Cool TechToys

OnePlus One

noreply@blogger.com (P.K.JINDAL) — Tue, 12 Aug 2014 13:31:00 +0000

OnePlus is a turning point in the smartphone industry. It has launched a solid phone with an exceptional price.

OnePlus finally dropped all of the details on the OnePlus One. The company's mantra of "Never Settle" set high expectations for a phone that was also set to have an amazing price, and in the end it surprisingly met many of those lofty goals.

The OnePlus One has industry-leading specs across the board, with a huge high-resolution screen, top-of-the-line processor, 3GB of RAM, 16GB or 64GB of storage, solid build quality, customization-friendly CyanogenMod OS and a genuinely low price. That all seems too good to be true, so what's the catch? Well, despite the company's philosophy, no phone is perfect — but the One still has a lot going for it.

About this review

OnePlus One video walkthrough

OnePlus One internals

A phone with these specs would usually cost twice as much

Unlocked phone sticker shock is a real thing, and it has made many of us willing to compromise for lower internal specs in order to buy a phone we can actually afford. We all want the high-end phones that would normally be palatable at $200 on-contract, but when they're $649 without any agreement, it can just be too much. That's just not the case with the OnePlus One, where you're getting all of the top components on the cheap.

We all want newest high-end phones, but without a contract they can just be too expensive. But that's not the case with the OnePlus One.

A Snapdragon 801 processor at 2.5GHz, 3GB of RAM, 16/64GB of storage, a 13MP Sony camera sensor, 5.5-inch IPS display at 1080 x 1920, 3100 mAh battery, stereo speakers, 802.11ac Wifi, Bluetooth 4.0, seven-band LTE radio and more, all crammed into a single phone for $299 or $349, depending on your storage capacity choice.

That's just out-of-this-world value for a phone at this point in 2014, and regardless of how OnePlus is capable of releasing a phone with these specs at this price point, it's the end user that benefits the most.

OnePlus One hardware

A simple delivery system for the specs and software

-------------------------- 75.9mm---------------------------

--8.9mm--

Height-152.9 mm

Weight- 5.71 oz (162 g)

5.5" HD (1920x1080)

401ppiLTPS IPS

3100 mAh

Lithium polymer

Talk: 14 hrs

Standby: 288 hrs

Rear: 13.0MP Sony Exmor IMX214 sensor, ƒ2.0 lens

4K video, 120fps 720p slow motion video

Front: 5MP, distortion-free

Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor

Quad-core 2.5Ghz

Adreno 330 GPU at 578MHz

3GB LP-DDR3 1866MHz RAM

16GB/64GB eMMC 5.0 internal storage

LTE

HSPA

Wi-Fi 802.11ac

Bluetooth 4.0

Android 4.4.2 KitKat

CyanogenMod 11S

Custom or Holo theme

What's more, OnePlus clearly didn't just spend money on the internal specs and leave the exterior design of the One out in the cold — this is an attractive and well-made phone all around.

I think that the words "simple" and "understated" best describe the One's design — in a good way. Nothing flashy here — it's a black slab when viewed from the front, with a chrome plastic rim around the sides that protrudes more on the top and bottom and a lightly curved plastic shell around the rest of the device. I have a special "Cyanogen" white back cover — which is similar to the "silk white" case the 16GB model ships with — but there will also be a "sandstone black" 64GB model and a variety of replacement backs with different colors and materials (I'm particularly interested in the wood and denim options) to choose from.

In any case, the standard plastic backs are solid — so solid in fact that you'll think they aren't meant to be removed at all. They certainly are, although your fingernails may hate you after you spend a good five minutes trying to pry it off. It requires removing the SIM card tray and pulling harder than you'd like to, but luckily there's no reason to remove the back unless you're swapping it for a different style — there's no removable battery or storage under there.

Even with all of the right decisions made here, this isn't revolutionary hardware.

That back cover is a solid piece that covers all sides, back, top and bottom of the device, meeting up snugly with the chrome rim around the screen and offering up simple holes for the necessary ports, buttons and microphones (there are three around the device). This isn't the thinnest phone ever at 8.9mm, but you don't want it to be considering its size. The subtle curve around the back is friendly to the hand, as are the power and volume button placements, limiting (but not eliminating) the awkwardness of reaching around a 5.5-inch phone.

Even with all of the right decisions made here, this isn't revolutionary hardware design. There's no two-tone camera flash, fingerprint scanner, ultra-high resolution display, waterproofing, dedicated two-stage camera key, massive camera sensor, front-facing speakers, heart rate sensor, back buttons or anything of the sort. The OnePlus One is just a phone, basically shaped like every other phone and with absolutely no design flair or features to set it apart from other devices. The biggest thing the OnePlus One has going for it from an external hardware perspective is screen size at 5.5-inches, though that can quickly become a downside depending on who you ask.

But there is something to be said for simplicity. Be it the cost constraints, time limitations or lack of available talent, OnePlus clearly didn't think it could put more interesting hardware features into the One and do them right. For this I can give it some credit — if you don't think you can do it 100 percent, just leave it out. You'll get far more negative comments from including half-assed features than for not having them at all.

The OnePlus One is a great-looking phone, and it's as easy to hold as it is to look at. There's just nothing special here that makes it lust-worthy hardware. The only reaction I ever got to showing this phone to someone was "that thing is huge!" — never a single mention of how nice it looks or how well it's made. I think that says something about what you're getting with the One — this hardware is just a delivery system for bonkers top-end internals and interesting software, and that's about it.

OnePlus One software

CyanogenMod 11S, no flashing required

After making its foray into partnering with hardware vendors to release phones pre-loaded with CyanogenModwith the OPPO N1, Cyanogen Inc. is doing it again in a big way with the OnePlus One. The difference this time around is quite notable — every OnePlus One is shipping with CyanogenMod loaded on the phone out of the box. No special "CyanogenMod Edition" or flashing process required.

The OnePlus One is loaded up with CyanogenMod 11S — the letter suffix denoting that this is a brand new release of the CM software that's specific to the One, which will eventually make its way out to other devices over time. The flagship features of CM 11S are a newly-redesigned theme engine, camera and gallery, backed up by the tried-and-true CyanogenMod experience offering more tweaks and customization options than you can shake a stick at.

If you're a regular user of CM 11 on your current device, the jump to CM 11S on the One isn't going to be a dramatic change. But if you haven't used CyanogenMod in a while — I'm guilty of not keeping up with it as tightly as I used to — you'll be in for a treat with how much this modded version of Android is capable of.

The out-of-the-box experience on CM 11S isn't exactly what you may be expecting if you're used to a stock build of Android. With lots of now-standard CM customizations turned on by default and a customized system-wide theme applied, it's just as visually divergent from stock as you'll find on any phone from Samsung, HTC or LG.

OnePlus One Freedom UI home screen

CM is all about customization, both in terms of looks and features, and it's hard to think of an option anyone would want that isn't tucked away somewhere in the settings. You can change every bit of the way the status bar looks, how quick settings are displayed, what buttons go where, how your navigation bar looks, which gestures are enabled (both on the homescreen and when the screen is off), how your lockscreen acts and of course whether you prefer on-screen or capacitive keys.

For the true tinkerer, a quick switch into the developer settings reveals all of your standard options you'd find on a phone, plus a "Performance" section that lets you tinker with the processor, I/O scheduler and memory management, if that's your sort of thing. Naturally if you want to root the phone, it's only a quick USB cable plug into your computer and a few command line entries away.

The new theme engine, which was rebuilt from the ground up in this release, makes it easy to customize the look and feel of your device. You can mix and match different portions — such as icons, wallpapers and boot animations — from each theme you have loaded to get just the right look, and you can even create your own custom themes and load them on your phone if you're willing to get your hands dirty. The hard work that dozens of developers put into this theme engine rewrite will be apparent to end users and theme developers alike.

As a new user, CyanogenMod 11S wasn't the easiest system to get acquainted with.

Being used to a simpler version of Android on the Nexus 5, I actually had to spend a good bit of time turning features off that I wasn't interested in, just as I would on any other manufacturer-customized phone. It took some time for me to get comfortable with diving through the labyrinth of settings menus to accomplish it, too. If I was someone who'd been following the steady progression of adding these features one-by-one to CM over the last few years I'd feel right at home. But as a new user it wasn't the easiest system to get acquainted with.

OnePlus One display

There's still nothing wrong with 1080p

OnePlus is doing its best to "wow" everyone with lots of specs and acronyms with the One's display: 1080p, full HD, JDI, IPS, TOL ... the list goes on. Thankfully this isn't all just marketing speak and spec-hyping — the OnePlus One has a superb display.

The marketing speak and specs aren't just hype — the OnePlus One has a really superb display.

The screen is very large at 5.5-inches diagonally, but that's not too large to look great at 1080x1920 resolution at about 400 ppi. And being an IPS LCD panel, viewing angles, color reproduction and outdoor visibility are all top-notch. It's coated with Gorilla Glass 3, which should cut down on the dings and scratches over time as well.

The TOL (Touch On Lens) technology brings that glass closer together with the touch panel, apparently improving touch sensitivity and reducing the chances of shattered screens by 300 percent. I couldn't tell the difference in touch sensitivity, honestly — it worked just like it should.

The sole complaint I have with the display — and this is really nit-picking — is the overall brightness, which is just barely lower than other leading displays. It's only noticeable when you crank up the screen to full brightness and set it next to another phone, but it was never an issue in real-world use. The software can make up for this somewhat with manual adjustment of the automatic brightness controls, which is nice if you want to tweak it.

Though there are fewer acronyms involved, OnePlus is also making note that the One has "stereo" speakers. A pair of speaker grilles flank the USB port on the bottom of the phone, and unlike the Nexus 5 there is actually a speaker behind each one. I'm still hesitant to call two speakers a mere two inches apart "stereo," as there's nothing approaching a stereo sound coming out of there, but it's technically true.

The speakers are loud and clear for listening to calls on speakerphone, watching a quick YouTube video or the occasional bit of podcast listening when you don't have headphones or a speaker nearby. They aren't going to blow you away with in-your-face sound for listening to music or watching a full-length movie, but physics is a limiting factor there. These speakers are loud, but just average quality.

OnePlus One cameras

All of the right pieces, but the puzzle isn't complete

OnePlus was able to source some competent camera hardware for the One, grabbing a Sony Exmor 13MP sensor with an f/2.0 aperture, stacked behind six lenses and supported by a dual LED flash. There are just a couple of omissions, though. As I noted before, that dual LED flash isn't of the two-tone variety, so it's just blasting double the useless light at your subject. There's also a notable lack of OIS (Optical Image Stabilization), which means low-light situations have fewer options for slow shutter speeds, and it takes an extra-steady hand to get clear shots.

Backing up that hardware is a newly-redesigned camera interface in CyanogenMod 11S, along with its latest gallery app exiting beta status. The camera app is a simple remix of the stock Android (that is, before the new Google Camera came about) that's overall easier to get around and manage. A grouping of settings buttons stands guard on the bottom (or side, in portrait) of the interface, showing off nested menus for deeper controls when touched. You can change white balance, exposure, location access and more from this quick settings menu.

The most-used feature of the camera will likely be the ability to quickly switch between different shooting modes, which is done by swiping up or down across the entire viewfinder. A quick swipe moves you from Auto to HDR to Night to a variety of live filters — and you can customize in the settings which ones you want available.

The camera app is a joy to use, especially for when you just want to take a picture rather than fiddle with settings.

