TechSource

7 Most Elegantly Designed Android Apps

noreply@blogger.com (jun auza) — Tue, 21 May 2013 14:26:00 +0000

Ever since Google started focusing on design, its flagship product Android has become one of the biggest names in the industry. Earlier, it was Apple who was the frontrunner in terms of design, but soon Android caught up and disrupted the competition. That said, Android isn't yet the most beautiful phone OS around. Thanks to the ever-growing fragmentation and the plethora of customizations out there, the only thing that makes Android beautiful is its pure vanilla design that is found in Nexus 4. Otherwise, Android is still battling head-to-head with other superbly designed phone operating systems like Windows Phone and even Blackberry 10.

Despite the surging competition however, Android has millions of apps to boast of, which itself, puts it way ahead of its archrivals. Though the elegant design won't be found on all Android devices, you will, instead, find some apps that surpass the expectations of the usual Droid-hater. These beautifully designed apps remind the consumers about the dominance of Android thus making it the best mobile OS around. So, if you want to spice up your smartphone with apps designed to perfection, here's a list of the 7 most elegantly designed Android apps:

Flipboard

Flipboard is a free application that turns your smartphone or tablet into a beautiful magazine. Combining news, articles, and social media updates from multiple sources, this app is an amazing blend of old-school news consumption and modern-day social sharing. One of the most interesting features about Flipboard is that, unlike other applications, it doesn't have a HOLO-themed layout. Yet, it manages to stand out among the crowd with its carefully crafted design.

DOWNLOAD HERE

Feedly

My personal favorite, Feedly is a service that reached peak popularity when Google decided to shutter its news-reading service Google Reader. Bringing magazine-style articles to your desktop, mobile, and tablets, this service makes it easy to consume and share the latest happenings on and around the Internet. Once installed, Feedly lets you read news in a neatly spaced, clean layout that will definitely make any iOS fan jealous of your phone.

DOWNLOAD HERE

Pocket

Many times we come across articles that we don't have time to read. Instead of wasting time skimming through them in a rush, Pocket lets you save those for reading later. Designed using the HOLO layout, Pocket presents your unread article in a neatly organized layout. Instead of presenting your unread articles in a list -- which many apps do, -- Pocket gives you a visual view of all your unread stuff be it on videos or articles.

DOWNLOAD HERE

Quotes

Quotes is a free application that lets you track your investments in a beautiful HOLO-themed layout. Focusing on visually representation of data, Quotes makes it easy for you to quickly glance at your portfolios.

DOWNLOAD HERE

Calculator & Converter Free

If you're a hardworking engineer who finds it hard to carry around a calculator all the time, this next app might come in handy. Designed to near perfection, Calculator & Converter, does what its name suggests: it lets you calculate, convert currency, convert units of measurement, calculate mortgage, and even calculate tips. What stands out, though, is the neat, big, bright HOLO-themed layout.

DOWNLOAD HERE

Google Plus

We've talked a lot about Google Plus in the past. This social network is known for its high level of engagement, strong focus on photos, and seamless integration with other Google Products. The Google Plus app for Android brings all those features to your smartphone and more in a gorgeously designed application. The Google Plus app, once installed, will let you browse your Plus feed in a layout that only a few applications can match. Once again, well done Google.

DOWNLOAD HERE

Any.do

Any.do is a TODO application that I personally use to get things done. One of the best things that I found about this application is that it lets me add my tasks in a nice, clean, HOLO-themed layout. This makes it stand apart from other applications like Astrid (now a Yahoo! product) and Remember the Milk!. Once installed, you'll be able to plan your day, add calls as tasks, and even sync them with an online account.

DOWNLOAD HERE

Written by: Abhishek, a regular TechSource contributor and a long-time FOSS advocate.

How to Backup Android Apps to the Cloud Without Rooting

noreply@blogger.com (jun auza) — Sun, 19 May 2013 14:49:00 +0000

With the huge surge in the amount of Android devices being released every year, it is natural that droid fans like us would be tempted to upgrade our devices. Though buying a new smartphone or tablet is exciting, there are some little hiccups that are associated when moving your apps to your new device. One of the biggest hiccups is, of course, that of backing up your installed applications.

Every time you use your device to play a game, write e-mails, or even send a tweet, the application data is saved on your device. However, when you move to a new tablet or smartphone, you might be able to install all your previous apps, but you won't be able to get back your saved data. So, if you're a real-time strategy game fan for example, moving to a new device will force you to lose all your progress.

