News Google Update: Google Is Testing Solar-Powered 5G Internet Drones

As if balloons were not enough for Google, the Mountain View internet giant is testing solar-powered drones at Spaceport America in New Mexico to explore new ways to deliver high-speed internet from the air (5G).

According to a report in the Guardian , Google had created prototypes of such drones last year and is now testing them under a secret project named SkyBender.

The company has set up its own flight control centre at Spaceflight Operations Center and is temporarily using 15,000 square feet of hangar space in Gateway to Space terminal designed for the much-delayed Virgin Galactic spaceflights.

Under the project, Google is testing millimetre-wave radio transmissions which in high frequency could transmit gigabits of data every second which is more than any 4G LTE system. The drone will fly in high altitudes transmitting the data to all receptors at the ground level.

“The huge advantage of millimetre wave is access to new spectrum because the existing cellphone spectrum is overcrowded. It’s packed and there’s nowhere else to go,” Jacques Rudell, a professor of electrical engineering at the University of Washington in Seattle and specialist in this technology, was quoted as saying.

Rudell also explained Google was facing and said that millimetre wave transmissions have shorter range than phone signals and hence will die out at the one-tenth distance of a 4G signal. Google can only extend the range of this signal by using a phased array of this signal which is very difficult, complex and burns a lot of power, the professor said.

Skybender uses optionally piloted aircraft called Centaur as well as solar-powered drones developed by Google Titan, a division the Mountain View company formed after acquiring New Mexio startup Titan Aerospace in 2014.

The Guardian report quoted emails between spaceport America and Google project managers that reveal the aircraft have exclusive use of the Spaceport’s runway during the tests and can even venture above the neighbouring White Sands Missile Range.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has allowed Google to carry its tests in New Mexico till July. The company is paying $300,00 to Spaceport America which is great for the airport as it was literally closed after a prototype crashed. Christine Anderson, chief executive officer of Spaceport America, has admitted that the facility is now running out of money.

“We are transitioning to supporting all aspects of the spaceport from our operational budget, as the [state] bonds have been spent except for the amount reserved for the southern road,” she wrote in a blog post earlier this month.

“We are asking the legislature for $2.8m ... We appreciate that our request is a lot of money, but we also feel that it is a relatively small amount to protect the state’s $218.5m investment already made in the new and exciting commercial space industry.”

Currently, Google is paying Virgin Galactic $1,000 a day for the use of a hangar in the Gateway to Space building.

However, Google is not the only company which has thrown a hand with the millimetre wave transmission. Earlier in 2014, Darpa, the research arm of the US military, had announced a programme called Mobile Hotspots to make a fleet of drones that could provide one gigabit per second communications for troops operating in remote areas.

Posted by Unknown Sunday, January 31, 2016

News Update On Handset : OnePlus X To Be Available Without Invite Via The Ola App On 8 December

Ola and OnePlus announced a first-of-its-kind partnership in India, giving users an opportunity to buy the OnePlus X, on-demand, straight from the Ola app. Consumers can purchase the smartphone without an invite for a day and have it delivered at their doorsteps within 15 minutes of placing the order. The OnePlus X is also exclusively available on Amazon.in.

The partnership of OnePlus fans and Ola users will go live on the Ola mobile app only on December 8, across seven cities in India namely, Delhi/NCR, Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Ahmedabad.

For those wishing to purchase the OnePlus X can open their Ola app and request a phone, just like they would book a cab, by clicking on the ‘ONEPLUSX’ category icon that will be available on the app between 10AM and 7PM. Once the request is received, an Ola cab will arrive at the customer’s location; along with a representative from OnePlus, with the smartphone. Customers will get a choice of paying for their OnePlus X handsets through cash or credit/debit cards.

The OnePlus X is the first ‘Make in India’ device for which local production will start in Hyderabad. In terms of specifications, the device will sport a 5-inch AMOLED display offering a resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels. It will be powered by Qualcomm’s quad-core Snapdragon 801 processor clocked at 2.3 GHz. The OnePlux will have 3 GB RAM. It will include an internal storage of 16GB, and can be further expanded up to 128GB via a microSD card.

The devices will sport a 13MP rear camera along with a 8MP front facing camera. The device’s autofocus allows you to capture your subject in 0.2 seconds. The dual SIM smartphone will include a 2525mAh battery. The OnePlus X will run Oxygen OS based on Android 5.1.1 Lollipop.

Sudarshan Gangrade, Vice-President Marketing at Ola said, “We continue to deliver unique experiences to delight our consumers by giving users a chance to buy a smartphone on-demand, straight from the Ola app and get it delivered at their doorstep within minutes. This is a testament to the on-demand nature of the mobility solutions, that the Ola platform offers and takes user engagement to an all-new level! We are thrilled to announce this partnership and take great pride in bringing this exclusive access to all Ola users.”

Announcing this unique initiative, Karan Sarin, Head of Marketing India, OnePlus said, “The enthusiasm from our fans and consumers at large around the country to get our newest smartphone, the OnePlus X, has been unprecedented. People love our products and we are enhancing the experience by making it even more convenient for our fans to get their hands on the OnePlus phone now. In an industry-first partnership with Ola and Amazon.in, we are taking a step towards engaging with consumers wherein they can purchase the OnePlus X phone in three easy steps – Book. Purchase. Delivered.  All from the comfort of their Ola app.”

Posted by Unknown Tuesday, December 08, 2015

New Update On Handset : OnePlus 2 Now Available 'Invite-Free' In India

 

The OnePlus 2 (Review) is now available invite-free in India. While OnePlus India had promised the smartphone will be available invite-free from midnight Friday, the company on Saturday issued a blog post saying the smartphone will only go on sale invite-free in India at 2pm IST on Monday.

OnePlus had last week following its Black Friday open sale announced the OnePlus 2 would be available invite-free forever starting midnight Friday across the world. It turns out that date wasn't applicable for India, with the invite-free status only official from Monday. The smartphone is available exclusively via Amazon India.

