Parents hit with stalking order after spying on daughter’s phone, computer

Forced to take legal action against her own parents, a college student obtained an order of protection after discovering invasive electronic monitoring.

Covered by ABC’s Good Morning America on Friday, an Ohio college student named Aubrey Ireland was recently granted a civil stalking order against her parents due to their overprotective behavior that included installing monitoring software on her electronics. According to AZ Central, the monitoring software on her smartphone would provide them with details about incoming and outgoing calls and a keylogger installed on the laptop could potentially keep track of things like instant message chat history, websites visited and login information to social networks like Facebook. In addition, Aubrey allegedly had to connect with her parents over Skype and leave the video stream constantly running to allow them to watch her sleep all night in the bedroom.

While attending the College-Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati, Aubrey’s parents would allegedly travel approximately 600 miles from their home in Kansas to visit their daughter unannounced as well as meet with her department head at the school.

After her parents allegedly accused her of promiscuous behavior and drug use, they began talking about having her committed against her will to get treatment for “mental issues” as well as her other behavior.

At this point, the dean’s list student met with school officials and decided to take legal action against her parents. After hearing the arguments on both sides, Ohio Common Pleas Court Judge Jody Luebbers ruled in Aubrey’s favor and told the parents that they were the problem in the relationship. According to the stipulations within the order, parents David and Julie Ireland must stay a minimum of 500 feet away from Aubrey until September 23, 2013. In addition, the school has hired security guards to help keep Aubrey’s parents away from her musical theater performances. Both parents could face criminal charges if they attempt to violate the protection order.

When asked about the actions of her parents, the 21-year-old stated “They basically thought that they were paying for my college tuition and living expenses that they could tell me what to do, who to hang out with, basically control all of my daily life.” Regarding acquiring the stalking order, she continued “I never wanted this to happen, that’s the last thing I wanted. But I wasn’t in control of my life anymore. I knew they were holding me back emotionally, mentally and professionally. And that it got to the point where that was basically my last option.”

Aubrey claims that her parents have been diagnosed with codependency personality disorder. That’s a condition where a person attempts to live through someone else by attempting to control their actions and protect their well-being. In regards to the relationship between a parent and child, it’s also commonly called helicopter parenting.

However, her parents claim that she lied to the judge about their actions and they are attempting to get a refund from the school for the $66,000 spent on her college education. Aubrey’s parents have stopped paying for her tuition, but Aubrey has obtained a full scholarship from the school to finish out her senior year and complete her college education. 

Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/parents-stalking-order-spying-on-daughter/

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Launch This Year spurs developers to get apps out the door in 2013

If you're an amateur app developer hoping to develop the Next Big Thing, but need a helping hand to keep you on schedule, Launch This Year gives you the tools you need to make it happen in 2013.

It’s the New Year, so it’s time to start committing to those New Year’s resolutions. While many of us may be trying to stay healthier with the help of, say, RunKeeper and FitBit, a few more might want to try their hand at creating the first great app of 2013. But before you give up by mid-February, a new website called Launch This Year promises to keep you on the right track to greatness.

Launch This Year is the newest initiative by Ooomf, a young startup focused on app discovery and development. Opening today, the site gives members a personalized step-by-step guide for getting their dream iOS app off the ground.

With more than 700,000 apps in the App Store and 35 billion downloads to date, the iron is more than hot for the striking.

“We started to notice a lot of people who’ve maybe never made an app before,” said Launch This Year founder Mikael Cho. “So we said hey, let’s help enable this next generation of creators who want to do something on mobile, and let’s start it right on January 1. So if somebody’s making a resolution to make a mobile app this year, we can help them achieve that.”

The site breaks down the process into goals and milestones, offering tools along the way to make sticking with the development process easier. Steps like creating the app’s landing page, devising its organization structure, and even submitting it to the App Store are all outlined in a way that’s accessible and less of a daunting headache, while the Launch This Year team develops a close relationship with their clients by coaching them through the work of getting the app ready and worthy of a few million downloads.

Launch This Year has the backing of reputable entrepreneur networks as Startup Weekend, Tech Stars, and the Application Developers Alliance, which have supported the initiative from the start. With the hope of expanding to other platforms, the site could very well do for mobile creators what Codecademies like Code Year have done for the programming at large.

Currently in private beta, users will need an invite code to access the toolset the site offers. Just type in “digitaltrends” at the Launch This Year site and get started on that app.

Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/launch-this-year-helping-you-keep-that-new-years-resolution-of-launching-the-best-app-ever/

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New iPhone 5 app takes hands free 360-degree video

An app released this month causes Apple's iPhone 5 to automatically spin 360 degrees while recording video.

There are tons of photography apps out there, but none are quite like this. Cycloramic, a 99-cent app available in Apple’s App Store, transforms the iPhone 5 into spinning camera.

The app allows Apple’s iPhone 5 to rotate in a full 360-degree circle while recording video. Cycloramic, which launched earlier this month, enables the device to vibrate in such a way that forces it to spin in a circle. To use the app, simply place your iPhone 5 upright on a smooth flat surface. Press the middle of the screen, and Cycloramic will count down from three before it starts to rotate the phone.

You can also adjust the app’s settings to switch between the front-facing camera and the rear camera, and you can make it spin twice instead of just once. When your iPhone 5 has returned to a stationary mode, you can view the video in your camera roll.

“Gathered around a dinner tablet, in a bar, in a club, at home, at a conference table, or at a historical monument? Cycloramic allows you to capture the moment (handsfree) in a unique and fun way whilst making you and your phone the talk of the event,” the app’s description on its Facebook page reads.

Cycloramic is currently ranked as number one in the App Store’s photo and video category for top paid apps. The application’s Facebook page has 277 “Likes” and is littered with comments from users.

The Los Angeles Times posted a video showcasing exactly what the app can do. The resulting footage was a 47-second bit of a slow 360-degree pan around a conference room in the newspaper’s offices. Even Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak seemed impressed by the app, as he posted a video recorded using the cylindrical filming application himself.

For only 99 cents, Cycloramic certainly seems like a welcome addition to the Apple App Store. While it might not be the most innovative application and you might not find yourself using it everyday, it’ll save you the trouble of walking around in a circle to snag those hard to get That 70’s Show shots. 

Check out the video below to see a video of the Apple Store taken using Cycloramic. 

Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/iphone-5-app-360-degree-video/

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Samsung's Tizen smartphone reportedly coming next year

Tizen's release draws ever closer (credit: Tizen Talk)

Back in May, the first images of Samsung's Tizen smartphone prototype were released, though little else about the phone was divulged.

Samsung did manage to reveal a few scant specifications, including the phone's 1.2GHz dual-core ARM processor and 4.3-inch HD display, but there wasn't much else about the Linux-based OS to show off at the time.

Then in September, rumblings of Samsung readying a Tizen Galaxy for release made the rounds, with sources claiming the device would be coming in the "near future."

It's been a few months, but it appears Samsung is still on track to release the first Tizen phone in the coming year thanks to its partnership with Japanese carrier NTT Docomo.

Another new OS?

According to Daily Yomiuri, Samsung's Tizen smartphone would launch in Japan first under Docomo (the only Japanese carrier without iPhone), with other countries expected to get the device around the same time.

Regardless of where the Tizen phone first launches, it will find itself in an uphill battle against the likes of Android and iOS, two operating systems Samsung counts as Tizen's chief competition.

Analytics firm Garnter reported Android held 72.4 percent of the smartphone market through the third quarter of 2012, with iOS holding onto just over 13 percent, there's little room for a little fish to make a big splash.

The recent launch of Microsoft's Windows Phone 8 and the upcoming release of Research in Motion's BlackBerry 10 will also provide some stiff competition for the untested OS.

TechRadar has reached out to Samsung, and will update this story when and if they respond.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/software/operating-systems/samsungs-tizen-smartphone-reportedly-coming-next-year-1121966

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Life and Tiles of a Windows 8 Convert: My Windows Phone honeymoon ends

As Andrew continues his mission to go all in on Windows and Microsoft products and completely convert his digital life, his love affair with Windows Phone 8 and the Nokia Lumia 920 begins to fall apart.

Well, the honeymoon is over. The last time you heard from me, my relationship with the Lumia 920 and Windows Phone 8 was in its infancy, untainted by the painful reality that we truly are stuck together – for better or worse. We were newlyweds, dancing the night away and taking long walks on the proverbial beach. But now we have had time to live together, I’m beginning to notice its flaws. Some of WP8’s quirks are beginning to make me question the practicality of our arrangement. When this whole thing started, I assumed I was ready to make the switch from iOS to WP8, but as the days wear on it is quite obvious that Microsoft’s mostly great operating system still needs some work. And the most pressing to-do list item should be a notification center. Where the hell is it!?