Thankfully, though, there are some simple solutions that will help you fully backup your Android apps to either your SD card, or to the cloud. And, no need to worry. This method is completely safe, free, and doesn't require rooting at all. So, if you're looking for a simple solution to backup your Android apps, read on.

Step 1: Install Helium on Your Android Device

Install Helium on your Android smartphone or tablet by going HERE.

If you want to backup your apps to the cloud, you'll need to buy the Premium version HERE.

Step 2: Install Helium Desktop

Since this application is cross-platform, you can install it on Windows, Mac, and Linux as well. Simply click on the icon found on their website that corresponds to your desktop OS and install the software. For Linux users, the software comes in the form of a shell script. So, if you will need to use the command line for this one.

Step 3: Connect and Backup

Connect your Android device to your computer. Then from the Helium app, select the applications you'd like to backup. Once you're done, you can either backup the apps to the cloud or you can restore it from a previously taken backup. When it comes to cloud backup, the premium version of the app can backup your apps to Box.net, Google Drive, and Dropbox. You can set backup schedules and Android-to-Android sync.

If, however, you're using the free version, you can backup the apps to your SD card and then to your PC. From there, you can drop the data to your Dropbox or your Google Drive and have it sync up directly to the cloud. Though this process might be a bit tedious, but in the end you'll have a perfect syncing solution for you without any cost.

Written by: Abhishek, a regular TechSource contributor and a long-time FOSS advocate.

8 Reasons Why Ubuntu Users Should Try Out Linux Mint

noreply@blogger.com (jun auza) — Wed, 15 May 2013 14:25:00 +0000

Ubuntu is moving in all directions lately. They are making sure that they find themselves on tablets, smartphones, and even on televisions. With the high amount of efforts being put in to make Ubuntu the best product in the FOSS community, there have been some polarizing decisions that have managed to alienate a few longtime Ubuntu users. Ever since the decision to switch to Unity was taken, there have been many Linux users who don't find Ubuntu as user-friendly as they used to back then. There have been forum wars, IRC battles, and a bunch of irksome blog posts about usability--or lack thereof-- of Ubuntu. However, as time progressed, Ubuntu has matured quite a lot and has managed to regain its top spot as one of the most user-friendly distributions in the FOSS world.

Having said that, Ubuntu isn't the only user-friendly distribution around. There are many distros like Fedora and openSUSE that cater specially to end-users. One of the best distros to target this user base is Linux Mint. Mint has managed to achieve widespread popularity despite not being backed by any big company. Moreover, many Linuxians consider Mint to be a better option when compared to Ubuntu. So, what it is that's so special about Mint that manages to attract so many users? If you're thinking about the question whilst staring at your Ubuntu desktop, here are a few reasons why you should switch to or at least try out Linux Mint.

More Choices

Linux Mint offers two desktops: MATE and Cinnamon. This makes sure that the users have as many choices as possible. As opposed to Ubuntu, which enforces a completely modern desktop to every user, Mint actually gives you the choice of going with either a modern desktop or a more traditional desktop.

The All-familiar Desktop

Linux Mint offers a default desktop interface that puts users very much at home. Keeping in mind that many of the Mint users are migrating from other operating systems, Mint keeps a user interface that is simple, fast, and elegant. Ubuntu users won't encounter many difficulties switching to the default Mint desktop.

A Better Ubuntu

Linux Mint, being based on Ubuntu offers all of the Ubuntu goodness, that too in a nice, fresh, and user-friendly package. Ubuntu's popularity encourages a lot of application developers. If, let's say you were to download an application like Steam or Dropbox for Ubuntu, you can easily install it without any compatibility issues. The same, however, cannot be done on any other distribution.

Rich, Fresh Artwork

Linux Mint's artwork is something that is admired by many users. Not only does Mint provide a fresh set of wallpapers, it also provides excellent themes that make the desktop look stunning. One of the best things about Mint is that overall; you'll find that the desktop isn't too flashy or overdone. The design is quite simple yet attractive.

Customizable

As compared to Ubuntu, you'll find that Linux Mint is quite customizable. You can download themes and even create your own themes. Apart from themes, Mint also lets you change the position and the size of the panels.

GNOME 3 Done Right

Though Mint has a desktop that sticks to the traditional paradigms of the desktop, it is still backed by some of the latest features. The desktop itself is built with GNOME 3 putting it at par with other modern desktop.

