Showing posts with label Misc. Show all posts
Companies like LG and Samsung have been increasingly depending on the OLED display technologies for
their smartphones, digital cameras, and even televisions. The OLED screens have incredible
black levels and are super-thin, but the battery life of these screens is very poor. Additionally, the cost of this technology is also high. The researchers from the University of Bonn have developed a new technology that could make cheaper and more efficient OLED displays.
OLEDs are called so because they are made up of organic molecules and these molecules consist solely of carbon and hydrogen. In a conventional OLED display, there is a lot of energy loss as the display generates more heat instead of light. According to the University of Bonn press release, "this loss of energy occurs frequently: three quarters of all charges carry the same spin. Much like the needle of a compass, they point in the same direction but cannot touch each other, effectively lowering the yield of useful light." While noble metals can be used to quickly re-orient the magnetic particles so that they do generate light instead of heat after all, but such rare metals are obviously an expensive addition to the overall manufacturing costs.
Dr. John Lupton, Professor of Physics at the University of Regensburg, said that the new OLED display technology raises the efficiency using an entirely different mechanism. According to him, "Charges can flip the orientation of their spins spontaneously, you just have to wait for long enough for this to occur." But traditional OLED molecules give up their energy as heat quicker than the new ones which are developed at the University of Bonn. Professor Sigurd Höger of the University of Bonn said that, "“It appears that, in our OLEDs, the molecules can store electrical energy for significantly longer than is conventionally assumed, our molecules can therefore exploit the spontaneous jumps in spin orientation in order to generate light."
This technology could make a big difference to the consumers. The screen on your smartphone often costs as much as the rest of the parts combined. That is a heck lot of money for just a screen, maybe that won't be the case once this technology is implemented.
OLEDs are called so because they are made up of organic molecules and these molecules consist solely of carbon and hydrogen. In a conventional OLED display, there is a lot of energy loss as the display generates more heat instead of light. According to the University of Bonn press release, "this loss of energy occurs frequently: three quarters of all charges carry the same spin. Much like the needle of a compass, they point in the same direction but cannot touch each other, effectively lowering the yield of useful light." While noble metals can be used to quickly re-orient the magnetic particles so that they do generate light instead of heat after all, but such rare metals are obviously an expensive addition to the overall manufacturing costs.
Dr. John Lupton, Professor of Physics at the University of Regensburg, said that the new OLED display technology raises the efficiency using an entirely different mechanism. According to him, "Charges can flip the orientation of their spins spontaneously, you just have to wait for long enough for this to occur." But traditional OLED molecules give up their energy as heat quicker than the new ones which are developed at the University of Bonn. Professor Sigurd Höger of the University of Bonn said that, "“It appears that, in our OLEDs, the molecules can store electrical energy for significantly longer than is conventionally assumed, our molecules can therefore exploit the spontaneous jumps in spin orientation in order to generate light."
This technology could make a big difference to the consumers. The screen on your smartphone often costs as much as the rest of the parts combined. That is a heck lot of money for just a screen, maybe that won't be the case once this technology is implemented.
Android is the operating system(OS) that powers over 1 billion smartphones and tablets all over the world. Google officially announced the Android 4.4 KitKat a couple of days back and now we have got a walkthrough video for our viewers. This video explains almost everything you need to know about the latest version of Android. The video was uploaded by Techradar.
Android 4.4 launched alongside the Nexus 5, which is the latest smartphone in the Nexus line-up and the second to be manufactured by LG. Android OS has been developed by Google under sweet-themed names like "Gingerbread", "Honeycomb" and "Ice-Cream Sandwhich" ever since the release of Android Cupcake (Android 1.5), which was released in the year 2009 and it has been continuing in alphabetical order until the most recent version, Android Jelly Bean. But this is the first time that the company has used a brand name to name a version of its operating system.
According to Sundar Pichai (Android Senior VP), "The new mobile OS is based on efficiency that brings smartphones to the next billion people." Android 4.4 has got many new features and improved performance as compared to the previous versions. Much of the interface has been streamlined. It now has a shortcut for camera and more immersive 'now playing' content on the lock screen, and there is also an option to rearrange the home screens. The dialer and Hangouts make it easy for the users to search for the nearby addresses. Emoji icons are also available in the keyboard which will impress the self-expression fans.
Google is also improving battery life through sensor batching, which cuts back on data requests. Google claims that the Android KitKat allows for better multi-tasking. According to Google, the system optimizes memory and improves the user's touchscreen so that it responds faster. It also contains a new phone app which is meant to automatically prioritize the user's contacts based on the people he/she talks to the most. KitKat also allows the users to print photos, webpages and documents from their phone or tablet.
KitKat also has improved the Voice Technology. You don’t even need to touch the phone's screen to get things done. When you are on the home screen or in Google Now, you just have to say “Ok Google” to launch voice search, send a text, get directions or even play a song. According to Google, the speech recognition engine is about 25% more accurate.
How to get Android KitKat ? As of now, buying a LG Nexus 5 is the quickest way to get this latest version of Android. Upgrades for other devices will roll out in the coming weeks, according to Google.
We will inform you about the latest KitKat updates as soon as possible.
Telecom major Bharti Airtel today said its subsidiary has launched third generation (3G) services in the country of Bangladesh. The company said that Airtel Bangladesh's 3G services will be available initially in Dhaka and Chittagong and will be extended to the whole country.