To recall, the OnePlus 2 bears the tagline "2016 flagship caller", and sports a 5.5-inch full-HD (1920x1080) display. It is powered by a 64-bit octa-core Snapdragon 810 v2.1 SoC clocked at 1.8GHz and coupled with an Adreno 430 GPU alongside 4GB of LPDDR4 RAM and 64GB internal storage. It sports dual 4G Nano-SIM cards (dual-SIM dual standby), as well as USB Type-C connectivity (with the cable reversible at both ends).

On the photography front, the handset rocks a 13-megapixel rear-camera, and a 5-megapixel front facing shooter. The dual-SIM capable smartphone supports 4G LTE, Wi-Fi and other standard connectivity features. It runs Android-powered OxygenOS 2.0, though OxygenOS 2.1.2 is officially available as well.

It is priced at Rs. 24,999, while a 16GB OnePlus 2 variant with 3GB of LPDDR4 RAM will be made available at a later date at Rs. 22,999.

To note, the OnePlus 2 has been made available via open sales (not requiring invites) in India on several occasions in the past, with the most recent being in October. OnePlus in October rolled out two smartphone coverage options in the form of B2X Service and B2X Protect for the OnePlus 2 in India.

Posted by Unknown Tuesday, December 08, 2015

New Update On Handset Launch : Android One failed In India; Could Google Possibly Avoid Failure With Version 2.0?

Android One was launched amid much fanfare in India last year. Aimed at the entry-level users of the emerging Indian market, Google had teamed up with three well-known low to mid-range players such as Karbonn, Micromax and Spice. The Android One failed. They didn’t sell well and many major retailers even refused to stock them. The news had it that eight major retailers which have 1800 stores between them refused to stock the devices.

Some reports have been pointing at Google making a comeback with the next version of Android One with Lava. This is one of the reasons why new India-born CEO Sundar Pichai is here. Here’s what Google could avoid to ensure that Android version 2.0 manages to make a mark in India’s fierce mobile world.

Focus on hardware, software can’t be the selling point
Earlier, Google launched three phones namely,  Spice Android One Dream, Karbonn Sparkle V, and Micromax Canvas A1. Interestingly, due to Google’s list of rules, all three had the same low-end specs. The only differentiating factor was the brand name. Yes, they were almost identical in specs, and all you had to do is decide which brand you prefer. The hardware requirements were a small list of approved processors, cameras and other components. While reports have already been pointing out at this, it would be nice if Google went ahead and brought some lax to its rules. This will help the companies bring in better specs at affordable prices and eventually help compete with the likes of Xiaomi.

Now, the importance of Android One goes well beyond what you see. There is a reason why Android One is so important to India. China and India are the fastest growing smartphone markets, but China is a wasteland when it comes to Google service and generating revenue from them. The onslaught of Chinese vendors and their forked OS versions coupled with great hardware are getting popular in India too. To ensure not to see the same fate in India, Google is yet again trying its hand at revamped Android One. Android One is probably how Google wants to take its services to be at the forefront.

Phones models at varying budget prices
With Android One, Google is targeting new entry-level users. However, the entry-level markets have spruced up consumer expectations. A sub-Rs 3000 smartphone is a great idea, but if another device is offering much more for Rs 1000 more, wouldn’t consumer prefer that. Arguably, there are chances that first time users in rural areas may prefer a really low-end phone with alphanumeric keys. This makes it imperative to have different models and at varying price points. Thus, looking at Android One from a broader prospective is crucial.

Now, Google already has phones across price brackets. But for Android One to become a go-to phone under Rs 3000, will have to be a mix of many factors.

Brand matters
In India, brand matters. One may want to opt for a budget device, but are always looking for a value for money product from a decent brand. A Spice or Karbonn are often related to cheap, low end devices. This isn’t something what many users are looking for – especially if a Moto E from a seasoned OEM such as Motorola is selling at Rs 5000.

Online, offline marketing tactics
These days, we are seeing new ways of marketing handsets. From Xiaomi to the latest Qiku, all have formed newer forms to attract audiences. Google will have to bring more to the table in terms of marketing and selling the phones. Moreover, the previous phones were launched exclusive to an online site initially.

After they failed to capture market share, the devices went to offline stores. It should be noted that the phones are targeted at tier 2 and tier 3 cities, and offline channels would have played a bigger role in selling the phones if launched simultaneously on both platforms. Today, Android One already carried a failed tag, and wooing audiences will be even more difficult.

Posted by Unknown Tuesday, December 08, 2015

News Update New Handset Launched : Karbonn Alfa 112, Alfa A91 Power, Alfa A93 Pop, And Titanium S205 Plus Launched

Karbonn on Wednesday launched a range of new smartphones and feature phones in the market as a part of its festive offer. The company has introduced four new smartphones namely Karbonn Alfa 112, Alfa A91 Power, Alfa A93 Pop, and Titanium S205 Plus alongside two feature handsets - K18 Jumbo and M105.

The Android-based Karbonn Alfa 112, Alfa A91 Power, Alfa A93 Pop and Titanium S205 Plus are priced at Rs. 2,890, Rs 3,290, Rs. 3,490 and Rs. 6,790, respectively. The K18 Jumbo and M105 cost Rs. 990 and Rs. 940 respectively. The company said it would also be offering special festive season discounts of up to 50 percent on Titanium Mach Five, Titanium Mach Two and Titanium S201 via e-commerce websites.

The dual-SIM (WCDMA+GSM) supporting Karbonn Titanium S205 Plus (seen above) runs Android 5.1 Lollipop out-of-the-box and features a 5-inch HD (720x1280 pixels) resolution IPS display with Dragon Trail Glass protection. It is powered by an unspecified dual-core SoC clocked at 1.2GHz and clubbed with 2GB RAM. It also houses 16GB of inbuilt storage, which can be further expanded via MicroSD card (up to 32GB). In the camera section, the Titanium S205 Plus sports an 8-megapixel autofocus rear camera with dual LED flash and a 3.2-megapixel front-facing camera as well. The smartphone supports 3G, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth, GPS and Micro-USB connectivity features alongside proximity sensor, G-Sensor and comes backed by a 2200mAh Li-Po battery.

