LG Optimus G2 ready to flex its muscle power

 

LG Optimus G , one pretty smartphone that didn’t leave outside the Asian markets now has its successor , as is being speculated, based upon new benchmarks that have surfaced online about a new LG Smartphone, which is probably the LG Optimus G2, and these benchmarks are rocking many a competitors’ boats, as they clearly are the BEST till now. The supposed LG Optimus G2 is rumored to have Android 4.2 sitting in its heart, a 5 inch full HD display, 2 gigs of RAM, 32 gigs of internal storage , a 13 MP shooter , and the quite liberal juice of a 3000 mAh battery. The main thingy responsible for the breathtaking benchmarks is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 quad core chipset ( or what is called MSM8974) , clocked at 1.7 GHz. Now this device is to be supported by 4G LTE network of carrier T-Mobile, and though the early benchmarks that came last year December were about a phone on AT&T, we can’t just throw away this news as crap because of just this. The phone, after the super success of the LG made Google Nexus 4, is expected to cross the Asian continent’s boundaries and maybe help in increasing the market share of LG as well. We are always ready to welcome anything groundbreaking as always.. so lets wait and see the unveiling of the monstrous G2

Via SlashGear , Techradar

Next IPhone set to wrap around itself, literally!

A few days back we heard rumors about Samsung set to launch devices with flexible display (I know what comes into your imagination when you read this, but that kind of foldable device et all thingy is a long way to come, due to many difficulties I have many a times mentioned) , and now it seems Samsung may actually have to hurry , with its arch rival Apple filing patent at the US Patent and Trademark Office for ‘flexible display assembly enclosed within transparent housing’ . Again, please control your wild imaginations from running awry, as this ‘flexible’ screen is nothing but actually 2 screens working together , at the front and back of the device , whose body is made of glass, totally wrapped around by an AMOLED display on all sides. No ‘flexibility’ in its crude sense, but still the idea is super exciting, even for a Apple-price-to-feature-ratio-critic like me. Good going Apple!!

This patent was filed in 2011 , and though just filing of patent may not guarantee its adoption in next gen devices from Apple, though it is possible to see this tech in iWatch as well. This ‘flexible’ display would pave way to some seriously innovative and entertaining apps and user experience, though quite some work will have to be done, especially at keeping the device at minimal thickness levels ( and instead expand the screen size maybe to accommodate a powerful enough, redesigned battery) , as one wouldn’t want a cylindrical phone either, that is keen on tearing away thin low waist jeans’ pockets.

Note 3 sporting a flexible display?

Rumors nowadays, which have a tendency to ‘sometimes’ boast a little more than the actuality, have been letting down many an expectations regarding upcoming releases. But still we are intrigued by them with an optimistic attitude we tend to have. So here's another rumor , from an ‘industry source’, and that’s as far as the identity is known. According to this rumor, the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Note 3 will sport the same flexible OLED plastic display instead of a glass one, which Samsung showcased in the CES this year. And even this unknown source, which talked to the Korean site Asiae, was unable to uncover the mystery on the size, whether it is going to be 5.9 or 6.3 inches.

The plastic display means that it is going to be much more durable than glass (of course!) and so you can be excused for dropping the oversized phablet , courtesy small hands, without worrying about total annihilation of the display (of course you will gain some scratches still , maybe on the body of the device). Its being said that the Note 3 will be launched at IFA 2013 , that is around August or September. So stay tuned for more updates till then!

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 - update rumors

With one of the premium smartphones out of the box by Samsung , the Galaxy S4 that is, the focus now shifts towards the second 'Big thing' , quite literally, the Galaxy Note 3. As we posted earlier, the 3rd installment of the uber successful phablet series of Samsung is rumored to sport a massive 6.3 inch screen. That rumour is still there, apart from another one lurking around that the phone may actually have a relatively 'modest' 5.9 inch screen. Though Samsung's gamepad allows upto 6.3 inch, which supports the former one of course.

Seeing the hefty price of Galaxy S4 at $800, Note 3 could end up being in the same price range as well. One more thing that S4 cleared up is the processor - we can easily and safely expect the same, if not better, Octa Cored processor!