According to a release by Bharti Airtel, the telecom operator also introduced various packages for its customers.
In September, Airtel, India's largest private telecom operator, announced that its Bangladesh arm had won 5 Mhz of 3G spectrum for USD 105 million in an auction.
"We are excited to offer innovative products and affordable prices of our 3G services with highest speed, innovative contents for all segments, which will mark a major milestone for Airtel in Bangladesh," Airtel Bangladesh CEO and Managing Director Chris Tobit said.
Customers can enjoy high speed mobile Internet, HD video streaming, file sharing,downloads and much more over Airtel 3G with innovative, simple and much affordable data packs. All Airtel packages are of minimum 1 MBps speed, he added.
Airtel said all the customers can enjoy the 'pay as you go' data usage service at 2G rate. As a promotional offer, Airtel customers will also receive 100% bonus on each subscription of minimum 1 GB data pack, it added.
A US design firm Pedal Power claims to have developed a revolutionary new desk with a built-in cycle, pedalling of which generates electrical power to charge laptops and other electronic devices.
Pedal Power created two such cycling generators that can produce electrical power (Big Rig and Pedal Genny).
The Pedal Genny is more portable and it is a single function machine. It has an optional seat, but the negative point is that it has no work surface.
The Pedal Genny features a flywheel to smooth pedalling, full-size cranks, and an all-steel, hand-built frame.
It has been used for generating electricity, milling grain and pumping water, but can be configured to power most any mechanical device and it requires less than 1 horsepower which is an advantage.
On the other hand, Big Rig is designed for off-grid applications and features a work surface, ergonomic seat for comfort, it has quick adjustments for different riders, a flywheel which smooths pedalling, a wide range of gearing, and an all-steel, hand-built frame, the company claimed.
We can use it to generate 100 watts of electricity, pump 5 gallons of water per minute, grind a variety of grains, as well as operate an air compressor, a hydraulic pump, most any hand-cranked machine, and a variety of small shop tools, the company said.
It has been found to be particularly useful for small scale agricultural applications such as cracking grains, pumping water and churning butter.
It has an efficiency of 97 per cent and the bicycle technology is nearly perfect. So why do we use it only for transportation?
"Bicycle technology can and should be used for many everyday tasks. Using your own power rather than plugging into the grid is not only fun, but helps you understand your energy use and reduce your ecological footprint," the company said.
Swiftkey has released the 4.3 version of its official keyboard app on Google Play today. The app which was released in Beta form last month brings three new keyboard layouts, undocking support & much more.
The users which already have Swiftkey in their devices will get this version for free of cost via Google Play. The others have to purchase it from Google Play. The company is currently offering 50% discount in some countries such as UK, France, Spain, Australia, Italy, New Zealand and Germany. It is available in India for INR 99.
Let us talk about the new version of Swiftkey in detail, it includes new layouts which allows the users to choose the keyboard layout which is most suitable for their device.
“Layouts for Living make it easier and more comfortable to type, whatever you’re using and whatever you’re doing. The choice is yours – your SwiftKey, your way. We received an overwhelmingly positive response from our beta testers and we’re excited to bring SwiftKey 4.3 to all our users,” SwiftKey co-founder and CTO Ben Medlock said in a statement.
SwiftKey 4.3 is also good news for Canadians: SwiftKey has also added a Canadian English language model for the first time to better customise for local personalities and place names. The addition of Canadian English takes SwiftKey’s language count to 61.
The new version unifies the tablet and smartphone versions, meaning that you won’t have to bother with two apps anymore. That’s possible thanks to the new Layouts for Living keyboard formats, which adapt to any screen size and any preference.
The three keyboard layouts in SwiftKey 4.3 are the classic Full mode, the Thumb mode, which separates the keys into two groups for easy thumb typing on large smartphones and tablets, and the Compact mode, a narrow format that moves all the keys closer to a side of the device, for easier one hand typing. The three layouts can be resized, undocked, and even moved around the screen, a feature that should be especially handy for entering text on tablets and other large devices.
Swiftkey is already used on millions of Android devices & it is heading for another 100 millions globally by the end of the year.
Dual technology player Reliance Communications has lost 10.49 million subscribers in September, taking its overall customer base to 116 million. The company has been deactivating inactive subscribers from its networks.
With its subscriber base reduced to 116 million subscribers in the country, the company now holds 13.35 percent market share of the cellular subscriber base in India.
In a statement to Reuters, Reliance Communications said it had deactivated unprofitable and low-end subscribers.
RCom said that this deactivation would have no impact on its revenue. The massive plunge in subscriber base pushed Reliance Communications to the fourth spot when it comes to total number of customers in the country.
According to Telecom Regulatory Authority Of India (TRAI) data, India’s third largest GSM service provider Idea Cellular added the maximum number of 1.21 million subscribers in the month and now has 14.61 percent share in terms of number of cellular subscribers.
Vodafone India on the other hand added around 1.20 million subscribers, followed by Bharti Airtel at 1.16 million new subscribers. Bharti Airtel presently leads the India telecom market with 22.21 percent subscriber share, followed by Vodafone India, which has 17.87 percent share.
Aircel added 0.64 million subscribers in the month and stood fourth in terms of new additions. Videocon Telecom added 0.31 million new subscribers during the month.