The Android 5.1 Lollipop-based dual-SIM (WCDMA+GSM) Karbonn Alfa A93 Pop (seen above) features a 4.5-inch FWVGA (480x854 pixels) resolution display; 512MB RAM; 8GB inbuilt storage, which can be further expanded via MicroSD card (up to 32GB); a 2-megapixel rear camera; a 0.3-megapixel front-facing camera, and a 1400mAh battery. Connectivity features and processor remains the same as Titanium S205 Plus.

The dual-SIM (WCDMA +GSM) Karbonn Alfa A91 Power (seen above) runs the older Android 4.4 KitKat out-of-the-box and features a 4-inch WVGA (800x480 pixels) resolution display; unspecified 1GHz processor; 256MB RAM; 512MB inbuilt storage, expandable via microSD card (up to 32GB), and Li-ion 2000mAh battery. The connectivity options and camera setup stay the same as Karbonn Alfa A93 Pop mentioned above.

The Android 4.2 Jelly Bean-running dual-SIM (GSM+GSM) Karbonn Alfa 112 (seen above) features almost the same specifications as the aforementioned Karbonn Alfa A91 Power but misses out on 3G connectivity and is backed by a Li-ion 1300mAh battery.

The dual-SIM (GSM+GSM) Karbonn K18 Jumbo feature phone sports a 2.4-inch LCD display, VGA (0.3-megapixel) rear camera, FM radio, GPRS, Bluetooth and is backed by a 1800mAh battery. The dual-SIM Karbonn K-Touch M105 sports a smaller 1.8-inch LCD display, digital rear camera and 800mAh battery with rest of the specifications same as the K18 Jumbo.

Posted by Unknown Tuesday, October 27, 2015

News Update On Intel Survey : Almost Half Of Indian Children Trust Strangers On The Web

Over 50 percent Indian children admit to meeting or wanting to meet a stranger they first met online, a new study by US-based Intel Security Group showed.

The study, named Teens, Tweens and Technology Survey, examines online behaviours and social networking habits of tweens and teens aged eight to 16 years.

The study also surveyed the concerns of parents, revealing that when it comes to online activity, 48 percent parents believe that the worst thing to happen to their children is interacting with strangers online.

"This concern is warranted given that 44 percent children polled would meet or have met someone in person that they first met online," the study said.

"As with every edition of our Teens, Tweens and Technology survey, this year too, we see some concerning issues being raised. In analysing the responses of both parents and children, what is evident is that there are a lot more open conversations and disclosures between them," Melanie Duca, Asia Pacific consumer marketing director, Intel Security, said.

"While there are open conversations, work is required on ensuring that these go beyond casual chats. It is imperative to focus on ensuring children understand the consequences of their actions as well as agree on good Internet etiquette," she added.

According to the study, the most discussed topics between parents and children are cyber criminals and identity theft (71 percent), privacy settings (62 percent), cyberbullying (57 percent), online reputation (53 percent) or popularity among friends (52 percent).

Additionally, a surprisingly low number (17 percent) of parents are interested in finding out if their children are interacting with strangers online.

"This indicates that while parents believe that interacting with strangers online may be risky, this knowledge has not translated into remedial action," the study said.

Posted by Unknown Tuesday, October 27, 2015

News Update On Navigation : Navigation App Waze Gets A Huge Redesign – Now Less Cluttered, But Still Needs Improvement

The Google-owned navigation app Waze has a number of standout features – its ability to alert you to traffic conditions and speed traps, and re-route you around traffic jams, for example – but its user interface was not one of its better qualities. Today, the company is attempting to change that with the rollout of an entirely made-over version of its iOS application that introduces a cleaner, less-cluttered interface designed to simplify accessing Waze’s key features, and speed up the time it takes to report traffic problems.

While traditional mapping applications, like those from Apple and Google, are still the most popular among smartphone users, Waze has a strong following among drivers and commuters thanks to its ability to alert you to traffic conditions. Beyond just telling you that traffic is slow, Waze can tell you why – maybe there’s an accident ahead, or a stalled vehicle. Users also like it for its ability to alert you when cops have been spotted nearby – something that makes Waze something of an alternative to radar detectors.

Plus, its ability to route you around bad traffic in real-time as conditions change is especially helpful, as is its ability to let you add a stop while planning your route.

Today, Waze has over 50 million active users who log into Waze monthly, the company says.

But despite having a collection of useful features, the app’s interface itself has needed work for some time. Instead of a modern, clean aesthetic, Waze previously relied on a couple of menus – one with a cartoon-ish car icon to access the main menu, and the other map pin-shaped icon with an exclamation point in the middle for reporting incidents. And the map itself was messy and cluttered, making it hard to read.

With the new version of the app, Waze offers a de-cluttered map, and it makes the alerting feature more prominent – it’s an orange icon with a rounder pin. Meanwhile, the car icon with access to the menu and other settings has been relocated to the bottom-left. When you’re in a hurry – as drivers are behind the wheel (they’re not supposed to be using the app in-route, but of course they do) – this makes it easier and faster to participate in the Waze community because it’s more obvious which button to press to add a report.

In addition, the updated app now features quick access to a contacts section (as indicated by the mail envelope icon), where you can share directions with your contacts, send your location, and your ETA with a tap.


A bottom menu also slides up when tapped to offer you easy access to things like alternate routes, the “add a stop” feature, as well as a shortcut to sending your ETA to a friend or family member.

Nearly everything you do in Waze now takes fewer taps, which is another one of the bigger improvements over the prior version. And the menus themselves have been redesigned, too, to be quicker to use. For instance, the reporting menu now uses big, brightly-colored, round buttons for things like reporting accidents, road hazards, police, and more.

Waze 4.0 also lets you sync your Calendar to the app so you can receive alerts reminding you when to leave, based on traffic conditions. The company says it has made other improvements, too, like better battery life.
Waze Still Needs Work

Unfortunately, the new app still relies on its bubbly, cartoon-ish icons. This is a personal preference, of course, but I think it’s time to move away from this sort of juvenile look. It’s frankly just sort of silly to see cars with bows on their head, or pacifiers in their mouth, or wearing little crowns in an app aimed at adults old enough to drive a car.

