Monday, November 5, 2012

Mom uses BlackBerry to write novel – no ‘BlackBerry thumb’ reported

You'd think that writing a book day and night on a BlackBerry smartphone would eventually render your thumbs useless, but a woman from London has done just that, and now her novel is selling on Amazon.

If you were going to write a book, the chances are you’d sit yourself in front of a full-size keyboard connected to a full-size computer screen before you embarked on your full-size project. Not so Brit Georgina Campbell.

She bashed out a 55,600-word book on, of all things, her BlackBerry smartphone. The 41-year-old Londoner said the idea to put thumb to keyboard came about after watching the 2011 sci-fi movie Attack the Block. While daughter Lorra loved it, Georgina thought it was abysmal and so bet Lorra she could write something better. It was then she grabbed her writing tool of choice and started work on her novel.

In an interview with the Daily Mail, Georgina said it took four months to complete the gritty tale of a group of girls growing up in inner-city London, writing it entirely on the phone’s native MemoPad app.

“When I started writing the book I would normally do it after a 12-hour shift at work and it would be a breeze – I loved it and wrote through the night,” she told the Mail. “It was almost like a holiday – I’d just sit down and start typing the book out on my BlackBerry using my two thumbs.”

Georgina said the phone was the ideal writing tool simply because it was with her all the time. “I was writing on the train, on breaks at work, waiting for a bus, having a bath, when I was walking around – anywhere. It completely took over my life – all I thought about morning to night was writing the book.” Four months after tapping out the first word, The Kickdown Girls made it  to Amazon.

Possibly the most remarkable part of the story, however, is that despite her round-the-clock commitment, her thumbs are still fully operational instead of finishing up as mere worn-down stumps; she didn’t even develop BlackBerry thumb, the repetitive strain injury linked to excessive use of the physical keyboard so beloved by BlackBerry users.

Whether Georgina’s work is better than the script of Attack the Block is something for readers to decide, though at the time of writing the publication is languishing at 257,164 in Amazon’s book chart and has no reader reviews.


Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/mom-uses-blackberry-to-write-novel-no-blackberry-thumb-reported/

What! Windows RT hogs 16GB of Microsoft’s 32GB Surface tablet

surface rt tablet microsoft

We originally thought Microsoft was being generous with 32GB storage standard for the Surface RT, but it turns out only 16GB of that is available to users. The rest of the storage is taken up by Windows RT and Microsoft Office.

If you thought a $500 Microsoft Surface RT with 32GB of storage was too good to be true (compared to the iPad’s 16GB for the same price) then we’re here to say you’re right. If that was your dream then you may want to start amassing memory cards because Microsoft had to use half of that 32GB for Windows RT, Microsoft Office, and other software.

Microsoft broke the news in a new post titled, “Surface disk space FAQ”, outlining exactly how much space on the Surface RT is available for apps, music, videos, and photos. According to the FAQ, the 32GB version has 16GB of free space and the 64GB version will have 46GB free. We are hoping this isn’t a universal issue for all Windows RT devices, but keep it in mind next time you read about a Windows RT device with an attractive storage size.

Another part of the FAQ explains that 32GB is actually 29GB when using it in the real world. Silly us for trusting the quoted storage sizes. Here’s the official explanation:

The advertised local disk size is shown using the decimal system, while Windows displays the disk size using the binary system. As a result, 1 GB (in decimal) appears as about 0.93 GB (in binary). The storage capacity is the same, it’s just shown differently depending on the how you measure a GB (decimal or binary).

At least Microsoft was kind enough to feature expandable memory through microSD cards that can hold up to 64GB of extra data. There’s also a standard USB port if you are in need of something in the terabyte range for a massive media collection.

Still, Microsoft routinely boasts that the Surface has double 16GB of storage when only 16GB is available to users. Windows RT has enough uncertainty surrounding it with its basically useless classic desktop and nearly empty app store. It doesn’t need this storage drama added to the mix. The Microsoft engineer quoted last month saying Surface RT users would have 20GB of space available only makes things more uneasy.

With iOS and Android optimized for mobile storage sizes, we kind of expected Windows RT to be relatively svelte in terms of gigabytes. It wouldn’t be surprising if Microsoft addressed the size of Windows RT in a future update. Perhaps it will prune it down as time passes and eventually — fingers crossed — phase out the legacy features and classic desktop altogether.

What do you think of Microsoft’s misstep? Is expandable memory enough to make up for less internal storage?


Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/windows-rt-hogs-16gb-of-32gb-microsoft-surface/

Android tablet sales explode, but iPad holds firm

best upcoming tablets

A new report by research firm IDC says that tablet sales are growing immensely, but most of that growth is by devices running Google's Android operating system.

The market research firm International Data Group (IDC) today announced its latest findings in the market trends and performance for worldwide tablet sales, and while it’s looking good for all of the top manufacturers, Apple’s beginning to show some slip in its market share control.

The firm released data showing, after a strong Q2 performance in the tablet realm, that the iPad manufacturer was beginning to slip in market share, falling to about 50 percent of all tablet sales for Q3, down from an impressive nearly 66 percent market share in Q2. Despite this apparent loss in market share, Apple still sold 14 million tablets in Q3, while its nearest competition (Samsung) sold just 5 million. In the bigger picture, Apple is actually selling more tablets, the problem is that it’s selling these tablets up against a roaring amount of competition composed of Samsung, Amazon, HTC, and now Microsoft — which spells trouble for its Q4 market share.