Uninor, which achieved break-even in five circles out of its six circles in the country, also added 0.12 million new subscribers, followed by Loop Telecom, which added 61,301 new subscribers.
Besides RCom, other telecom operators whose subscriber numbers dipped in the month of September were Tata Teleservices (TTSL) and MTNL. TTSL lost 143,567 subscribers while MTNL lost 232,273 subscribers.
Sistema Shyam TeleServices (MTS India) and BSNL lost 12,690 and 74,566 subscribers, respectively, during the month.
Overall, India's telecom subscriber base plunged in the month of September 2012 by six percent, bringing the total base below the 900-million mark. The overall subscriber base stood at 899.96 million by the end of the month.
Total wireless subscriber base decreased from 876.72 million in August 2013 to 870.58 million at the end of September 2013, registering a monthly decline of 0.70 percent.
On the other hand, the country’s wireline subscriber base declined from 29.46 million at the end of August 2013 to 29.28 million at the end of September 2013. Net reduction in wireline subscriber base was 0.17 million at a rate of 0.59 percent.
Chipmaker Qualcomm is working on the successor to the Adreno 330 GPU and the new GPU should debut in early 2014 alongside a new Snapdragon chipset, according to sources. It is thought that an official reveal for these chips at the Las Vegas CES in January 2014 wouldn’t be surprising.
The current top performing GPU from Qualcomm is the Adreno 330 which can be found integrated into the popular Snapdragon 800 SoC and is capable of pushing out 3.6 Gigapixels a second. A significant boost to GPU power is expected to be provided by the Adreno 400 GPU, it needs it to keep up with ARM and Nvidia. However sources are positive that the new Qualcomm GPU won’t contain a compute part or support OpenCL.
As noted by the source the mobile GPU market has five players all struggling to claim the performance crown; Qualcomm, Nvidia, PowerVR, ARM and Vivante all offer mobile GPU designs. Because of its PC market experience and R&D it might be obvious to think that Nvidia, with its upcoming ‘Logan’ Tegra 5 chips, will become the mobile graphics leader when that part emerges, but nothing is by any means certain.
We know quite a bit about ARM’s next mobile GPUs. Just a few days ago ARM announced two new major Mali GPU designs; the high-performance Mali-T760 GPU with 16 processing cores and a quoted 9.6 Gigapixels a second, also designed with power-saving in mind, so important to mobile devices, according to ARM. A new mainstream or entry level design was also put forward by ARM in the shape of the Mali-T720 which offers and Adreno 330 beating 4.8 Gigapixels a second with a reduced silicon area and better energy efficiency. Both of the above mentioned new ARM GPUs support GPU compute and OpenGL 3.
Apple has announced a deal to open a sapphire facility, fuelling rumours the hard material could be used on future smartphones and iPads
Apple is planning to build a 700-employee facility to make sapphire glass, which could be used on future iPhones and iPads.
It announced its plan to partner with mineral crystal firm GT Advanced Technologies, in a $578 million deal to open a plant in Arizona, US.
The partnership suggests Apple will use sapphire cover glass to protect the displays used in future iOS hardware.
Sapphire is already used in the Touch ID fingerprint sensor on the new iPhone 5S, which is likely to feature in future Apple products, although it was not used in the new iPad Air or retina iPad mini.
Apple also use sapphire, which is harder than rock, to protect iPhone camera lenses and it is increasingly being used as a screen material in prototypes and high-end phones.
It is always good news when devices that don’t always make it to the headlines still get some much needed love. This time it’s the HTC One SV’s turn as it receives an update that brings its software to a more recent Android 4.2 and Sense 5 versions.
The HTC One SV was launched January this year and sported some rather decent mid-range hardware. A dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4, running at clock speeds of 1.2 GHz, and 1 GB of RAM ran the show. The 4.3-inch display only supported a resolution of 480×800 pixels but the 5 megapixel rear camera and 1.6 megapixel front-facing camera are capable of recording 1080p and 720p videos. The smartphone only had 8 GB of internal storage but can be expanded using the microSD slot. It had support for a variety of connectivity options and networks, including Bluetooth 4.0, CDMA networks, and 4G LTE.
This smartphone originally launched with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich but eventually received an update that brought Android 4.1 and the Sense 4 custom interface. While this update is no Android 4.4 KitKat, or even the latest Jelly Bean, Android 4.3, it’s a welcome update nonetheless. At the moment, no changelog has been provided, though we might hear about what has changed specifically for the One SV once more people have had their hands on the update.
The Android 4.2.2 and Sense 5 update for the HTC One SV has started rolling out to European handsets but, as always, it should take some time before it reaches international models as well. The 431MB update is available over-the-air only, so make sure you have a stable connection before updating.
Google has launched a new tool that connects people with experts over live interactive video for free or paid advice, while adding a revenue stream for the company in the form of transaction fees from providers.
People can choose help from others, instant or scheduled, on the new Helpout service based on their qualifications, availability, price, ratings and reviews.
They can use a computer or a mobile device, provided they have a Google+ account, built-in or external webcam and microphone. Google has also launched an Android app for Helpouts.
"We want to use the convenience and efficiency of the web to enable everyone, no matter where they are or what time it is, to easily connect with someone who can help," Udi Manber, Google's vice president of engineering, said in a blog post late Monday.
