A Redefined touch some Myspace!!!

While Facebook today is an absolute juggernaut, with about one in seven humans on the planet being a "monthly active user," it's almost hard to remember that before November 1998, MySpace was the biggest game in town. Since then, MySpace has more or less been relegated to punchline status, a desolate place with fewer users than it had twinkling background GIFs. But it seems MySpace is about to launch a dramatic redesign of the site that brings its interface well and truly into the touch-screen era and, frankly, makes the gigantic Facebook site look a bit stodgy and old-fashioned in comparison.
Competition drives innovation – and while Facebook has certainly innovated in the last five years, just about every step along the way has been met with furious complaints from its user base. Case in point: Timeline.
Still, despite the adverse user reaction to such minor changes, the overall look and feel of the Facebook site is still very much the same as it was when the majority of us got on board. It looks a bit "Web 2.0" – and while I'm not sure exactly which release number web we're supposed to be up to right now, things have definitely moved on.
There's a sense out there that Facebook's gigantic user base and its famous resistance to change is slowing the company down - but with Google Plus failing to capture peoples' imaginations, there's really been very few genuine alternatives for people wanting to jump ship.

That may be about to change. The desolate, tumbleweed-filled plains of MySpace may bear fruit again. In a video released yesterday, MySpace showed off a brand new interface, heavily influenced by tablet computing and Windows 8, that blows the doors off Facebook and Google Plus in a purely visual sense.
Check out the video:
Perhaps one of the most powerful features will be the ability to auto-connect and import your Facebook friend lists. One wonders how long that functionality will survive if this becomes a genuine competitor to Zuckerberg's virtual monopoly.

The interface is highly visual, featuring full-page background photos and videos, so it'll chew a ton more bandwidth than Facebook or Google Plus, but then most of the first world has long handed in its dial-up internet. Cable, DSL and 4G mobile connections are widening the pipe for the average joe to a degree where the minimalist designs of Facebook and Google may cease to be an advantage.
It actually looks like this new iteration might make MySpace actually become relevant again. It certainly seems worth a look – I'm always hunting for new ways to tell people what I had for breakfast. My people need to know, damn it!

Source: Gizmag

Widespread criticism for Apple Maps

Building at the University of Chicago look like they are melting on Apple's maps app

As we noted in our iOS 6 overview last week, customers and critics have been up in arms over Apple's new maps application and the reports of inaccuracies and misplaced cities and towns continue to flow.
The software, which runs on the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch, was created using data from navigation firm TomTom, and replaces the popular Google Maps service. Once users upgrade to iOS 6 (or purchase the new iPhone 5), they are effectively forced to use Apple maps. There is currently no Google Maps app available in the App Store.
In the most severe examples of inaccuracy, Apple's new software has been found to be unable to locate entire towns or places destinations in entirely incorrect locations. Users have also reported landmarks such as museums appearing in the middle of rivers, and entire areas of satellite imagery being obscured by cloud cover.

Apple's response to the situation has been somewhat muted. "We launched this new map service knowing that it is a major initiative and we are just getting started with it," Apple spokeswoman Trudy Muller told AllThingsD. "We are continuously improving it, and as Maps is a cloud-based solution, the more people use it, the better it will get.”
The Maps issue has certainly struck a chord with iOS users and this is not the last we'll hear of what many are now cleverly referring to as the “Navigate” scandal. While Google’s Maps is still available using Safari, we'll have to wait and see on the appearance of a dedicated Google Maps App as well as any updates Apple makes to its service.
Source: BBC

Galaxy S III vs Iphone 5

There's nothing like a good rivalry. Whether it's Ali vs. Frazier, FC Barcelona vs. Real Madrid, or Magic vs. Bird, gritty duels have a way of getting people pumped. In this Digital Age, consumer tech has its own sets of sworn opponents: in the 80s it was Apple vs. IBM, later we saw Windows vs. OS X, and gamers even have Playstation vs. Xbox.
In 2012, however, the biggest tech rivalry is the match between the two biggest players in mobile: Apple and Samsung. This one has gotten nasty, extending into international courts. Things only get more interesting with the release of Apple's iPhone 5 this week.
A great product is much more than the sum of its parts, but – even in this post-PC era – specs can matter. If one phone has a quad-core chip with 2GB of RAM, and another a single-core CPU with 128MB of RAM, the first one will be much faster. Likewise, a display with 320 pixels per inch (ppi) will look much sharper than one with 163ppi. You'd be foolish to worship at the altar of specs, but technical details can still shed some light on the subject.
So, with many grains of salt in hand, let's see how Apple's newest iPhone stacks up against the current cream of Android's crop, the Samsung Galaxy S III:

Dimensions

Say what you will about Samsung's originality, but its devices are beloved by millions. The Galaxy S III has an expansive surface, but measures thinner than the previous two iPhones.
The iPhone 5, meanwhile, is Apple's first redesigned handset in over two years. It's longer than the iPhone 4/4S (by 8.6mm), but maintains the same width. At 7.6mm thick, the iPhone 5 is also one of the thinnest smartphones around (the Droid Razr measures at 7.1mm, but it has a protruding hump).