The IDC also drew a comparison in Q3 performance this year with that of 2011, and that’s where the numbers get startling. While Apple’s sales have grown by about 26 percent, Samsung’s have grown by an impressive 325 percent, and Asus by 242 percent. Apple’s top dog position won’t remain if it can’t slow down competitors’ momentum. In one such attempt to stop this momentum, Apple launched the iPad Mini and iPad 4, which sold 3 million in their first weekend alone.

Despite the momentum of the Apple iPad Mini, it seems that Apple cannot change the fact it’s competing against dozens of other companies who continue to refine and build upon their own mobile user experiences. They will do everything in their power to nibble away at the iPad market share. While lawsuits have been one route to settle this, the fact remains that Apple couldn’t have certainly expected its huge, 60-70 percent market share to last much longer.

At the end of the day, we’ve seen this coming. The introduction of two more tablets today alone only confirms it. The tablet market is exploding. That means that there will be plenty of competitors coming over the next few years, and they’ll all be doing whatever they can to have a piece of the multi-billion dollar pie. While Apple is far from hurting now, the IDC’s reports are just a taste of what’s to come.

 

Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/idc-reports-android-market-share-growing-apples-dwindling/

Nokia Lumia 920 review

Nokia Lumia 920 review

The Nokia Lumua 920 is the flagship handset from the Finnish firm, but it's no longer Microsoft's darling device, with the HTC 8X selected as the signature Windows Phone 8 handset.

That said the Lumia 920 is the most featured packed of the initial Windows Phone 8 line up, as Nokia looks to regain its dominance in the WP market and ride the new OS wave to success.

With its impressive spec sheet it's no surprise the Lumia 920 comes at a price, available exclusively for now on EE in the UK from £36 per month and £129.99 upfront, but you'll only get 500MB of data, SIM-free prices are expected to be around £450.

Nokia Lumia 920 review

In the US AT&T is the exclusive carrier, offering the Lumia 920 for £149.99 upfront on a two year contract, while SIM-only prices are expected to settle around the $600 mark.

The handset itself follows on from the design of the Nokia Lumia 800 and Lumia 900, the latter of which is the natural predecessor of the Lumia 920, offering up the Finn's big-screen Windows Phone experience.

Nokia Lumia 920 review

Front on you'll be hard pushed to tell the difference between the Lumia 920 and Lumia 900, however the newer handset has a smaller bezel above the screen, but a larger one below it.

It's a strange decision and if we're honest the additional space below the three touch buttons; back, Windows and search, seems a little unnecessary - reminiscent of the Motorola Razr.

Nokia Lumia 920 review

The Lumia 920 is pretty big as far a smartphones go these days measuring 130.3 x 70.8 x 10.7 mm, with the unibodied polycarbonate chassis providing a sturdy, premium finish – however its weight is noticeable.

Tipping the scales at 185g the Nokia Lumia 920 is unmistakably heavy, especially if you're coming from the 112g iPhone 5 or 133g Samsung Galaxy S3.

Nokia Lumia 920 review

And while the weight may be a shock to start with we did become accustomed to it, and after a few days use it was honestly no longer a real issue – however those with smaller palms may still find it a bit of a struggle.

The rounded sides of the Lumia 920 make for a smooth, comfortable hold, as long as your hand is big enough to wrap round the handset, and with the physical keys all located on the right hand side, they're relatively easy to hit.

Nokia Lumia 920 review

On the right there's the volume rocker switch, followed by the power/lock in the centre and a physical camera shutter button towards the base – a rarity among smartphones these days, but something Windows Phone handsets tend to stick with.

The main feature on the front of the Nokia Lumia 920 is the 4.5-inch IPS TFT screen, which provides a crisp, bright display offering up an HD resolution of 768x1280.

It's not quite as large as the 4.7-inch display on the HTC One X+ or the 4.8-inch Galaxy S3, but it is the biggest Windows Phone 8 handset currently on offer, with the Windows Phone 8X clocking in at 4.3-inches.

Nokia Lumia 920 review

On top there's a centralised 3.5mm jack, which Nokia claims makes it easier to slide into your pocket when you have headphones plugged in, next to a microSIM tray which requires a little tool included in the box to pop open.

The presence of the SIM slot reveals there's no access to the 2,000mAh battery housed inside the Lumia 920, plus there's no SD slot to expand on the 32GB of internal storage.

The left side of the Lumia 920 is an uninterrupted slice of polycarbonate allowing you to marvel and the beautifully curved edge.

Nokia Lumia 920 review

On the bottom you have a microUSB port flanked by a couple of speaker grills and two exposed rivets, similar to the ones on the base of the Google Nexus 4 and down the sides of the Motorola Razr i.

Place the Lumia 920 face down and it becomes even more difficult to differentiate it from the Lumia 900, with the centralised 8MP camera lens, sliver plate surround and dual LED flash the only features on the back.

The only clue that this is a different handset is the word Nokia in large text on the sliver plate, instead of Carl Ziess on the previous model, which has now been relegated to a smaller font next to the firm's name.

Nokia Lumia 920 review

The matte black finish on our review model completes the minimalist industrial design, however the Lumia 920 is also available in grey, white, red and yellow which sport a glossy finish which we reckon looks a bit cheap.