Not Mobile-Oriented

Both GNOME 3 and Ubuntu are desktops that focus heavily on the desktop-mobile convergence. Even though they are elegantly designed, Ubuntu and GNOME 3 have managed to draw away many users who believe that a desktop should look like a desktop and nothing else. Mint has ensured that it doesn't alienate these users and provides them with a desktop that is not mobile oriented.

The Latest Applications

Linux Mint comes pre-installed with all the latest applications. You'll find Firefox, Thunderbird, and yes, the latest kernel in every release. Moreover, you'll also find that Mint can play MP3s and other restricted formats right out of the box. This makes it a complete desktop operating system.

Written by: Abhishek, a regular TechSource contributor and a long-time FOSS advocate.

Samsung Galaxy S4 vs. Sony Xperia Z vs. HTC One

noreply@blogger.com (jun auza) — Sat, 11 May 2013 13:22:00 +0000

I strongly believe the world knows that there’s a smartphone war going on today. I still remembered the time when the only strong rival or model in terms to smart devices are those coming from Apple, and the rest are equal on the ground. However, things have changed and the top companies outside Apple are almost greater if not equal to the said competitor, having their own flagships ready to soar the ocean of guts. Among these companies are Samsung, Sony, and HTC.

The release of the Samsung Galaxy S4 was said to be phenomenal because of the tons of features, the latest specs, and of course, the looks. Known for its Super AMOLED display, which, though not up to par with Apple’s Retina display, is so good, almost everyone at that time wanted it on every device they bring. However, it’s admissive to learn that not everybody loves the brand itself, hence other companies star in this matter. HTC, on one side, is said to be good for a very rich user experience and a lovely interface, while Sony excels on multimedia experience and gaming offers because of the reputed PlayStation brand.

Today, I am going to reveal to you the possible truths to help you decide which would be the best iPhone 5 (or iPhone 6) killer among Samsung Galaxy S4, Sony Xperia Z, and HTC One. Enjoy reading along, as I have categorized the comparison for your convenience and reference.

Brand Trustworthiness

The brand, for me, is the biggest thing to consider when comparing between products. Brands are usually reputed based on years of experience and expertise, user experience and feedback, product identity, manner of advertisements, and even remarkable people and stores.

Samsung, firstly, gains the trust by being a highly reputed electronics manufacturer based in Korea. Samsung has been existent for decades now, and while they did not start as a cellphone manufacturer, they were already good for appliances especially TVs. Their entry to the world of mobile phones started very well also, and their growth is never to be questioned.

HTC, on the other hand, started in 1998 and was among the first ones to introduce wireless handheld devices and even the touch-enabled ones. Being based in Taiwan, its growth together with their products was not really widely known especially to the western countries. Also, part of their start was associated with their Windows products, which later expanded to Android and other systems.

The success of Sony, ultimately, started during World War II when the founders started a radio repair shop. Interestingly, for all these decades, the growth of the company may seem to be slow and ‘draggy,’ meaning, they tend to develop based only on available technologies. However, this must not distract you because of how reliable their products are which include the famous PlayStation. Today, Sony owns a wide selection of multimedia networks across the globe, and continues to excel in providing quality consumer electronic devices.

Design and Form Factor

Form comes in next to brand because this is the most picturesque factor to identifying a business or brand. Form can be considered and studied based on aesthetics, build quality, materials, ease of use, and even physical metrics.

At only 7.9mm thick, Samsung gains a very respectable body in its new S4 model. Moreover, for such a depth, and in relation to its 5-inch display, the Samsung Galaxy S4 wins the prize of being the one to cater the smallest body for a big screen. The S4 also weighs 130 grams for its 136.6mmx69.8mm body, making it also win as the lightest smartphone for a 5-inch display. The S4 also features almost bezel-less display, and though limited in color availability, is built with fine metal materials.

The HTC One, on the other hand, weighs a little further at 143 grams, but is the thickest of the three at 9.3mm. Measuring 137.4x68.2mm, the HTC One is a little narrower but slightly taller than the S4.

Sony’s Xperia Z is but the sleekest smartphone design at least for me, and its metrics lies in between the other two at 7.9mm thin but the tallest at 139mm. The Xperia Z is also the heaviest among the three at 146 grams, but at least, it features a water-resistant body and a very premium build.

