Gadgets......unlimited

HTC working on entry level smartphone

2012-07-10T05:13:00.002-07:00

Leaked image's EXIF data hints an entry-level mobile phone under works as HTC Golf.

HTC is workin on an entry-level smartphone, which is codenamed as Golf. Recombu got hands on a leaked image taken from an unknown HTC device and the EXIF (Exchangeable image file format) data hints that the device is codenamed - HTC Golf. However, HTC has declined to comment terming it as mere speculation.

According to the EXIF data of the image published in the report, the smartphone will have a three megapixel camera sensor. Sporting a 3.5-inch touchscreen display and 800 MHz mobile processor, HTC Golf seems like a perfect successor of the HTC Explorer.

None of the details about the specifications are confirmed but we expect announcements to happen sometime in May this year. Notably, the CTIA-Wireless 2012 convention is all set to take place from May 8 and many mobile phone makers unveil their handset ranges during the event.

HTC Golf can be presumed to be an affordable and pocket friendly device from HTC.

Make Money With Hubpages: Secrets Of Exploding Your Income With Hubpages Revealed

2012-07-10T05:06:00.002-07:00

One of the most powerful methods of making money online is to post your content or article on various content sharing sites. And one of the best content sharing sites on the internet that gets weighed heavily by the search engines is HubPages.

What is HubPages?

HubPages is a content sharing site dedicated to the online community of people who love to share their passion, knowledge, expertise, or opinion.

The reason why its founders create HubPages is to help content writers share their experiences and interests for the benefit of the masses, and allow these Hubbers to get monetary benefit at the same time.

On the other hand, the main benefit of HubPages for internet browsers is that they're getting quality information to help improve their lives.

HOW TO MAKE MONEY WITH HUB PAGES

Here are some of the ways for Hubbers to make money with HubPages:

1) Boost Your Credibility and Reputation.

HubPages is an excellent way for internet marketers to establish their authority and subsequently recommend their product.

If your articles are helpful to targeted visitors of your Hubs, you will be perceived as an expert in your niche. The key to gaining popularity and expert status is to submit original, unique and helpful articles.

When you are perceived as an expert in your niche, people will welcome your advice and continue to navigate all your other HubPages and websites.

You will make money by giving them useful tidbits of information, and leading them to the complete solution through your products and services.

2) Monetize by promoting your own products or affiliate products. You may search for productsto promote at various affiliate programs or affiliate directories online. These include Clickbank,Commission Junction, Ebay, and Amazon.

However, you need to be sure that the programs you promote are relevant to the content of your Hubs. Make sure you provide lots of value-packed content that builds trust and creates anticipation for more. This way, you'll be able to gain their trust faster and have an easier time referring your recommended products to them.

HubPages also allows you to get 60% of the Google Adsense revenue earned from all your Hubs.

HubPages Vs. Your Own Sites

The need to create separate websites diminishes because your HubPages will deliver what your website can do for you... and even more.

The advantage of using HubPages over your own websites is that the search engines love them, so they get better rankings in the search results. The disadvantage is that you have limited control over your ads and promotions (for example, you can't promote the same domain more than twice in the same Hub).

If you are a serious online marketer, having both your HubPages and your Websites is still important. You create your Hubs, then promote your own sites and affiliate programs in them.

If you have more than one niche in your portfolio, you can create several Hubs. In fact, there are people who own hundreds, or even thousands, of Hubs that are earning money for them. This is how easy it is to make money with HubPages.

Just remember to always submit original and unique content. This is because people in the HubPages community are quick to dispel duplicate content. And they are very vigilant in protecting their community from spammers and plagiarists.

Cool HubPages Feature

Finally, there is a neat feature in HubPages where you will be given a Hub Score. The number of hubs you produce, and the number of unique links and click, determine your Hub Scores.

When you get a high Hub Score combining the different factors, your Hub Status is going to increase. Hub Status ranging from Novice to Hall of Fame publishers will merit a reputation within the community.

There is a nice compensation relative to your hub status. For starters, you will easily get the prodigy score. A prodigy status will be given to your HubPages provided you have 19 quality hubs with a score of 75 and above.

Take note that you also need to have a Hub Score of over 75 to make the links in your Hubs dofollow. Otherwise, they would become nofollow. According to Wikipedia, "nofollow is an HTML attribute value used to instruct some search engines that a hyperlink should not influence the link target's ranking in the search engine's index." That means nofollow anchored text links are ineffective when it comes to positioning a site higher for your targeted keywords.

Your Hub Status is important because within the HubPages homepage, there are Hot, Best and New Hubs section. In the Best hubs section, your status will appear and this will equate to your popularity and expert status.

This feature is very innovative and will make an online marketer thrive to be good at what he does. Hall of Fame is an excellent place to be for experts; when you reach it, you'll have lots of extra dollars to add to your existing income, and you'll boost your reputation and credibility.

HubPages' popularity and dependability is increasing, so you have to strike while the iron is hot. The best time to hook up your online business with HubPages is now. Don't procrastinate. Your online business depends on people who are hungry and attracted to your offer. Any time or money invested in HubPages is worth it.

Official: Xperia PLAY ICS updated canned, plus timelines for other phones

2012-06-12T06:34:00.000-07:00

It turns out that the speculation was correct. Sony Mobile has cancelled the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update for the Sony (Ericsson) Xperia PLAY. The company says that “after extensive in house testing with our developer teams and working with our partners, we have concluded that a consistent and stable experience, particularly with gaming, cannot be guaranteed for this smartphone.”

The rest of the 2011 Xperia line-up will see the Android ICS release on schedule. The good news is that this will start from next week. Moving on, we finally have some official timelines for the recently launched Sony Xperia NXT phones. The Xperia S will be updated from the end of June, as expected. The Xperia P will follow that, whilst the Xperia U will “receive it a little later in Q3”. The update rolling out will be Android 4.0.4 and this will also hit the previous handsets (Xperia arc S, Xperia neo V and the Xperia ray) that had already updated to version 4.0.3 of Ice Cream Sandwich.

Vindicating its decision on why it canned the Xperia PLAY ICS update, here’s what Sony Mobile had to say in full:

This decision (to cancel ICS for the Xperia PLAY) was also verified when we received similar feedback from the developer community; both experienced developers and advanced users, along with game content providers following our ICS beta ROM for unlocked Xperia PLAY smartphones.

Our priority has and always will be, to provide the best possible user experience on Xperia smartphones. In this instance the ICS upgrade would have compromised stability, where we look to ensure a quality gaming experience with games optimized and developed for Xperia PLAY.

Via Sony Mobile Blog.

Sony Xperia Mini Pro gets the Ice Cream Sandwich update

2012-06-11T05:11:00.001-07:00

You might have never even heard of the Xperia Mini Pro smartphone, but if you are one of the few that own one, you will be happy to know that the Ice Cream Sandwich update is ready for you. According to online sources, Sony went ahead and confirmed the news for the smartphone owners and said they should be looking now for the update as it is ready to roll out to all of the devices. The Xperia Mini Pro launched last year, in the summer, with the Android Gingerbread operating system installed.

The update will be rolling out to groups of devices, so do not fret if you are not able to get the download to your device today. To get all of the Xperia Mini Pro users the update, it should not take more than a week. The upgrade to the newest version of Android brings a new user interface and tons of other features to enhance your overall experience with the handset. Sony is one of the few handset makers that keep customers up to date when it comes to what handset is getting the highly anticipated update and when it will be rolling out.

If one phone is getting the Ice Cream Sandwich update sometimes that means another one is not. Along with the news for the Xperia Mini Pro, Sony talked about another handset that will not be getting the update. The Sony Xperia Play, the company’s PlayStation Phone, will not be getting the updated version of the Android operating system. If you do not remember the handset launching last year, let’s take a look at the specs as a refresher.

The Xperia Mini Pro shipped with a 3-inch TFT display that has a lower than average pixel resolution, a light sensor to help save on the 6 hours of battery time and was in the side-slider format. The phone weighed only 4.8 ounces, came with a 5MP camera with LED flash and auto-focus, plus it could record 720p video and had a smaller web cam in the front for video calling. A single core, 1GHz Snapdragon processor powered the phone and it was teamed up with 512MB of RAM and only 400MB of expandable internal memory. The device also came with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi support and could be used on GSM, UMTS and HSDPA data networks.