The camera app is a real joy to use, especially considering how often many of us just want to pick up the phone and take a picture rather than fiddling with settings. Being able to switch between HDR, Auto and live filters with a simple flick just makes sense, and was something I used on a regular basis. The one thing this camera app was lacking is in the viewfinder — it's 2014 and the phone still shows a 16:9 live preview, but takes 4:3 photos. It makes composition a real hassle, and there's no option in the settings to change the viewfinder or picture aspect.

Photos

It's clear the OnePlus has the right hardware to take great photos, but for some reason the photo output just isn't living up to the full potential of the device. It's not that the phone doesn't take some amazing pictures — it's capable of taking pictures that could come from any leading phone today — but that it's just not a complete package. Let me explain.

The OnePlus One camera was not consistent, shot-to-shot. I would either get a great photo, or a so-so photo.

The first major shortcoming on the One is what I like to refer to as shot-to-shot consistency. When I grabbed the One out of my pocket and went to take a picture, I wasn't entirely sure what I was going to get. Whether I tweaked things and used tap-to-focus or just let it go full-on automatic, I would either get a great photo or a so-so photo.

In order to presumably cut down on dark and grainy pictures, the One often let in far too much light to the point where it completely washes out photos or gives inaccurate white balance. Under perfect conditions it nailed everything just as you'd expect, but deviating from that the camera was clearly just guessing. It's notable to say that I rarely got outright bad shots, but not having consistency in shooting is almost as bad as getting subpar shots all of the time.

Some of the inconsistency of the One's camera comes when deciding whether to take an HDR or Auto photo. On most of my phones I simply leave the camera in HDR (or better yet, Auto-HDR when available) full-time as it provides a nice, punchy and high-contrast look that can make up for some of the shortcomings of using a phone camera. With the One, HDR mode goes dramatically overboard with processing to the point where it makes photos look far too unnatural and unappealing to my eyes.

Understanding that the HDR "style" covers a wide range of looks, this camera software just goes too far to be used in even a majority of situations. HDR was a saving grace in less-than-ideal lighting situations, such as around sunsets or inside, often using that over-processing to add much-needed light to the frame. It should also be noted that HDR proved to keep noise down in photos as well. But using HDR mode was no way to get a natural-looking picture — every photo looked like an Instagram filter.

Most of the camera problems can really be ironed out in software over time if Cyanogen decides to make the investment.

The overall inconsistency added to the awkward HDR experience meant that I was stuck moving between Auto and HDR, taking multiple pictures to get the "right" one. HDR mode also annoyingly saves a non-HDR shot when you use it (a setting you can't turn off), but the single-exposure picture captured is completely different than what I'd normally get using Auto mode.

Stepping into night shots, the One again performed below the pack. The lack of OIS means the camera really can't take advantage of long shutter speeds, and instead the camera has to try and crunch the photo data and smooth things out manually. The end result is roughly average night shots, so long as you have a very steady hand and don't attempt to use HDR mode (which only made things worse). The One also misses focus from time to time at night, but that's hard to avoid.

It should be noted that aside from the lack of OIS, all of these problems can really be ironed out in software over time if Cyanogen decides to make the investment. Exposure, menu settings, viewfinder layout and low-light processing can all be fixed — they'll just have to devote the man hours to get it done. If Cyanogen were to release an update or two and improve the camera experience, it'd be enough to bring the OnePlus One from an average camera to a great one.

UHD and high frame rate video

The OnePlus One is capable of recording UHD (often referred to as "4K" or "2160p") video. It is also capable of 60 fps and 120 fps slow-motion video, but only at 720p resolution.

UHD video looks good, but I honestly didn't notice a difference in quality over 1080p. It looked a bit over-saturated to my eyes as well, but I think I'd prefer that to a dull picture. Audio capture during video (from the three microphones) was good, and didn't distort even on a loud street.

120 fps video is only available in 720p or lower resolution, but the settings don't tell you that until you're trying to shoot and get an error message. Just like high frame rate video on other phones, being limited to 720p doesn't look great but the frame rate is smooth and is a neat effect to throw in if you're taking short clips.

Living with the OnePlus One

Specs are great, but what's it like to use?

I've made it a point to mention the size of this device at a few points in the review, but here's where I get down to it — the OnePlus One is just too large of a phone for me. I already started to feel my hand stretch when I recently spent some time with the Galaxy S5, and the One has just pushed it too far with its 5.5-inch screen, less-than-stealthy bezels and blocky sides.

I already started to feel my hand stretch with the Galaxy S5, and the One has just pushed it too far with its 5.5-inch screen, less-than-stealthy bezels and blocky sides.

The subtle curvature of its back plate and acceptable thickness both help you manage things, but in the end when a phone's too large for me to hold in one hand and type a message, it's likely going to be too much for many people to handle (literally). One of the biggest things I found to help usability is moving to on-screen buttons, effectively shifting the entire screen upward and making your thumb reach less to navigate the interface. This still isn't enough to keep me from wishing that the OnePlus One had a smaller display in the realm of 5-inches instead.

Putting my feelings on extremely large phones aside, the OnePlus One is actually quite a joy to use on a daily basis. The hyped-up internal specs do their job pushing around the interface and apps at break-neck speed that you expect from a 2014 high-end device, and once you dial in CyanogenMod just the way you like it you'll feel right at home.

Mobile data and call quality

One of the big plusses (yes, I went there) is the ability to use the One on pretty much any carrier throughout the U.S. and Europe and get both calls and LTE data without issue. The One has all of the right radio bands available, and I tested it on both AT&T and T-Mobile in the States without a single problem.

Under more scientific testing I found the One to hold a weaker LTE signal than other devices on a consistent basis on both carriers, causing drops off to HSPA+ earlier in poor coverage areas. In normal testing there was no notable difference in data speeds or hand-off times, but if you're constantly in low signal areas it may be something to consider.

Following the latest software update to fix a speaker issue, call quality was loud and clear on both carriers.

Battery life

The OnePlus One consistently offered me a full day's use and ended up with about one-third the battery left.

The One's massive 3100mAh battery isn't user-removable, but that isn't a problem as battery life is more than adequate no matter your usage patterns. This seems to be a situation more of brute-forcing battery life by having a huge cell (a bonus of having a large device) rather than intelligently designing the software for longevity, but whatever the case, the One consistently offered me a full day's use and ended up with about one-third the battery left.

Even on my hardest days, including lots of streaming music, hotspotting and camera usage, I wouldn't ever worry about the battery life on the One. After a few weeks carrying the phone as my only device, I can't recall a situation when I picked it up and was worried enough about the battery life to consider charging it before I left the house, or change my usage to make sure I made it through the day.

It's an extremely liberating feeling that I don't get from every single phone I use, and I wish more devices had this kind of endurance no matter the apps installed or use-case of the owner. This phone doesn't Extreme Power Savingor Ultra Power Saving mode — it just lets you use it how you want, and still doesn't die before you expect it to.

At the end of the day it needs to be charged, and sadly there's no Qi wireless charging included on the OnePlus One. Having made the investment in a couple of wireless chargers for my house and going the last few months without ever plugging in my phone, going back to a wired charger feels like the stone age — and there's no option to add third-party wireless charging capabilities, either.

OnePlus One: The Bottom Line

In the end, do you have to settle?

Spending a few weeks with the OnePlus One and getting used to all of its small quirks and issues, I had to keep reminding myself to put things into perspective of the phone's price. Sure it's a bit large, has a few issues with the camera and doesn't pack an awe-inspiring design or features — but it also costs just $299 unlocked and has some of the highest hardware specs available today.

In the $299 unlocked price bracket, The OnePlus One is crushing pretty much everything around it.

Now of course that doesn't really fit into the Never Settle philosophy behind OnePlus, but no phone is going to be everything to everyone, no matter what the advertising claims. If the One was $499 instead, would it have all of these problems fixed? Maybe, but then the value proposition starts to be a little less clear. OnePlus may have dug itself into a hole with its marketing here, trying to make the One seem like the next great thing when really it's just another phone.

And that's okay, because the One is competing at a price point with a bunch of other phones that are just phones, too, and in this arena it's crushing pretty much everything around it. It offers industry-topping specs, solid hardware, a robust and customizable software experience and above-average camera in a land of cheap phones that really can't match it.

Sony Smart Watch 2

noreply@blogger.com (P.K.JINDAL) — Sun, 10 Aug 2014 07:45:00 +0000

Time and again we’ve heard the same story: wearables are the next big thing in personal technology. Everyone will have wearables attached to their bodies in the next few years. And so on and so forth. But despite all of these predictions and the intense interest in wearable technology, we still don’t have a great smartwatch. The Pebble is too nerdy and toylike for most people; the Galaxy Gear is far too expensive and limited; and the litany of crowdfunded no-name manufacturers have yet to actually produce a compelling option.

Despite its flaws, I’m a big fan of my Pebble. It’s far from perfect, but it manages to keep me notified of incoming messages, emails, Twitter alerts, and more without forcing me to dig my phone out of my pocket. So when Sony announced the SmartWatch 2, an update to last year’s SmartWatch that brings a refined design and the promise of advanced capabilities, I was quite excited.

Last year’s SmartWatch was a disappointment. Clumsy, unintuitive, and just plain not good-looking, you had to be a real dyed-in-the-wool wearable connoisseur to even consider dropping the $149.99 Sony charged. This year’s SmartWatch 2 is even more expensive — it starts at $199.99 with a rubber band ($50 more than the Pebble) — but Sony claims that it’s learned a lot in the 18 months or so since the first iteration launched. The SmartWatch 2 has a larger display, improved design, updated interface, and other enhancements that Sony claims make it the smartwatch to beat.

The Pebble is nerdy because it’s the Pebble. But Sony is the mainstream, everyone knows the Sony brand. Can Sony make a smartwatch for the mainstream?

Wristware

The most striking thing about the SmartWatch 2 is just how nice it looks compared to the herd of ugly, inelegant smartwatches we’ve become accustomed to. The SmartWatch 2 looks like a smaller version of Sony’s Xperia Z smartphone, with square corners, jewel-like finishes, and a prominent, round silver power button on the side. That power button is the only physical button on the watch, and it’s right where you would typically find the crown on an analog watch.

Along with the power button, the SmartWatch 2 has a new 1.6-inch transflective LCD touchscreen and soft keys that mimic Android’s back, home, and menu functions. Like many of Sony’s mobile devices, the new screen has poor viewing angles (though it is visible outdoors or in bright light), and its 220 x 176 resolution reveals jagged edges and visible pixels on every screen. It’s always on, making it easy to quickly check the time, and the new feature addresses one of the biggest complaints we had with the first SmartWatch (and still have with Samsung’s Galaxy Gear). In dim light, you’ll want to turn the backlight on to read it, and the only way to do that is by pressing the power button on the side. I longed for a flick gesture to wake the backlight when I wanted to just check the time and didn’t want to use two hands; it’s also not yet possible to adjust how long the backlight stays on, and the three-second default is painstakingly short.

The SmartWatch 2 is larger than its predecessor, but it’s significantly smaller and lighter than the Galaxy Gear. It’s about 1.6 inches square and weighs 1.63 ounces, compared to the Gear’s 2.6 ounces and the Pebble’s featherweight 1.34 ounces. It’s not much larger than the average men’s watch, and wasn’t uncomfortable for me to wear, but if you have smaller wrists you might find it to be bulky.

It’s IP57 rated for water resistance, so you can submerge it in water or wear it in the shower without worrying about it — just make sure the port cover is closed before you get the watch wet.