The aesthetics can be hardly equated because it is too subjective. But based on my comparison, both HTC One and Xperia Z have a design much reminiscent of the iPhone 5. The Galaxy S4, nevertheless, has the most unique design among the three., though you might want to know that the Xperia Z has a glass body.

Display Quality

This is usually noted as the ‘crowning glory’ of devices especially smartphones. The display factor is usually contrasted based on resolution, pixel density, brightness, color reproduction, viewing angle, and material used.

The Galaxy S4 features a Full HD (1920x1080p) Super AMOLED Display. At 441 pixels per inch for the density plus the coveted AMOLED display, the S4 produces a very vivid representation of data, up to its almost-edge-to-edge screen. Being Super AMOLED, the S4 also has the richest color representation among the three, though such ‘richness’ may still be subjective as a lot according to my reviews have said the colors are somewhat overly saturated if not too vibrant.

While the HTC One has the same full HD resolution, the One rather wins the crown among the three in terms to pixel density at 469ppi (higher than the iPhone 5). This is even made more fantastic if you’d learn that such pixels are all made compact into a 4.7-inch display. While the bezels in the S4 are narrower, the One also has its own narrow bezels to make the display ‘float.’

Being a 5-incher also, the Xperia Z is said to have the world’s sharpest display. Though still at full HD for the resolution and with a pixel density of 443ppi, the Xperia Z features a display product right from the highly respected BRAVIA Engine of Sony’s line of TVs, making colors more vivid and brighter than expected. Lastly, there’s also the OptiContrast and Direct Touch technology, making blacks truly black and contents live up to the surface.

Features / X Factor

Features are usually brand-specific, hence one feature in a particular brand cannot be found on another with a different brand. Features are those that facilitate life and its properties, and mostly it comes with what people have known as ‘bloatwares.’

Samsung Galaxy S4: Dual Shot, Group Play, Sound & Shot, Story Album, Drama Shot, Samsung Hub, S-Translator, ChatON, SmartPause, AirView/AirGesture, Samsung WatchON, HomeSync, S Health, Adapt Display, Adapt Sound.

HTC One: BlinkFeed, Dual Frontal Speakers, HTC UltraPixel camera, HTC BoomSound, HTC Video Highlights. HTC Sense TV, HTC Sense Voice.

Sony Xperia Z: HDR Videos, IP55 & IP57 rating for dust and water resistance, glass fibre polyamide, One-touch (NFC), STAMINA mode for Battery, MH-EX300AP headset, Xperia Care, Exmor RS for camera, SmartTags, Sony Media Apps (Walkman, Album, Movies, PlayStation Mobile).

Hardware and Specs

This category includes system information, the CPU and GPU for processing tasks and apps including games, the RAM for multi-tasking, storage, other noticeable hardware parts such as camera, battery life, and connectivity.

The Samsung Galaxy S4, being a bit later in release and announcement, is expectedly having the biggest and the most stable specs so far. The S4 comes with an Exynos 5410 Octa 1.6GHz processor (two quad-core processors), PowerVR SGX544MP3 for the GPU, 2GB of RAM, 16-64GB of internal storage (expandable up to another 64GB), 13MP camera (LED Flash, AF, HDR, dual shot) and 2MP front camera, dual-band Wi-Fi, DLNA, Wi-Fi Direct, Hotspot, BT 4.0 (with A2DP and EDR), 4G LTE, mono speakers only, and NFC. The Samsung Galaxy S4 is loaded with 2600mAh battery and utilizes Android Jelly Bean 4.2.2, the latest and the most stable version of Android so far.

Probably the first among the three to have been released, the HTC One is not short with the good specs as well. While only using Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean, the One has a Qualcomm Snapdragon quad core processor at 1.7GHz, an Adreno 320 GPU, same 2GB of RAM, internal storage starts at 32GB, no SD card expandability, 4MP Main Camera (AF, LED Flash, HDR, IS, dual shot), 2.1MP front camera with HDR, dual-band Wi-Fi with Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, Hotspot, BT 4.0 with A2DP, 4G LTE (market dependent), NFC, dual stereo speakers, and the lowest battery capacity at only 2300mAh.

The Xperia Z of Sony boasts of its display as the top hardware it features, followed by the said durable body construction. The Xperia Z has a quad-core Qualcomm APQ8064 processor clocking at 1.5GHz, the same Adreno 320 for the GPU, 2GB of RAM, standard 16GB of internal storage (up to 32GB expandability), 13MP Camera (AF, LED Flash, HDR, IS, continuous AF, video light, dual shot), 2.2MP front camera, 2330mAh battery, Wi-Fi with Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, hotspot, BT 4.0 with A2DP, 4G LTE, NFC, mono speakers, and an Android 4.1.2 platform.