Another thing to be looking out for is the OS, with Android 5.0 Key Lemon pie expected to be launched in a Google event in May, along with , and inside, the Google Nexus 5 , we can look out for it to be there in the Note 3 as well.

Loads of stuff to look out for, as usual xD , and that's what we will continue to bring to you, so stay tuned in for more updates.

Source : Techradar

This is ‘slam off’ season in the tech world, as new releases get competitors thumbs down

It hasn’t been long since the launch of the most hyped Android Smartphone till date – the Samsung Galaxy S4 , and we have been seeing mixed reviews about what I personally believe is a magnificent device , from reviewers , and some pretty negative comments from direct competitors. As HTC’s PR sends word from the Chief Marketing Officer, Ben Ho, that the S4 “pales in comparison with the HTC One”.

In his words, Samsung has wasted resources on the marketing, rather than innovation side of the S4, and just increasing the size of the device doesn’t make it live up to HTC One’s standard . In pretty harsh words, he downplayed Samsung Galaxy S4’s plastic design, reminding them that the consumers wanted best features within a premium design, at both points of which, HTC One is ‘the One’ to look out for, while the S4 just tends to be worth a snicker.
One can enjoy (if it is ‘in taste’ for you) the takes that HTC has taken on the S4 in the official twitter feed of HTC.

And you thought that’s the end to it?

In another galaxy of the ‘techverse’ , we are seeing another interplanetary war around the corner, with some serious reality previewing being done by Nvidia, as to who is the leader in the gaming domain, blasting off the PS4 vs Xbox 720 debate , which he terms to be a fight for the second spot. As he commented to Techradar, he feels that the PS4 specs released lately are totally outdated, and are comparable to low end CPU and a  ‘low to mid end GPU’, comparing it to Nvidia GTX680, which was launched in March 2012.

                    

Though , it is true, he believes, that consoles, not having the option to get upgraded, always stay behind PC’s, which can always stack on a GPU power boost, and the next gen consoles like PS4 and Xbox 720, are going to only increase the gap. Interestingly, Nvidia has been powering PS3 with its GPU, though it backed out, as the Vice president says, with Sony then going for AMD’s Octa core GPU’s for the PS4.
Nvidia is clearly looking to assert itself as an independent console developer, with the Project Shield gaining quite some appraisal, as well as Nvidia eying the smartphone processor market, with its break-all-records-aiming Tegra 4 processor, combined with its own brand GPU’s. 

 

Overall, the gadget world is turning a hot place , as competition is increasing with newer, market hungry players are entering the arena, with eyes on dethroning the reigning champs. Quite a gladiator’s battle-to-extinction this is going to be, where the winner takes all the laurels,  while the loser fades out of the battleview in a flash , a super interesting fight out clearly.  I just hope we don’t get a reality show made out of this theme now.. you never know really! xD

Tizen OS powered Samsung "high-end" smartphone this summer

A pretty profitable relationship, but the profits go to whose credits? The answer is Samsung, according to Samsung itself (talk of being narcissistic!) and they are slowly showing the colder side of their hand to Google , to keep their identity as 'the' leader , with their growing interest in alternatives for Android OS. They found a prospect match in the Open source ,Linux based Tizen OS, currently being developed by Samsung , with 11 partners, including Intel , and the development must being going great, as according to Lee Young Hee, Executive Vice president, Samsung, the Tizen powered device will be available around August-September.

As is being speculated, it is going to be a kind of risk, the same that Microsoft took with Windows 8 'for all '  thingy, that is the development of a new OS, and more importantly, its market and consumer acceptability, which is more often than not, directly proportional to the number and quality of apps and services that the particular OS supports. And we have seen many an OS's (BB , HP's tablet OS  to name a few) perish against the indomitable market presence of Android and iOS. Though personally, Linux based kernel does make me feel exciting on 2 points - firstly, this is going to be a more secure thing, knowing Linux, and secondly this is probably going to be cheaper , with the open source software it is, and again  knowing Linux as it is. Moreover, it may bring some good , well deserved recognition for Linux's PC OS series as well!


