Xiaomi Arch the first duel-edged SmartPhone

Xiaomi Arch - Duel-edged SmartPhone

Samsung released their Galaxy Note Edge which has a single-side curved edge display. One of the common compliant from users about the device is that if you hold your phone in your right hand, the edge works well. If you hold it in your left, it actually degrades the experience of using the device. Xiaomi not to be outdone have announced a duel-edged device. The Xiaomi Arch will have two curved edges and will effectively take care of the problem being faced by the Galaxy note Edge. The edges according to the company will be used to display notifications, live updates and other important data. The device is still in concept and should be made available later this year.

Samsung Galaxy Note Edge with single curved edge

You can use an Android phone with a wired or wireless mouse

This might come in handy especially if you have a cracked screen. If you are able to draw the unlock pattern. You can then attach either or wired or wireless mouse to you phone. This was you can continue to use it and also have access to all you data. You can also use a wired xbox 360 controller or PS3 controller. There are many Apps that will help you do it, like this one. This App will help you play games on your phone via an external media controller. [Image Source]

Google reveals Nexus 6 for $649, pre-orders begin on October 29th

Please click on image to expand. The Nexus 6 will be the first device to run on Android Lollipop 5.0. Check it out here. 6 hours of use from only 15 minutes of charging. 

HTC One Mini

The much rumored HTC One Mini has been unveiled, and will be available in select markets as early as August, 2013. Built on a similiar design as the HTC One - the HTC One Mini has but slightly lower specs. The HTC ONe Mini Specs include a 4.3 inch display and instead of 1080p resolution, it will have a 720p screen resolution. Being smaller the SmartPhone's processor is also a little slower. It comes with a dual-core 1.4 GHz processor, instead of the quad-core 1.7 GHz chip that the HTC One has. The Mini however comes with the same UltraPixel camera and HTC Sense User Interface. The phone runs on Android 4.2 Jelly Bean.

The HTC One Mini has connectivity features like 2G, 3G, 4G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 and microUSB 2.0. The phone will be available globally by September. The phone also comes with HTC Boom Sound and dual frontal stereo speakers. The SmartPhone has been designed for easy one hand use, and is good for people who are on the go. It also comes with HTC BlinkFeed - what this is, is that HTC has over 1,400 content partners to bring content to the phone, news, sports movies etc. Each time you look at your phone's homescreen, content is updated automatically. HTC Zoe will craft an amazing 30 second slideshow of all your different photos for you to show off you pics and memories with family and friends.

Samsung Galaxy S4 How to use Air Gestures

The Samsung Galaxy S4 has something called Air Gesture. When this function is turned on you can use your phone, without actually touching it. So if you want to change the music or look at pictures. You can do all this with just a wave in the air. Without having to physically touch your phone. With a swipe of you hand you can control your phone. So the next time when your phone rings - wave your hand over your phone to answer calls. Pretty cool feature - you would need to turn on Air Gesture to actually begin using it.

With Air Gesture comes
1. Air Jump - Scroll through webpages or email by moving your hand up or down over the censor
2. Air browse - move to next item by moving your hand left or right.
3. Air move - move icons from one screen to the other by holding down the icon with one hand and with the other move your hand left or right, to move icons between screens.
4. Air call-accept - start answering calls by moving your hand over the censor. When using this gesture the speaker-phone is activate. You can turn it off if you want.

How to turn on, enable or activate Air Gesture on the Samsung Galaxy S4.
1. Menu > Settings > My device > Motion and gestures
2. you can also pull down the notifications shade with two fingers and tap the Air gestures icon.

Turn on Air Gestures - video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDz26A6md0s

Using Air gestures - video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=375Hb87yGcg

Sony Xperia ZR A Waterproof SmartPhone

Sony have just unveiled the all new Sony Xperia ZR - a SmartPhone to accommodate all your underwater shooting needs. By water they mean fresh water and therefore rivers, lakes and ponds and pools are OK. Don't jump into the ocean with it, as it might not survive. In fresh water you can capture photos or videos in full HD with the 13 megapixel fast capture camera. The phone is IP55 and IP58 compliant, so it can be submerged in 1.5 meters of fresh water for 30 minutes. In addition the Xperia ZR has a smart button which allows capturing photos and videos from a locked screen.

