Wicked Digital

Massive Firefox Update Hits Refresh On Browsing

2014-04-29T22:50:00.000+08:00

The massive overhaul -- chockablock with new menus and new features -- comes at a challenging time for the company's leaders. Mozilla has been beset with internal strife as company co-founder and longtime CTO Brendan Eich was elevated to chief executive and then resigned 11 days later, following a public outcry over his financial support for an anti-gay marriage law in California.

Among the more than 1,300 changes, the sweeping improvements in Firefox 29 for desktops introduce a new Firefox Account to simplify its cross-browser Sync feature, a customizable graphical menu, and rounded tabs that emphasize the tab you're in over the others.

"People are using the Web differently than they used to," said Johnathan Nightingale, Mozilla's vice president of Firefox, "and we need to give them a richer set of tools for customizing the way that they experience the Web."

The New Interface

The visual changes take some cues from adjustments that Google has made to Chrome and Microsoft has made to Internet Explorer, such as the triple-line menu icon that now lives on the righthand side of the browser. Gone from Windows and Linux is the orange Firefox menu button.

Two smaller changes arrived early. People who use Firefox have already been exposed to the Download Manager button on the add-on bar, and the browser navigation Forward button disappears unless there's a page to move forward to.
But other improvements are more drastic. The menu button has jumped completely from the left to the right side of the browser, and introduces a touch-friendly, icon-based, customizable menu to Firefox fans.

"Most desktops are not touch enabled, but they're moving that way. You could say it's picking up design ideas from mobile, or you could just say that it's well designed," Nightingale said.
Nightingale doesn't expect everybody to like the new look. His solution? To call up one of the browser's best-loved features: customization.

"We've always been proud of our add-on experience, but the built-in customization tools were in need of love," he said. You can now drag-and-drop to customize the menu, just as you can with other browser interface elements such as the location bar or search box.

Another important interface change has been to ensure that tabs are readable. Tabs, Nightingale said, are a "critical detail."

"Talking about tabs is talking about how people do more than one thing at the same time on the Internet," he said. Firefox has developed a reputation as a browser than can smoothly handle dozens of tabs, and so Nightingale said it was important for Mozilla to make sure that tabs remained legible even as more of them got crammed onto the tab bar.

"We decided not to shrink and shrink the tabs, which would theoretically allow you to have more of them on the screen. It makes more sense to have nice smooth animation and keep some content there to give your eye something to look for," he said.The browser relies on your mouse scroll wheel or navigation arrows at either end of the tab bar for you to access overflow tabs.

Things You Need To Know About 2014 Samsung Galaxy S5

2014-02-25T15:09:00.000+08:00

The much anticipated Samsung flagship, the Samsung Galaxy S5 unveiled. It was announced at the 2014 Mobile World Congress that take place at Fira Gran Via in Barcelona, Spain. Here are the things you need to know if you are considering to get this Smartphone.

Appearance
It looks like its predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy S4. A little bit bigger because the handset has 5-inch super AMOLED touchscreen display with 1920 x 1080 pixel display. The Samsung Galaxy S5 constructed almost entirely out of plastic. Dustproof – it should survive the dustiest conditions – and water resistant. The back of Galaxy S5 benefits from matt design with dotted texture that helps with grip.

Performance
The processor of Samsung Galaxy S5 is listed as a 2.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm Krait at 2GB of RAM. Internal storage is standard 16/32GB. Samsung Galaxy S5 can support 128GB microSD. Android 4.4.2 KitKat comes pre-installed so you can rest easy knowing you are about as up to date as you can get in the world of Google's world-conquering mobile operating system. New features of Android 4.4.2 KitKat include the ability to launch a Google search using only your voice, faster multi-tasking, simpler interface and improvements to how your contacts are prioritized, to name a few.

Camera
The Galaxy S5 looks to takes thing a step further with the introduction of a 16MP sensor and Selective Focus, a feature which allows you to adjust the focus of a shot after the image has been taken just like you can do aboard Nokia’s new Lumia handsets and the famed Lytro camera. Samsung has also improved the auto-focus speed, too – you now only have to wait 0.3 seconds – meaning rapid capture is on the cards.

Addition
Like the iPhone 5s, the Samsung Galaxy S5 also features a fingerprint scanner. Biometrics are going to be big in 2014 and from the looks of things Apple and Samsung are, once again, going to be leading the charge. Unlike Apple’s TouchID, however, Samsung’s fingerprint scanner will be open for mobile payments (via PayPal) from the get-go, as well as providing a quick and easy way to safely and securely unlock the handset.

Prize
A price is yet to be disclosed. Expect it to be around the £600 mark if previous releases are anything to go by. The Samsung Galaxy S5 will be available 'through Samsung's retail channels' from April. Vodafone, Everything Everywhere, Phones 4u, Three and the Carphone Warehouse have all confirmed they will stock the Samsung Galaxy S5 in the UK.

Amtel Infographic about Zombie Phone Killer

2014-01-28T23:37:00.001+08:00

Zombie phones are mobile devices that the enterprise thinks are dead, but they're actually still alive and potentially costing companies a considerable amount of money. The infographic below, created by Amtel, shows how zombie phones manifest themselves, how costly they can be to organizations, and how to put a stop to this madness with Mobile Device Management (MDM). Find out more about Amtel's MDM solution, including how it can kill zombie phones and save your enterprise money.

“Javafog” Discovered: A Java Version of Icefog Malware

2014-01-16T10:38:00.000+08:00

Security firm Kaspersky recently reported that they discovered a new variant of Icefog Malware targeting government agencies and several high profile companies precisely an American independent oil and gas corporation.