WP8 uses toast notifications to alert the user of missed calls, new texts, etc. The problem is that without a way to store these notifications, they are lost after a brief appearance at the top of your screen. If you happen to be away from your phone when a toast pops then it may be gone forever, and that’s no good. The number of missed notifications for any particular app is shown on its Live Tile – assuming you’ve even made a Live Tile for that app – but even this half-assed workaround is imperfect. Once an app is opened, the number of notifications is erased from the associated Live Tile, even if you don’t deal with or read any of them.

It was a missed Twitter mention that first had me riled up about WP8’s lack of a notification center. Under normal circumstances, I would have shrugged it off. Social media has never been a huge passion of mine. However, this particular mention was special. After leading a presentation on a tech journalist I admire, I decided to express my admiration of his work via Twitter. As luck would have it, I received a reply, but due to my Lumia’s pathetic grasp of notifications, didn’t find out until much later. Since I missed the toast notification and had no Twitter Live Tile, I was never notified of the mention. It may seem trivial, but that Twitter exchange was a big deal to me and my Lumia let me down!  

That wasn’t the only problem, either. A few days ago, my editor at DT attempted to contact me about a pressing matter and I missed the toast. There were no icons at the top of the screen to alert me and nothing on the lockscreen. There was a small number “1” on the Live Tile way down at the bottom of my homescreen, but I had no reason to scroll down there. My editor was annoyed; I was annoyed; and I knew exactly who to blame.

Microsoft uses the angle of “updates at a glance” a lot when promoting WP8, but has no system to back that claim up. Microsoft claims it “ran out of time” to include a notification center, but Windows Phone has been on the market for two years now and has gone through two major OS updates. If Steve Ballmer and company had time to include a “Kids Corner” why couldn’t they add one of the most essential aspects of a smartphone, especially considering both of WP8′s competitors, Android and iOS, have already implemented it.

My issues don’t end with notifications. Another side to WP8’s puzzling absence of important information is the icons up top that display the time, battery level, connectivity status, and ringer mode. By default only the time is consistently shown, while the other icons require a downward swipe. I understand the logic. Hiding extraneous information keeps things looking clean and helps Microsoft capitalize on screen real estate, but there needs to be an option to turn the hiding off. Only official apps support the downward swipe too, meaning third party apps (including Nokia’s) are incapable of showing the time, battery life, or connectivity. This oversight needs to be addressed and soon. Get it together, Microsoft. Seriously. You’re failing Smartphone 101.

Stay tuned next Monday for the next edition of Life and Tiles, when Andrew begins his dive into Windows 8 and the Lenovo Yoga 13. To catch up, read the entire Life and Tiles of a Windows 8 Convert series.

Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/life-and-tiles-of-a-windows-8-convert-3-the-honeymoon-is-over/

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Happy New Year 2013 and thank you for all the support

The New Year is just around the corner and, as we say goodbye to year 2012, we cannot help but have a look back at all the work we've done.

Thanks to you, our readers, it's been a successful year for us at GSMArena.com. This year you pushed our website up in the list of the Top 400 websites globally (currently at the 389th spot), according to the independent internet statistics Alexa.com. We cannot thank you enough for that.

Overall, this year we churned out more than 1650 news articles, more than 2230 blog posts and a total of 167 reviews.

Our blog has been on the rise, coming up in leaps and bounds in the past 12 months. Our coverage there included regular tech news in all sorts of fields but, most importantly, we've been spicing it up with exclusive features and articles, which you seem to like a lot (such as our regular phone unboxings and battery tests).

We kept expanding our presence on Facebook, already closing in on 300,000 likes (a nearly three-fold increase this year alone).

Our phone reviewing routine saw some changes too. We made the Sunlight legibility test a part of our review routine. We also started doing even more reviews of US-only phones in an effort to be even more helpful to our US friends. Most recently we started our series of articles dedicated to helping you set up your newly purchased smartphone. Android went first, but iOS fans should expect to get the same treatment in the first days of the New Year.

The new year will hopefully be off to a good start too with two of the major industry events just around the corner. In 2013 we will have our second live coverage from the Consumer Electronics Show in the US (starting January 8) and a couple of months later, we'll traditionally report live from the Mobile World Congress (starting February 25).

Once again, thank you so much for your incredible support in 2012, we have some great plans for 2013 and we hope you will stick around to see what we will be up to.

Happy New Year to you and your loved ones, we wish you peace, prosperity and happiness. Cheers!