The new design is certainly an improvement, but Waze still hasn’t delivered a truly sleek look-and-feel. Even now, there’s too much to look at on the screen.

Because Waze already shows things other mapping apps don’t have – like the other cars and graphics like ads for business as little road signs  – it needs to be even more careful about what other buttons should appear. Now it features an orange reporting button, a MPH indicator, the time, ETA, and distance, and a big button for finding your current geo-location. This latter item is positioned to the left and sort of up near the middle of the screen, though Apple and Google Maps put this feature closer to the bottom of the screen.

Plus, when you tap on the screen, tons of other buttons appear, including the compass, sound toggle, zooming feature, and when at a particular zoom level, your location finder. Combined with all the car icons and icons of signs, alert icons, and more, Waze still struggles with offering a truly clean-looking map.

Off the top of my head, I can still spot a number of things I’d change. For starters, Waze needs to ditch the MPH button entirely – drivers look at this on their car’s dashboard anyway. The geo-location feature needs to be much smaller and closer to the bottom of the screen.The bottom of the screen doesn’t need a greeting (e.g. “Good Afternoon”) when no route is in progress. And there’s no need to flag how many new messages you have and add a red dot to indicate you have unread mail – this could all be handled with a push notification and red icon badge on your iOS homescreen.

That said, Waze certainly looks better than before, if not great.
The updated app, Waze 4.0, is live on the iTunes Store now with an Android release soon to follow.

Posted by Unknown Friday, October 23, 2015

News Update & Deal Of The Day : 8 Paid iPhone Apps On Sale For Free Today

Happy Monday, dear readers. You didn’t think we would let you go through an entire day without a list of paid iPhone and iPad apps on sale for free, did you? Better late than never, and today’s list is worth waiting for.

These are paid iPhone and iPad apps that have been made available for free for a limited time by their developers. There is no way to tell how long they will be free. These sales could end an hour from now or a week from now — obviously, the only thing we can guarantee is that they were free at the time this post was written. If you click on a link and see a price listed next to an app instead of the word “get,” it is no longer free. The sale has ended. If you download the app, you will be charged.

Delete Duplicates + CleanUp

Normally $0.99.

Thanks to this app, you can delete all the duplicate contacts from your address book, you can delete a lot of contacts all at once and you can backup your contacts right from your iPhone or iPad.
Users wrote: “It took me 5 mins what would have taken me more than 2 hours to complete”
“This is the best if you need to delete a lot of numbers all at once”
“So glad I found this!!!”
Features:
-Delete all the duplicate contacts from your address book.
-Quickly delete multiple contacts at once.
-Delete contacts according filters (without phone, notes, etc..).
-Delete contacts from a group.
-Delete groups of contacts.
-Backup your contacts.
This app is compatible with iPhone and iPad.

Download Delete Duplicates + CleanUp

Guardian Sword

Normally $2.99.

From the creators of Tiny Defense comes Guardian Sword – a strategy puzzle RPG with unique gameplay and classic RPG charm.
Set off on an epic journey with Guts – a fearless swordsman who seeks an ultimate legendary weapon that gives the owner infinite power. But his road is not a bed of roses when it is the Guardian Sword that everyone can kill for…
The cause of “The Last War” has started!!
Guardian Sword is a strategy puzzle RPG, full of classic RPG charm that you rarely see in the genre these days.
Guardian Sword Highlight is the unique gameplay that allows the players to customize the puzzles by themselves. You can choose from 40 Tiles with different abilities which means you can devise your own strategy in various ways and limitless.
If you are looking for a game that is all new and if you would like a simple yet very strategizing gameplay, you are looking for “Guardian Sword”.
GAME FEATURES
• Choose a set of Puzzles from 40 Tiles with unique abilities
• Enhance with more than 20 Special Skills and Ultimate Attacks
• Fight alongside your Teammates together with their specific skills
• Meet over 120 different enemies and defeat strong Bosses!
• Level up your character and upgrade as you wish
• Stores to buy Weapons, Armors and Items
• Large world map for you to travel over 90 maps
• Impressive story, from an ordinary man to a hero… How the story goes? Only the ones who play to the end of the legend know!!
OTHER FEATURES
• Game Center Leaderboard and Achievements
• Universal app: play on your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch
• iCloud support for you to share your progress across devices
• Official walkthrough and strategy guide
• Recommended Hardware – iPhone 4S, iPod touch 5th gen, iPad 2/mini or better

Download Guardian Sword

GetSpace

Normally $2.99.

Smart and easy way to save tons of disk space on your iPhone!
Keep your camera roll clean and don’t waste your time manually deleting unnecessary photos.
GetSpace helps you to free up your photo gallery from all unwanted photos AUTOMATICALLY.
Simple, elegant and intuitive interface designed with your convenience in mind.
Machine learning algorithms, face detection and neural networks are under the hood.
[Features]:
– Auto-finding of Duplicated photos. No more hundreds of copycats in your gallery! GetSpace keeps the best ones and deletes the worst. Machine learning algorithms and Face detection are under the hood. Also Manual control provided for your convenience.
– Auto-detection of Blurred and Unfocused photos. Lots of illegible photos? We had also. Delete them all in a few seconds!
– Love sharing Screenshots? Choose the unwanted old ones and free your disk space easily!
Plus new features in next updates:
Optimizing photos and videos of your gallery. Reduce the size of your photos up to 6x times with identical looking.
Keep your important photos safe from deletion.
Delete Instagram photos.
Useful tip: the system puts all your deleted photos in the “Recently Deleted” folder of your default Photos app. To delete them finally and free your disk space or restore your photos, please, follow this steps:
– Open default Photos app.
– Go to Albums / Recently Deleted.
– Press Select and Delete All (or Restore All).

Download GetSpace

Web Explorer

Normally $0.99.