Weight

The iPhone 5 is light. Though the iPhone 4/4S was far from a hulking monstrosity, the new model is 28 grams lighter. Part of this is due to its thinner design (and internal components), but its aluminum backing is the biggest reason. The past two iPhones had glass backs, which naturally added some heft.
Though it may feel heavy next to the iPhone 5, you can do much worse than the Galaxy S III. Despite sporting a monstrous display and a wider build than Apple's latest, it's still a relatively light smartphone.

Display

The iPhone 5 offers the first change in screen size since Apple entered the industry in 2007, boosting the iPhone display from 3.5 to 4 inches. Rather than adding a huge screen with the same 3:2 aspect ratio, though, Tim Cook & company lengthened it. It shifts to a narrower 16:9 aspect ratio: larger, but you can still reach your thumb across the screen.
The Galaxy S III, meanwhile, has a display that is both longer and wider than the iPhone's. If you aren't concerned with thumb reach, the S3 offers significantly more screen real estate.
Size isn't everything though. Apple is promising 44 percent greater color saturation over the iPhone 4/4S. The touch-sensing electrodes are also nearer to the display's surface, moving one step closer to the illusion of ink on paper.

CPU

Remember when I said specs weren't everything? These chips are great examples. On paper, the processors in both versions (North America and international) of the Galaxy S III are superior - faster clock speed and an equal or greater number of cores. But early tests reveal that Apple's custom A6 SoC is a beast, breaking records in Geekbench and Sunspider benchmarks.
Unsurprisingly, the A6's closest rival in those tests has been the Galaxy S III. Both editions of the handset deliver some of the best smartphone performance you'll see in 2012 ... but they may not match the wicked speed of the iPhone 5.

RAM

Another big factor in performance, RAM is evenly matched at 1GB in the iPhone 5 and the global Galaxy S III. The US/Canada S3, meanwhile, doubles the memory with a whopping 2GB.

Storage

Here's another closely-matched category. The 64GB version of Samsung's flagship launches soon, and the only other difference is the microSD card slot that it (and most Android phones) offer.
As always, more flash memory means you're spending more money.

Wireless Connectivity

After over 18 months worth of LTE-equipped Android phones, Apple has now given us an iPhone with "true 4G." Those who live in an area with available coverage will see cellular data speeds that are faster than many home broadband connections.
The Galaxy S III also supports LTE, like most high-end Android phones from the last year or so.

Battery

The biggest reason for Apple taking its sweet time delivering LTE? It took a while to get battery life up to snuff. Early LTE phones like the HTC Thunderbolt and Motorola Droid Bionic sometimes struggled to last a few hours. We finally saw an LTE phone with great battery life in the Droid Razr Maxx, and the Galaxy S III is no slouch either. It should last a full day for most users.
We've yet to put an iPhone 5 through the paces, but Apple promises better battery life than the iPhone 4S, even while on LTE. Early reviews suggest that it lives up to this promise, but we'll update after getting our hands on one.

Camera

You can't go wrong with either camera. At least before the iPhone 5, many valued the S3's shooter as the best on the market. Despite many similarities to the 4S' camera, Apple is promising key improvements over its predecessor - including better low-light shooting.
Apple is highlighting a new panorama shooting feature in iOS 6 (exclusive to the iPhone 4S and iPhone 5). Though it offers Apple's customary polish and attention to detail, there are already several quality third-party panorama apps on both iOS and Android, and a similar stock panorama feature on the S3.