Canon announces a new Rebel – the Canon Rebel T4i – first HDSLR with touch screen

2012-06-11T05:01:00.000-07:00

Canon today announced the latest member of the Rebel family the Canon Rebel T4i / 650D (theCanon Rebel T4i is the USA name and the 650D is Europe and elsewhere)

Notice B&H has pre-order links already!

Canon Rebel T4i/650D

Here’s my ~~(very tired but I got thru it)~~ updated new overview of the Canon Rebel T4i (i couldn’t stand the rotten job I did and re-did the overview this morning)

Pix

Canon Rebel T4i front (no lens obviously)

Canon Rebel T4i back

The Press Release

The New EOS Rebel T4i DSLR Camera Puts the power and creativity of DSLR Stills and Video at your fingertipsSilent and Continuous Autofocus in Video, The EOS Rebel T4i Lets People Re-Live Magic Moments Through Stunningly Crisp Video and Incredible Stereo Sound

LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., June 8, 2012 – Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging, today announced a new flagship model in its most popular EOS Rebel line, the Canon EOS Rebel T4i Digital SLR Camera. The new EOS Rebel T4i features incredible image quality with an 18-megapixel CMOS (APS-C) sensor, DIGIC 5 Image Processor that helps capture all the action with high-speed continuous shooting of up to five frames per second (fps) and an extended ISO range of 100–12800 (expandable to 25600 in H mode) that gives photographers the opportunities to take the EOS RebelT4i into more shooting situations than ever before.

The camera includes a revolutionary new autofocus (AF) system to help achieve fast, sharp focus and smooth HD video. The new AF system includes a nine-point all cross-type sensor array, and new Hybrid CMOS AF which achieves fast focus when shooting stills or video in Live View mode. Much to the pleasure of aspiring student filmmakers and parents everywhere, the Rebel T4i features Canon’s new Movie Servo AF providing a quiet, continuous AF during HD video recording when using one of Canon’s newly introduced Stepping Motor (STM) lenses. The silent continuous autofocus when shooting HD video helps ensure the camera only captures the sounds of the scene being recorded. When combined with the camera’s new Vari-angle Touch Screen 3.0-inch Clear View LCD monitor II and intuitive “fingertip” controls, touch-menu and advanced still and video capabilities, the EOS Rebel T4i stands as Canon’s most “consumer-friendly” DSLR to date.

“Our Rebel line of cameras bridges the gap between the casual photographer and someone looking to advance their photography and capture moments in new and creative ways. The EOS Rebel T4i boasts full HD video with AF and touch-screen navigation, inspiring even more photographers and videographers to explore the creative options made possible with DSLR cameras and lenses,” said Yuichi Ishizuka, executive vice president and general manager, Imaging Technologies & Communications Group, Canon U.S.A.

New AF Capabilities

One of the most significant upgrades to the EOS Rebel T4i is a dramatically upgraded AF system including a nine-point all cross-type AF array, with a high-precision dual-cross f/2.8 point at center. The EOS Rebel T4i is the first Canon camera to feature the new Hybrid CMOS AF system which increases AF speed by reducing the camera’s need to “hunt” for focus. The result is fast continuous AF when shooting photos and movies in Live View. Because the camera’s cross-type AF points have two-dimensional contrast detection, the EOS Rebel T4i provides highly accurate focus regardless of your shot composition and ensures great focus no matter where the subject is located in the frame. The addition of the dual-cross point in the center allows for much faster and precise focusing for photographers using high-speed f/2.8 lenses.

Using the touch panel, parents can select their child on the LCD screen and the camera will remain focused on that child while they stay in-frame, ensuring sharp focus in crowds and group shots. The new AF system enables Touch Focus for shooting photos and movies in Live View. To make capturing photos even easier, a Touch Shutter function can also be enabled, whereby selecting a subject on the LCD screen, the camera will instantly take a photo, once focus is locked.

Continuous AF during HD Video Recording

For the first time in a Canon EOS DSLR, the EOS Rebel T4i includes Canon’s new Movie Servo AF for recording video. When used with Canon’s new EF and EF-S STM lenses, the camera can provide smooth and quiet continuous AF while recording video. This technological breakthrough enables the new EOS Rebel T4i to achieve AF while still retaining a DSLR camera’s signature background blur and image quality, producing stunning videos of parties, events, summer vacations or graduations.

When shooting video with Canon’s STM lenses, AF also remains silent, helping ensure you only capture the sound of the scene being recorded. The EOS Rebel T4i features a built-in stereo microphone, a first for the Rebel line, that includes an attenuator function to reduce audio distortion in extra loud situations.

Canon’s First Touch-Screen DSLR

Another Canon first, the EOS Rebel T4i includes a best-in-class Vari-angle Touch Screen 3.0-inch Clear View LCD monitor II featuring 1.04 million dot resolution for unparalleled, clear viewing. The electro-static touch-panel screen is the most advanced that Canon has released to date with multi-touch capabilities allowing photographers to use familiar gestures such as “pinch-to-zoom” and “swiping” to scroll between pictures. Camera operation has been simplified through this feature allowing for Touch Focus or Touch Shutter controls via the vari-angle touch-screen. The vari-angle touch-screen flips out to the left and rotates 180 degrees forward and 90 degrees backward, making tough above-the-head and low-to-the-ground shots easy, and allowing improved views during photo or video capture. That means the overhead shot taken in a crowd or at a graduation march just got a little easier to shoot.

Improved Imaging Performance Features

The EOS Rebel T4i helps novice photographers capture great images and video, even in low-light with a range of new and upgraded modes

• Handheld Night Scene

• HDR Backlight Control

• Multi-Shot Noise Reduction

• Video Snapshot

• Scene Intelligent Auto

Canon’s new shooting modes (Handheld Night Scene, HDR Backlight Control and Multi-Shot Noise Reduction), take multiple pictures, an d combine them – in camera – to help capture a wider dynamic range, minimize the image grain or noise, and produce more vivid colors so landscapes and city scenes are as breathtaking as when seen in person.

Families have enjoyed coming home from a vacation or outing with a fun, short Video Snapshot highlight reel shot on their Canon camera to share the full story of their adventure. Now with the EOS Rebel T4i users will also have the option to delete, cut or re-order the clips before exporting the Snapshot album to post or share.

Canon’s Scene Intelligent Auto mode – the “green” mode on the dial – analyzes the scene being shot, taking into account faces, colors, brightness, movement and contrast, to select appropriate camera settings and help produce the best possible image. This mode has been enhanced to deliver the best possible exposure, particularly when shooting in low-light.

New STM Lenses and Accessories

To leverage the unique, new shooting functions of the EOS Rebel T4i, such as EOS Full HD Movie with continuous AF, Canon is introducing two new unique lenses, the new EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM lens and new EF 40mm f/2.8 STM lens. Both new STM lenses includes Canon’s new Stepping Motor technology, which allows the lenses to smoothly and silently focus, and when used in combination with Canon’s new EOS Rebel T4i Movie Servo AF feature, achieve continuous AF while recording video. The new stepping motor technology in both lenses quietly focuses allowing the EOSRebel T4i’s stereo microphone to only record the sounds of the scene being shot.

The versatile EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM lens offers the right combination of size, weight, image stabilization and focal length, allowing photographers to capture wide-angle or telephoto photographs and video. This lens is a great option for photographers who may only want to carry one lens with them for both wide landscapes, and close-ups. Appearing for the first time in a Canon EF lens is Dynamic IS (Movie Shooting Mode only) that uses a wide image stabilization correction range to help ensure steady video even when shooting while walking.

The new EF 40mm f/2.8 STM lens offers an ultra-slim, lightweight design that helps photographers avoid overwhelming their subjects with a large lens and to remain discreet in sensitive shooting situations without compromising performance. The “pancake-style” lens boasts an aperture of f/2.8 making it an ideal lens for capturing portrait stills or stunning video. The lens is under an inch thick when attached, making it easy to carry and fit conveniently into a purse or pocket.

The EOS Rebel T4i is also compatible with Canon’s previously introduced GP-E2 GPS Receiver that can be mounted to the camera’s accessory shoe. The GPS unit was created to serve outdoor photographers; it records shooting locations including latitude, longitude and altitude, as well as camera direction. A Logging function can tell how far a photographer has traveled as well.