I tested the SmartWatch 2 with the included rubber watchband, but Sony is also offering it with a metal band, which looks nice though it has limited adjustability. The rubber band is pretty comfortable as rubber watch-bands go, but since the SmartWatch 2 supports standard 24mm watch bands, you can swap it out pretty easily (Sony is offering a variety of colors and leather options, but third-party bands work as well).

SONY GOT A LOT OF THINGS RIGHT WITH THE SMARTWATCH 2'S DESIGN

Sony managed to solve a lot of things with the SmartWatch 2’s design: it’s actually an attractive watch that you can wear without looking like a complete geek. The display, which is arguably the most important facet of the device, is a bit of a disappointment and Sony needs to improve upon it. But Sony seems to be moving quickly in the right direction. Unfortunately, the same can't be said for the software.

Diversions and distractions

Last year’s SmartWatch had a basic but unintuitive interface. This time around, Sony has revamped the UI to mimic Android, right on down to the capacitive buttons below the screen. It’s not Android, but you wouldn’t be faulted for thinking it was, and that’s exactly what Sony is going for.

Once you have paired the SmartWatch 2 with your Android phone (any Android 4.0 device will do the trick, but iOS is not supported at all) you need to download Sony’s Smart Connect app from the Play Store. Smart Connect handles all of your SmartWatch settings and notifications and lets you install third-party apps on the device. Sony says there are over 300 apps for the SmartWatch available, with over half of them optimized specifically for the SmartWatch 2’s larger display. There are official apps for Twitter, Facebook, and Gmail notifications, as well as controlling your smartphone’s camera right from your wrist. Then there are many third-party apps for a variety of functions, including device authentication (using the presence of the SmartWatch 2 to unlock your phone), Wi-Fi and Bluetooth toggles, battery meters, and timers.

Setting up all of your apps from your smartphone can be a bit of a chore — the Smart Connect app isn’t very intuitive and it looks like it was designed back in the days of Android 2.3 and forgotten about — but once setup is done you can more or less forget about it. I didn’t notice any connection issues with the SmartWatch on a few different devices. If you walk too far away from your phone, the Bluetooth range will be exhausted and the watch will disconnect, but that’s entirely normal, and the SmartWatch 2 reconnects without issue when you're back in range.

The real value of any smartwatch is the ability for it to notify you without requiring you to look at your smartphone. The SmartWatch 2 can receive email, social network, text message, and calendar notifications via its default apps, and third-party apps can send many more types of notifications. The only problem is that these notifications aren’t very good — Twitter notifications are severely delayed, for instance, and I can’t do anything to the emails that buzz my wrist all day long. I can’t delete them, I can’t archive them, I can’t even mark them as read from the Smartwatch. I can see the sender, subject, and a few lines of the message, so it’s better than the Gear, which simply says "look at your smartphone for an email." Additionally, the notifications don’t sync between my phone and the watch — if I clear it from one, it will still be on the other the next time I look at it, forcing me to deal with the notification twice. The whole notification system is still incomplete and there is a lot more that Sony can do here.

THE NOTIFICATION SYSTEM IS STILL INCOMPLETE AND MORE ANNOYING THAN USEFUL

The Android familiarity of the SmartWatch 2’s interface extends through to the pull-down notification shade and swipeable home screens, which house six app icons a piece, sorted either alphabetically or by how often you use them. Every app icon mimics the corresponding app on Android, so Facebook looks like Facebook, Gmail looks like Gmail, and Twitter looks like Twitter. I get why Sony chose to do this — everyone that would be interested in this device already knows how to use a smartphone, right?

But while it may feel like the SmartWatch has its own version of Android, it still relies very much on your smartphone and Sony’s Smart Connect app. On its own, the SmartWatch 2 isn’t very smart: it can tell the time, be used as a stopwatch, and be used as an alarm. But that’s about it. You can reject incoming calls from the SmartWatch (if you have a Sony smartphone, you can answer them, though the SmartWatch does not have a microphone or speaker) and you can send pre-defined replies to text messages without having to touch your phone.

Unlike on the Pebble, Sony doesn’t even let third-party apps change the default clock face. If you don’t like the five analog or digital watch faces Sony provides, tough luck. Sony tells me that more watch faces will be added in the future, but there aren’t any plans to open them up to third-party developers.

Days at a time

The SmartWatch 2’s interface isn’t very responsive —swiping through the screens is often laggy and choppy and opening the various apps can be frustratingly slow. Often I would get frustrated with the SmartWatch’s slow response and just dig my phone out of my pocket to read the notification, thus defeating the purpose of wearing the SmartWatch. Changing tracks with the built-in music controls is also a chore, to the point where I would just skip to the next track on my phone, bypassing the SmartWatch altogether.

MICRO USB CHARGING IS A WONDERFUL THING

One of the hallmarks of a good smartwatch is long battery life — between charging my smartphone, tablet, and laptop every day or two, the last thing I want to have to charge often is my watch. The Pebble does a good job at this — it can last up to five days or so on a charge — while the Galaxy Gear requires you to charge it daily, a non-starter. The SmartWatch 2 lands somewhere in the middle: Sony claims about three to four days between charges and my experience lines up with that. It could certainly be better, but it wasn’t a deal breaker for me. Sony also makes it easy to charge the SmartWatch over Micro USB — the same cable that I use to charge my smartphone can now charge my smartwatch. That’s a major convenience for the SmartWatch 2 that the Pebble and the Galaxy Gear don’t match.

Logitech Powershell

noreply@blogger.com (P.K.JINDAL) — Sat, 09 Aug 2014 05:48:00 +0000

Game SupportLike all iOS controllers—at least those that aren't just joysticks and buttons you stick on the screen—the PowerShell has limited game support. The supported iOS 7 games list has some excellent titles like The Walking Dead, Bastion, Limbo, and King of Fighters-I 2012, but beyond the 40-something titles explicitly compatible with the PowerShell, you'll have to deal with spotty and inconsistent controls. This is a problem with all iOS controllers that connect to the device through either the Lightning connector or Bluetooth, but the list of supported games for iCade controllers like the iCade and 8-Bitty is nearly three times longer. The iCade in particular supports many more classic arcade titles, but lacks big, compelling names like Bastion and The Walking Dead. Apple iOS 7 gamepad support will hopefully result in broader and more consistent physical control integration for the PowerShell and other controllers in the future, compared with the haphazard gamepad support of previous iOS versions. This depends on game programmers now; with iOS 7 out the tools are there but the games still have to be written to use controllers through them.

DesignThe PowerShell is longer than the iPhone or iPod Touch it's designed to hold, but not much wider or thicker. It measures 7.9 by 2.6 by 0.7 inches (HWD); it's rectangular and slightly curved, with an iPhone-shaped hole in the middle complete with Lightning connector. The PowerShell weighs just 4.2 ounces without an iOS device in it, accounting for both its physical controls and built-in battery. The back holds a G-shaped logo that glows blue when active or red when low on power, along with a large cut-out for the iPhone's camera (and for easily pushing the iOS device out of the PowerShell when you're not using it). Another cutout on the bottom gives access to volume controls, while a tab to the left of the device slot triggers the iPhone or iPod Touch's power button. Finally, the lower right-hand corner of the PowerShell holds a micro USB port for charging, a power switch, and a lanyard hole.

The PowerShell's controls are sadly minimalist. It has no dual analog controls, and even its analog direction pad feels more like a digital direction pad that something that can be used for precise movements. The front has four small face buttons arranged in an Xbox-style A/B/X/Y configuration, with a Pause/Start button recessed below them. Two shoulder buttons round out the PowerShell for a disappointing total of one directional control and six buttons (not counting the Pause/Start button). The motion controls on iOS devices are ostensibly supposed to alleviate the need for analog sticks or pads, but my frustrating time with StormRaiders proved that there just aren't enough controls to play most 3D games well.

STOP SNACKING. START DEVOURING.

The iPhone® game controller you always wanted.

IOS 7 GAME SUPPORT

CONSOLE-STYLE CONTROLS

Advanced games, advanced control

INTEGRATED 1500 MAH BATTERY

Game on and on

SLIM PROFILE

Streamlined for quick-draw gaming

COMFORTABLE DESIGN

Form-fitted gaming grip

EASILY ACCESS PHONE FEATURES

Surf, snap, chat, watch, listen, and play

HEADPHONE ADAPTER

Sound completes the picture

Playing GamesThe first-person shooter Dead Trigger plays better, but still underscores the need for dual analog controls. You use the direction pad to move in the game, and then swipe over the screen with your thumb to aim. Like all touch screen controls, this means your thumb will be blocking part of the screen most of the time. Physical controls for both moving and aiming separate from the screen would have made the PowerShell much more useful.

Side-scrolling and fixed-camera games benefit much more from the PowerShell than first- or third-person games. LEGO Lord of the Rings played pretty well with the PowerShell, though the wiggly direction pad didn't quite offer the precision of a conventional analog pad or stick or the responsiveness of a digital direction pad. Muffin Knight also benefitted from the PowerStick, and both games felt more satisfying to navigate and attack with the direction pad and face buttons than any on-screen controls would offer.

BatteryThe built-in 1,500mAh battery can keep your phone charged for about as long as its own built-in battery, which is a nice touch even if the PowerShell is bulkier and has less capacity than non-gaming battery cases. Even with the battery drained and not charging the phone, the PowerShell works as a controller.

The Logitech PowerShell is a good idea done haphazardly. With just one wiggly direction pad that's allegedly analog but really just feels unresponsive and six control buttons, it's underequipped for the sort of games it wants to control. At $100, unless you love retro games and don't mind dealing with awkwardness with 3D games, the PowerShell is a pricey novelty that fails to live up to its potential.

Whether in the air, on the road, or between classes, PowerShell opens a new world of mobile gaming with powerful console-style controls. Plus, an integrated 1500 mAh battery increases the available power capacity of your iPhone 5®, iPhone® 5s or iPod touch® (5th gen).

Both groundbreaking new games and timeless classics can take advantage of iOS 7 and PowerShell's analog console-style controls. *With controller-compatible games, there's no extra software to install. Just download a favorite and go. A list of currently compatible iOS7 games is available here. Check the App Store frequently for the latest controller-compatible game releases.

Use powerful, precise console-style analog controls to dominate your favorite iOS games - and your opponents - more easily than using on-screen controls. Plus, the analog d-pad, shoulder triggers and button cluster move your hands away from the screen for the clearest view of the action.

Intense gaming can strain your device's battery. PowerShell backs you up with a 1500 mAh battery, increasing the available power capacity of the iPhone 5, iPhone 5s or 5th generation iPod touch. When the external battery indicator shows power is low, use the included micro-USB cable to top up both your device and PowerShell.

Whether you're in the air, on the road, or just between classes, the lightweight, slim PowerShell goes with you anywhere. The streamlined shape means PowerShell fits easily into your pocket, bag, or backpack. Games are always within easy reach.

PowerShell is designed for more than casual gaming-on-the-go. Its comfortable curves and subtly textured, soft rubber surface offer a sure – but comfortable – grip for hours of gaming.

Gaming isn't the only thing you do when you're on the go. PowerShell adds great gaming features without stopping you from snapping pictures, making calls, or listening to music. And volume up/down buttons, ring/silent switch, and power/sleep button all remain fully accessible.

Stay plugged-in for great game sound, or for making a call. PowerShell includes a 3.5mm headphone adapter with an angled design to keeps cords safely away from the action.

3-year Limited hardware warranty

iPhone 5, iPhone 5s or iPod touch (5th generation)

iOS 7

Controller

noreply@blogger.com (P.K.JINDAL) — Thu, 07 Aug 2014 13:46:00 +0000

Philips Norelco QT4070 Vacuum Beard, Stubble and Mustache Trimmer Pro

The Philips Norelco QT4070 Vacuum Beard, Stubble and Mustache Trimmer Pro is a fairly good beard trimmer with multiple extra functions and the ability to trim a wide range of beard lengths.