Verdict

All of the three devices we tackled today come with decent build quality, while the Xperia Z makes the clear distinction because of a fully laminated display to a weather-sealed body. As for the aesthetics, the Samsung Galaxy S4 wins in being uniquely designed, while the beauty of the other devices is inevitable as well.

The winner in terms to display can be hard to identify as well, but all of them feature full HD resolutions and superb pixel density. However, the HTC One has the least features for the display when compared to the other two.

For the features, the Samsung Galaxy S4 takes the crown for being an all-around smartphone that even caters to the healthy side of the users. Samsung also has a lot of features that interacts very well with the users such as enhanced gestures and eye-detections. On the other hand, HTC gains strength on the One’s dual stereo speakers, making it a star when listening to music, though Sony still takes the medal for being the best multimedia device among the three. HTC’s One also takes advantage of its ‘Sense’ features, though this may not be a parallel to the package offered by the S4.

For the specs, clearly the Samsung Galaxy S4 has all the modern hardware specs making it a ‘prototype’ for the next generation of smartphones. However, the other two competitors take their own gain in terms to camera and multimedia experience such as the speakers and microphones. The S4 also has been reported to have the ‘best gaming experience’ based on some surveys, but the Xperia Z takes the advantage of being more TV-friendly. Perhaps for the hardware, the biggest losing point goes to HTC One particularly because it does not have an expandable storage.

Written by: Wilson Sy, TechSource's certified gadgets correspondent.

Best Collaboration Tools Linux Has to Offer

noreply@blogger.com (jun auza) — Wed, 08 May 2013 07:16:00 +0000

Working in teams seems to be a challenge for many enterprises. They have to always ensure constant communication and collaboration between their employees. Lately, many collaboration tools have come up making communication not only easier, but also more effective. You'll find many groupware applications for Windows and for the web as well. In fact, most of the popular collaboration tools are either online or on Windows platform.

As the rise and dominance of Linux continues, many of those companies that rely heavily on collaboration are finding it difficult to switch to the free world. For them over-reliance on either Windows-based or web-based tools is often a big bottleneck when it comes to making the switch. This situation, however, can easily be dealt with by simply promoting the amazing repertoire of collaboration tools Linux world has to offer.

So, if you're lamenting about the lack of groupware tools in the penguin land, here are some of the best collaboration software for Linux:

eGroupWare

Designed for enterprise customers, eGroupWare is a web-based suite of groupware tools. Once deployed, it allows hosting of collaborative applications like group calendar, address book, project management, e-mail, accounting, and inventory. Licensed under GNU GPL, eGroupWare will let you create, manage, and visualize projects and sub-projects. Moreover, it will also let you actively set budgets for staff members. With the modern versions of this tool, you'll be able to sync calendars with multiple devices including your iPhone.

TechSource

7 Most Elegantly Designed Android Apps

How to Backup Android Apps to the Cloud Without Rooting

8 Reasons Why Ubuntu Users Should Try Out Linux Mint

Samsung Galaxy S4 vs. Sony Xperia Z vs. HTC One

Best Collaboration Tools Linux Has to Offer

Best Android Apps For Baseball Fans

Highly Recommended Linux Applications for Photographers

Facebook's New Home on Android: Will it Help Google Kill iOS?

7 Android Apps That Will Help You Lose Weight Fast

How to Save YouTube Videos for Offline Viewing in Android

Most Highly Recommended Books About Ubuntu Linux

Top Android Apps For Photographers

Best Screen Capture Tools for Ubuntu

How to Make Your Android Phone Look Like Ubuntu Phone

Best Download Managers For Linux

How to Optimize the Performance of your Android Device

Online Results in Ubuntu's Dash: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Simple Tips to Further Speed Up Google Chrome

Best Android Apps For Learning Guitar

Canonical Announces Ubuntu for Washing Machines

How to Quickly Hide Files or Folders on Ubuntu

7 Great Android Apps For Cricket Lovers

How to Automatically Dress Up Your Linux Desktop with Awesome Wallpapers

7 Best Tennis Apps and Games For Android

Ubuntu For Tablets: Hot or Not?