Availability

The EOS Rebel T4i Digital SLR camera will be available at the end of June for an estimated retail price of $849.99 for the body alone; $949.99 bundled with an EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II lens kit and a Movie Kit bundle for $1199.00 with the new EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM lens.

The new EF 40mm f/2.8 STM lens and the new EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM will also be available separately at the end of June at an estimated retail price of $199.99 and $549.99 respectively.

The Canon 5D Mark III exposed

2012-06-11T04:58:00.002-07:00

Is there a better way to learn about a new camera than read its manual? Well, let's find out! The instruction manual of the Canon 5D Mark III leaked and it brings a lot of info on the new camera!

Here's the introduction taken from the first page: "The EOS 5D Mark III is a high-performance, digital single-lens reflex camera featuring a fine-detail, full-frame (approx. 36x24mm) CMOS sensor with approx 22.3 effective megapixels, DIGIC 5+, approx. 100% viewfinder coverage, high-precision and high-speed 61-point AF, approx. 6 fps continuous shooting, Live View shooting, and Full High-Definition (Full HD) movie shooting. The camera is highly responsive to any shooting situation at any time, provides many features for demanding shots, and expands shooting possibilities with system accessories."

The manual has more than 400 pages so it's a great source of information on the Mark III and how to use it. There is even a section on post-processing and quite a lot on shooting movies - there are even some useful tips.

To download the manual simply click here.

Source: http://blog.planet5d.com

What Is Intel HD Graphics??????

2012-06-11T04:55:00.002-07:00

Intel HD Graphics 3000

The Intel HD Graphics 3000 (or Intel Graphics Media Accelerator HD 3000, GMA HD 3000, Intel HD Graphics 200) is an integrated graphics card in the Sandy Bridge codenamed processors. The HD Graphics 3000 has no dedicated memory but shares the Level 3 / LLC Cache with the CPU cores and also part of the main memory.
Due to TurboBoost, the GPU can be overclocked depending on the current CPU load and power consumption. The base speed and the turbo boost speed of the HD Graphics 3000 depend on the processor:

ULV processors Core ix-2xx7 (base 350MHz, Turbo 900-1000MHz)

LV processors Core ix-2xx5 (base 500MHz, Turbo 1000MHz)
Mainstream and high-end Dual und Quad-Core Core ix-2xx0 (base 650MHz, Turbo 1100-1200MHz)
Desktop K processors (base 850, Turbo 1100-1350MHz)

The HD 3000 offers 12 Execution Units (EUs) like the old Intel GMA HD but due to architectural changes each EU is now faster. The slower HD Graphics 2000 uses only 6 Execution Units.

Our performance tests with the high clocked mainstream version of the HD Graphics 3000 in quad-core processors showed a performance level on par with the current entry level generations from NVIDIA (e.g. GeForce 310M) and AMD (HD 5450). Some games even ran faster but still there are some driver glitches (like too dark scenes in Left 4 Dead 1&2 and Supreme Commander or not starting games like Mafia 2). See our extensive gaming review of the Intel HD Graphics 3000 for more details or at the end of this page for gaming benchmark scores.

First performance tests by Andandtech (with a desktop pre-sample without TurboBoost) indicate agaming performance on a level with the desktop ATI Radeon HD 5450 (comparable to the Mobility Radeon HD 5450). In low detail settings and 1024x768 the HD Graphics 200 was faster than the 5450 in Batham, Dragon Origins, Call of Duty MW2, and Bioshock 2. In Dawn of War 2 and Hawx the Intel Graphics stayed a bit behind. The framerates were always high enough to be playable. Intel also conducted some tests on the IDF 2010 and showed a playable Starcraft 2 at medium detail settings. That means that the GMA HD 200 should be able to render current games fluently in low-medium detail settings (see 5450 page for a list of playable games).

An extensive gaming review of the HD Graphics 3000 in a Core i7-2600K desktop cpu was published at inpai.com.cn. The GPU was clocked at 850 - 1350 MHz (Turbo boost) and was able share 8MB level 3 cache. In their benchmarks, the Intel GPU was on a level with a desktop HD 5450 in Left 4 Dead 2, Civilization 5, and Star Craft 2. Far Cray 2, Mass Effect 2, Dirt 2, CoD Black Ops and Bad Company 2 even ran faster on the HD3000. Hawx2 and NBA 2K11 ran slower and Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 did not run. The framerates promised that the games should be playable in low settings. However, online battles e.g. in Battlefield should stutter.

In addition to the GPU, the chip also houses some dedicated units for decoding and encoding HD videos. On the IDF Intel demonstrated the encoding of a 3 minute long 1080p video to an iPhone compatible format in 640x360 in only 14s. Another novelty of the Sandy Bridge GPU is the embedded DisplayPort eDP to connect internal Displays.

Due to the integration in the 32nm built CPU, the power consumption of the GPU should be quite low.

Manufacturer	Intel
HD Graphics Series	HD Graphics 4000 16@350 - 1350MHz HD Graphics 3000 12@350-1350MHz HD Graphics 2500 6@650 - 1350MHz HD Graphics 2000 6@850 / 1100-1350MHz HD Graphics (Sandy Bridge) 6@350 - 1100MHz
Codename	Sandy Bridge
Pipelines	12 - unified
Core Speed *	350-1350 MHz
Shader Speed *	350-1350 MHz
Shared Memory	yes
DirectX	DirectX 10.1, Shader 4.1
technology	32 nm
Date of Announcement	01.02.2011

Rooting Xperia X8

2012-04-15T07:50:00.001-07:00

Rooting can be done in Sony Xperia X8 by using an app named SuperOne Click. SuperOne Click has been an advantage for Android users to root their phone. SuperOne Click is one of the best app which users can root their phone. Here, I am giving you the methods for rooting your Xperia X8 by SuperOne Click. Just follow these instructions.

1) Download SuperOne Click and save it to your desktop.

2) After installing, connect your phone to computer.

3) Enable USB debugging mode on your computer by launching settings --> Applications --> Development. Checkmark the first option that is “USB Debugging”.

4) Once you have enabled USB debugging, Unmount SD Card. Go to Settings --> SD Card--> USB Mass Storage And Phone Storage and checkmark Unmount SD Card.

5) Now extract the exe file from SuperOneClick folder that we downloaded in Step 1.

6) Once extracted, double click the file to execute.

7) Now simply press root and wait for the procedure to finish.

8) It will take around 5 to 10 minutes to root you phone so hang in there.

9) Now you have root access of your phone meaning that you can install all those apps which require you to have root.

You can download the app from here.

Rooting the phone is a big process. There is also one major thing that there is 95% failure and 5% success for rooting your phone. If you are rooting your phone, you don't get any warranty from the company..You have to do that at your own risk. Without rooting, you can connect your xperia to your computer by USB cable and you can use the internet via tethering. Tethering can be done by Easy Tether Lite

1) Visit AndroidMarket and download Easy TetherLite.
2) Install it to your phone.
3) After installation, visit Easy TetherLite blog and download the TetherLite software suitable for your OS. Click here to visit the blog.
4) After downloading the application suitable for your phone, install it to your computer.
5) Connect your phone to computer via data cable.
6) Turn on the software "Easy TetherLite" on your phone.
7) After turning on, your OS will automatically finds a hardware on your system. Then the PC will be connected to your phone.

NOTE: The Internet connection on phone must be enabled. If your computer is connected with other internet connections, disable those.

Now enjoy the Internet through your phone.

Tethering means sharing mobile internet connection to a computer, laptop or tablet. We can use Tethering by using Wi-Fi ,Blutooth or a USB cabel.In tethering the mobile phone is act as the portable router.The operating systems Windows Phone 6 (built-in starting from version 6.5), Android, (starting fromversion 2.2 Froyo), and iOS (only after jailbreak or running iOS 4.3 or higher on iPhone 4 or iPhone 4s without jailbreak) support this.Some operators disenabled this feature. But we can be enabled by rooting.

10 Fast and Free Security Enhancements

2012-04-15T07:44:00.001-07:00

Before you spend a dime on security, there are many precautions you can take that will protect you against the most common threats.

1. Check Windows Update and Office Update regularly (_http://office.microsoft.com/productupdates); have your Office CD ready. Windows Me, 2000, and XP users can configure automatic updates. Click on the Automatic Updates tab in the System control panel and choose the appropriate options.