In terms of features (or as some might think of them, gimmicks), the QT4070 is fully-loaded and jam-packed. There are a ton of things on this trimmer aside from the actual beard trimming capabilities. Some help make the experience better, and some aren’t necessary, but if you like gadgets, this is definitely cool from that perspective. Of course, you want it to cut your hair, too, so we’ll dive right in and have a look at the product.

Starting from the top, you’ll notice that when the comb guide is attached, you use a zoom wheel located on the front of the unit to change between settings. This particular Philips Norelco has a very wide range of length settings, so we’re pleased about that. At least with all of the accessories, they still made room for a very important part of the trimmer, which of course is making sure that it is usable and accessible to as many people as possible. With more lengths comes the ability for more people to use it, and it also allows you to get the absolute perfect length, not to mention is helpful if you fade your beard at all or have different lengths (goatee vs. stubble on the rest of your face).

You can get a .5mm shave for very close stubble if you remove the comb guide, but when the guide is attached, you get 1mm increments from 1mm all the way to 18mm, for a total of 19 lengths if you include the bare blades. One of the features of this trimmer is the display, part of which shows you the length setting you have selected, so there’s no guess work or straining your eyes to see the tiny numbers when you’re setting the guide.

The blades are maintenance free stay-sharp blades that seem to do the job they were meant to do. There are no glaring errors or major pulling when trimming, so as a beard trimmer, this would do the job alright if we just stopped here. You’d probably find it as a middle of the pack bargain buy if it just cut your hair and didn’t try anything else.

On the subject of the blade, you’ll notice that Philips Norelco includes two guide combs to use with the blade. One is the normal comb and the other is the ‘contour comb’. More than a few people have reported that the normal comb is a bad choice for them, particularly because it bends slightly and does not give you an even beard length. Additionally, it has sharp ends. If you can, try it out with the contour comb first, as you may find that is the more comfortable and consistent guide.

NOTE: Philips used to only include one guide comb that contributed to many negative reviews. This has since been changed, so keep that in mind as you are doing your research!

The major draw and appeal of this trimmer is the fact that it’s one of the few units that actually has a vacuum built in to suck up the freshly cut hairs, leaving no mess behind (on you or in the sink). When turned on, this product has a vacuum by the blade that sucks in cut hairs and traps them in a small compartment. When you are finished using it, you simply snap the front flap open and empty the hair into the trash.

In use, the vacuum is just OK. It doesn’t suck up 100% of the cut hairs, so you may find a few loose ones in your beard and in the sink, although it will be far fewer than you would have without the vacuum. Additionally, some users claim that it gets less efficient over time. That might be expected, as any wear and tear is normal, but for a key feature, one might expect it to continue to perform well, even after extended use. However, the vacuum feature is more of a fun feature than a perfect tool, so you must go into this purchase with the right expectations. It’s nice, but it’s not a catch all (pun intended, I think).

Without a doubt, the vacuum cuts down on the amount of beard trimmings you’ll have to clean up, so it’s basically good, just not great.

Yet another fun feature is the Turbo Power Button that boosts the cutting and fan speed to get through thicker hairs with ease. It’s a decent feature, but you may find that it’s unnecessary. Even with moderately coarse facial hair in the form of a goatee, we’ve found that you can get a pretty decent trim without using it. If you’re cleaning up after a month in the bush, however, it might be useful to get through the really rough patches and will help to increase the amount of hair the vacuum picks up. Just be aware that this may also limit battery life if used extensively.

The previously mentioned display will also show you battery life left in 1/4 chunks (i.e., a full battery is 4 bars). This is nice to see, because at least you’ll know to charge it when it’s getting low so you don’t get the nasty surprise of no juice when you’re about to shave.

However, with the Philips Norelco QT4070 Vacuum Beard, Stubble and Mustache Trimmer Pro, you really won’t get a nasty surprise, even if the battery is drained. That’s because you can actually use this while it’s plugged in. The plug in is quite small and non-intrusive and being able to use it while charging is a great feature that allows you to charge in a situation like this where the charge ran out, or if you prefer the constant and consistent power of using the power from the wall socket rather than the battery.

The trimmer comes with a 2 year warranty, which is handy, particularly for something like this that has a number of extra features not normally found in a beard trimmer.

While this Philips Norelco model has many features, most of which you can live without, they all function moderately well, and none of them really take away from the beard trimming experience. This is a good choice for most people, particularly if you want to avoid trimmings decorating your shirt and sink.

Withing Pulse

noreply@blogger.com (P.K.JINDAL) — Wed, 06 Aug 2014 09:22:00 +0000

Pulse O₂

Track. Improve.

A "wear it your way" tracker to monitor your activity and sleep, read vital signs and improve your overall health.

Advanced tracking, every step of the way

Whatever your fitness level or style, the Withings Pulse O2can help you be more active and improve your health. During the day it captures steps, distance walked, elevation climbed and calories burned. At night, it monitors your sleeping cycles. And when asked, it measures your heart rate and blood oxygen level. The Pulse O2 offers an empowering experience, as you are able to better yourself by making informed choices. Every step counts! Start tracking them to know where you stand and to see how fast you are progressing.

The most versatile tracker

Wear it your way

Sport it or hide it! The Pulse O2 adapts to your style. During the daytime the Pulse O2 can be worn 3 different ways:

Slap it on your wrist using the adjustable watchband.
Attach it to your belt or apparel using the clip.
Drop it in your pocket or bag.

At night, use the wristband to monitor your sleep. As the watchband's spring bars are standard (18 mm) you can even create your own customized wristband.

Running the good race

Analyze your running in real time with the Withings Pulse O2. When you are jogging, pressing the button once will bring forward the feedback you need: duration and distance.

Listen to your heart

With its 4 LEDs the Pulse O2 measures 2 vital signs - your heart rate and blood oxygen level - giving you a quick view of your health status.

Your heart rate in a heart beat

The Pulse O2 is the smallest device to measure heart rate. It lets you check your heartbeat rate on any occasion: before a date to assess your stress or after exercising to monitor your recovery heart rate.

Start considering your blood oxygen level

Also known as "The Fifth Vital Sign", the blood oxygen level is an estimation of your blood's oxygen saturation (SpO2). It is a way of assessing the overall efficiency of your respiratory function.

Faithfully following your nights

Time to go to bed? Place the Withings Pulse O2 in the wristband and launch the sleep cycle analysis. The next morning you will have the opportunity to precisely assess your sleep in order to have more restorative nights. The in-app graph shows the different sleep cycles and lists key sleep quality indicators - something more reliable than "impressions".

Swipe for motivation

Did you beat your previous record?

Slide your finger across the touch screen and go back into time! The Withings Pulse O2 features History Browsing which allows you to display 10 days worth of data, giving you instant insight on your progress.

Learn about yourself

Sync seamlessly

The Pulse O2 automatically syncs to your smartphone all throughout the day thanks to its embedded Buetooth Low Energy technology. Each time the data is wirelessly transmitted to your free secured Withings account, it is put into perspective and made available in the dedicated Web and mobile apps (iOS and Android).

See the data come to life

Watch as the Health Mate app breathes life into those raw numbers! The app instantly turns them into easy to read graphs showing trends and showcasing your day-to-day progress. Soon you will have a better understanding of how your body works and how your habits impact your health.

Balance physical activity and nutrition

Master your body's weight. Simply log your meals in the MyFitnessPal app - the world's largest food, nutrition and calorie database. Our Health Mate app brings home their caloric equivalents and measures them against the number of calories burned.

Brain Computer Interface

noreply@blogger.com (P.K.JINDAL) — Tue, 05 Aug 2014 12:01:00 +0000

A brain–computer interface (BCI), sometimes called a mind-machine interface (MMI), or sometimes called a direct neural interface (DNI), synthetic telepathy interface (STI) or a brain–machine interface (BMI), is a direct communication pathway between the brain and an external device. BCIs are often directed at assisting, augmenting, or repairing human cognitive or sensory-motor functions.

The ability to control a computer using only the power of the mind is closer than one might think. Brain-computer interfaces, where computers can read and interpret signals directly from the brain, have already achieved clinical success in allowing quadriplegics, those suffering “locked-in syndrome” or people who have had a stroke to move their own wheelchairs or even drink coffee from a cup by controlling the action of a robotic arm with their brain waves. In addition, direct brain implants have helped restore partial vision to people who have lost their sight.

Recent research has focused on the possibility of using brain-computer interfaces to connect different brains together directly. Researchers at Duke University last year reported successfully connecting the brains of two mice over the Internet (into what was termed a “brain net”) where mice in different countries were able to cooperate to perform simple tasks to generate a reward. Also in 2013, scientists at Harvard University reported that they were able to establish a functional link between the brains of a rat and a human with a non-invasive, computer-to-brain interface.

Other research projects have focused on manipulating or directly implanting memories from a computer into the brain. In mid-2013, MIT researchers reported having successfully implanted a false memory into the brain of a mouse. In humans, the ability to directly manipulate memories might have an application in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder, while in the longer term, information may be uploaded into human brains in the manner of a computer file. Of course, numerous ethical issues are also clearly raised by this rapidly advancing field.

As the power of modern computersgrows alongside our understanding of the human brain, we move ever closer to making some pretty spectacular science fiction into reality. Imagine transmitting signals directly to someone's brain that would allow them to see, hear or feel specific sensory inputs. Consider the potential to manipulate computers or machinery with nothing more than a thought. It isn't about convenience -- for severely disabled people, development of abrain-computer interface (BCI) could be the most important technological breakthrough in decades. In this article, we'll learn all about how BCIs work, their limitations and where they could be headed in the future.

The Electric Brain

The reason a BCI works at all is because of the way our brains function. Our brains are filled withneurons, individual nerve cells connected to one another by dendrites and axons. Every time we think, move, feel or remember something, our neurons are at work. That work is carried out by small electric signals that zip from neuron to neuron as fast as 250 mph [source: Walker]. The signals are generated by differences in electric potential carried by ions on the membrane of each neuron.

Although the paths the signals take are insulated by something called myelin, some of the electric signal escapes. Scientists can detect those signals, interpret what they mean and use them to direct a device of some kind. It can also work the other way around. For example, researchers could figure out what signals are sent to the brain by the optic nerve when someone sees the color red. They could rig a camera that would send those exact signals into someone's brain whenever the camera saw red, allowing a blind person to "see" without eyes.

Last week, engineers sniffing around the programming code for Google Glass found hidden examples of ways that people might interact with the wearable computers without having to say a word. Among them, a user could nod to turn the glasses on or off. A single wink might tell the glasses to take a picture.

But don’t expect these gestures to be necessary for long. Soon, we might interact with our smartphones and computers simply by using our minds. In a couple of years, we could be turning on the lights at home just by thinking about it, or sending an e-mail from our smartphone without even pulling the device from our pocket. Farther into the future, your robot assistant will appear by your side with a glass of lemonade simply because it knows you are thirsty.

Researchers in Samsung’s Emerging Technology Lab are testing tablets that can be controlled by your brain, using a cap that resembles a ski hat studded with monitoring electrodes, the MIT Technology Review, the science and technology journal of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, reported this month.

The technology, often called a brain computer interface, was conceived to enable people with paralysis and other disabilities to interact with computers or control robotic arms, all by simply thinking about such actions. Before long, these technologies could well be in consumer electronics, too.