As long as you can get over the size and weight of the Nokia Lumia 920 - we did after a few days - you'll find it's a robust device which certainly feels premium in the hand, with possibly only the iPhone 5 feeling classier.


Source : http://www.techradar.com/reviews/phones/mobile-phones/nokia-lumia-920-1094960/review

Samsung Galaxy S3 vs LG Optimus G spec showdown: Longtime rivals duke it out

Galaxy S3 vs Optimus G spec comparison

Samsung is currently enjoying its spot atop the Android market with its Galaxy S3. But no crown is safe from a good challenge, and LG is looking to provide one with the Optimus G. Can sheer power push LG's handset past Samsung's current king?

Samsung’s Galaxy S3 has managed to make itself the go-to phone when people look for an Android handset. Making its way up the sales charts on the back of its gorgeous Super AMOLED display, impressive processing power, and solid reputation of its predecessors, the Galaxy S3 snagged a top spot for Android-powered handsets right out of the gate. In a market marked by tons of competition though, there is someone vying for the throne. LG, Samsung’s South Korean rival, is hoping its Optimus G is capable of doing just that. With 2GB RAM and processor speed that matches the Galaxy S3′s offering and an HD screen of its own with the True HD IPS Plus Display, LG is making quite the case for itself. Take a look at how all the intangibles add up and see which phone best fits your needs.

Read our full reviews of the Samsung Galaxy S3 and the LG Optimus G for a more in-depth look at each option.

 

Galaxy S3

galaxy s3

LG Optimus G

LG Optimus G

Price
$200/$300 (with contract) $200/$300 (SIM-free)
Availability AT&T, Sprint, T-Mob, Verizon AT&T, Sprint
OS  Android 4.0.1 Touchwiz UX/US  Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) 
Processor  Exynos 4412 (Quad-core)  Snapdragon S4 Pro (Quad-core)
RAM 2GB 2GB
Display  4.8″ Super AMOLED  4.7″ IPS LCD
Resolution  1280×720 pixels 1280×768 pixels
Dimensions (WxDxH)  5.38″ x 2.78″ x 0.34″  5.19″ x 2.71″ x 0.33″ 
Weight 4.69 oz 5.11 oz
4G LTE  Yes  Yes
NFC  Yes  Yes 
Wi-Fi  802.11 b/g/n (dual-band) 802.11 b/g/n (dual-band) 
Rear-facing camera  8 megapixels 13MP Sprint, 8MP on AT&T 
Front-facing camera  1.9 megapixels 1.3 megapixels
Video capabilities  1080p recording  1080p recording 
Internal storage  16/32GB  32GB Sprint, 16GB AT&T 
SD card slot  Yes (up to 64GB)  Yes (up to 64GB)
Max. battery life  11 hours (2100mAh battery)  10 hours (2100mAh battery)

What it means: LG clearly has a contender when it comes to the numbers. But with any boxing match, the tale of the tape only tells so much. You’d be best served taking each phone in hand and playing around with the UI. Both phones run on a modified version of Android 4.0, and those tweaks may be a deciding factor for you in one feels more natural than the other. You may also want to consider your carrier, because the Optimus G base model comes with a 13-megapixel rear-facing camera, but AT&T has neutered the device and dropped it to a standard 8-megapixel camera. The Optimus G ups the ante on the processor, jumping to a quad-core compared to the Galaxy S3′s dual-core. However, Samsung’s offering has the benefit of a sizable market share and some impressive NFC features that only work if two people have Samsung phones. If sheer power is your biggest sales point, consider the Optimus G, but if features outweigh numbers on your scale, the Galaxy S3 may be the way to go.


Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/samsung-galaxy-s3-vs-lg-optimus-g/

Samsung to reveal 'radical brand makeover' at CES 2013?

Samsung to reveal 'radical brand makeover' at CES 2013?
New look Samsung coming at CES?

Samsung will unveil an entirely new brand image at the Consumer Electronics Show in January, according to reports.

According to the report from Australia's Channel News, Samsung is looking for a "complete new look" that will rival Apple's iconic and "vibrant" international brand image.

The Aussies have word that Samsung has enlisted the help of a design team that has previously worked with Nike on a host of branding initiatives.

The man said to be heading up the project is Scott Bedbury, a freelance brand consultant who has also worked with Starbucks.

Global powerhouse

According to the report, any would seek to reflect Samsung's success in moving from an Asian brand to the global powerhouse we see today.

"Even the advertising will change with products linked to lifestyle activities similar to what Nike does" said a Channel News source.

Whether the report has merit or not remains to be seen but CES in Las Vegas in January would be a great time to start afresh.

The eyes of the world are trained on the Las Vegas Convention Centre and it would certainly allow Samsung to throw down a marker and signal its intentions for the year ahead.


Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/world-of-tech/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/mobile-computing/tablets/samsung-to-reveal-radical-brand-makeover-at-ces-2013-1110248

Microsoft killing Windows Live Messenger, will replace it with Skype

Microsoft is reportedly putting Windows Live Messenger to rest, and replacing the messaging client with Skype.

We got a first glimpse of Microsoft’s plans for their $8.5 billion purchase of Skype late last month when Microsoft enabled Facebook, Hotmail, and Windows Live logins through Skype. Now The Verge has caught wind from his sources that Microsoft may be taking this a step further by replacing Windows Live Messenger with Skype altogether.