Sony Xperia ZR also comes with super-sharp 4.6” HD Reality Display for better viewing experience and OptiContrast which reduces reflections and provides fro clearer viewing. With the ZR's one-step sharing function, all your videos and photos can be shared through any NFC-enabled Sony devices, including speakers, headphones and TV. The device also comes with battery stamina mode - what this does it that by shutting down apps in the background, when the screen is locked, this increases battery life by about 4 times. Initially the Sony Xperia ZR will be available in black and white globally by Q3, 2013. The price is still not known.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDuYUlHc1r4

Samsung Galaxy S4 specs and new features

The new Samsung Galaxy S4 is out and comes with a lot of improved features and new tech, that needs to be appreciated. The size is the same as its predecessor the S3 or should we say the same height as the S3. It's a 5 inch handset and considerable thinner that the S3, weighing in at 130g. The S4 is still using a poly-carbonate chassis and comes in two colors for now - you get either 'Black Mist' or 'White Frost'. Samsung has promised more colors soon.

SGS4 Display
The SGS4 now get 1080p of display and on the 5" screen this is really impressive. The display also makes use of some amazing tech known as Adapt Display in full HD Super Amoled. What this does is that it intelligently adjusts the screens resolution to the media you're viewing. So if you're playing a game the screen resolution will be different, to when you're viewing photographs. The screen is also topped with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 - should help with it not getting scratched.



S4 processor
Comes with the octo-core 1.6GHz Exynos 5 processor - yes, it has an 8 core processor. Should be good for when your playing games and watching movies. The SmartPhone also has 2GB of Ram and so you can expect quiet a snappy and zippy phone.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Cameras.
The S4 has two cameras which is kind-of-standard with most SmartPhones these days. The rear camera is a 13 megapixel, and the front camera has 2 megapixels - with the promise of better video recording and broadcasting. For all your video chatting needs. Dual-recording is also possible so when you're shooting a video you can also take a picture. It also has Eraser Shot to wipe out noise from pictures.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUynugn9AYs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LHv1FPd1Ec

How to preview BlackBerry 10 on your Android or iOS Device

BlackBerry has been relentlessly trying to make a comeback with their new OS - BlackBerry 10. Launched recently through a large event, the BlackBerry team are in earnest trying to get users to sample their latest offering and hopefully switch sides. Along the same lines Blackberry have another trick up their sleeve  You can now preview BlackBerry 10 features on your Android Device or your iOS device. So if you want to check out the latest BlackBerry OS on your iPhone or iPad you can do so now.

What are some of BlackBerry 10 features available for preview?
These are some of the features BlackBerry 10 has and they are hoping you ditch the apply for a berry.
1. Unlock screen
2. Minimising Apps
3. BlackBerry Hub
4. BlackBerry 10 keyboard
5. BBM Video Chat

How to preview BlackBerry 10 on an Android or iOs device
Simply point your mobile browser to blackberry.com/glimpse

So would your ditch your iPhone, iPad or Android device for a new BlackBerry 10 device. Let us know in the comments section below.

Source: BlackBerry Blog

What is a Phablet?

Everyone is familiar with the word phone and tablet but what about Phablet. Well, a phablet is a cross between a phone and a tablet - designed primarily to combine the functionality of a smartphone with that of a tablet. Screen sizes of a phablet typically range between 5 - 7 inches. Phablets are usually larger in size that most smartphones but smaller that a regular tablet or for that matter of fact a miniature tablet. A good example being the Samsung Galaxy Note series. In fact they have grown so much in popularity that ABI research expects 208 million of them to be sold in 2015. In fact the Samsung Galaxy Note with its 5.3 inch display sold more than 5 million units in its first 5 months of being released.