All payments for charged services are done through Google Wallet, which would require customers to set up an account before a paid Helpouts session. Google is offering a full money-back guarantee if the experience doesn't meet the user's expectations.
Manber hopes that Helpouts will let people get and provide help in a variety of areas ranging from a computer glitch, a leaky pipe, to a homework problem.
Helpouts charges providers a flat 20 percent transaction fee on all paid, non-health Helpouts, which Google says will meet credit card fees, the cost of offering the money-back guarantee, advertising and promotion, and the cost of running the Helpouts platform. The cost of the transaction fee is included in the amount paid by the customer.
There is no transaction fee currently for providing free Helpouts. Starting Jan. 1, paid health Helpouts will be also charged a transaction fee.
Providers set the pricing and have the option of pricing the service on a per minute or per Helpouts session, or give customers the payment option.
Google said it is starting small with a few categories like art and music, computers and electronics, cooking, education and careers, fashion and beauty, fitness and nutrition, health and home, and garden. Providers are screened by Google. Healthcare service providers have to be licensed health professionals, and will be screened by HireRight, a Google contractor. Current providers on Helpouts include perfume and cosmetics company Sephora, Home Depot's handyman referral service Redbeacon and physical fitness firm Weight Watchers.
Helpouts may not be suitable for every occasion and the number of people giving help on Helpouts and the type of help available will grow over time, Manber said.
Users will have access to a variety of tools including the ability to take a photo during a Helpout, or to allow the provider access to the user computer remotely to help fix a problem, or to access Google Drive documents, photos, and presentations.
HTC might have stated that it plans to brings Android 4.4 update for HTC One unlocked units within a month in US but the HTC One models in EMEA region will have to wait for full three months to get this update.
The company told that they’ll release Android 4.4 for the One in EMEA countries “from the end of January.” With this revelation, we know HTC One update schedule in US and EMEA countries but the company is still silent about the update plans for Asia.
HTC has also not revealed a clear timeline for One Mini and One Max Android 4.4 updates.
To remind you, Android 4.4 will come with Sense 5.5 to the HTC One smartphone. Android 4.4 as such packs several improvements.
You can read the features of Android 4.4 here.
In a bid to ensure safety of commuters Udupi police have come up with a new system of giving unique numbers to auto drivers. Autorickshaw Drivers’ Display System (ADDS) was launched by IGP (Western Range) Pratap Reddy at SP’s office here on Friday. It will be made mandatory from January 1, 2014 , said the IGP.
This TSR system is aimed primarily at providing safety to autorickshaw passengers in the district. Its implementation comes against the backdrop of the gang-rape of a Manipal student, which generated widespread concern among people on the safety of autorickshaw passengers.
In case of a mishap, it will be easier to locate the autorickshaw driver in question. The fear of travelling unattended or travelling at night is reduced.
More people will be encouraged to travel in autorickshaws when driver details are verified by the police.
This will also enable the autorickshaw driver to get more passengers. There won’t be frequent police checks of driver’s documents.
"Under the system, auto drivers will have to visit the jurisdiction police station of their residence and fill a form. After the scrutiny, they will be given display cards with a unique identification number. They will have to display the card in their vehicles," he said.
A fine of Rs 2,000 will be imposed on violators. "The display cards will be issued free of cost. In future the system will be rolled out in Dakshina Kannada, Uttara Kannada and Chikamagalur districts," he added.
Superintendent of Police M.B. Boralingaiah said after autorickshaws, the TSR system would be extended to taxis and private buses in Udupi district.
According to reports, Yuanqing, chairman and chief executive officer of Lenovo, said that mergers and acquisitions are always useful tools for the business to expand, and the company was open to deals that can boost their business.
Lenovo Group Ltd is actively considering acquisitions in the mobile consumer electronics industry, Yang Yuanqing, has said.
Media reports claim that Lenovo is in talks with embattled BlackBerry Ltd on a merger possibly worth 4.7 billion dollars.
Lenovo has long been rumored to be an active bidder for BlackBerry, which has been losing ground to Apple Inc and Samsung.
In mid-October, the Wall Street Journal reported that Lenovo signed a nondisclosure deal to examine the books of the Canadian smartphone maker.
The Chinese company is borrowing roughly 1.5 billion dollars from banks for the deal, the report added.
"We have to prepare enough fodder for the next move," Yang told reporters. But he refused to confirm the BlackBerry bid.
Other potential suitors are said to include Google Inc, SAP AG and Facebook Inc.
"BlackBerry's patents and channel partner resources are valuable assets for Lenovo," said James Wang, a Shanghai-based analyst at research firm Canalys.
Telecom operators are the biggest smartphone sellers in developed economies, and Lenovo needs such resources if it wants to enter US and European markets, according to Wang
Lenovo will make its way to developed markets by 2015 after it enters such emerging economies as Russia, Brazil and Southeast Asia, Yang said.
The company is the second-largest smartphone vendor in China after Samsung. It also enjoys about 10 percent of market share in Southeast Asian countries.
Smartphones and tablets are the weapons Lenovo will use to advance into the United States and the European Union.
The company plans to sell at least 10 million tablets in the fiscal year that ends next March.
Its tablet shipments the previous fiscal year totaled 1 million.