Whatever the future of the device may be, that's a separate debate, but what is going to appease many is that according to Mr Lee Young Hee, the device is going to offer the best of Samsung, which we can well imagine seeing the latest Samsung Galaxy S4. Samsung is expecting the Tizen device to be one of the "Big three" devices that they launch this year, one being the Galaxy S4 launched, and the other possibly being the Galaxy Note 3. 

Clearly a device , and an OS we got to watch out for, and so would Google , as it will gear itself for the birth of what could be its biggest rival.

Are More Expensive LCD Screens Actually Better Quality?

Source : digital office systems

Getting a good computer with an LCD screen that's bright, sharp, and will last a long time is important. That's especially significant if the computer is one that's used for work or used by multiple people for important or complex projects. One of the biggest misconceptions is that more expensive LCD screens will provide for better quality. Sometimes that's the case, but often the price of the screen has little to do with how good it looks or how long it lasts. Because that's the case, a lot of people are overpaying for LCD screens.


Whether they buy a computer with a built-in screen (like a laptop) or they buy one where the screen is an extra component (a desktop model, for example), there may be a time when the screen becomes damaged and needs to be repaired or replaced. How many a person wants to spend - and how much he or she can afford to spend - both matter when getting a new screen. Even just having an LCD screen repaired can be costly, depending on the size of the screen and the damage that has been done to it.

Source : Avreview
One of the most common injuries to an LCD screen is from someone dropping the computer or other device. People can also drop things onto the screen, and sometimes the wires and other connections can simply wear out over time. That's especially true with laptops, because they are opened and closed so much. No matter the cause of the screen damage, repair or replacement is available. People who can't spend a lot might think that they won't get good quality, or that the screen they receive is substandard in some way. That's really not the case. Screens are screens, and they all have to be made in a particular way.
Anytime an LCD screen is created there are specific components that are put together, and then they are tested to make sure they work. They come with warranties and must meet certain standards, so they are basically the same. Specific brand names will cost more, and some do have a better reputation than others, but at the end of the day there is suprisingly little difference between makes and models of LCD screens. Anyone needing a screen replaced or repaired should be sure to focus on the quality of the person or company doing the job, and not so much on the brand of screen that he or she is getting.


About the author - Louis Rossmann is a straight shooting tech guy who specializes in repair and LCD replacement.  Contact him through his Rossmann Supply website.

Samsung Galaxy S4 unveiled

Amidst speculations, leaks and a whole lot of hype, the Samsung Galaxy S4 finally got launched (early morning according to IST) , and it surely delivers what was being expected from it.



Talking about the specs, Samsung has really blown everything away with this one, First of all, The Samsung Galaxy S4 comes in 2 variants, a 1.9 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon Quad Core procesor, and another one, a 1.6 GHz Exynos 5 Octa Core Processor (Yes I am not bonkers here, it is Octa as in 8 cores!!!!) . The design may be similar to S3, but the display is larger (5 inch compared to 4.8 inch S3), as well as being Full HD , compared to S3 screen being HD only. It has a 2 GB RAM , a screen pixel density of 441 ppi, which is a bit lower than the HTC One, but is still fabulous. It comes in 3 variants when it comes to internal memoru-  16, 32 and 64 GB. Another great thing is that t comes preloaded with the latest Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean + . The camera is a 13 MP shooter, and with new camera software, is set to deliver some awesome shots.The rumored smart scroll feature are there in the S4, to the great relief of all consumers.

There is no info on the price release, but it will be shipped in Q2 this year.

Massive Galaxy S4 Leak ahead of the official launch

Its not much time for Galaxy S4 to be officially launched, but spoilsport is already in play, with some well lit images as well as some truly exhilarating spec leaks coming on the internet by IT168. As you can see in the pics, S4 is something between Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note 2 , except for a thinner beezel , as well as a thinner design as a whole.