The popularity of these devices stems from the fact that people are able to pocket than and move around. A tablet might be too large and the screen of a smartphone much too small. Since the devices are primarily used for media consumption. There is a lot of debate as to the use of the work Phablet - maybe Smarblet or Taphs, Slabs or Smartbooks. The debate will rage on with people searching for a better name than Phablet. Until a name is found however the work 'Phablet' is being used. If you have a suggestion for a name, be sure to let us know in the comments section below.

What is Blackberry 10

Blackberry 10 which was officially launched in New York on Wednesday, Jan 30, 2013, is a mobile operation system developed by Blackberry. Also know as an OS (Operating System), this OS will be used in all the upcoming Blackberry mobile devices like SmartPhones and tablets. This is a QNX-based OS and does not contain even a single line of code from the old operating system that Blackberry used to use. Blackberry Limited is the new name of the company which was formally known as Research In Motion (RIM). There are 2 new Blackberry 10 devices that have been released the BlackBerry Z10 and the Blackberry Q10.

Blackberry 10 features
1. Full Social Integration: as expected the screen as a link to your Tiwtter, Facebook and email all the time. So whenever a new mail pops-up. You can see it in your notifications.
2. Blackberry Hub: Which will be Twitter, LinkedIn, BBM and Facebook all of this combined together. Which essentially means all of your social platforms are in the same place -- reducing time and effort by checking all at once rather than one at a time.
3. Blackberry flow: effortlessly move between apps with just a swipe from the bottom. So which you're watching a video you can swipe around and visit the hub, check your mail and the video continues to play in the background, all in the same flow. Also called Blackberry peak -- check on something else which working on another app or program.
4. Blackberry Keyboard: You can choose between a physical and a touch keyboard -- depending on the device. To add characters, all you need to do is to swipe down on the keyboard. You can also move between languages easily. Just type words together and Blackberry 10 makes a sentence out of it.
5. Blackberry Balance: Allows you to easily move between personal and work. With a single swipe you can move between personal apps and work apps. So you don't get confused and overwhelmed between the two.
6. Blackberry Messenger: Allows you to now also make video calls.
7. BBM Screenshare: Easily share your video and your screen real-time with other people on call. So everyone can watch the video live and if you want you can also share your screen. Very good for work and presentations.
8. Blackberry Remember: An intelligent app that reminds you about something you flagged in an intelligent way. So a holiday email pops-up when you search for places to visit.
9. Blackberry 10 camera: comes with Blackberry Time-shift -- capture a moment and work around it later. The camera can capture an entire moment so you can move the image to when the person first stats smiling to when you took the snap. Also comes with a built-in editor to edit and add effects like Instagram.
10. Blackberry Story Maker: Pull in all related pics and videos together and create a nice story -- good for work or personal.

Video below of the Blackberry launch event in New York
http://youtu.be/lR9UtiUuTRg

Does the iPhone 5 come with Laser Keyboard, Holographic Display

So does the iPhone 5 come with a laser keyboard and holographic images. Fox 5 New York news apparently got something wrong when their reporter, went down to the Apple store on 5th avenue -- lovingly called 'The Cube'. The iPhone 5 comes out only on Friday and while interviewing people waiting in line, said something that was totally not true. That the iPhone 5 will come with a laser keyboard and holographic images. Promoting many users to called the iPhone 5 laser keyboard, fake. As it is not real real, the same goes with Holographic display which is not real. While doing the interview she says the new phone is sleeker and a laser keyboard and holographic images. While saying this a concept video found on YouTube which is more than a year old is played. The video shows the phone with laser keyboard and holographic display.This however was a concept video and the real iPhone 5 does not come with laser keyboard and holographic display. Check the videos below and spot the blunder for yourself.