Some crude brain-reading products already exist, letting people play easy games or move a mouse around a screen. NeuroSky, a company based in San Jose, Calif., recently released a Bluetooth-enabled headset that can monitor slight changes in brain waves and allow people to play concentration-based games on computers and smartphones. These include a zombie-chasing game, archery and a game where you dodge bullets — all these apps use your mind as the joystick. Another company,Emotiv, sells a headset that looks like a large alien hand and can read brain waves associated with thoughts, feelings and expressions. The device can be used to play Tetris-like games or search through Flickr photos by thinking about an emotion the person is feeling — like happy, or excited — rather than searching by keywords. Muse, a lightweight, wireless headband, can engage with an app that “exercises the brain” by forcing people to concentrate on aspects of a screen, almost like taking your mind to the gym.

Car manufacturers are exploring technologies packed into the back of the seat that detect when people fall asleep while driving and rattle the steering wheel to awaken them.But the products commercially available today will soon look archaic. “The current brain technologies are like trying to listen to a conversation in a football stadium from a blimp,” said John Donoghue, a neuroscientist and director of the Brown Institute for Brain Science. “To really be able to understand what is going on with the brain today you need to surgically implant an array of sensors into the brain.” In other words, to gain access to the brain, for now you still need a chip in your head.

Last year, a project called BrainGate pioneered by Dr. Donoghue, enabled two people with full paralysis to use a robotic arm with a computer responding to their brain activity. One woman, who had not used her arms in 15 years, could grasp a bottle of coffee, serve herself a drink and then return the bottle to a table. All done by imagining the robotic arm’s movements.

But that chip inside the head could soon vanish as scientists say we are poised to gain a much greater understanding of the brain, and, in turn, technologies that empower brain computer interfaces. An initiative by the Obama administration this year called the Brain Activity Map project, a decade-long research project, aims to build a comprehensive map of the brain.

Miyoung Chun, a molecular biologist and vice president for science programs at the Kavli Foundation, is working on the project and although she said it would take a decade to completely map the brain, companies would be able to build new kinds of brain computer interface products within two years.

“The Brain Activity Map will give hardware companies a lot of new tools that will change how we use smartphones and tablets,” Dr. Chun said. “It will revolutionize everything from robotic implants and neural prosthetics, to remote controls, which could be history in the foreseeable future when you can change your television channel by thinking about it.”

These brain-reading technologies have been the stuff of science fiction for decades.

In the 1982 movie “Firefox,” Clint Eastwood plays a fighter pilot on a mission to the Soviet Union to steal a prototype fighter jet that can be controlled by a brain neurolink. But Mr. Eastwood has to think in Russian for the plane to work, and he almost dies when he cannot get the missiles to fire during a dogfight. (Don’t worry, he survives.)

Although we won’t be flying planes with our minds anytime soon, surfing the Web on our smartphones might be closer.

Dr. Donoghue of Brown said one of the current techniques used to read people’s brains is called P300, in which a computer can determine which letter of the alphabet someone is thinking about based on the area of the brain that is activated when she sees a screen full of letters. But even when advances in brain-reading technologies speed up, there will be new challenges, as scientists will have to determine if the person wants to search the Web for something in particular, or if he is just thinking about a random topic.

“Just because I’m thinking about a steak medium-rare at a restaurant doesn’t mean I actually want that for dinner,” Dr. Donoghue said. “Just like Google glasses, which will have to know if you’re blinking because there is something in your eye or if you actually want to take a picture,” brain computer interfaces will need to know if you’re just thinking about that steak or really want to order it.

Turn yourself into a walking CHARGER

noreply@blogger.com (P.K.JINDAL) — Mon, 04 Aug 2014 13:05:00 +0000

Turn yourself into a walking CHARGER: Wearable technology could let us power up mobile phones using our BODY HEAT

A team of South Korean researchers have devised a fabric-based generator Device produces power due to temperature difference between skin and air. Till date wearable technology has struggled because generators are too big, But this innovation could make smart glasses and more a reality. It is small enough to be worn on your body and charge a mobile phone.

Technology that could one day power your smartphone using just body heat has been developed.

Wearable computers or devices have been hailed as the next generation of mobile electronic gadgets, but finding a way to deliver sufficient, long-lasting power has been a problem. Now scientists have come up with a novel solution using a glass and fabric-based thermoelectric generator that could spell a new age of discreet smart technology.

A team of researchers at KAIST University in South Korea headed by Professor Cho of electrical engineering have proposed a novel solution to creating wearable technology by developing a glass fabric-based thermoelectric generator (pictured). The device converts body and can charge mobile phones

A team of researchers at KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology University) in South Korea headed by Professor Cho of electrical engineering are behind the innovation.

Professor Byung Jin Cho with his team created a flexible thermoelectric (TE) generator that allows you to recharge electronic devices from your own body heat.The device is suitable for recharging heart monitors, smartglasses and other wearable technology, experts claim.

A thermoelectric generator is a device that can convert heat, or a temperature difference, into electric energy. Using the small but significant temperature difference between skin and air, Professor Cho and his team have been able to produce this tiny and wearable thermoelectric generator. For electronics to be worn by a user, they must be light, flexible, and equipped with a power source, which could be a portable, long-lasting battery or a generator. KAIST's generator is extremely light and flexible and produces electricity from the heat of the human body.

Professor Cho confirmed that the generator could also charge smartphones. 'Right now we are trying to make a sample that provides electricity for medical sensors,' he says. 'After that, smartphones will be next application of the TE generator.' It is so flexible that it can be bent almost in a complete circle, and there are no changes in performance even if the generator bends upward and downward for up to 120 cycles.

Wearable computers or devices have been hailed as the next generation of mobile electronic gadgets, from smart watches to smart glasses to smart pacemakers. Professor Cho's device (pictured) is suitable for recharging heart monitors, smartglasses and other wearable technology

The glass fabric-based thermoelectric generator is so flexible that it can be bent almost in a complete circle with a gap of just 20 millimetres (0.8 inches), and there are no changes in performance even if the generator bends upward and downward for up to 120 cycles

To date, two types of TE generators have been developed.

These are based either on organic or inorganic materials, the former being carbon-based compounds found in biological systems and the latter molecules lacking carbon found in geological systems.

The benefit of organic-based TE generators is they are highly flexible and compatible with human skin, ideal for wearable electronics, but they have a low power output.

Inorganic-based TE generators produce a high electrical energy, but they are heavy, rigid, and bulky.

Professor Cho came up with the new concept and design technique to build a flexible TE generator that minimises thermal energy loss but maximises power output, combining the benefits of both organic and inorganic materials.

When using the generator for a wearable wristband device, it will produce around 40 milliwatts of electric power based on the temperature difference of 0.5°C (31°F) between human skin and the surrounding air. For now it is intended to be suitable for charging small devices like mobile phones

'This is quite a revolutionary approach to design a generator. In so doing, we were able to significantly reduce the weight of our generator, which is an essential element for wearable electronics,' he says.

When using KAIST's TE generator for a wearable wristband device, it will produce around 40 milliwatts of electric power based on the temperature difference of 0.5°C (31°F) between human skin and the surrounding air.

Professor Cho further described the merits of the new generator.

'Our technology presents an easy and simple way of fabricating an extremely flexible, light, and high-performance TE generator.

'We expect that this technology will find further applications in scale-up systems such as automobiles, factories, aircrafts and vessels where we see abundant thermal energy being wasted.'

One Plus One vs Xiaomi Mi3 Comparison

noreply@blogger.com (P.K.JINDAL) — Sun, 03 Aug 2014 07:22:00 +0000

OnePlus One Xiaomi Mi 3

General
Alternate names
Release date	April 2014	September 2013
Form factor	Touchscreen	Touchscreen
Dimensions (mm)	152.90 x 75.90 x 8.90	144.00 x 72.00 x 8.10
Weight (g)	162.00	145.00
Battery capacity (mAh)	3100	3050
Removable battery	No	No
Bundled accessories
Colours	Sandstone Black, Silk White	Metallic Grey
SAR value	NA	NA
Display
Screen size (inches)	5.50	5.00
Touchscreen	Yes	Yes
Touchscreen type	Capacitive	Capacitive
Resolution	1080x1920 pixels	1080x1920 pixels
Pixels per inch (PPI)	401	441
Colours	16M	16M
Hardware
Processor	2.5GHz quad-core	2.3GHz quad-core
Processor make	Qualcomm Snapdragon 801	Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 8274AB
RAM	3GB	2GB
Internal storage	16GB	16GB
Expandable storage	No	No
Expandable storage type
Expandable storage up to (GB)
Camera
Rear camera	13-megapixel	13-megapixel
Flash	Yes	Yes
Front camera	5-megapixel	2-megapixel
Software
Operating System	CyanogenMod 11S	Android 4.4
Skin		MIUI version 5
Java support	Yes	Yes
Browser
Browser supports Flash	Yes	Yes
Connectivity
Wi-Fi	Yes	Yes
Wi-Fi standards supported	802.11 a/ b/ g/ n/ ac	802.11 a/ b/ g/ n/ ac
GPS	Yes	Yes
Bluetooth	Yes, v 4.00	Yes, v 4.00
NFC	Yes	Yes
Infrared	No	No
DLNA	No	Yes
Wi-Fi Direct	No	Yes
MHL Out	No	Yes
HDMI	No	No
Headphones	3.5mm	3.5mm
FM	No	Yes
USB	Micro-USB	Micro-USB
Charging via Micro-USB	Yes	Yes
Proprietary charging connector	No	No
Proprietary data connector	No	No
Number of SIMs	1	1
SIM Type	Micro-SIM	Regular
GSM/ CDMA	GSM	GSM
3G	Yes	Yes
Sensors
Compass/ Magnetometer	Yes	Yes
Proximity sensor	Yes	Yes
Accelerometer	Yes	Yes
Ambient light sensor	Yes	Yes
Gyroscope	Yes	Yes
Barometer	No	Yes
Temperature sensor	No	No

Aston Martin DB9

noreply@blogger.com (P.K.JINDAL) — Fri, 01 Aug 2014 11:22:00 +0000

The Aston Martin DB9 is a four-seat grand tourer that charms with its supremely elegant styling, bespoke interior and sonorous twelve-cylinder motor. Though there are certainly more powerful and better-driving exotic coupes on the market, the DB9's timeless lines and impeccably appointed cabin set it apart.

Recent Changes

For the previous model year, the DB9 received a thorough update that includes freshened styling, a slightly revised interior and a more powerful motor.

Overview

Although the basic look of the exterior, including its classic proportions and graceful stance, remained unchanged as part of the recent update, there are several fresh details that distinguish the latest DB9 from its predecessor. The headlights are more angular and swept-back than before, while the lower front fascia gets a streamlined single-intake design.

From the side, the DB9 looks more aerodynamic, though the profile remains the same as any modern Aston Martin GT. At the rear, an integrated spoiler improves aerodynamics. Some design details have made their way down from the company's One-77 flagship, like the five-vane front grille.

Underneath its hood, DB9 boasts the latest version of Aston Martin's proven 5.9-liter V12 engine. Essentially a detuned version of the Vanquish supercar's mill, the DB9's unit serves up 510 horsepower along with 457 lb-ft of torque. The zero-to-sixty mph sprint is achieved in the mid-four-second range, which is roughly a second behind the pace of some competing models.

The engine mates exclusively to a six-speed automatic transmission that shifts smoothly but more slowly than the dual clutch boxes used by many of the DB9's rivals. Aston Martin recently eliminated the more sporting manual transmission option; those looking for a proper three-pedal gearbox will have to settle for either the V8 or V12 Vantage.