Full featured web browser, Ads Remover, Power Downloader, Complete Webpage Saver, FTP client, ….!!!
“Amazing web browsing experience… “
Web Explorer feature highlights:
>>Super fast full screen, tabbed web browser.
— On all devices and all orientations.
>>Integrated text and web page translation.
— Launch translator on a new tab.
>>Download web files and links.
— Press and hold on pictures or file links to start download.
>>Save full content web pages for offline use.
— Complete web page saver.
>>Central media player
— Standard feature. Play all music and videos from one place. All media in App folders including iTunes File Sharing folder, iPod library and Camera Roll videos.
>>FTP browser. FTP upload and download.
— Browse FTP sites, upload and download files.
>>User Agent (Spoofing). By choosing Mac, Windows, iPhone, iPad or other options, you can request different content for the same site.
>>Integrated text search.
— Search web with selected text in the web page.
>>File reader supports all major file formats.
— View or play saved content from web or PC/MAC.
>>Configurable Start Page.
— Edit quick links on Start Page for easy access.
>>Power download
— Download multiple files/media/pictures from web page links or FTP directory. (In-App purchase).
>>ADBLOCKER for automatic ads removal.
— Block ads from nearly 3000 ads servers.(In-App purchase)
>> Document interaction.
— Open files from other apps with Web Explorer.
>>iTunes File Sharing with your PC/Mac.
— Exchange content between this app and PC/MAC.
>>Optimized for iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch.
— Customize interface best for different devices.
Support file types:
.xls,.key.zip,.numbers.zip,.pages.zip,
.pdf, .ppt , .doc, .rtf,.rtfd.zip, .key,.numbers,.pages,
.txt .m .h .c .js .css .cpp .php …

Download Web Explorer

Ticket to Ride Pocket

Normally $1.99.

*** Winner of Pocket Gamer 2012 Reader’s Choice Award – iPhone/iPod Touch ***
*** Ticket to Ride just won the 2012 Pocket Gamer Awards for Best Strategy/Simulation Game!! ***
*** Apple Game of the Week (iPhone) in Europe, November 17-23, 2011- #1 in Board Games, #1 in Strategy Games in 32 countries, including UK, France, Germany, Canada and USA!
PUT THE BEST-SELLING TICKET TO RIDE BOARD GAME IN YOUR POCKET!
A UNIQUELY FUN TRAIN ADVENTURE THAT TAKES A MINUTE TO LEARN BUT A LIFETIME TO MASTER!
OVER 2 MILLION PLAYERS HAVE ALREADY HOPPED ON BOARD!
Kotaku Gaming, App of the Day: “If you’ve never played the board game Ticket to Ride, boy, are you missing out… I’ve only played the iPhone version, but can’t put it down.”
Cult of Mac: “Like its bigger iPad-dwelling brother, the iPhone version is very well designed and produced… It’s set to take the mobile gaming world by storm again.”
Epinions.com: “It’s the most enjoyable game I’ve played all year. Call it heresy but Angry Birds just didn’t do it for me like placing colored trains across a map of the United States. “
Gamezebo: “An excellent portable adaptation of one of the best board games of the last 10 years (and) a great point of entry for gamers not familiar with the series.”
TapCentral: “A phenomenal game at a phenomenal price.”
** What is it?
A digital adaptation of the best-selling Ticket to Ride board game, designed from the ground up specifically for the iPhone and iPod Touch.
** What’s in it?
• A SOLO and PASS-and-PLAY version of the US map that made the original Ticket to Ride board game so compelling and popular (2 million copies and counting…).
• LOCAL play support over a same Wi-Fi or Bluetooth network, making it perfect for a game-on-the-go between friends.
• A new MULTI mode for playing asynchronously with one or more online friends, using Game Center under iOS 5. You can even play multiple games simultaneously.
• 30 uniquely fun Game Achievements you can win while playing SOLO!
• Distinct leader boards showing your highest scores in 2-3 and 4-5 player modes and on Game Center.
• Four distinct AI personalities to compete against.
• A new under 2 minute Tutorial video, custom-shot for the iPhone & iPod Touch.

Download Ticket to Ride Pocket

Hatchi

Normally $0.99.

Hatchi is a retro-looking iPhone and watch app sure to get the nostalgia burning for all those who cared for a virtual pet back in the 1990s when they were at the height of their popularity. Just as with the keychain-sized pets of the 90s, iPhone, iPod and iPad users now will feed, clean, play with and generally look after their pets to ensure they grow up to be healthy, happy little Hatchis. He needs YOU!
*** Featured on Touch Arcade Best iPhone and iPad Games***
Your Hatchi monster will go through several stages of growth, and will look different depending on the type of care the player provides. There are also NEW EGGS you can get which give you all new types of Hatchi!
Customise your Hatchi!! You can:
* Choose different backgrounds like the park or the beach!
* Use stickers to customise the background to give Hatchi a better environment!
* Change the color of your Hatchi’s pixels!
How will YOU customise your Hatchi?
Play mini games!! including:
* The Hatchi Matchi memory game
* Hatchi Squares – play against your Hatchi!
* Roshambo – What Hatchi will you pick?
* Hatchi Catchi – move your Hatchi to catch falling food
* Its raining meds – avoid the meds!
* Whack a Hatchi – whack as many as you can!
and now our ALL NEW MULTIPLAYER BATTLING GAME!!
Play Hatchi Battle with your Game Center friends and see who wins!
Feed, clean, play and watch it evolve over several days.
“Say goodbye to your productivity. Say hello to your new friend.” Gizmodo.com
“It’s hilarious, but I really, really, really don’t want Big Poppa Pump (his Hatchi monster) to bite the dust. I’ve somehow bonded with the thing” TouchArcade.com

Download Hatchi

Time Off

Normally $1.99.

Finally, an app that makes it easy to request, remember and report all of your paid time off at work!
Great for tracking vacation days, personal days, or sick time, etc. Time Off keeps track of everything for all your places of employment.
EMAIL REQUESTS:
Email Time Off requests directly to your supervisor and CC yourself.
REPORTS:
Export beautiful looking reports that you can email to anyone! Send them as Excel attachments, or embed them directly in your email as html or plain text.
MULTIPLE JOBS:
Track multiple jobs for yourself or your spouse.
HOURS OR DAYS:
Record time as hours or days, whichever you prefer!
ROLLOVER:
Whether your time rolls over each year or you “use or lose” it, Time Off has got you covered.
5 CUSTOM TIME CATEGORIES:
Vacation, Personal, Sick, etc. Customize the names and colors of up to 5 different categories of time off!
BIRDS-EYE-VIEW:
Get a birds-eye view of the year on one simple overview screen. Each category has a summary for the amount of time available, used and remaining.
TIME OFF STATUS:
Your time is automatically grouped according to status, such as Pending, Currently Using, Reserved and Denied.
BEAUTIFUL AND EASY TO USE:
Time Off is the best looking and most user friendly app of its kind.