Image source

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/happy_new_year_2013_and_thank_you_for_all_the_support-news-5268.php

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Samsung Galaxy Note II sales in Korea top 1 million units

Samsung has achieved yet another sales milestone for its Galaxy Note II phablet. After reaching 5 million units sold only two months after its launch, Samsung has also reportedly shifted 1 million devices in Korea alone.

The Samsung Galaxy Note II has achieved the sales milestone three times quicker than its predecessor. Furthermore, given its solid popularity, the second generation of the device is expected to hit the 10 million sales mark worldwide in the next couple of months.

Source | Via

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_note_ii_sales_in_korea_top_1_million_units_-news-5267.php

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The iPhone breathalyzer and 4 more apps for a safer New Year’s Eve

With 2013 almost upon us, we've come up with this handy list of apps for iOS and Android that will help you drink smartly and get home safely after ringing in the New Year.

Whether you’ve had an amazing year or simply can’t wait to see 2012 pass you buy, one thing is for certain: New Year’s Eve is almost upon us, and that means an evening full of adult beverages, Auld Lang Syne playing at midnight, and a morning full of regret after that 10 you went home with turns out to be a two. While we deeply regret not being able help you with the last part, we’d like to see you safely into 2013 all the same. That’s why we’ve come up with this handy list of apps for iOS and Android to ensure you ring in the New Year safely by not drinking and driving.

AlcoDroid (Android: Free) Let’s face it, you’re probably going to drink tonight — a lot. But that doesn’t mean you can’t go about it responsibly. Rather than try to remember what you’ve been knocking back all night, Alcodroid helps keep tabs on exactly what you’ve had. A drinks diary helps you chart your drinks by day, week, or month, and a blood alcohol content reader (BAC) lets you know when you’re over the legal limit based on how much you’ve had to drink. By letting you set up “drink presets” for custom drinks, as well as pin your most frequently consumed drinks to the home screen for quick logging, Alcodroid makes tracking your drinks fast and easy. Think you might be enjoying grandpa’s old cough medicine a bit too much? Alcodroid allows you to setup drinking goals, and not the “how many shots you can down in one night” variety. Instead, users can set weekly limits, say 15-20 in a week, to help chart and change drinking habits.

R-U-Buzzed? (iOS/Android) Free We don’t know, R-U? Not yet, but you will be, and that’s exactly what this free app from Colorado’s Department of Transportation is here to help find out. A blood alcohol level calculator at its core, R-U-Buzzed helps gauge how much of the sweet sauce is in your blood stream. Simply enter your weight, gender, how long you’ve been drinking, and the amount of alcohol consumed. (The app assumes that one drink is equal to 12 fluid ounces of beer, five ounces of wine or 1.5 ounces of hard liquor.) The app then calculates and displays your BAC number and informs you whether or not you’re too intoxicated to drive. A GPS feature marks your current location and helps you locate a cab. While R-U-Buzzed might be made by the fine folks at CDOT, be sure to heed the apps disclaimer: “This blood alcohol concentration (BAC) calculator is only an estimate and is not sufficiently accurate to be considered legal evidence.” Think you had too much? You probably have.

Steer Clear: (iOS/Android) Free So you said you weren’t going to drink tonight, but then gave into sweet temptation. You drove to the bar, but you realize you’re too hammered to drive home. You could call a buddy, but you’re fresh out of favors. You could call a cab, but what about your car? Well, there’s an app for that. StearClear is a personal chauffeur service where you supply the wheels. The app uses your phone’s GPS to locate you’re exact position, and a team of two professional drivers are dispatched to your location, ensuring you get home safe and sound. Payment and tipping is handled entirely through the app, but at present a couple drawbacks exist: StearClear is currently only available in New Jersey, Manhattan, and Pennsylvania, and it isn’t cheap, with a $20 pickup fee and an additional fee of $2 per mile.

Drink Tracker: (iOS) $1.99 Similar to Alcodroid, Drink Tracker helps monitor your BAC, record how many drinks you’ve had, and features a handy one-tap drinks list, which you can customize for fast tracking. Multiple drinkers can track their drinks, with up to three profiles allowed on one device. Users simply input their gender, age, height, and weight, and Drink Tracker will update that user’s BAC level automatically every 60 seconds, even if the app is turned off. A target BAC can be entered, with a countdown timer showing how long until that target is reached. Drink Tracker even adds some social elements with the optional ability to auto tweet when you’ve had a drink. A simple one-button GPS feature called “Outta Here!” will use your current location to give you directions home, find a taxi, or send an SMS or email to friend notifying them of where you need to be picked up.