The announcement that Windows Live Messenger will be put to rest after thirteen years since its founding, first introduced as MSN Messenger in 1999, may come as early as this week. The report adds that Windows Live Messenger’s backend is slowly being integrated into Skype, which means that the only change for existing Windows Live users is that they’ll have to login through Skype’s client.

Skype has already been married into Windows 8 as a default native app to the Microsoft operating system, and Microsoft is free to do with Skype as it wishes — so the decision makes sense. The news of Windows Live Messenger’s retirement however isn’t official just yet and users have yet to be notified of Microsoft’s intentions, so as for the answer to how tightly integrated Skype will be with Microsoft’s products, we’ll have to update you once we hear back from a spokesperson.

Windows Live Messenger has been in use by 300 million users per month in 2010, although we suspect that number has dwindled due to new competition Google Talk and Hangouts, Facebook Messenger, and of course the many mobile messaging apps on the market today. Skype’s CEO, Tony Bates revealed the latest figures show it had 250 million monthly users in May of this year.

Skype has been subject to a number of face lifts as of late. We’ve been content with the majority of the updates, but there have been just a couple of caveats. For instance all of the cross-platform integration means the Skype contact list is consequently flooded with friends, so users are either left to clean up with lists, deal with it, or forego using the new login integrations altogether. 

But the pros outweigh the cons. Messaging Facebook and Live Messenger friends on the Skype client is admittedly a far better experience. Skype acts as a prompt to video call friends you otherwise might not using Facebook. 

Pushing Windows Live Messenger clearly wasn’t in the forefront of Microsoft’s mind with the service since it’s Skype acquisition. With a robust messaging and video calling service like Skype, Microsoft has room to offer more comprehensive monetization strategies, like its conversation ads rolled out in June, as it doubles up Skype’s user base with existing Messenger users.


Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/say-good-bye-to-windows-live-messenger-and-hello-to-skype-messenger/

How to maximize your iPhone’s battery life

iPhone Battery Large

Get the most out of your iPhone battery by following these steps, which should see you return the phone to it's charger less often.

It’s one of those first-world problems that we’re all trying to solve: How to make the battery on our iPhone last just that little while longer. Thanks to Apple’s wisdom, we can’t pull the battery and replace it with a fully charged one, so we have to examine our usage and the phone’s activities to extend the amount of time between charges.

The basics

Battery life can be increased just by familiarizing yourself with the Settings menu and toggling a few switches, some of which are fairly obvious, while others not so. Let’s get started: Open the Settings menu, and pay close attention.

  • Wi-Fi: This one is an easy one: If you don’t need it or are using 3G/4G, then turn off Wi-Fi. The convenience of not having to switch it on and off isn’t a fair trade for the power it uses while searching for networks.
  • Bluetooth: Another obvious one, but leaving Bluetooth on when you aren’t using it causes considerable battery drain.
  • Location Services: This one needs some consideration, as some apps — Maps for example — require location services to be active, so you may want to explore the Location Services menu (found under Privacy in iOS 6) and only turn off those you don’t use on a regular basis. For example, does IMDb and Ocarina really need to know where you are?
  • Time Zone: While you’re digging about in the Privacy menu, scroll down and tap System Services, where you’ll find a range of options including the chance to turn off automatic time-zone changes. In iOS 5 this was found to be a power hog, so if you don’t need it, turn it off. In fact, while you’re there, turn off Location-based iAds and Diagnostics too.
  • Push: Whether it’s Push emails or Push notifications, your phone will be chatting to the network on a regular basis with both activated, and therefore using precious power. Email accounts can be individually set up for Push data, so switch off those that you don’t always need to check, or if you’re serious about saving battery power, turn them all to “manual.” You’ll find these options under Settings, Mail/Contacts/Calendars and Fetch New Data. For notifications, there’s an entire menu dedicated to them in iOS 6, and each app that offers Push notifications can be activated or crucially, deactivated. Like Push emails, if you’re serious about your iPhone’s battery, turn all but the essentials off.
  • Brightness: Turn Auto-Brightness on, but at the same time drag the brightness slider down as low as you dare. This will save significant energy.

iPhone App TrayIntermediate level

By managing Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Push, and the brightness of your iPhone’s screen, you’re well on your way to a longer lasting battery. But if you want more, then you’ll want to try these suggestions, although the effect won’t be as great as those described above.

  • Manually Close Apps: This is a controversial one, as Apple will tell you that apps living in the app tray are in stasis, and shouldn’t drain your battery at all. Possibly, but many users will know certain apps still draw power when in this state. So, double tap the Home button, hold down an icon to enter “jiggly” mode, and close everything using the little “x.”
  • Siri: If you never ask Siri a question, shut her down under the Settings menu. She doesn’t do much unless you ask her something, but one less active feature can only be a good thing.
  • Screen Lock: Make sure your phone locks itself — which turns off the screen — after one minute. The less time it’s idle with the screen on, the better. Do this under Settings, General, and Auto-Lock.
  • iCloud: This works in a similar way to Push, where data is being transmitted from your phone to Apple’s servers in the background. If you don’t need to back up to iCloud, turn it off under iCloud in the Settings menu. You can also individually select what’s backed up too, and the fewer there are, the less time it takes. Plus, there’s the added benefit of using less iCloud storage space too.