Icefog is a Backdoor that allows hackers to get access to basic key information about an infected system, and can allow attackers to monitor and control infected PC’s. It is also able to upload, download and install other forms of Malware for various purposes, the main reason being to steal or edit data on the computer system.

                Kaspersky Lab Experts Costin Raiu, VitalyK and Igor Soumenkov called it “Javafog”, this malware was written in Java code and extremely tough to detect, it includes only basic functionalities such as uploading and downloading files from the infected systems. Simple, yet very effective method on stealing information.

          In September 2013, Kaspersky Lab published an extensive analysis of Icefog, they continued to monitor the operation by sinkholing domains and analyzing victim connections. During this monitoring, they discovered a type of connection, which seemed to indicate a Java version of Icefog.

          Javafog uses the same payloads as the original Icefog campaign; it installs other specific Malware on to a victim’s computer, allowing communication with Icefog C&C servers. The main difference between them is that Javafog’s coding is written in Java. Kaspersky have confirmed that evidence suggests a various major US corporations may have already been affected by Javafog. Kaspersky managed to sinkhole 27 of 72 different C&C servers.

“The Javafog malware is harder to track than its original variant. Java malware is not as popular as Windows Preinstallation Environment (PE) malware, and can be harder to spot.” Kaspersky team said.

Security firm Trusteer advised that to prevent Java exploits and malware-based infiltrations, it is important to restrict execution to only known trusted Java files.

Apple is now Selling Unlocked, Sim-free for iPhone 5s

2013-11-25T12:05:00.003+08:00

Apple today updated its U.S. online store to begin offering sales of unlocked, SIM-free iPhone 5s models

Apple begin offering sales of unlocked, SIM-free for iPhone 5s models on their retail website. The phone requires a GSM-compatible SIM so it can handle either AT&T or T-Mobile but it doesn’t work on Sprint or Verizon. The shipping estimates 1-2 weeks for SIM-less version while the unlocked T-Mobile version takes 3-5 weeks with the price of $649 – 16GB , $749 – 32GB and $849 – 64GB model.

Many international countries have had availability of the fully unlocked iPhone 5s for several weeks.

First Facebook Designed Phone of HTC

2013-07-23T13:32:00.001+08:00

Undoubtedly, HTC likes firsts.

After launching the first Android phone (G1), almost 5-years ago, the Taiwanese phone maker does it again today, unveiling the HTC First, with the Facebook “Home” user experience built-in.
For its first “Facebook Home” branded phone, the social network took a page out of Google GOOG +1.57%‘s playbook and was very much involved, early on, in its design as well as the choice of the hardware components.

The First will be available in four colors (black, white, red and pale blue) and ship next week, on April 12th, for $100, with a 2-year contact commitment with AT&T.

“The HTC First is the ultimate social phone,” said HTC CEO, Peter Chou, speaking at the Facebook media event this morning. “It’s the only phone that has Facebook Home preloaded and well optimized.”
Facebook Home features include:

Cover Feed, a constant, fresh stream of photos and updates directly from your news feed and is always present as soon as you wake up the phone
Notifications that appear right on your home screen
Chat Heads, the mobile messenger that lets you jump in and out of conversations while you multitask
and, App Launcher, which lets you view your favorite apps and post right to Facebook on the same spot

Facebook Phone is not enough to save HTC
Now if history is any guide, HTC will probably not benefit from its first mover advantage, as other partners such as Alcatel Onetouch, Huawei or Sony release their own Facebook phones.
The Taiwanese company continues to struggle against falling revenues and market share. For February, HTC reported revenues down almost 44% from last year, the sixteenth consecutive month in which sales have fallen, year-on-year. And according to IDC, HTC had a 4.6% market share at the end of 2012, down from 10.3% a year earlier.

2013, The Best Year To Monetize Your Mobile App

2013-03-16T08:15:00.002+08:00

In 2012, the growth of the mobile market was huge throughout the globe and is still constantly reshaping how we interact in our everyday lives. In 2011, there were 835 million smartphone users, 5.6 billion feature phone users (via Business Insider). If you are a retailer who sells products or services via the web you should not be hiding from the mobile revolution. It is your responsibility to stay ahead of future developments. It is now time to shift over into the new era of marketing. It's time to be mobile.

Approximately 50% of all mobile searches are local. In 2013, the massively growing percentage of mobile web users may actually overtake the already small fraction of desktop web users. In 2011 mobile ad revenue was zero, in 2012 it had risen to almost 340 million USD. Given this rise does not slow down, 2013 will see almost triple that amount.

Facebook is a living testament to this shift in importance. The need to monetize mobile traffic will dominate Google, Facebook, Twitter and others in 2013. The trick is to do it as soon as possible on account of the decline in the growth of desktop-based traffic. To maintain a successful mobile marketing campaign you need to focus on user-benefits acquired from monetization strategies. Since mobile is not search-centric it needs to discover a more animated form of monetization. There are several centers to be considered - messaging, communications, news, media capture and sharing, entertainment and games. These are all very different and will require unique and innovative means of developing relationships between users and advertisers. Travel-related searches are also huge in the situation of mobile usage. This is primarily focussed on hotel searches. You tend to use your smartphone whenever you are on the road and need web access. In fact, bookings from smartphones are usually made for the same day.

The reality is that there is an abundance of money to be made from mobile marketing. Joining a mobile app reseller program is a great way to cash in on the latest boom. Apple makes loads of money from their handsets as well as their App Store. Carriers make money from data plans. M-commerce players are also poised to make much more money in 2013. Mobile marketers are therefore forced to either innovate their mobile marketing strategies or be left behind. Users love the ability to engage with the things they like, love, and admire, and even those they hate and detest, in a personal mobile space. Apps that feed or empower this intimacy will survive.