Download Time Off

Meeting Box

Normally $2.99.

Meeting box is designed for the serious note-taker in mind. More than just another note-taking app, Meeting Box sets a new standard by also integrating a task manager, as well as map, photo, and webpage annotation. Menus are simple and uncluttered, and the interface is easy to use. Notes can be exported out of the application as PDF files, and shared by email or opened in another 3rd party application.
-Note-Taking Redefined
Meeting box is flexible, giving you the freedom to make your notes as complex or simple as you like. The drawing engine is smooth and fast, allowing you to add text, photos, highlighting, and more. Scribble, sketch, and embrace your creative side. Or simply use the built-in notepad to type to your heart’s content when your notes need to be fast and to the point.
– Form and Function
Meeting box embraces the idea that power comes from simplicity. The interface is designed to be elegant and minimalistic, maintaining a clean and fresh look. Organization is intuitive and clutter free as Meeting Box allows you to sort your notes and meetings into simple, yet efficient lists.
– Perfect for School AND Business
Meeting box is a great solution for students and working professionals. Capture your lectures or meetings with ease and style, and never forget another assignment or appointment again using built in tasks and reminders.
Meeting Box is perfect for lectures, college courses, work conferences, office meetings, journaling, and just about any other situation where you would want to capture something. Give Meeting Box a try today, and find out why it stands out above the rest!

Download Meeting Box

Posted by Unknown Tuesday, October 20, 2015

News Update Hands On : Getting To Know The Nexus 5 And Nexus 6

Google's new Nexus phones are here -- and they make quite the first impression.

It's that time, Android fans -- yes, oh, yes: Time to get to know Google's newest Nexus devices.

This year, we've got not one but two saucy seductresses competing for our affection: the smaller and more modest LG-made Nexus 5X and the larger and more premium Huawei-made Nexus 6P. The devices have a fair amount in common, to be sure, but they also have their own unique flourishes and personalities.

Nexus phones are not the kind of devices you take lightly, so I'll be taking my time and spending several days with both of these beauts before reaching any conclusions. (Like most reviewers, I received the two devices together Friday morning.) For now, here are the first things I've noticed as I've been getting to know the Nexii o' 2015:

The size:

It may seem obvious, but size is a huge factor (so to speak) with both the Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P -- and it's going to be an enormously important variable for anyone deliberating between these devices.

In fact, size was the very first thing that crossed my mind when I pulled the Nexus 5X out of its box. In what's becoming an increasingly rare phenomenon with smartphones these days, the phone is actually really comfortable to hold -- no asterisks, rationalizations, or "not that bad, considering..."-style statements required. It's just a sensible size that fits naturally in your hand. It's also surprisingly light.

The Nexus 6P -- well, it falls into that "not that bad, considering..." category. It's not as comfy or ergonomic as the 5X, but as far as plus-sized smartphones go, it's -- you know, really not that bad. I'm able to get used to it pretty quickly. For perspective, the 6P is relatively close in size to Samsung's Galaxy Note 5, only about a quarter of an inch taller, a hair wider, and a quarter of an ounce heavier.

As for how the two fare in different types of real-world use -- glamorous situations like trying to use them single-handedly while carrying a flailing baby or seeing how they feel in your pocket while flailing your own limbs at the gym -- that's precisely the kind of thing I'll be thinking about as I carry each one around over the coming days.

The materials:

No two ways about it: The Nexus 6P is one nice phone. It has an aluminum (or aluminium, if you prefer) body and strong textured buttons on its side. Whereas size was the first thing that struck me upon handling the 5X, quality is what jumped out at me as soon as I grabbed the 6P out of its packaging. This thing looks and feels premium through and through.

The Nexus 5X certainly doesn't seem cheap at first impression -- far from it -- but it does come across as noticeably more mundane in construction. Its plastic back looks nice and has a pleasant warm feel in the hand, but "premium" probably isn't the word you'd use to describe it. The same goes for details like the side buttons, which are somewhat recessed and noticeably less firm-feeling than the ones on the 6P.

Remember, though: The 5X starts at $379 off-contract. The 6P starts at $499. These phones are in different classes by design.

The software :

More than anything, Nexus devices are designed to showcase the software -- and there's a reason: A pure Google Android setup really is a treat to use, more so than ever with the shiny new Android 6.0 Marshmallow OS that ships on both the Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P. You're getting Google's unadulterated vision of how Android should look and work -- and that truly makes you appreciate just how great the OS has become when you don't have manufacturers and carriers meddling around and (more often than not) mucking things up.

And while Nexus phones are typically less loaded with features than other Android devices, Google has started to implement its own versions of some of the more useful enhancements -- like a quick way to get to the camera (double-tapping the power button) and a Moto Display-reminiscent system for seeing notifications at a glance (much more on that soon).

That's just the start :

Man, there's a lot to discuss with these new Nexus devices. From how their under-the-hood differences affect day-to-day use to how their very different displays stack up in various conditions -- not to mention the all-important question of how well they both fare with photography, especially given Google's grand promises in that department -- we've got plenty to consider.

The big question, of course, is how all the qualities come together and what each phone is like to use in regular life. More than anything, that's what I'll be working to answer as I live with these bad boys over the coming days.

Both devices make fantastic first impressions. Now the true test begins. Lots more thoughts and impressions -- and my full real-world review -- are on the way.

Posted by Unknown Monday, October 19, 2015

News Update On Gionee Handset Release : Gionee Elife E8 First Impressions: 6-Inch Flagship With Great Feature Set; Could Compete With Moto X Style

Gionee announced its flagship phone the Elife E8 at an event in New Delhi today. The Elife E8 will be successor to the Elife E7 which was launched in 2013. The Elife E8 is priced at Rs 34,999 and will be selling on Snapdeal from 12 October. Post the launch event we spent some time with the device and here are our first impressions.