The DB9 continues to utilize Aston Martin's flexible and lightweight "Vertical/Horizontal" architecture, which is constructed from aluminum. The suspension was recently optimized for improved handling and includes an active damping system with Comfort and Sport modes. Even with the latter engaged, the ride remains compliant and there's more body roll than would be found in a true sports car. However, the handling is pleasantly responsive overall.

Inside, the DB9 is simply sumptuous, with soft leather, alloy trim and other high-quality materials covering nearly every surface. The tasteful dashboard layout hasn't changed much since the car's introduction, although the climate and entertainment system controls were recently redesigned for greater ease of use. A wide variety of different leather, wood and carbon fiber options can be specified, and color choices are also nearly infinite. There's plenty of room for the driver and passenger up front, but the rear seats are for extremely small children only.

Standard and Optional Features

Standard features include leather upholstery, a navigation system, a premium AM/FM/CD sound system with AUX and USB input jacks, heated front seats, front and rear parking sensors, Bluetooth connectivity, a trunk-mounted umbrella, xenon headlights and 19-inch alloy wheels.

Besides an available Bang & Olufsen surround-sound system, there's also a small galaxy of exterior and interior color schemes and interior trim options to choose from.

Occupant Safety

All Aston Martin DB9 models come standard with dual front, dual side and full-length side curtain airbags in addition to traction and stability control systems and electronic brakeforce distribution.

Key Competitors

The DB9 faces competition from powerful yet luxury-oriented grand tourers like the Bentley Continental GT, Maserati GranTurismo S and Mercedes-Benz CL65 AMG. Each possesses a distinct character derived from its country of origin, and discerning individuals with sufficient means are highly encouraged to simply purchase all four.

SPECIFICATIONS:

General
Body Style: Coupe
Size: Midsize
Market Segment: Luxury
Weight: 3968 lbs

Exterior
Length: 185.4 in.
Width: 73.8 in.

Height: 50.0 in.
Wheelbase: 108.1 in.
Ground Clearance: TBD
Front Track: 62.0 in.
Rear Track: 61.5 in.
Weight Distribution: TBD
Drag Coefficient: 0.35

Interior - General
Seats: 4
Passenger Volume: TBD
Cargo Volume: TBD
Cargo Volume (Seats Folded): TBD

Interior - Front Row
Volume: TBD
Leg Room: TBD
Head Room: TBD
Shoulder Room: TBD
Hip Room: TBD

Interior - Second Row
Volume: TBD
Leg Room: TBD
Head Room: TBD
Shoulder Room: TBD
Hip Room: TBD

Propulsion
Fuel Type: Gas
Engine Type: 5.9L V12
Power: 470 hp @ 6000 rpm
Torque: 443 lb-ft @ 5000 rpm
Transmission: 6-Speed Automatic
Highway Fuel Economy: TBD
City Fuel Economy: TBD
Forced Induction: None
Direct Injection: No

Chassis
Layout: Rear Wheel Drive
Front Suspension: Double Wishbone
Rear Suspension: Double Wishbone

Wheels
Front: 19" Aluminum
Front Tires: 235/40 ZR19
Rear: 19" Aluminum
Rear Tires: 275/35 ZR19
Trailering & Hauling
Trailer Weight: TBD
Payload: N/A
Tongue Weight: TBD

Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 (2014 Edition)

noreply@blogger.com (P.K.JINDAL) — Thu, 31 Jul 2014 04:37:00 +0000

PROS CONS
Brilliant high-res display Battery life still not close to the iPad
Good performance Plastic frame doesn't feel high quality
Leather-like back panel helps with grip Expensive
Expandable memory
Complete range of S-Pen features
Decent camera

"The Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 is the weapon of tablets, offering a slightly compromised tool for almost every job you could imagine."

General
	Release date	February 2014
	Dimensions (mm)	171.00 x 243.00 x 7.90
	Weight (g)	547.00
	Battery capacity (mAh)	8220
	Removable battery	No
	SAR value	NA
Display
	Screen size (inches)	10.10
	Resolution	2560x1600 pixels
	Pixels per inch (PPI)	299
	Colours	16M
Hardware
	Processor	1.9GHz
	RAM	3GB
	Internal storage	16GB
	Expandable storage type	SD card
Camera
	Rear camera	8-megapixel

	Flash	No
	Front camera	2-megapixel

Software
	Operating System	Android 4.3
	Java support	Yes
	Browser supports Flash	No
Connectivity
	Wi-Fi	Yes
	Wi-Fi standards supported	NA
	GPS	Yes
	Bluetooth	Yes
	NFC	No
	Infrared	No
	DLNA	Yes
	Wi-Fi Direct	Yes
	MHL Out	No
	HDMI	No
	Headphones	3.5mm
	FM	No
	USB	Micro-USB
	Charging via Micro-USB	Yes
	Proprietary charging connector	No
	Proprietary data connector	No
	Number of SIMs	1
	SIM Type	Micro-SIM
	GSM/ CDMA	GSM
	3G	Yes
	Voice Calling	Yes
	Stylus	Yes
Sensors
	Compass/ Magnetometer	Yes
	Proximity sensor	Yes
	Accelerometer	Yes
	Ambient light sensor	Yes
	Gyroscope	No
	Barometer	No
	Temperature sensor	No

Build & Design

However, it is quite disappointing that the build quality still is a couple of notches below perfect. Press hard on the middle of the back panel, and it does bend a bit. The plastic on the spines just looks bolted on as an afterthought. And the port covers over the SIM and microSD card slots feel flimsy at best. Up front and at the back, the design elements seem extremely different, more like a case of two halves, as they say in football. You have the fake leather look at the back, and the more conventional Samsung-ish design up front, complete with the hardware key for home, and touch keys for menu and return - exactly the same as most Galaxy smartphones.

The Note 10.1 (2014 Edition) has much more compact dimensions than the version it succeeds - 243.1mm x 171.4mm x 7.9mm and weighs 535 grams. While the weight reduction is massive, generation-wise, it still is heavier and bigger than the Apple iPad Air (240mm x 169.5mm x 7.5 mm; 478 grams). Albeit, do note (no pun intended) that there is a slight difference in the screen size of both tablets, and that does have a bearing on the Samsung’s apparent disadvantage on the spec sheet.

One thing that does catch your attention is that there is no notification LED that will indicate charging status or any new update from an app. If you hold the tablet in landscape mode, there is a speaker grill on the left and right side spines. The top spine has the power key and the volume rocket, while the bottom spine has the micro USB port for charging and data transfer.

Display

The display is one area where Samsung has never lagged behind Apple. The Note 10.1 builds on that brilliance, with the 10.1-inch Super Clear LCD panel, with a massive resolution bump up to 2,560 x 1,600 pixels. You really will find it very difficult to find a 10-inch tablet with such a brilliant display, in terms of native brightness, crispness of text rendered and the colour richness without any particular shades popping unnaturally, one problem we always noticed on AMOLED displays. The display goes well beyond Full HD resolutions, and that makes this tablet very much future proof.

In terms of brightness levels, the Note 10.1 registers a Luxmeter reading of 1654, while the iPad Air’s 9.7-inch screen registered 1522, both at 100% brightness with the same content on the screen. And it is that base that the Note 10.1 builds on. Between these two displays, the whites look purer on the Note 10.1, and so does the text for the same content. Where the iPad has the advantage is with the slightly softer colours and the warmer tones, if one prefers that.

Be it Real Racing 3, or the 1080p version of Elysium, the sheer richness of the display is something you just cannot ignore. Switch over to reading, and for that, I specifically use the Kindle Reader app and also Flipboard. The text rendering is absolutely fantastic, with just the perfect amount of crispness. Incidentally, there seems to be some issue with the default browser - try zooming into text on a web page, and it looks fuzzy for a second, before returning to perfection.

Audio

One issue that the iPad Air improved on, over the previous generation, was the introduction of dual speakers, instead of just one on the 4th generation iPad. Samsung had packed in the two side spine mounted speakers in the previous Note 10.1 as well, but this time around, the sound seems a lot better, mostly in terms of clarity at high volumes, particularly for dialogues. Though this may still not replace your headphones or any external speakers that you may use with the tablet, it's good enough for when on the move.

The Adapt Sound feature, also seen in the Galaxy S4, adjusts the audio tone and the left-right audio balance to improve the experience. To set this, you need to plug in a pair of headphones, and commence tweaking. Hit start after opening the app, and you will basically go through a multi-step hearing test with a series of high and low pitched beeps to understand the capabilities of your headphones, and also your ears in some ways.

Additionally, the built in music player has a very detailed set of equalizer settings, which makes a massive amount of difference. The cube based equalization method, in addition to the conventional equalizer is a neat feature.

Performance

The Note 10.1 packs in Samsung’s Exynos 5420 chipset with a quad core cluster at 1.9GHz and another quad core cluster at 1.3GHz, paired with 3GB of RAM. As expected, the benchmark scores make this one of the fastest Android tablets out there. But, the real comparison is with the Apple iPad Air, which itself got a processor and graphics boost not long back. But, despite all the power under the hood, the Note 10.1 is still behind the iPad Air, at least as far as the simple numbers are concerned. Within the Android ecosystem, the Note 10.1 stands alongside the 7-inch XOLO Play Tegra Note in terms of best in-class performance.

However, the fact that the test scores are still behind iOS, despite such powerful hardware, just points to the fact that Android as an OS, and the apps around it, are still not polished enough to utilize such powerful hardware to the fullest. I mean, it isn’t an issue because performance doesn’t get impacted negatively, but this does leave a semblance of a sour taste in the mouth - based on the amount of money you spend and the expectations from it.

In everyday use, the Note 10.1’s performance superiority shows. Apps open quickly, multi-tasking is a breeze, and there is no disagreeable stutter when switching between apps. This tablet is equally comfortable with almost any usage scenario you may throw at it - simple web browsing and social networking or productivity tasks or be it a session of Real Racing 3. The performance potential is well translated every time. However, this isn’t to say that the Note 10.1 is faultless. Yes, the TouchWiz UI has been further tweaked and feels much lighter than the earlier version, but you will see an occasional lag or stutter when flicking between the home screens or the app drawer pages.

It's good to note that the device doesn’t heat up when stressed, and the fake leather layer at the back is one of the reasons why your fingers aren't singed after an hour of driving very quickly around some corners in the latest iterations of Real Racing or GT Racing.

Battery

Samsung has packed in a humongous 8220mAh battery in the Note 10.1, which should mean the tablet is on fairly stable ground. However, there are other factors that come into play. First is the fact that Android isn’t as resource nimble as iOS. Second, battery life will depend on how many of Samsung’s features (for example Smart Stay) you have turned on.

In the video battery drain test, with the same HD video via VLC with screen brightness at 100% and volume at 50%, the Note 10.1's battery dropped to 86% in an hour. In the same test, the Apple iPad Air still retained 95% charge after one hour of playing the HD video.

Having said that, it is very much possible to get 8-9 hours of usage from a single charge, with assorted usage scenarios. The critical bit is to turn off all the features that you don’t need - like Smart Stay and Multi-Window.

S-Pen

Personally, I do not envisage myself using the stylus on a regular basis, forget using it on a daily basis. But, that doesn’t mean the feature isn’t important. After all, millions of Galaxy Note devices have been sold globally! The entire Air Command ecosystem of apps is just brilliant, for someone who will be using the stylus. Remove the S-Pen from its bay, and the Air Command window pops up automatically. Or you can press the button on the pen with the tip hovering just above the screen. This circular command centre opens up a lot of options - Action Memo, Scrapbook, Screen Write and Pen Window.