The Video from Fox saying the iPhone 5 comes with a laser keyboard and holographic display

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6668cxupH98

 

The fan video of the concept iPhone 5

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzsBwnv_dAg

Samsung Galaxy S3 Social tag

The Samsung Galaxy S III comes with a feature called Social tag. Once this is synced with all your contacts, tapping on a contact will allow you to find out their SNS Status. SNS status stands for or means Social Networking Status. So using the Social tag feature of your Galaxy S3 you can check out a friends' Facebook profile with a simply tap on that contact. according to Samsung this is how it works - using its Face recognition feature the Samsung Galaxy S3 has the capability to instantly recognize identify and properly tag people in your photos, as long as you have added them as contacts. These contacts have to have a profile picture attached or you could add one. With Social Share you can instantly share the pictures with your S3 contacts recognized in your photos.



Adding Social tag to contacts as Facebook connections.
If you have synced your contacts with Facebook - you can check by opening the Contacts App and see if your contacts have a Facebook symbol next to their entry. if you see someone who does not have the Facebook contact added you can then tap on contact and go to 'Connections' and from there link them to a Social network contact.

Using Social tag on the S3
So once you have linked your friends as Social contacts, you can go to your photos and start using Social tag. Go to your photos and click on your friends face and match them to your contacts. The S3's Face recognition software will then be able to automatically recognize friends faces in your photos. After which all you need to do is click on the relevant button below your friends photo and you can mail them the photo, call them, tag them or check out their Facebook profile instantly. be sure you have Social tag switched on in your settings menu for this to work.

Check out the video below from the Vodafone teach team about Social tag on the S3.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGDyiZ0hRJw

How to track your lost Android phone and find it again

If you have misplaced your mobile phone then there are ways to track it and get it back. The easiest instance would be that you turned the ringer into silent mode and then forgot where you left it. If you have one of the apps listed below it will help you to turn the ringer on by remote controlling your phone via SMS or TEXT messages and turning it back on. Below are a list of apps that can definitely help you track your lost phone.


1. Plan B

This is an app that you can use after you have lost your phone. There is no software to be downloaded and if by chance your phone is missing, head over to this app located in Google Play and start it over the web to begin searching. To begin using the app you will need a Google Account and then start using it over the web. Once installed you get an email in your associated Gmail account telling you the app has begun searching for your phone. This is followed up by another email with a Google map showing you where your phone is. If it is unable to locate your phone you can use another phone and text the word 'Locate' to your phone. The service will not work if your phone is turned off. has no SIM card or no network connection. Works in the US only.


2. Where's My Droid Lite
This is one app can also be used after you have lost your phone. Once you phone is missing you can use this app to send a text message to your phone that will turn the ringer volume right up and help you locate your phone. You can also use text commands to send you back your phones location and get the longitude and latitude position of your phone. 


3. Agastya
This app will allow you to again turn on your phone's ringer even if it is silent mode. You can do so by using any other phone and using text message commands to get the job done. Here is a list of commands you can use with this app, provide by Tech blog Digital Inspiration. 



SILENT – Turn off the phone’s ringer
RINGER – Turn on the ringer
IMEI – Get the IMEI number* of your phone
LAST MESSAGES – Retrieve the last 5 text messages received on your phone
LAST CALLS – Know the last 5 missed/received/dialed numbers
– Fetch the contact number of a person from the address book.

An original post by

Sociolatte

Siri: "What is the best smartphone ever?"

Image Credit: Cult of Mac

Apple has fixed an issue with Siri, when Siri was asked which is the best SmartPhone ever. The reply was Nokia Lumia 900 - seems that Apple was not happy with the answer.The problem stemmed from Siri's heavy reliance on Wolfram Alpha, 25 percent of all queries returned by Siri are based on Wolfram Alpha. Apple has since fixed the issue and now Siri has a different answer. If you did search Wolfram Alpha independently you will find that Nokia Lumia 900 is recommended as the best. Apple has rushed to fix the issue as the Nokia Lumia is a decent handset but definitely not the best Smartphone ever. There is also a video doing the rounds showing Siri's answer to the best smartphone ever. After the fix by Apple is you ask Siri the same question, You'll now be told that the answer is the iPhone 4S, with responses like "the one you're holding" and "you're kidding, right?"
Source: TheVerge