Every human being on the planet has intimate tastes and relationships they cherish. This is also true as it relates to people, brands, products and businesses. Billions of smartphones by the end of 2013 makes for a very large opportunity to allow users to become the boss, and for brands to enter into better relationships with the customers who love them. This year, mobile is the perfect platform for the dream of one-to-one marketing to finally flourish.

6 Signs Of Internet and Computer Addiction

2013-03-11T21:56:00.001+08:00

Just when you think you've heard it all, you discover a new twist on ordinary activities now deemed by society at large, to be an addiction. Computer addiction is a case in point. The term 'addiction' usually conjures up ideas pertaining to drugs or alcohol. This colloquialism has bad connotations. When you hear people talking of computer addiction, how do you know if you aren't a geeky addict?

Now, in the strictest sense, according to one dictionary/thesaurus definition, addiction is described as "fixation, inclination, bent; see habit, obsession". This description certainly does not connote a rabid personality, engulfed in an obsession which takes over their lives. The word, fixation, is ambiguous. You may have a fixation on achieving your goals. This is, rhetorically, not synonymous with addiction. The word, inclination, is much more mild. You may have an inclination to have a spotless home environment. This doesn't mean that you exercise that inclination. The word, bent, is most ambiguous. You may be bent on not wasting food, but still, it happens. So how does the term, computer addiction, fit into your life and the popular psychology?

Let's assume that computer addiction is a legitimate addiction. If one might suffer from computer addiction, here are the signatures:

1. Your computer use becomes as enthralling to you as heroin is to a regular heroin user. You just can't leave it alone, and still feel right. You can't function unless you've had a computer 'fix'.

2. You find yourself neglecting family and financial responsibilities to the extent that you'd rather post on your fave message boards than fix dinner or pay the bills.

3. You'd rather surf the net than kick back and watch an excellent movie.

4. You'd rather surf the net than talk face to face with a friend or family member.

5. Upon waking, you rush to your computer to make a connection. You don't even know what you want to research.

6. If someone interferes with your surfing, you grumble some nonsensical reply that leaves them in no doubt as to your priorities - the computer wins.

If these six points describe your computer use, you may well have a computer addiction. However, if you look over the signals, it's also apparent that this so-called addiction is easily remedied. Once you realize that your computer use has re-prioritized your life negatively, you can simply set new priorities. Take care of business and family needs, then surf to your heart's content.

Just because you're obsessed with what the net has to offer, doesn't make you a computer addict. Discipline yourself in your thirst for information. Don't let the net supersede your family life. Computers are cool, but they need not rule your life. Say pshaww! to the idea of computer addiction and get on with your life!

Develop iPhone Apps With iOs System Architecture

2013-03-07T09:43:00.000+08:00

iOS SDK is a software development kit that was released on 6th March 2008 by Apple Inc. iOS system architecture is divided into four distinct layers, Cocoa Touch layer, Media layer, Core services layer and Core OS layer.

iOS SDK is meant to build apps for iOS. SDK is a key factor to become a successful iPhone game developer or to develop native apps for iPhone. The iOS SDK includes the software development tools and knowledge-base resources which allow apps developers to design and develop the game, install it on iPhone simulator and then run and test the iPhone applications before uploading it on Apple's App store. iOS applications are developed with the help of two major concepts. The first is an objective C and the second is an iOS system framework. iOS also has many sub frameworks. The two major high level frameworks are UlKit and Map Kit framework and others are accelerating and Core Location frameworks which support the hardware.

The native iOS application is one type of web application which runs on iOS devices as well as on the Safari web browser. These applications are developed with the help of Cocoa which can be composed of many objects that are received from NSObject and using objective C runtime programming language. The native iOS applications are able to interact directly with the iOS operating system and iOS system frameworks. When we build native application for any standard operating system then we don't have to worry about future upgradation in hardware devices and new component added on that hardware.

Of the four distinct layers the first two are higher level ones which are more object oriented layers. The last two layers are lower level ones and are mostly connected with the hardware part of the device. Both the layers have to rely on each other for better functionality and performance. The Cocoa Touch layer is one of the most important layers of an iOS system architecture and it includes UlKit framework which is widely used for performing multitasking, getting push notification, sensitive touch input and support the event driven iOS application. The same framework can also be used for OS X platform which is called Appkit framework.

Media layer helps to provide graphics, audio and video support for iOS applications. It uses Core Graphics, OpenGL ES, OpenAL, AV Foundation and Core Media technologies. The media layers also include a large number of frameworks to perform graphics and media related tasks. It has an asset library framework to operate photos and videos from iOS devices, core image framework to control the image indirectly through various filters and core graphics for making 2D image.

The core service layer is useful to perform necessary tasks of native iOS applications such as block the object class, iCloud storage, App purchase and central dispatch of apps. It has one most important component, ARC, which stands for Automatic Reference Counting and is useful to code for the audio, video and file system and memory management related tasks in objective C. Core services layers mostly depend on the foundation framework which act as a mediator between other layers to share code and data between libraries and frameworks. Core OS layer mostly supports the security features and interface with UNIX and carnel environment. With this Core OS layer your iOS application has no direct access.

