screen, while you can also control the brightness on screen without having to exit the app.
This isnt the most novel of systems, and was already in place when it comes to music and brightness control; but at least now it looks much nicer and theres a torch/flashlight to play with as well. The notifications bar is now a full-screen affair, and will also be available on the lock screen, meaning you wont need to wander around through the redesigned number pad any more to see who wants to play some boring game with you. Weve seen a few renders now of how this will all look on the iPad screen too - everything looks a lot more flat, and older apps will draw in information from iTunes online in order to get the flatter version of icons.
iOS 7 features
Apple decided that while there were a large number of enhancements to get excited by in the new release of the software, there were ten that it wanted to get properly excited over and tell the world about. While the design was overhauled, the internal bits and pieces were something of a more incremental upgrade, but one that showed Apple was looking to the future in its battle against Android.
Control Center
Control Center is one of the big ones, as it now allows you to control the main guts of the phone; swiping up from anywhere on your iPhone or iPad will bring up the new hub for loads of options no matter where you are.
Its been given the same translucent sheen as with most of the iOS 7 updates, but gives a lot of space up to the music player and brightness controls, as well as making AirDrop and AirPlay the stars of the show at the bottom.
Airdrop
Youre probably impressed with our segue there: Airdrop is now finally available on iDevices, allowing you to share anything from an app that supports Share Sheet. A quick tap on the screen will give you access to the functionality - Apple didnt miss the chance to mock the need to tap the phones together on Android here - and you can share multiple items at once by adding in more caresses of the screen.
Gesture control
Heres something thats popped up post-launch: the idea of gesture control within the new operating system. Its been picked up in the developer beta, which include "Edge Swipe", "Corner Swipe" and "Press-and-Hold". Plus folders into folders looks likely to appear... but its all getting a bit Inception for our liking.
iTunes Radio and Music
Music is obviously a big thing over at Apple and the Cupertino-based firm reckons the player its chucked into in iOS 7 is "the best music player we have ever done". Instead of showing just the music stored on your iDevice, the Music app on iOS 7 also adds in your library stored on iCloud, allowing you to view all your tracks in one place.
Turn your iPhone to landscape mode and a wall of album art tiles appear which you can slide sideways through, and tapping on one will zoom you into that album. But wait, whats that coming over the hill? Is it an integrated music service with access to millions of tracks streamed to your device, is it an integrated music service with access to millions of tracks streamed to your device? (Please note: this is not repetition. Its a very boring joke, that you can understand here.)
Safari has gained something of an update, with the same visual overhaul coming to the browser to allow dynamic resizing of the URL bar, giving you more space to see whats on the screen, as well as allowing you to slide back and forth through your browser history. One cool feature is the updated bookmarks element, which sits on the start screen of the iDevice, and collates links posted through your Twitter friends in one place for easier information discovery - meaning you dont have to worry about that pesky Twitter app if all you like doing is passively watching your stream.
The Tab system has been updated visually too - youre no longer are limited to eight tabs open, as the new 3D rendering will allow you practically limitless tabs open at once, which can also be synchronised across multiple accounts and machines thanks to iCloud Tabs.
Camera
The camera app has been given something of an overhaul - theres not a lot of extra functionality added in, more a change on the layout taking things to a simplier, swipe-friendly interface which has a few more options than on iOS 6. You do get some extra features in the shape of various lens shapes including square, circle and panorama elements to lay over the top of your snaps in iOS 7, while live photo filters let you see what your subject will look like in a multitude of effects before you even hit the shutter key. Theres also a zoom feature enabled in the video mode too, which will work in the same way as photos do: namely, just pinching on the screen while shooting full HD video will get closer to the subject, and apparently its pretty fluid too.
Photo gallery
Viewing your photos has also been given a Jony Ive finish, with iOS 7 automatically arranging pictures by location into groups, which Apple is calling "moments". Pinch to zoom out and the Photo app will re-draw your photo library into collections, recognising a day trip or recent holiday and then slinging them all into one group automatically.
Theres no extra functionality like the Zoes found on the HTC One, or burst mode found on the Samsung Galaxy S3 or S4 - but then again, Apple didnt show the camera in that much detail. Zoom out once more and you get a year overview of all the images in your album, with locations tags to remind you where you were each year. If you want more fun-time functionality, then just hold your finger over the thumbnails to see an exploded view of each individual image, and release your digit on the one you wish to view full screen.
Siri
Fan-boy favourite Siri hasnt been left out with a fancy new interface and, wait for it: new voices! Huzzah! You can now choose from male or female intonation of being told no internet connection present while cultured French and German languages have also been added, with more promised "over time". There are a range of new commands for Siri in iOS 7 too, such as "play my last voicemail", "turn on Bluetooth" and "increase my brightness". The likes of Twitter, Wikipedia and Bing search results have all been integrated into Siri, and Apple promises theres even more to come from its personal assistant in iOS 7 - such as the way Siri will learn your name if you tell it that things are being pronounced too.
iOS in the Car
iOS 7 allows car manufacturers to integrate the operating system with built-in screens in vehicles, as well as full Siri support for eyes-free usage. This means you can finally live the dream of owning a Ferrari, using Siri but not owning a single Apple device. Truly, the future. Cars will be able to read your iMessages to you and allow you to dictate a response, as well as use other features such as accessing Maps for directions and controlling the music player.
If you have a hankering to get hold of one of these iOS 7 enabled cars then youll have to wait until next year when 12 manufacturers will produce compatible vehicles - but Nissan, Honda and Volvo are all there. Score.
App Store overhaul
Theres an all new look for the famous App Store, which we found out earlier now has over 900,000 apps, making it easier to find those tiny programs to fritter away precious moments before death. You can search for apps based on age range in iOS 7, which Apple is pushing as a great feature for parents, while the Apps near me feature will show you the most popular apps based on your current location. We assume its a good idea to drive swiftly away if you suddenly near a car park and apps to make friends easily come up on your iPhone. And something which will probably please a huge amount of the Apple fan-base: apps will now update automatically in the background. Presumably this can be turned off, or simple changes that wreck an app will leave users helpless to do anything about it.
Nokia revealed that the Nokia 808 PureView runs Nokia Belle OS Feature Pack 1, which brings a number of improvements. Also, they have some good news and some bad news for owners of current Belle devices too, depending on what device you have.