The specs are really amazing, with the 4.99 inch phone said to sport a mind boggling 1.8 GHz Octa core processor , a 2GB RAM, 16 GB of internal memory. According to rumors, it is the slimmest of the Galaxy series , at 7.7mm . And though there are rumors that eye control feature may not be there , but according to the chinese website, it will feature in S4. Of course it is only a matter of hours in which the mystery will disappear on the most talked launch of the year.


Source : IT168 via Techradar

5 Steps That Help Defend Against DDOS

Source : Cisco

DDOS attack is a major threat to various websites, where it deactivates the bandwidth. It causes huge loss to the business, as it restricts the visibility of your webpage. You will not be able to promote your products and earn profit, as expected. In short, DDOS has the capability of affecting the site, and it restricts the viewers from accessing the contents.

Those who offer services in domains like finance, speculation, database website, and information site are prone to such attacks. It first weakens the site on search engine and then gradually makes it offline. No one will be able to view the contents or information from your website. Even after typing in the correct keyword they will not get connected to your webpage. With corrective steps, you can protect your webpage from such attacks.

For example prominent online product selling sites suddenly goes offline due to such attacks. To begin with, firewalls and filters should be installed in the server to protect your site from all type of attacks. There are chances that these firewalls can sometimes save you from such threats. Therefore you have to implement strict methods to protect your website.

Read below to know about various ways of protecting your site from such threats;

Apply Prevention Stripes

Use DDOS prevention stripes, also known as DDoS deflate. The scripts are easily available and can be purchased at an economical price. It indentifies the good traffic and stops the bad one entering into your server. Scripts generally protect the site from amateur attacks.

Use Hosting Provider

Take help from the DDOS hosting provider to stop such attacks on your website. These professionals help you in the filtering process. It easily absorbs the bad traffic and reduces the possibilities of threats. Since it filters the traffic before entering the server, it is better than the DDOS script and protects your server properly.

Install Active Verification

Another easy way of protecting your site from threats is implementing the verification process. An authentic IP address will help you in getting active verification that will identify the cache and authentic IPs.

Unplanned Checks

One more way of stopping such attacks is by performing an irregularity check on headers and states, as well as the rates of all devices. Different applications can easily filter the authentic IP addresses and identify the attacks. Thus, stopping DDOS attacks will be possible through these ways and not by implementing regular fire walls.

Protecting Sites By Using Protocol Limiting Technique

You can implement strategies like limiting Protocol as well as Granular rate. This helps in preventing the site from attacks. Granular limiting works best when you fail to identify the nature of the attack. This is basically a way of managing the site, which helps in preventing the site. It helps in protecting important data.

These techniques can be easily implemented manually and the data can be controlled. You can also take help of the software to protect the site from DDOS attack.

About the author -Alexsey has written this article. When my business suffered a bad setback due to the DOS attacks, I took help from http://www.vistnet.com. You could check out their website to learn more about their expert services.

HP ALM Review

Source : Idevnews

Hewlett-Packard has improved its application lifecycle management, to permit application development directors to use an upcoming development methodology. The software is targeted to increase the delivery of reliable, and to secure new application. The software is a combination of a number of applications, platform and a control panel aimed at overseeing the lifecycle of applications. The software focuses on, the lifecycle from design to operations. The cross-project coverage and asset sharing facilitates consistent of procedures like, development tracking, coverage and asset sharing across plans. The dashboard and coverage capability permit an individual, to follow application readiness across the development lifecycle.
ALM is intended to support the main stakeholders in charge of delivering applications as, they development them through their lifecycle. ALM delivers necessary management that include, test designing, practical testing, performance analysis, developer management and fault management. All these activities are linked collectively from a workflow perception with a single management console, layer of plan following and designing and built on a single software foundation that has a reliable repository and open incorporation design with a supported SDK. Additionally, to the software solutions, Hewlett-Packard gives several supporting services to support ALM.
ALM is composed of lifecycle intelligence that is responsible for delivering traceability of requirement together with commits fixing the defects. The management extensively benefits from this traceability as it gets reports on time and has full visibility into the system being developed. It has business process testing software that is web based that is intended to come with solutions. By use of keyword, subject matter professionals across a company can perform and build manual programmed tests without the help of a programming professional.