BreathalEyes (iOS) $0.99 GI Joe said “knowing is half the battle,” and we’re inclined to agree. How many times has a friend stumbled their way out the bar door, keys in hand, determined to drive, and clearly intoxicated, stubbornly trying to convince everyone of their sobriety, while you argue to the contrary. If only they knew how drunk they were, half the battle would be won. Well there is, and it’s called BreathalEyes ($0.99). Using the iPhone’s camera to detect involuntary eye-movements, known in the medical world as Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN), BreathalEyes informs potential drunk drivers when they’ve had one drink too many. BreathalEyes requires a second person (preferably sober) to scan the recipient’s eyes and administer the test, so it won’t work if you’re running solo. Like R-U-Buzzed? BreathalEyes won’t stand up as legal evidence, but rather is intended for entertainment purposes. The app only works within an effective range of 0.02 — 0.18 percent, with (+/-) .02 percent accuracy of BAC levels. Put simply, it’s meant to show your drunk friends that they need to hand over the keys because they’re too intoxicated to drive.

Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/drink-and-be-merry-into-the-new-year-just-dont-drive-with-these-helpful-apps/

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10 biggest gadget let-downs of 2012

The Pentax Optio VS20 is on our sad list

Being a gadget fan can be saddening sometimes. Gadgets you've waited for for years turn out to be less than you expected, or don't turn up at all.

Much-hyped hardware turns out to be merely okay rather than mind-blowingly brilliant.

Developers decide not to bother with a particular platform. Or firms who know better just release something expensive and weird. We saw all of these things and more in 2012 - so here are our nominations for the ten biggest gadget disappointments of the year.

10. Sony PlayStation Vita - great but poorly supported

Do we still need handheld consoles in an era of smartphone gaming? Sony says yes, and its PS Vita is a great bit of gaming kit. Unfortunately, it's also a bit of gaming kit that's screaming out for decent things to play on it: Sony says that third party support has been "surprising and disappointing", and it's definitely affected sales: in August, the PSP was outselling the Vita two to one.

9. Microsoft Surface RT - where are the apps?

Good, but not great - that's the consensus on Microsoft's first tablet, Surface, which shipped without many big-name apps, didn't run very smoothly and was described by us as a "solid tablet", a phrase that doesn't exactly make the heart sing. Maybe it just took too long between the announcement and the shipping date, or maybe Microsoft overhyped it a teensy-weensy little bit.

8. Google Nexus 4 - supply delays

We like the Nexus 4 a lot, and so do you - and that's unfortunate, because Google's really been struggling to get them out the door, disappointing scores of Nexus-crazed phone fans. Google has apologised for the delays, but it says that "supplies from the manufacturer are scarce and erratic".

7. Apple iPad mini - old tech sold as new?

To some, the iPad mini is a triumph, the full iPad experience in a package that's smaller, more elegant and a lot more affordable. To many others it's a massive step backwards, an old, non-Retina iPad crammed into a new box because Apple's ran out of ideas and needed something to battle Amazon and Google (but for more money). For the latter camp, it's the iPad meh-ni.

6. Apple EarPods - not that good

As we explained back in September, "In its unending search for perfection, Apple has decided to completely redesign its iconic white earbuds." Shame it didn't bother listening to them. The new earbuds are better than the old ones, but that isn't saying much: they're only worth getting "if sound quality is not something you are bothered about."

5. Pentax Optio VS20 - hit and miss

Imagine if a camera had not one, but two shutter buttons - and two zoom levers, and two tripod attachment screws. Now imagine that the rest of the camera was hopeless. Congratulations! You've imagined the Optio VS20, which delivers "hit and miss" picture performance, "occasional white balance issues, an inability to determine what it should be focusing on, and familiar compact camera bugbears". Apart from that, it's brilliant.

4. Nokia Lumia 900 - teething troubles

To gain significant sales in the massive and massively competitive US smartphone market, you need something truly astonishing. For all its joys, the Lumia 900 wasn't it. It's not a bad phone by any means, but we could probably name everyone in America who bought one - and initial teething troubles, traced to "a memory management issue", didn't help. Nokia's big US comeback turned out to be a rather damp squib.