10 Step By Step Guide To Jailbreak iOs 6.0, 6.1, 6.0.1, 6.0.2

2013-03-04T12:50:00.001+08:00

I would like to congratulate all apple users that time is over and everybody don't need to wait now for iOS 6.1 and 6.0.1 untethered jailbreak. The jailbreak for iOS 6.1 and iOS 6.0.1 is officially launched by Evasi0n team and is now properly working on all OS including Windows, Mac and Linux. The miracle is after many months hard work by Evasion team and in just 10 minutes Evasi0n jailbreaks download is more than 100,000. Many hackers tried to jailbreak iOS 6.1 and 6.0.1, but nobody got successful and now Evad3rs jailbreak team done this.

This tutorial contains step by step guide to jailbreak iOS 6.0 6.1, 6.0.1 and 6.0.2 also. By using this jailbreak tutorial you can jailbreak iPhone 5, 4s, 4, iPad 4 and 3 Mini. You can jailbreak iOS 6.0 and greater on your Windows, Mac OS x 10.5 and Linux.

You'll need to be patient in this jailbreak process, because it can take long to jailbreak your Apple device. Be careful in jailbreaking your apple device and follow the below steps one by one carefully.

Jailbreak Untethered iOS 6.1/6.0.1/6.0.2 on iPhone 5/4s/4 iPad 4/3
Step 1: First of all you need to Download Evasi0n for your operating system and below are download links to download evasi0n.
Download Evasi0n for Windows
Download Evasi0n for Mac
Download Evasi0n for Linux

Step 2: Download iOS 6.1 from here and please make sure that your device don't have any passcode on it and if it have then turn your pass code lock off. To turn off passcode does the following. Settings -> General -> Passcode Lock -> Off.

Step 3: Turn off iTunes and Xcode if any of these are running on your machine. Also to make sure you should open your processes in your OS and turn them off.

Step 4: Now open the evasi0n jailbreak tool and run it.

Step 5: Before connecting your Apple device to your computer, please make sure that your device is compatible with this Untethered jailbreak and then connect it via cable to your Windows, Mac or Linux.

Step 6: Now you can see jailbreak button on the right side of the evasi0n software screen and click on it. After clicking the button you should be patient now, because it's running jailbreak processes in the background.

Step 7: This can take long to complete jailbreak process, don't do anything on your apple device and also on your PC; otherwise you'll be responsible for everything.

Step 8: After the completion of the process, you'll see jailbreak software on your devices home screen and now you have to unlock your device by the help of this app. When you will run this app, you'll see nothing on your apple devices screen, wait for few seconds and you'll see your home screen again.

Step 9: Now you don't need to do anything, just wait and let the jailbreak software do the rest of the process by itself. During the process your device will restart various times, don't be panic it's usual.

Step 10: After the completion of the process in step 9, you'll be able to see Cydia icon on your devices screen.

Now you need to run Cydia by clicking on cydia icon from your home screen of apple device. After running it you'll have to choose the correct option from the options of developer, hacker and user. Be careful in choosing in three of these, it depends on you that what type of user you are.

Advantages And Disadvantages In Mobile Advertising

2013-03-02T17:27:00.001+08:00

Everyone wants to repeat success, and experience it first-hand. Deciding how to generate your revenue stream is complicated: paid application; free, but with advertising; free, but with the internal charges; or charges only for additional functionality; or with trial fees.
In this article I want to present a comparative description of existing methods of advertising (ads) in the global market. Then, after you have examined the advantages and disadvantages of each, you can choose the best solution for your project.

AdWhirl is an open source tool for developers to help them manage advertisement flow from multiple advertising networks, through a single control point. The essence of this service is as simple as it is genius. You no longer need to choose between providers of advertising, such as Admob, Quattro Wireless, JumpTap, etc. Instead, developers can now integrate their applications AdWhirl SDK, which is responsible for the distribution of advertising between all connected suppliers of advertising, including your own ads and your own ad providers. You can either download the SDK from the official site, or download the open source AdWhirl server code, including detailed configuration information, which will then supply advertising. One drawback is that it only works on the Amazon Web Cloud.

This service has one other disadvantage; the AdWhirl Open Source Client SDK only contains the code for your iPhone or Android application. However, one can confidently say that this deficiency is not critical, since AdWhirl includes almost half of the market. You can learn more about AdWhirl at http://www.adwhirl.com/.

The iAd mobile advertising network is a significant revenue stream for developers and a powerful way for brands to reach millions of iOS users. iAd is easy to implement. Since it was built into the iOS SDK, you don't have to worry about integrating another SDK, you just decide where you want ads to appear in your app, and with a minimal amount of code your app is ready to serve iAd rich media ads.
As you can understand from this short description, iAd was created especially for iOS and does not support any other platforms. But if you still want to implement iAd in your android app, use AdWhirl that already supports iAd.

The Google AdMob Ads SDK is the next generation in Google mobile advertising featuring refined ad formats and streamlined APIs for access to Google's AdMob and DoubleClick mobile advertising solutions. The advantage of this solution compared to the others, is that it supports three platforms: Android, iOS, and Windows phone. Support for other popular platforms is not far off. For more information, please visit http://www.admob.com/.

If you are looking for solutions for windows phone, please check Microsoft advertising system and BlackBerry advertising system for BBX platform.

Elinext Group
Visit website: http://www.elinext.com
With over 15 years of experience and over 300 professionals on board worldwide, Elinext Group is a global supplier of IT solutions for various industries, including advertising, accounting, banking, education, finance, healthcare, hospitality, real estate, retail, tourism and others. Elinext companies specialize in custom software development, mobile development, web development, TV app development and game development.

Digital Camera Continue to Advance Through 2013

2013-02-25T21:16:00.003+08:00

Digital cameras remain to be among the basic devices that people have and want to own today. This is despite the fast sales of the smartphones that have overtaken the laptop and even the stand alone camera units.

