Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Apple announces iOS 8, Coming this fall with a new Health app, QuickType keyboard and more


Apple has announced iOS 8, the next major software update for the iPhone and iPad at the WWDC 2014. This would deliver a simpler, faster and more intuitive user experience and it the biggest iOS release ever, says Apple. This also brings new features such as iCloud Photo Library, new Health app, QuickType keyboard, new Messages app and more
.

The iOS 8 brings a new photos app and new iCloud Photo Library. It automatically syncs all your photos and videos in iCloud and keeps only the lightweight versions for viewing for each device. It also lets you organize photos so that you can mark favorites, create albums and also crop, straighten, enhance, or add filters. Every adjustment and effect is automatically updated across your devices with iCloud Photo Library. The Smart adjustments feature automatically adjusts exposure, brightness, contrast, and more.  A new Time-lapse mode in Camera lets you shoot Time-lapse videos.



The new Messages app lets you share your voice, brings new gesture feature for sharing videos and photos within Messages. Group messaging now lets you remove contacts, leave a conversation and the option to not be disturbed. Other features include, option to browse through all of the photos and videos within a conversation, share multiple photos and videos at once, share your current location from within Messages for an hour, a day or longer.

The new interactive notifications lets you quickly respond to notifications right from their notification banners, quick access to key contacts with contacts shortcuts and this also brings the ability to quickly switch back and forth between the inbox and drafts in Mail. Safari for iPad gets Tab view feature that offers a preview of all your open web pages.


Apple has introduced QuickType keyboard in the iOS 8 that suggests favorite phrases or words that are contextually appropriate to complete your sentences. This new predictive text engine is optimized for 14 countries. Apple has finally opened up the keyboard to developers so that you can install a custom keyboard and use it systemwide.


The new Family Sharing feature lets you share purchases, photos and calendars within the same household. This lets family members download each other’s iTunes, iBooks or App Store purchases and it supports up to six members with their own Apple ID. It also enables parents to set up parental permission for purchases by creating a new Apple IDs. It can let you find your family’s lost devices easily with the location sharing feature.


The iCloud Drive lets you store documents of any type, access it and edit it easily so that the most up-to-date version of the document would be available across all devices, iOS, Mac, Windows or the web.


The new Health app gathers data from various health apps and fitness devices and offers details such as Heart rate, calories burned, blood sugar, cholesterol and more at one place. You have complete control over exactly which data to share with each health and fitness app. You can also create an emergency card that’s accessible from your Lock screen. HealthKit tool for developers would let them to access your health data with your permission.


The new continuity feature has Handoff so that your can start an activity on one device and finish on another. It also brings Instant Hotspot, so when you’re out of Wi-Fi range, iPad can connect to your phone’s personal hotspot when your iPhone is close by. It also offers the ability to make and receive calls and send SMS and MMS messages from your Mac or iPad.


The extended Spotlight feature lets you search for articles from Wikipedia, Music from iTunes, News and more easily to get better results. It can also recognize context and location to offer you the most relevant information.


For developers Apple has added over 4000 new APIs in the iOS 8 that would let them add new widgets to the notification center, offer better sharing, use Touch ID to sign in to third-party apps and more. The new HomeKit lets developers create apps to control supported devices in your home using Siri and more. Apple has also added new technologies for game developers and a new programming language called Swift.


The iOS 8 also bring expanded security and management improvements. This includes, expanded level of data protection for key built-in apps, the ability to set your out of office response, see your colleague’s availability when scheduling a meeting and ability to push documents automatically to user’s device through mobile device management (MDM) tools, support for configurable Thread Notifications in Mail and more.

The iOS 8 beta software and SDK are available for iOS developer program members at the Apple developer’s site and would be available this fall for the iPhone 4s and later, iPad 2 and later, iPad with Retina display and iPod touch (fifth generation). Some features may not be available on all products and all regions.

Source: Apple 12
Blog Source: Fonearena











Monday, June 2, 2014

ASUS unveils Transformer Book V, a 5-in-1 hybrid with Windows 8.1 and Android 4.4

ASUS has taken wraps off another of its hybrid devices at the ongoing Computex in Taipei. The company has announced the Transformer Book V, a 5 in 1 device which can be used as a phone, tablet and laptop running on Android and Windows.
The modular device boasts of a 12.5 inch HD IPS detachable screen and a 5-inch smartphone that docks into the tablet. Asus Transformer Book V is aimed at being more flexible for users to switch between work and entertainment in one device. Powered by an Intel Moorefield chip in the phone, the device has an Intel Core CPU in the dock section. It runs both Windows 8.1 and Android 4.4 KitKat and it can be docked with a keyboard on both the modes to provide a full laptop experience.
Transformer Book V combines the power of a laptop with the mobility of both a tablet and smartphone, and provides the flexibility to run a wide range of apps. Together with the easy ability to switch between modes and share data between devices, Transformer Book V delivers an unparalleled user experience, said ASUS in a company release.