Source : idevnews
The information technology departments make use of this software, which helps in building practical and waning tests suites, and for the testers to work together. The functional testing comprise of, an application build aspects that permit testers to modernise one position, in a shared repository and then broadcast the modification to all referencing analysis.
ALM is also associated with Load-runner which is programmed load testing and performance software. It is used to scrutinise the system performance and behaviour, while creating actual load. One advantage of this software is that, it can follow thousand users who are using the same system concurrently, to put application via real-life user loads even as it collect information, from main communications components. The end results are then examined in details, to investigate the cause for particular behaviour and identify bottlenecks.
Another component of ALM is the Hewlett-Packard performance centre software. This software is an enterprise, performance analysing framework and platform. In most cases the software is used by information technology departments to centralise, carry out performance testing and standardise.
Hewlett-Packard ALM has numerous advantages that include, unifying functional, security, quality management and performance. It also helps in increasing visibility with objective of better aligning business and information technology. And finally it helps in managing and creating traceability between defects, codes, building management system undertakings and tests.



About the author- James Rowland is an avid writer for search marketing companies, visit his blog today for more.

With a new Google glass App, you have your friends 'InSight'

Currently being developed by a team at Duke University in Durham, and funded by Google, InSight is an app for Google Glass, which works to detect friends in a crowd. Now, we have been seeing face recognition stuff earlier as well, but here is the catch - this app does not identify the person from his/her face. Instead , it does something, which ACTUALLY can be termed super Smart.
It works by creating what is called as a 'fashion fingerprint' of a person's outfit, noting the clothes, accessories, all through a smartphone app (linked with Google Glass) , which then makes a detailed assay of the patterns , textures and colors . And this fingerprint changes with each change in outfit . Some early tests have shown it to be actually pretty handy, with  a detection rate of 93% , that too if the subject has its back turned towards the viewer.

More uses of this app when it releases could  be, as suggested by the team, in showing public messages hovering over your head in augmentative reality, along with as an aid for patients suffering from face blindness.

Source : Gizmag , Duke University

Samsung Galaxy S4 peeps from the shadows- quite literally

Samsung is set to break the records that Apple set up with its hype generating policies regarding the latest releases, by releasing the first official glimpse of the much awaited Samsung Galaxy SIV , which as can be seen from the pic above, is shrouded in shadows, with a big bold message that “ THIS IS MEANT TO INCREASE YOUR IMPATIENCE” , and though it does a bit, but there is something of  a let down, I should say. As far as the darkness allows to reveal, the S4 is so similar to SIII in design, which does disappoint a bit in the sense that consumers always look for a newer exciting design, though Samsung could be thinking of carrying on the Galaxy SIII’s uber successful design forward, with improvements on the software side.

As rumors suggest, S4 will have a 1080p full HD screen, 2 gigs of RAM, a quad core or octa core (though less likely) Exynos processor , maybe clocked at 1.5 or 1.7 GHz., with a 13 or 8 MP camera. And of course there is the ‘eye control feature’ which will be literally ‘catching all eyes’ at the launch event this Thursday

Source : Gizmag, via Endgadget , Samsung Mobile USA

Two Of The Latest And Most Important Improvements In Commercial Building Technology

Source : Berkley Lab

Commercial building technology is an aspect of human innovation that is constantly changing at its margins. While certain fundamentals of design and architecturally sound construction remain the same throughout the decades and centuries, numerous new technologies processes and advancements in materials are constantly being added on a regular basis.
While there are obviously more existing technical innovations to building design and construction than could possibly be mentioned in anything less than a book, a few fundamental and truly important advancements bear describing in a bit of detail. Let's go over some of the most important building innovations of the last revolutionary decade of construction.