During this year's biggest camera show held in Cologne, Germany, the tough challenge facing camera manufacturers was clearly noted. They admit the fact that more consumers are turning to the smartphones. As such, the number of cameras being bought has slipped and printing of photographs has also gone down.
The Canon Digital Lifestyle Index revealed that sales for compact cameras went down by eight percent in the second half of 2011. Camera sales dropped by five percent in Australia in the same year. The case for the digital SLR, however, was different as an increase of 26 percent in sales was noted.

With regards to full-frame cameras, leading manufacturers Canon and Nikon are going to introduce more new DSLR models. The new units are targeted at both the beginners and the serious hobbyists but they command a higher price. As an example, Canon's EOS 6D expected to be out in the market this month is reported to sell at a price of $2,400. This 20.2-megapixel camera is capable of capturing high-definition video and 4.5 photos per second. It is also very lightweight at only 770 grams.

For its part, Nikon has its D600 unit with a lot of great features. It boasts of a 24.3 megapixel resolution and can shoot 5.5 frames per second. And its price? It is more expensive than the Canon unit at nearly $2,600.
Other leading brands that are keeping up include Sony and Leica. Sony has its RX1 which has a large sensor in a compact frame as well as the SLT camera while Leica has two full-frame but compact units - the Leica M and M-E.

Apart from the full-frame types, sales of the compact system cameras are seen to be doing well. This kind of camera has changeable lens and a small body. In 2011, its sales went up by 156 percent.
For this holiday season, Olympus is seeing a 25 percent share of the market. The company's contributions to this compact system camera are its Pen Lite E-PL5 and Pen Mini E-PM2 which have a 16-megapixel sensor and touch screens.
Sony cannot be beaten in this area. It has its NEX-6 which features a 16-megapixel sensor and HD video capture.

Finally, a growing trend today and going into the future is the camera with wireless sharing capability. There's no doubt that leading manufacturers are catering to this type what with more people now sharing images online instead of printing them out.
Samsung has already released its 4G Galaxy camera while Nikon has its Coolpix S800c. Both units operate via Google Android software and they can immediately share photos online without having to store them first on the computer. Other camera models with wi-fi capability include the Panasonic Lumix GH3 and Canon 6D.

So expect cameras to continue to advance through the coming months of 2013 and be ready with your budget if you plan to get one of them.

Which Smartphone Should You Be Going For?

2013-02-25T21:05:00.002+08:00

If you are confused about which smartphone to buy, then relax, you are not the only one. With several new smartphones suddenly up for exciting prices, it sure is a dilemma. iPhones can be cool, but then with so many people going for iPhones, it can also become known as "yet another phone". Blackberrys have been around for a long time, and with Palm launching their 'iPhone killer', the competition is sure heating up.

So, which smartphone should you be going for? The answer to this depends exactly on what your requirements are. There are several different things you can do with a smartphone - surf the internet, using it as a compass for directions, use it as your audio or video device, play games, taking pictures and a lot more. However, not everyone is going to need all those things.

Recently, a study was conducted to look into the satisfaction of smartphone users to the various parameters that were available on their phones. This report debunked what most people had thought - that iPhone was the best smartphone out there. As a matter of fact, iPhone is overall third in the list based on the satisfaction of the users.

If your primary need is surfing the internet, send emails or checking your voice mail, then go for Palm Pre - 86% of the users are happy with Pre. You can go with Android if you are going to use the GPS quite extensively. An interesting aspect of the study was that iPhone did not take the lead in any of the several parameters studied. Maybe this is an indication of iPhone having moved away from the Apple fanboy club to the mainstream.

Anand Srinivasan, founder of KnewThis.com, an upcoming buyer's Q&A portal [http://knewthis.com] says that the statistics still need not be taken at face value since the survey need not be highly representative. Also, the answers could be more influenced by the network carriers than the actual handsets. So, depending on where you are from, and the reliability of the carriers in your area, and what the smartphone owners in your neighborhood say about their phones, go for the right one.

How To Choose The Best Mobile Device

2013-02-24T21:01:00.000+08:00

Smart phones and tablets are found everywhere, virtually everyone has some form of gadget in their possession at one point or another. A teacher, student, security guard, businessman, public transportation driver, everyone who lives in a modern society has this need for a mobile device. The presence of mobile devices can be explained by both the wants and needs of its users. Everyone has different reasons for using a mobile device. It is that diversity of reasons that proves just how versatile mobile devices have become. It has become a tool that can be used for nearly everything.

Children do not really need something that's big and full of features. Chances are parents give their kids phones for the sake of being able to communicate with one another. When buying a phone for a child the main consideration should be price and durability, since all people know how well children handle small fragile devices.

Smart phones and tablets are used by teenagers mostly to surf the internet or go on social networking sites such as Facebook or Twitter. Practically every teenager now has some form of mobile device that lets them go online. The best mobile phone or tablet for a teenager would be something at the midrange. Teenagers may use their gadgets a lot, but the tasks they use do not require a lot of processing power in order to run effectively. If they do not stream music or videos that much then going for something mid-range would be ideal.

For people like businessmen or other professionals on the go the best option would be a mobile device that is powerful, compact, and has a long battery life. In fact battery life can sometimes make or break a purchase. People who are always on the go do not want to have to worry about the batteries of their mobile devices. There's nothing more annoying for a professional on the go than to hear a ring, and have their mobile device die on them. Or worse, be in the middle of making a project and have their tablet run out of batteries. Long battery life means more messages and calls and less time spent having to wait for a phone to fully charge.