Intangibles

Though Apple design guru Jony Ive isn't part of the iPhone 5, he does represent those elements of Apple's appeal that can't be drawn from tech specs alone. While rival manufacturers focus more on specs, marketable features, and pricing, Apple's main focus is on the customer's experience. That includes the feeling one gets from holding, viewing, and using the product. With its combination of lightness, unprecedented thinness, and beautiful design, the iPhone 5 may epitomize this philosophy more than any prior Apple product.
The Galaxy S III, on the other hand, is today's Android flagship. In a crowded field of high-end smartphones, that's no small feat. In other words, if a friend asked for advice on the one Android phone to buy, you'd be wise to recommend the Galaxy S III.
The Galaxy S III isn't quite on the software cutting edge, sporting the nearly year-old Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich (skinned with Samsung's Touchwiz UI). Samsung did, however, cook up several unique features: S Beam (which utilizes its Near Field Communication chip to enable peer-to-peer sharing), a variety of social sharing features, and its (less intelligent) Siri rival, S Voice.
The iPhone 5 ships with iOS 6, which heralds the arrival of a new Apple Maps app - including Siri-powered turn-by-turn navigation - and system-wide Facebook sharing. It also brings incremental improvements to Safari, Mail, iCloud, and Siri.
Long-term Apple customers will notice another big difference this year: Apple has redesigned its bundled earbuds. Now known as Earpods, the tiny headphones promise a more secure and comfortable fit, as well as improved acoustics. As a standalone $30 product, these aren't high-end models for audiophiles, but they do look to drastically improve on the old earbuds.
One last iPhone update to keep in mind: Apple added a new connector to the iPhone 5. Dubbed Lightning, it's smaller, promises faster speeds, and is reversible. Unfortunately, it also requires you to buy a $30 adapter to keep using all of your old docks, speakers, and other accessories. It was time for the old 30-pin connector to go, but it would have been nice to see a cheaper (or bundled) adapter for those old accessories.

Summing Up

So which phone is better? Who's the grand poo-bah of the smartphone market? Much of that will come down to your preferences. If you've already dug your heels into either the Android or iOS camp, then your mind was likely made up long ago. But if you haven't yet chosen a side, we recommend you head to a retail store to get some hands-on time with both phones. It's hard to go wrong with either one.
As the iPhone 5 begins to arrive on people's doorsteps (and in the hands of weary Apple Store campers), we'd love to hear your thoughts about it. Does it live up to expectations, or feel like another incremental update? Feel free to let us know in the comments.

Source : Gizmag

Iphone 5 Review

Buzz for the iPhone 5 began way back in 2010. Many then assumed that the iPhone 4's sequel would be a major redesign; instead we got the incrementally-updated iPhone 4S. It brought a much-improved camera, a faster chip, and Siri, but it wasn't a breakthrough update. We would have to wait a full 27 months after the iPhone 4 to get our hands on the next big refresh.
Now that it's here, was the iPhone 5 worth the wait? To sum this review up in one word: absolutely.

Design

The iPhone 5 is 1.7mm thinner than the iPhone 4S.

When discussing the iPhone 5, you have to start with design. It may not appear to be a radical departure from the appearance of the iPhone 4/4S, but the beauty here is in the details.
The most significant detail: weight. This iPhone is light – 112 grams to be exact. The iPhone 4 and 4S never felt heavy to me, but they do now. Much like the first Retina Display made the previous iPhones' 480x320 resolution look antiquated, the iPhone 5 makes Apple's prior handsets feel like bricks.
The second most striking design detail is thickness. Apple shrunk the iPhone 5 down to 7.6 mm, way down from the last two iPhones' 9.3 mm. Apple claims that it's the thinnest smartphone ever, and it probably is (the Droid Razr measures 7.1 mm, but that spec conveniently ignores its protruding hump). Regardless of the competition, the iPhone 5 is razor-thin.
Of course the iPhone 5 also sports a longer design (8.6 mm longer than the last iPhones, but the same width) and a longer display. The new shape feels great in the hand. Apple scrapped the glass back this year and replaced it with a unibody aluminum backing. The sides of the phone harken back to the 4/4S's external antenna frame – only this time it too is aluminum (previously it was stainless steel).
Beauty can't necessarily be objectified, but it's hard not to appreciate the unified design of the iPhone 5. It may be Jony Ive's best work yet.

Display

The 4-inch display works better than I expected. The 16:9 aspect ratio makes for a more oblong window into your digital world, but Apple uses it well. Landscape videos play in their native aspect ratio, you can see more of your emails when typing, and you get an extra row of apps on your home screen.
There are some areas where the 16:9 frame feels a little wonky. Photos have black letterboxes in both portrait and landscape mode (until you zoom in). App Store apps that haven't yet been updated for the new display also get letterboxed, though that will soon be a moot point. Browsing Safari in landscape mode could also feel a bit cramped, but Apple added a new full-screen mode to iOS 6, which works brilliantly.
The resolution is 1136x640, with the same sharp 326 pixels per inch (ppi) as the last two iPhones. In the iPhone 5, Apple moved those 727,040 pixels closer to the surface by moving a layer of touch electrodes. The resulting appearance is a welcome change. It's moving closer to the Hogwarts parchment illusion: ink moving on paper.
Apple claims that the iPhone 5 has 44 percent greater color saturation than the last iPhones, and, though I have no way of testing that, colors do look better. It's almost indisputably the best smartphone display on the market.