Action Memo lets you quickly scribble down updates or quick reminders, which get saved within the app. This can be very useful when jotting down something quickly, like a phone number. Yes, there are a lot more features within Air Command, but quite honestly, don’t think anyone will be too bothered to remember them. I most certainly hope that, like other things, this simple stylus feature that allows you to scribble notes quickly and efficiently doesn’t get bogged down by the inevitable deluge of additional features that one may or may not use.

Dell Inspiron 15 (I15RV-6190 BLK)

noreply@blogger.com (P.K.JINDAL) — Tue, 29 Jul 2014 13:58:00 +0000

PROS

Very affordable. Good battery life. Slim profile.

CONS

No touch screen. Low-res screen. USB 3.0 ports are black.

BOTTOM LINE

The Dell Inspiron 15 (I15RV-6190 BLK) is a relatively thin 15-inch laptop offering Intel Pentium processing power and good battery life for under.

Budget laptops are all about sacrifice, but that doesn't mean you have to settle for a big, clunky system with a bland design and limited features. With the Dell Inspiron 15 (I15RV-6190 BLK) you get relatively good performance in a thin, textured 15-inch chassis. Granted, it uses a watered down version of last year's Ivy Bridge architecture and can't display full HD (1080p), but if you're looking for a solid desktop replacement laptop for emailing, Web browsing, and light home office duty, this deal is hard to beat.

Design and Features

Measuring only 1-inch in height it is thinner than both the HP 2000-2b19wm (1.4 inches) and the Toshiba Satellite C855D-S5104 (1.3 inches), and at 5.1 pounds it's also a tad lighter than the Toshiba C855D-S5104. The lid is done up in a stylish textured black finish and sports a shiny Dell logo in the center.

The keyboard deck uses the same textured finish as the lid. The Inspiron 15's matte finish is susceptible to faint fingerprint smudging, though nearly as bad as a high-gloss finish. The full size chiclet-style keyboard is firm, and the black keys travel well, but don't look for backlighting at this price. A numeric keypad sits off to the right, and there's a slightly recessed multi-gesture touchpad with two good-sized buttons at the bottom. The pad has a smooth surface and had no trouble responding to swipe, pinch, and zoom gestures.

The 15.6-inch TruLife display has a resolution of 1,366-by-768 which, means can display 720p HD videos, but it can't display HD content at 1080p. This Inspiron 15 doesn't support touch technology, but again, you'd be hard pressed to find a notebook in this price range that offers either one of these features, let alone both. The display is reasonably bright and offers good color quality, although viewing angles are a tad narrow.

Despite its budget-class status the Inspiron 15 offers a decent feature set, including two USB 3.0 ports and two USB 2.0 ports. As with the Dell Inspiron 17-3721, the speedier USB 3.0 ports are black rather than blue, making it difficult to differentiate between the slower USB 2.0 ports. Other ports include an HDMI video output, a LAN port, and a headphone jack. There's an 8-in-1 card reader on the front edge of the chassis and a 1-Megapixel webcam embedded in the display's upper bezel. Wireless networking components include Wi-Fi (802.11b/g/n) and Bluetooth 4.0 radios.

The Inspiron 15 has 500GB of storage in a 5,400-rpm hard drive and comes with Windows 8 preloaded. It also comes with the obligatory bloatware programs like eBay and Kindle and trial versions of McAfee Security Advisor and Microsoft Office. Dell covers the Inspiron 15 with a standard one-year limited warranty.

Performance

The Inspiron 15 uses last year's Intel Ivy Bridge technology. It is equipped with a 1.8GHz Intel Pentium 2117u processor, Intel's HD Graphics GPU, and 4GB of system memory. It performed pretty much as expected, trailing the faster 1.9GHz Intel Core i3-equipped Dell 17-3721 and 2.4GHz Intel Core i3-3110M-equipped Toshiba Satellite C875-S7340. It blew away the Toshiba C855D-S5104 and HP 2000-2b19wm systems, both of which use a slower, less powerful 1.3GHz AMD E-300 processor.

We saw similar results across the board; the Inspiron 15 took longer to complete our Handbrake encoding and Photoshop tests than the faster laptops and was almost three times faster than the AMD-based laptops. Likewise, its Cinebench R11.5 CPU score was more than three times higher than the AMD-based systems. Graphics performance was almost identical to the two laptops using AMD Radeon HD 6310 graphics, but none of these systems was capable of handling intensive graphics work. If you want to play the latest games, be prepared to shell out a lot more money for a laptop with a powerful graphics solution.

The Inspiron 15's 4-cell Lithium Ion battery lasted 4 hours 10 minutes on our battery rundown test, which is impressive for a 15-inch desktop replacement laptop. It beat the Dell Inspiron 17 by around half an hour and the Toshiba C875-S7340 by almost an hour and a half. The AMD based laptops had the edge here, however.

With the Dell Inspiron 15 you get a very capable 15-inch laptop at an amazingly low price. Granted, it uses older CPU technology and lacks touch-screen capabilities, but it's not a bare-bones laptop by any means and offers enough horsepower to handle the basics, making it ideal for students and day-to-day home office computing. As such, it earns our Editors' Choice for budget laptops.

LG G3 CAT6

noreply@blogger.com (P.K.JINDAL) — Mon, 28 Jul 2014 11:12:00 +0000

LG has officially launched the LG G3 Cat.6 in the South Korean market on 25th,july!

KEY SPECIFICATION:

Display5.50-inch

Processor2.7GHz

Front Camera2.1-megapixel

Resolution1440x2560 pixels

RAM3GB

OSAndroid 4.4.2

Storage32GB

Rear Camera13-megapixel

Battery capacity3000mAh

LG G3 Cat.6, a smartphone that offers high download speed of up to 225Mbps. Made official on the company's blog on Tuesday, the firm claims that the G3 Cat.6 smartphone can download a regular 1GB movie in 36.4 seconds and an 80MB music video in 2.8 seconds.

The LG G3 Cat.6 handset is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 processor instead of the Snapdragon 801 SoC on the LG G3. The Snapdragon 805 on the G3 Cat.6 features a clock speed of 2.7GHz, up from the 2.5GHz clock speed of the Snapdragon 801 on the G3.

Colours available: Metallic Black, Silk White, and Shine Gold colour variants. Notably, the LG G3 Cat.6 comes only in a 32GB variant with 3GB of RAM, and will not be available in the 16GB with 2GB of RAM variant.

The Android KitKat 4.4.2-based LG G3 Cat.6, apart from the SoC and LTE-A modem, has the same specifications as the LG G3. It features a 5.5-inch QHD (1,440x2,560 pixel) AH-IPS LCD display. It G3 Cat.6 sports a 13-megapixel rear camera with OIS+, dual-LED flash and a laser auto-focusing sensor, while also including a front-facing 2.1-megapixel camera with f/2.0 aperture, and a selfie mode. The LG G3 Cat.6 is powered by a 3000mAh removable battery, and features wireless charging support.

The original LG G3 was already considered the company’s “best phone yet” because of its 538ppi display, beautiful design, and top-tier performance. This Category 6 variant adds LTE Advanced to the already impressive spec list which allows for up to three times faster speed than current 4G LTE devices.

Genie Smart Lock

noreply@blogger.com (P.K.JINDAL) — Sun, 27 Jul 2014 11:58:00 +0000

Control Your Door Lock From Anywhere in the World

Lock and Unlock With Wifi and Bluetooth

Send and Receive Bluetooth Keys

Access Logs - Check Who Last Used Your Lock

There’s a new smart lock aiming to connect your door handles to the Internet so that you can lock and unlock remotely, send digital keys to friends and tradespeople (via the companion app), keep tabs on comings and goings, and get into your home without the faff of taking your keys out of your pocket.

More importantly it’s aiming to do all that with a battery life that lasts a year. Yep, a whole year — rather than a couple of weeks, as can be the case with some existing wi-fi smart locks.That is the Genie Smart Lock vision anyway. Currently its makers are in the “engineering phase” but are taking pre-orders based on their vision. The estimated ship date for their smart lock system is “late 2014″. But bear in mind there’s no functioning prototype yet so that sounds a tad ambitious.

“One of the main issues facing smart lock developers is power management and ensuring battery life is at an acceptable level,” says founder Joel McAndrew, pointing to the problems in other Digital Locks.

A smart lock that checks for a wi-fi signal every five to 15 seconds results in a battery life as low as two to four weeks, according to McAndrew. But the problem with checking less frequently is that degrades the product user experience being as there’s a wait before it will execute a function.

(It’s worth noting that Lockitron has been doing firmware updates aimed at improving its battery life – we’ve asked them for the current battery longevity status for their smart lock and will update this post with any response. Update: Lockitron says its device is currently achieving some two to three months’ battery life, which it is “still working to improve”. It also has “dynamic low power models” in the works.)

The Genie Smart Lock takes a different tack. It’s using a power management system that relies on a secondary device — a wi-fi hub plugged into the mains inside your home — that talks to the connected door handle via Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE). That comms hand off means the smart lock’s battery drain is kept to a minimum because the thirsty Wi-Fi radio is being powered by the grid, and the batteries inside the door handle only need power BLE transfers.

“The Genie Hub receives the wi-fi signal and converts it to BLE. This BLE signal is sent to the Genie Smart Lock and then a reply is sent to the Genie Hub over BLE. This reply is converted from BLE to wi-fi and transmitted to the wi-fi device (smart phone or computer),” says McAndrew.

“This efficiency means that the Genie Smart Lock will be able to achieve a realistic battery life of 12 months. Users can adjust settings to further increase this battery life if they are happy for the device to scan for a signal less frequently.”

The device can also function without the hub — as a Bluetooth only lock, for keyless entry with a smartphone (or with a Bluetooth fob, or indeed via a traditional key if the battery has died completely). But, without the hub, the Genie won’t be able to offer wi-fi enabled functions such as remote unlocking and provisioning digital keys for others.

The Genie Smart Lock’s other twist vs the smart lock competition is that it is actually a whole replacement door handle, rather than a deadbolt (as Lockitron is). It’s been designed to replace all “standard” door handles, according to McAndrew, fitting a traditional 54mm door hole.

Installation is apparently easy enough for the user to do (see component diagram below) and the device is said to remove without a trace, meaning renters could potentially make use of it, not just home owners. Although your landlord may take issue with you changing the locks.

Whether it’s an advantage to have a smart door handle vs a smart deadbolt depends on your requirements. But judging by the design renders of the Genie it’s not going to win any elegant door fixture design awards so owners of period properties are probably not going to be clamoring to replace their antique door handles with such a utilitarian bauble.

AIR TYPE

noreply@blogger.com (P.K.JINDAL) — Sun, 27 Jul 2014 08:17:00 +0000

KEYBOARDLESS KEYBOARD

We have seen them in sci-fi movies, and hoped that someday we would be able to type stuff down by just thinking about it. Well, AirType is not going to tap into your brainwaves just yet, but it can achieve the same by following your finger movements, letting you even type in the air if you need to.

The company located in Austin, Texas has not yet revealed how the technology works, but you will need to strap on a pair of bands to your hands to do the same. The concept looks pretty promising and the devices look like something out of a Star Wars movie; yet we guess this has something to do with sonar or similar to what Leap Motion has achieved with their Leap Motion Controller.

AirType will not only follow and adapt to your keystrokes, but will also auto correct what you’re typing thanks to its accompanying app for devices. We will warn you though; the future of typing will indeed lacks tactile feedback. Still then, the concept is pretty neat and we are interested to see if the company gets it right. If they do, the typing accessory will indeed revolutionise typing which has remained the same for over 150 years.