For the hardcore among you

So, you’ve done all that you can, but the charger still beckons. Then it’s time to get serious. If you want your battery to last, really last; then sacrifices need to be made.

  • Cellular Data: No arguing, if you don’t need it, head to Settings, General then Cellular and turn it off. If calls are unimportant, putting the iPhone into Airplane mode will really stretch the battery’s life too. You’ll just be left holding the equivalent of an iPod Touch.
  • External Battery Packs: You may not be able to change the battery, but you can add a battery to the iPhone instead. There are many long-life battery packs available — mostly using the 30-pin connector, but that will change over time — where you sacrifice size and weight in return for a heavy duty battery case plugged into your slim and light iPhone.

Finally, if you want the best from your battery; look after it. Regular charging patterns are good for phone batteries, and continually having it at 10-percent and only charging it halfway will shorten its lifespan, and provide poor performance. Modern Li-ion batteries may not have the same issues as older Ni-cad cells, but that doesn’t mean they don’t respond to proper treatment.


Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/maximize-iphone-battery-life/

US pricing of unlocked iPhone 5 shows up on Apple's website

Pricing of the factory unlocked Apple iPhone 5 in the US has surfaced on the company's website.

While not officially announced, AppleInsider has discovered that entering the search query "iPhone 5 factory unlocked" reveals the pricing of the device. Contract-free the 16 GB iPhone 5 will set you back $649, while the 32 GB and 64 GB will retail for $749 and $849, respectively.

Prices haven't changed at all compared to the way Apple priced the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S in the US.

In Europe, however, it's a different story. In the UK in particular, a factory unlocked 16 GB iPhone 5 retails for £529, whereas the 16GB version of the iPhone 4S started at £499. Prices for the 32 GB and 64 GB variants remain the same as last year.

Source | Via


Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/us_pricing_of_factory_unlocked_iphone_5_shows_up_on_apples_website-news-5044.php

Samsung Ativ and Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 coming to AT&T Nov. 9

Samsung and AT&T announce the Ativ and Galaxy Tab 2 for a November 9 release, bringing new Android and Windows 8 devices to the carrier this week.

If you were planning to buy a tablet this holiday season, rest assured you’ll have plenty of variety to choose from when you head to the stores on Black Friday. Today AT&T has announced two more tablets to hit stores on November 9: The Windows smart PC Samsung Ativ, and latest member of the Android-powered Galaxy family, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1. The Samsung Ativ will retail for about $8o0, and the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 will cost about $500 — neither of which require a contract for purchase. 

The Samsung Ativ comes as the first of Microsoft’s beefier Windows 8 tablets to hit the market in contrast to its Windows 8 RT tablets released late in October. The tablet features an included clamshell keyboard for high-speed typing when you need it, and a multi-touch display to take full advantage of the Windows 8 UI experience. The device also features an Intel Atom 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 64GB of internal memory, and 2GB of RAM all viewed from a crisp 11.6-inch display. Clocking in at $800, this tablet is a small fortune, but runs the robust Windows 8 OS for a totally mobile and productive experience.

The Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 serves as Samsung’s sequel to their Galaxy Tab 10.1 released back in 2011, and features Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich), an external storage slot, and a slightly beefier battery all viewed from a high resolution 10.1-inch screen. At $500, the Galaxy Tab 2 is certainly not the cheapest Android tablet out there, but nonetheless a feature rich one. Read our full DT review on the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 for more info.

To encourage new customers, AT&T is offering a promotional discount for those who buy two qualifying Samsung devices this holiday season. With a new 2-year agreement, customers can get an instant $100 discount for buying any Samsung Galaxy Smartphone along with any Samsung smartphone or tablet of equal or lesser value. As Sprint also announces its roll-out of the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 for November 11, it’s safe to say AT&T is trying to grab some essential territory before the rest of the carriers release their tablets for the forthcoming holiday season. 

The tablet market this holiday season is well inundated with devices of all shapes and sizes, ranging from the iPad Mini to Windows 8 smart PC — the only question is figuring out which one is right for you, and just what the wake of the coming holiday-season tablet war will bring to the market.


Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/samsung-att-release-ativ-galaxy-tab-2/

Get ready to vote with apps for poll locations, candidate summaries, and more

Election Day 2012: How to find your polling place

The countdown has begun for Election Day 2012. With only a few hours left until the polls open, here are the Web and mobile resources you should have on speed dial to make casting your ballot as pain-free as possible.

The United States will know who its president is for the next four years by Tuesday night – assuming nothing goes wildly wrong, of course. (We’re looking at you, year 2000.) In the mean time, tens of millions of Americans will flood to polling locations around the country to cast their vote – a feat made abnormally difficult for those in the Northeast thanks to Hurricane Sandy upheaval. Lucky for everyone, the Pew Center on the States has created the Voter Information Project (VIP), and partnered with some of the biggest technology companies in the U.S., to keep voters in-the-know on Election Day.

“The way VIP works is, states directly participate in the feeds. They provide official election information, including what’s on the ballot, the polling place information,” David Becker, Director of Election Initiatives at the Pew Center on the States, told Digital Trends. “And we’ve even collected information that we call ‘rules of the road,’ which are relevant election rules that everyone should know.” These rules include things like whether you need an ID to vote in your state.