Performance

This baby zips. I didn't notice a dramatic difference at first, but I soon saw it flying through tasks that would have bogged down the 4S. Most notable is the camera app, where I could go from sleep mode to snapping a picture in under three seconds. You can fire a burst of shots with no hesitation. It also flies through the new Flyover (3D aerial) feature in Maps; panning, zooming, and rendering of bird's-eye views happen instantly.
What will developers be able to do with games on the iPhone 5? At the iPhone 5 event, EA offered an impressive preview of Real Racing 3, and that could just be scratching the surface. Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft should take notice: the gap between mobile devices and consoles is rapidly shrinking.

LTE

After four generations of 3G, the iPhone 5 jumps into the land of 4G (sorry, AT&T, but I don't count HSPA+ 14.4). Those who live in an area with LTE coverage will see data speeds that may match or better their home broadband connections.
I haven't yet been able to test LTE on the iPhone 5, but LTE Android phones have been around long enough for us to know what speeds expect. Apps will download quickly, videos will stream instantly, and VoIP apps like Skype will sound near-perfect.
In the US, Verizon has – by far – the most expansive LTE network, followed by AT&T, and then Sprint. Sprint is the only US iPhone carrier that still offers unlimited data, though, so everyone else will need to monitor their usage.

Camera

The iPhone 5's camera is only a minor improvement over the iPhone 4S, but it outperforms it in the most important area: low-light shooting. In my tests, indoor and poorly-lit shots looked much brighter and clearer than they did on the 4S.

EarPods

Apple's redesigned earbuds ("EarPods") are a big improvement. In this case, the company's marketing is right on: they fit much more snugly and comfortably in the ear, and the sound is greatly improved. They won't replace $400 TripleFi premium earphones, but they're excellent economy headphones for most people.
Bundled for free they're a steal, and, for the $30 price for a standalone pair, you can do much worse.

Lightning

The new smaller Lightning connector is tiny and convenient (its reversible design is a subtle but nice touch), and it allowed Apple to make the iPhone 5 so thin. There is, however, one big issue: unless you shell out $30 for an adapter, all of your old iPod/iPhone accessories will be useless.
I don't know how much it costs Apple to make the 30-pin to Lightning adapters, but $30 is a steep admission fee just to continue using your old docks and speakers. Even if Tim Cook & Co. couldn't bundle the adapter with the iPhone 5, it would have been nice to see it come in under $20. If any company can afford to eat a little cost for the customer's convenience, it's Apple.

Summing up

The iPhone 5 is a terrific phone. If you're looking for the best smartphone on the market, you'd have to at least start here. On paper, it doesn't bring much that hasn't been done before, but it integrates those elements (performance, larger screen, LTE) into a seamless package. Above all, it's a pleasure to use.
Combine that with iOS's balance of power, simplicity, and elegance (see our in-depth look at iOS 6), and the iPhone 5 is like a remastered version of a classic movie. It's a familiar experience, but its refinements are in all the right places.

Mclaren P1 unvieled!!!

 

"The best driver’s car in the world on road and track"—a bold, not to mention subjective, claim. But the McLaren P1 brings a pedigree like few other cars on Earth. The successor to McLaren's infamous F1, the P1 is the automaker's latest halo supercar. McLaren has released the first pictures and details a little more than a week before the official world premiere.
The McLaren F1 was not only the one-time fastest car in the world, it was an icon that stood head and shoulders above its contemporaries. In a world where the word "supercar" was on its way to dilution, it was the supercar: a fast, 240-mph (386-km/h) machine with a distinctive 1 + 2 layout that left the competition in the dust.
Given the F1's legendary status in the automotive world, its successor, which finds the spotlight 20 years after the F1's launch, has been a point of considerable interest; interest that McLaren has begun to satisfy with the first photos and official acknowledgement of the P1.
We had heard that the P1 would break away from the MP4-12C's design language, earning itself a more aggressive, extreme suit of armor. Those rumors are correct, as the bulging curves, fang-like headlamps and pen-stroke tail-lamps show that McLaren cut the leash and let its designers run wild. The car should stick to the track like commercial vacuum thanks to a Botoxed front lip, massive rear diffuser and skirts running along the flanks. It gives a nod to the F1 in its cabin design and rooftop air intake.