2. Install a personal firewall. Both SyGate (_www.sygate.com) and ZoneAlarm (_www.zonelabs.com) offer free versions.

3. Install a free spyware blocker. Our Editors' Choice ("Spyware," April 22) was SpyBot Search & Destroy (_http://security.kolla.de). SpyBot is also paranoid and ruthless in hunting out tracking cookies.

4. Block pop-up spam messages in Windows NT, 2000, or XP by disabling the Windows Messenger service (this is unrelated to the instant messaging program). Open Control Panel | Administrative Tools | Services and you'll see Messenger. Right-click and go to Properties. Set Start-up Type to Disabled and press the Stop button. Bye-bye, spam pop-ups! Any good firewall will also stop them.

5. Use strong passwords and change them periodically. Passwords should have at least seven characters; use letters and numbers and have at least one symbol. A decent example would be f8izKro@l. This will make it much harder for anyone to gain access to your accounts.

6. If you're using Outlook or Outlook Express, use the current version or one with the Outlook Security Update installed. The update and current versions patch numerous vulnerabilities.

7. Buy antivirus software and keep it up to date. If you're not willing to pay, try Grisoft AVG Free Edition (Grisoft Inc., w*w.grisoft.com). And doublecheck your AV with the free, online-only scanners available at w*w.pandasoftware.com/activescan and _http://housecall.trendmicro.com.

8. If you have a wireless network, turn on the security features: Use MAC filtering, turn off SSID broadcast, and even use WEP with the biggest key you can get. For more, check out our wireless section or see the expanded coverage in Your Unwired World in our next issue.

9. Join a respectable e-mail security list, such as the one found at our own Security Supersite at _http://security.ziffdavis.com, so that you learn about emerging threats quickly and can take proper precautions.

10. Be skeptical of things on the Internet. Don't assume that e-mail "From:" a particular person is actually from that person until you have further reason to believe it's that person. Don't assume that an attachment is what it says it is. Don't give out your password to anyone, even if that person claims to be from "support."

Wireless device turns iPhone into remote

2012-04-15T07:42:00.000-07:00

SAN FRANCISCO: Thiru Arunachalam and Bala Krishnan have turned your iPhone into a TV remote. Peel, their startup in downtown Mountain View, hopes to 'peel' off the layers of complexities associated with today's TV viewing.

All you need is your television set, an Apple device -- an iPhone or even an iPod Touch -- a wireless router called Peel Fruit -- an odd-looking infrared blaster -- and the Peel cable which links directly to your home WiFi router's open ethernet port.

The Peel uses both WiFi and ZigBee, a wireless protocol technology, for connectivity and therefore, must be placed within 25 feet of each other. The Peel Fruit does all the talking to your TV and thus sits near the TV set. Then download the free Peel application from the App Store and your iPhone turns into your tele-remote.

But for the Peel experience, you must feed in the kind of shows -- or even genres -- that you like. And Peel 'discovers' the kind of shows you would like, eliminating the rest of the massive clutter.

This is actually a blessing for US viewers who have to battle a cumbersome television guide, resembling a boring data sheet, and rummage through 500 or more channels to figure out what exactly could be interesting.

"We lead busy lives and have limited time to watch television. And yet, land up wasting so much of that time on discovering what to watch, and this is getting harder and harder. It is a complicated problem in the living room today," says Peel co-founder Bala Krishnan.

So, if you like teen dramas like 90210, Peel could recommend that you watch Gossip Girl or Glee as well. Then, it allows you to share what you are watching with your friends on Twitter and Facebook, adding to a socialised TV experience. Behind the social fabric though, Peel constantly makes algorithm-based recommendations based on what your friends watch.

In many ways what Peel is doing is similar to Netflix -- a paid subscription-based movie rental and online video streaming service -- and Pandora Radio, a Valley startup which revolutionised Internet radio in the US wherein you key in your preferences and get algorithm-based recommendations. Movies and music have already turned interactive.

TV, which has traditionally been an offline medium, is finally starting to catch up, thanks to websites like Hulu. Hulu provides ad-supported and on-demand streaming of popular TV shows and some movies. Networks like CBS and ABC are also granting access to current content online.

"When the world moves to online TV, then Peel will become incredibly more relevant and we will be able to make TVwatching a seamless experience," says Krishnan.

Think about it: how many of us watch TV while we are doing something simultaneously on our laptops, tablets or smartphones? This is why Peel heralds the next wave in television and perhaps the next phase of Web applications which blend virtual and social media with interactive, possibly offline, activities.

"Consumers are showing some desire to engage more deeply with TV content while it's still on, especially for specific genres like sports and hit shows with young consumers that use social networks heavily (for example the Glee Superfan experience)," says Sam Rosen, senior analyst, digital home (TV & Video Service) with ABI Research, a tech-focused research firm.

Peel has nearly 1.3 million users and since last month, many of them cheer or boo on social networks for their favourite American Idol contestants up to 400 times on each Wednesday. This fun interaction is also precious real-time feedback, which could be priceless for the show's owners, and a potential side business model for Peel.

Such applications which extend TV viewing experiences are called Second Screen Apps while the assortment of devices used in front of the TV are called Companion Devices. A whole bunch of companies, big and small, have entered the space catering to different tech areas.

Startups like Miso and GetGlue focus on the social experience. Content-owners too are providing show-focused social, interactive platforms like Disney Second Screen, National Football League Game day and Glee Superfan.

Then, Roku and Boxee are adding apps to TV. No wonder behemoths like Google, Apple and Microsoft have entered the space. With its Kinect bundles for the XBox, Microsoft provides voice-controlled TV along with music and gaming.

"Peel is unique in its bundling of universal remote technology with a social application. In my opinion, it will take richer metadata or other forms of additional content for these apps to catch on as more than a niche class of product," says Rosen.

"The industry is on fire but consumers still have to catch up," says Arunachalam. Though company is yet to make money, investors are rooting for it with Peel raising $25 million in VC funding. It hopes to start making money through advertisements when it gets more users: it's goal is to get about 10 million users by year end.

With so much information about each of its users, Peel hopes it will be able to give them not just personalised TV, but personalised advertising too. So, if you are hunting for movies, ads of local theatres' movie listings could pop up. Or if you like the sitcom Friends, then an ad for a Friends DVD giftset could pop up. "There is a very fine line between creepiness and usefulness and we want to tilt more towards usefulness by offering value," says Krishnan.

This could also be the dawn of the next wave of advertising that tech experts expect to see very soon, wherein the TV you're wat ching also "wat ches" you.

Consequently, we could have Advertising as a Service ( AaaS). Peel's founders believe that in as soon as 18 months, India too, will be at the tipping point of falling into the same TV viewing problem as America.

"Viewers in India are constantly hitting their remote button looking for what's on," says Arunachalam. "The Indian opportunity is enormous but incredibly complex because there are programmes in so many languages," says Krishnan.

Android 4.0 : All About it

2012-04-05T06:58:00.000-07:00

Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) is the latest version of the Android platform for phones, tablets, and more. It builds on the things people love most about Android — easy multitasking, rich notifications, customizable home screens, resizable widgets, and deep interactivity — and adds powerful new ways of communicating and sharing.

Simple, Beautiful, Useful

Refined, evolved UI

Focused on bringing the power of Android to the surface, Android 4.0 makes common actions more visible and lets you navigate with simple, intuitive gestures. Refined animations and feedback throughout the system make interactions engaging and interesting. An entirely new typeface optimized for high-resolution screens improves readability and brings a polished, modern feel to the user interface.

Virtual buttons in the System Bar let you navigate instantly to Back, Home, and Recent Apps. The System Bar and virtual buttons are present across all apps, but can be dimmed by applications for full-screen viewing. You can access each application's contextual options in the Action Bar, displayed at the top (and sometimes also at the bottom) of the screen.

Multitasking is a key strength of Android and it's made even easier and more visual on Android 4.0. The Recent Apps button lets you jump instantly from one task to another using the list in the System Bar. The list pops up to show thumbnail images of apps used recently — tapping a thumbnail switches to the app.

Rich and interactive notifications let you keep in constant touch with incoming messages, play music tracks, see real-time updates from apps, and much more. On smaller-screen devices, notifications appear at the top of the screen, while on larger-screen devices they appear in the System Bar.

Home screen folders and favorites tray

New home screen folders offer a new way for you to group your apps and shortcuts logically, just by dragging one onto another. Also, in All Apps launcher, you can now simply drag an app to get information about it or immediately uninstall it, or disable a pre-installed app.

