Friday, 31 July 2015

Sony Xperia M4 Reviews


Sony Xperia M4 Aqua Dual review







NEW DELHI: Sony's new Xperia M4 Aqua Dual, priced at Rs 24,990, seems like a fish out of water compared to smartphones by Chinese brands that offer better hardware at much lower prices. But in a way, it's supposed to be that, considering it is the only affordable water-resistant smartphone available in the market today.


Now, if you are looking for a water-resistant smartphone, then your options are very, very limited. So we review Xperia M4 Aqua Dual to tell you if the Sony smartphone is worth a buy at a rather high price tag of Rs 24,990.


Design


Xperia M4 Aqua follows the same OmniBalance design language that Sony has used for the past two years, which translates pretty well considering the company has not used premium materials in its construction. The back panel made is of shatterproof plastic with glossy finish; the back panel tends to get smudged and scratched easily.



Along the sides is a polycarbonate frame with metallic finish, and you are likely to assume it is actually metal, not plastic. Like Sony smartphones of the last two years, the right side sports the Power, Volume and Camera hardware buttons. Above the Power key is the housing for the two sim cards, covered by a flap to protect the internals from water damage. Same is the case for the microSD card slot, which is located on the left side.

Monday, 25 May 2015

Google developing a new Android based OS

Google developing a new Android-based OS Brillo for Internet of Things

Looks like Google is shifting focus to those low-end power devices such as smart light bulbs or security cameras which come with as little as 64MB or 32MB worth of RAM. The company is reportedly working on a new software, under the Android brand, as the group developing the software is linked to the company’s Android unit.
According to a report by The Information, Google is developing a new OS nicknamed Brillo which will specially be for low-power devices aka Internet of Things (IoT) devices. As there has been an increase in the number of smart-household technology, this move by Google could prove beneficial. The report pointed out that this technology from Google could make it easier for the companies to manufacture smart home appliances such as smart fridges, light bulbs and more.
Another reason why the new Brillo OS makes sense for Google is the fact that it owns NestLabs, the company that makes smart thermostats, smoke alarms and security cameras for the home, which are all at the end of the day, ‘smart’ home appliances. If most smart home devices run on the Brillo OS, this would give a gateway to Google to a large number of information about a user’s daily routine as the time they go to sleep, or use their oven as well.
A report by Engadget points out that the new OS will not only free OEMs from having to design their own IoT communications schemes but it will also position Google as the ‘invisible backbone of tomorrow’s smart home’. Google could introduce the new Brillo OS at the I/O developers conference which starts in San Francisco on May 28.

Apple IOS 9



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Apple’s WWDC conference is all set to take place on June 8-12 and this is where the company showcases the next level of iOS and OS X. Given the interest in the conference, rumours have already started about what Apple will reveal in iOS 9, the next OS from the company for its iPhones and iPads.
We take a look at the rumours around iOS 9.


New font for iOS 9: Apple will be ditching Helvetica Neue which was introduced with iOS 7 in favour of the Apple Watch font San Francisco, says a 9to5Mac report.

While Helvetica Neue did not win too many fans when it was rolled-out with iOS 7, the report adds that not all Apple engineers are happy about the switch and worry that San Francisco won’t look good on non-Retina display screens.
While iOS 9 is unlikely to see too many design changes, the font change could also not take place entirely.

Beats Music: Apple bought Beats Music streaming service and the headphones business for $3 billion in 2014 and so far we’ve not seen an integration of the Beats Music streaming service with iOS.
It was reported in February by 9to5Mac that Apple was working on a new app that will compete with Spotify and Rdio and will be deeply integrated with “iOS, iTunes, and the Apple TV”. Given that a year has passed since the Beats acquisition, no announcement on the Apple-Beats front seems highly unlikely.

Transit for Apple Maps: Transit will allows users to navigate subways, bus services, train routes using the Apple Maps app.
Now Apple Maps has not been the most successful product from the company and most iOS users are firmly sticking to Google Maps. It remains to be seen what Apple Maps will offer new in iOS 9.
Apple recently bought a GPS-start-up company Coherent Navigations, which relies on satellite data for its mapping purposes. While it’s soon for Coherent’s technology to be a part of Apple Maps at WWDC, we could hear more on this closer to the actual roll-out of iOS 9, which takes place in September.

Upgrade for Siri :Last year we saw Siri get integration with Shazam which allows the Apple voice-assistant to identify songs for users. In addition to this, Apple introduced the ‘Hey Siri’ mode which allows users to start a question with the phrase.
It remains to be seen how Siri evolves in iOS 9. According to Gizmodo there could be a good chance that Siri will look a lot like the colourful version in the Apple Watch. Whether Siri finally makes an appearance on OS X (Microsoft’s Cortana is coming to Windows 10) is another question a lot of Apple users will be asking.

HomeKit: Apple’s answer to IoT gadgets and devices for the home, HomeKit was showcased at last year’s WWDC 2015. This year, we could see the app get renamed to Home and it will come with new features like “virtual rooms” which will help users organise their ‘smart’ accessories in their home.
9to5Mac reports that Apple has been working on improving HomeKit and we are likely to see some announcements on this front.