SpecificationPhoneTablet / Laptop
ProcessorIntel Atom Quad-Core Intel Atom ProcessorNext Gen Intel Core Processor
OSAndroid 4.4 with the Zen UIWindows 8.1
Memory (RAM)2 GB4 GB
StorageUp to 64G eMMCUp to 128G eMMC & 1TB
Display5” IPS HD12.5″ IPS HD
GraphicsIntel HD GraphicsIntel HD Graphics
Camera2MP front Camera, 8MP Rear Camera with LED flashHD Camera
Battery2550 mAh2cells, 28WH
Dimensions148 x 73 x 11mm (WxDxH)N/A
NetWeight140gN/A
Transformer Book V can switch to Android as soon as you insert the Android phone into the dock situated at the back of the laptop.The Android phone on the Book V features 2GB of RAM and 64GB of its own native storage. The phone carries back and front-facing cameras of 8MP and 2MP respectively. Once detached from the keyboard, the device can be used as a tablet as it also features a touchpad. A dedicated hardware button means it can instantly switch between the two operating systems.
Hence, it looks like the device can be transformed to Windows tablet, a Windows laptop, an Android phone, an Android tablet and an Android laptop. No details about pricing and availability of the Transformer Book V has been revealed by ASUS. 

source:Fonearena

Samsung Galaxy W with 7-inch HD display, LTE-A official


After several rumors Samsung has finally made the Samsung Galaxy W phablet official in Korea. It has a 7-inch (1280×720 pixels) TFT display, powered by a 1.2 GHz quad-core processor and runs on Android 4.3 (Jelly Bean). It has a 8-megapixel rear camera with LED flash and a 2-megapixel front-facing camera. It has Multi Window, S Planner , Pop up Play and also support Landscape mode in the homescreen.


It has leather-like stitched design on the back, similar most of the recent Samsung smartphones. It is just 99.6mm in width and has 16:9 aspect ratio for comfortable one-handed usage during voice calls, says Samsung.
Samsung Galaxy W specifications
  • 7-inch (1280 x 720 pixels) HD display
  • 1.2 GHz quad-core processor
  • Android 4.3 (Jelly Bean)
  • 8MP camera with LED flash
  • 2MP front-facing camera
  • Dimensions: 191.8×99.6×8.8 mm; Weight: 245 grams
  • 2GB RAM, 16 GB internal memory (11 GB user memory), Upto 64GB expandable memory via microSD card
  • 4G LTE-A / 3G HSPA+, WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS
  • 3200 mAh Battery
The Samsung Galaxy W comes in Black, White and Red colors and would be available through Korean operator SKT for 490000 South Korean Won (Rs. 28300 approx). It is not clear if Samsung plans to sell this device outside Korea.
Source:fonearena

HP introduces the Android SlateBook PC


HP has launched the SlateBook PC, a unique 14-inch Android laptop that carries a fairly sleek design.
HP vice president Mike Nash says the SlateBook combines the familiar interface of Android on mobile devices “with the productivity of a notebook ... in a breakthrough design,”
The Slatebook PC is powered by an Nvidia Tegra 4 processor with 2GB of RAM and up to 64GB of internal storage.
It has a 14-inch, 1080p touchscreen display and is fairly heavy at 3.71lbs and only available in black with bright yellow accents.
HP has added tools so Android apps will stretch out to the full 14-inch screen size.


The SlateBook also offers full access to the Google Play Store, with access to all your downloaded apps.
The laptop is expected to be shown at Computex trade show this week in Taipei, which kicks off June 3.
The Slatebook PC will be available starting August 6th for $399.
HP is also announcing the Chromebook PC, another 11.6-inch Chromebook powered by a Samsung processor.
The Chromebook PC will start at $249 for a Wi-Fi model and there’s a built-in 3G version in the works.
Source http://bit.ly/1rzcNcX

Affordable HTC One M8 Ace Vogue edition leaks

Soon after the launch of the M8, rumours about an affordable version of the flagship surfaced on the web. According to new rumours, the smartphone, dubbed as the HTC One M8 "Ace”, is set to be officially unveiled on June 3. According to rumours, the smartphone will be launched in China with “Vogue Edition” branding.