All of this data collected by the VIP from state election offices is the fed through an API, which tech companies, including Google, Microsoft and AT&T, have used to create Web and mobile tools for voters. Here are the VIP tools – plus a couple bonus resources – you should know about on Tuesday.

Google Voter Information Tool

Google Voter Information Tool

Google’s Voter Information Tool, which can be embedded into any website, incorporates Google Maps and VIP election data to create perhaps the most useful mashup on the Web. With a quick search of your address, you’ll find out all the presidential and congressional candidates on your local ballot, their party affiliation, and a link to your state’s online election hub, which provides additional details.

Facebook

Facebook politics

Facebook has also joined in on the VIP party, with its own polling place locator, which is built into the social networks U.S. Politics page. Users can also tell their friends about their Election Day plans with the “I’m Voting” pledge. At the time of this writing, roughly 344,000 people told their Facebook friends that they plan to vote.

VoterHub app

VoterHub app

Built by AT&T and Politics360, VoterHub is a free app for iPhone, Android, or Windows Phone devices that provides everything from polling place locations to Associated Press real-time coverage of Election Day. It also allows users to share information easily through the gamut of social networks, including Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn, Foursquare, as well as email. If you don’t feel like downloading an app that – let’s face it – you’re going to delete by Wednesday, you can simply visit VoterHub.us to access all the Election Day goodies.

Foursquare I Voted

Foursquare I voted

Late last week, Foursquare unveiled a new free app called I Voted, which also provides polling place locations, and details about what you’ll find on your local ballot. Once you’ve voted, you’ll receive a “I Voted” badge, and be placed on Foursquare’s real-time map of I Voted users.

Video the Vote

Finally, we have the Video the Vote project, which urges citizens to document any suspicious activity at their polling places using their smartphones. Video the Vote provides concerned voters with all the information they need to properly record things like vote intimidation, and how to share their videos with the public. To join the Video the Vote project, click here.

Image via Chromatika/Shutterstock


Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/the-only-link-you-need-on-election-day/

Apple sells 3 million iPads over the weekend, remains coy on how many were Mini

iPad mini price not too expensive

Apple has announced that it has sold three million iPads over the opening weekend, but fails to break down that figure into how many were iPad Mini tablets and how many were fourth generation full-size model.

Apple has sent forth its traditional, post-opening weekend press release trumpeting how many new iPads it has sold. We say iPads — plural — because it wasn’t only the iPad mini that went on sale, but the fourth generation iPad too, despite it being almost completely ignored by the press.

From November 2 to November 5, Apple sold 3 million iPads, which it says “doubles the previous first weekend milestone of 1.5 million Wi-Fi only models sold for the third generation in March.” Neither of the two new iPads have cellular connectivity yet, but 4G models will ship in the next few weeks.

Just in case you didn’t quite catch it, Apple CEO Tim Cook chimed in to confirm that the company “set a new launch weekend record,” and adds that it had “practically sold out of iPad minis.”

So, a resounding success? Well, possibly, but there’s no breakdown of exactly how many units of that 3 million magic number were iPad minis. Reports from around the world on Friday didn’t contain the same degree of excitement over the iPad Mini as they have for previous Apple products, and described shorter lines at stores.

This didn’t stop it from selling out, a fact that anyone could gather from a cursory glance at Twitter late in the launch day, as frustrated buyers found the shelves empty at their local stores. Apple’s statement closes with reference to online pre-orders selling-out too, confirming that “demand for the iPad mini exceeded the initial supply.”

Three million sales needed for success

Prior to the weekend, an analyst from BTIG said Apple needed to shift at least 3 million iPad Mini tablets for it to be hailed a success. For some context, the iPhone 5 sold 5 million over its opening weekend and as we reported last week, the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 has taken nearly 40 days to reach 3 million sales.

Apple analyst Gene Munster warned the company may fall short of this figure, estimating between 1 million and 1.5 million iPad mini devices would be sold. He noted that this lower than expected figure is because the iPad mini will be a “grower,” and that once people see and try it, demand will increase.

Without the aforementioned sales breakdown, it’s impossible to know how close Munster came to the truth, but he’s probably not far off. At least we assume he’s not, as for all we know, the fourth generation iPad could have been responsible for 75 percent of the total.

With the iPad mini selling out online and in stores, it certainly looks like another successful launch for Apple. But it’s difficult to say just how much of this was true demand, and how much was lack of supply. Among the endless iPad Mini rumors, you may recall an analyst warning that there would only be “acceptable” iPad mini stock levels for the first month, due to problems with the supply chain. This rumor may have come true, and comes soon after the iPhone 5’s similar problems.

The iPad mini came out in 34 countries on Friday and according to the Apple Store, is currently limited to two per customer with a two-week wait before it ships.


Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/apple-sells-3-million-ipads-over-opening-weekend/

Samsung Galaxy Camera goes on sale in the UK in two days

The Samsung Galaxy Camera drew a lot of attention when it was announced though launch date and pricing details were a bit slim. Samsung put out a press release today, saying the camera will be in the UK stores in a couple of days.

The Samsung Brand Store will get in on November 7, while other stores will get it the next day. The other stores are Carphone Warehouse, Phones4U and Jessops. Both brick-and-mortar and online stores will be selling the camera.