Compatibility with older iPhones:  According to a report in 9to5Mac, iPhones and iPads will be able to run iOS 9 efficiently. The report adds that Apple has been testing “a core version of iOS 9 that runs efficiently on older A5 devices.”
With the release of a new version of iOS, the biggest problem is that users who are on older devices, find their iPhones and iPads start getting buggy and slow once they move onto the new version. When iOS 7 was rolled-out in 2013, which saw a significant change in the iOS in terms of looks and design, iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S users complained how their devices had become slow. Similarly when iOS 8 was rolled-out, users on devices like iPhone 5c, iPhone 5, etc complained how the ‘Settings’ app was constantly crashing.
Also hopefully unlike the iOS 8 update which required 5GB free space on the device, this new update will be lighter. Apple will roll-out iOS 9 in September when the new iPhones are released. With iOS 8 there was a public beta mode as well for testing, so we’ll have to wait and see if iOS 9 also gets one.

Sunday, 17 May 2015

Top 5 IOS paid Apps

1. DOOO
Image: App Store
This app turns out to be your ideal all-in-one productivity solution which helps you manage your tasks, organise ideas as text, voice, drawings, photos and location as well. The task management app allows users to quickly organise all their notes in any format as required. In addition to a text format, you can also enter your tasks as voice notes, location, drawings or photos. The app offers a smooth interface and everything which needs to be viewed is available at a glance. A great app which combines task management and quick note taking and makes it a must have.
Original Price – $0.99
2. Orbitum
Image: App Store
Orbitum can be regarded as one of the simplest yet, addictive games. The concept is quite easy. You are traveling on the orbit lines around various colored objects, careening toward a black hole that is sucking you in. You don’t want to get into the black hole, so tap on the screen to transport yourself to the corresponding outer orbit line. Basically, it is a hypnotic rhythm-based reflex game of light and darkness. There wouldn’t be anything more satisfying than the feeling of having completed a freakishly tough level.
Original Price – $1.99
Image: App Store
Video in Video is the solution for those users who wish to share two moments at the same time, in one video. Video in Video does exactly as the name suggests – allows users to place one video right inside another. It’s almost similar to the picture-in-picture functionality which is now available on many TVs. This app is perfect for creating instructional or promo videos on the go. This app will also you to post your creations on sites such as Facebook, YouTube, and Viddy. Users can also save their photo albums and import them to other video editing apps.
Original Price – $1.99
Image: App Store
Zombies, Run! is a combination of a game as well a fitness app. It is an  ultra-immersive running game and audio adventure wherein every run becomes a mission. Users can run through their perfect mix of heart-pumping audio drama and pulse-pounding songs and also, create  supplies to grow your base back home. This app is said to take all the fun from a zombie game and turn it into a fitness app. This app syncs with Apple health as well.
Original Price – $3.99
5. Lens+
Image: App Store
Lens+ app quickly changes your phone’s camera into an analog camera. It also offers real time multi-preview to take a picture fast and users can also see the visual effect directly. There are a number of Lens type available such as Baby Face, Darken, Color Dodge, Faded, Text, Cross Process, Redscale, Lomographic, Goth, Duo Sepia, Silver Gelatin, Diana, Kieb 16a, Ronda, SMENA 35, HOLGA, Luvitel 166+, Aqua Sapphire, Nashville, Early Bird, Newage, Skyline, Cyanotype, 1920, XPro, Super 8mm, ‘70s, Golden Age and Pinhole. This app can be used on both photos and videos and can easily be shared on Facebook and YouTube.
Original Price – $0.99

An Attractive Interface of Whatsapp

Download: Whatsapp
Popular messaging service WhatsApp has received a major update in design and now sports a complete Material Design user interface, as it moves ahead in par with Google’s latest guidelines. The new update (build version 2.12.84) is now available to all on Google Play Store. Last month, WhatsApp had released build version 2.12.38 with Material Design for Android smartphones but at the time it was only available on the company’s website.
The new update only brings in several design changes to the user interface but no new additions in terms of functionality have been made.
Firstly, the revamped Material Design interface of WhatsApp brings in a lighter shade of green which you will spot at first sight. The top bar which includes Calls, Chats and Contacts tabs has been enlarged compared to the previous build. Icons have been reduced in size which gives it a clean and simple look.
When it comes to the Chat log, if you click on your friend’s profile picture, the image will enlarge and you will see quick options such as message, call and their detailed profile. Profile pictures now are in a circular frame unlike the previous squarish one. Your chat conversation will now appear as a speech bubble and the microphone feature gets a separate icon. Previously, when users pressed ‘enter’ to send their messages, they could accidentally click on the microphone option. With the new update, this wouldn’t be a problem any more.
Image: tech2
The attachment icons are also more colourful and appear bigger and brighter. WhatsApp already has a huge palette of emoticons and no new additions have been made, but there have been a few design and colour tweaks. The background is now bright white, which makes the emojis stand out more prominently on the screen.
Given WhatsApp has rolled out the Voice Calling feature to all Android devices as well, this easy on the eye Material Design will only provide a further boost to its popularity.