3. BlackBerry 10 - still waiting

At least you could buy a Lumia, which is more than you could say about BlackBerry's long-awaited BB10, first announced in 2011 for a late-2012 release. In June, BlackBerry admitted that the new OS was taking a bit longer than expected, and that BB10 wouldn't now ship until 2013.

2. Apple iPhone 5 - a bit longer

The original iPhone transformed smartphones. The iPhone 5 was like its predecessor, but slightly longer. You can see why many people were disappointed: for all its clever engineering the iPhone 5 wasn't a great technological leap forward. That and the maps fiasco unseated the iPhone from its position as the world's best smartphone.

1. Nexus Q - explain please?

We're not entirely convinced that "the world's first social streaming media player" is dead, but the Nexus Q certainly pretended to be for most of 2012. After a glitzy launch it soon dawned on the world that Google expected people to pay huge sums for something that could only stream content from Google Play and YouTube, and which only worked with Jelly Bean devices. The initial reaction - "it's a ball!" - quickly became "it's balls!"

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/world-of-tech/10-biggest-gadget-let-downs-of-2012-1120773

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New York MTA launches subway app with real-time train arrival info (for some lines)

A new iPhone app launched over the weekend by New York's MTA allows passengers to see precisely when their next train will be arriving, allowing them to better plan their journey and minimize the time spent waiting on the station platform. However, it currently covers only 156 stations along seven lines.

New Yorkers can now plan their subway journeys in a way that’ll allow them to minimize the amount of time they spend on the platform, so on a sweltering hot summer day they’ll be able to make their way from air-conditioned coffee shop to air-conditioned subway car without breaking a sweat – in theory, at least.

It’s been made possible by the Mass Transit Authority’s launch of its new (beta) Subway Time app for iOS devices that enables users to see the minute-by-minute arrival times of trains before heading into the subterranean depths of the sprawling network.

MTA chairman and CEO Joseph J. Lhota spoke of the new app in somewhat grandiose terms, despite the fact that it currently only covers lines 1 through 6 (as well as the S 42nd Street Shuttle) – that means information is only available for 156 of the network’s 468 stations.

“Today is the day that generations of dreamers and futurists have waited for. The ability to get subway arrival time at street level is here.” Lhota said in a release 0ver the weekend.

He continued, “The days of rushing to a subway station only to find yourself waiting motionless in a state of uncertainty are coming to an end. Now, you can know from the comfort of your home or office whether to hasten to the station, or grab a cup of coffee as part of a leisurely walk.”

The MTA said it is providing a free live stream of all arrival-time data to third-party developers “who can develop innovative ways of using that information to better serve customers on a variety of devices,” so expect an Android version before too long.

In fact, looking at its clunky interface (it’s not even optimized for the iPhone 5’s display so has black bars top and bottom) and lack of station coverage, it’s pretty obvious the MTA just wanted to launch something, anything, to get the word out about the free live stream data, encouraging other developers to put in the graft and come up with something altogether more pleasing to use.

2.5 stars

At the time of writing, the app has an average 2.5-star rating in the app store. “Come on guys, hire some talent and get it right first time,” writes one user in the review section.

“Laughable. Worst app design/usability experience you’ll probably ever see,” says another.

Among the mostly one- and two-star reviews, there were a few users looking at the offering a little more positively. “This app has a ton of potential,” said one reviewer who gave it a generous five stars. “Very good introductory release. Also nice to see the MTA working on something innovative.”

Used Subway Time? What do you make of it?

Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/new-york-mta-launches-subway-app-with-real-time-train-arrival-info/

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Gear of the year: TechRadar's top tech from 2012

Every Best in Class product from 2012

I've been the reviews editor on TechRadar for a few years now but I don't think I can remember a year quite as exciting as 2012. I think it's been one of the greatest years in consumer tech we've ever seen. It may even be the greatest.

That might sound like hyperbole but think about it for a second there, internet, and you'll see that it's true - for the consumer tech enthusiast, 2012 has been a solid stream of uninterrupted success.

The smartphone market is more exciting and innovative today than it has ever been in its history. There are excellent products at all price ranges instead of just right at the very top. We've got Ultra HD, Smart and 3D TVs breaking through televisual barriers we didn't even know existed a few years ago.

Ultrabooks and Macbooks are pushing mobile computing into a new age of super-slim and super-awesome.

Buying Guide

25 best laptops in the world

We've finally got access to decent Android tablets for well under £200/$200. Cameras are now internet connected and run Android apps for quick-sharing of your snaps. Windows 8 is ushering in a new age of touchscreen computers of all shapes and sizes.