"Our aim is not necessarily to be the fastest in absolute top speed but to be the quickest and most rewarding series production road car on a circuit," explains McLaren Automotive Managing Director Antony Sheriff, foreshadowing the unannounced spec sheet. "It is the true test of a supercar’s all round ability and a much more important technical statement. Our goal is to make the McLaren P1 the most exciting, most capable, most technologically advanced and most dynamically accomplished supercar ever made."
Unfortunately, that's about as much as McLaren is willing to divulge in terms of the P1's performance, outside of mentioning that the car is inspired by McLaren's racing division (surprise, surprise). Reports suggest that the car will receive primary power from an 800-hp V8 engine, with a boost of up to 200 horses coming from a KERS system.
Sheriff's statement about acceleration over top speed means that the P1 may come ready to best the Bugatti Veyron's 2.5-second 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) time but will be unwilling to battle its 267.8 mph (431.0 km/h) world record speed. That may be a bit disappointing to record watchers mindful of the F1's former world record, but the average P1 owner should be more than happy to trade a virtually inaccessible top speed for lightning-quick acceleration and on-dime track handling.
McLaren plans to begin production on the P1 in late 2013. The car will serve as its flagship, sitting above the MP4-12C. We'll get more details on the car when McLaren unveils it before the world on September 27, the first media day of the 2012 Paris Motor Show.
If the P1 isn't winning you over, there is still hope. The version that you're looking at is a design study; the production model won't debut until next year and may feature updated or overhauled styling. McLaren will certainly gauge the public reaction to the car and move forward from there.
Source: McLaren, Gizmag

An unexpected new particle shakes the Standard Model

 
In the mid-1930s, physicists thought they knew all the subatomic particles of nature – the proton, neutron, and electron of the atom. However, in 1936 the muon was discovered – a new particle having such surprising properties that Nobel laureate I.I. Rabi quipped, "who ordered that?" when informed of the discovery. Evidence that a new light boson may exist has recently been published. Such a boson is not part of the Standard Model (SM) of particle physics. If its existence is confirmed, physicists will confront another "who ordered that?" moment.
The unexpected new light boson, named the E(38) boson for now, is awaiting additional independent verification at present. If so verified, it was discovered at the Nuclotron superconducting particle accelerator at the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research in Dubna, near Moscow. The E(38) appears to have a mass of about 2.5 percent of a proton (38 MeV vs 938 MeV) – lighter than any elementary particle other than neutrinos or electron/positrons. This energy range has been investigated in countless experiments over at least six decades, with few if any previous hints of the existence of a light particle.
The suggestion has been made that the E(38) may not couple electromagnetically. If the E(38) were a stable particle it would be a prime candidate for making up part or all of the cosmological dark matter. However, the E(38) boson is unstable, with a extremely short half-life, so the identity of dark matter is still one of nature's well-kept secrets.

Schematic presentation of the fundamental particles of the Standard Model of Particle Physics, lacking only the recently discovered Higgs boson (Image: MissMJ)

There are an enormous number of particles predicted by the SM – so far with considerable accuracy. There are also a host of composite particles containing two or three quarks. However, within the SM the lightest boson heavier than the electron (0.511 MeV energy) is a pion having a mass of 135 MeV. Further, there appears no source within the SM from whence a new boson with a mass of 38 MeV might appear.
A true physicist is more excited by evidence that cherished ideas are to some degree wrong than by evidence that reconfirms them. Therefore, should the observation and confirmation of the E(38) boson stand the test of time, a search for how to expand or correct the Standard Model will quickly be the research topic du jour in the particle physics community. However, the particle is not yet well enough established to begin risking careers for its sake. The world of science will be waiting for a sign that helps decide which way to jump.
Source: ArXiv , Gizmag

LG Optimus G Launched in Korea

 

LG officially announced its next flagship phone, the LG Optimus G, today in Korea. Not only does it possess a whopping 13-megapixel camera and a 4.7-inch HD display, but LG has also said it'll be the "world's first" LTE device with a quad-core CPU.
The Optimus G will go on sale next week in Korea, and will be offered in other countries in October. Because LG is holding an event tomorrow in New York, we anticipate that the device is slated for a U.S. release as well. Until we get some hands-on time during said event, however, we only have the specs to go by. But, judging by its specs and LG's recent devices, it has plenty of superphone potential.
Design
The LG Optimus G measures 5.19 inches tall, 2.71 inches wide, and 0.33 inch thick, making it slightly wider and thinner than the Optimus 4X HD (which measures 5.19 inches by 2.69 inches by 0.38 inch). Because of the screen's new Touch Hybrid Display technology, the Optimus G's display is also thinner than those currently on the market.
The phone weighs 5.11 ounces, making it a bit lighter than the 4X HD as well, but the height remains the same. In other words, tall. It won't be able to fit in small front or back pockets of jeans comfortably, nor will it be easy to use with one hand, but it's thin and light enough to throw in a clutch or small bag without much fuss.
The Optimus G comes in black and white, and sports a 4.7-inch True HD IPS+ display with a 1,280x768-pixel resolution and an aspect ratio of 15:9. Given how impressed I was with the 4X HD's touch screen (which also measured 4.7 inches and was HD IPS), I find the sound of this very promising. Especially considering that it also has a 320ppi pixel density, which means we can expect bright, vivid colors and crisp images.