Jessops already have the Galaxy Camera on pre-order (in black and white) and are asking £400 for it ($640, €500) with a free 8GB SanDisk microSD to complement the 8GB of built-in storage.

Carphone Warehouse and Phones4U still haven’t put up the Camera up on their sites and Jessops only offers it through their online site (no in-store pickups yet).

By the way, a Samsung NX1000 EVIL camera with 20-50mm lens goes for £380 in the same store, so you should consider how important it is for you to have an Android powered camera.

Just so we're clear, it's an Android 4.1 Jelly Bean-powered camera with the internals of the Galaxy S III (including the quad-core CPU at 1.4GHz and 4.8" Super Clear LCD with 720p resolution) packed inside a point-and-shoot camera body (1/2.3 sensor" 16MP BSI sensor, 23mm wide-angle lens and 21x optical zoom).

By the way, the Samsung Galaxy Camera has 3G and 4G LTE connectivity, though that's for data only.

Source | Via


Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_camera_goes_on_sale_in_the_uk_in_two_days-news-5043.php

Apple paid just 2% corporation tax outside the US last year

Apple paid just 2% corporation tax outside the US last year
Taxing times

Apple's financial results reveal that it managed to pay just 2% corporation tax in overseas countries last year.

The Cupertino company paid foreign (e.g. outside the US) taxes of $713 million (£445m/ AU$689m) last year, despite making $36.8 billion overseas (£23bn / AU$35.5bn).

It's not clear how much of that was paid in each specific country over the course of the year.

Only death is certain now

Tech companies are coming under increasing scrutiny in the UK, at least, where it's possible to side-step British corporation taxes by routing payments through other countries that charge a lower rate – like Ireland.

Ireland is Apple's tax haven of choice and in 2011, the company paid £10 million in tax on £6 billion-worth of UK sales by opting for the Irish route.

This is perfectly legal, although it leaves Brits somewhat short-changed in the tax department despite Apple's significant contributions to the unavoidable national insurance and VAT coffers.

Other tech giants that have been accused of avoiding paying their fair share of tax include Amazon and Google, both of whom have been invited to discuss the matter with the Public Accounts Committee at Parliament later this month.


Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/computing/apple/apple-paid-just-2-corporation-tax-outside-the-us-last-year-1110091

Samsung may reveal “vibrant” new brand identity at CES 2013

Samsung Logo Door Offices

Samsung is reported to be planning a complete brand overhaul for CES 2013, ably assisted by Brandstream and its CEO Scott Bedbury, who was responsible for turning Nike and Starbucks in global phenomenons.

Samsung is planning something special for CES 2013, and although we’re sure many new products will be among them, a rumored overhaul of the company’s branding may take center stage.

The news comes from a report published by Channel News in Australia, and quotes anonymous sources who say Samsung is almost ready to unveil a “more vibrant international brand image.” While the specifics aren’t discussed, the familiar blue Samsung oval will be replaced, and each part of Samsung’s business will get its own individual color that will be used in its advertising.

On the subject of advertising, this will shift from being based around features and benefits, to focus instead on “lifestyle activities.”

According to Channel News’ sources, the man at the helm of this ambitious project is Scott Bedbury, CEO of brand development consultancy Brandstream. This is a fascinating choice, and if anyone can enhance Samsung’s already well-established brand image, it’s Bedbury.

During his time at Nike in the late 80s and early 90s, he directed the launch of the Just Do It campaign, which you’re probably familiar with, and turned Nike around from being a youthful, aspirational American brand to being a global, all-inclusive fitness phenomenon. After Nike, he pushed Starbucks out into the world, and introduced the comfy chairs and CDs.

Since then, he has gone on to work with companies including Nokia, Facebook, Amazon, T-Mobile and Google.

Public perception problem?

A complete brand overhaul means Samsung may have taken recent comments regarding the way it’s perceived to heart. When a judge in the UK says your products aren’t as cool as Apple’s, it’s not only bound to smart, but also raise concerns about the opinion of the man on the street too.

The really interesting thing is, Bedbury isn’t a fan of “cool.” In an interview with FastCompany.com way (way) back in 2002, he warned companies “not to worship cool,” and called it a “false god.” He said (rather prophetically, as it turns out) that companies should “be more concerned with their karma than with being cool,” and closed with the thought that “big doesn’t have to be bad, that profits are only one measure of success, and that great brands can use their unique superhuman powers for good. Now that would be cool.”

An attitude like this makes a major Samsung brand identity alteration intriguing, as it could take a very different route not only to the one it has been on for a while, but the one Apple has chosen too.

Next year’s International Consumer Electronics Show begins on January 8 and ends on January 11.


Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/samsung-plans-vibrant-brand-overhaul-for-ces-2013/

Why ARM CPUs look set to end the x86 computing era

Why ARM CPUs look set to end the x86 computing era
ARM's new 64-bit cores are coming next year

Is the era of x86 over? Not yet, but maybe soon if the weight of ARM-related processor developments is anything to go by, including AMD's recent ARM chip announcement.

Adding flesh to the bones of the increasingly scary looking ARM beast are a pair of new processor cores. The first is just becoming available now, the second looks set to raise the bar even higher in late 2013 or early 2014.

First up we have the ARM Cortex A15 core. It's the processor architecture you can increasingly expect to find powering high end phones and tablets over the next six months.