And while many of the biggest tech companies on the planet are struggling financially, as far as the products go we're in the richest age of technological life-enhancement since 1950s America.

So to celebrate that, here's a list of all the best gear we've tested this year. All best in class products in all our major channels - ladies and gents, we give you: the class of 2012.

Samsung Galaxy S3

Best in class: Smartphone
Released: July 2012

The Samsung Galaxy S3 is the best smartphone on the planet. There are those that will take issue with that statement and point feverishly at an iPhone 5 or hoist an HTC One X up the flagpole of futility, but the S3 has topped our list of best phones for a while now and it's going to take something very special to topple it. It's got every kind of feature we could ask for and more, and raises the bar in terms of what consumers should be expecting from battery life, processor speed and media management. It's simply the best.

Read: Samsung Galaxy S3 review

Orange San Diego

Best in class: Budget phone
Released: June 2012

The Orange San Diego has got Intel inside. Dong! Dong ding dong ding! It's not the biggest, fastest or cheapest phone out there, but it is a well-featured performer at an excellent price point. Intel is a name you're going to see more and more in the world of mobile, with 2013 and 2014 very important years on its roadmap. But despite this being the first Intel phone to go on sale in Europe, it's still excellent. So if you're looking at the more pricey Nokia Lumia 800, Sony Xperia P or even HTC One S then it is worth checking out the San Diego and possibly sparing yourself some cash.

Read: Orange San Diego review

Apple iPad mini

Best in class: Tablet
Released: November 2012

You didn't see this one coming, did you? OK, if you've read Gareth's iPad mini review you probably did see it coming. And if you're half asleep and not with us: we've named an iPad as the best tablet, but it's not the iPad 4, it's the smaller, less powerful, non-Retina iPad mini. Yeah. Wahh? Well it's because we reckon the iPad mini really does add an extra dimension to the iOS world and the slim size and lightness are much bigger benefits than many would give them credit for. It offers better value for money, sits more pleasantly in the hand and can handle all the tasks you want many times better than you'd expect. It's a more versatile product and offers a better compromise between performance, price and portability than any iPad to date.

Read: iPad mini review

Google Nexus 7

Best in class: Budget tablet
Released: September 2012

The affordable seven-incher really came of age in 2012, and alongside the iPad mini above, Google's Nexus 7 leads the line. It's major competitors are Amazon Kindle Fire HD and the Nook HD as similarly priced budget Android options. But the Nexus 7 rules the roost. It offers lovely stock Android Jelly Bean, a decent display and responsive control. And what's more, you're not trapped inside a shop window like you are with the Amazon/B&N options. If you're after a 7-inch Android tablet, there really is only one option and it's the Google Nexus 7.

Read: Google Nexus 7 review

Dell XPS 13

Best in class: Ultrabook
Released: March 2012

We fancy the Dell XPS 13. It's very good looking indeed and there is no better Ultrabook out there right now, and it's not cheap. But if you're looking for a bitch-ass Windows 8 laptop to kick lumps out of a MacBook Pro, this badboy's your huckleberry. It packs Core i5/i7 CPU, 4GB memory, 256GB SSD. And despite the 13-inch display, the footprint of this thing is actually similar to an 11-inch laptop so we reckon you'll be surprised at how compact the chassis actually is. Of course, it's not touchscreen, which might be cause for concern. 2013 is going to be a year absolutely jam packed full of touchscreen Windows 8 devices, so there's some food for thought if you're wondering whether now is the time to upgrade.

Read: Dell XPS 13 review

HP Pavilion G6

Best in class: Mainstream laptop
Released: July 2012

As budget laptops go, there are plenty of products we could pick as a favourite. But we've gone for the HP G6 for its all-round performance and generous price. You get a decent CPU and dedicated AMD graphics power which means it'll see you through most computing tasks with competence. Unlike Intel based laptops, the on-board graphics combine with the dedicated card to create a dual graphics setup, and this really helps in Windows, when photo editing, and on the web. The only drawback here is in build quality. It may be a meaty machine on the inside, but on the outside it's a bit of an ugly duckling.