On smaller-screen devices, the home screen now includes a customizable favorites tray visible from all home screens. You can drag apps, shortcuts, folders, and other priority items in or out of the favorites tray for instant access from any home screen.

Resizable widgets
Home screens in Android 4.0 are designed to be content-rich and customizable. You can do much more than add shortcuts — you can embed live application content directly through interactive widgets. Widgets let you check email, flip through a calendar, play music, check social streams, and more — right from the home screen, without having to launch apps. Widgets are resizable, so you can expand them to show more content or shrink them to save space.

New lock screen actions

The lock screens now let you do more without unlocking. From the slide lock screen, you can jump directly to the camera for a picture or pull down the notifications window to check for messages. When listening to music, you can even manage music tracks and see album art.

Quick responses for incoming calls

When an incoming call arrives, you can now quickly respond by text message, without needing to pick up the call or unlock the device. On the incoming call screen, you simply slide a control to see a list of text responses and then tap to send and end the call. You can add your own responses and manage the list from the Settings app.

Swipe to dismiss notifications, tasks, and browser tabs

Android 4.0 makes managing notifications, recent apps, and browser tabs even easier. You can now dismiss individual notifications, apps from the Recent Apps list, and browser tabs with a simple swipe of a finger.

Improved text input and spell-checking

The soft keyboard in Android 4.0 makes text input even faster and more accurate. Error correction and word suggestion are improved through a new set of default dictionaries and more accurate heuristics for handling cases such as double-typed characters, skipped letters, and omitted spaces. Word suggestion is also improved and the suggestion strip is simplified to show only three words at a time.

To fix misspelled words more easily, Android 4.0 adds a spell-checker that locates and underlines errors and suggests replacement words. With one tap, you can choose from multiple spelling suggestions, delete a word, or add it to the dictionary. You can even tap to see replacement suggestions for words that are spelled correctly. For specialized features or additional languages, you can now download and install third-party dictionaries, spell-checkers, and other text services.

Powerful voice input engine

Android 4.0 introduces a powerful new voice input engine that offers a continuous "open microphone" experience and streaming voice recognition. The new voice input engine lets you dictate the text you want, for as long as you want, using the language you want. You can speak continously for a prolonged time, even pausing for intervals if needed, and dictate punctuation to create correct sentences. As the voice input engine enters text, it underlines possible dictation errors in gray. After dictating, you can tap the underlined words to quickly replace them from a list of suggestions.

Control over network data

Mobile devices can make extensive use of network data for streaming content, synchronizing data, downloading apps, and more. To meet the needs of you with tiered or metered data plans, Android 4.0 adds new controls for managing network data usage.

In the Settings app, colorful charts show the total data usage on each network type (mobile or Wi-Fi), as well as amount of data used by each running application. Based on your data plan, you can optionally set warning levels or hard limits on data usage or disable mobile data altogether. You can also manage the background data used by individual applications as needed.

Designed for accessibility

A variety of new features greatly enhance the accessibility of Android 4.0 for blind or visually impaired users. Most important is a new explore-by-touch mode that lets you navigate without having to see the screen. Touching the screen once triggers audible feedback that identifies the UI component below; a second touch in the same component activates it with a full touch event. The new mode is especially important to support users on new devices that use virtual buttons in the System Bar, rather than dedicated hardware buttons or trackballs. Also, standard apps are updated to offer an improved accessibility experience. The Browser supports a script-based screen reader for reading favorite web content and navigating sites. For improved readability, you can also increase the default font size used across the system.

The accessibility experience begins at first setup — a simple touch gesture during setup (clockwise square from upper left) activates all accessibility features and loads a setup tutorial. Once accessibility features are active, everything visible on the screen can be spoken aloud by the standard screen reader.

Communication and sharing

People and profiles

Throughout the system, your social groups, profiles, and contacts are linked together and integrated for easy accessibility. At the center is a new People app that offers richer profile information, including a large profile picture, phone numbers, addresses and accounts, status updates, events, and a new button for connecting on integrated social networks.

Your contact information is stored in a new "Me" profile, allowing easier sharing with apps and people. All of your integrated contacts are displayed in an easy to manage list, including controls over which contacts are shown from any integrated account or social network. Wherever you navigate across the system, tapping a profile photo displays Quick Contacts, with large profile pictures, shortcuts to phone numbers, text messaging, and more.

Unified calendar, visual voicemail

To help organize appointments and events, an updated Calendar app brings together personal, work, school, and social agendas. With user permission, other applications can contribute events to the calendar and manage reminders, for an integrated view across multiple calendar providers. The app is redesigned to let you manage events more easily. Calendars are color-coded and you can swipe left or right to change dates and pinch to zoom in or out agendas.

In the phone app, a new visual voicemail features integrates incoming messages, voice transcriptions, and audio files from one or more providers. Third-party applications can integrate with the Phone app to add your own voice messages, transcriptions, and more to the visual voicemail inbox.
Rich and versatile camera capabilities

The Camera app includes many new features that let you capture special moments with great photos and videos. After capturing images, you can edit and share them easily with friends.

When taking pictures, continuous focus, zero shutter lag exposure, and decreased shot-to-shot speed help capture clear, precise images. Stabilized image zoom lets you compose photos and video in the way you want, including while video is recording. For new flexibility and convenience while shooting video, you can now take snapshots at full video resolution just by tapping the screen as video continues to record.

To make it easier to take great pictures of people, built-in face detection locates faces in the frame and automatically sets focus. For more control, you can tap to focus anywhere in the preview image.

For capturing larger scenes, the Camera introduces a single-motion panorama mode. In this mode, you start an exposure and then slowly turn the Camera to encompass as wide a perspective as needed. The Camera assembles the full range of continuous imagery into a single panoramic photo.

After taking a picture or video, you can quickly share it by email, text message, bluetooth, social networks, and more, just by tapping the thumbnail in the camera controls.

Redesigned Gallery app with photo editor

The Gallery app now makes it easier to manage, show, and share photos and videos. For managing collections, a redesigned album layout shows many more albums and offers larger thumbnails. There are many ways to sort albums, including by time, location, people, and tags. To help pictures look their best, the Gallery now includes a powerful photo editor. You can crop and rotate pictures, set levels, remove red eyes, add effects, and much more. After retouching, you can select one or multiple pictures or videos to share instantly over email, text messaging, bluetooth, social networks, or other apps.

An improved Picture Gallery widget lets you look at pictures directly on the home screen. The widget can display pictures from a selected album, shuffle pictures from all albums, or show a single image. After adding the widget to the home screen, you can flick through the photo stacks to locate the image you want, then tap to load it in Gallery.

Live Effects for transforming video

Live Effects is a collection of graphical transformations that add interest and fun to videos captured in the Camera app. For example, you can change the background behind them to any stock or custom image, for just the right setting when shooting video. Also available for video is Silly Faces, a set of morphing effects that use state-of-the-art face recognition and GPU filters to transform facial features. For example, you can use effects such as small eyes, big mouth, big nose, face squeeze, and more. Outside of the Camera app, Live Effects is available during video chat in the Google Talk app.

Sharing with screenshots

You can now share what's on your screens more easily by taking screenshots. Hardware buttons let them snap a screenshot and store it locally. Afterward, you can view, edit, and share the screen shot in Gallery or a similar app.

Cloud-connected experience

Android has always been cloud-connected, letting you browse the web and sync photos, apps, games, email, and contacts — wherever you are and across all of your devices. Android 4.0 adds new browsing and email capabilities to let you take even more with them and keep communication organized.

Powerful web browsing

The Android Browser offers an experience that’s as rich and convenient as a desktop browser. It lets you instantly sync and manage Google Chrome bookmarks from all of your accounts, jump to your favorite content faster, and even save it for reading later in case there's no network available.

To get the most out of web content, you can now request full desktop versions of web sites, rather than their mobile versions. You can set your preference for web sites separately for each browser tab. For longer content, you can save a copy for offline reading. To find and open saved pages, you can browse a visual list that’s included with browser bookmarks and history. For better readability and accessibility, you can increase the browser’s zoom levels and override the system default text sizes.