"Smartphones and tablets are both profitable at the moment, and we will constantly be looking at ways to expand our business," said Yang.
The company also launched an assembly plant in the central city of Wuhan, Hubei province. Annual mobile device shipments from the plant are estimated to reach 100 million.
Liu Jun, the Lenovo senior vice-president who heads its consumer product unit, said strong delivery power will help the company sell its products at a better price, which will help gain more customers at the lower end of the market.
Local storage :
The quickest place to save a backup of your data is on the hard disk in your PC. Here, however, you will first need to ensure that your copies are stored on a separate physical drive in your machine. A note of caution: different partitions do not mean different drives. In the event of a hard drive failure, you will lose all your data if your files were stored on the same disk, even though it might show as a different drive letter on your system.
Now, given current drive capacities,
most PCs come with just a single hard drive. In this case, it would be
best to invest in an external hard disk. As mentioned earlier, each
brand comes with its own backup utility. Follow the simple steps to back
up your files at regular intervals. Tip: Till you get into an
'automatic' habit, create a reminder on your phone that will prompt you
to backup every weekend.
Personal cloud storage :
While a local backup is a good idea, an online repository for your documents, music and pictures will give you the freedom to access them from any web-enabled device. Besides, many cloud services come with mobile apps, allowing you to access, synchronize and share files on the go.
Dropbox (www.dropbox.com) :
This service gives you 2GB of free storage. If you suggest it to friends, you can earn up to 18GB of space. Dropbox also has software for Windows, Mac and Linux PCs, and apps for Android, BlackBerry, and iOS devices. To back up a file, place it in the local Dropbox folder on your PC and it will be pushed online, showing up on your smartphone as well.
Google Drive (drive.google.com) :
Google Drive offers up to 15GB of free space which is shared across Gmail and Google+ services. While Drive is not ideal for multimedia file storage, it is perfect for documents, with support for over thirty formats that can be opened within the mobile app - available for Android and iOS - or the web browser.
Box (www.box.com) :
With 10GB of storage space, you will have more than enough room for backing up personal and work-related documents. If you are not into taking your photographs public on Flickr and Picasa, you can store them on Box. Entire folders can be shared with friends and family, turning the backup process into an advantage. Just make sure you don't give write access to those with whom you share the folder. Besides mobile apps for Android and iOS devices, Box also works on Windows Phone.
SkyDrive (skydrive.live.com) :
With SkyDrive, you get 7GB of free space and the ability to work on documents within a web browser or its app that's available for Android, iOS and Windows Phone. This service works well with photos too: it comes with a slideshow function and supports sharing on social networks.
Mega (mega.co.nz) :
Mega tops ours charts with a whopping 50GB of free storage space. It is a pure-bred digital locker with AES-128 encryption for all your data. As of now, the service can be accessed via your PC and through an app for Android. iOS and Windows Phone offerings are in the works.
Backing up with Windows :
You can also use the built-in backup and restore utility in Windows. The best part is that you can schedule and automate the entire process with the help of a simple wizard.
In Windows 7 :
Click Start > Control Panel > System and Maintenance > Backup and Restore. Here, you are presented with two options 1 Make a full backup of the system: In the left pane, click Create new, full backup. 2 Customize the archival: Click Set up backup and then follow the wizard to configure what you want to make a copy of. After that first time, whenever you bring up Back and Restore, just click Back up now. To restore your data, double-click the backup file to start the process. Alternatively, open Backup and Restore > Restore my files. Browse through the backup and choose the files and folders you want to restore; select the destination and click Restore.
In Windows 8.1 :
Connect an external hard drive to your PC. Then, using your cursor, point to the upper right corner of the screen. In the 'charms' bar that appears, click on the Search option and type File History to access it. Enable the File History option and follow the instructions to select the folders you want to backup. You can restore files from earlier copies with the same utility.
Personal cloud storage :
While a local backup is a good idea, an online repository for your documents, music and pictures will give you the freedom to access them from any web-enabled device. Besides, many cloud services come with mobile apps, allowing you to access, synchronize and share files on the go.
Dropbox (www.dropbox.com) :
This service gives you 2GB of free storage. If you suggest it to friends, you can earn up to 18GB of space. Dropbox also has software for Windows, Mac and Linux PCs, and apps for Android, BlackBerry, and iOS devices. To back up a file, place it in the local Dropbox folder on your PC and it will be pushed online, showing up on your smartphone as well.
Google Drive (drive.google.com) :
Google Drive offers up to 15GB of free space which is shared across Gmail and Google+ services. While Drive is not ideal for multimedia file storage, it is perfect for documents, with support for over thirty formats that can be opened within the mobile app - available for Android and iOS - or the web browser.
Box (www.box.com) :
With 10GB of storage space, you will have more than enough room for backing up personal and work-related documents. If you are not into taking your photographs public on Flickr and Picasa, you can store them on Box. Entire folders can be shared with friends and family, turning the backup process into an advantage. Just make sure you don't give write access to those with whom you share the folder. Besides mobile apps for Android and iOS devices, Box also works on Windows Phone.
SkyDrive (skydrive.live.com) :
With SkyDrive, you get 7GB of free space and the ability to work on documents within a web browser or its app that's available for Android, iOS and Windows Phone. This service works well with photos too: it comes with a slideshow function and supports sharing on social networks.