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Features
One of the most anticipated features of the handset is the 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 Pro quad-core CPU. While I'll hold off on comparing Qualcomm's quad-core processor with Nvidia's Tegra 3 quad-core processor (the latter being the chipset that powers the 4X HD), Qualcomm's dual-core processor has a solid history of being fast and reliable.
The HTC One X, for example, impressed us all with its dual-core CPU, and if Qualcomm is looking to beef up its processor offerings, as it said it is, then the Optimus G will undoubtedly deliver great speeds. In addition, the device is equipped with an Adreno 320 GPU and 4G LTE capabilities.
The handset houses a 2,100mAh battery, which roughly translates to a reported talk time of 15 hours. This is a bit less powerful than the 4X HD's 2,150mAh battery, which leaves room for concern. Though the 4X HD's battery was adequate enough, with heavy quad-core usage it drained quickly. True, the reduction in the Optimus G is only slight, but it may have an effect when all cores are chugging away.
Because the phone has near-field communication (NFC) support, it should come with LG Tag+ stickers. The 4X HD, the Vu, and the Optimus L7 all were NFC-enabled, and included these tags. The stickers allow you to activate certain settings on your phone that you customize. For example, every time you go to sleep, you may want to put your device on vibrate, dim your screen, and have your music turn off after 10 minutes of playing. Once you set up and save those settings using the LG Tag+ app, you can activate them whenever you tap your "Sleep Mode" Tag+ sticker.
The handset also includes Dual Screen Dual Play, which enables users to beam screen images onto a TV; a feature called QSlide Function that displays two different screens or tasks (for example, watching a video and sending a text) at the same; LG's note-taking feature, QuickMemo; Bluetooth 4.0; an Application Link feature that launches preselected apps at a certain time; 32GB of onboard storage; and 2GB of RAM. In addition, users can zoom in and out of the phone's screen and recorded video.

A landscape view of the Optimus G.

(Credit: Aloysius Low/CNET)

One bad note I'm anticipating is that LG will probably slap its Optimus 3.0 UI on top of the Android 4.0 OS. With its boxy icons and clunky widgets (particularly that unattractive weather widget), the UI isn't as sleek as the vanilla Ice Cream Sandwich skin. Fortunately, however, users will have the option to customize app icons. And though I like that it sports the Roboto font, the keypad itself on the updated UI still looks outdated.
Camera and video
LG reported that the Optimus G boasts an eyebrow-raising 13-megapixel camera. Some of its features include a Live Zooming option that lets you zoom in and out while playing a video; Time Catch Shot, which lets you to choose and save the best of five images shot when you pressed the shutter; and a voice-command shutter called Cheese Shutter. There's also a feature that adjusts the shutter speed if the camera senses the photo's subject moving, and a low light/noise reduction function.
Given that it's decked out with four cores, I expect the camera to be lightning-quick. With the 4X HD, the shutter was so seamless, there was no indication or delay on the screen that let me know I took a picture. I relied only on the shutter sound. I could also hold the shutter down to take one picture after another. This isn't the same (or as fast) as continuous shooting (though again, there is an option for that), but that's how fast the camera can operate.
Outlook
LG scored a win with the 4X HD, and I expect nothing less with the Optimus G. Though I remain wary of its battery life and anticipate an unappealing UI, the device will be sure to please. It touts the same high-end specs as the 4X HD, but it adds 4G LTE capabilities and a superior camera. If everything else stays constant (and by that I mean the software isn't buggy or, you know, the phone doesn't explode in my hand), then the G definitely promises to be a winner as well.