Build and Design
The Gionee Elife E8 is quite a handful at its 6-inch form factor. While the bezels are thin, using the phone one handed is out of question, unless you have unnaturally large hands. The phone comes with a metallic edge which is complemented by a plastic rear cover which has a slight curvature, reminiscent of that seen on the Elife E7. The metallic edges give the phone an elegant look. The back cover is removable, but the battery is not.

The left hand side is clean whereas on the right hand side you have the volume rocker button, power/standby button and a dedicated camera shutter button. A 3.5mm audio jack graces the top edge and there’s the microUSB charging and data transfer port on the base.

On the rear side, you have a circular finger print scanner placed just below the 24MP camera. On the front, you have a 6-inch Quad HD display. There aren’t any physical buttons on the front portion of the Elife E8. The menu soft buttons are sadly, not backlit.

The phone will require two handed use for most users. Due to the smooth rear cover, the grip is a bit slippery.

Display
QuadHD displays have become a standard with most flagship phones these days and the Elife E8 is no different. It sports a 6-inch 2560×1440 pixel AMOLED display with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection. The colours appear vibrant and the text is sharp. But we will have to check the legibility in sunlight and video playback quality, which we will, once we get the review unit.

Chipset, RAM, Storage
The Elife E8 houses the MediaTek Helios X10 (MT6795) system on chip which houses a 2.0GHz octa core processor. This is paired with 3GB of RAM. The phone comes with 64GB of on board storage and you have the option to expand it to 128GB via a microSD card.

OS, Connectivity
The Gionee Elife E8 comes with Android 5.1 Lollipop and as is the case with most Gionee phones, there is the Amigo 3.1 user interface skin atop the Android OS. Gionee will be working with its Indian research team to add on more India specific features on the Amigo 3.1 UI. It will come with support for 9 Indian languages out of the box. The user interface on the Elife E8 felt really smooth as compared to what we had seen on the Elife E7 when it had launched. But we will need to use it more extensively to give a proper verdict.

The Elife E8 has a dual microSIM card configuration and it will support 4G SIM cards as well. It supports WiFi 802.11n, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS with A-GPS, FM and so on.

Camera
Gionee flagship phones have had good cameras and we were impressed with the 16MP shooter on the Elife E7. With the Elife E8, Gionee has gone a step further and added on a 24MP rear camera. This is complemented with an 8MP front-facing camera.

The 24MP camera on the rear side has a true tone dual LED flash unit. The camera user interface is quite intuitive. The Gionee Elife E8 comes with phase detect AF feature to help with faster focusing. But thanks to the poor lighting in the demo zone, we couldn’t try it out. The camera comes with many specialty modes such as Professional mode, Real HDR, Real Night, Magic Focus 2.0 and so on. The UltraPixel mode let’s you shoot an almost 120MP image by stitching around 5 images. The video camera is capable of shooting 4K videos as well.

We will need to use the phone’s camera extensively to be able to talk about the performance, as on paper it certainly ticks off all the right boxes, including a dedicated camera shutter button which will be appreciated by photography enthusiasts.

Battery
The Gionee Elife E8 houses a 3,520mAh Li-ion non-removable battery. Gionee claims that you can get up to two days of regular use with the E8, but we will hold back on that till we test the device.

Gallery

Conclusion
Gionee has upgraded its flagship after two years and it has put in a good overall feature set. The Helios X10 chipset with 3GB of RAM and 64GB storage, a 24MP shooter, fingerprint reader, 3,520mAh battery with fast charging technology are high end specifications. We will have to see how it comes together as an everyday phone, when we review it.

The Gionee Elife E8 is priced at Rs 34,999 and going by Gionee’s history, their flagship phone pricing has been premium since the launch of Elife E6. But this time around, Gionee has partnered with Snapdeal to sell the E8 online. This brings with it the hassles of registration. Considering this is a premium device, one should not be concerned about phone selling out within seconds as Gionee has promised a limited, although good volumes of phone for online sales.

At Rs 34,999, the Gionee Elife E8 will certainly have some good competition in the form of Samsung Galaxy A8, the just launched Motorola Moto X Style, and others phones such as the OnePlus One, Huawei Honor 7 and so on.

Do check back for the full review of the Elife E8 soon. In the meantime, do let us know your thoughts on the product, its feature set, price point in the comments section.

Posted by Unknown Thursday, October 08, 2015

News Social Media Update : Facebook Tests Emoji Reactions To Fix Its “Dislike” Problem

Back in September, during a town hall Q&A at Facebook’s headquarters in Menlo Park, CEO Mark Zuckerberg made a declaration that could hugely change the way the social network’s nearly 1.5 billion users use the site: that Facebook is working on a type of “dislike” button. “People have asked about the dislike button for many years,” he said. “We’ve finally heard you and we’re working on this and we will deliver something that meets the needs of the larger community.”

After some initial fuss, it was clarified that this wouldn’t exactly be a dislike button per se, but a kind of empathy button, a way to acknowledge significant life events when you see bad news from a friend on your feed, like a breakup or a natural disaster, without appearing to endorse them. Now, it’s official: Facebook has confirmed to Techcrunch that it has begun testing “Reactions,” six emoji that express a range of emotions beyond what a simple thumb can.

“As you can see, it’s not a “dislike” button,” wrote Facebook’s chief product officer Chris Cox in a post on the social network today, “though we hope it addresses the spirit of this request more broadly. We studied which comments and reactions are most commonly and universally expressed across Facebook, then worked to design an experience around them that was elegant and fun.”

That experience currently include emoji for “like, love, haha, yay, wow, sad, and angry.” You can deploy them on updates from your friends, Pages you follow, and brands you like. Or you might be able to, if Facebook decides to take this beyond its initial trial. Adam Mosseri, Facebook’s director of product, tells TechCrunch that Reactions will be tested in only two markets for now, Spain and Ireland, countries whose friend networks tend not to extend beyond national borders, making them ideal “closed test groups.” The biggest caveat: Facebook says it still needs to figure out whether it wants to tweak these empathetic emoji. “We’ll use the feedback from this to improve the feature and hope to roll it out to everyone soon,” Cox continued.