Out of order!

It's a triple issue, properly out-of-order CPU core. If that's just so much digital double speak, the take-home notion is that A15 does much more work per operating cycle than previous ARM cores, including ARM Cortex A9, a current favourite in phones and tablets.

The interesting comparison here is with Intel's ultramobile Atom core. Given Intel's track record for producing chips with epic instructions-per-clock capability, it's ironic to note that Atom remains a simple in-order design at a time when ARM is delivering more complex out-of-order designs.

Anywho, early benchmarks indicate ARM Cortex A15 has Atom soundly beaten. Of course, Intel is planning to finally update the Atom core next year. To date, all Atoms have been built around essentially the same processor core.

Next year's updated Atom is expected to make the move to out-of-order execution and thus bring a big boost in performance. Problem is, by then ARM has something even beastlier planned.

Say hello to 64-bit

I speak of the ARM Cortex A50 series. Two versions have been announced, the A53 and A57. In simple terms, you could say they're just 64-bit versions of existing ARM 32-bit cores. So the A53 is a 64-bit Cortex A7, the A57 a 64-bit A15.

The former is claimed to deliver the same performance as existing ARM chips, but with a fairly epic 4x improvement in power efficiency. Superphones that last a lot longer between charges is the implication.

But it's the top ranking A57 that's really interesting. Tweaks to the existing A15 pipeline, along with wider floating point execution, are said to boost performance by 30 to 40 per cent over A15.

And remember, A15 is probably over twice as fast as existing ARM cores and perhaps 50 per cent or more faster than existing Atom cores. So A15 with a 40 per cent boost is going to be one hell of an ultramobile CPU core.

Setting sights on servers

Actually, it's going to be more than that. With A57, ARM also has server computers in its sights. That's very much Intel's heartland of course.

Another interesting twist is big.LITTLE, ARM's strategy of mixing core types in a single processor. So you could have a smartphone with two A53 cores which provide excellent efficiency for simple tasks, and a pair of A57s for when you need maximum performance.

Put it altogether and you have a package that easily outstrips anything Intel's existing Atom chips can offer. Given that Intel is trying to break into the smartphone and tablet market, currently, that's hardly ideal.

Then again, maybe next year's new Atom will blow the ARMs off everything that came before. One thing's for sure. The desktop CPU war is over. Intel Core versus AMD FX? Fuggedabowdit. It's all about ultramobile.


Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/mobile-phones/phone-and-communications/tablets/mobile-computing/laptops/computing-components/processors/pc/computing/why-arm-cpus-look-set-to-end-the-x86-computing-era-1109622

New JB ROM for Samsung Galaxy Note leaks, supports Multi-View

A couple of weeks ago we saw the first Android 4.1 Jelly Bean ROM for the Samsung Galaxy Note leak, version N7000XXLS2, but now SamMobile claim that they have the real deal straight from Samsung's servers and that the previos ROM was a system dump.



The update brings the original Galaxy Note to Android 4.1.1 and gives it the latest TouchWiz with all the bells and whistles. The ROM also has basic support for Air View (detecting the S Pen from a distance and triggering previews), but that isn't ready just yet.

Before you flash N7000XXLS2 on your Note, have a look at this video N7000XXLS7, which some lucky guy in France who got the update early. It updates the phablet to Android 4.1.2 and enables Multi-View just like on the new Note II.

The video is quite long (and in French), but here are the juicy bits - flashing the ROM at 4:00, you can see the Jelly Bean version at 7:30 and 16:50, Multi-View is shown off at 9:00 and texting works too (13:00), suggesting it's a fully featured ROM.

You can't flash this ROM has yet as it still hasn’t made its way to XDA. On the upside, LS2 is from October 9 (nearly a month ago), so Samsung should be testing a newer version internally (possibly the LS7) and the update should be nearly ready (the Galaxy S II update should arrive at the same time too).

Source 1Source 2 | Via


Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/new_jb_rom_for_samsung_galaxy_note_leaks_supports_multiview-news-5042.php

Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini UK release date and price revealed

Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini UK release date and price revealed
The Galaxy S3 Mini could be priced to fail

The Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini release date and price have been confirmed by a press release sent out by a high street retailer.

Over the weekend Carphone Warehouse released information on the Galaxy S3 Mini, confirming that you'll be able to pick up the handset for free on two year contracts starting at £25 per month.

According to Carphone's website the Galaxy S3 Mini will be available on O2, Orange and Vodafone, but if you don't fancy being tied to one of those networks the retailer is also offering the handset SIM-free for £299.95.

Stiff competition

We had high hopes for the Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini, but when it was finally announced the specs were far from blockbuster. The smartphone sports a non-HD 4-inch Super AMOLED display, 1GHz dual-core processor and 5MP rear camera.

Considering the recently-announced Google Nexus 4 will costs £239 for 8GB and £279 for the 16GB version and packs a 4.7-inch 768x1280 display, quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, 8MP camera and Android 4.2 we wonder why you'd want the Samsung.

According to the Carphone Warehouse listing, the Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini release date is set for November 9, however we're taking this with a pinch of salt as Phones4U originally had November 2 as its delivery date – which was obviously incorrect.


Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/samsung-galaxy-s3-mini-uk-release-date-and-price-revealed-1110049