1. Intelligent Buildings
Undoubtedly one of the most important developments in the construction of modern commercial buildings is the increasing shift in the direction of a central computer management system or at the very least several distributed ones. These powerful computing technologies have advanced right along with the general trends in micro-processing and artificial intelligence that we find in our smart phones, PCs and all sorts of other machine administration systems.
By incorporating such systems in the mechanics of operating and maintaining a large building, architectural designers have been able to create work or living spaces in which things such as heating, cooling, air purification and a whole assorted list of systems such as lighting, security and mechanical function are all run by a computer program or series of them, some very intelligent and sophisticated.
Additionally, many intelligent building management systems have the interesting characteristic of being able to be run remotely, either from online control systems from a remote computer or even right through portable mobile devices such as smart phones or tablets in some smaller cases. In both cases, the common mechanism for accessing these building controls is a cloud computing platforms that allows secured access.
Intelligence in buildings has even advanced so far that it is even being seen in many more modern residential homes
 
Source : En3

Sustainable Green Design Features
Yet another major frontier of modern building innovation is the move towards more energy efficient green technologies that allow many modern commercial buildings to save on energy through more efficient use, or do this and also create their own energy through clever construction extras.
A good example of the first of these developments would be materials innovations that conserve coolness or heat at a much better rate than was previously possible, use electricity saving long lasting lighting or possibly synchronize their electricity use so that the high costs of powering up lighting, heating and cooling systems can be minimized. In some cases, the very design of a commercial construction creates spaces in which the heating, cooling and electrical needs of one area can be applied to another without extending power use.
With regards to the second major innovation, many modern buildings are actually being created with their own power systems right inside them. This can be something as small as intelligent elevator operating systems that actually produce a certain percentage of the electricity need to run the constant up and down movement of the lifts, or this energy producing technology can include far more complex systems that generate a large percentage of a commercial building's power use through solar arrays, geothermal systems (where geographically acceptable) and wind or water power. The underlying principle is one of meshing a building with the geological or climatological characteristics of its surrounding geography to extract clean, renewable energy in some way.
Moving beyond energy savings and power generation, a key fundamental characteristic of many newly built and highly eco-friendly buildings is access to more information than ever. By this we mean that the computer monitoring systems already mentioned earlier above are directed with energy efficiency and green friendliness in mind to give building inhabitants access to dozens or even hundreds of minute details about where electricity is being used, what purpose it serves there and if it can be shut off without affecting anyone's needs.
One good example of this sort of system is that which is now being built into many Federal Government buildings in the U.S by corporations such as IBM through a program run by the General Services Administration. With the IBM system, Federal building users can administer a vast plethora of different energy use metrics through a central visual control panel that itself offers computer monitoring derived recommendations and suggestions for more conservative energy use.
Underlying this particular push is that essential access to information and detailed analysis that has become possible with the meshing of building management and sophisticated computer technology. This important mix, when coupled with the latest in materials science, makes modern buildings into structures of enormous sophistication when compared to their predecessors.


About the Author: Jennifer D’Angelois a small business professional who specializes in digital marketing solutions. When she’s not writing, you can find Jen assisting real estate agents in suburban Chicago. Click here to see more of Jen’s work!

'Switch' to a younger mind even in old age

credits : Shutterstock

A basic answer one would get upon asking someone old enough about the difference in their mental faculties now and during childhood would be regarding the better grasping capacity they had. As it has been researched and recorded, the brain does get rigid and mind tends to have greater 'inertia' as it becomes mature, and that aint always a good thing. A young brain learns and absorbs information much faster, and is much more 'malleable' , even allowing it to recover from trauma faster. Found out in a research at Yale university, a single gene, the Nogo receptor gene I , is what is responsible for this effect that age has on the brain, which as it turns out, is due to slowdown of the synaptic connections and the inter transmission.

The research was done on mice (as usual) and it was found that the mice with suppressed Nogo receptor I genes retained the mental capacities and physiology of adolescent mice, as well as the ability to recover from an injury Nogo receptor is also found to be slow the loss of memory , so mice without this gene forgot bout stressful memories sooner. Though yeah other memories need to be tested as well to fully realize the side effects of suppressing this gene

“These are the molecules the brain needs for the transition from adolescence to adulthood,” said Dr. Stephen Strittmatter. Vincent Coates Professor of Neurology, Professor of Neurobiology and senior author of the paper. “It suggests we can turn back the clock in the adult brain and recover from trauma the way kids recover.”