Source : CNET

11 things to do with your old iPhone

It's fair to say that millions of iPhones are languishing in desk drawers or gathering dust. Here are a few things to do with yours to keep it from meeting that fate once you buy the iPhone 5.
1. Give it to your kids so they stop taking yoursEvery parent, aunt and uncle knows that no toy in the history of toys has ever been as appealing to a kid as an iPhone. They are shiny, they have games and grown-ups use them for important things. More importantly, they are either off-limits or doled out in limited quantities as a reward for, say, sitting still for a minute. Load up your old iPhone with games and give it to a deserving child in your life.
2. Or to your mom so she can finally see the lightAlternately, if a Luddite adult has been thinking of taking the plunge into the world of smartphones, your old iPhone may help him or her get over the hump. If you have an iPhone 4 or 4S, you might also find someone who's still hanging on to an earlier model and give them the gift of an upgrade. You may just buy a friend for life (or at least until iPhone 6 comes out).
3. Use it as a tenny-tiny iPadYou'll be able to watch videos, send email and search Wikipedia for random facts to end cocktail-party disagreements with your decommissioned iPhone - as long as you have a Wi-Fi connection. There's even a camera, which means you can avoid being that guy (or gal) at the concert who's turning heads for taking photos with an iPad.
4. Donate to charitySeveral charities accept old phones for donation, though it's worth remembering that these groups likely won't physically give your old phones to people in need. Rather, they work with phone recyclers and sell your donated phones to them.
A nonprofit group called Cell Phones for Soldiers will take your "gently used" phone and sell it to recycling company ReCellular. It will then use the proceeds to buy calling cards for soldiers.
The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence works with another recycling group in a similar manner. About 60 percent of the phones it collects are refurbished and resold. The money goes toward supporting the coalition. The remaining 40 percent of the phones are recycled, according to the group's website. It pays for shipping if you are mailing three or more phones.
There are a few more suggestions from New York's Department of Environmental Conservation at: http://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/8818.html .
5. Alarm clockDo you still use that old radio alarm you bought for your college dorm room in the 20th century? Join the 21st century by turning your old iPhone into an alarm clock. Hide it in a different spot in your bed each night for an added challenge.
6. Sell, sell, sell!Join the eBay hordes and sell your phone for a few hundred bucks if you can. There will likely be a flood of the gadgets soon after people start getting their new phones, so it might make sense to wait a little.
A company called Gazelle, meanwhile, will make an offer for your old phone based on its condition, your phone carrier and other information. A 32 gigabyte iPhone 4S on Verizon Wireless, for example, was recently going for $237 if it's in good condition and $90 if it's broken.
Glyde.com also offers to help you resell your old phone. A recent check showed the above 4S getting roughly $325 to $350 after fees are deducted provided there is a buyer. A "speed sale" that guarantees to sell it in seven days will get the seller slightly less money.
7. Trade in at GameStopThe video game retailer offers cash or store credit for old iPhones (along with iPods and iPads). The service is only available in stores and not online. A 32 gigabyte iPhone 4S on Verizon will get you up to $335 in store credit or up to $268 in cash.
8. Stream musicStick that baby in a speaker dock, spring for a Pandora subscription ($36 per year) or Spotify ($10 per month) and bam, you have a stereo.
Or try SoundCloud. Although it's meant to let you create and share music with people, it's also a good place to listen to DJs you like or discover new ones. TuneIn, meanwhile, will let you listen to online radio stations playing music, sports, news or talk shows.
9. Keep as a backup in case you loose your fancy new one.Nearly one-third of cellphone owners have had their gadgets lost or stolen, according to a recent survey from Pew Internet & Pew Internet & American Life Project.
10. Use as a cameraAt its core, a decommissioned iPhone is a hard drive with a camera. Snap photos with it. No Canon needed. You can also use the iPhone to move photos and other files from one computer to another.
11. Recycle with AppleApple Inc.'s own recycling program will give you an Apple gift card if it is determined to have a "monetary value." A 32 gigabyte iPhone 4S with some light scratches but in good working condition was recently estimated at $280. That's higher than Gazelle, but you'll have to spend the money at Apple. The company also accepts broken phones for recycling but you won't get any money for them.

Apple iOS6: Top 5 new features

New iPhone is getting much of the attention, but Apple's older phones will get a software upgrade this fall as well. A new operating system sports a different mapping service and a built-in bond with Facebook. Apple has said that its iOS 6 software will sport more than 200 new features,

though some won't be available on all devices. It will be a free upgrade for iPhones released since 2009, as well as last year's and this year's iPad models. It will also work with newer iPod Touch devices. And of course, it will be on the new iPhone 5, which Apple Inc. is expected to unveil on Wednesday. The company may provide more details then on when the software update will be available for older phones.