Mega (mega.co.nz) :
Mega tops ours charts with a whopping 50GB of free storage space. It is a pure-bred digital locker with AES-128 encryption for all your data. As of now, the service can be accessed via your PC and through an app for Android. iOS and Windows Phone offerings are in the works.
Backing up with Windows :
You can also use the built-in backup and restore utility in Windows. The best part is that you can schedule and automate the entire process with the help of a simple wizard.
In Windows 7 :
Click Start > Control Panel > System and Maintenance > Backup and Restore. Here, you are presented with two options 1 Make a full backup of the system: In the left pane, click Create new, full backup. 2 Customize the archival: Click Set up backup and then follow the wizard to configure what you want to make a copy of. After that first time, whenever you bring up Back and Restore, just click Back up now. To restore your data, double-click the backup file to start the process. Alternatively, open Backup and Restore > Restore my files. Browse through the backup and choose the files and folders you want to restore; select the destination and click Restore.
In Windows 8.1 :
Connect an external hard drive to your PC. Then, using your cursor, point to the upper right corner of the screen. In the 'charms' bar that appears, click on the Search option and type File History to access it. Enable the File History option and follow the instructions to select the folders you want to backup. You can restore files from earlier copies with the same utility.
How often do you use your smartphone camera? With every new model that comes out, it seems like camera quality is often a huge selling point. But do you take advantage of those advancements? There are a lot of neat uses for that camera you carry around everywhere regardless of whether it's the latest and greatest or three years old.
Personally, I use my smartphone camera maybe once or twice a year. It's pretty sad and a waste of potential, so I've been interested in figuring out how to make better use of it. If you're in the same boat as me, you may be surprised to find out that your smartphone camera is great for more than just family photos and Instagram filters.
I'll tell you 4 ways in which you can use your camera in a better way. Here they are :
Makeshift scanner :
Based on what I've seen, scanners have started disappearing from homes. The only scanners I've seen are the printer-fax-scanner all-in-one machines for home offices which are bulky and eat up space. What if you don't have a scanner and want to scan a document? Nowadays, your phone camera is good enough to do that for free.
With apps like CamScanner (Android), Document Scanner (Android), and Genius Scan (iPhone), you can take photos of various documents and images and instantly transform them into PDFs that are ready for office consumption. In most cases, the final document quality is on par or better than home office scanners.
Makeshift webcam or security cam :
Nowadays, most laptops and netbooks come with integrated webcams and some monitors even have webcam capabilities. However, if you don't have a webcam, you can buy a passable one these days for less than $20 if you look in the right places - or you can just hook up your smartphone and use its camera instead.
There are a lot of smartphone-as-webcam apps out there, both for Android and iPhone, and the level of setup difficulty varies depending on which app you use. However, on the whole, it's pretty simple. Use your Android as a webcam or use your iPhone as a webcam, then tell us how it went and how you like it!
By using your smartphone as a webcam, you could even turn it into a security cam. This can be useful in a number of situations, whether it's to watch for night intruders at home, keep tabs on your children as they sleep, or just as an extra set of eyes for various corridors at work.
Proof and documentation :
Many of us probably know that camera photos can be useful as evidence when something goes wrong, but how many of us actually use our smartphones for that purpose? The most common example that I've heard is in the case of a car accident (snap photos of the damage and the offender's license plate), but this could be applied in so many other ways.
For example, if you frequently sell items online, snap photos of the product just before shipping so you have evidence. Not only does this protect you against a buyer's retaliation, it can be used as proof against the shipping company.
If you ever rent something, snap photos of any potentially incriminating marks, dents, and damages, no matter how insignificant they may seem. If you document the state of your rental at the start of your renting agreement, you can protect yourself against those who want to pull a fast one on you. This is applicable for vehicles, apartments, etc.
For more personal examples, you could use smartphone photos to document any disassembly you do. When you take apart an electronic or mechanical device for the first time, these photos could prove invaluable when it's time to put things back together.
And then there's price matching. If you visit a store with a robust price matching policy, you may be able to present photos of a cheaper price from another store and get them to match.
Memory aid :
Photos were originally meant to capture a moment in time as a memory, so why not use your smartphone camera to help you remember mundane details that you might normally forget? Doing so might reduce the amount of inconvenience in your life.
Before you leave on an extended trip, take a photo of all of your luggage and everything inside each bag or case. At the end of your trip, review these photos to make sure you have everything and aren't forgetting anything. Quick and easy, isn't it?
Similarly, if you park in a multi-story parking garage, you could snap a photo of location signs to help you remember where you parked your car. No matter how good your memory is, there are times when you'll blank and forget where you parked. Save time and energy with a photo.
"Are you taking any medication?" You'll hear this a lot when filling out medical forms or whenever you go in for a hospital checkup, but sometimes it can be hard to remember everything you're on. Take a picture of your medicine cabinet so you can pull it out whenever you need to know. Who knows, it may even save your life one day.
Conclusion :
There is nothing wrong with taking photos of a family event or your latest trip to the beach, but your smartphone can be used for so much more than that. A few creative applications can turn your smartphone camera from an afterthought into a tool that makes your life easier - even the old spare smartphones that seem useless.
KitKat, the most recent version of
Android, brings features as sweet as its namesake to the new
Google Nexus 5. Among these, you'll find a new phone dialer, Caller ID, true full screen, a new Hangouts app, and printing abilities.