Across all types of content, the Android Browser offers dramatically improved page rendering performance through updated versions of the WebKit core and the V8 Crankshaft compilation engine for JavaScript. In benchmarks run on a Nexus S device, the Android 4.0 browser showed an improvement of nearly 220% over the Android 2.3 browser in the V8 Benchmark Suite and more than 35% in the SunSpider 9.1 JavaScript Benchmark. When run on a Galaxy Nexus device, the Android 4.0 browser showed improvement of nearly 550% in the V8 benchmark and nearly 70% in the SunSpider benchmark.

Improved email

In Android 4.0, email is easier to send, read, and manage. For composing email, improved auto-completion of recipients helps with finding and adding frequent contacts more quickly. For easier input of frequent text, you can now create quick responses and store them in the app, then enter them from a convenient menu when composing. When replying to a message, you can now toggle the message to Reply All and Forward without changing screens.

For easier browsing across accounts and labels, the app adds an integrated menu of accounts and recent labels. To help you locate and organize IMAP and Exchange email, the Email app now supports nested mail subfolders, each with synchronization rules. You can also search across folders on the server, for faster results.

For enterprises, the Email app supports EAS v14. It supports EAS certificate authentication, provides ABQ strings for device type and mode, and allows automatic sync to be disabled while roaming. Administrators can also limit attachment size or disable attachments.

For keeping track of incoming email more easily, a resizable Email widget lets you flick through recent email right from the home screen, then jump into the Email app to compose or reply.

Innovation

Android is continuously driving innovation forward, pushing the boundaries of communication and sharing with new capabilities and interactions.

Android Beam for NFC-based sharing

Android Beam is an innovative, convenient feature for sharing across two NFC-enabled devices, It lets people instantly exchange favorite apps, contacts, music, videos — almost anything. It’s incredibly simple and convenient to use — there’s no menu to open, application to launch, or pairing needed. Just touch one Android-powered phone to another, then tap to send.

For sharing apps, Android Beam pushes a link to the app's details page on Google Play. On the other device, the Google Play app launches and loads the details page, for easy downloading of the app. Individual apps can build on Android Beam to add other types of interactions, such as passing game scores, initiating a multiplayer game or chat, and more.

Face Unlock

Android 4.0 introduces a completely new approach to securing a device, making each person's device even more personal — Face Unlock is a new screen-lock option that lets you unlock your device with your face. It takes advantage of the device front-facing camera and state-of-the-art facial recognition technology to register a face during setup and then to recognize it again when unlocking the device. Just hold your device in front of your face to unlock, or use a backup PIN or pattern.

Wi-Fi Direct and Bluetooth HDP

Support for Wi-Fi Direct lets you connect directly to nearby peer devices over Wi-Fi, for more reliable, higher-speed communication. No internet connection or tethering is needed. Through third-party apps, you can connect to compatible devices to take advantage of new features such as instant sharing of files, photos, or other media; streaming video or audio from another device; or connecting to compatible printers or other devices.

Android 4.0 also introduces built-in support for connecting to Bluetooth Health Device Profile (HDP) devices. With support from third-party apps, you can connect to wireless medical devices and sensors in hospitals, fitness centers, homes, and elsewhere.

2012-04-05T06:57:00.001-07:00

Next iPhone (iphone 5?) will feature a large 4.6-inch display

Is this the Real iPhone5.....Question Unanswered

The rumours of the iPhone 5 have surfaced once more and this time around reports have been speculating that the next flagship smartphone from Apple may feature a display measuring at 4.6 inches. The report states, “Apple has decided on the bigger 4.6-inch display for its next iPhone and started placing orders to its suppliers, the Maeil Business Newspaper said, quoting an unnamed industry source. Its major display suppliers LG Display and Samsung Electronics Co declined to comment.” If Apple does intend to launch a handset with a display measuring at 4.6-inches, it will be quite a significant bump over its existing 3.5-inches size which the brand have maintained for five generations of iPhones and not changing the size of the display at all.

The new iPhone will have an enormous 4.6-inch Retina display, a Reuters report claimed on Wednesday. It also said the device would be launched “around the second quarter” and that the Cupertino company had already placed orders with its display suppliers, LG Display and Samsung.

Reuters obtained its story from South Korean newspaper Maeil Business, which received its information from an “unnamed industry source.” All a bit vague then.

It’s widely expected that the next iteration of Apple’s big-selling handset will come with a larger screen, but exactly how big is the question. A 4.6-inch screen, as the report suggests, would be a significant jump from the current 3.5-inch display. Apple enthusiast site MacRumors is skeptical.

Of course, it might be that Apple’s next handset isn’t even called the iPhone 5. It might well follow the iPad’s path and be launched as simply the new iPhone. No doubt there’ll be a rumor circulating about that shortly.

Indian Railways to introduce GPS systems in trains: Seriously!!

2012-04-05T06:56:00.004-07:00

According to a report by The Economic Times toying with the idea of fitting a GPS-based solution in trains, to help it provide real-time tracking - accessible on mobile devices and PCs.

Still under debate and discussion, the reports have confirmed that the Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS), which functions as the technology unit of the Indian Railways, along with the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) have developed a GPS-based solution.

The technology is capable of providing the exact location of a train with an accuracy of 10 metres, and latency of 2 minutes, on a real-time basis.

Details with such precision, if true, would prove to be an indispensible tool for the Indian railway officials, who will then have a system at their disposal to help them prevent head-on collisions and save lives, in the process. With the GPS system in place, it’ll be easy to locate the other train, and if quite near then they can start braking. The report adds, “The braking distance of passenger trains is about 1 km, while for freight trains it is about 1.4 kms.” This will be especially helpful in preventing accidents that occur due to the lack of information on the location of the other train. The proposed system, which the officials plan to fit in a roughly 100 trains will cost the railways around Rs 70,000-1,00,000 per train, according to reports. Prevention of accidents, at least for now seems to be the highlighting factor in the implementation of this system.

Android Brain Implant possible?

2012-04-05T06:56:00.000-07:00

A few month back Ed Caggiani had brought this futuristic idea:

In this day and age, technology is designed to make our lives simpler. We no longer need to pull over to a rest area to use a payphone. Paper maps are quickly becoming a thing of the past. We can now carry thousands of books with us without requiring years of weight training. The devices we carry with us every day are rapidly becoming indispensable.