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Sociolatte

How to compare the size of SmartPhones before you buy

There is a wide range of SmartPhones available today for you in the market. Each phone comes with its unique screen-size and features. Some phones have bigger and wider screens and different resolutions. Some are clearer that the other. There are a whole lot of phones out there. So how do you check the actual size of each phone before going to a retail store and holding it in your hands. Versusio is a web app that helps you do just that. Once you compare once phone against the other you might still want to get a realistic feel of how big the phone would actually be if you were holding it in your hands.


 There is a link called 'Show original size', clicking this link will put an American express credit card in between both phones and you can adjust till you get the real-life size. In addition to giving you a look and feel of the phone size the web app also gives you the pro and cons of each smartphone. So you can compare the Samsung Galaxy Note against the iPhone 4S 64GB or LG Optimus 3D P920 vs. Motorola DROID RAZR, RIM BlackBerry Bold Touch 9900 vs. Nokia Lumia 800, Motorola Defy Plus vs. Sony Ericsson Xperia active,  Nokia Asha 303 vs. Samsung Galaxy ACE S5830, HTC EVO 3D vs. Nokia Lumia 800, Samsung Galaxy S II I9100 vs. Apple iPhone 4 16GB and HTC Desire vs. HTC EVO 3D. Each of these comparisons also show you the reasons that one phone might be better that the other and highlights the features that are noteworthy about each phone. 
Versusio

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Sociolatte

Siri: How does it work

 

With the announcement of the iPhone 4S comes the news that Siri is coming with it. She will be your virtual personal assistant and help with a whole lot of tasks on your new phone, Siri is a part of iOS 5 and is capable of making you life a lot easier. For instance you get a message or text on your phone it will be read out to you be Siri and you can reply to that message or text with your normal voice. You do not need to touch your phone at all. It is all done automatically and you keep on doing your work and Siri will keep working in the background.

You can ask Siri to set your timer, tell you about the weather, remind you of all your appointments, and ask questions like which route to take and what the traffic situation is like. Siri will also speak to you in an intelligent way and has the ability to ask for clarifications. 

How does Siri work

Works just like a personal assistant, albeit a very wise one. Speak the the assistant in your normal voice and give it all your commands and everything gets done. Will also bring down accidents that happens while texting and driving. Just speak to Siri and ask for nice places for dinner around here. You will get a reply and choose a nice place. You do not need to hold it close and keep using your fingers as it is a voice based assistant that will go on the net and do your research for you. will reply to you in a female voice and keep you updated. Please see video below for more information. 

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Sociolatte

Intel Medfield Android Honeycomb Tablet [Pics]

The prototype is out for all the see. Intel has on display the new Android tablet running on Medfield. Medfield is an upcoming Atom chip for SmartPhones and tablets, will offer better graphics. This is one of their newest chips with great power-efficiency and contains a single core. It will be available in devices during the first half of 2012. Intel tablets and smartphones will be based on Google's Android Software and now their own internal MeeGo. So you can expect to see Intel-Based phones in the first half of 2011 and they will initially be running on Android Gingerbread and later transition to Ice-cream Sandwich. 


The Intel Tablet has a 10.1in screen and was shown off running Android 3.x Honeycomb. It is 8.9mm thick. World's first Intel x86 based Android tablet.

Image: tablets Planet

Image: TheInguirer

Image Credit : Cnet

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Sociolatte

BlackBerry Curve in 3 new models 9350, 9360 and 9370

RIM has just announced three new models of the BlackBerry Curve, Curve 9350, 9360 and 9370. These three models are powered by the BlackBerry 7 OS and are built to look sleek and smart. All the SmartPhones are built with what RIM is calling a waterfall design. The BlackBerry torch also features a waterfall design. The curve have curvy front and back surfaces for a better fit in your hand. The models also have a soft-touch band that seamlessly integrates functions like volume control, mute and convenience buttons. The phones come with easy portability because they weigh in a 99 grams and this includes the battery as well.