DIGITAL DEVICE TO DRAW MEASURES

noreply@blogger.com (P.K.JINDAL) — Sat, 26 Jul 2014 06:46:00 +0000

Everybody knows that straight lines are hard to sketch or trace by pen or pencil without the help of ruler, triangle or square. What if you could just snap something onto your drawing tool instead?

But this concept goes beyond simple enabling linear effects – from drafting to simply underlining more neatly in books – it is envisioned by product designer Giha Woo as a way to measure while you draw as well, and display the results in realtime on a digital readout.

These days there may not seem much need since computers can draft for you, but any creative person knows there is something about putting pen to paper (or stylus to pad, at the very least) that gives you a more visceral connection to your creation.

SONY XPERIA C3

noreply@blogger.com (P.K.JINDAL) — Fri, 25 Jul 2014 04:07:00 +0000

Dig into more detail about the features and technologies behind the
Xperia C3

Pros:

4G wireless data:

It features a 4G wireless data technology.

Cons:

Ostensibly no HDMI port:

We were disappointed not to find any evidence of the Xperia C3 featuring an HDMI port (which is convenient to watch HD videos on your shiny HDTV.)

Heavyweight:

With its 150 grams of weight, the Sony Xperia C3 might turn out somewhat bulky.

Touch screen is only a capacitive:

A large touch screen is nice, but we are not extremely impressed that it is just a capacitive model. Of course, capacitive screens are okay.

SPECIFICATION:

Display

5.5" HD (1280x720) IPS display

Processor (CPU)

Snapdragon 1.2 GHz Qualcomm Quad-core
Adreno 305

Memory and storage

1 GB RAM
8 GB flash memory (internal)
Up to 32 GB microSD™ (card slot)

Sound

Sony Surround Sound technology (VPT)
Clear Audio+ – Sound improvement software
Audio recording, supported formats: 3GPP, MP4, AMR
Audio playback supported formats: AAC, AMR-NB, AMR-WB, FLAC, MIDI, MP3, PCM, Vorbis, WMA

Connectivity and communication

aGPS
Bluetooth® 4.0
DLNA Certified®
GLONASS*
Native USB tethering
Screen mirroring
Smart Connect
Synchronisation via Exchange ActiveSync®, Facebook™, Google™ and SyncML™*
USB charging
USB High speed 2.0 and Micro USB support
Wi-Fi and WiFi Hotspot functionality
Xperia Link
ANT+™ wireless technology
Wi-Fi direct

Camera and video

5 MP Front-facing camera (720p)
Front flash LED
Wide view front camera
8 MP camera with auto focus
HD video recording 1080 p
Sony Exmor RS for mobile image sensor
HDR (High Dynamic Range) for photos and videos
Pulsed LED flash
16x digital zoom
Superior Auto – automatic scene selection
Geotagging – add location info to your photos
Object tracking – lock focus on a specific object
Red-eye reduction
Image capture, supported file format: JPEG
Image playback, supported file formats: BMP, GIF, JPEG, PNG; WebP
Video capture, supported file formats: 3GPP, MP4
Video playback, supported file formats: 3GPP, MP4, M4V, AvI, XVID, WEBM

Networks

GSM GPRS/EDGE (2G)
UMTS HSPA (3G)
LTE (4G)

Xiaomi Mi 4 With 2.5GHz Snapdragon 801 and 3GB of RAM Launched

noreply@blogger.com (P.K.JINDAL) — Thu, 24 Jul 2014 12:02:00 +0000

Xiaomi Mi 4 Specifications

5 inch IPS display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels and Corning Gorilla glass protection on top of it
2.5 GHz quad core Snapdragon 801 processor
Adreno 330 GPU
3GB RAM
Android 4.4 KitKat with MIUI Version 6.0 on top of it
16GB/64GB of non-expandable storage
13MP rear camera with LED flash and 8MP front camera. The rear camera features a Sony IMX214 BSI sensor with an aperture size of f/1.8 and supports 4K recording
Weighs 149 grams
3GB RAM, 16 / 64 GB internal memory
4G LTE (this variant will launch in September), 3G, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth 4.0 and GPS
3080 mAh battery
Black and White
Stainless Steel Metallic frame
149 grams only

WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF SCREENLESS DISPLAY

noreply@blogger.com (P.K.JINDAL) — Wed, 23 Jul 2014 09:23:00 +0000

Screenless Display describes systems for transmitting visual information from a video source without the use of a screen.

VISUAL IMAGES

Visual Image screenless display means any image that the eye can perceive. Some common example are Holograms, Virtual Reality goggles and Head-up Display. In all of these cases, light is reflected on some intermediate object (hologram, LCD panel, or cockpit window) before it reaches the retina.

Virtual Reality Goggle

Hologram

Head-up-Display

RETINAL DISPLAY

Virtual retinal display is a systems in which images are projected directly onto the retina. They are distinguished from visual image systems because light is not reflected from some intermediate object onto the retina, it is instead projected directly onto the retina. Retinal Direct systems, once marketed, hold out the promise of extreme privacy when computing work is done in public places because most snooping relies on viewing the same light as the person who is legitimately viewing the screen, and retinal direct systems send light only into the pupils of their intended viewer.

SYNAPTIC INTERFACE

Synaptic Interface screenless video does not use light at all. Visual information completely bypasses the eye and is transmitted directly to the brain.

VOLUMETRIC DISPLAY

A volumetric display device is a graphic display device that forms a visual representation of an object in 3D, as opposed to the planar image of traditional screens that simulate depth through a number of different visual effects.Volumetric displays are still under development, and have yet to reach the general population.

FOG DISPLAY

A fog display or vapor display is a system that uses haze machines or water vapor to create a semi-transparent wall of suspended particles which trapped in a thin sheet of air and are illuminated by a projector in order to produce a display whose images seem to float in mid air. This system can be expanded using multiple projectors to create a three-dimensional image, thus becoming a volumetric 3D display.

iPHONE 6

noreply@blogger.com (P.K.JINDAL) — Wed, 23 Jul 2014 05:25:00 +0000

EXPERIENCE

THE

NEW STYLE

EVERY RUMOR ABOUT THE SPECS AND RELEASE DATE

Unofficial preliminary specifications

Also known as iPhone Air
LTE carrier support

GENERAL	2G Network	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - all models
		CDMA 800 / 1700 / 1900 / 2100
	3G Network	HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700 / 1900 / 2100
		CDMA2000 1xEV-DO HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100
	4G Network	LTE- all models
	SIM	Nano-SIM
	Announced	Exp. announcement 2014, September
	Status	Rumored. Exp. release 2014, September

BODY	Dimensions	130 x 65 x 7 mm (5.12 x 2.56 x 0.28 in)
	Weight	113 g (3.99 oz)
		- 500 dpi pixel density fingerprint sensor (Touch ID)

DISPLAY	Type	LED-backlit IPS LCD, capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors
	Size	960 x 1704 pixels, 4.70 inches / 5.5 inches (~416 ppi pixel density)
	Multitouch	Yes
	Protection	Shatter proof sapphire crystal glass, oleophobic coating
		- Water resistant

SOUND	Alert types	Vibration, proprietary ringtones
	Loudspeaker	Yes
	3.5mm jack	Yes

MEMORY	Card slot	No
MEMORY	Internal	16/32/64/128 GB, 2 GB RAM

DATA	GPRS	Yes
	EDGE	Yes
	Speed	DC-HSDPA, 42 Mbps; HSDPA, 21 Mbps; HSUPA, 5.76 Mbps, LTE, 150 Mbps; EV-DO Rev. A, up to 3.1 Mbps
	WLAN	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi hotspot
	Bluetooth	v4.0, A2DP
	NFC	Yes
	USB	v2.0

CAMERA	Primary	8 MP, 3264 x 2448 pixels, autofocus, dual-LED (dual tone) flash
	Features	Simultaneous video and image recording, touch focus, geo-tagging, face detection, HDR panorama, HDR photo
	Video	1080p@60fps
	Secondary	Yes

FEATURES	OS	iOS 8
	Chipset	Apple A8
	CPU	Dual-core 2 GHz
	Sensors	Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass
	Messaging	iMessage, SMS (threaded view), MMS, Email, Push Email
	Browser	HTML (Safari)
	Radio	No
	GPS	Yes, with A-GPS, GLONASS
	Java	No
	Colors	Space Gray, White/Silver, Gold
		- Active noise cancellation with dedicated mic - AirDrop file sharing - Siri natural language commands and dictation - iCloud cloud service - iCloud Keychain - Twitter and Facebook integration - TV-out - Maps - iBooks PDF reader - Audio/video player/editor - Organizer - Document viewer/editor - Photo viewer/editor - Voice memo/dial/command - Predictive text input

BATTERY		Non-removable Li-Po ~ 1850 mAh battery
	Stand-by
	Talk time

BMW i8 - THE MOST PROGRESSIVE SPORTS CAR

noreply@blogger.com (P.K.JINDAL) — Tue, 22 Jul 2014 12:43:00 +0000

BMW i8, is the first car with consumption and emission of a comact car. It's a hybrid car with perfect synchronisation of electric motor and combustion engine made with innovative LifeDrive architecture, ground-breaking materials such as carbon, layering design and numerous intelligent BMW Efficient Dynamics measures. The highly emotive design instantly shows which qualities the BMW i8 has to offer. The powerful plug-is the hybrid system with the combination of BMW eDrive technology and a BMW TwinPower Turbo 1.5-litre, 3-cylinder petrol engine brings together the benefits of an electric motor and a petrol engine to produce an outstanding driving experience

BMW i8 DESIGN PHILOSOPHY

EXTERIOR

Extremely low and wide when viewed from the front.
A Flat Silhouette, powerfully shaped surfaces.
A Precise Contours.
LED Light with Laser Light.
Scissor Doors

INTERIOR

Carpo Carum Grey interior design.
Superb Seat lettering.
Ceramic application for the gearshift lever.
Eye Catching Door Sill.

BMW TWIMPOWER TURBO 1.5 lITRE 3-CYLINDER PETROL ENGINE.

The BMW TwinPower Turbo 1.5-litre 3-cylinder petrol engine, which was newly developed as part of the BMW EfficientDynamics strategy, unites all the advantages that one would expect from the power unit of a sports car. Its engine management guarantees optimum charge changing processes across the ignition point and ensures a rapid response from the turbocharger. During operation, the 170 kW (231 hp) engine proves to be extremely free-revving and delivers up to 320 Nm of torque. At the same time, the dynamics and the high performance level are accompanied by outstanding efficiency, as demonstrated by the combined consumption of only 2.1 l/100 km and CO2 emissions of 49 g/km.

AERODYNAMICS

The lines and flat silhouette of the BMW i8 make its pronounced forward thrust evident at first glance. Impressively dynamic even when standing still, it has a shape and details committed to the ideals of aerodynamics, which also influence its design. The stream flow, defined by the merging shape of the C-pillar, the side wall that swings upwards and the roofline, is more than just an optical accent. In the BMW i8, this concept clearly improves aerodynamics. A drag coefficient (cd) of just 0.26 underlines the status of BMW i8 as a sports car – with an aerodynamic wedge-shaped design unlike any other.

CONNECTIVITY
With the innovative BMW i ConnectedDrive solutions, the BMW i8 boast a high degree of connectivity – for an intelligent and sustainable form of mobility like never before

BMW i Remote App.

BMW i ConnectedDrive services for navigation.

BMW ConnectedDrive.

BMW TeleServices.