So this is why we freak out when we suddenly don’t have access to our smartphones, either through damage or loss. This single point of failure is why we have a growing market of protective phone cases,insurance, and remote wipe software. How can we guarantee we’ll never lose or break our phones? Only one way I see…remove the device from the equation.
If there was no physical device we had to keep track of, there would obviously be no fear of losing it. But the device is what gives us the power to do all those wonderful things. So what if we natively had the same abilities our smartphones have without having to carry anything around? Enter the Android Brain Implant™ (ABI).
Navigation
Imagine a world where you had the power to get directions while driving just by thinking it. The little GPS voice would be in your head telling you exactly when to turn, and no one else would hear it. Your vision would suddenly contain a heads-up-display (HUD) with street names and arrows. Even traffic information could be displayed and you’d never have to take your eyes off the road.
Search
I would like to just think the words “Search: Who invented White-Out?” and automatically know the answer (Bette Nesmith Graham, mother of Monkees guitarist Michael Nesmith). Today, when we need to find an answer to anything, we immediately reach for our smartphones. Barroom debates end early when information is accessible quickly. But taking your phone out at a beer garden doesn’t always end up being a good idea. Beer is spilled, phones are dropped, or phones are accidentally left behind and sold to blog sites (zing!).
But if everyone just knew the answers, or at least had the ability to find the answers just by asking our Android Brain Implant™, we’d simply continue our conversations with no worries. As a matter of fact, our conversations would take on a whole new dimension since everyone would have immediate access to information, essentially making us all super smart. Sure, our current smartphones provide that access, but how often do we actually put it to good use? Just the physical act of having to take it out, perform a search, and parse the results is enough of a barrier that it is only done when absolutely necessary.
Wireless Networking
Of course, the Android Brain Implant™ would need to have wireless access to the Internet at all times, as well as a personal handshake mechanism to be able to connect with other folks with the ABI installed. Easily exchange contact info by fist-bumping. Send a mental text by looking at someone and selecting “mental text” from the augmented reality HUD that pops up whenever you see people you recognize. It’s like you’re RoboCop… and we all know you’ve always wanted to be RoboCop. Who hasn’t?
The one thing we’ll have to work out is the whole carrier situation. To make the commitment to get the technology implanted, I would have to be certain that I would not incur any “mind wandering” fees or “mental overage” charges, not to mention being throttled if we think too much. Who would you trust as the service provider for your own head?
Of course the advertising writes itself: “Sprint a Head”, “Verizon – Rule the Hair”, and “AT&T – Your World, Delivered… To Your Head.” Yeah, AT&T is not that creative.
Camera
Nothing is higher resolution than our own eyes. I want the ability to snap a picture of what I am looking at, including what is in focus and what is in my peripheral vision. Make it a panoramic of my entire field of vision. Save the images from both eyes to get a 3D picture. And save it all automatically to my PicasaHead account, hosted on Google++ (the extra plus is for those who are “augmented” with the ABI).
Gaming
Imagine how cool games on the ABI could be. It would make Xbox Kinect games seem like Pong. Our entire bodies can act as sensors feeding our ABI the data it needs to control the games. Controllers would truly be a thing of the past. A boxing game would be so real we could even feel the punches. Why not? We’re tied into our brain so it’s as simple as stimulating the right spot to simulate the sense of touch… or punch.
Remember Star Trek’s Holodeck? Crap. This is a holodeck IN YOUR FREAKIN’ HEAD. No special room required. Multiplayer games would take on a whole new meaning, connecting to others on a much deeper level. Which brings us to the next point…
P@rn
Steve Jobs said that “folks who want porn can buy an Android phone.” I would now amend that to “folks who want to be IN a porn can buy an Android Brain Implant™.” I won’t go into morality or anything like that, but people are people. In a world where VHS beat out Betamax because you could only get porn on VHS, I would say this would be a huge selling point. An Apple Brain Implant would probably force you to submit your thoughts to Apple for curation and only the thoughts it deemed appropriate would provide results.
The image below shows just how real porn can be using the ABI. I bet you want one now, huh?
Schedules, Tasks, Alarms
One of the most common uses of a smartphone is to keep us organized and on time. We depend on calendar reminders and alarms, and we keep track of everything we need to do. This is the bread and butter of smartphones. The ABI would obviously be able to do all these things just by thinking the correct phrases.
For example, I could think “Abbey,” I’ve named my ABI Abbey for obvious reasons, “set alarm for 7AM tomorrow and wake me up to the sounds of the rainforest.” I would then get woken up exactly at 7 by an internal recording of loggers and chainsaws. Hmm, didn’t think that one through. Next time I’ll try whale songs.
Conclusion
By now, it should be obvious that the Android Brain Implant™ needs to become a reality. Besides being practical, it’s just as cool as it gets. Just make sure you get the Nexus model, otherwise you’ll have to wait a long time for updates and you’ll have a manufacturer skin applied. For some reason, I just don’t want MotoBlur or TouchWiz inside me.

Technology is a flowing sector...nothing is impossible here. So Android Brain Implant? Why Not!!

Source: http://www.talkandroid.com/92416-why-i-want-an-android-brain-implant/#.T3l80PAtiIo

Google planning low-cost tablet PC

2012-04-05T06:55:00.002-07:00

Google is teaming with Asia-based hardware makers on a low-priced, 7-inch tablet computer to challenge offerings byAmazon.com and Apple, reports said on Thursday.

Android software backed by the California internet giant will power hardware built by partners including Samsung and Asustek to compete with iPad and Kindle devices, according to Digitimes and the Wall Street Journal.

An Asustek tablet could be released as early as May with a price of $199 to make it an option for shoppers considering the Kindle Fire made by Amazon.com, said Digitimes.

Google putting its weight behind an economical tablet would likely put pressure on other gadget makers to lower prices. Google did not respond immediately to an AFP request for comment.

Source: http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-03-30/gadgets-special/31260691_1_tablet-computer-android-california-internet-giant

Micromax launched Android 4.0 tablet Funbook at a mere 7k tag

2012-04-05T06:54:00.004-07:00

Just a day after HCL Infosystems launched two Android 4.0 or Android Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS) based tablets, here comes another Android 4.0-powered tablet. Indian manufacturer Micromaxhas launched Funbook, an Android 4.0 powered tablet today.

Micromax CEO Deepak Mehrotra with co-founder Rahul Sharma during the launch of Micromax FunBook tablet in New Delhi.

The tablet supports 3G connectivity via USB dongle and comes bundled with a Tata Photon EVDO datacard.

Key specifications:

* Android 4.0
* 7-inch capacitive display with 800x480p resolution
* Supports Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
* 512MB RAM
* Mini-HDMI
* 1.2GHz Cortex-A8 single core processor

HCL Infosystems this week unveiled two tablet computers: HCL ME U1 and HCL MyEdu Tab. While HCL ME U1 has been introduced with a price of Rs 7,999, the HCL MyEdu Tab - K12 Version is priced at Rs 11,499.

The U1 tablet is powered with the latest Android Ice Cream Sandwich Operating Software (OS). It has a 7 inch 800X480 pixel screen and a 1Ghz processor.

Source: The Hindu

Shazam Can Now Identify Your Content In Just One Second

2012-04-05T06:54:00.001-07:00

Shazam has today released an update that makes its content recognition even faster than it already is, with some tags appearing in as little as a second. The update will make all of Shazam’s iOS apps, including its Encore and (RED) apps, speedier in terms of content recognition, but there are a few other tweaks coming with the update.

The UI has been revamped a bit, though nothing more than aesthetic improvements pops out at me. Sharing has also been improved, to allow for personal notes or comments when sharing on Twitter or Facebook. Brazilian Portuguese, Korean and Spanish language support has been added for South America, and unlimited tagging is still on the table.

In January, Shazam launched yet another app called Shazam Player to highlight the LyricPlay feature we’ve heard so much about. I had thought that the company might be spreading itself too thin, or at the very least, losing focus on their core service. But today’s update only proves that my concern was misplaced — obviously the folks over at Shazam know that identifying a song as quickly as possible is what made Shazam great in the first place.

Xperia S has display problems

2012-04-05T06:53:00.004-07:00

Sony Mobiles has admitted that its Android operating system based Xperia S smartphone is suffering from a display problem. Reportedly, the device when exposed to temperatures exceeding 40 degree Celsius has a severe effect on the display causing it to show a yellow tint in the visuals reproduced.

"Sony Mobile Communications has identified that the display on a limited number of Xperia S smartphones may show a slight yellow tint if exposed to temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius," Sony said in a statement, given to CNET UK.

Sony promises that the fault is limited to a "small number of units" and that its manufacturing process has been corrected."

Additionally, the company has also asked its customers to approach local customer service centers if they notice the problem in their Xperia S smartphone. Sony will fix the phone for free.

Xperia S is the first smartphone to be marketed under Sony Mobiles brand. It is to be noted here that Sony Ericsson has become Sony Mobiles after the Japanese electronics giant brought the shares of Ericsson in the joint venture (Sony Ericsson). The Sony Xperia S was recently launched and is scheduled to be released for India this month.

Xperia S is powered with a 1.5 GHz dual core Snapdragon MSM 8206 processor coupled with 1 GB of RAM for faster performance. The display is a 4.3 inch HD one with a resolution of 1280X720 pixels and runs Android 2.3.7 operating system which will be upgraded to Android Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0 soon. There is also a 12 megapixel camera capable of recoding full HD video which utilises Sony's Exmor sensor technology that helps in taking quality images in low light conditions as well.

Irrespective of the powerful specification and Sony brand, the news about the display problems may deter some from buying this new device.

Upcoming Micromax feature phone to have a solar panel

2012-04-05T06:53:00.001-07:00

Globally, Micromax may not be a frequently heard of brand. However, in India, the brand has a wide audience and the brand is very popular for their handsets, mainly because they cater to a very wide consumer base. With their tag line, ‘Nothing like Anything,’ the brand in the past have launched a range of handsets with neat features, such as dual SIM capabilities, handsets that feature above average battery life and other interesting attributes. As per an exclusive report by The Mobile Indian, it appears that the brand is going to introduce a new feature on their upcoming and yet unnamed handset by adding a solar panel that allows one to charge the phone easily.

As per the report, Rahul Sharma, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Micromax has stated, “We have been at the forefront of innovation. We were the first to launch long battery life phones, dual SIM phones and many more. Our next innovation is to get rid of the mobile phone charger by including a solar panel in our next phone. This solar charger will top up the charge in 3 hours to support 1.5 hours of talktime."