All three models are powered by the BlackBerry 7 OS. The Blackberry 7 browser features performance improvements for a significantly faster web browsing experience. The browser also have optimized HTML 5 support and so playing games on your BlackBerry curves is a faster and cooler experience. Crisp graphics that take advantage of the new devices’ HVGA+ (480×360) display. It also have universal voice search and you can use voice commands to navigate. This takes care of your browsing and searching hands-free. Third-party Apps can also be searched using voice search.  


The new curve smartphones come with deep social integration. So the phone comes with the latest version for Twitter and the latest version for Facebook, FourSquare etc. All the three models are second generation NFC (Near Field Communications). Which allows users who have NFC on the phones to connect with other users close by. Kind of like Bluetooth but works at a much shorter range. 


Video on NFC



BBM integrated into FourSquare on BlackBerry

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Sociolatte

Tag Heuer Link Smartphone photos, videos and specs

Tag Heuer the Swiss luxury watchmaker has launched a new Smartphone called 'Tag Heuer Link'. This is the first time a watchmaker has created a smartphone and it looks gorgeous. It comes with a price though as expected. Costing $6,700 the phone comes with it's own lock just as in the watches and runs on Android 2.2. 

Specs:

It has a 3.5 inch display, 5 megapixel camera, video player and recorder. It has 256MB internal memory and 8GB memory card. It runs on OS Android 2.2 and therefore has access to over 250,000 Aps. In regards to connectivity Stereo Bluetooth, AGPS, Wifi, WAPI, Compatible with any SIM card. It has a 1400mAh battery, which gives yuo 6.5 hours of talk time, 11 hours of music play time or about 14 days of standby. SMS, MMS an email works just fine an there are a range of colors to choose from. 

Image Credit: Tag Heuer

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Sociolatte

How to use Voice Actions for Andriod

If you have an android based phone, you will be happy to learn that you can now interact with Android phones using voice actions. You can now send SMS by talking your message into your phone instead of typing it. You can also call contacts with voice actions. You can also use it to find and play music. Imagine you can now send email to friends and the whole thing by just speaking into your phone. With phones becoming more and more like your own personal computer. This takes things to a whole new level. Your phone becomes easier to operate and everything is no more more just a click of a button away but a word from your mouth away. 

How to use Voice Actions for Android. To use Voice Actions, tap the microphone button on the Google search box on your home screen, or press down for a few seconds on the physical search button on your phone to activate the “Speak Now” screen.


Both Voice Actions and the new Google search widget require Android 2.2 (Froyo), and will be pre-installed with the new Droid 2 phone from Motorola and Verizon. Voice Actions are currently available for U.S. English speakers.

How to get voice actions for Android.
You will need to download the voice search App, featuring voice actions. 





Here are a list of Voice commands to use for voice actions. 


Send text messages

Say "send text to [recipient] [message]*"
e.g. "send text to Allison Miller Running late. I will be home around 9"


Get directions
Say "navigate to [address/city/business name]"
e.g. "navigate to the DeYoung Museum San Francisco" or "navigate to 1965 Page St."


Call contacts
Say "call [contact name] [phone type]*"
e.g. "call Allison Miller home"


View a map
Say "map of [address/city]"
e.g. "map of San Francisco"


Write a note
Say "note to self [message]"
e.g. "note to self grocery list banana milk eggs pizza"


Listen to music
Say "listen to [artist/song/album]"
e.g. "listen to the decemberists"


Call businesses
Say "call [business name] [location]*"
e.g. "call Pizzeria Venti Mountain View"


Send email
Say "send email to [recipient] [subject]* [body]*"
e.g. "send email to Mike LeBeau How's life in New York treating you? The weather's beautiful here!"


Go to websites
Say "go to [website]
e.g. "go to Wikipedia"


Search Google
Say "[your query]"
e.g. "pictures of the golden gate bridge at sunset"

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Sociolatte