Either way, empathetic emoji are coming, at least for the residents of two countries, and probably for everyone else before long. Sure, Facebook could have opted for a more innovative take. And they still ultimately may. Then again, there’s no more universal language than a yellow circle frowny face with a tear drop falling down.

Posted by Unknown Thursday, October 08, 2015

News Gaming Laptop Update : Lenovo Announces 17.3-Inch Y700 Gaming Laptop For Rs 1,25,000 ($1888)

Lenovo has announced the IdeaPad Y700-17ISK, its 17-inch full HD display sporting gaming laptop, at the Lenovo India Gaming Week in Mumbai. The laptop will be priced at Rs 1,25,000 and the pre-orders for the same will start from 1 October.

Lenovo says it will offer free accessories such as a gaming surround sound headset, gaming precision mouse and a gaming mouse all totalling worth Rs 9,555 free for the first 30 pre-orders.

The Lenovo Y700 laptop comes with a 17.3-inch full HD IPS panel display. It houses the 6th generation Intel Core i7 quad-core processor paired with 16GB DDR4 RAM. On the storage front, you get a 1TB hard drive along with a 128GB SSD for faster booting and application loading times.

Since it is a gaming laptop, it will house the NVIDIA GTX 960M discrete graphics solution. Sadly, Lenovo will not be bundling any games with the laptop at the moment. The Y700 has a black and red coloured design elements and houses a JBL speaker set.

The IdeaPad Y700 will not be the most portable laptops around with it weighing 3.5 kg. The laptop promises a 4-hour battery life.

Speaking at the launch, Shailendra Katyal, director e-commerce, strategy and analytics said, “The Indian gaming industry is growing exponentially and there is an immense opportunity to cater to the discerning modern gamer who requires a premium PC to play out of the box. Created from ground up to serve this segment, the Y700 offers futuristic design, premium build quality and powerful hardware.”

Posted by Unknown Thursday, September 17, 2015

News Update On Samsung Smartphones : Is Samsung Coming Out With A Amartphone That Folds In Half?

It could be the flip phone for the smartphone generation.

According to Samsung rumor blog SamMobile.com, Samsung is readying to release its first smartphone with a foldable screen in January.

Samsung, which released the first phone with a display that curves on both sides, the Galaxy S6 Edge, in March, showed off a prototype for a phone that opens into a tablet in 2013. As you can see in the (oddly suggestive) promo video below, the fold-a-phablet concept device hinges in the middle, giving it the screen of a tablet with the profile of a regular-sized phone.

SamMobile reports that a source in China "who claims to have in-depth knowledge and an early scoop on Project Valley," the codename for Samsung's foldable phone project, said it is "currently undergoing testing" and is heading for a January 2016 is launch.

The site posits, however, that it could be released only in South Korea.

Posted by Unknown Thursday, September 17, 2015

News Micrsoft Windows Update : Windows 10 Downloaded To Computers Automatically

 A laptop computer featuring Windows 10 is seen on display at Microsoft Build in San Francisco in April. Even people who haven't indicated they want Windows 10 may be getting it downloaded to their computer, Microsoft confirmed. (Robert Galbraith/Reuters)

Microsoft is downloading large Windows 10 installation files to Windows 7 and 8.1 computers even if users didn't indicate they're interested in upgrade, gobbling up internet bandwidth and hard drive space.

Microsoft has been pushing Windows 7 and 8 users to reserve a free upgrade of Windows 10.

But some people who haven't officially reserved an upgrade and indicated they want Windows 10 are still getting Windows 10 downloaded to their computer, Microsoft confirmed.

In an email to CBC News, Microsoft confirmed that "we may help customers prepare their devices for Windows 10 by downloading the files necessary for future installation" if they fall into one of two groups:

• Those who have chosen to reserve their upgrade of Windows 10.
• Those that have Windows Update automatic updates enabled.

"This results in a smoother upgrade experience and ensures the customer's device has the latest software," Microsoft added.

Most users have automatic updates enabled because it's the default setting and the one recommended by Microsoft in order to make sure your computer is protected by the latest security patches.

The company said the installation file is approximately 3GB, although some users on technology websites have reported a downloaded Windows file in the 6 GB range.

Removal with Disk Cleanup:

Microsoft says Windows Update checks if there is "sufficient" free disk space before downloading this or any other update. Users who want to remove the files to free up extra hard drive space can use the Windows Disk Cleanup utility and upgrade later, it suggests.

To prevent the download, users can change their Windows Update settings. For example, they can opt to receive notifications before downloading updates.
Many technology watchers have criticized the huge size, covert nature, and lack of user consent for this download.

Many technology watchers have criticized the huge size, covert nature, and lack of user consent for this download.

"If you didn't reserve a copy and it just goes ahead and downloads it anyway, it's going directly against your wishes," wrote Chris Merriman in the Inquirer Tuesday

"And let's remember, it's going into a hidden folder that you actually have to change settings to be able to see. That says a lot."

To see whether your computer has already downloaded Windows 10, change your settings in Windows Explorer so you can view hidden files and look for something named $Windows.~BT and can be found by changing your settings in Windows Explorer so you can view hidden folders and looking in the root directory for the drive where Windows is installed.

Overage charges possible:

Many critics are upset because the download uses up valuable hard drive space and could potentially cost users if it pushes them over the download limits for their internet service — overage charges in Canada can be as high as $3 per gigabyte over the limit. The download can also cause internet sluggishness while it is happening.

When Apple similarly forced all its devices to download a new U2 album, Songs of Innocence, last September — also for free — the public outcry prompted Apple to release a special tool to remove the unwanted files.

While Windows 10 doesn't install automatically, it has eroded public trust in Microsoft, suggests Woody Leonhard, senior contributing editor for the technology website Infoworld.

"I have no idea what the people at Microsoft thought they were accomplishing," he wrote, "but that Redmond reality distortion field has done some serious damage to the company's credibility."

Posted by Unknown Wednesday, September 16, 2015