Here are some highlights of iOS 6:
Maps
Apple's mobile devices will have a mapping program, built in-house.
In the past, Apple has given prominent billing to Google's mapping app. But the two companies have increasingly become rivals as people buy more devices running Google's Android operating system. Google also has been keeping some features, including turn-by-turn directions spoken aloud, exclusive to Android.
Apple's new Maps application will have a voice navigation feature. It will have real-time traffic data and offer alternative routes as traffic conditions change.
It will also include "flyover" three-dimensional images taken by helicopters hired by the company to fly over major cities. Google has been dispatching its own planes to produce similar 3D images.
Apple's map program will be integrated with its Siri virtual assistant so that you can ask for directions and pose other questions.
Facebook
The new software promises better integration with Facebook. The upgrade will enable you to log into Facebook just once, and then you will be able to post to the social network from a variety of apps. You can also post about websites directly from Apple's Safari browser.
Facebook will be integrated with Apple's online app store so that you can declare that you "like" specific apps there, as well as songs and movies in iTunes.
Events in Facebook's calendar and birthdays of Facebook friends will also appear on your phone's calendar.
Siri
iOS 6 will have enhancements to Siri, which interprets voice commands and talks back to the user. It is also coming to the iPad for the first time.
Siri, introduced last October with the iPhone 4S, is supposed to get better at fielding questions about movies, restaurants and other things.
Apple says it is partnering with Yelp so that Siri can include ratings and prices of restaurants when you ask her about places to eat. The company is also partnering with OpenTable to make reservations.
Siri will now be available in more languages and more countries.
Apple also says it's working with car manufacturers to let you use a button on the steering wheel to talk to Siri, allowing you to keep your hands on the road. Apple says General Motors, BMW AG and Daimler AG's Mercedes are among the automakers that have promised to offer Siri integration in the next 12.
Calls
Don't want to be disturbed?
Apple's new software will give you more options for preventing messages and text notifications from disturbing you at night, for instance.
You can control how and when you get back to people. If you can't call someone back right away, you can set a reminder to call that person back later or have a text message sent directly to the caller.
There's a "call when you leave" feature that reminds you to call back when you are leaving a building or office. The phone can detect when you are leaving.
Passbook
Apple's new Passbook feature will be a central place to keep your boarding passes, tickets and gift cards.
When you get to a Starbucks, for instance, the device will bring up your gift card if you have one and if you have the location feature turned on. Likewise, when you get to a movie theater or baseball stadium, the ticket will pop up. Passbook will also alert you to gate changes and flight delays once you have a boarding pass stored.
Passbook could be the foundation for a new digital commerce hub for Apple, especially if the iPhone 5 includes a " near-field communication" chip that enables payment information to be transferred by tapping a device on a terminal at a checkout stand. A few Android phones use this technology to process payments with a feature known as Google Wallet.

Scientists levitate liquid in order to develop better pharmaceuticals

The acoustic levitator was originally developed for NASA to simulate microgravity conditions (Photo: Dan Harris)

In a new development which on first glance resembles a storyline plucked from the pages of Harry Potter, researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory, Illinois, have adopted a system of levitation in order to more effectively develop pharmaceuticals - no magic wand required.
At the molecular level, pharmaceutical structures can be placed into one of two categories: amorphous or crystalline. Amorphous drugs have a higher bioavailability than their counterpart, which means they require a smaller dose of drug to lend the same benefits, while potentially resulting in fewer harmful side effects. Unfortunately, due to the difficulty of producing amorphous pharmaceuticals, most drugs on the market are crystalline.
“One of the biggest challenges when it comes to drug development is in reducing the amount of the drug needed to attain the therapeutic benefit, whatever it is,” explained Argonne X-ray physicist Chris Benmore, who led the study.

The inherent difficulties of moving pharmaceuticals from liquid solution into an amorphous state presented the researchers with a major headache: if the pharmaceutical solution evaporates while it is in contact with part of a vessel, it is far more likely to solidify in its crystalline form. “It’s almost as if these substances want to find a way to become crystalline,” said Benmore. To overcome this problem, the scientist utilized an acoustic levitator - a piece of equipment originally developed for NASA to simulate microgravity conditions.
The acoustic levitator uses two small speakers, one placed above the other, to generate sound waves at frequencies which reside slightly above the audible range: roughly 22 kilohertz. When correctly aligned, they create two sets of sound waves which perfectly interfere with each other, producing a phenomenon known as a standing wave. Because the pressure from the sound waves is sufficient to cancel the effect of gravity, very light objects are able to levitate when placed at key points within the wave.
At present, only small quantities of a drug can be “amorphized” using the levitating technique. However, the researchers see that the acoustic levitator as a powerful tool for understanding the conditions which make for the best amorphous preparation.
The Argonne National Laboratory researchers have already investigated over a dozen different pharmaceuticals using the technique, and the laboratory’s Technology Development and Commercialization Division is currently pursuing a patent for the method.
The short video below shows the acoustic levitator in action.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=669AcEBpdsY

Source: Argonne National Laboratory