As of yet, no other details have been let out about this upcoming handset, but Rahul Sharma has informed the Mobile Indian that it will not be a smartphone and will instead be a feature phone. For those not in the know how, feature phones are basically mobile phones by manufacturers that are not considered to be smartphones. They may possess various features and capabilities that are not found in general mobile phones, but additional features put them slightly above basic mobile phones. They usually have a JAVA-based operating system, as opposed to Android or Windows Phones and are generally cheaper than most smartphones.

This is not the first mobile phone to implement a solar panel as a means of charging as in the past, Vodafone have released the VF 247 priced at Rs.1,500. The launch of the Micromax handset is scheduled to take place within a week and when it is announced all the features of the handset will come to light.

GM's smartphone app may rule over car navigation system

2012-04-04T02:43:00.002-07:00

DETROIT: General Motors soon will sell a $50smartphone application that could replace your car's dashboard navigation system.

The company said Wednesday that the app, called GoGo Link, will project smartphone navigation systems onto a dashboard touch screen. Drivers can control the system with the touch screen and listen to voice directions through the car's speaker system. The screen also will show maps.

The app works with iPhone or Android systems. It will be available later this year on Chevrolet's 2013 subcompacts, the Spark and Sonic.

Smartphones have had global positioning systems and navigation apps that give turn-by-turn voice directions for at least two years, but they were tough to use in a car because the maps are small and it's sometimes hard to hear the voice directions. The app, made by EnGIS Technologies Inc of South Korea, has a lot of the features of in-dash car systems that cost more than $1,000.

There is a bit of a catch. To get the app to work, cars have to have Chevrolet's MyLink touch screen system, which is coming out in new models. GM would not say how much MyLink would cost. It comes standard on some more costly models but is an option on lower-level models.

GM decided to sell the app after doing research on potential Spark and Sonic buyers, said Sara LeBlanc, GM's global infotainment manager. Ninety percent of Spark and Sonic buyers own smartphones. They told GM that they wanted to use navigation systems from their phones because they don't have the money to pay for a car system.

She wouldn't say directly if the app will be available in more GM vehicles, saying that customers will make the decision.

"This is new territory for us here at Chevy,'' she said. "Navigation is going to continue to evolve.''

GM plans to show off GoGo Link at the New York International Auto Show starting next week.

The Sonic already is on sale, with the 2013 model coming this summer. The Spark, Chevrolet's smallest car, goes on sale in the summer as well.

Facebook planning new search engine

2012-04-04T02:20:00.002-07:00

LONDON: Social networking giant Facebook is reportedly planning to create a new search engine which would help people to navigate on the website better.

A Bloomberg Businessweek report said the firm has deployed two-dozen Facebook engineers onto the ambitious project, which aims to improve the search engine currently available on the social network.

According to the report, the project is led by former Google engineer Lars Rasmussen.

The magazine's unnamed sources said that the project is "to help users better sift through the volume of content that members create on the site, such as status updates, and the articles,videos, and other information across the Web that people "like" using Facebook's omnipresent thumbs-up button".

According to The Telegraph, Facebook has done very little to improve its search engine, which currently lets people find other users, brands, status updates and some wider web results, through a long-standing partnership with Microsoft's search engine, Bing.

It has yet to properly focus its attention on the small search engine box situated at the top of each users' page.

Meanwhile, Facebook has declined to comment on the matter.

Official Windows 7 Professional (x64) | 3 GB

2012-03-28T22:54:00.000-07:00

Official Windows 7 Professional (x64) | Full Version | 3 GB

For decryption key go to help menu at the top of the page

Download the crack

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Threats To Internet

2012-03-28T22:53:00.001-07:00

Introduction

We all are using Internet for various purposes likedownloading movies, games etc.
People all over the world are using internet. Out of the total population of the world, there will be only a less prepositionof people who are not using Internet. But for those who are using Internet without proper security, there will be a good hunter for cracking their connection which can be called as spywares. Spam, Rootkits, Zombies and all others are waiting for such people. We will have a feeling of living in hell if they hadentered our computer. These spywares may lay clever trap for damaging our computer. Onlysolution for this is using a good Internet Security Suite. Now, we can discuss about some internet threat that are faced by us today.

• Rootkits.
• Zombies.
• Browser Hijacker.
• Spam.
• Spware.
• Mouse Traping.
• Phishing.

Rootkits

Rootkits means a collection of several programmes. These rootkits may find a space inside our system files and appear hidden and affects our computer very badly. Rootkits enable administrator level to access a computer. Hackers those who are sending these rootkits to our system can control our system. They can hack our passwords and valuable data through thistechnique. Rootkits was introduced in Sun and Linux OS in 1990. But now, rootkits may be present in most of the operating systems like windows.

Zombies

Zombies are just a computer. It is also known as drone. In this, hacking tool is highly compressed and it is controlled by a third-party programme. First, these zombies will enter a trojan virus to our computer and it will open a back-door to access to our computer. In this way, they can leak our passwords and other valuable datas. Normally, zombies enters our system through e-mails.

Browser HiJacker

Browser Hijacker is a malware programme that normally affects our browser. These type of malwares redirect our browser to special site. It will also cause errors on your home-page. These malwares can edit our registry and they will start running automatically whenever we restarts our computer.

Spam

Junk or bulk e-mail is known as a spam. It is mainly aiming at advertising field. In these e-mails, they will show captions like “ Earn $650 in your house”, “You have got $80000 as the European bonanza bumper prize”. From these messages, the hacker ir trying to get your personal information. As an average, a person gets 100 spams daily.

Mouse Trapping

If we enter a site, our mouse will stops moving, it will forces us to stay on that site for a long time. It will also disables “back”, “close” options on our browser.

Phishing

Phishing is an old style hacking technique. But this type of hackinh is still alive. It was first documented in 1996. Phishing attack is commonly done through e-mails.

Conclusion

In this post, we had discussed about the threats of Internet. Only solution is good Internet Security Suite. Reviews about best Internet Security Suites will be posted soon.

NEED FOR SPEED : THE RUN

2012-03-28T22:51:00.003-07:00

NEED FOR SPEED THE RUN {COMPRESSED} 4.7 GB
FRESH NEW DOWNLOADING LINKS .......

Adrenaline junkies and alacrity fiends will find themselves on the incorrect side of the law when they race for their lives in Need for Alacrity: The Run. This game takes players on a heart-pounding thwart-people race from San Francisco to New York. Players are lured into an underground planet of illicit, high-stakes racing. The heat is on — and it isn’t just the fuzz who are after you. Entering the race is just the beginning as you blow across borders, weave owing to dense urban traffic, rocket down icy mountain passes and navigate narrow canyons at breakneck speeds.

Powered by DICE’s state-of-the-art Frostbite 2 engine, Need for Alacrity: The Run takes the action racing genre to new heights with stunning visuals and car physics that hug the road even at top speeds all built nearly a gripping storyline. The cars are hot, the racing is intense and the tale will have you at the edge of your seat … all the way from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Empire State building.

MINIMUM SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
* OS: Windows Vista SP2 or Windows 7
* CPU: 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo or equal AMD
* RAM: 3 GB * HDD: 18 GB free disk space
* Graphics: 512 MB Graphics Memory
* DirectX: Version 10
* Network: 512 KBPS Internet connection or surpass

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FREE Mobile Recharge code generator

2012-03-28T22:50:00.003-07:00

GET RECHARGE CODE FOR ALL NETWORK

Friends I was surfing through Internet and I got a new stuff that is able to do free recharges .

Free recharge code generator is a software -pg developed by kristanixsoftware . Is an effective software capable of generating 16 digit mobile recharge codes specially for airtel , vodafone ,tatadocomo and even other networks.All you have to do is select min and max as 16 and uncheck all except numbers.

Download and try for yourself and who Knows you may the lucky one who get free Recharge code..

The main features of this software is mentioned below.

FEATURES OF RECHARGE CODE GENERATOR(PG)

Computes in the way recharge codes generated.

High chance to get the recharge code.

Can select upper and lower limits.

Works fine for operators airtel,vodafone,tatadocomo and more.

Friends now you can download PGSOFTWARE from below link.

Friends I have tried this Trick and it worked for me once.And I am not sure how much lucky you would be in getting free recharge code.Anyway just download it enjoy and if you find this effective share your comments below.

THANK YOU ....:)

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