When trying to look for the right model, try to look around and compare different models from different manufacturers. Doing so will make it easy to find which model and manufacturer offers the most features and value for their product. Some smart phones and tablets may not have the best features, but it does not mean that they should never be considered. Some devices that have fewer features tend to outperform in other aspects, just be sure to read reviews to get a good grasp of what owning a particular device is like.

Six Hidden Features for iOs Developer

2013-02-22T11:40:00.002+08:00

Finally, at Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference, the latest version of iOS 6 was unveiled. The senior vice president of iOS Software disclosed some of the main features of Apple's operating system that is used to develop customized applications for Apple's smart devices such as iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. With more than 200 new features of iOS 6, there are tremendous opportunities for the apps developers to use the SDK and build customized applications.

While most of the iOS developers focus on main features announced in the event, smart programmers would keep their eye on something that is unsung, untold and not so popular till now. Let it be enhanced Siri or 3D Apple Map, primary features of iOS 6 are known to everyone as the news spread viral over the internet. But let's discover something that is interesting and unique. You as an iOS 6 programmer can read between the lines and think out of the box.

Not so known iOS 6 features
Huge thesaurus: The cloud has grown. Though there are many dictionary applications, Apple made this easier with latest iOS 6 feature. The users can add personal multilingual dictionaries to iCloud so to have quick access.

Custom e-mail alerts: The users could put the messages in a new VIP mailbox before but in iOS 6 today, the users can alert themselves for the same. The feature includes custom e-mails for VIP mailbox and inbox accounts. However, the option of Do Not Disturb allows the smart phone to receive emails and messages without disturbing the user.

Reminder apps: One of the problems users faced in iOS 5 was inability to see the tasks those are not completed during the browsing. This has changed in latest iOS 6 as Apple endowed this reminder app with badges that display the application icon with a number (telling the user how many reminders are left) circled in red on top right corner of the screen.

Clock for iPad: iPad was kept away from this unique feature somehow as just iPhone had it before. Well, not anymore. The new mobile OS endows the iPad with an application of Clock that features alarm, world clock and timers. Furthermore, the users can choose songs from iTunes Library to play as an alarm.

Find My Friends: On a map, the users can find and discover iOS-owners and furthermore, using the power of Geofencing, the smart device can generate an alert when someone enters or leaves the zone. iOS developers can think about applications for offices and parents for various purposes. This latest iOS feature seems to be very useful for people who want to meet up or parents on outing with their kids.

Smart Bluetooth: This smart feature in iOS 6 creates instant connection with devices nearer to the user. The Bluetooth is available in the Preferences application and can be turned off or on right below the Wi-Fi and thus it helps users to save the battery.

Menu bar with vivid shades: Apple smart device will change the color matching what's happening in the background. For instance, if the user receives a call, the menu bar gets green or when the user becomes a personal hotspot it becomes blue. It's not certain that up to what level Apple allows iOS apps developers to use this feature but certainly, programmers can explore it more.
As said earlier, these latest features in iOS 6 bring a lot of opportunities for application developers. It then depends on the programmer's intellect and expertise to code customized apps for personal or professional use.

iPad vs Laptop What is your best choice?

2013-02-21T22:32:00.000+08:00

iPad vs Laptops- this is one issue users have been grappling with ever since the first iPad had been released in 2010. One of the most significant questions doing the rounds is whether an iPad can replace the laptop. There are several tech blogs discussing iPad vs laptop pros and cons in order to provide users with a clear view of what each one does well. It has been more than a year after the launch of the iPad and the dilemma surrounding iPad vs laptop has still not been solved. But has there been any change? Well, as reported by many tech blogs users have adapted to the tablets quite easily. Apple had sold more than 14 million iPad units in 2010 itself and aims to 40 million units in 2011. This obviously indicates the huge popularity of the iPad tablets amongst users.

Most tech blogs approach the subject of iPad vs laptop by discussing the pros and cons of each. Here, we will see how the suitability of each of the devices changes with the kind of work you use it for or the type of user you are.

iPad vs laptop - which is better for the casual user?

iPads are great at accomplishing simple computing tasks. These simple tasks that you can perform with ease on a laptop or desktop, becomes more personal when performed on a tablet. If you are a casual user who intends to scan news sites, check emails, read eBooks, do some social networking or simply browse the net lying down on your couch nothing could get better than the iPad.
Not just that, the iPad is also becoming popular as a gaming console. Although, people were a little jittery about using touch screen controls to play games, they have now got used to it.
So, you see that you do not really need a laptop if these are all that you wish to do.

iPad vs laptop- which is better for the professional user?

When the iPad was launched, the idea doing the rounds in various tech blogs was that the iPad was meant for content consumption rather than content creation. This, more or less sums up the functionality of the devices in question.
Creating simple content is becoming possible on the iPad but for creating advanced content, you still have to depend on the laptop.
If you are a writer you certainly can't work on the iPad. Of course many will argue that writers can use the Bluetooth keyboard. But the question is if you have to add a keyword, you might as well use a laptop. Besides, sites such as WordPress are not optimized for tablets.
If you are thinking of photo editing at a professional level, the iPad is certainly not going to be of any help, at least, not in its present form. Having a touch screen interface, the iPad does have the potential to offer advanced photo editing options but that will take some time to happen.
Photoforge 2, which claims to be the counterpart of Photoshop for the iOS is a far cry from what Photoshop allows its users to accomplish.

iPad vs laptop - who wins the tug of war?