To use all of these new features, KitKat also has an updated Google Keyboard. This keyboard is very similar to the version released on the Google Play Store, except the swiping line color has changed, you can glide over space to insert it between words, and some upgraded emoji are included.
If you have Android 4.0 or above on your device, AndroidPolice has made the keyboard APK available for download so you can try it right now. Ready to get started? Here's how:
Disclaimer: Installing third-party software means taking risks with your device and/or personal information. You will be responsible for any issues caused by the installation, and should only proceed if you are prepared to deal with the resulting consequences.
First, you'll need to make sure you have the ability to install software from outside the Google Play Store. Open your Settings menu, go to Security, and then check the box next to Unknown Sources.
Next, download the actual Google Keyboard APK (Android Package). You can download it directly to your device, or you can download it to your computer and then transfer it to your device's storage later (via USB, cloud storage, or another preferred method of transfer).
Here are the mirrors shared by Android Police :
Mirror 1
Mirror 2
Mirror 3
Now you're ready to install the keyboard on your device. If everything is set, you should be able to tap on your completed download (or the file you moved to your device) and the package installer will pop up to finish the process. However, on some devices (such as the Note 2), you may only see a prompt to use programs that have nothing to do with installing apps. If you are running into this issue, you can easily work around it by uploading the app to your Dropbox or Google Drive account and installing from there.
Unlike some other keyboards, Google has included an setup tutorial. After the install completes, press the open button and you'll be walked through setup. If you skip this by mistake, you can easily navigate through Menu > Language, and input to enable the keyboard and adjust settings (like vibrate or sound on keypress), too.
Finally, open any app where you can type to test it out. The emoji have their own button in the bottom right-hand corner, but if you don't see it in some apps, try long-pressing Enter or Search. Please note that emoji will show as black and white versions only if you are not on Android 4.4.
To use all of these new features, KitKat also has an updated Google Keyboard. This keyboard is very similar to the version released on the Google Play Store, except the swiping line color has changed, you can glide over space to insert it between words, and some upgraded emoji are included.
If you have Android 4.0 or above on your device, AndroidPolice has made the keyboard APK available for download so you can try it right now. Ready to get started? Here's how:
Disclaimer: Installing third-party software means taking risks with your device and/or personal information. You will be responsible for any issues caused by the installation, and should only proceed if you are prepared to deal with the resulting consequences.
First, you'll need to make sure you have the ability to install software from outside the Google Play Store. Open your Settings menu, go to Security, and then check the box next to Unknown Sources.
Next, download the actual Google Keyboard APK (Android Package). You can download it directly to your device, or you can download it to your computer and then transfer it to your device's storage later (via USB, cloud storage, or another preferred method of transfer).
Here are the mirrors shared by Android Police :
Mirror 1
Mirror 2
Mirror 3
Now you're ready to install the keyboard on your device. If everything is set, you should be able to tap on your completed download (or the file you moved to your device) and the package installer will pop up to finish the process. However, on some devices (such as the Note 2), you may only see a prompt to use programs that have nothing to do with installing apps. If you are running into this issue, you can easily work around it by uploading the app to your Dropbox or Google Drive account and installing from there.
Unlike some other keyboards, Google has included an setup tutorial. After the install completes, press the open button and you'll be walked through setup. If you skip this by mistake, you can easily navigate through Menu > Language, and input to enable the keyboard and adjust settings (like vibrate or sound on keypress), too.
Finally, open any app where you can type to test it out. The emoji have their own button in the bottom right-hand corner, but if you don't see it in some apps, try long-pressing Enter or Search. Please note that emoji will show as black and white versions only if you are not on Android 4.4.
US-based Adobe Systems, which sells Photoshop and Acrobat software, has disclosed that cyber criminals had compromised accounts and passwords of 38 million users.
On October 3, Adobe said it faced two attacks from cyber criminals who stole credit card data of 2.9 million customers. Its security team had discovered the sophisticated attacks involving illegal access of customer information and source code of many Adobe products.
"Our investigation has confirmed that the attackers obtained access to Adobe IDs and what were at the time valid, encrypted passwords for approximately 38 million active users," an Adobe spokesperson said.
The California-headquartered firm said it has informed all the affected users and has reset their passwords.
"Our investigation is still ongoing, and we anticipate the full investigation will take some time to complete," the spokesperson said. "We have completed email notification of these users. We also have reset the passwords for all Adobe IDs with valid, encrypted passwords that we believe were involved in the incident regardless of whether those users are active or not."
Adobe products are used by film and video makers, web and graphic designers, creative professionals, professional publishers, enterprises and individual consumers. The products are widely used on the Internet, including reading and viewing of documents.
Adobe users avail its various offerings through accounts for which they pay a particular fee depending on the services.
The company has not revealed the geographies where the accounts have been compromised. It has offices in about 34 countries across North America, Asia, Australia and New Zealand, Europe, Middle East, Africa and South America.
It also has a significant presence in India with R&D offices in Bangalore and Noida and sales offices in Bangalore, Noida and Mumbai. The firm employs over 2,000 people in India of its global headcount of more than 11,000 employees.