Read: HP Pavilion G6 review

Fuji FinePix X10

Best in class: Compact camera
Released: October 2012

The Fuji X10 is our favourite compact camera of the year and absolutely deserves the honour of being named Best in Class. Just as it did with the FinePix X100, Fuji managed to make a camera in the X10 that not only looks the part, but delivers on image quality and handling too. The well-constructed metal body is robust, easy to use and looks very smart. Image quality is as good as any high-end compact camera can deliver at the moment, especially if the EXR modes are used to their strengths, though the zoom is limited and battery life is a little short if we're being picky. It's a little pricey, but it's worth every penny.

Read:Fuji X10 review

Nikon D800

Best in class: DSLR
Released: March 2012

For those interested in stepping up to a full-frame camera, the D800 represents a cracking investment. You get pretty much all of the best features of the Nikon D4 in a more compact and lighter body, with a much higher pixel count for just shy of half of the price. You'll find that the D800 isn't just a triumph of numbers and that the 35.3MP sensor actually delivers on its promise – capturing bags of detail. The surprise bonus is that noise is very well controlled and the dynamic range is very impressive indeed.

Read:Nikon D800 review

Panasonic Lumix G5

Best in class: Compact System Camera
Released: July 2012

We had to include a CSC in our list, and featuring a newly designed 16 million pixel digital sensor and the latest Venus Engine VII processor, Panasonic's G5 delivers images which are cleaner and freer of noise than we've seen before on a G series camera. Purchasing the camera as a twin lens kit, with the new ultra-portable 45-150mm lens would arguably make this the ultimate holiday combination.

Read: Panasonic G5 review

Sony Bravia HX853

Best in class: 3D TV
Released: May 2012

There really isn't any overstating the potential importance of the KDL-46HX853 to Sony right now. For in one single leap its stunning picture performance takes the struggling Japanese giant from near-zero to all-conquering hero - an achievement made all the more remarkable when you consider that this outstanding TV is being delivered at a more aggressive price than the usually ultra-competitive Korean brands are offering on their range equivalents. To sum all this up, with the KDL-46HX853 Sony isn't just back, it's back with a vengeance. It's the best TV of the year.

Read: Sony KDL-46HX853 review

iPod touch 5th Generation

Best in class: Portable media player
Released: November 2012

It's been a couple of years since we saw a new iPod touch and it was worth the wait. The new iPod touch 5th Generation has the same 4-inch 16:9 Retina Display as the iPhone 5 so as you'd imagine it's stunning and delicious. With its bigger display and new iSight camera it's certainly the best iPod touch ever. There's simply nothing else out there that comes close to the iPod touch. Nothing.

Read:iPod touch 5th Generation review

TomTom Start 60

Best in class: Sat nav
Released: June 2012

The TomTom Start 60 Europe is easily one of the best sat navs we've reviewed. The large screen, clear navigation and accuracy of the maps makes it a joy to use. The voice navigation, complete with spoken street names, is calm and clear, and it's easy to switch to a different voice if you're not happy. It's also available for a decent price. You just need to work out if you need any LIVE features like traffic and speed cameras - those things aren't available here.

Read: TomTom Start 60 review

AMD Radeon HD 7870

Best in class: Graphics card
Released: March 2012

It's not the most powerful graphics card out there by any means. But what the HD 7870 does do is offer the perfect balance of power between sheer grunt and price. When we first reviewed it, we gave it 4/5 because it was a little expensive. Six months later though, the price has come down £100 and at around £150 it offers dazzling value for money. It'll play any top PC game on high settings at any resolution, and costs a fraction of the amount you'd pay for some of the other cards out there. For gamers on a midrange budget, this is the card to pick up this Christmas.

Read:AMD Radeon HD 7870 review

Panasonic DMP-BDT320

Best in class: Blu-ray player
Released: March 2012

Stuffed with techy toys integrated into the Wi-Fi-powered Viera Connect service, the Panasonic DMP-BDT320 handles a plethora of digital files and indulges - albeit in a somewhat muddy manner - in DLNA home networking. A super-slim Blu-ray player that needs only Wi-Fi to perform a host of tricks, the Panasonic DMP-BDT320 boasts excellent 2D and 3D Blu-ray coupled with reference-level DVD upscaling. This makes for a deck that has few flaws. Whether or not the inclusion of a trackpad-style remote control makes this slightly slimmer deck a worthy upgrade from its little brother, the DMP-BDT220, is doubtful. But as a standalone Blu-ray proposition, the Panasonic DMP-BDT320 is a top-notch all-rounder that oozes class.

Read: Panasonic DMP-BDT320 review

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/world-of-tech/gear-of-the-year-techradars-top-tech-from-2012-1117357

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