New rumours come weeks after HTC teased its next “One”, again trying to cash in on the flagship name. Teasers featured women in fashionable attire, triggering rumours of  the “Vogue” branding. HTC, however, hinted the smartphone will have cheaper price – further indicating the Vogue edition and affordable “Ace” series could be the same device.

As far as specifications go, the HTC One M8 Ace will feature Snapdragon 801 chip and a 5-inch 1080p display. It will also have 2GB of RAM, Android 4.4, Sense 6.0. and BoomSound. It has 2600 mah battery.



HTC teases the next One




While innards are expected to be similar to the flagship One M8, the main difference is going to be the the Ace/Vogue version's plastic-covered on body and no second rear camera.


It's said the One (M8) Ace or One (M8) Vogue, will launch June 3 for 3,000 RMB, or about $480/£285/AU$520.

Source: Slashgear




Sunday, June 1, 2014

LG G Flex 2 and Vu 4 Confirmed for Launch in Second Half of 2014




LG has confirmed releasing the G Flex 2 and Vu 4 phablet in the second half of this year. The company, however, did not reveal the pricing and specifications of the forthcoming devices.

According to rumours, the G Flex 2 could be one of the first smartphones under new Android Silver line up. The smartphone is expected to come with a “feature even more unique than self-healing plastic”.

We can expect the G Flex 2 to have better specifications than the current G Flex, which features 6-inch HD(1280x720) CURVED POLED display, Snapdragon 800 quad-core processor clocked at 2.26 GHz with a 2GB of RAM and Adreno 330 GPU, and 13MP camera with an LED flash and 2.1MP front camera.

LG did not mention any other details of the upcoming LG G Flex 2 and Vu 4 smartphones at the event, so until the firm officially reveals the handsets, we would be depending on leaks and rumours. Speculation for the G Flex 2 is already pointing towards a better display and a unique aspect ratio.'

The H2 2014 launch of the G Flex 2 contradicts the release date that was leaked by @evleaks last week. The tipster tweeted "LG G Flex 2 coming mid-Q1 2015, possibly with a feature even more unique than self-healing plastic."

Like LG G Flex, the Vu 3 phablet device failed to make a major mark in the markets. We expect the Vu 4 to at least include full-HD screen resolution as its predecessor came with a 960x1280 pixel resolution
.
Since the G Flex and Vu 3 were correspondingly introduced in October and September last year, we assume both G Flex and Vu 4 will arrive in the same period this year.

Samsung Galaxy S5 Active Goes Official

After a series of leaks, Samsung's Galaxy S5 Active is now officially available. The rugged version of the Galaxy S5 is only available via US telecom operator AT&T at present and has been priced at $714.99. AT&T offers a $50 on Samsung Gear Fit to buyers who purchase Galaxy S5 Active till July 24.


Just like the original Galaxy S5, the rugged variant has IP67 certified, meaning that it is dustproof and shock- as well as water-resistant. It also shares all key specifications with Galaxy S5, but there is no mention of the fingerprint scanner on the AT&T website.


However, there are a few differences that separate the two smartphones. For added toughness, Galaxy S5 Active is MIL-STD-810G certified; this certification is based on a series of tests set down by the US military to test the durability of equipment in adverse conditions.                                                                       

Samsung's new Galaxy S5 Active also has a 'convenience key' located on the side; pressing this key starts the Active Zone app, which brings apps like compass, stopwatch, flashlight, barometer etc on the same home screen.

While the original Galaxy S5 had a hardware key (Home) and two soft keys (Back and Task Switcher), the rugged variant features hardware keys for all three functions.



In terms of key specifications, Samsung Galaxy S5 Active sports a 5.1-inch Super AMOLED screen with Full HD resolution. It has a heart rate sensor and 16MP camera on the back, along with LED flash. The device is powered by a 2.5GHz Snapdragon 801 chipset with 2GB RAM and comes with 16GB internal storage; it supports microSD cards with up to 128GB capacities.

Samsung Galaxy S5 Active is powered by a 2,800mAh battery and features connectivity options like 3G, 4G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 and NFC. It is powered by Android 4.4 (KitKat), with Samsung's proprietary software on top.