The reseach has been puclished in the Neuron

Source: Yale via Gizmag

New Galaxy S4 Screenshots , probable specs

As it turned out, the last screenshots we posted about the Galaxy S4 , featuring upgraded smart screen features were taken from a Galaxy S3 actually. Here are a few more screenshots, from a different source (GSM Israel) , showing the Quick system pro app running on the device, indicating the specs which are just what is being expected of the upcoming S4 - Stunning!
Though it is to be kept in mind that these could be fake as well. But still, we can hope for the best.

As the screenshots showcase, the device has a 5 inch screen with a 1080 x 1920 resolution, and a mind numbing , record breaking ( which is something we are getting used to each coming month) 480 ppi resolution. Powered by 1.7 GHz Quad Core processor and with a 13 MP shooter , the screenshots show the smart screen features as well, enforcing the belief that these features could actually be there. Though we can't be sure of course. We'll wait and post up more leaks till Samsung officially pops the bubble next week, and of course a review for the S4 will be coming then.

Galaxy S4 with eye contol features

credits : SamMobile

Supporting some early rumours regarding Samsung’s much awaited Galaxy S4 having eye scrolling feature, screenshots have come online , credits SamMobile, the screenshots being of various panels in settings menu of the Galaxy S4 , as the pic shows, showing various features like Smart screen, Smart scroll, etc. Smart stay and rotation is ,as you know, already featuring in Samsung Galaxy SIII and Note 2, so it’s the Smart pause and smart scroll which are the new additions , attracting much attention .

Smart scroll, as the SS tells, detects eye seeing the screen and starts scrolling automatically, at the set speed. The other new addition, the Smart pause detects eye and pauses a video running when the user looks away from the screen. It sounds and looks pretty cool allright, but there is no way to ascertain the authenticity of the screenshots and the content. Even if it is an actual feature in the S4, the biggest thing to look out is the amount of battery juice the Smart screen uses, which could actually determine the utility of this feature. Stay tuned to our blog for the latest about S4, and of course the review when it launches on 14th of this month.

HTC One specs : quite a surprise package

Yeah, I know we are a little late, but that's a long tale and if you are interested, mail me for it. Whatever, its the HTC One I am here to tell about. HTC One, earlier codenamed M7 (excuse the cliché), announced a few days ago, is thought to be a competitor for the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S4, to be launched on 14th March. Although I am dying to use some words here, let me save them for the conclusion and lets see what HTC One has to offer

The shockers that this phone packs are what actually made me re-read its specs twice to get the clarity at first, and they are seriously eye-catching. Firstly, HTC One has a 4.7 inch Full HD display, with..*ahem*.. a whopping 468 ppi resolution!!! Yes that's right, and I know this is totally crazy!! It is powered by Android 4.1.2 and has the HTC Sense 5 UI. It has the muscle power of the latest Snapdragon 600 Quad Core processor, clocked at 1.7 GHz, comes in 32 GB and 64 GB storage variants, has a 2 GB DDR2 RAM and has the jiuce of a 2300 mAh Li-polymer battery.



Lets come to the second one : HTC One comes in a full metal body, so no plastic and a much premium look and feel. I know the pics offer something of a confusion as if it is a windows 8 powered device. This is the Sense 5 UI for you, and these tiles you may see are a part of what's called the Blinkboard, which is a constantly updating fliboard + windows 8 tiles sort of thing, and is extremely user friendly.Third surprise is its super amazing sound, with the dual frontal audio speakers with dedicated amps, along with the expected Studio quality of Beats Audio, HTC One manages to offer some seriously amazing sound quality.

Let us see the rest of the specs first before we get onto the last , and the most shocking surprise. HTC One is Bluetooth 4.0 with aptX enabled, with WiFi IEEE 802.11 a/ac/b/g/n , DLNA, Infrared booster, and micro USB 2.0 with mobile high definition video link (MHL). It supports 4G LTE as well.