The growing popularity of the iPad is testimony to the fact that iPads certainly have the capability to capture the imagination of the users. Although the iPad proves to be advantageous owing to its portability and enhanced computing capability, it still has some limitations which prevent it from completely over powering the laptop. Storage space is a major limitation of iPads. Besides, the lack of a physical keyboard makes certain activities tough as per some tech blog which makes clear and deciding comparisons.
The question of whether an iPad can replace a laptop depends on what you want to use it for. It's absolutely a no-brainer that casual computer users can use the iPad instead of the laptop since it offers a more personal experience and is also more comfortable and portable. But unless it is able to overcome its limitations it cannot replace the laptop completely.

Few Things Preventing Laptops from going obsolete

2013-02-20T21:42:00.002+08:00

Despite the fact that you can now browse the internet, play games, watch videos, edit and view photo's, and listen to music while lounging at the pool, laying in bed, travelling on the bus or train, or basically anywhere you want, there are still a few key things that prevents laptops from going obsolete.

Price: laptops are generally still cheaper than tablets, especially when looking at high-end tablets like the iPad, Galaxy Tab, Xoom, etc.

Input speed: using a traditional keyboard for typing is still faster and more effective than using a virtual keyboard, especially with high volume typing workloads.

Ergonomics: although a tablet can be operated with one hand, it does not provide room for a wrist rest like a laptop does. The user also needs to constantly move their arm when operating the tablet, which could become tiresome.

Video capabilities: where laptop computers have discrete graphic cards, most tablets have embedded graphics processors. According to those who know, the quality of graphics of the graphics card and graphics processor are not yet on the same level. So a graphics card still produces better graphics.

Processor speed: tablets still have a long way to go to compete with the processor speeds of many laptop computers.

Folder management: tablets are not yet as folder orientated as laptop computers are. Anyone who uses a computer for work and business knows of the importance of folders and good folder management.

CD/DVD: tablets don't have CD or DVD ROMs, and they don't have CD or DVD writers either. If you intend to use your tablet to watch movies, you'll first have to get the movies on the flash memory or an external device that the tablet can read from. If the tablet can take an external flash memory card, you can copy the DVD to the memory card using your laptop. You can also not install anything from a CD or DVD meant for a PC or laptop computer, even if you can get it on the flash memory of the tablet. Programs that are meant for laptops and PC's don't work on tablets, because they require a different operating system like Windows / Linux / Mac OS.

Windows: this is maybe one of the most important reasons to keep your laptop. Only Windows tablets do Windows, and they are rather expensive and not as popular or polished as the other high-end tablets. So if you want to use Microsoft products like Office, then a tablet is not the best computer to use.

So that is a few of the most common reasons to keep your laptop a little while longer. The conclusion is this: for recreational use, a tablet is great. For work or business use though, a laptop is still better.

The Differences between Tablet and Laptop

2013-02-20T21:38:00.001+08:00

The proliferation of tablet devices in the US market has contributed to a decline in the sale of net books, laptop and desktop PCs. According to analysts, most people who purchase slate devices are using them to replace their PCs and not to supplement them. So does this spell doom for laptop and PC makers? What are the reasons behind the spiking popularity of tablet devices over conventional PCs?

Ease of Use
One of the main reasons behind the popularity of slate computers is ease of use. Computer operation is mainly based on software and Operating Systems. If you are unfamiliar with a particular program, using it can prove virtually impossible. This is especially true for elderly folk who are not as tech savvy as their youthful counterparts.

Tablet computers on the other hand are as easy as they come. You can learn to navigate through the direct features and applications within hours. The email and browsing facilities on these devices are also simpler to maneuver than the typical PC web browser.

Apps Vs Software
There is a fine distinction between apps and software. Despite the fact that the two facilities perform almost similar functions, the latter requires more skills and experience than the former. You need to install software in your PC and take time to learn how to use it. With apps, the process is much simpler. You simply click on widgets and stuff begins to happen. Although software is the ultimate power behind both the PC and Slate gadgets, most of it has been relegated to the workplace.

Speed
Ten years ago, your laptop was the epitome of speed and convenience; nowadays it is your tablet PC. With a laptop computer, you have to find a secure hot spot, log in then conduct your online business. With a Slate device on the other hand, you can pay bills, transfer money, check emails and still listen to some music while you are at it from any location. Basically, a tablet computer combines the hustle and bustle of your PC or Laptop, and bring functionality closer to your fingertips.

Personalization
Another factor that contributes to the rising popularity of tablet devices is their personal nature. A touch screen gadget or Smartphone is certainly more personal than a desktop PC. You can store both work related and personal content in your hand-held device. As such, you can be able to work from any location with or without your PC.

There has been an increase in the popularity of tablet computers and Smartphones in the past few years. In the same period there has been a slow down in the sale of laptop computers and Desktop PCs. Nonetheless, PCs and laptops are not facing the prospect of total annihilation since they form the backbone of most industries and offices. However, the proliferation of tablet devices and Smartphones in the market raises significant questions about the future of PCs and laptop computers in residential areas, schools and colleges.

Enhanced Features of iOs 6 Application Development

2013-02-18T22:39:00.003+08:00

It is out finally! At the annual WWDC conference 2012, Apple unveiled the secrets and revealed its latest iOS version 6, the recent most iteration of its smart device operating system. As the giant is known for, it came up with more than 200 classic features and upgrades in new iOS 6 that brought smile on iOS apps developers all across the world. Why? Let's learn about it.
For all the application programmers, iOS 6 new features are an ocean of opportunities as they can develop customized iPad or iPhone applications according to their clients' need. From a coder's point of view, using iOS 6 SDK will be very useful to develop apps on various verticals such as business, entertainment, healthcare, travel and games etc. Let's look at some of the most important features in iOS 6 as described in an official event by Apple.

iOS Maps with 3D and Flyover Option
This is the best feature that programmers expected in iOS 6. After years of working with Google and local mapping companies, Apple finally came up with its own way of browsing the places and find directions. The elements in maps are vector based and also available in 3D to offer the user a realistic flair. The panning is smooth and the user can rotate or tilt the map for a better view. The names of the streets and places are tagged with care and iOS maps house almost all popular cities and towns in the world. Things like high resolution graphics, turn-by-turn navigation and real traffic update make iOS 6 Maps a no-nonsense feature to be used in developing quality apps for traveling.