Internet giant Google has released the latest version of Android, named KitKat. According the company, the new Android 4.4 is optimized for low-cost devices that "couldn't benefit from more recent Android releases due to memory (RAM) constraints."
Targeting the next billion smartphone users, Google has "slimmed down Android's memory footprint by removing unnecessary background services and reducing the memory consumption of features." This has not only been done for the Android platform, but also for Google services like Chrome and YouTube.
In India, most smartphones under Rs 12,000 price point have 512MB RAM or less, leading to several instances of lag. With the lighter Android4.4, budget smartphones launched in 2014 or low-end handsets that get the KitKat update are likely to operate more smoothly.
The company has also said that the latest Android release makes the user experience more immersive by "everything except what you really want to see."
Some of the new features of Android 4.4 are hands-free voice search across the device (similar to the always-on function of Moto X), redesigned dialer app that allows users to look up contacts based on location as well as Google Apps they use. The default SMS app has been integrated into the Hangouts application (which replaced the GTalk app when Android 4.3 was released) and multitasking is faster in KitKat.
The release also improves the functionalities of caller ID as well as Google Now and brings support for Bluetooth MAP (Message Access Profile), Chromecast and TV remote controls.
Android KitKat will come preloaded with the new Nexus 5 smartphone and will soon hit Nexus 7 and Nexus 10 tablets, Nexus 4 smartphone and the Google Play versions of Samsung Galaxy S4 and HTC One.
While Apple fans get to grips with the freshly-released iOS7, Android users are eagerly awaiting the launch of Kit Kat – otherwise known as Android 4.4. The latest version of Google's mobile OS should be accompanied by the Nexus 5, the newest handset in Nexus lineage and the second to be produced by manufacturer LG. Let us have a look at some of the features of Android 4.4 KitKat.
Features Of Android 4.4 KitKat :
Better looking UI :
Apple's sweeping changes in iOS7 make it look more like Android than ever before, which speaks volumes about how attractive Google's software is these days – a far cry from the bland visuals we had to endure in the days of the HTC Dream. With Ice Cream Sandwich and Jelly Bean, Google has turned Android into one of the best-looking operating systems available and this will be due in no small part to the influence of Matias Duarte, who joined the company in 2010 after working at Palm on the similarly attractive webOS platform.
Wider hardware support :
One of Android's biggest issues is fragmentation thanks to the sheer number of devices available. As different versions have been released, many Android owners have been forced to sit back and watch their newly-bought phones become obsolete almost overnight - many handsets are stuck on Android 2.3 because of the stern requirements made by subsequent updates.
Google will apparently try to make amends with Android 4.4, which is rumoured to have lower specification demands and can therefore be installed on older phones and tablets. It's even been said that devices that missed out on 4.0 and beyond will be able to download 4.4 – although we'll believe that when we see it (and of course it will be down to the manufacturers and carriers to actually release the updates). But it's a positive move by Google all the same.
Exclusive Cloud-based system :
Cloud storage is old news – we already have the likes of Google Drive, Dropbox and Box, but Google may be looking to integrate this feature more tightly with Android. Perhaps in the same way that Apple uses iCloud for backups and the like?
You can already automatically backup your photos using Google+, and it's possible to restore certain settings whenever you sign into a new Android device, but there's clearly scope for a better, more streamlined system. We may well see it in 4.4, and it could take us one step closer to ditching onboard storage altogether.
Better battery life :
This is one of those features that seems to get promised every time there's a new version of Android – but this time Google could mean it. Android 4.4 is supposed to make better use of multi-core CPUs and is apparently "lightweight" in terms of the demands it places on the hardware.
That will mean better battery stamina, although this could vary depending on which device Android 4.4 is installed on. One thing's for certain: Google is working to make Android more efficient and less power-hungry, which has been one of the OS' biggest failings since day one.
Smoother screen orientation changes :
This might sound like a relatively minor cosmetic change, but it could end up enriching the user experience no end. The simple process of turning your phone from portrait to landscape - and back again - shouldn't be a jerky, juddery affair. Yet on many Android phones, it most certainly is – and this impacts your enjoyment, even if you don't realise it.
If Google can finally solve this irksome problem then it will take a massive step towards making Android feel as slick and responsive as iOS.
Improved security and bug-squashing :
Android has a very bad reputation when it comes to general security, with many critics citing the prevalence of malevolent apps on the Google Play as a serious cause for concern. Google is clearly aware of this and has recently made it easier to report malicious downloads, but it's clear that the OS still lags behind the iPhone when it comes to keeping things locked down.
Android also has a few underlying bugs - like any OS, really - and Google is promising to eradicate those with Kit Kat.
It's already Halloween in some countries, which means there's a new Google doodle.
Already live in Australia (and soon elsewhere) is a new doodle for the holiday, which lets users become a witch and create a witch's brew.
Users can combine various ingredients to play mini games, from whack-a-mole with the undead, to a shell game where your goal is to find a mummy in a coffin. There are several others, which can be found with experimentation.
That's about all you can do with this one, so if you're looking for an ending, it's a bit of a cliff-hanger.
Last year's Halloween doodle was similarly interactive, with a row of houses that contained various interactive elements.
Adorning Google's home page with decorative, and increasingly interactive alternatives to its normal multi-color logo has been a tradition for the company since 1998. There's a team of people at Google who create the doodles, though the company occasionally allows outsiders to make them too.