At last, i'll come onto the Fourth surprise , and I think you must have guessed it. Yeah its the camera. And no, if you are thinking something lavish and extravagant like the Nokia Pure View 43 MP one, then you cannot be more distant from the truth. The HTC One sports a 4 MP camera!!!!!! And again, Yeh, its 4 MP, no mistakes there. And again, yeh I know this sounds totally crazy for a uber high end smartphone. But lets see what this 4 MP shooter is capable of. Normal cameras have sensor with pixels of size 1.4 microns. But HTC One's 4 MP camera has pixels of size 2 micron. Now for any deluded readers who believe 0.6 doesn't  make much difference, try multiplying it by 4 million (which is what 4 Mega Pixels means). THAT makes one hell of a difference. So this brilliant camera captures more than 300% light than normal ones, giving some amazing clarity ( This is the BEST example to explain that it's the sensor which determines the image clarity and not the number of pixels) . Large number of pixels lead to large image size, which really is not convenient with the limited storage we have. So this is one of the most innovative risks that HTC has taken ever. With Smart Flash (five levels of flash depending upon distance) , slow motion video recording , dedicated HTC ImageChip 2, this camera performs amazingly.

CONCLUSION

HTC One is one phone that could seriously work wonders to revive the company's market share in the top end segment , as it is a brilliant device without any doubts. The only catch is the price, which is something we have no idea about. Its this factor which could change things a lot, as people are less likely to spend near $900 or above, just as Samsung is also to offer the much awaited S4. So full credits to the makers for the device, and lets see how the price turns out, not "4getting" the upcoming S4 ! :D

The “4G” Curse, as consumers unwilling to cough up

Suk-Chae Lee, of the KT Corp, which is FYI the largest telecom provider in South Korea, is not someone you would want to meet if you want a positive feedback on the 4G LTE (Long Term Evolution). He, and other telecom firms are quite bitter in South Korea, for 4G has been far from a decent business. Speaking to Reuters, he said, with 4G Auctions in UK last week, that in the “data crazy” Korea, the consumers aren’t willing to pay up for the 4G services, which is turning things pretty sour for the mobile networks. And so he warns the operators in UK to prevent themselves from overestimating the 4G bandwagon, and ultimately leading to remorse, with consumers not valuing the services enough.

Well tough luck all right, but the fact is true that the 4G costs are so exorbitant, that it is obviously a matter that won’t make the consumer very comfortable. Keeping the infrastructure and maintenance costs in mind, its  understandable that the price can’t be rock bottom at least now, but the fact is to be kept in mind that in today’s world, the rate at which value of technologies is depreciating, the modern consumer does indeed feel services to be better priced. So that’s a balance that Telecom firms will be looking forward to maintain if they wish to turn 4G into a profitable venture

Source : Techradar

Don’t expect Flexible smartphones for the next three years : Corning

Willow glass (source : Techradar)

The makers of the tough Gorilla Glass series , characteristic of the top end smartphones nowadays, Corning, which recently launched its flexible Willow Glass, believes that it’ll still take some time for flexible smartphones to actually hit the market. Though its bendable and rollable Willow Glass is ready and up for grabs, Corning president James Clappin believes  that the consumers are not ready for flexible glass yet. A flexible glass is surely going to take some time to get used to, especially when you don’t usually find that kind of glass in normal usage. That means that we can be ready for some other flexible products in the meantime , till the time smartphone makers feel the right time has come.

Not just that actually

Of course that’s not the only problem, had it been that way, this would have become one of the most laughed comments in the gadgets world. Of course as it has been stated many times,  flexible glass alone is not what can make way for flexible smartphones, which can roll or crumple up. What is required is EVERYTHING to be flexible : from the chips to the battery to the camera to .. simply everything that composes a smartphone. And THAT is something that’s going to take some time, as we aren’t anywhere near all that currently. Research’s on, and time will tell how soon we find ourselves staring at a rolled up smart device.