Siri has become better darling
Apple's very own, Siri has become better in latest version of iOS. According to iOS apps developers, new features of Siri has provided them with endless possibilities to think something new and program unique customized apps for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. Here, Siri not only follows the user's voice command but does many things that a normal phone cannot do.
With latest iOS 6, Siri understands more languages and thus is useful in more countries. It can get the results of current shows, movies and plays in the town. The user just needs to ask her "What are the movie timings for Avengers in the city" and it does it all. In addition, the user can also ask about particular star's movie to generate alert or update. For example, the user can ask "Show me the movies starring Jim Carry" and the smart device shows all the current movies starring the star or creates an alert when such movie is released.
Apart from searching show timings, Siri can also perform internal search and does whatever the user asks. For instance, Siri will start the game when the user says "Play Angry Birds". Siri in iOS 6 has emerged as a latest feature that makes most of the things possible on smart device without tapping on the screen.
Apple is also working with giant carmakers like BMW, Audi, Jaguar and Mercedes etc. to have a Siri Button on the steering wheel using what the driver can command smart gadget to read text, reply the caller, play favorite track and many more. During any such event, the smart device won't light up so that the driver does not lose the focus from the road.

Social Sharing is quicker
While social bookmarking, updates and sharing is on the rage, iOS developers love this feature in latest operating system by Apple. It's easier than ever to share photos, update status or other postings on Facebook. The user just needs to sign in only once and it's then possible to off and share! The friends' profile information has been integrated directly into the contact list so that it gets updated automatically.

Passbook is now an improved eWallet
Passbook in iOS 6 latest features many things that iOS programmers can use and develop eCommerce solutions. The boarding pass, movie ticket, discount coupon, retail voucher and many more can be stored on Passbook. The user just needs to scan the smart device to check in for a flight or can have an alert when coupons or vouchers are about to expire so that they can be used in time.

Phone feature is more customizable
The developers can use this feature in several ways. Apart from reply or decline the call, the new feature includes Remind and Do-Not-Disturb that allows the user to schedule a call-back and silent the phone respectively. The user can also quickly reply with an iMessage or SMS in emergency where talking on the phone is not acceptable (as in meetings).

New features for China
IOS 6 has included a new Chinese dictionary and better text input as the user does not need to switch keyboards to type Pinyin and English sentences. With thesaurus of over 30000 characters, iOS 6 has doubled the number of Chinese characters that support in handwriting recognition. In addition, when the user adds the words to personal directory, iCloud will make them available on all Apple products. Another exclusive feature for Chinese users is Baidu, which is an inbuilt option in Safari. Also, the users can directly share the videos to Tudou and Youku.
With every new feature, the fun comes with challenge. It then depends on developers' brain how to meet the requirement without losing the quality.

iOs Users Downloaded Evasion Untethered Jailbreak Regardless of Apple's Warning

2013-02-16T16:37:00.000+08:00

Regardless of Apple's try to "warn" its iOS users the danger of jailbreaking their devices, yet, a ton of iOS owners flocked to update their iOS devices with the latest OS makes their devices a cool stuff. According to a report published by Onswipe, which is a company that helps its clients create mobile websites, iOS 6.1 has already been downloaded by 21.8 percent of iOS users within 36 hours of the new operating system being released. Among those users, 24 percent were iPhone owners and 21 percent were iPad owners.

Apple has updated its unauthorized modification Knowledge Base article to “help” its iOS users learn just how dangerous it is to jailbreak their devices. They list some potential problems being program instability, dropped phone calls, security vulnerability and the shortening of battery life. Apple also has reminded its users that jailbreaking their iOS devices violates its iOS end-user license agreement and will reserve the right to deny service to jailbroken devices.

According to Cydia’s Jay Freeman, it looks as though close to seven million iOS users installed evasi0n on their devices within four days of the jailbreak software’s release. To be exact, 5.15 million iPhones, 1.35 million iPads and 400,000 iPod touches accessed Freeman’s famous jailbreak app store, Cydia. Those numbers, of course, could just be the tip of the iceberg as it isn’t guaranteed all jailbroken iOS device owners would make a beeline to the Cydia store after the jailbreak process is complete, although there’s a pretty good chance they have.

HP Android Tablets and Smartphones In The Near Future

2013-02-16T16:36:00.003+08:00

Hewlett-Packard is designing Android tablets. The industry is gearing up intentions to build mobile phone devices, and is focusing on an Android smartphone as well - regardless of the failure of the industry's HP TouchPad tablet and webOS smartphones two years ago. Two unknown sources informed that HP in the near future claim a tablet featuring Nvidia's new Tegra 4 chip, which may possibly make it one of the very first devices with the Tegra 4, and that it's been in the works since before Thanksgiving of last year. Some source, however, reports that while the schedule may seem accurate, the information are still up in the air.

Despite of the industry's recent chaos, putting back into the mobile phone device target market is not truly actually a shocker for HP: last September, CEO Meg Whitman stated that "we have to definitely promote a smartphone because in various countries of the world that would be your first calculating device." The following month, she did justify that HP had no desires to release that smartphone in 2013, but the industry could sink its toes in the water by issuing a tablet this year.